bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Public Diplomacy at Bangladesh's Missions Abroad: A Practitioner's View
Authors:   Humayun Kabir
Published: November 2008

AbstractRecent academic debate about public diplomacy has largely remained focused on the conduct of public diplomacy by developed countries. However, the process of winning hearts and minds through the practice of public diplomacy can also benefit many developing countries, particularly those suffering from either invisibility syndrome or associated with strong negative public perceptions. Despite the information revolution, many people do not know much about Bangladesh, and their ignorance leaves the door wide open to negative associations with a past of political unrest and natural disasters. Curing this 'invisibility syndrome' and its consequences has proved to be a challenge, despite Bangladesh's many creative and vibrant qualities and its record of putting them to good work abroad. This article provides a practitioner's overview of recent initiatives undertaken by Bangladesh's missions in Nepal and Australia in conducting a public diplomacy strategy to update the reputation of Bangladesh.
Temporal changes and geographical differences in multiple sclerosis phenotypes in Japanese: nationwide survey results over 30 years
Authors: Osoegawa M , Kira J , Fukazawa T , Fujihara K , Kikuchi S , Matsui M , Kohriyama T , Sobue G , Yamamura T , Itoyama Y , Saida T , Sakata K , Ochi H , Matsuoka T ,   and The Research Committee of Neuroimmunological Diseases
Published: November 2008

Background There are two distinct phenotypes of multiple sclerosis (MS) in Asians, manifesting as optic-spinal (OSMS) and conventional (CMS) forms. In Japan, four nationwide surveys of MS have been conducted. The first three were in 1972, 1982, and 1989, and we performed the fourth in 2004. Results The recent survey showed six main findings as follows: (1) a four-fold increase in the estimated number of clinically definite patients with MS in 2003 (9900; crude MS prevalence, 7.7/100,000) compared with 1972; (2) a shift in the peak age at onset from early 30s in 1989 to early 20s in 2003; (3) a successive proportional decrease in optic-spinal involvement in clinically definite patients with MS; (4) a significant north–south gradient for the CMS/OSMS ratio; (5) after subdivision of the mainland (30–45° North) into northern and southern parts at 37°N, northern-born northern residents (northern patients) showed a significantly higher CMS/OSMS ratio and higher frequency of brain lesions fulfilling the Barkhof criteria (Barkhof brain lesions) than southern-born southern residents (southern patients); (6) among northern patients, the absolute numbers of patients with CMS and those with Barkhof brain lesions rapidly increased with advancing birth year. Conclusions These findings suggest that MS phenotypes are drastically altered by environmental factors, such as latitude and “Westernization.”
Clinical and diagnostic aspects of multiple sclerosis and acute monophasic encephalomyelitis in pediatric patients: a single centre prospective study
Authors: Atzori M , Battistella PA , Perini P , Calabrese M , Fontanin M , Laverda AM , Suppiej A , Drigo P , Grossi P , Rinaldi L , Gallo P 
Published: November 2008

Objective The purpose of the study was to compare and contrast the initial presenting demographic, clinical, neuroimaging, and laboratory features in a cohort of children affected from multiple sclerosis (MS) or acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM). Methods A 12-year prospective study was conducted in 68 pediatric patients (age ≤ 17 years) who presented with a first episode of central nervous system inflammation suggestive of a demyelinating multifocal pathology. All patients had undergone magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination. The mean follow-up period, as at ending on December 31, 2007, was 6.8 ± 2.7 years (range 3.2–12.6 years). Results At clinical onset, children who developed MS during the follow-up (48 patients; 34 females, 14 males; mean age at onset: 14.4 ± 2.5) significantly differed from children affected by ADEM (20 patients; 8 females, 12 males; mean age at onset: 8.1 ± 3.8 ) for the following parameters: prevalence of females affected (female/male ratio: 2.8 versus 0.6, P = 0.03); mean age at onset ( P < 0.001); monosymptomatic onset (73% vs 30%, P = 0.002); encephalopathy-like onset (0% vs 50%, P < 0.001); presence of oligoclonal IgG bands (IgGOB) in CSF (83% vs 10%, P < 0.001); and periventricular (79% vs 20%, P < 0.001), brain stem (12.5% vs 60%, P = 0.000), and basal ganglia (10% vs 50%, P < 0.001) lesions at MRI. Conclusions Our findings depict a pattern of demographic, clinical, neuroimaging, and laboratory findings that can help to distinguish, at clinical onset, children suffering from ADEM from those who will develop MS. Childhood-onset MS seems not to differ from adult-onset MS from both clinical and paraclinical features.
Blood-borne human plasma cells in steady state are derived from mucosal immune responses
Authors: Mei Henrik E. , Yoshida Taketoshi , Sime Wondossen , Hiepe Falk , Thiele Kathi , Manz Rudolf A. , Radbruch Andreas , Dörner Thomas 
Published: November 2008

