bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Survival in multiple system atrophy
Authors: Schrag Anette , Wenning Gregor K. , Quinn Niall , Ben‐Shlomo Yoav 
Published: November 2007

AbstractWe here report survival in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) in a large, prospectively studied group of patients with MSA. Eighty‐five of 100 patients were known to have died. Three patients were rediagnosed as having PD. Twenty‐four patients came to autopsy, which showed MSA in 22 and idiopathic Parkinson's disease in 2. The median survival time was 8.6 and 7.3 years for men and women, respectively (hazard ratio for women was 1.49, 95% CI 0.97–2.31, P = 0.07). Except for rediagnosis as PD, no predictive factors for better survival could be identified. These data confirm the relatively poor prognosis of MSA of less than 9 years on average. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
Discordance between measured postural instability and absence of clinical symptoms in Parkinson's disease patients in the early stages of the disease
Authors: Chastan Nathalie , Debono Bertrand , Maltête David , Weber Jacques 
Published: November 2007

AbstractWe compared postural performances in early stage Parkinson's disease (PD) patients and healthy subjects, and to determine if PD patients have infraclinical postural instability. Nine PD patients and 18 age‐ and sex‐matched control subjects were recorded with open eyes (OE) and closed eyes (CE) using a force platform in static and dynamic conditions with a mobile platform allowing antero posterior and medio lateral oscillations. Oscillations of the mobile platform and balance strategy were quantified using both a force platform and the Vicon system. Under static conditions with both OE and CE, PD patients had a larger center foot pressure sway area than the control subjects (P = 0.007 and P = 0.04, respectively). Under dynamic conditions, the PD patients' sway area was greater than that of the control subjects in the CE antero posterior position (P = 0.04). Oscillations of the mobile platform were not different between the two groups. Lastly, all subjects used an ankle strategy, but PD patients had larger head oscillations than the control subjects. Early stage PD patients have an infraclinical postural instability which is compensated when it is more difficult to maintain good balance, suggesting that the neurological mechanisms of balance are partially still operating at this stage of the disease. © 2007 Movement Disorder Society
New approaches for solving the block‐to‐train assignment problem
Authors: Jha Krishna C. , Ahuja Ravindra K. , Şahin Güvenç 
Published: November 2007

AbstractRailroad planning involves solving two optimization problems: (i) the blocking problem, which determines what blocks to make and how to route traffic over these blocks; and (ii) the train schedule design problem, which determines train origins, destinations, and routes. Once the blocking plan and train schedule have been obtained, the next step is to determine which trains should carry which blocks. This problem, known as the block‐to‐train assignment problem, is considered in this paper. We provide two formulations for this problem: an arc‐based formulation and a path‐based formulation. The latter is generally smaller than the former, and it can better handle practical constraints. We also propose exact and heuristic algorithms based on the path‐based formulation. Our exact algorithm solves an integer programming formulation with CPLEX using both a priori generation and dynamic generation of paths. Our heuristic algorithms include a Lagrangian relaxation‐based method as well as a greedy construction method. We present computational results of our algorithms using the data provided by a major US railroad. We show that we can obtain an optimal solution of the block‐to‐train assignment problem within a few minutes of computational time, and can obtain heuristic solutions with 1–2% deviations from the optimal solutions within a few seconds. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, 2008
Modelling the transient interaction of a thin elastic shell with an exterior acoustic field
Authors: Chappell David J. , Harris Paul J. , Henwood David , Chakrabarti Roma 
Published: November 2007

AbstractCoupled finite and boundary element methods for solving transient fluid–structure interaction problems are developed. The finite element method is used to model the radiating structure, and the boundary element method (BEM) is used to determine the resulting acoustic field. The well‐known stability problems of time domain BEMs are avoided by using a Burton–Miller‐type integral equation. The stability, accuracy and efficiency of two alternative solution methods are compared using an exact solution for the case of a thin spherical elastic shell. The convergence properties of the preferred solution method are then investigated more thoroughly. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of aqueous solvation on the structures of pyruvic acid isomers and their reactions in solution: a computational study
Authors: Kakkar Rita , Pathak Mallika , Gahlot Pragya 
Published: November 2007

