bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Practitioner Review: Assessment and treatment of refugee children and adolescents who have experienced war‐related trauma
Authors: Ehntholt Kimberly A. , Yule William
Published: September 2010

Background:  Increasingly clinicians are being asked to assess and treat young refugees, who have experienced traumatic events due to war and organised violence. However, evidence‐based guidance remains scarce.

Method:  Published studies on the mental health difficulties of refugee children and adolescents, associated risk and protective factors, as well as effective interventions, particularly those designed to reduce war‐related post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms, were identified and reviewed. The findings are summarised.

Results:  Young refugees are frequently subjected to multiple traumatic events and severe losses, as well as ongoing stressors within the host country. Although young refugees are often resilient, many experience mental health difficulties, including PTSD, depression, anxiety and grief. An awareness of relevant risk and protective factors is important. A phased model of intervention is often useful and the need for a holistic approach crucial. Promising treatments for alleviating symptoms of war‐related PTSD include cognitive behavioural treatment (CBT), testimonial psychotherapy, narrative exposure therapy (NET) and eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR). Knowledge of the particular needs of unaccompanied asylum‐seeking children (UASC), working with interpreters, cross‐cultural differences, medico‐legal report writing and the importance of clinician self‐care is also necessary.

Conclusion:  More research is required in order to expand our limited knowledge base.
Disentangling gene‐environment correlations and interactions on adolescent depressive symptoms
Authors: Lau Jennifer Y.F. , Eley Thalia C.
Published: September 2010

Background:  Genetic risks for depression may be expressed through greater exposure towards environmental stressors (gene–environment correlation, rGE) and increased susceptibility to these stressors (gene–environment interaction, G × E). While these effects are often studied independently, evidence supports their co‐occurrence on depression.

Methods:  Adolescent twin and sibling data was used to assess correlations and interactions between genetic risks for depressive symptoms and two putative environmental stressors: dependent negative life events and maternal punitive discipline.

Results:  Moderate genetic effects influenced each environmental risk factor, consistent with rGE. Genetic effects on environmental risks also contributed to depressive outcomes, implying genetic correlations between measures. Genetic effects on depressive symptoms changed across levels of negative life events and maternal punitive discipline, consistent with G × E. Finally, G × E co‐occurred with rGE on depressive outcomes.

Conclusions:  Adolescents at genetic risk for depressive phenotypes may be exposed to increased social adversity (rGE) and more susceptible to developing symptoms in response to these risks (G × E).
Early motherhood and subsequent life outcomes
Authors: Boden Joseph M. , Fergusson David M. , John Horwood L.
Published: September 2010

Background:  Early motherhood has been linked with a number of adverse outcomes, including mental health difficulties and barriers to completing educational qualifications and workforce participation. The present study examined the extent to which these linkages could be explained by the influence of social, family, and background factors that were associated with early motherhood.

Methods:  Data were gathered as part of the Christchurch Health and Development Study, a 25‐year longitudinal study of a birth cohort of New Zealand children. Information was obtained on: (a) the history of pregnancy and parenthood for female participants over the period 15–21 years; (b) measures of DSM‐IV mental disorders and suicidal behaviour over the interval 21–25 years; (c) measures of educational achievement over the interval 21–25 years; (d) measures of welfare dependence, workforce participation, and income over the interval 21–25 years; and (e) childhood, family and related confounding factors.

Results:  Early motherhood was associated with higher levels of mental health disorders, lower levels of educational achievement, higher levels of welfare dependence, lower levels of workforce participation, and lower income. Control for confounding factors reduced the associations between early motherhood and later mental health disorders to statistical non‐significance. However, the associations between early motherhood and later educational achievement and economic circumstances persisted after control for potentially confounding factors.

Conclusions:  The findings suggest that early motherhood puts young women at risk for educational underachievement and poorer economic circumstances. The linkages between early motherhood and later mental health difficulties can largely be accounted for by childhood, family, and related circumstances that occurred prior to parenthood.
Impact of familiarity upon children's developing facial expression recognition
Authors: Herba Catherine M. , Benson Philip , Landau Sabine , Russell Tamara , Goodwin Claire , Lemche Erwin , Santosh Paramala , Phillips Mary
Published: September 2010

Background:  The impact of personal familiarity upon children's developing emotion‐processing has been largely ignored in previous research, yet may prove particularly important given the emotional salience of such stimuli and children's greater exposure to familiar others compared to strangers. We examined the impact of personal familiarity upon developing facial expression recognition (FER).

Methods:  Participants included 153 children, 4–15 years old. We employed dynamic expressions of five emotions (happy, sad, anger, fear, disgust), posed by familiar (parents, teachers) and unfamiliar identities.

Results:  Accuracy improved with age for recognising sad and fear expressions, but not anger. Children tended to correctly recognise happiness and fear at lower intensities. The impact of familiarity on FER depended on emotion‐category. Familiarity did not affect recognition of sad expressions, but children were less accurate at recognising anger, fear, and disgust in familiar individuals compared to strangers.

