cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
USING SOCIAL INDICATORS TO ESTIMATE COUNTY-LEVEL SUBSTANCE USE INTERVENTION AND TREATMENT NEEDS

This study describes the development of a model for estimating county-level substance use intervention and treatment needs using social indicators. Forty-five indicators conceptually related to substance misuse were reduced through factor analysis. Logistic regression models were then developed using selected indicators to predict service needs. The following variables were significant predictors of substance use intervention and treatment needs: the percent of the population who is male aged 15 to 34, urbanicity, and population density. The results suggest that substance misuse may be successfully modeled by a few easy to obtain and reliably measured variables describing the population characteristics of local communities.
Membrane skeleton involvement in cell fusion kinetics: a parameter that correlates with erythrocyte osmotic fragility

Spectrin levels in erythrocytes have been related to several biomechanical and biophysical membrane properties essential to the survival and function of the cell. Populations of erythrocytes display a natural and finite range of sensitivities to osmotic shock that has been directly correlated, in studies from other laboratories, to the presence of spectrin. We used a procedure to isolate subpopulations of 1) the osmotically most sensitive and 2) the osmotically most resistant erythrocyte membranes in an attempt to select for membranes enriched and depleted in spectrin (and/or a related component). The mechanical function of the spectrin-based membrane skeleton was further explored in these two subpopulations by searching for any effect on the time-dependent increase in fusion zone diameter in pairs of electrofused erythrocyte ghosts as a model for cell fusion. The results clearly show that the diameter expansions in fusions of membranes from osmotically resistant erythrocytes are faster in the early stage (up to 9 to 10 s after fusion) but do not thereafter expand as far as in fusions of membranes from osmotically sensitive membranes.
Description and Effects of Sequential Behavior Practice in Teacher Education.

Abstract This study examined the effects of a sequential behavior feedback protocol on the practice-teaching experiences of undergraduate teacher trainees. The performance competencies of teacher trainees were analyzed using an alternative opportunities for appropriate action measure. Data support the added utility of sequential (Sharpe, 1997a, 1997b) behavior analysis information in systematic observation approaches to teacher education. One field-based undergraduate practicum using sequential behavior (i.e., field systems analysis) principles was monitored. Summarized are the key elements of the (a) classroom instruction provided as a precursor to the practice teaching experience, (b) practice teaching experience, and (c) field systems observation tool used for evaluation and feedback, including multiple-baseline data (N = 4) to support this approach to teacher education. Results point to (a) the strong relationship between sequential behavior feedback and the positive change in four preservice teachers...
Fifth digit measurement in normal pregnancies: a potential sonographic sign of Down's syndrome

The objective of the study was to obtain measurements of the fetal fifth finger, as a basis for further studies and for future comparison with fetuses with Down's syndrome. The study group included 173 karyotypically normal fetuses at 15–23 weeks' gestation. Routine biometric measurements were obtained on all, including biparietal diameter (BPD), femoral length (FL) and humeral length (HL), and the length of the fetal fifth finger. Linear growth of the fifth finger was observed across the range of gestational ages (GA), and a linear correlation was shown to exist between the length of the fifth finger and gestational age (y = −7.804 + 0.9079 × GA; r = 0.923; p < 0.0001), biparietal diameter (y = −3.7010 + 0.3043 × BPD; r = 0.913; p < 0.0001), femoral length (y = −0.0983 + 0.3406 × FL; r = 0.926; p < 0.0001), and humeral length (y = −1.3453 + 0.3982 × HL; r = 0.929; p < 0.0001). These results provide normative data of the length of the fetal fifth finger across a range of gestational ages. These data may provide an additional screening parameter for the prenatal detection of Down's syndrome. Copyright © 1995 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology
A graphical representation for a statistical test of average equivalence and variance comparison with process data

This paper provides a graphical approach for presenting results of a statistical test of average equivalence with process data. In addition, a graphical representation of process change in variance is presented. An example from the biopharmaceutical industry is provided to illustrate the information contained in the chart. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Down-regulation of ζ-chain expression in T cells: a biomarker of prognosis in cancer?

The ζ chain is a 16-kDa molecule associated with the T-cell receptor (TCR)-CD3 complex in T lymphocytes and FcγRIII in CD3−CD56+CD16+ natural killer (NK cells). The ζ chain functions as a transmembrane signaling molecule in lymphocytes. Expression of ζ was found to be decreased in CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes isolated from the tumor site or from the peripheral circulation of patients with cancer. A quantitative flow cytometry–based assay for ζ-chain expression allows for reproducible serial evaluations of disease- or therapy-associated changes in expression of this signaling molecule in phenotypically defined subsets of immune cells. Semiquantitative evaluation of ζ expression in paraffin-embedded tissue specimens can link it to the conventional markers of prognosis or survival. Several distinct mechanisms may be responsible for decreased/absent ζ in T cells of patients with cancer. Monitoring for ζ expression is useful for assessing immune competence in these patients and for following changes in immune competence during anticancer therapies. Correlations made between clinical findings, pathologic results, and ζ expression in immune cells suggest that low/absent ζ is predictive of poor prognosis and survival in patients with cancer. Thus, ζ is emerging as a clinically relevant signaling molecule, which also seems to predict a favorable response to biologic therapies and could be helpful in a selection of patients for immunotherapy trials. Validation studies have yet to be performed for this putative immunologic biomarker. Its consistent use for monitoring under standardized conditions of cancer patients treated with biotherapies may help in confirming a role for ζ as a correlate of prognosis or survival.
Tensile Strength Test of PTFE Sew Filter Bag Line

