bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Eastern Question as a Europe question: Viewing the ascent of ‘Europe’ through the lens of Ottoman decline
Authors: Schumacher Leslie Rogne
Published: March 2014

During the nineteenth century, the decline of the Ottoman Empire emerged as a central issue in European politics and society. While this so-called ‘Eastern Question’ has long featured in diplomatic histories, there has been little attention to how ‘Europe’, as place and idea, may have developed in tandem with the events and dynamics that made up the Eastern Question. This article looks at three major events in the narrative of the Eastern Question to demonstrate how Europeans were – and still are – influenced by their relationship to and role in Ottoman decline, noting how such events produced experiences and values now associated with what, where and why ‘Europe’ is. Indeed, ongoing debates over the accession to the European Union of former Ottoman territories in south-eastern Europe and the Near East clearly exhibit the persistence of language, ideals and forms that were constructed during the era of the Eastern Question.
The Threat of War and Psychological Distress Among Civilians Working in Iraq and Afghanistan
Authors: Bierman Alex , Kelty Ryan
Published: March 2014

Research documents the mental health toll of combat operations on military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan, but little research examines civilians who work alongside members of the military. In this research, we argue that a sense of threat is an “ambient stressor” that permeates daily life among civilians who work in these war zones, with mastery likely to both mediate and moderate the mental health effects of this stressor. Using a unique probability sample of Department of Army civilians, we find that threat is positively related to distress, but mastery mediates this relationship nonlinearly, with the indirect relationship between threat and distress strengthening as threat increases. The moderating function of mastery is also nonlinear, with moderate levels of mastery providing maximum stress buffering. This research suggests that contextual conditions of constraint can create nonlinearities in the way that mastery mediates and moderates the effects of ambient stressors.
Development and antimicrobial susceptibility studies of in vitro monomicrobial and polymicrobial biofilm models with Aspergillus fumigatus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Manavathu Elias K , Vager Dora L , Vazquez Jose A
Published: March 2014

Background

Mixed microbial infections of the respiratory tracts withP. aeruginosaandA. fumigatuscapable of producing biofilms are commonly found in cystic fibrosis patients. The primary objective of this study was to develop anin vitromodel forP. aeruginosaandA. fumigatuspolymicrobial biofilm to study the efficacy of various antimicrobial drugs alone and in combinations against biofilm-embedded cells. Simultaneous static cocultures ofP. aeruginosaand sporelings were used for the development of in vitroP. aeruginosa-A. fumigatuspolymicrobial biofilm in SD broth in 24-well cell culture plates at 35°C, and the biofilm formation was monitored microscopically and spectrophotometrically. UsingP. aeruginosa-A. fumigatussporelings cocultures we examined the effects of various antimicrobial drugs alone and in combination against polymicrobial biofilm by CFU and tetrazolium reduction assays.

Results

In simultaneous static coculturesP. aeruginosacells killedA. fumigatusconidia, whereas the bacterial cells showed no substantial fungicidal effect on sporelings grown for 12 h or longer at 35°C. Monospecies cultures ofP. aeruginosaproduced loosely adhered monomicrobial biofilm and addition of 10% bovine serum to the growth medium inhibited the formation of monomicrobial biofilm byP. aeruginosawhereas it produced tightly adhered polymicrobial biofilm in the presence ofA. fumigatusmycelial growth.A. fumigatusproduced firmly adherent monomicrobial and polymicrobial biofilms. A comparison of CFU and MTT assays showed that the latter is unsuitable for studying the effectiveness of antimicrobial treatment against polymicrobial biofilm. Tobramycin alone and in combination with posaconazole was highly effective against monomicrobial and polymicrobial biofilms ofP. aeruginosawhereas cefepime alone and in combination with posaconazole showed excellent activity against monomicrobial biofilm ofP. aeruginosabut was less effective against polymicrobial biofilm. Monomicrobial and polymicrobial biofilms ofA. fumigatusshowed similar susceptibility to posaconazole with and without the antibacterial drug.

Conclusions

Simultaneous static coculture ofA. fumigatussporelings grown for 12 h or longer was superior to ungerminated conidia withP. aeruginosafor the development ofA. fumigatus-P. aeruginosabiofilm.P. aeruginosa-A. fumigatuspolymicrobial biofilm shows differential susceptibility to antimicrobial drugs whereas the susceptibility ofA. fumigatusto antimicrobial drugs was unchanged.
Dose-dependent inhibition of gastric injury by hydrogen in alkaline electrolyzed drinking water
Authors: Xue Jinling , Shang Guodong , Tanaka Yoshinori , Saihara Yasuhiro , Hou Lingyan , Velasquez Natalia , Liu Wenjun , Lu Yun
Published: March 2014

Background

Hydrogen has been reported to relieve damage in many disease models, and is a potential additive in drinking water to provide protective effects for patients as several clinical studies revealed. However, the absence of a dose–response relationship in the application of hydrogen is puzzling. We attempted to identify the dose–response relationship of hydrogen in alkaline electrolyzed drinking water through the aspirin induced gastric injury model.

