bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Experimental dehydration kinetics of serpentinite using pore volumometry
Authors: LLANA‐FÚNEZ S. , BRODIE K. H. , RUTTER E. H. , ARKWRIGHT J. C. 
Published: March 2007

AbstractA series of dehydration experiments was carried out on both intact rock and cold‐pressed powdered samples of serpentinite at temperatures in the range 535–610 °C, 100–170 °C above the onset of the breakdown temperature of 435 °C. Pore water pressures near 120 MPa were servo‐controlled using a pore volumometer that also allowed dehydration reaction progress to be monitored through measurement of the amount of evolved water. Effective hydrostatic confining pressures were varied between 0 and 113 MPa. The reaction rate of intact specimens of initially near‐zero porosity was constant up to 50–80% reaction progress at any given temperature, but decreased progressively as transformation approached completion. Water expulsion rates were not substantially affected by elevation of effective pressures that remained insufficient to cause major pore collapse. An Arrhenius relation links reaction rate to temperature with an activation enthalpy of 429 ± 201 and 521 ± 52 kJ mol−1 for powdered and intact specimens, respectively. Microstructural study of intact specimens showed extensive nucleation beginning at pre‐existing cracks, veins and grain boundaries, and progressing into the interior of the lizardite grains. Extrapolation of these data towards equilibrium temperature provides an upper bound on the kinetics of this reaction in nature.
Effect of a Collaborative Approach on the Quality of Prescribing for Geriatric Inpatients: A Randomized, Controlled Trial
Authors: Spinewine Anne , Swine Christian , Dhillon Soraya , Lambert Philippe , Nachega Jean B. , Wilmotte Léon , Tulkens Paul M. 
Published: March 2007

OBJECTIVES:To evaluate the effect of pharmaceutical care provided in addition to acute Geriatric Evaluation and Management (GEM) care on the appropriateness of prescribing.DESIGN:Randomized, controlled trial, with the patient as unit of randomization.SETTING:Acute GEM unit.PARTICIPANTS:Two hundred three patients aged 70 and older.INTERVENTION:Pharmaceutical care provided from admission to discharge by a specialist clinical pharmacist who had direct contacts with the GEM team and patients.MEASUREMENTS:Appropriateness of prescribing on admission, at discharge, and 3 months after discharge, using the Medication Appropriateness Index (MAI), Beers criteria, and Assessing Care of Vulnerable Elders (ACOVE) underuse criteria and mortality, readmission, and emergency visits up to 12 months after discharge.RESULTS:Intervention patients were significantly more likely than control patients to have an improvement in the MAI and in the ACOVE underuse criteria from admission to discharge (odds ratio (OR)=9.1, 95% confidence interval (CI)=4.2–21.6 and OR=6.1, 95% CI=2.2–17.0, respectively). The control and intervention groups had comparable improvements in the Beers criteria.CONCLUSION:Pharmaceutical care provided in the context of acute GEM care improved the appropriate use of medicines during the hospital stay and after discharge. This is an important finding, because only limited data exist on the effect of various strategies to improve medication use in elderly inpatients. The present approach has the potential to minimize risk and improve patient outcomes.
Home Intravenous Antimicrobial Infusion Therapy: A Viable Option in Older Adults
Authors: Cox Amanda M. , Malani Preeti N. , Wiseman Stephen W. , Kauffman Carol A. 
Published: March 2007

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether older adults and younger adults are equally able to administer home intravenous antimicrobial infusion therapy (home IV antimicrobials) without intensive support from home care agencies.DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study.SETTING: Veterans Affairs Ann Arbor Healthcare System, a 100‐bed tertiary care medical center.PARTICIPANTS: All patients who received home IV antimicrobials from July 1, 2000, through December 31, 2003.MEASUREMENTS: Demographic data, underlying medical conditions, indications for therapy, antimicrobial agents administered, concomitant medications, frequency of patient visits and phone calls, adverse events, and outcomes of infections.RESULTS: A total of 205 patients received 231 courses of home IV antimicrobials, with 107 courses in patients aged 60 and older and 124 courses in patients younger than 60. For both groups, the most common indication for therapy was osteoarticular infections, and the predominant pathogens were Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase‐negative Staphylococcus. Older patients were significantly more likely than younger patients to require the assistance of family members to help with the infusion and were more likely to be seen in urgent care or to call the infectious diseases pharmacist or physicians with questions. Overall, clinical outcomes and numbers of adverse events were similar in both groups, with the exception of nephrotoxicity, which was greater in the older group (P=.02).CONCLUSION: With appropriate support from a hospital‐based home IV antimicrobials therapy team, home IV antimicrobial appears to be a viable option for older adults.
Association Between Fasting Plasma Glucose and Left Ventricular Mass and Left Ventricular Hypertrophy over 4 Years in a Healthy Population Aged 60 and Older
Authors: Lin Tsung‐Hsien , Chiu Herng‐Chia , Su Ho‐Ming , Voon Wen‐Chol , Liu Hong‐Wen , Lai Wen‐Ter , Sheu Sheng‐Hsiung 
Published: March 2007

