Physical Therapy and Internal Derangement of the Temporomandibular Joint

In orthopedic literature, internal derangement is considered to be one of the main predisposing factors in the development of temporomandibular joint dysfunction and subsequent arthrosis. Internal derangement can be defined as the abnormal relationship of the articular disc to the condyle and consists of a multitude of disorders. Physical therapy is well-recognized as an effective, conservative method of treatment for temporomandibular disorders. Early treatment to correct symptomatic internal derangement decreases the possibility of disc deformation and further joint degeneration. However, much of the physical therapy literature consists of uncontrolled case studies and focal clinical technique articles. For this reason, there is a need for well-controlled outcome studies. The proposed review of literature will clarify current knowledge concerning internal derangement and define the role of physical therapy in its management. The review will illustrate the etiology, clinical manifestation, and progression of derangement. The current views regarding medical management will be discussed

Developing the Welfare-to-Work Participation and Employability Appraisal Screening: A Retrospective Study

CalWORKs recipients, unless exempt, are required to participate in welfare-to-work (WTW) program activities as a condition of receiving cash aid. A number of clients, however, may have issues that impede successful engagement in WTW program activities, such as substance abuse, mental health concerns, or domestic violence issues. The Riverside County (California) Department of Mental Health (RCDMH) and the Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) sought to develop a structured case management system to help ensure early identification of WTW customers with barriers to employment and, if necessary, to help facilitate quicker engagement in services to address those barriers and move customers into successful employment. A key component of the structured case management system is an actuarial appraisal screening to help identify those customers most in need of support to make a successful transition to self-sufficiency. This report describes the study conducted by Childrenas Research Center (CRC) to develop an appraisal screening that classifies customers by the likelihood of subsequent WTW program participation and employment. Employment counselors can complete the screening assessment soon after WTW assignment to help identify which customers are in greatest need of additional support and engagement to increase the likelihood of successful program participation

Developing an Actuarial Risk Assessment to Inform the Decisions Made by Adult Protective Service Workers

In 2008, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services (BEAS) and the National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD), with funding provided by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), collaborated to construct an actuarial risk assessment to classify BEAS clients by their likelihood of elder maltreatment and/or self-neglect in the future. Studies in adult and juvenile corrections and child welfare have demonstrated that active service intervention with high risk clients can reduce criminal recidivism and the recurrence of child maltreatment (Wagner, Hull, & Luttrell, 1995; Eisenberg & Markley, 1987; Baird, Heinz, & Bemus, 1981). The purpose of this research was to examine a large set of individual and referral characteristics, determine their relationship to subsequent elder self-neglect and/or maltreatment, and develop an actuarial risk assessment for BEAS workers to complete at the end of an investigation to inform their case decisions.BEAS and NCCD pursued development of an actuarial risk assessment with the goal of reducing subsequent maltreatment of elderly and vulnerable adults who have been involved in an incident of self-neglect or maltreatment by another person (i.e., abuse, exploitation, or neglect). The actuarial risk assessment described in this report provides BEAS workers with a method to more accurately identify high risk clients and therefore more effectively target service interventions in an effort to protect their most vulnerable clients

Learning Communities and the Completion Agenda

Learning communities are widely recognized as a powerful pedagogy that promotes deep learning and student engagement, while also addressing a range of challenges that plague higher education. The Completion Agenda represents a complex set of intersecting priorities advocated by federal and state government, nonprofit organizations, colleges, and universities that shift the national focus from expanding access to degree completion. Policy shifts and emerging educational practices aligned with the Completion Agenda such as dual credit courses, prescriptive degree maps, and the expansion of online general education courses are considered in terms of their impact on the administration of learning community programs. Although subtle adjustments in curricula may be necessary, learning communities remain critically important to preserving the quality of student learning and the integrity of undergraduate curricula in a policy environment that sometimes seems to emphasize efficiencies in degree completion above all else. Kathy E. Johnson is Dean of University College, Associate Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate Education, and Professor of Psychology at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI)

An Expert system to generate musical variations in the style of Telemann

Musical performance practice during the Baroque period (approximately 1600 - 1750) required that a solo performer be adept at adding extemporaneous variations on the composer\u27s original melody during performance. Atypically, George Phillip Telemann, in his Methodical Sonatas , provided, along with the original melody line, a written-out variation of that line. Using knowledge of the Baroque style in general and that gleaned from an analysis of Telemann\u27s variations in particular, this expert system models a Baroque musician\u27s (expert\u27s) process of creating such variations. The variation process (programmed in Prolog) involves transformations to a list structure which represents the piece. The system chooses these transformations based on general rules, rhythmic and melodic vocabularies, and the harmonic framework of the specific piece. In addition, global musical considerations such as the duplication of musical sequences found in the original and the creation of overall musical continuity are addressed during the generation process through a multiple viewpoints approach. To test the system, two variations were generated for each of ten musical movements. The expert has judged that syntactically the system works as anticipated, and semantically is generally successful; there remain possibilities, however, for refinement in replicating a more complete spectrum of human musical thought

The Association between Socioeconomic Status and High School Mathematics Scores and Enrollment Rates in Virginia Public Schools.

The purpose of this study was to determine if socioeconomic status for the ethnic groups of white, black, Hispanic, and Asian is a significant indicator of mathematical performance and student participation in higher level courses. The SOL test scores of all high school mathematics students in Virginia for the 2005-2006 school year, their ethnic group membership, and their economically disadvantaged classification were as used to determine if such an association exists. Data provided by the Virginia Department of Education consisted of 113,786 Algebra I scores, 95,898 Geometry scores, and 68,944 Algebra II scores. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and a Two-way ANOVA were used to determine the variables that were highly significant indicators of mathematical performance and enrollment (p\u3c.001)

Risk Assessment: Evidence Base

Human systems PRA (Probabilistic Risk Assessment: a) Provides quantitative measures of probability, consequence, and uncertainty; and b) Communicates risk and informs decision-making. Human health risks rated highest in ISS PRA are based on 1997 assessment of clinical events in analog operational settings. Much work remains to analyze remaining human health risks identified in Bioastronautics Roadmap