Opening Date Research Articles

Ziracin-Induced Congenital Urogenital Malformations in Female Rats

Spontaneous hypospadias is seldom observed in rats in contrast to its occurrence in 1 out of 250 human births. Ziracin, an antibacterial of the everninomycin class under development for serious enterococcal, staphylococcal, and streptococcal infections, caused anomalies of the external genitalia in F1 female rats and decreased reproductive performance. To characterize the urogenital malformations and determine the period of sensitivity to the effects of Ziracin during development, pregnant rats (F0) were administered 60 mg/kg IV of Ziracin from GD6 to LD21, GD6 to 13, GD14 to the last day of gestation or LD0 to 21. Controls received saline or placebo from GD6 to LD21. Ziracin-induced changes occurred in F1 rats exposed from GD6 to LD21 and GD14 to the last day of gestation, indicating that the period of sensitivity to Ziracin was from GD 14 to the last day of gestation. The urogenital abnormalities consisted of cranial displacement of the urethral opening within the vagina from its normal location at the tip of the genital tubercle. When the urethrovaginal junction occurred at the distal third of the vagina, it created an urogenital cloaca. As a result, ascending infections were seen in the urinary and genital tract. No differences in survivability, body weight, and date of vaginal opening were observed in F1 females. The estrous cycles were slightly prolonged. The mating and fertility indices were decreased as a result of the urogenital anomalies. The mammary glands of pregnant F1 females were underdeveloped, thus F2 pups from affected F1 females had a decreased survival rate. Although the cause of these effects is not known, the findings are consistent with a potential hormonal mechanism.

Predicting Cotton Boll Maturation Period Using Degree Days and Other Climatic Factors

Degree days are often used for cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) growth monitoring and management. The objectives of this research are to determine if 15.5°C is an accurate lower‐threshold temperature to monitor the boll maturation period (BMAP) for cotton in the northern, rainfed region of the U.S. Cotton Belt, to investigate other climatic factors in this cotton region that may improve the accuracy of the current degree day system for cotton, and to evaluate degree day models that include both an upper‐ and lower‐threshold temperature. Cotton was planted at three different timings in 2001 and 2002 to provide different climatic regimes during the BMAP. On 10 typical plants per plot, all first‐position flowers were individually tagged with date of flower opening and were then harvested at full maturity. Daily weather data consisted of maximum, minimum, and average air temperature; maximum and average soil temperature; average soil moisture; maximum and average solar radiation; and maximum and average photosynthetically active radiation. The 17°C degree day model, which used 17°C as the lower threshold, provided the best adjusted r2 (0.2715) of all the single‐variable models; the degree day 15.5°C model had an adjusted r2 of 0.2276. The best model using both upper and lower temperature thresholds was DD3017, using 30 and 17°C as the thresholds, and had an adjusted r2 of 0.2452. Adding average, minimum, and maximum air temperatures to the DD15.5, DD17, and DD3017 models reduced coefficient of variation and mean square error and increased adjusted r2 values.

Social Networks and Exchange: Self-confirming Dynamics in Hollywood

Studies have consistently found that social structure influences who transacts with whom, and that actors appear to benefit when exchange occurs embedded within these relations rather than in an unstructured market. This paper argues that the apparent benefits of embedded exchange can arise from an endogenous mechanism: Actors offer better terms of trade and allocate more resources to transactions embedded within existing social relations, thereby contributing to the ostensible advantages of such exchange patterns. In the motion picture industry, not only do distributors show a preference for carrying films involving key personnel with whom they had prior relations, but also they tend to favor these films when making decisions regarding their release (opening dates and the level of promotion). After controlling for the effects of these decisions, films with stronger prior relations to the distributor perform worse at the box office. The results reveal that, rather than benefiting from repeated exchange, distributors produce these effects through their own efforts.

