bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Antioxidants Reverse Reduction of the Human Hypoxic Ventilatory Response by Subanesthetic Isoflurane
Authors: Teppema Luc J. , Romberg Raymonda R. , Dahan Albert 
Published: March 2005

Background
In subanesthetic concentrations, volatile anesthetics reduce the acute hypoxic response (AHR), presumably by a direct action on the carotid bodies but by an unknown molecular mechanism. To examine a possible involvement of reactive oxygen species or changes in redox state in this inhibiting effect, the authors studied the effect of antioxidants on the isoflurane-induced reduction of the AHR in humans.

Methods
In 10 volunteers, the authors studied the effect of antioxidants (intravenous ascorbic acid and oral alpha-tocopherol) on the reduction by isoflurane (0.12% end-tidal concentration) of the AHR on a 3-min isocapnic hypoxic stimulus (hemoglobin oxygen saturation 86 +/- 4%). All subjects participated in three separate sessions in which the effects of the antioxidants (session 1), placebo (session 2), and sham isoflurane plus antioxidants (session 3) were tested on the (sham) isoflurane-induced effect on the AHR.

Results
Isoflurane reduced the acute hypoxic response from 0.82 +/- 0.41 l . min . % to 0.49 +/- 0.23 l . min . % and from 0.89 +/- 0.43 l . min . % to 0.48 +/- 0.28 l . min . % in sessions 1 and 2, respectively (mean +/- SD; P < 0.05 vs. control). This reduction of the AHR was completely reversed by antioxidants (AHR = 0.76 +/- 0.39 l . min . %; not significantly different from control, session 1) but not by placebo in session 2 (AHR = 0.50 +/- 0.30 l . min . %; P < 005 vs. control). Sham isoflurane or antioxidants per se had no effect on the hypoxic response.

Conclusions
The data indicate that isoflurane may depress the AHR by influencing the redox state of oxygen-sensing elements in the carotid bodies. This finding may have clinical implications for patients who are prone to recurrent hypoxic episodes, e.g., due to upper airway obstruction, in the postoperative period when low-dose isoflurane may persist in the body for some time.
Does the Amygdala Mediate Anesthetic-induced Amnesia?
Authors: Alkire Michael T. , Nathan Sheila V. 
Published: March 2005

Background
Amnesia for aversive events caused by benzodiazepines or propofol depends on the basolateral amygdala (BLA). Whether the amnesia of volatile anesthesia is also mediated through the BLA is unknown. If so, a general principle of anesthetic-induced amnesia may be emerging. Here, using an inhibitory avoidance paradigm, the authors determine whether BLA lesions prevent sevoflurane-induced amnesia.

Methods
Male Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into two groups: sham-operated controls (n = 22) and rats given bilateral N-methyl-D-aspartate lesions of the BLA (n = 32). After a 1-week recovery, the rats were randomly assigned to be trained during either air or sevoflurane (0.3% inspired, 0.14 minimum alveolar concentration) exposure. Animals learned to remain in the starting safe compartment of a step-through inhibitory avoidance apparatus for 100 consecutive seconds by administering foot shock (0.3 mA) whenever they entered an adjacent shock compartment. Memory was assessed at 24 h. Longer latencies to enter the shock compartment at 24 h imply better memory.

Results
Sham-air (n = 10) animals had a robust memory, with a median retention latency of 507 s (interquartile range, 270-600 s). Sham-sevoflurane (n = 6) animals were amnesic, with a latency of 52 s (27-120 s) (P < 0.01, vs. sham-air). Both the air-exposed (n = 5) and the sevoflurane-exposed (n = 8) animals with BLA lesions showed robust memory, with latencies of 350 s (300-590 s) and 378 s (363-488 s), respectively. The latencies for both did not differ from the performance of the sham-air group and were significantly greater than the latency of the sham-sevoflurane group (both P < 0.01).

