bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sexual behaviour, structural vulnerabilities and HIV prevalence among female sex workers in Pakistan
Authors: Mishra Sharmistha , Thompson Laura H , Sonia Altaf , Khalid Nosheen , Emmanuel Faran , Blanchard James F 
Published: February 2013

BackgroundWe sought to describe differences in individual and structural vulnerabilities faced by female sex workers (FSWs) in Pakistan between 2006 and 2011, and to characterise risk factors for inconsistent condom use and HIV prevalence in this population.MethodsTo describe differences in vulnerabilities, we analysed behavioural data from serial cross-sectional surveys conducted across nine cities in 2006 and 2011. Using data from 12 cities in 2011, we used logistic regression to characterise risk factors for (a) inconsistent condom use in the past month (N=6987), and (b) HIV (N=4301).ResultsCompared to FSWs in 2006, FSWs in 2011 were significantly more likely to solicit clients via cell phones, and to report a larger client volume and anal sex with clients, but also consistent condom use with clients (30.0% vs 23.6% in 2006). In 2011, independent risk factors for inconsistent condom use with clients included: recent sexual violence, recent sex with a person who injects drugs, and absence of programme exposure. HIV prevalence was 0.63% (95% CI 0.43% to 0.92%) in 2011, and was associated with a recent history of injection drug use and absence of programme exposure.ConclusionsWhile condom use with clients was higher in 2011, protective behaviours remained low and vulnerabilities related to sex work may have risen. HIV is emerging in this population and an adaptive HIV prevention programme that addresses different vulnerabilities and the intersection of sexual networks with injection drug use is needed.
Identification of a Functional Apolipoprotein E Promoter Polymorphism Regulating Plasma Apolipoprotein E Concentration
Authors: Mannila Maria Nastase , Mahdessian Hovsep , Franco-Cereceda Anders , Eggertsen Gösta , de Faire Ulf , Syvänen Ann-Christine , Eriksson Per , Hamsten Anders , van ’t Hooft Ferdinand M. 
Published: February 2013

Objective—

There is compelling evidence that the plasma apolipoprotein E (APOE) concentration, in addition to the
APOE
ε2/ε3/ε4 genotype, influences plasma lipoprotein levels, but the functional genetic variants influencing the plasma APOE concentration have not been identified.

Approach and Results—

Genome-wide association studies in 2 cohorts of healthy, middle-aged subjects identified the
APOE
locus as the only genetic locus showing robust associations with the plasma APOE concentration. Fine-mapping of the
APOE
locus confirmed that the rs7412 ε2-allele is the primary genetic variant responsible for the relationship with plasma APOE concentration. Further mapping of the
APOE
locus uncovered that rs769446 (−427T/C) in the
APOE
promoter is independently associated with the plasma APOE concentration. Expression studies in 199 human liver samples demonstrated that the rs769446 C-allele is associated with increased
APOE
mRNA levels (
P
=0.015). Transient transfection studies and electrophoretic mobility shift assays in human hepatoma HepG2 cells corroborated the role of rs769446 in transcriptional regulation of
APOE
. However, no relationships were found between rs769446 genotype and plasma lipoprotein levels in 2 cohorts (n=1648 and n=1039) of healthy middle-aged carriers of the
APOE
ε3/ε3 genotype.

Conclusions—
rs769446 is a functional polymorphism involved in the regulation of the plasma APOE concentration.
Parkinsonism is a Late, Not Rare, Feature of CADASIL
Authors: Ragno Michele , Berbellini Alfonso , Cacchiò Gabriella , Manca Antonio , Di Marzio Fabio , Pianese Luigi , De Rosa Anna , Silvestri Serena , Scarcella Maria , De Michele Giuseppe 
Published: February 2013

Background and Purpose—
To describe parkinsonism as a clinical manifestation of cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy.

