bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Determinants of beta diversity of spiders in coastal dunes along a gradient of mediterraneity
Authors: Carvalho José C. , Cardoso Pedro , Crespo Luís C. , Henriques Sérgio , Carvalho Rui , Gomes Pedro 
Published: December 2010

AbstractAim  The Mediterranean Basin is recognized for its high levels of species richness, rarity and endemicity. Our main aim was to evaluate the relative effects of environmental and spatial variables and their scale‐specific importance on beta diversity patterns along a gradient of mediterraneity, using spiders as a model group.Location  This study was carried out in 18 coastal dune sites along the Portuguese Atlantic coast. This area encompasses 445 km and comprises two distinct biogeographic regions, Eurosiberian (northern coast) and Mediterranean (centre and south).Methods  A forward selection procedure was carried out to select environmental and spatial variables responsible for determining beta diversity patterns. Variation partitioning and principal coordinates of neighbour matrices (PCNM) were used to estimate the contribution of pure environmental and pure spatial effects and their shared influence on beta diversity patterns and to estimate the relative importance of environmental structured variation and pure spatial variation at multiple spatial scales.Results  Climate, ground vegetation dune cover and area were selected by a forward selection procedure. The same procedure identified three PCNM variables, all corresponding to large and medium spatial scales. Variation partitioning revealed that 46.1% of the variation of beta diversity patterns was explained by a combination of environmental and PCNM variables. Most of this variation (42.5%) corresponded to spatial variation (environmental spatially structured and pure spatial). Climate and vegetation structure influences were predominant at the PCNM1 and PCNM3 scales, while area was more important at the intermediate PCNM2 scale.Main conclusions  Our study revealed that beta diversity of spiders was primarily controlled by a broad‐scale gradient of mediterraneity. The relative importance of environmental variables on the spider assemblage composition varied with spatial scale. This study highlights the need of considering the scale‐specific influence of niche and neutral processes on beta diversity patterns.
Screening of deoxyribozyme with high reversal efficiency against multidrug resistance in breast carcinoma cells
Authors: Gao Peng , Wei Jun‐Min , Li Peng‐Yu , Zhang Cui‐Juan , Jian Wen‐Cheng , Zhang Yu‐Hua , Xing Ai‐Yan , Zhou Geng‐Yin 
Published: December 2010

AbstractSpecific inhibition of P‐glycoprotein (Pgp) expression, which is encoded by multidrug resistance gene‐1 (MDR1), is considered a well‐respected strategy to overcome multidrug resistance (MDR). Deoxyribozymes (DRz) are catalytic nucleic acids that could cleave a target RNA in sequence‐specific manner. However, it is difficult to select an effective target site for DRz in living cells. In this study, target sites of DRz were screened according to MDR1 mRNA secondary structure by RNA structure analysis software. Twelve target sites on the surface of MDR1 mRNA were selected. Accordingly, 12 DRzs were synthesized and their suppression effect on the MDR phenotype in breast cancer cells was confirmed. The results showed that 4 (DRz 2, 3, 4, 9) of the 12 DRzs could, in a dose‐dependent response, significantly suppress MDR1 mRNA expression and restore chemosensitivity in breast cancer cells with MDR phenotype. This was especially true of DRz 3, which targets the 141 site purine‐pyrimidine dinucleotide. Compared with antisense oligonucleotide or anti‐miR‐27a inhibitor, DRz 3 was more efficient in suppressing MDR1 mRNA and Pgp protein expression or inhibiting Pgp function. The chemosensitivity assay also proved DRz 3 to be the best one to reverse the MDR phenotype. The present study suggests that screening targets of DRzs according to MDR1 mRNA secondary structure could be a useful method to obtain workable ones. We provide evidence that DRzs (DRz 2, 3, 4, 9) are highly efficient at reversing the MDR phenotype in breast carcinoma cells and restoring chemosensitivity.
Prospects for detection of exoplanet magnetic fields through bow-shock observations during transits
Authors: Vidotto A. A. , Jardine M. , Helling Ch. 
Published: December 2010

