Radial longitudinal deficiencies are characterized by radial deviation of the wrist, a short and bowed forearm and a non-functional or absent thumb. The deformity is caused by varying degrees of underdevelopment and malformation including hypoplasia of the bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and vessels. This study describes our results from centralization in 8 limbs with Bayne t...

In resting platelets, the GPIb-IX complex, the receptor for the von Willebrand factor (vWF), is linked to underlying actin filaments by actin-binding protein (ABP-280). Thrombin stimulation of human platelets leads to a decrease in the surface expression of the GPIb-IX complex, which is redistributed from the platelet surface into the open canalicular system (OCS). Because the centralization of...

The centralization phenomenon was first described 20 years ago. It refers to the abolition of distal pain emanating from the spine in response to therapeutic exercises. Since then a number of papers on the subject have been published. A review of current knowledge is appropriate. Selection criteria were established prior to a computer-aided search for published papers. Two reviewers independent...

This paper describes a new, domain-independent design and implementation of TAEMS-based Java Agent Framework/Generalized Partial Global Planning agents that targets the DARPA Coordinators program challenge problem environment. It offers a description of the challenge problem environment, a mechanism utilized to provide abstract coordination problem contexts that avoids complete problem centrali...

This paper focuses on the new trends to optimize costs in healthcare supply chain operations that include virtual centralization of supply chains, supply utilization management practices, use of RFID technologies, use of analytics, streamlining workflow etc. The application of these techniques can provide affordable healthcare solutions in developing countries.

We show that the von Neumann entropy (from herein referred to as the von Neumann index) of a graph’s trace normalized combinatorial Laplacian provides structural information about the level of centralization across a graph. This is done by considering the Theil index, which is an established statistical measure used to determine levels of inequality across a system of ‘agents’, e.g., income lev...

Background: Centralization of cystectomy treatment for bladder cancer, while associated with improved outcomes, may impose geographic barriers to care. However, whether this effect may be counterbalanced by an increased number of high volume centers has not previously been explored. Objective: To characterize changes in geographic disparities to high volume cystectomy centers over time. Methods...

Dear Editor, a new H1N1 pandemic flu is approaching Europe. In Italy, the results obtained from the “ECMOnet” network, for the centralization of patients with adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in structures with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support, are encouraging (1,2) but far from being exhaustive, mainly because of the small number of patients treated. The ECMO techni...

Abstract China’s educational leaders have long debated the pluses and minuses of decentralization of control and resources of China’s vast educational enterprise. During various periods of post-1949 China, the central authorities have devolved control to the provinces, key cities, and rural communes, only to recentralize later usually due to political reforms. In this chapter various stages of ...