bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sample size calculations for evaluating mediation
Authors: Vittinghoff E. , Sen Ś. , McCulloch C. E. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractThis paper presents sample size calculations for testing the mediation of the effect of a primary predictor by an intermediate variable. This problem is related to validating surrogate markers and to testing the effect of a primary predictor in the presence of confounders. For those problems, proposals for sample size calculation exist in the literature and can be adapted to the problem of mediation. Methods based on the variance inflation factor in linear regression provide exact sample size calculations for the linear model and approximations for the logistic, Poisson, and Cox models. We propose another procedure based on simulation of the underlying data structure, with applications to the logistic and Cox models. For the Poisson model, a new analytic method is also proposed. The behavior of the different proposals is investigated by means of simulation studies. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Erratum: The effects of procedural and informational justice in the integration of related acquisitions
Authors: Ellis Kimberly M. , Reus Taco H. , Lamont Bruce T. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractThe above article (DOI: 10.1000/smj728) was published online on 20 November 2008 in Wiley
Interscience (www.interscience.wiley.com). Printing errors were subsequently identified in the
article:Page 14. Table 1: row 13 should be labelled ‘Post‐integration financial return’.Page 14. Table 1: row 14 should be labelled ‘Post‐integration market position’.Page 17. lines 48‐50: ‘Improving financial return requires removal of critical organizational
elements with which organization members feel tightly connected.’ should read ‘Improving financial
return requires removal of critical organizational elements such as company names, departments,
products, and people with which organization members feel tightly connected.’
Anaerobic performance in masters athletes
Authors: Reaburn Peter , Dascombe Ben 
Published: December 2008

AbstractWith increasing age, it appears that masters athletes competing in anaerobic events (10–100 s) decline linearly in performance until 70 years of age, after which the rate of decline appears to accelerate. This decline in performance appears strongly related to a decreased anaerobic work capacity, which has been observed in both sedentary and well-trained older individuals. Previously, a number of factors have been suggested to influence anaerobic work capacity including gender, muscle mass, muscle fiber type, muscle fiber size, muscle architecture and strength, substrate availability, efficiency of metabolic pathways, accumulation of reaction products, aerobic energy contribution, heredity, and physical training. The effects of sedentary aging on these factors have been widely discussed within literature. Less data are available on the changes in these factors in masters athletes who have continued to train at high intensities with the aim of participating in competition. The available research has reported that these masters athletes still demonstrate age-related changes in these factors. Specifically, it appears that morphological (decreased muscle mass, type II muscle fiber atrophy), muscle contractile property (decreased rate of force development), and biochemical changes (changes in enzyme activity, decreased lactate production) may explain the decreased anaerobic performance in masters athletes. However, the reduction in anaerobic work capacity and subsequent performance may largely be the result of physiological changes that are an inevitable result of the aging process, although their effects may be minimized by continuing specific high-intensity resistance or sprint training.
Effects of Proteins from Culture Medium on Surface Property of Silanes- Functionalized Magnetic Nanoparticles
Authors: Chen ZP , Xu RZ , Zhang Y , Gu N 
Published: December 2008

Abstract
Monodisperse magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) were synthesized by thermal decomposition of iron-oleate and functionalized with silanes bearing various functional groups such as amino group (NH2), short-chain poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), and carboxylic group (COOH). Then, silanes-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles (silanes-MNPs) were incubated in cell culture medium plus fetal calf serum to investigate the effects of proteins from culture medium on surface property of MNPs. Zeta potential measurements showed that although surface charges of silanes-MNPs were different, they exhibited negative charges at neutral pH and approximate isoelectric points after they were incubated in cell culture medium. The reason was that silanes-MNPs could easily adsorb proteins from culture medium via non-covalent binding, resulting in the formation of protein-silanes-MNPs conjugates. Moreover, silanes-MNPs with various functional groups had different adsorption capacity to proteins, as confirmed by Coomassie blue fast staining method. The in vitro cell experiments showed that protein-silanes-MNPs had higher cellular uptake by cancer cells than silanes-MNPs.
An Effective Amperometric Biosensor Based on Gold Nanoelectrode Arrays
Authors: Liu Yanyan , Zhu Yingchun , Zeng Yi , Xu Fangfang 
Published: December 2008

