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Kinds of Usage Terms modified by Usage Selected AbstractsEDUCATIONAL BENEFITS AND MILITARY SERVICE: AN ANALYSIS OF ENLISTMENT, REENLISTMENT, AND VETERANS' BENEFIT USAGE 1991,2005,ECONOMIC INQUIRY, Issue 4 2010CURTIS J. SIMON Montgomery GI Bill (MGIB) educational benefits are a prime recruiting tool in today's all-volunteer military. This paper studies the effects of changes in education benefits using data of the period 1990,2005. Higher benefits lead to higher separation due to both pure incentive effects and by attracting more college-oriented youth into military service. We deal with potential selection issues by distinguishing between anticipated and unanticipated benefit changes. Higher education benefits are associated with higher separation from the Army and Air Force, but not the other services. A $10,000 increase in MGIB benefits is estimated to increase usage by about 5 percentage points, but the duration of usage is estimated to be insensitive to benefit levels. (JEL H52, I21, J24) [source] POSTTRAUMATIC SUBGALEAL HEMATOMA WITH ORBITAL EXTENSION ASSOCIATED WITH CLOPIDOGREL USAGE IN AN ELDERLY PATIENT: CASE REPORTJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 1 2007Sanjay H. Chotirmall MBBCh No abstract is available for this article. [source] GENERATION OF BIOLUMINESCENT MORGANELLA MORGANII AND ITS POTENTIAL USAGE IN DETERMINATION OF GROWTH LIMITS AND HISTAMINE PRODUCTIONJOURNAL OF FOOD SAFETY, Issue 2 2009MEHDI ZAREI ABSTRACT A mini-Tn5 promoter probe carrying the intact lux operon of Photorhabdus luminescens (pUT mini-Tn5 luxCDABE) which allowed measurement of light output without the addition of exogenous substrate was constructed. It was used to create a pool of chromosomally lux -marked strains of Morganella morganii. Also plasmid-mediated expression of bioluminescence in M. morganii was assessed using plasmid pT7-3 luxCDABE. No significant differences in growth and histamine formation characteristics of the lux -marked strains and wild type M. morganii strain were observed. Luminescent strain of M. morganii was used in experiments in which the correlation between light output, viable cell count and histamine formation was assessed. During the exponential growth phase, a positive linear correlation was observed between these three parameters in trypticase soy broth-histidine medium at 37C. It was demonstrated that expression of bioluminescence had not had a significant effect upon both growth rate and histamine production. Thus, the measurement of bioluminescence was found to be a simple, fast and reliable method for determination of viable cell count and histamine content. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Constructing predictive models in microbiology requires a large number of data on desired factors. Commonly used traditional methods of counting viable cells and measuring histamine, e.g., to model the growth limits of M. morganii as a function of different intrinsic and extrinsic factors, are time consuming and laborious, and require a lot of laboratory space and materials. According to the results of this research, measurement of bioluminescence is a simple, fast and reliable method for the determination of viable cell count and histamine content during the exponential growth phase. Thus, it can be used as a labor- and material-saving selective data capture method for constructing predictive models in many different areas. [source] CANCER INPATIENTS MORPHINE USAGE: A NEW ENGLAND AREA SURVEYAUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF RURAL HEALTH, Issue 4 2003John Trollor ABSTRACT:,This is a one year study of the use of morphine in cancer patients in 10 inpatient facilities in the New England Area Health Service in the north-west of New South Wales. The study explored 170 admissions relating to 122 patients, most of whom were cared for by their general practitioners. The use of morphine in these cancer patients was compared with the recommendations made by the expert working group of the European Association of Palliative Care.1 Those items which matched the recommendations included the initial doses for new users of morphine and the subcutaneous route being the preferred parenteral route. The data in this study differed from the recommendations in that only half of the patients received the immediate release morphine when first given oral morphine, only 43% had orders for immediate release oral morphine for breakthrough pain (with a variable frequency) and a significant number of orders for parenteral and immediate release oral morphine for breakthrough pain were outside the recommended doses (100% and 86.2%, respectively). Written orders for immediate release oral and parenteral morphine involved a dose range in significant numbers while only 30% of patients had orders for parenteral morphine for breakthrough pain. There was a low use of fixed interval variable dose (FIVD) morphine charts despite these being available in most facilities. (See summary Appendix A.) [source] Implications of the proposed thyroid fine-needle aspiration category of "follicular lesion of undetermined significance": A five-year multi-institutional analysisDIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY, Issue 10 2009Lester J. Layfield M.D. Abstract National Cancer Institute State of the Science Conference on thyroid fine-needle aspiration (FNA) summarized diagnostic terminology. Six diagnostic categories were proposed including "follicular