bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transfection of HEK293-EBNA1 Cells in Suspension with Linear PEI for Production of Recombinant Proteins
Authors: Tom Roseanne , Bisson Louis , Durocher Yves 
Published: March 2008

INTRODUCTIONFast and efficient production of recombinant proteins (r-proteins) remains a major challenge for the academic and biopharmaceutical communities. Pure r-proteins are often required in large amounts (hundreds of milligrams to gram quantities) when being developed as biotherapeutics, or in smaller quantities (milligrams) for high-throughput screening campaigns and structural or functional studies. Mammalian cells are often preferred over prokaryotic systems when expressing cDNAs of mammalian origin due to their superior capability to conduct elaborate post-translational modifications. Large-scale transfection of mammalian cells is now establishing itself as a “must-have” technology in the scientific community, as it allows the production of milligram to gram quantities of r-proteins within a few days after cDNA cloning into the appropriate expression vector. Although calcium-mediated large-scale transfection is very effective, it is usually achieved in serum-containing medium under tightly controlled conditions that are difficult to achieve on a large scale. In contrast, polyethylenimine (PEI) is much easier to use: It binds to and precipitates DNA efficiently and the resulting DNA-PEI complexes are suitable for efficient transfection of mammalian cells. PEI has been used successfully on a large scale in serum-containing and serum-free cultures. In particular, the linear isoform of PEI is more effective for transfecting cells in suspension. This protocol describes the steps needed for successful transfection of HEK293 cells adapted to serum-supplemented or serum-free medium in suspension culture using linear PEI.
Transfection of Adherent HEK293-EBNA1 Cells in a Six-Well Plate with Branched PEI for Production of Recombinant Proteins
Authors: Tom Roseanne , Bisson Louis , Durocher Yves 
Published: March 2008

INTRODUCTIONFast and efficient production of recombinant proteins (r-proteins) remains a major challenge for the academic and biopharmaceutical communities. Pure r-proteins are often required in large amounts (hundreds of milligrams to gram quantities) when being developed as biotherapeutics, or in smaller quantities (milligrams) for high-throughput screening campaigns and structural or functional studies. Mammalian cells are often preferred over prokaryotic systems when expressing cDNAs of mammalian origin due to their superior capability to conduct elaborate post-translational modifications. Large-scale transfection of mammalian cells is now establishing itself as a “must-have” technology in the scientific community, as it allows the production of milligram to gram quantities of r-proteins within a few days after cDNA cloning into the appropriate expression vector. Although calcium-mediated large-scale transfection is very effective, polyethylenimine (PEI) is much easier to use: It binds to and precipitates DNA efficiently and the resulting DNA-PEI complexes are suitable for efficient transfection of mammalian cells. In particular, the branched isoform of PEI works well for adherent cells, as it promotes their attachment to the plastic surface. It is thus very useful in experiments requiring multiple medium exchanges or washing steps following transfection. Also, when used in conjunction with six-well CellBIND plates, branched PEI can be used to adhere transfected cells when establishing stable cell lines. This protocol describes the steps needed for successful transfection of HEK293 cells adapted to serum-supplemented or serum-free medium in adherent culture using branched PEI.
The impact of an exotic social wasp (Vespula germanica) on the native arthropod community of north‐west Patagonia, Argentina: an experimental study
Authors: SACKMANN PAULA , FARJI‐BRENER ALEJANDRO , CORLEY JUAN 
Published: March 2008

