bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The EU-project United4Health: User-centred design of an information system for a Norwegian telemedicine service
Authors: Smaradottir Berglind , Gerdes Martin , Martinez Santiago , Fensli Rune
Published: November 2015

Introduction

Organizational changes of health care services in Norway brought to light a need for new clinical pathways. This study presents the design and evaluation of an information system for a new telemedicine service for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients after hospital discharge.

Methods

A user-centred design approach was employed composed of a workshop with end-users, two user tests and a field trial. For data collection, qualitative methods such as observations, semi-structured interviews and a questionnaire were used.

Results

User workshop’s outcome informed the implementation of the system initial prototype, evaluated by end-users in a usability laboratory. Several usability and functionality issues were identified and solved, such as the interface between the initial colour scheme and the triage colours. Iterative refinements were made and a second user evaluation showed that the main issues were solved. The responses to a questionnaire presented a high score of user satisfaction. In the final phase, a field trial showed satisfactory use of the system.

Discussion

This study showed how the target end-users groups were actively involved in identifying the needs, suggestions and preferences. These aspects were addressed in the development of an information system through a user-centred design process. The process efficiently enabled users to give feedback about design and functionality. Continuous refinement of the system was the key to full development and suitability for the telemedicine service. This research was a result of the international cooperation between partners within the project United4Health, a part of the Seventh Framework Programme for Research of the European Union.
The effect of telemedicine on cognitive decline in patients with dementia
Authors: Kim Heeseok , Jhoo Jin Hyeong , Jang Jae-Won
Published: November 2015

Introduction

Telemedicine has the advantage of providing medical resources in rural areas, but few studies have been conducted to investigate its efficacy in dementia care, compared to face-to-face care. This study evaluated the effectiveness of telemedicine in relation to cognitive changes in patients with dementia.

Methods

We evaluated cognitive changes over time, according to care modality, in 188 patients with dementia who were registered at our university-based dementia clinic. We followed 98 patients using telemedicine services and 90 patients who attended the dementia clinic in person. Patients in the telemedicine group also visited a public health center located in a rural area about 50 km from the dementia clinic.

Results

Changes in the mean annualized Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score were not significantly different between the telemedicine group and the face-to-face dementia clinic group ( p = 0.291), with changes of 0.60 and 1.03 points, respectively. However, cognitive decline was significantly lower in the telemedicine group for the less severe initial cognitive performance subgroup than more severe cognitive performance subgroup ( p = 0.049), with changes of 0.62 and 1.59 points, respectively. Higher initial Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scores, MMSE scores, and age were found to be independent predictive factors of subsequent cognitive changes, as indicated by mean annualized MMSE scores.

Discussion

These findings suggest that telemedicine may be a useful alternative to face-to-face clinical visits for management of dementia in patients who are located in rural areas.
Food–alcohol competition: As young females eat more food, do they drink less alcohol?
Authors: Cummings Jenna R , Ray Lara A , Tomiyama A Janet
Published: November 2015

Seminal health behaviour theories and behaviour modification techniques are applied to health behaviours individually. Limited empirical work investigates how change in one health behaviour may change another. This study proposes a food–alcohol competition hypothesis, where individuals tend to consume one rewarding substance to the other’s exclusion. In a large sample of adolescent girls assessed yearly from age 15 to 19, Latent Growth Modelling indicated that a tendency to consume processed or sweet high-fat foods ‘competed’ with a tendency to drink alcohol. In order to best improve overall health, it is important to consider interrelationships between food and alcohol consumption.
Establishing enforcement legitimacy in the pursuit of rule-breaking ‘global elites’: The case of transnational corporate bribery
Authors: Lord Nicholas
Published: November 2015

This article develops an analytical framework for analysing the legitimacy of law enforcement responses towards rule-breaking ‘global elites’, in particular multi-national corporations implicated in transnational corporate bribery. While international anti-bribery laws and norms converge cross-jurisdictionally, enforcement contexts and responses can diverge formally creating dilemmas over how to establish the relative legitimacy of different enforcement frameworks. This article draws on a threefold framework proposed by David Beetham for understanding legitimacy (i.e. legality, normative validity, legitimation) which it considers in relation to the contingent cultural contexts of enforcement of two jurisdictions, Germany and the UK, before identifying key necessary minimum requirements of legitimate enforcement that can inform cross-cultural analysis. The article suggests the proposed framework provides an alternative to current evaluative measures used by international anti-corruption organizations.
Ventriculostomies without dressings: Low infection rates but room for quality improvement
Authors: Ducis Katrina , Thakrar Raj , Tranmer Bruce
Published: November 2015

Objective

Ventriculostomies are common procedures for patients with severe neurologic insults including trauma, aneurysmal rupture, tumor, infection or following an operation. Infection secondary to a ventriculostomy, meningitis or ventriculitis, carries a high morbidity and mortality. Insertion practices and maintenance of these interventions was evaluated.

