bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluating a Midwife‐Led Model of Antenatal Care for Women with a Previous Cesarean Section: A Retrospective, Comparative Cohort Study
Authors: White Helen K. , le May Andrée , Cluett Elizabeth R. 
Published: March 2016

AbstractBackgroundResearch is yet to identify effective and safe interventions to increase the vaginal birth after cesarean (VBAC) rate. This research aimed to compare intended and actual VBAC rates before and after implementation of midwife‐led antenatal care for women with one previous cesarean birth and no other risk factors in a large, tertiary maternity hospital in England.MethodsThis was a retrospective, comparative cohort study. Data were collected from the medical records of women with one previous lower segment cesarean delivery and no other obstetric, medical, or psychological complications who gave birth at the hospital before (2008) and after (2011) the implementation of midwife‐led antenatal care. Chi‐squared analysis was used to calculate the odds ratio, and logistic regression to account for confounders.ResultsIntended and actual VBAC rates were higher in 2011 compared with 2008: 90 percent vs. 77 percent, adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.69 (1.48–4.87); and 61 percent vs. 47 percent, aOR 1.79 (1.17–2.75), respectively. Mean rates of unscheduled antenatal care sought via the delivery suite and inpatient admissions were lower in 2011 than 2008. Postnatal maternal and neonatal safety outcomes were similar between the two groups, except mean postnatal length of stay, which was shorter in 2011 compared with 2008 (2.67 vs. 3.15 days).ConclusionsImplementation of midwife‐led antenatal care for women with one previous cesarean offers a safe and effective alternative to traditional obstetrician‐led antenatal care, and is associated with increased rates of intended and actual VBAC.
Paid Maternity Leave and Breastfeeding Outcomes
Authors: Mirkovic Kelsey R. , Perrine Cria G. , Scanlon Kelley S. 
Published: March 2016

AbstractBackgroundDespite the benefits of breastfeeding, rates in the United States are low. Shorter maternity leave is associated with lower initiation and shorter durations of breastfeeding; however, little is known about how paid maternity leave may influence breastfeeding rates.MethodsWe used data from the 2006–2010 U.S. National Survey of Family Growth on the most recent birth to employed women who delivered a child within the previous 5 years. Separate multivariable logistic regression models were used to describe the associations between paid leave duration (0, 1–5, 6–11, ≥ 12 weeks, maternity leave not taken) and three outcomes: 1) breastfeeding initiation, 2) 6‐month duration, and 3) 6‐month duration among initiators.ResultsTwenty‐eight percent of prenatally employed women received no paid leave. Women who received 12 or more weeks of paid leave were more likely to initiate breastfeeding compared to women with no paid leave (87.3% vs 66.7%, adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.83 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.23–6.48]). Similarly, women with 12 or more weeks of paid leave were more likely to breastfeed at 6 months, compared to women with no paid leave (24.9% vs 50.1%, aOR 2.26 [95% CI 1.20–4.26]). Among women who initiated breastfeeding, having received 12 or more weeks' paid leave increased the odds of breastfeeding for 6 or more months; however, the association was not statistically significant in the adjusted model (aOR 1.81 [95% CI 0.93–3.52]).ConclusionsEmployed women who received 12 or more weeks of paid maternity leave were more likely to initiate breastfeeding and be breastfeeding their child at 6 months than those without paid leave.
Survey of Obstetric Care and Cesarean Delivery Rates in Shanghai, China
Authors: Hellerstein Susan , Feldman Sarah , Duan Tao 
Published: March 2016

