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Sample records for black-billed magpies pica

  1. Development of object permanence in food-storing magpies (Pica pica).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pollok, B; Prior, H; Güntürkün, O

    2000-06-01

    The development of object permanence was investigated in black-billed magpies (Pica pica), a food-storing passerine bird. The authors tested the hypothesis that food-storing development should be correlated with object-permanence development and that specific stages of object permanence should be achieved before magpies become independent. As predicted, Piagetian Stages 4 and 5 were reached before independence was achieved, and the ability to represent a fully hidden object (Piagetian Stage 4) emerged by the age when magpies begin to retrieve food. Contrary to psittacine birds and humans, but as in dogs and cats, no "A-not-B error" occurred. Although magpies also mastered 5 of 6 invisible displacement tasks, evidence of Piagetian Stage 6 competence was ambiguous.

  2. Reassortant H9N2 influenza viruses containing H5N1-like PB1 genes isolated from black-billed magpies in Southern China.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guoying Dong

    Full Text Available H9N2 influenza A viruses have become endemic in different types of terrestrial poultry and wild birds in Asia, and are occasionally transmitted to humans and pigs. To evaluate the role of black-billed magpies (Pica pica in the evolution of influenza A virus, we conducted two epidemic surveys on avian influenza viruses in wild black-billed magpies in Guangxi, China in 2005 and characterized three isolated black-billed magpie H9N2 viruses (BbM viruses. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that three BbM viruses were almost identical with 99.7 to 100% nucleotide homology in their whole genomes, and were reassortants containing BJ94-like (Ck/BJ/1/94 HA, NA, M, and NS genes, SH/F/98-like (Ck/SH/F/98 PB2, PA, and NP genes, and H5N1-like (Ck/YN/1252/03, clade 1 PB1 genes. Genetic analysis showed that BbM viruses were most likely the result of multiple reassortments between co-circulating H9N2-like and H5N1-like viruses, and were genetically different from other H9N2 viruses because of the existence of H5N1-like PB1 genes. Genotypical analysis revealed that BbM viruses evolved from diverse sources and belonged to a novel genotype (B46 discovered in our recent study. Molecular analysis suggested that BbM viruses were likely low pathogenic reassortants. However, results of our pathogenicity study demonstrated that BbM viruses replicated efficiently in chickens and a mammalian mouse model but were not lethal for infected chickens and mice. Antigenic analysis showed that BbM viruses were antigenic heterologous with the H9N2 vaccine strain. Our study is probably the first report to document and characterize H9N2 influenza viruses isolated from black-billed magpies in southern China. Our results suggest that black-billed magpies were susceptible to H9N2 influenza viruses, which raise concerns over possible transmissions of reassortant H9N2 viruses among poultry and wild birds.

  3. What-where-when memory in magpies (Pica pica).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zinkivskay, Ann; Nazir, Farrah; Smulders, Tom V

    2009-01-01

    Some animals have been shown to be able to remember which type of food they hoarded or encountered in which location and how long ago (what-where-when memory). In this study, we test whether magpies (Pica pica) also show evidence of remembering these different aspects of a past episode. Magpies hid red- and blue-dyed pellets of scrambled eggs in a large tray containing wood shavings. They were allowed to make as many caches as they wanted. The birds were then returned either the same day or the next day to retrieve the pellets. If they returned the same day, one colour of pellets was replaced with wooden beads of similar size and colour, while if they returned the next day this would happen to the other colour. Over just a few trials, the birds learned to only search for the food pellets, and ignore the beads, of the appropriate colour for the given retention interval. A probe trial in which all items were removed showed that the birds persisted in searching for the pellets and not the beads. This shows that magpies can remember which food item they hoarded where, and when, even if the food items only differ from each other in their colour and are dispersed throughout a continuous caching substrate.

  4. Does conspicuous colouration of Magpies Pica pica influence aggressive behaviour in nesting Great Reed Warblers Acrocephalus arundinaceus?

    Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

    Trnka, A.; Požgayová, Milica

    2017-01-01

    Roč. 64, č. 1 (2017), s. 108-111 ISSN 0006-3657 Institutional support: RVO:68081766 Keywords : Magpies Pica pica * Great Reed Warblers Acrocephalus arundinaceus Subject RIV: EG - Zoology OBOR OECD: Ornithology Impact factor: 0.925, year: 2016

  5. Organophosphate insecticide (famphur) topically applied to cattle kills magpies and hawks

    Science.gov (United States)

    Henny, C.J.; Blus, L.J.; Kolbe, E.J.; Fitzner, R.E.

    1985-01-01

    A systematic field study of a black-billed magpie (P. pica) population revealed that magpies and red-tailed hawks (B. jamaicensis) were killed by famphur (= famophos, Warbex) used as a pour-on to control cattle warbles (Hypoderma sp.). Magpie mortality began on treatment day and continued for more than 3 mo. (38 found death); mortality peaked between Day 5 an Day 13. Estimates of magpie density (based on transects) decreased in both the control and treatment areas, but the decrease was greater in the treatment area. A red-tailed hawk found dead on Day 10 had eaten a famphur-contaminated magpie. Another red-tailed hawk was found alive but immobilized, and a 3rd died outside the study area. Brain cholinesterse (ChE) activity was 70-92% depressed in all dead birds examined; famphur residues were detected in all 17 magpies and the 2 hawks analyzed. The amount of famphur obtained by the dead magpies was estimated at 5.2-6.1 mg/kg (based on residue concentrations in the gizzard), which was above the acute oral LD50 for several bird species. The cow hair portion (12%) of the pooled gizzard contents from 13 other dead magpies produced extremely high famphur residues (4600 ppm). The residues persisted on cattle hair for more than 90 days post-treatment. Magpie populations in the far western states declined between 1968 and 1979, which corresponds with widespread use of famphur, although other factors may be involved.

  6. APPUNTI SULL’ALIMENTAZIONE INSETTIVORA DELLA GAZZA Pica pica

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    RICCARDO GROPPALI

    1992-01-01

    <正> Sono stati studiati i contenuti stomacali di 39 Gazze (Pica pica) della bassa e mediacollina pavese per conoscere l’alimentazione insettivora della specie tra l’auttlnno e l’inizio della primavera. On the insectivorous feeding of Magpie Pica pica. 39 stomachal contents of Magpies (Picapica), from low and middle altitude hills near Pavia, have been analyzed to understand the insectivorousfeeding of the species between autumn and the beginning of spring.

  7. Stress induced by heavy metals on breeding of magpie (Pica pica) from central Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zarrintab, Mohammad; Mirzaei, Rouhollah

    2017-09-01

    The aim of this study was to address the impacts of some heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Zn, Ni and Cu) contamination on laying behavior, egg quality and breeding performance of Pica pica in north of Isfahan Province, Iran. During the breeding season of 2013, magpie's egg content and eggshell as well as nestling excrements and feathers were collected and total concentrations of heavy metals were measured by ICP-OES. Except for Zn in nestling feathers, the significantly higher concentrations of heavy metals were observed in nestling excrements than other samples. Also, comparison of heavy metals concentrations in egg content and eggshell showed that egg content had significantly higher concentrations of Zn and Pb, instead eggshell had significantly higher amount of Cu and Cd. Except for Cu, all heavy metals concentrations in eggshell had a negative relationship with morphological characters; and also concentration of Cu in egg content showed a significantly negative correlation with egg weight and volume. The most of heavy metals in nestling feathers and excrements had strongly positive correlations with each other. Also all heavy metals levels in eggshell and egg content had significantly positive correlations (except for Cu). Unhatched eggs had significantly lower weight but also greater levels of Zn, Cd, and Pb, than randomly collected eggs. No significant differences were observed for morphometric measurements of eggs between different sites, however, a decreased gradient was observed in egg volume toward the brick kiln site. Samples collected in brick kiln site accumulated higher concentrations of heavy metals than other sites. Although numbers of clutch size in brick kiln site were significantly higher than other sites, however, other breeding variable were lower than other sites. It can be suggested that ecosystem contamination may be caused to decrease the reproduction rate of Pica pica in brick kiln, probably by laying more poor quality eggs per clutch and nestling

  8. Effect of incubation on bacterial communities of eggshells in a temperate bird, the Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica.

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    Won Young Lee

    Full Text Available Inhibitory effect of incubation on microbial growth has extensively been studied in wild bird populations using culture-based methods and conflicting results exist on whether incubation selectively affects the growth of microbes on the egg surface. In this study, we employed culture-independent methods, quantitative PCR and 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing, to elucidate the effect of incubation on the bacterial abundance and bacterial community composition on the eggshells of the Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica. We found that total bacterial abundance increased and diversity decreased on incubated eggs while there were no changes on non-incubated eggs. Interestingly, Gram-positive Bacillus, which include mostly harmless species, became dominant and genus Pseudomonas, which include opportunistic avian egg pathogens, were significantly reduced after incubation. These results suggest that avian incubation in temperate regions may promote the growth of harmless (or benevolent bacteria and suppress the growth of pathogenic bacterial taxa and consequently reduce the diversity of microbes on the egg surface. We hypothesize that this may occur due to difference in sensitivity to dehydration on the egg surface among microbes, combined with the introduction of Bacillus from bird feathers and due to the presence of antibiotics that certain bacteria produce.

  9. Great spotted cuckoo fledglings often receive feedings from other magpie adults than their foster parents: which magpies accept to feed foreign cuckoo fledglings?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuel Soler

    Full Text Available Natural selection penalizes individuals that provide costly parental care to non-relatives. However, feedings to brood-parasitic fledglings by individuals other than their foster parents, although anecdotic, have been commonly observed, also in the great spotted cuckoo (Clamator glandarius--magpie (Pica pica system, but this behaviour has never been studied in depth. In a first experiment, we here show that great spotted cuckoo fledglings that were translocated to a distant territory managed to survive. This implies that obtaining food from foreign magpies is a frequent and efficient strategy used by great spotted cuckoo fledglings. A second experiment, in which we presented a stuffed-cuckoo fledgling in magpie territories, showed that adult magpies caring for magpie fledglings responded aggressively in most of the trials and never tried to feed the stuffed cuckoo, whereas magpies that were caring for cuckoo fledglings reacted rarely with aggressive behavior and were sometimes disposed to feed the stuffed cuckoo. In a third experiment we observed feedings to post-fledgling cuckoos by marked adult magpies belonging to four different possibilities with respect to breeding status (i.e. composition of the brood: only cuckoos, only magpies, mixed, or failed breeding attempt. All non-parental feeding events to cuckoos were provided by magpies that were caring only for cuckoo fledglings. These results strongly support the conclusion that cuckoo fledglings that abandon their foster parents get fed by other adult magpies that are currently caring for other cuckoo fledglings. These findings are crucial to understand the co-evolutionary arms race between brood parasites and their hosts because they show that the presence of the host's own nestlings for comparison is likely a key clue to favour the evolution of fledgling discrimination and provide new insights on several relevant points such as learning mechanisms and multiparasitism.

  10. Comparative phylogeography of two widespread magpies

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Zhang, Ruiying; Song, Gang; Qu, Yanhua

    2012-01-01

    Historical geological events and climatic changes are believed to have played important roles in shaping the current distribution of species. However, sympatric species may have responded in different ways to such climatic fluctuations. Here we compared genetic structures of two corvid species......, the Azure-winged Magpie Cyanopica cyanus and the Eurasian Magpie Pica pica, both widespread but with different habitat dependence and some aspects of breeding behavior. Three mitochondrial genes and two nuclear introns were used to examine their co-distributed populations in East China and the Iberian...... Peninsula. Both species showed deep divergences between these two regions that were dated to the late Pliocene/early Pleistocene. In the East Chinese clade of C. cyanus, populations were subdivided between Northeast China and Central China, probably since the early to mid-Pleistocene, and the Central...

  11. Evolution of tolerance by magpies to brood parasitism by great spotted cuckoos.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soler, J J; Martín-Gálvez, D; Martínez, J G; Soler, M; Canestrari, D; Abad-Gómez, J M; Møller, A P

    2011-07-07

    Hosts may use two different strategies to ameliorate negative effects of a given parasite burden: resistance or tolerance. Although both resistance and tolerance of parasitism should evolve as a consequence of selection pressures owing to parasitism, the study of evolutionary patterns of tolerance has traditionally been neglected by animal biologists. Here, we explore geographical covariation between tolerance of magpies (Pica pica) and brood parasitism by the great spotted cuckoo (Clamator glandarius) in nine different sympatric populations. We estimated tolerance as the slope of the regression of number of magpie fledglings (i.e. host fitness) on number of cuckoo eggs laid in non-depredated nests (which broadly equals parasite burden). We also estimated prevalence of parasitism and level of host resistance (i.e. rejection rates of mimetic model eggs) in these nine populations. In accordance with the hypothetical role of tolerance in the coevolutionary process between magpies and cuckoos we found geographical variation in tolerance estimates that positively covaried with prevalence of parasitism. Levels of resistance and tolerance were not associated, possibly suggesting the lack of a trade-off between the two kinds of defences against great spotted cuckoo parasitism for magpies. We discuss the results in the framework of a mosaic of coevolutionary interactions along the geographical distribution of magpies and great spotted cuckoos for which we found evidence that tolerance plays a major role.

  12. Magpies can use local cues to retrieve their food caches.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feenders, Gesa; Smulders, Tom V

    2011-03-01

    Much importance has been placed on the use of spatial cues by food-hoarding birds in the retrieval of their caches. In this study, we investigate whether food-hoarding birds can be trained to use local cues ("beacons") in their cache retrieval. We test magpies (Pica pica) in an active hoarding-retrieval paradigm, where local cues are always reliable, while spatial cues are not. Our results show that the birds use the local cues to retrieve their caches, even when occasionally contradicting spatial information is available. The design of our study does not allow us to test rigorously whether the birds prefer using local over spatial cues, nor to investigate the process through which they learn to use local cues. We furthermore provide evidence that magpies develop landmark preferences, which improve their retrieval accuracy. Our findings support the hypothesis that birds are flexible in their use of memory information, using a combination of the most reliable or salient information to retrieve their caches. © Springer-Verlag 2010

  13. Tissue distribution and oral exposure risk assessment of heavy metals in an urban bird: magpie from Central Iran.

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    Zarrintab, Mohammad; Mirzaei, Rouhollah

    2018-04-11

    Direct ingestion of soil and/or soil attached to the food items is a potential rout for wildlife exposure to contaminants. In this study, bioaccumulation of five heavy metals (HMs) in internal tissues of an urban bird (Pica pica) collected from Aran-O-Bidgol City, Central Iran and their related soil were investigated. A total of 15 magpie specimens were collected in autumn 2013 and then their internal tissues were digested using a mixture of HNO 3 and H 2 O 2 , and finally, concentrations of HMs were detected by ICP-OES. In addition, in order to show level of HM exposure risk to magpie, an exposure risk assessment was modeled. Results indicated that HMs were accumulated as follows: liver > kidney > muscle. Zn and Cu were significantly higher in magpie's tissues collected from agricultural site; on the other hand, Pb and Cd were significantly higher in industrial site (p quotations (HQs) for HMs were as follows: Pb > Zn > Cu > Ni > Cd and for all HMs were at no risk level (HQ  agriculture (0.943) ≥ industry (0.941) and only for urban area was at low risk (1 < HQ < 2). It seemed that birds living in a safe environment and/or HM contaminations in soil separately had no negative effects on magpies. We can also suggest that low levels of HMs in magpie's tissues can be due to low levels of HMs in soil.

  14. Morphologic and molecular study of hemoparasites in wild corvids and evidence of sequence identity with Plasmodium DNA detected in captive black-footed penguins (Spheniscus demersus).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Leclerc, Antoine; Chavatte, Jean-Marc; Landau, Irène; Snounou, Georges; Petit, Thierry

    2014-09-01

    A morphologic and molecular epidemiologic investigation was conducted on a captive African black-footed penguin (Spheniscus demersus) colony with a history of Plasmodium infections at La Palmyre Zoo (France). Each penguin received 12.5 mg of pyrimethamine twice a week as a prophylaxis every year from April to November. Although Plasmodium parasites were not detected in blood smears and tissues collected from the penguins, various blood parasites were recorded in blood smears from wild Eurasian magpies (Pica pica) and carrion crows (Corvus corone) sampled at the same time in the study area. These parasites consisted of several Plasmodium spp. (P. lenoblei, P. dorsti, P bioccai, P. relictum, P. dherteae, P. beaucournui, P. maior, P. tranieri, and P. snounoui), Parahaemoproteus spp., Trypanosoma spp., and Leucocytozoon spp. On the other hand, nested polymerase chain reaction enabled detection of Plasmodium DNA in 28/44 (64%) penguins, 15/25 (60%) magpies, and 4/9 (44%) crows. Sequencing and phylogenetic analyses indicated that the parasite DNA amplified from the penguins, magpies, and crows were similar. Magpies and crows could therefore act as a reservoir for penguin Plasmodium infections, which may be more prevalent than previously thought. Morphologic characterization of the Plasmodium spp. detected in the penguins, as well as further biological and epidemiologic studies, are needed to fully understand the transmission of Plasmodium parasites to captive penguins.

  15. Cryptosporidium spp. in pet birds: genetic diversity and potential public health significance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qi, Meng; Wang, Rongjun; Ning, Changshen; Li, Xiaoyu; Zhang, Longxian; Jian, Fuchun; Sun, Yanru; Xiao, Lihua

    2011-08-01

    To characterize the prevalence and assess the zoonotic transmission burden of Cryptosporidium species/genotypes in pet birds in Henan, China, 434 fecal samples were acquired from 14 families of birds in pet shops. The overall prevalence of Cryptopsoridium was 8.1% (35/434) by the Sheather's sugar flotation technique. The Cryptosporidium-positive samples were analyzed by DNA sequence analysis of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene. Three Cryptosporidium species and two genotypes were identified, including C. baileyi (18/35 or 51.4%) in five red-billed leiothrixes (Leiothrix lutea), four white Java sparrows (Padda oryzivora), four common mynas (Acridotheres tristis), two zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata), a crested Lark (Galerida cristata), a Gouldian finch (Chloebia gouldiae), and a black-billed magpie (Pica pica); Cryptosporidium meleagridis (3/35 or 8.6%) in a Bohemian waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus), a Rufous turtle dove (Streptopelia orientalis), and a fan-tailed pigeon (Columba livia); Cryptosporidium galli (5/35 or 14.3%) in four Bohemian waxwings (Bombycilla garrulus) and a silver-eared Mesia (Leiothrix argentauris); Cryptosporidium avian genotype III (3/35 or 8.6%) in two cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus) and a red-billed blue magpie (Urocissa erythrorhyncha); and Cryptosporidium avian genotype V (6/35 or 17.1%) in six cockatiels (Nymphicus hollandicus). Among the pet birds, 12 species represented new hosts for Cryptosporidum infections. The presence of C. meleagridis raises questions on potential zoonotic transmission of cryptosporidiosis from pet birds to humans. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Pica

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... as autism. On rare occasions, pregnant women crave strange, nonfood items. For these women, pica often involves ... Seniors Your Health Resources Healthcare Management End-of-Life Issues Insurance & Bills Self Care Working With Your ...

  17. 78 FR 27930 - Migratory Bird Permits; Removal of Yellow-Billed Magpie and Other Revisions to Depredation Order

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-05-13

    ... regulations governing control of depredating blackbirds, cowbirds, grackles, crows and magpies. The yellow.... George Allen, 703-358-1825. You may review the Information Collection Request online at http://www.reginfo.gov . Follow the instructions to review Department of the Interior collections under review by OMB...

  18. Great spotted cuckoo nestlings have no antipredatory effect on magpie or carrion crow host nests in southern Spain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Soler, Manuel; de Neve, Liesbeth; Roldán, María; Pérez-Contreras, Tomás; Soler, Juan José

    2017-01-01

    Host defences against cuckoo parasitism and cuckoo trickeries to overcome them are a classic example of antagonistic coevolution. Recently it has been reported that this relationship may turn to be mutualistic in the case of the carrion crow (Corvus corone) and its brood parasite, the great spotted cuckoo (Clamator glandarius), given that experimentally and naturally parasitized nests were depredated at a lower rate than non-parasitized nests. This result was interpreted as a consequence of the antipredatory properties of a fetid cloacal secretion produced by cuckoo nestlings, which presumably deters predators from parasitized host nests. This potential defensive mechanism would therefore explain the detected higher fledgling success of parasitized nests during breeding seasons with high predation risk. Here, in a different study population, we explored the expected benefits in terms of reduced nest predation in naturally and experimentally parasitized nests of two different host species, carrion crows and magpies (Pica pica). During the incubation phase non-parasitized nests were depredated more frequently than parasitized nests. However, during the nestling phase, parasitized nests were not depredated at a lower rate than non-parasitized nests, neither in magpie nor in carrion crow nests, and experimental translocation of great spotted cuckoo hatchlings did not reveal causal effects between parasitism state and predation rate of host nests. Therefore, our results do not fit expectations and, thus, do not support the fascinating possibility that great spotted cuckoo nestlings could have an antipredatory effect for host nestlings, at least in our study area. We also discuss different possibilities that may conciliate these with previous results, but also several alternative explanations, including the lack of generalizability of the previously documented mutualistic association.

  19. Empty Promise: Black American Veterans and the New GI Bill

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ottley, Alford H.

    2014-01-01

    The 2008 GI Bill offers college funds for veterans. Yet Black male vets are not taking advantage of these benefits. This chapter examines personal and societal problems that hinder access to higher education for Black vets, and suggests some ways adult educators can advocate for these young men.

  20. Magpie River Development: Environmental considerations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smythe, L.A.; Ashwood, K.R.

    1990-01-01

    The Magpie River development is located near Wawa, Ontario, 250 km north of Sault St. Marie. The unmanned and remotely controlled development consists of three power plants each with reservoir and associated control structures. The plants are equipped with identical single Kaplan units for a total installed capacity of 43 MW. Operation of the plants is automatic, and is governed by a set of Crown conditions, established by the government during project approval stage. The environmental assessment/approval process undertaken for the development is described. Concerns with the project included tourism impact at Magpie Falls, effects of drawdown at Esnagi Lake on recreational fisheries, water quality degradation, protection of riverine fisheries, and native rights. Mitigative measures to address these concerns are described. 7 tabs

  1. MagPy: A Python toolbox for controlling Magstim transcranial magnetic stimulators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McNair, Nicolas A

    2017-01-30

    To date, transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) studies manipulating stimulation parameters have largely used blocked paradigms. However, altering these parameters on a trial-by-trial basis in Magstim stimulators is complicated by the need to send regular (1Hz) commands to the stimulator. Additionally, effecting such control interferes with the ability to send TMS pulses or simultaneously present stimuli with high-temporal precision. This manuscript presents the MagPy toolbox, a Python software package that provides full control over Magstim stimulators via the serial port. It is able to maintain this control with no impact on concurrent processing, such as stimulus delivery. In addition, a specially-designed "QuickFire" serial cable is specified that allows MagPy to trigger TMS pulses with very low-latency. In a series of experimental simulations, MagPy was able to maintain uninterrupted remote control over the connected Magstim stimulator across all testing sessions. In addition, having MagPy enabled had no effect on stimulus timing - all stimuli were presented for precisely the duration specified. Finally, using the QuickFire cable, MagPy was able to elicit TMS pulses with sub-millisecond latencies. The MagPy toolbox allows for experiments that require manipulating stimulation parameters from trial to trial. Furthermore, it can achieve this in contexts that require tight control over timing, such as those seeking to combine TMS with fMRI or EEG. Together, the MagPy toolbox and QuickFire serial cable provide an effective means for controlling Magstim stimulators during experiments while ensuring high-precision timing. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  2. A study on the effectiveness of a preventive equipment against the fault due to magpies in overhead distribution line

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, D.M.; Lee, B.S.; Lee, J.B. [Korea Electric Power Research Institute, Taejon (Korea)

    2002-07-01

    This study examines the applicability of a preventive equipment (liquid grass) to the field. The preventive equipment mass produced already is to prevent the fault due to birds-magpies, and is known for the excellent performance within magpies' living quarters. To assess the practicality of the production, it was mounted on the poles on which the magpie can build a nest with ease, thus the durability, emitting effect of a foul odor and evading temper of magpies were assessed. (author). 16 refs., 8 figs., 6 tabs.

  3. Hydroelectric development project of the Magpie dam on the Magpie River: Investigation and public hearing report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Harvey, A.; Journault, C.

    2004-08-01

    Public hearings were held by Quebec's Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement (BAPE) concerning a proposed hydroelectric development project on the Magpie River in Quebec's Minganie Region. The proposed hydroelectric power plant is to be developed and managed by Hydromega Services Inc. and constructed by Aecon Group Ltd. The project consists of reconstructing a power plant and dam at an existing site that was constructed in 1961 but which has been decommissioned since 1989. The installed capacity of the proposed power plant is 40.6 MW. The drop height for the dam is 21.25 metres. The issues that were addressed during the hearings included the opinions and suggestion of the participants regarding energy provisions, regional development and ecological protection. One of the main concerns facing this project is the loss of spectacular rapids currently used by rafters. The Commission noted that the rapids cannot be saved without significant modification to the design of the project. However, the flooding associated with the project would facilitate fishermen, canoeists and kayakers, thereby preserving the recreational and tourism attributes of the Magpie River. The Commission also noted that the local economic repercussions of the project would benefit the population of the Minganie Region which has a high unemployment rate. Any ecological impacts may be controlled by relevant attenuation measures and follow-up. It was concluded that the proposed project could contribute modestly to meeting the anticipated growth in energy demand in Quebec. refs., figs

  4. Progress in Manufacturing and Characterizing Domestic Lyocell PICA (PICA-D) and Comparison to Heritage PICA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Venkatapathy, Ethiraj; Stackpoole, Mairead; Gasch, Matthew; Violette, Steve

    2018-01-01

    NASA ARC is working with SMD-PSD to address PICA rayon sustainability concerns. In FY16/17, Lyocell Based PICA (PICA-D) was manufactured and limited testing performed showing it to be a good candidate as a potential replacement for heritage rayon. Establishing PICA-D as a "drop in replacement" will allow missions to depend on and design missions with PICA without any risk typical of a replacement. Establishing the extended capability of PICA-D will allow Sample Return Missions with higher entry speed that were not considered before.

  5. Pica associated with iron deficiency or depletion: clinical and laboratory correlates in 262 non-pregnant adult outpatients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barton James C

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background There are many descriptions of the association of pica with iron deficiency in adults, but there are few reports in which observations available at diagnosis of iron deficiency were analyzed using multivariable techniques to identify significant predictors of pica. We sought to identify clinical and laboratory correlates of pica in adults with iron deficiency or depletion using univariable and stepwise forward logistic regression analyses. Methods We reviewed charts of 262 non-pregnant adult outpatients (ages ≥18 y who required treatment with intravenous iron dextran. We tabulated their sex, age, race/ethnicity, body mass index, symptoms and causes of iron deficiency or depletion, serum iron and complete blood count measures, and other conditions at diagnosis before intravenous iron dextran was administered. We excluded patients with serum creatinine >133 μmol/L or disorders that could affect erythrocyte or iron measures. Iron deficiency was defined as both SF Results There were 230 women (184 white, 46 black; ages 19-91 y and 32 men (31 white, 1 black; ages 24-81 y. 118 patients (45.0% reported pica; of these, 87.3% reported ice pica (pagophagia. In univariable analyses, patients with pica had lower mean age, black race/ethnicity, and higher prevalences of cardiopulmonary and epithelial manifestations. The prevalence of iron deficiency, with or without anemia, did not differ significantly between patients with and without pica reports. Mean hemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume (MCV were lower and mean red blood cell distribution width (RDW and platelet count were higher in patients with pica. Thrombocytosis occurred only in women and was more prevalent in those with pica (20.4% vs. 8.3%; p = 0.0050. Mean total iron-binding capacity was higher and mean serum ferritin was lower in patients with pica. Nineteen patients developed a second episode of iron deficiency or depletion; concordance of recurrent pica (or absence of

  6. Use of a nesting platform by Gull-billed Terns and Black Skimmers at the Salton Sea, California

    Science.gov (United States)

    Molina, Kathy C.; Ricca, Mark A.; Miles, A. Keith; Schoneman, Christian

    2009-01-01

    In 2006, we constructed an elevated nesting platform at the Salton Sea, California, and monitored its use by Gull-billed Terns and Black Skimmers over three subsequent breeding seasons. Black Skimmers were the first to colonize the platform with a total of five nests in 2006. In 2007 Gull-billed Terns colonized the platform with a total of 28 nests and the number of Black Skimmer nests increased to 20. Neither species nested on the platform in 2008. Low success for both species was probably influenced by at least two factors. First, when both species nested on the platform, nest densities were higher than is typical of their colonies on larger, earthen islands, and colony success may have been reduced by overcrowding. Second, lack of access to water may have reduced chicks' ability to thermoregulate effectively in the hot environment of the Salton Sea. Refinements to the size, design, and location of artificial nesting habitats are necessary to enhance productivity of colonial groundnesting birds at the Salton Sea successfully.

  7. The Magpie dense z-pinch project

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chittenden, J.; Choi, P.; Mitchell, I.; Dangor, A.E.; Haines, M.G.

    1990-01-01

    The authors present a design study on the Mega Ampere Generator for Plasma Implosion Experiments (MAGPIE), a project currently under construction at Imperial College London, to study radiative collapse of a dense Z-pinch plasma created from a 20 um diameter cryogenic hydrogen fiber. The 2 TW generator is composed of four individual 2.4 MV Marx banks of the HERMES III type design with a maximum stored energy of 336 kJ. They drive four 5 ohm Pulse Forming Lines which are combined into a single 1.25 MA in 150 ns to a 150 nH load

  8. “Vicious, Aggressive Bird Stalks Cyclist”: The Australian Magpie (Cracticus tibicen in the News

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kitty van Vuuren

    2016-04-01

    Full Text Available The Australian Magpie ( Cracticus tibicen is a common bird found in urban Australian environments where its nest defense behavior during spring brings it into conflict with humans. This article explores the role of print media in covering this conflict. Leximancer software was used to analyze newspaper reports about the Australian Magpie from a sample of 634 news stories, letters-to-the editor and opinion pieces, published in newspapers from around Australia between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2014. The results confirm that stories about these birds are primarily published in the daily regional and weekly suburban press, and that the dominant story frame concerns the risk of “swooping” behavior to cyclists and pedestrians from birds protecting their nests during the spring breeding season. The most prominent sources used by journalists are local and state government representatives, as well as members of the public. The results show that the “swooping season” has become a normal part of the annual news cycle for these publications, with the implication that discourse surrounding the Australian Magpie predominantly concerns the risk these birds pose to humans, and ignores their decline in non-urban environments.

  9. Clever strategists: Australian Magpies vary mobbing strategies, not intensity, relative to different species of predator

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A Koboroff

    2013-03-01

    Full Text Available Anti-predator behaviour of magpies was investigated, using five species of model predators, at times of raising offspring. We predicted differences in mobbing strategies for each predator presented and also that raising juveniles would affect intensity of the mobbing event. Fourteen permanent resident family groups were tested using 5 different types of predator (avian and reptilian known to be of varying degrees of risk to magpies and common in their habitat. In all, 210 trials were conducted (across three different stages of juvenile development. We found that the stage of juvenile development did not alter mobbing behaviour significantly, but predator type did. Aerial strategies (such as swooping were elicited by taxidermic models of raptors, whereas a taxidermic model of a monitor lizard was approached on the ground and a model snake was rarely approached. Swooping patterns also changed according to which of the three raptors was presented. Our results show that, in contrast to findings in other species, magpies vary mobbing strategy depending on the predator rather than varying mobbing intensity.

  10. Clever strategists: Australian Magpies vary mobbing strategies, not intensity, relative to different species of predator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koboroff, A; Kaplan, G; Rogers, Lj

    2013-01-01

    Anti-predator behaviour of magpies was investigated, using five species of model predators, at times of raising offspring. We predicted differences in mobbing strategies for each predator presented and also that raising juveniles would affect intensity of the mobbing event. Fourteen permanent resident family groups were tested using 5 different types of predator (avian and reptilian) known to be of varying degrees of risk to magpies and common in their habitat. In all, 210 trials were conducted (across three different stages of juvenile development). We found that the stage of juvenile development did not alter mobbing behaviour significantly, but predator type did. Aerial strategies (such as swooping) were elicited by taxidermic models of raptors, whereas a taxidermic model of a monitor lizard was approached on the ground and a model snake was rarely approached. Swooping patterns also changed according to which of the three raptors was presented. Our results show that, in contrast to findings in other species, magpies vary mobbing strategy depending on the predator rather than varying mobbing intensity.

  11. Evidence for Endothermy in Pterosaurs Based on Flight Capability Analyses

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jenkins, H. S.; Pratson, L. F.

    2005-12-01

    Previous attempts to constrain flight capability in pterosaurs have relied heavily on the fossil record, using bone articulation and apparent muscle allocation to evaluate flight potential (Frey et al., 1997; Padian, 1983; Bramwell, 1974). However, broad definitions of the physical parameters necessary for flight in pterosaurs remain loosely defined and few systematic approaches to constraining flight capability have been synthesized (Templin, 2000; Padian, 1983). Here we present a new method to assess flight capability in pterosaurs as a function of humerus length and flight velocity. By creating an energy-balance model to evaluate the power required for flight against the power available to the animal, we derive a `U'-shaped power curve and infer optimal flight speeds and maximal wingspan lengths for pterosaurs Quetzalcoatlus northropi and Pteranodon ingens. Our model corroborates empirically derived power curves for the modern black-billed magpie ( Pica Pica) and accurately reproduces the mechanical power curve for modern cockatiels ( Nymphicus hollandicus) (Tobalske et al., 2003). When we adjust our model to include an endothermic metabolic rate for pterosaurs, we find a maximal wingspan length of 18 meters for Q. northropi. Model runs using an exothermic metabolism derive maximal wingspans of 6-8 meters. As estimates based on fossil evidence show total wingspan lengths reaching up to 15 meters for Q. northropi, we conclude that large pterosaurs may have been endothermic and therefore more metabolically similar to birds than to reptiles.

  12. [Iron deficiency and pica].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muñoz, J A; Marcos, J; Risueño, C E; de Cos, C; López, R; Capote, F J; Martín, M V; Gil, J L

    1998-02-01

    To study the relationship between pica and iron-lack anaemia in a series of iron-deficiency patients in order to establish the pathogenesis of such relationship. Four-hundred and thirty-three patients were analysed. Pica was studied by introducing certain diet queries into the clinical history. All patients received oral iron and were periodically controlled with the usual clinico-haematological procedures. Pica was present in 23 patients (5.3%). Eight nourishing (namely, coffee grains, almonds, chocolate, ice, lettuce, carrots, sunflower seeds and bread) and 2 non-nourishing (clay and paper) substances were involved. A second episode of pica appeared in 9 cases upon relapsing of iron deficiency. Both anaemia and pica were cured by etiologic and substitutive therapy in all instances. No clear correlation was found with either socio-economic status or pathogenetic causes of iron deficiency and pica, and no haematological differences were seen between patients with pica and those without this alteration. (1) The pathogenesis of pica is unclear, although it appears unrelated to the degree of iron deficiency. (2) According to the findings in this series, pica seems a consequence of iron deficiency rather than its cause. (3) Adequate therapy can cure both conditions, although pica may reappear upon relapse of iron deficiency.

  13. Hydroelectric project EA's [environmental assessments]: The Magpie development in northern Ontario

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ashwood, K.

    1992-01-01

    Great Lakes Power recently constructed a hydroelectric plant on the Magpie River near Wawa, Ontario. The project involved three main elements: construction of a 33 m high dam, a 15.5 MW power station, and a spillway at Steephill Falls; construction of a 3.5 m high overflow weir just above the crest of scenic Magpie Falls, creating a head pond to supply a 15 MW power plant; and construction of a weir and 15 MW power plant at Mission Falls. Although this was a private development and therefore not automatically subject to Ontario's Environmental Assessment Act, Great Lakes Power decided to conform with the act's requirements and undertook a comprehensive environmental assessment (EA). Environmental issues were focused on changes in hydrology and water quality, impacts on fisheries and natural resources, slope stability and erosion, socioeconomic impacts, impacts on heritage resources, and impacts on tourism and recreation. The project was approved subject to conditions which included implementation of mitigation and monitoring requirements outlined in the EA document. Environmental specialists worked closely with the engineers at the detailed design stage of the project, resulting in modifications to the preliminary design to minimize environmental impacts

  14. Mirror-mark tests performed on jackdaws reveal potential methodological problems in the use of stickers in avian mark-test studies.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manuel Soler

    Full Text Available Some animals are capable of recognizing themselves in a mirror, which is considered to be demonstrated by passing the mark test. Mirror self-recognition capacity has been found in just a few mammals having very large brains and only in one bird, the magpie (Pica pica. The results obtained in magpies have enormous biological and cognitive implications because the fact that magpies were able to pass the mark test meant that this species is at the same cognitive level with great apes, that mirror self-recognition has evolved independently in the magpie and great apes (which diverged 300 million years ago, and that the neocortex (which is not present in the bird's brains is not a prerequisite for mirror self-recognition as previously believed. Here, we have replicated the experimental design used on magpies to determine whether jackdaws (Corvus monedula are also capable of mirror self-recognition by passing the mark test. We found that our nine jackdaws showed a very high interest towards the mirror and exhibited self-contingent behavior as soon as mirrors were introduced. However, jackdaws were not able to pass the mark test: both sticker-directed actions and sticker removal were performed with a similar frequency in both the cardboard (control and the mirror conditions. We conclude that our jackdaws' behaviour raises non-trivial questions about the methodology used in the avian mark test. Our study suggests that the use of self-adhesive stickers on sensitive throat feathers may open the way to artefactual results because birds might perceive the stickers tactilely.

  15. Stability of referential signalling across time and locations: testing alarm calls of Australian magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen in urban and rural Australia and in Fiji

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gisela Kaplan

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available In many avian species, vocal repertoire expands and changes throughout life as new syllables are added and sounds adapted to neighbours and circumstances. Referential signals, on the other hand, demand stability and lack of variation so that their meaning can be understood by conspecifics at all times. It is not known how stable such signals may be when the context is changed entirely but the point of reference remains unchanged. We investigated these questions in a rare case of forced translocation of an avian species, the Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen, from Australia to the remote Fijian island of Taveuni decades ago. By using playbacks of vocalisations to 45 magpie groups in Australia, we first established that magpies use functionally referential signals in their alarm call repertoire signalling aerial danger (measured as looking up in response to a specific alarm call even though the speakers were on the ground. With these results in hand, we then used the same playbacks to magpie groups on the island of Taveuni. Our results showed that the meaning of one specific call (eagle alarm call is stable and maintained even in populations that have been isolated from Australian conspecifics over many (at least 10 generations. To our knowledge, this is the first time such a stability of a referential signal has been shown in the natural habitat.

  16. Da ópera-bufa ao caos nosológico: pica From opera buffa to nosological chaos: pica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana Trejger Kachani

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUÇÃO: Define-se pica como a ingestão compulsiva de alimentos não nutritivos. Não há concordância a respeito de sua etiologia, no entanto admite-se a influência de fatores sociais, culturais, psicológicos, biológicos e comportamentais. Sua prevalência é desconhecida, uma vez que o hábito é dificilmente relatado em consultas. OBJETIVO: Atualização de conceitos relacionados à pica: causas, populações de risco, efeitos adversos, diagnóstico, tratamento, entre outros. METODOLOGIA: Revisão bibliográfica realizada nos sistemas MedLine (Index Medicus, SciELO e PubMed, usando os descritores "pica", "geofagia", "amilofagia", entre outros. RESULTADOS: A síndrome possui suposta etiologia multifatorial e prevalência imprecisa em razão da dificuldade de diagnóstico. O tratamento deve ser conduzido por uma equipe multiprofissional. Pica parece ser um comportamento comum em diferentes transtornos psiquiátricos. CONCLUSÃO: A síndrome ainda carece de descrição adequada, e a comorbidade com outros quadros psiquiátricos é frequente.INTRODUCTION: Pica is compulsive ingestion of non-nutritive substances. There is no consensus on its etiology but social, cultural, psychological, biological and behavioral factors seem to be involved. Pica prevalence is unknown as this behavior is rarely reported during visits. OBJECTIVE: To review pica-related information: causes, populations at risk, adverse effects, diagnosis, and treatment, among others. METHODS: Literature review carried out in MedLine (Index Medicus, SciELO and PubMed using the keywords "pica," "geophagy," "amylophagia," among others. RESULTS: This syndrome has supposedly a multifactorial etiology and its prevalence is indeterminate due to its difficult diagnosis. Pica patients should be cared by a multiprofessional team. Pica seems to be a common behavior associated to several psychiatric disorders. DISCUSSION: Pica needs to be further explored and better understood as a

  17. Pica in iron deficiency: a case series

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tisman Glenn

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Introduction Pica is an unusual condition where patients develop cravings for non-nutritive substances that can cause significant health risks. We report three patients with pica, two of them showing evolutionary changes associated with pica and the third demonstrating a peculiar nature of pica, which has yet to be reported. Case presentation We describe three patients who presented with symptoms of pica. The first patient is a 36-year-old Caucasian woman who had dysfunctional uterine bleeding associated with daily ingestion of two super-sized cups of ice as iced tea. The second patient is a 62-year-old Caucasian man who presented with bleeding from colonic polyps associated with drinking partially frozen bottled water. Lastly, the third patient, a 37-year-old Hispanic woman, presented with dysfunctional uterine bleeding and habitually chewed rubber bands. All three patients presented with hematological parameters diagnostic for iron deficiency anemia. Conclusion Pica has been practiced for centuries without a clear etiology. We have noticed that the younger community of academic and community physicians are not aware of the importance of complaints related to pica. None of our patients we describe here, as well as their primary care physicians, were aware of the importance of their pica related symptoms. Pica symptoms abated in one of our patients upon iron supplementation, while the other two are currently under treatment as of this writing. We believe pica is an important sign of iron deficiency that should never be ignored, and the craving for any unusual substance should compel clinicians to search for occult blood loss with secondary iron deficiency.

  18. H.R. 754: A Bill to make improvements in the Black Lung Benefits Act. Introduced in the House of Representatives, One Hundred Fourth Congress, First session

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    1995-12-31

    This bill proposes changes in the Black Lung Benefits Act with the intent of improving the existing legislation. Changes are proposed in sections of the act referring to: benefit overpayment; evidence; survivor benefits; responsible operator; attorney fees; administration; refilling; construction; and effective dates.

  19. Pica

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... that eating dirt will help them incorporate magical spirits into their bodies. None of these theories, though, explains every form of pica. A doctor must treat each case individually to try to understand what's causing the condition. When to Call the Doctor ...

  20. A meta-analysis of pica and micronutrient status.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miao, Diana; Young, Sera L; Golden, Christopher D

    2015-01-01

    Pica is the craving for and consumption of nonfood items, including the ingestion of earth (geophagy), raw starch (amylophagy), and ice (pagophagy). Pica has long been associated with micronutrient deficiencies, but the strength of this relationship is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the association between pica behavior and the risk of being anemic or having low hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), or plasma zinc (Zn) concentrations. We systematically reviewed studies in which micronutrient levels were reported by pica status. We calculated the pooled odds ratio for anemia or weighted mean difference in Hb, Hct, or Zn concentrations between groups practicing or not practicing pica behaviors. Forty-three studies including 6,407 individuals with pica behaviors and 10,277 controls were identified. Pica was associated with 2.35 times greater odds of anemia (95% CI: 1.94-2.85, P < 0.001), lower Hb concentration (-0.65 g/dl, 95% CI: -0.83 to -0.48 g/dl, P < 0.001), lower Hct concentration (-1.15%, 95% CI: -1.61 to -0.70%, P < 0.001), and lower Zn concentration (-34.3 μg/dl, 95% CI: -59.58 to -9.02 μg/dl, P = 0.008). Statistical significance persisted after excluding outliers and in subgroup analyses by pica type and life stage. Pica is significantly associated with increased risk for anemia and low Hb, Hct, and plasma Zn. Although the direction of the causal relationship between pica and micronutrient deficiency is unknown, the magnitude of these relationships is comparable to other well-recognized causes of micronutrient deficiencies. Pica warrants greater public health attention; specifically the potential physiological mechanisms underpinning the relationship between pica and micronutrient deficiencies merit further study. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  1. Pica in pregnancy in a privileged population

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mikkelsen, Tina Broby; Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo; Olsen, Sjurdur Frodi

    2006-01-01

    frequency questionnaire mailed in gestation week 25. RESULTS: The response rate of the questionnaire was 70% of Danish National Birth Cohort participants. Only 14 women reported to have eaten substances that were clearly not foods, i.e. 0.02% had pica in this cohort of well nourished Danish women......BACKGROUND: In the literature pica is reported to be prevalent in pregnant women. Most studies have focused on less privileged populations, but is pica prevalent among privileged pregnant women? METHODS: 100,000 pregnant women in the Danish National Birth Cohort were asked about pica in a food...

  2. PICA Variants with Improved Mechanical Properties

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thornton, Jeremy; Ghandehari, Ehson M.; Fan, Wenhong; Stackpoole, Margaret; Chavez-Garcia, Jose

    2011-01-01

    Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) is a member of the family of Lightweight Ceramic Ablators (LCAs) and was developed at NASA Ames Research Center as a thermal protection system (TPS) material for the Stardust mission probe that entered the Earth s atmosphere faster than any other probe or vehicle to date. PICA, carbon fiberform base and phenolic polymer, shows excellent thermal insulative properties at heating rates from about 250 W/sq cm to 1000 W/sq cm. The density of standard PICA - 0.26 g/cu cm to 0.28 g/cu cm - can be changed by changing the concentration of the phenolic resin. By adding polymers to the phenolic resin before curing it is possible to significantly improve the mechanical properties of PICA without significantly increasing the density.

  3. Endovascular treatment of PICA aneurysms

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mukonoweshuro, W.; Laitt, R.D.; Hughes, D.G. [Radiology Dept., Greater Manchester Neurosciences Unit, Hope Hospital, Salford, Manchester (United Kingdom)

    2003-03-01

    Endovascular treatment of aneurysms of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA) avoids manipulation of the brainstem or lower cranial nerves and should therefore carry a lower risk of neurological morbidity than surgical clipping. We reviewed our experience of 23 patients with PICA aneurysms treated by endovascular occlusion with Guglielmi detachable coils and documented their long-term outcome on follow-up. We observed a 28 day procedure-related neurological morbidity of 13% (3/23 patients). One patient suffered permanent neurological complications. There were no procedure-related deaths. None of our patients suffered a re-bleed from their treated aneurysms. Our series shows endovascular treatment of ruptured PICA aneurysms to be safe and effective. (orig.)

  4. Microbial abundance on the eggs of a passerine bird and related fitness consequences between urban and rural habitats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Sang-Im; Lee, Hyunna; Jablonski, Piotr G; Choe, Jae Chun; Husby, Magne

    2017-01-01

    Urban environments present novel and challenging habitats to wildlife. In addition to well-known difference in abiotic factors between rural and urban environments, the biotic environment, including microbial fauna, may also differ significantly. In this study, we aimed to compare the change in microbial abundance on eggshells during incubation between urban and rural populations of a passerine bird, the Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica), and examine the consequences of any differences in microbial abundances in terms of hatching success and nestling survival. Using real-time PCR, we quantified the abundances of total bacteria, Escherichia coli/Shigella spp., surfactin-producing Bacillus spp. and Candida albicans on the eggshells of magpies. We found that urban magpie eggs harboured greater abundances of E. coli/Shigella spp. and C. albicans before incubation than rural magpie eggs. During incubation, there was an increase in the total bacterial load, but a decrease in C. albicans on urban eggs relative to rural eggs. Rural eggs showed a greater increase in E. coli/Shigella spp. relative to their urban counterpart. Hatching success of the brood was generally lower in urban than rural population. Nestling survival was differentially related with the eggshell microbial abundance between urban and rural populations, which was speculated to be the result of the difference in the strength of the interaction among the microbes. This is the first demonstration that avian clutches in urban and rural populations differ in eggshell microbial abundance, which can be further related to the difference in hatching success and nestling survival in these two types of environments. We suggest that future studies on the eggshell microbes should investigate the interaction among the microbes, because the incubation and/or environmental factors such as urbanization or climate condition can influence the dynamic interactions among the microbes on the eggshells which can further determine the

  5. Post-Flight Evaluation of PICA and PICA-X - Comparisons of the Stardust SRC and Space-X Dragon 1 Forebody Heatshield Materials

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stackpoole, M.; Kao, D.; Qu, V.; Gonzales, G.

    2013-01-01

    Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA) was developed at NASA Ames Research Center. As a thermal protection material, PICA has the advantages of being able to withstand high heat fluxes with a relatively low density. This ablative material was used as the forebody heat shield material for the Stardust sample return capsule, which re-entered the Earths atmosphere in 2006. Based on PICA, SpaceX developed a variant, PICA-X, and used it as the heat shield material for its Dragon spacecraft, which successfully orbited the Earth and re-entered the atmosphere during the COTS Demo Flight 1 in 2010. Post-flight analysis was previously performed on the Stardust PICA heat shield material. Similarly, a near-stagnation core was obtained from the post-flight Dragon 1 heat shield, which was retrieved from the Pacific Ocean. Materials testing and analyses were performed on the core to evaluate its ablation performance and post-flight properties. Comparisons between PICA and PICA-X are made where applicable. Stardust and Dragon offer rare opportunities to evaluate materials post-flight - this data is beneficial in understanding material performance and also improves modeling capabilities.

  6. [Pica diagnosis during pregnancy and micronutrient dificiency in Argentine women].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poy, M S; Weisstaub, A; Iglesias, C; Fernández, S; Portela, Ma L; López, L B

    2012-01-01

    To evaluate by biochemical parameters iron and zinc nutritional status in women with and without pica diagnosis during pregnancy. During puerperium 109 women were evaluated at Fiorito Hospital, Argentina. Pica diagnosis was made in 42 women while 67 did not refer the practice. Fasting blood samples were obtained and analyzed in a hematology analyzer for values of red blood cells, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and hematocrit. Serum zinc and erythrocyte zinc was analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Substances consumed during pica practice were: earth, ice, brick, paper, desinfectant and dog food. Women with pica diagnosis had higher a rate of family history of pica and personal antecedents of pica in childhood (OR: 15.9). Sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics and neonatal birth weight were similar between both groups, although women with pica diagnosis had lower values in mean corpuscular volume (p = 0,008), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (p = 0,009) and erythrocyte zinc (0,008). Applying a logistic regression model, erythrocyte zinc was the only biochemical indicator associated with pica practice (p = 0,028). At puerperium, women with pica during pregnancy could have lower levels in biochemical parameters for iron and zinc status so we suggest that early diagnosis of pica could help to identify micronutrient deficient.

  7. Pica - an eating disorder: A report and review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S Vijayendranath Nayak

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Pica disorder is considered to be an inappropriate behavior characterized by an appetite pattern and craving for non-nutritive substances. Pica usually does not exhibit life-threatening situations, but at times it can create severe complications due to this psychogenic behavior of an individual. Clinical presentation of pica is highly variable and can be associated with the specific characteristics of the resulting medical conditions and the ingested substances. Weird consumption pattern can lead to various changes in the hard and soft tissues of the oral cavity, which can further lead to ulcerations and pulpal pain. Herein, we report a case of pica syndrome with oral manifestation due to consumption of mud.

  8. Prevalence and risk factors for pica during pregnancy in Tehran, Iran.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ezzeddin, Neda; Zavoshy, Rosa; Noroozi, Mostafa; Jahanihashemi, Hassan; Riseh, Shaghayegh Hadizadeh

    2015-12-01

    Pica is an eating disorder characterized by the persistent ingestion of substances that the consumer does not define as food. The exact cause of pica is often unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of pica during pregnancy and its related risk factors. This cross-sectional study was carried out in health care centers in west of Tehran. Three hundred women were selected by stratified sampling method from the population. Demographic information and characteristics of pica during pregnancy, such as the kind, the onset, duration, frequency and the reasons, and also iron supplementation status before and during pregnancy and kind of infant feeding were collected via interview and questionnaire. The data were analyzed by chi square test and logistic regression in SPSS 16. The prevalence of pica among the studied population was 8.33%, and pagophagia (ice and freezer frost) was the most common form of pica which is characterized by the ingestion of non-food substance (76%). Sixty-four percent of women reported practicing pica regularly on a daily basis. In this study, there was significant association between pica practice and education, unwanted pregnancy, pregnancy complications, the levels of economic satisfaction, iron supplementation during pregnancy, kind of infant feeding, and type of delivery. However, there was no significant association between pica and age, employment, pregnancy ranks, the history of abortions or stillbirths, infant sex, and iron supplementation before pregnancy. Iron supplementation during pregnancy should be more considered. Also women with low education should be asked concerning pregnancy pica.

  9. Restless legs syndrome, pica, and iron status in blood donors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spencer, Bryan R; Kleinman, Steven; Wright, David J; Glynn, Simone A; Rye, David B; Kiss, Joseph E; Mast, Alan E; Cable, Ritchard G

    2013-08-01

    The association of blood donation-related iron deficiency with pica or restless legs syndrome (RLS) remains poorly elucidated. This study evaluated the prevalence of RLS and pica in blood donors completing the REDS-II Iron Status Evaluation (RISE) study. RISE enrolled 2425 blood donors in a prospective cohort study; 1334 donors provided blood samples to characterize iron status and answered a questionnaire inquiring into symptoms of RLS and pica at a final visit after 15 to 24 months of follow-up. Associations between both conditions and iron status were evaluated. There were 9 and 20% of donors reporting symptoms of probable or probable/possible RLS, respectively. Iron depletion and donation intensity were not predictive of RLS. Pica was reported by 65 donors (5.5%), half of whom reported daily cravings. Prevalence of pica increased with degree of iron depletion in women (2% in iron-replete females, 13% in those with ferritin high prevalence of RLS in frequent blood donors but shows no association with iron status or donation intensity. Low iron stores were associated with higher prevalence of pica, but only in females. Furthermore, the results are incompatible with RLS and pica sharing a common pathophysiology. © 2013 American Association of Blood Banks.

  10. Baking soda pica associated with rhabdomyolysis and cardiomyopathy in pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scolari Childress, Katherine M; Myles, Thomas

    2013-08-01

    Pica is a commonly underappreciated disorder in pregnancy that can lead to several complications, including severe metabolic derangements and other adverse outcomes. We report a case of baking soda pica in pregnancy associated with both rhabdomyolysis and cardiomyopathy. A multigravid woman at 37 weeks of gestation presented with weakness and severe hypokalemia. She subsequently had development of rhabdomyolysis and presumed peripartum cardiomyopathy. After delivery, it was discovered that the patient had a long history of consumption of large quantities of baking soda. Her condition improved with cessation of the pica. Clinicians must have a high index of suspicion for pica in pregnancy because it can lead to complex diagnostic challenges and pregnancy complications. The diagnosis should be considered in a patient with unexplained metabolic abnormalities.

  11. Radiation Testing of PICA at the Solar Power Tower

    Science.gov (United States)

    White, Susan

    2010-01-01

    Sandia National Laboratory's Solar Power Tower was used to irradiate specimens of Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA), in order to evaluate whether this thermal protection system material responded differently to potential shock layer radiative heating than to convective heating. Tests were run at 50, 100 and 150 Watts per square centimeter levels of concentrated solar radiation. Experimental results are presented both from spectral measurements on 1- 10 mm thick specimens of PICA, as well as from in-depth temperature measurements on instrumented thicker test specimens. Both spectral measurements and measured in-depth temperature profiles showed that, although it is a porous, low-density material, PICA does not exhibit problematic transparency to the tested high levels of NIR radiation, for all pragmatic cm-to-inch scale thicknesses. PICA acted as a surface absorber to efficiently absorb the incident visible and near infrared incident radiation in the top 2 millimeter layer in the Solar Power Tower tests up to 150 Watts per square centimeter.

  12. Characterization of pica and chewing behaviors in privately owned cats: a case-control study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demontigny-Bédard, Isabelle; Beauchamp, Guy; Bélanger, Marie-Claude; Frank, Diane

    2016-08-01

    The aim of this study was to characterize pica behavior in cats. Cat owners were recruited to participate in a questionnaire survey on pica behavior exhibited by their cats. Emphasis was put on the type of item ingested. Questions on early history and environment, as well as general health and gastrointestinal signs, were asked. Owners of healthy cats not showing pica were also recruited into a control group. Associations between variables and groups were statistically tested. Pica was directed most commonly at shoelaces or threads, followed by plastic, fabric, other items, rubber, paper or cardboard and wood. Some cats ingested specific items but only chewed others. A significant positive association was found between sucking and ingesting fabric (P = 0.002). Ad libitum feeding was significantly lower in the pica group than the control group (P = 0.01). Prevalence of self-sucking behavior was significantly higher in the pica group than the control group (P = 0.001). Cats with pica vomited significantly more often than control cats (P = 0.01). Pica, the ingestion of inedible items, does not seem to be the consequence of a suboptimal environment or early weaning. Cats with pica were less commonly fed ad libitum than healthy cats. As frequently reported, pica and vomiting were related, but the causative association is not well established and thus warrants further investigation. © The Author(s) 2015.

