bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Refinements for embryo implantation surgery in the mouse: comparison of injectable and inhalant anesthesias – tribromoethanol, ketamine and isoflurane – on pregnancy and pup survival
Authors: Norton William B , Scavizzi Ferdinando , Smith Chad N , Dong Wenli , Raspa Marcello , Parker-Thornburg Jan V
Published: November 2015

An essential aspect of genetically-engineered mice (GEM) is the ability to produce live animals after the appropriate injection procedure. Animals are produced by implantation of manipulated embryos into pseudopregnant females for gestation, parturition, and growth to the weaning stage. This study was carried out to test whether the anesthesia used during surgery could affect the number of pups produced. Anesthetics commonly used for implant surgery include tribromoethanol (Avertin) delivered by intraperitoneal (IP) injection, IP-injected ketamine:xylazine or ketamine:medetomidine mix, and inhaled isoflurane. To determine if the anesthesia used might affect the number of animals produced, each anesthetic agent was tested in implant surgeries and the numbers of pups produced using both wild-type and GEM embryos were assessed. Parallel studies were conducted in institutions in the EU and in the USA. Based on a direct comparison of pregnancy status, number of pups born, and number of pups weaned for each agent, we found no statistical differences among the three anesthetics. We conclude that all three anesthetic agents tested are equally useful for implantation surgery.
Constrained and Unconstrained Partial Adjacent Category Logit Models for Ordinal Response Variables
Authors: Fullerton Andrew S. , Xu Jun
Published: November 2015

Adjacent category logit models are ordered regression models that focus on comparisons of adjacent categories. These models are particularly useful for ordinal response variables with categories that are of substantive interest. In this article, we consider unconstrained and constrained versions of the partial adjacent category logit model, which is an extension of the traditional model that relaxes the proportional odds assumption for a subset of independent variables. In the unconstrained partial model, the variables without proportional odds have coefficients that freely vary across cutpoint equations, whereas in the constrained partial model two or more of these variables have coefficients that vary by common factors. We improve upon an earlier formulation of the constrained partial adjacent category model by introducing a new estimation method and conceptual justification for the model. Additionally, we discuss the connections between partial adjacent category models and other models within the adjacent approach, including stereotype logit and multinomial logit. We show that the constrained and unconstrained partial models differ only in terms of the number of dimensions required to describe the effects of variables with nonproportional odds. Finally, we illustrate the partial adjacent category logit models with empirical examples using data from the international social survey program and the general social survey.
Does missiology have three legs to stand on? The upsurge of interdisciplinarity
Authors: Nehrbass Kenneth
Published: November 2015

A common heuristic device for depicting the interdisciplinary nature of missiology is the metaphor of a stool that stands on three legs (or academic disciplines). However, missiologists have disagreed on exactly which disciplines comprise those legs. That theology is central is hardly contested; but there is less agreement about the role of the social sciences, history, education, mission strategy, and so forth. Here, I argue that we should move beyond the three-legged stool metaphor, as it fails to describe the true interdisciplinary nature of missiology: The academic influences on missiology are more numerous than the stool metaphor allows for; the borders between these disciplines are fuzzy and changing; and the influence of academic theories on mission strategy is not merely one-way. In quest of a more satisfactory metaphor, I begin by suggesting a definition of missiology as the utilization of multiple academic disciplines to develop strategies for making disciples across cultures. Drawing on that definition, I develop the image of missiology as a river with countless tributaries (theoretical disciplines) that converge for this common goal. Since scholars of Christian mission cannot be experts in many fields, we must be intentional with the sort of interdisciplinarity that is most useful for designing effective mission strategies.
Chaos suppression for a four-dimensional fundamental power system model using adaptive feedback control
Authors: Ni Junkang , Liu Ling , Liu Chongxin , Hu Xiaoyu , Li Aoan
Published: November 2015

In this paper, the problem of chaos suppression for a four-dimensional fundamental power system (FDFPS) model is considered via the design of a novel adaptive feedback controller. The period doubling bifurcation route to chaos and some dynamical behaviors of the power system are investigated in detail. Based on stability analysis using an energy-type Lyapunov function, a single adaptive feedback controller is derived to suppress chaotic oscillation in four-dimensional fundamental power systems. The proposed controller simplifies the design of power system stabilizer and provides an easy way to implement in practical power system control. In addition, effectiveness of damping out chaotic oscillation and robustness against parameter uncertainty and external disturbance also make the proposed control scheme applicable for industrial application. Simulation results illustrate the effectiveness, the robustness and the superiority of proposed control method.
Not All Ties Are Equal: CEO Outside Directorships and Strategic Imitation in R&D Investment
Authors: Oh Won-Yong , Barker Vincent L.
Published: November 2015

