cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Novel disturbance interactions between fire and an emerging disease impact survival and growth of resprouting trees.

Human-altered ecological disturbances may challenge system resilience and disrupt biological legacies maintaining ecosystem recovery. Yet, the extent to which novel regimes challenge these legacies varies. This may be partially explained by differences in the vulnerability of life history strategies to disturbance characteristics. In the fire-prone, resprouter-dominated coast redwood forests of California, the introduced disease sudden oak death (SOD) alters fuel profiles, fire behavior, and aboveground tree mortality; however, this system is dominated by resprouting trees that are well-adapted to aboveground damage, and belowground survival of individuals may represent the principal biological legacy connecting pre- and post-fire communities. Much of the research exploring altered disturbances and forest recovery has focused on legacies determined by seed dispersal and aboveground survival of adults. In this work, we use pre- and post-fire data from a long-term monitoring network to assess the impacts of novel disturbance interactions between wildfire and SOD on the belowground survival and vegetative reproduction of resprouters. We found that increasing accumulation of coarse woody surface fuels from SOD-killed hosts decreased the likelihood of belowground survival for resprouting tanoak trees, but not for redwoods. Tanoaks' belowground survival was negatively related to substrate burn severity, which increased with the volume of surface fuels from hosts, suggesting heat damage as a possible mechanism influencing altered patterns of resprouter mortality. These impacts increased with decreasing tree size. By contrast, redwood and tanoak trees that survived both disturbances resprouted more vigorously, regardless of post-fire infection by P. ramorum, and generated similar recruitment at the stand level. Our results demonstrate that disease-fire interactions can narrow recruitment filters for resprouters, which could impact long-term population and demographic structure; yet, compounded disturbance may also reduce stand density and disease pressure, allowing competitive release of survivors. Resprouters displayed vulnerabilities to altered disturbance, but our research suggests that legacies maintained by resprouting may be more resilient to certain compounded disturbances, compared to seed-obligate species, because of high rates of individual survival under increasingly severe events. These trends have important implications for conservation of declining tree species in SOD-impacted forests, as well as predictions of human impacts in other disturbance-prone systems where resprouters are present.
A Theoretical Analysis on the Reliability of Multigenerational IoT

In many applications, Internet of Things (IoT) are deployed to monitor events happening and developing in an area for a long term. This monitored area can be divided into several clusters in the data space formed by the monitored physical parameters. Each cluster covers several geographical patches in the area. The patches of the cluster with the highest possibility of developing an concerned event, called Area of Interest (AoI), are monitored heavily for a long term. Due to the power limits of IoT, multigenerational sensors are deployed consecutively. In this paper, we develop stochastic models for the reliability of multigenerational IoT and find the optimal strategies to deploy sensors to maximize this reliability. The theoretic models and analysis can be applied to myriad multigenerational systems.
Marketing Education: A Guide to Consumerism:

What is consumerism, where did it come from, and where is it going? These are difficult questions at a time when the scope of consumerism is broadening rapidly. The authors emphasize market and soc...
Outwitting the rational mind: How effortful thinking influences price cognition

Prior research presents mixed findings on how people's degrees of effortful thinking influence their reliance on heuristics and biases. Although the tenets of dual process theory would argue that effortful thinking should attenuate people's reliance on heuristics, a number of contemporary findings suggest otherwise: Effortful thinking may, in fact, enhance biased processing of information in certain instances. This research shows how, in the context of pricing, people's degrees of effortful thinking can amplify their inclination towards biased processing of price information. In five studies (n = 1,339), we find that effortful thinking induces a greater preference for nine-ending (vs. zero-ending) prices, and the effect is mainly driven by people's greater propensity for argument-based decision making. Such predilection to nine-endings attenuates with lower cognitive effort in processing price information. Moreover, when locus of deliberation shifts from price to quality, consumers' preference for nine-ending priced options is subdued.
Reducing overuse of PSA screening in primary care practices.

37Background: The United States Preventive Services Task Force and the American Urological Association both recommend against routine PSA-based screening for prostate cancer in men 70 years and old...
Caspase-1-induced pyroptosis is an innate immune effector mechanism against intracellular bacteria (111.33)

Macrophages mediate crucial innate immune responses via caspase-1-dependent processing and secretion of IL-1β and IL-18. While wild type Salmonella typhimurium infection is lethal to mice, a strain that persistently expresses flagellin was cleared by the cytosolic flagellin detection pathway via NLRC4 activation of caspase-1; however, this clearance was independent of IL-1β and IL-18. Instead, caspase-1 induced pyroptotic cell death released bacteria from macrophages, exposing them to uptake and killing by reactive oxygen species in neutrophils. Similarly, caspase-1 cleared Legionella and Burkholderia by cytokine independent mechanisms. Our results show, for the first time, that caspase-1 can clear intracellular bacteria in vivo independent of IL-1β and IL-18, and establish pyroptosis as an efficient mechanism of bacterial clearance by the innate immune system.
Using the Rosgen Stream Classification System to Aid in Riparian Complex Ecological Site Descriptions Development

