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Karla A Lee, Breda C Hayes Rotunda Hospital, Dublin 1, Leinster, Ireland Objective: To review the literature investigating head size and examine head growth in relation to neurodevelopmental outcomes and neuroimaging data in the very preterm infant.Methods: Systematic literature review of studies published in the following databases: PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health (CINAHL), and Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE). Studies in the English language published between January 2005 and August 2013 were examined. Subjects were infants born at ≤32 weeks of gestation. Main outcome measures included head growth, neurodevelopmental outcomes, and correlation between head size and neuroimaging.Results: Thirty-four articles comprising 9,394 infants met inclusion/exclusion criteria. Of these, 31 studies (6,592 subjects) report head growth data measured at two or more time points. Neurodevelopmental outcome at ≥2 years was reported by eleven studies (3,817 subjects). Nine studies (2,363 subjects) included neuroimaging data. Catch-up head growth was found to occur in the first year after birth. Poor nutrition was linked with poorer head growth. Small head size was associated with poor psychomotor and mental skills, higher rates of cerebral palsy, and autism. However, suboptimal head size at birth was not predictive of poor outcome, unless it persisted. Head size appears to correlate with brain volume at term. Associations between white matter abnormalities have been found by ultrasonography. In contrast, in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, gray matter seems to be the most susceptible to impairments during postnatal growth.Conclusion: Head growth in early neonatal life is of importance. Avoiding growth impairment during neonatal care may allow for optimal cortical development. Many factors impact upon early head growth, particularly appropriate nutrition. There is no clear correlation between neuroimaging and head growth and this is an area deserving future research. Keywords: head growth, head size, outcome, premature

The baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS) is a powerful platform for protein expression in insect cells. A prevalent application is the expression of complex protein structures consisting of multiple, interacting proteins. Coinfection with multiple baculoviruses allows for production of complex structures, facilitating structure-function studies, allowing augmentation of insect cell functionality, and production of clinically relevant products such as virus-like particles (VLPs) and adeno-associated viral vectors (AAV). Successful coinfections require the generation of robust and well-quantified recombinant baculovirus stocks. Virus production through homologous recombination, combined with rigorous quantification of viral titers, allows for synchronous coinfections producing high end-product titers. In this chapter, we describe the streamlined workflow for generation and quantification of high-quality recombinant baculovirus stocks and successful coinfection as defined by a preponderance of dually infected cells in the insect cell culture., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Competing Interests: None declared