Prior research has identified two different sources of strategic imitation—through perceived organizational cluster similarity (cluster effects) and direct social connections (tied-to effects). In the research on tied-to effects, top executives’ social ties, such as outside directorships, have long been studied as a mechanism through which strategic imitation develops. However, are all ties the same? There has been little examination of whether some social ties have more influence than others. Using the attention-based view of the firm, we argue that certain social ties garner more attention by being salient to top executives. We empirically test this assertion by examining the effects of CEO outside directorships on R&D spending. Using panel data from large U.S. manufacturing firms, we find that CEOs imitate the R&D intensity of tied-to firms (i.e., a firm in which the CEO serves as an outside board member) in their own firm’s R&D decisions. Consistent with attention-based arguments, our results show evidence of selective imitation, as imitating relationships are stronger when the CEO has longer tenure as a director of a tied-to firm and the tied-to firm is performing well. In contrast to conventional institutional theory, our findings also show that CEOs imitate relatively smaller tied-to firms when they make R&D investment decisions. Not all social ties have equal influence on imitative strategic decision making; thus, they have different strategic implications.
From Individual Contributor to Leader: A Role Identity Shift Framework for Leader Development Within Innovative Organizations
Authors: Maurer Todd J. , London Manuel
Published: November 2015

This paper contributes to the leadership identity development literature by examining role identity shift from individual contributor to leader in organizations that expect and reward innovation. The challenge for new leaders is to shift their role identity from innovative individual contributor to leader and for the organization to provide the support and reward structures to develop leaders of innovation. Degrees of role identity shift range from incremental shift (remaining an individual contributor through technical updating and employee development) through substantial shift (adding elements of leadership to one’s role and identity) to radical shift (complete transformation into becoming a leader in behavior and identity). As part of this approach, we apply the idea of creative destruction to leader development and, consistent with identity literature, argue that the idea of identity destruction is sometimes a legitimate part of leader development. In a process model, we predict the degree of leader role identity shift depends on, and is influenced by, organizational policies and resources. Also, we illustrate how some efforts by organizations to enhance technical innovation and individual development may have the effect of inhibiting leader identity development.
Multimarket Contact, Strategic Alliances, and Firm Performance
Authors: Chuang You-Ta , Dahlin Kristina B. , Thomson Kelly , Lai Yung-Cheng , Yang Chun-Chi
Published: November 2015

Research on multimarket contact and firm performance has produced mixed results. To reconcile this discrepancy, we theorize how varying levels of multimarket contact may generate mutual forbearance that influences firm performance. We also examine how strategic alliances moderate the relationship between levels of multimarket contact and firm performance. Our analysis of 233 semiconductor firms across 52 markets reveals that multimarket contact has an inverted U-shaped relationship with a multimarket firm’s market share. The number of strategic alliances that a firm has helps to further extend the positive effect of multimarket contact and mitigate its negative effect on the firm’s market share. Accordingly, our study contributes to the literature on multimarket competition by shedding light on the conditions under which multimarket contact may increase/decrease firm performance.
Monopoly Capital and Labor
Authors: Jonna R. Jamil
Published: November 2015

Harry Braverman’s Labor and Monopoly Capital, although the single most influential work in labor sociology in the post–Second World War period, is often viewed narrowly as a theory of the labor process and labor degradation. However, the central focus of Braverman’s analysis was the structure and dynamics of the working class as it evolved in the period of monopoly capitalism. While the labor process was key to unlocking class dynamics, including changing class composition and increasing precariousness within the working class, Braverman never failed to emphasize how the labor process was intimately intertwined with contradictions and tendencies buried deep within contemporary monopoly capitalism. Indeed, Marx’s theory of the reserve army of labor, which Braverman used as a basis for explaining the degradation of labor and the generalization of precariousness, formed a crucial link between Braverman’s analysis and that of monopoly capital theory. In this essay, we reengage with these neglected dimensions of Braverman’s analysis making it possible to address contemporary problems such as increasing worker precariousness and the internationalization of production, in a broader and more comprehensive context. In the course of the analysis, we develop fresh perspectives on the continuing significance of Braverman’s work.
When Hephaestus Fell to Earth
Authors: Ovetz Robert
Published: November 2015

Braverman’s analysis of the changing division of labor is crucial for understanding the impact of the neoliberal assault on higher education on academic labor. Much like Taylorism a century ago, adjunctification of the faculty, online education, and data driven planning are rationalizing academic labor. Teaching is being “unbundled” and its components parts automated, outsourced, and transferred to a growing middle level administration. As a result, faculty are becoming “just-in-time,” deskilled, disempowered, contingent labor. This newly emerging new division of labor is fundamentally transforming higher education. No longer merely subject to commercialization, academic labor is being reorganized to resemble the interchangeable contingent work that is ubiquitous throughout the labor market. To resist these developments it is necessary for faculty to study the new division of academic labor in order to devise new organizing tactics and strategies, such as the systemwide local and Metro organizing models.
Coping mediates the association between gender and depressive symptomatology in adolescence
Authors: Malooly Ashley M. , Flannery Kaitlin M. , Ohannessian Christine McCauley
Published: November 2015

