bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effect of stress paths on the behaviour of sandsteel interfaces
Authors: Evgin Erman , Fakharian Kazem 
Published: May 2008

An apparatus has been developed to carry out two- and three-dimensional tests on interfaces between soils and structural materials. The soil container facilitates both the sliding displacement at the interface and the shear deformation in the soil mass. The apparatus has the capability of maintaining the normal stiffness constant during shearing. In constant normal stiffness tests, the normal stress is adjusted continuously by a computer-controlled system to keep the normal stiffness at a desired value. In addition to constant normal stiffness tests, conventional types of tests can be performed during which the average normal stress acting on the interface is kept constant. In all types of three-dimensional tests, the interface can be subjected to tangential loading in two orhtogonal directions simultaneously. Experiments were conducted to study the two- and three-dimensional behaviour of an interface between a dense sand and a rough steel surface under both constant normal stress and constant normal stiffness conditions. The influence of various stress paths on the stressdisplacement relations and shear strength characteristics of the interface are investigated. The experimental results indicate that the coefficients of friction corresponding to the resultant peak and residual shear strengths are independent of stress paths. The shear stress  tangential displacement and volume change behaviour of the interface, however, are significantly influenced by stress paths. Key words: interface testing, simple shear, peak and residual shear strength, three-dimensional, constant normal stiffness, stress path.
Case histories illustrate the importance of secondary-type consolidation settlements in the Fraser River delta
Authors: Crawford Carl B , Morrison K Ian 
Published: May 2008

The technique of preloading the deep, compressible soils in the Fraser River delta has been used for more than 40 years to prevent excessive settlement of major structures. This paper documents 22 years of settlement under preloading and after construction of the facilities for a major waste water treatment plant in the delta. These results are similar to observations for as long as 28 years at five additional sites in the delta. It was found that as much as one half of the measured surface settlement occured during or within a few weeks of the full apllication of the preload and that subsequent settlements have the characteristics of secondary consolidation. This could not have been predicted from laboratory tests, and it raises questions concerning the true nature of consolidation in situ. For practical purposes the observations provide guidance for the prediction of long-term settlements in the region. Key words: case history, consolidation, field observations, preloading, settlement.
Densification of domestic waste fills by dynamic compaction
Authors: Van Impe William F , Bouazza Abdelmalek 
Published: May 2008

Dynamic compaction of solid waste is important in landfill operations because increasing the density of the material increases the storage capacity of the landfill. Differential settlements are also reduced, which is important for the integrity of the cover system. In this paper, a case study concerning a waste disposal site situated at Maldegem, Belgium, is presented. It is shown that young landfills behave differently from old landfills. This phenomenon results from the biodegradation of the wastes. Moreover, it is shown that the depth of influence, the crater depth, the enforced settlement, and the peak particle velocity are affected by this ageing process. Key words: dynamic compaction, landfills, SASW method, waste.
Bottom-heave control of a deep sensitive clay excavation in Ottawa, Canada
Authors: McRostie G C , Morissette L , St-Louis M W 
Published: May 2008

For a new Police Headquarters Complex in Ottawa, an excavation was required to a depth of 10 m in medium to stiff sensitive silty clays and clayey silts. The risk of a bottom-heave failure due to uplift caused by significant groundwater pressures in the silty soil a few metres below the bottom of the excavation was recognized, and contract requirements included a wellpoint installation assisted by electro-osmosis. The successful bidder was able to develop an alternative method based on the observational approach and completed the foundation at a lesser cost. A small test excavation was instrumented, and digging proceeded cautiously to full depth. The observed bottom heave and pore pressure changes were encouraging, so the test area was enlarged in steps until a workable size of excavation was safely made, then the structural raft was able to be placed. A backup system of pore pressure relief wells using wick drains in the bottom of the excavation was also developed. A large pore pressure reduction, due to the release of overburden pressure, was expected by the contractor's consultant, and a slow regain of the groundwater pressure was also expected due to the low horizontal permeabilities involved. The test excavation instrumentation and observations confirmed these expectations. Key words: bottom heave, excavation, clay, pore pressure.
Reliability of thin-walled cylinder tests for elastic properties of anisotropic rocks
Authors: Talesnick M L 
Published: May 2008

