cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of Opioid Prescribing Guidelines on Postoperative Opioid Prescriptions Following Elective Spine Surgery: Results From an Institutional Quality Improvement Initiative.

BACKGROUND With a dramatic rise in prescription opioid use, it is imperative to review postsurgical prescribing patterns given their contributions to the opioid epidemic. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of departmental postoperative prescribing guidelines on opioid prescriptions following elective spine surgery. METHODS Patients undergoing elective cervical or lumbar spine surgery between 2017 and 2018 were identified. Procedure-specific opioid prescribing guidelines to limit postoperative prescribing following neurosurgical procedures were developed in 2017 and implemented in January 2018. Preguideline data were available from July to December 2017, and postguideline data from July to December 2018. Discharge prescriptions in morphine milliequivalents (MMEs), the proportion of patients (i) discharged with an opioid prescription, (ii) needing refills within 30 d, (iii) with guideline compliant prescriptions were compared in the 2 groups. Multivariable (MV) analyses were performed to assess the impact of guideline implementation on refill prescriptions within 30 d. RESULTS A total of 1193 patients were identified (cervical: 308; lumbar: 885) with 569 (47.7%) patients from the preguideline period. Following guideline implementation, fewer patients were discharged with a postoperative opioid prescription (92.5% vs 81.7%, P < .001) and median postoperative opioid prescription decreased significantly (300 MMEs vs 225 MMEs, P < .001). The 30-d refill prescription rate was not significantly different between preguideline and postguideline cohorts (pre: 24.4% vs post: 20.2%, P = .079). MV analyses did not demonstrate any impact of guideline implementation on need for 30-d refill prescriptions for both cervical (odds ratio [OR] = 0.68, confidence interval [CI] = 0.37-1.26, P = .22) and lumbar cohorts (OR = 0.95, CI = 0.66-1.36, P = .78). CONCLUSION Provider-aimed interventions such as implementation of procedure-specific prescribing guidelines can significantly reduce postoperative opioid prescriptions following spine surgery without increasing the need for refill prescriptions for pain control.
Integrated infrastructure-plan analysis for resilience enhancement of post-hazards access to critical facilities

Abstract This paper presents an integrated infrastructure-policy framework to analyze policy attention on addressing road infrastructure network vulnerability in terms of accessing critical facilities in the aftermath of a flood. Coping with network vulnerability, particularly physical access to various critical facilities and the services they provide, is an essential step in achieving a resilient community. However, the extent to which the network of local plans addresses such vulnerability remains unclear. To bridge this gap, this paper uses the Plan Integration for Resilience Scorecard method to examine the infrastructure-related policy attention in relation to community vulnerability vis-a-vis disrupted access to critical facilities. The proposed framework is tested in a set of super neighborhoods in Houston, Texas. Findings reveal a discrepancy between the policy effort and network vulnerability and identifies strengths and weaknesses of various plans in addressing disrupted access to critical facilities. The framework introduced in this paper provides a tool for stakeholders to evaluate an existing network of plans and identify gaps for future resilience improvement.
More Reflections on a White Discipline

Recently, the American Association of Geographers (AAG) Climate Action Task Force set forth to imagine academic knowledge production and sharing beyond the current conference model to address the e...
ERCP Stenting for Hilar Cholangiocarcinoma: Stenting for Cholangiocarcinoma