  13. Necrotizing pancreatitis due to hypercalcemia in a hemodialysis patient with pica

    OpenAIRE

    Brener, Zachary Z.; Bergman, Michael

    2014-01-01

    Pica refers to the persistent, compulsive craving for and ingestion of nonfood items and certain food items. Pica is quite common among dialysis patients. The nutrient composition of some of the substances ingested may contribute to severe metabolic and mineral disturbances and other serious medical complications. We report the first case of a hemodialysis patient with chalk pica associated hypercalcemia who developed acute necrotizing pancreatitis. Hydration, nutritional support and hemodial...

  14. Anaemia in pregnant adolescent girls with malaria and practicing pica.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Intiful, Freda Dzifa; Wiredu, Edwin Kwame; Asare, George Awuku; Asante, Matilda; Adjei, David Nana

    2016-01-01

    Pregnancy during the adolescent period is challenging mainly because of the nutritional demands of both the adolescent and pregnancy period. The risk for anaemia increases especially in developing countries such as Ghana where malaria is endemic and the practice of pica is common. In this study, we sought to determine the prevalence of anaemia, pica practice and malaria infection among pregnant adolescent girls and assess the extent to which these factors are associated. Two hundred and sixty five (265) pregnant adolescent girls were recruited from three hospitals in Accra. Haemoglobin levels, malaria infection and the practice of pica were assessed. Pearson's Chi squared tests were used to determine associations and logistic regression analysis was used to determine the odds of being anaemic. Significance was set at p≤0.05. Anaemia prevalence was 76% with severity ranging from mild (47.8%) to severe (0.8%). About 27.5% were moderately anaemic. Pica was practiced in only 9.1% of the girls. Malaria infection was prevalent in 17.7% of the girls. The logistic regression analysis indicated that pregnant girls with malaria infection were 3.56 times more likely to be anaemic when compared to those without malaria. Also, those who practiced pica were 1.23 times more likely to be anaemic when compared to those who did not practice pica. Anaemia is very prevalent in pregnant adolescent girls and is a public health problem. Drastic measures should be taken to reduce the high prevalence.

  15. Dermatitis atópica psoriasiforme en edad pediátrica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yordania Velázquez Ávila

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available La dermatitis atópica es una dermatosis reaccional crónica recidivante, con afectación del sistema inmune en individuos predispuestos genéticamente. Es multifactorial y por lo general se manifiesta en la infancia. En ocasiones se presenta con características semejantes a otras entidades dermatológicas. Al servicio de dermatología del hospital pediátrico Mártires de Las Tunas acudió una paciente en edad pre-escolar, con manifestaciones clínicas atípicas que simulaba otras dermatosis eritematoescamosas; la mamá refería desconocer si existían antecedentes familiares de atopía; con tendencia a la cronicidad y refractaria al uso de corticoesteroides tópicos. Se realizó el estudio histopatológico, se observaron elementos compatibles con una dermatitis atópica variedad psoriasiforme. En este caso la dermatitis atópica se presentó de forma atípica, siendo ésta la motivación de su presentación. Para el tratamiento se utilizó inmunoterapia, se logró mejoría clínica de las lesiones

  16. Coledocoduodenostomia laparoscópica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marco Antônio Cezário de Melo

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Estudar, a curto e médio prazos, o resultado e complicações da coledocoduodenostomia (CDD realizada por via laparoscópica. MÉTODO: Estudo prospectivo de 20 pacientes com indicação de coledocoduodenostomia vídeo-laparoscópica operados na DIGEST no período de 1991 a 2003. RESULTADOS: Dos 20 pacientes com indicação para CDD laparoscópica, quatro tinham coledocolitíase associada à litíase vesicular, oito litíase residual de colédoco, dois estenose benigna e seis tumor periampolar. Houve duas conversões para ressecção de colédoco. Dentre as 18 CDD, todos tinham via biliar acima de 1,5 cm de diâmetro. Foi observado vazamento biliar pelo dreno cavitário em quatro casos (duração máxima de quatro dias resolvidos espontaneamente, uma infecção de ferida e uma morte súbita no 2º. dia de pós-operatório. Os seis portadores de tumor periampolar tiveram sobrevida média de 7,2 meses evoluindo sem prurido ou icterícia até o óbito. CONCLUSÕES: Além da demonstração da viabilidade do método laparoscópico na realização da CDD, evidenciou-se que o posicionamento de trocarte adicional facilita a confecção da anastomose. Acredita-se que, a ocorrência de vazamento da anastomose possa diminuir com a experiência e que a CDD seja alternativa interessante na paliação dos tumores periampolares.

  17. Examination of Scanning Electron Microscope and Computed Tomography Images of PICA

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lawson, John W.; Stackpoole, Margaret M.; Shklover, Valery

    2010-01-01

    Micrographs of PICA (Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator) taken using a Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and 3D images taken with a Computed Tomography (CT) system are examined. PICA is a carbon fiber based composite (Fiberform ) with a phenolic polymer matrix. The micrographs are taken at different surface depths and at different magnifications in a sample after arc jet testing and show different levels of oxidative removal of the charred matrix (Figs 1 though 13). CT scans, courtesy of Xradia, Inc. of Concord CA, were captured for samples of virgin PICA, charred PICA and raw Fiberform (Fig. 14). We use these images to calculate the thermal conductivity (TC) of these materials using correlation function (CF) methods. CF methods give a mathematical description of how one material is embedded in another and is thus ideally suited for modeling composites like PICA. We will evaluate how the TC of the materials changes as a function of surface depth. This work is in collaboration with ETH-Zurich, which has expertise in high temperature materials and TC modeling (including CF methods).

  18. Protocolo de dermatitis atópica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Herrero González JE

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available La Sociedad Española de Farmacia Comunitaria (SEFAC junto con la Unidad de Dermatología del Hospital del Mar de Barcelona han elaborado esta revisión a fondo de la dermatitis atópica, una patología cada vez con mayor prevalencia en nuestra sociedad y en muchas ocasiones desconocida. Como resultado de esta colaboración se ha elaborado un protocolo de actuación consensuado por ambas partes, donde quedan establecidos los criterios de gravedad y los criterios de derivación con el objetivo de facilitar al farmacéutico comunitario su labor diaria con los pacientes de dermatitis atópica.

  19. Local habitat and landscape influence predation of bird nests on afforested Mediterranean cropland

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez-Oliver, J. S.; Rey Benayas, J. M.; Carrascal, L. M.

    2014-07-01

    Afforestation programs such as the one promoted by the EU Common Agrarian Policy have contributed to spread tree plantations on former cropland. Nevertheless these afforestations may cause severe damage to open habitat species, especially birds of high conservation value. We investigated predation of artificial bird nests at young tree plantations and at the open farmland habitat adjacent to the tree plantations in central Spain. Predation rates were very high at both tree plantations (95.6%) and open farmland habitat (94.2%) after two and three week exposure. Plantation edge/area ratio and development of the tree canopy decreased predation rates and plantation area and magpie (Pica pica) abundance increased predation rates within tree plantations, which were also affected by land use types around plantations. The area of nearby tree plantations (positive effect), distance to the tree plantation edge (negative effect), and habitat type (mainly attributable to the location of nests in vineyards) explained predation rates at open farmland habitat. We conclude that predation rates on artificial nests were particularly high and rapid at or nearby large plantations, with high numbers of magpies and low tree development, and located in homogenous landscapes dominated by herbaceous crops and pastures with no remnants of semi-natural woody vegetation. Landscape planning should not favour tree plantations as the ones studied here in Mediterranean agricultural areas that are highly valuable for ground-nesting bird species.

  20. Long-term ecological data for conservation: Range change in the black-billed capercaillie (Tetrao urogalloides) in northeast China (1970s-2070s).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Li; Zhang, Chao; Chen, Minhao; Li, Jingxin; Yang, Lei; Huo, Zhaomin; Ahmad, Shahid; Luan, Xiaofeng

    2018-04-01

    Long-term ecological data can be an effective tool to help ecologists integrate future projections with historical contexts and provide unique insights into the long-term dynamics of endangered species. However, hampered by data limitations, including incomplete and spatially biased data, relatively few studies have used multidecadal datasets or have examined changes in biogeography from a historical perspective. The black-billed capercaillie ( Tetrao urogalloides ) is a large capercaillie (classified as Least Concern [LC] on the IUCN red list) that has undergone a dramatic decline in population during the late 20th century and is considered endangered. Its conservation status is pessimistic, and the species requires immediate protection. Therefore, we supplemented a historical dataset to identify changes in this bird's range and population in northeast China over the long term. The study area spanned Heilongjiang Province, Jilin Province, and the northeast corner of Inner Mongolia in northeast China. We integrated an ecological niche model (BIOMOD2) with long-term ecological data on this species to estimate the magnitude of change in distribution over time. Our results revealed a 35.25% reduction in the current distribution of this species compared to their potential distribution in the 1970s. This decline is expected to continue under climate change. For example, the future range loss was estimated to be 38.79 ± 0.22% (8.64-90.19%), and the actual state could be worse, because the baseline range of the model was greater than the real range in the 2000s, showing a 12.39% overestimation. To overcome this poor outlook, a conservation strategy should be established in sensitive areas, including the southwestern Greater Khingan Mountains and northern Lesser Khingan Mountains. Actions that should be considered include field investigations, establishing a monitor network, designing ecological corridors, and cooperating with local inhabitants, governments, and

  1. Colectomía parcial laparoscópica electiva por enfermedad diverticular

    OpenAIRE

    MELKONIAN T, ERNESTO; RODRÍGUEZ G, MARCELO; CONTRERAS F, DAVID; OPAZO S, PATRICIO; ROBLES G, IGNACIO; BRAVO H, MAGDALENA

    2011-01-01

    La cirugía laparoscópica colorrectal, aunque de desarrollo lento, ha presentado en los últimos años ventajas con respecto a la cirugía abierta. Hay escasas publicaciones nacionales sobre esta técnica en enfermedad diverticular. Objetivo: Presentar nuestra experiencia en enfermedad diverticular en una serie consecutiva de pacientes con indicación quirúrgica electiva resueltos por vía laparoscópica. Material y Método: Se analizan los protocolos prospectivos de cirugía laparoscópica de colon con...

  2. Isotopic hydrology and the ground water of the Esmeralda-Pica-Matilla region

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, O.; Aravena, R.

    1985-01-01

    Groundwater form Esmeralda-Pica-Matilla region was analysed using environmental isotopes. Difference in the origin of groundwater from adjacent areas of Canchones and Esmeralda was found. This implies that an increase of the groundwater extraction at Esmeralda will not affect the pumping station of Canchones. At Pica-Matilla two different groundwater bodies were characterized, one seems to be connected with the Quisma creek and the other, related to the springs at Pica with the precipitation between the Huasco and Coposa salars. (Author)

  3. Phylogenetic analysis of West Nile virus isolated in Italy in 2008.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Savini, G; Monaco, F; Calistri, P; Lelli, R

    2008-11-27

    In Italy the first occurrence of West Nile virus (WNV) infection was reported in Tuscany region during the late summer of 1998. In August 2008, the WNV infection re-emerged in Italy, in areas surrounding the Po river delta, and involving three regions Lombardy, Emilia Romagna and Veneto. WNV was isolated from blood and organs samples of one horse, one donkey, one pigeon (Columba livia) and three magpies (Pica pica). The phylogenetic analysis of the isolates, conducted on 255 bp in the region coding for the E protein, indicates that these isolates belong to the lineage I among the European strains. According to the analysis, both the 1998 and 2008 Italian strains as well as isolates from Romania, Russia, Senegal and Kenya fell in the same sub-cluster.

  4. Functional morphology and integration of corvid skulls – a 3D geometric morphometric approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gunz Philipp

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Sympatric corvid species have evolved differences in nesting, habitat choice, diet and foraging. Differences in the frequency with which corvid species use their repertoire of feeding techniques is expected to covary with bill-shape and with the frontal binocular field. Species that frequently probe are expected to have a relatively longer bill and more sidewise oriented orbits in contrast to species that frequently peck. We tested this prediction by analyzing computed tomography scans of skulls of six corvid species by means of three-dimensional geometric morphometrics. We (1 explored patterns of major variation using principal component analysis, (2 compared within and between species relationships of size and shape and (3 quantitatively compared patterns of morphological integration between bill and cranium by means of partial least squares (singular warp analysis. Results Major shape variation occurs at the bill, in the orientation of orbits, in the position of the foramen magnum and in the angle between bill and cranium. The first principal component correlated positively with centroid-size, but within-species allometric relationships differed markedly. Major covariation between the bill and cranium lies in the difference in orbit orientation relative to bill-length and in the angle between bill and cranium. Conclusion Corvid species show pronounced differences in skull shape, which covary with foraging mode. Increasing bill-length, bill-curvature and sidewise orientation of the eyes is associated with an increase in the observed frequency in probing (vice versa in pecking. Hence, the frequency of probing, bill-length, bill-curvature and sidewise orientation of the eyes is progressively increased from jackdaw, to Eurasian jay, to black-billed magpie, to hooded crow, to rook and to common raven (when feeding on carcasses is considered as probing. Our results on the morphological integration suggest that most of the

  5. Reanastomose Tubária Laparoscópica: Resultados Preliminares

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ribeiro Sérgio Conti

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Objetivos: avaliar as taxas de gravidez após realização de reversão laparoscópica de obstrução tubária por laqueadura prévia. Métodos: entre dezembro de 1998 e dezembro de 2001, realizamos estudo prospectivo no qual foram incluídas 26 pacientes previamente submetidas a esterilização tubária. As pacientes tinham idades entre 28 e 37 anos e a reanastomose foi efetuada por via laparoscópica. O período de seguimento variou entre 150 e 425 dias e as taxas de permeabilidade tubária (estudada por meio da histerossalpingografia e as taxas de gestação foram avaliadas. Resultados: a reversão laparoscópica pôde ser realizada em 23 pacientes, sendo bilateral em 21. Duas pacientes apresentavam uma tuba extremamente danificada e três haviam sido submetidas a fimbriectomia bilateral. O tempo cirúrgico variou de 95 a 155 minutos e a alta hospitalar ocorreu na manhã seguinte em todos os casos. Constatou-se permeabilidade tubária em 15 pacientes (15/23 e a taxa de gestação foi 56,5% (13/23, sem gestações ectópicas. O intervalo entre a interrupção do uso do condom e a gravidez foi de até quatro meses em nove pacientes e de até 10 meses em quatro pacientes. Conclusão: em casos selecionados, a reversão tubária videolaparoscópica pode ser oferecida à pacientes laqueadas que desejam novas gestações. A seleção adequada das pacientes, assim como técnica cirúrgica meticulosa, são os fatores-chave para atingir taxas de gestação satisfatórias.

  6. Adrenalectomía laparoscópica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José De Vinatea

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available Objetivo: Evaluar la efectividad y resultados de la adrenalectomía laparoscópica en la patología adrenal benigna. Materiales y Métodos: Estudio retrospectivo de 15 adrenalectomías realizadas en 13 pacientes por el mismo equipo quirúrgico en el Hospital Nacional Guillermo Almenara Irigoyen EsSalud y en la Clínica San Pablo,. Lima - Perú, entre 1996 y 2005, evaluándose la efectividad y resultados con respecto al tamaño del tumor, técnica quirúrgica y otros aspectos. Resultados: Once adrenalectomías fueron unilaterales y dos bilaterales. Las indicaciones fueron: adenoma no funcionante (2, adenoma funcionante (6, feocromocitoma (3, teratoma (1, leiomiosarcoma (1, mielolipoma (2. No hubo mortalidad ni reoperaciones. Conclusión: La adrenalectomía laparoscópica es factible y segura para tumores menores de 7 cm.

  7. Caracterización fenotípica de aislamientos ambientales de Cryptococcus neoformans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra Huérfano

    2003-09-01

    Full Text Available La criptococosis es causada por las tres variedades de Cryptococcus neoformans, las cuales presentan diferencias fisiológicas y de virulencia, algunas de las cuales se han estudiado para reconocer aspectos de su biología. Este trabajo evaluó las características fenotípicas de aislamientos ambientales de las variedades grubii y gattii, con el fin de establecer diferencias asociadas con el ciclo de vida y la virulencia. Se estudiaron 28 aislamientos serotipo A y 31 serotipo C. Se evaluaron la morfología macroscópica y microscópica de blastoconidias cultivadas en agar Sabouraud y suelos, el crecimiento a 37 °C, la producción de 22 enzimas extracelulares, la frecuencia del fenómeno de fructificación haploide, la pareja sexual, el patrón de sensibilidad a toxinas asesinas (killer y la virulencia en ratones Balb/c. No se observaron diferencias entre las dos variedades en la morfología macroscópica, la microscópica, ni en el crecimiento a 37 °C (p>0,05; sin embargo, se observó disminución del tamaño celular y capsular de blastoconidias cultivadas en suelo comparado con el tamaño en Sabouraud (p

  8. Billing Trends

    Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

    First page Back Continue Last page Overview Graphics. Billing Trends. Internet access: Bandwidth becoming analogous to electric power. Only maximum capacity (load) is fixed; Charges based on usage (units). Leased line bandwidth: Billing analogous to phone calls. But bandwidth is variable.

  9. Mejoría mucosa endoscópica en pacientes con enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal

    OpenAIRE

    Veitia, Guillermo; Pernalete, Beatriz; La Cruz, María Alejandra; Rodríguez, María Josefina; Cachima, Lisbeth; Soto, José; Esquerre, Ivanova; Manuitt, Juan; Pérez, Guillermo

    2014-01-01

    La curación mucosa endoscópica en enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal se asocia con remisión clínica sostenida, reducción de hospitalizaciones y cirugía, pero lograrlo es difícil, según la literatura. Por ello evaluamos la mejoría mucosa endoscópica en nuestros pacientes. Objetivo: Evaluar la mejoría mucosa endoscópica en pacientes con enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal. Métodos: estudio multicéntrico, descriptivo, transversal. Incluyó 24 pacientes entre 17 y 73 años. Para evaluar respuesta a ...

  10. Computed tomographic (CT) study of watershed area supplied by the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nozaki, Junichi; Hirose, Satoshi; Hosotani, Kazuo; Kubota, Tetsuya; Kubota, Norihiko.

    1990-01-01

    Thirteen patients with clinical and computed tomographic (CT) evidence of cerebellar infarction were examined during 1987-1989. Six patients had onset of cerebellar infarction at ages ranging from 45 to 69, and seven patients had onset at ages over 70. In thirteen cases, we observed infarction in the inferior region of the cerebellum, and we studied these cases. CT demonstrated decreased density in 4 distinct anatomic areas. These areas are listed below, with estimation of the distribution of the hemispheric arteries of the posterior inferior cerebellar artery (PICA): Group 1 - posterior medial area, probably territory of the inferior vermian branch, tonsillar branch and/or medial artery of the hemispheric artery of the PICA; Group 2 - posterior intermediate area, probably territory of the intermediate artery of the hemispheric artery of the PICA; Group 3 - area including both areas of group 1 and group 3; Group 4 - lateral area, just posterior to pyramis, probably territory of the anterior inferior cerebellar artery and/or lateral artery of the hemispheric artery of PICA. The medial and intermedial cerebellar hemispheric segments were most commonly affected but the lateral segment was not. The PICA least frequently supplied the lateral segments. While the anterior inferior cerebellar artery usually anastomoses with the lateral artery of the hemispheric artery of the PICA. These vascular territories may provide good collateral circulation to this segment. And we also estimate the distribution of the PICA by the CT findings. (author)

  11. Faces prototípicas provenientes de amostras populacionais de uma região brasileira Prototypical faces from samples of the population of a Brazilian region

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Irene Fonseca Mendes

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available O objetivo dessa pesquisa foi gerar, por meio de técnica de computação gráfica denominada morphing, faces prototípicas masculinas e femininas a partir de amostras de pessoas que se autodeclaram brancas, pardas e pretas na região de Ribeirão Preto (SP. A cada face prototípica foram utilizadas 64 imagens de faces de voluntários. As faces prototípicas e as faces que as compuseram tiveram a tipicidade de sua cor ou raça julgada por terceiros. Os julgamentos indicaram uma concordância entre a cor/raça-autodeclarada e a heteroatribuída o que indica que os protótipos são representativos de suas respectivas categorias de cor/raça. Discute-se como as faces prototípicas podem ser empregadas em pesquisas básicas e aplicadas em percepção e reconhecimento de faces.The goal of this study was to generate male and female prototypical faces, by morphing technique, from faces of people who were self-declared as white, "mixed race" and black in Ribeirão Preto-SP. Each prototypical face was generated from 64 face images of volunteers. Another sample of volunteers judged the typicality of color/race of the prototypical faces and the faces that composed them. The results suggested a concordance between the self-declared color/race and the judgments, indicating that the prototypical faces are representative of their respective categories of color/race. Applications of the prototypical faces in studies of face perception and face recognition were discussed.

  12. Diagnóstico de pica durante el embarazo y deficiencia de micronutrientes en mujeres argentinas Pica diagnosis during pregnancy and micronutrient dificiency in Argentine women

    OpenAIRE

    M. S. Poy; A. Weisstaub; C. Iglesias; S. Fernández; M.ª L. Portela; L. B. López

    2012-01-01

    Objetivo: Evaluar mediante indicadores bioquímicos el estado nutricional del hierro y el zinc en mujeres con y sin diagnóstico de pica durante el embarazo. Metodología: Se seleccionaron 109 puérperas del Hospital Fiorito, Argentina. El diagnostico de pica se realizó en 42 de ellas, en tanto que 67 mujeres no refirieron el hábito. Mediante un contador hematológico se determinaron los valores de hemoglobina, volumen corpuscular medio, hemoglobina corpuscular media, concentración de hemoglobina ...

  13. Pica and rumination behavior among individuals seeking treatment for eating disorders or obesity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delaney, Charlotte B; Eddy, Kamryn T; Hartmann, Andrea S; Becker, Anne E; Murray, Helen B; Thomas, Jennifer J

    2015-03-01

    Pica and rumination disorder (RD)-formerly classified within DSM-IV Feeding and Eating Disorders of Infancy or Early Childhood-are now classified within DSM-5 Feeding and Eating Disorders. Though pica and RD have been studied in select populations (e.g., pregnant women, intellectually disabled persons), their typical features and overall prevalence remain unknown. This study examined the clinical characteristics and frequency of DSM-5 pica and RD among individuals seeking treatment for eating disorders and obesity. We conducted structured interviews with adolescent and young adult females from a residential eating disorder center (N = 149), and adult males and females with overweight or obesity from an outpatient weight-loss clinic (N = 100). Several participants reported ingesting non-nutritive substances (e.g., ice) for weight-control purposes. However, only 1.3% (n = 2; 95% CI: .06% to 5.1%) at the residential eating disorder center and 0% at the weight-loss clinic met DSM-5 criteria for pica, consuming gum and plastic. Although no eating disorder participants were eligible for an RD diagnosis due to DSM-5 trumping rules, 7.4% (n = 11; 95% CI: 4.0% to 12.9%) endorsed rumination behavior under varying degrees of volitional control. At the weight-loss clinic, 2.0% (n = 2; 95% CI: 0.1% to 7.4%) had RD. DSM-5 pica and RD were rare in our sample of individuals seeking treatment for eating disorders and obesity, but related behaviors were more common. The wide range of pica and rumination presentations highlights the challenges of differential diagnosis with other forms of disordered eating. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  14. Magpie Trial in the UK: methods and additional data for women and children at 2 years following pregnancy complicated by pre-eclampsia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Armstrong Nina

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Magpie Trial, a randomised trial comparing magnesium sulphate with placebo for women with pre-eclampsia. This paper describes methods used for follow up in the UK, and presents additional data collected. Methods In the UK 774 women and their 827 children were included; excluded were women discharged without a surviving child and families who opted out. General practitioners were sent a questionnaire when the child was around 18 months old. When the child was two years, or older, questionnaires asking about the health of the women and children were posted to families. A sample of families was offered a home visit, during which the child was assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development. Results Of the women, 12 were lost to follow up and three died. Of the children, 12 were lost to follow up, 5 were excluded and 19 died. General practitioners returned 688/759 (91% questionnaires, as did 619/759 (82% women. Responses were largely comparable. 32 women had serious morbidity potentially related to pre-eclampsia. 30% of children were reported to have been admitted to hospital. There were no clear differences between the randomised groups in the child's behaviour, women's fertility or use of health service resources. Conclusion Data presented here provide further reassurance about the longer term safety of magnesium sulphate when used for women with pre-eclampsia. Postal questionnaires in the UK to assess the longer term health and wellbeing of women and children recruited to trials are feasible, and can achieve a high response rate. Responses from families and general practitioners were comparable Trial registration Trial registration number of the Magpie Trial [ISRCTN86938761

  15. Frecuencias alélicas, genotípicas y haplotípicas HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-DRB1 en donantes fallecidos, Medellín, Colombia

    OpenAIRE

    Libia M. Rodríguez; Mabel C. Giraldo; Natalia García; Laura Velásquez; Sara C. París; Cristiam M. Álvarez; Luis F. García

    2007-01-01

    Introducción. La caracterización genética del sistema HLA es de gran utilidad en estudios antropogenéticos, en la comprensión de mecanismos asociados a susceptibilidad o resistencia a diversas enfermedades, en los fenómenos inmunológicos durante el embarazo y en la selección de donantes/receptores en trasplantes de órganos. Objetivo. Determinar las frecuencias alélicas, genotípicas y haplotípicas HLA-A, -B, -DRB1 en donantes fallecidos en Medellín. Materiales y métodos. Se incluyeron 92...

  16. Frecuencias alélicas, genotípicas y haplotípicas HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-DRB1 en donantes fallecidos, Medellín, Colombia

    OpenAIRE

    Rodríguez, Libia M; Giraldo, Mabel C; García, Natalia; Velásquez, Laura; París, Sara C; Álvarez, Cristiam M; García, Luis F

    2007-01-01

    Introducción. La caracterización genética del sistema HLA es de gran utilidad en estudios antropogenéticos, en la comprensión de mecanismos asociados a susceptibilidad o resistencia a diversas enfermedades, en los fenómenos inmunológicos durante el embarazo y en la selección de donantes/receptores en trasplantes de órganos. Objetivo. Determinar las frecuencias alélicas, genotípicas y haplotípicas HLA-A, -B, -DRB1 en donantes fallecidos en Medellín. Materiales y métodos. Se incluyeron 926 dona...

  17. Ontario electricity bill review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    O'Neill, G.

    2003-01-01

    Findings of an independent review of charges to electricity bills and recommendations to assist in the development of a standard, province-wide residential electricity bill for Ontario are discussed. The review was requested by the province's Minister of Energy in an effort to dispel growing confusion about the variations in customer billing practices used by the province's 90+ local distribution companies. Key recommendations and findings were as follows: (1)Consumer bill formats issued by local distribution companies should be more consumer-friendly, adhere to minimum design standards, adapt uniform terminology and common line charges; (2) charges on customer bills should be grouped into four standard line items, with full details available to customers: the four line items should be a basic service charge, a charge for delivering electricity to the customer, a charge for the electricity itself, and a separate charge for retiring the outstanding debt of the former Ontario Hydro; (3) bills should take advantage of opportunities for promoting province-wide energy conservation, such as encouraging the long-term use of interval meters, presenting historical consumption data on residential bills on a period-to-period basis, and education and communications initiatives. Details of the recommendations, including the calculation of the fixed and variable components of usage charges, an explanation of the concept of electricity system loss adjustments, a method for phasing in the recommendations, and the anticipated benefits to consumers are provided

  18. Sustaining PICA for Future NASA Robotic Science Missions Including NF-4 and Discovery

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stackpoole, Mairead; Venkatapathy, Ethiraj; Violette, Steve

    2018-01-01

    Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator (PICA), invented in the mid 1990's, is a low-density ablative thermal protection material proven capable of meeting sample return mission needs from the moon, asteroids, comets and other unrestricted class V destinations as well as for Mars. Its low density and efficient performance characteristics have proven effective for use from Discovery to Flag-ship class missions. It is important that NASA maintain this thermal protection material capability and ensure its availability for future NASA use. The rayon based carbon precursor raw material used in PICA preform manufacturing has experienced multiple supply chain issues and required replacement and requalification at least twice in the past 25 years and a third substitution is now needed. The carbon precursor replacement challenge is twofold - the first involves finding a long-term replacement for the current rayon and the second is to assess its future availability periodically to ensure it is sustainable and be alerted if additional replacement efforts need to be initiated. This paper reviews current PICA sustainability activities to identify a rayon replacement and to establish that the capability of the new PICA derived from an alternative precursor is in family with previous versions.

  19. Literatura ectópica y literatura de exilio: apuntes teóricos

    OpenAIRE

    Luarsabishvili, Vladimer

    2013-01-01

    En este artículo intentamos acercarnos a la literatura ectópica desde la definición que propuso el profesor Tomás Albaladejo Mayordomo en su trabajo titulado “Sobre la literatura ectópica”. Tratamos de utilizar las ideas en él expresadas para establecer una clara diferencia de tipo teórico-literario entre la literatura ectópica y la literatura del exilio y ejemplificarla con algunos casos del exilio ruso del siglo XX.

  20. 25 CFR 175.30 - Billing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... provided in the customer's special contract. (c) Service fee billing. The utility shall render service fee... 25 Indians 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Billing. 175.30 Section 175.30 Indians BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR LAND AND WATER INDIAN ELECTRIC POWER UTILITIES Billing, Payments, and...

  1. Baking soda pica: a case of hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis and rhabdomyolysis in pregnancy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grotegut, Chad A; Dandolu, Vani; Katari, Sunita; Whiteman, Valerie E; Geifman-Holtzman, Ossie; Teitelman, Melissa

    2006-02-01

    We report a case of baking soda pica in a woman at 31 weeks of pregnancy causing severe hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis and rhabdomyolysis. A multigravida at 31 weeks of gestation presented with weakness and muscle pain. She was found to have severe hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis and rhabdomyolysis, with elevation in serum transaminases and hypertension. We initially thought the patient had an atypical presentation of preeclampsia until it was realized that she was ingesting 1 full box of baking soda (454 g sodium bicarbonate) per day. Symptoms and abnormal laboratory findings resolved with discontinuation of the patient's pica practices. Pica is a common but often overlooked practice that can potentially lead to life-threatening disorders. A thorough evaluation of a patient's dietary intake is extremely important, especially in the setting of atypical presentations of disease in pregnancy.

  2. Badali recommends simplified bills

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Anon

    2003-04-01

    A report on the variety of retail electricity bills across the province, authored by Salvatore Badali of Deloitte Consulting, was recently released by the Ontario Government. The report was commissioned by the Government to examine the underlying reasons for the significant format differences and the wide variation of fixed and variable charges among the approximately 95 local electricity distribution companies across the province. Regarding the appropriateness of the charges the report recommends common definitions for local distribution company (LDC) fixed and variable costs, and consideration of options for reducing LDC charges, mainly by consolidating the sector and sharing such services as customer billing, accounting and out sourcing operations. Seven recommendations deal with bill simplification. These include bills that are clear and easy to read and provide sufficient information for consumers to verify charges; promote energy conservation, e.g. by including historical information; allow comparisons between retail suppliers and distributors; accommodate revenue collection, marketing needs and other billing services. The report also recommends clearly defined and consistently used terminology for standardized line items, suggests ways to provide consumer information in a form useful for making energy conservation decisions, development of an LDC scorecard to enable stake holders to compare their own LDCs with LDCs around the province, creation of a conservation and bill calculation website, consideration of further use of shared services, and solutions to address the removal of line losses from invoices.

  3. Badali recommends simplified bills

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon

    2003-01-01

    A report on the variety of retail electricity bills across the province, authored by Salvatore Badali of Deloitte Consulting, was recently released by the Ontario Government. The report was commissioned by the Government to examine the underlying reasons for the significant format differences and the wide variation of fixed and variable charges among the approximately 95 local electricity distribution companies across the province. Regarding the appropriateness of the charges the report recommends common definitions for local distribution company (LDC) fixed and variable costs, and consideration of options for reducing LDC charges, mainly by consolidating the sector and sharing such services as customer billing, accounting and out sourcing operations. Seven recommendations deal with bill simplification. These include bills that are clear and easy to read and provide sufficient information for consumers to verify charges; promote energy conservation, e.g. by including historical information; allow comparisons between retail suppliers and distributors; accommodate revenue collection, marketing needs and other billing services. The report also recommends clearly defined and consistently used terminology for standardized line items, suggests ways to provide consumer information in a form useful for making energy conservation decisions, development of an LDC scorecard to enable stake holders to compare their own LDCs with LDCs around the province, creation of a conservation and bill calculation website, consideration of further use of shared services, and solutions to address the removal of line losses from invoices

  4. Errors in energy bills

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kop, L.

    2001-01-01

    On request, the Dutch Association for Energy, Environment and Water (VEMW) checks the energy bills for her customers. It appeared that in the year 2000 many small, but also big errors were discovered in the bills of 42 businesses

  5. Impactos de las actividades antrópicas en el nevado Huaytapallana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jacinto Arroyo Aliaga

    2012-06-01

    Full Text Available Objetivos: Explicar la influencia de las actividades antrópicas en la variación de las capas de acumulación de nieve en los glaciares de la vertiente sur-occidental del nevado Huaytapallana de los Andes Centrales del Perú, en el ciclo hidrológico 2011-2012. Métodos: Se utilizó el método general hipotético – deductivo como guía en la investigación cuantitativa; el método del Thornthwaite para realizar el análisis hidrológico y clasificación climática de la zona; y el balance de masas como método para estimar la carga o descarga de nieve acumulado mediante balizas. Resultados: Se ha encontrado que las actividades antrópicas de turismo vivencial es una de las actividades principales que afectan al glaciar con el 60% de impacto. Las actividades de reforestación constituyen el 20% de impacto y el 10% la actividad de pastoreo. También los impactos de las actividades antrópicas a altitudes bajas en el glaciar son negativas, mientras que a altitudes superiores a los 5 000 msnm se registran menores impactos negativos. De igual manera se encontró una relación directa (coeficiente r= 0,97 entre el impacto a bajas altitudes de las masas glaciares. Conclusiones: La actividad de turismo vivencial que se realiza en varios sectores del nevado Huaytapallana, es una de las principales actividades antrópicas que está generando impactos negativos en el sistema glaciar al acelerar la pérdida de masa de nieve acumulado durante un ciclo hidrológico.

  6. Dermátitis atópica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eduardo de Zubiría S.

    2000-02-01

    Full Text Available La dermatitis atópica (DA es una enfermedad crónica, que afecta aproximadamente al 10% de la población infantil y con frecuencia es la primera manifestación de atopia. Es muy común si asociación con otras enfermedades como la rinitis alérgica y el asma bronquial. Es una enfermedad multifactorial compleja, que típicamente tiende a comenzar en el primer año de vida.

  7. Ligadura endoscópica endonasal da artéria esfenopalatina para epistaxe severa

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Santos Rodrigo P.

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available Introdução: A epistaxe severa, geralmente associada a fatores predisponentes como hipertensão arterial sistêmica e coagulopatia, é uma doença desafiadora, e pode necessitar de uma abordagem cirúrgica nos casos que não respondem ao tratamento conservador, como cauterização e tamponamento nasal. Objetivo: avaliar os resultados da ligadura endoscópica endonasal da artéria esfenopalatina no tratamento da epistaxe severa refratária à abordagem terapêutica conservadora. Forma de estudo: Clínico prospectivo. Material e Método: foram avaliados doze casos de pacientes submetidos à ligadura endoscópica endonasal da artéria esfenopalatina no tratamento da epistaxe severa não responsiva ao tratamento conservador, observando-se a história clínica, os fatores predisponentes, a evolução e as complicações deste procedimento. Resultados: a idade média foi de 50,9 anos, e a distribuição por sexo foi de 33% do sexo feminino e 67% do sexo masculino; 33% apresentaram HAS e 16,6% coagulopatia (hepatopatia como fatores predisponentes. Um paciente (8,3% apresentou ressangramento após o procedimento cirúrgico. Discussão: a ligadura endoscópica endonasal da artéria esfenopalatina representa uma abordagem segura e garante um controle satisfatório do sangramento, com índice de ressangramento de 8,3% entre os nossos casos. Conclusão: a ligadura endoscópica endonasal da artéria esfenopalatina representa uma opção cirúrgica adequada, pois não apresenta as complicações das técnicas anteriores, atinge um controle satisfatório do sangramento e pode ser realizada por otorrinolaringologistas habituados à cirurgia endoscópica nasal.

  8. On the presence of Long-billed Plovers Charadrius placidus in Rupa, Arunachal Pradesh in the summer months

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. Greeshma

    2011-06-01

    Full Text Available The Long-billed Plover Charadrius placidus is a medium sized wader with a black breast band and brown cheeks. According to Grewal et al. (2002 C. Placidus is a rare winter visitor to the northern rivers and the Gujarat coast of India.Charadrius placidus has been observed in Rupa, in West Kameng District of Arunachal Pradesh not only in winters but throughout the year for a period of two years. In June-July 2010 three separate individuals were observed inhabiting the shingle banks of the river in Rupa and feeding in their typical solitary and unobtrusive fashion. This could mean that there is a breeding population of the long-billed plover Charadrius placidus in and around Rupa in West Kameng district of Arunachal Pradesh.

  9. Toward a comprehensive approach to the collection and analysis of pica substances, with emphasis on geophagic materials.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sera L Young

    2008-09-01

    Full Text Available Pica, the craving and subsequent consumption of non-food substances such as earth, charcoal, and raw starch, has been an enigma for more than 2000 years. Currently, there are little available data for testing major hypotheses about pica because of methodological limitations and lack of attention to the problem.In this paper we critically review procedures and guidelines for interviews and sample collection that are appropriate for a wide variety of pica substances. In addition, we outline methodologies for the physical, mineralogical, and chemical characterization of these substances, with particular focus on geophagic soils and clays. Many of these methods are standard procedures in anthropological, soil, or nutritional sciences, but have rarely or never been applied to the study of pica.Physical properties of geophagic materials including color, particle size distribution, consistency and dispersion/flocculation (coagulation should be assessed by appropriate methods. Quantitative mineralogical analyses by X-ray diffraction should be made on bulk material as well as on separated clay fractions, and the various clay minerals should be characterized by a variety of supplementary tests. Concentrations of minerals should be determined using X-ray fluorescence for non-food substances and inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy for food-like substances. pH, salt content, cation exchange capacity, organic carbon content and labile forms of iron oxide should also be determined. Finally, analyses relating to biological interactions are recommended, including determination of the bioavailability of nutrients and other bioactive components from pica substances, as well as their detoxification capacities and parasitological profiles.This is the first review of appropriate methodologies for the study of human pica. The comprehensive and multi-disciplinary approach to the collection and analysis of pica substances detailed here is a necessary

  10. Hepatectomia videolaparoscópica com dispositivo de radiofrequência

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vivian Resende

    Full Text Available As ressecções hepáticas laparoscópicas vêm ganhando adeptos entre cirurgiões pois evidenciam recuperação rápida, menor permanência hospitalar e melhor resultado estético. A utilização do dispositivo laparoscópico de radiofreqüência foi pela primeira vez utilizada, com sucesso, no Brasil, para a ressecção de carcinoma hepatocelular no segmento VI, em dois pacientes cirróticos. Apesar do sangramento intraoperatório continuar sendo um grande desafio para o cirurgião durante ressecções hepáticas laparoscópicas, em ambos os casos, a exclusão vascular hepática foi dispensável e não houve necessidade de hemotransfusão. Os pacientes receberam alta hospitalar no quarto dia pós-operatório.

  11. Oxidized trilinoleate and tridocosahexaenoate induce pica behavior and change locomotor activity.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kitamura, Fuki; Watanabe, Hiroyuki; Umeno, Aya; Yoshida, Yasukazu; Kurata, Kenji; Gotoh, Naohiro

    2013-01-01

    Pica behavior, a behavior that is characterized by eating a nonfood material such as kaolin and relates to the degree of discomfort in animals, and the variations of locomotor activity of rats after eating deteriorated fat and oil extracted from instant noodles were examined in our previous study. The result shows that oxidized fat and oil with at least 100 meq/kg in peroxide value (PV) increase pica behavior and decrease locomotor activity. In the present study, the same two behaviors were measured using autoxidized trilinoleate (tri-LA) and tridocosahexaenoate (tri-DHA) as a model of vegetable and fish oil, respectively, to compare fatty acid differences against the induction of two behaviors. The oxidized levels of tri-LA and tri-DHA were analyzed with PV and p-anisidine value (AnV), the method to analyze secondary oxidized products. The oxidation levels of respective triacylglycerol (TAG) samples were carefully adjusted to make them having almost the same PV and AnV. As the results, 600 or more meq/kg in PV of both TAGs significantly increased the consumption of kaolin pellets compared to the control group. Furthermore, 300 or more meq/kg in PV of tri-LA and 200 or more meq/kg in PV of tri-DHA demonstrated significant decrease in locomotor activity compared to control group. These results would indicate that the oxidized TAG having the same PV and/or AnV would induce the same type of pica behavior and locomotor activity. Furthermore, that the structure of oxidized products might not be important and the amount of hydroperoxide group and/or aldehyde group in deteriorated fats and oils might affect the pica behavior and locomotor activity were thought.

  12. Esplenectomía laparoscópica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro L Vilorio Haza

    2001-09-01

    Full Text Available La esplenectomía laparoscópica (EL ofrece las ventajas de la cirugía laparoscópica. La mejor indicación de la EL la constituyen las enfermedades hematológicas benignas. Desde octubre de 1996 hasta agosto del 2000 se intentaron realizar 22 esplenectomías por el método laparoscópico. Las indicaciones más frecuentes fueron las enfermedades hematológicas benignas: la púrpura trombocitopénica idiopática en 9 pacientes, la microesferocitosis hereditaria en 4, la anemia hemolítica autoinmune en 5, la estadiación del linfoma de Hodgkin en 2, 1 caso de tumor quístico del bazo y 1 caso de hiperesplenismo sin causa demostrada. Se analizan los resultados en estos primeros 22 casos y se describe la técnica quirúrgica. La edad promedio fue de 34,3 años, con rango de 16 a 73 años. El tiempo quirúrgico promedio fue de 147 min. Se convirtieron a cirugía abierta 4 pacientes por sangrado transoperatorio. Ocurrieron accidentes operatorios en 4 pacientes. No se presentaron complicaciones posoperatorias. El proceder se asoció con colecistectomía laparoscópica en 6 pacientes y biopsia de ganglio mesentérico con biopsia hepática en 2 pacientes. El sangrado transoperatorio promedio fue de 467 mL. La EL es una técnica reproducible y segura que brinda las ventajas de la cirugía laparoscópica (menor morbilidad y mortalidad posoperatoria, sobre todo en las enfermedades hematológicas benignas con bazo de tamaño normal o esplenomegalia no mayor de 25 cm, a pesar del efecto negativo de la curva de aprendizajeThe laparoscopic splenectomy (LS offers the advantages of the laparoscopic surgery. The best indication of LS are the bening hematological diseases. 22 splenectomies were performed by the laparoscopic method from October, 1996, to August, 2000. The most frequent indications were the bening hematological diseases: idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in 9 patients, hereditary microspherocytosis in 4, autoimmune hemolitic anaemia in 5, Hodgkin

  13. Suicide Attempt by Swallowing Sponge or Pica Disorder: A Case Report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vlasta Žganjer

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Introduction: There are many ways how children with mental illness have actually tried to hurt themselves. Suicidal thinking or attempts always indicate that professional help is needed (2. Every object which can be potential dangerous should be removed but this is very difficult to do. Some of children with these symptoms had Pica diseases. Pica is a medical disorder characterized by an appetite for substances largely non-nutritive (e.g. metal, coal, soil, feces, paper, soap, gum, etc. or an abnormal appetite for some things that may be considered foods. Material and Methods: The patient swallow sponge from a pillow over a long period of time and she came into our hospital with abdominal pain. She was 16 years old and had abdominal distension, vomiting, abdominal cramping and failure to pass gas or stool. Immediately we suspected mechanical blockade of the intestine. Diagnosis was clinically confirmed by X-rays of the abdomen and with ultrasound. Results: The operative treatment was indicated and we found the proximal bowel distended and the distal segment collapsed. The part of bowel necrosis was removed and anastomosis was done. Conclusion: When patients are determined to attempt suicide or have Pica disorder it is very difficult to prevent.

  14. 48 CFR 942.704 - Billing rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... ADMINISTRATION AND AUDIT SERVICES Indirect Cost Rates 942.704 Billing rates. (b) When the contracting officer or auditor responsible for establishing billing rates, in accordance with 48 CFR 42.704, has not established... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Billing rates. 942.704...

  15. Atomic Weapons Establishment Bill

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clark, Alan; Dalyell, Tam; Haynes, Frank

    1990-01-01

    The Bill debated concerns the government's proposal for the future organisations of the atomic weapons establishment in the United Kingdom. The proposals arise from a full review carried out in 1989 and include points raised by the Select Committee on the Trident programme. Studies of productivity, pay and conditions, information systems and long term manufacturing strategy have been started to enable recommendations of the reorganisation of the establishments to be made. The details of the Bill were debated for just over two hours. The debate is reported verbatim. The main issues were over the principle of contractorisation, possible staff redundancies, conditions of employment, safety and security. The proposal that the Bill be read a second time was carried. (UK)

  16. Atomic Weapons Establishment Bill [Money

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bennett, A.F.; Cryer, Bob; Carlisle, Kenneth; Dean, Paul.

    1990-01-01

    The debate concerns the authorisation of payment of the money required to reorganise the atomic weapons establishment in the United Kingdom provided for in the Atomic Weapons Establishment Bill in progress through Parliament. In the Bill the contractorisation of the establishment is recommended and some sort of Government owned company operated scheme set up. The debate lasted about half an hour and is reported verbatim. The issues raised concerned the actual sums likely to be incurred in the formation of a Company to carry out the designated activities of the Bill. These are connected with the research, development, production or maintenance of nuclear devices and the premises needed. The government spokesman suggested the sums required to support the Bill would not be large and the resolution was agreed to without a vote. (UK)

  17. Electricity Bill [Part 1

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Parkinson, C.; Hogg, N.; Salmond, A.

    1988-01-01

    The paper presents the first part of the Parliamentary debate on the second reading of the Electricity Bill, House of Commons, London 1988. The Bill sets out the government's proposals for the restructuring and privatisation of the electricity supply industry throughout Great Britain. Customers and suppliers, choice for the consumer, competition promotion, security of supply, nuclear power stations, and cost, are all discussed. (U.K.)

  18. Billing for outpatient transplant pharmacy services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Maldonado, Angela Q; Seiger, Todd C; Urann, Christina L; McCleary, Jo Ann; Goroski, Angela L; Ojogho, Okechukwu N

    2012-01-15

    The economic impact of out-patient pharmacy services in a transplant program was evaluated. Full-time kidney transplant pharmacy services were implemented at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center (PSHMC) in the fall of 2008, with two pharmacists combining hours to provide one full-time-equivalent position. At PSHMC, posttransplantation patients are seen three times per week. The number of patient visits with pharmacists for 2010 was compared with the total number of patient visits. The face-to-face time spent with the patient was translated to a level of billing that was associated with a set reimbursement schedule. For each patient encounter in which a pharmacist was involved, the incremental difference between the nursing and pharmacy levels of billing was examined, as were the levels most often billed by pharmacists. The difference in billing levels between pharmacists and nurses for the same patient encounter was also evaluated. Overall, pharmacist visits accounted for 208 (22%) of the 994 out-patient kidney transplant visits in 2010, with pharmacists billing at a higher level of acuity compared with nursing for the same patient encounter 48% of the time. This translated to an approximate increase of $100 per patient visit. For the one-year study period, pharmacists utilizing facility- fee billing increased out-patient reimbursement by approximately $10,000. By utilizing outpatient facility-fee billing for pharmacy services, the transplant program at PSHMC increased reimbursement in the outpatient setting.

  19. Antioxidant Properties and Hyphenated HPLC-PDA-MS Profiling of Chilean Pica Mango Fruits (Mangifera indica L. Cv. piqueño

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javier E. Ramirez

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available Antioxidant capacities and polyphenolic contents of two mango cultivars from northern Chile, one of them endemic of an oasis in the Atacama Desert, were compared for the first time. Twenty one phenolic compounds were detected in peel and pulp of mango fruits varieties Pica and Tommy Atkins by HPLC-PDA-MS and tentatively characterized. Eighteen compounds were present in Pica pulp (ppu, 13 in Pica peel (ppe 11 in Tommy Atkins pulp (tpu and 12 in Tommy Atkins peel (tpe. Three procyanidin dimers (peaks 6, 9 and 10, seven acid derivatives (peaks 1–4, 11, 20 and 21 and four xanthones were identified, mainly mangiferin (peak 12 and mangiferin gallate, (peak 7, which were present in both peel and pulp of the two studied species from northern Chile. Homomangiferin (peak 13 was also present in both fruit pulps and dimethylmangiferin (peak 14 was present only in Tommy pulp. Pica fruits showed better antioxidant capacities and higher polyphenolic content (73.76/32.23 µg/mL in the DPPH assay and 32.49/72.01 mg GAE/100 g fresh material in the TPC assay, for edible pulp and peel, respectively than Tommy Atkins fruits (127.22/46.39 µg/mL in the DPPH assay and 25.03/72.01 mg GAE/100 g fresh material in the TPC assay for pulp and peel, respectively. The peel of Pica mangoes showed also the highest content of phenolics (66.02 mg/100 g FW measured by HPLC-PDA. The HPLC generated fingerprint can be used to authenticate Pica mango fruits and Pica mango food products.

  20. Antioxidant properties and hyphenated HPLC-PDA-MS profiling of Chilean Pica mango fruits (Mangifera indica L. Cv. piqueño).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramirez, Javier E; Zambrano, Ricardo; Sepúlveda, Beatriz; Simirgiotis, Mario J

    2013-12-31

    Antioxidant capacities and polyphenolic contents of two mango cultivars from northern Chile, one of them endemic of an oasis in the Atacama Desert, were compared for the first time. Twenty one phenolic compounds were detected in peel and pulp of mango fruits varieties Pica and Tommy Atkins by HPLC-PDA-MS and tentatively characterized. Eighteen compounds were present in Pica pulp (ppu), 13 in Pica peel (ppe) 11 in Tommy Atkins pulp (tpu) and 12 in Tommy Atkins peel (tpe). Three procyanidin dimers (peaks 6, 9 and 10), seven acid derivatives (peaks 1-4, 11, 20 and 21) and four xanthones were identified, mainly mangiferin (peak 12) and mangiferin gallate, (peak 7), which were present in both peel and pulp of the two studied species from northern Chile. Homomangiferin (peak 13) was also present in both fruit pulps and dimethylmangiferin (peak 14) was present only in Tommy pulp. Pica fruits showed better antioxidant capacities and higher polyphenolic content (73.76/32.23 µg/mL in the DPPH assay and 32.49/72.01 mg GAE/100 g fresh material in the TPC assay, for edible pulp and peel, respectively) than Tommy Atkins fruits (127.22/46.39 µg/mL in the DPPH assay and 25.03/72.01 mg GAE/100 g fresh material in the TPC assay for pulp and peel, respectively). The peel of Pica mangoes showed also the highest content of phenolics (66.02 mg/100 g FW) measured by HPLC-PDA. The HPLC generated fingerprint can be used to authenticate Pica mango fruits and Pica mango food products.

  1. The Premise of Black Inferiority: An Enduring Obstacle Fifty Years Post-"Brown"

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connor, Carla

    2006-01-01

    Gloria Ladson-Billings explains in her chapter that, in part, the promise of "Brown v. Board of Education" has not been realized because it was premised on black inferiority. She elaborates that "instead of addressing the underlying pathology of the defendant--White supremacy"--the evidence, case, and accordant ruling…

  2. Clinical laboratory billing: superfluous requirements without justification?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stadler, Stephen

    2004-01-01

    Congress occasionally passes new laws that affect how clinical laboratories handle test orders from physicians and, subsequently, process the billing for tests. Once a bill is signed into law, it is forwarded to administrative agencies, which draft regulations and administrative procedures, under which the intentions of Congress are carried out. In the case of laboratory test ordering and billing, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has the greatest influence over how these regulations and procedures are defined. Unfortunately, in many cases, billing rules have been promulgated in ways that create the need for hospitals and commercial laboratories to expend huge sums of money to bill within the confines of the administrative rules; cause clinical laboratories to suffer from omissions and mistakes of other parties who are part of the patient care process but are not accountable for the billing information they provide to laboratories; and, frankly, in some respects, simply defy common sense.

  3. Colangiopancreatografía retrógrada endoscópica, esfinterotomía endoscópica y colecistectomía laparoscópica en un paciente con coledocolitiasis y colelitiasis Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic esphinterotomy and laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a patient with choledocolitiasis and cholelitiasis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kelly Riverón Quevedo

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Se presenta el caso clínico de una paciente de 30 años de edad, presumiblemente saludable, quien acudió a la consulta de Gastroenterología del Hospital General Docente "Dr. Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso" de Santiago de Cuba por presentar cólico biliar, íctero, coluria, náuseas, vómitos e inapetencia. Los exámenes complementarios efectuados confirmaron el diagnóstico de coledocolitiasis y colelitiasis, por lo cual fue preciso realizarle colangiopancreatografía retrógrada endoscópica, esfinterotomía endoscópica y colecistectomía laparoscópica en un tiempo anestésico. La evolución posoperatoria resultó favorable y fue dada de alta sin complicaciones antes de las 24 horas de haber sido intervenida.The case report of a 30 year-old presumably healthy patient, who attended the Gastroenterology Department from "Dr Juan Bruno Zayas Alfonso" Teaching General Hospital in Santiago de Cuba, and suffering from biliary cholic, ictero, choluria, nausea, vomit and inappetence is presented. The complementary examinations confirmed the choledocolitiasis and cholelitiasis diagnosis, reason why it was necessary to carry out a endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, endoscopic esphinterotomy and ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy, in a single anesthetic injection. The posoperative clinical course was favorable and she was discharged without complications 24 hours before the intervention.

  4. 46 CFR 9.16 - Billing for services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 46 Shipping 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Billing for services. 9.16 Section 9.16 Shipping COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO THE PUBLIC EXTRA COMPENSATION FOR OVERTIME SERVICES § 9.16 Billing for services. Overtime services shall be billed to the steamship companies...

  5. DESARROLLO DE UNA NUEVA TÉCNICA ENDOSCÓPICA PARA EL TRATAMIENTO DE LA ACALASIA: POEM (PER-ORAL ENDOSCOPIC MYOTOMY)

    OpenAIRE

    Mejía M,Ricardo; León F,Felipe; Donoso D,Andrés; Pimentel M,Fernando; Ibáñez A,Luis; Sharp P,Allan

    2014-01-01

    La Acalasia es el trastorno motor primario más frecuente del esófago. Existen diversas alternativas para el tratamiento de esta enfermedad, siendo el gold standard actual la miotomía de Heller laparoscópica. Durante los últimos años, con el desarrollo de técnicas endoscópicas avanzadas, se ha desarrollado una nueva técnica endoscópica para el tratamiento de esta patología; la técnica POEM (del inglés: Per Oral Endoscopic Myotomy). Hoy en día pocos centros en el mundo realizan esta técnica, co...

  6. 14 CFR 1215.115 - Payment and billing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... is applicable toward TDRSS operational services. (b) The procedure for billing and payment of... billings as the actual service time is tabulated. Amounts due to the user will be credited to the next... 14 Aeronautics and Space 5 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Payment and billing. 1215.115 Section 1215...

  7. Análisis de una nueva variante fenotípica de distrofia del estroma corneal

    OpenAIRE

    Varela Conde, Yago

    2016-01-01

    Las distrofias corneales son un conjunto de enfermedades hereditarias de la córnea con base genética demostrable y sin afectación sistémica. Su nomenclatura y clasificación han sido revisadas recientemente, prescindiendo de ciertas patologías y agrupando las distrofias en nuevas categorías. Se ha hallado una variante fenotípica atípica con afectación del estroma corneal, por lo que sólo se han revisado las distrofias corneales localizadas a ese nivel (epiteliales-estromales y estromales). ...

  8. An Investigation of Telecom Mobile Data Billing Plans

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi-Bing Lin

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available In the recent years, mobile operators have provided many billing alternatives such as limited and unlimited billing plans, and shared and non-shared data plans for the users with different needs. A non-shared data plan is designed for a single user with a limited monthly data allowance. On the other hand, the monthly data allowance of a shared data plan is shared by a group of users with multiple devices. The mobile operators often conduct the primary price study to compare their billing plans, which shows the relationship between the prices of the billing plans against the fixed amounts of data usage. Although the primary price study can easily and quickly draw the conclusions, it only provides rough billing plan suggestions. In reality, the amounts of data usage are not fixed, and therefore should be measured from commercial mobile networks to reflect the user behaviors on data usage. This paper proposes an analytical approach by using the measured data of Chunghwa Telecom Co., Ltd. (CHT, the largest telecommunications company in Taiwan, to derive the expected payments of various billing plans. The results of the analytical model are more accurate than those of the primary price study, and therefore provide better suggestions for billing plan selection. Other mobile operators can easily use our model to analyze the billing alternatives with their measured data.

  9. 46 CFR 296.40 - Billing procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... OPERATORS MARITIME SECURITY PROGRAM (MSP) Billing and Payment Procedures § 296.40 Billing procedures. Submission of voucher. For contractors operating under more than one MSP Operating Agreement, the contractor may submit a single monthly voucher applicable to all its MSP Operating Agreements. Each voucher...

