Novelty seeking might underlie curiosity and the novelty dimension of creativity, but not the usefulness dimension.

We question the perspective that curiosity and creativity stem from a shared novelty-seeking process. We emphasize that creativity has two distinct dimensions: Novelty and usefulness, each involving separate cognitive processes. These dimensions may not necessarily mutually reinforce each other. We contend that a more comprehensive model that encompasses the full scope of the creativity construct is needed.

Knowledge Distance, Cognitive-Search Processes, and Creativity: The Making of Winning Solutions in Science Contests.

Prior research has provided conflicting arguments and evidence about whether people who are outsiders or insiders relative to a knowledge domain are more likely to demonstrate scientific creativity in that particular domain. We propose that the nature of the relationship between creativity and the distance of an individual's expertise from a knowledge domain depends on his or her cognitive processes of problem solving (i.e., cognitive-search effort and cognitive-search variation). In an analysis of 230 solutions generated in a science contest platform, we found that distance was positively associated with creativity when problem solvers engaged in a focused search (i.e., low cognitive-search variation) and exerted a high level of cognitive effort. People whose expertise was close to a knowledge domain, however, were more likely to demonstrate creativity in that domain when they drew on a wide variety of different knowledge elements for recombination (i.e., high cognitive-search variation) and exerted substantial cognitive effort.

Flexible Ureteroscopy Can Be More Efficacious in the Treatment of Proximal Ureteral Stones in Select Patients.

Purpose. We aimed to compare and evaluate the outcomes and complications of two endoscopic treatment procedures, semirigid ureteroscopy (SR-URS) and flexible ureteroscopy (F-URS), in the treatment of proximal ureteral stones (PUS). Methods. SR-URS (group 1) was done on 68 patients whereas 64 patients underwent F-URS (group 2) for the treatment of PUS. Success rate was defined as the absence of stone fragments or presence of asymptomatic insignificant residual fragments < 2 mm. Outcomes and complications were recorded. Results. The differences were statistically not significant in age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and stone characteristics between groups. Mean ureteral stone size was 9.1 ± 0.4 mm and 8.9 ± 0.5 mm for groups 1 and 2. Mean operative time was 34.1 ± 1.5 min and 49.4 ± 2.3 min for groups 1 and 2 (p = 0.001). SFRs were 76.5% and 87.5% for groups 1 and 2 (p = 0.078). Two major complications (ureteral avulsion and ureteral rupture) occurred in group 1. Conclusion. F-URS is safer and less invasive than SR-URS in patients with PUS. There is no statistically significant difference in the efficacy of either technique. Nonetheless we recommend F-URS in the management of PUS as a first-line treatment option in select cases of proximal ureteral calculi.

Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery in Patients Who Previously Underwent Open Renal Stone Surgery.

Purpose. To ascertain whether retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) is as effective in patients treated previously with open renal stone surgery (ORSS) on the same kidney as in patients with no previous ORSS. Methods. There were 32 patients with renal stones who had previous ORSS and were treated with RIRS in the study group (Group 1). A total of 38 patients with renal stones who had no previous ORSS and were treated with RIRS were selected as the control group (Group 2). Recorded data regarding preoperative characteristics of the patients, stone properties, surgical parameters, outcomes, SFRs (no fragments or small fragments <4 mm), and complications between groups were compared. Results. Mean age, mean BMI, mean hospital stay, and mean operative time were not statistically different between groups. Mean stone size (10.1 ± 5.6 versus 10.3 ± 4.2; p = 0.551) and mean stone burden (25.4 ± 14.7 versus 23.5 ± 9.9; p = 0.504) were also similar between groups. After the second procedures, SFRs were 100% and 95% in groups 1 and 2, respectively (p = 0.496). No major perioperative complications were seen. Conclusion. RIRS can be safely and effectively performed with acceptable complication rates in patients treated previously with ORSS as in patients with no previous ORSS.

Combined ureterorenoscopy for ureteral and renal calculi is not associated with adverse outcomes.

