Breadth Of Topics Research Articles

Duchy miejsca – napisy (graffiti) w przestrzeniach publicznych i prywatnych jako przedmiot badań archeologii współczesnej przeszłości

Writing, signing and carving names in public spaces are popular ways of indicating somebody’s presence in the world. Various inscriptions made in different places have been appearing from the ancient times until today. There are multiple motivations for such practice: a simple signing to indicate somebody’s presence, a declaration of sympathy or antipathy to some idea or person or political manifests and encouragement to engage in some actions. Despite the popularity of such phenomenon and its long duration, archaeologists, especially those involved in studying the recent or contemporary past, are not particularly focused on researching this source of knowledge. Most of the academic works which concern inscriptions and graffiti are conducted by sociologists or visual culture specialists. However, these sources may be truly significant in studying microhistories of the places and people. Thus, in our article we want to present a unique potential of graffiti in the studies related to the recent and contemporary past. The aim of our article is to show various spatial contexts in which graffiti may be encountered and to present how the archaeology of the contemporary past may take advantage of researching such inscriptions. After Laurent Olivier (2001), we think that discovering the local past is a characteristic feature of the archaeology of the contemporary past and our article aims to show how the specific “being” of graffiti around us may contribute to discovering the microhistories of people and places. According to Michael Bell’s concept (1997), we interpret graffiti as “the ghosts of place” which indicate the presence of those who are no longer in the place. Due to the breadth of topics connected with graffiti, we decided to focus on those inscriptions which manifest someone’s presence in the place, narrowing our studies only to its written form (not graphic).

Renal Support Therapy for Neonates: Challenges, Opportunities, and Growing Awareness

Recent reports of new dialysis machines designed for infants, data suggesting improved outcomes for patients starting chronic dialysis as neonates, and increased awareness of neonatal acute kidney injury (AKI) have all intensified interest in the successful provision of dialysis to neonates. The purpose of this review is to summarize research on neonatal renal support therapy (RST) published in the last year (2017) and to highlight both the active areas of investigation as well as the ongoing knowledge gaps and opportunities for future research. Recent studies cover a breadth of topics related to neonates with both AKI and chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis. New research comes from both single centers and large international cohorts. Topics include survival outcomes, infant hemodialysis, and differences between neonatologists’ and nephrologists’ attitudes about neonatal RST. Survival rates for neonates supported with RST are improving, but still are worse than those for older patients. Increased attention to this issue and the development of novel machines designed specifically for neonates will likely lead to increased RST use and better outcomes. Additional data about the right timing for interventions, strategies to decrease complications, and best practices to improve the care for these complex patients is much needed.

Carlos L. Ballaré.

Carlos L. Ballaré.

Developing a National, Simulation-Based, Surgical Skills Bootcamp in General Thoracic Surgery

The use surgical simulation across all subspecialties has gained widespread adoption in the last decade. A number of factors, including the small number of trainees, identified gaps in surgical skill training from cross-sectional surveys, increased national collaboration, and support from the national specialty committee identified a need to construct a surgical skills "bootcamp" in thoracic surgery in Canada. The goals of the surgical skills bootcamp, as identified by the residency training program directors and the national specialty committee were to create a national, centralized, simulation-based skills workshop that focused on key foundational procedures within thoracic surgery, particularly those identified as areas of weakness by former residents; to smooth the transition to intraoperative teaching; to provide exposure to important but not necessarily universally available procedures such as advanced endoscopy; to teach non-medical expert competencies, and lastly to provide a venue for networking for residents across the country. The curriculum committee has constructed a 3.5 day curriculum, with a focus on hands-on skills simulation, as well as lectures, on a breadth of topics including benign esophageal disorders, lung cancer staging, minimally invasive lung surgery, crisis management and advanced bronchoscopy and endoscopy. All residents across the country attend as well as faculty from a variety of institutions. The course is hosted centrally at the University of Toronto, Ontario over 3.5 days. A combination of auditorium and both animal and human operating room facilities are utilized. A needs-assessment based on a formal meeting of the program directors, as well feedback from surveys identified the target areas for curriculum development. A committee of interested faculty developed the content as well as the local construct and logistics required. Iterative feedback has evolved the duration and content over the initial 3 years. Through formal resident feedback, national subspecialty committee review, and program director meetings the support for the bootcamp has been overwhelmingly positive. Specific resident feedback for structure, content and specific simulations has been favorable, but has also been used to modify the program. In response to identified weaknesses in training, with the support of the national specialty committee, the residency program directors, and the faculty at the University of Toronto, an intensive simulation based thoracic surgery bootcamp has successfully been created for Canadian thoracic surgery residents.

