bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Genome‐wide linkage analyses of extended Utah pedigrees identifies loci that influence recurrent, early‐onset major depression and anxiety disorders
Authors: Camp Nicola J. , Lowry Michael R. , Richards R. Lynn , Plenk Agnes M. , Carter Catherine , Hensel Charles H. , Abkevich Victor , Skolnick Mark H. , Shattuck Donna , Rowe Kerry G. , Hughes Dana C. , Cannon‐Albright Lisa A. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is a common, clinically heterogeneous disorder often found comorbid with other disorders. We studied recurrent, early‐onset MDD (MDD‐RE) and anxiety disorders in combination to define powerful phenotypes for genetic study. We used 87 large, extended Utah pedigrees to investigate linkage to 3 phenotypes: “MDD‐RE;” “MDD‐RE or anxiety;” and “MDD‐RE and anxiety;” where in the latter definition the disorders must appear comorbid within an individual. Pedigrees ranged in size from 2 to 6 generations and contained 3 to 42 individuals affected with MDD or anxiety (718 total). In primary analyses, we identified three regions with at least suggestive genome‐wide evidence for linkage on chromosomes 3centr, 7p, and 18q. Both 7p and 18q are replication findings for related phenotypes. The best linkage evidence was for a novel locus at 3p12.3‐q12.3 (LOD = 3.88, “MDD‐RE or anxiety”) and 18q21.33‐q22.2 (LOD = 3.75, “MDD‐RE and anxiety”), a well‐established susceptibility locus for bipolar disorder. In our secondary sex‐specific analyses, we identified two further regions of interest on chromosomes 4q and 15q. Using linked pedigrees, we localized 3centr and 18q to 9.8 and 12.2 cM, respectively, with potential for further localization with the addition of markers in specific pedigrees. Our success in replication and novel locus identification illustrates the utility of large extended pedigrees for common disorders, such as MDD. Further, it supports the hypothesis that MDD and anxiety disorders have over‐lapping genetic etiologies and suggests that comorbid diagnoses may be useful in defining more genetically homogeneous forms of MDD for linkage mapping. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Hyperhomocysteinemia, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase 677TT genotype, and the risk for schizophrenia: A dutch population based case‐control study
Authors: Muntjewerff Jan‐Willem , Hoogendoorn Mechteld L.C. , Kahn René S. , Sinke Richard J. , Heijer Martin Den , Kluijtmans Leo A.J. , Blom Henk J. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractEvidence for an involvement of aberrant homocysteine metabolism in the aetiology of schizophrenia is limited and controversial. A case‐control study was performed to quantify the risk of schizophrenia in the presence of elevated homocysteine concentrations or homozygosity for the 677C → T polymorphism (677TT) in the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene in subjects of Dutch ancestry. We determined the 677C → T MTHFR genotype distribution in 254 well‐defined patients and 414 healthy controls. Plasma homocysteine concentrations were measured in 62 patients with schizophrenia and 432 control subjects. When homocysteine concentrations were stratified into quartiles of the control distribution, we calculated an increased risk for schizophrenia in the fourth and third quartile versus the lowest quartile [odds ratio (OR) = 3.3; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.2–9.2, and OR = 3.1; 95% CI: 1.2–8.0, respectively]. A significant dose‐response relation of increasing homocysteine levels and increasing risk for schizophrenia was observed (P = 0.036). The 677TT genotype was associated with an OR of 1.6 [95% CI: 0.96–2.8] of having schizophrenia. Heterozygosity for the T allele compared to 677CC subjects accounted for an OR of 1.3 [95% CI: 0.91–1.8]. Elevated homocysteine levels and the MTHFR 677TT genotype are associated with an increased risk for schizophrenia. These observations support a causal relation between disturbed homocysteine metabolism and schizophrenia. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cranial base angulation and growth of the human fetal pharynx
Authors: Jeffery Nathan 
Published: April 2005

