The Relationship of Previous Training and Experience of Journal Peer Reviewers to Subsequent Review Quality

BACKGROUND: Peer review is considered crucial to the selection and publication of quality science, but very little is known about the previous experiences and training that might identify high-quality peer reviewers. The reviewer selection processes of most journals, and thus the qualifications of their reviewers, are ill defined. More objective selection of peer reviewers might improve the journal peer review process and thus the quality of published science. METHODS AND FINDINGS: 306 experienced reviewers (71% of all those associated with a specialty journal) completed a survey of past training and experiences postulated to improve peer review skills. Reviewers performed 2,856 reviews of 1,484 separate manuscripts during a four-year study period, all prospectively rated on a standardized quality scale by editors. Multivariable analysis revealed that most variables, including academic rank, formal training in critical appraisal or statistics, or status as principal investigator of a grant, failed to predict performance of higher-quality reviews. The only significant predictors of quality were working in a university-operated hospital versus other teaching environment and relative youth (under ten years of experience after finishing training). Being on an editorial board and doing formal grant (study section) review were each predictors for only one of our two comparisons. However, the predictive power of all variables was weak. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms that there are no easily identifiable types of formal training or experience that predict reviewer performance. Skill in scientific peer review may be as ill defined and hard to impart as is “common sense.” Without a better understanding of those skills, it seems unlikely journals and editors will be successful in systematically improving their selection of reviewers. This inability to predict performance makes it imperative that all but the smallest journals implement routine review ratings systems to routinely monitor the quality of their reviews (and thus the quality of the science they publish)

Des ateliers à la ferme: apports et contraintes spécifiques rencontrés par les personnes en situation de handicap en intégration dans des fermes pédagogiques

Notre recherche provient d’entretiens effectués auprès d’intervenants sociaux travaillant dans des fermes pédagogiques de Suisse romande. Elle relève comme principaux apports la valorisation, la confiance en soi ainsi que la responsabilisation qui aident les personnes en situation de handicap à acquérir des compétences professionnelles et les motivent à travailler dans ces structures. L’enquête décèle des contraintes comme les dangers et les risques de blessures liés aux activités. Les professionnels sociaux doivent adapter l’environnement afin de limiter le nombre de tâches irréalisables par les travailleurs. Ces derniers peuvent augmenter leurs capacités physiques et leur motricité. Par contre, des réelles limites d’intégration sont observées pour des personnes à mobilité réduite. Nos objectifs sont de promouvoir des activités de ce genre auprès de nos institutions

Influence of host nutritional condition on post-infection traits in the association between the manipulative acanthocephalan Pomphorhynchus laevis and the amphipod Gammarus pulex.

12 pagesInternational audienceSeveral parasites with complex life-cycles induce phenotypic alterations in their intermediate hosts. According to the host manipulation hypothesis, such phenotypic alterations are supposed to increase the fitness of the parasite at the expense of that of its intermediate hosts through increasing the probability of transmission to next hosts. Although the phenomenon has received a large attention, the proximate factors modulating the occurrence and intensity of host manipulation remain poorly known. It has however, been suggested that the amount of energy reserves in the intermediate host might be a key parameter, although its precise influence on the intensity of manipulation remains unclear. Dietary depletion in the host may also lead to compromise with other parasite traits, such as probability of establishing or growth or virulence. Here, we address the question through performing experimental infections of the freshwater amphipod Gammarus pulex with two different populations of the acanthocephalan fish parasite Pomphorhynchus laevis, and manipulation of host nutritional condition. Following exposure, gammarids were given either a "standard" diet (consisting of elm leaves and chironomid larvae) or a "deprived" food treatment (deprived in proteins), and infection parameters were recorded. Once parasites reached the stage at which they become infective to their definitive host, refuge use (a behavioural trait presumably implied in trophic transmission) was assessed, and metabolic rate was measured. Infected gammarids exposed to the deprived food treatment showed a lower metabolic rate, indicative of a lower body condition, compared to those exposed to the standard food treatment. Parasite size was smaller, and, depending on the population of origin of the parasites, intensity of infection was lower or mortality was higher in deprived hosts. However, food treatment had no effect on either the timing or intensity of behavioural modifications. Overall, while our results suggest that acanthocephalan parasites develop better in hosts in good condition, no evidence was found for an influence of host nutritional condition on host manipulation by parasites

Analytical Techniques for the in situ Measurement and Speciation of Trace Compounds in Natural Waters

