bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sexual dimorphism in Leptodactylus latinasus (Anura, Leptodactylidae): nasal capsule anatomy, morphometric characters and performance associated with burrowing behavior
Authors: Ponssa María Laura , Barrionuevo José Sebastián 
Published: October 2010

AbstractPonssa, M.L. and Barrionuevo, J.S. 2012. Sexual dimorphism in Leptodactylus latinasus (Anura, Leptodactylidae): nasal capsule anatomy, morphometric characters and performance associated with burrowing behavior. —Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 93: 57–67.In anurans, the ability to burrow has been associated with the characteristics of external morphology, with modifications in the musculoskeletal system and even in some brain regions. Male Leptodactylus fuscus construct subterranean chambers with the snout, where the eggs are deposited and early larval stages develop. Leptodactylus latinasus, a member of the L. fuscus group, is a good model to test the relationship among digging behavior of males, sexual divergence in the morphology of the nasal region, cranial‐dimensions, and performance as digger. The goal of this work is to provide a detailed morphological description of the olfactory region, which allows detecting sexually dimorphic characters, to evaluate sexual divergence with head dimension data, and to test whether differences exist in the digging performance of each sex. Our data do not clearly indicate sexual dimorphism in head size, nasal region morphology or digging performance that can be linked with the burrowing behavior. Thus, the only unequivocal sexually dimorphic character associated with the construction of the nuptial chamber by males would be the rigid, chisel‐like snout, present exclusively in males.
Self‐management after prostate cancer treatment: evaluating the feasibility of providing a cognitive and behavioural programme for lower urinary tract symptoms
Authors: Faithfull Sara , Cockle‐Hearne Jane , Khoo Vincent 
Published: October 2010

Study Type – Therapy (case series)Level of Evidence 4 What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add? Self‐management intervention has been shown to be effective for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in benign prostate disease.The evidence base for self‐management of LUTS after treatment for prostate cancer is small and characterised by heterogeneous samples in terms of disease stage, treatment profiles, timings and intervention content.This pilot study provides data suggesting that a narrowly targeted, cognitive and behavioural self‐management intervention can improve LUTS in men who have had radiotherapy treatment for prostate cancer.The intervention could be applied in routine practice and further testing in an adequately powered randomized controlled trial is required.OBJECTIVE• To test the feasibility of a self‐management intervention to help men cope with lower urinary tract symptoms as a result of radiotherapy for prostate cancer.PATIENTS AND METHODS• A quasi‐experimental design was used incorporating a pre‐post‐test evaluation. In total, a population of 71 men were screened for moderate to severe urinary symptoms 3 months or longer post‐radiotherapy. Of these mean, 22 were recruited into the intervention from an eligible population of 43 symptomatic men.• Urinary symptoms were measured before the intervention and again after 4 months of follow‐up through International Prostate Symptom Scores (IPSS) and bladder diaries.• Health‐related quality of life was measured in relation to cancer per se and prostate cancer specifically, and confidence to cope was measured by a self‐efficacy questionnaire.• The self‐management intervention comprised pelvic floor muscle exercises, bladder retraining, patient education and problem solving and coping strategiesRESULTS• Lower urinary tract symptoms, as measured by the IPSS, showed a significant improvement, with a median score change of 5 (P < 0.005).• This was supported by objective changes in median bladder void volume of +7.5 mL (P < 0.05) and the median number of daily voids of −1 (P < 0.005).• In addition, decreases in emotional distress and problems associated with urinary function suggest that the intervention had a positive impact on health‐related quality of life.CONCLUSIONS• The provision of such an intervention was feasible within the clinical setting and provided benefits for men.• Symptom change vs those of normative recovery values for IPSS showed an intervention effect.• This intervention could be applied in routine practice and further testing is required in a randomized controlled trial.
Paediatric robotic‐assisted laparoscopic augmentation ileocystoplasty and Mitrofanoff appendicovesicostomy (RALIMA): feasibility of and initial experience with the University of Chicago technique
Authors: Gundeti Mohan S. , Acharya Sujeet S. , Zagaja Gregory P. , Shalhav Arieh L. 
Published: October 2010

Study Type – Therapy (case series) Level of Evidence 4 What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add? There is no information on robotic laparoscopic approach for reconstruction of the bladder and this is the first study to find out the feasibility and technique with this approach and see if there are any outcome differences. In the short term we have seen the advantages of early recuperation and less need of analgesic medication.OBJECTIVE

To present the first series of complete intracorporeal robotic‐assisted laparoscopic augmentation ileocystoplasty and Mitrofanoff appendico‐vesicostomy (RALIMA) in a paediatric population.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

From February to November 2008, six patients with neurogenic bladder secondary to spina bifida (status post corrective spine surgery) were selected to undergo RALIMA by a single surgeon (MSG) at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
Patients had constipation, day and night‐time incontinence, with recurrent urinary tract infection (UTI), and failed attempts at anticholinergic therapy and clean intermittent catheterization. All had low‐capacity bladders with poor compliance and high leak point pressures.
Preoperative bowel preparation was not performed. Mean follow‐up is 18 months.

