bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Stillbirths and infant deaths among migrants in industrialized countries
Authors: GISSLER MIKA , ALEXANDER SOPHIE , MACFARLANE ALISON , SMALL RHONDA , STRAY‐PEDERSEN BABILL , ZEITLIN JENNIFER , ZIMBECK MEGAN , GAGNON ANITA ,   FOR THE ROAM COLLABORATION (REPRODUCTIVE OUTCOMES AND MIGRATION: AN INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH COLLABORATION)
Published: December 2008

AbstractIntroduction. The relation of migration to infant outcomes is unclear. There are studies which show that some migrant groups have similar or even better outcomes than those from the receiving country. Equally, raised risk of adverse outcomes for other migrant groups has been reported. Objective. We sought to determine (1) if migrants in western industrialized countries have consistently higher risks of stillbirth, neonatal mortality, or infant mortality, (2) if there are migrant sub‐groups at potentially higher risk, and (3) what might be the explanations for any risk differences found. Design and Setting. Systematic review of the literature on perinatal health outcomes among migrants in western industrialized countries. Methods and Main outcome measures. Drawing on a larger systematic review of perinatal outcomes and migration, we reviewed studies including mortality outcomes (stillbirths and infant deaths). Results. Eligible studies gave conflicting results. Half (53%) reported worse mortality outcomes, one third (35%) reported no differences and a few (13%) reported better outcomes for births to migrants compared to the receiving country population. Refugees were the most vulnerable group. For non‐refugees, non‐European migrants in Europe and foreign‐born blacks in the United States had the highest excess mortality. In general, adjustment of background factors did not explain the increased mortality rate among migrants. Regarding causes of death, higher preterm birth rates explained the increased mortality figures among some migrant groups. The increased mortality from congenital anomalies may be related to restricted access to screening, but also to differing attitudes to screening and termination of pregnancy. Conclusions. Mortality risk among babies born to migrants is not consistently higher, but appears to be greatest among refugees, non‐European migrants to Europe, and foreign‐born blacks in the US. To understand this variation better, more information is needed about migrant background, such as length of time in receiving country and receiving country language fluency. Additional data on demographic, health care, biological, medical, and socioeconomic risk factors should be gathered and analyzed in greater detail.
Effectiveness of subcutaneous injection of sterile water to the lower back for pain relief in labor
Authors: KUSHTAGI PRALHAD , BHANU BASVANAHALLI THIMMEGOUDA 
Published: December 2008

AbstractThe analgesic efficacy of subcutaneous injection of sterile water compared to isotonic saline was investigated in a randomized, controlled study on a total of 100 women in the active phase of labor and who complained of low back pain. Pain perception was rated on a numerical rating scale before and at 10 and 45 minutes after the injection. The initial pain score was the same in both groups and pain relief was expressed by both groups irrespective of the solution injected, but the sterile water group had significantly higher relief scores compared to those receiving saline. This was not influenced by maternal age, parity, education, body mass index, cervical dilatation at intervention or fetal size, suggesting that subcutaneous injection of sterile water to the lower back provides relief from back pain during labor.
Social Capital, Civic Engagement and the Performance of Local Self-Government in Azerbaijan
Authors: Hasanov Rafail Musa oglu 
Published: December 2008

Eight years of municipal reform in Azerbaijan reflect a lack of social capital in communities. Without building social capital, achieving effectiveness of governance, as well as political stability and economic progress, in the country appears bleak.This paper seeks to study factors such as the set of informal values, tolerance, social trust, norms and networks of voluntary associations which contribute to social capital formation within the communities of Azerbaijan. As a way of exploring the problem, we have focused on one specific area of governance-the construction of infrastructural services (i.e. roads, housing and communal services, water supply, and sewerage) in Baku, the country's capital, and in Khachmaz and Masalli, both of which are districts of Azerbaijan. The aim is to highlight and clarify the effectiveness of municipal governments in different communities of Azerbaijan from the standpoint of civic engagement and its role in this process.
Association of lumbar arterial stenosis with low back symptoms: A cross-sectional study using two-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography
Authors: Korkiakoski A. , Niinimäki J. , Karppinen J. , Korpelainen R. , Haapea M. , Natri A. , Tervonen O. 
Published: December 2008

