Antipsychotic Use and Foster Care Placement Stability Among Youth With Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity/ Disruptive Behavior Disorders

The objective of this study was to investigate the association between antipsychotic initiation and placement transitions among youth in foster care with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and other disruptive behavior disorders (ADHD/DBD). Data were obtained from child welfare administrative records and Medicaid claims in one Mid-Atlantic state from January 1, 2010, through March 31, 2014. Cox proportional hazard model was conducted to estimate the risk of time to first placement transition during the 180-day follow-up among new antipsychotic users and propensity score matched nonusers. Results showed youth initiating antipsychotics had no significant reduction in foster placement transitions within the 180-day follow up (Hazard Ratio = 1.1; 95% CI = 0.7–1.6). Although antipsychotics are widely used for aggressive behaviors, a better understanding of clinical management of youth in foster care is needed to promote stable foster placement.     

Devolution in England—Is the Genie out of the Lamp?

This article explores the extent to which devolution within England can address the general malaise that is often described as ‘the English Question’. It considers how far the devolution genie might be considered out of the lamp. It takes as its basis three broad arguments for devolution—an economic case, a case concerning public service reform and a democratic argument for the decentralisation of power—and for each of these three it explores the theoretical underpinnings for the argument, how things are currently playing out in the current political context and what we might expect to see in the future. The article concludes with some suggestions as to how debates about the English Question might play out in the years ahead.     

The Effect of Microneighborhood Conditions on Adult Educational Attainment in a Subsidized Housing Intervention

The ACHIEVEability model of affordable housing aims to promote self-sufficiency by requiring enrollment in postsecondary education in exchange for subsidized housing. In this study, we exploit the quasi random assignment of ACHIEVEability participants (N = 84) to subsidized housing units to evaluate whether microneighborhood environments moderated participants’ progress in postsecondary education. Participants progressed in their educational pursuits in line with program requirements, earning about 12 college credits per year. Neighborhood block group characteristics moderated this progress. Participants who were assigned to housing located in poorer, more violent, and less educated block groups earned credits at a significantly slower rate than participants assigned housing in more advantaged block groups. Our results suggest that the micro environments immediately surrounding residents of subsidized housing matter, even if they are situated within broader contexts of spatial and personal disadvantage.     

Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting Diary

Commonwealth Heads of Government convened in Malta from 27 to 29 November 2015 under the theme ‘The Commonwealth: adding Global Value’. They reaffirmed their shared and enduring commitment on behalf of the Commonwealth to the values and principles of the Commonwealth Charter. In a year of exceptional global challenges and opportunities, Heads addressed issues such as climate change, sustainable development, trade and investment, migration, and countering violent extremism and radicalism. They also deliberated on safeguarding the interests of Commonwealth small states and emphasised that the unique nature of the Commonwealth adds value in responding to contemporary global challenges. (http://thecommonwealth.org/sites/default/files/news-items/documents/CHOGM%202015%20Communique.pdf0)     

The Reliability of Pattern Classification in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis—PART 2: Bloodstain Patterns on Fabric Surfaces,

This study was designed to produce the first baseline measure of the reliability of bloodstain pattern classifications on fabric surfaces. Experienced bloodstain pattern analysts classified bloodstain patterns on pairs of trousers that represented three fabric substrates. Patterns also varied in type (impact, cast‐off, expiration, satellite stains from dripped blood, and transfer) and extent. In addition, case summaries that accompanied each pattern contained contextual cues that either supported the correct answer (i.e., positive bias), were misleading toward an incorrect answer (i.e., negative bias), or contained no directional information (i.e., neutral). Overall, 23% percent of the resulting classifications were erroneous. The majority (51%) of errors resulted from analysts misclassifying satellite stains from dripped blood. Relative to the neutral information, the positive‐bias information increased correct classifications and decreased erroneous classifications, and the negative‐bias information decreased correct classifications and increased erroneous classifications. The implications of these findings for BPA are discussed.     

