cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In Search of Dr. John C. Cook-The Founder of Chicago Pediatric Society • 1781

In 1995-96, the Chicago Pediatric Society (CPS), one of the oldest pediatric societies in the USA, celebrated its first centennial; yet little was known about its founder and the first president. Standard historical sources stated that in 1895, one Dr. John C. Cook (1850-1908), met with friends at his house to discuss pediatric cases, the group later became the CPS. Based on my research I will present a biographic sketch of Dr. Cook and the methods of historiography. Dr. Cook was an influential physician working in several Chicago hospitals. He was the Chairman of the AMA's Section on Diseases of Children, and a pioneer in the crusade against contaminated milk. He started pure milk stations in the city's parks. Much of his writing has been lost but his papers on child development, GI disorders, pneumonia, adverse effects of child labor etc., are pediatric classics (e.g.,JAMA, 1903-1904; Illinois Medical Journal, 1903-1906). Dr. Cook fought passionately against child labor. The allure of the industrial revolution in the turn of the century Chicago spread its powerful web attracting children as young as eight years of age into the labor market. The immigrant families were particular targets. The schools were bad and the high school dropout rate was 95%. Dr. Cook noted these trends and wrote and spoke against child labor. Under the banner of the Physicians' Club of Chicago, a socially active group he founded, he organized public rallies, forums and debates on the topic of child labor. With stark examples, he described its adverse effects on children's health, growth, and development, and dispelled the notion that such labor was needed for economic growth. He tried to improve the standards of education in the schools such that children were attracted to the classrooms more than to the cotton mills. His work paid off---in July of 1903, revolutionary reforms were adopted in Illinois Child Labor Laws. However, I felt most humbled by Dr. Cook's anonymity from the cruelty of history's amnesia; a mere century later, this man, once a high-profile physician, was completely unknown---not even a portrait of him could be found. However, to my delight, I discovered the site of Dr. Cook's home in a cozy corner in Chicago's Hyde Park. This, 120-year-old, charming mansion has been wonderfully restored by its current owners, who also possess many of Dr. Cook's personal belongings and letters. Efforts are now underway to have the street renamed Dr. John C. Cook Avenue, and to have the birthplace of CPS designated an Historic landmark.
Role of substance P in the regulation of glucose metabolism via insulin signaling-associated pathways.

Substance P (SP), encoded by the tachykinin 1 (Tac1) gene, is the most potent tachykinin ligand for the high-affinity neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R). We previously reported that NK-1R-deficient mice show less weight gain and reduced circulating levels of leptin and insulin in response to a high-fat diet (HFD) and demonstrated the presence of functional NK-1R in isolated human preadipocytes. Here we assessed the effects of SP on weight gain in response to HFD and determined glucose metabolism in Tac1-deficient (Tac1−/−) mice. The effect of SP on the expression of molecules that may predispose to reduced glucose uptake was also determined in isolated human mesenteric, omental, and sc preadipocytes. We show that although weight accumulation in response to HFD was similar between Tac1−/− mice and wild-type littermates, Tac1−/− mice demonstrated lower glucose and leptin and increased adiponectin blood levels and showed improved responses to insulin challenge after HFD. SP stimulated phosphorylation of c-Jun N-t...
Volume‐dependent and NEM‐stimulated K+Cl−1 transport is elevated in oxygenated SS, SC and CC human red cells

Mechanisms involved in cell volume regulation are important in SS, SC cells as they might be involved in determining the extent of sickling and the generation of dense cells and irreversibly sickled cells. We have studied in these cells the response to cell swelling of the K+,Cl- transporter. We found that Hb SS, SC and CC red cells have higher values of a ouabain-resistant, chloride-dependent and NEM-stimulated K+ efflux than AA red cells. In contrast, the Na+,K+,Cl- cotransport estimated from the bumetanide-sensitive component of K+ efflux was not significantly different in SS, SC and CC red cells. The (ouabain + bumetanide)-resistant K+ efflux from SS, SC and CC red cells was stimulated by cell swelling induced by reduction of the osmotic pressure (300 to 220 mosmol/l) and pH (8 to 7) of the flux media (140 mM NaCl). The Cl--dependent K+ efflux stimulated by osmotic swelling highly correlated with the NEM-stimulated component (r = 0.8, p less than 0.001, n = 22) and the acid-pH-induced swelling (r = 0.969, p less than 0.001, n = 22), indicating that it is driven by the K+,Cl- transporter.
Scheduling advertisements on a web page to maximize revenue

