bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Payment of Emergency Department Bills by Medicaid Patients
Authors: Beck Claudia M. , Paul Ronald I.
Published: March 2010

Objective: To analyze ED services used by and payment received from patients who request to stay and assume responsibility for their bills after being denied emergency care payment by their Medicaid providers.

Methods: A retrospective chart review over an 18‐month period was conducted. Charges for these visits were obtained from the physician billing service and hospital finance records.

Results: Of 193 patient visits identified, 192 charts were located and reviewed for chief complaint, diagnostic tests, and interventions performed. In total, the visits resulted in $18,120 in physician charges and $28,126 in hospital charges. Three payments amounting to $134 were collected, leaving $46,246 in nonreimbursed charges.

Conclusions: Nearly all patients who elect to be seen in this pediatric ED after being denied by their Medicaid managed care providers do not pay their bills. ED resources, including laboratory studies, radiographs, and consultations, are used to evaluate and treat these patients without compensation. The cost of this nonreimbursed care must be recovered from other patient care charges.
Definition of Emergency Medicine
Authors: Schneider Sandra M. , Hamilton Glenn C. , Moyer Peter , Stapczynski J. Stephen
Published: March 2010

This SAEM position paper clarifies the role of emergency medicine in health care delivery. It builds upon the working definition of emergency medicine developed by the American College of Emergency Physicians in 1994 by describing the health care role of emergency physicians (EPs). EPs are first‐contact providers who care for all patients regardless of age, gender, time of presentation, or ability to pay. They remain the only continuously accessible specialty for patients seeking help and solace in the health care system. They are an essential link in the health care continuum between primary care physicians, specialists, the out‐of‐hospital system, the patient, inpatient services, and communication services. The EP's role is in organizing and monitoring the emergency care delivery system. Part of this role is to better align the health care provider training and ability with the specific medical needs of a patient. The emergency health care system remains the essential medical safety net for all individuals needing care in this country.
Ensuring the Chain of Recovery for Stroke in Your Community
Authors: Pepe Paul E. , Zachariah Brian S. , Sayre Michael R. , Floccare Douglas ,   for the Chain of Recovery Writing Group
Published: March 2010

Until recently, the prehospital and ED management of nonhemorrhagic stroke was largely supportive care. Studies have now demonstrated the potential of certain therapeutic interventions to reverse the debilitating consequences of such strokes. The clinical benefit for such interventions and the risk of significant therapeutic complications are highly time‐dependent. To optimize the chances of a better outcome for the patient with stroke, each community must establish and continue to refine a chain of recovery for stroke patients. The chain of recovery is a metaphor that describes a series of sequential actions that must take place in a timely fashion to optimize the chances of recovery from stroke. Each of these sequential actions forms an individual link in the chain, and each link must be intact. The links include: identification of the onset of stroke symptoms by the patient or bystanders; dispatch life support services, which preferably include enhanced 9–1‐1 and medically supervised and trained dispatchers who can rapidly deploy the closest responders and transport units; emergency medical services (EMS) personnel who can rapidly assess and transport the stroke patient to the closest appropriate center capable of providing advanced stroke diagnostics and interventions; en route notification of the receiving facility so that appropriate personnel can be readied for rapid diagnosis and intervention; and receiving facilities capable of providing rapid diagnosis and advanced treatment of stroke, including the availability of specialists who can evaluate underlying etiologies as well as plan future therapies and rehabilitation. To ensure that the chain of recovery is in place, aggressive public education campaigns should be implemented to increase the probability that stroke symptoms and signs will be recognized as soon as possible by patients and bystanders. In addition, because most of the current training programs for EMS dispatchers and EMS personnel are lacking with regard to stroke, it is recommended that such personnel and their EMS system managers be updated on current management and treatment strategies for stroke.
Emergency Medicine and the Development of the Food and Drug Administration's Final Rule on Informed Consent and Waiver of Informed Consent in Emergency Research Circumstances
Authors: Biros Michelle H. , Runge Jeffrey W. , Lewis Roger J. , Doherty Christopher
Published: March 2010

This article reviews the federal regulations for emergency and acute resuscitation research in effect prior to October 1996, the historical issues that contributed to the development of these regulations, the controversies that arose surrounding the application of these regulations to emergency research circumstances, and the methods by which the regulations were changed. The new regulations introduced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also are reviewed.
Determination of the Minimal Clinically Significant Difference on a Patient Visual Analog Satisfaction Scale
Authors: Singer Adam J. , Jr. Henry C. Thode
Published: March 2010

Abstract. Objective:To determine the minimal clinically significant difference (MCSD) on a visual analog patient satisfaction scale.

Methods:The authors prospectively collected patient satisfaction evaluations during a clinical trial assessing the effect of introducing personal television sets on overall patient satisfaction from their ED encounters. Patient satisfaction was assessed with 2 scales: a 100‐mm visual analog scale (VAS) (0 = least satisfied, 100 = most satisfied) and a 7‐point categorical scale (“terrible,”“mostly dissatisfied,”“mixed,”“partially satisfied,”“mostly satisfied,”“pleased,” and “delighted”). The differences between the mean VAS scores of “delighted” and “pleased” patients, and between “pleased” and “mostly satisfied” patients were used to determine the MCSD on the VAS. Reliability of each of the scales was determined.