Abstract Despite advances in gastrointestinal endoscopic technology, the management of malignant hilar biliary obstruction continues to be a challenge for advanced endoscopists. There has been ongoing debate regarding the optimal modality for both diagnostic and therapeutic interventions in malignant hilar obstruction. Various approaches including endoscopy, interventional radiology guided interventions and surgery are available. The management of malignant hilar biliary obstruction should include a multidisciplinary approach, and both diagnostic and therapeutic interventions should be planned based on whether patient is a candidate for curative surgical resection or not. Understanding the Bismuth-Corlette classification as well as the liver segmental anatomy is crucial for both surgical planning as well as planning endoscopic drainage. Safe and effective endoscopic drainage of malignant hilar biliary obstruction requires a multidisciplinary approach, detailed understanding of liver as well as ductal anatomy, and careful adaptation of any strategy to the individual patient's condition, anatomy, prognosis, and in collaboration with surgery, oncology, and radiology. In this article we review the anatomical concepts and technical considerations that are essential to understand while performing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography in patients with malignant hilar biliary obstruction.
Rural Hospital Designation Is Associated With Increased Complications and Resource Utilization After Primary Total Hip Arthroplasty: A Matched Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND As the prevalence of hip osteoarthritis increases, the demand for total hip arthroplasty (THA) has grown. It is known that patients in rural and urban geographic locations undergo THA at similar rates. This study explores the relationship between geographic location and postoperative outcomes. METHODS In this retrospective cohort study, the Truven MarketScan database was used to identify patients who underwent primary THA between January 2010 and December 2018. Patients with prior hip fracture, infection, and/or avascular necrosis were excluded. Two cohorts were created based on geographic locations: urban vs rural (rural denotes any incorporated place with fewer than 2500 inhabitants). Age, gender, and obesity were used for one-to-one matching between cohorts. Patient demographics, medical comorbidities, postoperative complications, and resource utilization were statistically compared between the cohorts using multivariate conditional logistic regression. RESULTS In total, 18,712 patients were included for analysis (9356 per cohort). After matching, there were no significant differences in comorbidities between cohorts. The following were more common in rural patients: dislocation within 1 year (odds ratio [OR] 1.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.08-1.41, P < .001), revision within 1 year (OR 1.17, 95% CI 1.05-1.32, P = .027), and prosthetic joint infection (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.04-1.34, P = .033). Similarly, rural patients had higher odds of 30-day readmission (OR 1.31, 95% CI 1.09-1.56, P = .041), 90-day readmission (OR 1.41, 95% CI 1.26-1.71, P = .023), and extended length of stay (≥3 days; OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.22-1.81, P < .001). CONCLUSION THA in rural patients is associated with increased cost, healthcare utilization, and complications compared to urban patients. Standardization between geographic areas could reduce this discrepancy.
Why Physicians Hate “Patient Satisfaction” but Shouldn't

Many physicians dislike the use of patient satisfaction scores to evaluate the quality of care. This commentary explains why physicians should pay attention to patient satisfaction and the process ...
An Optimal State Estimator for Linear Systems with Retarded Measurements

A modified Kalman filter algorithm, which provides optimal estimates of system states for systems in which some or all measurements are retarded (delayed), is presented. The measurement retardations which are permitted for processing in the new algorithm are not restricted to integer multiples of the filter sampling period.
Manioc Beer and Meat: Value, Reproduction and Cosmic Substance among the Napo Runa of the Ecuadorian Amazon

L'auteur analyse la notion de valeur selon le point de vue des Napo Runa, groupe ethnique quechuaphone d'Amazonie equatorienne. Il demontre que les processus de production, de transformation des sexes, de parente etde cosmologie creent de la valeur dans la societe napo fuma. Il propose une analyse symbolique et sociale des modes de production, de consommation et de circulation de la viande et de la biere de manioc. Il avance que la valeur de ces produits alimentaires provient non seulement du travail mais aussi des significations culturelles des notions de desir et de cosmologie. Dans ce systeme, la valeur est un schema coherent de pensee et d'action calque sur une theorie complexe de la parente et de la transformation de la substance.
Why Do Only 5.5% of Black Men Marry White Women? The Impact of the Mating Taboo, Courtship Opportunities, and Individual Endowments

Only 5.5 percent of black males married white females in 1990, and the family-income premium for intermarried black males was 7 percent. This paper estimates the impact of the mating taboo, courting opportunities, and individual endowments on the black male marriage market. Results indicate that eliminating the mating taboo would raise the intermarriage rate from 5.5 to 64 percent, and do away with the intermarriage premium. Improving black males' endowments or allowing black males to meet white females as frequently as they do black females would not increase intermarriage.
Malpass, Roy S

Roy S. Malpass is a social psychologist best known for his work on eyewitness identification and face recognition. He received his B.Sc. from Union College in 1959, his M.A. from The Graduate Faculty, The New School for Social Research, in 1961, and his Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Syracuse University in 1968. He has been a faculty member at the University of Illinois, Champagne-Urbana, State University of New York at Plattsburgh, and the University of Texas at El Paso. He is currently a professor emeritus at the latter two institutions. He is a past president of the Society for Cross-Cultural Research (1989−1990) and the International Association for Cross-Cultural Psychology (1992−1994). Much of Malpass's work has centered on the accuracy of eyewitness identification, with an emphasis on the area of police lineup fairness. Over the course of his career, he has examined a diverse range of influences on lineup fairness, such as whether individuals in the lineup should be presented simultaneously or sequentially, the influence of the instructions given to eyewitnesses (e.g., whether eyewitnesses are told that the suspect might not be in the lineup), and the consequences of the similarity of distractors (the persons in the lineup who are not the suspect) to eyewitness descriptions. Keywords: cross-cultural psychology; eyewitness testimony
The King of the Damned: Reading Lynching as Leisure:

The racial domination that is showcased in the spectacle of lynching leads to an intersection of discourse, critique, and reflection on identity. Utilizing visual methodologies along with a critical theory focus, the documented history in photographic images and textual accounts provides a window to human leisure behavior as it is situated in a setting through displays of power. Tortured black bodies are situated in a reversed position of authority with those in power that have condemned them through a Foucault perspective, and the role of the ‘king’ or figure of authority that places judgment withi these leisure festivals of racial violence. The discussion of lynchings as violent acts of leisure in various settings creates a vehicle for the field of leisure studies to contribute to dialogues on meaning(s) of place and the significance of race, more specifically.
Mathematical modeling of hyphal tip growth

Abstract The mathematical modelling of growing filamentous cells has been approached in a variety of ways ranging from simple geometric to biomechanically based models using exact, nonlinear, elasticity theory for shells and membranes in which a growth mechanism is included, and alternative approaches using visco-plasticity theory. We describe how the nonlinear elastic model is able to capture essential biomechanical mechanical features of the growth of a broad array of filamentous cells including fungi, actinomycetes, pollen tubes, and root hairs. A comparison between this approach and visco-plasticity based models is made.
Absolute calibration of photodiodes with bright twin beams

We present a scheme based on the use of bright entangled twin beams for the calibration of analog photodiodes, providing an extension of the schemes for calibrating photon-counting detectors with p...
The sandpile group of a tree

A wired tree is a graph obtained from a tree by collapsing the leaves to a single vertex. We describe a pair of short exact sequences relating the sandpile group of a wired tree to the sandpile groups of its principal subtrees. In the case of a regular tree these sequences split, enabling us to compute the full decomposition of the sandpile group as a product of cyclic groups. This resolves in the affirmative a conjecture of E. Toumpakari concerning the ranks of the Sylow p-subgroups.
Inhibition of purine β-ribosidases by certain purine nucleosides and nucleoside antibiotics

Abstract A number of compounds have been tested for their ability to inhibit two types of fungal purine β-ribosidases. The most active inhibitors were 7-β- d -ribofuranosyl-adenine and 5′-chloro-5′-deoxyadenosine. Among the inactive compounds were γ-ribonolactone, 1,4-anhydroribitol, and the two methyl β- O -ribosides. The two enzymes show differences in response to some inhibitors.
Status of the technology of the current space missions including the Fermi gamma-ray space telescope

Abstract We review the status of X-rays and γ -rays space missions operational in 2009. We provide highlights of the current semiconductor technology instrumentation and briefly discuss challenges to be addressed by future missions.
Solid angle theory and the electrocardiogram: physiologic and quantitative interpretations.

T’ E heart beat is accompanied by the development and spread of ionic currents through the body resulting in the establishment of electric potentials on the body surface. This current flow arises from ion movement across myocardial cell membranes and subsequent movement throughout the extracellular space of the various tissues of the body.’ All normal and abnormal deflections recorded by the electrocardiogram depend upon the origin and behavior of this ionic activity. One may view electrocardiography, then, as a study of ionic current flow: (1) across excitable cell membranes (the transmembrane events of single myocardial cells); (2) between aggregates of cells (the temporal and spatial patterns of activation and recovery); and (3) throughout the body (the properties of the volume conductor [heart and surrounding thoracic structures] and boundaries [skin-air, intracavitary blood mass-heart, etc.] of the body). If one knows where and when the current originates in the heart and the configuration and electrical properties of the volume conductor, one should be capable of relating, in a physiologic and quantitative manner, the electrical activity of the heart to the magnitude and polarity of the deflections seen in the ECG. Theory is required for such a characterization, both to clearly define the limits of information that can be extracted justifiably from the ECG and to suggest directions for research that may extend the clinical value of the ECG.’
Characterization of a variety of standard collagen substrates: Ultrastructure, uniformity, and capacity to bind and promote growth of neurons

Collagen substrates were characterized after preparation by the four methods most commonly used for tissue culture (saline precipitation, exposure to ammonium hydroxide vapor, exposure to ultraviolet light, and air drying). Although roughly equivalent percentages of collagen were precipitated by each technique (87 to 97%), marked differences were found in surface uniformity and ultrastructure. Substrates were quite uniform if precipitated by exposure to ammonium hydroxide or ultraviolet light, of intermediate uniformity if saline precipitated, and not at all uniform if air dried. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that (a) ammonium hydroxide and saline precipitation primarily resulted in formation of collagen fibrils, (b) air drying produced a small number of fibrils plus a large amount of amorphous material, and (c) exposure to ultraviolet light only resulted in the formation of globular, nonfibrillar collagen aggregates. The capacity of collagen substrates to bind and grow neurons differed markedly with the method of preparation and the amount of collagen plated per unit area. Quantification of binding and growth of both cerebral and sympathetic neurons revealed that these are separate measures of the biocompatibility of a surface and that growth was uniformly inferior on globular collagen that had been precipitated by ultraviolet light. Long-term (≥2 wk) growth of sympathetic neurons was optimal on thick beds of saline-precipitated collagen, whereas short-term growth was best on thin layers of either saline or ammonium hydroxide-precipitated collagen. Cerebral neurons bound and grew optimally on thick collagen beds after both short- and long-term culture. In addition, cerebral neurons were found to be more dependent on the method of precipitation of the thin collagen substrates than were sympathetic neurons.
Application of orientational stimulated scattering in nematic liquid crystals for beam combining and clean-up

