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From the perspective of newcomers to Canada, using English as an additional language (EAL), this study explores how newcomers' interlocutors might impede workplace communication. Six participants speaking EAL and with a variety of language backgrounds shared their workplace experiences. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews, with anecdotes compiled, coded, and analyzed for emergent themes. CELPIP-General LS test scores were also obtained to provide a measure of the participants' general English language proficiency. Based on the anecdotes shared by the participants, affective tension, interlocutor language use, interlocutor understanding, time pressure, and their own perceptions played a role in inhibiting workplace communication. It appeared that their capacity to deploy the full range of their communicative competence in English often depended on their interlocutors. These findings point to how the attitudes and actions (real or imagined) of interlocutors may affect workplace language skills. Based on these findings, the potential of intercultural skills development for newcomers, their interlocutors, and the wider community is examined with the goal of facilitating workplace communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose and evaluate a conceptual model explaining how customer engagement and customer-to-customer virtual interactions lead to the intention to co-create in new product development. Based on the theory of trying, the model adds the mechanism of attitudes toward success, failure, and the process to the customer engagement—intention to co-create relationship. The results from two culturally distant regions, represented by the United States and Brazil, partially support the model and demonstrate the moderating impact of trust on the customer engagement—attitudes relationships. Surprisingly, few differences emerged between the two countries. An exception being the relationship between customer engagement and intention to co-create through attitude toward the process was stronger in the United States than Brazil. Implications for global marketing theory and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

“Delusions” are beliefs that are false and persistent. It is suggested here that these characteristics can emerge from interplays between two fundamental learning processes: (1) the allocation of attentional resources among stimuli; and (2) the effects of feedback on learning. The former of these has been operationalized in the learned irrelevance and latent inhibition paradigms; the latter in studies of the effects of persistence-training . Normally, the attentional process functions to constrain persistence-training effects so that only valid associations acquire persistence. But when persistence-training is less influenced in this way, its mechanisms can interact with a noisy environment to gradually insulate maladaptive associations from disconfirming feedback. When unchecked, these dynamics likely lead to a systematic distortion of beliefs that can become increasingly persistent regardless of their validity. Delusions are therefore predicted to tend to arise whenever the balance of (1) is weakened in favour of (2), whether by experimental manipulation, trait-related factors, cultural causes or evolutionary history. Existing evidence is consistent with the model and further implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Glial cells, particularly microglia, are thought to play a pivotal role in initiating and guiding innate immune responses to CNS infections and in perpetuating inflammation and pathology in CNS diseases such as multiple sclerosis and Alzheimer''s disease. We describe here the development and use of a new microarray designed to specifically profile transcript expression of innate immunity genes. Microarray analysis validated by quantitative PCR demonstrated an extensive range of pattern recognition receptor gene expression in resting N9 microglia, including Toll-like receptors, scavenger receptors and lectins. Stimulation with LPS or infection with virus modulated pattern recognition receptor, cytokine, chemokine and other innate immune transcripts in a distinct and stimulus-specific manner. This study demonstrates that a single glial cell phenotype has an innate capability to detect infection, determine its form and generate specific responses. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper presents the results of nondestructive integrity tests (NDTs) and axial static load tests on drilled shafts constructed in varved clay at the National Geotechnical Experimentation Site in Amherst, Mass. The shafts were constructed with built-in defects to study: (1) the effectiveness of conventional NDT methods in detecting construction defects and (2) the effect of defects on the capacity of drilled shafts. Defects included voids and soil inclusions occupying 5–45% of the cross section as well as a soft bottom. Nine organizations participated in a blind defect prediction symposium, using a variety of NDT techniques. Most participants located defects that were larger than 10% of the cross sectional area. However, false positives and inability to locate smaller defects and multiple defects in the same shaft were encountered. Static load tests indicated that (1) minor defects had little or no effect on skin friction; (2) a soft bottom resulted in a 33% reduction in end bearing relative to a sound bottom; and (3) reloading resulted in a 20–30% reduction in the geotechnical capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: There have been few studies of the cardiac auscultation skills of residents and family physicians. This study assessed a group of family physicians' cardiac auscultation skills and use of a computerized self-instructional program to improve these skills. Methods: Forty-two volunteer family physicians participated in an initial assessment of cardiac auscultation skills using test recordings of 12 common heart sounds. They were provided with a CD-ROM instructional program and were asked to devote 15 hours of self-study to the program and to return in 9 months for reassessment. Results: The 42 family physicians in the initial assessment identified 39% of the heart sounds. Twenty-one returned for reassessment and showed significant improvement. Their initial mean score was 4.3 of 12 (35%), and their final mean score was 8.0 of 12 (67%). They found the CD-ROM program to be a valuable resource. The feature most liked was the unlimited opportunity to review sounds, cases, and tutorials. Most frequent problems related to computer access or skills. Eleven respondents reported using the program to resolve patient problems in their clinical practices. Discussion: The cardiac auscultation skills of a group of volunteer family physicians showed low initial scores that improved significantly after self-study with a CD-ROM instructional program. The program was a valuable self-instructional aid, and physicians used it as a resource in clinical practice. However, only 50% of the initial group completed the self-study and returned for final assessment. Providing more support and assistance in the initial phase, especially with computer use, may enable completion of similar computerized self-study programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the phenomenon of relapse in the avian model of malaria. Exploration of the causes of malarial relapse; Details on the clinical feature of malaria; Observations on the life cycle of Leucocytozoon simondi.

