cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Online interaction: negotiation of meaning and strategies used among learners of Spanish

Online interactive exchange offers learners many opportunities to use the target language to negotiate both meaning and form in a social context that is crucial for second language acquisition (SLA). This paper discusses the interaction between non-native speakers (NNSs) and the types of communication strategies employed during the online communication. A total of forty students participated in online discussions using a private chatroom. Data from this study suggest that interactive strategies facilitate comprehension of input and output. The results show that regardless of proficiency level, students used a variety of communication strategies. However, students tended to use more comprehension checks, clarification checks, requests and self-repairs to negotiate with each other. The quick interactions taking place in cyberspace impeded students from producing correct and coherent discourse, especially during the learner-learner interaction. Pedagogically, students need to be advised of the need to write correctly to maintain a balance between function, content, and accuracy. One of the corrective techniques is to make students re-examine and revise their exchanges with guided instruction. The current study focused on online interaction among NNSs. To claim the effectiveness of online interaction in SLA with certainty, future studies on online negotiation must include both NNSs and native speakers.
Binding and precipitation of lectins from Erythrina indica and Ricinus communis (Agglutinin I) with synthetic cluster glycosides

Abstract We recently reported that tri- and tetraantennary complex type oligosaccharides with nonreducing terminal galactose residues and the triantennary asialofetuin glycopeptide can bind and precipitate certain galactose specific lectins ( L. Bhattacharyya, and C. F. Brewer (1986) Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. , 141 , 963–967; L. Bhattacharyya, M. Haraldsson, and C. F. Brewer (1988) Biochemistry 27 ,1034–1041). The present study investigates the binding interactions of two of these lectins, those from Erythrina indica and Ricimis communis (Agglutinin I), with mono-, bi-, and triantennary synthetic cluster glycosides, which have little structural resemblance to complex type oligosaccharides other than they possess nonreducing terminal galactose residues ( R. T. Lee, P. Lin, and Y. C. Lee (1984) Biochemistry 23 , 4255–4261 ). The enhanced affinities of the bi-and triantennary glycosides relative to the monoantennary glycoside for the two lectins are consistent with an increase in the probability of binding due to multiple binding residues in the multiantennary glycosides. The triantennary glycoside is capable of precipitating the two lectins, and quantitative precipitation data indicate that it is a tri-valent ligand. The results show that the binding and precipitation activities of complex type oligosaccharides with these lectins is due solely to the presence of multiple terminal galactose residues and not to the overall structures of the oligosaccharides.
Range of Motion and Stability in Total Hip Arthroplasty With 28-, 32-, 38-, and 44-mm Femoral Head Sizes An In Vitro Study

The purpose of this study was to evaluate, via experimental models, the effect of larger head sizes for total hip arthroplasty on the type of impingement, range of motion (ROM), and joint stability. Testing was conducted using an anatomic full-size hip model (anatomic goniometer) and a novel anatomic dislocation simulator with 28-, 32-, 38-, and 44-mm diameter femoral heads within a 61-mm acetabular shell. Femoral heads >32-mm provided greater ROM and virtually complete elimination of component-to-component impingement. A significant increase in both flexion before dislocation and displacement between the femoral head and acetabulum to produce dislocation occurred with femoral heads >32-mm in diameter. These data indicate that larger femoral heads offer potential in providing greater hip ROM and joint stability.
Subarachnoid Hematoma Attenuates Vasodilation and Potentiates Vasoconstriction Induced by Vasoactive Agents in Newborn Pigs

ABSTRACT: The effects of perivascular blood on pial arteriolar vasoreactivity to selected vasodilators and vasoconstrictors were examined in vivo in a newborn pig model. α-Chloralose-anesthetized newborn pigs were fitted with closed cranial windows 4 d after cortical subarachnoid injections of autologous blood. The responsiveness of pial arterioles; to topical application of dilator agents [iloprost, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), histamine, and sodium nitroprusside (SNP)] and vasoconstrictor agents [leukotriene C4 and endothelin-1 (ET-1) in artificial cerebrospinal fluid was studied in control and blood-injected piglets. Pial arterioles dilated dose dependently in response to topical application of iloprost, PGE2, histamine, and SNP in the control group, with increases in diameter of 54, 44, 67, and 50% at 10-8 M, 10-5 M, 10-5 M, and 10-5 M, respectively. These dilations in response to iloprost, PGE2, and histamine in the blood-injected piglets were significantly attenuated to 23, 18, and 34%, respectively, whereas the dilation in response to SNP was not changed (64%). Constrictions in response to 10-8 M leukotriene C4 and ET-1 were 16 and 26% and were potentiated by hematoma to 36 and 43%, respectively. The lowest dose of ET-1 (10-12 M) significantly dilated pial arterioles in the control but not in the blood-treated group. We conclude that prolonged exposure of pial arterioles to perivascular blood attenuates cerebrovascular dilation in response to selected vasoactive agents (iloprost, PGE2, and histamine) but not to SNP, suggesting that blood-induced attenuation of vasodilation and the generalized vasoconstriction may involve inhibiting the prostanoid/cAMP signaling pathway. Potentiation of vasoconstriction induced by ET-1 and leukotriene C4 in the hematoma group could be due to loss of this dilator influence.
Protean: A flexible haptic rendering system for the SuperCollider audio environment