Methods

In this study, hydrogen-rich alkaline water was obtained by adding H2 to electrolyzed water at one atmosphere pressure. After 2 weeks of drinking, we detected the gastric mucosal damage together with MPO, MDA and 8-OHdG in rat aspirin induced gastric injury model.

Results

Hydrogen-dose dependent inhibition was observed in stomach mucosal. Under pH 8.5, 0.07, 0.22 and 0.84 ppm hydrogen exhibited a high correlation with inhibitory effects showed by erosion area, MPO activity and MDA content in the stomach. Gastric histology also demonstrated the inhibition of damage by hydrogen-rich alkaline water. However, 8-OHdG level in serum did not have significant hydrogen-dose dependent effect. pH 9.5 showed higher but not significant inhibitory response compared with pH 8.5.

Conclusions

Hydrogen is effective in relieving the gastric injury induced by aspirin-HCl, and the inhibitory effect is dose-dependent. The reason behind this may be that hydrogen-rich water directly interacted with the target tissue, while the hydrogen concentration in blood was buffered by liver glycogen, evoking a suppressed dose–response effect. Drinking hydrogen-rich water may protect healthy individuals from gastric damage caused by oxidative stress.
Validation of the effects of TGF-β1 on tumor recurrence and prognosis through tumor retrieval and cell mechanical properties
Authors: Wu Tsung-Hsien , Chou Yu-Wei , Chiu Pei-Hung , Tang Ming-Jer , Hu Chun-Wen , Yeh Ming-Long
Published: March 2014

Background

In vivo, the transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1)-induced epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) occurs in seconds during cancer cells intravasation and extravasation. Although it has been established that cellular stiffness can change as a cancer cell transformed, the precise relationship between TGF-β1-induced mesenchymal stem cell mechanics and cancer prognosis remains unclear. Accordingly, it is hard to define the effects of EMT on cell mechanical properties (CMs), tumor recurrence and metastasis risks. This study bridges physical and pathological disciplines to reconcile single-cell mechanical measurements of tumor cells.

Methods and results

We developed a microplate measurement system (MMS) and revealed the intrinsic divergent tumor composition of retrieval cells by cell stiffness and adhesion force and flow cytometry analysis. After flow cytometry sorting, we could measure the differences in CMs of the Sca-1+-CD44+ (mesenchymal-stem-cell-type) and the other subgroups. As well as the stiffer and heterogeneous compositions among tumor tissues with higher recurrence risk were depicted by MMS and atomic force microscopy (AFM). An in vitro experiment validated that Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) cells acquired higher CMs and motility after EMT, but abrogated by SB-505124 inhibition. Concomitantly, the CD31, MMP13 and TGF-β1 enriched micro-environment in the tumor was associated with higher recurrence and distal lung metastasis risks. Furthermore, we report a comprehensive effort to correlate CMs to tumor-prognosis indicators, in which a decreased body weight gain ratio (BWG) and increased tumor weight (TW) were correlated with increased CMs.

Conclusions

Together, we determined that TGF-β1 was significantly associated with malignant tumor progressing. In terms of clinical applications, local tumor excision followed by MMS analysis offers an opportunity to predict tumor recurrence and metastasis risks.
Estimating the number of injection drug users in greater Victoria, Canada using capture-recapture methods
Authors: Xu Yuan , Fyfe Murray , Walker Liz , Cowen Laura LE
Published: March 2014

Background

Population size estimation is critical for planning public health programmes for injection drug users. Estimation is difficult, as these populations are considered 'hidden’ or 'hard to reach’. The currently accepted population size estimate for greater Victoria, Canada is between 1,500 and 2,000 individuals, which is dated prior to the year 2000, and is likely an underestimate.

Methods

We used three mark-recapture methods (the Lincoln-Petersen estimator, Huggins' model, and Pledger's model) to estimate population size using cross-sectional survey data collected in 2003 and 2005. Data come from a closed population with two time-ordered samples from the same source. We compare our estimates with the currently accepted estimate that is based on the registry of a Victoria needle exchange.

Results

All methods provided population size estimates that were higher than the currently accepted estimate. Huggins' method produced wider confidence intervals. Point estimates of population size from the three methods ranged from 3,329 to 3,342.

Conclusions

Our estimates will aid health authorities in planning for harm reduction programmes. Repeating the methods as further phases of I-Track data become available will ensure that the population estimates remain up to date.
The relationship between cervical flexor endurance, cervical extensor endurance, VAS, and disability in subjects with neck pain
Authors: Parazza Sergio , Vanti Carla , O’Reilly Caroline , Villafañe Jorge Hugo , Tricás Moreno José Miguel , Estébanez De Miguel Elena
Published: March 2014

Background

Several tests have been suggested to assess the isometric endurance of the cervical flexor (NFME) and extensors (NEE) muscles. This study proposes to determine whether neck flexors endurance is related to extensor endurance, and whether cervical muscle endurance is related to disability, pain amount and pain stage in subjects with neck pain.

