scholarly journals Benzodiazepines: Uses, Dangers, and Clinical Considerations

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 594-607
Author(s):  
Amber N. Edinoff ◽  
Catherine A. Nix ◽  
Janice Hollier ◽  
Caroline E. Sagrera ◽  
Blake M. Delacroix ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Physical Dependence ◽  
Muscle Relaxation ◽  
Symptom Relief ◽  
The United States ◽  
Rapid Onset ◽  
Current Treatment ◽  
Withdrawal Symptoms ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Future Research

Benzodiazepines (BZDs) are among one of the most widely prescribed drug classes in the United States. BZDs are a class of psychoactive drugs known for their depressant effect on the central nervous system (CNS). They quickly diffuse through the blood–brain barrier to affect the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA and exert sedative effects. Related to their rapid onset and immediate symptom relief, BZDs are used for those struggling with sleep, anxiety, spasticity due to CNS pathology, muscle relaxation, and epilepsy. One of the debilitating side effects of BZDs is their addictive potential. The dependence on BZDs generally leads to withdrawal symptoms, requiring careful tapering of the medication when prescribed. Regular use of BZDs has been shown to cause severe, harmful psychological and physical dependence, leading to withdrawal symptoms similar to that of alcohol withdrawal. Some of these withdrawal symptoms can be life threatening. The current treatment for withdrawal is through tapering with clonazepam. Many drugs have been tested as a treatment for withdrawal, with few proving efficacious in randomized control trials. Future research is warranted for further exploration into alternative methods of treating BZD withdrawal. This call to action proves especially relevant, as those seeking treatment for BZD dependence and withdrawal are on the rise in the United States.

scholarly journals Social media as a recruitment platform for a nationwide online survey of COVID-19 knowledge, beliefs, and practices in the United States: Methodology and feasibility analysis (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shahmir H. Ali ◽  
Joshua Foreman ◽  
Ariadna Capasso ◽  
Abbey M. Jones ◽  
Yesim Tozan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
United States ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Cost Optimization ◽  
The United States ◽  
Rapid Onset ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Beliefs And Practices

BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has evolved into one of the most impactful health crises in modern history. The rapid onset and evolution of the pandemic has compelled researchers to explore innovative ways to efficiently collect public health data in a timely manner. Social media platforms, such as Facebook, have been explored as a recruitment tool for research in other settings; however, their feasibility for collecting data on population beliefs and practices during infectious disease epidemics, such as COVID-19, and their capacity to yield nationally representative samples in these contexts remain unexplored. OBJECTIVE This study has two aims 1) describe the methodology used to recruit a nationwide sample of adults residing in the United States to participate in a survey on COVID-19 knowledge, beliefs, and practices, and 2) outline the preliminary findings related to recruitment, challenges using social media as a recruitment platform, and strategies used to address these challenges. METHODS A Facebook advertisement campaign was used to disseminate the link to an online Qualtrics survey between March 20-30, 2020. Two supplementary male-only and racial minority- targeted advertisements with otherwise identical characteristics to the original advertisement were created on the sixth and tenth day of recruitment, respectively, to address issues of disproportionate female- and White-oriented gender- and ethnic-skewing observed in the advertisement’s reach and response trends. RESULTS The advertisements cumulatively reached 236,017 individuals and resulted in 9,609 clicks (4.07% reach). In total, 6,602 participant responses were recorded (68.7% of those who clicked on the advertisement). Total cost of the advertisement was $906, resulting in costs of $0.09 per click, $0.14 per response (all surveys), and $0.18 per full response (completed surveys). Implementation of the supplementary male-only advertisement successfully improved the cumulative percentage of male respondents from approximately 20% to 40%. CONCLUSIONS The social media advertisement campaign was an effective and efficient strategy to collect large scale, nationwide data on COVID-19 within a short time period. However, significant limitations included gender and racial skewing, which may have resulted from Facebook’s cost optimization algorithms, and advertisement review challenges. Future research should attempt to address such challenges. These findings can inform future research on the use of social media recruitment for the rapid collection of survey data on knowledge, beliefs and practices related to significant public health problems, including rapidly evolving pandemics such as COVID-19.

Fragments of the American Dream: Immigration, Race, and Medical Care in the Segregated South, 1929

Public Voices ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
John R Phillips
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
American Dream ◽  
Black Population ◽  
The United States ◽  
Single Woman ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Legal Doctrine ◽  
Quarter Century ◽  
History Of ◽  
Sunflower County

