bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Visual Interpretation of Blood Glucose Test Strips
Authors: Laux Lila 
Published: January 2008

Patients with type II, non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) typically are middle-aged or older and often have diabetic retinopathy. The visual acuity of these patients also is likely to be reduced beyond what is normally associated with age. Because Medicaid does not reimburse NIDDM patierzts for a blood glucose meter unless they are insulin-dependent, many low-income diabetes patients are required to monitor their blood glucose levels by visually comparing the color spot on the blood glucose test strip with a series of standard color blocks. Unless patients can accurately assess their blood glucose levels by visual interpretation of the test strips, they will have difficulty maintaining adequate glycemic control. In this study, 60 nondiabetic adults, ages 20 to 78 years, were unable to adequately assess blood glucose levels visually, even under optimal lightirtg conditions. Younger adults made the same number of errors as older adults, and poor visual acuity and high blood glucose values were associated with more errors. These findings suggest that patients with poor visual acuity or those who read their blood glucose strips in less-than-adequate lighting will make even more errors than our test subjects.
Landfill Gas Recovery Utilization At Hills, California
Authors: Stearns R.P. , Wright T.D. , Stirrat B.A. 
Published: January 2008

This paper describes the installation and operation of a system to recover and utilize landfill gas (LFG) at the Industry Hills Recreation-Convention Center Complex. The Industry Hills Development is located in the city of Industry, California. an industrial and commercial community located 24 km east of downtown Los Angeles. The site totals 243 ha, 61 ha of which were previously used for landfilling 3.25 million metric tons of primarily mixed municipal and commercial solid wastes. The landfill was started in 1951 and closed in 1969. As a part of the conservation theme of the development, a system was installed to recover and use the LFG being generated in the landfill. The LFG is extracted from a series of 30 extraction wells using a centrifugal blower and supplied as a fuel for boilers to meet space heating and hot water demands for the convention centre/ hotel, swimming pool, and laundry facility, all of which are located on site. The development began using LFG in February 1981, and currently uses from 4.5 to 13.5 m3/min of LFG.
Phosphorus Agriculture Sewage for Agriculture
Authors: Lassen Regitze , Tjell Jens Chr. , Hansen Jens Aa. 
Published: January 2008

Land application of sewage sludge seems justifiable mostly because of its phosphorus content. Depending on the distribution of cattle manure the total Danish supply of phosphorus could be provided by manure and sludge. Or sludge phosphorus could substitute from 30—100% of all imported raw phosphates utilized domestically for agricultural purposes. Increased sludge phosphorus production would require extended waste water treatment. Due to increased costs of imported phosphorus such treatment may actually prove economically sound using well known technology. Furthermore it may reduce eutrofication of receiving waters. Recent research shows that Danish sludge need not contribute more Cadmium to soil than chemical fertilizers, if both are applied only accordingly to plant phosphorus demand. Consequently, increased sewage sludge application in agriculture should be deemed favourable compared with present extensive use of chemical fertilizers.
REVIEW SYMPOSIUM: Mastering Change: Winning Strategies for Effective City Planning Bruce W. McClendon and Ray Quay APA Planners Press, Chicago, Illinois, 1987. 282 pages. $21.95 (PB), $39.95 (HB). Making Equity Planning Work: Leadership in the Public Sector Norman Krumholz and John Forester Temple University Press, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1990. 271 pages. $16.95 (PB), $44.95 (HB)
Authors: Alexander E.R. , McClendon Bruce , Quay Ray , Krumholz Norman , Forester John , Bryson John M. , Farmer W. Paul 
Published: January 2008

Two books have recently appeared which present very different views on planning. They are Bruce McClendon and Ray Quay's Mastering Change and Norm Krumholz and John Forester's Making Equity Planning Work. Each offers a perspective on planning practice, on American society and local government, and on the planner's roles in that context which, sometimes explicitly and often by implication, seem to be the polar opposite of the other. Both books are open about promoting their positions saying that this is how planners ought to practice, this is how we should teach would-be planners to plan successfully. For the planning profession in general and for planning educators in particular the implicit models of society, and planning practice in that society, which these books contain present profound implications for planning theory, education, and practice. To stimulate an open discourse on these different approaches, this review symposium adopts an unusual format, but one which is clearly warranted by the presence of such a rare juxtaposition of views. Each pair of authors compares the two books in a critical review that focuses on the differences between their approaches and their meaning for planning education and practice. Two commentators were chosen as discussants of this dialogue because they combine theory and practice: academic-practitioner John Bryson, Professor at the University of Minnesota, who has extensive practice and consulting experience in strategic planning; and practitioner-academic Paul Farmer, Deputy Director of Planning in Pittsburgh, who was on the faculty of the Universaty of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and now teaches at Carnegie-Mellon University. Though these books are products of the eighties they are important. And the discussion below deserves our attention for its implicatzons for planning practice and education through the nineties and beyond.
The Paradox of Power in Planning Practice
Authors: Hoch Charles J. 
Published: January 2008

