bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A novel nanofiber Cur-loaded polylactic acid constructed by electrospinning
Authors: Trang Mai Thi Thu , Thuy Nguyen Thi Thu , Duong Le Quang , Ngoan Nguyen Thi , Cham Ba Thi , Binh Nguyen Hai , Hoa Phan Thi Bich , Lam Tran Dai , Nguyen Xuan Phuc , Seo Park Jun 
Published: May 2012

Abstract
Curcumin (Cur), extracted from the Curcuma longa L. plant, is well known for its anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties. Nanofiber mats of polylactic acid (PLA) loading Cur (5 wt%) were fabricated by electrospinning (e-spinning). Morphology and structure of the fibers were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, respectively. The diameters of the obtained fibers varied from 200 to 300 nm. The release capacity of curcumin from curcumin-loaded PLA fibers was investigated in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) containing ethanol. After 24 h, 50% of the curcumin was released from curcumin-loaded PLA fibers. These results of electrospun (e-spun) fibers exhibit the potential for biomedical application.
Sol–gel hydrothermal synthesis of strontium hexaferrite nanoparticles and the relation between their crystal structure and high coercivity properties
Authors: Dang Thi Minh Hue , Trinh Viet Dung , Bui Doan Huan , Phan Manh Huong , Huynh Dang Chinh 
Published: May 2012

Abstract
Hard magnetic strontium hexaferrite SrFe
12
O
19 nanoparticles were synthesized by the sol–gel hydrothermal method. The factors affecting the synthesized process, such as the mole proportion of the reactants, pH, temperature, the hydrothermal conditions and the calcination process, have been investigated. The crystal structures of these materials were refined by Rietveld method. The obtained materials have single crystal phase, equal nano-size, plate shape and high anisotropy. The high magnetic coercivity of 6.3 kOe with the magnetization at 11.1 kOe of 66 emu
g
−1 at room temperature was observed for the strontium hexaferrite nanoparticles. For other nanoparticles (SrLn

x

Fe
12-x

O
19 and SrFe
12
O
19/CoFe
2
O
4) synthesized on the basis of SrFe
12
O
19 the complex completion of the crystal structure distortion and the interaction between magnetic phases were observed.
Preparation of metal nanoparticles for surface enhanced Raman scattering by laser ablation method
Authors: Nguyen The Binh , Thu Vu Thi Khanh , Nguyen Quang Dong , Nguyen Thanh Dinh , Nguyen The An , Trinh Thi Hue 
Published: May 2012

Abstract
Gold, silver and copper nanoparticles were prepared in clean and biologically-friendly liquids by laser ablation. The average size of nanoparticles ranges from 3 to 30 nm. These nanoparticles were used to fabricate nanostructured substrates for surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) measurement. Raman spectra were measured by a Micro-Raman spectrophotometer. The results show that gold, silver and copper nanoparticle substrates fabricated by our method are effective for SERS studies. SERS was also obtained when using gold, silver and copper nanoparticle colloid prepared by laser ablation.
Synthesis and optical properties of water soluble CdSe/CdS quantum dots for biological applications
Authors: Chu Viet Ha , Lien Nghiem Thi Ha , Le Tien Ha , Lam Vu Dinh , Nhung Tran Hong , Lien Vu Thi Kim 
Published: May 2012

Abstract
Water soluble CdSe/CdS quantum dots (QDs) have been synthesized directly in aqueous solution with sodium citrate as surfactant agent. The QDs are mono-dispersed in water and have strong luminescent emission intensity under excitation of ultraviolet light. The emission maxima of the QDs can be tuned in a wider range from 555 to 615 nm in water by changing synthesis conditions. The result of the synthesis of water-soluble CdSe and CdSe/CdS QDs shows the high quality of the QDs with the quite narrow luminescence emission band and photostability. The results show the strongest intensity of photoluminescence emission in media with pH value at about from 8–8.5, which are pH physiological environments. The luminescence intensity increases when the QDs are coated with a polyethylene glycol (PEG) or bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein layer, the lifetime also increases.
Large-scale compression of genomic sequence databases with the Burrows–Wheeler transform
Authors: Cox Anthony J. , Bauer Markus J. , Jakobi Tobias , Rosone Giovanna 
Published: May 2012

