Search

On August 27, 2024, this report was posted as an MMWR Early Release on the MMWR website (https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr). Beginning in late 2023, Oropouche virus was identified as the cause of large outbreaks in Amazon regions with known endemic transmission and in new areas in South America and the Caribbean. The virus is spread to humans by infected biting midges and some mosquito species. Although infection typically causes a self-limited febrile illness, reports of two deaths in patients with Oropouche virus infection and vertical transmission associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes have raised concerns about the threat of this virus to human health. In addition to approximately 8,000 locally acquired cases in the Americas, travel-associated Oropouche virus disease cases have recently been identified in European travelers returning from Cuba and Brazil. As of August 16, 2024, a total of 21 Oropouche virus disease cases were identified among U.S. travelers returning from Cuba. Most patients initially experienced fever, myalgia, and headache, often with other symptoms including arthralgia, diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, and rash. At least three patients had recurrent symptoms after the initial illness, a common characteristic of Oropouche virus disease. Clinicians and public health jurisdictions should be aware of the occurrence of Oropouche virus disease in U.S. travelers and request testing for suspected cases. Travelers should prevent insect bites when traveling, and pregnant persons should consider deferring travel to areas experiencing outbreaks of Oropouche virus disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During May 2022-April 2023, dengue virus serotype 3 was identified among 601 travel-associated and 61 locally acquired dengue cases in Florida, USA. All 203 sequenced genomes belonged to the same genotype III lineage and revealed potential transmission chains in which most locally acquired cases occurred shortly after introduction, with little sustained transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecological Niche Modeling is a process by which spatiotemporal, climatic, and environmental data are analyzed to predict the distribution of an organism. Using this process, an ensemble ecological niche model for West Nile virus habitat prediction in the state of Florida was developed. This model was created through the weighted averaging of three separate machine learning models—boosted regression tree, random forest, and maximum entropy—developed for this study using sentinel chicken surveillance and remote sensing data. Variable importance differed among the models. The highest variable permutation value included mean dewpoint temperature for the boosted regression tree model, mean temperature for the random forest model, and wetlands focal statistics for the maximum entropy mode. Model validation resulted in area under the receiver curve predictive values ranging from good [0.8728 (95% CI 0.8422–0.8986)] for the maximum entropy model to excellent [0.9996 (95% CI 0.9988–1.0000)] for random forest model, with the ensemble model predictive value also in the excellent range [0.9939 (95% CI 0.9800–0.9979]. This model should allow mosquito control districts to optimize West Nile virus surveillance, improving detection and allowing for a faster, targeted response to reduce West Nile virus transmission potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zika virus diagnostic testing and laboratory research increased considerably when Zika virus began spreading through the Americas in 2015, increasing the risk for potential Zika virus exposure of laboratory workers and biomedical researchers. We report 4 cases of laboratory-associated Zika virus disease in the United States during 2016-2019. Of these, 2 were associated with needlestick injuries; for the other 2 cases, the route of transmission was undetermined. In laboratories in which work with Zika virus is performed, good laboratory biosafety practices must be implemented and practiced to reduce the risk for infection among laboratory personnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the role of local external linkages in supporting regional industry entry in new activities, by specifically considering the role of foreign multinational enterprises (MNEs). Theoretically, we construct an original conceptual framework encompassing different potential trajectories of regional diversification based on the presence of MNEs. Empirically, we focus on the case of 279 Chinese prefectures over 1998–2007 and our results suggest that the presence of MNEs is associated with industry entry in unrelated and complex industries, supporting the idea that regional external linkages can activate processes of diversification that modify the technological and industrial portfolio of local economies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'life cycle' approach has become popular in studies on industrial clusters. However, some concerns have been raised over the inherent determinism of this approach and its tendencies to focus exclusively on cluster internal dynamics while neglecting the role of external factors and socio-economic contingencies. This paper addresses these criticisms by investigating the long-term development of Castel Goffredo, a traditional textile cluster in Italy. In our analysis, we identify and characterize the main stages of the life cycle and its antecedents. We single out the main triggering factors behind each of these stages and show that a variety of factors, both external and internal to the cluster, contributed to its development. Our findings confirm that an 'adaptive' cycle approach, which focuses also on contingencies and external factors, appear to be appropriate for investigating the long-term evolution of clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research examines the characteristics and types of bibliographic relationships in Resource Description and Access (RDA) book cataloging records produced in OCLC after RDA implementation. Data was sampled (n= 1,550), coded, and analyzed for work-to-work, expression-to-expression, and manifestation-to-manifestation relationships. Results show work-to-work bibliographic relationships are most frequently recorded in both PCC records (57.4%) and non-PCC (59.5%); expression-to-expression are recorded the least in PCC (8.3%) and non-PCC (15.8%); and manifestation-to-manifestation relationships fall between with PCC (34.4%) and non-PCC (24.7%). This study also investigates the MARC fields used to record relationships and common characteristics in cataloging records with bibliographic relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