Blunt Craniofacial Trauma as a Manifestation of Excited Delirium Caused by New Psychoactive Substances

The body of a 19‐year‐old male was found apparently concealed underneath bushes with recent head and facial trauma, and multiple superficial abrasions. Subsequently, it was discovered that the decedent had been running into objects and buildings following the ingestion the evening before of what was thought to be lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Blood staining of a nearby wall close to where the body was lying was in keeping with the described behavior. Toxicology revealed 3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine (Ecstasy), in addition to two only recently available drugs 2‐(4‐bromo‐2,5‐dimethoxyphenyl)‐N‐[(2‐methoxyphenyl)methyl]ethanamine, (25B‐NBOMe), and 1‐(3,4‐methylenedioxyphenyl)‐2‐(1‐pyrrolidinyl)‐1‐butanone, (MDPBP). At autopsy, the skull was fractured with cerebral swelling, contusions, and subarachnoid hemorrhage. Death was due to blunt cranial trauma against a background of mixed drug toxicity. The case demonstrates a rare cause of death in a drug‐induced acute delirium, as well as highlighting two new designer street drugs that may result in significant aberrant behavior.     

Attentional and intellectual deficits in unmedicated behavior-disordered adolescent inpatients

The authors examined the hypothesis that impairments in attention and verbal intelligence are associated with seriously maladaptive social behavior in behavior-disordered, hospitalized adolescents. Twenty-five unmedicated inpatients with disruptive behavior disorder diagnoses were rated during a one-month period for frequency of severe disruptive episodes, or critical incidents (CI); these included assaults, behavior resulting in the use of restraints, etc. All subjects independently received intelligence testing and continuous performance testing (CPT). Based on CI scores, subjects were divided into a high-CI group (CI>5; N=9) and a low-CI group (CI<4; N=16). On the CPT, the high-CI group showed more impairment in perceptual sensitivity (d; this group also had lower verbal IQ scores. (Both findings were significant at the p<.05 level.) The latter result was largely due to differences in Comprehension subtest scores. These results support the hypothesis, and may have implications for the treatment of behavior-disordered adolescents.Received M.D. from the University of Wisconsin, Major research interests are adolescent psychopathology, disruptive behavior disorders, and information processing.Received Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin. Major research interests are outcomes measurement, psychosis proneness, and psychodiagnostic assessment.Received Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin. Major research interests is adolescent psychopathology.Received M.A. from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Major research interests are adult attachment and mental representation.Received M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania. Major research interests are schizophrenia, personality disorders, and trauma.     

Recovery of human skeletal elements from a recent UK murder inquiry: preservational signatures.

Factors that control bone preservation are not fully understood but generally include those that reflect "natural" taphonomic or diagenetic processes and also those reflecting anthropogenic activity. The aim of this paper is to examine whether the survival of skeletal elements from a recent UK serial murder investigation (n = 12) and three archaeological cemetery sites from England (n = 112, 95, 182; Roman to early-medieval), share a similar recovery signature. Examination of this data demonstrates that even when clear evidence of traumatic and perimortem dismemberment exists within an assemblage, the distribution of missing elements can be almost identical to archaeological material buried in normal attrition cemeteries. Given that these preservational signatures are so similar, it is concluded that careful observation of bone surfaces is necessary to confidently interpret bone loss, particularly where dismemberment and/or element excision is suggested by the non-anatomical position of the skeleton within the grave. Where postmortem excision of bone is suspected, careful examination of contiguous bone surfaces, both macroscopic and microscopic, is suggested to detect fine cutmark lesions indicative of anthropogenic excision. Without this evidence other preservational factors must be considered both taphonomic and diagenetic.     

Public Procurement Directives in the European Union: A Study of Local Authority Purchasing

Prompted by the Single European Market initiative, virtually all public procurement, except for defence equipment, is now subject to European Union rules which prohibit discriminatory (buy national) purchasing policies. This paper examines the impact of recent procurement Directives on local authority tendering and contract award behaviour (compliance), and considers whether the legislation has been successful in opening-up such public procurement to international competition. Although local authorities are making extensive use of the Official Journal to advertise their requirements, there is evidence that purchasers do not always adhere to the new legislation and it is not obvious that adherence to the legislation is improving. Moreover, an analysis of local authority contract award data for 1993 revealed that almost all contracts were won by domestic firms. However, doubts about the ultimate ownership of such firms and the sourcing of components means that there remains considerable scope for further work.