bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Understanding forensic psychiatry in healthcare practices and collaboration between legal nurse consultants and physicians
Authors: Sharpe Daphne K , Hall Jasmine K , Ochije Sochima , Bailey Rahn K
Published: December 2017

In 2000, the Institute of Medicine stunned many professionals with their published report that noted the vast number of deaths that occur each year in hospitals across the United States which reach as many as 98,000. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that the healthcare arena faces litigious issues regularly, with some specialties budgets being significantly impacted by the cost of maintaining liability insurance. Legal Nurse Consultants and forensic physicians working in tandem but who work independently from treating clinicians can carry out forensic independent medical examinations (IME). This can help to assess the validity of malpractice claims, including issues of causation and degree of injuries claimed due to the incident(s) and recommend treatment strategies where appropriate. Reviews can cover a wide range of issues such as a person's past or current testamentary capacity, a prisoner or an accused person's mental health and/or mental impairment where necessary sending them for more assessment or treatment outside prison. This article argues that independent medical reviews are a useful tool that can assist the civil and criminal courts processes.
Book Review: Madhavi Desai, Women Architects and Modernism in India: Narratives and Contemporary Practices
Authors: Singh Priyaleen
Published: December 2017

Madhavi Desai, Women Architects and Modernism in India: Narratives and Contemporary Practices. New Delhi: Routledge India, 2016, 430 pp., ₹13,320, ISBN: 9781138210691 (Hardback).
Book Review: Girija Srinivasan and Narasimhan Srinivasan, State of India’s Livelihood Report 2016
Authors: Amin Imran
Published: December 2017

Girija Srinivasan and Narasimhan Srinivasan, State of India’s Livelihood Report 2016. New Delhi: SAGE Publications & ACCESS Development Services, 2017, 235 pp., ₹1,250, ISBN: 9789386062239.
Book Review: Vrinda Grover and Uma Saumya, Kandhamal: Introspection of Initiative for Justice 2007–2015
Authors: Laskar Tahmina
Published: December 2017

Vrinda Grover and Uma Saumya, Kandhamal: Introspection of Initiative for Justice 2007–2015. New Delhi: Media House, 2017, 304 pp., ₹595, ISBN: 978-9374956748.
Questioning the ‘Revolution Narrative’: Redefining the Rural-Agrarian Question in India
Authors: Suthar Sudhir Kumar
Published: December 2017

Richa Kumar. 2016. Rethinking Revolutions: Soyabean, Choupals, and the Changing Countryside in Central India. Delhi: Oxford University Press, pp. 424, ₹870, ISBN: 9780199465330 (Hardbound).
Measurement Invariance in Comparing Attitudes Toward Immigrants Among Youth Across Europe in 1999 and 2009
Authors: Munck Ingrid , Barber Carolyn , Torney-Purta Judith
Published: December 2017

This study applies the alignment method, a technique for assessing measurement equivalence across many groups, to the analysis of adolescents’ support for immigrants’ rights in a pooled data set from the 1999 International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA) Civic Education Study and the 2009 IEA International Civics and Citizenship Education Study. We examined measurement invariance across 92 groups (country by cohort by gender), finding that a five-item scale was statistically well-grounded for unbiased group comparisons despite the presence of significant noninvariance in some groups. Using the resulting group mean scores, we compared European youth’s attitudes finding that female students had more positive attitudes than did male students across countries and cohorts. An analysis of countries participating in both studies revealed that students in most countries demonstrated more positive attitudes in 2009 than in 1999. The alignment methodology makes it feasible to comprehensively assess measurement invariance in large data sets and to compute aligned factor scores for the full sample that can update existing databases for more efficient further secondary analysis and with metainformation concerning measurement invariance.
Faculty and Career Advising
Authors: Vespia Kristin M. , Freis Stephanie D. , Arrowood Rebecca M.
Published: December 2017

Psychology prioritizes students’ professional or career development by including it as one of the five undergraduate learning goals. Faculty advisors are critical to that development but likely feel less prepared for the role. Departments face challenges assessing associated student learning outcomes. We introduce an instrument programs can use to evaluate outcomes and advisors can use to measure students’ advising needs, perceptions, and preferences. We share results from an undergraduate sample ( N = 91) to illustrate potential data and uses. For example, these students viewed faculty as knowledgeable career advisors and expressed confidence in their major selection but simultaneously reported feeling unprepared for postgraduation life and thought the major was not highly marketable. We offer specific recommendations for using such data to promote professional development.
Embedding Career Issues in Advanced Psychology Major Courses
Authors: Halonen Jane S. , Dunn Dana S.
Published: December 2017

Despite the popularity of the psychology major, complaints regularly arise about the value of majoring in psychology. This article reviews the workforce advantages that accrue to successful psychology students and encourages new strategies for emphasizing the professional development goal in the American Psychological Association’s Guidelines for the Undergraduate Psychology Major (2013). Recommendations include infusing career preparation in advanced classes, designing career-focused capstone courses, and conducting a climate check on department support for fostering realistic and appropriate career aspirations in undergraduate psychology majors.
Optimal preview control for a class of linear continuous-time large-scale systems
Authors: Liao Fucheng , Wang Yu , Lu Yanrong , Deng Jiamei
Published: December 2017

