bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Thermophoresis of single stranded DNA
Authors: Reineck Philipp , Wienken Christoph J. , Braun Dieter 
Published: January 2010

AbstractThe manipulation and analysis of biomolecules in native bulk solution is highly desired; however, few methods are available. In thermophoresis, the thermal analog to electrophoresis, molecules are moved along a microscopic temperature gradient. Its theoretical foundation is still under debate, but practical applications for analytics in biology show considerable potential. Here we measured the thermophoresis of highly diluted single stranded DNA using an all‐optical capillary approach. Temperature gradients were created locally by an infrared laser. The thermal depletion of oligonucleotides of between 5 and 50 bases in length were investigated by fluorescence at various salt concentrations. To a good approximation, the previously tested capacitor model describes thermophoresis: the Soret coefficient linearly depends on the Debye length and is proportional to the DNA length to the power of 0.35, dictated by the conformation‐based size scaling of the diffusion coefficient. The results form the basis for quantitative DNA analytics using thermophoresis.
Self‐centering structural systems with combination of hysteretic and viscous energy dissipations
Authors: Kam Weng Yuen , Pampanin Stefano , Palermo Alessandro , Carr Athol J. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractThis paper presents an innovative set of high‐seismic‐resistant structural systems termed Advanced Flag‐Shaped (AFS) systems, where self‐centering elements are used with combinations of various alternative energy dissipation elements (hysteretic, viscous or visco‐elasto‐plastic) in series and/or in parallel. AFS systems is developed using the rationale of combining velocity‐dependent with displacement‐dependent energy dissipation for self‐centering systems, particularly to counteract near‐fault earthquakes. Non‐linear time‐history analyses (NLTHA) on a set of four single‐degree‐of‐freedom (SDOF) systems under a suite of 20 far‐field and 20 near‐fault ground motions are used to compare the seismic performance of AFS systems with the conventional systems. It is shown that AFS systems with a combination in parallel of hysteretic and viscous energy dissipations achieved greater performance in terms of the three performance indices. Furthermore, the use of friction slip in series of viscous energy dissipation is shown to limit the peak response acceleration and induced base‐shear. An extensive parametric analysis is carried out to investigate the influence of two design parameters, λ1 and λ2 on the response of SDOF AFS systems with initial periods ranging from 0.2 to 3.0 s and with various strength levels when subjected to far‐field and near‐fault earthquakes. For the design of self‐centering systems with combined hysteretic and viscous energy dissipation (AFS) systems, λ1 is recommended to be in the range of 0.8–1.6 while λ2 to be between 0.25 and 0.75 to ensure sufficient self‐centering and energy dissipation capacities, respectively. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Three‐dimensional sloshing: A consistent finite element approach
Authors: Krishna Kishor D. , Gopalakrishnan S. , Ganguli Ranjan 
Published: January 2010

AbstractThis paper presents a new computational methodology based on Legendre's polynomials to predict the slosh and acoustic motion in nearly incompressible fluids in both rigid and flexible structures with free surface. Here, we have used a finite element formulation based on Lagrangian frame of reference to model the fluid motion derived using Hamiltonian equation of the fluid system. We formulated three hexahedral finite elements based on strain fields expressed in terms of extended Legendre's polynomials. Sloshing and acoustic motion of liquid is investigated using these newly formulated elements and inf–sup test is performed on these new elements to check the performance of these elements in modeling sloshing under two severe constraints, namely incompressibility and irrotationality. Comparisons of slosh and acoustic frequencies, and mode shapes with exact solutions are given. Dynamic analysis with earthquake and harmonic kind of forcing function is carried out to validate the formulated hexahedral elements to analyze the sloshing response. Numerical results obtained with these new finite elements, and with the present finite element formulation of the mathematical model agree well with the exact solution and as well as with published experimental literature. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Shaping an Australian nursing and midwifery specialty framework for workforce regulation: criteria development
Authors: King Susan Jane , Ogle Kaye Robyn , Bethune Elizabeth 
Published: January 2010

AbstractOne of the biggest obstacles identified in achieving Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) was the lack of available qualified health personal to meet the health needs of the global population. With nurses being the main workforce component in health systems, the human resource challenge for most countries is to address the reported shortage of nurses. Skill mix is one suggestion.In Australia, workforce projections indicated a shortage of 40,000 nurses by 2010. Toward the reform of the Australian health workforce, one project aimed to develop a nationally consistent framework for nursing and midwifery specialization based on knowledge and skills to generate the first national database iteration for designated specialties. A literature review looked at the way nursing specialty practices were defined in the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Canada. Three international and three national sources of criteria for specialty nursing practice were mapped against each other. The result was six criteria synthesized to define nursing practice groups as Australian nursing specialties. Each criterion was operationalized with criteria indicators to meet Australian expectations. The nurses in Australia commented on the criteria before they were finalized. An audit of national workforce databases identified nursing practice groups. The criteria were applied to identify nursing specialties and practice strands that would form a national nursing framework. This paper reports on the criteria developed to assess specialty practice at a national level in Australia. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fetal programming and fetal psychology