International collaboration among researchers is a far from linear and straightforward process. Scientometric studies provide a good way of understanding why and how international research collaboration occurs and what are its costs and benefits. Our study investigates patterns of international scientific collaboration in a specific field: wine related research. We test a gravity model that accounts for geographical, cultural, commercial, technological, structural and institutional differences among a group of old world ( OW) and new world ( NW) producers and consumers. Our findings confirm the problems imposed by geographical and technological distance on international research collaboration. Furthermore, they show that similarity in trade patterns has a positive impact on international scientific collaboration. We also find that international research collaboration is more likely among peers; in other words, among wine producing countries that belong to the same group, for example, OW producers or newcomers to the wine industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue aims at advancing the debate about the interpretative power of evolutionary perspectives on economic development and institutional change. In the introduction, we argue that the interpretative power of the current evolutionary approach can be improved by elaborating an 'augmented' perspective to economic development, which explicitly integrates the role of institutions and the dynamics of natural resource sectors (e.g. agro-food) into the analysis. We maintain that such a theoretical and empirical advancement can help to define a conceptual framework that is more suitable to analyse innovation-driven change, differentiated development patterns, opportunities and constraints for developing countries in the globalised knowledge economy. A collection of papers that adopt this perspective are discussed in order to prove the interpretative power of this approach in a variety of development contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. We examined the performance of the Newest Vital Sign (NVS) and the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA) in caregivers of children. Method. Caregivers of children ≤12 years old seeking care for their child in a pediatric emergency department (ED) were tested using the NVS and the S-TOFHLA to measure health literacy. The results were compared with ED use outcomes. Result. The S-TOFHLA was found to have a ceiling effect as compared to the NVS; few caregivers scored in low literacy categories (P < .0001). This finding was demonstrated in both lower (P = .01) and higher (P < .001) educational attainment groups. The NVS was predictive of ED use outcomes (P = .02 and P < .01) whereas the S-TOFHLA was not (P = .21 and P = .11). Conclusions. The measures do not seem to function similarly nor predict health outcomes equally. The NVS demonstrates sensitivity in identifying limited health literacy in younger adult populations. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Recent studies have stressed the role played by global pipelines in fostering the growth of clusters and innovativeness. In this article, we develop a formal model to investigate when global pipelines contribute to an increase in local knowledge, depending on various characteristics of clusters such as size, knowledge endowment, and the ease of transmission of internal knowledge. This model is an extension of Cowan and Jonard's () model in which we introduce the concept of cluster and a role for spatial proximity in the diffusion of knowledge. Our results reveal that there is a natural tendency of actors within global pipelines to act as external stars, rather than gatekeepers of knowledge. Global pipelines are beneficial for the accumulation of knowledge only if the cluster is either characterized by a high-quality local buzz or is small and weakly endowed in terms of knowledge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout the past three decades, the global pattern of wine production has undergone fundamental changes, most notably the emergence of New World producers. This article presents a detailed account of the sector's changing global organization from 1974 to 2004 by applying network analysis methods to the evolution of international trade and scientific collaboration networks. We argue that there is a strong mutual interdependence of trade and scientific knowledge production, as a result of which we expect the geographic configuration of global knowledge and trade networks to coevolve. Our results show that, over time, only a few New World wine producers developed trade and scientific collaboration networks that resemble those of traditional Old World producers. They also show that structures of trade and scientific collaboration networks are more alike for Old World than for New World producers, which suggests that, contrary to our expectations, it is particularly Old World producers who may have mainly benefited from participation in international scientific collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: From a development perspective an investigation of the changes that have occurred in the wine industry is of particular interest because it provides evidence on how emerging economies have been able to acquire significant shares of the international market in a dynamic sector. Based on novel empirical evidence, this paper shows that emerging countries with diverse institutional models and innovation strategies have actively participated in the process of technological modernization and product standardization. These newcomers in the wine sector have responded particularly effectively to changes in demand, aligning emerging scientific approaches with institutional building efforts and successful marketing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to analyse the nature and extent of knowledge and information networks in an Italian wine cluster. Moreover, the relation between firms' characteristics and the knowledge network structure is also explored. The empirical findings show that knowledge is unevenly distributed in clusters and that networks of knowledge and information differ a great deal in terms of their structure. In fact, knowledge flows are restricted to a tightly connected community of local producers, differing in terms of knowledge assets, innovation behaviour and overall economic performance with respect to the rest of the firms in the cluster. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a critical review of the global value chain (GVC) literature in light of the "technological capabilities" approach to innovation in less-developed countries (LDCs). Participation in GVC is beneficial for firms in LDCs, which are bound to source technology internationally. However, the issues of learning and technological efforts at the firm level remain largely hidden in the GVC literature. We propose a shift in the empirical and theoretical agenda, arguing that research should integrate the analysis of the endogenous process of technological capability development, including specific firm-level efforts, and of the mechanisms allowing knowledge to flow within and between different global value chains into the GVC literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A normatively desirable feature of representative government is for the diversity of ideological choices on offer in the party system to reflect the diversity of policy views in the electorate. Building on the work of Ezrow, and relying on Eurobarometer data which suggest that the degree of public opinion diversity is stable over time, the authors analyse how voting systems mediate the diversity of views in parliament, a variable they label party system dispersion. The paper's central question is: to what extent does party system dispersion remain stable over time? Presented are theoretical arguments that party system dispersion will be more stable in countries that feature single-member district (SMD) voting systems than in proportional representation (PR) systems. Using cross-national data on 25 countries over 363 elections, the authors present results that support this hypothesis: they find that proportional representation systems are characterised by fluidity in party system dispersion, whereas party system dispersion in SMD countries remains stable from election to election. The implications of the findings are surprising - to the extent that party platforms reflect the diversity of public opinion within an electoral system, the results suggest that SMD systems do a better job at reflecting the diversity of public opinion viewpoints than do PR systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differences in the standard scores for the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Revised (PPVT-R; L. M. Dunn & L. M. Dunn, 1981) and the PPVT-Third Edition (PPVT-III; Dunn & Dunn, 1997b) are known to exist for children, with typically higher scores occurring on the PPVT-III. However, these tests are administered into adulthood as well, and score equivalence must be evaluated for this age range. Analysis of data from the PPVT-R and PPVT-III tests from 76 adult participants revealed significant score differences. Participants with poor language skills scored significantly higher on the PPVT-III than on the PPVT-R. The control group showed no significant difference between the PPVT-R and PPVT-III scores. The results suggest that the two tests should not be considered interchangeable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the Chinese economy shifts from factor-driven to innovation-driven growth, Chinese firms are increasingly lacking highly skilled talents. In this context, attracting high-skill returnees might represent an effective strategy to access knowledge. In this paper, we investigate the relationship between high-skill returnees and innovation of Chinese publicly listed firms. We construct a unique dataset of 2,499 firms over the period 2002–16 by combining three different data sources (i.e. Chinese Research Data Services Platform, China Stock Market & Accounting Research Database, and LinkedIn). Our results show that different typologies of returnees (employees, technologists, and managers) with different experiences abroad (work vs study) may bring back different skills and impact differently on firm innovation. Our main findings show that (1) returnee employees and technologists are positively associated with firm's patenting; (2) returnees' overseas work experience matters more than study experience; and (3) the positive role of returnees is subject to contingencies related to firm characteristics such as ownership, location, and size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on the activities of the organization Government Documents Round Table (GODORT). At the first Steering Committee meeting, Chair John Stevenson reported on letters sent and GODORT activities at the October Depository Library Council meeting. At the GODORT update, Julie Schwartz, Connecticut State Library, discussed the OCLC Digital Archive Project to capture Connecticut state government publications; Patrice McDermott reported from the ALA Washington Office; and Superintendent of Documents Judy Russell spoke about GPO's "Strategic Vision for the 21st Century." The International Documents Task Force heard agency liaison and vendor reports on developments related to international government organization information, and planned a pre-conference for Annual 2006. The GODORT Awards Committee met and selected award recipients. At the Cataloging Committee, Laurie Hall, director of bibliographic services at GPO, presented GPO's plan to create separate records for titles in multiple formats.

