cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Discrepancies in the Definition of "Outpatient" Surgeries and Their Effect on Study Outcomes Related to ACDF and Lumbar Discectomy Procedures: A Retrospective Analysis of 45,204 Cases.

STUDY DESIGN This is a retrospective study. OBJECTIVE To study the differences in definition of "inpatient" and "outpatient" [stated status vs. actual length of stay (LOS)], and the effect of defining populations based on the different definitions, for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and lumbar discectomy procedures in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA There has been an overall trend toward performing ACDF and lumbar discectomy in the outpatient setting. However, with the possibility of patients who underwent outpatient surgery staying overnight or longer at the hospital under "observation" status, the distinction of "inpatient" and "outpatient" is not clear. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients who underwent ACDF or lumbar discectomy in the 2005-2014 ACS-NSQIP database were identified. Outpatient procedures were defined in 1 of 2 ways: either as being termed "outpatient" or hospital LOS=0. Differences in definitions were studied. Further, to evaluate the effect of the different definitions, 30-day outcomes were compared between "inpatient" and "outpatient" and between LOS>0 and LOS=0 for ACDF patients. RESULTS Of the 4123 "outpatient" ACDF patients, 919 had LOS=0, whereas 3204 had LOS>0. Of the 13,210 "inpatient" ACDF patients, 337 had LOS=0, whereas 12,873 had LOS>0. Of the 15,166 "outpatient" lumbar discectomy patients, 8968 had LOS=0, whereas 6198 had LOS>0. Of the 12,705 "inpatient" lumbar discectomy patients, 814 had LOS=0, whereas 11,891 had LOS>0. On multivariate analysis of ACDF patients, when comparing "inpatient" with "outpatient" and "LOS>0" with "LOS=0" there were differences in risks for adverse outcomes based on the definition of outpatient status. CONCLUSIONS When evaluating the ACS-NSQIP population, ACDF and lumbar discectomy procedures recorded as "outpatient" can be misleading and often did not correlate with same day discharge. These findings have significant impact on the interpretation of existing studies and define an area that needs clarification for future studies. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level 3.
Apologia pro Bibliographia Mea

In acceding to the request for my updated bibliography as an appendix to this volume, I confess to considerable uneasiness at letting it stand as a valid record of my work thus far. What I would like to add on the following pages is some biographical clues which may make the seeming hodgepodge of my publications a little more intelligible. I don’t apologize for it nor do I want to defend it. I merely want to provide a frame for some of the pieces, set a few accents, and deemphasize mere by-products from my present perspective.
Interaction of STAT Signals with Other Signaling Pathways

Since the discovery of the STAT proteins, there have been a great many reports on the involvement of STAT signals with other signaling pathways. These interactions can be classified into at least four general groups. First, STAT-mediated signals may be the means of the transcriptional upregulation of genes that impact on other pathways. Second, STATs interact with other transcriptional regulators at the promoter level. These interactions occur as STATs bind regions of DNA that are adjacent to or overlap with binding sites for other transcription factors. Moreover, STATs contain binding sites for a number of different co-activators such as the CREB binding protein (CBP) that enables the indirect association with many other transcriptional regulators such as those involved in TGF-β signaling. Third, STAT function can be manipulated by post-translational modification induced by other signaling pathways. An example of such is serine phosphorylation that can be induced by kinases that are activated by other signaling pathways (i.e. TNF-α and IL-1β). And fourth, STATs have been shown to interact with components from other signaling pathways that are not linked to DNA binding or transcription, such as the TNF Receptor 1 (TNFR1) the TNF-Associated Death Domain protein (TRADD). Demonstration of these interactions has provided clues to the mechanisms involved in how cells can integrate multiple signals and respond in a specific manner to a given set of signals from the environment. This chapter will review the interactions of various STAT molecules with signaling components from the TNF, IL-1β, TGF-β and hormone receptor signaling pathways. Specifically, the focus will be on STAT interactions with NF-кB, TNFR1, TRADD, SMADs and glucocorticoid receptor. Since this is not a comprehensive outline of all of the interaction partners of the STATs, emphasis will be placed on the general modes of interaction and the relation to functional modification.
The Value of False Theories in Science Education

Teaching false theories goes against the general pedagogical and philosophical belief that we must only teach and learn what is true. In general, the goal of pedagogy is taken to be epistemic: to gain knowledge and avoid ignorance. In this article, I argue that for realists and antirealists alike, epistemological and pedagogical goals have to come apart. I argue that the falsity of a theory does not automatically make it unfit for being taught. There are several good reasons for teaching false theories in school science. These are (a) false theories can bring about genuine (non-factive) understanding of the world; (b) teaching some false theories from the history of science that line up with children’s ideas can provide students “intellectual empathy” and also aid in better grasp of concepts; (c) teaching false theories from the history of science can sharpen students’ understanding of the nature of science; (d) scientists routinely use false theories and models in their practice and it is good sense for science education to mirror scientific practice; and (e) learning about patently non-scientific and antiscientific ideas will prepare students to face and respond to them. In making arguments for the foregoing five points, I draw upon the work of a variety of philosophers and historians of science, cognitive scientists, science education scholars, and scientists. My goal here is not only to justify theories considered false already being taught, but also to actively endorse the teaching of some theories considered false that are by and large not currently taught.
SEASONAL POPULATIONS OF INSECTIVOROUS BIRDS IN A MATURE BOTTOMLAND HARDWOOD FOREST IN SOUTH LOUISIANA

