This study provides information regarding Hispanic mothers' responses to an alternative care delivery model. Preliminary evidence suggests CPM compares with traditional care and yields a high degree of patient satisfaction. Specific pregnancy-related knowledge deficits were identified in both groups that could focus prenatal education. In light of similar outcomes in both groups; patient and provider satisfaction and economics would therefore be a factor when choosing a model of prenatal care delivery.

Recent nanoindentation studies have demonstrated that the hardness and Young's modulus of human molar enamel decreases by more than 50% on moving from the occlusal surface to the dentin-enamel junction on cross-sectional samples. Possible sources of these variations are changes in local chemistry, microstructure, and prism orientation. This study investigates the latter source by performing nanoindentation tests at two different orientations relative to the hydroxyapatite prisms: parallel and perpendicular. A single sample volume was tested in order to maintain a constant chemistry and microstructure. The resulting data show very small differences between the two orientations for both hardness and Young's modulus. The 1.5 to 3.0% difference is significantly less than the standard deviations found within the data set. Thus, the variations in hardness and Young's modulus on cross-sectional samples of human molar are attributed to changes in local chemistry (varying levels of mineralization, organic matter, and water content) and changes in microstructure (varying volume fractions of inorganic crystals and organic matrix). The impact of prism orientation on mechanical properties measured by nanoindentation appears to be minimal.

Teeth have provided insights into many topics including primate diet, paleobiology, and evolution, due to the fact that they are largely composed of inorganic materials and may remain intact long after an animal is deceased. Previous studies have reported that the mechanical properties, chemistry, and microstructure of human enamel vary with location. This study uses nanoindentation to map out the mechanical properties of Alouatta palliata molar enamel on an axial cross-section of an unworn permanent third molar, a worn permanent first molar, and a worn deciduous first molar. Variations were then correlated with changes in microstructure and chemistry using scanning electron microscopy and electron microprobe techniques. The hardness and Young's modulus varied with location throughout the cross-sections from the occlusal surface to the dentin-enamel junction (DEJ), from the buccal to lingual sides, and also from one tooth to another. These changes in mechanical properties correlated with changes in the organic content of the tooth, which was shown to increase from approximately 6% near the occlusal surface to approximately 20% just before the DEJ. Compared to human enamel, the Alouatta enamel showed similar microstructures, chemical constituents, and magnitudes of mechanical properties, but showed less variation in hardness and Young's modulus, despite the very different diet of this species.

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