The cover photograph for this issue of Public Voices was taken sometime in the summer of 1929 (probably June) somewhere in Sunflower County, Mississippi. Very probably the photo was taken in Indianola but, perhaps, it was Ruleville. It is one of three such photos, one of which does have the annotation on the reverse “Ruleville Midwives Club 1929.” The young woman wearing a tie in this and in one of the other photos was Ann Reid Brown, R.N., then a single woman having only arrived in the United States from Scotland a few years before, in 1923. Full disclosure: This commentary on the photo combines professional research interests in public administration and public policy with personal interests—family interests—for that young nurse later married and became the author’s mother. From the scholarly perspective, such photographs have been seen as “instrumental in establishing midwives’ credentials and cultural identity at a key transitional moment in the history of the midwife and of public health” (Keith, Brennan, & Reynolds 2012). There is also deep irony if we see these photographs as being a fragment of the American dream, of a recent immigrant’s hope for and success at achieving that dream; but that fragment of the vision is understood quite differently when we see that she began a hopeful career working with a Black population forcibly segregated by law under the incongruously named “separate but equal” legal doctrine. That doctrine, derived from the United States Supreme Court’s 1896 decision, Plessy v. Ferguson, would remain the foundation for legally enforced segregation throughout the South for another quarter century. The options open to the young, white, immigrant nurse were almost entirely closed off for the population with which she then worked. The remaining parts of this overview are meant to provide the following: (1) some biographical information on the nurse; (2) a description, in so far as we know it, of why she was in Mississippi; and (3) some indication of areas for future research on this and related topics.

A HISTORICAL REVIEW OF THE ACCOUNTING TREATMENT OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COSTS

1992 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 51-78 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul E. Nix ◽  
David E. Nix
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
Alternative Treatment ◽  
Historical Review ◽  
The United States ◽  
Current Treatment ◽  
Social Consequences ◽  
Financial Accounting ◽  
Development Costs ◽  
Accounting Rules

This study reviews the literature and the practice of accounting for research and development (R&D) costs from the first reference in 1917 to the current treatment. The conceptual treatment of R&D is compared to current financial accounting rules and explanation of the evolution of the current rules is presented. The economic and social consequences of the current rules which require R&D costs to be expressed are examined. The paper explores possible alternative treatment of R&D costs. As a contrast to U.S. practice, the accounting treatment of R&D costs in other countries is discussed. Given the findings of this paper, a strong case can be made for changing the way that R&D costs are accounted for in the United States.

Questions

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
James L. Gibson ◽  
Michael J. Nelson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
African Americans ◽  
Supreme Court ◽  
Legal System ◽  
Public Support ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
White Americans ◽  
Two Factors ◽  
The U.S

We have investigated the differences in support for the U.S. Supreme Court among black, Hispanic, and white Americans, catalogued the variation in African Americans’ group attachments and experiences with legal authorities, and examined how those latter two factors shape individuals’ support for the U.S. Supreme Court, that Court’s decisions, and for their local legal system. We take this opportunity to weave our findings together, taking stock of what we have learned from our analyses and what seem like fruitful paths for future research. In the process, we revisit Positivity Theory. We present a modified version of the theory that we hope will guide future inquiry on public support for courts, both in the United States and abroad.

Introduction

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Travis D. Stimeling
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Country Music ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Music Culture ◽  
Rich Variety ◽  
Ethnographic Studies ◽  
Folklore Studies ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Rich

This chapter offers a historiographic survey of country music scholarship from the publication of Bill C. Malone’s “A History of Commercial Country Music in the United States, 1920–1964” (1965) to the leading publications of the today. Very little of substance has been written on country music recorded since the 1970s, especially when compared to the wealth of available literature on early country recording artists. Ethnographic studies of country music and country music culture are rare, and including ethnographic methods in country music studies offers new insights into the rich variety of ways in which people make, consume, and engage with country music as a genre. The chapter traces the influence of folklore studies, sociology, cultural studies, and musicology on the development of country music studies and proposes some directions for future research in the field.

Secular Living as a Context for Moral Development

2020 ◽  
pp. 612-628
Author(s):  
Phil Zuckerman ◽  
Kyle Thompson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Moral Development ◽  
Empirical Data ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Philosophical Discussion

Despite widespread suspicion to the contrary, secular living can and does serve as an adequate, or even excellent, context for moral development. In this chapter, the authors present the contours of contemporary anti-atheist prejudice, with an emphasis on the United States. Next, they explore the empirical data showing that individual atheists and highly secularized societies, such as Sweden and Denmark, are often quite moral, which serves to counter and debunk anti-atheist prejudice. Then, the authors move to a philosophical discussion centering around secular morality itself, outlining general merits of atheistic morality specifically while simultaneously pointing out various problematic assumptions of theistic morality. Finally, the authors conclude and make recommendations for future research.

Racial and Political Dynamics of an Approaching “Majority-Minority” United States

2018 ◽  
Vol 677 (1) ◽  
pp. 204-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maureen A. Craig ◽  
Julian M. Rucker ◽  
Jennifer A. Richeson
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Future Research ◽  
White Americans ◽  
Psychological Mechanisms ◽  
Political Outcomes ◽  
Essential Questions ◽  
Social Scientific ◽  
Demographic Shifts ◽  
Projected Changes

Do demographic shifts in the racial composition of the United States promote positive changes in the nation’s racial dynamics? Change in response to the nation’s growing diversity is likely, but its direction and scope are less clear. This review integrates emerging social-scientific research that examines how Americans are responding to the projected changes in the racial/ethnic demographics of the United States. Specifically, we review recent empirical research that examines how exposure to information that the United States is becoming a “majority-minority” nation affects racial attitudes and several political outcomes (e.g., ideology, policy preferences), and the psychological mechanisms that give rise to those attitudes. We focus primarily on the reactions of members of the current dominant racial group (i.e., white Americans). We then consider important implications of these findings and propose essential questions for future research.