Many web sites (e.g. Hotmail, Yahoo) provide free services to the users while generating revenues from advertising. Advertising revenue is, therefore, critical for these sites. This in turn raises the question, how should advertisements at a web site be scheduled in a planning horizon to maximize revenue. Advertisements on the web are specified by geometry and display frequency and both of these factors need to be considered in developing a solution to the advertisement scheduling problem. Since this problem belongs to the class of NP-hard problems, we first develop a heuristic called LSMF to solve the problem. This heuristic is then combined with a genetic algorithm (GA) to develop a hybrid GA. The hybrid GA solution is first compared with the upper bound obtained by running CPLEX for the integer programming formulation of the problem. It is then also compared with an existing algorithm proposed in the literature. Our computational results show that the hybrid GA performs exceptionally well in the sense that it provides optimal or near optimal solution for a wide range of problem instances of realistic sizes and the improvements over existing algorithm are substantial. Finally we present a case study to illustrate how revenue could be significantly increased with a small improvement in the advertisement schedule. It is the first such study in this setup.
High cardiac output measurements in a patient with congestive heart failure

I N PATIENTS WITH cardiovascular instability, pharmacological interventions are often guided by cardiac output (CO) measurements using the thermodilution technique. This method of CO determination has gained wide acceptance because, under normal circumstances, it is simple, safe, and expedient. Although the accuracy of the thermodilution method is only on the order of plus or minus 10%, this error range has usually been found acceptable in the clinical setting. 13 Occasionally, however, unusual conditions can lead to marked false elevations or reductions in the obtained measurements. These conditions include (1) equipment malfunctions, (2) errors in methodology, and (3) disease entities such as low-flow states and intracardiac shunts. The following case demonstrates the unusual occurrence of an elevated CO measurement in a patient with evidence of congestive heart failure.
A Changing Map: Four Decades of Service Restoration at Alabama Power

Restoring service to customers has always been a top priority at the Alabama Power Company during my 45 years there. Although the task is the same, the methods and technologies that can be brought to bear on it have changed and improved dramatically. Technology has helped the company improve its response to system disturbances. Automation technology deployed in the distribution control room, in distribution substations, and at discrete sites along the distribution feeder provides system intelligence regarding the state and condition of the electric distribution system. Automation technology also facilitates the presentation of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) telemetry to the distribution operator. Meanwhile, advances in desktop computing workstations permit the geographical display of distribution circuits in a wide-area view, which improves the visibility of the distribution system for the operator. The big-picture or wide-area view that was once displayed on the paper map board is now presented in the control room on its desktop workstations. Today, application integration is providing the next round of technology improvement in the distribution control room. Advanced applications within an integrated platform are providing techniques to improve the efficiency and reliability of the distribution system. Together, these advanced applications improve service restoration. This article describes the past, present, and future of service restoration technology at Alabama Power.
Systematic differences in validity of self-reported mammography behavior: A problem for intergroup comparisons?

Background. Prior studies of recall accuracy for screening mammogram behavior have examined relatively homogeneous groups. Data are limited on possible systematic group differences, so we evaluated women's recall accuracy in two separate care systems in one city. Methods. Women 50 to 70 years old with and without screening mammograms 10 to 14 months prior were identified from fiscal, clinic, and radiology records at a military care system (MCS) and a county-funded system (CFS) for indigents. Mammogram status was verified through radiology records. Women were excluded if mammograms were diagnostic, done for other than annual screening, or had abnormal results. Interview ers blinded to mammogram status surveyed randomly selected eligible women. Results. For 62 screened/31 unscreened MCS women and 78 screened/61 unscreened CFS women, specificity was similar, at 65 and 62%, respectively. In contrast, sensitivity varied significantly: 95% versus 79% (P = 0.011). Primary ethonocultural groups were Euro-American (MCS—60%) and Mexican American (CFS—85%). Although not different in specificity of recall (67% versus 61%), these major subgroups significantly differed in sensitivity (97% versus 80%, P = 0.017), proportion of true negatives due to never having a mammogram (35% versus 57%, P = 0.003), and proportion with ≥high school education (78% versus 19%, P < 0.00001). Conclusion. Systematic differences in recall validity may exist and compromise the accuracy of intergroup comparisons.
Transitional Care for Seriously Mentally Ill Persons: A Pilot Study

This article reports the results of a pilot study of a nurse-based in-home transitional care intervention for seriously mentally ill persons. The goals of the intervention were to address the lack of continuity of care in existing programs and to meet the immediate postdischarge needs of severely mentally ill persons. This article focuses primarily on the applicability and feasibility of the intervention for this population, given the challenges of engaging seriously mentally ill patients in a community-based protocol and the complexity of their illnesses. Factors that are important to community adjustment postdischarge were identified: caregiver concerns and health status impeding illness management, lack of structure/involvement in daily activities, structural and functional factors affecting adherence, and presence of symptoms after discharge. Use of an advanced practice nurse to provide transitional care can offer an alternative to patients who might otherwise be left poorly treated or untreated in the community setting.
Modeling and laboratory scale proof of concept of the horizontal ribbon growth process: Application to silicon wafer manufacturing

