cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Opioid analgesics and heroin: Examining drug misuse trends among a sample of drug treatment clients in Kentucky

Abstract Background In an effort to mitigate Kentucky's prescription drug misuse, legislative intervention efforts were introduced in 2012 and 2013 to better regulate pain clinics, prescribed use of opioid analgesics, and to expand the monitoring of opioid prescriptions. The focus of this paper is primarily on opioid analgesics and heroin and the relationship of use/misuse patterns of these drugs to state drug policy initiatives. Methods A secondary data analysis of drug treatment clients (N=52,360) was conducted to project illicit drug use trends in Kentucky. This study describes temporal and geographic trends of self-reported illicit drug use among individuals in state-funded treatment in Kentucky between fiscal year 2010 and fiscal year 2013. Results Significant reductions in the prevalence of illicit opioid use, declined from fiscal year 2010 to fiscal year 2013 (p Conclusions Findings suggest Kentucky's legislative efforts were effective in reducing illicit prescription opioid use, but heroin use has increased. One possible explanation for this relationship is that as prescription opioids became more difficult to obtain, users turned to heroin as a substitute. The finding of rising heroin use suggests a need for further policy initiatives to reduce heroin use, but the potential effectiveness of this policy remains unclear. Understanding trends may help to guide future policy efforts and pain management treatment strategies to where they might have their greatest impact.
Alterations in Glenohumeral Forces Following Rotator Cuff Injury and Repair

Objectives:Rotator cuff repair is associated with an unusually high incidence of osteoarthritic changes and cartilage damage in the glenohumeral joint. Such degeneration may be secondary to imprope...
Microwave disinfection as a treatment for blackwater from dewatered sludge

Background: Fast and efficient on-site treatment of blackwater, rejected from the dewatering process, can decrease the costs associated with disposal of fecal sludge removed from pit latrines by reducing the volume of sludge transported to the disposal site. Methods: In this study, we examine the potential use of low cost consumer microwave units for disinfecting pathogen-rich blackwater. Domestic bench top microwave units were modified to allow flow through and re-circulation of blackwater. Energy, throughput, and disinfection characteristics related to microwaves are studied and compared to conventional thermal heating. A custom flow through stack of 5 microwaves was designed and used to examine the feasibility of single pass, high throughput application. Results and Conclusions: The results show microwave energy does not play a role in the disinfection of blackwater. The benefits of a microwave disinfection system are shown to be high energy efficiency, compact size, and cost efficiency.
Diagnosis and Management of Active Intracranial Atherosclerotic Disease: A Case Study

A 68-year-old man with a past medical history of hypertension and hyperlipidemia was admitted with dizziness and right-sided weakness. Neurological examination revealed mild right hemiparesis but was otherwise normal. The initial brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was negative for any acute abnormalities; magnetic resonance angiography showed irregularity of the right intracranial vertebral artery with mild stenosis (Figure 1A). A follow-up brain MRI confirmed a left pyramidal stroke. He was discharged to an inpatient rehabilitation facility on aspirin and high-intensity statin therapy. Figure 1. A , Magnetic resonance angiography of the head showing atherosclerotic changes in both vertebral arteries more prominent on the right (blue arrow). B , Diffusion-weighted imaging sequence showing an acute left cerebellar infarct (blue arrow). C , Magnetic resonance angiography of the head showing worsening atherosclerotic disease in right vertebral artery (blue arrow) and occlusion of the left vertebral artery (black arrow). D , Diffusion-weighted imaging sequence showing an acute left cerebellar infarct and a right occipital infarct (blue arrow). One year later, he was admitted for transient visual distortion and dizziness which lasted 15 minutes. Neurological examination noted mild right hemiparesis with no other new findings. MRI brain revealed a small acute left cerebellar infarct (Figure 1B) and magnetic resonance angiography of the head and neck demonstrated worsening atherosclerosis in the right intracranial vertebral artery with severe stenosis and interval occlusion of the left intracranial vertebral artery (Figure 1C). Aspirin was switched to clopidogrel monotherapy and statin therapy was maintained. Two days after discharge, he was readmitted for transient dizziness and imbalance lasting 30 minutes. His examination had returned to baseline on hospital arrival. Repeat MRI of the brain showed new small acute bilateral cerebellar infarcts and a punctate right occipital acute infarct (Figure 1D). Magnetic resonance angiography of the …
The acute effects of resistance exercise on affect, anxiety, and mood – practical implications for designing resistance training programs

Research in aerobic exercise has linked the affective responses (pleasure–displeasure) experienced during exercise to future exercise participation. While this is yet to be confirmed in anaerobic a...
Exploration of the nanomedicine-design space with high-throughput screening and machine learning

