bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
What matters to users of services? An explorative study to promote shared decision making in health care
Authors: Padgett Kath , Rhodes Christine , Lumb Maureen , Morris Penny , Sherwin Sue , Symons Jools , Tate Joannie , Townend Ken 
Published: March 2012

AbstractBackground  Involving service users and carers in decisions about their health care is a key feature of health‐care practice. Professional health and social care students need to develop skills and attributes to best enable this to happen.Aims  The aims were to explore service user and carer perceptions of behaviours, attributes and context required to enable shared decision making; to compare these perceptions to those of students and academic staff with a view to utilizing the findings to inform the development of student assessment tools.Methods  A mixed methods approach was used including action learning groups (ALG) and an iterative process alongside a modified Delphi survey.Participants  The ALGs were from an existing service user and carer network. The survey was sent to sixty students, sixty academics and 30 service users from 16 different professional disciplines, spanning four Universities in England.Results  The collaborative enquiry process and survey identified general agreement that being open and honest, listening, showing respect, giving time and being up to date were important. The qualitative findings identified that individual interpretation was a key factor. An unexpected result was an insight into possible insecurities of students.Conclusions  The findings indicate that distilling rich qualitative information into a format for student assessment tools could be problematic as the individual context could be lost, it is therefore proposed that the information could be better used as a learning rather than assessment tool. Several of those involved identified how they valued the process and found it beneficial.
Changes in LH Pulsatility Profiles in Dairy Heifers During Exposure to Oestrous Urine and Vaginal Mucus
Authors: Nordéus K , Båge R , Gustafsson H , Söderquist L 
Published: March 2012

ContentsDifficulty in observing oestrus is a problem for many dairy farmers performing AI. Finding ways to synchronize oestrous cycles or strengthen display of oestrus without hormonal treatments would be of great interest because many consumers object to the use of exogenous hormones on healthy animals. Modification of reproductive cycles through chemical communication has been reported in several species including cattle. LH is an important regulator of the follicular phase and could possibly be subject to pheromonal influence. This study focuses on the effect of volatile compounds from oestrous substances on LH pulsatility preceding the preovulatory LH surge in cattle. Four heifers of the Swedish Red breed were kept individually in isolation. Exposure to water during the control cycle (CC), and bovine oestrous urine and vaginal mucus during the treated cycle (TC), started simultaneously with induction of oestrus. Blood sampling at 15‐min intervals started 37 h after administration of PGF2α and continued for 8 h. Monitoring of reproductive hormones, visual oestrus detection and ultrasonographic examination of the ovaries continued until ovulation had occurred. The mean concentration of LH at pulse nadir was significantly higher during TC (2.04 ± 0.18 ng/ml) than during CC (1.79 ± 0.16 ng/ml), and peak amplitude was significantly higher during CC (Δ1.03 ± 0.09) than during TC (Δ0.87 ± 0.09). No other parameters differed significantly between the two cycles. We conclude that the difference in LH pulsatility pattern may be an effect of exposing heifers to oestrous vaginal mucus and/or urine and that the mechanism behind this needs further investigation.
Variation in Ano‐Genital Distance in Spontaneously Cycling Female Mice
Authors: Dušek A , Bartoš L 
Published: March 2012

ContentsA recently observed developmental instability of the ano‐genital distance (AGD) in female mice indicates that natural prenatal androgens do not have such a robust effect on female genital morphology as has been generally assumed. Part of this instability might be caused by oestrous cyclicity. To check this assumption, we examined the effect of the stage of the oestrous cycle on the AGD in adult (61–75 days old) female mice. Consistent with our assumption, the female AGD (1) varied during the oestrous cycle (p < 0.05), indicating thus rapid changes in morphology of female external genitalia, and (2) showed good repeatability (>0.66) in each stage of the oestrous cycle, suggesting that female genital morphology systematically varied within the oestrous cycle. Therefore, the stage of the oestrous cycle should be considered when assessing prenatal masculinization in adult female mice.
Cracking the olfactory code of a butterfly: the scent of ageing
Authors: Nieberding Caroline M. , Fischer Klaus , Saastamoinen Marjo , Allen Cerisse E. , Wallin Erika A. , Hedenström Erik , Brakefield Paul M. 
Published: March 2012