lesion of undetermined significance" (FLUS). FLUS was defined as findings neither convincingly benign nor sufficiently atypical for a diagnosis of "follicular neoplasm" or "suspicious for malignancy." It was proposed that this category represent less than 7% of thyroid FNAs. A search of the cytology records at three University Hospitals was performed for the term FLUS or older equivalent terms. Usage of FLUS was compared between institutions and among pathologists. Surgical pathology outcome for FLUS cases was determined. Twenty-eight pathologists evaluated 6,872 cases at the three institutions. Use of FLUS varied among pathologists (2.5 to 28.6%). Frequency of use of FLUS among institutions varied from 3.3 to 14.9%. FLUS cases [127 of 673 (18.9%)] underwent surgical exploration with malignancy identified in 36 cases (28.3%) undergoing resection. Use of FLUS varied substantially among pathologists and institutions. FLUS category requires more rigorously defined morphologic criteria for it to become a useful guide in clinical management. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2009. © 2009 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Adjustment of Temporal Call Usage During Vocal Exchange of Coo Calls in Japanese MacaquesETHOLOGY, Issue 6 2007Hideki Sugiura Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) exchange coo calls with group members to maintain contact. I examined the relationship between the distance between group members and (1) the latency of vocal responses to spontaneous calls, and (2) the latency of spontaneous call repetition in the absence of vocal responses. After a subject monkey's spontaneous call, the latency of vocal response by another group member was longer when the subject was farther from the group members than when the subject was near the group members. Furthermore, subject repeated calls with longer intervals in the absence of vocal response, which suggests that they wait longer for the vocal responses of other group members when the expected response latency is longer. These results reveal that Japanese macaques flexibly alter the timing of their calls based on others' vocal responses. [source] The Impact of Institutional Differences on Derivatives Usage: a Comparative Study of US and Dutch FirmsEUROPEAN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT, Issue 3 2003Gordon M. Bodnar F30; G15; G32 Abstract This paper examines the influence of institutional differences on corporate risk management practices in the USA and the Netherlands. We compare results to surveys in each country using a strategy that corrects for differences over industry and size classes across the Dutch and US samples. We document several differences in the firms' uses and attitudes towards derivatives and attempt to attribute them to the differences in the institutional environments between the USA and the Netherlands. We find that institutional differences appear to have an important impact on risk management practices and derivatives use across US and Dutch firms. [source] Problems associated with switch to modafinil , a novel alerting agent in narcolepsyEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROLOGY, Issue 4 2000C. Guilleminault Modafinil is a novel medication recently approved for the treatment of narcolepsy and idiopathic hypersomnia. Commonly, patients had already been prescribed medications for their syndrome. This report outlines difficulties encountered in the clinical practice of switching patients to modafinil. Naïve subjects accepted modafinil best. Subjects withdrawn from amphetamine had the most problems and failure to withdraw. Venlafaxine hydrochloride combined well with modafinil to control cataplectic attacks. Usage of a progressive withdrawal protocol may ease the difficulties observed. [source] Usage of Aplysia lectin interactions with T antigen and poly- N -acetyllactosamine for screening of E. coli strains which bear glycoforms cross-reacting with cancer-associated antigensFEMS IMMUNOLOGY & MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2001Nechama Gilboa-Garber Abstract Aplysia gonad lectin (AGL), which strongly agglutinates cancer cells, was found, in the present study, to bind to erythrocyte T antigen, in addition to its affinity to Ii system antigens. These antigens were reported to be overexpressed and to contribute to tumor progression and invasion. In healthy human sera, there are antibodies against them, stimulated by the normal intestinal microflora, which bear similar glycoforms. Since the levels of these antibodies were reported to be lower in most cancer patients' sera, we have examined the applicability of AGL to isolation of enteric commensal Escherichia coli strains which bear glycoforms cross-reacting with the cancer-associated antigens. Among 30 E. coli isolates examined, two were agglutinated by AGL. One of them was also agglutinated by certain related galactophilic lectins, which bind to the T and Tn antigens. The agglutination of the two bacteria by healthy human sera, as a group, was stronger than that displayed by the cancer patients' sera. These results indicate that AGL might be useful for identification of the desired bacteria, which could potentially serve for cancer diagnosis and therapy. [source] Evaluating Triptan Usage: A RebuttalHEADACHE, Issue 9 2004Arturo López-Gil MD No abstract is available for this article. [source] Long-term survival of HIV-infected patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy in Serbia and