Abstract
An asymmetry between the ingress and egress times was observed in the near-UV light curve of the transit planet WASP-12b. Such asymmetry led us to suggest that the early ingress in the UV light curve of WASP-12b, compared to the optical observations, is caused by a shock around the planet, and that shocks should be a common feature in transiting systems. Here, we classify all the transiting systems known to date according to their potential for producing shocks that could cause observable light curve asymmetries. We found that 36/92 of known transiting systems would lie above a reasonable detection threshold and that the most promising candidates to present shocks are: WASP-19b, WASP-4b, WASP-18b, CoRoT-7b, HAT-P-7b, CoRoT-1b, TrES-3 and WASP-5b. For prograde planets orbiting outside the corotation radius of fast rotating stars, the shock position, instead of being ahead of the planetary motion as in WASP-12b, trails the planet. In this case, we predict that the light curve of the planet should present a late-egress asymmetry. We show that CoRoT-11b is a potential candidate to host such a behind shock and show a late egress. If observed, these asymmetries can provide constraints on planetary magnetic fields. For instance, for a planet that has a magnetic field intensity similar to Jupiter's field (∼14 G) orbiting a star whose magnetic field is between 1 and 100 G, the stand-off distance between the shock and the planet, which we take to be the size of the planet's magnetosphere, ranges from 1 to 40 planetary radii.
Ivermectin and Milbemycin Oxime in Experimental Adult Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis) Infection of Dogs
Authors: Snyder D.E. , Wiseman S. , Cruthers L.R. , Slone R.L. 
Published: December 2010

Background: The US Food and Drug Administration reports an increase in the frequency of reports of lack of effectiveness claims for heartworm (HW) prevention products.Hypothesis: At their labeled doses, single doses of commercially available HW prevention products are not completely effective against all field isolates of HW.Animals: Forty‐two HW‐free dogs experimentally inoculated with a recent HW field isolate.Methods: Placebo‐controlled, blinded laboratory clinical trial. Dogs randomly allocated to 1 of 3 treatment groups with 14 dogs per group. Groups were untreated control or PO dosed with milbemycin oxime (MBO) or ivermectin (IVM). Dogs were inoculated with 50 HW third stage larvae 30 days before dosing and necropsy was performed on Day 123 after treatment to enumerate adult HW.Results: Thirteen of 14 control dogs had adult HW detected at necropsy with a geometric mean worm count of 22.3. One HW was found in 1 dog in each of the MBO and IVM treatment groups.Conclusions and Clinical Importance: Two currently approved macrocyclic lactone HW preventives used at their labeled dose rates were <100% effective against a recent HW field isolate, supporting the hypothesis that the effectiveness of a single dose of these preventives can vary. This is important in guiding clients on expectations of product effectiveness.
Extraterrestrial amino acids in the Almahata Sitta meteorite
Authors: GLAVIN Daniel P. , AUBREY Andrew D. , CALLAHAN Michael P. , DWORKIN Jason P. , ELSILA Jamie E. , PARKER Eric T. , BADA Jeffrey L. , JENNISKENS Peter , SHADDAD Muawia H. 
Published: December 2010

Abstract–Amino acid analysis of a meteorite fragment of asteroid 2008 TC3 called Almahata Sitta was carried out using reverse‐phase liquid chromatography coupled with UV fluorescence detection and time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (LC‐FD/ToF‐MS) as part of a sample analysis consortium. LC‐FD/ToF‐MS analyses of hot‐water extracts from the meteorite revealed a complex distribution of two‐ to seven‐carbon aliphatic amino acids and one‐ to three‐carbon amines with abundances ranging from 0.5 to 149 parts‐per‐billion (ppb). The enantiomeric ratios of the amino acids alanine, β‐amino‐n‐butyric acid, 2‐amino‐2‐methylbutanoic acid (isovaline), and 2‐aminopentanoic acid (norvaline) in the meteorite were racemic (d/l ∼ 1), indicating that these amino acids are indigenous to the meteorite and not terrestrial contaminants. Several other nonprotein amino acids were also identified in the meteorite above background levels including α‐aminoisobutyric acid (α‐AIB), 4‐amino‐2‐methylbutanoic acid, 4‐amino‐3‐methylbutanoic acid, and 3‐, 4‐, and 5‐aminopentanoic acid. The total abundances of isovaline and α‐AIB in Almahata Sitta are approximately 1000 times lower than the abundances of these amino acids found in the CM carbonaceous chondrite Murchison. The extremely low abundances and unusual distribution of five‐carbon amino acids in Almahata Sitta compared to CI, CM, and CR carbonaceous chondrites may reflect extensive thermal alteration of amino acids on the parent asteroid by partial melting during formation or subsequent impact shock heating. It is also possible that amino acids were synthesized by catalytic reactions on the parent body after asteroid 2008 TC3 cooled to lower temperatures, or introduced as a contaminant from unrelated meteorite clasts and chemically altered by α‐decarboxylation.
RGD modified albumin nanospheres for tumour vasculature targeting
Authors: Dubey Praveen K , Singodia Deepak , Verma Rahul K , Vyas Suresh P 
Published: December 2010

