bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Periodic noise analysis of electric circuits: Artifacts, singularities and a numerical method
Authors: Brambilla Angelo , Gruosso Giambattista , Redaelli Massimo , Storti Gajani Giancarlo 
Published: May 2009

AbstractIn this paper it is shown that a numerical method largely adopted for the simulation of noise in autonomous circuits is affected by singularities that manifest when the frequency at which the noise analysis is carried out approaches a harmonic of the autonomous circuit. The resulting noise power spectral density (PSD) is thus characterized by spurious spikes. The presence of these singularities is for the first time justified from an analytical standpoint and their effects are shown by simulating some oscillators, employed as benchmarks. Furthermore, the presented approach justifies the 1/(fs−f)2shape of the PSD of noise at the output when thefsfrequency approaches theffundamental of a stable oscillator and the 1/|fs−f|3shape when the effects of flicker noise are manifest. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simulation of nerve bundle activation by simultaneous multipoint extracellular stimulation with surface electrodes
Authors: Takahashi Hirokazu , Nakao Masayuki , Kaga Kimitaka 
Published: May 2009

AbstractNeural prostheses for restoring lost functions can benefit from selective activation of nerves. We previously proposed a multipoint gating stimulation, which can selectively activate a desired portion of a nerve bundle, regardless of the density of the electrode. In this paper, we discuss the design of an electrode array and effective strategies to determine the stimulus parameters. Large electrodes were less affected by the relative location of the electrodes and the nodes of Ranvier, suggesting that a rectangular electrode, whose long side along a nerve bundle is longer than the internodal distance (i.e., on the order of 1 mm), would be more effective than a disk electrode. We were able to estimate an appropriate current at each electrode on the basis of a blocking threshold, above which no spike propagation was permitted. For lateral gating stimulation, the gate current should be set above the threshold, while for depthwise gating stimulation, the gate current should be set below the threshold. The spatial resolutions of lateral and depthwise gating stimulation were theoretically estimated to be at least 50 μm when the grid spacing of the array was 1.2 mm. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn, 92(6): 31–40, 2009; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecj.10064
Cyclooxygenase-2 prevents fas-induced liver injury through up-regulation of epidermal growth factor receptor #
Authors: Li Guiying , Han Chang , Xu Lihong , Lim Kyu , Isse Kumiko , Wu Tong 
Published: May 2009

Abstract
Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)–derived prostaglandins participate in a number of pathophysiological responses such as inflammation, carcinogenesis, and modulation of cell growth and survival. This study used complementary approaches of COX-2 transgenic (Tg) and knockout (KO) mouse models to evaluate the mechanism of COX-2 in Fas-induced hepatocyte apoptosis and liver failure in vivo. We generated Tg mice with targeted expression of COX-2 in the liver by using the albumin promoter-enhancer–driven vector. The COX-2 Tg, COX-2 KO, and wild-type mice were treated with the anti-Fas antibody Jo2 (0.5 μg/g of body weight) for 4 to 6 hours, and the extent of liver injury was assessed by histopathology, serum aminotransferases, TUNEL staining, and caspase activation. The COX-2 Tg mice showed resistance to Fas-induced liver injury in comparison with the wild-type mice; this was reflected by the lower alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels, less liver damage, and less hepatocyte apoptosis (P < 0.01). In contrast, the COX-2 KO mice showed significantly higher serum ALT and AST levels, more prominent hepatocyte apoptosis, and higher levels of caspase-8, caspase-9, and caspase-3 activity than the wild-type mice (P < 0.01). The COX-2 Tg livers expressed higher levels of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) than the wild-type controls; the COX-2 KO livers expressed the lowest levels of EGFR. Pretreatment with a COX-2 inhibitor (NS-398) or an EGFR inhibitor (AG1478) exacerbated Jo2-mediated liver injury and hepatocyte apoptosis. Conclusion: These findings demonstrate that COX-2 prevents Fas-induced hepatocyte apoptosis and liver failure at least in part through up-regulation of EGFR. (Hepatology 2009.)
