cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Darwinism and Developmentalism: Prospects for Convergence

The Darwinian tradition in evolutionary biology, whose most distinctive feature is the idea of natural selection, contrasts with an alternative approach that, for lack of a better phrase, I will call “evolutionary developmentalism.” Developmentalists treat biological phenomena at various levels of scale by analogy to individual ontogeny, a view that Darwinism abandoned fairly early in its career. In Darwinism Evolving, Bruce Weber and I were unable to say as much as we might have about how the admittedly non-canonical view of Darwinism we espouse (sometimes dubbed “ecological Darwinism”) is related to recent statements of evolutionary developmentalism (Depew & Weber, 1995). I will try to redress that omission in this essay by arguing that there are several strands in contemporary (genetical) Darwinism; that developmentalism (which has its own diversity) is flatly inconsistent with one prominent strand of Darwinism; but that developmental evolutionists (such as Stanley Salthe or Rod Swenson) need not on that account despair of Darwinism altogether, since other strands in the Darwinian tradition are showing signs of increasing integration with some forms of evolutionary developmentalism. In particular, many of the core insights of Theodosius Dobzhansky, a central figure in what Weber and I call the American wing of the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis, have been developed, whether wittingly or not, by authors as diverse as William Wimsatt, Michael Conrad, and Stuart Kauffman. They might well be developed further if evolutionary phenomena are placed more deeply within the ecological, and hence thermodynamical, context in which self-organization and natural selection can most perspicuously be seen to work together.
Balancing Overhearing Energy and Latency in Wireless Sensor Networks

A WSN (Wireless Sensor Networks) consists of a large number of sensor nodes. Each sensor node has limited battery, small storage, and short radio range. Many researchers have proposed various methods to reduce energy consumption in sensor nodes, since it is difficult to replace sensor node power sources. Generally, a sensor node consumes its energy during processing, receiving, transmitting and overhearing of messages that are directed to other nodes. Among those, overhearing is not necessary for correct operation of sensor networks. In this paper we propose a new synchronized wakeup scheme to reduce the overhearing energy consumption using different wakeup time scheduling for extending sensor network lifetime. The results of our simulation show that there is a trade-off between reducing overhearing energy and delay time. Therefore we propose Double Trees Structure, called DTS, having two routing trees, one based on Short Rings Topology and the other on Long Rings Topology. DTS has multi routing paths from base station to children nodes. If a node which is on the next routing path does not wakeup in time to receive the data, the sender node selects another path to connect to the destination. We can save the wait time until the next destination node wakes up. In the simulation result, our wakeup scheduling reduces overhearing energy consumption more than the S-MAC protocol. Using the double trees structure reduces the delay time.
Revisiting the Crime Control Benefits of Voluntary Organizations: Organizational Presence, Organizational Capacity, and Crime Rates in Los Angeles Neighborhoods:

This study examines the independent effects that the number of voluntary organizations and the total amount of income they possess have on neighborhood crime, over time. Drawing upon a sample of Lo...
Dietary quality, as measured by the Alternative Healthy Eating Index for Pregnancy (AHEI-P), in couples planning their first pregnancy

Objective Dietary quality (DQ), as assessed by the Alternative Healthy Eating Index for Pregnancy (AHEI-P), and conception and pregnancy outcomes were evaluated. Design In this prospective cohort study on couples planning their first pregnancy. Cox proportional hazards regression assessed the relationship between AHEI-P score and clinical pregnancy, live birth and pregnancy loss. Setting Participants were recruited from the Northeast region of the USA.Participants: Healthy, nulliparous couples (females, n 132; males, n 131; one male did not enrol). Results There were eighty clinical pregnancies, of which sixty-nine resulted in live births and eleven were pregnancy losses. Mean (sd) female AHEI-P was 71·0 (13·7). Of those who achieved pregnancy, those in the highest tertile of AHEI-P had the greatest proportion of clinical pregnancies; however, this association was not statistically significant (P = 0·41). When the time it took to conceive was considered, females with the highest AHEI-P scores were 20 % and 14 % more likely to achieve clinical pregnancy (model 1: hazard ratio (HR) = 1·20; 95 % CI 0·66, 2·17) and live birth (model 1: HR = 1·14; 95 % CI 0·59, 2·20), respectively. Likelihood of achieving clinical pregnancy and live birth increased when the fully adjusted model, including male AHEI-P score, was examined (clinical pregnancy model 4: HR = 1·55; 95 % CI 0·71, 3·39; live birth model 4: HR = 1·36; 95 % CI 0·59, 3·13). Conclusions The present study is the first to examine AHEI-P score and achievement of clinical pregnancy. DQ was not significantly related to pregnancy outcomes, even after adjustments for covariates.
Diagnosis and management of patients with the α-Gal syndrome

The galactose-α-1,3-galactose (α-Gal) syndrome has many novel features that are relevant to diagnosis and management. In most cases, the diagnosis can be made on a history of delayed allergic reactions to mammalian meat and the blood test for IgE to the oligosaccharide α-Gal. In general, the diagnosis also dictates the primary treatment, that is, avoiding mammalian meat and also dairy in some cases. In the United States, the lone star tick is the primary cause of this disease, but different ticks are responsible in other countries. Blood levels of IgE to α-Gal often drop in patients who avoid recurrent tick bites, but the rate of decline is variable. Similarly, the delay before reactions is variable and the severity of the allergic reactions is not predicted by the delay or the titer of specific IgE. Some mammalian-derived products such as heart valves, gelatin-based plasma expanders, and pancreatic enzymes are relevant to only select patient groups. A minority of cases may benefit from avoiding a wide range of products that are prepared with mammalian-derived constituents, such as gelatin. This review focuses on the nature of the syndrome, common challenges in diagnosis and management, and also gaps in our current knowledge that would benefit from additional investigation.
Improving documentation of pain and constipation management within the cancer center of a large urban academic hospital.