Abstract 1. Biological invasions are usually thought to have a negative impact on native communities. However, data supporting this idea are often based on comparative studies between invaded and non‐invaded areas, and are spatially and temporally limited.2. The present study experimentally assessed the impact of an exotic wasp, Vespula germanica, on the native arthropod community of north‐west Patagonia during 3 years in an area of 80 ha. Vespula germanica is an exotic social vespid that invaded north‐west Patagonia 20 years ago. It has been suggested that its populations affect native arthropods because of its broad diet and also because Patagonia lacks natural enemies and potential competitors for these wasps.3. Using wasp‐specific toxic baits, V. germanica abundance was reduced in five sites of native woodlands during 3 consecutive years. The abundance, species richness, and composition of arthropods between non‐poisoned (control) and poisoned sites was then compared, both before and after the wasps were poisoned.4. Wasp abundance represented 6% of the total arthropod catches in non‐poisoned sites and was reduced, on average, by 50% in the treated areas. The abundance, species richness, and composition of the arthropod community (305 species, 24 600 individuals) did not differ between control areas and areas where the abundance of V. germanica was reduced. Significant differences in response variables were found only before wasp poisoning had begun and were related to variations among sites.5. These results suggest that V. germanica is not affecting the local arthropod assemblages, contradicting past work in other regions. The low relative abundance of wasps in Patagonia, when compared with other invaded regions, might explain the findings.6. The present study provides further evidence for the importance of large‐scale experimental work with before/after comparisons to fully understand the impact of invaders on natural communities.
Estimating the population size of specialised solitary bees
Authors: LARSSON MAGNUS , FRANZÉN MARKUS 
Published: March 2008

Abstract 1. Reliable methods for quantifying population size are crucial for strategies to conserve endangered wild‐bee species. Estimates of population size obtained through survey walks were compared with estimates obtained through mark–recapture studies in 10 populations of the red‐listed solitary bee Andrena hattorfiana in southern Sweden.2. The mean number of bees observed during survey walks was strongly correlated with estimates of population size obtained with mark–recapture. It was found that 5.5–23.4% (mean 13.4%) of the total population was observed during an average survey walk.3. One component in mark–recapture analysis is the measure of survival of individuals. In the largest bee population, females of A. hattorfiana that emerged in early season were found to forage for pollen on average 18.4 days.4. The findings suggest that during large‐scale surveys, for example re‐inventories for red‐listed species, the population size of solitary bees can be quantified reliably and effectively by performing survey walks in a two‐step process. The first step consists of survey walks to establish the relationship between number of bee observations per survey walk and mark–recapture population size for a small set of populations. In the second, simple observation survey walks can be performed for a large set of populations. In each population of A. hattorfiana, it is recommended that at least six survey walks are performed.
C3 contributes to the cross‐protective immunity induced by Babesia gibsoni phosphoriboprotein P0 against a lethal B. rodhaini infection
Authors: TERKAWI M. A. , ZHANG G. , JIA H. , ABOGE G. , GOO Y. K. , NISHIKAWA Y. , YOKOYAMA N. , IGARASHI I. , KAWAZU S. I. , FUJISAKI K. , XUAN X. 
Published: March 2008

SUMMARY We have studied the impact of complement component 3 (C3) deficiency on the progression of lethal Babesia rodhaini infection in immune mice. A B. gibsoni ribosomal phosphoprotein P0 (BgP0) previously reported to be a cross‐protective antigen against Babesia infection was used to immunize C57BL/6 wild‐type (WT) and C3‐deficient (C3–/–) mice. Test mice were immunized intraperitoneally (i.p.) with recombinant BgP0 (rBgP0), while controls either were immunized with PBS or did not receive any immunization. Following the immunization regime, test WT mice induced a specifically strong humoral response consisting of mixed immunoglobulins IgG1 and IgG2 associated with high production of IFN‐γ in the supernatant of splenocytes. While test C3–/– mice had significantly decreased total IgG, IgG1 and IgG2b responses, the secretions of IL‐12 and IFN‐γ tended to be lower than those in WT mice. Furthermore, partial protection was only observed in rBgP0‐immunized WT mice but not in C3–/– mice or controls. Indeed, rBgP0‐immunized WT mice showed significant reductions in the initiation of parasitaemia correlated with delayed mortalities and considerable survival rates. Taken together, our results indicate that cross‐protection was impaired in C3–/– mice in view of the decrease in the antibody responses and cytokine production and the high susceptibility to infection.
Effect of drinks that are added as flavoring in oral midazolam premedication on sedation success
Authors: ISIK BERRIN , BAYGIN ÖZGÜL , BODUR HALUK 
Published: March 2008

