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Many longtime revenue cycle leaders can recall a simpler time when insurance companies sold plans that were broadly accepted by providers in their service areas. Back then, hospitals provided services [...]

Do you dread small talk, or do you enjoy lighthearted banter? Do you adore big parties, or would you rather be at home alone? There's no wrong answer to those [...]

Throughout the world, a large portion of wells are on some form of artificial lift, a method of improving production in situations where flow has stopped or decreased. Advancements in [...]

Yellow Perch Perca flavescensare popular sport fish; however, obtaining adequate length data can be problematic during low‐abundance years. Using fish from the sport fishery cleaning stations provides a possible source of data, but fish from this source have already been filleted, making length data questionable, and may not have intact backbones, so lengths cannot be determined. Therefore, we tested if Yellow Perch total length measured from filleted fish are similar to the total length measured before filleting and we also developed regression equations to predict total length from filleted fish length, head length, or mandible lengths and compared their accuracy to known total lengths. Yellow Perch were collected from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources standardized bottom trawl survey. Each fish was measured for total length using a measuring board, and head and mandible lengths were measured with digital calipers. A subset of fish (N= 46) was filleted, and total length was again measured to see if filleting altered length measurements. We used linear regression with 10‐fold cross validation to estimate the total length of Yellow Perch from filleted fish length, head length, and mandible length. Our results show that all three measurements were good predictors (R2> 0.98) of fish total length, with precision being greatest for filleted length, followed by head length (mandible length had notably lower precision). Filleted fish lengths were significantly longer than intact total length, but we provide a regression equation that can be used to estimate unfilleted length using filleted fish length. We recommend estimating total length from filleted length regression or head length regression in cases when total length cannot be directly measured. Our mandible length regression can also be used, but it was slightly less precise than the head length regression, which should be used instead when practical. Impact statementCollecting enough Yellow Perch for total length measurements can sometimes be difficult; therefore, their total length can be estimated using a filleted length or head length regression from fish collected at a sport fish cleaning station, even when the fish's total length cannot be measured directly. Collecting enough Yellow Perch for total length measurements can sometimes be difficult; therefore, their total length can be estimated using a filleted length or head length regression from fish collected at a sport fish cleaning station, even when the fish's total length cannot be measured directly.

Saugeye (Sauger Sander canadensis× Walleye S. vitreus) have been introduced in reservoirs for several purposes, including as a top‐down control to combat stunting in crappie Pomoxisspp. populations. However, no comprehensive diet evaluation has been completed in southern reservoirs. Our objectives were to assess variability in saugeye diet compositions, explore factors influencing crappie presence in saugeye diets, and investigate trends in prey size to inform management strategies regarding predatory control of crappie populations. We collected 2638 saugeye diets from six Oklahoma reservoirs. We used permutational multivariate analysis of variance to test differences in diet compositions among saugeye lengths, study reservoirs, and seasons, and we used logistic regression models to correlate the presence of crappie in diets with saugeye size, season, crappie abundance, productivity, and turbidity. Finally, we used bivariate plots of diet indices and quantile regression to explore trends in prey importance and prey size relative to saugeye size. Saugeye diet compositions were best explained by saugeye size, followed by study reservoir and season. Saugeye exhibited an ontogenetic shift from Inland Silverside Menidia beryllinato shad Dorosomaspp., and crappie were eaten infrequently in comparison. The presence of crappie prey in diets was most correlated with saugeye size (primarily large saugeye), followed by higher crappie abundance, lower reservoir productivity, and season (highest in fall). Saugeye consumed larger prey than most piscivores relative to predator size. Our results indicated that dominant prey of saugeye transitioned from smaller‐bodied fishes to larger shad as they grew when both prey types were available, which may have implications for growth and recruitment. Ultimately, the low and variable use of crappie prey may lead to inconsistent predatory effects on crappie populations, and large saugeye may exert greater top‐down pressure on crappie in lakes with lower productivity or higher crappie abundance. Impact statementDominant prey type of saugeye in Oklahoma reservoirs transitioned from Inland Silverside to Gizzard Shad as they grew, and crappie were eaten infrequently in comparison. Large saugeye may exert greater top‐down pressure on crappie populations in lakes with lower productivity or higher crappie abundance. Dominant prey type of saugeye in Oklahoma reservoirs transitioned from Inland Silverside to Gizzard Shad as they grew, and crappie were eaten infrequently in comparison. Large saugeye may exert greater top‐down pressure on crappie populations in lakes with lower productivity or higher crappie abundance.

