cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Symposium review: Effect of post-pasteurization contamination on fluid milk quality

ABSTRACT Fluid milk quality in the United States has improved steadily over the last 2 decades, in large part due to the reduction in post-pasteurization contamination (PPC). Despite these improvements, some studies suggest that almost 50% of fluid milk still shows evidence of PPC with organisms that are able to grow at 6°C, even though PPC may be much less frequent in some facilities. Several gram-negative bacteria, when introduced as PPC, can grow rapidly at refrigeration temperatures around 6°C and can lead to bacterial levels above 20,000 cfu/mL (the regulatory limit for bacterial numbers in fluid milk in the United States) and spoilage that can be detected sensorially within 7 to 10 d of processing. Importantly, however, storage temperature can have a considerable effect on microbial growth, and fluid milk stored at 4°C and below may show considerably delayed onset of microbial growth and spoilage compared with samples stored at what may be considered mild abuse (6°C and above). Notable organisms that cause PPC and grow at refrigeration temperatures include psychrotolerant Enterobacteriaceae and coliforms, as well as Pseudomonas . These organisms are known to produce a variety of enzymes that lead to flavor, odor, and body defects that can ultimately affect consumer perception and willingness to buy. Detecting PPC in high temperature, short time, freshly pasteurized fluid milk can be challenging because PPC often occurs sporadically and at low levels. Additionally, indicator organisms typically used in fluid milk (i.e., coliforms) have been shown to represent only a fraction of the total PPC. Recent studies indicate that coliforms account for less than 20% of the total gram-negative organisms introduced into fluid milk after pasteurization. In contrast, Pseudomonas , which is not a coliform and therefore is not detected using coliform media, is the most commonly isolated genus in PPC fluid milk. To reduce PPC, processors must (1) use testing methods that can detect both coliforms and non-coliform gram-negatives (i.e., Pseudomonas ) to understand true contamination rates and patterns, and (2) establish cleaning and sanitation protocols and employee and management behaviors that target persistent and transient PPC organisms.
Think 500, not 50! A scalable approach to student success in STEM

UMBC, a diverse public research university, “builds” upon its reputation in producing highly capable undergraduate scholars to create a comprehensive new model, STEM BUILD at UMBC. This program is designed to help more students develop the skills, experience and motivation to excel in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). This article provides an in-depth description of STEM BUILD at UMBC and provides the context of this initiative within UMBC’s vision and mission. The STEM BUILD model targets promising STEM students who enter as freshmen or transfer students and do not qualify for significant university or other scholarship support. Of primary importance to this initiative are capacity, scalability, and institutional sustainability, as we distill the advantages and opportunities of UMBC’s successful scholars programs and expand their application to more students. The general approach is to infuse the mentoring and training process into the fabric of the undergraduate experience while fostering community, scientific identity, and resilience. At the heart of STEM BUILD at UMBC is the development of BUILD Group Research (BGR), a sequence of experiences designed to overcome the challenges that undergraduates without programmatic support often encounter (e.g., limited internship opportunities, mentorships, and research positions for which top STEM students are favored). BUILD Training Program (BTP) Trainees serve as pioneers in this initiative, which is potentially a national model for universities as they address the call to retain and graduate more students in STEM disciplines – especially those from underrepresented groups. As such, BTP is a research study using random assignment trial methodology that focuses on the scalability and eventual incorporation of successful measures into the traditional format of the academy. Critical measures to transform institutional culture include establishing an extensive STEM Living and Learning Community to increase undergraduate retention, expanding the adoption of “active learning” pedagogies to increase the efficiency of learning, and developing programs to train researchers to effectively mentor a greater portion of the student population. The overarching goal of STEM BUILD at UMBC is to retain students in STEM majors and better prepare them for post baccalaureate, graduate, or professional programs as well as careers in biomedical and behavioral research.
Mechanisms of Central Sensitization of Nociceptive Dorsal Horn Neurons

An important theme in contemporary research on the nervous system is plasticity. The activity of the nervous system is in part dependent on its past activity, which implies that neural responses can be modified by prior events. The mechanisms that are thought to underlie many forms of learning and memory, such as long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD), typify this type of plasticity (Riedel, et al., 1996; Thompson, et al., 1997; Daniel, et al., 1998; however, cf. Holscher, 1997). Plasticity occurs not only in the brain, but also in the spinal cord (Windhorst, 1996; Willis, 1997), as is emphasized in this symposium volume. For example, electrophysiological response changes similar to LTP and LTD have been described in the spinal cord, both in vivo and in vitro (Randic, et al., 1993; Svendsen, et al., 1997; Liu and Sandkuhler, 1997; Sandkuhler and Liu, 1998), and rewiring of the afferent connections to the dorsal horn has been demonstrated following peripheral nerve injury (Woolf, et al., 1992). Many workers in the field of pain research refer to the form of spinal cord plasticity that will be discussed in this chapter as central sensitization and suggest that this process underlies such abnormal pain states as secondary hyperalgesia and allodynia (Woolf, 1992; Willis, 1993; cf., Kenshalo, et al., 1982; Woolf, 1983; Yaksh, 1989; Dubner and Ruda, 1992).
Designing a Robot Cognitive Architecture with Concurrency and Active Perception.

