bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The DEAD-box RNA helicase-like Utp25 is an SSU processome component
Authors: Charette J. Michael , Baserga Susan J.
Published: October 2010

The SSU processome is a large ribonucleoprotein complex consisting of the U3 snoRNA and at least 43 proteins. A database search, initiated in an effort to discover additional SSU processome components, identified the uncharacterized, conserved and essential yeast nucleolar protein YIL091C/UTP25 as one such candidate. The C-terminal DUF1253 motif, a domain of unknown function, displays limited sequence similarity to DEAD-box RNA helicases. In the absence of the conserved DEAD-box sequence, motif Ia is the only clearly identifiable helicase element. Since the yeast homolog is nucleolar and interacts with components of the SSU processome, we examined its role in pre-rRNA processing. Genetic depletion of Utp25 resulted in slowed growth. Northern analysis of pre-rRNA revealed an 18S rRNA maturation defect at sites A0, A1, and A2. Coimmunoprecipitation confirmed association with U3 snoRNA and with Mpp10, and with components of the t-Utp/UtpA, UtpB, and U3 snoRNP subcomplexes. Mutation of the conserved motif Ia residues resulted in no discernable temperature-sensitive or cold-sensitive growth defects, implying that this motif is dispensable for Utp25 function. A yeast two-hybrid screen of Utp25 against other SSU processome components revealed several interacting proteins, including Mpp10, Utp3, and Utp21, thereby identifying the first interactions among the different subcomplexes of the SSU processome. Furthermore, the DUF1253 domain is required and sufficient for the interaction of Utp25 with Utp3. Thus, Utp25 is a novel SSU processome component that, along with Utp3, forms the first identified interactions among the different SSU processome subcomplexes.
Dormant Ties: The Value Of Reconnecting
Authors: Levin Daniel Z. , Walter Jorge , Murnighan J. Keith
Published: October 2010

The social networks literature suggests that ties must be maintained to retain value. In contrast, we show that reconnecting dormant ties—former ties, now out of touch—can be extremely useful. Our research prompted Executive MBA students to consult their dormant contacts about an important work project; outcomes compared favorably to those of their current ties. In addition, reconnecting previously strong ties led to all of the four benefits that are usually associated with either weak ties (efficiency and novelty) or strong ties (trust and shared perspective). These findings suggest that dormant relationships—often overlooked or underutilized—can be a valuable source of knowledge and social capital.
Governance Form and Organizational Adaptation: Lessons from the Savings and Loan Industry in the 1980s
Authors: Moore James H. , Kraatz Matthew S.
Published: October 2010

This paper explores how governance form affects the organizational capacity for adaptation. We make a general case about the importance of governance in adaptation, and we identify three mechanisms through which governance form may affect organizations' ability to manage the competency and failure traps that often frustrate the process. We look for evidence of these mechanisms through a study of the U.S. Savings and Loan (S&L) industry in the 1980s. This is an apt context because S&Ls were confronted by severe environmental changes that suggested a need for change of a relatively radical sort during this decade and because the industry contains a mix of governance forms (stock form firms and mutual associations). We examine whether mutuals and stocks differed in their propensity to move away from their traditional business and mission of residential mortgage lending in response to the challenges of the 1980s. We also consider whether stocks and mutuals differed in their performance outcomes during this decade. Results indicate that mutuals were slightly less prone toward change but were in no sense inertial. They also show that mutuals performed better overall and appeared to change more successfully than did stock firms. The overall pattern of results suggests that mutual governance was a resource that allowed S&Ls to better balance exploration and exploitation in the face of a changing and ambiguous environment. We consider the broader implications of these findings for research on organizational adaptation, governance form, and governance more generally.
Multi‐level aspects of social cohesion of secondary schools and pupils' feelings of safety
Authors: Mooij Ton , Smeets Ed , de Wit Wouter
Published: October 2010

Background. School safety and corresponding feelings of both pupils and school staff are beginning to receive more and more attention. The social cohesion characteristics of a school may be useful in promoting feelings of safety, particularly in pupils.

Aims. To conceptualize theoretically, and check empirically a two‐level model of social cohesion between and within schools, in order to explain a pupil's feelings of safety at school.

Samples. Data were collected aided by a national Dutch survey in secondary education carried out via the Internet. In 2008, digital questionnaires were completed by about 78,800 pupils, 6,200 teachers and educational support staff, and 600 school managers.

Methods. Data were checked for reliability and representativity. Social cohesion was indicated by self‐reported measures of individual pupils and by aggregating scale and item scores of school managers, teachers, and other support staff within schools. Multi‐level analysis using individual pupil data and school‐level data was performed using MLwiN.

Results. A pupil's age, educational attainment level, experience of mild physical violence, prosocial rules of conduct and joint control of these rules, and school measures against playing truant, show positive influences on a pupil's feelings of safety at school. Negative influences are exerted by not feeling most at home in The Netherlands, peers taking drugs and weapons into school, and by experiencing social violence, severe physical violence, and sexual violence. Negative school effects exist simultaneously in severe physical violence experienced by teachers and other staff, and in curriculum differentiation applied by teachers and other staff; a positive school effect is school size. Some interaction effects between pupil and school‐level variables were explored.

