bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Preliminary evidence of motor impairment among polysubstance 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine users with intact neuropsychological functioning
Authors: BOUSMAN CHAD A. , CHERNER MARIANA , EMORY KRISTEN T. , BARRON DANIEL , GREBENSTEIN PATRICIA , ATKINSON J. HAMPTON , HEATON ROBERT K. , GRANT IGOR ,   THE HNRC GROUP
Published: August 2010

AbstractNeuropsychological disturbances have been reported in association with use of the recreational drug “ecstasy,” or 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA), but findings have been inconsistent. We performed comprehensive neuropsychological testing examining seven ability domains in 21 MDMA users (MDMA+) and 21 matched control participants (MDMA−). Among MDMA+ participants, median [interquartile range] lifetime MDMA use was 186 [111, 516] doses, with 120 [35–365] days of abstinence. There were no significant group differences in neuropsychological performance, with the exception of the motor speed/dexterity domain in which 43% of MDMA+ were impaired compared with 5% of MDMA− participants (p= .004). Motor impairment differences were not explained by use of other substances and were unrelated to length of abstinence or lifetime number of MDMA doses. Findings provide limited evidence for neuropsychological differences between MDMA+ and MDMA− participants with the exception of motor impairments observed in the MDMA+ group. However, replication of this finding in a larger sample is warranted. (JINS, 2010,16, 1047–1055.)
Executive function in patients with obstructive sleep apnea treated with continuous positive airway pressure
Authors: LAU ESTHER YUET YING , ESKES GAIL A. , MORRISON DEBRA L. , RAJDA MALGORZATA , SPURR KATHLEEN F. 
Published: August 2010

AbstractObstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is characterized by disrupted breathing and hypoxemia during sleep, daytime sleepiness, and changes in cognition and mood. One important question is regarding the reversibility of cognitive deficits after treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Here, we report the outcomes of CPAP treatment as measured by tests of attention and executive function. Thirty-seven individuals with moderate to severe OSA and compliant on CPAP treatment were studied with working memory tasks, neuropsychological testing, and overnight polysomnographic sleep study and compared to 27 healthy controls. CPAP improved the respiratory disturbance index, minimum and mean oxygen saturation (SpO2), subjective sleep quality, and daytime sleepiness ratings compared to pre-treatment values. In terms of current neurocognitive function, treated individuals with OSA performed at a comparable level to controls on basic working memory storage functions but still showed a significant reduction on tests of working memory requiring the central executive. The OSA group also performed worse on neuropsychological measures of complex attention, executive function, and psychomotor speed. While CPAP is an effective treatment for OSA in terms of ameliorating breathing disruption and oxygen desaturation during sleep, as well as daytime sleepiness, some cognitive deficits may be more resistant to treatment. (JINS, 2010,16, 1077–1088.)
Confabulations are emotionally charged, but not always for the best
Authors: BAJO ANA , FLEMINGER SIMON , KOPELMAN MICHAEL 
Published: August 2010

AbstractThere is disagreement regarding the underlying basis of confabulation and, in particular, whether emotional mechanisms influence the presence or the content of confabulations. In this study, we have examined the emotional content of confabulations and “true” memories given by 24 memory-disordered patients on two autobiographical memory tasks. Two judges made pleasant/neutral/unpleasant ratings. Although many of the “memories” were evaluated as “neutral”, there was an enhanced level of statements rated as having affective content (either pleasant or unpleasant) amongst these patients’ confabulations, compared with their “true” memories. This affective bias was present irrespective of whether patients had suffered focal pathology extending to the ventro-medial frontal cortex (VMFC) or other pathology. There was also a correlation between participants’ self-evaluated mood-states and both true and false memories’ affective content, suggestive of a mood congruency effect in both types of memory. In summary, there was an enhanced tendency to produce memories with affective content (pleasant and unpleasant) amongst confabulations (whether or not there was VMFC pathology). The affective content of both confabulations and true memories produced may relate, in part, to an individual’s current mood-state. (JINS, 2010, 16, 975–983.)
Climate-change feedback on economic growth: explorations with a dynamic general equilibrium model
Authors: EBOLI FABIO , PARRADO RAMIRO , ROSON ROBERTO 
Published: August 2010

