bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Image analysis of particle dispersions in microscopy images of cryo‐sectioned sausages
Authors: Kohler A. , Høst V. , Ofstad R. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractTwo feature extraction methods, the three‐dimensional (3‐D) local box‐counting method and the area distribution method, are presented to describe the fat dispersion pattern on digital microscopy images of cryo‐sectioned sausages. Both methods calculate whole arrays of variables for each microscopy image. The 3‐D box‐counting method calculates scale dependent (local) dimensions. This is in contrast to common fractal methods, which are univariate. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to show that different sausages yield different fat dispersion patterns. Partial least square regression (PLS) shows that there is a correlation between the variables gained with both methods and the fat content.
Validation of three‐dimensional surface characterising methods: Scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy
Authors: Al‐Nawas B. , Grötz K. A. , Götz H. , Heinrich G. , Rippin G. , Stender E. , Duschner H. , Wagner W. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractSurface characteristics of enosseous titanium implants have been known to influence the quality of os‐seointegration. Parameters recommended for metrical analysis should be supplemented by a topographical description. In this study, Ra values obtained by established tactile and optical profilometric methods are correlated with those obtained by stereo scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). As test specimens, standardised CVD diamond‐coated titanium alloys with different microwave coating power ranging from 2000 to 3000 W were used. A non‐CVD‐coated corund grit‐blasted specimen (NC) was used as reference. After coating with a CVD, power of 2000 W Ra ranges from 4.33 to 5.69 μm depending on the method used. With increasing power of the coating process, the amplitude of the surface roughness is significantly increased to 4.53 to 6.89 μm. Ra values of the same sample obtained by different methods are also significantly different (p=0.001). Compared with the established methods of tactile and optical profilometry, SEM and CLSM offer valid data on the surface roughness accompanied by a topographical imaging. In future studies, the underlying method should be specified to interpret roughness values correctly, as not every method is suitable for each specimen and values obtained by different methods vary extremely.
Accuracy and precision of quantitative energy‐dispersive x‐ray spectrometry in the environmental scanning electron microscope
Authors: Carlton Robert A. , Lyman Charles E. , Roberts James E. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractThe accuracy and precision of quantitative energy‐dispersive x‐ray spectrometry in the environmental scanning electron microscope have been estimated using a series of copper / gold alloys of known composition. The mean values (five to six replicate experiments) had relative errors within ± 5%, and most were within ± 3.5%. All relative standard deviations were < 5% and most were < 3%. Since the standard specimens were large (∼500 μm) in diameter, electron scattering in the 2 torr of water vapor above the specimen did not affect the results. This level of accuracy and precision was possible only by using a novel specimen surface charge neutralization scheme.
A simple method for checking the illumination profile in a laser scanning microscope and the dependence of resolution on this profile
Authors: Kuypers L. C. , Dirckx J. J. J. , Decraemer W. F. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractOne of the conditions for a laser scanning microscope to reach its optimal performance is for it to operate at its full numerical aperture (NA). In most commonly used systems, the illumination intensity at the back focal plane of the objective lens is apodized. This paper presents a simple method using a photodiode for checking the actual illumination intensity profile. We show as an example the measured profiles of a laser beam when working with two high‐NA immersion objectives in two different confocal systems, and also show that in theoretical studies of the point‐spread function, the assumption of a flat compared with a truncated Gaussian beam profile gives rise to severe discrepancies. The measured profiles also serve as an indication of the necessity of a realignment of the optical system.
Lisp‐Stat
Authors: Tierney Luke 
Published: June 2010

AbstractThis article outlines a statistical system based on the Lisp language. The system consists of a set of functions for performing basic statistical computations and modifications to standard Lisp functions for basic arithmetic operations, such as addition, logarithms, etc., to allow them to operate on lists and arrays of numbers. An object‐oriented programming system is used to allow the construction of custom data structures and to represent statistical structures such as linear and nonlinear regression models. The basic computing system is implemented in a subset of Common Lisp. A major feature is a dynamic graphics system for bitmapped graphics displays that includes histograms, scatterplots, rotatable plots, and scatterplot matrices. Plots are controlled by mouse actions, menus, and dialog boxes. The object‐oriented programming system is used to allow the response to mouse actions, menus, and dialogs to be customized interactively by the user. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.This article is categorized under:

Software for Computational Statistics > Software/Statistical Software
Preincisional Versus Postincisional Administration of Parecoxib in Colorectal Surgery: Effect on Postoperative Pain Control and Cytokine Response. A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Pandazi Ageliki , Kapota Evagelia , Matsota Paraskevi , Paraskevopoulou Pinelopi , Dervenis Christos , Kostopanagiotou Georgia 
Published: June 2010

AbstractBackgroundPreincisional pain management aims at reducing pain and inflammatory response. We investigated whether preincisional parecoxib administration reduces pain, opioid requirements, and cytokine production after surgery for colonic cancer.MethodsForty one patients whose American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status was I–II and who were scheduled for colorectal cancer surgery were randomly divided in two groups according to the timing of parecoxib administration: Group PRE (preincisional) received parecoxib 40 mg intravenously 30 min before skin incision and group POST (postincisional) received the same dose 30 min after skin incision. Postoperative analgesia involved the administration of patient‐controlled analgesia (PCA) morphine to all patients. We recorded verbal rating scale (VRS) scores and morphine consumption at 1, 6, 18, and 24 h after surgery and blood levels of interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), interleukin‐8 (IL‐8), and tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) 30 min before skin incision, at peritoneal closure, and 24 h postoperatively.ResultsThe VRS scores were similar between groups. Although morphine consumption was significantly lower in group PRE at 6, 18 and 24 h postoperatively (p = 0.044, p = 0.02, p < 0.001, respectively) morphine‐related adverse effects did not differ between the two groups. The serum IL‐6 was significantly (p = 0.042) elevated from the baseline value 24 h postoperatively in group POST.ConclusionsPreincisional parecoxib administration compared to postincisional administration reduced postoperative morphine consumption, but without affecting morphine‐related adverse effects and attenuated IL‐6 production 24 h after surgery for colorectal cancer.
Behind the Veil of Vagueness: Success and Failure in Institutional Reforms
Authors: CHRISTIANSEN PETER MUNK , KLITGAARD MICHAEL BAGGESEN 
Published: June 2010

AbstractThe difficulties of implementing large institutional reforms are legendary. Reform programs may face strong resistance from designated losers, falter at successive veto points, or stall when multiple decision makers have diverse goals. Institutional theories have successfully accounted for failure of reform in many settings, but scholars have paid less attention to how the strategic design of a reform process can have a positive effect on reform initiatives. We seek to fill this gap by studying the impact of planned ambiguity in reform processes. We hypothesize that reform proposals are more likely to succeed when policy entrepreneurs strategically hide the cost-benefit profile of a reform proposal behind a veil of vagueness until the final stages of the process. Designated losers with limited information about the impact of proposed reforms are less likely to succeed in thwarting the reform. We test the theory on four institutional reforms or reform attempts in Denmark.
Performance and Risks in the Defense Procurement Sector
Authors: OUDOT JEAN-MICHEL 
Published: June 2010

AbstractRisks that emerge during the implementation and enforcement stages of defense procurement help explain procurement outcomes. Adverse events have impacts on the timing, cost and quality of goods supplied. The procurement process is analyzed on the basis of an original dataset covering 48 defense procurement contracts signed by the French Ministry of Defense with 18 European contractors. Contractual problems create the most adverse events in this sector, while technological risk is the second most significant risk. Although opportunism takes various forms, it is found only rarely in these defense contracts.
Association between socio-economic status and childhood undernutrition in Bangladesh; a comparison of possession score and poverty index
Authors: Mohsena Masuda , Mascie-Taylor CG Nicholas , Goto Rie 
Published: June 2010