TREATMENT PATTERNS OF NEWLY DIAGNOSED PEDIATRIC ULCERATIVE COLITIS AND CROHN’S DISEASE PATIENTS IN THE IMPROVECARENOW REGISTRY

2021 ◽  
Vol 27 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S22-S23
Author(s):  
Theresa Hunter ◽  
Wendy Komocsar ◽  
Richard Colletti ◽  
Chunyan Liu ◽  
Keith Benkov ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Ulcerative Colitis ◽  
Crohn’S Disease ◽  
Crohn's Disease ◽  
The United States ◽  
Current Treatment ◽  
Treatment Patterns ◽  
Initial Visit ◽  
Newly Diagnosed ◽  
Time Points

Abstract Objectives The objective of this study was to assess current treatment patterns of pediatric ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) patients, using data in the ImproveCareNow (ICN) registry. Methods Pediatric (2–17 years) patients in the United States who were newly diagnosed with UC or CD between June 1, 2013-December 31, 2019, who had their first recorded ICN visit within 6 months of diagnosis and who were actively followed for at least 12 months (± 90 days) were included in this study. Descriptive statistics of baseline patient demographics were summarized for the overall IBD patient population and separately for UC and CD. Treatment patterns (including use of corticosteroids, 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), 6-mercaptopurine/azathioprine (6-MP/AZA), methotrexate, tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) [adalimumab, infliximab, certolizumab, golimumab, and their biosimilars], ustekinumab, vedolizumab, and other medications [natalizumab and tofacitinib]) were assessed at the initial baseline visit, and at 1-year and 3-year time points. Results A total of 6,504 pediatric IBD patients (UC=1,784; CD=4,720) were included in this study. Patients had a mean age at diagnosis of 13.0 years (UC=13.2; CD=12.9), 57.1% were male (UC=49.6%; CD=60.0%), and 81.0% were White (UC=81.2%; CD=81.0%) (Table 1). At the initial ICN visit, 46.4% of UC patients were prescribed a corticosteroid, while 19.8% received a 5-ASA, 12.6% received a TNFi, 10.4% received a 6-MP/AZA, 3.0% received methotrexate, and 0.3% received vedolizumab. At the initial visit, 40.2% of CD patients were prescribed a corticosteroid, while 29.1% received a TNFi, 18.5% received a 6-MP/AZA, 12.4% received methotrexate, and 3.3% received a 5-ASA. At the 1-year and 3-year time points, rates of 5-ASA and corticosteroid use decreased among UC patients; however, rates of 6-MP/AZA, methotrexate, and TNFi increased (Table 2). Similarly, at the 1-year and 3-year time points, rates of corticosteroids among CD patients decreased; however, rates of methotrexate and TNFi increased (Table 2). There was also an increase in use of ustekinumab and vedolizumab over time among UC and CD patients. Conclusion These results highlight the current treatment patterns of pediatric UC and CD patients in the United States. At the initial ICN visit, the 46% of UC and 40% of CD patients were receiving corticosteroids, however, at 1-year and 3-years after initial visit, over 30% of UC patients and over 60% of CD patients were receiving TNF inhibitors with considerably reduced corticosteroid use.

What's the Buzz? The Neuroscience and the Treatment of Tinnitus

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Henton ◽  
Thanos Tzounopoulos
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
The United States ◽  
Global Scale ◽  
Current Treatment ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Current State ◽  
Acquired Hearing Loss ◽  
Neurophysiological Mechanisms ◽  
Necessary And Sufficient

Tinnitus is a pervasive public health issue that affects approximately 15% of the United States population. Similar estimates have also been shown on a global scale, with similar prevalence found in Europe, Asia, and Africa. The severity of tinnitus is heterogeneous, ranging from mildly bothersome to extremely disruptive. In the United States, approximately 10-20% of individuals who experience tinnitus report symptoms that severely reduce their quality of life. Due to the huge personal and societal burden, in the last twenty years a concerted effort on basic and clinical research has significantly advanced our understanding and treatment of this disorder. Yet, neither full understanding, nor cure exists. We know that tinnitus is the persistent involuntary phantom percept of internally-generated non-verbal noises and tones, which in most cases is initiated, by acquired hearing loss and maintained only when this loss is coupled with distinct neuronal changes in auditory and extra-auditory brain networks. Yet, the exact mechanisms and patterns of neural activity that are necessary and sufficient for the perceptual generation and maintenance of tinnitus remain incompletely understood. Combinations of animal model and human research will be essential in filling these gaps. Nevertheless, the existing progress in investigating the neurophysiological mechanisms has improved current treatment and highlighted novel targets for drug development and clinical trials. The aim of this review is to thoroughly discuss the current state of human and animal tinnitus research, outline current challenges, and highlight new and exciting research opportunities.

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