Methods

Thirty subjects (18 women, 12 men, mean ± SD age: 43 ± 12 years) complaining of neck pain filled out the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and the Neck Pain and Disability Scale-Italian version (NPDS-I). They also completed the timed endurance tests for the cervical muscles.

Results

The mean endurance was 246.7 ± 150 seconds for the NEE test, and 44.9 ± 25.3 seconds for the NMFE test. A significant correlation was found between the results of these two tests (r = 0.52, p = 0.003). A positive relationship was also found between VAS and NPDS-I (r = 0.549, p = 0.002). The endurance rates were similar for acute/subacute and chronic subjects, whereas males demonstrated significantly higher values compared to females in NFME test.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that neck flexors and extensors endurance are correlated and that the cervical endurance is not significantly altered by the duration of symptoms in subjects with neck pain.
The brain-enriched microRNA miR-124 in plasma predicts neurological outcome after cardiac arrest
Authors: Gilje Patrik , Gidlöf Olof , Rundgren Malin , Cronberg Tobias , Al-Mashat Mariam , Olde Björn , Friberg Hans , Erlinge David
Published: March 2014

Introduction

Early prognostication after successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation is difficult, and there is a need for novel methods to estimate the extent of brain injury and predict outcome. In this study, we evaluated the impact of the cardiac arrest syndrome on the plasma levels of selected tissue-specific microRNAs (miRNAs) and assessed their ability to prognosticate death and neurological disability.

Methods

We included 65 patients treated with hypothermia after cardiac arrest in the study. Blood samples were obtained at 24 hours and at 48 hours. For miRNA-screening purposes, custom quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) panels were first used. Thereafter individual miRNAs were assessed at 48 hours with qPCR. miRNAs that successfully predicted prognosis at 48 hours were further analysed at 24 hours. Outcomes were measured according to the Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) score at 6 months after cardiac arrest and stratified into good (CPC score 1 or 2) or poor (CPC scores 3 to 5).

Results

At 48 hours, miR-146a, miR-122, miR-208b, miR-21, miR-9 and miR-128 did not differ between the good and poor neurological outcome groups. In contrast, miR-124 was significantly elevated in patients with poor outcomes compared with those with favourable outcomes (P < 0.0001) at 24 hours and 48 hours after cardiac arrest. Analysis of receiver operating characteristic curves at 24 and 48 hours after cardiac arrest showed areas under the curve of 0.87 (95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.79 to 0.96) and 0.89 (95% CI = 0.80 to 0.97), respectively.

Conclusions

The brain-enriched miRNA miR-124 is a promising novel biomarker for prediction of neurological prognosis following cardiac arrest.
A comprehensive evaluation of assembly scaffolding tools
Authors: Hunt Martin , Newbold Chris , Berriman Matthew , Otto Thomas D
Published: March 2014

Background

Genome assembly is typically a two-stage process: contig assembly followed by the use of paired sequencing reads to join contigs into scaffolds. Scaffolds are usually the focus of reported assembly statistics; longer scaffolds greatly facilitate the use of genome sequences in downstream analyses, and it is appealing to present larger numbers as metrics of assembly performance. However, scaffolds are highly prone to errors, especially when generated using short reads, which can directly result in inflated assembly statistics.

Results

Here we provide the first independent evaluation of scaffolding tools for second-generation sequencing data. We find large variations in the quality of results depending on the tool and dataset used. Even extremely simple test cases of perfect input, constructed to elucidate the behaviour of each algorithm, produced some surprising results. We further dissect the performance of the scaffolders using real and simulated sequencing data derived from the genomes of Staphylococcus aureus, Rhodobacter sphaeroides, Plasmodium falciparum and Homo sapiens. The results from simulated data are of high quality, with several of the tools producing perfect output. However, at least 10% of joins remains unidentified when using real data.

Conclusions

The scaffolders vary in their usability, speed and number of correct and missed joins made between contigs. Results from real data highlight opportunities for further improvements of the tools. Overall, SGA, SOPRA and SSPACE generally outperform the other tools on our datasets. However, the quality of the results is highly dependent on the read mapper and genome complexity.
The genome and life-stage specific transcriptomes of Globodera pallidaelucidate key aspects of plant parasitism by a cyst nematode
Authors: Cotton James A , Lilley Catherine J , Jones Laura M , Kikuchi Taisei , Reid Adam J , Thorpe Peter , Tsai Isheng J , Beasley Helen , Blok Vivian , Cock Peter J A , den Akker Sebastian Eves-van , Holroyd Nancy , Hunt Martin , Mantelin Sophie , Naghra Hardeep , Pain Arnab , Palomares-Rius Juan E , Zarowiecki Magdalena , Berriman Matthew , Jones John T , Urwin Peter E
Published: March 2014

Background

Globodera pallida is a devastating pathogen of potato crops, making it one of the most economically important plant parasitic nematodes. It is also an important model for the biology of cyst nematodes. Cyst nematodes and root-knot nematodes are the two most important plant parasitic nematode groups and together represent a global threat to food security.