During May-July 2023, a cluster of 7 patients at local hospitals in Florida, USA, received a diagnosis of Plasmodium vivax malaria. Whole-genome sequencing of the organism from 4 patients and phylogenetic analysis with worldwide representative P. vivax genomes indicated probable single parasite introduction from Central/South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Inward FDI positively impact local innovation. • the positive role of FDI is stronger for some specific typologies of inward FDI, such as in "Science-based" activities and to a lesser extent in "Specialised supplier" activities. • Inward FDI also produce negative effects on local innovation, in particular in the case of "Scale-Intensive" sector. Locations all over the world compete to attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in order to access knowledge, technology, and boost economic development. Although the literature shows a positive impact of FDI, little is known about (1) its effect on neighbouring regions and (2) the type of FDI generating the strongest learning effects. To fill this gap, we investigate the FDI-innovation relationship in Italian provinces. By adopting the Pavitt taxonomy of manufacturing sectors, we suggest that only specific categories of FDI benefit local economies, whilst other types may produce negative outcomes. The evidence on the spatial implications of FDI remains limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to stimulate growth and competitiveness, many EU member states have implemented cluster-based development strategies. Several works underline the benefits of policy-driven clusters, but understanding how clusters can create value for their members is still an open issue. This work contributes to the literature by investigating 13 Competitiveness Clusters in Croatia, a special type of policy-driven clusters developed within the country's smart specialization strategy, using original data from a survey on 250 cluster members. Our results indicate the existence of very different attitudes towards the rationale for the initiative. In particular, while some members are more interested in lobbying activities, others see networking and innovation as the most important objectives of clusters. Findings also show that the evaluation of cluster management, governance and performance varies according to the desired objectives. Overall the Competitiveness Clusters initiative in Croatia did not meet members' expectations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a report on the 2004 annual conference. The GODORT pre-conference "Make the Most of What You've Got: Improving Access to Government Information in Your Online Catalog" was attended by seventy-seven participants. It was co-sponsored by GODORT's Cataloging Committee and ALCTSJ with support from Marcive, Inc., Exlibris, Innovative Interfaces and SIRSI. Speakers were from the Government Printing Office (GPO), vendors, and users of bibliographic records for documents in online catalogs. In their meeting, the Federal Documents Task Force (FDTF) discussed the need for ongoing monitoring and feedback concerning GPO strategic planning. The International Documents Task Force (IDTF) meeting included reports from the World Bank, OECD, World Tourism Organization, United Nations, European Union, Center for Research Libraries, Bernan, and the IDTF Agency Liaison Program. Canadian Government Publications developments were discussed.

Focuses on several issues and concerns addressed during the 2004 Government Documents Roundtable (GODORT). Themes chosen for the 2004 GODORT; Issues to be addressed by GODORT at the 2004 American Library Association Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida; Concerns over the USA PATRIOT Act.

Highlights the commitment of the American Library Association's Government Document Round Table (GODORT) to permanent public access to government information in the U.S. Activities of GODORT that embodied the commitment; Goals and accomplishments of GODORT; Information resources and channels made available by GODORT.