Abstract

Objectives
Cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartic acid (RGD) peptide-anchored sterically stabilized albumin nanospheres (RGD-SN) have been investigated for the selective and preferential presentation of carrier contents at angiogenic endothelial cells overexpressing avb3 integrins on and around tumour tissue. Their targetabilty was assessed.

Methods
Albumin nanospheres were formulated, conjugated with RGD/RAD peptide and characterized on the basis of size and size distribution. The control Arginine-Alanine-Aspartic acid (RAD) peptide-anchored sterically stabilized nanospheres (RAD-SN) and nanosphere with 5 mol% PEG (SN) without peptide conjugate were used for comparison with RGD-SN for in vitro cell binding, in vivo organ distribution and tumor angiogenesis studies.

Key findings
The average size of all nanospheres prepared was approximately 100 nm and maximum drug entrapment was 67.2 ± 5.2%. In-vitro endothelial cell binding of nanospheres exhibited 8-fold higher binding of RGD-SN to human umbilical vein endothelial cells in comparison with the SN and RAD-SN. RGD peptide-anchored nanospheres were significantly (P ≤ 0.01) effective in the prevention of lung metastasis, angiogenesis and in effective regression of tumours compared with free fluorouracil, SN and RAD-SN. Results indicated that cyclic RGD peptide-anchored sterically stabilized nanospheres bearing fluorouracil were significantly (P ≤ 0.01) active against primary tumour and metastasis than the nontargeted sterically stabilized nanospheres and free drug.

Conclusions
Cyclic RGD peptide-anchored sterically stabilized nanospheres appears promising for targeted cancer chemotherapeutics.
Preparation and the in-vivo evaluation of paclitaxel liposomes for lung targeting delivery in dogs
Authors: Zhao Ling , Ye Yun , Li Juan , Wei Yu-meng 
Published: December 2010

Abstract

Objectives
The aim of this study was to develop paclitaxel liposomes for a lung targeting delivery system.

Methods
The liposomes composed of Tween-80/HSPC/cholesterol (0.03 : 3.84 : 3.84, mol/mol), containing paclitaxel and lipids (1 : 40, mol/mol), were prepared by a combination of solid dispersion and effervescent techniques, and then subjected to ultrasonication. The pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of liposomal and injectable formulation of paclitaxel in dogs were studied after intravenous administration.

Key findings
The mean diameter, polydispersity index, zeta-potential and entrapment efficiency of the liposomes were 501.60 ± 15.43 nm, 0.28 ± 0.02, −20.93 ± 0.06 mV and 95.17 ± 0.32%, respectively. The liposomal formulation kept stable for at least 3 months at 6 ± 2°C and didn't cause haemolysis. The liposome carrier decreased the area under the curve and terminal half-life of paclitaxel compared with paclitaxel injection ranging from 0.352 ± 0.031 mg/l*h and 0.0671 ± 0.144 h to 0.748 ± 0.062 mg/l*h and 1.978 ± 0.518 h, respectively. The paclitaxel liposomes produced a drug concentration in the lung that was markedly higher than that in other organs or tissues and was about 15-fold of that of paclitaxel injection at 2 h.

