Science and humanities: across two cultures and into science studies.

C.P. Snow's articulation of a two-culture divide rested on a particular view of science that has been elaborated and superseded by interdisciplinary science studies. Thus, comparisons of the 'science wars' of recent years to the Snow-Leavis controversy fail to recognize basic structural differences between the two sets of debates. In this article, I present these differences and offer some views of what has changed in the intervening years.

Expression of floor plate in dispersed mesencephalic cultures: role in differentiation of tyrosine hydroxylase neurons.

The availability of sufficient numbers of dopaminergic neurons for transplantation has been an important issue. Recently, it has been shown that the ventral floor plate (FP4-positive) cells and the transcription factor HNF-3beta are important in the signals that terminate proliferation and produce differentiation of the dopaminergic phenotype. In this study, dispersed mesencephalon from embryonic rats at Day 11 postcoitus (E-11), 1 day prior to the birth of TH cells, were cultured for 48 h and 1 week to evaluate TH neuronal differentiation and/or proliferation in vitro. The number of TH cells increased 14x between 48 h and 1 week in culture. In dispersed E-14 cultures, the presence of FP4 and HNF-3beta markers was demonstrated using immunohistochemistry. The majority of FP4-positive cell clusters were associated with TH neurons, suggesting that floor plate cells may have participated in TH neuron differentiation in culture. Antisense oligonucleotide probe for HNF-3beta mRNA added daily to cultured E-14 cells blocked the HNF-3beta expression, but had no effect on the FP4 or TH expression. These studies suggest a potentially important role for floor plate cells in the differentiation of TH cells, and differentiation and/or proliferation of TH cells in dispersed cultures of E-11 is demonstrated.

Radiation therapy for stage III non-small cell lung cancer: a curative treatment option.

This paper analyzes our treatment results for a selected group of Stage III non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients treated with irradiation alone. One, two and five-year survival rates were 42%, 20% and 6% respectively. Survival rates for patients with Stage IIIA and Stage IIIB disease were similar. Our results agree with the literature and confirm that 5% of selected patients with Stage III NSCLC will be disease free and potentially cured, five years after treatment with irradiation. Recurrence in the radiation field continues to be a major problem for patients with Stage III NSCLC, accounting for the initial site of failure in 40%-55% of patients. Improvements in local control will likely improve survival rates somewhat; but, because of the marked propensity for these cancers to ultimately metastasize, significant improvement in survival rates will only occur when effective systemic therapy becomes available.

Simultaneous cineradiographic-manometric study of the distal esophagus: small hiatal hernias and rings.

Manometric features were correlated with roentgen configurations of the esophagogastric region in subjects with hiatal hernias and with rings by simultaneous cineradiographic and manometric study. The supradiaphragmatic pouch in small hiatal hernias was shown to have two functionally distinct components. Its upper portion (vestibule) had sequential contractile motor activity in response to swallowing. The lower portion was inactive and represented the true hernial sac. A weblike ring (Schatzki) or notches were often identified at the junction of these two segments. There was no peristaltic activity at or below this type of ring. A broad ring with contractile radiological behavior at the upper margin of the vestibule showed resting high pressure which fell on swallowing. This differed from the resting high pressure zone of normals in being shorter in length and showing an abrupt rather than gradual transition to contiguous pressures. Retrograde barium flow from hernial sac into the tubular esophagus was not seen when such a contractile A-ring was evident. Retrograde barium flow into the esophagus from the hernial sac occurred in those subjects not having a resting high pressure zone. Such reflux was delayed as long as the peristaltic wave persisted in the vestibular segment above the hernial sac. A constriction above the hernial sac during retrograde flow presumably represents a residual manifestation of the peristaltic wave, is transient, and is not associated with elevated resting pressure. The pressure inversion point was inconstant in its location in hiatal hernia subjects. It was often located at the site of the upwardly displaced high pressure zone, although a second pressure inversion point could be identified at the hiatal level on deep inspiration.