bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Water-Driven Assembly of Laser Ablation-Induced Au Condensates as Mesomorphic Nano- and Micro-Tubes
Authors: Huang Chang-Ning , Chen Shuei-Yuan , Zheng Yuyuan , Shen Pouyan 
Published: June 2009

Abstract
Reddish Au condensates, predominant atom clusters and minor amount of multiply twinned particles and fcc nanoparticles with internal compressive stress, were produced by pulsed laser ablation on gold target in de-ionized water under a very high power density. Such condensates were self-assembled as lamellae and then nano- to micro-diameter tubes with multiple walls when aged at room temperature in water for up to 40 days. The nano- and micro-tubes have a lamellar- and relaxed fcc-type wall, respectively, both following partial epitaxial relationship with the co-existing multiply twinned nanoparticles. The entangled tubes, being mesomorphic with a large extent of bifurcation, flexibility, opaqueness, and surface-enhanced Raman scattering, may have potential encapsulated and catalytic/label applications in biomedical systems.
Preparation and Properties of Phosphate Surfactants Containing Ether and Hydroxy Groups
Authors: Osanai Shuichi , Yamada Go , Hidano Ruri , Beppu Koji , Namiwa Kimiyoshi 
Published: June 2009

AbstractPhosphate surfactants containing ether and hydroxyl groups were prepared by a simple reaction between the corresponding epoxide and the diethyl phosphate. The relationships between the structure and colloidal properties were evaluated in terms of the critical micelle concentration (CMC), γCMC, foaming ability, and water absorbing and holding abilities. Based on these results, it was concluded that the ether and hydroxy groups synergistically worked together to decrease the CMC and increase the foaming ability. The degree of neutralization remarkably affected the colloidal properties. The highly neutralized states showed a more positive effect on water holding power but an opposite effect on the foaming ability.
Dietary Lipid Level Induced Antioxidant Response in Manchurian Trout, Brachymystax lenok (Pallas) Larvae
Authors: Zhang Hui , Mu Zhenbo , Xu LiangMei , Xu Gefeng , Liu Min , Shan Anshan 
Published: June 2009

AbstractThis study was designed to determine the nutritional lipid requirement of Manchurian trout and to investigate the effects of lipid concentrations on the antioxidant status in larvae with experimental diets with different lipid levels. Oxidative stress differences between different organs and tissues were also assessed. Manchurian trout larvae were fed for 35 days and, during that period, growth and survival, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in viscera, muscle, gill and brain of four diets, lipid levels from 15 to 30%, and control treatment were measured. Growth rates were similar, but survival was low, between high and low dietary lipid levels. SOD activity was stimulated in viscera, muscle and brain in high lipid diets, but reduced in gills with increased lipid content. SOD was kept lower in the control group. GPX activity was inhibited in viscera and stimulated in gill, muscle and brain. CAT activities were enhanced by all treatments and showed the lowest values in the control. Lipid peroxidation of the diet was promoted in all organs, excluding the gill which showed no regular pattern. MDA content increased with increased dietary lipid levels in viscera, muscle and brain. Our results indicate that the most appropriate lipid requirement is probably 20–25% and a higher dietary level of lipids might induce oxidative stress in Manchurian trout larvae. The brain and gill were probably the most sensitive organs to oxidative damage.
Quantitative Analysis of Dairy Phospholipids by 31P NMR
Authors: MacKenzie Andrew , Vyssotski Mikhail , Nekrasov Eduard 
Published: June 2009

Abstract31P NMR analysis of samples prepared in a sodium cholate detergent system was assessed as a method for the quantitative measurement of dairy phospholipids. Major phospholipid (PL) classes measured included: phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylinositol (PI), sphingomyelin (SM) and dihydrosphingomyelin (DHSM). The 31P NMR method was validated by comparison with a quantitative two‐dimensional thin‐layer chromatography (2D‐TLC) technique. The 2D‐TLC system was more sensitive, able to detect some minor compounds not observed by 31P NMR. However, 31P NMR is more suited to routine analysis, with sample analysis taking 36 min. The method was also more versatile and sample analysis was possible on high phospholipid containing materials without prior lipid extraction (e.g. buttermilk protein concentrate, beta serum liquid).
Holocene vegetation history in Romanian Subcarpathians
Authors: Tantau Ioan , Reille Maurice , de Beaulieu Jacques-Louis , Farcas Sorina , Brewer Simon 
Published: June 2009