192Background: Pain and constipation are common among patients with cancer and remain inadequately controlled in many. Quality Oncology Practice Initiative (QOPI) assessment of pain and constipatio...
Intraoperative methadone for postoperative pain management - systematic review protocol

Methadone is a long acting opioid initially used to treat opioid withdrawal symptoms. It has been suggested that methadone, when given as a single bolus while under anesthesia, provides good postoperative analgesia and is associated with minimal risk of opioid adverse events. Several small studies have investigated the use of methadone for postoperative analgesia with some promising results. Here we describe our protocol for a meta-analysis to investigate the postoperative analgesic effect of methadone.
Reduction of Phakopsora pachyrhizi infection on soybean through host- and spray-induced gene silencing

Asian soybean rust (ASR), caused by the obligate fungal pathogen Phakopsora pachyrhizi, often leads to significant yield losses and can only be managed through fungicide applications currently. In the present study, eight urediniospore germination or appressorium formation induced P. pachyrhizi genes were investigated for their feasibility to suppress ASR through a bean pod mottle virus (BPMV)-based host-induced gene silencing (HIGS) strategy. Soybean plants expressing three of these modified BPMV vectors suppressed the expression of their corresponding target gene by 45%-80%, fungal biomass accumulation by 58%-80%, and significantly reduced ASR symptom development in soybean leaves after the plants were inoculated with P. pachyrhizi, demonstrating that HIGS can be used to manage ASR. In addition, when the in vitro synthesized double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) for three of the genes encoding an acetyl-CoA acyltransferase, a 40S ribosomal protein S16, and glycine cleavage system H protein were sprayed directly onto detached soybean leaves prior to P. pachyrhizi inoculation, they also resulted in an average of over 73% reduction of pustule numbers and 75% reduction in P. pachyrhizi biomass accumulation on the detached leaves compared to the controls. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of suppressing P. pachyrhizi infection in soybean through both HIGS and spray-induced gene silencing. It was demonstrated that either HIGS constructs targeting P. pachyrhizi genes or direct dsRNA spray application could be an effective strategy for reducing ASR development on soybean.
Tie-2 cre-mediated deficiency of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 potentiates experimental bronchopulmonary dysplasia-associated pulmonary hypertension in neonatal mice

Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)-associated pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a significant lung morbidity of infants, and disrupted lung angiogenesis is a hallmark of this disease. We observed that extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) 1/2 support angiogenesis in vitro, and hyperoxia activates ERK1/2 in fetal human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells (HPMECs) and in neonatal murine lungs; however, their role in experimental BPD and PH is unknown. Therefore, we hypothesized that Tie2 Cre-mediated deficiency of ERK2 in the endothelial cells of neonatal murine lungs would potentiate hyperoxia-induced BPD and PH. We initially determined the role of ERK2 in in vitro angiogenesis using fetal HPMECs. To disrupt endothelial ERK2 signaling in the lungs, we decreased ERK2 expression by breeding ERK2flox/flox mice with Tie-Cre mice. One-day-old endothelial ERK2-sufficient (eERK2+/+) or -deficient (eERK2+/-) mice were exposed to normoxia or hyperoxia (FiO2 70%) for 14 d. We then performed lung morphometry, gene and protein expression studies, and echocardiography to determine the extent of inflammation, oxidative stress, and development of lungs and PH. The knockdown of ERK2 in HPMECs decreased in vitro angiogenesis. Hyperoxia increased lung inflammation and oxidative stress, decreased lung angiogenesis and alveolarization, and induced PH in neonatal mice; however, these effects were augmented in the presence of Tie2-Cre mediated endothelial ERK2 deficiency. Therefore, we conclude that endothelial ERK2 signaling is necessary to mitigate hyperoxia-induced experimental BPD and PH in neonatal mice. Our results indicate that endothelial ERK2 is a potential therapeutic target for the management of BPD and PH in infants.
COMPONENTS OF VARIANCE ASSOCIATED WITH MILK AND FAT RECORDS OF ARTIFICIALLY SIRED HOLSTEIN DAUGHTERS