A novel resident-as-teacher curriculum: the role of experiential learning and coaching.

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Background: Canadian family medicine residency programs have the challenge of training in a wide breadth of topics and competencies within a two-year program, including training residents to be effective teachers. There has been a gap in knowledge with regards to the most effective method to train residents to teach. We developed, implemented, and evaluated a novel multi-level resident-as-teacher (RAT) coaching curriculum to provide training and authentic experiences for family medicine residents in teaching medical students. Methods: A curriculum centred around multi-level coaching was designed where family medicine faculty members directly observed and provided feedback to family medicine residents teaching small group clinical skills to first and second year medical students. Family medicine residents received didactic training on how to provide effective feedback to students and manage small group dynamics, after reviewing the learning objectives that students were to achieve. This was followed by the authentic small group teaching experiences. A survey was sent out by email to all residents and faculty members who had participated in the RAT curriculum at the end of the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 academic years. Quantitative survey data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, correlation coefficients (Spearman's rho)). Qualitative analysis was completed through thematic analysis of respondents' written comments to open-ended survey questions. Results: 80% of 127 residents strongly agreed (26%) or agreed (54%) that the RAT program effectively developed their teaching skills. 57% either strongly agreed (17%) or agreed (40%) that the direct observation and feedback from faculty coaches helped to improve their teaching skills. There was a significant positive correlation between residents' perceptions of the usefulness of the feedback from faculty coaches and residents' perceptions of the overall RAT program's effectiveness in developing their teaching skills (r=0.42; p=0.001). Qualitative analysis revealed that residents perceived the RAT program to have solidified their own knowledge base for the content covered in the sessions. Residents also perceived a benefit of near-peer teaching for the medical students and an elevated family physicians' profile as teachers. They found the active learning experience increased their self-awareness of their teaching skills. Time away from clinical rotations and preparation time were derived as a potential drawback of the program. All faculty coaches agreed or strongly agreed that the RAT curriculum improved the teaching skills of family medicine residents. Thematic analysis of the faculty coaches' comments revealed that participating as coaches allowed for their own professional development in that their feedback and coaching skills improved. Conclusions: Our experiences and program evaluation of a novel multi-level resident-as-teacher coaching curriculum show that direct observation with feedback of authentic teaching activities is highly valued, and appears to be effective in developing resident teaching skills while fostering interest in future teaching.

A Nationwide Survey of Child Interviewing Practices in Canada

The goal of the present study was to create professional awareness about the degree of consensus and consistency in the interview techniques that ultimately influence child victims' experiences and progression through the legal system in Canada. We surveyed 200 professionals who interview children in Canada about the guidelines and techniques they use, their perceptions of their training and interviewing arrangements, and the needs and challenges they face in daily practice. Results revealed a wide variety of practices in use across the country, and differences in length of training and who provided it. Police and child protection workers tended to differ on their satisfaction with interviewing arrangements. Commonalities were observed across organizations and locales in that most interviewers could readily identify challenges in talking to vulnerable witnesses and desires for additional training (e.g., greater topic breadth and regular follow-ups). Responses revealed awareness of contemporary research, as well as pockets of more traditional thinking, about child witness capabilities and interviewing techniques. Although variety in interviewing guidelines and training providers is not necessarily problematic, the development of a single nationwide policy on the core components of vulnerable witness interviewing, to which training programs must adhere, could have particular value.

