bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of Choline Levels and Tumor Perfusion in Brain Metastases Assessed with Proton MR Spectroscopy and Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast-enhanced Perfusion Weighted MRI
Authors: Huang B. Y. , Kwock Lester , Castillo Mauricio , Smith J. Keith
Published: October 2014

While malignant brain tumors typically show high choline concentrations and neovascularity, we have anecdotally noted that a substantial number of brain metastases from lung cancer demonstrate only mildly elevated choline resonances on proton MR spectroscopy (1 H-MRS). The goals of this study were to determine whether lung cancer metastases are more likely to demonstrate low choline than other metastases and, in addition, to assess the relationship between choline and tissue perfusion in brain metastases. We performed a retrospective analysis of 66 patients with untreated brain metastases (40 NSCLC; 17 breast cancer; 9 melanoma) who underwent multivoxel 2D-CSI 1 H-MRS. Cho/Cr was compared between histologies using Mann-Whitney U tests. Lesions were dichotomized into low and high Cho/Cr groups, and differences in relative Cho/Cr between groups were assessed with Fisher's exact tests. 21 patients also underwent dynamic susceptibility MR perfusion weighted imaging (PWI). Normalized relative cerebral blood volume ratios (rCBVnorm) were calculated, and strength of correlation between Cho/Cr and rCBVnorm was assessed. Cho/Cr was significantly lower in lung cancer metastases compared to breast cancer metastases. Cho/Cr < 2.0 was observed in 37.5% of lung cancer metastases, 23.5% of breast cancer metastases, and 0% of melanoma metastases. Lung cancer metastases were significantly more likely to demonstrate low Cho/Cr than melanoma metastases (p = 0.04). There was a strong correlation between Cho/Cr and rCBVnorm (ρ = 0.847, p < 0.001), and metastases in the high Cho/Cr group showed significantly higher rCBVnorm. These findings suggest that choline metabolism and tumor perfusion in brain metastases are interrelated, and we posit that this relationship may be due to the influence of the transcription factor HIF-1.
Performance feedback, paraeducators, and literacy instruction for students with significant disabilities
Authors: Westover Jennifer M , Martin Emma J
Published: October 2014

Literacy skills are fundamental for all learners. For students with significant disabilities, strong literacy skills provide a gateway to generative communication, genuine friendships, improved access to academic opportunities, access to information technology, and future employment opportunities. Unfortunately, many educators lack the knowledge to design or implement appropriate evidence-based literacy instruction for students with significant disabilities. Furthermore, students with significant disabilities often receive the majority of their instruction from paraeducators. This single-subject design study examined the effects of performance feedback on the delivery skills of paraeducators during systematic and explicit literacy instruction for students with significant disabilities. The specific skills targeted for feedback were planned opportunities for student responses and correct academic responses. Findings suggested that delivery of feedback on performance resulted in increased pacing, accuracy in student responses, and subsequent attainment of literacy skills for students with significant disabilities. Implications for the use of performance feedback as an evaluation and training tool for increasing effective instructional practices are provided.
Community justice and public safety: Assessing criminal justice policy through the lens of the social contract
Authors: Taylor Caitlin J , Auerhahn Kathleen
Published: October 2014

A reconceptualization of the idea of “community justice” is framed in the logic of the social contract and emphasizes the responsibility of the justice system for the provision of public safety. First, we illustrate the ways in which the criminal justice system has hindered the efforts of community residents to participate in the production of public safety by disrupting informal social networks. Then we turn to an examination of the compositional dynamics of California prison populations over time to demonstrate that the American justice system has failed to meet their obligations to provide public safety by incapacitating dangerous offenders. We argue that these policy failures represent a breach of the social contract and advocate for more effective collaboration between communities and the formal criminal justice system so that all parties can fulfill their obligations under the contract.
Muscular Activation During Plyometric Exercises in 90° of Glenohumeral Joint Abduction
Authors: Ellenbecker Todd S. , Sueyoshi Tetsuro , Bailie David S.
Published: October 2014

Background:

Plyometric exercises are frequently used to increase posterior rotator cuff and periscapular muscle strength and simulate demands and positional stresses in overhead athletes. The purpose of this study was to provide descriptive data on posterior rotator cuff and scapular muscle activation during upper extremity plyometric exercises in 90° of glenohumeral joint abduction.

Hypothesis:

Levels of muscular activity in the posterior rotator cuff and scapular stabilizers will be high during plyometric shoulder exercises similar to previously reported electromyographic (EMG) levels of shoulder rehabilitation exercises.

Study Design:

Descriptive laboratory study.

Methods:

Twenty healthy subjects were tested using surface EMG during the performance of 2 plyometric shoulder exercises: prone external rotation (PERP) and reverse catch external rotation (RCP) using a handheld medicine ball. Electrode application included the upper and lower trapezius (UT and LT, respectively), serratus anterior (SA), infraspinatus (IN), and the middle and posterior deltoid (MD and PD, respectively) muscles. A 10-second interval of repetitive plyometric exercise (PERP) and 3 repetitions of RCP were sampled. Peak and average normalized EMG data were generated.

