The descriptive term of cerebral palsy encompasses the largest group of childhood movement disorders. Severity and pattern of clinical involvement varies widely dependent on the area of the central nervous system compromised. A multidisciplinary team approach is vital for all the aspects of management to improve function and minimise disability. ...

The movement to try to close the ever-widening gap between demand and supply of organs has recently arrived at the prison gate. While there is enthusiasm for using executed prisoners as sources of organs, there are both practical barriers and moral concerns that make it unlikely that proposals to use ...

Although movement impairment in Parkinson's disease includes slowness (bradykinesia), decreased amplitude (hypokinesia), and dysrhythmia, clinicians are instructed to rate them in a combined 0-4 severity scale using the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale motor subscale. The objective was to evaluate whether bradykinesia, hypokinesia, and dysrhythmia are associated with differential motor ...

Numeracy is an element of health literacy that refers to the ability to understand numerically related information. When applied to health behaviors, it describes the degree to which individuals have the capacity to access, process, interpret, and act on graphical and probabilistic health information. As a cognitive and functional skill, ...

Fresh frozen plasma (FFP) transfusion remains a significant issue for blood banks because of a lack of consensus regarding its appropriate use. To study the factors influencing physician compliance, we evaluated FFP transfusion episodes in the year 2008, using a computerized transfusion decision support system. A total of 10,926 episodes ...

A lawsuit under the federal False Claims Act can threaten the survival of a medical practice. The Act prohibits a range of misconduct involving the submission of false claims to the government, as well as the knowing and improper retention of overpayments of government funds. Violations of the Act result ...

We are revising the threshold billing amount that triggers annual on-site reviews of medical providers who conduct consultative examinations (CEs) for our disability programs under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act (Act). The revision will raise the threshold amount to reflect the increase in billing amounts since ...

The FDA advisory on long-acting beta-agonists (LABAs) is not based on new data but on ongoing safety concerns about this class of medication. Not to be ignored are the potential safety risks of short-acting beta-agonists (SABAs).

Concerns about public support for organ donation after cardiac death have hindered expansion of this practice, particularly rapid organ recovery in the context of uncontrolled (sudden) cardiac death (uDCD). A nationally representative Internet-based panel was provided scenarios describing donation in the context of brain death, controlled cardiac death and uncontrolled ...

Commercial spaceflight participants are typically older than traditional astronauts and often have medical conditions that make medical certification for flight difficult. This case report considers a 43-yr-old spaceflight participant who planned a short-duration Soyuz flight to the International Space Station (ISS). While he participated in many hazardous activities such as ...

During the last decades, medical certificates have become the core administrative mechanism for a variety of redistributive policies within public administration. This article explores variations in sickness absence as a result of medicalization. The study focuses on the meaning of illness and work disability over time among physicians and the ...

Certification for healthcare institutions in Mexico is ruled by 2009 standards homologated with the Joint Commission International criteria. Nowadays, healthcare requires of medical equipment and devices, so it has become necessary to implement guidelines for its adequate management in order to reach the highest level of quality and safety at ...

In a Notice of Proposed Amendment, the European Aviation Safety Agency proposes to introduce a Leisure Pilot License (LPL). Holders of a LPL for airplanes will be allowed to fly single-engine piston airplanes with a maximum takeoff mass of 2000 kg or less, carrying a maximum of three passengers. In ...

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was enacted in 1993 to balance the demands of the workplace with the needs of families. Balancing work and family responsibilities will affect most workers as they experience their own serious illness or care for a child or a parent. The FMLA continues ...

Physicians may hasten death by medical decisions to end life (MDEL) that have been extensively researched. However, outside the medical domain, some individuals hasten their death by Voluntary Refusal of Food and Fluid while receiving some palliative care (VRFF) or by Independently taking Lethal Medication attended by a Confidant (ILMC). ...

The process of certification, recertification, and maintenance of certification is mandated by the American Board of Urology as a member Board of the American Board of Medical Specialties. The history of maintenance of certification parallels that of private regulation of medical schools and postgraduate medical education (residency) and other nonmedical ...

Case managers mobilize family networks to care for patients. Family medical leave can be a resource for case managers who seek to enhance resilience among family caregivers. The Family Medical Leave Act, passed in 1993, was the first U.S. policy to regulate employee leaves from work for family care purposes ...

