Reducing the Amount of Swearing by using a Token System

The purpose of this research is to determine if implementing a token system will decrease the amount of time the participant in the study uses profanity (the f-word). The participant in this study volunteered herself for the study and is a twenty-one year old college student. The participant was recruited voluntarily to participate in this study and only one participant was studied for the purpose of this research. The participant was observed over a three-hour time period, five days a week for a total of four weeks. The participant received positive reinforcement using a sticker token system every time she used the f-word one or fewer times in a three-hour time period. An ABAB design was used for this study to determine if the intervention was successful. Confidentiality was maintained throughout this research study and the participant will not be mentioned by name. (Editor’s Note: This presentation may contain adult themes, content, or imagery.

Non-pigmented skin lesions: how many are non melanoma skin cancer?

BACKGROUND Nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC) is the most common cancer in Australia and thus the most costly to treat. Despite the high prevalence of NMSC, little is known about the rate of malignancy in excised or biopsied nonpigmented lesions. METHOD An audit of 912 reports relating to nonpigmented skin samples from 749 patients processed during January 2005 in Tasmania. RESULTS Nonmelanoma skin cancer was present in 60.6% of samples from specialists and 44.5% from nonspecialists/primary care doctors (p<0.001); 1.6 skin lesions were excised or biopsied in order to identify one malignant or pre-invasive lesion (1.3 for specialists and 1.7 for nonspecialists). The number of NMSCs increased with age and were more common in men. DISCUSSION Medical practitioners are efficient in their management of nonpigmented skin lesions in both primary and secondary care

Design and Analysis of Cognitive Interviews for Comparative Multinational Testing

This article summarizes the work of the Comparative Cognitive Testing Workgroup, an international coalition of survey methodologists interested in developing an evidence-based methodology for examining the comparability of survey questions within cross-cultural or multinational contexts. To meet this objective, it was necessary to ensure that the cognitive interviewing (CI) method itself did not introduce method bias. Therefore, the workgroup first identified specific characteristics inherent in CI methodology that could undermine the comparability of CI evidence. The group then developed and implemented a protocol addressing those issues. In total, 135 cognitive interviews were conducted by participating countries. Through the process, the group identified various interpretive patterns resulting from sociocultural and language-related differences among countries as well as other patterns of error that would impede comparability of survey data

Verbal Behaviors during Employment Interviews of College Students with and without ASD

BACKGROUND: Even well-educated people with ASD struggle with obtaining employment, partially due to social difficulties during interviews. Although increasing numbers of individuals with ASD are entering college, little research focuses on this population. Particularly little is known about how to help college students with ASD obtain jobs. OBJECTIVE: This study attempts to identify challenges with verbal communication during employment interviews that are specific to college students with ASD. METHODS: We administered mock employment interviews to 16 college students with ASD and 14 college students without disabilities. Responses to interview questions were coded for content and timing. RESULTS: Students with ASD exhibited slower onsets of responses and greater variability in response length than students without ASD. Students with ASD reported less desire for social aspects of employment than other students. They did not differ in self-reported social difficulties in the workplace. Although they overwhelmingly fully disclosed disability status, they rarely shared strengths of ASD or how they overcame challenges. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the need to develop vocational interventions for college students with ASD that help them develop impression management techniques during interviews such as demonstrating interest in social aspects of the workplace, educating interviewers about positive aspects of ASD, and replying in a timely manner

Prevalence and associations of General Practice registrars’ management of Impetigo: a cross-sectional analysis from the registrar clinical encounters in training (ReCEnT) study

Background: Impetigo is a mild bacterial skin infection of childhood that is usually managed empirically in primary care. Objective: To establish the prevalence and associations of impetigo in general practice (GP) registrars’ consultations. Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of the Registrar Clinical Encounters in Training (ReCEnT) study data. Results: Impetigo was managed in 0.24% of problems and 0.43% of consultations. Patient variables associated with impetigo presentations were younger age and impetigo as a new problem, while patients with non–English-speaking backgrounds were less likely to present with impetigo. Associated registrar variables were being new to the registrar and practicing in outer regional/remote locations. Compared with all other problems/diagnoses, impetigo more often involved information seeking, ordering pathology, and prescription of medication, but less often involved follow-up or referral. Conclusions: Impetigo accounts for 0.43 per 100 GP registrar consultations in Australia. Association with outer regional/remote areas may reflect climate and socioeconomic factors that predispose to impetigo. Associated pathology requests may reflect a lack of confidence in GP registrars’ management of impetigo. Cultural differences may exist regarding health-seeking behavior relating to impetigo

