bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
GROWTH CHARACTERISTICS AND ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF THE BENTHIC DIATOM NAVICULA INCERTA (BACILLARIOPHYCEAE) FROM JEJU ISLAND, KOREA1
Authors: Affan Abu , Karawita Rohan , Jeon You‐Jin , Lee Joon‐Baek 
Published: July 2007

Benthic diatoms are a commonly used food source in shellfish aquaculture. Diatoms of the genus Navicula are the most abundant benthic diatoms occurring year‐round on the coast of Jeju Island, Korea. We isolated an axenic strain of N. incerta Grunow; estimated its growth characteristics under 27 different combinations of temperature, salinity, and nutrients; and determined its biochemical composition and antioxidant activities. The maximum specific growth rate (μmax), defined as the increase in cell density per unit time, was 0.81–1.04 · d−1, and the maximum cell density, 7.99 × 105 cells · mL−1, was reached at 0.88 · d−1 μmax, 20°C, 30 psu salinity, and F/2 nutrient concentration on day 12 of the culture period. The approximate cellular composition was as follows: 7.0 ± 0.04% protein, 1.7 ± 0.28% lipid, 12.8 ± 0.85% carbohydrate, 68.4 ± 0.09% ash, and 10.1 ± 0.44% moisture. The antioxidant properties of N. incerta were determined for various extracts. The rates of 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free‐radical scavenging for Neutrase and methanol extracts were 81.6% and 62.8%, respectively. Flavourzyme extract had a superoxide‐scavenging rate of 57.7%. Kojizyme and Ultraflo extracts had nitric‐oxide‐scavenging rates of 42.2% and 40.6%, respectively, significantly higher than commercial antioxidants, such as α‐tocopherol and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). The metal‐chelating activities of the methanol, Neutrase, and Termamyl extracts were 68.5%, 45.2%, and 41.2%, respectively, four to six times higher than commercial antioxidants. The Termamyl extract showed the highest linoleic acid peroxidation inhibition, exceeding α‐tocopherol and on par with BHT.
CO2‐CONCENTRATING MECHANISMS OF THE POTENTIALLY TOXIC DINOFLAGELLATE PROTOCERATIUM RETICULATUM (DINOPHYCEAE, GONYAULACALES)1
Authors: Ratti Simona , Giordano Mario , Morse David 
Published: July 2007

The low CO2 concentration in seawater poses severe restrictions on photosynthesis, especially on those species with form II RUBISCO. We found that the potentially toxic dinoflagellate Protoceratium reticulatum Clap. et J. Lachm. possesses a form II RUBISCO. To cast some light on the mechanisms this organism undergoes to cope with low CO2 availability, we compared cells grown at atmospheric (370 ppm) and high (5000 ppm) CO2 concentrations, with respect to a number of physiological parameters related to dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) acquisition and assimilation. The photosynthetic affinity for DIC was about one order of magnitude lower in cells cultivated at high [CO2]. End‐point pH‐drift experiments suggest that P. reticulatum was not able to efficiently use HCO3− under our growth conditions. Only internal carbonic anhydrase (CA) activity was detected, and its activity decreased by about 60% in cells cultured at high [CO2]. Antibodies raised against a variety of algal CAs were used for Western blot analysis: P. reticulatum extracts only cross‐reacted with anti‐ß‐CA sera, and the amount of immunoreactive protein decreased in cells grown at high [CO2]. No pyrenoids were observed under all growth conditions. Our data indicate that P. reticulatum has an inducible carbon‐concentrating mechanism (CCM) that operates in the absence of pyrenoids and with little intracellular CO2 accumulation. Calculations on the impact of the CA activity to photosynthetic growth [CO2] suggest that it is an essential component of the CCM of P. reticulatum and is necessary to sustain the photosynthetic rates observed at ambient CO2.
Blunted Rostral Anterior Cingulate Response During a Simplified Decoding Task of Negative Emotional Facial Expressions in Alcoholic Patients
Authors: Salloum Jasmin B. , Ramchandani Vijay A. , Bodurka Jerzy , Rawlings Robert , Momenan Reza , George David , Hommer Daniel W. 
Published: July 2007