Components of variance are estimated for the three-way classification analysis of variance of DHIA reported first and second milk and fat records of artificially sired Holstein cows and of Owner-Sampler reported milk and fat records of artificially sired Holstein cows. The total variance of milk and fat records is partitioned into the following components with the approximate percent of total variance: sire, 6%; year-season, 2%; herd, 30%; sire by year-season, 0%; sire by herd, 1–2%; herd by year-season, 6–8%; sire by herd by year-season, 1–7%; and residual, 50%. Copyright © 1961 American Society of Animal Science. Used by permission. C O M P O N E N T S O F V A R I A N C E A S S O C I A T E D W I T H M I L K A N D F A T R E C O R D S O F A R T I F I C I A L L Y S I R E D H O L S T E I N D A U G H T E R S L. D. VANVLECK, L. H. WADELL, AND C. R. HENDERSON Cornell University, Ithaca, New York C OMPONENTS of variance have been used widely in genetic and animal breeding applications. Some earlier reports of these techniques were by Lush et al. (1934), Bywaters (1937), Stonaker and Lush (1942), and Baker et al. (1943). Important animal breeding applications of variance component estimates are: (1) to predict the breeding values of sires or dams and to predict real producing abilities of cows, (2) to indicate sources of variation which should be considered in analyzing production records, (3) to aid in the establishment of progeny testing programs, including design of the test, number of progeny required, and effectiveness of such programs, and (4) to direct attention to sources of genetic by genetic, genetic by environmental, and environmental by environmental interactions which should be considered in the above programs. The purpose of this paper is to present estimates of sire, herd, year-season, and interaction components of variance for first and second milk and fat DHIA records and OwnerSampler milk and fat records of artificially sired (AI) Holstein daughters.
Talbot Effect at the Dirac-Like Cone in Kagome Lattice Microwave Photonic Crystal

A Talbot effect is observed in a Kagome lattice photonic crystal (KPC) at the Dirac-like cone. The Dirac-like cone and Dirac-like point are achieved at the center of the Brillouin zone (BZ) with triply degenerate bands with two linear bands and one flat band intersecting the cone at the same frequency. Using band-structure calculations, it is shown that the Dirac-like cone is formed in a relatively high-frequency region and composed of interchangeable but opposite cones which are formed by two linear dispersion curves of the KPC in the vicinity of the Dirac-like point. Near the point of degeneracy, in addition to Talbot effect, unique wave propagation phenomena such as defect-insensitive propagation characteristics and cloaking of objects are observed.
Teach-Back Training for First-Year Respiratory Therapy Students: A Mixed Method Pilot Study

Background: A patient’s ability to follow recommendations and manage their medical condition is related to the respiratory therapists’ (RTs) communication skills. Teach-Back is a health-literate communication technique that allows RTs to confirm patient understanding, and enhances patient-centered care by improving RT communication skills. Methods: After obtaining IRB approval, first-year undergraduate RT students’ completed a Health Literacy Knowledge and Belief Survey Pre (n = 20) and Post (n = 18) intervention. Students attended a one-hour Health Literacy and Teach-Back skills training intervention. Simulated patients assessed RT students for teach-back use during a regularly scheduled simulation center experience. RT students’ perceptions were documented in a semi-structured interview immediately after the simulation center experience. Results: Facilitators to Use of Teach-Back 1. Confirm patient understanding “… [I] wanted to make sure they understood the reason behind it [the medication] since I’m not going to be supervising them all the time when they are doing it.” 2. Confirm proper use of medical devices “[I] wanted to make sure the patient knew how to properly use the device before I gave it to him. To make sure there weren’t any mishaps pretty much.” Barriers to Use of Teach-Back 1. Discharge scenario used in the simulation I had a mental health patient scenario and I didn’t get that far. It was hard to bring up and incorporate many things because of the scenario.” 2. Forgot/Nervous The patient was paraplegic so I was thinking about other things I was overwhelmed by the setting and forgot about it.” 3. Engagement level of the patient “She [the patient] didn’t really ask anything. While I was observing her it seemed like she was doing it right.” 4. Individual communication style “I’m not the type of person [to use Teach-Back]. I want to use it, but because I don’t have much communication with other people- so I didn’t use it.” Conclusions: Results indicate that RT students benefited from a one-hour Health Literacy and Teach-Back skills training. There was a moderate effect size for both Knowledge (d = 0.539) and Beliefs (r = 0.489) which indicates they are both clinically and statistically significant. Findings show that adding health literacy skills training into the RT curriculum improved RT students understanding and use of patient-centered communication skills when working with simulated patients.
Robust Bayesian Analysis of Early-Stage Parkinson’s Disease Progression Using DaTscan Images

This paper proposes a mixture of linear dynamical systems model for quantifying the heterogeneous progress of Parkinson’s disease from DaTscan Images. The model is fitted to longitudinal DaTscans from the Parkinson’s Progression Marker Initiative. Fitting is accomplished using robust Bayesian inference with collapsed Gibbs sampling. Bayesian inference reveals three image-based progression subtypes which differ in progression speeds as well as progression trajectories. The model reveals characteristic spatial progression patterns in the brain, each pattern associated with a time constant. These patterns can serve as disease progression markers. The subtypes also have different progression rates of clinical symptoms measured by MDS-UPDRS Part III scores.
A bottom-up approach to improve women’s access to technical and vocational education and training in India: Examining a non-formal education upskilling programme