AbstractThe pyruvic acid molecule and its various isomers have been studied in aqueous solution in order to understand the mechanism of decarboxylation. The tautomeric equilibrium remains in favor of the keto form in aqueous solution, but the energy difference between the two tautomers decreases. The anion also exists in the keto form in aqueous solution. Good agreement between the calculated and observed gas phase protonation and basicity values is obtained, and the calculated pKa value is also in reasonable agreement with the literature value. The importance of the catalytic mechanism may be gauged from the fact that, in the absence of an enzymatic pathway, the reaction has high activation barrier and may not occur at all. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simultaneous detection of five different 2‐hydroxyethyl‐DNA adducts formed by ethylene oxide exposure, using a high‐performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry assay
Authors: Tompkins Elaine M. , Jones Donald J.L. , Lamb John H. , Marsden Debbie A. , Farmer Peter B. , Brown Karen 
Published: November 2007

AbstractA method has been developed for the simultaneous detection and quantitation of five different 2‐hydroxyethyl‐DNA (HE‐DNA) adducts that could be formed as a result of exposure to ethylene oxide (EO). In addition to the major N7‐HE‐guanine (N7‐HEG) adducts this assay can also measure the less prevalent but potentially more biologically significant N1‐HE‐2′‐deoxyadenosine (N1‐HEdA), O6‐HE‐2′‐deoxyguanosine (O6‐HEdG), N6‐HE‐2′‐deoxyadenosine (N6‐HEdA) and N3‐HE‐2′‐deoxyuridine adducts (N3‐HEdU). The method involves the isolation of HE adducts from the unmodified nucleosides by either neutral thermal hydrolysis or enzymatic digestion, followed by high‐performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) purification, before detection and quantification by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) using selective reaction monitoring (SRM). The limits of detection were in the range 0.5–25 fmol for each individual adduct, making this one of the most sensitive assays available for the detection of N7‐HEG. To illustrate the possible applications of the assay, it has been employed in the measurement of endogenous/background and EO‐induced HE adducts in a variety of DNA samples. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
H∞ control for discrete‐time nonlinear switching systems
Authors: Zhang Huan , Huang Shoudong , James Matthew R. 
Published: November 2007

AbstractThis paper formulates and solves the robust H∞ control problem for discrete‐time nonlinear switching systems. The H∞ control problem is interpreted as the l2 finite gain control problem and is studied using a dissipative systems theory for switched systems. Both state and measurement feedback control problems are formulated as dynamic games and solved using dynamic programming. The partially observed dynamic game corresponding to the measurement feedback control problem is solved by transforming into a completely observed, full state infinite‐dimensional game problem using information states. Our results are illustrated with an example. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ermüdungsprobleme dünnwandiger kaltgeformter Bauteile
Authors: Gläßer Katrin , Lindner Joachim 
Published: November 2007

AbstractDie aktuellen Bemessungskonzepte für dünnwandige Bauteile berücksichtigen bei der Ermittlung der Tragfähigkeit das mögliche örtliche Beulen der Querschnittsteile. Zum Ermüdungsverhalten kaltgeformter Profile bei wiederholtem elastischem Ausbeulen gibt es jedoch bisher keine Aussagen.Zur Untersuchung dieser Problemstellung wurden Schwingversuche an dünnwandigen kaltgeformten U‐Profilen mit reiner Biegebeanspruchung durchgeführt, die den Einfluss des örtlichen Beulens hinsichtlich entstehender Sekundärspannungen und damit verbundener Rissbildung klären sollten.Als Ergebnis zusätzlicher numerischer Untersuchungen wird zur Verhinderung von Rissen bei dynamischer Beanspruchung eine Begrenzung der Belastung auf 60% der Traglast vorgeschlagen.
Wissenschaftstheoretische Überlegungen zur Entwicklung der Baustatik
Authors: Gold Peter 
Published: November 2007

