Images of women in eighteenth century English chapbooks, from banal bickering to fragile females

Eighteenth-century English chapbooks, an under-examined historical source, provide a rich panoply of images presented for popular consumption in cheap, ephemeral books. As part of popular culture, this humble literature changed over the course of the century. Of interest here are the images presented to women during this most significant century of chapbooks. Those of earlier decades retold traditional fairy tales and legends and reprinted jest books. In addition, there is a recurring strand of bickering and humorous exchanges between men and women. Ballads that depicted conjugal and marital relationships often found their way into chapbooks, and other chapbooks borrowed from and embellished upon the ballad tradition. Laments of domineering women, advice about consuming creatures, and lists of aggravated complaints present fresh and direct commentaries across the centuries upon the vagaries of everyday life;By about 1750, however, the contents in many chapbooks duplicated the emerging novel\u27s themes of fragile and dependent females. By 1790 there are two other discernible trends produced by the cultural wars of that decade. \u27Fulminations and polemics\u27 written by disgruntled men railed against the behavior of women. There was a fine line between the tilt toward misogynistic complaints or pent-up tensions and frustrations. The other trend, resulting from the promises of reform and emancipation celebrated heroic women who displayed unusual valor in battle;The final chapters compare the activities of a female Robinson Crusoe, a resourceful woman with the hero of Daniel Defoe\u27s 1719 epic. The saga of Mary Jane Meadows provides us with another perspective on gender. It also promotes another perspective on the novel, since many post-1750 chapbooks followed the style and content and borrowed their techniques. Like novels of this century, introspection and an emphasis on the individual clearly mark Meadows\u27 account of personal struggle. A comparison of the elements of religion, government, the state of nature, and technology reveal the impact of gender. Clues within the text led to the conclusion first that the story was written by Charlotte Smith, a literary figure of some reputation. Although only circumstantial evidence leads to that conclusion, the evidence is compelling;These many chapters are offered as cultural studies of eighteenth century popular culture. Certainly trends in this humble literature deserve analysis, but a strand of linear progress cannot be contemplated. The shift from fresh and open exchanges to flat displays of female dependence suggests that the vitality of the Oral Tradition was another element of the \u27world we have lost\u27 when print became the dominant mode of expression

Prenatal cannabinoid exposure and early language development

IntroductionThe effect of prenatal cannabis exposure (PCE) on childhood neurodevelopment remains poorly understood. There is a paucity of studies describing the neurodevelopment impact of PCE in infancy. The Mullen Scale of Early Learning (MSEL) is a cognitive screening tool that can be used from birth to 68 months and includes language and motor domains. Here we aim to explore the association between PCE during pregnancy and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 12 months of age.MethodsParticipants were pregnant persons/infant pairs enrolled in The Safe Passage Study, a large prospective cohort study. Inclusion criteria included data available on PCE with associated MSEL scores at 12 months of age. Exposed participants were defined as early exposure (1st trimester only) or late exposure (2nd or 3rd trimester) and were randomly matched with unexposed participants. Multiple linear regression models were performed to test associations between prenatal cannabis exposure and the five Mullen subscales: gross motor, fine motor, expressive language, receptive language, and visual reception.ResultsSixty-nine exposed and 138 randomly matched unexposed infants were included in the analyses. Mothers of children with PCE were younger with the mean age 23.7 years for early exposure (n = 51) and 22.8 years for late exposure (n = 18). Maternal characteristics with prenatal cannabis use include a high-school education, American Indian or Alaska Native descent, lower socioeconomic status and co-use of tobacco. There were no gestational age or sex difference among the groups. Expressive (95% CI: 2.54–12.76; p = 0.0036,) and receptive language scores (95% CI: 0.39–8.72; p = 0.0322) were significantly increased between late-exposed infants compared to unexposed infants following adjustment for covariates. Gross motor scores (95% CI: 1.75–13; p = 0.0105) were also significantly increased for early-exposed infants with no difference in visual reception scores.ConclusionPreclinical studies have shown abnormal brain connectivity in offspring exposed to cannabis affecting emotional regulation, hyperactivity, and language development. Results from this study link PCE to altered early language development within the first year of life. Exposed infants demonstrated increased expressive and receptive language scores at 12 months of age, which can translate to better performance in school. However, further research is needed to determine the implications of these results later in childhood

Nationally Representative Estimates of Serum Testosterone Concentration in Never-Smoking, Lean Men Without Aging-Associated Comorbidities

Context Testosterone deficiency prevalence increases with age, comorbidities, and obesity. Objective To inform clinical guidelines for testosterone deficiency management and development of targets for nonpharmacologic intervention trials for these men, we determined serum testosterone in never-smoking, lean men without select comorbidities in nationally representative surveys. Design Setting Participants We used cross-sectional data for never-smoking, lean men ≥20 years without diabetes, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, stroke, or cancer, without use of hormone-influencing medications, and participated in morning sessions of National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III (phase I 1988-1991) or continuous NHANES (1999-2004). By age, we determined median total testosterone (ng/mL) measured previously by a Food and Drug Administration-approved immunoassay and median estimated free testosterone concentration. Results In NHANES III, in never-smoking, lean men without comorbidities, median (25th, 75th percentile) testosterone was 4% to 9% higher than all men-20 to 39 years: 6.24 (5.16, 7.51), 40 to 59: 5.37 (3.83, 6.49), and ≥60: 4.61 (4.01, 5.18). In continuous NHANES, in never-smoking, lean men without comorbidities, levels were 13% to 24% higher than all men-20 to 39 years: 6.26 (5.32, 7.27), 40 to 59: 5.86 (4.91, 6.55), and ≥60: 4.22 (3.74, 5.73). In never-smoking, lean men without comorbidities, median estimated free testosterone was similar to (NHANES III) or slightly higher than (continuous NHANES) in all men. Conclusions These nationally representative data document testosterone levels (immunoassay) in never-smoking, lean men without select comorbidities 30 and 15 to 20 years ago. This information can be incorporated into guidelines for testosterone deficiency management and used to develop targets for nonpharmacologic intervention trials for testosterone deficiency

An Evaluation of Commonly Used Surrogate Baseline Creatinine Values to Classify AKI During Acute Infection.

