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Considering the popularity of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in allergic patients, physicians involved in allergic patients' care need to be aware of CAM. To assess self-reported knowledge, attitude and approach to CAM of physicians who deal with allergic patients, a total of 500 structured questionnaires were distributed to physicians who participated in "Turkish National Society of Allergy and Clinical Immunology Congress-2009". For the questionnaires handed out, 242 (48.4%) physicians (median age 36.0 years, range 25–64 years) responded; 22.4% were fellows in training and 48.5% were residents. The main specialties were pediatrics (49.3%), and pulmonology (36.8%); half were either specialists or training in allergy and one-quarter (25.6%) referred patients to CAM. Asthma (42.1%) and chronic urticaria (28.9%) were the most common CAM referral diseases. Referred therapies were herbal (10.3%) and diet-based medicine (7.4%). The differences between physicians in terms of age, gender, experience in medicine, and specialty/allergy subspecialty were not statistically significant (p = 0.01). Affiliation to a university hospital was significantly associated with no CAM referral vs. affiliation in a state/private hospital or private practice. Academic degree and reported level of knowledge negatively/positively affected attitudes toward CAM, respectively. More than half of the respondents (68.8%) reported lack of or insufficient information about CAM, while 58.7% of physicians desired CAM education. This first report on physicians involved in allergic patients' care shows that they are reluctant to refer for CAM therapies. A minority believes that they have enough knowledge, and most are interested in continuing medical education on CAM. Considering physicians' interest and tendency to communicate significantly with their patients about CAM when they feel that they have sufficient knowledge and popularity of CAM among patients, training possibilities should be created to improve physicians' education in this field.

Global Academic-Industry Partnership in Translational Research.

U.S. and Korean Research Institutes Combine Expertise in Viral Infectivity Analysis.

Blood pressure measuring/monitoring devices (BPMs) are one of the most popular home health diagnostic tools. A contemporary line of these products available to consumers today has considerable range of variety and functionality.

The BPMs evolved into their present form from the 18th century sphygmomanometer, and their design went through a number of innovations and improvements, a process still continuing today. The first sphygmomanometer patent was issued in 1855, a practical method established only in 1896, and since then over 1,300 patents of relevance have been granted by USPTO. Analysis reveals that number of patents over time follows a cubic curve that can be broken into three temporal segments (pre-1962, 1962–1986, 1986-present), related to specific technological breakthroughs.

The approach presented in this paper blends statistical analysis (e.g., patent frequency over time) with a user satisfaction index. Such index captures how closely a metric based on key functional characteristics of patented devices follows an ideal solution, satisfying all user expectations, and provides an insight into the size of the gap between consumer needs and current technology. Combining it with technological progress curve can provide a clear picture of the evolution and developments overtime in BPMs.

Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) is a powerful set of technical and analytical instruments for analyzing environmental impacts, and has found application in supporting Decision-Making Processes (DMPs) over the last two decades. However, there is no interrelated application of ERA in Strategic Decision-Making (SDM) processes, and no systematic research on the approaches and methods of ERA to support the processes of SDM. In this paper, a new approach and methodological system of ERA for SDM process is set up, and then applied to the Principal Coastal Functional Zoning (PCFZ) in Xiamen Bay, China, as a case study to verify the feasibility of the proposed approach and its methodology. The results show that the approach and methodology of ERA for SDM could integrate ERA into the entire SDM process, and thereby support the PCFZ directly. Furthermore, this approach avoids or mitigates against dire environmental risk that are sometimes introduced by the SDM processes.

Addressing the urban heat island effect is critical in mitigating the threat of heat from the perspective of land use planning and design. This paper, therefore, presents a structured review of urban heat island mitigation policy that is contained in the local-level planning policy documents and regulation of 20 large municipalities throughout the United States and Canada. It explores how the issue of the urban heat island effect is framed and approached and, therewith, facilitates an understanding of how aware municipalities are of the issue and its impacts. The review identifies a total of 307 instances of mitigation policy measures among 19 of the 20 municipalities, with the most commonly applied: approaches to mitigation being the promotion of latent heat flux, albedo modification, and provision of shade cover; and, framing contexts being public health, air quality, energy, comfort, and climate change. Although the review indicates that there is widespread awareness of the issue, it notes that only 79, or 25.7 percent, of the 307 mitigation policy measures were framed in any context. Thus, the majority of policy measures do not communicate an understanding of the significance and potential impacts of the urban heat island effect or provide a lens through which it should be perceived and, therewith, addressed. Indeed, they call for blind action. This suggests a need to promote awareness of the potential impacts of the urban heat island effect and communicate same in local planning policy documents and regulations.

Background: A fracture around the finger metacarpophalangeal joint (MCPJ) can be difficult to access. We developed a trans-web approach that could lead surgeons directly to this site. An incision across the web is believed to result in a web contracture. The aim of this study is to present the outcomes of the trans-web approach.

Methods: This is a retrospective study of all patients in whom a trans-web approach was used to fix fractures around the MCPJ in the period from October 2008 and September 2020. The outcomes of the trans-web approach were evaluated by appearance of the scar, presence of pain in relation to the scar, grading web creep, range of motion at the MCPJ and degree of abduction and adduction of the finger. Any complications of surgery were also recorded.

Results: This study included 10 patients with 11 fractures around the MCPJ (6 avulsion fractures and 5 extra-articular fractures). The mean follow-up was 5 months. Skin contractures did not occur in any avulsion fracture case where original or extended trans-web skin incisions were used. However, they occurred in 2 extra-articular cases treated via a trans-web plus a mid-lateral approach. The mean range of motion of the MCP joint in all the patients was 80° (range, 70°–95°). There was a 10° loss of abduction in one patient and temporary sensory disturbance in another patient. Both these patients had been treated with extended incisions.

Conclusions: The trans-web incision is a useful approach for the open reduction of fractures around the finger MCPJ, especially in avulsion fractures of the lateral volar base of the proximal phalanx with minimal risk of scar contracture. The risk of scar contracture is higher when the trans-web incision is combined with a mid-lateral incision for extra-articular fractures.

Levels of Evidence: Level IV (Therapeutic)