cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intracranial Hemorrhage from Meningioma: 2 Novel Risk Factors.

Background Meningiomas are the most common benign intracranial tumor. Although meningiomas are slow growing and potentially highly vascularized, hemorrhage of these tumors is rare. We propose 2 novel modifiable risk factors that may provoke intratumoral hemorrhage of a World Health Organization grade I meningioma. Case Description We outline the clinical presentation of a 56-year-old female with spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage with intraventricular extension in a coma from a petroclival meningioma taking escitalopram for depression and high-dose estrogen replacement therapy for menopause. Pathology confirmed the diagnosis of World Health Organization grade I meningioma. Postoperatively, the patient declined neurologically and developed vasospasm of the basilar artery, as well as seizures, fever, and new-onset atrial fibrillation. Conclusions Spontaneous hemorrhage of meningiomas is a rare event. Known risk factors are age older than 70 or younger than 30; intraventricular or convexity location; malignant, fibrous, or angioblastic histopathology; and presence of hypertension, anticoagulation therapy, and traumatic brain injury. We propose 2 new risk factors to be considered that may predispose to hemorrhage of a meningioma: serotonin-modulating therapy and high-dose estrogen-replacement.
Toward a Mechanistic Understanding and Optimization of Molten Alkali Metal Borates (AxB1–xO1.5–x) for High-Temperature CO2 Capture

Carbon capture, utilization, and storage technologies are needed to meet carbon emission reduction targets and prepare the energy industry for a carbon constrained world. Recent breakthroughs have ...
Scheduling-Based Optimization for Motion Coordination of Autonomous Vehicles at Multilane Intersections

This paper considers the motion coordination problem of autonomous vehicles in an intersection of a traffic network. The featured challenge is the design of an intersection traffic manager, in the form of a supervisory control algorithm, that regulates the motion of the autonomous vehicles in the intersection. We cast the multivehicle coordination task as an optimization problem, with a one-dimensional search-space. A model- and optimization-based heuristic method is employed to compute the control policy that results in the collision-free motion of the vehicles at the intersection and, at the same time, minimizes their delay. Our approach depends on a computation framework that makes the need for complex analytical derivations obsolete. A complete account of the computational complexity of the algorithm, parameterized by the configuration parameters of the problem, is provided. Extensive numerical simulations validate the applicability and performance of the proposed autonomous intersection traffic manager.
Who is physically active? Classification and Analysis of Physical Activity using NHANES data

Physical activity (PA) brings health benefits to adults. It is a crucial indicator of the general health condition, whether a person is physically active or not. This paper proposes ML (Machine Learning) -based PA classifiers to predict the individual PA level for each person. Besides, the proposed classifiers extract the determinants that identify an active person. The classifiers yield an AUC of up to 0.81 and specificity and sensitivity of up to 0.79. From the classifiers, we conclude that age and gender are the most influential determinants. Notably, body mass index (BMI) impacts females more strongly than males, whereas screen time for TV impacts males more strongly. The result of the study guides a proper type of PA intervention and provides an efficient way to engage in personalized health programs and medical treatments.
Facilitating college teaching change: A model of inclusive deliberate teaching

Many college instructors begin their careers without knowing or using instructional best practices. During their careers, few will make drastic changes to their original teaching choices on their own. To respond to the needs and skills of increasingly diverse students, college instructors must not only improve their teaching practices, but also make them more inclusive. The study data comes from interviews about instructional vies and practices with 25 college faculty teaching undergraduate and graduate courses at an Eastern US university. This article first describes the mechanisms through which most teaching changes occur. Teaching changes can be typical or deliberate. Typical teaching changes usually encompass small modifications that suffice most needs but leave the instructor’s teaching views and practices intact. Deliberate teaching changes are more intentional and drastic modifications that alter the instructor’s views and practices of teaching. A model is presented next, to explain the mechanism through which college faculty can effectuate deep changes to their teaching to make it more inclusive. This model emphasizes the need for faculty to engage in reflection on their teaching to produce deliberate and inclusive teaching views and practices.
Ferromagnetic resonance of superparamagnetic nanoparticles: The effect of dipole–dipole interactions

Superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles play an important role in a wide range of applications and determining their magnetic state is crucial. Typically, it is assumed that dipole–dipole interactions are not relevant in the superparamagnetic state due to thermal fluctuations. Here, we show evidence of how dipole–dipole interactions modify the collective magnetic state. Ferromagnetic resonance spectroscopy of iron-oxide nanoparticles with a diameter of 10 nm reveals that the configuration of the particles has a strong effect on their effective magnetic anisotropy in short time scales. Fits of the experimental spectra with a theoretical model enable the quantification of these anisotropy fields. Particles in suspension exhibit an easy-axis anisotropy due to the field-induced alignment, whereas condensed dry particles exhibit easy-plane anisotropy due to clustering, and the difference between uniaxial anisotropy in suspension and in the condensed state is on the order of 0.1 T. These findings highlight that dipole–dipole interactions have a strong effect on the collective magnetic state despite thermal fluctuations and should be taken into account in any high-frequency application because in short time scales, the configuration of the particles exhibits effective anisotropy that is an order of magnitude larger than the intrinsic magnetocrystalline anisotropy.
Fossil flowers and pollen of Lauraceae from the Upper Cretaceous of New Jersey

