bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An Evaluation of Current Surgical Techniques Used for Vesicoureteric Anastomosis in Paediatric Renal Transplantation in the United Kingdom
Authors: Vasdev Nikhil , Rix David , Soomro Naeem , Talbot David 
Published: April 2010

Introduction: Kidney transplantation is the best treatment available for end stage renal disease at any age. Vesicoureteric reflux (VUR) following paediatric renal transplant can lead to loss of graft function. We present a summary of a survey evaluating current surgical techniques used for vesicoureteric anastomosis in paediatric renal transplantation in the United Kingdom (UK) developed in our unit. Methods and results: In the UK, 70% of paediatric transplant surgeons use the Lich—Gregoir technique and 70% place a transanastomotic double-J stent at the time of vesicoureteric anastomosis. 80% of the double-J stents are removed at 6 weeks following transplant. Conclusion: Paediatric renal transplant grafts are at risk of developing segmental pyelonephritic scars if infected urine refluxes into the graft either through a transanastomotic stent or later from vesicoureteric anastomosis. These scars may reduce the renal function with time. Consideration should be given within the UK for the development of more effective anti-reflux surgery for vesicoureteric anastomosis in paediatric renal transplantation.
Validation of a Professionals’ Satisfaction Questionnaire with Electronic Medical Records (PSQ-EMR) in Psychiatry
Authors: Boyer L. , Baumstarck-Barrau K. , Belzeaux R. , Azorin J.M. , Chabannes J.M. , Dassa D. , Lancon C. , Naudin J. , Poinso F. , Rufo M. , Samuelian J.C. , Loundou A. , Fieschi M. , Auquier P. 
Published: April 2010

AbstractBackgroundElectronic medical records (EMR) are currently being implemented in psychiatric hospitals throughout Europe. The perceptions of health care professionals can contribute important information that may predict their acceptance of and desired mode of use for EMR, thus guiding EMR implementation.AimsTo develop a self-administered instrument designed to assess health care professionals’ satisfaction regarding EMR in a psychiatric hospital, based only on the professional point of view, according to the psychometric standards.MethodsThe development was supervised by a steering committee and undertaken by three standard steps. Item generation was derived from 115 face-to-face interviews with health care professionals in a French, public, psychiatric hospital. The item-reduction process resulted in a 25-item questionnaire. The validation process was based on construct validity, reliability and some aspects of external validity.ResultsThe final version of the questionnaire contained 25 items that described five dimensions, leading to a global score. The factor structure accounted for 72% of the total variance. Internal consistency was satisfactory (item-internal consistency over 0.40 and Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranged from 0.86 to 0.95). The scalability was satisfactory with INFIT statistics inside an acceptable range. Scores of dimensions were strongly positively correlated with visual analogue scale scores (all p < 0.001). External validity showed statistical associations between scores and age, gender, seniority in psychiatry and ward type. Participation rate was 66%.ConclusionThe availability of a reliable and valid questionnaire (professionals’ satisfaction questionnaire with electronic medical records [PSQ-EMR]) concerning health care professionals’ satisfaction regarding EMR in psychiatry, exclusively generated from interviews with health care professionals, enables legitimate feedback to be incorporated into EMR implementation in order to formulate a high-quality health care.
The evolution of oocyte donation in China
Authors: Wang Fang , Sun Yingpu , Kong Huijuan , Li Jing , Su Yingchun , Guo Yihong 
Published: April 2010

AbstractObjectiveTo review the experience with and clinical outcomes for recipients of embryos from oocytes donated under different regulatory standards in China. Initially, the oocytes were provided by one of the patient's consanguineous sisters. Then, the oocytes were obtained from another patient treated with assisted reproduction techniques (ART). Presently, oocytes thus produced are cryopreserved for at least 6 months before transfer.MethodsThe records from all women treated with ART at First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University since 2001 were reviewed and the pregnancy rates and clinical outcomes were determined for each of the 3 periods.ResultsIn the second period, the mean implantation and clinical pregnancy rates were significantly higher for the 22 oocyte recipients than for their donors. In the third period, the rates for the 56 recipients were compared with the 78 other regular ART patients fertilized with their own oocytes. There were 40 live births for 32 of the recipients over 28 cycles, and the rates of implantation and clinical pregnancy were much higher for the recipients than for the other ART patients (P < 0.001).ConclusionUsing freshly donated eggs yields a higher pregnancy rate but there is a risk of infectious disease. Using frozen oocytes can significantly decrease this risk but implantation rates are lower.
A noninvasive evaluation of autonomic nervous system dysfunction in women with an overactive bladder
Authors: Liao Wen‐Chien , Jaw Fu‐Shan 
Published: April 2010

