Research synthesis of recommended acetabular cup orientations for total hip arthroplasty.

Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is regarded as one of the most successful surgical procedures of modern times yet continues to be associated with a small but significant complication rate. Many early failures may be associated with poor component positioning with, in particular, acetabular component orientation dependent on the subjective judgement of the surgeon. In this paper, we compare the manufacturers' instructions on acetabular cup orientation with the literature-based recommended safety zones and surgical technique, by transforming them onto a single, clinically-relevant framework in which the different reference systems, safety guidelines and current instrumentation surgical techniques can be evaluated. The observed limited consensus between results reflects ongoing uncertainty regarding the optimum acetabular component positioning. As malpositioning of the acetabular cup increases the risk of revision surgery, any ambiguity over the correct position can have a causal effect. Our analysis highlights the need for a surgical reference system which can be used to describe the position of the acetabular cup intra-operatively.

Effects of added fruits and vegetables on dietary intakes and body weight in Scottish adults.

An increased consumption of fruits and vegetables (F&V) has been suggested as a way to limit, or even lower, energy and fat intakes. The present study examined the effects of incorporating F&V supplements into the diets of adults who reported consuming <240 g (three portions) of F&V per d on energy and fat intakes, and change in body weight, over 8 weeks using a randomised parallel design. Thirty-four males and twenty-eight females (age 42.6 (sd 11.1) years, BMI 23.7 (sd 2.7) kg/m(2)) were each provided with supplements of 0, 300 or 600 g F&V per d. Food, nutrient and energy intakes were measured before, during and at the end of the supplementation period using 7 d weighed records. Mean daily energy intakes were not different among the three groups before (P = 0.151) or during the supplementation periods (P = 0.407), although changes in energy intakes over the study period tended to be more positive with increasing amounts of F&V supplements (P = 0.078). There was no difference in changes of body weights during the study (P = 0.242). Carbohydrate (P < 0.001), sugar (P < 0.001), fibre (P < 0.001) and weight of food consumed (P = 0.022) increased in the treatment groups. There were no significant differences, or changes, in fat intakes among the three groups. Consumption of mandatory F&V supplements for 8 weeks produced beneficial changes in diet composition, but did not result in lower reported energy or fat intakes, and did not result in loss of body weight.

Negative symptoms, trauma, and autobiographical memory: an investigation of individuals recovering from psychosis.

Psychological research on negative symptoms in schizophrenia is scarce. The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between negative symptoms and trauma in individuals recovering from a psychotic illness. Specifically, the aim was to examine the association between negative symptoms and traumatic reactions to psychosis and to hospitalization. We were also interested in the association between traumatic reactions and autobiographical memory. The design was a cross-sectional investigation of 38 people recovering from functional psychotic illness. Hypotheses were examined using correlations between measures of negative symptoms, posttraumatic avoidance, and specificity of autobiographical retrieval. Negative symptoms were found to be significantly associated with avoidance of traumatic memories related to psychosis and hospitalization and with a lack of specificity in autobiographical recall. Further analysis showed that avoidance related to psychosis and low specificity in recall were significant predictors of negative symptoms. These data suggest that people who avoid traumatic memories of psychosis and hospitalization have more negative symptoms and retrieve fewer specific autobiographical memories. The possibility that negative symptoms may be reactive is explored, along with the implications for our theoretical and clinical understanding. The methodological limitations of the study and ideas for future research are discussed.