Only a tiny fraction of the nanomedicine-design space has been explored, owing to the structural complexity of nanomedicines and the lack of relevant high-throughput synthesis and analysis methods. Here, we report a methodology for determining structure-activity relationships and design rules for spherical nucleic acids (SNAs) functioning as cancer-vaccine candidates. First, we identified ~1,000 candidate SNAs on the basis of reasonable ranges for 11 design parameters that can be systematically and independently varied to optimize SNA performance. Second, we developed a high-throughput method for making SNAs at the picomolar scale in a 384-well format, and used a mass spectrometry assay to rapidly measure SNA immune activation. Third, we used machine learning to quantitatively model SNA immune activation and identify the minimum number of SNAs needed to capture optimum structure-activity relationships for a given SNA library. Our methodology is general, can reduce the number of nanoparticles that need to be tested by an order of magnitude, and could serve as a screening tool for the development of nanoparticle therapeutics.
Multimodality Hyperpolarized C-13 MRS/PET/Multiparametric MR Imaging for Detection and Image-Guided Biopsy of Prostate Cancer: First Experience in a Canine Prostate Cancer Model

To assess whether simultaneous hyperpolarized C-13 magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS)/positron emission tomography (PET)/multiparametric magnetic resonance (mpMR) imaging is feasible in an orthotopic canine prostate cancer (PCa) model using a clinical PET/MR system and whether the combined imaging datasets can be fused with transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) in real time for multimodal image fusion-guided targeted biopsy of PCa. Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee approval was obtained for this study. Canine prostate adenocarcinoma (Ace-1) cells were orthotopically injected into the prostate of four dogs. Once tumor engraftment was confirmed by TRUS, simultaneous hyperpolarized C-13 MRS of [1-13C]pyruvate, PET (2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG), [68Ga]NODAGA-SCH1), and mpMR (T2W, DWI) imaging was performed using a clinical PET/MR system. Multimodality imaging data sets were then fused with TRUS and image-guided targeted biopsy was performed. Imaging results were then correlated with histological findings. Successful tumor engraftment was histologically confirmed in three of the four dogs (dogs 2, 3, and 4) and simultaneous C-13 MRS/PET/mpMR was feasible in all three. In dog 2, C-13 MRS showed increased lactate signal in the tumor (lactate/totalC = 0.47) whereas mpMR did not show any signal changes. In dog 3, [18F]FDG-PET (SUVmean = 1.90) and C-13 MRS (lactate/totalC = 0.59) showed elevated metabolic activity in the tumor. In dog 4, [18F]FDG (SUVmean = 2.43), [68Ga]NODAGA-SCH1 (SUVmean = 0.75), and C-13 MRS (Lac/totalC = 0.53) showed elevated uptake in tumor compared to control tissue and multimodal image fusion-guided biopsy of the tumor was successfully performed. Simultaneous C-13 MRS/PET/mpMR imaging and multimodal image fusion-guided biopsy is feasible in a canine PCa model.
In the Shadow of Crisis: Dance and Meaning in the Anthropocene

This chapter is a phenomenological exploration of dance as a mode of reflecting on and responding to environmental crisis. From 2015 to 2016, I engaged in a one-year, daily practice of dancing, photographing and removing trash from the Wissahickon Park, a woodland that stretches for several miles through northwest Philadelphia. During that time, my affective and spiritual connection to the park deepened, giving rise to a consideration of dance as an ethical practice with potential to renew and renegotiate human-nonhuman relations in the Anthropocene. In this account, I bring my emerging dance-based ethical inquiry into dialog with more-than-human philosophical frameworks proposed by Karen Barad and Shigenori Nagatomo.
A theoretical framework for investigating the context for creating employment success in information technology for individuals with autism

There is limited research that addresses the inclusion of individuals with autism in the workforce. Autism employment in information technology (IT) is a new phenomenon and there is no established theory to draw from to investigate this phenomenon. In this paper, we review the existing literature on autism employment and present a theoretical framework to study information technology workplace readiness to equitably include individuals with autism. Our proposed framework extends Annabi and Lebovitz’s organizational interventions mitigating individual barriers theoretical framework to include Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behavior constructs. The framework will contribute to advancing the knowledge and understanding of the needs of individuals with autism, the knowledge and attitudes of neurotypical information technology employees, and organization and employment characteristics. Ultimately, this work will lead to discoveries that broaden participation of individuals with autism in the information technology industry and beyond.
IRS Looks Closely at Independent Contractors

The IRS is using various tools to attack the status of various so-called 'outside consultants" being used by hospitality firms. This article will provide some planning tips so that the hospitality firm can minimize its chances of having workers reclassified as employees.
The role of T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase in epithelial carcinogenesis

T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TC-PTP, encoded by PTPN2) is a nonreceptor PTP that is most highly expressed in hematopoietic tissues. TC-PTP modulates a variety of physiological functions including cell cycle progression, cell survival and proliferation, and hematopoiesis through tyrosine dephosphorylation of its target substrates, such as EGFR, JAK1, JAK3, STAT1, and STAT3. Studies with whole or tissue-specific loss of TC-PTP function transgenic mice have shown that TC-PTP has crucial roles in the regulation of the immune response, insulin signaling, and oncogenic signaling. More recently, the generation of epidermal-specific TC-PTP-deficient mice for use in multistage skin carcinogenesis bioassays demonstrated that TC-PTP suppresses skin tumor formation by negatively regulating STAT3 and AKT signaling. Further investigation showed that TC-PTP also minimizes UVB-induced epidermal cell damage by promoting apoptosis through the negative regulation of Flk-1/JNK signaling. These findings provide major evidence for a tumor suppressive function for TC-PTP against environment-induced skin cancer. Here, we will discuss TC-PTP, its substrates, and its functions with an emphasis on its role in skin carcinogenesis.
Unitary Equivalence to a Complex Symmetric Matrix: Geometric Criteria

