bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Adding a thin metallic plasmonic layer to silicon thin film solar cells
Authors: Lu Yalin , Sell J. F. , Johnson M. D. , Reinhardt K. , Knize R. J. 
Published: December 2010

AbstractCurrently, thin film solar cells' performances are limited by poor light absorption and poor photon‐generated carrier collection. Theoretically, large, broadband, and polarization‐insensitive light absorption enhancement can be realized via integrating with unique metallic nanostructures either at the surface or buried inside the structures. In order further to understand the mechanisms and to reduce the fabrication cost, an experimental demonstration of light absorption affection by adding a thin metallic plasmonic layer to the thin film a‐Si solar cells was performed. By adjusting those structural parameters such as thicknesses of the a‐Si thin layer and the thin plasmonic layer's thickness, and the incident angle, light absorption enhancement by cavity resonances and by the planar plasmonic coupling was carefully analyzed. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Dopant activation and damage evolution in implanted silicon after excimer laser annealing
Authors: Fisicaro G. , Italia M. , Privitera V. , Piccitto G. , Huet K. , Venturini J. , La Magna A. 
Published: December 2010

AbstractThe relationship between dopant activation and damage evolution in implanted silicon after multi‐pulsed laser thermal annealing process is investigated by means of simulations and experimental analysis. The code simulates the dopant evolution coupled to the defect kinetics in the presence of fast varying temperature, high thermal gradients and phase transition. It considers defects (interstitials Is and vacancies Vs) clustering, annihilation and the interaction between point defects and the active/inactive fractions of the impurity density. Simulations allow a characterization of the residual damage as a function of the process conditions. Moreover, the model correctly predicts some experimental P profiles. Among the studied irradiation conditions, the partial melting regime shows an interesting dynamics of the active profile fraction as a function of laser energy and the pulse number. Finally, simulations also demonstrate that the status of the defect system rules the activation phenomenon, which can be reliably predicted only including in the model the defect‐(active)impurity coupling (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Highly strained Si epilayers grown on SiGe/Si(100) virtual substrate by reduced pressure chemical vapour deposition
Authors: Myronov M. , Shah V. A. , Dobbie A. , Liu Xue‐Chao , Nguyen Van H. , Leadley D. R. , Parker E. H. C. 
Published: December 2010

AbstractBi‐axial tensile strained Si epilayers with extremely high lattice mismatch strain up to 2.13% were grown from a disilane (Si2H6) precursor on Si1‐xGex/Si(100) VSs by Reduced Pressure Chemical Vapour Deposition. We discuss the conditions under which fully strained Si epilayers of the required thickness can be grown. By demonstrating a fully strained 23 nm Si layer on a fully relaxed Si0.45Ge0.55(100) VS, this work indicates the potential for realizing high performance s‐Si n‐ and p‐MOSFETs on standard Si(100) substrates. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Discriminant analysis using a multivariate linear mixed model with a normal mixture in the random effects distribution
Authors: Komárek Arnošt , Hansen Bettina E. , Kuiper Edith M. M. , van Buuren Henk R. , Lesaffre Emmanuel 
Published: December 2010

AbstractWe have developed a method to longitudinally classify subjects into two or more prognostic groups using longitudinally observed values of markers related to the prognosis. We assume the availability of a training data set where the subjects' allocation into the prognostic group is known. The proposed method proceeds in two steps as described earlier in the literature. First, multivariate linear mixed models are fitted in each prognostic group from the training data set to model the dependence of markers on time and on possibly other covariates. Second, fitted mixed models are used to develop a discrimination rule for future subjects. Our method improves upon existing approaches by relaxing the normality assumption of random effects in the underlying mixed models. Namely, we assume a heteroscedastic multivariate normal mixture for random effects. Inference is performed in the Bayesian framework using the Markov chain Monte Carlo methodology. Software has been written for the proposed method and it is freely available. The methodology is applied to data from the Dutch Primary Biliary Cirrhosis Study. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hurdle models for multilevel zero‐inflated data via h‐likelihood
Authors: Molas Marek , Lesaffre Emmanuel 
Published: December 2010

AbstractCount data often exhibit overdispersion. One type of overdispersion arises when there is an excess of zeros in comparison with the standard Poisson distribution. Zero‐inflated Poisson and hurdle models have been proposed to perform a valid likelihood‐based analysis to account for the surplus of zeros. Further, data often arise in clustered, longitudinal or multiple‐membership settings. The proper analysis needs to reflect the design of a study. Typically random effects are used to account for dependencies in the data. We examine the h‐likelihood estimation and inference framework for hurdle models with random effects for complex designs. We extend the h‐likelihood procedures to fit hurdle models, thereby extending h‐likelihood to truncated distributions. Two applications of the methodology are presented. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Genetic analysis of age‐at‐onset traits based on case–control family data
Authors: Yip Benjamin H. , Moger Tron Anders , Pawitan Yudi 
Published: December 2010