Understanding the relationship between religiosity and caregiver-adolescent communication about sex within African-American families.

Caregiver-adolescent communication about sex plays a critical role in the sexual socialization of youth. Many caregivers, however, do not engage their youth in such conversations, potentially placing them at risk for negative sexual health outcomes. Lack of caregiver-adolescent communication about sex may be particularly harmful for rural African American youth, as they often report early sex initiation and are disproportionately impacted by STIs. Moreover, sexual communication may be particularly challenging for families with strong religious backgrounds, potentially affecting the occurrence and breadth of topics covered during communication. Study aims were to: determine whether there was a relationship between caregiver religiosity and type of topics covered during communication about sex (e.g., general sexual health vs. positive aspects of sexuality) among 435 caregivers of early adolescent, African American youth; and if so, identify factors that might explain how religiosity affects communication about sex. Results indicated that caregiver religiosity was positively associated with communication about general, but not positive aspects of sexuality for caregivers of males. Attitudes towards communication about sex and open communication style mediated the relationship. There was no association between religiosity and communication about sex for caregivers of females. The findings from this study could provide a base to better understand and support the sexual socialization process within religious, African American families.

The 17th Trauma Care Conference Abstracts

This year’s Trauma Care Conference – its 17th – was another enormous success with a breadth of topics and involved groups not found at any other UK trauma meeting. The Poster competition was again well represented across the speciality of trauma and all presented posters are published in abstract form below. Those marked with an * were adjudged to be the best poster on that day of presentation.

Everyday attention.

Understanding the basic mechanisms underlying attentional function using naturalistic stimuli, tasks, and/or settings is the focus of everyday attention research. Interest in everyday approaches to attention research has increased recently-arguably riding a more general wave of support for such considerations in experimental psychology. This special issue of the Canadian Journal of Experimental Psychology attempts to capture the emerging enthusiasm for studying everyday attention by bringing together work from a wide array of attentional domains (e.g., visual attention, dual tasking, search, mind wandering, social attention) that are representative of this general approach. The 14 contributions to the special issue highlight the breadth of topics addressed in this research, the methodological creativity required to carry it out, and the promise of everyday attention for understanding the basic mechanisms underlying attentional function. This introduction will summarise the everyday attention approach as represented in the contributions to the special issue. (PsycINFO Database Record

Catalysis: The Technology Enabler for New, Low Carbon Energy Technologies

Catalysis: The Technology Enabler for New, Low Carbon Energy Technologies

What people study when they study Tumblr

PurposeSince its launch in 2007, research has been carried out on the popular social networking website Tumblr. The purpose of this paper is to identify published Tumblr-based research, classify it to understand approaches and methods, and provide methodological recommendations for others.Design/methodology/approachResearch regarding Tumblr was identified. Following a review of the literature, a classification scheme was adapted and applied, to understand research focus. Papers were quantitatively classified using open coded content analysis of method, subject, approach, and topic.FindingsThe majority of published work relating to Tumblr concentrates on conceptual issues, followed by aspects of the messages sent. This has evolved over time. Perceived benefits are the platform’s long-form text posts, ability to track tags, and the multimodal nature of the platform. Severe research limitations are caused by the lack of demographic, geo-spatial, and temporal metadata attached to individual posts, the limited Advanced Programming Interface, restricted access to data, and the large amounts of ephemeral posts on the site.Research limitations/implicationsThis study focusses on Tumblr: the applicability of the approach to other media is not considered. The authors focus on published research and conference papers: there will be book content which was not found using the method. Tumblr as a platform has falling user numbers which may be of concern to researchers.Practical implicationsThe authors identify practical barriers to research on the Tumblr platform including lack of metadata and access to big data, explaining why Tumblr is not as popular as Twitter in academic studies.Social implicationsThis paper highlights the breadth of topics covered by social media researchers, which allows us to understand popular online platforms.Originality/valueThere has not yet been an overarching study to look at the methods and purpose of those who study Tumblr. The authors identify Tumblr-related research papers from the first appearing in 2011 July until 2015 July. The classification derived here provides a framework that can be used to analyse social media research, and in which to position Tumblr-related work, with recommendations on benefits and limitations of the platform for researchers.