OBJECTIVES: To test the association between fasting glucose level and left ventricular mass (LVM) and left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in people aged 60 and older.DESIGN: Population‐based prospective study with 4‐year follow‐up.SETTING: Department of Internal Medicine and Family Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University (KMU), Chung‐Ho Memorial Hospital, and Graduate Institute of Medicine and Public Health, KMU.PARTICIPANTS: Of 1,500 people screened, 105 without symptoms or signs of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, or cardiovascular disease were recruited from senior activity centers in Kaohsiung city.MEASUREMENTS: All received two‐dimensional echocardiography and fasting glucose examination at baseline and at 2‐ and 4‐year follow‐up. LVH was defined as a LVM index (LVMI) greater than 122.4 g/m2 or 51 g/m2.7.RESULTS: Age ranged from 60 to 81 (mean 71.7±3.9). Baseline glucose ranged from 83 to 118 mg/dL (mean 99.7±7.9 mg/dL). LVMI was significantly higher at the 4‐year follow‐up (97.5±24.9 vs 104.5±27.5 g/m2 and 44.2±12.1 vs 47.2±13.4 g/m2.7, both P<.01), as was the occurrence of LVH (16% vs 32% and 25% vs 39%, both P<.01). Baseline glucose correlates with 4‐year change in LVMI (both P<.02). In the fourth year, baseline glucose was a significant predictor of LVMI (both P<.01) and LVH (P=.03 in g/m2 definition) using logistic regression analysis.CONCLUSION: Because fasting glucose is an independent predictor for greater LVM and for development of LVH, it should be considered in assessment of cardiac disease and LVM in healthy older people without diabetes mellitus.
Wanderers with Cognitive Impairment in Department of Veterans Affairs Nursing Home Care Units
Authors: Schonfeld Lawrence , King‐Kallimanis Bellinda , Brown Lisa M. , Davis Darlene M. , Kearns William D. , Molinari Victor A. , Werner Dennis H. , Beattie Elizabeth R. , Nelson Audrey L. 
Published: March 2007

OBJECTIVES: To explore the extent of and factors associated with male nursing home residents who wander.DESIGN: Cross‐sectional design with secondary data analyses.SETTING: One hundred thirty‐four nursing home facilities operated by the Department of Veterans Affairs.PARTICIPANTS: Fifteen thousand ninety‐two nursing home residents with moderate or severe cognitive impairment admitted over a 4‐year period.MEASUREMENTS: Selected variables from the Minimum Data Set included ratings recorded at residents' admission to the nursing home (cognitive impairment, mood, behavior problems, activities of daily living, and wandering).RESULTS: In this sample of residents with moderate or severe cognitive impairment, the proportion of wanderers was found to be 21%. Wanderers were more likely to exhibit severe (vs moderate) cognitive impairment, socially inappropriate behavior, resistance to care, use of antipsychotic medication, independence in locomotion or ambulation, and dependence in activities of daily living related to basic hygiene. A sizable proportion of wanderers were found to be wheelchair users (25%) or were wanderers with dual dementia and psychiatric diagnoses (23%), characteristics that are not well documented in the literature.CONCLUSION: These results support previous clinical understanding of wanderers to be those who are more likely to exhibit more‐severe cognitive impairment. Based on a statistical model with variables generated from prior research findings, classification as a wanderer was found to be associated with other disruptive activity such as socially inappropriate behavior and resisting care. Two understudied populations of wanderers were documented: wheelchair wanderers and those with comorbid dementia and psychiatric diagnoses. Future longitudinal studies should examine predictors of wandering behavior, and further research should explore the understudied subpopulations of wheelchair and dual‐diagnosis wanderers who emerged in this study.
Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders Pilot Study: Recruitment and Baseline Characteristics
Authors: Katula Jeffrey A. , Kritchevsky Stephen B. , Guralnik Jack M. , Glynn Nancy W. , Pruitt Leslie , Wallace Kristin , Walkup Michael P. , Hsu Fang‐Chi , Studenski Stephanie A. , Gill Thomas M. , Groessl Erik J. , Wallace Jason M. , Pahor Marco 
Published: March 2007