Planners rely on the protocol of the professional planner to cope with the politics of planning. However, this protocol promises more than it delivers as a source of moral authority, and delivers more than it promises as a source of political power. The protocol simultaneously resolves and reproduces the liberal paradox between freedom and justice. Hence, the ambivalence planners frequently express about their encounters with power on the job may reflect their use of this protocol. Two planning stories drawn from face-to-face interviews illustrate how two practitioners facing similar problems adopt different versions of the professional protocol to justify their actions. Analysis of each tale, using critical and postmodern theory, explores how the professional protocol excuses the exercise of power in ways that obscure the liberal paradox. A third planning story offers an example of how a practitioner handles the inherent tension of professional practice in a liberal society without using the professional protocol either to impose closure or to foster premature reassurance.
The in vivo Biodegradation of Nylon 6 Utilized in a Particular IUD
Authors: Hudson John A. , Crugnola Aldo 
Published: January 2008

The particular IUD of this study was composed of a plastic shield and a nylon 6 coated filament tail string. This IUD was unique, in the fact that its tail string was the only one (and has been to date) that consisted of a coated multifilament arrangement. Studies on the tail string have revealed bacteria and debris existing between the outer filaments that are underneath the coating. Other studies have reported that removed devices were found to exhibit an unusually high incidence of breaks in the tail string coating. Studies at the University of Lowell also found that upon examination of devices that had been in vivo for periods of two years or longer, 67% of these devices examined had breaks in the coating of the tail string. Investigations have determined that the design of the tail string was serving as an avenue of transport for the bacteria to bypass the protective cervical mucus barrier and enter the sterile uterine cavity through the breaks in the tail string coating. This mechanism has been suggested to account for the higher frequency of uterine infections associated with this device. Research at the University of Lowell was undertaken to study the degradation of the nylon 6 coating and to determine the in vivo degradation mechanism. The biochemistry of the fluids present in the reproductive tract were carefully documented and the more aggressive ones selected for in vitro trials. The results of the study revealed that the in vivo physical breakdown of the coating may depend upon a series of mechanisms and variables.
Inhibition of Platelet Adhesion to Glow Discharge Modified Surfaces
Authors: Sharma Chandra P. , Chandy Thomas , Sunny M.C. 
Published: January 2008

Plasma glow technique has created much interest in the field of surface modification of polymers due to its versatility of generating active polar groups on the surface without affecting the bulk properties. Here an attempt is made to inter-relate the surface properties and platelet adhesion on various polymeric substrates due to plasma treatments. Initially, a critical review of the process and development of thrombosis upon contact of an artificial surface with blood, has been provided, which has been extended with the need for surface modifications to improve their blood compatibility and the versatility of plasma treatments for such modifications have been emphasized. Phospholipids like phosphoryl choline, phosphatidyl choline and phosphoryl ethanolamine were attached to Angioflex surface by plasma glow. The role of such modified substrates to interact with platelets were investigated using Tyrode washed calf platelets. It seems, glow discharge modified phosphoryl choline bilayers dramatically inhibited the platelet-surface binding, which may be due to their biochemical resemblance with thromboresistant surfaces of human blood cells. Further, the behaviour of all phospholipids towards blood-polymer interaction is not similar and may change depending on the nature of their functional groups, net charge of the phospholipid adsorbed surface and their interaction with platelets and its activation. It is possible to chemically immobilize lipid bilayers on standard polymers, using plasma glow, to improve their biological performance; by suitably selecting the phospholipid combinations.
New Type of Hydrogel for Controlled Drug Delivery
Authors: Stoy Vladimir A. 
Published: January 2008

The new type of hydrogel system (which is known under the trademark HYPAN™), is described in some detail here, emphasizing its grades and those properties potentially useful in controlled drug delivery systems. HYPAN hydrogels are distinguished by a physical network of crystalline clusters which fully replace the covalent network typical of other hydrogels. As a result, HYPAN hydrogels can be processed by a number of methods unusual for hydrogels, such as extrusion, injection molding and the like. The crystalline network also provides HYPAN with improved mechanical properties at higher water contents, which in turn allows for higher permeabilities of aqueous solutes. The combination of improved mechanical properties and permeabilities with improved processability and good biocompatibility is believed to open some new possibilities in targeted and controlled drug delivery. This paper is written as an overview of the compositions, structures and essential properties of HYPAN materials. It will soon be followed by more detailed studies in selected areas.
UDEL® Polysulfone for Medical Applications
Authors: Dickinson B.L. 
Published: January 2008