Guest editorial: special issue on Consensus‐based Applications in Networked Systems

Guest editorial: special issue on Consensus‐based Applications in Networked Systems

Evaluation of a Quality Improvement Resource for Public Health Practitioners.

Quality improvement is a critical mechanism to manage public health agency performance and to strengthen accountability for public funds. The objective of this study was to evaluate a relatively new quality improvement resource, the Public Health Quality Improvement Exchange (PHQIX), a free online communication platform dedicated to making public health quality improvement information accessible to practitioners. We conducted an internet-based survey of registered PHQIX users (n = 536 respondents) in 2013 and key informant interviews with PHQIX frequent users (n = 21) in 2014, in the United States. We assessed use of the PHQIX website, user engagement and satisfaction, communication and knowledge exchange, use of information, and impact on quality improvement capacity and accreditation readiness. Of 462 respondents, 369 (79.9%) browsed quality improvement initiatives, making it the most commonly used site feature, and respondents described PHQIX as a near-unique source for real-world quality improvement examples. Respondents were satisfied with the quality and breadth of topics and relevance to their settings (average satisfaction scores, 3.9-4.1 [where 5 was the most satisfied]). Of 407 respondents, 237 (58.2%) said that they had put into practice information learned on PHQIX, and 209 of 405 (51.6%) said that PHQIX had helped to improve quality improvement capacity. Fewer than half of respondents used the commenting function, the Community Forum, and the Ask an Expert feature. Findings suggest that PHQIX, particularly descriptions of the quality improvement initiatives, is a valued resource for public health practitioners. Users reported sharing information with colleagues and applying what they learned to their own work. These findings may relate to other efforts to disseminate quality improvement knowledge.

