bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changepoints in times series of counts
Authors: Franke Jürgen , Kirch Claudia , Kamgaing Joseph Tadjuidje
Published: March 2012

In this article, we discuss the problem of testing for a changepoint in the structure of an integer‐valued time series. In particular, we consider a test statistic of cumulative sum type for general Poisson autoregressions of order 1. We investigate the asymptotic behaviour of conditional least‐squares estimates of the parameters in the presence of a changepoint. Then, we derive the asymptotic distribution of the test statistic under the hypothesis of no change, allowing for the calculation of critical values. We prove consistency of the test, that is, asymptotic power 1, and consistency of the corresponding changepoint estimate. As an application, we have a look at changepoint detection in daily epileptic seizure counts from a clinical study.
Do L1 Reading Achievement and L1 Print Exposure Contribute to the Prediction of L2 Proficiency?
Authors: Sparks Richard L. , Patton Jon , Ganschow Leonore , Humbach Nancy
Published: March 2012

The study examined whether individual differences in high school first language (L1) reading achievement and print exposure would account for unique variance in second language (L2) written (word decoding, spelling, writing, reading comprehension) and oral (listening/speaking) proficiency after adjusting for the effects of early L1 literacy and verbal skills, cognitive ability in L1, and L2 aptitude. Participants were administered measures of L1 word decoding, spelling, reading comprehension, phonological awareness, receptive vocabulary, listening comprehension, and cognitive ability in 1st through 5th grades; L2 aptitude in 9th grade; and L1 reading achievement, L1 print exposure, and L2 proficiency in 10th grade. The findings showed that L1 reading achievement in 10th grade made significant and unique contributions to L2 word decoding, L2 reading comprehension, L2 listening/speaking, and overall L2 proficiency after adjusting for the effects of L1 literacy and verbal skills, cognitive ability in L1, and L2 aptitude. Subsequent analyses showed that L1 print exposure variables made unique contributions to L2 reading comprehension, L2 decoding, L2 writing, L2 listening/speaking, and overall L2 proficiency even after adjusting for the effects of L1 literacy and verbal skills during elementary school, cognitive ability in L1, L2 aptitude, and 10th‐grade reading achievement. The results suggest that stronger L1 reading skills are related to stronger L2 outcomes and that opportunity for and engagement in L1 literacy experiences may also be related to differences in L2 proficiency.
Recruiting Managing Directors: Doing Homosociality
Authors: Holgersson Charlotte
Published: March 2012

This article examines homosociality in the context of top management recruitment in Sweden, drawing on interviews with chairmen of the board and three recruitments of managing directors. The analysis suggests that homosociality is done through two main practices: (re)defining competence and doing hierarchy, resulting in a preference for certain men and the exclusion of women. It is argued that the preference of men can be understood as an unreflexive practice, which can explain why many Swedish male managers are aware of the adverse conditions women face and claim to be pro‐equality but continue to recruit men for management positions. In light of this, it is also argued that homosociality and gender discrimination can be seen as two sides of the same coin.
The British Ugandan Asian diaspora: multiple and contested belongings
Authors: HERBERT JOANNA
Published: March 2012

In this article, I map the diverse allegiances and changing conceptions of home expressed by British Ugandan Asians. Drawing on in‐depth interviews, I situate the analysis within the wider literature on diaspora, belonging and home. By revealing their different trajectories of belonging, I challenge much of the current literature on the South Asian diaspora, which focuses on connections to India as the principal homeland. Their complex relationship to Britain in the aftermath of the expulsion provides an alternative insight to previous research, which has stressed their commitment to the UK. I trace how they constructed their sense of ‘home’ in Uganda, how their forced migration transformed this and how they responded to their contested and multiple belongings. The respondents' emphasis on their previous attachments to Uganda helps to challenge stereotypes about South Asians in Uganda and can partly be seen as an attempt to reclaim their place in Uganda's history.
Neuronal polarization is impaired in mice lacking RhoE expression
Authors: Peris Blanca , Gonzalez‐Granero Susana , Ballester‐Lurbe Begoña , García‐Verdugo Jose‐Manuel , Pérez‐Roger Ignacio , Guerri Consuelo , Terrado José , Guasch Rosa M.
Published: March 2012

J. Neurochem. (2012) 121, 903–914.

Proper development of neuronal networks relies on the polarization of the neurons, thus the establishment of two compartments, axons and dendrites, whose formation depends on cytoskeletal rearrangements. Rnd proteins are regulators of actin organization and they are important players in several aspects of brain development as neurite formation, axon guidance and neuron migration. We have recently demonstrated that mice lacking RhoE/Rnd3 expression die shortly after birth and have neuromotor impairment and neuromuscular alterations, indicating an abnormal development of the nervous system. In this study, we have further investigated the specific role played by RhoE in several aspects of neuronal development by using hippocampal neuron cultures. Our findings show that neurons from a mice lacking RhoE expression exhibit a decrease in the number and the total length of the neurites. We also show that RhoE‐deficient neurons display a reduction in axon outgrowth and a delay in the process of neuronal polarization. In addition, our results suggest an involvement of the RHOA/ROCK/LIMK/COFILIN signaling pathway in the neuronal alterations induced by the lack of RhoE. These findings support our previous report revealing the important role of RhoE in the normal development of the nervous system and may provide novel therapeutic targets in neurodegenerative disorders.
Validation of a Disease‐Specific Questionnaire for Measuring Parent‐Reported Health‐Related Quality of Life in Children with Allergies
Authors: Uwe Nicolay , Eva Östblom , Ann‐Charlotte Egmar , Gun Nordström , Ann Gardulf
Published: March 2012

Purpose:  To evaluate the properties and suitability of a disease‐specific questionnaire to assess parent‐reported health‐related quality of life (HRQL) of children and parents of children suffering from food hypersensitivity (FHS) or allergy to furred pets (AFP).