Previous studies have found evidence for gender and racial/ethnic differences in depressive symptoms in adolescence; however, the mechanisms driving this relationship are poorly understood. The goal of this study was to examine the role of individual differences in dispositional coping in the relationships between gender and depressive symptomatology, and race/ethnicity and depressive symptomatology. Surveys were administered to 905 15- and 17-year-old adolescents (mean age 16.10, SD = .67; 54% girls, n = 485) in the spring of 2007, 2008, and 2009. Girls reported more depressive symptomatology than boys and endorsed a greater disposition for the following coping strategies in comparison to boys: emotional social support, instrumental social support, and venting emotions. When race/ethnicity was examined, African-American adolescents reported a greater tendency toward using religious coping than Caucasian and Hispanic adolescents. Dispositional coping preferences also were found to mediate the relationships between gender and depressive symptomatology. These findings indicated that a preference for venting emotions may be particularly problematic when endorsed by girls, whereas instrumental social support may be particularly helpful for girls.
Nervus Intermedius Guides Auditory Brainstem Implant Surgery in Children with Cochlear Nerve Deficiency
Authors: Colletti Giacomo , Mandalà Marco , Colletti Liliana , Colletti Vittorio
Published: November 2015

Objective

To investigate the anatomic features of the nervus intermedius and cranial nerve VII in children with cochlear nerve deficiency and to verify whether the nervus intermedius can provide an additional landmark to help guide placement of the auditory brainstem implant electrode.

Study Design

Case series with chart review.

Setting

Tertiary referral center.

Subjects and Methods

High‐definition video was captured during retrosigmoid surgery in 64 children (mean age, 3.91 ± 2.83 years) undergoing auditory brainstem implant placement. These videos were examined with particular reference to the number and variety of nervus intermedius bundles and any associated facial nerve anomalies.

Results

Absence of cranial nerves VI, VII, and VIII was observed in 3, 6, and all 64 children, respectively. Fifteen children had several abnormalities of the facial nerve in the cerebellopontine angle. Anatomic identification of the facial nerve and the bundles composing the nervus intermedius was possible in 46 children. In 12 children, identification was possible with the assistance of intraoperative monitoring. The number of bundles composing the nervus intermedius varied from 1 to 6. The nervus intermedius and cranial nerve IX were useful landmarks for identifying the foramen of Luschka of the lateral recess.

Conclusion

The nervus intermedius provides an additional landmark during auditory brainstem microsurgery since it was identified in all subjects. The nervus intermedius anatomy and its topographic relationship with the neurovascular structures around the foramen of Luschka have been described for the first time in children with cochlear nerve deficiency.
Innate Immune Response of the Pig Laryngeal Mucosa to Endotracheal Intubation
Authors: Hughes Owain R. , Ayling Sarah M. , Birchall Martin A.
Published: November 2015

Objective

The aim of this study was to measure the effects of endotracheal intubation on innate immune response within the pig laryngeal mucosa.

Study Design

Prospective controlled basic science study.

Setting

The animal experiments and analyses were conducted at the University of Bristol.

Samples and Methods

Eighteen pigs, matched at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), were used in the study. The pigs were divided into 9 pairs. One of each pair (9 pigs in total) was intubated with an endotracheal tube under general anesthesia for 90 minutes. Two days later, pinch biopsies were taken from the supraglottis (specifically the false cords) and subglottis of both pigs. The experiment was repeated 8 more times. Based on quantitative immunohistochemistry, percentage areas of positive staining for CD172a, CD163, MHC class II, CD14, and CD16 were calculated separately for the epithelium and lamina propria of each biopsy.

Results

Total areas of laryngeal mucosa (epithelium and lamina propria) expressing CD172a and coexpressing CD163 and CD172a were significantly reduced at 2 days following endotracheal intubation (P=. 039 andP=. 037, respectively). MHC class II expression and MHC class II coexpression with CD172a were similarly reduced following intubation (P=. 003 andP=. 005, respectively). In the supraglottis, MHC class II coexpression with CD16 and CD14 was also reduced following endotracheal intubation (P=. 037).

