bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Novel Approach to Surgical Markings Based on a Topographic Map and a Projected Three-Dimensional Image
Authors: Schreiber Jillian E. , Stern Carrie S. , Garfein Evan S. , Weichman Katie E. , Tepper Oren M.
Published: April 2016

Surgical markings play a crucial role in the planning of plastic surgery procedures.
1–4
However, despite their importance, they are often imprecise. For instance, when assessing patients in need of autologous fat grafting, surgeons often base markings on estimations of where volume deficiency exists and how much volume will correct the deficiency. In this article, the authors describe a novel approach to lipostructure, guided by a computer-based roadmap. A digital three-dimensional topographic surgical map is created using three-dimensional photography and analytic software and then projected as an image onto the patient in the operating room. This unique concept can be applied to most soft-tissue procedures in plastic surgery.

CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE:

Therapeutic, V.
Male Partner Participation in Antenatal Clinic Services is Associated With Improved HIV-Free Survival Among Infants in Nairobi, Kenya: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Aluisio Adam R. , Bosire Rose , Bourke Betz , Gatuguta Ann , Kiarie James N. , Nduati Ruth , John-Stewart Grace , Farquhar Carey
Published: April 2016

Objective:

This prospective study investigated the relationship between male antenatal clinic (ANC) involvement and infant HIV-free survival.

Methods:

From 2009 to 2013, HIV-infected pregnant women were enrolled from 6 ANCs in Nairobi, Kenya and followed with their infants until 6 weeks postpartum. Male partners were encouraged to attend antenatally through invitation letters. Men who failed to attend had questionnaires sent for self-completion postnatally. Multivariate regression was used to identify correlates of male attendance. The role of male involvement in infant outcomes of HIV infection, mortality, and HIV-free survival was examined.

Results:

Among 830 enrolled women, 519 (62.5%) consented to male participation and 136 (26.2%) men attended the ANC. For the 383 (73.8%) women whose partners failed to attend, 63 (16.4%) were surveyed through outreach. In multivariate analysis, male report of previous HIV testing was associated with maternal ANC attendance (adjusted odds ratio = 3.7; 95% CI: 1.5 to 8.9, P = 0.003). Thirty-five (6.6%) of 501 infants acquired HIV or died by 6 weeks of life. HIV-free survival was significantly greater among infants born to women with partner attendance (97.7%) than those without (91.3%) (P = 0.01). Infants lacking male ANC engagement had an approximately 4-fold higher risk of death or infection compared with those born to women with partner attendance (HR = 3.95, 95% CI: 1.21 to 12.89, P = 0.023). Adjusting for antiretroviral use, the risk of death or infection remained significantly greater for infants born to mothers without male participation (adjusted hazards ratio = 3.79, 95% CI: 1.15 to 12.42, P = 0.028).

Conclusions:

Male ANC attendance was associated with improved infant HIV-free survival. Promotion of male HIV testing and engagement in ANC/prevention of mother-to-child transmission services may improve infant outcomes.
Frequency-dependent scaling from mesoscale to macroscale in viscoelastic random composites
Authors: Zhang Jun , Ostoja-Starzewski Martin
Published: April 2016

This paper investigates the scaling from a statistical volume element (SVE; i.e. mesoscale level) to representative volume element (RVE; i.e. macroscale level) of spatially random linear viscoelastic materials, focusing on the quasi-static properties in the frequency domain. Requiring the material statistics to be spatially homogeneous and ergodic, the mesoscale bounds on the RVE response are developed from the Hill–Mandel homogenization condition adapted to viscoelastic materials. The bounds are obtained from two stochastic initial-boundary value problems set up, respectively, under uniform kinematic and traction boundary conditions. The frequency and scale dependencies of mesoscale bounds are obtained through computational mechanics for composites with planar random chessboard microstructures. In general, the frequency-dependent scaling to RVE can be described through a complex-valued scaling function, which generalizes the concept originally developed for linear elastic random composites. This scaling function is shown to apply for all different phase combinations on random chessboards and, essentially, is only a function of the microstructure and mesoscale.
Legendre functions of fractional degree: transformations and evaluations
Authors: Maier Robert S.
Published: April 2016

Associated Legendre functions of fractional degree appear in the solution of boundary value problems on wedges or in toroidal geometries, and elsewhere in applied mathematics. In the classical case when the degree is half an odd integer, they can be expressed using complete elliptic integrals. In this study, many transformations are derived, which reduce the case when the degree differs from an integer by one-third, one-fourth or one-sixth to the classical case. These transformations or identities facilitate the symbolic manipulation and evaluation of Legendre and Ferrers functions. They generalize both Ramanujan's transformations of elliptic integrals and Whipple's formula, which relates Legendre functions of the first and second kinds. The proofs employ algebraic coordinate transformations, specified by algebraic curves.
The DNA of coral reef biodiversity: predicting and protecting genetic diversity of reef assemblages
Authors: Selkoe Kimberly A. , Gaggiotti Oscar E. , Treml Eric A. , Wren Johanna L. K. , Donovan Mary K. ,   Hawai‘i Reef Connectivity Consortium, Toonen Robert J.
Published: April 2016

