cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio Predicts Biologic Behavior in Patients Undergoing Curative Resection for Gastroesophageal Cancer

cancer, steroid use, and recent surgery were significantly more common among emergent patients; postoperative outcomes including superficial surgical site infection (2.7% vs 1.3%), pneumonia (6.4% vs 2.0%), reintubation (4.3% vs 1.7%), extended ventilation (8.7% vs 1.8%), UTI (5% vs 1.6%), stroke (0.7% vs 0.06%), cardiac arrest (1.7% vs 0.3%), MI (2.7% vs 0.5%), transfusion (8.7% vs 1.6%), DVT (2.7% vs 0.8%), sepsis (5.4% vs 1.4%), septic shock (2.7% vs 0.6%) were more common, and LOS was longer (10.4 vs 4.2 days) for emergent patients (all p<0.05). In univariate analysis, emergent patients demonstrated increased odds of 30-day mortality (OR 6.3, p<0.001); however, on adjusted analysis, emergent surgery was no longer independently associated with mortality (OR 1.6, p1⁄40.352). Only poor functional status, steroid use and ASA class 3 remained independently associated with mortality.
Sesquiterpenoids—IV : Acid-catalyzed methyl migration in 9--methyl decalins

Abstract Treatment of unsaturated acid 1 with refluxing formic acid leads to an equilibrium mixture of lactones 2 and 3 in a ratio of 2:1. The stereostructure of γ-lactone 2 is secured by its synthesis from epoxy-ester 6, the stereochemistry of which is deduced from reactivity arguments. The structure of δ-lactone 3 was proven by correlation with the trans-9-methoxy-10-methyl decalin 29, of unambiguous stereo-chemistry. The merits of such a “methyl-migration” route to eremophilanes are discussed.
Studies on the length of dry band arcs on ADSS fiber optic cables

Arcing experiments are conducted in a laboratory setting to investigate the development of dry band arcing on ADSS fiber optic cables. The development of dry-band arcing within every power frequency cycle is filmed with a high-speed video camera and analyzed. The relationship between arc length and open-circuit voltage and short-circuit current is obtained. Studies show that the growth of arc length due to short-circuit current is larger than that caused by open-circuit voltage.
State of the climate in 2010

Several large-scale climate patterns influenced climate conditions and weather patterns across the globe during 2010. The transition from a warm El Nino phase at the beginning of the year to a cool La Nina phase by July contributed to many notable events, ranging from record wetness across much of Australia to historically low Eastern Pacific basin and near-record high North Atlantic basin hurricane activity. The remaining five main hurricane basins experienced below- to well-below-normal tropical cyclone activity. The negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation was a major driver of Northern Hemisphere temperature patterns during 2009/10 winter and again in late 2010. It contributed to record snowfall and unusually low temperatures over much of northern Eurasia and parts of the United States, while bringing above-normal temperatures to the high northern latitudes. The February Arctic Oscillation Index value was the most negative since records began in 1950. The 2010 average global land and ocean surface tem...
Single node and end-to-end buffer control in real time

High speed integrated services networks will multiplex distinct traffic streams that have different sensitivities to packet or cell loss. We consider traffic streams or “classes” that have a cost function representation related to cell loss. These traffic classes share a common finite capacity buffer. Using this model we characterize optimal scheduling and rejection rules for minimizing the cost of lost cells, both over the finite and infinite time horizon. Optimization is considered both at the single switch level and for a sequence of switches with cross traffic. For the single node case we describe optimal policies for cell scheduling and rejection when loss related cost functions are used. These cost functions can either be linear or convex. In the case of a two-node system, we describe numerical experiments using a dynamic programming formulation. Although this leads to large computational cost, it does provide insight into simple rules which could be used to approximate optimal policies.
Remarks on Jake, Myers-Scotton and Gross's response: There is no “Matrix Language”

This research note presents reactions to Jake, Myers-Scotton and Gross's (2005) response to MacSwan (2005), the latter offered as a response to Jake, Myers-Scotton and Gross (2002) and as a general critique of the MLF model of Myers-Scotton and colleagues. The note responds to the authors' analysis of various linguistic examples and to their continued assertion that the MLF model (and “matrix language” concept in particular) is necessary to any successful analysis of codeswitching data. The authors' critique of MacSwan's (2005) analysis of some Spanish–English DP facts is shown to fail, demonstrating that there is no “matrix language”. The note advocates that researchers reject across-the-board constraints on codeswitching in favor of a research agenda which relies upon independently motivated principles of grammar for the analysis of bilingual language data, with no codeswitching-specific mechanisms permitted.
Microoxic-Anoxic Niche of Beggiatoa spp.: Microelectrode Survey of Marine and Freshwater Strains