When insectivorous birds were censused monthly in a mature bottomland hardwood forest, populations were low and made up a small proportion of total birds in winter. During the breeding season, however, insectivorous bird populations were high and dominated the total population. Population peaks occurred earliest (March through May) for ground gleaners, slightly later (April and May) for foliage and bark gleaners, and even later (May through July) for air feeders.
177Lu-labeled low-molecular-weight agents for PSMA-targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy.

To develop a prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted radiotherapeutic for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) with optimized efficacy and minimized toxicity employing the β-particle radiation of 177Lu. We synthesized 14 new PSMA-targeted, 177Lu-labeled radioligands (177Lu-L1–177Lu-L14) using different chelating agents and linkers. We evaluated them in vitro using human prostate cancer PSMA(+) PC3 PIP and PSMA(−) PC3 flu cells and in corresponding flank tumor models. Efficacy and toxicity after 8 weeks were evaluated at a single administration of 111 MBq for 177Lu-L1, 177Lu-L3, 177Lu-L5 and 177Lu-PSMA-617. Efficacy of 177Lu-L1 was further investigated using different doses, and long-term toxicity was determined in healthy immunocompetent mice. Radioligands were produced in high radiochemical yield and purity. Cell uptake and internalization indicated specific uptake only in PSMA(+) PC3 cells. 177Lu-L1, 177Lu-L3 and 177Lu-L5 demonstrated comparable uptake to 177Lu-PSMA-617 and 177Lu-PSMA-I&T in PSMA-expressing tumors up to 72 h post-injection. 177Lu-L1, 177Lu-L3 and 177Lu-L5 also demonstrated efficient tumor regression at 8 weeks. 177Lu-L1 enabled the highest survival rate. Necropsy studies of the treated group at 8 weeks revealed subacute damage to lacrimal glands and testes. No radiation nephropathy was observed 1 year post-treatment in healthy mice receiving 111 MBq of 177Lu-L1, most likely related to the fast renal clearance of this agent. 177Lu-L1 is a viable clinical candidate for radionuclide therapy of PSMA-expressing malignancies because of its high tumor-targeting ability and low off-target radiotoxic effects.
Neural Signatures of Learning Novel Object-Scene Associations.

Objects are perceived within rich visual contexts, and statistical associations may be exploited to facilitate their rapid recognition. Recent work using natural scene–object associations suggests ...
Identifying and Measuring Manipulative User Interfaces at Scale on the Web

In this dissertation, I present measurement methods to automatically identify manipulative user interfaces—colloquially known as “dark patterns”—at scale on the web. Using these methods, I quantify the prevalence of dark patterns in three studies and show how dark patterns are rampant on the web, thus a pressing concern for society. First, I examine whether social media content creators, or “influencers,” disclose their relationships with advertisers to their audience. Analyzing over 500K YouTube videos and 2.1M Pinterest pins, I find that only about 10% of all advertising content is disclosed to users. Second, I examine various types of dark patterns in shopping websites. Analyzing data from 11K shopping websites, I discover over 1,800 dark patterns on over 1,200 websites that mislead users into making more purchases or disclosing more information than they would otherwise. Third, I examine dark patterns in political emails from the 2020 U.S. election cycle. Through an analysis of over 100K emails, I find that over 40% of emails from the median sender contain dark patterns that nudge recipients to open emails or make donations they might otherwise not make. I further outlay the conceptual foundation of dark patterns and articulate a set of normative perspectives for analyzing the effects of dark patterns. I conclude with how the lessons learned from the studies can be used to build technical defenses and to lay out policy recommendations to mitigate the spread of these interfaces.
The Effects of Vaccine Standing Orders on Pediatric Vaccination Rates

Background: Vaccinations are one of the greatest public health achievements of the 20th century, leading to a reduction in morbidity and mortality associated with the infectious diseases they prevent. Unfortunately, vaccination rates within the United States have been declining, and many of these vaccine-preventable diseases are again on the rise. Due to this, methods to increase vaccination rates are being explored. Vaccine standing orders are one method being employed. Methods: Standing orders are pended orders that allow members of the care team to administer ordered vaccines the patient is due for at any encounter. Our project explored the effects …
Vasculogenic Pericytes Directly Couple to the Emerging Endothelium During Vessel Formation