Recent experiments demonstrated high conversion efficiency in the process of Orientational Stimulated Scattering (OSS) in nematics. This fact makes OSS attractive for beam combining and clean-up. We consider a scheme for such application and study it by numerically modeling the process. As the process of energy transfer goes, the reverse transfer also begins. However, the region of the back-transfer moves inside the cell with constant velocity in +z direction and given sufficient time, leaves the cell. By modeling the OSS of diffracting one-dimensional beams we show the possibility to obtain a maximum 94% fidelity and 96% power transfer in a numerical experiment with 6 individual overlapping pump beamlets. This means that 90% of the total pump power may be converted into the diffraction-limited output. Remarkably, this output suffers very little cross-phase modulation.
Establishment and characterization of a human lymphoma cell line (WSU-NHL) with 14;18 translocation

The WSU-NHL cell line was established from a malignant pleural effusion occurring in a 46-yr-old female with nodular histiocytic (follicular, large cell) lymphoma. The established cells grow in clumps with a doubling time of 57 h. On light microscopy, cells exhibited primitive lymphoblastoid morphologic features with few cytoplasmic blebs. DNA histogram generated by flow cytometry indicated a hypodiploid stemline (0.93). Immunologic study revealed a mature B-cell phenotype with surface and cytoplasmic IgG lambda and reactivity with monoclonal antibodies to B-cell antigens (B1, B4, BL1, BL3, BL4, BL7, HLA-DR, CALLA and Leu-10). The cells were negative for T-cell and myeloid-monocyte antigens as well as Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (EBNA). Cytogenetic analysis revealed 45,XX metaphases with complex abnormalities including t(14;18) (q32;q21). The phorbol ester, 12-O tetradecanoylphorbol 13 acetate (TPA) (1.6 x 10(-8) M) and interferon gamma (IFN-gamma) (500 U/ml) inhibited cell growth and induced differentiation to a more mature phenotype. The WSU-NHL cell line provides a continuous source of cells for molecular and immunologic studies of human lymphoma as well as the regulation of its growth and differentiation by biologic agents.
Formulation and evaluation of nano-structured polymeric coatings for corrosion protection

Abstract The effect of the addition of multi-walled carbon nano-tubes (MWCNT) to epoxy and vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymer coatings on their ability to protect the substrates was studied. Coatings were formulated from these resins with and without MWCNT reinforcement. Steel substrates were prepared and coated with each formulated coating and submerged in 5% NaCl solution to study their corrosion resistance by means of Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). In addition, thin films from these polymers, with and without nano-reinforcement, were cast. Dogbone specimens were cut in order to study their mechanical properties. Some of these specimens were immersed in the NaCl solution for two weeks in order to compare their mechanical properties with samples not exposed to salt water. Optical microscopy was used to capture the progress of sample corrosion. EIS measurements showed that the addition of MWCNTs to epoxy and vinyl chloride/vinyl acetate copolymer (VYHH) coatings increased their charge transfer resistance in comparison with the neat coatings. This is an indication of the enhanced corrosion protection of the nano-coatings. In addition, mechanical strength tests, both before and after immersion in 5% NaCl solution, showed that thin films from both epoxy and VYHH resins containing MWCNTs had improved strength, an indication of an improvement in the coatings' cohesive properties.
Climate Scientists Build Relationships With Legislators

Forty climate scientists ventured to Washington, D. C., on 29 January 2014 for the fourth annual Climate Science Day on Capitol Hill. AGU, along with 13 other scientific societies, including the Geological Society of America and the American Chemical Society, invited members at the forefront of climate science, with communications expertise, to meet with their legislators. Through this event, the organizers facilitated more than 100 congressional meetings over the course of the day.
The Spanish and Ottoman Empires in the Mediterranean, 1714–1914

After centuries as great powers, the Spanish and Ottoman Empires found themselves in decline by the early eighteenth century and suffered steady encroachment upon their territories from competing powers. Nevertheless, in the late eighteenth century, and again in the mid-nineteenth century, the two empires made vigorous efforts to assert themselves in North Africa. After initial successes, Istanbul and Madrid believed they could rebuild their former strengths. At the same time, they ended their centuries-long mutual hostility, and began to cooperate through treaties, trade, and diplomatic coordination. By the end of the nineteenth century, however, Spanish defeats in the Spanish American War and Ottoman losses in Egypt, Algeria, and elsewhere, ended this resurgence. Drawing on diplomatic records and other sources, this historical essay explores the parallel destinies of the Spanish and Ottomans up to the eve of World War I.
An Adjustable Self-Supporting Eyelid Speculum

