Appliance Selection Research Articles

Consumer choice on ecologically efficient water heaters: Marketing strategy and policy implications in Japan

This study examines how consumers select ecologically efficient water heaters in Japan. Energy conservation in household water heating is increasingly important for reducing an amount of CO 2 emission, because the share of water heating in household energy consumption is approximately 30%. Recently, Japanese households have widely used ecologically efficient electric heat pump water heaters (Eco Cute) or gas-fired water heaters (Eco Jozu). The total number of such efficient water heaters sold in Japan was more than 2.5 million at the end of 2008. This study investigates various factors and impacts of marketing strategy for promoting the appliances in Japan. We apply mixed and nested logit models to a disaggregated choice data on water heaters from 2004 to 2008. This study considers retail energy prices, a government financial support and marketing activities as important factors for appliance selection. In addition, we consider consumers' housing attributes such as floor space and age of building. This empirical study finds two business implications. One of the two implications is that an increase in an energy price may enhance a choice probability of Eco Cute and Eco Jozu because a price increase invites consumer's consciousness on energy conservation so that a cost reduction on energy consumption becomes essential in a use of the efficient appliances. The other implication is that marketing activities, especially by recommendations from sales representatives and/or housing suppliers, are important for consumer behaviors. The other important findings are discussed in this study. This business experience in Japan is useful to the other countries where ecologically efficient water heaters are not popular at the current moment.

Keeping up to date with stoma care accessories: Enabling informed choice

A range of products and accessories are available to assist patients to overcome a number of stoma problems and enhance their self-care. Used in conjunction with good appliance selection, they help to maintain peristomal skin integrity and promote pouch reliability. For many patients they make the difference between gaining independence in their stoma care, and living with continuing problems. Anna Boyles examines the incidence of problematic stomas, why accessories are used and who should recommend them. A range of problems are examined and the choices available on the market and their appropriate use are discussed.

Review of the Literature about Stoma Appliance selection standards

Review of the Literature about Stoma Appliance selection standards

Orthodontic management of uncrowded Class II division one malocclusion in children (2006)

Author:John C. Bennett. Publisher: Elsevier Limited, London, U.K. Price: £99.00 ISBN: 978-0-7234-3426-9 This book is an excellent clinical guide to the fixed functional treatment of certain carefully selected Class II division 1 malocclusions. It advocates the use of the Andresen ‘monobloc’ appliance in its original form followed by fixed appliances in a complete treatment beginning towards the end of the mixed dentition phase. Overall there are nine chapters set out rather in the style of a manual. The first chapter sets the scene and outlines the four factors for success as treatment timing, case selection, patient compliance, and appliance selection. These are then expanded upon in the subsequent chapters taking this well-proven treatment method …

Nurse prescribing in practice: patient choice in stoma care.

In the first of a new series, Janice Lee examines the choices facing nurse prescribers when selecting items for stoma management. Studies have estimated that there are up to 100,000 people with a stoma in England and Wales, and stoma care therefore forms a significant part of community nursing caseloads. The enormous range of available items means that both patient and prescriber are likely to have difficulty selecting the correct device. Patient preferences, comfort and pricing all play a part in stoma appliance selection.

A closer look at General Dental Service orthodontics in England and Wales II: What determines appliance selection?

A closer look at General Dental Service orthodontics in England and Wales II: What determines appliance selection?

Appliance selection of the General Orthodontic Service in England and Wales

Appliance selection of the General Orthodontic Service in England and Wales

A closer look at General Dental Service orthodontics in England and Wales. II: What determines appliance selection?

To elucidate factors that influence choice of appliance type in General Dental Service (GDS) orthodontics in England and Wales. Records were obtained for 1527 cases, representing a systematic 2 per cent sample of GDS cases completed during 1990-91. Evaluation involved Discriminant Analysis to find the most influential factors in appliance choice. Factors considered included patient and practitioner characteristics, and features of the malocclusion as assessed by Occlusal Indices. Full data were available for 1217 cases. 24 per cent of treatments included use of dual- and 26 per cent single-arch fixed appliances. Appliance choice was predictable in 55 per cent of cases. Older patients, orthodontically qualified practitioners, high Peer Assessment Rating score at start, permanent dentition, lower grades of the Dental Health Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need at start, and practitioners with high gross earnings from orthodontics, all tended to be associated with more frequent use of fixed appliances. Possession of a diploma or membership in orthodontics was associated with more frequent use of both dual- and single-arch fixed appliances. Better appliance selection, and thus more effective treatments in the GDS, may result from a greater availability of practitioners with formal postgraduate training in orthodontics.