Approaches to Teaching Sand’s Indiana ed. by David A. Powell, Pratima Prasad

Reviews 233 Powell, David A., and Pratima Prasad, eds. Approaches to Teaching Sand’s Indiana. New York: MLA, 2016. ISBN 978-1-60329-210-8. Pp. 232. $24. Divided into two parts, this volume provides fresh and innovative insight into teaching the novel commonly referred to as the “precursor” to Sand’s other fictional works because of its prevalent themes: “the constraints placed on married women by the Napoleonic Code, class inequities, the parallels between marriage and slavery, and the political circumstances of the Bourbon restoration and the July Monarchy” (vii). Having conducted a survey prior to beginning the volume, Powell and Prasad ascertained that Indiana is the most consistently taught novel of all Sand’s works, both in the United States and abroad. Moreover, beyond the novel being included in French literature survey courses as well as specialized courses on nineteenth-century French narrative and culture, French women writers, and French colonial literature, it is frequently taught in English as part of women’s and gender studies offerings and comparative literature courses, “where it is teamed up with novels such as Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre”(vii). Given such a wide range of courses that include Indiana, this pedagogical volume is much needed. The aim of “Part One: Materials”is to assist instructors with the rich and varied literary and social history of Indiana. In just over six pages, it provides concise information on French editions and English translations; a note on bibliographic notations in Approaches; background readings on French, literary, and colonial history and biographies of George Sand; and, studies of Indiana. “Part Two: Approaches” is divided into four sub-sections:“History and Geography;”“Race, Femininity, and Masculinity;” “Comparative Perspectives;”and“Literary Contexts.”The wide breadth of topics covered in the twenty-one essays will appeal to instructors of courses ranging from French romanticism and realism to interdisciplinary ones on French colonial history or law. Of particular note is how contributors not only described how they teach Indiana, but how they do so in a particular course to a particular group of students. For example, Carolyn Vellenga Berman details in “Creole Emancipation: Indiana and French Colonial Slavery” her strategy for teaching the novel in English translation to upperlevel undergraduates in a self-designed liberal arts degree program: “Since there are generally no prerequisites where I teach and undergraduates with diverse educational backgrounds mix with highly educated auditors in each class, the challenge is to bring students together in a meaningful collective project” (26). Allan H. Pasco explains in “Romantic Realism in Indiana,” that while reviewing the long list of salient themes in Indiana (e.g., frustrated love, passion, melancholy, etc.),“it is also possible to highlight other important but less emphasized preoccupations like youth, the present, narrative devices, and the realism that preoccupied writers throughout much of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries” (185). The volume is essential for those who are new to teaching Indiana and ideal for those seasoned professionals who want to infuse their courses with new perspectives. Fulbright Specialist (NY) Eileen M. Angelini Film edited by Michèle Bissière Boukhrief, Nicolas, réal. Made in France. Int. Malik Zidi, François Civil, Nassim Si Ahmed. Radar, 2015. Made in France a largement été mentionné dans la presse comme le film que les distributeurs ont préféré ne pas sortir parce que son intrigue rappellerait de façon trop aiguë les tragiques massacres du 11 novembre 2015.Voir le film, distribué malgré tout en VOD, permet de constater que s’il propose une immersion au sein d’une cellule qui s’apprête à monter un attentat terroriste, Made in France ne montre rien qui ressemble aux événements en question: pas de massacres dans une salle de concert ou à la terrasse d’un café.En effet,ce qui intéresse Boukhrief,ce sont surtout l’hétérogénéité du groupe et les tensions qui le traversent au fur et à mesure qu’approche le fatidique passage à l’acte. Ces rapports de force nous sont présentés à travers le regard de Sam (Malik Zidi), un journaliste qui a infiltré la cellule et qui...

Editors' Introduction

Editorial| January 01 2017 Editors' Introduction Transportation Journal (2017) 56 (1): iii–iv. https://doi.org/10.5325/transportationj.56.1.iii Cite Icon Cite Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Permissions Search Site Citation Editors' Introduction. Transportation Journal 1 January 2017; 56 (1): iii–iv. doi: https://doi.org/10.5325/transportationj.56.1.iii Download citation file: Zotero Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All Scholarly Publishing CollectivePenn State University PressTransportation Journal Search Advanced Search It has been a year since the new editorial team took over the Transportation Journal. During this one year we have seen a steady growth of the number of papers submitted to the journal and also an increase in the breadth of topics covered by the articles. As discussed in the Editors' Introduction of the previous issue (vol. 55, no. 4), Transportation Journal is now evolving into an outlet that publishes a wide array of articles that report discoveries and inventions within the general supply chain management arena.This issue of Transportation Journal presents a set of articles that investigate more traditional transportation issues. Individually and collectively, the articles advance the knowledge base in this important area. In the first article, Jin, Swanson, Waller, and Ozment study how carriers can maintain sustained success in the highly competitive truckload industry. They employ an econometric approach to investigate the relationship between... You do not currently have access to this content.