Wedevelop several methods, based on the geometric relationship between the eigenspaces of a matrix and its adjoint, for determining whether a square matrix having distinct eigenvalues is unitarily equivalent to a complex symmetric matrix. Equivalently, we characterize those matrices having distinct eigenvalues which lie in the unitary orbit of the complex symmetric matrices.
Capabilities and Universalism – An Empirical Examination: The Case of the Ultra-Orthodox Community

Can the existing capabilities lists be said to be universal? This question was examined using in-depth interviews of ultra-Orthodox Jews in Israel based on the assumption that a community whose nor...
Population Pharmacokinetic Analysis of Dalteparin in Pediatric Patients With Venous Thromboembolism

This article describes the population pharmacokinetics (PK) of dalteparin in pediatric patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE). A prospective multicenter open-label study was conducted in children who required anticoagulation for the treatment of VTE. The study population included children with and without cancer. The goal was to describe the pharmacokinetics of dalteparin using anti-Xa as a surrogate marker and to determine the dose required to achieve therapeutic anti-Xa levels (0.5-1.0 IU/mL). The anti-Xa data were supplemented with 2 published studies and analyzed using population pharmacokinetic approaches. The pharmacokinetics of dalteparin following subcutaneous injection in pediatric patients was described by a 1-compartment model with linear absorption and elimination. Body weight was added as a covariate on both CL/F and Vd/F as a power function with fixed exponents of 0.75 and 1.0, respectively. The estimates of CL/F and Vd/F in the full model were 929 mL/h and 7180 mL, respectively, for a reference female patient aged 12 years with body weight of 43 kg. Body weight-normalized CL/F decreased with age. Cancer status and sex did not have significant effects on CL/F and Vd/F. Simulations were conducted to select starting doses of dalteparin that would rapidly achieve therapeutic anti-Xa levels. These simulations suggested that the recommended starting doses of dalteparin administered subcutaneously in pediatric patients of different age cohort groups for treatment of VTE were 150 IU/kg every 12 hours (1 month to <2 years), 125 IU/kg every 12 hours (≥2 to <8 years), and 100 IU/kg every 12 hours (≥8 to <19 years).
Chapter 4.1.3 – The Past and Future of S-Matrix Theory

Publisher Summary The “diagrammatic” framework of S-matrix theory is provided by the unitarity equations. In its purest form, the S-matrix theory establishes those analyticity properties of the S matrix that can be based on physical principles clearly formulated separately from the field theory. The chapter presents a heuristic way to develop a diagrammatic expansion that is connected to the Feynman diagram expansion. It is required to write the S matrix as S = 1 + R+ and its Hermitian conjugate as S+ = 1 - R-. Scattering processes can be described by a Landau diagram. The Landau equations for a given Landau diagram are the set of conditions for all internal loops of the diagram. The set of external momenta that satisfies the complete set of equations provides the Landau singularity corresponding to the diagram. The set of all physical region (+α) Landau diagram thresholds is the minimal set of singularities that an analytic scattering amplitude must have.
osr1 maintains renal progenitors and regulates podocyte development by promoting wnt2ba through antagonism of hand2

Knowledge about the genetic pathways that control renal cell lineage development is essential to better understand the basis of congenital malformations of the kidney and design regenerative medicine therapies. The embryonic zebrafish kidney, or pronephros, contains two nephrons that are conserved with humans. Recently, the transcription factors Osr1 and Hand2 were found to exert antagonistic influences to balance kidney specification (Perens et al., 2016). Here, we performed a forward genetic screen in zebrafish to identify nephrogenesis regulators, where whole genome sequencing of the novel oceanside (ocn) mutant revealed a nonsense mutation in osr1. ocn mutants evince severe pronephros defects including abrogation of podocytes and proximal tubule cells. Our studies reveal that osr1 is not needed to specify renal progenitors, but rather required to maintain their survival. Additionally, osr1 is requisite for expression of the canonical Wnt ligand wnt2ba, where wnt2ba is expressed in the intermediate mesoderm (IM) and later restricts to podocytes. Deficiency of wnt2ba reduced podocyte progenitors, where overexpression of wnt2ba was sufficient to rescue the podocyte lineage as well as osr1 loss of function. Finally, we demonstrate that reciprocal antagonism between osr1 and hand2 mediates podocyte development specifically by controlling wnt2ba expression in the IM. Together, our data show that Osr1 is essential for a sequence of temporal functions that mediate the survival and lineage decisions of IM progenitors, and subsequently the maintenance of podocytes and proximal tubule epithelium in the embryonic nephron.
Burden of Future Liver Abnormalities in Patients With Intrahepatic Cholestasis of Pregnancy.

