bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Psychometric properties of the Add Health School Connectedness Scale for 18 sociocultural groups
Authors: Furlong Michael J. , O'brennan Lindsey M. , You Sukkyung 
Published: November 2011

AbstractThe National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health's School Connectedness Scale (SCS) has been widely used in psychological, public health, and education research, but has undergone limited psychometric analysis. This study used the responses of 500,800 junior and senior high school students who completed the biennial California Healthy Kids Survey, which includes the SCS. The results supported the use of the SCS as a unidimensional measure and showed that it has acceptable reliability (α = .82 to .88) and concurrent validity (r = .44 to .55) across 18 sociocultural groups. A series of multiple group analyses confirmed configural, metric, and scalar equivalence across groups. The SCS shows promise as measurement instrument for school psychologists; however, further research is needed to examine its underlying latent school connectedness construct. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Adsorption, transport and degradation of fipronil termiticide in three Hawaii soils
Authors: Shuai Xiufu , Chen Jingyu , Ray Chittaranjan 
Published: November 2011

AbstractBACKGROUND: The behavior of the termiticide fipronil in soils was studied to assess its potential to contaminate ground and surface water. This study characterizes (1) adsorption of fipronil in three different soils, (2) transport of fipronil through leaching and runoff under simulated rainfall in these soils and (3) degradation of fipronil to fipronil sulfide and fipronil sulfone in these soils.RESULTS: The adsorption experiments showed a Freundlich isotherm for fipronil with Koc equal to 1184 L kg−1. In the leaching experiments, the concentration of fipronil and its metabolites in leachate and runoff decreased asymptotically with time. The concentration of fipronil in the leachate from the three soils correlated inversely with soil organic carbon content. The degradation experiment showed that the half‐life of fipronil in the soils ranged from 28 to 34 days when soil moisture content was 75% of field capacities, and that 10.7–23.5% of the degraded fipronil was transformed into the two metabolites (fipronil sulfide and fipronil sulfone).CONCLUSION: Fipronil showed large losses through leaching but small losses via runoff owing to low volumes of runoff water generated and/or negligible particle‐facilitated transport of fipronil. The half‐life values of fipronil in all three soils were similar. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry
Local internal quantum efficiency of a green light emitting InGaN/GaN quantum well
Authors: Danhof J. , Schwarz U. T. , Meyer T. , Vierheilig C. , Peter M. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractExcitation density‐dependent microphotoluminescence measurements were performed on a green light (515 nm) emitting InGaN/GaN multiquantum well sample of low threading dislocation density (5 × 107 cm−2). For the observed structure we find a different shape of the local internal quantum efficiency (IQE) curve at spots of different efficiency. Evaluation of the measured local IQE curves in terms of the standard model including Shockley–Read–Hall (SRH), radiative recombination, and a third order loss term (droop) leads to the conclusion that SRH nonradiative recombination varies spatially on a sub‐micrometer length scale while both other terms remain constant.
Biaxial stress‐induced giant bandgap shift in BiFeO3 epitaxial films
Authors: Fu Z. , Yin Z. G. , Chen N. F. , Zhang X. W. , Zhang H. , Bai Y. M. , Wu J. L. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractThickness‐dependent stress relaxation and its influence on the bandgap of BiFeO3 have been investigated. BiFeO3 films with 15 at% Bi excess allow the control of lattice mismatch‐induced biaxial stress up to 10.8 GPa on SrTiO3(001) substrates. Heteroepitaxy of such films follows the Stranski–Krastanov growth mode, as suggested by island formation on the wetting layer accompanied with stress relaxation. The bandgap is linearly decreased with the in‐plane compressive stress, and a large stress coefficient of 67 meV/GPa was extracted. A 0.7 eV red‐shift of the bandgap was observed in the fully epitaxially strained film. (© 2012 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Recombinatorial biosynthesis of polyketides
Authors: Starcevic Antonio , Wolf Kerstin , Diminic Janko , Zucko Jurica , Ruzic Ida Trninic , Long Paul F , Hranueli Daslav , Cullum John 
Published: November 2011