Conclusions

Our results indicate that endotracheal intubation reduces the number of innate immune cells within the upper airway mucosa. This may be an important first step in a cascade leading to chronic wound and scar formation causing airway stenosis.
Cerebral Drawings between Art and Science: On Gilles Deleuze’s Philosophy of Concepts
Authors: Schmidgen Henning
Published: November 2015

In What Is Philosophy?, Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari distinguish the functions of philosophy, art and science. According to this distinction, the primary purpose of philosophy is to invent concepts, the purpose of art to bring forth percepts, or sensorial aggregates, and that of science to delineate functions. This article aims to show that these distinctions are not as clear-cut as they appear. Using Deleuze and Guattari’s proposition that ‘philosophy is the art of forming, inventing, and fabricating concepts’ as a reference point, it suggests that the corresponding philosophical practice is intimately connected to art and science. Studying the conceptual drawings in Deleuze’s texts, the article situates his philosophy in the French tradition of epistemology (Cavaillès, Bachelard and Canguilhem). As a result, the conceptual work of this philosophy can be seen as intensively responding to the creative problems posed by the dynamics of science in contemporary societies.
Debating futures: Global trends, alternative visions, and public discourse
Authors: Schulz Markus S
Published: November 2015

This article discusses the uneasy relationship between forward-oriented sociological research and public debate. It explores how implicit assumptions and explicit conceptualizations influence sociology’s ability to address the future. It argues that the stakes are not merely theoretical but also practical because methodological pre-decisions shape sociology’s relation to public debate and its abilities to tackle the emergent challenges of our time. Sociology was geared since its inception toward the collective reflection of not only present or past conditions of social existence but also of possibilities for change. While deterministic and expertocratic closures limited its potential, shifting epistemological, institutional, and social constellations allow the expansion, evasion, and re-emergence of open and contestable future orientations. Case studies related to climate change, globalization, social movements, values, and media are used to explore actual and potential contributions to public discourse.
Welfare state and individual expectations of economic support: A comparison of Norway and Spain
Authors: Fernández-Alonso Mercedes , Jaime-Castillo Antonio M
Published: November 2015

This research investigates individual expectations of economic support from different sources: partner, family, friends and formal help. Using data from the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) the study compares Norway, as representative of the Scandinavian model, and Spain, as representative of the Mediterranean model. The findings confirm that family plays a more important role as a source of economic support in Spain while formal help is far more important in Norway. Moreover, gender and life course have a significant impact on expectations of economic support in both countries, although the differences do not go in the same direction. Women expect more financial support from their partners than men do in Norway, while Spanish women tend to rely more on support from their families. Regarding life course, although expectations of economic support from the family are higher for young and older people in both countries, the life-cycle effect is stronger in Spain.
Reconfiguring organisational patterns of power: An ethnography on the functioning of academic credentials in Chile
Authors: Ayala Ricardo A , Vanderstraeten Raf , Bracke Piet
Published: November 2015

The evolution of academic credentials is not only a technical process, but also a social one. Whereas the technical process involves skill development for the increasing technologisation and sophistication of work, the social process comprises phenomena such as power struggles and status construction. Exploring the interplay between doctors and nurses, this article analyses what ideologies, institutions and devices lie beneath patterns of powers affecting healthcare organisations in Chile, examining the extent to which academic credentials are used, on the one hand, to question established patterns of power and, on the other hand, to wield power, reshaping in the process internal logics of stratification by class and ethnicity. Drawing upon ethnographic data, the authors argue that the transformation of the nursing curriculum coupled with ongoing state reform has led to a more open attitude towards power collectively, a process intertwined with the development of a series of alliances and the performance of negotiating abilities resulting in the gradual access to high-ranking positions. This may well reflect a move from a technical component of credentials to a more symbolic component, shaping cultural expectations of capabilities and a new code of power.
Adjusting Estimates of the Expected Value of Information for Implementation
Authors: Andronis Lazaros , Barton Pelham M.
Published: November 2015

Background: Value of information (VoI) calculations give the expected benefits of decision making under perfect information (EVPI) or sample information (EVSI), typically on the premise that any treatment recommendations made in light of this information will be implemented instantly and fully. This assumption is unlikely to hold in health care; evidence shows that obtaining further information typically leads to “improved” rather than “perfect” implementation. Objectives: To present a method of calculating the expected value of further research that accounts for the reality of improved implementation. Methods: This work extends an existing conceptual framework by introducing additional states of the world regarding information (sample information, in addition to current and perfect information) and implementation (improved implementation, in addition to current and optimal implementation). The extension allows calculating the “implementation-adjusted” EVSI (IA-EVSI), a measure that accounts for different degrees of implementation. Calculations of implementation-adjusted estimates are illustrated under different scenarios through a stylized case study in non–small cell lung cancer. Results: In the particular case study, the population values for EVSI and IA-EVSI were £25 million and £8 million, respectively; thus, a decision assuming perfect implementation would have overestimated the expected value of research by about £17 million. IA-EVSI was driven by the assumed time horizon and, importantly, the specified rate of change in implementation: the higher the rate, the greater the IA-EVSI and the lower the difference between IA-EVSI and EVSI. Conclusions: Traditionally calculated measures of population VoI rely on unrealistic assumptions about implementation. This article provides a simple framework that accounts for improved, rather than perfect, implementation and offers more realistic estimates of the expected value of research.
The effect of background music on food pleasantness ratings
Authors: Kantono Kevin , Hamid Nazimah , Shepherd Daniel , Yoo Michelle J. Y. , Carr B. Thomas , Grazioli Gianpaolo
Published: November 2015