MontenegroHIV MEDICINE, Issue 2 2007DO Jevtovi Background Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has dramatically changed the prognosis of HIV disease, even in terminally ill patients. Although these patients may survive many years after the diagnosis of AIDS if treated with HAART, some still die during treatment. Methods A retrospective study in a cohort of 481 HIV-infected patients treated with HAART between January 1998 and December 2005 was conducted to compare subgroups of long-term survivors (LTSs) and patients who died during treatment. Results A total of 48 patients survived for more than 72 months (mean 83.8±standard deviation 5.6 months). Thirty patients died during treatment (mean 35.3±25.0 months), of whom nine died from non-AIDS-related causes, 18 died from AIDS-related causes, and three died as a result of HAART toxicity. Although LTSs were significantly (P=0.015) younger at HAART initiation, age below 40 years was not a predictor of long-term survival. The subgroups did not differ in the proportion of clinical AIDS cases at HAART initiation, in the prevalence of hepatitic C virus (HCV) coinfection, or in pretreatment and end-of-follow-up CD4 cell counts. In contrast, the viral load achieved during treatment was lower in the survivors (P=0.03), as was the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV) coinfection (P=0.03). Usage of either protease inhibitor (PI)-containing regimens [odds ratio (OR) 9.0, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.2,35.98, P<0.001] or all three drug classes simultaneously (OR 7.4, 95% CI 2.2,25.1, P<0.001) was associated with long-term survival. Drug holidays incorporated in structured treatment interruption (STI) were also associated with a good prognosis (OR 14.9, 95% CI 2.9,75.6, P<0.001). Conclusions Long-term survival was associated with PI-based HAART regimens and lower viraemia, but not with the immunological status either at baseline or at the end of follow up. STI when CD4 counts reach 350 cells/,L, along with undetectable viraemia, was a strong predictor of long-term survival. [source] Personalization versus Customization: The Importance of Agency, Privacy, and Power UsageHUMAN COMMUNICATION RESEARCH, Issue 3 2010S. Shyam Sundar What makes customization so appealing? Is it because the content is tailored or because the user feels greater agency? Study 1 tested these propositions with a news-aggregator Website that was either personalized (system-tailored), customized (user-tailored), or neither. Power users rated content quality higher when it had a customizable interface, whereas nonpower users preferred personalized content. In Study 2, half the participants were told that their browsing information may be used for providing requested services while the other half was told that it would not be used. The interaction found in Study 1 was observed only under conditions of low privacy, with the pattern being reversed under high privacy. Significant three-way interactions were found for sense of control and perceived convenience. Personalisierung vs. Kundenorientierung: Die Rolle von Agentschaft, Privatheit und Machtausübung Dieser Artikel dokumentiert zwei Studien. Studie 1 setzte Vielnutzer und Normalnutzer einer Nachrichtenaggregationswebseite aus, welche entweder personalisiert (system-zugeschnitten), kundenorientiert (nutzerzugeschnitten) oder keines von beiden war. Die Ergebnisse zeigen eine Kreuzinteraktion dahingehend, dass Vielnutzer die Qualität des Inhalts höher einstuften, wenn sie die kundenorientierte Oberfläche nutzten, während Normalnutzer den personalisierten Inhalt bevorzugten. In Studie 2 wurde der Hälfte der Teilnehmer erzählt, dass ihre Surfinformationen möglicherweise genutzt werden, um die abgefragten Angebote bereitzustellen. Der anderen Hälfte wurde gesagt, dass dies nicht geschehe. Die Ergebnisse duplizieren das Kreuzmuster der ersten Studie, allerdings nur für die Niedrige-Privatheit-Bedingung. Das Muster kehrt sich für die Hohe-Privatheit-Kondition um. Signifikante 3-Wege-Interaktionen wurden für Wahrnehmung von Kontrolle und wahrgenommene Verbraucherfreundlichkeit gefunden. Schlüsselbegriffe: Kundenorientierung, Personalisierung, Agentschaft, Vielnutzung, Privatheit, wahrgenommene Kontrolle, wahrgenommene Verbraucherfreundlichkeit, Online-Nachrichten, Gatekeeping, Portal Adaptation ou personnalisation : L'importance de l'agentivité, de la confidentialité et de l'intensité de l'utilisation Résumé Cet article fait état de deux études. La première a présentéà de grands utilisateurs et à des utilisateurs réguliers un site web agrégateur de nouvelles qui était adaptéà l'utilisateur (conçu par le système), personnalisé (façonné par l'utilisateur lui-même) ou qui n'était ni l'un ni l'autre. Les résultats révèlent une interaction asymétrique en ce que les grands utilisateurs notaient plus favorablement la qualité du contenu lorsque le site avait une interface personnalisée, alors que les utilisateurs réguliers préféraient le contenu adapté. Dans la seconde étude, la moitié des participants ont été avisés que l'information sur leur navigation pourrait être utilisée afin de leur offrir les services demandés, alors que l'autre moitié a été avisée que cette information ne serait pas utilisée. Les résultats montrent que le modèle asymétrique révélé dans la première étude ne s'observait que sous les conditions de faible confidentialité, alors que le rapport s'inversait dans le contexte de forte confidentialité. Des interactions triangulaires