Accountability in Child Welfare Services: Developing a Statewide Outcome Evaluation Program.

Questions are often raised regarding the effectiveness and value of treatment programs for children and families. Recently, programs have been increasingly held accountable for services offered. In response, the member agencies of IARCCA have developed a comprehensive outcome measurement program. This article describes the project, focusing on the conditions that led to its inception and how the measurement plan was developed. In addition, the article includes information on the selection of personnel, measurement instruments, and methods and on the process of data collection. Summary results are provided, including how these results are utilized to improve services. Finally, the continued expansion and future directions of the Outcome Project are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

EMDR Therapy Following the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks: A Community-Based Intervention Project in New York City.

This article presents the results of a time-limited psychological relief effort using eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) following the attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Clients made highly significant positive gains on a range of outcome variables, including validated psychometrics and self-report scales. Analyses of the data suggest 2 broad conclusions: EMDR is a useful treatment intervention both in the immediate aftermath of disaster as well as later; the longer treatment is delayed, the greater the level of disturbance experienced by clients. Also discussed are problems in conducting research during mass disaster response situations. A demonstration of an analog to a wait-list control group is provided. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Friction Stir Welding of Ceramic Particle Reinforced Aluminium Based Metal Matrix Composites

The mechanical and microstructural properties of 6061+20% Al₂O_3p and 7005+10% Al₂O_3p aluminium based metal matrix composites joined by friction stir welding were analyzed in the present study. The two materials were welded into the form of sheets of 7 mm thickness after T6 treatment and were tested in tension at room temperature. The microstructure of the joints was observed by optical microscopy and the fracture surfaces were analyzed by employing a scanning electron microscope equipped with field emission gun in order to study the micromechanisms involved during the deformation.     

MILD combustion in diffusion-controlled regimes of Hot Diluted Fuel

Reactive structures have been characterized in a steady laminar, unidimensional mixing layer on a dense grid of parameters in moderate or intense low-oxygen dilution (MILD) combustion conditions with hot and diluted fuel. The structures have been studied in terms of temperature and heat release profiles in a mixture fraction space for various ranges of stretch rates and for two reference pressures (1 and 10 bar) using a standard code and standard kinetic scheme.In the analysis of reactive structure three synthetic characteristics have been pointed out in previous works as discriminative for the occurrence of different combustion regimes. Such characteristics are the thickness of the oxidation structures, the presence/absence of a pyrolysis region and the correlation/no correlation of the regions of maximum heat release with those at which the mixture is stoichiometric. Following the same criteria, maps of regimes have been built up on a inlet fuel temperature – temperature increase plane for fixed stretch rates and different pressures.It has been pointed out that in diffusion controlled regimes of Hot Diluted Fuel, analysed in this paper, MILD combustion conditions are characterized by flame thickening and pyrolysis depression, which are also typical of flameless combustion. In addition, the region of maximum heat release has a generally high level of correlation with the stoichiometric regions. Thus, MILD combustion regime differs from MILD combustion regime found in other diffusion controlled regimes where the region of maximum heat release is generally not correlated with the stoichiometric regions. In the case presented in this paper, only a second solution, corresponding to a very low conversion occurring in a very wide stretch-rate range, shows no correlation between heat release and stoichiometric mixture fraction. This behavior has been attributed to the oxidative pyrolysis of methane.At atmospheric pressure, the flameless characteristics extend to a low level of preheating, provided that the fuel is diluted, with a consequently low level of temperature increase, thus confirming that MILD and flameless regimes are not coincident in all possible feeding conditions.In general, the results obtained in these Hot-Fuel-Diluted-Fuel conditions are consistent with and extend those reported in the literature for Hot-Oxidant-Diluted-Fuel, Hot-Oxidant and Diluted-Fuel conditions, supporting the assertion that these inlet parameters are a suitable choice for the definition of MILD combustion.     