Abstract Land managers need consistent terminology and classification frameworks to discuss the ecological status of the land. A common framework used in upland terrestrial systems is an ecological site description (ESD), in which systems are categorized by soils, vegetation, and topography. Creating ESDs in riparian areas must follow a different framework than upland systems because function of riparian systems is driven by hydrology. This study categorized riparian areas by hydrology using stream geomorphology and the Rosgen Stream Classification System. Stream cross sectional and longitudinal profile data were collected from 75 reaches from 19 streams in North Dakota from 2012 to 2018. Each reach (i.e., one full meander) was classified by channel type (E, C, B, F, and G), and stability class (stable and unstable). A stream parameter matrix was constructed using entrenchment ratio, width-to-depth ratio, sinuosity, slope, channel bed material, bank height ratio, and meander width ratio. A multiple response permutation procedure showed that the parameters differed on the basis of both channel type and stability class. An indicator analysis showed that entrenchment ratio, bank height ratio, and meander width ratio were the parameters most influential in separating the reaches by stability class. The strongest indicator stable reach was entrenchment ratio, but meander width ratio and bank height ratio were also significant indicators of stable and unstable reaches, respectively. The parameters used in this study to delineate channel type can be used to consistently discriminate between stable and unstable channels. This information may be a useful tool in describing the states and transitions of prairie stream development in riparian complex ESDs, validating the continued use of Rosgen Stream Classification System in ESD development.
Alpha2 Adrenergic Receptors in Hyperplastic Human Prostate: Identification and Characterization Using [3H] Rauwolscine

Abstract[3H] Rauwolscine ([3H]Ra), a selective ligand for the alpha2 adrenergic receptor, was used to identify and characterize alpha2 adrenergic receptors in prostate glands of men with benign prostatic hyperplasia. Specific binding of [3H]Ra to prostatic tissue homogenates was rapid and readily reversible by addition of excess unlabelled phentolamine. Scatchard analysis of saturation experiments demonstrates a single, saturable class of high affinity binding sites (Bmax = 0.31 ± 0.04 fmol./μg. DNA, Kd = 0.9 ± 0.11nM.). The relative potency of alpha adrenergic drugs (clonidine, alphamethylnorepinephrine and prazosin) in competing for [3H]Ra binding sites was consistent with the order predicted for an alpha2 subtype. The role of alpha2 adrenergic receptors in normal prostatic function and in men with bladder outlet obstruction secondary to BPH requires further investigation.
Lifestyle and Non-muscle Invasive Bladder Cancer Recurrence, Progression, and Mortality: Available Research and Future Directions

Author(s): Zuniga, Kyle B; Graff, Rebecca E; Feiger, David B; Meng, Maxwell V; Porten, Sima P; Kenfield, Stacey A | Abstract: BackgroundA broad, comprehensive review of studies exploring associations between lifestyle factors and non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) outcomes is warranted to consolidate recommendations and identify gaps in research.ObjectiveTo summarize the literature on associations between lifestyle factors and clinical outcomes among patients with NMIBC.MethodsPubMed was systematically queried for articles published through March 2019 regarding lifestyle factors and recurrence, progression, cancer-specific mortality, and all-cause mortality among patients with NMIBC.ResultsNotwithstanding many ambiguities, there is good-quality evidence suggesting a benefit of smoking avoidance/cessation, healthy body mass index (BMI), and type II diabetes mellitus prevention and treatment. Lactobacillus casei probiotic supplementation may reduce recurrence. There have been individual studies suggesting a benefit for uncooked broccoli and supplemental vitamin E as well as avoidance of supplemental vitamin B9, areca nut chewing, and a "Western diet" pattern high in fried foods and red meat. Additional studies do not suggest associations between NMIBC outcomes and use of fibrin clot inhibitors; insulin and other oral hypoglycemics; statins; supplemental selenium, vitamin A, vitamin C, and vitamin B6; fluid intake and intake of specific beverages (e.g., alcohol, coffee, green tea, cola); various dietary patterns (e.g., Tex-Mex, high fruit and vegetable, low-fat); and occupational and chemical exposures.ConclusionsDespite a myriad of publications on lifestyle factors and NMIBC, a need remains for research on unexplored associations (e.g., physical activity) and further studies that can elucidate causal effects. This would inform future implementation strategies for healthy lifestyle change in NMIBC patients.
SS31, a Mitochondrially Targeted Antioxidant, Prevents Sepsis Induced Reductions in Diaphragm Strength and Endurance.