Conservation of ecological communities requires deepening our understanding of genetic diversity patterns and drivers at community-wide scales. Here, we use seascape genetic analysis of a diversity metric, allelic richness (AR), for 47 reef species sampled across 13 Hawaiian Islands to empirically demonstrate that large reefs high in coral cover harbour the greatest genetic diversity on average. We found that a species's life history (e.g. depth range and herbivory) mediates response of genetic diversity to seascape drivers in logical ways. Furthermore, a metric of combined multi-species AR showed strong coupling to species richness and habitat area, quality and stability that few species showed individually. We hypothesize that macro-ecological forces and species interactions, by mediating species turnover and occupancy (and thus a site's mean effective population size), influence the aggregate genetic diversity of a site, potentially allowing it to behave as an apparent emergent trait that is shaped by the dominant seascape drivers. The results highlight inherent feedbacks between ecology and genetics, raise concern that genetic resilience of entire reef communities is compromised by factors that reduce coral cover or available habitat, including thermal stress, and provide a foundation for new strategies for monitoring and preserving biodiversity of entire reef ecosystems.
MALT: Fast alignment and analysis of metagenomic DNA sequence data applied to the Tyrolean Iceman
Authors: Herbig Alexander , Maixner Frank , Bos Kirsten I. , Zink Albert , Krause Johannes , Huson Daniel H.
Published: April 2016

Modern next generation sequencing technologies produce vast amounts of data in the context of large-scale metagenomic studies, in which complex microbial communities can be reconstructed to an unprecedented level of detail. Most prominent examples are human microbiome studies that correlate the bacterial taxonomic profile with specific physiological conditions or diseases.

In order to perform these analyses high-throughput computational tools are needed that are able to process these data within a short time while preserving a high level of sensitivity and specificity.

Here we present MALT (MEGANALignmentTool) a program for the ultrafast alignment and analysis of metagenomic DNA sequencing data. MALT processes hundreds of millions of sequencing reads within only a few hours. In addition to the alignment procedure MALT implements a taxonomic binning algorithm that is able to specifically assign reads to bacterial species. Its tight integration with the interactive metagenomic analysis software MEGAN allows for visualization and further analyses of results.

We demonstrate MALT by its application to the metagenomic analysis of two ancient microbiomes from oral cavity and lung samples of the 5,300-year-old Tyrolean Iceman. Despite the strong environmental background, MALT is able to pick up the weak signal of the original microbiomes and identifies multiple species that are typical representatives of the respective host environment.
The code of silence and female police officers in Slovenia
Authors: Lobnikar Branko , Prislan Kaja , Čuvan Barbara , Meško Gorazd
Published: April 2016

Purpose

– For some time now, research conducted in the field of human behavior and criminology has pertained to the contemporary question as to whether there are any relevant differences between the genders regarding their integrity and opinions held and, if so, which of these lead to different behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to determine whether there are any gender differences in willingness to report police misconduct and if so, what is the nature of these differences.

Design/methodology/approach

– In spring 2011, the study was conducted on a representative sample of 408 frontline Slovenian police officers (87.3 percent were male and 12.7 percent were female). The assessment of the code of silence was conducted using the method developed by Klockars and Kutnjak Ivković (2004), and consisted of 14 hypothetical scenarios describing a range of various forms of police misconduct, from those that merely give the appearance of a conflict of interest, to incidents of bribery and theft. One of the questions explored in relation to the police code of silence was the police officer’s willingness to report misconduct.

Findings

– Authors discovered significant differences in 11 of the 14 analyzed cases on the willingness to report police misconduct. Interestingly, female police officers were less willing than their male colleagues to report different forms of police misconduct. Female police officers are less willing to report police corruption in seven cases e.g. shooting runaway suspect, supervisor abusing his/her power, excessive force – punching a suspect, falsification of evidence, supervisor not prevent beating a suspect, police officer take bribes, and doing nothing when juveniles paint graffiti. The results were further analyzed from the group dynamic in Slovenian police point of view. The survey findings could be useful for police chiefs, leaders, and managers who want to achieve the main objective of every modern police organization: to prevent corruption and increase social responsibility.