Electroanalysis: App to Date

For nearly 30 years Electroanalysis has been committed to publishing the very best in electroanalytical chemistry. Throughout the year 2016 we published a series of excellent special issues, covering a wide breadth of topics. We started the year with a special issue on Nanocarbon Electrochemistry and Electroanalysis (Issue 1/2016, co-organized by Nianjun Yang and Greg M. Swain). These were followed by topical issues on Wearable Electrochemical Sensors (Issue 6/2016 organized by myself) and on Electrochemical Immunosensors (Issue 8/2016; co-organized by J. M. Pingarrón and S. Campuzano). In the Fall we published two commemorative issues: on the occasion of Wolfgang Schuhmann's 60th birthday (Issue 10/2016; co-organized by Alexander Kuhn, Donal Leech, and Edmond Magner) and on the occasion of Petr Zuman's 90th birthday (Issue 11/2016; co-organized by James F. Rusling, Jiri Ludvik, and Flavio Maran). During 2016, we also released the journal's very own App. The Electroanalysis App for iPhones/iPads is now available for download from the iTunes store and offers readers of the journal a new reading experience for staying up to date on all the latest developments and advances. One can easily access the App by going to the journal homepage and clicking through the App logo. In 2017, we are adding two new features. First, we will be highlighting cover graphics on each issue of Electroanalysis. Authors are encouraged to submit attractive cover graphics that give readers an informative and inspirational view of their research, and one graphic per issue will be selected from the submitted cover candidates. We will also be introducing Accepted Articles for 2017, as a further development in providing authors the fastest possible publication speed without compromising on quality. Each Accepted Article will be posted within a few days after acceptance of the article, without editing or typesetting. The manuscript will then undergo the usual editing/typesetting process, including galley proofing, and will replace the Accepted Article as the official Version of Record. The Accepted Articles are fully citable by their DOI upon publication. In 2017 we will continue to focus on promoting good science and creativity and maintaining and improving our high standards. Special emphasis will be given to the latest advances and innovations in electroanalytical chemistry and electrochemical sensors. We thus look forward to continue be a leader in these fields by publishing the latest cutting-edge research and to receive your best articles as well as your suggestions. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the authors, readers, referees, and board members of Electroanalysis who contribute to our success. Thank you all for making the journal so successful, and very best wishes for 2017! Joseph Wang Chief Editor

The Essential Burn Unit Handbook, 2nd Edition

As a service to our readers, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® reviews books, DVDs, practice management software, and electronic media items of educational interest to reconstructive and aesthetic surgeons. All items are copyrighted and available commercially. The Journal actively solicits information in digital format for review. Reviewers are selected on the basis of relevant interest. Reviews are solely the opinion of the reviewer; they are usually published as submitted, with only copy editing. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery® does not endorse or recommend any review so published. Send books, DVDs, and any other material for consideration to: Arun K. Gosain, M.D., Review Editor, Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Brookriver Executive Center, 8150 Brookriver Drive, Suite S-415, Dallas, Texas 75247. Arun K. Gosain, M.D. Review EditorThroughout residency, both general surgery and plastic surgery trainees must maintain excellence in patient care while learning a new breadth of knowledge. In this process, it is critical to have a resource that summarizes the important aspects of clinical care that can be read in a quick, timely, immediate fashion to facilitate application to challenging or new case scenarios. The management of patients after burn injuries is an area of clinical care that is lacking such a resource, as chapters on this particular topic are often insufficient in the detail required for proper clinical translation. In addition, many chapters on burn injury are buried within the confines of texts with a broader focus, limiting the ability to reference information quickly and efficiently in a field that requires inherent skill and intuitive decision-making. The Essential Burn Unit Handbook is a concise review of all aspects of management important in caring for patients with burns. The discussion of a wide breadth of topics ranging from the initial diagnosis and stabilization of patients who have just suffered burns to the details of inpatient care and complications functions as a comprehensive overview to a very complex subject. In this manner, this textbook is excellent for junior and senior residents alike who are new to a burn unit. The practicality of the book is demonstrated by its white coat–appropriate size, presentation of clinical worksheet templates important for maintaining organization for new trainees, and use of example order sets for both adult and pediatric patients. The book is organized into 12 chapters, all of which are incredibly concise and appropriate for all levels of training. Unlike many other texts that consolidate the major points of the chapter at the end of a section, this handbook very thoughtfully highlights the take-home objectives at the beginning, optimizing the efficiency with which trainees can quickly reference and hone in on the subject matter within the shortest amount of time. Well-organized tables are used to highlight enteral feeding formulas and wound care options, and clear, concise examples are given to improve the trainee’s understanding of ventilator settings and intravenous fluid management strategies. Figures within each chapter provide an excellent depiction of surgical incision designs and critical operative steps. References at the end of each chapter provide the opportunity for further reading. As the book was written by residents during their final years of training, The Essential Burn Unit Handbook clearly satisfies an unmet need given its applicability to the practical, day-to-day aspects of patient care in a specific critical care setting. This direct translatability to clinical care is the most important and unique aspect of this book. With an elegant balance of epidemiology and evidence-based clinical algorithms, The Essential Burn Unit Handbook is an excellent resource for those taking part in the care of patients after burn injuries, and serves as a practical tool for any trainee interested in burn care.

