bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A framework for evaluating technology readiness, system quality, and program performance of U.S. DoD acquisitions
Authors: Azizian Nazanin , Mazzuchi Thomas , Sarkani Shahram , Rico David F. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractAlthough U.S. weapon systems are among the best in the world, defense acquisition programs have a historical track record for being vulnerable to enormous risks in the form of cost overruns, schedule delays, and poor technical performance. Based on assessments of selected defense acquisition programs, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded that premature selection and use of insufficiently mature technologies is a driving cause of these risks. By means of policies, initiatives, and best practices, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) is mandating the use of Technology Readiness Assessments (TRAs) throughout the acquisition lifecycle in an effort to curtail these risks. However, the extent to which defense acquisition programs adhere to assessing technology maturity through the TRA process and the degree of relationship to quality of U.S. military systems and performance of programs is debatable. To address this shortcoming, a framework was developed to measure the extent of correlation between TRA and key enabling engineering activities, system quality, and program performance. The framework was developed in conjunction with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) from the DoD, the Intelligence Community (IC), and the Institute of Defense Analysis (IDA) and empirically examined using a sample of 223 engineers, program managers, and executives from various U.S. DoD acquisition programs. The results suggest that, although conducting a formal TRA is not a significant predictor of system quality or program performance, there are engineering activities called for in a TRA that have strongly correlation to these factors. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adaptive multiplayer approach for risk‐based decision‐making: 2006 Virginia Gubernatorial Inauguration
Authors: Agrawal Abhinav B. , Barker Kash , Haimes Yacov Y. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThis paper introduces a multiplayer framework to collaboratively characterize sources of system risk from multiple expert perspectives, integrating several tools for holistic risk identification and risk management elicitation: the Adaptive Multiplayer Hierarchical Holographic Model (AMP‐HHM), the Risk Filtering, Ranking, and Management methodology, and the Partitioned Multiobjective Risk Method. Applicable to a broad set of systems engineering risk applications, the framework is illustrated with a case study focusing on risk assessment and management for the 2006 Gubernatorial Inauguration held in Williamsburg, VA, for which 272 different areas of risk were identified by collaborative means. Management options for three scenarios were defined, and their impacts on the inauguration were evaluated through expected and upper‐tail risk measures. As a final step, the analysis determined a set of noninferior options that can be used by decision‐makers to craft security strategies. A computer tool was developed to assist in the AMP‐HHM process, demonstrating the efficacy of the framework in collaborative work without synchronicity and regardless of geography. While the framework has been applied to a defense risk analysis in this paper, it can easily be applied to any problem where experts from disparate backgrounds, expertise, or geographies are working together to solve an unstructured, multidimensional problem. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Structural biology of poly(A) site definition
Authors: Yang Qin , Doublié Sylvie 
Published: April 2011

Abstract3′ processing is an essential step in the maturation of all messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and is a tightly coupled two‐step reaction: endonucleolytic cleavage at the poly(A) site is followed by the addition of a poly(A) tail, except for metazoan histone mRNAs, which are cleaved but not polyadenylated. The recognition of a poly(A) site is coordinated by the sequence elements in the mRNA 3′ UTR and associated protein factors. In mammalian cells, three well‐studied sequence elements, UGUA, AAUAAA, and GU‐rich, are recognized by three multisubunit factors: cleavage factor Im (CFIm), cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor (CPSF), and cleavage stimulation factor (CstF), respectively. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, UA repeats and A‐rich sequence elements are recognized by Hrp1p and cleavage factor IA. Structural studies of protein–RNA complexes have helped decipher the mechanisms underlying sequence recognition and shed light on the role of protein factors in poly(A) site selection and 3′ processing machinery assembly. In this review we focus on the interactions between the mRNA cis‐elements and the protein factors (CFIm, CPSF, CstF, and homologous factors from yeast and other eukaryotes) that define the poly(A) site. WIREs RNA 2011 2 732–747 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.88This article is categorized under:

RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > Protein–RNA Recognition
RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA–Protein Complexes
RNA Processing > 3' End Processing
Chiral Heterobimetallic Gold(I) Ferrocenyldithiophosphonato Complexes
Authors: Karakus Mehmet , Lönnecke Peter , Hildebrand Mike , Hey‐Hawkins Evamarie 
Published: April 2011