Elastic properties of transverse isotropic rocks may be theoretically determined by subjecting a single hollow cylinder specimen to a set of two simple stress conditions. The reliability of the methodology is considered by testing both thin-walled hollow cylinders and thick-walled hollow cylinders. The results indicate that the testing procedure produces consistent material parameters, sample preparation does not seem to induce changes in the specimen behaviour, and that the assumptions implemented in the determination of the material parameters are reasonable. Key words: hollow cylinder, anisotropy, elasticity, test method.
Limitations of Bispectral Infrared Cloud Phase Determination and Potential for Improvement
Authors: Nasiri Shaima L. , Kahn Brian H. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Determining cloud thermodynamic phase using infrared satellite observations typically requires a priori assumptions about relationships between cloud phase and cloud temperature. In this study, limitations of an approach using two infrared channels with moderate spectral resolutions are demonstrated, as well as the potential for improvement using channels with higher spectral resolution. The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument uses a bispectral infrared cloud phase determination algorithm. MODIS observations during January 2005 show that approximately 23% of cloudy pixels are classified as mixed or unknown cloud phase; this increases to 78% when only cloud-top temperatures between 250 and 265 K are considered. Radiative transfer simulations show that the bispectral algorithm has limited ability to discriminate between water and ice clouds in this temperature range. There is also the potential for thin ice clouds at colder temperatures to be misclassified as water clouds. In addition, sensitivities to cloud particle size and cloud height can be larger than sensitivities to cloud phase. Simulations suggest that phase sensitivity may be higher with hyperspectral observations such as those from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS). The AIRS brightness temperature differences between channels at 8.1 and 10.4 μm show phase sensitivities of at least 0.5 K, regardless of cloud particle size, cloud-top temperature, or cloud height. They also demonstrate reduced sensitivity to atmospheric temperature and water vapor variability. The reduced sensitivity of AIRS radiances to these physical quantities shows that hyperspectral sounders will serve an important role in refining estimates of cloud phase.
Differential Reflectivity Calibration for Operational Radars
Authors: Bechini R. , Baldini L. , Cremonini R. , Gorgucci E. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
The conventional technique for calibrating Zdr using natural scatterers is based on vertical-looking observations. In some operational weather radar, this method is not applicable because of mechanical constraints that prohibit vertical measurement or choices in the scanning strategies. A technique for calibrating Zdr based on properties of rain returns is proposed and analyzed. The technique is based on an examination of properties of differential reflectivity measurements collected at increasing elevations. Differential reflectivity observed in rain decreases with increasing elevation due to the increasing view angle. Using the hypothesis of uniform microphysical profiles below the bright band, deviations of the profile of differential reflectivity with elevation with respect to the theoretical profile can be used to detect and quantify the presence of a bias on differential reflectivity. To apply this concept in the presence of a nonuniform microphysical profile, the contribution of vertical changes in microphysics to Zdr variation in height is also accounted for. An error parameter associated with the estimated Zdr bias can be used as a quality indicator of the bias estimation; it allows definition of a criterion based on a threshold of root-mean-square error that permits acceptance or rejection of a Zdr bias estimation obtained with the proposed method. The technique is demonstrated using data collected by an operational weather radar at Arpa Piemonte (Italy) and evaluated using independent disdrometer measurement. Results show that under certain conditions discussed in the paper, this method can provide Zdr calibration within an accuracy of 0.1 dB.
An evaluation of patient satisfaction regarding the care and information provided by infection control nurses relating to MRSA
Authors: Bellamy E. 
Published: May 2008

Meticillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has attracted much sensationalist reporting from the media in recent years and has contributed to a high level of anxiety among the public in general. In response to this, and bearing in mind the Department of Health's encouragement to involve the patient in improving healthcare services, the Infection Prevention and Control Team (IPCT) at a large acute NHS trust undertook an evaluation of patient satisfaction with their MRSA related care. The aim was to improve the service currently offered by IPCT to inpatients who are either infected or colonised with MRSA. The survey demonstrated a general satisfaction with the current service. However, several recommendations are under review as a consequence of the study, including: ■ Content of information leaflets ■ Content of MRSA educational programmes ■ Ensuring attendance at mandatory infection control education sessions ■ The method of information provision for patients with MRSA ■ The amount of protected time for link practitioners. Other trusts may have similar issues, levels of patient satisfaction and patient concerns, and infection prevention and control teams may find it beneficial to review the issues identified through this survey.
The microenvironment for erythropoiesis is regulated by HIF-2α through VCAM-1 in endothelial cells
Authors: Yamashita Toshiharu , Ohneda Osamu , Sakiyama Ai , Iwata Fumiko , Ohneda Kinuko , Fujii-Kuriyama Yoshiaki 
Published: May 2008

AbstractErythropoiesis is a dynamic process regulated by oxygen in vertebrates. Recent evidence has indicated that erythropoietin (Epo) expression is regulated by hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIFs), HIF-2α in particular. In this study, we report that knockdown mutation of HIF-2α in mice (kd/kd) results in normocytic anemia, despite Epo induction in response to hypoxia not being severely affected. Transplantation analyses clearly demonstrated that the hematopoietic microenvironment, but not the hematopoietic cells, was altered in kd/kd. Furthermore, cell-type specific recovery of HIF-2α expression in endothelial cells (ECs) abrogated the anemic condition of the kd/kd mice, indicating that HIF-2α in EC plays an essential role in supporting erythropoiesis. In the absence of HIF-2α, the expression of vascular adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) was reduced significantly and restoration of VCAM-1 expression in kd/kd ECs enhanced the development of erythroid progenitors. Finally, a chromatin immunoprecipitation assay and a reporter assay indicated that VCAM-1 gene transcription is directly regulated by HIF-2α. These data suggest that the hematopoietic microenvironment required for erythropoiesis is dynamically regulated by oxygen through the functions of HIF-2α in ECs.
Idiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia: natural history and prognostic factors
Authors: Zonios Dimitrios I. , Falloon Judith , Bennett John E. , Shaw Pamela A. , Chaitt Doreen , Baseler Michael W. , Adelsberger Joseph W. , Metcalf Julia A. , Polis Michael A. , Kovacs Stephen J. , Kovacs Joseph A. , Davey Richard T. , Lane H. Clifford , Masur Henry , Sereti Irini 
Published: May 2008