A fossil trimerous flower from the Turonian (ca. 90 MYBP, Upper Cretaceous) of New Jersey is described as a new genus in the familyLauraceae. The fossil flower is charcoalified and preserved in exceptional detail. This fossil specimen is particularly remarkable in that several pollen grains have been preserved; pollen grains ofLauraceae generally have very thin exine and are rarely preserved in the fossil record. Although the specimen is incomplete and lacks anthers, there are sufficient structural details preserved to permit an assignment to theLauraceae, as well as comparisons with the tribePerseeae. This new genus provides an important addition to our knowledge of systematic and structural diversity in CretaceousLauraceae.
Restorative Surgical Therapies for Parkinson's Disease

Publisher Summary The pathology of Parkinson's disease (PD) arises from the degenerating dopaminergic neuron in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) and the subsequent loss of dopaminergic projections to the basal ganglia. Restorative therapies fall into two categories—intracerebral transplantation of dopamine-secreting tissues, and intracerebral delivery of neurotrophic factors that may arrest and reverse SNc degeneration. Transplantation of nonneuronal dopamine-secreting tissues could prove effective for treatment of PD, provided that local nonsynaptic dopamine release in the host striatum is sufficient for behavioral recovery. Although adrenal chromaffin cells in situ produce much more epinephrine than dopamine, isolated adrenal chromaffin cells grafted into brain tissue increase dopamine expression and correct drug-induced rotation in 6-hydroxydopamine (OHDA) rats. Grafts of fetal ventral mesencephalon (VM) show spontaneous electrical activity and are capable of releasing physiologically relevant levels of dopamine in response to depolarization. Synaptically mediated graft-host interactions are probably important for graft function. Fetal VM can form ultrastructurally normal synapses on to denervated neurons of the host striatum.
‘THE TRADITIONAL THING’ IN ‘THE MODERN AGE’

The films of Hong Kong's Jackie Chan have frequently been compared to those of American silent comedian star Buster Keaton, but the foundations for a cross‐cultural comparison of this kind have not been examined. Drawing on varied kinds of sources (historical scholarship, auto/biographies, primary and secondary journalism, and finally films), this paper contextualizes and fleshes out the ways the performance styles and themes of Keaton's and Chan's films are logically congruent. The similarly dynamic, modernizing social spaces of Keaton's early twentieth‐century America and Chan's late twentieth‐century Hong Kong—including the entertainment industries that developed in these settings—provide a historical backdrop against which to compare the performers' early training and careers in theater and film. Multi‐layered biographical parallels between Keaton and Chan then inform an analysis of the narratives, themes and gag patterns important to various kinds of transformation to be found in their work.
Vitrectomy for complications of proliferative diabetic retinopathy : functional outcomes

Purpose: To quantitate the effect of diabetic vitrectomy on each patient's visual system and function. Methods: The anatomic and visual acuity outcomes of diabetic vitrectomy among three surgeons at one institution over a 4-year time interval were studied. Outcome parameters describing the visual system function were defined and applied to quantitate the effect on visual system disability. Results: The anatomic and visual success rates and prognostic factors in the cohort of 213 patients by standard statistical analysis were similar to previous studies. The study eye was the eye with better vision in 68 (32%) patients at the conclusion of the study, and vision was equal to the fellow eye in 35 (16%) patients. The mean impairment of the visual system by the American Medical Association Guidelines for Disability was reduced from 61 % preoperatively to 50% postoperatively. The factor associated with greatest degree of reduction of impairment of the visual system was a previtrectomy diagnosis of vitreous hemorrhage. There was at least a one-step improvement of visual system function in 65 (31%) patients. Conclusions: Vitrectomy for complications of severe proliferative diabetic retinopathy is especially valuable in improving the patient's overall visual function.
The First Fossil Hunters: Paleontology in Greek and Roman Times

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Adrienne Mayor Year: 2000 Pages: xx + 361 Publisher: Princeton University Press Prices: $45.00 US(hard cover).
Molecular epidemiology of Pseudomonas cepacia determined by polymerase chain reaction ribotyping.