Methods—

We report 5 patients carrying the R1006C mutation in the exon 19 of
NOTCH3
gene. All cases presented late onset, slowly progressive parkinsonism, not responsive to l-dopa. We performed brain MRI and
123
I-FP-CIT SPECT in all and in 3 additional patients carrying the same mutation but without parkinsonism. Four patients with parkinsonism underwent myocardial
123
I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy.

Results—

In all patients, brain MRI showed widespread ischemic lesions in the periventricular white matter, the internal and external capsules, the basal ganglia, and thalami.
123
I-FP-CIT SPECT showed symmetrical or asymmetrical reduction of tracer uptake in the putamen, with inconstant caudate involvement. Myocardial
123
I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy resulted normal. Nigrostriatal denervation was also demonstrated in 2 patients without parkinsonism.

Conclusions—
In cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy, parkinsonism may be a not rare, late onset manifestation. The clinical picture, the lack of response to dopaminergic treatment, and MRI findings suggest a vascular parkinsonism, which may be preceded by a protracted presymptomatic phase.
Changing Demographics at a Comprehensive Stroke Center Amidst the Rise in Primary Stroke Centers
Authors: Albright Karen C. , Boehme Amelia K. , Mullen Michael T. , Seals Samantha , Grotta James C. , Savitz Sean I. 
Published: February 2013

Background—
The creation of The Joint Commission primary stroke centers (PSCs) has increased access to acute stroke care in metropolitan areas. We hypothesized that the rise in PSCs in the Houston area was associated with demographic changes and decreased trial enrollment at our comprehensive stroke center.

Methods—
Consecutive admissions to the UT Houston stroke team from January 2005 to June 2011 were reviewed for demographic and clinical information. Patient characteristics were compared across years. Logistic regression was performed to assess the odds of admission per year.

Results—
During the 6.5-year study period, there were 6623 admissions. Admissions increased each year. The proportion of patients transferred from other hospitals to our Comprehensive Stroke Center increased from 24.6% in 2005 to 45.5% in 2011. The number of The Joint Commission PSCs in the greater Houston area increased from 2 to 15. The percentage of large artery occlusions fell from 32.9% in 2005 to a low of 16.4% in 2010, whereas minor strokes (National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, 0–5) increased from 37.4% in 2005 to 48.6% in 2011. Among stroke patients presenting within 3 hours, study enrollment fell from 45.8% in 2005 to 19.3% in 2011.

Conclusions—
We observed a temporal association between the changes in our patient demographics and the number of The Joint Commission PSCs in Houston. The number of large artery occlusions decreased over time, whereas the number of mild strokes increased. In addition, the number of patients enrolled into clinical trials substantially decreased. Increased access to stroke care at PSCs may be associated with changes in patient demographics and clinical trial enrollment at our center.
E-Commerce in Africa: Challenges and Solutions
Authors: Ndonga Dennis 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
Trade in Africa has the potential to be revolutionized by Information Communication Technologies (ICTs), which have led to the development of e-commerce. These technologies have the capacity to boost intra-country and inter-country trade and subsequently promote economic development in African countries. However, many African States are yet to reap the full benefits of e-commerce, as it has not penetrated the continent to the extent experienced by Western countries. The lack of adequate ICT infrastructure, lack of basic ICT knowledge and threat of cybercrimes has created a significant barrier to the adoption and growth of e-commerce in many African countries. This article analyses the persisting digital divide barriers that have inhibited the penetration of e-commerce in Africa and suggests regulatory solutions to resolving them.
Customary Law and Authority in a State under Construction: The Case of South Sudan
Authors: Hessbruegge Jan Arno 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
Customary law in South Sudan is a powerful symbol of emancipation from two centuries of external domination, and paradoxically, also the product of such external domination. Most citizens of the world’s newest state rely more on customary laws and local authorities to regulate their conflicts than on other civilian state institutions and statutory law. At the current juncture, influential decision-makers in and outside the government are pushing to develop Sudan’s customary laws into a Common Law for South Sudan. However, the legacy of the armed conflict, including patterns of militarization, and the ongoing modernization of society, pose challenges for customary systems. Furthermore, customary systems exhibit certain human rights deficits and, therefore, need to be made compatible with the constitutional framework of South Sudan. The recognition of customary authority and law as an essential part of the governance structure, coupled with targeted engagement and reform, are indispensable elements of state and peace building in South Sudan. The government and its external partners must walk a tightrope to integrate the local capacity offered by the customary system into their wider efforts without inadvertently stifling its potential to reform from within or undermining democratically elected institutions.
Statin therapy does not improve lung function in asthma: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Si Xiao-bei , Zhang Shuo , Huo Lin-yu , Dai Wen-li , Wang Hai-long 
Published: February 2013