ABSTRACTHuman-generated greenhouse gases depend on the level and emissions intensity of economic activities. Therefore, most climate-change studies are based on the models and scenarios of economic growth. Economic growth itself, however, is likely to be affected by climate-change impacts. These impacts affect the economy in multiple and complex ways: changes in productivity, resource endowments, production and consumption patterns. We use a new dynamic, multi-regional computable general equilibrium (CGE) model of the world economy to answer the following questions: Will climate-change impacts significantly affect growth and wealth distribution in the world? Should forecasts of human-induced greenhouse gas emissions be revised, once the climate-change impacts are taken into account? We found that, even though economic growth and emission paths do not change significantly at the global level, relevant differences exist at the regional and sectoral level. In particular, developing countries appear to suffer the most from the climate-change impacts.
Optimal pollution tax under imperfect competition and international trade: the small country case
Authors: SAMPAOLESI ALEJANDRO 
Published: August 2010

ABSTRACTThis work depicts the possibility of setting up an optimal pollution tax under non-competitive markets and international trade in a small country. The model employed describes a situation of partial equilibrium characterized by imperfect competition among domestic producers, where the domestic good is a substitute for an imported polluting commodity. In this framework, we also bring in the possibility that the domestic firms can introduce innovation offsets via their investment in R&D. From the results, the optimal pollution tax under domestic distortions can be expressed as a function of a ‘domestic production effect’ and a ‘pollution effect’. Furthermore, when the firms execute R&D expenditures, the optimal policy adds an ‘innovation effect’, which captures the change in welfare coming from a decrease in total costs and can lead our results to a win–win situation.
Homesickness for a foreign country: nostalgia and colonisation
Authors: McQueen Rob 
Published: August 2010

‘[T]he other is the phantasm of historiography, the object that it seeks, honors and buries. A labor of separation concerning this uncanny and fascinating proximity is effected…Alphonse Dupront has said, “The sole historical quest for ‘meaning’ remains indeed a quest for the Other, but however contradictory it may be, this project aims at ‘understanding’ and, through ‘meaning’ at hiding the alterity of this foreigner; or, in what amounts to the same thing, it aims at calming the dead who still haunt the present, and at offering them scriptural tombs”.’ (De Certeau, 1998, p. 2)
Golgi apparatus fragmentation as a mechanism responsible for uniform delivery of uroplakins to the apical plasma membrane of uroepithelial cells
Authors: Kreft Mateja Erdani , Di Giandomenico Daniele , Beznoussenko Galina V. , Resnik Nataša , Mironov Alexander A. , Jezernik Kristijan 
Published: August 2010

Background information. The GA (Golgi apparatus) has an essential role in membrane trafficking, determining the assembly and delivery of UPs (uroplakins) to the APM (apical plasma membrane) of superficial UCs (uroepithelial cells) of urinary bladder. UPs are synchronously and uniformly delivered from the GA to the APM by DFVs (discoidal‐ or fusiform‐shaped vesicles); however, the mechanism of UP delivery is not known. We have used the culture model of UCs with the capacity to undergo terminal differentiation to study the process of uniform delivery of DFVs to the APM and to elucidate the mechanisms involved.Results. By three‐dimensional localization using confocal microscopy of immunofluorescence‐labelled GA‐related markers [GM130 (cis‐Golgi matrix protein of 130 kDa), GS15 (Golgi Snare 15 kDa), GS28 and giantin], uroepithelial differentiation‐related markers (UPs), MTs (microtubules; α‐tubulin) and intermediate filaments [CK7 (cytokeratin 7) and CK20], we found that in non‐differentiated, UP‐negative UCs the GA is mostly organized as a single ribbon‐like structure close to the nucleus, whereas in differentiated, UP‐positive UCs the GA is fragmented and spread almost through the entire cell. The FRAP (fluorescence recovery after photobleaching) experiments on the UCs transfected with GalT (trans‐Golgi/TGN enzyme β1,4‐galactosyltransferase) fused to fluorescent protein showed that Golgi‐resident enzyme cycles freely within ribbon‐like GA but not within fragmented GA. By CLEM (correlative light—electron microscopy), we examined the GA fragments in cells expressing UPs. We found that GA fragments are fully functional and similar to the GA fragments that are formed after nocodazole treatment. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the reorganization of GA into a fragmented form is associated with the impairment of the MT organization in the basal, central and subapical cytoplasm and the accumulation of intermediate filaments in the apical cytoplasm that could affect the kinetics of MT star leading to the peripheral fragmentation of the GA in the differentiated UCs.Conclusions. The fragmentation of the GA and the subsequent spreading of GA to the cell periphery represent one of the key events that promote the uniform delivery of UPs over the entire APM of differentiating UCs and thus are of major importance in the final proper formation and maintenance of the blood—urine barrier.
The chaperone proteins HSP70, HSP40/DnaJ and GRP78/BiP suppress misfolding and formation of β-sheet-containing aggregates by human amylin: a potential role for defective chaperone biology in Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Chien Vita , Aitken Jacqueline F. , Zhang Shaoping , Buchanan Christina M. , Hickey Anthony , Brittain Thomas , Cooper Garth J. S. , Loomes Kerry M. 
Published: August 2010