Transitions in general practice training : quantifying epidemiological variation in trainees' experiences and clinical behaviours

Background: General Practice training in Australia is delivered through the apprenticeship model. General Practice supervisors support trainees transitioning from hospital-based work towards competent independent community-based practice. The timing and manner in which support should be provided is still not well understood. This study aimed to establish the variation in clinical and educational experiences and behaviours, and location, of general practice trainees’ consultations by stage of their vocational training. It was hypothesised that change is greater in earlier stages of training. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of data (2010–2018) from the Registrar Clinical Encounters in Training (ReCEnT) study, an ongoing cohort study of Australian GP registrars’ in-consultation clinical and educational experience and behaviours. Multinomial logistic regression assessed the association of demographic, educational, and clinical factors in different stages of training. The outcome factor was the training term. Results: Two thousand four hundred sixteen registrars contributed data for 321,414 patient consultations. For several important variables (seeing patients with chronic disease; new patients; seeking in-consultation information or assistance; ordering pathology and imaging; and working in a small or regional practice), odds ratios were considerably greater for comparisons of Term 1 and 3, relative to comparisons of Term 2 and 3. Conclusion: Differences experienced in demographic, clinical and educational factors are significantly more pronounced earlier in registrars’ training. This funding has educational and training implications with respect to resource allocation, trainee supervision and curriculum design. Sociocultural learning theory enables an understanding of the impact of transitions on, and how to support, general practice trainees and supervisors

The Association of Optimism with Sleep Duration and Quality: Findings from the Coronary Artery Risk and Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) Study

Optimism is associated with better health outcomes with hypothesized effects due in part to optimism\u27s association with restorative health processes. Limited work has examined whether optimism is associated with better quality sleep, a major restorative process. We test the hypothesis that greater optimism is associated with more favorable sleep quality and duration. Main analyses included adults aged 32-51 who participated in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study (n = 3,548) during the fifth (Year 15: 2000-2001) and sixth (Year 20: 2005-2006) follow-up visits. Optimism was assessed using the revised Life-Orientation Test. Self-report measures of sleep quality and duration were obtained twice 5 years apart. A subset of CARDIA participants (2003-2005) additionally provided actigraphic data and completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Multivariate regression analyses were used to examine associations of optimism and sleep indicators. In cross-sectional analyses of 3548 participants, each standard deviation (SD) higher optimism score resulted in 78% higher odds of self-reporting very good sleep quality. Prospectively, a 1-SD higher optimism score was related to higher odds of reporting persistently good sleep quality across 5-years relative to those with persistently poor sleep [OR = 1.31; 95%CI:1.10,1.56]. In participant with supplementary data, each SD higher optimism score was marginally associated with 22% greater odds of favorable sleep quality [OR = 1.22; 95%CI:1.00,1.49] as measured by the PSQI, with possible mediation by depressive symptoms. Optimism was unrelated to objective actigraphic sleep data. Findings support a positive cross-sectional and prospective association between optimism and self-reported sleep behavior

Immediate and delayed antibiotic prescribing strategies used by Australian early-career GP: A cross-sectional analysis