Traditional ribotyping detects genomic restriction fragment length polymorphisms by probing chromosomal DNA with rRNA. Although it is a powerful method for determining the molecular epidemiology of bacterial pathogens, technical difficulties limit its application. As an alternative, polymorphisms were sought in the 16S-23S spacer regions of bacterial rRNA genes by use of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Chromosomal DNA from isolates of Pseudomonas cepacia was used as a template in the PCR with oligonucleotide primers complementary to highly conserved sequences flanking the spacer regions of the rRNA genes. Length polymorphisms in the amplified DNA distinguished unrelated isolates of P. cepacia. Isolates of P. cepacia previously implicated in person-to-person transmission were shown to have identical amplification patterns. These data demonstrate the utility of this new PCR ribotyping method for determining the molecular epidemiology of bacterial species. Images
Feasibility of Behavioral Weight Loss Treatment Enhanced with Peer Support and Mobile Health Technology for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness

Effective and scalable lifestyle interventions are needed to address high rates of obesity in people with serious mental illness (SMI). This pilot study evaluated the feasibility of a behavioral weight loss intervention enhanced with peer support and mobile health (mHealth) technology for obese individuals with SMI. The Diabetes Prevention Program Group Lifestyle Balance intervention enhanced with peer support and mHealth technology was implemented in a community mental health setting. Thirteen obese individuals with SMI participated in a pre-post pilot study of the 24-week intervention. Feasibility was assessed by program attendance, and participant satisfaction and suggestions for improving the model. Descriptive changes in weight and fitness were also explored. Overall attendance amounted to approximately half (56 %) of weekly sessions. At 6-month follow-up, 45 % of participants had lost weight, and 45 % showed improved fitness by increasing their walking distance. Participants suggested a number of modifications to increase the relevance of the intervention for people with SMI, including less didactic instruction and more active learning, a simplified dietary component, more in depth technology training, and greater attention to mental health. The principles of standard behavioral weight loss treatment provide a useful starting point for promoting weight loss in people with SMI. However, adaptions to standard weight loss curricula are needed to enhance engagement, participation, and outcomes to respond to the unique challenges of individuals with SMI.
Intergenerational transmission of harsh parenting.

A social learning model was developed that portrayed four processes whereby harsh parenting might be transmitted across generations. The model was tested using a sample of 451 2-parent families, each of which included a 7th grader. Both parent self-report and adolescent-report measures were utilized for the harsh parenting construct.
Racial Differences in Screening for Prostate Cancer in the Elderly

Background Black men are more likely than white men to be diagnosed as having advanced prostate cancer, and their prostate cancer mortality rates are more than twice as high. Low screening rates among black men may contribute to these disparities, but there are few data on racial differences in prostate cancer screening. Objectives To present a case-control study of racial differences in the use of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as a screening test among Medicare beneficiaries in New Jersey and to assess the degree to which race is associated with prostate cancer screening. Methods The study used a statewide database of claims data from Medicare Parts A and B, Medicaid, and the state's Pharmaceutical Assistance for the Aged and Disabled program. Prevalent cases of prostate cancer were excluded using the state's cancer registry. Of 139 672 men who underwent PSA screening, 34 984 were randomly selected along with an identical number of controls matched by month and year of birth. After men with International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification ,or Current Procedural Terminology codes indicative of prostate cancer were excluded, 33 463 case patients and 33 782 control subjects remained. Results The use of PSA screening was strongly and inversely associated with black race (odds ratio [OR] = 0.50; P P P Conclusions Elderly blacks are substantially less likely to undergo PSA screening than elderly whites. Differences in socioeconomic status and comorbid conditions explain only a small part of the racial differences in screening rates.
Dimensions and Correlates of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Sluggish Cognitive Tempo

The present study examined Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) in relation to ADHD symptoms, clinical diagnosis, and multiple aspects of adjustment in a clinical sample. Parent and teacher reports were gathered for 322 children and adolescents evaluated for behavioral, emotional, and/or learning problems at a university clinic. Confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) supported the presence of three separate, but correlated factors (SCT, inattention, and hyperactivity/impulsivity) in both parent and teacher ratings. As expected, SCT symptoms were greatest in youth with ADHD Inattentive type, but were also found in non-ADHD clinical groups. SCT symptoms were related to inattention, internalizing, and social problems across both parent and teacher informants; for parent reports, SCT was also related to more externalizing problems. Findings support the statistical validity of the SCT construct, but its clinical utility is still unclear.
Direct nocturnal water transfer from oaks to their mycorrhizal symbionts during severe soil drying

Symbiotic mycorrhizal fungi play an important role in the absorption of soil nutrients and water by most plants. It has been suggested that hydraulically lifted water might maintain the integrity of the external mycorrhizal mycelium during drought. We tested this hypothesis in the obligately mycorrhizal species, coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), using a microcosm system that separated the effects of hydraulic lift in roots from those in the external mycelium. Mycorrhizal oak seedlings were established in microcosms comprising three discrete compartments for (1) upper roots, (2) tap roots, and (3) external fungal mycelium. Eight months after planting, a drought treatment was initiated: irrigation to the upper root and fungal chambers was terminated and only irrigation to the taproot compartment was maintained. After 3, 12, 30, 50, 70 and 80 days of drought, tracers were injected into the taproot compartment at dusk. At dawn the following morning, mycorrhizal hyphae (EM and AM) and spores (AM) in upper root and fungal compartments were extensively labeled with the tracers. In contrast, no labeling was observed when tracers were injected into the taproot compartment during daytime. Nocturnal water translocation from plant to mycorrhizal fungi occurred in association with hydraulic lift. Saprotrophic/parasitic fungi in the microcosms were not labeled, suggesting a direct water transfer from plants to their mycorrhizal mutualists and not to other fungi in the soil. Even after prolonged drought (70-80 days), mycorrhizal hyphae persisted in soils with water potential values as low as -20 MPa. Maintaining mycorrhizal activity through direct water translocation could potentially improve the nutrient status of deep-rooted plants during periods when the fertile upper soil is dry.
Improving the quality of working life

