Workers'' compensation appeals systems in Canada and the United States

The interplay between the acetylation and deacetylation activities within the cell has been postulated to be a mechanism by which the cell regulates expression from genes at the level of chromatin. We have examined the expression pattern of the human histone deacetylase gene HDAC1 and the cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor p57Kip2 in the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Hep 3B. HDAC1 expression was elevated at low cell densities, but once a critical threshold point in cell density was attained, expression was reduced to very low levels. Treatment of the cells with trichostatin A (TSA), a potent inhibitor of histone deacetylases, was found to affect expression. p57Kip2 was found to be downregulated by TSA, whereas HDAC1 was upregulated. These effects were found to be cell density dependent. The results suggest that HDAC1 plays a role in its own regulation, and that investigations using TSA should be carried out when cells grow exponentially.     

Integral Abutment Bridges: Current Practice in United States and Canada

Integral abutment bridges have been gaining popularity among bridge owners as cost-effective alternatives to bridges with conventional joints. They reduce initial construction costs and long-term maintenance expenses, improve seismic resistance, and extend long-term serviceability. New York has been building them since the late 1970s, with a wide variety of details, and they have been performing well. For further improvement of New York's design practice, a comparative survey was undertaken across North America, focusing on design and construction of both substructures and superstructures. In all, 39 states and Canadian provinces responded, including 8 who said they had no experience with these bridges. Responses are analyzed and summarized in this paper. Overall, integral abutment bridges are performing as well as, if not better than, conventional bridges, but no uniform national standards exist for their design. Design practices and assumptions concerning limits of thermal movement, soil pressure, and pile design vary considerably among responding agencies. These decisions are based largely on past experience. Validity of these assumptions needs investigation by testing and analysis to ensure efficient and reliable design.     

Comparison of cardiology training programs in Canada and the United States

To compare the composition of cardiology training programs in Canada and the USA, we surveyed the directors of all Canadian and American training programs. We found that Canadian trainees performed significantly fewer procedures than USA trainees and that the chief determinants of numbers of procedures performed are duration of time spent in a rotation and the type of hospital where the program is based.     

Using audioteleconferencing to link occupational therapy graduate students in the United States and Canada

Lack of access to graduate education in the United States and Canada is a frustration for many occupational therapists who wish to further their careers. One way to overcome lack of access is to use technology to bridge the distances. The occupational therapy schools at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, and Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, have collaborated for several years to provide graduate occupational therapy courses via audioteleconferencing. A general overview of the progress made in the project, as well as its design and unique features, is discussed. The major recommendation is that more occupational therapy schools could use distance education to collaborate when resources are few and needs are great. Such efforts benefit both faculty members and students.     

Commentary: The mental health movement in the United States.

Comments that the future of mental health (MH) can be advanced by MH professionals working together with the mentally ill and their families to successfully advocate for increased funding of research and services. Three areas of common ground for expanding the partnership between MH professionals (including psychologists) and family members are research, treatment, and public education. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Brief Intelligence Testing in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

Do you use brief measures of intelligence? There is available an increasing variety of short forms and new and revised quick tests of intelligence. However, little is known about clinical practice using these abbreviated instruments. The authors report the results of a 4-country exploratory survey of the extent and circumstances of the use of short forms and quick tests. Such measures are commonly used, and practitioners generally followed literature-based advice about the role of brief measures. However, idiosyncratic subtest combinations and inappropriate prorating were also prevalent with short forms. Frequently used quick tests were identified, as were the reasons for using brief measures. The authors offer specific recommendations for the appropriate use of brief measures. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Supervisors and shop stewards as sources of contextual information in goal setting: A comparison of the United States with England.

Examined how different sources (information given by a supervisor vs a shop steward) and types of information (work strategy vs work rationale) influence goal setting and performance in the US and England. It was hypothesized that workers receiving information from their shop stewards would outperform those receiving information from their supervisors. It was also hypothesized that workers receiving a job rationale would not as effectively perform or have as high a level of goal acceptance as workers who were provided task training. To test these hypotheses, 2 field experiments were conducted at comparable tire-production factories, with 60 18–53 yr old male workers participating from each country. Results demonstrate that the goal-setting method worked in England as it did in the US, except that a supervisor was not as effective a source of information as a shop steward in England. (25 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A survey of training in rehabilitation psychology practice in the United States and Canada: 2007.

Objective: Examine the structures, processes, and outcomes of training for rehabilitation psychology practice in the United States and Canada during 2007. Methods: Public data sources provided 947 potential training sites and programs, with 635 meeting selection criteria, from which 328 unique sites were identified. Of these, 117 sites (36%) reported providing training in rehabilitation psychology practice, and were sent a survey. Eighty percent (80%) returned the survey (n = 94). Results: There were nearly equal numbers of intern and resident training sites. Of the resident training sites, 46% had a complete rehabilitation focus, and 41% had faculty with American Board of Rehabilitation Psychology (ABRP) certification. Resident training sites ranged from 73% to 100% in meeting the Patterson and Hanson (1995) training guidelines, and ranged from 7% to 100% in formally teaching the current ABRP required competencies. Discussion: Many rehabilitation patients receive psychological services from practitioners whose professional emphasis is not in rehabilitation psychology, and many trainees involved with rehabilitation populations do not receive comprehensive training in rehabilitation psychology. There is a need for increased structure in and funding of training programs for rehabilitation psychology practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Eyewitness Identification: Guidelines and Recommendations for Identification Procedures in the United States and in Canada.

Innocent people are convicted each year because of mistaken eyewitness identification. This paper addresses both historical and more contemporary perspectives on the possible limitations of eyewitness identification. The primary purpose of this article is to describe some of the attempts made to protect the fact-finding process from misidentifications. The development and nature of guidelines and recommendations for the design and administration of identification lineups in the United States and in Canada are described. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Impact of information systems on acute care hospitals: results from a survey in the United States

These results are from a survey of acute care hospitals in the United States. A random sample of 813 hospitals was selected with 115 responding and 33 incorrect addresses resulting in a 15% response rate. The purpose of the study was to measure the impact and future potential of information systems integration in the financial, medical, and administrative systems of the hospitals. Impact of Information Systems is measured in many ways. Questions about employee moral, reductions in employees, goals being met and overall satisfaction with the systems are asked and results analyzed. This information will provide a benchmark for hospitals to determine their information systems position and technology transfer planning. These analyses will lead to setting goals.