I have modified a Maumenee-Park eyelid speculum to permit eyelid retraction in the direct plane of action of the lids and to avoid pressure on the globe from the speculum weight. A ball-joint at the end of the blade allows the blade to adjust with the eyelid. Increased angulation of the side-arm places the blade perpendicular to the eyelid. An adjustable rod at the screw end removes the weight of the speculum and secures the device.
Overcoming support limitations in magnetically stabilized fluidized bed separators

Abstract Many of the perceived limitations of magnetically stabilized bed separators are related to the support material. The physical characteristics of the support limit the fluid velocities that can be used in the column; the chemical properties govern the separation ability. The data presented in this paper, however, show how magnetically stabilized beds can be used beyond these perceived limitations. While fluid velocities in normal fluidized beds are limited by the terminal velocity of the particles, stabilized beds can actually be operated above this zero-field value. In addition, nonmagnetic supports can be used in the stabilized bed, eliminating the need for new magnetic support development.
Paradigms and Paraphernalia: on the Relation Between Theory and Technology in Science

What is the connection between theory and technology in science? What is the relationship between the various activities of “doing” science and the instruments that enable these activities? My interest here is to explore these questions in a very broad and elementary way, occasionally citing examples plucked from the history of science.
Policy assessment of the impacts of remote-sensing technology

Abstract The successful innovation and diffusion of commercial satellite enterprises may soon encroach upon the military's historic predominance in remote-sensing capabilities. The increasing world demand for remote-sensing data and services and the forces of globalization have opened unprecedented opportunities for informational and technological trade for industrialized nations, while simultaneously creating a risk to both state security and individual privacy rights. Even as scientists and international trade advocates have sought technologies to bolster information flows, the intelligence and military communities have sought to restrict technological access in the interest of national security. The tension caused by concentrating power among various levels of government is an intrinsic part of democratic government; however, remote-sensing technologies could disrupt the balance between concentrated interests (federal government officials and agencies) and diffused interests (local governments and individual citizens). This paper aims to examine holistically the opposing forces underlying the development, diffusion, and use of remote-sensing technologies. The analysis reveals the dimensions of this problem and provides insight into the efficacy of various short- and long-term government policies.
Resolution of the identity atomic orbital Laplace transformed second order Møller-Plesset theory for nonconducting periodic systems.

An improvement in performance of the atomic orbital Laplace transformed second-order Moller–Plesset (AO-LT-MP2) method for periodic systems is reported using the resolution of identity (RI) technique. Transformation of the two-electron integrals constitutes the main computational bottleneck of the AO-LT-MP2 method. A substitution of regular four-center integrals by their three center counterparts in the RI approximation naturally reduces the computational cost of the integral transformation step. The RI divergence problem in the presence of periodic boundary conditions is solved in our implementation by restricting the fitting domain. Accuracy and computational efficiency of the RI-AO-LT-MP2 approach are assessed on a set of one-dimensional test systems: trans-polyacetylene and anti-transoid polymethineimine.
Kinetics of hydrogen adsorption on nickel-alumina catalysts

Abstract Kinetics of hydrogen chemisorption on four coprecipitated nickel-alumina catalysts have been studied at a variety of temperatures and pressures. The Elovich equation has been used to analyze the experimental results. The Elovich parameters obtained at different temperature and pressure regions are arranged according to the multiple kinetic stages hypothesis by Low and a plausible explanation on the nature of the active sites on nickel-alumina catalysts for hydrogen chemisorption is given.
A simple feature-copying approach for long-distance dependencies

This paper is concerned with statistical methods for treating long-distance dependencies. We focus in particular on a case of substantial recent interest: that of long-distance dependency effects in entity extraction. We introduce a new approach to capturing these effects through a simple feature copying preprocess, and demonstrate substantial performance gains on several entity extraction tasks.
Quantification of Dendrimer Nanoparticle Targeting on Tumor Cells by Two-photon Excitation Fluorescence through a Dual-Clad Optical Fiber

We report the use of a dual-clad optical fiber to conduct quantitative two-photon excited fluorescence measurements in vitro and in vivo inside tumors. The ability to detect nanomolar concentrations of targeting nanoparticles is demostrated.
Digital Media and the Beginning Designer

