bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Study of Genetic Relationship Among Third Generation Cephalosporin-resistant Salmonella enterica Strains by ERIC-PCR
Authors: Ranjbar Reza , Naghoni Ali , Yousefi Soheila , Ahmadi Ali , Jonaidi Nematollah , Panahi Yunes 
Published: December 2013

Background and Objectives:Salmonella is an important food-borne pathogen responsible for disease in humans and animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the genetic relationship among third generation cephalosporin-resistant Salmonella enterica strains by Enterobacterial Repetitive Intergenic Consensus (ERIC)-PCR.Methods:The study included all Salmonella isolates obtained from clinical cases in a pediatric hospital in Tehran, Iran during 2006 to 2009. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was performed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute. The genetic relationship between third generation cephalosporins-resistant Salmonella enterica strains was determined using ERIC-PCR.Results:Of 136 Salmonella enterica isolates recovered from pediatric patients, six isolates including four Salmonella enterica serotype Infantis and two Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis showed an extended-spectrum cephalosporins resistant phenotype. ERIC-PCR differentiated Salmonella enterica serotypes Infantis and Enteritidis into 2 distinct clusters arbitrarily named as E1 and E2. Profile E1 was found in two Salmonella enterica serotype Enteritidis isolates, and profile E2 was found in four Salmonella enterica serotype Infantis isolates.Conclusion:Extended-spectrum cephalosporins resistant Salmonella could be attributed to a few predominant serotypes including Enteritidis and Infantis in this study. Genetic analysis using ERIC-PCR showed that closely related clones are responsible for the occurrence of extended-spectrum cephalosporins resistant Salmonella infection in Tehran.
Relations between regular A-optimal chemical and spring balance weighing designs with diagonal covariance matrix of errors
Authors: Ceranka Bronisław , Graczyk Małgorzata 
Published: December 2013

Summary In this paper, we study the relationships between regular A-optimal spring balance weighing designs and regular A-optimal chemical balance weighing designs. We give the basic relation between these designs in the case where the errors are uncorrelated and they have different variances. We give some examples of methods of construction of such designs.
A Survey Addressing on High Performance On-Chip VLSI Interconnect
Authors: Mohamed Yousuff C. , Mohamed Yousuf Hasan V. , Khan Galib M. R. 
Published: December 2013

Abstract
With the rapid increase in transmission speeds of communication systems, the demand for very high-speed lowpower VLSI circuits is on the rise. Although the performance of CMOS technologies improves notably with scaling, conventional CMOS circuits cannot simultaneously satisfy the speed and power requirements of these applications. In this paper we survey the state of the art of on-chip interconnect techniques for improving performance, power and delay optimization and also comparative analysis of various techniques for high speed design have been discussed.
Design and Implementation of Plug-And-Play Analog Resistance Temperature Sensor
Authors: Jevtic Nenad , Drndarevic Vujo 
Published: December 2013

Abstract
In this paper the design and implementation of a plug-and-play analog resistance temperature sensor is presented. The smart temperature sensor consists of an analog sensor element with transducer electronic data sheet (TEDS) memory device and a network- capable application processor (NCAP) connected through a mixedmode interface (MMI). The mixed-mode interface and NCAP front-end electronic support have been implemented by the use of a standard 8-bit microcontroller. NCAP's application processing and network communication functions are implemented based on the concept of virtual instrumentation using a PC. The implemented NCAP can also be used as a plug-and-play stand-alone data acquisition system or as development system for plug-and-play sensors compliant with the IEEE 1451.4 standard. Details of sensor implementation and test results are included in the paper.
Comparative Study on Physical Activity and Back Pain of Young Mothers in Some Eastern European Countries
Authors: Abonyi Barbara 
Published: December 2013