Results:181 patients were evaluated. Mean age was 41 years; 59% were female. On a subset of 19 patients, the VAS yielded an interobserver correlation of 0.93. The kappa measurement of agreement on the categorical scale was 0.77. The mean difference between “delighted” and “pleased” patient VAS satisfaction scores was 6.8 mm (95% CI, 1.3–12.3 mm). The mean difference between “pleased” and “mostly satisfied” patient VAS satisfaction scores was 10.7 mm (95% CI, 5.5–15.8 mm).

Conclusion:The MCSD in patient satisfaction scores measured with a 100‐mm VAS was approximately 7–11 mm. Future studies evaluating differences in patient satisfaction should be designed to detect this difference.
Ambulatory Blood Pressure and Holter Monitoring of Emergency Physicians before, during, and after a Night Shift
Authors: Adams Stephen L. , Roxe David M. , Weiss Jerry , Zhang Frank , Rosenthal James E.
Published: March 2010

Abstract. Background: Occupational stress may affect measured hemodynamic and electrocardiographic variables. Data describing the physiologic effects of work on the emergency physician (EP) are sparse.

Objective: lb determine whether blood pressure (BP) and heart rate variability (HRV) of the EP are affected during a night shift in the ED.

Methods: This prospective study evaluated BP and HRV in attending EPs at an urban academic medical center for a 24‐hour period during which a night shift was scheduled. Participants were fitted with an oscillometric ambulatory BP device and a Holter monitor at 1500 hours on the day of a night shift. The monitors were worn continuously before, during, and after a night shift (2300‐0700) in the ED and were removed at 1500. Systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), measures of HRV, and occurrence of cardiac dysrhythmias were evaluated. Comparisons were made for ED and non‐ED awake periods and non‐ED sleep periods.

Results: Twelve participants completed the study. Eight (67%) subjects were men and 4 (33%) were women. Age ranged from 28 to 40 years (mean 34.1 ± 4.1). Results were analyzed using repeated‐measures AN‐OVA. An elevation of mean DBP (5.5 mm Hg ± 4.37; p < 0.05; 95% CI 1–10) during night shift activity was seen. A trend toward elevation of SBP, MAP, and HR was discernible. HRV measures indicated a significant relative increase in sympathetic vs parasympathetic tone and an increase in HR of prework and work compared with postwork. Dysrhythmias observed included sinus tachycardia, sinus bradycardia, sinus pause, atrial premature beats, atrial couplets and triplets, supraventricular tachycardia, and premature ventricular contractions.

Conclusions: The elevation of DBP during a night shift suggests that these patterns of BP variability are activity‐ or stress‐related rather than a result of a true diurnal variation. HRV analysis suggests that sympathetic tone is heightened both before work and during work. The implications of such findings to the health of the EP warrant further investigation.
Out‐of‐hospital Intravenous Access: Unnecessary Procedures and Excessive Cost
Authors: Gausche Marianne , Tadeo Richard E. , Zane Martha C. , Lewis Roger J.
Published: March 2010

Abstract. Objective: To evaluate the concordance with criteria developed by the study investigators and supply costs associated with placement of IV lines and saline locks by paramedics in the out‐of‐hospital setting. Methods: This was a retrospective consecutive case series at an urban base hospital. Patients were treated by paramedics using one base hospital for medical control during December 1995. Base hospital written records and taped patient calls were reviewed to determine actual IV access method used by paramedics, chief complaint, and whether fluid administration was ordered. Indicated method of IV access was determined for each patient based on predetermined criteria developed by the investigators. IV access methods were ranked by cost of supplies as follows: IV line (IV) < saline lock (SL) < no IV line (NoIV). An assignment of concordant treatment was made when actual = indicated method, discordant‐overtreatment when actual < indicated, and discordant‐undertreatment when actual < indicated. Results: 452 patients were treated via radio by the base hospital during the study period. 380 of 452 (84%) received an IV. 28 of 380 (7%) received fluid resuscitation in the field. 166 of 452 (37%) received concordant treatment; 253 (56%) discordant‐overtreatment; and 33 (7%) discordant‐undertreatment. Pediatric patients (≥14 years of age) were more likely to be undertreated as compared with adults, 33% vs 3% (p < 0.001). Patients who had medical chief complaints were more likely to receive discordant‐overtreatment as compared with patients who had trauma chief complaints, 61% vs 32% (p < 0.001). 73% of chest pain patients received discordant‐overtreatment. Based on these data, the yearly cost of supplies used in IV access discordant‐overtreatment was $13,735 for this base hospital and $560,000 for the Los Angeles County emergency medical services (EMS) system. 91% of the excess supply cost is due to patients' receiving an IV instead of a SL. Conclusion: Based on study criteria for utilization of IV lines vs SLs in the field, paramedics and base hospital personnel often provide discordant‐overtreatment of patients by placement of an IV when a SL or NoIV would suffice, resulting in unnecessary costs for EMS systems.
Research Fundamentals: I. Getting from Hypothesis to Manuscript: An Overview of the Skills Required for Success in Research
Authors: Lewis Lawrence M. , Lewis Roger J. , Younger John G. , Callaham Michael
Published: March 2010