Objective To assess the efficacy of statins in the treatment of asthma. Methods Electronic databases were searched to identify randomized controlled trials that measured the efficacy of statins in the treatment of asthma, and a meta-analysis of the pooled data was performed. Results Five trials were identified; four met the inclusion criteria (total number of patients 200). Compared with controls, patients in the statin groups had higher forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) values before inhaled corticosteroids (0.09 l, 95% confidence interval [CI] −0.06, 0.23), higher FEV1 values after inhaled corticosteroids (0.06 l, 95% CI −0.09, 0.22), and higher morning peak expiratory flow rates (9.87 l, 95% CI −15.66, 35.40). These results were not statistically significant and, furthermore, publication bias was detected. Conclusion In conclusion, there is currently insufficient evidence to show that statins improve lung function in patients with asthma.
Gelatin gel as a carrier of platelet-derived growth factors
Authors: Suzuki Shuko , Morimoto Natsumi , Ikada Yoshito 
Published: February 2013

Currently, patient’s own growth factors from platelet-rich plasma and platelet-rich fibrin have been clinically used for repair and regeneration of defective tissues. In platelet-rich plasma and platelet-rich fibrin, fibrin gel is formed from blood fibrinogen and functions as a carrier for growth factors. In this study, the growth factors were extracted from the platelet-rich fibrin and incorporated into a gelatin gel by mixing the platelet-rich fibrin extract and gelatin solution before cross-linking with glutaraldehyde. About 70% of TGF-β1 was found to be released in vitro from the gelatin gel containing the platelet-rich fibrin extract into phosphate-buffered saline (–) in 7 days. The gelatin gel containing basic fibroblast growth factor, prepared as a comparison, showed a similar release profile. The gelatin gels were slowly degraded with time after subcutaneous implantation on the back of rats, and the gel containing the platelet-rich fibrin extract strongly induced neovascularization and granulation tissue formation around the implantation site compared to the gel only and the gel containing basic fibroblast growth factor, platelet-rich plasma, or platelet-rich fibrin. The gelatin gel containing the platelet-rich fibrin extract was attempted as wound dressing on a full-thickness skin defect model. After 2 weeks of application, the gel was found to be more effective in acceleration of wound healing than the commonly used platelet-rich plasma.
Novel interferon-based pre-transplantation conditioning in the treatment of a congenital metabolic disorder
Authors: Sato Taku , Ikeda Mahoko , Yotsumoto Satoshi , Shimada Yohta , Higuchi Takashi , Kobayashi Hiroshi , Fukuda Takahiro , Ohashi Toya , Suda Toshio , Ohteki Toshiaki 
Published: February 2013

Key Points
Type I IFN preconditioning enhances HSC engraftment efficiency. IFN-based pre-transplant conditioning is applicable to the treatment of Sly syndrome.
Histone modifications in the male germ line of Drosophilaa
Authors: Hennig Wolfgang , Weyrich Alexandra 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
Background
In the male germ line of Drosophila chromatin remains decondensed and highly transcribed during meiotic prophase until it is rapidly compacted. A large proportion of the cell cycle-regulated histone H3.1 is replaced by H3.3, a histone variant encoded outside the histone repeat cluster and not subject to cell cycle controlled expression.