AbstractObjectiveTo determine how much of the variation in nutritional status of Bangladeshi children under 5 years old can be attributed to the socio-economic status of the family.DesignNutritional status used reference Z-scores of weight-for-age (WAZ), height-for-age (HAZ) and weight-for-height (WHZ). A ‘possession score’ was generated based on ownership of a radio, television, bicycle, motorcycle and telephone, and the availability of electricity, with categories of 0 to 4+ possessions. A five-point (quintile) ‘poverty index’ was created using principal component analysis.SettingThe Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey 2004 was the source of data.SubjectsA sample of 4891 children aged <5 years was obtained.ResultsSome 57·8 % of the sample was either stunted, wasted or underweight (7·7 % were stunted, wasted and underweight). Of those stunted (48·4 %), 25·7 % were also underweight. Underweight and wasting prevalences were 40·7 % and 14·3 %, respectively. Mean WAZ, HAZ and WHZ did not differ by sex. Children of mothers with no education or no possessions were, on average, about 1 sd more underweight and stunted than those with higher educated mothers or with 4+ possessions. The possession score provided much greater discrimination of undernutrition than the poverty index. Nearly 50 % of children from households with no possessions were stunted, wasted or underweight (only 27 % in the poorest quintile), compared with only 3–6 % of children from households with 4+ possessions (over 13 % in the richest quintile).ConclusionsMaternal education and possession score were the main predictors of a child’s nutritional status. Possession score was a much better indicator of undernutrition than the poverty index.
Serial cross-sectional analysis of prevalence of overweight and obese children between 1998 and 2003 in Leeds, UK, using routinely measured data
Authors: Edwards Kimberley L , Clarke Graham P , Ransley Joan K , Cade Janet E 
Published: June 2010

AbstractObjectiveTo monitor growth trends in young children in order to ascertain success (or otherwise) in halting the rapid rise in childhood obesity prevalence, and to assess the suitability of using routinely measured data for this purpose.DesignRetrospective serial cross-sectional analyses of the proportion of obese children (logistic regression) and BMI standard deviation score (linear regression/maps) were undertaken. BMI coverage was calculated as percentage of sample with data (‘usual’), percentage of total births and percentage of census values. BMI was standardised for age and sex (British reference data set).SettingMetropolitan Leeds, UK.SubjectsChildren aged 3 to 6 years. Weight, height, sex, age and postcode data were collected from Primary Care Trust records.ResultsData were collected on 42 396 children, of whom 13 020 (31 %) were excluded due to missing data/data problems. Seventy-two per cent of 3-year-olds and 92 % of 5-year-olds had data recorded (‘usual’ coverage). From 1998 to 2003 there was a significant increase in the proportion of obese children (4·5 % to 6·6 %; P < 0·001); children were 1·5 times more likely to be obese in 2003 than in 1998.ConclusionsChildhood obesity rose significantly between 1998 and 2003. Routinely measured data are an important means of monitoring population-level obesity trends, although more effort is required to reduce the quantity of data-entry errors, for relatively low marginal cost.
Socio-economic differences in eating-related attitudes, behaviours and environments of adolescents
Authors: Utter Jennifer , Denny Simon , Crengle Sue , Ameratunga Shanthi , Clark Terryann , Maddison Ralph , Percival Teuila 
Published: June 2010

AbstractObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between area-level socio-economic status and healthy and less healthy eating behaviours among adolescents and to determine whether the relationship between area-level socio-economic status and dietary behaviours was related to the relevant attitudes and environments.DesignData were collected as part of Youth’07, a nationally representative survey of the health and well-being of New Zealand youth.SettingNew Zealand secondary schools, 2007.SubjectsA total of 9107 secondary-school students in New Zealand.ResultsStudents from more deprived areas perceived more supportive school environments and cared as much about healthy eating as students in more affluent areas. However, these students were significantly more likely to report consuming fast food, soft drinks and chocolates.ConclusionsAddressing area-level socio-economic disparities in healthy eating requires addressing the availability, affordability and marketing of unhealthy snack foods, particularly in economically deprived areas.
Twenty-four-hour urinary water-soluble vitamin levels correlate with their intakes in free-living Japanese schoolchildren
Authors: Tsuji Tomiko , Fukuwatari Tsutomu , Sasaki Satoshi , Shibata Katsumi 
Published: June 2010

