A survey of information technology management at U.S. dental schools

The purpose of this project is to assess how information technology (IT) is being implemented and managed in U.S. dental schools. Recent advances in IT have restructured many of the administrative, curricular, and clinical functions in dental schools. Purchasing hardware and software and hiring personnel to maintain IT present significant financial and administrative commitments for these schools. A nine-question survey was sent to all U.S. dental schools via email with a follow-up postal mailing. Forty-six surveys were returned (83.6 percent response rate). The analysis indicates that dental schools are managing IT in vastly different ways. For example, 71 percent of the schools report a centralized structure, and 61 percent have a line item in the budget to manage IT. On average there are 4.4 full-time equivalents hired to manage IT, with the majority of these people being trained in IT (eight schools reported dually trained IT/dental personnel). The majority of schools report using software to manage their admissions process (70 percent), curriculum analysis (72 percent), and delivery of curriculum content (72 percent), as well as to manage their student clinics (91 percent, business aspect; 87 percent, patients; 65 percent, grading on clinic floor; 76 percent, managing clinical evaluations) and faculty practices (85 percent, business aspect; 65 percent, patients). The use of multimedia (50 percent) and simulation (52 percent) in the preclinical area is mixed. The purchase of laptops (24 percent) and PCs (11 percent) is required in almost a third of all schools participating in this survey. Dental schools in the United States are managing IT in a variety of different ways, using various internally and commercially available tools. The cost to institutions can be large and is usually handled in centralized structures in the school with fixed budgets. The results of this survey can be used to assist schools in the planning and implementation of IT at their institutions.     

The effect of insulin therapy on osseointegration in a diabetic rat model.

As patients become edentulous, dental implants have been one treatment alternative. Although studies indicate that dental implants inserted in healthy patients have been successful, their placement in the diabetic patient remains controversial. The purpose of this study utilizing histometric parameters compares the course of osseous healing around endosseous implants in normal non-diabetic and insulin controlled diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Blood glucose was monitored by the glucose-oxidase method and controlled with daily insulin injections. Sterile custom fabricated commercially pure solid cylinder titanium implants, with a titanium plasma-sprayed surface were placed in the femora of each animal. The results indicate that insulin therapy was able to upregulate the formation of bone around implants inserted in the streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat model. However, histometric parameters utilized indicated that although the total quantity of bone formation was greater in the insulin controlled group, there was significantly less bone-to-implant contact in the insulin controlled diabetic group as compared to normal non-diabetic controls.     

Expression of tissue type and urokinase type plasminogen activators as well as plasminogen activator inhibitor type-1 and type-2 in human and rhesus monkey placenta

The distribution of mRNAs and antigens of tissue type (t) and urokinase type (u) plasminogen activators (PA) plus their corresponding inhibitors, type-1 (PAI-1) and type-2 (PAI-2) were studied in human and rhesus monkey placentae by in situ hybridisation and immunocytochemistry. Specific monkey cRNA and antibodies against human tPA, uPA, PAI-1 and PAI-2 were used as probes. The following results were obtained. (1) All the molecules tPA, uPA, PAI-1 and PAI-2 and their mRNAs were identified in the majority of the extravillous cytotrophoblast cells of the decidual layer between Rohr's and Nitabuch's striae and in cytotrophoblast cells of the chorionic plate, basal plate, intercotyledonary septae and cytotrophoblast cells of the chorionic villous tree. (2) Expression of uPA and PAI-2 was noted in villous trophoblast whereas tPA and PAI-1 were mainly concentrated where detachment from maternal tissue occurs. (3) No expression of tPA, uPA, PAI-1 and PAI-2 was observed in the basal plate endometrial stromal cells, chorionic plate connective tissue cells, septal endometrial stromal cells or villous core mesenchyme. (4) The distribution of probes observed following in situ hybridisation is generally consistent with the immunofluorescence pattern of the corresponding antigens and no significant interspecies differences were noted. It is possible that both decidual and extravillous trophoblast cells of placentae of human and rhesus monkey are capable of producing tPA, uPA, PAI-1 and PAI-2 to differing extents. Coordinated expression of these genes in the tissue may play an essential role in the maintenance of normal placentation and parturition. The differences in distribution we observed are consistent with the suggestion that coordinated expression of tPA and its inhibitor PAI-1 may play a key role in fibrinolytic activity in the early stages of placentation and separation of placenta from maternal tissue at term. On the other hand, uPA with its inhibitor PAI-2 appears mainly to play a role in degradation of trophoblast cell-associated extracellular matrix, and thus may be of greatest importance during early stages of placentation.     