The Indian Government’s 12th Five Year Plan features ambitious goals regarding the upskilling of women in India. While the Plan acknowledges Indian women’s continued inequality, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) programmes (a main avenue for upskilling) pose considerable challenges. There is significant work to be done if India aspires to meet the 12th Plan’s goals. Moreover, to achieve them in a socially just manner, greater efforts are required to include and amplify women’s voices throughout the process. In pursuit of this aim, the authors of this research note share insights from the first stages of their study of an upskilling programme in the non-formal education sector. They argue for a bottom-up approach to understand how women wish to participate in this programme and in government-recognised TVET more broadly. To understand the women’s perspectives, the authors use the notions of third-space frameworks and “scapes”. These concepts go beyond simply acknowledging the need for labour upskilling and offer opportunities to critique gender biases, stereotypes and patriarchal practices, while formulating new ideas about how to engage as active participants in Indian society. Based on these insights, the authors offer a path forward by directly engaging with women on the ground level, using a bottom-up approach.
Talent level and major distribution in “Power Five” conference football programs

This article investigates whether an association existed between the talent level of football student-athletes who competed at “Power Five” institutions during the 2016 season and the likelihood th...
Interdisciplinary Team Teaching: Reflections on Praxis and Pedagogy in an Undergraduate Classroom

Much scholarship available on team-teaching focuses on K-12 programming, with limited examples in post-secondary education. Adding to the growing research on college-level team-taught courses, this...
On the evaluation of procedural systems in laboratory experiments

This article has criticized various aspects of the Thibaut and Walker research. Thibaut and Walker have greatly contributed to the study of procedural justice by conceptually isolating issues and suggesting ways they can be empirically studied. Our criticisms in Section I point out weaknesses in the design of particular experiments but do not question the appropriateness of laboratory research on the operating characteristics of procedural systems. In this realm, Thibaut and Walker's work will provide the starting point for future research. We do question the appropriateness of laboratory research for answering subjective questions, as outlined in Section III. While we agree that experimental research can indicate how people feel about a system, we do not think that objective measurement of the incidence of such subjective feelings tells us anything about the objective qualities of the systems considered. The assertion that one system is superior to another because some people feel it is so goes beyond the limitations of the experiments and the data. This type of overgeneralization is seriously misleading when it is used to support policy recommendations, particularly when other factors, such as the costs we discuss in Section II, are not considered.
A parametrization approach to reduced-order H/sup /spl infin// controller design

A parametrization method is proposed for reduced-order H/sup /spl infin// controller design. By using the standard state-space H/sup /spl infin// optimization approach, one can characterize the set of all (sub)optimal controllers in terms of a parameter matrix. It is shown that there always exists a suitable parameter matrix such that a reduced-order H/sup /spl infin// controller can be constructed. The procedure for obtaining such a parameter matrix is also presented in this paper. >
Decision Rules as Notice: The Case of Fraud

This brief comment, forthcoming in the Criminal Law Conversations volume, responds to Meir Dan-Cohen's article, Acoustic Separation in Criminal Law.
A Review of “The Apartment Plot: Urban Living in American Film and Popular Culture, 1945 to 1975”

The shift from urbanization to suburbanization after 1945 in the United States accordingly received extensive cinematic examination, from Cary Grant's comedic contortions in H.C. Potter's Mr. Bland...
The ECSEL's integrated approach to industry-academe relations

ECSEL, a National Science Foundation (NSF) funded coalition for engineering education, has developed a strong industry tie with a network of industrial partners. The involvement of these partners in the ECSEL project has been voluminous and can be summarized in three words: breadth, depth and continuity. Examples of their efforts are: providing projects for interdisciplinary integration of design; full partnership in the planning, development and implementation of courses; serving on the Industry Advisory Board; hosting tours of manufacturing plants; donation of equipment and software; offering summer co-op opportunities, etc. In short, their contributions include cash, materials, personnel time and, most importantly, their expertise in real-life product development, a task that a new engineering graduate is expected to tackle when entering industry.
Democratizing Credit: Examining the Structural Inequities of Subprime Lending

This Article critiques the current regime of mortgage lending, which favors economic subordination. Minorities and low-and moderate income persons, regardless of their creditworthiness, are receiving higher loan rates. This is due to three market phenomena- the dominance of sub-prime lenders in the market in which prime lenders are more restricted to lend, the segmentation of the market so that certain products are offered to certain consumers, and the liquidity of the secondary market, which encourages lenders to make loans that are easily sold, but which may be inappropriately and impermissibly priced. Only by incorporating some transparency into the process will the borrower be able to level the playing field with the lender who may be using inaccurate and even impermissible pricing strategies. Examining the lending phenomena and their impact on credit availability is critical to uncovering the structural inequities that are manifest presently. The solution is to mandate that fair lending laws require informed risk-based pricing. Meaningful disclosures to the borrower will validate the economic rationale that the borrower has entered voluntarily into the transaction and made an informed decision. Mandating disclosures would place some transparency in the lender's pricing decisions and would guard against lender abuse. Moreover, a critical examination of the current lending structure reveals that it is reinforcing an inaccurate status quo: 1) that borrowers have legitimate risk factors and voluntarily enter into transactions when, in fact, borrowers are unaware that the lender has made a determination that may be inaccurately priced and 2) that borrowers are unaware that they are not at-risk consumers.
Simulating a laboratory experience for an on-line EMC course