Results:

Normalized peak and average IN activity ranged between 73% and 102% and between 28% and 52% during the plyometric exercises, respectively, with peak and average LT activity measured between 79% and 131% and between 31% and 61%. SA activity ranged between 76% and 86% for peak and between 35% and 37% for average activity. Muscular activity levels in the MD and PD ranged between 49% and 72% and between 12% and 33% for peak and average, respectively.

Conclusion:

Moderate to high levels of muscular activity were measured in the rotator cuff and scapular stabilizers during these plyometric exercises with the glenohumeral joint abducted 90°.
Differential impact of allelic ratio and insertion site in FLT3-ITD–positive AML with respect to allogeneic transplantation
Authors: Schlenk Richard F. , Kayser Sabine , Bullinger Lars , Kobbe Guido , Casper Jochen , Ringhoffer Mark , Held Gerhard , Brossart Peter , Lübbert Michael , Salih Helmut R. , Kindler Thomas , Horst Heinz A. , Wulf Gerald , Nachbaur David , Götze Katharina , Lamparter Alexander , Paschka Peter , Gaidzik Verena I. , Teleanu Veronica , Späth Daniela , Benner Axel , Krauter Jürgen , Ganser Arnold , Döhner Hartmut , Döhner Konstanze
Published: October 2014

Key Points

In FLT3-ITD–positive AML, high allelic ratio and ITD insertion site in TKD1 predict for low complete remission rates and poor survival. In FLT3-ITD–positive AML, allogeneic HSCT in first CR outweighs the negative impact of high allelic ratio on survival.
Increased expression of CYP17A1 indicates an effective targeting of the androgen receptor axis in castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC)
Authors: Bremmer Felix , Jarry Hubertus , Strauß Arne , Behnes Carl Ludwig , Trojan Lutz , Thelen Paul
Published: October 2014

Recent breakthrough therapies targeting androgen receptor signalling in castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) involve multifunctional androgen receptor (AR) blockade and exhaustive androgen deprivation. Nevertheless, limitations to an enduring effectiveness of new drugs are anticipated in resistance mechanisms occurring under such treatments.

In this study we used CRPC cell models VCaP and LNCaP as well as AR-negative PC-3- and non-neoplastic epithelial BPH-1-cells treated with 5, 10 or 25 μmol/L abiraterone hydrolyzed from abiraterone acetate (AA). The origin of CYP17A1 up-regulation under AA treatment was investigated in CRPC cell models by qRT-PCR and western-blot procedures.

AA treatments of AR positive CRPC cell models led to decreased expression of androgen regulated genes such as PSA. In these cells diminished expression of androgen regulated genes was accompanied by an up-regulation of CYP17A1 expression within short-term treatments. No such effects became evident in AR-negative PC-3 cells. AR directed siRNA (siAR) used in VCaP cells significantly reduced mRNA expression and AR protein abundance. Such interference with AR signalling in the absence of abiraterone acetate also caused a marked up-regulation of CYP17A1 expression. Down-regulation of androgen regulated genes occurs in spite of an elevated expression of CYP17A1, the very target enzyme for this drug. CYP17A1 up-regulation already takes place within such short treatments with AA and does not require adaptation events over several cell cycles. CYP17A1 is also up-regulated in the absence of AA when AR signalling is physically eliminated by siAR.

These results reveal an immediate counter-regulation of CYP17A1 expression whenever AR-signalling is inhibited adequately but not a persisting adaptation yielding drug resistance.
FunSeq2: a framework for prioritizing noncoding regulatory variants in cancer
Authors: Fu Yao , Liu Zhu , Lou Shaoke , Bedford Jason , Mu Xinmeng Jasmine , Yip Kevin Y , Khurana Ekta , Gerstein Mark
Published: October 2014

Identification of noncoding drivers from thousands of somatic alterations in a typical tumor is a difficult and unsolved problem. We report a computational framework, FunSeq2, to annotate and prioritize these mutations. The framework combines an adjustable data context integrating large-scale genomics and cancer resources with a streamlined variant-prioritization pipeline. The pipeline has a weighted scoring system combining: inter- and intra-species conservation; loss- and gain-of-function events for transcription-factor binding; enhancer-gene linkages and network centrality; and per-element recurrence across samples. We further highlight putative drivers with information specific to a particular sample, such as differential expression. FunSeq2 is available from funseq2.gersteinlab.org.
The FES-assisted control for a lower limb rehabilitation robot: simulation and experiment
Authors: Chen Yixiong , Hu Jin , Peng Long , Hou Zeng-guang
Published: October 2014

To design a control strategy for iLeg, an exoskeleton robot developed for lower limb rehabilitation aiming at investigating the feasibility of integrating functional electrical stimulation (FES) with robot-based rehabilitation training, an FES-assisted training strategy combined with impedance control, has been proposed in this paper. Through impedance control, an active compliance of the robot is established, and the patient’s voluntary effort to accomplish the training task is inspired. During the training process, the patient’s related muscles are applied with FES which provides an extra assistance to the patient. The intensity of the FES is properly chosen in order to induce a desired active torque which is proportional to the voluntary effort extracted from the electromyography signals of the related muscles using back propagation neural networks. This kind of enhancement serves as a positive feedback which reminds the patient of the correct attempt to fulfill the desired motion. FES control is conducted by a combination of neural network-based feedforward controller and a PD feedback controller. Simulation conducted using Matlab and the experiment with a spinal cord injury subject and a healthy subject have shown satisfactory results which verify the feasibility of this control strategy.
Using virtual worlds for role play simulation in child and adolescent psychiatry: an evaluation study
Authors: Vallance Aaron K. , Hemani Ashish , Fernandez Victoria , Livingstone Daniel , McCusker Kerri , Toro-Troconis Maria
Published: October 2014

