bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Population sex ratio variation in a monogamous long‐lived bird, the wandering albatross
Authors: WEIMERSKIRCH HENRI , LALLEMAND JOELLE , MARTIN JULIEN 
Published: March 2005

Summary

Factors affecting population birth sex ratio and variations of sex ratios within population in very long‐lived animals are poorly known, apart for humans that have attracted much attention. We measured the age and sex structure of a population of a monogamous long‐lived seabird, the wandering albatross Diomedea exulans, where reproductive performance of individuals is known, to examine factors affecting sex ratio variation and survival consequences of producing a particular sex.
The overall sex ratio at hatching is significantly biased toward the production of males. Very young and old parents tend to produce an excess of female offsprings, whereas intermediate‐aged birds, which represent the bulk of the population, produce an excess of males. Low‐quality parents (quality is measured as average breeding success over the cumulated past breeding life, and is not related to condition or age) produce more female chicks compared with high‐quality parents that represent the bulk of the population. The combined effect of age and quality of parents produce an extensive sex ratio variation at the level of the population.
The survival of male and female parents is influenced differently by their quality and by the sex of offspring. Male parents die in larger numbers when rearing a female chick, whereas low‐quality female parents have a lower survival, especially when they rear a male offspring, the sex needing higher parental investment. The differences between males and females parents’ survival are probably due their contrasted investment in parental care.
After fledging, during the 5–8‐year period of immaturity, there is a much higher mortality of males that balances the surplus of males at hatching and fledging and results in a similar number of males and females at the time of recruitment. However, the overall operational sex ratio is male biased due to the slightly higher mortality of adult females that results in an excess of old widowed males: excluding these post‐reproductive males leads to an unbiased operational sex ratio.
These results show that sex ratio at hatching varies extremely with the age and phenotypic quality of parents, and lead to a complex age and sex structure of the population in this strictly monogamous long‐lived species.
Trade‐offs in resistance to competitors and predators, and their effects on the diversity of tropical marine sponges
Authors: WULFF JANIE L. 
Published: March 2005

SummaryConsistently very high regional diversity of tropical marine sponges reflects a combination of high within‐habitat diversity and distinctness of species composition among habitats. Distinctive sponge faunas of Caribbean coral reefs and mangroves seem to support the assumption that abiotic factors determine sponge diversity within habitats and faunal differences between habitats because these habitats differ greatly in abiotic characteristics and because lower species diversity on mangroves appears to reflect their inferiority as sponge habitat.A way to test this assumption is provided by unusual mangrove cays in Belize that are inhabited by the typical Caribbean reef sponge fauna. Reciprocal transplant experiments, combined with caging (predator‐free space) and artificial substrata (competitor‐free space), demonstrated control of community membership by biological interactions for 12 common species: spongivorous predators excluded typical mangrove sponges from reef sponge assemblages, and reef sponges were excluded from mangrove sponge assemblages by competition.Variation in growth rate was related inversely to variation in defences against predators in the species studied, suggesting a trade‐off between resistance to competitors and to predators.This trade‐off influences community structure, as the key importance of competition for space among mangrove species results in lower within‐habitat diversity, while multiple challenges, including predation, may maintain high diversity of reef sponges. Differences in species composition between habitats are maintained, as this trade‐off precludes success of individual species as members of both faunas.Most surprising is that typical faunas of mangroves and reefs are not tied to these habitats by abiotic factors. Greater sponge species diversity on the reef does not necessarily indicate superior conditions for sponges. Instead reefs may be a refuge for species that grow too slowly to coexist with typical mangrove species.
Testing the assumptions of the ideal despotic distribution with an unpredictable food supply: experiments in juvenile salmon
Authors: MACLEAN AMANDA , HUNTINGFORD FELICITY A. , RUXTON GRAEME D. , MORGAN IAN J. , HAMILTON JUDITH , ARMSTRONG JOHN D. 
Published: March 2005

