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To describe one institution's approach to transformation of high-stakes objective structure clinical examinations (OSCEs) from norm-referenced to criterion-referenced standards setting and to evaluate the impact of these changes on OSCE performance and pass rates. The OSCE writing team at the college selected a modified Angoff method appropriate for high-stakes assessments to replace the two standard deviation method previously used. Each member of the OSCE writing team independently reviewed the analytical checklist and calculated a passing score for active stations on OSCEs. Then the group met to determine a final pass score for each station. The team also determined critical cut points for each station, when indicated. After administration of the OSCEs, scores, pass rates, and need for remediation were compared to the previous norm-referenced method. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data. OSCE scores remained relatively unchanged when switched to a criterion-referenced method, but the number of remediators increased up to 2.6 fold. In the first year, the average score increased from 86.8% to 91.7% while the remediation rate increased from 2.8% to 7.4%. In the third year, the average increased from 90.9% to 92% while the remediation rate increased from 6% to 15.6%. Likewise, the fourth-year average increased from 84.9% to 87.5% while the remediation rate increased from 4.4% to 9%. Transition to a modified Angoff method did not impact average OSCE score but did increase the number of remediations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isothiazolinones are a common cause of allergic contact dermatitis. To examine the prevalence of positive patch test reactions to isothiazolinones from 2017-2020 and characterize isothiazolinone-allergic (Is+) patients compared with isothiazolinone nonallergic (Is–) patients. Retrospective cross-sectional analysis of 9028 patients patch tested to methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI)/methylisothiazolinone (MI) 0.02% aqueous, MI 0.2% aqueous, benzisothiazolinone (BIT) 0.1% petrolatum, and/or octylisothiazolinone (OIT) 0.025% petrolatum. Prevalence, reaction strength, concurrent reactions, clinical relevance, and source of allergens were tabulated. In total, 21.9% (1976/9028) of patients had a positive reaction to 1 or more isothiazolinones. Positivity to MI was 14.4% (1296/9012), MCI/MI was 10.0% (903/9017), BIT was 8.6% (777/9018), and OIT was 05% (49/9028). Compared with Is–, Is+ patients were more likely to have occupational skin disease (16.5% vs 10.3%, P <.001), primary hand dermatitis (30.2% vs 19.7%, P <.001), and be >40 years (73.1% vs 61.9%, P <.001). Positive patch test reactions to >1 isothiazolinone occurred in 44.1% (871/1976) of Is+ patients. Testing solely to MCI/MI would miss 47.3% (611/1292) of MI and 60.1% (466/776) of BIT allergic reactions. Retrospective cross-sectional study design and lack of follow-up data. Sensitization to isothiazolinones is high and concurrent sensitization to multiple isothiazolinone allergens is common. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced pharmacy practice experiences (APPEs) play a significant role in readying students for professional practice. Factors beyond traditional knowledge and skills taught in the didactic curriculum may play a role in APPE success. The purpose of this manuscript is to describe an activity implemented within a third-year skills lab focused on APPE preparedness, the methods used, and student feedback related to the series. Experiential and skills lab faculty collaborated to generate advice for students regarding common misconceptions or areas of difficulty encountered on APPEs. The advice was developed into short topics that were paired with and presented at the start of most lab sessions with impromptu contributions from faculty and facilitators integrated at the time of delivery. One hundred twenty-seven third-year pharmacy students (54% of the cohort) consented to complete a follow-up survey and provided feedback on the series. Most students agreed or strongly agreed with the elements evaluated, providing positive feedback for all ranked statements. Feedback from free-text response questions indicated that many students found all topics presented to be beneficial and suggested that topics of interest for the upcoming semester included advice regarding residencies/fellowships/employment, wellness, and communication with preceptors. Student feedback indicated an overall perception of benefit and value from most respondents. Implementation of a similar series in other courses is a potential area for future study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dermatitis localized to hands (HD), feet (FD), or both hands and feet (HFD) has multiple etiologies, including atopic dermatitis, irritant contact dermatitis, and allergic contact dermatitis. Unfortunately, little is known about clinical differences between patients with HD, FD, and HFD.Objective: To characterize differences in demographics, etiology, and patch testing results among patients presenting with HD, FD, or HFD referred for patch testing.Methods: A retrospective analysis of patients patch tested by the North American Contact Dermatitis Group between 2001 and 2018.Results: Of 43,677 patients who were patch tested, 22.8% had HD, 2.9% had FD, and 3.7% had HFD. Allergic and currently