Aims and method

To develop and evaluate a novel teaching session on clinical assessment using role play simulation. Teaching and research sessions occurred sequentially in computer laboratories. Ten medical students were divided into two online small-group teaching sessions. Students role-played as clinician avatars and the teacher played a suicidal adolescent avatar. Questionnaire and focus-group methodology evaluated participants' attitudes to the learning experience. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS, qualitative data through nominal-group and thematic analyses.

Results

Participants reported improvements in psychiatric skills/knowledge, expressing less anxiety and more enjoyment than role-playing face to face. Data demonstrated a positive relationship between simulator fidelity and perceived utility. Some participants expressed concern about added value over other learning methods and non-verbal communication.

Clinical implications

The study shows that virtual worlds can successfully host role play simulation, valued by students as a useful learning method. The potential for distance learning would allow delivery irrespective of geographical distance and boundaries.
A new service model for the treatment of severe anorexia nervosa in the community: the Anorexia Nervosa Intensive Treatment Team
Authors: Munro Calum , Thomson Victoria , Corr Jean , Randell Louise , Davies Jennie E. , Gittoes Claire , Honeyman Vicky , Freeman Chris P.
Published: October 2014

Aims and method

A community intensive treatment service for severe anorexia nervosa is described. The service is multidisciplinary but driven by a focus on psychological formulation. Psychological and dietetic interventions are grounded in a process of active risk management. Evaluations of safety, cost and acceptability of the service are described.

Results

Patients are highly satisfied with their care. A relatively low mortality rate for such a high-risk population was observed. In-patient bed use and costs were substantially reduced.

Clinical implications

There is a case for greater use of intensive community care for patients with severe anorexia nervosa, as it can be acceptable to patients, relatively safe and cost less than admission.
Resistance Revisited
Authors: Prebel Julie
Published: October 2014

Educational theorists emphasize the importance of creating a classroom environment that encourages positive or productive student resistance to dominant social discourse. This article revisits work in critical pedagogy, feminism, and composition by focusing on the challenges of teaching a first-year writing course on the theme of masculinity. The gender imbalance of this class, with a majority of male students, combined with the course theme, contributed to an environment that raised unanticipated questions, which prompted the reconsideration of the intersections of critical, feminist, and composition pedagogies. In this class, the dynamics worked against a process of critical inquiry and reflection and instead often reified dominant view-points and social positions, specifically with respect to gender. This article concludes with evidence of how practices in composition studies, especially student-instructor conferences, helped to redirect some of the reactive resistance encountered in the classroom.
Phyllodes tumours of the breast: radiological presentation, management and follow-up
Authors: McCarthy E , Kavanagh J , O'Donoghue Y , McCormack E , D'Arcy C , O'Keeffe S A
Published: October 2014

Objective:

Phyllodes tumours (PTs) are rare neoplasms accounting for <1% of breast lesions. With increased breast awareness and screening programmes, smaller PTs are being detected. The purpose of this study was to determine the clinical, radiological and pathological presentation of PTs and to evaluate the role of imaging follow-up, for which there are no specific guidelines.

Methods:

A retrospective study of all patients diagnosed with PT in a symptomatic unit between January 2006 and March 2013 was carried out. Patients were identified using breast care and electronic patient record databases.

Results:

53 patients with 54 lesions were diagnosed as having a PT. The median age was 27.5, 35.0 and 38.5 years for benign, borderline and malignant PT, respectively. Borderline and malignant PTs were larger than benign PTs, with mean sizes of 33 and 42 mm compared with 29 mm. 38% of PTs were labelled by the reporting radiologist as fibroadenomas, including two borderline PTs and one malignant PT. In 24% of cases, the radiologist raised the possibility of PT in the report. 17 patients (40%) developed a new fibroepithelial breast lesion during follow-up of which 4 were recurrent PTs.

Conclusion:

Despite adequate surgical management, the development of further fibroepithelial lesions in the ipsilateral breast is common. 3-year clinical surveillance, with the addition of 6-monthly ultrasound is advised for females with initial borderline or malignant PT histology.