Originality/value

– The study analyzes, comprehensively and originally, whether the female police officers differ from their male colleagues in the level of police integrity and willingness to report the cases of police corruption and/or other forms of police misbehavior.
Pheromone‐trapping the nun moth, Lymantria monacha (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae) in Inner Mongolia, China
Authors: Wang Peng , Chen Guo‐Fa , Zhang Jun‐Sheng , Xue Qi , Zhang Jin‐Hua , Chen Chao , Zhang Qing‐He
Published: April 2016

The nun moth, Lymantria monacha L., is one of the most important defoliators of Eurasian coniferous forests. Outbreaks during 2011–2015 in the natural/planted larch, and larch‐birch mixed forests of the Greater Khingan Range in Inner Mongolia, China, caused tremendous timber losses from severe defoliation and tree mortality. A series of trapping experiments were conducted in these outbreak areas to evaluate the efficacy of a synthetic species‐specific pheromone lure based on the female pheromone blend of European nun moth populations. Our results clearly show that the nun moth in Inner Mongolia is highly and specifically attracted to this synthetic pheromone, with few gypsy moths (Lymantria dispar) captured. Flight activity monitoring of L. monacha male moths using pheromone‐baited Unitraps at 2 locations during the summer of 2015 indicated that the flight period started in mid‐July, peaking in early August at both locations. Based on male moth captures, there was a strong diurnal rhythm of flight activity throughout the entire scotophase, peaking between 22:00 and 24:00. Unitraps and wing traps had significantly and surprisingly higher catches than the gypsy moth traps. Unitraps fastened to tree trunks 2 m above ground caught significantly more male moths than those at the ground level or at 5 m height. Male L. monacha moths can be attracted to pheromone‐baited traps in open areas 150–200 m distant from the infested forest edge. Our data should allow improvement on the performance of pheromone‐baited traps for monitoring or mass‐trapping to combat outbreaks of this pest in northeastern China.
Gestational Diabetes Mellitus:current knowledge and unmet needs
Authors: Koning Sarah H. , Hoogenberg Klaas , Lutgers Helen L. , van den Berg Paul P. , Wolffenbuttel Bruce H.R.
Published: April 2016

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a global health concern, not only because its prevalence is high and on the increase, but also because of the potential implications for the health of mothers and their offspring. Unfortunately, there is considerable controversy in the literature surrounding the diagnosis and treatment of GDM, as well as the possible long‐term consequences for the offspring. As a result, worldwide there is a lack of uniformly accepted diagnostic criteria and the advice regarding the treatment of GDM, including diet, insulin therapy, and the use of oral blood glucose‐lowering agents, is highly variable. In this review we provide an overview of the important issues in the field of GDM, including diagnostic criteria, different treatment regimens available, and the long‐term consequences of GDM in the offspring.
Towards a new era in fetal medicine in the Nordic countries
Authors: Sitras Vasilis ,   the Steering Committee Group of the Nordic Network of Fetal Medicine (NNFM)
Published: April 2016

Fetal medicine is a subspecialty of obstetrics investigating the development, growth and disease of the human fetus. The advances in fetal imaging (ultrasonography, MRI) and molecular diagnostic techniques, together with the possibility of intervention in utero, make fetal medicine an important, rapidly developing field within women's healthcare. Therefore, a variety of specialists, such as neonatologists, pediatric cardiologists, medical geneticists, radiologists and pediatric surgeons, are necessary to adjunct in the diagnosis and treatment of the fetus as a patient. In this commentary, we provide a description of some organizational and educational aspects of fetal medicine in the Nordic countries, using examples of the management of specific conditions such as aneuploidy screening, red cell allo‐immunization and fetal interventions. Clearly, there are several cultural, legal, organizational and practical differences between the Nordic countries; these are not necessarily negative, given the high standards of care in all Nordic countries. The scope of the newly founded Nordic Network of Fetal Medicine is to enhance cooperation in clinical practice, education and research between the participant countries. Hopefully, this initiative will find the necessary political and economic support from the national authorities and bring a new era in the field of fetal medicine in the Nordic region.
Evaluation of the Efficacy and Robustness of a Second Generation Implantable Stimulator in a Patient With Hemiplegia During 20 Years of Functional Electrical Stimulation of the Common Peroneal Nerve
Authors: Pečlin Polona , Rozman Janez , Krajnik Janez , Ribarič Samo
Published: April 2016

We evaluated the efficacy and robustness of a second generation implantable stimulator for correcting drop foot (DF) in a patient with left‐sided hemiplegia over 20 years of functional electrical stimulation (FES) of the common peroneal nerve (CPN). Dorsal flexion and eversion of the affected foot was partially restored by FES of the superficial region of the CPN innervating mostly the tibialis anterior (TA) and partly peroneus longus (PL) and peroneus brevis (PB) muscles. The reasons for implant failure during the long‐term follow‐up assessment were analyzed and resolving procedures were identified. The stimulator had an average failure rate of once every three years, due to repetitive mechanical load on the lead wires of its internal and/or external unit, and had to be serviced once per year to replace the heel switch integrated into the shoe sole. FES‐associated mechanical trauma to the CPN elicited a thickening of the connective tissue around the CPN and a slightly compromised conduction velocity of the CPN. FES of the CPN, with the second generation implantable stimulator, improved gait parameters of the affected leg during the 20 years period. Long‐term, daily FES enables a functional and reliable recruitment of nerve fibers, thus providing a sufficient dorsal flexion and optimal eversion of the affected foot to sustain unassisted, almost normal gait. Therefore, the presented implant is suitable for very long‐term FES of the CPN.
PAFAH1B1 and the lncRNA NONHSAT073641 maintain an angiogenic phenotype in human endothelial cells
Authors: Josipovic I. , Fork C. , Preussner J. , Prior K‐K. , Iloska D. , Vasconez A. E. , Labocha S. , Angioni C. , Thomas D. , Ferreirós N. , Looso M. , Pullamsetti S. S. , Geisslinger G. , Steinhilber D. , Brandes R. P. , Leisegang M. S.
Published: April 2016