AbstractFamily studies are a useful alternative to twin studies for disentangling genetic and environmental effects on human diseases. However, although age‐at‐onset traits are often of interest, family‐based quantitative genetic analysis of such data is still not commonly used. One reason is that we need multiple random components to capture the genetic and environmental contributions, so it becomes hard to use the existing frailty models for correlated survival data. In this paper we consider the alternative accelerated failure‐time models with random effects. The method allows both left truncation and right censoring, and it can deal with an arbitrary family structure and multiple random components. For estimation we use the h‐likelihood procedure, which avoids the integration of the random effects in the marginal likelihood approach. To deal with large cohort data, we propose a case–control scheme, where we ascertain all families with at least two events and a subsample of control families. A pseudo‐h‐likelihood approach is used to analyse the ascertained data. We study the performance of the method using simulated data, and provide an illustration with analysis of melanoma in the Swedish population. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Modelling competing risks data with missing cause of failure
Authors: Bakoyannis Giorgos , Siannis Fotios , Touloumi Giota 
Published: December 2010

AbstractWhen competing risks data arise, information on the actual cause of failure for some subjects might be missing. Therefore, a cause‐specific proportional hazards model together with multiple imputation (MI) methods have been used to analyze such data. Modelling the cumulative incidence function is also of interest, and thus we investigate the proportional subdistribution hazards model (Fine and Gray model) together with MI methods as a modelling approach for competing risks data with missing cause of failure. Possible strategies for analyzing such data include the complete case analysis as well as an analysis where the missing causes are classified as an additional failure type. These approaches, however, may produce misleading results in clinical settings. In the present work we investigate the bias of the parameter estimates when fitting the Fine and Gray model in the above modelling approaches. We also apply the MI method and evaluate its comparative performance under various missing data scenarios. Results from simulation experiments showed that there is substantial bias in the estimates when fitting the Fine and Gray model with naive techniques for missing data, under missing at random cause of failure. Compared to those techniques the MI‐based method gave estimates with much smaller biases and coverage probabilities of 95 per cent confidence intervals closer to the nominal level. All three methods were also applied on real data modelling time to AIDS or non‐AIDS cause of death in HIV‐1 infected individuals. Copyright 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improvement of quality of reporting in randomised controlled trials to prevent hypotension after spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section
Authors: Herdan A. , Roth R. , Grass D. , Klimek M. , Will S. , Schauf B. , Rossaint R. , Heesen M. 
Published: December 2010

AbstractHypotension is a frequent complication of spinal anaesthesia for caesarean section and can threaten the well-being of the unborn child. Numerous randomised controlled trials (RCTs) dealt with measures to prevent hypotension. The aim of this study was to determine the reporting quality of RCTs using the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement since low quality can lend false credibility to a study and overestimate the effect of an intervention. We performed a systematic literature search in PubMed to identify relevant RCTs in a pre-CONSORT period (1990–1994) and a post-CONSORT period (2004–2008). A comparative evaluation was done between the two periods, and the trials were assessed for compliance with each of the 22 CONSORT items. A total of 37 RCTs was identified. The CONSORT score increased significantly (p < 0.05) from 66.7% (±12.5%) in the pre-CONSORT period to 87.4% (±6.9%) in the post-CONSORT period. A statistically significant improvement was found for eight items, including randomization, blinding and intention-to-treat analysis. The CONSORT score in the post-CONSORT era was fairly good, also in comparison to other medical fields. In the post-CONSORT era, reporting of important items improved, in particular in the domains that are crucial to avoid bias and to improve internal validity. Use of CONSORT should be encouraged in order to keep or even improve the reporting quality.
Negative school perceptions and involvement in school bullying: A universal relationship across 40 countries
Authors: Harel‐Fisch Yossi , Walsh Sophie D. , Fogel‐Grinvald Haya , Amitai Gabriel , Pickett William , Molcho Michal , Due Pernille , de Matos Margarida Gaspar , Craig Wendy ,   Members of the HBSC Violence and Injury Prevention Focus Group
Published: December 2010

ABSTRACTCross‐national analyses explore the consistency of the relationship between negative school experiences and involvement in bullying across 40 European and North American countries, using the 2006 (40 countriesn= 197,502) and 2002 (12 countries,n= 57,007) WHO–HBSC surveys. Measures include two Cumulative Negative School Perception (CNSP) scales, one based on 6 mandatory items (2006) and another including an additional 11 items (2002). Outcome measures included bullying perpetration, victimization and involvement as both bully and victim. Logistic regression analyses suggested that children with only 2–3 negative school perceptions, experience twice the relative odds of being involved in bullying as compared with children with no negative school perceptions. Odds Ratios (p< 0.001) increase in a graded fashion according to the CNSP, from about 2.2 to over 8.0. Similar consistent effects are found across gender and almost all countries. Further research should focus on the mechanisms and social context of these relationships.
The Effect of Store Image and Service Quality on Brand Image and Purchase Intention for Private Label Brands
Authors: Wu Paul C.S. , Yeh Gary Yeong-Yuh , Hsiao Chieh-Ru 
Published: December 2010