In this work we focus on the development of the Horizontal Ribbon Growth technique to produce highly pure silicon wafers for use in solar cells. We divide this preliminary work in two parts: a small scale experiment and the development of mathematical models to describe the crystallization phenomena. We begin by constructing a laboratory scale experiment to demonstrate the HRG concept using water as the working fluid. We made use of the fact that ice floats on water just like silicon would float on top of its melt. Therefore it is possible to conveniently test and analyze the operability of this technique. We find that the initial seeding process needs to be carefully controlled in order to extract a uniform wafer. Appropriate surface cooling and wall heating are necessary to guarantee the continuous formation of an ice film. We then develop simple mathematical models to predict the crystallization rate and thermal profiles of the system. We state that the driving force for crystallization is convective cooling and the film grows in one direction (downwards). Finally we propose how to validate the model using experimental data and how to extend the work to grow silicon ribbons.
A dog and a "happy person" visit nursing home residents

Recent recognition of the importance of the human-animal bond has led to the proliferation of programs designed to improve the lives of nursing home residents through the use of animals. Because hu...
Hohokam Craft Economies and the Materialization of Power

The Prestige Goods Economy Model invoked by archaeologists to explain the development of power in middle-range societies generally fails to discriminate the varied roles of social valuables. This study illustrates a multi-faceted approach for identifying the symbolic utility of craft economies among the Hohokam in North America. Contextual analyses of marine shell artifacts disclose their functions as material symbols of group membership and identity, ritual performance paraphernalia, instruments of power, and insignia of office. These valuables were imbued with ideological meanings that legitimized the emergence of corporate modes of power from individualized networks. Applications of the Prestige Goods Economy Model in other world regions would also be enriched by more detailed examination of the meanings of social valuables.
The de novo methylation activity of Dnmt3a is distinctly different than that of Dnmt1

Though Dnmt1 is considered the primary maintenance methyltransferase and Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b are considered de novo methyltransferases in mammals, these three enzymes may work together in maintaining as well as establishing DNA methylation patterns. It has been proposed that Dnmt1 may carry out de novo methylation at sites in the genome with transient single-stranded regions, such as replication origins, and then spread methylation from these nucleation sites in vivo, even though such activity has not been reported. In this study, we show that Dnmt3a does not act on single-stranded substrates in vitro, indicating that Dnmt3a is not likely to initiate DNA methylation at such proposed nucleation sites. Dnmt3a shows similar methylation activity on unmethylated and hemimethylated duplex DNA, though with some substrate preference. Unlike Dnmt1, pre-existing cytosine methylation at CpG sites or non-CpG sites does not stimulate Dnmt3a activity in vitro and in vivo. The fact that Dnmt3a does not act on single stranded DNA and is not stimulated by pre-existing cytosine methylation indicates that the de novo methylation activity of Dnmt3a is quite different from that of Dnmt1. These findings are consistent with a model in which Dnmt3a initiates methylation on one of the DNA strands of duplex DNA, and these hemimethylated sites then stimulate Dnmt1 activity for further methylation.
Energy Management Strategies for Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) differ from hybrid vehicles (HEVs) with their ability to use off-board electricity generation to recharge their energy storage systems. In addition to possessing charge-sustaining HEV operation capability, PHEVs use the stored electrical energy during a charge-depleting operating period to displace a significant amount of petroleum consumption. The particular operating strategy employed during the charge-depleting mode will significantly influence the component attributes and the value of the PHEV technology. This paper summarizes three potential energy management strategies, and compares the implications of selecting one strategy over another in the context of the aggressiveness and distance of the duty cycle over which the vehicle will likely operate.
Telemedicine in Cancer Control Programs in Developing Countries

The success of a cancer screening and early diagnosis program is critically dependent on the skill of the healthcare professionals involved. Initial training, continuing education, and consultation as needed are best achieved via telemedicine. The various components of such support for screening and diagnosis of breast and gynecological cancers are discussed.
Long-Run Relation and Speed of Adjustment of Economic Policy Uncertainty and Excess Return Volatility

This study examines the relationship between excess return volatility and economic policy uncertainty in U.S using monthly data for the period 1985-2011. The result reveals the existence of a long-run positive relationship between excess return volatility and economic policy uncertainty. The casualty test indicates that economic policy uncertainty Granger-causes excess return volatility. The vector error correction model result shows that previous values of economic policy uncertainty explain the variation in the excess return volatility. Moreover, the deviation of excess return from its long-run equilibrium level by 1 unit, it will adjust back by 7.56 percent of the deviation after a month.
Importance of bacteroid number in nodules and effective nodule mass to dinitrogen fixation by cowpeas

