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Kinds of Mail Terms modified by Mail Selected AbstractsElectronic Mail in Foreign Language Writing: A Study of Grammatical and Lexical Accuracy, and Quantity of LanguageFOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS, Issue 2 2000Manuela Gonzälez-Bueno The authors statistically analyzed the quality and quantity of discourse generated via the electronic and the traditional (i.e., paper-and-pencil) medium. The primary objective was to determine whether the use of electronic mail had any effect on grammatical accuracy, appropriate use of vocabulary, and language productivity. In addition, the participants completed a written survey at the end of the semester that elicited their opinions of the program's effectiveness. It was found that the electronic version of dialogue journals had a significantly positive effect on the amount of language generated by the students, and that it improved students' attitude towards learning and practicing the target language. However, the electronic version of dialogue journals did not seem to pose any significant advantage over the paper-and-pencil version with regard to lexical and grammatical accuracy. [source] Editing a Journal: Archetypes of Incoming MailINTERNATIONAL STUDIES PERSPECTIVES, Issue 1 2009I. M. Gategarder No abstract is available for this article. [source] Fads, Techniques and Control: The Competing Agendas of TPM and TECEX at the Royal Mail (UK)JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES, Issue 4 2000Mike Noon The paper offers empirical insight into how traditional thinking can continue to dominate contemporary change initiatives, and suggests that the propensity to repackage and sell ,old' management theory as new techniques reflects the persistence of fundamental, insoluble dilemmas in the nature of organizing. Empirical evidence is drawn from a detailed qualitative study of two case study sites at the Royal Mail, the UK postal service. The analysis shows how the two different change initiatives of Total Productive Maintenance (TPM) and Technical Centres of Excellence (TECEX) are in competition through their methods and discourse, and how this reflects underlying and competing differences in ideologies of management. It vividly demonstrates how contemporary management thinking can involve repackaging old ideas in new rhetoric and a tendency for faddism. In organizations such as Royal Mail the consequence is that far from proving to be the solution to organizational problems, the techniques perpetuate a traditional management dualism in strategies of labour management between control and autonomy. [source] Women's Inequality in the Workplace as Framed in News Discourse: Refracting from Gender Ideology*CANADIAN REVIEW OF SOCIOLOGY/REVUE CANADIENNE DE SOCIOLOGIE, Issue 4 2004AMBER GAZSO Cet article examine les découvertes d'une analyse du schéma interprétatif du discours journalistique sur l'inégalité des femmes sur les lieux de travail dans The Globe and Mail et le National Post de novembre 2000 à novembre 2002. Les articles de journaux ont été analysés d'après la façon dont ils sont encadrés et, par la suite, selon la manière dont ils créent le genre en tant que structure sociale. On a découvert que le cadrage des expériences inégales des femmes sur les lieux de travail decoule de leur incapacitéà« s'intégrer », de choix « naturels » et de leur façon de » jongler « avec le travail et les responsabilités familiales. Une analyse ultérieure démontre que ces cadres reflétent une idéologie où le soutien de famille est masculin et les soins, féminins, suggérant que le genre est également moulé idéologiquement à l'intérieur de ce discours journalistique. This paper presents the findings of a frame analysis of newspaper discourse on women's inequality in the workplace in The Globe and Mail and the National Post from November 2000 to November 2002. Newspaper articles were analysed in terms of how they are framed by and further shape gender as a social structure. It was found that women's unequal workplace experiences are framed as a result of their inability to "fit in,""natural" choices and "juggling" of work and family responsibilities. Further analysis shows that these frames refract from a dominant male breadwinner/female caregiver gender ideology, suggesting that gender is also shaped ideologically within this news discourse. [source] Foiling the Intellectuals: Gender, Identity Framing, and the Rhetoric of the Kill in Conservative Hate MailCOMMUNICATION, CULTURE & CRITIQUE, Issue 4 2009Dana L. CloudArticle first published online: 6 NOV 200 First page of article [source] FS07.1 A survey of occupational hand eczema in DenmarkCONTACT DERMATITIS, Issue 3 2004Rikke Skoet Background:, The need for prevention to reduce the number of occupational hand eczema is high. Occupational hand eczema is the most frequently recognised work-related disease in Denmark. Previous findings have shown that almost half of all cases develop a chronic condition with persistent dermatitis, and the annual cost to society is immense. Aims:, The aim of this study was to survey the trends and development of occupational hand eczema in Denmark and thereby help to ensure future successful prevention of chronic disabling occupational hand eczema. Methods:, 758 patients with recognised occupational hand eczema were included prospectively in the period October 2001- November 2002. Data on diagnoses, disease duration, severity, absence from work and occupation was obtained from The Danish National Board of Industrial Injuries and an additional questionnaire was administered by mail. Results:, 621 patients answered the questionnaire (response rate 82%). Irritant contact dermatitis was the most frequent diagnosis and the female/male ratio was 2:1. High prevalence was found in particularly wet occupations. 