Vascular pericytes (PCs) stabilize blood vessels and contribute to their maturation, while also playing key roles in microvascular function. Nevertheless, relatively little is known about their involvement in the earliest stages of vascular development, specifically during vasculogenesis. We combined high-power, time-lapse imaging with transcriptional profiling of PCs and endothelial cells (ECs) in reporter mouse and cell lines. PCs emerged alongside EC differentiation, and physically engaged the vasculogenic endothelium in vivo and in vitro. We observed PC-EC coupling and identified Connexin43 (Cx43)-based gap junctions as key elements in PC-EC communication during vessel assembly. We found no overlap between differentiating PCs and other lineages including hemangiogenic and neuronal/glial cell types. Together, our data suggest that a distinct PC lineage emerges prior to vasculogenesis and participates in early vessel formation through direct communication with nascent endothelium via Cx43 – providing insight that reshapes the current framework of vascular development and informs tissue vascularization strategies.
Unwarranted Variation in Healthcare: Impacts of Test-Order Practice Variation on Care-Delivery Cost

Motivated by payment reform model policies that aim to reduce practice variation, this study explores whether and how lower variations in clinical practice relate to hospital resource usage. Specif...
Population-level impact of loss on survivor mortality risk

The loss of a loved one adversely affects the bereaved. Using data from the 2010 and 2012 waves of Health and Retirement Study (HRS), we estimate the risk for death in a 2-year span after the loss of a parent, spouse, or child for adults aged 50 to 70 years. A respondent with a loss was twice as likely to die when compared similarly aged persons with no loss (OR 2.32; 95 % CI 1.14, 5.30). Loss of either a parent (OR 1.93; 95 % CI 1.01, 4.07), or a child (OR 1.77; 95 % CI 1.08, 2.96) also increased respondent mortality. This elevated risk persists after adjustment for gender and other high-risk health conditions. Any physical activity reduces survivor death rates during this critical period by more than 85 %.
Discussions on wide-crossing between Oryza minuta and Oryza sativa.

Different crossing techniques,emasculation and pollination procedures for obtaining young embryos from hybrid of Oryza minuta and Oryza sativa have been evaluated,and the effects of different sterilization methods(20% NaClO or 0.1% HgCl2),inoculation materials,culture media and the age of embryos on the germination rate of young embryo has been investigated by using four cultivated rice(Oryza sativa,2n=24,AA) and two wild specie(Oryza minuta,2n=48,BBCC).The results showed that the production of young embryo from hybrids was higher when cultivated rice was used as female and wild species as male parent.Emasculation with artificial spikelet-cut and continuous pollination for 3 days resulted in to higher rates of embryo development.During the process of embryo rescue,applying young embryo after pollinating of 10-12 days and sterilizing with 0.1% HgCl2 for 10 minutes followed by culture inoculation with ovary-slice to 1 / 4 MS medium resulted in the higher germination rate of young embryo,and the hybrid plant were obtained.These methods are simple,convenient and economically feasible,therefore,may be utilized in crossing of cultivated rice and wild species without AA genome.
Quantitative Assay of Hydrolases for Activity and Selectivity Using Color Changes

Originally published in: Enzyme Assays. Edited by Jean-Louis Reymond. Copyright © 2006 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA Weinheim. Print ISBN: 3-527-31095-1 The sections in this article are Introduction Direct Assays Using Chromogenic Substrates Indirect Assays Using Coupled Reactions – pH Indicators Overview of Quantitative Use of pH Indicator Assay Applications Searching for an Active Hydrolase (Testing Many Hydrolases Toward One Substrate) Substrate Mapping of New Hydrolases (Testing Many Substrates Toward Hydrolase) Comparison with Other Methods Estimating and Measuring Selectivity Estimating Selectivity without a Reference Compound Quantitative Measure of Selectivity Using a Reference Compound (Quick E and Related Methods) Chromogenic Substrate pH Indicators Application Substrate Mapping of Hydrolases Screening of Mutants in Directed Evolution Advantages and Disadvantages Acknowledgments Keywords: enzyme assays; high-throughput screening; quantitative assay of hydrolases for activity and selectivity using color changes; direct assays using chromogenic substrates; indirect assays using coupled reaction; pH indicators; estimating and measuring selectivity; chromogenic substrate; application
Review article: the burden of hepatic encephalopathy

Hepatic encephalopathy, a challenging complication of advanced liver disease, occurs in approximately 30-45% of patients with cirrhosis and 10-50% of patients with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt, while minimal hepatic encephalopathy affects approximately 20-60% of patients with liver disease. Although the total direct and indirect costs of hepatic encephalopathy have not been formally quantified, data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project suggest that hepatic encephalopathy-related hospitalizations are associated with substantial costs. In 2003, there were over 40 000 patients hospitalized in the United States for a primary diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy, resulting in total charges of approximately $932 million. Furthermore, trends over the past 10 years suggest that the burden of hepatic encephalopathy is increasing, as indicated by increases in hospital admissions and higher charges per stay. Because of inconsistencies in coding for hepatic encephalopathy, the prevalence and cost data from this data source are believed to significantly underestimate the true burden of hepatic encephalopathy. In addition, expenditures for physician fees and out-patient care, as well as indirect costs attributable to lost work days and decreased productivity, have not been quantified. Thus, there is need for future studies to more accurately define the burden of hepatic encephalopathy, including minimal hepatic encephalopathy.
An In Vitro Model for the Lepromatous Leprosy Granuloma: Fate of Mycobacterium leprae from Target Macrophages after Interaction with Normal and Activated Effector Macrophages