AbstractThe upper airway controls the mechanisms of breathing, swallowing, and vocalization. Information on its normal ontogenetic associations is therefore crucial for understanding human speech evolution as well as the developmental etiology of speech abnormalities. Of particular interest to evolutionary morphologists is the proposed structural association between the upper airway and the cranial base. The present study aims to elucidate whether cranial base angulation is linked to growth of the upper airway during human fetal life. Forty postmortem human fetuses ranging from 10 to 29 weeks of gestation were imaged with high‐resolution magnetic resonance imaging. Measurements of basicranial angle, hyoid depth, hormion height, and pharyngeal area were taken from sagittal images. Results show a significant correlation between the internal and external basicranial angles but the correlation between relative hyoid depth and internal cranial base angle was not significant. Findings show a significant correlation between increases in the size of the oropharynx relative to the nasopharynx and increases in the internal cranial base angle (retroflexion). These findings give limited support (rrank = 0.46; P < 0.01) for the hypothesis that restructuring of the upper airway underlies basicranial retroflexion during prenatal life. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Stable production of hyaluronic acid in Streptococcus zooepidemicus chemostats operated at high dilution rate
Authors: Blank Lars M. , McLaughlin Richard L. , Nielsen Lars K. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractHyaluronic acid is routinely produced through fermentation of both Group A and C streptococci. Despite significant production costs associated with short fermentations and removal of contaminating proteins released during entry into stationary phase, hyaluronic acid is typically produced in batch rather than continuous culture. The main reason is that hyaluronic acid synthesis has been found to be unstable in continuous culture except at very low dilution rates. Here, we investigated the mechanisms underlying this instability and developed a stable, high dilution rate (0.4 h−1) chemostat process for both chemically defined and complex media operating for more than 150 h of production. In chemically defined medium, the product yield was 25% higher in chemostat cultures than in conventional batch culture when arginine or glucose was the limiting substrate. In contrast, glutamine limitation resulted in higher ATP requirements and a yield similar to that observed in batch culture. In complex, glucose‐limited medium, ATP requirements were greatly reduced but biomass synthesis was favored over hyaluronic acid and no improvement in hyaluronic acid yield was observed. The successful establishment of continuous culture at high dilution rate enables both commercial production at reduced cost and a more rational characterization and optimization of hyaluronic acid production in streptococci. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Intramolecular Electron Transfer in Nitrite Reductases
Authors: Wherland Scot , Farver Ole , Pecht Israel 
Published: April 2005

AbstractThe copper‐ and heme‐containing nitrite reductases (NiRs) are key enzymes in denitrification. Their subunits contain two distinct redox‐active metal centers, an electron‐accepting site and a nitrite‐reducing site, to carry out the single‐electron reduction of nitrite to nitic oxide. Catalytic cycles of both enzyme families employ intramolecular electron transfer that can be rate‐determining for their activity. Herein, we report results comparing these two enzyme families in order to resolve the different mechanisms controlling intramolecular electron transfer in these proteins.
Stability of (C60)2 and epoxide dimers, (C60)2ON, and their anions
Authors: Owens Frank J. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractThe PM3, AM1, and MINDO3 semiemperical methods are used to calculate the the energy difference between C60ON and C60O and the bond dissociation energy necessary to cleave neutral and negatively charged (C60)2 dimers and epoxide dimers, (C60)2ON, to their respective monomers C60, and C60ON/2. The results show that the anions of the dimers are significantly more stable than neutral dimers. This result may explain the higher thermal stability of the observed ferromagnetic phase in photolyzed C60. which has been attributed to epoxide dimers and oligomers. It also provides an explanation for the origin of unpaired electron spin necessary for ferromagnetism. Published 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 26: 803–806, 2005
Preparation of monolithic silica column with strong cation‐exchange stationary phase for capillary electrochromatography
Authors: Xie Chuanhui , Hu Jiwei , Xiao Hua , Su Xingye , Dong Jing , Tian Ruijun , He Zhike , Zou Hanfa 
Published: April 2005