Background: Recent studies indicate that diminished blood flow may cause low back symptoms and intervertebral disc degeneration. Purpose: To explore the association between lumbar arterial stenosis as detected by two-dimensional time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (2D TOF-MRA) and lumbar pain symptoms in an occupational cohort of middle-aged Finnish males. Material and Methods: 228 male subjects aged 36 to 55 years (mean 47 years) were imaged with 2D TOF-MRA. Additionally, 20 randomly selected subjects were scanned with contrast-enhanced MRA (ceMRA). In each subject, the first (L1) to fourth (L4) segmental lumbar arteries were evaluated for lumbar artery stenosis using a dichotomic scale. One subject was excluded because of poor image quality, reducing the study population to 227 subjects. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between arterial stenosis in 2D TOF-MRA and low back pain and sciatica symptoms (intensity, duration, frequency). Results: Comparing 2D TOF-MRA and ceMRA images, the kappa value (95% confidence interval) was 0.52 (0.31–0.73). The intraobserver reliability kappa value for 2D TOF-MRA was 0.85 (0.77–0.92), and interobserver kappa was 0.57 (0.49–0.65). The sensitivity of 2D TOF-MRA in detecting stenosis was 0.58, the accuracy 0.89, and the specificity 0.94. In 97 (43%) subjects all arteries were normal, whereas 130 (57%) had at least one stenosed artery. The left L4 artery was most often affected. The degree of arterial stenosis was associated with intensity of low back and sciatic pain, and sciatica pain duration during the past 3 months. Conclusion: 2D TOF-MRA is an acceptable imaging method for arterial stenosis compared to ceMRA. Arterial stenosis was associated with subjective pain symptoms, indicating a role of decreased nutrition in spinal disorders.
Effect of radiation monitoring method and formula differences on estimated physician dose during percutaneous coronary intervention
Authors: Chida K. , Morishima Y. , Masuyama H. , Chiba H. , Katahira Y. , Inaba Y. , Mori I. , Maruoka S. , Takahashi S. , Kohzuki M. , Zuguchi M. 
Published: December 2008

Background: Currently, one or two dosimeters are used to monitor radiation exposure in most cardiac laboratories. In addition, several different formulas are used to convert exposure data into an effective dose (ED). Purpose: To clarify the effect of monitoring methods and formula selection on the estimated ED for physicians during percutaneous coronary interventions (PCIs). Material and Methods: The ED of physicians during cardiac catheterization was determined using an optically stimulated luminescence dosimeter (Luxel badge). Two Luxel badges were worn: one beneath a personal lead apron (0.35-mm lead equivalent) at the chest and one outside of the apron at the neck. Results: The difference in the average ED of seven physicians was approximately fivefold (range 1.13–5.43 mSv/year) using the six different formulas in the clinical evaluation. The estimated physician ED differed markedly according to both the monitoring method and formula selected. Conclusion: ED estimation is dependent on both the monitoring method and the formula used. Therefore, it is important that comparisons among laboratories are based on the same monitoring method and same formula for calculating the ED.
Differentiation of primary central nervous system lymphoma and high-grade glioma with dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced perfusion magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Liao Weihua , Liu Yunhai , Wang Xiaoyi , Jiang Xinya , Tang Beisha , Fang Jiasheng , Chen Changqing , Hu Zhongliang 
Published: December 2008