We are implementing ADAPT, a cognitive architecture for a Pioneer mobile robot, to give the robot the full range of cognitive abilities including perception, use of natural language, learning and the ability to solve complex problems. Our perspective is that an architecture based on a unified theory of robot cognition has the best chance of attaining human-level performance. Existing work in cognitive modeling has accomplished much in the construction of such unified cognitive architectures in areas other than robotics; however, there are major respects in which these architectures are inadequate for robot cognition. This paper examines two major inadequacies of current cognitive architectures for robotics: the absence of support for true concurrency and for active
On the Role of Microcracking in the Dynamic Fracture of Polymethylmethacrylate

The morphology of the fracture surface of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) is interpreted to show that dynamic fracture of PMMA is predominantly by microcrack nucleation and coalescence. A numerical simulation using a very simple nucleation and growth model for the microcracks is shown to duplicate the fracture surface morphology adequately. These results are then interpreted to indicate the onset of a periodic banding morphology that is typically observed in PMMA.
STRATEGIC INTERACTION FROM TEXTS: CONVERTING WRITTEN DISCOURSE INTO SPOKEN CONVERSATION

The relationship of writing to language was put simply but eloquently some 15 years ago when William Moulton (1966:117) defined writing as what we put down on paper to remind us of what we know about language. At the time of Moulton’s remark, we had only a vague notion of the extent to which written texts mirror language. In the past, linguists and reading specialists saw written symbols basically as reflections of the code-structure of language. But successive stages of the pragmatic analysis of language have led us into considerations of the functionalism that comes from written documents. Previous papers (see, e.g., Holland and Campbell, 1982) have made it abundantly clear that we do not read all written materials in the same way and for the same purposes. We read for definitions, for directions to assemble things, to find our way through a subway system and to determine departure times for airplanes. When it comes time to fill out a tax return we read material presented according to the conventions of a computer programming language (e.g., “enter X in line A and go to Z in paragraph C”).
Rational Choice and Human Agency in Economics and Sociology: Exploring the Weber-Austrian Connection

There has been a growing interest in the past decade or so in the intersection between economics and sociology. Much of the literature on this derives from a perceived disappointment by either economists or sociologists of the methods and approach to social questions of the other. Roughly, economic sociology is motivated mainly by the economist’s perception of the lack of rigor in sociology. Social questions, it is argued, are too important to be left to poor methodological treatment. Thus, economic imperialism and rational choice sociology result.
The smoke reflex in rabbits an example of autonomic control of cardiorespiratory function

This study was undertaken to elucidate aspects of autonomic behavior as reflected in the “smoke reflex” in rabbits. Allowing smoke to envelop the nostrils of a rabbit resulted in prompt apnea, bradycardia, diminution of peripheral pulse and elevation of systemic blood pressure. Atropine and vagotomy, or both, mitigated the bradycardia, but the combined effect of propranolol and vagotomy was required to abolish bradycardia. Phenoxybenzamine (dibenzyline) alone blocked only the peripheral vasoconstriction and pressor response. The combination of vagotomy, propranolol and phenoxybenzamine blocked all manifestations of the reflex with the exception of apnea. A classical concept holds that responses of the autonomie nervous system must be either distinctly adrenergic (sympathetic) or cholinergic (parasympathetic), and that visceral regulation is achieved by an antagonism between the two. This study introduces contrary evidence and demonstrates that in certain adaptive behavior there is a patterned response that includes activation of discrete elements of both cholinergic and adrenergic divisions, as well as inhibition of one component of the latter.
The trolley problem: A social constructivist pedagogy approach

The trolley problem has been one of the more widely used thought experiments in business ethics education. However, the approaches used to integrate it in the classroom have not explicitly utilized...
Systemic investigation of bone and muscle abnormalities in dystrophin/utrophin double knockout mice during postnatal development and the mechanisms.

The dystrophin-/-/utrophin-/-/ double knockout (dKO-Hom) mouse is a murine model of human Duchenne muscular dystrophy. This study investigated the bone and muscle abnormalities of dKO-Hom mouse and mechanisms. We collected bone and skeletal muscle samples from control mice and three muscular dystrophic mouse models at different ages and performed micro-computer tomography and histological analyses of both bone and skeletal muscle tissues. Serum receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL) and sclerostin (SOST) levels, osteoclastogenesis and serum proteomics were also analyzed. Our results indicated that dKO-Hom mice developed skeletal muscle histopathologies by 5 days of age, whereas bone abnormalities developed at 4 weeks of age. Furthermore, our results indicated that the numbers of osteoblasts and osteoclasts were decreased in the proximal tibia and spine trabecular bone of dKO-Hom mice compared to wild-type (WT) mice, which correlated with a significant reduction in serum RANKL levels. The number of tibia cortical osteocytes also decreased, whereas serum SOST levels increased significantly in dKO-Hom mice than WT mice. Osteoblastic number was significantly lower, but osteoclast number increased, in the spine L6 of dKO-Hom mice than WT mice at 6 weeks of age, resulting in a decrease in bone formation and an increase in bone resorption. Serum proteomics results revealed abnormal proteome profiles in dKO-Hom mice compared to control mice. In conclusion, our study elucidated the timing of development of bone and muscle abnormalities. The bone abnormalities in dKO-Hom mice are correlated with lower serum RANKL and higher SOST levels that resulted in dysregulation of osteogenesis and osteoclastogenesis and bone loss.
Resource scheudling in non-stationary service systems

