bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Academic Effects of the Prestige Oil Spill Disaster
Authors: Pérez-Pereira Miguel , Tinajero Carolina , Rodríguez María Soledad , Peralbo Manuel , Sabucedo Jose Manuel 
Published: October 2012

The effect of a large scale oil spill disaster on the academic achievement and classroom behavior of children and adolescents who lived on the Galician coast (Spain) is studied from an ecological perspective. 430 participants divided into three age groups of 5, 10, and 15 years of age, were studied. The participants came from three areas differently affected by the disaster. Dependent variables were academic achievement and classroom behavior of the participants after the Prestige disaster. Degree of exposure and other protective or risk factors were investigated as well. Repeated measures ANOVA to assess the main effects of the oil spill and hierarchical regression analyses to assess the contribution of the protective/vulnerability factors were performed.The results indicate that the effects of the disaster were relatively scarce. Some protective factors accounted for a certain degree of variance of different schoolroom behaviors. These results point to the intervention of protective factors in the adaptation to the disaster.
The Medium Term Outcome of the Omnifit Constrained Acetabular Cup
Authors: Bigsby Ewan , Whitehouse Michael R. , Bannister Gordon C. , Blom Ashley W. 
Published: October 2012

Recurrent dislocation requiring revision surgery occurs in approximately 4% of primary total hip arthroplasties (THAs). To reduce this risk, or to treat those patients who recurrently dislocate, a constrained acetabular component may be used, however there are concerns over the success of such components due to increased mechanical stresses. The purpose of this study was to analyse the survivorship and radiological results for the Omnifit constrained acetabular component, providing a longer patient reported outcome follow-up than previous studies. 117 patients (median age 82 years) underwent a THA with an Omnifit constrained acetabular component. Of these, 45 were primary replacements and 72 were revisions. Survivorship analysis was performed and patients were assessed both radiologically and functionally. At follow-up, 53 patients (45.3%) had died at a median time of 33 months from operation. The median overall follow-up was 7.0 (5.5–8.2) years. Survivors (median age 83 years) reported a median Oxford Hip Score (OHS) of 16.6 (0–48), 87.8% were satisfied with their surgery. 45 (91.8%) of the acetabular components were stable radiologically, 48 (96%) of the femoral components were stable (5 uncemented, 43 cemented) and two possibly unstable. Four of the 117 patients underwent further surgery. Only one required revision of the prosthesis and this was for a periprosthetic fracture. In the medium term the Omnifit constrained acetabular component prevents dislocation and does not cause excessive loosening of either the acetabular or femoral components in our patient population. Our results support the use of the Omnifit constrained acetabular component in elderly patients at risk of dislocation with low functional demand.
Employers’ Perception of the Law Syllabus Content of Practicum Course in Universiti Utara Malaysia
Authors: Hassan Mumtaj , Yeon Asmah Laili , Shariff Nurretina Ahmad , Hussain Mohammad Azam 
Published: October 2012

Practicum courses are guided work experiences that consist of a project undertaken for or in collaboration with an organization. This study is an exploratory research carried out to evaluate objectively the present structure of the practicum course for LL.B students at University Utara Malaysia. The study examined the employer’s perception of the syllabus contents of practicum I and II. The specific aspects of the syllabus contents examined were the employer’s perception towards the objectives of the course, learning outcome and the duration of the course. The items also include the content as to the administrative, report writing, judgment, supervisory aspect and the method of assessment. The study was carried out amongst the experience legal practitioners who were the assessors of the students undergoing practical training at their placements. Data was collected using a survey questionnaire. A total of 51 questionnaires were sent out. The total responses received were 43 (83.31%). The findings indicate that the majority of respondents generally (more than 80%) agree that the syllabus contents were good and suitable for practicum I and II courses. Nevertheless, they are of the opinion that there is a need to extend the existing duration of the practicum training for the students. Keywords - law syllabus, practicum course, exploratory research