19 per cent had sick leave more than 5 weeks per year and the mean disease duration was 4.8 years (median 2.1 years). 68.2% had chronic changes. Conclusion:, The results showed a marked gender difference in the pattern of diagnosis and occupation. The impact of occupational hand eczema is still high with prolonged absence from work and a high percentage of chronic disease. The results of the study give important suggestions for future preventive strategies for health authorities. [source] Peer Review Emergency Medicine AustralasiaEMERGENCY MEDICINE AUSTRALASIA, Issue 4 2005Article first published online: 2 AUG 200 Fellows of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and members of the Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine are invited to forward to the journal, details of their publications which have appeared in journals other than Emergency Medicine Australasia during the period September-October 2005. Commentary on these papers will appear in the April 2006 issue of the journal. Copies of the papers are to be forwarded by mail or fax to journal headquarters (34 Jeffcott Street, West Melbourne, Victoria 3003, Australia; fax: +61 3 9320 0400) by 15 November 2005. Alternatively, an electronic copy in PDF format may be e-mailed to journal@acem.org.au. The next call will be for papers published in the period November-December 2005. [source] The status of warning services for plant pests in Italy,EPPO BULLETIN, Issue 1 2000V. Rossi A survey of the present status of warning services for plant protection in Italy shows the lack of a national project, so that the different regional governments approach the question in different ways. In spite of this, some common characters are present: (1) most of the regions manage the warning service directly; (2) everywhere, the warning service interacts with research institutes, farmers' associations, agrometeorological networks and other warning services; (3),indirect warning' is the prevalent model of organization; geographical areas are divided into homogeneous subareas, where information useful for producing advice is collected and elaborated; warnings are then disseminated by different means of communication, and farmers comply with them autonomously; (4) warnings are usually prepared by a team of advisers, who meet periodically, analyse available information and elaborate suggestions for crop protection; (5) available information comes from field monitoring, weather stations, insect and spore traps, forecasting models for pests and diseases; unfortunately, forecasting models are not widespread; (6) the content of warnings is rather uniform, including information on crops pests and diseases, suggestions for control strategies and, frequently, meteorological conditions and forecasts; (7) different means are used to disseminate warnings to farmers; usually several methods co-exist: bulletins published in local newspapers, sent by mail or fax, displayed on notice boards or available via the Internet; placards; telephone messages; surveys on local TV or radio. [source] Social Networks and Corporate GovernanceEUROPEAN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 4 2008Avanidhar Subrahmanyam G30; G34 Abstract We analyse frameworks that link corporate governance and firm values to governing boards' social networks and innovations in technology. Because agents create social networks with individuals with whom they share commonalities along the dimensions of social status and income, among other attributes, CEOs may participate in board members' social networks, which interferes with the quality of governance. At the same time, social connections with members of a board can allow for better evaluation of the members' abilities. Thus, in choosing whether to have board members with social ties to management, one must trade off the benefit of members successfully identifying high ability CEOs against the cost of inadequate monitoring due to social connections. Further, technologies like the Internet and electronic mail that reduce the extent of face-to-face networking cause agents to seek satisfaction of their social needs at the workplace, which exacerbates the impact of social networks on governance. The predictions of our model are consistent with recent episodes that appear to signify inadequate monitoring of corporate disclosures as well as with high levels of executive compensation. Additionally, empirical tests support the model's key implication that there is better governance and lower executive compensation in firms where networks are less likely to form. [source] Redefining Emergency Medicine Procedures: Canadian Competence and Frequency SurveyACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 7 2001FRCPC, Ken Farion MD Objective: To redefine the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons (RCPS) procedural skills list for Canadian emergency medicine (EM) residents through a national survey of EM specialists to determine procedural performance frequency and self-assessment of competence. Methods: The survey instrument was developed in three phases: 1) an EM program directors survey identified inappropriate or dated procedures, endorsing 127 skills; 2) a search of EM literature added 98 skills; and 3) an expert panel designed the survey instrument and finalized a list of 150 skills. The survey instrument measured the frequency of procedure performance or supervision, self-reported competence (yes/no), and endorsement of one of four training levels for each skill: undergraduate (UG), postgraduate (PG), knowledge only, or un-necessary (i.e., too infrequently performed to maintain competence). Results: All 289 