Eight cases of locally acquired, mosquito-transmitted (i.e., autochthonous) Plasmodium vivax malaria, which has not been reported in the United States since 2003, were reported to CDC from state health departments in Florida and Texas during May 18--July 17, 2023. As of August 4, 2023, case surveillance, mosquito surveillance and control activities, and public outreach and education activities continue in both states. U.S. clinicians need to consider a malaria diagnosis in patients with unexplained fever, especially in areas where autochthonous malaria has been recently reported, although the risk for autochthonous malaria in the United States remains very low. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of malaria can prevent severe disease or death and limit ongoing transmission to local Anopheles mosquitoes and other persons. Preventing mosquito bites and controlling mosquitoes at home can prevent mosquitoborne diseases, including malaria. Before traveling internationally to areas with endemic malaria, travelers should consult with a health care provider regarding recommended malaria prevention measures, including potentially taking malaria prophylaxis. Malaria is a nationally notifiable disease; continued reporting of malaria cases to jurisdictional health departments and CDC will also help ensure robust surveillance to detect and prevent autochthonous malaria in the United States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parents of children seeking nonurgent care in the emergency department completed surveys concerning media use and preferences for health education material. Results were compiled using descriptive statistics, compared by health literacy level with logistic regression, adjusting for race/ethnicity and income. Semistructured qualitative interviews to elicit reasons for preferences, content preference, and impact of health information were conducted and analyzed using content analysis. Surveys (n = 71) showed that despite equal access to online health information, parents with low health literacy were more likely to use the internet less frequently than daily (P < .01). Surveys and interviews (n = 30) revealed that health information will be most effective when distributed by a health care professional and must be made available in multiple modalities. Parents requested general information about childhood illness, including diagnosis, treatment, and signs and symptoms. Many parents believed that appropriate health information would change their decision-making regarding seeking care during their child’s next illness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a dengue outbreak in Key Largo, Florida, USA, from February through August 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Successful community engagement resulted in 61% of case-patients self-reporting. We also describe COVID-19 pandemic effects on the dengue outbreak investigation and the need to increase clinician awareness of dengue testing recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although informal knowledge networks have often been regarded as a key ingredient behind the success of industrial clusters, the forces that shape their structure and dynamics remain largely unknown. Drawing on recent network dynamic models, we analyze the evolution of business and technical knowledge networks within a toy cluster in Spain. Empirical results suggest that the dynamics of the two networks differ to a large extent. We find that status drives the formation of business knowledge networks, proximity is more crucial for technical knowledge networks, while embeddedness plays an equally important role in the dynamics of both networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explored the meaning of the after-hours social experiences of youth with disabilities in a residential life skills program. After-hours experiences occur outside of formal program hours, primarily in the evenings. Five youth with cerebral palsy (three females) participated in an exploratory photo elicitation study while attending one of two residential immersive life skills programs. Following an auto-driven photo elicitation method, youth took photos of their choosing and then were interviewed about photos they elected to share. Interview data were analyzed thematically. Themes illustrated meaningful social experiences and their benefits. Two themes described the after-hours social experiences of most importance to youth: learning about strengths from working together, and having meaningful individual and group conversations. Three themes reflected benefits reported by youth: learning about differences among people, gaining new perspectives and new knowledge about oneself, and developing friendships and a sense of "family." The findings illuminate the benefits of after-hours social experiences for youth who may have had little opportunity previously to informally interact with other youth with disabilities. The findings highlight the importance of the immersive, group nature of a residential, away-from-home youth transition program, particularly the value added by the after-hours program component. The findings support the value of an over-night residential aspect for life skills programs for youth with disabilities. Residential immersive life skills programs provide opportunities for youth to discuss common experiences and shared challenges, leading to the formation of social bonds. Residential immersive life skills programs provide opportunities for youth to interact with peers in the absence of adults, and to make choices about how to use their personal time. It is important to intentionally design transition programs to provide opportunities for after-hours social experiences, including working together and socializing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Dexamethasone has been proposed as an equivalent therapy to prednisone/prednisolone for acute asthma exacerbations in pediatric patients. Although multiple small trials exist, clear consensus data are lacking. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to determine whether intramuscular or oral dexamethasone is equivalent or superior to a 5-day course of oral prednisone or prednisolone. The primary outcome of interest was return visits or hospital readmissions. METHODS: A search of PubMed (Medline) through October 19, 2013, by using the keywords dexamethasone or decadron and asthma or status asthmaticus identified potential studies. Six randomized controlled trials in the emergency department of children ≤18 years of age comparing dexamethasone with prednisone/prednisolone for the treatment of acute asthma exacerbations were included. Data were abstracted by 4 authors and verified by a second author. Two reviewers evaluated study quality independently and interrater agreement was assessed. RESULTS: There was no difference in relative risk (RR) of relapse between the 2 groups at any time point (5 days RR 0.