Abstract. This is the first in a series of articles developed by members of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM) Research Committee. The purpose of this series is to describe a stepwise approach to research, from the inception of a hypothesis to the final publication of a report. This series is written for junior academic emergency physicians (EPs), as well as nonacademic physicians who have an interest in research. This first article presents an overview of the steps involved in performing research and publishing the results, emphasizing the initial steps and the importance of collaboration.
Modification of Macrosiphum euphorbiae colonisation behaviour and reproduction on potato plants treated by mineral oil
Authors: Ameline A. , Couty A. , Martoub M. , Sourice S. , Giordanengo P.
Published: March 2010

Although mineral oil spray is one of the most effective ways to control the transmission of non‐persistent aphid‐borne viruses in the field, its mode of action is poorly understood. In this study, the effects of mineral oil treatment of potato plants on host selection behaviour, growth, and reproduction of potato aphids, Macrosiphum euphorbiae (Thomas) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), were investigated. The effects were assessed 30 min, 1 day, and 7 days after treatment, (1) on aphid orientation behaviour by using a Y‐tube olfactometer, and (2) on aphid feeding behaviour by using the electrical penetration graph (EPG) technique. Olfactory experiments showed that the oil had a repulsive effect only 30 min after spraying. EPG experiments showed a slight modification of the aphid feeding behaviour mainly 7 days after treatment. The number of both salivation and sap ingestion events during the phloem phases were increased 7 days after treatment. In addition, irrespective of the time after treatment, xylem ingestion time was increased. Clip cage experiments were set up to assess potential effects of the oil treatment on aphid survival and population parameters. Nymphal mortality was increased on treated plants, whereas fecundity of surviving insects was enhanced. The antagonistic effects of oil treatment on aphids are discussed in a plant protection context.
Effects of single and mixed infections with wild type and genetically modified Helicoverpa armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus on movement behaviour of cotton bollworm larvae
Authors: Georgievska Liljana , Joosten Nina , Hoover Kelli , Cory Jenny S. , Vlak Just M. , Van Der Werf Wopke
Published: March 2010

Naturally occurring insect viruses can modify the behaviour of infected insects and thereby modulate virus transmission. Modifications of the virus genome could alter these behavioural effects. We studied the distance moved and the position of virus‐killed cadavers of fourth instars of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) infected with a wild‐type genotype of H. armigera nucleopolyhedrovirus (HaSNPV) or with one of two recombinant genotypes of this virus on cotton plants. The behavioural effects of virus infection were examined both in larvae infected with a single virus genotype, and in larvae challenged with mixtures of the wild‐type and one of the recombinant viruses. An egt‐negative virus variant caused more rapid death and lower virus yield in fourth instars, but egt‐deletion did not produce consistent behavioural effects over three experiments, two under controlled glasshouse conditions and one in field cages. A recombinant virus containing the AaIT‐(Androctonus australis Hector) insect‐selective toxin gene, which expresses a neurotoxin derived from a scorpion, caused faster death and cadavers were found lower down the plant than insects infected with unmodified virus. Larvae that died from mixed infections of the AaIT‐expressing recombinant and the wild‐type virus died at positions significantly lower, compared to infection with the pure wild‐type viral strain. The results indicate that transmission of egt‐negative variants of HaSNPV are likely to be affected by lower virus yield, but not by behavioural effects of egt gene deletion. By contrast, the AaIT recombinant will produce lower virus yields as well as modified behaviour, which together can contribute to reduced virus transmission under field conditions. In addition, larvae infected with both the wild‐type virus and the toxin recombinant behaved as larvae infected with the toxin recombinant only, which might be a positive factor for the risk assessment of such toxin recombinants in the environment.
The effects of flooding, plant traits, and predation on purple loosestrife leaf‐beetles
Authors: Dávalos Andrea , Blossey Bernd
Published: March 2010

