bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theoretical Modeling for Hepatic Microwave Ablation
Authors: Prakash Punit
Published: November 2010

Thermal tissue ablation is an interventional procedure increasingly being used for treatment of diverse medical conditions. Microwave ablation is emerging as an attractive modality for thermal therapy of large soft tissue targets in short periods of time, making it particularly suitable for ablation of hepatic and other tumors. Theoretical models of the ablation process are a powerful tool for predicting the temperature profile in tissue and resultant tissue damage created by ablation devices. These models play an important role in the design and optimization of devices for microwave tissue ablation. Furthermore, they are a useful tool for exploring and planning treatment delivery strategies. This review describes the status of theoretical models developed for microwave tissue ablation. It also reviews current challenges, research trends and progress towards development of accurate models for high temperature microwave tissue ablation.
Barriers to Predicting the Mechanisms and Risk Factors of Non-Contact Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury
Authors: Ali Nicholas , Rouhi Gholamreza
Published: November 2010

High incidences of non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury, frequent requirements for ACL reconstruction, and limited understanding of ACL mechanics have engendered considerable interest in quantifying the ACL loading mechanisms. Although some progress has been made to better understand non-contact ACL injuries, information on how and why non-contact ACL injuries occur is still largely unavailable. In other words, research is yet to yield consensus on injury mechanisms and risk factors. Biomechanics, video analysis, and related study approaches have elucidated to some extent how ACL injuries occur. However, these approaches are limited because they provide estimates, rather than precise measurements of knee - and more specifically ACL - kinematics at the time of injury. These study approaches are also limited in their inability to simultaneously capture many of the contributing factors to injury.

This paper aims at elucidating and summarizing the key challenges that confound our understanding in predicting the mechanisms and subsequently identifying risk factors of non-contact ACL injury. This work also appraise the methodological rigor of existing study approaches, review testing protocols employed in published studies, as well as presents a possible coupled approach to better understand injury mechanisms and risk factors of non-contact ACL injury. Three comprehensive electronic databases and hand search of journal papers, covering numerous full text published English articles were utilized to find studies on the association between ACL and injury mechanisms, ACL and risk factors, as well as, ACL and investigative approaches. This review unveils that new research modalities and/or coupled research methods are required to better understand how and why the ACL gets injured. Only by achieving a better understanding of ACL loading mechanisms and the associated contributing factors, one will be able to develop robust prevention strategies and exercise regimens to mitigate non-contact ACL injuries.
Automated Risk Identification of Myocardial Infarction Using Relative Frequency Band Coefficient (RFBC) Features from ECG
Authors: Bakul Gohel , Tiwary U.S
Published: November 2010

Various structural and functional changes associated with ischemic (myocardial infarcted) heart cause amplitude and spectral changes in signals obtained at different leads of ECG. In order to capture these changes, Relative Frequency Band Coefficient (RFBC) features from 12-lead ECG have been proposed and used for automated identification of myocardial infarction risk. RFBC features reduces the effect of subject variabilty in body composition on the amplitude dependent features. The proposed method is evaluated on ECG data from PTB diagnostic database using support vector machine as classifier. The promising result suggests that the proposed RFBC features may be used in the screening and clinical decision support system for myocardial infarction.
Myocardial Ischemia in Wegener’s Granulomatosis: Coronary Atherosclerosis Versus Vasculitis
Authors: Cocco Giuseppe , Gasparyan Armen Yuri
Published: November 2010

Wegener’s granulomatosis (WG) is one of the most common small- and medium-sized necrotizing vasculitides that mainly affects the upper and lower respiratory tract and the kidneys. Cardiac manifestations in WG are relatively rare, and their role and place among different causes of mortality remain largely unknown. Substantially increased number of reports describing involvement of all structures of the heart, which underlie conduction disturbances, valvular disease, ischemic heart disease and other potentially serious conditions, underscores importance of comprehensive cardiovascular investigations and monitoring of patients with WG. The majority of previous reports and our current observation distinguish coronary vasculitis and thrombosis as a cause of myocardial ischemia and cardiovascular co-morbidities in WG. It seems plausible that inflammatory processes in this disease, like in some other systemic vasculitidies, do not predispose to accelerated atherogenesis. However, characteristic small- and medium-sized vasculitis still can manifest as myocardial ischemia and infarction. We overview diverse cardiac manifestations and present our own rare case of angina in the oligosymptomatic debut of WG. Importantly, in this case, coronarography failed to reveal atherosclerotic disease or thrombotic occlusion. However, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with adenosine test revealed subendocardial ischemia. As a result of immunosuppressive therapy with a steroid and cyclophosphamide, myocardial ischemia disappeared.
Dealing with Missing Outcomes: Lessons from a Randomized Trial of a Prenatal Intervention to Prevent Early Childhood Caries
Authors: Plutzer Kamila , Mejia Gloria C , Spencer A. John , Keirse Marc J.N.C
Published: November 2010

Severe early childhood caries (S-ECC) affects 17% of 2-3 year old children in South Australia impacting on their general health and well-being. S-ECC is largely preventable by providing mothers with anticipatory guidance. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are the most decisive way to test this, but that approach suffers from near inevitable loss to follow-up that occurs with preventative strategies and distant outcome assessment.

