Managing Intra-Party Democracy: Comparing the French Socialist and British Labour Party Conferences

The French Socialists and British Labour consider intra-party democracy as a central tenet of their philosophies. It is a core value that orientates their political attitudes and defines their identity. Traditionally, they have privileged a particular type of decision-making, based on the sovereignty of the party conference. However, at the beginning of the 1990s, these meetings projected a damaging image of division and chaos. Confronted with the intense scrutiny of their internal debates by the media, the two parties had to find a better balance between their culture and practices, and the need to promote an image of unity and efficiency. They introduced a number of reforms that, they claim, have expanded the possibilities for individual members to participate while at the same time giving the two leaderships a firmer grip on decision-making. Based on qualitative research conducted over many years, this paper explores the parties' new attitudes to internal democracy and analyses the process of power redistribution within the organizations

Classification of complications of epilepsy surgery and invasive diagnostic procedures: A proposed protocol and feasibility study

Objective: In epilepsy surgery, which aims to treat seizures and thereby to improve the lives of persons with drug-resistant epilepsy, the chances of attaining seizure relief must be carefully weighed against the risks of complications and expected adverse events. The interpretation of data regarding complications of epilepsy surgery and invasive diagnostic procedures is hampered by a lack of uniform definitions and method of data collection. Methods: Based on a review of previous definitions and classifications of complications, we developed a proposal for a new classification. This proposal was then subject to revisions after expert opinion within E-pilepsy, an EU-funded European pilot network of reference centers in refractory epilepsy and epilepsy surgery, later incorporated into the ERN (European Reference Network) EpiCARE. This version was discussed with recognized experts, and a final protocol was agreed to after further revision. The final protocol was evaluated in practical use over 1 year in three of the participating centers. One hundred seventy-four consecutive procedures were included with 35 reported complications. Results: This report presents a multidimensional classification of complications in epilepsy surgery and invasive diagnostic procedures, where complications are characterized in terms of their immediate effects, resulting permanent symptoms, and consequences on activities of daily living. Significance: We propose that the protocol will be helpful in the work to promote safety in epilepsy surgery and for future studies designed to identify risk factors for complications. Further work is needed to address the reporting of outcomes as regards neuropsychological function, activities of daily living, and quality of life

Cognitive outcome two years after frontal lobe resection for epilepsy – A prospective longitudinal study

AbstractPurposeTo investigate cognitive outcomes after frontal lobe resection (FLR) for epilepsy in a consecutive single centre series.MethodsNeuropsychological examinations were performed prior to and two years (mean test interval 2.5 years) after surgery in 30 consecutive patients who underwent FLR. Cognitive outcome was evaluated with particular consideration to the site of surgery (lateral, premotor/SMA [supplementary motor area], mesial/orbital). Cognitive domains assessed were speed, language, memory, attention, executive functions and intelligence. 25 healthy controls were assessed at corresponding time points (mean test interval 3.0 years). Analyses were made both at group and individual levels.ResultsAt baseline the patients performed below controls in variables depending on speed, executive functions, global and verbal intelligence. Two years after surgery, the analyses at the subgroup level indicated that the lateral resection group had less improvement than the controls in global intelligence, FSIQ (p=.037). However, at the individual level, the majority of the change scores (74–100%) were classified as within the normal range for all but one variable. The exception was the variable “Comprehension” (measuring verbal reasoning ability) with reliable declines in 44% (8/18) of the patients. This pattern of decline was observed in the lateral (4/7 patients) and premotor/SMA (4/7 patients) resection groups. Seizure outcome and side of surgery did not influence these results.ConclusionThe main finding was cognitive stability at group level two years after FLR. A reliable decline in verbal reasoning ability was rather common at an individual level, but only in the lateral and premotor/SMA resection groups. The lateral resection group also had less improvement than the controls in global intelligence

北陸地方における工業都市発達の要因についての一考察

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the current practices guiding surgical resection strategies involving epileptogenic zones (EZs) near or in eloquent cortex (EC) at pediatric epilepsy surgery centers worldwide. METHODS: A survey was conducted among 40 respondents from 33 pediatric epilepsy surgery centers worldwide on the weight assigned to diagnostic tests used to define the EZ and EC, how EC is viewed, and how surgeries are planned for foci near or in eloquent cortex. RESULTS: A descriptive analysis was performed that revealed considerable variation in the use of diagnostic tests and resective strategies toward EZ and EC. SIGNIFICANCE: The wide variation in strategies may contribute to undesirable outcomes characterized by poor seizure control with added deficits and underscores the need to establish best practices in pediatric epilepsy surgery. The survey data were used to formulate a set of recommendations to help minimize deficits and to report them consistently

The brain monitoring with information technology (BrainIT) collaborative network: EC feasibility study results

The BrainIT group works collaboratively on developing standards for collection and analyses of data from brain injured patients towards providing a more efficient infrastructure for assessing new health technology. Materials and methods Over a 2 year period, core dataset data (grouped by nine categories) were collected from 200 head-injured patients by local nursing staff. Data were uploaded by the BrainIT web and random samples of received data were selected automatically by computer for validation by data validation (DV) research nurse staff against gold standard sources held in the local centre. Validated data was compared with original data sent and percentage error rates calculated by data category. Findings Comparisons, 19,461, were made in proportion to the size of the data received with the largest number checked in laboratory data (5,667) and the least in the surgery data (567). Error rates were generally less than or equal to 6%, the exception being the surgery data class where an unacceptably high error rate of 34% was found. Conclusions The BrainIT core dataset (with the exception of the surgery classification) is feasible and accurate to collect. The surgery classification needs to be revised

Localized responses in the midsuprasylvian gyrus of the cat following stimulation of the central lateral nucleus in thalamus

[[sponsorship]]生物醫學科學研究所[[note]]已出版;[SCI];沒有審查制度;具代表性[[note]]http://gateway.isiknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=Drexel&SrcApp=hagerty_opac&KeyRecord=0014-4819&DestApp=JCR&RQ=IF_CAT_BOXPLOT[[note]]http://gateway.isiknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcAuth=RID&SrcApp=RID&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&KeyUT=A1986A52110000

Plateau Waves and Baroreflex Sensitivity in Patients with Head Injury: A Case Study

The study aimed to investigate baroreceptor reflex sensitivity in a patient with head injury for whom plateau waves of intracranial pressure (ICP) were recorded. Baroreflex sensitivity index was separately estimated on top of plateau waves and during intermediate intervals between two consecutive waves. The EuroBaVar data set was utilized to verify and validate the results. A very high baroreflex sensitivity associated with dominant parasympathetic activity was observed spontaneous to the acute elevations of ICP. The high vagal afferent discharge was found to be suggestive for the high firing rate of carotid baroreceptors and probably an active Cushing reflex mechanism during plateau waves