Myeloid derived suppressor cells inhibit natural killer cells in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma via the NKp30 receptor #
Authors: Hoechst Bastian , Voigtlaender Torsten , Ormandy Lars , Gamrekelashvili Jaba , Zhao Fei , Wedemeyer Heiner , Lehner Frank , Manns Michael P. , Greten Tim F. , Korangy Firouzeh 
Published: May 2009

Abstract
Several immune suppressive mechanisms that evade the host immune response have been described in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); one of these mechanisms is expansion of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). MDSCs have been shown to inhibit T cell responses in tumor-bearing mice, but little is known about these cells in humans. Here, we have analyzed and characterized the effect of MDSCs on the innate immune system, in particular, their interaction with natural killer (NK) cells in patients with HCC. MDSCs from patients with HCC inhibited autologous NK cell cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion when cultured together in vitro. This suppression was dependent on cell contact, but did not rely on the arginase activity of MDSCs, which is a hallmark function of these cells. However, MDSC-mediated inhibition of NK cell function was dependent mainly on the NKp30 on NK cells. Conclusion: Our study suggests a new role for MDSCs in patients with HCC in disarming the innate immune system and further contributing to the immune suppressor network in these patients. These findings have important implications when designing immunotherapy protocols. (Hepatology 2009.)
South Korean managerial reactions to voicing discontent: The effects of employee attitude and employee communication styles
Authors: Kim Tae‐Yeol , Rosen Benson , Lee Deog‐Ro 
Published: May 2009

AbstractUsing a scenario‐based experiment, this study examined how employee attitude and employee communication styles affected managers' reactions to employees' objections to a company policy. In the experiment, employee attitude (cynical versus trusting) and employee communication styles (aggressive versus diplomatic) were manipulated, and managers' reactions to voicing discontent were assessed through a questionnaire. Based on a sample of 185 middle managers working in various organizations in South Korea, the results showed that managers were more likely to engage in social undermining and were less likely to provide social support when cynical (rather than trusting) employees objected to a company policy. Also, attributed motives (i.e., personal attack and health concern) fully mediated the relationship between employee attitude and social support and social undermining. In addition, managers more likely attributed the objection to moral concerns when trusting (rather than cynical) employees communicated in an aggressive manner. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Identification of arid phases during the last 50 cal. ka BP from the Fuentillejo maar‐lacustrine record (Campo de Calatrava Volcanic Field, Spain)
Authors: Vegas Juana , Ruiz‐Zapata Blanca , Ortiz José E. , Galán Luis , Torres Trinidad , García‐Cortés Ángel , Gil‐García María J. , Pérez‐González Alfredo , Gallardo‐Millán José L. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractGeochemical (element analysis, molecular analysis of organic compounds), physical, palynological, mineralogical and sedimentary facies analysis were performed to characterise the sedimentary record in Fuentillejo maar‐lake in the Central Spanish Volcanic Field of Campo de Calatrava, in order to reconstruct the palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic processes which controlled vegetation patterns and deposition of different sedimentary facies. The upper 20 m of core FUENT‐1 show variations in clastic input, water chemistry, vegetation and organic fraction sources in the lake throughout the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. The temporal framework provided by 14C accelerator mass spectrometry dating allows assigning the sequence to the last 50 cal. ka BP. Arid phases identified in the FUENT‐1 sequence are correlated to Heinrich events (HE) and to stadials of the Dansgaard/Oeschger (D/O) cycles. Siliciclastic facies with high magnetic susceptibility values, high Juniperus pollen content, a low Paq index (aquatic macrophysics proxy index), a decrease in the relative percentage of the n‐C27 and an increase in the n‐C31 alkanes are indicative of arid and colder climatic events related to HE 2, HE 1 and the Younger Dryas (YD). Similar short cold and arid phases during the Holocene were identified at 9.2–8.6, 7.5–7 and 5.5–5 cal. ka BP. In dolomite–mud facies, the pollen data show an increase in the herbs component, mainly – Chenopodiaceae, Artemisia and Ephedra – steppe taxa; a low Paq index, a decrease in the