Comparison of reference points estimated using a size-based method for two high-latitude crab species in the United States and Canada

We briefly reviewed the decision rules currently used for managing two major high-latitude crab stocks, snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) and Dungeness crab (Cancer magister), in the United States and Canada and compared them with model-based reference points, harvest rate, and biomass proportion relative to virgin biomass, developed using species- and area-specific parameters. The model followed a size-based approach, which incorporated Beverton–Holt and Ricker stock–recruitment models and estimated mean and median reference points. The recruitment was also perturbed to generate distributions of reference points. The Beverton–Holt stock–recruitment model provided a lower harvest rate than that of the Ricker model. Harvest rates were lower for combined sexes spawning biomass than for female-only spawning biomass. Increasing the minimum size at first capture and decreasing the handling mortality resulted in increased harvest rates. Changes in fishery duration and timing of fishery open date did not change the harvest rate appreciably. The harvest rates for the Canadian snow and Dungeness crabs were mostly higher than those estimated for the Bering Sea and Southeast Alaska stocks. Reliable estimates of a number of life history parameters are lacking for both species, and hence, the results of this exercise need to be treated in a precautionary manner.

Bacterial contamination of multiple-dose vials: a prevalence study

Background Two patients died of a meningitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a hospital in Germany in July 2001, their infections having been caused by a contaminated contrast media (iomeprol [Imeron]) used as a multiple-dose vial (MDV) over 8 days. Therefore, a prevalence study was performed to investigate the use and contamination of multiple-use vials in a tertiary hospital. Methods In a 1300-bed hospital on a specific day in November 2001, all used MDVs were collected by the infection control nurses. Information was recorded about the medication, labeling of vials, storing temperature, wards, and dates of opening. Each vial was also tested for sterility. Results Opened vials were to be found in all wards. Of the 227 vials available, 1 vial and 1 spike were contaminated with Staphylococcus epidermidis (contamination rate 0.9%; 95% CI, 0.3-2.1). The opening dates were marked on only 114 (50%) MDVs, 15 (13%) of which had already expired. Only 44 (19%) MDVs had been stored in the refrigerator, whereas 109 MDVs contained medications without any preserving agent. Conclusion Results revealed somewhat risky handling of MDVs. In light of a possible high risk in this hospital of about 1 contaminated MDV per day, and in view of many reported outbreaks induced by contaminated MDVs, the following infection control measures were encouraged: alcohol hand hygiene, the disinfection of gums, observance of the manufacturer's recommendations, appropriate storing temperatures, marking the opening time, and avoiding the multiple use of medications not containing preserving agents.

Effect of seed source elevation on bud opening of Yezo spruce (Picea jezoensis)

Spring frost damage is one of the obstacles to be overcome in establishing a Yezo spruce (Picea jezoensis Carr.) plantation. The timing of bud opening of Yezo spruce seedlings cultured from seeds collected at three different elevations (420, 700, and 1200m) in the Tokyo University Forest in Hokkaido was observed at two planting site elevations (610 and 750m) to investigate whether seed source elevation or planting site elevation affects the bud opening date. At both planting sites the bud opening dates were not significantly different among the seedling groups from different seed source elevations. On the other hand, bud opening dates of seedlings planted at the lower elevation site were significantly earlier than those planted in the higher elevation site. It could be deduced from this study that the environment of the planting site rather than seed source elevation affects the bud opening date of Yezo spruce.

Effects of Archery Hunter Numbers and Opening Dates on Elk Movement

Movement of Rocky Mountain elk (Cervus elaphus nelsoni) to private land in Colorado, USA, is problematic for population management because once on private land, elk are largely unavailable for harvest. We evaluated the relative effects of reducing hunter numbers and changes in opening dates of early-season hunting (archery) on elk movement to private land during a 4-year field experiment. Our study area was divided into north (NTA) and south (STA) treatment areas. Eighty adult female elk were captured and radiomarked during July 1996. From 1996 to 1999, we relocated radiomarked elk 2 times per week for a 2- to 3-month period surrounding archery season opening dates, and we classified each elk location as being on public or private land. In 1996 and 1997, NTA and STA opening dates were manipulated, and in 1998 and 1999, the number of NTA archery licenses sold was reduced approximately 50%. Using Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC) model selection to generate estimates, we found that elk movement to private land was not affected by a 50% reduction in hunter numbers. Likewise, the best AIC model exploring the mean date of elk movement to private land did not include a variable for hunter numbers treatment; the model included only an area variable. However, mean date of elk movement (±95% CI) overlapped opening day of archery season in 7 of 8 cases, indicating that elk shifted the timing of their movements to private land in response to the beginning of hunting season. Delaying archery opening day had a greater effect on retarding elk movement onto private land than reducing hunter numbers. More intense management, such as reducing hunter densities for >2 consecutive years, or decreasing hunter numbers by greater proportions, may be required to alter elk movements onto private lands compared to the more successful option of delaying archery opening day.