Microtopography of the eye surface of the crab Carcinus maenas: an atomic force microscope study suggesting a possible antifouling potential

Marine biofouling causes problems for technologies based on the sea, including ships, power plants and marine sensors. Several antifouling techniques have been applied to marine sensors, but most of these methodologies are environmentally unfriendly or ineffective. Bioinspiration, seeking guidance from natural solutions, is a promising approach to antifouling. Here, the eye of the green crab Carcinus maenas was regarded as a marine sensor model and its surface characterized by means of atomic force microscopy. Engineered surface micro- and nanotopography is a new mechanism found to limit biofouling, promising an effective solution with much reduced environmental impact. Besides giving a new insight into the morphology of C. maenas eye and its characterization, our study indicates that the eye surface probably has antifouling/fouling-release potential. Furthermore, the topographical features of the surface may influence the wettability properties of the structure and its interaction with organic molecules. Results indicate that the eye surface micro- and nanotopography may lead to bioinspired solutions to antifouling protection.     

Gene Discovery in Gelsemium Highlights Conserved Gene Clusters in Monoterpene Indole Alkaloid Biosynthesis

Genome mining is a routine technique in microbes for discovering biosynthetic pathways. In plants, however, genomic information is not commonly used to identify novel biosynthesis genes. Here, we present the genome of the medicinal plant and oxindole monoterpene indole alkaloid (MIA) producer Gelsemium sempervirens (Gelsemiaceae). A gene cluster from Catharanthus roseus, which is utilized at least six enzymatic steps downstream from the last common intermediate shared between the two plant alkaloid types, is found in G. sempervirens, although the corresponding enzymes act on entirely different substrates. This study provides insights into the common genomic context of MIA pathways and is an important milestone in the further elucidation of the Gelsemium oxindole alkaloid pathway.     

Generativity and spiritual disclosure in close relationships.

This exploratory study examines the link between generativity and an interpersonal aspect of religion and spirituality, spiritual disclosure, in close relationships. Three hundred seventy-eight adults aged 18 to 85 years were asked about their use of spiritual disclosure with close friends, views on their own generativity, questions related to personality characteristics, and level of general self-disclosure. This community sample’s reports on higher levels of spiritual disclosure were tied to higher levels of generativity and general self-disclosure. Spiritual disclosure also predicted unique variance in generativity beyond general self-disclosure, personality, and intrapersonal aspects of religion and spirituality. These findings suggest spiritual disclosure in close relationships is an important part of the religious/spiritual landscape, which merits further study in relation to generativity and other prosocial indices. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The impact of childhood symptoms of conduct disorder on driver aggression in adulthood

Background

Despite limited empirical investigation, existing scientific literature suggests that individuals with a history or current diagnosis of conduct disorder (CD) may be more likely to demonstrate reckless and aggressive driving. Much of the limited research in this field examines the impact of childhood CD on driver behaviour and collision risk in young adults. Few if any, studies assess the impact of this disorder on driver behaviour beyond age 21 years. The current research is a population-based study of the impact of CD symptoms during childhood on the risk of engaging in driver aggression during adulthood.

Methods

Data are based on telephone interviews with 5230 respondents who reported having driven in the past year. Data are derived from the 2011–2013 cycles of the CAMH Monitor, an ongoing cross-sectional survey of adults in Ontario, Canada aged 18 years and older. A binary logistic regression analysis of self-reported driver aggression in the previous 12 months was conducted, consisting of measures of demographic characteristics, driving exposure, problem substance use, alcohol- and drug-impaired driving, symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and childhood (before age 15) symptoms of CD.

Results

When entered with demographic characteristics, driving exposure, and other potential confounders, childhood symptoms of CD increased the odds of reporting driver aggression more than two-fold (adjusted OR = 2.12). Exploratory analyses of the interaction between childhood symptoms of CD and age was not a significant predictor of driver aggression.

Conclusions

Results suggest that symptoms of CD during childhood are associated with significantly increased odds of self-reported driver aggression during adulthood. Limitations and future directions of the research are discussed.     

Inflammatory Cutaneous Diseases in Renal Transplant Recipients

Kidney transplant recipients frequently suffer from skin infections and malignancies, possibly due to the effects of long-term immunosuppressive therapy. While the relationships between immunosuppression and these pathological conditions have been widely investigated, little is known about the relative incidence and characteristics of inflammatory skin diseases in this type of patient. In this study, we analyze the incidence of a number of inflammatory cutaneous diseases in a cohort of patients who underwent kidney transplantation. Although our study shows a relatively low incidence of these pathologies in transplanted patients—in agreement with the general action of immunosuppressant therapies in reducing inflammation—we scored a different efficacy of the various immunosuppressive regimens on inflammatory and autoimmune skin diseases. This information can be key for designing immunosuppressive regimens and devising accurate follow-up protocols.