Abstract
A sensitive amperometric biosensor based on gold nanoelectrode array (NEA) was investigated. The gold nanoelectrode array was fabricated by template-assisted electrodeposition on general electrodes, which shows an ordered well-defined 3D structure of nanowires. The sensitivity of the gold NEA to hydrogen peroxide is 37 times higher than that of the conventional electrode. The linear range of the platinum NEA toward H2O2is from 1 × 10−6to 1 × 10−2 M, covering four orders of magnitudes with detection limit of 1 × 10−7 M and a single noise ratio (S/N) of four. The enzyme electrode exhibits an excellent response performance to glucose with linear range from 1 × 10−5to 1 × 10−2 M and a fast response time within 8 s. The Michaelis–Menten constantk m and the maximum current densityi
maxof the enzyme electrode were 4.97 mM and 84.60 μA cm−2, respectively. This special nanoelectrode may find potential application in other biosensors based on amperometric signals.
Can keratinocytes cause failure of osseointegration?
Authors: Khwaja S , Curry A , Chaudhry I H , Green K M J 
Published: December 2008

AbstractAim:Bone-anchored hearing aids are well established, implanted devices. We present two patients who suffered mixed hearing loss and who underwent titanium implant placement in the temporal bone to enable attachment of bone-anchored hearing aids. Osseointegration is necessary for such implants to function. We report these two cases to highlight how such osseointegration may be disrupted.Method:Attached tissue from the explanted or removed titanium implants was examined by transmission electron microscopy and histopathological analysis.Results:Attached tissue from both implants showed the presence of keratinocytes at the titanium implant and living bone interface. This was confirmed by histopathological analysis. In one case, there was frank keratinocyte proliferation, which had led to osseointegration failure; in the other case, such proliferation was present but not so advanced.Conclusion:These findings suggest that, in the cases reported, keratinocytes implanted between the titanium and the living bone, leading to disruption of osseointegration.
Elite Education and the Viability of a Lockean Society
Authors: Bradizza Luigi 
Published: December 2008

AbstractInSome Thoughts Concerning Education, John Locke intends that gentlemen educated according to his standards quietly dethrone the aristocrats as the model for society. Locke hopes to direct most gentlemen away from a desire to imitate aristocratic manners and toward practical economic goals consistent with the needs of all. The excellent example of the new gentlemen will combine with their good treatment of the lower classes to entice the latter to imitate them. Locke thus hopes to reconcile gentlemen and the common man. Crucial components of this education include a tough physical regimen, the humane treatment of servants, and the re-education of fathers. Locke's educational program supports his political goals in theSecond Treatiseand is somewhat adaptable to our own democratic age.
Nietzsche For and Against the Enlightenment
Authors: Garrard Graeme 
Published: December 2008

AbstractThis essay explores Nietzsche's attitude to the Enlightenment, which the author argues underwent a major reversal between his so-called middle works and his later writings. The author examines the nature of this change and considers some of the reasons behind it. In the process, some of Nietzsche's “postmodern” admirers are taken to task for appropriating his criticisms of the Enlightenment without acknowledging his ambivalence toward it. Furthermore, the radical change in Nietzsche's view of the Enlightenment is taken as evidence of the periodization of his thought, which some prominent Nietzsche scholars (e.g. Walter Kaufmann) have disputed.
The influence of visual feedback and register changes on sign language production: A kinematic study with deaf signers
Authors: EMMOREY KAREN , GERTSBERG NELLY , KORPICS FRANCO , WRIGHT CHARLES E. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACTSpeakers monitor their speech output by listening to their own voice. However, signers do not look directly at their hands and cannot see their own face. We investigated the importance of a visual perceptual loop for sign language monitoring by examining whether changes in visual input alter sign production. Deaf signers produced American Sign Language (ASL) signs within a carrier phrase under five conditions: blindfolded, wearing tunnel-vision goggles, normal (citation) signing, shouting, and informal signing. Three-dimensional movement trajectories were obtained using an Optotrak Certus system. Informally produced signs were shorter with less vertical movement. Shouted signs were displaced forward and to the right and were produced within a larger volume of signing space, with greater velocity, greater distance traveled, and a longer duration. Tunnel vision caused signers to produce less movement within the vertical dimension of signing space, but blind and citation signing did not differ significantly on any measure, except duration. Thus, signers do not “sign louder” when they cannot see themselves, but they do alter their sign production when vision is restricted. We hypothesize that visual feedback serves primarily to fine-tune the size of signing space rather than as input to a comprehension-based monitor.
Overlapping self-affine sets of Kakeya type
Authors: KÄENMÄKI ANTTI , SHMERKIN PABLO 
Published: December 2008