The Passage mainly based on the tensile strength test of PTFE sew filter bag line in conditions of normal temperature, at 160°C, 180°C, 200°C respectively heating 10min and heating 24h that make conclusion of temperature, heating time and working environment on the performance of PTFE tensile breaking strength, so as to provide a basis for the PTFE sew filter bag lines work condition.
The Economic Benefits of Elk Viewing at the Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area in Oregon

In this study a travel cost model is used to estimate the value of elk viewing at the Jewell Meadows Wildlife Area in Oregon. Jewell Meadows was originally established to provide winter browse and supplemental feeding for elk to reduce damage to nearby agricultural and forest land. However, because visitors are virtually guaranteed the opportunity to see large numbers of elk at close range, Jewell Meadows has also become a popular wildlife viewing site. We estimated total access value for the 2007 winter feeding season to be $6.5 million, which exceeds Jewell Meadows' annual operating budget of approximately $200,000. Results suggest that visitors highly value the assured wildlife viewing that Jewell Meadows offers.
Pharmacokinetic profile of a new anticonvulsant, stiripentol, in the rhesus monkey.

Stiripentol is a new anticonvulsant drug derived from phenyl-l-pentene-ol. One of its metabolites resulting from opening of the methylenedioxy ring also possesses anticonvulsant activity. This study undertook to define the overall pharmacokinetic profile of stiripentol in rhesus monkey prior to its efficacy evaluation. The experimental design included six treatments (three intravenous doses of 40, 80, and 120 mg; one oral dose of 80 mg; and two intraperitoneal doses of 80 and 120 mg) administered to five chaired rhesus monkeys in a randomized fashion. Sixteen plasma samples were obtained over 7 h and urine was collected for 24 h. A high-performance liquid chromatography assay was developed for the determination of stiripentol in plasma and urine (C8 reverse phase column and UV detection, lambda = 254 nm). The intravenous data revealed multiexponential behavior and therefore noncompartmental methods were used to describe the pharmacokinetics of stiripentol. Values for plasma clearances (L/h/kg) were 1.10 +/- 0.07 (40 mg), 0.92 +/- 0.08 (80 mg), and 0.86 +/- 0.15 (120 mg). The decrease in clearance with dose provided evidence of nonlinearity. The average mean residence time was 1.09 +/- 0.03 h. The average volume of distribution at steady state was 1.03 +/- 0.3 L/kg. The bioavailabilities obtained for the oral and intraperitoneal doses were consistent with first-pass effect predictions: 0.3 (oral), 0.32 (i.p. 80 mg), and 0.34 (i.p. 120 mg). The free fraction determined by equilibrium dialysis was less than 1%. The fraction of dose excreted unchanged in urine ranged between 0 and 3%. The metabolite with anticonvulsant activity could not be detected in plasma with any of the modes of administration. However, it was found in urine and accounted for 2% of the dose. The fraction metabolized by glucuronidation was 34.8 +/- 9.1%. The percentages of total amount of glucuronide excreted in the intervals 0-2, 2-4, 4-8, and 8-24 h were 70.6 +/- 6.2, 10.1 +/- 5.4, 13.6 +/- 5.1, and 5.7 +/- 3.1%. These findings suggested that the terminal phase was not associated with elimination but rather with drug distribution.
Second breakdown of vertical power MOSFET's

It is shown that a phenomenon of second breakdown similar to that in bipolar transistors can occur in vertical power MOSFET's. A model for the phenomenon of second breakdown involving the avalanche multiplication of the channel current, the parasitic bipolar transistor, and base resistance is proposed. After presenting the theory, this model is compared with experiments on four-terminal V-groove test devices in which the substrate can be accessed independently. Good agreement is achieved between calculated and measured boundaries of the safe operating area. The model should be applicable to DMOS devices as well.
Design of a Bone-Attached Parallel Robot for Percutaneous Cochlear Implantation

Access to the cochlea requires drilling in close proximity to bone-embedded nerves, blood vessels, and other structures, the violation of which can result in complications for the patient. It has recently been shown that microstereotactic frames can enable an image-guided percutaneous approach, removing reliance on human experience and hand-eye coordination, and reducing trauma. However, constructing current microstereotactic frames disrupts the clinical workflow, requiring multiday intrasurgical manufacturing delays, or an on-call machine shop in or near the hospital. In this paper, we describe a new kind of microsterotactic frame that obviates these delay and infrastructure issues by being repositionable. Inspired by the prior success of bone-attached parallel robots in knee and spinal procedures, we present an automated image-guided microstereotactic frame. Experiments demonstrate a mean accuracy at the cochlea of 0.20 ± 0.07 mm in phantom testing with trajectories taken from a human clinical dataset. We also describe a cadaver experiment evaluating the entire image-guided surgery pipeline, where we achieved an accuracy of 0.38 mm at the cochlea.
Anomalous strong-field ionization of oxygen