In this paper, the problem of optimal preview control is studied for a class of linear continuous-time large-scale systems. We first construct an augmented system including the error signal and the reference signal to transform the tracking problem into the regulator problem. Then, the controllers are designed for isolated augmented subsystems, which also constitute the controller of large-scale systems. On the basis of proving the asymptotic stability of closed-loop large-scale systems and the existence of the controller, sufficient conditions for reaching optimal preview control are given. In particular, the limiting condition of the correlation matrices is determined by the fact that the total derivative of a positive definite Lyapunov function is negative definite. The numerical simulation indicates that the controller can drive the large-scale systems to track the reference signal without steady-state error, and the tracking effect is improved with the increasing preview length.
Works councils and absenteeism of apprentices: An empirical analysis
Authors: Pfeifer Harald
Published: December 2017

This article examines the influence of works councils on apprentices’ absence from the workplace in Germany. The analysis draws on merged administrative and survey data that include information about the cumulated days that apprentices are absent from work due to sickness. Regression results imply that the existence of a works council in a firm significantly reduces apprentices’ absence. However, split-sample regressions show that this is predominantly the case in firms with high absence rates. Overall, the results suggest that works councils exercise their legally anchored ‘voice’ function in the German apprenticeship system.
Deskilling revisited: Labour migration, neo-Taylorism and the degradation of craft work in the Norwegian construction industry
Authors: Haakestad Hedda , Friberg Jon Horgen
Published: December 2017

This article discusses the effects of large-scale migration on work organization within major construction companies in Norway. Based on extensive ethnographic data in combination with descriptive statistics, the study shows how large-scale labour migration has induced a shift towards more flexible employment, which in turn has changed class and authority relations, and the appreciation of manual skills in the production process. It is argued that the observed shift from ‘craft-centred’ to ‘neo-Taylorist’ management principles conforms to the classical deskilling process in several respects. First, the use of formally unskilled temporary agency workers has prompted management to intensify supervision and separate conception from execution of craft tasks. Second, more competitive subcontracting has fragmented the building process, with multiple actors operating within the jurisdiction of one trade. Although ideological and technological changes have contributed to these developments, the article argues that free movement of labour has played a vital role, and provided employers with the necessary leverage to implement new practices.
Labour market segmentation and mobility as determinants of trade union membership: A study from Denmark
Authors: Jensen Carsten Strøby
Published: December 2017

This article analyses if and to what extent labour market segmentation and labour market mobility influence trade union density. Some industries and sectors have stable employment domains and employees stay to a high degree within the industry even if they change jobs. Other industries and sectors have more unstable employments domains and employees to a higher degree shift to employment in other industries and sectors when they move to another job. In this article, it is analysed how differences in segmentation and employee mobility out of an industry influence union density. The analysis is based on a statistical analysis of registry data from Denmark and contains almost 2 million employees employed in 111 different industries (NACE-coded). The analysis shows that trade union density especially in the private sector industries is significantly influenced by level of segmentation and level of mobility.
Does workplace partnership deliver mutual gains at work?
Authors: Saridakis George , Lai Yanqing , Johnstone Stewart
Published: December 2017

This article uses a large matched employer–employee dataset to assess the outcomes of workplace partnership for British firms and workers, and the HR practices associated with ‘mutual gains’. The findings suggest that HR practices which promote employee voice and participation can deliver mutual gains for both employees and employers, but that it is the combination of direct and indirect participation which appears to be most useful in generating superior outcomes for all stakeholders. However, some practices such as high levels of job flexibility and team briefing procedures are found to be negatively associated with work-related attitudes and/or organizational performance.
The Development and Validation of a Cross-Industry Safety Climate Measure: Resolving Conceptual and Operational Issues
Authors: Beus Jeremy M. , Payne Stephanie C. , Arthur Winfred , Muñoz Gonzalo J.
Published: December 2017

Although safety climate research has increased in recent years, persisting conceptual ambiguity not only raises questions about what safety climate really is—as operationalized in the literature—but also inhibits increased scientific understanding of the construct. Consequently, using climate theory and research as a conceptual basis, we inductively articulated safety climate’s general content domain by identifying seven core indicators of safety’s perceived workplace priority: leader safety commitment, safety communication, safety training, coworker safety practices, safety equipment and housekeeping, safety involvement, and safety rewards. These indicators formed the basis for a generalized safety climate measure that we designed for use across organizations, industries, and construct levels. We then conducted a multilevel construct validation of safety climate using the newly created measure in two separate studies. Results from five samples spanning multiple organizations, industries, and cultural settings revealed that the identified safety climate indicators were parsimoniously explained by an overarching safety climate factor at the individual and workgroup levels. In addition, multilevel homology tests indicated that safety climate’s associations with past safety incidents were nearly two times stronger at the workgroup level relative to the individual level, although this difference was not statistically significant. Finally, workgroup-level validity evidence demonstrated expected associations between safety climate and organization-reported pre- and postsurvey safety incidents. On the basis of this supportive evidence, we recommend that this conceptualization and measure of safety climate be adopted in research and practice to facilitate future scientific progress.
The Cost of Caring: Economic Vulnerability, Serious Emotional Distress, and Poor Health Behaviors Among Paid and Unpaid Family and Friend Caregivers
Authors: Hoffman Geoffrey J. , Wallace Steven P.
Published: December 2017