GM has throughout its history consistently sought better ways to implement the philosophy that people are the Corporation's most important asset — and not merely expense items to be recorded in the accounting ledger. In the early days, GM placed most of its development efforts on employee selection, training, and job placement. The prevailing view of the 1920s and 1930s was to match people to jobs. While this approach produced success, it was too narrow in scope to check the growth of many new employee relations problems. Increased trade unionism was seen as a means for people to protect their rights and improve their status in the organisation.
Development of a new nicotine transdermal delivery system: in vitro kinetics studies and clinical pharmacokinetic evaluations in two ethnic groups

Abstract Nicotine transdermal delivery systems (nicotine-TDSs) have provided effective assistance to smokers in smoking cessation with minimal occurrence of withdrawal symptoms. However, substantial skin reactions have been reported with the four nicotine-TDSs marketed recently. To reduce the skin reactions, a new type of nicotine-TDS has been recently developed. In vitro skin permeation studies demonstrated that this nicotine-TDS yields a constant skin permeation profile with a permeation rate of 0.068 ( ± 0.003 ) mg/cm2/h across human cadaver skin and 0.059 ( ± 0.014 ) mg/cm2/h across hairless rat skin, which are comparable to the steady-state permeation rates attained by Habitrol™ and Nicoderm® systems. The clinical pharmacokinetic evaluations in two ethnic groups of smokers indicated that a steady-state nicotine plasma level has been maintained throughout the course of 24-h topical application. While a higher daily dosage of nicotine has been delivered transdermally to Taiwanese smokers, from all three patch sizes, than to American smokers, no clear demographic effect was detected in most pharmacokinetic parameters between these ethnic groups, even after taking the difference in subjects body weight into consideration.
Radiocopper studies in patients with Wilson's disease and their relatives.

Abstract Radiocopper studies support the following observations concerning hepatolenticular degeneration. In heterozygous relatives of patients with hepatolenticular degeneration, transfer of added copper from the presumed liver storage area to the bloodstream is slower than normal. In presymptomatic patients, added copper remains in the liver, whereas in symptomatic patients the copper spills into the urine (and presumably the tissues). During d-penicillamine therapy, copper is removed from the liver by chelation and appears in large quantities in the urine.
Detection of simple alkanes at a liquid—glass interface by total internal optical scattering

Abstract Interaction of polar water molecules with non-polar alkanes is known to produce gas-hydrates in the bulk phase. We report the first experimental study of a homologous series of low molecular weight alkanes in the form of hydrated interfacial films on glass substrates by the technique of multiple total internal optical scattering. The scattering detected for each alkane in the series CH 4 , C 2 H 6 , C 3 H 8 and n-C 4 H 10 appears to increase with the size of the molecules and this suggests the basis for a potentially selective and simple detection system for these gases.
A comparative study of microwave radiometer observations over snowfields with radiative transfer model calculations

Truck mounted microwave instrumentation was used to study the microwave emission characteristics of the Colorado Rocky Mountain snowpack in the vicinity of Fraser, Colorado during the winter of 1978. The spectral signatures of 5.0, 10.7, 18, and 37 GHz radiometers with dual polarization were used to measure the snowpack density and temperature profiles, rain profile, and free water content. These data were compared with calculated results based on microscopic scattering models for dry, surface melting, and very wet snowpacks.
Outcomes from low versus high-flow cardiopulmonary resuscitation in a swine model of cardiac arrest

Abstract Background Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) is improved by greater vital organ blood flow during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). We tested the hypothesis that myocardial flow above the threshold needed for ROSC may be associated with greater vital organ injury and worse outcome. Methods Aortic and right atrial pressures were measured with micromanometers in 27 swine. After 10 minutes of untreated ventricular fibrillation, chest compression was performed with an automatic, load-distributing band. Animals were randomly assigned to receive flows just sufficient for ROSC (low flow: target coronary perfusion pressure=12 mm Hg) or well above the minimally effective level (high flow: coronary perfusion pressure=30 mm Hg). Myocardial flow was measured with microspheres, defibrillation was performed after 3.5 minutes of CPR, and ejection fraction was measured with echocardiography. Results Return of spontaneous circulation was achieved by 9 of 9 animals in the high-flow group and 15 of 18 in the low-flow group. All animals in the high-flow group defibrillated initially into a perfusing rhythm, whereas 12 of 15 animals achieving ROSC in the low-flow group defibrillated initially into pulseless electrical activity ( P P Conclusion High-flow CPR significantly improved arrest hemodynamics, rates of ROSC, and post-ROSC indicators of myocardial status, all indicating less injury with higher flows. No evidence of organ injury from vital organ blood flow substantially above the threshold for ROSC was found.
Substance P in principal sympathetic neurons: Regulation by impulse activity