Abstract Young mothers frequently complain of backaches. The aim of this paper is to reveal if there is any relationship between physical activity in their early years (aged 6-18 years) and in adulthood, and between current physical activity and back pain. The paper is based on empirical research carried out by the survey method. With the help of structured sampling, 336 young mothers, all within 1-3 years after giving birth and all of whom were from the V4 countries and Romania, were included in the study. Their early and present physical activities, as well as their back pain in the upper and lower part of the back, was examined. Data were collected by questionnaire. To process the data, SPSS.17 was used. The results show that young mothers who were the most physically active in their early years remained the most active as adults. The correlation between the young mothers’ sporting activity in the early years (aged 6-18 years) and adulthood is strong. Due to their activity, the most physically active young mothers have less upper and lower back pain. The connection between current sporting activity and back pain were also significant both by the upper and the lower part of the back. It is concluded that regular physical activity in childhood is often continued and make up part of a young women’s life. As a result, they bear the early period of motherhood fitter and with fewer backaches.
Sport and Ethics of Weak Thought: A New Manifesto for Sport Education
Authors: Isidori Emanuele , Maulini Claudia , López Frías Francisco Javier 
Published: December 2013

Abstract The so-called “weak thought”, theorized by the Italian postmodernist philosopher Gianni Vattimo (born in 1936), considered one of the most important Italian philosophers, has dismantled the main concepts on which Western philosophy was based (that is, the notion of Truth, God, Reason, an absolute foundation to thought, etc.). This philosophy, which is inspired by Nietzsche’s nihilism, by Heidegger, and by the philosophy of hermeneutics and deconstruction, offers a critical starting point not only to rethink, in a less rigid way, our Western culture, its philosophy, and its problems, but also the ethical principles and educational values that guide human life. Sport - as a human phenomenon and philosophical problem characterized by the presence of values, norms, behaviors, and rules that involves the action of human beings who interact and communicate “in” and “by” the game - can also be read in the light of this emerging philosophical theory. The aim of this study is to demonstrate that weak thought and its fundamental categories can be used and applied from a theoretical point of view in order to interpret and understand sport, deconstructing its meanings and its sociocultural and educational values. Using the critical contribution of weak thought, in this study we will reflect on and rethink in a new way some of the main concepts considered absolute and fundamental to sport’s logical and philosophical structure, such as “winning” and “losing”, “referee” (which embodies the principle of “authority”), “opponent”, “freedom” in the game, “rules”, and respect when one plays. The purpose of this study is to undertake a critical reflection on the limits of the concept of sport proposed by the Western tradition and to lay the foundations for a new model of ethics and education for the sports of the future.
Links between oral health and personality at a law enforcement school
Authors: Faragó Ildikó , Túry Ferenc , Márton Sándor , Nagy Gábor , Hopcraft Matthew , Madléna Melinda 
Published: December 2013

Abstract
One of the territories of dental psychosomatics is the link between personality characterisctics and dental status. The aim of the present study was to survey the relationship between temperament and character factors and dental status in police students. It can be hypothesized, that some temperament factors can increase the risk for dental health problems. After dental screening 792 police students completed the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) devised by Cloninger. 57.5% of students rated their own teeth as being in good or very good condition, and only 2.8% as bad condition. In persons rating their dental status as “good”, the average DMFT was 9.23±5.01 (mean±S.D.). In students assessing their own oral health as bad, TCI results showed that a higher percentage of students displayed extravagance, impulsiveness, disorderliness than the overall population. Among the students with good self-assessment but bad teeth, there was a higher percentage of students displaying passivity, low assertiveness, and introversion. The temperament and character factors may have negative consequences for students in an institution which exposes them to high stress level. It may be useful to screen these students using subjective health questionnaires in order to permit more effective efforts to positive health behaviour.
Temperature modulation of the vibrational responses of a flexible fluid-conveying pipe
Authors: Adelaja Adekunle 
Published: December 2013

