gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Cross-reaction of serum somatomedin-binding protein in a radioimmunoassay developed for somatomedin-binding protein isolated from human amniotic fluid (1984)

A radioimmunoassay was developed for somatomedin-binding protein isolated from human amniotic fluid. The mean level in amniotic samples from 20-22 week of gestation was high, 51 micrograms/ml. Human serum and serum fraction gave dose-response curves superimposable on that for the pure amniotic binding protein. Gel chromatography of serum at neutral pH disclosed immunoreactive binding protein only in fractions with a molecular size of 35 000 corresponding to elution volume for the low molecular form somatomedin-binding protein. The mean levels (mean and range) of immunoreactive somatomedin-binding protein in cord blood (191 ng/ml, 55-1698 ng/ml) and in diabetic patients with uraemia (97 and 51-174 ng/ml) were 5- to 10-fold elevated above those of healthy adults (23 and 18-36 ng/ml). In acromegaly the levels decreased with increasing GH production (r = -0.77; P less than 0.005). In adult patients with GH deficiency the levels were 2-fold elevated in comparison with healthy subjects. Apart from patients with uraemia a negative correlation was found in adults between the levels of immunoreactive binding protein and immunoreactive IGF-I which reflect the GH production (r = -0.81, P less than 0.001).
Molecular Conformations of Crystallinel-Cysteine Determined with Vibrational Cross Angle Measurements (2013)

The molecular conformations of crystalline L-cysteine prepared in its orthorhombic form were determined by the vibrational cross angle measurements. Its major dihedral angles of chemical bonds determined by this method are consistent with the results from diffraction experiments. In addition, the relative orientations of the chemical bonds associated with the hydrogen atoms of the NH3(+) group and the thiol group are also determined. The results demonstrate that the vibrational cross angle method based on the multiple-mode approach can potentially become a structural tool for determining molecular conformations. The major challenges for the method to become a general molecular structural tool are discussed, and some approaches to address them are proposed.
Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions That Cut the Mustard (2001)

While browsing this special Plant Physiology issue on the Diversity of Plant Systems, one must be impressed, albeit perhaps not surprised, by the numerous examples showing that research on various plants often leads to fascinating discoveries in several plant science subdisciplines.This Update aims to continue on this course while simultaneously introducing additional levels of complexity in the form of microbes that infect plants.Rather than serving as a standard literature review, the objective is to provide a broad conceptual introduction to the field of molecular plant-microbe interactions.This is not an attempt at Arabidopsis bashing; in fact, it is quite the opposite because it is very clearly recognized that the tiny wild mustard has provided an enormously powerful genetic model system.Arabidopsis has contributed substantially to the elevation of molecular plant microbe studies as a respected specialty in the life sciences and it provides valuable information to spice up research on other plant systems.With that in mind, the major focus of this Update aims to provide persuasive arguments that diverse plant model systems are required to further our understanding of the fascinating area of plant microbial biology.
Regulation of T cell proliferation by IL-7. (1990)

The regulation of murine T cell proliferation by IL-7 was investigated. Highly purified resting splenic T cells were induced to proliferate in a short term assay by IL-7 in the presence of the comitogen, Con A. The proliferation of these resting T cells showed both IL-2-dependent and -independent components as determined by the susceptibility of the response to the blocking effects of anti-IL-2 mAb. Furthermore, IL-7 was found to augment the Con A-induced production of IL-2 and expression of IL-2R by resting splenic T cells. In contrast, Con A blasts and long term, Ag-dependent cloned T cells proliferated in response to IL-7 independently of any involvement of IL-2. Finally, differences were observed between IL-7 and IL-6 with regard to the regulation of T cell growth and activation. As with IL-7, IL-6 stimulated resting splenic T cells to proliferate in the presence of comitogen. However, in contrast to IL-7, IL-6 failed to stimulate the proliferation of Con A blasts or T cell clones and did not augment the Con A-induced expression of IL-2R on resting T cells.
A Web of Drones: A 2040 Strategy to Reduce the United States Dependance on Space Based Capabilities (2015)