Conclusion:  Personal familiarity may exert a distracting effect on children's performance. Findings highlight the importance of incorporating different emotion‐categories and familiarity when examining the development of FER. Clinical implications are discussed.
Suicide in juveniles and adolescents in the United Kingdom
Authors: Windfuhr Kirsten , While David , Hunt Isabelle , Turnbull Pauline , Lowe Rebecca , Burns Jimmy , Swinson Nicola , Shaw Jenny , Appleby Louis , Kapur Navneet ,   the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and Homicide by People with Mental Illness
Published: September 2010

Background:  Suicide is a leading cause of death among youths. Comparatively few studies have studied recent trends over time, or examined rates and characteristics of service contact in well‐defined national samples.

Methods:  Data on general population suicides and mid‐year population estimates were used to calculate suicide rates (per 100,000/year) among youths aged 10–19 years in the United Kingdom. We then determined the proportion of youths who had been in mental health service contact in the year prior to death. Social and clinical data were collected via questionnaires sent to clinicians who had provided care.

Results:  The general population rate of suicide was higher in males than females, and was higher in 15–19‐year‐olds compared to 10–14‐year‐olds. Suicide rates for 10–19‐year‐olds declined by 28% between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2003 (compared with an 8% reduction in those aged >19 years); the fall was particularly marked for males. Mental health service contact was low at 14% (compared with 26% for adults), especially for males (12%). Youths in mental health contact were characterised by: diagnosis of affective disorder, mental illness history, residential instability, self‐harm, and substance misuse. Over half of youths were living with parents and one‐fifth were in full‐time education.

Conclusions:  The suicide rate for 10–19‐year‐olds in the UK appeared to fall between 1997 and 2003. Further monitoring of suicide rates is needed to determine whether this trend has continued for the most recent years (e.g., 2004–7). The fall in rates may have been related to socio‐economic or clinical factors. The rate of contact with services was low compared to adults, particularly in males. This is concerning because young males have the highest suicide rate in the UK. Suicide prevention in young people is likely to require a multi‐agency approach.
Evidence for three subtypes of repetitive behavior in autism that differ in familiality and association with other symptoms
Authors: Lam Kristen S.L. , Bodfish James W. , Piven Joseph
Published: September 2010

Background:  Restricted repetitive behaviors (RRBs) are a core feature of autism and consist of a variety of behaviors, ranging from motor stereotypies to complex circumscribed interests. The objective of the current study was to examine the structure of RRBs in autism using relevant items from the Autism Diagnostic Interview‐Revised in a sample of 316 individuals with autistic disorder.

Methods/Results:  Using exploratory factor analysis, three distinct factors were identified: Repetitive Motor Behaviors (RMB), Insistence on Sameness (IS), and Circumscribed Interests (CI). RMB were found to be associated with a variety of subject characteristics such as IQ, age, social/communication impairments, and the presence of regression. IS was associated with social and communication impairments whereas CI appeared to be independent of subject characteristics, suggesting CI may be particularly useful in subsetting samples. Based on sib‐pair correlations, IS and CI (but not RMB) appear to be familial. Analysis of the data at the case level suggests that the presence of multiple forms of RRB in an individual is associated with more impairment in the social and communication domains, suggesting a more severe presentation of autistic disorder.

Conclusions:  There appears to be considerable structure within repetitive behavior in autism. The finding that these behaviors are differentially related to subject characteristics and familiality adds to their validity.
Developmental‐genetic effects on level and change in childhood fears of twins during adolescence
Authors: Eaves Lindon J. , Silberg Judy L.
Published: September 2010

Background:  If the adaptive significance of specific fears changes with age, the genetic contribution to individual differences may be lowest at the age of greatest salience. The roles of genes and environment in the developmental‐genetic trajectory of five common childhood fears are explored in 1094 like‐sex pairs of male and female monozygotic and dizygotic twins assessed on up to three occasions during adolescence (ages 8–18 years).

Methods:  Dichotomous self‐ratings of a cluster of five correlated fears from Ollendick’s schedule of fears (FSSC‐R) were extracted for subjects at each occasion of assessment. The effects of genes and environment on overall level of fears and rates of adolescent decline were explored by fitting an item‐response theory (‘IRT’) model that allowed for individual genetic and environmental differences in initial fear level (‘intercept’) and rates of adolescent change (‘slope’) across the repeated waves of measurement. Different forms of the model were explored using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) methods to derive the posterior distribution of subject and item parameters from the raw responses.

Results:  Additive genetic differences affect the common factor underlying the five fear‐items. The same genes also affect rates of change with age, especially in boys. Male adolescents with higher overall genetic predisposition to childhood fears tended to show slower recovery with age than subjects with relatively low initial values. Thus, the genetic variance apparently increases with age.

