Materializing digital collecting: an extended view of digital materiality

If digital objects are abundant and ubiquitous, why should consumers pay for, much less collect them? The qualities of digital code present numerous challenges for collecting, yet digital collecting can and does occur. We explore the role of companies in constructing digital consumption objects that encourage and support collecting behaviours, identifying material configuration techniques that materialise these objects as elusive and authentic. Such techniques, we argue, may facilitate those pleasures of collecting otherwise absent in the digital realm. We extend theories of collecting by highlighting the role of objects and the companies that construct them in materialising digital collecting. More broadly, we extend theories of digital materiality by highlighting processes of digital material configuration that occur in the pre-objectification phase of materialisation, acknowledging the role of marketing and design in shaping the qualities exhibited by digital consumption objects and consequently related consumption behaviours and experiences

Self-help groups challenge health care systems in the US and UK

Purpose: This research considers how self-help groups (SHGs) and self- help organizations (SHOs) contribute to consumerist trends in two different societies: United States and United Kingdom. How do the health care systems and the voluntary sectors affect the kinds of social changes that SHGs/SHOs make? Methodology/approach: A review of research on the role of SHGs/SHOs in contributing to national health social movements in the UK and US was made. Case studies of the UK and the US compare the characteristics of their health care systems and their voluntary sector. Research reviews of two community level self-help groups in each country describe the kinds of social changes they made. Findings: The research review verified that SHGs/SHOs contribute to national level health social movements for patient consumerism. The case studies showed that community level SHGs/SHOs successfully made the same social changes but on a smaller scale as the national movements, and the health care system affects the kinds of community changes made. Research limitations: A limited number of SHGs/SHOs within only two societies were studied. Additional SHGs/SHOs within a variety of societies need to be studied. Originality/value of chapter Community SHGs/SHOs are often trivialized by social scientists as just inward-oriented support groups, but this chapter shows that local groups contribute to patient consumerism and social changes but in ways that depend on the kind of health care system and societal context

Point: Should thoracoscopic talc pleurodesis be the first choice management for malignant effusion? Yes/No

10.1378/chest.12-1085Chest142115-19CHET

Chemical pleurodesis for malignant pleural effusion

Background and Objectives: Malignant pleural effusion is a common complication of primary and metastatic pleural malignancies. It is usually managed by drainage and pleurodesis, but there is no consensus as to the best method of pleurodesis, this study was designed to compare the effectiveness, side effects, and cost of different chemical pleurodesis agents used in patients with malignant pleural effusion. Methods: Seventy-five patients with malignant pleural effusion were assigned into five groups each of 15 patients, Talc slurry 5 gm, Tetracycline500 mg, Bleomycin1 IU/kg, Iodopovidone (2%) and patients underwent tube drainage only. Tube thoracotomy was performed in all patients and agents were administered through the chest tubes. Results: Tetracycline, talc slurry, iodopovidone andbleomycin, resulted inan insignificantly different success rates of 80%, 80%, 66.6%.73.3%, at 30 days and, 66.6%, 73.3%, 60%, 66.6%, at 60 days respectively while tube alone was much lower, 40% and 26.7% respectively. Chest tubes were removed after an average of 7.2 ± 1.4 days for tetracycline, 7 ± 0.8 days for talc slurry, 7.6 ± 0.9 days for iodopovidone and 6.4 ± 1.5 days for bleomycin which did not differ significantly. Chest pain was more common in the tetracycline group, dyspnea was more common in the talc group, and fever was more common in the iodopovidone group. Conclusion: Since tetracycline, talc slurry, iodopovidone, andbleomycin achieved comparable success rates in this study, we suggest that the drug availability and cost are important factors in choosing a sclerosing agent in developing countries