This paper introduces a new haptic rendering system called Protean. Protean is designed as a flexible set of classes for the SuperCollider audio language coupled with custom Haptic Device clients that provide haptic feedback for one or more end users. By using the system, users can rapidly create haptic user interfaces that can be coupled with an excellent realtime audio engine, with few limits to creative expression.
Aquatic Vegetation Quantification Symposium: An Overview

ABSTRACT A symposium was held at the 10th annual meeting of the North American Lake Management Society to discuss methods of aquatic vegetation quantification and its application to an aquatic plant management program. Topics discussed at this symposium included the importance of accurate taxonomic identifications, the use of transect and biomass sampling methods, development of manipulative experiments to evaluate management techniques, and advances in remote sensing for aquatic plant quantification. These technical approaches were then illustrated in an ongoing governmental aquatic plant management program. Techniques used for aquatic plant quantification and the importance of vegetation quantification to an ongoing management program are summarized.
On-Chip Dielectrophoretic Coassembly of Live Cells and Particles into Responsive Biomaterials

We report how live cells and functionalized colloidal particles can be coassembled into a variety of freely suspended bioactive structures using dielectrophoresis on a chip. Alternating electric fields were applied to dilute suspensions of yeast (S. cerevisiae) and NIH/3T3 mouse fibroblast cells to yield 1D chains and 2D arrays. The effects of voltage, frequency, pH, electrolyte concentration, cell concentration, and particle size on the assembly process were investigated in detail. Numerical simulations of the field intensity and energy allow the capture of the dynamics of cell−cell and cell−particle assembly. The simulation results illustrate that the electric field draws the functionalized synthetic particles between the cells and enables the formation of permanent chains and monolayer membranes composed of alternating cells and particles. The cell structures were bound into permanent structures by different types of functionalized synthetic particles and ligands that attached to the cells through bios...
Tests on Lightning Protection for A-C Rotating Machines

Supplementing theoretical studies on the protection of a-c rotating machines against impulse waves and previous tests on individual protective devices, a comprehensive series of tests on over-all protective schemes has been made. As a result, definite conclusions are drawn regarding the proper lightning protection for machines connected directly to overhead lines or connected through transformers, giving consideration to the type of transformer connection. Considerable information also is obtained on the propagation of surges through windings, and on the surge impedances of machine windings.
First-best, second-best, and heuristic solutions in conservation reserve site selection

Previous studies which dealt with the conservation reserve site selection problem used either optimization methods, specifically linear integer programming (IP), or heuristic algorithms. The trade-off between computational efficiency versus optimality has been discussed in some articles and conflicting messages were signaled. Although the problem of suboptimality was acknowledged, some authors argued that heuristics may be preferable to exact optimization because IP models are computationally complex and may not be solvable when too many reserve sites are involved. On the other hand, some studies reported that fairly large problems could be solved easily. This paper shows that although the computational complexity argument can be valid for large reserve selection problems, by properly guiding the solver and exploiting the problem structure, formal optimization can deliver second-best (near-optimal) solutions that dominate the greedy heuristic solutions.
Aerosol Gelation: Synthesis of a Novel, Lightweight, High Specific Surface Area Material

We demonstrate that an aerosol can gel. This gelation is then used for a one-step method to produce an ultralow density porous carbon material. This material is named an aerosol gel because it is made via gelation of particles in the aerosol phase. The carbon aerosol gels have high specific surface area (200–350 m 2 /g), an extremely low density (2.5–5.0 mg/cc) and a high electrical conductivity, properties similar to conventional aerogels. The primary particles of the carbon aerosol gels are highly crystalline with a narrow (002) graphitic X-ray diffraction peak. Key aspects to form a gel from an aerosol are large volume fraction, ca. 10 −4 or greater, and small primary particle size, 50 nm or smaller, so that the gel time is fast compared to other characteristic times.
Formation control strategies for a separated spacecraft interferometer

Formation flying of multiple spacecraft is an enabling technology for future space science missions such as separated spacecraft interferometers. Controllers designed for these multi-vehicle fleets must address many high- and low-level tasks, and will become very complicated for large fleets. As such, this work describes ongoing research to investigate the precise sensing and control of a distributed spacecraft interferometer using a layered approach based on GPS and laser metrology. In particular, it focuses on the design of low-level controllers within several candidate control architectures, and analyzes how well these controllers perform on basic formations. Initial experimental results are presented on a three vehicle formation flying testbed executing station-keeping and rigid body maneuvers.
Balance-Based Energy-Efficient Communication Protocols forWireless Sensor Networks

