Elegant: "...it has become possible to study cellular adhesions at the single-molecule level."

Chemphyschem. 2014 Feb 4. doi: 10.1002/cphc.201301041. [Epub ahead of print]

Insights into Adhesion Biology Using Single-Molecule Localization Microscopy.

Tabarin T, Pageon SV, Bach CT, Lu Y, O'Neill GM, Gooding JJ, Gaus K.

Author information

• Centre for Vascular Research, University of the New South Wales, Sydney, 2052 (Australia).

Abstract

Focal adhesions are complex multi-protein structures that mediate cell adhesion and cell migration in multicellular organisms. Most of the protein components involved in focal adhesion formation have been identified, but a major challenge remains: determination of the spatial and temporal dynamics of adhesion proteins in order to understand the molecular mechanisms of adhesion assembly, maturation, signal regulation, and disassembly. Progress in this field has been hampered by the limited resolution of fluorescence microscopy. Recent advances have led to the development of super-resolution techniques including single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM). Here, we discuss how the application of these techniques has revealed important new insights into focal adhesion structure and dynamics, including the first description of the three-dimensional nano-architecture of focal adhesions and of the dynamic exchange of integrins in focal adhesions. Hence, SMLM has contributed to the refinement of existing models of adhesions as well as the establishment of novel models, thereby opening new research directions. With current improvements in SMLM instrumentation and analysis, it has become possible to study cellular adhesions at the single-molecule level.

"Sarcopenia is defined as the age-related loss of muscle mass and function."

Adv Food Nutr Res. 2014;71:101-36. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-800270-4.00003-1.

Sarcopenia and nutrition.

Laviano A1, Gori C2, Rianda S2.

Author information

• 1Department of Clinical Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy. Electronic address: alessandro.laviano@uniroma1.it.
• 2Department of Clinical Medicine, Sapienza University, Rome, Italy.

Abstract

Preserving or restoring adequate nutritional status is a key factor to delay the onset of chronic diseases and to accelerate recovery from acute illnesses. In particular, consistent and robust data show the loss of muscle mass, that is, sarcopenia, is clinically relevant since it is closely related to increased morbidity and mortality in healthy individuals and patients. Sarcopenia is defined as the age-related loss of muscle mass and function. International study groups have recently proposed separate definitions and diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia. Unfortunately, the rate of agreement in assessing the prevalence of sarcopenia is just fair, which highlights the need for a common effort to harmonize definitions and diagnostic criteria.Sarcopenia should be distinct from myopenia, which is the disease-associated loss of muscle mass, although in clinical practice it may be impossible to separate them (i.e., in old cancer patients). The pathogenesis of sarcopenia is complex and multifactorial. Consequently, its treatment should target the different factors involved, including quantitatively and qualitatively inappropriate food intake and reduced physical activity.

From Cornell U: Does Casual Sex Harm College Students' Well-Being?

Arch Sex Behav. 2014 Feb 5. [Epub ahead of print]

Does Casual Sex Harm College Students' Well-Being? A Longitudinal Investigation of the Role of Motivation.

Vrangalova Z.

Author information

• Department of Human Development, Cornell University, B40 Martha Van Rensselaer Hall, Ithaca, NY, 14850, USA, sv99@cornell.edu.

Abstract

Engagement in casual sex (or hooking up) is generally feared to have negative well-being consequences; however, empirical evidence is inconclusive, pointing toward potential moderators. Using self-determination theory (SDT), we hypothesized that well-being following hookups would depend on the type and level of motivation for hooking up. A university-wide sample of 528 undergraduates completed online surveys at the beginning (T1) and end (T3) of one academic year. After controlling for demographics, personality traits (i.e., neuroticism and extraversion), prior casual and romantic sex, and T1 well-being, having genital hookups between T1 and T3 for non-autonomous reasons (i.e., due to self-imposed pressures, external contingencies and controls, or complete lack of intentionality) was linked to lower self-esteem, higher depression and anxiety, and more physical symptoms. Autonomous hookup motivation (i.e., emanating from one's self) was not linked to any outcomes. Compared to peers without hookups, those with high non-autonomy in their hookups typically had inferior well-being; this was not true of those with low non-autonomy hookups. Gender differences, implications for SDT and casual sex research, and implications for educational programs and clinical work are discussed.