We focus on a service system in which the customer arrivals are non-stationary and our goal is to determine a server staffing schedule that ensures that arriving customers do not experience long and/or unpredictable queue times. An airport ticket counter is an example of such a system. Passengers arrivals are nonstationary, yet arriving passengers do not wish to wait in long lines to check into their flights. Moreover, unpredictability is a significant issue in these environments as it often forces passengers to arrive earlier than necessary "just in case." Unfortunately, we rarely know the precise form of the arrival process and must use observed samples to set the staffing policy. We show through a case study that simulation combined with a specialized input analysis tool can be used to determine good staffing policies in these environments.
Difuranic Diols for Renewable Polymers with Pendent Furan Rings

Organocatalyzed cross-coupling of biomass platform chemicals furfural and 5-hydroxymethylfurfual has been utilized to prepare a pair of constitutional isomers of difuranic C11 diols. Polycondensation of the diols with three diacyl chlorides and polyaddition with two diisocyanates produce linear polyesters and polyurethanes, respectively, with furan rings residing in both the polymer backbone and pendent positions. One monomer isomer has a steric advantage, leading to higher molecular weight polymers. Thermal and mechanical properties of the resulting polymers can be tuned in a broad range by varying the monomer pairs. In addition, a thermally reversible cross-linked network has been realized by applying the Diels–Alder reaction between a bis-maleimide cross-linker and the furan rings located at both the backbone and pendent positions. This property, coupled with formation of a significant amount (up to 34%) of stable carbonaceous materials when heating the difuranic polymers to 700 °C, demonstrates some p...
Delivering Consistent and Equitable Healthcare

Being consistent and equitable in your care of African Americans is critical and has been key to decreasing a number of health disparities. Consistency (doing the same thing the same way each time) and equity (providing fair and impartial treatment) can at times be at odds because technically, they are not the same. What modern healthcare strives to do is be more consistent across populations, and this attempt at consistency frequently fails due to variability in access, insurance coverage, provider idiosyncrasies, and patient need. Chapter 3 reviews the numerous inferior outcomes in the clinical care of African American patients that are provider-driven, and therefore not based on socioeconomic status or lack of insurance. Health disparities exist because of a host of situations that most clinicians believe are ‘out of their control’ like poverty, access to insurance, or health literacy. This chapter shows specifically how providers contribute to poor outcomes in African Americans, and provides a rationale as to how it can be remedied.
A Phase II Study of the Multikinase Inhibitor Ponatinib in Patients With Advanced, RET-Rearranged NSCLC.

Abstract Introduction RET rearrangements define a distinct molecular subset of NSCLC. The multikinase inhibitor ponatinib reveals potent activity in preclinical models of RET-rearranged NSCLC. Methods In this single-arm, multicenter, phase II trial, we evaluated the clinical activity of ponatinib in patients with advanced, previously treated, RET-rearranged NSCLC (NCT01813734). RET rearrangements were identified through fluorescence in situ hybridization or next-generation sequencing. Ponatinib was administered at a dose of 30 mg once daily. Patients without a documented objective response were eligible to dose-escalate ponatinib to 45 mg daily. The primary end point was objective response rate. Results Between August 2014 and December 2017, nine patients were enrolled. The median age was 58 years (range 49–73 y). Eight patients (89%) had a history of brain metastases. The median number of previous lines of therapy was three (range 1–5). Of the nine evaluated patients, five (55%) experienced tumor shrinkage from baseline, but no confirmed responses were observed (objective response rate 0%). The disease control rate was 55%. With a median follow-up of 9.33 months, the median progression-free survival and overall survival were 3.80 months (95% CI: 1.83–5.30) and 17.47 months (95% CI: 6.57–19.20), respectively. The most common treatment-related adverse events were rash (n = 5; 56%), constipation (n = 4; 44%), and diarrhea (n = 4; 44%). No treatment-related thromboembolic or cardiac events were observed. The study was stopped prematurely owing to slow accrual and lack of clinical activity. Conclusions Ponatinib has limited clinical activity in patients with RET-rearranged NSCLC. Continued development of more potent and selective RET inhibitors is needed.
The transcription factor GLI1 cooperates with the chromatin remodeler SMARCA2 to regulate chromatin accessibility at distal DNA regulatory elements

