bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Changes of Glaciers and Climate in Northwestern North America during the Late Twentieth Century
Authors: Arendt Anthony , Walsh John , Harrison William 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
About 75% of 46 glaciers measured using repeat airborne altimetry in Alaska and northwestern Canada have been losing mass at an increasing rate from the mid-1990s to the middle of the first decade of the twenty-first century, relative to an earlier period beginning in the 1950s–70s. The remaining glaciers have been either gaining mass during the more recent period or continuing to lose mass, but at a decreasing rate. Temperature and precipitation data at 67 climate stations were examined to explain these changes. Nearly all significant changes in winter (October–April) and summer (May–September) air temperatures were positive (2.0° ± 0.8° and 1.0° ± 0.4°C) between 1950 and 2002, and all seasonally averaged values of freezing level heights (FLH) increased during the same time period. A small increase in precipitation was observed, but these changes were significant at only 17% of the stations. Regional glacier changes, modeled using mass balance sensitivities and climate station temperature and precipitation changes, agreed with observations to within the limits of reported errors. Seasonal variations in accumulation resulted in large uncertainties in the recent period mass variations. In nearly all regions, increasing summer temperatures accounted for most of the glacier mass losses. FLH variations show that the maritime glacier systems are more sensitive to variations in the mean position of the winter FLH than interior regions, suggesting that strong winter warming has affected these regions in addition to the summer changes. These measurements augment the increasingly strong evidence of late twentieth-century climate change in northwestern North America.
Effects of enalapril, candesartan or both on neurohumoral activation and LV volumes and function in patients with heart failure not treated with a beta-blocker
Authors: White Michel , Rouleau Jean-Lucien , Afzal Rizwan , Floras John , Yusuf Salim , McKelvie Robert S. 
Published: March 2009

Background: The long-term effects of the angiotensin-receptor blocker candesartan, the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril or their combination have been incompletely studied in a large cohort of patients with heart failure not treated with beta-blockers. The objective of this study was to investigate the changes in neurohormones and LV volumes and ejection fraction in patients treated with enalapril, candesartan, or enalapril plus candesartan without concomitant beta-blocker therapy. Methods: Three hundred and ninety-two patients from the RESOLVD pilot study not treated with a beta-blocker at baseline or at any time during the trial were analyzed. Norepinephrine, endothelin-1, big endothelin-1, angiotensin-II, aldosterone, N-terminal proANP, BNP, and radionuclide angiography were measured before and after 43 weeks of treatment with candesartan alone ( n = 162), or enalapril alone ( n = 45), or candesartan plus enalapril ( n = 185). Endpoints were assessed at baseline and after 43 weeks of therapy. Results: LV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes increased significantly at 43 weeks in all groups except for patients treated with enalapril plus candesartan. BNP decreased at 43 weeks only in patients receiving dual angiotensin-II suppression (-6.1 ± 37.8 pmol/l). Angiotensin-II levels were significantly increased in patients treated with candesartan (+23.6 ± 47.1 pg/ml; p<0.05). Conclusion: We conclude that angiotensin-II modulation, with enalapril and candesartan, without concomitant utilization of beta-blocker lead to a decrease in BNP and an attenuation of the increase in LV end-diastolic and end-systolic volumes without a reversal of this process in the long term.
Bayesian clustering and feature selection for cancer tissue samples
Authors: Marttinen Pekka , Myllykangas Samuel , Corander Jukka 
Published: March 2009

Abstract

Background
The versatility of DNA copy number amplifications for profiling and categorization of various tissue samples has been widely acknowledged in the biomedical literature. For instance, this type of measurement techniques provides possibilities for exploring sets of cancerous tissues to identify novel subtypes. The previously utilized statistical approaches to various kinds of analyses include traditional algorithmic techniques for clustering and dimension reduction, such as independent and principal component analyses, hierarchical clustering, as well as model-based clustering using maximum likelihood estimation for latent class models.