From Imperial College-London: Fragmentation of care threatens patient safety in peripheral vascular catheter management in acute care

PLoS One. 2014 Jan 14;9(1):e86167. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086167. eCollection 2014.

Fragmentation of care threatens patient safety in peripheral vascular catheter management in acute care- a qualitative study.

Castro-Sánchez E1, Charani E1, Drumright LN1, Sevdalis N2, Shah N1, Holmes AH1.

Author information

• 1Centre for Infection Prevention and Management, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
• 2Department of Surgery and Cancer and Imperial Centre for Patient Safety and Service Quality, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The use of peripheral vascular catheters (PVCs) is an extremely common and necessary clinical intervention, but inappropriate PVCcare poses a major patient safety risk in terms of infection. Quality improvement initiatives have been proposed to reduce the likelihood of adverse events, but a lack of understanding about factors that influence behaviours of healthcare professionals limits the efficacy of such interventions. We undertook qualitative interviews with clinical staff from a large group of hospitals in order to understand influences on PVC care behaviors and subsequent patient safety.

METHODS:

Ten doctors, ten clinical pharmacists, 18 nurses and one midwife at a National Health Service hospital group in London (United Kingdom) were interviewed between December 2010 and July 2011 using qualitative methods. Responses were analysed using a thematic framework.

RESULTS:

FOUR KEY THEMES EMERGED: 1) Fragmentation of management and care, demonstrated with a lack of general overview and insufficient knowledge about expected standards of care or responsibility of different professionals; 2) feelings of resentment and frustration as a result of tensions in the workplace, due to the ambiguity about professional responsibilities; 3) disregard for existing hospital policy due to perceptions of flaws in the evidence used to support it; and 4) low-risk perception for the impact of PVC use on patient safety.

CONCLUSION:

Fragmentation of practice resulted in ill-defined responsibilities and interdisciplinary resentment, which coupled with a generally low perception of risk of catheter use, appeared to result in lack of maintaining policy PVC standards which could reduced patient safety. Resolution of these issues through clearly defining handover practice, teaching interdisciplinary duties and increasing awareness of PVC risks could result in preventing thousands of BSIs and other PVC-related infections annually.

Mil Med. 2014 Feb;179(2):133-6. doi: 10.7205/MILMED-D-13-00425.

Female veterans of Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom: status and future directions.

Rivera JC, Johnson AE.

Author information

• Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, San Antonio Military Medical Center, 3551 Roger Brooke Drive, JBSA Fort Sam Houston, TX 78234.

Abstract

OBJECTIVES:

The number of female veterans has increased four-fold over the past 20 years, yet the study of specific care for female veterans is lacking. Given our military's growing number of female veterans, this article aims to review historical and recent knowledge as well as define research priorities for treatment of the unique physical and mental health issues experienced by women who have served in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.

METHODS:

A literature review was performed of publications spanning the Vietnam War, Persian Gulf War, and Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom periods to determine what health issues persist among female veterans.

RESULTS:

Female veterans historically report more reproductive and gynecological problems than the general population. They also potentially experience higher incidences of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression compared to male veterans, and overall exhibit a higher prevalence of several mental health disorders compared to the general population.

CONCLUSIONS:

The study of military trauma outcomes and treatments for female veterans as a distinct population continues to be lacking despite evidence that female veterans experience substantial disability from gynecological and mental health issues. Policy guiding attention to female veterans' health issues is needed.

Biochim Biophys Acta. 2014 Jan 31. pii: S0304-419X(14)00015-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2014.01.008. [Epub ahead of print]

The role of key genes and pathways involved in the tumorigenesis of malignant mesothelioma.

de Assis LV1, Locatelli J2, Isoldi MC3.