relative percentage of the n‐C27 alkane and an increase in the n‐C31 alkane are also observed. This facies was probably the result of lower lake levels and more saline–alkaline conditions, which can be interpreted as linked to arid–warm periods. These warm and arid phases were more frequent during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 and the interstadials of MIS 2. HE 4, HE 2, HE 1 and the YD in core FUENT‐1 were immediately followed by increases of warm steppe pollen assemblages that document rapid warming similar to the D/O cycles but do not imply increasing humidity in the area. Fuentillejo hydrology is controlled by changes in the atmospheric and oceanic systems that operated on the North Atlantic region at millennial scale during the last 50 cal. ka BP. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sea‐level changes since the Last Glacial Maximum: an appraisal of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report
Authors: Gehrels Roland 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe IPCC Fourth Assessment Report (AR4) stated that global sea level rose by about 120 m between the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and 3–2 ka and did not rise again until the late 19th century. A review of relevant literature demonstrates that the rise may have been larger (by 10–15 m), that the timing of stabilisation is poorly constrained (within the last 7 ka BP), and that the onset of modern rates of sea‐level rise is not synchronous and uniform across the globe. The LGM lowstand as defined in the AR4 is based on the ‘classic’ Barbados sea‐level history, but the sea‐level curve from this island may not be an accurate ‘eustatic’ approximation if glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) processes were significant, as suggested by various authors. The Barbados sea‐level curve revealed the existence of meltwater pulse (MWP) 1a at around 14 000 cal. a BP. Questions about the source and causal mechanism of MWP 1a are still being explored by field scientists and GIA modellers. These problems have direct relevance for contemporary measurements of ice mass changes, because space geodetic measurements rely on information provided by GIA models to separate land motion from ice mass changes. Global patterns of Holocene sea‐level change are controlled by regional sea‐level variability, not only through isostatic and tectonic processes, but also through steric effects, longer‐wavelength gravitational changes produced by changing ice–ocean mass flux and hemispheric‐scale perturbations in the Earth's rotation. ‘Eustasy’ is therefore merely a concept, not a measurable quantity. Constraining the late Holocene ice melt contribution to global sea‐level rise and determining regional sea‐level rise patterns in the 18th and 19th centuries are important future tasks for sea‐level scientists; these will establish the baseline contributions to 20th‐ and 21st‐century sea‐level rise and will help to determine the causes of modern rates of sea‐level rise. Constraining historical sea‐level accelerations and short‐term ice‐mass flux will aid models of ice‐sheet dynamics and help to reduce current uncertainties in future sea‐level predictions. The AR4 shows that regional sea‐level variability is clearly present in sea‐level change patterns for the past 50 a and an important challenge for the next IPCC assessment is to incorporate this variability into regional future sea‐level rise scenarios. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The evolution of the guild of large Carnivora of the British Isles during the Middle and Late Pleistocene
Authors: Turner Alan 
Published: May 2009

AbstractRecent refinements to the dating of a number of Middle and Late Pleistocene localities and fossil mammal assemblages from the British Isles, and their correlation with Marine Isotope Stages (MIS), permit a more detailed assessment of the evolution of the guild of larger Carnivora. By around 0.4–0.5 Ma (MIS 13–11) or just after, the more archaic elements of the guild, such as the sabretoothed catHomotherium latidens, the medium‐sized pantherinePanthera gombaszoegensisand the large dogCanis lycaonoides, had disappeared and had been replaced, or were being replaced, by extant species such as lion (Panthera leo), spotted hyaena (Crocuta crocuta) and the wolf (Canis lupus), although claims for a last‐glaciation appearance – or reappearance – ofHomotheriumrequire assessment. During MIS 5a this guild seems to have been temporarily replaced by a more restricted one of wolf in conjunction with a very large brown bear (Ursus arctos), together with a reduced prey fauna of bison and reindeer. Final extinction ofCrocutaand lion in these islands took place towards the end of MIS 3, arguably prior to the Last Glacial Maximum. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Beliefs of and attitudes toward political advertising: An exploratory investigation
