Special education supervisors' perceptions of secondary LD programs: a comparison with LD teachers' views

Perceptions of secondary LD program supervisors were identified and compared with views of secondary LD teachers regarding the presence of specific program features, field-related issues, and suggestions for program improvement. Responses indicated that the supervisors were more positive and, in many cases, held significantly different views than LD teachers.     

Sex differences in static strength and fatigability in three different muscle groups

Maximal voluntary static muscle force production was assessed both in strength trials and during 2-min contractions by three muscle groups (right-hand finger flexors [RHF], right-leg extensors [RLE], and both leg extensors [BLE]) in young males (n = 13) and females (n = 14). There was a significant difference (p less than .01) between males and females for RHF strength and BLE strength but no significant difference between sexes for RLE strength. During the 2-min task, impulse (force x time) declined significantly (p less than .001) and there was a significant difference (p less than .001) between muscle groups, but there was no difference between sexes. There was a significant (p less than .05) sex x time interaction for the impulse values indicating that the fatigability was greater in males than females.     

Considerations for protein intake in managing weight loss in athletes

Abstract

A large body of evidence now shows that higher protein intakes (2–3 times the protein Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of 0.8 g/kg/d) during periods of energy restriction can enhance fat-free mass (FFM) preservation, particularly when combined with exercise. The mechanisms underpinning the FFM-sparing effect of higher protein diets remain to be fully elucidated but may relate to the maintenance of the anabolic sensitivity of skeletal muscle to protein ingestion. From a practical point of view, athletes aiming to reduce fat mass and preserve FFM should be advised to consume protein intakes in the range of ～1.8–2.7 g kg^?1 d^?1 (or ～2.3–3.1 g kg^?1 FFM) in combination with a moderate energy deficit (?500 kcal) and the performance of some form of resistance exercise. The target level of protein intake within this recommended range requires consideration of a number of case-specific factors including the athlete's body composition, habitual protein intake and broader nutrition goals. Athletes should focus on consuming high-quality protein sources, aiming to consume protein feedings evenly spaced throughout the day. Post-exercise consumption of 0.25–0.3 g protein meal^?1 from protein sources with high leucine content and rapid digestion kinetics (i.e. whey protein) is recommended to optimise exercise-induced muscle protein synthesis. When protein is consumed as part of a mixed macronutrient meal and/or before bed slightly higher protein doses may be optimal.     

A Human Resources Dilemma? Emergent Themes in the Experiences of Part-Time Librarians

Although many newly-graduated librarians are applying for and accepting part-time library employment after graduation, little research has been done into what working part-time means for these early career librarians. This article, based on a survey of recent LIS graduates who have worked part-time, provides a snapshot of part-time library employment and the advantages and disadvantages it affords to new librarians. This information is particularly relevant in light of the difficult job market for entry-level librarians. All of the surveyed librarians have worked in at least one part-time professional or paraprofessional position in a library after receiving their degree. Many of these respondents describe holding multiple part-time positions and receiving low salaries and few, if any, employment benefits. The themes documented in the open-ended short answers of these part-time librarians will help to guide further research into the professional and personal impact of part-time employment.     

The use of economic classifiers for the indexing of scientific publications

The experience from the application of the OKVED 2 economic classifier for indexing scientific publications is considered. More than 9500 articles on the subject of “Automation. Computer Engineering” in authoritative Russian magazines were the material for the study. Some means for the comparative analysis of economic statistics and results of the classification of scientific publications are shown.     

Microfluidic chemical processing with on-chip washing by deterministic lateral displacement arrays with separator walls

We describe a microfluidic device for on-chip chemical processing, such as staining, and subsequent washing of cells. The paper introduces “separator walls” to increase the on-chip incubation time and to improve the quality of washing. Cells of interest are concentrated into a treatment stream of chemical reagents at the first separator wall for extended on-chip incubation without causing excess contamination at the output due to diffusion of the unreacted treatment chemicals, and then are directed to the washing stream before final collections. The second separator wall further reduces the output contamination from diffusion to the washing stream. With this approach, we demonstrate on-chip leukocyte staining with Rhodamine 6G and washing. The results suggest that other conventional biological and analytical processes could be replaced by the proposed device.     

Disrupting the wall accumulation of human sperm cells by artificial corrugation

Many self-propelled microorganisms are attracted to surfaces. This makes their dynamics in restricted geometries very different from that observed in the bulk. Swimming along walls is beneficial for directing and sorting cells, but may be detrimental if homogeneous populations are desired, such as in counting microchambers. In this work, we characterize the motion of human sperm cells ∼60 μm long, strongly confined to ∼25 μm shallow chambers. We investigate the nature of the cell trajectories between the confining surfaces and their accumulation near the borders. Observed cell trajectories are composed of a succession of quasi-circular and quasi-linear segments. This suggests that the cells follow a path of intermittent trappings near the top and bottom surfaces separated by stretches of quasi-free motion in between the two surfaces, as confirmed by depth resolved confocal microscopy studies. We show that the introduction of artificial petal-shaped corrugation in the lateral boundaries removes the tendency of cells to accumulate near the borders, an effect which we hypothesize may be valuable for microfluidic applications in biomedicine.