Results
While purely algorithmic methods are usually easily applicable, their suboptimal performance and limitations in making formal inference have been thoroughly discussed in the statistical literature. Here we introduce a Bayesian model-based approach to simultaneous identification of underlying tissue groups and the informative amplifications. The model-based approach provides the possibility of using formal inference to determine the number of groups from the data, in contrast to the ad hoc methods often exploited for similar purposes. The model also automatically recognizes the chromosomal areas that are relevant for the clustering.

Conclusion
Validatory analyses of simulated data and a large database of DNA copy number amplifications in human neoplasms are used to illustrate the potential of our approach. Our software implementation BASTA for performing Bayesian statistical tissue profiling is freely available for academic purposes at http://web.abo.fi/fak/mnf/mate/jc/software/basta.html
Fast max-margin clustering for unsupervised word sense disambiguation in biomedical texts
Authors: Duan Weisi , Song Min , Yates Alexander 
Published: March 2009

Abstract

Background
We aim to solve the problem of determining word senses for ambiguous biomedical terms with minimal human effort.

Methods
We build a fully automated system for Word Sense Disambiguation by designing a system that does not require manually-constructed external resources or manually-labeled training examples except for a single ambiguous word. The system uses a novel and efficient graph-based algorithm to cluster words into groups that have the same meaning. Our algorithm follows the principle of finding a maximum margin between clusters, determining a split of the data that maximizes the minimum distance between pairs of data points belonging to two different clusters.

Results
On a test set of 21 ambiguous keywords from PubMed abstracts, our system has an average accuracy of 78%, outperforming a state-of-the-art unsupervised system by 2% and a baseline technique by 23%. On a standard data set from the National Library of Medicine, our system outperforms the baseline by 6% and comes within 5% of the accuracy of a supervised system.

Conclusion
Our system is a novel, state-of-the-art technique for efficiently finding word sense clusters, and does not require training data or human effort for each new word to be disambiguated.
Identification of temporal association rules from time-series microarray data sets
Authors: Nam Hojung , Lee KiYoung , Lee Doheon 
Published: March 2009

Abstract

Background
One of the most challenging problems in mining gene expression data is to identify how the expression of any particular gene affects the expression of other genes. To elucidate the relationships between genes, an association rule mining (ARM) method has been applied to microarray gene expression data. However, a conventional ARM method has a limit on extracting temporal dependencies between gene expressions, though the temporal information is indispensable to discover underlying regulation mechanisms in biological pathways. In this paper, we propose a novel method, referred to as temporal association rule mining (TARM), which can extract temporal dependencies among related genes. A temporal association rule has the form [gene A↑, gene B↓] → (7 min) [gene C↑], which represents that high expression level of gene A and significant repression of gene B followed by significant expression of gene C after 7 minutes. The proposed TARM method is tested with Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell cycle time-series microarray gene expression data set.

Results
In the parameter fitting phase of TARM, the fitted parameter set [threshold = ± 0.8, support ≥ 3 transactions, confidence ≥ 90%] with the best precision score for KEGG cell cycle pathway has been chosen for rule mining phase. With the fitted parameter set, numbers of temporal association rules with five transcriptional time delays (0, 7, 14, 21, 28 minutes) are extracted from gene expression data of 799 genes, which are pre-identified cell cycle relevant genes. From the extracted temporal association rules, associated genes, which play same role of biological processes within short transcriptional time delay and some temporal dependencies between genes with specific biological processes are identified.

Conclusion
In this work, we proposed TARM, which is an applied form of conventional ARM. TARM showed higher precision score than Dynamic Bayesian network and Bayesian network. Advantages of TARM are that it tells us the size of transcriptional time delay between associated genes, activation and inhibition relationship between genes, and sets of co-regulators.
Two-dimensional gel proteome reference map of human small intestine
Authors: Simula Maria Paola , Cannizzaro Renato , Marin Maria Dolores , Pavan Alessandro , Toffoli Giuseppe , Canzonieri Vincenzo , De Re Valli 
Published: March 2009