AbstractPollen analysis from a peat core 7.0 m in length, taken from a bog near Bisoca, in a mid-altitude area of the Buzăului Subcarpathian mountains, is used to reconstruct the postglacial vegetation history of the region. The vegetation record, which is supported by twelve 14C dates, starts at the end of the Late Glacial period. At the Late Glacial/Holocene transition, open vegetation was replaced by forest, suggesting a fast response to climatic warming. The Holocene began with the expansion of Betula, Pinus and Ulmus, followed, after 11,000 cal yr BP, by Fraxinus, Quercus, Tilia and Picea. The rapid expansion of these taxa may be due to their existence in the area during the Late Glacial period. At ca. 9200 cal yr BP, Corylus expanded, reaching a maximum after 7600 cal yr BP. The establishment of Carpinus occurred at ca. 7200 cal yr BP, with a maximum at ca. 5700 cal yr BP. Fagus pollen is regularly recorded after 7800 cal yr BP and became dominant at ca. 2000 cal yr BP. The first indications of human activities appear around 3800 cal yr BP.
The medical history of South Georgia
Authors: Keys Jennifer , Guly Henry 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACTThe first landing on South Georgia was made in 1775. Sealing expeditions arrived soon afterwards, and during the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries men plundered the beaches and seas surrounding the island for seals and whales. Sealing and whaling ceased in the 1960s, when declining whale numbers and the increasing use of other forms of oil made the industry uneconomical. Although an isolated island with a small population and a severe climate, South Georgia has a rich history. Its medical history has not been previously studied. This paper aims to look at some aspects of the medical history of the island, from early expeditions of discovery, through to the 20th century whaling industry. Surviving whalers and whaling doctors were interviewed. Published material with any relevance to South Georgia, including academic texts and personal memoirs, were searched for details of hospitals, doctors and medical events on the island. Documents archived in South Georgia, the Falkland Islands and the United Kingdom revealed much useful information, and occasional documents came to light from other sources. Aspects of the provision of medical services over two centuries from 1775 to the beginning of the 1960s are described. Morbidity and mortality are summarised and discussed, as are differences between medical care in South Georgia and standard care.
Food security in Igloolik, Nunavut: an exploratory study
Authors: Ford James D. , Berrang-Ford Lea 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACTThis paper reports on an exploratory analysis examining the prevalence of food (in)security in the Inuit community of Igloolik, Nunavut, identifying high risk groups, and characterising conditions facilitating and constraining food security. A stratified cross-sectional food survey was administered to 50 Inuit community members in July 2007. 64% of the participants surveyed experienced some degree of food insecurity in the past year (July 2006–July 2007). Food insecurity among the sample population greatly exceeds the Canadian average. This is cause for concern given the negative physical and mental health impacts that have been documented for low nutritional status. The prevalence and severity of food insecurity differed among participants; females and those obtaining most of their food from the store were at highest risk of food insecurity. Consumption of traditional foods was significantly associated with increased food security. The study supports the need for further research to investigate key trends highlighted by the sample. Preliminary identification of potential trends contributes towards the goal of identifying entry points for policy aimed at strengthening northern Inuit food systems.
The first International Polar Year (1882–1883): French measurements of carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere at Bahia Orange, Hoste Island, Tierra del Fuego
Authors: Baker F.W.G. 
Published: June 2009

ABSTRACTDuring the first International Polar Year (1882–1883) the French expedition to Bahia Orange, Hoste Island, Tierra del Fuego carried out a series of 39 measurements of concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. These were supplemented by 6 measurements during the return voyage to Cherbourg. In addition 20 similar measurements were made at 4 stations in the northern hemisphere and 17 at 3 stations in the southern hemisphere that were participating in the transit of Venus observations.
Surveillance for antimicrobial resistant organisms: potential sources and magnitude of bias
Authors: REMPEL O. R. , LAUPLAND K. B. 
Published: June 2009

SUMMARYSurveillance has been recognized as a fundamental component in the control of antimicrobial- resistant infections. Although surveillance data have been widely published and utilized by researchers and decision makers, little attention has been paid to assessment of their validity. We conducted this review in order to identify and explore potential types and magnitude of bias that may influence the validity or interpretation of surveillance data. Six main potential areas were assessed. These included bias related to use of inadequate or inappropriate (1) denominator data, (2) case definitions, and (3) case ascertainment; (4) sampling bias; (5) failure to deal with multiple occurrences, and (6) those related to laboratory practice and procedures. The magnitude of these biases varied considerably for the above areas within different study populations. There are a number of potential biases that should be considered in the methodological design and interpretation of antimicrobial-resistant organism surveillance.
Reflections on Reflections: Learning Processes in Speech and Language Pathology Students' Clinical Education
Authors: Meilijson Sara , Katzenberger Irit 
Published: June 2009