Authors: Ellison Peter T. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractThe introduction of the ‘fetal programming hypothesis’, first in epidemiology, subsequently in a broad range of disciplines concerned with developmental biology, has generated new interest in phenotypic plasticity, the mechanisms that govern it, and its place in evolutionary biology. A number of epidemiological studies link small size at birth, assumed to be a consequence of constrained prenatal energy availability, with adverse effects on the risk of chronic diseases later in life. The cluster of chronic diseases associated with the metabolic syndrome and alterations of glucose metabolism are particularly implicated. Recent evidence suggests that epigenetic modification of gene expression affecting the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis may be involved in these effects. In animal studies epigenetic alteration of HPA axis activity and responsiveness is associated with changes in adult behaviour and stress responsiveness. The potential for similar effects to contribute to psychological and psychiatric outcomes in humans has been explored in a number of contexts, including famine exposure, observed covariance with birth weight, and prenatal dexamethasone treatment of fetuses at risk of congenital adrenal hyperplasia. While fetal programming effects have now been widely demonstrated across species and human populations, the adaptive significance of these effects is still a matter of debate. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Psychological and psychophysiological considerations regarding the maternal–fetal relationship
Authors: DiPietro Janet A. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractThe earliest relationship does not begin with birth. Pregnant women construct mental representations of the fetus, and the feelings of affiliation or ‘maternal–fetal attachment’ generally increase over the course of gestation. While there is a fairly substantial literature on the development and moderation of psychological features of the maternal–fetal relationship, including the role of ultrasound imaging, relatively little is known about the manner in which maternal psychological functioning influences the fetus. Dispositional levels of maternal stress and anxiety are modestly associated with aspects of fetal heart rate and motor activity. Both induced maternal arousal and relaxation generate fairly immediate alterations to fetal neurobehaviors; the most consistently observed fetal response to changes in maternal psychological state involves suppression of motor activity. These effects may be mediated, in part, by an orienting response of the fetus to changes in the intrauterine environment. Conversely, there is evidence that fetal behaviors elicit maternal physiological responses. Integration of this finding into a more dynamic model of the maternal–fetal dyad, and implications for the postnatal relationship are discussed. Research on the period before birth affords tremendous opportunity for developmental scientists to advance understanding of the origins of the human attachment. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Some societal and historical scientific considerations regarding the mother–fetus relationship and parenthood
Authors: Van den Bergh Bea R. H. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractPregnancy includes the mother–fetus relationship, the father–fetus relationship and the transition to parenthood; it is an important phase in the life of the couple. However, pregnancy cannot be studied in isolation as influences from society and science and their interaction need to be taken into account. To begin with, some societal considerations on the maternal–fetal relationship and the transition to motherhood are described, namely, in what way ideas about the Right Way to mother and societal ambivalence regarding motherhood/parenthood may influence the experience of being pregnant and becoming/being a parent. Next, looking back over 100 years of study of fetal behaviour gives rise to questions such as what was/is the right time to ask/answer scientific questions about fetal behaviour and whether maternal emotions can affect the fetus? We conclude that although significant progress has been made in the study of fetal psychology, much basic empirical work still needs to be done before we have a more complete understanding of the complex interactions between the pregnant woman and her fetus. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fetal learning: a critical review
Authors: James David K. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractLearning is defined as a change in behaviour that occurs as a result of experience. It is clear that the fetus can learn by means of habituation, classical conditioning and exposure learning. These types of learning will be discussed in relation to learning in the womb and the memory of learned material after birth. Furthermore, the potential function of learning prenatally is explored in terms of its relevance for perinatal development. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Towards a new study on associative learning in human fetuses: fetal associative learning in primates
Authors: Kawai Nobuyuki 
Published: January 2010