AbstractA monolithic silica based strong cation‐exchange stationary phase was successfully prepared for capillary electrochromatography. The monolithic silica matrix from a sol‐gel process was chemically modified by treatment with 3‐mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane followed by a chemical oxidation procedure to produce the desired function. The strong cation‐exchange stationary phase was characterized by its substantial and stable electroosmotic flow (EOF), and it was observed that the EOF value of the prepared column remained almost unchanged at different buffer pH values and slowly decreased with increasing phosphate concentration in the mobile phase. The monolithic silica column with strong cation‐exchange stationary phase has been successfully employed in the electrochromatographic separation of β‐blockers and alkaloids extracted from traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs). The column efficiencies for the tested β‐blockers varied from 210,000 to 340,000 plates/m. A peak compression effect was observed for atenolol with the mobile phase having a low phosphate concentration.
Solid phase micro‐extraction coupled with ion mobility spectrometry for the analysis of ephedrine in urine
Authors: Lokhnauth John K. , Snow Nicholas H. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractQuantitative solid phase micro‐extraction (SPME) coupled with ion mobility spectrometry is demonstrated using the analysis of ephedrine in urine. Since its inception in the 1970's ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) has evolved into a useful technique for laboratories to detect explosives, chemical warfare agents, environment pollutants and, increasingly, for detecting drugs of abuse. Ephedrine is extracted directly from urine samples using SPME and the analyte on the fiber is heated by the IMS desorber unit and vaporized into the drift tube. The analytical procedure was optimized for fiber coating selection, extraction temperature, extraction time, sample pH, and analyte desorption temperature. The carryover effects, ion fragmentation characteristics, peak shapes, and drift times of ephedrine were also evaluated based on the direct interfacing of SPME to IMS. A limit of detection of 50 ng/mL of ephedrine in urine and a linear range of 3 orders of magnitude were obtained, showing that SPME‐IMS compares well to other techniques for ephedrine and drug analysis presented in the literature.
Three‐dimensional stereotactic surface projection SPECT analysis in Parkinson's disease with and without dementia
Authors: Osaki Yasushi , Morita Yukari , Fukumoto Mitsutaka , Akagi Naoki , Yoshida Shoji , Doi Yoshinori 
Published: April 2005

AbstractWe investigated regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) using three‐dimensional stereotactic surface projection (3D‐SSP) analysis in 30 patients initially diagnosed as Parkinson's disease (PD), and compared differences in rCBF between patients with and without PD‐related manifestations. 3D‐SSP analysis of cerebral perfusion was performed by use of a control database. Compared to age‐matched controls, there were multiple hypoperfusion areas in cases where the original diagnosis was PD. Temporal bases showed the lowest perfusion; frontal bases and medial parietal lobes the second; visual cortices the third; and parietal association areas exhibited the fourth lowest. During the clinical course, 10 of the patients suffered dementia, 9 had fluctuating cognition, and 19 experienced repeated visual hallucinations. Significant negative correlations were observed between dementia and the bilateral posterior cingulate area, and among fluctuating cognition and bilateral medial parietal lobes, parietal association areas, and dorsal occipital lobes. Repeated visual hallucinations did not show any correlation with any region of interest. We concluded that multiple hypoperfusion areas were observed in the 3D‐SSP SPECT analysis. Although the presence of dementia showed a significant relationship with the bilateral posterior cingulate areas, perfusion in the frontal bases, temporal bases, or parietal lobes was markedly more reduced than that seen in the bilateral posterior cingulate areas. © 2005 Movement Disorder Society
Characterization of subclinical tremor in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Beuter Anne , Barbo Emilie , Rigal Robert , Blanchet Pierre J. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractThe physiological or pathological nature of subclinical tremor amplitude in Parkinson's disease (PD) is not well established. We analyzed characteristics of resting and postural tremors of subclinical amplitude in 17 patients with idiopathic PD without visible resting tremor, having a postural tremor in their least‐affected hand rated 0 (12 subjects) or 1 (5 subjects) on Item 21 of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, compared to 17 control subjects matched for age, sex, and handedness. Tremor was recorded at the tip of the index finger using a displacement laser transducer. Overall results show that subclinical resting tremor in PD is significantly different from physiological tremor in terms of amplitude fluctuation, frequency dispersion, harmonic index, and proportional power in 4 to 6 Hz. No significant differences were found for postural tremor. These differences appear to originate mainly from patients with the mixed form of the disease. This study also confirms the preservation of physiological tremor likely originating from a distinct central oscillator in PD. The use of this method in the early and detailed characterization of PD tremors when amplitude is still within normal limits is proposed. © 2005 Movement Disorder Society
Optimization of real time RT‐PCR methods for the analysis of gene expression in mouse eggs and preimplantation embryos
Authors: Jeong Yu‐Jeong , Choi Hye‐Won , Shin Hyeon‐Sang , Cui Xiang‐Shun , Kim Nam‐Hyung , Gerton George L. , Jun Jin Hyun 
Published: April 2005

