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Weak Evidence (weak + evidence)

Distribution by Scientific Domains

Medical Sciences	47%
Life Sciences	23%
Business, Economics, Finance and Accounting	15%
Humanities and Social Sciences	8%
2 Other Domains	7%

Kinds of Weak Evidence

only weak evidence

Selected Abstracts

THERE IS WEAK EVIDENCE THAT FORCED-USE THERAPY PROVIDED FOR 1,MONTH WITHOUT ADDITIONAL THERAPY IMPROVED THE FINE MOTOR FUNCTION OF CHILDREN WITH HEMIPARESIS

AUSTRALIAN OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY JOURNAL, Issue 2 2004
Margaret Wallen
No abstract is available for this article. [source]

Review of systematic reviews about the efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions to improve sleep quality in insomnia

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EVIDENCE BASED HEALTHCARE, Issue 4 2009
Gerrit J De Niet MSc RN
Abstract Background, Insomnia is a very common condition in various populations. Non-pharmacological interventions might offer (safe) alternatives for hypnotics. Aim, To evaluate the evidence for efficacy from systematic reviews about non-pharmacological interventions to improve sleep quality in insomnia by a systematic review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses. Search strategy, Search strategies were conducted in the Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects (2002,July 2008), The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (2000,July 2008) and PubMed (1950,July 2008). Sleep quality was the outcome measure of interest. Selection criteria, Systematic reviews about the efficacy of one or more non-pharmacological interventions for insomnia, concerning both adult and elderly populations, were included. Reviews that included studies performed among populations suffering with severe neurological or cognitive impairments or with addictive disorders were excluded. Data analysis, Relevant data were extracted. The quality of the reviews found was appraised by using the Overview Quality Assessment Questionnaire. The evidence was appraised and divided into six classes. Results and conclusions, Sixteen reviews about 17 interventions were included. Six reviews were of adequate methodological quality. Of these, only one provided an effect size: a moderate effect was found for music-assisted relaxation. Weak evidence indicating a large effect was found for multicomponent cognitive behavioural therapy, progressive muscle relaxation, stimulus control and ,behavioural only'. Weak evidence indicating a moderate effect was found for paradoxical intention. Finally, weak evidence indicating a moderate to large effect was found for relaxation training. Because of the lack of sufficient methodological quality and the lack of calculated effect sizes, most of the included reviews were not suitable for drawing rigorous conclusions about the effect of non-pharmacological interventions on sleep quality in insomniacs. The non-pharmacological treatment of insomnia would benefit from renewed reviews based on a rigorous methodological approach. [source]

Interventions for treating traumatized necrotic immature permanent anterior teeth: inducing a calcific barrier & root strengthening

DENTAL TRAUMATOLOGY, Issue 4 2009
Mohammad A. D. Al Ansary
This systematic review attempts to establish where the effects of interventions using multi-visit apexification, single visit apical plug techniques and root strengthening procedures are consistent and where they may vary significantly. Objectives:, To evaluate the relative effectiveness of apexification and apical plug techniques as well as root strengthening procedures for treating traumatized necrotic immature permanent anterior teeth through a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Reported immediate and/or long-term adverse events and effects of the materials and techniques are also evaluated. Search strategy & selection criteria:, Structured electronic and hand search was performed with no restriction on the language of publication. Only randomized controlled trials comparing different apical barrier formation techniques and root strengthening procedures in traumatized necrotic immature anterior teeth were assessed. Results:, Two hundred studies were identified but only two were suitable for inclusion. Included studies investigated multi-visit apexification techniques using calcium hydroxide and tricalcium phosphate. There were no eligible studies investigating root strengthening procedures or any other intervention for apical barrier formation in necrotic immature anterior teeth. No reliable information was available on long-term adverse effects of the reported interventions or cost implications. Conclusions:, Based on two included studies, there is weak evidence supporting the use of either calcium hydroxide or tricalcium phosphate for apical barrier formation in necrotic immature anterior teeth employing multi-visit apexification techniques. The evidence is insufficient to provide guidelines for practice. There was no reliable evidence on adverse events or long-term effects after the use of calcium hydroxide or tricalcium phosphate justifying caution in their use in apical barrier formation techniques. [source]

A randomized controlled trial of the impact of therapeutic horse riding on the quality of life, health, and function of children with cerebral palsy

DEVELOPMENTAL MEDICINE & CHILD NEUROLOGY, Issue 2 2009
E DAVIS PHD
This randomized controlled trial examined whether therapeutic horse riding has a clinically significant impact on the physical function, health and quality of life (QoL) of children with cerebral palsy (CP). Ninety-nine children aged 4 to 12 years with no prior horse riding experience and various levels of impairment (Gross Motor Function Classification System Levels I,III) were randomized to intervention (10wks therapeutic programme; 26 males, 24 females; mean age 7y 8mo [SD 2y 5mo] or control (usual activities, 27 males, 22 females; mean age 8y 2mo [SD 2y 6mo]). Pre- and post-measures were completed by 72 families (35 intervention and 37 control). Children's gross motor function (Gross Motor Function Measure [GMFM]), health status (Child Health Questionnaire [CHQ]), and QoL (CP QoL-Child, KIDSCREEN) were assessed by parents and QoL was assessed by children before and after the 10-week study period. On analysis of covariance, there was no statistically significant difference in GMFM, CP QoL-Child (parent report and child self-report), and CHQ scores (except family cohesion) between the intervention and control group after the 10-week study period, but there was weak evidence of a difference for KIDSCREEN (parent report). This study suggests that therapeutic horse riding does not have a clinically significant impact on children with CP. However, a smaller effect cannot be ruled out and the absence of evidence might be explained by a lack of sensitivity of the instruments since the QoL and health measures have not yet been demonstrated to be sensitive to change for children with CP. [source]

