Overgeneral past and future thinking in dysphoria: the role of emotional cues and cueing methodology

Overgeneral memory, where individuals exhibit difficulties in retrieving specific episodes from autobiographical memory, has been consistently linked with emotional disorders. However, the majority of this literature has relied upon a single methodology, in which participants respond to emotional cue words with explicit instructions to retrieve/simulate specific events. Through use of sentence completion tasks the current studies explored whether overgenerality represents a habitual pattern of thinking that extends to how individuals naturally consider their personal past and future life story. In both studies, when compared with controls, dysphoric individuals evidenced overgeneral thinking style with respect to their personal past. However, overgeneral future thinking was only evident when the sentence stems included emotional words. These findings highlight the importance of investigating the overgenerality phenomenon using a variety of cueing techniques and results are discussed with reference to the previous literature exploring overgenerality and cognitive models of depression

Cluster Randomised Trials in Cochrane Reviews: Evaluation of Methodological and Reporting Practice

Objective Systematic reviews can include cluster-randomised controlled trials (C-RCTs), which require different analysis compared with standard individual-randomised controlled trials. However, it is not known whether review authors follow the methodological and reporting guidance when including these trials. The aim of this study was to assess the methodological and reporting practice of Cochrane reviews that included C-RCTs against criteria developed from existing guidance. Methods Criteria were developed, based on methodological literature and personal experience supervising review production and quality. Criteria were grouped into four themes: identifying, reporting, assessing risk of bias, and analysing C-RCTs. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was searched (2nd December 2013), and the 50 most recent reviews that included C-RCTs were retrieved. Each review was then assessed using the criteria. Results The 50 reviews we identified were published by 26 Cochrane Review Groups between June 2013 and November 2013. For identifying C-RCTs, only 56% identified that C-RCTs were eligible for inclusion in the review in the eligibility criteria. For reporting C-RCTs, only eight (24%) of the 33 reviews reported the method of cluster adjustment for their included C-RCTs. For assessing risk of bias, only one review assessed all five C-RCT-specific risk-of-bias criteria. For analysing C-RCTs, of the 27 reviews that presented unadjusted data, only nine (33%) provided a warning that confidence intervals may be artificially narrow. Of the 34 reviews that reported data from unadjusted C-RCTs, only 13 (38%) excluded the unadjusted results from the meta-analyses. Conclusions The methodological and reporting practices in Cochrane reviews incorporating C-RCTs could be greatly improved, particularly with regard to analyses. Criteria developed as part of the current study could be used by review authors or editors to identify errors and improve the quality of published systematic reviews incorporating C-RCTs

What factors influence the use of contracts in the context of NHS dental practice?:A systematic review of theory and logic model

AbstractUK NHS contracts mediate the relationship between dental and medical practitioners as independent contractors, and the state which reimburses them for their services to patients. There have been successive revisions of dental and medical contracts since the 1990s alongside a change in the levels of professional dominance and accountability. Unintended consequences of the 2006 dental contract have led to plans for further reform. We set out to identify the factors which facilitate and hinder the use of contracts in this area. Previous reviews of theory have been narrative, and based on macro-theory arising from various disciplines such as economics, sociology and political science. This paper presents a systematic review and aggregative synthesis of the theories of contracting for publicly funded health care. A logic map conveys internal pathways linking competition for contracts to opportunism. We identify that whilst practitioners' responses to contract rules is a result of micro-level bargaining clarifying patients' and providers' interests, responses are also influenced by relationships with commissioners and wider personal, professional and political networks

THE IMPACTS OF RECENT WILDFIRES ON STREAM WATER QUALITY AND MACROINVERTEBRATE ASSEMBLAGES IN SOUTHERN NORTHWEST TERRITORIES, CANADA