We re-examined the results of an RCT to prevent S-ECC using sensitivity analyses and multiple imputation to test different assumptions about violation of random allocation (1%) and major loss to follow-up (32%). Irrespective of any assumptions about missing outcomes, providing expectant mothers with anticipatory guidance during pregnancy and in the child’s first year of life, significantly reduced the incidence of S-ECC at 20 months of age. However, the relative risk of S-ECC varied from 0.18 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.06 – 0.52) to 0.70 (95% CI: 0.56 – 0.88). Also the ‘number needed to treat’ (NNT) to prevent one case of S-ECC varied 2.5-fold: from 8 to 20 women given anticipatory guidance. Multiple imputation provided a best estimate of 0.25 (95% CI: 0.11 – 0.56) for the relative risk and of 14 (95% CI: 10 – 33) for the number needed to treat.

Avoiding loss to follow-up is crucial in any RCT, but is difficult with preventative health care strategies. Instead of abandoning randomisation in such circumstances, sensitivity analyses and multiple imputation can consolidate the findings of an RCT and add extra value to the conclusions derived from it.
Predictor Model of Root Caries in Older Adults: Reporting of Evidence to the Translational Evidence Mechanism
Authors: JG Bauer , S Spackman , J Dong , N Garrett
Published: November 2010

Compared to younger adults, older adults are at greater risk for root caries. A model of root caries may assist dentists in predicting disease outcomes. OBJECTIVES: Using the Iowa 65+ Oral Health Survey, analysis was done to model the patterns of the root caries development in older adults.

Methods:

The statistical analysis included Markov chain modeling, model estimation and validation.

Results:

The model effectively predicts root caries using an 18-month predictive cycle and is validated up to 36 months (two cycles), with no significant differences (Chi-square test p-values >0.1) between predicted and observed distributions. However, we do not have observed data for validation beyond 36 months since the model was designed to perform only at single or multiple 18-month cycles. As expected, the predicted distribution at 54-month (3 cycles) and the observed distribution at 60-month differed significantly (p<0.0001).

Conclusions:

The model demonstrated a high probability that a sound surface will remain caries free. However, one and multiple-surface lesions aggressively infect adjoining surfaces. Maturing of the carious lesion occurs with the 4-surface lesion, decreasing the probability of tooth loss. Thus, maintaining a sound root surface and early treatment intervention reduces the risk of tooth dysfunction (morphological destruction) and loss.

DATABASE FILTERS:

P:Tooth/Subject characteristics-Older adults, 65 years of age or more, male and female participants, regional rural Iowa residents, race unspecified, functional status-non-institutionalized level unspecified, risk level unspecified

I:Root caries

P(C-not applicable): Probability/Statistical significance for decision data only/Clinical significance-dataset over 20 years old/Utility data not included/Cost data not included/Meaning in practice undetermined.

O:Each year through a three year cycle, caries progression from a sound root surface

A:Data attached:

■ Published manuscript

□ Unpublished manuscript

□ Raw data

R:Primary author contact information present
Primary Shoulder Arthroplasty Versus Conservative Treatment for Comminuted Proximal Humeral Fractures: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: den Hartog Dennis , de Haan Jeroen , Schep Niels W. , Tuinebreijer Wim E.
Published: November 2010

The objective was to identify whether arthroplasty or conservative treatment is the best available treatment for three- and four-part proximal humeral fractures by analyzing the outcome measure of the Constant score. We conducted an electronic search. The systematic review included 33 studies encompassing 1096 patients with three- or four-part proximal humeral fractures that used the Constant score as outcome measure. The mean Constant score in the conservative group was 66.5 and in the arthroplasty group was 55.5. The difference could be attributed to selection bias, unreliable classification of the fractures and inter-observer differences in the assessment of the Constant score.
Combined Anterior-Posterior Surgery Versus Posterior Surgery for Thoracolumbar Burst Fractures: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: P. Oprel Pim , Tuinebreijer Wim E , Patka Peter , den Hartog Dennis
Published: November 2010

Study Design:

A systematic quantitative review of the literature.

Objective:

To compare combined anterior-posterior surgery versus posterior surgery for thoracolumbar fractures in order to identify better treatments.

Summary of Background Data:

Axial load of the anterior and middle column of the spine can lead to a burst fracture in the vertebral body. The management of thoracolumbar burst fractures remains controversial. The goals of operative treatment are fracture reduction, fixation and decompressing the neural canal. For this, different operative methods are developed, for instance, the posterior and the combined anterior-posterior approach. Recent systematic qualitative reviews comparing these methods are lacking.

Methods:

We conducted an electronic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS and the Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials.