Abstract

Background
The small intestine is an important human organ that plays a central role in many physiological functions including digestion, absorption, secretion and defense. Duodenal pathologies include, for instance, the ulcer associated to Helicobacter Pylori infection, adenoma and, in genetically predisposed individuals, celiac disease. Alterations in the bowel reduce its capability to absorb nutrients, minerals and fat-soluble vitamins. Anemia and osteopenia or osteoporosis may develop as a consequence of vitamins malabsorption. Adenoma is a benign tumor that has the potential to become cancerous. Adult celiac disease patients present an overall risk of cancer that is almost twice than that found in the general population. These disease processes are not completely known.
To date, a two dimensional (2D) reference map of proteins expressed in human duodenal tissue is not yet available: the aim of our study was to characterize the 2D protein map, and to identify proteins of duodenal mucosa of adult individuals without duodenal illness, to create a protein database. This approach, may be useful for comparing similar protein samples in different laboratories and for the molecular characterization of intestinal pathologies without recurring to the use of surgical material.

Results
The enrolled population comprised five selected samples (3 males and 2 females, aged 19 to 42), taken from 20 adult subjects, on their first visit at the gastroenterology unit for a suspected celiac disease, who did not turn to be affected by any duodenal pathology after gastrointestinal and histological evaluations. Proteins extracted from the five duodenal mucosal specimens were singly separated by 2D gel electrophoresis. After image analysis of each 2D gel, 179 protein spots, representing 145 unique proteins, from 218 spots tested, were successfully identified by MALDI-TOF ms analysis. Normalized volumes, for each protein, have been reported for every gel. Proteins have been grouped according to their biological/metabolic functions.

Conclusion
This study represents to date the first detailed and reproducible 2D protein map of human duodenum. Spots identifications, reported in a database, will be helpful to identify the variability in protein expression levels, in isoforms expression, or in post-translational modifications associated to pathology or to a therapy.
Dietary supplementation of mannan-oligosaccharide enhances neonatal immune responses in chickens during natural exposure to Eimeria spp
Authors: Gómez-Verduzco Gabriela , Cortes-Cuevas Arturo , López-Coello Carlos , Ávila-González Ernesto , Nava Gerardo M 
Published: March 2009

Abstract

Background
Control and eradication of intestinal infections caused by protozoa are important biomedical challenges worldwide. Prophylactic control of coccidiosis has been achieved with the use of anticoccidial drugs; however, the increase in anticoccidial resistance has raised concerns about the need for new alternatives for the control of coccidial infections. In fact, new strategies are needed to induce potent protective immune responses in neonatal individuals.

Methods
The effects of a dietary supplementation of mannan-oligosaccharide (yeast cell wall; YCW) on the local, humoral and cell-mediated immune responses, and intestinal replication of coccidia were evaluated in a neonatal animal model during natural exposure to Eimeria spp. A total of 840 one-day-old chicks were distributed among four dietary regimens: A) Control diet (no YCW) plus anticoccidial vaccine); B) Control diet plus coccidiostat; C) YCW diet plus anticoccidial vaccination; and D) YCW diet plus coccidiostat. Weight gain, feed consumption and immunological parameters were examined within the first seven weeks of life.

Results
Dietary supplementation of 0.05% of YCW increased local mucosal IgA secretions, humoral and cell-mediated immune responses, and reduced parasite excretion in feces.

Conclusion
Dietary supplementation of yeast cell wall in neonatal animals can enhance the immune response against coccidial infections. The present study reveals the potential of YCW as adjuvant for modulating mucosal immune responses.
New analysis method for personal protection equipment for use on via ferrata
Authors: Ernst B 
Published: March 2009