Methods:  The parents of 202 children with FHS and of 131 children with AFP filled in questionnaires comprising the CHQ‐PF28 and the Food‐Pet‐Allergy in Children (FPAC) Questionnaire. Psychometric properties of the FPAC questionnaire were evaluated separately for FHS and AFP.

Results:  Analyses resulted in five proposed scales: Limitations of Family/Child Activities (I), Parents’ Distress (II), Child’s Emotions (III), Child in School (IV) and Family Conflicts (V). Convergent/discriminant validity for scales I, II and III of both questionnaires was high; for scale IV it was moderate. All five FHS and four AFP scales were able to distinguish significantly between children with and without clinical allergy symptoms (known‐group validity). Internal consistency reliability was good for scales I, II and III, but poor for scale IV.

Conclusion:  Three valid scales were determined for both FHS and AFP (Limitations of Family/Child Activities, Parents’ Distress and Child’s Emotions) and can be used in clinical research.
HOW TO REGULATE MEDICAL TOURISM (AND WHY IT MATTERS FOR BIOETHICS)
Authors: COHEN I. GLENN
Published: March 2012

A growing literature examines descriptive and normative questions about medical tourism such as: How does it operate? What are its effects? Are home country patients or their governments failing in moral duties by engaging in or permitting medical tourism?

By contrast, much less has been written on the regulatory dimension: What might be done about medical tourism if we were convinced that it posed ethical issues and were motivated to act? I shall argue that this kind of regulatory analysis is essential for bioethical analysis of medical tourism.

This article focuses on these regulatory questions more directly, evaluating available methods, restrictions, costs, and benefits of home and destination country unilateral regulatory moves. This article also discusses more briefly multilateral treaty and private sector responses.
Sensitivity and specificity of time‐domain and spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography in differentiating optic nerve head drusen and optic disc oedema
Authors: Flores‐Rodríguez Patricia , Gili Pablo , Martín‐Ríos María Dolores
Published: March 2012

Citation information: Flores‐Rodríguez P, Gili P & Martín‐Ríos MD. Sensitivity and specificity of time‐domain and spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography in differentiating optic nerve head drusen and optic disc oedema. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2012, 32, 213–221. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2012.00902.x

Purpose:  To evaluate the efficacy of time‐domain optical coherence tomography (TD‐OCT) and spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography (SD‐OCT) in differentiating between optic nerve head drusen (ONHD) and optic disc oedema (ODE).

Methods:  We studied 66 patients with ONHD, 31 patients with ODE, and 70 controls using TD‐OCT and SD‐OCT. We analysed two aspects of the tomographic findings: (i) quantitative, through measurement of the retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) and papillary elevation; and (ii) qualitative, through assessment of the hyporeflective space, morphology of the internal contour, focal papillary mass and RNFL increases in seven contiguous clock hours. We evaluated the sensitivity, specificity, intra‐class correlation coefficient (ICC), and inter‐observer agreement (κ).

Results:  The quantitative analysis of the RNFL revealed an average thickness of the RNFL <124 μm with TD‐OCT (sensitivity = 91%; specificity = 94%) and <116 μm with SD‐OCT (sensitivity = 91%; specificity = 97%). The thickness of the nasal quadrant was <108 μm with TD‐OCT (sensitivity = 89%; specificity = 87%) and with SD‐OCT was <92 μm (sensitivity = 88%; specificity = 94%), however without significant differences between the nasal, superior and inferior quadrants’ and average thickness. The measurement of papillary elevation was 0.85 mm with TD‐OCT (sensitivity = 96%; specificity = 84% [ICC = 0.96]) and was <0.80 mm with SD‐OCT (sensitivity = 86%; specificity = 87% [ICC = 0.94]). The abrupt termination of the hyporeflective space measured with TD‐OCT had sensitivity = 79% and specificity = 90% (κ = 0.60) and with SD‐OCT had sensitivity = 88% and specificity = 89% (κ = 0.75); the irregularity of the internal contour with TD‐OCT had sensitivity = 80% and specificity = 90% (κ = 0.70) and with SD‐OCT had sensitivity = 88% and specificity = 90% (κ = 0.75); and the absence of seven contiguous clock hours had values of sensitivity = 97% and specificity = 77% with TD‐OCT and had sensitivity = 98% and specificity = 77% with SD‐OCT.