The transcription factor GLI1 (GLI family zinc finger 1) plays a key role in the development and progression of multiple malignancies. To date, regulation of transcriptional activity at target gene promoters is the only molecular event known to underlie the oncogenic function of GLI1. Here, we provide evidence that GLI1 controls chromatin accessibility at distal regulatory regions by modulating the recruitment of SMARCA2 (SWI/SNF-related, matrix-associated, actin-dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily A, member 2) to these elements. We demonstrate that SMARCA2 endogenously interacts with GLI1 and enhances its transcriptional activity. Mapping experiments indicated that the C-terminal transcriptional activation domain of GLI1 and SMARCA2's central domains, including its ATPase motif, are required for this interaction. Interestingly, similar to SMARCA2, GLI1 overexpression increased chromatin accessibility, as indicated by results of the micrococcal nuclease assay. Further, results of assays for transposase-accessible chromatin with sequencing (ATAC-seq) after GLI1 knockdown supported these findings, revealing that GLI1 regulates chromatin accessibility at several regions distal to gene promoters. Integrated RNA-seq and ATAC-seq data analyses identified a subset of differentially expressed genes located in cis to these regulated chromatin sites. Finally, using the GLI1-regulated gene HHIP (Hedgehog-interacting protein) as a model, we demonstrate that GLI1 and SMARCA2 co-occupy a distal chromatin peak and that SMARCA2 recruitment to this HHIP putative enhancer requires intact GLI1. These findings provide insights into how GLI1 controls gene expression in cancer cells and may inform approaches targeting this oncogenic transcription factor to manage malignancies.
Training Teachers in Inclusive Classrooms to Collect Data on Individualized Child Goals

The progress-monitoring data collection is an essential skill for teachers serving children for whom the general curriculum is insufficient. As the field of early childhood education moves toward t...
High Accuracy Calorimetric Measurements and Modeling of Ceramic Capacitor Losses Under Large Ripple Operation

Recent work on hybrid and resonant switched-capacitor converters, as well as on flying capacitor multi-level converters, have demonstrated exceptionally high efficiencies and power densities, through the use of multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCCs). However, when used in such converters as the main energy transfer components, the capacitors experience high voltage and current ripple, under large dc bias. Yet, capacitor characterization today is typically done only with small signal excitation, and under low or no dc bias, yielding highly inaccurate loss models when the capacitor is used as the main energy transfer element. This work presents a technique for obtaining detailed loss characterizations of MLCCs under more realistic operating conditions, and presents experimental results from a number of different capacitors. Finally, several simple loss models are presented and compared which helps guide practicing engineers in the design of capacitor-based power converters.
ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction as Presenting Feature of C-ANCA Vasculitis: A Case of a Diagnostic Dilemma.

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection (SCAD) is a rare cause of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Although uncommon, it should be included in the differential diagnosis for middle-aged patients without elevated atherosclerotic vascular disease risk or a family history of cardiovascular disease. SCAD is associated with postpartum women; however, reports noting its association with autoimmune disease and vasculopathy in other populations have recently gained prominence. We report a case of a 41-year-old male who was found to have SCAD after presenting with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction in the context of episodic vision loss, and who later underwent work-up for C-ANCA vasculitis and was successfully treated with corticosteroids. Learning points SCAD is most common in middle-aged females. However, it can present in male patients, and it should raise suspicion of underlying vasculopathy.Eosinophilic vasculitis may mimic parasitic infection.C-ANCA vasculitis can be associated with SCAD.
Promoting Physical Activity Through Policy at a Single Safety-Net Clinic: A Pilot Study.

Background Physical inactivity is a major issue for African Americans that contributes to increased risk for chronic conditions including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, and cognitive decline. The purpose of this single-clinic pilot study aimed to determine if a physical activity policy would increase primary-care provider discussions of physical activity during clinic visits using the Exercise is Medicine initiative as a guide. Methods The study design involved data collection at three time points. Participants were recruited from a single clinic providing high quality healthcare without regard to ability to pay. Participants included 109 African American patients between the ages of 24 and 81 (39 pre-intervention, 40 at 6 weeks post-intervention, and 30 at 12-months post-intervention). The primary outcome measure was participants' answers related to whether a physical activity discussion occurred with their primary-care provider. Results At baseline, 13% of participants reported a physical activity discussion with their provider, this increased to 33% at 6 weeks post-intervention. However, at 12-months post-intervention, the percentage of participants who reported a physical activity discussion decreased to 23%. Conclusion Exercise is an underused evidence-based strategy that should be prescribed as a medicine to prevent and manage many chronic health conditions. This pilot study demonstrated the feasibility of improving provider-patient communications related to the importance of daily physical activity behaviors. Further research is needed to determine how to employ and sustain a clinic level policy that will encourage physical activity discussions at every visit.
Abstract 2387: Targeting PVT1 exon 9 transcript is not pro-apoptotic but induces claudin 4 expression and inhibits migration in triple negative breast cancer cells