This study aims to investigate the direct effects of store image and service quality on brand image and purchase intention for a private label brand (PLB). This study also investigates the indirect effects mediated by perceived risk and price consciousness on these relationships. The sample in this study consisted of three hundred and sixty (360) customers of the Watsons and Cosmed chain of drugstores. The pre-test results identified “Watsons” and “My Beauty Diary” as the research brands of the PLB for the two stores, respectively. This study uses LISREL to examine the hypothesized relationships. This study reveals that (1) store image has a direct and positive effect on the purchase intention of the PLB; (2) service quality has a direct and positive effect on the PLB image; (3) the perceived risk of PLB products has a mediating effect on the relationship between the brand image and the consumers purchase intention of the PLB.
Sailing Injury and Illness: Results of an Online Survey
Authors: Nathanson Andrew T. , Baird Janette , Mello Michael 
Published: December 2010

Objective The purpose of this study was to describe the relative frequency, patterns, and mechanisms of sailing-related injuries in dinghies and keelboats. Data were also collected on risky and risk-averse behaviors of sailors, as well as on sailing-related illnesses. Methods A web-based, logic-driven, multiple-choice survey was developed and links were posted on sailing-related websites. Data were collected from March through November 2006 on any injuries or illnesses sailors sustained over the prior 12 months. Results From 1188 respondents, a total of 1715 injuries and 559 illnesses was reported. The top 3 injuries for keel boats were leg contusions (11%), hand lacerations (8%), and arm contusions (6%), and in dinghies they were leg contusions (13%), knee contusions (6%), and leg lacerations (6%). The most common mechanisms of injury were “trip/fall,” “hit by object,” and “caught in lines.” Tacking, heavy weather, and jibing were the most common factors contributing to injury. The rates of injury and severe injury in this internet-based survey were 4.6 and 0.57 per 1000 days of sailing, respectively. Of the 70 severe injuries, 25% were fractures, 16% were torn tendons or cartilage, 14% were concussions, and 8% were dislocations. The median rate of lifejacket use was 30%, and median rate of sunscreen use was 80%. Sixteen percent of sailors reported sunburn over the prior 12 months. Seven percent of sailors reported use of alcohol within the 2 hours preceding injury. Conclusions The most common injuries in both keel boats and dinghies are soft-tissue injuries to the extremities. Severe injuries and illnesses in sailing are uncommon in this study population.
Envenomation by the Scorpion Tityus breweri in the Guayana Shield, Venezuela: Report of a Case, Efficacy and Reactivity of Antivenom, and Proposal for a Toxinological Partitioning of the Venezuelan Scorpion Fauna
Authors: Borges Adolfo , Rojas-Runjaic Fernando J.M. , Diez Nardy , Faks José G. , Op den Camp Huub J.M. , De Sousa Leonardo 
Published: December 2010

Objectives Scorpion envenomation is a common public health problem in Venezuela. We report an envenoming case by Tityus breweri, endemic to the Guayana Shield, southeast Venezuela, and the outcome of its treatment with antivenom anti– Tityus discrepans. Toxin composition and antigenic reactivity of T breweri venom were also explored. T breweri distribution range was re-evaluated. Methods Clinical signs and symptoms in an adult male were recorded after envenoming and treatment with antivenom. Toxin composition and antigenicity of T breweri venom were investigated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, immunoblotting, and mass spectrometry. T breweri distribution range was reassessed by mapping new records of the species. Results The moderately severe case (a 21-year-old man) presented autonomic manifestations, including cardiopulmonary and gastrointestinal effects. Full recovery was achieved after anti– T discrepans antivenom administration. T breweri venom contains toxins in the 6–8 kd range that affect voltage-sensitive sodium channels. Based on new records, T breweri distribution area reaches 12 155 km. 2 Inclusion of southeast Venezuela as an endemic area of scorpionism prompted the examination of clinical, immunological, and phylogenetic evidence for suggesting a partitioning of the Venezuelan Tityus fauna into toxinological provinces. Conclusions The severity of the case reinforces categorization of the Guayana Shield region as a macroendemic area of scorpionism in Venezuela and allows classification of T breweri as a species of medical importance, with toxins immunologically related to central-eastern Venezuelan Tityus. Partitioning of the territory incorporating multiple criteria may help health authorities establish and implement preventive and therapeutic measures for scorpion envenoming in this region.
Injury and Illness in College Outdoor Education
Authors: Gaudio Flavio G. , Greenwald Peter W. , Holton Mark 
Published: December 2010