Two Aircraft Carriers’ Perspectives: A Comparative of Control Measures in Shipboard H1N1 Outbreaks
Authors: Harwood Jared L. , LaVan Joseph T. , Brand George J. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractBackgroundThe USS George Washington (GW) and the USS Ronald Reagan (RR), 2 US Navy aircraft carriers, experienced almost simultaneous outbreaks of novel H1N1 influenza A in the summer of 2009. We compared the respective epidemic control measures taken and subsequent lessons learned.MethodsData were collated from both outbreaks to assess various elements including attack rate, isolation/quarantine protocols, and treatment methods. The respective duration of each outbreak was compared with survival curve analysis. The number of personnel affected in each outbreak was compared using χ2 analysis.ResultsDifferences were found in the protocols used on the 2 ships. The GW treated about two-thirds of the patients with oseltamivir through day 14 and quarantined all patients meeting case definition throughout the outbreak. Face masks were used throughout. The RR used oseltamivir and quarantined many fewer patients (through days 5 and 3, respectively). No face masks were used after day 5. The outbreaks were similar in duration (GW = 25 days, RR = 27 days, P = .38), but the RR had significantly more cases (n = 253 vs 142, P < .0001). A portion of each group had samples that were confirmed H1N1 by polymerase chain reaction.ConclusionsGW's protocol, including aggressive oseltamivir treatment of two-thirds of the cases and quarantine throughout the duration decreased the overall number of personnel affected, likely reducing the overall control reproduction number. Both outbreaks were similar in duration. Even though the GW expended significantly more resources than the RR, if the 2009 pandemic H1N1 strain had been as clinically severe as the 1918 pandemic, a more stringent treatment protocol may have been the only way to prevent significant operational impact.(Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2013;7:29-35)
Complementary Absorbing Star‐Shaped Small Molecules for the Preparation of Ternary Cascade Energy Structures in Organic Photovoltaic Cells
Authors: Cha Hyojung , Chung Dae Sung , Bae Suk Young , Lee Min‐Jung , An Tae Kyu , Hwang Jihun , Kim Kyung Hwan , Kim Yun‐Hi , Choi Dong Hoon , Park Chan Eon 
Published: October 2012

AbstractTwo anthracene‐based star‐shaped conjugated small molecules, 5′,5″‐(9,10‐bis((4‐hexylphenyl)ethynyl)anthracene‐2,6‐diyl)bis(5‐hexyl‐2,2′‐bithiophene), HBantHBT, and 5′,5″‐(9,10‐bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene‐2,6‐diyl)bis(5‐hexyl‐2,2′‐bithiophene), BantHBT, are used as electron‐cascade donor materials by incorporating them into organic photovoltaic cells prepared using a poly((5,5‐E‐alpha‐((2‐thienyl)methylene)‐2‐thiopheneacetonitrile)‐alt‐2,6‐[(1,5‐didecyloxy)naphthalene])) (PBTADN):[6,6]‐phenyl‐C71‐butyric acid methyl ester (PC71BM) blend. The small molecules penetrate the PBTADN:PC71BM blend layer to yield complementary absorption spectra through appropriate energy level alignment and optimal domain sizes for charge carrier transfer. A high short‐circuit current (JSC) and fill factor (FF) are obtained using solar cells prepared with the ternary blend. The highest photovoltaic performance of the PBTADN:BantHBT:PC71BM blend solar cells is characterized by a JSC of 11.0 mA cm−2, an open circuit voltage (VOC) of 0.91 V, a FF of 56.4%, and a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.6% under AM1.5G illumination (with a high intensity of 100 mW−2). The effects of the small molecules on the ternary blend are investigated by comparison with the traditional poly(3‐hexylthiophene) (P3HT):[6,6]‐phenyl‐C61‐butyric acid methyl ester (PC61BM) system.