Sepsis-induced diaphragm dysfunction is a major contributor to mortality and morbidity in patients with critical illness in intensive care units. Currently, there is no proven pharmacological treat...
Impacts and interactions of biochar and biosolids on agricultural soil microbial communities during dry and wet-dry cycles

Abstract Extreme hydrological processes, such as prolonged drought and frequent wet-dry cycles, are major consequences of climate change and can influence agroecosystems by altering soil microbial communities and associated processes. Two increasingly popular soil amendments, biosolids and biochar, may reduce the negative impacts of extreme hydrological processes as well as provide a low-cost carbon sequestration strategy, increase nutrient and soil water retention, and increase nutrient availability. We measured the response of microbial communities to amendments of biochar (walnut shell, 900 °C) and biosolids amendments, separate and mixed, under different water regimes. We used phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA) to monitor microbial communities during a 12-week incubation experiment in which we applied different levels of biochar (0, 0.5 and 1% dry wt. added to dry soil) and biosolids (0 and 0.5% air-dry wt. added to dry soil) to agricultural soils under different soil moisture conditions (wet, drought, or wet-dry cycles). Biochar increased soil pH across the soil moisture and biosolids treatments at both 4-week and 12-week. Biosolids only significantly decreased soil pH in wet treatment and the change in soil pH was within 0.5 units. Biosolid increased soil mineral nitrogen. Biochar only increased microbial biomass at week 4 in the absence of biosolids, while biosolids increased microbial biomass regardless of biochar and water regime by 55% on average over 12 weeks. Drought and wet-dry cycles strongly influenced microbial communities in soil, reducing biomass and altering community composition. Biosolids amendment increased soil nutrient level, helped maintain soil microbial biomass and reduced impacts of soil moisture stress on soil microbial community. The effect of biochar on soil microbial community composition depended on its dose and soil nutrient conditions. The co-amendment of biosolids and biochar helped to reduce the changes in soil pH and mineral nitrogen. Amending soils with biosolids or biochar may provide an effective management tool to reduce the negative impact of drought and wet-dry cycles on microbial communities.
The Effects of Collision Avoidance Warning Systems on Driver’s Visual Behaviors

This study aimed to test collision avoidance systems in on-road environments and analyze drivers’ visual behaviors caused by the warnings from such systems through an on-road field operational test. Most previous driving studies related to collision warnings were done in driving simulators or closed-course test tracks. Recently, the need to study drivers’ responses in on-road environments is growing in order to improve the effectiveness of the collision warnings from advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). In this study, drivers drove a car along an open road. Their perceptual attention and driving behaviors were analyzed by using video data and an eye-tracking device. The results from the eye movement data showed that the existence of the visual warning and the location of ADAS monitor significantly influence drivers’ warning perception. The findings of this study showed that understanding how the warnings from ADAS devices influence drivers’ visual behavior and driving safety in a driving environment is important to improve the benefits of using collision avoidance systems.
Acute Effects of Heated Tobacco Product (IQOS) Aerosol Inhalation on Lung Tissue Damage and Inflammatory Changes in the Lungs.

Introduction Emerging heated tobacco products (HTPs) were designed to reduce exposure to toxicants from cigarette smoke (CS) by avoiding burning tobacco and instead heating tobacco. We studied the effects of short-term inhalation of aerosols emitted from HTP called IQOS, on lung damage and immune-cell recruitment to the lungs in mice. Methods Numerous markers of lung damage and inflammation including albumin and lung immune-cell infiltrates, proinflammatory cytokines, and chemokines were quantified in lungs and bronchoalveolar (BAL) fluid from IQOS, CS, or air-exposed (negative control) mice. Results Importantly, as a surrogate marker of lung epithelial-cell damage, we detected significantly increased levels of albumin in the BAL fluid of both HTP- and CS-exposed mice compared with negative controls. Total numbers of leukocytes infiltrating the lungs were equivalent following both IQOS aerosols and CS inhalation and significantly increased compared with air-exposed controls. We also observed significantly increased numbers of CD4+IL-17A+ T cells, a marker of a T-cell immune response, in both groups compared with air controls; however, numbers were the highest following CS exposure. Finally, the numbers of CD4+RORγt+ T cells, an inflammatory T-cell subtype expressing the transcription factor that is essential for promoting differentiation into proinflammatory Th17 cells, were significantly augmented in both groups compared with air-exposed controls. Levels of several cytokines in BAL were significantly elevated, reflecting a proinflammatory milieu. Conclusions Our study demonstrates that short-term inhalation of aerosols from IQOS generates damage and proinflammatory changes in the lung that are substantially similar to that elicited by CS exposure. Implications Exposure of mice to IQOS, one of the candidate modified-risk tobacco products, induces inflammatory immune-cell accumulation in the lungs and augments the levels of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in the BAL fluid. Such an exacerbated pulmonary proinflammatory microenvironment is associated with lung epithelial-cell damage in IQOS-exposed mice, suggesting a potential association with the impairment of lung function.
Glioblastoma remodeling of neural circuits in the human brain decreases survival

