Search

In both narrative theory and evolutionary psychology, equitable-retribution—or the idea that punishments for committing a moral transgression should be equivalent to the transgression itself—is a centerpiece of discussion. This article reports results from a blocked within-subjects experiment that examined speed of cognitive processing and subjective rating of three types of narrative retribution: equitable-retribution; under-retribution, where punishment is absent for a transgression; and over-retribution, where punishment exceeds the severity of the transgression. Results suggest that narrative endings depicting equitable-retribution are processed more quickly and liked more than endings with under-retribution and over-retribution. In addition, liking seems to correspond with enjoyment for equitable-retribution and over-retribution; for under-retribution, liking seems to correspond with appreciation. Discussion focuses on implications for theory and extending the current experimental paradigm.

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) is a group of rare skin diseases that can strongly affect the oral mucosa. The aim of the study was to describe the perception of oral health– related quality of life (OHRQoL) in children living with EB. A quantitative and qualitive study was conducted. First, a quantitative analysis was used to compare the Child Oral Health Impact Profile (COHIP) scores of 23 patients living with EB to normative values. Second, a qualitative approach was taken to help understand the oral health experience of 10 children (aged 5–17 y) living with EB until thematic saturation was reached. For every COHIP domain, the scores were significantly lower in patients living with EB than in healthy patients (P = 0.001). The thematic analysis provided several themes: young patients suffer from EB oral complications, with which they deal in different ways; they experience functional disorders, mainly in eating and speaking; and they also require esthetic dental care. The results of this mixed-method study show that, from the perspective of affected children, that EB affects OHRQoL. Using the children’s own words makes it possible to understand both the difficulties they face and their ability to adapt to these difficulties. Their words also show us what they want from the treatment and help us to identify means of improving practices. Knowledge Transfer Statement: The results of this study confirm the difficulties experienced by patients in the oral sphere. They also show that patients are able to adapt and that their demands go beyond functional rehabilitation. This work should encourage dental practitioners to be part of the overall management of the disease, involving regular checkups, preventive dental measures, and oral hygiene education. Therefore, more effective communication is required, not only between the dental and dermatological teams but also with the parents and caregivers.

Background: Patients often receive broad-spectrum antibiotics for nosocomial infections commonly with activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Previous retrospective and/or single-center studies have suggested that the combination of vancomycin and piperacillin/tazobactam might be associated with an increased risk of acute kidney injury. Objectives: To compare the incidence of nephrotoxicity in patients receiving intravenous vancomycin in combination with cefepime, meropenem, or piperacillin/tazobactam. Methods: This was a prospective, multicenter observational study of patients receiving vancomycin in combination with piperacillin/tazobactam versus cefepime or meropenem. Adult patients 18 years of age or older who were hospitalized and received 72 or more hours of intravenous vancomycin and 72 hours or more of cefepime, meropenem, or piperacillin/tazobactam were eligible. Patient and medication characteristics were examined for the 242 patients included. Results: The incidence of acute kidney injury for patients treated with vancomycin and piperacillin/tazobactam was significantly higher than for those treated with vancomycin and cefepime or meropenem, 29.8% versus 8.8%, respectively, P < 0.001. Binary logistic regression demonstrated that patients receiving vancomycin and piperacillin/tazobactam were 6.7 times more likely to develop acute kidney injury compared with the other cohort. Conclusions: The combination of vancomycin with piperacillin/tazobactam significantly increases the risk of acute kidney injury compared with other broad-spectrum antibiotic combinations. Clinicians should be vigilant when employing this regimen.

This paper describes a new and evolving laboratory programme for the first and second years of the three-year Bachelor of Science degree in electrical and computer engineering at The University of the West Indies. It contains examples of exercises, which incorporate MATLAB and PSpice, and associated equipment built locally.

The aim of this study of 38 patients with stroke was to describe the intrasession and intersession reliability and validity of ordinally graded and timed balance tests. Patients had a mean age and time since stroke of 67 years and 21 days respectively. Balance and gait were both timed with a stop-watch and given an ordinal score. Balance was timed for four different task levels: feet apart, feet together and unilateral stance (either limb first). Subjects who demonstrated the ability to complete the task for 60 seconds proceeded to the next, more difficult, task level. Most subjects remained within an ordinal balance category during a session; 81.6% for session 1 and 86.8% for session 2. The distribution of ordinal balance scores between sessions revealed that 31 of the 38 subjects remained within the same ordinal balance score, with the remainder of subjects scoring higher during session 2. The weighted Kappa coefficient for these scores was 0.858, indicating excellent reliability. The magnitude of the intrasession and intersession intraclass correlation coefficients for unilateral balance times indicated acceptable reliability. The Spearman correlations showed that balance measurements were a valid indicator of walking performance regardless of whether timed or ordinal measurements were used to characterize balance and gait. Given the findings of this study relevant to reliability and validity, the use of the more precise timed balance times cannot be advocated.

The national influenza vaccine uptake monitoring programme in England was established in October 2000. It provides cumulative monthly uptake rates for the 65s and over for October, November and December each year. This rapid assessment programme now includes monitoring uptake rates in healthcare workers and at-risk under 65-year-olds. Web-based reporting for the three data sets was introduced as a pilot in October 2004 and when fully implemented will improve the process and completeness of collecting timely data.