Conclusions:  This finding is consistent with a prediction that the regulation of genetic differences will be strongest, and thus the additive genetic variance will be smallest, at the age when the particular stimulus is most salient. Items differed in the extent to which they were sensitive to underlying random differences in the rate of developmental change. Individual differences in rates of change with age were more marked in boys than girls.
Energy — its sources, production, recycling and conservation
Authors: POCOCK B W
Published: September 2010

New methods are available which are more economical of energy than conventional centralized boiler systems with steam distribution. Local steam generators can save up to 50% of energy. Direct heating of CIP sets and bottle washers can also be economical. Monitoring of electricity and water use on items of plant can avoid waste. The design of much process equipment, particularly bottle washers, can be improved to reduce energy consumption.
Rennet and rennet substitutes
Authors: Winwood John
Published: September 2010

The use of calf rennet substitutes in cheese manufacture will increase because of costs linked with the availability of calf vells on the world market and the development of new cheese making processes such as ultrafiltration. The development of recombinant DNA techniques for chymosin production will also have an impact on the traditional calf rennet market when rennet manufacture by this method has been perfected. Further research into the secondary action of rennet during cheese maturation will also lead to a better understanding of how rennet can influence the flavour and textural characteristics of various cheese.
The production of low fat Cheddar‐type cheese
Authors: Banks Jean M , Brechany Elizabeth Y , Christie Ww
Published: September 2010

A technique has been developed for the production of Cheddar‐type cheese of intermediate (25%) and low (16%) fat content. The development of flavour and texture in these cheeses was monitored over a six‐month maturation period. At the lower level of fat, the cheese did not develop adequate Cheddar flavour, and the cheese was over‐firm. At the intermediate level of fat, a mild Cheddar flavour was produced, and the texture improved.
Comparing medical versus surgical termination of pregnancy at 13–20 weeks of gestation: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Kelly T , Suddes J , Howel D , Hewison J , Robson S
Published: September 2010

Please cite this paper as: Kelly T, Suddes J, Howel D, Hewison J, Robson S. Comparing medical versus surgical termination of pregnancy at 13–20 weeks of gestation: a randomised controlled trial. BJOG 2010;117:1512–1520.

Objective  To compare the psychological impact, acceptability and clinical effectiveness of medical versus surgical termination of pregnancy (TOP) at 13–20 weeks of gestation.

Design  Randomised trial.

Setting  Large UK tertiary centre.

Sample  Women accepted for TOP at 13–20 weeks of gestation.

Methods  Medical TOP (MTOP) using mifepristone and misoprostol or surgical TOP (STOP) by vacuum aspiration at <15 weeks of gestation, and by dilatation and evacuation at 15 or more weeks of gestation.

Main outcome measures  Distress 2 weeks after TOP, measured by the impact of events scale (IES), and acceptability, measured by the proportion of women who would opt for the same procedure again.

Results  One hundred and twenty two women were randomised: 60 to the MTOP group and 62 to the STOP group. Twelve women opted to continue their pregnancy. Follow‐up rates were low (n = 66/110; 60%). At 2 weeks post‐procedure there was no difference in total IES score between groups. However, compared with women undergoing STOP, women undergoing MTOP had a higher score on the IES intrusion subscale (mean difference 6.6; 95% CI 1.4–11.8), and a higher score on the general health questionnaire (GHQ) (P = 0.033). Women found STOP more acceptable: compared with MTOP, more women would opt for the same procedure again (100% versus 53%, P ≤ 0.001), and fewer women found the experience to be worse than expected (0% versus 53%, P = 0.001). Women who had MTOP experienced more bleeding (P = 0.003), more pain on the day of the procedure (P = 0.008), and more days of pain (P = 0.020). Of the 107 women who declined to participate, 58 (67%) preferred a STOP.

Conclusions  Randomised trials of women requesting midtrimester TOP are challenging. Women found STOP less painful and more acceptable than MTOP.
Evaluating Private Land Conservation in the Cape Lowlands, South Africa
Authors: VON HASE AMREI , ROUGET MATHIEU , COWLING RICHARD M.
Published: September 2010

Abstract:  Evaluation is important for judiciously allocating limited conservation resources and for improving conservation success through learning and strategy adjustment. We evaluated the application of systematic conservation planning goals and conservation gains from incentive‐based stewardship interventions on private land in the Cape Lowlands and Cape Floristic Region, South Africa. We collected spatial and nonspatial data (2003–2007) to determine the number of hectares of vegetation protected through voluntary contractual and legally nonbinding (informal) agreements with landowners; resources spent on these interventions; contribution of the agreements to 5‐ and 20‐year conservation goals for representation and persistence in the Cape Lowlands of species and ecosystems; and time and staff required to meet these goals. Conservation gains on private lands across the Cape Floristic Region were relatively high. In 5 years, 22,078 ha (27,800 ha of land) and 46,526 ha (90,000 ha of land) of native vegetation were protected through contracts and informal agreements, respectively. Informal agreements often were opportunity driven and cheaper and faster to execute than contracts. All contractual agreements in the Cape Lowlands were within areas of high conservation priority (identified through systematic conservation planning), which demonstrated the conservation plan's practical application and a high level of overlap between resource investment (approximately R1.14 million/year in the lowlands) and priority conservation areas. Nevertheless, conservation agreements met only 11% of 5‐year and 9% of 20‐year conservation goals for Cape Lowlands and have made only a moderate contribution to regional persistence of flora to date. Meeting the plan's conservation goals will take three to five times longer and many more staff members to maintain agreements than initially envisaged.
Behavioral Effects of Ethanol in Cerebellum Are Age Dependent: Potential System and Molecular Mechanisms
Authors: Van Skike Candice E. , Botta Paolo , Chin Vivien S. , Tokunaga Sayaka , McDaniel Janelle M. , Venard Jacob , Diaz‐Granados Jaime L. , Valenzuela C. Fernando , Matthews Douglas B.
Published: September 2010

Background: Adolescent rats are less sensitive to the motor‐impairing effects of ethanol than adults. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying this age‐dependent effect of ethanol have yet to be fully elucidated.