Use and creation of computer graphics can be effectively taught to beginning design students in the context of discipline-specific design projects. In particular, a case study of the pedagogy implemented by the New Jersey Institute of Technology's College of Architecture + Design provides examples of how teachers harness the students' desire to create and provide educational opportunities for undergraduates to learn about the use of digital media in the processes and products of design. Employing a carefully constructed sequence, students are exposed to (and use) computer applications for raster imaging, vector drawing, 3D modeling and rendering, and eventually building information modeling and time-based sequential representation all while producing original work through analysis and synthesis.
Setting up a liquid crystal phase screen to simulate atmospheric turbulence

Phase screens are often used to simulate atmospheric turbulence in systems designed to test adaptive optics techniques. This paper presents the design and implementation of a dynamic phase screen using a simple and inexpensive twisted nematic liquid crystal display taken from a video projector and placed in a pupil plane. The details of the optical system layout, the system alignment procedure, and the operating parameters of the liquid crystal display are discussed. Examples of turbulence (having strength and statistics similar to measured values of atmospheric turbulence in a variety of scenarios) are written to the phase screen, and the effects of the turbulence on image quality are measured and presented.
Reinforcer acquisition in discrimination learning.

This experiment extended an earlier study in which a buzzer sound was combined in pretraining with “Right” or “Wrong.” A two-choice discrimination learning task was presented immediately following ...
Two-way television: A tool for new product research

I n the 1980s, marketing research costs, including research design, fielding and analysis will steadily rise. The rapid pace of dynamic markets will require ever quicker turnaround time on consumer research projects. As firms seek to minimize risks and costs associated with the new product development process, marketing researchers will have to develop more cost-efficient research tools and techniques that will contr ibute to a shorter development period and greater forecasting accuracy. One of the promising tools in this undertaking is two-way interactive television. Two-way television shows great potential for data collection, one of the most costly and timeconsuming stages in the consumer research process. Television technology has advanced to the point that marketers and consumers can interact in a two-way process. The most commonly known technology is called two-way cable television. The feedback mechanism can be a response box on which the respondent presses but tons, or a system which utilizes a touch-tone telephone, or one which uses an intermediary as an interviewer. Since December 1, 1977, Warner Communications has been operating its QUBE (two-way cable television) system on a trial basis in Columbus, Ohio. In addition to enabling normal signals to be sent to the television viewer, the system allows the viewer to send limited responses back to the source. The two-way interactive system includes a number of channels controlled by touch but tons on a console unit about the size of an electronic calculator. The system provides the usual commercial and public television station material, premium selections such as recent movies that have not yet appeared on commercial television, and a group of channels over which viewers interact with their sets via the home console. In addition to the but tons for channel selection, the console has five response buttons. While two can be used as "yes" or "no" but tons, all five can be used to answer multiple-choice questions or to punch in number codes for selecting products displayed on the screen. Viewing in the $70-million system is monitored by a computer that can check every household at six-second intervals to record exactly which of QUBE's channels is being watched in each household) In order for QUBE to be selfsustaining, industry observers indicate that a 40 percent local penetra-
Early Enteral Feeding in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility and safety of early enteral feedings of critically ill pediatric patients. Methods: The subject population of 42 critically ill patients ranged in age from 5 days to 18 years (mean 5.8 years), mean weight 17 kg. Transpyloric nasoenteric tubes were placed in all patients by a nonfluoroscopic bedside technique. All subjects were mechanically ventilated; 32 (76%) were on one or more vasoactive medications. Six (15%) patients were fed for more than 13 days while on vasoactive support and pharmacological paralysis. Results: There were no documented complications of early enteral feeding, including aspiration. All patients were able to achieve caloric goals within 48 hours of beginning enteral feedings. All patients developed regular stool patterns despite periodic absence of bowel sounds. Enteral feedings replaced 256 days of total parenteral nutrition. Estimated patient charge savings averaged $425 for each day of enteral feedings. Conclusi...
Remembering Wes Becker (1928-2000)

Address: Russell Gersten, Eugene Research Institute, 132 E. Broadway, Suite 747, Eugene, OR 97401 Wesley C. Becker was a larger-than-life figure who profoundly influenced a generation of researchers in the fields of special education, psychology, and educational research. Although his accomplishments in these fields were multifaceted, his major era of achievement was as co-director of the EngelmannBecker Direct Instruction Model for Project Follow Through from 1968 to 1978. In so many ways, he made history during that epoch. At the time of its inception in 1968, during the era of the War on Poverty and an era committed to equity for minority children, Follow Through was the largest social science experiment ever conducted. It involved more than 100,000 primary grade students in low-income communities throughout the United States. The goal of Follow Through was not only
The surface delta interaction and excitations in closed shell nuclei