Classical biological weed control is based on the premise that introducing specialized natural enemies from the native range re‐establishes herbivore control of plant invaders, ultimately leading to negative population growth rates. Evidence from past biocontrol programs suggests that herbivores are not solely responsible for shaping plant demography. Diverse environmental conditions in the introduced range may not only affect demography, but also influence top‐down control of target plants. We investigated how flooding affects impacts of predators (top‐down) and plant quality (bottom‐up) on performance of two leaf‐beetles, Galerucella calmariensis L. and Galerucella pusilla Duftschmid (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucini), released in North America as biocontrol agents of purple loosestrife, Lythrum salicaria L. (Lythraceae). Predation and flooding regime have been linked to low leaf‐beetle recruitment at sites where insects failed to attain outbreak populations. Predator exclusion experiments at adjacent flooded and non‐flooded sites indicated a positive effect of flooding on leaf‐beetle survival for all developmental stages, whereas predator exposure had little effect. There was no difference in predation rates at sites with successful or failed purple loosestrife control, questioning the importance of predation in limiting growth and impact of these biocontrol agents’ populations. Effect of flooding on purple loosestrife quality was evaluated in a common garden study where plants were grown under different flooding treatments. Plants grown in flooded soil had higher water content and lower tannic acid concentration than plants grown in well‐drained soil. Consistent with field observations, leaf‐beetle oviposition rate and survival were higher on flooded plants. Results indicate that both bottom‐up and top‐down forces operate on Galerucella populations, yet their relative strength is mediated by flooding regime. Ignoring intricacies of plant‐herbivore and trophic interactions in the introduced range appears to be a major handicap for the improvement of weed biocontrol programs.
Effect of diet on survival, in the laboratory and the field, of sterile male Mediterranean fruit flies
Authors: Gavriel Sagi , Gazit Yoav , Yuval Boaz
Published: March 2010

To improve the effectiveness of the sterile insect technique against the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), our objectives in this study were two‐fold. First, to evaluate the ability of sterile males of the Vienna‐8 strain to survive starvation, we compared them to wild males under laboratory conditions. The second objective was to determine the effect of protein‐rich nutrition on sterile male fly survival, under starvation conditions in the laboratory, under semi‐natural conditions in a field enclosure, and under natural conditions in the open field. Therefore, we released marked sterile flies of the two diet regimes, protein‐fed or protein‐deprived, and monitored their survival by recapturing them after 4, 6, and 7 days. In the laboratory, wild males endured starvation significantly better than sterile ones and protein addition to sterile fly diet resulted in even greater reduced capability to endure starvation. On the other hand, the addition of protein to sterile‐male diet did not affect their ability to survive in a field enclosure or in the open field. We conclude that under natural conditions, where food is available, sterile male fly survival is unaffected by protein‐rich pre‐release diet.
Pedigreed crosses to estimate recessive virulence allele frequencies in natural populations of gall midges
Authors: Andow D. A. , Bentur J. S.
Published: March 2010

Monitoring changes in rare, recessive allele frequencies in natural populations can be accomplished using pedigreed individuals sampled from these populations. A pedigree keeps track of and limits the mating of sampled individuals, to preserve information about the genotype of the sampled individual in the phenotypes of its descendents. To estimate allele frequencies in a natural population using pedigreed crosses, four relations must be specified: (1) a method to determine whether the pedigreed line carries the desired allele; (2) a method to estimate the phenotypic frequency of the trait among the pedigreed lines and a credibility limit for the estimate; (3) the genetic relation between the phenotype frequency among the lines and the allele frequency in the natural population; and (4) a method to estimate the probability that the first method did not detect the trait, assuming that the allele was present in the sampled individual. Knowledge about the segregation patterns of the allele enables specification of (3) and (4). Bayesian statistics were used to estimate the phenotypic frequency of the trait among the pedigreed lines. The method determining whether the pedigreed line carries the desired allele will vary with the species and trait of concern. We focused on monitoring of vGm1, a recessive autosomal allele, and vGm2, a recessive sex‐linked allele, which provide virulence against certain rice resistance genes in rice gall midge, Orseolia oryzae (Wood‐Mason) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). We show how three pedigrees can be used to estimate these allele frequencies. An F1 field screen challenges the F1 offspring of sampled individuals on the rice differentials. A P1 test‐cross mates the sampled individual with a homozygous lab colony for the allele of interest, and evaluates their offspring on the rice differentials. A conditional F1 test‐cross takes the offspring from pedigrees that were negative in an F1 field screen, and test‐crosses these offspring with the homozygous laboratory colony. We also indicate how to test for independent assortment when a double (or multiple) homozygote laboratory colony is used in a test‐cross, how to test for differences among samples, and how to pool data to produce a single estimate based on a larger number of pedigreed lines. These methods may encourage the development of a variety of pedigreed monitoring strategies that could improve and prolong the use of scarce plant resistance alleles in rice and other plants.
Occurrence ofWolbachiain central European weevils: correlations with host systematics, ecology, and biology
Authors: Lachowska Dorota , Kajtoch Łukasz , Knutelski Stanisław
Published: March 2010

