J Natl Med Assoc
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Civilian helicopters and emergency medical services in the United States have been in existence for approximately 15 years. The rapid growth of this type of health care delivery coupled with an increasing number of accidents has prompted professional and lay scrutiny of these programs. ⋯ Significant questions regarding the number of pilots in a helicopter and in a program remain to be answered. This article reviews the role of emergency medical air transport services in providing care to trauma patients, staff training and evaluation, and safety criteria and offers recommendations to minimize risks to patients and crews.
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Comparative Study
Anatomical and profile analysis of the female black American nose.
An anatomical and anthropometric study was conducted that compared nasal pyramid measurements of Negroid with Caucasian skulls and surface measurements of black with Caucasian controls. Eight external surface measurements were used to develop a classification system to show the range of the female black American nose. This classification will be described along with the range of measurements on which it is based. This classification may provide a better understanding of the anatomic characteristics of the normal variation of Negroid noses, and thus improve the surgeon's ability to evaluate black patients for rhinoplasty.
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A questionnaire was developed to assess religiously based moral beliefs about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome. The questionnaire was administered to a group of primarily black physicians, a selection of freshman medical students, two groups of clergy representing contrasting philosophical orientations, a group of young urban black and white attendees of a black cultural event, and two groups of older whites from rural Tennessee who were attending health fairs. Other attitudes about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and related issues were also assessed. ⋯ Physicians were remarkably similar to rural whites and conservative clergy in their distrust of the experts concerning the potential contagion of human immunodeficiency virus. When responses to several key items on the questionnaire were combined to create a measure of "conservatism," mean total scores differentiated all groups in the manner predicted. We conclude that religiously based moral beliefs about acquired immunodeficiency syndrome can have dangerous implications for the treatment of its victims by society and its caregivers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)