Investigation of Adducin 2 (beta) DNA polymorphisms in genetic predisposition to diabetic nephropathy in Type 1 diabetes

DIABETIC MEDICINE, Issue 8 2008
D. Currie
Abstract Aims Adducin 2 (beta) (ADD2) is a biological and positional candidate gene proposed to confer genetic risk for diabetic nephropathy. This study aimed to comprehensively investigate all common and putatively functional polymorphisms in the genomic region encompassing this gene. Methods Tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (n = 23) derived from phase II of the International HapMap Project and in silico functional variants (n = 2) were genotyped in 1467 White individuals from the British Isles (cases, n = 718; control subjects, n = 749) by a combination of Sequenom iPLEX and TaqMan technologies. Results ,2 analysis of genotype and allele frequencies in cases vs. control subjects revealed weak evidence for association of one variant at the 5% level of significance (rs10164951, P = 0.02). Adjusting for multiple testing in the present case,control collection negated this association. Conclusions We selected an appropriate subset of variants suitable for genetic investigations of the ADD2 gene and report the first investigation of polymorphisms in ADD2 with diabetic nephropathy. Our results suggest that common polymorphisms and putatively functional variants in the ADD2 gene do not strongly influence genetic susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy in this White population with Type 1 diabetes. [source]

Review of Policies and Guidelines on Infant Feeding in Emergencies: Common Ground and Gaps

DISASTERS, Issue 2 2001
Andrew Seal
Recent crises in regions where exclusive breastfeeding is not the norm have highlighted the importance of effective policies and guidelines on infant feeding in emergencies. In 1993, UNICEF compiled a collection of policy and guideline documents relating to the feeding of infants in emergency situations. In June 2000 Save the Children, UK, UNICEF and the Institute of Child Health undertook a review of those documents, updating the list and identifying the common ground that exists among the different policies. The review also analysed the consistency of the policy framework, and highlighted important areas where guidelines are missing or unclear. This article is an attempt to share more widely the main issues arising from this review. The key conclusions were that, in general, there is consensus on what constitutes best practice in infant feeding, however, the lack of clarity in the respective responsibilities of key UN agencies (in particular UNICEF, UNHCR and WFP) over issues relating to co-ordination of activities which affect infant-feeding interventions constrains the implementation of systems to support best practice. Furthermore, the weak evidence base on effective and appropriate intervention strategies for supporting optimal infant feeding in emergencies means that there is poor understanding of the practical tasks needed to support mothers and minimise infant morbidity and mortality. We, therefore, have two key recommendations: first that the operational UN agencies, primarily UNICEF, examine the options for improving co-ordination on a range of activities to uphold best practice of infant feeding in emergencies; second, that urgent attention be given to developing and supporting operational research on the promotion of optimal infant-feeding interventions. [source]

Spatio-temporal shifts in gradients of habitat quality for an opportunistic avian predator

ECOGRAPHY, Issue 2 2003
Fabrizio Sergio
We used the conceptual framework of the theory of natural selection to study breeding habitat preferences by an opportunistic avian predator, the black kite Milvus migrans. In Europe, black kite populations are mostly found near large networks of aquatic habitats, usually considered optimal for foraging and breeding. We hypothesized that proximity to wetlands could vary among individuals and affect their fitness, and thus be subject to natural selection. We tested the hypothesis first on a population on Lake Lugano (Italian pre-Alps) which has been monitored for nine years, and then on seven other populations, each studied for four,five years, located along a continuum of habitat from large water bodies to scarce aquatic habitat of any kind. In the Lake Lugano population, black kite abundance was negatively related to distance to the lake in all the nine years of study, consistent with long-term natural selection. There was evidence of ongoing directional selection on strategic nest location in three of the years, and evidence of stabilizing selection in two years. In eight of the nine years the trend was for a linear increase in fitness with increasing proximity to the lake. At the population level, results were consistent with adaptive habitat choice in relation to the previous year's spatial variation in fitness: higher associations between fitness and distance to the lake (i.e. higher selection gradients) resulted in higher density variations in the following year, in turn related to the availability of fish, the main local prey. The progressive decline of inland pairs and increase in the density of lakeshore pairs caused a directional long-term trend of declining mean distance to the lake. Breeding near aquatic habitats was associated with higher foraging success, and higher frequency and biomass of prey deliveries to offspring. There was weak evidence of selection in other populations. The inland-wetland gradient of habitat quality may have been affected by predation risk, as estimated by density of a major predator of adults and nestlings, the eagle owl Bubo bubo. Behavioral decisions at the level of the individual probably translated into population effects on density and distribution at various spatial scales. Populations in optimal habitats showed higher density and produced six times as many young per unit space as those in sub-optimal habitats. [source]