Methods

A retrospective review was completed of patients receiving ventriculostomies at a single institution from October 2007 through September 2013. Basic patient demographics, methods of insertion and presence of infection were collected and analyzed.

Results

The mean of age of patients receiving ventriculostomies was 49 years of age and the most common indications for insertion were trauma, infection and nontraumatic intracranial hemorrhage (aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), hemorrhagic stroke, arteriovenous malformation (AVM)). External ventricular drains (EVDs) were inserted after minimal hair removal at the time of procedure, tunneling following procedure and securement of EVDs with suture at exit of skin and remainder of drain stapled to scalp without additional dressing applied. The infection rate using this practice was 5.1%.

Conclusion

Ventriculostomies with minimal hair removal and no dressing have equivalent infection rates with the most recent published national average.
Complaint management in hospitality organizations: The role of empowerment and other service recovery attributes impacting loyalty and satisfaction
Authors: Ogbeide Godwin-Charles A , Böser Stefanie , Harrinton Robert J , Ottenbacher Michael C
Published: November 2015

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship among employee empowerment and other complaint management procedures concerning guest satisfaction, intention to return, and intention to recommend the firm to others. The results indicated the importance of empowering frontline employees to properly accept, process, and react to complaints for an efficient complaint management strategy. In addition, the results showed that the three critical attributes for overall firm satisfaction, customer loyalty, and intention to recommend the firm to others included welcoming and understanding guest complaints, providing fair compensation, and promptness of complaint handling process. This study will enable hospitality and other service-oriented organizations to identify aspects of their operations that require more investment in order to ensure service improvements that would ultimately lead to better performance.
Promotoras Can Facilitate Use of Recreational Community Resources
Authors: Balcázar Héctor G. , de Heer Hendrik D. , Wise Thomas Sherrie , Redelfs Alisha , Rosenthal E. Lee , Burgos Ximena , Duarte Maria O.
Published: November 2015

Introduction. Limited research has documented interventions aimed at promoting use of existing recreational community resources among underserved populations. This study (HEART [Health Education Awareness Research Team] Phase 2) reports findings of an intervention ( Mi Corazó n Mi Comunidad) where community health workers facilitated use of diet and exercise programming at local recreational facilities among Mexican American border residents. The aim was to evaluate overall attendance rates and to assess which factors predicted higher attendance. Method. The design was a cohort study. From 2009 to 2013, a total of 753 participants were recruited across 5 consecutive cohorts. The intervention consisted of organized physical activity and nutrition programming at parks and recreational facilities and a free YWCA membership. Attendance at all activities was objectively recorded. Regression analyses were used to evaluate whether demographic factors, health status, and health beliefs were associated with attendance. Results. Participants included mostly females at high risk for cardiovascular disease (72.4% were overweight/obese and 64% were [pre-]hypertensive). A total of 83.6% of participants attended at least one session. On average, total attendance was 21.6 sessions (range: 19.1-25.2 sessions between the different cohorts), including 16.4 physical activity and 5.2 nutrition sessions. Females ( p = .003) and older participants ( p < .001) attended more sessions. Participants low in acculturation (vs. high) attended on average seven more sessions ( p = .003). Greater self-efficacy ( p < .001), perceived benefits ( p = .038), and healthy intentions ( p = .024) were associated with higher attendance. Conclusions. The intervention was successful in promoting use of recreational facilities among border residents at high risk for cardiovascular disease. Findings were similar across five different cohorts.
Cream Puffs
Authors: Simundza Daniel
Published: November 2015

This article provides a novel answer to the question of why elite college football programs schedule so-called “cream puff” games against vastly inferior out-of-conference opponents. Using data on college football games from 2002 to 2010, I find that a team’s chances of winning are 5.3–15.6% greater in the game following their victory over a cream puff. In my preferred estimation, this “cream puff effect” is roughly half as large as the estimated home field advantage. I also show that the U.S. Today/Sagarin rating system, which I use to control for team abilities, penalizes teams for playing vastly inferior opponents. I devise two empirical strategies that deal with this potential problem and show that the cream puff effect is not simply an artifact of the rating system. These results contribute to the literature on dynamic contests by showing that not only does the timing of one’s efforts within a contest matter but so does the schedule of one’s opponents.
A “National Distemper”
Authors: Reichard Ruth D.
Published: November 2015

During the inauguration in 1857, a mysterious and lethal outbreak afflicted guests at the National Hotel in Washington, DC. The aftermath suggests a revision to the standard narrative of urban history in the antebellum years: a relatively smooth trajectory of improvement culminating in the prominence of experts during the Progressive Era. The response to the National Hotel sickness, in contrast, highlights the political tension attending this period—in one of the most planned American cities to date. The media fueled speculation about the disease to promote perceptions of bureaucratic incompetence, conspiracy, and mistrust toward city officials.
Vagus Nerve Stimulation During Rehabilitative Training Improves Forelimb Recovery After Chronic Ischemic Stroke in Rats
Authors: Khodaparast Navid , Kilgard Michael P. , Casavant Reema , Ruiz Andrea , Qureshi Iqra , Ganzer Patrick D. , Rennaker Robert L. , Hays Seth A.
Published: November 2015