AbstractResearch has revealed that fetuses can learn from events in their environment. The most convincing evidence for fetal learning is habituation to vibroacoustic stimulation (VAS) in human fetuses and classical conditioning in rat fetuses. However, these two research areas have been independent of each other. There have been few attempts at classical conditioning in human fetuses, and little evidence that non‐human animals can learn from events if they remain, untouched within the uterus. When the conditioned chimpanzee infant was tested at 1 and 2 months after birth, she responded to the CS+, but not the CS− presentations, suggesting that her memory persisted for at least 2 months. This study provides a new technique that can be applied to humans for the study of long‐lasting learning in the fetuses. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Exploring the relationship between fetal heart rate and cognition
Authors: Kisilevsky Barbara S. , Hains Sylvia M. J. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractA relationship between fetal heart rate (HR) and cognition is explored within the context of infant, child and adult studies where the association is well established. Lack of direct access to the fetus and maturational changes limit research paradigms and response measures for fetal studies. Nevertheless, neural regulation of HR shows a number of parallels with adult regulation, albeit immature. Discrimination, habituation and learning of auditory stimuli provide evidence of a relationship between fetal HR and cognition. Fetuses discriminate speech sounds, demonstrating a HR decrease to a stimulus change, indicating attention/orienting. They show habituation, a novelty response and dishabituation of a HR response to complex sounds and faster habituation over intervals of 10 min and 24 h, indicating memory. Differential HR response to the familiar mother's versus a novel stranger's voice and to a familiar versus novel passage demonstrate learning, suggesting that neural networks sensitive to the properties of ubiquitous environmental sounds are being formed before birth. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Human fetal heart rate: a unique opportunity to assess the fetal programming hypothesis
Authors: Sandman Curt A. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractThe study of the human fetus presents several unique challenges. Methods of the measurement and procedures for exploring the functional capability of the fetus coupled with the perceived fragility of the maternal/fetal dyad have been barriers for the study of the human fetus. The studies reported here by Kisilevesky and Hains (2009) and those conducted by others indicate that the psychology of the human fetus is not only important, but also clearly feasible. Kisilevsky and Hains (2009) provide compelling evidence from their own well‐designed studies and the growing number of studies from other investigators that by the middle of the second trimester the human fetus is able to detect ex utero stimulation and by the early third trimester can discriminate and learn associations. The review provides important technical information and physiological rationale for measuring human fetal heart rate as an index of cognition. Other measures of fetal behavior are only briefly discussed. Some, such as MEG and MRI are dismissed as impractical and only feasible near term. Other measures that can be used to assess fetal cognition, such as fetal movement and the elegant studies of fetal movement patterns Salisbury et al. (2005) are not discussed but see articles by Di Pietro, van den Bergh, James, Kawai, Sheridan et al., Huoutilainen, Hata et al. and Emory (this issue). This commentary will focus on the application of the human fetal heart rate measures that both support and broaden the conclusions of Kisilevsky and Hains (2009). Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fetal magnetoencephalography—achievements and challenges in the study of prenatal and early postnatal brain responses: a review
Authors: Sheridan Carolin J. , Matuz Tamara , Draganova Rossitza , Eswaran Hari , Preissl Hubert 
Published: January 2010

AbstractFetal magnetoencephalography (fMEG) is the only non‐invasive method for investigating evoked brain responses and spontaneous brain activity generated by the fetus in utero. Fetal auditory as well as visual‐evoked fields have been successfully recorded in basic stimulus–response studies. Moreover, paradigms investigating precursors for cognitive development, such as habituation and mismatch response have been applied successfully with fMEG. These and other studies have shown that the prenatal stage of life could be an important indicator for later cognitive development. This review addresses the achievements of fMEG and constructively discusses its challenges. It concludes with proposals for future studies as well as with designated new applications. Fetal MEG is a promising, and to date it is the only non‐invasive approach for the prenatal assessment of precursors for cognitive development. Future fMEG studies might even enable the diagnosis of developmental delays. Furthermore, fMEG could be critical for the implementation and evaluation of fetal intervention programmes in at‐risk populations. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Seasonal influence on the response of the somatotropic axis to nutrient restriction and re‐alimentation in captive Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus)
Authors: Richmond Julie P. , Jeanniard du Dot Tiphaine , Rosen David A.S. , Zinn Steven A. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractFluctuations in availability of prey resources can impede acquisition of sufficient energy for maintenance and growth. By investigating the hormonal mechanisms of the somatotropic axis that link nutrition, fat metabolism, and lean tissue accretion, we can assess the physiological impact of decreased nutrient intake on growth. Further, species that undergo seasonal periods of reduced intake as a part of their normal life history may have a differential seasonal response to nutrient restriction. This experiment evaluated the influence of season and age on the response of the somatotropic axis, including growth hormone (GH), insulin‐like growth factor (IGF)‐I, and IGF‐binding proteins (BP), to reduced nutrient intake and re‐alimentation in Steller sea lions. Eight captive females (five juveniles, three sub‐adults) were subject to 28‐day periods of food restriction, controlled re‐feeding, and ad libitum recovery in summer (long‐day photoperiod) and winter (short‐day photoperiod). Hormone concentrations were insensitive to type of fish fed (low fat pollock vs. high fat herring), but sensitive to energy intake. Body mass, fat, and IGF‐I declined, whereas GH and IGFBP‐2 increased during feed restriction. Reduced IGF‐I and IGFBP with increased GH during controlled re‐feeding suggest that animals did not reach positive energy balance until fed ad libitum. Increased IGF‐I, IGFBP‐2, IGFBP‐3, and reduced GH observed in summer reflected seasonal differences in energy partitioning. There was a strong season and age effect in the response to restriction and re‐alimentation, indicating that older, larger animals are better able to cope with stress associated with energy deficit, regardless of season. J. Exp. Zool. 313A:144–156, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Scientific rotoscoping: a morphology‐based method of 3‐D motion analysis and visualization
Authors: Gatesy Stephen M. , Baier David B. , Jenkins Farish A. , Dial Kenneth P. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractThree‐dimensional skeletal movement is often impossible to accurately quantify from external markers. X‐ray imaging more directly visualizes moving bones, but extracting 3‐D kinematic data is notoriously difficult from a single perspective. Stereophotogrammetry is extremely powerful if bi‐planar fluoroscopy is available, yet implantation of three radio‐opaque markers in each segment of interest may be impractical. Herein we introduce scientific rotoscoping (SR), a new method of motion analysis that uses articulated bone models to simultaneously animate and quantify moving skeletons without markers. The three‐step process is described using examples from our work on pigeon flight and alligator walking. First, the experimental scene is reconstructed in 3‐D using commercial animation software so that frames of undistorted fluoroscopic and standard video can be viewed in their correct spatial context through calibrated virtual cameras. Second, polygonal models of relevant bones are created from CT or laser scans and rearticulated into a hierarchical marionette controlled by virtual joints. Third, the marionette is registered to video images by adjusting each of its degrees of freedom over a sequence of frames. SR outputs high‐resolution 3‐D kinematic data for multiple, unmarked bones and anatomically accurate animations that can be rendered from any perspective. Rather than generating moving stick figures abstracted from the coordinates of independent surface points, SR is a morphology‐based method of motion analysis deeply rooted in osteological and arthrological data.J. Exp. Zool. 313A:244–261, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Injection site‐dependent induction of immune response by DNA vaccine: comparison of skin and spleen as a target for vaccination
Authors: Guan Xin , Nishikawa Makiya , Takemoto Seiji , Ohno Yuji , Yata Tomoya , Takakura Yoshinobu 
Published: January 2010

AbstractBackgroundThe antigen‐specific immune response is dependent not only on the properties of the antigens, but also on their encounter with antigen‐presenting cells. A previous study showed that the spleen produced a large amount of transgenes after direct tissue injection of plasmid DNA. In addition, the spleen is the largest organ in the lymphatic system and contains a variety of types of immune cells, including lymphocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells. Thus, it can be a promising target for DNA vaccination.MethodsTissue‐dependent properties of transgene expression were examined using a plasmid vector expressing firefly luciferase. Mice received injections of pCMV‐Luc into the dorsal skin or spleen followed by electroporation, and the luciferase activity was measured 6 h after injection. Then, plasmids expressing a model antigen ovalbumin (pCMV‐OVA) or its typical major histocompatibility complex class I‐restricted epitope SIINFEKL (pPep‐ER) were injected into C57BL/6 mice twice at an interval of 1 week. Seven days after the second immunization, OVA‐specific humoral and cellular immune responses were evaluated.ResultsThe spleen produced a larger amount of transgenes than the skin after direct tissue injection of plasmid DNA. However, intradermal injection of plasmid DNA resulted in a larger amount of OVA‐specific antibodies and a greater cytotoxic T lymphocyte response compared to intrasplenic injection. In addition, intradermal immunization with either pCMV‐OVA or pPep‐ER generated more protective effects against EG7‐OVA tumor challenge.ConclusionsThe results obtained in the present study indicate that the spleen is unlikely to be a good target for immunization despite the presence of a large number of lymphocytes and efficient production of transgenes. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Confirming the lattice contraction in CdSe nanocrystals grown in a glass matrix by Raman scattering
Authors: Neto E. S. F. , Dantas N. O. , da Silva S. W. , Morais P. C. , Pereira da Silva M. A. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractThis work gives the evidence of the lattice contraction in CdSe nanocrystals (NCs) grown in a glass matrix. The CdSe NCs were investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM), optical absorption (OA), and Raman spectroscopy. The average size of CdSe NCs can be estimated by AFM images. Using the OA spectra and the effective‐mass approximation, it was also possible to estimate the average sizes of CdSe NCs, which agree very well with the AFM data. These results showed that the CdSe NCs grow with increasing time of heat treatment. The blue shift of the longitudinal optical (LO) modes and surface optical (SO) phonon modes with an increase in the average radius of the NCs, shown in the Raman spectra, was explained by the lattice contraction in CdSe NCs caused by thermodynamic interactions at the interface with the host glass matrix. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.