Conclusions. The variance at school level is relatively low compared with the variance at pupil level. However, a much higher percentage of variance at school level than at pupil level is explained with respect to the pupils' feelings of safety at school. The resulting two‐level model also reflects the streaming of pupils in Dutch secondary schools. To improve school safety, the national results emphasize the need to enhance prosocial behaviour rules and to enhance the shared control of these rules between teachers and pupils. They also emphasize the need for the school to take measures that prevent truancy and redefine curriculum differentiation procedures. National educational policy and research can combine efforts to assist schools in developing reliable and valid procedures to increase effectively safety in and around schools.
‘In fairy tales fairies can disappear’: Children's reasoning about the characteristics of humans and fantasy figures
Authors: Boerger Elizabeth A.
Published: October 2010

Two studies assessed whether children share with adults a concept of fantasy figures as entities that violate causal principles. Inferences about the characteristics of humans and fantasy figures were elicited with a forced‐choice questionnaire. Items from the biological, psychological, and physical domains pitted possible against impossible abilities; social domain items pitted conventional against unconventional behaviours. Older children (6–9 years) and adults attributed few non‐human characteristics from any domain to humans and attributed more impossible than unconventional characteristics to fantasy figures. Younger children (3–5 years) attributed fewer non‐human characteristics to humans than to fantasy figures, but attributed similar patterns of impossible and unconventional characteristics to humans and fantasy figures. Results are discussed in terms of cognitive changes between 3–5 and 6–9 years, and between 6–9 years and adulthood, that promote awareness that impossible abilities are uniquely associated with fantasy.
A Global Investigation into the Constellation of Consumer Attitudes toward Global and Local Products
Authors: Steenkamp Jan-Benedict E.M. , de Jong Martijn G.
Published: October 2010

In this article, the authors introduce attitude toward global products (AGP) and attitude toward local products (ALP) as generalized attitudinal constructs and address the four issues these constructs raise: (1) How are AGP and ALP related to each other? (2) What is the motivational structure underlying AGP and ALP? (3) Is the proposed theory culturally circumscribed, or does it generalize across countries? and (4) What are the managerially relevant implications of these consumer attitudes? To answer these questions, the authors propose and empirically test an integrated structure for AGP and ALP and their antecedents, organized around the powerful motivational concept of values. They test their theory using a unique data set involving 13,000 respondents from 28 countries in the Americas, Asia, and Europe, thus allowing for a global investigation of a global issue. The study findings provide managers with strategic direction on how to market their products in a globalized world.
Promoting Brands across Categories with a Social Cause: Implementing Effective Embedded Premium Programs
Authors: Henderson Ty , Arora Neeraj
Published: October 2010

Embedded premium (EP) promotions promise purchase-contingent donations to a social cause and are typically studied within a single category. However, EP programs spanning multiple product categories and brands are widespread. This research investigates fundamental questions regarding where and to what extent an EP promotion should be used in multicategory contexts. Using experimental choice data from more than 3500 people in two studies, the authors examine multicategory EP programs in two distinct branding environments: spanning a diverse house-of-brands portfolio or covering a multicategory product line that shares a common corporate brand name. For the corporate brand context, the results show that EP effects in one category carry over to adjacent categories that do not have an EP association. Greater multicategory EP prevalence does not enhance brand attractiveness beyond the effect of a single EP exposure. For the house-of-brands context, there is an inverse relationship between brand strength and incremental gain from EP. From a return-on-investment standpoint, EP promotions are more efficient than price promotions because they enhance brand preference and are relatively cheaper to deploy. The results make a strong case for a more discriminating implementation of EP programs across brands and categories.
Motivating Salespeople to Sell New Products: The Relative Influence of Attitudes, Subjective Norms, and Self-Efficacy
Authors: Fu Frank Q. , Richards Keith A. , Hughes Douglas E. , Jones Eli
Published: October 2010

This research explores the relative influence of salespeople's attitudes toward selling a new product, perceptions of subjective norms, and self-efficacy on the development of selling intentions and, ultimately, the success of a new product launch. The longitudinal study employs a nonlinear growth curve model that leverages survey data from industrial salespeople and objective performance records of their daily sales during the first several months in the market of two new products: a new-to-market product and a line extension. By examining salesperson-level variance on new product performance, the authors suggest that managers should focus on increasing salesperson self-efficacy and positive attitudes toward selling the product to build selling intentions and quickly grow new product performance. They also suggest that sales managers should resist the temptation to rely on normative pressure during a new product introduction. Not only are subjective norms less effective in building selling intentions, but they also diminish the positive impact of attitudes and self-efficacy on salesperson intentions and constrain the positive relationships between intentions and performance and self-efficacy and performance.
Does Accommodating a Self-Serving Partner in an International Marketing Alliance Pay Off?
Authors: Bello Daniel C. , Katsikeas Constantine S. , Robson Matthew J.
Published: October 2010

