gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Where in the world is population growth bad (1994)

Would economic growth be better if population growth were slower? There are two apparently opposite answers to this question. Advocates of policies to reduce population growth rates are completely convinced by the common sense view that rapid population growth greatly hurts economic growth because of scarcer natural resources, reduced investments (per child) in health and education, and lower rates of capital accumulation per worker. The empirical evidence (usually marshalled by economists) provides an equally convincing, and seemingly contradictory, answer: There is no strong, stable relationship between countries'population growth and their per capita output growth rates. The authors propose an empirical reconciliation between the two views. No one really believes that the impact of a 10 percent increase in population would have the same impact in Bangladesh as it would have in Canada, or even the same impact in crowded Malawi or Rwanda as in sparsely populated Zaire or Zambia. But if the impact ofpopulation growth on economic growth differs across countries, it might on average be small (even statistically indistinguishable from zero) in the usual empirical estimates, even though the negative impact in particular countries might well be large. The real answer might be, "It depends on country conditions."But this answer is uninformative unless one can show which country conditions"it depends"on. Is it most harmful in poor countries? In countries with poor policies? The authors try to discover the condition under which population growth hurts economic performance by allowing interactive terms for country conditions. The empirical results do not give confirmation to any of the plausible distinctions across country conditions - the impact of population growth is not worse in poor countries and is not worse in land-scarce countries. Their measure of resource scarcity may be one reason for this failure to find an interaction, but while it failed to produce satisfying results, it is a major conceptual improvement over even simpler indicators, such as population density, or the empirical literatures studied: no interaction. Identifying the conditions under which population growth is a drag on economic growth should be a priority as efforts to reduce population growth should be concentrated in those countries where the efforts give the greatest payoff.
Impedance Spectroscopy of Self-Assembled Monolayers on Au(111):  Sodium Ferrocyanide Charge Transfer at Modified Electrodes (1998)

The Faradaic impedance of a Au(111) electrode modified by three different self-assembled monolayers has been studied over a wide frequency range in aqueous NaClO4 solutions in the presence of 1 mM [Fe(CN)6]4-/3- . The impedance characteristics of the bare electrode are compared with those of the same electrode modified with decanethiol, ω-hydroxydecanethiol, and 4‘-hydroxy-4-mercaptobiphenyl. The 4‘-hydroxy-4-mercaptobiphenyl molecule is susceptible to π−π interactions and is of special interest as a mediator of electron transfer. In the case of the decanethiol and ω-hydroxydecanethiol systems the interfacial impedance can be modeled by the Randles circuit. However, for the 4‘-hydroxy-4-mercaptobiphenyl system, the impedance behavior is more complex with a resistance in the monolayer parallel to and distinguishable from the expected Faradaic impedance. This behavior is quite different from that discussed to date in the literature and assumed in the interpretation of voltammetric data for modified electrod...
Fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 inhibition by short hairpin RNAs leads to apoptosis in multiple myeloma (2005)

The presence of t(4;14)(p16.3;q32.3) in multiple myeloma cells results in dysregulated expression of the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3). FGFR3 acts as an oncogene to promote multiple myeloma cell proliferation and antiapoptosis. These encourage the clinical development of FGFR3-specific inhibitors. Three short hairpin RNAs (shRNA) targeting different sites of FGFR3 were selected and subsequently transfected into KMS-11, OPM-2, and NCI-H929 human myeloma cell lines, all of which are characterized by t(4;14) and FGFR3 over expression. The combination of these three shRNAs can effectively inhibit FGFR3 expression in all three cell lines. Sequential immunocytochemistry/fluorescence in situ hybridization was employed to validate that the shRNAs specifically inhibited FGFR3 expression in OPM-2 cells. Decreased expression of B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL2) and myeloid cell leukemia sequence 1 (MCL1) proteins and increased staining of Annexin V-positive cells showed that inhibition of FGFR3 induces apoptosis. After confirming down-regulation of FGFR3 by real-time PCR, HU-133 plus 2.0 array was employed to compare the gene expression profile of shRNA-treated sample with that of the control. Besides the down-regulation of FGFR3, expression of the antiapoptotic genes CFLAR, BCL2, MCL1, and some members of NF-kappaB family decreased, whereas expression of the proapoptotic genes CYC, BID, CASP2, and CASP6 increased. Microarray results also revealed changes in genes previously implicated in multiple myeloma pathogenesis (RAS, RAF, IL-6R, and VEGF), as well as others (TLR4, KLF4, and GADD45A) not previously linked to multiple myeloma. Our observations indicate that shRNAs can specifically and effectively inhibit FGFR3 expression. This targeted approach may be worth testing in multiple myeloma patients with t(4;14) and FGFR3 overexpression in the future.
Label-Free Protein Biosensor Based on Aptamer-Modified Carbon Nanotube Field-Effect Transistors (2006)