Abstract : Do not believe the myth that certain space-based capabilities can only be achieved from space. Space certainly has a litany of characteristics that make it the ideal location to conduct operations. Space has global persistence that requires very little energy to maintain once a satellite is in orbit. Space allows access to denied territory. Space is cost effective when a global scale is required. But space is becoming a more vulnerable environment. Not only do satellites have to survive in the harsh environment of space, but now they are more vulnerable than ever to a host of man-made hazards such as debris fields, direct ascent anti-satellite weapons, and ground based lasers.
Sunscreen Penetration of Human Skin and Related Keratinocyte Toxicity after Topical Application (2005)

Sunscreen skin penetration and safety assessment should be considered together in order to ensure that in vitro cytotoxicity studies examine relevant doses of these organic chemical UV filters to which viable epidermal cells are realistically exposed. In this study, we sought to determine whether sufficient topically applied sunscreens penetrated into human viable epidermis to put the local keratinocyte cell populations at risk of toxicity. The penetration and retention of five commonly used sunscreen agents (avobenzone, octinoxate, octocrylene, oxybenzone and padimate O) in human skin was evaluated after application in mineral oil to isolated human epidermal membranes. Sunscreen concentration-human keratinocyte culture response curves were then defined using changes in cell morphology and proliferation (DNA synthesis using radiolabelled thymidine uptake studies) as evidence of sunscreens causing toxicity. Following 24 h of human epidermal exposure to sunscreens, detectable amounts of all sunscreens were present in the stratum corneum and viable epidermis, with epidermal penetration most evident with oxybenzone. The concentrations of each sunscreen found in human viable epidermis after topical application, adjusting for skin partitioning and binding effects, were at least 5-fold lower, based on levels detected in viable epidermal cells, than those appearing to cause toxicity in cultured human keratinocytes. It is concluded that the human viable epidermal levels of sunscreens are too low to cause any significant toxicity to the underlying human keratinocytes.
Expression of CD57 defines replicative senescence and antigen-induced apoptotic death of CD8+ T cells (2003)

Virus-specific CD8(+) T-cell responses play a pivotal role in limiting viral replication. Alterations in these responses, such as decreased cytolytic function, inappropriate maturation, and limited proliferative ability could reduce their ability to control viral replication. Here, we report on the capacity of HIV-specific CD8(+) T cells to secrete cytokines and proliferate in response to HIV antigen stimulation. We find that a large proportion of HIV-specific CD8(+) T cells that produce cytokines in response to cognate antigen are unable to divide and die during a 48-hour in vitro culture. This lack of proliferative ability of HIV-specific CD8(+) T cells is defined by surface expression of CD57 but not by absence of CD28 or CCR7. This inability to proliferate in response to antigen cannot be overcome by exogenous interleukin-2 (IL-2) or IL-15. Furthermore, CD57 expression on CD8(+) T cells, CD4(+) T cells, and NK cells is a general marker of proliferative inability, a history of more cell divisions, and short telomeres. We suggest, therefore, that the increase in CD57(+) HIV-specific CD8(+) T cells results from chronic antigen stimulation that is a hallmark of HIV infection. Thus, our studies define a phenotype associated with replicative senescence in HIV-specific CD8(+) T cells, which may have broad implications to other conditions associated with chronic antigenic stimulation.
K ATP channel inhibition by ATP requires distinct functional domains of the cytoplasmic C terminus of the pore-forming subunit (1998)