OBJECTIVES: To describe several recruitment parameters derived from the Lifestyle Interventions and Independence for Elders pilot (LIFE‐P) study for use in a full‐scale trial of mobility disability prevention.DESIGN: A description of the recruiting methods and baseline characteristics of a four‐site randomized, controlled trial testing the effectiveness of a physical activity intervention at preventing mobility disability.SETTING: The Cooper Institute, Dallas, Texas; Stanford University, Stanford, California; University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Wake Forest University, Winston‐Salem, North Carolina.PARTICIPANTS: Community‐living persons aged 70 to 89 who were able to walk 400 m within 15 minutes and were at high risk for disability (scoring<10 on the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)) but without comorbidity severe enough to preclude full study participation.MEASUREMENTS: Measures of efficiency included number of randomized participants per recruitment technique and costs per randomized participant across randomization techniques.RESULTS: The 9‐month recruiting period resulted in 3,141 telephone screens, of which 424 (13.5%) participants were randomized (68.9% women, 25.7% minorities, 41.5% with SPPB scores<8). Forty percent of telephone‐screened participants were excluded primarily because of regular participation in physical activity, health exclusions, or self‐reported mobility disability. Of the 1,252 persons attempting the physical performance assessments, 41% scored above the SPPB cutoff. Of the 566 remaining eligible, 9.9% could not complete the 400‐m walk, and another 18.9% had various medical exclusions. Direct mailing was the most productive recruitment strategy (61.6% of all randomized participants). Recruitment cost approximately $439 per randomized participant.CONCLUSION: The LIFE study achieved all recruitment goals and demonstrated the feasibility of recruiting high‐risk community‐dwelling older persons for trials of disability prevention in diverse geographic areas.
Withdrawal of Fall‐Risk‐Increasing Drugs in Older Persons: Effect on Tilt‐Table Test Outcomes
Authors: Van Der Velde Nathalie , Van Den Meiracker Anton H. , Pols Huibert A. P. , Stricker Bruno H. Ch. , Van Der Cammen Tischa J. M. 
Published: March 2007

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether outcomes of tilt‐table tests improved after withdrawal of fall‐risk‐increasing drugs (FRIDs).DESIGN: Prospective cohort study.SETTING: Geriatric outpatient clinic.PARTICIPANTS: Two hundred eleven new, consecutive outpatients, recruited from April 2003 until December 2004.MEASUREMENTS: Tilt‐table testing was performed on all participants at baseline. Subsequently, FRIDs were withdrawn in all fallers in whom it was safely possible. At a mean follow‐up of 6.7 months, tilt‐table testing was repeated in 137 participants. Tilt‐table testing addressed carotid sinus hypersensitivity (CSH), orthostatic hypotension (OH), and vasovagal collapse (VVC). Odds ratios (ORs) of tilt‐table‐test normalization according to withdrawal (discontinuation or dose reduction) of FRIDs were calculated using multivariate logistic regression analysis.RESULTS: After adjustment for confounders, the reduction of abnormal test outcomes (ORs) according to overall FRID withdrawal was 0.34 (95% confidence interval (CI)=0.06–1.86) for CSH, 0.35 (95% CI=0.13–0.99) for OH, and 0.27 (95% CI=0.02–3.31) for VVC. For the subgroup of cardiovascular FRIDs, the adjusted OR was 0.13 (95% CI=0.03–0.59) for CSH, 0.44 (95% CI=0.18–1.0) for OH, and 0.21 (95% CI=0.03–1.51) for VVC.CONCLUSION: OH improved significantly after withdrawal of FRIDs. Subgroup analysis of cardiovascular FRID withdrawal showed a significant reduction in OH and CSH. These results imply that FRID withdrawal can cause substantial improvement in cardiovascular homeostasis. Derangement of cardiovascular homeostasis may be an important mechanism by which FRID use results in falls.
Bone Mineral Density and Age‐Related Maculopathy in Older Women
Authors: Seitzman Robin L. , Mangione Carol M. , Cauley Jane A. , Ensrud Kristine E. , Stone Katie L. , Cummings Steven R. , Hochberg Marc C. , Hillier Teresa A. , Yu Fei , Coleman Anne L. ,   for the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Research Group
Published: March 2007

