Development of the Inventory Management and Tracking System (IMATS) to Track the Availability of Public Health Department Medical Countermeasures During Public Health Emergencies

Objective

To bridge gaps identified during the 2009 H1N1 influenza pandemic by developing a system that provides public health departments improved capability to manage and track medical countermeasures at the state and local levels and to report their inventory levels to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Materials and Methods

The CDC Countermeasure Tracking Systems (CTS) program designed and implemented the Inventory Management and Tracking System (IMATS) to manage, track, and report medical countermeasure inventories at the state and local levels. IMATS was designed by CDC in collaboration with state and local public health departments to ensure a “user-centered design approach.” A survey was completed to assess functionality and user satisfaction.

Results

IMATS was deployed in September 2011 and is provided at no cost to public health departments. Many state and local public health departments nationwide have adopted IMATS and use it to track countermeasure inventories during public health emergencies and daily operations.

Discussion

A successful response to public health emergencies requires efficient, accurate reporting of countermeasure inventory levels. IMATS is designed to support both emergency operations and everyday activities. Future improvements to the system include integrating barcoding technology and streamlining user access. To maintain system readiness, we continue to collect user feedback, improve technology, and enhance its functionality.

Conclusion

IMATS satisfies the need for a system for monitoring and reporting health departments’ countermeasure quantities so that decision makers are better informed. The “user-centered design approach” was successful, as evident by the many public health departments that adopted IMATS.     

Design,synthesis and evaluation of carbamate-containing sialyltransferase inhibitors

A series of carbamate-containing sialyltransferase inhibitors were designed and synthesized to simulate phosphate-linkedCMP-Neu5Ac. Their inhibitory activities were assayed against recombinant human ST3Gal I and ST6Gal I by using the Schmidt’sHPLC-based assay. The synthetic compound 15g showed moderate inhibitory activity. These findings implied that carbamate might serve as a bioisosteric replacement for a phosphate group in sialyltransferase inhibitor design to improve the membrane permeability.     

美国临床药物治疗学中营养模块对我国本科该教学内容设计的启示

美国药物治疗学中具有较完备的营养管理内容：其中理论教学的内容包括营养风险筛查和评估,肠内营养（EN）和肠外营养（PN）的配伍及适应症,制定营养方案,营养途径选择,营养监护要点,营养并发症的预防和处理;案例教学包括营养相关问题的设计,问题讨论。建议学习上述经验,在本科药学治疗学中纳入营养内容,以适应临床工作的需要     

种植导板的设计制作及临床应用前景

背景:种植体的准确植入是术后获得美观、良好功能修复体的关键,也是种植体得到良好骨结合的重要保证。目的:对种植导板的分类、设计制作、精确度和临床应用进行总结和介绍,并着重对计算机辅助设计与计算机辅助制造技术(CAD/CAM)制作的种植导板做一阐述。方法:应用计算机检索2000至2014年中国知网和Pub Med数据库中,关于种植导板制作和临床应用具有代表性的文献,在主题词中以"种植导板,精确性,快速成型,CAD/CAM"或"surgical implant guide,accuracy,rapid prototype"为检索词进行检索。结果与结论:种植导板由导管与定位板组成,其中导管的位置和角度记录了术前设计种植体的位置、角度与深度信息,通过导管将这些信息转移到手术中,以便使种植体植入到准确位置;定位板起着定位作用,它与骨、牙齿或牙槽嵴表面相贴合。种植导板的应用能提高种植修复后的效果,尤其是CAD/CAM种植导板的应用,不仅提高了种植修复后的美学效果,改善了修复体的应力分布,还降低了手术风险,简化了手术过程,但其制作价格较昂贵且还存在一些不足,需要进一步研究以降低其成本,提高临床应用效果。     

The use of mobile devices as assistive technology in resource-limited environments: access for learners with visual impairments in Kenya

Purpose: In this paper, the authors explore the use of mobile devices as assistive technology for students with visual impairments in resource-limited environments. This paper provides initial data and analysis from an ongoing project in Kenya using tablet devices to provide access to education and independence for university students with visual impairments in Kenya. Method: The project is a design-based research project in which we have developed and are refining a theoretically grounded intervention – a model for developing communities of practice to support the use of mobile technology as an assistive technology. We are collecting data to assess the efficacy and improve the model as well as inform the literature that has guided the design of the intervention. Results: In examining the impact of the use of mobile devices for the students with visual impairments, we found that the devices provide the students with (a) access to education, (b) the means to participate in everyday life and (c) the opportunity to create a community of practice. Conclusions: Findings from this project suggest that communities of practice are both a viable and a valuable approach for facilitating the diffusion and support of mobile devices as assistive technology for students with visual impairments in resource-limited environments.

• Implications for Rehabilitation

• The use of mobile devices as assistive technology in resource-limited environments provides students with visual impairments access to education and enhanced means to participate in everyday life.

• Communities of practice are both a viable and a valuable approach for facilitating the diffusion and support of mobile devices as assistive technology for students with visual impairments in resource-limited environments.

• Providing access to assistive technology early and consistently throughout students’ schooling builds both their skill and confidence and also demonstrates the capabilities of people with visual impairments to the larger society.

     

Effect of software version and parameter settings on the marginal and internal adaptation of crowns fabricated with the CAD/CAM system

Objective

This study investigated the marginal and internal adaptation of individual dental crowns fabricated using a CAD/CAM system (Sirona’s BlueCam), also evaluating the effect of the software version used, and the specific parameter settings in the adaptation of crowns.

Material and Methods

Forty digital impressions of a master model previously prepared were acquired using an intraoral scanner and divided into four groups based on the software version and on the spacer settings used. The versions 3.8 and 4.2 of the software were used, and the spacer parameter was set at either 40 μm or 80 μm. The marginal and internal fit of the crowns were measured using the replica technique, which uses a low viscosity silicone material that simulates the thickness of the cement layer. The data were analyzed using a Friedman two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and paired t-tests with significance level set at p<0.05.

Results

The two-way ANOVA analysis showed the software version (p<0.05) and the spacer parameter (p<0.05) significantly affected the crown adaptation. The crowns designed with the version 4.2 of the software showed a better fit than those designed with the version 3.8, particularly in the axial wall and in the inner margin. The spacer parameter was more accurately represented in the version 4.2 of the software than in the version 3.8. In addition, the use of the version 4.2 of the software combined with the spacer parameter set at 80 μm showed the least variation. On the other hand, the outer margin was not affected by the variables.

Conclusion

Compared to the version 3.8 of the software, the version 4.2 can be recommended for the fabrication of well-fitting crown restorations, and for the appropriate regulation of the spacer parameter.     

Obtaining reliable intraoral digital scans for an implant-supported complete-arch prosthesis: A dental technique

This article describes a technique for obtaining an accurate complete-arch digital scan for an edentulous patient. To achieve this, an auxiliary polymeric device that simulates a denture is designed, fabricated, and placed in the mouth. This device, having the geometry of a typical dental arch, facilitates the digitalization of the edentulous complete arch. This is because the change in radius of the curvature (change of geometry) enables the scanner to perform a more accurate alignment. Initially, the necessary location of the implants is acquired, and then the soft tissue is added. This technique can achieve accurate complete-arch digital scans. Distances between implants are closer to the gold standard when using this auxiliary geometry piece than those obtained without using it.