significatives ont été démontrées pour le sentiment de contrôle et pour le sentiment de commodité. Mots clés : adaptation, personnalisation, agentivité, grands utilisateurs, vie privée, sentiment de contrôle, sentiment de commodité, nouvelles en ligne, portail La Personalización versus la Adaptación al Cliente La Importancia de la Agencia, la Privacidad, y el Uso del Poder Resumen Este manuscrito presenta dos estudios. El estudio 1 expuso a los usuarios de poder, así como a los usuarios regulares a una página agregada de noticias de Internet que estuvo ó personalizada (adaptada al sistema), ó adaptada al cliente (adaptada al usuario), ó a ninguna de las dos. Los hallazgos revelaron una interacción de cruce tal que los usuarios con poder estimaron al contenido como de mayor calidad cuando tenían una interfaz adaptada al usuario, mientras que los usuarios sin poder prefirieron el contenido personalizado. En el estudio 2, se les dijo a la mitad de los participantes que la forma en la que buscaban información podría ser usada para proveer los servicios solicitados mientras que a la otra mitad se le dijo que no sería usada. Los resultados revelaron que la pauta de cruzamiento encontrada en el estudio 1 fue observada solo en condiciones de privacidad baja, mientras que la pauta fue reversa bajo las condiciones de privacidad alta. Las interacciones significativas de 3 partes fueron encontradas para el sentido del control y la percepción de la conveniencia. Palabras Claves: Adaptado al cliente, personalización, agencia, poder de uso, privacidad, control percibido, percepción de conveniencia, noticias online, guardián, portal. [source] Firm- and Individual-Level Determinants of Balanced Scorecard Usage,/DÉTERMINANTS DE L'USAGE DU TABLEAU DE BORD ÉQUILIBRÉ AU DOUBLE ÉCHELON ORGANISATIONNEL ET INDIVIDUELACCOUNTING PERSPECTIVES, Issue 2 2006MAJIDUL ISLAM ABSTRACT The factors influencing the organizational as well as the individual decision to utilize the balanced scorecard (BSC) approach have not been widely researched. In the first part of this paper, we study BSC adoption at the organizational level while utilizing a multifaceted perspective of socio-psychological, economic, and resource-based influences; specifically, we investigate the perceptions of desirability, urgency, and feasibility of BSC adoption. Our findings show that customer norms, competitor norms, and organizational resources are significant predictors of BSC adoption. In the second part of the paper, we discuss individual-level aspects of utilization decisions. Here, we explore the impact of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and awareness on the intentions to use the BSC approach. Our findings show that both awareness of BSC capabilities and perceived ease of use are significantly related to perceived usefulness. However, only perceived usefulness is significantly related to intentions to use the BSC. Implications for research and practice are discussed. [source] V.A.C.® Therapy in the management of paediatric wounds: clinical review and experienceINTERNATIONAL WOUND JOURNAL, Issue 2009Mona Baharestani ABSTRACT Usage of negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) in the management of acute and chronic wounds has grown exponentially in the past decade. Hundreds of studies have been published regarding outcomes and methods of therapy used for adult wounds. This treatment is increasingly being used to manage difficult-to-treat paediatric wounds arising from congenital defects, trauma, infection, tumour, burns, pressure ulceration and postsurgical complications in children, although relatively few studies have been aimed at this population. Given the anatomical and physiological differences between adults and children, a multidisciplinary expert advisory panel was convened to determine appropriate use of NPWT with reticulated open cell foam (NPWT/ROCF) as delivered by Vacuum Assisted Closure® (V.A.C.® Therapy, KCI Licensing, Inc., San Antonio, TX) for the treatment of paediatric wounds. The primary objectives of the expert advisory panel were to exchange state-of-practice information on paediatric wound care, review the published data regarding the use of NPWT/ROCF in paediatric wounds, evaluate the strength of the existing data and establish guidelines on best practices with NPWT/ROCF for the paediatric population. The proposed paediatrics-specific clinical practice guidelines are meant to provide practitioners an evidence base from which decisions could be made regarding the safe and efficacious selection of pressure settings, foam type, dressing change frequency and use of interposing contact layer selections. The guidelines reflect the state of knowledge on effective and appropriate wound care at the time of publication. They are the result of consensus reached by expert advisory panel members based on their individual clinical and published experiences related to the use of NPWT/ROCF in treating paediatric wounds. Best practices are described herein for novice and advanced users of NPWT/ROCF. Recommendations by the expert panel may not be appropriate for use in all circumstances. Decisions to adopt any particular recommendation must be made by the collaborating medical team, including the surgeon and wound care specialist based on available resources, individual patient circumstances and experience with the V.A.C.