Regulation of the putative peptide neurotransmitter substance P was examined in the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion of the neonatal rat. Surgical decentralization (denervation) of the superior cervical ganglion increased ganglion substance P content. In cultured ganglia, the amount of substance P increased more than 50-fold after 48 hours, and this rise was dependent on protein and RNA synthesis. Veratridine prevented the increase in substance P in vitro, and tetrodotoxin blocked the veratridine effect; this suggests that sodium influx and membrane depolarization prevent substance P elevation. Immunohistochemical analysis of cultured ganglia indicated that substance P was present in the perikarya of principal sympathetic neurons and in ganglionic nerve processes. Transsynaptic impulses, through the mediation of postsynaptic sodium influx, may decrease substance P in sympathetic neurons.
Scaling of the specific heat in superfluid films.

We study the specific heat of the $x$- $y$ model on lattices $L\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}L\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}H$ with $L\ensuremath{\gg}H$ (i.e., on lattices representing a film geometry) using the cluster Monte Carlo method. In the $H$ direction we apply Dirichlet boundary conditions so that the order parameter in the top and bottom layers is zero. We find that our results for the specific heat of various thickness size $H$ collapse on the same universal scaling function. The extracted scaling function of the specific heat is in good agreement with the experimentally determined universal scaling function using no free parameters.
The effect of chloride on the underpotential deposition of copper on Pt(111): AES, LEED, RRDE, and X-ray scattering studies

Abstract The details of the underpotential deposition (UPD) of Cu on Pt(111) in the presence of Cl− were re-examined using a combination of familiar ex-situ techniques (AES/LEED and new in-situ techniques, anomalous surface X-ray scattering (SXS) and Cu2+ flux measurements using a rotating ring disk configuration with the Pt(111) single crystal as the disk electrode. In combination these techniques show definitively that Cu UPD occurs in a two step process, the first being the formation of a Cu Cl adlattice having a bi-layer structure similar to the (111) plane of CuCl, the second being the formation of a pseudomorphic Cu monolayer covered with a Cl adlayer. The latter appears to have a structure similar to the structure of Cl adsorbed on Cu(111) to saturation in UHV.
Performance analysis of optimized carbon nanotube interconnect

As CMOS technology is pushed to its basic physical limits, alternate technologies are required for the realization of interconnect in future high performance integrated circuits. In this paper, we develop a generalized design technique for carbon nanotube (CNT) bundle-based interconnect, which we use to examine the performance limits and fabrication requirements for future nanotube-based interconnect solutions. The results indicate that optimized nanotube bundles can provide up to a 69% delay reduction in 22 nm process technology, and the optimal design method decreases delay by 21% and 29% on average compared to non-optimized multi-walled and single-walled CNT bundles. We also find that future CNT bundle fabrication processes must achieve a nanotube area coverage of at least 30% for optimized CNT bundles and 40% for non-optimized CNT bundles to obtain competitive performance results compared to copper interconnect.
Oral adjuvants enhance IgA responses to Streptococcus mutans

The induction of immune responses to orally-administered trinitrophenyl (TNP)-haptenated Streptococcus mutans or its cell wall components and enhancement of immune responses with oral adjuvants has been studied in high IgA responsive C3H/HeJ mice and in gnotobiotic rats. Gastric intubation of TNP-S. mutans to LPS non-responsive C3H/HeJ or syngeneic, LPS responsive C3H/HeN mice induced IgA responses as determined by measuring splenic plaque-forming cell (PFC) responses and IgA anti-TNP antibodies in serum, saliva, and urine. Higher IgA responses always occurred in C3H/HeJ mice given oral S. mutans antigen than similarly treated C3H/HeN animals. Oral administration of the adjuvants concanavalin A or S. mutans cell wall peptidoglycan (PG) with antigen resulted in augmented IgA responses, especially in C3H/HeJ mice. On the other hand, oral administration of muramyl dipeptide (MDP) with antigen boosted anti-TNP responses in C3H/HeN, but not in C3H/HeJ, mice. Gnotobiotic rats given S. mutans whole cells (WC) or purified cell walls (CW) by the oral route exhibited a salivary IgA immune response which was potentiated greater than twofold when antigen was given with PG or MDP. In other studies, S. mutans WC or CW antigen in water-oil-water (W/O/W) emulsion or liposomes was administered by gastric intubation to rats. Significant salivary IgA responses were induced with these antigen-adjuvant preparations. Although rats given S. mutans WC or CW were protected from S. mutans challenge, the greatest degree of caries immunity was obtained in animals which received antigen and adjuvant and which exhibited significant salivary IgA antibody levels. In preliminary studies, it was observed that local injection of rats in the salivary gland region with a ribosomal preparation from S. mutans resulted in a significant salivary IgA response and caries immunity. The potential for soluble and lipid carrier adjuvants in oral vaccines for induction of protective antibodies to S. mutans is discussed.
Costimulation of memory T-cells by ICOS: a potential therapeutic target for autoimmunity?