Background and objective. Stroke is a leading cause of long-term disability. Currently, there are no consistently effective rehabilitative treatments for chronic stroke patients. Our recent studies demonstrate that vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) paired with rehabilitative training improves recovery of function in multiple models of stroke. Here, we evaluated the ability of VNS paired with rehabilitative training to improve recovery of forelimb strength when initiated many weeks after a cortical and subcortical ischemic lesion in subjects with stable, chronic motor deficits. Methods. Rats were trained to perform an automated, quantitative measure of voluntary forelimb strength. Once proficient, rats received injections of endothelin-1 to cause a unilateral cortical and subcortical ischemic lesion. Then, 6 weeks after the lesion, rats underwent rehabilitative training paired with VNS (Paired VNS; n = 10), rehabilitative training with equivalent VNS delivered 2 hours after daily rehabilitative training (Delayed VNS; n = 10), or rehabilitative training without VNS (Rehab, n = 9). Results. VNS paired with rehabilitative training significantly improved recovery of forelimb function compared with control groups. The Paired VNS group displayed an 86% recovery of strength, the Rehab group exhibited 47% recovery, and the Delayed VNS group exhibited 42% recovery. Improvement in forelimb function was sustained in the Paired VNS group after the cessation of stimulation, potentially indicating lasting benefits. No differences in intensity of rehabilitative training, lesion size, or MAP-2 expression were observed between groups. Conclusion. VNS paired with rehabilitative training confers significantly greater recovery of forelimb function after chronic ischemic stroke in rats.
Feasibility and clinical impact of sharing patient-reported symptom toxicities and performance status with clinical investigators during a phase 2 cancer treatment trial
Authors: Basch Ethan , Wood William A , Schrag Deborah , Sima Camelia S , Shaw Mary , Rogak Lauren J , Kris Mark G , Shouery Marwan , Bennett Antonia , Atkinson Thomas , Pietanza M Catherine
Published: November 2015

Background:

Clinicians can miss up to half of patients’ symptomatic toxicities in cancer clinical trials and routine practice. Although patient-reported outcome questionnaires have been developed to capture this information, it is unclear whether clinicians will make use of patient-reported outcomes to inform their own toxicity documentation, or to prompt symptom management activities.

Methods:

44 lung cancer patients that participated in a phase 2 treatment trial self-reported 13 symptomatic toxicities derived from the National Cancer Institute’s Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events and Karnofsky Performance Status via tablet computers in waiting areas immediately preceding scheduled visits. During visits, clinicians viewed patients’ self-reported toxicity and performance status ratings on a computer interface and could agree or disagree/reassign grades (“shared” reporting). Agreement of clinicians with patient-reported grades was tabulated, and compared using weighted kappa statistics. Clinical actions in response to patient-reported severe (grade 3/4) toxicities were measured (e.g. treatment discontinuation, dose reduction, supportive medications). For comparison, 45 non-trial patients with lung cancer being treated in the same clinic by the same physicians were simultaneously enrolled in a parallel cohort study in which patients also self-reported toxicity grades but reports were not shared with clinicians (“non-shared” reporting).

Results:

Toxicities and performance status were reported by patients and reviewed by clinicians at (780/782) 99.7% of study visits in the phase 2 trial which used “shared” reporting. Clinicians agreed with patients 93% of the time with kappas 0.82–0.92. Clinical actions were taken in response to 67% of severe patient-reported toxicities. In the “non-shared” reporting comparison group, clinicians agreed with patients 56% of the time with kappas 0.04–0.48 (significantly worse than shared reporting for all symptoms), and clinical actions were taken in response to 44% of severe patient-reported toxicities.

Conclusion:

Clinicians will frequently agree with patient-reported symptoms and performance status, and will use this information to guide documentation and symptom management. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00807573).
Towards a Critical Sociology of Dominant Ideologies: An Unexpected Reunion between Pierre Bourdieu and Luc Boltanski
Authors: Susen Simon
Published: November 2015