Results

We present the complete genome sequence of G. pallida, together with transcriptomic data from most of the nematode life cycle, particularly focusing on the life cycle stages involved in root invasion and establishment of the biotrophic feeding site. Despite the relatively close phylogenetic relationship with root-knot nematodes, we describe a very different gene family content between the two groups and in particular extensive differences in the repertoire of effectors, including an enormous expansion of the SPRY domain protein family in G. pallida, which includes the SPRYSEC family of effectors. This highlights the distinct biology of cyst nematodes compared to the root-knot nematodes that were, until now, the only sedentary plant parasitic nematodes for which genome information was available. We also present in-depth descriptions of the repertoires of other genes likely to be important in understanding the unique biology of cyst nematodes and of potential drug targets and other targets for their control.

Conclusions

The data and analyses we present will be central in exploiting post-genomic approaches in the development of much-needed novel strategies for the control of G. pallida and related pathogens.
Inferring gene function from evolutionary change in signatures of translation efficiency
Authors: Krisko Anita , Copic Tea , Gabaldón Toni , Lehner Ben , Supek Fran
Published: March 2014

Background

The genetic code is redundant, meaning that most amino acids can be encoded by more than one codon. Highly expressed genes tend to use optimal codons to increase the accuracy and speed of translation. Thus, codon usage biases provide a signature of the relative expression levels of genes, which can, uniquely, be quantified across the domains of life.

Results

Here we describe a general statistical framework to exploit this phenomenon and to systematically associate genes with environments and phenotypic traits through changes in codon adaptation. By inferring evolutionary signatures of translation efficiency in 911 bacterial and archaeal genomes while controlling for confounding effects of phylogeny and inter-correlated phenotypes, we linked 187 gene families to 24 diverse phenotypic traits. A series of experiments in Escherichia coli revealed that 13 of 15, 19 of 23, and 3 of 6 gene families with changes in codon adaptation in aerotolerant, thermophilic, or halophilic microbes. Respectively, confer specific resistance to, respectively, hydrogen peroxide, heat, and high salinity. Further, we demonstrate experimentally that changes in codon optimality alone are sufficient to enhance stress resistance. Finally, we present evidence that multiple genes with altered codon optimality in aerobes confer oxidative stress resistance by controlling the levels of iron and NAD(P)H.

Conclusions

Taken together, these results provide experimental evidence for a widespread connection between changes in translation efficiency and phenotypic adaptation. As the number of sequenced genomes increases, this novel genomic context method for linking genes to phenotypes based on sequence alone will become increasingly useful.
Guiding Students to Develop an Understanding of Scientific Inquiry: A Science Skills Approach to Instruction and Assessment
Authors: Stone Elisa M.
Published: March 2014

New approaches for teaching and assessing scientific inquiry and practices are essential for guiding students to make the informed decisions required of an increasingly complex and global society. The Science Skills approach described here guides students to develop an understanding of the experimental skills required to perform a scientific investigation. An individual teacher's investigation of the strategies and tools she designed to promote scientific inquiry in her classroom is outlined. This teacher-driven action research in the high school biology classroom presents a simple study design that allowed for reciprocal testing of two simultaneous treatments, one that aimed to guide students to use vocabulary to identify and describe different scientific practices they were using in their investigations—for example, hypothesizing, data analysis, or use of controls—and another that focused on scientific collaboration. A knowledge integration (KI) rubric was designed to measure how students integrated their ideas about the skills and practices necessary for scientific inquiry. KI scores revealed that student understanding of scientific inquiry increased significantly after receiving instruction and using assessment tools aimed at promoting development of specific inquiry skills. General strategies for doing classroom-based action research in a straightforward and practical way are discussed, as are implications for teaching and evaluating introductory life sciences courses at the undergraduate level.
The Project Ownership Survey: Measuring Differences in Scientific Inquiry Experiences
Authors: Hanauer David I. , Dolan Erin L.
Published: March 2014

A growing body of research documents the positive outcomes of research experiences for undergraduates, including increased persistence in science. Study of undergraduate lab learning experiences has demonstrated that the design of the experience influences the extent to which students report ownership of the project and that project ownership is one of the psychosocial factors involved in student retention in the sciences. To date, methods for measuring project ownership have not been suitable for the collection of larger data sets. The current study aims to rectify this by developing, presenting, and evaluating a new instrument for measuring project ownership. Eighteen scaled items were generated based on prior research and theory related to project ownership and combined with 30 items shown to measure respondents’ emotions about an experience, resulting in the Project Ownership survey (POS). The POS was analyzed to determine its dimensionality, reliability, and validity. The POS had a coefficient alpha of 0.92 and thus has high internal consistency. Known-groups validity was analyzed through the ability of the instrument to differentiate between students who studied in traditional versus research-based laboratory courses. The POS scales as differentiated between the groups and findings paralleled previous results in relation to the characteristics of project ownership.
Integrating Quantitative Thinking into an Introductory Biology Course Improves Students’ Mathematical Reasoning in Biological Contexts
Authors: Hester Susan , Buxner Sanlyn , Elfring Lisa , Nagy Lisa
Published: March 2014