We have fabricated label-free protein biosensors based on aptamer-modified carbon nanotube field-effect transistors (CNT-FETs) for the detection of immunoglobulin E (IgE). After the covalent immobilization of 5'-amino-modified 45-mer aptamers on the CNT channels, the electrical properties of the CNT-FETs were monitored in real time. The introduction of target IgE at various concentrations caused a sharp decrease in the source-drain current, and a gradual saturation was observed at lower concentrations. The amount of the net source-drain current before and after IgE introduction on the aptamer-modified CNT-FETs increased as a function of IgE concentration. The detection limit for IgE was determined as 250 pM. We have also prepared CNT-FET biosensors using a monoclonal antibody against IgE (IgE-mAb). The electrical properties of the aptamer- and antibody-modified CNT-FETs were compared. The performance of aptamer-modified CNT-FETs provided better results than the ones obtained using IgE-mAb-modified CNT-FETs under similar conditions. Thus, we suggest that the aptamer-modified CNT-FETs are promising candidates for the development of label-free protein biosensors.
Lipophilic and Hydrophilic Antioxidant Capacities of Common Foods in the United States (2004)

Both lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant capacities were determined using the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC(FL)) assay with fluorescein as the fluorescent probe and 2,2'-azobis(2-amidinopropane) dihydrochloride as a peroxyl radical generator on over 100 different kinds of foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, dried fruits, spices, cereals, infant, and other foods. Most of the foods were collected from four different regions and during two different seasons in U.S. markets. Total phenolics of each sample were also measured using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent. Hydrophilic ORAC(FL) values (H-ORAC(FL)) ranged from 0.87 to 2641 micromol of Trolox equivalents (TE)/g among all of the foods, whereas lipophilic ORAC(FL) values (L-ORAC(FL)) ranged from 0.07 to 1611 micromol of TE/g. Generally, L-ORAC(FL) values were <10% of the H-ORAC(FL) values except for a very few samples. Total antioxidant capacity was calculated by combining L-ORAC(FL) and H-ORAC(FL). Differences of ORAC(FL) values in fruits and vegetables from different seasons and regions were relatively large for some foods but could not be analyzed in detail because of the sampling scheme. Two different processing methods, cooking and peeling, were used on selected foods to evaluate the impact of processing on ORAC(FL). The data demonstrated that processing can have significant effects on ORAC(FL). Considering all of the foods analyzed, the relationship between TP and H-ORAC(FL) showed a very weak correlation. Total hydrophilic and lipophilic antioxidant capacity intakes were calculated to be 5558 and 166 micromol of TE/day, respectively, on the basis of data from the USDA Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals (1994-1996).
A histologic study of the extracellular matrix during the development of glomerulosclerosis in murine chronic graft-versus-host disease. (1992)

The development of glomerulosclerosis was studied in murine chronic graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), which is a model for human systemic lupus erythematosus. The authors investigated the distribution patterns of six components of the extracellular matrix (ECM), i.e., laminin, fibronectin, collagen types I, III, IV, and VI during the course of the disease. All of these ECM components except collagen type I were found in the glomeruli of normal mice, where all of them were intrinsic constituents of the mesangium. Laminin, fibronectin, and collagen type IV were also found in the glomerular capillary walls. Starting 6 weeks after the induction of GvHD and continuing at week 8, the onset of an expansion of the mesangial matrix was observed. At the same time, the amounts of laminin, fibronectin, and collagen types IV and VI increased. Ten weeks after the onset of the disease, glomerulosclerosis developed. Traces of the interstitial collagen type I were found in sclerotic glomeruli. The levels of four ECM components, i.e., collagens III, IV, VI, and laminin were markedly decreased in the sclerotic glomeruli as compared with week 8. In contrast, the amount of fibronectin in the sclerotic glomeruli increased dramatically. Immunoelectron microscopic examination showed fibronectin in the sclerotic lesions, in contrast to laminin, collagen type I, and collagen type IV. It is concluded that the sclerotic lesions in murine chronic GvHD contain fibronectin. The small amounts of the ECM components laminin, as well as collagens III, IV, and VI in the sclerotic glomeruli in GvHD, might represent remnants of mesangial material and collapsed capillary walls. These components are probably replaced by increased production and/or accumulation of collagen type I and fibronectin.
Non‐invasive prenatal detection of fetal trisomy 18 by RNA–SNP allelic ratio analysis using maternal plasma SERPINB2 mRNA: a feasibility study (2009)

It is feasible to detect fetal trisomy 18 non-invasively by maternal plasma SERPINB2 RNA-SNP analysis provided that sufficient quantities of plasma samples are used.
The meaning of ‘meaning’ (2010)

Language is the first broad area of human cognitive capacity for which we are beginning to obtain a description which is not exaggeratedly oversimplified. Thanks to the work of contemporary transformational linguists,† a very subtle description of at least some human languages is in the process of being constructed. Some features of these languages appear to be universal. Where such features turn out to be 'species-specific' – 'not explicable on some general grounds of functional utility or simplicity that would apply to arbitrary systems that serve the functions of language' – they may shed some light on the structure of mind. While it is extremely difficult to say to what extent the structure so illuminated will turn out to be a universal structure of language, as opposed to a universal structure of innate general learning strategies,‡ the very fact that this discussion can take place is testimony to the richness and generality of the descriptive material that linguists are beginning to provide, and also testimony to the depth of the analysis, insofar as the features that appear to be candidates for 'species-specific' features of language are in no sense surface or phenomenological features of language, but lie at the level of deep structure.
Can Drug Screening Lead to Candidate Therapies for Testing in Diabetic Neuropathy? (2007)

A key mechanism of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) neuron injury in high glucose is mitochondrial overload leading to oxidative stress. We screened selected compounds for the ability to prevent hyperglycemia-induced mitochondrial superoxide in primary sensory DRG neurons. Twenty five out of 1,040 compounds decreased both mitochondrial superoxide and subsequent neuronal injury. These data both validate our screening strategy and indicate further mechanistic evaluation of drug hits and related compounds. Such studies may lead to the design of rational therapeutic approaches for this severe complication of diabetes.
Oligoclonal and polyclonal CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes in aplastic anemia and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria measured by Vβ CDR3 spectratyping and flow cytometry (2002)

We have hypothesized that in aplastic anemia (AA) the presence of antigen-specific T cells is reflected by their contribution to the expansion of a particular variable beta chain (V beta) subfamily and also by clonal CDR3 skewing. To determine the role of disease-specific "signature" T-cell clones in AA, we studied preferential V beta usage by flow cytometry and analyzed V beta-CDR3 regions for the presence of oligoclonality. We first established the contribution of each V beta family to the total CD4(+) and CD8(+) lymphocyte pool; in AA and paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, a seemingly random overrepresentation of different V beta families was observed. On average, we found expansion in 3 (of 22 examined) V beta families per patient. When the contribution of individual V beta families to the effector pool was examined, more striking V beta skewing was found. V beta-CDR3 size distribution was analyzed for the expanded V beta families in isolated CD4(+) and CD8(+) populations; underrepresented V beta families displayed more pronounced CDR3 skewing. Expanded CD4(+)V beta subfamilies showed mostly a polyclonal CDR3 size distribution with only 38% of skewing in expanded V beta families. In contrast, within overrepresented CD8(+)V beta types, marked CDR3 skewing (82%) was seen, consistent with nonrandom expansion of specific CD8(+) T-cell clones. No preferential expansion of particular V beta families was observed, in relation to HLA-type. In patients examined after immunosuppressive therapy, an abnormal V beta-distribution pattern was retained, but the degree of expansion of individual V beta was lower. As V beta skewing may correlate with relative V beta size, oligoclonality in combination with numerical V beta expansion can be applied to recognition of disease-specific T-cell receptors.
High-yield noninvasive human genomic DNA isolation method for genetic studies in geographically dispersed families and populations. (1995)

Human genomic DNA is commonly isolated from peripheral blood samples for genetic studies of families and populations. Blood sampling, however, is expensive and an invasive procedure to which, for ethical reasons, objections may be raised, especially in studies involving older individuals and babies. We have developed a new noninvasive DNA sampling and isolation method involving oral samples taken with cotton swabs. Participants can take mouth swabs themselves, and can send these by mail to the research center, where DNA can be isolated at least up to 3 wks after sampling. DNA isolation from 20 cotton swabs resulted in an average yield of 40{mu}g of high-molecular-weight DNA per individual, sufficient for complete genome searches with {approximately}800 polymorphic DNA markers when using PCR. Compared with blood sampling, which involves clinically trained personnel, this procedure is fast, less expensive, and suitable especially for DNA collection from geographically scattered subjects. 8 refs., 1 fig.
TAB1: An Activator of the TAK1 MAPKKK in TGF-β Signal Transduction (1996)

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) regulates many aspects of cellular function. A member of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAPKKK) family, TAK1, was previously identified as a mediator in the signaling pathway of TGF-beta superfamily members. The yeast two-hybrid system has now revealed two human proteins, termed TAB1 and TAB2 (for TAK1 binding protein), that interact with TAK1. TAB1 and TAK1 were co-immunoprecipitated from mammalian cells. Overproduction of TAB1 enhanced activity of the plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 gene promoter, which is regulated by TGF-beta, and increased the kinase activity of TAK1. TAB1 may function as an activator of the TAK1 MAPKKK in TGF-beta signal transduction.
Reflex sympathetic dystrophy. The controversy continues. (1996)

The chronic pain syndrome encompassed by the term RSD is poorly understood. The confusion is caused in large part by frequent misdiagnosis and excessive use of sympatholytic procedures in inappropriate circumstances. Recently, pain specialists have redefined the specific criteria for regional pain syndromes having sympathetic maintaining factors, emphasizing application of placebo testing in diagnosis and attention to anatomic principles in pharmacologic and surgical treatment. The authors believe that three-phase bone scanning is a valuable adjunct to clinical judgment in making the proper diagnosis. Current thinking suggests that sympathetic maintained pain exists but that it may comprise only approximately 10% of regional pain cases. Once the appropriate diagnosis is made, classically described sympatholytic procedures are reasonably used. Alternative techniques, such as spinal cord stimulation, may have an important role in refractory cases of sympathetically maintained pain.
Unsupervised, information-theoretic, adaptive image filtering for image restoration (2006)

Image restoration is an important and widely studied problem in computer vision and image processing. Various image filtering strategies have been effective, but invariably make strong assumptions about the properties of the signal and/or degradation. Hence, these methods lack the generality to be easily applied to new applications or diverse image collections. This paper describes a novel unsupervised, information-theoretic, adaptive filter (UINTA) that improves the predictability of pixel intensities from their neighborhoods by decreasing their joint entropy. In this way, UINTA automatically discovers the statistical properties of the signal and can thereby restore a wide spectrum of images. The paper describes the formulation to minimize the joint entropy measure and presents several important practical considerations in estimating neighborhood statistics. It presents a series of results on both real and synthetic data along with comparisons with current state-of-the-art techniques, including novel applications to medical image processing.
Tumor-Derived Interleukin-8 Stimulates Osteolysis Independent of the Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-κB Ligand Pathway (2005)

Bone is a common site of cancer metastasis. Breast, prostate, and lung cancers show a predilection to metastasize to bone. Recently, we reported that the chemokine interleukin 8 (IL-8) stimulates both human osteoclast formation and bone resorption. IL-8 mRNA expression was surveyed in a panel of human breast cancer lines MDA-MET, MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-435, MCF-7, T47D, and ZR-75, and the human lung adenocarcinoma cell line A549. IL-8 mRNA expression was higher in cell lines with higher osteolytic potential in vivo. Human osteoclast formation was increased by MDA-MET or A549 cell-conditioned medium, but not by MDA-MB-231. Pharmacologic doses of receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB (RANK)-Fc or osteoprotogerin had no effect on the pro-osteoclastogenic activity of the conditioned medium; however, osteoclast formation stimulated by conditioned medium was inhibited 60% by an IL-8-specific neutralizing antibody. The data support a model in which tumor cells cause osteolytic bone destruction independently of the RANK ligand (RANKL) pathway. Tumor-produced IL-8 is a major contributor to this process. The role of secreted IL-8 isoforms was examined by surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, which detected distinct IL-8 isoforms secreted by MDA-MET and MDA-231 cells, suggesting different pro-osteoclastogenic activities of the two IL-8-derived peptides. These data indicate that (a) osteoclast formation induced by MDA-MET breast cancer cells and A549 adenocarcinoma cells is primarily mediated by IL-8, (b) cell-specific isoforms of IL-8 with distinct osteoclastogenic activities are produced by tumor cells, and (c) tumor cells that support osteoclast formation independent of RANKL secrete other pro-osteoclastogenic factors in addition to IL-8.
Glucose-induced Tyrosine Phosphorylation of p125 in Beta Cells and Pancreatic Islets (1996)

In this study, we demonstrate that stimulation of beta cells with carbachol and glucose causes increased tyrosine phosphorylation of a 125-kDa protein concurrently with increased insulin secretion. The effect was observed in two different insulin-secreting cell lines and in rat pancreatic islets. Tyrosine phosphorylation was largely calcium independent and occurred within 2 min after stimulation of beta cells with glucose and the muscarinic agonist carbachol. In islets, the effect of glucose was greatly diminished by the addition of mannoheptulose, a seven-carbon sugar that inhibits glucokinase, suggesting that glucose metabolism is required for tyrosine phosphorylation of the protein to occur. Neither insulin nor insulin-like growth factor I significantly increased tyrosine phosphorylation of the 125-kDa protein, suggesting that it was not an autocrine effect. Depolarization of beta cells with glyburide or 50 m potassium dramatically increased insulin secretion but had no significant effect on tyrosine phosphorylation. Addition of phorbol ester caused a less than 2-fold increase in tyrosine phosphorylation, whereas the calcium ionophore A23187 had no effect. Among the various fuel secretagogues tested, only -glucose stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation, both alone and in combination with carbachol. Finally, the tyrosine kinase inhibitor AG879 inhibited both tyrosine phosphorylation and insulin secretion in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, these data demonstrate the presence of a novel signaling pathway in glucose-induced insulin secretion: tyrosine phosphorylation of beta cell p125, which is a proximal step in insulin secretion. Our current working hypothesis is that glucose stimulation of beta cell p125 tyrosine phosphorylation is an essential step for insulin secretion.