Summary Gliomas synaptically integrate into neural circuits. Prior work has demonstrated bidirectional interactions between neurons and glioma cells, with neuronal activity driving glioma growth and gliomas increasing neuronal excitability. In this study we wanted to know how glioma induced neuronal changes influence neural circuits underlying cognition and whether these interactions influence patient survival. We use intracranial brain recordings during lexical retrieval language tasks in awake humans in addition to site specific tumor tissue biopsies and cell biology experiments. We find that gliomas remodel functional neural circuitry such that task-relevant neural responses activate tumor-infiltrated cortex, beyond cortical excitation normally recruited in the healthy brain. Site-directed biopsies from functionally connected regions within the tumor are enriched for a glioblastoma subpopulation that exhibits a distinct synaptogenic and neuronotrophic phenotype. Tumor cells from functionally connected regions secrete the synaptogenic factor thrombospondin-1, which contributes to the differential neuron-glioma interactions observed in functionally connected tumor regions compared to tumor regions with less functional connectivity. The degree of functional connectivity between glioblastoma and the normal brain negatively impacts both patient survival and language task performance. These data demonstrate that high-grade gliomas functionally remodel neural circuits in the human brain, which both promotes tumor proliferation and impairs cognition.
Is the regional divide in Ukraine an identity divide

A large body of research has identified regional divisions as an important factor in understanding variation in political attitudes and behaviors in Ukraine. This article focuses on the extent to w...
On the in-plane vibrations and electromechanical resonance characteristics of non-uniformly polarized rectangular piezoelectric wafers: Selective mode-type excitation and specific mode enhancement

Abstract We investigate the in-plane vibrations and electromechanical resonance characteristics of non-uniformly polarized rectangular piezoelectric wafers. Non-uniform polarization is represented as a non-uniform electromechanical coupling coefficient using a polarization function. Governing equations are derived for the forced in-plane vibrations of a thin wafer under the assumption of generalized plane stress. The effect of non-uniform polarization is explicitly obtained in the forcing terms of the governing equations. These equations are then recast into a variational weak form that is then solved using the finite element method to obtain the displacement fields for different modes. The electromechanical response of a non-uniformly polarized piezoelectric wafer is derived in terms of the out-of-plane displacement profile on the surface of the wafer. Using the derived analytical expression, a necessary and sufficient condition for the presence/absence of a vibrational mode in the electromechanical impedance spectrum is obtained. Based on this condition, criteria for selective mode-type excitation and specific mode enhancement of vibrational modes in the electromechanical impedance spectrum are postulated. Selective mode-type excitation of in-plane extensional and shear modes is demonstrated for a square wafer and that of in-plane bending modes is demonstrated for a rectangular wafer. Specific mode enhancement is demonstrated for both square and rectangular wafers. In addition, it is also demonstrated how the criteria can be used to suppress specific vibrational modes in the electromechanical impedance spectrum. The proposed methodology of using non-uniformly polarized piezoelectric wafers finds application in the design of single element transducers with multi-frequency operation, frequency-tuned receivers/sensors, acoustic holograms, designing acoustic beams of prescribed shape/lobes, and other non-traditional applications such as information storage.
Theorizing communal trauma: Examining the relationship between race, spatial imaginaries, and planning in the U.S. South:

While planning theory has long acknowledged the profession’s role in producing racialized spatial realities, few have explored how place-based trauma shapes places and affects spatial processes and...
Trends in cytopathology fellowship positions and vacancies over the past decade.

Introduction Cytopathology is one of the most sought-after fellowships within pathology, with a lower fellowship vacancy rate compared with most other subspecialties. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) actively tracks annual program data for cytopathology fellowship programs, and evaluating this longitudinal data looking at trends in programs and positions over the past 10 years could provide insights into the future of cytopathology and its training programs. Methods Data obtained from the ACGME was examined in detail for all ACGME-accredited cytopathology fellowship programs over the past decade (2011-2021). Additional responses from program directors (PDs) from a 2021 American Society of Cytopathology (ASC) survey are also included. Results The total number of ACGME-approved cytopathology training programs and cytopathology fellowship positions remained relatively constant over the past 10 years, but the vacancy rate and number of programs with 1-2 unfilled spots has gradually but steadily risen over the past 6 years. In a 2021 ASC PD survey with 66% response rate, 53% of PDs reported having recruitment problems at least occasionally and 46% reported an increase in unexpected fellowship openings. Conclusions Although the number of cytopathology positions has been relatively constant over the past decade, there has been a recent increase in cytopathology fellowship vacancies that may indicate changes in career choices or the job market, with fellows choosing jobs over additional fellowships, and potentially signal a growing shortage of fellowship-trained, Board-certified cytopathologists in the coming years.
HiddenCut: Simple Data Augmentation for Natural Language Understanding with Better Generalizability

Fine-tuning large pre-trained models with task-specific data has achieved great success in NLP. However, it has been demonstrated that the majority of information within the self-attention networks is redundant and not utilized effectively during the fine-tuning stage. This leads to inferior results when generalizing the obtained models to out-of-domain distributions. To this end, we propose a simple yet effective data augmentation technique, HiddenCut, to better regularize the model and encourage it to learn more generalizable features. Specifically, contiguous spans within the hidden space are dynamically and strategically dropped during training. Experiments show that our HiddenCut method outperforms the state-of-the-art augmentation methods on the GLUE benchmark, and consistently exhibits superior generalization performances on out-of-distribution and challenging counterexamples. We have publicly released our code at https://github.com/GT-SALT/HiddenCut.
Sentence Completion Tests