INTRODUCTION There are limited data on the incidence, predictors, and time to future liver abnormalities in patients with intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy (ICP). METHODS Single-center retrospective study of pregnant women with and without ICP who delivered from 2005 to 2009 evaluating incidence and time to future liver abnormalities. Women returning for care with liver function tests at a minimum of 6 months postpartum were included. Liver disease diagnoses and liver functions test abnormalities were compared. Time to development of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) >25 U/L, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) >140 U/L, and diagnosis of liver disease (through imaging or clinical evaluation) were compared between women with and without ICP using Kaplan-Meier methods and Cox regression models. RESULTS A total of 255 women with ICP and 131 age-matched control subjects with delivery during the same period were identified. Subjects in both groups were similar in follow-up time, age at pregnancy, prepregnancy body mass index, and ethnicity (≥75% were Hispanic in both groups). On univariate analyses, ICP was associated with increased incidence of ALT >25 U/L P 140 U/L (P 25 U/L (hazard ratio [HR] 1.9, P 140 U/L (HR 3.4, P < 0.01), and liver disease (HR 1.5, P = 0.05). DISCUSSION In our cohort of urban women, ICP diagnosis predicted risk of future liver disease and abnormal liver tests. Women with pregnancies complicated by ICP may benefit from surveillance for postpartum liver abnormalities.
Human-Cow Interactions:

W.D. Hoard, founder of Hoard's Dairyman, wroteover a 100 years ago that people working with dairy cowsshould have patience and kindness, and that rough treatmentdecreases the flow of milk. People who enjoy workingwith animals will have more productive animals.7 Jack Albright, Professor Emeritus at Purdue University, stated years ago that tame dairy cows that will approach people will give more milk. People have known for a long time that rough handling and stress is detrimental to dairy cattle, but some people have forgotten W.D. Hoard's wisdom. In fact the highest producing dairy in Colorado milks only twice a day, uses no growth hormone and has tame cows that will approach people. Researchers have used statistical methods to determine the powerful negative effects of rough handling.14 Shocking or hitting a cow can reduce milk yield by 10%. Paul Hemsworth in Australia has found that cows that are fearful of people are less productive. Fear of people was measured on 14 dairy farms by measuring how close the cows would approach people. On dairies where cows had a large flight zone, there was significantly less milk production.6 Cows that avoided people and became restless when a person was nearby had lower milk production. Observation at a large dairy indicated that tame cows in a special research unit gave more milk. Breuer et al. (1997) found that dairy heifers that were slapped repeatedly before and after milking had reduced milk yield. Seabrook also demonstrated the beneficial effects of gentle treatment.16 Dairy cows that were slapped gave 13% less milk than cows that were gently stroked. People need to talk quietly to cattle. Yelling and whistling increased a cow's heartrate more than the sound of a gate slamming.17 Hemsworth and Coleman (1998) have authored an excellent book which outlines all the studies showing the beneficial effects of good stockmanship on farm animal productivity.
Defending understanding-assent links

Several recent epistemologists have used understanding-assent links in theories of a priori knowledge and justification, but Williamson influentially argued against the existence of such links. Here I (1) clarify the nature of understanding-assent links and their role in epistemology; (2) clarify and clearly formulate Williamson’s arguments against their existence; (3) argue that Williamson has failed to successfully establish his conclusion; and (4) rebut Williamson’s claim that accepting understanding-assent links amounts to a form of dogmatism.
Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in a Very Young Person.

Background and Objectives Sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (sCJD) is the most common form of human prion disease and typically occurs in middle to late life. sCJD in early adulthood is extremely uncommon. The purpose of this report is to raise awareness of cases of sCJD in young patients that are not associated with a genetic mutation or acquired prion disease risk factors. Methods We describe the clinical presentation, diagnostic workup, and postmortem examination of a 22-year-old man with sCJD. Results The patient presented with a rapidly progressive neurocognitive disorder consisting of early and prominent psychiatric symptoms. CSF real-time quaking-induced conversion (RT-QuIC) was indeterminate, and brain MRI was suggestive of prion disease. Neuropathologic examination and the absence of a genetic mutation and acquired prion disease risk factors resulted in a final diagnosis of sCJD. Conclusion Although extremely rare, sCJD can occur in young people and should be considered in the setting of rapidly progressive neuropsychiatric conditions. Postmortem examination is required to diagnose the type of prion disease and remains important to surveil for known and potentially novel acquired prion diseases.
Uncertainty Bounds in Parameter Estimation with Limited Data

Consider the problem of determining uncertainty bounds for parameter estimates with a small sample size of data. Calculating uncertainty bounds requires information about the distribution of the estimate. Although many common parameter estimation methods (e.g., maximum likelihood, least squares, maximum a posteriori, etc.) have an asymptotic normal distribution, very little is usually known about the finite-sample distribution. This paper presents a method for characterizing the distribution of an estimate when the sample size is small. The approach works by comparing the actual (unknown) distribution of the estimate with an “idealized” (known) distribution. Some discussion and analysis are included that compare the approach here with the well-known bootstrap and saddlepoint methods. Example applications of the approach are presented in the areas of signal-plus-noise modeling, nonlinear regression, and time series correlation analysis. The signal-plus-noise problem is treated in greatest deta il; this problem arises in many contexts, including state-space modeling, the problem of combining several independent estimates, and quantile calculation for projectile accuracy analysis.
Implementation of a bowel regimen protocol in critically ill children: A pilot study.