Abstract
Motivation: The Burrows–Wheeler transform (BWT) is the foundation of many algorithms for compression and indexing of text data, but the cost of computing the BWT of very large string collections has prevented these techniques from being widely applied to the large sets of sequences often encountered as the outcome of DNA sequencing experiments. In previous work, we presented a novel algorithm that allows the BWT of human genome scale data to be computed on very moderate hardware, thus enabling us to investigate the BWT as a tool for the compression of such datasets.
Results: We first used simulated reads to explore the relationship between the level of compression and the error rate, the length of the reads and the level of sampling of the underlying genome and compare choices of second-stage compression algorithm.
We demonstrate that compression may be greatly improved by a particular reordering of the sequences in the collection and give a novel ‘implicit sorting’ strategy that enables these benefits to be realized without the overhead of sorting the reads. With these techniques, a 45× coverage of real human genome sequence data compresses losslessly to under 0.5 bits per base, allowing the 135.3 Gb of sequence to fit into only 8.2 GB of space (trimming a small proportion of low-quality bases from the reads improves the compression still further).
This is &gt;4 times smaller than the size achieved by a standard BWT-based compressor (bzip2) on the untrimmed reads, but an important further advantage of our approach is that it facilitates the building of compressed full text indexes such as the FM-index on large-scale DNA sequence collections.
Availability: Code to construct the BWT and SAP-array on large genomic datasets is part of the BEETL library, available as a github repository at https://github.com/BEETL/BEETL.
Contact: acox@illumina.com
SINA: Accurate high-throughput multiple sequence alignment of ribosomal RNA genes
Authors: Pruesse Elmar , Peplies Jörg , Glöckner Frank Oliver 
Published: May 2012

Abstract
Motivation: In the analysis of homologous sequences, computation of multiple sequence alignments (MSAs) has become a bottleneck. This is especially troublesome for marker genes like the ribosomal RNA (rRNA) where already millions of sequences are publicly available and individual studies can easily produce hundreds of thousands of new sequences. Methods have been developed to cope with such numbers, but further improvements are needed to meet accuracy requirements.
Results: In this study, we present the SILVA Incremental Aligner (SINA) used to align the rRNA gene databases provided by the SILVA ribosomal RNA project. SINA uses a combination of k-mer searching and partial order alignment (POA) to maintain very high alignment accuracy while satisfying high throughput performance demands.
SINA was evaluated in comparison with the commonly used high throughput MSA programs PyNAST and mothur. The three BRAliBase III benchmark MSAs could be reproduced with 99.3, 97.6 and 96.1 accuracy. A larger benchmark MSA comprising 38 772 sequences could be reproduced with 98.9 and 99.3% accuracy using reference MSAs comprising 1000 and 5000 sequences. SINA was able to achieve higher accuracy than PyNAST and mothur in all performed benchmarks.
Availability: Alignment of up to 500 sequences using the latest SILVA SSU/LSU Ref datasets as reference MSA is offered at http://www.arb-silva.de/aligner. This page also links to Linux binaries, user manual and tutorial. SINA is made available under a personal use license.
Contact: epruesse@mpi-bremen.de
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Changes in Atlantic water properties: an important factor in the European Arctic marine climate
Authors: Walczowski Waldemar , Piechura Jan , Goszczko Ilona , Wieczorek Piotr 
Published: May 2012