This study investigated whether samples of pleasant, neutral and unpleasant music can impact food perception. To this end, the pleasantness of three different types of chocolate gelati (milk chocolate, dark chocolate and bittersweet chocolate) was determined using 50 participants exposed to silence (the reference condition) and three music samples differing in self-rated preference. To measure hedonic responses to the gelati samples, the Time Intensity method was utilized to derive the maximum intensity of pleasantness and the area under the Time Intensity pleasantness curve. The presence of non-preferred music significantly decreased the pleasantness ratings of all three types of chocolate gelati tested, while preferred music increased perceived pleasantness ratings of dark and bittersweet chocolate gelati, but not milk chocolate gelato. Time Intensity parameters for pleasantness ratings did not differ significantly across the three different types of chocolate gelati in the silent condition, suggesting that listening to the music influenced gelati pleasantness ratings. This study demonstrated that the pleasantness of gelati changed with music valence. The findings echo previous studies emphasizing the importance of crossmodal effects between music and food perception.
Responses of dural mast cells in concussive and blast models of mild traumatic brain injury in mice: Potential implications for post-traumatic headache
Authors: Levy Dan , Edut Shahaf , Baraz-Goldstein Renana , Rubovitch Vardit , Defrin Ruth , Bree Dara , Gariepy Helaine , Zhao Jun , Pick Chaim G
Published: November 2015

Background

Chronic post-traumatic headache (PTH) is one of the most common symptoms of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) but its underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Inflammatory degranulation of dural mast cells (MCs) is thought to promote headache, and may play a role in PTH. Whether mTBI is associated with persistent degranulation of dural MCs is yet to be determined.

Methods

Histochemistry was used to evaluate time course changes in dural MC density and degranulation level in concussive head trauma and blast mouse models of mTBI. The effects of sumatriptan and the MC stabilizer cromolyn sodium on concussion-evoked dural MC degranulation were also investigated.

Results

Concussive head injury evoked persistent MC degranulation for at least 30 days. Blast trauma gave rise to a delayed MC degranulation response commencing at seven days that also persisted for at least 30 days. Neither sumatriptan nor cromolyn treatment reduced concussion-evoked persistent MC degranulation.

Conclusions

mTBI evoked by closed head injury or blast exposure is associated with persistent dural MC degranulation. Such a response in mTBI patients may contribute to PTH. Amelioration of PTH by sumatriptan may not involve inhibition of dural MC degranulation. If persistent dural MC degranulation contributes to PTH, then cromolyn treatment may not be effective.
A hybrid approach to automatically generate parting curves of free-form surfaces
Authors: Lin Alan C , Quang Nguyen Huu
Published: November 2015

In computer-aided design for moldings, automatic generation of parting curves is a crucial design task that has an influence on the entire mold structure. This article proposes a hybrid approach for determining the parting curves of free-form computer-aided design models. Based on the analysis of the geometric properties of specific entities and mathematical conditions, different sets of moldable surfaces for two-half molds and side cores are identified. All surfaces that do not contribute to the parting curves can be subtracted from these surface sets. The proposed parting curve is generated based on the combination of both the outermost boundary edges and the visible silhouette segments of the relevant surfaces. By the techniques of silhouette detecting, edge projecting, and ray testing, the proposed algorithm overcomes the problems found in conventional research that cannot guarantee that the outermost curves generated are the actual silhouette of a free-form surface. In addition, by eliminating all irrelevant surfaces and without using the surface approximation method, the proposed approach achieves the goals of obtaining high accuracy coupled with high performance. Two examples of industrial models are used to demonstrate the performance and robustness of the proposed algorithm. The approach is generic in nature, which allows it to be applied to any complex geometry in three-dimensional mold design.
Classroom Age Composition and the School Readiness of 3- and 4-Year-Olds in the Head Start Program
Authors: Ansari Arya , Purtell Kelly , Gershoff Elizabeth
Published: November 2015

