Topics, techniques and applications in urban and regional science in the nineties: a bibliometric analysis

The current state of regional and urban science has been much discussed and a number of studies have speculated on possible future trends in the development of the discipline. However, there has been little empirical analysis of current publication patterns in regional and urban journals. This paper studies the kinds of topics, techniques and data used in articles published in nine top international journals during the 1990s with the aim of identifying current trends in this research field

Cell therapies for tendons: old cell choice for modern innovation.

Although tissue engineering and cell therapies are becoming realistic approaches for medical therapeutics, it is likely that musculoskeletal applications will be among the first to benefit on a large scale. Cell sources for tissue engineering and cell therapies for tendon pathologies are reviewed with an emphasis on small defect tendon injuries as seen in the hand which could adapt well to injectable cell administration. Specifically, cell sources including tenocytes, tendon sheath fibroblasts, bone marrow or adipose-derived stem cells, amniotic cells, placenta cells and platelet-derivatives have been proposed to enhance tendon regeneration. The associated advantages and disadvantages for these different strategies will be discussed and evolving regulatory requirements for cellular therapies will also be addressed. Human progenitor tenocytes, along with their clinical cell banking potential, will be presented as an alternative cell source solution. Similar cell banking techniques have already been described with other progenitor cell types in the 1950's for vaccine production, and these "old" cell types incite potentially interesting therapeutic options that could be improved with modern innovation for tendon regeneration and repair.

The nitrogen sufficiency index underlying estimates of nitrogen fertilization requirements of common bean

Chlorophyll determination with a portable chlorophyll meter can indicate the period of highest N demand of plants and whether sidedressing is required or not. In this sense, defining the optimal timing of N application to common bean is fundamental to increase N use efficiency, increase yields and reduce the cost of fertilization. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the efficiency of N sufficiency index (NSI) calculated based on the relative chlorophyll index (RCI) in leaves, measured with a portable chlorophyll meter, as an indicator of time of N sidedressing fertilization and to verify which NSI (90 and 95 %) value is the most appropriate to indicate the moment of N fertilization of common bean cultivar Perola. The experiment was carried out in the rainy and dry growing seasons of the agricultural year 2009/10 on a dystroferric Red Nitosol, in Botucatu, São Paulo State, Brazil. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with five treatments, consisting of N managements (M1: 200 kg ha-1 N (40 kg at sowing + 80 kg 15 days after emergence (DAE) + 80 kg 30 DAE); M2: 100 kg ha-1 N (20 kg at sowing + 40 kg 15 DAE + 40 kg 30 DAE); M3: 20 kg ha-1 N at sowing + 30 kg ha-1 when chlorophyll meter readings indicated NSI < 95 %; M4: 20 kg ha-1 N at sowing + 30 kg ha-1 N when chlorophyll meter readings indicated NSI < 90 % and, M5: control (without N application)) and four replications. The variables RCI, aboveground dry matter, total leaf N concentration, production components, grain yield, relative yield, and N use efficiency were evaluated. The RCI correlated with leaf N concentrations. By monitoring the RCI with the chlorophyll meter, the period of N sidedressing of common bean could be defined, improving N use efficiency and avoiding unnecessary N supply to common bean. The NSI 90 % of the reference area was more efficient to define the moment of N sidedressing of common bean, to increase N use efficiency.

Development of Updated Specifications for Roadway Rehabilitation Techniques, May 2011

As our nation’s highway system continues to age, asphalt maintenance and rehabilitation techniques have become increasingly important. The deterioration of pavement over time is inevitable. Preventive maintenance is a strategy to extend the serviceable life of a pavement by applying cost-effective treatments that slow the deterioration of pavement and extend its usable life. Thin maintenance surfaces (TMSs) are preventive maintenance techniques that can effectively prolong the life of pavement when applied at an opportune time. Common TMSs include bituminous fog seal, bituminous seal coat, slurry seal, cold in-place recycling (CIR), and micro-surfacing. This research project investigated ways to improve Iowa Statewide Urban Design and Specifications (SUDAS) and Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) documents regarding asphalt roadway maintenance and rehabilitation. Researchers led an effort to review and help ensure that the documents supporting proper selection, design, and construction for asphalt maintenance and rehabilitation techniques reflect the latest research findings on these processes: seal coating, slurry sealing, micro-surfacing, and fog sealing. Full results of this investigation are included in this report and its appendices. This report also presents a summary of the recommendations based on the study results.