AbstractBackgroundChina has one of the highest cesarean delivery rates in the world, with most cesareans done without indication.MethodsObservation of how perinatal care is delivered in a range of Shanghai hospitals was done to gain insight into the 50 percent cesarean delivery rate. A mixed methods approach combined a descriptive structured survey of obstetric services with standardized interview with obstetricians and qualitative observation of obstetric services in six different Shanghai obstetric facilities.ResultsThe volume was extremely high: physicians in public hospitals routinely saw up to 80–120 prenatal patients per day. Frequent prenatal testing substituted for time spent in patient–doctor interactions. Family members were not allowed in delivery wards where women labored alone. Obstetrics services had low levels of nursing support and anesthesia for labor. Physical space favored rapid surgical turnover over longer labor. Physicians reported practical incentives to perform cesarean sections.DiscussionCesarean delivery was an efficient way to move patients through the systems observed, given the staffing and physical limitations of the public facilities. Physicians reported that patients and families perceived cesarean delivery as safer. Physicians also reported fear of charges of malpractice, for which they might be found to be financially liable or in physical danger. Societal expectations are high, and in a “one child” society, perception that cesarean section was safer may also have driven cesarean rates. Given the end of the One Child Policy, the preference for cesarean delivery may change.
Children's understanding of the addition/subtraction complement principle
Authors: Torbeyns Joke , Peters Greet , De Smedt Bert , Ghesquière Pol , Verschaffel Lieven 
Published: March 2016

BackgroundIn the last decades, children's understanding of mathematical principles has become an important research topic. Different from the commutativity and inversion principles, only few studies have focused on children's understanding of the addition/subtraction complement principle (if a − b = c, then c + b = a), mainly relying on verbal techniques.AimThis contribution aimed at deepening our understanding of children's knowledge of the addition/subtraction complement principle, combining verbal and non‐verbal techniques.SampleParticipants were 67 third and fourth graders (9‐ to 10‐year‐olds).MethodsChildren solved two tasks in which verbal reports as well as accuracy and speed data were collected. These two tasks differed only in the order of the problems and the instructions. In the looking‐back task, children were told that sometimes the preceding problem might help to answer the next problem. In the baseline task, no helpful preceding items were offered. The looking‐back task included 10 trigger–target problem pairs on the complement relation.ResultsChildren verbally reported looking back on about 40% of all target problems in the looking‐back task; the target problems were also solved faster and more accurately than in the baseline task. These results suggest that children used their understanding of the complement principle. The verbal and non‐verbal data were highly correlated.DiscussionThis study complements previous work on children's understanding of mathematical principles by highlighting interindividual differences in 9‐ to 10‐year‐olds’ understanding of the complement principle and indicating the potential of combining verbal and non‐verbal techniques to investigate (the acquisition of) this understanding.
Learning English using children's stories in mobile devices
Authors: Cavus Nadire , Ibrahim Dogan 
Published: March 2016

AbstractThe topic of this paper is to describe the development of an interactive application that can be used in teaching English as a second language using children's stories in mobile devices. The aim of this experimental study has been to find out the potential of using the developed interactive mobile application in improving the learning skills such as vocabulary, pronunciation, listening and comprehension of the learners of the English language without the help of a teacher. The novelty of the research in this paper has been the use of a speech recognition engine on the mobile phone to identify spoken words of the learner in an attempt to teach correct pronunciation of words. The learning is interactive and it takes place entirely on a mobile phone. In this experimental study 37 voluntary students have participated. A Pre‐Test and a Post‐Test have been performed to find out the learning abilities of students. The results of the experimental study clearly indicated that English learning skills of young students had higher statistically significant improvements as a result of using the developed application in the experimental group. It can be concluded that the developed mobile application can be used as an educational tool in teaching English as a second language. Young students who may be interested in improving their listening, vocabulary, comprehension and pronunciation skills while learning English as a second language should find this mobile application enjoyable and useful.
Collaborative learning across physical and virtual worlds: Factors supporting and constraining learners in a blended reality environment
Authors: Bower Matt , Lee Mark J. W. , Dalgarno Barney 
Published: March 2016