Circularly polarized light, does not allow the ionized electron to ever return to the ion core. Thus, to test for dissociative recombination, we measured the ion yields of Xe and O/sub 2/ for both linear and circular polarization. Circular polarization shows almost the same degree of suppression. From this, we conclude that dissociative recombination cannot account for the bulk of the suppression of the O/sub 2/ ion yield. For this and a variety of other reasons, it is becoming increasingly important to have an established model for the tunneling rate of molecules in strong laser fields. To address this problem, we have developed a model to calculate the tunneling rate of an arbitrary one-dimensional potential in a strong electric field. We calculate the spectrum of a potential at a given field strength by choosing an energy and numerically integrating the Schrodinger equation across the potential far enough into the allowed region to where the applied electric field dominates. At this point, the solutions of Schrodinger's equation are the well known Airy's functions. If we simply match to these functions, we can determine the free amplitude of the wavefunction. The square of the ratio of the bound to be free character will give a measure of the bound strength of the wavefunction. Plotting this ratio as a function of energy gives the spectrum of the potential. As expected, the spectrum shows resonance peaks near the zero field bound states, but with nonzero widths from which we can determine ionization rates. Applying this model to Xe and O/sub 2/ confirms the fact that they should have nearly identical ionization rates in a strong laser field. Thus, the large discrepancy in rate clearly points to the existence of new physics in the behavior of molecules in strong laser fields.
Role of interleukin 10 in murine postoperative ileus

Background and aims: Intestinal manipulation triggers an inflammatory cascade within the muscularis causing postoperative ileus (POI). The aim of this study was to investigate the recovery and therapeutic potential of interleukin 10 (IL10) for POI. Methods: POI was induced by bowel surgical manipulation (SM) in wild-type, IL10 –/– and recombinant murine IL10 (rmIL10)-treated mice. Immunohistochemistry localised IL10 in the muscularis externa, histochemistry quantified neutrophil recruitment, and quantitative PCR quantified alterations in mRNA. Luminex multiplex analysis, Griess reaction and ELISA measured proteins, nitric oxide (NO) and prostanoid release from the muscularis externa, respectively, in 24 h organ culture. Gastrointestinal transit and jejunal circular muscle organ bath techniques assessed gastrointestinal function. Results: In IL10 knockouts compared with the wild type, the expression of numerous proinflammatory mRNAs (IL6, IL1β, chemokine C-C motif ligand 2 (CCL2) and haem oxygenase-1) and proteins (IL6, IL1α, IL12, IL17, interferon γ, tumour necrosis factor α, CCL2, interferon-inducible protein-10 and granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)) were accentuated, and release of muscle inhibitors NO and prostanoids was increased; motility never recovered from manipulation and mortality rate was 87.5%. In wild types, complete functional recovery occurred in 7 days with no mortality. SM delay in transit and suppression in jejunal circular muscle contractions were significantly improved by rmIL10 treatment. Upregulation in IL1β, IL6 and CCL2 mRNAs and inflammatory mediators (IL1α, IL6, CCL2, macrophage inflammatory protein-1α, GM-CSF, NO and prostaglandin) after SM were significantly less with rmIL10 treatment, which resulted in a decrease in neutrophil recruitment compared with SM controls. Conclusion: IL10 plays an obligatory role in postoperative intestinal recovery, and exogenous IL10 prevents its development. Pre-emptive exogenous recombinant human IL10 could be a treatment for the prevention of clinical POI.
The Metonymy of Art: Vietnamese Water Puppetry As a Representation of Modern Vietnam

What is the process that makes a specific genre into a symbol of an entire nation? What are the larger issues raised by the metonymy of art? As Vietnam prepares to enter the “world market”, its water puppet theatre enacts rural ideals and socialist ideas.
Ductility of bulk metallic glasses and their composites with ductile reinforcements: A numerical study

Yield behavior of bulk metallic glasses containing voids is elucidated by using unit-cell analyses and the relevant material parameters; and the results are compared with the available constitutive models. These analyses clearly show that caution is needed when transferring the constitutive models associated with void growth and ductile damage in usual metallic materials to bulk metallic glasses, largely because of the different deformation modes in bulk metallic glasses resulting from the pressure dependency of the yield surface and intrinsic softening behavior. With the constitutive model calibrated from the unit-cell analysis, the influences of a wide range of parameters (mechanical properties, volume fraction and morphology of ductile reinforcements) on the ductility of metallic glass composites are explored. The results indicate that, even though the ductile reinforcements may alter the evolution and morphology of the shear bands, the overall failure behavior is still controlled by the metallic glass matrix, leading to very little or no improvement in the composite ductility in comparison to the ductility of metallic glass matrix. The results are compared with experimental studies available in the literature.
Plant and Animal Distribution in Relation to Domestication