No studies have evaluated the outcomes of a bowel regimen (BR) in critically ill children receiving enteral nutrition. In fall 2010, a comprehensive feeding protocol and BR protocol were initiated in our institution. Six age-based BR protocols were developed, each of which included a four-step approach. This retrospective study evaluated children
Propranolol in Children: Safety-Toxicity

Four hours after acute ingestion of 400 to 1,200 mg of propranolol by a healthy, 3-year-old boy, his plasma concentration of propranolol was 2,289 ng/ml. The only pharmacologic effect observed was a diminished heart rate response to crying and activity. In a second case, a 4-year-old boy on chronic propranolol therapy for renovascular hypertension had a hypoglycemic seizure when solid food was refused for three days because of an oral wound. The hypoglycemia was easily managed with intravenous glucose, and there were no sequelae. The first case alludes to the safety of propranolol in a healthy child even with very high plasma concentrations. The second case suggests the necessity of anticipating and avoiding hypoglycemia that can develop in children on chronic propranolol therapy when caloric intake is impaired.
Mechanism of rising on the toes.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to elucidate the mechanics of rising on the toes: a topic which has been controversial for more than a century. A new instrumentation for determination of the location of the gravitational line was developed. Instead of spring scales it employed strain gauges, connected with an oscillograph which automatically recorded, on paper, changes in the partial weight of the subject. The instant of heel rise was also automatically recorded. Subjects were tested barefoot, and in wooden sandals with a knife edge attached near the front end. Each test was repeated 10 times. Electrical stimulation of the calf muscles of a man in standing position caused a backward fall, indicating that these muscles do not lift the heels; and, therefore, a lever of the second class is not involved. Instead, the muscles that cause dorsiflexion of the feet contract and shift the center of gravity over the fulcrum (the metatarsal heads) and lift the heels. This is a function of a first class lever. ...
Electric fields and electrostatic potentials in the high latitude ionosphere

Ion drift velocity measurements from the Atmosphere Explorer-C satellite have been used to derive curves of electrostatic potential for high latitude segments of the satellite’s orbit. The potential curves are shown to be useful in interpreting the character of the global electrostatic potential pattern, particularly with respect to the separation of different convective spells. Results for six orbits are presented with emphasis upon the mid-day auroral region.
Proliferation of human malignant melanomas is inhibited by antisense oligodeoxynucleotides targeted against basic fibroblast growth factor.

Abstract Human malignant melanomas, unlike normal melanocytes, can proliferate in the absence of exogenous basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF). Exposure of primary melanomas in the vertical growth phase and metastatic melanomas to antisense oligodeoxynucleotides targeted against three different sites of human bFGF mRNA inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation in soft-agar. In contrast, exposure of human bFGF sense or antisense oligonucleotides complementary to human beta-nerve growth factor or insulin-like growth factor I mRNA had no such effects. These experiments indicate that activation of the bFGF gene may play an important role in the progression from melanocytic precursor lesions to malignant melanoma.
Remote sensing of forested wetlands: Application of multitemporal and multispectral satellite imagery to determine plant community composition and structure in southeastern USA

A hierarchical classification of forested wetland communities was developed for the lower Roanoke River floodplain of northeastern North Carolina, USA, through the use of multitemporal and multispectral satellite digital data. Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images from different seasons (March–April, May–June, July–August) throughout a single year were used to exploit the phenological variability of forest communities for generating a landcover classification of ecologically important vegetation types within the floodplain. A hierarchical classification scheme was developed that relied upon customized spectral `feature sets' of Landsat TM bands and their transformations to generate the classified images for each level of the forest community classification scheme. The objective was to enhance the discrimination of the community types at subsequent levels of the hierarchical classification scheme through different spectral inputs from the assembled satellite time series in conjunction with detailed floristic information collected though in-situ methods. As such, general landcover classes were iteratively reclassified into more detailed classes at correspondingly `deeper' levels or nodes in the hierarchy. Vegetation classes included 21 forest communities and several other ecologically important classes in the study area. The integration of detailed field data permitted spatially-explicit and highly descriptive definitions of the forest types occurring within the floodplain. Additional field data were used to validate the compositional and structural characteristics of the mapped plant communities described by the classification scheme. Use of fuzzy set theory in the accuracy assessment provided details on the magnitude and direction of errors in the classification, and permitted ecological interpretation of those errors. The application of fuzzy set concepts to the mapping of bottomland forest communities is significant because these forests typically exhibit substantial variation in species composition and support diverse canopy dominants. Unlike the discrete classification assessments that are traditionally employed, fuzzy sets report accuracy according to the degree of correctness of a mapped class. By this method, the natural variability of the forest communities can be reported relative to a continuous scale ranging from full membership, to partial membership, to zero membership. Using the most stringent rules for class membership, the classification was 92.1% accurate, but was 96.6% accurate when fuzzy (transitional) relationships between forest types were considered. Diagnostic statistics indicated the magnitude of classification correctness and the degree of confusion and/or ambiguity for classes at various levels of the classification scheme. Assessing classification accuracy through a continuous scale of membership simulated the natural variability and transitional nature of the forested wetland communities within the study area.
Appropriation and the Body: Representation in Contemporary Black Brazilian Art