AbstractThis article presents the outcomes of a pilot study investigating factors that supported and constrained collaborative learning in a blended reality environment. Pre‐service teachers at an Australian university took part in a hybrid tutorial lesson involving a mixture of students who were co‐located in the same face‐to‐face (F2F) classroom along with others who were participating remotely via their avatars in a three‐dimensional virtual world. Video and sound recording equipment captured activity in the classroom, which was streamed live into the virtual world so the remote participants could see and hear their instructor and F2F peers; the in‐world activity was also simultaneously displayed on a projector screen, with the audio broadcast via speakers, for the benefit of the F2F participants. While technical issues constrained communication and learning in some instances, the majority of remote and F2F participants felt the blended reality environment supported effective communication, collaboration and co‐presence. Qualitative analysis of participant evaluations revealed a number of pedagogical, technological and logistical factors that supported and constrained learning. The article concludes with a detailed discussion of present and future implications of blended reality collaborative environments for learning and teaching as well as recommendations for educators looking to design and deliver their own blended reality lessons.
Morbidity and mortality of sickle cell disease patients starting intermittent haemodialysis: a comparative cohort study with non‐ Sickle dialysis patients
Authors: Nielsen Louise , Canouï‐Poitrine Florence , Jais Jean‐Philippe , Dahmane Djamal , Bartolucci Pablo , Bentaarit Bouteina , Gellen‐Dautremer Justine , Remy Philippe , Kofman Tomek , Matignon Marie , Suberbielle Caroline , Jacquelinet Christian , Wagner‐Ballon Orianne , Sahali Dil , Lang Philippe , Damy Thibaud , Galactéros Frédéric , Grimbert Philippe , Habibi Anoosha , Audard Vincent 
Published: March 2016

We performed a retrospective study to assess the changes in clinical, biological and heart echocardiographic parameters in 32 sickle cell disease (SCD) patients beginning haemodialysis. Acute SCD‐related complications were similar at 6 months before and 6 months after the initiation of haemodialysis. Median haemoglobin level did not change significantly, but the need for blood transfusions increased (P < 0·001). The 5‐year incidence of death was higher in SCD patients (P < 0·0001). The 5‐year likelihood of receiving a renal graft was lower in SCD patients (P = 0·022). Our findings suggest that SCD patients have poorer survival and a lower likelihood of receiving a renal graft.
Polymer‐delivered subcutaneous leuprolide acetate formulations achieve and maintain castrate concentrations of testosterone in four open‐label studies in patients with advanced prostate cancer
Authors: Shore Neal D. , Chu Franklin , Moul Judd , Saltzstein Daniel , Concepcion Raoul , McLane John A. , Atkinson Stuart , Yang Alex , Crawford E. David 
Published: March 2016

ObjectiveTo determine whether luteinising hormone‐releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist, ATRIGEL® polymer‐delivered, subcutaneous, leuprolide acetate (ADSC‐LA), formulations suppressed serum testosterone to concentrations of ≤20 ng/dL.Patients and MethodsData from four open‐label, fixed‐dose studies were evaluated. Male patients aged 40–86 years with advanced prostatic adenocarcinoma, whom had not undergone prior androgen‐deprivation therapy (ADT), were treated with a depot formulation of ADSC‐LA: 7.5 mg (1‐month, 120 patients), 22.5 mg (3‐month, 117 patients), 30 mg (4‐month, 90 patients), or 45 mg (6‐month, 111 patients). Serum testosterone was sampled at screening, baseline, 2, 4, 8 h after dosing, 1, 2, 3, and 7 days, and every week until the next dose, at which time, the sampling schedule repeated until the end of study (24 weeks for 1‐ and 3‐month formulations, 32 weeks for 4‐month, and 48 weeks for the 6‐month). The primary analyses were mean serum testosterone concentrations and proportion of patients who achieved concentrations of ≤20 ng/dL.ResultsThe mean (SE) serum testosterone concentrations at the end of study were consistently ≤20 ng/dL in each study, at 6.1 (0.4), 10.1 (0.7), 12.4 (0.8), and 12.6 (2.1) ng/dL for the 1‐, 3‐, 4‐, and 6‐month formulations, respectively. A high proportion of patients (94%, 90%, 92%, 96% for the 1‐, 3‐, 4‐, and 6‐month formulations, respectively) achieved testosterone concentrations of ≤20 ng/dL within 6 weeks, and 90–97% of patients in all studies maintained concentrations of ≤20 ng/dL from weeks 6–24.ConclusionsRecent studies have shown improved outcomes in patients with prostate cancer who consistently attained a more rigorous level of testosterone suppression (≤20 ng/dL) with ADT than the historical standard (≤50 ng/dL). All doses of ADSC‐LA rapidly achieved and maintained mean serum testosterone to the more rigorous target concentration of ≤20 ng/dL. These data suggest that ADSC‐LA delivers equivalent testosterone suppression as achieved by surgical castration.
Co‐introduction of a steroid with docetaxel chemotherapy for metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer affects PSA flare
Authors: Shiota Masaki , Yokomizo Akira , Takeuchi Ario , Kiyoshima Keijiro , Inokuchi Junichi , Tatsugami Katsunori , Shiga Ken‐ichiro , Koga Hirofumi , Yamaguchi Akito , Naito Seiji , Eto Masatoshi 
Published: March 2016