Electronic monitoring and counseling to improve medication adherence

Electronic caps, pill caps that record the date and time of pill bottle opening provide an objective measure of adherence to prescribed medication. A promising intervention to improve adherence, cue-dose training, involves reviewing patients’ pill cap-generated reports concerning their medication-taking and offering individualized recommendations for remembering to take medications at specific times of day. In this preliminary study, 79 patients prescribed the antihyperglycemic medication metformin had adherence assessed during a 4-week baseline period. Adherence, defined as proportion of prescribed doses taken within a predetermined 4-h window, was measured using electronic MEMS® caps. Those who had less than 80% baseline adherence ( n=33) were randomly assigned to either receive 4 months of cue-dose training ( n=16) or to a control group ( n=17). Cue-dose training was associated with significantly better adherence to metformin (mean improvement of 15%). The effects of cue-dose training on adherence to other antihyperglycemic medication did not reach statistical significance. Glycosylated hemoglobin (a measure of blood sugar control) did not differ between groups. Data from nine patients who reviewed pill cap-generated data with their primary care providers suggested that both patients and providers found the discussion moderately helpful and not at all uncomfortable.

Spring hunting changes the regional movements of migrating greater snow geese

Summary Human‐induced disturbance such as hunting may influence the migratory behaviour of long‐distance migrants. In 1999 and 2000 a spring hunt of greater snow geese Anser caerulescens atlanticus occurred for the first time in North America since 1916, aimed at stopping population growth to protect natural habitats. We evaluated the impact of this hunt on the staging movements of geese along a 600‐km stretch of the St Lawrence River in southern Quebec, Canada. We tracked radio‐tagged female geese in three contiguous regions of the staging area from the south‐west to the north‐east: Lake St Pierre, Upper Estuary and Lower Estuary, in spring 1997 (n = 37) and 1998 (n = 70) before the establishment of hunting, and in 1999 (n = 60) and 2000 (n = 59) during hunting. We used multi‐state capture–recapture models to estimate the movement probabilities of radio‐tagged females among these regions. To assess disturbance level, we tracked geese during their feeding trips and estimated the probability of completing a foraging bout without being disturbed. In the 2 years without hunting, migration was strongly unidirectional from the south‐west to the north‐east, with very low westward movement probabilities. Geese gradually moved from Lake St Pierre to Upper Estuary and then from Upper Estuary to Lower Estuary. In contrast, during the 2 years with hunting westward movement was more than four times more likely than in preceding years. Most of these backward movements occurred shortly after the beginning of the hunt, indicating that geese moved back to regions where they had not previously experienced hunting. Overall disturbance level increased in all regions in years with hunting relative to years without hunting. Synthesis and applications. We conclude that spring hunting changed the stopover scheduling of this long‐distance migrant and might further impact population dynamics by reducing prenuptial fattening. The spring hunt may also have increased crop damage. We propose that staggered hunt opening dates could attenuate secondary effects of such management actions.

Management of Atlantic salmon in the Simojoki river, northern Gulf of Bothnia: effects of stocking and fishing regulation

The endangered natural stock of Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar L.) in the Simojoki river, northern Baltic Sea, has been managed primarily by fishing regulation, and by stocking with parr and smolts. The Finnish national regulation of salmon fishing in the Baltic Sea has changed considerably during recent decades: regulation was slight until 1996, strict in 1996–1997 and moderate from 1998 onwards. The wild/reared ratio was lower in smolts than in returning multi-sea-winter (MSW) spawners at the river mouth, indicating at least two times higher marine survival of wild smolts compared with reared ones. The catch-per-unit-effort (CPUE) of MSW spawning migrants in the trap net fishery of brood fish at the river mouth differed significantly between the slight, strict and moderate regulation periods, the CPUE being highest under strict regulation. The river catches of salmon were significantly lower during the period of slight regulation than later, while recoveries of tagged salmon in the Simojoki river were highest during the period of strict regulation. The results suggest that strict regulation of fishing is a very effective way of safeguarding the salmon stock, but even a short relief in the opening dates of the sea fishing season significantly reduced the spawning run into the river. The considerable proportion of reared fish among the ascending salmon indicates that stocking has increased the spawning run into the river. This has been important, especially during the years of low natural reproduction.