This research examines a firm's performance in an international marketing alliance when it responds to a self-serving partner's exploitive behavior with accommodation, a cooperative response motivated by the firm's commitment to the venture. The authors theorize that a wronged firm's payoff from accommodation depends on its approach to monitoring, either employing overt surveillance or relying on its partner's self-control. Overt surveillance is believed to undermine accommodation's ability to convince a selfish partner that cooperation is beneficial and not inconsistent with its self-interest. In contrast, because no or low monitoring is a relational approach to evaluation, it tends to reinforce accommodation, persuading a competitive partner to reciprocate cooperatively. Data collected from 174 international marketing alliances support the authors’ prediction that under low monitoring, accommodation is positively associated with performance in the alliance. Unexpectedly, under high monitoring, performance is greatest under both low and high accommodation. An explanation may lie in accommodation theory's notion that as accommodation increases, a selfish partner transitions from competition to cooperation, ceasing to exploit accommodation and upturning performance.
Parameters in minimalist theory: The case of Scandinavian
Authors: Holmberg Anders
Published: October 2010

The P&P theory of UG has come under heavy criticism, lately, from outside but also from inside generative grammar. The claim is that the search for ‘deep parameters’ underlying clusters of properties across languages has led nowhere, and should be given up. I have revisited a theory, now two decades old, which explained ten syntactic differences between Insular and Mainland Scandinavian as the effects of a single parametric difference (in a series of works by C. Platzack and A. Holmberg). The theory is shown to be fundamentally right, descriptively and theoretically. Later developments in generative theory only serve to sharpen the formulations, adding another layer of explanatory depth to the earlier theory. The conclusion is that there are parameters of the traditional kind. The problems encountered when the theory is tested on more distantly related languages is discussed on the basis of facts from Finnish. P&P theory is perfectly consistent with the minimalist approach to UG and variation when parameters are seen as points of under-specification in UG, and restrictions on variation are seen as, in part, third factor effects, in the sense of Chomsky (Linguistic Inquiry 36: 1–22, 2005).
Alone on Elm Street
Authors: Lowenstein Adam
Published: October 2010

The 2010 remake of A Nightmare on Elm Street, directed by Samuel Bayer, is indebted to Wes Craven's 1984 original as well as other predecessors for its horror effects—but it avoids the exploration of community and politics that made the earlier films compelling.
Sad Times: An Interview with Elia Suleiman
Authors: White Rob
Published: October 2010

An interview with Palestinian director Elia Suleiman in which he discusses family history, the influence of Ozu and others, his films' poetic qualities and their politics, with particular emphasis on The Time That Remains.
Autoinflammatory Diseases in the Neonate: Mimickers of Neonatal Infections
Authors: Lionetti Geraldina , Lapidus Sivia , Goldbach-Mansky Raphaela , Frankovich Jennifer
Published: October 2010

Autoinflammatory diseases encompass a growing list of disorders that lead to systemic and organ-specific inflammation. Such diseases can present in the fetal and neonatal periods, mimicking bacterial infections, congenital viral infections, and genetic syndromes. The concept of autoinflammatory diseases was proposed only 10 years ago with the identification of genes underlying periodic fever syndromes. Unlike autoimmune diseases that primarily involve the adaptive immune response, autoinflammatory disorders are caused by excessive activation of the innate immune system. Clinical features of autoinflammatory diseases may include fevers, rash, conjunctivitis, hepatosplenomegaly, peritonitis, osteomyelitis, arthritis, and meningitis. Therefore, affected patients often are misdiagnosed with neonatal infections. Some of the autoinflammatory diseases present with distinct morphologic features that may be mistaken for various genetic syndromes. Many are characterized by recurrent episodes of fevers throughout life, leading to inappropriate use of antibiotics. A new understanding of the innate immune system has allowed for the development of “biologics” or medications that can target dysregulated cytokine production. Early diagnosis of autoinflmmatory diseases allows appropriate management of fevers and other manifestations. In some cases, initiation of anticytokine therapy can significantly alter devastating manifestations, including failure to thrive and neurologic deterioration. This review focuses on autoinflammatory disorders that commonly present in the neonatal period.
Immunosuppressive Drugs and Pregnancy: Mycophenolate Mofetil Embryopathy
Authors: Perez-Aytes Antonio , Ledo Ana , Boso Virginia , Carey John C. , Castell Marta , Vento Maximo
Published: October 2010