When discussing digital technology in the energy industry many terms come to mind--AI, big data and process automation. While such terminology has become ubiquitous, the role of digital in driving [...]

Strongly confined electric fields resulting from nanogaps within nanoparticle aggregates give rise to significant enhancement of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Nanometer differences in gap sizes lead to drastically different confined field strengths; so much attention has been focused on the development and understanding of nanostructures with controlled gap sizes. In this work, we report a novel petal gap-enhanced Raman tag (GERT) consisting of a bipyramid core and a nitrothiophenol (NTP) spacer to support the growth of hundreds of small petals and compare its SERS emission and localization to a traditional bipyramid aggregate. To do this, we use super resolution spectral SERS imaging that simultaneously captures the SERS images and spectra while varying the incident laser polarization. Intensity fluctuations inherent of SERS enabled super resolution algorithms to be applied, which revealed subdiffraction limited differences in the localization with respect to polarization direction for both particles. Interestingly, however, only the traditional bipyramid aggregates experienced a strong polarization dependence in their SERS intensity and in the plasmon-induced conversion of NTP to dimercaptoazobenzene (DMAB), which was localized with nanometer precision to regions of intense electromagnetic fields. The lack of polarization dependence (validated through electromagnetic simulations) and surface reactions from the bipyramid-GERTs suggests that the emissions arising from the bipyramid-GERTs are less influenced by confined fields.

ABSTRACTThis article investigates the harvest month for bent-nose clams (Macoma nasuta) at CA-ALA-11, an estuarine site in the modern-day city of Alameda along the San Francisco Bay. The archaeological deposit in which the clam shells were recovered dates primarily to the Early Period (3,350–2,550 cal BP) and Early-Middle Transition (2,550–2,150 cal BP), although some activity continues through 2,650 BP. Season of harvest estimates for clams offers insight into Indigenous use of estuarine resources and the degree of sedentism or length of habitation at this locality. Water salinity varies predictably in San Francisco Bay, from annual lows in winter to highs in summer. We used oxygen isotopes (δ18O) to estimate season of harvest by sampling at the intact terminal growth edge of the shell, which records salinity at the time of harvest. Three additional samples represent earlier periods of shell growth. Results show that while clams comprise a minority of the shellfish harvested, clamming took place between January and August, with a marked peak in mid-winter (February). There is no evidence for fall harvesting, which suggests that people were either not living at CA-ALA-11 during this time or focused on acquiring other seasonally available foods. We compare these results to previously published data on seasonality of clam harvesting from five other San Francisco Bay area sites.

Geogrids are commonly used in paved and unpaved roadways to stabilize base and subbase layers by laterally restraining movements of unbound aggregates under applied wheel loading, often referred to as interlocking. The geogrid-aggregate interlock is a function of the match between the geogrid aperture size and geometry and the grain size and shape characteristics of the stabilized aggregates. Open-graded coarse aggregates (OGA) are commonly used as an alternative to dense-graded materials in permeable base/subbase applications as well as in railway ballast to facilitate drainage. This paper describes an experimental study recently conducted to investigate the repeated load-deformation behavior of a geogrid-stabilized OGA material in large-scale triaxial testing. Two multi-axial geogrids with the same aperture patterns but different aperture sizes were tested. The aperture patterns include different sizes of hexagonal, trapezoidal, and triangular openings. The multi-axial geogrid with the larger apertures better matched the OGA material properties to provide a reduction in permanent deformation in the test specimen. The improved interlocking and the related local stiffness enhancement were successfully quantified using embedded shear wave transducers termed bender elements. To stabilize aggregates with relatively uniform grain sizes, for example, AASHTO No. 57 stone studied here and railroad ballast, the ratio between the aperture size and a representative particle size (i.e., D90) served as a good indicator of the effectiveness of the geogrid. The findings of this experimental study therefore provided valuable information on the governing properties and mechanisms that play a role in geogrid-aggregate interaction with multi-axial geogrids.