AbstractObjectiveTo verify the hypothesis that a connection exists between overactive bladder (OAB) syndrome and a bladder‐specific dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS).MethodAn electrocardiogram recorded heartbeat cycles from the onset of urinary urgency to 5 minutes after voiding in 33 women with an overactive bladder and 176 controls. Power spectral density (PSD) analysis allowed to quantify heart rate variability (HRV), which is in relation to ANS function. Three‐dimensional spectrograms and multiscale entropy graphs were used to display HRV values.ResultsThe differences between patients and controls were all significant in the time and frequency domains of HRV (P < 0.05), which suggests disturbances in bladder‐specific ANS activity in women with OAB.ConclusionBy quantifying HRV data, PSD analysis provides a simple, noninvasive method of assessing disturbances in ANS activity and monitoring treatment in women with OAB. It can also be used to evaluate other neuronal conditions.
FLAT PRIMES AND THIN PRIMES
Authors: BROUGHAN KEVIN A. , ZHOU QIZHI 
Published: April 2010

AbstractA number is called upper (lower) flat if its shift by +1 ( −1) is a power of 2 times a squarefree number. If the squarefree number is 1 or a single odd prime then the original number is called upper (lower) thin. Upper flat numbers which are primes arise in the study of multi-perfect numbers. Here we show that the lower or upper flat primes have asymptotic density relative to that of the full set of primes given by twice Artin’s constant, that more than 53% of the primes are both lower and upper flat, and that the series of reciprocals of the lower or the upper thin primes converges.
SOLVABILITY OF FINITE GROUPS VIA CONDITIONS ON PRODUCTS OF 2-ELEMENTS AND ODD p-ELEMENTS
Authors: KAPLAN GIL , LEVY DAN 
Published: April 2010

AbstractWe observe that a solvability criterion for finite groups, conjectured by Miller [The product of two or more groups, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc.12 (1911)] and Hall [A characteristic property of soluble groups, J. London Math. Soc.12 (1937)] and proved by Thompson [Nonsolvable finite groups all of whose local subgroups are solvable, Bull. Amer. Math. Soc.74(3) (1968)], can be sharpened as follows: a finite group is nonsolvable if and only if it has a nontrivial 2-element and an odd p-element, such that the order of their product is not divisible by either 2 or p. We also prove a solvability criterion involving conjugates of odd p-elements. Finally, we define, via a condition on products of p-elements with p′-elements, a formation Pp,p′, for each prime p. We show that P2,2′ (which contains the odd-order groups) is properly contained in the solvable formation.
Quercetin supplementation and its effect on human monocyte gene expression profiles in vivo
Authors: Boomgaarden Inka , Egert Sarah , Rimbach Gerald , Wolffram Siegfried , Müller Manfred J. , Döring Frank 
Published: April 2010

Quercetin has been described as having a wide range of beneficial effects in humans, ranging from anti-carcinogenic properties to reducing the risk of CVD. Nevertheless, underlying molecular mechanisms have been mostly investigated in vitro. Here, we tested whether a daily supplementation of quercetin leads to reproducible changes in human monocyte gene expression profiles. In study I, quercetin in varying dosages was given to healthy subjects for 2 weeks. RNA from monocytes isolated at the beginning and end of the study from subjects receiving 150 mg quercetin per d was subjected to transcriptome-wide microarray analysis. In study II, a double-blind cross-over study, twenty subjects exhibiting a ‘cardiovascular risk phenotype’ received 150 mg quercetin or placebo daily for 6 weeks each and served as the verification group. Microarray analysis revealed a number of differentially expressed genes. The most significantly represented functional groups were those of the immune system, nucleic acid metabolism, apoptosis and O-glycan biosynthesis. Twenty-four genes were chosen for technical replication and independent verification by quantitative real-time PCR. When comparing placebo and quercetin treatment, four genes showed significantly different expression changes (C1GALT1, O-glycan biosynthesis; GM2A, glycolipid catabolism; HDGF, cell proliferation; SERPINB9, apoptosis). However, these were minimal in respect to magnitude of fold change. In conclusion, although microarray analysis revealed extensive effects of quercetin on gene expression, the employment of a placebo-controlled study design showed no comparable results for twenty-four verification targets. This emphasises the need for stringent designs in nutritional intervention studies with the aim to identify relevant changes in gene expression.
Proteolytic activity inFasciola hepaticais reduced by the administration of cathepsin L mimotopes
Authors: Villa-Mancera A. , Quiroz-Romero H. , Correa D. , Alonso R.A. 
Published: April 2010