Abstract
Walczowski, W., Piechura, J., Goszczko, I., and Wieczorek, P. 2012. Changes in Atlantic water properties: an important factor in the European Arctic marine climate. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 69: 864–869. The advection of warm Atlantic water (AW) through the Nordic Seas and its transformation (cooling and freshening) is one of the most important climatological processes in the region. Time-series of hydrographic observations in the northern Nordic Seas and the Fram Strait region are presented and analysed. Significant variability in the properties of AW has been observed in recent years. A 15-year time-series of summer observations indicate positive trends in salinity and temperature and two 5–6-year cycles. The northward advance of AW in 2006 was an unprecedented event. The position of the warm-water tongue shifted more than 350 km to the north, and temperatures in the West Spitsbergen Current reached the highest values ever recorded. These changes in AW temperature, heat content, and northward transport had a strong influence on the oceanic climate and sea-ice conditions north of Svalbard. These oceanic signals led to environmental changes that confirm the primary role of the ocean in shaping the climate of the region.
A tale of missed opportunities: pursuit of a public health approach to gambling in New Zealand
Authors: Adams Peter J. , Rossen Fiona 
Published: May 2012

ABSTRACTAim  This paper provides a critical overview a decade after the New Zealand Government announced its intention to formally incorporate a public health approach into its comprehensive revision of gambling legislation.Method  The initial enthusiasm and the subsequent disillusionment with this approach are tracked. Four reasons for its lack of success are examined.Findings  The New Zealand experiment with a public health approach to gambling is seen to have floundered in a network of vested interests. The pathways for influence included inappropriate industry input as well as community and government sector reliance on gambling profits. The new legislation neglected to set up systems for strong independent accountability, and this weakened the potential of public health initiatives.Conclusion  As with tobacco control, the policy integrity of a public health approach to gambling requires close attention to ways of reducing vested interests in both government and community sectors and to establishing strong points of independent accountability.
The relative contribution of NSAIDs and Helicobacter pylori to the aetiology of endoscopically‐diagnosed peptic ulcer disease: observations from a tertiary referral hospital in the UK between 2005 and 2010
Authors: Musumba C. , Jorgensen A. , Sutton L. , Van Eker D. , Moorcroft J. , Hopkins M. , Pritchard D. M. , Pirmohamed M. 
Published: May 2012

SummaryBackgroundRecent data from Western countries indicate that the aetiology of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) is changing as the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori is decreasing while the use of low‐dose aspirin (LDA, ≤325 mg/day) is increasing.AimTo investigate the changing aetiology and demographics of PUD in a well‐characterised patient cohort at a large tertiary hospital in the UK between July 2005 and June 2010.MethodsPatients diagnosed with PUD following endoscopy were categorised as non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drug (NSAID)‐users or non‐users, and their H. pylori status determined. Comparisons between NSAID‐users and non‐users, and between non‐aspirin NSAID‐users and LDA‐users were summarised using counts and corresponding percentages (for categorical variables) and means and standard deviations (for continuous variables).ResultsOverall, 386 patients were enrolled; 57% used NSAIDs (51% LDA only) and 43% were non‐users. 57% of the whole cohort was H. pylori‐positive (including 66% with duodenal ulcers and 47% with gastric ulcers). Compared with non‐users, NSAID‐users were older (mean age 68 vs. 61 years) and fewer were H. pylori‐positive (52% vs. 63%). LDA‐users were older (mean age 71 vs. 62 years) and more likely to be H. pylori‐positive (61% vs. 41%) than those using non‐aspirin NSAIDs. Twelve per cent of the patients were neither using NSAIDs nor were H. pylori‐positive.ConclusionsThe NSAIDs, particularly LDA, were most commonly associated with PUD in this cohort. Our findings are compatible with the decline in the prevalence of H. pylori‐positive PUD and increase in non‐NSAID, non‐H. pylori PUD previously reported.
Correlation between liver histology and novel magnetic resonance imaging in adult patients with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease – MRI accurately quantifies hepatic steatosis in NAFLD
Authors: Permutt Z. , Le T.‐A. , Peterson M. R. , Seki E. , Brenner D. A. , Sirlin C. , Loomba R. 
Published: May 2012

SummaryBackgroundConventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques that measure hepatic steatosis are limited by T1 bias, T2* decay and multi‐frequency signal‐interference effects of protons in fat. Newer MR techniques such as the proton density‐fat fraction (PDFF) that correct for these factors have not been specifically compared to liver biopsy in adult patients with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).AimTo examine the association between MRI‐determined PDFF and histology‐determined steatosis grade, and their association with fibrosis.MethodsA total of 51 adult patients with biopsy‐confirmed NAFLD underwent metabolic‐biochemical profiling, MRI‐determined PDFF measurement of hepatic steatosis and liver biopsy assessment according to NASH‐CRN histological scoring system.ResultsThe average MRI‐determined PDFF increased significantly with increasing histology‐determined steatosis grade: 8.9% at grade‐1, 16.3% at grade‐2, and 25.0% at grade‐3 with P ≤ 0.0001 (correlation: r2 = 0.56, P < 0.0001). Patients with stage‐4 fibrosis, when compared with patients with stage 0–3 fibrosis, had significantly lower hepatic steatosis by both MRI‐determined PDFF (7.6% vs. 17.8%, P < 0.005) and histology‐determined steatosis grade (1.4 vs. 2.2, P < 0.05). NAFLD patients with grade 1 steatosis were more likely to have characteristics of advanced liver disease including higher average AST:ALT (0.87 vs. 0.60, P < 0.02), GGT (140 vs. 67, P < 0.01), and INR (1.06 vs. 0.99, P < 0.01), higher stage of fibrosis and hepatocellular ballooning.ConclusionsMRI‐determined proton density‐fat fraction correlates with histology‐determined steatosis grade in adults with NAFLD. Steatosis is non‐linearly related to fibrosis progression. In patients with NAFLD, a low amount of hepatic steatosis on imaging does not necessarily indicate mild disease.
Vicious and virtuous circles of offshoring attitudes and relational behaviours. A configurational study of German IT developers
Authors: Zimmermann Angelika , Raab Katharina , Zanotelli Livio 
Published: May 2012

AbstractPrior research has shown that the success of offshoring is affected by relational behaviours of the employees involved in an offshoring collaboration. However, hardly anything is known about the attitudes that onshore colleagues hold towards offshoring, and how such offshoring attitudes affect relational behaviours towards offshore colleagues. We therefore present an interpretivist, qualitative case study that explores the offshoring attitudes of German information technology developers. We found that offshoring attitudes affected relational behaviours towards Indian offshore colleagues, in terms of (1) treating Indian colleagues as fellow team members as opposed to suppliers; (2) spending more or less effort in communication and knowledge transfer; and (3) supporting vs. avoiding the task transfer. These relational behaviours fed back into participants' offshoring attitudes, leading to vicious and virtuous circles. The circles created two contrasting configurations of offshoring attitudes and relational behaviours, driven by opposing forces within the departmental context. Our findings highlight the value of taking a configurational perspective for understanding offshoring success and for identifying drivers that need to be managed in order to achieve favourable configurations. We suggest that future research should further expand the typology of attitude‐behaviour configurations and could apply theories of efficacy, self‐reinforcing spirals and planned behaviour.
The experiences of Australian lesbian couples becoming parents: deciding, searching and birthing
Authors: Chapman Rose , Wardrop Joan , Zappia Tess , Watkins Rochelle , Shields Linda 
Published: May 2012