relevant patch test reactions to ≥1 North American Contact Dermatitis Group screening allergen occurred in similar proportions in all 3 study groups. However, HD (18.0%) had higher proportions of occupationally relevant reactions than HFD (8.9%) or FD (4.0%). Nickel and fragrance mix I were in the top 5 currently relevant allergens for HD, FD, and HFD. Other top allergens, as well as allergen sources, differed between HD, FD, and HFD.Limitations: No data on HD or FD morphology or distribution.Conclusion: HD, FD, and HFD have several differences with respect to patient characteristics, etiologies, and clinically relevant allergens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alkyl glucosides are nonionic surfactants that are increasingly used in personal care products.Objective: To characterize positive patch test reactions to decyl glucoside (5% petrolatum, tested 2009-2018) and lauryl glucoside (3% petrolatum, tested 2017-2018).Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients tested by the North American Contact Dermatitis Group.Results: Of 24,097 patients patch tested to decyl and/or lauryl glucoside, 470 (2.0%) had positive reactions. Compared with glucoside-negative patients, glucoside-positive patients had higher odds of occupational skin disease (13.4% vs 10.1%; P = .0207), history of hay fever (38.5% vs 31.6%; P = .0014), atopic dermatitis (39.0% vs 28.6%; P < .0001), and/or asthma (21.8% vs 16.5%; P = .0023). Most glucoside reactions (83.9%) were currently relevant. The most common source was personal care products (63.0%), especially hair products (16.5%) and skin cleansers (15.2%). Of 4933 patients tested to decyl and lauryl glucoside, 134 (2.7%) were positive to 1 or both; 43.4% (43 of 99) of decyl-positive patients were also positive to lauryl glucoside and 55.1% (43/78) of lauryl glucoside patients were also positive to decyl glucoside.Limitations: The cohort predominantly reflects a referral population, and follow-up after testing was not captured.Conclusion: Glucoside positivity occurred in 2.0% of the tested patients. Reactions were often clinically relevant and linked to personal care products. Cross-reactivity was >40%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Identification of allergens causing medical adhesive contact allergy is difficult.Objective: To characterize the demographics, clinical characteristics, patch test results, and occupational data for North American Contact Dermatitis Group patients with medical adhesive contact allergy.Methods: A retrospective study of 43,722 North American Contact Dermatitis Group patients patch tested from 2001 to 2018 with medical adhesive (tapes/bandaids/adhesive aids/suture glue) sources, positive patch test results, and final primary diagnoses of allergic contact dermatitis.Results: In total, 313 (0.7%) patients met the inclusion criteria. Compared with other patients with final primary diagnoses of allergic contact dermatitis, patients with a medical adhesive allergy were less likely to be male (odds ratio, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.45-0.77) and/or aged >40 years (odds ratio, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.60-0.96). The most common North American Contact Dermatitis Group screening series allergens were colophony (80.7%), balsam of Peru (3.9%), 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (2.7%), and carba mix (2.7%). One-fourth of the patients (79/313, 25.2%) had positive patch test reactions to supplemental allergens/materials, and 54 (17.3%) of the 313 patients only had reactions to supplemental allergens/materials.Limitations: Results of comprehensive patch testing may be prone to referral population selection bias and may not be representative of the general dermatology population.Conclusion: Colophony was the most common allergen. Supplemental allergens and materials should be tested in the evaluation of a suspected medical adhesive contact allergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ammonium persulfate (APS), an oxidizing agent used in hair products, manufacturing, and pool/spa water, can cause skin reactions, including allergic contact dermatitis.Objective: To characterize positive patch test reactions to APS (2.5% petrolatum).Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients tested to the North American Contact Dermatitis Group screening series from 2015 to 2018.Results: Of 10,526 patients, 193 (1.8%) had positive patch test reactions to APS. Compared with APS-negative patients, APS-positive patients were significantly more likely to be male (43.2% vs 28.0%; P < .0001); have primary hand dermatitis (30.2% vs 22.0%; P = .0064), scattered generalized dermatitis (25.5% vs 17.9%; P = .0064), or trunk dermatitis (8.9% vs 4.9%; P = .0123); and have dermatitis that is occupationally related (22.2% vs 10.9%; P < .0001). More than half of the APS-positive reactions were currently relevant (57.0%); 19 (9.8%) were related to occupation, especially hairdressers (68.4%). Swimming pools/spas (23.3%) and hair care products (19.2%) were the most common sources of APS.Limitations: Immediate reactions and follow-up testing were not captured.Conclusion: The proportion of patients positive to APS was 1.8%. APS positivity was significantly associated with male sex and hand dermatitis. Swimming pool/spa chemicals were important sources of APS exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In his witty satire