Advances in knowledge:

We propose a follow-up protocol with ultrasound based on the grade of the PT diagnosed for 3 years to detect recurrence.
Innovation in Infrastructure Project Finance: A Typology for Conceptualization
Authors: Mostafavi Ali , Abraham Dulcy , Sinfield Joseph
Published: October 2014

Due to the growing demand for civil infrastructure, financial innovations are required to close the financing gap. However, a lack of theories has inhibited a complete understanding and, thus, creation and diffusion of financial innovation. A lack of theory about financial innovations in infrastructure is mainly due to the absence of a framework to conceptualize these innovations. A typology that enables comparison of financial systems and, hence, provide a framework to conceptualize financial innovations is missing in the existing literature. This paper defines innovation in the context of financing, funding and delivery of infrastructure projects and proposes a new typology for conceptualization of the loci and types of financial innovations in infrastructure. The loci of innovations are in risk mitigation, regulation, cash flow, contract, organizational, and capital sub-systems. Types of innovations are classified as either integrated or modular and either sustaining or disruptive. The typology was tested by mapping seven innovations created by the U. S. Federal Highway Administration and diffused into 232 transportation projects between 1994 and 2002. Qualitative comparative analysis was then used to evaluate the diffusion trends of financial innovations in the case studies and to demonstrate the capability of the proposed typology for facilitating theory building in the area of infrastructure financial innovations.
Όψεις της εξωτερικής και εσωτερικής πολιτικής του Αλή πασά
Authors: Αγγελομάτη–Τσουγκαράκη Ελένη
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Νεολογισμοί στην “Πολιτική σχέδη”
Authors: Αποστολόπουλος Δημήτρης Γ.
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Κοραή “Ομήρου Ιλιάδος” Α. Εκδοτικά-χρονολογικά
Authors: Φραγκίσκος Εμμ. Ν.
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Ανδρ. Παπαδόπουλος Βρετός – Ιωσήφ Δε Κιγάλλας. Δύο παράλληλες βιβλιογραφικές προσπάθειες
Authors: Σφυρόερας Βασ. Βλ.
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Χρονικά – Ειδήσεις
Authors: Eranistes Eranistes
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Επτά σπάνια ελληνικά φυλλάδια δημοσιευμένα στην Πετρούπολη (1771-1772)
Authors: Καμαριανός Νέστωρ
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Ο «σοφώτατος Εσάτ Εφέντης» φίλος και αλληλογράφος του Χρύσανθου Νοταρά
Authors: Στάθη Πηνελόπη
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Το Ναύπλιο στα χρόνια 1828-1833. Σκιαγράφηση της κοινωνικής, πολιτισμικής και πνευματικής ζωής
Authors: Μπουτζουβή–Μπανιά Αλέκα
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Οπισθόφυλλο
Authors: Eranistes Eranistes
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Κατακερματισμός της αγροτικής ιδιοκτησίας: το παράδειγμα της Πάτμου
Authors: Ασδραχάς Σπύρος Ι.
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Χριστόδουλος ο εξ Ακαρνανίας και «Encyclopédie». Πρόδρομη ανακοίνωση
Authors: Νούτσος Παναγιώτης Χρ.
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Τα τοπωνύμια της Βλαχίας στον χειρόγραφο χάρτη του Ρήγα
Authors: Αβραμέα Άννα
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Για τις πρώτες δημοσιεύσεις του επιγράμματος των Ψαρών (1857)
Authors: Φραγκίσκος Εμμ. Ν.
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Το πρόβλημα του υλισμού στην φιλοσοφία του ελληνικού Διαφωτισμού
Authors: Κονδύλης Π.
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Ο Καλλίνικος Κρεατσούλης στην Ιταλία
Authors: Φασουλάκης Στέρ.
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Ο Άγγλος γιατρός Askew, ένας άλλος αββάς Fourmont
Authors: Σταυρόπουλος Αριστοτέλης Κ.
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Ειδήσεις για τον Μοισιόδακα από τα ύστερά του χρόνια
Authors: Δημαράς Κ. Θ.
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Η ελληνική επιστολογραφία του Αλεξάνδρου Μαυροκορδάτου του εξ απορρήτων. Η οργάνωση μιας έρευνας
Authors: Αποστολόπουλος Δημήτρης Γ.
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Δανιήλ Φιλιππίδης ή Δανιήλ Μοσχοπολίτης
Authors: Αργυροπούλου Ρωξάνη Δ.
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Σχόλια
Authors: Eranistes Eranistes
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Δύο αταύτιστα έργα στην ανθολογία του Ζήση Δαούτη
Authors: Φραντζή Άντεια
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Τα Ημερολόγια στα χρόνια 1800-1863 (Με προσθήκες στην Ελληνική Βιβλιογραφία)
Authors: Χαριτάτος Μάνος
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Προσθήκες στην Ελληνική Βιβλιογραφία (Συμβολή πρώτη)
Authors: Παπαδόπουλος Θωμάς Ι.
Published: October 2014

no abstract
Heart2Heart: An integrated approach to cardiac rehabilitation and CBT
Authors: Elliot Marion , Salt Heather , Dent June , Stafford Clare , Schiza Angeliki
Published: October 2014

Background:

Heart2Heart is a service that integrates cardiac rehabilitation and psychological therapy for patients following myocardial infarction, as well as for those with other cardiac diseases such as heart failure, cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias. Psychosocial support within cardiac rehabilitation programmes has typically been delivered by a specialist psychologist embedded within the cardiac rehabilitation team. Heart2Heart has provided an alternative to this model by developing a more extensive service, which includes primary and secondary care psychological therapists working in a stepped-care way using the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) stepped-care approach. Stepped care is the provision of the simplest care possible to achieve the intended aims. The service was one of 15 Department of Health long-term condition pathfinder sites evaluating the feasibility of such a service and was subject to a national evaluation.

