bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Evaluating Postoperative Pain in Monopolar Cautery Versus Harmonic Scalpel Tonsillectomy
Authors: Cushing Sharon L. , Smith Oakley , Chiodo Albino , Elmasri William , Munro‐Peck Pam 
Published: October 2009

OBJECTIVESTo compare postoperative pain between monopolar cautery tonsillectomy and harmonic scalpel tonsillectomy (HST).STUDY DESIGNRandomized controlled trial using paired organs.SETTINGCommunity hospital with academic affiliation.SUBJECTSOne hundred and fourteen consecutive patients six years of age or older undergoing tonsillectomy for indications of hypertrophy or recurrent infection.METHODSFor each subject, monopolar cautery tonsillectomy was performed by four senior surgeons on one side and HST was performed on the other side. Allocation of technique to side was randomized and revealed to the surgeon at the start of the operation. Validated visual analog pain scales were used to quantify pain at rest and with swallowing for each side and were completed daily for 14 days. All subjects were prescribed weight‐equivalent doses of analgesics. Secondary outcome measures included postoperative complications (hemorrhage and readmission).RESULTSPairwise comparisons of pain scores revealed no significant difference between monopolar cautery tonsillectomy and HST (P < 0.05).CONCLUSIONSSubjects undergoing monopolar cautery tonsillectomy do not experience increased postoperative pain in comparison to HST.
Comparison of the effects of a liquid yogurt and chocolate bars on satiety: a multidimensional approach
Authors: Chapelot Didier , Payen Flore 
Published: October 2009

In the context of epidemic obesity, satiety is an important target for nutritional interventions. Using a multidimensional approach, we compared the effect on satiety of two food products frequently consumed in France by young adults as a small mid-afternoon meal called the ‘goûter’. Participants were eighteen healthy young males (aged 20·8 (sd1·8) years) of normal body weight (BMI 21·7 (sd1·7) kg/m2) used to eating four times per d including a ‘goûter’. On two occasions, under laboratory conditions, the time-blinded participants consumed a fixed energy lunch (2·8 MJ) and, 240 min later, either a liquid yogurt or chocolate bars matched for energy (1·2 MJ) and weight (366 g). Then, satiety was assessed by: (1) ratings of hunger, appetite, desire to eat and fullness at 20 min intervals (perception), (2) the delay until the subject requested his dinner meal (duration) and (3) energy intake at this meal (consumption). Results showed that satiety was perceived higher after liquid yogurt than chocolate bars over the 60 min preceding the next meal, as evidenced by hunger (P < 0·005), appetite, (P < 0·005), desire to eat (P < 0·04) and fullness (P < 0·05) ratings. However, its duration was similar between liquid yogurt and chocolate bars (165 (se8) and 174 (se7) min respectively) and this difference was not followed by reduced intake at dinner. In conclusion, this approach of satiety revealed that a liquid yogurt induced a lower subjective motivation to eat than chocolate bars during the hour preceding the spontaneous onset of a meal, without affecting subsequent food intake.
Meta-analysis of CSF and MRI biomarkers for detecting preclinical Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Schmand B. , Huizenga H. M. , van Gool W. A. 
Published: October 2009

