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Response rates to surveys with self-addressed, stamped envelopes versus a self-addressed label.

Return rates were studied for a survey on the perceived professional preparation of therapeutic recreation specialists by directors of college and university recreational therapy programs. Specifically, returns for surveys with self-addressed, stamped return envelopes enclosed were compared to those with self-adhering return address labels. Of the 75 surveys sent with a self-addressed, stamped return envelope, 42 responses (56%) were returned at a cost of $2.58 per respondent. Of the 72 surveys sent with a self-adhering return address label 43 responses (59.7%) were returned at a cost of $1.56 per response. While there was no significant difference in return rates, the self-adhering return address label was more cost effective than the self-addressed, stamped, return envelopes.

Cost-Benefit Analysis↗

Use of the vital sign stamp as a systematic screening tool to promote smoking cessation.

OBJECTIVES: To examine the ability of a simple system-wide screening assessment tool, an expanded vital sign stamp, to increase rates of smoker identification, physician advice to quit smoking, and physician assistance in quitting and abstinence rates. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: This study is a pretest, posttest design in which 5 primary health care clinics were randomly assigned to either the intervention condition, which received the vital sign stamp, or the control condition. Participants (N = 9439) were surveyed by using exit interviews at the 5 clinics, both before and after the vital sign intervention was implemented. Participants who were identified as smokers were then contacted 1 year later for follow-up. The study began in February 1995, and all follow-up visits were completed by December 1998. RESULTS: Implementation of the vital sign stamp significantly increased the rates at which physicians asked participants about their smoking status (17.2% vs 7.5%). However, the rates of physicians advising smokers to quit, assisting them in quitting, and arranging follow-up either stayed constant or decreased. The number of quit attempts and abstinence rates also stayed constant. CONCLUSION: A simple system-wide screening assessment tool, while effective in identifying more tobacco users, did not increase the rates at which physicians advised or assisted smokers to quit. Further system-wide changes may be needed to ensure that effective tobacco-dependence treatments are given to smokers.

Adult↗

Food stamp program; recertification of SSI households--Food and Nutrition Service, USDA. Final rule.

This rule permits food stamp households containing applicants for and recipients of Supplemental Security Income (SSI) to apply for food stamp recertification at offices of the Social Security Administration (SSA). This action is required by a partial summary judgment in the case of James Campbell, et al. v. United States Department of Agriculture, et al. This rule's effect will be to offer an alternate recertification procedure for many food stamp households.

Food Services↗

DNA extraction from stamps and envelope flaps using QIAamp and QIAshredder.

The use of Qiagen QIAamp and QIAshredder for extracting DNA from envelope flaps and stamps is reported. The stamps or flaps can be added directly to extraction solutions and the DNA is bound to a spin column containing a silicon membrane for washing prior to elution. DNA extracted from four stamps and four envelope flaps was amplified and analyzed using a multiplex PCR system. Complete DNA profiles were obtained from five samples.

DNA↗

Food stamps and the iron status of the U.S. elderly poor.

With the use of data from NHANES I and II, the iron status of poor elderly persons was examined by comparing it with that of nonpoor elderly persons. Within the poor group, the iron status of Food Stamp Program participants was compared with that of nonparticipants. The poor were those below the poverty line; the nonpoor were those with incomes at least twice the poverty line. The indicators of iron status were: hemoglobin, hematocrit, free erythrocyte protoporphyrin, transferrin saturation, total iron-binding capacity, serum iron, and iron intake. Iron status was examined by analyses of variance. The effects associated with sex, race, age, geographic region, and other potentially confounding factors were included in the model. In both surveys, there were interactions with race. That is, the poor whites had lower transferrin saturation and iron intake means than the nonpoor whites, while the Food Stamp Program participants were no different from the nonparticipants in transferrin saturation. Within the nonwhites, the poor had a lower hemoglobin mean than the nonpoor, and the program participants had a lower hemoglobin mean than the nonparticipants. Therefore, the Food Stamp Program was not consistently associated with better iron nutrition of the elderly poor in NHANES I and II.

Aged↗

[Commemorative stamps for the International Year of the Handicapped --classified according to rehabilitative aspects].

On the occasion of the International Year of Disabled Persons, postage stamps have been issued by almost all countries in the world, individual ones, arranged in series or as commemorative sheets. Hardly an aspect of rehabilitation having been omitted, a wide range of stamps is available. This article, therefore, gives an overview of the 73 stamps before the author, organizing them into major rehabilitational categories. Many countries have used the emblem of the Year, depicting a disabled and a non-disabled person joining hands in mutual support, surrounded by the United Nations laurels. Other frequent themes are a country's most pressing rehabilitation problems, tasks ahead, or integration-related subjects. Noteworthy is the frequency of symbols representing certain disabilities, such as wheelchairs, crutches, eye/white cane, or ear/hearing aid, being used by countries around the world to advocate understanding and helpfulness towards disabled persons. Commemorative medals issued for the International Year are also mentioned.

