gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Effect of 5-bromo- and 5-methyldeoxycytosine on duplex stability and discrimination of the NotI octadeoxynucleotide. Quantitative measurements using thin-layer chromatography. (1990)

Octadeoxynucleotides based on the recognition sequence of the restriction endonuclease NotI were synthesized containing unmodified nucleotides and nucleotides with methyl and bromide additions at the C5 position of the pyrimidine ring of deoxycytosine. On annealing to single-stranded DNA bearing one NotI site, thin-layer chromatography (TLC) of the different oligonucleotides was used quantitatively to determine differences in dissociation temperature (Td) and binding equilibrium. Buffers used in filter hybridization experiments could be used in this TLC system. In addition, actual hybridizations were carried out to filter-bound DNA with and without a NotI site. The incorporation of 5-methyldeoxycytosine and 5-bromodeoxycytosine led to a significant increase in stability of homoduplex formation during hybridization, due to a shift in the binding equilibrium and an increase of the Td, thereby improving discrimination considerably. Some implications of the results for several techniques involving oligomer hybridization are discussed.
Pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepine as a Scaffold for the Design and Synthesis of Anti- Tumour Drugs (2009)

Compounds that bind in the minor groove of DNA have found use in the experimental treatment of cancer and certain infectious diseases. Furthermore, agents which target and can recognize discrete sequences of DNA have the potential to offer selective therapies by modulating the activity of specific transcription factors or genes. For this reason, a number of sequence-selective DNA binding agents have been evaluated with a range of affinities and recognition fidelities. In this respect, the pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]benzodiazepines (PBDs) are of interest as they bind to guanine residues in the minor groove with a preference for Pu-G-Pu sequences. A dramatic increase in cytotoxicity and sequence selectivity has been achieved by linking two PBD units to form PBD dimers as cross-linking agents on opposite DNA strands (e.g., interstrand cross-links). SJG-136 is currently undergoing Phase I evaluation in both the United States (through the NCI) and United Kingdom (through Cancer Research United Kingdom). This review will focus on design, synthesis and structure activity relationship studies of pyrrolobenzodiazepines as anticancer therapeutics reported since 2003.
Functional analysis of the sea urchin‐derived arylsulfatase (Ars)‐element in mammalian cells (2006)

An insulator is a DNA sequence that has both enhancer-blocking activity, through its ability to modify the influence of neighboring cis-acting elements, and a barrier function that protects a transgene from being silenced by surrounding chromatin. Previously, we isolated and characterized a 582-bp-long element from the sea urchin arylsulfatase gene (Ars). This Ars-element was effective in sea urchin and Drosophila embryos and in plant cells. To investigate Ars-element activity in mammalian cells, we placed the element between the cytomegalovirus enhancer and a luciferase (luc) expression cassette. In contrast to controls lacking the Ars-element, NIH3T3 and 293T cells transfected with the element-containing construct displayed reduced luciferase activities. The Ars-element therefore acts as an enhancer-blocking element in mammalian cells. We assessed the barrier activity of the Ars-element using vectors in which a luc expression cassette was placed between two elements. Transfection experiments demonstrated that luc activity in these vectors was approximately ten-fold higher than in vectors lacking elements. Luc activities were well maintained even after 12 weeks in culture. Our observations demonstrate that the Ars-element has also a barrier activity. These results indicated that the Ars-element act as an insulator in mammalian cells.
Efficient degradation of gluten by a prolyl endoprotease in a gastrointestinal model: implications for coeliac disease (2007)

AN-PEP is capable of accelerating the degradation of gluten in a gastrointestinal system that closely mimics in-vivo digestion. This implies that the co-administration of AN-PEP with a gluten-containing meal might eliminate gluten toxicity, thus offering patients the possibility of abandoning (occasionally) their strict gluten-free diet.
A phase I safety and immunogenicity trial with the candidate malaria vaccine RTS,S/SBAS2 in semi-immune adults in The Gambia. (1999)