Conclusions:  Optical coherence tomography allowed for differentiation between ONHD and ODE, yielding similar results with TD‐OCT and SD‐OCT. The new quantitative parameters of papillary elevation and RNFL measurements showed greater sensitivity and specificity than the qualitative criteria.
Geographic Differences in Hospital Waiting Times
Authors: Johar Meliyanni , Savage Elizabeth , Stavrunova Olena , Jones Glenn , Keane Michael
Published: March 2012

Access to elective surgery in Australian public hospitals is rationed using waiting lists. In this article, we undertake a DiNardo–Fortin–Lemieux reweighting approach to attribute variation in waiting time to clinical need or to discrimination. Using data from NSW public patients in 2004–2005, we find the discrimination effect dominates clinical need especially in the upper tail of the waiting time distribution. We find evidence of favourable treatment of patients who reside in remote areas and discrimination in favour of patients residing in particular Area Health Services. These findings have policy implications for the design of equitable quality targets for public hospitals.
Cannabinoid CB2 receptor attenuates morphine‐induced inflammatory responses in activated microglial cells
Authors: Merighi Stefania , Gessi Stefania , Varani Katia , Fazzi Debora , Mirandola Prisco , Borea Pier Andrea
Published: March 2012

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Among several pharmacological properties, analgesia is the most common feature shared by either opioid or cannabinoid systems. Cannabinoids and opioids are distinct drug classes that have been historically used separately or in combination to treat different pain states. In the present study, we characterized the signal transduction pathways mediated by cannabinoid CB2 and µ‐opioid receptors in quiescent and LPS‐stimulated murine microglial cells.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH We examined the effects of µ‐opioid and CB2 receptor stimulation on phosphorylation of MAPKs and Akt and on IL‐1β, TNF‐α, IL‐6 and NO production in primary mouse microglial cells.

KEY RESULTS Morphine enhanced release of the proinflammatory cytokines, IL‐1β, TNF‐α, IL‐6, and of NO via µ‐opioid receptor in activated microglial cells. In contrast, CB2 receptor stimulation attenuated morphine‐induced microglial proinflammatory mediator increases, interfering with morphine action by acting on the Akt‐ERK1/2 signalling pathway.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Because glial activation opposes opioid analgesia and enhances opioid tolerance and dependence, we suggest that CB2 receptors, by inhibiting microglial activity, may be potential targets to increase clinical efficacy of opioids.
MDM2 SNP309T>G polymorphism increases susceptibility to hepatitis B virus‐related hepatocellular carcinoma in a northeast Han Chinese population
Authors: Wang Xi , Zhang Xuelong , Qiu Bing , Tang Yinhua , Sun He , Ji Hongfei , Liu Yan , Shi Lijun , Song Guang , Yang Youlin
Published: March 2012

Background and Aims

The murine double minute 2 (MDM2) gene encodes a negative regulator of the tumour protein p53. A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in MDM2 promoter, SNP309 T > G, has been showed to influence MDM2 protein expression and accelerate tumour formation. To investigate further the role of this locus, we examined the association of the SNP with hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in a northeast Han Chinese population.

Methods

MDM2 SNP309 was genotyped in 310 HBV‐related HCC patients, 314 non‐HCC subjects with HBV infection and 480 healthy controls by using a PCR‐RFLP method.

Results

Significant differences of MDM2 SNP309 were detected between HBV‐related HCC patients and healthy controls (OR 1.729, 95%CI 1.369–2.183, P < 0.0001) or non‐HCC subjects with HBV infection (OR 1.351, 95% CI 1.060–1.722, P = 0.015) by a logistic regression analysis. Our data also revealed that subjects with the G allele had higher HBV‐related HCC susceptibility than those with the T allele in various genetic models. In a meta‐analysis, where we pooled our data with other published studies, the association between this loci and the disease was further confirmed (pooled OR 1.54, 95% CI 1.37–1.72, P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

These results suggested that the MDM2 SNP309 might influence the risk of developing HBV‐related HCC in a northeast Han Chinese population.
Health‐Related Quality of Life in Different Stages of Renal Failure
Authors: Avramovic Marina , Stefanovic Vladisav
Published: March 2012

Measures of health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) have a significant predictive value on patient survival and hospitalizations, especially in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). In this review, some of the major studies performed in patients with different stages of renal failure are presented. The most used instrument for measuring HRQoL is the Short form health survey questionnaire (SF‐36). Patients with predialysis CKD had higher SF‐36 scores than a large cohort of hemodialysis (HD) or peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, but lower scores than those reported for the adult population. Kidney transplantation offers better HRQoL than dialysis. Hemoglobin level predicted both physical and mental domain scores of the SF‐36. HRQoL of HD and PD patients were compared in only a few studies, mostly because these studies are difficult to interpret. PD patients generally have lower comorbidity scores at the onset of end‐stage renal disease (ESRD), independent of other factors influencing modality selection. Comorbid medical conditions are common in patients with ESRD, and are an important contributing factor to clinical outcomes and quality of life. Depression occurs in about 20–30% of dialysis patients. This is important because of the negative impact depression has on quality of life, but also because depression is now established as a factor that can significantly affect morbidity and mortality in ESRD patients. Sexual life satisfaction showed marked deterioration in all age groups. Patients aged over 65 scored significantly better than younger patients on dialysis stress scales, and were generally more satisfied with life. Longitudinal studies are needed to define periods at risk for decline in HRQoL during progression of CKD.
Use of Urinary Biomarkers of Renal Ischemia in a Lamb Preclinical Left Ventricular Assist Device Model
Authors: Cooper Timothy K. , Zhong Qing , Nabity Mary , Rosenberg Gerson , Weiss William J.
Published: March 2012