Energy efficiency is a critical design issue in wireless sensor networks, where each sensor node relies on its limited battery power for data acquisition, processing, transmission, and reception. In this paper, we propose several energy-efficient communication schemes based on power control and load balancing, aiming at even distribution of the residual energy of the sensors and thus prolonging the lifetime of overall wireless sensor networks. More specifically, an Integer Linear Programming (ILP) algorithm and a Distributed Energy Efficient Routing (DEER) protocol are proposed for time-driven sensor networks. A Residual Energy-based Traffic Splitting (RETS) protocol is introduced for event-driven sensor networks. We have carried out extensive simulations to evaluate the proposed protocols. Our simulation results show that most heuristic approaches yield network lifetimes far smaller than the upper bound obtained from the ILP algorithm. The proposed DEER and RETS approaches can effectively distribute energy consumption evenly among the sensor nodes to prolong the network lifetime by up to 200% or more, when compared with other approaches in the literature.
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic measurement of the temperature dependence of leaching of cations from the albite surface

Abstract Polished albite single crystals were dissolved in flow or semi-batch reactors containing solutions at pH 2.9 ± 0.1 at 5°, 50°, and 90°C until steady state dissolution was achieved. At steady state, all effluent solutions contained ≤ 1.4 × 10-4, 5.1 × 10-5, and 3.6 × 10-5 mol l-1 of Si, Al and Na, respectively. Solution chemistry data was consistent with preferential Na and Al leaching during the early dissolution for experiments at 5 and 50°C, while stoichiometric dissolution dominated reaction at 90°C. Depth profiles of Si, Al, and Na were measured on the crystal surfaces after dissolution using angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ARXPS). The extent of Na and Al leaching in the near-surface layer of albite, as measured by ARXPS under the experimental conditions, was observed to decrease with increasing temperature. The decreased leaching of Al and Na at higher temperature is interpreted as the result of competition between dissolution of the surface layer and diffusion of Al and Na from the leached layer into the solution. Higher dissolution rates relative to diffusion rates at elevated temperatures are inferred to have decreased the thickness of the leached layer. These results indicate that the activation energy for albite dissolution (65 kJ mol-1) is higher than that for cation diffusion in the surface layer by about 10 kJ mol-1. Such an estimated activation energy is almost identical to that measured for diffusion of Na through albite glass, as reported in the literature. XPS measurements of crystal surfaces dissolved at pH 2.9 at 90°Casa function of time also show that the Al concentration of the albite surface did change measurably during dissolution from 0 to 1 week, but did not change measurably during dissolution from ? 1 to 6 weeks. The Na concentration of the surface decreased rapidly from bulk values within the first week of leaching, and then increased slightly at 6 weeks of leaching. Relatively rapid attainment of a steady state surface chemistry may imply that the long periods needed for attainment of steady state dissolution in rate experiments is related more to slow reactions such as (1) repolymerization and structural re-equilibration, or (2) development of etch pits and porosity, as opposed to fast reactions such as cationic diffusion.
Metalimnetic cyanobacteria in hard‐water lakes: Buoyancy regulation and physiological state

During summer stratification, Crooked and Little Crooked Lakes, Indiana, contained phytoplankton dominated by populations ofAphanizomenonj7o.vaquae that stratified in the metalimnion where photon irradiance was 6% of that at the surface. The gas vacuolate Aphanizomenon filaments from Little Crooked Lake lost buoyancy when exposed to irradiances > 100 pmol photons m-2 s-l. If 2 PM KH,PO, was added to the water samples, however, exposure to irradiances >200 pmol photons m -2 s-l was necessary to obtain buoyancy losses. Phosphate also affected the recovery of buoyancy by sinking filaments. Filaments that had lost buoyancy due to incubation in the light recovered it when incubated for 5 h in the dark. Addition of phosphate increased the rate of buoyancy recovery by 50%. The metalimnetic populations had stratified in a zone of relatively low irradiance and inorganic nutrient concentration. The physiological state of the populations was evaluated by determining the kinetic characteristics for phosphate, nitrate, and ammonia uptake and the cellular contents of surplus phosphate and chlorophyll a. On the basis of the premise that cells limited by a particular element will express a high uptake potential for that element, the metalimnetic populations showed characteristics of organisms not limited by the availability of light, phosphorus, or nitrogen.
Gradient-based iterative image reconstruction scheme for time-resolved optical tomography