Biological nitrogen fixation is considered an important trait of cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp. var. ‘California Blackeye’ No. 5) for economical production yet the process does not alone provide the quantity of nitrogen required by the plant for maximum productivity. Two experiments were undertaken to determine the potential of an increase in nodule mass and number of bacteroids resulting in increased nitrogen fixation. Cowpeas were grown in a glasshouse for 7 weeks under conditions forcing near total dependence on biological nitrogen fixation for growth. Nodule mass on the roots was varied by inoculating seeds with various ratios of effective and ineffective rhizobia that could be identified serologically and by the color of nodule formed. The results of both experiments demonstrated a linear relationship between total nodule mass formed by the effective rhizobia and quantity of nitrogen fixed. The regression coefficients were high in both experiments (r=0.99** and 0.91**). The relationship between total nitrogen fixed and total number of bacteroids of the effective strain was not consistent. In one experiment the regression coefficient was 0.93** but in the other experiment it was 0.65**. From these results it appears that there is good potential for increasing nitrogen fixation in cowpeas by increasing nodule mass. An increase in nodule mass would also result in an increase in the number of bacteroids.
Introduction to the Risk Assessment Workshop on Indoor Air Quality1

Due to the emerging importance of the indoor air-quality problem and associated health risk concerns, on December 6-8, 1988 a three-day workshop on indoor air-quality risk assessment was jointly organized by Harvard University, Energy and Environmental Policy Center, and the Harvard School of Public Health. This introduction briefly summarizes the objectives of the workshop and its agenda. The workshop consisted of presentations and discussions by researchers from academic, government, and private institutions. Among the participants were those who have been involved in the design of major field studies of human exposure, physicians and toxicologists involved in clinical studies, human exposure modelers, and epidemiologists and health risk assessors. The overall objective of the workshop was to examine the critical elements needed to perform risk assessments on major indoor air pollutants. Eight pollutants were chosen for discussion: environmental tobacco smoke, formaldehyde, radon, volatile organic compounds, biologicals, man-made mineral fibers, nitrogen dioxide, and semivolatile organic compounds. Twenty-two papers were presented in the workshop. Eight of these papers are published in this issue of Risk Analysis. Nine of the remaining fourteen will shortly be published in the 'Exposure Assessment Section' issue of the Journal of Toxicology and Industrial Health.
Quantifying Leptomeryx (Mammalia, Artiodactyla) enamel surface area across the Eocene–Oligocene transition in Nebraska

Abstract The Eocene–Oligocene transition (ca. 33 Ma) is associated with one of the most pronounced climate changes of the Cenozoic, with continental mean annual temperature dropping ∼8 °C over a span of ∼400,000 years. Leptomeryx is a small, ruminant artiodactyl that spans the transition, known from the late Eocene (Chadronian North American Land Mammal Age, or NALMA) through the early Oligocene (Orellan NALMA). The hypothesis that early Oligocene Leptomeryx had more complex enamel surface area than those found in the late Eocene has been demonstrated qualitatively, but the potential change in the amount of enamel has never been quantified. Here we calculate the area of the occlusal surface enamel (OSE) of Leptomeryx specimens from both the Chadronian (n = 29) and Orellan (n = 35) of northwestern Nebraska. Areas of the OSE were calculated by isolating the enamel into polygons on digital photographs of each specimen. The mean areas confirm that the OSE significantly increased by approximately 27% from ...
Mutual Fund Age and Morningstar Ratings

The study reported here identified an age bias in the Morningstar mutual fund ratings. I found that the average overall star ratings of seasoned funds are consistently—and in many cases, significantly—higher than the average overall star ratings of younger funds. This bias is not the result of a survivorship bias but of the methodology Morningstar uses to calculate the ratings. If star ratings affect fund flows, then this age bias in the Morningstar ratings is of significance to the mutual fund industry and to investors.
Grip type and task goal modify reach-to-grasp performance in post-stroke hemiparesis

This study investigated whether grip type and/or task goal influenced reaching and grasping performance in poststroke hemiparesis. Sixteen adults with poststroke hemiparesis and twelve healthy adults reached to and grasped a cylindrical object using one of two grip types (3-finger or palmar) to achieve one of two task goals (hold or lift). Performance of the stroke group was characteristic of hemiparetic limb movement during reach-to-grasp, with more curved handpaths and slower velocities compared with the control group. These effects were present regardless of grip type or task goal. Other measures of reaching (reach time and reach velocity at object contact) and grasping (peak thumb-index finger aperture during the reach and peak grip force during the grasp) were differentially affected by grip type, task goal, or both, despite the presence of hemiparesis, providing new evidence that changes in motor patterns after stroke may occur to compensate for stroke-related motor impairment.
Enhanced metaboreflex sensitivity in hypertensive humans

