A cost-effective method to quantify biological surface sediment reworking

We propose a simple and inexpensive method to determine the rate and pattern of surface sediment reworking by benthic organisms. Unlike many existing methods commonly used in bioturbation studies, which usually require sediment sampling, our approach is fully non-destructive and is well suited for investigating non-cohesive fine sediments in streams and rivers. Optical tracer (e.g., luminophores or coloured sand) disappearance or appearance is assessed through time based on optical quantification of surfaces occupied by tracers. Data are used to calculate surface sediment reworking (SSR) coefficients depicting bioturbation intensities. Using this method, we evaluated reworking activity of stream organisms (three benthic invertebrates and a fish) in laboratory microcosms mimicking pool habitats or directly in the field within arenas set in depositional zones. Our method was sensitive enough to measure SSR as low as 0.2 cm2.d-1, such as triggered by intermediate density (774 m-2) of Gammarus fossarum (Amphipoda) in microcosms. In contrast, complex invertebrate community in the field and a fish (Barbatula barabatula) in laboratory microcosms were found to yield to excessively high SSR (>60 cm2.d-1). Lastly, we suggest that images acquired during experiments can be used for qualitative evaluation of species-specific effects on sediment distribution

Gay male academics in UK business and management schools: negotiating heteronormativities in everyday work life

This paper contributes to a neglected topic area about lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans people’s employment experiences in UK business and management schools. Drawing on queer theory to problematize essentialist notions of sexuality, we explore how gay male academics negotiate and challenge discourses of heteronormativity within different work contexts. Using in-depth interview data, the paper shows that gay male academics are continually constrained by heteronormativity in constructing viable subject positions as ‘normal’, often having to reproduce heteronormative values that squeeze opportunities for generating non-heteronormative ‘queer’ sexualities, identities and selves. Constructing a presence as an openly gay academic can invoke another binary through which identities are (re)constructed: as either ‘gay’ (a cleaned up version of gay male sexuality that sustains a heteronormative moral order) or ‘queer’ (cast as radical, disruptive and sexually promiscuous). Data also reveal how gay men challenge organizational heteronormativities through teaching and research activities, producing reverse discourses and creating alternative knowledge/power regimes, despite institutional barriers and risks of perpetuating heteronormative binaries and constructs. Study findings call for pedagogical and research practices that ‘queer’ (rupture, destabilize, disrupt) management knowledge and the heterosexual/homosexual binary, enabling non-heteronormative voices, perspectives, identities and ways of relating to emerge in queer(er) business and management schools

A randomised controlled trial of cognitive behaviour therapy and motivational interviewing for people with type 1 diabetes mellitus with persistent sub-optimal glycaemic control: A diabetes and psychological therapies (ADaPT) study

Published version. Copyright © 2010 NIHR Health Technology Assessment ProgrammeTo determine whether (i) motivational enhancement therapy (MET) + cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) compared with usual care, (ii) MET compared with usual care, (iii) or MET + CBT compared with MET was more effective in improving glycaemic control when delivered by general nurses with additional training in these techniques

Experiences and Perspectives of Polycystic Kidney Disease Patients following a Diet of Reduced Osmoles, Protein, and Acid Precursors Supplemented with Water:A Qualitative Study