Canadian EM specialists were surveyed by mail; 231 (80%) responded, 221 completed surveys, and 10 were inactive. More than 60% reported competence in 125 (83%) procedures, and 55 procedures were performed at least three times a year. The mean competence score was 121 (SD ± 17.7, median = 122) procedures. Competence score correlation with patient volume was r= 0.16 (p = 0.02) and with hours worked was r= 0.19 (p = 0.01). Competence score was not associated with year or route (residency vs grandfather) of certification. Each procedure was assigned to a training level using response consensus and decision rules (UG: 1%; PG: 82%; unnecessary: 17%). Conclusions: A survey of EM clinicians reporting competence and frequency of skill performance defined 127 procedural skills appropriate for Canadian RCPS postgraduate training and EM certification. [source] Electronic Mail in Foreign Language Writing: A Study of Grammatical and Lexical Accuracy, and Quantity of LanguageFOREIGN LANGUAGE ANNALS, Issue 2 2000Manuela Gonzälez-Bueno The authors statistically analyzed the quality and quantity of discourse generated via the electronic and the traditional (i.e., paper-and-pencil) medium. The primary objective was to determine whether the use of electronic mail had any effect on grammatical accuracy, appropriate use of vocabulary, and language productivity. In addition, the participants completed a written survey at the end of the semester that elicited their opinions of the program's effectiveness. It was found that the electronic version of dialogue journals had a significantly positive effect on the amount of language generated by the students, and that it improved students' attitude towards learning and practicing the target language. However, the electronic version of dialogue journals did not seem to pose any significant advantage over the paper-and-pencil version with regard to lexical and grammatical accuracy. [source] Psychometric Properties of the Dutch Version of the Hospital-Level Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey® InstrumentHEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH, Issue 1 2006Onyebuchi A. Arah Objectives. To assess the reliability and validity of a translated version of the American Hospital-level Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Survey® (H-CAHPS) instrument for use in Dutch health care. Data Sources/Study Setting. Primary survey data from adults aged 18 years or more who were recently discharged from two multispecialty city hospitals in the Netherlands. Study Design. We used forward and backward translation procedures and a panel of experts to adapt the 66-item pilot H-CAHPS into a 70-item Dutch instrument. Descriptive statistics and standard psychometric methods were then used to test the reliability and validity of the new instrument. Data Collection. From late November 2003 to early January 2004, the survey was administered by mail to 1,996 patients discharged within the previous 2 months. Principal Findings. Analyses supported the reliability and validity of the following 7-factor H-CAHPS structure for use in Dutch hospitals: on doctor's communication, nurses' communication, discharge information, communication about medication, pain control, physical environment of hospital, and nursing services. The internal consistency reliability of the scales ranged from 0.60 to 0.88. Items related to "family receiving help when on visit,""hospital staff introducing self," and "admission delays" did not improve the psychometric properties of the new instrument. Conclusions. These findings suggest that the H-CAHPS instrument is reliable and valid for use in the Dutch context. However, more research will be needed to support its equivalence to the United States version, and its use for between-hospital comparisons. [source] Gender difference in the prevalence of eating disorder symptoms,,INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EATING DISORDERS, Issue 5 2009Ruth H. Striegel-Moore PhD Abstract Objective: This study examined gender differences in prevalence of eating disorder symptoms including body image concerns (body checking or avoidance), binge eating, and inappropriate compensatory behaviors. Method: A random sample of members (ages 18,35 years) of a health maintenance organization was recruited to complete a survey by mail or on-line. Items were drawn from the Patient Health Questionnaire and the Body Shape Questionnaire. Results: Among the 3,714 women and 1,808 men who responded, men were more likely to report overeating, whereas women were more likely to endorse loss of control while eating. Although statistically significant gender differences were observed, with women significantly more likely than men to report body checking and avoidance, binge eating, fasting, and vomiting, effect sizes ("Number Needed to Treat") were small to moderate. Discussion: Few studies of eating disorders include men, yet our findings suggest that a substantial minority of men also report eating disorder symptoms. © 2008 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 2009 [source] Barriers to, and facilitators of, research utilisation: a survey of Hong Kong registered nursesINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EVIDENCE BASED HEALTHCARE, Issue 2 2006David R Thompson RN BSc MA PhD MBA FRCN FESC Abstract Aim, Despite increasing efforts to promote the utilisation of research in daily nursing practice it is apparent that there are a number of obstacles to address. This paper reports a study to examine the barriers to, and facilitators of, research utilisation among registered nurses in Hong Kong. Methods, A survey design and a random sampling method was used. The final sample consisted of 1487 registered nurses working in private