Beggiatoa spp. grow optimally in media containing opposed gradients of oxygen and soluble sulfide, although some strains also require an organic substrate. By using microelectrodes, we characterized oxygen and sulfide gradients during their initial development in uninoculated media and in cultures of marine and freshwater strains. In gradient media, Beggiatoa strains always grew some distance below the air/agar interface as a dense “plate” of constantly gliding filaments with sharply demarcated upper and lower boundaries. Within established plates, the maximum oxygen partial pressure was 0.6 to 6.0% of air saturation and not significantly lower if filaments were fixing nitrogen. Oxygen penetrated only 100 to 300 μm into the plate, and the anoxic fraction increased from less than 10% to approximately 90% during later stages of growth. For lithoautotrophically grown marine strains, the linearity of the oxygen profile above the plate plus its drop to zero therein indicated that oxygen uptake for the entire tube occurred only within the Beggiatoa plate. Consequently, oxygen consumption could be predicted solely from the distance between the air/agar interface and the top of a plate, given the diffusion coefficient for oxygen. By contrast, for freshwater strains grown heterotrophically (with sulfide also in the medium), oxygen profiles were frequently nonlinear because of nonbiological reaction with sulfide which had diffused past the aggregated filaments. For all strains tested, microoxic aggregation also occurred in the absence of sulfide, apparently reflecting a step-up phobic response to oxygen.
Purification and Partial Characterization of Lacticin 481, a Lanthionine-Containing Bacteriocin Produced by Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis CNRZ 481.

Abstract Lacticin 481, a bacteriocin produced during the growth of Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis CNRZ 481, was purified sequentially by ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration, and preparative and analytical reversed-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography. Ammonium sulfate precipitations resulted in a 455-fold increase in total lacticin 481 activity. The entire purification protocol led to a 107, 506-fold increase in the specific activity of lacticin 481. On the basis of its electrophoretic pattern in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, lacticin 481 appeared as a single peptide band of 1.7 kDa. However, dimers of 3.4 kDa also exhibiting lacticin activity were detected. Derivatives of the lacticin-producing strain which did not produce lacticin 481 (Bac-) were sensitive to this bacteriocin (Bacs) and failed to produce the 1.7-kDa band. Amino acid composition analysis of purified lacticin 481 revealed the presence of lanthionine residues, suggesting that lacticin 481 is a member of the lantibiotic family of antimicrobial peptides. Seven residues (K G G S G V I) were sequenced from the N-terminal portion of lacticin 481, and these did not shown any homology with nisin or other known bacteriocin sequences.
Critique of Recent Comparison of log P Calciulation Methods

In a recent note to this journal Moriguchi et al. compared the reliability of several methods for calculating log P octanol/water from structure. The structures chosen were 22 drugs which Rekker and Manhold had analyzed earlier. On the basis of these values a statistical analysis indicated that the reliability of the methods decreased in the order : Moriguchi, Hansch, Rekker and Suzuki. The fact that regression equations relating measured to calculated values produced such unreasonably high deviations (s=0.764 to 1.240) and poor correlation coefficients (0.701 to 0.901) should have alerted the authors that some of the measured log P value were in error. Three major errors are apparent, and these affect the statistics to such an extent that the comparisons are not valid.
Maturation Modulates Serotonin- and Potassium-Induced Calcium-45 Uptake in Ovine Carotid and Cerebral Arteries

Neonatal vulnerability to intracranial hemorrhage is often attributed to a relative inability of immature cerebral arteries to contract. Because this depressed contractility may involve age-related differences in cerebrovascular calcium handling, the present study examined age-related differences in cerebral artery contractility and its dependence on extracellular calcium from 24 newborn lambs and 36 adult sheep. Contractile tensions and 45 Ca uptakes were measured under baseline conditions and as a function of time during stimulation by both receptor-dependent (100 μM serotonin) and receptor-independent (122 mM K + ) mechanisms of contraction in endothelium denuded newborn (N) and adult (A) ovine middle cerebral (MCA) and common carotid (COM) arteries. Maximum contractile responses to potassium averaged 4.5 ± 0.2 (N-COM), 5.8 ± 0.9 (A-COM), 3.0 ± 1.1 (N-MCA), and 3.1 ± 0.6 (A-MCA) g. Corresponding averages for responses to serotonin were 7.2 ± 0.8, 7.3 ± 1.1, 3.6 ± 0.1, and 3.6 ± 0.2 ; except for COM responses to potassium, contractile responses were little affected by maturation in either artery type. At baseline, uptakes averaged 0.39 ± 0.04 (N-MCA), 0.33 ± 0.04 (A-MCA), 0.25 ± 0.03 (N-COM), and 0.14 ± 0.01 (A-COM) μmol Ca/g dry weight/min. Maximum increases in calcium uptake produced by potassium depolarization averaged 231 ± 19% (N-MCA), 152 ± 13% (A-MCA), 156 ± 11% (N-COM), and 140 ± 14% (A-COM) above baseline. Corresponding increases produced by 100 μM serotonin averaged 201 ± 15% (N-MCA), 129 ± 23% (A-MCA), 143 ± 20% (N-COM), and 145 ± 18% (A-COM). Under all conditions examined, calcium uptakes were uniformly greater in newborn than adult arteries, and were greater in MCA than COM segments of the same age. For equivalent contractile tensions, newborn arteries required greater calcium uptakes than corresponding adult arteries. We attribute these differences largely to age-related variations in the activation of calcium entry through voltage-sensitive and receptor-operated membrane calcium channels.
Regulation of WASH-dependent actin polymerization and protein trafficking by ubiquitination

