Gauging the Acceptability of HIV Vaccines: An Exploratory Study Examining Knowledge,Attitudes, and Beliefs Among Injecting Drug Users in Viet Nam

ABSTRACT

In contrast to other countries in Southeast Asia, the HIV/ AIDS epidemic is in the initial stages in Viet Nam, although the rates have increased notably since 1997. This study examined attitudes towards the use of an HIV vaccine (when one becomes available) as a means for preventing the disease. Since injecting drug users are the great majority of those affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Viet Nam, two focus groups (n = 18) were conducted among this population to identify potential barriers and incentives for HIV vaccination. Most were willing to be vaccinated if an HIV vaccine were available. Although there were some concerns about side effects, financial costs, and stigmatization, the benefits were seen to outweigh the risks. The findings may help governments better understand the potential demand for this type of vaccine and design social marketing campaigns for post-trial HIV vaccine dissemination in order to maximize potential uptake of an HIV vaccine.     

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Bipolar Disorder: Implications for Clinical Social Workers

ABSTRACT

The purposes of this review article are to orient clinical social workers to cognitive-behavioral theory, intervention, and research on bipolar disorder (BD); identify pros and cons of applying cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) to social work clients with BD; and identify specific implications for clinical social work practice. Of the 545 articles that were obtained via the systematic review, 18 studies were identified as being potentially eligible for inclusion, and 9 of those studies ultimately satisfied the inclusion criteria. The results of each study were summarized via identifying statistically significant (p< .05) differences that existed between experimental cohorts who received CBT (plus pharmacotherapy) and control cohorts who received treatment as usual. Outcomes showed CBT cohorts as having significant improvement over their respective control groups. The review's implications for clinical social workers and the need for future research are discussed.     

论西夏的司法制度

西夏的行政、军事机关,一般都兼有案件审判和督察复核职责。司法诉讼主要为刑事诉讼,即使民事案件,也是用刑事判断。对人犯的逮捕只需长官的指令,而不履行法律手续。法律上只有对逮捕人的督察,防其奸伪、贪纵、暴掠以及无故杀伤人犯,人犯拒捕反抗格杀勿论。     

Randomization tests in recursive response-adaptive randomization procedures

In a randomized clinical trial, response-adaptive randomization procedures use the information gathered, including the previous patients' responses, to allocate the next patient. In this setting, we consider randomization-based inference. We provide an algorithm to obtain exact p-values for statistical tests that compare two treatments with dichotomous responses. This algorithm can be applied to a family of response adaptive randomization procedures which share the following property: the distribution of the allocation rule depends only on the imbalance between treatments and on the imbalance between successes for treatments 1 and 2 in the previous step. This family includes some outstanding response adaptive randomization procedures. We study a randomization test to contrast the null hypothesis of equivalence of treatments and we show that this test has a similar performance to that of its parametric counterpart. Besides, we study the effect of a covariate in the inferential process. First, we obtain a parametric test, constructed assuming a logit model which relates responses to treatments and covariate levels, and we give conditions that guarantee its asymptotic normality. Finally, we show that the randomization test, which is free of model specification, performs as well as the parametric test that takes the covariate into account.     

论审判对象的变更及其控制

在强调诉审分离的近现代诉讼构造下,无论法官还是控诉方,其权力均被设定了合理的界限与范围,体现一种分权制衡的机理,显示一种对被告人防御权利的保障的理路。审判对象发生合理的变更,主要基于两种理路,一是“起诉变更主义”,二是“审判对象狭义论”,进而表现为内容、性质及方式上若干类型的变更。面对审判对象变更,利益受影响最大者是被告人,故而要将审判对象变更控制在合理限度内与正当程序中,有效防范突袭性审判的发生。我国现行审判对象变更实践缺乏合理的控制机制,并常常表现为法院与检察院的一种“沟通”,当务之急是要完善审判对象变更程序,对审判对象变更实行正当性控制。     

Estimating the effectiveness of a misdemeanor drug diversion program using propensity score matching and survival analyses

This study analyzes three years of data on misdemeanor drug offenders in Winnebago County, Wisconsin. A portion of these offenders opted into a Misdemeanor Drug Diversion Program (MDDP) offered instead of traditional adjudication. Recidivism in the treatment and comparison groups is estimated using standard binary response techniques augmented with propensity score matching to address selection bias. Results show that the MDDP reduces the probability of re-offense by 16%, after adjusting for possible selection bias. Cox proportional hazard modeling is also used to assess time-to-re-offense differentials between the treatment and comparison groups. The survival analysis indicates that the hazard rate of re-offense is 60% lower per day among those treated with the MDDP program than those who did not complete the program. The average number of days to re-offense among those that do re-offend is 297 days in the treatment group and 203 days in the comparison group.     

A simple two-stage design for quantitative responses with application to a study in diabetic neuropathic pain

Two-stage designs offer substantial advantages for early phase II studies. The interim analysis following the first stage allows the study to be stopped for futility, or more positively, it might lead to early progression to the trials needed for late phase II and phase III. If the study is to continue to its second stage, then there is an opportunity for a revision of the total sample size. Two-stage designs have been implemented widely in oncology studies in which there is a single treatment arm and patient responses are binary. In this paper the case of two-arm comparative studies in which responses are quantitative is considered. This setting is common in therapeutic areas other than oncology. It will be assumed that observations are normally distributed, but that there is some doubt concerning their standard deviation, motivating the need for sample size review. The work reported has been motivated by a study in diabetic neuropathic pain, and the development of the design for that trial is described in detail.     

刑事诉讼法修正后毒品犯罪案件证据制度的完善

由于毒品犯罪案件有其特殊性,其证据的取得、认定、运用等多方面存在诸多困难。新颁布的《刑事诉讼法修正案》增加了电子证据种类,肯定了"控制下交付"的侦查措施,明确了证人出庭保护等制度,为今后查办和认定毒品犯罪案件提供新的保障,当然也提出了新问题。     

Perceptions of Benzodiazepine Dependence Among Women Age 65 and Older

A phenomenological study explored whether older women who are chronic benzodiazepine users identified themselves as dependent, how dependence was perceived, and how meanings and understandings shaped experiences of benzodiazepine use. Self-reported benzodiazepine dependence was associated with being unable to reduce use or a desire to discontinue use and reliance on benzodiazepines to remain comfortable and able to handle daily life. Themes included: (a) benzodiazepine dependence is similar to dependence to diabetes or blood pressure medications; (b) dependence is distinctive from addiction/abuse; (c) addiction/abuse is perceived as worse than dependence; and (d) concerns of addiction/abuse result in low-dose benzodiazepine use.     

协动主义下的审理契约论

与诉讼契约有所不同,审理契约之主体范围突破了双方当事人的限制,涵盖了法院。于审理构造而言,审理契约最为重要的就是两造与法官所达成的关于审理计划和争点决定的合意。就诉讼契约的成立与撤回要件、形式、内容及效果等也因种类不同而各异。在协动主义的审理模式下,认可审理契约不仅有助于实现口头辩论的集中化,而且有助于提高审理的计划性,促进审理的高效运营。