gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
The use of P300‐based BCIs in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: from augmentative and alternative communication to cognitive assessment (2012)

The use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) tools in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), as effective means to compensate for the progressive loss of verbal and gestural communication, has been deeply investigated in the recent literature. The development of advanced AAC systems, such as eye-tracking (ET) and brain-computer interface (BCI) devices, allowed to bypass the important motor difficulties present in ALS patients. In particular, BCIs could be used in moderate to severe stages of the disease, since they do not require preserved ocular-motor ability, which is necessary for ET applications. Furthermore, some studies have proved the reliability of BCIs, regardless of the severity of the disease and the level of physical decline. However, the use of BCI in ALS patients still shows some limitations, related to both technical and neuropsychological issues. In particular, a range of cognitive deficits in most ALS patients have been observed. At the moment, no effective verbal-motor free measures are available for the evaluation of ALS patients' cognitive integrity; BCIs could offer a new possibility to administer cognitive tasks without the need of verbal or motor responses, as highlighted by preliminary studies in this field. In this review, we outline the essential features of BCIs systems, considering advantages and challenges of these tools with regard to ALS patients and the main applications developed in this field. We then outline the main findings with regard to cognitive deficits observed in ALS and some preliminary attempts to evaluate them by means of BCIs. The definition of specific cognitive profiles could help to draw flexible approaches tailored on patients' needs. It could improve BCIs efficacy and reduce patients' efforts. Finally, we handle the open question, represented by the use of BCIs with totally locked in patients, who seem unable to reliably learn to use such tool.
An intradermal study of the local anaesthetic and vascular effects of the isomers of bupivacaine. (1978)

1 L(-)- and D(+)-bupivacaine in eight different concentrations from 0.06 to 7.69 mmol/l (0.002--0.25%) and physiological saline were given intradermally to seventeen volunteers, using a double-blind technique. 2 Local colour changes were observed as 'nil', 'pink' or 'pale' and analgesia to pinprick was assessed every 10 min to give an estimate of apparent in vivo potency and duration of action (50% recovery). 3 Both isomers were vasodilator in all cases at 7.69 mmol/l, but the incidence of vasodilatation waned with decreasing concentration, more rapidly with L(-)-than with D(+)-bupivacaine. 4 Only L(-)-bupivacaine showed a vasoconstrictor effect. This was maximal at a concentration of 0.48 mmol/l, when the incidence of pallor was 92%. 5 L(-)-bupivacaine had a longer duration of analgesic action than the (D+)-isomer from 0.48-3.84 mmol/l; this was reflected in a higher apparent in vivo potency.
Cholecystokinin-27-32-amide. A member of a new class of cholecystokinin receptor antagonists. (1983)

In dispersed acini from guinea pig pancreas, cholecystokinin-27-32-amide (CCK-27-32-NH2) did not alter amylase secretion but was able to antagonize the stimulation caused by cholecystokinin-related agonists. CCK-27-32-NH2 caused a parallel rightward shift in the dose-response curve for the stimulation of amylase secretion caused by cholecystokinin and inhibited binding of 125I-labeled cholecystokinin to pancreatic acini. These results indicate that CCK-27-32-NH2 is a fully competitive cholecystokinin receptor antagonist. CCK-27-32-NH2 did not alter the rate of dissociation of bound 125I-cholecystokinin from pancreatic acini but was able to reverse the residual stimulation of enzyme secretion caused by first incubating pancreatic acini with a relatively high concentration of cholecystokinin. Compared to other cholecystokinin receptor antagonists, CCK-27-32-NH2 is the most potent antagonist described to date, i.e. 30 times more potent than N2,O2-dibutyryl guanosine 3':5'-monophosphate. These results also indicate that the COOH-terminal phenylalanine residue of cholecystokinin is essential for intrinsic cholecystokinin-like activity but is not essential for binding of the peptide to cholecystokinin receptors in pancreatic acini.
Expression in Plants of a Bacterial Gene Coding for Glyphosate Resistance (1987)