There is no more demanding application of a polymer than medical uses. Polysulfone engineering resins combine high strength with long-term resistance to repeated steam sterilization. These polymers have proven successful as alternatives to stainless steel and glass. Medical grade polysulfones are biologically inert, display unique long-life under sterilization procedures, can be transparent or opaque in any color and are resistant to most common hospital chemicals.
A Pathological Study of Arterial Prostheses Surgically Excised after Overt Clinical Infection
Authors: Chakfe Nabil , Guidoin Robert , Marois Michel , Roy Paul-Emile , Douville Yvan , Roy Paul , Batt Michel , Gosselin Camille 
Published: January 2008

Infection caused regarding vascular grafts in vascular surgery still remains a major problem. To reduce this problem and the complications which follow, the surgeon must be able to apply the best surgical management and also be confident with the vascular substitute used. There are two important factors to be considered: the biomaterial must have low propensity to infection and good stability if and when infected. In an attempt to verify this problem, 93 vascular grafts surgically excised for overt infection were examined. Techniques used for examinations were gross morphology, histopathology and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) evaluation. There were 23 human umbilical vein (HUV) grafts, 51 Dacron grafts and 19 expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) grafts. Histopathological signs of infection were absent in 57% of the ePTFE and Dacron grafts and in 17.4% of the HUV grafts. The latter were more heavily histologically infected and in some cases the walls were destructed. Histopathological signs of infection were seen on all the prosthetic walls in 36% of all the specimens and were mainly on the external portion of the grafts for the remaining prostheses. Bacteria were seen in respectively 21.7, 15.7 and 20% of the HUV, Dacron and ePTFE grafts with the Gram stain and in 86.9, 84.3 and 94.7% with SEM. The implantation period was shorter for the bioprostheses compared to that of the synthetic grafts because of the site and the indication of implantation. The stability of the bioprostheses was lower compared to that of the synthetic grafts when infected, leading to a breakdown of the wall along the length of the graft. The infection was found on the external capsule of the grafts rather than on the luminal surface.
Photochemical Coatings for the Prevention of Bacterial Colonization
Authors: Dunkirk S.G. , Gregg S.L. , Duran L.W. , Monfils J.D. , Haapala J.E. , Marcy J.A. , Clapper D.L. , Amos R.A. , Guire P.E. 
Published: January 2008

Biomaterials are being used with increasing frequency for tissue substitution. Implantable, prosthetic devices are instrumental in the saving of patients' lives and enhancing the quality of life for many others. However, the greatest barrier to expanding the use of biomedical devices is the high probability of bacterial adherence and proliferation, causing very difficult and often untreatable medical-device centered infections. The difficulty in treating such infections results in great danger to the patient, and usually retrieval of the device with considerable pain and suffering. Clearly, development of processes that make biomedical devices resistant to bacterial adherence and colonization would have widespread application in the field of biomedical technology. A photochemical surface modification process is being investigated as a generic means of applying antimicrobial coatings to biomedical devices. The photochemical process results in covalent immobilization of coatings to all classes of medical device polymers. A discussion of the photochemical surface modification process and preliminary results demonstrating the success of photochemical coatings in formulating microbial-resistant surfaces are presented in this paper.
Surface Micromorphology and Cellular Interactions
Authors: Meyle J. , Wolburg H. , Von Recum A.F. 
Published: January 2008

Contact guidance induced by the topographical properties of the underlying substratum is of great importance in morphogenesis and also in- fluences the interaction of tissue cells with implanted material. A large body of evidence has accumulated since the first detection of this phenomenon in 1910. Several major hypotheses have been developed to explain the observed cell behaviour. The technological progress enabled researchers to produce pure substrata with a defined and controlled surface microgeometry. Based on these specimens, it could be demonstrated that cytoskeletal structures and receptors forming focal adhesions most likely are involved in contact guidance. In a study using human gingival fibroblasts, the reaction of these cells to a regular surface microstructure of 1 μm pitch and 1 μm depth was tested. After two days on the microstructured samples, all the cells showed a strong alignment to the topography of the surface. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the cells either bridged the grooves or conformed to the surface structures. The latter confirms earlier investigations with porous subcutaneous implants, where the inflammatory reaction and the formation of a fibrous tissue capsule was reduced due to enhanced tissue adhesion.
A Comparison of Quality and Retail Price of Domestically Produced and Imported Blazers
Authors: Norum Pamela S. , Clark Lee Ann 
Published: January 2008