AbstractWe compute the Minkowski dimension for a family of self-affine sets on ℝ2. Our result holds for every (rather than generic) set in the class. Moreover, we exhibit explicit open subsets of this class where we allow overlapping, and do not impose any conditions on the norms of the linear maps. The family under consideration was inspired by the theory of Kakeya sets.
Algebraic Properties of ModuloqComplete ℓ-Wide Families
Authors: FELSZEGHY BÁLINT , HEGEDŰS GÁBOR , RÓNYAI LAJOS 
Published: December 2008

Letqbe a power of a primep, and letn,d, ℓ be integers such that 1 ≤n, 1 ≤ ℓ <q. Consider the moduloqcomplete ℓ-wide family:We describe a Gröbner basis of the vanishing idealI() of the set of characteristic vectors ofover fields of characteristicp. It turns out that this set of polynomials is a Gröbner basis for all term orderings ≺, for which the order of the variables isxn≺xn−1≺ ⋅⋅⋅ ≺x1.We compute the Hilbert function ofI(), which yields formulae for the moduloprank of certain inclusion matrices related to.We apply our results to problems from extremal set theory. We prove a sharp upper bound of the cardinality of a moduloqℓ-wide family, which shatters only small sets. This is closely related to a conjecture of Frankl [13] on certain ℓ-antichains. The formula of the Hilbert function also allows us to obtain an upper bound on the size of a set system with certain restricted intersections, generalizing a bound proposed by Babai and Frankl [6].The paper generalizes and extends the results of [15], [16] and [17].
The assessment of complexity in congenital cardiac surgery based on objective data
Authors: Clarke David R. , Lacour-Gayet Francois , Jacobs Jeffrey Phillip , Jacobs Marshall L. , Maruszewski Bohdan , Pizarro Christian , Edwards Fred H. , Mavroudis Constantine 
Published: December 2008

AbstractWhen designed in 2000, the Aristotle Complexity Score was entirely based on subjective probability. This approach, based on the opinion of experts, was considered a good solution due to the limited amount of data available. In 2008, the next generation of the complexity score will be based on observed data available from over 100,000 congenital cardiac operations currently gathered in the congenital cardiac surgery databases of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery.A mortality score is created based on 70,000 surgeries harvested in the congenital databases of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and The European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. It is derived from 118 congenital cardiovascular operations, representing 91% of the operations and including 97% of the patients. This Mortality Index of the new Aristotle Complexity Score could further be stratified into 5 levels with minimal within-group variation and maximal between-group variation, and may contribute to the planned unification of the Aristotle Complexity Score with the Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery system.Similarly, a score quantifying morbidity risk is created. Due to the progress of congenital cardiac surgery, the mortality is today reduced to an average of 4%. No instrument currently exists to measure the quality of care delivered to the survivors representing 96% of the patients. An objective assessment of morbidity was needed. The Morbidity Index, based on 50,000 operations gathered in the congenital databases of The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and The European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery, is derived from 117 congenital cardiovascular operations representing 90% of the operations and including 95% of the patients. This morbidity indicator is calculated on an algorithm based on length of stay in the hospital and time on the ventilator.The mortality and morbidity indicators will be part of the next generation of the complexity score, which will be named the Aristotle Average Complexity Score. It will be based on the sum of mortality, morbidity, and subjective technical difficulty. The introduction of objective data in assessment of mortality and morbidity in congenital cardiac surgery is a significant step forward, which should allow a better evaluation of the complexity of the operations performed by a given centre or surgeon.
Dietary fibre intake of pregnant women attending general practices in southern Brazil – The ECCAGE Study
Authors: Buss Caroline , Nunes Maria Angélica , Camey Suzi , Manzolli Patricia , Soares Rafael Marques , Drehmer Michele , Giacomello Andressa , Duncan Bruce Bartholow , Schmidt Maria Inês 
Published: December 2008