Method: Male rats of various ages were used to investigate ethanol‐induced ataxia and its underlying cellular correlates. In addition, Purkinje neurons from adolescent and adult rats were recorded both in vivo and in vitro. Finally, protein kinase C (PKCγ) expression was determined in 3 brain regions in both adolescent and adult rats.

Results: The present multi‐methodological investigation confirms that adolescents are less sensitive to the motor‐impairing effects of ethanol, and this differential effect is not because of differential blood ethanol levels. In addition, we identify a particular cellular correlate that may underlie the reduced motor impairment. Specifically, the in vivo firing rate of cerebellar Purkinje neurons recorded from adolescent rats was insensitive to an acute ethanol challenge, while the firing rate of adult cerebellar Purkinje neurons was significantly depressed. Finally, it is demonstrated that PKCγ expression in the cortex and cerebellum mirrors the age‐dependent effect of ethanol: adolescents have significantly less PKCγ expression compared to adults.

Conclusions: Adolescents are less sensitive than adults to the motor‐impairing effects of ethanol, and a similar effect is seen with in vivo electrophysiological recordings of cerebellar Purkinje neurons. While still under investigation, PKCγ expression mirrors the age effect of ethanol and may contribute to the age‐dependent differences in the ataxic effects of ethanol.
Implications of ER Stress, the Unfolded Protein Response, and Pro‐ and Anti‐Apoptotic Protein Fingerprints in Human Monocyte‐Derived Dendritic Cells Treated With Alcohol
Authors: Boukli Nawal M. , Saiyed Zainulabedin M. , Ricaurte Martha , Rodriguez José W. , Ríos Olivares Eddy , Cubano Luis A. , Nair Madhavan P.N.
Published: September 2010

Background:  Dendritic cells (DCs) are responsible for the activation of T cells and B cells. There is accumulating evidence that psychoactive substances such as alcohol can affect immune responses. We hypothesize that this occurs by modulating changes in proteins triggering a process known as unfolded protein response (UPR). This process protects cells from the toxic effects of misfolded proteins responsible for causing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Although much is known about ER stress, little is understood about the consequences of ethanol use on DC’s protein expression.

Methods:  In this study, we investigated alterations in the proteins of human monocyte‐derived dendritic cells (MDDC) treated with 0.1% of alcohol by two‐dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis followed by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry, protein identification, and confirmation at the gene expression level by qRT‐PCR.

Results:  Proteomes of related samples demonstrated 32 differentially expressed proteins that had a 2‐fold or greater change in expression (18 spots were up‐regulated and 14 were down‐regulated), compared to the control cultures (untreated cells). Alcohol significantly changed the expression of several components of the UPR stress‐induced pathways that include chaperones, ER stress, antioxidant enzymes, proteases, alcohol dehydrogenase, cytoskeletal and apoptosis‐regulating proteins. qRT‐PCR analyses highlighted the enhanced expression of UPR and antioxidant genes that increased (18 hours) with alcohol treatment.

Conclusion:  Results of these analyses provide insights into alcohol mechanisms of regulating DC and suggest that alcohol induced specifically the UPR in DC. We speculate that activation of a UPR by alcohol may protect the DC from oxidant injury but may lead to the development of alcohol‐related diseases.
Cognitive Performance in Treatment‐Naïve Active Alcoholics
Authors: Smith Stan , Fein George
Published: September 2010

Background:  Most studies reporting cognitive deficits in chronic alcoholics have relied on treatment samples (predominantly men) from inpatient or outpatient treatment facilities. However, the majority of chronic alcoholics have never been in treatment and there is increasing evidence that treated and non‐treatment‐seeking alcoholic samples come from different populations with regard to alcohol use and other factors related to the severity of disease. Accordingly, in the present study, we assessed a broad range of cognitive functions in 55 treatment‐naïve alcohol‐dependent (TNAD) individuals and 55 nonalcoholic controls (NAC) matched for age and education. In addition, a goal of the present study was to assess potential differential effects of alcohol dependence on cognitive performance in TNAD men and women.

Methods:  Comprehensive neuropsychological assessment was conducted on TNAD and NAC. The following 9 performance domains, each consisting of multiple measures, were examined: attention, auditory working memory, verbal processing, abstraction/cognitive flexibility, psychomotor function, immediate memory, delayed memory, reaction time, and spatial processing.

Results:  Analysis revealed no cognitive deficits in TNAD, relative to NAC, in any of the 9 cognitive domains. TNAD performed better than NAC in the attention domain. In addition, while men performed better than women in the spatial domain, there were no TNAD versus NAC group by gender interactions for any domain.