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a lethal molecular subtype of invasive breast cancer (BC) that is ER-, PR- and HER2-. Claudin low (CL) TNBC, a distinct molecular subtype of TNBC, has the worst prognosis compared to other BC subtypes. Aberrant expression of claudin proteins disrupts the function of tight junctions. Consequently, inducing epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in cancers, an important factor for enhanced motility and metastasis. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanisms that modulate claudin expression in TNBC is crucial. The 8q24 genomic locus is an important cancer susceptibility locus that is associated with poor clinical outcomes in cancer due to common amplification events that occur in many malignant diseases. This locus contains the PVT1 gene, which encodes a long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) that has been implicated in multiple cancers including BC. PVT1 consists of 12 exons that are alternatively spliced to generate lncRNAs. Although previous research has implicated PVT1 as an important player in BC, the underlying molecular mechanisms of PVT1 in CL TNBC is unknown. To examine the role of PVT1 in CL TNBC, we assessed PVT1 expression in T47D (ER+), MDA MB 231 (CL) and MDA MB 468 (claudin high (CH)) BC cells. We observed that PVT1 exons 4A, 4B, and 9 are significantly overexpressed in CL MDA MB 231 and significantly underexpressed in CH MDA MB 468 in comparison to T47D cells, suggesting a protumorigenic role of PVT1 in CL TNBC. We analyzed the functional consequences of siRNA targeting of PVT1 exon 9 expression in CL TNBC cells. siRNA targeting of PVT1 exon 9 expression in the MDA MB 231 CL TNBC cells led to a significant reduction in migration and the re-expression of claudin 4. To determine the role of PVT1 on EMT, we assessed the expression of EMT markers (vimentin, fibronectin, and E-cadherin) in MDA MB 231 cells. We observed no changes in the expression of EMT markers when PVT1 exon 9 is knocked down. However, our data show that mesenchymal markers are more highly expressed in MDA MB 231 cells in comparison to MDA MB 468 cells. Further, knockdown of PVT1 exon 9 did not induce apoptosis in MDA MB 231 cells as assessed by caspase 3 and caspase 9 expression. Taken together, our data indicate that PVT1 exon 9 regulates claudin expression and migration in CL TNBC, and may have implications for clinical outcomes in TNBC. Citation Format: Fayola A. Levine, Olorunseun O. Ogunwobi. Targeting PVT1 exon 9 transcript is not pro-apoptotic but induces claudin 4 expression and inhibits migration in triple negative breast cancer cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 2387.
Driving performance and road sign identification by multifocal contact lens wearers in a driving simulator.

Abstract Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare sign identification distances and driving performance metrics in presbyopic participants while wearing multifocal contact lenses (MFCL) and while wearing progressive addition lens (PAL) spectacles. Methods 19 presbyopic participants completed PAL spectacle assessments and contact lens fitting and follow up visits before driving assessments began. These assessments occurred in a simulator equipped with a full-sized sedan on a motion platform and a 260 degree screen. Participants completed the driving task with PAL and with MFCL. Participants followed a lead car and identified signs at various distances from the road. For the two wearing conditions, comparisons of the distance along the road at which signs were identified were made using repeated measures ANOVA. Paired t-tests were used to compare driving performance for the two conditions. Results There was no statistical difference in sign identification distance between PAL and MFLC for signs 32.0 m from the road side of the road (182 ± 46 m for MFCL; 205 ± 45 m for PAL; P = 0.07) or 51.4 m from the side of the road (204 ± 43 m for MFCL; 216 ± 36 m for PAL; P = 0.3). Only signs 70.2 m from the roadside showed a significant difference (207 ± 42 m with MFCL; 232 ± 39 m with PAL; P = 0.01), All distances were greater than those required to safely stop a vehicle. There were no significant differences in the driving performance metrics between the refractive corrections. Conclusion Driving performance metrics were similar for MFCL and PAL spectacles. Sign identification distances with both eyewear types were well within the distances required for safe vehicle stopping.
A Pulsed-Coherent Lidar System with a Chip Based Optical Frequency Comb

We demonstrate a pulsed-coherent lidar system with a microresonator generated optical frequency comb which achieves sub-10µm precision and 30-µm INL Max with a 5-MSa/s sampling rate.
Design and implementation of decision support for tobacco dependence treatment in an inpatient electronic medical record

Methods A 2-arm randomized clinical trial of 250 physicians and patients treated by those physicians. The physician is the unit of randomization. A BPA and order set were developed and embedded in the Epic (Madison, WI) EMR used at 2 hospitals. When an adult patient is admitted to a medical service, a BPA fires if the patient is coded in the EMR as a smoker. For physicians randomized to the intervention, the BPA offers to take the physician to an order set to prescribe tobacco treatment medications and refer the patient to the state smoker’s quitline. Additionally, tobacco use disorder” is added to the patient’s problem list, and an email is sent to the patient’s primary care provider (PCP). In the control arm, a BPA silently fires with no additional actions for the physician. Results Since August 2013, the BPA fired for 4187 patients (1887 intervention, 2300 control). Compared to control arm physicians, intervention physicians were more likely to order tobacco treatment medication (24% v. 9%, P = 0.0001, Fisher’s exact test), populate the problem list with tobacco use disorder (46% v. 4%, P < 0.0001), and make a referral to the state smokers’ quitline (19% v. 0%, P < 0.0001). In addition, intervention physicians sent an email to the patient’s PCP 1876 (99%) times.
Parental counseling compared with elimination of cow's milk or soy milk protein for the treatment of infant colic syndrome: a randomized trial