In reflecting on the past and present, some contemporary Black Brazilian artists working in the secular field have identified similarities between themselves and previous generations of Africans in Brazil, based on their shared experiences of racial and sexual discrimination. Artists Eustaquio Neves and Rosana Paulino create works with historical and contemporary references that highlight past and current power imbalances in Brazilian society and seek to correct them. These artists appropriate what have traditionally been White “spaces of control” in their country and confront contemporary race-related social challenges by creating in their work alternative depictions of Africans and African descendents in Brazil. Through their representations, Neves and Paulino infuse their own and other Black bodies with meaning and respect and show that they, too, have been challenged but not broken by the struggles they have faced in their lifetimes.
Discretization scale dependencies of the ensemble flow range versus catchment area relationship in distributed hydrologic modeling

Summary Earlier research results have shown that the range of the ensemble flow simulations from a well-validated operational hydrologic model possesses a well-defined log-linear relationship to catchment area for which the ensembles are generated. The ensemble range is a function of both parametric and rainfall input uncertainty. In this paper the sensitivity of this scaling relationship for simulation uncertainty to the numerical discretization scale of the distributed model is quantified when the model is driven by WSR-88D (NEXRAD) radar data and for two catchments in the south-central United States. The distributed model used is subcatchment (rather than pixel) based, has components that are based on operational models employed in the US National Weather Service, and has been validated for the two application catchments of this work as part of the Distributed Model Intercomparison Project (DMIP). The approach taken develops a new parsimonious model for spatially correlated radar-rainfall errors with radar-pixel error variance that depends on the magnitude of the observed rainfall. Monte Carlo methods are used to translate parametric and radar-rainfall input uncertainty to ensemble flow simulations at a number of subcatchments of varying size. Selected events in the period from May 1993 to July 1999 were analyzed. The results confirm that the ensemble flow range is dependent on subcatchment scale with a well-defined log-linear relationship for both application catchments. This finding holds for all uncertainty scenarios examined and across all the scales of distributed model discretization. It is further found that a higher model discretization leads to a shorter range of simulation uncertainty for subcatchment spatial scales that are substantially larger than the average subcatchment size. Flow simulation uncertainty that is due to either parametric or input uncertainty alone scale in a way that is similar to the combined uncertainty scaling.
Nucleotide sequence of the 3' terminus of E. coli 16S ribosomal RNA.

The 3′-terminal T1 oligonucleotide of E. coli 16S ribosomal RNA has been sequenced, using U2 and silkworm nucleases, and was found to be A-U-C-A-C-C-U-C-C-U-U-AOH. This result is discussed in view of previously reported conflicting sequences and with respect to suggested functional roles for this region of 16S RNA.
Elevated temperature ductility minimum in Hastelloy alloy X

In a critical temperature range, usually centered about 1400°F., most nickel-base superalloys exhibit a minimum in ductility. In this investigation, metallographic, X-ray, damping, and scanning electron micrography studies have been made on Hastelloy alloy x, a typical solid solution strengthened superalloy. All studies indicate that extensive carbide precipitation, which depletes the lattice of solid solution strengthening elements, occurs in this alloy during plastic deformation at elevated temperatures. On the low temperature side of the minimum, the matrix is strong enough to compel grain boundaries to shear in response to the applied stress, causing severe localized plastic flow and intergranular fracture, thus decreasing the apparent total ductility of the material. Above the minimum ductility temperature, grain boundary shear is still occurring, but the matrix is so depleted in strengthening elements by precipitation that extensive intergranular flow occurs, causing an increase in ductility once again.
An ultrasonic technique for the measurement of adhesion of asphalt to aggregate

An ultrasonic technique was developed to measure the adhesion of asphalt to aggregate. Eight different asphalts were tested in combination with two aggregates. Very reproducible values of the adhesion forces were obtained (95% confidence limits within 10% of the mean for most asphalts). No significant differences in the measured adhesion forces were observed for the various asphalts on each aggregate, but statistically significant differences (>95% confidence based on the Student's t-test) were observed between the two aggregates for each asphalt. This observation is in general agreement with trends in measured heats of bonding of asphalts with aggregates, which show a significant variation with aggregate for a given asphalt but not much variation with asphalt for a given aggregate. The measured adhesion forces (based on the apparent planar area of the test sample) were of the order of 107 N m-2. The ability of the technique to distinguish between different materials is very encouraging and suggests that ...
Energetics of Large-Scale Motion in the Tropics During GATE at 250 mb