Author information

• 1Laboratory of Hypertension, Campus Universitário Morro do Cruzeiro; Pharmacy School, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
• 2Laboratory of Hypertension, Campus Universitário Morro do Cruzeiro; Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas (NUPEB), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brasil.
• 3Departament of Biological Science, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences; Laboratory of Hypertension, Campus Universitário Morro do Cruzeiro; Núcleo de Pesquisa em Ciências Biológicas (NUPEB), Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, MG, Brasil. Electronic address: mauroisoldi@hotmail.com.

Abstract

Malignant Mesothelioma (MM) is a very aggressive cancer with low survival rates and often diagnosed at an advanced stage. Several players have been implicated in the development of this cancer, such as asbestos, erionite and the simian virus 40 (SV40). Here, we have reviewed the involvement of erionite, SV40, as well as, the role of several genes (p16INK4a, p14ARF, NF2, LATS2, SAV, CTNNB1 and among others), the pathways (RAS, PI3K, Wnt, BCL and Hippo), and their respective roles in the development of MM.

What could go wrong? UN report urges food regulation: "...ban all sales of unhealthy foods and soft drinks that can lead to obesity on all public premises..."

Obesity epidemic: UN report urges food regulation to tackle global issue

“There is no hope unless governments accept that they have to intervene and set new criteria. Publicly funded social and traditional media campaigns are useless when faced with one of the biggest, most powerfully industries globally,” he told Fiona Fleck on the bulletin of the WHO.

He said that an initial step should be to ban all sales of unhealthy foods and soft drinks that can lead to obesity on all public premises such as hospitals and schools.

"...disagreements about public policy can be traced to deep-rooted assumptions about nature, human nature, reason, society, and justice."

FEBRUARY 2014

Debate club

by Peter Berkowitz

A review of The Great Debate: Edmund Burke, Thomas Paine, and the Birth of Right and Left by Yuval Levin

It is Levin’s contention that bitter public policy debates between left and right today—about economics, the environment, culture, and much else—do not divide arbitrarily and cannot be explained merely as a function of the configuration of contemporary politics. Rather, he maintains, disagreements about public policy can be traced to deep-rooted assumptions about nature, human nature, reason, society, and justice. And recovering an understanding of these deep roots, he contends, provides an enhanced appreciation of what is at stake in our differences of opinion about how to govern the nation, and may even lead to more measured and productive partisan debate.

From Kerman U-Iran: "Computer games lead to anxiety, depression, withdrawal, rule-breaking behavior, aggression, and social problems in adolescents."

Addict Health. 2013 Winter;5(1-2):43-50.

A Study of the Correlation between Computer Games and Adolescent Behavioral Problems.

Shokouhi-Moqhaddam S1, Khezri-Moghadam N2, Javanmard Z3, Sarmadi-Ansar H4, Aminaee M5, Shokouhi-Moqhaddam M6, Zivari-Rahman M7.

Author information

• 1Senior Researcher, Neuroscience Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
• 2Assistant Professor, Department of Psychology, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.
• 3Academic Member, Department of General Psychology, Islamic Azad University, Zarand Branch, Kerman, Iran.
• 4Senior Researcher, Hamadan Educational Office, Hamadan, Iran.
• 5Student, Kerman University of Agricultural Applied Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
• 6Nurse, Department of Angiography, Shafa Hospital, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
• 7Senior Researcher, Medical Student Research Committee, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Today, due to developing communicative technologies, computer games and other audio-visual media as social phenomena, are very attractive and have a great effect on children and adolescents. The increasing popularity of these games among children and adolescents results in the public uncertainties about plausible harmful effects of these games. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between computer games and behavioral problems on male guidance school students.

METHODS:

This was a descriptive-correlative study on 384 randomly chosen male guidance school students. They were asked to answer the researcher's questionnaire about computer games and Achenbach's Youth Self-Report (YSR).

FINDINGS:

The Results of this study indicated that there was about 95% direct significant correlation between the amount of playing games among adolescents and anxiety/depression, withdrawn/depression, rule-breaking behaviors, aggression, and social problems. However, there was no statistically significant correlation between the amount of computer game usage and physical complaints, thinking problems, and attention problems. In addition, there was a significant correlation between the students' place of living and their parents' job, and using computer games.

CONCLUSION:

Computer games lead to anxiety, depression, withdrawal, rule-breaking behavior, aggression, and social problems in adolescents.