The exercise pressor reflex (EPR) is composed of the mechanoreflex and the metaboreflex and has been shown to be overactive in spontaneously hypertensive rats. The aim of the present study was to isolate the metaboreflex using post-exercise ischemia (PEI) and examine the BP response in normotensive (NTN) and hypertensive (HTN) humans. We hypothesize that the post-exercise ischemia-induced maintenance of BP will be greater in HTN when compared to NTN adults. A total of 15 NTN (65 ± 1 years) and 12 HTN (64 ± 1 years) adults were recruited. Beat-to-beat mean arterial pressure (MAP) was measured non-invasively (Finometer). Dynamic handgrip exercise (DHE) was performed for 3 min followed by 2 min of PEI. An unpaired t test was used to examine differences between groups. As compared to resting baseline values, the change in MAP during PEI was greater in HTN than NTN subjects (HTN: Δ = 12 ± 3 mmHg, NTN: Δ = 6 ± 1 mmHg, P < 0.05). These data suggest that HTN humans have enhanced metaboreflex sensitivity.
On mask layout partitioning for electron projection lithography

Electron projection lithography (EPL) is a leading candidate for next generation lithography (NGL) in VLSI production. The membrane mask used in EPL is divided into sub-fields by struts for structural support. A layout must be partitioned into these sub-fields on mask and then stitched back together by the EPL tool on wafer. To minimize possible stitching errors, partitioning of a mask layout should minimize cuts of layout features in the overlapping area between two adjacent sub-fields. This paper presents the first formulation of the mask layout partitioning problem for EPL as a graph problem. The graph formulation is optimally solved with a shortest path approach. Two other techniques are also presented to speed up computation. Experimental runs on data from a real industry design show excellent results.
Systems thinking for the enterprise: new and emerging perspectives

New and emerging modes of thought are increasingly being recognized as essential to successful systems engineering in enterprises. This new systems thinking is emerging at the intersection of seminal ideas from modern system thinkers, the broad discipline of information technology, and the theory of complex adaptive systems, particularly those from evolutionary biology and social systems. Part of this new systems thinking requires a replacement of the notion that specific engineering outcomes or goals can always be assured with one that seeks to shape, improve, or increase the value of engineering outcomes through thoughtful interventions in the ever-increasing numbers of circumstances in which we are not fully in control.
Correction of enhanced endothelial permeability by cessation of cholesterol feeding.

Abstract Changes in endothelial permeability and the transport of macromolecules may be important in the initiation and/or progression of atherosclerosis. We have previously shown, with a carotid artery preparation isolated in situ with intact adventitia, that long-term cholesterol feeding in rabbits will result in a seven- to tenfold increase in 125 I albumin transport across the artery into the systemic circulation. The current studies were undertaken to determine whether this abnormality of enhanced permeability could be reversed by cessation of cholesterol feeding and correction of the hyperlipidemia. Two groups of rabbits were fed either a standard Rabbit Chow or a diet containing 1.5% cholesterol and 5.2% corn oil for 12 to 15 weeks. Another group of rabbits was given cholesterol for 12 to 15 weeks with change to standard rabbit chow for an additional 22 to 24 weeks after which albumin transport studies were then performed. Mean plasma cholesterol level after 12 to 15 weeks of cholesterol feeding was 2052 ± 395 mg/dl. After the animals were withdrawn from the cholesterol diet for 22 to 24 weeks, the mean plasma cholesterol level decreased to 80 ± 21 mg/dl. The mean plasma cholesterol value in chow-fed animals was 39 ± 6 mg/dl. Perfusion studies were done with 125 I-labeled albumin and plasma radioactivity served as a measure of transport across the carotid artery. The average level of albumin transport across the artery into venous blood in the cholesterol-fed animals (13,911 dpm/ml of plasma) was significantly greater than that of control animals (2049 dpm/ml of plasma). The sevenfold increase in albumin transport induced by hypercholesterolemia was significantly reduced to near control levels by cessation of cholesterol feeding (3750 dpm/ml of plasma). This occurred despite the absence of complete regression of intimal plaques by tissue lipid analysis or microscopic examination of the carotid arteries. These findings suggest that the enhanced permeability to albumin in the carotid artery induced by cholesterol feeding is reversed by cessation of a high cholesterol diet despite the persistence of intimal lesions. We can only speculate what role this correction of enhanced permeability plays in regression of atherosclerotic lesions. The results provide further evidence that cholesterol feeding induces functional changes in the arterial endothelium, which increases vascular permeability to albumin. (J VASC SURG 1987;5:336-41.)
Social Network Analysis of Alice in Wonderland