AbstractDie Geschichte der Baukonstruktionen ist so alt wie die Geschichte der Menschheit. In früheren Zeiten waren die Baumeister mit ihrer Erfahrung für die Standfestigkeit eines Bauwerks verantwortlich. Erst mit Beginn der Renaissance und dem Wandel vom aristotelischen zum mechanischen Weltbild konnte die Entwicklung der Baustatik ihren Weg nehmen. Auf Grundlage von Logik und Wissenschaftstheorie hat der Autor versucht, die Wissenschaftsgeschichte der Baustatik, beginnend bei Galileo Galilei, zu rekonstruieren. Aber es sollte ein langer Weg werden, bis Navier Statik und Elastizitätslehre zur Baustatik vereinigte und damit die erste abgeschlossene Theorie in der Geschichte der Baustatik formulierte.
Urine pH is an indicator of dietary acid–base load, fruit and vegetables and meat intakes: results from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Norfolk population study
Authors: Welch Ailsa A. , Mulligan Angela , Bingham Sheila A. , Khaw Kay-tee 
Published: November 2007

Evidence exists that a more acidic diet is detrimental to bone health. Although more precise methods exist for measurement of acid–base balance, urine pH reflects acid–base balance and is readily measurable but has not been related to habitual dietary intake in general populations. The present study investigated the relationship between urine pH and dietary acid–base load (potential renal acid load; PRAL) and its contributory food groups (fruit and vegetables, meats, cereal and dairy foods). There were 22 034 men and women aged 39–78 years living in Norfolk (UK) with casual urine samples and dietary intakes from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Norfolk FFQ. A sub-study (n 363) compared pH in casual samples and 24 h urine and intakes from a 7 d diary and the FFQ. A more alkaline diet (low PRAL), high fruit and vegetable intake and lower consumption of meat was significantly associated with a more alkaline urine pH before and after adjustment for age, BMI, physical activity and smoking habit and also after excluding for urinary protein, glucose, ketones, diagnosed high blood pressure and diuretic medication. In the sub-study the strongest relationship was found between the 24 h urine and the 7 d diary. In conclusion, a more alkaline diet, higher fruit and vegetable and lower meat intake were related to more alkaline urine with a magnitude similar to intervention studies. As urine pH relates to dietary acid–base load its use to monitor change in consumption of fruit and vegetables, in individuals, warrants further investigation.
Nature and Natural Kinds
Authors: Robinson Guy 
Published: November 2007

AbstractThe paper examines the character and historical source of the mystifications of the notions of Nature and Natural Kinds in the misguided attempt to turn Nature into a secular substitute for the role played by God in the previous theological framework of thought in order to turn it into a secular one in the period of the rise of science and scientific understanding. The role and function nature was given in this would-be replacement framework turned it into a quasi-deity governing the world from outside and generated the mechanical world-view in which humans were mere cogs.Against this is set Aristotle's conception of Nature and the Natural as simply ‘what happens by and large and for the most part’—a description and not an explanation.
Robust recognition of zinc binding sites in proteins
Authors: Ebert Jessica C. , Altman Russ B. 
Published: November 2007

AbstractMetals play a variety of roles in biological processes, and hence their presence in a protein structure can yield vital functional information. Because the residues that coordinate a metal often undergo conformational changes upon binding, detection of binding sites based on simple geometric criteria in proteins without bound metal is difficult. However, aspects of the physicochemical environment around a metal binding site are often conserved even when this structural rearrangement occurs. We have developed a Bayesian classifier using known zinc binding sites as positive training examples and nonmetal binding regions that nonetheless contain residues frequently observed in zinc sites as negative training examples. In order to allow variation in the exact positions of atoms, we average a variety of biochemical and biophysical properties in six concentric spherical shells around the site of interest. At a specificity of 99.8%, this method achieves 75.5% sensitivity in unbound proteins at a positive predictive value of 73.6%. We also test its accuracy on predicted protein structures obtained by homology modeling using templates with 30%–50% sequence identity to the target sequences. At a specificity of 99.8%, we correctly identify at least one zinc binding site in 65.5% of modeled proteins. Thus, in many cases, our model is accurate enough to identify metal binding sites in proteins of unknown structure for which no high sequence identity homologs of known structure exist. Both the source code and a Web interface are available to the public at http://feature.stanford.edu/metals.
Heart valve disease associated with treatment with ergot‐derived dopamine agonists: a clinical and echocardiographic study of patients with Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Rasmussen V. G. , Poulsen S. H. , Dupont E. , Østergaard K. , Safikhany G. , Egeblad H. 
Published: November 2007

