Correcting forensic DNA errors

DNA mixture interpretation can produce opposing conclusions by qualified forensic analysts, even within the same laboratory. The long-delayed publication of the National Institutes of Standards and Technology (NIST) study of 109 North American crime laboratories in this journal demonstrates this most clearly. This latest study supports earlier work that shows common methods such as the Combined Probability of Inclusion (CPI) have wrongly included innocent people as contributors to DNA mixtures. The 2016 President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology report concluded, “In summary, the interpretation of complex DNA mixtures with the CPI statistic has been an inadequately specified—and thus inappropriately subjective—method. As such, the method is clearly not foundationally valid” [7]. The adoption of probabilistic genotyping by many laboratories will certainly prevent some of these errors from occurring in the future, but the same laboratories that produced past errors can also now review old cases with their new software—without additional bench work. It is critical that laboratories adopt procedures and policies to do this.     

The Web of Internet Dependency: Search Results for the Mental Health Professional

Some researchers speculate that as many as 10% of users worldwide suffer from “problematic” use of the internet, possibly stemming from an internet dependency. Research is in its early stages, making it an uncertain issue for mental health professionals. This paper provides: (1) a critical review of research on problematic internet use for the mental health and addictions professional; and (2) practical implications, including suggestions on treatment and prevention, given its uncertain clinical classification.     

Evaluating healthcare education: Issues and methods

This paper analyses the methodological issues inherent in evaluating healthcare education and considers approaches for addressing these.Recent policies have exhorted practitioners to base their practice on evidence; however in healthcare education the evidence base is not extensive. Whilst educational evaluation has advanced in the last decades, standardised designs and toolkits are not available. Each evaluation has different aims and occurs in specific contexts, thus the design has to fit the circumstances, yet meet the challenge of scientific credibility. Indicators of educational processes and outcomes are not scientifically verified; no toolkit of standardised ‘off-the-shelf’ valid, reliable and sensitive measures exists. The evidence base of educational practice is largely derived from small-scale, single case studies; the majority of measures are self-devised, unvalidated tools of unproven reliability, thus meta-synthesis is not appropriate and results are not generalisable. Healthcare educational evaluators need valid and reliable assessments of both knowledge acquisition and its application to practice. The need to establish and explain attribution, i.e. the relationship between educational inputs and outcomes is complex and requires experimental/quasi-experimental design. In addition, educational evaluators face the pragmatic challenge of practice in healthcare contexts, where confounding variables are hard to control and resources are scarce.     

Reflections and Perspectives on Pediatric Psychology: Editor's Vale Dictum

Reviews major activities of the Editor and changes in the Journalof Pediatric Psychology (JPP) for issues published in 1993 through1997. Significant trends and accomplishments are reviewed, includingthe increased use of Special Issues and Special Sections tohighlight current pediatric psychological research. Articlespublished during the term are analyzed interms of article typeand population type Comarisons are made to earlier trends inJPP publication as reported by Roberts (1 992).     

The Results of Water Fluoridation in Ireland

The visit of Dr. Trendley Dean to Dublin in the mid-1950s helped accelerate the decision to introduce water fluoridation as a public health measure in the prevention of caries in the Republic of Ireland. A challenge to the constitutional validity of the Health (Fluoridation of Water Supplies) Act 1960 failed and in 1964 the water supplies of Dublin city were fluoridated. Over the next seven to eight years all the major urban communities in the Republic of Ireland were fluoridated. Currently, 67 percent of the 3.5 million people in the country reside in fluoridated communities. Studies conducted over the last 20 years show that residents of fluoridated communities have better dental health than those in nonfluoridated communities—the mean dmft is lower in children and the number of natural teeth present in adults is higher.     

Women with disabilities having children: It's our right too

This is a first person account of the experiences, frustrations and joys of a woman with a disability pursuing the dream of having a child. The author describes the difficulties of dealing with the medical establishment and the problems that she encountered when pursuing fertility services. The article then goes on to discuss the author's experiences during pregnancy and her early experiences as a mother. She concludes by comparing her experiences as a mother with other women who do not have a disability     

Midwifery education and maternal and neonatal health issues: challenges in Pakistan

Although numerous health care interventions have been implemented in Pakistan, the high maternal and neonatal mortality rates still remain a challenge. Developed countries have reduced maternal and neonatal mortality rates by improving the skill and knowledge levels of nurse-midwives. This paper reviews maternal and neonatal health issues, challenges in current midwifery education, and the role of government and international agencies in Pakistan. The exact maternal and neonatal mortality rates in Pakistan are unknown; a census has not occurred since 1998, and data provided in more recent studies were presented in summary format. A number of factors that contribute to the high mortality rate could easily be controlled by using competent nurse-midwives throughout all levels of the Pakistani health care system. A reduction in the maternal mortality rate is likely to occur if the Pakistan government and international agencies work together to implement specific recommendations in maternal and neonatal health. These recommendations include: 1) holding an invitational conference; 2) strengthening the existing midwifery and Lady Health Visitor curricula; 3) pilot testing an expanded midwifery program; and 4) advocating for and obtaining political commitments and resources for midwifery education.     

Coming of age: critical challenges to the future development of pediatric psychology

Described five professional challenges that will affect the future development of pediatric psychology: specialization and professional identity, relationships with other professions, securing resources necessary for effective functioning, the conflict between clinical service delivery and prevention, and development of training models. To meet these challenges, pediatric psychologists need to maintain strong connections with other psychologists, develop new models of collaborative training, practice, and research, emphasize prevention activities, and enhance the scientific basis of pediatric psychology through innovative training programs and support for faculty development.     

Legal issues in contact lens practice with special reference to the practice of orthokeratology

This report aims to encourage optometrists to reflect on the legal implications of clinical contact lens practice, with particular reference to the practice of orthokeratology (ortho-k), which has seen a recent revival of interest. A patient may claim compensation if an optometrist is negligent by breaching his duty to exercise reasonable care and skill in diagnosis, advice or treatment. However, the optometrist will only be liable for reasonably foreseeable harm to the patient, so practitioners need to be fully aware of the foreseeable risks. Failure to adequately inform the patient may lead to a claim for negligence, if disclosure of the risks would have influenced the patient's decision to undergo or forego the procedure. It is important that the professional bodies establish guidelines on acceptable practice, with particular emphasis on the provision of information to patients. Reasonable disclosure, use of appropriate information/consent forms, and proper documentation of cases, should all focus on the needs of, and benefits to, patients.