® Therapy System. [source] Paresthesias Developing in an Elderly Patient after Chronic Usage of Nitrofurantoin and Vitamin B6JOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 12 2003Rhodora A. Lacerna MD No abstract is available for this article. [source] Hospice Usage by Minorities in the Last Year of Life: Results from the National Mortality Followback SurveyJOURNAL OF AMERICAN GERIATRICS SOCIETY, Issue 7 2003K. Allen Greiner MD OBJECTIVES: To examine racial/ethnic variations in rates of hospice use in a national cohort and to identify individual characteristics associated with hospice use. DESIGN: Secondary analysis of the 1993 National Mortality Followback Survey (NMFS), a nationally obtained sample using death certificates and interviews with relatives (proxy respondents) to provide mortality, social, and economic data and information about healthcare utilization in the last year of life for 23,000 deceased individuals. SETTING: Hospice care. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals aged 15 and older who died in 1993. Subjects were included in this analysis if they died of nontraumatic causes (N = 11,291). MEASUREMENTS: Hospice use was dichotomized by proxy responses indicating use or nonuse of home or inpatient hospice services. The percentage of individuals using hospice services in the last year of life was calculated. RESULTS: Unadjusted bivariate results found that African Americans were less likely to use hospice than whites (odds ratio (OR) = 0.59; P < .001) and that those without a living will (LW) (OR = 0.23; P < .001) and without a cancer diagnosis (OR = 0.28; P < .001) were less likely to use hospice. The negative relationship between African Americans and hospice use was unaffected when controlled for sex, education, marital status, existence of a LW, income, and access to health care. Logistic models revealed that presence of a LW diminished the negative relationship between African Americans and hospice use, but the latter remained significant (OR = 0.83; P = .033). A subanalysis of subjects aged 55 and older showed a significant interaction between access to care and race/ethnicity with respect to hospice use (P = .044). Inclusion of income in this multivariable logistic model attenuated the relationship between African-American race/ethnicity and hospice use (OR = 0.77), and the difference between whites and African Americans became only marginally statistically significant (P = .060). CONCLUSION: In the 1993 NMFS, hospice use was negatively associated with African-American race/ethnicity independent of income and access to healthcare. The relationship is not independent of age, insurance type, or history of stroke. For subjects aged 55 and older, access to healthcare may be an important confounder of the negative relationship between African-American race/ethnicity and hospice use. Consistent with previous studies, this analysis found that African Americans were less likely to use LWs than whites. The reduced importance of African-American race/ethnicity on hospice use with the inclusion of presence of a LW in logistic models suggests that similar cultural processes may shape differences between African Americans and whites in advance care planning and hospice use. [source] Effect of pulsed ultrasound in combination with gentamicin on bacterial viability in biofilms on bone cements in vivoJOURNAL OF APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2005G.T. Ensing Abstract Aims:, The aim of this study is to investigate whether pulsed ultrasound (US) in combination with gentamicin yields a decreased viability of bacteria in biofilms on bone cements in vivo. Methods and Results:, Bacterial survival on bone cement in the presence and absence of ultrasound was compared in a rabbit model. Two bone cement samples with an Escherichia coli ATCC 10798 biofilm were implanted in a total of nine rabbits. In two groups bone cement discs loaded with gentamicin, freshly prepared and aged were used, and in one group unloaded bone cement discs in combination with systemically administered gentamicin. Pulsed ultrasound with a frequency of 28·48 kHz and a maximum acoustic intensity of 500 mW cm,2 was applied continuously from 24 h till 72 h postsurgery on one of the two implanted discs. After euthanization and removal of the bacteria from the discs, the number of viable bacteria were quantified and skin samples were analysed for histopathological examination. Application of ultrasound, combined with gentamicin, reduced the viability of the biofilms in all three groups varying between 58 and 69% compared with the negative control. Histopathological examinations showed no skin lesions. Conclusions:, Ultrasound resulted in a tendency of improved efficacy of gentamicin, either applied locally or systemically. Usage of ultrasound in this model proved to be safe. Significance and Impact of the Study:, This study implies that ultrasound could improve the prevention of infection immediately after surgery, especially because the biomaterials, gentamicin and ultrasound used in this model are all in clinical usage, but not yet combined in clinical practice. [source] Mineralization improvement of phenol aqueous solutions through heterogeneous catalytic ozonationJOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY & BIOTECHNOLOGY, Issue 12 2003Fernando J Beltrán Abstract To assess the mineralization level achieved, aqueous solutions of phenol have been treated with ozone in the presence of different solid catalysts. Activated carbon was the principal catalyst investigated, although some additional experiments were carried out by utilizing metal oxide-based