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and its active metabolite mycophenolic acid (MPA) are both very effective immunosuppressive agents widely used for the prevention of organ rejection following transplantation and in the therapy of autoimmune diseases. In experimental studies performed in pregnant animals, MMF exhibited teratogenicity, which later was confirmed in humans, as documented in the United States National Transplantation Pregnancy Registry (NTPR). In 2008, a specific pattern of malformations associated with in utero exposure to MMF was suggested. Subsequently, numerous reports in the scientific literature of newborns having similar patterns of malformations born to mothers who had undergone transplantation and were receiving immunosuppressive therapy provided supporting evidence for the existence of a specific MMF embryopathy. The most consistent characteristics of the MMF embryopathy phenotype include cleft lip and palate, microtia and aural atresia, and ocular anomalies (hypertelorism, arching eyebrows). Perinatal clinicians should be aware of the potential teratogenicity of MMF. Importantly, effective contraception measures should be recommended to fertile women who have received transplants before they become pregnant. Given the cumulative effect of MMF, contraceptive measures should be continued for at least 6 months after discontinuing MMF therapy.
Radiation exposure during cardiac catheterization: Implications for the transradial approach
Authors: Komócsi András , Kónyi A. , Kovács E. , Ungi I.
Published: October 2010

Coronary angiography and intervention became an integral part of the modern cardiology. These invasive procedures beside their firmly established benefits also expose the patient to a hazard for access site complication, contrast material and radiation exposure. Transradial access significantly reduces the risk associated with the arterial puncture; however its effect regarding the radiation exposure is debated. Our aim was to review the aspects of transradial coronary intervention in the context of the radiation exposure. This review focuses on key aspects of feasibility and safety related to the access site choice and the learning curve.
Geosynthetic capillary barriers: current state of knowledge
Authors: Zornberg J.G. , Bouazza A. , McCartney J.S.
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT: This paper provides theoretical background, laboratory data and full-scale measurements useful in understanding the interaction between soils and geosynthetics under unsaturated conditions. It also includes an evaluation of the current state of knowledge regarding the hydraulic properties of porous geosynthetics under unsaturated conditions relevant for geosynthetic capillary barrier design. These properties include the water retention curve and the hydraulic conductivity function. In addition, the mechanisms involved in the development of capillary barriers are evaluated to explain the storage of water at the interface between materials with contrasting hydraulic conductivity (e.g. a fine-grained soil and a nonwoven geotextile). Finally, specific applications are presented to illustrate new opportunities and applications that may result from a better understanding of the unsaturated hydraulic properties of geosynthetics. Experimental data are provided illustrating that geosynthetic capillary barriers are superior to soil-only capillary barriers. Based on this observation, it is emphasized that no capillary barrier should be designed without consideration of the enhanced performance offered by the inclusion of nonwoven geotextiles under the fine-grained soil component of the cover.
Development of suction measurement techniques to quantify the water retention behaviour of GCLs
Authors: Beddoe R.A. , Take W.A. , Rowe R.K.
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT: Geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) have the potential to act as excellent hydraulic barriers, and have been successfully used in numerous barrier system applications, including composite landfill liners. In order to function effectively in the role of a hydraulic barrier, these products must first hydrate through the uptake of moisture from the subsoil. They then must demonstrate adequate dimensional stability during any subsequent moisture loss, to avoid separation of the panel overlaps. The key to understanding these moisture uptake and retention phenomena is the constitutive relationship between suction and moisture content. This relationship is commonly referred to as the water retention curve (WRC) of a material. Despite the significance of this relationship for the final success of the barrier, only a few studies have successfully quantified portions of water retention curves, and for only a subset of available GCL product types. This scarcity of data is due primarily to the inherent difficulty of determining this function experimentally for a composite material such as a GCL, and to the difficulty in measuring the wide range of suctions that need to be investigated. In response to this data gap, a dual-technique strategy for the quantification of WRC for GCLs is investigated in this paper, in which two different suction measurement techniques (high-capacity tensiometers and capacitive relative humidity sensors) have been assessed to see whether they are capable of experimentally quantifying the relationship between moisture content and suction for a GCL. This paper discusses the sample preparation techniques and required equilibration times for these techniques, and demonstrates that they can provide water retention data for GCLs that are consistent with published results.
A novel laboratory technique to determine the water retention curve of geosynthetic clay liners
Authors: Abuel-Naga H. , Bouazza A.
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT: The aim of this paper is to discuss the suitability of different soil laboratory techniques for determining the water retention curve (WRC) of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs), and to introduce a new testing method that takes into consideration the special geometric and structural configurations of GCLs. A modified triaxial apparatus was built for this purpose. The originality of this apparatus rests on a needle system attached to the conventional triaxial cap, which allows control of the moisture content of the tested specimen on the wetting path. Suction measurements were conducted using two different sensors: a thermocouple psychrometer and a relative humidity sensor. The applicability of the developed system was demonstrated by testing the GCL sample on the wetting path. The results obtained agree well with the data available in the literature. It is believed that the advantage of the developed testing system can be ascribed to its ability to control the moisture content on the wetting path and temperature of the tested specimen under triaxial stress conditions.
Draining unsaturated soils with geosynthetics
Authors: Stormont J.C. , Henry K.S. , Pease R.E.
Published: October 2010