Currently available tomographic image reconstruction schemes for optical tomography (OT) are mostly based on the limiting assumptions of small perturbations and a priori knowledge of the optical properties of a reference medium. Furthermore, these algorithms usually require the inversion of large, full, ill-conditioned Jacobian matrixes. In this work a gradient-based iterative image reconstruction (GIIR) method is presented that promises to overcome current limitations. The code consists of three major parts: (1) A finite-difference, time-resolved, diffusion forward model is used to predict detector readings based on the spatial distribution of optical properties; (2) An objective function that describes the difference between predicted and measured data; (3) An updating method that uses the gradient of the objective function in a line minimization scheme to provide subsequent guesses of the spatial distribution of the optical properties for the forward model. The reconstruction of these properties is completed, once a minimum of this objective function is found. After a presentation of the mathematical background, two- and three-dimensional reconstruction of simple heterogeneous media as well as the clinically relevant example of ventricular bleeding in the brain are discussed. Numerical studies suggest that intraventricular hemorrhages can be detected using the GIIR technique, even in the presence of a heterogeneous background.
Effects of aggregation of drug and diagnostic codes on the performance of the high-dimensional propensity score algorithm: an empirical example

Background The High-Dimensional Propensity Score (hd-PS) algorithm can select and adjust for baseline confounders of treatment-outcome associations in pharmacoepidemiologic studies that use healthcare claims data. How hd-PS performance is affected by aggregating medications or medical diagnoses has not been assessed.
DURATION‐BASED MEASURES OF PREFERENCE FOR VOCATIONAL TASKS

We compared results from two preference assessments with data on extended performance of vocational tasks by 4 participants with developmental disabilities. All participants engaged in one task exclusively when seven tasks were available concurrently during a 5-min multiple-stimulus assessment. By contrast, all participants exhibited high levels of engagement in most tasks when the tasks were presented singly for 5 min, and these data showed a high degree of correspondence with those obtained during extended (60-min) vocational assessments.
Why Small, Centrist Third Parties Motivate Policy Divergence by Major Parties

Plurality-based elections between two major parties or candidates sometimes feature small, cen trist, third parties. We modify the standard two-party spatial model of policy-seeking parties to incorporate a centrist third party, and we show that the presence of such a party?even if it has no chance of winning?motivates the major parties to propose policies that are much more divergent than without the third party. We derive explicit formulas for party locations at a three-party equilibrium and provide necessary and sufficient conditions for existence ofthat equilibrium. We show that, over time, the major parties can be expected to shift their policies in the same direction relative to each other but in the opposite direction relative to the minor party. The predictions of this model are compared with estimates of party policy locations during appropriate periods in postwar Britain. For the past half-century, a small British party? first the Liberals, now the Liberal Demo crats?has occupied a policy position in between the two major British parties: Labour and the Con servatives. During much of the same period, the Free Democrats in Germany have held a similar posi tion between the Social Democrats and the Christian Democrats. In addition, recent American presidential elections have featured the candidates John Anderson (in 1980) and Ross Perot (in 1992 and 1996), who had no realistic chance of winning and who were arguably located between the Democratic and Republican nom inees.1 What are the policy consequences of the existence of such small, centrist parties or candidates? On what political institutions do these consequences depend? Do these consequences benefit the policy aspirations of the centrist party or do they undermine these goals? Under proportional representation, it is well known that a small centrist party such as the Free Democrats in Germany may hold the balance of power, bargaining with each of the major players as they attempt to form governing coalitions. But in a plurality-based system as in Britain or the United States, the consequences are far
Developmental changes in the composition and function of sarcoplasmic reticulum.

Abstract Developmental changes in the protein, phospholipid, cholesterol, and fatty acid composition of skeletal and cardiac microsomes were correlated with Ca2+ transport activity in chicken embryos and during the early postnatal period. In skeletal muscle microsomes isolated from leg, superficial pectoralis, or deep pectoralis muscles, the rapid increase in the rate and extent of calcium accumulation around the time of hatching was accompanied by increase in total and Ca2+-sensitive ATPase activity, the concentration of phosphoprotein intermediate and the amount of transport ATPase enzyme determined by gel electrophoresis. The increased enzyme content of the membrane is reflected in its increased density and a marked decrease in phospholipid to protein ratio with development. The concentration of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylserine, sphingomyelin, and phosphatidylinositol changed relatively little during the first 50 days of development but the appearance of calcium transport activity was accompanied by a marked decrease in the palmitate and increase in the linoleate content of membrane phospholipids and a decrease in cholesterol concentration. These changes were clearly apparent in purified sarcoplasmic reticulum membranes isolated by calcium loading or in less pure membrane fractions obtained by differential or sucrose gradient centrifugation. Corresponding but much less pronounced changes in the enzymatic activity of cardiac microsomes were observed during development. Although the observations are consistent with nearly all possible mechanisms of membrane assembly they may suggest that the phospholipid-rich membranes of embryonic muscle are gradually converted during development into calcium-transporting structures by stepwise insertion of the ATPase enzyme and other components of the transport system.
CRESTBOT: A New Family of Resilient Botnets

We show that it is possible to design botnet structures called CRESTBOT based on extractor graphs which are highly resilient to command-and-control (CC however, it might also be of use for the "good guys" when certain race conditions are desired such as software patching or quick bot takedowns.
Speaking of Books: Christian Marriage