AbstractChiral and non‐chiral ferrocenyldithiophosphonates [tBuNH3][Fe(η5‐C5H5){η5‐C5H4P(OR)S2}] were prepared from [Fe(η5‐C5H5){η5‐C5H4PS(μ‐S)}]2 and the respective alcohol ROH [R = bornyl (1), myrtenyl (2), adamantyl (3)] and tBuNH2 as base. The reaction with [AuCl(tht)] (tht = tetrahydrothiophene) gave the corresponding chiral (1a, 2a) and non‐chiral (3a) heterobimetallic dimeric gold(I) ferrocenyldithiophosphonato complexes [Au{Fe(η5‐C5H5)(η5‐C5H4P(OR)(μ‐S)2)}]2 [R = bornyl (1a), myrtenyl (2a), adamantyl (3a)]. Compounds 1–3 and 1a–3a were characterised spectroscopically (IR, 1H, 13C, 31P NMR) and by mass spectrometry, and the chiral heterobimetallic dimeric gold(I) ferrocenyldithiophosphonato complex 1a was also structurally characterised by X‐ray crystallography.
Structure and Thermal Properties of Lithium Cyanate
Authors: Hennings Erik , Schmidt Horst , Voigt Wolfgang 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThe synthesis, structural, and thermal characterization of lithium cyanate are reported in this work. LiOCN forms crystals in the trigonal crystal system. The structure was solved in the space group R$\bar{3}$m. It is isomorphous to the structure of sodium cyanate. In the temperature range from –90 °C up to the melting point no phase transition was observed. Furthermore the vibrational Raman spectrum was measured. The system KOCN‐LiOCN shows a dystecticum and the new phase was confirmed by powder X‐ray diffraction.
Iterative description of freezing and thawing processes in porous materials
Authors: Alsabry A. , Wilmanski K. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThe paper is devoted to the construction of an iterative procedure of calculation of mechanical properties of water saturated porous materials subject to freezing and thawing processes. The procedure consists of two steps. The first is the solution of equations for the linear poroelastic medium with material parameters depending on current porosity which measures the frost damage. The second one, based on the Gurson‐Tvergaard‐Needleman model of plastic deformations with porosity as a measure of damage, yields, among other quantities, the relation for porosity changes caused by freezing. Relations between material parameters and varying porosity follow from the micro‐macro procedure which yields Gassmann and Epstein relations for compressibilities and permeability in the classical linear poroelasticity.
Comparative use of forest habitats by roe deer and moose in a human‐modified landscape in southeastern Norway during winter
Authors: Tinoco Torres Rita , Carvalho J. C. , Panzacchi M. , Linnell J. D. C. , Fonseca C. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThe negative impact of anthropogenic disturbance and land‐use changes on large mammals is generally recognized within conservation biology. In southeastern Norway, both moose (Alces alces) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) occur throughout human‐modified landscapes, facilitating an interesting comparative study of their habitat use. By using pellet group counts, we looked at the importance of forest structure, vegetation characteristics and human disturbance (e.g., distance to the nearest house, nearest paved road, and nearest edge between field and forest) in shaping the winter distribution of both species at multiple spatial scales, in non‐agricultural habitats. Moose occurred more often in areas with higher densities of heather and Vaccinium sp. in the ground layer, and used areas with more open forest structure. The proportion of built‐up areas, within a 1,000‐m buffer, negatively influenced moose occurrence. Roe deer occurred more often in areas with deciduous trees and patches with juniper and Vaccinium sp. in the ground layer, used areas near roads less, but were significantly associated with areas near the field–forest ecotone. The proportion of built‐up areas positively influenced roe deer distribution within a 2,500‐m buffer. Roe deer seem to be able to persist in more human‐dominated landscapes, possibly due to the availability of field–forest edges providing both high‐quality fodder and cover in close proximity. Moose, on the contrary, did not show any preference for areas associated with human disturbance, and their distribution was only associated with patches providing food.
Synaptic Wnt signaling—a contributor to major psychiatric disorders?
Authors: Okerlund Nathan D. , Cheyette Benjamin N. R. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractWnt signaling is a key pathway that helps organize development of the nervous system. It influences cell proliferation, cell fate, and cell migration in the developing nervous system, as well as axon guidance, dendrite development, and synapse formation. Given this wide range of roles, dysregulation of Wnt signaling could have any number of deleterious effects on neural development and thereby contribute in many different ways to the pathogenesis of neurodevelopmental disorders. Some major psychiatric disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorders, are coming to be understood as subtle dysregulations of nervous system development, particularly of synapse formation and maintenance. This review will therefore touch on the importance of Wnt signaling to neurodevelopment generally, while focusing on accumulating evidence for a synaptic role of Wnt signaling. These observations will be discussed in the context of current understanding of the neurodevelopmental bases of major psychiatric diseases, spotlighting schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. In short, this review will focus on the potential role of synapse formation and maintenance in major psychiatric disorders and summarize evidence that defective Wnt signaling could contribute to their pathogenesis via effects on these late neural differentiation processes.
Effects of Oil Extraction Methods on Physical and Chemical Properties of Red Salmon Oils (Oncorhynchus nerka)
Authors: Yin Huaixia , Solval Kevin Mis , Huang Jiaqi , Bechtel Peter J. , Sathivel Subramaniam 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThe following four methods were used to extract salmon oil from red salmon heads: RS1 involved a mixture of ground red salmon heads and water, no heat treatment, and centrifugation; RS2 involved ground red salmon heads (no water added), heat treatment, and centrifugation; RS3 involved a mixture of ground red salmon heads and water, heat treatment, and centrifugation; and RS4 involved ground red salmon heads, enzymatic hydrolysis, enzyme inactivation by heat and centrifugation. The four extracted oil samples were evaluated for chemical, thermal, and rheological physical properties. The RS4 process recovered significantly higher amounts of crude oil from red salmon heads than the other three extraction methods, while containing a higher % of free fatty acids and higher peroxide values than RS1, RS2, and RS3 oils. Oleic acid, eicosenoic acid, EPA, and DHA were the predominant fatty acids accounting for about 60% of all unsaturated fatty acids. The RS1, RS2, RS3, and RS4 extractions contained 9.3, 9.05, 9.35, and 9.45% of EPA and 8.8, 8.55, 9.0, and 9.1% of DHA in the oil, respectively. Weight losses of the oils increased with increasing temperatures between 200 and 500 °C. The % weight losses at 500 °C were 94.50, 94.58, 94.94, and 95.47% for RS2, RS1, RS3, and RS4, respectively. The apparent viscosities of all the oil samples decreased with the increases in the temperature. The RS1 extract was more viscous (P < 0.05) than those of RS2, RS3, and RS4 between 0 and 25 °C.
High bone concentrations of homocysteine are associated with altered bone morphology in humans
Authors: Holstein Joerg H. , Herrmann Markus , Splett Christina , Herrmann Wolfgang , Garcia Patric , Histing Tina , Klein Moritz , Kurz Karsten , Siebel Thomas , Pohlemann Tim , Menger Michael D. 
Published: April 2011