Africa↗

Mechanical stamping: a cause of fatigue fracture.

Failure analysis of a retrieved flexible intramedullary nail was performed by standard optical and scanning electron microscopy. Results show that the corrosion fatigue at the stamped label caused the nail fracture. The authors strongly recommend that the American Society for Testing of Materials standard F86-91 be modified to exclude mechanical stamping from the repertoire for labeling implants. Surgeons also must avoid using mechanically stamped hardware that will be subject to cyclic loads in vivo.

Adult↗

Chromosomal assignment of 20 cDNAs using flow-sorted spot-blot stamps.

Using a high-speed flow cytometer/sorter, we constructed spot-blot "stamps" measuring 3.5 x 2.0 cm containing 21 separate human chromosome fractions. Through hybridization to these stamps, 20 randomly selected cDNAs were assigned to specific chromosomes. Sequencing and BLAST database screening confirmed the location of one gene (UCHL1) and allowed the assignment of two other previously identified genes (LRP130 and cDNA IB871.)

Base Sequence↗

A sensitive and simple assay of saliva on stamps.

Identification of saliva on stamps or envelope flaps remains yet a not widely studied problem. In most forensic laboratories it is seldom carried out, but this fact does not reduce the importance of the assay. Most authors consider amylase a sufficiently specific marker of the presence of saliva; really, the only other human body fluid that contains high amounts of this enzyme is the pancreatic juice (and therefore feces). Here we present a simple and sensitive assay for the determination of alpha-amylase that uses a commercially available and well-known substrate. It is hydrolyzed by amylase with the production of soluble blue fragments, that can be measured by photometry, obtaining objective results. The presented assay identifies 1 X 10(-6) diluted saliva or that present on 0.5 mg of a stamp; 16-year-old samples can also be identified. Intra-assay and day-to-day CV resulted in 10.8% and 13.7%, respectively. Owing to the high sensitivity of the test, handling samples or reagents can introduce contamination with saliva traces, giving false-positive results. Addition of EDTA 0.1 mol/l to the incubation mixture, lowering the sensitivity to 1 X 10(-3) diluted saliva, overcomes this problem.

Amylases↗

PCR DNA typing of stamps: evaluation of the DNA extraction.

Today, the PCR analysis of DNA from the saliva deposited on a stamp of an anonymous letter can lead to an identification. However, this analysis still involves problems, and DNA extraction can be particularly difficult. A comparative study of two DNA extraction methods with two categories of postage stamps was carried out and a purification process was tested. This study shows that the extraction with phenol/chloroform gives much better results than Chelex extraction. A purification process such as the use of Centricon 100 microconcentrators is recommended when an inhibition of PCR is present. This operation, however, results in a large loss of material.

DNA↗

Evaluating food stamp nutrition education: issues and opportunities.

Food Stamp Nutrition Education (FSNE) is an optional component of the Food Stamp Program aimed at improving food choices of program participants. The last decade has seen a dramatic expansion in FSNE, accompanied by increased interest in FSNE evaluation. The Society for Nutrition Education, as a leader in nutrition education research, has worked collaboratively with federal partners to improve FSNE evaluation. This is the first in a 3-part series of papers presented in this issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. The series reviews the issues, priority needs, and opportunities identified through this process; explains our current focus on the development of a brief measure assessing FSNE-relevant dietary behaviors; and describes plans for measurement development.

Community Health Services↗

Immunohistochemical demonstration of the intracellular localization of pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide-like immunoreactivity in the rat testis using the stamp preparation.

Radioimmunoassay has revealed an abundance of PACAP in the rat testis. In the present study, a novel stamp preparation together with light microscopic immunohistochemistry were used to investigate in detail the intracellular localization of PACAP-like immunoreactivity (PACAP-LI) in rat germ cells. Samples were obtained by pressing the freshly cut surfaces of the testes against glass slides. PACAP-LI was clearly identified in developing acrosomes using five antisera which recognize PACAP 38, or both PACAP 27 and PACAP 38. Immunoreactivity with the antisera specific to PACAP38 was strictly localized in the developing acrosomes of the spermatids but vanished in the mature spermatids. Using an antiserum which detects PACAP 27 specifically, little staining was observed. Based on the specificities of antisera used, it was suggested that the PACAP-LI in the acrosomes represents mainly PACAP 38-LI. In addition, the present results supported the usefulness of the stamp preparation for immunohistochemical study of testicular tissues.

Acrosome↗

Nonlithographic micro- and nanopatterning of TiO2 using polymer stamped molecular templates.