Abstract A zero-range surface interaction, together with the particle-hole formalism, is used to discuss excitations in closed shell nuclei. This leads to considerable simplications in comparison with conventional treatments since the diagonalization of large secular matrices is replaced by the solution of dispersion relations. The model is tested by applying it to 16 O, and a detailed study of 208 Pb in both the Tamm-Dancoff approximation and the random phase approximation is presented. The results compare quite favourably with those obtained using a more realistic interaction and with experiment.
Stable, pulsed, color-center laser in pure KCl tunable from 1.23 to 1.35 μm

Stable, tunable, pulsed laser operation based on the N2 color center in additively colored pure KCl is reported. The laser tunes smoothly from 1.23 to 1.35 μm when pumped by a 1.06-μm Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at kilohertz repetition rates. 42-mW average output power at 1.28 μm was achieved for 1-W average incident pump power. No power fading has been observed over several weeks of day-to-day operation.
Professional Obsolescence: Implications for Continuing Professional Education

This paper describes and illustrates the utility of the Content- Based Group-Assessment Model for developing programs of con tinuing professional education. The model provides a generalized and systematic procedure for assessing the educational needs of a defined group of practitioners and for translating the identified needs into knowledge areas which can form the basis for develop ing continuing education programs. A recent study of physical educators is used to demonstrate the potential utility of the model in developing curricular programs for that group of professionals.
The Nramp2 G185R mutant iron transporter: defective in many ways

Comment on Touret et al, page [1526][1] Abnormal processing, mislocalization, decreased stability, and diminished iron transport activity contribute to the functional deficiency and consequent iron deficiency seen with the G185R mutation in the metal transporter Nramp2. Like other trace metal
Development of topographic asymmetry: Insights from dated cinder cones in the western United States

Topographic asymmetry, that is, differences in the morphology of landscapes as a function of slope aspect, can be used to infer ecohydrogeomorphic feedback relationships. In this study, we document the dependence of topographic gradients and drainage densities on slope aspect and time/age in four Quaternary cinder cone fields in Arizona, Oregon, and California. Cinder cones are particularly useful as natural experiments in geomorphic evolution because they begin their evolution at a known time in the past (many have been radiometrically dated) and because they often have simple, well-constrained initial morphologies. North-facing portions of cinder cones have steeper topographic gradients and higher mean vegetation cover (i.e., Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, or NDVI, values) under current climatic conditions compared with corresponding south-facing portions of cones within each volcanic field. Drainage density is also higher on north-facing portions of cones in three of the four volcanic fields. These differences in topography were not present initially but developed progressively over time, indicating that the asymmetry is a result of post-eruption geomorphic processes. To test alternative hypotheses for the slope-aspect control of topography, we developed a numerical model for cinder cone evolution and a methodology for estimating local paleovegetation cover as a function of elevation, slope aspect, and time within the Quaternary. The numerical model results demonstrate that rates of colluvial transport were higher on south-facing hillslopes in at least three of the four cinder cones fields. Our paleovegetation analysis suggests that in the two Arizona volcanic fields we studied, higher rates of colluvial transport on south-facing hillslopes were the result of greater time-averaged vegetation cover and hence higher rates of sediment transport by floral bioturbation. Our results illustrate the profound impact that relatively small variations in solar insolation can have on landscapes via feedbacks among hydrology, vegetation cover, and sediment transport.
Why are Biennials so Few?: Hart's Results Revisited

Hart (1977) constructed a model to explain the rarity of biennials in the North American flora. However, Hart's model is inadequate, because: 1) biennials were not compared with annuals, 2) facultative biennials were not included, and 3) the range of general perennial life histories was not considered. Revision of Hart's model shows that strict and facultative biennials are rare, because they compete most successfully against annuals and general perennial life histories only in a narrow range of juvenile and adult survivorship values.
Layered Li(Li0.2Ni0.15 + 0.5zCo0.10Mn0.55 − 0.5z)O2 − zFz cathode materials for Li-ion secondary batteries

Abstract Electrochemical properties of layered Li(Li 0.2 Ni 0.15 + 0.5 z Co 0.10 Mn 0.55 − 0.5 z )O 2 − z F z (0 ≤ z ≤ 0.10), which was synthesized by a sol–gel method, were investigated by galvanostatic cycling in the voltage range of 2.0–4.6 V at room temperature as well as at 55 °C. The initial discharge capacity slightly decreased with the increase in the content of fluorine dopant. However, cycling performance was greatly improved and cell impedance was significantly reduced by the fluorine doping. Capacity retention after 40 cycles at room temperature and the area specific impedance were 79% and 150 Ω cm 2 for z = 0, respectively, and 103% and 65 Ω cm 2 for z = 0.05, respectively. The Li(Li 0.2 Ni 0.175 Co 0.10 Mn 0.525 )O 1.95 F 0.05 material charged to 4.6 V also exhibited excellent thermal behavior due to the stability of the fully charged material.
Spousal Network Overlap as a Basis for Spousal Support.