Accumulation of homocysteine andS-adenosylhomocysteine in bone has been shown to be associated with reduced bone quality in rats. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether high bone concentrations of homocysteine andS-adenosylhomocysteine as well as a low methylation capacity are related to an impaired bone morphology in humans. Concentrations of homocysteine and its precursorsS-adenosylhomocysteine andS-adenosylmethionine were measured in femoral bone samples of eighty-two males and females (age 71 (sd8) years) who underwent elective hip arthroplasty. Cancellous bone structure was analysed by histomorphometry. In addition, blood was sampled to measure serum concentrations of homocysteine. Results of bone and serum analyses were grouped for individuals with high or low bone concentrations of homocysteine,S-adenosylhomocysteine andS-adenosylmethionine, as well as for individuals with a high or a low methylation capacity, which is indicated by a low or a highS-adenosylhomocysteine:S-adenosylmethionine ratio (n41, each). Histomorphometry showed a higher trabecular separation and a lower trabecular thickness, trabecular number and trabecular area in individuals with high bone concentrations of homocysteine andS-adenosylhomocysteine compared with individuals with low bone concentrations of homocysteine andS-adenosylhomocysteine. There was no association between theS-adenosylhomocysteine:S-adenosylmethionine ratio and bone morphology. It was found that 48 % of bone homocysteine was bound to the collagen of the extracellular bone matrix. Blood analyses demonstrated a significant correlation between serum and bone homocysteine. The results of the present study indicate an association between altered bone morphology and elevated bone concentrations of homocysteine andS-adenosylhomocysteine, but not between altered bone morphology and methylation capacity.
Effect of the continuous intake of probiotic-fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota on fever in a mass outbreak of norovirus gastroenteritis and the faecal microflora in a health service facility for the aged
Authors: Nagata Satoru , Asahara Takashi , Ohta Toshihisa , Yamada Toshihiko , Kondo Shigemi , Bian Lei , Wang Chongxin , Yamashiro Yuichiro , Nomoto Koji 
Published: April 2011