Distributions of wild progenitors provide useful information concerning regions of domestication and ecological limits of adaptation of domesticated plants and animals. The evidence, however, must be carefully qualified by: (1) possible changes in climate since the initiation of domestication, (2) the effects of human activities which may either decrease or enlarge the ranges of wild progenitors, (3) the possibility that progenitors have evolved as well as the domesticates, and (4) the possibilities of transdomestication. The distributions of races of domesticated plants and breeds of animals provide useful information on the history and diffusion of domesticates, but patterns of variation differ greatly among species. Variation patterns have been identified that may be termed endemic, semi-endemic, monocentric, oligocentric, or noncentric. Interpretation depends, to a large degree, on an understanding of the processes of domestication.
Mortality Statistics and the Assessment of Risk

For nearly 150 years, mortality statistics have provided the base that epidemiologists have used to quantify and evaluate risk. In early years these derived directly from information recorded on death certificates, which enabled medical statisticians to calculate periodically death rates for various causes of death by sex, age, area of residence and occupation. With time, interest moved from the immediate effects of an occupation to more delayed effects. Mainly as a response to this interest, the last 30 years have seen developments in national record systems that allow epidemiologists to mount prospective mortality studies capable of answering detailed questions about the nature of occupational risks and describing dose-response relations. This paper outlines these developments, thereby providing a background for the following paper, which describes the use of these methods in occupational studies of dose-response relations.
GABA injected into the anterior dorsal tegmentum (ADT) of the midbrain blocks stepping initiated by stimulation of the hypothalamus.

Previous work showed that the activity rates of certain neurons in the anterior dorsal tegmentum ADT of the midbrain correlated with the onset of stepping elicited by hypothalamic stimulation. This study determined if reversible inactivation of the ADT would block . locomotion elicited by hypothalamic stimulation of anesthetized rats urethane, 800 mgrkg . GABA concentrations 0.25-1.0 mgrm li n . saline were injected in 52 sites in 21 rats. GABA at volumes of 0.1 or 0.2 ml blocked hindlimb stepping in 18 cases. Locomotor blocks occurred within 5 min of the injection, and typically recovered within 10-20 min. The effective blocking sites were clustered around the interstitial nucleus of the medial longitudinal fasciculus. Sites more dorsal and more anterior were not as effective as sites in and ventral to this nucleus. The data are consistent with a role for the ADT of the midbrain in locomotor initiation. q 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.
Mytemønster i håndsving- og armsvingfjær hos hubro

Myting av vingefjaer ble studert hos 42 hubroskinn med kjent alder. I sitt andre levear starter hubroene med a myte de tre innerste armsvingfjaerene (S13-15). Neste sommer fortsetter armsvingfjaermytingen utover fra disse, samtidig med at handsvingfjaer P7 mytes. Mange fugler skifter ogsa handsvingfjaer P6 og P8 dette aret. I sin tredje vingefjaermyting (fjerde kalenderar) kan hubroene felle de siste armsvingfjaerene, men de beholder som regel de innerste 2-3 (4) handsvingfjaerene som juvenile. Til og med etter sin fjerde vingefjaermyting i femte kalenderar kan noen hubroer ha noen, eller i det minste en, juvenil vingefjaer tilbake. Siden noen hubroer likevel kan ha skiftet alle juvenile vingefjaer ved fjerde svingfjaermyting, bor hubroer ikke aldersbestemmes pa grunnlag av mytemonster hoyere enn 5K+ pa hosten og 6K+ om varen. Skandinaviske hubroer ser ut til a skifte vingefjaer i langsommere tempo enn andre store ugler.
Some Preliminary Findings of Purchasing Practices in Japan and the United States

This note reports the results of a study of 10 U.S. and Japanese companies with regard to their purchasing practices and vendor/buyer relationships. Particular attention is given to just-in-time practices in the purchasing area.
Executive Compensation in Germany and the U.S. Compared to French Legislation

Numerous scandals over the past 10-20 years, and last but not least the financial crisis, have raised public interest in and the demand for stricter regulation of executive pay in general and compensation packages for departing directors in particular (so-called 'golden parachutes' or 'golden handshakes'). The way courts and policymakers have reacted differ remarkably from one country to the other. In 2007, the French government by voting the 'loi TEPA' was one of the first to try to regulate 'golden parachutes' but the French legislation remains questionable. The analysis of two leading cases, the Delaware Supreme Court decision In re Walt Disney Company Derivative Litigation and the German Mannesmann Case, reveals major differences in corporate law and social attitudes towards executive compensation. Latest trends in France and Germany seem to favor self-regulation and give rise to the question whether it is legally possible and efficient to limit executive compensation through regulation.
Sobre An Ark for the Next Millennium : un bestiario de José Emilio Pacheco