Academic Gamesmanship, Pierre van den Berghe notes that in academia it "is immaterial that most criticisms be adverse, as they most typically are; the important thing is that you be spoken and written about...".1 van den Berghe made this observation in the context of poking fun at academic prestige systems. But, vanity aside, receiving criticism of one's work is important--especially if the criticisms identify errors that need to be corrected or aspects of the work that need to be clarified. Given that I now realize that I need both to correct and to clarify my work in Markets with Limits, it gives me great pleasure to have the opportunity to respond to the excellent criticisms of, and comments on, my work from Jeffrey Carroll, Jeppe von Platz, and Chad Van Schoelandt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Playing the Market: Retail Investment and Speculation in Twentieth-Century Britain: by Kieran Heinemann, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2021, 266 pp., £45.60 (hardback), ISBN 9780198864257 Chapter 5 considers the impact of inflation and the stock market crash of 1973-74 (which hit Britain worse than the Wall Street Crash of 1929) on the financial behaviour of ordinary investors. Thatcherism was a cultural as well as a political project, seeking to engineer a society of shareholders through cut-price privatisations of state-owned industries. [Extracted from the article]

Background: An updated understanding of allergic contact dermatitis is needed, particularly in children.Objectives: To compare positive and clinically relevant reactions in children versus adults referred for patch testing.Methods: Retrospective analysis of 1871 children and 41,699 adults from the North American Contact Dermatitis Group (NACDG) from 2001-2018.Results: Both final diagnosis of allergic contact dermatitis (55.2% versus 57.3%; chi square, P = .0716) and prevalence of ≥ 1 currently relevant reaction to a NACDG screening allergen (49.2% vs 52.2%; P = .1178) were similar between children and adults. Currently in children, the most common relevant allergens were nickel sulfate (17.3%), hydroperoxides of linalool (7.8%), methylisothiazolinone (7.7%), cobalt chloride (7.0%), and fragrance mix I (4.9%). Approximately a fifth of children had a positive reaction to a non-NACDG allergen.Conclusion: Over half of children referred for patch testing were diagnosed with allergic contact dermatitis. The most common relevant allergens in children were nickel sulfate, cobalt chloride, and hydroperoxides of linalool. Twenty percent of children had at least 1 positive reaction to allergens/substances not on the NACDG screening series, underscoring the need for comprehensive testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patch testing is an important diagnostic tool for suspected allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) in occupational settings.Objective: Provide an overview of occupational skin disease (OSD) and an analysis of occupational ACD in North American patients undergoing patch testing between 2001and 2016.Methods: Patients with OSD were analyzed for frequency of allergic reactions to a screening series of allergens, occupational relevance, location of skin disease, and exposure sources. Demographic, occupation, and industry information were recorded.Results: Of 38,614 patients evaluated, 4471 (11.6%) had OSD, of whom 3150 (70.5%) had ACD. The most common occupationally related allergens included rubber accelerators, preservatives, and bisphenol A epoxy resin. Hands (75.8%), arms (30.0%), and face (15.9%) were common sites of dermatitis. The occupations most affected were service workers and machine operators.Limitations: Our cohort may not reflect the general working population.Conclusion: This study identified common occupational allergens, exposure sources, and occupations/industries at risk. This information may help the clinician evaluate and manage patients with occupational contact dermatitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A major element of management is the process of hiring employees. The purpose of this brief is to describe the implementation of a human resources learning activity asking students to choose an employee to hire, describe student responses, and explore student perspectives of the activity. An interactive hiring activity was presented to third-year students (n = 386) at two different institutions, with varied classroom settings. Students were provided with candidates' curricula vitae and then completed a student-led interview using scripted questions presented in a PowerPoint format. The activity asked students to hire one candidate from five qualified candidates of varying backgrounds and traits. A Qualtrics survey collected students' individual hiring choice, hiring rationale, participant demographic information, and activity perceptions. Demographics and candidate choice were assessed using descriptive analysis. Open-ended answers were analyzed for frequency of terms, followed by a latent class analysis. Over 90% of students (n = 386) completed the post-activity survey. Demographic data between student cohorts varied, with only student age similar. Hired candidates differed by institution with one college expressing preference for a specific candidate and the other demonstrating a greater diversity of candidate preferences. Influencing factors on student choice were numerous. Overall, students reported a favorable experience with the activity. This management hiring activity allowed students to engage in the practice-ready skills of hiring pharmacy technicians in an interactive classroom activity. This activity allowed the educators involved to develop hypotheses about student preferences in hiring for future study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Personal care products (PCPs) are commonly responsible for allergic contact dermatitis and irritant contact dermatitis. PCP use was historically associated with females, but male-targeted PCPs are increasingly being marketed.Objective: To characterize and compare males with PCP-related contact dermatitis (MPCPs) and females with PCP-related contact dermatitis (FPCPs).Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional analysis of North American Contact Dermatitis Group data (1996-2016).Results: Four thousand six hundred eighty of 16,233 men (28.8%) and 12,730 of 32,222 (39.5%) women had a PCP identified as a source of irritant contact dermatitis or a positive patch test reaction. The proportion of PCP-related dermatitis in both sexes significantly increased (>2.7-fold) over the decade of study. Compared with FPCPs, a larger proportion of MPCPs were older or had trunk or extremity dermatitis (P < .0001). MPCPs were twice as likely to have soaps as a source while FPCPs were twice as likely to have hair care products (P < .0001). The most common PCP-related North American Contact Dermatitis Group allergens for both sexes were methylisothiazolinone (MPCP 28.8% and FPCP 21.5%), fragrance mix I (MPCP 22.3% and FPCP 20.1%), balsam of Peru (MPCP 18.5% and FPCP 14.1%), quaternium-15 (MPCP 16.1% and FPCP 12.3%), and paraphenylenediamine (MPCP 11.5% and FPCP 11.1%).Limitations: Patient population referred for suspected contact dermatitis.Conclusions: PCP-related dermatitis is increasing. Sites of involvement and relevant PCP sources are distinct between sexes. Male and female variation in exposure history may explain differences in reactivity to some allergen groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Aide Mémoire Project conducted a survey and a series of observational studies in field recording and artifact illustration to understand 1) the perception of digital and by-hand drawing in archaeology, 2) how drawing contributes to the creation of mental models that allow archaeologists to understand archaeological remains and artifacts, and 3) what impact digital drawing has on the creation of these mental models. Our toolkit includes the NASA Task Load Index to assess and compare the mental load while drawing digitally or by-hand. We conclude that there are significant pedagogical, academic, and professional implications to consider when removing or replacing by-hand drawing with digital recording in archaeological methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Alzheimer's Disease Patient and Caregiver Engagement™ Initiative's What Matters Most™ (WMM) Research Program includes seminal studies to identify and measure treatment‐related needs, preferences, and priorities of people living with Alzheimer's disease (PLWAD) and their informal care partners (CPs). WMM research identified 42 concepts deemed to be of highest relevance and importance in treatment related needs across the AD spectrum (preclinical – severe AD). Now, the WMM Next Generation Studies (WMM NG) are generating data to contextualize findings through a conceptual model of disease, verify previously identified concepts, and learn of new emerging concepts from a more diverse and inclusive study sample. Results will be used to broaden the context of an online survey to inform additional studies, including health economic evaluations, across the Alzheimer's research field. Method: A draft conceptual model of disease was developed building on an existing model (Hartry, 2018) after careful examination of previously collected WMM data (DiBenedetti, 2020; Hauber, 2023). A cross‐sectional, observational qualitative research study was conducted, comprised of a series of individual, in‐depth interviews of those with clinically confirmed PLWAD and their CPs. Analyses of these data include qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis methods (Hsiu‐Fang, 2005). Result: The 42 WMM concepts were categorized across thought processing (14), communication (3), mood/emotions (6), daily activities (12), social life/activities, (3) and independence (4) domains to form a draft conceptual model of disease. A total of 64 PLWAD and CPs of diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds participated in in‐depth, web‐based interviews. Results reaffirmed the 42 WMM concepts, informed the model structure, and added missing concepts. Further, cognitive debriefing approaches elucidated participant perception of the terms "bother" and "interference" describing emotional connotation of these words, compared to the assessment of "impact", to inform development of AD burden survey items. Conclusion: WMM concepts contextualized by domains offer a roadmap to support future clinical trials seeking to measure clinically meaningful outcomes and patient‐centric endpoints. WMM NG data collection will enhance robustness of the findings to evaluate the impact of disease symptoms and inform health economic evaluation. The conceptual model will be refined continuously over the WMM research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]