Evaluation of thrombogenicity is a critical component in the preclinical testing and development of blood pumps. Left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), because of their device routing, can produce thromboembolic showers to the kidney resulting in renal cortical ischemia or infarctions. Although postmortem evaluation of renal pathology can confirm ischemic events and infarctions, there are no validated and highly sensitive real‐time measures of renal ischemia in the preclinical models. In this article, we report the evaluation of urinary biomarkers of ischemic tubular damage in a lamb preclinical LVAD model. We found that urinary excretion of glutathione‐S‐transferase‐π, heat shock protein 1B, and hepatitis A virus cellular receptor 1 homologue precursor (HAVCR1/kidney injury molecule 1) were upregulated in toxic ischemic renal injury as well as in the immediate postoperative period in an LVAD‐implanted lamb. These markers were consistent with both gross and histologic pathology, and proved far more sensitive for renal injury than serum blood urea nitrogen or creatinine concentrations.
Continuous high‐frequency activity in mesial temporal lobe structures
Authors: Mari Francesco , Zelmann Rina , Andrade‐Valenca Luciana , Dubeau Francois , Gotman Jean
Published: March 2012

Purpose:  Many recent studies have reported the importance of high‐frequency oscillations (HFOs) in the intracerebral electroencephalography (EEG) of patients with epilepsy. These HFOs have been defined as events that stand out from the background. We have noticed that this background often consists itself of high‐frequency rhythmic activity. The purpose of this study is to perform a first evaluation of the characteristics of high‐frequency continuous or semicontinuous background activity.

Methods:  Because the continuous high‐frequency pattern was noted mainly in mesial temporal structures, we reviewed the EEG studies from these structures in 24 unselected patients with electrodes implanted in these regions. Sections of background away from interictal spikes were marked visually during periods of slow‐wave sleep and wakefulness. They were then high‐passed filtered at 80 Hz and categorized as having high‐frequency rhythmic activity in one of three patterns: continuous/semicontinuous, irregular, sporadic. Wavelet entropy, which measures the degree of rhythmicity of a signal, was calculated for the marked background sections.

Key Findings:  Ninety‐six bipolar channels were analyzed. The continuous/semicontinuous pattern was found frequently (29/96 channels during wake and 34/96 during sleep). The different patterns were consistent between sleep and wakefulness. The continuous/semicontinuous pattern was found significantly more often in the hippocampus than in the parahippocampal gyrus and was rarely found in the amygdala. The types of pattern were not influenced by whether a channel was within the seizure‐onset zone, or whether it was a lesional channel. The continuous/semicontinuous pattern was associated with a higher frequency of spikes and with high rates of ripples and fast ripples.

Significance:  It appears that high‐frequency activity (above 80 Hz) does not appear only in the form of brief paroxysmal events but also in the form of continuous rhythmic activity or very long bursts. In this study limited to mesial temporal structures, we found a clear anatomic preference for the hippocampus. Although associated with spikes and with distinct HFOs, this pattern was not clearly associated with the seizure‐onset zone. Future studies will need to evaluate systematically the presence of this pattern, as it may have a pathophysiologic significance and it will also have an important influence on the very definition of HFOs.
Impaired hippocampal memory function and synaptic plasticity in experimental cortical dysplasia
Authors: Zhou Fu‐Wen , Roper Steven N.
Published: March 2012

Purpose:  Memory impairment is a common comorbidity in people with epilepsy‐associated malformations of cortical development. We studied spatial memory performance and hippocampal synaptic plasticity in an animal model of cortical dysplasia.

Methods:  Embryonic day 17 rats were exposed to 2.25 Gy external radiation. One‐month‐old rats were tested for spatial recognition memory. After behavioral testing, short‐term and long‐term synaptic plasticity in the hippocampal CA1 region was studied in an in vitro slice preparation.

Key Findings:  Behavioral assessments showed impaired hippocampal CA1‐dependent spatial recognition memory in irradiated rats. Neurophysiologic assessments showed that baseline synaptic transmission was significantly enhanced, whereas paired‐pulse facilitation, long‐term potentiation, and long‐term depression of the field excitatory postsynaptic potential (fEPSP) slope at Schaffer collateral/commissural fiber‐CA1 synapses were significantly reduced in the irradiated rats. Histologic observations showed dysplastic cortex and dispersed hippocampal pyramidal neurons.