Conclusions:  Our results extend findings that TNAD show minimal behavioral effects of chronic heavy alcohol use and are consistent with the contention that TNAD are relatively cognitively intact. Differences between our findings and those often reported for alcoholics recruited from treatment settings may be understood in terms of differences in alcohol use, along with genetic, psychiatric, and nutritional factors. In addition, the lack of differential effects of alcohol dependence on male and female cognitive performance in our study suggests that TNAD men and women do not differ in the severity of cerebral consequences of alcohol dependence.
Ethanol‐Induced Conditioned Taste Aversion in Male Sprague‐Dawley Rats: Impact of Age and Stress
Authors: Anderson Rachel I. , Varlinskaya Elena I. , Spear Linda P.
Published: September 2010

Background:  Age‐specific characteristics may contribute to the elevation in ethanol intake commonly reported among adolescents compared to adults. This study was designed to examine age‐related differences in sensitivity to ethanol’s aversive properties using a conditioned taste aversion (CTA) procedure with sucrose serving as the conditioned stimulus (CS). Given that ontogenetic differences in responsiveness to stressors have been previously reported, the role of stressor exposure on the development of CTA was also assessed.

Methods:  Experiment 1 examined the influence of 5 days of prior restraint stress exposure on the expression of CTA in a 2‐bottle test following 1 pairing of a sucrose solution with ethanol. In Experiment 2, the effects of 7 days of social isolation on the development of CTA were observed using a 1‐bottle test following multiple sucrose–ethanol pairings.

Results:  This study revealed age‐related differences in the development of ethanol‐induced CTA. In Experiment 1, adolescents required a higher dose of ethanol than adults to demonstrate an aversion. In Experiment 2, adolescents required not only a higher ethanol dose but also more pairings of ethanol with the sucrose CS. No effects of prior stressor exposure were observed in either experiment.

Conclusions:  Together, these experiments demonstrate an adolescent‐specific insensitivity to the aversive properties of ethanol that elicit CTA, a pattern not influenced by repeated restraint stress or housing in social isolation. This age‐related insensitivity to the dysphoric effects of ethanol is consistent with other work from our laboratory, adding further to the evidence that adolescent rats are less susceptible to negative consequences of ethanol that may serve as cues to curb consumption.
A Comparison of Methods for Estimating Change in Drinking following Alcohol Treatment
Authors: Witkiewitz Katie , Maisto Stephen A. , Donovan Dennis M.
Published: September 2010

Background:  The ultimate goal of alcohol treatment research is to develop interventions that help individuals reduce their alcohol use. To determine whether a treatment is effective, researchers must then evaluate whether a particular treatment affects changes in drinking behavior after treatment. Importantly, drinking following treatment tends to be highly variable between individuals and within individuals across time.

Method:  Using data from the COMBINE study (COMBINE Study Group, 2003), the current study compared 3 commonly used and novel methods for analyzing changes in drinking over time: latent growth curve (LGC) analysis, growth mixture models, and latent Markov models. Specifically, using self‐reported drinking data from all participants (n = 1,383, 69% male), we were interested in examining how well the 3 estimated models were able to explain observed changes in percent heavy drinking days during the 52 weeks following treatment.

Results:  The results from all 3 models indicated that the majority of individuals were either abstinent or reported few heavy drinking days during the 52‐week follow‐up and only a minority of individuals (10% or fewer) reported consistently frequent heavy drinking following treatment. All 3 models provided a reasonably good fit to the observed data with the latent Markov models providing the closest fit. The observed drinking trajectories evinced discontinuity, whereby individuals seem to transition between drinking and nondrinking across adjacent follow‐up assessment points. The LGC and growth mixture models both assumed continuous change and could not explain this discontinuity in the observed drinking trajectories, whereas the latent Markov approach explicitly modeled transitions between drinking states.

Conclusions:  The 3 models tested in the current study provided a unique look at the observed drinking among individuals who received treatment for alcohol dependence. Latent Markov modeling may be a highly desirable methodology for gaining a better sense of transitions between positive and negative drinking outcomes.
Brief Report: The Role of Ego Development in Psychosocial Adjustment Among Boys With Delayed Puberty
Authors: Lindfors Kaj , Elovainio Marko , Wickman Sanna , Vuorinen Risto , Sinkkonen Jari , Dunkel Leo , Raappana Aleksi
Published: September 2010

This study examined the role of ego development, as measured with the Washington University sentence completion test, in the relationship between pubertal maturation and psychosocial adjustment (self‐image and depression) in adolescent boys. The data consisted of 73 boys between 14 and 16 years of age. The results indicated that late maturing boys were also psychologically more immature, and that they experienced negative feelings about sexuality. Additionally, higher ego development was associated with elevated levels of anxiety and depression among late maturing boys. In boys with average pubertal maturation, higher ego development was associated with lower levels of anxiety and depression.
Mood in Daily Contexts: Relationship With Risk in Early Adolescence
Authors: Schneiders Josien , Nicolson Nancy A. , Berkhof Johannes , Feron Frans J. , DeVries Marten W. , Van Os Jim
Published: September 2010