RESULTS

One patient required conversion to open ileal augmentation because of failure to progress and another underwent augmentation ileocystoplasty without appendico‐vesicostomy. The average age of patients was 9.75 years (range 8–11 years).
Average operative time was 8.4 h (range 6–11 h). There were no intraoperative complications. One patient had a postoperative wound infection, one had a lower extremity venous thrombus, and another had temporary unilateral lower extremity paresthesia that has resolved. Three patients required revision of their stoma at the skin‐level.
Perioperatively, patients only required oral analgesia for 24–36 h (excluding one patient with paralytic ileus), started on liquid diet after 7.5 hours (range 6–10 h), on regular diet after 24 h (range 12–36 h) and were discharged home within 7 days.
Postoperatively, patients demonstrated no leak on follow‐up cystogram, and were catheterizing per apendico‐vesicostomy (three patients by 6 weeks) or urethra (1 patient at 4 weeks).
All patients now have day and night‐time continence with no UTIs, and bladder capacity of 250–450 mL.

CONCLUSION

While longer follow‐up will be necessary to see if these results are durable, this series demonstrates that RALIMA is a safe, feasible and effective procedure in the short term, with the possible added benefits of reduced analgesia, shorter recovery time and improved aesthetic appearance.
Overall survival in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma initially treated with bevacizumab plus interferon‐α2a and subsequent therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors: a retrospective analysis of the phase III AVOREN trial
Authors: Bracarda Sergio , Bellmunt Joaquim , Melichar Bohuslav , Négrier Sylvie , Bajetta Emilio , Ravaud Alain , Sneller Vesna , Escudier Bernard 
Published: October 2010

Study Type – Therapy (RCT) Level of Evidence 1b What’s known on the subject? and What does the study add? Multiple active treatment options are available for patients with mRCC. Current data suggest that it is difficult to use these therapies in combination due to toxicity concerns. The ability to use these active therapies sequentially provides the potential for improved patient outcomes.This retrospective post‐hoc analysis from a double‐blind, randomized phase III study provides further evidence for improved outcomes with sequential treatment in patients with mRCC. Additionally, it suggests the potential for improved outcomes and long‐term survival (>3 years) with first‐line bevacizumab plus IFN followed by subsequent TKI therapy in patients with mRCC and good/intermediate MSKCC risk at baseline.OBJECTIVE

To retrospectively evaluate the effect of subsequent tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) after first‐line bevacizumab + interferon‐α2a (IFN) or IFN + placebo in the phase III AVOREN (Avastin and Roferon in Renal Cell Carcinoma) trial.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A total of 649 patients with untreated metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) were randomized to receive IFN (9 MIU three times a week for up to 1 year) in combination with bevacizumab (10 mg/kg every 2 weeks) or placebo until disease progression.
The protocol allowed the use of any post‐protocol anti‐cancer therapy for patients with progressive disease or those in whom the trial therapy was discontinued. Data regarding the timing and type of subsequent therapy were recorded and overall survival (OS) analysed.

RESULTS

Patients were randomized to bevacizumab + IFN (n= 327) or IFN + placebo (n= 322); 180 (55%) patients in the bevacizumab + IFN, and 202 (63%) in the IFN + placebo arm, received post‐protocol anti‐cancer therapy.
TKIs were the most common post‐protocol therapy, received by 113 (35%) and 120 (37%) patients in the bevacizumab + IFN and IFN + placebo arms, respectively.
The median OS in patients who received any subsequent TKI was 38.6 months in the bevacizumab + IFN arm and 33.6 months in IFN + placebo arm [hazard ratio (HR), 0.80; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.56–1.13; P= 0.203]. In an additional retrospective analysis that censored patients who received subsequent TKIs, median OS was 25.0 and 20.7 months, respectively, in the bevacizumab + IFN and IFN + placebo arms (HR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.67–1.05; P= 0.123).