Abstract
The investigators' goal was to study the early clinical education processes of students enrolled in a speech-language pathology program by analyzing content of their written reflections. In this study, the authors propose and apply a method of analyzing written reflections of the students during the first stages of their clinical education. Forty written reflections taken from the observation reports submitted by the students were compiled from the first and second year students of the Communication Disorders Department. A quantitative (number of words and clauses of the entire report and its content categories) and a qualitative analysis (based upon the three qualitative levels of reflections suggested by Boud, Keogh, & Walker, 1985) were performed. Results show that text length of reflections increased with learning. Students use different content categories at different stages of the learning period. The level of reflection used most frequently by the students is “returning to experience.” The content categories raised by the students reflected complexity of the task, acquired knowledge of the students, and their ongoing experience. Written reflections may be used to evaluate the performance of students in the clinical education process.
Topical Therapy for Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Colonization Impact on Infection Risk
Authors: Robicsek Ari , Beaumont Jennifer L. , Thomson Richard B. , Govindarajan Geetha , Peterson Lance R. 
Published: June 2009

Objective.We evaluated the usefulness of topical decolonization therapy for reducing the risk of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection among MRSA-colonized inpatients.Design.Retrospective cohort study.Setting and Intervention.Three hospitals with universal surveillance for MRSA; at their physician's discretion, colonized patients could be treated with a 5-day course of nasal mupirocin calcium 2%, twice daily, plus Chlorhexidine gluconate 4% every second day.Patients and Methods.MRSA carriers were later retested for colonization (407 subjects; study 1) or followed up for development of MRSA infection (933 subjects; study 2). Multivariable methods were used to determine the impact of decolonization therapy on the risks of sustained colonization (in study 1) and MRSA infection (in study 2).Results.Independent risk factors for sustained colonization included residence in a long-term care facility (odds ratio [OR], 1.8 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.1–3.2]) and a pressure ulcer (OR, 2.3 195% CI, 1.2–4.4]). Mupirocin at any dose decreased this risk, particularly during the 30-60-day period after therapy; mupirocin resistance increased this risk (OR, 4.1 [95% CI, 1.6–10.7]). Over a median follow-up duration of 269 days, 69 (7.4%) of 933 patients developed infection. Independent risk factors for infection were length of stay (hazard ratio [HR], 1.2 per 5 additional days [95% CI, 1.0–1.4]), chronic lung disease (HR, 1.7 [95% CI, 1.0–2.8]), and receipt of non-MRSA-active systemic antimicrobial agents (HR, 1.8 [95% CI, 1.1–3.1]). Receipt of mupirocin did not affect the risk of infection, although there was a trend toward delayed infection among patients receiving mupirocin (median time to infection, 50 vs 15.5 days; P = .06).Conclusions.Mupirocin-based decolonization therapy temporarily reduced the risk of continued colonization but did not decrease the risk of subsequent infection.
Microbiological Efficacy and Tolerability of a New, Non-Alcohol-Based Hand Disinfectant
Authors: Agthe Niina , Terho Kirsi , Kurvinen Tiina , Routamaa Marianne , Peltonen Reijo , Laitinen Kirsi , Kanerva Mari 
Published: June 2009

Objective.Alcohol-based hand disinfectants are widely used in hospitals. Occasionally, there is a need for non-alcohol-based products, but alternatives have been scarce. We studied the microbiological efficacy and tolerability of a water-based hand disinfectant for healthcare workers.Design.A water-based hand disinfectant was introduced as the only hand disinfectant in 5 wards in Turku University Hospital, Finland. Ninety-nine healthcare workers participated in fingerprint sampling during the 7-week study period. In another ward, 26 healthcare workers who were using alcohol-based hand disinfectant acted as control subjects for the skin reaction studies. The water-based product was tested in the laboratory according to the European standard EN 12791. We obtained 292 fingerprint samples before disinfection and 302 after disinfection. The opinions of healthcare workers were collected by use of a questionnaire, and skin reactions were assessed subjectively by use of questionnaires and objectively by measuring moisture and transepidermal water loss.Results.When tested in accordance with the European standard, the product met the requirements for short-term and long-term efficacy. The results of the fingerprint test showed that there was a statistically significant decrease in colonization of the fingertips before and after disinfection (P < .001).The users of the water-based hand disinfectant reported dry skin more often than did control subjects, but visual inspection and the results of the moisture measurement showed no difference between the users of the water-based hand disinfectant and the control subjects. Transepidermal water loss measurement also showed no deterioration of skin condition.Conclusions.The water-based hand disinfectant was shown to be an effective hand disinfectant that caused relatively little skin irritation and can serve as a hand hygiene alternative in situations in which alcohol-based disinfectant cannot be used.
Likelihood of Inadequate Treatment A Novel Approach to Evaluating Drug-Resistance Patterns
Authors: Burgmann Heinz , Stoiser Brigitte , Heinz Gottfried , Schenk Peter , Apfalter Petra , Zedtwitz-Liebenstein Konstantin , Frass Michael , Carmeli Yehuda 
Published: June 2009

