Development and evaluation of a Dental Patient Feedback on Consultation skills (DPFC) measure to enhance communication.

OBJECTIVES: To adapt an existing medical questionnaire on patient-provider communication for use in the dental setting, and to evaluate the performance of the measure in a first dental encounter (validity and reliability). METHODS: A patient feedback questionnaire on consultation skills was adapted for use in dental settings through content and convergent validity. A survey of dentist consultation skills was conducted among adults attending a teaching hospital. Patients self-completed a 16-item Dental Patient Feedback on Consultation skills (DPFC) questionnaire during their first dental consultations. Repeat assessments were conducted on -10% of the sample. Variations in DPFC responses (scale and item level) were examined in relation to socio-demographics and dental attendance pattern in bivariate and regression analyses. Internal reliability (Cronbach's alpha) and test-retest reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficient - ICC) were examined. RESULTS: A DPFC questionnaire was derived following minor modifications. The clarity of items ranged from 81.1-100% and content validity index ranged from 0.73-1.00. Exploratory item factor analysis showed a one-dimensional construct. The response rate to the survey was 90.5% (389/430). Variations in DPFC scores with respect to global rating of satisfaction were apparent (P < 0.001). Cronbach's alpha value was 0.94 and ICC value was 0.89. Bivariate and regression analyses identified dental attendance pattern as a key factor associated with DPFC (P < 0.05); but no significant differences were observed with respect to socio-demographic factors. CONCLUSIONS: A DPFC questionnaire was adapted with acceptable validity and reliability. Dental service utilization pattern was associated with dentist-patient clinical communication rather than socio-demographics.

Ontogeny influences sensitivity to climate change stressors in an endangered fish.

Coastal ecosystems are among the most human-impacted habitats globally, and their management is often critically linked to recovery of declining native species. In the San Francisco Estuary, the Delta Smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) is an endemic, endangered fish strongly tied to Californian conservation planning. The complex life history of Delta Smelt combined with dynamic seasonal and spatial abiotic conditions result in dissimilar environments experienced among ontogenetic stages, which may yield stage-specific susceptibility to abiotic stressors. Climate change is forecasted to increase San Francisco Estuary water temperature and salinity; therefore, understanding the influences of ontogeny and phenotypic plasticity on tolerance to these critical environmental parameters is particularly important for Delta Smelt and other San Francisco Estuary fishes. We assessed thermal and salinity limits in several ontogenetic stages and acclimation states of Delta Smelt, and paired these data with environmental data to evaluate sensitivity to climate-change stressors. Thermal tolerance decreased among successive stages, with larval fish exhibiting the highest tolerance and post-spawning adults having the lowest. Delta Smelt had limited capacity to increase tolerance through thermal acclimation, and comparisons with field temperature data revealed that juvenile tolerance limits are the closest to current environmental conditions, which may make this stage especially susceptible to future climate warming. Maximal water temperatures observed in situ exceeded tolerance limits of juveniles and adults. Although these temperature events are currently rare, if they increase in frequency as predicted, it could result in habitat loss at these locations despite other favourable conditions for Delta Smelt. In contrast, Delta Smelt tolerated salinities spanning the range of expected environmental conditions for each ontogenetic stage, but salinity did impact survival in juvenile and adult stages in exposures over acute time scales. Our results underscore the importance of considering ontogeny and phenotypic plasticity in assessing the impacts of climate change, particularly for species adapted to spatially and temporally heterogeneous environments.

Measurements of the cross section for e(+)e(-) --> hadrons at center-of-mass energies from 2 to 5 GeV.

We report values of R = sigma(e(+)e(-)-->hadrons)/sigma(e(+)e(-)-->mu(+)mu(-)) for 85 center-of-mass energies between 2 and 5 GeV measured with the upgraded Beijing Spectrometer at the Beijing Electron-Positron Collider.

[Experimental study of Ti-75(AlMoZrTi alloy) dental implants in dog mandible].

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the biocompatibility of Ti-75(AlMoZrTi Alloy) dental implants. METHODS: Four 6.5 to 16 kg dogs were used,after mandibular cuspids and premolar extraction, 16 implants were placed and left for six or twelve months. All of the dental implants were made of Ti-75 (AlMoZrTi Alloy) and they were manufactured in two types-nonsubmerged and submerged threaded implants. RESULTS: The survival rate of the implants was 100% (submerged implants) and 91.7% (nonsubmerged implants). Histologically,all survival implants showed some degree of intimate bone to implant contact, but one of the nonsubmerged implants showed periimplantitis. No implants were observed to be mobile. The periotest values of the dental implants were near the periotest values of the nature teeth. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated Ti-75 is a biocompatible material and periotest is worthy of detection of osseointegration.