The lepromatous leprosy granuloma is a dynamic entity requiring a steady influx of macrophages (Mphi) for its maintenance. We have developed an in vitro model to study the fate of Mycobacterium leprae in a LL lesion, with and without immunotherapeutic intervention. Target cells, consisting of granuloma Mphi harvested from the footpads of M. leprae-infected athymic nu/nu mice, were cocultured with normal or IFN-gamma-activated (ACT) effector Mphi. The bacilli were recovered and assessed for viability by radiorespirometry. M. leprae recovered from target Mphi possessed high metabolic activity, indicating a viable state in this uncultivable organism. M. leprae recovered from target Mphi incubated with normal effector Mphi exhibited significantly higher metabolism. In contrast, bacilli recovered from target Mphi cocultured with ACT effector Mphi displayed a markedly decreased metabolic activity. Inhibition by ACT Mphi required an E:T ratio of at least 5:1, a coculture incubation period of 3-5 days, and the production of reactive nitrogen intermediates, but not reactive oxygen intermediates. Neither IFN-gamma nor TNF-alpha were required during the cocultivation period. However, cell-to-cell contact between the target and effector Mphi was necessary for augmentation of M. leprae metabolism by normal effector Mphi as well as for inhibition of M. leprae by ACT effector Mphi. Conventional fluorescence microscopy and confocal fluorescence microscopy revealed that the bacilli from the target Mphi were acquired by the effector Mphi. Thus, the state of Mphi infiltrating the granuloma may markedly affect the viability of M. leprae residing in Mphi in the lepromatous lesion.
PRIMUM NON NOCERE—FIRST DO NO HARM: AN IMPERATIVE FOR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES

Unlike the response to landmark studies in other disciplines of medicine, the few existing controlled, randomized EMS studies have not led to any calls for "moratoriums" on the practices in question. Why haven't they? It is all too easy to continue to dismiss the negative results of studies from a system other than our own. The paramedics in the system studied were not as well trained, were not as closely supervised, or did not have adequate medical oversight; the study was flawed, etc. Any or all of these variables may be true. A particular system may be safely performing one of the practices in question. However, the published results of any study that finds a high-risk practice to be more harmful than beneficial should immediately mandate the close examination of the practice in each and every system. To do otherwise is in direct conflict with the mission of EMS, and minimizes the value of the lives of the people in the communities who depend on us. First do no harm... is anyone listening?
Boundary element design sensitivity analysis formulations for coupled problems

Abstract Concepts associated with the use of the implicit differentiation technique to derive Boundary Element theoretical formulations for Design Sensitivity Analysis (DSA) of coupled problems are presented. Within the context of a coupled thermal/structural problem, it is shown that the thermoelastic response DSA can be formulated even for transient temperature distributions without the need for explicit domain integrations and without the requirement to factor perturbed matrices. For the case of a coupled structural/fluid problem, a coupled shell structural/fluid acoustic DSA formulation is presented. In this second problem the coupling is twofold. First, there is the obvius coupling of the two physical phenomena governed by different differential equations. Secondly, the shell structural behavior is numerically simulated using the Finite Element Method (FEM) while the fluid acoustic behavior is treated by the employment of the BEM. It is shown that implicit differentiation of the coupled, discretized equations can lead to the formulation of a two step procedure for shape or property DSA for all response quantities involved in the coupled analysis. In both steps of this procedure, it is shown that the DSA approach allows for the reuse of matrix factorizations performed in the earlier coupled analysis step to once again produce a DSA methodology that obviates the need to factor perturbed matrices. These two applications can be considered typical of a much wider class of coupled problems for which effective DSA formulations can be derived via the implicit differentiation approach.
New mathematical models of porous flow

Abstract A new, viable mathematical approach to the analysis of porous flow is developed. Liquids and solids are modelled as sets of particles which interact in accordance with both long range (gravity) and short range (molecular type) forces. The resulting nonlinear, n-body problem is resolved numerically on a digital computer. A variety of fundamental porous flow type problems, solved on the University of Texas at Arlington IBM 370-155, are described and analysed.
School-based smoking prevention in children and adolescents: review of the scientific literature