Aim

Platelet‐activating factor acetyl hydrolase 1B1 (PAFAH1B1, also known as Lis1) is a protein essentially involved in neurogenesis and mostly studied in the nervous system. As we observed a significant expression of PAFAH1B1 in the vascular system, we hypothesized that PAFAH1B1 is important during angiogenesis of endothelial cells as well as in human vascular diseases.

Method

The functional relevance of the protein in endothelial cell angiogenic function, its downstream targets and the influence of NONHSAT073641, a long non‐coding RNA (lncRNA) with 92% similarity to PAFAH1B1, were studied by knockdown and overexpression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC).

Results

Knockdown of PAFAH1B1 led to impaired tube formation of HUVEC and decreased sprouting in the spheroid assay. Accordingly, the overexpression of PAFAH1B1 increased tube number, sprout length and sprout number. LncRNA NONHSAT073641 behaved similarly. Microarray analysis after PAFAH1B1 knockdown and its overexpression indicated that the protein maintains Matrix Gla Protein (MGP) expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments revealed that PAFAH1B1 is required for active histone marks and proper binding of RNA Polymerase II to the transcriptional start site of MGP. MGP itself was required for endothelial angiogenic capacity and knockdown of both, PAFAH1B1 and MGP, reduced migration. In vascular samples of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), PAFAH1B1 and MGP were upregulated. The function of PAFAH1B1 required the presence of the intact protein as overexpression of NONHSAT073641, which was highly upregulated during CTEPH, did not affect PAFAH1B1 target genes.

Conclusion

PAFAH1B1 and NONHSAT073641 are important for endothelial angiogenic function.
Feasibility of laparoscopic surgery for complex Crohn's disease of the small intestine
Authors: Manabe Tatsuya , Ueki Takashi , Nagayoshi Kinuko , Moriyama Taiki , Yanai Kosuke , Nagai Shuntaro , Esaki Motohiro , Nakamura Kazuhiko , Nakamura Masafumi
Published: April 2016

Background

The laparoscopic approach for complex Crohn's disease (CD), which involves abscess formation, fistula formation, and recurrent CD, is controversial. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and safety of the laparoscopic approach for complex CD.

Methods

Fifty‐six patients who had undergone surgery for CD of the small bowel from January 2007 to August 2014 were divided into two groups: the laparoscopic approach for complex CD group (LC group, n = 31) and the laparoscopic approach for simple CD group (LS group, n = 25). The preoperative data and surgical outcomes of the LC group were compared with those of the LS groups.

Results

There were no significant differences in preoperative data and operating time between the two groups. Blood loss was not significantly different between the LC and LS groups. The incision length was longer in the LC group than the LS group (P = 0.004). The incidence of severe postoperative complications in the LC group was higher than in the LS group (P = 0.026). The length of postoperative stay was similar in the LC and LS groups.

Conclusions

The laparoscopic approach for complex CD is feasible and provides good cosmesis that is comparable to that offered by simple CD.
The role of attainment value, academic self‐efficacy, and message frame in the appraisal of value‐promoting messages
Authors: Symes Wendy , Putwain David W.
Published: April 2016

Background

Prior to high‐stakes examinations, teachers may use value‐promoting messages (VPMs) to communicate to students the value and importance of their forthcoming examinations in the hope that they will adopt adaptive learning and study behaviours. These messages can focus on achieving success (gain‐framed) or avoiding failure (loss‐framed).

Aims

This study examined how secondary school students appraised hypothetical gain‐ and loss‐framed VPMs, and how these appraisals differed according to self‐reported levels of attainment value (AV) and academic self‐efficacy (ASE).

Samples

In total, 539 secondary school students (284 male, 255 female, mean age 14.8 years) were participated in this study.

Methods

Participants completed self‐report measures of AV and ASE and appraised hypothetical VPMs as challenging, threatening, or irrelevant (disregard). Participants were randomly assigned to a gain‐ or loss‐framed condition.

Results

A challenge appraisal was greater in students with higher AV and ASE. A threat appraisal was greater in students with higher AV and lower ASE. A disregard appraisal was higher in students with lower AV. Message frame did not interact with AV or ASE in the appraisal of VPMs as challenging, threatening, or irrelevant.

Conclusions

Educational practitioners should consider the characteristics of their students before using VPMs. In particular, they may not be effective for students high in AV and low in ASE. They are likely to be ineffective for students low in AV.
Everyone is fed, bathed, asleep, and I have made it through another day: Problematizing accommodation, resilience, and care in the neoliberal academy
Authors: Simard‐Gagnon Laurence
Published: April 2016

Key Messages

Current models of accommodation in academia fail to challenge liberal normative ideals of individuated autonomy and functionality and neoliberal imperatives of competition.