A letter to the editor is presented in response to the article "Hypertension and Maternal-Fetal Conflict During Pregnancy," that was published in a previous issue.

This article examines the reasons for plasma high levels of cortisol, measured at the time of delivery, in the plasma of primi- and multiparous Gabonese women with Plasmodium falciparum infection. The 24-h period preceding and following delivery is a well-studied endocrinological series of events that includes a complex, amphoteric synergism between cortisol and prolactin, space allows for only a brief synopsis. During normal labor, primiparous women have been observed to have higher antepartem and early post-partum cortisol levels, whereas prolactin levels decrease during labor. There is no reason to believe that mothers and infants who survive until term do not have a normal physiological parturition.

Reports the continues surgical removal of spleen in Europe. Effects of splenectomy on human body; Advantages of isotope scanning; Suggestion regarding the preservation of spleen according to a conservative management.

Focuses on the necessity of training for surgical care on physicians in developing countries. Requirements of physicians before administration of surgery; Government policy on training of physicians; Factors for restriction of training in Kenya; Role of surgical establishments on training and assessment of surgeons.

A conference paper on the Genomics and Pathway Biology post-genomics Master of Science program at Edinburgh University in Scotland is presented. The program aims to give students an understanding of trends in post genomic science and their application to the analysis and modeling of biological systems. The course is run by Scottish Centre for Genomic Technology and Informatics.

Comments on the undergraduate curriculum of medical schools on Great Britain. Evaluation of the curriculum; Aims of medical training; Areas for integration in preclinical studies.