The federal Head Start program, designed to improve the school readiness of children from low-income families, often serves 3- and 4-year-olds in the same classrooms. Given the developmental differences between 3- and 4-year-olds, it is unknown whether educating them together in the same classrooms benefits one group, both, or neither. Using data from the Family and Child Experiences Survey 2009 cohort, this study used a peer-effects framework to examine the associations between mixed-age classrooms and the school readiness of a nationally representative sample of newly enrolled 3-year-olds ( n = 1,644) and 4-year-olds ( n = 1,185) in the Head Start program. Results revealed that 4-year-olds displayed fewer gains in academic skills during the preschool year when they were enrolled in classrooms with more 3-year-olds; effect sizes corresponded to 4 to 5 months of academic development. In contrast, classroom age composition was not consistently associated with 3-year-olds’ school readiness.
Implications of semi-quantitative HPV viral load estimation by Hybrid capture 2 in colposcopy practice
Authors: Basu Partha , Muwonge Richard , Mittal Srabani , Banerjee Dipanwita , Ghosh Ishita , Panda Chinmay , Mandal Ranajit , Sankaranarayanan Rengaswamy
Published: November 2015

Objective

High viral load of oncogenic human papillomavirus (HPV) significantly increases risk of CIN 2 or worse (CIN 2+) lesions. Semi-quantitative estimation of oncogenic HPV viral load by Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2) correlates well with viral load estimated by real-time polymerase chain reaction. We correlated viral load estimated by HC2 with colposcopy and histology diagnosis, to determine if high viral load could detect the CIN 2+ lesions missed by colposcopy in HPV positive women.

Methods

Using HPV testing by HC2, 39,728 women were screened. Positive results were categorized into low-positive, intermediate, and high viral load groups, based on relative light unit/cut-off ratios. HPV-positive and some HPV-negative women underwent colposcopy and biopsy.

Results

A total of 278 CIN 2+ lesions were detected. Detection rate of CIN 2+ was significantly higher in intermediate and high viral load groups. Nearly half (48.3%) of CIN 2+ and 80.4% of CIN 3+ lesions missed or under-diagnosed by colposcopy had viral load in intermediate to high ranges. Risk of CIN 2+ in the high viral load group was 46 times higher than HPV-negative women, even when colposcopy was apparently normal.

Discussion

Women with intermediate or high viral load should have multiple punch biopsies, even if colposcopy is apparently normal or suggests low grade lesions. Women with high viral load and suspected low grade lesion on colposcopy may be considered for ‘see-and-treat’, as their risk of CIN 2+ is nearly 200 times higher than HPV-negative women.
A pilot randomized controlled trial of telephone intervention to increase Breast Cancer Screening uptake in socially deprived areas in Scotland (TELBRECS)
Authors: Chambers Julie A , Gracie Kerry , Millar Rosemary , Cavanagh Julie , Archibald Debbie , Cook Alan , O’Carroll Ronan E
Published: November 2015

Objectives

To determine whether a brief telephone support intervention could increase breast cancer screening uptake among lower socio-demographic women in Scotland, via eliciting and addressing barriers to screening attendance.

Methods

In a pilot randomized controlled trial, participants receiving a reminder letter for a missed screening appointment (February-June 2014) were randomized to four arms: No telephone call (control), Simple telephone reminder (TEL), Telephone support (TEL-SUPP), or Telephone support plus anticipated regret (TEL-SUPP-AR). Primary outcomes were making an appointment and attending breast screening.

Results

Of 856 women randomized and analysed on intention-to-treat basis, compared with controls, more women in the telephone intervention groups made an appointment (control: 8.8%, TEL: 20.3%, TEL-SUPP: 14.1%; TEL-SUPP-AR: 16.8%, χ2(3) = 12.0, p = .007) and attended breast screening (control: 6.9%, TEL: 16.5%, TEL-SUPP: 11.3%; TEL-SUPP-AR: 13.1%, χ2(3) = 9.8, p = .020). Of 559 women randomized to the three telephone groups, 404 were successfully contacted and 247 participated in the intervention. Intervention participants (ie. per protocol analysis) were more likely to make (17% versus 10%, χ2(1) = 7.0, p = .008) and attend (13% versus 7%, χ2(1) = 5.5, p = .019) an appointment than non-participants, but there were no differences in attendance between the three telephone groups.

Conclusions

A simple telephone reminder doubled attendance at breast screening in women from lower socio-demographic areas who had not attended their initial appointment, compared with a reminder letter only (odds ratio 2.12, 95% CI (1.2, 3.8)). However, contacting women proved problematic and there was no additional effect of telephone support or anticipated regret.
Building Community Capacity in Bereavement Support
Authors: Breen Lauren J. , Aoun Samar M. , Rumbold Bruce , McNamara Beverley , Howting Denise A. , Mancini Vincent
Published: November 2015

Background:

Most bereaved people do not require specialist intervention, yet building community capacity in providing bereavement support is underdeveloped. While family caregivers indicate a need for more information about bereavement, there is little evidence to guide what this information might contain.

Objective:

The study’s purpose was to inform bereavement support by determining the advice people bereaved through expected deaths in palliative care have for others in that situation.