Aim and objectives.  To explore Australian lesbian mothers’ experiences of becoming parents.Background.  Lesbians are becoming parents and, since legislative changes in Australia, their numbers are increasing. Prior to legislative changes, fertility and health services for women in Australia exclusively served the needs of the heterosexual community. Although lesbian experience of seeking health services has been studied in other contexts, little has been done to understand their experience of deciding, conceiving and birthing.Design.  Qualitative descriptive study.Method.  Seven interviews conducted with lesbian mothers in Australia.Results.  The following themes were identified: ‘making the decision’; ‘the search’; ‘perseverance’; and ‘problems of isolation’.Conclusions.  Although legislation now affords lesbians access to reproductive technologies throughout most of Australia, their involvement with health professionals can result in homophobic interactions. One way to address the needs of lesbian families is to provide an environment where the disclosure of sexual identity is encouraged. Further larger scale research should identify changes to service provision required to address the inequalities between heterosexual and lesbian women and ensure health services are provided that are free from discrimination.Relevance to clinical practice.  Most health services have policies and procedures in place to prevent discrimination on all grounds, including sexual orientation. It is imperative that administrators and clinicians take steps to ensure that these guidelines are applied.
Police contact with people with an intellectual disability: the Independent Third Person perspective
Authors: Spivak B. L. , Thomas S. D. M. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractBackground A number of jurisdictions have instituted legislation requiring an independent person to be present during police interviews with vulnerable people. In Victoria, Australia, a group of volunteers known as Independent Third Persons help to fulfil this role with people who present with cognitive impairment arising from their mental illness or disability. This study sought to explore the perspectives of the Independent Third Person volunteers on police identification of and responses to people with intellectual disability (ID).Methods All registered Independent Third Person volunteers across the State of Victoria in Australia were identified and sent a postal survey on their experiences and confidence in performing their role, their perceptions of police competency, and the challenges they faced working at this interface.Results Of the 207 Independent Third Persons identified, 94 (45%) completed and returned the survey. Participants reported that despite being overly reliant on previous police contacts and cues relating to communication difficulties, they viewed police as generally competent in their ability to identify people with ID. They also considered themselves confident in performing their own roles at this interface, albeit more so at the perfunctory aspects of the role and less so with the emotional aspects of supporting the person being interviewed.Conclusions Police are seen as competent at identifying those with cognitive deficits and seeking appropriate supports for the person with ID in the interview context. More specialised training for police members is recommended in communicating with people with IDs. Volunteers working at this interface require additional support and training in helping to meet the emotional needs of those being interviewed.
Use of immune function test in monitoring immunosuppression in liver transplant recipients
Authors: Te Helen S. , Dasgupta Kathleen A. , Cao Dingcai , Satoskar Rohit , Mohanty Smruti R. , Reau Nancy , Millis James Michael , Jensen Donald M. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractImmune function test (Immuknow™) is a measure of cell‐mediated immunity based on peripheral CD4+ T cell adenosine triphosphate activity (desired range, 225–525 ng/mL). We evaluated the role of immune function test (IFT) in monitoring and adjustment of immunosuppression in orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) recipients. A total of 289 IFTs were obtained from 171 patients from March 2007 to June 2008. Graft/patient status was classified as stable, serious infection, or malignancy. IFT levels were analyzed with duration of follow‐up after OLT, graft/patient status, and the presence of hepatitis C (HCV) infection. The mean age was 54 ± 14 yr, with 62% men. The median follow‐up was 65 (2–249) months. Mean IFT levels were significantly lower in patients who were <24 months than in those ≥24 months post‐OLT (220 ± 19.5 vs. 257 ± 11.3 ng/mL, p = 0.03). Clinically stable patients had higher IFT levels than those with serious infection or malignancy (254 ± 11.1 vs. 162.5 ± 23.9, p < 0.001). HCV‐infected patients had lower IFT levels than uninfected patients (206.7 ± 15.7 vs. 273 ± 12.0 ng/mL, p < 0.001). Immunosuppression was reduced in 58 patients with IFT levels <225 ng/mL, and 90% maintained stable graft function after a median follow‐up of 22 (1–39) months. IFT may be a useful tool in monitoring and lowering of immunosuppression in long‐term OLT recipients.