Questions of Scale in Economic Experiments

Questions of scale have received ample attention in physical scale modeling and experimentation, but have not been discussed with regard to economic experimentation. In this article I distinguish between two kinds of experiments, "generic" and "specific" experiments. Using a comparison between two experimental laboratory studies on the "posted price effect", I then show that scale issues become important in specific laboratory experiments because of the scaling down of time in the target market to laboratory dimensions. This entails choices in the material configuration of the experiment as well as role changes of experimental subjects. My discussion thus adds to recent literature on external validity and on the materiality of experiments.

Considerações radiodosimétricas da braquiterapia ocular com iodo-125 e rutênio/ródio-106

OBJETIVO: Analisar, por meio de um modelo computacional da região ocular, as características da distribuição da dose utilizando placas contendo iodo-125 e rutênio/ródio-106. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Foi utilizado um modelo computacional de voxels da região ocular incluindo os diversos tecidos, com a placa posicionada sobre a esclera. O código Monte Carlo foi utilizado para simular a irradiação. A distribuição da dose é apresentada por curvas de isodoses. RESULTADOS: As simulações computacionais apresentam a distribuição da dose no interior do bulbo e nas estruturas externas. Os resultados permitem comparar a distribuição espacial das doses geradas por partículas beta e por fótons. As simulações mostram que a aplicação de sementes de iodo-125 implica alta dose no cristalino, enquanto o rutênio/ródio-106 produz alta dose na superfície da esclera. CONCLUSÃO: A dose no cristalino depende da espessura do tumor, da posição e do diâmetro da placa, e do radionuclídeo utilizado. No presente estudo, a fonte de rutênio/ródio-106 é recomendada para tumores de dimensões reduzidas. A irradiação com iodo-125 gera doses maiores no cristalino do que a irradiação com rutênio/ródio-106. O valor máximo de dose no cristalino corresponde a 12,75% do valor máximo de dose com iodo-125 e apenas 0,005% para rutênio/ródio-106.

New-onset refractory status epilepticus: Etiology, clinical features, and outcome.

OBJECTIVES: The aims of this study were to determine the etiology, clinical features, and predictors of outcome of new-onset refractory status epilepticus. METHODS: Retrospective review of patients with refractory status epilepticus without etiology identified within 48 hours of admission between January 1, 2008, and December 31, 2013, in 13 academic medical centers. The primary outcome measure was poor functional outcome at discharge (defined as a score >3 on the modified Rankin Scale). RESULTS: Of 130 cases, 67 (52%) remained cryptogenic. The most common identified etiologies were autoimmune (19%) and paraneoplastic (18%) encephalitis. Full data were available in 125 cases (62 cryptogenic). Poor outcome occurred in 77 of 125 cases (62%), and 28 (22%) died. Predictors of poor outcome included duration of status epilepticus, use of anesthetics, and medical complications. Among the 63 patients with available follow-up data (median 9 months), functional status improved in 36 (57%); 79% had good or fair outcome at last follow-up, but epilepsy developed in 37% with most survivors (92%) remaining on antiseizure medications. Immune therapies were used less frequently in cryptogenic cases, despite a comparable prevalence of inflammatory CSF changes. CONCLUSIONS: Autoimmune encephalitis is the most commonly identified cause of new-onset refractory status epilepticus, but half remain cryptogenic. Outcome at discharge is poor but improves during follow-up. Epilepsy develops in most cases. The role of anesthetics and immune therapies warrants further investigation.

Imaging the time-integrated cerebral metabolic activity with subcellular resolution through nanometer-scale detection of biosynthetic products deriving from (13)C-glucose.

Glucose is the primary source of energy for the brain but also an important source of building blocks for proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids. Little is known about the use of glucose for biosynthesis in tissues at the cellular level. We demonstrate that local cerebral metabolic activity can be mapped in mouse brain tissue by quantitatively imaging the biosynthetic products deriving from [U-(13)C]glucose metabolism using a combination of in situ electron microscopy and secondary ion mass-spectroscopy (NanoSIMS). Images of the (13)C-label incorporated into cerebral ultrastructure with ca. 100nm resolution allowed us to determine the timescale on which the metabolic products of glucose are incorporated into different cells, their sub-compartments and organelles. These were mapped in astrocytes and neurons in the different layers of the motor cortex. We see evidence for high metabolic activity in neurons via the nucleus (13)C enrichment. We observe that in all the major cell compartments, such as e.g. nucleus and Golgi apparatus, neurons incorporate substantially higher concentrations of (13)C-label than astrocytes.

Resultate und ausser- gewöhnliche Komplikationen der Chirurgie der Gehörgangexostosen [Results and extraordinary complications of surgery for exostoses of the external auditory canal].

We present a retrospective study on 22 operations of exostosis of the external auditory canal in 20 patients. 8 patients were passionated by water sports. The most frequent indication for surgery (13 operations) was recurrent external otitis or ceruminal obstruction. In 7 cases the need for a wider access to the middle ear indicated surgery. Surgery was usually performed as an outpatient procedure, maximum hospitalization was 3 days. The mean healing period was 6 (3-10) weeks. Mean follow up was 43 (3-110) months. There were no severe intraoperative complications such as facial paresis, lesions of the ossicles or of the inner ear. As intraoperative complications we found 2 perforations of the tympanic membrane, 2 expositions of the capsule of the mandibular joint, one of which was followed by chronic pain. As postoperative complications we found an early soft tissue stenosis of the external auditory canal and one late soft tissue stenosis which recurred after revision surgery. No recurrence of exostosis was seen. We describe an up to now unknown complication: the appearance of bilateral petrositis caused by staphylococcus epidermidis after bilateral surgery in an otherwise healthy patient. This study confirms that severe complications are rare, minor ones however relatively common. And that also minor complications may have a troublesome follow. Therefore and because of the potential of severe complications indication for surgery must be made cautiously and risks of the operation must not be underestimated.