In a neoliberal context, upholding resilience as an ideal in the face of adversity individualizes hardships and adds to the strain of struggling individuals.

As academics we need to articulate and perform a radically different and subversive type of care centred upon relationality and inter‐dependency.
Significance of epithelial cell clusters in pseudomyxoma peritonei
Authors: Badyal R. K. , Khairwa A. , Rajwanshi A. , Nijhawan R. , Radhika S. , Gupta N. , Dey P.
Published: April 2016

Background

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare clinical syndrome characterised by distension of the peritoneum by jelly‐like ascites. Cytological evaluation of peritoneal fluid is often an initial diagnostic test for possible ovarian and/or appendiceal primary tumours.

Aims and objectives

The present work was conducted to study the usefulness of peritoneal fluid cytomorphology in the early diagnosis of PMP and to evaluate the significance of the presence of epithelial cell (EC) clusters and their prognostic implications.

Materials and methods

We evaluated the detailed cytological features of 21 cases of PMP retrospectively. Both conventional and liquid‐based cytology smears of peritoneal fluid were reviewed, cytological features were compared with histological findings and cases were classified into disseminated peritoneal adenomucinosis (DPAM) and peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis (PMCA).

Results

In our study, the common causes of PMP were primary gastrointestinal malignancies (appendix and colorectal, 57.14%), followed by primary ovarian mucinous neoplasms (28.57%) and synchronous ovarian and appendicular tumours (14.28%). Thick mucinous material was present in all cases (100%). ECs were present in 18 of 21 (85.17%) patients, with mild nuclear atypia in the majority of cases. Histiocytes, mesothelial cells and fibroblast‐like, spindle‐shaped cells with entrapped mucin were also noted in the background. The cases of PMCA showed greater numbers of EC clusters in cytology smears and these patients had recurrent episodes of PMP.

Conclusion

On cytomorphology, high‐grade tumours were more cellular and frequently showed EC clusters with moderate to severe atypia, prominent nucleoli and mitosis, and were more prone to PMCA.
Clinical presentation and spectrum of neuroimaging findings in newborn infants with incontinentia pigmenti
Authors: Soltirovska Salamon Aneta , Lichtenbelt Klaske , Cowan Frances M , Casaer Alexandra , Dudink Jeroen , Dereymaeker Anneleen , Paro‐Panjan Darja , Groenendaal Floris , de Vries Linda S
Published: April 2016

Aim

To report on the neurological presentation and neuroimaging findings in newborn infants with incontinentia pigmenti.

Method

The clinical and neurological course including neuroimaging and follow‐up data of eight newborn infants with the neurological phenotype of incontinentia pigmenti were retrospectively reviewed.

Results

While the clinical picture was polymorphic, the neurological manifestations were defined as encephalopathic and comprised lethargy and seizures in all but one of the infants. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) abnormalities were predominantly in the white matter. Diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) was obtained during the acute phase in seven of the eight infants, showing restricted diffusion in the deep and subcortical white matter but also in the corpus callosum, basal ganglia, thalami, cerebellum, and cerebral peduncles. Susceptibility‐weighted imaging (SWI), performed in five infants, showed a variable amount of signal loss, mainly in the white matter, within areas of restricted diffusion. Extensive MRI abnormalities in newborn infants were followed by abnormal neurodevelopment, with significant motor, cognitive, and/or visual problems.

Interpretation

To assess the extent of central nervous system involvement, MRI is recommended in the clinical evaluation of infants with incontinentia pigmenti. They have a characteristic pattern of brain lesions seen on MRI, best recognized using DWI and SWI in the acute neonatal phase, which allow the identification of and distinction between ischaemic and haemorrhagic lesions.
Sex allocation and the evolution of insemination capacity under local mate competition
Authors: Martel V. , Shuker D.M. , Boulton R.A. , Damiens D. , Boivin G.
Published: April 2016

Local mate competition (LMC) theory has proved enormously successful in predicting sex ratios across a broad range of organisms when localised mating patches lead to mating competition amongst kin. As such, LMC is a key component of sex allocation theory. However, the mating systems that influence and promote LMC also shape other traits, as well as sex allocation. These aspects of LMC mating systems have received far less attention, including in species where LMC is common, such as parasitoid wasps. Here, we consider how LMC influences the evolution of insemination capacity in parasitoids, a key reproductive allocation decision for males that should be under both natural and sexual selection. Basic LMC theory predicts that a single female exploiting a patch should produce just enough sons to inseminate all her daughters, that is, between them these sons should have sufficient insemination capacity to inseminate their sisters. However, the insemination capacity of males is generally higher than predicted and, in order to classify parasitoid species, we propose an Index of Insemination Strategy (IIS): the ratio between the insemination capacity of males on the emergence patch and the average number of females available per male at emergence on that patch. A survey of IIS for 25 species belonging to 10 hymenopteran families showed that IIS values ranged from 0.9 to 40.9, supporting the idea that males typically have more sperm than predicted. Several factors could explain these high IIS values, including non‐local mating, temporal variation in emergence, variation in mate acquisition capacity, the intensity of sperm competition, and responses to host quality.
Individual placement and support, supported education in young people with mental illness: an exploratory feasibility study
Authors: Killackey Eóin , Allott Kelly , Woodhead Gina , Connor Sue , Dragon Susan , Ring Judy
Published: April 2016

Aim

This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of adapting individual placement and support (IPS) to education for young people presenting to a tertiary mental health service who wished to re‐engage with or be supported in their education.