Sentence completion tests (SCTs) are among the instruments most commonly used by clinicians to facilitate personality assessments. Most people recognize SCTs as largely fill-in-the-blank sentences about any number of psychological cues. The overall purpose of SCTs is to assess respondents through their written and expressed answers to sentence fragments. Examples might include, “My mother ____________” or “One thing that really bothers me is ____________.” A sentence completion test is generally considered a projective or performance-based measure in personality assessment. This means that the manner in which individuals respond to the relatively unstructured task of completing these sentence fragments reveals latent aspects of their personality. Although identification of SCTs as projective in nature implies that SCTs are interpreted by the clinician and loosely scored by any objective standard, SCT responses are actually quite versatile in how they can be used. They can be used to facilitate interviews or establish rapport, for example, and they can be interpreted either projectively or as objectively scored by the clinician as part of a larger assessment battery. Keywords: sentence completion tests; personality assessment; projective testing; Rotter Incomplete Sentences Blank
An Assessment of Nutrition Practices and Attitudes in Family Child-Care Homes: Implications for Policy Implementation

Introduction Family child-care homes (FCCHs) provide care and nutrition for millions of US children, including 28% in Rhode Island. New proposed regulations for FCCHs in Rhode Island require competencies and knowledge in nutrition. We explored nutrition-related practices and attitudes of FCCH providers in Rhode Island and assessed whether these differed by provider ethnicity or socioeconomic status of the enrolled children.
Using BlueJ and Blackjack to teach object-oriented design concepts in CS1

This paper describes a sequence of Java programming assignments for the CS1 course which can be used to reinforce the basic concepts of object-oriented design in a logical, consistent way. By using the BlueJ environment, even programming novices are able to develop, over the course of four assignments, a working implementation of the card game Blackjack. Because the concepts are presented in the context of a fun and familiar application, the assignment increases their level of engagement. In addition, since students are allowed to discover for themselves the advantages of object-oriented design, they develop a better understanding of the material.
Crystallization in High-Level Waste Glasses

This review outlines important aspects of crystallization in HLW glasses, such as equilibrium, nucleation, growth, and dissolution. The impact of crystallization on continuous melters and the chemical durability of high-level waste glass are briefly discussed.
The role of experimental algorithms in genomics

Biology has become a computational science. In their efforts to understand the functioning of cells at a molecular level, biologists make use of a growing array of databases that codify knowledge about genomes, the genes within them, the structure and function of the proteins encoded by the genes, and the interactions among genes, RNA molecules, proteins, molecular machines and other chemical components of the cell. Biologists have access to high-throughput measurement technologies such as DNA microarrays, which can measure the expression levels of tens of thousands of genes in a single experiment.
An Execution and Transaction Model for Active, Rule-Based Component Integration Middleware

The Integration Rules (IRules) project is investigating the use of active rules for supporting event-driven activity in applications involving distributed component integration. Integration rules respond to events that are raised during the execution of distributed transactions to evaluate conditions and trigger actions over distributed components that are implemented using the Enterprise Java Beans (EJB) component model. This paper presents the distributed architecture for the IRules environment and defines the execution and transaction model for the use of integration rules. The execution model includes traditional active rule coupling modes for immediate, deferred, and decoupled rule execution and also defines an asynchronous mode for concurrent rule and transaction execution. The flexible transaction model is used to allow integration rules, application transactions, and methods on EJB components to be executed as subtransactions within global distributed transactions. An execution scenario for the integration of EJB components is presented to illustrate the nested execution of rules and transactions for distributed component integration.
Linear bubble plume model for hypolimnetic oxygenation: Full-scale validation and sensitivity analysis

[1] An existing linear bubble plume model was improved, and data collected from a full-scale diffuser installed in Spring Hollow Reservoir, Virginia, were used to validate the model. The depth of maximum plume rise was simulated well for two of the three diffuser tests. Temperature predictions deviated from measured profiles near the maximum plume rise height, but predicted dissolved oxygen profiles compared very well with observations. A sensitivity analysis was performed. The gas flow rate had the greatest effect on predicted plume rise height and induced water flow rate, both of which were directly proportional to gas flow rate. Oxygen transfer within the hypolimnion was independent of all parameters except initial bubble radius and was inversely proportional for radii greater than approximately 1 mm. The results of this work suggest that plume dynamics and oxygen transfer can successfully be predicted for linear bubble plumes using the discrete-bubble approach.
EigenNet: A Bayesian hybrid of generative and conditional models for sparse learning