  10. Performance Monitoring Enterprise Applications with the BlackBird System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Germano, João P.; da Silva, Alberto Rodrigues; Silva, Fernando M.

    This work describes the BlackBird system, which is an analysis and monitoring service for data-intensive enterprise applications, without restrictions on the targeted architecture or employed technologies. A case study is presented for the monitoring of Billing applications from Vodafone Portugal. Monitoring systems are an essential tool for the effective management of Enterprise Applications and the attainment of the demanding service level agreements imposed to these applications. However, due to the increasing complexity and diversity of these applications, adequate monitoring systems are rarely available. The BlackBird monitoring system is able to interact with these applications through different technologies employed by the Monitored Application, and is able to produce Metrics regarding the application service level goals. The BlackBird system can be specified using a set of pre-defined Configuration Objects, allowing it to be extensible and adaptable for applications with different architectures.

  11. 48 CFR 42.704 - Billing rates.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... officer (or cognizant Federal agency official) or auditor responsible under 42.705 for establishing the... contracting officer (or cognizant Federal agency official) or auditor shall establish billing rates on the... officer (or cognizant Federal agency official) or auditor should ensure that the billing rates are as...

  12. As personagens femininas nos contos de fadas: uma perspectiva edípica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Rothier Duarte

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available A presente pesquisa trata de uma proposta de análise de personagens femininas protagonistas em dois contos de fadas, segundo uma perspectiva edípica. Como metodologia, empregou-se pesquisas bibliográficas de cunho qualitativo-interpretativo. A investigação revelou que, a partir da leitura dos contos de fadas, a resolução dos conflitos enfrentados pelas meninas em razão do Complexo de Édipo é facilitada. Desse modo, essas narrativas se apresentam como importante instrumento que pode ser empregado, para que a passagem da menina pela fase edípica seja funcional, aproximando o seu desfecho da normalidade, o que significa maior possibilidade de um desenvolvimento sem desencadeamento de distúrbios psicanalíticos que poderiam se refletir em sua vida adulta.

  13. 42 CFR 408.82 - Conditions for group billing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Conditions for group billing. 408.82 Section 408.82 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES MEDICARE... for group billing. CMS agrees to a group billing arrangement only if the following conditions are met...

  14. France's energy bill in 2007

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2008-01-01

    This article comments the slight decrease of the French energy bill in 2007 and its evolution since 1970, as well as the energy price fluctuations during 2007. While noticing the importance of the dollar fall, the authors discuss the evolution of oil product prices and its different indicators (crude oil annual average quotation, Brent annual average quotation, and imported oil annual average price), the evolution of natural gas prices, of coal prices, of electricity prices. The global decrease of energy imports is then discussed, including quantities of imported crude oil from various origins, refined products, gas from various origins as well, solid mineral fuels. The balance between exports and imports is commented as a whole, and with some particular countries, enabling an assessment of energy independence. The bill evolution for oil and for gas is briefly discussed, and the global value is assessed with respect to the French GDP or as an amount of work days for French inhabitants. Several graphs and tables are given, gathering several data which have been discussed: energy trade (imports, exports, and bill), comparison of bill with other economic aggregates, average prices of imported energy expressed in dollars and in euros, average price of imported crude oil, etc

  15. Reading and Calculating Billing Through Mobile Devices

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pilar Alexandra Moreno

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available This article broadly describes the analysis, design and development of the system utilitarian, called “Reading and billing calculation site through mobile devices.” The application is oriented Public Services Companies, first water services, to perform part of the billing process “in place” through phones or any mobile devices compatible with Android. Will enable you to take readings of service consumption, recording new gauging, online update and control the information for users and turnover. This technology is considered as such one site billing method as through Internet is connected with the database of the company, sending and receiving date information, which makes the calculation of the billing for the reading period, bringing benefits to the client and the service generating company.

  16. Pistas dermatoscópicas para diferenciar a tricotilomania da alopecia areata em placa Dermoscopic clues to distinguish trichotillomania from patchy alopecia areata

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leonardo Spagnol Abraham

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUÇÃO: Tricotilomania e alopecia areata em placa possuem características clínicas e dermatoscópicas semelhantes. OBSERVAÇÕES: O exame dermatoscópico da tricotilomania revela densidade capilar diminuída, cabelos fraturados em diferentes tamanhos, enovelados e vellus, tricoptilose, pontos amarelos com ou sem pontos pretos e ausência de cabelos em "ponto de exclamação". CONCLUSÃO: No contexto de alopecia em placa e cabelos fraturados, a ausência de "pontos de exclamação" sugere o diagnóstico de tricotilomania. Por outro lado, o achado de pontos amarelos sem pontos pretos não afasta o mesmo.BACKGROUND: Trichotillomania and patchy alopecia areata have similar clinical and dermoscopic features. OBSERVATIONS: In trichotillomania, dermoscopy shows decreased hair density, short vellus hair, broken hairs with different shaft lengths, coiled hairs, short vellus hair, trichoptilosis, sparse yellow dots, which may or may not contain black dots and no exclamation mark hairs. CONCLUSIONS: In the case of patchy alopecia and broken hairs, the absence of exclamation mark hairs suggests a diagnosis of trichotillomania. On the other hand, the finding of yellow dots without black dots does not exclude it.

  17. Banks of microscopic forms and survival to darkness of propagules and microscopic stages of macroalgae Bancos de formas microscópicas y supervivencia a la oscuridad de propágulos y formas microscópicas de macroalgas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    BERNABÉ SANTELICES

    2002-09-01

    Full Text Available Previous studies have found that the number of species conforming a bank of microscopic forms in tide pools in central Chile accounted only for half the number of species present in the macroscopic vegetation around the pools. An elemental condition for survival in these banks is the ability of microscopic forms to tolerate darkness or very low irradiances for extended periods. To test this ability, spores of 17 green, brown and red algal species, present and absent from the bank, were incubated at different combinations of irradiances and day lengths. Propagules of 47 % of the species tested (eight species germinated in total darkness while the propagules of the other nine species germinated under conditions of very low irradiance (2-10 µmol m-2 s-1. In most species, microforms showed a higher tolerance to darkness than the propagules. Some survived for over a year and one species (Gelidium lingulatum could live under complete darkness for 500 days. The ability to survive in total darkness did not relate to presence or absence of a species in the banks of microscopic forms previously studied, to phylogenetic relatedness, life history style, propagule size, morphology of microscopic forms or to successional status (fugitive versus late successional. Thus, tolerance to darkness appears to be common to propagules and microscopic stages of most benthic algae. The growth patterns exhibited by the microforms of Lessonia nigrescens, Chaetomorpha firma and Glossophora kunthii suggest high irradiances on these recruits might determine the shallower limits of distribution of these speciesEstudios previos han encontrado que el número de especies formando un banco de formas microscópicas en pozas de mareas de Chile central incluyó sólo la mitad del número de especies presentes en la vegetación macroscópica en las cercanías de las pozas intermareales. Una primera condición para sobrevivir en estos bancos radica en la capacidad de las formas

  18. 9 CFR 590.130 - Basis of billing plants.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... 9 Animals and Animal Products 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Basis of billing plants. 590.130... of Service § 590.130 Basis of billing plants. Overtime and/or holiday services shall be billed to the official plant on the basis of each 15 minutes of overtime and/or holiday service performed by each...

  19. Defense bill: Earmarking as usual

    Science.gov (United States)

    Earmarked funds in the $268 billion defense appropriations bill for fiscal year 1991 stirred congressional debate in late October. Senator Sam Nunn (D-Ga.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, charged that the defense bill contains questionable projects totaling tens of millions of dollars. AGU opposes legislative earmarking of money for particular institutions, maintaining that the practice prevents the best use of federal funding by circumventing competitive review. Nunn noted on the Senate floor that the appropriations bill provided specific funds for cited institutions—contravening a federal law promoting competition. “ If these programs have merit, they will succeed in a fair and competent review in competition,” Nunn said. “If no other institution in the country is able to compete, there should be no fear whatever of competition… But no one else in the world is allowed to compete to work on these projects.”

  20. Off-road sampling reveals a different grassland bird community than roadside sampling: implications for survey design and estimates to guide conservation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Troy I. Wellicome

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Grassland bird species continue to decline steeply across North America. Road-based surveys such as the North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS are often used to estimate trends and population sizes and to build species distribution models for grassland birds, although roadside survey counts may introduce bias in estimates because of differences in habitats along roadsides and in off-road surveys. We tested for differences in land cover composition and in the avian community on 21 roadside-based survey routes and in an equal number of adjacent off-road walking routes in the grasslands of southern Alberta, Canada. Off-road routes (n = 225 point counts had more native grassland and short shrubs and less fallow land and road area than the roadside routes (n = 225 point counts. Consequently, 17 of the 39 bird species differed between the two route types in frequency of occurrence and relative abundance, measured using an indicator species analysis. Six species, including five obligate grassland species, were more prevalent at off-road sites; they included four species listed under the Canadian federal Species At Risk Act or listed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada: Sprague's Pipit (Anthus spragueii, Baird's Sparrow (Ammodramus bairdii, the Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus, and McCown's Longspur (Rhynchophanes mccownii. The six species were as much as four times more abundant on off-road sites. Species more prevalent along roadside routes included common species and those typical of farmland and other human-modified habitats, e.g., the European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris, the Black-billed Magpie (Pica hudsonia, and the House Sparrow (Passer domesticus. Differences in avian community composition between roadside and off-road surveys suggest that the use of BBS data when generating population estimates or distribution models may overestimate certain common species and underestimate others of conservation

  1. Identifying Empirically Supported Treatments for Pica in Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hagopian, Louis P.; Rooker, Griffin W.; Rolider, Natalie U.

    2011-01-01

    The purpose of the current study was to critically examine the existing literature on the treatment of pica displayed by individuals with intellectual disabilities. Criteria for empirically supported treatments as described by Divisions 12 and 16 of APA, and adapted for studies employing single-case designs were used to review this body of…

  2. Direct look from a predator shortens the risk-assessment time by prey.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sang-im Lee

    Full Text Available Decision making process is an important component of information use by animals and has already been studied in natural situations. Decision making takes time, which is expressed as a cost in evolutionary explanations of decision making abilities of animals. However, the duration of information assessment and decision making process has not been measured in a natural situation. Here, we use responses of wild magpies (Pica pica to predictably approaching humans to demonstrate that, regardless of whether the bird perceived high (decided to fly away or low (resumed foraging threat level, the bird assessed the situation faster when approaching humans looked directly at it than when the humans were not directly looking at it. This indicates that prey is able to extract more information about the predator's intentions and to respond sooner when the predator is continuously ("intently" looking at the prey. The results generally illustrate how an increase of information available to an individual leads to a shorter assessment and decision making process, confirming one of central tenets of psychology of information use in a wild bird species in its natural habitat.

  3. Performance improvement planning : developing effective billing and collection practices

    OpenAIRE

    anonymous

    2008-01-01

    Effective billing and collection systems are a critical component for ensuring the viability of a service provider. Improving billing and collection activities has an immediate impact on the revenue streams of a service provider that can, in turn, help the service provider in improving services. However, while effective billing and collection practices depend on many internal factors (including customer databases, the extent of metered and unmetered service provision, tariff and billing struc...

  4. Effets du rationnement alterne sur les performances de croissance ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    L'analyse spectrale de Fourier a révélé des modifications dans le spectre des génisses du lot 2 soumises au rationnement asynchrone, avec l'apparition de la période de 8,8 jours. This research was carried out in Maluchevo farm from Raminsky region (Moscow's suburb), on 27 black-magpie's heifers of 9 to 14 months of ...

  5. ANÁLISE ISOTÓPICA DO CARBONO EM NÉCTARES DE CAJU

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ricardo FIGUEIRA

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Os objetivos deste trabalho foram determinar a composição isotópica de néctares comerciais de caju e, por meio de modelos de mistura, quantificar aporcentagem de carbono proveniente de plantas do ciclo fotossintético C3 , a fim de identificar as bebidas que não estavam em conformidade com as normas do Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento (MAPA. Para isso, foram produzidos néctares em laboratório conforme a legislação brasileira. Também foi produzida bebida adulterada com quantidade de polpa de caju abaixo do limite estabelecido. Nesses néctares, as porcentagens teóricas de fonte C3 foram calculadas por meio do balanço de massa de sólidos solú- veis. Para a análise isotópica foram mensurados os valores isotópicos dos açúcares de cana, dos néctares de caju e de suas frações açúcares purificados e sólidos insolúveis. Com esses valores, foram calculadas as porcentagens práticas de fonte C3 (reais por meio da análise isotópica, em espectrô- metro de massa. Os resultados práticos foram comparados com os teóricos para definir a melhor forma de quantifi- cação de fonte C3 . Para identificar os néctares comerciais adulterados, foi desenvolvido um limite de legalidade conforme a legislação brasileira. Quatro marcas de néctares de caju foram analisadas e todas classificadas como legais. O limite de legalidade possibilitou identificar as bebidas em conformidade com a lei. A metodologia foi eficiente para quantificar o carbono de origem C3 em néctares comerciais de caju.

  6. Gastrostomia endoscópica em pacientes com cardiopatia complicada Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy in cardiologic complicated patients

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Celso CUKIER

    2000-10-01

    Full Text Available Pacientes cardiopatas complicados com isquemia cerebral e insuficiência cardíaca necessitam terapia nutricional enteral prolongada por se apresentarem em situação de risco nutricional. Complicações advindas do uso prolongado da sonda nasoenteral poderiam ser evitadas com a execução da gastrostomia endoscópica. Esta é alternativa técnica para acesso ao tubo digestivo em nutrição enteral. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar o tempo de indicação para gastrostomia endoscópica em pacientes com nutrição enteral com uso de sonda nasoenteral e as principais complicações do procedimento. Doze pacientes foram submetidos a gastrostomia endoscópica, sendo oito do sexo masculino. A idade média foi de 62,42 + 22,10 anos. A indicação principal foi síndrome isquêmica cerebral após parada cardiorespiratória por patologia clínica (sete pacientes ou cirurgia cardiovascular complicada (cinco. O tempo médio para indicação da gastrostomia endoscópica foi de 35,58 + 26,79 dias após introdução da nutrição enteral. Não houve intercorrências com o procedimento e, no período pós-operatório tardio, ocorreu infecção do orifício de inserção da gastrostomia endoscópica em um caso, resolvida com cuidados locais. Em conclusão, a gastrostomia endoscópica é técnica segura, com baixa incidência de complicações. Pode ser realizada em ambulatório, no leito do paciente, ou em centro de terapia intensiva e sua indicação deveria ser mais precoce.Complicated cardiologic patients with brain ischemia and heart failure need long term enteral nutrition. Long term nasoenteral tuibe feeding may cause complications that could be avoided with percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the indications for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy and its main complications. Twelve patients were submitted to percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (eight male with main age of 62,42 ± 22,10 years old. Brain ischemia

  7. An integrated billing application to streamline clinician workflow.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vawdrey, David K; Walsh, Colin; Stetson, Peter D

    2014-01-01

    Between 2008 and 2010, our academic medical center transitioned to electronic provider documentation using a commercial electronic health record system. For attending physicians, one of the most frustrating aspects of this experience was the system's failure to support their existing electronic billing workflow. Because of poor system integration, it was difficult to verify the supporting documentation for each bill and impractical to track whether billable notes had corresponding charges. We developed and deployed in 2011 an integrated billing application called "iCharge" that streamlines clinicians' documentation and billing workflow, and simultaneously populates the inpatient problem list using billing diagnosis codes. Each month, over 550 physicians use iCharge to submit approximately 23,000 professional service charges for over 4,200 patients. On average, about 2.5 new problems are added to each patient's problem list. This paper describes the challenges and benefits of workflow integration across disparate applications and presents an example of innovative software development within a commercial EHR framework.

  8. Cavidades anoftálmicas atípicas Atypical anophthalmic cavities

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lázara Kenia Ramírez García

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Determinar el comportamiento de las cavidades anoftálmicas atípicas en nuestro centro en cuanto a edad, sexo, causas de pérdida del globo ocular, técnica quirúrgica y sus principales alteraciones. MÉTODOS: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo de tipo prospectivo de 239 pacientes con diagnóstico confirmado de cavidades anoftálmicas atípicas que acudieron a la consulta de prótesis del ICO "Ramón Pando Ferrer" en el período de junio a diciembre del 2007. RESULTADOS: El 3 % fueron menores de 20 años, el 30 % entre los 21 y los 40 años, el 43 % entre los 41 y 60 años y el 24 % mayores de 60 años. El 74 % fueron del sexo masculino. La pérdida del globo ocular por traumatismo fue en 115 pacientes para un 48,1 % seguido de infecciones y glaucoma. El 69,5 % fueron eviscerados y el 30,5 % enucleados. El 64 % tuvo patología conjuntival de ellos el 28 % por retracción del fórnix inferior. La pseudoptosis se presentó en el 49 %. CONCLUSIONES: Las cavidades anoftálmicas atípicas resultaron más frecuentes entre los 41 y 60 años. Predominó el sexo masculino. Las principales causas de pérdida del globo ocular fueron el traumatismo seguido de infecciones. Predominó la evisceración como técnica quirúrgica. La mayoría de las cavidades atípicas resultaron ser por pérdida de fondo de saco inferior y malposiciones palpebrales.OBJECTIVE: To determine the situation of atypical anophthalmic cavities in our center in terms of age, sex, causes of eyeball loss, surgical technique and main alteration of the technique. METHODS: A prospective descriptive study was conducted in 239 patients with confirmed diagnosis in the period of June to December 2007. RESULTS: In this group of patients, 3 % were under 20 years of age, 30% aged 21 to 40 y, 43 % was in 41-60 y group and 24 % were over 60 years. Males accounted for 74 %. The eyeball loss due to trauma affected 115 patients for 48,1% followed by infections and glaucoma. In these patients

  9. The development of application for billing of services

    OpenAIRE

    Šinko, Žiga

    2013-01-01

    Diploma is a description of a programming solution for preparing billing invoices of Mikrocop services. Developed system can easily manage billing invoices specifications for all customers and set schedules for generating invoices. These settings are than used by the service module generating invoices on schedule. Generated invoices can be seen and managed with help of Windows Reporting Services technology. First chapter describes services billing in general. Second chapter shortly de...

  10. Costo-efectividad de la colecistectomía laparoscópica y de la abierta en una muestra de población colombiana

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Roosevelt Fajardo

    2011-06-01

    Conclusiones. Hubo mayor estancia hospitalaria en la colecistectomía abierta frente a la mayor duración quirúrgica en la laparoscópica; en el costo directo de la laparoscópica: menor para IPS y pacientes; y en costo-efectividad equiparable para ambos procedimientos.

  11. THE BILL OF EXCHANGE AS A MEANS OF PAYMENT AND SECURITY

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vojo Belovski

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available The bill of exchange is a kind of paper in order that its holder shall entitle the debtor named in the document to pay a certain amount of payments. The bill of exchange represents a means of payment and an instrument of providing the payment. It is an unconditional order given by the drawer to the drawee to pay a certain amount to the payee listed on the bill of exchange. The bill of exchange is generally a paper on the orders but it can be issued as value paper to a name. It is such promissory notes where the issuer becomes a clause not by order. The bill of exchange though it appears as a means of payment and an instrument for securing the payment it also appears as a means of international payment, because the bill of exchange can become a modern instrument of crediting and payment. With the development of the credit market and the bill of exchange becomes a means for the drawer and the drawee. This means that instead of the bill of exchange to be paid after the expiry of a certain deadline for submission of the bill of exchange the holder may sell or discount, or to pay before the deadline for submission. With this the bill of exchange becomes a toll for discount. Based on this we can conclude that the bill of exchange has the following roles: -bill of exchange serves as a means of credit; -bill of exchange serves as means of payment; -bill of exchange serves as a means for discount by.

  12. 47 CFR 76.981 - Negative option billing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 47 Telecommunication 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Negative option billing. 76.981 Section 76.981 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) BROADCAST RADIO SERVICES MULTICHANNEL VIDEO AND CABLE TELEVISION SERVICE Cable Rate Regulation § 76.981 Negative option billing. (a) A cable operator...

  13. The Voluntary Euthanasia (Legalization) Bill (1936) revisited.

    OpenAIRE

    Helme, T

    1991-01-01

    In view of the continuing debate on euthanasia, the restrictions and safeguards which were introduced into the Voluntary Euthanasia (Legislation) Bill 1936 are discussed. Proposals for a new Terminal Care and Euthanasia Bill are suggested, based on some of the principles of the Mental Health Act 1983.

  14. Estimativas de correlações fenotípicas, genotípicas e de ambiente entre sete caracteres morfoagronômicos em oito acessos de moranga Estimates of phenotypic, genotypic and environment correlations among seven morphological and agricultural traits in eight pumpkin access

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antonio T. Amaral Júnior

    1994-01-01

    Full Text Available Sete caracteres morfoagronômicos, avaliados em oito acessos de moranga (Cucurbita maxima Duchesne foram submetidos à análise de correlações fenotípicas, genotípicas e de ambiente. As correlações genotípicas foram superiores às fenotípicas e de ambiente, indicando moderada influência deste último na expressão dos caracteres. Todos os pares de caracteres apresentaram correlações genotípicas positivas (> 0,75, evidenciando que a seleção para aumento na média de um caráter provocará alterações na média do outro, no mesmo sentido. Os caracteres comprimento da rama principal até a primeira flor feminina (RAMA F e o comprimento da rama principal até o ápice (RAMA T apresentaram a maior correlação genotípica, enquanto a menor magnitude dessa correlação ocorreu entre o número de nós da rama principal até a primeira flor feminina (NS F e o comprimento médio do internódio da rama principal até o ápice (COMP T.Seven morphological and agricultural traits were analysed in eight access of pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Duchesne. They were subjected to a phenotypic, genotypic and environment correlations analysis. The genotypic estimates showed botter correlation results than the phenotypic and environmental estimates. Also indicated a moderated influence by the environment in the trait expression. All pairs of traits showed positive genotypic correlation (>0.75 with evidences that the selection aims the increase of traits average, and also it leads to an alteration in the average of the other traits in the same amount. The RAMA F traits (the lenght of the stem until the first female flower and RAMA T (the lenght of the stem until the top showed the highest genotypic correlation, while the minor magnitude in this correlation occurred between NS F (number of nodes in the stem until the first female flower and COMP T (the median lenght of stem's internodes until the top.

  15. Cirugía videolaparoscópica en urgencias

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Llipsy Fernández Santiesteban

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available Se realizó un estudio transversal, prospectivo, y descriptivo de los pacientes intervenidos de urgencia por la técnica videolaparoscópica, en el período comprendido desde octubre de 1995 hasta marzo 2001. Fueron intervenidos por esta vía de acceso 151 pacientes. Las enfermedades tratadas fueron colecistitis aguda (45,7 %, apendicitis aguda (37,8 %, ginecológicas y de otro tipo (12,6 y 3,9% respectivamente. El tiempo quirúrgico promedio fue de 45 min. El índice de conversión (presente solo en las colecistectomías fue 3,8 %. Las complicaciones trans y posoperatorias estuvieron presentes en el 8,6 y 2,6 % respectivamente. No hubo fallecidos. Nuestra experiencia indica que la cirugía videolaparoscópica es un excelente proceder de tratamiento en muchas enfermedades quirúrgicas urgentesA cross-sectional, prospective and descriptive study of the patients that underwent emergency surgery by the video-assisted laparoscopic technique, from October, 1995, to March, 2001, was conducted. 151 patients were operated on by using this procedure. The diseases treated were acute cholecystitis (45.7 %, acute appendicitis (37.8 %, gynecological diseases and of other type (12.6 and 3.9 %, respectively. The average surgical time was 45 min. The conversion index (only present in colecystectomies was 3.8 %. The trans- and postoperative complications were observed in 8.6 and 2.6 %, respectively. There were no deaths. Our experience shows that the video-assisted laparoscopic surgery is an excellent procedure to treat many emergency surgical diseases

  16. The Voluntary Euthanasia (Legalization) Bill (1936) revisited.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Helme, T

    1991-01-01

    In view of the continuing debate on euthanasia, the restrictions and safeguards which were introduced into the Voluntary Euthanasia (Legislation) Bill 1936 are discussed. Proposals for a new Terminal Care and Euthanasia Bill are suggested, based on some of the principles of the Mental Health Act 1983. PMID:2033626

  17. The consumer pays the energy bill

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Meulmeester, P.; Haffner, R.C.G.

    2005-01-01

    The liberalization of the energy market for small-scale consumers in the Netherlands coincides with a period in which consumers have to pay high energy bills. However, the cause of this is not the liberalization, but the high oil prices and raised taxes. In this article an overview is given of the total energy bill n the Netherlands, its components and the first effects of the liberalization process [nl

  18. Public submissions on the Uganda national biotechnology and biosafety bill, 2012 reveal consensus for Uganda legislators to pass the bill

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Clet Wandui Masiga

    2015-10-01

    Full Text Available The Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity is an internationally binding instrument addressing issues of biosafety. Biosafety refers to the need to protect human health and the environment from the possible adverse effects of the products of modern biotechnology. Accordingly all countries to the convention are required to put in place regulatory mechanisms to enhance the safety of biotechnology in the context of the Convention’s overall goal of reducing all potential threats to biological diversity, while taking into account the risks to human health. Therefore each country party to the convention has its own procedures to enact laws to guide the safe use of biotechnology. In Uganda the process involves the drafting of the bill by the first parliamentary counsel, approval by cabinet, first reading at the parliament, committal to the responsible parliamentary sessional committee, tabling of the bill for public hearing, consultations, and final approval. In Uganda, the Committee on Science and Technology is responsible for the Biosafety Bill. In March 2013, the Committee tabled the bill for public hearing and submissions from public institutions. There were comments supporting the passage of the Bill and comments in objection.The reasons for objection are mainly due to precaution, speculation, lack of knowledge about biotechnology and biosafety, and alleged influence from biosafety entrepreneurs. This article reviews these public views, revealing controversy and possible consensus to pass the bill.

  19. Necesidad de la Terapia Miofuncional en el tratamiento de la Deglución Atípica

    OpenAIRE

    Calvo Alonso, Eva

    2016-01-01

    la importancia de la deglución atípica se ha visto incrementada en los últimos años debido a sus posibles consecuencias negativas, y a la que se le presta mayor atención desde el ámbito logopédico y ortodóncico. La deglución atípica es un movimiento inadecuado y una posición incorrecta de la lengua en relación al resto de las estructuras orales en la primera fase del proceso deglutorio. De etiología diversa, oscilando desde un desequilibrio del control nervioso hasta malos hábitos como la res...

  20. Ilmumised ja mediteerimised / Bill Viola ; interv. Harry Liivrand

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Viola, Bill

    1998-01-01

    Bill Viola videoretrospektiiv Stedelijk Museumis, Rijksmuseumis, New Metropolises jm. Amsterdamis 29. novembrini. H. Liivrand Bill Violast ja tema loomingust. B. Viola oma videokunstist praegu ja 25 aastat tagasi, mil tema alustas, mõjutustest loomingule.

  1. 42 CFR 71.11 - Bills of health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Bills of health. 71.11 Section 71.11 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES QUARANTINE, INSPECTION, LICENSING FOREIGN QUARANTINE Measures at Foreign Ports § 71.11 Bills of health. A carrier at any foreign port clearing or...

  2. 16 CFR 308.7 - Billing and collection for pay-per-call services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... responsibility for receiving and responding to billing error complaints or inquiries. (2) Billing error means any... or other toll free telephone number. (v) The failure to reflect properly on a billing statement a... billing error complaint or inquiry. (6) Telephone-billed purchase means any purchase that is completed...

  3. Pica in a Child with Anterior Cingulate Gyrus Oligodendroglioma: Case Report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rangwala, Shivani D; Tobin, Matthew K; Birk, Daniel M; Butts, Jonathan T; Nikas, Dimitrios C; Hahn, Yoon S

    2017-01-01

    The anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG) is a continued focus of research as its exact role in brain function and vast connections with other anatomical locations is not fully understood. A review of the literature illustrates the role the ACG likely plays in cognitive and emotional processing, as well as a modulating role in motor function and goal-oriented behaviors. While lesions of the cingulate gyrus are rare, each new case broadens our understanding of its role in cognitive neuroscience and higher order processing. The authors present the case of an 8-year-old boy with a 1-month history of staring spells, agitated personality, and hyperphagia notable for the consumption of paper, who was found to have a 3-cm tumor in the left ACG. Following surgical resection of the tumor, his aggressive behavior and pica were ameliorated and the patient made an uneventful recovery, with no evidence of recurrence over the last 6 years since surgical resection. Here we discuss a unique behavioral presentation of pica, along with a review of the current literature, to illustrate functions of the ACG relevant to the location of the lesion. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  4. Análise isotópica (δ¹³C) e legalidade em néctares de uva

    OpenAIRE

    Figueira, Ricardo [UNESP; Parente Nogueira, Andressa Milene [UNESP; Ducatti, Carlos [UNESP; Venturini Filho, Waldemar Gastoni [UNESP; Mischan, Martha Maria [UNESP

    2010-01-01

    O objetivo deste trabalho foi desenvolver um métodode análise isotópica para quantificar o carbono dociclo fotossintético C3 em néctares de uva eidentificar as bebidas comerciais em desacordocom as normas do Ministério da Agricultura,Pecuária e Abastecimento (MAPA). Os néctares foramproduzidos em laboratório conforme a legislaçãobrasileira. Também foram produzidas bebidas comquantidade de suco de uva abaixo do estabelecidopelo MAPA. Nas análises isotópicas foi mensuradoo enriquecimento isotóp...

  5. Atomic Energy Authority Bill

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gray, J.H.N.; Stoddart, D.L.; Sinclair, R.M.; Ezra, D.

    1985-01-01

    The House, in Committee, discussed the following matters in relation to the Atomic Energy Authority Bill; financing; trading; personnel conditions of employment; public relations; organization; research programmes; fuels; energy sources; information dissemination. (U.K.)

  6. Electricity Bill [second reading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hooper, G.; Williams, C.C.P.; Ezra, D.

    1989-01-01

    The Parliamentary Under-Secretary at the Department of Energy introduced the second reading of the Electricity Bill which provides for the restructuring and privatisation of the electricity supply industry throughout Great Britain. Three features at the heart of the Government's proposals are mentioned - first that the proposals will promote competition in electricity generation and supply of electricity so there will be a downward pressure on costs and prices, second is a new deal for customers and third is the security of electricity supply which will be ensured by the diversity of suppliers. The benefits of the scheme are outlined and then specific details of the Bill are considered. The debate which followed lasted six hours and is reported verbatim. The issues raised included environmental effects, efficiency, energy conservation, research and development and investment. (UK)

  7. The Magpie Trial follow up study: outcome after discharge from hospital for women and children recruited to a trial comparing magnesium sulphate with placebo for pre-eclampsia [ISRCTN86938761

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    2004-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The Magpie Trial compared magnesium sulphate with placebo for women with pre-eclampsia. 10,141 women were recruited, 8804 before delivery. Overall, 9024 children were included in the analysis of outcome at discharge from hospital. Magnesium sulphate more than halved the risk of eclampsia, and probably reduced the risk of maternal death. There did not appear to be any substantive harmful effects on the baby, in the short term. It is now important to assess whether these benefits persist, and to provide adequate reassurance about longer term safety. The main objective of the Magpie Trial Follow Up Study is to assess whether in utero exposure to magnesium sulphate has a clinically important effect on the child's chance of surviving without major neurosensory disability. Other objectives are to assess long term outcome for the mother, and to develop and assess appropriate strategies for following up large numbers of children in perinatal trials. Study design Follow up is only feasible in selected centres. We therefore anticipate contacting 2800–3350 families, for 2435–2915 of whom the woman was randomised before delivery. A further 280–335 children would have been eligible for follow up if they had survived. The total sample size for the children is therefore 3080–3685, 2680–3210 of whom will have been born to women randomised before delivery. Families eligible for the follow up will be contacted, and surviving children screened using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires. Children who screen positive, and a sample of those who screen negative, will whenever possible have a paediatric and neurodevelopmental assessment. When women are contacted to ask how their child is, they will also be asked about their own health. The primary outcome is a composite measure of death or neurosensory disability for the child at 18 months. Discussion The Follow Up Study began in 2002, and now involves collaborators in 19 countries. Data

  8. Draft Surrogacy (Regulation Bill 2016: Rhetoric or Surrogate-centric?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rituparna Bhattacharyya

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Chaired by honourable Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Damodar Modi, the Union Cabinet on 24 August 2016 introduced and approved the draft bill on Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART in India, known popularly as the Surrogacy (Regulation Bill, 2016. The bill aims at regulating the ever-proliferating unregulated surrogacy industry interalia banning commercial surrogacy services for single parents, homosexuals, cohabiting partners in addition to foreigners and overseas citizens of India. The key aim of this commentary is to make a nuanced examination of the draft bill aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of the practice of surrogacy and address gaps (if any that require interventions.

  9. The Effects of Bill 4330/2004 on Union Relations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Felipe Prata Mendes

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available This work aims to analyze in which way the bill 4330/2004 affects the union representativeness of outsourced workers. In order to accomplish the settled purpose, it is necessary firstly to frame the outsourcing phenomena in the context of the evolution of capitalism. In relation to the main problem of the work, it’s necessary to investigate if the bill 4330/2004 implies an offense to the union representativeness of outsourced workers. The conclusions obtained show that bill 4330/2004 compounds the representativeness trouble, since this bill proposes the agglutination of workers pertained to very different realities, what stunts the collective protection of interests.

  10. Comparison groups on bills: Automated, personalized energy information

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Iyer, Maithili; Kempton, Willett; Payne, Christopher

    2006-07-01

    A program called ``Innovative Billing?? has been developed to provide individualized energy information for a mass audience?the entireresidential customer base of an electric or gas utility. Customers receive a graph on the bill that compares that customer?s consumption with othersimilar customers for the same month. The program aims to stimulate customers to make ef?ciency improvements. To group as many as severalmillion customers into small ``comparison groups??, an automated method must be developed drawing solely from the data available to the utility.This paper develops and applies methods to compare the quality of resulting comparison groups.A data base of 114,000 customers from a utility billing system was used to evaluate Innovative Billing comparison groups, comparing fouralternative criteria: house characteristics (?oor area, housing type, and heating fuel); street; meter read route; billing cycle. Also, customers wereinterviewed to see what forms of comparison graphs made most sense and led to fewest errors of interpretation. We ?nd that good qualitycomparison groups result from using street name, meter book, or multiple house characteristics. Other criteria we tested, such as entire cycle, entiremeter book, or single house characteristics such as ?oor area, resulted in poor quality comparison groups. This analysis provides a basis forchoosing comparison groups based on extensive user testing and statistical analysis. The result is a practical set of guidelines that can be used toimplement realistic, inexpensive innovative billing for the entire customer base of an electric or gas utility.

  11. The Maternity Benefit (Amendment Bill, 2016: A Critical Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Suman Singh

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available On 11 August 2016, amending the Maternity Benefit Act, 1961, the new bill, The Maternity Benefit (Amendment Bill, 2016 was introduced and passed in the Rajya Sabha (or Council of States, the upper house of the Parliament of India. Central aim of this article is to critically review the amendments to the bill regarding geographies of maternity leave and its associated facilities.

  12. Prevalence of pica and rumination behaviors in German children aged 7-14 and their associations with feeding, eating, and general psychopathology: a population-based study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartmann, Andrea S; Poulain, Tanja; Vogel, Mandy; Hiemisch, Andreas; Kiess, Wieland; Hilbert, Anja

    2018-04-19

    Despite potentially severe medical consequences of pica and rumination disorder (RD), little is known about their prevalence and association with other psychopathology in childhood. As a part of a larger population-based study, 804 children aged 7-14 years and their parents were asked about their experience of pica and RD behaviors, and associated eating, feeding and general psychopathology. A total of 12.31 and 11.49% of the participants reported having engaged in pica or RD behaviors, respectively, at least once. Recurring pica or RD behaviors had been experienced by 4.98 and 1.49% of the participants, respectively. The behaviors showed a significant but small correlation with one another (r = 0.28, p ARFID) were significant but small (pica: r = 0.18, RD: r = 0.27, both p ARFID diagnosis (both behaviors 12.0%). However, correlations with restraint and eating, weight, and shape concern were non-significant (all p > 0.05). Additionally, RD behavior was positively correlated with emotional and conduct problems (r = 0.15 and 0.22, both p ARFID to deepen the understanding of their presentation and to ascertain diagnostic validity.

  13. Esplenectomia subtotal por via laparoscópica em cães

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Andy Petroianu

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: O objetivo deste trabalho foi determinar a exeqüibilidade, reprodutibilidade e segurança da esplenectomia subtotal por via laparoscópica e suas repercussões morfológicas, hematológicas, imunitárias e de depuração sangüínea, comparando esses dados com os obtidos na esplenectomia laparotómica. MÉTODO: Este estudo experimental foi conduzido de acordo com os princípios éticos de pesquisa experimental, propostos pelo Comitê de Ética em Experimentação Animal da UFMG. Quatorze cães adultos mestiços de ambos os sexos foram distribuídos em dois grupos (n = 7: Grupo 1 - Esplenectomia subtotal laparoscópica, preservando o polo superior suprido exclusivamente pelos vasos esplenogástricos; a secção esplênica e hemostasia foram realizadas utilizando um grampeador linear cortante laparoscópico com carga de 45 mm de extensão. Grupo 2 - Esplenectomia total, realizada por meio de laparotomia mediana. Depois de três meses, foram analisadas as alterações nos exames hematológico, imunitário e cintilográfico em todos os animais. Secções dos remanescentes esplênicos, fígado e linfonodos foram avaliadas histologicamente. RESULTADOS: Todos os procedimentos transcorreram sem complicações, não havendo morte operatória e com perda sangüínea mínima. Todos os animais sobreviveram à operação durante os três meses de acompanhamento. Após esse período, houve redução da contagem de plaquetas (p < 0,05 no Grupo 1. O restante dos exames hematológicos permaneceu normal. Os remanescentes esplênicos apresentaram arquitetura semelhante ao baço normal. Não houve alterações histológicas nos linfonodos e fragmentos hepáticos. CONCLUSÕES: É possível e segura a realização da esplenectomia subtotal por via laparoscópica no cão.

  14. Estudo funcional e morfológico da hipotermia sistêmica ou tópica no fígado de cães

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siqueira Venilton José

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Estudar as alterações morfo-funcionais hepáticas produzidas por dois tipos de hipotermia; a sistêmica ou tópica (localizada. MÉTODOS: 20 cães foram distribuídos em dois grupos: G I (n=10 submetido a hipotermia tópica e G II (n=10 submetido à hipotermia sistêmica. Dosagens bioquímicas de alanina aminotransferase (ALT, aspartato aminotransferase (AST, bilirrubina direta (BD e estudo morfológico à microscopia óptica (MO e microscopia eletrônica de transmissão (MET foram realizados antes da hipotermia (T0, após a estabilização da temperatura corporal em 10ºC menor que a temperatura inicial (Test e após sessenta minutos de hipotermia (T60. RESULTADOS: A dosagem bioquímica das enzimas, aspartato aminotransferase e bilirrubina direta, evidenciaram maiores níveis de lesões no grupo submetido à hipotermia tópica, quando comparado ao grupo de animais submetidos à hipotermia sistêmica. Por sua vez, a dosagem da Alanina aminotransferase não apresentou alterações em ambos os grupos. Tanto a MO quanto a MET, revelou que nos animais do grupo com hipotermia tópica, as lesões hepáticas foram mais intensas quando comparadas ao do grupo com hipotermia sistêmica. CONCLUSÃO: A hipotermia tópica é mais lesiva ao fígado do que a sistêmica.

  15. Síndrome de Cogan: achados oculares em um caso da forma atípica Cogan's syndrome: ocular findings in an atypical case

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Karina Santiago de Medeiros Lima

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available A síndrome de Cogan é entidade multissistêmica rara caracterizada por ceratite intersticial associada à disfunção áudio-vestibular e possível surdez irreversível classificada em duas formas clínicas: típica e atípica. Há discordância na literatura quanto à presença de acometimento corneano na forma atípica. Uma paciente de 32 anos queixando-se de hiperemia e dor ocular, fotofobia e baixa da acuidade visual no olho direito, associada à perda súbita de audição à esquerda, vômitos, diarréia, oligúria, dor na orofaringe e febre. História prévia de semelhante acometimento do olho esquerdo e audição direita. Havia intensa hiperemia conjuntival, esclerite nodular, episclerite e infiltrados circulares no estroma corneano. A paciente recebeu pulsoterapia com metilprednisolona e ciclofosfamida. Evoluiu com grande melhora ocular, porém com resposta auditiva pobre. O caso reportado pode constituir forma típica da síndrome de Cogan (de acordo com autores que defendem o não-acometimento corneano na forma atípica com alguns achados característicos da forma atípica ou um caso da forma atípica da síndrome de Cogan (para aqueles que defendem o acometimento corneano na forma atípica. O diagnóstico diferencial também é discutido.Cogan's syndrome is an unusual multisystemic disease characterized by intersticial keratitis in association with vestibuloauditory dysfunction and possible irreversible deafness, classified into 2 clinical types: typical and atypical. There is disagreement in the literature about corneal disease in the atypical variety. A 32-year-old woman complaining of ocular hyperemia and ocular pain, photophobia and visual acuity loss in the right eye associated with sudden left hearing loss, vomiting, diarrhea, oliguria, oropharynx pain and fever. Previous history of similar disease in left eye and right hearing. There was intense conjunctival hyperemia, nodular scleritis, episcleritis, and circular infiltrates

  16. 40 CFR 81.88 - Billings Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... Quality Control Regions § 81.88 Billings Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Metropolitan Billings Intrastate Air Quality Control Region (Montana) has been renamed the Billings Intrastate Air Quality Control... to by Montana authorities as follows: Sec. 481.168Great Falls Intrastate Air Quality Control Region...

  17. Senate Republican leadership releases revised ACA repeal and replace bill

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Moore NS

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available No abstract available. Article truncated after first 150 words. Today, the Senate Republican leadership released a revised version of a bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA. The new bill draft includes an amendment sponsored by Sen. Cruz (R-TX that permits insurers to offer health insurance plans on the ACA exchanges that do not cover the ACA’s 10 essential health benefits (EHB as long as they offer at least one other plan that provides full coverage of EHB’s. The bill also includes more funding for opioid addiction and for state initiatives to reduce insurance premiums and additionally, some flexibility for state Medicaid funding in the event of a public health crisis. The bill must still receive a cost estimate from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO, which will include the impact of the bill on insurance coverage levels, expected out Monday. The ATS remains deeply concerned about the bill because under the Cruz proposal, insurance coverage costs …

  18. LA EXPRESIÓN ALOTÓPICA: ¿TAREA IMPOSIBLE O ESTRATEGIA FACTIBLE PARA EL TRATAMIENTO DE ENFERMEDADES MITOCONDRIALES?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Francisco J. Figueroa-Martínez

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available La expresión alotópica es la relocalización funcional de genes de un compartimento celular a otro. En este trabajo, se refiere a la expresión de genes mitocondriales desde el núcleo o desde un vector citosólico. Se considera que esta estrategia es una de las más prometedoras para desarrollar terapias génicas para el eventual tratamiento de enfermedades ocasionadas por mutaciones en el genoma mitocondrial. Actualmente, existen herramientas para introducir material genético en los cromosomas nucleares, se tiene un conocimiento razonable de los mecanismos de importación de proteínas a la mitocondria y en teoría, una sola copia del gen por célula es suficiente para que se sintetice la proteína necesaria y se distribuya en todas las mitocondrias afectadas. Durante los últimos 20 años se ha intentado la expresión alotópica de diversos genes mitocondriales en levaduras, plantas y células de mamífero, así como en animales con enfermedades mitocondriales. Muchos trabajos publicados en los últimos 10 años apuntaban a que la expresión alotópica era una estrategia exitosa, al grado de que han autorizado los primeros estudios clínicos para tratar mediante terapia génica a pacientes con enfermedades mitocondriales. Sin embargo, también se han reportado evidencias que cuestionan la viabilidad de la expresión alotópica y que proponen nuevos criterios para asegurar que las proteínas expresadas alotópicamente verdaderamente se integraron al complejo mitocondrial al cual pertenecen. En este trabajo, presentamos una breve introducción de lo que es la expresión alotópica, hacemos una revisión de los resultados más relevantes en el campo de la expresión de genes mitocondriales desde el núcleo y discutimos las dificultades que consideramos que hay que sortear antes de proponer terapias génicas para combatir con éxito las enfermedades mitocondriales.

  19. Pediatric Hospitalist Comanagement Survey of Clinical and Billing Practices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    O'Connor, Katherine M; Zipes, David G; Schaffzin, Joshua K; Rosenberg, Rebecca

    2017-10-01

    Surgical comanagement is an increasingly common practice in pediatric hospital medicine. Information about the structure and financing of such care is limited. The aim of the researchers for this study was to investigate pediatric hospitalist surgical comanagement models and to assess pediatric hospitalist familiarity with and patterns of billing for surgical patients. We conducted a cross-sectional cohort web-based survey of pediatric hospitalists using the American Academy of Pediatrics' Section on Hospital Medicine listserv. In our study ( N = 133), we found wide variation in our cohort in surgical patient practice management, including program structure, individual billing practices, and knowledge regarding billing practices. Even for pediatric hospitalists with comanagement service agreements between surgeons and pediatric hospitalists, there was no increased awareness or knowledge about reimbursement or billing for surgical patients. This global lack of knowledge in our small but diverse sample suggests that billing resources and training for pediatric hospitalists practicing comanagement of surgical patients are needed. Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

  20. Atomic Energy Authority Bill (Lords)

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eadie, A.; Goodlad, A.; Fisher, M.; Griffiths, P.; Coombs, S.

    1986-01-30

    The discussions of one of the standing committees of the House of Lords on the Atomic Energy Authority Bill are reported verbatim. Clauses 6, 9 and new clauses 3, 2 and 4 were discussed. The amendments to the clauses were put and debated. The safety requirements of the nuclear industry and the money necessary for these are discussed. At the end of the debate on each clause (and amendments if any), the decision of the House as to its agreement or otherwise is recorded. It was agreed that the Bill, as amended by the committee, should be reported to the (full) House of Lords. The debate lasted 1 3/4 hours.

  1. 47 CFR 64.2401 - Truth-in-Billing Requirements.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 64.2401 Telecommunication FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (CONTINUED) COMMON CARRIER SERVICES... provider. (3) The telephone bill must clearly and conspicuously identify any change in service provider... content so that customers can accurately assess that the services for which they are billed correspond to...

  2. Nefrectomia videolaparoscópica em Graxaim-do-campo (Pseudalopex gymnocercus com displasia renal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    João P.S. Feranti

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Graxains-do-campo habitam o centro-leste da América do Sul, desde o sudeste do Brasil e leste da Bolívia. A displasia renal compreende um espectro de anomalias e é frequentemente relatada em cães de diversas raças, sendo a maioria dos relatos achados de necropsia. A maior parte das doenças renais congênitas nos cães apresenta caráter progressivo, portanto o tratamento é limitado e direcionado a fim de retardar a progressão da doença renal estabelecida. No presente relato é descrita a realização de nefrectomia laparoscópica em graxaim-do-campo (Pseudalopex gymnocercus com displasia renal. Suspeitou-se de doença no rim direito por meio de ultrassonografia e urografia excretora. Para o procedimento cirúrgico foram utilizados três portais (10, 10, 5mm, endoscópio rígido de 10mm/0(0 e clipes para hemostasia dos vasos renais. A técnica cirúrgica utilizada neste canídeo selvagem foi semelhante à usada em cão doméstico, devido à escassez de relatos em cirurgias em graxaim e a inexistência de descrições de nefrectomia videolaparoscópica em graxaim-do-campo. O animal foi acompanhado por um período de 30 dias pós-cirurgia sem a ocorrência de complicações. O presente relato demonstra que a técnica proposta foi adequada para a realização de nefrectomia videolaparoscópica em Graxaim-do-campo.

  3. Who'll pay the electricity bill?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roche, P.

    1989-01-01

    Nuclear power will be protected from the vagaries of the free market by requiring the 12 privatised distribution companies to take around 15-20% of their power from non-fossil (i.e. nuclear) sources. The Electricity Bill also requires producers of fossil-fuelled electricity to charge a compulsory levy which will be used to finance the non-fossil quota. The extra cost of generating electricity by nuclear means compared with the alternatives will be recouped via the 'levy' after the new PWRs have come into operation. Producers of power which is neither nuclear nor fossil will not be required to make this levy, so renewable energies may gain a small competitive advantage. The financial implications of privatisation have not been fully clarified, especially regarding nuclear power with its associated expenses of radioactive waste disposal and decommissioning. Energy efficiency may be encouraged by the Bill, but competition may not result from the Bill. (author)

  4. Manejo de la colédocolitiasis durante la colecistectomía laparoscópica.

    OpenAIRE

    LARACH, Jorge

    2013-01-01

    La coledocolitiasis se encuentra en alrededor del 10% de los casos de litiasis vesicular en nuestro país. En relación a la alternativa actual de colecistectomía laparoscópica, la coledocolitiasis puede ser considerada desde dos situaciones:

  5. Understanding Your Water Bill

    Science.gov (United States)

    An easy to way to understand individual water use is to look at your water bill—not just the amount due, but how much water you used. Pull out your water bill and follow our steps to learn more about it.

  6. Análisis espaciotemporal de la incidencia antrópica en la cuenca del río Cauca, en el departamento del Valle, Colombia

    OpenAIRE

    Claudia Alexandra Forero Bernal; Paola Andrea Zabala Parra; Alberto Boada Rodríguez

    2017-01-01

    En el presente trabajo se propone, a través de la teledetección (usando imágenes Landsat y Radarsat 2), la obtención de un índice de incidencia antrópica a partir del cálculo de tres indicadores (vegetación, demográfico y modificación del cauce) que reflejan el cambio del drenaje en la cuenca hidrográfica del río Cauca. Lo anterior permitió evaluar espacial y temporalmente grandes áreas afectadas por la actividad antrópica. Dicha cuenca tiene mayor incidencia antrópica en los sectores donde s...

  7. Marketer consolidated billing : realizing the value of customer relationships

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schiratti, A. [Sunoco, Toronto, ON (Canada)

    2001-07-01

    This presentation focused on timely issues regarding marketer consolidated billing (MCB). MCB allows energy marketers to directly bill customers for both gas and electric commodities and distribution services. MCB is mandated by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) in the electricity sector through the Retail Settlements Task Force and is proposed by the OEB in the Gas Distributor Access Rule. The main topics discussed in this paper were the new relationship under MCB, benefits for customers and challenges for marketers. The major obstacles for a successful MCB model were also proposed. The new MCB approach strengthens the relationship between the marketer and the customer. The MCB will allow both electricity and natural gas customers to choose marketers who bill for both delivery and gas on one bill.

  8. Marketer consolidated billing : realizing the value of customer relationships

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schiratti, A.

    2001-01-01

    This presentation focused on timely issues regarding marketer consolidated billing (MCB). MCB allows energy marketers to directly bill customers for both gas and electric commodities and distribution services. MCB is mandated by the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) in the electricity sector through the Retail Settlements Task Force and is proposed by the OEB in the Gas Distributor Access Rule. The main topics discussed in this paper were the new relationship under MCB, benefits for customers and challenges for marketers. The major obstacles for a successful MCB model were also proposed. The new MCB approach strengthens the relationship between the marketer and the customer. The MCB will allow both electricity and natural gas customers to choose marketers who bill for both delivery and gas on one bill

  9. Heat loss may explain bill size differences between birds occupying different habitats.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Russell Greenberg

    Full Text Available Research on variation in bill morphology has focused on the role of diet. Bills have other functions, however, including a role in heat and water balance. The role of the bill in heat loss may be particularly important in birds where water is limiting. Song sparrows localized in coastal dunes and salt marsh edge (Melospiza melodia atlantica are similar in size to, but have bills with a 17% greater surface area than, those that live in mesic habitats (M. m. melodia, a pattern shared with other coastal sparrows. We tested the hypotheses that sparrows can use their bills to dissipate "dry" heat, and that heat loss from the bill is higher in M. m. atlantica than M. m. melodia, which would indicate a role of heat loss and water conservation in selection for bill size.Bill, tarsus, and body surface temperatures were measured using thermal imaging of sparrows exposed to temperatures from 15-37°C and combined with surface area and physical modeling to estimate the contribution of each body part to total heat loss. Song sparrow bills averaged 5-10°C hotter than ambient. The bill of M. m atlantica dissipated up to 33% more heat and 38% greater proportion of total heat than that of M. m. melodia. This could potentially reduce water loss requirements by approximately 7.7%.This >30% higher heat loss in the bill of M. m. atlantica is independent of evaporative water loss and thus could play an important role in the water balance of sparrows occupying the hot and exposed dune/salt marsh environments during the summer. Heat loss capacity and water conservation could play an important role in the selection for bill size differences between bird populations and should be considered along with trophic adaptations when studying variation in bill size.

  10. An Enterprise Model for Real-Time Inter-domain Billing of Services

    OpenAIRE

    Le, V.M.; van Beijnum, Bernhard J.F.; Nieuwenhuis, Lambertus Johannes Maria; Huitema, G.B.

    2008-01-01

    The technological developments in networking solutions, information and communication services create the basis for the provisioning of complex, realtime services. This paper addresses the charging and billing of such advanced services. Advanced services will be composed of services provided by various 3rd party providers residing in different domains. Hence, charging and billing of advanced services requires a billing system capable of composing charging and billing information from provider...

  11. Plasticidad fenotípica de poblaciones de chile silvestre (Capsicum annuum var. glabriusculum) en respuesta a disponibilidad de luz

    OpenAIRE

    Hernández-Verdugo, Sergio; González-Sánchez, Ramón A.; Porras, Flor; Parra-Terraza, Saúl; Valdez-Ortiz, Angel; Pacheco-Olvera, Antonio; López-España, Ricardo Guillermo

    2015-01-01

    La plasticidad fenotípica permite a las plantas lidiar con ambientes heterogéneos. Capsicum annuum silvestre es un valioso recurso genético que habita en sitios que difieren en la disponibilidad de luz. Evaluamos la variación genética entre poblaciones, la plasticidad fenotípica y su variación en respuesta a tres niveles de luz (alto, 100%; medio, 50%; y bajo, 25% de luz solar) de cinco poblaciones de Capsicum annuum silvestre del noroeste de México. Las características medidas fueron: altura...

  12. Percutaneous endoscopic cervical discectomy: 16 years of experience and literature review Discectomía endoscópica percutánea cervical: 16 años de experiência y revisión de la literatura Discectomia endoscópica percutânea cervical: 16 anos de experiência e revisão da literatura

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gun Choi

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available The advancement of the percutaneous endoscopic lumbar discectomy (PECD and its clinical success have led to similar minimally invasive approaches to the cervical spine. The goal of PECD is the decompression of the cervical nerve root through a direct endoscopic visualization, removing the herniated mass and shrinking the nucleous pulposus with the use of microforceps and holmium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Ho:YAG laser. The senior author have performed PECD with cervical laser assisted endoscopy since 1993. The PECD is indicate to patients with constrained or unconstrained soft herniated cervical disc, positive provocative test, and no bony spur larger than 2 mm, regardless of the herniation size. The authors described the surgical technique of PECD and report their 16 years of experience in the endoscopic treatment of the herniated cervical disc.El avance en la discectomía endoscópica percutánea lumbar y su triunfo clínico llevaron a abordajes mínimamente invasivos en la columna cervical. El objetivo de la discectomía endoscópica percutánea cervical es descomprimir la raíz del nervio cervical, por una visualización endoscópica directa, eliminando el fragmento herniado y disminuyendo el núcleo pulposo, con el uso de fórceps y micro Holmio: itrio-aluminio-granada (Ho:YAG laser. La discectomía endoscópica percutánea cervical con laser ha sido utilizada desde 1993. Esta es indicada en pacientes con hernia discal contenida o no, test provocativo positivo, ausencia de osteofitos mayores que 2 mm, independientemente del tamaño de la hernia. Los autores describen la técnica quirúrgica de discectomía endoscópica percutánea cervical y relatan 16 años de experiencia en el tratamiento endoscópico de disco cervical herniado.O avanço da discectomia endoscópica percutânea lombar e seu sucesso clínico levaram a abordagens minimamente invasivas para a coluna cervical. O objetivo da discectomia endoscópica percutânea cervical é o de

  13. Variable billing for services: new fiscal direction for nursing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Higgerson, N J; Van Slyck, A

    1982-06-01

    The advantages of variable billing for nursing care that: It identifies revenue nursing cost centers. It facilitates systematic control of revenue and expenses, improving budget planning and management. It generates a tremendous amount of data that can be used in administrative planning and decision making. It is more equitable than past billing practices for the patient, the third-party payer, and the hospital, making it a public relations asset. The disadvantages of variable billing are that: Charges at one hospital are not easily compared with those at another. The mix of patients at varying classification levels has a significant effect on revenue, thus increasing the possibility of lower revenue. More accountability and in some cases more work is required of nursing administrators. In this article, the practical application of variable billing in acute care settings has been discussed. It is hoped that the information provided here will stimulate nursing administrators to assess the feasibility of implementing varible billing for nursing services as a fiscal practice in their own institutions.