Results:

Five observational comparative studies and no randomized clinical trials comparing the combined anteriorposterior approach with the posterior approach were retrieved. The total enrollment of patients in these studies was 755 patients. The results were expressed as relative risk (RR) for dichotomous outcomes and weighted mean difference (WMD) for continuous outcomes with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Conclusions:

A small significantly higher kyphotic correction and improvement of vertebral height (sagittal index) observed for the combined anterior-posterior group is cancelled out by more blood loss, longer operation time, longer hospital stay, higher costs and a possible higher intra- and postoperative complication rate requiring re-operation and the possibility of a worsened Hannover spine score. The surgeons’ choices regarding the operative approach are biased: worse cases tended to undergo the combined anterior-posterior approach.
Significance of Elevated Blood Metal Ion Levels in Patients with Metal-on-Metal Prostheses: An Evaluation of Oxidative Stress Markers
Authors: Tkaczyk Cathy , Petit Alain , Antoniou John , Zukor David J , Tabrizian Maryam , Huk Olga L
Published: November 2010

It is widely known that cobalt and chromium ions can enhance the production of reactive oxygen species, known to be damaging to cells by disturbing their redox status and then generating oxidative stress. The aim of the present study was to determine if increased metal ion levels induce a state of oxidative stress in patients with metal-on-metal (MM) hip arthroplasty. Results indicated that there was no significant difference in the concentration of oxidative stress markers (total antioxidants, peroxides, and nitrated proteins) in the patients with MM bearings compared to patients without prostheses. The activity antioxidant enzymes was stable (catalase and glutathione peroxidase) or slightly decreased (superoxide dismutase and heme oxygenase-1) over time. This work is the first to determine the biological effects of metal ions released from MM hip implants with regards to mid-term systemic oxidative stress and showed that the increased levels of Co and Cr ions are not associated with significant oxidative stress damage in the plasma of patients with these implants.
Minerals and Mine Drainage
Authors: Liang H.C. , Thomson Bruce M.
Published: November 2010

A review of literature published in 2009 and early 2010 on research related to the production of acid mine drainage and/or in the dissolution of minerals as a result of mining, with special emphasis on the effects of these phenomena on the water quality in the surrounding environment, is presented. This review is divided into the following sections: 1) Site Characterization and Assessment, 2) Protection, Prevention, and Restoration, 3) Toxicity Assessment, 4) Environmental Fate and Transport, 5) Biological Characterization, and 6) Treatment Technologies. Because there is much overlap in research areas associated with minerals and mine drainage, many papers presented in this review can be classified into more than one category, and the different sections should not be regarded as being mutually– exclusive, nor should they be thought of as being all– inclusive.
Textiles
Authors: Chiavola Agostina
Published: November 2010

A review of the literature published in 2009 on topics relating to the treatment alternatives for wastewater from the textile industries is presented. This review is divided into the following sections: a brief introduction on the implementation of the Best Available Techniques into textile industry, a review of the more promising treatment technologies distinguished into physico‐chemical, biological and combined processes.
Effects of Pollution on Marine Organisms
Authors: Mearns Alan J. , Reish Donald J. , Oshida Philip S. , Ginn Thomas
Published: November 2010

This review covers selected 2009 peerreviewed journal articles on the biological, chemical and physical effects of natural and anthropogenic pollutants on marine and estuarine plants and animals. This review covers field and laboratory measurement activities (concentrations of contaminants, field surveys, toxicity testing and biomarkers). Papers focus further on pollution issues of current interest including endocrine disrupters, wastewater discharges, dredging and disposal, etc. Special emphsis was placed on oil spills due to the major ongoing Deepwater Horizon blowout in the Gulf of Mexico. Several toical areas reviewed in the past were dropped this year due to circumstances beyond our control (including work on the Deepwater Horizon incident). There is considerable overlap across subject areas (e.g.some bioaccumulation papers may be cited in other topical categories). As always, readers should only use this as a guide and must consult the original papers before citing them, including double‐checking units.
Health Effects Associated with Wastewater Treatment, Reuse, and Disposal
Authors: Ikehata Keisuke , Murphy Robert R. , Liu Yang , Sun Ruo Nan , Nessl Michael B.
Published: November 2010