INTRODUCTION: We intended to evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of the simultaneous rigid and flexible ureteroscopic treatment of symptomatic ureteral and ipsilateral small simultaneous calyceal stones. Outcomes of combined therapy were compared with monotherapy alone. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this retrospective study, group 1 consisted of 45 patients with middle or lower ureteral and ipsilateral small simultaneous calyceal stones treated by combined therapy. Group 2 included 45 patients with middle or lower ureteral stones only and treated by monotherapy. Stone characteristics, operative time, hospital stay, stone free rates, and complications were compared between groups 1 and 2. Stone free status was defined as no fragments and/or the presence of asymptomatic fragments smaller than 4 mm. RESULTS: Mean BMI were 29.3 ±0.9 kg/m(2) and 27.6 ±0.6 kg/m(2) in groups 1 and 2, respectively. Mean ureteral stone size (7.6 ±0.4 mm vs. 8.0 ±0.4 mm, p = 0.261) and ureteral stone burden (56.0 ±5.5 mm(2) vs. 54.8 ±6.1 mm(2), p = 0.487) were similar between groups. Mean renal stone size and renal stone burden for group 1 were 7.1 ±0.8 mm and 83.7 ±11.3 mm(2). The mean operative time was significantly longer (for a mean of 32.5±1.2 minutes) for group 1 (p = 0.001). Ureteral stents were left in 38 (84.4%) and 19 (42.2%) patients in group 1 and group 2 (p = 0.001). Hospital stay and complication rates were similar between groups. SFRs were 100% for ureteral stones in both groups and 88.9% for renal stones within group 1. CONCLUSIONS: Simultaneous ureteroscopic treatment of the ureteral and ipsilateral small calyceal stones prolongs operative time and increases use of ureteral stent without leaving any residual renal stones.

Understanding Fear of Opportunism in Global Prize-Based Science Contests: Evidence for Gender and Age Differences.

Global prize-based science contests have great potential for tapping into diverse knowledge on a global scale and overcoming important scientific challenges. A necessary step for knowledge to be utilized in these contests is for that knowledge to be disclosed. Knowledge disclosure, however, is paradoxical in nature: in order for the value of knowledge to be assessed, inventors must disclose their knowledge, but then the person who receives that knowledge does so at no cost and may use it opportunistically. This risk of potential opportunistic behavior in turn makes the inventor fearful of disclosing knowledge, and this is a major psychological barrier to knowledge disclosure. In this project, we investigated this fear of opportunism in global prize-based science contests by surveying 630 contest participants in the InnoCentive online platform for science contests. We found that participants in these science contests experience fear of opportunism to varying degrees, and that women and older participants have significantly less fear of disclosing their scientific knowledge. Our findings highlight the importance of taking differences in such fears into account when designing global prize-based contests so that the potential of the contests for reaching solutions to important and challenging problems can be used more effectively.

RIRS is equally efficient in patients with different BMI scores.

The objective of the study was to ascertain whether flexible ureteroscopy with holmium laser lithotripsy and/or extraction of stone fragments is as effective in obese patients as in non-obese patients. The patients were divided into four groups (group 1: normal weight = 79 procedures, group 2: overweight = 123 procedures, group 3: obese = 87 procedures, and group 4: morbidly obese = 20 procedures) according to BMI cohorts. Patient charts were retrospectively reviewed and relevant data collected. A total of 309 operations were included in the present study. The overall mean ± SD (range) age was 41 ± 12 years (18-82), BMI 29 ± 6 kg/m(2) (18-52), operative time 64 ± 29 min (20-200), hospital stay 25 ± 11 h (4-168), stone number 3 ± 2 (1-15), stone burden 21 ± 14 mm (4-98), and internal stenting time 26 ± 8 days (2-60). Mean stone size was 10 ± 6, 9 ± 5, 11 ± 8, and 11 ± 8 mm for groups 1 through 4, respectively. There were no differences among groups regarding patients and stone characteristics, and perioperative parameters including patient age, operative time, hospital stay, and complications. Overall SFRs were similar between groups (81, 87, 87.4, and 85%, respectively; χ(2)=3.304, p=0.770) as were the complication rates (12-16%). Our contemporary Retrograde Intrarenal Surgery (RIRS) series showed that operative times, hospital stays, ancillary equipment use (internal stent, basket, etc.), SFRs, and complication rates were independent of BMI. Therefore, RIRS can be performed as efficiently and efficaciously in obese patients as in non-obese patients.

Effectiveness of Flexible Ureterorenoscopy and Laser Lithotripsy for Multiple Unilateral Intrarenal Stones Smaller Than 2 cm.

Purpose. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of RIRS for the treatment of multiple unilateral intrarenal stones smaller than 20 mm. Methods. Between March 2007 and April 2013, patients with multiple intrarenal stones smaller than 20 mm were treated with RIRS and evaluated retrospectively. Each patient was evaluated for stone number, stone burden (cumulative stone length), operative time, SFRs, and complications. Results. 173 intrarenal stones in 48 patients were included. Mean age, mean number of stones per patient, mean stone burden, and mean operative time were 40.2 ± 10.9 years (23-63), 3.6 ± 3.0 (2-18), 22.2 ± 8.4 mm (12-45), and 60.3 ± 22.0 minutes (30-130), respectively. The overall SFR was 91.7%. SFRs for patients with a stone burden less and greater than 20 mm were 100% (23/23) and 84% (21/25), respectively (χ (2) = 26.022, P < 0.001). Complications occurred in six (12.5%-6/48) patients, including urinary tract infection or high-grade fever >38.5°C in three cases, prolonged hematuria in two cases, and ureteral perforation in one case, all of whom were treated conservatively. No major complications occurred. Conclusions. RIRS is an effective treatment option in patients with multiple unilateral intrarenal stones especially when the total stone burden is less than 20 mm.