Objectives:

To provide an acceptable and accessible psychological assessment and treatment service to patients as part of integrated cardiac care.

Methods:

This project was designed as a feasibility study to develop an innovative service across organisational boundaries. A selection of validated tools was used to measure anxiety, depression and quality of life outcomes. An economic analysis of primary and secondary care service use was also carried out.

Conclusions:

The project provided timely and cost-effective cognitive behavioural therapy with high levels of patient satisfaction. Preliminary evidence suggests clinically significant improvements in levels of anxiety, depression and quality of life. Further work is ongoing to explore the economic impact on reducing hospital use and GP attendance.
Third annual national aesthetic nursing conference: 3 November, London
Authors: Devan Natasha
Published: October 2014

With only 1 month left to go until the Journal of Aesthetic Nursing conference takes place in central London, editor Natasha Devan tells aesthetic nurses why this is an unmissable event led by expert speakers. She gives an outline of the day's key clinical and business management sessions, from case studies and treatment overviews to key considerations when buying expensive equipment
The role of inter-prosthetic distance, cortical thickness and bone mineral density in the development of inter-prosthetic fractures of the femur
Authors: Weiser L. , Korecki M. A. , Sellenschloh K. , Fensky F. , Püschel K. , Morlock M. M. , Rueger J. M. , Lehmann W.
Published: October 2014

It is becoming increasingly common for a patient to have ipsilateral hip and knee replacements. The inter-prosthetic (IP) distance, the distance between the tips of hip and knee prostheses, has been thought to be associated with an increased risk of IP fracture. Small gap distances are generally assumed to act as stress risers, although there is no real biomechanical evidence to support this.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of IP distance, cortical thickness and bone mineral density on the likelihood of an IP femoral fracture.

A total of 18 human femur specimens were randomised into three groups by bone density and cortical thickness. For each group, a defined IP distance of 35 mm, 80 mm or 160 mm was created by choosing the appropriate lengths of component. The maximum fracture strength was determined using a four-point bending test.

The fracture force of all three groups was similar (p = 0.498). There was a highly significant correlation between the cortical area and the fracture strength (r = 0.804, p <  0.001), whereas bone density showed no influence.

This study suggests that the IP distance has little influence on fracture strength in IP femoral fractures: the thickness of the cortex seems to be the decisive factor.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:1378–84.
The identification and quantification of instability in a primary total knee replacement prior to revision
Authors: Hamilton D. F. , Burnett R. , Patton J. T. , Howie C. R. , Simpson A. H. R. W.
Published: October 2014

Instability is the reason for revision of a primary total knee replacement (TKR) in 20% of patients. To date, the diagnosis of instability has been based on the patient’s symptoms and a subjective clinical assessment. We assessed whether a measured standardised forced leg extension could be used to quantify instability.

A total of 25 patients (11 male/14 female, mean age 70 years; 49 to 85) who were to undergo a revision TKR for instability of a primary implant were assessed with a Nottingham rig pre-operatively and then at six and 26 weeks post-operatively. Output was quantified (in revolutions per minute (rpm)) by accelerating a stationary flywheel. A control group of 183 patients (71 male/112 female, mean age 69 years) who had undergone primary TKR were evaluated for comparison.

Pre-operatively, all 25 patients with instability exhibited a distinctive pattern of reduction in ‘mid-push’ speed. The mean reduction was 55 rpm (sd 33.2). Post-operatively, no patient exhibited this pattern and the reduction in ‘mid-push’ speed was 0 rpm. The change between pre- and post-operative assessment was significant (p < 0.001). No patients in the control group exhibited this pattern at any of the intervals assessed. The between-groups difference was also significant (p < 0.001). This suggests that a quantitative diagnostic test to assess the unstable primary TKR could be developed.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:1339–43.
Results of Birmingham hip resurfacing at 12 to 15 years
Authors: Daniel J. , Pradhan C. , Ziaee H. , Pynsent P. B. , McMinn D. J. W.
Published: October 2014

We report a 12- to 15-year implant survival assessment of a prospective single-surgeon series of Birmingham Hip Resurfacings (BHRs). The earliest 1000 consecutive BHRs including 288 women (335 hips) and 598 men (665 hips) of all ages and diagnoses with no exclusions were prospectively followed-up with postal questionnaires, of whom the first 402 BHRs (350 patients) also had clinical and radiological review.

Mean follow-up was 13.7 years (12.3 to 15.3). In total, 59 patients (68 hips) died 0.7 to 12.6 years following surgery from unrelated causes. There were 38 revisions, 0.1 to 13.9 years (median 8.7) following operation, including 17 femoral failures (1.7%) and seven each of infections, soft-tissue reactions and other causes. With revision for any reason as the end-point Kaplan–Meier survival analysis showed 97.4% (95% confidence interval (CI) 96.9 to 97.9) and 95.8% (95% CI 95.1 to 96.5) survival at ten and 15 years, respectively. Radiological assessment showed 11 (3.5%) femoral and 13 (4.1%) acetabular radiolucencies which were not deemed failures and one radiological femoral failure (0.3%).