  14. Human-Centered Design Bill of Rights for Educators.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sugar, William A.

    This paper presents a potential solution to encourage technology adoption and integration within schools by proposing a human-centered technology "bill of rights" for educators. The intention of this bill of rights it to influence educators' beliefs towards technology and to enable educators to confront with confidence the seemingly…

  15. THE NIGERIA DATA PROTECTION BILL: APPRAISAL, ISSUES, AND CHALLENGES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abubakar Sanni Aliyu

    2016-02-01

    Full Text Available Nigeria has absolutely no privacy and personal information laws. This lacuna is even more material in an internet world where information published on the web is open to a global audience. It is in this regard that the Data Protection Bill was sponsored by Hon. Yakubu Dogara, member of the Federal House of Representatives, representing Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa Bauchi State, Nigeria. This paper has two key aims, firstly to find out the major issues address by the proposed Data Protection Bill 2010, secondly, to determine the significance and the challenges of the Bill to Nigeria environment. The study utilized secondary source of data from the Data Protection Bill, 2010 and other documentary sources for analysis. The study finds out that the Bill protect parties in regard to publication of market survey details and information, ensure that unauthorised processing of personal information is reduce, and use of personal data and information without the prior consent of the data is subjected to scrutiny. The paper recommends that the Federal Government of Nigeria and the policy makers should hasten the process of passing the Bill into law in order to strengthen the activities of ecommerce in Nigeria through the following benefits: Improved customer relations; Improved ability to market lawfully; Improved data quality; Improved data security among others.

  16. CIRUGÍA ENDOSCÓPICA TRANSLUMINAL: ¡ES POSIBLE!

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arecio Peñaloza-Ramírez

    2015-03-01

    Full Text Available Introducción: La cirugía endoscópica transluminal es una técnica de ingreso a través de orificios naturales a la cavidad peritoneal y a los órganos allí contenidos, que busca disminuir los efectos adversos y las complicaciones de los procedimientos abiertos, acorde con la tendencia mundial de obtener resultados iguales a través de abordajes menos invasivos. Objetivo: Determinar las complicaciones de la cirugía endoscópica transluminal para la revisión de la cavidad peritoneal y la toma de biopsia hepática en cerdos. Metodología: Estudio experimental en 12 cerdos. Se tomó biopsia hepática transgástrica y se hizo un seguimiento durante 30 días, evaluando complicaciones y mortalidad. Al final se realizó autopsia al animal. Resultados: No se encontró mortalidad intraoperatoria. La mediana de tiempo quirúrgico fue de 84,5 minutos (RIQ 76-99. Se utilizaron para el cierre de la gastrotomía en promedio 7,8 clips (DE 3.5. En la peritoneoscopia se observó el intestino delgado, bazo, hígado y colon en la mayoría de los casos. La calidad de la biopsia hepática fue buena en 10 especímenes. La cicatrización gástrica fue adecuada en el 81.8%. Se encontraron cultivos de líquido peritoneal positivos en 9 casos. Conclusiones: La técnica requiere destreza y la peritoneoscopia es difícil por la falta de apoyo del equipo al maniobrar en retroflexión. El potencial de la técnica y el enorme beneficio para los pacientes son razones suficientes para continuar avanzando en este tipo de abordajes

  17. Epidemiology of west nile in europe and in the mediterranean basin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Calistri, Paolo; Giovannini, Armando; Hubalek, Zdenek; Ionescu, Aurelia; Monaco, Federica; Savini, Giovanni; Lelli, Rossella

    2010-04-22

    In the last 30 years several cases of West Nile (WN) virus infection were reported in horses and humans in Europe and in the Mediterranean Basin. Most of them were determined by strains of the Lineage 1 included in the European Mediterranean/Kenyan cluster. Strains of this cluster are characterised by a moderate pathogenicity for horses and humans and limited or no pathogenicity for birds. In recent years, however, WN cases determined by strains grouped in the Israeli/American cluster of Lineage 1 or in the lineage 2 have been reported in Hungary and Austria. The role of migrating birds in introducing new viruses to Europe has been often demonstrated. The migratory birds, which may be infected in their African wintering places, carry the virus northward to European sites during spring migrations. In the past, the virus introduction determined occasional cases of WN. In the recent years, new epidemiological scenarios are developing. In few occasions it has been evidenced the capability of WNV strains of overwintering by using local birds and mosquitoes. Species of Culex amongst mosquitoes and magpies (Pica pica), carrion crows (Corvus corone) and rock pigeons (Columba livia) amongst resident birds are the most probable species involved in this hypothetical WND endemic cycle.

  18. 42 CFR 408.84 - Billing and payment procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Billing and payment procedures. 408.84 Section 408.84 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES... Billing and payment procedures. (a) Initial premium notice. (1) CMS or its agent always sends the initial...

  19. Bill Barbour : mõned ideed kasvavatele firmadele / Bill Barbour ; interv. Taivo Paju

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Barbour, Bill

    2005-01-01

    Suurbritannia üks kogenumaid ärikonsultante firmade ärikasvumudelist, mis aitab ettevõttel järgmisesse etappi üle minna. Mida peaks ettevõtja enne äri alustamist läbi mõtlema ning millised eesmärgid ja ülesanded enda jaoks paika panema. Lisad: Bill Barbour; Universaalne kriisimudel

  20. Bill Maurer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lauren Tooker

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Professor Bill Maurer is a renowned cultural anthropologist who conducts research on law, property, money and finance, focusing on the technological infrastructures and social relations of exchange and payment. Professor Maurer graduated from Stanford University in 1994 with a PhD in Anthropology. He moved to UC Irvine in 1996 as Assistant Professor, going on to become Chair of UC Irvine’s Department of Anthropology (2005-2011 and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the Social Sciences (2011-2013. In July 2013 he assumed his current role as Dean of UC Irvine’s School of Social Sciences. Professor Maurer has published on topics ranging from offshore financial services to mobile phone-enabled money transfers, Islamic finance, alternative currencies, and the future of money. He is founding director of the Institute for Money, Technology and Financial Inclusion, funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and was the founding co-director of the Intel Science and Technology Center in Social Computing. He is the editor of six collections, as well as the author of Recharting the Caribbean: Land, Law and Citizenship in the British Virgin Islands (1997, Pious Property: Islamic Mortgages in the United States (2006, and Mutual Life, Limited: Islamic Banking, Alternative Currencies, Lateral Reason (2005. The latter received the Victor Turner Prize in 2005. Professor Maurer visited the University of Warwick in September 2014 under the auspices of Warwick’s Global Governance GRP.

  1. The formation method of the feature space for the identification of fatigued bills

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Dongshik; Oshiro, Ayumu; Ozawa, Kenji; Mitsui, Ikugo

    2014-10-01

    Fatigued bills make a trouble such as the paper jam in a bill handling machine. In the discrimination of fatigued bills using an acoustic signal, the variation of an observed bill sound is considered to be one of causes in misclassification. Therefore a technique has demanded in order to make the classification of fatigued bills more efficient. In this paper, we proposed the algorithm that extracted feature quantity of bill sound from acoustic signal using the frequency difference, and carried out discrimination experiment of fatigued bill money by Support Vector Machine(SVM). The feature quantity of frequency difference can represent the frequency components of an acoustic signal is varied by the fatigued degree of bill money. The generalization performance of SVM does not depend on the size of dimensions of the feature space, even in a high dimensional feature space such as bill-acoustic signals. Furthermore, SVM can induce an optimal classifier which considers the combination of features by the virtue of polynomial kernel functions.

  2. 47 CFR 64.1201 - Restrictions on billing name and address disclosure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... interstate telecommunications services. (3) The term authorized billing agent means a third party hired by a telecommunications service provider to perform billing and collection services for the telecommunications service... billing name and address information to any party other than a telecommunications service provider or an...

  3. Evidence Suggesting that Ivory-billed Woodpeckers (Campephilus principalis Exist in Florida

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel J. Mennill

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available The Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis disappeared from the forests of southeastern North America in the early 20th Century and for more than 50 years has been widely considered extinct. On 21 May 2005, we detected a bird that we identified as an Ivory-billed Woodpecker in the mature swamp forest along the Choctawhatchee River in the panhandle of Florida. During a subsequent year of research, members of our small search team observed birds that we identified as Ivory-billed Woodpeckers on 14 occasions. We heard sounds that matched descriptions of Ivory-billed Woodpecker acoustic signals on 41 occasions. We recorded 99 putative double knocks and 210 putative kent calls. We located cavities in the size range reported for Ivory-billed Woodpeckers and larger than those of Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus that have been reported in the literature or that we measured in Alabama. We documented unique foraging signs consistent with the feeding behavior of Ivory-billed Woodpeckers. Our evidence suggests that Ivory-billed Woodpeckers may be present in the forests along the Choctawhatchee River and warrants an expanded search of this bottomland forest habitat.

  4. 7 CFR 91.42 - Billing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... of the month. The applicant will be billed by the National Finance Center (NFC) using the Foundation... voluntary laboratory services and other services were rendered at a particular Science and Technology...

  5. Decoding incident-to and provider-based billing: ensuring payment and avoiding liability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hofstra, Patricia S; Hart, Elinor L

    2012-01-01

    In this increasingly complex world of Medicare reimbursement, physicians must constantly review their billing practices to ensure compliance with all Medicare requirements. "Incident-to" billing and provider-based billing are two areas that present unique challenges for providers, especially those practicing in hospital-owned practices such as hospital outpatient departments. Both incident-to and provider-based billing limit providers' abilities to bill for and receive reimbursement in those practice settings. The Office of Inspector General's 2012 Work Plan Report identified both incident-to billing and place-of-service errors as two of the many areas for investigation and compliance efforts in 2012. This article focuses on identifying the unique point-of-service challenges presented by physicians practicing in hospital outpatient departments or hospital-owned clinics.

  6. Acid rain: What the final bill looks like

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Burkhardt, D.A.

    1990-01-01

    This article examines the possible financial impacts of the 1990 amendments to the Clean Air Act. Topics include an overview of the bill, impact on utility companies, and implications for utility investors. The author feels the bill has important implications for investors who own utility stocks, particularly the stocks of coal-burning utilities in the Midwest and Appalachia

  7. Abordagens psicoterápicas no transtorno bipolar Psychoterapeutic approach in bipolar disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo Knapp

    2005-01-01

    Full Text Available Embora o tratamento farmacológico seja essencial para o tratamento do transtorno bipolar, apenas 40% de todos os pacientes que aderem às medicações permanecem assintomáticos durante o período de seguimento, o que tem levado ao desenvolvimento de intervenções psicoterápicas associadas. O objetivo deste artigo é examinar as evidências atuais da eficácia de intervenções psicoterápicas no tratamento do transtorno bipolar. Foi realizada uma pesquisa bibliográfica por meio do MedLine, PsychoINFO, Lilacs e Cochrane Data Bank, até o ano de 2004, em que foram procurados artigos originais e revisões sobre as abordagens psicoterápicas utilizadas no tratamento do transtorno bipolar. Há várias abordagens que podem se mostrar úteis no tratamento do transtorno bipolar. A psicoeducação e a terapia cognitivo-comportamental apresentam as evidências mais consistentes e são as técnicas mais amplamente estudadas. As intervenções envolvendo familiares e a terapia interpessoal e de ritmo social se mostram tratamentos eficazes em determinadas situações. Há alguns estudos empregando a terapia psicodinâmica no transtorno bipolar, mas são estudos com limitações metodológicas. Apesar de haver evidências demonstrando a eficácia de determinadas abordagens psicoterápicas no transtorno bipolar, ainda é necessária a realização de estudos posteriores que comprovem tais dados e que desenvolvam tratamentos baseados em modelos etiológicos e que identifiquem tratamentos específicos para as diferentes fases e tipos de transtorno bipolar.Although pharmacological treatment is essential for treating bipolar disorder, less than half of all medication compliant patients are non-symptomatic during follow-up, which has led to developments of adjunctive psychosocial interventions. This paper examines the current evidence for effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions in the treatment of bipolar disorder. Searches were undertaken through Med

  8. The billing process at a teaching hospital specialized in cardiology and pulmonology

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gabriela Favaro Faria Guerrer

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this exploratory study was to describe and map out the billing process in a public tertiary-level university hospital specialized in cardiology and pulmonology. In the period between May and June of 2012, we identified and documented the steps in the process validated by the professionals involved in the hospital bill audit service. We found that during billing pre-analysis, auditors make corrections to justify the billing of procedures and to avoid unwarranted billing and loss of revenue. Mapping out the process allowed us to propose strategies to minimize the time for presenting bills to payment sources. By bringing visibility to this process, which is fundamental for the economic-financial balance of the studied hospital, we bring such knowledge to the public domain. Thus, it is accessible to other health organizations that wish to increment their revenue and reduce divergences between patient charts and the patient’s hospital bill. doi: 10.5216/ree.v16i3.23487.

  9. Bill project on a new organisation of the electricity market

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-01-01

    A first text discusses the motivations of this bill project: to guarantee French supply security, to contribute to France economical competitiveness, to protect the environment, to give everybody access to energy, and to comply with the European energy market. It also comments the bill project content, the objectives aimed at through the different bill articles. These articles settle a regulated access to electricity and a regulatory frame for pricing, define provider responsibilities, deal with installation dismantling expenses. This presentation is followed by the bill text and by the report of an impact study of the implementation of a regulated access to electricity, of a capacity obligation, and of the evolution of regulated selling prices

  10. Coerência espectroscópica de famílias de asteróides

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mothé Diniz, T.; Roig, F. V.

    2003-08-01

    As Famílias de asteróides são caracterizadas como agrupamentos de objetos provenientes da quebra por colisão de corpos precursores. Desta forma, seus membros devem preservar relações genéticas que podem ser traduzidas sob a análise de suas características espectrais. Neste trabalho é apresentado o primeiro estudo espectroscópico de todas as famílias de asteróides do cinturão principal. Para tal, a divisão em famílias foi refeita utilizando-se o método HCM com uma base de elementos próprios analíticos (Knezevic e Milani, Jun 2001) e para o estudo espectroscópico foram utilizadas diversas campanhas de observação espectroscópica, tais o S3OS2 e o SMASSII, bem como outros dados disponíveis na literatura. A homogeneidade espectroscópica de cada família foi avaliada através da verificação das classes espectroscópicas presentes, bem como da comparação destes espectros com os de objetos de fundo, localizados na vizinhança da família. Vinte e duas famílias foram analisadas (as que possuíam mais do que 3 membros com espectro) e, dentre as principais conclusões pode-se citar a homogeneidade espectroscópica e, provavelmente mineralógica das famílias de Vesta, Eunomia, Hoffmeister, Dora, Merxia, Agnia, Koronis e Veritas. Esta última em particular, foi tida como uma família não homogênea espectroscopicamente em trabalho anterior (Di Martino et al. 1997). Outro resultado interessante é, por um lado, a aparente falta de homogeneidade dos membros da família de Eos, e por outro sua forte distinção dos objetos de fundo. O oposto ocorre na família de Themis, esta apresentando-se espectroscopicamente compatível com os objetos de fundo, mas com grande homogeneidade taxonômica entre seus membros. Algumas das famílias apresentam asteróides "intrusos" (objetos cujas características físicas não são compatíveis com aquelas dos membros da família) que, de modo geral desaparecem ao se considerarem níveis mais baixos de corte para a

  11. Fatigue Level Estimation of Bill Based on Acoustic Signal Feature by Supervised SOM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teranishi, Masaru; Omatu, Sigeru; Kosaka, Toshihisa

    Fatigued bills have harmful influence on daily operation of Automated Teller Machine(ATM). To make the fatigued bills classification more efficient, development of an automatic fatigued bill classification method is desired. We propose a new method to estimate bending rigidity of bill from acoustic signal feature of banking machines. The estimated bending rigidities are used as continuous fatigue level for classification of fatigued bill. By using the supervised Self-Organizing Map(supervised SOM), we estimate the bending rigidity from only the acoustic energy pattern effectively. The experimental result with real bill samples shows the effectiveness of the proposed method.

  12. Ways of implementation of fatf recommendations on combating criminal incomes at bills market

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Анатолій Іванович Гулей

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available In this article the measures directed on counteraction to laundering of criminal incomes are considered about the financial transaction with using bills of exchange and promissory notes. A study and analysis of the development process of bills of exchange and promissory notes in different countries of the world, the nature of bills as payment document, securities, commercial and bank credit, and process of immobilization of bills. Also, the problems of the legal framework relating to bill circulation in Ukraine are investigated and some recommendations for reduce the risks of bill circulation are given

  13. Patients Bill of Rights Data

    Data.gov (United States)

    U.S. Department of Health & Human Services — Reducing Costs, Protecting Consumers - The Affordable Care Act on the One Year Anniversary of the Patients Bill of Rights For too long, too many hard working...

  14. Metabolism of the synthetic cannabinoid 5F-PY-PICA by human and rat hepatocytes and identification of biliary analytical targets by directional efflux in sandwich-cultured rat hepatocytes using UHPLC-HR-MS/MS

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Mardal, Marie; Annaert, Pieter; Noble, Carolina

    2018-01-01

    Analytical strategies for detecting drugs in biological samples rely on information on metabolism and elimination. 5F-PY-PICA belongs to the group of synthetic cannabinoids that are known to undergo excretion into the bile. The aims of this study were the in vitro identification of metabolites of 5......F-PY-PICA and to determine which analytical targets are excreted into the bile and urine. Metabolites identified after incubation of 5F-PY-PICA with pooled human liver microsomes (pHLM), pooled human hepatocytes (pHH), or suspended and sandwich-cultured rat hepatocytes (SCRH). Rat hepatocytes were......-PY-PICA, M4, and M22 are proposed as analytical targets for bile analysis in forensic screening protocols, whereas M6 should be one of the main urinary targets for 5F-PY-PICA analysis....

  15. Value-Based Billing in a 3G IP Services Environment

    OpenAIRE

    Ryan, Conor; Donnelly, William; de Leastar, Eamonn; Cloney, James

    2002-01-01

    The proliferation of IP-based services has resulted in a paradigm shift away from traditional flat-rat, single service billing to content and usage based billing for composed service sets. The Information Societies Technology (IST) FORM project has prototyped an accounting and billing solution for IP-based telecommunications services. A key element of the solution is the IPDR Network Data Management - Usage specification. This paper presents the FORM development of a federated accounting and ...

  16. Fatiga higroscópica y dimensional de la madera

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Guindeo Casaús, Antonio

    1991-03-01

    Full Text Available This article abridges the investigation line followed to demonstrate and to evaluate the physical phenomenon of the hygroscopic fatigue dimensional. For such intention has been used the construction of isothermals for 20 ºC and the establishment of oldness coefficients to evaluate such process.

    Este artículo resume la línea de investigación seguida para demostrar y evaluar el fenómeno físico de fatiga higroscópica y dimensional. Para ello se ha recurrido a la construcción de isotermas de 20 ºC y al establecimiento de unos coeficientes de envejecimiento para evaluar dicho proceso.

  17. Audit and account billing process in a private general hospital: a case study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Raquel Silva Bicalho Zunta

    2017-12-01

    Full Text Available Our study aimed to map, describe and, validate the audit, account billing and billing reports processes in a large, private general hospital.  An exploratory, descriptive, case report study. We conducted non-participatory observation moments in Internal Audit Sectors and  Billing Reports from the hospital, aiming to map the processes which were the study objects. The data obtained was validated by internal and external audit specialists in hospital bills. The described and illustrated processes in three flow-charts favor professionals to rationalize their activities and the time spent in hospital billing, avoiding or minimizing the occurrence of flaws and, generating more effective financial results. The mapping, the description and the audit validation process and billing and, the billing reports propitiated more visibility and legitimacy to actions developed by auditor nurses.

  18. Refusal to pay electricity bill is illegal

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hermann, H.P.

    1979-01-01

    Pursuant to a judgement passed by the Lower Court of Hamburg, the author discusses probable legal arguments justifying the refusal to pay one's electricity bill, the so-called electricity bill boycott. Following an analysis of the power supply contract and of the content and the limits of the fundamental right of freedom of conscience, as well as of the concept of free enterprise and of the legal effect of licenses under the nuclear law, his point of view stated in the article is to agree with the decision of the court saying that the operation of a nuclear power plant licensed under the nuclear law does not mean an infringement of the right of freedom of conscience. It can further not be accepted to let people refuse to pay their electricity bill by referring to the right of freedom of speech, by alleging conduct against public policy on the part of the public utilities, or by referring to the right of opposition. (HSCH) [de

  19. Portable XRF and principal component analysis for bill characterization in forensic science

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Appoloni, C.R.; Melquiades, F.L.

    2014-01-01

    Several modern techniques have been applied to prevent counterfeiting of money bills. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the potential of Portable X-ray Fluorescence (PXRF) technique and the multivariate analysis method of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for classification of bills in order to use it in forensic science. Bills of Dollar, Euro and Real (Brazilian currency) were measured directly at different colored regions, without any previous preparation. Spectra interpretation allowed the identification of Ca, Ti, Fe, Cu, Sr, Y, Zr and Pb. PCA analysis separated the bills in three groups and subgroups among Brazilian currency. In conclusion, the samples were classified according to its origin identifying the elements responsible for differentiation and basic pigment composition. PXRF allied to multivariate discriminate methods is a promising technique for rapid and no destructive identification of false bills in forensic science. - Highlights: • The paper is about a direct method for bills discrimination by EDXRF and principal component analysis. • The bills are analyzed directly, without sample preparation and non destructively. • The results demonstrates that the methodology is feasible and could be applied in forensic science for identification of origin and false banknotes. • The novelty is that portable EDXRF is very fast and efficient for bills characterization

  20. Boundary-Layer Control: In Memory of Bill Reynolds

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kim, John

    2004-11-01

    Professor Bill Reynolds (1933-2004) inspired many students and colleagues with his never-ending curiosity and thought-provoking ideas. Bill's relentless energy, together with his hallmark can-do character and do-it-yourself attitude, led to many seminal contributions to mechanical engineering in general, and fluid mechanics in particular. He has left a lasting impact on many of us, especially for those who had the privilege of working closely with him. Some of my current work on boundary-layer control, the use of neural networks in particular, were inspired by many discussions with Bill. He was among the first to see the potential of control-theoretic approaches for flow control, which has become the main thrust of my current research. Without his continued encouragement, I would not have been deeply involved in this line of research; and perhaps, we would not have seen the current flurry of research activities in applying modern control theories to flow control. In memory of Bill Reynolds, who himself has contributed much to flow control, an analysis of boundary-layer control from a linear system perspective will be presented.

  1. Liberty through limits: The bill of rights as limited government provisions

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrick M. Garry

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available Under the modern view, individual autonomy has become the primary if not exclusive focus of the Bill of Rights. But the Bill of Rights came about not because of a desire to preserve individual autonomy, nor to insulate the individual from the democratic community. The impetus for the Bill of Rights arose from the same set of concerns that motivated the original Constitution. These concerns involved creating the appropriate structures so as to keep the new central government in check. The Bill of Rights sought to further ensure that the federal government would have limited power and operate in a limited role. Not only does this limited government model coincide with the original intent underlying the Bill of Rights, but it also provides for a more objective and manageable application. Under an individual autonomy view of the Bill of Rights, courts must define the ingredients necessary for such autonomy. However, this endeavor is fraught with ambiguity, and courts must constantly pit the individual against democratic society. But under the limited government model, the judicial role is more objective. Instead of trying to define an ambiguous individual autonomy, courts simply need to focus on whether a particular right is needed so as to maintain limited government. In addition, the limited government model does not put the Bill of Rights in conflict with democratic society. Instead, it just uses the Bill of Rights to maintain a check on government, just as the original Constitution seeks to do.

  2. An electricity billing model | Adetona | Journal of Applied Science ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Linear regression analysis has been employed to develop a model for predicting accurately the electricity billing for commercial consumers in Ogun State (Nigeria) at faster rate. The electricity billing model was implement-ed, executed and tested using embedded MATLAB function blocks. The correlations between the ...

  3. Distancia social, creencias estereotípicas y emociones hacia las personas con discapacidad en universitarios mexicanos: diferencias por sexo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rebelín Echeverría Echeverría

    2018-06-01

    Full Text Available Este trabajo pretende determinar las diferencias entre emociones, creencias estereotípicas e intención conductual como componentes de las actitudes hacia personas con discapacidad, en hombres y mujeres. Participaron 564 estudiantes universitarios mexicanos, 270 mujeres y 292 hombres. Se administró la Escala de Creencias Estereotípicas hacia las Personas con Discapacidad, la Escala de Emociones hacia las Personas con Discapacidad y la Escala de Distancia Social de Bogardus. Los resultados principales evidencian, en los hombres, la presencia de creencias estereotípicas negativas y una intención conductual a la exclusión. En el caso de las mujeres se evidencia la expresión de más emociones positivas y disposición a convivir con las personas que viven con discapacidad. En la discusión de resultados la construcción de género cobra relevancia y se proponen líneas de acción para avanzar en la construcción de comunidades universitarias con actitudes más positivas hacia las personas con discapacidad y hacia la inclusión.

  4. Accounting, Charging and Billing for Dynamic Service Composition Chains

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rumph, F. J.; Kruithof, G. H.; Huitema, G. B.

    Services delivered to an end user can be composed of numerous subservices and form chains of composed services. These service composition chains traditionally consist of a static set of business entities. However, in order to increase business agility, dynamic service composition chains can be used by leveraging techniques of service publishing and discovery, and consist of more short-lived relations between the various business entities. This chapter focuses on issues concerning accounting, charging and billing of such dynamic service composition chains. In this type of service delivery, several traditional settlement models are not applicable since existing architectures lack support of automated negotiation of settlement parameters. Examples of such parameters are what the service consumer will be charged for and how much, how and when the consumer will be billed. In this chapter, the requirements that have to be fulfilled with respect to accounting, charging and billing in dynamic service composition chains are explored. Based on these requirements, a framework architecture for accounting charging and billing is described.

  5. Caracterización genotípica y fenotípica de cepas emergentes de Escherichia coli aisladas de niños con diarrea en Bucaramanga y su área metropolitana, Colombia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Monica Yurley Arias Guerrero

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Introducción: La enfermedad diarreica aguda (EDA sigue siendo uno de los principales problemas en salud pública en países en desarrollo. Dentro de los agentes infecciosos que causan esta enfermedad se encuentran bacterias, virus y parásitos. Los agentes bacterianos ocupan un segundo lugar destacándose Escherichia coli enteropatógenas entre las más importantes. Actualmente, seis cepas con diferentes mecanismos de patogenicidad están asociados a diarrea  E. coli enteropatógena (ECEP, productora de toxina-shiga (ECTS, enterotoxigénica (ECET, enteroinvasiva (ECEI, enteroagregativa (ECEA y adherente difusa (ECAD, cada una con un set específico de genes de virulencia. No obstante, se han reportado brotes de EDA ocasionados por cepas de E. coli diferentes a los patotipos conocidos, denominadas cepas emergentes. Estos brotes han sido reportados en Alemania, Europa y recientemente en Cartagena Colombia, lo que sugiere que en nuestro medio circulan estas cepas. Por lo cual, es necesario caracterizar estas cepas emergentes. Objetivo: Caracterizar genotípicamente y fenotípicamente dos cepas emergentes de E. coli aisladas de muestras diarreicas en niños menores de cinco años en Bucaramanga, Colombia. Materiales y métodos: De un estudio de casos y controles realizado entre Julio del 2013 y diciembre del 2014 en Bucaramanga y su área metropolitana, Colombia a 860 niños menores de 5 años con diarrea (casos y sin diarrea (controles. Se aislaron a partir de coprocultivos cepas de E. coli mediante pruebas bioquímicas. A estas cepas previamente almacenadas a -80°C se les determino mediante PCR multiplex los patotipos de E. coli, los cuales posteriormente fueron confirmados mediante PCR simple. Muestras positivas para dos patotipos u otra característica fueron clasificadas como cepas emergentes. Finalmente, estas cepas se caracterizaron fenotípica y genotípicamente. Para ello, se llevaron a cabo pruebas como secuenciación de genes de

  6. Tobacco company campaign contributions and congressional support of the cigar bill

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Robbins RA

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Although it is widely held that campaign contributions influence support for legislation, the impact of contributions is unclear. Despite lack of a tobacco growing or manufacturing constituency, many members of Congress (MOC in the Southwest support the pro-tobacco Traditional Cigar Manufacturing and Small Business Jobs Preservation Act of 2015 (HR 662/S 441, aka the "Cigar Bill". The association between campaign contributions from tobacco companies (2006-16 with cosponsor for the Cigar Bill were examined. There was a highly significant correlation with 92% of Southwest MOC who cosponsored the Cigar Bill having received campaign contributions. In contrast, 31% of those who did not cosponsoring the bill had received tobacco company campaign contributions (p<0.001 by Fisher's Exact Test. These data demonstrates a highly significant correlation between campaign contributions and legislative support for the "Cigar Bill".

  7. Relações de segregação: novas práticas filantrópicas entre a elite paulistana

    OpenAIRE

    Jessica Beth Sadie Sklair Corrêa

    2007-01-01

    Este trabalho contempla práticas filantrópicas contemporâneas entre a elite paulistana em sua interface com as dinâmicas de segregação urbana observadas nessa cidade. Procura-se investigar as relações que surgem em torno dessas práticas, mostrando que a segregação se caracteriza não somente pelo distanciamento, mas também por complexos jogos de interação cotidiana entre as populações que convivem na metrópole. A pesquisa baseia-se na etnografia de três iniciativas filantrópicas na cidade de S...

  8. 42 CFR 424.540 - Deactivation of Medicare billing privileges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... change in practice location, a change of any managing employee, and a change in billing services. A... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Deactivation of Medicare billing privileges. 424.540 Section 424.540 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND...

  9. 19 CFR 142.14 - Delinquent payment of Customs bills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Delinquent payment of Customs bills. 142.14 Section 142.14 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... of Customs bills. The following procedure shall be followed if an importer is substantially or...

  10. 19 CFR 142.26 - Delinquent payment of Customs bills.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Delinquent payment of Customs bills. 142.26 Section 142.26 Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY... Delinquent payment of Customs bills. The following procedures shall be followed if an importer is...

  11. Insurance billing and coding.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Napier, Rebecca H; Bruelheide, Lori S; Demann, Eric T K; Haug, Richard H

    2008-07-01

    The purpose of this article is to highlight the importance of understanding various numeric and alpha-numeric codes for accurately billing dental and medically related services to private pay or third-party insurance carriers. In the United States, common dental terminology (CDT) codes are most commonly used by dentists to submit claims, whereas current procedural terminology (CPT) and International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD.9.CM) codes are more commonly used by physicians to bill for their services. The CPT and ICD.9.CM coding systems complement each other in that CPT codes provide the procedure and service information and ICD.9.CM codes provide the reason or rationale for a particular procedure or service. These codes are more commonly used for "medical necessity" determinations, and general dentists and specialists who routinely perform care, including trauma-related care, biopsies, and dental treatment as a result of or in anticipation of a cancer-related treatment, are likely to use these codes. Claim submissions for care provided can be completed electronically or by means of paper forms.

  12. an assessment of billing electricity consumers via analogue meters

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DR. AMINU

    an online system and window driven and can be used for the purpose of e- billing (Advalorem, 2009). ... Source: Billing Operation Unit, Customer Services Department KED Plc, (2002). Kilowatt hour is equal to the amount of energy ..... but reaction of the respondent confirmed the conclusion of poor consumers' response to ...

  13. Hackers ring up big phone bills for hospitals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gardner, E

    1992-11-02

    A big telephone bill--possibly in six figures--can be a painful way for a hospital to find out its phone system isn't secure. When unusually large long-distance bills start to show up, chances are a professional telephone hacker has broken in. According to experts, one in 15 businesses has been victimized by long-distance toll fraud, and loss estimates range from $900 million to $4 billion a year.

  14. HIPERTIROIDISMO - UMA APRESENTAÇÃO POUCO TÍPICA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Filipa Raposo

    2016-07-01

    Caso Clínico: Adolescente de 17 anos de idade, sexo feminino, sem antecedentes pessoais e familiares de relevo. Observada no SU por aumento ponderal de 6 kg em 6 meses, aumento do perímetro abdominal, edemas (palpebrais, mãos e pés e dejecções moles com um mês de evolução. Referido também labilidade emocional, sonolência, episódios de taquicardia e sensação de calor excessivo. Ao exame objectivo apresentava-se com bom estado geral, apirética, taquicárdica (FC:125bpm, tirói- de palpável e com edema das pálpebras, mãos e pés. A auscultação cardíaca era normal e não apresentava outras alterações dignas de registo. No estudo analítico realizado no SU apresentava TSH 30 pg/mL (1.71-3.71, restantes resultados sem alterações. A ecografia tiroideia evidenciou tiróide com aspecto glo- boso e proeminente e parênquima com ecotextura heterogénea. Iniciou medicação com tiamazol e propanolol e posteriormente foi confirmado o diagnóstico de doença de Graves. Comentários: O diagnóstico de hipertiroidismo é feito pelo doseamento dos valores da função tiroideia (TSH, T3 e T4 li- vres. A maioria dos sinais e sintomas que motivam a observação destes doentes correspondem as manifestações clínicas típicas de hipertiroidismo. Neste caso clínico, o facto de a adolescente apresentar aumento ponderal, edemas não só das pálpebras e a sonolência excessiva levantou algumas dúvidas em relação ao diagnóstico. Pretendemos com este caso alertar para uma apresentação atípica de hipertiroidismo. .

  15. Bill Gates eyes healthcare market.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dunbar, C

    1995-02-01

    The entrepreneurial spirit is still top in Bill Gates' mind as he look toward healthcare and other growth industries. Microsoft's CEO has not intention of going the way of other large technology companies that became obsolete before they could compete today.

  16. Maximizing collections from patient services billing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Orenstein, Gil C; Kaye, Alan David; Fox, Charles J; Urman, Richard D

    2014-01-01

    The field of medical billing and collections continues to evolve along with current developments in U.S. healthcare reform. Although there has been a significant shift of payment responsibility from third-party payers to patients, many practices are not equipped to handle this change. As patients' financial obligations increase, the physician's ability to collect from patients will become increasingly important. Inability to collect bills receivable can adversely affect the revenue cycle of the practice. Solutions include improvement of the point-of-service collection processes, properly trained office staff, written financial policies, and the use of technology to facilitate online payments. Patients should fully understand their financial responsibilities and options available to them for payment of services rendered.

  17. Utopian dream: a new farm bill.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nestle, Marion

    2012-01-01

    In the fall of 2011, I taught a graduate food studies course at New York University devoted to the farm bill, a massive and massively opaque piece of legislation passed most recently in 2008 and up for renewal in 2012. The farm bill supports farmers, of course, but also specifies how the United States deals with such matters as conservation, forestry, energy policy, organic food production, international food aid, and domestic food assistance. My students came from programs in nutrition, food studies, public health, public policy, and law, all united in the belief that a smaller scale, more regionalized, and more sustainable food system would be healthier for people and the planet.

  18. Pasos en la cirugía endoscópica nasosinusal.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    María Poncela Blanco

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Introducción y objetivo: La cirugía endoscópica se ha ido perfeccionando con el paso de los años, en cuanto a la técnica y la metodología de enseñanza, a fin de minimizar la probabilidad de complicaciones intraorbitarias o intracraneales. Los puntos anatómicos de referencia clásicos pueden no ser identificados en patologías nasosinusales avanzadas o en situaciones postquirúrgicas. El objetivo de esta comunicación es mostrar puntos alternativos de referencia para guiarse en ese tipo de casos.Material y Método: Tras la realización del Minifellowship en Cirugía Endoscópica Nasosinusal, presentamos el enfoque aportado por el Dr. Casiano en casos de patología nasosinusal avanzada, en los cuales la distorsión anatómica es la regla. Los puntos clave en esta técnica quirúrgica son el piso mesoorbitario y la cresta ósea adyacente de la antrostomía, combinados con las mediciones de la columela, siendo puntos constantes y de fácil identificación que brindan una información confiable para encontrar los senos etmoidales y esfenoidales, además de las estructuras vecinas críticas de la base del cráneo y la órbita. La convexidad nasolagrimal, combinada con la inserción anterior del cornete medio y el ostium natural del seno maxilar, aportan información acerca de la ubicación aproximada del infundíbulo frontal. Ninguno de esos puntos de referencia se ve afectado por la presencia de enfermedad inflamatoria significativa o de una cirugía previa. Incluso en los casos de poliposis, por ejemplo, rara vez se ve afectada la mucosa que recubre la convexidad nasolagrimal. El siguiente es un enfoque basado en la anatomía para realizar la cirugía endoscópica nasosinusal en casos de enfermedad avanzada de los senos nasales. Resultados: Ninguno de esos puntos de referencia se ve afectado por la presencia de enfermedad inflamatoria significativa o de una cirugía previa. Incluso en los casos de poliposis nasosinusal, rara vez se ve

  19. 49 CFR Appendix A to Part 1035 - Uniform Straight Bill of Lading

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 8 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Uniform Straight Bill of Lading A Appendix A to Part 1035 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) SURFACE... Appendix A to Part 1035—Uniform Straight Bill of Lading Uniform Straight Bill of Lading Original—Not...

  20. 41 CFR 109-40.5003 - Commercial bills of lading.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... shipments for the account of DOE shall include the following statement on all commercial bills of lading: This shipment is for the account of the U.S. Government which will assume the freight charges and is... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Commercial bills of...

  1. 9 CFR 381.39 - Basis of billing for overtime and holiday services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-01-01

    ... holiday services. 381.39 Section 381.39 Animals and Animal Products FOOD SAFETY AND INSPECTION SERVICE... Inspection; Overtime and Holiday Service; Billing Establishments § 381.39 Basis of billing for overtime and holiday services. (a) Each recipient of overtime or holiday inspection service, or both, shall be billed...

  2. La ciudad calidoscópica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro Abramo

    2009-07-01

    Full Text Available Este artículo es una búsqueda que consiste en saber si sería posible pensar la emergencia de una configuración espacial (orden espacial con fundamento en el discurso de la economía, esto es, teniendo en cuenta solamente las elecciones individuales y descentralizadas de localización cuyo mecanismo de coordinación sería el mercado. Con este propósito, estudiaré en un primer momento el abordaje neoclásico que presenta un orden (equilibrio espacial único, estable y eficiente, en seguida, propondré un camino alternativo,heterodoxo, donde el orden espacial que resulta de la coordinación mercantil surge, antes, como pertinente a una estructura caleidoscópica cuya frontera entre el orden y el desorden del uso del suelo urbano es opaca y mutante. Es también mí propósito desarrollar un discurso heterodoxo tomando por base ciertas dificultades (y temas con que se depara la ortodoxia espacial, cuando las elecciones son intertemporales e interdependientes. Conviene señalar que asumimos siempre el discurso de la economía sobre las relaciones mercantiles,por tanto, las nociones y las conclusiones mencionadas están fuertemente ligadas a esta opción inicial.

  3. Límites urbanos de una zona típica: La Serena

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando Glasinovic Duhalde

    2013-05-01

    Este trabajo, que no es la historia de una acción terminada sino más bien la relación de su inicio, revisa aspectos relevantes a considerar en la delimitación de la Zona Típica de la Ciudad, comenzando el análisis desde los aspectos del diseño de la ciudad, trascendentes y fundamentales, que son iniciadores de una identidad urbana que es depositaria de una particular arquitectura que es también sensible a esta estructura subyacente que habita en la memoria colectiva.

  4. Jamaica National Net-Billing Pilot Program Evaluation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Doris, Elizabeth [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Stout, Sherry [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Peterson, Kimberly [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

    2015-12-18

    This technical report discusses the effectiveness of the Jamaica Public Service Company Limited Net-Billing Pilot Program. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) collected and analyzed data from a wide range of stakeholders, conducted in-country research, and compared program elements to common interconnection practices to form programmatic recommendations for the Jamaica context. NREL finds that the net-billing pilot program has successfully contributed to the support of the emerging solar market in Jamaica with the interconnection of 80 systems under the program for a total of 1.38 megawatts (MW) at the time of original analysis.

  5. The Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill 2013: content, commentary, controversy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kelly, B D

    2015-03-01

    Ireland's Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill (2013) aims to reform the law relating to persons who require assistance exercising their decision-making capacity. When finalised, the Bill will replace Ireland's outdated Ward of Court system which has an all-or-nothing approach to capacity; does not adequately define capacity; is poorly responsive to change; makes unwieldy provision for appointing decision-makers; and has insufficient provision for review. To explore the content and implications of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill. Review of the content of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Bill and related literature. The new Bill includes a presumption of capacity and defines lack of capacity. All interventions must minimise restriction of rights and freedom, and have due regard for "dignity, bodily integrity, privacy and autonomy". The Bill proposes legal frameworks for "assisted decision-making" (where an individual voluntarily appoints someone to assist with specific decisions relating to personal welfare or property and affairs, by, among other measures, assisting the individual to communicate his or her "will and preferences"); "co-decision-making" (where the Circuit Court declares the individual's capacity is reduced but he or she can make specific decisions with a co-decision-maker to share authority); "decision-making representatives" (substitute decision-making); "enduring power of attorney"; and "informal decision-making on personal welfare matters" (without apparent oversight). These measures, if implemented, will shift Ireland's capacity laws away from an approach based on "best interests" to one based on "will and preferences", and increase compliance with the United Nations' Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

  6. Modelo experimental de hepatectomia parcial laparoscópica em ratos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Oliveira Fabrício Mascarenhas de

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Descrever um modelo experimental de hepatectomia parcial laparoscópica em ratos. MÉTODOS: Foram utilizados 35 ratos Rattus Norvegicus albinus da linhagem Wistar todos machos pesando 250+/-50g. Os animais foram anestesiados com cetamina e xilasina, e submetidos à insuflação através da agulha de Veress com PCO2 de 7mmHg. Após o pneumoperitôneo foram transpassados pela parede abdominal dois trocateres com 5 e um com 11 mm de espessura, de tal modo a formarem uma figura geométrica triangular. A ligadura de três lobos hepáticos (esquerdo, central esquerdo e central direito foi feita utilizando-se o "endoloop" e a eletrocoagulação dos pontos hemorrágicos através do "hook". Os animais foram sacrificados após um período de observação de oito dias. RESULTADOS: Três animais (8,6% morreram na indução anestésica. Após um período de observação de oito dias 30 animais sobreviveram (85,7%, e apenas 2 (5,7% vieram a óbito no pós-operatório imediato. Quanto às complicações, a presença de granuloma foi observada em 54,3% dos ratos (n=19. Nenhuma conversão para a cirurgia aberta foi necessária. CONCLUSÃO: O modelo de hepatectomia parcial laparoscópica em ratos utilizando material cirúrgico semelhante ao usado em humanos é factível para o treinamento e aprimoramento de novos cirurgiões.

  7. Towards an inter-domain billing system to support dynamic service provisioning

    OpenAIRE

    Le, V.M.

    2009-01-01

    Today, billing is a big challenge for service providers. With a growing number of rich services such as music, mobile TV, Video-on-Demand and eHealth delivered to the mass market, service providers are missing business opportunities because current billing solutions are not fully capable. In particular, the delivery of on-the-fly composite services, composed of many service components provided by different service providers causes many complexities. This book proposes a billing system that de...

  8. Missed surgical intensive care unit billing: potential financial impact of 24/7 faculty presence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hendershot, Kimberly M; Bollins, John P; Armen, Scott B; Thomas, Yalaunda M; Steinberg, Steven M; Cook, Charles H

    2009-07-01

    To efficiently capture evaluation and management (E&M) and procedural billing in our surgical intensive care unit (SICU), we have developed an electronic billing system that links to the electronic medical record (EMR). In this system, only notes electronically signed and coded by an attending generate billing charges. We hypothesized that capture of missed billing during nighttime and weekends might be sufficient to subsidize 24/7 in-house attending coverage. A retrospective chart EMR review was performed of the EMRs for all SICU patients during a 2-month period. Note type, date, time, attending signature, and coding were analyzed. Notes without attending signature, diagnosis, or current procedural terminology (CPT) code were considered incomplete and identified as "missed billing." Four hundred and forty-three patients had 465 admissions generating 2,896 notes. Overall, 76% of notes were signed and coded by an attending and billed. Incomplete (not billed) notes represented an overall missed billing opportunity of $159,138 for the 2-month time period (approximately $954,000 annually). Unbilled E&M encounters during weekdays totaled $54,758, whereas unbilled E&M and procedures from weeknights and weekends totaled $88,408 ($44,566 and $43,842, respectively). Missed billing after-hours thus represents approximately $530K annually, extrapolating to approximately $220K in collections from our payer mix. Surprisingly, missed E&M and procedural billing during weekdays totaled $70,730 (approximately $425K billing, approximately $170K collections annually), and typically represented patients seen, but transferred from the SICU before attending documentation was completed. Capture of nighttime and weekend ICU collections alone may be insufficient to add faculty or incentivize in-house coverage, but could certainly complement other in-house derived revenues to such ends. In addition, missed daytime billing in busy modern ICUs can be substantial, and use of an EMR to identify

  9. Education in medical billing benefits both neurology trainees and academic departments.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waugh, Jeff L

    2014-11-11

    The objective of residency training is to produce physicians who can function independently within their chosen subspecialty and practice environment. Skills in the business of medicine, such as clinical billing, are widely applicable in academic and private practices but are not commonly addressed during formal medical education. Residency and fellowship training include limited exposure to medical billing, but our academic department's performance of these skills was inadequate: in 56% of trainee-generated outpatient notes, documentation was insufficient to sustain the chosen billing level. We developed a curriculum to improve the accuracy of documentation and coding and introduced practice changes to address our largest sources of error. In parallel, we developed tools that increased the speed and efficiency of documentation. Over 15 months, we progressively eliminated note devaluation, increased the mean level billed by trainees to nearly match that of attending physicians, and increased outpatient revenue by $34,313/trainee/year. Our experience suggests that inclusion of billing education topics into the formal medical curriculum benefits both academic medical centers and trainees. © 2014 American Academy of Neurology.

  10. Measuring public understanding on Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) electricity bills using ordered probit model

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zainudin, WNRA; Ramli, NA

    2017-09-01

    In 2016, Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB) had introduced an upgrade in its Billing and Customer Relationship Management (BCRM) as part of its long-term initiative to provide its customers with greater access to billing information. This includes information on real and suggested power consumption by the customers and further details in their billing charges. This information is useful to help TNB customers to gain better understanding on their electricity usage patterns and items involved in their billing charges. Up to date, there are not many studies done to measure public understanding on current electricity bills and whether this understanding could contribute towards positive impacts. The purpose of this paper is to measure public understanding on current TNB electricity bills and whether their satisfaction towards energy-related services, electricity utility services, and their awareness on the amount of electricity consumed by various appliances and equipment in their home could improve this understanding on the electricity bills. Both qualitative and quantitative research methods are used to achieve these objectives. A total of 160 respondents from local universities in Malaysia participated in a survey used to collect relevant information. Using Ordered Probit model, this paper finds respondents that are highly satisfied with the electricity utility services tend to understand their electricity bills better. The electric utility services include management of electricity bills and the information obtained from utility or non-utility supplier to help consumers manage their energy usage or bills. Based on the results, this paper concludes that the probability to understand the components in the monthly electricity bill increases as respondents are more satisfied with their electric utility services and are more capable to value the energy-related services.

  11. Black to Black

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Langkjær, Michael Alexander

    2012-01-01

    Pop musicians performing in black stage costume take advantage of cultural traditions relating to matters black. Stylistically, black is a paradoxical color: although a symbol of melancholy, pessimism, and renunciation, black also expresses minimalist modernity and signifies exclusivity (as is hi...

  12. Acute pain management efficiency improves with point-of-care handheld electronic billing system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fahy, Brenda G

    2009-02-01

    Technology advances continue to impact patient care and physician workflow. To enable more efficient performance of billing activities, a point-of-care (POC) handheld computer technology replaced a paper-based system on an acute pain management service. Using a handheld personal digital assistant (PDA) and software from MDeverywhere (MDe, MDeverywhere, Long Island, NY), we performed a 1-yr prospective observational study of an anesthesiology acute pain management service billings and collections. Seventeen anesthesiologists providing billable acute pain services were trained and entered their charges on a PDA. Twelve months of data, just before electronic implementation (pre-elec), were compared to a 12-m period after implementation (post-elec). The total charges were 4883 for 890 patients pre-elec and 5368 for 1128 patients post-elec. With adoption of handheld billing, the charge lag days decreased from 29.3 to 7.0 (P billing using PDAs to replace a paper-based billing system improved the collection rate and decreased the number of charge lag days with a positive return on investment. The handheld PDA billing system provided POC support for physicians during their daily clinical (e.g., patient locations, rounding lists) and billing activities, improving workflow.

  13. Interspecific semantic alarm call recognition in the solitary Sahamalaza sportive lemur, Lepilemur sahamalazensis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Melanie Seiler

    Full Text Available As alarm calls indicate the presence of predators, the correct interpretation of alarm calls, including those of other species, is essential for predator avoidance. Conversely, communication calls of other species might indicate the perceived absence of a predator and hence allow a reduction in vigilance. This "eavesdropping" was demonstrated in birds and mammals, including lemur species. Interspecific communication between taxonomic groups has so far been reported in some reptiles and mammals, including three primate species. So far, neither semantic nor interspecific communication has been tested in a solitary and nocturnal lemur species. The aim of this study was to investigate if the nocturnal and solitary Sahamalaza sportive lemur, Lepilemur sahamalazensis, is able to access semantic information of sympatric species. During the day, this species faces the risk of falling prey to aerial and terrestrial predators and therefore shows high levels of vigilance. We presented alarm calls of the crested coua, the Madagascar magpie-robin and aerial, terrestrial and agitation alarm calls of the blue-eyed black lemur to 19 individual Sahamalaza sportive lemurs resting in tree holes. Songs of both bird species' and contact calls of the blue-eyed black lemur were used as a control. After alarm calls of crested coua, Madagascar magpie-robin and aerial alarm of the blue-eyed black lemur, the lemurs scanned up and their vigilance increased significantly. After presentation of terrestrial alarm and agitation calls of the blue-eyed black lemur, the animals did not show significant changes in scanning direction or in the duration of vigilance. Sportive lemur vigilance decreased after playbacks of songs of the bird species and contact calls of blue-eyed black lemurs. Our results indicate that the Sahamalaza sportive lemur is capable of using information on predator presence as well as predator type of different sympatric species, using their referential

  14. Trends and consequences of consumption of food and non-food items (pica by pregnant women in Western Kenya

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lucy Kariuki

    2016-12-01

    Food cravings, aversions and pica practices should be assessed in antenatal care of pregnant women. Attention should be paid to pregnant women who have had a history of child death and women with low education level.

  15. Current issues in billing and coding in interventional pain medicine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manchikanti, L

    2000-10-01

    Interventional pain management is a dynamic field with changes occurring on a daily basis, not only with technology but also with regulations that have a substantial financial impact on practices. Regulations are imposed not only by the federal government and other regulatory agencies, and also by a multitude of other payors, state governments and medical boards. Documentation of medical necessity with coding that correlates with multiple components of the patient's medical record, operative report, and billing statement is extremely important. Numerous changes which have occurred in the practice of interventional pain management in the new millennium continue to impact the financial viability of interventional pain practices along with patient access to these services. Thus, while complying with regulations of billing, coding and proper, effective, and ethical practice of pain management, it is also essential for physicians to understand financial aspects and the impact of various practice patterns. This article provides guidelines which are meant to provide practical considerations for billing and coding of interventional techniques in the management of chronic pain based on the current state of the art and science of interventional pain management. Hence, these guidelines do not constitute inflexible treatment, coding, billing or documentation recommendations. It is expected that a provider will establish a plan of care on a case-by-case basis taking into account an individual patient's medical condition, personal needs, and preferences, along with physician's experience and in a similar manner, billing and coding practices will be developed. Based on an individual patient's needs, treatment, billing and coding, different from what is outlined here is not only warranted but essential.

  16. Portable XRF and principal component analysis for bill characterization in forensic science.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Appoloni, C R; Melquiades, F L

    2014-02-01

    Several modern techniques have been applied to prevent counterfeiting of money bills. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the potential of Portable X-ray Fluorescence (PXRF) technique and the multivariate analysis method of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for classification of bills in order to use it in forensic science. Bills of Dollar, Euro and Real (Brazilian currency) were measured directly at different colored regions, without any previous preparation. Spectra interpretation allowed the identification of Ca, Ti, Fe, Cu, Sr, Y, Zr and Pb. PCA analysis separated the bills in three groups and subgroups among Brazilian currency. In conclusion, the samples were classified according to its origin identifying the elements responsible for differentiation and basic pigment composition. PXRF allied to multivariate discriminate methods is a promising technique for rapid and no destructive identification of false bills in forensic science. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  17. Utility Bill Insert for Wastewater Services

    Science.gov (United States)

    Intended for use by wastewater and water supply utilities, one side of the utility bill insert has information for customers that discharge to sanitary sewer systems; the other side is for customers with septic systems.

  18. How to Bill Your Computer Services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dooskin, Herbert P.

    1981-01-01

    A computer facility billing procedure should be designed so that the full costs of a computer center operation are equitably charged to the users. Design criteria, costing methods, and management's role are discussed. (Author/MLF)

  19. Componentes C3 e C4 do sistema complemento como biomarcadores no diagnóstico de asma atópica intermitente

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tainá Mosca

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Analisar os componentes séricos C3 e C4 do sistema complemento como possíveis biomarcadores de asma atópica intermitente. MÉTODOS: Determinação dos níveis séricos dos componentes C3 e C4 do complemento em 70 crianças com história de "chiado no peito” entre 3 e 14 anos. Após 2 anos de acompanhamento ambulatorial, seguindo-se critérios de inclusão e exclusão, as crianças foram divididas em 2 grupos: 40 crianças com asma atópica intermitente e 30 crianças sem asma. Não houve uso de corticosteroides inalatórios ou sistêmicos ou de broncodilatadores de ação prolongada em nenhum dos grupos. Os dois grupos apresentaram faixas etárias semelhantes, comparadas pelo teste t de Student. Os resultados dos componentes C3 e C4 mostraram distribuição normal e foram então comparados utilizando-se o teste t de Student, considerando-se significante quando p < 0,05. RESULTADOS: Os valores observados no grupo de crianças portadoras de asma atópica intermitente mostraram aumentos significativos para: C3 em 85,0% das crianças; C4 em 87,5%; C3 e C4 em 72,5%; C3 ou C4 em 97,5%, quando comparados aos valores observados das crianças sem asma e da mesma faixa etária. CONCLUSÃO: Observamos um aumento dos valores séricos dos componentes C3 e/ou C4 do sistema complemento na maioria das crianças estudadas portadoras de asma atópica intermitente, em comparação aos valores de crianças sem asma, da mesma faixa etária. Concluímos que a presença de valores aumentados dos componentes C3 e/ou C4 do complemento possa representar um biomarcador no diagnóstico de asma atópica intermitente.

  20. Gravidez ectópica na cicatriz uterina de cesárea: relato de caso Cesarean scar ectopic pregnancy: a case report

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maurício de Souza Arruda

    2008-10-01

    Full Text Available Gravidez ectópica na cicatriz de cesárea é a forma mais rara de gravidez ectópica e provavelmente uma das mais perigosas em função dos riscos de ruptura e hemorragia volumosa. Essa situação deve ser diferenciada da gravidez cervical e de abortamento em curso, para que o tratamento apropriado seja imediatamente oferecido. Desde o advento da ultra-sonografia transvaginal, a gravidez ectópica na cicatriz de cesárea pode ser diagnosticada precocemente na gestação e, para isso o ultra-sonografista deve estar familiarizado com e atento aos critérios diagnósticos, especialmente em mulheres com cicatriz de cesárea prévia. Descrevemos aqui um caso de gravidez ectópica em cicatriz de cesárea, cujo diagnóstico foi tardio, havendo apresentação de involução espontânea.Ectopic pregnancy in a cesarean scar is the rarest form of ectopic pregnancy and probably the most dangerous one because of the risk of uterine rupture and massive hemorrhage. This condition must be distinguished from cervical pregnancy and spontaneous abortion in progress, so that the appropriate treatment can be immediately offered. Since the advent of endovaginal ultrasonography, ectopic pregnancy in a cesarean scar can be diagnosed early in pregnancy if the sonographer is familiarized with the diagnostic criteria of this situation, especially in women with previous cesarean scar. Here we describe a case of ectopic pregnancy in a cesarean scar in which the diagnosis was considerably late, with presentation of spontaneous regression.

  1. La comida típica dentro de la internacionalización de la oferta gastronómica en Bogotá

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Diana Marcela Valcárcel García

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Debido la importancia que Bogotá ha otorgado a la oferta gastronómica de Colombia durante los últimos veinte años, la ciudad se ha convertido en un espacio donde se dan cita sus habitantes y viajeros para satisfacer todos los gustos del paladar en los restaurantes que ofrecen los mejores platos de la comida internacional y, por supuesto, los que se enorgullecen de resaltar la comida típica colombiana. Gracias a la zonificación gastronómica de Bogotá, la proliferación de restaurantes se ha hecho más evidente, situación que moviliza un mayor número de personas dentro de las fronteras nacionales y que incluso atrae visitantes extranjeros con el único objetivo de conocer la oferta gastronómica que la ciudad ostenta. Los objetivos de este artículo son 1 exponer el análisis realizado sobre la permanencia en el sector gastronómico de los mejores restaurantes de comida típica colombiana en Bogotá y 2 dar a conocer las características administrativas, operativas y los factores de perdurabilidad de ellos, así como el posicionamiento que la comida típica colombiana ocupa actualmente y su protagonismo dentro del patrimonio nacional.