Appliance selection of the General Orthodontic Service in England and Wales

Appliance selection of the General Orthodontic Service in England and Wales

Effectiveness of the General Orthodontic Service in England and Wales

Objective To evaluate factors influencing effectiveness in General Dental Service (GDS) orthodontics. Design Retrospective analysis of systematic 2% sample of GDS (England and Wales) cases. Method Records of cases were collected during 1991. Assessment involved occlusal indices and data from National Health Service forms for 1,411 cases. Multivariate analyses were used with Peer Assessment Rating Index (PAR) score at Finish as the outcome indicator. Results Dual arch fixed appliances: achieved lower Finish PAR scores than other appliances; only 1.5% of the variance was explained, by treatment time and Dental Health Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (DHC). Finish PAR was unaffected by Starting PAR. All other appliances: the model explained 25% of the variance for Finish PAR, which varied with Starting PAR and DHC scores. Social class had effects of little clinical significance, but the data suggested availability of orthodontic treatment was poorer in 'manual class' areas. Orthodontic qualifications, number of arches treated and mixed dentition starts had no significant effects when submitted to multivariate analysis. Conclusions The importance of appliance selection is reinforced: dual arch fixed appliances are generally more consistent. Lower social class areas may be poorly provided with orthodontic services.

A closer look at General Dental Service orthodontics in England and Wales. I: Factors influencing effectiveness.

To evaluate factors influencing effectiveness in General Dental Service (GDS) orthodontics. Retrospective analysis of systematic 2% sample of GDS (England and Wales) cases. Records of cases were collected during 1991. Assessment involved occlusal indices and data from National Health Service forms for 1,411 cases. Multivariate analyses were used with Peer Assessment Rating Index (PAR) score at Finish as the outcome indicator. Dual arch fixed appliances: achieved lower Finish PAR scores than other appliances; only 1.5% of the variance was explained, by treatment time and Dental Health Component of the Index of Orthodontic Treatment Need (DHC). Finish PAR was unaffected by Starting PAR. All other appliances: the model explained 25% of the variance for Finish PAR, which varied with Starting PAR and DHC scores. Social class had effects of little clinical significance, but the data suggested availability of orthodontic treatment was poorer in 'manual class' areas. Orthodontic qualifications, number of arches treated and mixed dentition starts had no significant effects when submitted to multivariate analysis. The importance of appliance selection is reinforced: dual arch fixed appliances are generally more consistent. Lower social class areas may be poorly provided with orthodontic services.

1459 Stoma care

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common, its surgical treatment often implies the creation of a temporary or permanent stoma. Updating of nurse's knowledge in stoma care is important since stoma care nurses are not available in all the care settings. In this presentation the rehabilitation process will be discussed with special focus on: Preoperative counselling, assessing the patients knowledge regarding his diagnosis and the possibility of a stoma, the principles of stoma site marking, systematic postoperative teaching, self care, appliance selection, decision making regarding stoma irrigation, prevention and treatment of skin and stoma complications, nutrition and diet, individualization of psychosocial interventions and family involvement. Demonstration of the use of different appliances will be carried out. The role of the stoma care nurse as a clinical specialist will be defined.

Demand side management — The role of the power utility

“Demand side management (DSM) is the deliberate influence of customer appliance selection and energy use patterns to achieve a desired impact or load shape consistent with company goals” (EPRI). Demand side management has two aspects: develop efficient utilization for electricity, (less electricity for each utilization), and take measures to encourage the customer to help flattening the load curve. The tariff policy conducted by the EDF towards the large customers connected to the high voltage and to the medium voltage networks is already very efficienty in flattening the load curve. This paper stresses a particular aspect of DSM: in the actions taken to extend this DSM policy to domestic customers, the same approach based on tariff incentives will be used. In the near future the domestic customer will have the possibility of choosing tarrifs which reflect the variations of the cost of electricity through the day and through the year. To be efficient this policy must rely on the development of products, which make energy management a very easy job for the customer. This is the reason why EDF is involved in the development of home automation technology. This technology will allow low cost communication between the customer meter and different systems in the home (like heating, lighting, domestic appliances). It will also allow the development of services concerning, for instance, security (burglary, fire, water leakages etc.). One of the highest priorities is put on efficient carrier current transmission. It is a backbone of EDF's policy in this matter: it allows transmission of “real time” tariff information from the utility to the customer's meter. It is then one of the media for transmission of information from the meter to all the equipment in the home (with the advantage of requiring no installation). Besides these technical developments, experiments are done to test the acceptance of customers of these new tariffs and services. This DSM policy, based on new technology, and on early testing of services with customers, will allow further improvement in the load curve, to the benefit of the customer and of the utility.

Treatment Planning by Appliance Selection

Abstract Today, there is a wide variety of orthodontic appliances, each of which has its own particular advantages and disadvantages. Some of these appliances move teeth; others move elements of the skeleton, modify growth of hard tissues or modify functions of soft tissues. The modern orthodontist should sele et the appropriate “blend” of appliances in order to treat the individual problem, rather than follow a particular technique. This article discusses the merits of the various bracket systems that are available and explores how they may be conihined to produce an individual appliance for each patient.