Ecology Letters (2012) 15: 415–424AbstractAlthough olfaction is a primary mode of communication, its importance in sexual selection remains understudied. Here, using the butterfly Bicyclus anynana, we address all the parameters of importance to sexual selection for a male olfactory signal. We show that variation in the male sex pheromone composition indicates male identity and male age. Courting males of different ages display small absolute (c. 200 ng) but large relative (100%) change of one specific pheromone component (hexadecanal) which, unlike the other components, showed no heritability. Females prefer to mate with mid‐aged over younger males and the pheromone composition is sufficient to determine this preference. Surprisingly refined information is thus present in the male olfactory signal and is used for sexual selection. Our data also reveal that there may be no ‘lek paradox’ to resolve once the precise signal of importance to females is identified, as hexadecanal is, as expected, depleted in additive genetic variation.
Successful endoscopic needle knife therapy combined with topical doxycycline injection of chronic sinus at ileal pouch–anal anastomosis
Authors: Li Y. , Shen B. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractAim  Chronic presacral sinus at the anastomosis after restorative proctocolectomy and ileal pouch–anal anastomosis (IPAA) has been difficult to manage and results in a high rate of pouch failure. The aim was to present a novel technique with a combining endoscopic doxycycline injection and needle knife therapy for a sinus at the ileoanal anastomosis.Methods  We applied repeat Doppler ultrasound‐guided endoscopic needle knife therapy to open the orifice of the anastomotic sinus followed by topical injection of doxycycline.Results  After six sessions of the endoscopic therapy, the refractory sinus was completely healed.Conclusion  The Doppler ultrasound guided endoscopy therapy may provide an alternative treatment option for the patients with anastomotic sinus.
Colonic micropapillary carcinoma, a recently recognized subtype associated with histological adverse factors: clinicopathological analysis of 15 cases
Authors: Lino‐Silva L. S. , Salcedo‐Hernández R. A. , Caro‐Sánchez C. H. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractAim  Micropapillary carcinoma (MPC) is regarded as an aggressive variant of adenocarcinoma in any location. The reported proportion of a micropapillary carcinoma component in an entire tumour ranges from 5 to 95% and only one case of pure MPC has been reported. To date, approximately 130 cases of MPC in the colorectum have been reported, but it is likely that this small number is to some extent due to under‐reporting because this pattern is not well recognized by the general pathologist. All previous studies have combined colonic and rectal primary tumours and most have only analysed patients with clinical Stages I or II.Method  We analysed 15 cases of MPC of the colon alone, diagnosed in our institution, and compared them with 105 conventional carcinomas of the colon.Results  An MPC component was present in 10% of all colonic carcinomas. These tumours presented at a median age of 56 years, and all were of American Joint Committee on Cancer Stages III and IV. Subserosal tissue invasion was present in every case, 60% had more than four positive lymph nodes, 60% were accompanied by poorly differentiated conventional carcinoma, 40% had had an incomplete resection and a third demonstrated lymphovascular invasion. Despite these adverse prognostic factors, tumours containing MPC showed the same survival, stage by stage, as conventional adenocarcinoma in multivariate analysis, although 3‐year survival (81.7%vs 87.3%, P = 0.035) was worse on univariate analysis.Conclusion  The histopathologist should be aware of the possibility of MPC. Three‐year survival is worse than in patients with conventional colonic carcinomas in Stage III.
A comparison of approaches for association studies of polymorphisms and colorectal cancer risk
Authors: Ramsey S. D. , Holmes R. S. , McDermott C. L. , Blough D. K. , Petrin K. L. , Poole E. M. , Ulrich C. M. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractAim  Meta‐analyses have been used to evaluate associations between polymorphisms and colorectal cancer risk, but the quality of individual studies used to inform them may vary substantially. Our aim was to apply well‐established quality‐control criteria to individual association studies and then compare the results of meta‐analyses that included or excluded studies that did not meet these criteria.Method  We used meta‐analyses of studies reporting a relationship between polymorphisms and colorectal cancer published between 1996 and 2008. Polymorphism–cancer associations were derived in separate meta‐analyses including only those meeting the quality‐control criteria.Results  Relative ORs varied substantially between the open and restricted group meta‐analyses for all variants except MTHFR 677 CT. However, the associations were modest and the direction of relative risk did not change after applying criteria. Publication bias was detected for all associations, except the restricted set of studies for GSTP1 GG.Conclusion  We observed variation in calculated relative risk and changes in tests for publication bias that were dependent on the inclusion criteria used for association studies of polymorphisms and colorectal cancer. Standardizing study inclusion criteria may reduce the variation in findings for meta‐analyses of gene‐association studies of common diseases such as colorectal cancer.
Impact of age on clinicopathological outcomes and recurrence‐free survival after the surgical management of nonseminomatous germ cell tumour
Authors: Masterson Timothy A. , Carver Brett S. , Abel E. Jason , Pettus Joseph A. , Bosl George J. , Sheinfeld Joel 
Published: March 2012