Health outcomes associated with methamphetamine use among young people: a systematic review

ADDICTION, Issue 6 2010
Brandon D. L. Marshall
ABSTRACT Objectives Methamphetamine (MA) use among young people is of significant social, economic and public health concern to affected communities and policy makers. While responses have focused upon various perceived severe harms of MA use, effective public health interventions require a strong scientific evidence base. Methods We conducted a systematic review to identify scientific studies investigating health outcomes associated with MA use among young people aged 10,24 years. The International Classification of Diseases (ICD-10) was used to categorize outcomes and determine the level of evidence for each series of harms. Results We identified 47 eligible studies for review. Consistent associations were observed between MA use and several mental health outcomes, including depression, suicidal ideation and psychosis. Suicide and overdose appear to be significant sources of morbidity and mortality among young MA users. Evidence for a strong association between MA use and increased risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections is equivocal. Finally, we identified only weak evidence of an association between MA use and dental diseases among young people. Conclusions Available evidence indicates a consistent relationship between MA use and mental health outcomes (e.g. depression, psychosis) and an increased risk of mortality due to suicide and overdose. We found insufficient evidence of an association between MA use and other previously cited harms, including infectious diseases and dental outcomes. As such, future research of higher methodological quality is required to further investigate possible associations. Current interventions should focus attention upon MA-related health outcomes for which sound scientific evidence is available. [source]

Are aid agencies improving?

ECONOMIC POLICY, Issue 52 2007
William Easterly
SUMMARY Are aid agencies improving? The record of the aid agencies over time seems to indicate weak evidence of progress in response to learning from experience, new knowledge, or changes in political climate. The few positive results are an increased sensitivity to per capita income of the recipient (although it happened long ago), a decline in the share of food aid, and a decline in aid tying. Most of the other evidence , increasing donor fragmentation, unchanged emphasis on technical assistance, little or no sign of increased selectivity with respect to policies and institutions, the adjustment lending-debt relief imbroglio , suggests an unchanged status quo, lack of response to new knowledge, and repetition of past mistakes. , William Easterly [source]

The Wealth Effect on New Business Startups in a Developing Economy

ECONOMICA, Issue 291 2006
ALICE MESNARD
The paper tests for nonlinearities in the wealth effect on self-employment, as can arise from startup costs or liquidity constraints. Using both nonparametric and parametric methods, we show that the relationship between the probability of a return migrant to Tunisia starting up a business and the stock of his savings repatriated at return is concave for almost the entire range of our data, though we find weak evidence of a convex relationship at very low wealth levels. Our results suggest that the aggregate self-employment rate is an increasing function of aggregate wealth, but a decreasing function of wealth inequality. [source]

Comparative ecology of seed mass in Psychotria (Rubiaceae): within- and between-species effects of seed mass on early performance

FUNCTIONAL ECOLOGY, Issue 4 2005
H. PAZ
Summary 1Experimental field data and interspecific comparative analyses were used to detect effects of seed mass on seedling performance within and among seven species of Psychotria sown in gaps and shaded rainforest sites. In addition we compared the effects of seed mass within and among species to detect concordance between the two ecological scales. We used two comparative methods: phylogenetically independent contrasts and cross-species correlations. 2Among species, we detected weak evidence of a positive correlation between seed mass and the probability of emergence in the shaded forest, and no effects of seed mass in gaps. 3Among species, no significant correlations between seed mass and either seedling survival or seedling recruitment were found in any habitat. Other variables specific to each subgenus appear to be more important than seed mass in determining survival in the shaded forest. 4There was a negative correlation between seed mass and relative growth rate (RGR) in both habitats. In gaps, small-seeded taxa exhibited particularly high RGR, compensating for the initial advantages of higher seed mass. 5All species studied exhibited recruitment in gaps equal to or higher than that in the shaded forest. However, recruitment success in shaded forest relative to gaps increased with seed mass, indicating a higher affinity for shaded forest among larger-seeded taxa, but this relationship was only detected using PICS analysis. 6.,Correlations between seed mass and seedling mass are similar within and among species, indicating a simple principle of mass transference. In contrast, correlations between seed mass and seedling emergence, seedling survival, seedling recruitment and RGR depend on the scale at which they are observed. [source]

Cutaneous head and neck squamous cell carcinoma metastatic to parotid and cervical lymph nodes