Significance:  This study has shown that prenatally irradiated rats with cortical dysplasia exhibit a severe impairment of spatial recognition memory accompanied by disrupted short‐term and long‐term synaptic plasticity and may help to guide development of potential therapeutic interventions for this important problem.
Changes in glucose metabolism and metabolites during the epileptogenic process in the lithium‐pilocarpine model of epilepsy
Authors: Lee Eun Mi , Park Ga Young , Im Ki Chun , Kim Sang Tae , Woo Chul‐Woong , Chung Jin Hwa , Kim Ki Soo , Kim Jae Seung , Shon Young‐Min , Kim Yeong In , Kang Joong Koo
Published: March 2012

Purpose:  The metabolic and biochemical changes that occur during epileptogenesis remain to be determined. 18F‐Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG‐PET) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) are noninvasive techniques that provide indirect information on ongoing pathologic changes. We, therefore, utilized these methods to assess changes in glucose metabolism and metabolites in the rat lithium‐pilocarpine model of epilepsy as markers of epileptogenesis from baseline to chronic spontaneous recurrent seizures (SRS).

Methods:  PET and MRS were performed at baseline, and during the acute, subacute, silent, and chronic periods after lithium‐pilocarpine induced status epilepticus (SE). Sequential changes in glucose metabolism on 18F‐FDG PET using SPM2 and the ratios of percent injected dose per gram (%ID)/g of regions of interest (ROIs) in the bilateral amygdala, hippocampus, basal ganglia with the thalamus, cortex, and hypothalamus normalized to the pons were determined. Voxels of interest (VOIs) on 1H MRS were obtained at the right hippocampus and the basal ganglia. NAA/Cr levels and Cho/Cr at various time points were compared to baseline values.

Key Findings:  Of 81 male Sprague‐Dawley rats, 30 progressed to SRS. 18F‐FDG PET showed widespread global hypometabolism during the acute period, returning to baseline level during the subacute period. Glucose metabolism, however, declined in part of the hippocampus during the silent period, with the hypometabolic area progressively expanding to the entire limbic area during the chronic period. 1H MRS showed that the NAA/Cr levels in the hippocampus and basal ganglia were reduced during the acute period and were not restored subsequently from the subacute to the chronic period without any significant change in the Cho/Cr ratio throughout the entire experiment.

Significance:  Serial metabolic and biochemical changes in the lithium‐pilocarpine model of epilepsy indirectly represent the process of human epileptogenesis. Following initial irreversible neural damage by SE, global glucose metabolism transiently recovered during the subacute period without neuronal recovery. Progressive glucose hypometabolism in the limbic area during the silent and chronic periods may reflect the important role of the hippocampus in the formation of ongoing epileptic network during epileptogenesis.
The Political Value of Land: Political Reform and Land Prices in Chile
Authors: Baland Jean‐Marie , Robinson James A.
Published: March 2012

In this article, we argue that when patron‐client relations are grounded in economic relationships, such as between landlord and worker, we should expect clientelism to influence not just how public policy, the state, and the political system work, but also how the economy works. We develop a simple model of the economic consequences of electoral clientelism when voting behavior can be observed. Landlords/patrons provide economic rents to workers, and in exchange workers vote for parties favored by landlords. As votes are used by the landlords to accumulate political rents, vote control increases the demand for labor and for land. The model implies that the introduction of the Australian ballot, which destroys this form of clientelism, should lead to a fall in the price of land in those areas where patron‐client relationships are strongest. We test the predictions of the model by examining in detail the evolution of land prices in Chile around May 31, 1958, for which we collected original data. A characteristic of rural Chile at this time were patron‐client relations based on the inquilinaje system, by which a worker, the inquilino, entered into a long‐term, often hereditary, employment relationship with a landlord and lived on his landlord’s estate. We show that the introduction of the Australian ballot in 1958 led to a fall of about 26% in land prices in the areas where these patron‐client relationships were predominant.
Adding a Baby to the Equation. Married and Cohabiting Women's Relationship Satisfaction in the Transition to Parenthood
Authors: Mortensen Øystein , Torsheim Torbjørn , Melkevik Ole , Thuen Frode
Published: March 2012

本文比较了参与”挪威母亲与儿童同组研究”(MoBa),且潜在样本为71504名妇女的研究对象中向父母身份过渡的已婚妇女与同居状态妇女的关系满意度轨迹。从产前六个月开始历经两年分四波采集了前瞻性的纵向数据。潜在曲线模型的结果暗示已婚及同居状态妇女在向父母身份过渡期间的关系满意度都经历了相似的消极变化。然而,同居妇女从一开始便更为不满意,并在整个过渡期内保持比已婚妇女更为不满意;这意味着存在一种消极的同居影响,这种影响在若干协变量受控制之后变得显著。本文讨论了扩展调查同居对父母过渡期的影响,并在斯堪的纳维亚背景下重复该调查以理解什么造成同居影响以及其临床意义。
Collaborative Relationships and Dialogic Conversations: Ideas for a Relationally Responsive Practice
Authors: Anderson Harlene
Published: March 2012

本文作者提出一组哲学假定,为思考并回应下列反复出现的问题提供了一种不同的表达方式:”我们的治疗实践在这个快速变化的世界里如何能够与人们的日常生活相关?这种相关性是什么?由谁来决定?”“为什么某些类型的关系和某些形式的谈话引人入胜,而其它的则令人疏远?为什么有些能引出以前从未想象到的潜力与前进方法,而其它的却禁锢着我们?”文章作者接着解释了这些哲学假定以揭示治疗师的哲学观点:存在之道。之后,作者讨论了该哲学立场的显著特征,以及它如何促进协作关系与对话性交谈,从而为治疗师及其客户提供丰富的手段实现创意目标。
Working with “La Medicina”: Elements of Healing in Contemporary Ayahuasca Rituals
Authors: Fotiou Evgenia
Published: March 2012