Methods

The study was an uncontrolled trial. Twenty young people with severe mental illness were recruited and worked with an educational specialist providing adapted IPS for education (IPSed). Demographic, educational and symptom measures were collected at baseline. Educational outcome was collected at the end of the 6‐month intervention. Data presented are descriptive.

Results

Individual placement and support for education was found to be feasible with 95% of the participants successfully completing the intervention. Eighteen of the 19 who participated through to the conclusion of the intervention achieved positive educational outcomes.

Conclusions

It is well established that education is the foundation of career, but many people with mental illness drop out of their education with the onset of illness in adolescence or early adulthood. There has been a dearth of interventions to reconnect people with mental illness to secondary education and training. This study demonstrates that it is feasible to adapt IPS to focus exclusively on education at the outset of illness. Further larger studies are needed to confirm these results and create an evidence base for implementation of IPSed in routine practice for the treatment of early stage mental illness.
Eclipse of the Constitution {Europe Nouveau Siècle}
Authors: Niglia Leone
Published: April 2016

The Court of Justice of the European Union has come to adopt a peculiar mode of balancing, revolving around a set of ‘general principles of law’, which results in key social rights at the core of the postwar constitutional settlement no longer being sheltered from review by reference to supranational economic freedoms. It is submitted that this does not only imply a kind of ideological restyling of European law, as noted in the literature but, more fundamentally, the erosion of Europe's composite constitutional architecture (at once European and national) resulting from playing down social rights qua ‘constitutional essentials’. As the new jurisprudence ‘obscures’ Europe's constitutional constellation, it is submitted that the Court should rule under the constitution and not over it.
Transcutaneous and Percutaneous Neurostimulation for Headache Disorders
Authors: Robbins Matthew S. , Lipton Richard B.
Published: April 2016

Noninvasive and minimally invasive extracranial stimulation has now been widely investigated for the treatment of primary headache disorders, particularly migraine. In this review, we describe methodological challenges in studying occipital and supraorbital stimulation devices. We explore the efficacy and safety of implantable occipital nerve stimulation for primary headache disorders, including the 3 randomized, sham‐controlled clinical trials for chronic migraine treatment. We also review noninvasive supraorbital transcutaneous stimulation as a preventive therapy for episodic migraine.
Communicating with parents of obese children: which channels are most effective?
Authors: Randle Melanie , Okely Anthony D. , Dolnicar Sara
Published: April 2016

Background

One of the strategies proven most successful in curbing rising rates of childhood obesity involves targeting parents as agents of change. Prior studies have focused on what messages to communicate, but few have investigated how they should be communicated.

Objective

To identify the channels most effective for communicating with parents of overweight and obese children and understand whether their use of parenting information sources differs from others in the community.

Design/setting

This study utilizes data from the Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC). Families were included if weight and height information was available for parents and children at three data collection points: Waves 1, 2 and 4 (collected 2004, 2006 and 2010, respectively, n = 5107).

Analysis

A priori and a posteriori segmentation methods identified groups of parents that were similar in the sources used to obtain information about parenting, and examined whether some segments were more likely to have obese children.

Results

Four segments were identified that differed in their information source use: the ‘personal networks’, ‘books’, ‘official sources’ and ‘mixed approach’ segments. The ‘official sources’ and ‘mixed approach’ segments were most likely to have obese children, and they used doctors, government/community organizations and friends to obtain information on parenting. These segments were also less educated and had lower employment.

Conclusions

Messages are most likely to reach families with obese children if communicated through doctors, government publications and community organizations. Further, messages targeting social groupings of parents will leverage the power of advice from friends, which is another valuable information source for this group.
Defining ‘quality’ from the patient's perspective: findings from focus groups with Medicaid beneficiaries and implications for public reporting
Authors: Theis Ryan P. , Stanford Jevetta C. , Goodman J. Robyn , Duke Lisa L. , Shenkman Elizabeth A.
Published: April 2016

Background

With an increased emphasis on patient‐centred outcomes and research, investigators seek to understand aspects of health care that are most important to patients. Such information is essential for developing report cards that present health‐care quality information for consumers, which many states are adopting as a strategy to promote consumer choice.

Objective

This study examined the processes that women in Medicaid follow for selecting health plans and explored their definitions of ‘good’ and ‘poor’ quality health care.

