Economics of Pollution Trading for SO2 and NOx

For years economists have urged policymakers to use market-based approaches such as cap-and-trade programs or emission taxes to control pollution. The SO2 allowance market created by Title IV of the 1990 U.S. Clean Air Act Amendments represents the first real test of the wisdom of economists’ advice. Subsequent urban and regional applications of NOx emission allowance trading took shape in the 1990s in the United States, culminating in a second large experiment in emission trading in the eastern United States that began in 2003. This paper provides an overview of the economic rationale for emission trading and a description of the major U.S. programs for sulfur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). We evaluate these programs along measures of performance including cost savings, environmental integrity, and incentives for technological innovation. We offer lessons for the design of future programs including, most importantly, those reducing carbon dioxide.sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, emission trading, power plants, air pollution

Opioids Delay Healing of Spinal Fusion: A Rabbit Posterolateral Lumbar Fusion Model

Background Context Opioid use is prevalent in the management of pre- and postoperative pain in patients undergoing spinal fusion. There is evidence that opioids downregulate osteoblasts in vitro, and a previous study found that morphine delays the maturation and remodeling of callus in a rat femur fracture model. However, the effect of opioids on healing of spinal fusion has not been investigated before. Isolating the effect of opioid exposure in humans would be limited by the numerous confounding factors that affect fusion healing. Therefore, we have used a well-established rabbit model to study the process of spinal fusion healing that closely mimics humans. Purpose The objective of this work was to study the effect of systemic opioids on the process of healing of spinal fusion in a rabbit posterolateral spinal fusion model. Study Design/Setting This is a preclinical animal study. Materials and Methods Twenty-four adult New Zealand white rabbits were studied in two groups after approval from the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC). The opioid group (n=12) received 4 weeks\u27 preoperative and 6 weeks\u27 postoperative transdermal fentanyl. Serum fentanyl levels were measured just before surgery and 4 weeks postoperatively to ensure adequate levels. The control group (n=12) received only perioperative pain control as necessary. All animals underwent a bilateral L5–L6 posterolateral spinal fusion using iliac crest autograft. Animals were euthanized at the 6-week postoperative time point, and assessment of fusion was done by manual palpation, plain radiographs, microcomputed tomography (microCT), and histology. Results Twelve animals in the control group and 11 animals in the opioid group were available for analysis at the end of 6 weeks. The fusion scores on manual palpation, radiographs, and microCT were not statistically different. Three-dimensional microCT morphometry found that the fusion mass in the opioid group had a lower bone volume (p=.09), a lower trabecular number (p=.02), and a higher trabecular separation (p=.02) compared with the control group. Histologic analysis found areas of incorporation of autograft and unincorporated graft fragments in both groups. In the control group, there was remodeling of de novo woven bone to lamellar organization with incorporation of osteocytes, formation of mature marrow, and relative paucity of hypertrophied osteoblasts lining new bone. Sections from the opioid group showed formation of de novo woven bone, and hypertrophied osteoblasts were seen lining the new bone. There were no sections showing lamellar organization and development of mature marrow elements in the opioid group. Less dense trabeculae on microCT correlated with histologic findings of relatively immature fusion mass in the opioid group. Conclusions Systemic opioids led to an inferior quality fusion mass with delay in maturation and remodeling at 6 weeks in this rabbit spinal fusion model. These preliminary results lay the foundation for further research to investigate underlying cellular mechanisms, the temporal fusion process, and the dose-duration relationship of opioids responsible for our findings

STEPS, LEAPS and bounds: Is there a recipe for success?

The development of a student identity as it relates to the transition of commencing students to higher education has long been identified in the literature as essential to success. As importantly, the existence of a sense of belonging has been considered key to transition and success and the formation of a student identity. Less prominent in the literature, the newly articulated notion of mattering has evolved from and is currently challenging the concept of student belonging. Mattering offers a broader understanding of what it means to have students in transition believe they are important, that they matter to the institution of study. The notion of mattering resonates strongly with the authors as transition educators. This paper draws on the work of Lizzio (2006) and MacFarlane (2018) to consider the essential ingredients any preparatory course should include to successfully transition underrepresented groups of students to study at the award level. A comparison of the STEPS course in the Australian context to LEAPS in the Scottish context provided avenue to propose a five-tenet framework as a possible recipe for success to best support the transition of an increasingly diverse group of students aspiring to university study. The paper explores the ways in which the courses effectively assist preparatory students develop a foundational student identity which is crucial to successful study in higher education, particularly in the initial stages of engagement. In doing so, it positions the philosophical underpinnings and the pedagogical practices currently adopted by both the STEPS and LEAPS courses as successfully embracing the tenets proposed within the framework