We studied the occurrence ofWolbachiain relation to the systematics, ecology, and biology of 40 weevil species from central Europe. Identification ofWolbachiasupergroups and phylogeny was performed on the basis of16S rDNA,ftsZ,wsp, andhcpAsequences. Sixteen species (40%) were infected byWolbachia. Six of these possess only supergroup A (15% of all studied species, 37.5% of the infected species), and four harbored only supergroup B (10 and 25%, respectively). Six species were infected by both supergroups A and B or their genomes harbored parts of these two supergroups (15 and 37.5%, respectively). No differences betweenWolbachiasupergroup frequencies were detected. There was almost no correlation betweenWolbachiaphylogeny and host systematics and phylogeny at the level of subfamily and tribe, because the representatives of both supergroups were detected in all the studied multi‐species tribes.Wolbachiastrains were probably inherited from a common ancestor only in the case of the genusStrophosoma, where two of three analyzed species possessed bacteria which are genetically very close in all the studied genes. There was also only limited congruence between phylogenies obtained from the four studied genes. These results suggest horizontal transmission ofWolbachiastrains between species and recombination events between different strains. A significant correlation was detected between infected and uninfected species in relation to mobility (flying species were 2×  more frequently infected than non‐flying species), foraging (polyphagous species were 2.5×  less frequently infected than mono‐ or oligophagous species), and reproductive mode (parthenogenetic weevils were infected nearly 2×  as often as bisexuals). No differences were detected between mesophilous and xerothermophilous species, nor between those inhabiting open areas vs. arboreal species. However, these results might have been influenced by common ancestry among the studied weevils. Because weevils include many plant pests of economic importance, it is possible to use these data in developing alternative, biology‐based strategies for controlling them.
Genetic stability analysis of diapause‐induced multivoltine silkworm Bombyx mori germplasm using inter simple sequence repeat markers
Authors: Saravanakumar R. , Ponnuvel K. M. , Qadri S. M. H.
Published: March 2010

Conservation of silkworm [Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae)] germplasm aids in prevention of genetic erosion and race extinction. Multivoltine silkworm germplasm maintenance involves rearing five generations per year and this requires expenditure, manpower, and infrastructure, in addition to frequent exposure of the silkworms to diseases, pests, and predators. To minimize these problems, an alternative protocol was developed by way of induction of egg diapause in the multivoltine silkworms through rearing of the fourth and fifth instars at low temperature (18–20 °C) under regulated photoperiod (L6:D18). This method allowed induction of egg diapause in the selected races at levels ranging from 26 to 94% and the diapause‐induced eggs were maintained under cold preservation conditions. The stability of genotypic characters was confirmed in the diapause‐induced silkworm batches after the seventh generation, by comparison with control batches of silkworm using inter simple sequence repeat‐polymerase chain reaction (ISSR‐PCR). Analysis of Nei’s genetic distance for the different races indicated no significant variation between control and diapause‐induced races. This reveals that all the selected races maintained genetic stability even after the seventh generation at the phenotypic and molecular level. Hence, it can be concluded that induction of egg diapause is an appropriate alternative method to preserve multivoltine races for longer periods of time.
A protein‐based approach to mark arthropods for mark‐capture type research
Authors: Hagler James R. , Jones Vincent P.
Published: March 2010

A series of studies was conducted to test methods for marking a wide variety of arthropods with inexpensive proteins for mark‐capture dispersal research. The markers tested included egg albumin protein in chicken egg whites and casein protein in bovine milk. The first study qualified the effectiveness of the two marks on more than 50 arthropod species inhabiting cotton via two application procedures. The application methods included: (1) a topical plus residue protein application, and (2) a residue‐only protein application. Both protein marks, regardless of the method of application, were readily retained on the arthropod assemblage over the duration of the study. The second study determined how rapidly insects acquire chicken egg albumin protein after contact exposure to cotton tissue sprayed with an egg whites solution. Under laboratory conditions, the vast majority of adult Hippodamia convergens Guérin‐Méneville (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and Lygus hesperus Knight (Heteroptera: Miridae) acquired the mark after 5 min, and immature Trichoplusia ni (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) acquired the marker after 40 min. The third study determined how rapidly H. convergens and L. hesperus acquire bovine casein protein after contact exposure to either alfalfa, Medicago sativa L. (Fabaceae), or lesquerella, Lesquerella fendleri (Watson) (Brassicaceae), plants sprayed with a bovine milk solution. These insects rapidly acquired the casein mark from the plant residue under field conditions. A final study determined how long H. convergens retain casein protein after 24‐h exposure to alfalfa and lesquerella plants containing a 7‐day‐old residue of bovine milk. Approximately 95% of the H. convergens maintained the casein mark for 2 days after removal from each type of plant.
Effect of conical configuration of fixture on the maintenance of marginal bone level: preliminary results at 1 year of function
Authors: Kim Jung‐Joo , Lee Dong‐Won , Kim Chong‐Kwan , Park Kwang‐Ho , Moon Ik‐Sang
Published: March 2010

Objectives: To evaluate and to compare the effect of the conical neck design on marginal bone loss around the fixtures, when both implants were provided with micro‐threads to the top of the fixture.

Materials and methods: Two types of implant, one with a straight shape (S) and the other with a conical neck design (C) provided with a retentive element to the top of the fixture, were placed adjacent to each other in the partially edentulous areas of 12 patients. Bone loss around each implant was analyzed after 1 year of functional loading. The bone losses after loading were compared using Wilcoxon's signed‐rank test.

Results: The mean marginal bone losses (S, 0.05±0.09 mm; C, 0.07±0.14 mm) were not statistically significant between the two groups (P=0.578).

Conclusions: There was no significant difference between conical and straight neck implants in terms of marginal bone loss after 1 year of loading.