BackgroundAbnormal levels of biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and atrophy of medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are being used increasingly to diagnose early Alzheimer's disease (AD). We evaluated the claim that these biomarkers can detect preclinical AD before behavioural (i.e. memory) symptoms arise.MethodWe included all relevant longitudinal studies of CSF and MRI biomarkers published between January 2003 and November 2008. Subjects were not demented at baseline but some declined to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or to AD during follow-up. Measures of tau and beta-amyloid in CSF, MTL atrophy on MRI, and performance on delayed memory tasks were extracted from the papers or obtained from the investigators.ResultsTwenty-one MRI studies and 14 CSF studies were retrieved. The effect sizes of total tau (t-tau), phosphorylated tau (p-tau) and amyloid beta 42 (aβ42) ranged from 0.91 to 1.11. The effect size of MTL atrophy was 0.75. Memory performance had an effect size of 1.06. MTL atrophy and memory impairment tended to increase when assessed closer to the moment of diagnosis, whereas effect sizes of CSF biomarkers tended to increase when assessed longer before the diagnosis.ConclusionsMemory impairment is a more accurate predictor of early AD than atrophy of MTL on MRI, whereas CSF abnormalities and memory impairment are about equally predictive. Consequently, the CSF and MRI biomarkers are not very sensitive to preclinical AD. CSF markers remain promising, but studies with long follow-up periods in elderly subjects who are normal at baseline are needed to evaluate this promise.
Trajectories of change in depression severity during treatment with antidepressants
Authors: Uher R. , Muthén B. , Souery D. , Mors O. , Jaracz J. , Placentino A. , Petrovic A. , Zobel A. , Henigsberg N. , Rietschel M. , Aitchison K. J. , Farmer A. , McGuffin P. 
Published: October 2009

BackgroundResponse and remission defined by cut-off values on the last observed depression severity score are commonly used as outcome criteria in clinical trials, but ignore the time course of symptomatic change and may lead to inefficient analyses. We explore alternative categorization of outcome by naturally occurring trajectories of symptom change.MethodGrowth mixture models were applied to repeated measurements of depression severity in 807 participants with major depression treated for 12 weeks with escitalopram or nortriptyline in the part-randomized Genome-based Therapeutic Drugs for Depression study. Latent trajectory classes were validated as outcomes in drug efficacy comparison and pharmacogenetic analyses.ResultsThe final two-piece growth mixture model categorized participants into a majority (75%) following a gradual improvement trajectory and the remainder following a trajectory with rapid initial improvement. The rapid improvement trajectory was over-represented among nortriptyline-treated participants and showed an antidepressant-specific pattern of pharmacogenetic associations. In contrast, conventional response and remission favoured escitalopram and produced chance results in pharmacogenetic analyses. Controlling for drop-out reduced drug differences on response and remission but did not affect latent trajectory results.ConclusionsLatent trajectory mixture models capture heterogeneity in the development of clinical response after the initiation of antidepressants and provide an outcome that is distinct from traditional endpoint measures. It differentiates between antidepressants with different modes of action and is robust against bias due to differential discontinuation.
Plantinga's version of the free-will argument: the good and evil that free beings do
Authors: HIMMA KENNETH EINAR 
Published: October 2009

AbstractAccording to Plantinga's version of the free-will argument (FWA), the existence of free beings in the world who, on the whole, do more good than evil is the greater moral good that cannot be secured by even an omnipotent God without allowing some evil and thereby shows the logical compatibility of God with evil. In this essay, I argue that there are good empirical and moral reasons, from the standpoint of one plausible conception of Christian ethics, to doubt that Plantinga's version of the FWA succeeds as a theodicy. In particular, I argue that, given this understanding of Christian ethics, it seems reasonable to think it false that free beings are doing more good than evil in the world. While there are surely possible worlds in which free beings do more good than evil, this material world seems clearly not one of those. Thus, while Plantinga's version might succeed as a defence against the logical problem of evil, it will neither rebut the evidential problem of evil nor, without more, ground a successful theodicy that reconciles God's existence with the evil that occurs in this world.
Linking environmental heterogeneity and reproductive success at single-cell resolution
Authors: Remus-Emsermann Mitja N P , Leveau Johan H J 
Published: October 2009