  2. Resposta cronotrópica ao teste anaeróbio máximo de corrida - MART

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Flávio Areal Lemos

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUÇÃO: A frequência cardíaca (FC no teste anaeróbio máximo de corrida (MART expressa o comportamento autonômico cardíaco em exercício. Ainda não foi investigado se tais respostas cronotrópicas apresentam associação com o desempenho aeróbio e anaeróbio. OBJETIVOS: Descrever a resposta cronotrópica cardíaca durante o MART nos segundos iniciais de estímulo (FC ON e de recuperação (FC OFF e estabelecer a associação entre as variáveis cronotrópicas com o desempenho aeróbio e anaeróbio. MÉTODOS: Foram voluntários 13 homens assintomáticos e fisicamente ativos, com 25,1 ± 4,9 anos, 76,8 ± 12,5 kg, 178,4 ± 9,0 cm e 50,6 ± 4,1 mL×kg‑1×min‑1. Na primeira visita, após a anamnese e medidas antropométricas, foi realizado um teste cardiopulmonar de exercício (TCPE com monitoração direta dos gases expirados. Na segunda visita, foi feita uma familiarização ao MART e na terceira, o teste de MART conduzido até a exaustão. RESULTADOS: A FC de recuperação (58 ± 20 bpm comparada à FC de pico alcançada no primeiro e no último estágio de MART (39 ± 14 bpm apresentou maior inclinação, resultando em maior amplitude de variação ao longo do teste, caracterizando diferenças significativas (P = 0,0017. A FC ON apresentou entre o momento inicial, meio e final do MART diferenças significativas (inicial versus final, p = 0,007. Para FC OFF foram encontradas diferenças significativas do início com o meio (p = 0,035 e do início com o final (p = 0,005 do teste. As correlações entre as variáveis cronotrópicas e de desempenho não apresentaram significância estatística (P < 0,05, assim como com as variáveis de desempenho. CONCLUSÃO: O MART parece ser um modelo de sobrecargas fisiológicas adequado para investigação da modulação autonômica cardíaca. Observou-se atuação do sistema parassimpático mesmo em cargas supramáximas até o final do teste.

  3. Cut Electric Bills by Controlling Demand

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grumman, David L.

    1974-01-01

    Electric bills can be reduced by lowering electric consumption and by controlling demand -- the amount of electricity used at a certain point in time. Gives tips to help reduce electric demand at peak power periods. (Author/DN)

  4. Fatores de risco para complicações perioperatórias em cirurgias endoscópicas com irrigação

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    João Manoel Silva Jr

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available JUSTIFICATIVA E OBJETIVOS: A medicina endoscópica está cada vez mais sendo usada atualmente, porém não é isenta de riscos. Portanto, este estudo avaliou os fatores associados com complicações perioperatórias em cirurgias endoscópicas com irrigação intraoperatória. MÉTODO: Estudo de coorte durante seis meses. Foram incluídos pacientes com > 18 anos, submetidos a cirurgias endoscópicas que usariam fluidos de irrigação no intraoperatório. Pacientes em uso de diuréticos, com insuficiência renal, distúrbios cognitivos, hiponatremia prévia a cirurgia, gestantes e moribundos foram excluídos. Foram alocados em dois grupos os pacientes que apresentaram complicações ou não no período perioperatório. As complicações avaliadas estavam relacionadas a alterações neurológicas, cardiovasculares, renais e sangramentos no perioperatório. RESULTADOS: Foram incluídos 181 pacientes e 39 excluídos, portanto 142 preencheram os critérios. Apresentaram complicações 21,8% dos pacientes, com maior ocorrência em cirurgias endoscópicas de próstata, seguidas de histeroscopias, bexiga, artroscopia de joelho e ombro, respectivamente 58,1%, 36,9%, 19,4%, 3,8% e 3,2%. Comparando os grupos, apresentaram associação com complicações na análise univariada; idade, sexo, tabagismo, cardiopatia, ASA, sódio sérico no fim da cirurgia, total de fluido de irrigação administrado, ressecção transuretral de próstata, histeroscopia. Entretanto, apenas idade (OR = 1,048, sódio sérico (OR = 0,962 e volume de fluido de irrigação administrado no intraoperatório (OR = 1,001 foram variáveis independentes para complicações na regressão múltipla. CONCLUSÃO: Graves complicações em cirurgias endoscópicas têm grande ocorrência. O sódio sérico no fim da operação, a quantidade de fluido de irrigação e a idade foram fortes fatores independentes associados ao problema. Dessa forma, tais fatores devem ser levados em considera

  5. Energy bill of France in 2002

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2003-01-01

    The energy situation in France is presented. Data and charts illustrate the prices evolution at the import for the petroleum and the other energies, the exchanged energies volume and the bill for each energy sector. (A.L.B.)

  6. House passes energy bill with one-step plant licensing

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1992-01-01

    The US House of Representatives which has traditionally been wary of measures that would allow nuclear power to expand, came down strongly on the side of nuclear when it approved a much-amended omnibus energy bill on May 27 by a vote of 381 to 37. The key for the nuclear industry is the presence in the bill (H.R. 776) of language on one-step power plant licensing that was taken directly from the Senate energy bill (S. 2166) that passed in February. This means that when the House and Senate work out a compromise version of the legislation, one-step licensing is almost certain to be carried through--and become law once the final bill is signed by President George Bush, which is expected later this year. The House's endorsement of nuclear power--both as it exists now, and as it could be with the introduction of new plant designs and an end to the long hiatus in plant orders by utilities--went beyond one-step licensing. Debate on the House floor prior to Memorial Day totally transformed the nuclear-related part of the energy bill. H.R. 776 was reported to the floor by the Rules Committee with language by the Interior and Insular Affairs Committee that would have created a nominal one-step system, with a full evidentiary hearing prior to plant construction but also allowing an intervenor who later presents new information on the plant to get another full evidentiary hearing after construction but before operation. This would effectively duplicate the two-step process that existed for all plants now in service, and which utilities no longer want to endure

  7. Isolation and characterization of avipoxviruses from wild birds in Western Australia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Annuar, B O; Mackenzie, J S; Lalor, P A

    1983-01-01

    Avipoxviruses were isolated from wart-like lesions in an Australian magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) and a silvereye (Zosterops lateralis), and the poxvirus aetiology of wart-like lesions in a magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca) was confirmed. The three viruses produced typical pock lesions on the chorioallantoic membrane of embryonated eggs and were able to replicate in trypsin-dispersed chick embryo fibroblast cultures but not confluent monolayer cultures. Pock neutralization and immunodiffusion studies showed that the three wild bird isolates were distinct from fowlpox, although antigenically closer to fowlpox than pigeonpox. The magpie and silvereye isolates were more closely related to each other than to the magpie-lark isolate.

  8. 19 CFR 24.34 - Vouchers; vendors' bills of sale; invoices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... that the above bill is correct and just and that payment has not been received. Vouchers, vendors... employee, in which case the voucher may be in the name of the officer or employee who made the payment. (c... 19 Customs Duties 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Vouchers; vendors' bills of sale; invoices. 24.34...

  9. Bill (declared urgency) asserting the national commitment for the environment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2009-01-01

    The bill asserting the French national commitment for the environment (also named 'Grenelle 2') is considered as the juridical tool-box of the French environmental policy. It confirms, strengthens, and concretizes the objectives defined by the Grenelle 1 law. The main dispositions of the bill concern the following domains: settlement and urbanism with the improvement of the energy efficiency, energy conservation and life-cycle of buildings; transports with the development of sustainable transportation systems; energy with the creation of regional climate, air and energy schemes with the aim of developing renewable energies (with some restrictions concerning wind power) and reducing CO 2 emissions; biodiversity with the creation of ecological pathways between protected areas for the migration of flora and fauna species; environment and waste management with the reinforcement of measures for the abatement of environmental pollutant effects. Among the numerous dispositions involving more than 20 codes (urbanism, environment, buildings etc..) one concerns the progressive implementation of a 'carbon price' index taking into account the greenhouse gas emission costs during the whole life cycle of a product, another one concerns the monitoring of indoor air quality in public buildings. This document is made of three parts. Part 1 is the exposition of the intentions of each article of the bill, part 2 is the bill itself and part 3 is the impact study of the bill in terms of economical, social and environmental impact. (J.S.)

  10. Educational Quality Bill of Rights

    Science.gov (United States)

    Center for Law and Education (NJ3), 2009

    2009-01-01

    This paper presents two forms of the Educational Quality Bill of Rights (EQBR). The first is a "one-page version", with a very brief single sentence identification of a key element of quality education in response to each of the key questions about the school (covering standards/learning goals, curriculum, instruction, etc.). The second is a "much…

  11. Endine FBI agent õpetab eestlasi allilma imbuma / Bill Moschella ; interv. Rasmus Kagge

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Moschella, Bill

    2004-01-01

    Ameerika Föderaalse Juurdlusbüroo (FBI) endine eriagent Bill Moschella hakkab treenima siinseid kriminaalpolitseinikke, õpetab, kuidas paremini tööd organiseerida ja kurjategijate paljastamiseks varioperatsioone korraldada. Lisa: Bill Moschella

  12. 41 CFR 102-118.45 - How does a transportation service provider (TSP) bill my agency for transportation and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... (b) Billing method (1)(i) Government issued agency charge card, (1) Bill from charge card company (may be electronic). (ii) Centrally billed travel account citation. (2)(i) Purchase order, (2) Bill from TSP (may be electronic). (ii) Bill of lading, (iii) Government Bill of Lading, (iv) Government...

  13. Ending commercial surrogacy in India: significance of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Timms, Olinda

    2018-01-01

    The introduction of the Surrogacy (Regulation) Bill, 2016 into Parliament, in August 2016, was a much-awaited response to citizen voices and human rights groups calling for action in the unregulated area of commercial surrogacy arrangements. Both houses of Parliament have reviewed the Bill, and its fate was to be decided in the Winter Session of Parliament, 2017. It is still unclear whether the Bill will come up for decision in the Budget Session that will reconvene on March 5, 2018. The market for infertility treatments has attracted to India global clients seeking access to surrogates and procedures at lower costs. The Bill seeks to protect the rights of women and children at risk of exploitation and commodification as third parties in infertility treatments that use assisted reproductive technologies. Can commercial surrogacy be allowed in a country where injustice, inequalities, and poorly implemented laws place vulnerable women and children at risk? The proposed Bill could shut the door on commercial surrogacy arrangements in India and bring regulation into this sector of medical services.

  14. Hospital billing for blood processing and transfusion for inpatient stays.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCue, Michael J; Nayar, Preethy

    2009-07-01

    Medicare, an important payer for hospitals, reimburses hospitals for inpatient stays using Diagnosis Related Groups (DRGs). Many private insurers also use the DRG methodology to reimburse hospitals for their services. Therefore, those blood service organizations that bill Medicare directly require an understanding of the DRG system of payment to enable them to bill Medicare correctly, and in order to be certain they are adequately reimbursed. Blood centers that do not bill Medicare directly need to understand how hospitals are reimbursed for blood and blood components as this affects a hospital's ability to pay service fees related to these products. This review presents a detailed explanation of how hospitals are reimbursed by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for Medicare inpatient services, including blood services.

  15. Towards an inter-domain billing system to support dynamic service provisioning

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Le, V.M.

    2009-01-01

    Today, billing is a big challenge for service providers. With a growing number of rich services such as music, mobile TV, Video-on-Demand and eHealth delivered to the mass market, service providers are missing business opportunities because current billing solutions are not fully capable. In

  16. 41 CFR 102-118.65 - Can my agency receive electronic billing for payment of transportation services?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... electronic billing for payment of transportation services? 102-118.65 Section 102-118.65 Public Contracts and... Transportation Services § 102-118.65 Can my agency receive electronic billing for payment of transportation... to use electronic billing for the procurement and billing of transportation services. ...

  17. The Status of Billing and Reimbursement in Pediatric Obesity Treatment Programs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Jane Simpson; Filigno, Stephanie Spear; Santos, Melissa; Ward, Wendy L.; Davis, Ann M.

    2014-01-01

    Pediatric psychologists provide behavioral health services to children and adolescents diagnosed with medical conditions. Billing and reimbursement have been problematic throughout the history of pediatric psychology, and pediatric obesity is no exception. The challenges and practices of pediatric psychologists working with obesity are not well understood. Health and behavior codes were developed as one potential solution to aid in the reimbursement of pediatric psychologists who treat the behavioral health needs of children with medical conditions. This commentary discusses the current state of billing and reimbursement in pediatric obesity treatment programs and presents themes that have emerged from discussions with colleagues. These themes include variability in billing practices from program to program, challenges with specific billing codes, variability in reimbursement from state to state and insurance plan to insurance plan, and a general lack of practitioner awareness of code issues or reimbursement rates. Implications and future directions are discussed in terms of research, training, and clinical service. PMID:23224661

  18. The status of billing and reimbursement in pediatric obesity treatment programs.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gray, Jane Simpson; Spear Filigno, Stephanie; Santos, Melissa; Ward, Wendy L; Davis, Ann M

    2013-07-01

    Pediatric psychologists provide behavioral health services to children and adolescents diagnosed with medical conditions. Billing and reimbursement have been problematic throughout the history of pediatric psychology, and pediatric obesity is no exception. The challenges and practices of pediatric psychologists working with obesity are not well understood. Health and behavior codes were developed as one potential solution to aid in the reimbursement of pediatric psychologists who treat the behavioral health needs of children with medical conditions. This commentary discusses the current state of billing and reimbursement in pediatric obesity treatment programs and presents themes that have emerged from discussions with colleagues. These themes include variability in billing practices from program to program, challenges with specific billing codes, variability in reimbursement from state to state and insurance plan to insurance plan, and a general lack of practitioner awareness of code issues or reimbursement rates. Implications and future directions are discussed in terms of research, training, and clinical service.

  19. Concordance of chart and billing data with direct observation in dental practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Demko, Catherine A; Victoroff, Kristin Zakariasen; Wotman, Stephen

    2008-10-01

    The commonly used methods of chart review, billing data summaries and practitioner self-reporting have not been examined for their ability to validly and reliably represent time use and service delivery in routine dental practice. A more thorough investigation of these data sources would provide insight into the appropriateness of each approach for measuring various clinical behaviors. The aim of this study was to assess the validity of commonly used methods such as dental chart review, billing data, or practitioner self-report compared with a 'gold standard' of information derived from direct observation of routine dental visits. A team of trained dental hygienists directly observed 3751 patient visits in 120 dental practices and recorded the behaviors and procedures performed by dentists and hygienists during patient contact time. Following each visit, charts and billing records were reviewed for the performed and billed procedures. Dental providers characterized their frequency of preventive service delivery through self-administered surveys. We standardized the observation and abstraction methods to obtain optimal measures from each of the multiple data sources. Multi-rater kappa coefficients were computed to monitor standardization, while sensitivity, specificity, and kappa coefficients were calculated to compare the various data sources with direct observation. Chart audits were more sensitive than billing data for all observed procedures and demonstrated higher agreement with directly observed data. Chart and billing records were not sensitive for several prevention-related tasks (oral cancer screening and oral hygiene instruction). Provider self-reports of preventive behaviors were always over-estimated compared with direct observation. Inter-method reliability kappa coefficients for 13 procedures ranged from 0.197 to 0.952. These concordance findings suggest that strengths and weaknesses of data collection sources should be considered when investigating

  20. Organizational Contexts and Texts: The Redesign of the Midwest Bell Telephone Bill.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keller-Cohen, Deborah

    1987-01-01

    Offers a retrospective view of organizational factors affecting the redesign of the Midwest Bell Telephone Bill. Shows how financial considerations, organizational time frame, and employee training and experience influenced the bill's development process. (MM)

  1. Eficacia y seguridad de la Intubación Fibroscópica

    OpenAIRE

    Solaz Roldán, María Cristina

    2015-01-01

    Cuando está indicada la intubación endotraqueal, la intubación fibroscópica es la técnica de elección para asegurar la vía aérea en presencia de una vía aérea difícil conocida o sospechada. La utilización de los fibroscopios sigue siendo escasa debido a que se suele realizar en pacientes despiertos, a que se tarda más tiempo en su realización, y a que su aprendizaje está poco reglado, lo cual dificulta el aprendizaje. Para poder realizar el aprendizaje se necesita sedación profunda de los pac...

  2. Bill Gates vil redde Folkeskolen

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fejerskov, Adam Moe

    2014-01-01

    Det amerikanske uddannelsessystem bliver for tiden udsat for hård kritik, ledt an af Microsoft stifteren Bill Gates. Gates har indtil videre brugt 3 mia. kroner på at skabe opbakning til tiltag som præstationslønning af lærere og strømlining af pensum på tværs af alle skoler i landet...

  3. Timing of Clinical Billing Reimbursement for a Local Health Department.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McCullough, J Mac

    2016-01-01

    A major responsibility of a local health department (LHD) is to assure public health service availability throughout its jurisdiction. Many LHDs face expanded service needs and declining budgets, making billing for services an increasingly important strategy for sustaining public health service provision. Yet, little practice-based data exist to guide practitioners on what to expect financially, especially regarding timing of reimbursement receipt. This study provides results from one LHD on the lag from service delivery to reimbursement receipt. Reimbursement records for all transactions at Maricopa County Department of Public Health immunization clinics from January 2013 through June 2014 were compiled and analyzed to determine the duration between service and reimbursement. Outcomes included daily and cumulative revenues received. Time to reimbursement for Medicaid and private payers was also compared. Reimbursement for immunization services was received a median of 68 days after service. Payments were sometimes taken back by payers through credit transactions that occurred a median of 333 days from service. No differences in time to reimbursement between Medicaid and private payers were found. Billing represents an important financial opportunity for LHDs to continue to sustainably assure population health. Yet, the lag from service provision to reimbursement may complicate budgeting, especially in initial years of new billing activities. Special consideration may be necessary to establish flexibility in the budget-setting processes for services with clinical billing revenues, because funds for services delivered in one budget period may not be received in the same period. LHDs may also benefit from exploring strategies used by other delivery organizations to streamline billing processes.

  4. 47 CFR 76.985 - Subscriber bill itemization.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ...) The amount of the total bill assessed as a franchise fee and the identity of the franchising authority... fees and costs itemized pursuant to this section. (c) Local franchising authorities may adopt...

  5. 41 CFR 101-26.607 - Billings.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Billings. 101-26.607 Section 101-26.607 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System FEDERAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT REGULATIONS SUPPLY AND PROCUREMENT 26-PROCUREMENT SOURCES AND PROGRAM 26.6...

  6. Dinâmica das relações em famílias com um membro portador de dermatite atópica: um estudo qualitativo Dinámica de las relaciones en familias con un miembro portador de dermatitis atópica: un estudio cualitativo Dynamics of relationship in families with a bearer of atopic dermatitis: a qualitative study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vinícius Renato Thomé Ferreira

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available A dermatite atópica é uma doença alérgica de pele que atinge cada vez mais pessoas a cada ano, o que acaba por exigir mais pesquisas para minimizar seu impacto social. É reconhecida a presença de fatores psicológicos no curso deste quadro, especialmente do estresse e da ansiedade, que agem sobre o funcionamento do sistema imune; esta influência dos aspectos emocionais caracterizaria a dermatite atópica como quadro psicossomático. Investigaram-se qualitativamente, a partir de uma entrevista semi-estruturada, as vivências de três famílias em relação à dermatite atópica e elementos da dinâmica familiar com um membro portador desse quadro, a saber, um dos filhos. As famílias relataram que a dermatite atópica trouxe prejuízos psicológicos e sociais importantes, e a dinâmica familiar influencia e é influenciada pela freqüência e intensidade dos sintomas, pelo acréscimo de estresse, além de interferir nas comunicações familiares e relacionamento entre os membros.La dermatitis atópica es una enfermedad alérgica de piel que afecta cada vez más personas, lo que acaba por exigir más pesquisas para minimizar su impacto social. Es reconocida la presencia de factores psicológicos en el curso de este cuadro, especialmente el estrés y la ansiedad, que actúan sobre el funcionamiento del sistema inmune; esta influencia de los aspectos emocionales caracterizaría la dermatitis atópica como cuadro psicosomático. Se investigó cualitativamente, a partir de una entrevista semiestructurada, las vivencias de tres familias en relación con la dermatitis atópica y elementos de la dinámica familiar con un miembro portador de ese cuadro, o sea, uno de los hijos. Las familias relataron que la dermatitis atópica acarreó daños psicológicos y sociales importantes, y la dinámica familiar es influenciada e influencia la frecuencia e intensidad de los síntomas por el incremento de estrés, además de interferir en las comunicaciones

  7. Identifying western yellow-billed cuckoo breeding habitat with a dual modelling approach

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Matthew J.; Hatten, James R.; Holmes, Jennifer A.; Shafroth, Patrick B.

    2017-01-01

    The western population of the yellow-billed cuckoo (Coccyzus americanus) was recently listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. Yellow-billed cuckoo conservation efforts require the identification of features and area requirements associated with high quality, riparian forest habitat at spatial scales that range from nest microhabitat to landscape, as well as lower-suitability areas that can be enhanced or restored. Spatially explicit models inform conservation efforts by increasing ecological understanding of a target species, especially at landscape scales. Previous yellow-billed cuckoo modelling efforts derived plant-community maps from aerial photography, an expensive and oftentimes inconsistent approach. Satellite models can remotely map vegetation features (e.g., vegetation density, heterogeneity in vegetation density or structure) across large areas with near perfect repeatability, but they usually cannot identify plant communities. We used aerial photos and satellite imagery, and a hierarchical spatial scale approach, to identify yellow-billed cuckoo breeding habitat along the Lower Colorado River and its tributaries. Aerial-photo and satellite models identified several key features associated with yellow-billed cuckoo breeding locations: (1) a 4.5 ha core area of dense cottonwood-willow vegetation, (2) a large native, heterogeneously dense forest (72 ha) around the core area, and (3) moderately rough topography. The odds of yellow-billed cuckoo occurrence decreased rapidly as the amount of tamarisk cover increased or when cottonwood-willow vegetation was limited. We achieved model accuracies of 75–80% in the project area the following year after updating the imagery and location data. The two model types had very similar probability maps, largely predicting the same areas as high quality habitat. While each model provided unique information, a dual-modelling approach provided a more complete picture of yellow-billed cuckoo habitat

  8. Thoughts on the Roots and Evolution of the Bill of Rights.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Robinson, Donald; And Others

    1991-01-01

    Considers how the Bill of Rights originated and has evolved. Reviews the political views of Alexander Hamilton and James Madison and the nature of their support for the Bill of Rights. Explains nineteenth-century classical liberalism and its revolutionary view that political power inhered in the individual rather than in property ownership. (CH)

  9. 34 CFR 674.48 - Use of contractors to perform billing and collection or other program activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... all funds collected by its employees and contractors. (c) If an institution uses a billing service to carry out billing procedures under § 674.43, the institution shall ensure that the service— (1) Provides... paragraph (f) of this section. (e) If an institution uses a billing service to carry out § 674.43 (billing...

  10. The bill project on energy transition: what will happen to renewable energies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Darson, Alice

    2015-01-01

    The author comments and discusses the content of the French bill project on energy transition, and the controversies on this bill project within the French Parliament. She addresses the objectives of the bill project (share of renewable energies, case of overseas territories), the issue of building construction and renovation, the issue of transports (fleet size, electric vehicles, use of renewable energy), the development of renewable energies (notably for overseas territories, issue of mandatory purchase, issue of connection), the simplification and clarification of procedures, and the possibility for citizen, enterprises, territories and State to act together

  11. Rising Billing for Intermediate Intensive Care among Hospitalized Medicare Beneficiaries between 1996 and 2010.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sjoding, Michael W; Valley, Thomas S; Prescott, Hallie C; Wunsch, Hannah; Iwashyna, Theodore J; Cooke, Colin R

    2016-01-15

    Intermediate care (i.e., step-down or progressive care) is an alternative to the intensive care unit (ICU) for patients with moderate severity of illness. The adoption and current use of intermediate care is unknown. To characterize trends in intermediate care use among U.S. hospitals. We examined 135 million acute care hospitalizations among elderly individuals (≥65 yr) enrolled in fee-for-service Medicare (U.S. federal health insurance program) from 1996 to 2010. We identified patients receiving intermediate care as those with intensive care or coronary care room and board charges labeled intermediate ICU. In 1996, a total of 960 of the 3,425 hospitals providing critical care billed for intermediate care (28%), and this increased to 1,643 of 2,783 hospitals (59%) in 2010 (P billed for intermediate care, but billing steadily increased to 22.8% by 2010 (P billed for ICU care and ward-only care declined. Patients billed for intermediate care had more acute organ failures diagnoses codes compared with general ward patients (22.4% vs. 15.8%). When compared with patients billed for ICU care, those billed for intermediate care had fewer organ failures (22.4% vs. 43.4%), less mechanical ventilation (0.9% vs. 16.7%), lower mean Medicare spending ($8,514 vs. $18,150), and lower 30-day mortality (5.6% vs. 16.5%) (P billing increased markedly between 1996 and 2010. These findings highlight the need to better define the value, specific practices, and effective use of intermediate care for patients and hospitals.

  12. First Red-billed Quelea breeding record in the winter rainfall region ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    This note documents the first breeding of Red-billed Quelea in the winter rainfall region of South Africa. A colony of 350–600 nests was found, with evidence of recent breeding. Red-billed Quelea numbers were low in this region, but if numbers increase in the future in the Western Cape, winter crops could be under threat.

  13. SU-A-210-01: Why Should We Learn Radiation Oncology Billing?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, H.

    2015-01-01

    The purpose of this student annual meeting is to address topics that are becoming more relevant to medical physicists, but are not frequently addressed, especially for students and trainees just entering the field. The talk is divided into two parts: medical billing and regulations. Hsinshun Wu – Why should we learn radiation oncology billing? Many medical physicists do not like to be involved with medical billing or coding during their career. They believe billing is not their responsibility and sometimes they even refuse to participate in the billing process if given the chance. This presentation will talk about a physicist’s long career and share his own experience that knowing medical billing is not only important and necessary for every young medical physicist, but that good billing knowledge could provide a valuable contribution to his/her medical physics development. Learning Objectives: The audience will learn the basic definition of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes performed in a Radiation Oncology Department. Understand the differences between hospital coding and physician-based or freestanding coding. Apply proper CPT coding for each Radiation Oncology procedure. Each procedure with its specific CPT code will be discussed in detail. The talk will focus on the process of care and use of actual workflow to understand each CPT code. Example coding of a typical Radiation Oncology procedure. Special procedure coding such as brachytherapy, proton therapy, radiosurgery, and SBRT. Maryann Abogunde – Medical physics opportunities at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) The NRC’s responsibilities include the regulation of medical uses of byproduct (radioactive) materials and oversight of medical use end-users (licensees) through a combination of regulatory requirements, licensing, safety oversight including inspection and enforcement, operational experience evaluation, and regulatory support activities. This presentation will explore the

  14. SU-A-210-01: Why Should We Learn Radiation Oncology Billing?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wu, H. [Willis-Knighton Medical Center (United States)

    2015-06-15

    The purpose of this student annual meeting is to address topics that are becoming more relevant to medical physicists, but are not frequently addressed, especially for students and trainees just entering the field. The talk is divided into two parts: medical billing and regulations. Hsinshun Wu – Why should we learn radiation oncology billing? Many medical physicists do not like to be involved with medical billing or coding during their career. They believe billing is not their responsibility and sometimes they even refuse to participate in the billing process if given the chance. This presentation will talk about a physicist’s long career and share his own experience that knowing medical billing is not only important and necessary for every young medical physicist, but that good billing knowledge could provide a valuable contribution to his/her medical physics development. Learning Objectives: The audience will learn the basic definition of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes performed in a Radiation Oncology Department. Understand the differences between hospital coding and physician-based or freestanding coding. Apply proper CPT coding for each Radiation Oncology procedure. Each procedure with its specific CPT code will be discussed in detail. The talk will focus on the process of care and use of actual workflow to understand each CPT code. Example coding of a typical Radiation Oncology procedure. Special procedure coding such as brachytherapy, proton therapy, radiosurgery, and SBRT. Maryann Abogunde – Medical physics opportunities at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) The NRC’s responsibilities include the regulation of medical uses of byproduct (radioactive) materials and oversight of medical use end-users (licensees) through a combination of regulatory requirements, licensing, safety oversight including inspection and enforcement, operational experience evaluation, and regulatory support activities. This presentation will explore the

  15. A critical analysis of the End of Life Choice Bill 2013.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Richmond, David E

    2014-07-04

    This paper aims to alert medical practitioners to the legal and ethical problems that passage of the End of Life Choice Bill (which seeks to legalise euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide) would have for them in New Zealand. Although sponsor MP Maryan Street withdrew the Bill on political grounds in October 2013, she has pledged to reintroduce the Bill after the next Parliamentary elections and remains committed to its objectives. A clause by clause analysis of the Bill was undertaken from a clinical perspective, following the sequence of requesting, validating, providing and reporting episodes of euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide rather than following the administrative sequence in which the Bill has been drawn up for Parliamentary debate. Where possible, the experience of other jurisdictions where these end of life options are legal has been drawn upon to enable inferences to be drawn as to the likely effects of the legislation. The analysis supporting this paper reveals that the legislation would: make it possible for virtually any person over the age of 18 to request and receive euthanasia provided they took care in the way they phrased the request, expose medical practitioners who attempted to deter applicants too vigorously to the possibility of legal action on the grounds of attempting to frustrate the applicant's wishes, compromise the ability of practitioners to opt out on conscience grounds, allow the easy circumvention of reporting requirements for each event, provide minimal protection against some people suffering euthanasia without consent or request, and exempt medical practitioners providing euthanasia services from prosecution for any action in the provision of such services, even if they were negligent. The branch of medical practice that specialises in killing people would be the least regulated of all. If passed into legislation, the End of Life Choice Bill will create the most momentous changes to clinical practice and the regulation

  16. Pistas dermatoscópicas para diferenciar a tricotilomania da alopecia areata em placa

    OpenAIRE

    Abraham,Leonardo Spagnol; Torres,Fernanda Nogueira; Azulay-Abulafia,Luna

    2010-01-01

    INTRODUÇÃO: Tricotilomania e alopecia areata em placa possuem características clínicas e dermatoscópicas semelhantes. OBSERVAÇÕES: O exame dermatoscópico da tricotilomania revela densidade capilar diminuída, cabelos fraturados em diferentes tamanhos, enovelados e vellus, tricoptilose, pontos amarelos com ou sem pontos pretos e ausência de cabelos em "ponto de exclamação". CONCLUSÃO: No contexto de alopecia em placa e cabelos fraturados, a ausência de "pontos de exclamação" sugere o diagnóstic...

  17. Dynamic Salience with Intermittent Billing: Evidence from Smart Electricity Meters

    OpenAIRE

    Ben Gilbert; Joshua S. Graff Zivin

    2013-01-01

    Digital tracking and the proliferation of automated payments have made intermittent billing more commonplace, and the frequency at which consumers receive price, quantity, or total expenditure signals may distort their choices. This category of goods has expanded from household utilities, toll road access and software downloads to standard consumption goods paid by credit card or other "bill-me-later"-type systems. Yet we know surprisingly little about how these payment patterns affect decisi...

  18. The Partnership Bill 2003: unnecessary tinkering or much-needed reform?

    OpenAIRE

    Berry, E

    2005-01-01

    Purpose - To examine the nature and merits of the proposed changes to partnership law contained in the draft Partnership Bill published in the Law Commission's Partnership Law Report (2003). Design/methodology/approach - Sets out how the proposed Bill differs from the current law of partnership (contained in the Partnership Act 1890 and the Limited Partnerships Act 1907), looking at the definition of 'partnership', the introduction of separate legal personality, the provisions governing partn...

  19. Descrição macroscópica da musculatura dos membros do Tupinambis merianae

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juliana Barbosa Casals

    2011-10-01

    Full Text Available http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/2175-7925.2012v25n1p103 O lagarto teiú (Tupinambis merianae pertence à família Teiidae. Distribui-se ao longo das Américas, com numerosas espécies, inclusive no Brasil. São do gênero Tupinambis, os maiores representantes da família Teiidae. Para este estudo foram utilizados três animais (atropelados provenientes de doação. Os lagartos dissecados foram fixados em formol 10%, e a análise macroscópica foi realizada de forma detalhada e fotodocumentada, guardando as estruturas selecionadas “in situ”. Este trabalho teve como principal objetivo contribuir com a descrição macroscópica da miologia peitoral e dos membros torácico e pélvico do lagarto T. merianae. Os resultados obtidos nesta pesquisa foram comparados com autores que estudaram animais da mesma classe Reptilia. Com isso, concluímos que nossos resultados macroscópicos assemelham-se aos já descritos pelos pesquisadores Hildebrand (1995, Moro e Abdala, (2004 e Abdala e Diogo (2010. Devemos ressaltar que o conhecimento da anatomia tem importâncias e aplicações em diversas áreas dentro da Biologia, contribuindo de maneira substancial para as áreas da saúde humana e da tecnologia.

  20. Insights into Andean slope hydrology: reservoir characteristics of the thermal Pica spring system, Pampa del Tamarugal, northern Chile

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scheihing, Konstantin W.; Moya, Claudio E.; Tröger, Uwe

    2017-09-01

    The thermal Pica springs, at ˜1,400 m above sea level (asl) in the Pampa del Tamarugal (Chile), represent a low-saline spring system at the eastern margin of the hyper-arid Atacama Desert, where groundwater resources are scarce. This study investigates the hydrogeological and geothermal characteristics of their feed reservoir, fostered by the interpretation of a 20-km east-west-heading reflection-seismic line in the transition zone from the Andean Precordillera to the Pampa del Tamarugal. Additional hydrochemical, isotope and hydrologic time-series data support the integrated analysis. One of the main factors that enabled the development of the spring-related vertical fracture system at Pica, is a disruption zone in the Mesozoic Basement caused by intrusive formations. This destabilized the younger Oligocene units under the given tectonic stress conditions; thus, the respective groundwater reservoir is made up of fractured Oligocene units of low to moderate permeability. Groundwater recharge takes place in the Precordillera at ˜3,800 m asl. From there groundwater flow covers a height difference of ˜3,000 m with a maximum circulation depth of ˜800-950 m, where the waters obtain their geothermal imprint. The maximal expected reservoir temperature, as confirmed by geothermometers, is ˜55 °C. Corrected mean residence times of spring water and groundwater plot at 1,200-4,300 years BP and yield average interstitial velocities of 6.5-22 m/year. At the same time, the hydraulic head signal, as induced by recharge events in the Precordillera, is transmitted within 20-24 months over a distance of ˜32 km towards the Andean foothills at Pica and Puquio Nunez.

  1. Polyurethane foam pica in a patient with excessive interdialytic weight gain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Iyasere, Osasuyi; Allington, Ying; Cafferkey, Michele

    2010-01-01

    Maintaining fluid balance in haemodialysis patients is important because of the adverse effects of excessive interdialytic weight gain. This often requires fluid restriction that patients often struggle with. We report a case of a 31-year-old female diabetic patient on haemodialysis with repeated excessive interdialytic weight gains despite fluid restriction and dry weight adjustment. It was subsequently discovered that she devised an unusual, albeit unsuccessful, strategy of eating the polyurethane foam from her dialysis chair while increasing her fluid intake hoping that it would absorb excess water in the gut! This under-diagnosed phenomenon known as pica has been reported in renal patients with substances such as ice, clay and baking soda. PMID:22767521

  2. Linfadenectomia laparoscópica em cadela com neoplasia mamária Laparoscopic lymphadenectomy in a bitch with breast cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fernando Wiecheteck de Souza

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available A linfadenectomia laparoscópica é realizada de forma rotineira na medicina, contudo é pouco utilizada na veterinária. Neste relato, um canino fêmea apresentando tumores na cadeia mamária esquerda (M4 e M5, foi submetido à aplicação intradérmica do azul de metileno estéril, ao redor do maior tumor (M5, buscando-se demarcação dos vasos linfáticos e linfonodos regionais. Após 15 minutos, iniciou-se a linfadenectomia abdominal videolaparoscópica na região inguinal esquerda, seguida da ovário-histerectomia (OVH lapararoscópica com três portais. Realizou-se ainda mastectomia total unilateral esquerda. Pela histologia, obtiveram-se dois linfonodos abdominais livres de células tumorais. A paciente não apresentou recidiva em 60 dias.The laparoscopic lymphadenectomy is routinely performed in medicine, but not in veterinary medicine. This report describes a case of female canine with tumors in the left mammary chain (M4 and M5, which was subjected to intra-dermal application of sterile methylene blue, around the largest tumor (M5 which tried to demarcate the lymphatic vessels and regional lymph nodes. After 15 minutes, laparoscopic lymphadenectomy involving the abdominal in the left pelvic region started, followed by laparoscopic ovariohysterctomy (OVH using three portals access. It was also performed an unilateral left total mastectomy. For histology, two abdominal lymph nodes were free of tumor cells. The patient had no recurrence in 60 days.

  3. 42 CFR 405.515 - Reimbursement for clinical laboratory services billed by physicians.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 2 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Reimbursement for clinical laboratory services... Criteria for Determining Reasonable Charges § 405.515 Reimbursement for clinical laboratory services billed... limitation on reimbursement for markups on clinical laboratory services billed by physicians. If a physician...

  4. 2004 energy bill of the France

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2005-01-01

    This document analyzes the energy bill in France (28,35 milliards of euros), which increased of 24,1 % in 2004. This increase is due to the net imports and especially the fossil fuels. Statistical data and the presentation of Patrick Devedjian, delegated ministry for the Industry, illustrate this economic analysis. (A.L.B.)

  5. Alimentación temprana en pacientes aleatorizados poscolecistectomía laparascópica electiva en los Hospitales Vicente Corral Moscoso y José Carrasco Arteaga. 2013

    OpenAIRE

    Martínez Calderón, Hernán Patricio

    2014-01-01

    Objetivo: determinar los beneficios de la alimentación temprana en los pacientes sometidos a cirugía electiva de colecistectomía laparoscópica en los hospitales Vicente Corral Moscoso y José Carrasco Arteaga Metodología: se trató de unestudio de tipo experimental. La población de estudio fueron los pacientes de 18 a 60 años con indicaciones de colecistectomía laparoscópica, que acudieron al servicio de cirugía de los Hospitales Vicente Corral Moscoso y José Carrasco Arteaga, que fueron int...

  6. Spatial distribution of Corvidae in transformed landscapes of Zhytomyr region

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    A. V. Matsyura

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The spatial distribution and abundance of Corvidae species was studied in Zhytomyr region with a focus on rural and urban differences in the studied parameters. We selected Rook (Corvus frugilegus L., Western Jackdaw (C. monedula L., Hooded Crow (C. cornix L., Eurasian Magpie (Pica pica L., Eurasian Jay (Garrulus glandarius L., and Common Raven (Corvus corax L.. All observations were made during 2009–2012. During the study period some 38 survey paths of more than 8,000 km were surveyed in 21 settlements of Zhytomyr region, among them 13 were in Zhytomyr city. The aim of our study was to establish the number and density of Corvidae in different seasons in the settlements of Zhytomyr region along a rural-urban gradient. The average density of Rooks was 55.9 ind./km2. We also found a strong correlation between Rook density and the rural-urban gradient and observed that the number of Rooks wintering in cities significantly increased due to the influx from villages. The peak number of Rooks in villages was registered in the breeding and post-breeding season while in the cities it was high in winter and during the spring migration. The average density of Eurasian Magpie in the study area was 8.7 ind./km2 and had a weak correlation with the urban-rural gradient. The density of Eurasian Magpies in urban areas differs significantly only from the density of birds in villages with a population of ca. 1,000 people. The density of Magpies varied insignificantly within a narrow range during the three years of research, remaining relatively stable, which suggests that the species successfully adjusts to conditions in transformed landscapes. The urban-rural gradient significantly affects the density of Hooded Crows. The average density of birds in towns was 6.6 ind./km2. In breeding period the urban birds had a low density and rural crows, on the contrary, had a high density, the density of birds in the nesting period was greater than in autumn and winter

  7. Experiencias Atípicas Psicóticas y Cuasi-Psicóticas en Adolescentes Puertorriqueños/as Deprimidos/as: Prevalencia y Factores Asociados

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yaritza M. López-Robledo

    2009-01-01

    Full Text Available Se examinó la prevalencia de experiencias atípicas psicóticas y cuasi-psicóticas y se identificaron factores asociados a éstas en 162 jóvenes puertorriqueños/as entre 13 y 17.5 años. Se evaluó la sintomatología depresiva, la ideación suicida, así como la presencia o historia de experiencias atípicas, eventos traumáticos y maltrato o abuso. Las experiencias atípicas estuvieron asociadas (p<.05 a ser fémina, a tener enfermedades físicas, a experimentar eventos traumáticos, a haber recibido tratamiento para la depresión, y a una sintomatología depresiva e ideación suicida elevada. Los eventos traumáticos, el tratamiento farmacológico para la depresión y la severidad de la ideación suicida fueron predictores significativos del número de experiencias reportadas. Los resultados confirman que la mayoría de las experiencias no son psicóticas. Se discuten las implicaciones para la evaluación y el tratamiento de jóvenes deprimidos/as.

  8. Impact of Rate Design Alternatives on Residential Solar Customer Bills. Increased Fixed Charges, Minimum Bills and Demand-based Rates

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bird, Lori [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Davidson, Carolyn [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); McLaren, Joyce [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Miller, John [National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

    2015-09-01

    With rapid growth in energy efficiency and distributed generation, electric utilities are anticipating stagnant or decreasing electricity sales, particularly in the residential sector. Utilities are increasingly considering alternative rates structures that are designed to recover fixed costs from residential solar photovoltaic (PV) customers with low net electricity consumption. Proposed structures have included fixed charge increases, minimum bills, and increasingly, demand rates - for net metered customers and all customers. This study examines the electricity bill implications of various residential rate alternatives for multiple locations within the United States. For the locations analyzed, the results suggest that residential PV customers offset, on average, between 60% and 99% of their annual load. However, roughly 65% of a typical customer's electricity demand is non-coincidental with PV generation, so the typical PV customer is generally highly reliant on the grid for pooling services.

  9. Looking for the invisible universe - Black matter, black energy, black holes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Elbaz, David

    2016-01-01

    As the discovery of the expansion of the universe and of black holes put the study of cosmology into question again because it now refers to invisible things such as black holes, black energy and black matter, the author proposes an other view on the universe within such a context. He first discusses these three enigmas of black matter, black energy and black holes. In a second part, he addresses, discusses and comments five illusions: the Uranian illusion (questions of the existence of an anti-world, of black matter temperature), the Mercurian illusion (quantum gravity, the string theory), the Martian illusion (a patchwork universe, the illusion of the infinite), the cosmic Maya (the John Wheeler's cup, the holographic universe), and the narcissistic illusion

  10. Nr 150 - Private bill introducing a progressive energy tariff

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brottes, Francois; Le Roux, Bruno

    2012-01-01

    This document presents a private bill which, by introducing a progressive energy tariff, aims at speeding up energy transition (by inciting households to reduce their consumption, notably by insulating their housing), and at addressing the ineluctable issue of energy price increase. This private bill notably applies a bonus-malus concept by defining an energy consumption threshold which is to be determined by means of several parameters related to climate, housing occupancy, heating mode. This raises several issues concerning for example housing insulation of rented housing. All these aspects lead to a rather complex process to define and implement such a progressive pricing approach

  11. Christian Librarians and the Ethics of the Library Bill of Rights

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Scott Kaihoi

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available This study is the follow up to a pilot study entitled “Christian Librarians and the Library Bill of Rights: a survey of opinions and professional practice” published in the Spring 2014 issue of The Christian Librarian.  Using an online survey, it sought to discover how librarians working in a variety of contexts who self-identified as Christians responded to the ALA’s ethical standards as embodied in the Library Bill of Rights.  The results showed general support for the Library Bill of Rights and its ethics, though a majority of respondents had at least some way in which they adhered to the Library Bill of Rights less than fully, and a significant minority (around 40% had areas in which they differed with its ethics, usually in the form of feeling that certain types of content (e.g., pornography, harmful materials, etc. could or should be limited.  The responses in this survey would seem to support the notion that many Christian librarians do sometimes perceive a need to place the value of defending what they perceive to be true and right above the call to remain professionally impartial about certain kinds of content.

  12. 47 CFR 64.1510 - Billing and collection of pay-per-call and similar service charges.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... Pay-Per-Call and Other Information Services § 64.1510 Billing and collection of pay-per-call and... pay-per-call services and offering billing and collection services to such provider shall: (1) Ensure... 47 Telecommunication 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Billing and collection of pay-per-call and...

  13. Cirugía endoscópica urológica asistida por robot

    OpenAIRE

    Castillo, Octavio; Ahualli, Carlos Javier; Sánchez-Salas, Rafael; Vidal, Ivar; Campos, Rodrigo; Feria-Flores, Miguel; Sepúlveda, Francisco

    2008-01-01

    Objetivo: La evaluación comprensiva de los procedimientos quirúrgicos sigue siendo la piedra angular del control de calidad. La Cirugía Robótica se ha convertido en una popular opción quirúrgica en urología. Realizamos una revisión de la literatura médica en Inglés de Cirugía urológica endoscópica robóticamente asistida (CUERA) con el fin de evaluar las tendencias de las publicaciones médicas en relación con este tema. Métodos: La información para este estudio se obtuvo mediante búsquedas en ...

  14. 基于互联网票据理财谈商业银行票据资管%Commercial Bank's Bill Asset Management Based on Internet Bill Financing

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    艾瑶

    2015-01-01

    本文运用比较分析的方法对当前主要的互联网票据理财平台的运作模式归纳总结,并以阿里招财宝为例详细分析银行角色和风险,最后从票据电子化、发挥银行票源优势、组建银行系票据理财平台等方面提出建议,以期对商业银行的票据资产管理业务提供启发.%In this paper, we use the method of comparative analysis to summarize the operation mode of the main Internet bills financing platforms, and analyze the role and risk of the bank in detail by taking Ali trick treasure as an example. Finally, the paper puts forward suggestions on Commercial bank's bill asset management from the aspects of the electronic bills, the bank's ticket source and the formation of Bank bill financing platform.

  15. A Lifetime of Geodesy and Geophysics: In Rememberence of Bill Kaula

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, David E.

    2000-01-01

    In the early 1960's the secrets that knowledge of the Earth's gravity field would eventually reveal about the processes that govern our planet were yet to be appreciated. It was the beginning of a new science known as space geodesy, which arose at a time when most efforts were devoted to understanding how to extract precise measurements of Earth structure and motions from an orbiting spacecraft. Bill Kaula was central to that beginning and showed the way for many who were to follow, both in time and in the development of approaches most likely to yield results. Bill laid out the theory, analyzed the data, and argued strenuously for a spacecraft mission devoted to measuring gravity to make it all come true in the way he knew it really could. That mission, GRACE, was a long time coming and Bill would not see its final staging, but his influence in making it happen was everywhere. With time, the concepts for measuring the static gravity field of the Earth and terrestrial planets became well advanced, although not universally agreed upon, and certainly not by Bill, who was always eager to argue and challenge traditional methods and thinking. The extension of space geodetic techniques to the planets and the development of new techniques to measure time variations in gravity have recently brought geodesy even closer to the geophysical processes that Bill sought to understand. This presentation will contain a little geodesy, a little history, and a little reminiscing about the leader in our field.

  16. Chart Smart: A Need for Documentation and Billing Education Among Emergency Medicine Residents?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brian Dawson, MD

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Objective: The healthcare chart is becoming ever more complex, serving clinicians, patients, third party payers, regulators, and even medicolegal parties. The purpose of this study was to identify our emergency medicine (EM resident and attending physicians’ current knowledge and attitudes about billing and documentation practices. We hypothesized that resident and attending physicians would identify billing and documentation as an area in which residents need further education.Methods: We gave a 15-question Likert survey to resident and attending physicians regarding charting practices, knowledge of billing and documentation, and opinions regarding need for further education.Results: We achieved a 100% response rate, with 47% (16/34 of resident physicians disagreeing or strongly disagreeing that they have adequate training in billing and documentation, while 91% (31/34 of residents and 95% (21/22 of attending physicians identified this skill as important to a resident’s future practice. Eighty-two percent (28/34 of resident physicians and 100% of attending physicians recommended further education for residents.Conclusion: Residents in this academic EM department identified a need for further education in billing and documentation practices. [West J Emerg Med. 2010;11(2: 116-119.

  17. What Drives Bird Vision? Bill Control and Predator Detection Overshadow Flight

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Graham R. Martin

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Although flight is regarded as a key behavior of birds this review argues that the perceptual demands for its control are met within constraints set by the perceptual demands of two other key tasks: the control of bill (or feet position, and the detection of food items/predators. Control of bill position, or of the feet when used in foraging, and timing of their arrival at a target, are based upon information derived from the optic flow-field in the binocular region that encompasses the bill. Flow-fields use information extracted from close to the bird using vision of relatively low spatial resolution. The detection of food items and predators is based upon information detected at a greater distance and depends upon regions in the retina with relatively high spatial resolution. The tasks of detecting predators and of placing the bill (or feet accurately, make contradictory demands upon vision and these have resulted in trade-offs in the form of visual fields and in the topography of retinal regions in which spatial resolution is enhanced, indicated by foveas, areas, and high ganglion cell densities. The informational function of binocular vision in birds does not lie in binocularity per se (i.e., two eyes receiving slightly different information simultaneously about the same objects but in the contralateral projection of the visual field of each eye. This ensures that each eye receives information from a symmetrically expanding optic flow-field centered close to the direction of the bill, and from this the crucial information of direction of travel and time-to-contact can be extracted, almost instantaneously. Interspecific comparisons of visual fields between closely related species have shown that small differences in foraging techniques can give rise to different perceptual challenges and these have resulted in differences in visual fields even within the same genus. This suggests that vision is subject to continuing and relatively rapid

  18. Correlaciones fenotípicas, genéticas y ambientales en Cucurbita moschata Duch. Ex Poir

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baena García D.

    2005-03-01

    Full Text Available El estudio estimó las correlaciones fenotípicas, genéticas y ambientales entre doce caracteres agronómicos en dos dialélicos de zapallo (uno entre cinco variedades y otro entre cinco líneas S1, originadas de las anteriores. Se usó un diseño en bloques completos al azar con 15 tratamientos (5 progenitores + 10 cruzamientos F1 para cada dialélico y cinco repeticiones. Los resultados señalaron mayor estimación de las correlaciones (en magnitud y significancia estadística a favor del dialélico de líneas S1. Las correlaciones genéticas fueron superiores a las fenotípicas y las ambientales. La producción por planta (PFP presentó las correlaciones parciales fenotípicas y genéticas más altas con el peso por fruto (PPF y el número de frutos por planta (NFP (rPF y rPG > 0.80. El PPF y NFP pueden usarse como criterios de selección para la obtención de cultivares de altos rendimientos en C. moschata. ABSTRACT Phenotypic, genotypic and environmental correlations in Cucurbita moschata Duch. Ex Poir. The study evaluated phenotypic, genotypic and environmental correlations among 12 agronomy characters, in two set diallelic from five parents each one. The first set from five open pollinated varieties and the second one from five self-pollinated lines S1, obtained from the previous varieties. The two experiments were in completely randomized blocks with five replications. A higher estimation of correlation (in magnitude and statistical significance was observed in favor of the S1 lines diallelic. The genetic correlations were higher than the phenotypic and environmental correlations. The plant yield (PFP showed the highest partial phenotypic and genetic correlations with the fruit weight (PPF and fruits per plant (NFP (rPF and rPG > 0.80. It is suggested to use the PPF and NFP as selection criteria for breeding of C. moschata for development of high yield cultivars. Key words: Calabaza (cucurbita, genetic correlation, agronomic

  19. A Survey of Texas HIV, Sexually Transmitted Disease, Tuberculosis, and Viral Hepatitis Providers' Billing and Reimbursement Capabilities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Flynn, Matthew B; Atwood, Robin; Greenberg, Jennifer B; Ray, Tara; Harris, Karol Kaye

    2015-11-01

    The Affordable Care Act presents financial challenges and opportunities for publicly funded service providers. We assessed billing practices and anticipated barriers to third-party billing among organizations in Texas that provide publicly funded HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, and viral hepatitis services. One third to one half of the organizations did not bill for medical services. The most common barrier to third-party billing was lack of staff knowledge about billing and coding. Future research must evaluate options for organizations and communities to maintain access to infectious disease services for vulnerable populations.

  20. A Survey of Texas HIV, Sexually Transmitted Disease, Tuberculosis, and Viral Hepatitis Providers’ Billing and Reimbursement Capabilities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Atwood, Robin; Greenberg, Jennifer B.; Ray, Tara; Harris, Karol Kaye

    2015-01-01

    The Affordable Care Act presents financial challenges and opportunities for publicly funded service providers. We assessed billing practices and anticipated barriers to third-party billing among organizations in Texas that provide publicly funded HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, tuberculosis, and viral hepatitis services. One third to one half of the organizations did not bill for medical services. The most common barrier to third-party billing was lack of staff knowledge about billing and coding. Future research must evaluate options for organizations and communities to maintain access to infectious disease services for vulnerable populations. PMID:26447911

  1. The Crisis in Black and Black.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hutchinson, Earl Ofari

    These essays explore why the historic conflict between blacks and whites in the United States has become a crisis that divides many African Americans. The changing racial dynamic is not marked by conflicts. between the black middle class and the poor, black men and women, the black intellectual elite and rappers, black politicians and the urban…

  2. ¿CÓMO ENGANCHAN ELLAS DE LA NACIÓN? SOBRE LA POESÍA ÉPICA A COMIENZOS DEL SIGLO XXI

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Helena González

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available Puede hacerse cargo la poeta del nosotros sin sucumbir a una idea de comunidad sentimental vertebrada a partir de una postergación utópica? ¿Cómo puede llevar a debate al mismo tiempo la causa de las mujeres y la de la nación subalterna sin que una tienda a abarcar a la otra como paraguas totalizador? ¿Cómo se construye una épica no heroica adecuada a un tiempo en el que no son posibles las narraciones míticas o técnicas sobre el origen de una comunidad? Chus Pato y Ana Romaní ofrecen en sus poemarios publicados a partir del año 2000 modelos que interrogan a la comunidad desde la transformación de las formas poéticas de lo épico para cuestionar la identidad nacional desde la diferencia sexual.

  3. LA ESCASA APLICACIÓN DE LA TEORÍA DE RESPUESTA AL ÍTEM EN TESTS DE EJECUCIÓN TÍPICA

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Facundo Juan Pablo Abal

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available El objetivo de este trabajo fue exponer los factores que explicanla escasa aplicación de la Teoría de Respuesta al Ítem(TRI en tests de ejecución típica. Una revisión exploratoriade la literatura psicométrica permitió identificar dos factores:el histórico, que remite a problemas en la difusión de la TRIpor fuera del campo educativo y a las demandas sociales queprivilegiaron su aplicación en el contexto educativo; y el factorasociado a la aplicación, que describe los obstáculos que enla actualidad dificultan la puesta en práctica de los modelosen tests de ejecución típica. Aunque ambos factores fueronrelativamente superados, el impacto de estos en la produccióncientífica del área es aún significativo.

  4. Black-necked stilts share nesting in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

    Science.gov (United States)

    1999-01-01

    A black-necked stilt waits near its nesting mate nest in the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, which shares a boundary with Kennedy Space Center. Stilts usually produce three or four brown-spotted buff eggs in a shallow depression lined with grass or shell fragments. In the nesting season they are particularly agressive. Stilts are identified by a distinct head pattern of black and white, very long red legs, and straight, very thin bill. Their habitat is salt marshes and shallow coastal bays from Delaware and northern South America in the East, and freshwater marshes from Oregon and Saskatchewan to the Gulf Coast. The 92,000-acre wildlife refuge is a habitat for more than 310 species of birds, 25 mammals, 117 fishes and 65 amphibians and reptiles. The marshes and open water of the refuge also provide wintering areas for 23 species of migratory waterfowl, as well as a year-round home for great blue herons, great egrets, wood storks, cormorants, brown pelicans and other species of marsh and shore birds.