ObjectiveTo investigate the potential relationship of steroid usage with prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) flare as well as the prognostic impact of PSA flare, which is known to occur in 10–20% of patients with metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer during docetaxel chemotherapy.Patients and MethodsThis study included 71 patients with metastatic castration‐resistant prostate cancer treated by docetaxel chemotherapy with co‐introduction of a steroid. PSA flare was defined as a transient PSA increase followed by a PSA decrease.ResultsPSA flare was recognized in 7.0–23.9% of patients according to the definition used. Intriguingly, men with steroid intake before the initiation of docetaxel chemotherapy experienced significantly fewer PSA flares. The progression‐free survival rate in men with PSA flare was equivalent to that of PSA responders, but significantly better than men with PSA failure.ConclusionsOur results suggest that de novo steroid co‐introduction with docetaxel chemotherapy induces the PSA flare phenomenon. This novel finding may account for the mechanism of PSA flare as well as being valuable for distinguishing PSA elevation attributable to PSA flare from that attributable to PSA failure.
New aspects of p66Shc in ischaemia reperfusion injury and other cardiovascular diseases
Authors: Di Lisa Fabio , Giorgio Marco , Ferdinandy Peter , Schulz Rainer 
Published: March 2016

Although reactive oxygen species (ROS) act as crucial factors in the onset and progression of a wide array of diseases, they are also involved in numerous signalling pathways related to cell metabolism, growth and survival. ROS are produced at various cellular sites, and it is generally agreed that mitochondria generate the largest amount, especially those in cardiomyocytes. However, the identification of the most relevant sites within mitochondria, the interaction among the various sources, and the events responsible for the increase in ROS formation under pathological conditions are still highly debated, and far from being clarified. Here, we review the information linking the adaptor protein p66Shc with cardiac injury induced by ischaemia and reperfusion (I/R), including the contribution of risk factors, such as metabolic syndrome and ageing. In response to several stimuli, p66Shc migrates into mitochondria where it catalyses electron transfer from cytochrome c to oxygen resulting in hydrogen peroxide formation. Deletion of p66Shc has been shown to reduce I/R injury as well as vascular abnormalities associated with diabetes and ageing. However, p66Shc‐induced ROS formation is also involved in insulin signalling and might contribute to self‐endogenous defenses against mild I/R injury. In addition to its role in physiological and pathological conditions, we discuss compounds and conditions that can modulate the expression and activity of p66Shc.Linked ArticlesThis article is part of a themed section on Redox Biology and Oxidative Stress in Health and Disease. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v174.12/issuetoc
Preventive and chronic mineralocorticoid receptor antagonism is highly beneficial in obese SHHF rats
Authors: Youcef G , Olivier A , Nicot N , Muller A , Deng C , Labat C , Fay R , Rodriguez‐Guéant R‐M , Leroy C , Jaisser F , Zannad F , Lacolley P , Vallar L , Pizard A 
Published: March 2016