Endosomal protein trafficking is an essential cellular process that is deregulated in several diseases and targeted by pathogens. Here, we describe a role for ubiquitination in this process. We find that the E3 RING ubiquitin ligase, MAGE-L2-TRIM27, localizes to endosomes through interactions with the retromer complex. Knockdown of MAGE-L2-TRIM27 or the Ube2O E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme significantly impaired retromer-mediated transport. We further demonstrate that MAGE-L2-TRIM27 ubiquitin ligase activity is required for nucleation of endosomal F-actin by the WASH regulatory complex, a known regulator of retromer-mediated transport. Mechanistic studies showed that MAGE-L2-TRIM27 facilitates K63-linked ubiquitination of WASH K220. Significantly, disruption of WASH ubiquitination impaired endosomal F-actin nucleation and retromer-dependent transport. These findings provide a cellular and molecular function for MAGE-L2-TRIM27 in retrograde transport, including an unappreciated role of K63-linked ubiquitination and identification of an activating signal of the WASH regulatory complex.
Molecular Layer Deposition of Nylon 66 Films Examined Using in Situ FTIR Spectroscopy

Molecular layer deposition (MLD) techniques can utilize sequential, self-limiting surface reactions with bifunctional monomers to grow polymer films. In this study, transmission in situ Fourier tra...
Looking beyond the Obvious: power, epistemic culture and student migration in the knowledge-based economy

The emergence of the knowledge-based economy revived the brain drain debate of the 1970s, calling for the recruitment of scientists and researchers in the interest of national development. International students find themselves in the middle of this debate, as developing countries struggle to address the growing number of those choosing not to return home after graduation. While most researchers explain student migration in terms of economic opportunity and incentives, this article argues that this approach ignores the epistemic culture of graduate training and the differential power of academic institutions in developed and developing nations. Based on a sample of Filipino PhD students in science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) fields, this article shows how international students internalize research practices and values that encourage them to remain in the USA. I also discuss how these values contradict the research culture within developing countries, making it difficult for students to imagine continuing their work if they returned home. Consequently, this article challenges how the brain drain narrative describes knowledge as an intellectual product, easily transferred across national borders. Rather, the article emphasizes the need to recognize knowledge as a process of production, where shared norms define how new scholars are expected to contribute to their fields.
Cretaceous volcanism, Excelsior Mountains, Nevada

Rb-Sr isochrons obtained for locally extruded siliceous volcanic rocks in units in the Excelsior and Pilot Mountains, western Nevada, indicate ages, respectively, of 103 ± 5.7 m.y. and 142 ± 17 m.y. Both dated units occur in a complex of terrigenous and volcanic rocks previously thought to be entirely of early Mesozoic age. K-Ar ages of granitic rocks of the Excelsior Mountains region indicate that plutonism occurred mainly between about 70 and 100 m.y. B.P. The newly dated volcanic rocks of the Excelsior Mountains provide the first recognition of a volcanic center of Cretaceous age in the Great Basin and evidence that at least some of the thrusting and folding in the Excelsior Mountains region occurred in the Cretaceous or later time. Together, the two new Rb-Sr ages indicate a more prolonged history of Mesozoic sedimentation and extrusion than previously realized. The dated volcanic rocks of the Excelsior Mountains are generally contemporaneous with recently discovered Cretaceous extrusive rocks in the central Sierra Nevada, suggesting that volcanism may have been widespread in the Cretaceous in eastern California and western Nevada between 37° and 38°N. K-Ar ages of granitic plutons in the Excelsior Mountains region suggest that the Cretaceous volcanic rocks vented near the beginning of a 20-m.y.-long pulse of intrusion. Moreover, the pluton ages indicate a time lag between Cretaceous volcanism and plutonism similar to that in the Sierra Nevada.
Numerical Simulation of a High Pressure Supersonic Multiphase Jet Flow Through a Gaseous Medium

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis is used to numerically study the structure and dynamics of a high-pressure, high-speed jet of a gas/liquid mixture through a gaseous medium close to the nozzle region. The complex structure of the jet near the nozzle region is captured before it breaks-up downstream. A new multiphase model based on a mixture formulation of the conservation laws for a multiphase flows is used in the simulation. The model does not require ad-hoc closure for the variation of mixture density with pressure and yields thermodynamically accurate acoustic propagation for multiphase mixtures. The numerical formulation has been implemented to a multi-physics unstructured code “RocfluMP” that solves the modified three-dimensional time-dependent Euler/Navier-Stokes equations for a multiphase framework in integral form. The Roe’s approximate Riemann solver is used to allow capturing of shock waves and contact discontinuities. For a very steep gradient, an HLLC scheme is used to resolved the isolated shock and contact waves. The developed flow solver provides a general coupled incompressible-compressible multiphase framework that can be applied to a variety of supersonic jet flow problems including fuel injection systems, thermal and plasma spray coating, and liquid-jet machining. Preliminary results for shock tube analysis and gas/liquid free surface jet flow through a gaseous medium are presented and discussed.Copyright © 2004 by ASME
Gene regulation and the origins of human biological uniqueness

What makes us human? It is likely that changes in gene expression and regulation, in addition to those in protein-coding genes, drove the evolution of uniquely human biological traits. In this review, we discuss how efforts to annotate regulatory functions in the human genome are being combined with maps of human-specific sequence acceleration to identify cis-regulatory elements with human-specific activity. Although the evolutionary interpretation of these events is a subject of considerable debate, the technical and analytical means are now at hand to identify the set of evolutionary genetic events that shaped our species.
Power transmission in Great Britain-what does the future hold?