We present a network analysis of a literary text, Alice in Wonderland. We build novel types of networks in which links between characters are different types of social events. We show that analyzing networks based on these social events gives us insight into the roles of characters in the story. Also, static network analysis has limitations which be- come apparent from our analysis. We propose the use of dynamic network analysis to over- come these limitations. tify these limitations, few have done so with a strict and specific rubric for categorizing interactions. In this paper, we annotate Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland using a well-defined annotation scheme which we have previously developed on newswire text Agarwal et al. (2010). It is well suited to deal with the aforementioned limitations. We show that using different types of networks can be useful by al- lowing us to provide a model for determining point- of-view. We also show that social networks allow characters to be categorized into roles based on how they function in the text, but that this approach is limited when using static social networks. We then build and visualize dynamic networks and show that static networks can distort the importance of char- acters. By using dynamic networks, we can build a fuller picture of how each character works in a liter- ary text. Our paper uses an annotation scheme that is well- defined and has been used in previous computational models that extract social events from news articles (Agarwal and Rambow, 2010). This computational model may be adapted to extract these events from literary texts. However, the focus of this paper is not to adapt the previously proposed computational model to a new domain or genre, but to first demon- strate the usefulness of this annotation scheme for the analysis of literary texts, and the social networks derived from it. All results reported in this paper are based on hand annotation of the text. Further- more, we are investigating a single text, so that we do cannot draw conclusions about the usefulness of our methods for validating theories of literature. We summarize the contributions of this paper: • We manually extract a social network from Al-
Microbial metabolites modulate GI mucosal damage from graft versus host disease (GHVD). (MUC4P.850)

The microbiome of the GI tract is known to affect GI mucosal responses and regulate disease processes. GI tract damage is the major cause for graft versus host disease (GVHD) mortality. Studies have shown the microbiome affects the course of allogeneic bone marrow transplant and modulates GVHD. However, little is known about the microbial metabolites crucial for achieving the effects of the microbiome on immune responses, specifically GVHD. We examined the metabolome of naive mice and murine recipients of syngeneic (B6→B6) and allogeneic (B6→BALB/c) BMT, in an unbiased way. We made a surprising observation that short chain fatty acids (SCFA), including butyrate, were altered in the intestinal epithelium but not in the luminal contents of allo-BMT recipients. Butyrate, a known metabolite of the microbiome was previously shown to have HDAC inhibitor (HDACi) and salutary effects on the intestinal epithelium. Additionally, recent data showed systemic chemical inhibition of HDAC protects GI epithelium from GVHD severity. The decrease of butyrate in the epithelial cells of the small intestine (P<0.03) suggested poor uptake of butyrate following allo-BMT. Consistent with this notion, we found that treatment of epithelial cells with butyrate confers protection from irradiation and decreases allo-induced cell death. Our results suggest that the microbiome regulates the damage from allogeneic GVHD due to the reduction in the tissue level of the SCFA-metabolite and HDACi, butyrate.
A Tale of Transmission: Aeromonas veronii Activity within Leech-Exuded Mucus

Transmission, critical to the establishment and persistence of host-associated microbiotas, also exposes symbionts to new environmental conditions. With horizontal transmission, these different conditions represent major lifestyle shifts. Yet genome-wide analyses of how microbes adjust their transcriptomes toward these dramatic shifts remain understudied. Here, we provide a comprehensive and comparative analysis of the global transcriptional profiles of a symbiont as it shifts between lifestyles during transmission. The gammaproteobacterium Aeromonas veronii is transmitted from the gut of the medicinal leech to other hosts via host mucosal castings, yet A. veronii can also transition from mucosal habitancy to a free-living lifestyle. These three lifestyles are characterized by distinct physiological constraints and consequently lifestyle-specific changes in the expression of stress-response genes. Mucus-bound A. veronii had the greatest expression in terms of both the number of loci and levels of transcription of stress-response mechanisms. However, these bacteria are still capable of proliferating within the mucus, suggesting the availability of nutrients within this environment. We found that A. veronii alters transcription of loci in a synthetic pathway that obtains and incorporates N-acetylglucosamine (NAG; a major component of mucus) into the bacterial cell wall, enabling proliferation. Our results demonstrate that symbionts undergo dramatic local adaptation, demonstrated by widespread transcriptional changes, throughout the process of transmission that allows them to thrive while they encounter new environments which further shape their ecology and evolution.
Material properties of mouse cervical tissue in normal gestation.