Background Salt, protein, acid precursors, and fluid intake have been identified as factors that influence cyst growth in ADPKD. Unfortunately, the feasibility of following these dietary restrictions/enhancements from a patient's point-of-view has yet to be studied. The purpose of this study is to understand better the experiences of patients following a relatively complex dietary prescription targeting these factors. Methods Twelve adults with ADPKD and kidney function >30ml/min/1.73m(2) were recruited from the University of Kansas Medical Center Polycystic Kidney Disease clinic. In a qualitative design, semi-structured interviews of participants were conducted following a four week dietary intervention (experimental diet lower in sodium, protein, and acid precursors, and supplemented with water) either face-to-face or by telephone. All interviews were recorded, transcribed verbatim, and checked for accuracy. Transcripts were analyzed thematically for emerging themes. Results Participants reported that eating less meat and more fruits and vegetables were the easiest components of the diet, whereas reaching the daily goal amount of fruits and vegetables and tracking the diet constantly were the most difficult components. Participants had little difficulty with fluid intake and reported the prescribed fluid goal as achievable. The tracking system for fruits and vegetables and protein was reported to be both helpful and intuitive, but tracking their intake on paper was tedious. Eating out was the most significant barrier to following the diet with some individuals avoiding restaurants in order to comply with the dietary prescription. Conclusion Participants on the experimental diet heightened their awareness of the consumption of dietary salt, protein, acid precursors, and fluid intake. Additionally, most participants believed adherence to the prescribed diet was feasible. However, participants wanted less cumbersome ways to track and monitor the diet, especially given that the prescribed diet is designed for lifelong adherence. Future studies should focus on targeting these specific dietary factors in larger groups of more ethnically and culturally diverse populations to help inform clinicians and how best to help diverse populations adhere to the dietary intervention

Swimming in a Sea of Shame: Incorporating Emotions into Explanations of Institutional Reproduction and Change

We theorize the role in institutional processes of what we call the shame nexus, a set of shame-related constructs: felt shame, systemic shame, sense of shame, and episodic shaming. As a discrete emotion, felt shame signals to a person that a social bond is at risk and catalyzes a fundamental motivation to preserve valued bonds. We conceptualize systemic shame as a form of disciplinary power, animated by persons’ sense of shame, a mechanism of ongoing intersubjective surveillance and self-regulation. We theorize how the duo of the sense of shame and systemic shame drives the self-regulation that underpins persons’ conformity to institutional prescriptions and institutional reproduction. We conceptualize episodic shaming as a form of juridical power used by institutional guardians to elicit renewed conformity and reassert institutional prescriptions. We also explain how episodic shaming may have unintended effects, including institutional disruption and recreation, when it triggers sensemaking among targets and observers that can lead to the reassessment of the appropriateness of institutional prescriptions or the value of social bonds. We link the shame nexus to three broad categories of institutional work

Seagrass and submerged aquatic vegetation (VAS) habitats off the Coast of Brazil: state of knowledge, conservation and main threats

Seagrass meadows are among the most threatened ecosystems on earth, raising concerns about the equilibrium of coastal ecosystems and the sustainability of local fisheries. The present review evaluated the current status of the research on seagrasses and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) habitats off the coast of Brazil in terms of plant responses to environmental conditions, changes in distribution and abundance, and the possible role of climate change and variability. Despite an increase in the number of studies, the communication of the results is still relatively limited and is mainly addressed to a national or regional public; thus, South American seagrasses are rarely included or cited in global reviews and models. The scarcity of large-scale and long-term studies allowing the detection of changes in the structure, abundance and composition of seagrass habitats and associated species still hinders the investigation of such communities with respect to the potential effects of climate change. Seagrass meadows and SAV occur all along the Brazilian coast, with species distribution and abundance being strongly influenced by regional oceanography, coastal water masses, river runoff and coastal geomorphology. Based on these geomorphological, hydrological and ecological features, we characterised the distribution of seagrass habitats and abundances within the major coastal compartments. The current conservation status of Brazilian seagrasses and SAV is critical. The unsustainable exploitation and occupation of coastal areas and the multifold anthropogenic footprints left during the last 100 years led to the loss and degradation of shoreline habitats potentially suitable for seagrass occupation. Knowledge of the prevailing patterns and processes governing seagrass structure and functioning along the Brazilian coast is necessary for the global discussion on climate change. Our review is a first and much-needed step toward a more integrated and inclusive approach to understanding the diversity of coastal plant formations along the Southwestern Atlantic coast as well as a regional alert the projected or predicted effects of global changes on the goods and services provided by regional seagrasses and SAV