AbstractIdiopathic CD4+ lymphocytopenia (ICL) is a rare non–HIV-related syndrome with unclear natural history and prognosis. This prospective natural history cohort study describes the clinical course, CD4 T lymphocyte kinetics, outcome, and prognostic factors of ICL. Thirty-nine patients (17 men, 22 women) 25 to 85 years old with ICL were evaluated between 1992 and 2006, and 36 were followed for a median of 49.5 months. Cryptococcal and nontuberculous mycobacterial infections were the major presenting opportunistic infections. Seven patients presented with no infection. In 32, CD4 T-cell counts remained less than 300/mm3 throughout the study period and in 7 normalized after an average of 31 months. Overall, 15 (41.6%) developed an opportunistic infection in follow-up, 5 (13.8%) of which were “AIDS-defining clinical conditions,” and 4 (11.1%) developed autoimmune diseases. Seven patients died, 4 from ICL-related opportunistic infections, within 42 months after diagnosis. Immunologic analyses revealed increased activation and turnover in CD4 but not CD8 T lymphocytes. CD8 T lymphocytopenia (< 180/mm3) and the degree of CD4 T cell activation (measured by HLA-DR expression) at presentation were associated with adverse outcome (opportunistic infection-related death; P = .003 and .02, respectively). This trial is registered at http://clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT00001319.
MPL mutations in myeloproliferative disorders: analysis of the PT-1 cohort
Authors: Beer Philip A. , Campbell Peter J. , Scott Linda M. , Bench Anthony J. , Erber Wendy N. , Bareford David , Wilkins Bridget S. , Reilly John T. , Hasselbalch Hans C. , Bowman Richard , Wheatley Keith , Buck Georgina , Harrison Claire N. , Green Anthony R. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Activating mutations of MPL exon 10 have been described in a minority of patients with idiopathic myelofibrosis (IMF) or essential thrombocythemia (ET), but their prevalence and clinical significance are unclear. Here we demonstrate that MPL mutations outside exon 10 are uncommon in platelet cDNA and identify 4 different exon 10 mutations in granulocyte DNA from a retrospective cohort of 200 patients with ET or IMF. Allele-specific polymerase chain reaction was then used to genotype 776 samples from patients with ET entered into the PT-1 studies. MPL mutations were identified in 8.5% of JAK2 V617F− patients and a single V617F+ patient. Patients carrying the W515K allele had a significantly higher allele burden than did those with the W515L allele, suggesting a functional difference between the 2 variants. Compared with V617F+ ET patients, those with MPL mutations displayed lower hemoglobin and higher platelet levels at diagnosis, higher serum erythropoietin levels, endogenous megakaryocytic but not erythroid colony growth, and reduced bone marrow erythroid and overall cellularity. Compared with V617F− patients, those with MPL mutations were older with reduced bone marrow cellularity but could not be identified as a discrete clinicopathologic subgroup. MPL mutations lacked prognostic significance with respect to thrombosis, major hemorrhage, myelofibrotic transformation or survival.
Increased risks of polycythemia vera, essential thrombocythemia, and myelofibrosis among 24 577 first-degree relatives of 11 039 patients with myeloproliferative neoplasms in Sweden
Authors: Landgren Ola , Goldin Lynn R. , Kristinsson Sigurdur Y. , Helgadottir Elin A. , Samuelsson Jan , Björkholm Magnus 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Previous small studies have reported familial clustering of myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), including polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and myelofibrosis (MF). We identified 6217 PV, 2838 ET, 1172 MF, and 812 MPN unclassifiable (NOS) patients diagnosed in Sweden, 43 550 controls, and first-degree relatives of cases (n = 24 577) and controls (n = 99 542). Using a marginal survival model, we calculated relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals as measures of familial aggregation. Relatives of MPN patients had significantly increased risks of PV (RR = 5.7; 3.5-9.1), ET (RR = 7.4; 3.7-14.8), and MPN NOS (RR = 7.5; 2.7-20.8). Analyses stratified by type of first-degree relative revealed consistently higher risks for siblings, compatible with a model of recessive genetic inheritance, which can be confirmed only by identifying the susceptibility gene(s). Mean age at MPN diagnosis was not different (P = .20) for affected relatives of cases (57.5 years) versus controls (60.6 years), and risk of MPN by age was not different for parents versus offspring of MPN cases (P = .10), providing no support for anticipation. Relatives of MPN patients had a borderline increased risk of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML; RR = 1.9; 0.9-3.8; P = .09). Our findings of 5- to 7-fold elevated risk of MPNs among first-degree relatives of MPN patients support the hypothesis that common, strong, shared susceptibility genes predispose to PV, ET, MF, and possibly CML.
The quality issue
Authors: McClelland Roy 
Published: May 2008

“It is essential that discussion about the quality and effectiveness of care are reintroduced into the centre of the debate as they are, in the end, the more important dimensions of NHS performance” (Maxwell, 1984).While the term quality is not much used explicitly in clinical medicine in general and mental health services in particular, quality is implicit in much that guides us. Indeed it is at the very foundations of our health care practice – the ethical codes with their emphasis on beneficence, non-malevolence, respect for autonomy, justice and fairness.
ECT: a patient-friendly procedure?
Authors: Riordan Denise M. , Barron Philip , Bowden Melanie F. 
Published: May 2008