This paper provides a historical review of the evolution of the technologies that led to modern microcomputer-based medical instrumentation. I review the history of the microprocessor-based system because of the importance of the microprocessor in the design of modern medical instruments. I then give some examples of medical instruments in ...

Death certification is believed to be very poor and inaccurate in most of the health institutions in India. A hospital based study on assessing the accuracy in completing the medical certificates of cause of death was conducted in Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Imphal during September to December 2007. ...

BACKGROUND: Death certificates are an invaluable source of statistical and medical information, as well as important legal documents. However, few physicians receive formal training on how to accurately complete them. PURPOSE: To determine if a simple intervention can improve the accuracy of death certificate completion by medical students. METHODS: Participants ...

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is a highly conserved molecule whose presence is not exclusive to the animal kingdom. Indeed, numerous studies have demonstrated its presence in plants, where the possible role(s) of this indoleamine is (are) under active investigation. The present work aims to further our knowledge in this respect and presents ...

This rule extends the duration of first- and third-class medical certificates for certain individuals. A first-class medical certificate is required when exercising airline transport pilot privileges and at least a third-class medical certificate when exercising private pilot privileges. Certain conforming amendments to medical certification procedures and some general editorial amendments ...

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a cardiac disorder affecting 1 in 500 persons. The cardinal feature is (inappropriate) left ventricular hypertrophy in the absence of another identifiable cause. Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the most devastating and feared complication and may be the presenting manifestation. The striking heterogeneity and unpredictability of ...

<p>The 2006 US Pandemic and All-Hazards Preparedness Act gave the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) new authority to fund the development and procurement of medical countermeasures against chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats. The legislation builds on the authority the HHS gained in 2004 under Project BioShield, ...

A survey was sent to representatives of national and regional radiology societies around the world regarding the status of certification, maintenance of certification (MOC), and continuing medical education (CME) requirements. Data were forthcoming from 24 countries (response rate, 71%), including the United States. The survey results indicated that most responding ...

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is one of the most common types of peripheral vertigo, characterized by violent whirling vertigo after a positional change. Although the condition is termed "benign," the clinical presentation can be incapacitating for pilots in certain maneuvers. We present a case of an airline transport pilot ...

Suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of wealthy socialite Mary Lily "Lil'" Kenan Flagler Bingham in 1917 prompted a secret autopsy conducted by renowned physicians at the request of her relatives. Mrs Bingham, who was formerly married to railroad magnate, Henry Flagler, was among America's richest people at the time of ...

Coffee agroecosystems are critical to the success of conservation efforts in Latin America because of their ecological and economic importance. Coffee certification programs may offer one way to protect biodiversity and maintain farmer livelihoods. Established coffee certification programs fall into three distinct, but not mutually exclusive categories: organic, fair trade, ...

This paper analyses the accumulation and concentrations of the antimalarial artemisinin in green and dead leaves of Artemisia annua crops in two field experiments. Concentration differences were analysed as being determined by (a) the total production of artemisinin plus its upstream precursors dihydroartemisinic acid, dihydroartemisinic aldehyde, artemisinic aldehyde and artemisinic ...

The Scottish Registration Act of 1854 introduced compulsory civil registration of births, deaths and marriages under the GROS. The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh had long campaigned for such legislation, but was dissatisfied with certain sections of the Act. The College possessed strong views on how causes of death ...

We are revising the Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) disability regulations regarding sources of evidence for establishing a medically determinable impairment under titles II and XVI of the Social Security Act (the Act). The revised regulations expand the situations in which we consider licensed optometrists to be "acceptable ...

BACKGROUND: The inaccuracy of death certification can lead to the misallocation of resources in health care programs and research. We evaluated the rate of errors in the completion of death certificates among medical residents from various specialties, before and after an educational intervention which was designed to improve the accuracy ...

On June 8, 2005, the Department of Labor (DOL) published interim final regulations that govern its responsibilities under the Energy Employees Occupational Illness Compensation Program Act of 2000, as amended (EEOICPA or Act). Part B of the Act provides lump-sum payments of $150,000 and medical benefits to covered employees and, ...

