A comparative study of the effects of different bioactive fillers in PLGA matrix composites and their suitability as bone substitute materials: A thermo-mechanical and in vitro investigation.

Bone substitute composite materials with poly(L-lactide-co-glycolide) (PLGA) matrices and four different bioactive fillers: CaCO3, hydroxyapatite (HA), 45S5 Bioglass(®) (45S5 BG), and ICIE4 bioactive glass (a lower sodium glass than 45S5 BG) were produced via melt blending, extrusion and moulding. The viscoelastic, mechanical and thermal properties, and the molecular weight of the matrix were measured. Thermogravimetric analysis evaluated the effect of filler composition on the thermal degradation of the matrix. Bioactive glasses caused premature degradation of the matrix during processing, whereas CaCO3 or HA did not. All composites, except those with 45S5 BG, had similar mechanical strength and were stiffer than PLGA alone in compression, whilst all had a lower tensile strength. Dynamic mechanical analysis demonstrated an increased storage modulus (E') in the composites (other than the 45S5 BG filled PLGA). The effect of water uptake and early degradation was investigated by short-term in vitro aging in simulated body fluid, which indicated enhanced water uptake over the neat polymer; bioactive glass had the greatest water uptake, causing matrix plasticization. These results enable a direct comparison between bioactive filler type in poly(α-hydroxyester) composites, and have implications when selecting a composite material for eventual application in bone substitution.

Using lower eyelid fascial slings for recalcitrant burn ectropion.

Burns of the lower eyelid represent a difficult management problem. Even with skin grafting, scarring and contraction can result in ectropion. This condition creates a marked aesthetic deformity, poses a risk of corneal exposure, and jeopardizes the patient's vision. Historically, full-thickness skin grafts and tarsorrhaphies have been described to manage recurrent ectropion. The lower eyelid fascial sling (LEFS) uses a temporalis fascial strip to create a suspension sling for the lower eyelid. In a series of 7 patients, the LEFS procedure resolved the symptoms permanently in all patients. Because the LEFS procedure counteracts the natural scar contraction forces of lower eyelid burns, it can resolve recalcitrant ectropion successfully while preserving the function and aesthetics of the lower eyelid.

Improve patient safety by leap(frog)s and bounds.

The Leapfrog Group recommends that payers, providers, and vendors collaborate to develop patient safety solutions.

Mapping an IT career: the future of nursing.

In today's health care environment, nurses are finding themselves working in nontraditional roles and settings. Some fear technology will all but replace them. In some cases--given the speed at which technology has and continues to advance--that fear is well placed. For nursing to remain viable as a profession, it must incorporate information technology (IT) not only into today's practices, but also into tomorrow's unfolding roles, from advancing practice with new technology-based delivery models to moving away from direct patient care to become informaticians. Nursing administrators and managers must also embrace technology, for their ability to direct IT policy will directly influence their chances for career advancement. But what is required to map an IT career? How is the value of experience balanced against the need for education? Will nursing's core competencies remain constant over time?

Cultural diversity in the Information Age.

The Information Age has seen many technological developments in medicine. Technology has not, however, replaced the essence of human caring. A cultural approach to medicine usually focuses on diversity among populations. Yet there is a counterpoint to this cultural approach that is unique to the Information Age-the widening of the cultural gap between nurses and physicians through the use of electronic records. Nursing interventions and outcomes are typically not documented in automated information systems, due to a lack of a nursing-specific language. This article explores the diversity of roles within a multi-disciplinary care team and focuses on the requirements of a language from the informatics perspective.

Taking the "I" road: from nursing informatician to CEO, CIO, or CFO.

Strategically and fiscally, information technology (IT) has become one of the most significant areas in today's health care organizations. As clinical systems begin to constitute the lion's share of IT budgets, the progression from nurse information to "C" level should be an increasingly logical one. But is it? This article addresses why and how nurses can move up the administrative ladder and the value of technological expertise to that advancement.

Compassion meets the computer age.

Computers get smarter and smarter, but they'll never replace human caring. View the nature of compassion and its unique role in nursing, as well as our challenge to measure the abstract quality. The surprising revelation: Computers are our best bet.

Size up the big three.

Before we can tackle the complexities of solid nursing IT, we need a set of standards on which to base our efforts. Learn how three groups--HIPAA, JCAHO, and the Workgroup--are building nursing a firm foundation.

How can we keep private data private?

While technology increases the accessibility of patient data, it also compromises its confidentiality. Here, review the federal government's solutions.

"Techno-marvels" just around the corner.

In the next 18 months, cutting-edge information technology will likely become commonplace in hospitals.

Government cracks down on billing fraud.

As the largest professional caregiving group, nurses have a stake in preventing misuse of the reimbursement system. Technology also plays a crucial role, as automated billing systems can both prevent and enable billing fraud.

What to do before disaster strikes.

The key to averting disaster or minimizing its effects is a solid data security plan. Learn the types of data risks that exist, how to develop a plan to counteract them, and your role in ensuring the safety of health and patient data.

There is no "I" in team, but there is one in meeting.

Increasingly, emotional intelligence (EI) and one's emotional quotient, or EQ, have become critical workforce success factors. This article examines the often overlooked issue of EI and EQ in group situations. It will delineate the three types of groups that show the most variance in emotional dynamics, and explore the application of EI and EQ to these group settings.