and public health-care sectors in Hong Kong. A bilingual version of the Research Utilisation Questionnaire, comprising a 31-item barriers scale, and an 8-item facilitators scale was used. The instrument was mailed to participants who were asked to return the completed questionnaire by mail. Results, The highest ranking barriers to research utilisation reported by respondents were related mainly to organisational factors with regards to inadequate facilities, no authority to change procedures, and time constraints. Hong Kong nurses, however, did not appear to see any problem with regards to items related to characteristics of research, such as conclusions drawn from research being justified, research articles not being published fast enough, and literature reporting conflicting results. This indicates that nurses are aware of research developments in nursing and can critically analyse research reports. With regards to facilitators of research utilisation, respondents agreed that managerial and peer support are the greatest facilitators. Conclusions, The results indicate that factors influencing research utilisation are multidimensional and should be taken into account by all involved in the research enterprise: researchers, practitioners, educators, managers and policy-makers. The results of this study provide directions on how to assist nurses in Hong Kong in their efforts to utilise research. [source] Side-effects and treatment with clozapine: A comparison between the views of consumers and their cliniciansINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH NURSING, Issue 1 2008Kay Hodge ABSTRACT:, This study sought to clarify the prevalence of various side-effects experienced by consumers taking clozapine (n = 27) and to elucidate the impact of clozapine on their quality of life. Responses of consumers were contrasted with those of clinicians to highlight any discrepancies between the two groups, thus providing a focus for the improvement of clinical practice. Consumers completed a demographic questionnaire, the Liverpool University Neuroleptic Side-Effect Rating Scale. They next took part in a semistructured interview, which explored their attitudes to clozapine treatment. File searches provided historical data for antipsychotic use before the prescription of clozapine. Clinicians completed the same instruments and submitted them by mail. Most clinicians overestimated the prevalence and severity of clozapine side-effects. Consumers reported drooling mouth as the most prevalent and severe side-effect, whereas clinicians estimated that difficulty staying awake was the most prevalent side-effect, and the most severe side-effect was sleeping too much. Clinicians and consumers agreed that clozapine lifts mood. Only 19% of consumers were unhappy about blood tests, whereas 52% of clinicians estimated that consumers were unhappy about blood tests. This study suggests that despite significant side-effects and regular blood tests, most stable consumers taking clozapine were happier and more satisfied with their treatment than many of their clinicians believed they were. The study also highlights the need for clinicians to ask consumers about the different side-effects they may be experiencing, so they can provide clinical support to improve their quality of life. [source] Impact of salvage therapy for biochemical recurrence on health-related quality of life following radical prostatectomyINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 3 2007Shunichi Namiki Objective: To determine the impact of salvage therapy for prostate-specific antigen (PSA) recurrence on the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of patients after radical retropubic prostatectomy (RP). Methods: Between January 2000 and December 2003, a total of 249 patients who underwent RP were available for 2-year follow up. Of the respondents, 203 men did not show evidence of recurrence (group A), and 46 men received salvage hormonal therapy and/or radiotherapy after RP because of a rise in PSA (group B). The general and prostate-target HRQOL was assessed with the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short Form and University of California, Los Angeles Prostate Cancer Index, respectively. Patients completed the HRQOL instruments by mail at baseline and at 24 months after RP. Results: All of the patients completed both questionnaires. At baseline no significant differences were found between the two groups in any of the HRQOL domains. There were significant improvements in mental health and social function for the patients without biochemical recurrence postoperatively. Repeated measure anova revealed significantly different patterns of alteration in several general HRQOL domains among the treatment groups. The urinary and bowel domains were equivalent between the two treatment groups at baseline and 24 months after RP. The patients treated with salvage hormonal therapy tended to show delayed recovery of sexual function. Conclusion: Using a self-administered questionnaire, biochemical recurrence following RP was found to impose a substantial burden in patients with localized prostate cancer. [source] Long-term results of Burch colposuspensionINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF UROLOGY, Issue 4 2000Haluk Akpinar Abstract Background: We aimed to determine the long-term results of Burch colposuspension. Methods: Patients who had undergone Burch colposuspension due to stress urinary incontinence (SUI) in our department between 1991 and 1995 were asked to participate in the study by telephone or mail. Fifty of 78 patients (64%) responded and these formed the study group. Patients were evaluated by a detailed questionnaire, pelvic examination, uroflowmetry and postvoid residual urine