Conclusions
BLA lesions block sevoflurane-induced amnesia. A role for the BLA in mediating anesthetic-induced amnesia may be a general principle of anesthetic action.
Weak Polar Interactions Confer Albumin Binding Site Selectivity for Haloether Anesthetics
Authors: Liu Renyu , Eckenhoff Roderic G. 
Published: March 2005

Background
Enflurane and isoflurane are structural isomers with different anesthetic potencies and side effects. It is not clear whether these differences are produced by differing occupancy of common protein binding sites or by occupancy of different sites, but the very similar molecular properties make the latter possibility unlikely. In this study, the authors examined binding site selectivity of these anesthetics in human serum albumin (HSA).

Methods
Binding of isoflurane and enflurane with HSA was determined with isothermal titration calorimetry. Competition with known ligands (propofol) allowed localization of binding sites within the HSA molecule. Molecular properties of isoflurane and enflurane were calculated.

Results
Isoflurane binds HSA with higher affinity but smaller total enthalpy than enflurane. Enthalpogram analysis suggested that isoflurane bound a single site, whereas enflurane bound two. Competition experiments indicated that enflurane and isoflurane share one binding site, which also binds propofol. The additional enflurane site binds propofol but not isoflurane. Increased salt concentration decreased the affinity for isoflurane but not for enflurane. The dipole moment of isoflurane is higher than that of enflurane, and the isoflurane binding site is more polar.

Conclusion
These data indicate two binding sites of different character for the haloether anesthetics on HSA. One site is more polar and prefers isoflurane, presumably because of its larger dipole. The second site prefers the less polar enflurane. Therefore, weak polar interactions confer considerable selectivity, and differences in drug action may arise from occupancy of different protein sites.
Environmental Economics for Environmental Protection
Authors: van Ierland Ekko , Brink Corjan , Hordijk Leen , Kroeze Carolien 
Published: March 2005

Environmental economics deals with the optimal allocation of production factors and correcting market failure in protecting the environment. Market failure occurs because of externalities, common property resources, and public goods. Environmental policy instruments include direct regulation, taxes/subsidies, tradable permits, deposit systems, voluntary agreements, and persuasion.Environmental policies usually focus on one pollutant or environmental issue but may have substantial impacts on other emissions and environmental problems. Neglecting these impacts will result in suboptimal policies. We present an integrated optimisation model for determining cost-effective strategies to simultaneously reduce emissions of several pollutants from several sources, allowing for interrelations between sources and abatement options. Our integrated approach in regard to acidifying compounds and greenhouse gases will be able to provide cost-effective policy options that will result in lower overall abatement costs.This paper shows that efficient emission reduction can be calculated, but we argue that, for transboundary air pollution and climate change, it is difficult to implement the socially optimal solution because strong incentives exist for “free-riding”. In order to implement efficient policies, international environmental agree-ments like the Gothenburg or the Kyoto Protocol are necessary to establish stable coalitions. The stability of these agreements depends on the distribution of costs and benefits over countries and on the redistribution of the gains of cooperation.
Application of MM/PBSA colony free energy to loop decoy discrimination: Toward correlation between energy and root mean square deviation
Authors: Fogolari Federico , Tosatto Silvio C.E. 
Published: March 2005

AbstractAccurate free energy estimation is needed in many predictive tasks. The molecular mechanics/Poisson‐Boltzmann solvent accessible surface area (MM/PBSA) approach has proven to be accurate. However, the correlation between the estimated free energy and the distance (e.g., root mean square deviation [RMSD]) from the most stable conformation is hindered by the strong free energy dependence on minor conformational variations. In this paper, a protocol for MM/PBSA free energy estimation is designed and tested on several loop decoy sets. We show that further integration of MM/PBSA free energy estimator with the colony energy approach makes the correlation between the free energy and RMSD from the native structure apparent, for the test sets on which it could be applied. Our results suggest that (1) the MM/PBSA free energy estimator is able to detect native‐like structures for most decoy sets, and (2) application of the colony energy approach greatly hampers the MM/energy strong dependence on minor conformational changes.
The role of the 132–160 region in prion protein conformational transitions
Authors: Torrent Joan , Alvarez‐Martinez Maria Teresa , Liautard Jean‐Pierre , Balny Claude , Lange Reinhard 
Published: March 2005

AbstractThe native conformation of host‐encoded cellular prion protein (PrPC) is metastable. As a result of a post‐translational event, PrPC can convert to the scrapie form (PrPSc), which emerges as the essential constituent of infectious prions. Despite thorough research, the mechanism underlying this conformational transition remains unknown. However, several studies have highlighted the importance of the N‐terminal region spanning residues 90–154 in PrP folding. In order to understand why PrP folds into two different conformational states exhibiting distinct secondary and tertiary structure, and to gain insight into the involvement of this particular region in PrP transconformation, we studied the pressure‐induced unfolding/ refolding of recombinant Syrian hamster PrP expanding from residues 90–231, and compared it with heat unfolding. By using two intrinsic fluorescent variants of this protein (Y150W and F141W), conformational changes confined to the 132–160 segment were monitored. Multiple conformational states of the Trp variants, characterized by their spectroscopic properties (fluorescence and UV absorbance in the fourth derivative mode), were achieved by tuning the experimental conditions of pressure and temperature. Further insight into unexplored conformational states of the prion protein, likely to mimic the in vivo structural change, was obtained from pressure‐assisted cold unfolding. Furthermore, salt‐induced conformational changes suggested a structural stabilizing role of Tyr150 and Phe141 residues, slowing down the conversion to a β‐sheet form.
Cloning of novel LERGU mRNAs in GPR30 3′ untranslated region and detection of 2 bp‐deletion polymorphism in gastric cancer
Authors: Kakinuma Naoto , Sato Masaaki , Yamada Tatsuya , Kohu Kazuyoshi , Nakajima Motowo , Akiyama Tetsu , Ohwada Susumu , Shibanaka Yasuhiko 
Published: March 2005

The improved IGCR (In–Gel Competitive Reassociation) method was applied to the analysis of human gastric cancer genomic DNA to identify its alterations, and it appeared that the IGCR library contained a fragment of 3′‐untranslated region (3′ UTR) of G‐protein coupled receptor 30 (GPR30) mRNA. When we searched genomic DNA pairs of gastric cancer patients with this IGCR clone, we found the deletion polymorphism with or without 2 bp (Cytosine and Thymine; CT). We confirmed the existence of a novel mRNA in GPR30 3′UTR by northern blotting, cloned this novel mRNA and named it Leucine Rich Protein in GPR30 3′UTR (LERGU). The EST database search gave one alternative splicing form in this 3′ UTR, which was named as LERGU‐1. A novel alternative splicing form of this mRNA was also identified from the stomach total RNA, which was named LERGU‐2. The LERGU mRNA was also detected in eight gastric cancer cell lines, but GPR30 mRNA scarcely existed. Furthermore, we detected the 2 bp‐deletion form in genomic DNAs and mRNAs derived from gastric cancers, but not in other type cancers. Since the 2 bp‐deletion position on LERGU corresponds to its alternative splicing site, this deletion may produce a frame‐shifted protein. Overall, our findings suggest that a mutation or disappearance of the normal LERGU protein may have a function in the development of gastric cancer. (Cancer Sci 2005; 96: 191–196)
A survey of sleep problems in autism, Asperger's disorder and typically developing children
Authors: Polimeni M. A. , Richdale A. L. , Francis A. J. P. 
Published: March 2005

AbstractBackground  Sleep problems are common in typically developing (TD) children and in children with autism, however, less is known about the sleep of children with Asperger's disorder (AD). The aim of this study was to compare sleep patterns of children with autism and AD to a TD group of children.Methods  Sixty‐six parents of TD children, 53 parents of children with autism, and 52 parents of children with AD completed a survey on their child's sleep patterns, the nature and severity of any sleep problems and success of any treatment attempted.Results  The results showed high prevalence of sleep problems with significantly more problems reported in the autism and AD groups (TD = 50%, autism = 73%, AD = 73%), with no significant differences between groups on severity or type of sleep problem. Children with AD were significantly more likely to be sluggish and disoriented after waking and had a higher Behavioral Evaluation of Disorders of Sleep (BEDS) total score compared to the other two groups. The autism and AD groups reported significantly better treatment success for medication compared to the TD group. The autism group reported significantly better success for behavioural treatment compared to the AD group.Conclusions  In conclusion, children with AD may have more symptoms of sleep disturbance, and different types of sleep problems than children with autism. As this is the first study to compare autism and AD and to survey treatment outcomes, further research is needed to validate these findings.
Assessment of patients with intellectual disability using the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health to evaluate dental treatment tolerability
Authors: Maeda S. , Kita F. , Miyawaki T. , Takeuchi K. , Ishida R. , Egusa M. , Shimada M. 
Published: March 2005