Effects of appliace size, arch wire diameter, and alloy composition on the in vitro delivery of the quad-helix appliace

The quad-helix appliace is a fixed lingual arch wire appliace that produces slow maxillary expansion for the treatment of maxillary constriction or crossbite in the primary and mixed dentitions. Despite considerable success in the clinical treatment of patients, there is little quantitative information about the force delivery of this appliace. The purpose of this investigation was to characterize the in vitro force delivery of the quad-helix appliance. Appliances of four sizes were fabricated from Elgiloy blue and stainless steel wires with diameters of 0.032, 0.036, and 0.038 inch. The force delivery in grams for 8-mm activation was determined from the force-extension characteristics using an Instron mechanical testing machine. The results show that the force delivery on the quad-helix appliace is affected significantly by changes in the appliance size and arch wire diameter, but is independent of alloy type (stainless steel of Elgiloy blue). The quantitative results from this investigation should provide worthwhile information for clinical appliance selection and treatment of patients with varying arch dimensions.

Appliance Selection: Treatment Objectives and Esthetic Concerns

The adaptability of modern orthodontic appliances to meet the esthetic needs of the adult patient while satisfying the treatment goals agreed upon has been shown. Some of the treatments cited could be accomplished by the general practitioner, while other modalities should be handled by the orthodontist. The outstanding advances in orthognathic surgical technique provide the patient with additional options for orthodontic corrections of malocclusions while reducing the time needed to wear braces. Proper planning and interaction among the dental disciplines can greatly enhance a patient's final outcome. It behooves all clinicians to look at all the options available in treating the adult so these patients can benefit most from our services.

Space Control in the Primary and Mixed Dentitions

Space control has been distinguished from space maintenance. The difference is not a semantic one. Space control calls upon the dentist to apply his knowledge of occlusal development to the patient's condition. It infers assessment and re-evaluation. Space maintenance, unfortunately, sometimes becomes a routine or mechanical placement of appliances. This article has reviewed some of the variables to be considered when effecting space control: the factors that dictate appliance selection and some of the more common appliances used for space control today. No formula has been recommended for the application of appliances. Rather, the dentist has been urged to review the variables and re-evaluate his decisions according to the dynamic development of the patient's dentition.

The impact of interproximal band thickness on treatment and retention

I t is common knowledge that mechanical orthodontic therapy has, over the years, taken a variety of forms. The two major appliance systems, fixed and removable, have each had strong defenses, sometimes real, sometimes imaginary, on both biologic and technical grounds. Moreover, within each school of thought, a good deal of controversy exists with regard to diagnostic philosophy and treatment objectives. The purpose of this article will be to examine one area of disagreement among those who advocate the use of fixed appliances, namely, the effect of the physical size of interproximal band material upon diagnosis, treatment planning, and retention. Some proponents of orthodontic systems which utilize only a few bands have suggested that leaving the teeth comparatively free of appliances allows natural forces to assist in guiding teeth into their proper positions. On the other hand, those who choose to band essentially all of the erupted teeth favor the notion that this more elaborate type of appliance system allows the practitioner to precisely control the relationships of the teeth in all three planes of space, both individually and collectively. If these were the only considerations, appliance selection could be relatively straightforward, in that one would only have to decide how much liberality he would allow the dentition in any given situation. Of a far more serious nature are the allegat,ions that diagnosis is very much affected by the dictates of the appliance. For example, Wilson,l in commenting on the interproximal thickness of bands and cement common to all multibanded appliances, has made the following charge : “In some instances, this is more space than is required to treat the case if such an appliance were not used. Additional arch increase under

Cysts and Tumors of the Jaws

The complexity of anterior open bite is attributed to a combination of skeletal, dental, soft tissue, and habitual factors. Multiple treatment strategies aimed at different etiologies of anterior open bite have been proposed. However, the tendency toward relapse after conventional or surgical orthodontic treatment has been indicated. Therefore, anterior open bite is considered one of the most challenging dentofacial deformities to treat. The aim of this article is to review the etiologies, dentofacial morphology, treatment modalities, retention, and stability of anterior open bite. The etiology of anterior open bite malocclusions is multifactorial and numerous theories have been proposed, including genetic, anatomic and environmental factors. The diagnosis and treatment modalities are variable according to the etiology. Failure of tongue posture adaptation subsequent to orthodontic and/or surgical treatment might be the primary reason for relapse of anterior open bite. Prolonged retention with fixed or removable retainers is advisable and necessary in most cases of open bite treatment. The treatment of anterior open bite remains a tough challenge to the clinician; careful diagnosis and timely intervention with proper treatment modalities and appliance selection will improve the treatment outcomes and long-term stability.