Twitter: "a feasible solution for measuring and tracking the evolution of health states within the society."

PLoS One. 2014 Jan 29;9(1):e86191. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0086191. eCollection 2014.

Twitter: a good place to detect health conditions.

Prieto VM1, Matos S2, Alvarez M1, Cacheda F1, Oliveira JL2.

Author information

• 1Department of Information and Communication Technologies, Campus Elviña s/n, Coruña, Spain.
• 2University of Aveiro, DETI/IEETA, Campus Universitariá de Santiago, Aveiro, Portugal.

Abstract

With the proliferation of social networks and blogs, the Internet is increasingly being used to disseminate personal health information rather than just as a source of information. In this paper we exploit the wealth of user-generated data, available through the micro-blogging service Twitter, to estimate and track the incidence of health conditions in society. The method is based on two stages: we start by extracting possibly relevant tweets using a set of specially crafted regular expressions, and then classify these initial messages using machine learning methods. Furthermore, we selected relevant features to improve the results and the execution times. To test the method, we considered four health states or conditions, namely flu, depression, pregnancy and eating disorders, and two locations, Portugal and Spain. We present the results obtained and demonstrate that the detection results and the performance of the method are improved after feature selection. The results are promising, with areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve between 0.7 and 0.9, and f-measure values around 0.8 and 0.9. This fact indicates that such approach provides a feasible solution for measuring and tracking the evolution of health states within the society.

From U Vienna: Informed consent, vulnerability and the risks of group-specific attribution

Nurs Ethics. 2014 Feb 3. [Epub ahead of print]

Informed consent, vulnerability and the risks of group-specific attribution.

Schrems BM.

Author information

• University of Vienna, Austria.

Abstract

People in extraordinary situations are vulnerable. As research participants, they are additionally threatened by abuse or exploitation and the possibility of harm through research. To protect people against these threats, informed consent as an instrument of self-determination has been introduced. Self-determination requires autonomous persons, who voluntarily make decisions based on their values and morals. However, in nursing research, this requirement cannot always be met. Advanced age, chronic illness, co-morbidity and frailty are reasons for dependencies. These in turn lead to limited abilities or opportunities for decision-making and self-determination. Exclusion of vulnerable people from research projects would disadvantage them by not covering their needs, which would violate the ethical principles of justice and beneficence. Commonly, vulnerability is attributed to social groups. The consequence for individuals, attributed as belonging to such a vulnerable group, is that the principles of respect for autonomy, justice and beneficence are subordinated to the principle of non-maleficence, understood as avoiding the risk to cause more harm than good. In addition, group-specific attribution could lead to stigmatizing because labelling a person as deviation from a norm violates integrity. For clinical nursing research, the question arises how the protection of vulnerable people could be granted without compromising ethical principles. The concept of relational ethics provides a possible approach. It defines vulnerability as the relation between a person's health status and the extent to which this person is dependent on the researcher and the research context. Vulnerability is not attributed solely to a person but to a situation, meaning the person is viewed in context. By combining vulnerability as a context-related and situational concept with existing approaches of informed consent, the different ethical principles can be balanced and preserved at every step of the research process.

J Med Ethics. 2014 Feb 3. doi: 10.1136/medethics-2013-101625. [Epub ahead of print]

Conflict of interest in online point-of-care clinical support websites.

Amber KT, Dhiman G, Goodman KW.

Author information

• Ethics Program, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, , Miami, Florida, USA.

Abstract

Point-of-care evidence-based medicine websites allow physicians to answer clinical queries using recent evidence at the bedside. Despite significant research into the function, usability and effectiveness of these programmes, little attention has been paid to their ethical issues. As many of these sites summarise the literature and provide recommendations, we sought to assess the role of conflicts of interest in two widely used websites: UpToDate and Dynamed. We recorded all conflicts of interest for six articles detailing treatment for the following conditions: erectile dysfunction, fibromyalgia, hypogonadism, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. These diseases were chosen as their medical management is either controversial, or they are treated using biological drugs which are mostly available by brand name only. Thus, we hypothesised that the role of conflict of interest would be more significant in these conditions than in an illness treated with generic medications or by strict guidelines. All articles from the UpToDate articles demonstrated a conflict of interest. At times, the editor and author would have a financial relationship with a company whose drug was mentioned within the article. This is in contrast with articles on the Dynamed website, in which no author or editor had a documented conflict. We offer recommendations regarding the role of conflict of interest disclosure in these point-of-care evidence-based medicine websites.