HEAD & NECK: JOURNAL FOR THE SCIENCES & SPECIALTIES OF THE HEAD AND NECK, Issue 7 2007
FRANZCR, Michael J. Veness MMed (Clin Epi)
Abstract Nonmelanoma skin cancers occur at an epidemic rate in Australia and are increasing in incidence worldwide. In most patients, local treatment is curative. However, a subset of patients will be diagnosed with a high-risk cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and are defined as patients at increased risk of developing metastases to regional lymph nodes. Patients with high-risk SCC may be identified based on primary lesion and patient factors. Most cutaneous SCC arises on the sun-exposed head and neck. The parotid and upper cervical nodes are common sites for the development of metastases arising from ear, anterior scalp, temple/forehead, or scalp SCC. The mortality and morbidity associated with high-risk cutaneous SCC is usually a consequence of uncontrolled metastatic nodal disease and, to a lesser extent, distant metastases. Patients with operable nodal disease have traditionally been recommended for surgery. The efficacy of adjuvant radiotherapy has previously been questioned based on weak evidence in the early literature. Recent evidence from larger studies has, however, strengthened the case for adjuvant radiotherapy as a means to improve locoregional control and survival. Despite this, many patients still experience relapse and die. Research aimed at improving outcome such as a randomized trial incorporating the addition of chemotherapy to adjuvant radiotherapy is currently in progress in Australia and New Zealand. Ongoing research also includes the development of a proposed new staging system and investigating the role of molecular factors such as the epidermal growth factor receptor. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2007 [source]

Debt as a source of financial stress in Australian households

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CONSUMER STUDIES, Issue 1 2006
Andrew C. Worthington
Abstract This paper examines the role of demographic, socio-economic and debt portfolio characteristics as contributors to financial stress in Australian households. The data are drawn from the most recent Household Expenditure Survey and relate to 3268 probability-weighted households. Financial stress is defined, among other things, in terms of financial reasons for being unable to have a holiday, to have meals with family and friends, to engage in hobbies and other leisure activities, and general money management. Characteristics examined include family structure and composition, source and level of household income, age, gender and marital status, ethnic background, housing value, debt repayment of various types and credit card usage. Binary logit models are used to identify the source and magnitude of factors associated with financial stress. The evidence provided suggests that financial stress is higher in families with more children and those from ethnic minorities, especially when reliant on government pensions and benefits, and lower in families with higher disposable incomes and housing values. There is weak evidence that Australia's historically high levels of household debt cause financial stress. [source]

Review of systematic reviews about the efficacy of non-pharmacological interventions to improve sleep quality in insomnia

Prophylactic steroids for paediatric open-heart surgery: a systematic review

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF EVIDENCE BASED HEALTHCARE, Issue 4 2008
Suzi Robertson-Malt BHSc PhD
Background, The immune response to cardiopulmonary bypass in infants and children can lead to a series of post-operative morbidities and mortality, that is, hemodynamic instability, increased infection and tachyarrhythmias. Administration of prophylactic doses of corticosteroids is sometimes used to try and ameliorate this pro-inflammatory response. However, the clinical benefits and harms of this type of intervention in the paediatric patient remain unclear. Objectives, To systematically review the beneficial and harmful effects of the prophylactic administration of corticosteroids, compared with placebo, in paediatric open-heart surgery. Search strategy, The trials registry of the Cochrane Heart Group, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials in The Cochrane Library (Issue 4, 2006), MEDLINE (1966 to January 2007), EMBASE (1980 to January 2007) were searched. An additional hand-search of the EMRO database for Arabic literature was performed. Grey literature was searched, and experts in the field were contacted for any unpublished material. No language restrictions were applied. Selection criteria, All randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials of open-heart surgery in the paediatric population that received corticosteroids pre-, peri- or post-operatively, with reported clinical outcomes in terms of morbidity and mortality. Data collection and analysis, Eligible studies were abstracted and evaluated by two independent reviewers. All meta-analyses were completed using RevMan4.2.8. Weighted mean difference (WMD) was the primary summary statistic with data pooled using a random-effects model. Main results, All cause mortality could not be assessed as the data reports were incomplete. There was weak evidence in favour of prophylactic corticosteroid administration for reducing intensive care unit stay, peak core temperature and duration of ventilation (WMD (95% confidence intervals) ,0.50 h (,1.41 to 0.41); ,0.20°C (,1.16 to 0.77) and ,0.63 h (,4.02 to 2.75) respectively). [source]

Effectiveness and acceptability of non-pharmacological interventions to reduce wandering in dementia: a systematic review

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF GERIATRIC PSYCHIATRY, Issue 1 2007
L. Robinson
Abstract Background Wandering occurs in 15,60% of people with dementia. Psychosocial interventions rather than pharmacological methods are recommended, but evidence for their effectiveness is limited and there are ethical concerns associated with some non-pharmacological approaches, such as electronic tracking devices. Objective To determine the clinical and cost effectiveness and acceptability of non-pharmacological interventions to reduce wandering in dementia. Design A systematic review to evaluate effectiveness of the interventions and to assess acceptability and ethical issues associated with their use. The search and review strategy, data extraction and analysis followed recommended guidance. Papers of relevance to effectiveness, acceptability and ethical issues were sought. Results (i) Clinical effectiveness. Eleven studies, including eight randomised controlled trials, of a variety of interventions, met the inclusion criteria. There was no robust evidence to recommend any intervention, although there was some weak evidence for exercise. No relevant studies to determine cost effectiveness met the inclusion criteria. (ii) Acceptability/ethical issues. None of the acceptability papers reported directly the views of people with dementia. Exercise and music therapy were the most acceptable interventions and raised no ethical concerns. Tracking and tagging devices were acceptable to carers but generated considerable ethical debate. Physical restraints were considered unacceptable. Conclusions In order to reduce unsafe wandering high quality research is needed to determine the effectiveness of non-pharmacological interventions that are practically and ethically acceptable to users. It is important to establish the views of people with dementia on the acceptability of such interventions prior to evaluating their effectiveness through complex randomised controlled trials. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]