AbstractProviding humoral immunity, antibody-secreting plasma cells and their immediate precursors, the plasmablasts, are generated in systemic and mucosal immune reactions. Despite their key role in maintaining immunity and immunopathology, little is known about their homeostasis. Here we show that plasmablasts and plasma cells are always detectable in human blood at low frequency in any unimmunized donor. In this steady state, 80% of plasmablasts and plasma cells express immunoglobulin A (IgA). Expression of a functional mucosal chemokine receptor, C-C motif receptor 10 (CCR10) and the adhesion molecule β7 integrin suggests that these cells come from mucosal immune reactions and can return to mucosal tissue. These blood-borne, CCR10+ plasmablasts also are attracted by CXCL12. Approximately 40% of plasma cells in human bone marrow are IgA+, nonmigratory, and express β7 integrin and CCR10, suggesting a substantial contribution of mucosal plasma cells to bone marrow resident, long-lived plasma cells. Six to 8 days after parenteral tetanus/diphtheria vaccination, intracellular IgG+ cells appear in blood, both CD62L+, β7 integrin−, dividing, vaccine-specific, migratory plasmablasts and nondividing, nonmigratory, CD62L− plasma cells of different specificities. Systemic vaccination does not impact on peripheral IgA+ plasmablast numbers, indicating that mucosal and systemic humoral immune responses are regulated independent of each other.
Quebec platelet disorder is linked to the urokinase plasminogen activator gene (PLAU) and increases expression of the linked allele in megakaryocytes
Authors: Diamandis Maria , Paterson Andrew D. , Rommens Johanna M. , Veljkovic D. Kika , Blavignac Jessica , Bulman Dennis E. , Waye John S. , Derome Francine , Rivard Georges E. , Hayward Catherine P. M. 
Published: November 2008

Abstract
Quebec platelet disorder (QPD) is an autosomal dominant disorder with high penetrance that is associated with increased risks for bleeding. The hallmark of QPD is a gain-of-function defect in fibrinolysis due to increased platelet content of urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) without systemic fibrinolysis. We hypothesized that increased expression of uPA by differentiating QPD megakaryocytes is linked to PLAU. Genetic marker analyses indicated that QPD was significantly linked to a 2-Mb region on chromosome 10q containing PLAU with a maximum multipoint logarithm of the odds (LOD) score of +11 between markers D10S1432 and D10S1136. Analysis of PLAU by sequencing and Southern blotting excluded mutations within PLAU and its known regulatory elements as the cause of QPD. Analyses of uPA mRNA indicated that QPD distinctly increased transcript levels of the linked PLAU allele with megakaryocyte differentiation. These findings implicate a mutation in an uncharacterized cis element near PLAU as the cause of QPD.
Species differences in small molecule binding to αIIbβ3 are the result of sequence differences in 2 loops of the αIIb β propeller
Authors: Basani Ramesh B. , Zhu Hua , Thornton Michael A. , Soto Cinque S. , DeGrado William F. , Kowalska M. Anna , Bennett Joel S. , Poncz Mortimer 
Published: November 2008