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.46-1.78, Q = 1.86, df = 3, I2 = 0.0%, 10-14 days RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.77-1.67, Q = 0.84, df = 2, I2 = 0.0%, or 30 days RR 1.20, 95% CI 0.03-56.93). Patients who received dexamethasone were less likely to experience vomiting in either the emergency department (RR 0.29, 95% CI 0.12-0.69, 0 = 3.78, df = 3, I2 = 20.7%) or at home (RR 0.32, 95% CI 0.14-0.74, Q = 2.09, df = 2, I2 = 4.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Practitioners should consider single or 2-dose regimens of dexamethasone as a viable alternative to a 5-day course of prednisone/prednisolone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The paper investigates the diversified patterns of outsourcing in the Lombardy region and relates them to the probability of introducing product and process innovation. Based on a large firm-level survey, we show that outsourcing processes are strongly regionally embedded and that offshoring is still a limited phenomenon. Outsourcing strategies are shown to be positively related to firms’ innovation. In particular, the outsourcing of service activities is mostly related to product innovation, thus suggesting that firms successfully pursue core strengthening strategies. Our econometric estimates show that both geographical and organisational proximity matter. Indeed, the positive association of services with innovation is strongly related to their regional dimension, which points towards the importance of local user–producer relationships. When outsourcing crosses national borders, keeping the outsourced activities within extended organisational boundaries (i.e. within the group or network of affiliates) appears relevant, particularly with reference to R&D activities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: While using an inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) in the weeks after an ED visit reduces repeat visits, few children receive a needed prescription. Because a prescription may not be filled or used, dispensing ICS at discharge and supervising its use at school could overcome both barriers until follow-up care is established. To assess the feasibility of such an intervention, we conducted a pilot study among elementary-age school children with persistent asthma who were discharged from the ED following an asthma exacerbation. Methods: Eligible children were randomly assigned to ED-dispensing of ICS with home supervision or ED-dispensing of ICS with home and school supervision. The primary outcomes were ability to recruit and retain participants, ability to initiate school-supervised medication administration within 5 days of discharge, and participant satisfaction. Results: Despite identifying 437 potentially eligible children, only 13 (3%) were enrolled with 6 being randomized to the intervention group and 7 to the control group. Eleven (85%) randomized participants completed the 90-day interview (primary outcome) and 8 (62%) completed the 120-day interview (safety endpoint). Four (67%) intervention participants started their school regimen within 5 business days and 2 started within 6 business days. Conclusion: While our pilot study did not meet its recruitment goal, it did achieve its primary purpose of assessing feasibility before undertaking a larger, more intensive study. Several major recruitment barriers need to be mitigated before EDs can successfully partner with schools to establish supervised ICS treatment. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03952286. Registered 16 May 2019, [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine parents' views of the benefits of residential immersive life skills programs for youth with disabilities.Method: Three- and 12-month post-session interviews were held with ten parents of youth with disabilities who had attended one of three residential immersive life skills programs in one of three years of data collection. A deductive thematic analysis was conducted to describe the types of benefits reported by parents.Results: Parents discussed foundational benefits that were common to youth and more individualized emergent benefits. The foundational benefits included acquisition of life skills, greater awareness of future possibilities, and enhancements to self-confidence. The emergent benefits included greater comfort in new situations, and changes in motivation and initiative, maturity and responsibility, and community involvement.Conclusions: Parents reported diverse benefits from involvement in these youth transition programs. In the eyes of parents, these programs prepared youth for transition to adult roles by enhancing awareness of life possibilities, amplifying existing capacities, and accelerating growth in adaptability, motivation, and maturity, as well as community involvement. The findings indicate the utility of RILS programs, and can be used to explain the diverse effects of these programs to parents and youth contemplating enrollment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Statement of Purpose: Life skills programs aim to equip youth with physical disabilities with the foundational skills required for adulthood. This study explored the perceived impact of residential immersive life skills (RILS) programs on the lives of participants.Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with alumni of three RILS programs. Data were thematically analyzed using a phenomenological approach.Results: Themes identified from fourteen interviews were: (1) enhancing higher-order skills; (2) new notions of independence; and (3) identity change, empowerment, and advocacy. Opportunities to learn and practise a variety of skills in a structured, facilitative environment led to increased competence and motivation to engage in independent activities. Engaging with peers undergoing similar experiences also helped some youth integrate disability into their identity.Conclusions: Providing youth with physical disabilities opportunities to engage with others sharing similar experiences and challenges is essential. The study contributes toward the development of evidence-based best practices for life skills programs. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article presents a commentary note on an article by researcher D.R. Peterson providing educational guidance for professional psychologists. The National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology (NCSPP) has intentionally and systematically pursued quality and relevance in professional psychology training for nearly 30 years. Peterson's article lists some of the intended consequences and accomplishments of NCSPP and its member programs: pioneering and continuing contributions to the development of competency-based training, ongoing work to define and support new roles for psychologists, and holding diversity central in how and to whom training is to be provided. Peterson's critique of professional schools and programs ends with an impassioned plea for a Flexner-like study of education and training programs.