AbstractBackgroundIncrease in fibre intake during pregnancy may reduce weight gain, glucose intolerance, dyslipidaemia, pre-eclampsia and constipation. Few studies have evaluated adequacy of fibre intake during pregnancy.ObjectiveTo assess, through an FFQ, the dietary fibre intake of pregnant women receiving prenatal care from general public practices and compare it with current guidelines.Design and settingCross-sectional analyses of a pregnancy cohort study (ECCAGE – Study of Food Intake and Eating Behaviour in Pregnancy) conducted in eighteen general practices in southern Brazil, from June 2006 to April 2007.SubjectsFive hundred and seventy-eight pregnant women with mean (sd) age of 24·9 (6·5) years and mean gestational age of 24·5 (5·8) weeks.ResultsThe mean energy intake was 11 615 kJ/d (2776 kcal/d). The mean total fibre intake (30·2 g/d) was slightly above the recommended value of 28g/d (P< 0·001), yet 50 % (95 % CI 46, 54) of the women failed to meet the recommendation. Whole-grain fibre constituted only 1 % of total fibre intake in the cereal group. In adjusted Poisson regression analyses, not meeting the recommendation for fibre intake was associated with alcohol intake (prevalence ratio 1·29; 95 % CI 1·11, 1·50) and absence of nutritional guidance (prevalence ratio 1·22; 95 % CI 1·05, 1·42) during pregnancy.ConclusionsAbout half of the pregnant women failed to meet the recommended fibre intake, especially those not reporting nutritional guidance during pregnancy. For most women, whole-grain cereal intake was absent or trivial. Taken together, our data indicate the need, at least in this setting, for greater nutritional education in prenatal care.
Free light chains in plasma of patients with light chain amyloidosis and non‐amyloid light chain deposition disease. High proportion and heterogeneity of disulfide‐linked monoclonal free light chains as pathogenic features of amyloid disease
Authors: Kaplan Batia , Ramirez‐Alvarado Marina , Sikkink Laura , Golderman Sicilia , Dispenzieri Angela , Livneh Avi , Gallo Gloria 
Published: December 2008

SummaryImmunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis (AL) and non‐amyloid light chain deposition disease (NALCDD) are different forms of protein aggregation disorders accompanied by a monoclonal gammopathy. Monoclonal free light chains (FLCs) are precursors of the pathological light chain tissue deposits that are fibrillar in AL and granular in NALCDD. However, direct biochemical examination of plasma FLC precursors, which would allow comparison and better understanding of these two diseases, is still lacking. In this study, we examined FLCs in plasma of patients with AL and NALCDD by employing separation on Sep‐PaK C18 cartridges, micro‐preparative electrophoresis, Western blotting and mass spectrometry. Comparative analysis of AL versus NALCDD and control plasma samples showed new evidence of increased level and heterogeneity of circulating disulfide‐bound FLC species in AL. In addition to full length monomers comprising the disulfide‐linked FLCs, the monoclonal disulfide‐bound FLC fragments were typically revealed in AL plasma. We hypothesized that enhanced disulfide binding of FLCs in AL interferes with their normal clearance and metabolism, which in turn might play a role in amyloid formation. The applied methods might be useful to diagnose or predict the pathological form of the disease and shed light on the mechanisms involved in light chain aggregation in tissues.
Loss of phosphorus from soil in semi‐arid northern Tanzania as a result of cropping: evidence from sequential extraction and 31P‐NMR spectroscopy
Authors: Solomon D. , Lehman N. J. 
Published: December 2008