ATP-sensitive potassium ("KATP") channels are rapidly inhibited by intracellular ATP. This inhibition plays a crucial role in the coupling of electrical activity to energy metabolism in a variety of cells. The KATP channel is formed from four each of a sulfonylurea receptor (SUR) regulatory subunit and an inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir6.2) pore-forming subunit. We used systematic chimeric and point mutagenesis, combined with patch-clamp recording, to investigate the molecular basis of ATP-dependent inhibition gating of mouse pancreatic beta cell KATP channels expressed in Xenopus oocytes. We identified distinct functional domains of the presumed cytoplasmic C-terminal segment of the Kir6.2 subunit that play an important role in this inhibition. Our results suggest that one domain is associated with inhibitory ATP binding and another with gate closure.
Construction and characterization of a 2.5-kilobase procollagen clone. (1978)

Recombinant bacterial plasmids have been constructed by inserting double-stranded chicken procollagen cDNA sequences linked to chemically synthesized decanucleotides containing HindIII sites into the HindIII site of pBR322. After transformation of Escherichia coli chi1776, colonies were selected by ampicillin resistance and recombinants containing procollagen sequences were identified by colony hybridization to 32P-labeled procollagen cDNA. The inserts from three recombinant plasmids, pCg10, pCg13, and pCg45, were 1200, 2200, and 2550 base pairs long respectively. Their sequence homology has been established by restriction mapping and crosshybridization of nick-translated plasmids to Southern blots of Hpa II fragments of the inserts, pCg45 has been positively identified as containing the pro alpha2 collagen sequence by partial determination of the DNA sequence of its ends: it has a short thymine-rich sequence at one end and a sequence coding for residues 478--499 in the chicken alpha2 chain at the other end.
Accurate camera calibration method specialized for virtual studios (2008)

Virtual studio is a popular technology for TV programs, that makes possible to synchronize computer graphics (CG) to realshot image in camera motion. Normally, the geometrical matching accuracy between CG and realshot image is not expected so much on real-time system, we sometimes compromise on directions, not to come out the problem. So we developed the hybrid camera calibration method and CG generating system to achieve the accurate geometrical matching of CG and realshot on virtual studio. Our calibration method is intended for the camera system on platform and tripod with rotary encoder, that can measure pan/tilt angles. To solve the camera model and initial pose, we enhanced the bundle adjustment algorithm to fit the camera model, using pan/tilt data as known parameters, and optimizing all other parameters invariant against pan/tilt value. This initialization yields high accurate camera position and orientation consistent with any pan/tilt values. Also we created CG generator implemented the lens distortion function with GPU programming. By applying the lens distortion parameters obtained by camera calibration process, we could get fair compositing results.
The major antigenic protein of infectious bursal disease virus, VP2, is an apoptotic inducer (1997)

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is the causative agent of an economically important poultry disease. Vaccinia virus recombinants expressing the IBDV mature structural capsid proteins VP2 and VP3 were generated by using vectors for inducible gene expression. Characterization of these recombinant viruses demonstrated that expression of VP2 leads to induction of apoptosis in a variety of mammalian cell lines. Transfection of cell cultures with a expression vector containing the VP2 coding region under the control of the immediate-early promoter-enhancer region of human cytomegalovirus also triggers programmed cell death. The apoptotic effect of VP2 is efficiently counteracted by coexpression of the proto-oncogene bcl-2. The results presented demonstrate that VP2 is a bona fide apoptotic inducer. Evaluation of the significance of this finding for the virus life cycle must await further research.
Structure and expression of the Drosophila melanogaster gene for the U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle 70K protein. (1990)

A genomic clone encoding the Drosophila U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle 70K protein was isolated by hybridization with a human U1 small nuclear ribonucleoprotein particle 70K protein cDNA. Southern blot and in situ hybridizations showed that this U1 70K gene is unique in the Drosophila genome, residing at cytological position 27D1,2. Polyadenylated transcripts of 1.9 and 3.1 kilobases were observed. While the 1.9-kilobase mRNA is always more abundant, the ratio of these two transcripts is developmentally regulated. Analysis of cDNA and genomic sequences indicated that these two RNAs encode an identical protein with a predicted molecular weight of 52,879. Comparison of the U1 70K proteins predicted from Drosophila, human, and Xenopus cDNAs revealed 68% amino acid identity in the most amino-terminal 214 amino acids, which include a sequence motif common to many proteins which bind RNA. The carboxy-terminal half is less well conserved but is highly charged and contains distinctive arginine-rich regions in all three species. These arginine-rich regions contain stretches of arginine-serine dipeptides like those found in transformer, transformer-2, and suppressor-of-white-apricot proteins, all of which have been identified as regulators of mRNA splicing in Drosophila melanogaster.
Fbufs: a high-bandwidth cross-domain transfer facility (1993)

