PubMed Health⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Vail

Publications and source records attributed to J Vail.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1996

Latex rubber condoms: predicting and extending shelf life.

Condoms from five manufacturers were subjected to controlled exposures of heat, humidity, and air and to different natural environments in five countries. Under aerobic conditions (condoms in permeable packages or unpackaged), stress properties declined. The relationship between rate of decline as a function of temperature was quadratic. Under oxygen-restricted conditions (foil-wrapped packages) at average storage temperatures of 30 degrees C and lower, strain properties declined with little or no significant change in stress properties. The effect is to cause condoms to become stiffer; high-breakage rates in use have been correlated with product stiffening. A new rationale for accelerated-aging tests to predict condom shelf stability is suggested, including a test to control the trend of condoms to stiffen. Silicone lubricant, impermeable packaging, and inclusion of antioxidants in the condom formulation can prevent or minimize aerobic breakdown of latex condoms. Specifying low-modulus condoms can prevent excessive stiffening.

Air↗
PubMed1987

A legal services perspectives on representing Medicare home health patients.

The Medicare home health program lacks the basic legal protection for patients and providers that are commonplace in other public programs. These shortcomings include: 1. inadequate appeals procedures for both patients and providers; 2. overly restrictive eligibility criteria; 3. a lack of adequate public input into agency rule making and inadequate public information on specific coverage standards; 4. a reimbursement system that interferes with provider medical judgments. This is not the way the Medicare program was intended to run and the last few years have seen an increase in litigation to correct these problems. Such litigation is time-consuming and frustrating but experience shows that it is worth the trouble. As stated by a home health agency director whose patients were on the winning site of three recent lawsuits, "It takes tremendous effort, but you can beat the system."

Aged↗