Hemorrhoids during pregnancy: Sitz bath vs. ano-rectal cream: A comparative prospective study of two conservative treatment protocols

Background

Hemorrhoids are a very common ano-rectal condition affecting pregnant females worldwide and representing a major medical and socioeconomic problem. In this paper, we aim to compare the effectiveness of the Sitz bath method with an ano-rectal cream as part of a conservative management protocol to treat hemorrhoids among pregnant Saudi Arabian females.

Bayesian nonparametric statistics: A new toolkit for discovery in cancer research

Many commonly used statistical methods for data analysis or clinical trial design rely on incorrect assumptions or assume an over‐simplified framework that ignores important information. Such statistical practices may lead to incorrect conclusions about treatment effects or clinical trial designs that are impractical or that do not accurately reflect the investigator's goals. Bayesian nonparametric (BNP) models and methods are a very flexible new class of statistical tools that can overcome such limitations. This is because BNP models can accurately approximate any distribution or function and can accommodate a broad range of statistical problems, including density estimation, regression, survival analysis, graphical modeling, neural networks, classification, clustering, population models, forecasting and prediction, spatiotemporal models, and causal inference. This paper describes 3 illustrative applications of BNP methods, including a randomized clinical trial to compare treatments for intraoperative air leaks after pulmonary resection, estimating survival time with different multi‐stage chemotherapy regimes for acute leukemia, and evaluating joint effects of targeted treatment and an intermediate biological outcome on progression‐free survival time in prostate cancer.     

Comparison of various machine learning algorithms for estimating generalized propensity score

In this paper, we conducted a simulation study to evaluate the performance of four algorithms: multinomial logistic regression (MLR), bagging (BAG), random forest (RF), and gradient boosting (GB), for estimating generalized propensity score (GPS). Similar to the propensity score (PS), the ultimate goal of using GPS is to estimate unbiased average treatment effects (ATEs) in observational studies. We used the GPS estimates computed from these four algorithms with the generalized doubly robust (GDR) estimator to estimate ATEs in observational studies. We evaluated these ATE estimates in terms of bias and mean squared error (MSE). Simulation results show that overall, the GB algorithm produced the best ATE estimates based on these evaluation criteria. Thus, we recommend using the GB algorithm for estimating GPS in practice.     

论危险废物越境转移的法律控制--《巴塞尔公约》和《巴马科公约》比较研究

20世纪80年代开始,国际社会认识到危险废物的越境转移问题,并通过制定国际公约对此进行控制,取得了明显的成效。其中全球性的《巴塞尔公约》和区域性的《巴马科公约》是控制危险废物越境转移的代表性公约。本文通过对这两者进行比较来说明国际社会对危险废物越境转移的法律控制的得与失。     

汉代军队医疗保障制度初探

汉代政府比较重视军队医疗保障,在军队中设有医疗机构,机构编制中有军医、医吏、医卒等人员,其职责任务明确.对军队中各种疾病及时的诊断和汤、丸、散、膏、丹等药物及外科手术、包扎、针灸、外敷等治疗,对有病将士实行巡诊接诊、病情报告、病休请假销假、传染病人隔离、病亡将士抚恤等制度,反映了汉代军队医疗在组织人员、药物和医疗技术、制度等方面有了相当水平的保障.     

论贺长龄处理民族关系的思想

贺长龄是清代嘉庆道光年间的名臣,官至云贵总督兼云南巡抚,他在1846年被清政府斥以“儒而不武,不足以奠严疆也”而免职。实际上,他在贵州巡抚任上,平等处理苗汉民族关系,鼓励苗汉通商。总督云贵时,他正确区分民族矛盾和阶级矛盾,秉公处理回汉民族矛盾,本文拟就此问题作一初步探讨。     

Client and program factors associated with dropout from court mandated drug treatment

To examine why court mandated offenders dropout of drug treatment and to compare their characteristics, treatment experiences, perceptions, and outcomes with treatment completers, we analyzed self-reported and administrative data on 542 dropouts (59%) and 384 completers (41%) assessed for Proposition 36 treatment by thirty sites in five California counties during 2004. At intake, dropouts had lengthier criminal histories, lower treatment motivation, more severe employment and psychiatric problems, and more were using drugs, especially heroin. Relatively fewer dropouts received residential treatment and their retention was much shorter. A similar proportion of dropouts received services as completers and the mean number of services received per day by dropouts was generally more, especially to address psychiatric problems, during the first three months of treatment. The most commonly offender-reported reasons for dropout included low treatment motivation (46.2%) and the difficulty of the Proposition 36 program (20.0%). Consequences for dropout included incarceration (25.3%) and permission to try treatment again (24.0%). Several factors predicting drug treatment dropout were identified. Both groups demonstrated improved functioning at one-year follow-up, but fewer dropouts had a successful outcome (34.5% vs. 59.1%) and their recidivism rate was significantly higher (62.9% vs. 28.9%) even after controlling for baseline differences. Understanding factors associated with drug treatment dropout can aid efforts to improve completion rates, outcomes, and overall effectiveness of California's Proposition 36 program. Findings may also aid a broader audience of researchers and policy analysts who are charged with designing and evaluating criminal-justice diversion programs for treating drug-addicted offenders.     

Integrating cultural competency and empirically-based practices in child welfare services: A model based on community psychiatry field principles of health

Acknowledging the existence of racism in our society is crucial to understanding the need for a culturally competent approach to developing empirically-based practices in child welfare, thereby providing a foundation for evidence-based practice in the field. Advancements have already been made in mental health to address cultural competence and evidence-based practice. This article presents a model of seven field principles of health promotion successfully used in the mental health services. Examples of the use of the model in various settings and evaluation projects are provided. Each of the seven principles – rebuilding/supporting the village; providing access to health care; improving bonding, attachment and connectedness; improving self-esteem; increasing social skills of target recipients; reestablishing/strengthening the adult protective shield; and minimizing residual effects of trauma (Bell et al., 2002) – is elaborated. The model's critical role in establishing culturally competent evidence-based practice is further outlined for application in the field of child welfare.     

心理咨询与治疗应抓住“人际关系”这条主线

在心理咨询与治疗当中,人际关系既是问题,也是途径;既是手段,也是目的.人际关系是心理咨询与治疗的关键线索,也是咨询与治疗得以顺利进行的载体.     

公民主体道德权利与农民工国民待遇问题

农民工国民待遇问题既是一个制度问题,也是一个伦理问题。当前,我国农民工国民待遇缺失严重,其根本原因就在于现行制度对农民工道德权利的忽视,具体表现在农民工道德行为选择自由权的缺失、农民工道德主体人格平等权的缺位以及农民工道德行为公正评价权的缺乏三个方面。要解决这一问题,不仅要靠公正的制度安排,更需要对农民工关怀的伦理意识。