Charging transmission [power transmission pricing

Establishing a realistic pricing model across Europe is crucial to market liberalisation. EU governments have agreed to open their electricity and gas markets completely and two amending directives to EC 96/92 are now in the final stages of the EU legislative process. The directives specify market opening dates for electricity and gas of 1 July 2004 for nonhousehold users, and 1 July 2007 for household users. Accompanying these directives will be the creation of an EC regulation that is scheduled to enter into force in July 2004. The regulation will establish a set of 'guidelines' that will apply to transmission charging and congestion management arrangements in each member state. Unlike a directive, which has to be implemented into national legislation, a regulation is directly applicable in each member state. The guidelines will need to address the harmonisation of transmission charging if competition in electricity supply is to be facilitated. Most obviously the division of transmission costs between generation and customer load must be settled. Other wise if a supplier, for example, is seeking to ship electricity from an area where transmission charges fall predominantly on generators to one where charges fall predominantly on customers then it will be exposed to an innate disadvantage compared to a supplier who ships electricity in the opposite direction.

Motivational Enhancement and MEMS Review to Improve Medication Adherence

AbstractElectronic caps (most often Microelectronic Monitoring Systems; MEMS) that record date and time of bottle opening have been widely used to describe medication adherence. This paper expands upon descriptions of adherence-focused therapy built around review of MEMS data with the patient, adding the application of Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) principles. MEMS Feedback Therapy involves (a) motivational interviewing to complement the skill-building aspects of MEMS review; (b) detailed MEMS review with discussion of patterns of missed doses, and thoughts, feelings and habits accompanying missed doses; and (c) medication-taking routines to suggest after MET and MEMS review have prepared the patient to follow advice.

A Queer Return to Walter Benjamin

I was most lastinglyaffected bya reckless attempt that myfather embarked upon one evening to bring even the family's amusements into the harmony with his business enterprises that he had been able to establish for all its other needs. For when, about 1910, on Lutherstrasse in the West End, a consortium erected a building (the one that now houses the Scala) as an myfather, with a sizable stake, was among their number. Now, one evening—I don't know whether it was the opening date or later—myfather conceived of the idea of tak - ing me there. The Ice Palace, however, was not onlythe first skating rink in Berlin, but also a thriving nightclub. So it happened that myattention was held far less bythe convolutions in the arena than bythe apparitions at the bar, which I was able to surveyat myease from a box in the circle. Among these was a prosti- tute in a verytight-fitting white sailor's suit who, though I was unable to exchange a word with her, determined myerotic fantasies for years to come.

Superstores and Labour Demand: Evidence from Great Britain

The objective of this paper is to quantify the net effect that the massive opening of edge or out-of-town superstores, which took place in Great Britain in the mid-eighties and early nineties, had on local employment. Our data set consists of the location and the opening dates of Tesco and Sainsbury's stores, in combination with Census of Employment data from 1984 to 1991. Using both a fixed-effects specification and a system-GMM specification which allows to control for endogeneity, we find that in spite of the adverse effects they had on competing smaller stores, superstores had an overall positive net effect on employment.