Abstract An appropriately timed cervical remodeling process is critical for a healthy delivery, yet little is known about the material property changes of the cervix in pregnancy because obtaining human tissue samples is difficult. Rodent models offer advantages including accurately timed pregnant tissues and genetically altered models. Determining the material properties of the mouse cervix, however, is challenging because of its small size and complex geometry. The aim of this study is to quantify cervical material property changes in a normal mouse pregnancy using a microstructurally-inspired porous fiber composite model. We mechanically test intact, whole, gestation-timed mouse cervix by pulling apart tensioned sutures through its inner canal. To interpret our mechanical testing results, we conduct an inverse finite element analysis, taking into account the combined loading state of the thick-walled cylindrical tissue. We fit the material model to previous osmotic swelling data and load-deformation data from this study using a nonlinear optimization scheme, and validate the model by predicting a separate set of deformation data. Overall, the proposed porous fiber composite model captures the mechanical behavior of the mouse cervix in large deformation. The evolution of cervical material parameters indicates that in a normal mouse pregnancy, the cervix begins to soften between day 6 and day 12 of a 19-day gestation period. The material parameter associated with the collagen fiber stiffness decreases from 3.4 MPa at gestation day 6 to 9.7e−4 MPa at gestation day 18, while the ground substance stiffness decreases from 2.6e−1 MPa to 7.0e−4 MPa. Statement of Significance Accelerated cervical remodeling can lead to extremely premature births. Little is known, however, about the material property changes of the cervix in pregnancy because pregnant human tissue samples are limited. Rodent models overcome this limitation and provide access to gestation-timed samples. Measuring the material property changes of the mouse cervix in pregnancy is challenging due to its small size and complex geometry. Here, we establish a combined experimental and modeling framework. We use this framework to determine the cervical material property changes throughout a normal mouse pregnancy. We present our experimental methods for mechanically testing whole, intact cervical tissue samples. We fit a porous fiber composite material model to the mechanical data and show that the mouse cervix begins to soften between day 6 and day 12 of a 19-day gestation period.
Absorption of Drugs Through the Oral Mucosa. II

SummaryThe ratios of sublingual doses to similarly effective subcutaneous doses have been described for 4 drugs. These approximate ratios are as follows : Cocaine, 2; diacetylmorphine, 3; thebaine, greater than 4; emetine, greater than 6.
1010 A TEN YEARS EXPERIENCE WITH REGIONALIZED NEONATAL CARE

The Wisc. Perinatal Care Program including 6 regional centers has been functioning for over 10 years. Regionalization has offered educational enhancement to community health providers and allowed high risk mothers and infants more uniform exposure to intensive care and therapeutic advances. To assess the program's efficacy, we evaluated state mortality rates and compared these to national statistics. While the Wisc. birth rate of LBW infants has remained constant (6-7%), the death rate for these neonates decreased 32.7% over the survey period. Reflecting increased center utilization, 57% of neonatal deaths occurred in tertiary centers in ′74, as opposed to only 20% in ′68. Over the 10 yrs, the death rate during the first 24 hrs has decreased by 43% and during the first week by 36.1%. The decremental trend for Wisc. general and disease specific meonatal death rates has consistently surpassed national norms. Deaths/1000 live births due to HMD/RDS have continued to fall despite persistent high national trends. Further, Wisc. was unique among states with > 50,000 births/yr in showing decreasing HMD/RDS death rates between ′68-′73. Maintenance of low, declining neonatal mortality rates and consistent reduction in deaths from major causalities with a marked shift in timing and place of death, establishes the positive influence of regionalized care.
Peace Problems of Today and Yesterday

The wars which are now drawing to a close can be compared to the Thirty Years War (1618–48), the War of the Spanish Succession, which really began in 1688 and lasted until 1713, and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars (1789–1815). Each of these wars lasted thirty years or slightly less, and if we begin the present war in 1914, it already has become a fourth thirty-years war. All of these wars left problems which had aspects in common. In all, there was the problem of returning to the ways of peace, of settling boundaries and governments, of reconstruction, and of maintaining a stable international order. But in each successive war the area involved was larger, the number of participants in the peace was greater, their economic relationships were more pervasive, and a more intensive international political organization was attempted. At Westphalia in 1648, the effort was rather to establish the independence of states than to organize their interdependence. The ancient structure of the Holy Roman Empire and the universal spiritual authority of the Papacy were crumbling. The national independence of Switzerland and of the Netherlands and the virtual independence of the states of Germany were recognized. The notion of the sovereign territorial state, so different from the conception of a feudal hierarchy which had dominated medieval thinking, took root in men's minds and was promoted by the administration of efficient governments beginning to realize the possibilities of building power upon national sentiment.
Abstract A9: UDP-glucuronosyltransferase 2B7 (UGT2B7) inhibits melanoma invasiveness

The UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) family of enzymes catalyzes the glucuronidation of a variety of endogenous compounds such as bilirubin and steroid hormones, as well as xenobiotics including chemotherapeutic agents and environmental carcinogens. Glucuronidation of these substrates inactivates them by making them more hydrophilic and easily excreted. UGTs are expressed primarily in the liver, but are also expressed in several extrahepatic tissues including prostate, breast, colon, lung, brain, kidney, bladder, and ovary. However, there have been no reports measuring UGTs in melanocytes or melanoma. We screened several primary melanocyte cultures from neonatal foreskin as well as several primary and metastatic melanoma cell lines for UGT expression by RT-PCR. Three UGT family members, UGT2B7, UGT2B10, and UGT2B15, were found to be expressed in melanocytes. Interestingly, of all the melanoma cell lines screened only WM115, a primary melanoma, had UGT expression. Again, only UGT2B7, UGT2B10, and UGT2B15 were detected. UGT expression was not detected in another primary melanoma cell line, WM3211, or in any metastatic melanoma cell line assayed suggesting that loss of UGT expression occurs during melanoma progression. Knockdown of UGT2B7 in WM115 cells using shRNA resulted in a 2.6-fold increase in invasiveness as measured by migration through Matrigel. Conversely, stable expression of UGT2B7 in the metastatic melanoma cell line SKmel28 (which lacks UGT expression) resulted in dramatic reduction of invasiveness. Furthermore, treatment of SKmel28 cells stably expressing UGT2B7 with β-estradiol (a competitive inhibitor of UGT2B7) restored invasiveness of this cell line to parental levels. Thus, glucuronidation prevents invasiveness in melanoma. Taken together, we hypothesize that the observed loss of UGT expression is required for melanoma progression and that preventing the loss of UGT expression may be a viable strategy for melanoma chemoprevention. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(12 Suppl):A9.
Asymptotic estimates for Gagliardo-Nirenberg embedding constants

Sharp asymptotic information is determined for the Gagliardo–Nirenberg embedding constants in high dimension. This analysis is motivated by the earlier observation that the logarithmic Sobolev inequality controls the Nash inequality. Moreover, one sees here that Hardy's inequality can be interpreted as the asymptotic limit of the logarithmic Sobolev inequality.
Design of a Novel Laplacian Electrode and Its Application in Brain-Computer Interface

In order to enhance the classification accuracy of brain-computer interface(BCI),a novel tri-polar concentric ring Laplacian electrode is designed.This electrode can measure the fourth order approximation of Laplacian electroencephalogram(LEEG)directly and have the characteristic of high spatial resolution and good spatial selectivity.Based on nine-point surface Laplacian potential estimation method,the principle of direct measurement of the tri-polar concentric ring Laplacian electrode is deduced.The comparison experiment,which use the tri-polar concentric ring Laplacian electrode and normal EEG electrode respectively in a left-right hand motor-imagery based BCI,was carried out.The results showed that the tri-polar concentric ring Laplacian electrode can not only increase the classification accuracy prominently but also operate easily,which reveals great value in many applications.
Sampling strategies in a statistical approach to clinical classification

This paper studies the sampling strategies for the Expert Network (EexNet), a statistical learning system used for patient record classification at the Mayo Clinic. The goal is to achieve high accuracy classification at an affordable computational cost in very large applications. The learning curves of ExpNet were observed with respect to the choice of training resources, the size, vocabulary coverage and category coverage of a training set, and the category distribution over training instances. A method combining advantages of different sampling strategies is proposed and evaluated using a large training corpus. As a result, Expert Network has achieved its nearly-optimal classification accuracy (measured by average precision) using a relatively small training set, with a fast real-time response which satisfies the needs of human-machine interaction.
Online Learning: Strategies for Pedagogical Retooling

Higher education can be conceptualized as a partnership between the learner and the institution. However, this may necessitate changes in practice, such as the development of flexible learning models to accommodate individuals from a range of backgrounds and life circumstances, particularly those traditionally excluded from higher education. Flexible modes of learning may encounter resistance or fail to deliver expected outcomes, however, thus limiting adoption. Pedagogical retooling can address this. This paper reviews the current status of one type of flexible deliveryâonline learningâin terms of stakeholder views, the need for continued institutional responsiveness, and pedagogical strategies that support desired outcomes. The latter includes pedagogical training that involves implementing elements of effective course design, simulating the student learning experience, forming communities of practice, and sustaining practice with follow-on support.
Problems of Maternity in Adolescents.

The pregnancy rate among teenagers has increased overall in the past years in most industrial countries, especially in urban population. The aim of our study was to estimate the incidence of adolescent deliveries in Szczecin population and to analyze problems associated with maternity in teenagers (adolescent childbearing).The study population consists of 90 teenagers, the control group contains 2707 adult women delivered between Jan. 1, 2000 and Dec. 31, 2000 at two Obstetrics Clinics of Pomeranian Academy of Medicine and Municipal Hospital in Szczecin. Data on outcomes for children of adolescents were obtained from hospital documentation and anonymous questionnaires. Findings show that newborns of adolescents suffer many negative complications and problems and that pregnancy in adolescents is a clear risk for abnormal outcomes. Special programs for pregnancy prevention and intervention in adolescents should be prepared.