Aetiology of molar,incisor hypomineralization: a critical review

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRIC DENTISTRY, Issue 2 2009
FELICITY CROMBIE
Objective., The objective of this study was to assess the strength of evidence for the aetiology of molar,incisor hypomineralization (MIH), often as approximated by demarcated defects. Method., A systematic search of online medical databases was conducted with assessment of titles, abstracts, and finally full articles for selection purposes. The level and quality of evidence were then assessed for each article according to Australian national guidelines. Results., Of 1123 articles identified by the database search, 53 were selected for review. These covered a variety of potential aetiological factors, some of which were grouped together for convenience. The level of evidence provided by the majority of papers was low and most did not specifically investigate MIH. There was moderate evidence that polychlorinated biphenyl/dioxin exposure is involved in the aetiology of MIH; weak evidence for the role of nutrition, birth and neonatal factors, and acute or chronic childhood illness/treatment; and very weak evidence to implicate fluoride or breastfeeding. Conclusion., There is currently insufficient evidence in the literature to establish aetiological factor/s relevant for MIH. Improvements in study design, as well as standardization of diagnostic and examination protocols, would improve the level and strength of evidence. [source]

Global Regime Formation or Complex Institution Building?

INTERNATIONAL STUDIES QUARTERLY, Issue 2 2006
The Principled Content of International River Agreements
This paper analyzes the principled content of 62 international river agreements for the period 1980,2000. We ask two questions: whether governments are converging on common principles for governing shared river basins and whether the effort to create a global normative framework for shared rivers has shaped the principled content of basin-level international accords. The data reveal a complex process of normative development. A few core principles emanating from global legal efforts have shown significant growth, diffusion and deepening at the basin-specific level. Others are common in basin agreements but show no diffusion or deepening. Still others are weakly represented in the data. If joint articulation of common principles is necessary for regime formation, then there is only weak evidence for a global rivers regime. But the data also reveal normative developments not captured by a regime-theoretic lens: a backlash reinforcing sovereign rights, the emergence of two seemingly conflicting clusters of principles, and an ambiguous relationship between some principles typically thought to be mutually reinforcing. The results show the need to treat principled content as an important dependent variable in the study of cooperation and to view institution building as a dynamic, multi-dimensional and multi-level process. [source]

Earnings Management through Transaction Structuring: Contingent Convertible Debt and Diluted Earnings per Share

JOURNAL OF ACCOUNTING RESEARCH, Issue 2 2005
CAROL MARQUARDT
ABSTRACT In this article we examine whether firms structure their convertible bond transactions to manage diluted earnings per share (EPS). We find that the likelihood of firms issuing contingent convertible bonds (COCOs), which are often excluded from diluted EPS calculations under Statement of Financial Accounting Standard (SFAS) 128, is significantly associated with the reduction that would occur in diluted EPS if the bonds were traditionally structured. We also document that firms' use of EPS-based compensation contracts significantly affects the likelihood of COCO issuance and find weak evidence that reputation costs, measured using earnings restatement data, play a role in the structuring decision. These results are robust to controlling for alternative motivations for issuing COCOs, including tax and dilution arguments. In addition, an examination of announcement returns reveals that investors view the net benefits and costs of COCOs as offsetting one another. Our results contribute to the literature on earnings management, diluted EPS, financial reporting costs, and financial innovation. [source]

Nordic guidelines for neuraxial blocks in disturbed haemostasis from the Scandinavian Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine

ACTA ANAESTHESIOLOGICA SCANDINAVICA, Issue 1 2010
H. BREIVIK
Background: Central neuraxial blocks (CNBs) for surgery and analgesia are an important part of anaesthesia practice in the Nordic countries. More active thromboprophylaxis with potent antihaemostatic drugs has increased the risk of bleeding into the spinal canal. National guidelines for minimizing this risk in patients who benefit from such blocks vary in their recommendations for safe practice. Methods: The Scandinavian Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine (SSAI) appointed a task force of experts to establish a Nordic consensus on recommendations for best clinical practice in providing effective and safe CNBs in patients with an increased risk of bleeding. We performed a literature search and expert evaluation of evidence for (1) the possible benefits of CNBs on the outcome of anaesthesia and surgery, for (2) risks of spinal bleeding from hereditary and acquired bleeding disorders and antihaemostatic drugs used in surgical patients for thromboprophylaxis, for (3) risk evaluation in published case reports, and for (4) recommendations in published national guidelines. Proposals from the taskforce were available for feedback on the SSAI web-page during the summer of 2008. Results: Neuraxial blocks can improve comfort and reduce morbidity (strong evidence) and mortality (moderate evidence) after surgical procedures. Haemostatic disorders, antihaemostatic drugs, anatomical abnormalities of the spine and spinal blood vessels, elderly patients, and renal and hepatic impairment are risk factors for spinal bleeding (strong evidence). Published national guidelines are mainly based on experts' opinions (weak evidence). The task force reached a consensus on Nordic guidelines, mainly based on our experts' opinions, but we acknowledge different practices in heparinization during vascular surgery and peri-operative administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during neuraxial blocks. Conclusions: Experts from the five Nordic countries offer consensus recommendations for safe clinical practice of neuraxial blocks and how to minimize the risks of serious complications from spinal bleeding. A brief version of the recommendations is available on http://www.ssai.info. [source]