Este articulo muestra como el bestiario pachequiano An Ark for the Next Millenium (1993), edicion bilingue de Album de zoologia, renueva las posibilidades de un genera antiquisimo, cuyo origen se remonta al siglo II o III de nuestra era. Al borde de un nuevo milenio, la literatura parece enriquecerse con la entrada de multiples discursos, y el feroz ataque a un canon que mostraba el envejecimiento y la arbitrariedad de las instituciones del establishment, y por otro lado, parece haber llegado a su maximo nivel de impotencia en cuanto ser vehiculo del pensamiento critico latinoamericano. En este momento de encrucijadas, Pacheco retoma el bestiario para precisamente mostrar que desde la poesia puede producir un pensamiento sobre Latinoamerica y Mexico, en su relacion con la historia de Occidente. La lectura activa de los poemas de animales escritos por Pacheco desde 1968 !leva a Jorge Esquinca, el editor de Album de zoologia, a Margaret Sayers Peden, la traductora a! ingles, y al pintor mexicano Francisco Toledo, el ilustrador de la antologia, a transfomar esos poemas en un area, en una tabla de salvacion de la poesia y por la poesia. La poesia se salva de la impotencia a la que parecia condenada por el predominio de las ciencias sociales como productoras de conocimiento, asi como de caer en el mar sin sentido de las palabras. Y par la poesia salvamos nuestro deseo de eternidad, de renovacion despues de la catastrofe.
Judge John T. Noonan, Jr.: An Introduction

The Eighth Annual John F. Scarpa Conference on Law, Politics, and Culture explored the legacy and career of the Honorable John T. Noonan, Jr.
Estimates of Fluorescence Lifetime of Targets Deeply Embedded in Turbid Medium, a Step to a Functional Imaging of Tissue Abnormalities

A novel method for estimating lifetime of deeply embedded fluorophores, based on scaling relations for photon migration is presented. It is experimentally substantiated for targets embedded in turbid medium, using our lifetime fluorescence imaging system.
Effect of salts and other agents on foot-and-mouth disease virus poly (U) polymerase activity.

The activity of the purified poly (U) polymerase replication complex of foot-and-mouth disease virus was optimized when 100mM NH4+ and either 0.75mM Al3+ or 1.0mM Fe3+ was added to the standard assay reaction mixture. Zn2+ at concentrations of 10−5mM to 5mM inhibited enzyme activity although all polymerases examined to date have contained zinc. Mercaptoethanol and dithiothreitol inhibited polymerase activity despite the presence of cysteine residues in the viral induced polypeptide of the replication complex, possibly because of their action as metal chelators rather than as reducing agents.
Characterization of the megakaryocyte secretory response: studies of continuously monitored release of endogenous ATP.

Megakaryocytes share a number of structural and chemical properties with their progeny, blood platelets. With the availability of highly purified preparations of megakaryocytes isolated from guinea pig bone marrow, it is now also possible to study functional aspects of these cells. The present work reports the first study of the release of endogenously stored materials in megakaryocytes. Guinea pig megakaryocytes isolated to 75%-90% purity were exposed to thrombin or calcium ionophore (A23187) and the release of ATP was continuously monitored with the luciferin-luciferase reaction. Both maximal extent and initial rate of release were studied. Thrombin-induced release was half-maximal at thrombin concentrations of 0.2–0.5 NIH U/ml. At 4 U/ml thrombin, maximal release was 538 +/- 147 nmole ATP/10(9) megakaryocytes. A23187 induced half-maximal responses at concentrations of 7–8 microM. ATP release by ionophore showed a nearly absolute requirement for extracellular calcium, with release by thrombin showing only a partial calcium dependence. Following overnight culture, the response to thrombin was unchanged, whereas ATP release in response to ionophore was consistently increased (p less than 0.01). By comparison of maximally releasable ATP with total cellular ATP content, the storage pool of ATP in megakaryocytes was determined to comprise only 2%-6% of total megakaryocyte ATP, in contrast to an ATP storage pool of 20%-30% in guinea pig platelets. This difference may reflect further entry of ATP into the storage pool compartment or an enhanced ability of the cell to recognize and respond fully to platelet stimuli as the megakaryocyte reaches full maturity.
Cellular basis for burn-mediated cardiac dysfunction in adult rabbits

We have shown that cutaneous burn injury impairs cardiac contractile performance; however, the mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, New Zealand White rabbits were anesthetized with isoflurane,...
A Survey of Sensing Modalities for Human Activity, Behavior, and Physiological Monitoring

In this paper, we present a survey of emerging technologies for non-invasive human activity, behavior, and physiological sensing. The survey focuses on technologies that are close to entering the commercial market, or have only recently become available. We intend for this survey to give researchers in any field relevant to human data collection an overview of currently accessible devices and sensing modalities, their capabilities, and how the technologies will mature with time.
Ron Silliman’s Ketjak beyond programmatism

Ron Silliman’s long prose poem Ketjak (1978) is in part a swan song for 1960s radicalism, and the Fordist regime of capital accumulation undergirding that eras struggles for self-affirmation. In Ke...
Implications of U.S. biofuels policy for sustainable transportation energy in Maine and the Northeast

Abstract Drop-in biofuels that are compatible with the existing vehicle and retail infrastructure continue to receive great attention due to their promise in addressing climate change and energy security concerns stemming from use of petroleum-based fuels. In this paper we discuss current drop-in biofuel production technologies and assess relevant biofuel policies in the U.S., particularly those impacting forest biomass in Maine and the Northeast. In this context, we examine the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) policy and its definition of biomass which favors biomass from plantations regardless of actual ecological impacts on biodiversity, soil and water quality. We argue that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should consider revising the definition of biomass eligible for renewable fuel credits to include sustainably managed natural forests.
School Violence Prevention: Teachers Establishing Relationships with Students Using Counseling Strategies.