This article aims to demonstrate the enduring relevance of Pierre Bourdieu and Luc Boltanski’s ‘La production de l’idéologie dominante’ [‘The production of the dominant ideology’], which was originally published in Actes de la recherche en sciences sociales in 1976. More than three decades later, in 2008, a re-edited version of this study was printed in book format as La production de l’idéologie dominante, which was accompanied by a detailed commentary, written by Luc Boltanski and entitled Rendre la réalité inacceptable. À propos de « La production de l’idéologie dominante » [ Making Reality Unacceptable. Comments on ‘The production of the dominant ideology’]. In addition to containing revealing personal anecdotes and providing important sociological insights, this commentary offers an insider account of the genesis of one of the most seminal pieces Boltanski co-wrote with his intellectual father, Bourdieu. In the Anglophone literature on contemporary French sociology, however, the theoretical contributions made both in the original study and in Boltanski’s commentary have received little – if any – serious attention. This article aims to fill this gap in the literature, arguing that these two texts can be regarded not only as forceful reminders of the fact that the ‘dominant ideology thesis’ is far from obsolete but also as essential for understanding both the personal and the intellectual underpinnings of the tension-laden relationship between Bourdieu and Boltanski. Furthermore, this article offers a critical overview of the extent to which the unexpected, and partly posthumous, reunion between ‘the master’ (Bourdieu) and his ‘dissident disciple’ (Boltanski) equips us with powerful conceptual tools, which, whilst illustrating the continuing centrality of ‘ideology critique’, permit us to shed new light on key concerns in contemporary sociology and social theory. Finally, the article seeks to push the debate forward by reflecting upon several issues that are not given sufficient attention by Bourdieu and Boltanski in their otherwise original and insightful enquiry into the complexities characterizing the daily production of ideology.
Evaluating State Principal Evaluation Plans Across the United States
Authors: Fuller Edward J. , Hollingworth Liz , Liu Jing
Published: November 2015

Recent federal legislation has created strong incentives for states to adopt principal evaluation systems, many of which include new measures of principal effectiveness such as estimates of student growth and changes in school climate. Yet, there has been little research on principal evaluation systems and no state-by-state analysis of the principal evaluation systems adopted at the behest of the legislation. This study uses survey data and document review to assess the components of principal evaluation systems in the 50 states and Washington, D.C. Finally, based on recent research, this study critiques the various components of these new evaluation systems.
More Happiness for Young People and Less for Mature Adults
Authors: Twenge Jean M. , Sherman Ryne A. , Lyubomirsky Sonja
Published: November 2015

Are Americans happier, or less happy, than they used to be? The answer may depend on life stage. We examined indicators of subjective well-being (SWB) in four nationally representative samples of U.S. adolescents (aged 13–18 years, n = 1.27 million) and adults (aged 18–96 years, n = 54,172). Recent adolescents reported greater happiness and life satisfaction than their predecessors, and adults over age 30 were less happy in recent years. Among adults, the previously established positive correlation between age and happiness has dwindled, disappearing by the early 2010s. Mixed-effects analyses primarily demonstrated time period rather than generational effects. The effect of time period on SWB is about d = |.13| in most age groups, about the size of reported links between SWB and objective health, marital status, being a parent, and volunteering.
Does self-perception as a loyal customer affect one’s evaluation of benefits received?
Authors: de Kerviler Gwarlann , Butori Raphaëlle
Published: November 2015

This research sets out to (1) develop the notion of perceived loyalty to a brand by distinguishing it from loyalty as measured by the company and (2) study the way in which perceived loyalty influences evaluations of the preferential treatment offered by companies. Two studies (qualitative and quantitative) are used first of all to identify the four prototypical characteristics of loyal customers that determine perceived loyalty: continuity of the relationship, brand exclusivity, trust and the search for information. Drawing on the theory of justice, a third (quantitative) study is then used to test the effect of two benefits of different intensities on perceived legitimacy and satisfaction towards preferential treatment. The results indicate that being overly rewarded for one’s perceived loyalty produces a feeling of iniquity that generates immediate dissatisfaction. In contrast, not being sufficiently rewarded at time t does not necessarily result in dissatisfaction at that point in time, as consumers are accustomed to receiving deferred rewards over time.
Impact of Transformational Leadership on Job Performance
Authors: Jyoti Jeevan , Bhau Sonia
Published: November 2015

The present study focuses on the role of leader–member exchange and relational identification (RI) between transformational leadership and job performance relationship. The model has been tested in higher education sector. All the permanent teachers working in higher education sector were contacted. The data have been duly validated with the help of confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Reliability has been assessed through Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability. Structural equation modeling (SEM) has been used for hypotheses testing, and hierarchical regression has been used to test the moderating effect of RI. The results indicated that leader–member exchange acts as a mediator and RI acts as a moderator instead of mediator. The managerial implications and future scope have been discussed.
Who Pays for Dates? Following Versus Challenging Gender Norms
Authors: Lever Janet , Frederick David A. , Hertz Rosanna
Published: November 2015

Chivalry dictates that on a “date,” the man pays, whereas egalitarian ideals suggest that gender should not determine who pays. We examined the extent to which people embrace or reject these competing notions. Unmarried heterosexual participants ( N = 17,607) reported their behaviors and attitudes regarding who does and who should pay for dates on a survey posted on NBCNews.com . Although most men (74%) and women (83%) report that both members of the couple contribute to dating expenses after dating for 6 months, most men (84%) and women (58%) reported that men still pay more expenses. Many women (39%) wished men would reject their offers to pay and 44% of women were bothered when men expected women to help pay. Many women, however, were bothered when men won’t accept their money (40%). Nearly two thirds of men (64%) believed that women should contribute and nearly half of men (44%) said they would stop dating a woman who never pays. Nevertheless, the majority of men said they feel guilty when accepting women’s money (76%). These data illustrate how many people are resisting or conforming to traditional gender norms in one telling aspect of dating that historically was related to the male’s displaying benevolent sexism, dominance, and ability to fulfill breadwinner role during courtship.
Prenatal maternal psychological stress and childhood asthma and wheezing: a meta-analysis
Authors: van de Loo Kim F.E. , van Gelder Marleen M.H.J. , Roukema Jolt , Roeleveld Nel , Merkus Peter J.F.M. , Verhaak Christianne M.
Published: November 2015

The aim of this study was to systematically review and meta-analyse observational studies on prenatal maternal psychological stress and the subsequent development of asthma and wheezing in early childhood.

All available published literature from 1960 until November 2013 was systematically searched through electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, PsycInfo and Web of Science). All observational studies assessing associations between any form of prenatal maternal psychological stress and respiratory morbidity in the child were included. Data extraction, quality assessment and meta-analyses were performed.

The overall meta-analysis included 10 studies and showed that the prevalence of wheezing, asthma and other respiratory symptoms is higher in children of mothers who were exposed to or experienced some form of psychological stress during pregnancy than in mothers who did not (pooled OR 1.56 (95% CI 1.36–1.80)). Comparable results were observed in subgroup analyses of stress exposure, perceived stress, asthma and wheezing.

This study demonstrates that prenatal maternal psychological stress is associated with respiratory morbidity, including asthma and wheezing in the child. Future studies examining the early origins of asthma and wheezing need to account for the impact of prenatal maternal stress.
Clinical features of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma: a population-based overview
Authors: Derks Jules L. , Hendriks Lizza E. , Buikhuisen Wieneke A. , Groen Harry J.M. , Thunnissen Erik , van Suylen Robert-Jan , Houben Ruud , Damhuis Ronald A. , Speel Ernst J.M. , Dingemans Anne-Marie C.
Published: November 2015

Pulmonary large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) is an orphan disease and few data are available on its clinical characteristics. Therefore, we analysed LCNEC registered in the Netherlands Cancer Registry, and compared data with small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC), squamous cell carcinoma (SqCC) and adenocarcinoma (AdC).

Histologically confirmed LCNEC (n=952), SCLC (n=11 844), SqCC (n=19 633) and AdC (n=24 253) cases were selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry (2003–2012). Patient characteristics, metastasis at diagnosis (2006 or later), overall survival (OS) including multivariate Cox models and first-line treatment were compared for stage I–II, III and IV disease.

The number of LCNEC cases increased from 56 patients in 2003 to 143 in 2012, accounting for 0.9% of all lung cancers. Stage IV LCNEC patients (n=383) commonly had metastasis in the liver (47%), bone (32%) and brain (23%), resembling SCLC. Median OS (95% CI) of stage I–II, III and IV LCNEC patients was 32.4 (22.0–42.9), 12.6 (10.3–15.0) and 4.0 (3.5–4.6) months, respectively. Multivariate-adjusted OS of LCNEC patients resembled that of SCLC patients, and was poorer than those of SqCC and AdC patients. However, frequency of surgical resection and adjuvant chemotherapy resembled SqCC and AdC more than SCLC.

Diagnosis of LCNEC has increased in recent years. The metastatic pattern of LCNEC resembles SCLC as does the OS. However, early-stage treatment strategies seem more comparable to those of SqCC and AdC.
Interleukin-15 is associated with disease severity in viral bronchiolitis
Authors: Leahy T. Ronan , McManus Ross , Doherty Derek G. , Grealy Robert , Coulter Tanya , Smyth Paul , Blackshields Gordon , Sheils Orla , Carr Michael J. , Purandare Nikhil , Geary Michael , Hodemaekers Hennie M. , Janssen Riny , Bont Louis , Slattery Dubhfeasa , Ryan Thomas
Published: November 2015

Disease severity in viral bronchiolitis in infancy is difficult to predict and has been linked to host innate immunity. The study aimed to investigate the innate cytokine interleukin-15 (IL-15) as a marker of disease severity.

A prospective single-centre observational study was conducted in a university-affiliated paediatric teaching hospital, comparing children (0–18 months) hospitalised for viral bronchiolitis, those admitted to the paediatric intensive care unit with severe disease and healthy age-matched controls. IL-15-related parameters were compared between groups. PCR and microRNA (miRNA) sequencing was undertaken on natural killer (NK) cells collected from study participants.

Samples from 88 children with viral bronchiolitis and 43 controls enrolled between 2009 and 2012 were analysed. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) IL-15 mRNA expression was significantly higher in those with moderate severity bronchiolitis compared with controls and those with severe disease. Serum IL-15 levels correlated with disease severity. The relative frequency of NK cells in peripheral blood was significantly reduced in participants with bronchiolitis. The NK cell miRNA transcriptome in bronchiolitis was distinct. Targets of de-regulated miRNA were differentially expressed in bronchiolitis, includingJAK3,STAT5AandNFKB1on the IL-15 signalling pathway.

IL-15 is associated with disease severity in children hospitalised with viral bronchiolitis.
Visual cortical excitability in dementia with Lewy
bodies
Authors: Taylor John-Paul , Firbank Michael , O'Brien John T.
Published: November 2015

Alterations in the visual system may underlie visual hallucinations in
dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). However, cortical excitability as measured
by transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and functional magnetic resonance
imaging (fMRI) activation of lower visual areas (V1–3) to visual stimuli
appear normal in DLB. We explored the relationship between TMS-determined
phosphene threshold and fMRI-related visual activation and found a positive
relationship between the two in controls but a negative one in DLB. This
double dissociation suggests a loss of inhibition in the visual system in
DLB, which may predispose individuals to visual dysfunction and visual
hallucinations.
CACNA1Cpolymorphism and altered phosphorylation of tau in bipolar disorder
Authors: Jakobsson Joel , Pålsson Erik , Sellgren Carl , Rydberg Frida , Ekman Agneta , Zetterberg Henrik , Blennow Kaj , Landén Mikael
Published: November 2015

Several genome-wide association studies and case–control studies have associated the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs1006737, situated inCACNA1Cencoding the alpha 1C subunit of the L-type voltage-gated calcium channel, with bipolar disorder and other psychiatric disorders. However, the causal pathway linking genetic variants inCACNA1Cwith increased risk for developing brain disorders remains unclear. Here, we explored the association between the rs1006737 SNP and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers. We found a significant association between the risk allele in rs1006737 and a decreased CSF hyperphosphorylated tau/total tau ratio in patients with bipolar disorder, thus linking variation in theCACNA1Cgene to a neurochemical marker of neuroaxonal plasticity in those with this disorder.
Non-muscle myosin II in disease: mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities
Authors: Newell-Litwa Karen A. , Horwitz Rick , Lamers Marcelo L.
Published: November 2015

The actin motor protein non-muscle myosin II (NMII) acts as a master regulator of cell morphology, with a role in several essential cellular processes, including cell migration and post-synaptic dendritic spine plasticity in neurons. NMII also generates forces that alter biochemical signaling, by driving changes in interactions between actin-associated proteins that can ultimately regulate gene transcription. In addition to its roles in normal cellular physiology, NMII has recently emerged as a critical regulator of diverse, genetically complex diseases, including neuronal disorders, cancers and vascular disease. In the context of these disorders, NMII regulatory pathways can be directly mutated or indirectly altered by disease-causing mutations. NMII regulatory pathway genes are also increasingly found in disease-associated copy-number variants, particularly in neuronal disorders such as autism and schizophrenia. Furthermore, manipulation of NMII-mediated contractility regulates stem cell pluripotency and differentiation, thus highlighting the key role of NMII-based pharmaceuticals in the clinical success of stem cell therapies. In this Review, we discuss the emerging role of NMII activity and its regulation by kinases and microRNAs in the pathogenesis and prognosis of a diverse range of diseases, including neuronal disorders, cancer and vascular disease. We also address promising clinical applications and limitations of NMII-based inhibitors in the treatment of these diseases and the development of stem-cell-based therapies.
A direct interaction between fascin and microtubules contributes to adhesion dynamics and cell migration
Authors: Villari Giulia , Jayo Asier , Zanet Jennifer , Fitch Briana , Serrels Bryan , Frame Margaret , Stramer Brian M. , Goult Benjamin T. , Parsons Maddy
Published: November 2015

Fascin is an actin-binding and bundling protein that is highly upregulated in most epithelial cancers. Fascin promotes cell migration and adhesion dynamics in vitro and tumour cell metastasis in vivo. However, potential non-actin bundling roles for fascin remain unknown. Here, we show for the first time that fascin can directly interact with the microtubule cytoskeleton and that this does not depend upon fascin-actin bundling. Microtubule binding contributes to fascin-dependent control of focal adhesion dynamics and cell migration speed. We also show that fascin forms a complex with focal adhesion kinase (FAK, also known as PTK2) and Src, and that this signalling pathway lies downstream of fascin–microtubule association in the control of adhesion stability. These findings shed light on new non actin-dependent roles for fascin and might have implications for the design of therapies to target fascin in metastatic disease.
Development of Novel Reactions Induced by Coherent Molecular Vibrational Excitation and Direct Observation of Molecular Structural Change during “Thermal” Reactions
Authors: Iwakura Izumi , Yabushita Atsushi
Published: November 2015

Femtochemistry began from the observation of transition states (TSs) in gas-phase photoreactions. Later developments in visible ultrashort laser pulses enabled visualization of real-time changes in the molecular vibrational modes during photoreactions, including those in the liquid phase. However, TSs in thermal reactions could still not be studied, because the conventional femtosecond laser pulse cannot trigger chemical reactions in the electronic ground state. In the present work, a visible ultrashort laser pulse was used to cause an induced Raman process, whereby Raman active molecular vibrational modes were excited in the electronic ground states, which triggers the reaction induced by coherent molecular vibrational excitation in the electronic ground state just after photoexcitation. Using the “reaction by coherent molecular vibration”, we have successfully observed the TSs in a “thermal” reaction, thermal Claisen rearrangement.
Elucidation of Excitatory Neurotransmission and Membrane Protein Integration Mechanisms
Authors: Shimamoto Keiko
Published: November 2015

Membrane proteins, such as receptors, transporters, and enzymes, play various roles in the survival of organisms. Discovery and development of new bioactive molecules interacting with these proteins are indispensable for understanding the mechanisms of biological events. This account summarizes our efforts on (1) design and synthesis of glutamate transporter blockers to elucidate the mechanism of excitatory neurotransmission process and (2) identification of a novel glycolipid that is essential for membrane protein integration.
Accurate Emergency Department Wait Time Prediction
Authors: Ang Erjie , Kwasnick Sara , Bayati Mohsen , Plambeck Erica L. , Aratow Michael
Published: November 2015

This paper proposes the Q-Lasso method for wait time prediction, which combines statistical learning with fluid model estimators. In historical data from four remarkably different hospitals, Q-Lasso predicts the emergency department (ED) wait time for low-acuity patients with greater accuracy than rolling average methods (currently used by hospitals), fluid model estimators (from the service operations management literature), and quantile regression methods (from the emergency medicine literature). Q-Lasso achieves greater accuracy largely by correcting errors of underestimation in which a patient waits for longer than predicted. Implemented on the external website and in the triage room of the San Mateo Medical Center (SMMC), Q-Lasso achieves over 30% lower mean squared prediction error than would occur with the best rolling average method. The paper describes challenges and insights from the implementation at SMMC.
The future is digital
Authors: Marx Clare
Published: November 2015

Roadmapping an information superhighway for surgeons.
from Westminster
Authors: Leahy Patrick
Published: November 2015

Will ‘invertebrate jellies’ improve the NHS?
Virtual reality: a look into the past to fuel the future
Authors: Flores-Arredondo Jose H , Assad-Kottner Christian
Published: November 2015

A brief history of a technology that may define the next decade.
Google glass: a valid tool for surgical education? a case study
Authors: Jawad A , Trampleasure O , Thaha M , Ahmed S
Published: November 2015

A close-up look at the headline-grabbing device that went global when the authors turned it into a surgical YouTube sensation.
The virtual future of education and training
Authors: Ahmed Shafi , Dann Steve
Published: November 2015

The co-founders of Medical Realities talk us through the transformative potential of virtual reality tech and how they’re harnessing it to enhance surgical learning.
The perfect capture device for clinical practice?
Authors: Miller Edward
Published: November 2015

An in-depth look at some of the technologies that are helping make VR a viable option for surgical training.
Technology in health: wearables, augmented reality and virtual reality
Authors: Trampleasure O , Jawad A , Buckle V , Ahmed S
Published: November 2015

If the app fits, wear it.
Interview: Nikolai Begg
Authors: Parkins Kezia
Published: November 2015

The young inventor explains how witnessing surgery at age 13 inspired him to create an altogether smoother way of stabbing patients in the stomach.
Role of plastic surgeons in major trauma centres in the UK
Authors: Wright TC , Chummun S , Chapman TWL , Khan U
Published: November 2015

Is there a need for plastic surgery intervention in patients admitted to MTCs?
Has the introduction of hospital at night affected ENT out-of-hours care in wales?
Authors: Evans LM , Backhouse S , Owens D
Published: November 2015

An examination of H@N's effect on admission rate, the nature of admission and the length of stay.
Stem cell therapy: science fact or science fiction?
Authors: Gottlieb Grace
Published: November 2015

Would you like a new brain?
Orthopaedic surgery apps I can’t live without
Authors: Aziz Sheweidin
Published: November 2015

A T&O trainee takes us through her top three.
A delayed reaction
Authors: Rudge Eleanor
Published: November 2015

One surgeon spent a year recovering after she went under the knife, and found the physical wounds were the easiest to heal...
Core surgery: is it really training?
Authors: Armstrong A , Saxby C
Published: November 2015

Or is it just a continuation of the foundation programme?
Treasures from the collections
Authors: Fouracre Dot , Kennedy Sarah
Published: November 2015

Friedrich Gabriel Sulzer: Versuch einer Naturgeschichte des Hamsters (Approach to a Natural History of the Hamster). Göttingen, 1774.
Mr Slop has never liked suspenders
Authors: Slop
Published: November 2015

Too-careful talk can cost lives.
Using Religious Art as Pictorial Evidence for Medieval Book History
Authors: McGrath Anthony
Published: November 2015

Knowledge about the structure and decoration of bindings in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries is largely conjectural as very few examples have survived. The religious art of the period can contain information that may help to address the uncertainties in the historical record. This essay considers the example of when and how the technique of gold tooling was introduced to the west. Using pictorial evidence from altarpieces, it suggests that gold tooling was practiced in Italy from the start of the fourteenth century, a hundred years earlier than previously thought.
All the News Worth Reading: The Christian Science Monitor and the Professionalization of Journalism
Authors: Squires L. Ashley
Published: November 2015