For conducting effective risk management in long-stay elderly people at a health service facility, we performed an open case-controlled study to evaluate the effect of the intake of probiotic-fermented milk containing Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (LcS-fermented milk) on norovirus gastroenteritis occurring in the winter season during the intake period. A total of seventy-seven elderly people (mean age 84 years) were enrolled in the study. During a 1-month period, there was no significant difference in the incidence of norovirus gastroenteritis between the LcS-fermented milk-administered (n 39) and the non-administered (n 38) groups; however, the mean duration of fever of >37°C after the onset of gastroenteritis was 1·5 (sd 1·7) d in the former and 2·9 (sd 2·3) d in the latter group, showing a significant shortening in the former group (P < 0·05). RT-quantitative PCR analysis targeting ribosomal RNA showed both Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus to be significantly dominant, whereas Enterobacteriaceae decreased in faecal samples from the administered group (n 10, mean age 83 years), with a significant increase in faecal acetic acid concentration. Continuous intake of LcS-fermented milk could positively contribute to the alleviation of fever caused by norovirus gastroenteritis by correcting the imbalance of the intestinal microflora peculiar to the elderly, although such consumption could not protect them from the disease.
Marginal selenium status in northern Tasmania
Authors: Beckett Jeffrey M. , Ball Madeleine J. 
Published: April 2011

Se plays many important roles in humans. Marginal Se status has been associated with adverse health effects including an increased risk of chronic disease such as cancer. There are few Australian data, but the population of Tasmania, Australia, is potentially at risk of marginal Se status. A cross-sectional study of 498 men and women aged 25–84 years was undertaken to assess the Se status of the northern Tasmanian population. Se status was assessed using dietary estimates and measures of serum Se and glutathione peroxidase (GPx). Mean Se intakes were 77·4 (sd31·3) and 65·1 (sd23·7) μg/d for men and women, respectively; 27 % of the subjects consumed less than the Australian/New Zealand estimated average requirement. Mean serum Se concentration was 89·1 (sd15·1) μg/l; 83 % of the study subjects had serum Se concentrations below 100 μg/l and 60 % had serum Se concentration below 90 μg/l, suggesting that Se status in many subjects was inadequate for maximal GPx activity. This was supported by the positive association between serum Se and serum GPx (P < 0·001), indicating that enzyme activity was limited by Se concentrations. The lowest mean serum Se concentrations were observed in the oldest age ranges; however, the prevalence of marginal Se status was similar across age ranges and did not appear to be influenced by sex or socio-economic status. The prevalence of marginal Se status was high in all sex and age subgroups, suggesting that the northern Tasmanian population could benefit from increasing Se intakes.
Sex- and age-specific immunomodulatory effects of dietary soya protein isolate and isoflavones in rats
Authors: Cornish Stephen M. , Wood Carla M. , L'Abbé Mary R. , Gilani G. Sarwar , Cooke Gerard M. , Curran Ivan H. , Xiao Chao Wu 
Published: April 2011