The aim of this paper is to identify the challenges that will have to be overcome in the future in order to continue with the successful operation of a main interconnected system (MITS) in Great Britain. It begins by assessing the current role of the transmission system in meeting the requirement of its user and identifying the drivers for additional capacity and the technology employed to provide this additional capacity. The shift in sources of power generation is then examined together with the resultant changes in power system requirements that this brings.
Remote imaging of controlled gas releases using active and passive infrared imaging systems

The results of field tests of an active backscatter absorption gas imaging (BAGI) system and a passive imager based on a Ga:Si infrared focal-plane array are presented. Both imagers allow real-time video imaging of gas emissions. The former system images gases through their attenuation of backscattered laser illumination; the latter images gases through temperature or emissivity differences. The results represent the first side-by-side comparison of an active and passive imager and the first BAGI field trial involving the imaging of plumes of controlled concentration and dimension.
Effect of Thyroparathyroidectomy on Skeletal Sodium Metabolism in the Rat

The effect of thyroparathyroidectomy on the bone mineral response to hyponatremia has been studied in female rats. Four groups: control, adrenalectomized, thyroparathyroidectomized, and adrenalectomized plus thyroparathyroidectomized, were used. The adrenalectomized group developed hyponatremia and a fall in bone sodium. The thyroparathyroidectomized group developed hypocalcemia and no change in serum or bone sodium. The adrenalectomized-thyroparathyroidectomized animals developed hyponatremia, no change in serum calcium from the control values, and no fall in bone sodium. We conclude that thyrocalcitonin or parathyroid hormone is involved in the process causing a fall of bone sodium during a short period of hyponatremia. (Endocrinology 85: 175, 1969)
The role of contamination in SrCuO reactions at high pressure

Abstract The role of precursor contamination and sample/capsule interaction in influencing the results of solid state reactions in the SrOCuO system at high pressure (H-P) has been studied. Optical microscopy (OM), electron microprobe (EM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) methods reveal the instability of Sr 2 CuO 3 , and to a lesser extent, SrCuO 2 , with respect to decomposition by atmospheric H 2 O and CO 2 during processing in air. Decomposition results in the formation of both hydroxide and carbonate products which contaminate the reactants and lead to the formation of oxycarbonates as well as other unknown phases in the sealed environments of the H-P experiments. The extent of decomposition depends on the state of aggregation of the sample, and its processing and handling history. In addition, reactions between the samples and capsules become important at high temperatures and long reaction times. In H-P experiments of SrCu-oxides without an oxygen source, alumina is suitable as a capsule material up to about 1150°C, but platinum only below 1050°C. Platinum capsules develop reaction crusts of Sr 2 PtO y and absorb Cu into solution. Similar problems exist for gold, but it was found to be still appropriate for use up to 1150°C. However, it should be pointed out that the sample-capsule reactions are exacerbated in the presence of oxygen sources, e.g. SrO 2 and KClO 3 . We believe that these problems may have played a role in generating the confusing results in previous studies of the SrCuO system, as well as in rendering reproducible superconductivity elusive.
Assembly of diblock copolymer functionalized spherical nanoparticles as a function of copolymer composition.

In this work, we use coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to study spherical nanoparticles functionalized with AB diblock copolymer chains at low grafting density, to obtain a design library linking copolymer composition, monomer-monomer interaction strengths, graft lengths, particle sizes, and monomer solvent-philicity to the two stages of nanoparticle assembly: the initial formation of patches within the copolymer-grafted particles from attractive monomers aggregating, and then the (equilibrium) assembled cluster formation. With regards to patch formation, as the fraction of the solvent-phobic (A or B) block decreases along the graft and the interaction strength decreases, the propensity to form patches on the particles decreases. As the fraction of the solvent-phobic block increases, the time for patch formation decreases, in particular if the inner A block is solvent-phobic. As the ratio of graft length to particle size increases the propensity to form fewer patches increases due to inter-graft monomer aggregation. For all compositions, the assembled clusters formed in B-selective solvents (solvent-phobic A block) have a higher fraction of particles at smaller inter-particle distances than in A-selective solvents (solvent-phobic B block). In an A-selective solvent at low interaction strengths, as the graft length to particle diameter ratio is increased, the tendency to form isotropic clusters at equilibrium is increased, and intermediate anisotropic chain-like assembly is observed. When these anisotropic intermediate states are observed, they accelerate the formation of equilibrium isotropic clusters. With increasing strength of interaction between solvent-phobic B monomers, the intermediate states disappear from the assembly pathway. At low and intermediate interaction strengths, as fraction of A block increases, the clusters’ outer shell of solvent-philic A monomers which surrounds the patch of solvent-phobic B monomers becomes dense, hindering addition of more particles to the cluster leading to smaller overall clusters. In a B-selective solvent, predominantly anisotropic clusters form, and show an increase in shape anisotropy with increasing monomer interaction strength. In both cases of monomer solvent-philicity, with an increase in the graft length to particle diameter ratio we see a decrease in anisotropic cluster formation. And, in both cases of monomer solvent philicity, with increasing monomer interaction strength the average cluster size and tendency to form anisotropic clusters is increased.
Detection of bladder carcinoma in females by flow cytometry and cytology