Healing is an essential aspect of Amazonian mestizo shamanism. Not only is it one of the most commonly quoted motives for Westerners for participating in ayahuasca ceremonies, but most elements of an ayahuasca ceremony are aimed to heal and protect. This article is purely ethnographic, and its purpose is to provide insight into the ways healing is conceived by both ayahuasqueros and Western participants in the context of shamanic tourism in Iquitos, Peru. I show that illness is perceived to have physical, psychological, and spiritual dimensions, and healing is a complex process that takes place in and outside of ceremony. I show that a multitude of elements in a ceremony converge to address all three dimensions of illness, one of the most important ones being the element of personal crisis. Often present in healing narratives, the element of crisis becomes the catalyst for positive transformation, including physical, psychological, and spiritual healing. Rather than being seen as a singular event, healing in this context is seen as a process, in which the patient carries the responsibility for their own healing.
Grief Counseling: An Investigation of Counselors' Training, Experience, and Competencies
Authors: Ober Anne M. , Granello Darcy Haag , Wheaton Joe E.
Published: March 2012

Grief is prevalent in counseling, but little is known about the current status of counselors’ preparation and competencies to provide effective care. This exploratory study surveyed counselors (N= 369) on grief training, personal and professional experiences with grief, and grief counseling competence. Multiple regression analyses found training and experience were statistically significant predictors of competence. The strong relationship between variables suggests these concepts may be understood as synonymous. Implications for training, practice, and research are discussed.
Examining School Counseling Students' Multicultural and Sexual Orientation Competencies Through a Cross‐Specialization Comparison
Authors: Bidell Markus P.
Published: March 2012

Professional school counselors have an opportunity to directly address the educational, emotional, and social problems facing lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth. The purpose of this study was to examine the multicultural and sexual orientation counselor competencies of school counseling students through a cross‐specialization comparison with community agency students. Results indicate that school counseling students had significantly lower self‐reported multicultural and sexual orientation counselor competency scores. The findings and their implications are discussed.
A Persistent, Effective, and Affordable Global Fleet Station Concept
Authors: CAMPBELL MARK A. , KREMPASKY JOHN , BOSWORTH MICHAEL
Published: March 2012

This paper will examine the Global Fleet Station (GFS) concept, first proposed in the Naval Operations Concept 2006 and implemented since then through a variety of US Navy (USN) and US Coast Guard (USCG) humanitarian assistance and foreign military training cruises. First, we will explore GFS missions, and the capability and materiel requirements that are derived from them. Next, relying on lessons learned from recent USN and USCG GFS and GFS‐type cruises, and preliminary analysis of 20 US and foreign vessels potentially suitable for GFS missions, this paper will argue that to effectively implement GFS in a persistent, distributed, and affordable manner, greater attention must be given to ships specially built or modified for the mission, complemented by dual‐use legacy ships used as necessary in augmentation roles. It is important to recognize that emerging GFS requirements differ greatly from requirements for ships built for major combat operations, but that the resulting cost savings actually make this a cost‐effective and operationally effective trade‐off for the USN.
Preplant release of Nesidiocoris tenuis and supplementary tactics for control of Tuta absoluta and Bemisa tabaci in greenhouse tomato
Authors: Calvo Francisco J. , Lorente María J. , Stansly Philip A. , Belda José E.
Published: March 2012

An early release system developed for Nesidiocoris tenuis Reuter (Heteroptera: Miridae) could provide a good control of Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) in tomato. Tuta absoluta and the whitefly Bemisia tabaci Gennadius (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) often appear simultaneously in tomato crops and this might affect control capacity. Therefore, the new approach needs to be tested in a situation with both pests present. In addition, Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner and Trichogramma achaeae Nagaraja & Nagarkatti (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae) have been shown to be effective against T. absoluta and could be a supplement to N. tenuis. Two experiments were carried out to evaluate the potential of this approach and its combination with supplementary control agents against T. absoluta. In the first experiment four treatments were compared (T. absoluta, B. tabaci, T. absoluta + N. tenuis, and T. absoluta + B. tabaci + N. tenuis) and N. tenuis was able to control T. absoluta and B. tabaci either alone or together. In the second experiment, five treatments were compared: T. absoluta, T. absoluta + N. tenuis, T. absoluta + N. tenuis + T. achaeae, T. absoluta + N. tenuis + B. thuringiensis, and T. absoluta + N. tenuis + T. achaeae + B. thuringiensis. Nesidiocoris tenuis again proved capable of significantly reducing T. absoluta populations, and the implementation of additional agents did not increase its effectiveness.
Effect of microthread presence and restoration design (screw versus cemented) in dental implant reliability and failure modes
Authors: Almeida Erika O. , Freitas Júnior Amilcar C. , Bonfante Estevam A. , Rocha Eduardo Passos , Silva Nelson R. F. A. , Coelho Paulo G.
Published: March 2012

Objectives

This study evaluated the reliability and failure modes of implants with a microthreaded or smooth design at the crestal region, restored with screwed or cemented crowns. The postulated null hypothesis was that the presence of microthreads in the implant cervical region would not result in different reliability and strength to failure than smooth design, regardless of fixation method, when subjected to step‐stress accelerated life‐testing (SSALT) in water.