The target site of glyphosate [ N -(phosphonomethyl)glycine] inhibition in plants and bacteria is 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate (EPSP) synthase. Our strategy for developing glyphosate-resistant crops has been to genetically engineer plants with a gene that codes for EPSP synthase with low sensitivity in glyphosate. We cloned such a gene from the aroA locus of a glyphosate-resistant mutagenized strain of Salmonella typhimurium. The enzyme encoded by this gene has a single amino acid change resulting in lower affinity for glyphosate and higher affinity for substrates than either plant or wild-type bacterial counterpart. A chimaeric gene containing the mutant aroA gene behind the octopine synthase promoter was constructed and integrated into Agrobacterium T-DNA vectors. Analysis of gall tissue from Brassica campestris L. (turnip rape) infected with A. tumefaciens K12 containing this chimaera showed mRNA and protein expressed from the bacterial gene; 50% of the total EPSP synthase activity present had kinetic properties of the mutant bacterial enzyme. Tobacco ( Nicotiana tabacum L. ‘Xanthi′) plants have been regenerated from cocultivation with A. rhizogenes containing the same construct; analysis indicates expression of the gene and enhanced tolerance to glyphosate.
IκBζ is a key transcriptional regulator of IL-36–driven psoriasis-related gene expression in keratinocytes (2018)

Proinflammatory cytokine signaling in keratinocytes plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, a skin disease characterized by hyperproliferation and abnormal differentiation of keratinocytes and infiltration of inflammatory cells. Although IL-17A and TNFα are effective therapeutic targets in psoriasis, IL-36 has recently emerged as a proinflammatory cytokine. However, little is known about IL-36 signaling and its downstream transcriptional responses. Here, we found that exposure of keratinocytes to IL-36 induced the expression of IκBζ, an atypical IκB member and a specific transcriptional regulator of selective NF-κB target genes. Induction of IκBζ by IL-36 was mediated by NF-κB and STAT3. In agreement, IL-36-mediated induction of IκBζ was found to be required for the expression of various psoriasis-related genes involved in inflammatory signaling, neutrophil chemotaxis, and leukocyte activation. Importantly, IκBζ-knockout mice were protected against IL-36-mediated dermatitis, accompanied by reduced proinflammatory gene expression, decreased immune cell infiltration, and a lack of keratinocyte hyperproliferation. Moreover, expression of IκBζ mRNA was highly up-regulated in biopsies of psoriasis patients where it coincided with <i>IL36G</i> levels. Thus our results uncover an important role for IκBζ in IL-36 signaling and validate IκBζ as an attractive target for psoriasis therapy.
Simplified, Enhanced Protein Purification Using an Inducible, Autoprocessing Enzyme Tag (2009)

We introduce a new method for purifying recombinant proteins expressed in bacteria using a highly specific, inducible, self-cleaving protease tag. This tag is comprised of the Vibrio cholerae MARTX toxin cysteine protease domain (CPD), an autoprocessing enzyme that cleaves exclusively after a leucine residue within the target protein-CPD junction. Importantly, V. cholerae CPD is specifically activated by inositol hexakisphosphate (InsP(6)), a eukaryotic-specific small molecule that is absent from the bacterial cytosol. As a result, when His(6)-tagged CPD is fused to the C-terminus of target proteins and expressed in Escherichia coli, the full-length fusion protein can be purified from bacterial lysates using metal ion affinity chromatography. Subsequent addition of InsP(6) to the immobilized fusion protein induces CPD-mediated cleavage at the target protein-CPD junction, releasing untagged target protein into the supernatant. This method condenses affinity chromatography and fusion tag cleavage into a single step, obviating the need for exogenous protease addition to remove the fusion tag(s) and increasing the efficiency of tag separation. Furthermore, in addition to being timesaving, versatile, and inexpensive, our results indicate that the CPD purification system can enhance the expression, integrity, and solubility of intractable proteins from diverse organisms.
Holophytochrome assembly. Coupled assay for phytochromobilin synthase in organello. (1991)