Climbing on fixed—rope routes ( via ferrata) in alpine mountains has become a very popular sport in the last decade. Special safety equipment is mandatory for this activity and numerous shock-absorbing devices are available on the market. To date no deep understanding of the functioning principles and therefore on the influences of external factors on the performance of the devices is known for any of the shock absorbers sold on the European and international markets. This investigation presents a systematic test programme in order to evaluate the influence of the major parameters on the performance of these safety systems. These are the type of the braking system, the fall height, and the mass of the climber. A calculation method is presented which allows the user to predetermine the performance that is to be expected of a specific shock-absorbing device in a particular situation. The analytical findings are validated by a systematic test series. Drop tests have been performed with different braking systems (multi-hole brake plate and V-notch brake plate), test masses (55 kg, 80 kg, and 100 kg), and fall heights (2.0 m, 3.5 m, and 5.0 m). The influences of these parameters on the braking process, peak force, and braking length are shown; the validation showed a deviation between model and experiment of 1.9 per cent.
Lack of Effect of Ginkgo biloba on Voriconazole Pharmacokinetics in Chinese Volunteers Identified as CYP2C19 Poor and Extensive Metabolizers
Authors: Lei He-Ping , Wang Guo , Wang Lian-Sheng , Ou-yang Dong-sheng , Chen Hao , Li Qing , Zhang Wei , Tan Zhi-Rong , Fan Lan , He Yi-Jing , Zhou Hong-Hao 
Published: March 2009

Background:Ginkgo biloba is one of the most popular herbal supplements in the world. The supplement has been shown to induce the enzymatic activity of CYP2C19, the main cytochrome P450 isozyme involved in voriconazole metabolism. Because this enzyme exhibits genetic polymorphism, the inductive effect was expected to be modulated by the CYP2C19 metabolizer status.Objective:To examine the possible effects of Ginkgo biloba as an inducer of CYP2C19 on single-dose pharmacokinetics of voriconazole in Chinese volunteers genotyped as either CVP2C19 extensive or poor metabolizers.Methods:Fourteen healthy, nonsmoking volunteers–7 CYP2C19 extensive metabolizers (2C19*1/2C19*1) and 7 poor metabolizers (2C19*2/2C19*2)–were selected to participate in this study. Pharmacokinetics of oral voriconazole 200 mg after administration of Ginkgo biloba 120 mg twice daily for 12 days were determined for up to 24 hours by liquid chromatography–electrospray tandem mass spectrometry in a 2-phase randomized crossover study with 4-week washout between phases.Results:For extensive metabolizers, the median value for voriconazole area under the plasma concentration–time curve from zero to infinity (AUC0-00) was 5.17 μg•h/mL after administration of voriconazole alone and 4.28 μg•/mL after voriconazole with Ginkgo biloba (p > 0.05). The other pharmacokinetic parameters of voriconazole such as AUC0-24, time to reach maximum concentration, half-life, and apparent clearance also did not change significantly for extensive metabolizers in the presence of Ginkgo biloba. Pharmacokinetic parameters followed a similar pattern for poor metabolizers.Conclusions:The results suggest that 12 days of treatment with Ginkgo biloba did not significantly alter the single-dose pharmacokinetics of voriconazole in either CYP2C19 extensive or poor metabolizers. Therefore, the pharmacokinetic interactions between voriconazole and Ginkgo biloba may have limited clinical significance.
hin vs. her – hier vs. dort/da. The Neutralization of the Speaker's Perspective – A Case-Study of Semantic (Inter-)Subjectification in German Dialects
Authors: Girnth Heiko , Michel Sascha 
Published: March 2009

Abstract
The paper examines the semantic change, i.e. subjectification of place deictic elements in German dialects. Starting from a description of (dialectal) language change, the theory of area progression is applied to two case-studies of subjectification: on the one hand, it is to be demonstrated that speakers tend to neutralize the (dynamic) perspectives ‹turned towards the speaker› and ‹turned away from the speaker› by generalizing formations with her- (and thus abolishing formations with hin-) in the northern (and increasingly in the southern) part of the research area.
On the other hand, the static dimensions of distance hier vs. da/dort are increasingly neutralized in favour of dort/da in a large area of the respective western German dialects. Both processes will be subsequently explained with the speaker's striving for subjectification which, in the first case, manifests itself directly in the greater emphasis on the speaker's origo, whereas objects being in the speaker's field of vision constitute the basis for the direction of the neutrallization in the latter case. The origo is thus emphasized indirectly.
Finally, the data will be taken to develop a theory of dialectal language change based on distributional generalizations.
R-Curve Determination Using a Crack-Line-Wedge-Loaded (CLWL) Specimen
Authors: McCabe DE , Heyer RH 
Published: March 2009