Although youth violence rates continue to decrease in the United States, it remains the second leading cause of death for adolescents. Furthermore, school violence remains a sociocultural concern, especially due to increasing media attention. Research consistently indicates that preventing school violence involves measures that go beyond formal protocols. One factor that has emerged from this research is that the quality of relationships between students and teachers, commonly referred to as school connectedness, may have a significant role in preventing school violence. However, there is very little literature that addresses how mental health professionals, such as school counselors, can assist teachers in fostering school connectedness with their students. This article provides a theoretical conceptualization of teacher–student relationship and communication skills that contribute to eventual school violence prevention through the development of school connectedness. The ultimate goal of this theoretica...
Listener estimates of talker age in a single-talker, 50-year longitudinal sample.

Abstract Purpose While many studies have shown that listeners make relatively accurate age judgments from hearing talkers’ voices, most have used just one age per talker. The present study evaluated listeners’ age estimation abilities for a longitudinal sample: a single talker recorded over nearly five decades. Method We extracted 60 samples from addresses given by a male talker over 48 years. For each sample, listeners gave a direct estimate of his age. We also asked listeners if they could identify the talker, who was known locally, from the recordings. Results While correlations between the talker’s chronological age and direct estimates of age were generally strong, the relationship was particularly strong when the talker was older than 68 years, although listeners underestimated chronological age by approximately 5 years. When the talker was between 49 and 68 years, direct age estimates were less accurate and less strongly correlated with chronological age. Additionally, direct age estimates were more accurate when listeners recognized the talker. Conclusions Corroborating cross-sectional studies, our listeners overestimated the talker’s age when he was younger and underestimated it when he was older. However, the crossover between overestimation and underestimation, the point where estimated and chronological ages were equal, occurred at a later talker age for this longitudinal study than in previous cross-sectional studies. Additionally, listeners who recognized the talker made more accurate age estimates when the talker’s chronological age was near the age where they would have known him. We propose future studies explore the relationship between familiarity and estimated age.
Traces of History: Elementary Structures of Race

In light of the recent upsurge in far-right white supremacist politics across Europe and the US, revisiting histories of racism in particular contexts seems imperative. As I write, the events of Au...
Approximate image storage with multi-level cell STT-MRAM main memory

Images consume significant storage and space in both consumer devices and in the cloud. As such, image processing applications impose high energy consumption in loading and accessing the image data in the memory. Fortunately, most image processing applications can tolerate approximate image data storage. In addition, multi-level cell spin-transfer torque MRAM (STT-MRAM) offers unique design opportunities as the image memory: the two bits in the memory cell require asymmetric write current - the soft bit requires much less write current than the hard bit. This paper proposes an approximate image processing scheme that improves system energy efficiency without upsetting image quality requirement of applications. Our design consists of (i) an approximate image storage mechanism that strives to only write the soft bits in MLC STT-MRAM main memory with small write current and (ii) a memory mode controller that determines the approximation of image data and coordinates across precise/approximate memory access modes. Our experimental results with various image processing functionalities demonstrate that our design reduces memory access energy consumption by 53% and 2.3 x with 100% user's satisfaction compared with traditional DRAM-based and MLC phase-change-memory-based main memory, respectively.
Effective Endoscopic Magnet Retrieval in Children

Abstract Background: Children are attracted toward magnets and magnetic toys, but ingestion may cause morbidity, particularly if consumed at separate time intervals. Ingestion of multiple magnets that pass into the intestine may present with an acute abdomen from perforation or fistulization. When multiple magnets are identified in the stomach, expedient endoscopic removal is recommended in case another unrecognized ingestion occurs at a later time. Case 1: A 3-year-old boy ingested two neodymium magnets. These powerful magnets attract with up to 6 pounds of pressure. A radiograph confirmed they were in the stomach. Procedure: Under general anesthesia, an endoscope was passed. The pacemaker magnet was applied to the anterior abdominal wall. The magnets were easily observed, stabilized, and removed with an endoscopic stone extractor. The operative time was 8 minutes. Case 2: A 5-year-old boy ingested 11, 3-mm diameter, rare earth magnets (buckyballs). He presented to the emergency department. Radiographs c...
MULTI-PRED: A Software Module for Predictive Modeling of Coupled Multi-Physics Systems

The software module MULTI-PRED implements the methodology for predictive modeling of coupled multi-physics systems (PM-CMPS) formulated by Cacuci [Ann. Nucl. Energy, Vol. 70, p, 266 (2014)]. This m...
The response of cultured human retinal pigment epithelium to hypoxia: a comparison to other cell types.