A major research component of the analytical activities of the Analytical and Biophysical Environmental Chemistry group of the University of Geneva (CABE) is focused on the development of chemical sensors and mini or microanalytical systems for in situ measurements of trace compounds in aquatic environmental systems, including surface waters, sediments or water treatment plants. In this field, new concepts are required in order to determine not only the total concentration of environmental analytes but also the concentrations and physicochemical properties of their environmentally relevant chemical forms (chemical speciation). New selective analytical systems integrating reliable and rugged sensors with simple separation principles must be imagined to perform in situ (at depth), real-time, automatic measurements. Microtechnology is a key factor in such developments. New analytical methods must also be developed to characterize the nature and properties of the major natural, often colloidal or polymeric, complexing agents. In this context, the scientific approach of CABE is explained

Obese children sustain significantly more both bone forearm fractures when compared to non-obese children

The prevalence of obesity in children with ULBF was higher than in the general pediatric population. There was no statistical difference between both groups in the reported level of activity, in the kinetics and in the treatment modalities. Obese children had a significantly higher risk for a combined radius-ulna fracture. Further research is needed to evaluate the relationship between obesity, bone growth and trauma

Introduction of a urodynamic score to detect pre- and postoperative neurological deficits in children with a primary tethered cord

Object: An increasing number of asymptomatic children are diagnosed with occult spinal dysraphism, raising the question of their optimal management. Urodynamic study (UDS) is the most reliable method of detecting neuro-urological abnormalities in these children. The rate of postoperative retethering ranges from 10 to 20% and is not always immediately clinically significant. The aim of this prospective study was to develop a reliable method that could be used in the preoperative assessment and postoperative follow-up of children with a tethered cord syndrome (TCS). Methods: From 1989 to 1997, 15 children underwent spinal cord untethering for TCS. Preoperatively, patients were assessed with MRI and UDS. Postoperative UDS were repeated at 6- to 12-month intervals. Four UDS parameters were identified, graded, and added to obtain a UDS score. A group of 38 children without dysraphic condition was used as control and allowed the calculation of a normal score. Conclusions: There was a statistically significant difference in the preoperative UDS scores between the control group and the study group (p<0.001). Postoperatively, there was a statistically significant improvement (p<0.001) in UDS scores. UDS score is a reliable tool for identifying and quantifying neuro-urological disorders in patients with TCS. Postoperatively, this score was useful in the early diagnosis of spinal cord retetherin

Evaluation of nanometer thick mercury film electrodes for stripping chronopotentiometry

In this work, the performance and applicability of the thin mercury film electrode (TMFE) in the heavy metal speciation, by stripping chronopotentiometry (SCP), were exploited. The TMFE thickness was optimized and a 7.6 nm mercury film was selected. This TMFE was mechanically stable and able to perform 60 SCP consecutive measurements, with no significant variation in the analytical signal of lead(II) (RSD less than 2%). Due to the small electrode thickness the measurements were performed under conditions of complete depletion over a wide oxidation current (Is) range, i.e., within the interval [75–500] × 10−9 A. The limit of detection (3σ) for lead(II) was 2.4 × 10−9 M for a deposition time of 40 s and an oxidation current of 75 × 10−9 A. The TMFE was successfully applied to the construction of SSCP experimental waves, which were in conformity to those predicted by the theory. The stability constant calculated (K′) for the Pb(II)-carboxylated latex nanospheres system using a TMFE, agreed with the one obtained using the HMDE, for identical experimental conditions

Osteochondritis dissecans of the knee: Epidemiology, etiology, and natural history.

Osteochondritis dissecans of the knee is a disease that typically affects skeletally immature patients. Clinically manifested with knee pain, limping, and joint disfunction, this condition has remained misunderstood and undervalued for a long period. Although being a rare condition, its awareness is of utmost clinical interest because of the possible severe consequences it can bring when misrecognized or inadequately treated. Its etiology remains unclear and is still debated. Many theories have been proposed, including inflammation, local ischemia, subchondral ossification abnormalities, genetic factors, and repetitive mechanical microtrauma, with a likely interplay of the same. This review article aims to deliver and discuss current and up-to-date concepts on epidemiology, etiology, and natural history of this pediatric condition. Level of evidence: level V

Multi-Atlas based Segmentation of Head and Neck CT Images using Active Contour

This paper presents the segmentation of bilateral parotid glands in the Head and Neck (H&amp;N) CT images using an active contour based atlas registration. We compare segmentation results from three atlas selection strategies: (i) selection of "single-most-similar" atlas for each image to be segmented, (ii) fusion of segmentation results from multiple atlases using STAPLE, and (iii) fusion of segmentation results using majority voting. Among these three approaches, fusion using majority voting provided the best results. Finally, we present a detailed evaluation on a dataset of eight images (provided as a part of H&amp;N auto segmentation challenge conducted in conjunction with MICCAI-2010 conference) using majority voting strategy