AbstractCompared with human platelets, rodent platelets are less responsive to peptides and peptidomimetics containing an arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) motif. Using chimeric human-rat αIIbβ3 molecules, we found that this difference in Arg-Gly-Asp-Ser (RGDS) sensitivity was the result of amino acid substitutions at residues 157, 159, and 162 in the W3:4-1 loop and an Asp-His replacement at residue 232 in the W4:4-1 loop of the αIIb β propeller. Introducing the entire rat W3:4-1 and W4:4-1 loops into human αIIbβ3 also decreased the inhibitory effect of the disintegrins, echistatin and eristostatin, and the αIIbβ3 antagonists, tirofiban and eptifibatide, on fibrinogen binding, whereas the specific point mutations did not. This suggests that RGDS interacts with αIIb in a different manner than with these small molecules. None of these species-based substitutions affected the ability of αIIbβ3 to interact with RGD-containing macromolecules. Thus, human von Willebrand factor contains an RGD motif and binds equally well to adenosine diphosphate-stimulated human and rodent platelets, implying that other motifs are responsible for maintaining ligand binding affinity. Many venoms contain RGD-based toxins. Our data suggest that these species amino acids differences in the αIIb β-propeller represent an evolutionary response by rodents to maintain hemostasis while concurrently protecting against RGD-containing toxins.
Evaluation of GO-based functional similarity measures using S. cerevisiae protein interaction and expression profile data
Authors: Xu Tao , Du LinFang , Zhou Yan 
Published: November 2008

Abstract

Background
Researchers interested in analysing the expression patterns of functionally related genes usually hope to improve the accuracy of their results beyond the boundaries of currently available experimental data. Gene ontology (GO) data provides a novel way to measure the functional relationship between gene products. Many approaches have been reported for calculating the similarities between two GO terms, known as semantic similarities. However, biologists are more interested in the relationship between gene products than in the scores linking the GO terms. To highlight the relationships among genes, recent studies have focused on functional similarities.

Results
In this study, we evaluated five functional similarity methods using both protein-protein interaction (PPI) and expression data of S. cerevisiae. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) and correlation coefficient analysis of these methods showed that the maximum method outperformed the other methods. Statistical comparison of multiple- and single-term annotated proteins in biological process ontology indicated that genes with multiple GO terms may be more reliable for separating true positives from noise.

Conclusion
This study demonstrated the reliability of current approaches that elevate the similarity of GO terms to the similarity of proteins. Suggestions for further improvements in functional similarity analysis are also provided.
Temporal and functional profile of the transcriptional regulatory network in the early regenerative response to partial hepatectomy in the rat
Authors: Juskeviciute Egle , Vadigepalli Rajanikanth , Hoek Jan B 
Published: November 2008

AbstractBackgroundThe goal of these studies was to characterize the transcriptional network regulating changes in gene expression in the remnant liver of the rat after 70% partial hepatectomy (PHx) during the early phase response including the transition of hepatocytes from the quiescent (G0) state and the onset of the G1phase of the cell cycle.ResultsThe transcriptome of remnant livers was monitored at 1, 2, 4, and 6 hours after PHx using cDNA microarrays. Differentially regulated genes were grouped into six clusters according their temporal expression profiles. Promoter regions of genes in these clusters were examined for shared transcription factor binding sites (TFBS) by comparing enrichment of each TFBS relative to a reference set using the Promoter Analysis and Interaction Network Toolset (PAINT).Analysis of the gene expression time series data using ANOVA resulted in a total of 309 genes significantly up- or down-regulated atanyof the four time points at a 20% FDR threshold. Sham-operated animals showed no significant differential expression. A subset of the differentially expressed genes was validated using quantitative RT-PCR. Distinct sets of TFBS could be identified that were significantly enriched in each one of the different temporal gene expression clusters. These included binding sites for transcription factors that had previously been recognized as contributing to the onset of regeneration, including NF-κB, C/EBP, HNF-1, CREB, as well as factors, such as ATF, AP-2, LEF-1, GATA and PAX-6, that had not yet been recognized to be involved in this process. A subset of these candidate TFBS was validated by measuring activation of corresponding transcription factors (HNF-1, NK-κB, CREB, C/EBP-α and C/EBP-β, GATA-1, AP-2, PAX-6) in nuclear extracts from the remnant livers.ConclusionThis analysis revealed multiple candidate transcription factors activated in the remnant livers, some known to be involved in the early phase of liver regeneration, and several not previously identified. The study describes the predominant temporal and functional elements to which these factors contribute and demonstrates the potential of this novel approach to define the functional correlates of the transcriptional regulatory network driving the early response to partial hepatectomy.
Gut microbiota and lipopolysaccharide content of the diet influence development of regulatory T cells: studies in germ-free mice
Authors: Hrncir Tomas , Stepankova Renata , Kozakova Hana , Hudcovic Tomas , Tlaskalova-Hogenova Helena 
Published: November 2008