Dosimetria comparativa de braquiterapia de próstata com sementes de I-125 e Pd-103 via SISCODES/MCNP

OBJETIVO: O presente artigo visa apresentar um estudo dosimétrico comparativo de braquiterapia de próstata com sementes de I-125 e Pd-103. MATERIAIS E MÉTODOS: Um protocolo adotado para ambos os implantes com 148 sementes foi simulado em um fantoma tridimensional heterogêneo de pelve por meio dos códigos SISCODES/MCNP5. Histogramas dose-volume na próstata, bexiga e reto, índices de doses D10, D30, D90, D0,5cc, D2cc e D7cc, e representações de distribuição espacial de dose foram avaliados. RESULTADOS: A atividade inicial de cada semente de I-125, para que D90 seja equivalente à dose de prescrição, foi calculada em 0,42 mCi, e de Pd-103, em 0,94 mCi. A dose máxima na uretra foi 90% e 108% da dose de prescrição para I-125 e Pd-103, respectivamente. A D2cc para I-125 foi 30 Gy no reto e 127 Gy na bexiga, e para Pd-103 foi 29 Gy no reto e 189 Gy na bexiga. A D10 no osso do púbis foi 144 Gy para I-125 e 66 Gy para Pd-103. CONCLUSÃO: Os resultados indicam que os implantes de Pd-103 e I-125 puderam depositar a dose prescrita no volume alvo. Entre os achados, observou-se excessiva exposição de radiação nos ossos da pelve, principalmente no protocolo com I-125.

Relationship between two year PSA nadir and biochemical recurrence in prostate cancer patients treated with iodine-125 brachytherapy

Objective To evaluate the relationship between two year PSA nadir (PSAn) after brachytherapy and biochemical recurrence rates in prostate cancer patients. Materials and Methods In the period from January 1998 to August 2007, 120 patients were treated with iodine-125 brachytherapy alone. The results analysis was based on the definition of biochemical recurrence according to the Phoenix Consensus. Results Biochemical control was observed in 86 patients (71.7%), and biochemical recurrence, in 34 (28.3%). Mean PSAn was 0.53 ng/ml. The mean follow-up was 98 months. The patients were divided into two groups: group 1, with two year PSAn < 0.5 ng/ml after brachytherapy (74 patients; 61.7%), and group 2, with two year PSAn ≥ 0.5 ng/ml after brachytherapy (46 patients; 38.3%). Group 1 presented biochemical recurrence in 15 patients (20.3%), and group 2, in 19 patients (43.2%) (p < 0.02). The analysis of biochemical disease-free survival at seven years, stratified by the two groups, showed values of 80% and 64% (p < 0.02), respectively. Conclusion Levels of two year PSAn ≥ 0.5 ng/ml after brachytherapy are strongly correlated with a poor prognosis. This fact may help to identify patients at risk for disease recurrence.

Enjeux de l'introduction du parcours de soins coordonné en France par la Loi du 13 août 2004

Pour répondre à ces questions sur les enjeux du parcours de soins, nous allons estimer les recours aux médecins ambulatoires en 2003 à partir de l'enquête Santé Insee. Nous nous attacherons plus particulièrement à l'étude de la demande de consultations hors parcours de soins en fonction des déterminants sociodémographiques, économiques et éducatifs. L'objectif est d'évaluer si le cadre de la loi à la potentialité de bouleverser les pratiques de recours aux médecins ambulatoires, et d'évaluer les personnes qui ne s'inscrivent pas dans le schéma du parcours de soins coordonné et d'estimer les impacts possibles des incitations financières mises en place. Nous essayerons ensuite, au regard de nos résultats, de comprendre les objectifs de politique publique de cette réforme. [P. 15]

Symphony no. 9, op. 125, "Choral"

r1952, Carnegie Hall, New York.

Sonata No. 1 in A Major for Violin and Piano, Op. 13

Soitinnus: Viulu, piano.

Etudes Symphoniques, Op. 13

Soitinnus: Piano.

Viljana, nahkoina, kapakalana. Talonpoikien maksamat kruununverot Suomessa vuosina 1539-1609

1500-luvun verotuksen tutkiminen avaa näkökulman, ei vain kruunun ja talonpojan talouteen, vaan koko sen ajan yhteiskunnan ymmärtämiseen. Suvianna Seppälän tutkimuksessa tarkastellaan ensimmäistä kertaa kymmenen läänin ja yli 100 pitäjän osalta veronkannon periaatteita ja käytäntöä. Tutkimuksessa keskitytään suomalaisiin verotalonpoikiin ja heidän asemaansa osana Ruotsin kruununtaloutta. Mitä veronkantoyksiköitä käytettiin ja millä tuotteilla vero kruunulle maksettiin? 1600-luvun alussa tapahtuneet muutokset pysyivät maaverotuksen pohjana aina 1840-luvulle asti. Veronkantoyksiköiden ja verotuotteiden alueellinen vaihtelu tulee havainnollisesti esille tutkimuksen lukuisissa kartoissa. Elinkeinot ja asutushistoria heijastuivat selvästi verotukseen. Talonpojilla oli myös itsellään mahdollisuus vaikuttaa käytännön veronmaksuun. Käytännössä veroa maksettiin viime kädessä niillä tuotteilla, mitä talonpoikaistaloudesta löytyi.