ABSTRACT: The geocomposite capillary barrier drain (GCBD) comprises three layers that are, from top to bottom: a transport layer (a specially designed geotextile), a capillary barrier (a geonet), and a separator (geotextile). The GCBD was developed as a means to remove water from unsaturated soils. The transport layer removes water under negative pressures, the capillary barrier stops upward and downward unsaturated flow of water from adjacent layers, and the separator prevents underlying soil from intruding into the capillary barrier. This paper summarizes investigations and proof-of-concept studies related to the development of the GCBD, including laboratory and field studies. Capillary rise, moisture characteristic curves, and unsaturated transmissivity measurements were used to select candidate transport layers for evaluation in GCBD systems. Large-scale laboratory tests of pavement sections indicate that, when placed between a pavement base and subgrade, the GCBD will: (1) accelerate the draining and drying of the base; and (2) reduce subgrade wetting. Subsequent field studies validate these conclusions, and confirm that pavement sections with a GCBD system have lower water contents.
Native fish diversity alters the effects of an invasive species on food webs
Authors: Carey Michael P. , Wahl David H.
Published: October 2010

Aquatic communities have been altered by invasive species, with impacts on native biodiversity and ecosystem function. At the same time, native biodiversity may mitigate the effects of an invader. Common carp (Cyprinus carpio) is a ubiquitous, invasive fish species that strongly influences community and ecosystem processes. We used common carp to test whether the potential effects of an invasive species are altered across a range of species diversity in native communities. In mesocosms, treatments of zero, one, three, and six native fish species were used to represent the nested subset patterns observed in fish communities of lakes in Illinois, USA. The effect of the invader was tested across fish richness treatments by adding common carp to the native community and substituting native biomass with common carp. Native species and intraspecific effects reduced invader growth. The invader reduced native fish growth; however, the negative effect was minimized with increasing native richness. The zooplankton grazer community was modified by a top‐down effect from the invader that increased the amount of phytoplankton. Neither the invader nor richness treatments influenced total phosphorus or community metabolism. Overall, the invader reduced resources for native species, and the effect scaled with how the invader was incorporated into the community. Higher native diversity mitigated the impact of the invader, confirming the need to consider biodiversity when predicting the impacts of invasive species.
Forest stand structure and composition in 96 sites along environmental gradients in the central Western Ghats of India
Authors: Ramesh B. R. , Swaminath M. H. , Patil Santoshgouda V. , Dasappa  , Pélissier Raphaël , Venugopal P. Dilip , Aravajy S. , Elouard Claire , Ramalingam S.
Published: October 2010

This data set reports woody plant species abundances in a network of 96 sampling sites spread across 22 000 km2 in the central Western Ghats region, Karnataka, India (74°15′–75°40′ E; 15°15′–13°30′ N). Due to its varied climate and diverse topography, the study area, which is part of the Western Ghats–Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot, supports a wide array of non‐equatorial tropical habitats including wet evergreen, moist and dry deciduous, and intact as well as degraded forests and scrublands. These formations, floristically moderately rich and diversified, are characterized by a lower rate of endemism than in the southern part of the Western Ghats. This data paper provides abundance and girth data for 76 813 trees and lianas of 446 species collected in 96 sampling sites during 1996–1997. A total of 61 965 individuals ≥10‐cm girth at breast height (gbh) were recorded in 96 1‐ha macroplots, while 14 848 individuals <10 cm gbh, but >1 m height, were sampled in three 0.1‐ha microplots located within each macroplot. Additional data regarding the stand structure (average canopy height, percent canopy cover, number of strata) and the level of degradation are available for the macroplots, along with environmental data derived from other sources and analyses, such as soil types, rainfall, length of the dry season, and altitude. These data have been used to produce ecological research papers, as well as to elaborate conservation value maps and recommendations toward sustainable management of the forests of the central Western Ghats region.

The complete data sets corresponding to abstracts published in the Data Papers section of the journal are published electronically in Ecological Archives at 〈http://esapubs.org/archive〉. (The accession number for each Data Paper is given directly beneath the title.)
THE CONTEXTUALLY CONTROLLED, FEATURE‐MEDIATED CLASSIFICATION OF SYMBOLS
Authors: DeRosse Pamela , Fields Lanny
Published: October 2010

The classification of names of people or objects based on the features acquired by the names and the sorting instructions provided is a commonplace occurrence. For example, given the names Renoir, Pollock, James and Voltaire the average adult would be able to classify them differentially based on the instruction to classify them based on vocation or nationality. In general, such a repertoire reflects the reclassification of symbols (i.e, the names of individuals) in terms of contextual cues (instructions to sort by vocation or nationality) and the features acquired by the symbols (the specific nationalities and vocations). The present experiment studied this phenomenon with the use of arbitrary stimuli that did not have clear preexperimental associations. Two of 4 participants classified the symbols into different equivalence classes based on the prevailing contextual cues and the features that had been acquired by the symbols. Using an ABA reversal design we then demonstrated that 1 participant classified the symbols in accordance with the contextual cues and acquired features when present, but not in the absence of the contextual cues. A 3rd participant showed symbol classification that differed from that predicted by the procedures, and the 4th classified the symbols based on one set of features but not on context. These data describe one set of conditions that could account for the establishment of complex classification repertoires that occur in natural settings.
Serum Creatinine Levels Are Significantly Influenced by Renal Size in the Normal Pediatric Population
Authors: Di Zazzo Giacomo , Stringini Gilda , Matteucci Maria Chiara , Muraca Maurizio , Malena Saverio , Emma Francesco
Published: October 2010