Objective: To determine the relationship between intrapartum contraction frequency, rest interval duration, and cervical dilation speed and the risk of neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)., Study Design: This was a retrospective case-control study conducted in a maternity hospital in Dublin, Ireland. Babies born without major congenital anomalies between September 2006 and November 2017 at ≥ 35 + 0 weeks' gestational age were eligible. Cases were diagnosed with moderate-severe HIE. The controls were the first eligible baby born before and after each case with normal Apgar scores and not admitted to the neonatal unit. Intrapartum uterine activity was assessed by automated analysis of external tocography recordings. Cervical dilation was assessed by linear interpolation between vaginal examination measurements. The speed of cervical dilation was expressed as the times from 4 to 6 cm, >6 cm to the start of pushing, and from pushing to delivery., Results: Intrapartum tocographs results were available in 49 of 88 cases and 121 of 176 controls. The median contraction rate in cases was 7.7 (Interquartile range [IQR]: 6.6-9.0) compared to 7.0 in controls (IQR: 6.2-7.9) (p = 0.021). The median rest interval duration was 56 s (IQR: 38-76) in cases and 62 s (IQR: 50-79) in controls (p = 0.058). Cases took longer to progress from > 6 cm to the start of pushing (cases: 02:58 [01:14-04:49], controls: 01:48 [00:51-03:34], p = 0.020) and from pushing to delivery (cases: 00:34 [00:24-01:10], controls: 00:27 [00:13-00:56], p = 0.036)., Conclusions: Higher contraction frequencies and slower progress towards the end of labour are both independently associated with the risk of moderate-severe HIE. Inter-contraction rest interval duration as measured by external tocography does not provide additional accuracy., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To describe the accuracy of intrapartum fetal heart rate abnormalities as defined by National Institute of Health and Care Excellence guidelines to predict moderate-severe neonatal encephalopathy of apparent hypoxic-ischemic etiology., Study Design: A case-control study of HIE risk factors was conducted. Eligible babies were born in a single maternity hospital in Dublin, Ireland between September 2006, and November 2017 at ≥35 + 0 weeks' gestational age. Cases were eligible babies with moderate-severe neonatal encephalopathy of definite or apparent hypoxic-ischemic etiology. Controls were eligible babies born before and after each case with normal Apgar scores. The included subjects who had intrapartum fetal heart rate recordings were identified. Pattern features (baseline rate, variability, accelerations, decelerations [early, late, variable, prolonged], bradycardia, sinusoidal pattern) were manually identified blind to all clinical details by one of the authors. Each 15-minute segment was then algorithmically categorized (uninterpretable, normal, suspicious, pathological)., Results: Of 88 cases and 176 controls, 71 cases (81%) and 146 controls (83%) were admitted to the delivery suite in labor. From that group, intrapartum FHR traces longer than 15 min were available for 52 (73%) cases and 118 (83%) controls. The FHR pattern feature with the largest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was the maximum number of consecutive segments in which the baseline was >160 bpm (0.71 [95% confidence interval: 0.62-0.80]). The category variable with the highest area under the curve was the number of suspicious segments (0.76 [95% confidence interval: 0.67-0.84]). A tri-variate logistic regression model incorporating the total number of segments, the number of "suspicious" segments classed, and the number of "pathological" segments achieved an area under the curve of 0.78 (95% confidence interval: 0.70-0.86). With 95% specificity, this model correctly identified 17 cases (33%) at a median time before delivery of 2 h and 18 min (interquartile range: 01:19-04:40)., Conclusions: The power of fetal heart rate analysis to predict neonatal encephalopathy is hampered by poor specificity given the rarity of the outcome. When analyzing a suspicious trace, it is beneficial to consider the overall duration of the suspicious pattern., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Increased uterine activity (UA) may not allow adequate recovery time for foetal oxygenation., Methods: The aim of the study was to determine if increased UA during labour is associated with an increased risk of either short- or long-term neurological injury in term neonates, or with neonatal proxy measures of intrapartum hypoxia-ischemia. MEDLINE, CINAHL, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched using the following terms: uterine activity, excessive uterine activity, XSUA, uterine hyperstimulation, and tachysystole. Any study that analysed the relationship between UA during term labour and neurological outcomes/selected proxy neurological outcomes was eligible for inclusion. Outcomes from individual studies were reported in tables and presented descriptively with odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for dichotomous outcomes and means with standard deviations for continuous outcomes. Where group numbers were provided, ORs and their CIs were calculated according to Altman., Main Results: Twelve studies met the inclusion criteria. Seven studies featured umbilical artery pH as an individual outcome. Umbilical artery base excess and Apgar scores were both reported as individual outcomes in four studies. No study examined long term neurodevelopmental outcomes and only one study reported on encephalopathy as an outcome. The evidence for a relationship between UA and adverse infant outcomes was inconsistent. The reported estimated effect size varied from non-existent to clinically significant., Conclusions: There is some evidence that increased UA may be a non-specific predictor of depressed neurological function in the newborn, but it is inconsistent and insufficient to support the conclusion that an association generally exists.