Abstract Use is made of a mixture of observing bases to provide a data set for the global tropics. This data set allows a reasonably good delineation of the tropical motion field at three levels, 200. 250 and 300 mb. An iterative procedure, used to initialize the Florida Side University multilevel primitive equation prediction model, is used to obtain potential fields which provide a temperature field at 250 mb. The kinematic method is used to obtain vertical motion fields. Computations have been carried out for the conversion of available potential energy to kinetic energy for the first 15 wavenumbers at 250 mb. The largest conversions occurred for wavenumbers 1 and 2. Computations were also carried out for the wave-wave and wave-zonal-trasnfers of available potential energy and kinetic energy at same level. When these waves are divided into the three groups, long, medium and short, the results show that in the intergroup interactions for APE, the long waves receive energy from the shorter scale waves, w...
Macular pigment optical density at four retinal loci during 120 days of lutein supplementation

Background: Increased consumption of lutein and zeaxanthin has been shown to increase macular pigment optical density (MPOD) in some individuals. Most interventions either obtained infrequent measures of MPOD or measured MPOD at a single retinal locus. Purpose: The aim of this study was to measure acute changes in MPOD at four retinal loci during lutein intervention. Methods: For 120 days, three subjects consumed 30 mg of lutein and 2.7 mg of zeaxanthin supplement per day. MPOD was measured with heterochromatic flicker photometry at 20′, 30′, 60′ and 120′ eccentricity three or four times per week. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to measure serum carotenoid concentrations in blood samples collected at baseline and at 30-day intervals. Results: At the two most central loci, MPOD significantly increased in all three subjects with a mean change of approximately 0.09 log units at 20′ eccentricity and 0.08 log units at 30′ eccentricity. MPOD significantly increased in two subjects at 60′ eccentricity, and in one subject at 120′ eccentricity. The increases in MPOD appeared to be linear and continued after treatment was ended. In all three subjects, log sensitivity at the reference locus decreased linearly. Serum lutein and serum zeaxanthin increased from baseline, reaching peak concentrations after 30 days of supplementation. Conclusion: The changes in MPOD suggest that carotenoid deposition occurs linearly and may be biased towards the central retina. Further, carotenoid deposition may occur outside the central fovea in interventions with pharmacological doses of carotenoid, resulting in underestimations of psychophysical measures of MPOD.
Current Perspectives on Rotator Cuff Anatomy

Understanding the anatomy of the rotator cuff and the surrounding structures that influence its function is essential to treating rotator cuff disease. During the past decade, advances in basic science and surgical technology have improved our knowledge of this anatomy. This review article presents the current concepts on rotator cuff anatomy and how they should be used in the surgical management of rotator cuff tears.
Impedance spectroscopy coupled with voltammetry for quantitative evaluation of temperature and voltage dependent parameters of a silicon solar cell

Abstract The techniques of linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and impedance spectroscopy (IS) are combined to study the detailed temperature and voltage dependencies of a range of performance-indicator parameters of a mono-crystalline n+–p Si solar cell. The complex nonlinear least square fitting procedure is employed for quantitative evaluation of the IS data. The underlying mechanisms of the observed temperature/voltage sensitive characteristics of the cell are examined using a collection of currently available theoretical models. The individual roles of minority carrier diffusion and defect-induced charge recombination are manifested in the voltage and temperature dependent signatures of the measured cell parameters. These parameters include the transition layer capacitance and built-in potential of the n+–p interface, the acceptor concentration in the base, the series, shunt and recombination resistances, and the effective diode ideality factor.
Signaling via Histidine-Containing Phosphotransfer Proteins in Arabidopsis

The Arabidopsis genome encodes a number of proteins with similarity to two-component phosphorelay signaling elements, including hybrid receptor histidine kinases, two classes of response regulator proteins (type-A and type-B ARRs) and a family of six histidine-containing phosphotransfer proteins (AHPs), five of which contain a conserved His residue that is required for phosphorelay signaling. The current model for cytokinin signaling includes a multistep phosphorelay: three histidine kinases and at least five type-B ARRs have been shown to act as positive regulators of cytokinin signaling, while a number of type-A ARRs, and AHP6, act as negative regulators of the pathway. In our recent Plant Cell paper, we provided genetic evidence that at least four AHPs can act as positive regulators of cytokinin signaling, affecting responses to cytokinin in the root and the shoot. In this addendum, we discuss the role of AHPs in cytokinin signaling and speculate on their potential interactions with other signaling pat...
Radiation Treatment Strategies in Patients Undergoing Breast-Conserving Surgery