Abstract
Individual-based microbial ecology (IBME) is a developing field of study in need of experimental tools to quantify the individual experience and performance of microorganisms in their natural habitats. We describe here the conception and application of a single-cell bioreporter approach with broad utility in IBME. It is based on the dilution of stable green fluorescent protein (GFP) in dividing bacteria. In the absence of de novo synthesis, GFP fluorescence of a daughter cell approximates half of that of its mother, from which follows that the fluorescence of a progeny cell is a quantitative measure for the reproductive success of its ancestor. To test this concept, we exposed GFP-filled bacteria to different degrees of environmental heterogeneity and assessed how this affected individual cells by the analysis of GFP content in their progeny. Reporter bacteria growing in rich medium in a shaking flask showed no variation in reproductive success, confirming that life in a broth is experienced much the same from one bacterium to the next. In contrast, when reporter bacteria were released onto plant leaf surfaces, representing a microscopically heterogeneous environment, clear intrapopulation differences in reproductive success were observed. Such variation suggests that individual cells in the founding population experienced different growth-permitting conditions, resulting in unequal contributions of individual bacteria to future offspring and population sizes. Being able to assess population changes bottom-up rather than top-down, the bioreporter offers opportunities to quantify single-cell competitive and facilitative interactions, assess the role of chance events in individual survivorship and reveal causes that underlie individual-based environmental heterogeneity.
Interactions between gut microbiota, host genetics and diet relevant to development of metabolic syndromes in mice
Authors: Zhang Chenhong , Zhang Menghui , Wang Shengyue , Han Ruijun , Cao Youfang , Hua Weiying , Mao Yuejian , Zhang Xiaojun , Pang Xiaoyan , Wei Chaochun , Zhao Guoping , Chen Yan , Zhao Liping 
Published: October 2009

Abstract
Both genetic variations and diet-disrupted gut microbiota can predispose animals to metabolic syndromes (MS). This study assessed the relative contributions of host genetics and diet in shaping the gut microbiota and modulating MS-relevant phenotypes in mice. Together with its wild-type (Wt) counterpart, the Apoa-I knockout mouse, which has impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) and increased body fat, was fed a high-fat diet (HFD) or normal chow (NC) diet for 25 weeks. DNA fingerprinting and bar-coded pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes were used to profile gut microbiota structures and to identify the key population changes relevant to MS development by Partial Least Square Discriminate Analysis. Diet changes explained 57% of the total structural variation in gut microbiota, whereas genetic mutation accounted for no more than 12%. All three groups with IGT had significantly different gut microbiota relative to healthy Wt/NC-fed animals. In all, 65 species-level phylotypes were identified as key members with differential responses to changes in diet, genotype and MS phenotype. Most notably, gut barrier-protecting Bifidobacterium spp. were nearly absent in all animals on HFD, regardless of genotype. Sulphate-reducing, endotoxin-producing bacteria of the family, Desulfovibrionaceae, were enhanced in all animals with IGT, most significantly in the Wt/HFD group, which had the highest calorie intake and the most serious MS phenotypes. Thus, diet has a dominating role in shaping gut microbiota and changes of some key populations may transform the gut microbiota of Wt animals into a pathogen-like entity relevant to development of MS, despite a complete host genome.
Circumstantial development and athletic excellence: The role of date of birth and birthplace
Authors: Baker Joe , Schorer Jörg , Cobley Stephen , Schimmer Gabriele , Wattie Nick 
Published: October 2009

AbstractResearchers are only beginning to understand how contextual variables such as date of birth and birthplace affect the development of elite athletes. This article considers the generality of birthplace and date‐of‐birth effects in varying sport contexts. The Study 1 examined how environmental factors associated with an athlete's date‐of‐birth and size of birthplace predict the likelihood of becoming an Olympic athlete in Canada, the United States of America, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Study 2 examined date‐of‐birth and birthplace effects among athletes playing in the first professional league in Germany. Study 2 also examined the validity of birthplace as a proxy for early developmental environment by comparing birthplace with the place of first sports club in four German sports leagues. Results from both studies showed no consistent findings for date of birth. Findings from Study 2 also suggested incongruence between birthplace and location of first sports club as proxies for early developmental environment. Although there was some consistency suggesting elite athletes are less likely to come from very small or excessively large communities, exceptions occurred both within and across sport contexts. These results suggest that any developmental effects of date and place of birth are buffered by broader socio‐cultural factors.
Physical characteristics, physiological attributes, and on‐court performances of handball players: A review
Authors: Ziv Gal , Lidor Ronnie 
Published: October 2009