Ureaplasma Urealyticum or Mycoplasma Hominis Infections and Semen Quality of Infertile Men in Abidjan

Objective To determine the prevalence of U. urealyticum and M. hominis in semen samples collected from men admitted in clinic for infertility, and to compare the quality of these semen samples.
Methods A total of 1 058 semen samples collected were investigated. Sperm semiological assays were performed according to the guidelines of the World Health Organisation （WHO）. Semen were examined by Mycoplasma IST for the detection of mycoplasma. Semen culture on agar media was used to detect other microorganisms. Chlamydia was detected using direct fluorescent assay （DFA） of Clamydia Trachomatis.
Results Among 1 058 semen samples, microorganisms were detected in 638 （60.3%）. The infected sperms consisted of mycoplasma alone in 507 cases （47.9%）, mycoplasma and other microorganisms in 98 （9.3%）, giving in all 605 （57.2%） samples infected with mycoplasma. The last 33 （3.1%） consisted of other microorganisms alone. The frequency of U. urealyticum, M. hominis and mixed genital infections detected in semen samples of infertile men were 39%, 23.8% and 5.6%, respectively. The rates of abnormal semen parameters recorded among patients infected with mycoplasma were for volume （22.2%-25%）, viscosity （29.6%-43.5%）, pH （64.7%-72.9%）, motility （80.8%-93.8%）, morphology （36.3%-47.9%）, sperm concentration （53.3%-58.3%） and leukocyte count （51.4%-58.3%）.
Conclusion Frequency of U. urealyticum infection was higher than that of M. hominis. Mycoplasma infections were associated with disorders of pH, motility and sperm concentration. In addition M. hominis infection affected spermatozoa morphology. Therefore, screening of U. urealyticum clinically relevant in Abidjan. and M. hominis for routine semen analysis is     

报道一孟加拉国少年患结外鼻形NK／T细胞淋巴瘤

自然杀伤（NK）细胞瘤是比较罕见的肿瘤。直到2001年世界卫生组织才对其分级进行了明确的说明。在过去10年间，免疫血液学的发展对NK细胞瘤的识别和分类有一定的帮助。结外鼻形NK／T细胞淋巴瘤是这类肿瘤中的一型。这些淋巴细胞表达细胞毒性T细胞或NK细胞表型，包括CD56和TIA-1。鼻形NK／T细胞淋巴瘤起源于皮肤等结外部位，并常与EB病毒感染相关。亚洲成人的感染最常见。文献报道中极少有儿童患病者，且只有5例患者出现皮肤受累。作者报道1例结外鼻型NK／T细胞瘤，患者为一孟加拉国少年，表现为肢端皮肤结节。     

West Nile virus infection in birds and mosquitoes, New York State, 2000

West Nile (WN) virus was found throughout New York State in 2000, with the epicenter in New York City and surrounding counties. We tested 3,403 dead birds and 9,954 mosquito pools for WN virus during the transmission season. Sixty-three avian species, representing 30 families and 14 orders, tested positive for WN virus. The highest proportion of dead birds that tested positive for WN virus was in American Crows in the epicenter (67% positive, n=907). Eight mosquito species, representing four genera, were positive for WN virus. The minimum infection rate per 1,000 mosquitoes (MIR) was highest for Culex pipiens in the epicenter: 3.53 for the entire season and 7.49 for the peak week of August 13. Staten Island had the highest MIR (11.42 for Cx. pipiens), which was associated with the highest proportion of dead American Crows that tested positive for WN virus (92%, n=48) and the highest number of human cases (n=10).     

Laser ablation of hepatocellular carcinoma-A review

A wide range of local thermal ablative therapies have been developed in the treatment of non resectable hepatocellular carcinoma（HCC） in the last decade.Laser ablation（LA） and radiofrequency ablation（RFA） are the two most widely used of these.This article provides an up to date overview of the role of laser ablation in the local treatment of HCC.General principles,technique,image guidance and patient selection are discussed.A review of published data on treatment efficacy,long term outcome and complication rates of laser ablation is included and comparison with RFA made.The role of laser ablation in combination with transcatheter arterial chemoembolisation is also discussed.     

Does a case completion curriculum influence dental students' clinical productivity?

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of a new clinical curriculum on dental student productivity as measured by number of procedures performed in the student teaching practice. Harvard School of Dental Medicine adopted a new clinical education model for the predoctoral program in summer 2009 based upon a Case Completion Curriculum (CCC) rather than a discipline-based numeric threshold system. The two study groups (threshold group and case completion group) consisted of students who graduated in 2009 and 2010. Clinical performance was assessed by clinical productivity across five major discipline areas: periodontics, operative dentistry, removable prosthodontics, fixed prosthodontics, and endodontics. The relationships between the two study groups with regard to number of procedures performed by category revealed that the case completion group performed a significantly higher number of operative and removable prosthodontic procedures, but fewer periodontal and endodontic procedures (p≤0.03). No statistically significant difference in number of procedures was observed with fixed prosthodontic procedures between the two groups. Clinical productivity as a result of redesigning the clinical component of the curriculum varied in selected disciplines. The CCC, in which the comprehensive management of the patient was the priority, contributed to achieving a patient-based comprehensive care practice.