Background: Studies which use external tocography to explore the relationship between increased intrapartum uterine activity and foetal outcomes are feasible because the technology is safe and ubiquitous. However, periods of poor signal quality are common. We developed an algorithm which aims to calculate tocograph summary variables based on well-recorded contractions only, ignoring artefact and excluding sections deemed uninterpretable. The aim of this study was to test that algorithm's reliability., Methods: Whole recordings from labours at ≥35 weeks of gestation were randomly selected without regard to quality. Contractions and rest intervals were measured by two humans independently, and by the algorithm using two sets of models; one based on a series of pre-defined thresholds, and another trained to imitate one of the human interpreters. The absolute agreement intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was calculated using a two-way random effects model., Results: The training dataset included data from 106 tocographs. Of the tested algorithms, AdaBoost showed the highest initial cross-validated accuracy and proceeded to optimization. Forty tocographs were included in the validation set. The ICCs for the per tocograph mean contraction rates were; human B to human A: 0.940 (0.890-0.968), human A to initial models: 0.944 (0.898-0.970), human A to trained models 0.962 (0.927-0.980), human B to initial models: 0.930 (0.872-0.962), human B to trained models: 0.948 (0.903-0.972)., Conclusions: The algorithm described approximates interpretation of external tocography performed by trained humans. The performance of the AdaBoost trained models was marginally superior compared to the initial models., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors report no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: The optimum timing of administration of magnesium sulfate (MgSO 4 ) in relation to delivery is not known. The general consensus is to achieve administration to the mother at least 4 hours prior to preterm delivery., Objective: To investigate potential predictors of umbilical cord blood magnesium (Mg) concentrations, in particular, timing of antenatal MgSO 4 administration in relation to delivery., Study Design: A prospective observational study of infants delivered at less than 32 weeks' gestational age. Cord bloods samples were collected at delivery and Mg levels analyzed., Results: Of the 81 included cases, five received no antenatal MgSO 4 , 65 received a 4 g bolus only, and 11 received a 4 g bolus and 1 g/hour infusion. The median time of bolus administration before delivery was 104 minutes (IQR: 57-215). The mean magnesium level was 0.934 mmol/L in the no antenatal MgSO 4 group, 1.018 mmol/L in the bolus only group, and 1.225 mmol/L in the bolus and infusion group (p < .05). In the bolus only group, the highest mean magnesium concentration (1.091 mmol/L) was achieved with administration 1-2 hours before delivery, but the difference was small and not statistically significant. On multiple regression analysis, lower birthweight Z scores and gestational age were independently associated with higher cord blood Mg levels., Conclusions: In the bolus only group, the highest mean Mg levels were observed with administration 1-2 hours before delivery, but the findings were not statistically significant. Compared to the rest of the cohort, higher Mg levels were found when a bolus was followed by an infusion. Following a MgSO 4 bolus, some growth restricted extremely preterm babies may have higher Mg levels than would be otherwise expected.

Objective: To establish the local incidence of hearing loss in newborns with Hypoxic Ischaemic Encephalopathy (HIE) and to identify associated risk factors., Study Design: Retrospective Cohort Study. Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) dual stage hearing screening protocol, including automated otoacoustic emissions (AOAE) and automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) testing., Results: 57 newborns received therapeutic hypothermia for HIE. Twelve babies (21%) died. Audiology data was incomplete in 3 babies. Complete data was available for 42 babies (male n = 24), 4 (9.5%) of whom had hearing impairment. The development of hearing loss was associated with abnormal blood glucose levels (p = 0.006), low Apgar score at 1 min (p = 0.0219) and evidence of multi organ dysfunction [high creatinine (p = 0.0172 and 0.0198) and raised liver transaminases (aspartate aminotransferase (AST) p = 0.0012, alanine aminotransferase (ALT) p = 0.0037)]. An association with gentamicin was not found., Conclusion: This study confirms that hearing impairment is common in term infants who have undergone therapeutic hypothermia for moderate/severe HIE. Blood glucose should be monitored carefully in these infants and developmental surveillance should include formal audiology. Further larger studies are needed to clarify the role, if any, of hypothermia per se in causation of hearing loss and to fully identify risk factors for hearing impairment in this population., What Is New: The current study confirms that hearing impairment is common in term infants who have undergone therapeutic hypothermia for moderate/severe HIE. No association between gentamicin use and the development of hearing impairment was found however initial blood glucose outside the normal range was of significance. Other factors associated with hearing impairment were low Apgar scores, greater need for resuscitation and evidence of multi organ dysfunction (renal and liver failure)., (Copyright © 2018 European Paediatric Neurology Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

To access outcome following hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), survivors without cerebral palsy were invited for formal developmental assessment. Children aged ≥ 42 months were assessed using the NEPSY-2, Movement Assessment Battery for Children 2 (Movement ABC-2), Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, and the Child Behavior Checklist. Children aged < 42 months were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, Third Edition (BSITD-3). One hundred forty-six children attended for assessments [Grade 1 (112), Grade 2 (33), and Grade 3 (1)]. BSITD-3 did not identify significant rates of impairment on cognitive, motor, or language subtests. A significant proportion of children scored < 3rd percentile on the adaptive behavior scale. In older age groups, difficulties were seen in 16/24 NEPSY-2 subtests and on timed assessments using Movement ABC-2. Difficulties arose especially in the "control" aspects of cognition and behavior. Behavioral difficulties were common with internalizing problems predominating. There was a graded effect with grade 2 cases differing significantly from grade 1 cases., Conclusion: Following HIE, children may experience attention, memory, and behavior difficulties which are not always evident at a young age. The adaptive behavior questionnaire may be a useful tool to select children requiring developmental surveillance beyond 2 years of age. What is known: • Diversity of outcome across grades of HIE is reported and few studies have looked at the milder consequences of HIE at school age. What is new: • Following HIE children may experience attention, memory, and behavior difficulties which are not always evident at a young age. • The adaptive behavior questionnaire may be a useful tool to select children requiring developmental surveillance beyond 2 years of age.