Health Aff (Millwood). 2014 Feb;33(2):244-50. doi: 10.1377/hlthaff.2013.0922.

Use of telemedicine can reduce hospitalizations of nursing home residents and generate savings for medicare.

Grabowski DC, O'Malley AJ.

Abstract

Hospitalizations of nursing home residents are frequent and result in complications, morbidity, and Medicare expenditures of more than a billion dollars annually. The lack of a physician presence at many nursing homes during off hours might contribute to inappropriate hospitalizations. Findings from our controlled study of eleven nursing homes provide the first indications that switching from on-call to telemedicine physician coverage during off hours could reduce hospitalizations and therefore generate cost savings to Medicare in excess of the facility's investment in the service. But those savings were evident only at the study nursing homes that used the telemedicine service to a greater extent, compared to the other study facilities. Telemedicine service providers and nursing home leaders might need to take additional steps to encourage buy-in to the use of telemedicine at facilities with such services. At the same time, closer alignment of the stakeholders that bear the costs of telemedicine and those that might realize savings because of its use could offer further incentives for the adoption of telemedicine.

Economic bubbles: Blame the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex?

Neuroscience. 2014 Jan 24. pii: S0306-4522(14)00042-6. doi: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2014.01.029. [Epub ahead of print]

Neural basis of economic bubble behavior.

Ogawa A1, Onozaki T2, Mizuno T3, Asamizuya T4, Ueno K4, Cheng K5, Iriki A6.

Author information

• 1Laboratory for Symbolic Cognitive Development, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan. Electronic address: a.ogawa@hsantalucia.it.
• 2Laboratory for Symbolic Cognitive Development, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; Faculty of Economics, Rissho University, 4-2-16 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-8602, Japan.
• 3Laboratory for Symbolic Cognitive Development, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; Information and Society Research Division, National Institute of Informatics, 2-1-2 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8430, Japan.
• 4Research Resources Center, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
• 5Research Resources Center, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan; Laboratory for Cognitive Brain Mapping, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.
• 6Laboratory for Symbolic Cognitive Development, RIKEN Brain Science Institute, 2-1 Hirosawa, Wako-shi, Saitama 351-0198, Japan. Electronic address: iriki@brain.riken.jp.

Abstract

Throughout human history, economic bubbles have formed and burst. As a bubble grows, microeconomic behavior ceases to be constrained by realistic predictions. This contradicts the basic assumption of economics that agents have rational expectations. To examine the neural basis of behavior during bubbles, we performed functional magnetic resonance imaging while participants traded shares in a virtual stock exchange with two non-bubble stocks and one bubble stock. The price was largely deflected from the fair price in one of the non-bubble stocks, but not in the other. Their fair prices were specified. The price of the bubble stock showed a large increase and battering, as based on a real stock-market bust. The imaging results revealed modulation of the brain circuits that regulate trade behavior under different market conditions. The premotor cortex was activated only under a market condition in which the price was largely deflected from the fair price specified. During the bubble, brain regions associated with the cognitive processing that supports order decisions were identified. The asset preference that might bias the decision was associated with the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). The activity of the inferior parietal lobule (IPL) was correlated with the score of future time perspective, which would bias the estimation of future price. These regions were deemed to form a distinctive network during the bubble. A functional connectivity analysis showed that the connectivity between the DLPFC and the IPL was predominant compared with other connectivities only during the bubble. These findings indicate that uncertain and unstable market conditions changed brain modes in traders. These brain mechanisms might lead to a loss of control caused by wishful thinking, and to microeconomic bubbles that expand, on the macroscopic scale, towards bust.

"...depressingly large number of fabrications among submitted manuscripts."