BACKGROUND: Antibiotics are overused for non-pneumonia acute respiratory tract infections (ARTIs). AIM: To establish prevalence and explore associations of delayed and immediate antibiotic prescribing strategies of Australian early-career GPs (specialist GP vocational trainees, also known as GP registrars) for non-pneumonia ARTIs. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional analysis of data collected between September 2016 and December 2017 from the Registrar Clinical Encounters in Training cohort (ReCEnT) study, an ongoing cohort study of GP registrars’ in-practice clinical experiences in four Australian states and territories. METHOD: Multinomial logistic regression with outcome antibiotic prescribing (no prescribing, immediate prescribing, and delayed prescribing). RESULTS: Of 7156 new ARTI diagnoses, no antibiotics were prescribed for 4892 (68%); antibiotics were prescribed for immediate use for 1614 diagnoses (23%) and delayed antibiotics were used for 650 diagnoses (9%). Delayed prescribing was used in 22% of otitis media, 16% of sinusitis, 13% of sore throat, 11% of acute bronchitis/bronchiolitis, and 5% of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) diagnoses. Delayed prescribing was used for 29% of all prescriptions written. Delayed prescribing and immediate prescribing were associated with markers of clinical concern. Delayed prescribing was associated with longer duration of consultation and with fewer diagnoses/problems dealt with in the consultation. CONCLUSION: Australian early-career GPs use no prescribing for ARTIs substantially more than established GPs; however, except where URTIs are concerned, they still prescribe antibiotics in excess of validated benchmarks. Australian early-career GPs may use delayed prescribing more often than European established GPs, and may use it to manage diagnostic uncertainty and, possibly, conflicting influences on prescribing behaviour. The use of delayed prescribing may enable a transition to an environment of more-rational antibiotic prescribing for ARTIs

Olsalazine-Based Metal–Organic Frameworks as Biocompatible Platforms for H_2 Adsorption and Drug Delivery

The drug olsalazine (H_4olz) was employed as a ligand to synthesize a new series of mesoporous metal–organic frameworks that are expanded analogues of the well-known M_2(dobdc) materials (dobdc^4– = 2,5-dioxido-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate; M-MOF-74). The M_2(olz) frameworks (M = Mg, Fe, Co, Ni, and Zn) exhibit high surface areas with large hexagonal pore apertures that are approximately 27 Å in diameter. Variable temperature H_2 adsorption isotherms revealed strong adsorption at the open metal sites, and in situ infrared spectroscopy experiments on Mg_2(olz) and Ni_2(olz) were used to determine site-specific H_2 binding enthalpies. In addition to its capabilities for gas sorption, the highly biocompatible Mg_2(olz) framework was also evaluated as a platform for the delivery of olsalazine and other encapsulated therapeutics. The Mg_2(olz) material (86 wt % olsalazine) was shown to release the therapeutic linker through dissolution of the framework under simulated physiological conditions. Furthermore, Mg_2(olz) was used to encapsulate phenethylamine (PEA), a model drug for a broad class of bioactive compounds. Under simulated physiological conditions, Mg_2(olz)(PEA)_2 disassembled to release PEA from the pores and olsalazine from the framework itself, demonstrating that multiple therapeutic components can be delivered together at different rates. The low toxicity, high surface areas, and coordinatively unsaturated metal sites make these M_2(olz) materials promising for a range of potential applications, including drug delivery in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases

Olsalazine-Based Metal–Organic Frameworks as Biocompatible Platforms for H_2 Adsorption and Drug Delivery

The drug olsalazine (H_4olz) was employed as a ligand to synthesize a new series of mesoporous metal–organic frameworks that are expanded analogues of the well-known M_2(dobdc) materials (dobdc^4– = 2,5-dioxido-1,4-benzenedicarboxylate; M-MOF-74). The M_2(olz) frameworks (M = Mg, Fe, Co, Ni, and Zn) exhibit high surface areas with large hexagonal pore apertures that are approximately 27 Å in diameter. Variable temperature H_2 adsorption isotherms revealed strong adsorption at the open metal sites, and in situ infrared spectroscopy experiments on Mg_2(olz) and Ni_2(olz) were used to determine site-specific H_2 binding enthalpies. In addition to its capabilities for gas sorption, the highly biocompatible Mg_2(olz) framework was also evaluated as a platform for the delivery of olsalazine and other encapsulated therapeutics. The Mg_2(olz) material (86 wt % olsalazine) was shown to release the therapeutic linker through dissolution of the framework under simulated physiological conditions. Furthermore, Mg_2(olz) was used to encapsulate phenethylamine (PEA), a model drug for a broad class of bioactive compounds. Under simulated physiological conditions, Mg_2(olz)(PEA)_2 disassembled to release PEA from the pores and olsalazine from the framework itself, demonstrating that multiple therapeutic components can be delivered together at different rates. The low toxicity, high surface areas, and coordinatively unsaturated metal sites make these M_2(olz) materials promising for a range of potential applications, including drug delivery in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases