Health related quality of life trajectories and predictors following coronary artery bypass surgery

BACKGROUND: Many studies have demonstrated that health related quality of life (HRQoL) improves, on average, after coronary artery bypass graft surgery (CABGS). However, this average improvement may not be realized for all patients, and it is possible that there are two or more distinctive groups with different, possibly non-linear, trajectories of change over time. Furthermore, little is known about the predictors that are associated with these possible HRQoL trajectories after CABGS. METHODS: 182 patients listed for elective CABGS at The Royal Melbourne Hospital completed a postal battery of questionnaires which included the Short-Form-36 (SF-36), Profile of Mood States (POMS) and the Everyday Functioning Questionnaire (EFQ). These data were collected on average a month before surgery, and at two months and six months after surgery. Socio-demographic and medical characteristics prior to surgery, as well as surgical and post-surgical complications and symptoms were also assessed. Growth curve and growth mixture modelling were used to identify trajectories of HRQoL. RESULTS: For both the physical component summary scale (PCS) and the mental component summary scale (MCS) of the SF-36, two groups of patients with distinct trajectories of HRQoL following surgery could be identified (improvers and non-improvers). A series of logistic regression analyses identified different predictors of group membership for PCS and MCS trajectories. For the PCS the most significant predictors of non-improver membership were lower scores on POMS vigor-activity and higher New York Heart Association dyspnoea class; for the MCS the most significant predictors of non-improver membership were higher scores on POMS depression-dejection and manual occupation. CONCLUSION: It is incorrect to assume that HRQoL will improve in a linear fashion for all patients following CABGS. Nor was there support for a single response trajectory. It is important to identify characteristics of each patient, and those post-operative symptoms that could be possible targets for intervention to improve HRQoL outcomes

Insiders, Outsiders, and the Struggle for Consecration in Cultural Fields: A Core-Periphery Perspective

Building on recent research emphasizing how legitimacy depends on consensus among audiences about candidates’ characteristics and activities, we examine the relationship between cultural producers’ (candidates) position in the social structure and the consecration of their creative work by relevant audiences. We argue that the outcome of this process of evaluation in any cultural field, whether in art or science, is a function of (1) candidates’ embeddedness within the field, and (2) the type of audience—that is, peers versus critics—evaluating candidates’ work. Specifically, we hypothesize that peers are more likely to favor candidates who are highly embedded in the field, whereas critics will not show such favoritism. We find support for these hypotheses in the context of the Hollywood motion picture industry

BioVeL : a virtual laboratory for data analysis and modelling in biodiversity science and ecology

Background: Making forecasts about biodiversity and giving support to policy relies increasingly on large collections of data held electronically, and on substantial computational capability and capacity to analyse, model, simulate and predict using such data. However, the physically distributed nature of data resources and of expertise in advanced analytical tools creates many challenges for the modern scientist. Across the wider biological sciences, presenting such capabilities on the Internet (as "Web services") and using scientific workflow systems to compose them for particular tasks is a practical way to carry out robust "in silico" science. However, use of this approach in biodiversity science and ecology has thus far been quite limited. Results: BioVeL is a virtual laboratory for data analysis and modelling in biodiversity science and ecology, freely accessible via the Internet. BioVeL includes functions for accessing and analysing data through curated Web services; for performing complex in silico analysis through exposure of R programs, workflows, and batch processing functions; for on- line collaboration through sharing of workflows and workflow runs; for experiment documentation through reproducibility and repeatability; and for computational support via seamless connections to supporting computing infrastructures. We developed and improved more than 60 Web services with significant potential in many different kinds of data analysis and modelling tasks. We composed reusable workflows using these Web services, also incorporating R programs. Deploying these tools into an easy-to-use and accessible 'virtual laboratory', free via the Internet, we applied the workflows in several diverse case studies. We opened the virtual laboratory for public use and through a programme of external engagement we actively encouraged scientists and third party application and tool developers to try out the services and contribute to the activity. Conclusions: Our work shows we can deliver an operational, scalable and flexible Internet-based virtual laboratory to meet new demands for data processing and analysis in biodiversity science and ecology. In particular, we have successfully integrated existing and popular tools and practices from different scientific disciplines to be used in biodiversity and ecological research.Peer reviewe