A review of the literature published in 2009 on topics relating to the health effects associated with wastewater treatment, reuse, and disposal is presented. The following topics are covered: wastewater management, microbial and chemical contaminants, ecotoxicity and ecotoxicology, contamination of recreational water, water reclamation and reuse, risk assessment and management, industrial wastewater, wastewater treatment plants, and other miscellaneous issues.
Reporting Difference for Colored Patagial Tags on Ring‐Billed Gulls
Authors: Seamans Thomas W. , Beckerman Scott , Hartmann John , Rader James A. , Blackwell Bradley F.
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACT The possible role of tag color in mediating behaviors that could bias resighting rate has not been examined. In a study that began in 2007, we marked 725 ring‐billed gulls (Larus delawarensis) with Bondcote royal blue, green, yellow, or orange patagial tags. Reports we gathered over 2 years indicated approximately a 3.4:1 bias in resighting rate toward yellow or orange tags. The observed bias is inconsistent with color‐associated visibility bias or differential mortality among color‐tagged breeding adults. Potential behavioral effects of tag color on individuals and conspecifics should be considered by biologists when planning marking studies.
Experimental Investigation of Observation Error in Anuran Call Surveys
Authors: Mcclintock Brett T. , Bailey Larissa L. , Pollock Kenneth H. , Simons Theodore R.
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACT Occupancy models that account for imperfect detection are often used to monitor anuran and songbird species occurrence. However, presence—absence data arising from auditory detections may be more prone to observation error (e.g., false‐positive detections) than are sampling approaches utilizing physical captures or sightings of individuals. We conducted realistic, replicated field experiments using a remote broadcasting system to simulate simple anuran call surveys and to investigate potential factors affecting observation error in these studies. Distance, time, ambient noise, and observer abilities were the most important factors explaining false‐negative detections. Distance and observer ability were the best overall predictors of false‐positive errors, but ambient noise and competing species also affected error rates for some species. False‐positive errors made up 5% of all positive detections, with individual observers exhibiting false‐positive rates between 0.5% and 14%. Previous research suggests false‐positive errors of these magnitudes would induce substantial positive biases in standard estimators of species occurrence, and we recommend practices to mitigate for false positives when developing occupancy monitoring protocols that rely on auditory detections. These recommendations include additional observer training, limiting the number of target species, and establishing distance and ambient noise thresholds during surveys.
Relationship Between Fecal Pellet Counts and Snowshoe Hare Density in Western Wyoming
Authors: Berg Nathan D. , Gese Eric M.
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACT Snowshoe hares (Lepus americanus) are an important prey species for Canada lynx (Lynx canadensis) and are considered critical for lynx population persistence. Determination of snowshoe hare distribution and abundance is needed by land management agencies for lynx conservation. An accepted approach for estimating snowshoe hare abundance is the use of fecal‐pellet plot counts. Locally derived regression equations are preferred for accurate calibration of pellet counts to snowshoe hare density due to local differences in pellet deposition and decomposition. We used linear regression to examine correlations between snowshoe hare density, as determined by mark–recapture estimates, and pellet plot counts on both uncleared plots and annually cleared plots on the Bridger‐Teton National Forest, western Wyoming, USA. We found significant correlations between snowshoe hare density estimates and fecal pellet counts for both uncleared and annually cleared pellet counts; however, the relationship was stronger (higher r) when using pellet counts from annually cleared plots. In addition, we found that adjusting the buffer size by omitting hard habitat edges (not used by hares) around trapping grids improved correlations between snowshoe hare density and fecal pellet counts for both uncleared plots and annually cleared plots. Though precision is sacrificed when using uncleared plots, they may be useful as a coarse index of habitat use by snowshoe hares. Our derived regression equations may be useful to identify important foraging habitat for Canada lynx in western Wyoming. Land managers responsible for conserving snowshoe hare habitat in western Wyoming may use these equations to monitor changes in hare populations among habitats and during prescribed management actions.
Comparative Performance of Three Brands of Lightweight Global Positioning System Collars
Authors: Blackie Helen M.
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACT Recent miniaturization and weight reductions of Global Positioning System (GPS) collars have opened up deployment opportunities on a new array of terrestrial animal species, but the performance of lightweight (<90 g) GPS collars has not been evaluated. I examined the success of 42 GPS collars from 3 manufacturers (Televilt/TVP Positioning, AB, Lindesburg, Sweden; Sirtrack Ltd., Havelock North, New Zealand; H.A.B.I.T [HABIT] Research Ltd., Victoria, BC, Canada) in stationary, open‐sky conditions and during deployments on brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula), a nocturnal arboreal marsupial. I assessed performance of these collars in terms of technical malfunctions, fix‐success rates, battery longevity, and aspects of location quality. Technical malfunctions occurred in >50% of HABIT and Televilt collars, whereas all Sirtrack collars operated normally. Fix‐success rates for all brands were significantly higher during stationary tests than when deployed on brushtail possums. HABIT and Televilt brands functioned poorly in field conditions, with success rates of 16.2% and 2.1%, respectively. Sirtrack collars had the highest fix rate when deployed (64.8%). I modified several HABIT collars by changing the GPS antenna location, with a resultant substantial increase in field fix success (92.6%). Most collars ceased working before they reached 50% of their manufacturer‐estimated life expectancy. Suboptimal placement of GPS antenna, combined with short satellite acquisition times and long fix intervals, were a likely cause of low fix‐success rates and premature battery failures. Researchers wanting to employ lightweight GPS collars must be aware of current limitations and should carefully consider prospects of low fix rates and limited battery lives before deciding whether these units are capable of meeting study objectives.
Sweep‐Net Sampling Acorns in Forested Wetlands
Authors: Weegman Mitch D. , Kaminski Richard M. , Wang Guiming , Schummer Michael L. , Ezell Andrew W. , Leininger Theodor D.
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACT We are unaware of any previous studies to evaluate using a sweep net to estimate abundance of red oak acorns (Quercus spp.) after they fall from tree crowns, sink to the ground in flooded bottomlands (i.e., sound acorns), and become potential food for animals or propagules for seedlings. We placed known numbers of white‐painted red oak acorns of 3 size classes and used a sweep net to recover them in a flooded hardwood bottomland in Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge, Mississippi, USA. We recovered large acorns 1.96 and 1.32 times more often than small and medium acorns, respectively. Mean recovery rate of all marked acorns across size and density classes was 34.0 ± 7.0% (SE, n = 9). Thus, sweep‐net sampling for sound acorns in flooded oak bottomlands may yield negatively biased estimates of acorn abundance, and investigators should consider using correction factors.
Effects of Earn‐a‐Buck and Special Antlerless‐Only Seasons on Wisconsin's Deer Harvests
Authors: Van Deelen Timothy R. , Dhuey Brian J. , Jacques Christopher N. , Mccaffery Keith R. , Rolley Robert E. , Warnke Keith
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACT Effective management of wildlife populations often requires motivating hunters to harvest sufficient numbers of animals of prescribed sex and age classes to meet management goals. For cervids, it is convenient to design harvest regulations relative to presence (male) or absence (young and female) of antlers because harvest of females has a larger effect on population growth. We used regression techniques to evaluate effects of 2 supplemental hunting programs based on additional days of hunting opportunity and an additional incentive used to complement additional days on harvest of antlered and antlerless deer in Wisconsin, USA. Earn‐a‐buck regulations, an incentive‐based program that requires hunters to register an antlerless deer before being authorized to harvest an antlered deer, were associated with an average increase of 2.04 deer/km2 in antlerless harvest and a 0.60 deer/km2 decrease in harvest of antlered deer. Providing more opportunity for hunting of antlerless deer in the form of 4‐ and 8‐day supplemental firearm seasons was associated with 1.10 deer/km2 and 1.32 deer/km2 increases, respectively, in antlerless harvest with trivial (0.02 deer/km2 and 0.09 deer/km2) decreases in harvests of antlered deer. Our analysis suggests that extra days of hunting opportunity coupled with the earn‐a‐buck incentive was 56–88% more effective at increasing antlerless harvest relative to additional days of hunting without the incentive. Use of the earn‐a‐buck incentive resulted in decreased harvest of antlered deer and was disliked by many hunters. Quantifying these relationships is important for helping managers predict the costs and benefits of various hunting programs.
Thermal Properties of Tree Cavities During Winter in a Northern Hardwood Forest
Authors: Coombs Andrea B. , Bowman Jeff , Garroway Colin J.
Published: November 2010