Abstract.Objective. To elucidate the association between treatment with ergot‐derived dopamine agonists (EDDA) and valvular abnormalities amongst patients with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (IPD) and secondly, to analyse the yield of clinical screening for valvular heart disease.Design. A cross‐sectional controlled study.Setting. The cohort of IPD patients treated in the outpatient clinic, Department of Neurology, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.Subjects. A total of 138 IPD patients [median age 64 (39–87) years, 62% men] treated with either EDDA (n = 85) or non‐EDDA (n = 53) for at least 6 months.Interventions. Patients were screened for valvular heart disease by clinical means and by examiner‐blinded echocardiography. Main outcome measure was valvular regurgitation revealed by echocardiography.Results. Severe aortic regurgitation (n = 4) or moderate aortic (n = 12), mitral (n = 3) or tricuspidal valve regurgitation (n = 5) was found in 22 EDDA patients (25.9%). Two patients had coexistent moderate mitral and tricuspid valvular regurgitation. Two non‐EDDA patients had moderate valve insufficiency (3.8%,P < 0.05). The adjusted relative risk for at least moderate valve insufficiency in the EDDA patients was 7.2% (P < 0.05). The sensitivity of detecting at least moderate valvular disease by cardiac murmur, dyspnoea, or the heart failure marker NT‐proBNP (natriuretic peptide) was 62% for the neurologists and 93% for the cardiologist but with equally low specificity (30–35%).Conclusion. EDDA was associated with a clinically important and statistically significant risk of at least moderate valve regurgitation. Clinical screening for valve disease was inadequate and it seems advisable to offer EDDA patients control with echocardiography.
Review of invertebrate biological control agent regulation in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA: recommendations for a harmonized European system
Authors: Hunt E. J. , Kuhlmann U. , Sheppard A. , Qin T.‐K. , Barratt B. I. P. , Harrison L. , Mason P. G. , Parker D. , Flanders R. V. , Goolsby J. 
Published: November 2007

AbstractEurope lags far behind Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA in terms of implementing regulatory procedures for the import and release of invertebrate biological control agents (IBCAs). A number of standards, documents and guidelines have been produced over recent years in an attempt to harmonize regulation of IBCA introduction into Europe. Despite these efforts, the number of member countries implementing any form of IBCA regulation remains low, with many industries, biological practitioners and regulators fearing that a regulatory system would render the process of approval for IBCA introduction into a country costly and time consuming. Europe’s priority is therefore to formulate a regulatory system that will be readily approved of and adopted by all member countries. In this paper we review the current regulatory processes operating in Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA. There is potential for Europe to benefit from the years of experience that these countries have in IBCA regulation. We therefore propose recommendations based on features of the regulatory processes in each of the four countries that work well and that could be adopted to generate a workable Europe‐wide regulatory system.
Spinal cord degeneration in C57BL/6N mice following induction of experimental parkinsonism with MPTP
Authors: Samantaray Supriti , Knaryan Varduhi H. , Butler Jonathan T. , Ray Swapan K. , Banik Naren L. 
Published: November 2007

AbstractWe examined neurodegeneration in spinal cord (SC) and role of such extra‐nigral degeneration in MPTP‐induced experimental parkinsonism in C57BL/6N mice. HPLC‐photodiode array analysis confirmed presence of the active neurotoxin MPP+in SC after single injection of MPTP (25 mg/kg, i.p.). Mitochondrial enzyme monoamine oxidase‐B (MAO‐B) responsible forin vivoconversion of MPTP to MPP+was inhibited in SC by pre‐treatment withl‐deprenyl, a specific inhibitor of MAO‐B. Besidesin vitroconversion of MPTP to MPP+occurred by SC mitochondrial preparation, which was inhibited byl‐deprenyl implicating SC as a specific target of MPTP‐neurotoxicity. Double immunofluorescent labeling and spectrofluorimetric assay via kynuramine oxidation showed MAO‐B expression and activity in SC neurons. Localization of dopamine transporter immunoreactivity in SC along with specific uptake of3H‐MPP+by SC synaptosomal preparation further confirmed SC as target of MPTP‐neurotoxicity. Compared with control, increased neuronal death on the seventh day in SC of mice injected with MPTP (2 × 25 mg/kg, at 6 h interval) strongly suggested SC degeneration in pre‐symptomatic phase of MPTP‐induced experimental parkinsonism. Such extra‐nigral neurodegeneration in Parkinson’s disease indicated novel molecular mechanism preceding nigrostriatal degeneration and suggested designing broad therapeutic intervention for this complex movement disorder.
Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus and Woodlark Lullula arborea– recovering species in Britain?
Authors: LANGSTON R. H. W. , WOTTON S. R. , CONWAY G. J. , WRIGHT L. J. , MALLORD J. W. , CURRIE F. A. , DREWITT A. L. , GRICE P. V. , HOCCOM D. G. , SYMES N. 
Published: November 2007