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether bone mineral density (BMD) is associated with age‐related maculopathy (ARM) risk in older women.DESIGN: Cross‐sectional analysis at Year 10 (1997/98) of the Study of Osteoporotic Fractures (SOF).SETTING: Four clinical centers in the United States.PARTICIPANTS: One thousand forty‐two randomly sampled SOF participants who attended the Year 10 clinic visit.MEASUREMENTS: ARM status was determined from fundus photographs using a modification of the Wisconsin Age‐Related Maculopathy Grading System 6‐level severity scale used in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey III. Total hip BMD was measured at Year 10 using dual‐energy x‐ray absorptiometry. Information on potential confounders, including age, reproductive hormone exposures, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, nutrition, education, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and physical activity, was ascertained with questionnaires.RESULTS: The prevalence of ARM was 50% (46% had early ARM and 4% had late ARM). After potential confounder adjustment, greater BMD was associated with lower odds of ARM (odds ratio (OR) per 1 standard deviation increase in BMD=0.82, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.70–0.96). Women in the highest quartile of BMD had lower odds of ARM than those in the lowest quartile (OR=0.63, 95% CI=0.41–0.97) and those in the lowest three quartiles combined (OR=0.66, 95% CI=0.48–0.91).CONCLUSION: Higher levels of BMD may be associated with lower risk for ARM. The underlying mechanism is unknown, although BMD may be a marker for lifetime endogenous estrogen exposure. Future studies are needed to replicate these findings and further investigate the nature of the relationship between BMD and ARM.
Metabolic Syndrome and Cognitive Decline in Elderly Latinos: Findings from the Sacramento Area Latino Study of Aging Study
Authors: Yaffe Kristine , Haan Mary , Blackwell Terri , Cherkasova Elena , Whitmer Rachel A. , West Nancy 
Published: March 2007

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of metabolic syndrome on cognitive function in an elderly Latino population and to determine whether inflammation modifies this association.DESIGN: A longitudinal cohort study.SETTING: Sacramento area and the surrounding California counties from 1998 to 1999.PARTICIPANTS: One thousand six hundred twenty‐four Latinos aged 60 and older who participated in the Sacramento Area Latino Study of Aging.MEASUREMENTS: Baseline metabolic syndrome was calculated using the Third Adult Treatment Panel of the National Cholesterol Education Program. Cognitive function was measured using the Modified Mini‐Mental State Examination (3MS) and the Delayed Word‐List Recall (DelRec), a verbal memory test. The effect of metabolic syndrome on cognitive change scores was examined using random effects models; in addition, the effect of the individual components of the syndrome on cognitive change was examined.RESULTS: Of the 1,624 participants, 718 (44%) had metabolic syndrome at baseline. Those with metabolic syndrome had worse 3‐year change scores on 3MS (P=.04) and DelRec (P=.03). Multivariate adjustment attenuated the results for DelRec but not for 3MS. This association was especially pronounced in participants with a high serum level of inflammation, resulting in an average 3MS score 0.64 points lower per year (P=.03) for those with metabolic syndrome. Individual components of metabolic syndrome were not associated with cognitive decline except for elevated glucose on the DelRec (P=.02) and high blood pressure on 3MS (P=.05).CONCLUSION: Metabolic syndrome and inflammation may both contribute to cognitive decline in older people of diverse backgrounds. The results also suggest that, in elderly Latinos, the composite measure of metabolic syndrome is a greater risk for cognitive decline than its individual components.
Alternative Definitions of Sarcopenia, Lower Extremity Performance, and Functional Impairment with Aging in Older Men and Women
Authors: Delmonico Matthew J. , Harris Tamara B. , Lee Jung‐Sun , Visser Marjolein , Nevitt Michael , Kritchevsky Stephen B. , Tylavsky Frances A. , Newman Anne B. ,   for the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study
Published: March 2007