ABSTRACT Tree cavities likely vary in their thermal quality for cavity‐nesting animals, which could be especially important during winter. We conducted a winter field experiment to test whether cavities vary either in their buffering capacity or in their mean temperature according to predictable characteristics. We found that cavities buffered temperature and that there was a lag effect in temperature that appeared to be related to heating and cooling. Diameter at breast height was the most important variable influencing cavity temperature during the day, with smaller trees warming up more. During the night, diameter at breast height and tree decay class were important, such that larger, live trees cooled down less. Maintaining live trees with cavities in managed forests should be considered in addition to snag retention, because live trees appear to provide warmer structures during winter.
Development and Validation of an Electronic Health Record–Based Chronic Kidney Disease Registry
Authors: Navaneethan Sankar D. , Jolly Stacey E. , Schold Jesse D. , Arrigain Susana , Saupe Welf , Sharp John , Lyons Jennifer , Simon James F. , Schreiber Martin J. , Jain Anil , Nally Joseph V.
Published: November 2010

Background and objectives

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is increasing, and outcomes-related research from diverse health care settings is needed to target appropriate efforts and interventions. We developed an electronic health record (EHR)-based CKD registry at the Cleveland Clinic and validated comorbid conditions.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

Patients who had at least one face-to-face outpatient encounter with a Cleveland Clinic health care provider and (1) had two estimated GFR values <60 ml/min per 1.73 m2 >90 days apart as of January 1, 2005 and/or (2) were patients with International Classification of Diseases-9 (ICD-9) diagnosis codes for kidney disease were included.

Results

Our registry includes 57,276 patients (53,399 patients met estimated GFR criteria and 3877 patients met ICD-9 diagnosis code criteria) as of March 2010. Mean age was 69.5 ± 13.4 years, with 55% women and 12% African Americans. Medicare is the primary insurer for more than one half of the study cohort. The κ statistics to assess the extent of agreement between the administrative dataset extracted from the EHR and actual EHR chart review showed substantial agreement (>0.80) for all conditions except for coronary artery disease and hypertension, which had moderate agreement (<0.60).

