When performance-approach goals predict academic achievement and when they do not: A social value approach

Research on achievement goal promotion at University has shown that performance-approach goals are perceived as a means to succeed at University (high social utility) but are not appreciated (low social desirability). We argue that such a paradox could explain why research has detected that performance-approach goals consistently predict academic grades. First-year psychology students answered a performance-approach goal scale with standard, social desirability and social utility instructions. Participants' grades were recorded at the end of the semester. Results showed that the relationship between performance-approach goals and grades was inhibited by the increase of these goals' social desirability and facilitated by the increase of their social utility, revealing that the predictive validity of performance-approach goals depend on social value.

Value of sTREM-1, procalcitonin and CRP as laboratory parameters for postmortem diagnosis of sepsis.

OBJECTIVES: Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (TREM-1) was reported to be up-regulated in various inflammatory diseases as well as in bacterial sepsis. Increased cell-surface TREM-1 expression was also shown to result in marked plasma elevation of the soluble form of this molecule (sTREM-1) in patients with bacterial infections. In this study, we investigated sTREM-1, procalcitonin and C-reactive protein in postmortem serum in a series of sepsis-related fatalities and control individuals who underwent medico-legal investigations. sTREM-1 was also measured in pericardial fluid and urine. METHODS: Two study groups were prospectively formed, a sepsis-related fatalities group and a control group. The sepsis-related fatalities group consisted of sixteen forensic autopsy cases. Eight of these had a documented clinical diagnosis of sepsis in vivo. The control group consisted of sixteen forensic autopsy cases with various causes of death. RESULTS: Postmortem serum sTREM-1 concentrations were higher in the sepsis group with a mean value of 173.6 pg/ml in septic cases and 79.2 pg/ml in control individuals. The cutoff value of 90 pg/ml provided the best sensitivity and specificity. Pericardial fluid sTREM-1 values were higher in the septic group, with a mean value of 296.7 pg/ml in septic cases and 100.9 pg/ml in control individuals. The cutoff value of 135 pg/ml provided the best sensitivity and specificity. Mean urine sTREM-1 concentration was 102.9 pg/ml in septic cases and 89.3 pg/ml in control individuals. CONCLUSIONS: Postmortem serum sTREM-1, individually considered, did not provide better sensitivity and specificity than procalcitonin in detecting sepsis. However, simultaneous assessment of procalcitonin and sTREM-1 in postmortem serum can be of help in clarifying contradictory postmortem findings. sTREM-1 determination in pericardial fluid can be an alternative to postmortem serum in those situations in which biochemical analyses are required and blood collected during autopsy proves insufficient.

Multi-phase postmortem CT angiography: recognizing technique-related artefacts and pitfalls.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Multi-phase postmortem CT angiography (MPMCTA) is increasingly being recognized as a valuable adjunct medicolegal tool to explore the vascular system. Adequate interpretation, however, requires knowledge about the most common technique-related artefacts. The purpose of this study was to identify and index the possible artefacts related to MPMCTA. MATERIAL AND METHODS: An experienced radiologist blinded to all clinical and forensic data retrospectively reviewed 49 MPMCTAs. Each angiographic phase, i.e. arterial, venous and dynamic, was analysed separately to identify phase-specific artefacts based on location and aspect. RESULTS: Incomplete contrast filling of the cerebral venous system was the most commonly encountered artefact, followed by contrast agent layering in the lumen of the thoracic aorta. Enhancement or so-called oedematization of the digestive system mucosa was also frequently observed. CONCLUSION: All MPMCTA artefacts observed and described here are reproducible and easily identifiable. Knowledge about these artefacts is important to avoid misinterpreting them as pathological findings.

Non-monophyly of the woody bamboos (Bambuseae; Poaceae): a multi-gene region phylogenetic analysis of Bambusoideae s.s.

The taxonomy of Bambusoideae is in a state of flux and phylogenetic studies are required to help resolve systematic issues. Over 60 taxa, representing all subtribes of Bambuseae and related non-bambusoid grasses were sampled. A combined analysis of five plastid DNA regions, trnL intron, trnL-F intergenic spacer, atpB-rbcL intergenic spacer, rps16 intron, and matK, was used to study the phylogenetic relationships among the bamboos in general and the woody bamboos in particular. Within the BEP clade (Bambusoideae s.s., Ehrhartoideae, Pooideae), Pooideae were resolved as sister to Bambusoideae s.s. Tribe Bambuseae, the woody bamboos, as currently recognized were not monophyletic because Olyreae, the herbaceous bamboos, were sister to tropical Bambuseae. Temperate Bambuseae were sister to the group consisting of tropical Bambuseae and Olyreae. Thus, the temperate Bambuseae would be better treated as their own tribe Arundinarieae than as a subgroup of Bambuseae. Within the tropical Bambuseae, neotropical Bambuseae were sister to the palaeotropical and Austral Bambuseae. In addition, Melocanninae were found to be sister to the remaining palaeotropical and Austral Bambuseae. We discuss phylogenetic and morphological patterns of diversification and interpret them in a biogeographic context.