Utilizing an in vitro coupled assay system, we show that isolated plastids from cucumber cotyledons convert the linear tetrapyrrole biliverdin IX alpha to the free phytochrome chromophore, phytochromobilin, which assembles with oat apophytochrome to yield photoactive holoprotein. The spectral properties of this synthetic phytochrome are indistinguishable from those of the natural photoreceptor. The plastid-dependent biliverdin conversion activity is strongly stimulated by both NADPH and ATP. Substitution of the nonnatural XIII alpha isomer of biliverdin for the IX alpha isomer affords a synthetic holophytochrome adduct with blue-shifted difference spectra. These results, together with experiments using boiled plastids, indicate that phytochromobilin synthesis from biliverdin is enzyme-mediated. Experiments where NADPH (and ATP) levels in intact developing chloroplasts are manipulated by feeding the metabolites 3-phosphoglycerate, dihydroxyacetone phosphate, and glucose 6-phosphate or by illumination with white light, support the hypothesis that the enzyme that accomplishes this conversion, phytochromobilin synthase, is plastid-localized. It is therefore likely that all of the enzymes of the phytochrome chromophore biosynthetic pathway reside in the plastid.
Map-Based Precision Vehicle Localization in Urban Environments (2007)

Many urban navigation applications (e.g., autonomous navigation, driver assistance systems) can benefit greatly from localization with centimeter accuracy. Yet such accuracy cannot be achieved reliably with GPS-based inertial guidance systems, specifically in urban settings. We propose a technique for high-accuracy localization of moving vehicles that utilizes maps of urban environments. Our approach integrates GPS, IMU, wheel odometry, and LIDAR data acquired by an instrumented vehicle, to generate high-resolution environment maps. Offline relaxation techniques similar to recent SLAM methods [2, 10, 13, 14, 21, 30] are employed to bring the map into alignment at intersections and other regions of self-overlap. By reducing the final map to the flat road surface, imprints of other vehicles are removed. The result is a 2-D surface image of ground reflectivity in the infrared spectrum with 5cm pixel resolution.
Indanylidenes. 2. Design and Synthesis of (E)-2-(4-Chloro-6-fluoro-1-indanylidene)-N-methylacetamide, a Potent Antiinflammatory and Analgesic Agent without Centrally Acting Muscle Relaxant Activity (2002)

Extension of the structure-activity relationship studies that led to the discovery of the nonsedating potent muscle relaxant, antiinflammatory, and analgesic agent (E)-2-(4,6-difluoro-1-indanylidene)acetamide, 1, has given rise to (E)-2-(4-chloro-6-fluoro-1-indanylidene)-N-methylacetamide, 2. Compound 2 is a potent antiinflammatory and analgesic agent without centrally acting muscle relaxant activity.
Efficiently estimating facial expression and illumination in appearance-based tracking (2006)

We introduce a subspace representation of face appearance which separates facial expressions from illumination variations. The appearance of a face is represented by the addition of two approximately independent linear subspaces modelling facial expressions and illumination respectively. The independence assumption notably simplifies the training of the s ystem. We only require two image sequences. One in which one facial expression is subject to all possible illuminations and another in which the face, under one illumination, performs all facial expressions. This simple model enables us to train the system with no manual intervention. We also introduce an efficient procedure for fitting this model, which can be used for tracki ng a human face in real-time.
Testosterone metabolism to 5?-dihydrotestosterone and synthesis of sebaceous lipids is regulated by the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ligand linoleic acid in human sebocytes (2007)

These data suggest a catalytic effect of PPAR ligands on cellular testosterone activation by 5alpha-reduction and the importance of the latter for the regulation of sebaceous lipids.
A Human Lymphoid Recombinant Cell Line with Functional Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Envelope (1993)

