bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Plasma Concentration of Heat Shock Protein 27 and Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Prospective, Nested Case-Control Study
Authors: Kardys Isabella , Rifai Nader , Meilhac Olivier , Michel Jean-Baptiste , Martin-Ventura Jose Luis , Buring Julie E , Libby Peter , Ridker Paul M 
Published: November 2007

Abstract
Background: Heat shock protein 27 (HSP27) has been hypothesized to be a potential biomarker of atherothrombosis. However, no prospective studies have yet been performed to investigate the association between HSP27 plasma concentration and incident cardiovascular events among initially healthy individuals.
Methods: We evaluated plasma concentrations of HSP27 at baseline among 255 initially healthy participants in the Women’s Health Study who subsequently developed myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, or cardiovascular death during a follow-up period of up to 5.9 years and among an equal number of women matched for age and smoking but who remained free of cardiovascular disease over the same time period.
Results: Overall, HSP27 plasma concentrations were inversely associated with age (Spearman correlation coefficient r = −0.258, P &lt;0.001), but not with other established cardiovascular risk factors. Conditional logistic regression analysis showed no significant association of baseline HSP27 plasma concentration with future cardiovascular disease; the odds ratio for upper vs lower tertile of HSP27 concentration at baseline was 0.99 (95% CI 0.62–1.57, P for trend = 0.99).
Conclusion: In this prospective study of initially healthy women, baseline HSP27 plasma concentration was not associated with incident cardiovascular events.
Analytical Determination of the Surface Area of a Threaded Fastener
Authors: Rammer Douglas R. , Zelinka Samuel L. 
Published: November 2007

Abstract
Accurate determination of corrosion rates for threaded fasteners hinges on the ability to determine the surface area on which corrosion is occurring. Currently, no general analytical expression of surface area exists for the threaded fastener types. A recent voluntary withdrawal of chromated copper arsenate as the primary, long-standing preservative treatment for wood resulted in the need to determine the corrosion rates of threaded fasteners. This paper developed general analytical surface area equations for a wedge-shaped thread and the area between the threads for three cases: (1) an increasing thread root and crest diameter, (2) constant thread root and crest diameters, and (3) a constant thread root but a decreasing thread crest diameter. The expressions are applied, numerically verified, and compared to simplified models for a No. 10–2.54 cm (1-in.) long wood screw.
Measurement and Evaluation of Asphalt Concrete Thermal Expansion and Contraction
Authors: Xu Qinwu , Solaimanian Mansour 
Published: November 2007

Abstract
Thermal expansion and contraction (TE/TC) of asphalt concrete (AC) play a significant role in both the thermal fatigue and low-temperature cracking of AC pavements. This paper discusses a test method and procedure developed to determine the AC coefficients of thermal expansion and contraction (CTE and CTC, respectively). Cylindrical specimens were subjected to temperature variations in an environmental chamber and specimen deformations were measured using extensometers. Temperature was applied in the range of −5°C to 40°C during both expansion and contraction phases. A specimen made from ceramic with very low CTE/CTC was also tested so that the influence of the self TE/TC of extensometers could be accounted for, and therefore, the measured deformation of an AC specimen was properly adjusted. A finite element (FE) model was developed to simulate the thermal stresses and strains inside the specimen, and to provide means for reliable computation of CTE/CTC. For this FE model, required AC viscoelastic properties were determined from the dynamic modulus test. The CTE/CTC of AC were then determined by using the calibrated deformation-temperature relationship. The standard aluminum and rubber specimens were also tested for TE/TC within a temperature range to validate the developed test method and computation approach. It was found that the CTE/CTC of AC were nonlinear and temperature dependent. The CTE/CTC determined for the aluminum and rubber specimens were found to be close to the standard values, therefore, validating the proposed approach for determination of CTE/CTC of AC.
Suitability of Dynamic and Relaxation Tests for the Evaluation of Moisture Susceptibility of Asphalt Mixtures
Authors: Arambula Edith , Masad Eyad , Martin Amy Epps , Lytton Robert L. 
Published: November 2007