AbstractIn this study, the nonlinear transverse vibration of a flexible pipe conveying hot, pressurized fluid is investigated. The pipe which is subjected to a pinned-pinned end condition extends as a result of several operating variables such as internal fluid temperature variation, pre-stress and internal pressurization. The equation of motion is solved analytically by hybrid Fourier-Laplace transforms, and the effects of inlet temperature, temperature gradient, and coefficient of area deformation are investigated on the natural frequencies and transverse dynamic response of the pipeline. While the inlet temperature and temperature gradient are found to be inversely proportional to the natural frequencies and amplitude of the dynamic response, increase in the coefficient of area deformation has little effect on the natural frequencies for the particular case considered.
Variability of enzymatic activity in forest Cambisols and Brunic Arenosols of Polish lowland areas
Authors: Błońska Ewa , Lasota Jarosław , Januszek Kazimierz 
Published: December 2013

Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine the enzymatic activity (dehydrogenase and urease) in trophically diverse Brunic Arenosols and Cambisols. Efforts to establish the relationship between enzymatic activity and physico-chemical properties of various subtypes of Brunic Arenosols and Cambisols were attempted. Another aim was to determine the effect of vegetation on the properties of soil surface levels. The study was conducted on 94 plots located in nature reserves and national parks in the Polish lowland area. Dehydrogenase activity and urease showed large variations in the subtypes of the distinguished Brunic Arenosols and Cambisols. Dehydrogenases and urease activity in surface layers of fresh humus of Cambisols and Brunic Arenosols was strongly associated with the plants. This is confirmed by the relationship between the enzymatic activity and the type of accumulated humus substances, the ratio of carbon to nitrogen and humus horizons reaction.
Antioxidant, cytotoxic and analgesic activities of the methanolic fruit extract of Terminalia chebula Retz.
Authors: Sarwar Shammy , Malik Asif Hasan , Rahman Muhammad Ashikur , Rahman Md. Zakiur , Rana Md. Sohel 
Published: December 2013

The present study was aimed to investigate antioxidant, analgesic and cytotoxic activity of the methanolic extract of Terminalia chebula Retz. fruits. Antioxidant potential of the extract was evaluated by using nitric oxide scavenging assay, reducing power and total antioxidant capacity. The extract showed significant activities in all antioxidant assays compared to ascorbic acid in a dose dependent mode. In nitric oxide scavenging assay, the IC50 value of the extract was found to be 51.3 µg/mL while the IC50 value of ascorbic acid was 77.4 µg/mL. In addition to strong reducing power, total antioxidant activity of the extract was also found to increase in a dose dependent manner. The analgesic activity was evaluated using acetic acid-induced writhing test in mice. The extract, at a dose of 500 mg/kg, showed a maximum of 44.17 % inhibition (p < 0.05) of writhing reaction compared to the reference drug diclofenac-sodium (66.96 %). The extract also showed moderate cytotoxic activity in brine shrimp lethality bioassay and the LC50 value was found to be 97.36 µg/mL.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/icpj.v3i1.17296 International Current Pharmaceutical Journal, December 2013, 3(1): 219-222
Equatorial spread F initiation and growth from satellite traces as revealed from conjugate point observations in Brazil
Authors: Abdu M. A. , Kherani E. A. , Batista I. S. , Reinisch B. W. , Sobral J. H. A. 
Published: December 2013

AbstractA better understanding of the precursor conditions for the instability growth is very important for identifying the causes of day‐to‐day variability in the equatorial spread F (ESF)/plasma bubble irregularity development. We investigate here the satellite trace (S‐trace) in the ionograms, a precursor to the postsunset ESF occurrence, as observed by Digisondes operated at an equatorial and two magnetic conjugate sites in Brazil during a 66 day observational campaign (Conjugate Point Equatorial Experiment 2002). The satellite traces first occur at the equatorial site, and sequentially, after a variable delay of approximately 20 to 50 min, they are observed nearly simultaneously over the two conjugate sites. The evening prereversal enhancement in the zonal electric field/vertical drift is found to control its development. Using a three‐dimensional simulation code based on collisional interchange instability mechanism, it is shown that the observed S‐trace occurrence sequence is fully consistent with the instability initiation over the equator with the field‐aligned plasma depletion vertical growth marked by latitudinal expansion of its extremities to conjugate locations. The delay in the S‐trace occurrence at the conjugate sites (a measure of the nonlinear growth of the instability for plasma depletion) is controlled also by field line parallel (meridional) neutral wind. The relationship between the S‐trace and the large‐scale wave structure in the F layer, another widely known characterization of the precursor condition for the ESF development, is also clarified.
Current Trends in Adult Degree Programs: How Public Universities Respond to the Needs of Adult Learners
Authors: Gast Angela 
Published: December 2013