Authors: Jin Hyun Seung , An Soontae , Simon Todd 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe major goals of this study were to identify voters' belief structures about political advertising, develop a scale to measure beliefs, and examine how the identified beliefs are related to overall attitudes toward political advertising. The reliabilities, factor structure, and validity tests indicate that five belief dimensions—information, veracity, cynicism, money politics, and entertainment—have sound and stable properties. The scale demonstrates that voters assess political advertising at the instrumental level (e.g., information, veracity, and entertainment) as well as the institutional level (e.g., cynicism and money politics). The results showed that not all beliefs predicted overall attitudes. Furthermore, the results indicated that political involvement was a significant factor in influencing both beliefs and attitudes. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Serotonin and Parkinson's disease: On movement, mood, and madness
Authors: Fox Susan H. , Chuang Rosalind , Brotchie Jonathan M. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractAn appreciation of the multiple roles that serotonin (5‐HT) may play in Parkinson's disease (PD) has increased in recent years. Early pathological studies in PD demonstrated nonselective reductions of 5‐HT in brain tissue but little correlation to comorbidities such as dyskinesia and mood disturbance. This, combined with treatment failures using serotonergic drugs in comparison to levodopa, meant the field was largely neglected until recently. The multitude of subtypes of 5‐HT receptors in the brain and an increased understanding of the potential function 5‐HT may play in modulating other neurotransmitter systems, including dopamine, GABA, and glutamate, have meant an expansion in efforts to develop potential serotonergic drugs for both motor and nonmotor symptoms in PD. However, several unanswered questions remain, and future studies need to focus on correlating changes in 5‐HT neurotransmission in both pathological andin vivoimaging studies with a full clinical phenotype. © 2009 Movement Disorder Society
Alpha‐synuclein and familial Parkinson's disease
Authors: Pankratz Nathan , Nichols William C. , Elsaesser Veronika E. , Pauciulo Michael W. , Marek Diane K. , Halter Cheryl A. , Wojcieszek Joanne , Rudolph Alice , Pfeiffer Ronald F. , Foroud Tatiana ,   for the Parkinson Study Group – PROGENI Investigators
Published: May 2009

AbstractWhole gene duplications and triplications of alpha‐synuclein (SNCA) can cause Parkinson's disease (PD), and variation in the promoter region (Rep1) and 3' region of SNCA has been reported to increase disease susceptibility. Within our cohort, one affected individual from each of 92 multiplex PD families showing the greatest evidence of linkage to the region around SNCA was screened for dosage alterations and sequence changes; no dosage or non‐synonymous sequence changes were found. In addition, 737 individuals (from 450 multiplex PD families) that met strict diagnostic criteria for PD and did not harbor a known causative mutation, as well as 359 neurologically normal controls, were genotyped for the Rep1 polymorphism and four SNPs in the 3′ region of SNCA. The four SNPs were in high LD (r2 > 0.95) and were analyzed as a haplotype. The effects of the Rep1 genotype and the 3′ haplotype were evaluated using regression models employing only one individual per family. Cases had a 3% higher frequency of the Rep1 263 bp allele compared with controls (OR = 1.54; empirical P‐value = 0.02). There was an inverse linear relationship between the number of 263 bp alleles and age of onset (empirical P‐value = 0.0004). The 3′ haplotype was also associated with disease (OR = 1.29; empirical P‐value = 0.01), but not age of onset (P = 0.40). These data suggest that dosage and sequence changes are a rare cause of PD, but variation in the promoter and 3′ region of SNCA convey an increased risk for PD. © 2009 Movement Disorder Society
Trunk muscle strength, but not trunk rigidity, is independently associated with bone mineral density of the lumbar spine in patients with Parkinson's disease