Abstract
Modular polyketide synthases (PKSs) from Streptomyces and related genera of bacteria produce many important pharmaceuticals. A program called CompGen was developed to carry out in silico homologous recombination between gene clusters encoding PKSs and determine whether recombinants have cluster architectures compatible with the production of polyketides. The chemical structure of recombinant polyketides was also predicted. In silico recombination was carried out for 47 well-characterised clusters. The predicted recombinants would produce 11,796 different polyketide structures. The molecular weights and average degree of reduction of the chemical structures are dispersed around the parental structures indicating that they are likely to include pharmaceutically interesting compounds. The details of the recombinants and the chemical structures were entered in a database called r-CSDB. The virtual compound library is a useful resource for computer-aided drug design and chemoinformatics strategies for finding pharmaceutically relevant chemical entities. A strategy to construct recombinant Streptomyces strains to produce these polyketides is described and the critical steps of mobilizing large biosynthetic clusters and producing new linear cloning vectors are illustrated by experimental data.
Interfacial Properties of Polyethylene Glycol/Vinyltriethoxysilane (PEG/VTES) Copolymers and their Application to Stain Resistance
Authors: Chao Yin‐Chun , Su Shuenn‐Kung , Lin Ya‐Wun , Hsu Wan‐Ting , Huang Kuo‐Shien 
Published: November 2011

AbstractIn this study, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES) were used in different proportions to produce a series of PEG–VTES copolymers. The copolymer molecular structures were confirmed by FTIR spectroscopy. In addition, their surface activities were evaluated by evaluating the surface tension, contact angle, and foaming properties. The results showed that these surfactants exhibited excellent surface activities and wetting power, as well as low foaming. Consequently, the application of a series of PEG/VTES copolymers can make cotton fabrics stain resistant.
Optimization of Enzymatic Synthesis of Phytosteryl Caprylates Using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Tan Zhuliang , Shahidi Fereidoon 
Published: November 2011

AbstractPhytosterols are known to lower total blood cholesterol and low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. However, low solubility of phytosterols in edible oils and their high melting point limit their use in food products. Esterification of phytosterols with fatty acids will render them higher solubility in oils and lowers their melting points. In this work, caprylic acid (C8:0) was selected for the esterification process because it serves as a rapid energy source with little or no deposition in the body and is often recommended by nutritionists for the treatment of candidiasis due to its antimicrobial properties. Here optimization of enzymatic synthesis of phytosteryl caprylates using response surface methodology (RSM) was investigated. The optimization process used a face‐centred central composite design (CCD) and under optimized conditions (9.25 h, 2.15 substrate mole ratio, and 7.93% enzyme load) the resultant conversion yield was 98%.
Nanoencapsulation of Alpha‐linolenic Acid with Modified Emulsion Diffusion Method
Authors: Habib Salam M. , Amr Ayed S. , Hamadneh Imad M. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractNanocapsules of alpha‐linolenic acid (α‐LA) were prepared by a modified emulsion diffusion technique with encapsulation efficiency of 93%. Polylactic acid (PLA) was used as the encapsulating polymer with acetone and ethyl acetate as organic solvents, and Tween 20, gelatin and Pluronic‐F68 in water as stabilizers. Two ratios of organic to aqueous phases were used with each solvent and stabilizer. Nanocapsule dispersions with a particle size less than 100 nm and a zeta potential as high as 33 mV were obtained as verified by scanning electron microscopy and the dynamic light scattering technique respectively. Both particle size and zeta potential were influenced by such preparation conditions as the type of stabilizer, type of organic solvent and the organic to aqueous phase ratio. Acetone was superior to ethyl acetate, and Tween 20 was superior to each of Pluronic‐F68 and gelatin in obtaining smaller, less aggregated nanocapsules. An organic to aqueous phase ratio of 1:5 was shown to be more suitable for the formation of smaller nanocapsules, particularly when acetone was used as the organic solvent.
Multimodale Rehabilitation bei chronischen Rückenschmerzen: Konzepte, Wirksamkeit und Umsetzung
Authors: Dibbelt Susanne , Greitemann Bernhard 
Published: November 2011

