gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Surges of muscle sympathetic nerve activity during obstructive apnea are linked to hypoxemia (1995)

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with oscillations of arterial blood pressure (BP) that occur in phase with irregularities of respiration. To explore the role of the sympathetic nervous system in these responses, we studied muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA; peroneal microneurography), an index of vasoconstrictor nerve traffic, and BP during awake regular breathing and during spontaneous apneas in patients with OSA. To determine the role of the arterial chemoreflex, we also examined the effects of 100% O2 (hyperoxia) on MSNA and BP. In awake regularly breathing patients with OSA (n = 12), resting MSNA was markedly higher than in an age-matched control population (n = 15) [41 +/- 23 (SD) vs. 24 +/- 17 bursts/min; P < 0.05] and was unchanged during hyperoxia (n = 9). Apneas during sleep (n = 8) were associated with surges in MSNA followed by transient rises in BP when breathing resumed. In contrast to room air apneas, hyperoxic apneas of similar duration were associated with attenuated MSNA responses (+82 +/- 84% vs. +5 +/- 25% compared with awake baseline; P < 0.05; n = 6), even though O2 did not affect sleep stage and the occurrence of arousal. Thus the BP oscillations that occur with apnea during sleep may in part be mediated by intermittent surges of sympathetic activity resulting in vasoconstriction. Because the MSNA responses to obstructive apnea are blunted during O2 administration, they appear to be linked to intermittent arterial hypoxemia and stimulation of arterial chemoreceptors.
Chitosan as a Nasal Delivery System: The Effect of Chitosan Solutions on in Vitro and in Vivo Mucociliary Transport Rates in Human Turbinates and Volunteers (1997)

In these studies, we examined the effect on mucociliary transport rates (MTR) of various 0.25% (w/v) chitosan solutions applied to human nasal tissue both ex vivo and in vivo. In the first study a range of chitosans with different molecular weights were applied to freshly amputated human nasal turbinates, and their effect on MTR was recorded. The transient inhibitory effect on turbinate MTR that was found for most of the chitosan preparations showed a marked dependence on the volume of chitosan solution applied and the molecular weight of the chitosan tested. The higher the molecular weight of the chitosan and the more chitosan applied, the longer the original MTR was depressed. A small scale human trial, investigating the effect of chitosan glutamate, on saccharin clearance times, was also undertaken. The study showed that a once daily application of a 0.25% solution of the chitosan for 7 days had no effect on either saccharin clearance times or nasal histology as examined by light microscopy.
Porcine Xenografts in the Treatment of Pressure Ulcers (1980)

Porcine heterografts are effective in the treatment of cutaneous ulcers as biological bandages that promote healing by: speeding the processes of granulation and epithelialization; maintaining a clean covering over the wound; reducing loss of fluid and protein; and preventing bacterial encroachment.
Role of protein kinase C isoforms in human breast tumor cell survival (2002)

Protein kinase C (PKC) is a family of serine/threonine kinases composed of 12 unique isoforms that function in a variety of cellular processes including proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation and carcinogenesis. The contribution of individual PKC isoforms to these processes is largely unexplored. The purpose of this study is to identify specific PKC isoforms that promote breast tumor cell survival following radiation treatment. This work demonstrated that depletion of PKC delta and PKC zeta isoforms from MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 human breast tumor cells by antisense oligonucleotides significantly impaired survival following radiation insult. Antisense oligonucleotides were shown to be effective and selective inhibitors of specific PKC isoforms. The PKC delta inhibitor, rottlerin reduced cell survival and confirmed that PKC delta inhibition attenuates breast tumor cell survival, both in the presence and absence of radiation insult. Inhibition of PKC zeta significantly reduced the survival of radiation treated breast tumor cells. DNA damage, assessed using the comet assay provided evidence that depletion of PKC delta from MDA-MB-231 cells results in loss of DNA integrity. In contrast, PKC zeta antisense oligonucleotide treatment did not result in DNA damage. Consistent with participation in cell survival, PKC delta protein levels were elevated in response to radiation treatment. These studies have identified two PKC isoforms that function in breast tumor cell survival and support the application of isoform specific PKC inhibitors to the treatment of human breast tumors.
Resource Allocation and Cultivar Stability in Breeding for Fusarium Head Blight Resistance in Spring Wheat (2005)

The development of wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars resistant to Fusarium head blight (FHB) (caused by Fusarium graminearum Schwabe) requires screening methodologies that accurately characterize reaction to this disease. The objectives of this study were (i) to characterize the stability of cultivars for their FHB reaction and (ii) to define an optimum resource allocation for FHB evaluation. Fourteen cultivars were evaluated in FHB‐screening nurseries at two locations across a 4‐yr period. Field data were used to calculate disease incidence (INC) as the frequency of symptomatic spikes and disease index (DIS) as the mean disease score of all spikes. FHB reaction also was evaluated on harvested grain as percent visually scabby kernels (VSK) and deoxynivalenol (DON) concentration. Significant differences among cultivars for all FHB parameters were found in each environment. Pearson correlation coefficients among FHB parameters were positive and highly significant, ranging from 0.32 between INC and DON to 0.72 between INC and DIS. Spearman rank correlation coefficients for yearly cultivar rankings and Kendall's coefficient of concordance were high, indicating similarity of the rankings of the tested cultivars in different environments. Visually scabby kernels was the FHB parameter with highest similarity for cultivar ranking across environments. Most of the cultivars, including susceptible ones, expressed stability for FHB reaction. Optimum resource allocation for DIS was most affected by the number of environments with three being the minimum to accurately characterize a genotype's resistance level. Using more than three replications or scoring more than 10 spikes per plot had little practical value in characterizing FHB reaction.
Three cases of porcine respiratory disease complex associated with porcine circovirus type 2 infection (2002)

Pneumonia associated with porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is being diagnosed in an increasing number of respiratory disease cases in growing swine. Multiple viral infections are commonly diagnosed in cases of porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC) at the Iowa State University Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory. In the year 2000, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) was present in 42% of these cases, PCV2 was present in 22%, swine influenza virus (SIV) was present in 19%, and Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae was present in 22%. In this report, three clinical cases are described in which there were concurrent infections with PCV2 and PRRSV, PCV2 and SIV, and PCV2 and M hyopneumoniae. Prolonged and unusually severe clinical disease, unique histologic lesions of lymphoid depletion and airway fibrosis, and abundant PCV2 antigen within these lesions suggest that PCV2 is playing a pathogenic role in PRDC.
Interventional robotic systems: Applications and technology state‐of‐the‐art (2006)

Many different robotic systems have been developed for invasive medical procedures. In this article we will focus on robotic systems for image-guided interventions such as biopsy of suspicious lesions, interstitial tumor treatment, or needle placement for spinal blocks and neurolysis. Medical robotics is a young and evolving field and the ultimate role of these systems has yet to be determined. This paper presents four interventional robotics systems designed to work with MRI, CT, fluoroscopy, and ultrasound imaging devices. The details of each system are given along with any phantom, animal, or human trials. The systems include the AcuBot for active needle insertion under CT or fluoroscopy, the B-Rob systems for needle placement using CT or ultrasound, the INNOMOTION for MRI and CT interventions, and the MRBot for MRI procedures. Following these descriptions, the technology issues of image compatibility, registration, patient movement and respiration, force feedback, and control mode are briefly discussed. It is our belief that robotic systems will be an important part of future interventions, but more research and clinical trials are needed. The possibility of performing new clinical procedures that the human cannot achieve remains an ultimate goal for medical robotics. Engineers and physicians should work together to create and validate these systems for the benefits of patients everywhere.
Histone variant Htz1 promotes histone H3 acetylation to enhance nucleotide excision repair in Htz1 nucleosomes (2013)

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) is critical for maintaining genome integrity. How chromatin dynamics are regulated to facilitate this process in chromatin is still under exploration. We show here that a histone H2A variant, Htz1 (H2A.Z), in nucleosomes has a positive function in promoting efficient NER in yeast. Htz1 inherently enhances the occupancy of the histone acetyltransferase Gcn5 on chromatin to promote histone H3 acetylation after UV irradiation. Consequently, this results in an increased binding of a NER protein, Rad14, to damaged DNA. Cells without Htz1 show increased UV sensitivity and defective removal of UV-induced DNA damage in the Htz1-bearing nucleosomes at the repressed MFA2 promoter, but not in the HMRa locus where Htz1 is normally absent. Thus, the effect of Htz1 on NER is specifically relevant to its presence in chromatin within a damaged region. The chromatin accessibility to micrococcal nuclease in the MFA2 promoter is unaffected by HTZ1 deletion. Acetylation on previously identified lysines of Htz1 plays little role in NER or cell survival after UV. In summary, we have identified a novel aspect of chromatin that regulates efficient NER, and we provide a model for how Htz1 influences NER in Htz1 nucleosomes.
Optimization of all-back-contact GaAs solar cells (2015)

The optimized condition of all-back-contact solar cells is studied to eliminate the problem of light blocking by the front contacts in conventional solar cells. The influences of layer thickness and pitch distance are studied. The optimized structure is obtained with a 2 μm thick base layer and a 631 μm contact pitch, and the efficiency can reach to 26.15%.
Inhibitors of Sir2:  Evaluation of Splitomicin Analogues (2004)

Splitomicin (1) and 41 analogues were prepared and evaluated in cell-based Sir2 inhibition and toxicity assays and an in vitro Sir2 inhibition assay. Lactone ring or naphthalene (positions 7-9) substituents decrease activity, but other naphthalene substitutions (positions 5 and 6) are well-tolerated. The hydrolytically unstable aromatic lactone is important for activity. Lactone hydrolysis rates were used as a measure of reactivity; hydrolysis rates correlate with inhibitory activity. The most potent Sir2 inhibitors were structurally similar to and had hydrolysis rates similar to 1.
A Novel Dimer-Tetramer Transition Captured by the Crystal Structure of the HIV-1 Nef (2011)

HIV-1 Nef modulates disease progression through interactions with over 30 host proteins. Individual chains fold into membrane-interacting N-terminal and C-terminal core (Nef(core)) domains respectively. Nef exists as small oligomers near membranes and associates into higher oligomers such as tetramers or hexadecamers in the cytoplasm. Earlier structures of the Nef(core) in apo and complexed forms with the Fyn-kinase SH3 domain revealed dimeric association details and the role of the conserved PXXP recognition motif (residues 72-78) of Nef in SH3-domain interactions. The crystal structure of the tetrameric Nef reported here corresponds to the elusive cytoplasmic stage. Comparative analyses show that subunits of Nef(core) dimers (open conformation) swing out with a relative displacement of ~22 Å and rotation of ~174° to form the 'closed' tetrameric structure. The changes to the association are around Asp125, a conserved residue important for viral replication and the important XR motif (residues 107-108). The tetramer associates through C4 symmetry instead of the 222 symmetry expected when two dimers associate together. This novel dimer-tetramer transition agrees with earlier solution studies including small angle X-ray scattering, analytical ultracentrifugation, dynamic laser light scattering and our glutaraldehyde cross-linking experiments. Comparisons with the Nef(core)--Fyn-SH3 domain complexes reveal that the PXXP motif that interacts with the SH3-domain in the dimeric form is sterically occluded in the tetramer. However the 151-180 loop that is distal to the PXXP motif and contains several protein interaction motifs remains accessible. The results suggest how changes to the oligomeric state of Nef can help it distinguish between protein partners.
Analysis of the CD1 Antigen Presenting System in Humanized SCID Mice (2011)

CD1 molecules are glycoproteins that present lipids and glycolipids for recognition by T cells. CD1-dependent immune activation has been implicated in a wide range of immune responses, however, our understanding of the role of this pathway in human disease remains limited because of species differences between humans and other mammals: whereas humans express five different CD1 gene products (CD1a, CD1b, CD1c, CD1d, and CD1e), muroid rodents express only one CD1 isoform (CD1d). Here we report that immune deficient mice engrafted with human fetal thymus, liver, and CD34(+) hematopoietic stem cells develop a functional human CD1 compartment. CD1a, b, c, and d isoforms were highly expressed by human thymocytes, and CD1a(+) cells with a dendritic morphology were present in the thymic medulla. CD1(+) cells were also detected in spleen, liver, and lungs. APCs from spleen and liver were capable of presenting bacterial glycolipids to human CD1-restricted T cells. ELISpot analyses of splenocytes demonstrated the presence of CD1-reactive IFN-γ producing cells. CD1d tetramer staining directly identified human iNKT cells in spleen and liver samples from engrafted mice, and injection of the glycolipid antigen α-GalCer resulted in rapid elevation of human IFN-γ and IL-4 levels in the blood indicating that the human iNKT cells are biologically active in vivo. Together, these results demonstrate that the human CD1 system is present and functionally competent in this humanized mouse model. Thus, this system provides a new opportunity to study the role of CD1-related immune activation in infections to human-specific pathogens.
A structural approach to state space decomposition for approximate reachability analysis (2002)

Exploiting circuit structure is a key issue in the implementation of algorithms for state space decomposition when the target is approximate FSM traversal. Given the gate-level description of a sequential circuit, the information about its structure can be captured by evaluating the affinity between pairs or groups of latches. Two main factors have to be considered in carrying out the structural analysis of a sequential circuit: latch connectivity and latch correlation. We estimate the affinity of two latches by combining these two factors, and we use this measure to translate the state space decomposition problem into a graph partitioning problem. Traversal results obtained on the largest ISCAS'89 benchmarks show the effectiveness of the method.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>
Transcription inhibitors in inflammation (1997)

Advances in molecular medicine have revealed a key role for altered gene expression in the aetiology of many inflammatory diseases, including asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and sepsis. Until recently, however, modulation of gene transcription has not been the subject of directed pharmaceutical research efforts. Notwithstanding, it is clear that the efficacy of several well-established anti-inflammatory therapeutics is mediated through their ability to modulate gene transcription. Understanding the mechanisms of action of these therapeutics and defining new gene regulatory pathways has stimulated a new wave of anti-inflammatory drug discovery. This update aims to cover our current understanding of transcription inhibitors in inflammation, including the mechanism of action of established therapeutics and the properties of new chemical entities recently described in the literature.
Stabilization control of sensorless sinusoidal wave drive for control of power factor of PM motor (2009)

Permanent-magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) with a sinusoidal back EMF are widely used in domestic appliances for reduction of acoustic noises and energy consumption. PMSMs are generally controlled with a sinusoidal waveform current. Typically, PMSMs are controlled by vector controlled sinusoidal drives, which require powerful computational resources. Hence, simpler sinusoidal wave drives such as V/f drives, which control the phase difference between the motor voltage and the motor current (power factor of PM Motor) have been proposed for controlling PMSMs. However, those simple drive systems such as V/f drives fall into an unstable state under specific conditions. This paper presents a new method for stabilization control of sensorless sinusoidal wave drive based on power factor control of PMSMs. Using this method, extensive calculation and high performance CPUs are not required.
A Novel Vitamin D3Analog, 22-Oxa-1, 25- Dihydroxyvitamin D3, Inhibits the Growth of Human Breast Cancerin Vitroandin Vivowithout Causing Hypercalcemia* (1991)

Although 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25-(OH)2D3] has been shown to inhibit the growth of certain malignant cells, its hypercalcemic effect has prevented clinical application. We have recently developed a novel vitamin D3 analog, 22-oxa-1,25-(OH)2D3 (OCT), that is capable of promoting differentiation and inhibiting proliferation without inducing hypercalcemia. The present study was undertaken to determine whether OCT could be applied for the treatment of breast cancer with or without estrogen receptor (ER). OCT inhibited the proliferation of both ER-positive (MCF-7, T-47D, and ZR-75-1) and ER-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231 and BT-20) in vitro in a time- and dose-dependent manner, as determined by cell number and [3H]thymidine uptake. The antiproliferative effect was observed with a concentration as low as 10(-11) M OCT, and treatment of MCF-7 cells with 10(-8) M OCT for 8 days caused more than a 50% reduction in cell number compared with that of vehicle-treated cells. OCT was approximately 1 order of magnitude more potent than 1,25-(OH)2D3 in inhibiting the proliferation of MCF-7 cells. The in vivo effect of OCT was examined in athymic mice implanted with ER-negative MX-1 tumor, which was established as the xenograft derived from human breast carcinoma. Intratumor administration of OCT three times a week remarkably delayed the growth of MX-1 tumor in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The antitumor effect of 1 microgram/kg BW OCT was greater than that of 500 microgram/kg BW adriamycin, and the relative tumor weights in each group on day 26 were 29.7% and 50.5% of that in the vehicle-treated group, respectively. The effects of OCT and adriamycin were additive, and the relative tumor weight after 26 days of combined treatment was 21.7% of that in the vehicle-treated group. Oral administration of OCT was also effective, and the relative tumor weight in the OCT-treated group (1 microgram/kg BW) was 54.6 +/- 0.1% (mean +/- SEM) of that in the vehicle-treated group. Neither intratumor nor oral administration of OCT raised the serum calcium level in these animals. These results demonstrate that OCT is a potent inhibitor of the proliferation of breast cancer cells with or without ER and that OCT inhibits the growth of breast cancer in vivo without inducing hypercalcemia. We suggest that OCT may provide a new strategy for the treatment of breast carcinoma regardless of ER status.
Inactivation of Bacillus Endospores in Envelopes by Electron Beam Irradiation (2005)

The anthrax incidents in the United States in the fall of 2001 led to the use of electron beam (EB) processing to sanitize the mail for the U.S. Postal Service. This method of sanitization has prompted the need to further investigate the effect of EB irradiation on the destruction of Bacillus endospores. In this study, endospores of an anthrax surrogate, B. atrophaeus, were destroyed to demonstrate the efficacy of EB treatment of such biohazard spores. EB exposures were performed to determine (i) the inactivation of varying B. atrophaeus spore concentrations, (ii) a D10 value (dose required to reduce a population by 1 log10) for the B. atrophaeus spores, (iii) the effects of spore survival at the bottom of a standardized paper envelope stack, and (iv) the maximum temperature received by spores. A maximum temperature of 49.2 degrees C was reached at a lethal dose of approximately 40 kGy, which is a significantly lower temperature than that needed to kill spores by thermal effects alone. A D10 value of 1.53 kGy was determined for the species. A surface EB dose between 25 and 32 kGy produced the appropriate killing dose of EB between 11 and 16 kGy required to inactivate 8 log10 spores, when spore samples were placed at the bottom of a 5.5-cm stack of envelopes.
Receptor Density Is Key to the Alpha2/Beta Interferon Differential Activities (2009)

Multiple type I interferons (IFN-alpha/beta) elicit Jak/Stat activation, rapid gene induction, and pleiotropic effects, such as differentiation, antiviral protection, and blocks in proliferation, which are dependent on the IFN subtype and the cellular context. To date, ligand- and receptor-specific molecular determinants underlying IFN-alpha/beta differential activities or potencies have been well characterized. To analyze cellular determinants that impact subtype-specific potency, human fibrosarcoma U5A-derived clones, exhibiting a gradient of IFN sensitivity by virtue of increasing receptor levels, were monitored for Jak/Stat signaling, gene induction, cell cycle lengthening, and apoptosis. In cells with scarce receptors, IFN-beta was more potent than IFN-alpha2 in antiproliferative activity, while the two subtypes were equipotent in all other readouts. Conversely, in cells with abundant receptors, IFN-alpha2 matched or even surpassed IFN-beta in all readouts tested. Our results suggest that the differential activities of the IFN subtypes are dictated not only by the intrinsic ligand/receptor binding kinetics but also by the density of cell surface receptor components.