  5. Plümtoonia Bill - nagu orkester / Tiit Tuumalu

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Tuumalu, Tiit, 1971-

    2008-01-01

    19.-23. nov. toimuvast animafilmide festivalist "Animated Dreams". Pikemalt USA tuntuimast sõltumatust animaatorist Bill Plymtonist, kes näitab festivalil oma täispikka joonisfilmi "Idioodid ja inglid" ("Idiots and Angels")

  6. Ressecção endoscópica de nasoangiofibroma Endoscopic surgery of nasopharyngeal angiofibroma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lidiane Maria de Brito Macedo Ferreira

    2006-08-01

    Full Text Available O nasoangiofibroma é um tumor benigno com componente vascular que acomete homens jovens, e tem como principal tratamento a cirurgia. Tem sido descrita a utilização de cirurgia endoscópica para a ressecção de tumores em estádios iniciais, sem evidência de permanência de restos tumorais ou recidiva da doença. OBJETIVO: Este estudo tem o objetivo de avaliar a via endoscópica precedida pela embolização como meio de tratamento para nasoangiofibroma em estádios II, e um caso selecionado em estádio III, com avaliação da morbidade pós-operatória a partir das seguintes variáveis: tempo cirúrgico, tempo de internamento pós-operatório, necessidade de transfusão sangüínea, presença de complicações, tempo entre embolização e cirurgia e presença de recidiva tumoral. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foi realizado em estudo prospectivo, a partir de nove pacientes internados no Hospital Geral de Fortaleza SESA/SUS no período de outubro de 2001 a novembro de 2004. CONCLUSÃO: Pelos dados obtidos, concluiu-se que a via endoscópica, quando precedida pela embolização tumoral, é uma via eficaz no tratamento de nasoangiofibromas em estádios iniciais, com reduzida morbidade pós-operatória.Nasopharyngeal angiofibroma is a vascular benign tumor that affects young men, and surgery is the treatment of choice. Endoscopic surgery has been used to excise tumors in their initial stages, when there is no evidence of residual or recurrent disease. AIM: The aim of this study is to evaluate the endoscopic approach preceded by tumor embolization as treatment option for stages II to III angiofibroma. Treatment morbidity was evaluated through: surgery duration, hospital stay after surgery, the need for blood transfusion, complications, the time span between preoperative embolization and surgery, and tumor recurrence. METHODS: A prospective study was carried out with nine patients treated at the Fortaleza General Hospital SESA/SUS from October 2001 through

  7. Teaching Billing and Coding to Medical Students: A Pilot Study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiaxin Tran

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Complex billing practices cost the US healthcare system billions of dollars annually. Coding for outpatient office visits [known as Evaluation & Management (E&M services] is commonly particularly fraught with errors. The best way to insure proper billing and coding by practicing physicians is to teach this as part of the medical school curriculum. Here, in a pilot study, we show that medical students can learn well the basic principles from lectures. This approach is easy to implement into a medical school curriculum.

  8. Aplikasi Billing Client/Server Dengan Mengunakan Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0

    OpenAIRE

    Sinukaban, Eva Solida

    2010-01-01

    Kajian ini bertujuan untuk membangun Billing Server yang gratis dalam jaringan Local dengan media transmisi berupa kabel UTP atau Wifi, Jaringan LAN yang dibangun ini merupakan jaringan client server yang memiliki server dengan sistem operasi yang dipakai adalah windows XP Service Pack 2. Tujuan pembuatan Aplikasi Billing Server ini adalah untuk dapat melakukan sharing data dan komunikasi antar komputer sehingga komputer-komputer tersebut dapat dimanfaatkan seoptimal mungkin baik dari sisi Se...

  9. Impact of Alternative Rate Structures on Distributed Solar Customer Electricity Bills

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    McLaren, Joyce A [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

    2018-03-02

    Electric utilities are increasingly proposing changes to residential rate structures, in order to address concerns about their inability to recover fixed system costs from customers with grid connected distributed generation. The most common proposals have been to increase fixed charges, set minimum bills or instigate residential demand charges. This presentation provides results of an analysis to explore how these rate design alternatives impact electricity bills for PV and non-PV customers.

  10. Bill Gates køber sig til positive historier om udviklingsbistanden

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fejerskov, Adam Moe

    2014-01-01

    Flere store og velansete medier får penge af Bill Gates' fond for at at bringe positive historier om udviklingsbistanden. Men det medfører en risiko for at journalistikken bliver ukritisk og overfladisk......Flere store og velansete medier får penge af Bill Gates' fond for at at bringe positive historier om udviklingsbistanden. Men det medfører en risiko for at journalistikken bliver ukritisk og overfladisk...

  11. A Barking Dog That Never Bites? The British Sign Language (Scotland) Bill

    Science.gov (United States)

    De Meulder, Maartje

    2015-01-01

    This article describes and analyses the pathway to the British Sign Language (Scotland) Bill and the strategies used to reach it. Data collection has been done by means of interviews with key players, analysis of official documents, and participant observation. The article discusses the bill in relation to the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005…

  12. Diagnóstico de leucemias bifenotípicas por citometría de flujo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Martha Vizcaíno

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available Las leucemias bifenotípicas son raras en los niños y representan menos de 5% de todas las leucemias agudas. El diagnóstico requiere de una evaluación cuidadosa con apoyo de la morfología celular, la citogenética y la citometría de flujo. El tratamiento está orientado a remitir el clon predominante de células, aunque no existen datos conclusivos sobre la remisión completa. En el tratamiento, la quimioterapia ha demostrado mejores resultados que el trasplante de médula ósea. La supervivencia está influenciada por la respuesta a la terapia y otros factores inherentes a la enfermedad y al paciente.Se presenta el caso de dos niños diagnosticados en el año 2009. El primero fue una niña de ocho años de edad que consultó por palidez cutánea, anemia, leucopenia y blastos en el hemograma. El segundo caso fue un niño de 10 años que consultó por dolor abdominal, que tuvo que ser intervenido por peritonitis secundaria a una apendicitis y en quien se demostró la presencia de blastos en sangre periférica a las 48 horas del posoperatorio. La morfología celular y la citometría de flujo confirmaron, en el primer caso, leucemia linfoide aguda bilineal y, en el segundo caso, leucemia bifenotípica.

  13. AÇÃO ANTRÓPICA SOBRE AS ESCALAS TEMPORAIS DOS FENÔMENOS GEOMORFOLÓGICOS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Archimedes Perez Filho

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available Formas e processos da superfície terrestre possuem manifestação espacial e temporal. Com relação ao tempo, definimos no presente artigo pelo menos quatro escalas de importância na compreensão do objeto de estudo da geomorfologia, a saber: tempo da natureza, histórico do homem, presente e futuro. A verificação da reativação da rede de drenagem e intensificação de processos erosivos relacionados às alterações no nível de base local, devido à construção de represas de usinas hidrelétricas, bem como do fenômeno de desertificação antrópica, ocasionado pela remoção da cobertura vegetal natural em áreas de Neossolos Quartzarênicos são indicadores da capacidade do sistema antrópico de influenciar processos geomorfológicos, impondo-lhes ritmos diferentes, com consequente alteração de suas escalas temporais de ocorrência. Deste modo, comprova-se que processos e formas que se manifestariam na escala de tempo geológico, passam a ocorrer nas escalas do tempo histórico do homem e presente, evidenciando que as formas variadas, rápidas e agressivas com que o homem tem interferido na dinâmica natural da Terra resultam em processos geomorfológicos com gênese antrópica.

  14. Caracterización fenotípica y genotípica de la resistencia a imipenem en Pseudomonas aeruginosa aisladas en un hospital de Buenos Aires Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of imipenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated in Buenos Aires

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    D. Cejas

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available En el presente estudio, que tuvo por objeto analizar los mecanismos involucrados en la resistencia a carbapenemes, se incluyeron 129 aislamientos de Pseudomonas aeruginosa recuperados durante el año 2006 en el Hospital "Eva Perón" de la Provincia de Buenos Aires. La caracterización fenotípica y genotípica de la resistencia permitió reconocer la presencia de metalo-beta-lactamasas (MBL en el 14% de esos aislamientos. En todos ellos se identificó la presencia de la enzima IMP-13; sin embargo, algunos aislamientos resultaron sensibles a carbapenemes de acuerdo con los puntos de corte establecidos por el CLSI e incluso con las sugerencias de la Subcomisión de Antimicrobianos de SADEBAC, AAM. El ensayo de detección fenotípica de MBL de sinergia con doble disco resultó útil en este estudio. Sólo aquellos aislamientos productores de IMP-13 que a su vez presentaron alteraciones en las proteínas de membrana externa resultaron completamente resistentes a imipenem. Los aislamientos productores de MBL correspondieron a varios tipos clonales, lo cual sugiere no sólo la diseminación de una cepa resistente, sino también la diseminación horizontal de este mecanismo de resistencia entre clones diferentes.From 129 P. aeruginosa isolated at a health care centre located in Buenos Aires (Hospital "Eva Perón", 14% produced IMP-13. Although 18 isolates were metallo-beta-lactamases (MBL producers, only those isolates that displayed altered outer membrane protein profiles correlated with the resistant category according to CLSI or even Subcomisión de Antimicrobianos, SADEBAC, AAM. Phenotypic screening of metallo-beta-lactamases proved to be appropriate for detecting MBL producing isolates. IMP-13 producing isolates corresponded to at least five different clonal types, which not only suggests the dissemination of the resistant strain but also of the resistant marker.

  15. Utility bill comprehension in the commercial and industrialsector: results of field research

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Payne, Christopher T.

    2000-06-02

    This paper presents the results of interviews conducted with 44 business people in 10 states to examine the use of the utility bill as an information mechanism for providing businesses with the relationship between energy consumption and cost. Our results indicate that there are significant barriers to the use of the utility bill as an information tool for energy consumers. Furthermore, we found significant variations among respondents in the information desired from the bill, and differences in decision-making criteria for investments aimed at reducing energy consumption and for those aimed at other forms of waste minimization. These results call into question the applicability of standard market theories in the purchase of energy by most businesses.

  16. Avaliação dos níveis séricos de interleucina-6 e interleucina-10 nos pacientes submetidos à colecistectomia laparoscópica versus convencional

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fábio Porto Silveira

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Correlacionar a dosagem sérica pré-operatória e pós-operatória de interleucina-6 (IL-6 e interleucina-10 (IL-10 entre pacientes submetidos à colecistectomia laparotômica versus videolaparoscópica. MÉTODOS: De um total de 20 pacientes, 18 foram incluídos no estudo, sendo nove submetidos à colecistectomia laparoscópica e os outros nove utilizando a técnica laparotômica. As concentrações séricas de IL-6 e IL-10 foram dosadas em ambos os grupos. As amostras de sangue foram obtidas nos tempos de 24 horas no pré-operatório, quatro, 12 e 24 horas após o procedimento. Os grupos foram comparados em relação à idade, sexo, índice de massa corpórea (IMC, tempo de anestesia e de operação. RESULTADOS: Não houve diferenças significativamente estatísticas entre os grupos relacionadas à idade, sexo, IMC, tempo de anestesia e de operação. A comparação entre a colecistectomia laparotômica e laparoscópica demonstrou diferenças estatísticas nos níveis de IL-6 no tempo 12 horas após operação (218,64pg/ml laparotômica versus 67,71pg/ml laparoscópica, p=0,0003 e IL-10 no tempo de 24 horas após o procedimento (24,46pg/ml aberta versus 10,17pg/ml laparoscópica, p <0,001. CONCLUSÃO: Houve aumento das dosagens de interleucinas-6 e 10 após o trauma cirúrgico. Ocorreu aumento significativo dos níveis das interleucinas analisadas no grupo laparotômico em comparação com o grupo laparoscópico.

  17. Typical electric bills, January 1, 1981

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1981-01-01

    The Typical Electric Bills report is prepared by the Electric Power Division; Office of Coal, Nuclear, Electric and Alternate Fuels; Energy Information Administration; Department of Energy. The publication is geared to a variety of applications by electric utilities, industry, consumes, educational institutions, and government in recognition of the growing importance of energy planning in contemporary society. 19 figs., 18 tabs

  18. La serie de vistas estereoscópicas de España de J. Andrieu y un paseo por el Madrid de 1867

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hervás León, Miguel

    2005-12-01

    Full Text Available In this study an important and little-known series of 300 stereoscopic views by the French photographer Jean Andrieu is presented. These photos constitute a monumental and urban portrait of Isabelline Spain, and permit us to take a mini tour of Madrid in 1867. The author includes historical and technical explanations of stereoscopic photography.

    Presentamos un estudio de esta importante y poco conocida serie de 300 vistas estereoscópicas del fotógrafo francés Jean Andrieu, que constituye un retrato monumental y urbano de la España isabelina y que nos permite realizar un pequeño recorrido por el Madrid de 1867. Se acompañan explicaciones históricas y técnicas básicas sobre fotografía estereoscópica.

  19. THE UGANDA COPYRIGHT AND NEIGHBOURING RIGHTS BILL ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The paper discusses the concept and philosophy of copyright. It also discusses copyright infringement with special reference to ICT. Furthermore, the paper examines international provisions related to copyright and reviews the Copyright Law Model. The paper also identifies gaps in the Uganda Copyright Bill, 2002 and ...

  20. Fama y verdad en la épica quinientista española. El virgilianismo político y la tradición castellana del siglo XV

    OpenAIRE

    Vilà, Lara

    2010-01-01

    Este estudio propone una aproximación a la lectura del corpus épico quinientista a la luz de consideraciones históricas y de la propia tradición literaria hispana del Cuatrocientos. En concreto, postula que la épica debe pensarse desde presuposiciones teóricas e indaga la relación del género con la historia para iluminar las diferencias existentes entre la teoría y la práctica épicas en la Península Ibérica e Italia en el siglo XVI. Dicha relación descansa no sólo en la apropiación del modelo...

  1. The impact of general practitioner morale on patient satisfaction with care: a cross-sectional study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    McKinstry Brian

    2007-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The association between stress and morale among general practitioners (GP is well documented. However, the impact of GP stress or low morale on patient care is less clear. GPs in the UK now routinely survey patients about the quality of their care including organizational issues and consultation skills and the General Practice Assessment Questionnaire (GPAQ is widely used for this purpose. We aimed to see if there was a relationship between doctor morale as measured by a validated instrument, the Morale Assessment in General Practice Index (MAGPI and scores in the GPAQ. Methods All GPs in Lothian, Scotland who were collecting GPAQ data were approached and asked to complete the MAGPI. Using an anonymised linkage system, individual scores on the MAGPI were linked to the doctors' GPAQ scores. Levels of association between the scores were determined by calculating rank correlations at the level of the individual doctor. Hypothesised associations between individual MAGPI and GPAQ items were also assessed. Results 276 of 475 GPs who were approached agreed to complete a MAGPI questionnaire and successfully collected anonymous GPAQ data from an average of 49.6 patients. There was no significant correlation between the total MAGPI score and the GPAQ communication or enablement scale. There were weak correlations between "control of work" in the MAGPI scale and GPAQ items on waiting times to see doctors (r = 0.24 p Conclusion This study showed no relationship between overall GP morale and patient perception of performance. There was a weak relationship between patients' perceptions ofquality and doctors' beliefs about their workload and whether patients value them. Further research is required to elucidate the complex relationship between workload, morale and patients' perception of care.

  2. A Critical Discussion of "The Ethical Presuppositions behind the Library Bill of Rights."

    Science.gov (United States)

    Doyle, Tony

    2002-01-01

    Discussion of the Library Bill of Rights focuses on paternalism and the dangers of Internet filtering, in response to a previous article that advocated revision of the Bill of Rights. Topics include ethical presuppositions; censorship; philosophical foundations; access; social contract theory; and utilitarianism. (LRW)

  3. A bill for the renaissance of nuclear power in Italy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    2009-01-01

    Today Italy is the only G8 member to have no nuclear power plants in operation. In 1987 as a consequence of a referendum Italy decided to shut down its nuclear power plants and to forbid the construction of new ones. Italy relies on oil and gas imports for 80% of its energy needs. The Italian parliament has recently passed a bill for a renaissance of nuclear power. The bill gives 6 months to the government to set the rules and conditions for the come-back of nuclear energy. (A.C.)

  4. Long-billed curlews on the Yakima Training Center: Information for base realignment

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hand, K.D.; Cadwell, L.L.; Eberhardt, L.E.

    1994-02-01

    This report summarizes and discusses the results obtained during 1992 from the study of long-billed curlews on the Yakima Training Center (YTC), which Pacific Northwest Laboratory conducted for the US Department of the Army. This study was initiated to provide basic ecological information on YTC long-billed curlews (Numenius americanus). The long-billed curlew is a relatively common spring and summer resident on the YTC. However, other than casual observations, very little is known about the distribution, density, reproductive success, and habitat requirements for this species on the YTC. Until recently the long-billed curlew was a US Fish and Wildlife Service candidate for listing as threatened or endangered; however, on November 21, 1991 it was down-listed to Class IIIc. The Washington Department of Wildlife lists the long-billed curlew as a ``species of special concern.`` Specific objectives of this study were to (1) locate nesting areas, (2) locate brood-rearing areas, (3) evaluate habitat requirements, (4) determine diet, (5) evaluate response to troop activities, (6) evaluate the impact of livestock grazing, (7) estimate the population size, and (8) estimate recruitment rates. Six curlews (four females and two males) were captured and fitted with radio transmitters. These birds were relocated to obtain nesting, habitat use, and feeding information. Road surveys conducted over most of the YTC provided information on the bird`s general distribution, habitat requirements, and nesting and brood-rearing areas.

  5. Reintervenciones por complicaciones después de realizada colecistectomía laparoscópica Reinterventions in complications of the laparoscopic cholecystectomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosalba Roque González

    2011-09-01

    Full Text Available Durante estos años varios centros con experiencia en colecistectomía laparoscópica han publicado sus complicaciones y tratamiento a estas. El objetivo de este estudio es describir la experiencia en 23 pacientes reintervenidos por complicaciones posoperatorias de la colecistectomía laparoscópica realizadas en el Centro Nacional de Cirugía de Mínimo Acceso, según el reporte de los resultados obtenidos. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, retrospectivo y longitudinal, en el que se revisaron las historias clínicas de los pacientes reintervenidos por sospecha de complicaciones después de la colecistectomía laparoscópica, en el período comprendido de enero de 1998 a junio de 2010. Durante el período de la investigación se realizaron 10 039 colecistectomías laparoscópicas. Fueron reintervenidos 23 pacientes (0,2 %, con una edad media de 49 años (rango 22 a 73 años, DE ± 10. La relaparoscopia fue la vía para la reintervención (70 % y solo 3 (13 % requirieron cirugía abierta. Fue la colangiopancreatografía retrógrada endoscópica un procedimiento útil para complementar la solución de algunas de estas complicaciones. El tiempo quirúrgico medio en las reintervenciones fue de 67 min (rango 30-120 min, la estadía hospitalaria tuvo una media de 4 y 5 días respectivamente. Hubo 2 pacientes (9 % que se reintervinieron tardíamente, a las 72 h de la colecistectomía, que fallecieron con cuadros de shock séptico. La laparoscopia es un procedimiento adecuado para las reintervenciones en pacientes con sospecha de complicaciones después de colecistectomía laparoscópica, con menor morbilidad y mortalidad sobre otros procederes, y su eficacia para el tratamiento de estas complicaciones está demostrada.Over past years some centers with experience in laparoscopic cholecystectomy have published the complications and treatment of this procedure. The aim of present paper is to describe the experience in 23 patients re-operated on due to

  6. Utilization of genetic tests: analysis of gene-specific billing in Medicare claims data.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lynch, Julie A; Berse, Brygida; Dotson, W David; Khoury, Muin J; Coomer, Nicole; Kautter, John

    2017-08-01

    We examined the utilization of precision medicine tests among Medicare beneficiaries through analysis of gene-specific tier 1 and 2 billing codes developed by the American Medical Association in 2012. We conducted a retrospective cross-sectional study. The primary source of data was 2013 Medicare 100% fee-for-service claims. We identified claims billed for each laboratory test, the number of patients tested, expenditures, and the diagnostic codes indicated for testing. We analyzed variations in testing by patient demographics and region of the country. Pharmacogenetic tests were billed most frequently, accounting for 48% of the expenditures for new codes. The most common indications for testing were breast cancer, long-term use of medications, and disorders of lipid metabolism. There was underutilization of guideline-recommended tumor mutation tests (e.g., epidermal growth factor receptor) and substantial overutilization of a test discouraged by guidelines (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase). Methodology-based tier 2 codes represented 15% of all claims billed with the new codes. The highest rate of testing per beneficiary was in Mississippi and the lowest rate was in Alaska. Gene-specific billing codes significantly improved our ability to conduct population-level research of precision medicine. Analysis of these data in conjunction with clinical records should be conducted to validate findings.Genet Med advance online publication 26 January 2017.

  7. Grantee Spotlight: Bill Nelson, M.D., Ph.D.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dr. William (Bill) Nelson is playing an integral role in advancing our understanding of cancer health disparities and helping to foster the interests of young students from underrepresented backgrounds in cancer/cancer health disparities research.

  8. Risk bearing and use of fee-for-service billing among accountable care organizations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Muhlestein, David B; Croshaw, Andrew A; Merrill, Thomas P

    2013-07-01

    To determine the willingness of accountable care organizations (ACOs) to bear financial risk for the healthcare they provide. Structured interviews conducted between January and June 2012 with 57 ACOs led by hospitals and physician groups located throughout the United States. Findings are based on the 38 ACOs that were actively providing care under an ACO payment arrangement at the time of the interview. Among these ACOs, 71% cover a portion of their ACO population with contracts that put the ACOs at some financial risk, while 45% have risk-based contracts for their entire ACO population. Payments based on fee-for-service (FFS) billing still dominate, as 92% of ACOs use FFS-based billing for at least a portion of their ACO population and 71% are fully reimbursed using FFS-based billing. Under the auspices of an ACO, providers are accepting some financial risk for their accountable care patient population. There is still strong reliance on FFS-based billing methods as providers experiment with different payment models.

  9. PRK em olhos com topografia atípica e pentacam normal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ermano de Melo Alves

    2013-02-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Avaliar a segurança do PRK em olhos com topografia de córnea atípica, porém sem características de ceratocone no Pentacam. MÉTODOS: Foram analisados dados de pacientes submetidos à PRK que apresentavam topografia corneana atípica e tomografia normal no pré-operatório. A amostra foi composta de dezenove olhos de dez pacientes. Foram considerados critérios de irregularidade corneana: aumento de curvatura superior a 47D com assimetria inferior-superior menor que 1,5D, ápice deslocado acima de 1,5D e assimetria inferior-superior maior ou igual a 1,5D. Todos tinham índices de elevação anterior, elevação posterior e perfil de progressão paquimétrica obtidos através do Pentacam considerados normais. A segurança foi avaliada quanto à perda da acuidade visual e/ou desenvolvimento de doença ectásia. RESULTADOS: Dos dez pacientes, nove (90% eram do sexo feminino e um (10% do sexo masculino. A média de idade foi de 31,8 anos, variando de 24 a 47 anos. A distribuição quanto à irregularidade corneana apresentou 11 olhos (57,89% com aumento da curvatura acima de 47D e assimetria inferior-superior menor que 1,5D, 3 olhos (15,78% com deslocamento do ápice acima de 1,5D, 2 olhos (10,52% com assimetria inferior-superior acima de 1,5D e 3 olhos (15,78% que incluiam mais de um critério. Os pacientes foram acompanhados por um período médio de 16,4 meses. Em nenhum caso houve perda de acuidade visual ou desenvolvimento de ectasia. CONCLUSÃO: Este estudo sugere que a tomografia corneana pode ser decisiva na indicação de cirurgia refrativa. Estudos prospectivos com maior tempo de seguimento devem ser realizados para uma avaliação mais efetiva.

  10. Improving the Emergency Department's Processes of Coding and Billing at Brooke Army Medical Center

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    Lehning, Peter

    2003-01-01

    .... Beginning in October 2002, outpatient itemized billing was mandated for use in the AMEDD. This system shifted the process of billing for outpatient services from an allinclusive rate to one based on the actual care provided...

  11. Mitochondria-targeted molecules determine the redness of the zebra finch bill.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cantarero, Alejandro; Alonso-Alvarez, Carlos

    2017-10-01

    The evolution and production mechanisms of red carotenoid-based ornaments in animals are poorly understood. Recently, it has been suggested that enzymes transforming yellow carotenoids to red pigments (ketolases) in animal cells may be positioned in the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM) intimately linked to the electron transport chain. These enzymes may mostly synthesize coenzyme Q 10 (coQ 10 ), a key redox-cycler antioxidant molecularly similar to yellow carotenoids. It has been hypothesized that this shared pathway favours the evolution of red traits as sexually selected individual quality indices by revealing a well-adjusted oxidative metabolism. We administered mitochondria-targeted molecules to male zebra finches ( Taeniopygia guttata ) measuring their bill redness, a trait produced by transforming yellow carotenoids. One molecule included coQ 10 (mitoquinone mesylate, MitoQ) and the other one (decyl-triphenylphosphonium; dTPP) has the same structure without the coQ 10 aromatic ring. At the highest dose, the bill colour of MitoQ and dTPP birds strongly differed: MitoQ birds' bills were redder and dTPP birds showed paler bills even compared to birds injected with saline only. These results suggest that ketolases are indeed placed at the IMM and that coQ 10 antioxidant properties may improve their efficiency. The implications for evolutionary theories of sexual signalling are discussed. © 2017 The Author(s).

  12. O uso da gastrostomia percutânea endoscópica The use of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcos Ferreira Minicucci

    2005-08-01

    Full Text Available A gastrostomia percutânea endoscópica foi introduzida na prática clínica como via alternativa de alimentação enteral. É procedimento que não necessita de anestesia ou laparotomia, como a gastrostomia cirúrgica. A gastrostomia percutânea endoscópica tem como objetivos a manutenção do aporte nutricional e a melhoria da qualidade de vida e sobrevida dos pacientes. É indicada quando o paciente necessita de dieta enteral por período superior a um mês. A freqüência de complicações varia de 1,0% a 10,0% e a mortalidade de 0,3% a 1,0%. É propósito deste trabalho abordar aspectos relevantes desse método de alimentação enteral, aprimorar seu manejo, bem como facilitar o manejo pelos pacientes que dele se utilizam. Para isso, vamos comentar as indicações e contra-indicações da gastrostomia percutânea endoscópica, técnica de colocação, material das sondas, antibiótico profilático, início de utilização, custo do procedimento, além de suas complicações, aspectos legais e éticos.Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is an alternative way to administer enteral diets. It is a procedure requiring no anesthetic or abdominal incision as required in open surgical gastrostomy. The main objective of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy is to prevent deterioration of the nutritional status and improve the quality of life and it is now the method of choice when the patient requires an enteral diet for more than a month. Complications occur in 1.0% to10.0% of the cases and mortality in 0.3% to 1.0%. This paper deals with aspects relevant to this method of enteral feeding, how to improve handling procedures and deal with the patients who use it, commenting on the indications and contraindications for its use, placement techniques, materials used for the probes, prophylactic antibiotics, start-up of its use and costs, in addition to discussing some of its complications and legal and ethical aspects.

  13. PICA95: An intranuclear-cascade code for 25-MeV to 3.5-GeV photon-induced nuclear reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fu, C.Y.; Gabriel, T.A.; Lillie, R.A.

    1997-01-01

    PICA95, an intranuclear-cascade code for calculating photon-induced nuclear reactions for incident photon energies up to 3.5 GeV, is an extension of the original PICA code package that works for incident photon energies up to 400 MeV. The original code includes the quasi-deuteron breakup and single-pion production channels. The extension to an incident photon energy of 3.5 GeV requires the addition of multiple-pion production channels capable of emitting up to five pions. Relativistic phase-space relations are used to conserve energy and momentum in multi-body breakups. Fermi motion of the struck nucleon is included in the phase-space calculations as well as secondary nuclear collisions of the produced particles. Calculated doubly differential cross sections for the productions of protons, neutrons, π + , π 0 , and π - for incident photon energies of 500 MeV, 1 GeV, and 2 GeV are compared with predictions by other codes. Due to the sparsity of experimental data, more experiments are needed in order to refine the gamma nuclear collision model

  14. Billing for pharmacists' cognitive services in physicians' offices: multiple methods of reimbursement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Scott, Mollie Ashe; Hitch, William J; Wilson, Courtenay Gilmore; Lugo, Amy M

    2012-01-01

    To evaluate the charges and reimbursement for pharmacist services using multiple methods of billing and determine the number of patients that must be managed by a pharmacist to cover the cost of salary and fringe benefits. Large teaching ambulatory clinic in North Carolina. Annual charges and reimbursement, patient no-show rate, clinic capacity, number of patients seen monthly and annually, and number of patients that must be seen to pay for a pharmacist's salary and benefits. A total of 6,930 patient encounters were documented during the study period. Four different clinics were managed by the pharmacists, including anticoagulation, pharmacotherapy, osteoporosis, and wellness clinics. "Incident to" level 1 billing was used for the anticoagulation and pharmacotherapy clinics, whereas level 4 codes were used for the osteoporosis clinic. The wellness clinic utilized a negotiated fee-for-service model. Mean annual charges were $65,022, and the mean reimbursement rate was 47%. The mean charge and collection per encounter were $41 and $19, respectively. Eleven encounters per day were necessary to generate enough charges to pay for the cost of the pharmacist. Considering actual reimbursement rates, the number of patient encounters necessary increased to 24 per day. "What if" sensitivity analysis indicated that billing at the level of service provided instead of level 1 decreased the number of patients needed to be seen daily. Billing a level 4 visit necessitated that five patients would need to be seen daily to generate adequate charges. Taking into account the 47% reimbursement rate, 10 level 4 encounters per day were necessary to generate appropriate reimbursement to pay for the pharmacist. Unique opportunities for pharmacists to provide direct patient care in the ambulatory setting continue to develop. Use of a combination of billing methods resulted in sustainable reimbursement. The ability to bill at the level of service provided instead of a level 1 visit would

  15. La mujer en el radiador en Cabeza borradora (Eraserhead, 1972-1976) de David Lynch: disección utópica del ojo

    OpenAIRE

    Villaplana Ruiz, Virginia

    1998-01-01

    Villaplana, V. (1998). La mujer en el radiador en Cabeza borradora (Eraserhead, 1972-1976) de David Lynch: disección utópica del ojo. Banda aparte. (11):29-31. http://hdl.handle.net/10251/43165. 29 31 11

  16. Occupancy of yellow-billed and Pacific loons: evidence for interspecific competition and habitat mediated co-occurrence

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haynes, Trevor B.; Schmutz, Joel A.; Lindberg, Mark S.; Wright, Kenneth G.; Uher-Koch, Brian D.; Rosenberger, Amanda E.

    2014-01-01

    Interspecific competition is an important process structuring ecological communities, however, it is difficult to observe in nature. We used an occupancy modelling approach to evaluate evidence of competition between yellow-billed (Gavia adamsii) and Pacific (G. pacifica) loons for nesting lakes on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska. With multiple years of data and survey platforms, we estimated dynamic occupancy states (e.g. rates of colonization or extinction from individual lakes) and controlled for detection differences among aircraft platforms and ground survey crews. Results indicated that yellow-billed loons were strong competitors and negatively influenced the occupancy of Pacific loons by excluding them from potential breeding lakes. Pacific loon occupancy was conditional on the presence of yellow-billed loons, with Pacific loons having almost a tenfold decrease in occupancy probability when yellow-billed loons were present and a threefold decrease in colonization probability when yellow-billed loons were present in the current or previous year. Yellow-billed and Pacific loons co-occurred less than expected by chance except on very large lakes or lakes with convoluted shorelines; variables which may decrease the cost of maintaining a territory in the presence of the other species. These results imply the existence of interspecific competition between yellow-billed and Pacific loons for nesting lakes; however, habitat characteristics which facilitate visual and spatial separation of territories can reduce competitive interactions and promote species co-occurrence.

  17. Principles of the Energy Conservation Bill

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zeman, J.

    1995-01-01

    The paper describes 21 principles of the draft Energy Conservation Bill. The principles lay down fundamental responsibilities of the government, the municipalities, business entities, citizens and power plants in the field of economical energy management. Included are principles to minimize energy consumption and to stimulate a reasonable energy management, the role of the energy distribution network, responsibilities of the central load dispatching center, and power plant output regulation schemes. (J.B.)

  18. Bill Gates : Miljardärist nohik / Martin Hanson

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Hanson, Martin, 1984-

    2008-01-01

    Bill Gates loobub Microsofti juhi kohast ning jätkab vaid nõustajana. Vt. samas: Elulugu; Tasub teada; Miljardär, kes hoiab oma eraelu kiivalt saladuses. Kommenteerivad Microsoft Eesti esinduse juht Rain Laane ja IBM Eesti juht Valdo Randpere

  19. Status assessment and conservation plan for the yellow-billed loon (Gavia adamsii)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Earnst, Susan L.

    2004-01-01

    Because of its restricted range, small population size, specific habitat requirements, and perceived threats to its breeding habitat, the Yellow-billed Loon (Gavia adamsii) is a species of conservation concern to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the subject of a petition for listing under the Endangered Species Act. This Status Assessment synthesizes current information on population size, trends, and potential threats to Yellow-billed Loons, and the Conservation Plan identifies research and monitoring activities that would contribute to the conservation of this species. The preparation of this report was requested and funded by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Nongame Bird Office, Region 7.The Status Assessment and Conservation Plan for the Yellow-billed Loon can be summarized as follows:? Northern Alaska breeding grounds support an average of 3,369 individuals, including change), but interpretation of surveys is complicated by changes in observers and high annual variation, and the 95% confidence interval is large (-3.6% to +1.8% annual change). The low reproductive potential of Yellow-billed Loons suggests that recovery from a substantial decline would not occur rapidly. There are no systematic surveys of Canadian and Russian breeding populations (Section 6-F).? The expansion of the oil industry into prime Yellow-billed Loon breeding habitat is a recent occurrence and we lack the necessary information to accurately predict its effect on the population. Most of northern Alaska?s Yellow-billed Loons (91%) occur on the National Petroleum Reserve?Alaska, virtually all of which is open or proposed to be opened to development and where there is no permanent or legal protection of Yellow-billed Loon habitat (Section 7-A).? Other potential factors affecting the population are also addressed, such as contaminants, subsistence hunting, by catch in subsistence and commercial fisheries on the breeding and wintering grounds, and health of the marine ecosystem off

  20. Fatigue level estimation of monetary bills based on frequency band acoustic signals with feature selection by supervised SOM

    Science.gov (United States)

    Teranishi, Masaru; Omatu, Sigeru; Kosaka, Toshihisa

    Fatigued monetary bills adversely affect the daily operation of automated teller machines (ATMs). In order to make the classification of fatigued bills more efficient, the development of an automatic fatigued monetary bill classification method is desirable. We propose a new method by which to estimate the fatigue level of monetary bills from the feature-selected frequency band acoustic energy pattern of banking machines. By using a supervised self-organizing map (SOM), we effectively estimate the fatigue level using only the feature-selected frequency band acoustic energy pattern. Furthermore, the feature-selected frequency band acoustic energy pattern improves the estimation accuracy of the fatigue level of monetary bills by adding frequency domain information to the acoustic energy pattern. The experimental results with real monetary bill samples reveal the effectiveness of the proposed method.

  1. Highlights of Bill C-14, the proposed new Nuclear Control Act

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1978-01-01

    If the bill is passed, the name of the regulatory body will be changed from the Atomic Energy Control Board to the Nuclear Control Board. It is intended to make the board more independent and removed from any involvement in the promotional and commercial aspects of the nuclear industry. The board will no longer answer to the same minister as AECL. Licensing applications will generally be published, except proprietary information. Public hearings will be a compulsory part of licensing major facilities. Various provisions of the bill are explained section by section. ''Prescribed substances'' under the act will definitely include all radionuclides and deuterium. A fund for decontamination will be endowed by licensees. The board will be able to make regulations for obsolete or abandoned sites, or for waste disposal sites. The part of the bill which deals with the responsibility of the Minister of Energy, Mines and Resources for A.E.C.L. generally remains unchanged from the previous act

  2. PS2-56: Building the Virtual Data Warehouse Using Data from a Healthcare Billing System

    Science.gov (United States)

    Krajenta, Rick; Lamerato, Lois; Wells, Karen

    2012-01-01

    Background Healthcare utilization data, specifically diagnoses and procedures, can be processed through different administrative systems. Billing data are generated by the care provider while claims data are generated by the payer. These two sources can represent the data content differently and incorporating the data from these systems into the VDW has presented a unique set of challenges. We present options for reconciling these two data sources to create a VDW that includes all patients including those outside of the HMO member realm. Methods Henry Ford Health System (HFHS) captures patients, care providers, procedures, diagnoses and medical supply information through a proprietary system. Outpatient billing information is entered by clinic staff using an optical scanning device and clinic-specific forms. Other additional procedures and/or supplies are entered into the system using a transaction capture application. Ancillary services such as imaging and pathology are imported into the billing system from their proprietary information systems. The main function of this system is to generate bills for services performed. The data elements are standardized to contain required justification for reimbursement from all payer types. Standard codes sets, ICD9, HCPCS and CPT4, are required. The data can also be used to evaluate workload and staffing levels, project future needs and characterize trends in service demands. HFHS uses this data source to build VDW files. Results Major differences between claims and billing data exist. Claims data are based on health plan contract with bundled procedures, coverage exclusions and deductibles affecting content. Billing data are based solely on services provided. The potential for overwhelming amounts of data in billing sources is possible due to the level of detail; however, this same level of detail is a rich source for specific care components that would not otherwise be present in claims records. Conclusion Billing data are

  3. The taxation of the petroleum products in the appropriation bill for 2001 and the correcting appropriation bill for 2000

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2000-01-01

    This document provides information on the petroleum products taxation in the framework of the appropriation bills. The following aspects are presented : the utilization of fuels more respectful of the environment, the taxation lightening measures, measures in favor of the transportation sector, the juridical references and elements for the economic situation. (A.L.B.)

  4. Método de ecuación por patrones para la solución de scattering electromagnético por partículas axialmente simétricas con impedancia de superficie anisotrópica compleja

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexander G. Kyurkchan

    2013-04-01

    Full Text Available El método de la ecuaciones de patrón (PEM han sido extendidospara resolver problemas de scattering en ondas electromagnéticas por medio de partículas con superficie de impedancia mista anisotrópica. Luego, las condiciones de frontera de impedancia anisotrópica se imponen en la superficie lateral de la partícula, y condiciones de frontera de impedancia isotrópica se imponen en caras finales de la partícula. El método se formula para cuerpos axialmente simétricos.Se presentan las características del scattering de los cuerpos con superficies laterales artificiales suaves y duras. Se lleva a cabo la comparación de los resultados con los que se obtienen con otros métodos. También se presenta el análisis de la tasa de convergencia del algoritmo numérico PEM y la precisión de los cálculos numéricos. Finalmente se hace la comparación de nuestros datos con los resultados numéricos obtenidos antes con el PEM en ausencia de la impedancia anisotrópica.

  5. Sharing China's Bank Restructuring Bill

    Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

    Guonan Ma

    2006-01-01

    This paper addresses the questions related to the cost of China's bank restructuring and how it has been financed. We first propose a framework for recognizing losses. Then, we examine the recent major moves by the Chinese Government to repair the country's bank balance sheets. Finally, we explore the implications of the Chinese Government's methods of funding bank restructuring. We find that the Chinese Government has been decisive in confronting the costly task of bank restructuring. So far, Chinese taxpayers have paid most of the bill for bank restructuring.

  6. 78 FR 69878 - AT&T Corporation, a Subsidiary of AT&T Inc., Business Billing Customer Care, Pittsburgh...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-21

    ... Subsidiary of AT&T Inc., Business Billing Customer Care, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Notice of Affirmative... workers and former workers of AT&T Corporation, a subsidiary of AT&T Inc., Business Billing Customer Care... supplied by Business Billing Customer Care to other locations within the United States. With respect to...

  7. 76 FR 59265 - Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled Nursing...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2011-09-26

    ... [CMS-1351-CN] RIN 0938-AQ29 Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for... rule entitled ``Medicare Program; Prospective Payment System and Consolidated Billing for Skilled... Payment System (PPS) final rule (76 FR 48486, 48540) inadvertently included several technical errors in...

  8. Deshidratación de etanol mediante destilación azeotrópica con hidrocarburos componentes de la gasolina: estudio de la viabilidad del proceso a escala semi-planta piloto

    OpenAIRE

    Pedraza Berenguer, Ricardo

    2012-01-01

    En el presente estudio se pretende realizar un estudio experimental de la viabilidad de la deshidratación de etanol en una columna de destilación azeotrópica en continuo a escala semi-planta piloto empleando distintas mezclas de hidrocarburos componentes de la gasolina con el fin de obtener una mezcla etanol - gasolina directamente utilizable como combustible. Se llega a la conclusión de que la deshidratación de etanol mediante destilación azeotrópica con gasolina o sus componentes para obten...

  9. 48 CFR 801.670-1 - Issuing bills of lading.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... with only micro-purchase authority may not issue bills of lading or otherwise procure transportation... for goods only shall comply with the Education, Experience, and Training requirements, if any, in Part...

  10. an assessment of billing electricity consumers via analogue meters

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DR. AMINU

    Keywords: Electricity Distribution, Consumers, Analogue Meter, Billing, Nigeria. INTRODUCTION. Electricity ... the energy usage of a typical electricity consumer in one month is several ..... improve on distribution network. In addition it should.

  11. Evolution of sexual dimorphism in bill size and shape of hermit hummingbirds (Phaethornithinae): a role for ecological causation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Temeles, Ethan J; Miller, Jill S; Rifkin, Joanna L

    2010-04-12

    Unambiguous examples of ecological causation of sexual dimorphism are rare, and the best evidence involves sexual differences in trophic morphology. We show that moderate female-biased sexual dimorphism in bill curvature is the ancestral condition in hermit hummingbirds (Phaethornithinae), and that it is greatly amplified in species such as Glaucis hirsutus and Phaethornis guy, where bills of females are 60 per cent more curved than bills of males. In contrast, bill curvature dimorphism is lost or reduced in a lineage of short-billed hermit species and in specialist Eutoxeres sicklebill hermits. In the hermits, males tend to be larger than females in the majority of species, although size dimorphism is typically small. Consistent with earlier studies of hummingbird feeding performance, both raw regressions of traits and phylogenetic independent contrasts supported the prediction that dimorphism in bill curvature of hermits is associated with longer bills. Some evidence indicates that differences between sexes of hermit hummingbirds are associated with differences in the use of food plants. We suggest that some hermit hummingbirds provide model organisms for studies of ecological causation of sexual dimorphism because their sexual dimorphism in bill curvature provides a diagnostic clue for the food plants that need to be monitored for studies of sexual differences in resource use.

  12. The impact of a standardized consultation form for facial trauma on billing and evaluation and management levels.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Levesque, Andre Y; Tauber, David M; Lee, Johnson C; Rodriguez-Feliz, Jose R; Chao, Jerome D

    2014-02-01

    Facial trauma is among the most frequent consultations encountered by plastic surgeons. Unfortunately, the reimbursement from these consultations can be low, and qualified plastic surgeons may exclude facial trauma from their practice. An audit of our records found insufficient documentation to justify higher evaluation and management (EM) levels of service resulting in lower reimbursement. Utilizing a standardized consultation form can improve documentation resulting in higher billing and EM levels. A facial trauma consultation form was developed in conjunction with the billing department. Three plastic surgery residents completed 30 consultations without the aid of the consult form followed by 30 consultations with the aid of the form. The EM levels and billing data for each consultation were obtained from the billing department for analysis. The 2 groups were compared using χ2 analysis and t tests to determine statistical significance. Using our standardized consultation form, the mean EM level increased from 2.97 to 3.60 (P = 0.002). In addition, the mean billed amount increased from $391 to $501 per consult (P = 0.051) representing a 28% increase in billing. In our institution, the development and implementation of a facial trauma consultation form has resulted in more complete documentation and a subsequent increase in EM level and billed services.

  13. 26 CFR 301.6312-1 - Treasury certificates of indebtedness, Treasury notes, and Treasury bills acceptable in payment...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... certificates, notes, or bills, according to the express terms of their issue, are made acceptable in payment of... at the value specified in the terms under which such certificates, notes, or bills were issued. All... or stamps, as specified in the terms under which such certificate, note, or bill was issued, shall...

  14. Angiofibroma juvenil com evolução atípica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Granato Dr. Lídio

    2001-01-01

    Full Text Available Paciente com 34 anos de idade apresentou angiofibroma juvenil com evolução atípica. A história do paciente era de 14 anos de evolução e o tumor ocupava os espaços extra e intracranial em grande extensão. Submetido à intervenção extracranial, foi em seguida encaminhado para radioterapia. O paciente desenvolveu um nódulo na face, no local da incisão externa, utilizada na intervenção, com características de benignidade. A massa recidivou por mais duas vezes, sempre na mesma localização e com os mesmos aspectos histológicos, porém com recidivas cada vez mais próximas e mais sangrantes. Embora a avaliação histológica mostrasse característica de benignidade, o comportamento clínico era de malignidade. O paciente teve seu estado geral agravado e faleceu seis meses após a radioterapia.

  15. Bill concerning the national commitment for the environment (final text)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-01-01

    The French house of commons has adopted this bill which allows to adapt the French legislation to the new requirements defined by the program law relative to the implementation of the French road-mad in favor of ecology and sustainable development ('Grenelle de l'environnement'). The bill covers 6 main domains: settlement and urbanism, transports, energy, biodiversity, environment and waste management, and governance and information. Its aim is to encourage the development of renewable energy sources, to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions, and to protect the environment thanks to new legal and technical means at the disposal of actors with practical experience, in particular the local authorities. (J.S.)

  16. Posicionamento da Academia Brasileira de Rinologia sobre terapias tópicas nasais Brazilian Academy of Rhinology position paper on topical intranasal therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    João Ferreira de Mello Júnior

    2013-06-01

    Full Text Available Opresente documento tem por objetivo esclarecer àqueles que tratam das doenças nasossinusais, tanto especialistas quanto generalistas, sobre as terapêuticas tópicas nasais. Por meio de uma revisão das evidências científicas, a Academia Brasileira de Rinologia vem proporcionar sua visão prática e atualizada sobre as medicações tópicas nasais mais utilizadas, excetuando-se as medicações que possuam antibióticos tópicos na sua formulação.This documents aims at educating those who treat sinonasal diseases - both general practitioners and specialists - about topical nasal treatments. By means of scientific evidence reviews, the Brazilian Academy of Rhinology provides its practical and updated guidelines on the most utilized topical nasal medication, except for the drugs that have topical antibiotics in their formulas.

  17. Cirugía transnasal endoscópica para tumores de hipófisis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ajler, Pablo; Hem, Santiago; Goldschmidt, Ezequiel; Landriel, Federico; Campero, Alvaro; Yampolsky, Claudio; Carrizo, Antonio

    2012-01-01

    Introducción: Exponer la técnica utilizada y los resultados obtenidos en los primeros 52 pacientes portadores de tumores hipofisarios tratados por la vía endoscópica transnasal en el Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires Métodos: Se llevó a cabo un análisis retrospectivo de 52 cirugías endoscópicas transnasales utilizadas en el tratamiento de tumores hipofisários. Las mismas fueron realizadas en el Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires durante el período junio del 2011 a junio del 2012. Se analizaron las características demográficas de los pacientes, la patología de base y la morbimortalidad asociada a la cirugía. Resultados: La edad media de los pacientes fue de 41,52 años con un rango de 18-79. La distribución fue similar entre hombres y mujeres. Las patologías más frecuentes fueron: adenomas no funcionantes (40.4%), tumores productores de GH/Acromegalia (25%) y tumores productores de ACTH/Enfermedad de Cushing (23.1%). Aproximadamente el 70 % correspondieron a macroadenomas. Sólo un paciente presentó complicaciones. No se registro ningún óbito. Conclusión: Si bien podremos objetivar fehacientemente resultados más concluyentes en futuros trabajos, podemos decir a priori que, en la endoscopía el detalle anatómico es claramente superior al microscópico y que la posibilidad de la introducción del endoscopio en la silla turca permite la visualización directa de remanentes tumorales, de sitios de fístula y como así también de la glándula normal, ventajas que potencialmente podrían permitir obtener mejores resultados quirúrgicos, en términos de control de la enfermedad y tasa de complicaciones. PMID:23596553

  18. Homophobia as a barrier to comprehensive media coverage of the Ugandan anti-homosexual bill.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strand, Cecilia

    2012-01-01

    The Ugandan Anti-Homosexuality Bill of October 2009 caused an international outcry and sparked intense debate in the local media. This article explores to what degree a discriminatory social environment manifests itself in the Ugandan print media and discusses the potential implications for media's coverage of contentious policy options such as the Anti-Homosexuality Bill. A content analysis of 115 items from two daily newspapers (the government-owned New Vision and the privately owned the Daily Monitor, between October and December 2009) indicates the existence of two separate house styles; this is in spite of the fact that both newspapers reproduce the surrounding society's homophobia, albeit with different frequency. Unlike the New Vision, the Daily Monitor includes coverage on homophobia and discrimination, as well as provides space for criticism of the Bill. By acknowledging discrimination and its negative impact, the newspaper de-legitimizes homophobia and problematizes the proposed Anti-homosexuality Bill for their readers.

  19. Black Silicon Solar Cells with Black Ribbons

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Davidsen, Rasmus Schmidt; Tang, Peter Torben; Mizushima, Io

    2016-01-01

    We present the combination of mask-less reactive ion etch (RIE) texturing and blackened interconnecting ribbons as a method for obtaining all-black solar panels, while using conventional, front-contacted solar cells. Black silicon made by mask-less reactive ion etching has total, average...... in the range 15.7-16.3%. The KOH-textured reference cell had an efficiency of 17.9%. The combination of black Si and black interconnecting ribbons may result in aesthetic, all-black panels based on conventional, front-contacted silicon solar cells....... reflectance below 0.5% across a 156x156 mm2 silicon (Si) wafer. Black interconnecting ribbons were realized by oxidizing copper resulting in reflectance below 3% in the visible wavelength range. Screen-printed Si solar cells were realized on 156x156 mm2 black Si substrates with resulting efficiencies...

  20. an assessment of billing electricity consumers via analogue meters

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    DR. AMINU

    ABSTRACT. This paper assesses the perception of billing consumers via analogue meter in Kano Electricity ... the successor companies of Power Holding Company ... Nassarawa computer center was established in 1991. .... The value 7.2 is.

  1. 42 CFR 1001.1701 - Billing for services of assistant at surgery during cataract operations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 42 Public Health 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Billing for services of assistant at surgery during..., DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES OIG AUTHORITIES PROGRAM INTEGRITY-MEDICARE AND STATE HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS Permissive Exclusions § 1001.1701 Billing for services of assistant at surgery during cataract...

  2. Esofagogastrofundoplicatura videolaparoscópica por técnica mista

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bruno Zilberstein

    Full Text Available A doença do refluxo gastroesofágico (DRGE é uma patologia freqüente, acometendo cerca de 10% da população geral. Esta incidência tem se elevado nos últimos anos. Tradicionalmente, sua abordagem terapêutica inicial é clínica, porém, o número de indicações cirúrgicas tem aumentado principalmente às custas das vantagens da videolaparoscopia. Durante o período de janeiro de 1993 a março de 1998, 112 pacientes foram submetidos a fundoplicatura e hiatoplastia por videolaparoscopia para o tratamento da DRGE, sendo 62 (55,3% do sexo masculino e 50 (44,7% do sexo feminino. A idade variou de 20 a 90 anos, com média de 40 anos. As indicações cirúrgicas foram doença refratária ao tratamento clínico (76,9%, seguido por esôfago de Barrett (16,1 %, estenose esofágica (3,5%, hemorragia digestiva alta por úlcera esofágica (2,6% e hérnia hiatal paraesofágica (0,9%. Para o procedimento cirúrgico foram utilizados cinco trocartes. A hiatoplastia foi realizada com pontos em "X". Na fundoplicatura, após a passagem do fundo gástrico por trás do esôfago abdominal, inicialmente se realiza um ponto tomando as duas extremidades do fundo gástrico, porém sem fixar esta sutura ao esôfago. A partir daí, mais quatro pontos são realizados, sendo dois acima e dois abaixo deste ponto inicial, de maneira a envolver o esôfago, de modo parcial (2700. O tempo médio de cirurgia foi de 80 minutos e o de internação, de 1,8 dias. Ocorreram duas conversões (1,7%. Não houve mortalidade, e as complicações assinaladas foram pneumotórax (0,9%, enfisema subcutâneo (0,9%, disfagia transitória (26% e disfagia persistente (3,5%. A fundoplicatura mista laparoscópica tem se mostrado um procedimento seguro e eficaz para o tratamento definitivo da DRGE com baixo número de complicações, reunindo as vantagens clássicas da cirurgia laparoscópica: curto período de internação, rápida recuperação e bons resultados estéticos; e às de uma t

  3. Quality of life in children and teenagers with atopic dermatitis Qualidade de vida das crianças e adolescentes com dermatite atópica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cláudia Soïdo Falcão do Amaral

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Atopic Dermatitis is a disease which has increased during the past years despite our improved understanding of it. OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of Atopic Dermatitis in the quality of life of children and teenagers and their family. METHOD: A descriptive cross-sectional method with prospective data collection of 50 children and teenagers diagnosed with Atopic Dermatitis ranging in age from 5-16 years. Fifty parents and/or guardians answered the quality of life questionnaires The Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index and Family Dermatitis Impact Questionnaire. The socio-demographic and clinical variables were evaluated by a clinical record chart designed specifically for the research and socioeconomic standardized questionnaire by the Brazilian Association of Research Enterprises, which evaluates assets acquired and the educational level of the head of the household. RESULTS: Thirty-five out of the 50 patients were female (70%, and 28 (56% of them were from social class C. The Questionnaire Children's Dermatology Life Quality Index showed that 19 (38% patients ranged from 7 to 12 points (moderate impact of atopic dermatitis and 17 patients (34% ranged from 13 to 30 points (high impact of atopic dermatitis. The Family Dermatitis Impact Questionnaire revealed that 15 (30% families had scores between 7 and 12 points and 22 families (44% scored between 13 and 30 points. CONCLUSION: The results show that there is a very high impact on the QoL for atopic dermatitis patients and their families. This makes us suggest the importance of including the quality of life study in clinical evaluations.FUNDAMENTOS: A dermatite atópica é uma doença cuja prevalência vem aumentando nos últimos anos apesar do conhecimento crescente sobre a mesma. OBJETIVO: Avaliar a qualidade de vida das crianças e adolescentes com dermatite atópica e de suas famílias. MÉTODO: Estudo transversal descritivo com coleta prospectiva de dados de 50 crianças e

  4. 31 CFR 206.3 - Billing policy and procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Billing policy and procedures. 206.3 Section 206.3 Money and Finance: Treasury Regulations Relating to Money and Finance (Continued) FISCAL SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT SERVICE MANAGEMENT OF FEDERAL AGENCY RECEIPTS...

  5. Wild mallards have more "goose-like" bills than their ancestors: a case of anthropogenic influence?

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pär Söderquist

    Full Text Available Wild populations of the world's most common dabbling duck, the mallard (Anas platyrhynchos, run the risk of genetic introgression by farmed conspecifics released for hunting purposes. We tested whether bill morphology of free-living birds has changed since large-scale releases of farmed mallards started. Three groups of mallards from Sweden, Norway and Finland were compared: historical wild (before large-scale releases started, present-day wild, and present-day farmed. Higher density of bill lamellae was observed in historical wild mallards (only males. Farmed mallards had wider bills than present-day and historical wild ones. Present-day wild and farmed mallards also had higher and shorter bills than historical wild mallards. Present-day mallards thus tend to have more "goose-like" bills (wider, higher, and shorter than their ancestors. Our study suggests that surviving released mallards affect morphological traits in wild population by introgression. We discuss how such anthropogenic impact may lead to a maladapted and genetically compromised wild mallard population. Our study system has bearing on other taxa where large-scale releases of conspecifics with 'alien genes' may cause a cryptic invasive process that nevertheless has fitness consequences for individual birds.

  6. Preparation of the House Bill 3624 report : final report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-03-01

    Senate Bill 1080 (2008 Special Session) tightened documentation and identity verification requirements for the issuance, replacement and renewal of Oregon driver licenses, driver permits and identification cards. The law was signed by the Governor on...

  7. Energy bill of the municipal utilities at Heerlen: part of the customers' information system

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Poell, W A.G.

    1980-11-01

    A new invoice form now being sent to customers of the combined municipal utilities in Heerlen, Netherlands, provides customers with information that will encourage them to conserve energy. Changes in the invoice involve the utilities' internal operating procedure as well as the annual energy bill and the monthly installment invoice. To make the customer energy-conscious and aware of the effect of conservation measures, the bill states for purposes of comparison the annual consumption of the preceding period. The gas-consumption-related figures appearing on the bill have been modified to account for the calorific value and the ambient temperature in the corresponding period.

  8. The devil we know: the implications of bill C-38 for assisted human reproduction in Canada.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cattapan, Alana; Cohen, Sara R

    2013-07-01

    In June 2012, the Canadian House of Commons passed the so-called omnibus budget bill, making several important changes to the governance of assisted reproduction in Canada. The bill (Bill C-38) was widely criticized for its unwieldy size and rapid passage through Parliament, preventing adequate parliamentary debate and public scrutiny. Given the substantive nature of the amendments to the Assisted Human Reproduction Act made by Bill C-38, and the lack of relevant discussion about these changes both before and following its passage, this commentary is intended to identify how Bill C-38 may alter the governance of reproductive technologies in Canada. In this commentary, we address some of the more significant changes made by Bill C-38 to the regulation of reproductive medicine in Canada. We identify the benefits and challenges of closing Assisted Human Reproduction Canada, noting that doing so eliminates a much-needed forum for stakeholder consultation in this field. Further, we explore the implications of moving the regulation of donor semen from the Food and Drugs Act to the Assisted Human Reproduction Act; these include increased liability for physicians, and opportunities to expand the existing regulations to account for the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and queer Canadians using donor gametes and recent advances in reproductive technologies. Overall, we argue that although the implementation of a policy framework in this field remains highly dependent on yet-to-be written regulations, the changes to the Assisted Human Reproduction Act enabled by Bill C-38 may significantly alter how Canadians interact with reproductive technologies.