Einleitung
Die multikausale Verursachung von unspezifischen chronischen Rückenschmerzen ist gut belegt und bestätigt das bio-psycho-sozialen Modell chronischer Schmerzen, wonach ungünstige Strategien in der Bewältigung von Schmerz, aber auch anhaltende psychosoziale berufliche Belastungen zur Entstehung und Chronifizierung von Rückenschmerzen beitragen. Entsprechend haben sich multimodale Behandlungsansätze auch in deutschen Reha–Einrichtungen als effektiv erwiesen.
Democracy and Quality of Life in Asian Societies
Authors: SASAOKA SHINYA , SEKI KATSUNORI 
Published: November 2011

AbstractThis article examines whether democracy affects quality of life. Scholars have conducted surveys to investigate whether democracy is likely to lead to good quality of life. There are two contested views to the relationship: some suggest that democracy has a positive causal effect on quality of life, whereas others contend that democracy does not play such a role. Previous findings are supported by cross-national statistical analysis with aggregated survey data. However, aggregated survey data may cause ecological fallacy. Also, in order to ascertain the extant research, it would be beneficial to test the hypothesis by incorporating both individual- and country-level variables. Therefore, this paper applied hierarchical modeling to investigate the regularity. Both individual-level perception of democracy and country-level political regime data were incorporated in our empirical model. Our findings suggest that individual-level satisfaction with democracy has positive causal effect on one's quality of life, whereas the country-level characteristic of the political regime has no effect.
Congenital hair loss disorders: Rare, but not too rare
Authors: SHIMOMURA Yutaka 
Published: November 2011

AbstractThe mammalian hair follicle (HF) is an active skin appendage which operates hair cycles throughout life. Recent advances in molecular genetics have led to the identification of many genes expressed in the HF. Furthermore, mutations in some of these genes have been shown to underlie congenital hair loss disorders in humans. Patients with congenital hair loss disorders can show various hair shaft anomalies, such as woolly hair and monilethrix. In the Japanese populations, most patients with congenital woolly hair/hypotrichosis possess common founder mutations in the lipase H (LIPH) gene. Identification of the causative genes for hair loss disorders directly demonstrates crucial roles of these genes in HF morphogenesis, development and/or hair growth in humans.
‘Living a life in shades of grey’: experiencing depressive symptoms in the acute phase after stroke
Authors: Kouwenhoven Siren E. , Kirkevold Marit , Engedal Knut , Kim Hesook S. 
Published: November 2011

kouwenhoven s.e., kirkevold m., engedal k. & kim h.s. (2011) ‘Living a life in shades of grey’: experiencing depressive symptoms in the acute phase after stroke.Journal of Advanced Nursing68(6), 1726–1737.AbstractAim. The aim of the present study was to describe the lived experience of stroke survivors suffering from depressive symptoms in the acute phase; addressing the following questions: (a) what is the nature of depression as experienced by post‐stroke patients in the acute phase? (b) what is it like to live with depression within the first weeks following stroke?Background. Post‐stroke depression occurs in at least one quarter of stroke survivors and is linked to poorer outcomes.Method. This qualitative study is methodologically grounded in hermeneutic phenomenology, influenced by van Manen and Ricoeur. A descriptive, qualitative design was used applying in‐depth interviews as the method of data collection with nine participants. The data collection took place in 2008.Results. The material revealed two main themes that generate the feeling and description of ‘living a life in shades of grey’: (a) being trapped and (b) losing oneself. ‘Shades of grey’ could be understood as being confined in a new life‐world and losing oneself as the person one knew.Conclusion. The participants confirmed suffering from depressive symptoms, but depression was not seen as meaningful on its own. They related their experiences of post‐stroke depression in the acute phase to the losses they experienced. Nurses ought to take into account the depth of the life changes that stroke survivors may experience. There is a need for continued empirical research on how nurses may help and support stroke survivors dealing with depressive symptoms in the acute phase after stroke and how depressive symptoms develop over time.
Light is beneficial for infant circadian entrainment: an actigraphic study
Authors: Tsai Shao‐Yu , Thomas Karen A. , Lentz Martha J. , Barnard Kathryn E. 
Published: November 2011