SummaryIn semi‐arid northern Tanzania, the native woodland is being rapidly cleared and replaced by low input agriculture. This has resulted in pronounced environmental degradation, and in particular loss of phosphorus (P) from the soil. We have used sequential extraction and 31P‐NMR to investigate the effects of land use changes, i.e. native woodland, degraded woodland, cultivation for 3 and 15 years and homestead fields where manure was applied, on the amount and structural composition of P in this soil. Clearing and continuous cultivation reduced both organic and inorganic P in the soil. The difference in the amount of organic P from the bulk soil of the fields cultivated for 3 and 15 years was not statistically significant (P < 0.05), suggesting that most of the depletion in organic P occurred during the first 3 years of cultivation. By contrast, in the homesteads, there was much organic and inorganic P in the soil. The 31P‐NMR revealed that cultivation resulted in a 53% depletion of orthophosphate diester P, whereas only a 30% and 39% reduction of orthophosphate monoester P was found in the bulk soil after 3 and 15 years of cultivation, respectively. These results concur with the suggestion that diester P constitutes more easily mineralizable forms of organic P in soil than does monoester P. Our 31P‐NMR also showed that 70% of the inorganic orthophosphate P was depleted from the coarse and fine sand separates as a result of cultivation. The influence of clearing and subsequent cropping on the amount and forms of P was more pronounced in the coarse and fine sand than in the silt and clay, stressing the importance of particle size and chemical properties such as organic matter and oxides in the availability of P in this soil. Our results show that the current low input agricultural practice is not sustainable, and that practices must be developed to combat the ongoing degradation of the soil. A combined use of available organic materials such as animal manure with the judicious use of inorganic fertilizers can replenish the soil's fertility.
Transformation of organic matter from maize residues into labile and humic fractions of three European soils as revealed by 13C distribution and CPMAS‐NMR spectra
Authors: Spaccini R. , Piccolo A. , Haberhauer G. , Gerzabek M. H. 
Published: December 2008

SummaryThe dynamics of incorporation of fresh organic residues into the various fractions of soil organic matter have yet to be clarified in terms of chemical structures and mechanisms involved. We studied by 13C‐dilution analysis and CPMAS‐13C‐NMR spectroscopy the distribution of organic carbon from mixed or mulched maize residues into specific defined fractions such as carbohydrates and humic fractions isolated by selective extractants in a year‐long incubation of three European soils. The contents of carbohydrates in soil particle size fractions and relative δ13C values showed no retention of carbohydrates from maize but rather decomposition of those from native organic matter in the soil. By contrast, CPMAS‐13C‐NMR spectra of humic (HA) and fulvic acids (FA) extracted by alkaline solution generally indicated the transfer of maize C (mostly carbohydrates and peptides) into humic materials, whereas spectra of organic matter extracted with an acetone solution (HE) indicated solubilization of an aliphatic‐rich, hydrophobic fraction that seemed not to contain any C from maize. The abundance of 13C showed that all humic fractions behaved as a sink for C from maize residues but the FA fraction was related to the turnover of fresh organic matter more than the HA. Removal of hydrophobic components from incubated soils by acetone solution allowed a subsequent extraction of HA and, especially, FA still containing much C from maize. The combination of isotopic measurements and NMR spectra indicated that while hydrophilic compounds from maize were retained in HA and FA, hydrophobic components in the HE fraction had chemical features similar to those of humin. Our results show that the organic compounds released in soils by mineralization of fresh plant residues are stored mainly in the hydrophilic fraction of humic substances which are, in turn, stabilized against microbial degradation by the most hydrophobic humic matter. Our findings suggest that native soil humic substances contribute to the accumulation of new organic matter in soils.