Field evaluations of management manipulations are rarely conducted, in part because they are difficult to design and require large sampling effort. However, many commonly used management approaches have <50% success rate, indicating the need for more research. Herein, we provide a case study illustrating how historic standard sampling data from Oklahoma were used to design robust before–after control–impact study designs to evaluate the effectiveness of stocking saugeye Sander vitreus× S. canadensisas a predatory control for stunted White Crappie Pomoxis annularispopulations. Comparing six manipulated lakes with six reference lakes (no saugeye stockings), we found that proportional size distribution, proportional size distribution of preferred‐size fish, and mean length at ages 1 and 2 of White Crappie all improved after stockings, but still fell short of statewide median values. Further, similar improvements in these metrics also occurred in reference lakes, suggesting they were likely caused by regional patterns (flood/drought or temperature effects) rather than management intervention. Thus, we conclude saugeye stockings are not likely to routinely improve stunted White Crappie fisheries. We encourage managers who have historic data to use these data to robustly evaluate management interventions (as illustrated in this study), because our field needs additional information regarding when management interventions will be most effective, versus when they may not have the desired outcome. These historic data sets have considerable utility in providing this type of information. Our case study illustrates the importance of replication and reference lakes to avoid erroneous conclusions in such evaluations.

100 INDIANAPOLIS 500s, ENDLESS STORIES. As the Indianapolis Motor Speedway prepares to wave the green flag on its red-letter running, we caught up with some of the most famous names [...]

With an increased interest in nongame fishes such as buffalofishes (Catostomidae, Ictiobus), there is a need for better foundational data on their life history. Bigmouth Buffalo I. cyprinellus, for example, have been found to live for more than a century. Age estimates for other sucker species have similarly suggested long life spans, but validation studies as reference points are often lacking. We conducted a 3‐year study on Smallmouth Buffalo I. bubalusin Oklahoma to validate annual increments on three hard part structures (otoliths [lapilli], pectoral fin rays, and opercula) typically used for age estimation. We marked wild fish with oxytetracycline (OTC) injection and stocked those fish into a hatchery pond to create a population of fish with known times since marking. Furthermore, reproduction in the pond allowed us to validate annulus formation in young fish. We analyzed 117 fish and found that otoliths were more reliable, precise, and accurate than the other two structures for detecting OTC marks and counting annuli. Age estimates, from 1 to 61 years, were greatest when otoliths were used, with 99% of estimates corresponding to known time since marking or known age. Otoliths appear to be the only reliable structure for accurately estimating the age of Smallmouth Buffalo within 1 year of actual age, and their use indicates that this species can live for more than six decades in Oklahoma.

Increasingly, management efforts are being directed at Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatusnative and invasive populations; however, a lack of standardized sampling procedures using low‐frequency electrofishing (LFE) has hampered the ability to collect comparable data across temporal and spatial scales. Therefore, we conducted wetlab LFE trials to determine optimal power densities that elicit a capture‐prone surfacing response by Blue Catfish. We tested power density applied to the fish (Dm)from 4.69 × 10−6to 3.65 μW/cm3and trials with at least one surfacing fish occurred between Dmvalues of 2.144 × 10−5and 0.854 μW/cm3. Trials in which ≥50% of fish surfaced all occurred at Dmvalues between 9.29 × 10−5and 0.2084 μW/cm3. Even within this narrower range, responses were variable and included trials where no fish surfaced, indicating a wide range of response rates across all power levels tested. Our results suggest that a power density applied to the fish (Dm) between 9.29 × 10−5and 0.2084 μW/cm3is most likely to elicit a surfacing response in Blue Catfish, thus exposing them for capture. Further research is needed to map power densities over a range of distances from the electrode (i.e., relating power at the electrode [Pa] with power density in the water [Da]) before standard power tables can be produced. Until this information becomes available, we recommend using the power tables from Bonar et al. (2009) because these allow effective capture of catfishes and will standardize the effectiveness until a better power table could be produced for LFE. Additional research is needed to better understand the Blue Catfish's unique electroreceptive mechanism that drives variability in the response to LFE and whether the proportion of fish surfacing is consistent enough to use catch per unit effort as an index of abundance.