Materials and methods

Eighty four dental implants (3.3 × 10 mm) were divided into four groups (n = 21) according to implant macrogeometric design at the crestal region and crown fixation method: Microthreads Screwed (MS); Smooth Screwed (SS); Microthreads Cemented (MC), and Smooth Cemented (SC). The abutments were torqued to the implants and standardized maxillary central incisor metallic crowns were cemented (MC, SC) or screwed (MS, SS) and subjected to SSALT in water. The probability of failure versus cycles (90% two‐sided confidence intervals) was calculated and plotted using a power law relationship for damage accumulation. Reliability for a mission of 50,000 cycles at 150 N (90% 2‐sided confidence intervals) was calculated. Differences between final failure loads during fatigue for each group were assessed by Kruskal–Wallis along with Benferroni's post hoc tests. Polarized‐light and scanning electron microscopes were used for failure analyses.

Results

The Beta (β) value (confidence interval range) derived from use level probability Weibull calculation of 1.30 (0.76–2.22), 1.17 (0.70–1.96), 1.12 (0.71–1.76), and 0.52 (0.30–0.89) for groups MC, SC, MS, and SS respectively, indicated that fatigue was an accelerating factor for all groups, except for SS. The calculated reliability was higher for SC (99%) compared to MC (87%). No difference was observed between screwed restorations (MS – 29%, SS – 43%). Failure involved abutment screw fracture for all groups. The cemented groups (MC, SC) presented more abutment and implant fractures. Significantly higher load to fracture values were observed for SC and MC relative to MS and SS (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Since reliability and strength to failure was higher for SC than for MC, our postulated null hypothesis was rejected.
Does our research tool kit equip us to make generalisable claims about dental education?
Authors: Chambers D. W.
Published: March 2012

In this essay on the state of scholarship in dental education, I argue that we are best served by looking at the validity, generalisability and usefulness of claims rather than at the rigour of various research methods. All papers published in 2009 in the European Journal of Dental Education (a quarterly) and the Journal of Dental Education (published monthly), a quarterly journal of the Academy of Management, Learning & Education and the monthly American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics were classified by the type of claim made, method by which evidence was collected and techniques of analysis. The dental education literature, compared with the two other journals, was largely focussed on surveys of opinion or particular practices and lacked scope in generalisability. The dental education literature was thin in use of randomisation, covariable analysis and theory‐building.
A new method for dealing with residual spatial autocorrelation in species distribution models
Authors: Crase Beth , Liedloff Adam C. , Wintle Brendan A.
Published: March 2012

Species distribution modelling (SDM) is a widely used tool and has many applications in ecology and conservation biology. Spatial autocorrelation (SAC), a pattern in which observations are related to one another by their geographic distance, is common in georeferenced ecological data. SAC in the residuals of SDMs violates the ‘independent errors’ assumption required to justify the use of statistical models in modelling species’ distributions. The autologistic modelling approach accounts for SAC by including an additional term (the autocovariate) representing the similarity between the value of the response variable at a location and neighbouring locations. However, autologistic models have been found to introduce bias in the estimation of parameters describing the influence of explanatory variables on habitat occupancy. To address this problem we developed an extension to the autologistic approach by calculating the autocovariate on SAC in residuals (the RAC approach). Performance of the new approach was tested on simulated data with a known spatial structure and on strongly autocorrelated mangrove species’ distribution data collected in northern Australia. The RAC approach was implemented as generalized linear models (GLMs) and boosted regression tree (BRT) models. We found that the BRT models with only environmental explanatory variables can account for some SAC, but applying the standard autologistic or RAC approaches further reduced SAC in model residuals and substantially improved model predictive performance. The RAC approach showed stronger inferential performance than the standard autologistic approach, as parameter estimates were more accurate and statistically significant variables were accurately identified. The new RAC approach presented here has the potential to account for spatial autocorrelation while maintaining strong predictive and inferential performance, and can be implemented across a range of modelling approaches.
Coherence, conservation and patch‐occupancy analysis
Authors: Ben‐Zion Yossi , Shnerb Nadav M.
Published: March 2012

Spatial coherence (synchrony) among subpopulations poses a danger to the metacommunity, as it increases the risk of regional extinction. When this effect is significant, the use of inference techniques based on the stochastic patch occupancy model (SPOM) may be inadequate, since SPOMs assume that each habitat patch is either occupied or empty, thereby neglecting the intra‐patch dynamics. Here we suggest a general classification of the dynamics that allows the identification, in a model‐independent manner, of the regimes where coherence effects are strong. We also present a new technique, based on patch occupancy (presence/absence) data, for identifying the role of spatial coherence in the stabilization of a metapopulation. If the chance of a local extinction grows with the connectivity, this implies that spatial synchronization is too strong and that regional‐scale extinction becomes possible. When this scenario occurs, a decrease in the movement of individuals (habitat fragmentation, reduced dispersal rates) has a positive effect on the sustainability of the spatially distributed population. The results of individual based simulations of a spatially structured population are analyzed with SPOM and the regime where the two‐state approximation fails is identified.
Relationships among nectar‐dwelling yeasts, flowers and ants: patterns and incidence on nectar traits
Authors: de Vega Clara , Herrera Carlos M.
Published: March 2012