RTS,S is a novel pre-erythrocytic malaria vaccine based on the circumsporozoite surface protein (CSP) of Plasmodium falciparum linked to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs) and combined with a novel adjuvant system (SBAS2). We have conducted a Phase I trial with three doses of this vaccine given at 0, 1, and 6 months to 20 semi-immune, adult, male volunteers in The Gambia to assess its safety and immunogenicity. Eighteen of the 20 volunteers completed the study. There were no clinically significant local or systemic adverse events following each vaccination. Hematologic and biochemical indices before and two weeks after each vaccination showed no evidence of toxicity. Antibody titers to both CSP and HBs showed a significant increase after vaccination; these were the largest after the third dose. We conclude that the RTS,S/SBAS2 vaccine induces no significant toxicity in this semi-immune population and produces significant increases in antibody titers to CSP.
Multisensor-integrated organs-on-chips platform for automated and continual in situ monitoring of organoid behaviors (2017)

Organ-on-a-chip systems are miniaturized microfluidic 3D human tissue and organ models designed to recapitulate the important biological and physiological parameters of their in vivo counterparts. They have recently emerged as a viable platform for personalized medicine and drug screening. These in vitro models, featuring biomimetic compositions, architectures, and functions, are expected to replace the conventional planar, static cell cultures and bridge the gap between the currently used preclinical animal models and the human body. Multiple organoid models may be further connected together through the microfluidics in a similar manner in which they are arranged in vivo, providing the capability to analyze multiorgan interactions. Although a wide variety of human organ-on-a-chip models have been created, there are limited efforts on the integration of multisensor systems. However, in situ continual measuring is critical in precise assessment of the microenvironment parameters and the dynamic responses of the organs to pharmaceutical compounds over extended periods of time. In addition, automated and noninvasive capability is strongly desired for long-term monitoring. Here, we report a fully integrated modular physical, biochemical, and optical sensing platform through a fluidics-routing breadboard, which operates organ-on-a-chip units in a continual, dynamic, and automated manner. We believe that this platform technology has paved a potential avenue to promote the performance of current organ-on-a-chip models in drug screening by integrating a multitude of real-time sensors to achieve automated in situ monitoring of biophysical and biochemical parameters.
Acquired cerebral palsy. (1989)

Les definitions de l'infirmite motrice cerebrale sont nombreuses. Si l'on se fonde sur l'epidemiologie, la tendance actuelle est de separer les formes ante perinatales des formes, postnatales «acquises». Un compte-rendu de l'epidemiologie de ces dernieres dans la region de Mersey est analyse ici en vue de leurs implications medicales et sociales
A controlled family history study of Tourette's syndrome, I: Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disorders. (1990)

Gilles de la Tourette's syndrome (TS) is a common, hereditary neuropsychiatric disorder. While its diagnostic feature is the presence of suppressible motor and vocal tics, a wide range of impulsive, compulsive, attentional, learning, mood, and anxiety disorders are also present in many patients. To determine if attentional and learning problems are part of the expression of the Gts gene (or genes), the authors analyzed family histories of 130 TS probands with 1851 relatives and 25 control probands with 541 relatives--a total of 2392 relatives. The frequency of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or learning disorders was significantly increased in the relatives of the TS probands. The data on first-degree relatives suggest that when the Gts gene is expressed in this form, in two thirds of the cases tics are also present and in one third they are not. These observations are consistent with the proposal that ADHD and learning disorders form an integral part of the expression of the Gts gene or genes.
Antiphospholipid antibodies and venous thromboembolism (1995)