The polymer-on-polymer stamping technique was used to template patterned TiO2 onto polymer thin films. Polystyrene-b-polyvinyl pyridine diblock copolymer (PS-b-PVP) was stamped on a layer-by-layer assembled thin film of poly(allylamine hydrochloride) and poly(acrylic acid). After rinsing the surface with a good solvent for the block copolymer, an adsorbed PS-b-PVP monolayer remained on the polyelectrolyte film, resulting in a pattern of alternating hydrophobic and carboxylic acid containing hydrophilic regions. The surface was used as a template for the selective deposition of TiO2 on the multilayer surface, using an acid-catalyzed hydrolysis of(NH4)2TiF6. Using this novel approach, we have successfully demonstrated the patterning of TiO2 film on a polyelectrolyte multilayer. Finally, nanoscale features consisting of 200 nm lines alternating with a 350 nm period was accomplished. This paper represents the first such attempt to create an all-polymer nonlithographic template for the directed deposition of TiO2 or related metal oxides; this technique, which utilizes the versatile polyelectrolyte multilayer process, enables the construction of complex polymer-inorganic microstructures suitable for electrooptical and photonic applications.

Journal Article↗

Reactive surface micropatterning by wet stamping.

Hydrogel stamps are used to reactively micropattern various types of substrates. The method, called reactive wet stamping (r-WETS), is general in nature and overcomes several limitations of conventional soft-lithographic techniques. Illustrative applications of r-WETS in surface wettability modification, deposition of metallic microstructures, preparation of supports for electrostatic self-assembly, and multistep reactive patterning are discussed.

Hydrogels↗

Stamping out cancer.

It is universally acknowledged that if cancer is to be controlled, prevention and down staging are essential. In the year 2000 about 10 million new cases were registered, while 6.3 million people died from cancer worldwide. Stamps are regarded as a very useful and educative tool in fighting cancer by creating awareness and raising money for treatment and research. This year (2003) is the seventy-fifth anniversary of the issue of the first anticancer stamps in 1928, so an up-to-date review of the field of oncophilately is timely.

Fund Raising↗

[Ophthalmologists on postage stamps. A contribution to the history of medicine].

An attempt should be made to summarize the history of ophthalmology in a small series of postage stamps. Eighteen stamps could be dedicated to themes recalling the achievements of famous ophthalmologists. In this way it would be possible to acquaint the public with some medical history while at the same time encouraging an interesting leisure pastime.

Europe↗

Socio-economic and behavioural factors are predictors of food use in the National Food Stamp Program Survey.

The unhealthy dietary patterns in the USA especially among low-income households demand complex strategies for health promotion. The present paper analysed the proximate determinants of 7 d food use by 919 participants in the National Food Stamp Program Survey conducted in 1996. The households' consumption of dietary energy, carbohydrate, protein, fibre, saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, Ca, Fe, beta-carotene and vitamin C were explained by background, socio-economic and behavioural factors. Certain methodological issues arising in modelling food use data were addressed. The results showed that the subjects' knowledge of the US Department of Agriculture food pyramid, reading nutrition labels, adopting a low-fat diet, selecting fruits and vegetables, saving money at grocery stores and frequency of shopping trips were often significantly associated (P<0.05) with the densities of nutrient use. The results identified certain aspects of nutrition education programmes that deserve greater emphasis for improving diet quality. The model for energy intake indicated that disbursing half the food stamp benefits on a 2-week basis and better shopping practices can enhance food availability.

Ascorbic Acid↗

Occupational disease surveillance using disability insurance at an automotive stamping and assembly complex.

Sickness and accident-insurance (sick leave) claims at an automotive stamping and assembly complex were analyzed using Poisson regression over a 4-year period to identify occupational health problems. The incidence of lower-respiratory disability (excluding asthma) was higher in painting operations (rate ratio [RR] = 2.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.2 to 6.8), and final assembly and processing areas (RR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.0 to 7.4) at the assembly plant, and in metal assembly (welding) areas (RR = 2.8, 95% CI = 1.4 to 5.7) at the stamping plant. Disability rates for upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorders were statistically significantly higher (RR = 3.1 to 3.8) in major assembly plant production areas, as were back disability rates (RR = 1.5). During the first 6 months of new work assignments in painting or final assembly, respiratory problem rates were four times higher than in other areas. Upper-extremity musculoskeletal rate ratios ranged from 4.4 to 5.7 for new assignments in body, hard trim, and chassis areas. Higher rates in new assignments appeared to result from assignment changes precipitated by developing health problems, or from routine assignments to new tasks, some of which conferred high risk and were tolerated for less than 6 months. Musculoskeletal disability was consistent with known ergonomic hazards and paralleled that reported on the Occupational Safety and Health Administration log. Work-related musculoskeletal and other problems can be readily identified from disability insurance claims without dependence on plant medical visits or workers' compensation records. Disability insurance appears to absorb considerable work-related medical and absence costs.

Accidents, Occupational↗