Quantitative Assessment of Handwriting Evidence: The Value of the Shape of the Letter "A"

To provide a quantitative support to the handwriting evidence evaluation, a new method was developed through the computation of a likelihood ratio based on a Bayesian approach. In the present paper, the methodology is briefly described and applied to data collected within a simulated case of a threatening letter. Fourier descriptors are used to characterise the shape of loops of handwritten characters "a" of the true writer of the threatening letter, and: 1) with reference characters "a" of the true writer of the threatening letter, and then 2) with characters "a" of a writer who did not write the threatening letter. The findings support that the probabilistic methodology correctly supports either the hypothesis of authorship or the alternative hypothesis. Further developments will enable the handwriting examiner to use this methodology as a helpful assistance to assess the strength of evidence in handwriting casework.

Whole brain radiotherapy with a conformational external beam radiation boost for lung cancer patients with 1-3 brain metastasis: a multi institutional study.

BACKGROUND: To determine the outcome of patients with brain metastasis (BM) from lung cancer treated with an external beam radiotherapy boost (RTB) after whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT). METHODS: A total of 53 BM patients with lung cancer were treated sequentially with WBRT and RTB between 1996 and 2008 according to our institutional protocol. Mean age was 58.8 years. The median KPS was 90. Median recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) and graded prognostic assessment (GPA) grouping were 2 and 2.5, respectively. Surgery was performed on 38 (71%) patients. The median number of BM was 1 (range, 1-3). Median WBRT and RTB combined dose was 39 Gy (range, 37.5-54). Median follow-up was 12.0 months. RESULTS: During the period of follow-up, 37 (70%) patients died. The median overall survival (OS) was 14.5 months. Only 13 patients failed in the brain. The majority of patients (n = 29) failed distantly. The 1-year OS, -local control, extracranial failure rates were 61.2%, 75.2% and 60.8%, respectively. On univariate analysis, improved OS was found to be significantly associated with total dose (< or = 39 Gy vs. > 39 Gy; p < 0.01), age < 65 (p < 0.01), absence of extracranial metastasis (p < 0.01), GPA > or = 2.5 (p = 0.01), KPS > or = 90 (p = 0.01), and RPA < 2 (p = 0.04). On multivariate analysis, total dose (p < 0.01) and the absence of extracranial metastasis (p = 0.03) retained statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: The majority of lung cancer patients treated with WBRT and RTB progressed extracranially. There might be a subgroup of younger patients with good performance status and no extracranial disease who may benefit from dose escalation after WBRT to the metastatic site.

Multi-stage garnet in the internal Brianconnais basement (Ambin massif, Savoy): New petrological constraints on the blueschist-facies metamorphism in the Western Alps and tectonic implications

Three types of garnet have been distinguished in pelitic schists from an epidote-blueschist-facies unit of the Ambin and South Vanoise Brianconnais massifs on the basis of texture, chemical zoning and mineral inclusion characterization. Type-1 garnet cores with high Mn/Ca ratios are interpreted as pre-Alpine relicts, whereas Type-1 garnet rims, Type-2 inclusion-rich porphyroblasts and smaller Type-3 garnets are Alpine. The latter are all characterized by low Mn/Ca ratios and a coexisting mineral assemblage of blue amphibole, high-Si phengite, epidote and quartz. Prograde growth conditions during Alpine D-1 high-pressure (HP) metamorphism are recorded by a decrease in Mn and increase in Fe (+/-Ca) in the Type-2 garnets, culminating in peak P-T conditions of 14-16 kbar and 500degreesC in the deepest parts of the Ambin dome. The multistage growth history of Type-1 garnets indicates a polymetamorphic history for the Ambin and South Vanoise massifs; unfortunately, no age constraints are available. The new metamorphic constraints on the Alpine event in the massifs define a metamorphic T `gap' between them and their surrounding cover (Brianconnais and upper Schistes Lustres units), which experienced metamorphism only in the stability field of carpholite-lawsonite (T < 400degreesC). These data and supporting structural studies confirm that the Ambin and South Vanoise massifs are slices of `eclogitized' continental crust tectonically extruded within the Schistes Lustres units and Brianconnais covers. The corresponding tectonic contacts with top-to-east movement are responsible for the juxtaposition of lower-grade metamorphic units on the Ambin and South Vanoise massifs.