AbstractThe objective of this study was to assess the proteolytic activity ofFasciola hepaticacathepsins in liver sections from mice vaccinated with phage clones of cathepsin L mimotopes, using the filmin situzymography technique. Female BALB/c mice were immunized three times with 2.5 × 1011phage particles without adjuvant. Animals vaccinated with phage clones produced high titres of anti-mimotope antibodies and a significant reduction in fluke burden was observed following challenge with metacercariae ofF. hepatica. The proteolytic activity in hepatic tissue was reduced after the immunization with phage clones.
Environmental effects on blue shark (Prionace glauca) and oilfish (Ruvettus pretiosus) distribution based on fishery-dependent data from the eastern Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Damalas Dimitrios , Megalofonou Persefoni 
Published: April 2010

Blue sharks (Prionace glauca) and oilfish (Ruvettus pretiosus) are frequently caught incidentally in the swordfish surface drifting longline fishery of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. An information theoretic generalized additive model approach, modelling separately: (1) the probability of making a catch; and (2) the positive catch rates, suggested the presence of intra-annual variations in their abundance and revealed interesting associations with some environmental features. Blue sharks were more frequently encountered during late summer in cool water masses. However, the likelihood of making a larger catch peaked in warmer waters through late spring in the vicinity of land. Occurrences of blue sharks were more frequent to the south-west (Ionian Sea), while positive catch rates were higher in the eastern-most regions (Levantine). Oilfish occurrences, as well as catch rates, were always above average to the east. Intra-annual variation was analogous to that of blue sharks. The species showed a preference for cooler water bodies and its distribution was strongly dictated by the lunar cycle. Annual time series showed a decreasing trend of blue sharks abundance. Catch rates for both species depended on fishing gear configuration. Deeper settings (>20 m), more resilient lines and use of fish attractant light-sticks increased the probability of capturing a fish.
Moderators and predictors of response to cognitive-behavioral therapy augmentation of pharmacotherapy in obsessive–compulsive disorder
Authors: Maher M. J. , Huppert J. D. , Chen H. , Duan N. , Foa E. B. , Liebowitz M. R. , Simpson H. B. 
Published: April 2010

BackgroundCognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) consisting of exposure and response prevention (EX/RP) is efficacious as a treatment for obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). However, about half of patients have a partial or poor response to EX/RP treatment. This study examined potential predictors and moderators of CBT augmentation of pharmacotherapy, to identify variables associated with a poorer response to OCD treatment.MethodData were drawn from a large randomized controlled trial that compared the augmenting effects of EX/RP to stress management training (SMT; an active CBT control) among 108 participants receiving a therapeutic dose of a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI). Stepwise regression was used to determine the model specification.ResultsPretreatment OCD severity and gender were significant moderators of outcome: severity affected SMT (but not EX/RP) outcome; and gender affected EX/RP (but not SMT) outcome. Adjusting for treatment type and pretreatment severity, significant predictors included greater co-morbidity, number of past SRI trials, and lower quality of life (QoL). Significant moderators, including their main-effects, and predictors accounted for 37.2% of the total variance in outcome, comparable to the impact of treatment type alone (R2=30.5%). These findings were replicated in the subgroup analysis of EX/RP alone (R2=55.2%).ConclusionsThis is the first randomized controlled study to examine moderators and predictors of CBT augmentation of SRI pharmacotherapy. Although effect sizes for individual predictors tended to be small, their combined effect was comparable to that of treatment. Thus, future research should examine whether monitoring for a combination of these risk factors and targeting them with multi-modular strategies can improve EX/RP outcome.
An empirical generative framework for computational modeling of language acquisition
Authors: Waterfall Heidi R. , Sandbank Ben , Onnis Luca , Edelman Shimon 
Published: April 2010

ABSTRACTThis paper reports progress in developing a computer model of language acquisition in the form of (1) a generative grammar that is (2) algorithmically learnable from realistic corpus data, (3) viable in its large-scale quantitative performance and (4) psychologically real. First, we describe new algorithmic methods for unsupervised learning of generative grammars from raw CHILDES data and give an account of the generative performance of the acquired grammars. Next, we summarize findings from recent longitudinal and experimental work that suggests how certain statistically prominent structural properties of child-directed speech may facilitate language acquisition. We then present a series of new analyses of CHILDES data indicating that the desired properties are indeed present in realistic child-directed speech corpora. Finally, we suggest how our computational results, behavioral findings, and corpus-based insights can be integrated into a next-generation model aimed at meeting the four requirements of our modeling framework.
Do Circadian Rhythms Affect Adult Age-Related Differences in Auditory Performance?
Authors: Ezzatian Payam , Pichora-Fuller Margaret Kathleen , Schneider Bruce A. 
Published: April 2010