catalysts (ie Ti, Co and Fe) supported onto alumina. Usage of Co/Al2O3 led to the highest values of phenol byproduct mineralization, nevertheless some metal leaching was experienced in the process. The operating variables studied when using activated carbon as the catalyst were ozone gas concentration, amount of catalyst added and temperature. Regardless of the catalyst type used, two different ozonation kinetic regimes were observed: (I) an initial period, corresponding to the presence of phenol in solution, characterized by small amounts of dissolved ozone and no improvement of the mineralization degree if comparing catalytic and non-catalytic runs; (II) a second period, free of phenol, in which dissolved ozone accumulated in water and the beneficial effects of catalysts on mineralization were noticed. Experimental data also demonstrated the improvement in oxalic acid elimination in the presence of heterogeneous catalysts. Finally, consumption of ozone per mass of carbon removed, reaction factors and Hatta numbers were also calculated. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Child-Care Usage and Mother-Infant "Quality Time"JOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, Issue 1 2002Cathryn L. Booth Mothers' time-use patterns were compared in families in which infants spent more than 30 hours per week in child care (In-Care group; n= 143) versus 0 hours per week (At-Home group; n= 183) from birth to 6 months of age. In-Care group mothers spent about 12 fewer hours per week interacting with their infants, for about 32% less time; fathers of these infants were more involved in caregiving. The groups did not differ in the quality of mother-infant interaction. In the In-Care group, quantity of interaction was related to greater separation anxiety and concerns about effects of maternal employment. Time-use data were not related to child outcomes at 15 months of age. Results suggest that the effect of extensive time spent apart on the quantity and quality of mother-infant interaction may be smaller than anticipated. [source] Usage and status of cobalt,chromium removable partial dentures 5,6 years after placementJOURNAL OF ORAL REHABILITATION, Issue 2 2002A. L. P. Yeung The aim of this study was to describe the usage of cobalt,chromium (Co,Cr) removable partial dentures (RPDs) by patients 5,6 years after denture insertion and to find out the factors that affected their denture usage. A random sample of patients provided with Co,Cr RPDs from a dental teaching hospital in Hong Kong was selected. Patients were interviewed using a structured questionnaire concerning their assessment and use of the dentures. Those who had been constantly wearing their original RPDs were examined by one calibrated examiner under optimal clinical conditions. The response rate of the patients who could be contacted was 98%. The results from 189 patient interviews showed that usage of the RPDs declined with time and that half of the dentures had been discarded or replaced 5,6 years after insertion. These discarded RPDs had been in use for an average of 19·5 months. The main reason given by the patients for not using the RPDs was general dissatisfaction with the dentures in various combinations of comfort, fit and chewing ability and, less importantly, with food trapping and appearance. No statistically significant association between denture usage and their respective Kennedy classification was found. The status of the Co,Cr RPDs that had been constantly used for 5,6 years was generally good. The majority of these RPDs demonstrated fair to good cleanliness, stability and retention and had no defect of any sort. [source] State digital library usability: Contributing organizational factorsJOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR INFORMATION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, Issue 13 2002Hong (Iris) Xie Usage and user feedback about a state digital library, in which the developers/designers, content providers, different types of libraries and their staffs, and a variety of user groups represent a loose federation of separate organizations with diverse expectations and needs, are investigated. Through corroboratory evidence from usage statistics of Internet-based database services available through the digital library, responses to a statewide-administered library survey, and a Web-based survey of end users, the authors identify contributing factors for the organizational usability of state digital libraries. The authors refine and enhance an organizational usability model for the unique environment of state digital libraries and identify three modes of interaction (influence, communication, activity) and the challenges each interaction presents: in addressing diverse player needs and expectations; the unequal awareness and training in using state digital libraries; and the lack of sufficient communication channels among players. In addition, the findings highlight the double-edged impact of physical libraries on the state digital library. [source] Clinical presentation and management of antibody-induced failure of botulinum toxin therapyMOVEMENT DISORDERS, Issue S8 2004Dirk Dressler MD Abstract Therapy with botulinum toxin (BT) can fail due to numerous reasons, including failure due to formation of antibodies against BT (BT-AB, AB-TF). AB-TF is a secondary therapy failure, i.e. it occurs during the course of an ongoing BT therapy. It can be subjective or objective, temporary or permanent, and partial or complete. Complete AB-TF is usually preceded by injection series with partial AB-TF in which the therapeutic effect is reduced in its intensity and duration. AB-TF usually occurs within 2 or 3 years after initiation of BT therapy. After 4 years it is rare. BT-AB are neutralising or blocking by definition, i.e. they are directly interfering with BT's biological mechanism of action. Non-neutralizing or non-blocking antibodies occur. BT-AB can be detected by the mouse diaphragm assay, the mouse protection assay, and by patient-based tests such as the sternocleidomastoid test, the extensor digitorum brevis test, and the frowning test. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) have a low specificity and a low sensitivity for detection of BT-AB. BT-AB titres drop spontaneously after cessation of BT therapy but latencies are too long to be compatible with an effective BT therapy. BT dosage increase can be successful to overcome AB-TF when AB-TF is partial and when BT-AB titres are low. Usage of alternative BT type A preparations fail to overcome AB-TF. Alternative BT types, such as BT type B and BT type F, are initially successful in AB-TF, but stimulate formation of antibodies against the alternative BT types after few applications. BT-AB reduction with immunosuppressants and inactivation of BT-AB by intravenous immunoglobuline application has not yet been achieved. Extraction of BT-AB by plasmapheresis and immunoadsorption is possible but is associated with substantial logistic problems. Prevention of BT-AB formation, therefore, is of paramount importance. Identified risk factors for BT-AB formation must be taken into account when BT therapy is planned. The most interesting perspective seems to be the development of new BT preparations with reduced antigenicity. © 2004 Movement Disorder Society [source] Trade Usage and Disclaiming Consequential Damages: The Implications for Just-in-Time PurchasingAMERICAN BUSINESS LAW JOURNAL, Issue 1 2009Robert B. Bennett Jr. First page of article [source] Interventions (Solutions) Usage and Expertise in Performance Technology Practice: An Empirical InvestigationPERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT QUARTERLY, Issue 3 2004Darlene M. Van Tiem ABSTRACT Performance technology (PT) is complex, drawing theory from instructional design, organizational development, communications, industrial psychology, and industrial engineering to name a few. The Standards of Performance Technology developed for the certified performance technology designation codified the processes used in the practice of performance improvement. The Human Performance Technology (HPT) Model of the International Society for Performance Improvement illustrates the Standards for the Performance Technology process, including the selection, design, and implementation of appropriate performance interventions. Research exists on specific PT interventions, such as problem solving, feedback, or job analysis. This foundational study considers intervention usage within organizations and the expertise of performance technologists. Findings indicate that years of experience in the field or related field is positively correlated to expertise. Some alignment was found between higher ranked PT expertise and higher ranked intervention usage within those organizations. [source] The Implementation of an Electronic Performance Support System for Teachers: An Examination of Usage, Performance, and AttitudesPERFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT QUARTERLY, Issue 1 2001Joi L. Moore ABSTRACT This study investigated how teachers used an electronic performance support system (EPSS) and whether the usage of this EPSS affected their work performance and attitudes toward computer technology. The findings suggested a framework for the implementation of an EPPS in an educational setting, specifically at a middle school. The data were collected through observations, questionnaires, anecdotal logs, database records, and interviews. Four middle school teachers used the EPSS primarily for completing student progress reports wherein the results indicated that the EPSS decreased the amount of time to perform this task. Computer usage, performance, and attitudes were affected by work responsibilities, accessibility to computers, the change agent, the technology support personnel, as well as the specific characteristics of the EPSS. The teachers' attitudes toward the EPSS and technology in general were affected by their performances when using the system, by interactions with the person responsible for technology support, and by the ability to customize the computer program to fit their needs. [source] Usage of the Polyphenylene Oxide Dosimeter to Measure Annual Solar Erythemal ExposuresPHOTOCHEMISTRY & PHOTOBIOLOGY, Issue 3 2010Peter W. Schouten Poly (2, 6-dimethyl-1, 4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) film is a useful dosimetric tool for measuring solar UV in underwater and terrestrial environments. However, little is known about how the response of PPO changes with fluctuations in atmospheric ozone and also to seasonal variations. To resolve this issue this article presents a series of long-term in-air solar erythemal response measurements made over a year from 2007 to 2008 with PPO. This data showed that the PPO dose response varies with modulations of the solar spectrum resulting from changes in season and atmospheric ozone. From this, it was recommended that PPO only be calibrated in the season in which it is to