This study examined differences between paid and unpaid family/friend caregivers to better understand the consumer-driven caregiving workforce. We compared economic vulnerability, unhealthy behavior, and serious emotional distress for 475 paid and 10,500 unpaid family/friend informal caregivers from the 2009 California Health Interview Survey. We then estimated whether caregiver status moderated the relationship between economic vulnerability and health outcomes. Compared to unpaid family/friend caregivers, paid family/friend caregivers had a 27% greater risk ( p = .002) of economic vulnerability. Among all family/friend caregivers, the probabilities of serious emotional distress and unhealthy behaviors increased by >100% and 28% for those with the greatest compared to the least economic vulnerability, and caregiver type did not moderate these relationships. To address economic and health vulnerabilities of paid informal caregivers, policy makers might increase wages in consumer-driven programs. These changes could prove beneficial to both paid informal caregivers and their care recipients, while reducing long-term inefficiencies in consumer-driven programs.
Foucault, Nietzsche, and the promise–threat of philology
Authors: Westfall Joseph
Published: December 2017

In this paper, I examine Foucault’s reading of Nietzsche—and Nietzsche’s influence on Foucault—in light of Foucault’s frequent treatment of Nietzsche as a certain kind of philologist. Running contrary to most contemporary readings of Nietzsche, which depict him as abandoning philology for philosophy relatively early on, I argue that Foucault understands Nietzsche’s distinctive philosophical style as indicative of a persistently philological approach to traditionally philosophical questions—and that this is a productive and valuable reading of Nietzsche, as well as a model for how we might start to think of Foucault, as well. Philology, for both thinkers, both promises and threatens the present with the future, calling for a simultaneously powerful and self-aware response on the part of the reader.
Content-independence and natural-duty theories of political obligation
Authors: Zhu Jiafeng
Published: December 2017

This paper contends that the requirement of content independence poses a pressing challenge to natural-duty theories of political obligation, for it is unclear why subjects of a state should not discharge the background natural duty in proper ways other than obeying the law. To demonstrate the force of this challenge, I examine and refute three argumentative strategies to achieve content independence represented in recent notable natural-duty theories: by appealing to the epistemic advantages of the state in discharging a natural duty, by claiming that one’s denial of state authority necessarily poses an unjust threat to other people, and by invoking the consideration of fairness (or impartiality) to preempt one’s discretion in discharging a natural duty. My criticisms, I believe, provide sufficient reasons for natural-duty theorists to take the requirement of content independence much more seriously.
The pervasive structure of society
Authors: Syme Tim
Published: December 2017

What does it mean to say that the demands of justice are institutional rather than individual? Justice is often thought to be directly concerned only with governmental institutions rather than individuals’ everyday, legally permissible actions. This approach has been criticized for ignoring the relevance to justice of informal social norms. This paper defends the idea that justice is distinctively institutional but rejects the primacy of governmental institutions. I argue that the ‘pervasive structure of society’ is the site of justice and injustice. It includes all widely enforced social rules and norms, governmental and otherwise, such as informal norms of gender, language and class, and provides a revisionary foundation for the theoretical elucidation and practical pursuit of justice. It provides a framework for evaluating the ways in which people can and should promote justice in their everyday lives.
Incidence of Lingual Tonsil Hypertrophy in Adults with and without Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Authors: Tang Jessica A. , Friedman Michael
Published: December 2017

Objectives

To characterize the incidence of lingual tonsil hypertrophy (LTH) in adults with and without obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and to determine any potential correlation between them.

Study Design

Retrospective chart review.

Setting

Single‐center database, September 2016 to April 2017.

Subject and Methods

Lingual tonsil grade (LTG) determined by awake endoscopy was collected as well as other physical examination findings, such as Friedman tongue position, palatine tonsil size, and neck circumference. STOP‐BANG scores and polysomnography data were collected to characterize OSA. Incidence of clinically meaningful LTH (defined as LTG 3 and LTG 4) was compared between OSA and non‐OSA groups.

Results

Ninety‐three patient charts were studied in total. There was no significant difference between patients with and without OSA in the incidence of clinically meaningful LTH (OSA, 13.5%; non‐OSA, 14.6%; P =. 872). Patients with and without OSA were compared by grade: LTG 1, 13.5% (OSA) vs 35.6% (non‐OSA); LTG 2, 73.1% (OSA) vs 48.8% (non‐OSA); LTG 3, 13.5% (OSA) vs 14.6% (non‐OSA). There were no significant correlations between OSA status and LTG (ρ = 0.190, P =. 069).