Conclusions

Development of an EHR-based CKD registry is feasible in a large health system, and the comorbid conditions included in the registry are reliable. In addition to conducting research studies, such a registry could help to improve the quality of care delivered to CKD patients and complement the ongoing nationwide efforts to develop a CKD surveillance project.
Recurrent Deep Intronic Mutations in the SLC12A3 Gene Responsible for Gitelman's Syndrome
Authors: Lo Yi-Fen , Nozu Kandai , Iijima Kazumoto , Morishita Takahiro , Huang Che-Chung , Yang Sung-Sen , Sytwu Huey-Kang , Fang Yu-Wei , Tseng Min-Hua , Lin Shih-Hua
Published: November 2010

Background and objectives

Gitelman's syndrome (GS) is an autosomal recessive renal tubular disorder caused by mutations in the SLC12A3 gene encoding the thiazide-sensitive Na+-Cl− cotransporter (NCC). Despite meticulous sequencing of genomic DNA, approximately one-third of GS patients are negative or heterozygotes for the known mutations.

Design, Setting, Participants, & Measurements

Because blood leukocytes express NCC mRNA, we evaluate whether deep intronic mutations contribute to GS patients with uniallelic or undetectable SLC12A3 mutations. Twenty-nine patients with GS (men/women = 16/13), including eight negative and 21 uniallelic SLC12A3 mutations from 19 unrelated families, and normal controls were enrolled in an academic medical center. Analysis of cDNA from blood leukocytes, sequencing of the corresponding introns of genomic DNA for abnormal transcript, and analysis of NCC protein expression from renal biopsy were performed.

Results

We identified nine Taiwan aboriginal patients carrying c.1670–191C→T mutations in intron 13 and 10 nonaboriginal patients carrying c.2548+253C→T mutations in intron 21 from 14 families (14/19). These two mutations undetected in 100 healthy subjects created pseudoexons containing new premature termination codons. Haplotype analysis with markers flanking SLC12A3 revealed that both mutations did not have founder effects. Apical NCC expression in the DCT of renal tissue was markedly diminished in two patients carrying deep intronic mutations.

Conclusions

Deep intronic mutations in SLC12A3 causing defective NCC expression can be identified with the RNA-based approach in patients with GS. c.1670–191C→T and c.2548+253C→T are hot spot mutations that can be screened in GS patients with uniallelic or negative SLC12A3 mutations.
A Guide to Design and Testing in Online Psychology Courses
Authors: Kinney Norman E.
Published: November 2010

A rapidly evolving reality in the teaching of psychology is the increasing prevalence of entirely web-based psychology courses. The author addresses basic design and testing issues of online courses and presents a frank discussion and evaluation of current technology problems and teaching strategies employed. Data and analysis of testing results from paired on-campus and online sections of an introductory psychology course are discussed, as well as their implications for broader issues of learning and performance. Developing and implementing a successful web-based course requires effective use of existing software and hardware solutions to achieve many traditional teaching goals, together with a willingness to adapt to the new demands, limitations and strengths of the online environment. The development of online classrooms is largely market-driven and it appears they are here to stay.
British Psychology Students' Perceptions of Group-Work and Peer Assessment
Authors: Walker Ann
Published: November 2010

This paper reports on part of an Action Research project into students' perceptions of group-work and peer assessment which was carried out by the author to meet part of the requirements for her postgraduate teaching certificate in Higher Education. One-hundred-and-fifty-six first-year psychology students were asked to complete questionnaires regarding their attitudes towards participating in group-work and peer assessment both before and after participating in a small group project. By asking the students to provide written comments qualitative measures were also collected. The results regarding group-work showed that in general the students were favourably disposed towards participating in group-work. However, there were concerns expressed regarding inequalities in workload distribution and in whether students learned more by working independently. The results regarding peer assessment showed that following participation the students were much more positive although concerns existed regarding the possibility of bias and lack of training. The implications for group projects and peer assessment on Higher Education courses are discussed.
Concerns about “Teaching” at Professional Conferences
Authors: Perlman Baron , McCann Lee I.
Published: November 2010

Faculty, as “students” at professional meetings, expect high quality “teaching.” We obtained their complaints about the teaching they received at conferences and found concerns across the teaching spectrum. These concerns can serve as guidelines for presenters to improve the quality of their presentations and pedagogy.
Critical Analysis of Psychological Research: Rationale and Design for a Proposed Course for the Undergraduate Psychology Curriculum
Authors: Barber Paul
Published: November 2010