SummaryBackground:  Midazolam is one of the most frequently used agents for sedation in pediatric dentistry. The injectable form of midazolam can also be given orally. However, its bad taste has negative effects on ingestion of the drug. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of drinks which were added to mask the bitter taste of midazolam for drug acceptance and sedation.Methods:  In the laboratory; the pH values of 2.5 ml midazolam (15 mg·3 ml−1) and the mixtures of Pepsi Cola®, 10% sodium citrate, fresh pomegranate juice, and fresh grapefruit juice in equal volumes were measured. Seventy‐five patients between 2 and 8 years of age who were assessed to have anxiety with the Frankl Behavior Scale and whose dental treatment was planned under sedation were randomly divided into five groups. Pepsi Cola (Group I), 10% sodium citrate (Group II), pomegranate juice (Group III), and grapefruit juice (Group IV) which were added to 0.75 mg·kg−1 midazolam in equal volumes, and (Group V) 0.75 mg·kg−1 midazolam given orally to children. The drug compliance of children was evaluated. After 15 min, 4–5 l·min−1 of N2O : O2 (40 : 60) inhalation was started via a nasal hood. During the procedure, heart rate, and SpO2 were monitored with pulse oximetry and sedation levels with the Ramsay Sedation Scale (RSS). Anesthetist, dentist, and parental satisfaction levels were recorded.Results:  The groups had similar demographics, drug ingestion was better in Groups I and II, but the mean RSS was the highest in Group II (P < 0.05).Conclusions:  As well as making drug ingestion much simpler, the addition of sodium citrate to the midazolam administered orally to the children increased the effectiveness of sedation.
Spatial mating networks in insect‐pollinated plants
Authors: Fortuna Miguel A. , García Cristina , Guimarães Jr. Paulo R. , Bascompte Jordi 
Published: March 2008

AbstractGene flow in plant populations is largely determined by landscape heterogeneity. Both the shape of the pollination kernel and the spatial distribution of trees affect the distribution of pollen grains and the genotypes they harbour, but little is known about the relative contribution of each of these two factors. Using genetic markers we build a spatial network of pollination events between any two trees in a population of Prunus mahaleb, an insect‐pollinated plant. Then, we apply tools from the science of complex networks to characterize the structure of such a mating network. Although the distribution of the number of pollen donors per tree is quite homogeneous, the identity of donors is distributed heterogeneously across the population. This results in a population structured in well‐defined modules or compartments, formed by a group of mother trees and their shared pollen donors. Long‐distance pollination events decrease the modular structure by favouring mating among all available mates. This increases gene flow across the entire population, reducing its genetic structure, and potentially decreasing the role of genetic drift.
Global concordance in diversity patterns of vascular plants and terrestrial vertebrates
Authors: Qian Hong , Ricklefs Robert E. 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe factors that determine large‐scale patterns of species richness are poorly understood. In particular, biologists have not determined the relative roles of taxon‐specific characteristics that influence diversification and distribution, and region‐specific features that promote and constrain diversity. We show that the numbers of species of vascular plants and of four terrestrial vertebrate taxa (mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians) vary in parallel across 296 geographic areas covering most of the globe, even after accounting for sample area, climate, topographic heterogeneity and differences between continents. Thus, a common set of regional characteristics and processes appears to shape patterns of species richness in a diverse set of taxa, despite substantial differences in their biological traits.
Approaches to Semantic Similarity Measurement for Geo‐Spatial Data: A Survey
Authors: Schwering Angela 
Published: March 2008

