A clinically relevant model of osteoinduction: a process requiring calcium phosphate and BMP/Wnt signalling

In this study, we investigated a clinically relevant model of in vivo ectopic bone formation utilizing human periosteum derived cells (HPDCs) seeded in a Collagraft carrier and explored the mechanisms by which this process is driven. Bone formation occurred after eight weeks when a minimum of one million HPDCs was loaded on Collagraft carriers and implanted subcutaneously in NMRI nu/nu mice. De novo bone matrix, mainly secreted by the HPDCs, was found juxta-proximal of the calcium phosphate (CaP) granules suggesting that CaP may have triggered the 'osteoinductive program'. Indeed, removal of the CaP granules by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid decalcification prior to cell seeding and implantation resulted in loss of bone formation. In addition, inhibition of endogenous bone morphogenetic protein and Wnt signalling by overexpression of the secreted antagonists Noggin and Frzb, respectively, also abrogated osteoinduction. Proliferation of the engrafted HPDCs was strongly reduced in the decalcified scaffolds or when seeded with adenovirus-Noggin/Frzb transduced HPDCs indicating that cell division of the engrafted HPDCs is required for the direct bone formation cascade. These data suggest that this model of bone formation is similar to that observed during physiological intramembranous bone development and may be of importance when investigating tissue engineering strategies.Published versio

OrganiZational communication and organiSational communication: Binaries and the fragments of a field

In this paper, I employ personal narrative to help cast light on connections and tensions between organiZational communication research, as produced in the United States, and organiSational communication research, as produced in Aotearoa New Zealand. I address the issue by highlighting three sets of differences between these bodies of research: canonical, institutional and theoretical. I then unpack how these differences are apparent in my own university before sketching out three ways in which we might productively use such tensions to achieve radical engagement, and critique disciplinary others, identities, and locations

Interdisciplinary design of a pervasive fall handling system

C

Adolescent brain development and the development of mentalizing

This chapter focuses on the balance and consider adolescence as a pivotal stage in development in explaining both risk and resilience. It discusses neuroimaging evidence suggesting that adolescence is associated with the functional and structural reorganisation of three distinct, although highly related, biobehavioural systems, i.e. the stress-regulation, attachment/reward and mentalizing systems, as well as other related neural systems such as systems for cognitive control. The implications of the reorganisations in these three biobehavioural systems in adolescence, and their role in explaining both vulnerability and resilience, are vast and deserve our attention. The human biobehavioural stress system is a complex system of neural structures that are involved in detecting, integrating, and responding to threat. Two areas of reward are central in adolescence: relationships, with a developmental shift towards growing importance of peer and romantic relationships, and agency/achievement

The value-added of primary schools: what is it really measuring?

This paper compares the official value-added scores in 2005 for all primary schools in three adjacent LEAs in England with the raw-score Key Stage 2 results for the same schools. The correlation coefficient for the raw- and value-added scores of these 457 schools is around +0.75. Scatterplots show that there are no low attaining schools with average or higher value-added, and no high attaining schools with below average value-added. At least some of the remaining scatter is explained by the small size of some schools. Although some relationship between these measures is to be expected – so that schools adding considerable value would tend to have high examination outcome scores – the relationship shown is too strong for this explanation to be considered sufficient. Value-added analysis is intended to remove the link between a schools’ intake scores and their raw-score outcomes at KS2. It should lead to an estimate of the differential progress made by pupils, assessed between schools. In fact, however, the relationship between value-added and raw scores is of the same size as the original relationship between intake scores and raw-scores that the value-added is intended to overcome. Therefore, however appealing the calculation of value-added figures is, their development is still at the stage where they are not ready to move from being a research tool to an instrument of judgement on schools. Such figures may mislead parents, governors and teachers and, even more importantly, they are being used in England by OFSTED to pre-determine the results of school inspections