SummaryModels linking the behaviours of individual animals, their positions within socially complex groups and spatio‐temporal variation in resource distribution offer a promising base for predicting population responses to changing environments. The ideal free and despotic distributions and their derivatives are particularly influential in this regard.Due to the difficulties of conducting work in the wild, for some groups of animals such models are often based on observations of animals in small‐scale systems under conditions that are well controlled, but unnaturally simple.Using an experimental system based on field observations of home range size and variation in food availability, the present study tested whether models derived using small‐scale laboratory observations are valid for juvenile Atlantic salmon in more natural conditions.Contrary to predictions, we found no differences in behaviour between the control fish (which experienced consistently rich feeding patches) and the experimental fish (which experienced unpredictable 10‐fold changes in patch quality).Also contrary to predictions, in the variable condition, salmon used high quality patches (which were an order of magnitude better than low quality patches) only marginally (5%) more than would be expected if they were to forage at random. There was significant variation in foraging strategies between individual fish, with 28% of the population making non‐random use of foraging patches.The only apparent systematic relationship between social rank and use of foraging patches was that fish that were both dominant and made many moves between feeding locations tended to leave rich patches less frequently than they left poor patches.Despite the low correlation between patch quality and movement, there was substantial movement of fish among patches. Forty‐four per cent of moves followed aggressive interactions and most others were spontaneous, with no obvious motivating factor apparent.The study exposes a discrepancy between expectations derived from the basic concepts of patch choice theory and the behaviour of Atlantic salmon in the conditions pertaining in the present study.It is suggested that this discrepancy may arise both from the fact that applicability of patch choice models may be very sensitive to the stability of differences in patch quality and from uncertainties about the costs of habitat sampling.
Hallucinations in bipolar disorder: characteristics and comparison to unipolar depression and schizophrenia
Authors: Baethge Christopher , Baldessarini Ross J , Freudenthal Klaus , Streeruwitz Anna , Bauer Michael , Bschor Tom 
Published: March 2005

Objective: As there is very little research on the topic, we compared the frequency and the type hallucinations among hospitalized patients diagnosed with bipolar disorder (BPD) versus other major psychiatric illnesses.Methods: At admission, all patients hospitalized at the Department of Psychiatry at the Freie Universität Berlin (1981–2001) underwent comprehensive assessments using the standardizedAssociation for Methodology and Documentation in Psychiatry(AMDP) system. We used these data to compare risks and types of hallucinations and associated factors by bivariate and multivariate testing in patients diagnosed with BPD, major depression, or schizophrenia.Results: At admission, the cross‐sectional prevalence of current hallucinations among 4972 hospitalized subjects ranked: schizophrenia (61.1%), bipolar mixed (22.9%), bipolar manic (11.2%), bipolar depressed (10.5%), unipolar depressed (5.9%). The most frequent hallucinations across all patients were auditory, followed by somatic and visual hallucinations. There were only minor age or sex differences in risk of hallucinations. Compared with patients diagnosed with schizophrenia, hallucinations among patients with BPD were less severe, more visual and less often auditory. Characteristics of hallucinations were similar among manic and both bipolar‐ and unipolar‐depressed subjects. Among patients with major affective disorders, those with hallucinations were less well‐educated, had higher anxiety scores, less insight into the illness, and their hospitalizations averaged 17% longer. Across all diagnoses, hallucinations, particularly olfactory, were significantly associated with delusions. Hallucinations in BPD were most often accompanied by persecutory delusions; delusions of grandeur were least associated with hallucinations.Conclusions: This study provides detailed descriptive data regarding the frequency (cross‐sectional) and characteristics of hallucinations in a large sample of patients with BPD, major depression or schizophrenia. Our results suggest a link of lower education and the presence of hallucinations in major affective disorders. The significance of this finding, as well as the role of anxiety in hallucinating patients, requires further study.
Kontrollierte schichtweise Abtragung anogenitaler Warzen mittels Argon‐Plasma‐Koagulation
Authors: Weyandt Gerhard H. , Benoit Sandrine , Becker Jürgen C. , Bröcker Eva‐Bettina , Hamm Henning 
Published: March 2005