tsai s.‐y., thomas k.a., lentz m.j. & barnard k.e. (2011) Light is beneficial for infant circadian entrainment: an actigraphic study. Journal of Advanced Nursing68(6), 1738–1747.AbstractAim.  This article is a report of an exploratory study of the relation between light exposure and circadian rest–activity patterns in infants.Background.  Ambient light is a major environmental stimulus for regulation of circadian rhythm of sleep and wake in adults, but few studies have been conducted to examine environmental light exposure in relation to rest–activity circadian rhythm parameters of infants.Methods.  An intensive within‐subject design was used with a convenience sample of 22 infants (mean postnatal age 49·8 days) who wore a combined light and activity monitoring device for seven consecutive days at home. For each infant, light data (lux) were aggregated over the 7 days into categories of illumination and expressed in mean minutes/day. Circadian light and activity parameters, including mesor, amplitude, acrophase and R2 cosinor fit, were determined using cosinor analysis. Associations between light exposure and circadian rest–activity rhythm parameters were examined using correlation and regression analyses. Data were collected between 2006 and 2007.Results.  Infants spent only one‐eighth of their daytime hours in an environment with >100 lux light level. There was a relatively large statistically significant relation between the acrophase of light exposure and the acrophase of activity. Increased duration of daily exposure to >100 lux of illumination, and increased amplitude of circadian rhythm of light were associated with stronger circadian patterns of infant activity.Conclusion.  Results suggest an association between light and activity patterns and that increasing duration of exposure to moderate light levels may be a simple and economical nursing intervention during the early postnatal weeks.
Experiences of mental health services by people with intellectual disabilities from different ethnic groups: a Delphi consultation
Authors: Bonell S. , Underwood L. , Radhakrishnan V. , McCarthy J. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractBackground  Patient experience of those accessing mental health services has been found to be different between ethnic groups. Although the needs of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) from different ethnic communities are being increasingly recognised, little has been published about their experiences of mental health services. The aim of this study was to establish whether there are any differences in the experiences of people with ID and mental health problems from two ethnic communities in South London.Method  A two‐round Delphi process was utilised. White British and Black or Black British service users from a specialist community‐based mental health service for adults with ID completed a specially compiled questionnaire. Statements on participants' experiences, including satisfaction with care, staff members' attitudes, cultural awareness and level of support, were rated using a Likert scale.Results  Twenty‐four out of 32 participants (75%) completed both rounds of the Delphi consultation. Consensus (≥80% agreement with the group median) was reached for 20 items in the White group and five items in the Black group. All responses that reached consensus were positive about the services that were being received. The Black group were less positive about a range of their experiences, including the use of medication.Conclusions  People with ID from two ethnic groups were able to successfully complete a Delphi consultation regarding their experiences of mental health services. Broad consensus on positive experiences of services was reached in the White group but not for the Black participants.
Service providers' perceptions of active ageing among older adults with lifelong intellectual disabilities
Authors: Buys L. , Aird R. , Miller E. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractBackground  Considerable attention is currently being directed towards both active ageing and the revising of standards for disability services within Australia and internationally. Yet, to date, no consideration appears to have been given to ways to promote active ageing among older adults with intellectual disabilities (IDs).Methods  Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 16 Australian professional direct‐care support staff (service providers) about their perceptions of ageing among older adults with lifelong IDs and what active ageing might entail for an individual from this population who is currently under their care, in both the present and future. Data were analysed against the six core World Health Organization active ageing outcomes for people with IDs.Results  Service providers appeared to be strongly focused on encouraging active ageing among their clients. However, their perceptions of the individual characteristics, circumstances and experiences of older adults with IDs for whom they care suggest that active ageing principles need to be applied to this group in a way that considers both their individual and diverse needs, particularly with respect to them transitioning from day services, employment or voluntary work to reduced activity, and finally to aged care facilities. The appropriateness of this group being placed in nursing homes in old age was also questioned.Conclusion  Direct‐care staff of older adults with IDs have a vital role to play in encouraging and facilitating active ageing, as well as informing strategies that need to be implemented to ensure appropriate care for this diverse group as they proceed to old age.
Proteinase‐activated receptor‐4 evoked colorectal analgesia in mice: an endogenously activated feed‐back loop in visceral inflammatory pain
Authors: Annaházi A. , Dabek M. , Gecse K. , Salvador‐Cartier C. , Polizzi A. , Rosztóczy A. , Róka R. , Theodorou V. , Wittmann T. , Bueno L. , Eutamene H. 
Published: November 2011