Modeling complex wells with the multi-scale finite-volume method

In this paper, an extension of the multi-scale finite-volume (MSFV) method is devised, which allows to Simulate flow and transport in reservoirs with complex well configurations. The new framework fits nicely into the data Structure of the original MSFV method,and has the important property that large patches covering the whole well are not required. For each well. an additional degree of freedom is introduced. While the treatment of pressure-constraint wells is trivial (the well-bore reference pressure is explicitly specified), additional equations have to be solved to obtain the unknown well-bore pressure of rate-constraint wells. Numerical Simulations of test cases with multiple complex wells demonstrate the ability of the new algorithm to capture the interference between the various wells and the reservoir accurately. (c) 2008 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The predictive value of trabecular bone score (TBS) on whole lumbar vertebrae mechanics: an ex vivo study.

We investigated the association of trabecular bone score (TBS) with microarchitecture and mechanical behavior of human lumbar vertebrae. We found that TBS reflects vertebral trabecular microarchitecture and is an independent predictor of vertebral mechanics. However, the addition of TBS to areal BMD (aBMD) did not significantly improve prediction of vertebral strength. INTRODUCTION: The trabecular bone score (TBS) is a gray-level measure of texture using a modified experimental variogram which can be extracted from dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) images. The current study aimed to confirm whether TBS is associated with trabecular microarchitecture and mechanics of human lumbar vertebrae, and if its combination with BMD improves prediction of fracture risk. METHODS: Lumbar vertebrae (L3) were harvested fresh from 16 donors. The anteroposterior and lateral bone mineral content (BMC) and areal BMD (aBMD) of the vertebral body were measured using DXA; then, the TBS was extracted using TBS iNsight software (Medimaps SA, France). The trabecular bone volume (Tb.BV/tissue volume, TV), trabecular thickness (Tb.Th), degree of anisotropy, and structure model index (SMI) were measured using microcomputed tomography. Quasi-static uniaxial compressive testing was performed on L3 vertebral bodies to assess failure load and stiffness. RESULTS: The TBS was significantly correlated to Tb.BV/TV and SMI (râeuro0/00=âeuro0/000.58 and -0.62; pâeuro0/00=âeuro0/000.02, 0.01), but not related to BMC and BMD. TBS was significantly correlated with stiffness (râeuro0/00=âeuro0/000.64; pâeuro0/00=âeuro0/000.007), independently of bone mass. Using stepwise multiple regression models, we failed to demonstrate that the combination of BMD and TBS was better at explaining mechanical behavior than either variable alone. However, the combination TBS, Tb.Th, and BMC did perform better than each parameter alone, explaining 79 % of the variability in stiffness. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, TBS was associated with microarchitecture parameters and with vertebral mechanical behavior, but TBS did not improve prediction of vertebral biomechanical properties in addition to aBMD.

The predictive value of preoperative B-type natriuretic peptide in children undergooing heart surgery.

Introduction: Low cardiac output syndrome is frequent in childrenafter heart surgery for congenital heart disease and may result in pooroutcome and increased morbidity. In the adult population, preoperativebrain natriuretic peptide (BNP) was shown to be predictive of postoperative complications. In children, the value of preoperative BNP onpostoperative outcome is not so clear. The aim of this study was todetermine the predictive value of preoperative BNP on postoperativeoutcome and low cardiac output syndrome in children after heartsurgery for congenital heart disease.Methods: We examined, retrospectively, the postoperative course of97 pediatric patients (mean age 3.7 years, range 0-14 years old) whounderwent heart surgery in a tertiary care pediatric intensive caresetting. NTproBNP was measured preoperatively in all patients(median 412 pg/ml, range 12-35'000 pg/ml). Patients were divided intothree groups according to their NTproBNP levels (group 1: 0-300 pg/ml, group 2: 300-600 pg/ml, group 3: >600 pg/ml) and then,correlations with postoperative outcomes were examined.Results: We found that patients with a high preoperative BNP requiredmore frequently prolonged (>2 days) mechanical ventilation (33%vs 40% vs 61%, p = 0.045) and stayed more frequently longer than6 days in the intensive care unit (42% vs 50% vs 71%, p = 0.03).However, high preoperative BNP was not correlated with occurrenceof low cardiac output syndrome.Conclusion: Preoperative BNP cannot be used, in children, as areliable and sole predictor of postoperative low cardiac outputsyndrome. However it may help identify, before surgery, those patientsat risk of having a difficult postoperative course.