The clinical relevance of antiphospholipid antibodies (APLA) in patients without systemic lupus erythematosus who have venous thromboembolism (VTE) in unknown. Limited evidence suggests that there is an association between the presence of APLA and both initial and recurrent episodes of VTE and that patients with APLA and VTE are resistant to warfarin therapy. Unselected patients with a first episode of clinically suspected deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism were evaluated with objective tests for VTE and with laboratory tests for APLA; the latter included tests for the lupus anticoagulant (LA) and anticardiolipin antibodies (ACLA). Patients with VTE were treated with anticoagulant therapy and observed during and after discontinuation of anticoagulants for symptomatic recurrence of VTE. There was a strong association between LA and VTE (odds ratio, 9.4; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1 to 46.2) and 9 to 65 (14%; 95% CI, 7% to 25%) patients with VTE had LA. There was no association between the presence of ACLA and VTE (odds ratio, 0.7; 95%CI, 0.3 to 1.7) because of the high frequency of positive ACLA assays in patients without VTE. None of the 16 patients with VTE and APLA developed recurrent VTE while receiving warfarin therapy. There was no difference in rates of recurrent VTE in patients with or without APLA after anticoagulant therapy was discontinued. The strong association between LA and VTE suggests that testing for LA in patients with VTE is useful. The measurement of ACLA in patients with VTE has no clinical usefulness because the results are abnormal in a high proportion of patients without VTE. Although the presence of APLA in patients with VTE was not associated with resistance to a conventional intensity of warfarin or an increased risk of recurrent VTE after discontinuation of warfarin, a larger study should address these issues in a subgroup of patients with VTE and LA.
Template-directed dye-terminator incorporation (TDI) assay: a homogeneous DNA diagnostic method based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (1997)

A new method for DNA diagnostics based on template-directed primer extension and detection by fluorescence resonance energy transfer is described. In this method, amplified genomic DNA fragments containing polymorphic sites are incubated with a 5'-fluorescein-labeled primer (designed to hybridize to the DNA template adjacent to the polymorphic site) in the presence of allelic dye-labeled dideoxyribonucleoside triphosphates and a modified Taq DNA polymerase (Klentaq1-FY). The dye-labeled primer is extended one base by the dye-terminator specific for the allele present on the template. At the end of the genotyping reaction, the fluorescence intensities of the two dyes in the reaction mixture are analyzed directly without separation or purification. This homogeneous DNA diagnostic method, which we call the template-directed dye-terminator incorporation assay, is shown to be highly sensitive and specific and is suitable for automated genotyping of large numbers of samples.
Early transduction produces highly functional chimeric antigen receptor-modified virus-specific T-cells with central memory markers: a Production Assistant for Cell Therapy (PACT) translational application (2015)

We developed a rapid and GMP compliant method for the early transduction of multivirus-specific T-cells that allowed stable expression of high levels of a tumor directed CAR. Since a proportion of early-transduced CAR-VSTs had a central memory phenotype, they should expand and persist in vivo, simultaneously protecting against infection and targeting residual malignancy. This manufacturing strategy is currently under clinical investigation in patients receiving allogeneic HSCT for relapsed neuroblastoma and B-cell malignancies (NCT01460901 using a GD2.CAR and NCT00840853 using a CD19.CAR).
Alloreactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes generated in the presence of viral-derived peptides show exquisite peptide and MHC specificity. (1993)

The nature of alloreactivity to MHC molecules has been enigmatic, primarily because of the observation that allogeneic responses are considerably stronger than syngeneic responses. To better determine the specificity potential of allogeneic responses, we have generated alloreactive CTL specific for exogenous, viral-derived peptide ligands. This approach allowed us to critically evaluate both the peptide- and MHC-specificity of these alloreactive T cells. Exploiting the accessibility of the H-2Ld class I molecule for exogenous peptide ligands, alloreactive CTL were generated that are specific for either murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) or lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) peptides bound by Ld alloantigens. Peptide specificity was initially observed in bulk cultures of alloreactive CTL only when tested on peptide-sensitized T2.Ld target cells that have defective presentation of endogenous peptides. Subsequent cloning of bulk alloreactive CTL lines generated to MCMV yielded CTL clones that had exquisitely specific MCMV peptide recognition requirement. All of the MCMV/Ld alloreactive CTL clones were also exquisitely MHC-specific in that none of the CTL clones lysed targets expressing MCMV/Lq complexes, even though Lq differs from Ld by only six amino acid residues and Lq also binds the MCMV peptide. This observation clearly demonstrates that alloreactive CTL are capable of the same degree of specificity for target cell recognition as are syngeneic CTL in MHC-restricted responses.
Coupling of histone deacetylation to NAD breakdown by the yeast silencing protein Sir2: Evidence for acetyl transfer from substrate to an NAD breakdown product (2000)