Electroconvulsive therapy is widely seen by the public as a barbaric and outmoded form of treatment. Even within groups of health care professionals, ECT does not have a ‘good press’. Most research into the area of patient attitudes to ECT has been retrospective and often considerably so, and is therefore unlikely to illustrate patients' feelings about a course of treatment at the time it took place (Freeman & Kendell, 1980; Kerr et al, 1982). The only prospective study is that by Malcolm (1989). This showed a low level of understanding of treatment and a high level of anxiety both before treatment and afterwards, but, despite this, a high level of compliance with ECT therapy.Our aim was to re-examine these findings in order to find a way of improving the experience of ECT.
Leupaxin, a Novel Coactivator of the Androgen Receptor, Is Expressed in Prostate Cancer and Plays a Role in Adhesion and Invasion of Prostate Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Kaulfuss Silke , Grzmil Michal , Hemmerlein Bernhard , Thelen Paul , Schweyer Stefan , Neesen Jürgen , Bubendorf Lukas , Glass Andrew G. , Jarry Hubertus , Auber Bernd , Burfeind Peter 
Published: May 2008

AbstractIn the present study, we demonstrate that leupaxin mRNA is overexpressed in prostate cancer (PCa) as compared with normal prostate tissue by using cDNA arrays and quantitative RT-PCR analyses. Moderate to strong expression of leupaxin protein was detected in approximately 22% of the PCa tissue sections analyzed, and leupaxin expression intensities were found to be significantly correlated with Gleason patterns/scores. In addition, different leupaxin expression levels were observed in PCa cell lines, and at the subcellular level, leupaxin was usually localized in focal adhesion sites. Furthermore, mutational analysis and transfection experiments of LNCaP cells using different green fluorescent protein-leupaxin constructs demonstrated that leupaxin contains functional nuclear export signals in its LD3 and LD4 motifs, thus shuttling between the cytoplasm and the nucleus. We could also demonstrate for the first time that leupaxin interacts with the androgen receptor in a ligand-dependent manner and serves as a transcriptional activator of this hormone receptor in PCa cells. Down-regulation of leupaxin expression using RNA interference in LNCaP cells resulted in a high rate of morphological changes, detachment, spontaneous apoptosis, and a reduction of prostate-specific antigen secretion. In contrast, knockdown of leupaxin expression in androgen-independent PC-3 and DU 145 cells induced a significant decrease of both the invasive capacity and motility. Our results therefore indicate that leupaxin could serve as a potential progression marker for a subset of PCa and may represent a novel coactivator of the androgen receptor. Leupaxin could function as a putative target for therapeutic interventions of a subset of advanced PCa.
Transient elevation of corticosterone alters begging behavior and growth of white-crowned sparrow nestlings
Authors: Wada Haruka , Breuner Creagh W. 
Published: May 2008

SUMMARY
Developing animals may face a cost–benefit tradeoff during growth mediated through hormones such as glucocorticoids, as the hormone is essential for development but can have detrimental consequences. To investigate potential tradeoffs caused by brief, moderate elevations of corticosterone in avian young, we artificially elevated the hormone levels in two ways: feeding corticosterone-containing worms and applying corticosterone dermal patches. The former experiment tested the effects of an acute corticosterone elevation(25 min) on begging behavior, whereas the latter explored the effects of artificially elevated corticosterone for 24 to 48 h on growth. Corticosterone altered both begging behavior and growth of white-crowned sparrow nestlings. It increased latency to beg immediately after the treatment and suppressed growth as early as 24 h after the patch application. These experiments also showed that the effects depended on the age or types of development (e.g. gaining mass or growing feathers) that the nestlings were going through.