AbstractThe main purpose of this article was to review a series of studies (n=23) on physical characteristics, physiological attributes, throwing velocity and accuracy, and on‐court performances of male handball players – amateur players, experienced players, professional players, and players on the national team. Five main findings emerged from our review: (1) Elite players are heavier and have higher fat‐free mass than amateur players. (2) The maximal oxygen uptake of male players is between 50 and 60 ml · kg−1 · min−1. (3) Throwing velocity is higher by as much as 9% in elite male players compared with amateur male players. (4) Heart rates can rise above 160 beats · min−1 in male players during a game. (5) On‐court distance covered in a game averaged approximately 4 km and ranged between 2 and 5 km, depending on playing position. Our methodological concerns based on the reviewed studies are: (a) a lack of on‐court physiological data; (b) a lack of experimental/manipulative studies; (c) limited data on throwing accuracy; and (d) a lack of longitudinal studies. The practical implications include: (a) strength and power exercises should be emphasized in conditioning programmes, as they are associated with both sprint performance and throwing velocity; (b) speed and agility drills should also be implemented in conditioning programmes; and (c) specificity of training based upon the position of the player is of great importance when planning strength and conditioning programmes.
XAS study of the orientation of oriented carbon nanotube films
Authors: Medjo R Eba , Sendja B Thiodjio , Mane J Mane , Ateba P Owono 
Published: October 2009

We report a quantitative x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) study of the orientation of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) grown on plain SiO2(thickness 8 nm)/Si(100) substrates by a catalytically enhanced dc hot filament chemical vapour deposition (CVD) process. The alignment and orientation of CNT films are generally provided in the literature by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) images qualitatively. A very few other techniques have been used to more deeply study the alignment of CNTs grown by the CVD technique, such as x-ray diffraction (XRD) or grazing-incidence small-angle x-ray scattering (GISAXS). XAS recorded on the C K-edge provides information on the local environment around carbon atoms and helps us study the orientation of CNTs. We find spectral features very similar to those of HOPG, in agreement with the literature. Meanwhile, we do not observe any extinction of the π* band at grazing incidence. CNTs have an averaged direction perpendicular to the surface of the substrate.
Phenopedia and Genopedia: disease-centered and gene-centered views of the evolving knowledge of human genetic associations
Authors: Yu W. , Clyne M. , Khoury M. J. , Gwinn M. 
Published: October 2009

Abstract
Summary: We developed web-based applications that encourage the exploration of the literature on human genetic associations by using a database that is continuously updated from PubMed. These applications provide user-friendly interfaces for searching summarized information on human genetic associations, using either genes or diseases as the starting point.
Availability: Phenopedia and Genopedia can be freely accessed at http://www.hugenavigator.net/HuGENavigator/startPagePhenoPedia.do and http://www.hugenavigator.net/HuGENavigator/startPagePedia.do, respectively.
Contact: wby0@cdc.gov
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Sleep apnoea induces cardiac electrical instability assessed by T‐wave alternans in patients with congestive heart failure
Authors: Takasugi Nobuhiro , Nishigaki Kazuhiko , Kubota Tomoki , Tsuchiya Kunihiko , Natsuyama Kenji , Takasugi Mieko , Nawa Takahide , Ojio Shinsuke , Aoyama Takuma , Kawasaki Masanori , Takemura Genzou , Minatoguchi Shinya 
Published: October 2009