Zusammenfassung Hintergrund: Bei ausgedehntem anogenitalen Warzenbefall werden nach den Leitlinien der Deutschen STD‐Gesellschaft als mögliche Behandlungsformen mit vergleichbaren Rezidivraten die Kryotherapie, exzidierende Verfahren, die Elektrodesikkation, CO2‐ und Nd:YAG‐Laserabtragung empfohlen. Bei diesen Verfahren besteht ein unterschiedlich hohes Risiko von Blutungen, Freisetzung potentiell infektionsfähiger Viruspartikel in die Raumluft, tiefer thermischer Destruktion, langer Wundheilungszeit und Vernarbung. Methode: Mit der Argon‐Plasma‐Koagulation werden anogenitale Warzen kontrolliert schichtweise abgetragen. Dabei wird Hochfrequenzstrom kontaktlos durch ionisiertes Argon auf die Gewebeoberfläche übertragen, wodurch eine oberflächliche Koagulation mit nahezu konstanter Eindringtiefe erreicht wird. Ergebnisse: Wir behandelten in der Zeit von Januar 2001 bis März 2003 54 Patienten mit ausgedehntem genitalen, analen oder kombinierten Befall von Warzen. Nach einmaliger Therapie waren 66 % der Patienten bis zum Abschluß der Kontrolluntersuchungen nach 4 Monaten erscheinungsfrei. Rezidive wurden bei 13 Patienten (24 %) nach 4 Wochen und bei weiteren 5 Patienten (9 %) zu einem späteren Zeitpunkt beobachtet. Nach weiteren Abtragungen sowie ggf. zusätzlicher Behandlung mit Imiquimod‐Creme (n = 9, 17 %) waren alle Patienten erscheinungsfrei. Schlußfolgerung: Die Behandlung mittels Argon‐Plasma‐Koagulation stellt im Vergleich zu den anderen Verfahren eine besser kontrollierbare, risikoarme und rasch durchführbare Methode der Behandlung anogenitaler Warzen dar. In Abhängigkeit vom Befallsmuster und individuellen Risikofaktoren erscheint im Einzelfall eine Nachbehandlung mit Imiquimod‐Creme sinnvoll.
Childhood granulomatous periorificial dermatitis: a controversial disease
Authors: Zalaudek Iris , Stefani Alessandro Di , Ferrara Gerardo , Argenziano Giuseppe 
Published: March 2005

SummaryThe etiology, diagnosis and treatment of childhood granulomatous periorificial dermatitis (GPD) are highly controversial. Some authors underline the similarities between GPD and perioral dermatitis and consider both as part of a spectrum while other authors regard GPD as a distinctive condition. Clinically GPD is a papulo‐pustular periorificial disease of the face which histopathologically shows a granulomatous perifollicular infiltrate. Because of its granulomatous pattern, GPD also has been related to cutaneous sarcoidosis. The clinical course is benign and self‐limited. Topical steroids are regarded as either the main cause or a worsening factor. While topical treatment is occasionally effective, systemic antibiotic therapy of GPD is usually recommended. We report a “typical” case of GPD and review the literature to discuss the difficulties in its diagnosis and treatment.
Postoperative Interleukin-6 and Cortisol Concentrations in Elderly Patients with Postoperative Confusion
Authors: Kudoh Akira , Takase Hajime , Katagai Hiroshi , Takazawa Tomoko 
Published: March 2005

<i>Objective:</i> To investigate changes in plasma interleukin (IL)-6, cortisol or noradrenaline concentrations after surgery in elderly patients with postoperative confusion. <i>Methods:</i> We studied 80 patients aged 70–90 years undergoing abdominal surgery and measured plasma IL-6, cortisol or noradrenaline concentrations before surgery, at the end of surgery, and 24 and 48 h after surgery. <i>Results:</i> Plasma IL-6 concentrations in elderly patients with postoperative confusion were 83.2 ± 30.5, 49.3 ± 14.1 and 42.9 ± 19.4 pg·ml<sup>–1</sup> at the end of surgery, and 24 and 48 h after surgery, respectively, being significantly higher than in elderly patients without postoperative confusion (58.0 ± 37.5, 36.1 ± 20.0 and 28.2 ± 16.7 pg· ml<sup>–1</sup>). Plasma cortisol concentrations in elderly patients with postoperative confusion (42.2 ± 7.8, 38.3 ± 8.3 and 33.1 ± 8.4 µg·dl<sup>–1</sup> at the end of surgery, and 24 and 48 h after surgery, respectively) were significantly higher than in elderly patients without postoperative confusion (32.9 ± 6.7, 30.4 ± 8.6 and 25.6 ± 6.5 µg·dl<sup>–1</sup>, respectively). There were no significant differences in plasma norepinephrine concentrations at all sampling points between elderly patients with and without postoperative confusion. However, plasma IL-6 and cortisol concentrations were related in elderly patients with postoperative confusion (at the end of surgery and 24 and 48 h after surgery). However, there was no relationship between plasma IL-6 and cortisol concentrations 24 and 48 h after surgery in elderly patients without postoperative confusion. <i>Conclusion:</i> Elderly patients with postoperative confusion had increased plasma IL-6 and cortisol concentrations. The interaction between IL-6 and cortisol after surgery is associated with developing postoperative confusion in the elderly patients.
Effects of Early Phase of Preconditioning on Rat Testicular Ischemia
Authors: Ceylan Haluk , Yüncü Mehmet , Armutçu Ferah , Gürel Ahmet , Bağcı Cahit , Demiryürek A. Tuncay 
Published: March 2005