The clerodane diterpenoids trans-kolavenolic acid, 18-oxocleroda-3,13(E)-dien-15-oic acid, ent-(18-hydroxycarbonyl)-cleroda-3,13(E)-dien-15-oate, 2-oxo-ent-cleroda-3,13(Z)-dien-15-oic acid and trans-2-oxo-ent-cleroda-13(Z)-en-15-oic acid, and the chlorobenzenoid O-(3-hydroxy-4-hydroxycarbonyl-5-pentylphenyl)-3-chloro-4-methoxy-6-pentyl-2-oxybenzoic acid were isolated from Tessmannia martiniana var pauloi and T. martiniana var matiniana. Structures were established based on interpretation of spectroscopic data. Some of the compounds exhibited significant antimosquito, antifungal and antibacterial activities.

The new aristolactam alkaloid toussalactam {2-hydroxy-1,6-dimethoxy-5H-dibenzo[cdf]indol-4-one} and the known ones, namely aristolactam AII, aristolactam BII, piperolactam C and aristolactam FII; 1-(2-C-methyl-β-D-ribofuranosyl)-uracil, 3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside, and three catechinoids were isolated from the cytotoxic Toussaintia orientalis Verdc stem and root bark extracts, and their structures established based on analysis of spectroscopic data. The aristolactams exhibited antimicrobial and antiinflammatory activity, aristolactam FII showing almost the same level of activity as the standard anti-inflammatory agent Indomethacin. The compounds also exhibited either mild or no antiproliferative and cytotoxic activities, except aristolactam FII that showed the same level of cytotoxicity as the standard drug Camptothecin. 1-(2-C-Methyl-β-D-ribofuranosyl)-uracil, which is being reported for the first time as a natural product, was inactive in the antibacterial, antifungal, antiinflammatory, antiproliferative and cytotoxicity assays.

Promotional efforts directed to the health professions by pharmaceutical manufacturers, and their alleged association with excessive prescribing and drug abuse are the subject of this paper. The paper contends that claims to the effect that legitimate drug prescribing patterns and promotional efforts merely mirror—or even may cause—drug abuse are not factually supported. Assertions to the effect that physicians rely primarily on advertising in making prescribing decisions are not borne out by studies of the various factors which bear upon those decisions, the paper points out. It describes the extent of prescription drug promotion, and utilization and notes that physician prescribing of psychoactive drugs has lagged behind overall prescription growth trends, in contrast to the accelerating misuse and abuse of this class of medications in the community at large.

Speaking on behalf of the pharmaceutical industry, Mr. Stetler does not believe that advertising unduly influences a physician's prescribing practices. Rather it provides him with new information to be further explored, usually in consultation with colleagues, and permits him to easily compare the claims of one product with others in the same therapeutic categories. The paper also outlines legislative proposals for controlling specific promotional practices which the industry deems unacceptable.

SummaryA protein-free lipid extract (“F2”) consisting mainly of glycolipids, a small amount of phospholipids and an unidentified brown pigment, was obtained from Schistosoma mansoni adult worms. The F2 was tested for the presence of haptenic molecules by incorporation into liposomal model membranes containing trapped glucose. Sera from five infected monkeys were assayed for serological activity against the F2 in liposomes at different times following infection. Complement-dependent damage leading to liposomal glucose release was observed with sera from four out of five monkeys. Glucose release did not occur when the F2 was omitted from the liposomes nor when heat-inactivated complement was used. All of the activity was removed by adsorption of monkey serum with adult schistosomes. The IgM-containing fraction of serum accounted for all of the antibody activity. It was concluded that a complement-dependent immune response against lipids may be observed during the course of schistosomiasis in monkeys. The an...

A treatment-related coronary arteriopathy has been observed in the dog following the oral or intravenous administration of 4 potent phosphodiesterase type III inhibiting inodilators at high multiples of their ED50 for periods from 1 day to 6 months. A fifth compound of a similar pharmacological class exhibited limiting toxicity at low multiples of its ED50 and this compound failed to induce coronary arterial lesions. The earliest treatment-related findings observed were medial hemorrhage and necrosis with focal breaks in the internal elastic lamina. Later changes, observed from day 9 onwards, included intimal thickening consisting of smooth muscle proliferation with a mucoid ground substance, variable and inconsistent inflammatory changes involving one or more arterial tunics and adventitial hemorrhage, fibrosis and neovascularization. The changes were restricted to the coronary arteries including the extramural and intramural branches. The distribution of lesions varied from widespread, multifocal involvement of both coronary arterial systems to focal lesions with no obvious site of predilection. Induction of this lesion may involve changes in coronary flow and pressure as a result of an exaggerated pharmacological response to this class of compound. The susceptibility of other species (rat, cynomolgus monkey, or pig) to this effect has been investigated with no treatment-related arteriopathy being observed.

Forecasts of consumer buying trends are more frequently being based on surveys of consumers’ “subjective purchase probabilities,” rather than on their verbal “buying intentions.” However, a planning horizon of 6 months or longer is usually employed. What happens to the speed, accuracy, and usefulness of these forecasts when the horizon is shortened to 90-day probabilities?