Misfolding of the islet β-cell peptide hA (human amylin) into β-sheet-containing oligomers is linked to β-cell apoptosis and the pathogenesis of T2DM (Type 2 diabetes mellitus). In the present study, we have investigated the possible effects on hA misfolding of the chaperones HSP (heat-shock protein) 70, GRP78/BiP (glucose-regulated protein of 78 kDa/immunoglobulin heavy-chain-binding protein) and HSP40/DnaJ. We demonstrate that hA underwent spontaneous time-dependent β-sheet formation and aggregation by thioflavin-T fluorescence in solution, whereas rA (rat amylin) did not. HSP70, GRP78/BiP and HSP40/DnaJ each independently suppressed hA misfolding. Maximal molar protein/hA ratios at which chaperone activity was detected were 1:200 (HSP70, HSP40/DnaJ and GRP78/BiP). By contrast, none of the chaperones modified the secondary structure of rA. hA, but not rA, was co-precipitated independently with HSP70 and GRP78/BiP by anti-amylin antibodies. As these effects occur at molar ratios consistent with chaperone binding to relatively rare misfolded hA species, we conclude that HSP70 and GRP78/BiP can detect and bind misfolded hA oligomers, thereby effectively protecting hA against bulk misfolding and irreversible aggregation. Defective β-cell chaperone biology could contribute to hA misfolding and initiation of apoptosis in T2DM.
Circoletto: visualizing sequence similarity with Circos
Authors: Darzentas Nikos 
Published: August 2010

Abstract
Summary: We present Circoletto, an online visualization tool based on Circos, which provides a fast, aesthetically pleasing and informative overview of sequence similarity search results.
Availability and implementation: Online version and downloadable software package for offline use (source code in PERL) freely available at http://bat.ina.certh.gr/tools/circoletto/
Contact: ndarz@certh.gr
Detecting two-locus associations allowing for interactions in genome-wide association studies
Authors: Wan Xiang , Yang Can , Yang Qiang , Xue Hong , Tang Nelson L. S. , Yu Weichuan 
Published: August 2010

Abstract
Motivation: Genome-wide association studies (GWASs) aim to identify genetic susceptibility to complex diseases by assaying and analyzing hundreds of thousands of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Although traditional single-locus statistical tests have identified many genetic determinants of susceptibility, those findings cannot completely explain genetic contributions to complex diseases. Marchini and coauthors demonstrated the importance of testing two-locus associations allowing for interactions through a wide range of simulation studies. However, such a test is computationally demanding as we need to test hundreds of billions of SNP pairs in GWAS. Here, we provide a method to address this computational burden for dichotomous phenotypes.
Results: We have applied our method on nine datasets from GWAS, including the aged-related macular degeneration (AMD) dataset, the Parkinson's disease dataset and seven datasets from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium (WTCCC). Our method has discovered many associations that were not identified before. The running time for the AMD dataset, the Parkinson's disease dataset and each of seven WTCCC datasets are 2.5, 82 and 90 h on a standard 3.0 GHz desktop with 4 G memory running Windows XP system. Our experiment results demonstrate that our method is feasible for the full-scale analyses of both single- and two-locus associations allowing for interactions in GWAS.
Availability: http://bioinformatics.ust.hk/SNPAssociation.zip
Contact: nelsontang@cuhk.edu.hk; eeyu@ust.hk;
Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
The acoustic identification and enumeration of scyphozoan jellyfish, prey for leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), off central California
Authors: Graham Tanya R. , Harvey James T. , Benson Scott R. , Renfree Josiah S. , Demer David A. 
Published: August 2010