The sensitivity of bladder wash flow cytometry (BWFCM), voided urinary cytology (VUC), and cytology of catheterized urine obtained at the time of cystoscopy (CUC) were reviewed on all women evaluated for bladder cancer at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center between June 1985 and December 1986. This comprised sixty-four episodes of pathologically proven bladder cancer in 48 women. Considering positive and suspicious results jointly the sensitivities of BWFCM, CUC and 3 VUC were 75%, 64% and 56%, respectively. If only positive results were considered (i.e., suspicious results considered as negative), the sensitivities of BWFCM, CUC and 3 VUC were 64%, 31% and 32%, respectively. The sensitivities of these tests are less than for a predominantly male population, presumably related to the presence of squamous epithelium and greater frequency of pyuria. However, bladder wash flow cytometry and conventional cytology are still a very valuable addition to cystoscopic examination, and the combination of BWFCM with conventional cytology is more sensitive than either procedure alone.
Water and waste water analysis for nitrate via nitration of salicylic acid

Abstract A method is presented which allows rapid nitrate analyses of water and waste water samples and soil extracts. The linear working range is typically 0.5–30 mg NO− 3‐N/liter and duplicate analysis of samples and standards routinely produces confidence limits for the regression estimate of ‐ ±0.1 mg NO− 3‐N/liter at the 95% confidence level. Nitrite, formaldehyde and soluble Iron, as Fe3+, cause a positive Interference, while chloride causes a negative interference. The extent of the Interference is a function of the amount of nitrate present.
Analysis of Readex's Serial Set MARC records: Improving the data for the library catalog

Abstract Colorado State University Libraries (CSUL) purchased the digitized United States Congressional Serial Set, 1817–1994 and American State Papers (1789–1838) from the Readex Division of NewsBank, Inc. and, once funds and records were available, the accompanying MARC records. The breadth of information found in the Serial Set is described, along with the difficulties in using the print version (incorporated in the literature review, which includes citations of announcements of the digital collections and reviews of the software). The digital version of the Serial Set has its advantages, but there are additional rewards (much greater discovery opportunities) when items in the digital collection are directly accessible from the library catalog. The purchased MARC records, while overall excellent, had problems that needed to be corrected before they were loaded into CSUL's Innovative Interfaces library catalog. Patron access impact was used as a criterion when determining which of the records would be fixed before loading. High impact problems were identified and solutions derived for: multiple 245 (title) fields; 245 s indicator zero with titles beginning with a, an, or the; dollar sign used in text; fixed field date; languages; subject headings; creating proxy URLs; classification numbers; and author authority control (e.g. corporate entries and presidential entry errors).
Effect of Tetracycline on the Phosphorescence of Teeth

Immersion of tooth sections in a 2% solution of tetracycline HCl for one hour caused a loss of phosphorescence of the enamel, the pulp chamber, and certain regions of cementum. After three additional hours of immersion, all of the enamel and most of the cementum had lost their phosphorescence. Root dentin and pulp stones are most resistant to tetracycline quenching of phosphorescence.
Child Sexual Abuse Intervention: An Exploratory Study of Policy Concerns and Implications for Program Development.

ABSTRACT This exploratory study was designed to determine public opinion regarding intervention options for intrafamilial child sexual abuse offenders, victims, and families. The study investigated the public's willingness to support strategies of victim protection, offender control, and treatment services in various types of child sexual abuse intervention strategies. The respondents to the statewide survey generally supported established, adversarial intervention strategies, and had mixed reactions lo several of the diversion program strategies. The findings suggest that policy makers may have to compromise lo obtain public support when designing and implementing intervention programs for intrafamilial child sexual abuse. The article addresses policy issues and concludes with implications for program development.
Individual differences in working memory capacity and divided attention in dichotic listening