Treating the infant colic syndrome by counseling the parents concerning more effective responses to the infant crying is compared to the elimination of soy or cow's milk protein from the infant's diet in a randomized clinical trial. Because symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea are not part of the infant colic syndrome, infants with these gastrointestinal symptoms were excluded from the study. Dietary changes were accomplished by either feeding the infants a hydrolyzed casein formula or by requiring mothers to eliminate milk from their diets. In phase 1 of the study, the group receiving counseling (n = 10) had a decrease in crying from 3.21 +/- 1.10 h/d to 1.08 +/- 0.70 h/d (P = .001). The crying in the group that received dietary changes (n = 10) decreased from 3.19 +/- 0.69 h/d to 2.03 +/- 1.07 h/d (P = .01), a level still greater than twice normal. The decrease in those receiving counseling was faster and greater than that of those given dietary changes (P less than .02). In the second phase of the study, group 2 infants were reexposed to cow's milk or soy protein and the parents received counseling. In this phase, counseling again decreased crying significantly from 2.09 +/- 1.07 h/d to 1.19 +/- 0.60 h/d (P = .05). No infant in the study who improved with changes in his or her diet had a significant increase in crying, with reexposure to soy or cow's milk protein.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Mining opinion features in customer reviews

It is a common practice that merchants selling products on the Web ask their customers to review the products and associated services. As e-commerce is becoming more and more popular, the number of customer reviews that a product receives grows rapidly. For a popular product, the number of reviews can be in hundreds. This makes it difficult for a potential customer to read them in order to make a decision on whether to buy the product. In this project, we aim to summarize all the customer reviews of a product. This summarization task is different from traditional text summarization because we are only interested in the specific features of the product that customers have opinions on and also whether the opinions are positive or negative. We do not summarize the reviews by selecting or rewriting a subset of the original sentences from the reviews to capture their main points as in the classic text summarization. In this paper, we only focus on mining opinion/product features that the reviewers have commented on. A number of techniques are presented to mine such features. Our experimental results show that these techniques are highly effective.
"Feel That You Are Doing Something": Participatory Culture Civics

Young people’s civic engagement through online communities and peer networks has received increased at- tention in recent years. This paper examines groups rooted within participatory cultures, which mobilize their participants toward explicit civic goals. We draw on our research of Invisible Children and the Harry Potter Alliance—two media-centric, youth-oriented, participatory organizations—to identify their distinctive prac- tices. Building on our analysis, we propose that both organizations engage in “Participatory Culture Civics” (PCC) as they support organized collective action towards civic goals, while building on the affordances of participatory culture. We describe three innovative PCC practices employed by these groups: Build Communities, Tell Stories, and Produce Media. The organizations’ ability to combine civic goals with the pleasures of participatory culture allows them to successfully engage young people. However, both organizations struggle to balance between the creative and community-based tenets of participatory culture, and the focused, product-driven goals of a civic engagement organization.
Intrinsic Prostaglandin Biosynthesis in Blood Vessels

The sections in this article are: 1 Prostaglandin Synthesis and General Properties 1.1 Biosynthesis of Prostaglandins 1.2 Effects of Exogenous Prostaglandins on Vascular Smooth Muscle 1.3 Summary 2 Prostaglandins and the Mesenteric and Celiac Arteries 2.1 Intrinsic Vascular Synthesis of Prostaglandins 2.2 Influence of Local Vascular Prostaglandins on Neuronal Activity and Blood Vessel Tone 2.3 Differential PG Synthesis in Arteries and Veins 3 Prostaglandin Biosynthesis in the Ductus Arteriosus 4 Human Umbilical Artery 4.1 Intrinsic Prostaglandin Biosynthesis 4.2 Prostaglandin Synthesis in Blood Vessel Tissue Culture 5 Coronary Arteries 5.1 Contribution of Intrinsic Prostaglandins to Coronary Tone 5.2 Paradoxical Endogenous Synthesis of a Coronary Dilating Substance from Arachidonate 5.3 Effect of Prostaglandin Endoperoxides on Bovine Coronary Arteries 5.4 Novel Metabolic Arachidonate Pathway that Generates a Potent Endogenous Vasodilator 6 Prostacyclin 6.1 Arterial Synthesis of a Novel Prostaglandin that Inhibits Platelet Aggregation 6.2 Inhibition of the Vascular Synthesis of the Novel Prostaglandin 6.3 Intrinsic Vascular Synthesis of a Prostaglandin Vasodilator in Mesenteric, Celiac, and Coronary Arteries 6.4 Chemical Identification of Prostacyclin 6.5 Prostacyclin and Thromboxane A2 Characterization Criteria 7 Pathophysiological Significance of Vascular Prostacyclin Synthesis and its Pharmacological Modification
Heuristic perturbation of optimization results in a DSS for instructor scheduling

Abstract In this paper we have described a DSS that uses a unique approach or integrating the strengths of management science and human judgement to provide support for a scheduling problem that needs inputs from both these areas of human expertise. The manager has the option of accepting a solution developed using optimization technique or intervening directly or indirectly to improve the solution. In intervening directly the manager makes specific changes to a schedule presented in natural format. In intervening indirectly the manager specifies the direction of change along with a step size. Knowledge based heuristics act automatically to revise the schedule in the direction specified. In addition mechanisms have been provided for the user to adapt existing solution to certain kinds of changes in the environment while minimizing the number of perturbations to the existing solution. The DSS has been implemented for scheduling instructors to executive development programs conducted by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Levels of ovine herpesvirus 2 DNA in nasal secretions and blood of sheep: implications for transmission