Purpose. To characterize the response of cultured human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells to lowered environmental oxygen. Methods. The response of cultured RPE cells to lowered oxygen environments was compared to that of cell types of presumed high (Madin-Darby canine kidney [MDCK] cells, an epithelial cell line) and low (CSF, corneal stromal fibroblasts) aerobic requirements. Cultures in a range of densities were exposed for 7 days to 3%, 8%, or 20% O2 with measurements of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), cell number, and cytochrome oxidase (CO) activity (an enzyme marker of aerobic metabolism). Results. RPE cells had levels of CO activity and total cellular ATP intermediate between those of CSF (low) and MDCK (high) in all oxygen environments. Hypoxia led to modestly lowered ATP pools and CO activity for RPE cells over a wide range of culture densities. Hypoxia induced a greater cell loss in MDCK cells than in RPE cells, and the effects of hypoxia were greater in dense cultures of both epithelial cell types. Hypoxia had little effect on cell number for CSF. Conclusions. The data suggest that cultured RPE cells, though aerobically active, are not as dependent upon oxidative phosphorylation and are more resistant to hypoxia than MDCK cells, a cell type derived from another well-perfused tissue. The authors conclude that RPE cells are unlikely to suffer from hypoxic injury in situ because of a moderate aerobic demand and an abundant oxygen supply. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1994;35:2850-2856. JL he retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), an epithelial monolayer juxtaposed between the choriocapillaris and the neural retina, supports adjacent photoreceptors and is known to be essential for normal visual function. RPE functions include nutrient and ion transport, melanin synthesis, retinol metabolism, and photoreceptor outer segment disc phagocytosis and digestion. 1 These functions require energy, and it has long been postulated that alterations in choroid perfusion may lead to functional impairment in the RPEphotoreceptor complex that result in diseases such as age-related macular degeneration. 2 " 4
Perceptions of Married Women and Married Men with Hyphenated Surnames

A predominately European American sample of 197 middle-class college students rated married women and men with hyphenated surnames on the Big Five personality factors (R. Lippa, 1991), the Personal Attributes Questionnaire (J. T. Spence & R. L. Helmreich, 1978), the adjectives “masculine” and “feminine,” and 12 adjective phrases reflecting different aspects of marriage. Both men and women perceived women and men with hyphenated last names as different from other married people. In comparison with the average married woman, the woman with a hyphenated name was perceived as more friendly, good-natured, industrious, and intellectually curious. She was also perceived as well educated and as more likely to have a career. Men with hyphenated surnames were also perceived as accommodating and good-natured, and viewed as being both nurturing and committed to their marriage. Women and men with hyphenated names were generally perceived as having higher levels of both instrumental and expressive traits than other married people. Women appear to have more positive perceptions than men, particularly of the man with a hyphenated name. The results suggest that college students have generally positive perceptions of married people with hyphenated names.
Mechanical Properties of Mechanical Actuator for Treating Ischemic Stroke

In this paper a novel shape memory polymer (SMP) microactuator for treating ischemic stroke is introduced. This device provides a new treatment modality that could enable significant improvements in therapeutic stroke outcomes, ultimately improving mortality rates and decreasing morbidity, thereby reducing the cost of rehabilitation and improving the quality of life. Using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) to define the thermo-mechanical behavior of SMP, we provide useful information about the polymer structure, conditions for device actuation, and an estimate of the recovery forces the device is capable of delivering during the transition between it's straight and coiled shape. In addition, experimental determination of the maximum amount of pressure and force against which the microactuator coil can hold a clot is reported. The results of these tests establish that the device can successfully hold a clot against forces and pressures well above those expected in physiological systems for clot extraction, rendering it as an exciting new technology for treating ischemic stroke.
Observed Changes in Fracture Strength Following Laser Irradiation and Ion Beam Mixing of Ni Overlayers on Sintered Alpha-SiC

Pulsed laser annealing and ion beam mixing are currently being investigated as surface modification techniques in an attempt to enhance the mechanical properties of poly crystalline α-SiC. Thin Ni overlayers (20nm -100nm) are evaporated onto the SiC surface. The specimens are subsequently irradiated with pulses of a ruby or excimer (KrF or XeCl) laser or bombarded with high energy Si+ or Xe+ ions. Following laser irradiation, the fracture strength of the SiC is increased by as much as ≃50%, but after ion beam mixing, no strength increase is observed. Weibull statistics are used to characterize the SiC fracture strength data before and after surface modification. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (X-TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS), and Rutherford backs cattering (RBS) techniques are used to characterize the modified SiC in order to determine the cause for the increase in fracture strength and the extent of mixing as a result of the surface modification.
Manuales de urbanidad y discursos sobre el ornato en Cuba en el siglo XIX: Hacia un gobierno de los sentidos, el cuerpo y la ciudad