Conclusion

The incidence of LTH is uncommon, even among those with OSA, and does not seem to differ between patients with and without OSA. Neck circumference appears to be a better clinical indicator than lingual tonsil tissue for the likelihood of a patient having OSA.
Factors affecting the information-seeking behaviour of postgraduate students at the University of South Africa Ethiopia Regional Learning Centre
Authors: Desta Addisalem Gebrekidan , du Preez Madely , Ngulube Patrick
Published: December 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate some of the factors affecting the information-seeking behaviour of postgraduate students registered at the University of South Africa (Unisa) as represented by its Ethiopia Regional Learning Centre, with particular emphasis on their use of electronic information resources. A qualitative case study approach was adopted. In semi-structured interviews, eight conveniently selected postgraduate students shared their information-seeking experiences. The data was analysed thematically. The findings identified contextual and personal factors which gave rise to the respondents’ information needs and in turn prompted information activities such as information seeking. Of these, a lack of ICT infrastructure, frequent interruptions in electricity supply, old computers and the location of the Akaki Branch Library proved to be the main factors affecting postgraduate students’ electronic information-seeking behaviour. The findings showed the effect that inadequate facilities have on postgraduate students’ information behaviour.
Neurolinguistics and second language teaching: A view from the crossroads
Authors: Rastelli Stefano
Published: December 2017

The topic of this article is the link between research on the neurocognition of the teaching–acquisition interface and research on second language teaching. This recent scientific enterprise investigates whether and how different aspects of second language instruction may change both the anatomy and the functioning of an adult learner’s brain even in a short period of time. In this article, I analyse how neurolinguists have operationalized three aspects specifically related to second language teaching: (1) learners’ proficiency; (2) the between-groups experimental design; (3) the implicit vs. explicit teaching dichotomy. I suggest that the degree of replicability of such neurolinguistics studies can be increased by adopting non-circular operational definitions. Such definitions should not be based on psycholinguistic or neurolinguistic metrics, but on standards that are commonly discussed in the literature on instructed second language acquisition, second language teaching, and assessment. Finally, I suggest that for future research neurolinguists should consider the advantages of welcoming on board more developmental linguists and teachers.
The teaching and acquisition interface in neurocognition research
Authors: Benati Alessandro , Rastelli Stefano
Published: December 2017

This special issue brings forward new insights on the brain changes following second language instruction. The fundamental research question of the extent to which different teaching-related variables impact patterns of brain adaptation in adult learners is addressed. The articles contribute to a new field of experimental language research dubbed ‘the neurocognition of the teaching/acquisition interface.’
Suicide Attempts and Completions among Mothers Whose Children Were Taken into Care by Child Protection Services: A Cohort Study Using Linkable Administrative Data
Authors: Wall-Wieler Elizabeth , Roos Leslie L. , Brownell Marni , Nickel Nathan , Chateau Dan , Singal Deepa
Published: December 2017

Objective:

The objective of this study is to examine suicide attempts and completions among mothers who had a child taken into care by child protection services (CPS). These mothers were compared with their biological sisters who did not have a child taken into care and with mothers who received services from CPS but did not have a child taken into care.

Methods:

A retrospective cohort of mothers whose first child was born in Manitoba, Canada, between April 1, 1992, and March 31, 2015, is used. Rates among discordant biological sisters (1872 families) were compared using fixed-effects Poisson regression models, and mothers involved with CPS (children in care [ n = 1872] and received services [ n = 9590]) were compared using a Poisson regression model.

Results:

Compared with their biological sisters and mothers who received services, the adjusted incidence rate ratio (aIRR) of death by suicide was greater among mothers whose child was taken into care by CPS (aIRR = 4.46 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.39-14.33] and ARR = 3.45 [95% CI, 1.61-7.40], respectively). Incidence rates of suicide attempts were higher among mothers with a child taken into care compared with their sisters (aIRR = 2.15; 95% CI, 1.40-3.30) and mothers receiving services (aIRR = 2.82; 95% CI, 2.03-3.92).

Conclusions:

Mothers who had a child taken into care had significantly higher rates of suicide attempts and completions. When children are taken into care, physician and social workers should inquire about maternal suicidal behaviour and provide appropriate mental health.
Addressing Mental Health Needs of Refugees
Authors: Rousseau Cécile
Published: December 2017

Throughout history, refugees have alternatively been seen as entitled victims of adversity or as threats or abusers of host countries scarce resources. Within the present globalized context, ambivalent public perceptions of refugees are shattering the protective nature of the post migratory environment in refugee receiving countries. This raises new challenges for refugees’ mental health and calls for systemic responses to address both pre-migratory trauma and losses and post migratory adversities. Recent evidence on the effectiveness of mental health treatment for refugees confirms the utility of trauma-focused psychotherapy and the limits of psychopharmacology for stress related disorders in this group. Training of mental health professionals may improve the quality of care for refugees by deconstructing prevalent prejudices about them and promoting empathic understanding. Mental health professionals may also advocate by providing information about social determinants refugee mental health to policy makers and promoting psychosocial interventions and protective social policies.
The Social Determinants of Refugee Mental Health in the Post-Migration Context: A Critical Review
Authors: Hynie Michaela
Published: December 2017