Background: Preoperative differentiation of primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSLs) from other tumors is important for presurgical staging, intraoperative management, and postoperative treatment. Dynamic susceptibility contrast-enhanced perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (DSC perfusion MRI) can provide in vivo assessment of the microvasculature in intracranial mass lesions. Purpose: To determine the utility of DSC perfusion MRI in the differentiation of PCNSLs and high-grade gliomas, as well as their pathological and physiological differences. Material and Methods: Nine patients with pathologically proven PCNSLs and 11 patients with high-grade gliomas were examined using a 1.5T MRI scanner. DSC perfusion MRI was performed by gradient-echo echo-planar imaging (GE-EPI). The maximum rCBV ratio, the signal intensity–time curves, and the percentage of signal intensity recovery were obtained. The maximum relative cerebral blood volume (rCBV) ratio and the percentage of signal intensity recovery of PCNSLs were compared with those of high-grade gliomas by using Student's t test. Microvessel density (MVD) was evaluated using immunohistochemical staining of surgical specimens with anti-CD34, and MVDs of the two tumor groups were compared by using Student's t test. Results: The maximum rCBV ratio of primary intracranial lymphomas was 1.72±0.59, while that of high-grade gliomas was 4.86±2.18. PCNSLs tended to have relatively low perfusion compared to high-grade gliomas ( P=0.001), and the MVD labeled by anti-CD34 of PCNSLs was much lower than that of gliomas ( P<0.001). The signal intensity–time curve of primary intracranial lymphomas was different from that of high-grade gliomas. The percentage of signal intensity recovery was significantly greater in PCNSLs compared with that of high-grade gliomas ( P<0.001). Conclusion: The difference in DSC perfusion MRI characteristics between PCNSLs and high-grade gliomas is determined by their different vascularities and different patterns of contrast agent leakage. This difference may be helpful in the diagnosis and preoperative differentiation between PCNSLs and high-grade gliomas, which sometimes may have similar conventional MR imaging appearance.
Value of perineural edema/inflammation detected by fat saturation sequences in lumbar magnetic resonance imaging of patients with unilateral sciatica
Authors: Şirvanci M. , Kara B. , Duran C. , Ozturk E. , Karatoprak O. , Onat L. , Ulusoy O. L. , Mutlu A. 
Published: December 2008

Background: Routine lumbar spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may not show any evidence of the cause of sciatica in some cases. The relationship between nerve root compression detected on lumbar MRI and sciatica is also sometimes uncertain. Purpose: To ascertain whether axial (and, when necessary, sagittal and coronal) short-tau inversion recovery or fat-saturated T2-weighted MRI findings can be used to study the level of sciatica in patients with a non-yielding routine MRI examination. Material and Methods: A total of 215 patients with unilateral sciatica underwent MRI. All patients were asked to complete pain drawing forms describing their pain dermatomal distributions. Perineural edema/inflammation corresponding to the pain location indicated by the pain drawings was sought on short-tau inversion recovery or fat-saturated T2-weighted images. Results: Routine MRI findings revealed that 110 of the 215 patients had nerve root compromise related to the patients’ symptoms. Routine MRI could not ascertain the cause of these symptoms in the remaining 105 patients. In 31 (29.5%) of these 105 patients, short-tau inversion recovery or fat-saturated T2-weighted magnetic resonance images revealed perineural edema/inflammation surrounding the nerve roots related to the pain locations indicated in the pain drawings. Conclusion: Axial (and, when required, sagittal and coronal) short-tau inversion recovery or fat-saturated T2-weighted magnetic resonance images may be helpful for revealing additional findings in cases of unexplained sciatica in standard magnetic resonance imaging. However, the value of this imaging may be not great enough to justify routine use of these additional sequences to study the level of sciatica.
Respiratory-gated positron emission tomography and breath-hold computed tomography coupling to reduce the influence of respiratory motion: Methodology and feasibility
Authors: Daouk J. , Fin L. , Bailly P. , Meyer M.-E. 
Published: December 2008