The question this research address is if voluntary certification with ISO 9000 standards can reduce the number of accidents large trucks have. Certification might have a positive effect depending upon the actions a company takes as a result of being certified, for instance, a company may change driver training and ...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the viral contamination of invasive medical instruments in dentistry and to provide health administrative institutions with surveillance data. METHODS: Sterilized samples were randomly collected from the department of dentistry to detect HBV-DNA, HCV-RNA, HIV-RNA and HBsAg. RESULTS: Of the invasive medical instruments that were sterilized with 2% ...

This final rule will update the prospective payment rates for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2007 (for discharges occurring on or after October 1, 2006 and on or before September 30, 2007) as required under section 1886(j)(3)(C) of the Social Security Act (the Act). We are ...

OBJECTIVE: A comparative study of the fatigue resistance of rotary nickel-titanium endodontic instruments was performed with the aim of assessing the influence of both instrument design and surface treatment on flexural fracture. STUDY DESIGN: To evaluate fatigue resistance of different rotary instruments, a total of 120 instruments were tested; these ...

When is a physician's act non-medical, and how might such non-medical acts be classified? One approach, analogous to the substantive due process inquiry employed by American courts weighing the constitutionality of legislative acts, would involve consideration of the following questions: 1) Is a legitimate medical goal being pursued? 2) Are ...

This study used a sample of 209 repeat-respondent medical technologists over a 4-year period to investigate correlates of intent to leave one's job. Correlates measured included two job search behaviors (i.e., preparatory and active) and three job search motives (i.e., gain leverage, leave employer, and family related). Results showed that ...

This study used a sample of 205 repeat-respondent medical technologists over a 3-year period to explore the impact of certification activity, years of laboratory experience, highest degree held, occupational commitment, and job loss insecurity on intent to leave occupation. Results showed that 3-year certification activity was related to lower intent ...

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To assess the feasibility of using the Automated Classification of Medical Entities (ACME) system to objectively define the appropriateness of tuberculosis (TB) related underlying cause of death (UCD) certification and the accuracy of UCD assignment. METHODS: All death certificates issued in 2002 in Taiwan in which TB ...

Maintenance of Certification (MOC) recognizes that in addition to medical knowledge, several essential elements involved in delivering quality care must be developed and maintained throughout one's career. The MOC process is designed to facilitate and document professional development of American Board of Radiology (ABR) diplomates in the essential elements of ...

Although quality assurance programs for medical examiners are required by the National Association of Medical Examiners' Inspection and Accreditation Checklist, quality assurance programs specifically targeting death certificate completion have not been addressed. The Fulton County Medical Examiner, Atlanta, GA, has implemented a pilot quality assurance program for death certificate information, ...

Maintenance of Certification (MOC) recognizes that in addition to medical knowledge, several essential elements involved in delivering quality care must be developed and maintained throughout one's career. The MOC process is designed to facilitate and document the professional development of each diplomate of The American Board of Radiology (ABR) through ...

During the last century, the creation and implementation of board certification has had a powerful impact on the medical community. Board certification has helped to shape the scope and practice of medical professionals and the care they provide, as well as to influence the way the health insurance industry sets ...

BACKGROUND: The sickness certificate is a major instrument for establishing contact and conveying information between two authorities that have a substantial impact on the life situation and work situation of the patients, as well as on the economic costs of the society. AIM: A study was undertaken to assess the ...

OBJECTIVES: To study crew sick leave aboard and medical sign-off during one year (2004) among crew on a passenger ship doing worldwide cruising. Methods - Patient data were registered continuously during the year and reviewed afterward. RESULTS: There was an average of 612 crew members (22% women) aboard. There were ...

The surface of birch leaves contains glandular trichomes that secrete exudates containing flavonoid aglycones. We investigated the biological activities of white birch (Betula pubescens) leaf surface exudates against larvae of the autumnal moth, Epirrita autumnata, a common insect pest of birch. We found that tree-specific mortality (up to 100%) of ...

BACKGROUND: The knowledge of factors accurately predicting the long lasting sick leaves is sparse, but information on medical condition is believed to be necessary to identify persons at risk. Based on the current practice, with identifying sick-listed individuals at risk of long-lasting sick leaves, the objectives of this study were ...

This article examines the intersection of workers' compensation laws with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Much ADA and FMLA litigation stems from work-related injuries or illnesses. Knowledge of the ADA and FMLA may help prevent workers' compensation cases from resulting in ...