Study Type – Therapy (case series)Level of Evidence 4What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?The effect of advancing age on the clinicopathological outcomes of men with germ cell testicular cancers remains uncertain.Through the review and comparison of the present large cohort of men with testis cancer, we report on our experience in men aged ≥50 years. Our results showed similar clinical and pathological characteristics, and survival outcomes that compare favourably with those of men aged <50 years.OBJECTIVE
To determine the impact of age on clinicopathological findings and disease recurrence in men with nonseminomatous germ cell tumour (NSGCT) undergoing retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (RPLND).
PATIENTS AND METHODS
We identified 1246 patients with NSGCT who underwent either primary or post‐chemotherapy‐RPLND (PC‐RPLND) between 1989 and 2006 from our prospective testis cancer database.
Perioperative characteristics were compared among men aged < or ≥50 years.
Multivariable models were used to evaluate the association of age with disease‐free survival, controlling for established clinical and pathological features.
RESULTS
Of 514 men undergoing primary and 732 men undergoing PC‐RPLND, 12 (2.3%) and 23 (3.1%) were aged ≥50 years, respectively.
There were no significant differences between men aged < or ≥50 years for perioperative clinicopathological characteristics, with the exception of pre‐RPLND CT nodal size.
The pathological distributions at primary RPLND were similar in men aged < or ≥50 years. After PC‐RPLND, there were no differences in RPLND histology, number of lymph nodes resected, estimated blood loss, hospital stay, or perioperative complication rate.
Age at surgery was not a significant predictor of disease recurrence when subjected to a multivariable analysis.
CONCLUSIONS
Our data suggests that age at RPLND does not predict for disease recurrence and men aged ≥50 years had similar pre‐ and postoperative characteristics to those aged <50 years.
We conclude that RPLND can be safely performed in men aged ≥50 years and these patients should be offered optimal treatment regimens for NSGCT as directed according to established guidelines.
Carbohydrate restriction and lactate transporter inhibition in a mouse xenograft model of human prostate cancer
Authors: Kim Howard S. , Masko Elizabeth M. , Poulton Susan L. , Kennedy Kelly M. , Pizzo Salvatore V. , Dewhirst Mark W. , Freedland Stephen J. 
Published: March 2012