AimsTo assess the involvement of sleep apnoea in nocturnal sudden cardiac death (SCD) by evaluating cardiac electrical instability using T‐wave alternans (TWA), a risk marker for lethal cardiac arrhythmias, and severity of sleep apnoea in congestive heart failure (CHF) patients.Methods and resultsA total of 40 CHF patients simultaneously underwent overnight simplified respiratory polygraphy and 24 h continuous electrocardiography. Peak TWA during both daytime and nighttime were calculated by the modified moving average method. The patients were divided into two groups; 30 patients with daytime predominant TWA (whose peak TWA was higher during daytime than during nighttime) and 10 with nighttime predominant. Apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI) was significantly higher in patients with nighttime predominant TWA than in those with daytime predominant (35.9 ± 8.1 vs. 23.9 ± 14.4 events/h, P = 0.02), and was an independent predictor of nighttime predominant TWA (odds ratio, 1.08; 95% confidence interval, 1.01–1.16; P = 0.03). Moreover, peak TWA during the night was correlated positively with AHI (P < 0.001), and AHI was an independent determinant of nocturnal TWA value (r2 = 0.27, P = 0.009).ConclusionIn CHF patients, sleep apnoea induces cardiac electrical instability manifested as TWA, reflecting increased risk of nocturnal SCD. Moreover, some CHF patients with sleep apnoea exhibit nighttime predominant TWA. Therefore, TWA should also be evaluated during the night.
Decreased soluble TWEAK levels predict an adverse prognosis in patients with chronic stable heart failure
Authors: Chorianopoulos Emmanuel , Rosenberg Mark , Zugck Christian , Wolf Johanna , Katus Hugo A. , Frey Norbert 
Published: October 2009

AimsTumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐like weak inducer of apoptosis (sTWEAK) is a multifunctional cytokine that has recently been implicated in cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to define the plasma levels of sTWEAK in patients with stable chronic heart failure and evaluate the possibility of a prognostic impact of sTWEAK.Methods and resultssTWEAK levels in plasma samples from 364 patients with systolic heart failure were compared with 36 control patients. The median levels of sTWEAK in heart failure patients were significantly lower than those of the control group (217 pg/mL, interquartile range 136–311 vs. 325 pg/mL, interquartile range 250–394 pg/mL). Moreover, sTWEAK levels were lower in patients with ischaemic cardiomyopathy vs. dilated cardiomyopathy and correlated significantly with functional NYHA class. Patients with plasma levels below a ROC‐derived cut‐off value of 227 pg/mL had a significantly higher mortality rate after 4 years. Upon univariate and multivariate analyses, sTWEAK levels below 227 pg/mL emerged as an independent predictor of subsequent death.ConclusionIn contrast to other cytokines shown to be increased in heart failure patients, plasma levels of sTWEAK are significantly reduced in chronic stable heart failure. In addition, lower plasma levels of sTWEAK predict an adverse prognosis independent of established risk markers such as NT‐proBNP.
Individual quotas, fishing effort allocation, and over-quota discarding in mixed fisheries
Authors: Poos J. J. , Bogaards J. A. , Quirijns F. J. , Gillis D. M. , Rijnsdorp A. D. 
Published: October 2009

Abstract
Poos, J. J., Bogaards, J. A., Quirijns, F. J., Gillis, D. M., and Rijnsdorp, A. D. 2010. Individual quotas, fishing effort allocation, and over-quota discarding in mixed fisheries. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 323–333. Many fisheries are managed by total allowable catches (TACs) and a substantial part by individual quotas. Such output management has not been successful in mixed fisheries when fishers continue to fish while discarding marketable fish. We analyse the effects of individual quotas on spatial and temporal effort allocation and over-quota discarding in a multispecies fishery. Using a spatially explicit dynamic-state variable model, the optimal fishing strategy of fishers constrained by annual individual quotas, facing uncertainty in catch rates, is studied. Individual fishers will move away from areas with high catches of the restricted quota species and, depending on the cost of fishing, will stop fishing in certain periods of the year. Individual vessels will discard marketable fish, but only after their individual quota for the species under consideration has been reached. These results are in line with observations on effort allocation and discarding of marketable fish, both over-quota discarding and highgrading, by the Dutch beam-trawl fleet. The models we present can be used to predict the outcomes of management and are therefore a useful tool for fisheries scientists and managers.