Objectives: Having accurate influenza vaccination coverage estimates can guide public health activities. The objectives of this study were to (1) validate the accuracy of electronic health record (EHR)–based influenza vaccination data among pregnant women compared with survey self-report and (2) assess whether survey respondents differed from survey nonrespondents by demographic characteristics and EHR-based vaccination status.Methods: This study was conducted in the Vaccine Safety Datalink, a network of 8 large medical care organizations in the United States. Using EHR data, we identified all women pregnant during the 2018-2019 or 2019-2020 influenza seasons. Surveys were conducted among samples of women who did and did not appear vaccinated for influenza according to EHR data. Separate surveys were conducted after each influenza season, and respondents reported their influenza vaccination status. Analyses accounted for the stratified design, sampling probability, and response probability.Results: The survey response rate was 50.5% (630 of 1247) for 2018-2019 and 41.2% (721 of 1748) for 2019-2020. In multivariable analyses combining both survey years, non-Hispanic Black pregnant women had 3.80 (95% CI, 2.13-6.74) times the adjusted odds of survey nonresponse; odds of nonresponse were also higher for Hispanic pregnant women and women who had not received (per EHR data) influenza vaccine during current or prior influenza seasons. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of EHR documentation of influenza vaccination compared with self-report were ≥92% for both survey years combined. The negative predictive value of EHR-based influenza vaccine status was 80.5% (95% CI, 76.7%-84.0%).Conclusions: EHR-based influenza vaccination data among pregnant women were generally concordant with self-report. New data sources and novel approaches to mitigating nonresponse bias may be needed to enhance influenza vaccination surveillance efforts.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has recently developed the Portable Scour Testing Device (PSTD) to improve scour analysis around bridge piers in cohesive soils as part of the NextScour project. The PSTD is a compact field erosion testing device that, apart from a drill rig and larger water pump, has a lot of similarity with the In-situ Scour Testing Device (ISTD) in mechanism and data acquisition. The purpose of this paper is to provide recommendations on the suitability of using PSTD and ISTD at sites that have cohesive subsurface soils. An overview of the capabilities and limitations of the PSTD/ISTD in relation to hydraulic considerations, soil types, depth coverages, and erodibility potential is given. A multi-criteria assessment methodology to evaluate site suitability for conducting PSTD/ISTD is presented. The assessment methodology was utilized to detect suitable sites among 30 Illinois bridge sites using soil layer information, boring locations, groundwater level readings, in-situ testing results, geospatial analysis, site accessibility, and aerial photos.

The NOAA near real-time operational advanced scatterometer (ASCAT) ocean surface wind vectors are produced at 12.5- and 25-km swath grid resolutions. To avoid land contamination due to the relatively large footprint size, the wind data in the inner most coastal regions ( $\sim $ 15–25 km from the coast) are excluded from the final product. To obtain more retrievals in the coastal regions, we utilize measurements containing up to 50% land contribution ratio (LCR) and employ a combination of the enhanced resolution processing technique and a coastal normalized radar cross Section (NRCS) correction method to achieve accurate wind retrievals to be within $\sim $ 1.0–2.5 km of the coast. The backscatter correction is implemented for each ASCAT coastal zone measurement. The mean and standard deviation of the land contribution for each measurement are determined, and then, the land backscatter contribution is subtracted out from the actual measurement through an iteration method to estimate the ocean-only signal. An ocean calibration of the enhanced resolution backscatter was implemented before the wind retrieval step to improve the accuracy. Finally, an LCR ranking is implemented after the wind retrieval to further remove the remaining land contamination residuals. Additional quality control is also developed. The high-resolution coastal winds from ASCAT are validated against a variety of other independent wind measurements. The results are then presented and discussed.