Abstract
The presence of waIn ter in asphalt pavements deteriorates their condition and causes distresses that result in high maintenance costs to state and federal agencies. The objective of this research was to execute dynamic and relaxation tests and evaluate their effectiveness in assessing moisture susceptibility of asphalt mixture specimens with different air void structures determined using X-ray computed tomography (CT) and conditioned using the modified Lottman procedure. The dynamic test consisted of the application of a sinusoidal cyclic compressive load on the specimen while maintaining the strain within a specified range. The relaxation test, performed in both direct tension and compression, consisted of the application of a constant static strain. A statistical analysis was used to study the effectiveness of the tests in evaluating the moisture susceptibility of the asphalt mixtures. The results showed that none of the tests (dynamic or relaxation) were consistent in differentiating between the moisture conditioned and unconditioned specimens or between the responses of the different mixtures within each condition. In addition, the results of the dynamic and relaxation tests were compared after applying different methods to convert frequency-domain data to time-domain data.
Annual Fecundity of Tautog in Long Island Sound: Size Effects and Long‐Term Changes in a Harvested Population
Authors: LaPlante Lori Hosaka , Schultz Eric T. 
Published: November 2007

AbstractFew studies estimate the impact of individual size on annual reproductive output, which is an important consideration where size‐selective harvest may truncate size distributions and sharply reduce populationwide reproductive potential. We conducted a 2‐year study of reproduction in field‐collected and captive tautog Tautoga onitis from Long Island Sound to investigate the influence of individual size on components that constitute annual fecundity: Batch fecundity, spawning frequency, and season duration. Estimates of spawning frequency in field‐caught females relied on time‐varying features of postovulatory follicles that we validated in experiments conducted on captive spawners. Mature females collected in the wild demonstrated midseason peaks in spawning frequency and batch size. Both spawning frequency and batch fecundity increased significantly with size. As a result, annual fecundity increased sharply with size: Large (500‐mm) females produced 24‐86 times as many eggs as did small (250‐mm) females. Average (400‐mm) females spawned 10‐16 million eggs over a season, or about 10,000 eggs/g of whole body mass. We estimated temporal changes in populationwide egg production with data from a 22‐year trawl survey in Long Island Sound. Over this period, an index of abundance declined by a factor of six and size distributions shifted to smaller fish. Despite the shift in size distribution, estimated annual egg production declined no more than the index of abundance because the sex ratio of the population has become female biased. Estimates of tautog annual fecundity were higher than those reported previously in the southern portion of the species' range, reflecting genetic differentiation or phenotypic responses to environmental effects. Given the relatively large reproductive output of large females, their abundance is likely to influence the rate of population recovery in Long Island Sound.
Bioaccumulation and biotransformation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons during sediment tests with oligochaetes (Lumbriculus variegatus)
Authors: Lyytikäinen Merja , Pehkonen Sari , Akkanen Jarkko , Leppänen Matti , Kukkonen Jussi V. K. 
Published: November 2007

AbstractIn some kinetic studies with aquatic invertebrates, the bioaccumulation of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) has been observed to peak at the beginning of the test. This has been explained by the depletion of PAHs from pore water due to limited desorption during the bioaccumulation test or, alternatively, by the activation of biotransformation mechanisms in the organisms. In the present study, we exposed the aquatic oligochaetes, Lumbriculus variegatus, to creosote oil–contaminated sediments to examine the bioaccumulation of PAHs and to clarify the importance of contaminant depletion and biotransformation for it. The contaminant depletion was studied by replanting test organisms into fresh, nondepleted test sediments at 3-d intervals over 12 d and by comparing the resulting body burdens to those of the organisms that were not replanted. The biotransformation capability of L. variegatus was assessed by following the concentration of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-HP), a phase I metabolite of pyrene, in oligochaete tissue during a 15-d test. We observed that the bioaccumulation of most PAHs indeed peaked at the beginning of the test. The concentrations in the replanted organisms were only 1.5 to 2 times higher than in nonreplanted organisms during the first 9 d of the test and, by day 12, no differences were detected. 1-Hydroxypyrene was detected in oligochaete tissue throughout the exposures, and concentrations decreased over time. However, the proportion of 1-HP to pyrene increased linearly during the test. These results indicated that the depletion of contaminants has only a minor effect on their bioaccumulation in oligochaetes and that the cause for the observed bioaccumulation curve shape is rapid elimination of the contaminants and, possibly to some degree, their metabolites.
Uptake and translocation of p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene supplied in hydroponics solution to Cucurbita
Authors: Gent Martin P. N. , White Jason C. , Parrish Zakia D. , Isleyen Mehmet , Eitzer Brian D. , Mattina MaryJane Incorvia 
Published: November 2007