To understand the roles of human parainfluenza virus 3 (HPIV3) proteins in assembly and release, viral proteins were expressed individually and in combination in 293T cells. Expression of the matrix (M) protein triggered release of enveloped, matrix-containing virus-like particles (VLPs) from cells. When M was co-expressed with the nucleocapsid (N), fusion (F) or haemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) proteins, VLPs that contained M+N, M+F and M+HN, respectively, were generated, suggesting that M can independently interact with each protein to facilitate assembly and release. Additionally, expression of N protein enabled incorporation of the phosphoprotein (P) into VLPs, likely due to known N-P interactions. Finally, the HPIV3 C protein did not enhance VLP release, in contrast to observations with the related Sendai virus. These findings reinforce the central importance of the M protein in virus assembly and release, but also illustrate the variable roles of other paramyxovirus proteins during these processes.

Objective: To correlate pattern of injury on neonatal brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with outcome in infants ≥36 + 0 weeks gestation with hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy., Methods: Prospective cohort study. Images were blindly reviewed. Children were assessed using a variety of standardised assessments., Results: MRI brain was performed on 88 infants. Follow up was available in 73(83%) infants. Eight of 25(32%) children with normal imaging had below normal assessment scores. Eight infants (12%) had isolated punctate white matter lesions and five of these had abnormal assessment scores. Death and cerebral palsy were seen only in children with imaging scores ≥3 on basal ganglia/thalami (BGT) score or ≥4 on watershed score. No developmental concerns were raised in 3/7(43%) infants with isolated watershed injury. Ten of 13(77%) infants with isolated BGT injury died or developed cerebral palsy. All 23 children with posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC) injury displayed developmental difficulties., Conclusions: Almost one-third of infants with a normal MRI brain may be at risk of developmental problems. Punctate foci of white matter injury are common and not always benign. PLIC involvement is usually associated with neurological sequelae including isolated cognitive deficits. Worst outcomes are associated with basal ganglia injury.

The use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-modified T cells as a therapy for hematologic malignancies and solid tumors is becoming more widespread. However, the infusion of a T-cell product targeting a single tumor-associated antigen may lead to target antigen modulation under this selective pressure, with subsequent tumor immune escape. With the purpose of preventing this phenomenon, we have studied the impact of simultaneously targeting two distinct antigens present on tumor cells: namely mucin 1 and prostate stem cell antigen, both of which are expressed in a variety of solid tumors, including pancreatic and prostate cancer. When used individually, CAR T cells directed against either tumor antigen were able to kill target-expressing cancer cells, but tumor heterogeneity led to immune escape. As a combination therapy, we demonstrate superior antitumor effects using both CARs simultaneously, but this was nevertheless insufficient to achieve a complete response. To understand the mechanism of escape, we studied the kinetics of T-cell killing and found that the magnitude of tumor destruction depended not only on the presence of target antigens but also on the intensity of expression-a feature that could be altered by administering epigenetic modulators that upregulated target expression and enhanced CAR T-cell potency.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine risk factors that are associated with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE)., Study Design: This was a case-control study that included newborn infants with HIE who were admitted to the hospital between January 2001 and December 2008. Two control newborn infants were chosen for each case. Logistic regression and classification and regression tree (CART) analysis that compared control infants and cases with grade 1 HIE and control infants and cases with grades 2 and 3 HIE was performed., Results: Two hundred thirty-seven cases (newborn infants with grade 1 encephalopathy, 155; newborn infants with grade 2 encephalopathy, 61; newborn infants with grade 3 encephalopathy, 21) and 489 control infants were included. Variables that were associated independently with HIE included higher grade meconium, growth restriction, large head circumference, oligohydramnios, male sex, fetal bradycardia, maternal pyrexia and increased uterine contractility. CART analysis ranked high-grade meconium, oligohydramnios, and the presence of obstetric complications as the most discriminating variables and defined distinct risk groups with HIE rates that ranged from 0-86%., Conclusion: CART analysis provides information to help identify the time at which intervention in labor may be of benefit., (Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To determine placental characteristics associated with neonatal encephalopathy (NE) and correlate these with short- and long-term neurodevelopmental outcome., Design: Case/control study., Setting: Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Rotunda Hospital, Dublin, Ireland., Patients: Newborns ≥36 weeks gestation, with NE (cases). Healthy term newborns (controls)., Interventions: Placental pathology was obtained from the official placental report. Brain MRI was blindly reviewed. Children were assessed using a variety of standardised assessments. Data were analysed using multinomial logistic regression analysis., Main Outcome Measures: RRR for grade of encephalopathy. OR for neurodevelopmental outcome., Results: Placental reports were available on 141 cases (76 grade 1; 46 grade 2; 19 grade 3) and 309 control infants. Meconium phagocytosis, haemorrhage, raised placental to birth weight ratio and/or markers of infection/inflammation were independently associated with NE and showed a synergistic effect, when combined, for short- and long-term impairments., Conclusions: Evaluation of the mechanisms leading to the placental characteristics identified may help to characterise the causal pathway of NE.