Multi-dimensional approach to bullying

RÉSUMÉ : Le bullying est un type de comportement agressif qu'un élève (ou plusieurs) fait subir à un autre et qui se manifeste par des agressions verbales, physiques et/ou psychologiques. Les caractéristiques du bullying sont la répétitivité d'actions négatives sur le long terme et une relation de pouvoir asymétrique. Pour la victime, ce type de comportement peut avoir des conséquences graves telles qu'échec scolaire, dépression, troubles alimentaires, ou idées suicidaires. De plus, les auteurs de bullying commettent plus de comportements déviants au sein de l'école ou à l'extérieur de cette dernière. La mise en place d'actions ciblées auprès des auteurs de bullying pourrait donc non seulement prévenir une victimisation, mais aussi réduire les actes de délinquance en général. Hormis quelques études locales ou cantonales, aucune recherche nationale auprès d'adolescents n'existait dans le domaine. Ce travail propose de combler cette lacune afin d'obtenir une compréhension suffisante du phénomène qui permet de donner des pistes pour définir des mesures de prévention appropriées. Afin d'appréhender la problématique du bullying dans les écoles secondaires suisses, deux sondages de délinquance juvénile autoreportée ont été effectués. Le premier a eu lieu entre 2003 et 2005 dans le canton de Vaud auprès de plus de 4500 écoliers. Le second a été administré en 2006 dans toute la Suisse et environ 3600 jeunes y ont participé. Les jeunes ont répondu au sondage soit en classe (questionnaire papier) soit en salle d'informatique (questionnaire en ligne). Les jeunes ayant répondu avoir sérieusement harcelé un autre élève est d'environ 7% dans le canton de Vaud et de 4% dans l'échantillon national. Les analyses statistiques ont permis tout d'abord de sélectionner les variables les plus fortement liées au bullying. Les résultats montrent que les jeunes avec un bas niveau d'autocontrôle et ayant une attitude positive envers la violence sont plus susceptibles de commettre des actes de bullying. L'importance des variables environnementales a aussi été démontrée: plus le jeune est supervisé et encadré par des adultes, plus les autorités (école, voisinage) jouent leur rôle de contrôle social en faisant respecter les règles et en intervenant de manière impartiale, moins le jeune risque de commettre des actes de bullying. De plus, l'utilisation d'analyses multiniveaux a permis de montrer l'existence d'effets de l'école sur le bullying. En particulier, le taux de bullying dans une école donnée augmente lorsque les avis des jeunes divergent par rapport à leur perception du climat scolaire. Un autre constat que l'on peut mettre en évidence est que la réaction des enseignants lors de bagarres a une influence différente sur le taux de bullying en fonction de l'établissement scolaire. ABSTRACT : Bullying is the intentional, repetitive or persistent hurting of one pupil by another (or several), where the relationship involves an imbalance of power. Bullying is a type of aggressive behaviour and the act can be verbal, physical and/or psychological. The consequences on the victims are serious: school failure, depressive symptomatology, eating disorders, or suicidal ideation. Moreover, the authors of bullying display more delinquent behaviour within or outside the school. Thus, preventive programmes targeting bullying could not only prevent victimisation, but also reduce delinquency in general. Very little data concerning bullying had been collected in Switzerland and, except some local or cantonal studies, no national research among teenagers existed in the field. This work intends to fill the gap in order to provide sufficient understanding of the phenomenon and to suggest some tracks for defining appropriate measures of prevention. In order to understand the problems of bullying in Swiss secondary schools better, two surveys of self-reported juvenile delinquency were carried out. The first one took place between 2003 and 2005 in the canton Vaud among more than 4500 pupils, the second in 2006 across Switzerland with about 3600 youths taking part. The pupils answered to the survey either in the classroom (paper questionnaire) or in the computer room (online questionnaire). The youths that answered having seriously bullied another pupil are about 7% in canton Vaud and 4% in the national sample. Statistical analyses have selected the variables most strongly related to bullying. The results show that the youths with a low level of self-control and adopting a positive attitude towards violence are more likely to bully others. The importance of the environmental variables was also shown: the more that youth is supervised and monitored by adults, and the more the authorities (school, neighbourhood) play their role of social control by making the rules be respected through intervening in an impartial way, the less the youth bully. Moreover, the use of multilevel analyses permitted to show the existence of effects of the school on bullying. In particular, the rate of bullying in a given school increases when there is a wide variation among students of the same school in their perception of their school climate. Another important aspect concerns teachers' reactions when pupils fight: this variable does not influence the bullying rate to the same extent, and depends on the school.