The role social network structure plays in facilitating flows of support between spouses is often overlooked. This study examined whether levels of support between spouses depended on the degree of overlap between spouses’ networks. Network overlap may enhance spouses’ support capacities by increasing their understanding of each other’s support needs and their ability to coordinate support for each other. Data on 1,490 married older adults from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project were examined. Analyses revealed that when one’s spouse had more contact with one’s other network members, one was more likely to (a) view the spouse as a reliable source of support, (b) open up to the spouse, and (c) discuss health issues with the spouse. These results suggest that spousal support is not only a function of relationship quality or obligations—it also is a structural phenomenon that depends on spouses’ connectedness to each other’s networks.
Water quality indices and benefit-cost analysis

The water quality index (WQI) has emerged as a central way to convey water quality information to policy makers and the general public and is regularly used in US EPA regulatory impact analysis. It is a compound indicator that aggregates information from several water quality parameters. Several recent studies have criticized the aggregation function of the EPA WQI, arguing that it suffers from “eclipsing” and other problems. Although past papers have compared various aggregation functions in the WQI (usually looking at correlation), this is the first paper to examine these functions in the context of benefit-cost analysis. Using data from the 2003 EPA CAFO rule, the present paper examines four aggregation functions and their impact on estimated benefits. Results indicate that the aggregation method can have a profound effect on benefits, with total benefit estimates varying from 504 million dollars. The net benefits of the rule vary from negative to positive over this range of estimates. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis does not find convincing evidence to substitute the current aggregation function, although several changes to the underlying WQI methodology may be warranted.
Factors involved in the development of chloroplasts in Euglena gracilis.

Abstract The formation of chlorophyll in etiolated Euglena gracilis cells in the presence of light ceases abruptly when the light source is removed. It resumes only gradually when the culture is returned to light. The formation of chlorophyll is resting etiolated cells is unaffected by the “bleaching” temperature (34–35°). When growing green cells are subjected to the bleaching temperature, the formation of chloroplasts becomes linear with respect to time. Cell multiplication is still exponential, but smaller cell populations are obtained. Cells undergoing the bleaching treatment are capable of resuming rapid chlorophyll formation when returned to normal temperature, but this capacity is lost after a prolonged treatment. The cells lose their ability to produce green colonies while still capable of returning their chlorophyll content to near-normal levels. The bleaching treatment is interpreted as blocking the production of a catalyst required for the development of chloroplasts. The permanent loss of the chloroplast-forming ability is explained by ascribing a self-reproducing character to the cellular system that produces the catalyst. The bleaching treatment would affect both the activity and the self-reproducing capacity of this system.
Gain modulation of respiratory neurons.

A possible mechanism underlying adaptive control of the respiratory system is gain modulation of the discharge frequency (F(n)) patterns of medullary respiratory neurons mediated by GABA(A) receptors. Antagonism of GABA(A) receptors with bicuculline results in an F(n) pattern that is an amplified replica of the underlying control pattern. The contours of F(n) patterns remain proportional to one another. Studies suggest that a tonic GABA(A)ergic input constrains the control- and reflexly-induced activities of these neurons to about 35-50% of the discharge rate without this inhibitory input. The pharmacology of this mechanism is unusual in that picrotoxin, a noncompetitive GABA(A) receptor antagonist, does not produce gain modulation, but is able to block the silent phase inhibition (e.g. E phase of an I neuron). Alterations in the amplitude of spike afterhyperpolarizations mediated by Ca(2+) activated K(+) channels also produces gain modulation. This mechanism modulates exogenously- and endogenously-induced neuronal activities, whereas the bicuculline-sensitive GABAergic mechanism modulates only the respiratory-related activities. Thus, these two forms of gain modulation, acting in cascade manner, may provide robust mechanisms for the optimal control of respiratory, as well as other behavioral functions (e.g. coughing, sneezing, vomiting) mediated by respiratory premotor neurons.
Round-trip clock retardation and the conventionality of simultaneity

A synchrony-free, velocity-independent formulation of the Lorentz transformation is derived in a very simple manner with the help of thek-calculus. The dependence of the well-known relativistic effects on the choice of simultaneity metric is put forth, and the significance of the possibility of eliminating these effects is explored. This leads to a simple analysis of the clock paradox, or round-trip clock retardation. The doctrine of the conventionality of simultaneity is brought to bear on the interpretation of this effect. It is argued that such a round-trip effect constitutes a physical realization not only of the conventionality of simultaneity but of that of temporal congruence as well. Some physics perhaps vindicates a little philosophy.