The controlled attention theory of working memory suggests that individuals with greater working memory capacity (WMC) are better able to control or focus their attention than individuals with lesser WMC. This relationship has been observed in a number of selective attention paradigms including a dichotic listening task (Conway, Cowan, & Bunting, 2001) in which participants were required to shadow words presented to one ear and ignore words presented to the other ear. Conway et al. found that when the participant’s name was presented to the ignored ear, 65% of participants with low WMC reported hearing their name, compared to only 20% of participants with high WMC, suggesting greater selective attention on the part of high WMC participants. In the present study, individual differences in divided attention were examined in a dichotic listening task, in which participants shadowed one message and listened for their own name in the other message. Here we find that 66.7% of high WMC and 34.5% of low WMC participants detected their name. These results suggest that as WMC capacity increases, so does the ability to control the focus of attention, with high WMC participants being able to flexibly “zoom in” or “zoom out” depending on task demands.
Teaching English Language Learners: Strategies for Overcoming Barriers

Abstract The number of English language learners (ELLs) in today's classrooms is increasing. In this article, the authors identify four perceived barriers beginning and veteran teachers face in teaching literacy to ELLs: the lack of understanding of the role of literacy in other cultures, the teacher's inability to differentiate instruction to meet the needs of all learners, the devaluation of peer interactions and collaborations in the process of learning a language, and a lack of knowledge about using assessment measures with diverse student populations. Through the review of research and the authors’ experiences in the field, strategies are offered to help teachers overcome these barriers and become more effective teachers of ELLs.
Enzymatic Fabrication of High-Density RNA Arrays

A powerful new strategy for the fabrication of high-density RNA arrays is described. A high-density DNA array is fabricated by standard photolithographic methods, the surface-bound DNA molecules are enzymatically copied into their RNA complements from a surface-bound RNA primer, and the DNA templates are enzymatically destroyed, leaving behind the desired RNA array. The strategy is compatible with 2′-fluoro-modified (2′F) ribonucleoside triphosphates (rNTPs), which may be included in the polymerase extension reaction to impart nuclease resistance and other desirable characteristics to the synthesized RNAs. The use and fidelity of the arrays are explored with DNA hybridization, DNAzyme cleavage, and nuclease digestion experiments.
Creating experiences with wearable computing

Wearable computing promises to deliver a rich variety of engaging user experiences that enhance everyday activities and situations through context-sensitive media and interaction. A Walk in the Wired Woods illustrates how we might design such experiences and deliver them in collaboration with artists and musicians.
Economic natural selection

The theoretical structure of modern economics rests on the hypothesis that individual behavior is rational in the sense that choice can be described by utility-maximizing behavior. Most economists view this hypothesis not as an assertion of procedural rationality, but instead as a simple description of the outcomes of individual choice behavior. Furthermore, requiring that every individual behave according to the predictions of rationality is typically viewed as too stringent, even though many of our models assume it. We are most confident about the predictions of rationality for aggregate behavior rather than individual behavior. We believe that many, but of course not all, individuals behave approximately as predicted by models of rational behavior, and we hope that our models are robust to small departures from rationality. This belief is probably most firmly held for asset markets where many individuals interact repeatedly and the payoffs for good decisions can be large. But why should we believe that individual level rationality hypotheses yield good predictions for aggregate asset market behavior? There are two answers to this question. The first answer entails adaptive response: individuals who do not behave as predicted by rationality may modify their behavior over time. They could imitate the successful, they could experiment or they could learn from their past mistakes. The second answer entails natural selection: the market selects for those whose behavior is most nearly optimal. Those who, for whatever reason, behave as if they are rational take wealth away from those who behave otherwise. Ultimately the market is dominated by seemingly rational individuals and prices converge to their rational-expectations equilibrium values. This answer also requires some kind of innovation. If the initial set of decision rules contains no rational rule, natural selection alone will not drive the economy to rationality, but if randomly chosen new rules enter the market from time to time, rational or nearly rational rules will, sooner or later, enter the market and be selected for. In the course of our research we have addressed both adaptation and natural selection. Here we focus on natural selection. The appeal to natural selection for the defense of various rationality hypotheses has a long tradition in economics, but until recently there was little formal investigation of its validity. Alchian (1950) and Friedman (1953) both used it in defense of the hypothesis of profit maximization. Their argument was that firms that behave as if they maximize profits would drive out other, non-maximizing firms. Winter (1964, 1971, 1975) formalized and explored these ideas. But the link between profitability and fitness in his work was assumed.
Local justice in the allocation of college admissions: A statistical study of beliefs versus practice

This study examines admission decisions at a highly selective private university. A statistical analysis of 300 admission decisions is used to compare admissions officers' beliefs about how the admissions process works with their actual pattern of decisions. As a group, the officers underestimate the effect of applicant race, gender, alumni status, and athletic ability on their academic and personality ratings and final admission decisions. Individual officers place different weights on the decision-making criteria, with the model explaining less variation in the ratings of officers with more years of experience. The comparison of beliefs with practice has implications for evaluating the distributive and procedural fairness of the college admissions process.
Effects of piperonyl butoxide on dimethylnitrosamine metabolism and toxicity in Swiss mice