Breast-conserving therapy offers patients an oncologically sound opportunity to cure their cancer, preserve their breast, and maintain an excellent quality of life. Historically, radiation delivered as a component of breast-conserving therapy required up to 7 weeks of daily treatment after surgery, exacting a burden both on individual patients and the health-care system as a whole. In the past several years, new strategies have emerged which seek to retain the benefits of breast-conserving therapy but decrease the burden of protracted radiation courses. These strategies include omission of radiation in selected patients, hypofractionated whole-breast irradiation, and accelerated partial-breast irradiation, which can be delivered using multicatheter interstitial brachytherapy, single-entry catheter-based brachytherapy, external beam techniques, proton therapy, or intraoperative techniques. The promise and potential problems with these newer radiation strategies are discussed herein, with guidance provided as to the appropriate application of these techniques in clinical practice.
Pertussis and cholera toxins modulate κ-opioid receptor agonists-induced hypothermia and gut inhibition

In mice pretreated intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) with either saline (10 microliters/mouse), pertussis (1 microgram/mouse) or cholera (2.5 micrograms/mouse) toxins, effect of kappa-opioid receptor agonists on the colonic temperature and charcoal meal transit time were assessed. The kappa-opioid receptor agonist, trans-(+)-3,4-dichloro-N-methyl-[2-(1- pyrrolidinyl)cyclohexyl]-benzeneacetamide methane sulfonate hydrate (U-50488H, 50, 100 and 200 micrograms/mouse, i.c.v.) produced dose dependent hypothermia. Pertussis toxin pretreatment (72 and/or 144 h before) antagonized (P < 0.05) the hypothermic effect of U-50488H (100 micrograms/mouse) and (+)-trans-N-methyl-N-[2-(1- pyrrolidinyl)cyclohexyl[benz[b]-thio-phene-4-acetamide (PD 117302, 30 micrograms/mouse). In contrast, cholera toxin pretreatment (48 and/or 96 h before) did not antagonize the hypothermic effect of the kappa-opioid receptor agonists. Moreover, both i.c.v. and intrathecal (i.t.) administration of kappa-opioid receptor agonists, U-50488H, }[5R-(5 alpha,7 alpha,8 beta)]-(+/-)-N-methyl-N-[7-(1- pyrrolidinyl)-1-oxaspiro[4,5]dec-8-yl]-benzeneacetamide? (U-69593) and PD 117302, produced dose dependent inhibition of the charcoal meal transit. Cholera toxin pretreatment (48 and 96 h before) augmented (P < 0.05) the antitransit effect of i.c.v. administered U-50488H (100 micrograms/mouse), U-69593 (100 micrograms/mouse) and PD 117302 (50 micrograms/mouse). However, pertussis toxin pretreatment did not affect the gastrointestinal inhibitory effect of the kappa-opioid receptor agonists. The present results extend our previous results on the effect of kappa-selective agonists on gastrointestinal motility and indicate, like the prototype opiate agonist morphine, kappa-opioid receptor agonists are effective in inhibiting the gastrointestinal motility when administered either by intrathecal or intracerebroventricular routes.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Measures of deviant behavior, activity level, and self-concept for educable mentally retarded-emotionally disturbed students.

Measures of deviant behavior, activity level, and self-concept were obtained from a sample of 39 mentally retarded-emotionally disturbed special education students. They were predominantly black and came from lower socioeconomic families. Means and standard deviations as well as intercorrelations for the three measures are reported. Measures of test-retest (about six months) and interrater (teacher-aide) reliability are also reported. Compared to other samples, the measure of deviant behavior is relatively high while the measure of self-concept is relatively low. Generally the measure of deviant behavior was positively correlated with activity level and negatively correlated with self-concept. Reasonable test-retest and interrater reliability was obtained on the measures of deviant behavior and activity level while the self-concept reliability was relatively low. The relatively long time and the differential experience of the raters probably contributed to some of the modest correlations.
Heterogeneity of osteoporotic syndromes and the response to calcitonin therapy.

In the past, the osteoporotic syndrome has been variably classified as “senile,” “postmenopausal,” “involutional,” “Type I,” and “Type II,” primarily on the basis of age, fracture incidence patterns, and/or fracture sites. Histological analyses of bone biopsy specimens from osteoporotic individuals also reveal a wide spectrum of cellular activity and rates of bone formation and resorption. These range from those that show an abundance of osteoblasts and osteoclasts with increments in both bone formation and bone turnover (i.e., “active” or “high-turnover” osteoporosis) to others demonstrating minimal cellular activity and relatively little active bone formation or resorption (“inactive” or “low-turnover” osteoporosis). The varied states of bone activity are reflected in associated changes in noninvasive biochemical markers of bone turnover such as circulating bone-gla-protein (BGP) or the urinary hydroxyproline/creatinine ratio (OH−Pr/Cr). Both BGP and OH−Pr/Cr are elevated in patients with high-turnover osteoporotic syndromes. The significance of this mode of categorizing osteoporotic patients is exemplified by the response to remedial therapy such as salmon calcitonin. Recent studies demonstrate a striking sensitivity of patients with high-turnover osteoporosis to calcitonin, with as much as 22% increments in vertebral bone mass recorded during a 12-month therapeutic interval. These promising results should also be compared with other forms of therapy in which an increase in vertebral bone mass of only 7–8% was sufficient to cause a significant decrease in the incidence of vertebral fracture rates.