RÉSUMÉLes effets de l’heure du jour ont été identifiés comme facteur de confusion potentiel dans la recherche portant sur la performance cognitive en fonction de l’âge. Les rythmes circadiens ont étés liés aux variations des mesures sensorielles en fonction de l’heure du jour; cependant, on en sait davantage sur l’effet des rythmes circadiens sur la vision que sur l’audition. On ne sait pratiquement rien en ce qui concerne les effets de l’heure du jour comme facteur de confusion potentiel dans les études portant sur le vieillissement auditif. L’objectif de la présente étude était de déterminer si les différences liées à l’âge observées dans l’exécution de tâches auditives étaient affectées par l’heure du jour. Un ensemble de quatre expériences auditives a été répété trois fois au cours d’une journée avec un groupe de jeunes adultes « du soir » et un groupe d’adultes aînés « du matin ». Les résultats reproduisent les constatations précédentes concernant les différences liées à l’âge, mais l’heure du jour n’affecte pas les résultats de base. Donc, l’heure du jour n’est pas un facteur de confusion sur les résultats observés dans des expériences de laboratoire typiques qui étudient le vieillissement auditif.
Types and Factor Structure of Barriers to Utilization of Health Services among Aging South Asians in Calgary, Canada
Authors: Lai Daniel W.L. , Surood Shireen 
Published: April 2010

RÉSUMÉSouvent, les personnes aînés de groupes ethniques minoritaires éprouvent obstacles différents à l’access aux services de santé. Généralement, les études ont porté sur les groupes combinés d’immigrants âgés ou sur minorités ethno-culturels importantes, tels que les Chinois au Canada ou les Afro-américains et Latino-Américains aux États-Unis. Cette étude visait à examiner les types des facteurs qui constituent des obstacles à l’utilization des services de santé rencontrés à Calgary, Alberta, Canada, par les immigrés vieillissants d’Asie du Sud. Un sondage téléphonique a été utilisé pour rassembler des données d’un échantillon aléatoire d’immigrants d’Asie du Sud âgés de 55 ans et plus. L’analyse des éléments principaux a révélé quatre types principaux d’obstacles: l’incompatibilité culturelle; les attitudes personnelles; les problèmes administratifs dans la livraison et les défis posés par les circonstances.
Images of users and products shown during design processes increase users’ willingness to use the design outcome
Authors: Christensen Bo T. 
Published: April 2010

AbstractTwo studies tested whether introducing images to designers during the design process lead to more useful design solutions as evaluated by the end users’ willingness to use the final design. It was hypothesized based on theories in cognitive science and design that there were at least two paths from images to usefulness. One path concerns analogically transferring within-domain properties to the design solution. The other path concerns mentally simulating end-user characteristics and preferences and inclusion of the user in the resulting design. Study 1 supported that random images led to increased outcome usefulness, and supported both hypothesized paths, by using within-domain products and end-user images as input. Study 2 showed that the image categories competed for attention, and that the within-domain product stimuli attracted the most attention and was considered the most inspirational to the designers. The practical use of the technique may lead to only marginally original products perhaps limiting its applicability to incremental innovation.
Discursive design thinking: The role of explicit knowledge in creative architectural design reasoning
Authors: Al-Sayed Kinda , Dalton Ruth Conroy , Hölscher Christoph 
Published: April 2010

AbstractThe main hypothesis investigated in this paper is based upon the suggestion that the discursive reasoning in architecture supported by an explicit knowledge of spatial configurations can enhance both design productivity and the intelligibility of design solutions. The study consists of an examination of an architect's performance while solving intuitively a well-defined problem followed by an analysis of the spatial structure of their design solutions. One group of architects will attempt to solve the design problem logically, rationalizing their design decisions by implementing their explicit knowledge of spatial configurations. The other group will use an implicit form of such knowledge arising from their architectural education to reason about their design acts. An integrated model of protocol analysis combining linkography and macroscopic coding is used to analyze the design processes. The resulting design outcomes will be evaluated quantitatively in terms of their spatial configurations. The analysis appears to show that an explicit knowledge of the rules of spatial configurations, as possessed by the first group of architects can partially enhance their function-driven judgment producing permeable and well-structured spaces. These findings are particularly significant as they imply that an explicit rather than an implicit knowledge of the fundamental rules that make a layout possible can lead to a considerable improvement in both the design process and product. This suggests that by externalizing the design knowledge and restructuring it in a design model, creative thought can efficiently be evolved and stimulated.
A fix for fixation? Rerepresenting and abstracting as creative processes in the design of information systems
Authors: Zahner Doris , Nickerson Jeffrey V. , Tversky Barbara , Corter James E. , Ma Jing 
Published: April 2010

AbstractFixation prevents the associations that are bridges to new designs. The inability to see alternative solutions, or even to see how to map known solutions onto current problems, is a particularly acute problem in the design of software-intensive systems. Here, we explored two related ways of liberating fixated thinking: abstracting and rerepresenting. Although both techniques helped designers generate original ideas, not all the added ideas fit the problem constraints. We discuss ways the results might be used to generate reflective design aids that help designers to first generate original ideas and later prune them.