It\u27s Never One-Sided

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay\u27s first paragraph. Every time Gordon exits that dingy little pornography theater, he extinguishes his scorpion-red cigarette with the butt of his left palm. \u27Remember that pain the next time you want to give into sin,\u27 Gordon usually mumbles in an effort to reproach his spontaneous and fleeting immorality. interestingly he feels no guilt when he enters it, but instead relishes in anticipation of the flesh-indulging sin screen. It\u27s like being back in the tenth grade all over again when Gordon and Tommy Baker would sneak into the high school basement to peer through a hole the size of a pen tip, partially blocked by a soap tray, into the girl\u27s shower; the only difference being that Tommy and Gordon never saw but a few callused hammer toes and, if they really put their heads to the dusty floor bottom, a couple of bruised knees

Shooting the Shit

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay\u27s first paragraph. I know I could have her any time that I want and I know that she wants me even more. Don\u27t mistake my certainty for over-confidence or a cocky sort of attitude \u27cause I ain\u27t about all that. Fact is, I can tell just by looking at a girl\u27s eyes whether she want to bed me or not. Anyway, as if I needed to explain myself to you in the first place. You should be so lucky that I tell you anything at all. I mean, this is my life that you\u27re reading about isn\u27t it? I never really could figure out why people sit down with their pen and paper thinking that their words mean something. \u27Cause as soon as idiot knuckle heads like you get a hold of the stuff it\u27s as worthless as Christianity in Ethiopia everyone anticipates this great exchange, when all it ever amounts to is all take and no give. But like I was saying, this girl needs me real bad, right? And she\u27s been sending the eye through this here crowded room all night long. You know, one of those sorry-ass stuffy inner-city houses that have College-Dormers-Living-Off-Campus-For-The-Semester\u27\u27 written all over them. And, as if the requisite dart board and too-cheesy-for-me portable bar with neon lights isn\u27t bad enough they\u27ve seen to it to invite every beer-suckin, titty-twistin, exam-flunking dork on campus. And so I\u27m wondering (don\u27t bother me, okay): Self, would you bother moving off campus and endure extra commutes just so that you could not-quite-afford to drag everyone else off of campus to come to your house? But my self can\u27t answer that question right now because the girl with the moist panties is staring me in the eye again. Well, like I said, she wants my sex something fierce. I almost never have to ask for it. Actually, I don\u27t ever have to. Only sometimes I do it to humor the other person. Can you believe it? She\u27s actually coming over here to me right now. I hate to say it, but I told you ... wait a minute, I don\u27t have to say it because you\u27ve probably read it somewhere before. Anyway I got to go right now to take care of business if you know what I mean, but I\u27ll be back right away

Low-Volume and High-Volume Readers of Neurological and Musculoskeletal MRI: Achieving Subspecialization in Radiology.

ObjectiveDifferentiate high- versus low-volume radiologists who interpret neurological (Neuro) MRI or musculoskeletal (MSK) MRI and measure the proportion of Neuro and MSK MRIs read by low-volume radiologists.MethodsWe queried the 2015 Medicare Physician and Other Supplier Public Use File for radiologists who submitted claims for Neuro or MSK MRIs. Radiologists were classified as high-volume versus low-volume based on their work relative value units (wRVUs) focus or volume of studies interpreted using three different methodologies: Method 1, percentage of wRVUs in Neuro or MSK MRI; Method 2, absolute number of Neuro or MSK MRIs interpreted; and Method 3, both percentage and absolute number. Multiple thresholds with each methodology were tested, and the percentage of Neuro or MSK MRIs interpreted by low-volume radiologists was calculated for each threshold.ResultsWith Method 1, 33% of Neuro MRI and 50% of MSK MRI studies were interpreted by a radiologist whose wRVUs in Neuro or MSK MRI were less than 20% (Method 1). With Method 2, 22% of Neuro MRIs and 37% of MSK MRIs were interpreted by radiologists who read fewer than the mean number of Neuro or MSK MRIs interpreted by an "average full-time radiologist" whose wRVUs in Neuro or MSK MRI were approximately 20%. With Method 3, 38% of Neuro MRIs and 57% of MSK MRIs were interpreted by "low-volume" radiologists. If instead a 50% wRVU threshold is used for Methods One, Two, and Three, then 70%, 58%, and 77% of Neuro MRIs and 86%, 80%, and 90% of MSK MRIs are read by low-volume radiologists.DiscussionA large number of radiologists read a low volume of Neuro or MSK MRIs; these low-volume Neuro or MSK MRI radiologists read a substantial portion of Neuro or MSK MRIs. It is unknown which of the methods for distinguishing low-volume radiologists, combined with which threshold, may best correlate with high-performing or low-performing radiologists