CONCLUSIONS

These retrospective exploratory data of sequential bevacizumab + IFN followed by TKIs in patients able to receive multiple lines of therapy suggest that sequential therapy could be a promising approach to improve patient outcomes in mRCC.
Bladder regeneration in a canine model using hyaluronic acid‐poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic‐acid) nanoparticle modified porcine small intestinal submucosa
Authors: Roth Christopher C. , Mondalek Fadee G. , Kibar Yusuf , Ashley Richard A. , Bell Cardin H. , Califano John A. , Madihally Sundar V. , Frimberger Dominic , Lin Hsueh‐Kung , Kropp Bradley P. 
Published: October 2010

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?Urinary bladder tissue can be produced by several regenerative techniques although consistent regeneration remains elusive and no single protocol is superior to the others. Small intestinal submucosa has been used as substrate for regeneration in several models and allows for full‐thickness bladder regeneration. Nanotechnology has been applied to impart specific physical and biological properties onto biological substrates.Nanoparticles composed of PLGA can be modified by the addition of hyaluronic acid and can be added to SIS. This modified SIS demonstrates a potential improvement in biological activity as suggested by more consistent smooth muscle regeneration in a canine model of bladder regeneration. This study demonstrates both the feasibilty and potential of synthetically‐modified natural biomaterials.OBJECTIVE• To determine if hyaluronic acid (HA) can be incorporated into porcine small intestinal submucosa (SIS) through poly (lactide‐co‐glycolide‐acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles to improve the consistency of the naturally derived biomaterial and promote bladder tissue regeneration.METHODS• Beagle dogs were subjected to 40% partial cystectomy followed by bladder augmentation with commercial SIS or HA‐PLGA‐modified SIS.• Urodynamic testing was performed before and after augmentation to assess bladder volume.• A scoring system was created to evaluate gross and histological presentations of regenerative bladders.RESULTS• All dogs showed full‐thickness bladder regeneration.• Histological assessment showed improved smooth muscle regeneration in the HA‐PLGA‐modified SIS group.• For both groups of dogs, urodynamics and graft measurements showed an approximate 40% reduction in bladder capacity and graft size from pre‐augmentation to post‐regeneration measurements.• Application of the scoring system and statistical analysis failed to show a significant difference between the groups.CONCLUSIONS• SIS can be modified through the addition of HA‐PLGA nanoparticles. The modified grafts showed evidence of improved smooth muscle regeneration on histological assessment, although this difference was not evident on a novel grading scale.• The volume loss and graft shrinkage experienced are consistent with previous models of SIS bladder regeneration at the 10‐week time point.• Additional research into the delivery of HA and the long‐term benefits of HA on bladder regeneration is needed to determine the full benefit of HA‐PLGA‐modified SIS. In addition, a more objective biochemical characterization will be needed to evaluate the quality of regeneration.
Implementing infrastructures for managing learning objects
Authors: Klemke Roland , Ternier Stefaan , Kalz Marco , Specht Marcus 
Published: October 2010

AbstractMaking learning objects available is critical to reuse learning resources. Making content transparently available and providing added value to different stakeholders is among the goals of the European Commission's eContentplus programme. This paper analyses standards and protocols relevant for making learning objects accessible in distributed data provider networks. Types of metadata associated with learning objects and methods for metadata generation are discussed. Experiences from European projects highlight problems in implementing infrastructures and mapping metadata types into common application profiles. The use of learning contents and its associated metadata in different scenarios is described and concluded with lessons learned and pitfalls to avoid.
Learning objects in practice: The integration of reusable learning objects in primary education
Authors: Cameron Tiffani , Bennett Sue 
Published: October 2010

AbstractThe study described in this paper investigated the use of The Le@rning Federation's learning objects by students in primary school education. The study focused on how students engaged with and responded to the learning objects and how the objects supported student learning. A collective case study design allowed the researchers to investigate how students from two different classrooms within the site school were using and responding to learning objects. Data in the form of classroom observations, student work and student focus group interviews were collected in order to learn about students' experiences and perspectives. The data revealed that in general the learning objects impacted positively on students. Students exhibited high levels of engagement and motivation in their learning, although expressed negativity towards some design aspects that restricted the intended learning outcomes. The study's major findings highlight the significant role of the teacher in scaffolding and integrating learning objects in order to best support student learning outcomes, reinforcing the notion of learning objects being only part of the whole learning experience.
From content to practice: Sharing educational practice in edu‐sharing
Authors: Klebl Michael , Krämer Bernd J. , Zobel Annett 
Published: October 2010

AbstractFor technology‐enhanced learning, the idea of learning objects transfers the technologies of content management, methods of software engineering and principles of open access to educational resources. This paper reports on CampusContent, a research project and competence centre for e‐learning at FernUniversität in Hagen that designed and developed an integrated portal to a repository network named edu‐sharing. This portal facilitates sharing, joint development and reuse of learning material and pedagogical knowledge. CampusContent focused on essential challenges concerning use and utility of learning objects and developed principles, methods and tools that support educators in the process of contextualising learning objects within educational settings. Our model offers three levels of contextualisation: configurable objects, learning scenarios and an integrated work environment for educators.
Using VisTrails and Provenance for Teaching Scientific Visualization
Authors: Silva Cláudio T. , Anderson Erik , Santos Emanuele , Freire Juliana 
Published: October 2010