With the global increase in the number of refugees and asylum seekers, mental health professionals have become more aware of the need to understand and respond to the mental health needs of forced migrants. This critical review summarizes the findings of recent systematic reviews and primary research on the impact of post-migration conditions on mental disorders and PTSD among refugees and asylum seekers. Historically, the focus of mental health research and interventions with these populations has been on the impact of pre-migration trauma. Pre-migration trauma does predict mental disorders and PTSD, but the post-migration context can be an equally powerful determinant of mental health. Moreover, post-migration factors may moderate the ability of refugees to recover from pre-migration trauma. The importance of post-migration stressors to refugee mental health suggests the need for therapeutic interventions with psychosocial elements that address the broader conditions of refugee and asylum seekers’ lives. However, there are few studies of multimodal interventions with refugees, and even fewer with control conditions that allow for conclusions about their effectiveness. These findings are interpreted using a social determinants of health framework that connects the risk and protective factors in the material and social conditions of refugees’ post-migration lives to broader social, economic and political factors.
Vision Dissonance: Conflicting Conceptions of Bus Sariri
Authors: Kash Gwen
Published: December 2017

This article discusses how communication in planning processes can be disrupted by dissonance between stakeholders’ Visions, or mental models of a policy situation. The Vision dissonance framework is used to analyze how frames, paradigms, and theorizations act in concert to shape a stakeholder’s problem definition and problem-solving processes. I examine how Vision dissonance between planners and community stakeholders in El Alto, Bolivia, contributed to the failure of an attempt to introduce high-quality bus service. Because the municipality declined to include meaningful opportunities for public participation, incompatibility between Visions remained submerged until it was too late to reconcile them.
Wellness Programs With Financial Incentives Through Disparities Lens
Authors: Cuellar Alison , LoSasso Anthony T. , Shah Mona , Atwood Alicia , Lewis-Walls Tanya R.
Published: December 2017

Purpose:

To examine wellness programs with financial incentives and their effect on disparities in preventive care.

Design:

Financial incentives were introduced by 15 large employers, from 2010 to 2013.

Setting:

Fifteen private employers.

Subjects:

A total of 299 436 employees and adult dependents.

Measures:

Preventive services and participation in financial incentives.

Analysis:

Multivariate linear regression.

Results:

Disparities in preventive services widened after introduction of financial incentives. Asians were 3% more likely and African Americans were 3% less likely to receive wellness rewards than whites and non-Hispanics, controlling for other factors.

Conclusion:

Federal law limits targeting of wellness financial incentives by subgroups; thus, employers should consider outreach and culturally appropriate messaging.
On dealing with difference: Rethinking the work of Edward Said, Martin Buber and Hannah Arendt with reference to Kashmir and Kashmiriyat
Authors: Visvanathan Susan
Published: December 2017

This article looks at how Palestine has been a trope since 1948 for understanding forced refugee status of people who have been evicted from their own homes as a consequence of colonial policy. In this article, I look at the status of Kashmiri Pandits who were evicted by militant forces in the late 1980s. They then proceeded to make new lives elsewhere haunted by their longing for home. The militants are in turn targeted by the police and army, and ordinary bystanders become caught in the crossfire between separatists and Indian army. Using the work of Edward Said, in relation to the writing of Martin Buber and Hannah Arendt, I attempt to present the possibility of dialogue between conflicting groups as an existential problem, where intellectuals can play a mediating role.
Failing forward: A case study in neoliberalism and abandonment in Calama
Authors: Babidge Sally , Belfrage Madeleine
Published: December 2017

Neoliberalism’s failings as a social order are a commonplace in the critical social sciences, and lately such critique has even been ventured from within the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. How has such a problematic form of capitalism both sustained criticism and flourished? Chilean neoliberalism might tell us something of how neoliberal forms weather critique to sustain elite power and significant social inequality, that is, how neoliberalism ‘fails forward’? We examine a case study in the Chilean mining city of Calama where a series of communal strikes and the authorities’ response demonstrate the resilience of neoliberalism and its significant failures that citizens experience as abandonment.
Modal articulation: The psychological and semiotic functions of modalities in the sensemaking process
Authors: De Luca Picione Raffaele , Martino Maria Luisa , Freda Maria Francesca
Published: December 2017