Multi-scale occupancy estimation and modelling using multiple detection methods

JOURNAL OF APPLIED ECOLOGY, Issue 5 2008
James D. Nichols
Summary 1Occupancy estimation and modelling based on detection,nondetection data provide an effective way of exploring change in a species' distribution across time and space in cases where the species is not always detected with certainty. Today, many monitoring programmes target multiple species, or life stages within a species, requiring the use of multiple detection methods. When multiple methods or devices are used at the same sample sites, animals can be detected by more than one method. 2We develop occupancy models for multiple detection methods that permit simultaneous use of data from all methods for inference about method-specific detection probabilities. Moreover, the approach permits estimation of occupancy at two spatial scales: the larger scale corresponds to species' use of a sample unit, whereas the smaller scale corresponds to presence of the species at the local sample station or site. 3We apply the models to data collected on two different vertebrate species: striped skunks Mephitis mephitis and red salamanders Pseudotriton ruber. For striped skunks, large-scale occupancy estimates were consistent between two sampling seasons. Small-scale occupancy probabilities were slightly lower in the late winter/spring when skunks tend to conserve energy, and movements are limited to males in search of females for breeding. There was strong evidence of method-specific detection probabilities for skunks. As anticipated, large- and small-scale occupancy areas completely overlapped for red salamanders. The analyses provided weak evidence of method-specific detection probabilities for this species. 4Synthesis and applications. Increasingly, many studies are utilizing multiple detection methods at sampling locations. The modelling approach presented here makes efficient use of detections from multiple methods to estimate occupancy probabilities at two spatial scales and to compare detection probabilities associated with different detection methods. The models can be viewed as another variation of Pollock's robust design and may be applicable to a wide variety of scenarios where species occur in an area but are not always near the sampled locations. The estimation approach is likely to be especially useful in multispecies conservation programmes by providing efficient estimates using multiple detection devices and by providing device-specific detection probability estimates for use in survey design. [source]

Spatial and genetic structure of host-associated differentiation in the parasitoid Copidosoma gelechiae

JOURNAL OF EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY, Issue 6 2009
C. R. KOLACZAN
Abstract Host-associated differentiation (HAD) appears to be an important driver of diversification in the hyperdiverse phytophagous and parasitoid insects. The gallmaking moth Gnorimoschema gallaesolidaginis has undergone HAD on two sympatric goldenrods (Solidago), and HAD has also been documented in its parasitoid Copidosoma gelechiae, with the intriguing suggestion that differentiation has proceeded independently in multiple populations. We tested this suggestion with analysis of Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) markers for C. gelechiae collections from the midwestern and northeastern United States and eastern Canada. AFLP data were consistent with the existence of HAD, with between-host FST significant before Bonferroni correction in two of seven sympatric populations. amova analysis strongly rejected a model of HAD with a single historical origin, and thus supported the repeated-HAD hypothesis. Copidosoma gelechiae shows significant host-associated divergence at a number of allozyme loci (Stireman et al., 2006), but only weak evidence via AFLPs for genome-wide differentiation, suggesting that this species is at a very early stage of HAD. [source]

The Monday effect in U.S. cotton prices

AGRIBUSINESS : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL, Issue 3 2009
Stephen P. Keef
There is an extensive literature on the Monday effect with stock indices. It is regularly reported that the return on Monday is correlated with the return on the prior Friday. The bad Monday effect occurs when the return on the preceding Friday is negative. Cotton is an economically important commodity in the United States and around the world. This investigation into the daily price seasonality in the U.S. cotton market is based on spot prices from Memphis and futures prices from the New York Cotton Exchange. The regression methodologies employ adjustments to control for undesirable properties in the error terms. There are three main conclusions. First, the close-to-close changes in the futures price and in the spot price exhibit a negative Monday effect. Second, a negative bad Monday effect is observed on Mondays using close-to-close prices. The effect is present during the weekend nontrading period and continues into trading on Mondays. Third, the negative bad Monday effect does not appear to weaken in close-to-close prices and during the weekend over the period examined (1987,2003). However, there is weak evidence of a temporal decline during trading on Mondays. [EconLit Citations: G12, G14, Q14]. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Religiousness and Infidelity: Attendance, but not Faith and Prayer, Predict Marital Fidelity

JOURNAL OF MARRIAGE AND FAMILY, Issue 2 2008
David C. Atkins
High religiousness has been consistently linked with a decreased likelihood of past infidelity but has been solely defined by religious service attendance, a limited assessment of a complex facet of life. The current study developed nine religiousness subscales using items from the 1998 General Social Survey to more fully explore the association between religiousness and infidelity. Interestingly, logistic regressions using currently married participants (N= 1,439) demonstrated that attendance, but not faith, nearness to God, prayer, and other religious attributes, was related to infidelity. Exploratory analyses also found that individuals with high religious importance but low attendance were more likely to have had an affair and weak evidence that marital happiness moderated the association between religiousness and infidelity. [source]

Fatty Acid Ethyl Esters in Meconium: Are They Biomarkers of Fetal Alcohol Exposure and Effect?