AbstractAlthough many adult students turn to online degree programs due to their flexibility and convenience, a majority of prospective adult learners prefer to take classes on traditional brick‐and‐mortar campuses. This chapter examines how public research universities create pathways to degree attainment and boost degree completion rates among adult students.
From Access to Excess: Changing Roles and Relationships for Distance Education, Continuing Education, and Academic Departments in American Universities
Authors: Ashcroft Judy Copeland 
Published: December 2013

AbstractIn American universities, early distance education needed both continuing education and academic departments for establishing institutional cooperation, developing quality standards, adapting to change, and finding a funding model. Today, the Internet and the need for additional revenue are driving new distance education models.
Roles of Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants in Rheumatology Practices in the US
Authors: Solomon Daniel H. , Bitton Asaf , Fraenkel Liana , Brown Erika , Tsao Peter , Katz Jeffrey N. 
Published: December 2013

ObjectiveA recent workforce study of rheumatology in the US suggests that during the next several decades, the demand for rheumatology services will outstrip the supply of rheumatologists. Midlevel providers such as nurse practitioners and physician assistants may be able to alleviate projected shortages.MethodsWe administered a nationwide survey of midlevel providers during 2012. Invitations with the survey were sent with one followup reminder. The survey contained questions regarding demographics, training, level of practice independence, responsibilities, drug prescribing, use of objective outcome measures, and knowledge and use of treat‐to‐target (TTT) strategies.ResultsThe invitation was sent to 482 eligible midlevel providers via e‐mail and 90 via US mail. We received a total of 174 responses (30%). The mean age was 46 years and 83% were women. Nearly 75% had ≤10 years of experience and 53% had received formal training in rheumatology. Almost two‐thirds reported having their own panel of patients. The top 3 practice responsibilities described were performing patient education (99%), adjusting medication doses (98%), and conducting physical examinations (97%). More than 90% felt very or somewhat comfortable diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and a similar percentage prescribed disease‐modifying antirheumatic drugs. Three‐quarters reported using disease activity measures for RA and 56% reported that their practices used TTT strategies.ConclusionMost respondents reported that they had substantial patient care responsibilities, used disease activity measures for RA, and incorporated TTT in their practice. These data suggest midlevel providers may help to reduce shortages in the rheumatology workforce and conform with recommendations to employ TTT strategies in RA treatment.
The Epidemiology of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Ontario, Canada
Authors: Widdifield Jessica , Paterson J. Michael , Bernatsky Sasha , Tu Karen , Tomlinson George , Kuriya Bindee , Thorne J. Carter , Bombardier Claire 
Published: December 2013