The effects of piperonyl butoxide (PB) on the metabolism and toxicity of dimethylnitrosamine (DMN) in Swiss mice were determined. PB, at doses of 10 and 20 mg/kg, inhibited DMN demethylase 45 min after treatment by 18 and 37%. These inhibitory effects were marked 0.5 hr after PB (640 mg/kg) treatment and reached maximal effects at 2 hr when there was 55% inhibition of enzyme activity. The inhibition by PB continued for 24 hr where enzyme activity was suppressed by 35%. At 48 hr after treatment there was stimulation of enzyme activity. Enzyme kinetic determinations showed no change in Km but Vmax decreased from 129 to 49 mumol CH2O/min-g liver. PB (640 mg/kg) inhibited DMN (500 mg/kg; im) mutagenicity in the host-mediated assay, decreasing the mutant frequency by 42%. Paradoxically, PB (640 mg/kg) had no effect on the alkylation of nucleic acids or proteins in mouse liver, kidney, lung, or spleen. In addition, pretreatment with PB (640 mg/kg) had no effect on the LD50 of DMN.
The myxovirus resistance A (MxA) gene -88G>T single nucleotide polymorphism is associated with prostate cancer.

Background Myxovirus (influenza virus) resistance A (MxA) is an interferon stimulated antiviral protein that is required for a complete antiviral response. MxA polymorphism (rs2071430) is located within an Interferon Stimulated Response Element (ISRE) at position −88 in the gene’s promoter region, and it has been associated with increased susceptibility to infections and various diseases. In general, the low promoter activity genotype (GG) promotes susceptibility, whereas the high promoter activity genotype (TT) confers protection to Hepatitis C viral infection. MxA’s role in prostate cancer is not fully understood. Previous literature has shown that MxA may be a mediator of the effect of IFN on normal and tumor cell motility. MxA may act as a tumor suppressor and the level of expression may be a predictor of metastatic potential. Based on this information, in this study we investigated the association of this functional polymorphism (rs2071430) in MxA with prostate cancer.
An Sp1-NF-Y/progesterone receptor DNA binding-dependent mechanism regulates progesterone-induced transcriptional activation of the rabbit RUSH/SMARCA3 gene.

Steroids regulate alternative splicing of rabbit RUSH/SMARCA3, an SWI/SNF-related transcription factor. Transactivation was evaluated in 2057 bp of genomic sequence. Truncation analysis identified a minimal 252-bp region with strong basal promoter activity in transient transfection assays. The size of the 5′-untranslated region (233 bp) and the transcription start site were determined by primer extension analysis. The transcription start site mapped to a consensus initiator (Inr) element in a TATA-less region with a downstream promoter element (+29). These elements were authenticated by mutation/deletion analysis. The Inr/downstream promoter element combination is conserved in the putative core promoter (-35/+35) of the human ortholog, suggesting that transcription initiation is similarly conserved. Two Sp1 sites that are also conserved in the putative promoter of human SMARCA3 and a RUSH binding site (-616/-611) that is unique to the rabbit promoter repress basal transcription. These sites were variously authenticated by gel shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Analysis of the proximal promoter showed the -162/+90 region was required for progesterone responsiveness in transient transfection assays. Subsequent mutation/deletion analysis revealed a progesterone receptor half-site mediated induction by progesterone. An overlapping Y-box (in the reverse ATTGG orientation) repressed basal transcription and progesterone-induced transcriptional activation in the presence of the Sp1 sites. The specificity of progesterone receptor and transcription factor NF-Y binding were authenticated by gel shift assays. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays confirmed the Y-box effects were mediated in a DNA binding-dependent fashion. This represents a unique regulatory scenario in which ligand-dependent transactivation by the progesterone receptor is subject to Sp1/NF-Y repression.
Indirect Methods for Regulating Externalities Under Uncertainty

It is sometimes necessary or appropriate to correct an externality by intervening in the market for a privately traded commodity with which the externality is linked. In these situations ad valorem taxation is a viable policy option. It is argued that some combination of specific and ad valorem taxes will always outperform regulations which fix price administratively, but that quantity standards may outperform taxes. The analysis is applied to a problem in international trade.
Cytomegalovirus Seroprevalence in Women Bearing Children in Jefferson County, Kentucky

Symptomatic congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease occurs almost exclusively in infants born to seronegative mothers who acquire the virus during pregnancy. This study sought to determine patterns of CMV immunity in women of childbearing age at one center participating in a national study. Cord blood specimens from 100 consecutive deliveries at each of three hospitals were tested for CMV-specific IgG. Mean age of women in this sample was 25.7 years; 76% were white, 60% were from middle and upper socioeconomic status, 64% were married, and 57% had other living children. Overall seroprevalence rate was 62%. Univariate analysis showed strong associations between seropositivity and lower socioeconomic status, non-white race, and age younger than 25 years (odds ratios, 4.4, 3.9, and 2.5, respectively). Stratification by socioeconomic status and race eliminated the effect of age. Stratification by socioeconomic status markedly reduced the effect of race, whereas stratification by race only moderately reduced the effect of lower socioeconomic status, which was the strongest predictor of seropositivity (odds ratio, 3.4). Seroprevalence was lowest among older white women of middle and upper socioeconomic status (47% seropositive). Development of longitudinal regional seroprevalence data will facilitate interpretation of data generated by the National CMV Registry.
Distribution of GABA-Like Immunoreactive Neurons in Insects Suggests Lineage Homology

