bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Linkage and Association Analyses of Longitudinally Measured Lipid Phenotypes in Adolescence
Authors: Middelberg Rita P. , Gordon Scott D. , Zhu Gu , McRae Allan , Montgomery Grant W. , Martin Nicholas G. , Whitfield John B. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractThe genetic basis of cardiovascular disease (CVD) is complex and still largely elusive. Plasma lipid concentrations are well-established risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD), and have adult heritabilities ranging from 0.48 to 0.87. Estimates for adolescents are slightly higher (range 0.71 to 0.82). To identify loci affecting lipid concentrations across adolescence, we analyzed longitudinal lipid data in a sample of 134 monozygotic and 626 dizygotic twin pairs at ages twelve, fourteen and sixteen, and their siblings, from 760 Australian families. Univariate linkage analysis for each phenotype and time point was supplemented by multivariate analysis across the time points. A genome-wide association scan was also performed on a subset of the subjects (N= 441). The strongest linkage was seen for triglycerides on chromosome 6p24.3 (multivariate –log10p= 6.81; equivalent LOD = 6.13;p= 1.55 × 10–7). Significant linkage was also found for LDL cholesterol on chromosome 2q35 (multivariate –log10p= 5.59; equivalent LOD = 4.53;p= 2.57 × 10–6). In the association analysis, rs10503840 on 8p21.1 was significantly associated with total cholesterol levels at age fourteen (p= 8.24 × 10–7, estimated significance threshold 2.45 × 10–6). Association atp< 2.25 × 10–6was also found between triglycerides at age 12 and rs10507266, in an intron ofTHRAP2(MIM 608771) on 12q24.21; and between HDL-C at age 14 and rs10506325 in an intergenic region of 12q13.13. Suggestive evidence of association at ages twelve and fourteen was found between HDL-C and rs10492859 on 16q23 (p= 2.42 × 10–5and 2.77 × 10–4, respectively). Further longitudinal genetic studies of cardiovascular risk factors, focused on critical periods of development or change, are needed.
The Construction and Prospects of the Chongqing Twin Children Database
Authors: Fu Yixiao , Xie Peng , Meng Huaqing , Qin Qing , Jia Lu , Li Qi , Huang Yi , Hou Xiao , Luo Qinghua , Ma Xiaohong , Deng Wei , Wang Yingcheng , Hu Hua , Du Lian , Feng Kun , Qiu Haitang , Xiang Yun , Li Tao 
Published: November 2008

AbstractTwins could play a crucial role in our understanding of genetic contributions to numerous etiologically complex disorders. In China, although adult twins are relatively rare, twins will become increasingly available due to increasing twin birth rates. Thus, child twin data will be a valuable resource to contribute to the field of child and adolescent psychopathology. The first twin database of children aged from 6 to 16 was established in Chongqing, R.P., China. In this article, we will discuss our experiences in establishing the twin database, completed in three steps — the first step being to search and identify twins, the second being to keep contact with the twins and the final being to seek cooperation with the twin families, and its future prospects. Our twin database has proven to be an efficient method for the investigation and data collection of twin children in China. The results of our present study suggest that the inclusion of twin information in the residence registration of the public security bureaus in the future may ensure a smooth run of research based on the demographic resources. We propose that school networks may be adopted as the preferred method of collection of twin records for future studies.
Zygosity and Chorionicity in the Prognosis of Triplet Pregnancies: Contribution of Microsatellites
Authors: Guilherme Romain , Drunat Séverine , Delezoide Anne-Lise , Ray Camille Le , Oury Jean-François , Luton Dominique 
Published: November 2008

AbstractWe assess the prognostic values of zygosity and chorionicity in triplet pregnancies (TP) with the assistance of microsatellites analysis. 53 consecutive TP whose prenatal care and delivery occurred in our maternity hospital were included in this prospective study. Zygosity of all sets of triplets (alive or stillbirth, after 22 weeks of gestation) was determined by PCR-amplified microsatellites markers analysis. Chorionicity was determined by placental analysis in our fetopathology referral department and validated by molecular analysis of zygosity. Placental conformations, obstetrical and neonatal outcomes of TP were studied according to their zygosity and chorionicity. Monozygotic and to a greater extent, dizygotic TP were associated with an increase in placental ischemic injuries, velamentous cord insertions, twin-twin transfusion syndromes, fetal anomalies, and perinatal mortality when compared with the trizygotic TP (p<0.05). Monochorionic and more significantly, dichorionic TP presented with the same increases as trichorionic TP (p<0.05). Thus chorionicity easily determined by ultrasound evaluation during the first trimester of the pregnancy must remain the main prognosis criterion in TP. Taking into account the rare indications of prenatal diagnosis of zygosity, it became apparent that chorionicity has a greater impact than zygosity when distinguishing high-risk groups of TP.
Twins and Politics: Political Careers and Political Attitudes / Twin Research Reviews: Pair-Bonding; Facial Expressivity in Reared Apart Twins; Educating Multiples / Stories That Move and Amaze Us: A Military Funeral; A Twins' Reunion; Egyptian Septuplets; Rare Occupations
Authors: Segal Nancy L. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractTwins and twin research are providing fresh insights into the roots of political behavior. This topic is approached from dual perspectives: why some individuals choose to become politicians, and why individuals vary in their political attitudes and interests. Reviews of timely twin studies in the areas of pair-bonding, facial expressivity and education follow. Finally, some extraordinary events in the lives of twins and their families are revealed.
Indirect Diametrical Tensile Testing with Internal Displacement Measurement and Stiffness Determination
Authors: Gnanendran Carthigesu Thiagarajah , Piratheepan Jegatheesan 
Published: November 2008