Few studies have looked at the effect of an asthma exacerbation on asthma medication adherence.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2008.11.010 Byline: Michael G. Hurtuk (a), Christopher Hughes (b), Margo Shoup (a), Gerard V. Aranha (a) Keywords: Lymph node ratio; Pancreaticoduodenectomy; Pancreatic adenocarcinoma; Ampullary adenocarcinoma; Duodenal adenocarcinoma; Cholangiocarcinoma Abstract: Lymph node ratio (LNR) has been associated with long-term survival in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma; however, this has not been demonstrated in other periampullary malignancies. The purpose of this study was to determine if LNR is associated with survival in other periampullary malignancies. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA (b) Loyola University Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL, USA Article History: Received 4 August 2008; Revised 12 November 2008

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2008.10.010 Byline: Jason W. Smith (a), Jonathan Moreira (a), Gerard Abood (a), Gerard V. Aranha (a), Suneel Nagda (b), Robert H. Wagner (c), Margo Shoup (a) Keywords: Esophageal carcinoma; Esophagectomy; Esophagogastric junction; FDG-JPET; Gastric carcinoma Abstract: The influence of positron emission tomography (PET) scanning with flourodeoxyglucose (FDG) on decision making for the treatment of patients with esophagogastric junction (EGJ) carcinoma is unclear as is the utility of the maximum standardized uptake value (SUV) as a prognostic indicator. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA (b) Department of Radiation Oncology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA (c) Department of Nuclear Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL, USA Article History: Received 4 August 2008; Revised 15 October 2008

Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivarisare popular among anglers; however, information about their sampling is limited. Low‐frequency electrofishing (LFE) is the most used method for sampling Flathead Catfish, but LFE data quality (precision and accuracy) has not been previously studied. Therefore, we evaluated accuracy, precision, and optimal sampling duration for maximizing precision of LFE sampling for Flathead Catfish. To quantify accuracy, we created known populations by tagging Flathead Catfish in Lake Carl Blackwell, Lake McMurtry, and Boomer Lake, Oklahoma, with numbered modified Carlin dangler tags and calculated their capture probabilities from recapture data with a Cormack–Jolly–Seber model, with water temperature as an environmental covariate and fish size as an individual covariate. Capture probability was negatively correlated with increases in fish length for Lake Carl Blackwell and Lake McMurtry but was positively correlated with increases in fish length for Boomer Lake. Capture probability was highest at warmer temperatures at Lake Carl Blackwell and Lake McMurtry but was highest at lower water temperatures at Boomer Lake. Therefore, catch rate and size bias varied by system, but size bias was still relatively consistent at all temperatures within lakes (i.e., lake‐specific differences in slopes were subtle even though significantly different), indicating that LFE could be used to detect relative changes in size structure if temperatures were standardized. Catch rates were highest and most consistent from June to September when water temperatures were ≥24°C. The number of 5‐min LFE efforts needed to achieve a relative standard error ≤25% was lowest when water temperature was ≥20°C from months between May and September. Catch rates and size structure did not differ between LFE efforts (5, 10, or 15 min), suggesting that any LFE effort would produce similar relative abundance estimates.

Harvest regulations are important tools that fisheries professionals use to impact fish abundance, alter population size structure, and improve fishing opportunities. Fisheries professionals often assume that specialized harvest regulations will have specific effects on target fish populations, but these predictions are not always realized because theory and practice do not always match (literature indicates that predictions are not met in about half of the cases). To identify trends that can improve the future success of harvest regulations, we reviewed a representative sample of harvest regulation evaluations for inland sport fish (i.e., 62 evaluations from 41 studies). Our review revealed gaps related to quantitative predictions, evaluation duration, statistical design, researcher–manager collaboration, and data standardization. Fisheries professionals can benefit from shared and thoughtful data collection designs and protocol standardizations. These designs can transform assessment sampling into empirical regulation evaluations that provide generality across locations and time periods with similar effort and cost.

Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV) is a common wheat virus causing economic losses to production in the Great Plains of North America. Reproducible inoculation of WSMV by mechanical methods is essential to evaluate the resistance in breeding lines and relies on successful inoculation and infectivity of the virus particles. We used reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) for absolute quantification of viral genome copy numbers in both WSMV inoculum and in infected wheat leaves. A time-course study was designed to determine the viability of WSMV in inoculum over time as well as the copy number related to the phenotypic rating scale. In the phosphate inoculation buffer, WSMV was stable with average viral genome copy number 1.86 × 106± 4.85 × 105. Plants inoculated with this inoculation buffer using finger rub mechanical inoculation contained WSMV genome copy numbers in the infected leaves ranging between 2.66 × 104and 4.69 × 106at 21 to 28 days post-inoculation. Viral copy numbers were statistically similar between leaves inoculated immediately and those inoculated at later time points. There was a weak linear relationship between phenotypic rating score and copy number in infected leaves with the linear model explaining 40% of the variability (R2= 0.40) indicating the difficulty in disease assessment based solely on phenotypic symptoms. This work describes an accurate methodology to quantify virus concentration in the inoculum and infected plants, as well as emphasizes the demand for absolute measurement of virus load to validate the subjective assessment for unbiased viral disease assessment.

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To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2006.09.013 Byline: M.G. Hurtuk (a), S. Devata (a), K.M. Brown (a), K. Oshima (b), G.V. Aranha (a), J. Pickleman (a), M. Shoup (a) Keywords: Duodenal adenocarcinoma; Duodenum; Pancreas-sparing duodenectomy; Pancreaticoduodenectomy; Periampullary malignancy Abstract: Long-term survival for duodenal adenocarcinoma is inconsistent in the literature, and the biology of duodenal adenocarcinoma is poorly understood. Author Affiliation: (a) Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 S. First Ave., Maywood, IL 60153, USA (b) Department of Pathology, Loyola University Medical Center, 2160 S. First Ave., Maywood, IL, USA Article History: Received 12 August 2006; Revised 20 September 2006

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2004.11.005 Byline: Gerard V. Aranha (a), Margo Shoup (a) Keywords: Pancreatic resection; Pancreas tumor; Technique Abstract: Pancreatic resections including pancreaticoduodenectomy and distal pancreatectomy are the standard of care for patients with malignant tumors of the pancreas. Patients with benign disease or unusual tumors may benefit from other nonstandard resections. Author Affiliation: (a) Department of Surgery and Section of Surgical Oncology, Loyola University Medical Center and the Cardinal Bernardin Cancer Center, Building 110, 2160 S First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153, USA Article History: Received 27 August 2003; Revised 23 June 2004

Subbase layers under concrete pavements play several functional roles in providing a uniform support, minimizing pumping potential, facilitating drainage, and minimizing adverse effects of erodible and problematic subgrade soils. This paper presents a design alternative for a daylighted granular subbase that provides uniformity, drainability, stability, and durability for jointed plain concrete pavements in Illinois. The performance trends of concrete pavements with unbound granular layers in Illinois were first evaluated. Several case studies of well-performing concrete pavements with granular subbases, high traffic levels, and low distress levels and severity were observed. Next, the practices of surrounding states were evaluated, and several Midwestern states were found to regularly use unbound granular layers under concrete pavements with no negative performance implications. Based on the case study reviews and evaluations, a stable, drainable, and durable daylighted granular subbase design is recommended for traffic levels up to 10 million equivalent single axle loads. Stability of the functional and structural layer is ensured by limiting the ratio of gravel-to-sand fractions in the aggregate mix ranging from 1.3 to 1.9. Drainability requirements are met by limiting the percentage of fines passing the No. 200 sieve (0.075 mm) to 4% and maintaining the quality of drainage at least in fair condition based on the time required to drain 50% of the water. Lastly, a geotextile fabric is recommended for use below the granular subbase for separation to ensure drainability and maintain durability, or structural integrity, of the granular subbase throughout its design life.