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?It is known that both lactate inhibition and carbohydrate restriction inhibit tumour growth. What is unknown is whether the two work synergistically together.This study adds that though the combination of lactate inhibition and carbohydrate restriction did not synergistically slow tumour growth in our model, we confirmed that carbohydrate restriction started after tumour inoculation slowed tumour growth. Moreover, lactate inhibition resulted in changes in the tumour microenvironment that may have implications for future metabolic targeting of prostate cancer growth.OBJECTIVE
To determine if a no‐carbohydrate ketogenic diet (NCKD) and lactate transporter inhibition can exert a synergistic effect on delaying prostate tumour growth in a xenograft mouse model of human prostate cancer.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
120 nude athymic male mice (aged 6–8 weeks) were injected s.c. in the flank with 1.0 × 105 LAPC‐4 prostate cancer cells.
Mice were randomized to one of four treatment groups: Western diet (WD, 35% fat, 16% protein, 49% carbohydrate) and vehicle (Veh) treatment; WD and mono‐carboxylate transporter‐1 (MCT1) inhibition via α‐cyano‐4‐hydroxycinnamate (CHC) delivered through a mini osmotic pump; NCKD (84% fat, 16% protein, 0% carbohydrate) plus Veh; or NCKD and MCT1 inhibition.
Mice were fed and weighed three times per week and feed was adjusted to maintain similar body weights.
Tumour size was measured twice weekly and the combined effect of treatment was tested via Kruskal–Wallis analysis of all four groups. Independent effects of treatment (NCKD vs WD and CHC vs Veh) on tumour volume were tested using linear regression analysis.
All mice were killed on Day 53 (conclusion of pump ejection), and serum and tumour sections were analysed for various markers. Again, combined and independent effects of treatment were tested using Kruskal–Wallis and linear regression analysis, respectively.
RESULTS
There were no significant differences in tumour volumes among the four groups (P= 0.09).
When testing the independent effects of treatment, NCKD was significantly associated with lower tumour volumes at the end of the experiment (P= 0.026), while CHC administration was not (P= 0.981). However, CHC was associated with increased necrotic fraction (P < 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS
Differences in tumour volumes were observed only in comparisons between mice fed a NCKD and mice fed a WD.
MCT1 inhibition did not have a significant effect on tumour volume, although it was associated with increased necrotic fraction.
Dynamic Multi‐Activity Contests*
Authors: Arbatskaya Maria , Mialon Hugo M. 
Published: March 2012

AbstractWe develop a model of dynamic multi‐activity contests. Players simultaneously choose efforts in long‐run activities, observe each other's efforts in these activities, and then simultaneously choose efforts in short‐run activities. A player's long‐run and short‐run efforts complement each other in determining the player's probability of winning. We compare the outcomes of this two‐stage model to those of the corresponding model in which players choose efforts in all activities simultaneously. Interestingly, effort expenditures are always lower in the sequential multi‐activity contest than in the simultaneous multi‐activity contest. The implications of this result for the organization of military, litigation, innovation, academic, and sporting contests are highlighted.
Fiscal Policy in Real Time*
Authors: Cimadomo Jacopo 
Published: March 2012

AbstractIn this paper, I estimate the ex ante or intentional cyclical stance of fiscal policy in OECD countries. I use the fiscal plans reported at the time of budgeting, together with other information available to fiscal policy‐makers in real time. Indeed, fiscal plans might be significantly different from ex post outcomes because governments do not have complete control over their implementation, which is influenced by several exogenous factors. When fiscal‐policy rules are estimated using real‐time data, I show in this paper that OECD countries have often planned a counter‐cyclical fiscal stance, especially during economic expansions. This contrasts with conventional findings based on actual data, which tend to point towards a‐cyclicality or pro‐cyclicality. Forecast errors for the government structural balance and the output gap play a central role in explaining the differences between estimates based on ex ante and ex post data.
Riding High: Success in Sports and the Rise of Doping Cultures
Authors: Strulik Holger 
Published: March 2012

AbstractIn this paper, I develop a socioeconomic model that can be used to investigate the decisions made by professional athletes concerning doping. In their evaluation of whether to use performance‐enhancing drugs, athletes consider not only costs and benefits (through rank improvement) but also the approval from fellow athletes toward pro‐doping decisions. Peer‐group approval is modeled as a lagged endogenous variable, depending on the share of doping athletes in the history of a sport. As such, the model can explain an equilibrium of high incidence of doping as a “doping culture”. In addition to presenting comparative statics of the equilibrium (i.e., in order to answer the question of how a doping culture can be eliminated), I also investigate how doping decisions are affected by the standards set by the leader in a sport (e.g., Olympic qualification marks), and by the disproportionate public veneration of winners.
GOODWIN'S LOTKA–VOLTERRA MODEL IN DISAGGREGATIVE FORM: A CORRECTION NOTE
Authors: Rodousakis Nikolaos 
Published: March 2012