To cite this article:
 Kim J‐J, Lee D‐W, Kim C‐K, Park K‐H, Moon I‐S. Effect of conical configuration of fixture on the maintenance of marginal bone level: preliminary results at 1 year of function. Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 21, 2010; 439–444 doi: 10.1111/j.1600‐0501.2009.01871.x
A novel implantation model for evaluation of bone healing response to dental implants: the goat iliac crest
Authors: Schouten C. , Meijer G. J. , Van Den Beucken J. J. J. P. , Spauwen P. H. M. , Jansen J. A.
Published: March 2010

Objectives: Despite the availability of numerous animal models for testing the biological performance of dental and orthopedic implants, the selection of a suitable model is complex. This paper presents a new model for objective and standardized evaluation of bone responses to implants using the iliac crest in goats.

Material and methods: The feasibility of the iliac crest model regarding anatomy and implant positioning was determined using two cadaveric specimens and the bone structure was evaluated and compared with that of the goat femoral condyle. Additionally, the validity of the model was tested by performing an in vivo study.

Results: By means of a rather simple, safe, fast and reproducible surgical procedure, the iliac crest in goats could be approached and allowed the implantation of maximally five dental implants per iliac crest. Because of the bilateral implantation possibility, statistical comparisons between groups on either side of the goat could be performed, resulting in a high statistical power, and hence a reduction in the number of animals required to obtain significant data.

Conclusions: In terms of surgical approach, anatomy and implant positioning, the iliac crest is the preferred model over the femoral condyle model. The iliac crest implantation model is suitable for evaluation of the osteogenic response to bone implant materials and represents a justified and deliberate alternative to the already existing animal models.

To cite this article:
 Schouten C, Meijer GJ, van den Beucken JJJP, Spauwen PHM, Jansen JA. A novel implantation model for evaluation of bone healing response to dental implants: the goat iliac crest. Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 21, 2010; 414–423. doi: 10.1111/j.1600‐0501.2009.01872.x
Bone substitute as an on‐lay graft on rat tibia
Authors: Truedsson A. , Wang J.‐S. , Lindberg P. , Gordh M. , Sunzel B. , Warfvinge G.
Published: March 2010

Objectives: To investigate the capacity of Cerament®, an injectable bone substitute, to guide bone generation from a cortical surface.

Materials and method: Cerament® was applied to the cortical surface of rat tibiae and investigated histologically after 3, 6 and 12 weeks, using a procedure similar to that performed in sham‐operated rats.

Results: In both groups, the thickness of the bone cortex increased significantly from 473±58 μm (mean±SD) at day 0 to 1193±255 μm (Cerament®) and 942±323 μm (sham) after 3 weeks. In the Cerament® group, the new bone thickness remained constant (1258±288 μm) until the end of the experiment at 12 weeks, while the sham group demonstrated a return to initial cortical thickness (591±73 μm) at 12 weeks. The newly formed bone in the Cerament® group was highly trabecular after 3 weeks but attained a normal trabecular structure of the cortex after 12 weeks.

Conclusion: Cerament® may guide bone generation from an intact cortical bone surface. Although bone remodeling speed may differ between rats and humans, our study indicates that Cerament® may become a useful alternative to autologous bone, both to fill defects and to increase bone volume by cortical augmentation.

To cite this article:
 Truedsson A, Wang J‐S, Lindberg P, Gordh M, Sunzel B, Warfvinge G. Bone substitute as an on‐lay graft on rat tibia. Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 21, 2010; 424–429. doi: 10.1111/j.1600‐0501.2009.01875.x
ORIGINAL RESEARCH—EPIDEMIOLOGY: The HSDD Registry for Women: A Novel Patient Registry for Women with Generalized Acquired Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder
Authors: Rosen Raymond C. , Connor Megan K. , Maserejian Nancy N.
Published: March 2010

Introduction

Hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) is a clinically challenging disorder in women. Little is known about the natural history of the disorder and long-term consequences. A longitudinal registry can address these needs.

Aim

To design and implement a registry study of HSDD in women to characterize the natural history of HSDD and current treatment practices.

Methods

A longitudinal multicenter registry study has been initiated at clinical sites across the United States. A total of 1,500 women (approximately 1,000 premenopausal, 500 postmenopausal) with clinically-diagnosed HSDD, confirmed by the Decreased Sexual Desire Screener, will be recruited over 24 months at up to 40 clinical sites. Participants will be followed with in-clinic or remote, computer-assisted follow-up. Data from the initial implementation phase was analyzed to assess feasibility of the protocol. A qualitative substudy (N=40) was conducted to assess content validity of the participant questionnaire.

Main Outcome Measures

The primary outcome measure for the Registry study is a patient-based global impression of change in HSDD. Secondary outcome measures are derived from two sources: (i) self-administered questionnaire completed by the participant, and (ii) medical history review completed by the clinician. The questionnaire includes validated measures of sexual function, quality of life, relationship factors, and physical and mental health, as well as newly developed questions on treatments and medications.