Background:  Alcoholism is characterized by deficits in emotional functioning as well as by deficits in cognitive functioning. However, most brain imaging research on alcoholism has focused on cognition rather than emotion.Method:  We used an event‐related functional magnetic imaging approach to examine alcoholics’ brain blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) response to evaluation of emotional stimuli and to compare their response to that of nonalcoholic controls. The task used was a simplified variant of a facial emotion‐decoding task in which subjects determined the intensity level of a target emotion displayed as a facial expression. Facial expressions of happy, sad, anger, disgust, and fear were used as stimuli.Results:  Alcoholics and controls did not differ in accurately identifying the intensity level on the simple emotional decoding task but there were significant differences in their BOLD response during evaluation of facial emotion. In general, alcoholics showed less brain activation than nonalcoholic controls. The greatest differences in activation were during decoding of facial expressions of fear and disgust during which alcoholics had significantly less activation than controls in the affective division of the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). Alcoholics also had significantly less activation than controls in the affective division of the ACC, while viewing sad faces. Only to facial expressions of anger did the alcoholics show significant activation in the affective ACC and in this case, their BOLD response did not significantly differ from that of the controls.Conclusion:  Alcoholics show a deficit in the function of the affective division of the ACC during evaluation of negative facial emotions that can serve as cues for flight or avoidance. This deficit may underlie some of the behavioral dysfunction in alcoholism.
Altered Brain Activation by a False Recognition Task in Young Abstinent Patients With Alcohol Dependence
Authors: Akine Yoshihide , Kato Motoichiro , Muramatsu Taro , Umeda Satoshi , Mimura Masaru , Asai Yoshiyuki , Tanada Shuji , Obata Takayuki , Ikehira Hiroo , Kashima Haruo , Suhara Tetsuya 
Published: July 2007

Background:  Heavy alcohol intake induces both structural and functional changes in the central nervous system. Recent research developments converged on the idea that even in patients with alcohol dependence without apparent structural brain changes, some cognitive impairment exists, and associated functional change could be visualized by neuroimaging techniques. However, these data were from old (more than 50 years) patients using working memory and response inhibition tasks. Whether young abstinent patients show aberrant signs of brain activation is a matter of interest, specifically by the long‐term memory retrieval task.Methods:  Subjects were 9 young patients with alcohol dependence with long‐term abstinent (8 males and 1 female) and age‐ and education‐matched 9 healthy controls (7 males and 2 females). We used a modified false recognition task in a functional MRI study.Results:  The young patients with alcohol dependence showed reduced activation in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), left pulvinar in the thalamus, and in the right ventral striatum, although behavioral performances and regional patterns of brain activation were similar between patients and controls.Conclusions:  Long‐term memory retrieval induced altered activations in prefrontal lobes, ACC, thalamus, and ventral striatum in young patients with alcohol dependence. These findings were correspondent to deficits of goal directed behavior, monitoring the erroneous responses, memory function, and drug‐seeking behavior. Furthermore, these reduced activations can be considered as latent “lesions,” suggesting subclinical pathology in alcoholic brains.
A hedonic approach to estimating the supply of variety attributes of a subsistence crop
Authors: Edmeades Svetlana 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThe article extends the household hedonic model by estimating a supply function for variety attributes of a subsistence crop in a developing economy. The model is applied to bananas in Uganda, making use of disaggregated data on variety‐specific farm‐gate banana bunch prices and attributes, while accounting for the semisubsistence nature of banana‐producing households. The article is motivated by the need to understand the attribute trade‐offs made by farmers at the farm gate in light of targeted variety improvement efforts and their impact on banana markets. Whether variety improvement will pay off at the market level requires a more detailed examination of the relative worth of banana attributes within the structure of consumer preferences and production technologies related to bananas in Uganda. The results confirm the importance of consumption and production attributes in selling behavior. Quality and bunch size are found to be complements at the farm gate. Banana bunches that capture a premium at the market will be those that provide bundles of desirable consumption and production attributes simultaneously. By revealing important price–attribute relationships, the findings provide guidance for crop improvement efforts and diversification choices, while taking into account implicit market signals for output attributes.
Enhancing productivity on suburban dairy farms in China
Authors: Ma Hengyun , Rae Allan N. , Huang Jikun , Rozelle Scott 
Published: July 2007