AbstractBackground  Activation of proteinase‐activated receptor‐4 (PAR‐4) from the colonic lumen has an antinociceptive effect to colorectal distension (CRD) in mice in basal conditions. We aimed to determine the functional localization of the responsible receptors and to test their role in two different hyperalgesia models.Methods  Mice received PAR‐4 activating peptide (PAR‐4‐AP, AYPGKF‐NH2) or vehicle intraperitoneally (IP), and abdominal EMG response to CRD was measured. The next group received PAR‐4‐AP intracolonically (IC) with or without 2,4,6‐triaminopyrimidine, a chemical tight junction blocker, before CRD. The SCID mice were used to test the role of lymphocytes in the antihyperalgesic effect. The effects of PAR‐4‐AP and PAR‐4‐antagonist (P4pal‐10) were evaluated in water avoidance stress (WAS) model and low grade 2,4,6‐trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) colitis. Spinal Fos protein expression was visualized by immunohistochemistry.Key Results  The antinociceptive effect of PAR‐4‐AP disappeared when was administrered IP, or with the blockade of colonic epithelial tight junctions, suggesting that PAR‐4‐AP needs to reach directly the nerve terminals in the colon. The CRD‐induced spinal Fos overexpression was reduced by 43% by PAR‐4‐AP. The PAR‐4‐AP was antihyperalgesic in both hyperalgesia models and in mice with impaired lymphocytes. The PAR‐4‐antagonist significantly increased the TNBS, but not the WAS‐induced colonic hyperalgesia.Conclusions & Inferences  The antinociceptive effect of PAR‐4‐AP depends on its penetration to the colonic mucosa. The PAR‐4 activation is endogenously involved as a feedback loop to attenuate inflammatory colonic hyperalgesia to CRD.
Effect of Embryonic Genotype on Reference Gene Selection for RT‐qPCR Normalization
Authors: Llobat L , Marco‐Jiménez F , Peñaranda DS , Saenz‐de‐Juano MD , Vicente JS 
Published: November 2011

ContentsTo obtain more reliable results with biological significance, it requires data normalization using an appropriate internal control gene. In rabbits, there are classic stable reference genes that have been identified for normalization in oocytes and pre‐implantation stage embryos. However, effects of embryonic genotype on reference gene selection have not been elucidated. The aim of this study was to test (i) the stability of mRNA transcription level for histone (H2afz) and glyceraldehyde 3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) genes in rabbit blastocysts from two lines selected by different criteria (litter size and post‐weaning daily weight gain) and (ii) its influence on biological significance examined by means of a set of embryonic transcripts, such as POU5F1 (Oct‐4), epidermal growth factor receptor (erbB3), transforming growth factor‐beta2, vascular endothelial growth factor and gamma interferon (Ifn‐gamma). The geNorm, NormFinder and BestKeeper programs showed similar results, pointing out that H2afz and GAPDH were the most stable reference genes in rabbits selected on litter size at weaning. Moreover, our study revealed that embryonic genotype affected target gene expression when a single reference gene was used to analyse mRNA expression in blastocysts. Results showed that GAPDH gene is better than H2afz for gene expression studies of both embryo genotypes. A normalization factor derived from H2afz and GAPDH is likely to be appropriate when RT‐qPCR was performed in rabbit embryos with different genotypes.