Results

As of February 12, 2009, 290 women (209 premenopausal, 81 postmenopausal) had been recruited from 15 clinical sites. Results of the initial implementation phase and qualitative substudy on the participant questionnaire show that the Registry protocol is highly feasible and the questionnaire consisting of previously validated scales and selected new items has high content validity.

Conclusions

As the first longitudinal registry study in female sexual dysfunction, the HSDD Registry will contribute to a broader understanding of the impact and treatment needs of women with clinically diagnosed HSDD.
Benchmark Analysis of Solute Transport with Multiaquifer Wells
Authors: Neville Christopher J. , Zhang Jinhui
Published: March 2010

A benchmark analysis is developed for assessing the reliability of the representation of multiaquifer wells in numerical solute transport simulators. The analysis considers the installation of a well that penetrates two aquifers that are otherwise isolated. The interconnection of the two aquifers by the multiaquifer well leads to the capture of a plume in an upper aquifer and the development of a plume in a lower aquifer. The benchmark analysis couples an exact Laplace transform solution for radially convergent transport with a generalization of an exact Laplace transform solution for radially divergent transport. The benchmark analysis is used to test the multiaquifer well simulation capability incorporated recently in MT3DMS. The results of the analysis provide insights into important issues of model accuracy and efficiency. The results of the analysis also highlight the potential implications of installing wells with relatively long screens at sites with contaminated groundwater.
Renunciation and Non‐Renunciation in Indian Films
Authors: Jain Pankaj
Published: March 2010

Renunciation is one of the most widely studied subjects among Indic traditions. The image of a half‐naked ascetic with a stick in one hand and a begging bowl in other has captured the attention of scholars more often than the mundane householder. Whereas the ascetic captured the imagination with his (and sometimes her) individualistic spirit rebelling against the maligned caste hierarchy, the householder has been seen as a poor creature living a routine life according to the rules dictated by the caste (varna) and the stage in life (ashrama). In this article, I review several films to analyze the portrayal of ascetics and householders, but cannot claim that the review is encyclopedic because there are so many films with variations on this theme. All of the films introduced here were made by Indian filmmakers except for two Hollywood films,1The Householder (1963) and Siddhartha (1972), that were filmed in India with an Indian cast and story.
Visual Culture and American Religions
Authors: Schwain Kristin
Published: March 2010

Scholarship on the visual culture in American religions has flourished in the past three decades. Scholars from myriad disciplines have generated essays, monographs, and edited volumes that examine everything from fine art paintings to popular prints, church architecture to yard shrines, and folk art to graphic novels. In this essay, I provide an abbreviated explanation for the explosion of scholarship on visual culture and American religions in the 1980s and 1990s to highlight prominent approaches to the subject in contemporary scholarship. Then, I outline a few of the major themes that stimulate the scholarly field, including popular religion, consumption, cross‐cultural encounters, sacred space, modern and postmodern art, and dress. Finally, I consider challenges faced by contemporary scholars in developing and strengthening this interdisciplinary area of inquiry.
Pentecostal and Charismatic Christianity in South Africa and Zimbabwe: A Review
Authors: Ganiel Gladys
Published: March 2010

Pentecostal/charismatic Christianity is the fastest‐growing religion in southern Africa. This article explores its social and political roles, drawing primarily on examples from South Africa and Zimbabwe to illuminate wider trends across the continent. It considers the main competing assessments of Pentecostal/charismatic Christianity in Africa: (1) it is dominated by the ‘prosperity gospel’ and therefore stunts real economic growth and development; (2) it is primarily an apolitical faith that distracts people from their suffering; and (3) it is a Western import that disables the development of African cultures. It concludes that Pentecostal/charismatic Christianity in South Africa and Zimbabwe has included all of these elements. But recent research indicates that Pentecostal/charismatic Christianity is increasingly a socially and politically active religion that is surprisingly well‐placed to meet people’s economic and material needs, to empower people to participate in civic and public life, and to promote reconciliation between previously opposing groups.
Photophysics of Halogenated Fluoresceins: Involvement of Both Intramolecular Electron Transfer and Heavy Atom Effect in the Deactivation of Excited States
Authors: Zhang Xian‐Fu , Zhang Iris , Liu Lihong
Published: March 2010

The fluorescence quantum yield (Φf), fluorescence lifetime (τf), intersystem crossing quantum yield (Φisc) and redox potentials of seven halogenated fluoresceins in their dianion forms were measured and compared in methanol to get a deep insight into the effect of halogeno atoms on their photophysics. It is found that the heavy atom effect alone cannot explain the experimental results, as (1) Φf for chlorinated dyes exceeds that of fluorescein and close to unity, (2) the sum of Φf and Φisc for brominated and iodinated xanthene dyes is remarkably less than unity. The observations can be rationalized by the involvement of intramolecular photoinduced electron transfer, in which the benzoate acts as the electron donor while the xanthene moiety is the acceptor. The more negative reduction potential of excited singlet state for chlorinated fluoresceins results in their much smaller ket, and hence higher Φf.
Biochemical Imaging of Human Atherosclerotic Plaques with Fluorescence Lifetime Angioscopy
Authors: Thomas Patrick , Pande Paritosh , Clubb Fred , Adame Jessie , Jo Javier A.
Published: March 2010