determination. Provocative stress test and urodynamic evaluations were performed in those who claimed leakage. Additionally, follow-up charts were retrospectively reviewed from the patients' files. Results: Mean follow-up time was 50.6 months. The subjective cure rate was 52% and the surgical success rate was 84%. The patient satisfaction rate in terms of incontinence was 86%. No correlation was found between pre-operative patient characteristics (i.e. age, number of vaginal deliveries and pregnancies, menopause, previous anti-incontinence surgery and presence of detrusor instability) and outcome of surgery. Although no patient was performing clean intermittent catheterization in the long term, two patients had significant residual urine and obstructive flows. Three patients had severe pelvic prolapse that required surgical correction. Conclusions: Our results indicate that Burch colposuspension operation is an effective and durable choice of treatment with low complication rates for the treatment of SUI. [source] The ethics of research using electronic mail discussion groupsJOURNAL OF ADVANCED NURSING, Issue 5 2005Debbie Kralik PhD RN Aim., The aim of this paper is to identify and discuss the ethical considerations that have confronted and challenged the research team when researchers facilitate conversations using private electronic mail discussion lists. Background., The use of electronic mail group conversations, as a collaborative data generation method, remains underdeveloped in nursing. Ethical challenges associated with this approach to data generation have only begun to be considered. As receipt of ethics approval for a study titled; ,Describing transition with people who live with chronic illness' we have been challenged by many ethical dilemmas, hence we believe it is timely to share the issues that have confronted the research team. These discussions are essential so we can understand the possibilities for research interaction, communication, and collaboration made possible by advanced information technologies. Discussion., Our experiences in this study have increased our awareness for ongoing ethical discussions about privacy, confidentiality, consent, accountability and openness underpinning research with human participants when generating data using an electronic mail discussion group. We describe how we work at upholding these ethical principles focusing on informed consent, participant confidentiality and privacy, the participants as threats to themselves and one another, public,private confusion, employees with access, hackers and threats from the researchers. Conclusion., A variety of complex issues arise during cyberspace research that can make the application of traditional ethical standards troublesome. Communication in cyberspace alters the temporal, spatial and sensory components of human interaction, thereby challenging traditional ethical definitions and calling to question some basic assumptions about identity and ones right to keep aspects of it confidential. Nurse researchers are bound by human research ethics protocols; however, the nature of research by electronic mail generates moral issues as well as ethical concerns. Vigilance by researchers is required to ensure that data are viewed within the scope of the enabling ethics approval. [source] Do Hierarchical Condition Category Model Scores Predict Hospitalization Risk in Newly Enrolled Medicare Advantage Participants as Well as Probability of Repeated Admission Scores?JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 12 2009David G. Mosley MHA OBJECTIVES: To compare how well hierarchical condition categories (HCC) and probability of repeated admission (PRA) scores predict hospitalization. DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study with 12-month follow-up. SETTING: A Medicare Advantage (MA) plan. PARTICIPANTS: Four thousand five hundred six newly enrolled beneficiaries. MEASUREMENT: HCC scores were identified from enrollment files. The PRA tool was administered by mail and telephone. Inpatient admissions were based on notifications. The Mann-Whitney test was used to compare HCC scores of PRA responders and nonresponders. The receiver operating characteristic curve provided the area under the curve (AUC) for each score. Admission risk in the top 5% of scores was evaluated using logistic regression. RESULTS: Within 60 days of enrollment, 45.1% of the 3,954 beneficiaries with HCC scores completed the PRA tool. HCC scores were lower for the 1,783 PRA respondents than the 2,171 nonrespondents (0.71 vs 0.81, P<.001). AUCs predicting hospitalization with regard to HCC and PRA were similar (0.638, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.603,0.674; 0.654, 95% CI=0.618,0.690). Individuals identified in the top 5% of scores using both tools, using HCC alone, or using PRA alone had higher risk for hospitalization than those below the 95th percentile (odds ratio (OR)=8.5, 95% CI=3.7,19.4, OR=3.8, 95% CI=2.3,6.3, and OR=3.9, 95% CI=2.3,6.4, respectively). CONCLUSION: HCC scores provided to MA plans for risk adjustment of revenue can also be used to identify hospitalization risk. Additional studies are required to evaluate whether a hybrid approach incorporating administrative and self-reported models would further optimize risk stratification efforts. [source] Kaiser Permanente Community Partners Project: Improving Geriatric Care Management PracticesJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 5 2003Susan M. Enguidanos MPH This article describes a geriatric care management project that is testing whether geriatric care management plus a brief purchase of service (POS) intervention will lower medical costs, improve satisfaction with care, increase care plan adherence, and improve