PURPOSE The effects of the Parks' anal retractor on anal sphincter function were studied in a prospective, randomized trial. A closed hemorrhoidectomy was performed intra-anally in 20 patients using the Parks' anal retractor; in 20 other patients, the procedure was done perineally without the use of a retractor. METHODS Anal manometry was performed before and at 6 and 12 weeks after hemorrhoi...

Given the potential importance of technology parks, their complexity in terms of the scope of required investment and the growing interest of governments to use them as tools for creating sustainable development there is a pressing need for a better understanding of the critical success factors of these entities. However, Briggs and watt (2001) argued that the goal of many technology parks and ...

This paper analyses the problem of sub-national revenue mobilization in Peru and proposes several policy reforms to improve collection performance while maintaining a sound revenue structure. We analyze the current revenues of regional and municipal governments and identify the main priorities of reform. Among the most important problems are the acute inequalities and inefficiencies associated ...

WiFi offloading has been recently proposed as a cost-effective solution for coming up against the unprecedented increase in the mobile data traffic volume. However, apart from reducing the operational costs of a network operator, WiFi offloading can be also promoted as an alternative low-cost access service for users with low willingness-to-pay. In this paper, we consider a monopolistic scenari...

BACKGROUND/AIMS The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) initiated the Task Force Project to evaluate the feasibility of conducting a population-based stroke registry in Ludhiana city, Punjab, Northwest India. METHODS All first-ever, stroke patients over 18 years from the city of Ludhiana were included in the study from March 26th 2010 to March 25th 2011. Stroke information was collected...

Information and communications technology (ICT) is being exploited within cities to enable them to better compete in a global knowledge-based service-led economy. In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, cities exploited large technical systems (LTSs)Vsuch as the telegraph, telephony, electrical networks, and other technologiesVto enhance their social and economic position. This paper examine...

BACKGROUND The recent increase in childhood obesity is expected to add significantly to the prevalence of chronic diseases. We used multivariate multilevel analysis to examine associations between parks/green space and childhood overweight/obesity across communities in Calgary, Canada, a city characterized by intensified urban sprawl and high car use. METHODS Body Mass Index was calculated fr...

Birds in U.S. national parks find strong protection from many longstanding and pervasive threats, but remain highly exposed to effects of ongoing climate change. To understand how climate change is likely to alter bird communities in parks, we used species distribution models relating North American Breeding Bird Survey (summer) and Audubon Christmas Bird Count (winter) observations to climate ...

US national parks are challenged by climate and other forms of broad-scale environmental change that operate beyond administrative boundaries and in some instances are occurring at especially rapid rates. Here, we evaluate the climate change exposure of 289 natural resource parks administered by the US National Park Service (NPS), and ask which are presently (past 10 to 30 years) experiencing e...