Approaches that target costimulatory receptors are independent of T-cell receptor specificity and may be useful for T-cell-mediated diseases in which the antigens involved are not well defined. However, the proper costimulatory pathways need to be targeted. For example, therapies for human T-cell-mediated diseases need to be effective against previously activated memory cells. In this review, we use autoimmune demyelination as a paradigm for established immune-mediated pathogenesis. Studies with the human disease multiple sclerosis and the rodent model experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis have suggested that the effectiveness of CD28 blockade, as a therapeutic strategy for established autoimmune demyelination, may be limited. ICOS, a receptor that appears to be involved in the costimulation of previously activated T-cells, may be an attractive alternative.
Specificity of the attenuation response of the threonine operon of Escherichia coli is determined by the threonine and isoleucine codons in the leader transcript

Abstract Expression of the threonine (thr) operon enzymes of Escherichia coli is regulated by an attenuation mechanism. The regulatory portion of the operon contains a region coding for a leader peptide that contains consecutive threonine and isoleucine codons. It is thought that translation of the leader peptide controls the frequency of transcription termination at the attenuator site. Using oligonucleotide-directed site-specific mutagenesis we have altered the putative control codons of the leader peptide coding region. In two of the mutants the threonine and isoleucine codons were changed to produce peptides containing histidine and tyrosine codons. Both mutants showed loss of regulation by threonine and isoleucine. A hisT mutation, which leads to an undermodification of tRNAHis, increased thr operon expression in the mutants threefold but did not affect expression of the wild-type thr operon. Two other mutants were constructed that contained two histidine codons early in the leader peptide. Expression in both of these mutants was unaltered by the presence of the hisT allele or by the addition of threonine and isoleucine to the growth medium. In addition, a wild-type strain containing a temperature-sensitive threonyl-tRNA synthetase mutation showed increased thr operon expression at the non-permissive temperature, whereas none of the mutants showed any change. Taken together these data indicate that the specificity of the attenuation response is effected by specific control codons within the thr leader peptide coding region. We have also directly demonstrated thr leader peptide synthesis in vitro using a plasmid encoding the wild-type thr leader region to direct the synthesis of a peptide of the appropriate molecular weight when labeled with [3H]threonine but not with [3H]histidine or [3H]tyrosine. Conversely, when extracts were incubated with templates containing the mutated DNAs, peptides were labeled that showed patterns consistent with the expected amino acid compositions. These data indicate that the thr leader RNA is translated into the predicted leader peptide.
Economic Burden: Spark to the American Revolution?

Unfortunately, what follows does not answer the title question—although I conclude that the preponderance of current evidence answers yes, that economic burden did spark the Revolution. Rather, what follows elaborates the ingredients required for a definitive answer and, as a by-product, illuminates why the historical treatment of the origins of the American Revolution remains a muddle.
Cratering on Mars. I. Cratering and Obliteration History

Abstract Computerized cratering-obliteration models are developed for use in interpreting planetary surface histories in terms of the diameter-frequency relations for craters classified by morphology. An application is made to a portion of the lunar uplands, revealing several episodes of blanketing, presumably due to the formation of some of the major basins. Application to Martian craters leads to the following picture of Martian cratering and obliteration history. During a probable period of intense early bombardment, craters were degraded by two processes: a depositional-type process connected with the declining cratering rate, and a process tending to flatten the largest craters (e.g., isostatic adjustment). During late stages of the early bombardment, or subsequent to it, there occurred a major relative episode of obliteration (probably atmosphere related), but it ceased concurrently with the massive (presumably volcanic) resurfacing of the cratered plains. Subsequent resurfacing episodes have occurred in the smooth plain terrains, but obliteration processes have been virtually absent in the low-latitude cratered terrains. Recent global Martian cratering interpretations of Hartmann and Soderblom are compared. Absolute cratering chronologies are only so good as knowledge of the absolute cratering flux on Mars. The crater data of Arvidson, Mutch, and Jones do not confirm the basis, whereby Soderblom requires the dominant Martian crater obliteration process to be coincident in time with the early bombardment. If the asteroidal-cometary impact flux on Mars has averaged five times the lunar flux during post-lunar-mare epochs, then the obliterative episode lasted about half a billion years and occurred about 1.5 × 10 9 yr ago.
A Model of Bladder Tumor Xenografts in the Nude Rat