Self-Critical Perfectionism Predicts Lower Cortisol Response to Experimental Stress in Patients With Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Previous studies have shown that self-critical perfectionism (SCP) is implicated in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS). However, to date, no studies exist that have examined whether SCP is related to a hypofunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, which has been shown to be a key factor in the pathophysiology of CFS. We conducted a quasi-experimental study to examine the effects of SCP (as measured with the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire) on stress reactivity in a sample of 41 female CFS patients. Participants were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Both subjective stress and salivary cortisol levels were measured until 90 minutes after the TSST. We also examined the relationship between stress reactivity and illness characteristics (i.e. duration and severity of symptoms). The results showed that SCP was associated with increased subjective stress reactivity, but with decreased HPA-axis reactivity as indicated by a blunted cortisol response to the TSST. Reduced cortisol reactivity was associated with greater symptom severity. There was no relationship between cortisol reactivity and illness duration. Our findings suggest that SCP is associated with loss of resilience of the neurobiological stress response system in CFS

Dynamic interpersonal therapy for moderate to severe depression: A pilot randomized controlled and feasibility trial

Background: Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) services treat most patients in England who present to primary care with major depression. Psychodynamic psychotherapy is one of the psychotherapies offered. Dynamic Interpersonal Therapy (DIT) is a psychodynamic and mentalization-based treatment for depression. 16 sessions are delivered over approximately 5 months. Neither DIT's effectiveness relative to low-intensity treatment (LIT), nor the feasibility of randomizing patients to psychodynamic or cognitive-behavioural treatments (CBT) in an IAPT setting has been demonstrated. Methods: 147 patients were randomized in a 3:2:1 ratio to DIT (n = 73), LIT (control intervention; n = 54) or CBT (n = 20) in four IAPT treatment services in a combined superiority and feasibility design. Patients meeting criteria for major depressive disorder were assessed at baseline, mid-treatment (3 months) and post-treatment (6 months) using the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD-17), Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II) and other self-rated questionnaire measures. Patients receiving DIT were also followed up 6 months post-completion. Results: The DIT arm showed significantly lower HRSD-17 scores at the 6-month primary end-point compared with LIT (d = 0.70). Significantly more DIT patients (51%) showed clinically significant change on the HRSD-17 compared with LIT (9%). The DIT and CBT arms showed equivalence on most outcomes. Results were similar with the BDI-II. DIT showed benefit across a range of secondary outcomes.ConclusionsDIT delivered in a primary care setting is superior to LIT and can be appropriately compared with CBT in future RCTs

How nursing home residents with dementia respond to the interactive art installation ‘VENSTER’: a pilot study

The goal of this study was (1) to determine whether and how nursing home residents with dementia respond to the interactive art installation in general and (2) to identify whether responses change when the content type and, therefore, the nature of the interaction with the artwork changes. The interactive art installation ‘VENSTER’ evokes responses in nursing home residents with dementia, illustrating the potential of interactive artworks in the nursing home environment. Frequently observed responses were naming, recognizing or asking questions about depicted content and how the installation worked, physically gesturing towards or tapping on the screen and tapping or singing along to the music. It seemed content matters a lot. When VENSTER is to be used in routine care, the choice of a type of content is critical to the intended experience/usage in practice. In this study, recognition seemed to trigger memory and (in most cases) a verbal reaction, while indistinctness led to asking for more information. When (initially) coached by a care provider, residents actively engaged physically with the screen. Responses differed between content types, which makes it important to further explore different types of content and content as an interface to provide meaningful experiences for nursing home residents. Implications for rehabilitation: - VENSTER can facilitate different types of responses ranging from verbal reactions to active physical engagement. The choice of a type of content is critical to the intended experience/usage in practice. - Activating content seems suitable for use as a meaningful experience during the spare time in between existing activities or therapy. - Sessions with interactive content are short (avg. 30 mins) and intense and can therefore potentially be used as an activating therapy, activity or exercise. - In order to actively engage residents with dementia, the role of the care provider seems very important