Mayo Clinic named a "Best Hospital" by U.S. News &
World Report for 21st Straight YearU.S. News & World
Report has again named Mayo Clinic to the Honor Roll of top hospitals
in its annual "Best Hospitals" issue. Of the 4,852 hospitals analyzed,
only 14 – less than 0.3 percent – made the Honor Roll.
John Noseworthy, M.D., President and CEO of Mayo Clinic
"This year we celebrate the 100th anniversary of a prophetic speech
delivered by Dr. William J. Mayo when he shared a vision for medicine that
set the course for Mayo Clinic. He said, 'The best interest of the patient
is the only interest to be considered, and in order that the sick may have
the benefit of advancing knowledge, a union of forces is necessary'," says
John Noseworthy, M.D., President and CEO of Mayo Clinic.
"Mayo Clinic was once again recognized by U.S. News and World Report as
among the very best in each of the 16 medical specialties that it chose to
evaluate. We acknowledge and appreciate being included in this honor roll
– but we realize it is simply another testament to the work we believe in.
The work we do every day. It's recognition that our staff continues to
embody our primary value – the needs of the patient come first – just as
they have done for more than 100 years."
To make the magazine's "Honor Roll," a medical center has to rank at or
near the top in at least six of the 16 specialties included in the
rankings. Mayo Clinic scored in the top 5 in 13 specialties and was one of
only two organizations to be ranked in every specialty that U.S. News
assessed:
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Adjusting flow in a Parker
“51”
Mike Walton asks: Frank Dubiel,
while noting that the shell of a Parker “51” must touch the nib,
says that if it contacts the nib too tightly it will restrict ink
flow. Is heating the shell and either pressing the nib against the
shell or the shell against the nib a reliable means of increasing
or decreasing in flow in a “51”?
First off, I have to disagree that Frank. I’ve seen
innumerable “51”s whose hoods were very close to, but not in
contact with, the nib, and in fact the hood on my “regular carry”
pen doesn’t contact the top surface of the nib. That said, it’s
certainly desirable that these parts touch, as the hood is part of
the capillary system by which ink is brought to the nib tip.
Heating the hood is generally, I think, a bad idea.
Most “51” hoods are acrylic, which will take a lot of heat without
even hinting that they want to bend, but some are a polystyrene
plastic, similar to the stuff used in the 61, and these won’t take
nearly that much heat without going limp. Which is which? Unless
you’re very experienced with the “51”, I wish you good luck
guessing.
To adjust the flow in a “51” I use three
techniques, all of which require that you remove the hood. The
first is adjusting the tine spacing. (Please don't just
grab the pen and force an X-acto knife or other metal-destroying
object between the tines; you will damage the slit
walls.) This almost always results in a need to realign the tines
and smooth the tip, but it is often easy and effective. Sometimes
the fit of the hood is too close to allow the tines to be
adjusted, and in these cases I use a small rat-tail file to remove
a very small amount of material from the inside of the hood where
it lies adjacent to the nib. The last method, which I use
primarily to restore flow on pens that quit from time to time, is
to heat the feed and bend it very slightly toward the
nib. The bend is in the vicinity of the breather tube’s vent hole
near the back of the feed. Be carful here, as later feeds are
plastic, not hard rubber, and don’t like this treatment at all!
Leaking Targa Nibs
Grady Walter asks: I have two
Sheaffer Targa (slimline) pens. Both have developed mysterious
leaks that appear to originate around the outside edge of the
inlay portion of the nibs. Is there a way to eliminate this leak?
Ink appears to build up around the underside of the nib more
quickly when the pen is capped.
This is an unfortunate failing of Sheaffer’s
otherwise wonderful Inlaid Nib®. The first line of
defense is Sheaffer’s own service department, where you may still
be able to get exchanges for defective parts. Send an email to
Sidney Brown (sidney.brown@bicworld.com)
to see whether she can help you. If not, a possible remedy is to
disassemble the pen and flow shellac between the nib and section
shell. To get the shellac to flow easily, you’ll need to dilute it
with denatured alcohol. Capillary action will draw the fluid into
the space, and you can then dry it by placing the part under a
lighted incandescent light bulb. I'm also investigating the use of
a product that is intended for sealing cracks, but I don't yet
have enough data to recommend its use. |
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To-Child Transmission Of HIV Is Critical To Achieving
Millennium Development Goals In Africa
Main Category:
HIV / AIDS
Article Date: 28 Jul 2010 - 9:00 PDT
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Investing in the health of women and children was the focus of the
high-level Summit of the African Union held 25-27 July in Kampala, Uganda.
The meeting, attended by more than 35 Heads of State and politicians,
highlighted progress and challenges in advancing Millennium Development
Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5, which call for reducing child mortality and
improving maternal health.
With only 11% of the world's population, Africa accounts for more than
half of all maternal and child deaths. Despite advancements in global
health, the African continent has the world's highest maternal mortality
ratio and infant mortality rate. Progress towards MDGs 4 and 5 has been
slow at best, hindered in many countries by a lack of financial resources
for health and programme management.
"I strongly believe that a new movement is possible to prevent mothers
from dying and babies from becoming infected with
HIV," said President Wade of Senegal, who introduced an agenda item on
mother-to-child transmission of HIV at the Summit. "Progress in maternal
and child health in Africa-indeed progress in the health of our
populations in general-are hugely dependent on progress in the
AIDS response."
According to a recent study published in The Lancet, progress in
reducing maternal mortality has been slowed by the ongoing HIV epidemic.
According to the study, there were an estimated 343 000 maternal deaths in
2008. An additional 60 000 lives could be saved each year if women
received appropriate HIV diagnosis and treatment, researchers reported.
UNAIDS Executive Director Michel Sidibé reminded meeting participants of
the critical link between the AIDS response and maternal and child health.
Globally, AIDS is the leading cause of death among women of reproductive
age. In many countries on the African continent, AIDS is the leading cause
of death among infants and young children. Each year, nearly 400 000
children in Africa are born with HIV. While in Kampala, Mr Sidibé
reiterated his call for the virtual elimination of mother-to-child
transmission of HIV as an achievable goal. He noted, however, that
achieving an HIV-free generation-together with MDGs 4 and 5-will depend
heavily on strengthened health systems.
"Mother-to-child transmission of HIV has been virtually eliminated in the
global North. It is unacceptable that so many babies continue to be born
with HIV in Africa," said Mr Sidibé. Countries such as Botswana have
already reached universal access targets for the prevention of
mother-to-child transmission of HIV. Many other countries are close
behind.
Mr Sidibé was joined at the Summit by Prof. Michel Kazatchkine, Executive
Director of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, who
urged African leaders to mobilize more resources for the AIDS response.
"The Global Fund has so far invested more that USD 11 billion in Africa
helping countries to reduce maternal and child mortality through targeted
interventions addressing AIDS, TB and
malaria which are still major killers of African women and children.
This support should increase further to meet even better the needs of
countries," said Prof. Kazatchkine.
The lives of mothers and their babies can be saved through a combination
of HIV testing and counseling, access to effective antiretroviral
prophylaxis and treatment, safer delivery practices, family planning or
the safe use of breast-milk substitute. The recent announcement at the
XVIII International AIDS Conference that a vaginal gel containing the
antiretroviral drug tenofovir had been successfully tested opens a
potential new avenue for HIV prevention among women.
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