For many real-world applications, we often need to select correlated variables— such as genetic variations and imaging features associated with Alzheimer's disease—in a high dimensional space. The correlation between variables presents a challenge to classical variable selection methods. To address this challenge, the elastic net has been developed and successfully applied to many applications. Despite its great success, the elastic net does not exploit the correlation information embedded in the data to select correlated variables. To overcome this limitation, we present a novel hybrid model, EigenNet, that uses the eigenstructures of data to guide variable selection. Specifically, it integrates a sparse conditional classification model with a generative model capturing variable correlations in a principled Bayesian framework. We develop an efficient active-set algorithm to estimate the model via evidence maximization. Experimental results on synthetic data and imaging genetics data demonstrate the superior predictive performance of the EigenNet over the lasso, the elastic net, and the automatic relevance determination.
5-Fluorouracil inhibits dihydrofolate reductase precursor mRNA processing and/or nuclear mRNA stability in methotrexate-resistant KB cells.

Abstract This laboratory previously reported that 5-fluorouracil (FUra) increases dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) precursor mRNA (pre-mRNA) levels relative to DHFR mRNA levels in a methotrexate-resistant KB cell line; these data suggested that incorporation of FUra into RNA may, in part, lead to cell death through the inhibition of mRNA processing (Will, C. L., and Dolnick, B.J. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 5433-5436). Utilizing a methotrexate-resistant KB cell line designated 1BT, we now report the kinetic basis for altered levels of DHFR RNA observed in FUra-treated cells. Long-term exposure to FUra had no effect on the steady-state level of DHFR pre-mRNA containing intron V or I. However, steady-state levels of total DHFR mRNA decreased 2.0-fold on a per cell basis in cells exposed to 1.0 microM FUra. No significant change in the half-life of total DHFR mRNA or pre-mRNA was observed in cells exposed to FUra (t1/2 = approximately 11.5 h and 50 min, respectively). Nuclear/cytoplasmic RNA labeling experiments demonstrated that the rate of nuclear DHFR RNA conversion to cytoplasmic DHFR mRNA decreased approximately 1.8-fold in FUra-treated cells. These results provide further evidence the FUra may inhibit processing of mRNA precursors and/or affect the stability of nuclear DHFR mRNA.
COMPOSER: a probabilistic solution to the utility problem in speed-up learning

In machine learning there is considerable interest in techniques which improve planning ability. Initial investigations have identified a wide variety of techniques to address this issue. Progress has been hampered by the utility problem, a basic tradeoff between the benefit of learned knowledge and the cost to locate and apply relevant knowledge. In this paper we describe the COMPOSER system which embodies a probabilistic solution to the utility problem. We outline the statistical foundations of our approach and compare it against four other approaches which appear in the literature.
Overproducing the Bacillus subtilis mother cell sigma factor precursor, Pro-sigma K, uncouples sigma K-dependent gene expression from dependence on intercompartmental communication.

Abstract During sporulation of Bacillus subtilis, proteolytic activation of pro-sigma K and ensuing sigma K-dependent gene expression normally require the activity of many sporulation gene products. We report here that overproducing pro-sigma K at the onset of sporulation substantially uncouples sigma K-dependent gene expression from its normal dependency. Overproducing pro-sigma K in strains with a mutation in spoIIIG, spoIIIA, spoIIIE, or spoIVB partially restored sigma K-dependent gene expression in the mother cell and resulted in accumulation of a small amount of polypeptide that comigrated with sigma K, but these mutants still failed to form spores. In contrast, sporulation of spoIVF mutants was greatly enhanced by pro-sigma K overproduction. The products of the spoIVF operon are made in the mother cell and normally govern pro-sigma K processing, but overproduction of pro-sigma K appears to allow accumulation of a small amount of sigma K, which is sufficient to partially restore mother cell gene expression and spore formation. This spoIVF-independent mechanism for processing pro-sigma K depends on sigma E, an earlier-acting mother cell-specific sigma factor. The spoIIID gene, which encodes a mother cell-specific DNA-binding protein that is normally required for pro-sigma K production, was shown to be required for efficient pro-sigma K processing as well. bof (bypass of forespore) mutations bypassed this requirement for spoIIID, suggesting that SpoIIID is less directly involved in pro-sigma K processing than are spoIVF gene products. However, bof spoIIID double mutants overproducing pro-sigma K still failed to sporulate, indicating that SpoIIID serves another essential role(s) in sporulation in addition to its multiple roles in the production of sigma K.
Effect of calorimeter resolution on particle ditributions

Abstract For a particular parametrization of high transverse momentum particle distributions and calorimeter resolutions, analytic formulae are derived for folding and unfolding the distributions. The effect of the tail of the resolution is also studied.
Three-Parameter Failure Criterion for Concrete