Recent calls for improving undergraduate biology education have emphasized the importance of students learning to apply quantitative skills to biological problems. Motivated by students’ apparent inability to transfer their existing quantitative skills to biological contexts, we designed and taught an introductory molecular and cell biology course in which we integrated application of prerequisite mathematical skills with biology content and reasoning throughout all aspects of the course. In this paper, we describe the principles of our course design and present illustrative examples of course materials integrating mathematics and biology. We also designed an outcome assessment made up of items testing students’ understanding of biology concepts and their ability to apply mathematical skills in biological contexts and administered it as a pre/postcourse test to students in the experimental section and other sections of the same course. Precourse results confirmed students’ inability to spontaneously transfer their prerequisite mathematics skills to biological problems. Pre/postcourse outcome assessment comparisons showed that, compared with students in other sections, students in the experimental section made greater gains on integrated math/biology items. They also made comparable gains on biology items, indicating that integrating quantitative skills into an introductory biology course does not have a deleterious effect on students’ biology learning.
Assessment of Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences: A Meeting Report
Authors: Auchincloss Lisa Corwin , Laursen Sandra L. , Branchaw Janet L. , Eagan Kevin , Graham Mark , Hanauer David I. , Lawrie Gwendolyn , McLinn Colleen M. , Pelaez Nancy , Rowland Susan , Towns Marcy , Trautmann Nancy M. , Varma-Nelson Pratibha , Weston Timothy J. , Dolan Erin L.
Published: March 2014

The Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences Network (CUREnet) was initiated in 2012 with funding from the National Science Foundation program for Research Coordination Networks in Undergraduate Biology Education. CUREnet aims to address topics, problems, and opportunities inherent to integrating research experiences into undergraduate courses. During CUREnet meetings and discussions, it became apparent that there is need for a clear definition of what constitutes a CURE and systematic exploration of what makes CUREs meaningful in terms of student learning. Thus, we assembled a small working group of people with expertise in CURE instruction and assessment to: 1) draft an operational definition of a CURE, with the aim of defining what makes a laboratory course or project a “research experience”; 2) summarize research on CUREs, as well as findings from studies of undergraduate research internships that would be useful for thinking about how students are influenced by participating in CUREs; and 3) identify areas of greatest need with respect to CURE assessment, and directions for future research on and evaluation of CUREs. This report summarizes the outcomes and recommendations of this meeting.
Antisocial personality disorder: new directions
Authors: Yakeley Jessica , Williams Andrew
Published: March 2014

Antisocial personality disorder is a complex condition carrying high rates of comorbidity and mortality for individuals as well as harmful consequences for their families and society. Despite the publication of National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for the disorder, the evidence base and provision of effective treatments remain inadequate, and the belief that the condition is untreatable remains widespread among psychiatrists and other professionals. This article highlights current diagnostic controversies and summarises the evidence for conceptualising antisocial personality disorder as a disorder of attachment. Informed by this developmental perspective, we provide a framework for the management and treatment of adults with antisocial personality disorder, highlighting the importance of creating a safe setting and recommending adaptations of therapeutic technique to facilitate the engagement of this ‘treatment-rejecting’ patient population. We conclude with an outline of the current government policy on the treatment of high-risk offenders with personality disorder.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Know the current diagnostic criteria and epidemiology of antisocial personality disorder.

Evaluate the evidence that antisocial personality disorder can be conceptualised as a disorder of attachment, and use a developmental framework to inform treatment interventions.

Gain an understanding of psychological approaches to antisocial personality disorder.
Recovery in forensic services: facing the challenge
Authors: Mann Bradley , Matias Elizabeth , Allen Jo
Published: March 2014

Although there is an increasing focus on recovery within mental health services, there has been limited exploration of the applicability of these principles within forensic services. The authors draw on their experiences within forensic rehabilitation services to discuss the potential obstacles to secure recovery, exploring the systemic and risk management aspects of such a setting as well as considering attachment theory within this context. Some proposals based on clinical experience are given on how such obstacles are faced and tackled.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

•

To understand the limitations of the recovery approach in forensic settings.

•

To understand how current risk assessment practice affects patients' autonomy and empowerment.

•

To understand how the attachment histories of patients in forensic services affect their ability to recover.
The immune system and schizophrenia: an update for clinicians
Authors: Upthegrove Rachel , Barnes Nicholas M.
Published: March 2014

It has long been recognised that the pathology of schizophrenia may involve the immune system, yet this has been a relatively neglected area of research. Recent advances in our understanding of the complexities and functioning of the immune system have allowed new investigation into this area from many angles, including cellular and genetic avenues. A number of prominent theories have been developed. This article gives an overview of our understanding of the immune system and highlights recent advances pertaining to schizophrenia.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

•

To refresh and update understanding of the innate and adaptive immune system, presented clearly to the non-expert audience.

•

To understand key advances in immunological theories of schizophrenia.