Design

We conducted focus groups with Medicaid beneficiaries in four Texas communities, using quota sampling to ensure representation of different racial/ethnic, eligibility and geographic groups.

Results

We conducted 22 focus groups with 102 participants between October 2012 and January 2013. In a free‐list exercise, ‘doctors’ represented the most important aspect of health care to participants, followed by cost, attention, coverage and respect. Discussions of health‐care quality revealed an even mix of structural factors (e.g. timeliness) and interpersonal factors (e.g. communication), although few differences were observed by beneficiary characteristics. Participants linked themes in their overall framing of ‘quality’ – revealing processes of care that affect health outcomes (e.g. discontinuity of care resulting from poor communication with providers) and which were often mediated by advocate providers who assisted patients experiencing barriers to services.

Discussion and conclusions

Findings support other studies that highlight the importance of the patient–provider relationship. Patient‐centred definitions of health‐care quality can complement predominant provider‐centred conceptual frameworks and better inform initiatives for public reporting of quality measures in these populations.
ESEA at Fifty: Education as State-Building
Authors: Reed Douglas S.
Published: April 2016

The year 2015 is as far away in chronological time from 1965 as 1965 was from World War I. In other words, Lyndon Baines Johnson and ESEA are as remote and distant to our students as Archduke Ferdinand was to us in our school days. What seems to some of us like yesterday, or the start of a recent era, is in fact now a distant and remote time, seemingly unconnected from our present educational predicaments—at least in the eyes of our students. Or, to put it another way, ESEA is now fit for historical study.
MODEL COMPARISONS IN UNSTABLE ENVIRONMENTS
Authors: Giacomini Raffaella , Rossi Barbara
Published: April 2016

The goal of this article is to develop formal tests to evaluate the relative in‐sample performance of two competing, misspecified, nonnested models in the presence of possible data instability. Compared to previous approaches to model selection, which are based on measures of global performance, we focus on the local relative performance of the models. We propose tests that are based on different measures of local performance and that correspond to different null and alternative hypotheses. The empirical application provides insights into the time variation in the performance of a representative Euro‐area Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium model relative to that of VARs.
Self‐harm in nurses: prevalence and correlates
Authors: Cheung Teris , Yip Paul S.F.
Published: April 2016

Aims

The aim of this study was to examine the weighed prevalence of self‐harm and its correlates among Hong Kong nurses.

Background

Recent epidemiological data suggest that the weighted prevalence of past‐year suicidality among Hong Kong nurses was found to be 14·9%. Deliberate self‐harm was a significant correlate of suicidality. Nonetheless, there are few population‐based studies exploring the prevalence of self‐harm and its correlates among medical occupational groups in Asia.

Design

The study uses a cross‐sectional survey design.

Method

Data were collected in Hong Kong over a four‐week period from October–November 2013. Statistical methods, including binary and multivariate logistic regression models, were used to examine the weighted prevalence of self‐harm and its associated factors in nurses.

Results

A total of 850 nurses participated in the study. Seventy‐nine participants (9·3%) reported self‐harm in the past year. Nurses aged between 25‐44 were at especially high risk of self‐harm. Female nurses reported self‐harm more than male nurses. The most common forms of self‐harm were self‐cutting, striking oneself and poisoning oneself. Clinical experience, chronic illness, relationship crises with family members, a family history of self‐harm, smoking, symptoms of stress and psychiatric disorder were significantly associated with nurses’ self‐harm. The positive correlation between psychiatric disorder and self‐harm was confirmed.

Conclusions

There is a need for a raft of self‐harm prevention strategies, including a continuous monitoring system in the healthcare setting detecting and managing the risks of self‐harm in nurses as part of the ordinary provision for their well‐being.
Fish diversity in the Río de la Plata and adjacent waters: an overview of environmental influences on its spatial and temporal structure
Authors: Jaureguizar A. J. , Solari A. , Cortés F. , Milessi A. C. , Militelli M. I. , Camiolo M. D. , Luz Clara M. , García M.
Published: April 2016

The fish diversity and the main environmental factors affecting the spatial distribution of species, life history stages and community structure in the Río de la Plata (RdP) and adjacent waters are reviewed and analysed, with emphasis on the functional guild classification. The functional guild classification indicated that most species in the RdP were marine stragglers, zoobenthivores and oviparous species, although the biomass was dominated by estuarine species. Salinity had a stronger influence than temperature on the spatial pattern for all life stages, shallower and fresher waters are the preferred habitats of neonates and juveniles. During the breeding season (spring‐summer), adults showed an intrusion into the inner part of RdP or to its adjacent nearshore waters from the offshore waters for spawning or mating, respectively. Variations in river discharge and wind patterns greatly affected the spatial extent of estuarine water, which ultimately influenced the domain of the main life‐history stages (juveniles or adults) for both marine and estuarine fishes, as well as species and fish assemblage composition. The strong environmental gradient restricts some species and life‐history stages to a particular section and defines three main fish assemblage areas. The composition of the fish assemblage is indicative of the recruitment of freshwater and marine species to the estuary in opposite ways, determined by the vertical stratification. Seasonal changes in the species composition were related to migration as a result of salinity and temperature variations and reproductive migrations to spawning and mating areas. This overview reveals that the RdP is under environmental variations that are likely to produce modifications to fish distribution and abundance that affect its fisheries. This context plus fish stock declines and changes in exploitation patterns could amplify the magnitude of the variations in the fisheries resources availability and affect the sustainability of fishing communities.
Intervention effects on spoken‐language outcomes for children with autism: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Hampton L. H. , Kaiser A. P.
Published: April 2016