AbstractBackground  Patients with serious intellectual disability (ID) are occasionally unable to tolerate dental treatment when intravenous sedation or general anaesthesia (IVS/GA) is involved. In order to make a decision regarding the application of IVS/GA, the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) is useful. Therefore, in this study, a set of codes involved in dental problems were chosen from the ICF, and patients with ID who could tolerate dental treatments were compared with those who could not.Methods  From preliminary interviews of six patients with ID, 16 codes were chosen, and an objective five‐rank scale was then constructed for use with all chosen codes. Forty‐nine ID patients who visited the Okayama University Hospital for dental treatment between January and April 2003 were evaluated. Facility workers were interviewed according to the code set chosen. The participants were then divided into two subgroups depending on their tolerability of dental treatment. The results of these groups for all 16 codes were then compared.Results  Of the 49 patients interviewed, 23 were able to tolerate the dental treatment. In the ‘Activities & Participation’ section of the ICF, the tolerable group showed lower disability levels with regard to d110 Watching, d540 Dressing and d550 Eating. In other sections, there were no significant differences between the groups. The code set chosen in this study and the five‐rank scales in each code were useful as they enabled easy interviewing.Conclusions  The ICF was raised as a possibility for considering the application of IVS/GA for dental treatment on patients with ID. For clinical use of the ICF, it is recommended that significant codes should be selected and that the five‐rank scale is used so that more objective results are obtained from interviews.
Measurement of perceived competence in Dutch children with mild intellectual disabilities
Authors: Elias C. , Vermeer A. , T Hart H.’ 
Published: March 2005

AbstractBackground  Little research has been conducted on the perceived competence of children with mild intellectual disabilities (MID). One of the reasons for the marked absence of research appears to be the lack of reliable and clearly valid measurement instruments for this particular group of children. In the present study, it was examined whether a pictorial scale originally designed to measure perceived competence in typically developing children could successfully be used with children with MID.Methods  The pictorial scale was administered to a group of 106 children with MID. The construct validity, reliability and stability of the scale were investigated.Results  The results of the exploratory factor analyses and the confirmatory factor analyses supported the conceptual framework proposed. The construct validity was also supported by the pattern of intercorrelations between the subscales. The scale had adequate internal consistency and the stability analyses showed sufficient stability across a 4‐month period.Conclusions  The findings show the psychometric properties of the pictorial scale to justify its use with children with MID.
Determining self‐incompatibility genotypes in Belgian wild cherries
Authors: DE CUYPER B. , SONNEVELD T. , TOBUTT K. R. 
Published: March 2005

AbstractThe self‐incompatibility (S) genotypes of a collection of 65 Belgian accessions of wild cherry, selected within two populations and planted in a seed orchard, were determined using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods. Initially, DNA extracts were amplified with consensus primers that amplify across the second intron of the S‐ribonuclease gene which shows considerable length polymorphism. The provisional genotypes deduced were checked with the appropriate allele‐specific primers for the known alleles S1 to S16. Putative new alleles were subjected to PCR with consensus primers amplifying across the first intron. Six new alleles, S17 to S22, were thus indicated on the basis of the estimated lengths of the first and second intron PCR products. Examples of these alleles were partially sequenced and were indeed mutually distinct and different from the known alleles. The incompatibility genotypes of all 65 accessions were determined and one triploid individual was found. Seventeen alleles were detected in all. Allele frequencies differed between samples and the expected total number of alleles in the underlying populations was estimated. The wild cherry populations differed significantly with respect to allelic frequencies from sweet cherry cultivars; alleles S4 and S5, which are moderately frequent in sweet cherry, were absent from the wild cherry accessions. The knowledge of the S genotypes will be useful for studying the gene flow within the seed orchard and these approaches should also be informative in wild populations.
Origin and diversification ofHibiscus glaber, species endemic to the oceanic Bonin Islands, revealed by chloroplast DNA polymorphism
Authors: TAKAYAMA KOJI , OHI‐TOMA TETSUO , KUDOH HIROSHI , KATO HIDETOSHI 
Published: March 2005