English Professional Theatre, 1530–1660 ed. by Glynne Wickham, Herbert Berry, William Ingram

ESC 28, 2002 stole several books, including English histories, on Christmas Day 1620. But Reading History in Early Modern England is well worth acquiring by honest means. It is a major contribution to our understanding of the cultural configurations of this period of significant change. DAVID FREEMAN / Sir Wilfrid Grenfell College English Professional Theatre, 1530-1660. Ed. Glynne Wick­ ham, Herbert Berry, and W illiam Ingram. Cambridge: Cam­ bridge University Press, 2001. 714. $140.00 (U.S.) cloth. W hat a feast! Trying in a brief review to do justice to a treasuretrove , to a rich reference work of this scope, is very difficult. The sixth volume in the series “Theatre in Europe: A documentary history,” this book maps the narrative history of the English theatre by presenting a comprehensive array of original doc­ uments (or excerpts) according to three scenarii. First, edited by Glynne Wickham, come eighty-nine chronologically arranged documents that show how and why successive Tudor and early Stuart monarchs attem pted to bring the theatre under their control. Next, edited by William Ingram, are one hundred and eight documents that depict the lives and fortunes of profes­ sional actors and their widely varying reputation in the eyes of the public at large. The final section, by far the largest, is edited by Herbert Berry; he presents three hundred and twenty docu­ ments illustrating the histories of the twenty-three playhouses that were built or rented in London from 1567 to 1642. Berry arranges his vast array of materials by theatre, and presents each playhouse in order of its opening date. The editors stitch together their materials with succinct introductions, notes, and other explanatory passages — and for each playhouse, Professor Berry also pinpoints its modern location. Sometimes the notes and explanations are quixotically misplaced; a more thorough copy-editing at the page-proof stage would have been beneficial. In counting the above numbers of documents, I have followed the numbering used in the volume; in many cases, however, a “document” really presents numbers of documents from differ­ ent originals. For example, No. 504, “The second Fortune play­ 718 REVIEWS house comes to an end, 1649-1739” (646-48), collects excerpts from seven narratives, plays, letters, advertisements, and his­ torical accounts. Hence it would likely take many hours just to enumerate all the different documents that comprise this vast volume. A ten-page bibliography lists all the printed sources, and a comprehensive index makes it easy to track down partic­ ular persons, places, or subjects. Much here is familiar because no such collection could ex­ clude well-known and crucial sources such as, say, the Fortune contract (No. 417). All the documents are fresh transcriptions from the originals, except in a few cases where those have been destroyed or mislaid. The texts are presented in modernized spelling and punctuation, with abbreviations silently expanded. Purists may question these decisions, which accord with the guidelines of the series; for the intended audiences (teachers and students) the texts are clear and intelligible. Those wishing to consult other versions are guided by notes, immediately be­ low each main entry-heading, that locate the originals and list previous transcriptions. One is impressed by the number of doc­ uments whose previous discovery and publication are the work of the present editors. As well, much here is new, as is shown by the number of transcriptions that appear here for the first time; the collection breaks much wholly new ground. Throughout their scholarly careers, the three editors have expended much of their energies on the discovery and study of original sources; their expertise and devotion are apparent on every page. Considerations of space have necessitated omission of all forms of am ateur and occasional theatricals, including masques, although documents outlining the Tudor governments’ moves to control the Corpus Christi and other local religious plays are included. As well, the volume does not present overviews of the history of dram atic companies (as opposed to playhouses) or the careers of playwrights or their plays. As the editors ad­ mit, “these are serious omissions” (7), but they are perhaps understandable given the length of the book as it is. While the term inal date of 1642 is...

Defining the must-run and must-take units in a deregulated market

Reliability must-run (RMR) units are generation facilities that are necessary during certain operating conditions in order to maintain the security of power systems in a competitive environment. Absence of RMR units may result in insecure operation of a system. From a financial point of view, RMR units may become a safety net for independent power producers (IPPs) who enjoy steady incomes or a place for those who prefer not to participate in the competitive market. This paper presents a practical method to determine RMR units and their must-run output in the Thailand power market, according to the proposed structure of the Thailand deregulated market to be implemented in 2003 (forecasted opening date of the operation based on information of August 1999). The study determines the amount of must-run output in RMR units by finding the necessary amount of generation to avoid the violation of voltage magnitude, thermal limit, and voltage stability limit. The proposed procedure to determine RMR units defines the amount of generation capacity to be assigned as RMR and allows must-run units to sell surplus generation capacity to the system.