Background: High-throughput, parallel gene expression analysis by means of microarray technology has become a widely used technique in recent years. There are currently two main dye-labelling strategies for microarray studies based on custom-spotted cDNA or oligonucleotides arrays: (I) Dye-labelling of a single target sample with a particular dye, followed by subsequent hybridisation to a single microarray slide, (II) Dye-labelling of two different target samples with two different dyes, followed by subsequent co-hybridisation to a single microarray slide. The two dyes most frequently used for either method are Cy3 and Cy5. We propose and evaluate a novel experiment set-up utilising three differently labelled targets co-hybridised to one microarray slide. In addition to Cy3 and Cy5, this incorporates Alexa 594 as a third dye-label. We evaluate this approach in line with current data processing and analysis techniques for microarrays, and run separate analyses on Alexa 594 used in single-target, dual-target and the intended triple-target experiment set-ups (a total of 18 microarray slides). We follow this by pointing out practical applications and suitable analysis methods, and conclude that triple-target microarray experiments can add value to microarray research by reducing material costs for arrays and related processes, and by increasing the number of options for pragmatic experiment design. Results: The addition of Alexa 594 as a dye-label for an additional - third - target sample works within the framework of more commonplace Cy5/Cy3 labelled target sample combinations. Standard normalisation methods are still applicable, and the resulting data can be expected to allow identification of expression differences in a biological experiment, given sufficient levels of biological replication (as is necessary for most microarray experiments). Conclusion: The use of three dye-labelled target samples can be a valuable addition to the standard repertoire of microarray experiment designs. The method enables direct comparison between two experimental populations as well as measuring these two populations in relation to a third reference sample, allowing comparisons within the slide and across slides. These benefits are only offset by the added level of consideration required in the experimental design and data processing of a triple-target study design. Common methods for data processing and analysis are still applicable, but there is scope for the development of custom models for triple-target data. In summary, we do not consider the triple-target approach to be a new standard, but a valuable addition to the existing microarray study toolkit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• There are many exemplars of success for high-achieving Indigenous primary and secondary students. • Academic self-concept predicts future academic success for high-achieving Indigenous and nonIndigenous students. • Academic self-concept and achievement are reciprocally related. • Results are consistent for high-achieving Indigenous and nonIndigenous students in math and English. • Results inform future policy/practice on the drivers of success for high-achieving Indigenous and nonIndigenous students. Indigenous Australians are highly disadvantaged educationally and on all socioeconomic indicators, but graduating from university largely closes this gap. However, despite clear examples of Indigenous success, little research has focused on the drivers of success of high-achieving Indigenous students to emulate their success. Thus, the explicit purpose of our study is to identify psychological drivers of Indigenous academic success for high-achieving students and compare these to those of high-achieving nonIndigenous students. To accomplish this purpose, we test the reciprocal effects model (REM) of self-concept and achievement for high-achieving Indigenous students (N = 493) and matched nonIndigenous students (N = 586) in primary and secondary schools. Academic achievement and self-concept were reciprocally related over three annual time waves, supporting the REM for high-achieving Indigenous and nonIndigenous students. Furthermore, results were invariant over two within-person facets (time and content-domain—math vs. English) and two between-person facets (Indigenous vs. nonIndigenous, and primary vs. secondary students). The results have important policy/practice implications for the drivers of success for high-achieving Indigenous students, education of high-achieving students more generally, and self-concept theory and research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interferons (IFNs) play a central role in immunity and emerging evidence suggests that IFN-signalling coordinately regulates sterol biosynthesis in macrophages, via Sterol Regulatory Element-Binding Protein (SREBP) dependent and independent pathways. However, the precise mechanisms and kinetic steps by which IFN controls sterol biosynthesis are as yet not fully understood. Here, we elucidate the molecular circuitry governing how IFN controls the first regulated step in the mevalonate-sterol pathway, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), through the synthesis of 25-Hydroxycholesterol (25-HC) from cholesterol by the IFN-inducible Cholesterol-25-Hydroxylase (CH25H). We show for the first 30-min of IFN stimulation of macrophages the rate of de novo synthesis of the Ch25h transcript is markedly increased but by 120-min becomes transcriptionally curtailed, coincident with induction of the Activating Transcription Factor 3 (ATF3) repressor. We demonstrate ATF3 induction by Toll-like receptors is strictly dependent on IFN-signalling. While the SREBP-pathway dependent rates of de novo transcription of Hmgcr are relatively unchanged in the first 90-min of IFN treatment, we find HMGCR enzyme levels undergo a rapid proteasomal-mediated degradation, defining a previously unappreciated SREBP-independent mechanism for IFN-action. These events precede a sustained marked reduction in Hmgcr RNA levels involving SREBP-dependent mechanisms. We demonstrate that HMGCR proteasomal-degradation by IFN strictly requires the synthesis of endogenous 25-HC and functionally couples HMGCR to CH25H to coordinately suppress sterol biosynthesis. In conclusion, we quantitatively delineate proteomic and transcriptional levels of IFN-mediated control of HMGCR, the primary enzymatic step of the mevalonate-sterol biosynthesis pathway, providing a foundational framework for mathematically modelling the therapeutic outcome of immune-metabolic pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Using a structure based design approach we have identified a series of indazole substituted pyrrolopyrazines, which are potent inhibitors of JAK3. Intramolecular electronic repulsion was used as a strategy to induce a strong conformational bias within the ligand. Compounds bearing this conformation participated in a favorable hydrophobic interaction with a cysteine residue in the JAK3 binding pocket, which imparted high selectivity versus the kinome and improved selectivity within the JAK family. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: In an effort to better understand the molecular networks that underpin macrophage activation we have been assembling a map of relevant pathways. Manual curation of the published literature was carried out in order to define the components of these pathways and the interactions between them. This information has been assembled into a large integrated directional network and represented graphically using the modified Edinburgh Pathway Notation (mEPN) scheme. Results: The diagram includes detailed views of the toll-like receptor (TLR) pathways, other pathogen recognition systems, NF-kappa-B, apoptosis, interferon signalling, MAP-kinase cascades, MHC antigen presentation and proteasome assembly, as well as selected views of the transcriptional networks they regulate. The integrated pathway includes a total of 496 unique proteins, the complexes formed between them and the processes in which they are involved. This produces a network of 2,170 nodes connected by 2,553 edges. Conclusions: The pathway diagram is a navigable visual aid for displaying a consensus view of the pathway information available for these systems. It is also a valuable resource for computational modelling and aid in the interpretation of functional genomics data. We envisage that this work will be of value to those interested in macrophage biology and also contribute to the ongoing Systems Biology community effort to develop a standard notation scheme for the graphical representation of biological pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Describes a refined approach to identify genes induced during neural specification and/or maintained in neural progenitor cells in vivo and in vitro. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter purification of neural precursors from Sox1-gfp knock-in mice; Gene targeting; Tissue preparation; Results of microarray and sequence analysis.