Same-session bilateral retrograde intrarenal surgery for upper urinary system stones: safety and efficacy.

PURPOSE: We present our experience with same-session retrograde intrarenal surgery (RIRS) for the management of bilateral upper urinary system stones (UUSS) in terms of clearance of stones, operative times, duration of hospital stay, and complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between November 2007 and January 2013, a total of 44 simultaneous bilateral RIRS were performed at our hospital. Initially, symptomatic sides of the patients were operated on, and, when asymptomatic, the greater stone burden was treated first. Having completed stone fragmentation with a holmium:YAG laser, larger fragments were extracted with a nitinol basket. All patients underwent noncontrast CT scanning or urinary ultrasonography 2 months after the removal of the stent to detect any residual fragments. The stone-free status was defined as no fragments and/or the presence of asymptomatic fragments <4 mm in the urinary system. RESULTS: The total stone number was 201 with a mean stone burden per patient of 30.0±15.4 mm (range 10-85 mm). The overall stone-free rate (SFR) was 88.6% after all procedures. The patients in this study were divided into two groups according to stone burden: Although the overall SFR was 100% for a stone burden <25 mm, the SFR was 80% for a stone burden ≥25 mm (P=0.006). A Double-J stent was not placed in two patients, and they developed postoperative anuria; both cases were treated with Double-J stent placement. CONCLUSION: Bilateral same-session RIRS is a safe and effective procedure that can be considered a first-line treatment for bilateral UUSS in select patients. The SFR is satisfactory, especially in patients with a stone burden <25 mm. At minimum a unilateral Double-J stent should be placed in patients undergoing bilateral RIRS to avoid postrenal failure.

Protective effects of increasing vitamin E and a doses on cisplatin-induced oxidative damage to kidney tissue in rats.

OBJECTIVE: Cisplatin (DDP, cis-diamminedichloroplatinium II) is one of the most potent chemotherapeutic antitumor drugs, but is able to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and it also inhibits the activity of antioxidant enzymes in renal tissue. In the present study, we investigated the preventive effect of 100, 200 and 400 mg/kg b.w. doses of vitamin E (VE), and 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg b.w. doses of vitamin A (VA) combination on malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), and glutathione (GSH) levels and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in cisplatin-induced toxicity in rat kidneys. Our literature survey indicated a lack of any experimental study showing the beneficial effect of VA on cisplatin-induced MDA, NO, GSH and SOD changes. For this reason, we hoped that this study would provide a unique contribution in that respect. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 59 Wistar rats (11 to replace prematurely lost animals) were used. 48 evaluable rats were divided into 8 groups (n = 6 in each group): control group, DDP alone (5 mg/kg b.w.) group, 3 VE combination treatment groups of VE100+DDP, VE200+DDP, and VE400+DDP, and 3 VA combination treatment groups of VA25+DDP, VA50+DDP, and VA100+DDP. Kidney MDA, GSH, NO levels and SOD activities were determined for the assessment of oxidant-antioxidant balance. RESULTS: While in the DDP group the tissue levels of MDA and NO were found to be significantly higher than in the control group, GSH levels and SOD activities were significantly lower. MDA and NO levels were found to be significantly lower and GSH levels and SOD activities significantly higher in the VE200+DDP and VE400+ DDP groups when compared with the DDP alone group. MDA and NO levels were found to be significantly lower in the VA50+DDP and VA100+DDP groups when compared with the DDP alone group. However, identical comparisons with the DDP alone group showed significantly higher GSH levels and SOD activities in the VA25+DDP, VA50+DDP, and VA100+DDP groups. Among the VE100+ DDP, VE200+DDP, and VE400+DDP groups, and VA25+ DDP, VA50+DDP, and VA100+DDP groups, MDA and NO levels decreased and GSH levels and SOD activities increased steadily and significantly as the doses of VE and VA increased. CONCLUSION: These vitamins would be effective in protecting against cisplatin-induced tissue damage in rat kidneys. It is possible that the toxic effect of cisplatin is somehow minimized by a compensatory mechanism involving VE and VA via induction of antioxidant enzyme activities following intraperitoneal injection of DDP.