Abstract
Field studies show shoots of zucchini (Cucurbita pepo L.) accumulate various hydrophobic contaminants from soil, although many other plants do not, including cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). To investigate the mechanism for this uptake, we presented p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE) to these two species in hydroponics solution. A mixture of DDE bound to Tenax™ beads stirred with a solution of water passing through a reservoir provided a flowing solution containing DDE at approximately 2 μg/L for many weeks duration. Approximately 90% of the DDE supplied in solution was adsorbed on the roots of both cucumber and zucchini. Less than 10% of the sorbed DDE was released subsequently when clean solution flowed past these contaminated roots for 9 d. The shoots of both species accumulated DDE, but the fraction that moved from the roots to the shoot in zucchini, ranging from 6 to 27% in various trials, was 10-fold greater than that in cucumber, 0.7 to 2%. The gradient in DDE concentration in zucchini tissues was in the order root &gt; stem &gt; petiole &gt; leaf blade, indicating the movement was through the xylem in the transpiration stream. Some DDE in leaf blades might have been absorbed from the air, because the concentration in this tissue varied less with time, position in trough, or species, than did DDE in stems and petioles. The remarkable ability of zucchini to translocate DDE could not be attributed to differences in tissue composition, growth rate, distribution of weight among plant parts, or in the leaf area and rate of transpiration of water from leaves. Some other factor enables efficient translocation of hydrophobic organic contaminants in the xylem of zucchini.
Use of two-photon excitation microscopy and autofluorescence for visualizing the fate and behavior of semivolatile organic chemicals within living vegetation
Authors: Wild Edward , Dent John , Thomas Gareth O. , Jones Kevin C. 
Published: November 2007

Abstract
The uptake, transport, storage, and processing of semivolatile organic chemicals (SVOCs) by vegetation plays an important role in their environmental fate. Understanding these processes at the plant cellular level is essential to understanding the fate and behavior of SVOCs within the environment. Traditional analytical methods have relied on destructive analysis of the plant and a level of inference to suggest exactly where within the plant the chemical is residing, how it is getting there, and what its subsequent fate might be. The use of two-photon excitation microscopy to visualize the in situ uptake, transport, storage, compartmentalization, processing, and fate of a number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in living vegetation is summarized. Using this technique, the uptake of PAHs to leaves and roots via the atmosphere or soil is visualized. Subsequent storage, transport, compartmentalization, and plant processing, including metabolism, can then be monitored. Differences in processing of the same chemical between species are observed, including compartmentalization, transport routes, and degradation pathways. Chemical location within the plant is observed to have a significant effect on PAH fate (e.g., through photodegradation). We highlight a number of key findings and the research areas requiring increased impetus to gain a comprehensive understanding of the complexity involved in SVOC–plant interactions from the cellular to global scales.
Herbicidal effects on nontarget vegetation: Investigating the limitations of current pesticide registration guidelines
Authors: White Andrea L. , Boutin Céline 
Published: November 2007

