Graded Exposure Therapy for Online Mobile Smartphone Sports Betting Addiction: A Case Series Report.

Advances in technology and increased usage of electronic mobile devices over the past decade have changed the way gamblers engage with online gambling. The convenience of mobile electronic devices is understood to be a major contributor to the increase of online gambling, which in turn has been implicated in the growth of sports betting. Emerging evidence suggests several sources of differentiation between mobile and other online gambling, which have important psychological implications. Given the inherent differences, we cannot conclude that evidence for the effectiveness of treatment for non-smartphone problem gambling (PG) automatically translates to online smartphone sports betting PG. The aim of this study, therefore, was to describe the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of cue exposure therapy (CET) to treat individuals presenting to a community-based PG therapy service with an online smartphone sports betting addiction, using a case series design. Six men (21-42 years old) received up to 10 weekly 60-min manualised CET sessions. Outcome measures were gambling harm, gambling urge, gambling cognitions, psychological distress, and functional impairment. All six participants completed a course of CET averaging 8.33 sessions (SD = 1.75) and reported improvement across each of the outcome measures. Psychological distress scores had reduced to the non-clinical range for all six participants and five participants scored below the cut offs for PG and functional impairment at 1 month follow up. The findings provide preliminary proof of concept evidence for the feasibility and efficacy of CET for online smartphone sports betting addiction.

Mary Edwards Walker: the soul ahead of her time.

Mary Edwards Walker was a gallant woman who stood for women's rights, embodied the true American spirit, and served the Union Army in the Civil War as a surgeon. She later became the first and only woman in United States history to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Thinking inside the box: the health cube paradigm for health and wellness program evaluation and design.

Appropriately constructed health promotions can improve population health. The authors developed a practical model for designing, evaluating, and improving initiatives to provide optimal value. Three independent model dimensions (impact, engagement, and sustainability) and the resultant three-dimensional paradigm were described using hypothetical case studies, including a walking challenge, a health risk assessment survey, and an individual condition management program. The 3-dimensional model is illustrated and the dimensions are defined. Calculation of a 3-dimensional score for program comparisons, refinements, and measurement is explained. Program 1, the walking challenge, had high engagement and impact, but limited sustainability. Program 2, the health risk assessment survey, had high engagement and sustainability but limited impact. Program 3, the on-site condition management program, had measurable impact and sustainability but limited engagement, because of a lack of program capacity. Each initiative, though successful in 2 dimensions, lacked sufficient evolution along the third axis for optimal value. Calculation of a 3-dimensional score is useful for health promotion program development comparison and refinements, and overall measurement of program success.

A two-site analytical evaluation of the BD Viper System with XTR Technology in Nonextracted Mode and Extracted Mode with seeded simulated specimens.

The BD ProbeTec CT Q(x) Amplified DNA Assay and the BD ProbeTec GC Q(x) Amplified DNA Assay (both BD Diagnostics, Sparks, MD) represent two new assays developed for use with the BD Viper System with XTR Technology (BD Diagnostics). These assays were built on the foundation of the former BD ProbeTec ET assays (BD Diagnostics) and its accompanying instrumentation. The study described below compared the new assay format, Extracted Mode, to the former assay format, Nonextracted Mode, with the primary objective of examining and measuring overall time expenditures and efficiency of operation. An 80-142-min reduction in "hands-on" total processing time was observed for the Extracted Mode whether testing urines or swabs. The second objective was to assess the accuracy of performance at low simulated analytical loads for the pathogens Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. Performance accuracies for simulated positive and negative urine or swab specimens were calculated to be 99.97% for Extracted Mode and 99.76% for Nonextracted Mode.