Abstract Purpose An in vivo tumor model for the study of human urothelial carcinoma is desirable. Orthotopic xenografts are useful in order to better approximate human tumor cell behavior in situ. A prior model has been described in the nude mouse. However, its small bladder size limits both histologic characterization and the application of intravesical therapeutics. In the absence of preirradiation, orthotopic xenografts of human transitional cell carcinoma in the nude rat has not been previously reported. Materials and Methods Nude rats 2 to 4 weeks of age were inoculated with 1-5 X 10 6 cells of RT4 (well differentiated papillary human bladder tumor cell line). Inoculation was performed via open cystotomy. Techniques of mucosal injury including acid treatment and cautery were explored in an effort to optimize tumor implantation and growth. Animals were sacrificed at varying intervals and histologic assessment was performed. Results The overall rate of tumor implantation and growth was 93.4 percent (57 of 61). Tumors reliably grew within the muscularis and mucosal growth was seen as well. Intramuscular tumor growth was less differentiated and had a higher fraction of mitotic cells than mucosal tumor. Tumor growth was consistently seen as early as 2 weeks after inoculation which facilitates experimental trials. Distant metastasis was not observed. Mucosal injury did not increase the rate of tumor implantation. Conclusion This model is highly reproducible and will prove useful in the further study of bladder cancer progression as well as in the development of therapeutic modalities for both superficial and muscle invasive bladder carcinoma.
Forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in fetal and adult rabbit myocardial membranes.

Abstract It has previously been reported that there is an increase in the concentration of myocardial β-adrenergic receptors as well as an increase in the sensitivity of adenylate cyclase stimulation by l -isoproterenol in fetal rabbit myocardial membranes from 21 to 31 days' gestation. To investigate whether a change in the catalytic component of the β-adrenergic receptor-adenylate cyclase complex is responsible for the observed increase in adenylate cyclase activity, I have measured the latter in the presence of forskolin and manganese chloride, compounds that can directly stimulate the catalytic component. Myocardial membranes were obtained from fetal rabbits at 21, 28, and 31 days' gestation and from pregnant adult animals. There was an increase in basal adenylate cyclase activity from the fetal to the adult stage. The percent of maximal stimulation by l -isoproterenol in fetuses from 21 through 28 to 31 days' gestation and in the adult animal. However, although forskolin was the most potent stimulator of adenylate cyclase, the degree of stimulation was equivalent in all groups tested. Similar results were obtained with manganese chloride. We conclude that the catalytic component of the β-adrenergic receptor-adenylate cyclase complex in myocardial membranes is stimulated to an equivalent degree at all gestational ages in fetal and aduit rabbits and shows no maturational changes.
TRANSPORTED TO BOTANY BAY: IMAGINING AUSTRALIA IN NINETEENTH-CENTURY CONVICT BROADSIDES

The speaker of this ballad (circa 1828) laments the fact that, though he was born of “honest parents,” he became “a roving blade” and has been convicted of an unspecified crime for which he has been sentenced to “Botany Bay,” a popular name for Australia. Although he addresses his audience as “young men of learning,” the rest of the ballad implies that he, as is conventional in the broadside form, is a working-class apprentice gone astray. Like this fictional speaker, approximately 160,000 men and women convicted of crimes ranging from poaching hares to murder – but mostly theft – were transported to one of the new British colonies in Australia between the years 1787 and 1867. Minor crimes such as shoplifting, which today would merit some community service and a fine, yielded a sentence of seven years, while other felons were sentenced for fourteen years to life for more serious crimes. While non-fictional accounts of the young colony of New South Wales were published in Britain almost as soon as the First Fleet arrived there in 1788, these were written by people with at least a middle-class education, whereas the vast majority of the convicted felons who were transported came from the working classes. Since books and newspapers were expensive and the level of literacy among working-class people varied considerably, few of them would have had access to such accounts of the new colonies. Several descriptions, mostly borrowed from the writings of the officers who accompanied the First Fleet, were published in cheap chapbook form, while occasional letters from convicts to their families were printed and distributed, and of course there were unpublished letters plus word-of-mouth reports from convicts or soldiers who did return. But none of these were broadly disseminated among working-class people.
Flashtubes: A Potential Illuminant for Motion Picture Photography? * -->

This paper presents a preliminary appraisal of flashtubes from the point of view of motion picture studio photography. Such sources have been widely and successfully used for still photography for several years. In this field the short duration and high intensity of the flash, its color quality and high efficiency have been important factors in its favor. Most of these advantages, while equally important in the motion picture studio, cannot necessarily be realized to the same degree in this field. Furthermore, many problems, the magnitude of which cannot be predicted at this time, appear inevitable and will undoubtedly require thorough analysis before a final evaluation is possible.
Regulation of parathyroid hormone-stimulated phospholipase D in UMR-106 cells by calcium, MAP kinase, and small G proteins