Diagnostic and cost utility of whole exome sequencing in peripheral neuropathy.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the diagnostic utility and cost effectiveness of whole exome sequencing (WES) in a cohort of individuals with peripheral neuropathy. METHODS: Singleton WES was performed in individuals recruited though one pediatric and one adult tertiary center between February 2014 and December 2015. Initial analysis was restricted to a virtual panel of 55 genes associated with peripheral neuropathies. Patients with uninformative results underwent expanded analysis of the WES data. Data on the cost of prior investigations and assessments performed for diagnostic purposes in each patient was collected. RESULTS: Fifty patients with a peripheral neuropathy were recruited (median age 18 years; range 2-68 years). The median time from initial presentation to study enrollment was 6 years 9 months (range 2 months-62 years), and the average cost of prior investigations and assessments for diagnostic purposes AU$4013 per patient. Eleven individuals received a diagnosis from the virtual panel. Eight individuals received a diagnosis following expanded analysis of the WES data, increasing the overall diagnostic yield to 38%. Two additional individuals were diagnosed with pathogenic copy number variants through SNP microarray. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence that WES has a high diagnostic utility and is cost effective in patients with a peripheral neuropathy. Expanded analysis of WES data significantly improves the diagnostic yield in patients in whom a diagnosis is not found on the initial targeted analysis. This is primarily due to diagnosis of conditions caused by newly discovered genes and the resolution of complex and atypical phenotypes

“Medically unexplained” symptoms and symptom disorders in primary care: prognosis-based recognition and classification

Background: Many patients consult their GP because they experience bodily symptoms. In a substantial proportion of cases, the clinical picture does not meet the existing diagnostic criteria for diseases or disorders. This may be because symptoms are recent and evolving or because symptoms are persistent but, either by their character or the negative results of clinical investigation cannot be attributed to disease: so-called “medically unexplained symptoms” (MUS). MUS are inconsistently recognised, diagnosed and managed in primary care. The specialist classification systems for MUS pose several problems in a primary care setting. The systems generally require great certainty about presence or absence of physical disease, they tend to be mind-body dualistic, and they view symptoms from a narrow specialty determined perspective. We need a new classification of MUS in primary care; a classification that better supports clinical decision-making, creates clearer communication and provides scientific underpinning of research to ensure effective interventions. Discussion: We propose a classification of symptoms that places greater emphasis on prognostic factors. Prognosis-based classification aims to categorise the patient’s risk of ongoing symptoms, complications, increased healthcare use or disability because of the symptoms. Current evidence suggests several factors which may be used: symptom characteristics such as: number, multi-system pattern, frequency, severity. Other factors are: concurrent mental disorders, psychological features and demographic data. We discuss how these characteristics may be used to classify symptoms into three groups: self-limiting symptoms, recurrent and persistent symptoms, and symptom disorders. The middle group is especially relevant in primary care; as these patients generally have reduced quality of life but often go unrecognised and are at risk of iatrogenic harm. The presented characteristics do not contain immediately obvious cut-points, and the assessment of prognosis depends on a combination of several factors. Conclusion: Three criteria (multiple symptoms, multiple systems, multiple times) may support the classification into good, intermediate and poor prognosis when dealing with symptoms in primary care. The proposed new classification specifically targets the patient population in primary care and may provide a rational framework for decision-making in clinical practice and for epidemiologic and clinical research of symptoms

Anxiety and self-esteem as mediators of the relation between family communication and indecisiveness in adolescence