Disturbances in affect have been linked to problem behavior in adolescence and future psychopathology, but little is known about how such disturbances manifest themselves in everyday contexts. This study investigated daily mood in Dutch 7th graders, aged 11–14. Cluster analysis of problem measures distinguished high‐risk (n=25) and low‐risk (n=106) subgroups. Participants completed experience‐sampling reports of mood, social context, and location nine times daily for 5 days. Multilevel regression analyses of four mood measures confirmed higher anxiety and depressed mood in the high‐risk group. Moods varied by location and social context, with significant differences between groups in two specific social contexts. First, when with family, low‐risk adolescents felt less depressed than when alone, whereas high‐risk adolescents felt more depressed. Second, high‐risk adolescents showed more pronounced anxiety in social situations outside the network of family and friends. These findings point to everyday social contexts in which young adolescents with emotional and behavioral problems appear to be particularly vulnerable.
Achievement Orientations, School Adjustment, and Well‐being: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Määttä Sami , Nurmi Jari‐Erik , Stattin Håkan
Published: September 2010

This study set out to identify the kinds of achievement orientations that adolescents show, and to examine the kinds of antecedents and consequences the use of a particular orientation has. The participants were 734 Swedish adolescents (335 boys and 399 girls) who filled in questionnaires measuring their achievement beliefs and behaviors, depressive symptoms, engagement with school, and norm‐breaking behavior. By using clustering‐by‐cases analysis, five achievement orientation groups were identified: optimism, defensive‐pessimism, self‐handicapping, and learned helplessness, and a group showing average levels of criteria variables. The results showed further that a decrease in depressive symptoms and an increase in engagement with school predicted a move to the use of optimistic and defensive‐pessimistic groups, whereas a reverse pattern predicted a move to the helplessness and self‐handicapping groups. Moreover, the optimistic and defensive‐pessimistic achievement orientations at Time 1 predicted an increase in engagement with school and a decrease in depressive symptoms later on, whereas self‐handicapping and learned helplessness predicted a decrease in engagement with school and increases in depressive symptoms and norm‐breaking behavior.
In Vitro Biomechanical Comparison of Cervical Disk Arthroplasty, Ventral Slot Procedure, and Smooth Pins with Polymethylmethacrylate Fixation at Treated and Adjacent Canine Cervical Motion Units
Authors: ADAMO P. FILIPPO , KOBAYASHI HIROHITO , MARKEL MARK , VANDERBY RAY
Published: September 2010

Objective—To compare the biomechanical properties of cervical arthroplasty to a ventral slot procedure and pin‐polymethylmethacrylate (pin‐PMMA) fixation.

Sample Population—Fresh cadaveric cervical (C2–T1) spines from 6 large dogs.

Methods—Four spinal conditions were studied in each spinal specimen: intact, disk arthroplasty, ventral slot, and fixation with smooth pin‐PMMA at C5–C6 intervertebral space. Axial compression, torsion, flexion–extension, and lateral bending moments were sequentially tested on each specimen for the 4 spinal conditions. Data from the C3–C4, C4–C5, C5–C6, and C6–C7 vertebral motion units (VMUs) were compared among treatments.

Results—In axial compression and torsion, the ventral slot procedure allowed significantly less motion than intact, pin‐PMMA, and arthroplasty groups at C5–C6. In lateral bending and flexion–extension, pin‐PMMA had the least motion of C5–C6, followed by the arthroplasty group, intact spine, and ventral slot, all of which were significantly different from each other. Overall, the artificial disk was better able to mimic the behavior of the intact specimens compared with the ventral slot and pin‐PMMA, producing similar displacements in axial compression and rotation in torsion, but more limited motion than intact in flexion–extension and in lateral bending.

Conclusion—Cervical spine specimens with an implanted prosthesis have biomechanical behaviors more similar to an intact spine compared with spinal specimens with ventral slot and pin‐PMMA procedures. Cervical arthroplasty may then preserve some of the motion in the affected area after neural decompression while providing distraction.

Clinical Relevance—Cervical arthroplasty should be further investigated in vivo to determine if it is a viable alternative to the ventral slot or pin‐PMMA procedures for surgical treatment of cervical diseases in dogs and in particular for treatment of disk‐associated caudal cervical spondylomyelopathy.
Biomechanical Flexion–Extension Forces in Normal Canine Lumbosacral Cadaver Specimens Before and After Dorsal Laminectomy–Discectomy and Pedicle Screw–Rod Fixation
Authors: MEIJ BJÖRN P. , SUWANKONG NIYADA , VAN DER VEEN ALBERT J. , HAZEWINKEL HERMAN A. W.
Published: September 2010

Objective—To determine biomechanical flexion–extension forces in cadaveric canine lumbosacral specimens, before and after dorsal laminectomy with partial discectomy, and after dorsal pedicle screw–rod fixation of L7 and S1.

Study Design—Biomechanical cadaver study.

Animals—Cadaveric spine specimens without lumbosacral pathology from mature, intact Labrador retrievers (n=12).

Methods—Lumbosacral spine segments were subjected to a constant bending moment from L6 to S1 in a hydraulic 4‐point bending materials testing machine. Force and displacement were recorded during each loading cycle constituting 1 complete flexion–extension cycle of the spine. Each spine segment had 3 series of recordings of 5 loading cycles each: (1) intact spine, (2) after surgical destabilization by dorsal laminectomy and partial discectomy, and (3) after surgical stabilization using dorsal pedicle screw–rod fixation.