Objective.To provide a novel way to predict the likelihood that antibiotic therapy will result in prompt, adequate therapy on the basis of local microbiological data.Design and Setting.Prospective study conducted at 3 medical intensive care units at the Viennese General Hospital, a tertiary care medical university teaching hospital in Vienna, Austria.Patients.One hundred one patients who received mechanical ventilation and who met the criteria for having ventilator-associated pneumonia.Design.Fiberoptic bronchoscopic examination was performed, and bronchoalveolar samples were collected. Samples were analyzed immediately by a single technician. Minimum inhibitory concentrations were determined for imipenem, cephalosporins (cefepime and cefpirome), ciprofloxacin, and piperacillin-tazobactam, and drug resistance rates were calculated. These drug resistance rates were translated into the likelihood of inadequate therapy (LIT; the frequency of inadequately treated patients per antibiotic and drug-resistant strain), cumulative LIT (the cumulative frequency of inadequately treated patients), and syndrome-specific LIT.Results.Amongthe 101 bronchoalveolar samples, culture yielded significant (at least 1 × 104 colony-forming units per raL) polymicrobial findings for 34 and significant monomicrobial findings for 31; 36 culture results were negative. Of the isolates from patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia who had monomicrobial culture findings, 33% were gram-positive bacteria and 20% were gram-negative bacteria. LIT suggested that 1 of 2 patients was treated inadequately for Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. The LIT for patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia revealed that the rank order of antibiotics for appropriate therapy was (1) imipenem, (2) cephalosporins, (3) ciprofloxacin, and (4) piperacillin-tazobactam. These calculations were based solely on microbiological data.Conclusions.The novel ratio LIT may help clinicians use microbiological data on drug resistance to predict which antimicrobial agents will provide adequate therapy. In daily practice, this new approach may be helpful for choosing adequate antimicrobial therapy.
Relationship between renal function and serum cardiac troponin T in patients with chronic heart failure
Authors: Tsutamoto Takayoshi , Kawahara Chiho , Yamaji Masayuki , Nishiyama Keizo , Fujii Masanori , Yamamoto Takashi , Horie Minoru 
Published: June 2009

AimsBoth serum cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and renal function are prognostic predictors in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). We aimed to evaluate the relationship between renal function and serum cTnT.Methods and resultsWe measured serum concentrations of cTnT in the aortic root (AO) and coronary sinus (CS) in 258 CHF patients. Patients were divided into two groups: patients with an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 [chronic kidney disease (CKD)(−)], and patients with an eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 [CKD (+)]. In 32 (12%) of the 258 CHF patients, serum levels of cTnT were detectable (≥0.03 ng/mL) in the AO and in the CS. There was no correlation between eGFR and the transcardiac increase in cTnT and there was a significant negative correlation between eGFR and the serum cTnT concentration (r = − 0.365, P = 0.039). There was no difference in the transcardiac gradient of cTnT between patients without CKD (n = 16) and patients with CKD (n = 16) (0.083 ± 0.11 vs. 0.108 ± 0.13 ng/mL, P = 0.55). However, the serum cTnT level in the AO was two‐fold higher in CHF patients with CKD than patients without CKD (0.20 ± 0.177 vs. 0.088 ± 0.065 ng/mL, P < 0.05).ConclusionThese findings indicate that decreased clearance via the kidney contributes to the elevated cTnT in CHF patients with CKD.
Activation of β-Glucan Synthases by Wall-Bound Purple Acid Phosphatase in Tobacco Cells
Authors: Kaida Rumi , Satoh Yumi , Bulone Vincent , Yamada Yohko , Kaku Tomomi , Hayashi Takahisa , Kaneko Takako S. 
Published: June 2009

Abstract
Wall-bound purple acid phosphatases have been shown to be potentially involved in the regulation of plant cell growth. The aim of this work was to further investigate the function of one of these phosphatases in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), NtPAP12, using transgenic cells overexpressing the enzyme. The transgenic cells exhibited a higher level of phosphatase activity in their walls. The corresponding protoplasts regenerating a cell wall exhibited a higher rate of β-glucan synthesis and cellulose deposition was increased in the walls of the transgenic cells. A higher level of plasma membrane glucan synthase activities was also measured in detergent extracts of membrane fractions from the transgenic line, while no activation of Golgi-bound glycan synthases was detected. Enzymatic hydrolysis and methylation analysis were performed on the products synthesized in vitro by the plasma membrane enzymes from the wild-type and transgenic lines extracted with digitonin and incubated with radioactive UDP-glucose. The data showed that the glucans consisted of callose and cellulose and that the amount of each glucan synthesized by the enzyme preparation from the transgenic cells was significantly higher than in the case of the wild-type cells. The demonstration that callose and cellulose synthases are activated in cells overexpressing the wall-bound phosphatase NtPAP12 suggests a regulation of these carbohydrate synthases by a phosphorylation/dephosphorylation process, as well as a role of wall-bound phosphatases in the regulation of cell wall biosynthesis.