Study protocol - A systematic review and meta-analysis of hypothermia in experimental traumatic brain injury: Why have promising animal studies not been replicated in pragmatic clinical trials?

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and permanent disability. Systemic hypothermia, a treatment used in TBI for many decades, has recently been found to be associated with neutral or unfavourable clinical outcomes despite apparently promising preclinical research. Systematic review and meta‐analysis is a tool to summarize literature and observe trends in experimental design and quality that underpin its general conclusions. Here we aim to use these techniques to describe the use of hypothermia in animal TBI models, collating data relating to outcome and both study design and quality. From here we intend to observe correlations between features and attempt to explain any discrepancies found between animal and clinical data. This protocol describes the relevant methodology in detail

From paradox to pattern shift: Conceptualising liminal hotspots and their affective dynamics

This article introduces the concept of liminal hotspots as a specifically psychosocial and sociopsychological type of wicked problem, best addressed in a process-theoretical framework. A liminal hotspot is defined as an occasion characterised by the experience of being trapped in the interstitial dimension between different forms-of-process. The paper has two main aims. First, to articulate a nexus of concepts associated with liminal hotspots that together provide general analytic purchase on a wide range of problems concerning “troubled” becoming. Second, to provide concrete illustrations through examples drawn from the health domain. In the conclusion, we briefly indicate the sense in which liminal hotspots are part of broader and deeper historical processes associated with changing modes for the management and navigation of liminality

Existential Communication and Leadership

The aim of this article is to introduce and explain a number of important existentialist philosophers and concepts that we believe can contribute to a critical approach to leadership theory. Emphasis is placed on understanding the nature of communication from an existentialist perspective and so Jaspers' conceptualization of existential communication is introduced along with important related concepts that may be regarded as important facets of leader communication including Being-in-the-world, the Other, intersubjectivity, dialogue and indirect communication. Particular attention is paid to Buber's ideas on communication as relationship and dialogue. Throughout, reference is made to contemporary, and what is often regarded as orthodox, thinking regarding the centrality of communication to leadership practice as a means by which to highlight the salience of an existentialist analysis

Effectiveness of biomaterial-based combination strategies for spinal cord repair – a systematic review and meta-analysis of preclinical literature

Funding This work was supported by the Institute of Medical Sciences of the University of Aberdeen, International Spinal Research Trust, Scottish Rugby Union, RS McDonald Charitable Trust and The European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement no. 702213).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

