Interest groups and state Medicaid drug programs

A simultaneous equations model is estimated to analyze the interaction between state Medicaid pharmaceutical drug reimbursement rates, drug recipients per capita, and expenditures per drug recipient. Interest groups are shown to have a strong positive impact on pharmacy reimbursement rates, which, in turn, have an impact on pharmacy participation rates and drug utilization and expenditure patterns. Finally, a strong inverse relationship exists between expenditures per recipient and program size. The results verify the existence of substantial variation in state Medicaid programs and point to potentially growing disparities as a result of current policies.     

The examination of typewriter correctable carbon film ribbons

The study of typewritten strokes on paper with an optical stereomicroscope or an optical microscope at high magnifications is deceptive and does not permit differentiation between impressions made with different ribbons, or identification of a certain ribbon brand. With the Scanning Electron Microscope, the identification/differentiation is possible as the structure of the strokes on the paper differs from one ribbon brand to another and is characteristic.     

Citizenship and capability? Amartya Sen's capabilities approach from a citizenship perspective

This article deals with the potential contribution of Amartya Sen's capabilities approach (CA) for studying citizenship. Although the CA cannot be described as a genuine citizenship theory it has informed recent attempts to reformulate social citizenship. Moreover, it shares important aims and assumptions with radical citizenship approaches, which emphasise democracy, voice, and difference. Especially, Sen's ideas can help formulate positive notions of equality. However, a fruitful dialogue between those perspectives has to lead over some controversial issues. In this context, this article suggests more substantive notions of agency and interaction as well as integrating rights and rights language.     

Hepatocyte cryopreservation:Is it time to change the strategy?

Liver cell transplantation presents clinical benefit in patients with inborn errors of metabolism as an alternative,or at least as a bridge,to orthotopic liver transplantation.The success of such a therapeutic approach remains limited by the quality of the transplanted cells.Cryopreservation remains the best option for long-term storage of hepatocytes,providing a permanent and sufficient cell supply.However, isolated adult hepatocytes are poorly resistant to such a process,with a significant alteration both...     

Women's bread — men's capital

The family enterprises of small rural entrepreneurs in proto-industrial textile production have been little studied so far. This article focuses on the ways in which family labor assists in entrepreneurial activities and nonindustrial activities within the domestic unit contribute to the creation of proto-industrial capital. The empirical material on early modern Zurich (Switzerland) documents large household economies among entrepreneurs engaging in agriculture as well as among drapers who employ their family labor in weaving or in ancillary tasks connected with the activity of putting out dependent weavers. It also demonstrates an association between proto-industrial entrepreneurship and baking, the latter often being performed by female family labor. This finding is explained by the use of bread as a means of paying workers and by the lack of access to capital markets: baking implies the creation of a surplus value within the family economy that can be directly converted into proto-industrial capital.