Even though it is owned by a controversial religious organization, the Christian Science Monitor has been a mainstay of objective, internationally oriented newspaper reporting for more than 100 years. This article contextualizes the founding and early success of the Monitor in the sociology of journalism at the beginning of the twentieth century. It demonstrates that the Monitor’s reportorial style merged Christian Science’s optimistic theology with more conservative trends in reporting, a response to the more radical styles of muckrakers and yellow journalists, who had covered the church extremely negatively in the years just prior to the emergence of the Monitor .
Delight in Good Books: Family, Devotional Practice, and Textual Circulation in Sarah Savage’s Diaries
Authors: Wright Gillian
Published: November 2015

Sarah Savage (1664–1752), a member of a prominent nonconformist family in Cheshire, England, kept a diary for over 60 years. Issues of family and religion are foremost in Savage’s diary, which also testifies to – and is an example of – the importance of textual production and circulation within her family’s devotional practice. This article discusses why Savage started her diary, what role it played within her spiritual life, and how her sense of its significance changed over time. It also explores the many respects in which her diary can be read as a family creation.
The Publishers Who Lunch: The Social Networking of American Book Publishers
Authors: Hench John B.
Published: November 2015

The Publishers’ Lunch Club, a genteel Manhattan institution, was founded in 1915 to provide a convivial, often bibulous setting for socializing among peers as well as a place where industry leaders could discreetly discuss important matters affecting the trade and the nation. It is still active. Membership has always reflected the trade’s changing demographics and responded to larger societal forces. Thus, this all-male, mostly WASP club eventually admitted Jews, women, and others. The evolution of the club has also responded to larger changes in the publishing industry, from the centralization of communications in New York City to the absorption of publishing firms in larger media companies.
Translating Revolutionary Time: French Republican Almanacs in the United States
Authors: Zazzera Elizabeth Della
Published: November 2015

Almanacs, because of their utility and commonality, have often been used as political tools. When French revolutionaries decided that to republicanize France they had to republicanize their calendar, because they believed almanacs could shape people’s daily lives, their relationship to nature, and their loyalties to the state. This paper argues that French Republican almanacs published in both France and the United States, even when they were impractical, relied on the generic power of almanacs to further their political cause. It also argues that these almanacs functioned as intermediaries tying together localities and ideas.
“Who Should You Write For?”: Competing Spheres of Print Culture Production in Colonial Papua and New Guinea
Authors: Ellerman Evelyn
Published: November 2015

As the colonies of Papua and New Guinea were being prepared for self-government (1973) and independence (1975), three competing spheres of print culture production emerged, each of which developed programs and institutions in parallel and often mutually exclusive ways. These spheres, centred with the colonial administration’s Literature Bureau, the University of Papua New Guinea’s Literature Department, and the Christian missions’ Creative Training Centre, each offered a literary journal as a publication venue for newly trained writers. An analysis of these journals offers a unique glimpse into the publication choices made by young writers at a critical juncture in their personal and professional histories.
Shared Reading at a Distance: The Commonplace Books of the Stockton Family, 1812–40
Authors: Watson Amanda
Published: November 2015

This article uses the commonplace books of four members of the Stockton family of New Jersey to examine domestic reading practices in the antebellum United States. Despite separation by various life events, the Stocktons used their commonplace books to build a repository of shared reading materials. By transcribing the same poems, they extended the communal reading that typically took place at home across the dimensions of space and time. Their commonplace books reminded them of earlier shared readings and allowed them to continue reading together. Their collective reading and commonplacing practices may have been more widespread than we realize.
The History of Archives: The State of the Discipline
Authors: Yale Elizabeth
Published: November 2015

The history of archives seeks to understand archives as subjects of history, not just as its sources. The field has opened up new ways of thinking about major historical trends: the rise of the nation state, the development of public and private spheres, the growth of global institutions, and the ever-increasing emphasis on data in our information-rich “knowledge economy.” Archives are crucial sites for the exercise of political power as well as profoundly important resources for defining community identity. The work that archives do emerges from the tension between these functions, as well as the gaps between archival ambitions (information mastery, objectivity) and archival realities (partiality, anxiety, failures of access).
The Radical’s Catalogue: Antonio Panizzi, Virginia Woolf, and the British Museum Library’s Catalogue of Printed Books
Authors: Griffiths Devin
Published: November 2015

This essay considers how changes in nineteenth-century cataloguing practices impacted book history. Under Antonio Panizzi, the British Museum transitioned from an idiosyncratic printed catalogue of its print collections to an iterative all-manuscript catalogue of print items that anticipated later card and digital indexing systems. The new catalogue was part of an explicitly political effort to liberalize the history of print. In this light, I read Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own (1929) less as a critique than a meditation on the radical new modes of historical analysis made possible by the technology.