  9. Turning whine into wine: the fiscal impact of comprehensive documentation and billing for nonoperative pediatric surgical services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gollin, Gerald; Moores, Donald

    2006-06-01

    Some pediatric surgeons rarely document nonoperative services, believing that the reimbursement provided for such care is negligible. We evaluated the impact of comprehensive documentation and billing for nonoperative, pediatric surgical care. All bills submitted for inpatient, nonoperative care for 1 year were reviewed. Total receipts for documented admissions, consultations, critical care, and daily care were determined. The Evaluation and Management code billed for each service was recorded, and the total and average payments attributable to each Evaluation and Management code were calculated. Fifty-six percent of services were covered by Medicaid and 26% by a commercial insurer. There were 607 billed admission history and physical exams for which reimbursement totaled 43,493 dollars. Critical care services were provided to 49 patients and yielded 8964 dollars in payments. Six hundred thirty-nine inpatient consultations were performed with a reimbursement of 42,830 dollars. Daily care services were billed 1044 times and produced 71,579 dollars in payments. Overall reimbursement for documented, nonoperative services was 166,866 dollars. This represented 16.2% of total, noncontracted income for the practice. Despite a payer mix heavily weighted toward Medicaid, comprehensive documentation and billing for nonoperative services increased total, noncontracted reimbursement by almost 20% over what it would have been had only operative services been billed. The yield from properly documented, nonoperative care can be substantial.

  10. Coding and Billing in Surgical Education: A Systems-Based Practice Education Program.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ghaderi, Kimeya F; Schmidt, Scott T; Drolet, Brian C

    Despite increased emphasis on systems-based practice through the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education core competencies, few studies have examined what surgical residents know about coding and billing. We sought to create and measure the effectiveness of a multifaceted approach to improving resident knowledge and performance of documenting and coding outpatient encounters. We identified knowledge gaps and barriers to documentation and coding in the outpatient setting. We implemented a series of educational and workflow interventions with a group of 12 residents in a surgical clinic at a tertiary care center. To measure the effect of this program, we compared billing codes for 1 year before intervention (FY2012) to prospectively collected data from the postintervention period (FY2013). All related documentation and coding were verified by study-blinded auditors. Interventions took place at the outpatient surgical clinic at Rhode Island Hospital, a tertiary-care center. A cohort of 12 plastic surgery residents ranging from postgraduate year 2 through postgraduate year 6 participated in the interventional sequence. A total of 1285 patient encounters in the preintervention group were compared with 1170 encounters in the postintervention group. Using evaluation and management codes (E&M) as a measure of documentation and coding, we demonstrated a significant and durable increase in billing with supporting clinical documentation after the intervention. For established patient visits, the monthly average E&M code level increased from 2.14 to 3.05 (p coding and billing of outpatient clinic encounters. Using externally audited coding data, we demonstrate significantly increased rates of higher complexity E&M coding in a stable patient population based on improved documentation and billing awareness by the residents. Copyright © 2017 Association of Program Directors in Surgery. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Intervención fisioterápica prequirúrgicaen gonartrosis. Revisión bibliográfica narrativa

    OpenAIRE

    Ochoa García, Patricia

    2016-01-01

    La artrosis es una enfermedad degenerativa que genera un elevado coste sociosanitario. Tiene una incidencia elevada y afecta de forma severa la calidad de vida de los pacientes que la padecen. El objetivo planteado en este trabajo es conocer lo publicado sobre las técnicas fisioterápicas utilizadas en el tratamiento prequirúrgico de gonartrosis. La búsqueda de información se ha llevado a cabo utilizando bases de datos como Pubmed (Medline), PEDro y Science Direct y se han utilizado las palabr...

  12. 42 CFR 414.50 - Physician or other supplier billing for diagnostic tests performed or interpreted by a physician...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... HEALTH SERVICES Physicians and Other Practitioners § 414.50 Physician or other supplier billing for... services through such billing physician or other supplier. The “substantially all” requirement will be satisfied if, at the time the billing physician or other supplier submits a claim for a service furnished by...

  13. Transmission policy in Alberta and Bill 50

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Church, J.; Rosehart, W.; MacCormack, J.

    2009-01-01

    Plans developed by the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) have determined that Alberta's electrical transmission system needs to be expanded. However, there are complex issues that must be considered in order to assess the nature and extent of the needed expansion. Various new amendments to the system were proposed in the Alberta government's Bill 50, including the construction of new transmission lines; the installation of a double circuit 500 kV alternating current line between Edmonton and the Gibbons-Redwater region; the construction of a new 240 kV substation in southeast Calgary; and the installation of 2 single circuit 500 kV alternating current lines between Edmonton and Fort McMurray. This study provided a review of the institutional framework instituted by the government's transmission policy and compared the costs and benefits of 2 large capacity high voltage DC (HVDC) transmission lines proposed for the Edmonton-Calgary corridor relative to the various other transmission system amendment suggestions. An evaluation of Alberta's proposed regulatory process under Bill 50 was also conducted. Results of the study indicated that the addition of the HVDC lines is an inefficient response to concerns over adequate supply and reliability. 72 refs., 18 tabs.

  14. Black holes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feast, M.W.

    1981-01-01

    This article deals with two questions, namely whether it is possible for black holes to exist, and if the answer is yes, whether we have found any yet. In deciding whether black holes can exist or not the central role in the shaping of our universe played by the forse of gravity is discussed, and in deciding whether we are likely to find black holes in the universe the author looks at the way stars evolve, as well as white dwarfs and neutron stars. He also discusses the problem how to detect a black hole, possible black holes, a southern black hole, massive black holes, as well as why black holes are studied

  15. Edad, aprendizaje, tiempo quirúrgico y complicaciones en la cirugía videolaparoscópica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luis Miguel Pita Armenteros

    1999-12-01

    Full Text Available El tiempo quirúrgico es un factor de riesgo menos importante en las operaciones electivas, mucho menos si existe gentileza quirúrgica y control anestésico. El método videolaparoscópico exige de mayor monitoreo en la anestesia y es de mínimo traumatismo. Sin embargo, se habla de tiempos quirúrgicos muy elevados en la fase de aprendizaje como limitante en la productividad quirúrgica con aumento del costo quirófano y de complicaciones, en particular en cirujanos mayores. Este trabajo desmitifica edad, aprendizaje, tiempo quirúrgico y complicaciones en la cirugía videolaparoscópica. La prudencia influye en el tiempo quirúrgico, pero disminuye conversión y complicaciones. Obtener la calificación básica en cirugía videolaparoscópica requiere de 40 a 50 operacionesSurgical time is not very significant risk factor in elective surgery. It is much less important when there is an adequate surgical management and anesthetic control. The videolaparoscopic method demands a greater anesthetic monitoring and produces minimun traumatism. However, reference is made to extremely elevated surgical times during training that limit surgical productivity and increase the cost of the operation and the number of complications particularly among major surgeons. This paper considers age, training, surgical time and complications in videolaparoscopic surgery. Prudence influences on the surgical time but reduces conversion and complications. To obtain the basic qualification in videolaparoscopic surgery, it is necessary to perform 40 or 50 operations

  16. CARACTERIZAÇÃO E AVALIAÇÃO MICROSCÓPICA DE LEITES CONDENSADOS PRODUZIDOS NO BRASIL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcelo Cerqueira dos Santos

    2012-12-01

    Full Text Available O leite condensado brasileiro apresentou um desempenho favorável entre os anos de 1996 e 2006, alcançando mais de 50% da pauta da exportação de produtos lácteos. Desta forma, torna-se importante aumentar o conhecimento a cerca dos atributos de qualidade do leite condensado nacional. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar e avaliar oito marcas comerciais nacionais de leite condensado, com ênfase na avaliação microscópica relativa à presença de grandes cristais de lactose, defeito conhecido como arenosidade. Cada uma das marcas foi analisada para os atributos tamanho e número dos cristais de lactose, teores de umidade, lactose e sacarose, mediante a realização de três repetições autênticas. A marca oito apresentou o maior valor para massa de lactose cristalizável por unidade de produto (33,6g.395g-1. Houve diferença significativa entre as marcas de leite condensado para os atributos tamanho e número de cristais de lactose. Encontrou-se correlação significativa positiva (p<0,021 entre o teor de lactose e o número de cristais de lactose. A análise microscópica para leites condensados contribuiu para a avaliação da qualidade do produto e do processo de microcristalização e, mediante a facilidade de manuseio e relevância das informações obtidas, torna-se uma importante ferramenta disponível ao controle de qualidade das indústrias.

  17. Evolution of bill size in relation to body size in toucans and hornbills (Aves: Piciformes and Bucerotiformes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Austin L. Hughes

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Evidence that the bill of the Toco Toucan, Ramphastos toco Statius Muller, 1776, has a specialized role in heat dissipation suggests a new function for the large and light-weight bill of the toucan family (Piciformes: Ramphastidae. A prediction of this hypothesis is that bill length in toucans will increase with body mass at a rate greater than the isometric expectation. This hypothesis was tested in a phylogenetic context with measurements of skeletal elements in adult males of 21 toucan species. In these species, 64.3% of variance in relative skeletal measurements was accounted for by the contrast between bill and body size. Maxilla length and depth increased with body mass at a greater than isometric rate relative to both body mass and other linear skeletal measures. By contrast, no such trend was seen in a parallel analysis of 24 hornbill species (Bucerotiformes, sometimes considered ecological equivalents of toucans. The unique relationship between bill size and body mass in toucans supports the hypothesis that the evolution of a heat dissipation function has been a persistent theme of bill evolution in toucans.

  18. A concise evaluation and management curriculum for physicians in training improved billing at an outpatient academic rheumatology clinic.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirsh, Joel M; Collier, David H; Boyle, Dennis J; Gardner, Edward M

    2010-04-01

    To study whether providing house staff with a brief lecture and handout about proper documentation could improve billing at an academic rheumatology clinic. The authors created an educational sheet about documentation and billing after a review of the common documentation omissions responsible for down coding (Appendix, Supplemental Digital Content 1, available at: http://links.lww.com/RHU/A8). Beginning in November of 2006, the house staff were provided with this sheet and a brief lecture regarding how outpatient evaluation and management levels of service are coded. The results of clinic billing from January 1, 2006 to October 31, 2006 and November 1, 2006 to August 31, 2007 were obtained from the physician billing office. The authors compared the average level of service, by appointment type, in the prepost comparison periods using the student t test. There was a significant improvement in the level of service billed for new visits (P < 0.001), consults (P < 0.001), and return visits (P < 0.001) after November 1, 2006. The percentage of patients evaluated for the first time who were billed as consults improved from 15% to 78% (P < 0.001 by chi2). These changes resulted in $34,342 of additional billing during the postintervention period. A simple strategy for educating the house staff about proper documentation of the history, physical examination, and clinical decision making resulted in a significant improvement in an academic rheumatology division's outpatient billing.

  19. HEALTH INFO Information from the CHISBoard and Personnel Division: ABOUT BILLS FROM HOPITAL DE LA TOUR

    CERN Multimedia

    1999-01-01

    The tariff agreement signed by CERN (and other international organisations) with Hôpital de La Tour specifies that all bills paid within 30 days of the date of the invoice will enjoy a discount, to be deducted by the payer. The bills are labelled with a message to this effect.Physicians' fees, personal expenses as well as services from outside providers (e.g. ambulance companies or external laboratories) are however not part of the discount agreement. Bills for hospitalisation (i.e. with a stay in hospital longer than 28h) are normally directly paid by AUSTRIA, acting as a third-party payer.In May this year, Hôpital de La Tour introduced a new (Y2K compliant) accounting and invoicing system. This implementation did not go as smoothly as planned and delayed the issuing of bills by two months. During the summer period, a special team of temporary staff was put in place to catch up on the delay. As a result of this, some bills were produced that contained errors and the sticky label mentionin...

  20. 78 FR 52824 - Proposed Information Collection (Bowel and Bladder Care Billing Form) Activity: Comment Request

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-08-26

    ... and Bladder Care Billing Form) Activity: Comment Request AGENCY: Veterans Health Administration.... This notice solicits comments on the information needed to evaluate the Bowel and Bladder Care Billing Form used by caregivers of eligible Veterans to document time spent providing services related...

  1. Needlescopic versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a prospective study of 60 patients Colecistectomia agulhascópica versus colecistectomia laparoscópica: um estudo prospectivo de 60 pacientes

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Pedro Henrique Oliveira Cabral

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: To test the hypothesis that needlescopic cholecystectomies (NC offer superior outcomes in comparison to common laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LC. METHODS: Sixty consecutive patients with gallbladder disease undergoing either LC or NC were evaluated with respect to differences in operative time, frequency of per-operative incidents, post-operative pain, late postoperative symptoms, length of scars and level of postoperative satisfaction. RESULTS: Mean operative time was similar in both groups. Most of the patients, irrespective of the technique, informed mild postoperative pain. NC patients had lower levels of pain on the 7th postoperative day (PO7 (pOBJETIVO: Testar a hipótese de que colecistectomias agulhascópicas oferecem resultados superiores aos da colecistectomia laparoscópica usual (CL. MÉTODOS: Sessenta pacientes consecutivos com colecistopatia submetidos à CA ou CV foram avaliados quanto ao tempo operatório, freqüência de acidentes peroperatórios, dor pós-operatória, sintomas pós-operatórios tardios, comprimento das cicatrizes e grau de satisfação. RESULTADOS: O tempo operatório médio foi semelhante em ambos os grupos. A maioria dos pacientes, independentemente da técnica, relataram dor pós-operatória leve. Aqueles operados por CA tiveram menores níveis de dor no 7º dia de pós-operatório (PO7 (p<0.01 e menor necessidade de analgesia adicional. Menor freqüência de dor epigástrica foi observada no grupo CA até o PO4 (p<0.01. O resultado estético foi amplamente superior após CA (comprimento total das cicatrizes menor que a metade após CL. Não houve diferença quanto ao grau de satisfação entre os grupos. CONCLUSÕES: As duas técnicas foram seguras e eficazes, apresentando tempos operatórios semelhantes e baixos níveis de dor pós-operatória. A redução dos portais para 2-3 mm associou-se a menor freqüência de dor pós-operatória apenas na incisão epigástrica até o PO4. O resultado est

  2. Effects of the 2013 Psychiatric Current Procedural Terminology Codes Revision on Psychotherapy in Psychiatric Billing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mark, Tami L; Olesiuk, William J; Sherman, Laura J; Ali, Mir M; Mutter, Ryan; Teich, Judith L

    2017-11-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine whether the changes to the psychiatric Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes implemented in 2013 were associated with changes in types of services for which psychiatrists billed. Analyses were conducted using paid private insurance claims from a large commercial database. The participant cohort comprised psychiatrists with at least one psychiatry visit reported in the database in each calendar year studied: 2012 (N of visits=778,445), 2013 (N=748,317), and 2014 (N=754,760). The percentage of visits in which psychiatrists billed for psychotherapy declined from 51.4% in 2012 to 42.1% in 2014. The decline held after the analyses adjusted for patient characteristics, plan type, and region. The update to CPT codes resulted in a decrease in visits for which psychiatrists billed for psychotherapy. Further research should explore whether the change in billing corresponds to changes in service delivery.

  3. Black silicon with black bus-bar strings

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Davidsen, Rasmus Schmidt; Tang, Peter Torben; Mizushima, Io

    2016-01-01

    We present the combination of black silicon texturing and blackened bus-bar strings as a potential method for obtaining all-black solar panels, while using conventional, front-contacted solar cells. Black silicon was realized by mask-less reactive ion etching resulting in total, average reflectance...... below 0.5% across a 156x156 mm2 silicon wafer. Black bus-bars were realized by oxidized copper resulting in reflectance below 3% in the entire visible wavelength range. The combination of these two technologies may result in aesthetic, all-black panels based on conventional, front-contacted solar cells...

  4. Commentary Proposed Termination of Pregnancy Bill in Malawi ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Induced abortion has been a universal phenomenon in the history of humanity. The first recorded evidence was found in an Egyptian papyrus from 1550 BC. The debate on the proposed Termination of Pregnancy Bill is mired in misconception. Many, including the Christian doctors' group, make the assumption that the ...

  5. Cirugía endoscópica transluminal por orificios naturales: NOTES Natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery: NOTES

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M. J. Varas Lorenzo

    2009-04-01

    Full Text Available Se presenta una revisión actual, puesta al día, y punto de vista de los autores sobre un tema sumamente novedoso y atractivo, como es la Cirugía Endoscópica Transluminal por Orificios Naturales (NOTES: Natural Orifice Translumenal Endoscopic Surgery. La mayoría de los trabajos revisados se han realizado en animales de experimentación, pero la publicación de la colecistectomía por vía transvaginal, y la aparición de editoriales y artículos de revisión sobre el tema, nos llevan a realizar una serie de preguntas no resueltas actualmente sobre este tipo de cirugía, que representa un avance potencial para conseguir "una cirugía endoscópica sin cicatrices, sin infecciones, con mínimos requerimientos de anestesia y una inmediata recuperación".A current review and update of an exceedingly novel and appealing topic, namely natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES, is discussed, as well as the authors' viewpoint thereon. Most reviewed studies were performed in laboratory animals, but reports on transvaginal cholecystectomy and the emergence of editorials and review articles on this topic pose a number of as yet unanswered questions on this type of surgery, which represents a potential advance towards "endoscopic surgery with no scars, no infection, minimal anesthesia requirements, and immediate recovery".

  6. PLASTICIDAD FENOTÍPICA EN PLANTAS DE LIPPIA DULCIS (VERBENACEAE) SOMETIDAS A DÉFICIT HÍDRICO

    OpenAIRE

    JAVIER MAURICIO VILLAMIZAR CÚJAR; NELSON FACUNDO RODRÍGUEZ LÓPEZ; WILMER TEZARA FERNÁNDEZ

    2012-01-01

    La plasticidad fenotípica (PF) es un mecanismo mediante el cual las plantas pueden responder a la heterogeneidad ambiental con ajustes morfológicos y fisiológicos. En este estudio se cuantificó la PF de plantas de Lippia dulcis en respuesta a la disponibilidad hídrica en el suelo (baja, moderada y alta), en caracteres morfológicos y de asignación de biomasa, durante la ontogenia vegetativa (días 39, 45, 59 y 66). Nuestra hipótesis planteó que como respuesta a la disponibilidad hídrica, deberí...

  7. Report on the bill project on a new electricity market organisation in France (n. 2451)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-01-01

    This document reports the works of the Economic Affairs Commission of the French National Assembly on a bill project dealing with a new organisation of the electricity market. It reports the hearings of the Energy regulation commission Chairman and of the EDF Chairman, the general discussion of the Commission, and the discussion on the different bill articles. These articles are dealing with the access of electricity providers to the electricity produced by EDF, capacities required for electricity providers, power reservation contracts, and other regulatory aspects. A table compares the present situation, the content of the bill project, and the Commission's propositions

  8. Analysis of operating model of electronic invoice colombian Colombian electronic billing analysis of the operational model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sérgio Roberto da Silva

    2016-06-01

    Full Text Available Colombia has been one of the first countries to introduce electronic billing process on a voluntary basis, from a traditional to a digital version. In this context, the article analyzes the electronic billing process implemented in Colombia and the advantages. Methodological research is applied, qualitative, descriptive and documentary; where the regulatory framework and the conceptualization of the model is identified; the process of adoption of electronic billing is analyzed, and finally the advantages and disadvantages of its implementation is analyzed. The findings indicate that the model applied in Colombia to issue an electronic billing in sending and receiving process, is not complex, but it requires a small adequate infrastructure and trained personnel to reach all sectors, especially the micro and business which is the largest business network in the country.

  9. [Reviewing the shared strategy health bill: further measures to meet the structural challenges of the health system].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lombrail, Pierre

    2014-01-01

    This article reviews the draft health bill entitled "Federate health professionals around a shared strategy", currently submitted for consultation in the context of the national health strategy in France. This bill comprises innovative measures for prevention and health care in France. In particular, it is designed to develop, strengthen and structure the prevention sector, especially in children and young people. It is also designed to organize health care trajectories and acquire the necessary tools to promote their development. However, the bill sometimes presents limited ambitions in terms of objectives and means. In particular, the project comprises almost none of the necessary actions on the social determinants of health. Overall, the orientations of this bill represent a first major step towards a health policy in France beyond the field of health care. However, we must remain vigilant concerning application of these orientations in the process of elaboration of the bill and its related regulations, and implementation of the national health strategy.

  10. Agent-Based Framework for Building Efficient Postpaid Billing ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The postpaid and prepaid billing systems currently in operation in Telecommunications have some problems that show a win-loss situation. In postpaid the problem is mostly due to fraudulent activities by some employees that costs a telecommunications company a loss of between 5% and 15% of its total revenue as shown ...

  11. Scope of physician procedures independently billed by mid-level providers in the office setting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Coldiron, Brett; Ratnarathorn, Mondhipa

    2014-11-01

    Mid-level providers (nurse practitioners and physician assistants) were originally envisioned to provide primary care services in underserved areas. This study details the current scope of independent procedural billing to Medicare of difficult, invasive, and surgical procedures by medical mid-level providers. To understand the scope of independent billing to Medicare for procedures performed by mid-level providers in an outpatient office setting for a calendar year. Analyses of the 2012 Medicare Physician/Supplier Procedure Summary Master File, which reflects fee-for-service claims that were paid by Medicare, for Current Procedural Terminology procedures independently billed by mid-level providers. Outpatient office setting among health care providers. The scope of independent billing to Medicare for procedures performed by mid-level providers. In 2012, nurse practitioners and physician assistants billed independently for more than 4 million procedures at our cutoff of 5000 paid claims per procedure. Most (54.8%) of these procedures were performed in the specialty area of dermatology. The findings of this study are relevant to safety and quality of care. Recently, the shortage of primary care clinicians has prompted discussion of widening the scope of practice for mid-level providers. It would be prudent to temper widening the scope of practice of mid-level providers by recognizing that mid-level providers are not solely limited to primary care, and may involve procedures for which they may not have formal training.

  12. 78 FR 70580 - Apria Healthcare LLC, Billing Department, Overland Park, Kansas; Notice of Negative Determination...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-11-26

    ... responsibilities, and the assertion that the worker's separation was due to outsourcing to ``Emdeon and India... Reconsideration By application dated September 19, 2013, a former worker of Apria Healthcare LLC, Billing...), applicable to workers and former workers of Apria Healthcare LLC, Billing Department, Overland Park, Kansas...

  13. Soul / Randy Becker, Bill Evans, Evelin Samuel ; interv. Sven Sapelson

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Becker, Randy

    2007-01-01

    The Soulbop Bandi rajajad Randy Becker ja Bill Evans ning meie Evelin Samuel gospeli ja rhytmblues'i juurtega soulist. Lk. 72-73 Inessa Josingu ja Ande Kaalepi souliteemaline fotolavastusega ruumikujundus

  14. Bill project on energy transition for a green growth - Nr 2188. Impact study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Valls, Manuel; Royal, Segolene

    2014-01-01

    This document first proposes a statement by the Minister on Ecology on the motivations of the French bill project on energy transition which notably addresses the development of new energies, expresses a strong political commitment on energy, addresses the big issue of energy saving (with objectives of job creation and price reduction in the building sector), promotes a development of renewable energies based on local resources, aims at the emergence of citizen participation in energy choices and issues. The content of the bill project is then commented. The main addressed issues are: to define common objectives for a successful energy transition, an energy independence and for the struggle against climate change, a better renovation of buildings to save energy, to reduce prices and to create jobs, to develop clean transports to improve air quality and to protect health, to struggle against energy wastes and to promote circular economy, to promote renewable energies, to strengthen nuclear safety and citizen information, to simplify and clarify procedures, to enable citizens, local communities and the State to act together. The document then proposes the text of the bill project. A second part is a report of an impact study of these different issues and objectives addressed in the bill project

  15. Preliminary investigations of the winter ecology of Long-billed Curlews in coastal Texas

    Science.gov (United States)

    Woodin, Marc C.; Skoruppa, Mary Kay; Edwardson, Jeremy W.; Austin, Jane E.

    2012-01-01

    Since the early 1900s, the distribution of the Long-billed Curlew (Numenius americanus) has contracted dramatically in the eastern one-half of its historic range. The species has been designated as a "Bird of Conservation Concern" and focal species by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a species of concern by several states, and a "Highly Imperiled" species in the U.S. Shorebird Conservation Plan. The uncertain outlook for this species has contributed to a plethora of research on Long-billed Curlews, most of which have focused on breeding and nesting ecology of the species. Gaps remain in information about factors affecting population dynamics on the winter grounds and the linkages between Long-billed Curlew populations on the breeding range, migration routes, and winter range. To begin filling those gaps, a pilot study was done to evaluate (1) curlew use of nocturnal roost sites, (2) use of public outreach to locate curlews and contribute to preliminary assessment of foraging habitat use, (3) six different methods to capture curlews, and (4) movements by curlews on wintering areas. The study area includes the lower Texas coast, which harbors the eastern-most dense populations of Long-billed Curlews in North America.

  16. Black rings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Emparan, Roberto; Reall, Harvey S

    2006-01-01

    A black ring is a five-dimensional black hole with an event horizon of topology S 1 x S 2 . We provide an introduction to the description of black rings in general relativity and string theory. Novel aspects of the presentation include a new approach to constructing black ring coordinates and a critical review of black ring microscopics. (topical review)

  17. Multiple Reversals of Bill Length over 1.7 Million Years in a Hawaiian Bird Lineage.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Freed, Leonard A; Medeiros, Matthew C I; Cann, Rebecca L

    2016-03-01

    Evolutionary change has been documented over geological time, but reversals in morphology, from an ancestral state to a derived state and back again, tend to be rare. Multiple reversals along the same lineage are even rarer. We use the chronology of the Hawaiian Islands and an avian example, the Hawaiian honeycreeper 'amakihi (Hemignathus spp.) lineage, which originated on the oldest main island of Kaua'i 1.7 million years ago, to examine the process of sequential reversals in bill length. We document three single and two multiple reversals of bill length on six main islands from oldest to youngest, consistent with the phylogeny of the lineage. Longer bills occur on islands with endemic species, including phylogenetically relevant outgroups, that may compete with or dominate the 'amakihi. On islands without those species, the 'amakihi had shorter bills of similar length. Both types of reversals in morphology in this lineage integrate microevolutionary processes with macroevolution in the adaptive radiation of Hawaiian honeycreepers.

  18. Oncological outcomes of laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for renal cancer Resultados oncológicos da nefrectomia radical laparoscópica no tratamento do carcinoma renal

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jose R. Colombo Jr.

    2007-01-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: To report the 5-year oncological outcomes of patients undergoing laparoscopic radical nephrectomy for renal cancer compared to a cohort of patients undergoing open radical nephrectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the data of 88 patients undergoing radical nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma prior to January 2000. Of these, 45 patients underwent laparoscopic radical nephrectomy, and 43 patients underwent open radical nephrectomy. Inclusion criteria comprised clinically organ-confined tumors of 15 cm or less in size without concomitant lymphadenopathy or vena cava thrombus. Oncological follow-up data were obtained from charts, radiological reports, and phone calls to patients or their families, and were calculated from the date of surgery to the date of last appointment with physician or date of death. RESULTS: All laparoscopic procedures were completed without open conversion. On comparing the laparoscopic radical nephrectomy and open radical nephrectomy groups, mean tumor size was 5. 8 vs 6.2 cm (P = . 44, mean blood loss was 183 vs 461 mL (P = . 004, and mean operative time was 2.8 vs 3.7 hrs (P OBJETIVO: Relatar os resultados oncológicos após 5 anos de seguimento em pacientes submetidos a nefrectomia radical laparoscópica para tratamento do câncer renal, comparando esses com os resultados obtidos com um grupo de pacientes submetidos a nefrectomia radical aberta. MÉTODOS: Foram analisadas retrospectivamente as informações obtidas de 88 pacientes submetidos a nefrectomia radical para o tratamento do carcinoma renal realizadas previamente a Janeiro de 2000. Destes pacientes, 45 foram tratados com nefrectomia radical laparoscópica e 43 com nefrectomia radical aberta. Foram incluídos pacientes com tumores localizados com tamanho máximo de 15 cm, sem adenopatia ou sinal de envolvimento de veia renal na avaliação radiologica pré-operatória. As informações sobre o seguimento dos pacientes foram obtidas a partir de

  19. Algorithmic acquisition of diagnostic patterns in district heating billing system

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kiluk, Sebastian

    2012-01-01

    An application of algorithmic exploration of billing data is examined for fault detection, diagnosis (FDD) based on evaluation of present state and detection of unexpected changes in energy efficiency of buildings. Large data sets from district heating (DH) billing systems are used for construction of feature space, diagnostic rules and classification of the buildings according to their energy efficiency properties. The algorithmic approach automates discovering knowledge about common, thus accepted changes in buildings’ properties, in equipment and in habitants’ behavior reflecting progress in technology and life style. In this article implementation of Data Mining and Knowledge Discovery (DMKD) method in supervision system with exemplary results based on real data is presented. Crucial steps of data processing influencing diagnostic results are described in details.

  20. "Black Like Me": Reframing Blackness for Decolonial Politics

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dei, George J. Sefa

    2018-01-01

    From a particular vantage point, as an African-born scholar with a politics to affirm my Black subjectivity and Indigeneity in a diasporic context, my article engages a (re)theorization of Blackness for decolonial politics. Building on existing works of how Black scholars, themselves, have theorized Blackness, and recognizing the fluid,…

  1. Transanal endoscopic operation: a new proposal Operação transanal endoscópica: uma nova proposta

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    José Joaquim Ribeiro da Rocha

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: The transanal procedure for rectal cancer surgery is one of the many techniques currently available. Different techniques for local excision of rectal tumors include: conventional transanal technique, posterior access surgery, therapeutic colonoscopy, transanal endoscopic surgery. METHODS: The aim of the present study is to describe a new method of transanal endoscopic resection, transanal endoscopic operation (TEO, and performed with the aid of a surgical proctoscope especially designed for this purpose and report the results obtained in 32 patients submitted to the TEO and to compare these results with those obtained with other techniques currently available. The average proportions of recurrence, post-operation complications and posterior resections were analyzed by means of a metanalysis. Data on the distance and size of rectal lesions, the operative timing and hospitalization time were distributed in graphs according to authors and techniques. RESULTS: The results were favorable and equivalent to those described in the literature. CONCLUSIONS: The surgical proctoscope specially designed for this study is efficient and has a low cost; the TEO is easily performed with the aid of this equipment; the final results were favorable and similar to those obtained with other available techniques for endoscopic transanal intestinal resection, which are of high cost and less availability.INTRODUÇÃO: A operação cirúrgica por acesso transanal no tratamento do câncer retal é uma das várias técnicas utilizadas nessa terapêutica. Há várias técnicas de excisão local para os tumores retais: O método cirúrgico transanal convencional, acessos posteriores, colonoscopia terapêutica e operações transanais endoscópicas. O objetivo é apresentar um novo método de ressecção transanal endoscópica (Operação Transanal Endoscópica - OTE, realizada com um proctoscópio cirúrgico idealizado para o procedimento e divulgar os resultados

  2. Health providers' compliance with pregnant women's Bill of Rights in labor and delivery in Iran

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Vajihesadat Mirlohi

    2015-01-01

    Conclusions: The results showed that the health providers' compliance with the pregnant women's Bill of Rights was not acceptable in the labor room. Therefore, necessary actions are needed to remove the barriers against pregnant women's compliance of Bill of Rights and to facilitate the compliance with it in hospitals.

  3. 49 CFR 373.101 - Motor carrier bills of lading.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ... 49 Transportation 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Motor carrier bills of lading. 373.101 Section 373.101 Transportation Other Regulations Relating to Transportation (Continued) FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY REGULATIONS RECEIPTS AND...

  4. Planning and Implementing Immunization Billing Programs at State and Local Health Departments: Barriers and Possible Solutions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Corriero, Rosemary; Redmon, Ginger

    Before participating in a project funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most state and local health departments (LHDs) were not seeking reimbursement or being fully reimbursed by insurance plans for the cost of immunization services (including vaccine costs and administration fees) they provided to insured patients. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Billables Project was designed to enable state and LHDs to bill public and private insurance plans for immunization services provided to insured patients. Identify and describe key barriers state and LHDs may encounter while planning and implementing a billing program, as well as possible solutions for overcoming those barriers. This study used reports from Billables Project participants to explore barriers they encountered when planning and implementing a billing program and steps taken to address those barriers. Thirty-eight state immunization programs. Based on project participants' reports, barriers were noted in 7 categories: (1) funding and costs, (2) staff, (3) health department characteristics, (4) third-party payers and insurance plans, (5) software, (6) patient insurance status, and (7) other barriers. Possible solutions for overcoming those barriers included hiring or seeking external help, creating billing guides and training modules, streamlining workflows, and modifying existing software systems. Overcoming barriers during planning and implementation of a billing program can be challenging for state and LHDs, but the experiences and suggestions of past Billables Project participants can help guide future billing program efforts.

  5. Resposta cronotrópica ao teste cardiopulmonar após o uso de cimetidina

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rocha Gicela Risso

    2006-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Testar a hipótese, por meio de ensaio clínico randomizado, de que a administração de cimetidina altera a resposta cronotrópica ao exercício. MÉTODOS: Foram selecionados 24 indivíduos saudáveis, com idade entre 20 e 68 anos, não-atletas, os quais concordaram em ser submetidos a testes cardiopulmonares, após uso de placebo e de cimetidina, 400 mg, duas vezes ao dia, durante uma semana. Os testes foram realizados em esteira rolante, com protocolo de rampa com análises diretas dos gases expirados. Foi avaliada freqüência cardíaca máxima atingida, além da freqüência cardíaca de repouso e do limiar anaeróbico. RESULTADOS: Os indivíduos estudados foram igualmente distribuídos por sexo, com idade média (± desvio padrão de 43 ±11 anos. Os exames com placebo e com cimetidina tiveram igual duração (578±90 seg vs 603±131 seg e igual VO2 pico (35±8 ml/kg.min vs 35±8 ml/kg.min. A administração de cimetidina não apresentou efeito significativo na freqüência cardíaca de repouso (75±10 vs 74±8 bpm, no pico do esforço (176±12 vs 176±11 bpm e, da mesma forma, também não houve diferença entre as variações das freqüências cardíacas (pico - repouso, nos dois estudos (101±14 vs 101±13 bpm. CONCLUSÃO: A administração de cimetidina por sete dias não altera a resposta cronotrópica ao exercício.

  6. Evaluación de calidad en la colangiopancreatografía retrógrada endoscópica en el Hospital Universitario Clínico Quirúrgico Comandante Faustino Pérez Hernández

    OpenAIRE

    Ramos Pachón, Carlos Manuel; Ávalos García, Roxana; Haza Medina, Teresa; Umpierre García, Ibis

    2013-01-01

    Fundamento: es responsabilidad de los endoscopistas garantizar la realización de procederes de calidad, la cual se basa en parámetros definidos por las diferentes sociedades de endoscopia a nivel mundial. Objetivo: evaluar la calidad en la atención a pacientes que se realizaron la colangiopancreatografía retrógrada endoscópica en el hospital Faustino Pérez Hernández. Métodos: se realizó un estudio de evaluación de la calidad de las colangiopancreatografías retrógradas endoscópicas, describién...

  7. 78 FR 46425 - Sale and Issue of Marketable Book-Entry Treasury Bills, Notes, and Bonds

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-07-31

    ... a simple-interest money market yield computed on an actual/360 basis, subject to an appropriate... 13-week Treasury bill auction High Rate (stop out rate) converted into a simple actual/360 interest...-week Treasury bill auction High Rate that has been translated into a simple-interest money market yield...

  8. Entidades Filantrópicas e a Contabilidade: Aspectos Conceituais e Legais

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cristina Melim Petrelli

    2003-07-01

    Full Text Available As mudanças, cada vez mais velozes, acontecem nas mais diferentes esferas: econômica, tecnológica, social, política e cultural... Ao mesmo tempo em que as transformações nos desestabilizam, trazem, em si, indícios de grandes perspectivas, que nos impulsionam ao crescimento pessoal e institucional. Em função das mudanças que ocorrem, as entidades filantrópicas precisam buscar conhecimento e constante atualização, principalmente no que se refere às exigências legais. Pensando nestas mesmas mudanças, nos ocorreu o interesse de esclarecer as pessoas sobre o que é a filantropia, qual o embasamento legal, quais as isenções e a visão da contabilidade neste contexto. Acreditamos que o assunto é bastante amplo e questionável, mas a classe contábil esta se preparando cada vez mais para conseguir mensurar, quantificar e valorar as ações do chamado "Terceiro Setor".

  9. La Fondation Bill et Melinda Gates | IDRC - International ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    La Fondation Bill et Melinda Gates. http://www.gatesfoundation.org/ · What we do · Funding · Resources · About IDRC. Knowledge. Innovation. Solutions. Careers · Contact Us · Site map. Sign up now for IDRC news and views sent directly to your inbox each month. Subscribe · Copyright · Open access policy · Privacy policy ...

  10. 78 FR 76719 - Bill of Rights Day, 2013

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-12-18

    ... questions of citizenship and human rights, driving progress in the American mind. We learned that our Nation... anniversary of the Bill of Rights, let us reach for a day when we all may enjoy the basic truths of liberty... of Rights Day, 2013 By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation When America's...

  11. 47 CFR 36.380 - Other billing and collecting expense.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-10-01

    ..., REVENUES, EXPENSES, TAXES AND RESERVES FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANIES 1 Operating Expenses and Taxes... statistical work, controlling record work and the preparation of revenue reports. (b) Local exchange carriers... balance of Account 6620-Services to the Other billing and collecting expense classification based on the...

  12. 78 FR 39763 - Recovery Plan Addendum; Thick-Billed Parrot

    Science.gov (United States)

    2013-07-02

    ... particular species. Species' History Historically the thick-billed parrot's range extended from Mexico into... and the Secretary of the Interior. This species is currently found in Mexico but has not been detected... included southern Arizona and possibly southwestern New Mexico. The recovery plan addendum includes...

  13. Black Alcoholism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Watts, Thomas D.; Wright, Roosevelt

    1988-01-01

    Examines some aspects of the problem of alcoholism among Blacks, asserting that Black alcoholism can best be considered in an ecological, environmental, sociocultural, and public health context. Notes need for further research on alcoholism among Blacks and for action to reduce the problem of Black alcoholism. (NB)

  14. Correlações genotípicas, fenotípicas e de ambiente entre dez caracteres de melancia e suas implicações para o melhoramento genético Genotypic, phenotypic and environmental correlations among agronomic traits and the consequences for watermelon breeding

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Maria Aldete J.F. Ferreira

    2003-09-01

    Full Text Available Foram estimadas as correlações genotípicas, fenotípicas e de ambiente entre os caracteres número de dias para o aparecimento da primeira flor feminina (FF; número de frutos por planta (NF; peso de frutos por planta (PF; cor (CP e espessura (EP da polpa; diâmetro longitudinal (DL e transversal (DT de frutos; teor de sólidos solúveis (TS; número de sementes (NS e peso de 100 sementes (PS por fruto. As populações de melancia B9, 'Charleston Gray', 'Crimson Sweet', 'New H. Midget', M7, P14 e B13, os 21 híbridos F1, em dialelo, e seus recíprocos foram avaliados em campo, de acordo com o delineamento em blocos ao acaso completos, com quatro repetições. Houve grande similaridade entre as estimativas das correlações genotípicas e fenotípicas investigadas. Foram verificadas correlações genotípicas importantes entre os caracteres NF e PF, DL e DT; entre PF e DL, DT, EP e TS e entre CP e FF, EP e TS. Tais correlações indicam que o aumento no número de frutos por planta está correlacionado com a redução do peso de frutos e do tamanho dos frutos (função de DL e DT e que o aumento no peso dos frutos está associado ao aumento no tamanho dos frutos, da espessura e teor de sólidos solúveis da polpa, assim como a polpa vermelha está relacionada à precocidade e ao aumento na espessura e no teor de sólidos solúveis da polpa. As associações indesejáveis entre os caracteres, como entre número de frutos por planta e cor da polpa e número de frutos por planta e teor de sólidos solúveis, não foram completas, indicando, portanto, a possibilidade de se obter indivíduos recombinantes a partir de populações segregantes sintetizadas através de intercruzamentos de populações contrastantes.Genotypic, phenotypic and environmental correlations were estimated among the following traits of watermelon: number of days to the appearance of the first female flower (FF; number of fruits per plant (NF; weight of fruit (PF; flesh color

  15. 19 CFR 24.3a - CBP bills; interest assessment; delinquency; notice to principal and surety.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-04-01

    ... 19 Customs Duties 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false CBP bills; interest assessment; delinquency; notice to principal and surety. 24.3a Section 24.3a Customs Duties U.S. CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION....3a CBP bills; interest assessment; delinquency; notice to principal and surety. (a) Due date of CBP...

  16. HEALTH INFO Information from the CHIS Board and Personnel Division: ABOUT BILLS FROM HOPITAL DE LA TOUR

    CERN Multimedia

    Personnel Division + CHISB

    1999-01-01

    The tariff agreement signed by CERN (and other international organisations) with Hospital de La Tour specifies that all bills paid within 30 days of the date of the invoice will enjoy a discount, to be deducted by the payer. The bills are labelled with a message to this effect.Physicians' fees, personal expenses as well as services from outside providers (e.g. ambulance companies or external laboratories) are however not part of the discount agreement. Bills for hospitalisation (i.e. with a stay in hospital longer than 28h) are normally directly paid by AUSTRIA, acting as a third-party payer.In May this year, Hospital de La Tour introduced a new (Y2K compliant) accounting and invoicing system. This implementation did not go as smoothly as planned and delayed the issuing of bills by two months. During the summer period, a special team of temporary staff was put in place to catch up on the delay. As a result of this, some bills were produced that contained errors and the sticky label mentioning the discount agr...

  17. Implementasi Iso 8583 Untuk Billing Online Mahasiswa Universitas Diponegoro Melalui Channel SMS Banking Bank Rakyat Indonesia Berbasis Aix

    OpenAIRE

    Ridwan, Mohammad; Riyanto, Djalal Er; Sarwoko, Eko Adi

    2013-01-01

    Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP) merupakan salah satu perguruan tinggi negeri di Indonesia, yang bekerja sama dengan Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI) untuk menangani Billing Online mahasiswa. Sejauh ini BRI telah menyediakan dua channel transaksi untuk menangani Billing Online UNDIP, yaitu Teller dan ATM. Pengembangan channel transaksi lain dapat meningkatkan layanan transaksi Billing Online Mahasiswa UNDIP. Pada tugas akhir ini, dilakukan pengembangan channel SMS Banking dengan implementasi ISO 858...

  18. Pheochromocytoma treated by laparoscopic surgery Feocromocitoma tratado por cirurgia laparoscópica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lísias Nogueira Castilho

    2000-06-01

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the results of the laparoscopic technique in the treatment of adrenal pheochromocytoma. METHOD: Ten patients, 7 men and 3 women, between 10 and 67 years of age (mean 48 with pheochromocytoma underwent transperitoneal laparoscopic adrenalectomy and were evaluated retrospectively, based on clinical, laboratory, and pathological diagnosis. In all cases there was a solid unilateral adrenal tumor, 5 on the left side and 5 on the right side, whose greater diameter varied from 7 to 80 mm (mean 32. Nine of the 10 patients were chronically hypertensive or had already had hypertensive crises. One patient was normotensive, but presented metabolic alterations suggestive of adrenergic hyperfunction. RESULTS: No deaths occurred in this series. There were two (20% conversions to open surgery, one due to venous bleeding and one due to the difficulty of dissection behind the vena cava in a patient presenting a partially retro-caval tumor. Surgical time in the 8 non-converted cases ranged from 70 to 215 minutes (mean 136. One patient (10% received blood transfusion, and another (10% presented two complications - acute renal failure and a subcutaneous infection. Both had been converted to open surgery. None of the non-converted cases was transfused or presented complications. Hospital discharge occurred between the 2nd and 11th post-operative day (mean 3. The pathological exam of the surgical specimens confirmed the diagnoses of pheochromocytoma in all 10 cases, one of them associated with an aldosterone-producing cortical tumor. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for selected patients presenting pheochromocytoma is feasible and provides good results.OBJETIVO: Avaliar os resultados da utilização da técnica laparoscópica no tratamento do feocromocitoma de supra-renal. MÉTODO: Dez pacientes, sete homens e três mulheres, entre 10 e 67 anos de idade (média 48, com feocromocitoma, foram operados por via laparoscópica transperitoneal

  19. 75 FR 43557 - TA-W-73,682, Hartford Financial Services Group, Incorporated, Medical Bill Processing and...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-26

    ... Leased Workers From Beeline: Aurora, IL; TA-W-73,682A, Hartford Financial Services Group, Incorporated..., applicable to workers of Hartford Financial Services Group, Incorporated, Medical Bill Processing and Production Center Support, Aurora, Illinois and Hartford Financial Services Group, Incorporated, Medical Bill...

  20. Environmental liabilities in Billings reservoir and its impacts on hydropower generation Plant Henry Borden; Os passivos ambientais no reservatorio Billings e os seus impactos na geracao hidroenergetica da Usina Henry Borden

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Almeida, Daniel Ladeira [Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC), Santo Andre, SP (Brazil)

    2010-07-01

    The primary assertion is that this article argues that the recovery in production of hydropower in Henry Borden (UHB) is the reduction of environmental liabilities in the Billings reservoir. In this context, the aim of this paper is to provide a first consideration of the possibility of recovery of production Henry Borden hydropower plant of recovering the multiple uses of the reservoir. From this perspective, we interviewed representatives of CETESB (Sanitation Environmental Technology Company) and EMAE (Metropolitan Water and Energy Company SA) for consideration of actions that include environmental policies aimed at increasing the production of electricity in Henry Borden in order to obtain results that may contribute to the multiple uses of the Billings reservoir. Noting that the range of laws aimed at protecting the water sources was limited to disjointed public policy that has reduced the resilience of the Billings reservoir. (author)

  1. Lead poisoning following ingestion of pieces of lead roofing plates: pica-like behavior in an adult.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sabouraud, Sabine; Testud, François; Descotes, Jacques; Benevent, Monique; Soglu, Gilbert

    2008-03-01

    A 37-year-old man was admitted to hospital after complaining of abdominal pain for the past two weeks. On admission the abdominal radiograph showed multiple radio-opaque flecks dispersed throughout the gastrointestinal tract. Blood testing showed hemoglobin level 8.7 g/dL and a blood lead level of 112.4 microg/dL. The family interview revealed that the patient had pica-like behavior since childhood. He was a site foreman and had been ingesting pieces of roofing plates for a few weeks. The patient was treated with laxatives and CaNa(2)EDTA therapy was initiated. The blood lead level then dropped to 69.9 microg/dL. The patient received two subsequent courses of oral succimer and the blood lead level decreased to 59 microg/dL 21 days after the first course. The follow-up abdominal X-ray 20 days after the first examination was normal. Four months later, an outpatient follow-up visit showed a blood lead level within normal limits (14.5 microg/dL) and a psychiatric follow-up was initiated. Lead poisoning following the ingestion of lead-containing foreign bodies is particularly rare in adults, while it is sometimes observed in children. Pica behavior is a well-identified risk factor of lead intoxication in children but is quite exceptional in adults, where it is usually considered to be a psychiatric condition. Other unusual sources of lead poisoning include the ingestion of lead bullets, ceramic lead glaze or glazed earthenware, lead-contaminated candies, ethnic or herbal remedies.

  2. Breeding ecology of the pink-billed lark, Spizocorys conirostris , in ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Breeding ecology of the pink-billed lark, Spizocorys conirostris , in an agricultural landscape in South Africa. ... Open Access DOWNLOAD FULL TEXT ... The results are compared with data in Birdlife South Africa's Nest Record Card Scheme.

  3. A Timely Idea: Third Party Billing for Related Services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Spaller, Kathy Dye; Thomas, Stephen B.

    1994-01-01

    Federal allocations for special education programs are below 10% whereas the federal contribution to state medicaid programs ranges from 50-80%. Third-party billing provides a more equitable distribution of the costs among federal, state, and local governments, in addition to including private-sector contributions. (MLF)

  4. Variabilidad genotípica y respuesta a la selección en moha (Setaria italica (L. P. Beauv.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julio Gabriel Velazco

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available La moha (Setaria italica es un cultivo de verano, anual, tipo C4, utilizado como cereal o forraje. El objetivo de este estudio fue estimar parámetros genéticos de utilidad para el mejoramiento en caracteres relacionados con rendimiento de grano y forraje en las poblaciones de la especie adaptadas de Argentina. Se estimaron la variabilidad y las correlaciones genotípicas, y la ganancia genética esperada por selección de líneas puras en los cultivares Carapé INTA y Yaguané INTA. Los cultivares se diferenciaron principalmente en número de macollos, altura de planta y tamaño de panoja. En todos los caracteres evaluados, Yaguané INTA mostró mayores niveles de variabilidad genotípica que Carapé INTA. En Yaguané INTA el número de macollos presentó una fuerte correlación negativa con el resto de caracteres morfológicos, mientras que en Carapé INTA esta asociación fue menos marcada. Las ganancias genéticas esperadas en Yaguané INTA fueron superiores que las obtenidas en Carapé INTA sobre todos los caracteres, con las mayores ganancias en el tamaño de panoja y número de macollos. Los parámetros estimados sugieren que Yaguané INTA posee el mayor potencial para mejoramiento.

  5. Sensitivity of Billing Claims for Cardiovascular Disease Events among Kidney Transplant Recipients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lentine, Krista L.; Schnitzler, Mark A.; Abbott, Kevin C.; Bramesfeld, Kosha; Buchanan, Paula M.; Brennan, Daniel C.

    2009-01-01

    Background and objectives: Billing claims are increasingly examined beyond administrative functions as outcomes measures in observational research. Few studies have described the performance of billing claims as surrogate measures of clinical events among kidney transplant recipients. Design, setting, participants, & measurements: We investigated the sensitivity of Medicare billing claims for clinically verified cardiovascular diagnoses (five categories) and procedures (four categories) in a novel database linking Medicare claims to electronic medical records of one transplant program. Cardiovascular events identified in medical records for 571 Medicare-insured transplant recipients in 1991 through 2002 served as reference measures. Results: Within a claims-ascertainment period spanning ±30 d of clinically recorded dates, aggregate sensitivity of single claims was higher for case definitions incorporating Medicare Parts A and B for diagnoses and procedures (90.9%) compared with either Part A (82.3%) or Part B (84.6%) alone. Perfect capture of the four procedures was possible within ±30 d or with short claims window expansion, but sensitivity for the diagnoses trended lower with all study algorithms (91.2% with window up to ±90 d). Requirement for additional confirmatory diagnosis claims did not appreciably reduce sensitivity. Sensitivity patterns were similar in the early compared with late periods of the study. Conclusions: Combined use of Medicare Parts A and B billing claims composes a sensitive measure of cardiovascular events after kidney transplant. Further research is needed to define algorithms that maximize specificity as well as sensitivity of claims from Medicare and other insurers as research measures in this population. PMID:19541817

  6. Water Label to Improve Water Billing in Spanish Households

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Castillo-Martinez

    2014-05-01

    Full Text Available A significant decrease in water consumption has been achieved in recent years thanks to different campaigns run by different institutions in Spain. However, most citizens do not have a very clear idea about whether or not they are efficiently using water. To solve this situation, this paper aims is to develop two water labels in order to improve the current water billing. These water labels evaluate the total water consumption and the domestic hot water consumption. To make the tags, several research studies were tackled for establishing consumer trends and behavior patterns. Furthermore, a survey and data collection were conducted to obtain updated values to validate information obtained from previous studies. The result are two water labels that establish six different levels to graphically show the efficiency, and they also include a comparison with the average consumption by customers of the same province. To ensure that the benefits of this evaluation are available to citizens, its inclusion on the water bill is proposed.

  7. Can social policy influence socioeconomic disparities? Korean War GI Bill eligibility and markers of depression.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vable, Anusha M; Canning, David; Glymour, M Maria; Kawachi, Ichiro; Jimenez, Marcia P; Subramanian, Subu V

    2016-02-01

    The Korean War GI Bill provided socioeconomic benefits to veterans; however, its association with health is unclear; we hypothesize GI Bill eligibility is associated with fewer depressive symptoms and smaller disparities. Data from 246 Korean War GI Bill eligible veterans and 240 nonveterans from the Health and Retirement Study were matched on birth year, southern birth, race, height, and childhood health using coarsened exact matching. Number of depressive symptoms in 2010 (average age = 78 years) was assessed using a modified, validated Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression Scale, dichotomized to reflect elevated depressive symptoms. Regression analyses were stratified into low (at least one parent markers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Saving billions of dollars--and physicians' time--by streamlining billing practices.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Blanchfield, Bonnie B; Heffernan, James L; Osgood, Bradford; Sheehan, Rosemary R; Meyer, Gregg S

    2010-06-01

    The U.S. system of billing third parties for health care services is complex, expensive, and inefficient. Physicians end up using nearly 12 percent of their net patient service revenue to cover the costs of excessive administrative complexity. A single transparent set of payment rules for multiple payers, a single claim form, and standard rules of submission, among other innovations, would reduce the burden on the billing offices of physician organizations. On a national scale, our hypothetical modeling of these changes would translate into $7 billion of savings annually for physician and clinical services. Four hours of professional time per physician and five hours of practice support staff time could be saved each week.

  9. Administrative Costs Associated With Physician Billing and Insurance-Related Activities at an Academic Health Care System.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tseng, Phillip; Kaplan, Robert S; Richman, Barak D; Shah, Mahek A; Schulman, Kevin A

    2018-02-20

    Administrative costs in the US health care system are an important component of total health care spending, and a substantial proportion of these costs are attributable to billing and insurance-related activities. To examine and estimate the administrative costs associated with physician billing activities in a large academic health care system with a certified electronic health record system. This study used time-driven activity-based costing. Interviews were conducted with 27 health system administrators and 34 physicians in 2016 and 2017 to construct a process map charting the path of an insurance claim through the revenue cycle management process. These data were used to calculate the cost for each major billing and insurance-related activity and were aggregated to estimate the health system's total cost of processing an insurance claim. Estimated time required to perform billing and insurance-related activities, based on interviews with management personnel and physicians. Estimated billing and insurance-related costs for 5 types of patient encounters: primary care visits, discharged emergency department visits, general medicine inpatient stays, ambulatory surgical procedures, and inpatient surgical procedures. Estimated processing time and total costs for billing and insurance-related activities were 13 minutes and $20.49 for a primary care visit, 32 minutes and $61.54 for a discharged emergency department visit, 73 minutes and $124.26 for a general inpatient stay, 75 minutes and $170.40 for an ambulatory surgical procedure, and 100 minutes and $215.10 for an inpatient surgical procedure. Of these totals, time and costs for activities carried out by physicians were estimated at a median of 3 minutes or $6.36 for a primary care visit, 3 minutes or $10.97 for an emergency department visit, 5 minutes or $13.29 for a general inpatient stay, 15 minutes or $51.20 for an ambulatory surgical procedure, and 15 minutes or $51.20 for an inpatient surgical procedure. Of

  10. Black holes

    OpenAIRE

    Brügmann, B.; Ghez, A. M.; Greiner, J.

    2001-01-01

    Recent progress in black hole research is illustrated by three examples. We discuss the observational challenges that were met to show that a supermassive black hole exists at the center of our galaxy. Stellar-size black holes have been studied in x-ray binaries and microquasars. Finally, numerical simulations have become possible for the merger of black hole binaries.

  11. The phase structure of higher-dimensional black rings and black holes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Emparan, Roberto; Harmark, Troels; Niarchos, Vasilis; Obers, Niels A.; RodrIguez, Maria J.

    2007-01-01

    We construct an approximate solution for an asymptotically flat, neutral, thin rotating black ring in any dimension D ≥ 5 by matching the near-horizon solution for a bent boosted black string, to a linearized gravity solution away from the horizon. The rotating black ring solution has a regular horizon of topology S 1 x S D-3 and incorporates the balancing condition of the ring as a zero-tension condition. For D = 5 our method reproduces the thin ring limit of the exact black ring solution. For D ≥ 6 we show that the black ring has a higher entropy than the Myers-Perry black hole in the ultra-spinning regime. By exploiting the correspondence between ultra-spinning black holes and black membranes on a two-torus, we take steps towards qualitatively completing the phase diagram of rotating blackfolds with a single angular momentum. We are led to propose a connection between MP black holes and black rings, and between MP black holes and black Saturns, through merger transitions involving two kinds of 'pinched' black holes. More generally, the analogy suggests an infinite number of pinched black holes of spherical topology leading to a complicated pattern of connections and mergers between phases

  12. On the Charter Question: Black Marxism and Black Nationalism

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stern, Mark; Hussain, Khuram

    2015-01-01

    This article brings two black intellectual traditions to bear on the question of charter schools: black Marxism and black nationalism. The authors examine the theoretical and rhetorical devices used to talk about charters schools by focusing on how notions of "black liberation" are deployed by the charter movement, and to what end. The…

  13. "Be Real Black for Me": Imagining BlackCrit in Education

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dumas, Michael J.; ross, kihana miraya

    2016-01-01

    The authors put forward a theorization of a Black Critical Theory, or what might be called BlackCrit, within, and in response to, Critical Race Theory, and then outline ways that BlackCrit in education helps us to more incisively analyze how the specificity of (anti)blackness matters in explaining how Black bodies become marginalized, disregarded,…

  14. Atomic Energy Authority Bill (Lords) - second reading

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1986-01-01

    In the debate in the House of Commons on the second reading of the Atomic Energy Bill, the objective of which is to put the finances of the Authority on to a trading fund basis, the discussion included the following: proposed changes in method of financing the Authority; safety; underlying research; customer relations; accountability; personnel; public relations; radioactive waste management; energy research; parliamentary scrutiny; energy policy; nuclear power; fast reactors; fusion research; government policy. (U.K.)