AbstractBackgroundMammals are essentially born germ-free but the epithelial surfaces are promptly colonized by astounding numbers of bacteria soon after birth. The most extensive microbial community is harbored by the distal intestine. The gut microbiota outnumber ~10 times the total number of our somatic and germ cells. The host-microbiota relationship has evolved to become mutually beneficial. Studies in germ-free mice have shown that gut microbiota play a crucial role in the development of the immune system. The principal aim of the present study was to elucidate whether the presence of gut microbiota and the quality of a sterile diet containing various amounts of bacterial contaminants, measured by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) content, can influence maturation of the immune system in gnotobiotic mice.ResultsWe have found that the presence of gut microbiota and to a lesser extent also the LPS-rich sterile diet drive the expansion of B and T cells in Peyer's patches and mesenteric lymph nodes. The most prominent was the expansion of CD4+ T cells including Foxp3-expressing T cells in mesenteric lymph nodes. Further, we have observed that both the presence of gut microbiota and the LPS-rich sterile diet influencein vitrocytokine profile of spleen cells. Both gut microbiota and LPS-rich diet increase the production of interleukin-12 and decrease the production of interleukin-4. In addition, the presence of gut microbiota increases the production of interleukin-10 and interferon-γ.ConclusionOur data clearly show that not only live gut microbiota but also microbial components (LPS) contained in sterile diet stimulate the development, expansion and function of the immune system. Finally, we would like to emphasize that the composition of diet should be regularly tested especially in all gnotobiotic models as the LPS content and other microbial components present in the diet may significantly alter the outcome of experiments.
Anti-angiogenesis therapy based on the bone marrow-derived stromal cells genetically engineered to express sFlt-1 in mouse tumor model
Authors: Hu M , Yang J-L , Teng H , Jia Y-Q , Wang R , Zhang X-W , Wu Y , Luo Y , Chen X-C , Zhang R , Tian L , Zhao X , Wei Y-Q 
Published: November 2008

Abstract

Background
Bone marrow-derived stromal cells (BMSCs) are important for development, tissue cell replenishment, and wound healing in physiological and pathological conditions. BMSCs were found to preferably reach sites undergoing the process of cell proliferation, such as wound and tumor, suggesting that BMSCs may be used as a vehicle for gene therapy of tumor.

Methods
Mouse BMSCs were loaded with recombinant adenoviruses which express soluble Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor-1 (sFlt-1). The anti-angiogenesis of sFlt-1 in BMSCs was determined using endothelial cells proliferation inhibition assay and alginate encapsulation assay. The anti-tumor effects of BMSCs expressing sFlt-1 through tail-vein infusion were evaluated in two mouse tumor metastases models.

Results
BMSCs genetically modified with Adv-GFP-sFlt-1 could effectively express and secret sFlt-1. BMSCs loaded with sFlt-1 gene could preferentially home to tumor loci and decrease lung metastases and prolong lifespan in mouse tumor model through inducing anti-angiogenesis and apoptosis in tumors.