Design:

Four funeral providers posted a questionnaire to previous clients who had used their services 6 to 24 months prior and 678 bereaved people responded.

Setting/Participants:

The sample size for this study comprised 265 bereaved people whose relative used palliative care services.

Measurements:

The questionnaire comprised 82 questions about caregiving, bereavement support, current bereavement-related distress, and 2 open-ended questions concerning their bereavement, one of them on advice they have to other people in the same situation.

Results:

Family caregivers (n = 140) of people who received palliative care responded to the open-ended question about advice for others. An open content analysis yielded 3 themes—preparations for bereavement, utilizing social networks, and strategies for dealing with grief.

Conclusions:

Bereaved family caregivers’ experiential knowledge can be harnessed to progress the development of bereavement care strategies for the good of the community. These responses could be incorporated into information brochures, posters, and other community education avenues in order to upskill palliative care bereavement volunteers and the wider community so that bereaved family caregivers are best supported.
Mortality and Length of Stay Trends Following Implementation of a Rapid Response System and Real-Time Automated Clinical Deterioration Alerts
Authors: Kollef Marin H. , Heard Kevin , Chen Yixin , Lu Chenyang , Martin Nelda , Bailey Thomas
Published: November 2015

A study was performed to determine the potential influence of a rapid response system (RRS) employing real-time clinical deterioration alerts (RTCDAs) on patient outcomes involving 8 general medicine units. Introduction of the RRS occurred in 2006 with staged addition of the RTCDAs in 2009. Statistically significant year-to-year decreases in mortality were observed through 2014 ( r = −.794; P = .002). Similarly, year-to-year decreases in the number of cardiopulmonary arrests (CPAs; r = −.792; P = .006) and median lengths of stay ( r = −.841; P = .001) were observed. There was a statistically significant year-to-year increase in the number of RRS activations for these units ( r = .939; P < .001) that was inversely correlated with the occurrence of CPAs ( r = −.784; P = .007). In this single-institution retrospective study, introduction of a RRS employing RTCDAs was associated with lower hospital mortality, CPAs, and hospital length of stay.
A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Negative Career Thoughts
Authors: Lee Donghyuck , Peterson Gary W. , Sampson James P. , Park Meejin
Published: November 2015

This study explored similarities and differences of negative career thoughts in a sample of 1,562 Americans and 3,811 South Koreans by analyzing mean scores, item endorsement rates, and factor structures of the career thoughts inventory (CTI). A comparison of mean scores of the CTI scales showed that Koreans scored significantly higher on all scales than did Americans among high school, college, and adult participants. However, a comparison of ranks of item endorsement rates indicated that they were very similar. A confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the original three-factor solution of the normative data was a good fit for the United States across all age-groups but was not for the normative data of the respective age-groups from South Korea. Follow-up exploratory factor analyses identified possible alternative internal structures of the Korean CTI. Implications of the findings regarding plausible cultural influences on negative career thoughts as well as the use of the CTI in career counseling with members of the United States and Korean cultures are discussed.
The Career Distress Scale
Authors: Creed Peter A. , Hood Michelle , Praskova Anna , Makransky Guido
Published: November 2015

Career distress is a common and painful outcome of many negative career experiences, such as career indecision, career compromise, and discovering career barriers. However, there are very few scales devised to assess career distress, and the two existing scales identified have psychometric weaknesses. The absence of a practical, validated scale to assess this construct restricts research related to career distress and limits practitioners who need to assess and treat it. Using a sample of 226 young adults (mean age 20.5 years), we employed item response theory to assess 12 existing career distress items for model fit, item bias, location dependency, dimensionality, reliability, response option suitability, and construct validity. Three of the 12 items examined were removed as they did not fit the Rasch model or were not invariant across groups. The remaining 9 items, which we combined into a scale labeled the Career Distress Scale, demonstrated excellent psychometric properties, meaning that both researchers and practitioners can use it with confidence. Continued validation is required, including testing its relationship to other nomological net variables, testing predictive validity, and assessing test–retest reliability.
A New Perspective on the Etiology of Workaholism
Authors: Spurk Daniel , Hirschi Andreas , Kauffeld Simone
Published: November 2015

The aim of the present study was to present and test a model assuming that career-related variables might function as antecedents of workaholism—the tendency to work compulsively and excessively. More specifically, based on conservation of resource theory and social identity theory, the study tested whether personal (i.e., career insecurity, extrinsic career goals, and career commitment) and contextual variables (i.e., career barriers and perceived organizational support) are related to workaholism. We tested our assumptions by means of stepwise hierarchical regression analyses within a large sample of N = 685 scientists working in different occupational fields (e.g., social science, arts and humanities, economics, and science, technology, engineering, mathematics) in German research institutes and universities. The results showed that career insecurity, career barriers, career commitment, and extrinsic career goals were positively associated, and perceived organizational support was negatively associated, with workaholism. Furthermore, the set of analyzed career variables showed incremental validity and explained a significant portion of variance in workaholism beyond control variables (i.e., gender, age, work hours, and occupational field) and personality (i.e., extroversion, conscientiousness, and neuroticism).
Career Interests, Personality, and the Dark Triad
Authors: Schneider Travis J. , McLarnon Matthew J. W. , Carswell Julie J.
Published: November 2015