LITTER PRODUCTION AND MACRONUTRIENTS RETURN IN THREE FLORISTIC GROUPS OF AN ARAUCARIA FOREST, RS STATE

O objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a produ\ue7\ue3o de serapilheira e o retorno de macronutrientes em tr\ueas grupos flor\uedsticos, ocorrentes na Floresta Ombr\uf3fila Mista, localizada na FLONA de S\ue3o Francisco de Paula, RS. Para isso, utilizou-se tr\ueas conglomerados permanentes de 1 ha (100 x 100m) cada, onde a vegeta\ue7\ue3o foi previamente classificada, por an\ue1lise de agrupamento, em tr\ueas distintos grupos flor\uedsticos: GF1 \u2013 Floresta Secund\ue1ria de Encosta; GF2 \u2013 Floresta Ombr\uf3fila Mista T\uedpica; e GF3 \u2013 Floresta de Locais amidos. Para a coleta dos dados foram distribu\ueddos, sistematicamente, 16 coletores de serapilheira de 1m\ub2 de \ue1rea, por grupo flor\uedstico. O material, recolhido mensalmente durante um ano, foi separado nas seguintes fra\ue7\uf5es: folhas de folhosas, grimpas, galhos, miscel\ue2nea e sementes. Para a an\ue1lise qu\uedmica dos macronutrientes \u2013 nitrog\ueanio (N), f\uf3sforo (P), pot\ue1ssio (K), c\ue1lcio (Ca), magn\ue9sio (Mg) e enxofre (S) \u2013 contidos na serapilheira depositada, foram considerados os grupos flor\uedsticos, as fra\ue7\uf5es e as esta\ue7\uf5es clim\ue1ticas. A produ\ue7\ue3o anual de serapilheira foi de 8.354,4 kg.ha-1, 7.927,5 kg.ha-1 e 7.017,8 kg.ha-1 nos grupos GF2, GF1 e GF3, respectivamente. Nos grupos GF1 e GF3, a primavera foi a esta\ue7\ue3o que apresentou a maior deposi\ue7\ue3o, seguida pelo ver\ue3o, inverno e outono. O GF2 apresentou maior deposi\ue7\ue3o no ver\ue3o, seguido da primavera, outono e inverno. As fra\ue7\uf5es folhas de folhosas e grimpas constitu\uedram no principal componente, respondendo tamb\ue9m pelo maior retorno de macronutrientes. O retorno total estimado de macronutrientes foi de 358,57 kg.ha-1.ano-1, 284,25 kg.ha-1.ano-1 e 256,80 kg.ha-1.ano-1 para os grupos GF2, GF3 e GF1, respectivamente. A ordem da transfer\ueancia dos macronutrientes presentes na serapilheira depositada foi: N>Ca>K>Mg>S>P, para os grupos GF1 e GF2; e Ca>N>K>Mg>S>P, para o GF3.The aim of the current study was to evaluate the production of litter and the return of macronutrients in three floristic groups which occur in the Araucaria Forest, located in the National Forest of S\ue3o Francisco de Paula, RS state. For this purpose, we selected three permanent conglomerates of 1ha (100x 100m) each one, where the vegetation was previously classified, by cluster analysis, in three different floristic groups: FG1 \u2013 hillside environment; FG2 \u2013 typical araucaria forest; and FG3- humid environment. For litter fall collection, 16 litter traps of 1m2 of area were distributed, systematically, by floristic group. The material was collected monthly during one year and separated in the following fractions: leaves, araucaria needles, branches, miscellaneous and seeds. For the chemical analysis of the macronutrients \u2013 nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg) and sulfur (S) \u2013 returned in litter, we considered the floristic groups, the fractions and the climatic seasons. The annual production of litter was 8.354,4 kg.ha-1.yr-1, 7.929,5 kg.ha-1.yr-1 and kg.ha-1.yr-1 in the groups FG2, FG1 and FG3, respectively. For the FG1 and FG3 groups, spring was the season that presented the highest litter deposition, followed by summer, winter and autumn. The FG2 group showed the highest litter deposition in summer, followed by spring, autumn and winter. The fractions of leaves and araucaria needles formed the main litter component, responding also by a higher return of macronutrients. The estimated litter return of macronutrients were of 358,57 kg.ha-1.yr-1 and 256,80 kg.ha-1.yr-1 for the groups FG2, FG3 and FG1, respectively. The order of transference of those macronutrients present in the deposited litter was: N>Ca>K>Mg>S>P, for the groups FG1 and FG2; and Ca>N> K>Mg>S>P, for the GF3

Paradoxical alliances in transactional analysis psychotherapy for anxiety : a systematic adjudicated case study

This article considers the use of the technique of paradoxical alliances in transactional analysis psychotherapy with a 37-year-old white French woman over two sets of sessions. The authors hypothesize that this technique, which has not yet been widely used in TA, can be effective in the treatment of anxiety disorders and offers a useful addition to existing transactional analysis methods. The first set of sessions with the client occurred before the paradoxical alliances approach had been developed, and although therapy had some benefits, it did not result in lasting change for the client. In the second set of sessions, the paradoxical alliances technique was applied and resulted in a deep, lasting improvement in the client’s anxiety attack

Transplantation of canine olfactory ensheathing cells producing chondroitinase ABC promotes chondroitin sulphate proteoglycan digestion and axonal sprouting following spinal cord injury