Background: Residential immersive life skills (RILS) programs are designed to equip youth with physical disabilities with the foundational life skills required to assume adult roles. The objective was to determine RILS service providers' perceptions of the active ingredients of the intervention change process.Methods: Thirty-seven service providers from various disciplines completed measures to assess expertise status and participated in qualitative interviews. Qualitative themes were derived, and similarities and differences in themes were identified for blinded groups of novices, intermediates, and experts.Results: The three main themes, reflecting change processes, were: (a) creating a supportive program atmosphere with multiple opportunities for learning, (b) using strategies to support, encourage, and engage youth, and (c) intentionally fostering youth experiences of skill development, social interaction, and pride in accomplishment. In contrast to the novices, experts displayed a more holistic perspective and paid attention to higher-order issues such as providing opportunities and enabling youth.Conclusion: The findings indicate how RILS service providers work to create a program atmosphere and employ strategies to intentionally foster particular youth experiences. The findings explicate service providers' theories of practice, the intentional design of RILS program environments to bring about client change, and the value of service provider expertise.Implications for RehabilitationService providers of youth independence-oriented life skills programs can intentionally create a learning-oriented and supportive program atmosphere by using non-directive, coaching/guiding, and engagement strategiesYouth experiences of skill development, shared experience with others, and pride in accomplishment can be cultivated by providing a range of learning opportunities, including choice making, problem-solving, and skill masteryCompared to more novice service providers, experts discussed managing the program conditions and context, creating opportunities for choice and new experiences, and adopting a facilitating and enabling role (coaching and capitalizing on teachable moments) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective was to determine service providers' perceptions of the experiential benefits of residential immersive life skills (RILS) programs for youth with disabilities, along with important program features. Methods: Thirty-seven service providers from three RILS programs took part in qualitative interviews. Themes were derived using a phenomenological approach. Results: There were perceived benefits for youth, and also for parents and service providers. Study themes concerned the process of youth empowerment, life-changing experiences for youth and parents, and changed service provider views affecting practice. Youth changes were attributed to the residential group format and afforded opportunities, which included being away from home, navigating public transportation, directing attendant services, and sharing intense learning and social experiences with peers. Youth were seen to experience important personal changes in life skills, self-confidence, self-understandings, and self-advocacy. Perceived benefits for parents included realizations concerning their child's abilities and new hope for the future. Service providers indicated changes in their knowledge, perspectives, and approach to practice. Conclusions: The findings suggest that life skills programs should be intentionally designed to provide challenging experiential opportunities that motivate youth to engage in new life directions by providing new insights, self-realizations, and positive yet realistic views of the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The internship crisis facing the field of professional psychology is complex and multidetermined. The aim of this commentary is to broaden the discussion initiated by Hatcher (201 l, The internship supply as a common-pool resource: A pathway to managing the imbalance problem, Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 5, pp. 126-140.) in his article that likens the match crisis to a common-pool resource problem. The authors contend that there are critical issues that must be considered in order to solve the match crisis, namely, the recognized need for a full-scale workforce analysis, the need to increase funding resources, and the recognition of alternative models of internship training. An existing additional pool of vetted high quality internships may not have been fully considered by Hatcher (201 l) and others in the field. This commentary presents a regional model exemplified by the California Psychology Internship Council (CAPIC) as one regional solution to the limited supply of internships and provides some information about the potential advantages and quality control measures used to monitor this vital resource. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]