Book reviewed in this article: Glenn W. Olsen (ed.), Christian Marriage: A Historical Study
C/T Polymorphism in the 5′ Untranslated Region of the Apolipoprotein(a) Gene Introduces an Upstream ATG and Reduces In Vitro Translation

Elevated plasma levels of lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] are a significant-independent risk factor for arteriosclerosis. Interindividual levels of Lp(a) vary nearly 1000-fold and are mainly due to inheritance that is linked to the locus of the apolipoprotein(a) [apo(a)] gene. A search was made for sequence variants in the 5' flanking region of the apo(a) gene that affect its expression. A C to T transition at position +93 from the transcription start site was found with a frequency of 14% in the study population. In transient transfection assays in HepG2 cells, luciferase reporter gene constructs with a T at this position were associated with a 58% reduction in luciferase activity compared with the more common allele. This single base variant had no significant effect on the binding of nuclear regulatory proteins; however, it introduced an additional upstream ATG initiation codon with its own in-frame stop codon. Furthermore, equivalent levels of mRNA were produced in HepG2 cells transfected with reporter gene constructs containing either a T or a C at position +93. In vitro translation experiments using transcripts derived from either variant apo(a) promoter revealed a 60% reduction in translation associated with the T allele. Hence, the additional ATG created by the T at position +93 in the 5' flanking region of the apo(a) gene impairs the efficiency of translation from the bona fide ATG initiation codon.
Circannual cycles of luteinizing hormone and prolactin secretion in ewes during prolonged exposure to a fixed photoperiod: Evidence for an endogenous reproductive rhythm

Circulating patterns of luteinizing hormone (LII) and prolactin (PRL) were monitored for 5 yr in ewes mainwined either outdoors in natural conditions or indoors in a fixed, short photoperiod (8L:16D). The ewes were ovariectomized and each was treated with a Silastic implant containing estradiol to provide a fixed negative feedback signal to the reproductive neuroendocrine axis. Serum concentrations of LII and PRL were subjected to a statistical algorithm developed for the purpose of detecting hormone cycles. In ewes maintained outdoors, serum concentrations of both hor,nones underwent high amplitude cycles with a period no different from 365 days. Among ewes maintained in the fixed photoperiod, unambiguous cycles of LII and PRL persisted through the 5 yr of exposure to short days. Period of these cycles differed from 365 days. Further, the LII cycles became desynchronized wnong ewes housed together and desynchronized with respect to the LII cycles in ewes kept outdoors. These findings document the existence of an endogenous circannual rhythm of reproductive neuroendocrine function in ewes.
Damage Assessments of Ballistic Impact Behaviors of GLARE 5 (3/2) Beams with Various Stacking Sequences

Fiber-metal laminated beams of GLARE 5 (3/2) lay-up configuration of dimensions: 254×25.4mm (10″×1″) with various stacking sequences were impacted by a 0.22 caliber bullet shaped projectile using a high-speed gas gun. The effect of stacking sequence was considered on FMLs with unidirectional [04°], unidirectional [904°], cross-ply [0°/90°]s and quasi-isotropic [0°/±45°/90°] lay-up orientations. Optical imaging and mechanical sectioning techniques were used to assess the impact damages. The results showed that the failure pattern was changed by altering the specimen stacking sequences. A visible longitudinal crack along the 0° fiber direction was observed for the unidirectional [04°] specimen. Subjected to the ballistic impact, damage development in the unidirectional [904°] FMLs caused the specimens to split into two halves. A Phantom V710 high-speed camera was used to monitor the crack propagation and damage growth on the backside of the specimens with unidirectional [04°] and cross-ply [0°/90°]s lay-up sequences. In particular, it was illustrated experimentally that a small circular region of damage was created on the non-impacted side of the specimens. In addition, for the unidirectional specimen, the damage progressed as a lip-shaped zone; whereas, it advanced as a diamond-shaped contour for the cross-ply specimen. The 3D dynamic nonlinear finite element (FE) code, LS-DYNA, was used to validate the experimental results. The finite element results were compared to those obtained experimentally. Good agreement between the experimental and FE result was obtained.
Right coronary arteriography: experience with standard-torque and limited-torque techniques in children and young adults.

Coronary spasm and intimal injury may occur during selective right coronary arteriography. The safety and efficacy of right coronary arteriography in children and young adults were retrospectively reviewed for this report. Right coronary arteriography was performed in 200 patients. A standard-torque technique was used in 150 patients, a limited-torque technique was used with a reshaped left coronary catheter in 53 patients. The standard-torque technique was associated with proximal coronary spasm in nine patients, nonsustained ventricular tachycardia in one patient, and ST segment changes in one patient. The limited-torque technique was associated with no complications. The standard-torque technique was effective in one patient when the limited-torque technique failed to define distal coronary branches clearly. The limited-torque technique was effective in nine patients when the right coronary artery could not be engaged while attempting the standard-torque technique. In conclusion, right coronary arteriography may be performed in a safe and potentially more effective manner using a new catheter design and a limited-torque technique. Cathet Cardiovasc Intervent 2003;58:119–123. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Haemonchus contortus (Nematoda: Trichostrongylidae) is much more sensitive than Caenorhabditis elegans (Nematoda: Rhabditidae) to the ovicidal action of thiabendazole.