The present study examined, using rats as a model, the effects of sex and age of exposure to dietary soya components on serum total and soya-specific antibody content. In Expt 1, Sprague–Dawley rats at 50 d of age were fed diets containing 20 % casein or 20 % alcohol-washed soya protein isolate (SPI) with or without supplemental isoflavones (ISF, 250 mg/kg diet) for 70, 190 or 310 d. The offspring were fed the same diets as their parents. In Expt 2, juvenile Sprague–Dawley rats at 30 d of age were fed diets containing 20 % casein with or without supplemental ISF (50 mg/kg diet) or increasing amounts of alcohol-washed SPI (5, 10 or 20 %) for 90 d. Exposure of rats to dietary SPI before the age of 28 d increased serum total IgA and IgM, and induced the production of SPI-specific IgA, IgG, IgM and IgE antibodies. Feeding of juvenile or adult rats with SPI elevated serum total IgA in females, while the opposite occurred in males, and markedly stimulated the production of SPI-specific IgM in females and IgG in males. Our data suggest that the effects of soya proteins and ISF on the production of serum total and SPI-specific antibodies appear to be sex dependent and also related to the age of exposure to soya in rats. However, the physiological significance of these immune responses remains to be determined.
Contrecoup injury in patients with traumatic temporal bone fracture
Authors: Asha'Ari Z A , Ahmad R , Rahman J , Kamarudin N , Wan Ishlah L 
Published: April 2011

AbstractObjective:To study the prevalence and patterns of contrecoup injury in traumatic temporal bone fracture cases.Method:A prospective, cohort study was undertaken of all patients with traumatic head injury admitted to a tertiary referral hospital in Malaysia within an 18-month period. High resolution computed tomography scans of the brain and skull base were performed in indicated cases, based on clinical findings and Glasgow coma score. Patients with a one-sided temporal bone fracture were selected and subsequent magnetic resonance imaging performed in all cases. Contrecoup injury incidence, type, severity and outcome were recorded.Results:Of 1579 head injury cases, 81 (5.1 per cent) met the inclusion criteria and were enrolled in the study. Temporal bone fractures were significantly associated with intracranial injuries (p < 0.001). The incidence of a contrecoup injury in cases with temporal bone fracture was 13.6 per cent. Contrecoup injury was significantly associated with petrous temporal bone fracture (p < 0.01). The commonest contrecoup injury was cerebral contusion, followed by extradural haematoma and subdural haematoma.Conclusion:Contrecoup injury is not uncommon in cases of temporal bone fracture, and is significantly associated with petrous temporal bone fracture.
Coblation of rhinophyma
Authors: Timms M , Roper A , Patrick C 
Published: April 2011

AbstractIntroduction:Rhinophyma is a disfiguring hypertrophy of the skin of the tip of the nose.Objective:To assess the new technique of coblation of rhinophyma.Study design:Case series of six patients.Results:All patients had a good cosmetic result. Comparison with existing techniques showed advantages due to the lower tissue temperature involved.Conclusion:Coblation of rhinophyma is an effective treatment with few side effects.
Determinants of life-history traits in a fish ectoparasite: a hierarchical analysis
Authors: LOOT G. , POULET N. , BROSSE S. , TUDESQUE L. , THOMAS F. , BLANCHET S. 
Published: April 2011

SUMMARYObjective.Unravelling the determinants of parasite life-history traits in natural settings is complex. Here, we deciphered the relationships between biotic, abiotic factors and the variation in 4 life-history traits (body size, egg presence, egg number and egg size) in the fish ectoparasiteTracheliastes polycolpus. We then determined the factors affecting the strength of the trade-off between egg number and egg size.Methods.To do so, we used 4-level (parasite, microhabitat, host and environment) hierarchical models coupled to a field database.Results.Variation in life-history traits was mostly due to individual characteristics measured at the parasite level. At the microhabitat level (fins of fish hosts), parasite number was positively related to body size, egg presence and egg number. Higher parasite number on fins was positively associated with individual parasite fitness. At the host level, host body size was positively related to the individual fitness of the parasite; parasites were bigger and more fecund on bigger hosts. In contrast, factors measured at the environmental level had a weak influence on life-history traits. Finally, a site-dependent trade-off between egg number and egg size existed in this population.Conclusion.Our study illustrates the importance of considering parasite life-history traits in a hierarchical framework to decipher complex links between biotic, abiotic factors and parasite life-history traits.