ALCOHOLISM, Issue 7 2006
Enrique M. Ostrea Jr.
Background: Biomarkers of fetal exposure to alcohol are important to establish so that early detection and intervention can be made on these infants to prevent undesirable outcomes. The aim of this study was to analyze long-chain fatty acid ethyl esters (FAEEs) in meconium as potential biomarkers of fetal alcohol exposure and effect. Methods: Fatty acid ethyl esters were analyzed in the meconium of 124 singleton infants by positive chemical ionization gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and correlated to maternal ethanol use. Results: A total of 124 mother/infant dyads were enrolled in the study: 31 were in the control group and 93 were in the alcohol-exposed group. The incidence (28% vs 9.7%, p=0.037) of ethyl linoleate detected in meconium was significantly higher in the alcohol-exposed groups than the control groups. Similarly, when the concentrations of ethyl linoleate in meconium were grouped (trichotomized), there was a significant linear by linear association between alcohol exposure and group concentrations of ethyl linoleate (p=0.013). Furthermore, only alcohol-exposed infants were found in the group with the highest ethyl linoleate concentration. The sensitivity of ethyl linoleate in detecting prenatal alcohol exposure was only 26.9%, and its specificity and positive predictive value were 96.8 and 96.2%, respectively. There was no significant correlation between the concentration of ethyl linoleate in meconium and absolute alcohol consumed (oz) per drinking day across pregnancy, although a trend toward a positive correlation is seen at lower amounts of alcohol consumed. Among the polyunsaturated, long-chain FAEEs, there was weak evidence that the incidence (21.5% vs 6.5%, p=0.057) and concentration (p=0.064) of ethyl arachidonate (AA) were significantly higher in the alcohol-exposed groups than the control groups. Ethyl linolenate and ethyl docosahexanoate (DHA) in meconium were found only in the alcohol group, although not at statistically significant levels. Highly significant correlations were found among the concentrations of ethyl linoleate, ethyl linolenate, ethyl AA, and ethyl DHA in meconium (correlations ranged between rs=0.203, p=0.024; and rs=0.594, p<0.001). Conclusion: We conclude that FAEEs in meconium, particularly ethyl linoleate and ethyl AA, are biomarkers of high specificity for prenatal exposure to alcohol in newborn infants. We also propose that ethyl AA and DHA could be potential biomarkers of fetal alcohol effects on the developing fetal brain and should be investigated further. [source]

Dietary patterns and adult asthma: population-based case,control study

ALLERGY, Issue 5 2010
I. Bakolis
To cite this article: Bakolis I, Hooper R, Thompson RL, Shaheen SO. Dietary patterns and adult asthma: population-based case,control study. Allergy 2010; 65: 606,615. Abstract Background:, Epidemiological studies of diet and asthma have focused on relations with intakes of individual nutrients and foods and evidence has been conflicting. Few studies have examined associations with dietary patterns. Methods:, We carried out a population-based case,control study of asthma in adults aged between 16 and 50 in South London, UK. Information about usual diet was obtained by food frequency questionnaire and we used principal components analysis to define five dietary patterns in controls. We used logistic and linear regression, controlling for confounders, to relate these patterns to asthma, asthma severity, rhinitis and chronic bronchitis in 599 cases and 854 controls. Results:, Overall, there was weak evidence that a ,vegetarian' dietary pattern was positively associated with asthma [adjusted odds ratio comparing top vs bottom quintile of pattern score 1.43 (95% CI: 0.93,2.20), P trend 0.075], and a ,traditional' pattern (meat and vegetables) was negatively associated [OR 0.68 (0.45,1.03), P trend 0.071]. These associations were stronger amongst nonsupplement users (P trend 0.030 and 0.001, respectively), and the association with the ,vegetarian' pattern was stronger amongst whites (P trend 0.008). No associations were observed with asthma severity. A ,prudent' dietary pattern (wholemeal bread, fish and vegetables) was positively associated with chronic bronchitis [OR 2.61 (1.13,6.05), P trend 0.025], especially amongst nonsupplement users (P trend 0.002). Conclusions:, Overall there were no clear relations between dietary patterns and adult asthma; associations in nonsupplement users and whites require confirmation. The finding for chronic bronchitis was unexpected and also requires replication. [source]