Within a semiotic and psychodynamic frame, we present and discuss the psychological construct of modal articulation. By modality, we mean the way a subject organizes the meaning of his/her own experience according to categories of necessity, possibility, opportunity, will, knowledge, permission, and duty. Modality is a relevant topic in some branches of philosophy, logics, linguistics, and semiotics, but there is no systematic discourse about it in psychology. The proposal of this work is to deal with some interesting and promising features of modal categories in the sensemaking process of subjective experience. Modalization is presented as a relevant semiotic organization in each contextual and dynamic sensemaking process in order to perform three functions: (a) connection between affective matrix and subjective experience, (b) mediation between subjective positioning in intersubjective context, and (c) vectorialization of action, namely orienting subjective agency in becoming temporal. Theoretical, methodological, and clinical implications are discussed.
Static output-feedback H∞ control design for a 5 degree-of-freedom isolator under physical constraints and restricted frequency domain
Authors: Siami Ali , Karimi Hamid Reza , Cigada Alfredo
Published: December 2017

In this article, a static output-feedback controller with finite frequency range is developed for a specific isolator based on the linear matrix inequality optimization method. In particular, both infinite and finite frequency domain output-feedback H∞ control methods are proposed to design active control strategies. In addition, different constraints in time domain are imposed on the structure under consideration. Then, the control problem under physical constraints is formulated in terms of linear matrix inequalities. Considering the specific frequency band in this application, the obtained results illustrate the efficiency of proposed approach for static output-feedback H∞ control design in the finite frequency band compared with the infinite one.
Sensitivity and specificity levels of two rapid assays for antibodies to Anaplasma spp. in dogs
Authors: Liu Jiayou , Eberts Matthew , Bewsey Hannah , O’Connor Thomas P. , Chandrashekar Ramaswamy , Breitschwerdt Edward B.
Published: December 2017

Canine anaplasmosis is a tick-borne disease of dogs that results following infection with Anaplasma phagocytophilum or Anaplasma platys. The SNAP 4Dx Plus test (IDEXX Laboratories) and the VetScan Canine Anaplasma Rapid test (Abaxis) are commercial in-house rapid tests for the detection of antibody to these 2 antigenically related Anaplasma species. We evaluated 2 tests using serum and whole blood samples obtained from reference laboratories and veterinary hospitals. Samples were obtained from regions of the country known to be habitats of the primary tick vectors. The A. phagocytophilum sample set comprised 236 dog sera from the northeastern and midwestern United States; the A. platys sample set comprised 179 sera from dogs living in the southwestern United States. An indirect immunofluorescent antibody (IFA) test and an A. platys species-specific ELISA were used as reference assays for the A. phagocytophilum and A. platys samples, respectively. The SNAP test demonstrated significantly higher sensitivity (84.7% for A. phagocytophilum and 83.1% for A. platys), compared to the VetScan test (39.0% for A. phagocytophilum and 57.6% for A. platys). The specificity of the SNAP test (95.8% for A. phagocytophilum and 99.2% for A. platys) was significantly greater than the VetScan test (85.6% for A. phagocytophilum and 82.5% for A. platys). In a separate clinic study, conducted within an A. phagocytophilum–endemic state (Minnesota) using 154 whole blood samples from client-owned dogs, the VetScan test was negative for 22 of 39 SNAP and IFA seropositive samples.
Bereaved Parents’ Health Status During the First 6 Months After Their Child’s Death
Authors: Dias Nancy , Brandon Debra , Haase Joan E. , Tanabe Paula
Published: December 2017

Purpose:

To examine bereaved parents’ physical, mental, and social health during the first 6 months after their child’s (<12 years) death from a life-threatening illness.

Background and Significance:

Bereaved parents have higher mortality and morbidity rates when compared to nonbereaved parents. Acute illnesses, hospitalizations, and medication changes are highest in the first 6 months. An understanding of bereaved parents’ health risk indicators can help inform development of health promotion and disease prevention measures.

Methods and Analysis:

A prospective descriptive study examined 8 parent dyads. Parents completed health surveys (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System–global, social, and sleep; Brief Symptom Inventory [BSI] 18), which are used to assess parents’ health at 3 and 6 months after their child’s death. Demographic data included a medical history, hospital or emergency department visits, and smoking and alcohol intake. Descriptive statistics were used to compare parents’ scores to US general population scores.

Findings:

Mothers’ and fathers’ physical, mental, and sleep health scores were typically within 1 to 2 standard deviations of the population norms. However, their social health scores were as low as 3 standard deviations and all parents’ scores were below population norms. Four (25%) of the 16 parents had new diagnosis during the first 6 months. Based on the BSI-18, 3 parents had their scores above population cutoffs, which warranted a need for further clinical evaluation.