Background and PurposeMineralocorticoid receptor (MR) activation contributes to heart failure (HF) progression. Its overactivity in obesity is thought to accelerate cardiac remodelling and HF development. Given that MR antagonists (MRA) are beneficial in chronic HF patients, we hypothesized that early MRA treatment may target obesity‐related disorders and consequently delay the development of HF.Experimental ApproachTwenty spontaneously hypertensive HF dyslipidaemic obese SHHFcp/cp rats and 18 non‐dyslipidaemic lean SHHF+/+ controls underwent regular monitoring for their metabolic and cardiovascular phenotypes with or without MRA treatment [eplerenone (eple), 100 mg∙kg−1∙day−1] from 1.5 to 12.5 months of age.Key ResultsEleven months of eple treatment in obese rats (SHHFcp/cpeple) reduced the obesity‐related metabolic disorders observed in untreated SHHFcp/cp rats by reducing weight gain, triglycerides and total cholesterol levels and by preserving adiponectinaemia. The MRA treatment predominantly preserved diastolic and systolic functions in obese rats by alleviating the eccentric cardiac hypertrophy observed in untreated SHHFcp/cp animals and preserving ejection fraction (70 ± 1 vs. 59 ± 1%). The MRA also improved survival independently of these pressure effects.Conclusion and ImplicationsEarly chronic eple treatment resulted in a delay in cardiac remodelling and HF onset in both SHHF+/+ and SHHFcp/cp rats, whereas SHHFcp/cp rats further benefited from the MRA treatment through a reduction in their obesity and dyslipidaemia. These findings suggest that preventive MRA therapy may provide greater benefits in obese patients with additional risk factors of developing cardiovascular complications.
When is bigger better? The effects of group size on the evolution of helping behaviours
Authors: Powers Simon T. , Lehmann Laurent 
Published: March 2016

ABSTRACTUnderstanding the evolution of sociality in humans and other species requires understanding how selection on social behaviour varies with group size. However, the effects of group size are frequently obscured in the theoretical literature, which often makes assumptions that are at odds with empirical findings. In particular, mechanisms are suggested as supporting large‐scale cooperation when they would in fact rapidly become ineffective with increasing group size. Here we review the literature on the evolution of helping behaviours (cooperation and altruism), and frame it using a simple synthetic model that allows us to delineate how the three main components of the selection pressure on helping must vary with increasing group size. The first component is the marginal benefit of helping to group members, which determines both direct fitness benefits to the actor and indirect fitness benefits to recipients. While this is often assumed to be independent of group size, marginal benefits are in practice likely to be maximal at intermediate group sizes for many types of collective action problems, and will eventually become very small in large groups due to the law of decreasing marginal returns. The second component is the response of social partners on the past play of an actor, which underlies conditional behaviour under repeated social interactions. We argue that under realistic conditions on the transmission of information in a population, this response on past play decreases rapidly with increasing group size so that reciprocity alone (whether direct, indirect, or generalised) cannot sustain cooperation in very large groups. The final component is the relatedness between actor and recipient, which, according to the rules of inheritance, again decreases rapidly with increasing group size. These results explain why helping behaviours in very large social groups are limited to cases where the number of reproducing individuals is small, as in social insects, or where there are social institutions that can promote (possibly through sanctioning) large‐scale cooperation, as in human societies. Finally, we discuss how individually devised institutions can foster the transition from small‐scale to large‐scale cooperative groups in human evolution.
Social structure and indirect genetic effects: genetics of social behaviour
Authors: Schneider Jonathan , Atallah Jade , Levine Joel D. 
Published: March 2016

ABSTRACTThe social environment modulates gene expression, physiology, behaviour and patterns of inheritance. For more than 50 years, this concept has been investigated using approaches that include partitioning the social component out of behavioural heritability estimates, studying maternal effects on offspring, and analysing dominance hierarchies. Recent advances have formalized this ‘social environment effect’ by providing a more nuanced approach to the study of social influences on behaviour while recognizing evolutionary implications. Yet, in most of these formulations, the dynamics of social interactions are not accounted for. Also, the reciprocity between individual behaviour and group‐level interactions has been largely ignored. Consistent with evolutionary theory, the principles of social interaction are conserved across a broad range of taxa. While noting parallels in diverse organisms, this review uses Drosophila melanogaster as a case study to revisit what is known about social interaction paradigms. We highlight the benefits of integrating the history and pattern of interactions among individuals for dissecting molecular mechanisms that underlie social modulation of behaviour.