Abstract
This paper examines the indirect diametrical tensile (IDT) testing method and its suitability for determining the tensile strength and stiffness modulus properties of a lightly cementitiously stabilized granular base material that are required for the design of a pavement structure involving this material. A new IDT testing setup with internal deformation measurement is presented in this paper. The suitability of this testing arrangement for determining the tensile strength and stiffness characteristics of a lightly stabilized granular base material was examined by studying the IDT strength and stiffness characteristics of two typical granular base materials stabilized with 3–5 % slag-lime and 1.5 % general blend cement-flyash. This study indicates that the internal deformation measurement setup presented in this paper for IDT testing is suitable for carrying out both monotonic and cyclic load IDT tests to determine the IDT strength, static stiffness modulus, and dynamic stiffness modulus properties of lightly cementitiously stabilized granular base materials reliably and consistently.
Alternative Processing of Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein During Larval Development in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Matthews Krista A , Kunte Amit S , Tambe-Ebot Edward , Rawson Robert B 
Published: November 2008

Abstract
Sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) is a major transcriptional regulator of lipid metabolism. Nuclear Drosophila SREBP (dSREBP) is essential for larval development in Drosophila melanogaster but dispensable in adults. dSREBP− larvae die at second instar owing to loss of dSREBP-mediated transcription but survive to adulthood when fed fatty acids. Activation of SREBP requires two separate cleavages. Site-1 protease (S1P) cleaves in the luminal loop of the membrane-bound SREBP precursor, cutting it in two. The NH2- and COOH-terminal domains remain membrane bound owing to their single membrane-spanning helices. The NH2-terminal cleavage product is the substrate for site-2 protease (S2P), which cleaves within its membrane-spanning helix to release the transcription factor. In mice, loss of S1P is lethal but the consequences of loss of S2P in animals remain undefined. All known functions of SREBP require its cleavage by S2P. We isolated Drosophila mutants that eliminate all dS2P function (dS2P−). Unexpectedly, larvae lacking dS2P are viable. They are deficient in transcription of some dSREBP target genes but less so than larvae lacking dSREBP. Despite loss of dS2P, dSREBP is processed in mutant larvae. Therefore, larvae have an alternative cleavage mechanism for producing transcriptionally active dSREBP, and this permits survival of dS2P mutants.
Curing of Yeast [URE3] Prion by the Hsp40 Cochaperone Ydj1p Is Mediated by Hsp70
Authors: Sharma Deepak , Stanley Robert F , Masison Daniel C 
Published: November 2008

Abstract[URE3] is a prion of the yeast Ure2 protein. Hsp40 is a cochaperone that regulates Hsp70 chaperone activity. When overexpressed, the Hsp40 Ydj1p cures yeast of [URE3], but the Hsp40 Sis1p does not. On the basis of biochemical data Ydj1p has been proposed to cure [URE3] by binding soluble Ure2p and preventing it from joining prion aggregates. Here, we mutagenized Ydj1p and find that disrupting substrate binding, dimerization, membrane association, or ability to transfer substrate to Hsp70 had little or no effect on curing. J-domain point mutations that disrupt functional interactions of Ydj1p with Hsp70 abolished curing, and the J domain alone cured [URE3]. Consistent with heterologous J domains possessing similar Hsp70 regulatory activity, the Sis1p J domain also cured [URE3]. We further show that Ydj1p is not essential for [URE3] propagation and that depletion of Ure2p is lethal in cells lacking Ydj1p. Our data imply that curing of [URE3] by overproduced Ydj1p does not involve direct interaction of Ydj1p with Ure2p but rather works through regulation of Hsp70 through a specific J-protein/Hsp70 interaction.
Rationale and Design Issues of the Randomized Intervention for Children With Vesicoureteral Reflux (RIVUR) Study
Authors: Keren Ron , Carpenter Myra A. , Hoberman Alejandro , Shaikh Nader , Matoo Tej K. , Chesney Russell W. , Matthews Ranjiv , Gerson Arlene C. , Greenfield Saul P. , Fivush Barbara , McLurie Gordon A. , Rushton H. Gil , Canning Douglas , Nelson Caleb P. , Greenbaum Lawrence , Bukowski Timothy , Primack William , Sutherland Richard , Hosking James , Stewart Dawn , Elder Jack , Moxey-Mims Marva , Nyberg Leroy 
Published: November 2008