Critical thinking about psychological research appears seldom to be taught to an advanced level on UK psychology degrees, or to be allocated a substantial amount of learning/teaching time at any level. It is likely that students may graduate with an inaccurate and passive uncritical view of discipline knowledge unless the relevant skills needed to appraise that knowledge are acquired. A common assumption seems to be that this is implicitly recognised in traditional research methods teaching, and the skills are therefore emergent from conventional lectures, practicals and research projects. Since the manifold pressures on students and teachers combine to increase the reliance on secondary sources, the explicit provision of a course in critical thinking about research should be considered. It is argued that this is best offered at a relatively late stage in a psychology degree programme. Since psychology graduates are more likely to become research users than research producers, it is argued that skills training for critical analysis of research reports will be professionally advantageous. A framework for a critical analysis course is described to enable students to undertake a comprehensive critical appraisal of a research article. This is based on a long-established final-year course that treats critical analysis, of published research papers, as the vehicle for training students to treat the literature with more circumspection, and the respect it deserves.
A Discipline-Based Undergraduate Skills Module
Authors: Elander James
Published: November 2010

This paper describes the development and evaluation of a discipline-based skills module at Level 1 in the undergraduate psychology curriculum. The module combined generic and subject-specific skills teaching, linked skills provision with the personal tutor system and included practical exercises to promote deep learning and improve study skills. Student feedback showed that workshops and tutorials on essay writing were the most valued part of the module. The module assessment (a coursework essay about skills in higher education) was the part that most students asked to change. The response of psychology tutors was mixed and many tutors initially expressed misgivings about teaching generic skills. Following feedback from both students and tutors, the module developed to allow closer integration between generic skills and subject-specific teaching. Student progression across the psychology programme as a whole was not markedly higher after the introduction of the module by comparison with before, but other factors may also have affected student progression during that period. The module was designed to support student learning in psychology but, with adaptations of content, the approach of linking skills provision with subject-specific teaching and the personal tutor system could be applied in a range of other disciplines.
Welsh-Medium Teaching in Psychology
Authors: Thomas Enlli Môn
Published: November 2010

Teaching psychology through the medium of Welsh is a new development. It raises important issues relating to methods of teaching the subject, and derives from the desire to provide practising psychologists with the training to be able to better serve the Welsh-speaking population of Wales.

This paper outlines the problems with Welsh provision that psychologists are able to offer at present. It provides examples of how the Welsh-speaking population is currently at a disadvantage, and proposes that the development of Welsh-medium teaching offers one way of addressing the problem.
Increasing Student Numbers: Diminishing Tutor Insight?
Authors: Sander Paul
Published: November 2010

In order to provide efficient and effective education it is essential that teachers understand their students as learners. With small class sizes informal means may be sufficient; however, the current climate in higher education is rightly promoting greater participation and student diversity which is leading to larger and less heterogeneous classes since there has been no concomitant increase in resources. Therefore, more formalised means to understand students as learners may be required. One strategy to facilitate this would be survey methods. These could be employed to enable teachers to understand students' expectations of teaching, learning and assessment; their conceptions of learning; their epistemological beliefs; and their reflective thinking abilities. Insights from such surveys may enable teachers to construct more effective learning environments for their many and diverse students.
Self-Perception of Intelligence in Male and Female Undergraduates in Old and New Welsh Universities
Authors: Workman Lance
Published: November 2010

In 1991 John Major's UK government announced that the binary divide in UK higher education was to be phased out as polytechnics would be given permission by the Privy Council to apply for university status. But has the binary divide really ceased to exist in higher education? Given that the ‘old’ universities typically ask for higher A-level grades than the ‘new’ ones we might ask: do students at new universities perceive themselves as being less able than those at old universities? In addition to the possibility of differences between institutions we might also ask do the sexes differ in their self-perceptions of intelligence? Over the last 25 years, a number of studies have demonstrated a robust gender difference in self-estimation of intelligence, with female undergraduates consistently producing lower ratings of their own intelligence than their male counterparts (see for example Hogan, 1978; Higgins, 1987 and Furnham, 2000, 2001). Does this situation still prevail in today's universities where more women than men now enter higher education? Finally, given the rapid rise in the proportion of the population entering higher education during the 1990s we might ask whether this rise has had an effect on the self-perception of intelligence in students. The current study was designed to throw some light on all three of these questions by simply asking undergraduate samples at an old and a new Welsh university what score they think they would achieve on an IQ test. The findings suggest that female undergraduates still rate themselves less highly than males, that students attending new universities perceive themselves as being less intelligent than those studying at old universities and finally, that during the 1990s there was a general fall in self-estimates of IQ amongst university students.
Shyness and Students' Perceptions of Seminars
Authors: Crozier W. Ray
Published: November 2010

