The Shanghai case: A qualitative evaluation of community health reform in response to the challenge of population ageing.

Shanghai's health care system is facing a serious challenge of an ageing population, as 14% of its 17 million residents are 65 or older. In 2000, a community health reform was implemented to provide comprehensive and continuous primary care to community residents with a focus on seniors. The study employed the theoretical framework of examining primary care in terms of the constellation of its four unique elements (first contact, comprehensiveness, longitudinality and coordination) and three healthcare components (structure, process and outcome).

Surface molecular imprinting by atom transfer radical polymerization.

Results are presented that demonstrate the successful preparation of ultrathin (< 10 nm), surface-confined, molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) films on model gold substrates using atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). 2-Vinylpyridine (2Vpy) was investigated as the functional monomer, and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) was the cross-linking monomer. Fluorescently labeled N,N'-didansyl-L-cystine and N,N'-didansyl-L-lysine were used as the template molecules to form the MIPs.

Thermodynamic studies on the adsorption of fibronectin adhesion-promoting peptide on nanothin films of poly(2-vinylpyridine) by SPR.

This paper describes a methodology for preparing uniform, nanothin polymer films for the study of biomolecule adsorption by surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (SPR). The methodology combines molecular self-assembly of alkanethiols on gold with surface-confined atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). Poly(2-vinylpyridine) was chosen to demonstrate the methodology, and growth kinetics were studied by ex situ ellipsometry.

A cost minimization analysis of implant treatment in mandibular edentulous patients.

Purpose: This study aimed to determine if implant-supported overdentures are a long-term economically efficacious therapy for edentulous patients when compared to fixed osseointegrated prostheses.

Materials And Methods: Clinical records of 25 patients from two long-term studies (fixed and overdenture) were included in this analysis. A cost minimization analysis from the patient perspective was employed.