Conclusions:

Health data highlight the “at-risk” health status of bereaved parents. Further validation of these data is required to support the development of health promotion and disease prevention programs.
A Nurse-Led and Teacher-Assisted Adolescent Healthy Weight Program to Improve Health Behaviors in the School Setting
Authors: Dupart Gary , Berry Diane C. , D’Auria Jennifer , Sharpe Leslie , McDonough Linda , Houser Marion , Flanary Sarah , Koppelberger Sadie
Published: December 2017

Adolescents with overweight and obesity are at risk for future health problems. The purpose of this study was to examine the feasibility and initial efficacy of a weight management intervention to help adolescents develop healthy nutrition and physical activity behaviors and improve their anthropometrics. This study used a single-group repeated measures design in a small school in Durham, North Carolina (NC). The intervention consisted of a nurse-led and teacher-assisted nutrition and physical activity education and exercise classes that met twice each week for 45–60 minutes for 7 weeks. Data were collected at Time 1 (baseline), Time 2 (after intervention completion), and Time 3 (after 3 months on their own). Interview feedback, low cost, and successful completion of all planned activities indicated that all stakeholders found the project beneficial and suitable for their school. This study suggests that a weight management intervention for adolescents was feasible in the school setting.
Blood Bag Assemblies: I. Alteration or Contamination of ACD Solutions
Authors: Guess W. L. , Jacob J. , Autian J.
Published: December 2017

Results from a study of five types of polyvinyl chloride blood bag assemblies containing ACD solutions have demonstrated that (1) water from the solution permeates the plastic walls producing a hypertonic solution and (2) that one or several ingredients from the plastic bag migrate into the ACD solution. Depending upon the specific overwrap or packaging system for the blood bag assemblies, the temperature of storage, and the length of storage, various degrees of permeation or hypertonicity occurred. Even though the migrated ingredients were in microquantities, it appears that a need exists to appraise the safety of certain plastic blood bag assemblies, not only from gross responses but from delayed or subtle responses not detected by conventional methods of testing.
99mTc-Albumin for Brain Scanning
Authors: Ashburn William L. , Di Chiro Giovanni , Briner William H. , Harbert John C.
Published: December 2017

Preliminary results using 99mTc-albumin for intracranial tumor localization in over 50 patients are described briefly. It appears that the ideal physical characteristics of the 99mTc combined with greater apparent biologic tumor affinity of albumin make 99mTc-albumin a promising brain scanning agent.
Drug Interaction 1. General Considerations
Authors: Hartshorn Edward A.
Published: December 2017

Drug interaction, modification of the effects of one drug by another, is a serious problem. This series of articles will deal with the interaction of drugs with other chemical agents, both exogenous and endogenous, as well' as those found in foods and those utilized in diagnostic tests. To understand drug interactions and their significance, one must be familiar with the terminology, with the biological sciences, clinical use of drugs, and the current pharmaco-medical literature.
New Dimensions in Aiding the Objectives of the Pharmacy & Therapeutics Committee
Authors: Burkholder David F.
Published: December 2017

Eleven ways in which a Drug Information Center can aid the pharmacy and therapeutics committee strengthen its approach to rational drug therapy are outlined and discussed. Additional educational preparation for this task is needed by the Drug Information Specialist and the author recommends further preparation at either a post-graduate or graduate school level.
An Aerosol Laboratory in a Hospital Pharmacy
Authors: Gallelli Joseph F. , Crossley Ray D. , Skolaut Milton W.
Published: December 2017

An aerosol laboratory was established in the hospital pharmacy at The Clinical Center of the National Institutes of Health in late 1965. The need for such a laboratory was prompted by the requests of nurses and clinical investigators for pharmaceuticals in an aerosol dosage form. Specifically, physicians in the Dermatology Branch of the National Cancer Institute had requested the formulation of dermatological preparations in the form of aerosols for the possible treatment of patients with mycosis fungoides. It was hoped that aerosol therapy would be effective and lead to better patient care because of its ease of application, elimination of contamination or deterioration of product by contact, oxidation, moisture or light, and elimination of physical contact with a consequent reduction of pain and infection.

Evaluation of the potential usefulness of an aerosol unit in a hospital pharmacy, and the advantages and disadvantages of such a unit, are reported. Selection of the basic equipment needed for the aerosol filling or packaging, principles of operation and control and evaluation procedures are discussed.
Dosage Regimen Adjustments in Renal Impairment
Authors: Giusti Donald L. , Hayton William L.
Published: December 2017

A pharmacokinetic approach based on creatinine clearance has been outlined which permits drug dosage regimen adjustments in patients with renal impairment. The parameters needed for calculating a loading dose and a maintenance regimen are the fraction of a dose excreted unchanged in the urine, the creatinine clearance of the patient, and the half-life of the drug in patients with normal renal function. In varying degrees of renal failure, predicted dosage regimens agree closely with dosage regimens predicted by other methods for a number of drugs.
Investigational Drug Information
Authors: Kleinman Larry M. , Tangrea Joseph A , Gallelli Joseph F.
Published: December 2017

The drug information appearing in this column is for investigational drugs studied in clinical research protocols being pursued in the Clinical Center at the National Institutes of Health.