Abstract
The impact of herbicide exposure on nontarget vegetation within agroecosystems has sparked extensive research that revealed that current pesticide registration guidelines may be inadequate at predicting the effects of herbicides on wild plants and habitats. This study extends the current interest by presenting three experiments highlighting some of the limitations to current phytotoxicity testing guidelines. Several crops and wild plant species were grown under greenhouse conditions following standard protocol for phytotoxicity testing. Plants were sprayed with five different herbicides at the four- to six-leaf stage, and biomass was recorded at 28 d after spray. Results showed that current regulatory protocol will likely underestimate herbicide phytotoxicity if testing does not include data for the complete tank-mix formulation. The present study also showed that the range in herbicide sensitivity among cultivars of the same crop can be quite extensive and that, depending on the cultivar included in a risk assessment, conclusions regarding the phytotoxicity of any given herbicide may differ. Although no significant differences in sensitivity were found between crops and related wild species, results revealed that current guidelines are too rigid in terms of species selection. Considering the variability among crop cultivars, coupled with the ecological importance and the ease of germination of many noncrop plant species, pesticide regulatory guidelines would be improved if wild species were included in testing. Findings of the present study indicate that current pesticide regulatory guidelines require modifications to ensure a more accurate assessment of herbicide effects on nontarget plant species.
Evaluation of ecotoxicity and fate of methylated butyltins in sediments and seawater from Tokyo Bay, Japan
Authors: Kurihara Ryo , Shiraishi Fujio , Rajendran Ramaswamy Babu , Tao Hiroaki , Horiguchi Fumio , Nakata Kisaburo , Hashimoto Shinya 
Published: November 2007

Abstract
We analyzed the fate of organotins in seawater and sediments from Tokyo Bay, Japan, by gas chromatography/inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. We also measured the toxicity of methylated butyltins by in vitro bioassays, the retinoid × receptor (RXR) activation method, and the marine luminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri. Concentrations of tributyltin (TBT) and tributylmonomethyltin (TBMMT) in seawater were 0.0636 to 0.419 and 0.0050 to 0.108 ng Sn/L and in sediment were 7.51 to 17.8 and 3.67 to 6.87 ng Sn/wet weight g, respectively. Methylated butyltins did not activate RXR and were not toxic to bacteria. Tributylmonomethyltin in seawater would elute from sediment since TBMMT-to-TBT ratios showed a positive correlation (r2 = 0.858) between sediment and deep seawater. Both methylation and debutylation of TBT seem to be major routes of decomposition of TBT in sediment. Methylation of TBT would not only cause subsequent volatilization but also decrease the toxicity of TBT species in the marine environment.
The influence of exposure history on arsenic accumulation and toxicity in the killifish, Fundulus heteroclitus
Authors: Shaw Joseph R. , Jackson Brian , Gabor Kristin , Stanton Sara , Hamilton Joshua W. , Stanton Bruce A. 
Published: November 2007

Abstract
Exposure to arsenic is known to cause adverse effects in aquatic biota and wildlife and is of major concern to human health. Although numerous studies have investigated the toxicity of arsenic, little is known about the effects of acquired tolerance on arsenic accumulation and toxicity outside of cell culture models. Accordingly, studies were conducted on the estuarine fish, Fundulus heteroclitus, that were preexposed to nontoxic concentrations of arsenic (as sodium arsenite; 0.7 and 106 μmol As/L) for 96 h or naïve to elevated arsenic to determine the effects of acclimation on arsenic toxicity and accumulation. Tolerance to arsenic was rapidly (96 h) acquired in killifish that were preexposed. In toxicity tests with arsenic-acclimated killifish, preexposure to 106 μmol As/L resulted in a reduction in toxicity when compared to näive animals. Toxicity in arsenic-acclimated fish also was distinguished by a delayed onset of mortality that manifested in dose-dependent fashion and was significant even for the lower acclimation concentration (0.7 μmol As/L). The increase tolerance acquired following preexposure to 106 μmol As/L for 96 h was associated with lower concentrations of arsenic in all monitored tissues (e.g., gill, liver, kidney) and the whole body when fish were exposed to 240 μmol As/L for an additional 96 h. In accordance with these observations, expression of the multidrug resistance-associated protein (MRP)-2 gene, which is responsible for transporting arsenic conjugated to glutathione out of cells, was increased in the liver of arsenic-acclimated fish.
Release of elements to natural water from sediments of Lake Roosevelt, Washington, USA
Authors: Paulson Anthony J. , Cox Stephen E. 
Published: November 2007