A procedure is described for determining crack-growth-resistance curves, R-curves, using crack-line-wedge-loaded (CLWL) specimens. In testing high-strength sheets, a compliance procedure has been used to determine the applied load, and the effective crack length is taken as the visible crack length plus the Irwin plastic zone correction. For lower strength, higher toughness sheets and light plates, the effective crack length is determined by a double compliance technique. For these materials the ry = 1/2π × (K/σYS)2 plastic zone radius was found to overcorrect the crack length.
Currently a plastic hinge model is being investigated as a means of extending R-curve determinations well into the plastic deformation range.
A comparison of R-curves determined by CLWL specimens and by center-cracked tension specimens of high-strength sheets shows quite good agreement. There is little information of this type on the tougher materials. Present work is directed at R-curve determinations on low-alloy, high-toughness light-plate material.
The ABC's of Pollutant Bioassay Using Fish
Authors: Sprague JB 
Published: March 2009

This is a recommended method for tests of acute toxicity of pollutants to fish. Improved procedures are recommended: chiefly, more frequent observations of mortality and simple statistical treatment. The four-day lethal concentration or the lethal threshold concentration should be used as the final expression of the test result. Toxicity curves should be constructed as the experiment progresses, for the information of the investigator. Tests should provide at least two liters, and preferably three liters of test water per gram of fish per day, whether the test is static or continuous-flow. Tests should not be aerated. Standard species such as rainbow trout are recommended.Effects of mixtures should be assessed by adding toxicant concentrations which have been expressed as fractions of the lethal concentration. Some suggestions are made for using the standard bioassay technique in experiments on sublethal and chronic effects.
Manual on Electron Metallography Techniques
Authors: Maniar GN , Szirmae A 
Published: March 2009

Description
The Manual on Electron Metallography Techniques was sponsored and compiled by Subcommittee E04.11 on Electron Microscopy and Diffraction of Committee E04 on Metallography, American Society for Testing and Materials. Subcommittee E04.11 officers are G. N. Maniar, chairman, and Albert Szirmae, secretary.
Deformation Mechanisms, Texture, and Anisotropy in Zirconium and Zircaloy
Authors: Committee B10  
Published: March 2009

Description
STP 966 has been written for students and practicing engineers who wish to extend their knowledge of the effects of deformation mechanisms on both texture formation and mechanical anistrophy. Following a general review of the deformation mechanism in hexagonal close packed metals, the examples of zirconium and Zircaloy are used to illustrate the interactions involved.
Conserved WCPL and CX4C Domains Mediate Several Mating Adhesin Interactions inSaccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Huang Guohong , Dougherty Stephen D , Erdman Scott E 
Published: March 2009

AbstractSeveral adhesins are induced by pheromones during mating in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, including Aga1p, Aga2p, Sag1p (Agα1p), and Fig2p. These four proteins all participate in or influence a well-studied agglutinin interaction mediated by Aga1p–Aga2p complexes and Sag1p; however, they also play redundant and essential roles in mating via an unknown mechanism. Aga1p and Fig2p both contain repeated, conserved WCPL and CX4C domains. This study was directed toward understanding the mechanism underlying the collective requirement of agglutinins and Fig2p for mating. Apart from the well-known agglutinin interaction between Aga2p and Sag1p, three more pairs of interactions in cells of opposite mating type were revealed by this study, including bilateral heterotypic interactions between Aga1p and Fig2p and a homotypic interaction between Fig2p and Fig2p. These four pairs of adhesin interactions are collectively required for maximum mating efficiency and normal zygote morphogenesis. GPI-less, epitope-tagged forms of Aga1p and Fig2p can be co-immunoprecipitated from the culture medium of mating cells in a manner dependent on the WCPL and CX4C domains in the R1 repeat of Aga1p. Using site-directed mutagenesis, the conserved residues in Aga1p that interact with Fig2p were identified. Aga1p is involved in two distinct adhesive functions that are independent of each other, which raises the possibility for combinatorial interactions of this protein with its different adhesion receptors, Sag1 and Fig2p, a property of many higher eukaryotic adhesins.