The COVID-19 pandemic increased reliance on virtual care for patients with persistent asthma.

"For I am fresh of spirit and resolved"--William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar Julio looked like hell and I was worried. His face was cut and his eyes betrayed a suffering that [...]

Metabotropic glutamate receptor 2 (mGluR2) is a therapeutic target for several neuropsychiatric disorders. An mGluR2 function in etiology could be unveiled by positron emission tomography (PET). In this regard, 5-(2-fluoro-4-[11C]methoxyphenyl)-2,2-dimethyl-3,4-dihydro-2H-pyrano[2,3-b]pyridine-7-carboxamide ([11C]13, [11C]mG2N001), a potent negative allosteric modulator (NAM), was developed to support this endeavor. [11C]13was synthesized via the O-[11C]methylation of phenol 24with a high molar activity of 212 ± 76 GBq/μmol (n= 5) and excellent radiochemical purity (>99%). PET imaging of [11C]13in rats demonstrated its superior brain heterogeneity and reduced accumulation with pretreatment of mGluR2 NAMs, VU6001966 (9) and MNI-137 (26), the extent of which revealed a time-dependent drug effect of the blocking agents. In a nonhuman primate, [11C]13selectively accumulated in mGluR2-rich regions and resulted in high-contrast brain images. Therefore, [11C]13is a potential candidate for translational PET imaging of the mGluR2 function.

Standard penetration tests (SPTs) have been used to estimate strength parameters of soils and weak rocks when it is difficult to obtain high-quality samples for laboratory shear testing. SPTs require 45 cm (18 in.) of split-spoon sampler penetration to determine the blowcounts per 0.3 m (1 ft), which is difficult to impossible to obtain in weak rock, that is, intermediate geomaterials. As a result, a modified SPT is presented here for sampler penetrations less than 45 cm (18 in.) in weak rocks. This new procedure is termed the modified standard penetration test (MSPT) and uses the penetration rate, not the sum of penetration blowcounts per 0.3 m, to estimate the unconfined compressive strength for the design of drilled shafts in weak fine-grained rocks. The penetration rate is the inverse of the linear slope of the penetration depth versus blowcount relationship. With this new test and interpretation procedure, 45 cm (18 in.) of sampler penetration is no longer required to estimate the unconfined compressive strength of weak rocks. An empirical correlation between MSPT penetration rate and laboratory-measured unconfined compressive strength is presented here for weak Illinois shale. This correlation could be used to estimate the unconfined compressive strength for the design of drilled shafts in weak rocks.

Question: I hove several OR staff members who complain of skin problems (eg, redness, itching, dryness) after they wear surgical gloves. I am concerned that may may be allergic to [...]

Coordinated private investments create many neighborhood public improvements. This paper proposes regulating land use at sale as a way to coordinate private investments that create public improvements. The proposals is illustrated by a requirement that landowners plant street trees before they sell their properties. Census data and the Los Angeles County Assessor's records show that about half of all properties are sold within ten years, so regulation at sale should affect about half of a city per decade. Regulation at sale offers a pragmatic, low-cost method to improve older neighborhoods and stimulate local economic development. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

A 1937 US Treasury economic report revealed tax policymakers' thinking in income tax development. The report covered the undistributed profits tax, capital gains and losses, rates, exemptions, corporate and excise taxes, income averaging, tobacco and liquor taxes, death taxes, customs, and social security payroll taxes. Franklin Roosevelt and Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau wanted to find ways to make the tax system fairer. For this reason, the report focused on tax reform standards for economic effects, justice, administration, tax consciousness, social control, and revenue.

The multiterawatt (MTW) laser, built initially as the prototype front end for a petawatt laser system, is a 1053 nm hybrid system with gain from optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) and Nd:glass. Compressors and target chambers were added, making MTW a complete laser facility (output energy up to 120 J, pulse duration from 20 fs to 2.8 ns) for studying high-energy-density physics and developing short-pulse laser technologies and target diagnostics. Further extensions of the laser support ultrahigh-intensity laser development of an all-OPCPA system and a Raman plasma amplifier. A short summary of the variety of scientific experiments conducted on MTW is also presented.