AbstractTwo woodyHibiscusspecies co‐occur in the Bonin Islands of the northwestern Pacific Ocean:Hibiscus glaberMatsum. is endemic to the islands, and its putative ancestral species,Hibiscus tiliaceusL., is widely distributed in coastal areas of the tropics and subtropics. To infer isolating mechanisms that led to speciation ofH. glaberand the processes that resulted in co‐occurrence of the two closely related species on the Bonin Islands, we conducted molecular phylogenetic analyses on chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) sequences. Materials collected from a wide area of the Pacific and Indian Oceans were used, and two closely related species,Hibiscus hamaboSiebold Zucc. andHibiscus macrophyllusRoxb., were also included in the analyses. The constructed tree suggested thatH. glaberhas been derived fromH. tiliaceus,and that most of the modern Bonin populations ofH. tiliaceusdid not share most recent ancestry withH. glaber.Geographic isolation appears to be the most important mechanism in the speciation ofH. glaber.The co‐occurrence of the two species can be attributed to multiple migrations of different lineages into the islands. While a wide and overlapping geographical distribution of haplotypes was found inH. tiliaceus, localized geographical distribution of haplotypes was detected inH. glaber. It is hypothesized that a shift to inland habitats may have affected the mode of seed dispersal from ocean currents to gravity and hence resulted in geographical structuring ofH. glaberhaplotypes.
Range expansions in the flightless longhorn cactus beetles,Moneilema gigasandMoneilema armatum, in response to Pleistocene climate changes
Authors: SMITH CHRISTOPHER IRWIN , FARRELL BRIAN D. 
Published: March 2005

AbstractPollen cores and plant and animal fossils suggest that global climate changes at the end of the last glacial period caused range expansions in organisms indigenous to the North American desert regions, but this suggestion has rarely been investigated from a population genetic perspective. In order to investigate the impact of Pleistocene climate changes and glacial/interglacial cycling on the distribution and population structure of animals in North American desert communities, biogeographical patterns in the flightless, warm‐desert cactus beetles,Moneilema gigasandMoneilema armatum, were examined using mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence data from the cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene. Gene tree relationships between haplotypes were inferred using parsimony, maximum‐likelihood, and Bayesian analysis. Nested clade analysis and coalescent modelling using the programsmdivandfluctuatewere used to identify demographically independent populations, and to test the hypothesis that Pleistocene climate changes caused recent range expansions in these species. A sign test was used to evaluate the probability of observing concerted population growth across multiple, independent populations. The phylogeographical and nested clade analyses reveal a history of northward expansion in both of these species, as well as a history of past range fragmentation, followed by expansion from refugia. The coalescent analyses provide highly significant evidence for independent range expansions from multiple refugia, but also identify biogeographical patterns that predate the most recent glacial period. The results indicate that widespread desert environments are more ancient than has been suggested in the past.
Local genetic structure in a clonal dioecious angiosperm
Authors: RUGGIERO M. V. , REUSCH T. B. H. , PROCACCINI G. 
Published: March 2005

AbstractWe used seven microsatellite loci to characterize genetic structure and clonal architecture at three different spatial scales (from meters to centimetres) of aCymodocea nodosapopulation. C. nodosaexhibits both sexual reproduction and vegetative propagation by rhizome elongation. Seeds remain buried in the sediment nearby the mother plant in a dormant stage until germination. Seed dispersal potential is therefore expected to be extremely restricted. High clonal diversity (up to 67% of distinct genotypes) and a highly intermingled configuration of genets at different spatial scales were found. No significant differences in genetic structure were found among the three spatial scales, indicating that genetic diversity is evenly distributed along the meadow. Autocorrelation analyses of kinship estimates confirmed the absence of spatial clumping of genets at small spatial scale and the expectations of a very restricted seed dispersal (observed dispersal range 1–21 m) in this species.