be used at the same time as measurements were being made in the field. Extended solar UV measurements made by PPO with a neutral density filter (NDF) based on polyethylene are also detailed. These measurements showed that the lifetime of PPO could be extended by 5 days before saturation. As the dynamic range for PPO is known to be 5 days during summer at a sub-tropical location, the advantage of using the NDF is that half the number of dosimeters is needed to be fabricated and measured before and after exposure. [source] Ninety-six points of light: phototherapy practices of members of The Photomedicine SocietyPHOTODERMATOLOGY, PHOTOIMMUNOLOGY & PHOTOMEDICINE, Issue 1 2003Colby C. Evans Background:,Phototherapy is an effective and relatively safe treatment for many skin diseases. Recent concern has focused on an apparent decline in phototherapy usage in the US. Objective:,To determine the current state of phototherapy as practiced globally. Methods:,Cross-sectional survey of members of the Photomedicine Society. Results:,Data derived from responses of 96 members showed all to have been in practice for more than five years, providing phototherapy within two years of completing residency. Usage of narrow-band ultraviolet B, ultraviolet A-1 (UVA-1), bath-psoralens plus UVA, and photodynamic therapy was markedly greater among phototherapists in Europe compared to their counterparts in North America and Asia. Conclusions:,Worldwide, there are fewer younger dermatologists who incorporate phototherapy in their practices. European phototherapists have led the world in usage of the newer phototherapy modalities. [source] Changes in the Usage of Enterprise Funds by Large City GovernmentsPUBLIC BUDGETING AND FINANCE, Issue 2 2000Beverly S. Bunch Using a nationwide sample of large cities, this article analyzes changes in the use of enterprise funds during the past decade. The major findings are that (1) the aggregate number of enterprise funds increased, with the largest increases occurring in solid waste and drainage; (2) part of the increase was offset by the elimination of some enterprise funds, particularly in the area of recreational services; (3) 60 percent of the cities experienced one or more changes in the types of enterprise funds they used; (4) the revenues associated with most types of enterprise funds have increased at a faster rate than general fund revenues; and (5) some cities are using alternative fiscal structures (e.g., special revenue funds and discrete component units) to account for services that are reported as enterprise funds in other cities. A continuum of fiscal structures is presented as a framework for addressing why cities might choose one structure over another and what the possible implications of a particular fiscal structure might be. [source] Have the Organisms that Cause Breast Abscess Changed With Time?,,Implications for Appropriate Antibiotic Usage in Primary and Secondary CareTHE BREAST JOURNAL, Issue 4 2010Natalie Dabbas MBBS Abstract:, Many patients with breast abscess are managed in primary care. Knowledge of current trends in the bacteriology is valuable in informing antibiotic choices. This study reviews bacterial cultures of a large series of breast abscesses to determine whether there has been a change in the causative organisms during the era of increasing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Analysis was undertaken of all breast abscesses treated in a single unit over 2003 , 2006, including abscess type, bacterial culture, antibiotic sensitivity and resistance patterns. One hundred and ninety cultures were obtained (32.8% lactational abscess, 67.2% nonlactational). 83% yielded organisms. Staphylococcus aureus was the commonest organism isolated (51.3%). Of these, 8.6% were MRSA. Other common organisms included mixed anaerobes (13.7%), and anaerobic cocci (6.3%). Lactational abscesses were significantly more likely to be caused by S. aureus (p < 0.05). Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus rates were not statistically different between lactational and nonlactational abscess groups. Appropriate antibiotic choices are of great importance in the community management of breast abscess. Ideally, microbial cultures should be obtained to institute targeted therapy but we recommend the continued use of flucloxacillin with or without metronidazole (or amoxicillin-clavulanate as a single preparation) as initial empirical therapy. [source] Usage of white mineral trioxide aggregate in a non-vital primary molar with no permanent successorAUSTRALIAN DENTAL JOURNAL, Issue 1 2010E Sen Tunc Abstract The aim of this study was to present the treatment and long-term follow-up of a case in which white mineral trioxide aggregate (WMTA) was used in the pulpectomy of a non-vital primary molar with no permanent successor. The physiological, aesthetic and functional consequences of treating primary teeth without permanent successors makes this a unique challenge. In the present case, WMTA was used in the pulpectomy of a primary molar with no permanent successor in an 8-year-old child. The treatment was considered successful. Follow-up examinations showed that root resorption in the mesial root surface, with no infra-occlusion or ankylosis 36 months after treatment. WMTA may be considered as an alternative pulpectomy material for non-vital primary teeth with no permanent successors, although long-term clinical studies are still needed. [source] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||