The aim of this study was to review all systematic reviews and meta-analyses of school-based interventions to prevent children and adolescents starting smoking. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, The Cochrane Database and Tobacco Review group registers, Psyclnfo, and the ERIC database. The keywords used for the search were: school-based, smoking prevention, children, adolescents, meta-analysis, systematic review. We found seven specifically relevant meta-analyses. They give evidence of a decreased prevalence of smoking among students exposed to social influence programmes compared to students in control groups. The mean difference between groups exposed to the programmes and those not exposed (at the school or classroom level) ranges from 5% to 60%, with a duration of 1–4 years. In conclusion, in order to achieve a higher level of effectiveness it is widely recognized that smoking prevention programmes should have the following components: sustained application, booster sessions over several years; reinforcement in the community; involvement of parents and the mass media; programming smoking prevention activities within a more comprehensive school health promotion programme.
Relationships between sensory responsiveness and premovement activity of quickly adapting neurons in areas 3b and 1 of monkey primary somatosensory cortex.

When monkeys make wrist movements in response to vibration of their hands, primary somatosensory (SI) cortical neurons that adapt quickly to the vibratory stimulus often exhibit two temporally separate types of activity. Initially, these neurons respond to the stimulus. They then cease discharging, only to resume firing prior to the movement. This activation, cessation and reactivation occurs even though the sensory stimulus remains on until after the movement is begun. The first change in activity is most likely related to sensory input. The second, which has been called premovement activity, may have a sensory component as well as one related to the upcoming movement. We wanted to test the hypothesis that the premovement activity exhibited when vibration is present represents both a reactivation of a neuron's vibratory response and the premovement activity that normally occurs when vibration is absent. We also wanted to determine if area 3b and 1 quickly adapting (QA) neurons show similar or different activity patterns during the initiation and execution of sensory triggered wrist movements. Four monkeys were trained to make wrist flexion and extension movements in response to vibratory stimuli delivered to the handle which the animals used to control the behavioral paradigm. Two of the four monkeys also made similar wrist movements following visual cues. We found that the premovement activity of QA neurons located in area 1 (but not area 3b) is comprised of a sensory-related component as well as a movement-related component. The magnitude of these individual components differs in relationship to a neuron's receptive field type, the movement direction and the external force imposed on the stimulated forelimb. Premovement activity of area 3b and area 1 QA neurons occurs at the same time prior to movement, regardless of whether visual or vibratory cues are used to trigger wrist movements. This activity occurs at about the same time as others have observed elevations in the threshold for tactile perception, suggesting that premovement activity and changes in sensory responsiveness before movement may be related. These and previous findings are used to construct a model which may predict the firing patterns of SI QA neurons during behavioral tasks. These findings also suggest that areas 3b and 1 may have different roles in processing task-related somatosensory information.
Adsorption of Water and Methanol on Micro- and Mesoporous Wood-Based Activated Carbons

Sorption of water and methanol on two carbons of wood origin and their oxidized counterparts was studied. The isotherms were measured at low relative pressure (p/p0 < 0.3) at temperatures close to ambient. Before the experiments, the detailed structural and chemical features of the carbon surfaces were determined by applying various physical and chemical methods. From the isotherms, the heats of adsorption were calculated using the virial equation. The results showed the differences in the uptakes of water and methanol at a low relative pressure related to different mechanisms of the adsorption processes. It was demonstrated that the effect of pore sizes and pore volume on sorption uptake is more pronounced in the case of methanol, whereas water sorption is governed mainly by surface chemistry. For both sorbates, the isosteric heats of adsorption were affected by the surface chemical heterogeneity only at low surface coverage. At higher surface coverage, in the case of water the highest heats of adsorptio...
IS THE DEATH PENALTY AN ASIAN VALUE

Since World War, a growing number of countries around the world have joined the movement to abolish capital punishment. Asia remains the exception and it has been argued by some Asian leaders that ...
A novel estrogen-enhanced transcript identified in the rat uterus by differential display.

Estrogen exerts its physiological effects in the uterus by inducing a cascade of transcriptional events; however, the number of genes known to be directly activated by estrogen in the uterus is small. In this study, immature ovariectomized rats were treated with estrogen or vehicle, and 3 h later the uterine horns were flushed to extract epithelial RNA. This RNA was used in the differential display technique to search for estrogen-responsive genes. Products of reverse transcriptase-PCR, made with pairs of arbitrary and oligo-deoxythymidine primers, were separated on denaturing polyacrylamide gels; candidate bands were excised and reamplified to produce probes for use in Northern blot analysis and screening of aλ gt10 complementary DNA library made from rat uterus. A novel estrogen-enhanced transcript, designated EET-1, was identified from a differential display band, and the estrogen sensitivity of its expression was verified in Northern analysis. Characterization of EET-1 expression in the uterus showed ...
Putative B lymphocyte lineage precursor cells in early murine embryos.