Background and objectives

Clinical and experimental data have shown that differences in nephron endowment result in differences in renal mass and predisposition to chronic renal failure, hypertension, and proteinuria. We hypothesized that a significant proportion of the variance in GFR, as estimated by serum creatinine, is attributable to differences in renal size in normal children.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

A total of 1748 normal renal ultrasounds that were performed in children older than 6 months were reviewed. For each ultrasound, serum creatinine, serum blood urea nitrogen, and systolic and diastolic office BP were recorded. Renal size was evaluated as a function of renal length and thickness. All data were normalized for height, weight, age, and gender.

Results

When expressed as SD scores, a significant correlation was found between kidney size and serum creatinine (P < 0.0001) and between kidney size and serum blood urea nitrogen (P < 0.002). When dividing kidney size data per quintiles, a difference of 0.51 SD score in serum creatinine was observed between the lowest and highest quintile. No significant correlation was found with office BP measurements.

Conclusions

These data show that, even in the normal pediatric population, differences in renal function are significantly explained by differences in renal mass. Methodologic limitations of this study are likely to underestimate this relationship.
Bone Mineral Density in African–American Women with Symptomatic Uterine Leiomyoma
Authors: Muneyyirci-Delale Ozgul , Nessim Fiby , Mathur Deepali , Osei-Tutu Nanna , Karam Jocelyne , Parris Rudolph , McFarlane Samy I
Published: October 2010

Objective: Uterine leiomyoma is associated with increased BMD in Caucasian women and is largely attributed to the state of hyperestrogenemia associated with disease. This relationship, however, has not been previously described in African–American women. We aim to assess BMD in African–American women with symptomatic uterine leiomyoma. Design: Case–control study. Materials & methods: 29 African–American women with uterine leiomyoma signed an Institutional Review Board (IRB) approved consent form at a reproductive clinic of an inner city hospital in Brooklyn, NY, USA. BMD and T-score of lumbar spine was compared with a controlled group matched for age, race and BMI. BMD of lumbar spine was measured using Hologic QDR 4200 in both groups. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. Results: For the entire study population the mean age (years) was 42.07 ± 1.15, and the BMI (kg/m2) was 29.37 ± 0.93 in patients with uterine leiomyoma and 30.07 ± 1.06 for the control group (p = 0.07). There was a significant difference in the mean BMD (cm2) between the uterine leiomyoma group (1.17 ± 0.03) compared with control (1.05 ± 0.02 p < 0.01). The T-score for the uterine leiomyoma group was significantly higher compared with the control group (0.31 ± 0.25 and −0.74 ± 0.21 with p < 0.01). The prevalence of osteopenia (T-score <-1) was lower for the leiomyoma group when compared with controls, (p < 0.02). Conclusion: Consistent with data from the white population with uterine leiomyoma, our data showed a significantly higher BMD in African–American women with uterine leiomyoma, compared with an age- and race-matched cohort. The implications of these findings remain to be investigated and further confirmed in future longitudinal studies.
Targeted Agents in Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Kristedja TS , Morgan RJ , Cristea M
Published: October 2010

Despite recent advances in the treatment of ovarian cancer, a large majority of women with this diagnosis will die from recurrence of their disease. Targeted therapies, in the form of monoclonal antibodies and small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors have significantly altered the management of many solid tumors and hematologic malignancies. No such agents have been approved by the US FDA for use in ovarian cancer, although Phase II data suggests excellent single-agent activity of some of these drugs. Antiangiogenic agents in combination with chemotherapy are being evaluated in Phase III clinical trials, both in the adjuvant setting and in recurrent platinum-sensitive disease. Poly-ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors are promising agents in BRCA1/2-mutated breast and ovarian cancers. Ongoing clinical trials are exploring the anti-tumor effect of poly-ADP-ribose polymerase inhibitors administered as single agents and in combination with chemotherapy. Many other new drugs are in earlier grades of development. In this article, we review the state of the art in targeted therapies for ovarian cancer and identify future directions for their development in the management of this often devastating disease.
Corifollitropin Alfa: A Novel Long-Acting Recombinant Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Agonist for Controlled Ovarian Stimulation
Authors: Loutradis D , Vlismas A , Drakakis P
Published: October 2010

