Responding to unexpected infant deaths : experience in one English region

New national procedures for responding to the unexpected death of a child in England require a joint agency approach to investigate each death and support the bereaved family. As part of a wider population-based study of sudden unexpected deaths in infancy (SUDI) we evaluated the implementation of this approach. Methods: A process evaluation using a population-based study of all unexpected deaths from birth to 2 years in the South West of England between January 2003 and December 2006. Local police and health professionals followed a standardised approach to the investigation of each death, supported by the research team set up to facilitate this joint approach as well as collect data for a wider research project. Results: We were notified of 155/157 SUDI, with a median time to notification of 2 hours. Initial multi-agency discussions took place in 93.5% of cases. A joint home visit by police officers with health professionals was carried out in 117 cases, 75% within 24 hours of the death. Time to notification and interview reduced during the 4 years of the study. Autopsies were conducted on all cases, the median time to autopsy being 3 days. At the conclusion of the investigation, a local multi-agency case discussion was held in 88% of cases. The median time for the whole process (including family support) was 5 months. Conclusions: This study has demonstrated that with appropriate protocols and support, the joint agency approach to the investigation of unexpected infant deaths can be successfully implemented

Non-linear Methods in HRV Analysis

AbstractHeart rate variability (HRV) analysis has become an important tool in cardiology, these noninvasive measurements are relatively easy to perform, have good reproducibility and also provide prognostic information on patients with cardiac diseases. There are various methods in use to analyze the HRV; these methods usually can help in the early detection of some cardiac diseases. HRV analysis (meaning the study of hearts inter-beat time intervals) is useful for understanding the status of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). HRV reflects the cardiac system's ability to adapt to the changing external or internal circumstances by detecting and fast responding to the unexpected and unpredictable stimuli. HRV analysis has the ability to assess overall cardiac health and the state of the ANS responsible for regulating cardiac activity. This paper presents a detrended fluctuation analysis of RR time intervals and of their discrete wavelet transforms, comparing longer and shorter time series in order to find long term significant variations in the studied signals. Signals are taken from MIT-BIH Long Term ECG database, the analysis is performed under MATLAB environment

Barbarism: Notes on the Thought of Theodor W. Adorno

Adorno’s use of the term “barbarism” has probably been most often referred to in the context of his much- cited dictum that “to write poetry after Auschwitz is barbaric” (Adorno 1983: 34). While, nowadays, the term is usually and fortunately presented within the broader context of his works, his intended meaning was frequently misunderstood particularly after Adorno had articulated it for the first time. For clarity, the aforementioned dictum was not a verdict intended to silence poets or artists. It was rearticulated a few times by Adorno — specifically in response to Celan’s poetry — who calls for arts and culture to respond from within and in the face of an inescapable aporetic condition. Namely, to write poetry after Auschwitz means to write from within a differend—a radical chasm between the signifier and the signified that one neither ought nor could overcome via writing or aesthetic means in general. Yet, poetry (and also art and thinking, per se) as a form of active engagement with sociopolitical realities, has to respond to the ungraspable (i.e., the Holocaust); it cannot simply avoid doing so. It permanently has to speak whilst knowing that it will never reach the addressee; that it must fail in speaking

9. Understanding the P300 and Its Components in a Three-Stimulus Visual Oddball Task

The P300 is an electrical signal that is a neural correlate of prediction error and surprise. Recent studies show the P300 is made of distinct subcomponents that correlate with cognitive mechanisms the brain uses in responding to the unexpected. The P3A component is generated in the frontal region of the brain, an area associated with attention and cognitive control, in response to novel irrelevant stimuli. Conversely, the P3B component is generated in the parietal region, a brain area that is active during encounters that involve learning and memory, in response to novel task-relevant stimuli. Our experiment explores these signals using a visual three-stimulus oddball paradigm in which frequent non-target stimuli occur with 80% probability, novel irrelevant stimuli 10%, and novel task-relevant stimuli 10%. We record electrical signals from the brain with scalp electroencephalography (EEG) while subjects complete the oddball task, allowing us to examine neural responses to three types of stimuli. Based on a context-updating theory that the brain responds to an unexpected stimulus by making comparisons to prior expectations, we expect to observe a robust P300 effect with a frontal P3A in response to novel irrelevant stimuli, indicating higher demands on attention and effortful processing. We also expect novel task relevant stimuli to produce a parietal P3B, showing activity related to working memory. Exploring these signals allows further understanding of how the brain processes unexpected information with varying demands on attention and memory. Keywords: P300, P3A, P3B, electroencephalography (EEG), visual oddball, context updating, attention, working memor

Disruptions to Transportation Networks: A Review

Travel decisions may be very stable in a familiar environment. Major network disruptions such as the I-35W bridge collapse disrupt habitual behavior. Such ``natural'' experiments provide unique opportunities for behavioral studies, but the time window for such studies is limited. A well-developed methodology is crucial for both data collection and analysis, and thus the soundness of behavioral models , especially in such a limited time window. Therefore, this paper reviews both theoretical and empirical studies on traffic and behavioral impacts of network disruptions. Findings from this paper offers prospective ideas about capturing the impacts of network disruption.Network disruption; Travel survey; Travel behavior

Responding to Hate: How National and Local Incidents Sparked Action at the UNLV University Libraries

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe how an academic library at one of the most diverse universities in the country responded to the 2016 election through the newly formed Inclusion and Equity Committee and through student outreach. Design/methodology/approach: This paper details the context of the 2016 election and the role of social justice in librarianship. It offers ideas for how library diversity committees can address professional development, recruitment and retention efforts and cultural humility. It highlights student outreach efforts to support marginalized students, educate communities and promote student activism. Finally, it offers considerations and suggestions for librarians who want to engage in this work. Findings: This paper shows that incorporating social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion requires individuals taking action. If institutions want to focus on any of these issues, they need to formally include them in their mission, vision and values as well as in department goals and individual job descriptions. The University of Nevada, Las Vegas University Libraries fully supports this work, but most of the labor is done by a small number of people. Unsustainable practices can cause employee burnout and turnover resulting in less internal and external efforts to support diversity. Originality/value: Most of the previous literature focuses either on internal activities, such as professional development and committees, or on student-focused activities, such as outreach events, displays and instruction. This paper is one comprehensive review of both kinds of activities