Chronic exposure to lower oxygen tension may increase cellular resistance to different types of acute metabolic stress. Here, we show that 24-h-long exposure to slightly decreased oxygen tension (partial pressure of oxygen (PO[sub 2]) of 100 mm Hg instead of normal 144 mm Hg) confers resistance against acute hypoxia/reoxygenation-induced Ca[sup 2+] loading in heart-derived H9c2 cells. The number of ATP-sensitive K[sup +] (K[sub ATP]) channels were increased in cells exposed to PO[sub 2] = 100 mm Hg relative to cells exposed to PO[sub 2] = 144 mm Hg. This was due to an increase in transcription of SUR2A, a K[sub ATP] channel regulatory subunit, but not Kir6.2, a K[sub ATP] channel poreforming subunit. PO[sub 2] = 100 mm Hg also increased the SUR2 gene promoter activity. Experiments with cells overexpressing wild type of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α and dominant negative HIF-1β suggested that the HIF-1-signaling pathway did not participate in observed PO[sub 2]-mediated regulation of SUR2A expression. On the other hand, NADH inhibited the effect of PO[sub 2] = 100 mm Hg but not the effect of PO[sub 2] = 20 mm Hg. LY 294002 and PD 184 352 prevented PO[sub 2]-mediated regulation of K[sub ATP] channels, whereas rapamycin was without any effect. HMR 1098 inhibited the cytoprotective effect of PO[sub 2] = 100 mm Hg, and a decrease of PO[sub 2] from 144 to 100 mm Hg did not change the expression of any other gene, including those involved in stress and hypoxic response, as revealed by Affymetrix high density oligonucleotide arrays. We conclude that slight hypoxia activates HIF-1α-independent signaling cascade leading to an increase in SUR2A protein, a higher density of K[sub ATP] channels, and a cellular phenotype more resistant to acute metabolic stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents commentaries on articles concerning infectious diseases as well as authors' responses to the commentaries, featured in the 2001 issue of the 'Journal of Infectious Diseases.' Use of azithromycin as a means od limiting mycoplasma disease transmission; Correlation between age and prevalence of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in anti-HCV drug users.

The genus Coccolithovirus is a recently discovered group of viruses that infect the globally important marine calcifying microalga Emiliania huxleyi. Among the 472 predicted genes of the 407,339-base pair genome are a variety of unexpected genes, most notably those involved in biosynthesis of ceramide, a sphingolipid known to induce apoptosis. Uniquely for algal viruses, it also contains six RNA polymerase subunits and a novel promoter, suggesting this virus encodes its own transcription machinery. Microarray transcriptomic analysis reveals that 65% of the predicted virus-encoded genes are expressed during lytic infection of E. huxleyi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emiliania huxleyi virus strain 86 is the largest algal virus sequenced to date and is unique among the Phycodnaviridae since its genome is predicted to contain six RNA polymerase subunit genes. We have used a virus microarray to profile the temporal transcription strategy of this unusual virus during infection. There are two distinct transcription phases to the infection process. The primary phase is dominated by a group of coding sequences (CDSs) expressed by 1 h postinfection that are localized to a subregion of the genome. The CDS of the primary group have no database homologues, and each is associated with a unique promoter element. The remainder of the CDSs are expressed in a secondary phase between 2 and 4 hours postinfection. Compartmentalized transcription of the two distinctive phases is discussed. We hypothesize that immediately after infection the nucleic acid of the virus targets the host nucleus, where primary-phase genes are transcribed by host RNA polymerase which recognizes the viral promoter. Secondary-phase transcription may then be conducted in the cytoplasm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]