AbstractSemantic similarity is central for the functioning of semantically enabled processing of geospatial data. It is used to measure the degree of potential semantic interoperability between data or different geographic information systems (GIS). Similarity is essential for dealing with vague data queries, vague concepts or natural language and is the basis for semantic information retrieval and integration. The choice of similarity measurement influences strongly the conceptual design and the functionality of a GIS. The goal of this article is to provide a survey presentation on theories of semantic similarity measurement and review how these approaches – originally developed as psychological models to explain human similarity judgment – can be used in geographic information science. According to their knowledge representation and notion of similarity we classify existing similarity measures in geometric, feature, network, alignment and transformational models. The article reviews each of these models and outlines its notion of similarity and metric properties. Afterwards, we evaluate the semantic similarity models with respect to the requirements for semantic similarity measurement between geospatial data. The article concludes by comparing the similarity measures and giving general advice how to choose an appropriate semantic similarity measure. Advantages and disadvantages point to their suitability for different tasks.
The Intercarpal Ligaments of the Equine Midcarpal Joint, Part 3: Clinical Observations in 32 Racing Horses With Midcarpal Joint Disease
Authors: WHITTON R. CHRIS , KANNEGIETER NICHOLAS J. , ROSE REUBEN J. 
Published: March 2008

Objective—To characterize the clinical features of intercarpal ligament pathology and to determine the relationship among palmar intercarpal ligament tearing, dorsomedial intercarpal ligament (DMICL) hypertrophy, and other intraarticular lesions.Study Design—Prospective clinical observations.Animals or Sample Population—Twenty‐eight thoroughbred and four standardbred race horses.Methods—Clinical, radiographic, and arthroscopic examination of 53 midcarpal joints of 32 horses.Results—Palmar intercarpal ligament tearing was observed in 30 joints of 22 horses. Some tearing of the medial palmar intercarpal ligament (MPICL) was present in 27 joints of 20 horses, and tearing of the lateral palmar intercarpal ligament in 9 joints of 7 horses. There was no correlation between the severity of clinical signs recorded and the degree of MPICL tearing. Joints with grade 2–4 MPICL tearing had significantly less cartilage and bone damage than joints with grade 1 or no ligament damage (P<.05). There was a significant inverse relationship between the number and size of intra‐articular fractures, as assessed radiographically, and ligament damage (R= ‐.31). The DMICL was identified in all joints, and in 18 joints the ligament was enlarged. There was a significant correlation between MPICL damage and hypertrophy of the DMICL (R=.35). There was no correlation between DMICL hypertrophy and articular cartilage damage or subchondral bone damage.Conclusions—Severe subchondral bone and MPICL damage rarely occur in the same joint and DMICL hypertrophy may be associated with, rather than a cause of, joint disease.Clinical Relevance—There are no clinical or radiographic findings that will differentiate intercarpal ligament injury from other carpal injuries. Diagnosis is only possible by arthroscopic examination of the midcarpal joint.
Evaluation of Surgical Scrub Methods for Large Animal Surgeons
Authors: WAN P. Y. , BLACKFORD J. T. , BEMIS D. A. , ROHRBACH B. W. , KNOLL D. E. , PROVENZA M. K. 
Published: March 2008

Objective—The objective of this study was to determine the effectiveness of a 5–minute surgical scrub using either a one‐brush or a two‐brush technique in clean and dirty surgical procedures, and to compare the efficacy of povidone iodine with chlorhexidine as surgical scrub solutions.Study Design—Prospective clinical trial.Methods—Nine veterinarians scrubbed their hands on eight separate occasions using either povidone iodine or chlorhexidine gluconate. A 5‐minute scrub and either a one‐brush or two‐brush technique used in both clean and dirty operations were evaluated by taking glove juice samples before scrubbing, immediately after scrubbing, and 30, 60, 90, and 120 minutes after scrubbing. Glove juice samples were cultured and the colonies were counted. Percent reductions of bacterial forming units were calculated for all eight scrub procedures.Results—All scrub procedures provided an adequate percent reduction in colony forming units (CFU) during the 2–hour sampling period. The number of CFU immediately after scrubbing were significantly lower than prescrub. At 120 minutes, there were significantly fewer CFUs than presecrub, but there were more than immediately after scrubbing. No significant difference in reduction in CFUs were detected between one‐brush and two‐brush techniques. Both chlorhexidine and povidone iodine scrub solutions adequately reduced bacterial colony counts for 120 minutes after scrubbing regardless of the amount of contamination before skin preparation.Conclusions—Bacterial counts after a hand scrub procedure using a one‐brush technique were not significantly different than after a procedure that used a two‐brush technique. Povidone iodine and chlorhexidine are equally effectively in decreasing bacterial numbers on the skin, given a variety of contamination levels present before the scrub procedure.Clinical Relevance—Surgeons may use either chlorhexidine or povidone iodine for antiseptic preparation of their hands before surgery. A two‐brush technique is not necessary.
Central Nervous System Disorders After Renal Transplantation in Cats
Authors: GREGORY CLARE R. , MATHEWS KYLE G. , ARONSON LILLIAN R. , ILKIW JAN E. , LECOUTEUR RICHARD A. , ALDRICH JANET 
Published: March 2008