A recently developed competitive PCR for ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2) was used to examine the levels of viral DNA in nasal secretions and peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL) of lambs and adult sheep. Viral DNA first appeared in the PBL of most lambs after about 3 months of age and the levels remained relatively constant thereafter. In most of the lambs (83%, n=12), viral DNA was undetectable by PCR in nasal secretions prior to 5 months of age. A dramatic rise of OvHV-2 DNA levels in the nasal secretions occurred starting at 5-6 months of age, which peaked at approximately 7 months. The highest level recorded in lamb nasal secretions was 7.5x10(8)copies/2microg DNA which were 75,000-100,000-fold higher than the levels in PBL of the same lambs. In adult sheep (n=10), the viral DNA levels in both PBL and nasal secretions were relatively stable over the 13-month period of the study, which included a lambing season. The data strongly suggest that neonatal lambs are not an important source for the transmission of OvHV-2 to clinically susceptible species, and that the nasal cavity is an important portal for shedding of infectious OvHV-2 in sheep. Furthermore, this study failed to identify a seasonal pattern in levels of viral DNA in nasal secretions or PBL of adult sheep that would provide a basis for the traditionally held belief that clinical cases of malignant catarrhal fever are significantly associated with lambing ewes.
Immiscibility and Surface Tension of Some Simple Borates

This paper reports the minimum concentrations of second cations that must be added to phase-separated binary borates to produce single-phase glasses when batches of approximately 100 gm. are melted at 1300°C. and poured into an 8- by 10.5-cm. steel mold at room temperature. Surface tensions are also reported for the melts at 900°, 1000°, 1100°, 1200°, and 1300°C. Alkali and alkaline-earth cations and Pb++, Cd++, and Al+++ were used as auxiliary cations to make single phased the phase-separated binary borates of the principal cations Ba++, Sr++, Ca++, Cd++, Zn++, and Mg++. Within any group of the periodic table the minimum homogenizing concentration increases with decreasing ionic radius of either the auxiliary or the principal cation. The surface tensions of layered binary melts are independent of cation identity and content, indicating an upper layer of nearly pure B2O3. For layered or unlayered ternary melts containing alkali auxiliary cations, surface tension increases with increasing cation content at rates that decrease with the ionic radius of either cation, indicating that in these layered ternary melts the cations enter the upper (B2O3-rich) layer more freely than in the corresponding binary melts.
The Effects of Aerodynamic Asymmetric Perturbations on Forced Response of Bladed Disks

Most of the existing mistuning research assumes that the aerodynamic forces on each of the blades are identical except for an interblade phase angle shift. In reality, blades also undergo asymmetric steady and unsteady aerodynamic forces due to manufacturing variations, blending, mis-staggered, or in-service wear or damage, which cause aerodynamically asymmetric systems. This paper presents the results of sensitivity studies on forced response due to aerodynamic asymmetry perturbations. The focus is only on the asymmetries due to blade motions. Hence, no asymmetric forcing functions are considered. Aerodynamic coupling due to blade motions in the equation of motion is represented using the single family of modes approach. The unsteady aerodynamic forces are computed using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods assuming aerodynamic symmetry. Then, the aerodynamic asymmetry is applied by perturbing the influence coefficient matrix in the physical coordinates such that the matrix is no longer circulant. Therefore, the resulting aerodynamic modal forces in the traveling wave coordinates become a full matrix. These aerodynamic perturbations influence both stiffness and damping while traditional frequency mistuning analysis only perturbs the stiffness. It was found that maximum blade amplitudes are significantly influenced by the perturbation of the imaginary part (damping) of unsteady aerodynamic modal forces. This is contrary to blade frequency mistuning where the stiffness perturbation dominates.
WNT signaling in the control of hair growth and structure.

Abstract Characterization of the molecular pathways controlling differentiation and proliferation in mammalian hair follicles is central to our understanding of the regulation of normal hair growth, the basis of hereditary hair loss diseases, and the origin of follicle-based tumors. We demonstrate that the proto-oncogeneWnt3,which encodes a secreted paracrine signaling molecule, is expressed in developing and mature hair follicles and that its overexpression in transgenic mouse skin causes a short-hair phenotype due to altered differentiation of hair shaft precursor cells, and cyclical balding resulting from hair shaft structural defects and associated with an abnormal profile of protein expression in the hair shaft. A putative effector molecule for WNT3 signaling, the cytoplasmic protein Dishevelled 2 (DVL2), is normally present at high levels in a subset of cells in the outer root sheath and in precursor cells of the hair shaft cortex and cuticle which lie immediately adjacent toWnt3-expressing cells. Overexpression ofDvl2in the outer root sheath mimics the short-hair phenotype produced by overexpression ofWnt3,supporting the hypothesis thatWnt3andDvl2have the potential to act in the same pathway in the regulation of hair growth. These experiments demonstrate a previously unrecognized role for WNT signaling in the control of hair growth and structure, as well as presenting the first example of a mammalian phenotype resulting from overexpression of aDvlgene and providing an accessiblein vivosystem for analysis of mammalian WNT signaling pathways.
A phase I/II study of vinorelbine, doxorubicin, and methotrexate with leucovorin rescue as first-line treatment for metastatic breast cancer.

