Anoxia

The molecular deprivation of oxygen is manifested by hypoxia, a deficiency of oxygen and anoxia, or the absence of oxygen supply to the tissues. This book entitled Hypoxia and Anoxia will cover a broad range of understanding on hypoxia and anoxia from molecular mechanisms to pathophysiology. Hypoxia and anoxia stimulate multiple systems through specific cell signal transduction pathways and regulate several transcriptional factors like HIF-1, REST to encode genes for VEGF, Epo, etc. This book will also highlight different types of hypoxia and anoxia along with their impact on apoptosis, cardiovascular pathophysiology, and glucose regulatory mechanisms. This book will be a ready reckoner to give a deep understanding of the oxygen-sensing environment in vivo for researchers, academicians, and clinicians throughout the world.

Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop, held in Yalta, Crimea, Ukraine, 4-8 October 2003

This book reviews how severe oxygen deprivation affects biological systems - from the molecular to the ecological level. The contributing authors come from diverse regions of the world, which proves the interest in the academic analysis of oxygen deprivation. The diversity in the experimental approach scientists take, in order to understand the influence oxygen deprivation has on living systems, is apparent throughout this book. One of the presented ideas deals with the exploration and examination of the physiological, cellular and genetic characteristics of killifish embryos and nematodes exposed to anoxia. Furthermore, the book includes material on the mechanisms regulating hypoxia and anoxia tolerance and their implications of on human health issues. Finally, new methodologies to examine oxygen deprivation and the impact of human-related activities on oxygen level, within important ecological systems such as Lake Victoria, are presented. There is no doubt that the oxygen molecule is central to every stratum of biological systems.

ANOXIA defines the lack of free molecular oxygen in an environment. In the presence of organic matter, anaerobic prokaryotes produce compounds such as free radicals, hydrogen sulfide, or methane that are typically toxic to aerobes. The concomitance of suppressed respiration and presence of toxic substances suggests these habitats are inhospitable to Eukaryota. Ecologists sometimes term such environments 'Death Zones'. This book presents, however, a collection of remarkable adaptations to anoxia, observed in Eukaryotes such as protists, animals, plants and fungi. Case studies provide evidence for controlled beneficial use of anoxia by, for example, modification of free radicals, use of alternative electron donors for anaerobic metabolic pathways, and employment of anaerobic symbionts. The complex, interwoven existence of oxic and anoxic conditions in space and time is also highlighted as is the idea that eukaryotic inhabitation of anoxic habitats was established early in Earth history.

The protective effect of anoxic anoxia against residual biological effects of irradiation was measured and compared with the protective effect against acute injury. It was found that a degree of hypoxia sufficient to reduce the effective radiation dose for acute injury by more than half, failed to protect significantly against residual injury. The protective effect of the hypoxia against chronic or repeated radiation injury, was intermediate between that for acute and for residual injury.

The author has written an easily accessible summary of neuropsychological tests, neuropsychiatric disorders, and the relationships of test performance to disorder and treatment strategy. This ready reference provides neuropsychologists with an understanding of the medical context within which neuropsychological evaluation and psychosocial therapy takes place.