AbstractThis study was carried out to optimize conditions for using real time RT‐PCR as an efficient and precise quantitative method for estimating the transcript levels of genes expressed in samples containing miniscule amounts of RNA, such as single mammalian oocytes and embryos. First, using mouse eggs and blastocysts, we tested three kinds of RNA isolation or collection methods: TRIZOL reagent, oligo‐dT conjugated beads, or three freeze/thaw cycles with the reverse transcription buffer. There were no significant differences among three groups in mRNA quantity as assayed by real time RT‐PCR analysis. Second, we compared the efficacy of real time analysis between TaqMan fluorescent probes and the SYBR‐green dye system. The two systems presented similar real time RT‐PCR profiles for the 16s ribosomal protein gene from oocytes to blastocysts. Third, RNA from mouse embryos at defined stages of preimplantation development were isolated and the levels of transcripts encoded by several housekeeping genes (GAPDH, β‐actin, ribosomal protein L7, 16s ribosomal protein, histone H2A.Z) were quantitatively analyzed by real time RT‐PCR. The histone H2A.Z and 16s ribosomal protein slightly increased from the egg to blastocyst stages by approximately 10‐ and 30‐fold, respectively. However, other transcripts increased more than 300‐fold as a function of developmental stage from eggs to blastocysts. Our results suggest that the simple freezing/thawing method for RNA collection, the economic SYBR‐green dye system, and histone H2A.Z gene as an internal control should be useful for the real time RT‐PCR analysis of single mouse eggs and preimplantation embryos. Mol. Reprod. Dev. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Specific maternal transcripts in bovine oocytes and cleavaged embryos: Identification with novel DDRT‐PCR methods
Authors: Hwang Kyu‐Chan , Park Sae‐Young , Park Se‐Pill , Lim Jin Ho , Cui Xiang‐Shun , Kim Nam‐Hyung 
Published: April 2005

AbstractWe used annealing control primer (ACP)‐based differential display reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (DDRT‐PCR) to isolate differentially expressed amplicons in bovine germinal vesicle (GV) stage oocytes, 8‐cell stage embryos produced in vitro, and blastocyst stage embryos produced in vitro. Four expressed sequence tags (ESTs) of genes that were specifically and predominantly expressed in GV oocytes were cloned and sequenced. We have used a fluorescence monitored real‐time quantitative PCR (qPCR) to quantify and analyzed the temporal expression of the target differentially expressed transcripts throughout the preimplantation stages from oocytes to blastocysts. The cloned genes or ESTs all exhibited significant sequence similarity with known bovine genes (98%–100%; DNCL1 and ZP2) or ESTs (81%–97%; FANK1 and GTL3) of other species. As revealed by real‐time qRT‐PCR, DNCL1, FANK1, GTL3, and ZP2 transcripts were observed in the GV stage oocytes and expression gradually decreased up to the 8‐cell stage embryo and the transcripts were not detected in later stages. Similarly, upregulation was observed in GV stage mouse oocytes and metaphase II, suggesting that these four differentially expressed orthologous genes play important roles in early preimplantation, as maternally‐derived transcripts. Mol. Reprod. Dev. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Production of α1,3‐galactosyltransferase gene knockout pigs expressing both human decay‐accelerating factor and N‐acetylglucosaminyltransferase III
Authors: Takahagi Yoichi , Fujimura Tatsuya , Miyagawa Shuji , Nagashima Hiroshi , Shigehisa Tamotsu , Shirakura Ryota , Murakami Hiroshi 
Published: April 2005