The advent of recombinant technology has made the production of modified proteins with desired properties possible. Corifollitropin alfa is a successful example of the first available long-acting, follicle stimulating hormone. Corifollitropin alfa has prolonged half-life and a slower absorption rate, but has the same receptor-binding and biological activity as recombinant FSH (rFSH). Its application is associated with the arrival of a novel simplified approach for controlled ovarian stimulation in IVF patients. Different studies have proven the efficiency of a single corifollitropin alfa dose to initiate and sustain multiple follicular development in a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist protocol. Finally, corifollitropin alfa is well tolerated and is not correlated with serious adverse events, except for the slightly higher incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome compared with traditional management with recombinant FSH.
Effects of Transportation and Land Use Policies on Air Quality
Authors: McDonald-Buller Elena C. , Webb Alba , Kockelman Kara M. , Zhou Bin (Brenda)
Published: October 2010

The effects of land use and transportation policies on emissions, ozone concentrations, and a metric for population exposure were investigated for Austin, Texas. Three distinct transportation and land use scenarios were examined with a gravity-based land use model and a standard travel demand model: a business-as-usual scenario, a road pricing policy that included a flat-rate carbon-based tax and congestion pricing of all Austin-area freeways, and an urban growth boundary policy. Two scenarios, a business-as-usual scenario and a flat-rate carbon-based tax and congestion pricing policy, were also examined with a novel, parcel-level land use change and land use intensity model and a standard travel demand model. Transportation and land use policies were predicted to have substantial effects on travel and on emissions of ozone precursors. Emissions of ozone precursors decreased markedly for all 2030 scenarios because of the implementation of more stringent federal motor vehicle emission control programs. Transportation and land use policies were predicted to lead to greater reductions of emissions of ozone precursors relative to the business-as-usual scenario. The effects of such policies on ozone concentrations and population exposure vary. Lower exposure was predicted for the road pricing scenarios, but a penalty appeared to exist in the form of relatively higher exposure predicted for the urban growth boundary on some days. This analysis indicates the potential complexity of planning for urban growth and equity and the need for integrated modeling and policy evaluation efforts.
Bus Technology Meta-Analysis
Authors: Martínez Hilda , Mora Jorge Macias , Unal Alper
Published: October 2010

This paper analyzes data obtained from international studies that compared natural gas, diesel, and hybrid technologies for buses to determine differences in particulate matter (PM10), nitrogen oxides (NOx), nonmethane hydrocarbon (NMHC), carbon monoxide (CO), greenhouse gas, and air toxic emissions. The results presented here are for 90-passenger 12-m buses. Two types of comparisons were made: technology and fuel. The comparison revealed that buses using ultra-low-sulfur diesel (ULSD) with diesel particulate filters (DPF) and buses using compressed natural gas (CNG) with oxidation catalysts (OC) had the lowest emissions of PM10 and CO; CNG with OC had lower NOx and greenhouse gases emissions, while ULSD with DPF had lower NMHC emissions. Posttreatment technologies are presented as a low-cost option to reduce emissions. Hybrid diesel buses were found to be the technology that has the lowest emissions for most of the studied pollutants.
Analysis of Real-World Lead Vehicle Operation for Modal Emissions and Traffic Simulation Models
Authors: Jackson Eric , Aultman-Hall Lisa
Published: October 2010

New models and data are needed in microscopic traffic simulation tools to allow effective use with newer modal tailpipe emissions models. Traffic simulation models offer the ability to simulate large, second-by-second vehicle operation data sets as input for emissions models. However, more data are needed to improve simulation of second-by-second vehicle speed. This research analyzes and models the vehicle dynamics of unconstrained drivers in real-world driving situations based on road geometry. Vehicle dynamics data were collected by using an instrumented vehicle driven by 22 volunteers over a 17-mi predetermined test route. The objective of this research was to analyze and model the nonrandom speed variations in unconstrained lead drivers. The results of this study suggest that horizontal and vertical curvatures have a significant impact on the second-by-second operation of an unconstrained lead vehicle. Furthermore, these nonrandom changes in speed are important considerations since they can produce considerable variations in the level of tailpipe emissions.
Using Portable Emission Measurement Systems for Transportation Emissions Studies
Authors: Liu Huan , Barth Matthew , Scora George , Davis Nicole , Lents James
Published: October 2010