Objective—This study describes the incidence and severity of postoperative central nervous system (pCNS) disorders in feline renal transplant recipients.Study Design—A retrospective study based on the medical records of cats that received renal allografts from 1987 to 1996.Animals or Sample Population—Fifty‐seven client‐owned cats received renal allografts for the treatment of renal failure.Methods—The frequency, duration, severity, and treatment of episodes of pCNS disorders were recorded from the medical records.ResultsTwelve (21%) of 57 cats had pCNS disorders 1 hour to 5 days after the surgical procedure. Seven cats survived; four had single or multiple seizure episodes, and two had seizure episodes or disorientation followed by a period of coma. One cat became temporarily ataxic and blind after restraint for venipuncture. Five cats died; all had episodes of disorientation or seizures, or both, that progressed to a nonrecoverable comatose state, respiratory arrest or cardiac arrest, or both. There were no significant differences between the two groups in preoperative serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, or cholesterol levels, and intraoperative blood pressure measurements. There were no significant differences in the postoperative serum glucose levels, electrolytes levels, or osmolality between the two groups. The cats with pCNS disorders had a mean preoperative trough cyclosporine A (CyA) whole blood level of 429 ng/mL; cats without pCNS disorders had a significantly(P=.0116) higher mean preoperative trough CyA whole blood level of 736 ng/mL.Conclusion—Central nervous system disorders are a common and often fatal complication of renal transplantation in cats.Clinical Relevance—Recognition of pCNS disorders, and possible causes, will help develop hypotheses to investigate the problem.
Evaluation of the Sensitivity and Specificity of Diagnostic Criteria for Sepsis in Dogs
Authors: HAUPTMAN J. G. , WALSHAW R. , OLIVIER N. B. 
Published: March 2008

Objective—To evaluate the ability of various individual criteria and grouped criteria to diagnose sepsis in dogs. Study Design—Prospective acquisition of clinical data. Animals or Sample Population—Client‐owned dogs; 30 septic and 320 nonseptic. Methods—Rectal temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, white blood cell (WBC) count with percent bands, platelet count, and serum glucose concentration were obtained on day 0. True sepsis was determined on days 0 to 3 according to the following criteria: (1) histological, microbiological, and/or gross confirmation of infection, and (2) systemic illness caused by infection. Data were analyzed by the Mann‐Whitney U test and multiple logistic regression. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Results—The mean temperature, heart rate, WBC count, and percent bands were greater, whereas the mean platelet count was less in septic compared with nonseptic dogs. There was no difference in respiratory rate or glucose concentration. WBC/bands were the best individual criterion for the diagnosis of sepsis (sensitivity 87%; specificity 69%). The sensitivity and specificity of the grouped criteria (two of four; temperature, heart rate, respiratory rate, WBC) varied according to ranges of normal used. Muliple logistic regression resulted in little improvement in the sensitivity/specificity of these diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis of sepsis. Conclusions—These criteria are useful for the diagnosis of sepsis when limits are used that result in a high sensitivity (eg, 97%). The high sensitivity was associated with a low false‐negative and a high false‐positive rate; sepsis was overdiagnosed with these grouped criteria. Clinical Relevance—These criteria may be used for a sensitive, but nonspecific, diagnosis of sepsis in dogs.