Elk Movement in Response to Early-Season Hunting in Northwest Colorado

We conducted a 2-year field experiment to determine whether archery and muzzleloading hunting seasons caused elk to move prematurely onto private land during late summer. The study site was divided into north and south areas, and each area received both an early- and late-opening treatment. Early-opening treatment was an archery season that opened 1 week earlier (23 Aug) than the historical opening, and late-opening treatment was an archery season that opened weeks later (13 Sep), yielding a 21-day difference in opening dates. We relocated 80 radiocollared female elk, captured at random locations on summer ranges, approximately 2 times per week for a 3-month period surrounding early- and late-opening dates each year and classified each elk location as being on public or private land. Elk receiving the late-opening treatment moved 10 days later than elk receiving the early treatment (P = 0.013, 1-sided ANOVA). Because elk on the north area appeared to respond differently to treatment than elk on the south area, we performed a post hoc analysis separately by area. In the north area, elk receiving the late-opening treatment moved 14 days later than elk receiving the early treatment (P = 0.006, 1-sided t-test), compared to a 6-day difference for elk in the south area (P = 0.218). During the study period, approximately twice as many radiocollared elk moved to private land on the north area (44%) compared to the south area (23%). We concluded that the opening of archery season caused a shift in the timing of elk movements on the north treatment area but had little effect on the south area. The greater response of elk to hunter activity on the north area may be due to topographical and migration differences between areas. Changing opening date to delay or shift the timing of elk movement onto private land may depend on availability of habitat refuges on public land and historical migration patterns.

‘Back to the Workhouse’: poverty from the past serving the present

In 1997, The National Trust and the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England and Wales conducted a survey of surviving workhouses and identified the Workhouse, Southwell, as the best and most important surviving example. The National Trust acquired the building, and a project team from the East Midlands office are now working to reconstruct the site. The anticipated opening date will be Easter 2002. The story of this particular workhouse site will be told but, more importantly, the vision of a system that covered the United Kingdom will be provided as a national example. In this way, the property will become a national and international focus for Poor Law history. Susanna Smith is a qualified archivist and architectural historian in eighteenth‐ and nineteenth‐century British architecture and history. As a National Trust Project Researcher, and a member of the project team for the Workhouse, Mrs Smith carries out documentary and oral history research on the Workhouse and has already published several articles on this project.

The Churches in England from Elizabeth I to Elizabeth II (review)

While it is unusual to list the individual volumes of a set, in this case it is justified by the fact that each volume is designed to stand as an independent work. This obviously creates some repetition, but on such a vast canvas it is hardly noticed. The author explains his opening date with the proposition, "It was only during the Elizabethan era that England was truly converted to Protestantism." With such a beginning the author is provided with almost equal time periods marked by the "Glorious Revolution" and the opening shot of the Oxford Movement. The narration of events runs easily and pleasantly (James II "had numerous mistresses who, although fewer than Charles', were reportedly uglier," while the Duke of Monmouth was "Good-looking, athletic, dashing and brainless"). There is considerable attention given to historiography in each segment. There is minimal attention given to civil history and Parliamentary action beyond what is specifically religious, but a great deal of attention is given to the more recent studies of local sources. One issue that might be of special interest here is Roman Catholic continuity, i.e., unbroken loyalty from before Henry VIII to the Emancipation of 1829. Throughout, the author reflects on the distinction between "Catholic" and "Papist" in much the way many modern writers divided "German" from "Nazi." The reader of American history will reflect on the question of Catholic loyalty in local elections and on the antiquated rhetoric of Bob Jones University. The Catholic continuity is further confused by the Puritans who forced Anglicans to live like recusants in the homes of backwoods gentry. "Orders were issued for the reversal of recent radical changes in church furnishing, which included most notably an abandonment of the railing of altars." The Interregnum ended, Charles II became king, and on his deathbed a Catholic. "As the Anglican clergy were ushered out of the bedchamber, a toothless, shabby old man, John Huddleston, carrying a stole and an oil-bottle, was hurrid in through a side-door from the ante-chamber in which he had long been kept waiting."

Lung cancer mortality in a site producing hard metals

OBJECTIVESTo study the mortality from lung cancer from exposures to hard metal dust at an industrial site producing hard metals—pseudoalloys of cobalt and tungsten carbide—and other metallurgical products many of...