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of shyness on students' perceptions of seminars, particularly their estimates of the frequency of their participation, their reasons for remaining quiet in class and their satisfaction with their performance. A questionnaire constructed for this study was administered to a sample of students in one British university along with the Cheek-Buss shyness scale. Across the whole sample, students' knowledge, the content of seminars and the tutor's style of leading them were most frequently endorsed as important reasons for being quiet. Nevertheless reasons related to shyness were judged as very important by approximately 25% of the sample. Scores on the shyness scale were negatively correlated with estimates of participation and were significantly associated with greater emphasis on nervousness and embarrassment as reasons for quietness in class. Factor analysis of questionnaire responses identified three dimensions of perceptions of seminars: confidence in participation, inhibition and positive attitudes. Shy students differed from their peers on all three dimensions and inhibition was a prominent factor in their expressed dissatisfaction with their performance – they are not unwilling to participate but feel inhibited from doing so. The implications of the findings for encouraging participation in class are discussed.
Skills and Attributes Developed by Psychology Undergraduates: Ratings by Undergraduates, Postgraduates, Academic Psychologists and Professional Practitioners
Authors: O'Hare Liam , McGuinness Carol
Published: November 2010

The question of graduate skills and attributes is increasingly central in higher education. In addition, the specification of both subject-specific and generic skills for each discipline was part of Quality Assurance Agency's (QAA) benchmarking exercise. This paper reports what skills and attributes are well developed in a psychology degree, through the ratings of four pertinent groups. Fifty student skills and attributes (derived from the QAA Graduate Standards Programme) were rated on a five-point scale by undergraduates (n = 30), postgraduates (n = 42), academic psychologists (n = 20) and professional practitioners (n = 18). Each person was asked to rate how well a psychology degree promoted the development of each skill/attribute. Factor analysis yielded three higher order groupings which were labelled: (i) thinking skills (including interpreting and evaluating information, testing hypotheses, critical reasoning); (ii) self-management skills (including time management, self-discipline, organising,); and (iii) corporate management skills (including managing people and resources, negotiating, networking). Analysis of variance showed that thinking skills were rated highest across all groups, followed by self-management skills. Corporate-management skills were rated as least well developed. However, skill development in general was considered just above average (rated 3.54 on a 5 point scale). For the most part, academics and practitioners rated skill development lower than the student groups. Academics rated thinking skills and professional practitioners rated self-management skills significantly lower than the student groups. All groups agreed that ‘corporate-management skills’ were least well developed in psychology undergraduate courses. The implications of these results for curriculum development, for developing awareness of skills and attributes and for communication between the different groups are discussed.
Giving Formative Feedback in Higher Education
Authors: Deeprose Catherine , Armitage Christopher
Published: November 2010

There is substantial interest in increased use of formative assessment in higher education. We report on the introduction of a minimal formative assessment measure. Tutors on a level one undergraduate psychology course provided assessment of individual student contribution to tutorials. Using a combination of rating scales and open-ended questions, we examined student (n = 49) and tutor (n = 8) perceptions of the impact of this assessment measure. Students reported increases in their perceptions of preparation, contribution, motivation and reward as a result of the assessment, whereas tutors did not. Implications for higher education practice and theory are discussed.
Some of My Friends are Fat, others are Thin and Some are Built like Arnold Schwarzenegger: A Body Typing Exercise That Teaches Critical Thinking
Authors: Boatright-Horowitz Su , Mashikian Sonia
Published: November 2010

Undergraduate students benefit from a class exercise that examines the relationship between body builds and personality characteristics. Procedures were designed to allow students to confront biases about their own friends and acquaintances in the context of Sheldon's somatotypes (Sheldon and Stevens, 1940; Sheldon, Stevens and Tucker, 1942). Class discussion about this demonstration can incorporate a broad range of topic areas, including stereotyping, the history of personality theory, personality assessment techniques, the importance of research control and the limitations of correlational research.
Who Learns More? Achievement Scores following Web-Based versus Classroom Instruction in Psychology Courses
Authors: Mottarella Karen , Fritzsche Barbara , Parrish Tiffany
Published: November 2010

This study examined 145 students' course grades and scores on a standardised achievement test (the Area Concentration Achievement Test [ACAT] in Psychology) following completion of web-based, web-enhanced or classroom courses in basic learning. We found that students in web-based courses had lower course grades than those in either classroom-based or web-enhanced courses. Moreover, students in web-based or web-enhanced courses scored lower on the ACAT Human Learning subtest than did students in classroom-based instruction. Thus we found poorer outcomes associated with web-based rather than classroom-based instruction. Perhaps neither standardised tests nor grades capture the strengths of web-based pedagogy. More research is needed to assess learning outcomes across various modes of instruction in order to identify variables that can maximise success of web-based instruction and perhaps also to better capture the strengths of web-based pedagogy.
Role-Play Discussion: A Technique for Engaging Students in Discussion
Authors: Rosell Michelle Ceynar
Published: November 2010

The role-play discussion technique is introduced, where students are given the role of parents dealing with bullying incidents in the school. This technique promotes active engagement in discussion for all members of a class by requiring each student to share information that was ostensibly provided by their child regarding the incidents. ‘Parents’ are given partial and sometimes false information and must come to conclusions about the events through discussion. A discussion leader (playing the principal) guides discussion of the events and possible solutions. Student evaluations of the exercise were quite favourable. Possible variations in the topics and format of the discussion are proposed.