Background

Although spoken‐language deficits are not core to an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis, many children with ASD do present with delays in this area. Previous meta‐analyses have assessed the effects of intervention on reducing autism symptomatology, but have not determined if intervention improves spoken language. This analysis examines the effects of early interventions on spoken‐language in children with ASD.

Method

A systematic review of 1756 studies of children with ASD who participated in early intervention resulted in the inclusion of 26 studies in the current review. These studies included 1738 participants with ASD who were, on average, 3.3 years old (SD = 0.91).

Results

This random‐effects meta‐analysis of spoken‐language outcomes for children with ASD who received early intervention as compared with usual treatments yielded a significant overall mean effect size of g = 0.26 (CI = 0.11 to 0.42). On average, children with ASD significantly increased their use of spoken‐language following experimental early interventions. Treatments delivered simultaneously by a clinician and a parent resulted in greater gains in spoken‐language than treatments delivered by a clinician or parent only. No other participant or study characteristics predicted individual‐study effect sizes.

Conclusions

Early intervention improves spoken‐language outcomes for children with ASD, and the largest effects are found when both parent and clinician implement the intervention. Recommendations for practice include adding systematic parent training to interventions for spoken language to potentially improve outcomes. Future research should report standard language measures as well as child (cognitive ability and socio‐economic status) and intervention characteristics to improve evidence related to the effects of interventions on spoken communication in children with ASD.
Examining the social participation of children and adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities and Autism Spectrum Disorder in relation to peers
Authors: Taheri A. , Perry A. , Minnes P.
Published: April 2016

Background

Participation in social and physical activities has a number of benefits for children with or without disabilities. However, individuals with disabilities are often excluded from taking part in social activities. Most of the research on activity participation has focused on adults or youth with milder disabilities. However, children and adolescents with severe and complex needs, including those with autism, are often excluded from this type of research because of their complexities and level of functioning. Thus, we examined the social participation and friendships of children and adolescents with severe developmental disabilities, with and without autism, compared with peers without developmental disabilities.

Methods

We compared the activity participation and friendships of typically developing children (n = 210), children with an intellectual disability (ID only; n = 186), and children with autism spectrum disorder plus intellectual disability (ID + ASD; n = 232) between the ages of 3 and 19 years. Parents of these children completed a survey, which included questions about their children's participation in six activities, and the number and quality of their children's friendships.

Results

Children and adolescents with ID only and ID + ASD were reported to participate in significantly fewer activities and to participate much less frequently than typically developing peers. Those with ID only and ID + ASD were reported to have fewer friends and poorer quality of friendships. In addition, those with ID + ASD participated even less frequently in some activities and had fewer friends relative to those with ID only.

Conclusion

It is important to find ways to increase the social and activity participation of children and adolescents with ID only and ID + ASD. Future research should examine the barriers to such participation and factors that impact social participation in this population.
Objective assessment of mastication predominance in healthy dentate subjects and patients with unilateral posterior missing teeth
Authors: Yamasaki Y. , Kuwatsuru R. , Tsukiyama Y. , Oki K. , Koyano K.
Published: April 2016

We aimed to investigate mastication predominance in healthy dentate individuals and patients with unilateral posterior missing teeth using objective and subjective methods. The sample comprised 50 healthy dentate individuals (healthy dentate group) and 30 patients with unilateral posterior missing teeth (partially edentulous group). Subjects were asked to freely chew three kinds of test foods (peanuts, beef jerky and chewing gum). Electromyographic activity of the bilateral masseter muscles was recorded. The chewing side (right side or left side) was judged by the level of root mean square electromyographic amplitude. Mastication predominance was then objectively assessed using the mastication predominant score and the mastication predominant index. Self‐awareness of mastication predominance was evaluated using a modified visual analogue scale. Mastication predominance scores of the healthy dentate and partially edentulous groups for each test food were analysed. There was a significant difference in the distribution of the mastication predominant index between the two groups (P < 0·05). The mastication predominant score was weakly correlated with self‐awareness of mastication predominance in the healthy dentate group, whereas strong correlation was observed in the partially edentulous group (P < 0·05). The results suggest that the individuals with missing unilateral posterior teeth exhibited greater mastication predominance and were more aware of mastication predominance than healthy dentate individuals. Our findings suggest that an objective evaluation of mastication predominance is more precise than a subjective method.