Our goal has been to develop a safe and effective system that would allow us to explore the functions of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) envelope. We have generated a human lymphoid cell line (TF228.1.16) that stably expresses functional HIV envelope proteins on its cell surface, and therefore closely mimics the viral envelope and virus-infected cells. The TF228.1.16 line forms syncytia with human cells of the CD4+ phenotype and provides a facile virus-free cell-based assay for examining the mechanism of syncytia formation and for evaluating novel agents that may disrupt this process. The TF228.1.16 cells also provide an opportunity to present the HIV envelope proteins to the immune system in cellular form. In vitro immunization of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and in vivo immunization of rhesus monkeys with this reagent results in the production of antibodies with neutralizing (anti-syncytia) activities. When the HIV envelope is expressed against the background of human lymphoid cells, it may exhibit immune protection with unique properties that have not yet been explored. Our results indicate that a virus-free cell system can play an important role in exploring the biology and function of HIV-envelope proteins without the interference of other viral components present in infected cells. This paper discusses these results, and examines the potential use of TF228.1.16 as a vaccine.
Viruses for the treatment of malignant glioma. (2001)

Viruses have been considered for use as therapeutic agents against cancer, and malignant glioma in particular. Oncolytic viruses were designed to target malignant cells supporting efficient virus replication, or rendered vulnerable to viral destruction due to tumor-specific defects in their defense against virus infection. Other than conventional cancer chemotherapy, viral antineoplastic agents require complex interactions with the host organism to reach their target and to unleash their oncolytic activity. Recent progress in the design and therapeutic application of oncolytic viruses carries the promise to make these agents available for treatment of malignant glioma.
On lossless coding for HEVC (2013)

In this paper, we first review the lossless coding mode in the version 1 of the HEVC standard that has recently finalized. We then provide a performance comparison between the lossless coding mode in the HEVC and MPEG-AVC/H.264 standards and show that the HEVC lossless coding has limited coding efficiency. To improve the performance of the lossless coding mode, several new coding tools that were contributed to JCT-VC but not adopted in version 1 of HEVC standard are introduced. In particular, we discuss sample based intra prediction and coding of residual coefficients in more detail. At the end, we briefly address a new class of coding tools, i.e., a dictionary-based coder, that is efficient in encoding screen content including graphics and text.
Diffraction tomography with Fourier ptychography (2016)

This paper presents a technique to image the complex index of refraction of a sample across three dimensions. The only required hardware is a standard microscope and an array of LEDs. The method, termed Fourier ptychographic tomography (FPT), first captures a sequence of intensity-only images of a sample under angularly varying illumination. Then, using principles from ptychography and diffraction tomography, it computationally solves for the sample structure in three dimensions. The experimental microscope demonstrates a lateral spatial resolution of 0.39 μm and an axial resolution of 3.7 μm at the Nyquist-Shannon sampling limit (0.54 and 5.0 μm at the Sparrow limit, respectively) across a total imaging depth of 110 μm. Unlike competing methods, this technique quantitatively measures the volumetric refractive index of primarily transparent and contiguous sample features without the need for interferometry or any moving parts. Wide field-of-view reconstructions of thick biological specimens suggest potential applications in pathology and developmental biology.
Image-based modeling and rendering of surfaces with arbitrary BRDFs (2005)

A goal of image-based rendering is to synthesize as realistically as possible man made and natural objects. The paper presents a method for image-based modeling and rendering of objects with arbitrary (possibly anisotropic and spatially varying) BRDFs. An object is modeled by sampling the surface's incident light field to reconstruct a non-parametric apparent BRDF at each visible point on the surface, This can be used to render the object from the same viewpoint but under arbitrarily specified illumination. We demonstrate how these object models can be embedded in synthetic scenes and rendered under global illumination which captures the interreflections between real and synthetic objects. We also show how these image-based models can be automatically composited onto video footage with dynamic illumination so that the effects (shadows and shading) of the lighting on the composited object match those of the scene.
Plasma nitrite rather than nitrate reflects regional endothelial nitric oxide synthase activity but lacks intrinsic vasodilator action (2001)