At Utah State University, we have begun developing an online version of our EMC course, to be made available to our distance education students. Because a "laboratory experience" is very important to help reinforce the lecture material, we have tried to replicate the laboratory experience with virtual instruments, components and exercises. To do this, we are developing a series of laboratory modules using the programs LabVIEW and MATLAB. The combination of these two programs allows us to develop and use laboratory modules that give the student a virtual laboratory experience that closely approximates what he or she would see in the real laboratory environment. The paper reports on the design, development and implementation of laboratory modules suitable for use with an on-line EMC course.
The Coupling of a Deterministic Transport Field Solution to a Monte Carlo Boundary Condition for the Simulation of Large Gamma-Ray Spectrometers

Monte Carlo methods are typically used for simulating radiation fields around gamma-ray spectrometers and pulse-height tallies within those spectrometers. Deterministic codes that discretize the linear Boltzmann transport equation can offer significant advantages in computational efficiency for calculating radiation fields, but stochastic codes remain the most dependable tools for calculating the response within spectrometers. For a deterministic field solution to become useful to radiation detection analysts, it must be coupled to a method for calculating spectrometer response functions. This coupling is done in the RADSAT toolbox. Previous work has been successful using a Monte Carlo boundary sphere around a handheld detector. It is desirable to extend this coupling to larger detector systems such as the portal monitors now being used to screen vehicles crossing borders. Challenges to providing an accurate Monte Carlo boundary condition from the deterministic field solution include the greater possibility of large radiation gradients along the detector and the detector itselfperturbing the field solution, unlike smaller detector systems. The method of coupling the deterministic results to a stochastic code for large detector systems can be described as spatially defined rectangular patches that minimize gradients. The coupled method was compared to purely stochastic simulation data of identical problems, showing the methods produce consistent detector responses while the purely stochastic run times are substantially longer in some cases, such as highly shielded geometries. For certain cases, this method has the ability to faithfully emulate large sensors in a more reasonable amount of time than other methods.
Single layer a-Si GRIN waveguide coupler with lithographically defined facets

The fabrication of a monolithically integrated single layer graded index (GRIN) layer waveguide coupler, including a process for creating lithographically defined optical facets, is described. The coupling efficiency of GRIN couplers of varying lengths is measured, yielding an optimal coupling length of 15 /spl mu/m for a single 3 /spl mu/m thick a-Si layer on a 0.8 /spl mu/m Si waveguide.
Photorefractive properties of BaTiO 3 :Co

We measure and analyze beam-coupling gain and response time in BaTiO3 crystals doped with cobalt at levels of 50 and 100 parts in 106 for various oxidation and reduction states. We discuss the effect of cobalt doping and oxidation–reduction on the electron paramagnetic resonance and optical absorption of BaTiO3. We compare the BaTiO3:Co samples with nominally undoped and transition-metal- (chromium, manganese, iron, and iron + nickel) doped BaTiO3. We conclude that cobalt-doped BaTiO3 in the as-grown state displays high photorefractive gain that is correlated with the cobalt concentration in a reproducible manner. Cobalt appears to be the most promising transition-metal dopant for BaTiO3 investigated so far.
War Termination in Sri Lanka

This article has a central aim of explaining the catastrophic loss of civilian life in the last five months of the civil war in Sri Lanka. The article proposes that both the government of Sri Lanka (GoSL) and the LTTE are culpable for civilian deaths; the LTTE in an effort to stave off defeat so it might be able to re-constitute itself at a later time, and the GoSL in a determination not to allow the LTTE as an organization to survive the conflict. The article also argues that a preliminary explanation for the origins of the Sri Lankan civil war can be found in the GoSL program of transferring members of the Sinhalese population into the Northern and Eastern provinces of the country, regions held by the Tamil population to be their homeland territory. Key words : Population; Tamil; Sinhalese insurgency; Civilian; Territory
Preparation of large quantities of synchronized mammalian cells in late G1 in the pre-DNA replicative phase of the cell cycle.

Abstract Chinese hamster cells, line CHO, can be synchronized in late G1 by growth in isoleucine-deficient medium for 30 h followed by resuspension in fresh, complete medium containing either hydroxyurea (to 10−3 M) or cytosine arabinoside (to 5 μg/ml) for 10 h. Cells which are then washed and resuspended in fresh, complete medium without drugs initiate DNA synthesis shortly thereafter, then commence dividing within 7 h. The technique yields large quantities of cells suitable for biochemical studies of events associated with initiation of genome replication and completion of interphase.
Delineating the Domain of Development Entrepreneurship: A Market‐Based Approach to Facilitating Inclusive Economic Growth

Development economists and management scholars have called for a more market–based approach to address the extreme poverty suffered by the billion people residing primarily in least developed count...
A Highly Conserved Aspartic Acid Residue in the Signature Disulfide Loop of the α1 Subunit Is a Determinant of Gating in the Glycine Receptor

Ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs) mediate rapid chemical neurotransmission. This gene superfamily includes the nicotinic acetylcholine, GABAA/C, 5-hydroxytryptamine type 3, and glycine receptors. A signature disulfide loop (Cys loop) in the extracellular domain is a structural motif common to all LGIC member subunits. Here we report that a highly conserved aspartic acid residue within the Cys loop at position 148 (Asp-148) of the glycine receptor alpha1 subunit is critical in the process of receptor activation. Mutation of this acidic residue to the basic amino acid lysine produces a large decrease in the potency of glycine, produces a decrease in the Hill slope, and converts taurine from a full agonist to a partial agonist; these data are consistent with a molecular defect in the receptor gating mechanism. Additional mutation of Asp-148 shows that alterations in the EC50 for agonists are dependent upon the charge of the side chain at this position and not molecular volume, polarity, or hydropathy. This study implicates negative charge at position Asp-148 as a critical component of the process in which agonist binding is coupled to channel gating. This finding adds to an emerging body of evidence supporting the involvement of the Cys loop in the gating mechanism of the LGICs.
Forecasting seasonal rainfall for agricultural decision-making in northern Nigeria

Abstract Least absolute deviation (LAD) multiple regression equation is proposed as a model for forecasting rainfall in the savanna agro-ecological region of northern Nigeria. The model is employed in forecasting seasonal rainfall, in order to assess the climatological success range for improving the production of three staple cereals grown in the region. Historic climate data spanning 35 years are used to generate a computer-based statistical model, which utilizes November, December and January (NDJ) values of identified climate controlling variables in the region, and the previous year’s rainfall as predictors. Nineteen synoptic stations in the study area are selected, and because of high inter-annual variability of rainfall in the region, grouped into three sub-regions using cluster analysis. Seasonal rainfall was forecasted in a probabilistic fashion for respective sub-regions and a measure of the anticipated variability about the forecasted value established using confidence bounds. The model was tested in recommending rainfed potentiality for growing corn, sorghum and millet, during 1991–1995, by deriving probabilistic estimates of receiving critical rainfall threshold for growing each cereal. Result indicated with high probability, 0.98 and 0.91, that millet and sorghum, respectively, can be grown without irrigation under rainfed conditions, while corn which required more seasonal rainfall, had the lowest probability at 0.60.
Phase II Trial of Thalidomide for Patients With Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma

PURPOSE: To assess efficacy and toxicity of thalidomide in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twenty-six patients with RCC were treated with thalidomide at a starting dose of 200 mg daily. Thalidomide was increased by 200 mg every 2 weeks until a maximum dose of 800 mg or prohibitive toxicity was reached. Fifteen patients had prior nephrectomy, 11 patients had no prior systemic therapy, and 15 had received one prior systemic regimen. RESULTS: A maximum dose of 800 mg, 600 mg, 400 mg, and 200 mg was reached in five, 10, eight, and three patients, respectively. Grade 2 and 3 dyspnea occurred in four and three patients, respectively. Grade 2 and 3 neurologic toxicity was observed in five and two patients, respectively. Of the 25 assessable patients, the best response was stable disease in 16 (95% confidence interval [CI], 43% to 82%) patients. The 6-month progression-free survival rate was 32% (95% CI, 14% to 50%). Three patients achieved prolonged stable disease of 16, ...
The progestin-only pills and the levonorgestrel-releasing IUD: two progestin-only contraceptives.

The author reviewed available study findings in the literature to evaluate the merits disadvantages and unsettled issues of progestin-only contraceptive pills (POPs) and the newly developed levonorgestrel-releasing (LNG) IUD. The mechanism of POP action and the brands marketed are first considered followed by discussion of safety considerations efficacy and compliance side effects clinical acceptability continuation patterns the advantages of using POPs current use and issues to be addressed. The author then discusses the LNG IUD in sections on its mode of action studies used for evaluation safety considerations clinical performance noncontraceptive effects and use perspectives and issues to be addressed. The benefits of POPs outweigh their risks especially for lactating and/or postpartum women with available information suggesting that POPs are at least as safe as if not safer than combined oral contraceptives (COCs). The incidence of nonmenstrual systemic side effects in POP users such as headaches nausea vomiting and dizziness tend to be milder and their incidence may have been overreported in previous studies. However for POPs to be as effective as COCs strict compliance is required. Moreover compared to COCs POPs are more likely to cause menstrual disturbances in the first few months of use.
Understanding Your Standing: Multiple Indicators of Status and Their Influence on Employee Attachment

We investigate the joint effects of employees’ perceptions of their organization's reputation (or status) and their own status within the organization (ie, autonomy and impact) on their commitment to the organization and job search behavior. Results of a field study of managers show that for organizational commitment and job search behavior, autonomy has a stronger effect on the outcomes when individuals perceive that they work for a high-status organization. However, consistent with the idea of free-riding, results show that individuals experiencing low impact in a high-status organization have higher organizational commitment and are least likely to search for other jobs. Thus, managers concerned with increasing employee attachment should focus on increasing the organization's reputation as well as their employees’ perceptions of their standing in the organization.
Uterine malignant mixed müllerian tumor in a patient on long-term tamoxifen therapy for breast cancer.