AbstractObjectiveTo examine the association between 24 h urinary water-soluble vitamin levels and their intakes in free-living Japanese schoolchildren.DesignAll foods consumed for four consecutive days were recorded accurately by a weighed food record. A single 24 h urine sample was collected on the fourth day, and the urinary levels of water-soluble vitamins were measured.SettingAn elementary school in Inazawa City, Japan.SubjectsA total of 114 healthy, free-living, Japanese elementary-school children aged 10–12 years.ResultsThe urinary level of each water-soluble vitamin was correlated positively to its mean intake in the past 2–4 d (vitamin B1:r= 0·42,P< 0·001; vitamin B2:r= 0·43,P< 0·001; vitamin B6:r= 0·49,P< 0·001; niacin:r= 0·32,P< 0·001; niacin equivalents:r= 0·32,P< 0·001; pantothenic acid:r= 0·32,P< 0·001; folic acid:r= 0·27,P< 0·01; vitamin C:r= 0·39,P< 0.001), except for vitamin B12(r= 0·10,P= NS). Estimated mean intakes of water-soluble vitamins calculated using urinary levels and recovery rates were 97–102 % of their 3 d mean intake, except for vitamin B12(79 %).ConclusionsThe results show that urinary levels of water-soluble vitamins, except for vitamin B12, reflected their recent intakes in free-living Japanese schoolchildren and could be used as a potential biomarker to estimate mean vitamin intake.
Cooperation and conflict between very similar occupations: the case of anesthesia
Authors: Kalist David E. , Molinari Noelle A. , Spurr Stephen J. 
Published: June 2010

AbstractThis article examines the features of a labor market in which there are two professional groups that both cooperate and directly compete with each other: certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) and anesthesiologists (MDAs). We examine how the relative numbers of these two types of anesthesia providers, and differences in regulation, affect the earnings of CRNAs, and the extent of supervision of CRNAs by MDAs. We find that both the earnings, and the likelihood of medical supervision of CRNAs, are closely determined by their market share. As the market share of CRNAs increases from 0% to 50%, the gains to MDAs from restricting competition increase; over this range the likelihood that CRNAs are supervised increases and their expected earnings decline. However, as the CRNAs’ market share increases beyond 50%, the costs to MDAs of anticompetitive measures become too large, therefore, the probability of supervision declines, and the earnings of CRNAs increase.
Radar distance measurements in circular waveguides involving intermodal dispersion effects
Authors: Denicke Eckhard , Armbrecht Gunnar , Rolfes Ilona 
Published: June 2010

This contribution deals with guided radar distance measurements in the field of industrial tank level control. The aim is to achieve a submillimeter gauging accuracy even when conducting the measurement within a highly dispersive environment of large and thus overmoded circular waveguides. Normally, multimode propagation causes a decrease in measurement precision. Therefore, the effects of intermodal dispersion are fundamentally reviewed and, based on these results, a correlation-based signal processing method is presented. This method is able to exploit the otherwise parasitic dispersion effects to enhance the measurement precision even in constellation with a simple waveguide transition or antenna, respectively. Furthermore, considerations on the mode variety and its influence on the signal complexity as well as investigations on the technique's reliability and accuracy are presented. Measurement results in a frequency range of 8.5–10.5 GHz are provided for three different kinds of waveguide transitions proving the capability of the method.
Intermolecular phosphotransfer is crucial for efficient catalytic activity of nucleoside diphosphate kinase
Authors: Dar Haider Hussain , Chakraborti Pradip K. 
Published: June 2010