Our study shows that the performance of the BHR continues to be good at 12- to 15-year follow-up. Men have better implant survival (98.0%; 95% CI 97.4 to 98.6) at 15 years than women (91.5%; 95% CI 89.8 to 93.2), and women < 60 years (90.5%; 95% CI 88.3 to 92.7) fare worse than others. Hip dysplasia and osteonecrosis are risk factors for failure. Patients under 50 years with osteoarthritis fare best (99.4%; 95% CI 98.8 to 100 survival at 15 years), with no failures in men in this group.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:1298–1306.
Factors associated with an unfavourable outcome after Salter innominate osteotomy in patients with unilateral developmental dysplasia of the hip
Authors: Kaneko H. , Kitoh H. , Mishima K. , Matsushita M. , Kadono I. , Ishiguro N. , Hattori T.
Published: October 2014

Salter innominate osteotomy is an effective reconstructive procedure for the treatment of developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH), but some children have a poor outcome at skeletal maturity. In order to investigate factors associated with an unfavourable outcome, we assessed the development of the contralateral hip. We retrospectively reviewed 46 patients who underwent a unilateral Salter osteotomy at between five and seven years of age, with a mean follow-up of 10.3 years (7 to 20). The patients were divided into three groups according to the centre–edge angle (CEA) of the contralateral hip at skeletal maturity: normal (> 25°, 22 patients), borderline (20° to 25°, 17 patients) and dysplastic (<  20°, 7 patients). The CEA of the affected hip was measured pre-operatively, at eight to nine years of age, at 11 to 12 years of age and at skeletal maturity. The CEA of the affected hip was significantly smaller in the borderline and dysplastic groups at 11 and 12 years of age (p = 0.012) and at skeletal maturity (p = 0.017) than in the normal group. Severin group III was seen in two (11.8%) and four hips (57.1%) of the borderline and dysplastic groups, respectively (p < 0.001).

Limited individual development of the acetabulum was associated with an unfavourable outcome following Salter osteotomy.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:1419–23.
Reflections on the utilisation of ‘universalist’ discourse in contemporary English policy on adult social care
Authors: Scourfield Peter
Published: October 2014

References to ‘universal services’ in social policy are historically associated with social-democratic welfare regimes. However, neoliberal-influenced policy initiatives aimed at ‘transforming’ adult social care in England talk a lot about local authorities enabling access to ‘universal services’. This commentary reflects critically on the effects of policy makers and service providers referencing universalism in ways that are often confused and that have become decoupled from their original meanings in social policy.
Sensitivity of Picea abies to butt rot in pure stands and in mixed stands with Pinus sylvestris in southern Sweden
Authors: Lindén Magnus , Vollbrecht Gudmund
Published: October 2014

Repeatedly sampled data from permanent experimental plots in southern Sweden were used to model butt rot development in Norway spruce growing in pure stands and in mixed stands with Scots pine. The data come from 29 sites with pure spruce, altogether 100 plots, and from 15 sites of mixed spruce and pine, altogether 22 plots. A logistic model provided the best fit to the data. The study material revealed that in mixed stands the proportion of spruce trees with butt rot is lower than in pure Norway spruce stands. The difference in the incidence of butt rot cannot be explained by silviculture or windthrow since both factors are accounted for in the study. The most significant effect on butt rot development in Norway spruce by an admixture of Scots pine, was found when the Scots pine admixture was 50%. In order to reduce the incidence of butt rot in Norway spruce, the study material indicate that there is little to be gained by increasing the Scots pine admixture to much more than 50%.
Foliage and branch biomass estimation of coniferous and deciduous tree species
Authors: Grote Rüdiger
Published: October 2014

Under changing environmental conditions, biomass development on the tree and the stand level may differ from today, regardless if the induced change is due to a shift in the general climate properties or to forest management. Under these conditions, tree biomass can not be derived from tables based on former investigations but has to be defined from particular biomass investigations, which generally calculate tree and stand biomass from sample branches using allometric relationships. Therefore, sample measurements on harvested trees are needed. In this paper, foliage and branch biomass estimation for 6 Norway spruces (Picea abies) and 6 beeches (Fagus sylvatica) harvested in a 56-year-old mixed stand in southern Germany is presented. Different allometric models are investigated to derive branch biomass from branch dimension for both species. The equations that are based on branch length, foliated branch fraction, and branch diameter are used for tree and stand level estimates. However, the variation within the 6 trees of each species was too large for a reliable calculation of stand biomass, especially in case of beech branch wood. Furthermore, the necessity of allometric relations and their applicability in individual-tree models is discussed, and the importance of suitable branch- and tree selection is underlined.
Challenges and opportunities of the optimality approach in plant ecology
Authors: Mäkelä Annikki , Givnish Thomas , Berninger Frank , Buckley Thomas , Farquhar Graham , Hari Pertti
Published: October 2014

