gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Quinolone resistance and Campylobacter spp. (1995)

Campylobacter are a frequent cause of diarrhoea in man. The in-vitro susceptibility of all species to the fluoroquinolones and the good response observed in early clinical trials has led to the proposal that these agents may be useful in the treatment of campylobacter enteritis and other more complicated campylobacter infections. However, fluoroquinolone-resistant campylobacters have been reported in up to 50% of isolates from man. The numbers of resistant isolates varies both between and within countries, factors associated with this include foreign travel, local usage of fluoroquinolones, especially in animal husbandry, and whether the microbiology laboratory tests for susceptibility to fluorinated agents, or just nalidixic acid. Fluoroquinolone-resistant campylobacter have emerged during therapy with fluoroquinolones and been responsible for treatment failure. The mechanism of resistance in most isolates is due to mutation in the gyrA (at threonine 86) gene which encodes the A subunit of DNA gyrase. The suggestion of cross resistance to non-quinolone antibiotics, such as tetracycline and/or erythromycin, is probably explained by coincidental occurrence in isolates already resistant to such drugs. The proposal that the veterinary use of fluoroquinolones has led to the selection of fluoroquinolone-resistant campylobacters in poultry which then enter the food-chain to infect man has been viewed as controversial. In the UK fluoroquinolone were only licensed for this use in 1993; it will be interesting to see whether resistant isolates increase the number, thereby lending support for this hypothesis.
Insertion of foreign random sequences of 120 amino acid residues into an active enzyme (1997)

Random sequences of 120-130 amino acid residues were inserted into a surface loop region of Escherichia coli RNase HI. This library was screened and about 10% of the clones were found to retain RNase H activity. Subsequent random mutagenesis led to an increase in RNase H activity and solubility of the protein. The inserted regions were found not to contribute to the secondary structure of the mutant protein. The high frequency of insertion of flexible sequences and the increase in the protein's function by further mutagenesis simulate one of the events in protein evolution.
Vibrio cholerae FabV Defines a New Class of Enoyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Reductase (2007)

Enoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase catalyzes the last step of the fatty acid elongation cycle. The paradigm enoyl-ACP reductase is the FabI protein of Escherichia coli that is the target of the antibacterial compound, triclosan. However, some Gram-positive bacteria are naturally resistant to triclosan due to the presence of the triclosan-resistant enoyl-ACP reductase isoforms, FabK and FabL. The genome of the Gram-negative bacterium, Vibrio cholerae lacks a gene encoding a homologue of any of the three known enoyl-ACP reductase isozymes suggesting that this organism encodes a novel fourth enoyl-ACP reductase isoform. We report that this is the case. The gene encoding the new isoform, called FabV, was isolated by complementation of a conditionally lethal E. coli fabI mutant strain and was shown to restore fatty acid synthesis to the mutant strain both in vivo and in vitro. Like FabI and FabL, FabV is a member of the short chain dehydrogenase reductase superfamily, although it is considerably larger (402 residues) than either FabI (262 residues) or FabL (250 residues). The FabV, FabI and FabL sequences can be aligned, but only poorly. Alignment requires many gaps and yields only 15% identical residues. Thus, FabV defines a new class of enoyl-ACP reductase. The native FabV protein has been purified to homogeneity and is active with both crotonyl-ACP and the model substrate, crotonyl-CoA. In contrast to FabI and FabL, FabV shows a very strong preference for NADH over NADPH. Expression of FabV in E. coli results in markedly increased resistance to triclosan and the purified enzyme is much more resistant to triclosan than is E. coli FabI.
Targeted adenovirus gene transfer to endothelial and smooth muscle cells by using bispecific antibodies (1996)

A major hurdle to adenovirus (Ad)-mediated gene transfer is that the target issue lacks sufficient levels of receptors to mediate vector attachment via its fiber coat protein. Endothelial and smooth muscle cells are primary targets in gene therapy approaches to prevent restenosis following angioplasty or to promote or inhibit angiogenesis. However, Ad poorly binds and transduces these cells because of their low or undetectable levels of functional Ad fiber receptor. The Ad-binding deficiency of these cells was overcome by targeting Ad binding to alpha v integrin receptors that are sufficiently expressed by these cells. In order to target alpha v integrins, a bispecific antibody (bsAb) that comprised a monoclonal Ab to the FLAG peptide epitope, DYKDDDDK, and a monoclonal Ab to alpha v integrins was constructed. In conjunction with the bsAb, a new vector, AdFLAG, which incorporated the FLAG peptide epitope into its penton base protein was constructed. Complexing AdFLAG with the bsAb increased the beta-glucuronidase transduction of human venule endothelial cells and human intestinal smooth muscle cells by seven- to ninefold compared with transduction by AdFLAG alone. The increased transduction efficiency was shown to occur through the specific interaction of the complex with alpha v integrins. These results demonstrate that bsAbs can be successfully used to target Ad to a specific cellular receptor and thereby increase the efficiency of gene transfer.
Gene gun delivery of mRNA in situ results in efficient transgene expression and genetic immunization. (1996)

The use of mRNA to transfer genetic information into mammalian somatic cells in vivo or ex vivo may be advantageous in a number of gene therapy protocols. Success in utilizing in vivo RNA delivery for transgene expression has been extremely limited, partially due to RNA instability and to the lack of an efficient intracellular delivery mechanism applicable to a wide variety of tissue or organ systems. We report here that a particle-mediated gene delivery technology can be used to effectively deliver RNA molecules into a number of mammalian somatic tissue types. Expression from RNA transcripts of three reporter genes, firefly luciferase, human growth hormone and human alpha-1 antitrypsin, was detected in monolayer and suspension cell cultures bombarded in vitro, and in in vivo bombarded rat liver tissues, and mouse liver and epidermal tissues. Gene gun treatment of mouse epidermis in vivo with human alpha-1 antitrypsin messenger RNA elicited a strong, consistent antibody response which showed an increased titer with subsequent boosts. Results from this study point to future opportunities of applying RNA delivery techniques for transgenic studies, genetic vaccination, and gene therapy.
Tissue-Specific Expression Conferred by the S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine Synthetase Promoter of Arabidopsis thaliana in Transgenic Poplar (1996)

In Arabidopsis the promoter of the gene encoding S-adenosyl-L-methionine synthetase (SAM-S) Psam-1 confers expression preferentially in the vascular tissue. In search for promoters that drive expression in particular cells of the lignifying tissues in trees, we have analyzed the expression pattern conferred by the Psam-1 promoter in transgenic poplar. Histochemical analyses demonstrated beta-glucuronidase (GUS) activity mainly in phloem and cortex tissue throughout the plant, and in root tips. Fluorimetric assays showed high GUS activity in the tissues outside (phloem, cortex and cork) compared to those inside (xylem and pith) of the cambial layer. In contrast, the endogenous SAM-S activity was high in tissues inside and low in tissues outside of the cambial layer. RNA gel blot analysis demonstrated a high transcript level of the endogenous sam-s gene(s) in tissues both outside and inside the cambial layer. This indicates that the low SAM-S activity in the bark was at least partially due to translational and/or post-translational regulation of the endogenous sam-s gene(s). In dormant transgenics, the tissue specificity was conserved, but the activity levels were up to 10-fold reduced.
Synthesis of sulpha drug acridine derivatives and their evaluation for anti-inflammatory, analgesic and anticancer activity (2002)

Various sulpha drugs i.e. sulphaacetamide, sulphathiazole, sulphadiazine and sulphamerazine are coupled with 9-chloro-2,4(un)substituted acridines and 9-isothiocyanato-2, 4(un) substituted acridines to give corresponding coupled products 3a-f and 4a-h respectively. The structures of all synthesized compounds have beem confirmed by spectroscopic methods. Anti-inflammatory activity evaluation of 3a,b,e and 4a-h was carried out and compounds 4a, 4d, 4g and 4h showed 8,13, 22 and 3% activity respectively at 100mg/ kg p.o. Analgesic activity evaluation of 3a,b,e and 4a-h indicated that these compounds possess 25,75,50, 25, 50,50, 0, 75, 50, 50 and 50% analgesic activity at 100mg/kg p.o. Anticancer activity evaluation of 3a-f and 4a-h against a small panel of seven cancer cell lines consisting of lung (NCIH 460);colon (HT 29); melanoma (LOX); breast (MCF 7 and MCF 7 / ADR); prostate (DU145) and CNS (U251) tumors was carried out. Best GI 5 0 (concentration which inhibits the cell growth by 50%) values are shown by 4b, 0.4 μM (lung carcinoma, cell line NCIH 460); 4b, 0.3 μM (colon tumor, cell line HT29); 3e, 7.2μm (melanoma tumor, cell line LOX); 4b, 0.7μM (breast tumor, cell line MCF7); 4c, 1.9μM (breast tumor, cell line MCF7/ADR); 4b, 0.8 μM (prostate tumor, cell line DU 145) and 4b, 1.4 μM(CNS tumor, cell line U251) respectively. Out of all the compounds reported here GI 5 0 value shown by 4c i.e. 1.9 μM against breast tumor (MCF7/ADR) is quite close to the GI 5 0 value i.e. 1.2 μM of the standard drug doxorubicin. Also it is worthwhile to mention here that compound 4b, has shown good anticancer activity against four tumor cell lines i.e. GI 5 0 value < I μM.
Osteoblast-specific factor 2: cloning of a putative bone adhesion protein with homology with the insect protein fasciclin I (1993)

A cDNA library prepared from the mouse osteoblastic cell line MC3T3-E1 was screened for the presence of specifically expressed genes by employing a combined subtraction hybridization/differential screening approach. A cDNA was identified and sequenced which encodes a protein designated osteoblast-specific factor 2 (OSF-2) comprising 811 amino acids. OSF-2 has a typical signal sequence, followed by a cysteine-rich domain, a fourfold repeated domain and a C-terminal domain. The protein lacks a typical transmembrane region. The fourfold repeated domain of OSF-2 shows homology with the insect protein fasciclin I. RNA analyses revealed that OSF-2 is expressed in bone and to a lesser extent in lung, but not in other tissues. Mouse OSF-2 cDNA was subsequently used as a probe to clone the human counterpart. Mouse and human OSF-2 show a high amino acid sequence conservation except for the signal sequence and two regions in the C-terminal domain in which 'in-frame' insertions or deletions are observed, implying alternative splicing events. On the basis of the amino acid sequence homology with fasciclin I, we suggest that OSF-2 functions as a homophilic adhesion molecule in bone formation.
In Vitro and in Vivo Anti-Leishmanial Activity of Triterpenoid Saponins Isolated from Maesa balansae and Some Chemical Derivatives (2004)

The methanolic extract from the leaves of the Vietnamese medicinal plant Maesa balansae showed potent in vitro and in vivo activity against the tropical protozoal parasite Leishmania infantum. Bioassay-guided purification of the extract led to the identification of six triterpenoid saponins, maesabalides I-VI (1-6), each having a strong and specific anti-leishmanial activity. Maesabalide III (3) and IV (4) were the most potent with IC(50) values against intracellular amastigotes of about 7 and 14 ng/mL. In comparison, the IC(50) value of sodium stibogluconate, the reference drug for treatment of leishmaniasis, is only 5.6 microg/mL. No cytotoxicity was present on a human fibroblast (MRC-5) cell line (CC(50) > 32 microg/mL). In vivo evaluation in the BALB/C mouse model demonstrated that >90% reduction of liver amastigote burdens was obtained 1 week after a single subcutaneous dose at 0.2-0.4 mg/kg was administered. Several chemical derivatives of maesabalides I-VI were prepared in order to study the structure-activity relationship.
Introduction of aliphatic amino and hydroxy groups to keto steroids using O-substituted hydroxylamines (1992)

(Aminooxy)butyl- and -hexylamines and alcohols were synthesized by the Ing-Manske modification of the Gabriel synthesis. The aminooxy group of these heterobifunctional spacer reagents is a far more powerful nucleophile than the amino or hydroxy group because of the oxygen atom adjacent to the amino group (alpha-effect). The aminooxy group reacts readily with keto groups while the amino or hydroxy (or other) group remains free for further reactions. These excellent heterobifunctional spacer reagents were used here to derivatize keto steroids in an alkaline alcoholic solution. Using the described, general, and easy one-step synthesis, aliphatic amino or hydroxy groups with a spacer arm have been introduced to testosterone, 6-ketoestradiol, and cortisol.
Tyrosine 23 Phosphorylation-Dependent Cell-Surface Localization of Annexin A2 Is Required for Invasion and Metastases of Pancreatic Cancer (2011)

The aggressiveness of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is characterized by its high metastatic potential and lack of effective therapies, which is the result of a lack of understanding of the mechanisms involved in promoting PDA metastases. We identified Annexin A2 (ANXA2), a member of the Annexin family of calcium-dependent phospholipid binding proteins, as a new molecule that promotes PDA invasion and metastases. We found ANXA2 to be a PDA-associated antigen recognized by post-treatment sera of patients who demonstrated prolonged survival following treatment with a PDA-specific vaccine. Cell surface ANXA2 increases with PDA development and progression. Knockdown of ANXA2 expression by RNA interference or blocking with anti-ANXA2 antibodies inhibits in vitro invasion of PDA cells. In addition, post-vaccination patient sera inhibits in vitro invasion of PDA cells, suggesting that therapeutic anti-ANXA2 antibodies are induced by the vaccine. Furthermore, cell-surface localization of ANXA2 is tyrosine 23 phosphorylation-dependent; and tyrosine 23 phosphorylation is required for PDA invasion. We demonstrated that tyrosine 23 phosphorylation resulting in surface expression of ANXA2 is required for TGFβ-induced, Rho-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), linking the cellular function of ANXA2 which was previously shown to be associated with small GTPase-regulated cytoskeletal rearrangements, to the EMT process in PDA. Finally, using mouse PDA models, we showed that shRNA knock-down of ANXA2, a mutation at tyrosine 23, or anti-ANXA2 antibodies, inhibit PDA metastases and prolong mouse survival. Thus, ANXA2 is part of a novel molecular pathway underlying PDA metastases and a new target for development of PDA therapeutics.
Clinical trial of blood-brain barrier disruption by pulsed ultrasound (2016)

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) limits the delivery of systemically administered drugs to the brain. Methods to circumvent the BBB have been developed, but none are used in standard clinical practice. The lack of adoption of existing methods is due to procedural invasiveness, serious adverse effects, and the complications associated with performing such techniques coincident with repeated drug administration, which is customary in chemotherapeutic protocols. Pulsed ultrasound, a method for disrupting the BBB, was shown to effectively increase drug concentrations and to slow tumor growth in preclinical studies. We now report the interim results of an ultrasound dose-escalating phase 1/2a clinical trial using an implantable ultrasound device system, SonoCloud, before treatment with carboplatin in patients with recurrent glioblastoma (GBM). The BBB of each patient was disrupted monthly using pulsed ultrasound in combination with systemically injected microbubbles. Contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) indicated that the BBB was disrupted at acoustic pressure levels up to 1.1 megapascals without detectable adverse effects on radiologic (MRI) or clinical examination. Our preliminary findings indicate that repeated opening of the BBB using our pulsed ultrasound system, in combination with systemic microbubble injection, is safe and well tolerated in patients with recurrent GBM and has the potential to optimize chemotherapy delivery in the brain.
Baculovirus Diversity and Molecular Biology (1990)

With the identification and characterization of a number of structural and nonstructural protein genes, advances have been made in our understanding of baculovirus structure, regulation of gene expression, and replication. Since less than 30% of the AcMNPV genome has been sequenced and characterized, the continued identification and assignment of function to baculovirus genes is perhaps the most crucial of enterprises now facing baculovirologists and is critical to the development of our understanding of the baculovirus genome and its replication. The size and diversity of baculovirus genomes appears to be strongly influenced by mobile DNA from the insect host. Also, transposon-mediated mutations of baculoviruses provide examples of functional inactivation of viral genes (FP phenotype mutations) and transcriptional activation (TE-D insertion). Another role transposable elements may play is the introduction of insect promoters and enhancers to the baculovirus genome. Since early baculovirus genes are likely transcribed in a way similar to normal insect genes, transposons that insert strong constitutive promoters or cellular enhancers near early baculovirus genes may cause mutations that are subsequently selected for. If this does occur, baculovirus early gene promoters may exhibit a great deal of variability in sequence and may resemble host promoters. Given the overall similarity between the genomes of OpMNPV and AcMNPV and the apparent absence of a region, similar to the AcMNPV HindIII-K/EcoR1-S in OpMNPV, it is intriguing to speculate that this region which contains two ORFs and the hr5 enhancer, may have been inserted into the AcMNPV genome by transposition, possibly delivering several helpful genes (35k and 94k) and a powerful enhancer. The highly repeated enhancer may have been subsequently amplified by recombination. In such a model, the acquisition of general or species-specific enhancers might influence both virulence and host range. Acquisition of general enhancers could increase the level of early gene expression, thus accelerating the cellular infection cycle and making the virus more virulent. Similarly, the acquisition of species-specific enhancers might affect host range by accelerating the infection cycle, but only in a specific host or cell type. One might therefore postulate that diversity in baculoviruses may reflect not only different selection pressures but also the diversity of mobile DNA within host insect species. Although our understanding of baculovirus diversity and molecular biology is rapidly advancing, many of the fundamental characteristics that define the unique nature of baculoviruses remain poorly understood. One fundamental feature of baculoviruses is the production of the two virion phenotypes, PDV and BV.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Formation of epitaxial layers of Ge on Si substrates by Ge implantation and oxidation (1987)

Thin epitaxial layers of Ge-Si alloys have been formed on Si(100) substrates by steam oxidation of Ge-implanted samples. During the oxidation, the Ge is totally piled up ahead of the SiO2/Si interface. This segregation of Ge leads to the formation of a distinct, Ge-rich layer which is epitaxial with the underlying Si. The thickness of the Ge layer is dependent on the implantation dose. This layer and its two bounding interfaces with the oxide and Si are characterized as a function of the implantation dose and energy, using Rutherford backscattering and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy.
CC-3052: a water-soluble analog of thalidomide and potent inhibitor of activation-induced TNF-alpha production. (1998)

The immunomodulatory drug thalidomide has been shown to be clinically useful in a number of situations due to its ability to inhibit TNF-alpha synthesis. However, its use is restricted by potentially serious side effects, including teratogenicity and neuorotoxicity; furthermore, insolubility may present problems in terms of systemic bioavailability. Recently, structural modifications of thalidomide have been designed enabling greatly enhanced anti-TNF-alpha activity in LPS-treated mice. In contrast to thalidomide (LPS-induced TNF-alpha IC50 approximately 200 microM in DMSO) and other analogs tested, one of these compounds, CC-3052 (IC50 approximately 1 microM in water), is water soluble. Furthermore, this analog exhibits increased stability in human plasma (t(1/2) approximately 17.5 vs 1.5 h for thalidomide) and appears to be nontoxic, nonmutagenic, and nonteratogenic. At pharmacologically active levels, cellular proliferation and LPS-induced IL-6 mRNA and IL-12p40 mRNA (as well as IL-1beta and IL-6 protein levels) in whole blood cultures were not affected; apparent inhibition of NK activity by CC-3052 was reversed upon addition of exogenous rTNF-alpha. In addition, IL-10 mRNA and protein levels were increased. These properties are consistent with results indicating inhibition of phosphodiesterase type IV activity by CC-3052. Furthermore, CC-3052 did not increase the degradation rate of macrophage TNF-alpha transcripts nor inhibit LPS-induced primary macrophage NF-kappaB activation. Taken together, the potency of selective TNF-alpha inhibition, water solubility, and increased plasma stability make CC-3052 an excellent candidate for further development and clinical evaluation for the treatment of TNF-alpha-mediated disease.
ChemInform Abstract: OXIDATIVE COUPLING OF ACTIVE HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS WITH P‐PHENYLENE DIAMINES. III. REACTIVITY OF 4‐SUBSTITUTED 3‐METHYL‐1‐PHENYLPYRAZOLIN‐5‐ONES WITH N,N‐DIETHYLQUINONEDIIMINE (1979)

Abstract Reaktion des Pyrazolinons (I) mit den Sulfenylchloriden (II) erfolgt unter 4‐Substitution zu den Derivaten (III).