•

To engender clinicians' enthusiasm for further reading and interest in this topic.
The Research Domain Criteria: moving the goalposts to change the
game
Authors: Doherty Joanne L. , Owen Michael J.
Published: March 2014

There is increasing concern that a reliance on the descriptive,
syndrome-based diagnostic criteria of ICD and DSM is impeding progress in
research. The USA's major funder of psychiatric research, the National
Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), have stated their intention to encourage
more research across diagnostic categories using a novel framework based on
findings in neuroscience.
Meeting the mental health needs of refugees and asylum
seekers
Authors: Vostanis Panos
Published: March 2014

Mental health provision for diverse refugee populations is faced with a
number of challenges, and requires the development and evaluation of
flexible service models that maximise capacity and utilise existing
non-specialist resources. Emerging therapeutic approaches should be applied
in real settings, adapted to cultural needs and integrated with the other
agencies involved.
Toric degenerations of integrable systems on Grassmannians and polygon spaces
Authors: Nohara Yuichi , Ueda Kazushi
Published: March 2014

We introduce a completely integrable system on the Grassmannian of 2-planes in ann-space associated with any triangulation of a polygon withnsides, and we compute the potential function for its Lagrangian torus fiber. The moment polytopes of this system for different triangulations are related by an integral piecewise-linear transformation, and the corresponding potential functions are related by its geometric lift in the sense of Berenstein and Zelevinsky.
Do Employers Use Unemployment as a Sorting Criterion When Hiring? Evidence from a Field Experiment
Authors: Eriksson Stefan , Rooth Dan-Olof
Published: March 2014

The stigma associated with long-term unemployment spells could create large inefficiencies in labor markets. While the existing literature points toward large stigma effects, it has proven difficult to estimate causal relationships. Using data from a field experiment, we find that long-term unemployment spells in the past do not matter for employers' hiring decisions, suggesting that subsequent work experience eliminates this negative signal. Nor do employers treat contemporary short-term unemployment spells differently, suggesting that they understand that worker/firm matching takes time. However, employers attach a negative value to contemporary unemployment spells lasting at least nine months, providing evidence of stigma effects. (JEL E24, J23, J64, J71)
Risk and Precautionary Saving in Two-Person Households
Authors: Apps Patricia , Andrienko Yuri , Rees Ray
Published: March 2014

The existing literature on precautionary saving is based almost entirely on the assumption that the household acts as if it consisted of a single individual decision-taker. In reality saving decisions are typically taken by two-person households. This paper examines the implications of this observation for the existence of precautionary saving, and shows that the assumption that the individual utility functions satisfy the conditions for precautionary saving to exist can imply that the household exhibits precautionary saving, but only under strong assumptions on the type of risk change being considered. (JEL D14, D81)
The Economics of Predation: What Drives Pricing When There Is Learning-by-Doing?
Authors: Besanko David , Doraszelski Ulrich , Kryukov Yaroslav
Published: March 2014

We formally characterize predatory pricing in a modern industry-dynamics framework that endogenizes competitive advantage and industry structure. As an illustrative example we focus on learning-by-doing. To disentangle predatory pricing from mere competition for efficiency on a learning curve we decompose the equilibrium pricing condition. We show that forcing firms to ignore the predatory incentives in setting their prices can have a large impact and that this impact stems from eliminating equilibria with predation-like behavior. Along with the predation-like behavior, however, a fair amount of competition for the market is eliminated. (JEL D21, D43, D83, K21, L13, L41)
Strategic Interaction and Networks
Authors: Bramoullé Yann , Kranton Rachel , D'Amours Martin
Published: March 2014

Geography and social links shape economic interactions. In industries, schools, and markets, the entire network determines outcomes. This paper analyzes a large class of games and obtains a striking result. Equilibria depend on a single network measure: the lowest eigenvalue. This paper is the first to uncover the importance of the lowest eigenvalue to economic and social outcomes. It captures how much the network amplifies agents' actions. The paper combines new tools—potential games, optimization, and spectral graph theory—to solve for all Nash and stable equilibria and applies the results to R&D, crime, and the econometrics of peer effects. (JEL C72, D83, D85, H41, K42, O33, Z13)
How University Endowments Respond to Financial Market Shocks: Evidence and Implications
Authors: Brown Jeffrey R. , Dimmock Stephen G. , Kang Jun-Koo , Weisbenner Scott J.
Published: March 2014

Endowment payouts have become an increasingly important component of universities' revenues in recent decades. We study how universities respond to financial shocks to endowments and thus shed light on a number of existing models of endowment behavior. Endowments actively reduce payouts relative to their stated payout policies following negative, but not positive, shocks. This asymmetric behavior is consistent with “endowment hoarding,” especially among endowments whose current value is close to the benchmark value at the start of the university president's tenure. We also document the effect of negative endowment shocks on university operations, such as personnel cuts. (JEL G35, I22, I23)
Bargaining for an Assortment
Authors: Aydin Goker , Heese H. Sebastian
Published: March 2014

A retailer’s assortment decision results from a process of give-and-take, during which the retailer may bid manufacturers against one another, and the terms of trade offer plenty of flexibility for allocating the profit among the retailer and manufacturers. We adopt a bargaining framework to capture such an assortment selection process. We investigate the properties of the profit allocations that could emerge in a decentralized supply chain. In our model, the retailer engages in simultaneous bilateral negotiations with all manufacturers. Our model and analysis produce managerial insights that could not be obtained in the absence of a bargaining perspective on assortment planning. For example, we find that when a manufacturer improves its product, such improvements not only benefit the retailer but might even benefit competing manufacturers. In fact, even improvements to out-of-assortment products can increase the profits of the retailer and certain in-assortment manufacturers. Hence, our results suggest that a manufacturer can benefit from collaborating with judiciously chosen competitors.