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an important inhibitory neurotransmitter in vertebrates and invertebrates (Sattelle [1990] Adv. Insect Physiol. 22:1–113). The GABA phenotype is lineally determined in postembryonic neurons in the tobacco hawkmoth, Manduca sexta(Witten and Truman, [1991] J. Neurosci. 11:1980–1989) and is restricted to six identifiable postembryonic lineages in the moth's thoracic hemiganglia. We used a comparative approach to determine whether this distinct clustering of GABAergic neurons is conserved in Insecta. In the nine orders of insects surveyed (Thysanura, Odonata, Orthoptera, Isoptera, Hemiptera, Coleoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Hymenoptera), GABA-like immunoreactive neurons within a thoracic hemiganglion were clustered into six distinct groups that occupied positions similar to the six postembryonic lineages in Manduca. On the basis of cell body position and axon trajectories, we suggest that these are indeed homologous lineage groups and that the lineal origins of the GABAergic cells have been very conservative through insect evolution. The distinctive clustering of GABA-positive cells is shared with crustaceans (Mulloney and Hall [1990] J. Comp. Neurol. 291:383–394; Homberg et al. [1993] Cell Tissue Res. 271:279–288) but is not found in the centipede Lithobius forficulatus.There is a two- to threefold increase in numbers of thoracic neurons between the flightless Thysanura and the most advanced orders of insects. Using the GABA clusters as indicators of specific lineages, we find that only selected lineages have significantly contributed to this increase in neuronal numbers. J. Comp. Neurol. 398:515–528, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Fitted diffeomorphisms of non-simply connected manifolds

TOPOLOGICAL ENTROPY roughly speaking measures the complexity of a dynamical system. In “Homology Theory and Dynamical Systems”[ l] Shub and Sullivan defined a class of structurally stable diffeomorphisms called fitted which are Co dense in oil?‘(M). They show how to relate the dynamics of a fitted diffeomorphism to the induced chain map in homology theory, and using this determine the minimum topological entropy of fitted diffeomorphisms in each component of D%‘(M), for simply connected manifolds of dimension greater than five. In this paper we extend these results to the non simply-connected case. The main tools are a sharpened statement of the Whitney canceIling lemma for handles of index 2 and (n 2) using relative homotopy groups, and classical results of Whitelead concerning these groups[2]. Our methods also lead to an algebraic characterization of the chain complexes over Z[II,] which arise from handle decompositions of high dimensional manifolds, extending a theorem of Smale’s in the simply connected case. It is a pleasure to acknowledge many helpful conversations with Michael Shub and Dennis Sullivan.
An Illustrative Application of Multi-Unit Franchise Expansion in a Local Retail Market

Abstract Retail expansion in a local market offers many challenges, and given the sensitivity of survival to location mistakes, it is imperative to develop site models that incorporate realistic impediments to that expansion. Small independent businesses or local area franchisees facing limits on all forms of capital rarely can open additional units without delays. In this paper, we test the benefit of using Kaufmann, Donthu and Brooks' (2000) multi-unit site selection model that incorporates the reality of delays in the opening of new stores as well as the recognition that local retail chains can face competition from many hard to identify sources. We use data from the actual introduction of a small set of stores in a major United States metropolitan market to estimate the potential for improvement over a pure sequential expansion strategy. When compared to the sequential strategy actually used by the retailer, we estimate that performance could have been improved by 15.5% if a model that anticipated the...
Galston’s dilemmas and Wisconsin v. Yoder

William Galston posed two dilemmas about parental rights and education in Liberal Purposes.The first of these arises from conflict between the proper ends of civic education in a liberal society and the values that some parents will want to honor in the way they rear their children; the second arises from conflict between how the basic interests of the child are understood by the wider society and the dissident views of some parents. Galston’s approach to the dilemmas strongly emphasized deference to parental choice. Galston returns to these dilemmas in his recent Liberal Pluralism and endorses the approach he had earlier defended within the context of a theory of the ethical foundations of liberal politics. He uses the US Supreme Court’s decision in Wisconsin v.Yoder as a test case for his argument. This article offers an internal critique of Galston’s treatment of the two dilemmas in Liberal Pluralism and finds it unsatisfactory in some respects.
Design of rotary engines from the apex seal profile (Abbr.: Rotary engine design by apex seal)

Abstract Conventional rotary engines are based on a trochoidal-type housing bore profile and its inside envelope is the basis of the rotor profile. To seal the chambers, spring-loaded apex seals are used in place of the designed rotor apexes. The conventional design method is limited to an epitrochoidal-based housing and does not consider the apex seal profile. For the first time, complete theory and algorithm are developed for the design of rotary engines based on the apex seal profile. This method, based on the deviation-function (DF) method of conjugate pair design, generates the engine housing that is conjugate to the apex seal. A larger variety of engine profiles can be found by using this method. Some example results from arc-based and non-arc-based apex seal profiles are provided for design and process illustration.