Abstract
Graham, T. R., Harvey, J. T., Benson, S. R., Renfree, J. S., and Demer, D. A. 2010. The acoustic identification and enumeration of scyphozoan jellyfish, prey for leatherback sea turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), off central California. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 1739–1748. Acoustic-sampling techniques were developed to estimate the abundance and distribution of scyphozoan jellyfish, prey for leatherback turtles foraging off central California. Acoustic data were analysed from regions where jellyfish were present or absent from corresponding net tows. Empirical data on bell-diameter distribution (mean 26.2 cm; s.d. 10.6) were used to estimate target strength (TS; dB re 1 m2) at 18, 38, 70, 120, and 200 kHz using a distorted-wave Born approximation scattering model. TS measurements of in situ animals at 38 and 200 kHz averaged −63.9 and −70.5 dB, compared with the model estimates of −54.9 and −64.0 dB, respectively. The model estimates of TS at 18, 70, and 120 kHz were −53.9, −59.9, and −61.8 dB, respectively. Using these TS estimates, an algorithm was developed to extract jellyfish echoes from total acoustic backscatter. Echo-integration methods applied to regions where net catches contained jellyfish resulted in an estimate of mean numerical abundance of 3217 jellyfish (s.d. 2276) with a mean density of 251 522 jellyfish nautical mile−2 (s.d. 57 504) and a mean concentration of 0.003 jellyfish m−3 (s.d. 0.002). The novel methods developed will help characterize prey resources for leatherback turtles off central California.
Changes in fish stocks in an Estonian estuary: overfishing by cormorants?
Authors: Vetemaa Markus , Eschbaum Redik , Albert Anu , Saks Lauri , Verliin Aare , Jürgens Kristiina , Kesler Martin , Hubel Kalvi , Hannesson Rögnvaldur , Saat Toomas 
Published: August 2010

AbstractVetemaa, M., Eschbaum, R., Albert, A., Saks, L., Verliin, A., Jürgens, K., Kesler, M., Hubel, K., Hannesson, R., and Saat, T. 2010. Changes in fish stocks in an Estonian estuary: overfishing by cormorants? – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 67: 1972–1979. In Estonia, the cormorant Phalacrocorax carbo sinensis is a newcomer, and its numbers have increased rapidly since 1985. In the shallow protected (no fishery) Käina Bay in Väinameri (West Estonia), the colony was established in 1995. Gillnet sampling indicated that roach was the most abundant spawning fish species in 1995. Ten years later, when the study was repeated, the catch per unit effort was already more than 100 times lower than in 1995. The number of spawning perch decreased tenfold from 1995 to 2005. During the same period, commercial fishing effort in the entire Väinameri area decreased several times. The change in fish abundance in the Käina Bay and in the coastal fish-monitoring areas in the archipelago sea nearby, together with an analysis of food of cormorants, indicates that the decline in fish abundance might be related to the increased numbers of cormorants. The conclusion is drawn that the establishment of a cormorant colony could have seriously damaged or even prevented normal functioning of historically important spawning grounds and affected fish recruitment to adjacent areas. Therefore, expanding bird colonies might play a role similar to an expanding fishing fleet, by overexploiting the resource.
Anesthesia Management for Robotically Assisted Endoscopic Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting on Beating Heart
Authors: Wang Gang , Gao Changqing , Zhou Qi , Chen Tingting 
Published: August 2010

Objective To outline the initial anesthetic experience for robotically assisted coronary artery bypass grafting surgery on beating heart using the da Vinci surgical system. Methods Between February 2007 and September 2009, 76 patients received the surgery with the da Vinci S Surgical System. The crucial issue of anesthesia for the surgery is to deal with the hemodynamic compromise, hypoxia and hypercarbia relevant to one-lung ventilation (OLV), and intrathoracic insufflation of CO2 with positive pressure (CO2 pneumothorax). Results After initiation of OLV and CO2 pneumothorax, PaO2 and mixed venous saturation showed a significant decrease. Meanwhile, the SpO2 decreased to 92% in 14 of the 76 patients. In these patients, application of continuous positive airway pressure setting 5 to 15 cm H2O to the collapsed lung resulted in an increase in PaO2 from 59 ± 12 to 115 ± 23 mm Hg (P < 0.05). Moreover, at the beginning of CO2 pneumothorax, the most dramatic fall in mean arterial pressure and cardiac index was showed with an increase in mean pulmonary artery pressure and heart rate. The hemodynamic compromise was counteracted by transfusion and inotropes/vasopressors. Postoperatively, the average extubation time was 7.5 ± 3.1 hours, and median intensive care unit length of stay was 21 hours. One patient remained in the intensive care unit for 3 days for treatment of a postoperative pneumonia. There were two cases of new onset postoperative atrial fibrillation. All patients were discharged home 4 to 7 days after surgery. Conclusions Anesthetic management for the procedures requires detailed knowledge of OLV and CO2 pneumothorax in addition to expertise required in conventional cardiac surgery.
Robot-Assisted Mitral Valve Repair a Single Institution Review
Authors: Bhamidipati Castigliano M. , Mehta Gaurav S. , Sarwar Muhammad F. , Sooppan Renganaden , Dilip Karikehalli A. , Lutz Charles J. 
Published: August 2010