This paper was accepted by Serguei Netessine, operations management.
The orthopaedic aspects of mycetoma
Authors: Fahal A. H. , Shaheen S. , Jones D. H. A.
Published: March 2014

This article presents an overview of mycetoma and offers guidelines for orthopaedic surgeons who may be involved in the care of patients with this condition.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:420–5.
The influence of distal locking on the need for fibular plating in intramedullary nailing of distal metaphyseal tibiofibular fractures
Authors: Attal R. , Maestri V. , Doshi H. K. , Onder U. , Smekal V. , Blauth M. , Schmoelz W.
Published: March 2014

Using human cadaver specimens, we investigated the role of supplementary fibular plating in the treatment of distal tibial fractures using an intramedullary nail. Fibular plating is thought to improve stability in these situations, but has been reported to have increased soft-tissue complications and to impair union of the fracture. We proposed that multidirectional locking screws provide adequate stability, making additional fibular plating unnecessary. A distal tibiofibular osteotomy model performed on matched fresh-frozen lower limb specimens was stabilised with reamed nails using conventional biplanar distal locking (CDL) or multidirectional distal locking (MDL) options with and without fibular plating. Rotational stiffness was assessed under a constant axial force of 150 N and a superimposed torque of ± 5 Nm. Total movement, and neutral zone and fracture gap movement were analysed.

In the CDL group, fibular plating improved stiffness at the tibial fracture site, albeit to a small degree (p = 0.013). In the MDL group additional fibular plating did not increase the stiffness. The MDL nail without fibular plating was significantly more stable than the CDL nail with an additional fibular plate (p = 0.008).

These findings suggest that additional fibular plating does not improve stability if a multidirectional distal locking intramedullary nail is used, and is therefore unnecessary if not needed to aid reduction.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:385–9.
The impact factor of a journal is a poor measure of the clinical relevance of its papers
Authors: Kodumuri P. , Ollivere B. , Holley J. , Moran C. G.
Published: March 2014

We evaluated the top 13 journals in trauma and orthopaedics by impact factor and looked at the longer-term effect regarding citations of their papers.

All 4951 papers published in these journals during 2007 and 2008 were reviewed and categorised by their type, subspecialty and super-specialty. All citations indexed through Google Scholar were reviewed to establish the rate of citation per paper at two, four and five years post-publication. The top five journals published a total of 1986 papers. Only three (0.15%) were on operative orthopaedic surgery and none were on trauma. Most (n = 1084, 54.5%) were about experimental basic science. Surgical papers had a lower rate of citation (2.18) at two years than basic science or clinical medical papers (4.68). However, by four years the rates were similar (26.57 for surgery, 30.35 for basic science/medical), which suggests that there is a considerable time lag before clinical surgical research has an impact.

We conclude that high impact journals do not address clinical research in surgery and when they do, there is a delay before such papers are cited. We suggest that a rate of citation at five years post-publication might be a more appropriate indicator of importance for papers in our specialty.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:414–19.
Five- to ten-year outcome following medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy with rigid plate fixation in combination with an artificial bone substitute
Authors: Saito T. , Kumagai K. , Akamatsu Y. , Kobayashi H. , Kusayama Y.
Published: March 2014

Between 2003 and 2007, 99 knees in 77 patients underwent opening wedge high tibial osteotomy. We evaluated the effect of initial stable fixation combined with an artificial bone substitute on the mid- to long-term outcome after medial opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy (HTO) for medial compartmental osteoarthritis or spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee in 78 knees in 64 patients available for review at a minimum of five years (mean age 68 years; 49 to 82). The mean follow-up was 6.5 years (5 to 10). The mean Knee Society knee score and function score improved from 49.6 (sd 11.4, 26 to 72) and 56.6 (sd 15.6, 5 to 100) before surgery to 88.1 (sd 12.5, 14 to 100) and 89.4 (sd 15.6, 5 to 100) at final follow-up (p <  0.001) respectively. There were no significant differences between patients aged ≥ 70 and < 70 years. The mean standing femorotibial angle was corrected significantly from 181.7° (sd 2.7°, 175° to 185°) pre-operatively to 169.7° (sd 2.4°, 164° to 175°) at one year’s follow-up (p < 0.001) and 169.6° (sd 3.0°, 157° to 179°) at the final follow-up (p = 0.69 vs one year).