Authors: Pang Marco Y.C. , Mak Margaret K.Y. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractPrevious literature suggested that muscle forces applied to the skeleton may be an important factor in increasing bone mineral density (BMD). This purpose of this study was to determine whether trunk rigidity and trunk muscle strength were associated with lumbar spine BMD in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Forty‐three PD patients and 29 controls participated in this study. Dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry was used to measure lumbar spine BMD of PD patients. Additionally, an isokinetic dynamometer was used to evaluate trunk rigidity and trunk muscle strength of all subjects. The results showed that PD patients had significantly lower trunk muscle strength, but more trunk rigidity than controls by 46.6 and 162.8%, respectively (P < 0.001). In bivariate correlation analysis, lumbar spine BMD was significantly related to trunk muscle strength (r = 0.475, P = 0.001), but not trunk rigidity (r = 0.271, P = 0.079). In multiple regression analysis, after adjusting for relevant factors, only trunk muscle strength remained independently associated with lumbar spine BMD, accounting for 10.0% of the variance (R2 = 0.342, F5,37 = 3.838, P = 0.007). Trunk muscle strength, but not trunk rigidity, is independently associated with lumbar spine BMD in patients with PD. Further randomized controlled studies are required to determine whether trunk muscle strengthening exercise is effective in enhancing lumbar spine BMD. © 2009 Movement Disorder Society
Racial differences in the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease
Authors: Dahodwala Nabila , Siderowf Andrew , Xie Ming , Noll Elizabeth , Stern Matthew , Mandell David S. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe objective of this cohort study was to determine the incidence of Parkinson's disease (PD) and the effects of race/ethnicity, other demographic characteristics, geography, and healthcare utilization on probability of diagnosis. The authors used the Pennsylvania state Medicaid claims dataset from 1999 to 2003 to identify newly diagnosed cases of PD among the 182,271 Medicaid enrolled adults age 40–65; 319 incident cases of PD were identified. The 4‐year cumulative incidence of PD was 45 per 100,000; 54 per 100,000 among whites, 23 per 100,000 among African‐Americans and 40 per 100,000 among Latinos (P < 0.0001), corresponding to a relative risk (RR) of PD of 0.43 for African‐Americans (P < 0.0001) compared with whites. After adjusting for age, sex, geography, reason for Medicaid eligibility, and average number of visits, African‐Americans were still half as likely to be diagnosed with PD as whites (RR 0.45, P < 0.0001). Older age, more healthcare visits and Medicaid eligibility because of income alone also were significantly associated with PD diagnosis, while male sex was not. Observed racial differences in incidence of PD are not explained by differences in age, sex, income, insurance or healthcare utilization but still may be explained by biological differences or other factors such as education or aging beliefs. Better understanding of the complex biological and social determinants of these disparities is critical to improve PD care. © 2009 Movement Disorder Society
Effectiveness and safety of treatments for degenerative ataxias: A systematic review
Authors: Trujillo‐Martín M.Mar , Serrano‐Aguilar Pedro , Monton‐Álvarez Fernando , Carrillo‐Fumero Romen 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness and safety of available treatment alternatives for degenerative ataxias (DA). We systematically reviewed studies that assess pharmacological, rehabilitative, or psychological treatments in patients with DA. Studies were included if they fulfilled prespecified criteria. All included clinical trials were scored for methodological quality. Main outcome measures were clinical status of neurological disorder, adverse events, and patient‐based factors. Twenty‐five studies were included. Most studies were of small sample sizes, wide age variations, and low scientific validity. Only one study gave information on physical rehabilitation and none on psychological therapy. The remaining 24 studies reported on the effects of different pharmacological treatments. Outcomes such as functional capacity and psychological functioning of patients were evaluated by few studies. Some evidence supports that 5‐hydroxytryptophan is more effective than placebo improving neurological symptoms in patients with Friedreich ataxia (FA), olivopontocerebellar atrophy, or cerebellar atrophy. Idebenone is more effective than placebo for halting and reversing the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy associated with FA, but it seems unable to improve neurological semiology. Limited evidence for other therapies was found. No relevant side effects for drugs that shown some degree of effectiveness were reported. Availability of quality studies to evaluate the safety and efficacy of treatments for most DA is scarce. No valid information on the actual value of physical rehabilitation and psychological support as treatments for DA is available. Further investigations with improved trial designs are necessary. © 2009 Movement Disorder Society