Signaling intermediates for PTH and phorbol activation of PLD in UMR-106 cells were determined. Calcium was required, and the effects of PTH, phorbol, and calcium were dependent on p42/44 MAP kinase and small G proteins, specifically RhoA, acting through Rho kinase. Introduction: Phospholipase D (PLD) plays a key signaling role in numerous cellular processes. PLD-stimulated hydrolysis of phosphatidylcholine (PC) generates phosphatidic acid, a source of diacylglycerol (DAG). We previously reported that parathyroid hormone (PTH) stimulates PLD activity in UMR-106 osteoblastic cells by a protein kinase C (PKC)-independent mechanism. The current study investigated the roles of calcium, MAP kinase, and small G proteins in PTH- and phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu)-stimulated transphosphatidylation of ethanol, a reaction catalyzed by PLD. Methods: UMR-106 cells were labeled with3H-palmitic and treated in the presence of ethanol. Phosphatidylethanol was separated by thin-layer chromatography and detected by autoradiography, and the bands were scraped and counted. Statistical significance of the responses from three to nine replicates was determined by ANOVA and Tukey's post-test. Results and Conclusions: PTH and PDBu effects were attenuated by EGTA, BAPTA, nifedipine, and dantrolene, whereas ionomycin or 2× calcium increased basal PLD activity. PTH activated p42/p44 MAP kinase, and the effects of PTH, PDBu, and ionomycin on PLD, but not on calcium influx, were prevented by the MEK inhibitors PD98059 and U0126. Small G proteins were shown to be involved in the effects of PTH, PDBu, and ionomycin on PLD. Inhibition of ARF by brefeldin prevented the PLD activation by all three agonists. A nonselective Rho/Rac/cdc-42 inhibitor, Clostridium difficile toxin B, also inhibited the effects of all three agonists on PLD. More selective inhibition of RhoA with a dominant negative RhoA construct or by inhibiting geranylgeranyltransferase I antagonized the effects of PTH, PDBu, and ionomycin, as did inhibiting the downstream kinase, Rho kinase. The current results reveal the importance of calcium, MAP kinase, and small G proteins in PTH and PDBu stimulation of PLD activity in UMR-106 cells.
Metrology of DSA process using TEM tomography

Directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers (BCPs) is a rising technique for sub-20 nm patterning. To fully harness DSA capabilities for patterning, a detailed understanding of the three dimensional (3D) structure of BCPs is needed. By combining sequential infiltration synthesis (SIS) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) tomography, we have characterized the 3D structure of self-assembled and DSA BCPs films with high precision and resolution. SIS is an emerging technique for enhancing pattern transfer in BCPs through the selective growth of inorganic material in polar BCP domains. Here, Al2O3 SIS was used to enhance the imaging contrast and enable tomographic characterization of BCPs with high fidelity. Moreover, by utilizing SIS for both 3D characterization and hard mask fabrication, we were able to characterize the BCP morphology as well as the alumina nanostructures that would be used for pattern transfer.
Removal of trihalomethane precursors by reverse osmosis

Abstract The effect of pre- and postchlorination on reducing trihalomethane (THM) precursors by reverse osmosis (RO) was investigated. Prechlorination of the feedwater, in contrast to postchlorination of the permeate, resulted in improved reduction of maximum total THM potential (MTP) due to adsorption. No significant difference in permeate MTP concentration occurred between the prechlorinated feed and the postchlorinated permeate. Recirculating permeate water through the RO unit was successful in restoringv flux rates and resuspending the precipitate that accumulated on the RO membranes. The small loss in free chlorine residual indicated prechlorination may be economically attractive in controlling biological fouling of cellulose acetate membranes. Reverse osmosis was not reliable in removing THM precursors and failed to produce a permeate with MTP concentration less than the maximum contaminant level of 0.10 mg/L.
Derivative expansion for the one-loop effective actions with internal symmetry.

A simple systematic method is presented for the evaluation of the derivative expansion of the functional determinant with covariant differential operators, space-time-dependent background fields, and internal symmetry. The results are directly applicable to the one-loop perturbative effective-action expansion for bosons and fermions. Derivative expansions up to four-derivative terms for $\mathrm{Tr}\mathrm{ln}[\ensuremath{-}{\ensuremath{\Pi}}^{2}+U(X)]$ and the effective action of the $\mathrm{SO}(N)$ linear $\ensuremath{\sigma}$ model are calculated.
Using The ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines To Achieve Goals of Exploratory Language Courses

ABSTRACT Many middle schools are tending to incorporate an exploratory foreign language survey course into the curriculum. Through the introduction of several languages, the course seeks, among other goals, to begin to construct a foundation for later proficiency in a foreign language and to instill greater cultural sensitivity. To achieve the stated goals, a well defined, goal-responsive curriculum model is needed. It appears that a model derived from the concepts of the ACTFL Proficiency Guidelines has the potential to meet these goals.
Taking advantage of Internet sources to build a Competitive Intelligence system

The Internet is becoming increasingly important in collecting competitive intelligence (CI) data. Effective use of the Internet, however, requires business to establish a plan for capturing CI information and a systematic process for developing a CI database for the collected data. Part of this process involves verifying the data's accuracy and currency. Source credibility must be evaluated with an eye for inaccurate, if not intentionally false, data inputs. Users must choose between free and for-fee database and news-retrieval services, and between services that charge monthly fees and those that provide data on a per-inquiry basis. The authors provide numerous Web site addresses with brief explanations of the types of CI information available at these sites. The value of chat rooms and discussion groups is also addressed, with a warning that you could be talking with competitors. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.