Opening-wedge HTO using a stable plate fixation system combined with a bone substitute is a reliable procedure that provides excellent results. Although this treatment might seem challenging for older patients, our results strongly suggest that the results are equally good.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:339–44.
Is there any benefit in pre-operative urinary analysis before elective total joint replacement?
Authors: Bouvet C. , Lübbeke A. , Bandi C. , Pagani L. , Stern R. , Hoffmeyer P. , Uçkay I.
Published: March 2014

Whether patients with asymptomatic bacteriuria should be investigated and treated before elective hip and knee replacement is controversial, although it is a widespread practice. We conducted a prospective observational cohort study with urine analyses before surgery and three days post-operatively. Patients with symptomatic urinary infections or an indwelling catheter were excluded. Post-discharge surveillance included questionnaires to patients and general practitioners at three months. Among 510 patients (309 women and 201 men), with a median age of 69 years (16 to 97) undergoing lower limb joint replacements (290 hips and 220 knees), 182 (36%) had pre-operative asymptomatic bacteriuria, mostly due to Escherichia coli, and 181 (35%) had white cells in the urine. Most patients (95%) received a single intravenous peri-operative dose (1.5 g) of cefuroxime as prophylaxis. On the third post-operative day urinary analysis identified white cells in 99 samples (19%) and bacteriuria in 208 (41%). Pathogens in the cultures on the third post-operative day were different from those in the pre-operative samples in 260 patients (51%). Only 25 patients (5%) developed a symptomatic urinary infection during their stay or in a subsequent three-month follow-up period, and two thirds of organisms identified were unrelated to those found during the admission. All symptomatic infections were successfully treated with oral antibiotics with no perceived effect on the joint replacement.

We conclude that testing and treating asymptomatic urinary tract colonisation before joint replacement is unnecessary.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:390–4.
Recent insights into the identity of mesenchymal stem cells
Authors: Murray I. R. , Corselli M. , Petrigliano F. A. , Soo C. , Péault B.
Published: March 2014

The ability of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to differentiate in vitro into chondrocytes, osteocytes and myocytes holds great promise for tissue engineering. Skeletal defects are emerging as key targets for treatment using MSCs due to the high responsiveness of bone to interventions in animal models. Interest in MSCs has further expanded in recognition of their ability to release growth factors and to adjust immune responses.

Despite their increasing application in clinical trials, the origin and role of MSCs in the development, repair and regeneration of organs have remained unclear. Until recently, MSCs could only be isolated in a process that requires culture in a laboratory; these cells were being used for tissue engineering without understanding their native location and function. MSCs isolated in this indirect way have been used in clinical trials and remain the reference standard cellular substrate for musculoskeletal engineering. The therapeutic use of autologous MSCs is currently limited by the need for ex vivo expansion and by heterogeneity within MSC preparations. The recent discovery that the walls of blood vessels harbour native precursors of MSCs has led to their prospective identification and isolation. MSCs may therefore now be purified from dispensable tissues such as lipo-aspirate and returned for clinical use in sufficient quantity, negating the requirement for ex vivo expansion and a second surgical procedure.

In this annotation we provide an update on the recent developments in the understanding of the identity of MSCs within tissues and outline how this may affect their use in orthopaedic surgery in the future.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:291–8.
Development of a patient-reported outcome measure of activity and participation (the OKS-APQ) to supplement the Oxford knee score
Authors: Dawson J. , Beard D. J. , McKibbin H. , Harris K. , Jenkinson C. , Price A. J.
Published: March 2014

The primary aim of this study was to develop a patient-reported Activity & Participation Questionnaire (the OKS-APQ) to supplement the Oxford knee score, in order to assess higher levels of activity and participation. The generation of items for the questionnaire involved interviews with 26 patients. Psychometric analysis (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch analysis) guided the reduction of items and the generation of a scale within a prospective study of 122 relatively young patients (mean age 61.5 years (42 to 71)) prior to knee replacement. A total of 99, completed pre-operative and six month post-operative assessments (new items, OKS, Short-Form 36 and American Knee Society Score).

The eight-item OKS-APQ scale is unidimensional, reliable (Cronbach’s alpha 0.85; intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) 0.79; or 0.92 when one outlier was excluded), valid (r >  0.5 with related scales) and responsive (effect size 4.16).

We recommend that it is used with the OKS with adults of all ages when further detail regarding the levels of activity and participation of a patient is required.

Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2014;96-B:332–8.
Student perspectives on self-directed learning
Authors: Douglass Carolinda , Morris Sherrill R.
Published: March 2014

Abstract:  Undergraduate student perspectives regarding specific factors associated with self-directed learning were collected through eight focus groups. A total of 80 upperclassmen provided input revealing three emergent themes in the focus groups responses: (1) Student-Controlled, (2) Faculty-Controlled, and (3) Administration-Controlled Facilitators and Barriers to promoting self-directed learning.  Students acknowledged much of their learning was within their control.  However, they did note that faculty and administrators have a significant impact on their desire and ability to learn.  In an effort to empower students to direct their own learning processes the results of this study have been integrated into campus assessment initiatives including the development of a student organization to provide a consistent, student-led forum for students to voice their opinions and concerns about their learning processes and assessment.