bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of classes of development coordination tools on software development performance
Authors: Tiwana Amrit 
Published: May 2008

Although a diverse variety of software development coordination tools are widely used in practice, considerable debate surrounds their impact on software development performance. No large-scale field research has systematically examined their impact on software development performance. This paper reports the results of a multinational field study of software projects in 209 software development organizations to empirically examine the influence of six key classes of development coordination tools on the efficiency (reduction of development rework, budget compliance) and effectiveness (defect reduction) of software development performance.Based on an in-depth field study, the article conceptualizes six holistic classes of development coordination tools. The results provide nuanced insights—some counter to prevailing beliefs—into the relationships between the use of various classes of development coordination tools and software development performance. The overarching finding is that the performance benefits of development coordination tools are contingent on the salient types of novelty in a project. The dimension of development performance—efficiency or effectiveness—that each class of tools is associated with varies systematically with whether a project involves conceptual novelty, process novelty, multidimensional novelty (both process and conceptual novelty), or neither. Another noteworthy insight is that the use of some classes of tools introduces an efficiency-effectiveness tradeoff. Collectively, the findings are among the first to offer empirical support for the varied performance impacts of various classes of development coordination tools and have important implications for software development practice. The paper also identifies several promising areas for future research.
BRAF Silencing by Short Hairpin RNA or Chemical Blockade by PLX4032 Leads to Different Responses in Melanoma and Thyroid Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Sala Elisa , Mologni Luca , Truffa Silvia , Gaetano Carlo , Bollag Gideon E. , Gambacorti-Passerini Carlo 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
BRAF-activating mutations have been reported in several types of cancer, including melanoma (∼70% of cases), thyroid (30-70%), ovarian (15-30%), and colorectal cancer (5-20%). Mutant BRAF has constitutive kinase activity and causes hyperactivation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. BRAF silencing induces regression of melanoma xenografts, indicating the essential role of BRAF for cell survival. We set up an inducible short hairpin RNA system to compare the role of oncogenic BRAF in thyroid carcinoma versus melanoma cells. Although BRAF knockdown led to apoptosis in the melanoma cell line A375, the anaplastic thyroid carcinoma cell ARO underwent growth arrest upon silencing, with little or no cell death. Reexpression of the thyroid differentiation marker, sodium iodide symporter, was induced after long-term silencing. The different outcome of BRAF down-regulation in the two cell lines was associated with an opposite regulation of p21CIP1/WAF1 expression levels in response to the block of the BRAF mitogenic signal. These results were confirmed using a specific BRAF small-molecule inhibitor, PLX4032. Restoration of p21CIP1/WAF1 expression rescued melanoma cells from death. Altogether, our data indicate that oncogenic BRAF inhibition can have a different effect on cell fate depending on the cellular type. Furthermore, we suggest that a BRAF-independent mechanism of cell survival exists in anaplastic thyroid cancer cells. (Mol Cancer Res 2008;6(5):751–9)
Diurnal Characteristics of Precipitation Features over the Tropical East Pacific: A Comparison of the EPIC and TEPPS Regions
Authors: Cifelli R. , Nesbitt S. W. , Rutledge S. A. , Petersen W. A. , Yuter S. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
This study examines the diurnal cycle of precipitation features in two regions of the tropical east Pacific where field campaigns [the East Pacific Investigation of Climate Processes in the Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere System (EPIC) and the Tropical Eastern Pacific Process Study (TEPPS)] were recently conducted. EPIC (10°N, 95°W) was undertaken in September 2001 and TEPPS (8°N, 125°W) was carried out in August 1997. Both studies employed C-band radar observations on board the NOAA ship Ronald H. Brown (RHB) and periodic upper-air sounding launches to observe conditions in the surrounding environment. Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Precipitation Radar (PR) and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) IR data are used to place the RHB data in a climatological context and Tropical Atmosphere Ocean (TAO) buoy data are used to evaluate changes in boundary layer fluxes in context with the observed diurnal cycle of radar observations of precipitation features.
Precipitation features are defined as contiguous regions of radar echo and are subdivided into mesoscale convective system (MCS) and sub-MCS categories. Results show that MCSs observed in EPIC and TEPPS have distinct diurnal signatures. Both regions show an increase in intensity starting in the afternoon hours, with the timing of maximum rain intensity preceding maxima in rain area and accumulation. In the TEPPS region, MCS rain rates peak in the evening and rain area and accumulation in the late night–early morning hours. In contrast, EPIC MCS rain rates peak in the late night–early morning, and rain area and accumulation are at a maximum near local sunrise. The EPIC observations are in agreement with previous satellite studies over the Americas, which show a phase lag response in the adjacent oceanic regions to afternoon–evening convection over the Central American landmass. Sub-MCS features in both regions have a broad peak extending through the evening to late night–early morning hours, similar to that for MCSs. During sub-MCS-only periods, the rainfall patterns of these features are closely linked to diurnal changes in SST and the resulting boundary layer flux variability.
Diurnal Cycles of Clouds and How They Affect Polar-Orbiting Satellite Data