A meeting was held in HyytiÃ¤lÃ¤, Finland 10â12 April 2000 to assess critically the current challenges and limitations of the optimality approach in plant ecophysiology and botany. This article summarises the general discussions and views of the participants on the use of optimisation models as tools in plant ecophysiological research. A general framework of the evolutionary optimisation problem is sketched with a review of applications, typically involved with balanced regulation between parallel processes. The usefulness and limitations of the approach are discussed in terms of published examples, with special reference to model testing. We conclude that, regardless of inevitable problems of model formulation, wider application of the optimality approach could provide a step forward in plant ecophysiology. A major role of evolutionary theory in this process is simply the formulation of testable hypotheses, the evaluation of which can lead to important advances in our ecophysiological understanding and predictive ability.
The incidence of Gremmeniella abietina in relation to topography in southern Finland
Authors: Nevalainen Seppo
Published: October 2014

Field data of the 8th National Forest Inventory (NFI) from southern Finland and digital elevation models (DEMs) were used in this study. Damage due to Gremmeniella abietina increased slightly with an increase in absolute elevation in mineral soils. Severe damage increased almost linearly with an increase in elevation in mineral soil plots. The mean elevation in the tract area (the 7 km x 8 km area surrounding the plot) was more strongly correlated with the disease than the elevation of individual plots. The relative altitude of the plot was important: the disease was most severe in the plots situated lower than the mean elevation of the tract area, especially in the peatland plots. In this group, the damage increased linearly with an increase in absolute elevation. According to detailed DEMs in the most diseased areas, steepness of the slope was negatively correlated with the disease. The aspect of the slope had a weak influence. On mineral soils, the disease was most common in south-facing slopes. The microtopography was not as important for the disease occurrence as the relative elevation of the plot. The disease frequencies were very similarly related to the three most common types of surface features (channels, ridges and planar regions) within the 50-m scale. At the cell size of 100 metres, the disease was more common in channels than in ridges, except in mineral soil plots. Topographic variables only partly explained the regional patterns in the occurrence of this disease. The disease was frequent on upland areas, but, on the other hand, it was also common on lowland areas. The most diseased areas studied in detail differed very much from each other with respect to topography and the disease incidence.
Procedure for managing large-scale progeny test data: a case study of Scots pine in Finland
Authors: Venäläinen Martti , Ruotsalainen Seppo
Published: October 2014

Large progeny test networks are typical for conventional forest tree breeding programmes. The individual progeny tests differ with respect to age, composition and ability to screen the breeding values of the parent trees. Several approaches have been introduced to manage the unbalanced and diverse nature of the data generated by progeny tests. This report presents a procedure for ranking breeding material on the basis of âmessyâ data. Plot means were used as input values and missing plots were estimated from least squares. The differences between test means and variances were standardised by the performance level method. The different precision of the tests was quantified through the reliability coefficient. In order to facilitate the selection of plus trees for different purposes, all the available test results were combined into a single variable that was used for ranking. Three different kinds of ranking variable were calculated and each of them proved to be more useful for the selection of plus trees than an arithmetic or weighted mean. One of them, WMEAN, relied on the reliability and number of the progeny tests, while the others, WCONF0.50 and WCONF0.10, relied on the standard error of the plus tree mean, thus emphasising the precision of the values obtained. The analyses were carried out with SASÂ® procedures, which require only moderate skills in statistics, programming and data processing technology. The procedure has functioned well throughout an eight-year development phase. Nearly three thousand Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) plus trees have been ranked for various characters, and the results have been used for roguing the seed orchards, to establish new ones, and to select plus trees for breeding populations.
Natural disturbance dynamics in the boreal forests of European Russia: a review
Authors: Gromtsev Andrei
Published: October 2014

In the European part of the Russian boreal zone the dynamics of pristine forests (taiga) has been studied by several generations of researchers. Many studies have examined the patterns and role of fire, windthrow, insect outbreaks and other natural disturbances. An attempt is made to provide a brief review of these studies. The reviewed studies show that lightning strikes were the only natural source of fires in taiga. The frequency of fires varied in various types of pristine landscape from 1â2 per century to 1â2 per millennium. Fires maintained a dynamic equilibrium between compositionally different forest communities or their certain ratio and areal occurrence. Fires favored the regeneration and recovery of pine forests and prevented the replacement of shade-intolerant species (e.g. pine) by shade-tolerant ones (e.g. spruce). Taiga forests generally displayed a mosaic pattern that varied from pioneer plant communities, growing in open burns, to climax communities that were extremely seldom affected by fire. The reviewed studies suggest that fires were a powerful ecological factor in pristine taiga, being largely responsible for the structure and spontaneous dynamics of forest communities. Windfalls were also common in pristine taiga landscapes and they regulated spontaneous dynamics in a gap-mosaic regime, which is most characteristic of spruce forests.
Tree mortality in a Pinus sylvestris dominated boreal forest landscape in Vienansalo wilderness, eastern Fennoscandia
Authors: Rouvinen Seppo , Kuuluvainen Timo , Siitonen Juha
Published: October 2014