Conclusion
We demonstrated that BMSCs might be employed as a promising vehicle for tumor gene therapy which can effectively not only improve the concentration of anticancer therapeutics in tumors, but also modify the tumor microenvironment.
A new scoring system in Cystic Fibrosis: statistical tools for database analysis – a preliminary report
Authors: Hafen GM , Hurst C , Yearwood J , Smith J , Dzalilov Z , Robinson PJ 
Published: November 2008

AbstractBackgroundCystic fibrosis is the most common fatal genetic disorder in the Caucasian population. Scoring systems for assessment of Cystic fibrosis disease severity have been used for almost 50 years, without being adapted to the milder phenotype of the disease in the 21stcentury. The aim of this current project is to develop a new scoring system using a database and employing various statistical tools. This study protocol reports the development of the statistical tools in order to create such a scoring system.MethodsThe evaluation is based on the Cystic Fibrosis database from the cohort at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne. Initially, unsupervised clustering of the all data records was performed using a range of clustering algorithms. In particular incremental clustering algorithms were used. The clusters obtained were characterised using rules from decision trees and the results examined by clinicians. In order to obtain a clearer definition of classes expert opinion of each individual's clinical severity was sought. After data preparation including expert-opinion of an individual's clinical severity on a 3 point-scale (mild, moderate and severe disease), two multivariate techniques were used throughout the analysis to establish a method that would have a better success in feature selection and model derivation: 'Canonical Analysis of Principal Coordinates' and 'Linear Discriminant Analysis'. A 3-step procedure was performed with (1) selection of features, (2) extracting 5 severity classes out of a 3 severity class as defined per expert-opinion and (3) establishment of calibration datasets.Results(1) Feature selection: CAP has a more effective "modelling" focus than DA.(2) Extraction of 5 severity classes: after variables were identified as important in discriminating contiguous CF severity groups on the 3-point scale as mild/moderate and moderate/severe, Discriminant Function (DF) was used to determine the new groups mild, intermediate moderate, moderate, intermediate severe and severe disease. (3) Generated confusion tables showed a misclassification rate of 19.1% for males and 16.5% for females, with a majority of misallocations into adjacent severity classes particularly for males.ConclusionOur preliminary data show that using CAP for detection of selection features and Linear DA to derive the actual model in a CF database might be helpful in developing a scoring system. However, there are several limitations, particularly more data entry points are needed to finalize a score and the statistical tools have further to be refined and validated, with re-running the statistical methods in the larger dataset.
The impact of SARS on hospital performance
Authors: Chu Dachen , Chen Ran-Chou , Ku Chia-Yu , Chou Pesus 
Published: November 2008

Abstract

Background
During the SARS epidemic, healthcare utilization and medical services decreased significantly. However, the long-term impact of SARS on hospital performance needs to be further discussed.

Methods
A municipal hospital in Taipei City was shut down for a month due to SARS and then became the designated SARS and infectious disease hospital for the city. This study collected the outpatient, inpatient and emergency service volumes for every year from April to March over four years. Average monthly service amount ± standard deviation were used to compare patient volume for the whole hospital, as well as the outpatient numbers accessing different departments. The ARIMA model of outpatient volume in the pre-SARS year was developed.

Results
The average monthly service volume of outpatient visits for the base year 2002 was 52317 ± 4204 visits per month, and number for 2003 and the following two years were 55%, 82% and 84% of the base year respectively. The average emergency service volume was 4382 ± 356 visits per month at the base year and this became 45%, 77% and 87% of the base year for the following three years respectively. Average inpatient service volume was 8520 ± 909 inpatient days per month at the base year becoming 43%, 81% and 87% of the base year for the following three years respectively. Only the emergency service volume had recovered to the level of a non-significant difference at the second year after SARS. In addition, the departments of family medicine, metabolism and nephrology reached the 2002 patient number in 2003. The ARIMA (2,1,0) model was the most suitable for outpatient volume in pre-SARS year. The MAPE of the ARIMA (2,1,0) model for the pre-SARS year was 6.9%, and 43.2%, 10.6%, 6.2% for following 3 years.

Conclusion
This study demonstrates that if a hospital is completely shut down due to SARS or a similar disease, the impact is longer than previous reported and different departments may experience different recover periods. The findings of this study identify subspecialties that are particularly vulnerable in an infectious disease designated hospital and such hospitals need to consider which subspecialties should be included in their medical structure.