Background: Respiratory motion causes uptake in positron emission tomography (PET) images of chest and abdominal structures to be blurred and reduced in intensity. Purpose: To compare two respiratory-gated PET binning methods (based on frequency and amplitude analyses of the respiratory signal) and to propose a “BH-based” method based on an additional breath-hold computed tomography (CT) acquisition. Material and Methods: Respiratory-gated PET consists in list-mode (LM) acquisition with simultaneous respiratory signal recording. A phantom study featured rectilinear movement of a 0.5-ml sphere filled with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) solution, placed in a radioactive background (sphere-to-background contrast 6:1). Two patients were also examined. Three figures of merit were calculated: the target-to-background ratio profile (TBRP) in the axial direction through the uptake (i.e., the sphere or lesion), full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) values, and maximized standard uptake values (SUVmax). Results: In the phantom study, the peak TBRP was 0.9 for non-gated volume, 1.83 for BH-based volume, and varied between 1.13 and 1.73 for Freq-based volumes and between 1.34 and 1.66 for Amp-based volumes. A reference volume (REF-static) was also acquired for the phantom (in a static, “expiratory” state), with a peak TBRP at 1.88. TBRPs were computed for patient data, with higher peak values for all gated volumes than for non-gated volumes. Conclusion: Respiratory-gated PET acquisition reduces the blurring effect and increases image contrast. However, Freq-based and Amp-based volumes are still influenced by inappropriate attenuation correction and misregistration of mobile lesions on CT images. The proposed BH-based method both reduces motion artifacts and improves PET-CT registration.
Prediction of RNA secondary structure using generalized centroid estimators
Authors: Hamada Michiaki , Kiryu Hisanori , Sato Kengo , Mituyama Toutai , Asai Kiyoshi 
Published: December 2008

Abstract
Motivation: Recent studies have shown that the methods for predicting secondary structures of RNAs on the basis of posterior decoding of the base-pairing probabilities has an advantage with respect to prediction accuracy over the conventionally utilized minimum free energy methods. However, there is room for improvement in the objective functions presented in previous studies, which are maximized in the posterior decoding with respect to the accuracy measures for secondary structures.
Results: We propose novel estimators which improve the accuracy of secondary structure prediction of RNAs. The proposed estimators maximize an objective function which is the weighted sum of the expected number of the true positives and that of the true negatives of the base pairs. The proposed estimators are also improved versions of the ones used in previous works, namely CONTRAfold for secondary structure prediction from a single RNA sequence and McCaskill-MEA for common secondary structure prediction from multiple alignments of RNA sequences. We clarify the relations between the proposed estimators and the estimators presented in previous works, and theoretically show that the previous estimators include additional unnecessary terms in the evaluation measures with respect to the accuracy. Furthermore, computational experiments confirm the theoretical analysis by indicating improvement in the empirical accuracy. The proposed estimators represent extensions of the centroid estimators proposed in Ding et al. and Carvalho and Lawrence, and are applicable to a wide variety of problems in bioinformatics.
Availability: Supporting information and the CentroidFold software are available online at: http://www.ncrna.org/software/centroidfold/.
Contact: hamada-michiaki@aist.go.jp
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Probabilistic assignment of formulas to mass peaks in metabolomics experiments
Authors: Rogers Simon , Scheltema Richard A. , Girolami Mark , Breitling Rainer 
Published: December 2008

Abstract
Motivation: High-accuracy mass spectrometry is a popular technology for high-throughput measurements of cellular metabolites (metabolomics). One of the major challenges is the correct identification of the observed mass peaks, including the assignment of their empirical formula, based on the measured mass.
Results: We propose a novel probabilistic method for the assignment of empirical formulas to mass peaks in high-throughput metabolomics mass spectrometry measurements. The method incorporates information about possible biochemical transformations between the empirical formulas to assign higher probability to formulas that could be created from other metabolites in the sample. In a series of experiments, we show that the method performs well and provides greater insight than assignments based on mass alone. In addition, we extend the model to incorporate isotope information to achieve even more reliable formula identification.
Availability: A supplementary document, Matlab code, data and further information are available from http://www.dcs.gla.ac.uk/inference/metsamp.
Contact: srogers@dcs.gla.ac.uk
All hits all the time: parameter-free calculation of spaced seed sensitivity
Authors: Mak Denise Y.F. , Benson Gary 
Published: December 2008