J Neurochem. 2014 Feb;128(3):341-3. doi: 10.1111/jnc.12644. Epub 2014 Jan 10.

Submitting a manuscript for peer review-integrity, integrity, integrity.

Murphy SP, Bulman C, Shariati B, Hausmann L; ISN Publications Committee.

Author information

• Department of Neurological Surgery, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, USA.

Abstract

Publication of a flawed manuscript has significant consequences for the progress of science. When this proves to be intentional, science is brought into disrepute and this puts even more pressure on the shrinking resources that society is prepared to invest in research. All scientific journals, including the Journal of Neurochemistry, have witnessed a marked increase in the number of corrections and retractions of published articles over the last 10 years, and uncovered a depressingly large number of fabrications among submitted manuscripts. The increase in number of 'spoiled' manuscripts reflects not only the improved methods that journals employ to detect plagiarism in its many forms but also suggests a measurable change in the behavior of authors. The increased policing of submissions by reviewers, editors, and publishers expends time and money. The sanctions imposed by journal editors on authors found guilty of malpractice are transparent and severe.

Attn: Italian judiciary: Ethical dilemmas related to predictions and warnings of impending natural disaster

Am J Disaster Med. 2013 Fall;8(4):253-62. doi: 10.5055/ajdm.2013.0130.

Ethical dilemmas related to predictions and warnings of impending natural disaster.

Phua KL1, Hue JW2.

Author information

• 1Associate Professor, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Monash University, Sunway Campus, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Selangor, Malaysia.
• 2Student, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Abstract

Scientists and policy makers issuing predictions and warnings of impending natural disaster are faced with two major challenges, that is, failure to warn and issuing a false alarm. The consequences of failure to warn can be serious for society overall, for example, significant economic losses, heavy infrastructure and environmental damage, large number of human casualties, and social disruption. Failure to warn can also have serious for specific individuals, for example, legal proceedings against disaster research scientists, as in the L'Aquila earthquake affair. The consequences of false alarms may be less serious. Nevertheless, false alarms may violate the principle of nonmaleficence (do no harm), affect individual autonomy (eg, mandatory evacuations), and may result in the "cry wolf" effect. Other ethical issues associated with natural disasters include the promotion of global justice through international predisaster technical assistance and postdisaster aid. Social justice within a particular country is promoted through greater postdisaster aid allocation to the less privileged.

J Public Health (Oxf). 2014 Jan 26. [Epub ahead of print]

Trending now: future directions in digital media for the public health sector.

Burke-Garcia A, Scally G.

Author information

• Westat, 1600 Research Boulevard, Rockville, MD 20850-3129, USA.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Digital media usage is expanding enormously and is starting to be used as a public health intervention and communication tool. It has an ability to increase the reach of public health research and communication, as well as drive measurable behaviour change. But there is an absence of both deep and wide understanding of the opportunities within digital media, i.e. most people think only of Facebook and Twitter when they think of social media; smart, strategic planning for its widespread use is not common practice and rigorous evaluative studies of its effectiveness are few and far between.

METHODS:

This paper analyses the published literature on this topic and identifies the top 10 directions that use of digital media is likely to take in the medium term.

RESULTS:

The analysis strongly supports the position that digital media needs to be taken seriously as a vehicle for public health activity in its own right and not merely as an adjunct to other campaigns.

CONCLUSIONS:

Digital media will continue to develop and move from being an add-on to existing activity to being the major vehicle for significant elements of research, data collection and advocacy. It is important that public health leaders fully understand and engage in its development and use.

Nurs Ethics. 2014 Jan 30. [Epub ahead of print]

Vocation and altruism in nursing: The habits of practice.

Carter M.

Author information

• La Trobe University, Australia.