Results—After dorsal laminectomy and partial discectomy, the neutral zone and range of motion were not different from those in the native spine specimen. After pedicle screw–rod fixation, the neutral zone and range of motion of the instrumented specimen significantly (P<.0001) decreased compared with the native specimen and the specimen after dorsal laminectomy.

Conclusion—Dorsal laminectomy and partial discectomy does not lead to significant spinal instability in flexion and extension whereas pedicle screw and rod fixation effectively stabilizes the lumbosacral spine.

Clinical Relevance—Dorsal laminectomy and partial discectomy does not lead to significant spinal instability. Pedicle screw–rod fixation of L7 and S1 may be used to stabilize an unstable L7–S1 junction in dogs with degenerative lumbosacral stenosis.
In Vitro Evaluation of a Single Injection Technique for Diagnostic Analgesia of the Proximal Suspensory Ligament of the Equine Pelvic Limb
Authors: HUGHES THOMAS K. , ELIASHAR EHUD , SMITH ROGER K.
Published: September 2010

Objective— To examine the anatomic relationship of the deep branch of the lateral plantar nerve (DBLPN) with structures of the proximal metatarsal region, and to define the anatomic location of a solution injected using a single injection technique for diagnostic analgesia of the proximal suspensory ligament (PSL).

Study Design— Descriptive study.

Animals— Cadaveric equine pelvic limbs (n=29).

Methods— The proximal metatarsal region of both pelvic limbs (n=5 horses, 10 limbs) was dissected and measurements were made of anatomic structures relative to the head of the 4th metatarsal bone (HMT4). A single injection technique was used to inject dye 15 mm distal to the HMT4, axial to the MT4 at a depth of 25 mm in each limb from 10 equine cadavers (19 limbs). Hindlimbs were dissected and the position of the dye was recorded.

Results— DBLPN branched from the lateral plantar nerve (LPN) at a mean distance of 30 mm proximal to the HMT4 and entered the PSL at a mean distance of 17 mm distal to the HMT4. A 2nd DBLPN was observed in 1 of 10 dissected limbs. Blue dye surrounded the DBLPN in 18 limbs (95%).

Conclusions— A single injection technique was likely to have resulted in desensitization of the DBLPN in 18 of 19 limbs (95%).

Clinical Relevance— This technique provides a reliable method using a single needle puncture for perineural analgesia of the DBLPN for diagnosis of proximal suspensory desmitis of the pelvic limb with a minimal risk of inadvertently desensitizing structures within the tarsal sheath and the tarsometatarsal joint.
Estimated Plasma Bupivacaine Concentration After Single Dose and Eight‐Hour Continuous Intra‐Articular Infusion of Bupivacaine in Normal Dogs
Authors: BUBENIK LORETTA , HOSGOOD GISELLE , BARKER STEVEN , HICKS MERRIN , SERRA VERNA , STOUT RHETT
Published: September 2010

Objective—To estimate maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) and time to maximum plasma (tmax) bupivacaine concentration after intra‐articular administration of bupivacaine for single injection (SI) and injection followed by continuous infusion (CI) in normal dogs.

Study Design—Cross‐over design with a 2‐week washout period.

Animals—Healthy Coon Hound dogs (n=8).

Methods—Using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry, canine plasma bupivacaine concentration was measured before and after SI (1.5 mg/kg) and CI (1.5 mg/kg and 0.3 mg/kg/h). Software was used to establish plasma concentration–time curves and estimate Cmax, Tmaxand other pharmacokinetic variables for comparison of SI and CI.

Results—Bupivacaine plasma concentration after SI and CI best fit a 3 exponential model. For SI, mean maximum concentration (Cmax, 1.33±0.954 μg/mL) occurred at 11.37±4.546 minutes. For CI, mean Cmax(1.13±0.509 μg/mL) occurred at 10.37±4.109 minutes. The area under the concentration–time curve was smaller for SI (143.59±118.390 μg/mL × min) than for CI (626.502±423.653 μg/mL × min,P=.02) and half‐life was shorter for SI (61.33±77.706 minutes) than for CI (245.363±104.415 minutes,P=.01). The highest plasma bupivacaine concentration for any dog was 3.2 μg/mL for SI and 2.3 μg/mL for CI.

Conclusion—Intra‐articular bupivacaine administration results in delayed absorption from the stifle into the systemic circulation with mean Cmaxbelow that considered toxic and no systemic drug accumulation.

Clinical Relevance—Intra‐articular bupivacaine can be administered with small risk of reaching toxic plasma concentrations in dogs, though toxic concentrations may be approached. Caution should be exercised with multimodal bupivacaine administration because plasma drug concentration may rise higher than with single intra‐articular injection.
Biomechanical Analysis of Suture Anchors and Suture Materials in the Canine Femur
Authors: GILES JAMES T. , COKER DEMIR , ROCHAT MARK C. , PAYTON MARK E. , SUBRAMARIAN VIJAY , BARTELS KENNETH E.
Published: September 2010

Objective— Biomechanical analysis of acute load to failure (ALF) of 3 veterinary and 1 human suture anchor and cyclic load to failure with two suture material/suture anchor constructs in canine femoral condyles.