A prototype angioscopy system with fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) capabilities was built and applied for biochemical imaging of human coronary atherosclerotic plaques. The FLIM angioscopy prototype consisted of a thin flexible angioscope suitable for UV‐excited autofluorescence imaging, and a FLIM detection system based on a pulse sampling approach. The angioscope was composed of an imaging bundle attached to a gradient index objective lens and surrounded by a ring of illumination fibers (2 mm outer diameter, 50 μm spatial resolution). For FLIM detection based on the pulse sampling approach, a gated‐intensified charge‐couple device camera (200 ps temporal resolution) was used. Autofluorescence was excited with a pulsed UV laser (337 nm) and FLIM images were acquired at three emission bands (390/40 nm, 450/40 nm, 550/88 nm). The system was characterized on standard fluorophores and then used to image postmortem human coronary arteries. The FLIM angioscope allowed us to distinguish elastin‐dominant plaques (peak emission at 450 nm, ∼1.5 ns lifetimes) from collagen‐dominant plaques (peak emission at 390 n, ∼2–3 ns lifetimes) based on their intrinsic fluorescence spectral and lifetime differences. This study demonstrates the potential of FLIM angioscopy for biochemical imaging of human coronary atherosclerotic plaques.
Novel Surfactant‐like Hypocrellin Derivatives to Achieve Simultaneous Drug Delivery in Blood Plasma and Cell Uptake
Authors: Zhang Yang , Song Liming , Xie Jie , Qiu Haixia , Gu Ying , Zhao Jingquan
Published: March 2010

Water‐soluble derivatives of hypocrellins can be safely delivered in blood plasma but lose their photodynamic activity in vivo due to poor cell uptake, while hydrophobic derivatives retaining their activity may aggregate in the blood plasma and block vascular networks. Considering both drug delivery and biological activity, surfactant‐like hypocrellin B (HB) derivatives, sodium 12‐2‐HB‐aminododecanoate (SAHB) and sodium 11,11′‐5,8‐HB‐dimercaptoundecanoate (DMHB), were first designed and then synthesized in the current work. Both SAHB and DMHB were photoactive, generating free radicals and reactive oxygen species, as confirmed by EPR and chemical measurements. Most importantly, DMHB was not only readily soluble, allowing preparation of an intravenous injection solution at a clinically acceptable concentration, but it was also more photodynamic therapy (PDT) active to human breast carcinoma MCF‐7 cells than its parent HB under irradiation. The photodynamic activity was exactly identical to the 1O2 quantum yield and was not reduced by the improved water solubility, suggesting an independent hydrophilicity or lipophilicity. To our knowledge, this is a new strategy that possesses general significance for converting hydrophobic photosensitizers into clinically usable PDT drugs.
Calibration Estimation in Survey Sampling
Authors: Kim Jae Kwang , Park Mingue
Published: March 2010

Calibration estimation, where the sampling weights are adjusted to make certain estimators match known population totals, is commonly used in survey sampling. The generalized regression estimator is an example of a calibration estimator. Given the functional form of the calibration adjustment term, we establish the asymptotic equivalence between the functional‐form calibration estimator and an instrumental variable calibration estimator where the instrumental variable is directly determined from the functional form in the calibration equation. Variance estimation based on linearization is discussed and applied to some recently proposed calibration estimators. The results are extended to the estimator that is a solution to the calibrated estimating equation. Results from a limited simulation study are presented.
On the Decomposition by Subgroups of the Gini Index and Zenga's Uniformity and Inequality Indexes
Authors: Radaelli Paolo
Published: March 2010

Besides a brief historical outline of the Gini index decomposition proposals, we compare, in a subgroups framework, the decompositions of the Gini index and of the uniformity and inequality indexes recently proposed by Zenga. The two decompositions follow a similar scheme: in both cases the overall index can be at first expressed as a weighted average of convenient “cross” measures, with their own interpretation, and afterwards it is decomposed into a within and a between term by merely distinguishing measures evaluated within the same subgroup from the ones regarding different subgroups. This procedure does not depend on an a priori definition of the within or the between term and allows their contribution to be naturally evaluated preserving the structure of the index itself. In the last section the two decompositions are applied to the Italian net household wealth provided by the 2006 central Bank of Italy sample survey on household budgets.
A Review of Hot Deck Imputation for Survey Non‐response
Authors: Andridge Rebecca R. , Little Roderick J. A.
Published: March 2010

Hot deck imputation is a method for handling missing data in which each missing value is replaced with an observed response from a “similar” unit. Despite being used extensively in practice, the theory is not as well developed as that of other imputation methods. We have found that no consensus exists as to the best way to apply the hot deck and obtain inferences from the completed data set. Here we review different forms of the hot deck and existing research on its statistical properties. We describe applications of the hot deck currently in use, including the U.S. Census Bureau's hot deck for the Current Population Survey (CPS). We also provide an extended example of variations of the hot deck applied to the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). Some potential areas for future research are highlighted.