Clinical evaluation of a potassium nitrate dentifrice for the treatment of dentinal hypersensitivity

Abstract The effectiveness of a 5% potassium nitrate dentifrice as a daily home treatment for dentinal hypersensitivity was evaluated in a double-blind study in 36 Japanese subjects who complained of cold and/or tactile hypersensitivity. The subjects were divided into 2 groups, with 18 being given a 5% potassium nitrate dentifrice (treated group) and the other 18 a vehicle paste (control group). Both groups were instructed to brush their teeth 2 × a day. The hypersensitivity levels of the affected teeth were assessed by 2 stimuli, one tactile and the other cold air, and by the perception of pain. The results of all 3 assessment methods indicated that the potassium nitrate dentifrice significantly decreased the level of hypersensitivity at weeks 4, 8, and 12. In the treated group, a rapid decrease of positive scores for both the cold air stimulus and the subjective symptoms appeared from week 2. Although a significant decrease of the assessment score was also observed in the control group, the reduction rate of the score was much greater in the treated group by ail 3 assessment methods at weeks 4, 8, and 12. Complete relief of subjective symptoms throughout the 12 weeks’examination was noted in 67% of the subjects in the treated group, but in only 6% in the control group. These results suggest the usefulness of a 5% potassium nitrate dentifrice in Japanese patients with dentinal hypersensitivity.     

同济医科大学控烟活动及效果评价

我校自1993年开展控烟工作，1995年9月开始创办无吸烟大学校园，采取了卫生宣教和行政干预等综合措施，并进行了效果评价。高强度干预措施实施前期（1995年3月）和中期（1996年10月）相比，男医学生和男女学生平均吸烟率分别从16.3％和11．4％下降到9．6％和5．94％；男教工和男女教工平均吸烟率分别从28．6％和13．8％下降到13．9％和8．86％。     

效益评价中指标筛选及其假设检验

西文介绍了综合效益评价中指标的逐步筛选及其假设检验方法，用该法选出的指标具有独立性强、代表性好的优点。同是分析处理了全国３４家县级医院的投入指标，从中筛选出５个指标参与评价。     

海南省妇幼保健机构现状与创等达标的对策

根据《妇幼保健机构等级评审标准》（下称《标准》）要求，对全省２０个妇幼保健机构现状进行了调查。结果显示：我省妇幼卫生工作基础薄弱，离《标准》要求差距较大；各机构间的发展极不平衡；县（市）级机构整体水平偏低，业务用房、人员、设备、床位等建设滞后；服务项目单一，二级专业分科不完善等矛盾较为突出。据此提出，在创等达标工作中，要依靠各级政府，努力争取各方面的支持，抓住机遇，迎接挑战，重点抓好软件建设，加强在职培训，积极引进人才，拓宽服务范围，规范自我，依法服务。     

Current practice in the pre-operative assessment of patients for elective repair of abdominal aortic aneurysmA survey of UK hospitals

A postal survey of 100 hospitals throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland was conducted to assess current practice in the pre-operative assessment and use of pulmonary artery catheters in patients undergoing elective abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Seventy-four completed questionnaires were received. The survey revealed that 53% of respondents hold designated pre-operative assessment clinics, attended by anaesthetists in 54% and cardiologists in 26%. However, only 4% of respondents have a written protocol for stratifying patients and assessing peri-operative risk. By far the commonest investigation of choice for further cardiological assessment is transthoracic echocardiography (67%). Other investigations of choice are multiple update gated acquisition (MUGA) scan (13%), dipyridamole thallium imaging (9%), exercise ECG (6%), stress echocardiography (1%) and stress MUGA (1%). Two units (3%) never undertook further investigation. Pulmonary artery flotation catheters are used as a routine by 9% of respondents, dependent upon left ventricular ejection fraction by 65%, dependent on other factors by 7% and not used at all by 19%. The survey reveals widespread variation in pre-operative assessment of patients undergoing elective repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm.     

Distinguishment of A 42 Capsomere Structure of Icosohedral Virion from A 32 One by Electron Microsco

ＤｉｓｔｉｎｇｕｉｓｈｍｅｎｔｏｆＡ４２ＣａｐｓｏｍｅｒｅＳｔｒｕｃｔｕｒｅｏｆＩｃｏｓｏｈｅｄｒａｌＶｉｒｉｏｎｆｒｏｍＡ３２ＯｎｅｂｙＥｌｅｃｔｒｏｎＭｉｃｒｏｓｃｏｐｅＣｎｅｎＢｉｎｇｙｉｎｇ（陈丙莺）；ＺｈｏｕＴｏｎｇ（周）（Ｄｅｐａｒｔｍｅ...     

农村公共卫生投融资机制存在的问题及对策

当前,农村公共卫生投融资规模不能适应农村居民的卫生服务需要,投融资结构不合理,致使投融资效果不佳,不利于农村卫生事业的发展。为此,需要从四个方面改革农村公共卫生投融资机制:一是要建立健全国家财政投资保障制度,发挥财政在农村公共卫生投资中的主体作用;二是要改革运行模式,拓宽融资渠道;三是要改善投资结构,优化资源配置;四是要创新管理体制,提高农村公共卫生服务能力。     

Health status measurement in Parkinson's disease: validity of the PDQ-39 and Nottingham Health Profile.

We assessed the feasibility and psychometric properties of two commonly used health status questionnaires in Parkinson's disease (PD): the generic Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) and the disease-specific 39-item Parkinson's disease Questionnaire (PDQ-39), from a cross-sectional postal survey of PD patients (N = 81), using traditional and Rasch measurement methodologies. Overall response rate was 88%. Both questionnaires were found feasible, although the NHP performed less well. The PDQ-39 had fewer floor effects and was better able to separate respondents into distinct groups than the NHP, whereas the latter exhibited less ambiguous dimensionality and better targeting of respondents with non-extreme scores. Reliability and validity indices were similar, and potential differential item functioning by age and gender groups was found for both questionnaires. PDQ-39 response alternatives indicated ambiguity. With few exceptions, questionnaire scales were unable to meet recommended standards fully. While preliminary, this study illustrates the need for thorough evaluation of outcome measures and has implications beyond the questionnaires used here. Although promising, both questionnaires warrant further developmental work and stronger support of measurement validity before they could be considered fully suitable for valid use in PD, in particular in earlier stages of the disease.