When eggs of the trichostrongylid nematode Haemonchus contortus were exposed to thiabendazole, the concentration required to prevent hatching in 90% of the eggs (MIC90) was found to be 0.1 microg/ml (using 1% dimethylsulfoxide [DMSO] as solvent). In contrast, eggs of the free-living rhabditid nematode Caenorhabditis elegans hatched at normal rates at a concentration 200 times higher, i.e., 20 microg/ml, and showed only a partial inhibitory effect at a concentration 1,200 times higher, i.e., 120 microg/ml (in 3% DMSO). Because solubility limitations precluded the testing of higher concentrations of thiabendazole, a more soluble derivative, 5-([1-methylethoxy]carbonylamino)-2-(4-thiazloyl)1H-++ +benzimidazolyliminoacetic acid N,N-diethylethanamine salt, was tested against C. elegans eggs. The MIC90 was found to be 400 microg/ml, and although the derivative was not tested against H. contortus eggs, this finding further suggests that C. elegans eggs have an exceptionally low degree of benzimidazole sensitivity.
Orbiting Ray Bradbury's Mars: Biographical, Anthropological, Literary, Scientific and Other Perspectives Gloria McMillan, Editor. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2013.

Orbiting Ray Bradbury's Mars: Biographical, Anthropological, Literary, Scientific and Other Perspectives Gloria McMillan, Editor. Jefferson, NC: McFarland, 2013.Gloria McMillan's Orbiting Ray Bradbury's Mars offers an interdisciplinary approach to Bradbury's fiction. Its main goal, succinctly stated in McMillan's introduction, aims for "a kaleidoscopic picture of Bradbury's time spent in the Southwest and of how his work was influenced by the landscape and people from the west" (5). The focus on region holds the collection together as it addresses Bradbury's work in six parts or lenses: biographical, anthropological, literary, scientific, media, and educational.The book opens with Peter Smith's foreword, a nostalgic look back at his own childhood encounters with Bradbury and how they impacted his own work mapping Titan and exploring Mars through the various landers. The shift to McMillan's preface, which sets up the collection's place in the larger scope of Bradbury studies, illustrates nostalgia and love for Bradbury's fiction and a concern with contributing to scholarly conversations about his impact. These also contribute to the cohesive feel of the collection as it begins with biographical examinations by Jonathan R. Eller and Wolf Forrest.The more academic endeavors of other essays in the collection have greater impact. In particular, Mar leen S. Barr's "Prescient Border Crossing: 'I See You Never' and the Undocumented Mexicans Americans Prefer Not to See" from the anthropological section offers a perceptive interpretation of "I See You Never" and the protagonist Mr. Ramiez as an allegory of the legal and social implications of border crossings-of illegal aliens' border crossing, of science fiction's canonical border crossing, and of Bradbury's fiction as genre border crossing. The literary section hosts two of the collection's stand-out essays: Kimberly Fain's "Bradbury's Mars: Pathway to Reinvention and Redemption" and Christopher Cokinos's "The Desert is Earth and Mars: An Ecocritical, Bache lar dian Exploration of 'And the Moon Be Still as Bright' and It Came from Outer Space." Both make stunning use of established research while setting their own readings apart. Fain's reading of The Martian Chronicles as articulating "the impact of colonial invasion, the danger of imposing predisposed notions, and the genocidal effects of infecting prejudice into an indigenous culture" (118) takes a cultural studies approach, employing an impressive depth of analysis and support through various research materials. …
Resident Physicians' Perceptions of Barriers and Facilitators to Colorectal Cancer Screening for African Americans

Background African Americans experience disproportionately higher morbidity and mortality from colorectal cancer (CRC), yet they complete screening at lower rates than Caucasians. While studies have identified barriers and facilitators to CRC screening among African Americans, no study has examined physician perceptions of these barriers. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine how resident physicians view barriers and facilitators to CRC screening among their African American patients, and to compare residents' perceptions with barriers and facilitators that have been reported in studies with African Americans. Design: Both quantitative and qualitative data were obtained during in-depth interviews with 30 upper-year residents from an urban academic internal medicine program. Results Residents recognized the low levels of awareness of CRC that have been reported among African American patients. The most common barriers reported by residents were lack of knowledge, fears, personal/social circumstances, and colonoscopy-specific concerns. Residents reported a need for increased education, increased public awareness, and easier scheduling as facilitators for screening. Residents failed to appreciate some key perceptions held by African Americans that have been documented to either impede or facilitate CRC screening completion, particularly the positive beliefs that could be used to overcome some of the perceived barriers. Conclusions Residents may be missing opportunities to more effectively communicate about CRC screening with their African American patients. Residents need more explicit education about African Americans' perceptions to successfully promote screening behaviors in this high-risk population.
A simple method for determination of fatty acid composition of seed oils using High Performance Liquid Chromatography.