Results
We investigated histone modification patterns in testes of D. melanogaster and D. hydei. In somatic cells of the testis envelope and in germ cells these modification patterns differ from those typically seen in eu- and heterochromatin of other somatic cells. During the meiotic prophase some modifications expected in active chromatin are not found or are found at low level. The absence of H4K16ac suggests that dosage compensation does not take place. Certain histone modifications correspond to either the cell cycle-regulated histone H3.1 or to the testis-specific variant H3.3. In spermatogonia we found H3K9 methylation in cytoplasmic histones, most likely corresponding to the H3.3 histone variant. Most histone modifications persist throughout the meiotic divisions. The majority of modifications persist until the early spermatid nuclei, and only a minority further persist until the final chromatin compaction stages before individualization of the spermatozoa.

Conclusion
Histone modification patterns in the male germ line differ from expected patterns. They are consistent with an absence of dosage compensation of the X chromosome during the male meiotic prophase. The cell cycle-regulated histone variant H3.1 and H3.3, expressed throughout the cell cycle, also vary in their modification patterns. Postmeiotically, we observed a highly complex pattern of the histone modifications until late spermatid nuclear elongation stages. This may be in part due to postmeiotic transcription and in part to differential histone replacement during chromatin condensation.
Empirical Bayesian LASSO-logistic regression for multiple binary trait locus mapping
Authors: Huang Anhui , Xu Shizhong , Cai Xiaodong 
Published: February 2013

AbstractBackgroundComplex binary traits are influenced by many factors including the main effects of many quantitative trait loci (QTLs), the epistatic effects involving more than one QTLs, environmental effects and the effects of gene-environment interactions. Although a number of QTL mapping methods for binary traits have been developed, there still lacks an efficient and powerful method that can handle both main and epistatic effects of a relatively large number of possible QTLs.ResultsIn this paper, we use a Bayesian logistic regression model as the QTL model for binary traits that includes both main and epistatic effects. Our logistic regression model employs hierarchical priors for regression coefficients similar to the ones used in the Bayesian LASSO linear model for multiple QTL mapping for continuous traits. We develop efficient empirical Bayesian algorithms to infer the logistic regression model. Our simulation study shows that our algorithms can easily handle a QTL model with a large number of main and epistatic effects on a personal computer, and outperform five other methods examined including the LASSO, HyperLasso, BhGLM, RVM and the single-QTL mapping method based on logistic regression in terms of power of detection and false positive rate. The utility of our algorithms is also demonstrated through analysis of a real data set. A software package implementing the empirical Bayesian algorithms in this paper is freely available upon request.ConclusionsThe EBLASSO logistic regression method can handle a large number of effects possibly including the main and epistatic QTL effects, environmental effects and the effects of gene-environment interactions. It will be a very useful tool for multiple QTLs mapping for complex binary traits.
Pause-melting misalignment: a novel model for the birth and motif indel of tandem repeats in the mitochondrial genome
Authors: Shi Wei , Kong Xiao-Yu , Wang Zhong-Ming , Yu Shan-Shan , Chen Hai-Xia , De Stasio Elizabeth A 
Published: February 2013

Abstract

Background
Tandem repeats (TRs) in the mitochondrial (mt) genome control region have been documented in a wide variety of vertebrate species. The mechanism by which repeated tracts originate and undergo duplication and deletion, however, remains unclear.

Results
We analyzed DNA sequences of mt genome TRs (mtTRs) in the ridged-eye flounder (Pleuronichthys cornutus), and characterized DNA sequences of mtTRs from other vertebrates using the data available in GenBank. Tandem repeats are concentrated in the control regions; however, we found approximately 16.6% of the TRs elsewhere in the mt genome. The flounder mtTRs possess three motif types with hypervariable characteristics at the 3′ end of the control region (CR).