<i>Introduction:</i> Brief episodes of ischemia followed by periods of reperfusion generate a powerful protective mechanism in cell, tissue or organ, which increase the resistance to further ischemic damage. This is known as ischemic preconditioning, and has not been investigated in testis. The present experiments were undertaken to determine whether early phase of ischemic preconditioning is evident in rat testis. <i>Materials and Methods:</i> Surgery was conducted under thiopental (60 mg/kg, intraperitoneal) anesthesia in male Wistar rats. Surgical procedures were performed through a midline incision. Group 1 was designed as a sham group. In group 2, which served as the ischemia group, the animals were subjected to unilateral testicular torsion by rotating the left testis 720° in a clockwise direction. Then, this testis was maintained in the torsion position by fixing with a silk suture to the scrotal wall for 90 min. In groups 3 and 4, 5 or 10 min ischemia followed by 10 min reperfusion was introduced, respectively, to induce single cycle ischemic preconditioning. In group 5, which served as the multiple cycle preconditioning group, 3 cycles of 10 min ischemia and 10 min reperfusion were applied prior to 90 min ischemia. Both ipsilateral and contralateral testes were removed from the rats at the end of the experimental periods, and tissue malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) levels, xanthine oxidase (XO), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were measured. Both testes were also evaluated histologically, assessing interstitial edema, congestion, hemorrhages, rupture of tubules and Leydig cell proliferation. <i>Results:</i> 90 min ischemia produced a marked increase in MDA level in left testis. However, all ischemic preconditioning protocols used in this study did not show any significant modification in MDA, NO levels or XO, MPO and SOD activities. Histological grading scale was also similar in ischemia and preconditioning groups. <i>Conclusion:</i> These results suggest that there are no protective effects with ischemic preconditioning in rat testis as showed by biochemical analysis and histological examinations.
A configuration space of homologous proteins conserving mutual information and allowing a phylogeny inference based on pair-wise Z-score probabilities
Authors: Bastien Olivier , Ortet Philippe , Roy Sylvaine , Maréchal Eric 
Published: March 2005

Abstract
Background
Popular methods to reconstruct molecular phylogenies are based on multiple sequence alignments, in which addition or removal of data may change the resulting tree topology. We have sought a representation of homologous proteins that would conserve the information of pair-wise sequence alignments, respect probabilistic properties of Z-scores (Monte Carlo methods applied to pair-wise comparisons) and be the basis for a novel method of consistent and stable phylogenetic reconstruction.

Results
We have built up a spatial representation of protein sequences using concepts from particle physics (configuration space) and respecting a frame of constraints deduced from pair-wise alignment score properties in information theory. The obtained configuration space of homologous proteins (CSHP) allows the representation of real and shuffled sequences, and thereupon an expression of the TULIP theorem for Z-score probabilities. Based on the CSHP, we propose a phylogeny reconstruction using Z-scores. Deduced trees, called TULIP trees, are consistent with multiple-alignment based trees. Furthermore, the TULIP tree reconstruction method provides a solution for some previously reported incongruent results, such as the apicomplexan enolase phylogeny.