Abstract The emergence of putative B lymphocyte lineage cells in embryonic and neonatal tissues of mice was studied using monoclonal antibodies which recognize virtually all B cells, pre-B cells and an additional population of lymphoid cells. An extensive survey of extraembryonic and intraembryonic hemopoietic tissues indicated that cells displaying this marker first appear within liver of 45–50 somite stage embryos. Prior to this developmental stage, none were found in yolk sac or peripheral blood. Although some 14.8 antigen bearing cells were found in suspensions of ectoplacenta, these were small surface IgM + lymphocytes which were presumably of maternal origin. Culture of embryonic liver fragments which initially contained small numbers of antigen positive cells resulted in their expansion. However, this did not occur when very early liver rudiments containing virtually no lymphoid cells were cultured. These findings document the earliest appearance of cells during ontogeny which may be committed to differentiate into functional B lymphocytes.
Perspectives on: Information coding in mammalian sensory physiology

The purpose of the Perspectives in General Physiology is to provide a forum where scientific uncertainties or controversies are discussed in an authoritative, yet open manner. The Perspectives are solicited by the editors—often based on recommendations by members of the editorial advisory board. To frame the issue, two or more experts are invited to present brief points of view on the problem, which are published consecutively in the Journal. One or more experts and the organizer(s) review the contributions, but the comments and opinions expressed in the Perspectives are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the editors or the editorial advisory board. The Perspectives are accompanied by a few editorial paragraphs that introduce the problem and invite the submission of comments, in the form of letters to the editor, which are published in a single, predetermined issue (usually three months after publication of the Perspective). After the letters to the editor have been published, further responses are limited to full manuscripts.
Chronic Lead Administration in Neonatal Rats: Electron Microscopy of the Retina

The morphologic effects on the retina resulting from chronic lead exposure were assessed in neonatal rats. Newborn rats nursed from dams were given a low (0.115%) or a high (4.5%) concentration of lead in their diet. At day 21 the pups were weaned to the mother's diet. The retinas of the pups were studied by electron microscopy at various ages up to day 60. High and low lead concentrations produced necrosis of photoreceptor cells and cells of the inner nuclear layer. The high lead concentration, in addition, was associated with swelling of endothelial cells of the retinal vessels and narrowing of the lumen. Increased permeability of the retinal vessels and pigment epithelium to horseradish peroxidase was also observed under the high-dose condition. The authors conclude that lead can produce direct neuronal damage and, at high doses, produces retinal vascular lesions and alteration of the blood-retinal barrier.
Our Rights and Obligations to Future Generations for the Environment

This we know: the earth does not belong to man: man belongs to the earth. … Whatever befalls the earth, befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life: he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself. Chief Seattle† We read every day about the desecration of our environment and the mismanagement of our natural resources. We have always had the capacity to wreck the environment on a small or even regional scale. Centuries of irrigation without adequate drainage in ancient times converted large areas of the fertile Tigris-Euphrates valley into barren desert. What is new is that we now have the power to change our global environment irreversibly, with profoundly damaging effects on the robustness and integrity of the planet and the heritage that we pass to future generations.
Metabolic Study of Douglas-fir Pollen Germination in vitro

Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] pollen was germinated and grown in mass in a sterile mineral medium supplemented with 0.3 M mannitol as osmotic stabilizer. During the 4-day period, pollen elongated threefold; free sugar and amino acid contents did not change significantly; soluble protein, insoluble protein, and RNA decreased; starch reduced to 30%; and DNA doubled in quantity. Respiration rate remained high and constant during the first 36 h and then increased, but the respiratory quotient averaged about 1.0 throughout the period. The pool size of adenine nucleotides remained constant, whereas ATP content and energy charge increased rapidly during the first 8 h and remained high for the remainder of the period. 14C-glucose was rapidly metabolized within 2 h at 25°C to amino acids (33%), organic acids (22%), sugars (20%), CO2 (15%), lipids (5%), and insoluble components (3%). Experimental data indicated that the cultural conditions provided a suitable environment for rapid germination and active metabolism of Douglas-fir pollen.
Moral Values and Vote Choice in the 2004 U.S. Presidential Election

Scholars and journalists have emphasized the growing importance of cultural issues and a “values divide” in shaping recent political behavior of the American electorate. Discussion of a values-based cleavage has been especially evident since exit polls for the 2004 presidential election revealed that “moral values” topped the list of issues that respondents cited as the “most important” issue in the election. While there has been considerable debate and disagreement over the influence of moral values in 2004, no analysis has performed a crucial test of the moral values hypothesis, namely developing a multivariate model to examine the effect of moral values on vote choice relative to other issue preferences and demographic variables. This article develops such a model using data from the 2004 American National Election Study. Findings suggest that moral values exerted an important effect on vote choice in the 2004 presidential election, even when other predictors of vote choice were included in a multivariate model.
Decay of Fourier modes of solutions to the dissipative surface quasi-geostrophic equations on a finite domain

Abstract We consider the two dimensional dissipative surface quasi-geostrophic equation on the unit square with mixed boundary conditions. Under some suitable assumptions on the initial stream function, we obtain existence and uniqueness of solutions in the form of a fast converging trigonometric series. We prove that the Fourier coefficients of solutions have a non-uniform decay: in one direction the decay is exponential and along the other direction it is only power like. We establish global wellposedness for arbitrary large initial data.
Magnetic bead sensing platform for the detection of proteins.