ABSTRACTThis paper investigates Goodwin's Lotka–Volterra model in disaggregative form. Contrary to the known literature, it is found that both the economic significance and the dynamic behaviour of the model depend on the eigenvalues of the material input coefficients matrix.
Applications to Come off the UK Sex Offender Register: the Position After F and Thompsonv. Home Office 2010
Authors: Thomas Terry , Thompson David 
Published: March 2012

Abstract: The sex offender register for purposes of monitoring and supervising those living in the community who have been convicted of sexual offences is a policy developed in the USA and followed by only a few European countries – the UK, the Republic of Ireland, Jersey and France; Australia, Canada and a few other countries have adopted registers. The UK register started in 1997 and has recently been the subject of legal challenge concerning its ‘lifetime’ registration provisions. The UK Supreme Court ruled in 2010 that the current law is not compatible with the European Convention on Human Rights because it has no right of appeal against registration for those who are assessed as no longer at risk of reoffending. This article considers the mechanisms for deregistering sex offenders that have now been proposed.
A minimal algorithm for computing the likelihood of binocular correspondence1
Authors: MITSUDO HIROYUKI 
Published: March 2012

AbstractI present an algorithm for calculating the likelihood of obtaining stereo images under the assumption that both eyes view the same scene, and test this algorithm using numerical simulations. Each stereo pair analyzed was based on two slightly different views of the same three‐dimensional (3‐D) scene (binocularly correlated) or two entirely different views of unrelated scenes (binocularly uncorrelated). The correlated stereo pair contained local binocular disparities that defined a consistent 3‐D structure. A likelihood ratio was computed for each stereo pair, by assuming the increase of the local cross‐correlation due to the epipolar constraint for binocular correspondence. For complex, random‐dot and natural stereo images, the likelihood ratio correctly predicted whether the two eyes viewed the same 3‐D scene. The results indicate that the algorithm proposed here is useful in modeling human stereopsis.
Early studies of binocular and stereoscopic vision1
Authors: WADE NICHOLAS J. , ONO HIROSHI 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThe revolution in binocular vision (in the 1830s) was occasioned by Wheatstone's invention and application of the stereoscope to demonstrate depth from retinal disparity. The stereoscope, perhaps more than any other instrument, ushered in the era of experimentation to vision. It fulfilled the scientific desire to examine binocular vision by observation and experiment. The stereoscope is a simple optical device that presents slightly different figures to each eye. If these figures have appropriate horizontal displacements or disparities then depth is seen. Wheatstone achieved for space perception what Newton had for color vision: the phenomena could be removed from their object base. Newton's decomposition of white light into its spectral components removed the perception of color from the colored objects that naturally conveyed it. Wheatstone's decomposition of stereoscopic depth into its disparate projections to each eye removed the perception of depth from the solid objects that naturally conveyed it. Color and depth could be examined in the laboratory, and the methods of the natural sciences could be applied to their investigation.
Effects of the amount of monocular shape information on stereo scaling problem
Authors: SHIGEMASU HIROAKI , SATO TAKAO 
Published: March 2012

AbstractThe perception of a three‐dimensional shape from binocular disparity depends on the estimation of viewing distance. Therefore, in the absence of good distance information, an observer misestimates the viewing distance and perceives a wrong depth for an object. While motion depth cues can theoretically overcome this problem, past studies have reported inconsistent results. We examined whether differences in the amount of monocular shape information between the stimuli used in these past studies can resolve the discrepancy. The amount of information was manipulated by changing the presence of object boundaries, dot density, and rotation angles. The results indicate the effect of the amount of monocular shape information and thus suggest its significance in accounting for the discrepancies among past studies. It should also be noted that shape factors interact with viewing distance. Motion cues cannot correct distortion at near viewing distance. This suggests that the cue that gives the larger depth dominates in determining perceived shape.