Conclusions
To sum up, these results demonstrated that the paclitaxel liposomes are an effective lung targeted carrier in the treatment of lung cancer.
Experimentally Simulated Global Warming and Nitrogen Enrichment Effects on Microbial Litter Decomposers in a Marsh
Authors: Flury Sabine , Gessner Mark O. 
Published: December 2010

ABSTRACT
Atmospheric warming and increased nitrogen deposition can lead to changes of microbial communities with possible consequences for biogeochemical processes. We used an enclosure facility in a freshwater marsh to assess the effects on microbes associated with decomposing plant litter under conditions of simulated climate warming and pulsed nitrogen supply. Standard batches of litter were placed in coarse-mesh and fine-mesh bags and submerged in a series of heated, nitrogen-enriched, and control enclosures. They were retrieved later and analyzed for a range of microbial parameters. Fingerprinting profiles obtained by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) indicated that simulated global warming induced a shift in bacterial community structure. In addition, warming reduced fungal biomass, whereas bacterial biomass was unaffected. The mesh size of the litter bags and sampling date also had an influence on bacterial community structure, with the apparent number of dominant genotypes increasing from spring to summer. Microbial respiration was unaffected by any treatment, and nitrogen enrichment had no clear effect on any of the microbial parameters considered. Overall, these results suggest that microbes associated with decomposing plant litter in nutrient-rich freshwater marshes are resistant to extra nitrogen supplies but are likely to respond to temperature increases projected for this century.
Synanthropic Birds Influence the Distribution of
Borrelia
Species: Analysis of
Ixodes ricinus
Ticks Feeding on Passerine Birds
Authors: Dubska Lenka , Literak Ivan , Kocianova Elena , Taragelova Veronika , Sverakova Veronika , Sychra Oldrich , Hromadko Miloslav 
Published: December 2010

ABSTRACT

Ixodes ricinus
ticks collected from 835 birds and from vegetation in the Czech Republic were analyzed. Host-seeking ticks (
n
= 427) were infected predominantly by
Borrelia afzelii
(25%). Ticks (
n
= 1,012) from songbirds (Passeriformes) were infected commonly by
Borrelia garinii
(12.1%) and
Borrelia valaisiana
(13.4%). Juveniles of synanthropic birds, Eurasian blackbirds (
Turdus merula
) and song thrushes (
Turdus philomelos
), were major reservoir hosts of
B. garinii.
Differential Effects of Three CanonicalToxoplasmaStrains on Gene Expression in Human Neuroepithelial Cells
Authors: Xiao Jianchun , Jones-Brando Lorraine , Talbot C. Conover , Yolken Robert H. 
Published: December 2010

ABSTRACTStrain type is one of the key factors suspected to play a role in determining the outcome ofToxoplasmainfection. In this study, we examined the transcriptional profile of human neuroepithelioma cells in response to representative strains ofToxoplasmaby using microarray analysis to characterize the strain-specific host cell response. The study of neural cells is of interest in light of the ability ofToxoplasmato infect the brain and to establish persistent infection within the central nervous system. We found that the extents of the expression changes varied considerably among the three strains. Neuroepithelial cells infected withToxoplasmatype I exhibited the highest level of differential gene expression, whereas type II-infected cells had a substantially smaller number of genes which were differentially expressed. Cells infected with type III exhibited intermediate effects on gene expression. The three strains also differed in the individual genes and gene pathways which were altered following cellular infection. For example, gene ontology (GO) analysis indicated that type I infection largely affects genes related to the central nervous system, while type III infection largely alters genes which affect nucleotide metabolism; type II infection does not alter the expression of a clearly defined set of genes. Moreover, Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA) suggests that the three lineages differ in the ability to manipulate their host; e.g., they employ different strategies to avoid, deflect, or subvert host defense mechanisms. These observed differences may explain some of the variation in the neurobiological effects of different strains ofToxoplasmaon infected individuals.
Mucosal Vaccination with a Multivalent, Live-Attenuated Vaccine Induces Multifactorial Immunity against
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Acute Lung Infection
Authors: Kamei Akinobu , Coutinho-Sledge Yamara S. , Goldberg Joanna B. , Priebe Gregory P. , Pier Gerald B. 
Published: December 2010

