Micro-Computer Based Linear Scheduling Application for Highway Construction Project Control, HR-339A, 1995

This report describes a new approach to the problem of scheduling highway construction type projects. The technique can accurately model linear activities and identify the controlling activity path on a linear schedule. Current scheduling practices are unable to accomplish these two tasks with any accuracy for linear activities, leaving planners and manager suspicious of the information they provide. Basic linear scheduling is not a new technique, and many attempts have been made to apply it to various types of work in the past. However, the technique has never been widely used because of the lack of an analytical approach to activity relationships and development of an analytical approach to determining controlling activities. The Linear Scheduling Model (LSM) developed in this report, completes the linear scheduling technique by adding to linear scheduling all of the analytical capabilities, including computer applications, present in CPM scheduling today. The LSM has tremendous potential, and will likely have a significant impact on the way linear construction is scheduled in the future.

Une intervention systémique brève de couple: le cas de Virginie et Paul

L'analyse de la thérapie de couple de Virginie et Paul vise à illustrer la spécificité de l'intervention Systémique Brève, un traitement manualise réalisé dans un cadre temporel limité, et à examiner son efficacité. L'évaluation chez chaque conjoint de la symptomatologie individuelle, de la satisfaction conjugale et de l'alliance thérapeutique grâce à des questionnaires transmis avant, après et trois mois après la fin de l'intervention fournit une mesure indépendante du processus thérapeutique. Les résultats montrent que les étapes clés du processus thérapeutique identifiées par les thérapeutes sont associées à des variations de l'alliance thérapeutique chez les patients. L'évolution distincte de chaque partenaire est discutée, en s'appuyant notamment sur les réactions des conjoints à leurs données de recherche.

Diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infections.

Advances in implant design, surgical technique, peri-operative antimicrobial prophylaxis and laminar airflow operating room environment have made total joint arthroplasty one of the most successful surgical procedures of all times. Orthopaedic implants, however, remain prone to microbial contamination resulting in persistent risk of implant-associated infection. Treatment of infections associated with orthopaedic devices usually requires appropriate surgical intervention combined with a prolonged antimicrobial therapy. The choice of the best possible treatment regimen depends on duration and pathogenesis of infection, stability of the implant, antimicrobial susceptibility of the pathogen and condition of the surrounding soft tissue. In addition towell known diagnostic procedures new promising tools for rapid and correct microbial diagnosis are being developed as correct diagnosis of the responsible micro-organism and this is paramount for successful treatment of prosthetic joint infection.

A Feasibility Study on Embedded Micro-Electromechanical Sensors and Systems (MEMS) for Monitoring Highway Structures, TR-575, 2011

Micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) provide vast improvements over existing sensing methods in the context of structural health monitoring (SHM) of highway infrastructure systems, including improved system reliability, improved longevity and enhanced system performance, improved safety against natural hazards and vibrations, and a reduction in life cycle cost in both operating and maintaining the infrastructure. Advancements in MEMS technology and wireless sensor networks provide opportunities for long-term continuous, real-time structural health monitoring of pavements and bridges at low cost within the context of sustainable infrastructure systems. The primary objective of this research was to investigate the use of MEMS in highway structures for health monitoring purposes. This study focused on investigating the use of MEMS and their potential applications in concrete through a comprehensive literature review, a vendor survey, and a laboratory study, as well as a small-scale field study. Based on the comprehensive literature review and vendor survey, the latest information available on off-the-shelf MEMS devices, as well as research prototypes, for bridge, pavement, and traffic applications were synthesized. A commercially-available wireless concrete monitoring system based on radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology and off-the-shelf temperature and humidity sensors were tested under controlled laboratory and field conditions. The test results validated the ability of the RFID wireless concrete monitoring system in accurately measuring the temperature both inside the laboratory and in the field under severe weather conditions. In consultation with the project technical advisory committee (TAC), the most relevant MEMS-based transportation infrastructure research applications to explore in the future were also highlighted and summarized.

Community pharmacist intervention in depressed primary care patients (PRODEFAR study): randomized controlled trial protocol.

Background: Treatment of depression, the most prevalent and costly mental disorder, needs to be improved. Non-concordance with clinical guidelines and non-adherence can limit the efficacy of pharmacological treatment of depression. Through pharmaceutical care, pharmacists can improve patients' compliance and wellbeing. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness and costeffectiveness of a community pharmacist intervention developed to improve adherence and outcomes of primary care patients with depression. Methods/design: A randomized controlled trial, with 6-month follow-up, comparing patients receiving a pharmaceutical care support programme in primary care with patients receiving usual care. The total sample comprises 194 patients (aged between 18 and 75) diagnosed with depressive disorder in a primary care health centre in the province of Barcelona (Spain). Subjects will be asked for written informed consent in order to participate in the study. Diagnosis will be confirmed using the SCID-I. The intervention consists of an educational programme focused on improving knowledge about medication, making patients aware of the importance of compliance, reducing stigma, reassuring patients about side-effects and stressing the importance of carrying out general practitioners' advice. Measurements will take place at baseline, and after 3 and 6 months. Main outcome measure is compliance with antidepressants. Secondary outcomes include; clinical severity of depression (PHQ-9), anxiety (STAI-S), health-related quality of life (EuroQol-5D), satisfaction with the treatment received, side-effects, chronic physical conditions and sociodemographics. The use of healthcare and social care services will be assessed with an adapted version of the Client Service Receipt Inventory (CSRI). Discussion: This trial will provide valuable information for health professionals and policy makers on the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a pharmaceutical intervention programme in the context of primary care. Trial registration: NCT00794196

Brief alcohol intervention and alcohol assessment do not influence alcohol use in injured patients treated in the emergency department: a randomized controlled clinical trial.