Study Design— Biomechanical in vitro study.

Sample Population— Cadaveric femora from 20–30 kg dogs.

Methods— Three veterinary and 1 human suture anchor were placed in the cranial and caudal aspects of the femoral condyle and subjected to 0° ALF. Anchors were loaded with 5 USP Fiberwire or 27 kg test nylon leader line (NLL) and subjected to 90° cyclic testing for 10,000 cycles followed by ALF at 90°.

Results— No significant difference in ALF for any anchor type was detected in the cranial aspect of the femoral condyle; however all veterinary anchors had higher ALF in the caudal aspect of the femoral condyle. In cyclic testing, the constructs in descending order (most cycles to least) were: (1) FlexiTwist/NLL, (2) Securos/Fiberwire, Securos/NLL, (3) IMEX/Fiberwire, IMEX/NLL, and (4) FlexiTwist/Fiberwire, Fastin/Fiberwire. Fiberwire was significantly stronger than NLL in post‐cycling ALF testing.

Conclusions— Veterinary anchors had higher ALF in the caudal versus cranial aspect of the femoral condyle. Except for the FlexiTwist in which NLL performed better, Fiberwire and NLL both had similar cyclic performance with each veterinary anchor type. The veterinary anchors exceeded the human anchor in ALF and cycles to failure.

Clinical Relevance— The tested veterinary suture anchors with Fiberwire or NLL may be used in the femoral condyle, preferably in the caudal aspect, and should withstand estimated loading conditions in appropriately confined postoperative canine patients.
Transiliac Approach for Exposure of Lumbosacral Intervertebral Disk and Foramen: Technique Description
Authors: CAROZZO CLAUDE , CACHON THIBAUT , GENEVOIS JEAN‐PIERRE , FAU DIDIER , REMY DENISE , DANIAUX LISE , COLLARD FABIEN , VIGUIER ERIC
Published: September 2010

Objective— To describe and evaluate a transiliac approach to the L7–S1 disk and intervertebral foramen in dogs.

Study Design— Cadaver study.

Animals— Fresh canine cadavers (n=10).

Methods— A craniolateral approach was made to each iliac wing of 10 fresh canine mixed breed cadavers. An 18 mm hole was drilled in a standardized position through the iliac wing. The musculature connected to the cranial aspects of the sacral wing was dissected and retracted cranially through this iliac window. Endoscopic exploration of the area was performed.

Results— The foramen and intervertebral disk were clearly observed in all specimens without iatrogenic injury of the L7 nerve branch. Access to the foramen was possible in 16 of 20 specimens without excision of the sacral wing; however, it was always partially excised to observe the intervertebral disk which lies more caudally and ventrally.

Conclusion— Transiliac approach to the lumbosacral joint allows direct exposure of the intervertebral disk and foramen through an iliac window. Endoscopic exploration provided good observation of the intervertebral disk and/or foramen.

Clinical Relevance— Transiliac approach could be used for lateral corpectomy and foraminotomy in dogs with degenerative lumbosacral stenosis caused by ventral or ventrolateral disk protrusion, foramen stenosis, or OCD of the L7–S1 joint. Clinical study will be necessary to evaluate the efficacy of this approach.
Comparison of Surgical Treatment Options for Cranial Cruciate Ligament Disease in Large‐Breed Dogs with Excessive Tibial Plateau Angle
Authors: DUERR FELIX M. , DUNCAN COLLEEN G. , SAVICKY ROMAN S. , PARK RICHARD D. , EGGER ERICK L. , PALMER ROSS H.
Published: September 2010

Objective—To identify surgical techniques performed by veterinary surgeons for the treatment of cranial cruciate ligament disease in large‐breed dogs with excessive tibial plateau angle (eTPA), compare their outcomes, identify risk factors for postoperative complications, and compare outcome and complication rate with tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO) in dogs without eTPA.

Study Design—Multicenter, case–control study.

Animals—eTPA group (TPA≥35°)=58 dogs (78 stifles); control group (TPA≤30°)=58 dogs (72 stifles).

Methods—Control and eTPA group dogs were identified. Medical records, radiographic reviews, and pet‐owner interviews were used to identify surgical treatments performed, their complications, and outcome. Odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals, χ2tests, and t‐tests were calculated to discern differences between eTPA and control‐group dogs.

Results—TPLO was the most common treatment for eTPA. Owner‐perceived outcome was superior for eTPA group dogs when TPLO resulted in TPA≤14° compared with those with postoperative TPA>14°. Loss of tibial plateau leveling during convalescence was the most commonly observed major complication; addition of ancillary implants to TPLO significantly reduced its incidence. Postoperative complications were more common in dogs with eTPA than in dogs without eTPA; however, no difference in owner‐perceived outcome was identified.

Conclusions—Surgical treatment of dogs with eTPA has a higher complication rate, but comparable outcome to that of dogs without eTPA.

Clinical Relevance—Postoperative TPA≤14° and addition of ancillary implants are recommended when using TPLO to treat dogs with eTPA.