OBJECTIVES: To compare two methods for classifying an individual as sarcopenic for predicting decline in physical function in the Health, Aging and Body Composition Study.DESIGN: Observational cohort study with 5 years of follow‐up.SETTING: Communities in Memphis, Tennessee, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.PARTICIPANTS: Men and women aged 70 to 79 (N=2,976, 52% women, 41% black).MEASUREMENTS: Appendicular lean mass (aLM) was measured using dual energy x‐ray absorptiometry, and participants were classified as sarcopenic first using aLM divided by height squared and then using aLM adjusted for height and body fat mass (residuals). Incidence of persistent lower extremity limitation (PLL) was measured according to self‐report, and change in objective lower extremity performance (LEP) measures were observed using the Short Physical Performance Battery.RESULTS: There was a greater risk of incident PLL in women who were sarcopenic using the residuals sarcopenia method than in women who were not sarcopenic (hazard ratio (HR)=1.34, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.11–1.61) but not in men. Those defined as sarcopenic using the aLM/ht2 method had lower incident PLL than nonsarcopenic men (HR=0.76, 95% CI=0.60–0.96) and women (HR=0.75, 95% CI=0.60–0.93), but these were no longer significant with adjustment for body fat mass. Using the residuals method, there were significantly poorer LEP scores in sarcopenic men and women at baseline and Year 6 and greater 5‐year decline, whereas sarcopenic men defined using the aLM/ht2 method had lower 5‐year decline. Additional adjustment for fat mass attenuated this protective effect.CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that sarcopenia defined using the residuals method, a method that considers height and fat mass together, is better for predicting disability in an individual than the aLM/ht2 method, because it considers fat as part of the definition.
Fund Manager Use of Public Information: New Evidence on Managerial Skills
Authors: KACPERCZYK MARCIN , SERU AMIT 
Published: March 2007

ABSTRACTWe show theoretically that the responsiveness of a fund manager's portfolio allocations to changes in public information decreases in the manager's skill. We go on to estimate this sensitivity (RPI) as the R2 of the regression of changes in a manager's portfolio holdings on changes in public information using a panel of U.S. equity funds. Consistent with RPI containing information related to managerial skills, we find a strong inverse relationship between RPI and various existing measures of performance, and between RPI and fund flows. We also document that both fund‐ and manager‐specific attributes affect RPI.
Managerial Ability, Compensation, and the Closed‐End Fund Discount
Authors: BERK JONATHAN B. , STANTON RICHARD 
Published: March 2007

ABSTRACTThis paper shows that the existence of managerial ability, combined with the labor contract prevalent in the industry, implies that the closed‐end fund discount should exhibit many of the primary features documented in the literature. We evaluate the model's ability to match the quantitative features of the data, and find that it does well, although there is some observed behavior that remains to be explained.
Limits of Arbitrage: Theory and Evidence from the Mortgage‐Backed Securities Market
Authors: GABAIX XAVIER , KRISHNAMURTHY ARVIND , VIGNERON OLIVIER 
Published: March 2007

ABSTRACT“Limits of Arbitrage” theories hypothesize that the marginal investor in a particular asset market is a specialized arbitrageur rather than a diversified representative investor. We examine the mortgage‐backed securities (MBS) market in this light. We show that the risk of homeowner prepayment, which is a wash in the aggregate, is priced in the MBS market. The covariance of prepayment risk with aggregate wealth implies the wrong sign to match the observed prices of prepayment risk. The price of risk is better explained by a kernel based on MBS market‐wide specific risk, consistent with the specialized arbitrageur hypothesis.
Banking Deregulation and Industry Structure: Evidence from the French Banking Reforms of 1985
Authors: BERTRAND MARIANNE , SCHOAR ANTOINETTE , THESMAR DAVID 
Published: March 2007

ABSTRACTWe investigate how the deregulation of the French banking industry in the 1980s affected the real behavior of firms and the structure and dynamics of product markets. Following deregulation, banks are less willing to bail out poorly performing firms and firms in the more bank‐dependent sectors are more likely to undertake restructuring activities. At the industry level, we observe an increase in asset and job reallocation, an improvement in allocative efficiency across firms, and a decline in concentration. Overall, these findings support the view that a more efficient banking sector helps foster a Schumpeterian process of “creative destruction.”
Winners or Losers? The Effects of Banking Consolidation on Corporate Borrowers
Authors: DI PATTI EMILIA BONACCORSI , GOBBI GIORGIO 
Published: March 2007

ABSTRACTWe estimate the impact of bank mergers and acquisitions (M&As) on outstanding credit, credit lines, and the sensitivity of investment to cash flow using a large sample of Italian corporate borrowers. We distinguish between firms that experienced relationship termination as a consequence of bank M&As and those that did not. Our findings are consistent with bank M&As having an adverse effect on credit, particularly when the M&A is followed by relationship termination. The effect persists 3 years and then is absorbed, suggesting that firms are able to compensate for the negative shock.