Conclusion
Based on our analysis of this larger dataset of mtTR sequences, we propose a novel model of Pause Melting Misalignment (PMM) to describe the birth and motif indel of tandem repeats. PMM is activated during a pause event in mitochondrial replication in which a dynamic competition between the nascent (N) heavy strand and the displaced (D) heavy strand may lead to the melting of the N-strand from the template (T) light strand. When mispairing occurs during rebinding of the N-strand, one or several motifs can be inserted or deleted in both strands during the next round of mt-replication or repair. This model can explain the characteristics of TRs in available vertebrate mt genomes.
Prognostic value of C-reactive protein and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Oh Byong Sun , Jang Jeong Won , Kwon Jung Hyun , You Chan Ran , Chung Kyu Won , Kay Chul Seung , Jung Hyun Suk , Lee Seungok 
Published: February 2013

Abstract

Background
Accumulating evidence indicates that components of the systemic inflammatory response, such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), have been associated with prognosis of various cancers. We aimed to elucidate whether CRP and NLR could serve as potential surrogate markers for response and survival in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods
The study population consisted of 318 consecutive patients with HCC. CRP and NLR were measured at baseline with follow-up measurements.

Results
With the mean follow-up of 13.9 months, the median survival time was 13.8 months. Child-Pugh class, tumor size > 5 cm, tumor multiplicity, presence of portal vein thrombosis, α-fetoprotein > 200 ng/mL, CRP > 6.3 mg/L and NLR > 2.3 were identified as independent factors for worse survival of HCC (all p < 0.05). Patients with elevated CRP (> 6.3 mg/L) and elevated NLR (> 2.3) had a significantly shorter overall survival than those with low CRP and low NLR (all p < 0.001). The combined use of CRP and NLR provided incremental prognostic information. With significant inter-correlations, levels of CRP and NLR escalated with aggravating Child-Pugh class from A to C or progressing tumor stage from I to IV. CRP and NLR on baseline and serial measurements were well predictive of treatment response (p < 0.001).

Conclusions
CRP and NLR are independent indicators for survival in HCC patients, reflecting tumor burden and hepatic reserve. Their role in predicting tumor response and survival is more enhanced when used in combination. This study suggests that CRP and NLR are important prognostic biomarkers for HCC.
OCT4 increases BIRC5 and CCND1 expression and promotes cancer progression in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Cao Lu , Li Chunguang , Shen Shuwen , Yan Yan , Ji Weidan , Wang Jinghan , Qian Haihua , Jiang Xiaoqing , Li Zhigang , Wu Mengchao , Zhang Ying , Su Changqing 
Published: February 2013

Abstract

Background
OCT4 and BIRC5 are preferentially expressed in human cancer cells and mediate cancer cell survival and tumor maintenance. However, the molecular mechanism that regulates OCT4 and BIRC5 expression is not well characterized.

Methods
By manipulating OCT4 and BIRC5 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines, the regulatory mechanism of OCT4 on BIRC5 and CCND1 were investigated.

Results
Increasing or decreasing OCT4 expression could enhance or suppress BIRC5 expression, respectively, by regulating the activity of BIRC5 promoter. Because there is no binding site for OCT4 within BIRC5 promoter, the effect of OCT4 on BIRC5 promoter is indirect. An octamer motif for OCT4 in the CCND1 promoter has directly and partly participated in the regulation of CCND1 promoter activity, suggesting that OCT4 also could upregulated the expression of CCND1. Co-suppression of OCT4 and BIRC5 induced cancer cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, thereby efficiently inhibiting the proliferative activity of cancer cells and suppressing the growth of HCC xenogrfts in nude mice.

Conclusion
OCT4 can upregulate BIRC5 and CCND1 expression by increasing their promoter activity. These factors collusively promotes HCC cell proliferation, and co-suppression of OCT4 and BIRC5 is potentially beneficial for HCC treatment.