perceived quality of life. Kaiser Permanente members aged 65 and older who were eligible for geriatric care management and consented to participate in the study were randomized to one of four study groups: information and referral via mail, telephone care management, geriatric care management, or geriatric care management with POS capability. The POS intervention provides up to $2,000 of designated, paid services including in-home supportive services, transportation, respite, or medical equipment within the first 6 months of care management enrollment. Approximately 1,400 senior members were referred to the geriatric care management program, and 451 were randomly assigned to one of the four study groups. Those enrolled in the geriatric care management program were significantly more likely to be ethnic minorities and have lower income than the general Kaiser Permanente senior enrollment. Barriers encountered in implementing the POS intervention included establishing contractual agreements between Kaiser Permanente and private and community agencies, locating adequate and sufficient community agencies to provided needed services, monitoring service contracts, and delaying use of the POS benefit. [source] Generation of bioaerosols during manual mail unpacking and sortingJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 5 2005H. Brandl Abstract Aims:, The dynamics of bioaerosol generation in specific occupational environments where mail is manually unpacked and sorted was investigated. Methods and Results:, Total number of airborne particles was determined in four different size classes (0·3,0·5, 0·5,1, 1,5 and >5 ,m) by laser particle counting. Time dependent formation of bioaerosols was monitored by culturing methods and by specific staining followed by flow cytometry. Besides handling of regular mail, specially prepared letters (,spiked letters') were added to the mailbags to deliberately release powdered materials from letters and to simulate high impact loads. These letters contained various dry powdered biological and nonbiological materials such as milk powder, mushrooms, herbs and cat litter. Regarding the four size classes, particulate aerosol composition before mail handling was determined as 83·2 ± 1·0, 15·2 ± 0·7, 1·7 ± 0·4 and 0·04 ± 0·02%, respectively, whereas the composition changed during sorting to 66·8 ± 7·9, 22·3 ± 3·6, 10·4 ± 4·0 and 0·57 ± 0·27%, respectively. Mail processing resulted in an increase in culturable airborne bacteria and fungi. Maximum concentrations of bacteria reached 450 CFU m,3, whereas 270 CFU of fungi were detected. Conclusions:, Indoor particle concentrations steadily increased during mail handling mostly associated with particles of diameters >1 ,m. However, it was not possible to distinguish spiked letters from nonspiked by simple particle counting and CFU determinations. Significance and Impact of Study:, The dynamics of bioaerosol generation have to be addressed when monitoring specific occupational environments (such as mail sorting facilities) regarding the occurrence of biological particles. [source] Smoking May Impair the Bone Protective Effects of Nutritional Calcium: A Population-Based Approach,JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 6 2003Joonas Sirola PhD Abstract Postmenopausal women were randomly selected to investigate the effects of smoking on prevention of bone loss with nutritional calcium. DXA was performed twice, and smoking and calcium intake habits were inquired through the mail in 954 women. Smoking dampened the bone protective effects of nutritional calcium. This may reflect the pathophysiology underlying smoking-induced bone loss postmenopause. This study evaluated the effect of smoking on the bone protective properties of nutritional calcium. Of the random sample of 954 peri- and postmenopausal women selected from the Osteoporosis Risk Factor and Prevention (OSTPRE) study cohort (n = 13,100) in Kuopio, Finland, 182 had smoked at some time (ever smokers) and 772 had never smoked. Women were divided in tertiles according to self-reported dairy nutritional calcium intake (mg/day): <648 (1st), 648-927 (2nd), >927 (3rd). Bone mineral density at lumbar spine (LS) and femoral neck (FN) was measured with DXA at baseline in 1989-1991 and at the 5-year follow-up in 1994-1997. In a linear regression model, nutritional calcium intake did not predict annual bone loss in smokers. These results were similar in the subanalysis on 71 current smokers (at both baseline and 5-year measurements) and on 85 past smokers. In never smokers, a statistically significant linear trend was observed between calcium intake and annual bone loss at LS, but at FN only after adjustment for age, weight, hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and other covariates. In analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), no differences in bone loss rate were observed between calcium intake tertiles among smokers. In nonsmokers, the annual bone loss rate was lower in the second (,0.41%) and the third (,0.35%) tertile compared with the first tertile (,0.61%) at LS (p < 0.05) and lower in the third tertile (,0.55%) than in first tertile (,0.72%) at FN after adjustment for age, weight, HRT, and other covariates (p < 0.05). When smokers were added to the nonsmoker group, the differences in bone loss rate between calcium intake tertiles disappeared. In addition, in ANCOVA, the term of interaction between smoking and calcium intake was statistically significant at LS only. In conclusion, smoking seems to impair the bone protective effects of nutritional calcium in postmenopausal women, more clearly in LS than FN. [source] Costs and Strategies in Minority Recruitment for Osteoporosis Research,JOURNAL OF BONE AND MINERAL RESEARCH, Issue 