AbstractDairy farms in China's suburban areas have been playing an important role in providing urban markets with fresh milk. With the rising demand for fluid milk and dairy products in the cities, there is a perception that small and scattered dairy farms in China's provinces are gradually disappearing and more concentrated dairy cattle farming is being formed near suburban areas. This article uses farm‐level survey data and stochastic input distance functions to make estimates of total factor productivity (TFP) on suburban dairy farms, as well as for the entire dairy sector. The results show that over the past decade TFP growth has been positive on suburban dairy farms, and this rise in productivity has been driven mostly by technological change. However, at the same time we find that, on average, the same farms have been falling behind the advancing technical frontier. We also find one of the drivers of the suburban dairy sector is the relatively robust rate of technological change of these farms, which has been more rapid than on farms in the dairy sector as a whole. The results suggest that efforts to achieve greater adoption of new technologies and better advice on how to use the technologies and manage production and marketing within the suburban dairy sector will further advance productivity growth in the sector.
The effect of information sources on technology adoption and modification decisions
Authors: Adegbola Patrice , Gardebroek Cornelis 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThis article focuses on adoption and modification decisions on improved maize storage technologies in southern Benin. Modification implies changing a technology to adapt to farmers' circumstances. A sample selection framework is used to account for selectivity bias as some farmers were not aware of the new technologies. Using this framework, the study investigates the effect of alternative information sources on adoption and modification decisions. Farmers are either informed by extension agents or by other farmers. The empirical results show that there are differences in adoption and modification decisions between these two groups.
Regional trade agreements and trade in agri‐food products: evidence for the European Union from gravity modeling using disaggregated data
Authors: Sarker Rakhal , Jayasinghe Sampath 
Published: July 2007

AbstractThe proliferation of regional trade agreements in recent years has intensified the debate on the desirability of these agreements in themselves and their coexistence with multilateral free trade under the WTO. This study contributes to this debate by analyzing trade creation and trade diversion effects of the European Union on trade flows of six major agri‐food products from 1985 to 2000. An extended gravity model is estimated employing pooled data and generalized least squares methods. The results show that the developments in the EU since the mid‐1980s have served to boost agri‐food trade significantly among the members. Some of the growth in intra‐EU trade in agri‐food products came at the expense of nonmembers as the EU reduced the degree of relative openness to trade with nonmembers during this period and diverted trade from the rest of the world into the intra‐EU channels.
Generating quiescent stem cells
Authors: Nishikawa Shin‐Ichi , Osawa Masatake 
Published: July 2007

SummaryAs the ability to detect and define stem cells (SCs) has increased, attention is turning towards the definition of the niche and the identification of the signals that induce SC quiescence or proliferation. The melanocyte stem–niche system, in which the SCs and their progeny occupy geographically distinct domains within the hair follicle, provides one of the best models for studying the complex interplay between environmental cues and transcription factors that underpin cell fate. This review discusses what is known of the origin and molecular characteristics of melanocyte SCs and proposes a series of temporal events that are likely to contribute to the establishment of melanocyte SCs in the hair follicle. We also highlight the possibility of in vitro systems capable of directing cultured melanocytes/melanoblasts to a SC fate in response to specific extrinsiccues.
Genetic analysis of seed size, yield and days to flowering in a chickpea recombinant inbred line population derived from a Kabuli × Desi cross
Authors: Cobos M.J. , Rubio J. , Fernández‐Romero M.D. , Garza R. , Moreno M.T. , Millán T. , Gil J. 
Published: July 2007

AbstractQuantitative traits, seed size, yield and days to flowering were studied in a chickpea intraspecific recombinant inbred line (RIL) population (F6:7) derived from a Kabuli × Desi cross. The population was evaluated in two locations over 2 years. Days to flowering was also evaluated in the greenhouse under short‐day conditions. Seed size was the most heritable trait (0.90), followed by days to flowering (0.36) and yield (0.14). Negative and significant correlation was found between yield and seed size in the second year where environmental homogeneity was tested by analysing the controls included in each assay. During the first year, the environment was not considered homogeneous for yield in either location. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for the three characters were detected in linkage group (LG) 4. In relation to seed size, two QTLs were located in LG4 (QTLSW1) and LG8 (QTLSW2). QTLSW1 accounted 20.3% of the total phenotypic variation and QTLSW2 explained 10.1%. A QTL for yield (QTLYD) was located in LG4 explaining around 13% of variation. QTLYD might be pleiotropic with QTLSW1. For days to flowering, a QTL (QTLDF1) was located in LG4 for all environments analysed explaining around 20% of variation. QTLDF1 was closely linked to QTLSW1 and QTLYD in LG4.
Intravenous immunoglobulin in primary and secondary chronic progressive multiple sclerosis: a randomized placebo controlled multicentre study
Authors: Pöhlau D. , Przuntek H. , Sailer M. , Bethke F. , Koehler J. , König N. , Heesen C. , Späth P. , Andresen I. 
Published: July 2007

In patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (MS), IVIG was shown to reduce the relapse rate and progression of disability. In patients with chronic progressive MS, a beneficial effect of IVIG was not documented in placebo controlled studies. This trial investigated the influence of IVIG in primary (PPMS) and secondary (SPMS) chronic progressive MS. Two-hundred and thirty-one patients stratified for PPMS ( n = 34) and SPMS ( n = 197) were randomly assigned to IVIG 0.4 g/kg per month or to placebo for 24 months. Primary endpoints were 1) the time to sustained progression of disease identified as worsening of the expanded disability status scale (EDSS) sustained for 3 months, and 2) the improvement of neurological functions defined by a patient's best EDSS score. Secondary endpoints were the proportion of patients with sustained progression, the relapse rate, the assessment of fine motor skills, visual evoked potentials, contrast sensitivity, depression and quality of life. Analysis of the intention-to-treat (ITT) population of combined PPMS and SPMS patients showed that the mean time to sustained progression was 74 weeks in the IVIG compared with 62 weeks in the placebo group ( P = 0.0406). When PPMS and SPMS patients were analysed separately, the time to sustained progression was also longer in the IVIG group, but the difference was not significant. There was no IVIG-mediated improvement in neurological functions. In the combined per protocol (PP) treated patients, IVIG treatment prolonged time to sustained progression by 13 weeks ( P = 0.0396). PPMS patients, but not SPMS patients showed a slight favourable IVIG effect on the best EDSS score. In the combined ITT population there were less patients with sustained progression in the IVIG than in the placebo group ( P = 0.028). The difference was significant in PPMS ( P = 0.016), but not in SPMS patients. In the combined PP population, there was a trend for a favorable IVIG effect on the rates of patients with sustained progression. In patients with PPMS, this IVIG effect reached significance ( P = 0.036). Other secondary endpoints did not show significant differences between treatment groups. Eighteen patients with PPMS and 102 patients with SPMS withdrew from the study for various reasons. Treatment was generally well tolerated. It was concluded that monthly IVIG infusion could delay progression of disease in patients with PPMS, and that there was a trend in favour of IVIG treatment in patients with SPMS. Multiple Sclerosis 2007; 13: 1107—1117. http://msj.sagepub.com
Artificial neural network models for prediction of intestinal permeability of oligopeptides
Authors: Jung Eunkyoung , Kim Junhyoung , Kim Minkyoung , Jung Dong Hyun , Rhee Hokyoung , Shin Jae-Min , Choi Kihang , Kang Sang-Kee , Kim Min-Kook , Yun Cheol-Heui , Choi Yun-Jaie , Choi Seung-Hoon 
Published: July 2007

Abstract

Background
Oral delivery is a highly desirable property for candidate drugs under development. Computational modeling could provide a quick and inexpensive way to assess the intestinal permeability of a molecule. Although there have been several studies aimed at predicting the intestinal absorption of chemical compounds, there have been no attempts to predict intestinal permeability on the basis of peptide sequence information. To develop models for predicting the intestinal permeability of peptides, we adopted an artificial neural network as a machine-learning algorithm. The positive control data consisted of intestinal barrier-permeable peptides obtained by the peroral phage display technique, and the negative control data were prepared from random sequences.

Results
The capacity of our models to make appropriate predictions was validated by statistical indicators including sensitivity, specificity, enrichment curve, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (the ROC score). The training and test set statistics indicated that our models were of strikingly good quality and could discriminate between permeable and random sequences with a high level of confidence.