A general, three-dimensional failure criterion for plain concrete and mortar is proposed. This criterion is formulated in terms of the first and the third stress invariants of the stress tensor, and it involves only three independent material parameters. Although these parameters interact with one another, each parameter corresponds to each of three failure characteristics of concrete behavior. These material parameters may be determined from simple tests such as uniaxial compression and triaxial compression or biaxial tests. For the purpose of including reasonable values of tensile strengths in the failure criterion, it is advisable to include the uniaxial tensile strength in the parameter determination. A simple expression for evaluation of the uniaxial tensile strength on the basis of the uniaxial compressive strength is given. Twenty-two sets of good quality data for concrete and mortar have been included in this study, and comparisons between the proposed failure criterion and the experimental data are made in biaxial, triaxial, octahedral, and τ\N - σ\N planes. The ability of this criterion to capture the characteristics of failure in concrete and mortar appears to be quite good with accuracies generally within the natural scatter of the test data.
Pathogenicity of the monilia (Castellani), vaginitis and oral thrush

Abstract In two previous communications, 1, 2 it has been pointed out that fungi of the monilia ∗ ∗We have considerable evidence to show that the organisms concerned are endomyces rather than monilia, since they develop asci under proper cultural conditions. (Castellani) group are frequently associated with definite vaginitis, and that pregnancy and diabetes are predisposing factors. Moreover, it has been postulated that oral thrush in newborn infants may be due to natal or postnatal contamination by maternal vaginal discharges containing the causative organisms. However, no evidence was offered to show that the monilia are pathogenic in the vagina, nor that the vaginal organisms can produce oral thrush when inoculated into babies' mouths. It is the purpose of this report to summarize the evidence we have gained from human inoculations in support of our previous hypotheses.
Vaginal delivery following cesarean section.

Abstract The literature has been reviewed regarding wound healing, the causes of weak scar, and the risks involved in ruptured uteri following cesarean section. There seems to be definite indication for an attempt at vaginal delivery under certain circumstances as outlined. The twenty years' survey at the Lewis Memorial Maternity Hospital revealed that 62 (or 32.6 per cent) of the 190 patients with a history of cesarean section were successfully delivered via the vaginal route. The incidence of ruptured uteri was 6 (or 3.6 per cent) but not in the ones subjected to a trial of labor. There was no maternal mortality and only one case of morbidity due to breast engorgement. The fetal salvage was 67 per cent. In 41 out of 62 vaginal delivery patients, the cesarean section had been done at the time of primiparity; in the remaining 21, one to four vaginal deliveries preceded the section. The maximum and minimum duration of the first stage of labor in the first vaginal delivery following the section were 56 hours, 15 minutes, and 1 hour, 21 minutes, respectively, in patients sectioned as primiparas; and 23 hours, 9 minutes, and 2 hours, 35 minutes, respectively, for patients sectioned as multiparas. Twenty primiparous sectioned patients and seven multiparous sectioned patients were delivered of larger infants at the subsequent vaginal deliveries than the original section deliveries. There were 106 vaginal deliveries following the 62 sections. The fetal deaths were three, all nonpreventable (an intrauterine death before labor, an 8 weeks premature infant with hydrops fetalis, and a 10 weeks premature, 3 pound, 1½ ounce infant). The danger of rupture of the uterus complicating an attempted vaginal delivery is admitted and discussed.
Looking Into a Crystal Ball: Is Requiring High‐Stakes Language Proficiency Tests Really Going to Improve World Language Education?

The author discusses potential changes to the licensure process for U.S. teachers of modern foreign languages, particularly commenting on issues relating to national and state standards for language education and claiming that increasing requirements will not improve the quality of foreign language education in the U.S. She addresses recommendations made by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Topics explored include variations in requirements between states, the Oral Proficiency Interview (OPI) and Written Proficiency Test (WPT), and problems with basing education on accountability and test-taking ability.
After Pell Grants: The Neoliberal Assault on Prisoners

The number of prisoners in the United States has accelerated over the past thirty years, giving it the highest incarceration rate in the world. The rise in the prison rate has coincided with the ascendancy of neoliberal policies of governance. These include, deregulation of markets, reduction of welfare services, and harsh punitive measures for those who transgress social mores. Contained within neoliberal criminal policy is the proclivity to utilize prisons as a means to maintain societal inequities. This article examines the link between prisoner education policy and wider social and economic policies that disproportionately affect people of color and the poor. Neoliberal prisoner education is predicated, in part, upon the privileging of vocational training over liberal, higher learning. Current policy, typified by the recently passed Second Chance Act, reinforces hierarchies both in education and in the workplace by narrowly defining prisoners as human capital within the market.
Brine volcanism and the interior structures of asteroids and icy satellites

Brine vulcanism, in which MgSO4 and Na2SO4 are shown by carbonaceous chondrite mineralogies and elemental abundances to be the most important solutes, is presently suggested to account for the resurfacing observed on such icy satellites as Europa and Ganymede, and to have been a significant factor in the evolution of chondritic asteroids. Hypersaline brines have lower viscosities than familiar silicate lavas, although they remain more viscous than pure water; aqueous sulfate flows are seen as capable of constructing the vast, low-relief volcanic plains observed on Ganymede and Europa.
Theory and operation of a cross-field magnetic modulator

The theory of operation and practical limitations of a toroidal cross-field magnetic modulator are discussed. Approximate relationships are derived for the amplitude of the fundamental component of output voltage, conversion power gain, and output impedance. Experiments on devices of this kind using two types of ferrite core material are described. The agreement between experimental results and analytical calculations is satisfactory enough to warrant the use of the derived relations in design procedures. Among other things, it has been shown that the conversion power gain is directly proportional to excitation frequency and the number of turns on the input winding, and is independent of the number of turns on the output winding.
Anisotropic scattering in inhomogeneous media - 1. A new representation formula for the solution of the auxiliary integral equation for the source function.

