Paresthesia free spinal cord stimulation in experimental chronic neuropathic pain

Chronic neuropathic pain is a great burden for patients, often leading to disability and reduced quality of life. Conventional pharmaceutical treatment often does not result in sufficient pain relief or is accompanied by unacceptable side effects. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an advanced treatment option for these patients that do not respond to pharmaceutical treatments. However, conventional SCS is not perfect and the SCS-field is ever evolving, resulting in more recently developed paresthesia free (PF-) SCS paradigms. These PF-paradigms still require optimization to potentially increase treatment efficacy. This thesis describes the effects of various types of PF-SCS paradigms on mechanical hypersensitivity in rodent models of chronic neuropathic pain. In addition, the involvement of spinal serotonergic and GABAergic systems in the analgesic mechanisms of PF-SCS is characterized. The findings in this thesis provide an important fundament for the (mechanism-based) optimization of PF-SCS-induced analgesia in patients suffering from chronic neuropathic pain

Portrayals of Child Abuse Scandals in the Media in Australia and England: Impacts on Practice, Policy, and Systems

This article describes how the media have played a key role in placing the issue of child maltreatment and the problems associated with child protection high on public and political agendas over the last 50 years. It also describes how the influence of the media is far from unambiguous. Although the media has been crucial in bringing the problems into the open, it often does so in particular ways. In being so concerned with scandals and tragedies ∗ Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Bob Lonne, School of Public Health and Social Work, Queensland University of Technology, Victoria Park Road, Kelvin Grove, Queensland 4059, Australia. Electronic mail may be sent to [email protected]. in a variety of institutionalized and community settings, the media have portrayed the nature of child maltreatment in ways which deflect attention from many of its core characteristics and causes. A focus on the media is important because of the power the media have to help transform the private into the public, but at the same time, to undermine trust, reputation, and legitimacy of the professionals working in the field. This concern is key for those working in the child protection field and has been a source of tension in public policy in both Australia and England for many years

Feature article coverage of Australian out-of-home care: Portrayals and policy reform

Mandatory reporting is a key aspect of Australia’s approach to protecting children and is incorporated into all jurisdictions’ legislation, albeit in a variety of forms. In this article we examine all major newspaper’s coverage of mandatory reporting during an 18-month period in 2008-2009, when high-profile tragedies and inquiries occurred and significant policy and reform agendas were being debated. Mass media utilise a variety of lenses to inform and shape public responses and attitudes to reported events. We use frame analysis to identify the ways in which stories were composed and presented, and how language portrayed this contested area of policy. The results indicate that within an overall portrayal of system failure and the need for reform, the coverage placed major responsibility on child protection agencies for the over-reporting, under-reporting, and overburdened system identified, along with the failure of mandatory reporting to reduce risk. The implications for ongoing reform are explored along with the need for robust research to inform debate about the merits of mandatory reporting

Modélisation de la propagation ultrasonore dans les matériaux composites obtenus par le procédé de fabrication RTM (Resin Transfer Molding)