Abstract In this study, we explored the unique and common contributions of anxiety, self-esteem, and family communication on indecisiveness among adolescents. Three hundred and fifty pupils from 13 to 16 years of age completed selfreport measures on indecisiveness, quality of family communication, trait anxiety, and self-esteem. The findings in this study showed that students\u2019 indecisiveness is predicted by family communication mediated by anxiety and self-esteem. These results have important implications for practice as it stresses the importance of anxiety and self-esteem. Nevertheless, the counselors could also focus on enhancing relationship-building skills by introducing the adolescents\u2019 career formation as an adolescent\u2013parent joint project.L\u2019anxie\ub4te\ub4 et l\u2019estime de soi comme me\ub4diateurs de la relation entre communication au sein de la famille et indecision chronique a` l\u2019adolescence. Dans cette e\ub4tude, nous avons explore\ub4 les contributions uniques et communes de l\u2019anxiete\ub4, de l\u2019estime de soi et de la communication au sein de la famille sur l\u2019indecision chronique aupres d\u2019adolescents. Trois cent cinquante e\ub4le`ves a\u2c6ge\ub4s de 13 a` 16 ans ont rempli des mesures d\u2019auto-e\ub4valuation de l\u2019inde\ub4cision chronique, de la qualite\ub4 de la communication familiale, de l\u2019anxie\ub4te\ub4-trait et de l\u2019estime de soi. Les re\ub4sultats de cette e\ub4tude ont montre\ub4 que l\u2019inde\ub4cision des e\ub4tudiants est explique\ub4e par la communication au sein de la famille et que ce lien est me\ub4diatise\ub4 par l\u2019anxie\ub4te\ub4 et l\u2019estime de soi. Ces re\ub4sultats ont des implications importantes pour la pratique car ils soulignent l\u2019importance de l\u2019anxie\ub4te\ub4 et l\u2019estime de soi. Ne\ub4anmoins, les conseillers pourraient e\ub4galement se concentrer sur l\u2019ame\ub4lioration des compe\ub4tences de construction relationnelle en introduisant la formation professionnelle des adolescents comme un projet conjoint adolescent-parent.Resumen. Ansiedad y Autoestima como Mediadores de la Relacio\ub4n entre Comunicacio\ub4n Familiar e Indecisio\ub4n en la Adolescencia. En este estudio, exploramos las contribuciones u\ub4nicas y comunes de la ansiedad, la autoestima y la comunicacio\ub4n de familia en la indecisio\ub4n de los adolescentes. Tres y cientos cincuenta alumnos entre los 13 y 16 an\u2dcos completaron auto-evaluaciones sobre la indecisio\ub4n, la calidad de comunicacio\ub4n familiar, los rasgos de ansiedad y la autoestima. Los resultados en este estudio muestran que la indecisio\ub4n en los estudiantes es prevista por la comunicacio\ub4n familiar mediada por la ansiedad y la autoestima. Estos resultados tiene importantes implicaciones para la practica ya que destacan la importancia de la ansiedad y la autoestima. Sin embargo, los consejeros podr\u131\ub4an tambie\ub4n focalizarse en el aumento de sus habilidades para construir relaciones mediante la introduccio\ub4n de la formacio\ub4n profesional para adolescentes como un proyecto conjunto del adolescente-padre.Angst und Selbstwertgefu\ua8 hl als Mediatoren der Beziehung zwischen Kommunikation in der Familie und Unentschlossenheit in der Adoleszenz. In dieser Studie untersuchten wir die spezifischen und gemeinsamen Beitra\ua8ge von Angst, Selbstwertgefu\ua8hl und Kommunikation in der Familie auf Unentschlossenheit unter Jugendlichen. Dreihundertfu\ua8nfzig Schu\ua8ler, zwischen 13 bis 16 Jahre alt, fu\ua8llten Skalen zur Unentschlossenheit, Qualita\ua8t der Kommunikation in der Familie, A\ua8 ngstlichkeit und Selbstwertgefu\ua8hl aus. Die Ergebnisse dieser Studie zeigten, dass Unentschlossenheit der Schu\ua8ler von Kommunikation in der Familie vorhergesagt wird, vermittelt durch Angst und Selbstwertgefu\ua8 hl. Diese Ergebnisse haben wichtige Implikationen fu\ua8r die Praxis, da sie die Bedeutung von Angst und Selbstwertgefu\ua8hl hervorheben. Dennoch ko\ua8nnten sich die Beratungspersonen durch die Einfu\ua8hrung der beruflichen Bildung der Jugendlichen als ein gemeinsames Projekt von Jugendliche-Elternteil auch auf die Verbesserung der Fa\ua8higkeiten zum Aufbau von Beziehungen konzentrieren