Authors: Wylie Donald 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Diurnal cycles of clouds were investigated using the NOAA series of polar-orbiting satellites. These satellites provided four observations per day for a continuous 11-yr period from 1986 to 1997. The High Resolution Infrared Radiation Sounder (HIRS) multispectral infrared data were used from the time trend analysis of Wylie et al. The previous study restricted its discussion to only the polar orbiters making observations at 0200 and 1400 LT because gaps in coverage occurred in the 0800 and 2000 LT coverage. This study shows diurnal cycles in cloud cover over 10% in amplitude in many regions, which is very similar to other studies that used geostationary satellite data. The use of only one of the polar-orbiting satellites by Wylie et al. caused biases up to 5% in small regions but in general they were small (e.g., ≤2% for most of the earth). The only consistently large bias was in high cloud cover over land in North America, Europe, and Asia north of 35°N latitude in the summer season where the 0200 and 1400 LT average high cloud frequency was 2%–5% more than the daily average. This occurred only in the summer season, not in the winter.
On the Strong Seasonal Currents in the Deep Ocean
Authors: Saenko Oleg A. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Using a set of models, including one with a resolution of ¼°, several aspects of the simulated seasonal currents in the deep ocean are considered. It is shown that over vast areas of the deep interior, particularly in the Indian Ocean, annual-mean circulation represents a small residual of much stronger seasonal flows. In many places the seasonal horizontal velocities are of the order of 10−2 m s−1, reaching locally to 10−1 m s−1; the corresponding vertical velocities are of the order of 10−5 m s−1. An idealized geometry model is employed to confirm the notion that much of this seasonal variability in the deep-ocean circulation can be attributed to the annual cycle of wind stress, combined with the significant increase in the vertical trapping depth for basin-scale seasonal forcing. It is suggested that, at least on seasonal time scales, the so-called bottom pressure torque can be an important term in the depth-integrated vorticity balance. An interaction of these relatively strong flows (of nontidal origin) with bottom topography may contribute to diapycnal mixing in the deep ocean in a manner similar to that proposed recently for the Southern Ocean. In addition, it is found that under a plausible climate change scenario, the amplitude of the mean annual cycle of wind stress may change. Among the regions where such changes are most pronounced is that in the extratropical North Pacific. It is shown that the data on surface wind stress can be effectively used to identify the seasons with the largest changes in the deep-reaching overturning cells. Finally, unlike what might be expected from the earlier theories, the annual-mean circulation simulated by the model with ¼° resolution has the deep interior flows that tend to group into jetlike structures, often having a predominant equatorward rather than poleward direction.
Friction, Frontogenesis, and the Stratification of the Surface Mixed Layer
Authors: Thomas Leif , Ferrari Raffaele 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
The generation and destruction of stratification in the surface mixed layer of the ocean is understood to result from vertical turbulent transport of buoyancy and momentum driven by air–sea fluxes and stresses. In this paper, it is shown that the magnitude and penetration of vertical fluxes are strongly modified by horizontal gradients in buoyancy and momentum. A classic example is the strong restratification resulting from frontogenesis in regions of confluent flow. Frictional forces acting on a baroclinic current either imposed externally by a wind stress or caused by the spindown of the current itself also modify the stratification by driving Ekman flows that differentially advect density. Ekman flow induced during spindown always tends to restratify the fluid, while wind-driven Ekman currents will restratify or destratify the mixed layer if the wind stress has a component up or down front (i.e., directed against or with the geostrophic shear), respectively. Scalings are constructed for the relative importance of friction versus frontogenesis in the restratification of the mixed layer and are tested using numerical experiments of mixed layer fronts forced by both winds and a strain field. The scalings suggest and the numerical experiments confirm that for wind stress magnitudes, mixed layer depths, and cross-front density gradients typical of the ocean, wind-induced friction often dominates frontogenesis in the modification of the stratification of the upper ocean. The experiments reveal that wind-induced destratification is weaker in magnitude than restratification because the stratification generated by up-front winds confines the turbulent stress to a depth shallower than the Ekman layer, which enhances the frictional force, Ekman flow, and differential advection of density. Frictional destratification is further reduced over restratification because the stress associated with the geostrophic shear at the surface tends to compensate a down-front wind stress.
A Statistical Evaluation of GOES Cloud-Top Properties for Nowcasting Convective Initiation
Authors: Mecikalski John R. , Bedka Kristopher M. , Paech Simon J. , Litten Leslie A. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
The goal of this project is to validate and extend a study by Mecikalski and Bedka that capitalized on information the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) instruments provide for nowcasting (i.e., 0–1-h forecasting) convective initiation through the real-time monitoring of cloud-top properties for moving cumuli. Convective initiation (CI) is defined as the first occurrence of a ≥35-dBZ radar echo from a cumuliform cloud. Mecikalski and Bedka’s study concluded that eight infrared GOES-based “interest fields” of growing cumulus clouds should be monitored over 15–30-min intervals toward predicting CI: the transition of cloud-top brightness temperature to below 0°C, cloud-top cooling rates, and instantaneous and time trends of channel differences 6.5–10.7 and 13.3–10.7 μm. The study results are as follows: 1) measures of accuracy and uncertainty of Mecikalski and Bedka’s algorithm via commonly used skill scoring procedures, and 2) a report on the relative importance of each interest field to nowcasting CI using GOES. It is found that for nonpropagating convective events, the skill scores are dependent on which CI interest fields are considered per pixel and are optimized when three–four fields are met for a given 1-km GOES pixel in terms of probability of detection, and threat and Heidke skill scores. The lowest false-alarm rates are found when one field is used: that associated with cloud-top glaciation 30 min prior to CI. Subsequent recommendations for future research toward improving Mecikalski and Bedka’s study are suggested especially with regard to constraining CI nowcasts when inhibiting factors are present (e.g., capping inversions).
Responses of five small mammal species to micro-scale variations in vegetation structure in secondary Atlantic Forest remnants, Brazil
Authors: Püttker Thomas , Pardini Renata , Meyer-Lucht Yvonne , Sommer Simone 
Published: May 2008