Objective Mitral valve repair (MVR) is the definitive therapy for mitral myxomatous degeneration. Median sternotomy has been the traditional approach to repair until the advent of the da Vinci Surgical System (Intuitive Surgical, Inc., Sunnyvale, CA). Minimally invasive surgical approaches for mitral repair have been slow to gain acceptance in cardiac surgery. We review the MVR results from our single-institution academic robotic program. Methods From August 2004 through April 2008, patients who underwent a robotic-assisted (RA) MVR were identified. RA technique included a 4-cm right minithoracotomy, femoral cardiopulmonary bypass with transthoracic aortic occlusion, and RA-MVR. Repair types were combinations of quadrangular/triangular leaflet resection, sliding plasty, chordal transfer/replacement, and edge-to-edge approximation, with band annuloplasty in all cases. Postrepair echocardiography and morbidity follow-ups were completed in all patients. Our primary outcome was adequacy of repair, and secondary outcome was major complications. Results There were 43 patients (29 male and 14 female) who underwent RA-MVR for severe (4 +) mitral regurgitation during the 4-year review. Average operative time was 272.26 minutes. Only one patient had mild postoperative mitral regurgitation, whereas 20 had trace and 22 had no regurgitation after repair. Mean ventilator time was 32.1 hours, and length of stay was 5.7 days. One third of the patients (33%) received postoperative-packed red blood cell transfusions (average: 2.4 units per patient). Twenty-eight percent of patients developed atrial fibrillation after repair. Most of the patients (95.3%) were discharged home. There were no 30-day mortalities. Conclusions Based on our small single-institution experience, RA-MVR provides an effective treatment for severe mitral valve regurgitation. Although procedure durability is slowly being established, preliminary results are promising. Careful programmatic advances with an integrated team approach can facilitate acceptable postoperative outcomes and excellent MVR.
Prospective, Randomized Study Comparing Two Different Minimized versus Conventional Cardiopulmonary Bypass Systems
Authors: Schoenebeck Jeannette , Haddad Munif , Wegscheider Karl , Joubert-Huebner Elrina , Reichenspurner Hermann , Detter Christian 
Published: August 2010

Objective Conventional cardiopulmonary bypass (CCPB) is a major trigger of inflammatory response. We aimed to assess the impact of two different minimized cardiopulmonary bypass systems (mini-CPB) with and without Bioline-coating compared with CCPB regarding organ function, inflammatory response, and early clinical outcome. Methods In a prospective, randomized study, 120 patients underwent elective coronary artery bypass grafting and were randomized into three groups: mini-CPB using a Bioline-coated (group A, n = 40) or an uncoated (group B, n = 40) circuit, or CCPB (group C, n = 40). Cytokines (interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha), myocardial markers (creatine kinase [CK], CK-MB, and troponin-T), hematocrit, and platelet counts were measured up to 48 hours postoperatively. Early clinical outcome was assessed at 3 months postoperatively. Results Demographics, number of distal anastomoses, ventilation time, blood loss, intensive care unit, and hospital stay were comparable (P = not significant). Extracorporeal circulation and cross-clamp time were significantly longer in group A and B versus C (P < 0.005). No significant differences could be found in the release of interleukin-6, interleukin-8, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha among groups. Myocardial markers were significantly reduced in group A and B versus group C (P < 0.001). Hematocrit and platelet counts did not differ among the groups. No differences could be found in early clinical outcome up to 3 months. Conclusions This study showed significant better myocardial preservation with lower CK-MB and troponin-T levels in both mini-CPB groups. No significant differences could be found in terms of inflammation, hematologic effects, and early clinical outcome.