Conclusion
We developed artificial neural network models to predict the intestinal permeabilities of oligopeptides on the basis of peptide sequence information. Both binary and VHSE (principal components score V ectors of H ydrophobic, S teric and E lectronic properties) descriptors produced statistically significant training models; the models with simple neural network architectures showed slightly greater predictive power than those with complex ones. We anticipate that our models will be applicable to the selection of intestinal barrier-permeable peptides for generating peptide drugs or peptidomimetics.
Peripheral nervous system manifestations in a Sandhoff disease mouse model: nerve conduction, myelin structure, lipid analysis
Authors: McNally Melanie A , Baek Rena C , Avila Robin L , Seyfried Thomas N , Strichartz Gary R , Kirschner Daniel A 
Published: July 2007

Abstract

Background
Sandhoff disease is an inherited lysosomal storage disease caused by a mutation in the gene for the β-subunit (Hexb gene) of β-hexosaminidase A (αβ) and B (ββ). The β-subunit together with the GM2 activator protein catabolize ganglioside GM2. This enzyme deficiency results in GM2 accumulation primarily in the central nervous system. To investigate how abnormal GM2 catabolism affects the peripheral nervous system in a mouse model of Sandhoff disease (Hexb-/-), we examined the electrophysiology of dissected sciatic nerves, structure of central and peripheral myelin, and lipid composition of the peripheral nervous system.

Results
We detected no significant difference in signal impulse conduction velocity or any consistent change in the frequency-dependent conduction slowing and failure between freshly dissected sciatic nerves from the Hexb+/- and Hexb-/- mice. The low-angle x-ray diffraction patterns from freshly dissected sciatic and optic nerves of Hexb+/- and Hexb-/- mice showed normal myelin periods; however, Hexb-/- mice displayed a ~10% decrease in the relative amount of compact optic nerve myelin, which is consistent with the previously established reduction in myelin-enriched lipids (cerebrosides and sulfatides) in brains of Hexb-/- mice. Finally, analysis of lipid composition revealed that GM2 content was present in the sciatic nerve of the Hexb-/- mice (undetectable in Hexb+/-).

Conclusion
Our findings demonstrate the absence of significant functional, structural, or compositional abnormalities in the peripheral nervous system of the murine model for Sandhoff disease, but do show the potential value of integrating multiple techniques to evaluate myelin structure and function in nervous system disorders.
Interleukin-6 Genetic Variability and Adiposity: Associations in Two Prospective Cohorts and Systematic Review in 26,944 Individuals
Authors: Qi Lu , Zhang Cuilin , van Dam Rob M. , Hu Frank B. 
Published: July 2007

Abstract
Context: IL-6 (IL6) is an immune-modulating cytokine associated with obesity in humans.
Objective: Our objective was to assess the associations between the genetic variability of IL6 gene and adiposity and long-term changes.
Design and Subjects: We determined the linkage disequilibrium-tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms of IL6 gene in 2255 healthy women and 980 healthy men from two prospective cohorts. We also conducted a metaanalysis on the associations between polymorphism −174G&gt;C (rs1800795) and adiposity.
Results: IL6 haplotype 222211 (possessing rs2069827, rs1800797, rs1800795, rs1554606, rs2069861, and rs1818879; 1 codes the common and 2 codes the minor alleles) was consistently and significantly associated with greater waist circumference (P = 0.009 in men; P = 0.0003 in women) and baseline body mass index (BMI) (P = 0.01 in men; P = 0.046 in women) compared with the most common haplotype 111112. Haplotype 222211 was also associated with significantly higher early-adulthood BMI in women (P = 0.007). The haplotype-associated difference in BMI persisted significantly during the follow-up. A 5′ promoter polymorphism, rs2069827, was consistently associated with significantly higher early-adulthood BMI, baseline BMI, and waist circumference in men (carriers vs. noncarriers, P = 0.01, 0.007, and 0.008) and women (P = 0.01, 0.10, and 0.0016). The data from this study and a metaanalysis of 26,944 individuals did not support substantial relations between the best-studied polymorphism, −174G&gt;C, and adiposity.
Conclusions: Our data from two independent cohorts indicate that the variability of the IL6 gene is significantly associated with adiposity. Such associations are less likely to be caused by polymorphism −174G&gt;C.