Purpose: Activating Q209L/P mutations in GNAQ or GNA11 (GNAQ/11) are present in approximately 80% of uveal melanomas. Mutant GNAQ/11 are not currently therapeutically targetable. Inhibiting key down-stream effectors of GNAQ/11 represents a rational therapeutic approach for uveal melanomas that harbor these mutations. The mitogen-activated protein/extracellular signal-regulated kinase/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK/MAPK) and PI3K/AKT pathways are activated in uveal melanoma. In this study, we test the effect of the clinically relevant small molecule inhibitors GSK1120212 (MEK inhibitor) and GSK2126458 (pan class I PI3K inhibitor) on uveal melanoma cells with different GNAQ/11 mutation backgrounds., Experimental Design: We use the largest set of genetically annotated uveal melanoma cell lines to date to carry out in vitro cellular signaling, cell-cycle regulation, growth, and apoptosis analyses. RNA interference and small molecule MEK and/or PI3K inhibitor treatment were used to determine the dependency of uveal melanoma cells with different GNAQ/11 mutation backgrounds on MEK/MAPK and/or PI3K/AKT signaling. Proteomic network analysis was done to unveil signaling alterations in response to MEK and/or PI3K small molecule inhibition., Results: GNAQ/11 mutation status was not a determinant of whether cells would undergo cell-cycle arrest or growth inhibition to MEK and/or phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) inhibition. A reverse correlation was observed between MAPK and AKT phosphorylation after MEK or PI3K inhibition, respectively. Neither MEK nor PI3K inhibition alone was sufficient to induce apoptosis in the majority of cell lines; however, the combination of MEK + PI3K inhibitor treatment resulted in the marked induction of apoptosis in a GNAQ/11 mutant-dependent manner., Conclusions: MEK + PI3K inhibition may be an effective combination therapy in uveal melanoma, given the inherent reciprocal activation of these pathways within these cells.

Objective: To determine whether ketorolac (Acular) treatment and other factors influence regression after LASIK-induced consecutive hyperopia., Methods: Seventy-two eyes of 51 patients who had undergone LASIK for myopia and compound myopic astigmatism and who experienced consecutive hyperopia of at least +0.50 diopters within the first postoperative week were analyzed. The consenting patients were treated with ketorolac (Acular). Data were collected over a period of 2 months. Primary preoperative variables included age, eye, preoperative manifest and cycloplegic refractions, and pachymetry. Postoperative variables included presence of microstriae and treatment with ketorolac. Treatment success was measured as reduction of consecutive hyperopia., Results: Thirty-seven eyes were treated, and 35 eyes were in the control group. Mean start time for treatment with ketorolac was 9 days after surgery (range 3-35 days). Mean treatment time was 24.5 days (range 10-63 days). Both groups were matched for all preoperative variables except for age, including manifest and cycloplegic refraction, eye treated, and pachymetry. Treated patients were on average 9 years older than the control group. There was no significant difference in the overall rate of regression between the 2 groups at the 1-month and 2-month periods. Thicker preoperative corneas in all eyes had a sporadic association with reduction of consecutive hyperopia., Conclusions: Ketorolac does not improve consecutive hyperopia after LASIK for myopia and compound myopic astigmatism when compared with a matched control group. Pachymetry appears to be a determining factor in the degree of regression experienced after consecutive hyperopia. This finding warrants further investigation.