Abstract Over the last 20 years, visualization courses have been developed and offered at universities around the world. Many of these courses use established visualization libraries and tools (e.g. VTK, ParaView, AVS, VisIt) as a way to provide students a hands‐on experience, allowing them to prototype and explore different visualization techniques. In this paper, we describe our experiences using VisTrails as a platform to teach scientific visualization. VisTrails is an open‐source system that was designed to support exploratory computational tasks such as visualization and data analysis. Unlike previous scientific workflow and visualization systems, VisTrails provides a comprehensive provenance management infrastructure. We discuss how different features of the system, and in particular, the provenance information have changed the dynamics of the Scientific Visualization course we offer at the University of Utah. We also describe our initial attempts at using the provenance information to better assess our teaching techniques and student performance.
‘Dealing with sperm’: comparing lesbians’ clinical and non‐clinical donor conception processes
Authors: Nordqvist Petra 
Published: October 2010

AbstractA growing body of literature investigates heterosexual donor conception and there is now also a small body of work which investigates the experiences of single women and lesbian couples. Both of these focus on a clinical setting. Women, notably single and lesbians, also undertake non‐clinical donor conception, and insufficient consideration has been paid to these self‐arranged reproductive practices, and how they may compare with the clinical ones. Seeking to fill this gap, this paper explores women’s experiences of accessing donor sperm inside and outside reproductive health clinics by drawing on a qualitative interview study with 25 lesbian couples in England and Wales with experiences of jointly pursuing donor conception. The paper explores the differences embedded in the two conception routes with regard to donor recruitment, access to donor sperm over time, space and the management of sperm as a bodily fluid. Utilising the framework of ‘ontological choreography’ developed by Thompson (2005), as well as Douglas’s (1966) work around bodies, dirt and disgust, the paper argues that the clinic functions as a containment for legal as well as practical and bodily dimensions of donor conception, and this in turn shapes practices and perceptions of self‐arranged conception.
Vertebral microanatomy in squamates: structure, growth and ecological correlates
Authors: Houssaye Alexandra , Mazurier Arnaud , Herrel Anthony , Volpato Virginie , Tafforeau Paul , Boistel Renaud , De Buffrénil Vivian 
Published: October 2010

AbstractThe histological study of vertebrae in extant squamates shows that the internal vertebral structure in this group differs from that of other tetrapods. Squamate vertebrae are lightly built and basically composed of two roughly concentric osseous tubes – one surrounding the neural canal and the other constituting the peripheral cortex of the vertebra – connected by few thin trabeculae. This structure, which characteristically evokes that of a tubular bone, results from a peculiar remodelling process characterised by an imbalance between local bone resorption and redeposition; in both periosteal and endosteo‐endochondral territories, bone is extensively resorbed but not reconstructed in the same proportion by secondary deposits. This process is particularly intense in the deep region of the centrum, where originally compact cortices are made cancellous, and where the endochondral spongiosa is very loose. This remodelling process starts at an early stage of development and remains active throughout subsequent growth. The growth of squamate centra is also strongly asymmetrical, with the posterior (condylar) part growing much faster than the anterior (cotylar) part. Preliminary analyses testing for associations between vertebral structure and habitat use suggest that vertebrae of fossorial taxa are denser than those of terrestrial taxa, those in aquatic taxa being of intermediate density. However, phylogenetically informed analyses do not corroborate these findings, thus suggesting a strong phylogenetic signal in the data. As our analyses demonstrate that vertebrae in snakes are generally denser than those of lizards sensu stricto, this may drive the presence of a phylogenetic signal in the data. More comprehensive sampling of fossorial and aquatic lizards is clearly needed to more rigorously evaluate these patterns.
The roles of trust and experience in consumer confidence in conducting e‐commerce: a cross‐cultural comparison between France and Germany
Authors: Sun Tao 
Published: October 2010

AbstractBased on the Eurobarometer survey data, this study examined the roles of experience and cultural propensity to trust in consumer confidence in conducting e‐commerce. Compared with consumers in a low‐trust culture (France), consumers from a high‐trust society (West Germany) exhibit more confidence in conducting e‐commerce. This cultural difference is only evident among consumers with no prior e‐commerce experience but disappears among consumers with prior e‐commerce experience. There is no interaction effect of culture and experience. While consumer confidence in conducting e‐commerce declines with age within each culture, consumers of the same age groups tend to have higher confidence in conducting e‐commerce in West Germany than in France. Academic and practical implications were provided.