As with all investigational drugs, the drugs reported in this column have a Notice of Claimed Investigational Exemption for a New Drug (IND) assigned to them by the Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.).
Drug Expense Comparison
Authors: Pietrusko Robert G. , Smith Joe E.
Published: December 2017

Medication costs of a decentralized unit dose system and a traditional centralized system were surveyed at the end of a six month period. Drug costs per patient day were decreased by 18.5 percent in the unit dose system. These results supplement other published reports confirming a rational economic basis for decentralized unit dose distribution systems.
Investigational Drug Information
Authors: Kleinman Larry M. , Tangrea Joseph A. , Gallelli Joseph F.
Published: December 2017

The drug information appearing in this column is for investigational drugs studied in clinical research protocols being pursued in the Clinical Center at the National Institutes of Health. This same information, in the form of an “Investigational Drug Fact Sheet,” is distributed, prior to its use, to the dispensing pharmacist and the appropriate nursing units involved in the administration of the drug

As with all investigational drugs, the drugs reported in this column have a Notice of Claimed Investigational Exemption for o New Drug (IND) assigned to them by the Food and Drug Administration (F.D.A.).
A Review with a Case History on the Effect of Renal Failure
Authors: Kradjan Wayne A.
Published: December 2017

Although the majority of individuals medicated with diphenylhydantoin require doses in the range of 4–6 mg/kg/day (300–400 mg/day), there are many people who are known to deviate from this average in their requirements. Other persons may be stablized on a given dose of diphenylhydantoin, yet develop toxic signs or demonstrate lack of therapeutic effect at a later time. This paper reviews basic pharmacokinetics and elimination data for diphenylhydantoin, as well as the various parameters recognized as influencing diphenylhydantoin dosing requirements. A case history is presented1 to illustrate the possible effects of renal failure and how one individual's requirements changed as his clinical status changed.

Among the physiological factors considered are liver function, renal function, genetic influences on metabolic disposition, and alterations that occur in serum protein binding of diphenylhydantoin. Physical characteristics that are considered include variability in formulation of various solid oral dosage forms, hazards of oral suspensions of diphenylhydantoin, efficacy of intramuscular injections, and failure of diphenylhydantoin to obey first order elimination kinetics. Finally, interaction of other drug products with diphenylhydantoin is discussed and summarized.
Diffusion of Drugs into Prostatic Fluid and Milk
Authors: Lien Eric J. , Kuwahara Jean , Koda Robert T.
Published: December 2017

THE PROSTATIC FLUID/PLASMA CONCENTRATION RATIO of various sulfonamides, antibiotics and antibacterial agents, and the milk/plasma ratio of sulfonamides and basic drugs have been quantitatively correlated with the degree of dissociation, as represented by log U/D, and the partition coefficient (log P). Because of the lower pH values of the prostatic fluid (6.6) and milk (6.8) as compared with the plasma pH (7.4), the degree of dissociation appears to be the most important factor in determining the distribution of these weak acids or bases. Partition coefficient also plays a secondary role. The log Po for maximum diffusion into milk is lower than that for maximum gastrointestinal, buccal or percutaneous absorption. This may be attributed to plasma protein binding which prevents diffusion of the drug from the blood circulation into the milk since high lipophilicity favors protein binding. The clinical implications of the correlations obtained are discussed.
Fluidose II a Semi-automatic Method Used in Filling Unit-of-use Syringes
Authors: Mantsch Michael E. , Stach Paul E. , Sherrin Thomas P.
Published: December 2017

Extemporaneous syringe-filling techniques used most frequently by institutions throughout the U.S. are compared and contrasted with a new system recently marketed by Mono-Med, Inc. The advantages of the new system, FluiDose II, is supported by results relating to speed of filling syringes, efficiency, sterility and versatility.
Combination Use of Nonsteroidal Anti Inflammatory Drugs
Authors: Miller Donald R.
Published: December 2017

Polypharmacy with nonsteroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) is widely practiced despite being condemned by many rheumatologists. Combination use of aspirin with other NSAIDs might be discouraged for three well-documented reasons. First, aspirin reduces the blood levels of many NSAIDs. Second, multiple drugs are antagonistic or at least less than additive in animal models of inflammation. Third, there is no good clinical data to suggest that combination use of NSAIDs is beneficial. Unless new studies become available, NSAIDs should be used one at a time, with supplementary analgesics added on a prn basis.
In Vitro Evaluation of a Vancomycin Radioimmunoassay and Observations on Vancomycin Pharmacokinetics in Dialysis Patients
Authors: Polk Ron E. , Espinel-Ingroff A. , Lockridge Robert
Published: December 2017

A recently marketed radioimmunoassay (RIA) for vancomycin (Monitor Science Corp.) was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The RIA and bioassay results on 15 spiked serum samples found no significant difference between the two assays, although RIA results were significantly less variable. The coefficient of variation (RIA) was 5.5%. Vancomycin showed no significant degradation in plasma at 4°C and —20°C for up to 36 days. Five dialysis patients had a total of 62 serum levels determined. When vancomycin 1 g was given weekly to two anuric adults, marked accumulation occurred. This finding was consistent with vancomycin's long terminal half-life (19.8 and 17.8 days) obtained from a new computer subroutine which obtains least square estimators of model parameters from multiple dose data. Despite serum levels well above the MIC, two patients remained bacteremic. Peritoneal levels of vancomycin in two patients with suspected peritonitis equalled corresponding serum levels.