Career/vocational counsellors and researchers have traditionally focused on career interest surveys as a way of better matching client to careers that they will find both interesting and rewarding. However, recent research has demonstrated that personality is also an important, significant predictor of vocational choice, though is distinct from career interests. Only recently have researchers begun to explore personality in a broader context, by examining personality constructs outside of the five-factor model (FFM). In the current study, we explored whether the Dark Triad would add incremental prediction in broad scales of career interests beyond that of the FFM. Our findings indicated that the Dark Triad accounted for incremental prediction and unique variance in career interests as measured by the Jackson Career Explorer. The implications of this are discussed.
Radiographic Recurrence of Deformity After Hallux Valgus Surgery in Patients With Metatarsus Adductus
Authors: Aiyer Amiethab , Shub Jeffery , Shariff Raheel , Ying Li , Myerson Mark
Published: November 2015

Background:

Metatarsus adductus (MA) is a congenital condition that may lead to the development of hallux valgus (HV). The associated anatomic deformities may lead to recurrence of the HV in patients with MA. The goals of the study were to identify radiographic rates of recurrence of HV following surgery for HV in patients with MA.

Methods:

Between 2002 and 2013, 587 patients who underwent HV surgery were retrospectively identified. The radiographic parameters recorded included the hallux valgus angle (HVA), the intermetatarsal angle (IMA), and the metatarsus adductus angle (MAA) obtained from initial radiographs and at final follow-up. The MAA was considered abnormal if the value was greater than 20 degrees. Radiographic recurrence was defined as HV deformity >20 degrees.

Results:

The rate of radiographic recurrence of HV was 15% in patients without MA and 29.6% in patients with MA ( P < .05). In the group with MA, rate of deformity recurrence did not differ among the operative procedures performed (Lapidus, 28.5%; distal first metatarsal osteotomy, 29.4%; proximal first metatarsal osteotomy, 28.9%). Patients with severe MA (MAA > 31 degrees) were found to have a recurrence rate of 18%, whereas those with less severe MA (MAA < 31 degrees) were found to have a recurrence rate of 82%. Of the patients with severe MA who did not have radiographic recurrence of HV, 60% had undergone a Lapidus arthrodesis and realignment arthrodesis of the second/third tarsometatarsal joints.

Conclusion:

The rate of radiographic recurrence for patients with MA undergoing HV correction was ~30%. This finding was consistent with our hypothesis that MA increases the risk of radiographic recurrence of HV deformity irrespective of the procedure performed. We believe the lower rate of recurrence of HV among patients with severe MA deformities is suggestive that more complete management of the deformity is warranted.

Level of Evidence:

Level III, retrospective comparative series.
Heart Failure and Mortality in Patients With Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation Started on Novel Oral Anticoagulant Therapy: A Single-Center Experience
Authors: Sunbul Murat , Oguz Mustafa , Dogan Zekeriya , Atas Halil , Bozbay Mehmet , Cincin Altug , Agirbasli Mehmet
Published: November 2015

Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of in-hospital morbidity and mortality in the elderly population. Coexistence of HF and atrial fibrillation (AF) increases the risk of thromboembolic events. Oral anticoagulant therapy reduces the risk of thromboembolic events in patients with AF. Novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) have been introduced as an alternative drug for prevention from thromboembolic events in patients with nonvalvular AF. The primary aim of this study is to investigate the clinical effects of warfarin, dabigatran, and rivaroxaban in patients with nonvalvular AF. The secondary aim of this study is to reveal the predictors of all-cause mortality in patients with nonvalvular AF undergoing NOACs therapy. The study population consisted of 171 patients with nonvalvular AF. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to the usage of oral anticoagulant therapy including coumadin (51 patients), dabigatran (52 patients), and rivaroxaban (68 patients). Although CHA2DS2-VASc score was similar between groups, HAS-BLED score was significantly higher in patients using rivaroxaban. Dyspepsia and itching were more common in patients using dabigatran. Heart failure and vascular disease were more common in the nonsurviving group (10 patients) than in the surviving group (110 patients) in patients using NOACs. Among age, sex, HF, hypertension, vascular disease, and CHA2DS2-VASc, which were included in the regression model, only the presence of HF was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in patients using NOACs. In conclusion, the mortality rate is significantly higher in patients with HF using NOACs. Moreover, HF is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in patients using NOACs.