NDK (nucleoside diphosphate kinase) is primarily involved in maintaining cellular nucleotide pools in both prokaryotes and eukaryotes. We cloned ndk from Salmonella typhimurium and expressed it in Escherichia coli as a histidine-tagged protein. The Ni-NTA (Ni2+-nitrilotriacetate)-purified protein (sNDK) was found to be tetrameric with a monomeric unit molecular mass of ~18 kDa. The sNDK exhibited bivalent-cation-dependent autophosphorylation at a wide range of pH values and the phosphorylation withstands acid or alkali treatment. Surprisingly, nucleoside diphosphates did not behave as ‘true inhibitors’ of autophosphorylation activity. The sNDK displayed phosphotransfer activity from nucleoside triphosphates to nucleoside diphosphates; however, it was Mg2+/Mn2+-dependent. Mutational analysis established His117 as the predominantly phosphorylating residue in sNDK. Although it is a histidine kinase, we found that substitution of Ser119 with alanine/glutamate significantly affected the autophosphorylation, as well as the NTP-synthesizing ability of sNDK. Interestingly, the mixture of inactive (H117A) and partially active (S119A) proteins was found to be catalytically more efficient than the presence of corresponding amounts of active population, advocating transfer of phosphate from phospho-His117 to Ser119. Consistent with this observation, the Ni-NTA-purified H117A protein, obtained following co-expression of both of the mutant constructs [His-tagged H117A and GST (glutathione transferase)-tagged S119A] in E. coli, exhibited autophosphorylation, thereby alluding to intermolecular phosphotransfer between His117 and Ser119. Although this housekeeping enzyme has long been discovered and characterized from different sources, the results of the present study portray how Ser119 in sNDK is phosphorylated. Furthermore, our findings illustrate for the first time that the intermolecular phosphotransfer is mandatory for the efficient NTP synthesis in any NDK.
The dilemmas of identity faced by psychodynamic counsellors training in cognitive behavioural therapy
Authors: Owen-Pugh Valerie 
Published: June 2010

AbstractAim: A qualitative study was carried out to explore the dilemmas of identity experienced by qualified psychodynamic counsellors studying cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Method: Participants were students on a BA ‘top‐up’ programme that included an introductory module in CBT. Thematic analyses were carried out on participants' learning journals, and on the transcripts of focus groups convened a year after module completion. Findings: As they first engaged with the module, participants held highly negative views of CBT. Many were also resistant to engaging with module content. Over time, they were increasingly able to appraise CBT as an effective and ethical modality and find ways of integrating their new learning with their core theory. Conclusions: The study illustrates the ways in which macro‐political interventions, such as the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies initiative, can impact on the student experience. Training strategies are proposed for supporting counsellors' engagement with unfamiliar modalities.
The challenge of becoming an integrative counsellor: The trainee's perspective
Authors: Lowndes Lisa , Hanley Terry 
Published: June 2010

AbstractAim: Integrative therapeutic practice is commonplace within the UK. Counsellors and psychotherapists increasingly report working in this way and numerous training courses have developed which advocate such practice. Despite its popularity, researchers have paid little attention to the impact that such training has upon students. This study therefore explores newly qualified counsellors' reflections of undertaking professional training in integrative counselling. Design: Newly qualified counsellors were invited to take part in a focus group to discuss their training experiences. Two groups were held involving a total of seven people. The data generated was analysed using Grounded Theory. Findings: The core‐category ‘The challenge of becoming an integrative counsellor’ was identified. Embedded within this were four sub‐categories: (1) ‘training issues’, (2) ‘applied issues’, (3) ‘the development of an integrative theory and identity’, and (4) ‘the impact of integrative training post qualification’. Key findings include the willingness of trainees to tolerate theoretical ambiguity and the discomfort that surrounded not belonging to a pure paradigm community. Discussion: Recommendations are made that trainers and practice supervisors are mindful of the distinct struggles that integrative trainees encounter. Additionally, in response to the isolation that some trainees report, greater use of peer support networks is encouraged.