Abstract

Background
The Brazilian Atlantic Forest is highly endangered and only about 7% of the original forest remains, most of which consists of fragments of secondary forest. Small mammals in the Atlantic Forest have differential responses to this process of fragmentation and conversion of forest into anthropogenic habitats, and have varying abilities to occupy the surrounding altered habitats. We investigated the influence of vegetation structure on the micro-scale distribution of five small mammal species in six secondary forest remnants in a landscape of fragmented Atlantic Forest. We tested whether the occurrence of small mammal species is influenced by vegetation structure, aiming to ascertain whether species with different degrees of vulnerability to forest fragmentation (not vulnerable: A. montensis, O. nigripes and G. microtarsus; vulnerable: M. incanus and D. sublineatus; classification of vulnerability was based on the results of previous studies) are associated with distinct vegetation characteristics.

Results
Although vegetation structure differed among fragments, micro-scale distribution of most of the species was influenced by vegetation structure in a similar way in different fragments. Among the three species that were previously shown not to be vulnerable to forest fragmentation, A. montensis and G. microtarsus were present at locations with an open canopy and the occurrence of O. nigripes was associated to a low canopy and a dense understory. On the other hand, from the two species that were shown to be vulnerable to fragmentation, M. incanus was captured most often at locations with a closed canopy while the distribution of D. sublineatus was not clearly influenced by micro-scale variation in vegetation structure.

Conclusion
Results indicate the importance of micro-scale variation in vegetation structure for the distribution of small mammal species in secondary forest fragments. Species that are not vulnerable to fragmentation occurred at locations with vegetation characteristics of more disturbed forest, while one of the species vulnerable to fragmentation was found at locations with older forest characteristics. Results suggest that micro-habitat preferences may be an important factor influencing the capacity of small mammals to occupy altered habitats and, consequently, their vulnerability to forest fragmentation at a larger spatial scale.
Nuclear localization and intensity of staining of nm23 protein is useful marker for breast cancer progression
Authors: Ismail Nawfal I , Kaur Gurjeet , Hashim Hasnah , Hassan Mohammed S 
Published: May 2008

Abstract

Background
Breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer death in the western world. The expression differences of many proteins are associated with breast cancer progression or suppression. The purpose of the study was to determine the expression of nm23 protein in the invasion status and metastatic potential of breast cancer by using tissue microarray and to determine its role in breast cancer based on the expression of nm23 gene product.

Method
nm23 protein expression was examined by immunohistochemistry (IHC) using commercially available tissue microarray containing malignant and normal breast tissues from 216 patients.

Results
a similar percentage of cases showed positive cytoplasmic/nuclear staining for nm23 in normal breast tissue (85.7%), primary breast carcinoma node negative (97.5%) and carcinoma with lymph node metastasis (92.1%). Nuclear localization of staining for nm23 protein was higher in infiltrating ductal carcinoma (IDC) node positive (24.3%) and in matched lymph mode metastasis (18.9%) compared to IDC node negative (4.9%). Strong intensity of cytoplasmic/nucleus staining was observed in IDC node negative (42.6%), in IDC node positive (57.1%), and Infiltrating lobular carcinoma (ILC) node negative (44%) compared to normal breast tissue (16.7%).