AIMS: To evaluate the effectiveness of brief alcohol intervention (BAI) in reducing alcohol use among hazardous drinkers treated in the emergency department (ED) after an injury; in addition it tests whether assessment of alcohol use without BAI is sufficient to reduce hazardous drinking. DESIGN: Randomized controlled clinical trial with 12-month follow-up conducted between January 2003 and June 2005. SETTING: Urban academic emergency department (ED) of the Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 5136 consecutive patients attending ED after an injury completed a seven-item general and a three-item alcohol screen and 1472 (28.7%) were positive for hazardous drinking according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Addiction definition; of these 987 (67.1%) were randomized into a BAI group (n = 310) or a control group with screening and assessment (n = 342) or a control group with screening only (n = 335) and then a total of 770 patients (78.0%) completed the 12-month follow-up procedures. INTERVENTION: A single 10-15-minute session of standardized BAI conducted by a trained research assistant. MEASUREMENTS: Percentage of participants who have changed to low-risk drinking at follow-up. FINDINGS: Data obtained at 12 months indicated that similar proportions were low-risk drinkers in BAI versus control groups with and without assessment (35.6%, 34.0%, 37.0%, respectively, P = 0.71). Data also indicated similar reductions in drinking frequency, quantity, binge drinking frequency and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores across groups. All groups reported similar numbers of days hospitalized and numbers of medical consults in the last 12 months. A model including age groups, gender, AUDIT and injury severity scores indicated that BAI had no influence on the main alcohol use outcome. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides the evidence that a 10-15-minute BAI does not decrease alcohol use and health resource utilization in hazardous drinkers treated in the ED, and demonstrates that commonly found decreases in hazardous alcohol use in control groups cannot be attributed to the baseline alcohol assessment.

Violencia doméstica: sexo y género en las teorías psicosociales sobre la violencia. Hacia otras propuestas de comprensión e intervención = Domestic violence: sex and gender in psychosocial theories about violence. New approach to it comprehension and intervention

En el artículo se presenta la violencia doméstica como violencia política de género masculino. Se señalan el individualismo, la naturalización y el sexismo en el tratamiento de la violencia y la agresión así como de la identidad, por parte de la psicología tradicional, como factores que dificultan las intervenciones en la violencia doméstica. Los prejuicios, valores y estrategias de la sociedad patriarcal continúan influyendo en ellas. Desde la psicología crítica feminista se propone: a) una comprensión de la subjetividad, la diferencia sexo-género y la violencia como construcciones sociales; b) intervenciones menos autoritarias y que no participen en la reproducción del orden social; c) la incorporación de las resistencias desarrolladas; d) un análisis basado en las relaciones de poder y las prácticas discursivas

Brief intervention on tobacco use among young adults - do they benefit from booster sessions?

Introduction Le tabac représente un risque majeur pour la santé de chacun, avec un lien direct établi entre le risque de développer des pathologies et la durée de sa consommation. Les jeunes sont donc des cibles primordiales pour la prévention du tabac ; les quelques recherches effectuées dans ce groupe d'âge ne sont pas encore parvenues à identifier des moyens efficaces afin d'éviter le début de la cigarette ou d'arrêter une consommation préexistante. Les buts de cette étude sont d'identifier les effets de l'intervention motivationnelle brève et de définir la nécessité d'un booster dans cette catégorie particulière de la population que sont les jeunes hommes de 19 ans. Méthodes Cette étude a été menée d'octobre 2008 à septembre 2009 au centre de recrutement de Lausanne, Vaud. Les individus étaient invités à participer à une intervention motivationnelle brève ciblant simultanément le tabac, l'alcool et le cannabis, sans screening préalable. Les 823 volontaires ont été assignés de manière randomisée entre les groupes cas et témoin, avec dans le groupe intervention une nouvelle randomisation attribuant un booster téléphonique trois mois plus tard à certains cas. Ce travail se fixe uniquement sur les résultats concernant le tabac, six mois après l'intervention. Les effets (statut de fumeur et de fumeur quotidien, nombre de cigarettes fumées en moyenne, dépendance à la cigarette selon les critères de Fagerström) étaient analysés sur la base d'un questionnaire écrit au baseline, puis d'un contact téléphonique au follow-up à six mois ; ils ont été analysés séparément pour différents groupes : l'entier des participants, les fumeurs et les fumeurs quotidiens. Résultats Les interventions motivationnelles brèves n'ont aucun effet significatif sur la consommation de tabac. Elles ont cependant une tendance bénéfique sur le fait d'être de fumeur et fumeur quotidien, sur le nombre de cigarettes consommées en moyenne et la dépendance selon Fagerström chez tous les participants, ainsi que dans les sous-groupes de fumeurs et fumeurs quotidiens. Les résultats des boosters ne sont pas significatifs et entraînent des effets mitigés selon les analyses effectuées et les groupes observés. Discussion Les interventions motivationnelles brèves n'ont pas d'effet significatif mais semblent avoir une tendance favorable à une diminution de la consommation de tabac. Les boosters ne paraissent pas avoir d'impact bénéfique mais ces conclusions sont à pondérer avec le fait qu'aucun des résultats obtenus n'est significatif. Des recherches plus systématiques sont nécessaires pour mieux comprendre ces résultats décevants : en ce qui concernent les interventions, les causes à envisager sont le fait d'utiliser des volontaires sans screening préalable, de cibler l'intervention sur de multiples substances pendant un temps relativement court ou encore la difficulté de cibler les jeunes vis-à-vis des risques liés à la cigarette ; quant aux boosters, une augmentation de fréquence ou de durée pourrait représenter une alternative, afin de rendre cette session complémentaire efficace.