Over the past 5 years, the on-chip detection and manipulation of magnetic beads via magnetoelectronics has emerged as a promising new biosensor platform. Magnetic bead sensing (MBS) provides a highly sensitive and specific technique, enabling these sensors to meet the diagnostic needs that are currently not met by existing technologies. Although many studies have proven the high physical sensitivity of magnetic sensors, the establishment of dose−response curves using MBS is unexplored and their capability to sensitively detect low concentrations of target molecules for diagnostic applications has remained unproven. In this study, we have exploited an alternative MBS concept based on the repositioning of the magnetic beads toward the most sensitive location on the spin valve sensors to allow for highly sensitive immunosensing over a wide range of target concentrations. Furthermore, we present the optimization of the magnetoimmuno assay, i.e., the surface chemistry, the blocking procedure, and the type of m...
Recurrent Left Atrial Myxoma Report of a Case

Recurrence of a left atrial myxoma 6 years after the initial resection is reported. This, to our knowledge, is the second such case, and it emphasizes the need for a complete resection of the underlying atrial septum or atrial wall in cases of myxoma.
Estimating sediment, nitrogen, and phosphorous loads from the Pipestem Creek watershed, North Dakota, using AnnAGNPS

Agricultural pollution is a significant problem in North Dakota. Water quality in the Pipestem Creek watershed upstream of Pingree, North Dakota, USA, has been a major environmental concern amongst other adjacent watersheds within the region. The annualized agricultural non-point source (AnnAGNPS) model, a large-scale watershed model designed to predict sediment and nutrient loads, was used to evaluate non-point source pollution in a typical agricultural watershed. The best available data were assembled and used in the analysis. The model predicted runoff of 0.31m^3/s, compared to a measured value of 0.46m^3/s. A poor correlation was observed when comparing the model's predicted nitrogen, phosphorus, and sediment with the observed counterparts. The model's poor performance was most likely a result of the large size of the study area and the high variability in land use and management practices.
Generation of shorter sequences for high resolution error diagnosis using sequential SAT

Commonly used pattern sources in simulation-based verification include random, guided random, or design verification patterns. Although these patterns may help bring the design to those hard-to-reach states for activating the errors and for propagating them to observation points, they tend to be very long, which complicates the subsequent diagnosis process. As a key step in reducing the overall diagnosis complexity, we propose a method of generating a shorter error-sequence based on a given long error-sequence. We formulate the problem as a satisfiability problem and employ a SAT solver as the underlying engine for this task. By heuristically selecting an intermediate state S/sub i/ which is reachable by the given long sequence, the task of finding the transfer sequence from the initial state to the target state can be divided into two easier tasks - finding a transfer sequence from the initial state to S/sub i/ and one from S/sub i/ to the target state. Our preliminary experimental results on public benchmark circuits show that the proposed method can achieve significant reduction in the length of the error sequences.
Ecotypic variation in the asymmetric Hawk-Dove game: When is Bourgeois an evolutionarily stable strategy?

This paper develops a mathematical model of an iterated, asymmetric Hawk-Dove game with the novel feature that not only are successive pairs of interactants — in the roles of owner and intruder contesting a site — drawn randomly from the population, but also the behaviour adopted at one interaction affects the role of a contestant in the next. Under the assumption that a site is essential for reproduction, the evolutionarily stable strategy (ESS) of the population is found to depend on the probability, w, that the game will continue for at least a further period (which is inversely related to predation risk), and five other parameters; two of them are measures of site scarcity, two are measures of fighting costs, and the last is a measure of resource holding potential (RHP). Among the four strategies — Hawk (H), Dove (D), Bourgeois (B) and anti-Bourgeois (X) — only D is incapable of being an ESS; and regions of parameter space are found in which the ESS can be only H, or only X, or only B; or either H or X; or either X or B; or either H or B; or any of the three. The scarcer the sites or the lower the costs of fighting, or the lower the value of w, the more likely it is that H is an ESS; the more abundant the sites or the higher the costs of fighting, or the higher the value of w, the more likely it is that X or B is an ESS. The different ESSs are interpreted as different ecotypes. The analysis suggests how a non-fighting population could evolve from a fighting population under decreasing risk of predation. If there were no RHP, or if RHP were low, then the ESS in the non-fighting population would be X; only if RHP were sufficiently high would the ESS be B, and the scarcer the sites, the higher the RHP would have to be. These conclusions support the thesis that if long-term territories are essential for reproduction and sites are scarce, then ownership is ruled out not only as an uncorrelated asymmetry for settling disputes in favour of owner, but also as a correlated asymmetry.
Compliance with hormone replacement therapy: are women receiving the full impact of hormone replacement therapy preventive health benefits?