Portable emission measurement systems (PEMS) are increasingly being used in a variety of transportation research projects to determine the impact of real-world vehicle emissions. One of the key questions that remain is how well these systems perform compared with testing that occurs in controlled laboratory conditions. To help answer this question, three PEMS were carefully evaluated for both gasoline and diesel light-duty vehicles in a dynamometer test facility. The evaluation was focused on the systems’ accuracy, time correspondence, and suitability for measuring transient emissions. Both cumulative mass emissions and modal emissions for carbon monoxide (CO), hydrocarbons (HC), oxides of nitrogen (NOx), and carbon dioxide (CO2) were measured for three gasoline and three diesel vehicles on three widely varying driving cycles. All of the PEMS proved to be both reasonably accurate and precise. The CO2 emissions measured by the PEMS were in excellent agreement (within 98%) with measurements from the laboratory system. Other pollutants measured were found to be in reasonable agreement (within 20% or better) for NOx and HC on diesel vehicles and CO on gasoline vehicles. The second-by-second emission rate measured with the PEMS matched well with the corresponding laboratory modal analyzer data for CO2, NOx, and CO under all driving cycles. Transient emissions of all pollutants agreed within 10% of the two systems for more than 6,000 data points from each vehicle. The results suggest that when properly set up and calibrated, PEMS are capable of measuring emissions from both gasoline and diesel vehicles to an accuracy within 20% of conventional laboratory modal analyzer systems.
TAMNROM-3D
Authors: Kota Sri Harsha , Ying Qi , Zhang Yunlong
Published: October 2010

Most models for the study of near-road air quality are based on either steady-state Gaussian equations or Lagrangian puff formulations to describe nonreactive pollutant concentrations at receptor sites. The accuracy of the dispersion calculation is often limited because of simplifications that are necessary to derive the analytical solutions. The general source–receptor structure of these models limits their capabilities to treat rapid chemical and physical processes that were recently observed in the near-road environment. A new three-dimensional (3-D) Eulerian near-road air quality model, the Texas A&M Near-Road Model (TAMNROM-3D), was developed. The enhanced pollutant turbulent diffusion caused by moving vehicles is handled in TAMNROM-3D by a revised vehicle-induced turbulence parameterization scheme. The performance of TAMNROM-3D on nonreactive tracer dispersion is evaluated with the SF6 data set collected by General Motors during a 1975 sulfate dispersion experiment. Predicted concentrations show good agreement with observations under different wind conditions. Model performance statistics are compared favorably with those reported by the ROADWAY-2 model. Sensitivity studies indicate that the model is robust to reasonable uncertainties in the model parameters and input data.
Mobile Source Air Toxic Emissions
Authors: Timoshek Alexandra , Eisinger Douglas , Bai Song , Niemeier Deb
Published: October 2010

This study used a new emissions modeling tool, CT-EMFAC, to assess the sensitivity of mobile source air toxic (MSAT) emissions to changes in traffic volumes, speeds, and fleet composition. In addition, the choice of the speed calculation method, which is usually part of a postprocessing technique, was analyzed. The investigation employed a hypothetical 6.7-mi freeway segment located in southern California; activity data were derived from comparable real-world information obtained from the California Department of Transportation. Results show that emissions more than doubled in 2004 and increased by a factor of two to four in 2030 when traffic volumes increased 30% above base case conditions. The nonlinear shift in emissions was a function of decreased travel speeds and increased grams per mile emission rates that accompanied increased traffic volumes. Fleet composition (the proportion of trucks) was also shown to affect MSAT emissions, especially for diesel particulate matter and aldehydes. Under some scenarios, the choice of the speed calculation method had a greater effect on MSAT emissions than 26 years of fleet turnover. The analysis also showed that the type of speed calculation method used could result in large variations in MSAT emissions. Application of one speed calculation method resulted in calculated congested freeway speeds that did not fall below 10 mph. The speed calculation method chosen was highly influential in the 2030 case study when forecasted volumes reached levels at which speeds approached the 10 mph minimum allowed by the speed calculation method; this probably underpredicted emissions.
Particle Number and Size Distribution of Emissions during Light-Duty Vehicle Cold Start
Authors: Robinson Mitchell K. , Sentoff Karen M. , Holmén Britt A.
Published: October 2010

Vehicle emissions during cold start are known to be significantly higher than after optimal vehicle operating temperatures are reached. There are limited data, however, on particle number and size distributions during cold start. Cold-start tailpipe emissions from a 1999 Toyota Sienna minivan were quantified at ambient temperatures between 20°C and 37°C using a novel system, the total onboard tailpipe emissions measurement system (TOTEMS), assembled to quantify the full suite of exhaust emissions from light-duty vehicles. TOTEMS particle number distributions were measured from 5.6 to 562 nm using an engine exhaust particle sizer (EEPS) and total 3- to 3,000-nm particle counts were measured using an ultrafine condensation particle counter (UCPC) with 1-s temporal resolution during cold start and warm-up driving. Second-by-second particle number distributions from five cold-start emissions tests showed similar particle emissions patterns, allowing for three different cold-start phases to be identified based on particle number emissions behavior. Cold-start duration ranged from 165 to 230 s and increased with decreasing ambient temperature. Different particle sizes during each phase were emitted for different lengths of time, with the most abundant particles in the nanoparticle (diameter <50 nm) range. The mean particle number distributions showed more than 99% of total particle number below 100 nm. Concentrations of ultrafine particles (<100 nm) during cold start were at least 10 to 100 times (EEPS), and as much as 1,000 times (UCPC), above hot-stabilized idle emissions. Observations also suggest the presence of tiny particles below 6 nm during cold start.