1 2003Miriam A Marquez Abstract To meet expectations for the participation of minority populations in research, we committed to enroll 140 minority subjects in addition to a random sample of Olmsted County, Minnesota residents (90% white) for a study of risk factors for age-related bone loss and fractures. We successfully enrolled 597 additional minority subjects but encountered specific problems with respect to identification of potential subjects, recruitment, obtaining informed consent, transportation to the study site, and collecting study data. These problems were resolved by observing the tenets of outreach to a diverse study population, namely (1) understand the target population; (2) establish explicit recruitment goals; (3) agree on research plans between study staff and minority communities; (4) continuously evaluate the recruitment process; and (5) maintain lines of communication. Success depended especially on the recruitment of cultural advisors from the different ethnic groups. These special efforts increased the recruitment cost substantially; the total expense of $122,000 for recruiting 550 Asian, Hispanic, and Somali subjects was almost 5-fold higher than the $26,000 required to recruit 699 mostly white study subjects from the population who were contacted by mail. Although it is not impossible to recruit minority subjects, investigators (and grant reviewers) should recognize that significant resources are required to gain access to ethnic communities for research. These results should contribute to more realistic budgets for recruiting minority subjects into clinical research studies. [source] A Profile of Financially At-Risk College StudentsJOURNAL OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS, Issue 1 2004ANGELA C. LYONS Using a random sample of college students, this study identifies the factors that significantly affect the probability a college student is financially at risk for mismanaging/misusing credit. Financially at-risk students are more likely to be financially independent, to receive need-based financial aid, to hold $1000 or more in other debt, and to have acquired their credit card(s) by mail, at a retail store, and/or at a campus table. Students having difficulty making credit card payments are also more likely to be female, black, and/or Hispanic. Campus administrators and financial professionals can use this information to better allocate their resources and develop materials that specifically target those students who need them most. [source] Satisfaction, loyalty and word of mouth within the customer base of a utility provider: differences between stayers, switchers and referral switchersJOURNAL OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR, Issue 3 2004Florian Wangenheim Faculty of Economic, Social Science Abstract Research on satisfaction, loyalty and word of mouth (WOM) behaviour has made considerable progress within recent years, but important aspects remain neglected. In this paper, it is argued that, within the customer base of service providers, certain groups can be identified which differ from each other with regards to these variables. Hypotheses are developed and tested in a sample of 765 clients of a large German energy provider. The results show that recently acquired customers (switchers) differ from long-term customers (stayers), and that switchers acquired through customer referrals differ from switchers recruited through advertising or direct mail in their satisfaction, loyalty and WOM behaviour. The paper ends with some important implications for management and future research. Copyright © 2004 Henry Stewart Publications Ltd. [source] The relative effectiveness of practice change interventions in overcoming common barriers to change: a survey of 14 hospitals with experience implementing evidence-based guidelinesJOURNAL OF EVALUATION IN CLINICAL PRACTICE, Issue 5 2007Fiona Simpson MND Abstract Aims and objectives, Changing practice to reflect current best evidence can be costly and time-consuming. The purpose of this survey was to determine the optimal combination of practice change interventions needed to overcome barriers to practice change commonly encountered in the intensive care unit (ICU). Design, A survey instrument delivered by mail with email follow-up reminders. Setting, Fourteen hospitals throughout Australia and New Zealand. Subjects, Individuals responsible for implementing an evidence-based guideline for nutritional support in the ICU. Survey, Practice change interventions were ranked in order of effectiveness and barriers to change were ranked in order of how frequently they were encountered. Results, A response rate of 100% was achieved. Interventions traditionally regarded as strong (academic detailing, active reminders) were ranked higher than those traditionally regarded as moderate (audit and feedback), or weak (posters, mouse mats). The high ranks of the site initiation visit (educational outreach, modest) and in-servicing (didactic lectures, weak) were unexpected, as was the relatively low rank of educationally influential, peer-nominated opinion leaders. Four hospitals reported the same doctor-related barrier as ,most common' and the remaining 10 hospitals reported three different doctor-related barriers, two nursing-related barriers and three organizational barriers as most common. Conclusions, When designing a multifaceted, multi-centre change strategy, the selection of individual practice change interventions should be based on: (1) an assessment of available resources; (2) recognition of the importance of different types of barriers to different sites; (3) the potential for combinations of interventions to have a synergistic effect on practice change, and (4) the potential for combinations