The Nightjar Caprimulgus europaeus and Woodlark Lullula arborea are identified as species of conservation concern at both a UK and a European level on account of historical declines in their population sizes and ranges. The UK populations of both species have increased significantly in recent decades and this paper reviews the extent, nature and causes of these population changes, based on evidence from national surveys and autecological studies. It also considers the future prospects of both species in the face of likely changes to their preferred habitats in Britain. Nightjar numbers have increased greatly since the national survey in 1981, when the British population was estimated at only 2100 churring males, with an estimated 3400 in 1992 and 4606 (± 913) in 2004. Population recovery has been closely associated with their colonization of clear‐fell areas in planted forests. Over 57% of the calling (‘churring’) males recorded were in planted forests in 2004. Woodlark numbers have also made a substantial recovery from a low level of just 250 territories in 1986 to 1426–1552 territories in 1997. Over 85% of the Woodlark territories recorded in 1997 were on heathland or in planted forests. Despite these increases, both species continue to occupy only part of their much more extensive former breeding ranges. The recovery of these species has coincided with the availability of suitable open ground habitat resulting from the felling of forests planted in the late 1920s and 1930s, often on former heathland habitats, the clearance and restocking of areas damaged by storms in October 1987 and January 1990 and the restoration of heathland habitats. Forests and heathlands support the majority of the breeding populations of Nightjars and Woodlarks, although there are regional variations in their relative importance. The prospects for further recovery may be limited due to a reduction of open ground habitat following restocking of planted forests, including those damaged in the storms of 1987 and 1990, the effects of recreational disturbance and, at least locally, poor Woodlark breeding productivity due to predation.
The utilization of dead wood resources by woodpeckers in Britain
Authors: SMITH KEN W. 
Published: November 2007

Dead wood is important for woodpeckers, providing foraging, roost and nest‐sites. In this paper, data from long‐term studies of woodpeckers and dead wood in oakwoods in southern England are used to examine the dead wood requirements of the three British resident woodpecker species. Both Great Dendrocopos major and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers Dendrocopos minor select dead trees for nest‐sites although the former is able to nest in living trees too. On the other hand a smaller fraction of Lesser Spotted Woodpecker nests are in living trees. Green Woodpecker Picus viridis shows no selection for dead nesting trees. Hence the smallest woodpecker species appears to be most dependent on dead and decaying trees for nest‐sites. Great and Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers show no preference for foraging on dead trees although they both make use of dead branches on living trees. Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers forage on smaller branches higher in the tree than Great Spotted Woodpeckers. There has been a trend for increasing dead wood resources in the study woods with both dead wood on the ground and standing dead trees (snags) increasing in the last 20 years. The levels of dead wood are shown to be the result of continual processes of creation and decay. Around 0.5% of oak Quercus spp., Ash Fraxinus excelsior and Hornbeam Carpinus betulus and 3.4% of the birch Betula spp. trees die each year in the woods resulting in a continuity of new dead snags and fallen trees. There is a high turnover of standing dead snags of oak and birch with 95% and 80% annual survival, respectively. Snags are only suitable for nesting Great Spotted Woodpeckers for a few years after their creation. It is suggested that these stand and dead wood dynamics are likely to provide habitats more favourable for the Great Spotted than the Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.