Humans become increasingly fragile as they age. We show that something similar may happen to states, although for states, the risk of termination levels off as they grow older, allowing some to persist for millennia. Proximate causes of their ...How states and great powers rise and fall is an intriguing enigma of human history. Are there any patterns? Do polities become more vulnerable over time as they age? We analyze longevity in hundreds of premodern states using survival analysis to help ...
Modulation of hemostatic mechanisms in bacterial infectious diseases (2000)

Life-threatening complications from bacterial infections are a major and growing clinical problem, aggravated by the emergence and spread of antibiotic resistance in bacterial pathogens and by an increase in the number of immunocompromised patients.[1-3][1] During bacterial infection, the host
The Effect of Hypoxic Cell Sensitizers at Different Irradiation Dose Rates (1987)

The effect of 0.1-5 mM misonidazole and SR 2508 on hypoxic V79 cellular survival at acute (498 cGy/min) and low (890 and 933 cGy/h) irradiation dose rates was measured and compared. The experiments were designed to delineate the oxygen mimetic phenomenon and the preincubation effect of these chemicals at these dose rates. Linear regression analysis of the survival data in terms of the linear quadratic model yielded values of alpha and beta. In the absence of drug, the linear coefficient was independent of dose rate, whereas the quadratic term was greatly reduced at low dose rate. At all dose rates, the preincubation effect affected primarily the alpha term, with little influence on beta. In contrast, the oxygen mimetic phenomenon predominantly affected the beta term. Overall, the radiosensitizing ability of these drugs was higher at low dose rate than at acute dose rate.
THE IMPACT OF MEDICAL THERAPY ON BOTHER DUE TO SYMPTOMS, QUALITY OF LIFE AND GLOBAL OUTCOME, AND FACTORS PREDICTING RESPONSE (1998)

In men with clinical BPH finasteride and placebo are equally effective, while terazosin and combination are significantly more effective. In men with clinical BPH and large prostates the advantage of finasteride over placebo in terms of symptom reduction, impact on bother due to symptoms and quality of life is small at best, while the advantage of terazosin and combination over finasteride and placebo is highly significant. Baseline prostate volume was not a predictor of response to finasteride in the overall study population. On the basis of our results alpha1 blockers, such as terazosin, should be first line medical treatment for BPH.
Three QTL in the honey bee Apis mellifera L. suppress reproduction of the parasitic mite Varroa destructor (2011)

Varroa destructor is a highly virulent ectoparasitic mite of the honey bee Apis mellifera and a major cause of colony losses for global apiculture. Typically, chemical treatment is essential to control the parasite population in the honey bee colony. Nevertheless a few honey bee populations survive mite infestation without any treatment. We used one such Varroa mite tolerant honey bee lineage from the island of Gotland, Sweden, to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling reduced mite reproduction. We crossed a queen from this tolerant population with drones from susceptible colonies to rear hybrid queens. Two hybrid queens were used to produce a mapping population of haploid drones. We discriminated drone pupae with and without mite reproduction, and screened the genome for potential QTL using a total of 216 heterozygous microsatellite markers in a bulk segregant analysis. Subsequently, we fine mapped three candidate target regions on chromosomes 4, 7, and 9. Although the individual effect of these three QTL was found to be relatively small, the set of all three had significant impact on suppression of V. destructor reproduction by epistasis. Although it is in principle possible to use these loci for marker-assisted selection, the strong epistatic effects between the three loci complicate selective breeding programs with the Gotland Varroa tolerant honey bee stock.
Imaging of CNS myelin by positron-emission tomography (2006)

Promoting myelin repair is one of the most promising therapeutic avenues in the field of myelin disorders. In future clinical trials, evaluation of remyelination will require a reliable and quantifiable myelin marker to be used as a surrogate marker. To date, MRI assessment lacks specificity for evaluating the level of remyelination within the brain. Here, we describe 1,4-bis(p-aminostyryl)-2-methoxy benzene (BMB), a synthesized fluorescent molecule, that binds selectively to myelin both ex vivo and in vivo. The binding of BMB to myelin allows the detection of demyelinating lesions in an experimental autoimmune encephalitis model of demyelination and allows a mean for quantifying myelin loss in dysmyelinating mutants. In multiple sclerosis brain, different levels of BMB binding differentiated remyelination in shadow plaques from either demyelinated lesions or normal-appearing white matter. After systemic injection, BMB crosses the blood-brain barrier and binds to myelin in a dose-dependent and reversible manner. Finally, we provide evidence that (11)C-radiolabeled BMB can be used in vivo to image CNS myelin by positron-emission tomography in baboon. Our results provide a perspective for developing a brain myelin imaging technique by positron-emission tomography.
Head Mounted Display for Mixed Reality using Holographic Optical Elements (1999)

We propose the stereoscopic Head Mounted Display(HMD) using Holographic Optical Elements(HOE). This display uses HOE as the holographic combiner instead of half mirror that is used by conventional HMD....
Repetitively pulsed ruby lasers as light sources for high-speed photography (1998)

Two ruby laser systems employing multiple Q-switching technology are developed to provide ruby laser light for high-speed photography. Potential applications include ballistics and flow visualization as well as nondestructive test evaluation using laser imaging diagnostics such as photography, holography, and various interferometric techniques. The laser systems produce more than 50 pulses at repetition rates up to 500 kHz with nearly constant pulse-to-pulse energies. One system, based on a commercial laser, provides multiple pulses of holographic quality light with individual pulse energies of the order of 10 mJ, pulse widths of 50 ns, and a pulse train length of more than 300 μs. A new ruby laser system is developed to provide higher pulse energies, of the order of 350 mJ per pulse, with 10 ns pulse widths and 140 μs pulse train length. The method for multiple Q-switching by modulating the Pockels cell’s quarter-wave voltage and the formation of an individual Q-switched pulse is investigated. The energy within the individual pulses formed in the oscillator cavity is successfully increased by propagating through an amplification section, without degradation of the temporal or pulse-to-pulse amplitude stability. E´talons for longitudinal mode selection and an iris for spatial mode selection are incorporated into the lower energy system and an image of a reconstructed hologram is presented. Camera capabilities and the implications of higher pulse energies are also investigated. © 1998 Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers.
Size-Dependent Absolute Quantum Yields for Size-Separated Colloidally-Stable Silicon Nanocrystals (2011)

Size-selective precipitation was used to successfully separate colloidally stable allylbenzene-capped silicon nanocrystals into several visible emitting monodisperse fractions traversing the quantum size effect range of 1-5 nm. This enabled the measurement of the absolute quantum yield and lifetime of photoluminescence of allylbenzene-capped silicon nanocrystals as a function of size. The absolute quantum yield and lifetime are found to monotonically decrease with decreasing nanocrystal size, which implies that nonradiative vibrational and surface defect effects overwhelm spatial confinement effects that favor radiative relaxation. Visible emission absolute quantum yields as high as 43% speak well for the development of "green" silicon nanocrystal color-tunable light emitting diodes that can potentially match the performance of their toxic heavy metal chalcogenide counterparts.