Objective Many colleges offer outdoor education courses such as rock climbing, kayaking, and mountain biking. Since these sports may be perceived as dangerous, we describe the prevalence of injuries and illnesses in a large, university-based outdoor education program. We also compare composite incident rates from this outdoor program to those of traditional college sports. Methods Cohort of college students participating in either Cornell Outdoor Education (COE) or National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) sports and comparison of incident rates. COE data were prospectively collected in the field; and NCAA data were prospectively collected through the Association's Injury Surveillance System. By definition, a COE injury or illness required follow-up care, prescription medication, or limited course participation. Similarly, a NCAA injury limited further practice or play. Incident rates were calculated as injuries and illnesses per 1000 participant-days (COE) or injuries per 1000 athlete-exposures (NCAA). Results Included COE courses during 2002–2007 totaled 74 005 participant-days. There were 111 injuries and illnesses, rate = 1.50/1000 participant-days (95% CI 1.24–1.81). The NCAA reported 32 646 899 athlete-exposures during 1988-2004 and 181 476 injuries, rate = 5.56/1000 athlete-exposures (95% CI 5.53–5.58). Compared to COE, the relative risk of injury in NCAA sports was 3.7 (95% CI 3.1–4.5) overall and 3.3 (95% CI 2.8–4.0) after excluding the high-contact sports of football, ice hockey, and wrestling. For COE, mountain biking had the highest incident rate (7.5/1000), which was significantly lower than game injury rates in NCAA football and soccer. The most common injuries for both NCAA and COE were soft-tissue injuries such as sprains and strains. Conclusion Outdoor education at this university-sponsored program was at least as safe as traditional college sports. Overall, college students were less likely to be injured while participating in COE courses than while participating in NCAA sports, even after excluding high-contact sports from the comparison.
Oxidative Stress Status in Rats After Intermittent Exposure to Hypobaric Hypoxia
Authors: Esteva Santiago , Pedret Rafel , Fort Nuria , Torrella Joan Ramon , Pagès Teresa , Viscor Ginés 
Published: December 2010

Objective Programs of intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (IHH) exposure are used to raise hemoglobin concentration and erythrocyte mass. Although acclimation response increases blood oxygen transport capacity leading to a VO2max increase, the effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) might determine the behavior of erythrocytes and plasma, thus causing a worse peripheral blood flow. The goals of the study were to establish the hematological changes and to discern whether an IHH protocol modifies the antioxidant/pro-oxidant balance in laboratory rats. Methods Male rats were subjected to an IHH program consisting of a daily 4-hour session for 5 days/week until completing 22 days of hypoxia exposure in a hypobaric chamber at a simulated altitude of 5000 m. Blood samples were taken at the end of the exposure period (H) and at 20 (P20) and 40 (P40) days after the end of the program, and compared to control (C), maintained at sea-level pressure. Hematological parameters were measured together with several oxidative stress indicators: plasma thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and erythrocyte catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutasc (SOD). Results Red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit were higher in H group as compared to all the other groups ( p < 0.001). However, there were no significant differences between the 4 groups in any of the oxidative stress-related parameters. Conclusions The absence of significant differences between groups indicates that our IHH program has little impact on the general redox status, even in the laboratory rat, which is more sensitive to hypoxia than humans. We conclude that IHH does not increase oxidative stress.
Cosmogenic nuclide exposure ages for moraines in the Lago San Martin Valley, Argentina
Authors: Glasser Neil F. , Jansson Krister N. , Goodfellow Bradley W. , de Angelis Hernan , Rodnight Helena , Rood Dylan H. 
Published: December 2010

AbstractAt several times during the Quaternary, a major eastward-flowing outlet glacier of the former Patagonian Ice Sheet occupied the Lago San Martin Valley in Argentina (49°S, 72°W). We present a glacial chronology for the valley based on geomorphological mapping and cosmogenic nuclide (10Be) exposure ages (n= 10) of boulders on moraines and lake shorelines. There are five prominent moraine belts in the Lago San Martin Valley, associated with extensive sandar (glaciofluvial outwash plains) and former lake shorelines. Cosmogenic nuclide exposure ages for boulders on these moraines indicate that they formed at 14.3 ± 1.7 ka, 22.4 ± 2.3 ka, 34.4 ± 3.4 ka to 37.6 ± 3.4 ka (and possibly 60 ± 3.5 ka), and 99 ± 11 ka (1σ). These dated glacier advances differ from published chronologies from the Lago San Martin Valley based on14C age determinations from organic sediments and molluscs in meltwater channels directly in front of moraines or in kettleholes within end moraine ridges. The moraine boulder ages also point to possible pre-LGM glacial advances during the last glacial cycle and a key observation from our data is that the LGM glaciers were probably less extensive in the Lago San Martin Valley than previously thought.