Books of etiquette emerged in Cuba during the nineteenth century as a tool that the creole class used to impose themselves as the model of an imagined national subject. Also known as manuals of urbanity and good manners, these texts projected the aspirations of the creole elite. They served as technologies to craft a kind of body—bourgeois, white, heterosexual, Cuban—molded to inhabit the new urban spatial configurations that the modernizing tendencies of the early century brought forth. I examine the synergistic ways in which manuals of conduct and their driving ideology, urbanity, developed in close relationship with the ornate—another major technology of government and differentiation of bodies through space. Politics of the ornate aimed to transform Havana into an elegant capital which was modern and colonial at once, and make its image “decent,” that is, clean from sensory references to black and female marginal bodies. I examine the discursive connections between the ornate and urbanity to unpack how modern bourgeois respectability was negotiated in a symbolic realm and through the regulation of sensations and emotions. Resumen Los manuales de conducta surgieron durante el siglo XIX cubano como un instrumento de la elite criolla en ascenso, para imponerse como modelo de un sujeto nacional imaginado en construccion. Estos textos, tambien llamados de “urbanidad y buenas maneras” fueron importantes simbolos de las aspiraciones de la elite criolla, en tanto tecnologias para la conformacion de un tipo de cuerpo —burgues, blanco, heterosexual, cubano— moldeado para habitar las nuevas configuraciones espaciales urbanas que trajeron consigo las tendencias modernizadoras de inicios de siglo. El presente articulo examina las formas sinergicas en que los manuales de conducta, y su ideologia motora, la urbanidad, se desarrollaron en estrecha relacion con otra importante tecnologia de gobierno y diferenciacion de cuerpos en el espacio: el ornato. Bajo la premisa de adecentar, las politicas de ornato tenian como objetivo transformar La Habana en una elegante capital, colonial y moderna a la vez, concebida como una imagen limpia de referencias sensoriales a cuerpos negros y femeninos marginales. Al examinar las conexiones discursivas entre el ornato y la urbanidad se evidencian las formas en que la respetabilidad moderna burguesa se negociaba, no solo en un plano simbolico sino tambien a traves de la regulacion de las sensaciones y emociones.
Experiences of African-American men with serious mental illness and their kinship networks within the mental health care system

Informed by the Network-Episode Model, 26 African-American men with serious mental illness and 26 members of their kinship networks completed in-depth qualitative interviews about their exp...
Tailoring Individualized Evaluation of Pediatric Abdominal Pain Using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA): A Pilot Study Testing Feasibility and Acceptability.

Objective:The current study aimed to determine if it was feasible and acceptable to use ecological momentary assessment to assess individual associations between biopsychosocial contributors to chronic abdominal pain with 2 objective sensors and a mobile application. Specifically, we aimed to determ
Clinical approach and review of causes of a chylothorax.

Abstract A chylothorax, also known as chylous pleural effusion, is an uncommon cause of pleural effusion with a wide differential diagnosis characterized by the accumulation of bacteriostatic chyle in the pleural space. The pleural fluid will have either or both triglycerides >110 mg/dL and the presence of chylomicrons. It may be encountered following a surgical intervention, usually in the chest, or underlying disease process. Management of a chylothorax requires a multidisciplinary approach employing medical therapy and possibly surgical intervention for post-operative patients and patients who have failed medical therapy. In this review, we aim to discuss the anatomy, fluid characteristics, etiology, and approach to the diagnosis of a chylothorax.
Positron Lymphography via Intracervical 18F-FDG Injection for Presurgical Lymphatic Mapping in Cervical and Endometrial Malignancies

The presence of metastasis in local lymph nodes (LNs) is a key factor influencing choice of therapy and prognosis in cervical and endometrial cancers; therefore, the exploration of sentinel LNs (SLNs) is highly important. Currently, however, SLN mapping requires LN biopsy for pathologic evaluation, since there are no clinical imaging approaches that can identify tumor-positive LNs in early stages. Staging lymphadenectomy poses risks, such as leg lymphedema or lymphocyst formation. Furthermore, in 80%-90% of patients, the explored LNs are ultimately tumor-free, meaning most patients are unnecessarily subjected to lymphadenectomy. Methods: Current lymphoscintigraphy methods identify only the anatomic location of the SLNs and do not provide information on their tumor status. There are no noninvasive methods to reliably identify metastases in LNs before surgery. We have developed positron lymphography (PLG), a method to detect tumor-positive LNs, in which 18F-FDG is injected interstitially into the uterine cervix on the day of surgery, and its rapid transport through the lymphatic vessels to the SLN is then visualized with dynamic PET/CT. We previously showed that PLG was able to identify metastatic LNs in animal models. Here, we present the first results from our pilot clinical trial (clinical trials identifier NCT02285192) in 23 patients with uterine or cervical cancer. On the morning of surgery, 18F-FDG was injected into the cervix, followed by an immediate dynamic PET/CT scan of the pelvis and a delayed 1-h whole-body scan. Results: There were 3 (15%) node-positive cases on final pathologic analysis, and all of these LNs (including 1 with a focus of only 80 tumor cells) were identified by PLG. There were 2 (10%) false-positive cases with PLG, in which the final pathology of the corresponding SLNs was negative for tumor. Conclusion: This first-in-humans study of PLG in women with uterine and cervical cancer demonstrates its feasibility and its ability to identify patients with nodal metastases and warrants further evaluation in additional studies.
Association of complicated gallstone disease in pregnancy and adverse birth outcomes.

Abstract Background Complicated gallstone disease (CGD) is a common condition requiring intervention during pregnancy to avert adverse birth outcomes (ABO). Methods Cohort study using the California OSHPD 2007–2014 database. Records of pregnant patients were analyzed for gallbladder calculus within four months of delivery. Biliary system interventions were evaluated as the primary exposure. Results Of 7,597 patients, those with CGD had a greater likelihood of biliary system procedures than those with uncomplicated gallstone disease (36.6% vs. 2.5%, p Conclusions The risk of ABO is significantly increased in women with CGD and intervention for gallstones.