Association and interaction analyses of eight genes under asthma linkage peaks

ALLERGY, Issue 11 2009
M. A. R. Ferreira
Background:, Linkage studies have implicated the 2q33, 9p21, 11q13 and 20q13 regions in the regulation of allergic disease. The aim of this study was to test genetic variants in candidate genes from these regions for association with specific asthma traits. Methods:, Ninety-five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) located in eight genes (CD28, CTLA4, ICOS, ADAM23, ADAMTSL1, MS4A2, CDH26 and HRH3) were genotyped in >5000 individuals from Australian (n = 1162), Dutch (n = 99) and Danish (n = 303) families. Traits tested included doctor-diagnosed asthma, atopy, airway obstruction, total serum immunoglobulin (Ig) E levels and eosinophilia. Association was tested using both multivariate and univariate methods, with gene-wide thresholds for significance determined through simulation. Gene-by-gene and gene-by-environment analyses were also performed. Results:, There was no overall evidence for association with seven of the eight genes tested when considering all genetic variation assayed in each gene. The exception was MS4A2 on chromosome 11q13, which showed weak evidence for association with IgE (gene-wide P < 0.05, rs502581). There were no significant gene-by-gene or gene-by-environment interaction effects after accounting for the number of tests performed. Conclusions:, The individual variants genotyped in the 2q33, 9p21 and 20q13 regions do not explain a large fraction of the variation in the quantitative traits tested or have a major impact on asthma or atopy risk. Our results are consistent with a weak effect of MS4A2 polymorphisms on the variation of total IgE levels. [source]

Genetic diversity, population structure, effective population size and demographic history of the Finnish wolf population

MOLECULAR ECOLOGY, Issue 6 2006
J. ASPI
Abstract The Finnish wolf population (Canis lupus) was sampled during three different periods (1996,1998, 1999,2001 and 2002,2004), and 118 individuals were genotyped with 10 microsatellite markers. Large genetic variation was found in the population despite a recent demographic bottleneck. No spatial population subdivision was found even though a significant negative relationship between genetic relatedness and geographic distance suggested isolation by distance. Very few individuals did not belong to the local wolf population as determined by assignment analyses, suggesting a low level of immigration in the population. We used the temporal approach and several statistical methods to estimate the variance effective size of the population. All methods gave similar estimates of effective population size, approximately 40 wolves. These estimates were slightly larger than the estimated census size of breeding individuals. A Bayesian model based on Markov chain Monte Carlo simulations indicated strong evidence for a long-term population decline. These results suggest that the contemporary wolf population size is roughly 8% of its historical size, and that the population decline dates back to late 19th century or early 20th century. Despite an increase of over 50% in the census size of the population during the whole study period, there was only weak evidence that the effective population size during the last period was higher than during the first. This may be caused by increased inbreeding, diminished dispersal within the population, and decreased immigration to the population during the last study period. [source]

Short-period near-contact binary systems at the beginning of the overcontact phase

MONTHLY NOTICES OF THE ROYAL ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY, Issue 4 2002
Shengbang Qian
Abstract A detailed analysis of orbital period changes of seven near-contact binary stars (NCBs) (BL And, V473 Cas, XZ CMi, BV Eri, RU Eri, UU Lyn and GR Tau) with period less than 1 d has been performed and their respective O,C diagrams are formed and discussed. It is found that all systems analysed show secular period decreasing. For V473 Cas, the analysis of the period change was performed based on data collected by Moschner, Frank & Bastian. For XZ CMi, its period shows some complex changes, a possible cyclic oscillation is discovered to superpose on the secular decrease that can be explained either by the presence of a third body or by magnetic activity cycles of the components. Since the third-body assumption is consistent with the photometric solution of Rafert, XZ CMi may be a truly triple system. For BV Eri, the period decrease is only supported by weak evidence. All the seven systems are short-period NCBs with AF-type primary components where both components are filling or nearly filling the critical Roche lobe. As the period decreases, the separation between both components will be reducing and thus these systems will evolve into A-type overcontact binaries. The period decrease may be caused by mass transfer or/and by angular momentum loss via magnetic braking. Combined with the published data on the other systems of the same type, a possible statistical connection between orbital period P and its rate of decrease dP/dt is obtained: dP/dt=,5.3 × 10,7×P+ 1.3 × 10,7 d yr,1. This correlation indicates that the smaller the orbital period P is, the smaller its rate of change dP/dt will be. The correlation found in this paper indicates that there may be a smooth transition from A- and F-type NCBs with period decreases to the A- and F-type overcontact binaries that have period increases, and in that sense one may postulate that the NCBs may be the progenitors of the A-type W UMa systems and will be oscillating around a marginal-contact state as predicted by thermal relaxation oscillation (TRO) theory. [source]

The Effects of Household Income Volatility on Divorce

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS AND SOCIOLOGY, Issue 3 2010
John M. Nunley
We extend the literature on the effects of earnings shocks on divorce by identifying separately the effects of transitory and permanent household income shocks and by allowing the shocks to have asymmetric effects across education and racial groups. The econometric evidence suggests negative (positive) transitory household income shocks increase (decrease) the probability of divorce, while there is only weak evidence that positive (negative) permanent household income shocks raise (lower) the probability of divorce. Some differences in the effects of household income shocks on divorce propensities arise for subsamples selected by education and race. [source]