ObjectiveOur goal is to determine if antimicrobial prophylaxis with trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole prevents recurrent urinary tract infections and renal scarring in children who are found to have vesicoureteral reflux after a first or second urinary tract infection.Design, Participants, and MethodsThe Randomized Intervention for Children With Vesi-coureteral Reflux (RIVUR) study is a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Six hundred children aged 2 to 72 months will be recruited from both primary and subspecialty care settings at clinical trial centers throughout North America. Children who are found to have grades I to IV vesicoureteral reflux after the index febrile or symptomatic urinary tract infection will be randomly assigned to receive daily doses of either trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole or placebo for 2 years. Scheduled follow-up contacts include in-person study visits every 6 months and telephone interviews every 2 months. Biospecimens (urine and blood) and genetic specimens (blood) will be collected for future studies of the genetic and biochemical determinants of vesicoureteral reflux, recurrent urinary tract infection, renal insufficiency, and renal scarring.ResultsThe primary outcome is recurrence of urinary tract infection. Secondary outcomes include time to recurrent urinary tract infection, renal scarring (assessed by dimercaptosuccinic acid scan), treatment failure, renal function, resource utilization, and development of antimicrobial resistance in stool flora.ConclusionsThe RIVUR study will provide useful information to clinicians about the risks and benefits of prophylactic antibiotics for children who are diagnosed with vesicoureteral reflux after a first or second urinary tract infection. The data and specimens collected over the course of the study will allow researchers to better understand the pathophysiology of recurrent urinary tract infection and its sequelae. Pediatrics 2008;122:240-250
ESR Imaging of Conduction Electrons in Organic Conductors
Authors: Dormann Elmar , Feintuch Akiva , Kaplan Noam 
Published: November 2008

AbstractIn organic conductors built from stacks of planar aromatic hydrocarbons the mobility of the conduction electrons perpendicular to the radical cation stacks is more than four orders of magnitude smaller than the respective along‐the‐stack value. Thus the macroscopic properties of real single crystals of such radical cation salts are strongly influenced by the distribution of inevitable defects. Therefore, spatial resolution is required for a meaningful interpretation of the ESR data. Various schemes for 2D and 3D ESR imaging have been realized in the radio frequency and microwave frequency range with a resolution down to 10 m̈m. Spatial distribution of spin density, T1, T2, and spin diffusion coefficient D were recorded, often as a function of temperature. The conducting‐chain length distribution was observed. Our first attempts for the imaging of the integral and the spatially distributed carrier motion caused by an applied electric current were successful.
Community Nutrition Policy For Older Adults in Canada
Authors: More Caitlin , Keller Heather 
Published: November 2008

Purpose: Current prevention-focused nutrition policy for community-dwelling older adults in Canada is discussed. Methods: Government websites were searched and key informants asked to identify relevant documents and policies specific to older adults. These were reviewed to find specific legislation on community nutrition programs for older adults. Results: Despite this population’s known nutritional risk, policies guiding community nutrition programs are extremely limited. Current policies and significant documents and organizations that could influence legislation are acknowledged. Conclusions: Dietitians in diverse settings need to advocate for specific policy concerning preventive nutrition programs for older adults in Canada.
Experience with Expert Judgment: theTUDelft Expert Judgment Data
Authors: Cooke Roger M. , Goossens Louis L.H.J. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractWe review the applications of structured expert judgment uncertainty quantification using the “classical model” developed at the Delft University of Technology over the last 17 years. These involve 45 expert panels, performed under contract with problem owners who reviewed and approved the results. With a few exceptions, all these applications involved the use of seed variables; that is, variables from the experts' area of expertise for which the true values are available post hoc. Seed variables are used to (i) measure expert performance, (ii) enable performance‐based weighted combination of experts' distributions, and (iii) evaluate and hopefully validate the resulting combination or “decision maker”. This article reviews the classical model for structured expert judgment and the performance measures, reviews applications, comparing performance‐based decision makers with “equal weight” decision makers, and discusses some lessons learned.
Consequence Mitigation: Current Research and Future Trends
Authors: DeLaurentis Po‐Ching , Lawley Mark , Abraham Dulcy M. 
Published: November 2008