The elephant in the room: Facilitating conversations about advanced cancer between patients and their spouses.

233 Background: Interventions to enhance couples’ communication about cancer-related issues can lead to benefits for patients, spouses, and their relationships. We recently conducted a pilot study testing a couples communication skills training (CCST) intervention targeted to couples in which one partner had advanced GI cancer, a population who may need particular help addressing difficult and emotionally-laden topics related to life-limiting illness. Results of quantitative analyses suggested that the intervention was effective in improving relationship satisfaction for these couples. The objective of the current study was to analyze intervention session conversation content to identify themes that couples addressed spontaneously, with the ultimate goal of determining whether an intervention that more specifically guides couples to discuss issues related to end of life and the life-limiting nature of the patient’s illness would be acceptable. Methods: 12 couples (10 male and 2 female patients and their spouses) completed the 6 session CCST intervention which provided training in communication skills for sharing thoughts and feelings and making decisions, and gave couples the opportunity to use these skills to discuss cancer-related issues of their choosing. We conducted qualitative content analysis of the 72 audio-recorded sessions, and coded common and recurrent topics raised by patients and spouses. In addition to identifying breadth of topics, we used theme frequency as an initial gauge of theme importance and acceptability. Results: The most common themes identified were prognosis, treatment, emotional intimacy, completion, spouse’s life after the death of the patient, roles, communication, sublimating needs, emotional support, and family. These represent themes previously identified as important to patients at end of life, as well as themes unique to dyads in intimate relationships. Conclusions: These findings support the feasibility of conducting an intervention that combines training in communication skills with guidance for using these skills to discuss topics that are potentially most meaningful to couples facing advanced illness.

What's Hot, What's New From the 2016 American Transplant Congress.

From June 11-15, 2016 the American Transplant Congress, the joint meeting of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons, held its annual meeting in Boston, MA. The meeting, attended by 5200 registrants, included pre-meeting conferences, focused topic sessions, and hundreds of high-quality presentations from the transplant field. This meeting report highlights key findings from specific basic science, translational, and clinical research presentations deemed to have notable impact in thematic areas. In particular, there were a number of transformative studies indicating important advances in the understanding of alloimmunity, chronic rejection, tolerance, and organ-specific outcomes. Many of these results are discussed in the context of the published literature to showcase rapid advances in the transplant field.

Racial/Ethnic Differences in Symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

In light of the recent incorporation of the DSM-5, this updated comprehensive review of racial/ethnic differences in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) makes a significant and timely contribution for clinicians and researchers. Racial/ethnic differences in the prevalence and symptom expression of PTSD are the focus of the current review. In particular, this review examines differences in PTSD expression and prevalence among three major racial/ethnic groups in the United States: African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Asian/Asian Americans. Further, cultural factors believed to influence the epidemiology and phenomenology of PTSD, such as differential rates of trauma exposure, acculturation, racism, and stigma, are discussed within the context of PTSD expression and symptom disclosure. The current review examines empirical literature published since 2000 on academic databases including PsychInfo, PubMed, PsychARTICLES, Psychiatry Online, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, with aggregate data prioritized when possible. After a general summary of the major findings of the breadth of topics described above, implications for improving treatment utilization, retention and outcomes across diverse racial/ethnic groups based on research findings are discussed. Finally, directions for future empirical examination into this important area are offered.