IL‐17F co‐ ;expression improves cell growth characteristics and enhances recombinant protein production during CHO cell line engineering
Authors: Contie Mathias , Leger Olivier , Fouque Nicolas , Poitevin Yves , Kosco‐Vilbois Marie , Mermod Nicolas , Elson Greg 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThe generation of a high productivity cell line is a critical step in the production of a therapeutic protein. Many innovative engineering strategies have been devised in order to maximize the expression rate of production cells for increased process efficiency. Less effort has focused on improvements to the cell line generation process, which is typically long and laborious when using mammalian cells. Based on unexpected findings when generating stable CHO cell lines expressing human IL‐17F, we studied the benefit of expressing this protein during the establishment of production cell lines. We demonstrate that IL‐17F expression enhances the rate of selection and overall number of selected cell lines as well as their transgene expression levels. We also show that this benefit is observed with different parental CHO cell lines and selection systems. Furthermore, IL‐17F expression improves the efficiency of cell line subcloning processes. IL‐17F can therefore be exploited in a standard manufacturing process to obtain higher productivity clones in a reduced time frame. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2013; 110: 1153–1163. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Design and development of a planar B0‐coil for patient respiratory motion correction in magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Awan Shakil A. , Mcginley John V.M. , Dickinson Robert J. , Angeli Stelios I. , Young Ian R. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractWe detail the design, construction, and testing of a planar B0‐coil which will ultimately be used to reduce artifacts in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) caused by respiratory motion in patients. The B0‐coil combined with a micro‐electro‐mechanical system microcoil detector mounted on a catheter and deployed in an endoscope should in‐principle enable sub‐millimeter resolution MR imaging of cholangiocarcinomas. The B0‐coil has been designed to generate around 300 μT of magnetic field, parallel to the main field of a MRI scanner, and to be homogenous to around 1% in a 150 mm diameter of spherical volume (DSV). Measurements of the field in the DSV reveal that there are no field gradients present (within our experimental resolution of 3 μT) in the region and the field is homogeneous with a mean value of 324.5 ± 4.3 μT (1σ) at 25 A. The B0‐coil was subsequently deployed in MRI experiments on a test phantom to confirm axial and sagittal image slice shifts of ∼ 12 and 3 mm, respectively, using only 5.5 A in the B0‐coil. This clearly demonstrates the principle of image slice shifting by modulating the main field of a MRI magnet using a relatively small field generated in an insert coil. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Concepts Magn Reson Part B (Magn Reson Engineering) 41B: 130–138, 2012
Methylation status of TUSC3 is a prognostic factor in ovarian cancer
Authors: Pils Dietmar , Horak Peter , Vanhara Petr , Anees Mariam , Petz Michaela , Alfanz Angela , Gugerell Alfred , Wittinger Michael , Gleiss Andreas , Auner Veronika , Tong Dan , Zeillinger Robert , Braicu Elena‐Ioana , Sehouli Jalid , Krainer Michael 
Published: October 2012

AbstractBACKGROUND.Current prognostic information in ovarian cancer is based on tumor stage, tumor grade, and postoperative tumor size. Reliable molecular prognostic markers are scarce. In this article, the authors describe epigenetic events in a frequently deleted region on chromosome 8p22 that influence the expression of tumor suppressor candidate 3 (TUSC3), a putative tumor suppressor gene in ovarian cancer.METHODS.Messenger RNA expression and promoter hypermethylation of TUSC3 were studied in ovarian cancer cell lines and in tumor samples from 2 large, independent ovarian cancer cohorts using polymerase chain reaction‐based methods.RESULTS.The results indicated that TUSC3 expression is decreased significantly because of promoter methylation in malignant ovarian tumors compared with benign controls. Almost 33% of ovarian cancer samples had detectable TUSC3 promoter methylation. Furthermore, methylation status of the TUSC3 promoter had a significant and independent influence on progression‐free and overall survival.CONCLUSIONS.TUSC3 hypermethylation predicted progression‐free and overall survival in ovarian cancer. The current observations suggested a role for N‐glycosylating events in ovarian cancer pathogenesis in general and identified the epigenetic silencing of TUSC3 as a prognostic factor in this disease. Cancer 2013. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Molecular characterization of the subnuclei in rat habenula