Religious institutions have been identified as important conduits in shaping social attitudes toward nature and the environment. Using Lynn White's historical thesis that Judeo-Christianity has cherished the domination of nature ('dominion' belief) by humans as our frame of reference, this article examines the impact of religion, specifically Abrahamic and Judeo-Christian beliefs, on environmental attitudes in Britain. Based on the 1993 British Social Attitudes Survey, a nationally representative sample of the adult population in Britain, the multivariate results of this paper suggest that: (a) there is no significant difference between Christians and non-Christians concerning environmental attitudes; (b) Roman Catholics are the most sceptic toward nature among Christian denominations; and (c) irrespective of religious identification, the two most notable and consistent factors in determining pro-dominion attitudes in Britain are educational attainment and particularly levels of scientific knowledge about the natural environment.

Based on census material from 1926 to 1991, this study focuses on gender differences in occupancy rates in mental health beds in Northern Ireland. More specifically, using two sets of research literature--the relationships between war and mental health and gender and mental health respectively--it explores changing patterns in bed occupancy in terms of both gender and age differences within this society. The results suggest that, although men and women no longer vary in terms of their overall occupancy rates within mental health facilities in Northern Ireland, within their respective male and female sub-populations, however, some notable age-specific differences have now emerged. Since 1981, whereas increases in mental health bed occupancy among women have been exclusively confined to the old (65 years or older), among males, it is the very young, specifically men aged 15-24 years, who have demonstrated the most dramatic rise in bed usage. It is important to note, however, that these age-specific gender increases cannot be accounted for by demographic changes in the general population. The authors suggest that, at least as far as men are concerned, the increasing pattern of vulnerability among the young may be attributed to the impact of changing definitions of mental disorder rather than to the effect of political violence on mental health. It is to this group of individuals--the cohort of men born since the outbreak of civil unrest in Northern Ireland in 1969--that future research should be directed.

The purpose of this article is to explore empirically issues and attitudes surrounding the assignment of credit for authorship in psychological research. A survey consisting of research tasks, vignettes, and questions relating to collaborations between faculty and students was completed by 203 individuals (23.3% response rate) from a national, random sample of faculty and graduate students. Analysis indicated that tasks related to manuscript writing, developing research ideas, and research design were important criteria for assigning credit of authorship. Status, seniority, and data collection were rated as unimportant to the assignment of credit. The issues surrounding collaborations between faculty and students were also examined.

The economic constraints of the last decade have led western industrialized nations to consider, if not actually adopt, more stringent controls over costly social policies such as health care. Using recent, nationally representative data from the United States, Great Britain, West Germany, Italy and Australia, this paper provides an international comparison of attitudes towards government spending on health care. Attitudes are found to differ by country, with Great Britain being most supportive of increased spending and West Germany and the United States most opposed. Multiple regression techniques are used to determine significant socio-demographic and political ideological factors in relation to predicting attitudes towards government spending. In many countries, those who often bear the heavier tax burden, for example, the middle classes and those with higher status jobs, were consistently more likely to oppose an increase in government spending on health; compared with them, women were found to be more supportive of such action. Measures of political ideology were found to be quite consistent and strong predictors of attitudes--political conservatism and more negative attitudes towards government generally were inversely related to support for government increases in health spending. The policy implications of these findings are discussed in the conclusion.

Intense artificial light can phase-shift circadian rhythms and improve performance, sleep, and well-being during shiftwork simulations. In real shiftworkers, however, exposure to sunlight and other time cues may decrease the efficacy of light treatment, and occupational and family responsibilities may make it impractical. With these considerations in mind, we designed and tested light-treatment protocols for NASA personnel who worked on shifted schedules during two Space Shuttle missions. During the prelaunch week, treatment subjects self-administered light of approximately 10,000 lux at times of day that phase-delay circadian rhythms. Treatment continued during the missions and for several days afterward. No treatment was administered to subjects in the control group. Treatment subjects reported better sleep, performance, and physical and emotional well-being than control subjects and rated the treatment as highly effective for promoting adjustment to their work schedules. Light treatment is both feasible and beneficial for NASA personnel who must work on shifted schedules during Space Shuttle missions.

Over recent decades, whether legislation supporting mandatory retirement should exist has been debated frequently. The issue has been exacerbated by the growing number of elderly people within western societies. Using nationally representative data from the United States of America, West Germany, Great Britain, and Australia, this article provides an international comparison of individual's attitudes toward mandatory retirement. These attitudes are found to differ sharply according to country, with the Americans most strongly opposed and the Britons most accepting. Multiple regression techniques are used to address the relative importance of socio-demographic and political ideological factors in predicting attitudes toward compulsory retirement. The strongest socio-demographic predictor is education. Measures of political ideology are also significant predictors; that is, acceptance of government intervention in various areas of the labor market is positively related to the acceptance of government regulation of retirement age.