Iowa County Engineer's Annual Highway Report Requirements, January 2011

1. Iowa Code Section 309.22 requires the County Engineer to submit an Annual Report to the Iowa DOT by September 15 of each year. 2. Iowa DOT Administrative Rule 761, Chapter 173.3 requires the Iowa DOT to distribute a detailed set of instructions to the counties for the preparation of the report. The instructions constitute the standard requirements and forms to be followed. 3. Iowa DOT Administrative Rule 761,Chapter 178 establishes requirements for the reporting by cities and counties of project cost information to the Iowa DOT 4. Iowa DOT policy states that the report shall cover the fiscal year from July 1st of the past calendar year to June 30th of the current calendar year.

Néphrectomie par laparoscopie: aspects techniques [Laparoscopic nephrectomy: technical aspects]

The laparoscopic approach has emerged as a valid option for surgical management of kidney cancer, as well as a few benign pathologies. The immediate benefits of laparoscopy are well established and include less estimated blood loss, decreased pain, shorter perioperative convalescence, and improved cosmesis. Long-term oncologic outcomes of patients treated laparoscopically for kidney tumors are similar to those of open surgery.

Report on applying agreed-upon procedures to the Villisca Municipal Power Plant’s accounting procedures, cash and investment balances and compliance with Code of Iowa requirements for the period February 1, 2007 through December 31, 2010

Report on applying agreed-upon procedures to the Villisca Municipal Power Plant’s accounting procedures, cash and investment balances and compliance with Code of Iowa requirements for the period February 1, 2007 through December 31, 2010

Design of Optical Systems With Extended Depth of Field: an Educational Approach to Wavefront Coding Techniques

A practical activity designed to introduce wavefront coding techniques as a method to extend the depth of field in optical systems is presented. The activity is suitable for advanced undergraduate students since it combines different topics in optical engineering such as optical system design, aberration theory, Fourier optics, and digital image processing. This paper provides the theoretical background and technical information for performing the experiment. The proposed activity requires students able to develop a wide range of skills since they are expected to deal with optical components, including spatial light modulators, and develop scripts to perform some calculations.

Surface characterization techniques for determining the root-mean-square roughness and power spectral densities of optical components

Surface topography and light scattering were measured on 15 samples ranging from those having smooth surfaces to others with ground surfaces. The measurement techniques included an atomic force microscope, mechanical and optical profilers, confocal laser scanning microscope, angle-resolved scattering, and total scattering. The samples included polished and ground fused silica, silicon carbide, sapphire, electroplated gold, and diamond-turned brass. The measurement instruments and techniques had different surface spatial wavelength band limits, so the measured roughnesses were not directly comparable. Two-dimensional power spectral density (PSD) functions were calculated from the digitized measurement data, and we obtained rms roughnesses by integrating areas under the PSD curves between fixed upper and lower band limits. In this way, roughnesses measured with different instruments and techniques could be directly compared. Although smaller differences between measurement techniques remained in the calculated roughnesses, these could be explained mostly by surface topographical features such as isolated particles that affected the instruments in different ways.

Intraoperative training on the techniques of sentinel node biopsy in breast cancer

Principles: Surgeon's experience is crucial for proper application of sentinel node biopsy (SNB) in patients with breast cancer. A 20-30 cases learning curve of sentinel node (SN) and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) was widely practiced. In order to speed up this learning curve, surgeons may be trained intraoperative by an experienced surgeon. The purpose of this report is to evaluate the results of this procedure. Methods: Patients with one primary invasive breast cancer (cT1-T2[<3 cm]cN0) underwent SNB based on lymphoscintigraphy using technetium Tc 99m colloid, intraoperative gamma probe detection, with or without blue dye mapping. This was followed by completion ALND when SN was positive or not found. SNB was performed by one experienced surgeon (teacher) or by 10 junior surgeons trained by the experienced surgeon (trainees). Four groups were defined: (i) SNB with immediate ALND for the teacher's learning curve, (ii) SNB by the teacher, (iii) SNB by the trainees under the teacher's supervision, and (iv) SNB by the trainees alone. Results: Between May 1999 and December 2007, a total of 808 évaluable patients underwent SNB. The SN identification rate was 98% in the teacher's group, and 99% in the trainees' group (p = 0.196). SN were positive in respectively 28% and 29% of patients (p = 0.196). The distribution of isolated tumor cells, micrometastases and metastases was not statistically different between the teacher's and the trainees' groups (p = 0.163). Conclusion: These comparable results confirm the success with which the SNB was taught. This strategy avoided the 20-30 SNB followed by immediate ALND early required per surgeon.