Perception Of Color As A Function Of The Combined Effect Of The Surroundings And A Test Field

The wide variety of shades of color that a human being is capable of perceiving consists of pigment colors, a considerable number of which are colors with gray and black hues. Only some of this wide variety of colors may be reproduced by the use of isolated autoluminescent sources of radiation: colors with dark shades cannot be produced. Under what possible conditions, we may ask, can the entire range of pigment colors be reproduced by luminescent sources of radiation?     

The Formation Of A Behavioral Act: The Problem Of Intrasystemic Heterochronicity

Among the timely questions facing contemporary physiology, study of the laws of formation of new behavioral acts in learning by human beings and animals is one of the most important. The general theory of functional systems has made a substantial contribution to resolution of this problem [1-6]. According to this theory, human and animal behavior are based on the formation of special physiological integrations, selectively uniting central and peripheral components of the organism to achieve an overall adaptative result. It was found that such functional systems, despite the considerable variability in their component composition, always have an invariable internal operational architectonics [5]. Their functioning always involves the same sequence of key mechanisms: processes of afferent synthesis and the system of the acceptor of the result of an action (ARA), the realization of an "executive act," the accomplishment of an adaptative result, and evaluation of its parameters.     

Outcome Of Implementation Of A Multidisciplinary Team Approach To The Care Of Patients After Transsphenoidal Surgery

Objective: Transsphenoidal surgery (TS) for sellar lesions is an established and safe procedure, but complications can occur, particularly involving the neuroendocrine system. We hypothesized that postoperative care of TS patients would be optimized when performed by a coordinated team including a pituitary neurosurgeon, endocrinologists, and a specialty nurse.Methods: We implemented a formalized, multidisciplinary team approach and standardized postoperative protocols for the care of adult patients undergoing TS by a single surgeon (J.N.B.) at our institution beginning in July 2009. We retrospectively compared the outcomes of 214 consecutive TS-treated cases: 113 cases prior to and 101 following the initiation of the team approach and protocol implementation. Outcomes assessed included the incidence of neurosurgical and endocrine complications, length of stay (LOS), and rates of hospital readmission and unscheduled clinical visits.Results: The median LOS decreased from 3 days preteam to 2 days postteam (P<.01). Discharge occurred on postoperative day 2 in 46% of the preteam group patients compared to 69% of the postteam group (P<.01). Rates of early postoperative diabetes insipidus (DI) and readmissions within 30 days for syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) or other complications did not differ between groups.Conclusion: Implementation of a multidisciplinary team approach was associated with a reduction of LOS. Despite earlier discharge, postoperative outcomes were not compromised. The endocrinologist is central to the success of this team approach, which could be successfully applied to care of patients undergoing TS, as well as other types of endocrine surgery at other centers.Abbreviations:CSF = cerebrospinal fluidDDAVP = desmopressinDI = diabetes insipidusLOS = length of stayPOD = postoperative daySIADH = syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormoneTS = transsphenoidal surgery     

A Review Of Two De Koninck Retzioid Brachiopod Species, And Description Of A New Genus From The Carboniferous Of Europe

A new neoretziid brachiopod genus, Coveenia , from the Lower Carboniferous of western Europe is erected; the type species is Coveenia ulothrix (de Koninck, 1843), and C. buchiana (de Koninck, 1843, sensu 1887) and C. tilsleia sp. nov. are included, diagnosed and described. Neotypes are selected and illustrated for C. ulothrix C. buchiana .     

Psychological Problems Of Dialogue In Light Of The Ideas Of M. M. Bakhtin And A. A. Ukhtomskii

Comparative examination of the scientific and philosophical ideas of Mikhail Mikhailovich Bakhtin and Aleksei Alekseevich Ukhtomskii is of interest from the standpoint of both the psychological theory of communication and the practice of psychological counseling, psychotherapy, and upbringing. Development of the applied areas of psychology poses the tasks of understanding the particular person and his individual problems and offering psychological assistance in the process of communication. To deal with these questions it is not sufficient to have scientific psychological training, i.e., knowledge of the general laws of personality development and communication; a capacity for personal communication as an aid to resolving human life problems is also necessary.     

A New Family Of Calcareous Microfossils From The Silurian Of Gotland, Sweden

Scanning electron microscopy of polished, slightly etched rock surfaces of samples from the Silurian of Gotland, Sweden, revealed the presence of excellently preserved calcareous microfaunas and microfloras. This paper illustrates several morphotypes of calcareous micro-organisms of unknown biological affinity, attributed to the new family Ovummuridae. Specimens of Ovummurus duoportius Minoura and Chitoku, a problematical microfossil, which was first described from the Upper Pennsylvanian of Kansas, USA, were found in addition to comparable micro-organisms attributed to the following new taxa: Minourella gotlandica gen. et sp. nov., Arouxina pluricellata gen. et sp. nov. and Samtlebenella circumcamerata gen. et sp. nov. In addition, a few other problematical micro-organisms, probably belonging to the same family, are described under open nomenclature. The enigmatic microfossils are compared with other known calcareous organisms, their possible biological affinities are discussed, and the different stages of diagenetic alteration and destruction are illustrated.