Political participation in Hong Kong: a study.

AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate nurses' level of political participation and their perception of political efficacy. METHODOLOGY: This is a descriptive study. A self-completed questionnaire survey was conducted. Some items in the adopted questionnaire were modified to suit the Hong Kong situation. SAMPLES: A convenience sample was used. Three hundred and fifty registered nurses that were studying nursing degree programmes in the three universities in Hong Kong were invited to participate in the study. FINDINGS: Three hundred and eleven registered nurses completed the questionnaire. The findings showed that there were some positive signs of both political awareness and participation in nurses. However, political activities were mainly confined to voting in general elections. Attempts to influence politicians were not evident. Subjects generally have low political efficacy, and they did not feel that nurses had the power to influence the government's policy. The results of this study are discussed in terms of the barriers to nurses' political participation and the recommendations for nursing professional development.

Tissues of MSH2-deficient mice demonstrate hypermutability on exposure to a DNA methylating agent.

The mutational response of mismatch repair-deficient animals to the alkylating agent N-methyl-N-nitrosourea was evaluated by using a transgenic lacI reporter system. Although the mutations detected in MSH2 heterozygotes were similar to those of controls, MSH2-/- animals demonstrated striking increases in mutation frequency in response to this agent. G:C to A:T transitions at GpG sites, as opposed to CpG sites, dominated the mutational spectrum of both MSH2+/+ and MSH2-/- N-methyl-N-nitrosourea -treated animals. Extrapolating to humans with hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer, the results suggest that MSH2 heterozygotes are unlikely to be at increased risk of mutation, even when exposed to potent DNA methylating agents. In contrast, mismatch repair-deficient cells spontaneously arising within individuals with hereditary non-polyposis colorectal cancer would likely exhibit hypermutability in response to such mutagens, an outcome predicted to accelerate the pace of tumorigenesis.

The causality between fertility and female labour force participation in Japan.

PIP: This study examines the correlation and reverse correlation between fertility and female labor force participation in Japan during 1950-93. The model is logarithmic and follows earlier studies by Cheng (1996) and Hsiao's (1981) version of the Granger causality method. Data were obtained from the Japan Statistical Yearbook on total fertility rates and female labor force participation rates. Tests for cointegration revealed no cointegration between measures of fertility and employment. Findings indicate that the presence of children had a strong negative effect on labor force participation. Findings are consistent with the study by Yamada and Yamada (1986) and inconsistent with the study by Hamilton (1984), who found that fertility was positive and not significantly related to female labor force participation in Japan. Findings indicate that female labor force participation had a negative and insignificant effect on fertility. These findings support findings from studies by Sprague (1988) and Maddavi (1990) and contest findings of Hamilton (1984) and Yamada and Yamada (1986) that showed negativity and significance. The authors view their findings as correctly specified and supportive of a causality that favors fertility affecting labor force participation without feedback. Findings indicate that employment does not prevent or reduce the probability of having more children. Having young children at home does strongly discourage women from seeking employment outside the home.^ieng

An investigation of cointegration and causality between fertility and female labour force participation.

PIP: Both economists and demographers have long been interested in the nature of the relationship between fertility rate (BR) and female labor force participation (FR). Earlier work suggests an inverse relationship between BR and FR, except in preindustrial countries. The author applies Hsiao's version of the Granger causality method to examine the causality between BR and FR using transformed US data for the period 1948-93. An unidirectional causality is found to run from BR to FR with no feedback. These results confirm the hypothesis that the presence of small children discourages women from seeking employment outside of the home. Employment does not, however, affect a woman's decision to have children.^ieng

[Effect of low protein diet, plus essential amino acids on lipid metabolism in patients with chronic renal failure].

We investigated lipoprotein profile of 18 non-dialysis patients with CRF and 17 patients on hemodialysis, and studied effect of LPD plus EAA on lipid metabolism of 18 non-dialysis patients with CRF. The results revealed that total triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL, VLDL, and semi-quantity of ApoCII, ApoCIII were significantly increased, and HDL, ApoAI ApoAI/ApoB rate, semiquantify of ApoCI were significantly reduced in non-dialysis patients and patients on hemodialysis; VLDL and Ccr were closely negative related in non-dialysis patients. The lipid abnormalities were more severe in non-dialysis patients complicated with hypertension than without hypertension. After 6 to 10 weeks' LPD plus EAA treatment in 18 non-dialysis patients, total triglyceride, cholesterol, LDL, VLDL were significantly reduced, and HDL, ApoAI, ApoAI/ApoB were significantly increased. We conclude that it is characterized by type IV hyperlipidemia in lipid abnormalities of patients with CRF, and LPD plus EAA treatment may improve it effectively.