  15. Black hole astrophysics

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Blandford, R.D.; Thorne, K.S.

    1979-01-01

    Following an introductory section, the subject is discussed under the headings: on the character of research in black hole astrophysics; isolated holes produced by collapse of normal stars; black holes in binary systems; black holes in globular clusters; black holes in quasars and active galactic nuclei; primordial black holes; concluding remarks on the present state of research in black hole astrophysics. (U.K.)

  16. Bill redness is positively associated with reproduction and survival in male and female zebra finches.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mirre J P Simons

    Full Text Available Sexual traits can serve as honest indicators of phenotypic quality when they are costly. Brightly coloured yellow to red traits, which are pigmented by carotenoids, are relatively common in birds, and feature in sexual selection. Carotenoids have been linked to immune and antioxidant function, and the trade-off between ornamentation and these physiological functions provides a potential mechanism rendering carotenoid based signals costly. Mutual ornamentation is also common in birds and can be maintained by mutual mate choice for this ornament or by a correlated response in one sex to selection on the other sex. When selection pressures differ between the sexes this can cause intralocus sexual conflict. Sexually antagonistic selection pressures have been demonstrated for few sexual traits, and for carotenoid-dependent traits there is a single example: bill redness was found to be positively associated with survival and reproductive output in male zebra finches, but negatively so in females. We retested these associations in our captive zebra finch population without two possible limitations of this earlier study. Contrary to the earlier findings, we found no evidence for sexually antagonistic selection. In both sexes, individuals with redder bills showed higher survival. This association disappeared among the females with the reddest bills. Furthermore, females with redder bills achieved higher reproductive output. We conclude that bill redness of male and female zebra finches honestly signals phenotypic quality, and discuss the possible causes of the differences between our results and earlier findings.

  17. Avaliação do teste de contato com aeroalérgenos em pacientes com dermatite atópica Evaluation of patch test with airbone allergic agents in patients with atopic dermatitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rosana Neves Dos Santos Rodrigues

    2011-02-01

    Full Text Available FUNDAMENTOS: a dermatite atópica é uma doença inflamatória cutânea que apresenta múltiplos fatores desencadeantes. Há vários relatos de autores que confirmaram os aeroalérgenos como fatores agravantes ou desencadeantes. O teste de contato com aeroalérgenos ou teste de contato atópico foi proposto para avaliar a participação destes alérgenos na dermatite atópica. OBJETIVO: objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a positividade do teste de contato atópico em pacientes com dermatite atópica. MÉTODOS: Avaliamos 50 pacientes com dermatite atópica e 45 do grupo com rinite alérgica, nos quais realizamos teste de contato atópico com extratos de Dermatophagoides pteronissynus, Dermatophagoides farinae e Blomia tropicalis, além de testes cutâneos de leitura imediata para os mesmos alérgenos, acrescidos de epitélio de cão e gato e fungos. RESULTADOS: verificamos que o teste de contato atópico com ácaros apresentou maior positividade nos indivíduos do grupo de dermatite atópica quando comparado ao grupo de rinite alérgica. CONCLUSÕES: o teste de contato atópico apresenta resultados estatisticamente significativos quando realizado com ácaros, em pacientes com dermatite atópica, com p=0,035, OR (odds ratio = 3,35 e IC(95% = [ 1,18; 9,47].BACKGROUND: Atopic dermatitis is an inflammatory skin disease that can be triggered by many factors. Several reports confirm the role of airborne allergic agents as aggravating or triggering factors. The patch test with airborne allergic agents or the atopy patch test was suggested to evaluate the role of these allergens in atopic dermatitis. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at evaluating the positivity of the atopy patch test in patients with atopic dermatitis. METHODS: We evaluated 50 patients with atopic dermatitis and 45 with allergic rhinitis, the atopy patch test was performed in these patiennts with extracts of Dermatophagoides pteronissynus, Dermatophagoides farinae and Blomia tropicalis, as

  18. PBF: A New Privacy-Aware Billing Framework for Online Electric Vehicles with Bidirectional Auditability

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rasheed Hussain

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Recently an online electric vehicle (OLEV concept has been introduced, where vehicles are propelled by the wirelessly transmitted electrical power from the infrastructure installed under the road while moving. The absence of secure-and-fair billing is one of the main hurdles to widely adopt this promising technology. This paper introduces a new secure and privacy-aware fair billing framework for OLEV on the move through the charging plates installed under the road. We first propose two extreme lightweight mutual authentication mechanisms, a direct authentication and a hash chain-based authentication between vehicles and the charging plates that can be used for different vehicular speeds on the road. Second, we propose a secure and privacy-aware wireless power transfer on move for the vehicles with bidirectional auditability guarantee by leveraging game theoretic approach. Each charging plate transfers a fixed amount of energy to the vehicle and bills the vehicle in a privacy-aware way accordingly. Our protocol guarantees secure, privacy-aware, and fair billing mechanism for the OLEVs while receiving electric power from the infrastructure installed under the road. Moreover, our proposed framework can play a vital role in eliminating the security and privacy challenges in the deployment of power transfer technology to the OLEVs.

  19. Billing third party payers for pharmaceutical care services.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Poirier, S; Buffington, D E; Memoli, G A

    1999-01-01

    To describe the steps pharmacists must complete when seeking compensation from third party payers for pharmaceutical care services. Government publications; professional publications, including manuals and newsletters; authors' personal experience. Pharmacists in increasing numbers are meeting with success in getting reimbursed by third party payers for patient care activities. However, many pharmacists remain reluctant to seek compensation because they do not understand the steps involved. Preparatory steps include obtaining a provider/supplier number, procuring appropriate claim forms, developing data collection and documentation systems, establishing professional fees, creating a marketing plan, and developing an accounting system. To bill for specific patient care services, pharmacists need to collect the patient's insurance information, obtain a statement of medical necessity from the patient's physician, complete the appropriate claim form accurately, and submit the claim with supporting documentation to the insurer. Although many claims from pharmacists are rejected initially, pharmacists who work with third party payers to understand the reasons for denial of payment often receive compensation when claims are resubmitted. Pharmacists who follow these guidelines for billing third party payers for pharmaceutical care services should notice an increase in the number of paid claims.

  20. Financial Viability of Emergency Department Observation Unit Billing Models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Baugh, Christopher W; Suri, Pawan; Caspers, Christopher G; Granovsky, Michael A; Neal, Keith; Ross, Michael A

    2018-05-16

    Outpatients receive observation services to determine the need for inpatient admission. These services are usually provided without the use of condition-specific protocols and in an unstructured manner, scattered throughout a hospital in areas typically designated for inpatient care. Emergency department observation units (EDOUs) use protocolized care to offer an efficient alternative with shorter lengths of stay, lower costs and higher patient satisfaction. EDOU growth is limited by existing policy barriers that prevent a "two-service" model of separate professional billing for both emergency and observation services. The majority of EDOUs use the "one-service" model, where a single composite professional fee is billed for both emergency and observation services. The financial implications of these models are not well understood. We created a Monte Carlo simulation by building a model that reflects current clinical practice in the United States and uses inputs gathered from the most recently available peer-reviewed literature, national survey and payer data. Using this simulation, we modeled annual staffing costs and payments for professional services under two common models of care in an EDOU. We also modeled cash flows over a continuous range of daily EDOU patient encounters to illustrate the dynamic relationship between costs and revenue over various staffing levels. We estimate the mean (±SD) annual net cash flow to be a net loss of $315,382 ±$89,635 in the one-service model and a net profit of $37,569 ±$359,583 in the two-service model. The two-service model is financially sustainable at daily billable encounters above 20 while in the one-service model, costs exceed revenue regardless of encounter count. Physician cost per hour and daily patient encounters had the most significant impact on model estimates. In the one-service model, EDOU staffing costs exceed payments at all levels of patient encounters, making a hospital subsidy necessary to create a

  1. Billings for Centrex Autovon Terminations in the Department of the Army

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    1990-01-01

    The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Bell Operating Companies have properly billed DoD telecommunications users for CENTREX AUTOVON termination service and for special assemblies...

  2. Police Brutality and Black Health: Setting the Agenda for Public Health Scholars.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alang, Sirry; McAlpine, Donna; McCreedy, Ellen; Hardeman, Rachel

    2017-05-01

    We investigated links between police brutality and poor health outcomes among Blacks and identified five intersecting pathways: (1) fatal injuries that increase population-specific mortality rates; (2) adverse physiological responses that increase morbidity; (3) racist public reactions that cause stress; (4) arrests, incarcerations, and legal, medical, and funeral bills that cause financial strain; and (5) integrated oppressive structures that cause systematic disempowerment. Public health scholars should champion efforts to implement surveillance of police brutality and press funders to support research to understand the experiences of people faced with police brutality. We must ask whether our own research, teaching, and service are intentionally antiracist and challenge the institutions we work in to ask the same. To reduce racial health inequities, public health scholars must rigorously explore the relationship between police brutality and health, and advocate policies that address racist oppression.

  3. A dermatite atópica na criança: uma visão psicossomática Dermatitis atópica en el niño: una visión psicosomática Atopic dermatitis in infants: a psychosomatic approach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Paulo T. L. Fontes Neto

    2006-04-01

    Full Text Available A pele é a nossa fronteira com o mundo, fazendo trocas e contato com o meio ambiente. Sendo assim, não seria ela capaz de sinalizar, através de suas alterações, o nosso anseio pelo outro, a necessidade de "trocas afetivas"? Os autores apresentam a observação da evolução clínica e emocional de uma criança de 2 anos de idade, portadora de dermatite atópica, participante do Grupo de Apoio à Dermatite Atópica, com sua formação pioneira interdisciplinar, durante 9 meses de acompanhamento da criança no grupo. Como resultados, foram evidenciadas mudanças no comportamento da criança frente ao livre brincar, uma interação social mais concreta, com diminuição da irritabilidade e agressividade e, principalmente, maior e melhor vinculação entre a dupla mãe-criança, assim como marcada melhora do quadro dermatológico. Conclui-se que a abrangência, proporcionada pelo atendimento interdisciplinar, possibilita uma intervenção precoce na relação mãe-criança, podendo ser considerada como uma estratégia de prevenção em saúde mental materno-infantil, evitando possíveis patologias futuras.La piel es nuestra frontera con el mundo, realizando cambios y contacto con el entorno. Así, ¿no sería ella capaz de señalar, a través de sus alteraciones, nuestro anhelo por el otro, la necesidad de "cambios afectivos"? Los autores presentan la observación de la evolución clínica y emocional de un niño de 2 años de edad, portadora de dermatitis atópica, participante del Grupo de Apoyo a la Dermatitis Atópica, con su formación innovadora interdisciplinaria, durante 9 meses de acompañamiento del niño en el grupo. Como resultados, se evidenciaron cambios en el comportamiento del niño frente al libre jugar, una interacción social más concreta, con la disminución de la irritabilidad y agresividad y, principalmente, mayor y mejor vinculación entre la dupla madre-niño, así como una acentuada mejora en el cuadro dermatol

  4. Billing and accounts receivable: fundamentals for improvement.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bizon, M M

    1993-07-01

    If a healthcare facility's accounts receivable operation is experiencing problems, the patient accounts manager should survey all areas of his or her responsibility to determine the best method of resolving the difficulties. One effective technique to reduce billing problems is to take a proactive--not reactive--approach. If mistakes can be corrected before they get out of control, and if the patient accounts manager can ensure that claims will not be denied, a healthcare facility's accounts receivable should remain in good condition.

  5. France's energy bill in 2008; La facture energetique de la France en 2008

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    NONE

    2009-06-15

    This article comments the important increase of France's energy bill in relationship with oil prices and dollar value fluctuations during 2008. It discusses the explosion in oil prices before the financial crisis and their subsequent evolution, and the evolutions of other energies' prices (natural gas, coal, electricity). Tables and graphs are given on various indicators: average monthly oil price expressed in euros and in dollars, gas spot price, annual average quotations for different crude oil prices, annual average imported oil price, and annual average imported and exported energy prices. It comments the global decrease of energy imports, their evolutions since 2006 with respect to the supplying country. It analyses the energy bill's evolution for oil and gas, discusses its importance with respect to France's GDP, and assesses it in terms of worked days for each inhabitant. Tables contain data indicating, for 2007 and 2008, the levels of imports, exports, and of the resulting bill for the different products (mineral fuels, crude oil, refined oil products, gas), and also give a comparison between the energy bill and other economic aggregates.

  6. Contemporary Black Theatre.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Thomas, Pearl

    The distinguishable black theatre in America, mirroring a distinguishable black experience, is an artistic product which demands audience involvement. Both the Afro-American oral tradition and the art of gesture are integral aspects of black theatre. In addition, the tragedy found black theatre is not tragedy in the classic sense, as blacks feel…

  7. TEORÍA DE BILL MUNDY EN EL MECANIZADO DE COBRE CON BROCAS Y MACHOS ESPECIALES BILL MUNDY THEORY. SPECIAL DRILLS AND TAPS TOOLS IN COPPER MACHINING

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alejandro Colque C

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available El mecanizado del cobre, debido a su fluidez, produce una viruta plástica y continua que afecta la calidad superficial de las piezas mecanizadas. El método desarrollado por el ingeniero norteamericano Bill Mundy permite obtener el mejor ángulo de corte para mecanizar un material. El taladrado y el roscado con machos son dos procesos de mecanizado que tienen aspectos en común. Diseños de nuevas herramientas, nuevos materiales y técnicas de mecanizado, mejorías en la lubricación, diferentes velocidades de corte y avances, son variables que se deben estudiar para obtener una menor potencia, mayor duración de la herramienta y buen acabado superficial. En este trabajo probetas de cobre fueron ensayadas a tracción y se determinó experimentalmente el ángulo efectivo de corte, de acuerdo con la teoría de Bill Mundy. Posteriormente se fabricaron nuevas probetas que fueron perforadas con brocas tipo H, N y W, con refrigeración externa, refrigeración interna y en seco. Se usaron machos de máquina de dos y tres hélices. En cada perforación se midió la velocidad de rotación, avance, fuerza de corte, momento torsor y potencia necesaria. Se verificó que en el taladrado de cobre un ángulo mayor de la hélice favorece el desmenuzado de la viruta y disminuye el momento torsor. Brocas con refrigeración interna pueden ser utilizadas con mayores velocidades y muestran una mejor calidad superficial del perforado. Las brocas y machos con un ángulo de ataque próximo al ángulo calculado experimentalmente por la teoría de Bill Mundy muestran un buen comportamiento en el mecanizado y menor consumo de potencia.Copper drilling produces plastic and continuous chip. Bill Mundy a North American engineer developed a method who allows determines experimentally the best cutting angle material machining. Drilling and threading processes has several aspects in common. New tools design, new materials, new techniques, new lubrication and cooling improvement

  8. Caged black holes: Black holes in compactified spacetimes. I. Theory

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kol, Barak; Sorkin, Evgeny; Piran, Tsvi

    2004-01-01

    In backgrounds with compact dimensions there may exist several phases of black objects including a black hole and a black string. The phase transition between them raises questions and touches on fundamental issues such as topology change, uniqueness, and cosmic censorship. No analytic solution is known for the black hole, and moreover one can expect approximate solutions only for very small black holes, while phase transition physics happens when the black hole is large. Hence we turn to numerical solutions. Here some theoretical background to the numerical analysis is given, while the results will appear in a subsequent paper. The goals for a numerical analysis are set. The scalar charge and tension along the compact dimension are defined and used as improved order parameters which put both the black hole and the black string at finite values on the phase diagram. The predictions for small black holes are presented. The differential and the integrated forms of the first law are derived, and the latter (Smarr's formula) can be used to estimate the 'overall numerical error'. Field asymptotics and expressions for physical quantities in terms of the numerical values are supplied. The techniques include the 'method of equivalent charges', free energy, dimensional reduction, and analytic perturbation for small black holes

  9. 41 CFR 102-118.80 - Who is responsible for keeping my agency's electronic commerce transportation billing records?

    Science.gov (United States)

    2010-07-01

    ... keeping my agency's electronic commerce transportation billing records? 102-118.80 Section 102-118.80... Transportation and Transportation Services § 102-118.80 Who is responsible for keeping my agency's electronic commerce transportation billing records? Your agency's internal financial regulations will identify...

  10. Primary black holes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Novikov, I.; Polnarev, A.

    1981-01-01

    Proves are searched for of the formation of the so-called primary black holes at the very origin of the universe. The black holes would weigh less than 10 13 kg. The formation of a primary black hole is conditional on strong fluctuations of the gravitational field corresponding roughly to a half of the fluctuation maximally permissible by the general relativity theory. Only big fluctuations of the gravitational field can overcome the forces of the hot gas pressure and compress the originally expanding matter into a black hole. Low-mass black holes have a temperature exceeding that of the black holes formed from stars. A quantum process of particle formation, the so-called evaporation takes place in the strong gravitational field of a black hole. The lower the mass of the black hole, the shorter the evaporation time. The analyses of processes taking place during the evaporation of low-mass primary black holes show that only a very small proportion of the total mass of the matter in the universe could turn into primary black holes. (M.D.)

  11. THE ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR OF THE LONG BILLED CURLEW (NUMENIUS AMERICANUS) IN SOUTHEASTERN WASHINGTON

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Julia N. Fitzner

    1978-06-01

    The primary objective of this study was to examine in depth the nesting ecology and behavior of the Long-billed Curlew on a breeding area relatively free of disruptive human activity. Two surruners of field work were devoted to that end; a post-breeding season survey in 1976 of the major National Wildlife Refuges in Washington, Southern Idaho, Utah, Nevada California, and Oregon enlarged the scope by including unpublished records of Long-billed Curlews in these areas.

  12. 77 FR 70423 - Black Bear Hydro Partners, LLC and Black Bear Development Holdings, LLC and Black Bear SO, LLC...

    Science.gov (United States)

    2012-11-26

    ... Bear Hydro Partners, LLC and Black Bear Development Holdings, LLC and Black Bear SO, LLC; Notice of..., 2012, Black Bear Hydro Partners, LLC, sole licensee (transferor) and Black Bear Development Holdings, LLC and Black Bear SO, LLC (transferees) filed an application for the partial the transfer of licenses...

  13. An Overview Of The Nigerian National Health Bill | Saka | Savannah ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    The National Health Bill was developed in 2004 as an instrument for correcting ... in the 1999 constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria as it relates to the health sector. ... Its provisions have effects on all three levels of care and subsystems ...

  14. Phase transition for black holes with scalar hair and topological black holes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Myung, Yun Soo

    2008-01-01

    We study phase transitions between black holes with scalar hair and topological black holes in asymptotically anti-de Sitter spacetimes. As the ground state solutions, we introduce the non-rotating BTZ black hole in three dimensions and topological black hole with hyperbolic horizon in four dimensions. For the temperature matching only, we show that the phase transition between black hole with scalar hair (Martinez-Troncoso-Zanelli black hole) and topological black hole is second-order by using differences between two free energies. However, we do not identify what order of the phase transition between scalar and non-rotating BTZ black holes occurs in three dimensions, although there exists a possible decay of scalar black hole to non-rotating BTZ black hole

  15. APROXIMACIÓN A LA NAVEGACIÓN AUTÓNOMA DE UNA PLATAFORMA MÓVIL, MEDIANTE VISIÓN ESTEREOSCÓPICA ARTIFICIAL

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Adriana Riveros Guevara

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available La visión artificial intenta capturar información relevante del medio ambiente, utilizando cámaras como sensores de ciertas características (formas, colores, texturas, etc., para el funcionamiento adecuado de algunos mecanismos. Con el fin de obtener una imagen idéntica al entorno real, es necesario generar imágenes estereoscópicas que nos permita obtener la profundidad y así conseguir una representación en 3D. En este documento se plasma cómo se realizó la integración de un sistema de visión estereoscópica artificial a un robot móvil, con el objetivo de reconocer y seguir el centro de un camino. Dicho sistema se encarga de la adquisición, procesamiento y caracterización de imágenes, utilizando procedimientos fuera de línea para calibrar las cámaras y los métodos en línea para generar el mapa de disparidad, aplicación del operador Canny y la Transformada de Hough, empleando las librerías de OpenCV en un proyecto de Consola Win32 en C++. Es importante mencionar que los algoritmos desarrollados en este trabajo fundamentalmente son para ambientes estructurados. Los ambientes pueden clasificarse en: estructurados, no estructurados y semi-estructurados.

  16. Oclusão da artéria central da retina em paciente com poliangeíte microscópica

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cláudia Gallicchio Domingues

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available RESUMO A poliangeíte microscópica é uma vasculite necrotizante sistêmica que acomete arteríolas, capilares e vênulas, mas também pode atingir pequenas e médias artérias. É considerada uma doença rara, idiopática e autoimune. Diversas anormalidades oculares e sistêmicas estão associadas às oclusões arteriais retinianas. Dentre as doenças vasculares do colágeno, a literatura cita como possíveis causas de obstrução das artérias retinianas o lúpus eritematoso sistêmico, a poliarterite nodosa, a arterite de células gigantes, a granulomatose de Wegener e a granulomatose linfóide de Liebow. Até o presente momento, não se encontrou na literatura relatos da associação de casos de oclusão arterial retinana associados à PAM. Os autores relatam o caso de um paciente com poliangeíte microscópica que apresentou comprometimento renal importante e oclusão da artéria central da retina unilateral. Atenta-se para a inclusão de pesquisa da PAM, através do p-ANCA, na avaliação de possível origem sistêmica em pacientes acometidos por oclusão arterial retiniana.

  17. The impact of rate design and net metering on the bill savings from distributed PV for residential customers in California

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Darghouth, Naim R.; Barbose, Galen; Wiser, Ryan

    2011-01-01

    Net metering has become a widespread mechanism in the U.S. for supporting customer adoption of distributed photovoltaics (PV), but has faced challenges as PV installations grow to a larger share of generation in a number of states. This paper examines the value of the bill savings that customers receive under net metering, and the associated role of retail rate design, based on a sample of approximately two hundred residential customers of California's two largest electric utilities. We find that the bill savings per kWh of PV electricity generated varies by more than a factor of four across the customers in the sample, which is largely attributable to the inclining block structure of the utilities' residential retail rates. We also compare the bill savings under net metering to that received under three potential alternative compensation mechanisms, based on California's Market Price Referent (MPR). We find that net metering provides significantly greater bill savings than a full MPR-based feed-in tariff, but only modestly greater savings than alternative mechanisms under which hourly or monthly net excess generation is compensated at the MPR rate. - Highlights: → We examine the value of bill savings under net metering to PV owners in California. → Bill savings per kWh of PV generation varies by a factor of four with net metering. The variation is attributable to rate design, the unique inclining block structure. → The median value of bill savings is reduced by 40-67% with MPR feed-in tariff. → The median value of bill savings is reduced by 6-12% with hourly netting.

  18. From binary black hole simulation to triple black hole simulation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bai Shan; Cao Zhoujian; Han, Wen-Biao; Lin, Chun-Yu; Yo, Hwei-Jang; Yu, Jui-Ping

    2011-01-01

    Black hole systems are among the most promising sources for a gravitational wave detection project. Now, China is planning to construct a space-based laser interferometric detector as a follow-on mission of LISA in the near future. Aiming to provide some theoretical support to this detection project on the numerical relativity side, we focus on black hole systems simulation in this work. Considering the globular galaxy, multiple black hole systems also likely to exist in our universe and play a role as a source for the gravitational wave detector we are considering. We will give a progress report in this paper on our black hole system simulation. More specifically, we will present triple black hole simulation together with binary black hole simulation. On triple black hole simulations, one novel perturbational method is proposed.

  19. The Complexity Of Billing And Paying For Physician Care.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gottlieb, Joshua D; Shapiro, Adam Hale; Dunn, Abe

    2018-04-01

    The administrative costs of providing health insurance in the US are very high, but their determinants are poorly understood. We advance the nascent literature in this field by developing new measures of billing complexity for physician care across insurers and over time, and by estimating them using a large sample of detailed insurance "remittance data" for the period 2013-15. We found dramatic variation across different types of insurance. Fee-for-service Medicaid is the most challenging type of insurer to bill, with a claim denial rate that is 17.8 percentage points higher than that for fee-for-service Medicare. The denial rate for Medicaid managed care was 6 percentage points higher than that for fee-for-service Medicare, while the rate for private insurance appeared similar to that of Medicare Advantage. Based on conservative assumptions, we estimated that the health care sector deals with $11 billion in challenged revenue annually, but this number could be as high as $54 billion. These costs have significant implications for analyses of health insurance reforms.

  20. Surface geometry of 5D black holes and black rings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Frolov, Valeri P.; Goswami, Rituparno

    2007-01-01

    We discuss geometrical properties of the horizon surface of five-dimensional rotating black holes and black rings. Geometrical invariants characterizing these 3D geometries are calculated. We obtain a global embedding of the 5D rotating black horizon surface into a flat space. We also describe the Kaluza-Klein reduction of the black ring solution (along the direction of its rotation) which, though it is nakedly singular, relates this solution to the 4D metric of a static black hole distorted by the presence of external scalar (dilaton) and vector ('electromagnetic') fields. The properties of the reduced black hole horizon and its embedding in E 3 are briefly discussed

  1. The Role of Non-Governmental Organization (NGO in Advocating the National Security Bill

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yusa Djuyandi

    2016-05-01

    Full Text Available The role run by a coalition of NGOs in advocating the National Security Bill aimed at encouraging the birth of national security policy to appropriate to the purpose of reform. However, until now the role of NGOs in advocating National Security Bill has not been able to encourage the authorities to reconstruct the draft of national security policy that is consistent with the objectives of security sector reform. This study is conducted to analyze the role of NGOs in the security sector reform in Indonesia, particularly through the advocacy of the National Security Bill. The method used in this study is a qualitative method. The result shows that NGOs, which are members of the KMSRK, have been running the multiple roles, such as: popularly involved in policy making, providing political education to the community, promoting or encouraging reform, and promoting the interests of the community. The study also suggests the existence of new findings of the role of NGOs, which is forming a coherent unity of interests.

  2. MODELING BILL-OF-MATERIAL WITH TREE DATA STRUCTURE: CASE STUDY IN FURNITURE MANUFACTURER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toni Prahasto

    2012-02-01

    Full Text Available This paper presents a modeling of Bill-of-Material with tree data structure. The BOM represents wooden furniture products. The management of BOM is incorporated into an MRP software which is specially built for a furniture manufacturer. The tree data structure is approached with an object oriented programming to provide the creation and modification of the data. The tree object is designed so that a downstream programmer can create an application with high productivity, using the BOM object of course. Legality of the development is ensured by adapting open source resources, i.e. MySQL database engine, PHP server script, and client-side Javascript. The BOM object is used extensively in the MRP software that is being developed. A couple of screenshots are presented to demonstrate the ease of creation and manipulation of Bill-of-Material. The proper approach of modeling BOM with tree structure allows the programmer to reach high productivity during the development of the aforementioned MRP customized software. Keyword : Modeling, Bill of Material, Tree Data Structure

  3. Black Holes

    OpenAIRE

    Townsend, P. K.

    1997-01-01

    This paper is concerned with several not-quantum aspects of black holes, with emphasis on theoretical and mathematical issues related to numerical modeling of black hole space-times. Part of the material has a review character, but some new results or proposals are also presented. We review the experimental evidence for existence of black holes. We propose a definition of black hole region for any theory governed by a symmetric hyperbolic system of equations. Our definition reproduces the usu...

  4. Black silicon solar cells with black bus-bar strings

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Davidsen, Rasmus Schmidt; Tang, Peter Torben; Mizushima, Io

    2016-01-01

    We present the combination of black silicon texturing and blackened bus-bar strings as a potential method for obtaining all-black solar panels, while using conventional, front-contacted solar cells. Black silicon was realized by maskless reactive ion etching resulting in total, average reflectance...... below 0.5% across a 156x156 mm2 silicon wafer. Four different methods to obtain blackened bus-bar strings were compared with respect to reflectance, and two of these methods (i.e., oxidized copper and etched solder) were used to fabricate functional allblack solar 9-cell panels. The black bus-bars (e.......g., by oxidized copper) have a reflectance below 3% in the entire visible wavelength range. The combination of black silicon cells and blackened bus-bars results in aesthetic, all-black panels based on conventional, front-contacted solar cells without compromising efficiency....

  5. Effects of implementing electronic medical records on primary care billings and payments: a before-after study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jaakkimainen, R Liisa; Shultz, Susan E; Tu, Karen

    2013-09-01

    Several barriers to the adoption of electronic medical records (EMRs) by family physicians have been discussed, including the costs of implementation, impact on work flow and loss of productivity. We examined billings and payments received before and after implementation of EMRs among primary care physicians in the province of Ontario. We also examined billings and payments before and after switching from a fee-for-service to a capitation payment model, because EMR implementation coincided with primary care reform in the province. We used information from the Electronic Medical Record Administrative Data Linked Database (EMRALD) to conduct a retrospective before-after study. The EMRALD database includes EMR data extracted from 183 community-based family physicians in Ontario. We included EMRALD physicians who were eligible to bill the Ontario Health Insurance Plan at least 18 months before and after the date they started using EMRs and had completed a full 18-month period before Mar. 31, 2011, when the study stopped. The main outcome measures were physicians' monthly billings and payments for office visits and total annual payments received from all government sources. Two index dates were examined: the date physicians started using EMRs and were in a stable payment model (n = 64) and the date physicians switched from a fee-for-service to a capitation payment model (n = 42). Monthly billings and payments for office visits did not decrease after the implementation of EMRs. The overall weighted mean annual payment from all government sources increased by 27.7% after the start of EMRs among EMRALD physicians; an increase was also observed among all other primary care physicians in Ontario, but it was not as great (14.4%). There was a decline in monthly billings and payments for office visits after physicians changed payment models, but an increase in their overall annual government payments. Implementation of EMRs by primary care physicians did not result in decreased

  6. Effects of implementing electronic medical records on primary care billings and payments: a before–after study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shultz, Susan E.; Tu, Karen

    2013-01-01

    Background Several barriers to the adoption of electronic medical records (EMRs) by family physicians have been discussed, including the costs of implementation, impact on work flow and loss of productivity. We examined billings and payments received before and after implementation of EMRs among primary care physicians in the province of Ontario. We also examined billings and payments before and after switching from a fee-for-service to a capitation payment model, because EMR implementation coincided with primary care reform in the province. Methods We used information from the Electronic Medical Record Administrative Data Linked Database (EMRALD) to conduct a retrospective before–after study. The EMRALD database includes EMR data extracted from 183 community-based family physicians in Ontario. We included EMRALD physicians who were eligible to bill the Ontario Health Insurance Plan at least 18 months before and after the date they started using EMRs and had completed a full 18-month period before Mar. 31, 2011, when the study stopped. The main outcome measures were physicians’ monthly billings and payments for office visits and total annual payments received from all government sources. Two index dates were examined: the date physicians started using EMRs and were in a stable payment model (n = 64) and the date physicians switched from a fee-for-service to a capitation payment model (n = 42). Results Monthly billings and payments for office visits did not decrease after the implementation of EMRs. The overall weighted mean annual payment from all government sources increased by 27.7% after the start of EMRs among EMRALD physicians; an increase was also observed among all other primary care physicians in Ontario, but it was not as great (14.4%). There was a decline in monthly billings and payments for office visits after physicians changed payment models, but an increase in their overall annual government payments. Interpretation Implementation of EMRs by

  7. The Interpretation of Dreams: Ladson-Billings, Freud, and Derrida

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greenwalt, Kyle

    2010-01-01

    This study provides a critical and close reading of "The Dreamkeepers" (1994), by Gloria Ladson-Billings. The paper focuses primarily on the gendered nature of "being a teacher" and "being a student" as revealed in the dreamkeeper text, while maintaining its engagement with race and culture as it is manifested in the United States context. It…

  8. Rancang Bangun Perangkat Lunak Billing dan Implementasi Voice Over Internet Protocol

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Honni Honni

    2013-12-01

    Full Text Available The rapidly evolving communication system enables applications for telephone communication to be carried over the data network known as VoIP (voice over internet protocol. SIP (session initiation protocol as the signaling protocol is text-based VoIP which can be implemented easily in comparison with other signalingprotocols. The purpose of this paper is designing and implementing VoIP billing up to the company to provide additional facilities for enterprise customers. The methods start with data collection, analysis, design, development, and implementation. The result achieved is a system of VoIP with SIP and Asterisk software which has functions of PBX to provide additional facilities such as VoIP which is a plus for the company and customers. After implemented, the VoIP system and billing features are found work well.

  9. Persons with disability bill 2002 and its implications to the provision ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Persons with disability bill 2002 and its implications to the provision of library and ... services to the visually handicapped persons in Kenyan learning institutions. ... to achieve their full potential and protect them from undue discrimination.

  10. Killing the bill online? Pathways to young people's protest engagement via social media.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Macafee, Timothy; De Simone, J J

    2012-11-01

    In spring 2011, thousands of Wisconsin residents protested a controversial bill spearheaded by Governor Scott Walker. Protest engagement via social media was popular, especially among young people. The current study examines the relationship between young people's informational and expressive uses of four social media-Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Blogs-and their offline protest engagement. Survey results reveal that although college students used these social media to obtain information about the budget repair bill protests, only expressive uses related to offline protest engagement. We move research forward by examining the implications of multiple uses of political social media surrounding a compelling case study.

  11. War and Marriage: Assortative Mating and the World War II GI Bill.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Larsen, Matthew F; McCarthy, T J; Moulton, Jeremy G; Page, Marianne E; Patel, Ankur J

    2015-10-01

    World War II and its subsequent GI Bill have been widely credited with playing a transformative role in American society, but there have been few quantitative analyses of these historical events' broad social effects. We exploit between-cohort variation in the probability of military service to investigate how WWII and the GI Bill altered the structure of marriage, and find that it had important spillover effects beyond its direct effect on men's educational attainment. Our results suggest that the additional education received by returning veterans caused them to "sort" into wives with significantly higher levels of education. This suggests an important mechanism by which socioeconomic status may be passed on to the next generation.

  12. Heat exchange from the toucan bill reveals a controllable vascular thermal radiator.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tattersall, Glenn J; Andrade, Denis V; Abe, Augusto S

    2009-07-24

    The toco toucan (Ramphastos toco), the largest member of the toucan family, possesses the largest beak relative to body size of all birds. This exaggerated feature has received various interpretations, from serving as a sexual ornament to being a refined adaptation for feeding. However, it is also a significant surface area for heat exchange. Here we show the remarkable capacity of the toco toucan to regulate heat distribution by modifying blood flow, using the bill as a transient thermal radiator. Our results indicate that the toucan's bill is, relative to its size, one of the largest thermal windows in the animal kingdom, rivaling elephants' ears in its ability to radiate body heat.

  13. Distortion of Schwarzschild-anti-de Sitter black holes to black strings

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tomimatsu, Akira

    2005-01-01

    Motivated by the existence of black holes with various topologies in four-dimensional spacetimes with a negative cosmological constant, we study axisymmetric static solutions describing any large distortions of Schwarzschild-anti-de Sitter black holes parametrized by the mass m. Under the approximation such that m is much larger than the anti-de Sitter radius, it is found that a cylindrically symmetric black string is obtained as a special limit of distorted spherical black holes. Such a prolonged distortion of the event horizon connecting a Schwarzschild-anti-de Sitter black hole to a black string is allowed without violating both the usual black hole thermodynamics and the hoop conjecture for the horizon circumference

  14. Low-mass black holes as the remnants of primordial black hole formation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greene, Jenny E

    2012-01-01

    Bridging the gap between the approximately ten solar mass 'stellar mass' black holes and the 'supermassive' black holes of millions to billions of solar masses are the elusive 'intermediate-mass' black holes. Their discovery is key to understanding whether supermassive black holes can grow from stellar-mass black holes or whether a more exotic process accelerated their growth soon after the Big Bang. Currently, tentative evidence suggests that the progenitors of supermassive black holes were formed as ∼10(4)-10(5) M(⊙) black holes via the direct collapse of gas. Ongoing searches for intermediate-mass black holes at galaxy centres will help shed light on this formation mechanism.

  15. Privacy-Preserving Billing Scheme against Free-Riders for Wireless Charging Electric Vehicles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xingwen Zhao

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Recently, scientists in South Korea developed on-line electric vehicle (OLEV, which is a kind of electric vehicle that can be charged wirelessly while it is moving on the road. The battery in the vehicle can absorb electric energy from the power transmitters buried under the road without any contact with them. Several billing schemes have been presented to offer privacy-preserving billing for OLEV owners. However, they did not consider the existence of free-riders. When some vehicles are being charged after showing the tokens, vehicles that are running ahead or behind can switch on their systems and drive closely for a free charging. We describe a billing scheme against free-riders by using several cryptographic tools. Each vehicle should authenticate with a compensation-prepaid token before it can drive on the wireless-charging-enabled road. The service provider can obtain compensation if it can prove that certain vehicle is a free-rider. Our scheme is privacy-preserving so the charging will not disclose the locations and routine routes of each vehicle. In fact, our scheme is a fast authentication scheme that anonymously authenticates each user on accessing a sequence of services. Thus, it can be applied to sequential data delivering services in future 5G systems.

  16. Mehhiklane troonil: kas Bill Gatesi ajastu sai tõesti otsa? / Heiki Suurkask

    Index Scriptorium Estoniae

    Suurkask, Heiki, 1972-

    2010-01-01

    Ajakirja Forbes koostatud maailma rikkaimate inimeste edetabelist, mille tipus on Mehhiko telekomi monopoli suuromanik Carlos Slim Helú, seniselt liidripositsioonilt on teisele kohale langenud Microsofti rajaja Bill Gates

  17. Black Culture

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Angela Khristin Brown

    2013-07-01

    Full Text Available The migration of blacks in North America through slavery became united.  The population of blacks past downs a tradition of artist through art to native born citizens. The art tradition involved telling stories to each generation in black families. The black culture elevated by tradition created hope to determine their personal freedom to escape from poverty of enslavement and to establish a way of life through tradition. A way of personal freedoms was through getting a good education that lead to a better foundation and a better way of life.

  18. Magnetized black holes and black rings in the higher dimensional dilaton gravity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yazadjiev, Stoytcho S.

    2006-01-01

    In this paper we consider magnetized black holes and black rings in the higher dimensional dilaton gravity. Our study is based on exact solutions generated by applying a Harrison transformation to known asymptotically flat black hole and black ring solutions in higher dimensional spacetimes. The explicit solutions include the magnetized version of the higher dimensional Schwarzschild-Tangherlini black holes, Myers-Perry black holes, and five-dimensional (dipole) black rings. The basic physical quantities of the magnetized objects are calculated. We also discuss some properties of the solutions and their thermodynamics. The ultrarelativistic limits of the magnetized solutions are briefly discussed and an explicit example is given for the D-dimensional magnetized Schwarzschild-Tangherlini black holes

  19. The Association Between the Use of the Education Benefits from the G.I. Bill and Veterans' Health.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rumery, Zachary R; Patel, Nilam; Richard, Patrick

    2018-05-01

    There is limited knowledge on the impact of education on veterans' health in the United States. This study specifically examines the relationship between the education benefits from the G.I. Bill and veterans' health. This study used data from the 2010 National Survey of Veterans. The subjects for this study were 5,052 veterans who were eligible to receive G.I. Bill benefits, representing a total of about 12.7 million non-institutionalized veterans in the United States in 2010. The dependent variables included self-reported health status and smoking behavior. The key independent variable was whether veterans used the education benefits from the G.I. Bill compared with those who were eligible but did not use them. Results from multivariate regression analyses showed that those who used the education benefits from the G.I. Bill were 4% less likely to report fair/poor health (p education benefits. Additional analyses showed that using the education benefits to attend college decreased the probability of being in fair/poor health by 4% (p benefits for non-college attainment such as business, technical, or vocational schools. More importantly, a larger association was found between the use of the education benefits from the G.I. Bill to obtain a college degree and fair/poor health (7%, p education also has important health benefits.

  20. Search efforts for ivory-billed woodpecker in South Carolina

    Science.gov (United States)

    Matthew Moskwik; Theresa Thom; Laurel M. Barnhill; Craig Watson; Jennifer Koches; John Kilgo; Bill Hulslander; Colette Degarady; Gary. Peters

    2013-01-01

    Following the reported rediscovery of Campephilus principalis (Ivory-billed Woodpecker) in Arkansas, we initiated searches in South Carolina in February 2006, with additional searches in the winter and spring of 2006–2007 and 2007–2008, concentrating in the Congaree, Santee, and Pee Dee river basins. We accrued a cumulative total of 8893 survey hours...

  1. Comparative study on ureteroscopic lithotripsy and laparoscopic ureterolithotomy for treatment of unilateral upper ureteral stones Estudo comparativo entre litotripsia e ureterolitotomia laparoscópica no tratamento de cálculos unilaterais altos

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    You-qiang Fang

    2012-03-01

    Full Text Available PURPOSE: To compare the curative effects of ureteroscopic lithotripsy and laparoscopic ureterolithotomy for unilateral upper ureteral stones, and to explore optimal surgical indications and skills. METHODS: Fifty cases of unilateral upper ureteral stones were randomly divided into two groups: one group underwent ureteroscopic holmium laser lithotripsy under epidural or lumbar anesthesia (n=25, and another group underwent laparoscopic ureterolithotomy under general anesthesia (n=25. Double-J stent was routinely indwelled in both groups. Operating time, postoperative hospitalization time, stone clearance rate and perioperative complications were compared. RESULTS: Operation was successfully performed in all 50 cases, and no open surgery was converted in any case. In the ureteroscopy and laparoscopy groups, the mean operating time was 49.0±10.7 min and 41.8±8.0 min (t=2.68, P=0.00999, respectively, their hospitalization time was 2.8±1.3 days vs. 2.9±0.8 days (t =-0.40, P=0.69413, and stone clearance rate was 88.0% (22/25 vs. 100% (25/25. Stone moved to the renal pelvis in three cases in the ureteroscopy group, and residual stones were removed by extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL. All patients were followed up for more than three months, and no serious complications such as ureterostenosis occurred. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic ureterolithotomy has a higher stone clearance rate and shorter operation time compared with ureteroscopic lithotripsy. Laparoscopic ureterolithotomy is one safe and effective treatment on unilateral upper ureteral stones.OBJETIVO: Comparar os efeitos curativos da litotripsia ureteroscópica e a ureterolitotomia laparoscópica para cálculos unilaterais altos e pesquisar as indicações e resultados. MÉTODOS: Cinquenta casos de cálculos unilaterais altos foram distribuídos aleatoriamente em dois grupos: um grupo submetido a litotripsia ureteroscópica com laser holmium sob anestesia epidural ou lombar (n=25 e

  2. Aplicación del método de redes a la solución de problemas de fricción seca: superficies suaves a escala atómica y superficies a escala macroscópica

    OpenAIRE

    Marín García, Fulgencio

    2013-01-01

    [ESP] El estudio del fenómeno cotidiano que supone la fricción sigue manteniendo un gran nivel de dificultad a pesar de su larga historia. Las causas de esta dificultad radican en las diferentes escalas de las características del fenómeno, macroscópicas y microscópicas, y en su distinto comportamiento en condiciones estáticas y dinámicas. A lo mencionado anteriormente se añade que los sistemas sujetos a fricción son muy sensibles al valor de los parámetros que los definen, pudiendo dar lugar ...

  3. Bill related to the struggle against proliferation of mass destruction weapons and their vectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2010-01-01

    This bill indicates the modifications brought to different French laws and codes (penal code, defence code, custom code) and defines provisions and penalties within the frame of struggle against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (nuclear weapons, biological weapons and toxin-based weapons, chemical weapons), and against the proliferation of their vectors. These modifications, provisions and penalties also concern double-use products. The bill also defines the modifications brought to the French penal procedure code. It finally addresses offenses related to these proliferations which can be considered as an act of terrorism

  4. The Black Lives Matter Movement and Historically Black Colleges and Universities

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gasman, Marybeth

    2017-01-01

    This article looks at the Black Lives Matter Movement and Historically Black Colleges and Universities. Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) continue to play an important role in society. However, what the Black Lives Matter movement shows consistently is that predominantly White institutions need to change, to step up and embrace…

  5. Percepção da administração tópica ocular de drogas: aplicador facial x gotas

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arlindo José Freire Portes

    2011-08-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVOS: Avaliar por meio de questionário, qual o grau de dificuldade para aplicação tópica de medicações oculares, com ou sem o auxílio do apoio facial. Observar qual método foi tecnicamente melhor utilizado para aplicação de drogas tópicas oculares. MÉTODOS: O estudo foi um ensaio clínico controlado e randomizado, realizado em 50 pacientes no decorrer de 2009 e 2010 na Unidade de Saúde da Família - Lapa. Foi utilizado um frasco de colírio Oftane® e o mesmo foi acoplado ao dispositivo de apoio facial. Cada participante aplicou em cada um dos olhos, a solução com ou sem o uso do dispositivo, sendo que a seleção foi feita através de um processo randomizado. Foi perguntado ao paciente questões pré-formuladas sobre a praticidade de ambos os métodos. RESULTADOS: Considerando o grau de dificuldade de administração tópica ocular: 12% acharam difícil ou muito difícil a aplicação com o objeto de apoio facial e 22% sem o apoio (p=0,0024. As dificuldades descritas pelos pacientes foram relatadas por 22 % dos pacientes para aplicação com o dispositivo de apoio facial e por 46% para aplicação sem o mesmo. Já 34% dos pacientes necessitaram de mais de uma instilação para aplicação do colírio sem o apoio, enquanto que 54% dos pacientes precisaram de mais de uma aplicação para que a gota atingisse o olho com o auxílio do apoio facial (p= 0,04. Em 56% dos pacientes houve toque da ponta do colírio com os tecidos oculares, quando o objeto de apoio facial não foi usado, porém quando ele foi utilizado, apenas 2% dos pacientes observados tocaram os tecidos oculares (p=0,0001. CONCLUSÃO: É mais fácil a instilação de colírios com o auxílio do dispositivo de apoio facial. Este também dificulta o contato da ponta do frasco com os tecidos oculares, prevenindo a contaminação do frasco.

  6. Industry wins, loses in House bill

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Anon.

    1992-01-01

    This paper reports that the House of Representatives has approved a plan to limit U.S. gas prorationing by the states but rejected a move to require petroleum refiners and importers to place 1% of their oil or products volumes into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The oil industry lobbied heavily against the SPR provision, which went down 263-135. The House then passed its omnibus energy bill 381-37. It is designed to facilitate all types of energy production while promoting conservation. The legislation also imposes bans on offshore leasing but gives independent producers limited relief from the alternative minimum tax (AMT) and does not include a mandate for use of ethanol in gasoline

  7. An Enterprise Model for Real-Time Inter-domain Billing of Services

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Le, V.M.; van Beijnum, Bernhard J.F.; Nieuwenhuis, Lambertus Johannes Maria; Huitema, G.B.

    2008-01-01

    The technological developments in networking solutions, information and communication services create the basis for the provisioning of complex, realtime services. This paper addresses the charging and billing of such advanced services. Advanced services will be composed of services provided by

  8. Aspectos psicológicos de los enfermos con dermatitis atópica: una revisión

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    SUSANA ANTUÑA BERNARDO

    2002-01-01

    Full Text Available En el presente artículo se realiza una revisión de las investigaciones publicadas sobre las características psicológicas de los enfermos con dermatitis atópica. Esta revisión permite constatar la ausencia de investigación básica sobre este tema. Las investigaciones han girado fundamentalmente en torno a las siguientes características psicosociales de estos enfermos: personalidad, ansiedad y depresión, relaciones materno-filiales, estrés y calidad de vida. Las impresiones clínicas parecen conceder un papel importante a los aspectos psicológicos en el desarrollo de este trastorno, pero las conclusiones de la literatura son poco consistentes.

  9. Colecistectomía endoscópica transumbilical: estudio preclínico de factibilidad en un modelo porcino Transumbilical endoscopic cholecystectomy: preclinical study of feasibility in a pig model

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Rafael Torres Peña

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available INTRODUCCIÓN. A partir del 2007 comenzó a popularizarse la cirugía endoscópica transumbilical, probablemente como consecuencia de los retos aún no resueltos que la cirugía endoscópica transluminal a través de orificios naturales ha debido enfrentar para su aplicación en la práctica clínica. Hasta la fecha se han descrito técnicas de cirugía endoscópica transumbilical con endoscopia flexible, con trocares multicanales, con varios trocares en una sola incisión, así como diferentes sistemas de retracción, tales como la retracción con suturas (técnicas de marionetas y la retracción magnética. El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar en un modelo porcino la factibilidad de una nueva técnica de colecistectomía endoscópica transumbilical. MÉTODOS. Se realizó un estudio prospectivo longitudinal en 6 cerdos con peso entre 22 y 26 kg. Se practicó la colecistectomía endoscópica transumbilical desde un puerto, con un solo canal de trabajo y con un nuevo sistema de retracción vesicular (TORCAM. La eutanasia de los animales se realizó de manera inmediata y fueron evaluadas las variables: factibilidad, calidad de exposición, efectos adversos del sistema de retracción, tiempo quirúrgico y examen macroscópico posoperatorio de la zona quirúrgica. RESULTADOS. La calidad de la retracción y exposición de la vesícula fue considerada óptima en todos los casos, lo que permitió la realización de la técnica quirúrgica en el 100 % de la muestra. No se reportaron complicaciones ni efectos adversos asociados al sistema de retracción vesicular. El tiempo quirúrgico promedio fue de 46 min. CONCLUSIONES. La colecistectomía endoscópica transumbilical propuesta es una nueva técnica que demostró ser factible en el modelo animal.INTRODUCTION. From 2007 transumbilical endoscopic surgery to become popular probably as a consequence of the not yet solved challenges that transluminal endoscopic surgery through natural orifices has

  10. Cambio en la clasificación macroscópica de la apendicitis. ¿Tiene algún impacto? Estudio retrospectivo en un Hospital Universitario Pediátrico

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sergio David Castañeda Espinosa

    2015-04-01

    Conclusión. El cambio en la clasificación macroscópica y el aportar la nueva definición sobre apendicitis perforada ha logrado disminuir la estancia hospitalaria y la cantidad de antibióticos utilizados sin una repercusión significativa en la tasa de complicaciones.

  11. Wound center facility billing: A retrospective analysis of time, wound size, and acuity scoring for determining facility level of service.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fife, Caroline E; Walker, David; Farrow, Wade; Otto, Gordon

    2007-01-01

    Outpatient wound center facility reimbursement for Medicare beneficiaries can be a challenge to determine and obtain. To compare methods of calculating facility service levels for outpatient wound centers and to demonstrate the advantages of an acuity-based billing system (one that incorporates components of facility work that is non-reimbursable by procedure codes and that represents an activity-based costing approach to medical billing), a retrospective study of 5,098 patient encounters contained in a wound care-specific electronic medical record database was conducted. Approximately 500 patient visits to the outpatient wound center of a Texas regional hospital between April 2003 and November 2004 were categorized by service level in documentation and facility management software. Visits previously billed using a time-based system were compared to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services' proposed three-tiered wound size-based system. The time-based system also was compared to an acuity-based scoring system. The Pearson correlation coefficient between billed level of service by time and estimated level of service by acuity was 0.442 and the majority of follow-up visits were billed as Level 3 and above (on a time level of 1 to 5) , confirming that time is not a surrogate for actual work performed. Wound size also was found to be unrelated to service level (Pearson correlation = 0.017) and 97% of wound areas were billings than extremes; no other method produced this distribution. Hospital-based outpatient wound centers should develop, review, and refine acuity score-based models on which to determine billed level of service.

  12. Black hole levitron

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arsiwalla, Xerxes D.; Verlinde, Erik P.

    2010-01-01

    We study the problem of spatially stabilizing four dimensional extremal black holes in background electric/magnetic fields. Whilst looking for stationary stable solutions describing black holes placed in external fields we find that taking a continuum limit of Denef et al.'s multicenter supersymmetric black hole solutions provides a supergravity description of such backgrounds within which a black hole can be trapped within a confined volume. This construction is realized by solving for a levitating black hole over a magnetic dipole base. We comment on how such a construction is akin to a mechanical levitron.

  13. Black Holes

    OpenAIRE

    Horowitz, Gary T.; Teukolsky, Saul A.

    1998-01-01

    Black holes are among the most intriguing objects in modern physics. Their influence ranges from powering quasars and other active galactic nuclei, to providing key insights into quantum gravity. We review the observational evidence for black holes, and briefly discuss some of their properties. We also describe some recent developments involving cosmic censorship and the statistical origin of black hole entropy.

  14. Search for black holes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cherepashchuk, Anatolii M

    2003-01-01

    Methods and results of searching for stellar mass black holes in binary systems and for supermassive black holes in galactic nuclei of different types are described. As of now (June 2002), a total of 100 black hole candidates are known. All the necessary conditions Einstein's General Relativity imposes on the observational properties of black holes are satisfied for candidate objects available, thus further assuring the existence of black holes in the Universe. Prospects for obtaining sufficient criteria for reliably distinguishing candidate black holes from real black holes are discussed. (reviews of topical problems)

  15. Noncommutative black holes

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Lopez-DomInguez, J C [Instituto de Fisica de la Universidad de Guanajuato PO Box E-143, 37150 Leoen Gto. (Mexico); Obregon, O [Instituto de Fisica de la Universidad de Guanajuato PO Box E-143, 37150 Leoen Gto. (Mexico); RamIrez, C [Facultad de Ciencias FIsico Matematicas, Universidad Autonoma de Puebla, PO Box 1364, 72000 Puebla (Mexico); Sabido, M [Instituto de Fisica de la Universidad de Guanajuato PO Box E-143, 37150 Leoen Gto. (Mexico)

    2007-11-15

    We study noncommutative black holes, by using a diffeomorphism between the Schwarzschild black hole and the Kantowski-Sachs cosmological model, which is generalized to noncommutative minisuperspace. Through the use of the Feynman-Hibbs procedure we are able to study the thermodynamics of the black hole, in particular, we calculate Hawking's temperature and entropy for the 'noncommutative' Schwarzschild black hole.

  16. New Commodity Services System increases gas bill for clients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koevoet, H.

    2003-01-01

    The Dutch company Gasunie Trade and Supply will replace the Commodity Services System (CDS, abbreviated in Dutch) January 1, 2004. This will result in a higher gas bill for almost all their clients that are expected to use more than 1 million m 3 natural gas per year. An overview is given of the principles of the old and the new pricing system [nl

  17. Defense Authorization and Appropriations Bills: FY1970-FY2017

    Science.gov (United States)

    2017-01-18

    textbooks on legislative procedure. Tracking DOD authorization or appropriation bills can be confusing and time-consuming. This has been particularly...by the President through the White House Office of Management and Budget) to the defense authorizing and appropriations committees. Then, for...maintain operations . 3 This might be considered a “line of credit” against the enactment of the relevant appropriations for the new fiscal year

  18. Pricing and Billing of Technical Assistance Sold to Foreign Military Sales Customers

    National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

    1990-01-01

    .... The audit also included a follow-up review of recommendations applicable to the issuance of specific guidance for pricing and billing CIP costs, depot maintenance costs, and missile target and range costs...

  19. pica de la responsabilidad. Reivindicación de la retórica para la ciudadanía moderna

    OpenAIRE

    José Luis Ramírez

    2003-01-01

    En este ensayo se parte del pensamiento de Aristóteles, para formular una tópica de la responsabilidad basada en la retórica, la lógica y la política. Tres espacios de vida en los cuales se debe desarrollar la personalidad del buen ciudadano, ése que practica el arte del correcto pensar, del bien hablar y del justo obrar. Una nueva ciudadanía social es impensable sin esos elementos que ya suponía el estagirista como necesarios e insustituibles para la concreción del...

  20. Aplicación tópica de liposomas ultradeformables para terapia fotodinámica contra Leishmaniasis cutánea

    OpenAIRE

    Martinetti Montanari, Jorge Anibal

    2009-01-01

    Martinetti Montanari, J. A. (2009). Aplicación tópica de liposomas ultradeformables para terapia fotodinámica contra Leishmaniasis cutánea (Tesis de Doctorado). Universidad Nacional de Quilmes, Bernal, Argentina. La Leishmaniasis aun en el año 2009 sigue siendo un problema sin solución. Al presente existen 12 millones de personas infectadas en 88 países, con una incidencia de 2.000.000 personas infectadas/año, de las cuales 500.000 sufren leishmaniasis visceral, y el restante millón y medi...