The quality of dietary fats and oils primarily depends on their fatty acid composition which historically has been assayed using gas chromatography. During the past two decades High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) has emerged as a preferred analytical technique. However, the use of HPLC for assaying fatty acids lagged behind due to the lack of suitable chromophores which made their detection more difficult. Therefore, the fatty acids must be derivatized into different products to facilitate detection. This paper reports the results of a study that was undertaken to develop and standardize a simple HPLC method for the routine assay of fatty acids in seed oils. The bromophenacyl reaction of fatty acid derivatization was chosen and the resulting products were successfully separated on a C8 reverse-phase column using binary gradient elution with acetonitrile and water. The use of a C18 reverse phase column was found to be unnecessary and undesirable.
Discovery from the Trenches: The Future of Brady

The so-called “due diligence” rule, which excuses prosecutors’ compliance with Brady v. Maryland if the defense could have obtained the exculpatory evidence on its own, is only a symptom of the greater problem ailing the American criminal justice system. The real problem is that prosecutors and defense counsel generally do a terrible job collaborating because of the basic nature of our adversarial system. To make Brady effective, not only must the due diligence rule be reconsidered, but both sides must be willing to cooperate in the truth-seeking mission of criminal trials.
Intrasplenic Ovarian Grafts in Syrian Hamsters and Peritoneal Fluid Cellular Distribution

SummaryWe ovariectomized adult female Syrian hamsters and transplanted the right ovaries into the spleens where they remained for 48 weeks. The resulting excessive gonadotropin appeared to be the major stimulating factor in the production of hamster cystic ovaries. The uterine weight and characteristic distribution of peritoneal fluid cells reflected low circulatory estrogen levels.
Iron and brain functions.

Purpose of reviewThe purpose of this study is to highlight recent research findings that advance our understanding of the relation between iron status and neural functioning.Recent findingsRecent findings have helped to answer questions pertaining to the interrelationship of iron and neural function
CAUSE ANALYSIS OF SLAGGING IN BOILERS FOR 1000 MW ULTRA-SUPERCRITICAL UNITS AND COUNTERMEASURES THEREOF

Directing against the slagging problem on platen superheater in boilers for 1000 MW units in Zhouxian Power Plant,the causes resulting in slagging have been analysed from aspects of boiler's structural features,properties of fuel coal,and actual operation of the boilers,and corresponding measures,such as strictly controlling the coal quality,strengthening sootblowing in the furnace,and optimizing adjustment in operation etc.,being put forward,they can alleviate slagging in the boilers to a certain degree.It is recommended that the flue gas temperature control and slagging problem at inlet of the subdividing platen have to be emphasized even in the design stage of boilers.
Evidence of Intensive Autolytic Debridement With a Self-Adaptive Wound Dressing.

BACKGROUND Chronic venous leg ulcers (VLUs) can be challenging to manage and heal. Despite the observed efficacy of surgical debridement, many patients with VLUs refuse the procedure due to the associated pain. Autolytic debridement induces no pain, but is slow or disrupted in chronic VLUs. Elucidation of the wound dressing functions that are sufficient to support autolytic debridement is needed. MATERIALS AND METHODS The authors report 2 challenging cases with large, nonresponsive VLUs. A 52-year-old female patient, Case 1, presented with a VLU of 91.4 cm(2) (10.5 cm x 8.7 cm); and a 58-year-old female patient, Case 2, presented with bilateral VLUs, the larger of which was 50 cm(2) (10 cm x 5 cm). Both VLU cases were covered with yellow slough, and case 1 had a small area of black necrotic tissue. The patients had received standard care for more than 16 months, but their VLUs were worsening. A self-adaptive wound dressing (SAWD) with a compression wrap was applied 2 to 3 times a week. RESULTS Within 21 days, the VLUs of both cases had shed the yellow slough, and healthy granulation tissue was visible. CONCLUSION In summary, the SAWD removed excess exudate with liquefied components of slough and nonvital tissue; provided sufficient moisture for preventing wound desiccation; sequestered microorganisms, thereby blocking their multiplication; and supported efficient autolytic debridement, clearing most of the slough and all crusted necrotic tissue within 3 weeks. The effect of SAWD on autolytic debridement is a promising mechanism for promoting healing of VLUs and warrants further study.
Can't Catch a Break: Try Using Anti-Osteoporotic Therapy: Commentary on an article by Harpreet S. Bawa, MD, et al.: "Anti-Osteoporotic Therapy After Fragility Fracture Lowers Rate of Subsequent Fracture: Analysis of a Large Population Sample".