Abstract
Reservoir sediments from Lake Roosevelt (WA, USA) that were contaminated with smelter waste discharged into the Columbia River (BC, Canada) were examined using three measures of elemental release reflecting varying degrees of physical mixing and time scales. Aqueous concentrations of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in the interstitial water of reservoir sediments, in the gently stirred overlying waters of incubated sediment cores, and in supernatants of aggressively tumbled slurries of reservoir sediments generally were higher than the concentrations from a reference site. When compared to chronic water-quality criteria, all three measures of release suggest that slag-contaminated sediments near the U.S.–Canadian border are potentially toxic as a result of Cu release and Pb release in two of the three measures. All three measures of Cd release suggest potential toxicity for one site farther down the reservoir, probably contaminated as a result of transport and adsorption of Cd from smelter liquid waste. Releases of Zn and As did not appear to be potentially toxic. Carbonate geochemistry indirectly affects the potential toxicity by increasing water hardness.
Sorption of steroid estrogens to soil and soil constituents in single- and multi-sorbate systems
Authors: Bonin Julia L. , Simpson Myrna J. 
Published: November 2007

Abstract
The sorptive behavior of 17 β-estradiol (estradiol), estrone, and 17α-ethinylestradiol (EE2) from aqueous solutions to four soil samples, two clay minerals, and sand was examined. The measured sorption isotherms were found to be nonlinear and soil isotherm data fit the Freundlich model. Alternatively, both the Langmuir and Freundlich models were used for the mineral samples. The sorption affinity of steroid estrogens was found to be greater for montmorillonite than kaolinite and the sand. The soil Freundlich coefficients (KF) for estradiol, estrone, and EE2 were observed to increase with organic carbon (OC) content, and resulting Freundlich coefficients that were normalized to the OC content (KFOC) were observed to be within the same range for estradiol and estrone but not for EE2. Sorption of steroid estrogens in soil appears to be governed by OC and expanding clay mineral content; thus, estimating sorption coefficients from physicochemical properties may underestimate sorption in soils or sediments that are rich in OC and smectitic clay minerals. Analysis of soils by solid-state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance did not reveal any trends between sorption capacity and organic matter structure. Competitive sorption experiments revealed that the degree of competition varied with the OC and mineral content, further suggesting that specific soil properties are important for understanding sorption of estrogens in terrestrial environments.
Effects on growth and physiological parameters in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) grown in soil and irrigated with cyanobacterial toxin contaminated water
Authors: Pflugmacher Stephan , Hofmann Jeannette , Hübner Bettina 
Published: November 2007

Abstract
The present study investigates the germination and growth of Triticum aestivum exposed to two different microcystins (microcystin-LR [where the two variable places in the toxin molecule are leucine (L) and arginine (R) (MC-LR)] and microcystin-RR) and to cell-free cyanobacterial crude extract containing MC-LR. The concentration of the microcystins was set to 0.5 μg L−1 and therefore is in the range of concentrations normally detected in the environment. In three experiments, the inhibition of germination, the inhibition of root and shoot development, photosynthesis, and activity of oxidative stress-response enzymes, such as glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase, were measured. All plants were placed in pots containing normal garden soil to investigate the effects of soil in the uptake of toxin by Triticum aestivum. The results showed clear effects on the morphology of roots and shoots, which were inhibited in exposures with cyanotoxins and crude extract. The inhibition of photosynthesis and the elevation of antioxidative-response enzymes indicate the generation of reactive oxygen species due to the exposure to the toxins resulting in oxidative stress for the plants.