A case of malignant mixed mullerian tumor of the uterus, heterologous type, in an 83-year-old woman on tamoxifen (TAM) therapy for 9 years for breast cancer is presented. Benign endometrial polyps were diagnosed on endometrial curettings for postmenopausal bleeding after the patient had been on TAM for 5 years. Recurrent postmenopausal bleeding developed 4 years later. Endometrial curettings and hysterectomy revealed a 10-cm polypoid malignant mixed mullerian tumor (MMMT) and endometrial polyps. There was no invasion of the myometrium or endocervix and no evidence of metastatic tumor in 13 pelvic lymph nodes, peritoneal washings, or omentum. TAM has been associated with the development of endometrial polyps, hyperplasia, and adenocarcinoma possibly mediated through its agonistic estrogenic properties. Only one other case of MMMT arising in patients on TAM therapy has been previously reported, but may also be a consequence of the estrogenic effects of TAM therapy.
Anti-miRs Competitively Inhibit microRNAs in Argonaute Complexes

MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small RNA molecules that post-transcriptionally regulate mRNA expression, are crucial in diverse developmental and physiological programs and their misregulation can lead to disease. Chemically modified oligonucleotides have been developed to modulate miRNA activity for therapeutic intervention in disease settings, but their mechanism of action has not been fully elucidated. Here we show that the miRNA inhibitors (anti-miRs) physically associate with Argonaute proteins in the context of the cognate target miRNA in vitro and in vivo. The association is mediated by the seed region of the miRNA and is sensitive to the placement of chemical modifications. Furthermore, the targeted miRNAs are stable and continue to be associated with Argonaute. Our results suggest that anti-miRs specifically associate with Argonaute-bound miRNAs, preventing association with target mRNAs, which leads to subsequent stabilization and thus increased expression of the targeted mRNAs.
National-, regional- and urban-scale population deconcentration in West Germany.

Abstract Internal migration patterns during the second half of the 1970s and the first half of the 1980s are evaluated at a regional scale intermediate to those utilized in previous core-to-periphery and urbanization-to-counterurbanization studies of West Germany. A spatial deconcentration of the West German population is evident in the form of redistribution down the metropolitan size hierarchy. Net (internal) out-migration from both the Rhine-Ruhr and the Rhine-Main-Neckar agglomeration regions benefitted the bicentric metropolitan areas and the smaller sized urban areas. A spatial deconcentration of manufacturing and service employment partially explains the net migration losses experienced by the Rhine-Ruhr and the Rhine-Main-Neckar. An investigation of population deconcentration trends within each of these two polycentric metropolitan regions proved inconclusive. This study provides an alternative core-periphery delimitation scheme which can be applied to the metropolitan system in the western part of newly unified Germany.
Selective Adsorption of Methoxyphenol Positional Isomers

Disubstituted aromatics are commonly synthesized by electrophilic substitution of the ring. However, these reactions typically yield a mixture of ortho and para isomers. In this study we examined whether adsorption from a nonpolar solvent onto a polar sorbent could offer regioselectivity for separating such positional isomers. Specifically, we examined adsorption of substituted phenols onto an acrylic ester sorbent that has previously been observed to adsorb phenolic compounds through a hydrogen-bonding mechanism. The isotherms for the individual isomers indicated small regioselectivities for the adsorption of the alkylphenols cresol and propylphenol. Considerably larger regioselectivities were observed for methoxyphenol adsorption, with the para isomer being preferentially adsorbed compared to o-methoxyphenol. In mixture studies, the separation factor for p-/o-methoxyphenol separations was observed to exceed 15. Infrared measurements suggest that these high separation factors were attained because o-meth...
Characteristics of clinker formation in a circulating fluidized bed boiler firing Korean anthracite

To shed light on the causes of clinker formation during the initial operation period of the Tonghae circulating fluidized bed (CFB) boiler, which uses Korean anthracite as fuel, the properties of ash, sand and limestone particles and the mixtures of each gradient have been characterized. The clinkers formed in the loopseals and the fluidized bed ash cooler (FBAC) of the CFB boiler were also characterized by analyzing the composition, the surface phenomena and the crystal structure of the clinkers. As a result, the black clinker was found to come from the sand particles and the composition of the white clinker was found to be similar to that of ash particles. The cause of the clinker formation in the FBAC proved that ash was sticking to molten or sintered phases in the high temperature regions in the boiler. On the other hand, the composition of the ash changed with the particle size, showing an enrichment of Fe2O3 as the particle size decreased. Also, the ash particles between 75–100 μm contained more than 11% CaO which resulted in low initial deformation temperature of the particles. So it is possible to explain that the amount of Fe and Ca in the fine particles of the ash plays a crucial role in the formation of agglomerates in the CFB boiler.
A new diruthenium(II,III) compound, Ru2(CCPh)(PhNpy)4·2CH2Cl2, with an axial η1-acetylide ligand