Conclusion
nm23 protein expression appears widely expressed in normal breast, early and advanced breast cancer stages. Interestingly our study found that strong staining intensity and nuclear localization of nm23 protein may prove to be a useful marker of breast cancer progression.
Infective endocarditis caused by Staphylococcus aureus in a patient with atopic dermatitis: a case report
Authors: Mohiyiddeen Gadha , Brett Ian , Jude Edward 
Published: May 2008

Abstract

Introduction-
Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common condition in the United Kingdom with the prevalence varying from 21% in infants aged 0–6 months to 6.4% at the age of 16 years. Patients with AD experience high rates of colonization of their skin surfaces by Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). In severe AD there is a potential risk of staphylococcal bacteremia and invasive infection such as acute endocarditis.

Case presentation-
We report a case of acute endocarditis with mitral valve destruction caused by S. aureus in a 30-year-old man with severe AD. The patient received intensive inpatient treatment with antibiotics and underwent successful mitral valve replacement and skin treatment for AD.

Conclusion-
Patients with severe AD are at higher risk of staphylococcal bacteremia and endocarditis. Staphylococcal endocarditis has to be considered in the differential diagnosis of febrile illness in patients with uncontrolled atopic dermatitis.
Cerebral perfusion in sepsis-associated delirium
Authors: Pfister David , Siegemund Martin , Dell-Kuster Salome , Smielewski Peter , Rüegg Stephan , Strebel Stephan P , Marsch Stephan CU , Pargger Hans , Steiner Luzius A 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Introduction
The pathophysiology of sepsis-associated delirium is not completely understood and the data on cerebral perfusion in sepsis are conflicting. We tested the hypothesis that cerebral perfusion and selected serum markers of inflammation and delirium differ in septic patients with and without sepsis-associated delirium.

Methods
We investigated 23 adult patients with sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock with an extracranial focus of infection and no history of intracranial pathology. Patients were investigated after stabilisation within 48 hours after admission to the intensive care unit. Sepsis-associated delirium was diagnosed using the confusion assessment method for the intensive care unit. Mean arterial pressure (MAP), blood flow velocity (FV) in the middle cerebral artery using transcranial Doppler, and cerebral tissue oxygenation using near-infrared spectroscopy were monitored for 1 hour. An index of cerebrovascular autoregulation was calculated from MAP and FV data. C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), S-100β, and cortisol were measured during each data acquisition.

Results
Data from 16 patients, of whom 12 had sepsis-associated delirium, were analysed. There were no significant correlations or associations between MAP, cerebral blood FV, or tissue oxygenation and sepsis-associated delirium. However, we found a significant association between sepsis-associated delirium and disturbed autoregulation (P = 0.015). IL-6 did not differ between patients with and without sepsis-associated delirium, but we found a significant association between elevated CRP (P = 0.008), S-100β (P = 0.029), and cortisol (P = 0.011) and sepsis-associated delirium. Elevated CRP was significantly correlated with disturbed autoregulation (Spearman rho = 0.62, P = 0.010).

Conclusion
In this small group of patients, cerebral perfusion assessed with transcranial Doppler and near-infrared spectroscopy did not differ between patients with and without sepsis-associated delirium. However, the state of autoregulation differed between the two groups. This may be due to inflammation impeding cerebrovascular endothelial function. Further investigations defining the role of S-100β and cortisol in the diagnosis of sepsis-associated delirium are warranted.

Trial registration
ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00410111.
Prophylaxis of lipopolysaccharide-induced shock by α-galactosylceramide
Authors: Sireci Guido , La Manna Marco Pio , Di Liberto Diana , Lo Dico Marco , Taniguchi Masaru , Dieli Francesco , Salerno Alfredo 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThe NKT cell ligand α-galactosylceramide and its synthetic homologue KRN7000 stimulate rapid and copious secretion of IFN-γ and TNF-α release, both of which are key mediators of LPS-induced shock. We showed that KRN7000, injected before or within 2 h after LPS challenge, was able to prevent endotoxic shock. KRN7000 induced survival when the mice were injected 6, 9, or 12 days before the first injection of LPS, and this protective effect was associated with reduction upon subsequent challenge in the levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, MCP-1, and an increase of IL-10. Further analysis showed that the animals treated with KRN7000 prior to LPS challenge had lower numbers of F4/80+, NKT, and NK cells and lower percentages of NKT cells that stained for intracytoplasmic IFN-γ when compared with mice that were not treated with KRN7000. When MCP-1 was injected in KRN7000-treated mice, the lethal effect of LPS challenge was restored, and the numbers of F4/80+, NKT, and NK cells increased to levels similar to those in untreated mice following LPS challenge. Taken together, our data demonstrated that KRN7000, injected from 6 to 12 days before the first administration of LPS, prevented endotoxin shock by inhibiting IFN-γ, TNF-α, and MCP-1 release.