Internet Filters: A Public Policy Report (Second edition; fully revised and updated)

No sooner was the Internet upon us than anxiety arose over the ease of accessing pornography and other controversial content. In response, entrepreneurs soon developed filtering products. By the end of the decade, a new industry had emerged to create and market Internet filters....Yet filters were highly imprecise from the beginning. The sheer size of the Internet meant that identifying potentially offensive content had to be done mechanically, by matching "key" words and phrases; hence, the blocking of Web sites for "Middlesex County," or words such as "magna cum laude". Internet filters are crude and error-prone because they categorize expression without regard to its context, meaning, and value. Yet these sweeping censorship tools are now widely used in companies, homes, schools, and libraries. Internet filters remain a pressing public policy issue to all those concerned about free expression, education, culture, and democracy. This fully revised and updated report surveys tests and studies of Internet filtering products from the mid-1990s through 2006. It provides an essential resource for the ongoing debate

Does Accountability Affect Adherence to Moisturizer Treatment in Atopic Patients with Xerosis?

Introduction: Xerosis is common in atopic dermatitis (AD). Adherence depends on factors such as complexity of treatments, disease understanding and accountability. Accountability is a psychobehavioral construct, referring to the expectation that one must be responsible for their actions or inactions. Objective: We sought to assess whether interventions expected to improve accountability would be associated with improved adherence to xerosis treatment. Method: This is a prospective study of 30 patients diagnosed with xerosis . Patients were given moisturizer with an electronic monitor to record adherence and asked to apply it once daily for three months. Subjects were randomized into one of three arms: the control group (n=12), the electronic interaction group (n=10), or the GPSkin group (n=6). Electronic group received weekly email survey during the study to assess their Cetaphil use, while the GPSkin group received the GPSkin Barrier, a device that measures skin moisture and were instructed to obtain skin moisture measurements daily. Results: Mean adherence scores for the control was 56 (SD=25); electronic interaction group 34 (SD=39) and GPSkin group 19 (SD=19). Control group had higher adherence compared to the electronic interaction group (p=0.044), while no difference was observed between the control and GPSkin groups or between the electronic interaction and GPSkin groups (p=0.11 & p=0.83, respectively). Discussion: Weekly surveys and daily feedback on skin moisture did not appear to promote treatment adherence. This may be because these interactions did not involve direct social consequences, and therefore may not impact patients’ sense of accountability

Interview with Helen Zelkowitz and Margo Waddell

Helen Zelkowitz and Margo Waddell discuss being Jewish in a small Protestant town, their family histories, and Margo\u27s transition from Germany to America. They mention the rise of anti-semitism in Europe again, the Berlin Wall, and their Jewish practices, despite not having a Synagogue, a Rabbi, or access to Kosher food.https://digital.kenyon.edu/lt_interviews/1019/thumbnail.jp

Interview with Mrs. Helen Zelkowitz and Mrs. Clara Wallock

Helen Zelkowitz and [Clara Wallock] discuss their lives growing up in Mount Vernon and their families.https://digital.kenyon.edu/jews_interviews/1001/thumbnail.jp

The Clinical Definition and Characterization of Field of Cancerization in Patients with Actinic Keratoses

Introduction: Chronic UV radiation affects the entire area of skin exposed, leading to visible actinic keratoses (AK) and subclinical changes in the surrounding skin. AKs are hyperkeratotic lesions, with a 0.025-16% risk of transforming into squamous cell carcinoma (SCC).1 Cellular atypia around AKs is the field of cancerization (FOC). Topical AK therapies can treat the FOC, while destructive treatments address visible lesions. FDA-approved products may be approved for field sizes up to 25 cm2.1,2 Objective: To characterize the FOC and assess the correlation between the FOC and number of AKs. Methods: 100 patients with AKs were recruited. FOC was defined by a dermatologist. The size of the FOC was quantified to determine if FOC meets FDA-recommended AK topical treatment criteria. Results: 100 patients (mean age 71.2 years; 23% female) with AKs were enrolled, with 148 FOC. The mean AKs per field was 6.8 (SD=7.3). Mean size of the FOC was 75.3cm2 (SD=75). 111 of the 148 fields (75%) exceeded 25cm2. Number of AKs positively correlated with the size of the FOC. Mean FOC size and the mean number of AKs differed based on the body region affected (p=0.0337; p=0.0087). Conclusion: Cellular atypia changes due to UV radiation are important because if the surrounding area of atypia is not treated along with the visible AK, patients remain at risk for AK recurrence and progression to SCCs. Results suggest treating FOC of 25 cm2 may not be adequate for patients. AK therapy should consider FOC size, number of AKs, and patient preferences

Barriers to Dermatological Care in Patients who Received Extensive Mohs Surgery - An In-Depth Qualitative Analysis

Background: Dermatological care needs to be accessible for the elderly, but they face prominent challenges contributing to delays in diagnosis and treatment. Prolonged management of may lead to widespread cutaneous malignancies, necessitating extensive Mohs surgery. Objective: To identify areas for early intervention in the geriatric population who have undergone extensive Mohs surgery. Methods: We performed a qualitative study on 10 patients 65 years and older (68-91) from Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist dermatology clinics between December 2022 and February 2023, who had extensive Mohs surgery (3 or more layers removed). Results: Three major areas for potential intervention for cutaneous carcinoma identified in our study were lack of knowledge, delayed care, and relationships. Discussion: Early cutaneous carcinoma intervention is essential to avoid extensive Mohs micrographic surgery and the associated risks, and to optimize patient health outcomes

Field applications of the second-generation Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) for remote detection of harmful algae: 2006-2007

We assess the application of the second-generation Environmental Sample Processor (ESP) for the detection of harmful algal bloom (HAB) species in field and laboratory settings using two molecular probe techniques: a sandwich hybridization assay (SHA) and fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). During spring 2006, the first time this new instrument was deployed, the ESP successfully automated application of DNA probe arrays for various HAB species and other planktonic taxa, but non-specific background binding on the SHA probe array support made results interpretation problematic. Following 2006, the DNA array support membrane that we were using was replaced with a different membrane, and the SHA chemistry was adjusted. The sensitivity and dynamic range of these modifications were assessed using 96-well plate and ESP array SHA formats for several HAB species found commonly in Monterey Bay over a range of concentrations; responses were significantly correlated (p < 0.01). Modified arrays were deployed in 2007. Compared to 2006, probe arrays showed improved signal:noise, and remote detection of various HAB species was demonstrated. We confirmed that the ESP and affiliated assays can detect HAB populations at levels below those posing human health concerns, and results can be related to prevailing environmental conditions in near real-time