Abstract

Background: At a time when British nursing has been under scrutiny for an apparent lack of compassion in education and practice, this paper based offers a perspective on the notions of vocation and altruism in nursing.
Objectives: To understand the vocational and altruistic motivations of nurses through the application of Pierre Bourdieu's concepts of 'symbolic capital', 'field' and 'habitus' through a long interview with nurse respondents.
Research design: A reflexive qualitative study was undertaken using the long interview. A thematic analysis of the data, using a qualitative data software package for analysis, was undertaken. The ideas of Pierre Bourdieu (Habitus, Capital and Field) were used to analyse and explain the content of community nurses' 'talk'. Participants: Twelve Community Nurses working in a variety of local primary care settings volunteered to participate in the study. It was a self-selecting convenience sample of nurses responding to an invitation to be interviewed.
Research context: A study in support of a doctoral thesis conducted within NHS primary care settings with registered nurses.
Ethical considerations: The key considerations for this study were to be mindful of the possibility of emotional harm or distress being caused to the respondents during the retelling of their experiences. It was also essential to ensure that the locations or names of patients or staff (if discussed) were anonymised. Ethical approval was sought and granted by both the Local NHS Primary Care and the University Ethics committees before the study commenced.
Findings: The nurse respondents had highly individual and at times contradictory views on their motivations to nurse including their views on vocation and altruism in nursing careers.
Discussion: Bourdieu's ideas apply well to the nursing context and provided a useful theoretical framework to explore the social and cultural influences on nursing careers. Gender is important consideration in all aspects of nursing but class and educational experience is an important dimension in the stories nurses tell.
Conclusion: The culturally determined experiences of these nurses in practice offer an authentic and realistic insight into the complex motives and predispositions of community nurses. This paper argues that nurse motivations whether vocational or altruistic, are better understood as culturally, rather than spiritually, driven.

Gene. 2014 Jan 11. pii: S0378-1119(14)00008-0. doi: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.12.066. [Epub ahead of print]

When and how did Bos indicus introgress into Mongolian cattle?

Yue X¹, Li R¹, Liu L², Zhang Y¹, Huang J¹, Chang Z³, Dang R¹, Lan X¹, Chen H¹, Lei C⁴.

Author information

• ¹College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China.
• ²Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA.
• ³Weinan Vocational and Technical College, Weinan, Shaanxi, 714000, China.
• ⁴College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China. Electronic address: leichuzhao1118@126.com.

Abstract

The Mongolian cattle are one of the most widespread breeds with strictly Bos taurus morphological features in northern China. In our current study, we presented a diversity of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop region and Y chromosome SNP markers in 25 male and 8 female samples of Mongolian cattle from the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in Western China, and detected 21 B. taurus and four Bos indicus (zebu) mtDNA haplotypes. Among four B. indicus mtDNA haplotypes, two haplotypes belonged to I1 haplogroup and the remaining two haplotypes belonged to I2 haplogroup. In contrast, all 25 male Mongolian cattle samples revealed B. taurus Y chromosome haplotype and no B. indicus haplotypes were found. Historical and archeological records indicate that B. taurus was introduced to Xinjiang during the second millennium BC and B. indicus appeared in this region by the second century AD. The two types of cattle coexisted for many centuries in Xinjiang, as depicted in clay and wooden figurines unearthed in the Astana cemetery in Turfan (3rd-8th century AD). Multiple lines of evidence suggest that the earliest B. indicus introgression in the Mongolian cattle may have occurred during the 2nd-7th centuries AD through the Silk Road around the Xinjiang region. This conclusion differs from the previous hypothesis that zebu introgression to Mongolian cattle happened during the Mongol Empire era in the 13th century.

Ecancermedicalscience. 2014 Jan 16;8:387. eCollection 2014.

The ethics of clinical trials.

Nardini C.

Author information

• Foundation and Ethics of the Life Sciences (FOLSATEC), Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, Italy.

Abstract

Over the past decades, randomised controlled trials (RCTs) have prevailed over clinical judgement, case reports, and observational studies and became the gold evidential standard in medicine. Furthermore, during the same time frame, RCTs became a crucial part of the regulatory process whereby a new therapeutic can gain access to the drug market. Today, clinical trials are large and tightly regulated enterprises that have to comply with ethical requirements while maintaining high epistemic standards, a balance that becomes increasingly difficult as the research questions become more sophisticated. In this review, the author will discuss some of the most important ethical issues surrounding RCTs, with an eye to the most recent debates and the context of oncological research in particular.