ABSTRACT

Many animal studies investigating adaptive immune effectors important for protection against
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
have implicated opsonic antibody to the antigenically variable lipopolysaccharide (LPS) O antigens as a primary effector. However, active and passive vaccination of humans against these antigens has not shown clinical efficacy. We hypothesized that optimal immunity would require inducing multiple immune effectors targeting multiple bacterial antigens. Therefore, we evaluated a multivalent live-attenuated mucosal vaccination strategy in a murine model of acute
P. aeruginosa
pneumonia to assess the contributions to protective efficacy of various bacterial antigens and host immune effectors. Vaccines combining 3 or 4 attenuated strains having different LPS serogroups were associated with the highest protective efficacy compared to vaccines with fewer components. Levels of opsonophagocytic antibodies, which were directed not only to the LPS O antigens but also to the LPS core and surface proteins, correlated with protective immunity. The multivalent live-attenuated vaccines overcame prior problems involving immunologic interference in the development of O-antigen-specific antibody responses when closely related O antigens were combined in multivalent vaccines. Antibodies to the LPS core were associated with
in vitro
killing and
in vivo
protection against strains with O antigens not expressed by the vaccine strains, whereas antibodies to the LPS core and surface proteins augmented the contribution of O-antigen-specific antibodies elicited by vaccine strains containing a homologous O antigen. Local CD4 T cells in the lung also contributed to vaccine-based protection when opsonophagocytic antibodies to the challenge strain were absent. Thus, multivalent live-attenuated vaccines elicit multifactorial protective immunity to
P. aeruginosa
lung infections.
Digital elevation models in the marine domain: investigating the offshore tsunami hazard from submarine landslides
Authors: Tappin David R. 
Published: December 2010

Abstract
Digital elevation models (DEMs) of seabed relief are now commonly available at a number of scales. On a global scale three-dimensional (3D) relief maps of the ocean floor are derived from satellite gravity measurements validated by single-beam echo soundings. On a smaller, more local, scale, the development of multibeam bathymetric mapping technology provides detailed seabed data from which DEMs are derived. Over the past 30 years multibeam bathymetry has replaced single-beam echo soundings as the main tool used to map the sea floor. Multibeam bathymetry has revolutionized our ability to interpret seabed morphology. It has the capability to provide complete seabed coverage and gives a 3D visualization of the seabed not previously available. DEMs derived from multibeam are comparable to those on land. One aspect of the improved seabed visualization is in mapping marine geohazards. Here three DEMs, from Papua New Guinea, Hawaii and the Indian Ocean, are presented. These DEMs have been used to investigate submarine seabed failure and volcanic flank collapse in the context of their tsunami hazard. For these three areas the DEMs contribute to an improved interpretational capability in marine geohazards. In addition, the DEMs underpin newly developed modelling methodologies of landslide-generated tsunami.
Filtering of ASTER digital elevation models using mathematical morphology
Authors: Danneels G. , Havenith H. B. , Caceres F. , Outal S. , Pirard E. 
Published: December 2010

Abstract
This paper presents results of research undertaken on the creation and filtering of digital elevation models (DEMs) from a stereo pair of Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) images. The raw DEM, created by automatic image matching, appears to be very noisy. Two types of irregularities can be observed. First, a random occurrence of small sinks and mounds with high amplitude is observed. Secondly, a more regular east–west-oriented pattern of noise is present. Many DEM-creation programs provide some editing tools to smooth out the irregularities, including some noise removal, smoothing and interpolation algorithms. However, the application of these algorithms has an important impact on the values of the parameters derived from the elevation, such as slope, aspect and curvature. In this study we propose a filtering algorithm based on morphological greyscale reconstruction in order to remove the sinks and mounds. This technique is very effective in mitigating the artefacts while preserving the remaining structures. For the regular pattern, a linear north–south-oriented low-pass filtering showed the best results. This approach was compared with a median filter and proved to be more effective in terms of both elevation and slope parameters.
Quasigauge Spaces with Generalized Quasipseudodistances and Periodic Points of Dissipative Set-Valued Dynamic Systems
Authors: Włodarczyk Kazimierz , Plebaniak Robert 
Published: December 2010

AbstractIn quasigauge spaces, we introduce the families of generalized quasipseudodistances, and we define three kinds of dissipative set-valued dynamic systems with these families of generalized quasi-pseudodistances and with some families of not necessarily lower semicontinuous entropies and next, assuming that quasigauge spaces are left "Equation missing" sequentially complete (but not necessarily Hausdorff), we prove that for each starting point each dynamic process or generalized sequence of iterations of these dissipative set-valued dynamic systems left converges and we also show that if an iterate of these dissipative set-valued dynamic systems is left quasiclosed, then these limit points are periodic points. Examples illustrating ideas, methods, definitions, and results are constructed.