Authors: Aizawa Hidenori , Kobayashi Megumi , Tanaka Sayaka , Fukai Tomoki , Okamoto Hitoshi 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThe mammalian habenula is involved in regulating the activities of serotonergic and dopaminergic neurons. It consists of the medial and lateral habenulae, with each subregion having distinct neural connectivity. Despite the functional significance, manipulating neural activity in a subset of habenular pathways remains difficult because of the poor availability of molecular markers that delineate the subnuclear structures. Thus, we examined the molecular nature of neurons in the habenular subnuclei by analyzing the gene expressions of neurotransmitter markers. The results showed that different subregions of the medial habenula (MHb) use different combinations of neurotransmitter systems and could be categorized as either exclusively glutamatergic (superior part of MHb), both substance P‐ergic and glutamatergic (dorsal region of central part of MHb), or both cholinergic and glutamatergic (inferior part, ventral region of central part, and lateral part of MHb). The superior part of the MHb strongly expressed interleukin‐18 and was innervated by noradrenergic fibers. In contrast, the inferior part, ventral region of the central part, and lateral part of the MHb were peculiar in that acetylcholine and glutamate were cotransmitted from the axonal terminals. In contrast, neurons in the lateral habenula (LHb) were almost uniformly glutamatergic. Finally, the expressions of Htr2c and Drd2 seemed complementary in the medial LHb division, whereas they coincided in the lateral division, suggesting that the medial and lateral divisions of LHb show strong heterogeneity with respect to monoamine receptor expression. These analyses clarify molecular differences between subnuclei in the mammalian habenula that support their respective functional implications. J. Comp. Neurol. 520:4051–4066, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Development of a Urea Bioprobe Based on Platinized Boron‐Doped Diamond Electrodes
Authors: Nicolau Eduardo , Fonseca José J. , Cabrera Carlos R. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractUrea (CH6ON2) is one of the main human nitrogen‐based metabolic wastes. The concentration of urea in blood lies between 2.5–7 mM for healthy individuals, and is commonly used as an indicator for several diseases that may alter this value. Spectrophotometric methods are employed for the determination of blood urea concentration during clinical assays. Although these methods are sensitive, they make use of toxic reagents and complex reaction schemes. Therefore, in this research we present the bioelectrochemical determination of urea by the use of the protein urease (E.C.3.1.1.5) along with a nano‐platinized boron‐doped diamond electrode. This approach has been proven to be efficient and sensitive providing a platform with detection limits of 1.79 mM (S/N=3). The linear range resulted from 1 mM to 25 mM for the determination of urea, and response time of five minutes.
Modulation of the 13C/12C ratio of vanillin from vanilla beans during curing
Authors: Gassenmeier Klaus , Binggeli Eva , Kirsch Thomas , Otiv Shashank 
Published: October 2012

ABSTRACTAuthenticity of vanilla extracts can be monitored by, for example, analysis of marker compounds and analysis of stable isotope ratios of vanillin using site‐specific natural isotopic fractionation by nuclear magnetic resonance or isotopic ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) techniques. In order to improve vanilla bean quality curing technologies were proposed using enzymatic or microbiological processes. However, the influence of process parameters on the 13C/12C ratio of vanillin from vanilla beans was not known. An isotopic shift of vanillin was found in the early stages of traditional vanilla bean curing. In model experiments using acid hydrolysis a δ13CV‐PDB value (where V‐PDB represents the standard Vienna‐Pee Dee Belemnite) of vanillin of −21.5‰ was obtained. In vanilla extracts prepared by an enzymatic curing process δ13CV‐PDB values for vanillin of −21.6 to −22.2‰ were found. These values are significantly more negative than those of vanilla extracts from traditional curing. Data suggest that the less negative δ13CV‐PDB values in traditional extracts are the result of an isotope discriminating degradation of vanillin in the traditional process. The 13C/12C ratios found for some vanilla beans and extracts prepared thereof were outside the reference data set used for authenticity control by IRMS. Because of the implication on vanilla authenticity judgment – although the δ13CV‐PDB data were measured by two independent methods – it is desirable that the experiments are repeated to confirm the results. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Herceptin‐decorated salinomycin‐loaded nanoparticles for breast tumor targeting
Authors: Aydın R. Seda Tığlı 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThe use of conventional chemotherapeutic drugs was emerged as challenging for breast cancer therapy, because breast cancer stem cells cannot be destroyed due to their great nature of drug resistance. In this study, a novel nanoparticulate system of Herceptin (HER)‐immobilized salinomycin (SAL)‐encapsulated poly(lactic‐co‐glycolic acid) (PLGA) (HER–SAL–PLGA) nanoparticles were constructed and investigated for breast cancer targeting. SAL‐encapsulated PLGA nanoparticles were characterized for their particle size, morphology, structural and thermal properties, and drug‐encapsulation efficiency. HER–SAL–PLGA nanoparticles were characterized via particle size, surface chemistry, and herceptin‐immobilization efficiency. In vitro release studies were performed for both nontargeting and targeting SAL–PLGA nanoparticles, which demonstrated a controlled release of SAL from nanoparticles. Cellular uptake of the HER–SAL–PLGA nanoparticles was assessed by fluorescence and optical microscopy and flow cytometry, which showed that the HER–SAL–PLGA nanoparticles were successfully uptaken by MCF7 cells. In conclusion, this novel drug‐delivery system, HER–SAL–PLGA, was suggested as a promising targeting system for breast cancer therapy. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A, 2013.