AbstractHeterozygous alpha 1,3‐galactosyltransferase (GT) gene knockout pigs were produced with transgenic pig fetal cells expressing both human decay‐accelerating factor (hDAF) and N‐acetylglucosaminyltransferase III (GnT‐III). In this study, we assessed the gene targeting efficiency in the transgenic pig fetal cells derived from different fetal tissues such as brain, skin, heart, and liver, or fetal carcass. Targeted cell colonies were selected by hygromycin B. The GT‐knockout colonies (KO colonies) were obtained equally from the cells derived from all tissues except liver. Staining with five antibodies against intermediate filaments, all examined KO cell lines stained positive for vimentin with the exception of a colony that stained positive for both vimentin and glial fibrillary acidic protein simultaneously. This is the first study to produce KO cells from the astrocytes. Some of these KO cell lines were used for nuclear transfer (NT) to obtain KO pig fetuses. Fourteen fetuses were obtained from two recipients of the embryo transfer and eight of them had normal ploidy. The cells from the KO pig fetuses were also used for NT to produce cloned KO pigs. Two healthy clone pigs were born. These pigs were determined to have a heterozygous knockout GT gene and the two transgenes. The cells collected from the KO pigs were shown to have similar expression levels of hDAF and GnT‐III compared to their original transgenic pigs and less than a half levels of the αGal epitopes existed in wild‐type pig cells. Mol. Reprod. Dev. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Functional sparing of intrafusal muscle fibers in muscular dystrophies
Authors: Aimonetti Jean‐Marc , Ribot‐Ciscar Edith , Rossi‐Durand Christiane , Attarian Shahram , Pouget Jean , Roll Jean‐Pierre 
Published: April 2005

AbstractIn a previous study, we showed that patients with muscular dystrophies (MDs) perceive passive movements, experience sensations of illusory movement induced by muscle tendon vibration, and have proprioceptive‐regulated sways in response to vibratory stimulation applied to the neck and ankle muscle tendons. These findings argue for preserved proprioceptive functions of muscle spindles. However, it is unclear whether the function of intrafusal muscle fibers is spared, i.e., whether they retain their ability to contract when submitted to a fusimotor drive. To answer this question, we analyzed the effects of reinforcement maneuvers (mental computation and the Jendrassik maneuver) that are known to increase muscle spindle sensitivity via fusimotor drive in healthy subjects. Nine patients with different MDs participated in the study. Reinforcement maneuvers increased both the mean amplitude of the Achilles tendon reflex (187 ± 52.9% of the mean control amplitude) and the sensitivity of muscle spindle afferents to imposed movements of the ankle. The same reinforcement maneuvers failed to alter the amplitude of the Hoffmann reflex in the triceps surae muscle. These results suggest that the intrafusal muscle fibers preserve their contractile abilities in slowly progressive MDs. The reasons for a differential impairment of intrafusal and extrafusal muscle fibers and the clinical implications of the present results are discussed. Muscle Nerve, 2005
Optimization methods for the verification of second order sufficient conditions for bang–bang controls
Authors: Maurer H. , Büskens C. , Kim J.‐H. R. , Kaya C. Y. 
Published: April 2005

AbstractIt has been common practice to find controls satisfying only necessary conditions for optimality, and then to use these controls assuming that they are (locally) optimal. However, sufficient conditions need to be used to ascertain that the control rule is optimal. Second order sufficient conditions (SSC) which have recently been derived by Agrachev, Stefani, and Zezza, and by Maurer and Osmolovskii, are a special form of sufficient conditions which are particularly suited for numerical verification. In this paper we present optimization methods and describe a numerical scheme for finding optimal bang–bang controls and verifying SSC. A straightforward transformation of the bang–bang arc durations allows one to use standard optimal control software to find the optimal arc durations as well as to check SSC. The proposed computational verification technique is illustrated on three example applications. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preparation and phase behavior of poly(4‐trimethylsilylstyrene)‐block‐polyisoprene
Authors: Harada Masashi , Ohya Masayuki , Suzuki Takahisa , Kawaguchi Daisuke , Takano Atsushi , Matsushita Yushu 
Published: April 2005

AbstractThree poly(4‐trimethylsilylstyrene)‐block‐polyisoprenes (TIs), the molecular weights of which were 82,000, 152,000 and 291,000 (TI‐82K, TI‐152K, and TI‐291K), were synthesized by sequential anionic polymerizations. The component polymers were a miscible pair that presented a lower critical solution temperature phase diagram if blended. The TI phase behavior was investigated with transmission electron microscopy. The order–disorder transition could be observed at a temperature between 200 °C (the ordered state) and 150 °C (the disordered state) for the block copolymer TI‐152K. The block copolymer TI‐82K presented the disordered state at 200 °C, whereas TI‐291K was in the ordered state at 150 °C. With the Flory–Huggins interaction parameter between poly(4‐trimethylsilylstyrene) and polyisoprene, which was evaluated by small‐angle neutron scattering for the block copolymers, the TI phase behavior could be reasonably explained by mean‐field theory. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 43: 1214–1219, 2005