ObjectiveEpidemiologic assessments of sufficiently large populations are required in order to obtain robust estimates of disease prevalence and incidence, particularly when exploring the influence of various factors (age, sex, calendar time). We undertook this study to describe the epidemiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) over the past 15 years.MethodsWe used the Ontario Rheumatoid Arthritis administrative Database (ORAD), a validated population‐based research database of all Ontarians with RA. The ORAD records were linked with census data to calculate crude and age and sex–standardized prevalence and incidence rates from 1996 to 2010. Vital statistics were used to estimate annual all‐cause mortality during the study period.ResultsAs of 2010, there were 97,499 Ontarians with RA, corresponding to a cumulative prevalence of 0.9%. Age and sex–standardized RA prevalence increased steadily over time from 473 (95% confidence interval [95% CI] 469–478) per 100,000 population (0.49%) in 1996 to 784 (95% CI 779–789) per 100,000 population (0.9%) in 2010. Age and sex–standardized incidence per 100,000 population ranged from 62 (95% CI 60–63) in 1996 to 54 (95% CI 52–55) in 2010. All‐cause mortality decreased by a relative 21.4% since 1996.ConclusionOver a 15‐year period, we observed an increase in RA prevalence over time. This rise may be attributed to the increasing time to ascertain cases (which may have been latent in the population during earlier years of the study), increasing survival, and/or an increase in the aging background population. Incidence appears to be stable.
Acri‐2,7‐Py, a bright red‐emitting DNA probe identified through screening of a distyryl dye library
Authors: Naud‐Martin Delphine , Martin‐Benlloch Xavier , Poyer Florent , Mahuteau‐Betzer Florence , Teulade‐Fichou Marie‐Paule 
Published: December 2013

AbstractThe identification of DNA sensors is still a challenge since no DNA probe possesses all the photophysical properties required for live‐cell imaging: high fluorescence yield, red emission, permeability, no photobleaching and no cytotoxicity. We describe the preparation of a distyryl dye library and its evaluation on a panel of nucleic acids with various structures (duplex DNA, quadruplex DNA and RNA). The screening involved measuring the modification of the fluorescence properties of the dyes with or without nucleic acids on a microplate reader, and allowed the identification of selective quadruplex DNA ligands with good affinities. Using this screening method we discovered a new bright red‐emitting DNA stain, Acri‐2,7‐Py, for fixed cells. In living cells, the staining was not nuclear and photodamage generated through illumination induced cellular death. These processes require further studies to determine the relevance of Acri‐2,7‐Py in photodynamic therapy.
Isolation, cultivation and transfection of human keratinocytes
Authors: Zare Sona , Zarei Mohammad Ali , Ghadimi Tayyeb , Fathi Fardin , Jalili Ali , Hakhamaneshi Mohammad Saeed 
Published: December 2013

AbstractHuman keratinocytes could be used in the repair of damaged skin, in tissue engineering applications, gene therapy and recently, the generation of iPS cells. We isolated human keratinocytes from foreskin and subsequently cultured them on fibronectin, collagen type I, gelatin and laminin‐coated dishes that contained three different types of serum‐free medium (epilife, KSM or CnT). We developed improved conditions for efficient transfection of these human keratinocytes by testing three common transfection methods and a GFP plasmid vector. The isolated cells showed typical keratinocyte morphology and expressed the epithelial cell specific antigen, cytokeratin 14. Collagen type 1, epilife medium and lipofectamin 2000 gave the best results for isolation and transfection of human keratinocytes. Our protocol can be used as a reproducible, simple and efficient method for isolation, cultivation and genetic manipulation of human keratinocytes, which may be useful in cell and gene therapy applications.
Increased percentages of T cells producing interleukin‐21 in patients with immune thrombocytopenic purpura
Authors: Zhang Qian , Bai Hai , Wang Wenhui 
Published: December 2013

AbstractInterleukin (IL)‐21, a cytokine which promotes differentiation of Th17, follicular helper T cell and B cells, may play an important role in controlling the autoimmune process in immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), an acquired organ‐specific autoimmune hemorrhagic disease. The frequencies of IL‐21‐producing T cells and serum levels of IL‐21 were determined by flow cytometry analysis and ELISA, respectively, in 24 ITP patients and nine healthy controls. RT‐PCR showed that the frequencies of circulating IL‐21‐producing T cells and serum levels of IL‐21 were significantly higher in ITP patients than that in healthy controls. Serum IL‐21 and IL‐21 expression in patients with ITP significantly decreased after therapy, suggesting IL‐21 might be important in ITP.