of interventions to actually reduce workload. [source] Food safety approaches to examining HACCP costs and performance and technologiesAGRIBUSINESS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 2 2007Michael Ollinger In this article, the authors describe the survey methodology needed to obtain data to support several empirical analyses dealing with food safety issues. The most striking finding about the survey methodology was the much higher response rate due to the use of priority mail and an incentive payment of $5 versus priority mail only or first-class mail only. Letters of support from the major meat and poultry trade associations and the up to five contacts of potential survey respondents by the surveying organization also appear to have improved the response rate. Overall, the survey methodology yielded nearly 1,000 responses from 1,705 possible meat and poultry plants on their costs of compliance with the Pathogen Reduction/Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point rule of 1996, plant characteristics, and use of food safety technologies and practices. [EconLit Citations: L250, L510, L150] © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Agribusiness 23: 193,210, 2007. [source] CONSUMER PREFERENCES FOR PATHOGEN-REDUCING TECHNOLOGIES IN BEEF,JOURNAL OF FOOD SAFETY, Issue 2 2001KRISTA FINGERHUT ABSTRACT Two surveys were conducted by mail to evaluate consumers' preferences for beef treated by the steam and hot-water pasteurization technologies, in a comparison with beef treated by irradiation and nontechnology treated "regular" beef. More than 64% of the respondents reported that they preferred ground beef treated by irradiation to that treated by the two pathogen-reducing technologies. More than 87% of the respondents stated that they preferred ground beef treated by the two technologies to nontechnology treated beef. Sixty percent of the respondents reported that they were willing to pay for beef treated by the two pathogen-reducing technologies with an averaged willingness-to-pay of 0.36/lb over nontechnology treated beef. Compared with their counterparts; women, those having a better self-reported health status, and those with children at home (, 18 years of age) were more likely to report a preference for beef treated by the two heat-related pasteurization technologies. The income level of the respondents was negatively associated with their preference for beef treated by the two heat-related pasteurization technologies. The strong consumer preference coupled with willingness-to-pay for beef treated by the two pathogen-reducing technologies, suggest that consumers are willing to bear the cost of using these technologies if beef packers would invest in such technologies as a means of improving the quality of their products. [source] Treatment with removable partial dentures: a longitudinal study.JOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 5 2003Part II summary The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an oral rehabilitation by removable partial denture (RPD). Between 1983 and 1994, 629 patients were provided with an RPD at the Dental School of the Université catholique de Louvain. All the RPDs were constructed with a cobalt,chromium framework. All the treatments were provided by dental students under the supervision of clinical instructors. At recall time (1998,2000), 269 patients could not be reached neither by telephone nor by mail and 27 had died. Consequently, 333 patients were called for clinical examination and 254 of these (76·3%) actually attended. For a total of 292 RPDs checked 1893 persistent teeth were listed, with 804 serving as abutments; more than half (57·6%) of these were crowned, for which 51 debondings were recorded. For the period of observation we listed 79 abutments lost (37 at the upper jaw and 42 at the lower jaw), i.e. 9·8% of the total number of abutments. No relation could be established between the type of the abutments (natural or crowned teeth) and the losses observed (Test of Mantel-Haenszel: P=0·9496). In the upper jaw, the percentage of abutments lost was significantly higher in the presence of free-end edentulous areas as compared with bounded edentulous areas (Test of Mantel-Haenszel: P=0·0002); this difference does not appear for the lower jaws (P=0·9558). If we deduct the 25 abutments related with the 11 non-worn RPDs and the 79 abutments lost, no change becomes apparent for 92·2% of the maxillary abutments and for 85·8% of the mandibular abutments. For the 1089 other teeth, we observed the loss of 40 teeth and the appearance of caries or new fillings for 95 teeth. The fractures of cast clasps represent 3·4%. [source] Oral health care status of homebound elderly in JapanJOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 8 2001Masayuki Morishita We examined the present conditions of oral health care in order to contribute towards an effective system to provide oral health care for homebound elderly in Japan. A questionnaire was mailed to homebound elderly subjects (n=908) and returned by mail. A 73·6% response was achieved. The questionnaire was designed to elicit information with respect to the general condition of the subjects and independence of oral health care. About 70% of the subjects were chair- or bed-bound. Among all subjects, 37·6% required partial or full assistance on toothbrushing, 55·6% on cleaning dentures and 46·7% on eating. The degree of oral health care tended to be poor for chair- or bed-bound elderly compared with independent or house-bound elderly. Homebound elderly with lower Activities of Daily Living Scale (ADL) required more support for oral health care compared with elderly with higher ADL. [source] | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||