Exploring Obesity Risk Factors in Five Regions of Virginia

Obesity continues to weaken our nation physiologically, psychologically and financially with an overall prevalence rate of 34.9% or 78.6 million Americans affected. Variance in obesity prevalence rates, in the state of Virginia, account for over a 15% difference from one health district to the next. The purpose of this research was to better explore the regional obesogenic factors that may exist among five health districts in the state of Virginia. The socio ecological theory provides the conceptual framework of the study to understand the variance in regional obesity rates, as a function of the contributing risk factors that a region exhibits. This study was a quantitative retrospective secondary analysis that investigated four obesogenic risk factors using the Center for Disease Control\u27s 2013 Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance Survey. Binary logistic regression analyses were conducted for each of the four obesity factors in five regions in Virginia and the results emphasized that specific regional obesity prevention efforts in targeted areas are identifiable and specifically, attention to ethnicity, poverty, and exercise intensity are warranted in all Virginia\u27s health districts. Understanding obesogenic factors can further empower public policy makers to identify obesity prevention and treatment strategies most aligned with the health district needs such as exercise or nutrition campaigns targeting ethnic communities. Creating a statewide profile of regional obesogenic factors using this research model can bring about effective community intervention strategies leading to impactful improvements in individual health, wellness, and quality of life which can be a force in the community\u27s positive social change

Genomes of the Hymenoptera

Hymenoptera is the second-most sequenced arthropod order, with 52 publically archived genomes (71 with ants, reviewed elsewhere), however these genomes do not capture the breadth of this very diverse order (Figure 1, Table 1). These sequenced genomes represent only 15 of the 97 extant families. Although at least 55 other genomes are in progress in an additional 11 families (see Table 2), stinging wasps represent 35 (67%) of the available and 42 (76%) of the in progress genomes. A more comprehensive catalog of hymenopteran genomes is needed for research into the evolutionary processes underlying the expansive diversity in terms of ecology, behavior, and physiological traits within this group. Additional sequencing is needed to generate an assembly for even 0.05% of the estimated 1 million hymenopteran species, and we recommend premier level assemblies for at least 0.1% of the \u3e150,000 named species dispersed across the order. Given the haplodiploid sex determination in Hymenoptera, haploid male sequencing will help minimize genome assembly issues to enable higher quality genome assemblies

Identification of 34 Novel Proinflammatory Proteins in a Genome-Wide Macrophage Functional Screen

Signal transduction pathways activated by Toll-like Receptors and the IL-1 family of cytokines are fundamental to mounting an innate immune response and thus to clearing pathogens and promoting wound healing. Whilst mechanistic understanding of the regulation of innate signalling pathways has advanced considerably in recent years, there are still a number of critical controllers to be discovered. In order to characterise novel regulators of macrophage inflammation, we have carried out an extensive, cDNA-based forward genetic screen and identified 34 novel activators, based on their ability to induce the expression of cxcl2. Many are physiologically expressed in macrophages, although the majority of genes uncovered in our screen have not previously been linked to innate immunity. We show that expression of particular activators has profound but distinct impacts on LPS-induced inflammatory gene expression, including switch-type, amplifier and sensitiser behaviours. Furthermore, the novel genes identified here interact with the canonical inflammatory signalling network via specific mechanisms, as demonstrated by the use of dominant negative forms of IL1/TLR signalling mediators

Oncobiosis and Microbial Metabolite Signaling in Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma

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A Decade of Change: An Institutional Experience with Breast Surgery in 1995 and 2005

Introduction: With the adoption of routine screening mammography, breast cancers are being diagnosed at earlier stages, with DCIS now accouting for 22.5% of all newly diagnosed breast cancers. This has been attributed to both increased breast cancer awareness and improvements in breast imaging techniques. How have these changes, including the increased use of image-guided sampling techniques, influenced the clinical practice of breast surgery?Methods: The institutional pathology database was queried for all breast surgeries, including breast reconstruction, performed in 1995 and 2005. Cosmetic procedures were excluded. The results were analysed utilizing the Chi-square test.Results: Surgical indications changed during 10-year study period, with an increase in preoperatively diagnosed cancers undergoing definitive surgical management. ADH, and to a lesser extent, ALH, became indications for surgical excision. Fewer surgical biopsies were performed for indeterminate abnormalities on breast imaging, due to the introduction of stereotactic large core biopsy. While the rate of benign breast biopsies remained constant, there was a higher percentage of precancerous and DCIS cases in 2005. The overall rate of mastectomy decreased from 36.8% in 1995 to 14.5% in 2005. With the increase in sentinel node procedures, the rate of ALND dropped from 18.3% to 13.7%. Accompanying the increased recognition of early-stage cancers, the rate of positive ALND also decreased, from 43.3% to 25.0%.Conclusions: While the rate of benign breast biopsies has remained constant over a recent 10-year period, fewer diagnostic surgical image-guided biopsies were performed in 2005. A greater percentage of patients with breast cancer or preinvasive disease have these diagnoses determined before surgery. More preinvasive and Stage 0 cancers are undergoing surgical management. Earlier stage invasive cancers are being detected, reflected by the lower incidence of axillary nodal metastases