High-latitude regions are currently undergoing rapid ecosystem change due to increasing temperatures and modified precipitation regimes. Since 2012, the Northwest Territories (Canada) has been experiencing severe drought and wildfire seasons. In 2014 alone, fires within the Northwest Territories consumed over 3.4 million hectares of forested land; 1.4 times larger than the national yearly average for Canada. Wildfire is one of the most important agents influencing age structure and composition of forest stands, as such, it is a critical factor in ecosystem dynamics. The impacts of wildfire on terrestrial systems garner more attention compared to aquatic habitats. This is especially true when considering aquatic ecosystems, specifically sub-arctic streams, where the impact of fires on stream ecology and chemistry are relatively understudied. Freshwater ecosystems, such as lakes and streams, are relied upon by northern communities for their cultural significance and economic and environmental goods and services they produce, including country foods. This study examines the impact of recent wildfire on freshwater streams within the North Slave, South Slave, and Dehcho regions of the Northwest Territories (Canada) through analysis of their water chemistry and benthic macroinvertebrate assemblages. Benthic macroinvertebrates, the macroscopic organisms living within/on the substrate of streams, were sampled following methodologies outlined by the Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN). Biological indices (e.g. Species Richness, Shannon Diversity Index) were calculated and compared statistically to determine relationships regarding benthic diversity and abundance. Results of this study suggest that recent wildfires cause short-term perturbations in water quality, such as increases in dissolved aluminum, TSS and turbidity. In addition, results indicate slight structural changes in invertebrate communities of streams within burned catchments (impacted) compared to those in unburned catchments (control), including increased richness and abundance of primary consumers and their predators

Mechanical Properties of Biomaterials Used in Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

Total hip and knee arthroplasty (THA and TKA) represent two of the most successful operations in orthopedics. For a total hip or knee prosthesis to function successfully, it must transfer mechanical loads up to seven times the individual’s body weight from the axial skeleton to the lower extremities with minimal friction and wear. This is achieved by constructing prostheses from integrated components of different mechanical properties: a shock-absorbing and low-friction interface between the native joint and implant; a harder and stronger piece supporting the deformable interface, and an anchor securing the implant and transferring loads to the native bone. As early as the 1960s, polymers such as ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were known to perform successfully at the joint-implant interface. Both ceramics and metals have historically been used for the main support of the implant, although metals and especially titanium alloys have taken preference in recent years. Recently, a flood of innovations has allowed material scientists to maximize the mechanical properties of these materials to increase mechanical strength, adjust elasticity, and improve biocompatibility. These innovations include the development of metal alloys and ceramic composites, reinforcement with carbon nanotubes and hydroxyapatite, antioxidant doping, gamma radiation-induced crosslinking, and bioactive coatings. Today, not only the mechanical properties but also the wear resistance and osseointegration of total hip and knee implants are far improved. This has led to better mechanical and physiological integration of the implants with the body and the necessary durability for younger patients’ more active lifestyles. In this paper, these innovations will be explored within the framework of implant mechanics to provide a comparative assessment of current materials’ mechanical capabilities, advantages, and disadvantages.undergraduat

Evaluating Knowledge Gaps in Sea-Level Rise Assessments From the United States

There have been many scientific advances regarding future sea-level projections, however it is unclear if these have been transferred to assessment reports used by stakeholders. Here, we present a first-of-its-kind comprehensive analysis of regional sea-level rise (SLR) assessments for the United States (U.S.). We identify variations in time horizons over which regions plan for SLR, with 25 projections from the U.S. Northeast and West that extend to 2150 or beyond, but no projections from the U.S. South beyond 2100. The majority of 2100 projections from the U.S. Northeast (77%) and West (83%) include ranges of future SLR, while 88% of projections from the U.S. South include only single estimates. At least 56% of U.S. communities in the database underestimate the upper end of future SLR compared to the regional projections of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Sixth Assessment Report

Changes in Tendon Thickness only Occurs in Patients with Achilles Tendinopathy

A previous George Fox Study examined the effect of a heavy load eccentric exercise program for patients with achilles tendinopathy (AT) to test the hypothesis of improved outcomes and decreased tendon thickness