The plasma level of NO(x), i.e., the sum of NO(2)- and NO(3)-, is frequently used to assess NO bioavailability in vivo. However, little is known about the kinetics of NO conversion to these metabolites under physiological conditions. Moreover, plasma nitrite recently has been proposed to represent a delivery source for intravascular NO. We therefore sought to investigate in humans whether changes in NO(x) concentration are a reliable marker for endothelial NO production and whether physiological concentrations of nitrite are vasoactive. NO(2)- and NO(3)- concentrations were measured in blood sampled from the antecubital vein and brachial artery of 24 healthy volunteers. No significant arterial-venous gradient was observed for either NO(2)- or NO(3)-. Endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) stimulation with acetylcholine (1-10 microg/min) dose-dependently augmented venous NO(2)- levels by maximally 71%. This effect was paralleled by an almost 4-fold increase in forearm blood flow (FBF), whereas an equieffective dose of papaverine produced no change in venous NO(2)-. Intraarterial infusion of NO(2)- had no effect on FBF. NOS inhibition (N(G)-monomethyl-l-arginine; 4-12 micromol/min) dose-dependently reduced basal NO(2)- and FBF and blunted acetylcholine-induced vasodilation and NO release by more than 80% and 90%, respectively. In contrast, venous NO(3)- and total NO(x) remained unchanged as did systemic arterial NO(2)- and NO(3)- levels during all these interventions. FBF and NO release showed a positive association (r = 0.85; P < 0.001). These results contradict the current paradigm that plasma NO(3)- and/or total NO(x) are generally useful markers of endogenous NO production and demonstrate that only NO(2)- reflects acute changes in regional eNOS activity. Our results further demonstrate that physiological levels of nitrite are vasodilator-inactive.
A software architecture for the construction and management of real-time virtual worlds. (1993)

As military budgets shrink, the Department of Defense (DoD) is turning to virtual worlds (VW) to solve problems and address issues that were previously solved by prototype or field exercises. However, there is a critical void of experience in the community on how to build VW systems. The Naval Postgraduate School's Network Vehicle Simulator (NPSNEI) was designed and built to address this need. NPSNET is a populated, networked, interactive, flexible, three dimensional (3D) virtual world system. This dissertation covers the construction and management of the VW in NPSNET. The system, which uses both standard and non-standard network message formats, is fully networked allowing multiple users to interact simultaneously in the VW. Commercial off the shelf (COTS), Silicon Graphics Incorporated (SGI) workstations, hardware was used exclusively in NPSNET to ensure the usefulness and the portability of the system to many DoD commands. The core software architecture presented here is suitable for any VW. Computer graphics, Simulator, Simulation, Networks, Virtual worlds, Artificial reality, Synthetic environments, NPSNET.
Transplantation of adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells into a murine model of passive chronic immune thrombocytopenia (2012)

These findings constitute the first experimental evidence that ADSCs are efficacious in improving PLT levels and reducing the related Th cytokines mediating proinflammatory response in ITP mice, which may provide a scientific basis for using ADSCs as a new therapy for ITP.
COLLAGENS: Molecular Biology, Diseases, and Potentials for Therapy (1995)

The collagen superfamily of proteins now contains at least 19 proteins formally defined as collagens and an additional ten proteins that have collagen-like domains. The most abundant collagens form extracellular fibrils or network-like structures, but the others fulfill a variety of biological functions. Some of the eight highly specific post-translational enzymes involved in collagen biosynthesis have recently been cloned. Over 400 mutations in 6 different collagens cause a variety of human diseases that include osteogenesis imperfecta, chondrodysplasias, some forms of osteoporosis, some forms of osteoarthritis, and the renal disease known as the Alport syndrome. Many of the disease phenotypes have been produced in transgenic mice with mutated collagen genes. There has been increasing interest in the possibility that the unique post-translational enzymes involved in collagen biosynthesis offer attractive targets for specifically inhibiting excessive fibrotic reactions in a number of diseases. A number of experiments suggest it may be possible to inhibit collagen synthesis with oligo-nucleotides or antisense genes.
Formation and multinuclear magnetic resonance investigation of silylammonium tetracarbonylcobaltate contact ion pairs (2006)

Abstract Silylcobalt tetracarbonyls were reacted with various amines (B) in non-polar solvents to form silylammonium tetracarbonylcobaltate contact ion pairs formulated as [BSiR3+, −Co(CO)4]. The compounds were characterized by IR and multinuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy both in solution and in solid state. Their properties are analogous to the known ion pairs [BH+, −Co(CO)4] and to amine adducts of halosilanes as well.