Universal design for instruction: Understanding faculty practices and needs

The purposes of this short report are to describe key principles of UDL and UDI and to describe the findings of a pilot survey study that focused on faculty members practices and needs in the areas of UDL/UDI. Limited previous research is available related to faculty perceptions of UDI/UDL in higher education settings. One exception is a study conducted by Vreeburg-Izzo, Murray, and Novak (2008). Vreeburg-Izzo et al. conducted a survey, coupled with follow-up focus groups, with faculty and graduate teaching assistants that examined the (a) climate of instructional settings for students with disabilities, and (b) perceived needs for professional development among faculty and administrators related to providing educational access for all students. Of the 1,150 survey instruments distributed, 271 were completed and returned. Results from the survey indicated that participants were primarily interested in training on UDL but also expressed interested in training on Web accessibility and distance education. Subsequent focus groups revealed that faculty (a) often felt uncertain about meeting the needs of diverse students in the classroom; (b) employed several strategies to enhance teaching and learning, but did not connect this to UDL; and (c) desired both training and technical assistance to help promote educational access for all students

Developing Retina and PNS Segments for Transplantation Into the Adult Host Eye: Reconstruction of the Mammalian Visual System. 1. Methodology

Various techniques have been explored to determine the uses and limitations of techniques that enable the adult CNS to regenerate, but relatively little attention has been given to the consideration of a "reconstructed" visual system. Using this approach, one can design experiments to study the uses of exogenous tissues in reestablishing neuronal circuits that have been damaged. Toward this end, experiments were designed to determine whether embryonic retinal ganglion cells can project axons into a grafted PNS "bridge", and enter adult host targets that were partially deafferented. Embryonic eyes of E11, E14, E18 and E21 rats were sutured to peripheral nerve segments which served as bridges between the host eye and frontal cortex. Projections between the developing retina and the host brain could then be evaluated using HRP tracing techniques. From a methodological standpoint, the preparations are 65% effective; i.e., a viable bridge results between the embryonic eye and the host forebrain. The results presented in the accompanying paper demonstrate that the technique can yield results indicative of embryonic retinal development and axonal projection through the graft and into the host brain. This partial reconstruction of the visual system may prove a useful tool in understanding the uses and limitations of grafting in the CNS

Exploring VIIRS Continuity with MODIS in an Expedited Capability for Monitoring Drought-Related Vegetation Conditions

Vegetation has been effectively monitored using remote sensing time-series vegetation index (VI) data for several decades. Drought monitoring has been a common application with algorithms tuned to capturing anomalous temporal and spatial vegetation patterns. Drought stress models, such as the Vegetation Drought Response Index (VegDRI), often use VIs like the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The EROS expedited Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrora-diometer (eMODIS)-based, 7-day NDVI composites are integral to the VegDRI. As MODIS satellite platforms (Terra and Aqua) approach mission end, the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) presents an alternate NDVI source, with daily collection, similar band passes, and moderate spatial resolution. This study provides a statistical comparison between EROS expedited VIIRS (eVIIRS) 375-m and eMODIS 250-m and tests the suitability of replacing MODIS NDVI with VIIRS NDVI for drought monitoring and vegetation anomaly detection. For continuity with MODIS NDVI, we calculated a geometric mean regression adjustment algorithm using 375-m resolution for an eMODIS-like NDVI (eVIIRS’) eVIIRS’ = 0.9887 × eVIIRS − 0.0398. The resulting statistical comparisons (eVIIRS’ vs. eMODIS NDVI) showed correlations consistently greater than 0.84 throughout the three years studied. The eVIIRS’ VegDRI results characterized similar drought patterns and hotspots to the eMODIS-based VegDRI, with near zero bias

Hubble Space Telescope Astrometry of the Procyon System

The nearby star Procyon is a visual binary containing the F5 IV-V subgiant Procyon A, orbited in a 40.84 yr period by the faint DQZ white dwarf Procyon B. Using images obtained over two decades with the Hubble Space Telescope, and historical measurements back to the 19th century, we have determined precise orbital elements. Combined with measurements of the parallax and the motion of the A component, these elements yield dynamical masses of 1.478 +/- 0.012 Msun and 0.592 +/- 0.006 Msun for A and B, respectively. The mass of Procyon A agrees well with theoretical predictions based on asteroseismology and its temperature and luminosity. Use of a standard core-overshoot model agrees best for a surprisingly high amount of core overshoot. Under these modeling assumptions, Procyon A's age is ~2.7 Gyr. Procyon B's location in the H-R diagram is in excellent agreement with theoretical cooling tracks for white dwarfs of its dynamical mass. Its position in the mass-radius plane is also consistent with theory, assuming a carbon-oxygen core and a helium-dominated atmosphere. Its progenitor's mass was 1.9-2.2 Msun, depending on its amount of core overshoot. Several astrophysical puzzles remain. In the progenitor system, the stars at periastron were separated by only ~5 AU, which might have led to tidal interactions and even mass transfer; yet there is no direct evidence that these have occurred. Moreover the orbital eccentricity has remained high (~0.40). The mass of Procyon B is somewhat lower than anticipated from the initial-to-final-mass relation seen in open clusters. The presence of heavy elements in its atmosphere requires ongoing accretion, but the place of origin is uncertain.Comment: Accepted by Astrophysical Journa