According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, an estimated total of fifty-four million adults in the United States who are fifty years of age and older are affected by osteoporosis and low bone mass1. With the aging population, the prevalence of osteoporosis is expected to continue to grow in the United States to approximately more than seventy million people by 20301. It is also anticipated that the number of fractures will grow proportionally. Some have projected a growth in incident fractures by almost 50%, with numbers expected to surpass three million fractures by 20252. Once an initial fracture is encountered, patients have been found to be at increased risk of subsequent fractures3 or death4. Thus, medical intervention has been recommended for treating osteoporosis in patients following fragility fractures. Anti-osteoporotic therapies may include bisphosphonates and non-bisphosphonate medications, such as raloxifene and calcitonin. Using an administrative claims database, Bawa et al. examined whether the adequate use of anti-osteoporotic therapy after an index fragility fracture is associated with a reduced risk of subsequent fragility fracture in a cohort of patients who are fifty years of age and older. On the basis of the patients’ prescription medication claims and their …
An information model to support user-centered design of medical devices

Display Omitted An information model was used to model product design and user performance.A uniform terminology was used to connect disparate stakeholder domains.Semantic properties and rules were used for automated usability assessments.The model shows promise as a user centered design aid. The process of engineering design requires the product development team to balance the needs and limitations of many stakeholders, including those of the user, regulatory organizations, and the designing institution. This is particularly true in medical device design, where additional consideration must be given for a much more complex user-base that can only be accessed on a limited basis. Given this inherent challenge, few projects exist that consider design domain concepts, such as aspects of a detailed design, a detailed view of various stakeholders and their capabilities, along with the user-needs simultaneously. In this paper, we present a novel information model approach that combines a detailed model of design elements with a model of the design itself, customer requirements, and of the capabilities of the customer themselves. The information model is used to facilitate knowledge capture and automated reasoning across domains with a minimal set of rules by adopting a terminology that treats customer and design specific factors identically, thus enabling straightforward assessments. A uniqueness of this approach is that it systematically provides an integrated perspective on the key usability information that drive design decisions towards more universal or effective outcomes with the very design information impacted by the usability information. This can lead to cost-efficient optimal designs based on a direct inclusion of the needs of customers alongside those of business, marketing, and engineering requirements. Two case studies are presented to show the method's potential as a more effective knowledge management tool with built-in automated inferences that provide design insight, as well as its overall effectiveness as a platform to develop and execute medical device design from a holistic perspective.
Cultural Expression and Action

Use of the term action in the social sciences has meant a focus on the individual actor, and on how meanings influence action. The focus on actors and meanings raises important questions. (a) What kinds of meanings shape action? (b) How are meanings brought to bear on action? (c) What is the relation between consciously articulated symbols and implicit, unarticulated practices in guiding action? (d) What is the best way to conceptualize the relation between culture and social structure? Older formulations of ‘ideal’ vs. ‘material’ determinants of action or Parsons' sophisticated cybernetic theory of the roles of ‘conditioning’ and ‘controlling’ factors in shaping action have given way to attempts, such as those of William Sewell, Jr., to do away with the culture–structure distinction. (e) There is wide disagreement about how coherent cultural meanings are—whether they are ‘systems’ at all, and if so, in what sense. One challenge for those who argue that cultural systems have their own logic is to specify what a cultural logic is, how it operates, and how it constrains thought and action. (f) For those who accent the multiplex, inconsistent aspects of culture, one challenge is to specify the contexts that organize meanings and sometimes bring them to bear in a consistent way on action. Recognizing that culture is organized, and organized differently, at multiple levels may help to specify the autonomous causal role of culture, taking account of the agency of actors while acknowledging separate processes through which external contexts bring culture to bear on action.
Intervention Promoting Medication Adherence: A Randomized, Phase I, Small-N Study

Objective Many people with chronic health conditions fail to take their medications as prescribed, resulting in declines in health and function. The purpose of this study was to perform a Phase I feasibility study to understand whether an integrated occupational therapy intervention could help people with chronic health conditions improve their adherence to medications. Method Using a small-N design, we report single-subject analyses of the medication adherence of 11 participants before and after either an occupational therapy intervention or a standard care intervention. We used a multiple baseline approach with intersubject replication and blinding. Results The occupational therapy intervention was found to decrease performance variability and to increase medication adherence rates in some people with chronic conditions. Conclusion These findings suggest that an occupational therapy intervention can improve medication adherence in people with chronic health conditions. The intervention tested in this study is feasible and would benefit from further research.
The Role of Orthobiologics in Fracture Healing and Arthrodesis

Nonunion after tibial shaft fracture and hindfoot arthrodesis remains a major problem. Known risk factors include advanced age, immunosuppression, smoking, and diabetes. Several factors must be considered in the fracture healing process. This review evaluates the efficacy of orthobiologics in improving union rates after fracture or arthrodesis. Use of compounds have shown increased cellular proliferation experimentally. Percutaneous autologous bone marrow has shown increased cellular proliferation. Matrix supplementation has shown significant improvements in bone healing. Several studies have highlighted the importance of adequate graft fill over graft type. Patients at increased risk for nonunion would benefit most from these adjuvant therapies.