Purpose: This study was performed to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and toxicity of vinorelbine when used in combination with doxorubicin and methotrexate with leucovorin rescue in women with metastatic breast cancer. Methods: Enrolled in the study were 23 women with metastatic breast cancer who had not received prior chemotherapy for metastatic disease. Patients treated at the first dose level received vinorelbine 20 mg/m2 on day 1, doxorubicin 40 mg/m2 on day 1, methotrexate 100 mg/m2 on day 1 and leucovorin 20 mg orally every 6 h for six doses beginning on day 2. Treatment was repeated every 21 days. The vinorelbine dose was escalated by 5 mg/m2 for patients treated at subsequent dose levels. The MTD was defined as the dose level at which fewer than one-third of patients enrolled experienced dose-limiting toxicity (DLT). When the MTD of vinorelbine had been determined, the doxorubicin dose was then escalated by 10 mg/m2 with the vinorelbine dose held at its MTD. Results: total of 98 courses of treatment (median of 4 per patient, range 2–8) were administered. The MTD of this regimen was found to be vinorelbine 25 mg/m2, doxorubicin 40 mg/m2, and methotrexate 100 mg/m2 with leucovorin rescue. At higher doses of vinorelbine, neutropenia, fatigue, arm pain, malaise, nausea and vomiting were dose-limiting. Higher doses of doxorubicin resulted in universal dose limiting neutropenia, and frequent nonhematologic DLT consisting of arm pain, malaise, stomatitis, nausea and vomiting. Amongst the 20 patients with measurable disease, there were 3 complete responses (15%, 95% confidence interval 3%–38%), 5 partial responses (25%, 95% confidence interval 9%–49%) and an overall response rate of 40% (95% confidence interval 19%–64%). The median survival was estimated to be 25 months from the start of chemotherapy. Conclusions: Vinorelbine at 25 mg/m2 can be safely administered with doxorubicin at 40 mg/m2 and methotrexate at 100 mg/m2 with leucovorin rescue. Response rates observed with this regimen suggest that this combination of chemotherapeutic agents may not be more effective than the combination of vinorelbine and doxorubicin.
Voxelized computational model for convection-enhanced delivery in the rat ventral hippocampus: comparison with in vivo MR experimental studies.

Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) is a promising local delivery technique for overcoming the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and treating diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). For CED, therapeutics are infused directly into brain tissue and the drug agent is spread through the extracellular space, considered to be highly tortuous porous media. In this study, 3D computational models developed using magnetic resonance (MR) diffusion tensor imaging data sets were used to predict CED transport in the rat ventral hippocampus using a voxelized modeling previously developed by our group. Predicted albumin tracer distributions were compared with MR-measured distributions from in vivo CED in the ventral hippocampus up to 10 μL of Gd-DTPA albumin tracer infusion. Predicted and measured tissue distribution volumes and distribution patterns after 5 and 10 μL infusions were found to be comparable. Tracers were found to occupy the underlying landmark structures with preferential transport found in regions with less fluid resistance such as the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. Also, tracer spread was bounded by high fluid resistance layers such as the granular cell layer and pyramidal cell layer of dentate gyrus. Leakage of tracers into adjacent CSF spaces was observed towards the end of infusions.
Qualitative Analysis of Peer Coaches' Experiences with Counseling African Americans About Reducing Heart Disease Risk

BACKGROUND Despite mounting evidence that peer coaches can make significant contributions to patient health, little is known about factors that must be addressed to engage and retain them in their role.
The Good-Subject Effect: Investigating Participant Demand Characteristics

Although researchers are often concerned with the presence of participant demand, few have directly examined effects of demand on participant behavior. Before beginning the present study, a confederate informed participants (N = 100) of the study's purported hypothesis. Participants then performed a laboratory task designed to evaluate the extent to which they would respond in ways that may confirm or disconfirm the hypothesis of the study. The authors found that participants tended to respond in ways that confirmed the hypothesis, yet this tendency depended on attitudes toward the experiment or experimenter and other individual differences. In addition, results suggested that suspicion probes may be ineffective in measuring participants' previous knowledge and suspicion. Findings indicate the need for more research and consideration of demand in the design of studies and analysis of data.
Induction of swimming in lamprey by L-DOPA and amino acids

L-DOPA and acidic amino acids, when applied in the bathing fluid, produced swimming activities in isolated myotome-spinal cord preparations of small adult lampreys (Ichthyomyzon unicuspis). Undulatory movements of the body, antiphasic bursts of spikes in contralateral myotomal segments, and the fraction of the cycle period occupied by the bursts were identical to those of swimming behavior in intact animals. In isolated preparations myotomal activities also exhibited rostro-caudal phase lag.