Health care fraud and abuse data collection program: technical revisions to healthcare integrity and protection data bank data collection activities. Interim final rule with comment period. (33/266)

The rule makes technical changes to the Healthcare Integrity and Protection Data Bank (HIPDB) data collection reporting requirements set forth in 45 CFR part 61 by clarifying the types of personal numeric identifiers that may be reported to the data bank in connection with adverse actions. Specifically, the rule clarifies that in lieu of a Social Security Number (SSN), an individual taxpayer identification number (ITIN) may be reported to the data bank when, in those limited situations, an individual does not have an SSN.  (+info)

Treating physicians' perceptions of barriers to return to work of their patients in Southern Ontario. (34/266)

AIMS: The aim of this paper is to understand the treating physician's perspective with respect to the barriers that their patients face returning to work from injury and illness. METHODS: The methodology used was focus groups conducted in Southern Ontario with treating physicians. RESULTS: The main barrier identified by the treating physicians in the return to work process was the lack of accommodated work. The main areas identified for the use of additional resources was facilitated investigations, assessments and treatments for their patients and education and training for treating physicians. With respect to communication, physicians indicated that they wanted to know more about the work to which their patients were returning. CONCLUSIONS: Treating physicians believe that the most significant barriers for the timely return to work for their patients exist in the workplace, specifically related to lack of knowledge about appropriate modified work. The treating physicians' role in the return to work process is demanding due to insufficient time to deal with return to work issues, lack of training, not enough of the appropriate information and the treating physicians' role ambiguity.  (+info)

Development of biometric DNA ink for authentication security. (35/266)

Among the various types of biometric personal identification systems, DNA provides the most reliable personal identification. It is intrinsically digital and unchangeable while the person is alive, and even after his/her death. Increasing the number of DNA loci examined can enhance the power of discrimination. This report describes the development of DNA ink, which contains synthetic DNA mixed with printing inks. Single-stranded DNA fragments encoding a personalized set of short tandem repeats (STR) were synthesized. The sequence was defined as follows. First, a decimal DNA personal identification (DNA-ID) was established based on the number of STRs in the locus. Next, this DNA-ID was encrypted using a binary, 160-bit algorithm, using a hashing function to protect privacy. Since this function is irreversible, no one can recover the original information from the encrypted code. Finally, the bit series generated above is transformed into base sequences, and double-stranded DNA fragments are amplified by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to protect against physical attacks. Synthesized DNA was detected successfully after samples printed in DNA ink were subjected to several resistance tests used to assess the stability of printing inks. Endurance test results showed that this DNA ink would be suitable for practical use as a printing ink and was resistant to 40 hours of ultraviolet exposure, performance commensurate with that of photogravure ink.  (+info)

Livestock nutrient management concerns: regulatory and legislative overview. (36/266)

A greater focus on manure nutrient disposition from concentrated animal-feeding operations has developed from environmentalists, concerned citizens, and regulatory agencies. The establishment and enforcement of manure nutrient regulations will alter the future of livestock production. Proposed legislation and strategies may provide a false sense of security regarding environmental preservation or restoration and may impose monitoring and record keeping on the livestock operators. Existing regulations and proposed regulations and strategies are presented. Implications of legislation and proposed strategies, policies, and regulations are discussed. Livestock operations will need to comply with regulations to remain in business and to minimize environmental liability.  (+info)

Animal experimentation in Italy. Legislation and the authorization of research protocols. (37/266)

In Italy, the European Directive 86/609/EEC ("The Council Directive on the approximation of laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the Member States regarding the protection of animals used for experimental and other scientific purposes") has been given effect with Legislative Decree 116/92, whose main objective is to guarantee the welfare of animals used in research and to prevent unnecessary experiments on animals from being carried out. The regulatory authority for controlling the use of laboratory animals in Italy is the Ministry of Health, which requires that researchers requesting authorization to perform experiments on animals submit not only a copy of the experimental protocol but also a detailed application form that focuses on how the animals will be used. In the evaluation process, the Istituto Superiore di Sanita (Italy's National Institute of Health), in particular, the Service for Biotechnology and Animal Welfare, plays a key decision-making role. The evaluation is conducted by experts in the given area of research and by a veterinarian specifically trained in evaluating experimental protocols involving animal use. In the present work, the evaluation process is explained and a point-by-point description of the application form is provided.  (+info)

A survey method for characterizing daily life experience: the day reconstruction method. (38/266)

The Day Reconstruction Method (DRM) assesses how people spend their time and how they experience the various activities and settings of their lives, combining features of time-budget measurement and experience sampling. Participants systematically reconstruct their activities and experiences of the preceding day with procedures designed to reduce recall biases. The DRM's utility is shown by documenting close correspondences between the DRM reports of 909 employed women and established results from experience sampling. An analysis of the hedonic treadmill shows the DRM's potential for well-being research.  (+info)

A comparison of self-reported sickness absence with absences recorded in employers' registers: evidence from the Whitehall II study. (39/266)

AIM: To compare self-reported sickness absence days in the last 12 months with recorded absences from the employers' registers for the same period. METHODS: Self-reported sickness absence data over the 12 months preceding baseline (1985-88) were compared with absence records from the employers' registers over the same period for 2406 women and 5589 men, participants in the Whitehall II study of British civil servants. Associations with self-rated health, longstanding illness, minor psychiatric disorder, physical illness, and prevalent coronary heart disease at baseline were determined. RESULTS: In general, women reported less sickness absence over the last year than was recorded in the employers' registers, while men, with the exception of those in the lower employment grades, reported more. Agreement between self-reported and recorded absence days decreased as the total number of days increased. After adjustment for employment grade and the average number of recorded and self-reported absence days, the total number of self-reported absence days was within two days of the recorded number of days for 63% of women and 67% of men. Associations between annual self-reported sickness absence days and self-rated health, longstanding illness, minor psychiatric disorder, physical illness, and prevalent coronary heart disease were as strong as those for recorded absence days. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that agreement between the annual number of self-reported and the annual number of recorded sickness absence days is relatively good in both sexes and that associations with health are equivalent for both measures.  (+info)

Some missing measurements in comparative medicine. (40/266)

At the present time it is difficult to make comparisons of animal diseases in various geographic areas. Some missing measurements which limit these comparisons are: the lack of an internationally accepted system to classify diseases; the lack of routinely collected information about animal births, diseases, and deaths; the lack of normal or standard values for many species; and the lack of methods to define animal populations at various points in time. Most of these problems have been faced and solved for human diseases. Work should be started immediately to develop similar research methods for animal diseases.  (+info)