Influence of the sequence environment and properties of neighboring amino acids on amino‐acetylation: Relevance for structure‐function analysis
Authors: Iqbal Zeeshan , Hoessli Daniel C. , Kaleem Afshan , Munir Jawaria , Saleem Muhammad , Afzal Imran , Shakoori Abdul Rauf , Nasir‐ud‐Din  
Published: October 2012

AbstractProteins function is regulated by co‐translational modifications and post‐translational modifications (PTMs) such as phosphorylation, glycosylation, and acetylation, which induce proteins to perform multiple tasks in a specified environment. Acetylation takes place post‐translationally on the ε‐amino group of Lys in histone proteins, allowing regulation of gene expression. Furthermore, amino group acetylation also occurs co‐translationally on Ser, Thr, Gly, Met, and Ala, possibly contributing to the stability of proteins. In this work, the influence of amino acids next to acetylated sites has been investigated by using MAPRes (Mining Association Patterns among preferred amino acid residues in the vicinity of amino acids targeted for PTMs). MAPRes was utilized to examine the sequence patterns vicinal to modified and non‐modified residues, taking into account their charge and polarity. The PTMs data were further sub‐divided according to their sub‐cellular location (nuclear, mitochondrial, and cytoplasmic), and their association patterns were mined. The association patterns mined by MAPRes for acetylated and non‐acetylated residues are consistent with the existing literature but also revealed novel patterns. These rules have been utilized to describe the acetylation and its effects on the protein structure‐function relationship. J. Cell. Biochem. 114: 874–887, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Growth factor transgenes interactively regulate articular chondrocytes
Authors: Shi Shuiliang , Mercer Scott , Eckert George J. , Trippel Stephen B. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractAdult articular chondrocytes lack an effective repair response to correct damage from injury or osteoarthritis. Polypeptide growth factors that stimulate articular chondrocyte proliferation and cartilage matrix synthesis may augment this response. Gene transfer is a promising approach to delivering such factors. Multiple growth factor genes regulate these cell functions, but multiple growth factor gene transfer remains unexplored. We tested the hypothesis that multiple growth factor gene transfer selectively modulates articular chondrocyte proliferation and matrix synthesis. We tested the hypothesis by delivering combinations of the transgenes encoding insulin‐like growth factor I (IGF‐I), fibroblast growth factor‐2 (FGF‐2), transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF‐β1), bone morphogenetic protein‐2 (BMP‐2), and bone morphogenetic protien‐7 (BMP‐7) to articular chondrocytes and measured changes in the production of DNA, glycosaminoglycan, and collagen. The transgenes differentially regulated all these chondrocyte activities. In concert, the transgenes interacted to generate widely divergent responses from the cells. These interactions ranged from inhibitory to synergistic. The transgene pair encoding IGF‐I and FGF‐2 maximized cell proliferation. The three‐transgene group encoding IGF‐I, BMP‐2, and BMP‐7 maximized matrix production and also optimized the balance between cell proliferation and matrix production. These data demonstrate an approach to articular chondrocyte regulation that may be tailored to stimulate specific cell functions, and suggest that certain growth factor gene combinations have potential value for cell‐based articular cartilage repair. J. Cell. Biochem. 114: 908–919, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.