Tree mortality and its causes and spatial pattern were examined along four transects (width 40 m, length 2550â3960 m), with a total length of 12 190 m and area of 48.8 ha, in a Pinus sylvestris L. dominated, boreal forest landscape. Tree mortality was determined within a time window of 3 years by identifying those trees (dbh â¥ 10 cm) along the transects that fitted into one of the three categories: 1) current mortality: trees that had died during the year of survey (1998), 2) recent mortality: trees that had died during the year (1997) before the survey year, and 3) predicted mortality: trees that were expected to die during the year (1999) following the survey year. Long-term tree mortality was studied on 10 plots (20 m x 100 m) by dating 87 dead trees using dendrochronological methods. The mean current mortality was 1.4 m3 haâ1 (3.7 trees haâ1). Both the recent and predicted mortalities were also 1.4 m3 haâ1. Mortality was, on the average, higher on peatlands than on mineral soils. The highest mortality was found within an area recently flooded by beavers. Over half of the examined trees (52%) were judged to die without any visible signs of an external abiotic cause. At the landscape scale, tree mortality was continuous although somewhat aggregated in space. Of the 66 dated standing dead Pinus trees, 23 (35%) had died during the 19th century and two during the 18th century, demonstrating that dead Pinus can remain standing for long periods of time before falling. Our results show that autogenic mortality of individual trees or small groups of trees was the predominant mode of disturbance in this Pinus dominated landscape.
Forest age distribution under mixed-severity fire regimes – a simulation-based analysis for middle boreal Fennoscandia
Authors: Pennanen Juho
Published: October 2014

A simulation model was used to study the age structure of unmanaged forest landscapes under different fire regimes. Stand age was defined as the age of the oldest tree cohort in a stand. When most fires are not stand-replacing, the theoretical equilibrium stand age distribution is either bell-shaped or bimodal and dominated by old age-classes. Old-growth forests (oldest cohort > 150 y) dominate the landscape unless fires are both frequent and severe. Simulation results and analytical calculations show that if a regime of frequent fires (about every 50 y) maintains landscapes dominated by old-growth forests, then old-growth dominance persists when the number of fires is decreased, despite the associated increase in fire severity. Simulation results were applied to Pinus sylvestris-dominated landscapes of middle boreal Fennoscandia, which according to empirical results were dominated by old-growth forests when fires were frequent during the 19th century. Since the changes in the fire regime can be plausibly explained by changes in the number of human-caused ignitions, old-growth forests have evidently also dominated the landscapes earlier when fires were less frequent. The simulation model is used to produce plausible age distributions of middle boreal Fennoscandian forest landscapes under different historical fire regimes. In summary, the frequency of large-scale disturbance alone predicts forest landscape dynamics poorly, and the roles played by fire severity and residual stands need to be considered carefully. Maintaining and restoring old-growth structures is essential to regaining the natural variability of Fennoscandian forest landscapes.
Post-fire development of canopy structure and composition in black spruce forests of Abitibi, Québec: a landscape scale study
Authors: Harper Karen , Bergeron Yves , Gauthier Sylvie , Drapeau Pierre
Published: October 2014

Fire reconstruction and forest inventory maps provided an opportunity to study changes in stand-level characteristics following fire using a data set comprised of all forest stands of fire origin in an area of over 10Â 000 km2. We assigned the date of the most recent fire occurrence to over 31Â 000 forest stands in an ecoforestry database. We categorized stands on different substrates into age classes to investigate differences in canopy composition, cover and height, and incidence of secondary disturbance. Stands with over 75% Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP dominated all age classes on organic sites. On other substrates, there was a change in canopy composition from deciduous stands and stands dominated by Pinus banksiana Lamb. to Picea mariana stands after about 100 yr. This transition was later for xeric sites. After a peak in canopy cover and height at about 100 yr, there was a decrease in the area occupied by stands with dense, tall canopies. Structural development was slower on less productive sites. There was little incidence of spruce budworm outbreaks. Partial disturbance by windthrow coincided with canopy break-up at 100 yr, but appeared to have little effect on overall canopy structure in later stages. Structural diversity was independent of compositional diversity; on organic sites, stands with similar composition had different canopy structure. Diversity of stands with different composition and structure was greatest in the first 150 yr following fire. Maintaining stands in different stages of structural development on the landscape would serve to maintain regional biodiversity.
Influence of forest composition on understory cover in boreal mixedwood forests of western Quebec
Authors: Légaré Sonia , Bergeron Yves , Paré David
Published: October 2014

Forest overstory composition influences both light and nutrient availability in the mixed boreal forest. The influence of stand composition on understory cover and biomass was investigated on two soil types (clay and till deposits). Four forest composition types were considered in this study: aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.), paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marsh.), jack pine (Pinus banksiana Lamb.) and a mixture of balsam-fir (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill.) and white spruce (Picea glauca (Moench) Voss). The cover of all understory species was recorded while the biomass of two important and ubiquitous species was measured: mountain maple (Acer spicatum Lam.) of the shrub layer and large-leaved aster (Aster macrophyllus L.) of the herb layer. Soil analyses were conducted to evaluate the influence of overstory composition on understory biomass through its influences on soil characteristics. Analyses of variance showed a significant effect of forest canopy type on mountain maple biomass, understory cover and shrub cover but not on herb cover and large-leaved aster biomass. Path analysis was performed to explore the relationships between canopy type, nutrient availability and understory biomass. Contrary to what was expected, the variation in plant biomass associated with forest composition was weakly related to soil nutrient availability and more strongly related to stand structural attributes.