Hydrologic processes are often important determinants of successful recruitment of native fishes. However, water management practices can result in abnormal changes in daily and seasonal hydrology patterns. Rarely has fish recruitment across river–reservoir landscapes been considered in relation to flow management, despite the direct relationship between reservoir water management and the resulting upstream and downstream hydrology. We evaluated the relationships between lotic and lentic hydrology and recruitment of two native broadcast‐spawning fishes, Freshwater Drum Aplodinotus grunniensand Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum. Four seasonal periods for each species were identified that related to the species’ spawning biology, from which we derived our remaining hydrology variables. Annual hydrology variables were also considered in our analysis. We developed regression models in conjunction with a model‐selection procedure for each species and habitat type based on the catch‐curve residuals from fish populations in hydrologically connected river–reservoir systems in the Ozark Highland and Ouachita Mountain ecoregions, USA. Our results indicated that recruitment of reservoir Freshwater Drum was negatively correlated to annual reservoir retention time. In lotic habitats, Freshwater Drum recruitment was positively correlated with prespawn discharge conditions and negatively correlated with annual flow variability. Similarly, riverine Gizzard Shad recruitment was positively correlated to the frequency of high‐flow pulses during the spawning period. Our results indicate that releasing reservoir water to best mimic relatively natural flow patterns may benefit some broadcast‐spawning species that occupy both lentic and downstream lotic environments, especially during the spring. This information, combined with future efforts on additional spawning guilds, will provide a foundation for developing holistic river–reservoir water‐allocation plans.

Employer-paid parking subsidizes about a third of all automobile travel in the United States, and about two-thirds of all automobile travel during the morning peak hours. To reduce traffic congestion and air pollution, California has recently enacted legislation requiring employers who subsidize employee parking to offer employees the option to take the cash value of the parking subsidy, in lieu of the parking itself. The legislation also requires cities to reduce the parking requirements for developments that implement a parking cash-out program. This study estimates how the option to cash out employer-paid parking will reduce commuter parking demand, and recommends a corresponding reduction in minimum parking requirements. To deal with spillover parking problems that may occur if cities reduce parking requirements, the article concludes with a proposal to create 'Parking Benefit Districts' where the revenues from market-priced curb parking are dedicated to paying for neighborhood public services. At market parking prices, curb parking revenue could easily exceed the current residential property tax revenue in neighborhoods subject to spillover parking. (Reprinted by permission of the publisher.)

In the modern car market consumers are being offered a wider choice than ever before and increased competition is making strong branding an essential part of any marketing strategy. There is no longer an advantage to pursuing a 'best in class' policy as customer segments are becoming more narrowly defined. Car manufacturers must have an understanding of their customers and be able to target brands at specific sectors if they are to build a successful marketing strategy.

International sanctions and internal opposition to the Milosevic government has resulted in a deadlock in the Serbian political situation. The political deadlock indicates that Serbian Pres Slobodan Milosevic may be suffering from waning popularity and may be ousted soon. However, observers say that there is a risk that the Milosevic government may be replaced by an even more combative regime.

Employer-paid parking increases the number of solo drivers on the road and employers generally restrict subsidies to parking alone. This persists due to favorable tax treatment given the subsidizing employers. A cash commute allowance or mass-transit or ridesharing subsidy instead of a parking subsidy would make ease traffic congestion and improve air quality, while increasing the government's tax collection without increasing tax rates by increasing taxable income. Although the reduction in cars driven to work is predicted to be relatively low, a significant increase in mass transit ridership is expected.

The UN Protection Force will be sentto war zones in Croatia following approval from the Security Council on Feb 22,1992. The peacekeeping force is granted a year's mandate and it is likely that it will also engage in political mediation even though this may complicate its duties. The UN force will probably extend its stay if the Croatian-Serbian conflict is not resolved immediately. The search for a political solution is paramount and the UN force can be a vital factor politically.