Abstract
Motivation: Standard search techniques for DNA repeats start by identifying small matching words, or seeds, that may inhabit larger repeats. Recent innovations in seed structure include spaced seeds and indel seeds which are more sensitive than contiguous seeds. Evaluating seed sensitivity requires (i) specifying a homology model for alignments and (ii) assigning probabilities to those alignments. Optimal seed selection is resource intensive because all alternative seeds must be tested. Current methods require that the model and its probability parameters be specified in advance. When the parameters change, the entire calculation has to be rerun.
Results: We show how to eliminate the need for prior parameter specification by exploiting a simple observation: given a homology model, the alignments hit by a particular seed remain the same regardless of the probability parameters. Only the weights assigned to those alignments change. Therefore, if we know all the hits, we can easily (and quickly) find optimal seeds. We describe an efficient preprocessing step, which is computed once per seed. Then we show several increasingly efficient methods to find the optimal seed when given specific probability parameters. Indeed, we show how to determine exactly which seeds can never be optimal under any set of probability parameters. This leads to the startling observation that out of thousands of seeds, only a handful have any chance of being optimal. We then show how to identify optimal seeds and the boundaries within probability space where they are optimal.
Contact: dyfmak@bu.edu
Phenotypic characteristics and pathogenic ability across distinct morphotypes of Burkholderia pseudomallei DT
Authors: Chen Yao‐Shen , Lin Hsi‐Hsun , Hung Chih‐Chang , Mu Jung‐Jung , Hsiao Yu‐Shan , Chen Ya‐Lei 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT Burkholderia pseudomallei DT is unusual as it exhibits six distinct colony morphotypes. Types III and V show stronger motility, whereas type VI exhibits the highest levels of bacterial association with peritoneal exudate cells. Although the bacterial loads in the organs are not significantly different for infections by the six distinct morphotypes, higher mortality (100% and 89%, respectively) and larger areas of abnormal liver debris (20.6% and 22.4%, respectively) are found with types I‐ and III‐infected mice compared to the others. These morphotypes sometimes undergo switching to a mucoid type in the body of mice, but the reverse has never been observed.
Essential contribution of Ets‐1 to constitutive Pim‐3 expression in human pancreatic cancer cells
Authors: Li Ying‐Yi , Wu Yu , Tsuneyama Koichi , Baba Tomohisa , Mukaida Naofumi 
Published: December 2008

We previously demonstrated that the proto‐oncogene Pim‐3 with serine/threonine kinase activity was aberrantly expressed in cancer cells but not in the normal cells of the pancreas. In order to elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying aberrant Pim‐3 expression in pancreatic cancer cells, we constructed luciferase expression vectors linked to 5′‐flanking deletion mutants of the human Pim‐3 gene and transfected human pancreatic cancer cells with the resultant vectors. The region up to –264 bp was essential for constitutive Pim‐3 gene expression, and the mutation in the Ets‐1 binding site (between –216 and –211 bp) reduced luciferase activities. Moreover, Ets‐1 mRNA and protein were constitutively expressed together with Pim‐3 in human pancreatic cancer cell lines. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay demonstrated constitutive binding of Ets‐1 to the 5′‐flanking region of human Pim‐3 gene between –249 and –183 bp. Pim‐3 promoter activity and its protein expression were induced by transfection with wild type‐Ets‐1 and were reduced by transfection with dominant negative‐Ets‐1 or Ets‐1 small‐interfering RNA (siRNA). Furthermore, dominant negative‐Ets‐1 and Ets‐1 siRNA reduced the amount of Bad phosphorylated at its Ser112 and induced apoptosis, when they were transfected into human pancreatic cancer cells. Finally, Pim‐3 cDNA transfection reversed Ets‐1 siRNA‐induced increase in apoptosis and decrease in Bad phosphorylation at its Ser112. These observations would indicate that the transcription factor Ets‐1 can induce aberrant Pim‐3 expression and subsequently prevent apoptosis in human pancreatic cancer cells. (Cancer Sci 2009; 100: 396–404)