AbstractConsequence mitigation focuses on the response and recovery efforts after a natural disaster or an intentional attack and related disaster/hazard management activities and command and control structures, planning, and exercises. This article provides a review of previous studies in consequence mitigation, discusses selected state‐of‐the‐art technologies and tools, and describes measures of mitigation effectiveness. Current funding sources and research activities of consequence mitigation in the United States and other countries are also listed. This article discusses the benefits of integrating different consequence mitigation strategies and provides thoughts on future work in this domain.
Terrorist Organizations and Modeling Trends
Authors: Renda‐Tanali Irmak , Hekimian Christopher D. 
Published: November 2008

Abstract
Understanding the structures and modes of operation of terrorist groups is imperative in the assessment of the terrorism threat. Organizational structures of terrorist groups that may appear complex during initial assessments may be more understandable when laid out in systematically modeled formats. This article focuses on terrorist organizations, their structures, and how the intelligence gathered about these networks is being modeled by researchers to advance the understanding of the terrorism threat. This article is intended to provide the reader with a basic understanding of fundamental terrorist organizational structures. It provides an exhaustive literature review, and organizes and summarizes the findings. Discussion of causal and network modeling methods and technologies, and future research directions are provided. Since space does not permit a detailed description of every threat assessment model, key terror group formations, and key terrorist group behavior modeling approaches, selected as representative of similar organizations and efforts are described in some detail. Interrelationships between organization types and organizational modeling and analysis trends are addressed. Resources with current, open source information about terrorist organization modeling are listed.
Modeling Population Dynamics for Homeland Security Applications
Authors: Kaminskiy Mark P. , Ayyub Bilal M. 
Published: November 2008

Abstract

On the basis of successive numbers of
disabled
cells, the developed methodology enables one to estimate current number of
active
terrorist cells inside a system. A system that includes a number of terrorist cells is considered. The cells can consist of one or more terrorists. The current number of active terrorist cells is further denoted by
N
(
t
), where
t
is a current time counted from any appropriate origin. The objective is to find the evolution of the system in terms of
N
(
t
) and some interpretable parameters, such as the initial number of the terrorist cells
N
0
=
N
(0), the cell disabling rate constant λ (or the cell half‐life
t
1/2
), and the rate of formation of new cells
P
. The suggested models are similar (but not identical) to some survival data analysis models, which are, in turn, borrowed from nuclear physics and chemical kinetics theory. An analogy between the suggested model and the population dynamics models used in ecology is discussed. The cost‐effectiveness analysis, performed in the framework of the model, reveals that the effectiveness of disabling a terrorist cell reduces after two to three half‐lives of a cell, which shows that, if the antiterrorist actions have not reached their goal during that time, the respective policy should be considered for a revision using the risk assessment consideration. Another important issue raised concerns balancing the efforts related to counterterrorism actions inside the system and the efforts protecting its borders. The respective data analysis is suggested and illustrated using a case study.
Homeland Security Perspective on Threats and Challenges
Authors: Weinberg David M. 
Published: November 2008

Abstract
This article highlights, from a governmental homeland security perspective, the spectrum of conventional and less conventional threats and challenges that face the nation within the context of infrastructure. In this context, man‐made and natural threats are discussed in general terms, along with the role of protection and prevention. Less conventional threats are also identified, including economic and intellectual threats. Redundancy and resilience are addressed as available protection and prevention strategies. Challenges to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) mission are discussed in broad terms, as are several perceived research needs.
Population Evacuations
Authors: Franzese Oscar 
Published: November 2008

AbstractEmergency evacuation is one of the most important protective action alternatives when facing a natural or a man‐made disaster. The planning and implementation of a large‐scale emergency evacuation is a difficult and complex problem that requires the interactions of many agencies and involves a large amount of information. This article focuses on the latter and discusses the models that are normally used in the planning phase to evaluate this type of protective action alternatives and the information requirements for their implementation. Although many advances have been achieved in this area, especially during the last few years, a considerable amount of work still remains incomplete. Some of the important areas that need attention, such as improvements in the demographic models, integration of traffic simulation and threat evolution models, and real‐time information for the deployment phase, are also discussed in this article.
Transportation Operations and Control
Authors: Pearce Vincent 
Published: November 2008

Abstract
Before, during, and after any disaster, operation of the transportation network is critical to successful preparedness, response, and initiation of recovery operations. These operations are by nature multimodal, multiagency, multijurisdictional, and likely to engage both public and private sectors. Further, such operations may depend upon core elements outside of transportation itself, such as communications capability and debris removal. Technology can play a critical role in understanding the situation, making the right decisions, and carrying out or facilitating effective disaster response operations.