There has been increasing interest in the relationships among country of origin and the price and quality of apparel items. The purpose of this study was to investigate price and quality differences from one category of domestic and imported apparel-women's blazers. The perfect information frontier framework provided a theoretical context for this research. Empirically, t-tests were used to determine whether statistically significant differences exist between the mean price and quality of domestic and imported jackets, while Spearman rank correlations were used in describing the relationship between retail price and quality for these samples. Regression analysis was used to investigatefurther the effect of additional variables on the relationship between price and quality. The results indicated no significant difference between imported and domestic jackets with respect to price and quality and a weak significant difference between the price-quality correlations. Jacket quality, fiber content, store type, and store location were found to influence significantly price. These results imply that country-of-origin labeling may not be an accurate signal of quality or "best value "for consumers to use when shopping for women'sjackets. Additionally, the results suggest that neither retailers nor manufacturers may be on strong grounds in arguing that country of origin makes a difference in the retail prices consumers pay or in the "value" that consumers obtain. Further research could improve upon the limitations of this study by examining additional categories of apparel in a variety of markets during other times of the year. A comparison of quality scores with and without subjective criteria would also be of interest.
A Creative Process in the Art of Costume Design
Authors: Rothenberg Albert , Sobel Robert S. 
Published: January 2008

An empirical study of the psychology of creativity carried out over a period of more than 20 years has identified a specific creative operation called "homospatial process. " This process has been shown to have an important function in various types of creative activities in the arts and sciences. As defined, the homospatial process consists ofactively conceiving two or more discrete entities occupying the same mentally represented space or spatial location, a conception leading to the articulation of new identities. A technical method for facilitating homospatial thinking in costume design is described. This method involves the use of slide transparencies superimposed on a projection screen from two separate light sources and reproduces the effect of discrete entities occupying the same space. Specific examples demonstrate the feasibiltiy of using such a technique to facilitate the creative process of costume design.
Company Demographics as an Influence on Adoption of Quick Response by North Carolina Apparel Manufacturers
Authors: Kincade Doris H. , Cassill Nancy L. 
Published: January 2008

Quick Response has proven financial benefits, but less than one half of U.S. apparel manufacturers have implemented it. This study investigated apparel manufacturers' demographics as related to adoption of Quick Response. Two hundred and three North Carolina apparel manufacturers were sent a mailed questionnaire, resulting in a 48% (N = 66) adjusted return rate. Factor analysis reduced the 17 Quick Response statements to 5 factors. Multivariate analysis of variance and one-way analysis of variance were used to determine the relationship of apparel manufacturers' demographics to the adoption of Quick Response. Significant differences existed in Quick Response adoption for size levels and merchandise classifications. Improved knowledge of Quick Response adoption has implications for apparel manufacturers and retailers when developing strategic plans. Textile and clothing academicians may use the results in developing research and educational programs.
Cerebral Blood Flow and Dementia in Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Kawabata Keita , Tachibana Hisao , Sugita Minoru 
Published: January 2008

Regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) was examined in 27 patients with Parkinson's disease using single-photon emission computed tomography and N-isopropyl- p-[123I]iodoamphetamine as a tracer. Their CBF pattern was compared with that of seven patients with Alzheimer's disease and nine age-matched neurologically normal controls. Tracer activity was determined in seven bilateral cerebellar, cortical, and subcortical regions and was expressed as the ratio of activity in each region to the mean tracer activity in the cerebellar region. Nineteen patients with nondemented Parkinson's disease showed significantly decreased tracer activity ratio in the frontal and temporal cortices, basal ganglia, and thalamus compared with that in controls. The eight demented Parkinson's disease patients showed significantly decreased tracer activity ratio in the temporal and parietal cortices compared with the patients without dementia, and demonstrated CBF pattern similar to that of patients with Alzheimer's disease. These findings suggest that in patients with Parkinson's disease, the mechanism of CBF reduction of the frontal cortical region differs from that in the temporoparietal cortical region and support the concept that Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease may overlap in some patients. ( J Geriatr Psychiatry Neurol 1991;4:194-203).
Is Local Authority Economic Intervention
Authors: Barnes I. , Campbell J. , Preston J. 
Published: January 2008

In the past decade, local authorities have become increasingly involved in the development of policies to alleviate the effects of economic decline. In this paper, the authors' primary objective is to determine, the extent to which these policies are being evaluated. They also consider the ways in which evaluation is caried out and the problems associated with this. Most local authorities claim to be involved in some form of evaluation. However, the evidence tends to suggest that little more than monitoring takes place. It seems that the desire to be seen to be doing something to ameliorate the impact of the recession is perhaps more important than the actual effectiveness of local authority economic intervention.