INTRODUCTION: Classification of acute kidney injury (AKI) requires a premorbid baseline creatinine, often unavailable in studies in acute infection. METHODS: We evaluated commonly used surrogate and imputed baseline creatinine values against a "reference" creatinine measured during follow-up in an adult clinical trial cohort. Known AKI incidence (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes [KDIGO] criteria) was compared with AKI incidence classified by (1) back-calculation using the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) equation with and without a Chinese ethnicity correction coefficient; (2) back-calculation using the Chronic Kidney Disease-Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation; (3) assigning glomerular filtration rate (GFR) from age and sex-standardized reference tables; and (4) lowest measured creatinine during admission. Back-calculated distributions were performed using GFRs of 75 and 100 ml/min. RESULTS: All equations using an assumed GFR of 75 ml/min underestimated AKI incidence by more than 50%. Back-calculation with CKD-EPI and GFR of 100 ml/min most accurately predicted AKI but misclassified all AKI stages and had low levels of agreement with true AKI diagnoses. Back-calculation using MDRD and assumed GFR of 100 ml/min, age and sex-reference GFR values adjusted for good health, and lowest creatinine during admission performed similarly, best predicting AKI incidence (area under the receiver operating characteristic curves [AUC ROCs] of 0.85, 0.87, and 0.85, respectively). MDRD back-calculation using a cohort mean GFR showed low total error (22%) and an AUC ROC of 0.85. CONCLUSION: Current methods for estimating baseline creatinine are large sources of potential error in acute infection studies. Preferred alternatives include MDRD equation back-calculation with a population mean GFR, age- and sex-specific GFR values corrected for "good health," or lowest measured creatinine. Studies using surrogate baseline creatinine values should report specific methodology

Chimeric NKG2D receptor-bearing T cells as immunotherapy for ovarian cancer. Cancer Res

Abstract Despite advancements in the treatment of ovarian cancer, this disease continues to be a leading cause of cancer death in women. Adoptive transfer of tumor-reactive T cells is a promising antitumor therapy for many cancers. We designed a chimeric receptor linking NKG2D, a natural killer (NK) cellactivating receptor, to the CD3Z chain of the T-cell receptor to target ovarian tumor cells. Engagement of chimeric NKG2D receptors (chNKG2D) with ligands for NKG2D, which are commonly expressed on tumor cells, leads to T-cell secretion of proinflammatory cytokines and tumor cytotoxicity. In this study, we show that >80% of primary human ovarian cancer samples expressed ligands for NKG2D on the cell surface. The tumor samples expressed MHC class I-related protein A, MICB, and UL-16 binding proteins 1 and 3. ChNKG2D-expressing T cells lysed ovarian cancer cell lines. We show that T cells from ovarian cancer patients that express chNKG2D secreted proinflammatory cytokines when cultured with autologous tumor cells. In addition, we show that chNKG2D T cells can be used therapeutically in a murine model of ovarian cancer. These data indicate that treatment with chNKG2D-expressing T cells is a potential immunotherapy for ovarian cancer. [Cancer Res 2007;67(10):5003-8

The Grizzly, September 22, 1989

Kane Claiming Greeks Shall Survive • Olin Noise Annoys All • Letters: Boot Booze Begs Senior; Rovers Rotten • DiFeliciantonio: A Mouthful • McNulty Directs Residents • Surprise, surprise! UC Stomps Swarthmore • Ursinus Closes Gap with F&M Diplomats • Commentary; Why Bush War Can\u27t be Won; HPER Lab a Strong Addition • Intramurals: Full Steam Ahead! • One Giant Step • Sports Summary • Pledging: End of an Era? • BWC Causes Electrical Overloadhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1241/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, October 13, 1989

Berman Opening Draws Near • Sculptor Chadwick Visits UC • Frats Angered • Letters: Grizzly, Get on the Ball!; Shape up!; Dump Starkist! • Michener Opens Museum • Swarthmore, Hopkins Defeated • V-Ball Wins • Hockey Squad Beats Nationally Ranked Teams • 1989 Candidates for Homecoming Queen • Soccer Looks to Future • Wagner Runs Wild • Athletes of the Week • Control Pledging Power Abuses • The Wismer Beastieshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1243/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, September 15, 1989

Greek Golden Age Growing Dark • U.C. Slasher Case Finally Closed • Letters: Physics Major Majorly Miffed; Wismer Eggs on Disgusted Diner • SAO Makes Room for Zimmer • Go Abroad: It\u27s Worth It • Mann\u27s Soda Can Hit with Crowd • Bears Upset Hoyas in Season Opener • Grizzlies Take Tourney with Defense • V-ball: Victors! • Endurance is Key • Athletes of the Week • Pledging: Git! • Myrin Booking • Lucas Heads Frosh Seminar • Dumas: Cook of Monte Cristo • Smith Donation • Freshmen Make Necessary Adjustmentshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1240/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, September 8, 1989

Hudson Gets $ Flowing • Earth Day Seed Planted • French Studies Papa\u27s Notes • Lopez Lures Listeners • Kruse Spot to Dawleys House • Presidential Candidates • Victory at GB Classic • Captains Lead Attack • Gros Sets Goals • Quest Continues • V-ball: Ichiban! • Coaches Added • Optimistic Lady Bears Start Season • Beaches No Bumshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1239/thumbnail.jp