Olfactory ensheathing cell (OEC) transplantation is a promising strategy for treating spinal cord injury (SCI), as has been demonstrated in experimental SCI models and naturally occurring SCI in dogs. However, the presence of chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans within the extracellular matrix of the glial scar can inhibit efficient axonal repair and limit the therapeutic potential of OECs. Here we have used lentiviral vectors to genetically modify canine OECs to continuously deliver mammalian chondroitinase ABC at the lesion site in order to degrade the inhibitory chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans in a rodent model of spinal cord injury. We demonstrate that these chondroitinase producing canine OECs survived at 4 weeks following transplantation into the spinal cord lesion and effectively digested chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans at the site of injury. There was evidence of sprouting within the corticospinal tract rostral to the lesion and an increase in the number of corticospinal axons caudal to the lesion, suggestive of axonal regeneration. Our results indicate that delivery of the chondroitinase enzyme can be achieved with the genetically modified OECs to increase axon growth following SCI. The combination of these two promising approaches is a potential strategy for promoting neural regeneration following SCI in veterinary practice and human patients

Migraine aura: retracting particle-like waves in weakly susceptible cortex

Cortical spreading depression (SD) has been suggested to underlie migraine aura. Despite a precise match in speed, the spatio-temporal patterns of SD and aura symptoms on the cortical surface ordinarily differ in aspects of size and shape. We show that this mismatch is reconciled by utilizing that both pattern types bifurcate from an instability point of generic reaction-diffusion models. To classify these spatio-temporal pattern we suggest a susceptibility scale having the value [sigma]=1 at the instability point. We predict that human cortex is only weakly susceptible to SD ([sigma]<1), and support this prediction by directly matching visual aura symptoms with anatomical landmarks using fMRI retinotopic mapping. We discuss the increased dynamical repertoire of cortical tissue close to [sigma]=1, in particular, the resulting implications on migraine pharmacology that is hitherto tested in the regime ([sigma]>>1), and potentially silent aura occurring below a second bifurcation point at [sigma]=0 on the susceptible scale

Conflito trabalho-família, auto eficácia parental e estilos parentais percebidos em pais e mães da cidade de Talca no Chile

The relationship between levels of work-family conflict, parental self-efficacy and perceived parenting styles in a group of 43 school children and both working parents is analyzed, controlling for socio-demographic variables. Also, gender differences are identified in the variables and the relationship between them in relation to the number of children. Three instruments were applied to the sample for measuring the referred variables. A significant and negative relationship is observed between levels of work-family conflict and parental self-efficacy (r = -0.484, P <0.001). The authoritarian parenting style has greater association with self-efficacy (r = 0.301, P = 0.005). A significant and negative relationship between self-efficacy and number of children (r = -0.257, P = 0.017) is reported. Finally, it is concluded that women have greater work-family conflict than men.Se analiza la relación existente entre los niveles de conflicto trabajo-familia, autoeficacia parental y estilos parentales percibidos en un grupo de 43 niños estudiantes y ambos padres trabajadores, controlando las variables sociodemográficas. Así mismo, se identifican las diferencias por género en las variables, y la relación que existe entre ellas con respecto al número de hijos. A la muestra le fueron aplicados tres instrumentos de medición de las variables referidas. Se observa una relación significativa y negativa entre los niveles de conflicto trabajo-familia y la autoeficacia parental (r= -0,484; p<0,001). El estilo parental autoritario presenta mayor asociación con autoeficacia (r=0,301; p=0,005). Se reporta una relación significativa y negativa entre autoeficacia y número de hijos (r=-0,257; p=0,017). Finalmente se reporta que las mujeres presentan mayor conflicto trabajo-familia que los hombres.Analisa-se a relação existente entre os níveis de conflito trabalho-família, auto eficácia parental e estilos parentais percebidos em um grupo de 43 crianças estudantes de pais trabalhadores, controlando as variáveis sociodemográficas. Assim mesmo, identificam-se as diferenças por gênero nas variáveis, e a relação que existe entre elas com respeito ao número de filhos. Foram aplicados à mostra três instrumentos de medição das variáveis referidas. Observa-se uma relação significativa e negativa entre os níveis de conflito trabalho-família e a auto eficácia parental (r= -0,484; p<0,001). O estilo parental autoritário apresenta maior associação com autoeficácia (r=0,301; p=0,005). Reporta-se uma relação significativa e negativa entre autoeficácia e número de filhos (r=-0,257; p=0,017). Finalmente reporta-se que as mulheres apresentam maior conflito trabalho-família que os homens