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Biomedical subjects

Kenneth J Weiss

Publications and source records attributed to Kenneth J Weiss.

5 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

PTSD in railroad drivers under the Federal employers' liability act.

Railroad and subway drivers can experience psychological trauma when trains strike or nearly miss other trains, motor vehicles, or persons or become instruments of death. Derailments, collisions, and suicides on the tracks can induce feelings of helplessness, horror, guilt, and anxiety in the drivers. Although some drivers experience acute stress disorder (ASD) or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), their conditions are not always acknowledged within the occupational setting. The world literature suggests that PTSD has been an increasing focus of concern, giving rise to detailed intervention protocols. In the United States, the Federal Employers' Liability Act (FELA) governs the adjudication of work-related injuries among railroad employees. In practice, it is difficult for railroad drivers with PTSD to receive benefits if there was no "direct impact" linked to the employer's negligence. In this article, the authors review the literature on PTSD among railroad drivers, discuss relevant case law, and explain how the FELA militates against some employees with PTSD.

Accidents, Occupational↗
PubMed2005

Admissibility of false-confession testimony: know thy standard.

The reliability of confessions is subject to a variety of factors, some of which give rise to expert testimony. To the degree that prosecutors construe the determination of reliability as an objective standard, they may attempt to bar testimony. Moreover, when the testimony is theoretical rather than clinical, there are additional challenges. Depending on jurisdiction, the admissibility of expert testimony on whether a confession was knowing, intelligent, and voluntary is subject to a legal threshold such as the Frye or Daubert standard. The authors review a 2002 New Jersey Superior Court ruling that illustrates the forces that shape the admissibility of confessions.

Civil Rights↗
PubMed2003

Gepirone extended-release: new evidence for efficacy in the treatment of major depressive disorder.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and tolerability of the 5-HT(1A) agonist gepirone in extended-release formulation (gepirone-ER) versus placebo in patients with major depressive disorder. METHOD: Patients aged 18 to 70 years were eligible if they satisfied DSM-IV criteria for moderate-to-severe major depressive disorder and had a baseline 17-item Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAM-D-17) score > or = 20. After a 4- to 7-day placebo washout period, patients were randomly assigned to receive either placebo (N = 106) or gepirone-ER (20-80 mg/day) (N = 103) for 56 days. Assessments were done at weeks 1-4, 6, and 8. RESULTS: Mean change from baseline in HAM-D-17 score within the intent-to-treat group (gepirone, N = 101; placebo, N = 103) was significantly greater with gepirone-ER than placebo at weeks 3 (p =.013) and 8 (p =.018). Significantly (p <.05) more patients receiving gepirone-ER than placebo were HAM-D-17 responders at weeks 3 (33.7% vs. 18.8%, respectively) and 4 (38.6% vs. 24.8%, respectively) and HAM-D-17 remitters at weeks 6 (24.8% vs. 13.9%, respectively) and 8 (28.7% vs. 14.9%, respectively). Mean change from baseline for HAM-D-25 total score was significantly (p < pr =.05) greater with gepirone-ER at all assessments except week 6. The proportion of HAM-D-25 responders was significantly greater (p < or =.05) with gepirone-ER at weeks 3 and 8. Gepirone-ER was well tolerated: 9.8% of the gepirone-ER group and 2.8% of the placebo group discontinued due to adverse events. Common adverse events were considered mild and included dizziness, nausea, and insomnia. Gepirone-ER did not differ statistically compared with placebo in weight gain or sedation. Furthermore, preliminary evidence suggested that gepirone-ER may not be associated with sexual dysfunction. No serious adverse events occurred in gepirone-treated patients. CONCLUSION: Gepirone-ER is effective for the short-term treatment of major depressive disorder and is well tolerated.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Confessions and expert testimony.

In this clinical paper, the author discusses criminal confessions from the point of view of the expert witness who may be asked to comment on the reliability of the statement and waiver of rights. From the time a suspect is in police custody, constitutional protections against self-incrimination and for due process are in place. The Supreme Court set the standard for these situations in the 1966 Miranda v. Arizona decision. Although it has long been criticized by law enforcement, the decision was upheld in the 2000 decision in Dickerson v. U.S. For a waiver of rights to be valid, it must be a knowing, intelligent, and voluntary decision. Voluntariness is an equation of objective and subjective variables. Treatment by police, physical conditions of interrogation, the suspect's experience and mental state can alter the reliability of a confession. Accordingly, the author has devised a mnemonic for the recognition of conditions that may give rise to expert testimony. The conditions are: Mental illness, Intoxication, Retardation, Acquiescence, Narcotic withdrawal, Deception, and Abuse. These are discussed, supported by examples from the author's practice.

Civil Rights↗