Le procédé de fabrication des matériaux composites RTM (Resin Transfer Molding) est utilisé pour produire des pièces de géométrie complexe. Lors du contrôle ultrasonore de ces pièces, une mesure d'atténuation est effectuée pour caractériser le taux de porosité éventuel (défaut possible dans ces matériaux). Cependant, une grande variabilité d'atténuation est observée y compris pour des pièces saines de géométrie plane. L'objectif de notre travail est d'expliquer ce fait en développant un modèle de propagation et d'atténuation des ondes ultrasonores dans ces pièces dont la microstructure complexe présente un aspect multiéchelles. Un modèle original a été développé pour prédire l'atténuation à l'échelle élémentaire d'une couche unidirectionnelle de fibres de carbone dans une matrice d'époxy, couplant les phénomènes de diffusion multiple par les fibres et d'absorption par effet viscoélastique. Il a été validé expérimentalement et est applicable à tous les composites fibreux à deux phases, quelle qu'en soit la concentration de fibres. à l'échelle supérieure d'un pli constitué de plusieurs couches élémentaires de différentes orientations, une homogénéisation suffit à prédire le comportement anisotrope des ondes ultrasonores et leur atténuation. Une plaque réelle est constituée d'un ensemble de plis séparés de couches de résines pures, l'épaisseur des différents plis et couches étant fortement variable. Une étude statistique a été menée pour prédire l'influence de ces variations géométriques sur la transmission des ultrasons modélisée suivant un formalisme dérivé de la méthode de Thomson-Haskell. La variabilité d'atténuation ultrasonore observée en pratique est quantitativement reproduite et expliquée par l'irrégularité géométrique de la micro-structure.The Resin Transfer Molding process for manufacturing composite materials is used to produce parts of complex shape. During the ultrasonic examination of such parts, attenuation is measured to characterize possible porosity content (a potential defect in this material). However, strong variation of attenuation is observed including on sound plates. The present study aims at explaining this by developing a model for ultrasonic propagation and attenuation in such parts which complex micro-structure exhibits a multiple-scale aspect. An original model has been developed to predict attenuation at the elementary scale of an unidirectional layer of Carbon fibers in an epoxy matrix. It couples multiple-scattering by fibers and viscoelastic losses phenomena. It has been experimentally validated and applies to arbitrary two-phase fiber reinforced composites whatever the fiber volume fraction. At the upper scale of a ply made of several elementary layers of various orientations, the anisotropic behavior of ultrasonic waves and their attenuation are obtained by a homogenization procedure. An actual plate is made of several plies separated by pure resin layers. Plies and layers thicknesses are highly variable. A statistical study has been conducted to evaluate the influence of these geometrical variations on the ultrasonic transmission predicted by a model derived from Thomson-Haskell formalism. Ultrasonic attenuation variability practically observed is quantitatively reproduced and explained as resulting from the geometrical irregularity of the microstructure

How do Australian print media representations of child abuse and neglect inform the public and system reform?: Stories place undue emphasis on social control measures and too little emphasis on social care responses

The print media play a vital role in informing the public about child abuse and neglect. This information helps build broad support for laws and system developments that enable the state to intervene into private family lives and ensure that children are protected from maltreatment. Print media coverage usually sets the daily media agenda. It therefore influences public understandings of child abuse and neglect and what people believe should be done about it. Media impact on policy agendas should not be underestimated. This article outlines the results of a study of all major Australian newspaper stories covering abuse and neglect matters during an 18-month period in 2008–2009. A range of issues are identified concerning how well these stories inform the public about the nature of the problem and the current national reform agenda for protective systems that promotes early intervention and prevention..

Trends and needs in the Australian child welfare workforce : An exploratory study

[Extract] Until recently, there has been limited focus on the nature and readiness of the broader child welfare workforce for stronger engagement in child abuse intervention and prevention, particularly the universal workforce. There is a concentration of effort and funding in the tertiary sector but there are now increasing calls to prioritise public health prevention. An effective system of family supports, and early interventions entails an integration of programs and services across the three tiers of a public health system: primary, secondary and tertiary. To support workers in ensuring the safety and wellbeing of children and young people, all organisations that offer services to vulnerable children, young people and families—directly or indirectly—need to be able to attract, recruit and sustain a reliable and appropriately qualified and skilled workforce. This report presents findings from an exploratory study that examined broad-ranging, publicly available data to investigate emerging trends, issues and needs in the child welfare workforce and the educational profile of the workforce

Innovative method to produce large-area freestanding functional ceramic foils

Using thick and thin films instead of bulk functional materials presents tremendous advantages in the field of flexible electronics and component miniaturization. Here, a low-cost method to grow and release large-area, microscale thickness, freestanding, functional, ceramic foils is reported. It uses evaporation of sodium chloride to silicon wafer substrates as sacrificial layers, upon which functional lead titanate zirconate ceramic films are grown at 710 °C maximum temperature to validate the method. The freestanding, functional foils are then released by dissolution of the sacrificial sodium chloride in water and have the potential to be integrated into low-thermal stability printed circuits and flexible substrates. The optimization of the sodium chloride layer surface quality and bonding strength with the underlying wafer is achieved thanks to pre-annealing treatment