Conclusion
The CSHP is a unified model that conserves mutual information between proteins in the way physical models conserve energy. Applications include the reconstruction of evolutionary consistent and robust trees, the topology of which is based on a spatial representation that is not reordered after addition or removal of sequences. The CSHP and its assigned phylogenetic topology, provide a powerful and easily updated representation for massive pair-wise genome comparisons based on Z-score computations.
ask MEDLINE: a free-text, natural language query tool for MEDLINE/PubMed
Authors: Fontelo Paul , Liu Fang , Ackerman Michael 
Published: March 2005

Abstract
Background
Plain language search tools for MEDLINE/PubMed are few. We wanted to develop a search tool that would allow anyone using a free-text, natural language query and without knowing specialized vocabularies that an expert searcher might use, to find relevant citations in MEDLINE/PubMed. This tool would translate a question into an efficient search.

Results
The accuracy and relevance of retrieved citations were compared to references cited in BMJ POEMs and CATs (critically appraised topics) questions from the University of Michigan Department of Pediatrics. askMEDLINE correctly matched the cited references 75.8% in POEMs and 89.2 % in CATs questions on first pass. When articles that were deemed to be relevant to the clinical questions were included, the overall efficiency in retrieving journal articles was 96.8% (POEMs) and 96.3% (CATs.)

Conclusion
ask MEDLINE might be a useful search tool for clinicians, researchers, and other information seekers interested in finding current evidence in MEDLINE/PubMed. The text-only format could be convenient for users with wireless handheld devices and those with low-bandwidth connections in remote locations.
Photoswitching of Intramolecular Magnetic Interaction Using Diarylethene Photochromic Spin Couplers
Authors: Matsuda Kenji 
Published: March 2005

Abstract
Diarylethene is a photochromic molecule, which is potentially applicable to various optoelectronic devices. In diarylethenes the π-system of the two aryl rings is separated in the open-ring isomer, while the π-system is delocalized throughout the molecule in the closed-ring isomer. Based on this idea the exchange interaction between two nitronyl nitroxide radicals connected by a diarylethene unit was photocontrolled reversibly along with photochromism. The switching efficiency is more than 150-fold and thiophene spacer transmits the interaction more efficiently. When diarylethene dimer is used for the switching unit, the electric circuit-like behavior was observed. Moreover, reversed switching is achieved by reversing the thiophene ring. Magnetochemical and photochemical behavior of the radical-substituted diarylethene is described extensively.
A Convenient Catalytic Method for the Synthesis of Ethers from Alcohols and Carbonyl Compounds
Authors: Fujii Yasuyuki , Furugaki Hisakazu , Tamura Eiko , Yano Shinji , Kita Katsumi 
Published: March 2005

Abstract
Dialkyl ethers and alkyl fluoroalkyl ethers are obtained in excellent yields by the reaction of alcohols and carbonyl compounds in the presence of Pd/C under the atmospheric pressure of hydrogen, when water produced by the reaction is continuously removed by bubbling hydrogen through the reaction mixture.
The effect of temperature and lipid on the conformational transition of gramicidin A in lipid vesicles
Authors: Lin Ta‐Hsien , Huang Hsien‐bin , Wei H.‐A. , Shiao S.‐H. , Chen Y. C. 
Published: March 2005

AbstractThe present study investigated the effect of temperature and lipid/peptide molar ratio on the conformational changes of the membrane peptide gramicidin A from a double‐stranded helix to a single‐stranded helical dimmer in 1,2‐dimyristoyl‐glycerol‐3‐phosphochloine (DMPC) vesicles. Tryptophan fluorescence spectroscopy results suggested that the conformational transition fitted a three‐state (two‐step) “folding” model. Rate constants, k1 and k2, were determined for each of the two steps. Since k1 and k2 increased with an increase in temperature, we hypothesized that the process corresponded to the breakage and formation of the backbone hydrogen bonds. The k1 was from 10 to 45 folds faster than k2, except for lipid/peptide molar ratios above 89.21, where k2 increased rapidly. At molar ratios below 89.21, k2 was insensitive to changes in lipid concentration. To account for this phenomenon, we proposed that while the driving interaction at high molar ratios is between the indole rings of the tryptophan residues and the lipid head groups, at low molar ratios there may be an intermolecular interaction between the tryptophan residues that causes gramicidin A to form an organized aggregated network. This aggregated network, caused by the tryptophan–tryptophan interaction, may be the main effect responsible for the slow down of the conformation change. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 78: 179–186, 2005