Abstract A new representation formula for the solution of the auxiliary integral equation for the source function in inhomogeneous, anisotropically scattering media is presented. It involves two new functions Φ and ψ of two variables instead of the original five variables. This generalizes earlier results of Kagiwada et al. (1969) and Sobolev (1972) applicable to homogeneous atmospheres. The corresponding Bellman-Krein formula for the resolvent kernel is also derived. The present representation for the solution of Fredholm integral equations of second kind with unsymmetric kernels provides a new approach to radiative transfer in anisotropic inhomogeneous media.
Maltreatment histories of foster youth exiting out-of-home care through emancipation: a latent class analysis

Little is known about maltreatment among foster youth transitioning to adulthood. Multiple entries into out-of-home care and unsuccessful attempts at reunification may nevertheless reflect extended exposure to chronic maltreatment and multiple types of victimization. This study used administrative data from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services to identify all unduplicated allegations of maltreatment in a cohort of 801 foster youth transitioning to adulthood in the state of Illinois. A latent variable modeling approach generated profiles of maltreatment based on substantiated and unsubstantiated reports of maltreatment taken from state administrative data. Four indicators of maltreatment were included in the latent class analysis: multiple types of maltreatment, predominant type of maltreatment, chronicity, and number of different perpetrators. The analysis identified four subpopulations of foster youth in relation to maltreatment. Study findings highlight the heterogeneity of maltreatment in the lives of foster youth transitioning to adulthood and draw attention to a need to raise awareness among service providers to screen for chronic maltreatment and multiple types of victimization.
WATER-HOLDING AND COLOR CHARACTERISTICS OF BEEF FROM ELECTRICALLY STIMULATED CARCASSES

Electrical stimulation (ES) was applied to the right sides of 15 beef carcasses and the corresponding left sides were used as nonstimulated (NS) controls. Data collected included: postexsanguination pH (0.5, 3, 6, 24 h), L, a, and b color values, drip loss, and expressible moisture. Muscles from ES carcasses tended to have more accelerated postmortem pH declines than the corresponding muscles from NS carcasses. M. triceps brachii had a lower pH at 0.5 h (P < 0.05), M. longissimus thoracis had a lower pH at 0.5 h (P =0.055) and 3 h (P < 0.05), and M. semimembranosus had a lower pH at 0.5 and 3 h (P < 0.05), respectively. Hunter L, a, and b values did not differ within ES and NS treated muscles. Additionally, ES did not influence color values of the M. semimembranosus. ES did not affect drip loss or expressible moisture in beef muscles.
The clinical use of implantable cardioverter defibrillators: where are we now? Where should we go?

In this issue, Ezekowitz and colleagues summarize mortality data from eight recent trials of implantable cardioverter defibrillators. Although the patients included in these studies (coronary disea...
Guides for the selection of control structures for ternary distillation columns

This paper presents a methodology for the selection of effective control structures for ternary distillation columns using only temperature measurements. A fundamental choice between controlling a single temperature or two temperatures must be made. If the former is selected, an additional choice between reflux-ratio control and reflux-to-feed control must also be made. The procedure discussed in this paper uses steady-state rating calculations to guide these selections. With product purities fixed (the impurity of the heavy key component in the distillate and the impurity of the light key in the bottoms), a steady-state simulator is used to calculate the required changes in the reflux flowrate and the reflux ratio as feed composition is varied over an anticipated range. For a ternary system, two “constant-purity” surfaces in two three-dimensional spaces are generated: (zA, zB, RR) and (zA, zB, R/F). The structure that has the flatter of the two surfaces should be selected if a single temperature control...
SOME PROPERTIES OF VISUAL SHORT-TERM MEMORY'

Ss were exposed to discontinuously presented signals in a compensatory tracking task. Signals were “on” for durations of 16.7, 50, 150, 300, or 500 msec. followed by “off” periods of the same durations. From measures of tracking accuracy under the various on-off combinations, the following conclusions emerge: (a) most of the utilizable visual information is present in the first 15 to 50 msec.; (b) the short-term storage capacity, i.e., the temporal range over which the system can “coast” without input, extends to at least 300 msec.; (c) measures taken under stimulating conditions of long duration and time-varying characteristics result in different assessments of visual short-term memory than those obtained under two-flash (transient response) conditions.