Abstract The compound Ru2(CCPh)(PhNpy)4 was prepared by reacting Ru2Cl(PhNpy)4 and Li(CCPh) in a toluene-tetrahydrofuran mixture. The product, which was purified by column chromatography on a neutral alumina column using benzene as an eluting agent, was obtained in ca. 70% yield. Crystals of composition Ru2(CCPh)(PhNpy)4·2CH2Cl2 (1), obtained from a CH2Cl2-hexane mixture (1:1 V/V) at −20 °C, belong to the triclinic system, space group P 1 , with unit cell dimensions of a = 13.857(6), b = 19.338(9), c = 10.463(4) A, α = 104.03(4)°, β = 108.25(4)°, γ = 93.55(4)°, V = 2554(2) A3, Z = 2. The structure was refined to R = 0.064 (Rw = 0.073). The complex has a diruthenium(II,III) unit bridged by four PhNpy− ligands, all oriented in the same direction. The axial ligand on the ruthenium is an η1acetylide, CCPh. The Ru(1)-Ru(2) distance in 1 is 2.319(2) A. The Ru(1)-C(1) and average RuN distances are 2.08(3) and 2.07[2] A, respectively. The C(1)-C(2) distance is 1.14(3) A and the Ru(2)- Ru(1)-C(1) group is essentially linear. The Ru(1)- C(1)-C(2) and C(1)-C(2)-C(3) angles are 172(3) and 173(3)°, respectively. The complex is paramagnetic, exhibiting a moment of 3.92 μB (308 K). The RuRu bond order is 2,5 with a σ2π4δ2- (δ*π*)3 ground electronic configuration. The electronic spectrum of the compound in CH2 Cl2 displays two absorption bands in the visible region, viz., at 735 nm (ϵ = 1050 M−1 cm−1) and at 480 nm (ϵ = 1630 M−1 cm−1). Cyclic voltammetry in CH2Cl2 in the presence of 0.1 M (TBA)PF6 at 100 mV s−1 shows nearly reversible metal-centered one-electron oxidation and reduction processes at +0.235 V (ΔEp = 70 mV) and −0.985 V (ΔEp = 70 mV), respectively, vs. an AgAgCl reference electrode. A quasireversible oxidation at +1.050 V is also observed.
Rudimentary reductions revisited

Abstract We show that log-bounded rudimentary reductions (defined and studied by Jones in 1975) characterize Dlogtime-uniform AC 0 .
Yohimbine exacerbates and clonidine attenuates acute morphine withdrawal in rats.

Abstract The involvement of α 2 -noradrenergic receptors in the expression of opiate withdrawal was studied using an operant behavioral model of acute morphine dependence. Clonidine, an α 2 -agonist, attenuated and yohimbine, an α 2 -antagonist, exacerbated the naloxone-induced suppression of fixed ratio 15 responding in rats pretreated several hours earlier with a single, moderate dose of morphine. These data indicate that the α 2 -agonist action of clonidine is responsible for its amelioration of withdrawal symptoms. It also validates the acute dependence model for studying the pharmacology of opiates and associated adaptive processes.
Safe solution of a car-following problem

Abstract A system of nonlinear car-following equations with random delay times is considered. Conditions which ensure a safe response (according to a natural safety criterion) are given.
Osseous injury associated with acute tears of the anterior cruciate ligament

Multiplanar spin-echo magnetic resonance imaging was performed on 54 patients with acute complete anterior cruciate ligament tears. Imaging was done within 45 days of index anterior cruciate ligament injury. Spin-echo T1- and T2-weighted images were used to determine the lesion morphology and location. Only the T2-weighted sagittal images were used for the incidence assessment; T2-weighted spin-echo imaging reflects free water shifts and best indicates the acute edema and inflammatory changes from injury. Eighty-three percent (45 of 54) of the knees had an osseous contusion directly over the lateral femoral condyle terminal sulcus. The lesion was highly variable in size and imaging intensity; however, the most intense signal was always contiguous with the subchondral plate. Posterolateral joint injury was seen in 96% (43 of 45) of the knees that had a terminal sulcus osseous lesion determined by magnetic resonance imaging. This posterolateral lesion involves a spectrum of injury, including both soft tissue (popliteus-arcuate capsuloligamentous complex) and hard tissue (posterolateral tibial plateau) injuries. The consistent location of the osseous and soft tissue injuries underscores a necessary similar mechanism of injury associated with these acute anterior cruciate ligament tears. Based on these characteristic findings, several proposed mechanisms of injury are discussed.
A semi-automated approach for analyzing, separating, and modeling of concerns in evolving systems

This research focuses on developing a systematic modularization approach to decompose systems into "stable" modules that can evolve over time while preserving their structure. We highlight the underlying concept of the approach, and provide a brief overview of its main activities.
The Many Dimensions of Competitive Balance

Discussions of competitive imbalance use Major League Baseball as a focal point, and proposed remedies center on redistributions of revenues from well-heeled owners to financially strapped franchises. However, there are also many additional aspects in sports that do not involve allocations of economic resources directly but nevertheless affect outcomes and balance among competitors. All leagues and associations have to confront the fundamental issue of relative strengths between adversaries. To create some semblance of balance and ensure the integrity of play, they place constraints on the competitive process and respond to technological changes that threaten to disrupt the current environment, including the use of performance-enhancing inputs. Although we extol the virtues of natural athletes and level playing fields with regard to skill development, ensuring evenly matched contests, and comparing performances over time, there are arguably no consistent, objective standards we can employ. Imbalance is an...