T he benefit of long-term use of estrogen therapy in postmenopausal women has been well established. Osteoporosis prevention and cardiovascular disease prevention are well-defined end points for estrogen replacement therapy (ERT). 1"2 The Food and Drug Administration has currently approved the use of ERT for prophylaxis against osteoporosis. However, the indication for cardiovascular disease prevention has not yet been obtained. The latter may be most important because more women die of heart disease. However, we need more studies to define clearly the duration of use of ERT and the sequencing of ERT for a cardiovascular risk indication. Nevertheless, long-term use of ERT for osteoporosis prevention has been documented to decrease the incidence of hip fractures. ERT would be needed for at least 5-6 years to achieve optimum benefit. 1-3 This does not mean that the hormones would need to be stopped at that point; a decision would then need to be made whether or not there are any contraindications for further ERT, and whether or not it would be appropriate either to lower the dose or to continue therapy indefinitely. The absolute duration of use, therefore, has not been clearly defined. It is also generally recommended that patients be started on ERT within the first 3 years of menopause. This would give them the optimum benefit for osteoporosis prophylaxis because this is when maximum bone loss occurs. Therefore, patients need to decide on such therapy (for osteoporosis prophylaxis) in close proximity to the perimenopausal period. After this decision is made, they need to continue such treatment for at least 6 years, if not for the rest of their lives. Therefore, if this discussion is limited solely to deciding on treatment for osteoporosis prophylaxis (an approved indication), how do © 1992 by The Jacobs Institute of Women's Health 1049-3867/92/$5.00
The Resort Management Course: A Case Study

(1997). The Resort Management Course: A Case Study. Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Education: Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 16-20.
Effect of Lowering Water Temperature on Hatching Time and Survival of Lake Trout Eggs

Abstract Tests were conducted to determine the effects of low incubation water temperatures on lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) egg mortality and hatching time. Eggs incubated at 9.8°C hatched in 58 d and required 570 temperature units (degree-days above 0°C); eggs incubated at 6.4 and 1.8°C hatched in 90 and 196 d and required 572 and 352 temperature units, respectively. Eggs incubated at 1.8°C took 138 d longer to hatch than those incubated at 9.8°C, but there were no significant differences in percent mortality among the three treatments. In a second test, hatching time of eyed eggs held in 0.9°C water was retarded 40 d compared to eggs held in 8.0°C water.
Expression of secondary alcohol dehydrogenase in methanogenic bacteria and purification of the F420-specific enzyme from Methanogenium thermophilum strain TCI

In four species of methanogens able to grow with secondary alcohols as hydrogen donors the expression and properties of secondary alcohol dehydrogenase (sec-ADH) were investigated. Cells grown with 2-propanol and CO2 immediately started to oxidize secondary alcohols to ketones if transferred to new media. In the presence of H2, such cells reduced ketones or aldehydes to alcohols. In the absence of H2, aldehydes were dismutated (without growth) to primary alcohols and fatty acids. None of these reactions was catalyzed by cells grown with only H2 and CO2 at non-limiting concentration. This indicated an induction or derepression of sec-ADH by its substrate. Apparently, sec-ADH in all strains enabled not only the reduction of ketones or aldehydes, but also the dismutation of the latter. Sec-ADH was also expressed if strains were grown on H2 and CO2 in the presence of non-oxidizable, tertiary alcohols. Methanogenium thermophilum expressed sec-ADH even without added alcohol when H2 became limiting. From this species, an F420-specific sec-ADH was purified; the final gel filtration chromatography yielded a single protein peak that coincided with the activity. The enrichment was 12-fold, the activity recovery 26%. SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis indicated that the enzyme was a homodimer with an apparent M r of 79,000. At the pH optimum around 4.2, the specific activity for oxidation of 2-propanol (130 mM) and reduction of acetone (20 mM) was 176 and 110 μmol/ min·mg, respectively (40°C). The apparent K m for 2-propanol and acetone (with 15 μM F420) was 2.5 and 0.25 mM, respectively. Aldehydes also were reduced.
Fracture properties of high performance carbon foam sandwich structures

This paper investigates the fracture properties of high performance sandwich structures based on tough carbon fiber reinforced polyetheretherketone (PEEK) skins bonded to a carbon foam core. Single cantilever beam tests on pre-cracked samples indicated that an excellent level of adhesion can be achieved between the skin and core materials. In all specimens, the crack propagated within the carbon foam providing an additional in situ evaluation of the fracture properties of the core material. Single edge notched bend (SENB) testing was performed and revealed that both test procedures yielded similar values of fracture toughness. Three point bend (3 PB) testing on simple supported beams highlighted the excellent load bearing capabilities offered by these lightweight multifunctional structures. Optical examinations revealed that failure modes such as localized indentation; collapse and densification of the carbon foam core and cohesive bi-material crack propagation contributed to the excellent load bearing characteristics offered by these systems.