Nectar‐dwelling yeasts are emerging as widely distributed organisms playing a potentially significant and barely unexplored ecological role in plant pollinator mutualisms. Previous efforts at understanding nectar–pollinator–yeast interactions have focused on bee‐pollinated plants, while the importance of nectarivorous ants as vectors for yeast dispersal remains unexplored so far. Here we assess the abundance and composition of the nectar fungal microbiota of the ant‐pollinated plant Cytinus hypocistis, study whether yeast transmission is coupled with ant visitation, and discern whether ant‐ transported yeasts promote changes in nectar characteristics. Our results show that a high percentage of flowers (77%) and plants (94%) contained yeasts, with yeast cell density in nectar reaching up to 6.2 × 104 cells mm−3, being the highest densities associated with the presence of the nectar‐specialist yeast Metschnikowia reukaufii. The establishment of fungal microbiota in nectar required flower visitation by ants, with 70% of yeast species transported by them being also detected in nectar. Ant‐vectored yeasts diminished the nutritional quality of nectar, with flowers exposed to pollinators and yeasts containing significantly lower nectar sugar concentration than virgin flowers (13.4% and 22.8%, respectively). Nectar of flowers that harbored M. reukaufii showed the lowest quality, with nectar concentration declining significantly with increasing yeast density. Additionally, yeasts modified patterns of interpopulation variation in nectar traits, homo genizing differences between populations in some nectar attributes. We show for the first time that the outcome of the tripartite pollinator–flower–yeast interaction is highly dependent on the identity and inherent properties of the participants, even to the extent of influencing the species composition of this ternary system, and can be mediated by ecological characteristics of plant populations. Through their influence on plant functional traits, yeasts have the potential to alter nectar consumption, pollinator foraging behavior and ultimately plant reproduction.
Alcohol and substance abuse identified during pregnancy: maternal morbidity, child morbidity and welfare interventions
Authors: Sarkola Taisto , Gissler Mika , Kahila Hanna , Autti‐Rämö Ilona , Halmesmäki Erja
Published: March 2012

Aim:  To study the relations between postnatal maternal morbidity, child morbidity and welfare interventions in families with prenatal alcohol or substance abuse.

Methods:  A register‐based longitudinal retrospective cohort study. The exposed cohort included 638 children born to 524 women followed‐up during pregnancy for alcohol or substance abuse 1992–2001. Non‐exposed children (n = 1914) born to control women were matched for maternal age, parity, number of foetuses, month of birth and delivery hospital of the index child. Perinatal and follow‐up data of both cohorts were collected from national registers until 2007.

Results:  Postnatal maternal abuse‐related healthcare utilization and use of medication were associated with child out‐of‐home care. Significant differences were in particular observed in the categories of maternal mental and behavioural disorders caused by psychoactive substance use as well as injury and poisoning. Maternal inpatient care for mental and behavioural disorders peaked at the time of child out‐of‐home care. Maternal abuse‐related healthcare utilization was associated with early child healthcare utilization and use of medication for mental and behavioural disorders. These associations were largely explained by the association with child out‐of‐home care.

Conclusions:  Postnatal maternal abuse‐related morbidity is associated with significant early child morbidity, use of medication and timing of out‐of‐home care.
Duration and morbidity of chronic immune thrombocytopenic purpura in children: five‐year follow‐up of a Nordic cohort
Authors: Rosthøj Steen , Rajantie Jukka , Treutiger Iris , Zeller Bernward , Tedgård Ulf , Henter Jan‐Inge ,   on behalf of the NOPHO ITP Working Group
Published: March 2012

Aim:  To describe the clinical course, morbidity and platelet recovery in an unselected Nordic cohort of children with chronic Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP).

Methods:  Prospective 5‐year follow‐up of 96 children with ITP lasting more than 6 months, with reporting of hospital admissions, severity of bleeding episodes and stabilization of platelet counts above 20, 50 and 150 × 109/L.

Results:  The estimated 5‐year recovery rate was 52%; exclusion of 12 splenectomized children did not change the estimate. Events eliciting admission to hospital occurred in 39 (41%). Major haemorrhages occurred in eight children (8%), including a nonfatal intracranial haemorrhage in one child (1%). The overall admission rate was 0.4/year of thrombocytopenia, decreasing during follow‐up as thrombocytopenia converted to milder degrees. Early recovery within 2 years of diagnosis occurred in 35%, was associated with low morbidity and was more likely in young children with abrupt onset of symptoms.

Conclusion:  In a Nordic cohort of children with chronic ITP, one half had recovered 5 years after diagnosis, more than half never required hospitalization and <10% experienced serious bleeding episodes, always with a platelet count <20 × 109/L. Aggressive management can be restricted to the minority of children with continuing severe thrombocytopenia and frequent, clinically significant bleeding events.