We have designed and implemented a new operating system facility for I/O buffer management and data transferacross protection domain boundaries on shared memory machines. This facility, called fast buffers (fbufs), combines virtual page remapping with shared virtual memory, and exploits locality in I/O traffic to achieve high throughput without compromising protection, security, or modularity. goal is to help deliver the high bandwidth afforded by emerging high-speed networks to user-level processes, both in monolithic and microkernel-based operating systems.This paper outlines the requirements for a cross-domain transfer facility, describes the design of the fbuf mechanism that meets these requirements, and experimentally quantifies the impact of fbufs on network performance.
Autophagy protects neuron from Aβ-induced cytotoxicity (2009)

Autophagy is a degradation pathway for the turnover of dysfunctional organelles or aggregated proteins in cells. Extracellular accumulation of beta-amyloid peptide has been reported to be a major cause of Alzheimer disease (AD) and large numbers of autophagic vacuoles accumulate in the brain of AD patient. However, how autophagic process is involved in Abeta-induced neurotoxicity and how Abeta peptide is transported into the neuron and metabolized is still unknown. In order to study the role of autophagic process in Abeta-induced neurotoxicity, EGFP-LC3 was overexpressed in SH-SY5Y cells (SH-SY5Y/pEGFP-LC3). It was found that treatment with Abeta(25-35), Abeta(1-42) or serum-starvation induced strong autophagy response in SH-SY5Y/pEGFP-LC3. Confocal double-staining image showed that exogenous application of Abeta(1-42) in medium caused the colocalization of Abeta(1-42) with LC3 in neuronal cells. Concomitant treatment of Abeta with a selective alpha7nAChR antagonist, alpha-bungarotoxin (alpha-BTX), enhanced Abeta-induced neurotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells. On the other hand, nicotine (nAChR agonist) enhanced the autophagic process and also inhibited cell death following Abeta application. In addition, nicotine but not alpha-BTX increased primary hippocampal neuronal survival following Abeta treatment. Furthermore, using Atg7 siRNA to inhibit autophagosome formation in an early step or alpha7nAChR siRNA to knock down alpha7nAChR significantly enhanced Abeta-induced neurotoxicity. Confocal double-staining imaging shows that nicotine treatment in the presence of Abeta enhanced the colocalization of alpha7nAChR with autophagosomes. These results suggest that alpha7nAChR may act as a carrier to bind with eAbeta and internalize into cytoplasm and further inhibit Abeta-induced neurotoxicity via autophagic degradation pathway. Our results suggest that autophagy process plays a neuroprotective role against Abeta-induced neurotoxicity. Defect in autophagic regulation or Abeta-alpha7nAChR transport system may impair the clearance of Abeta and enhance neuronal death.
Genome analysis of multiple pathogenic isolates of Streptococcus agalactiae : Implications for the microbial “pan-genome” (2005)

The development of efficient and inexpensive genome sequencing methods has revolutionized the study of human bacterial pathogens and improved vaccine design. Unfortunately, the sequence of a single genome does not reflect how genetic variability drives pathogenesis within a bacterial species and also limits genome-wide screens for vaccine candidates or for antimicrobial targets. We have generated the genomic sequence of six strains representing the five major disease-causing serotypes of Streptococcus agalactiae, the main cause of neonatal infection in humans. Analysis of these genomes and those available in databases showed that the S. agalactiae species can be described by a pan-genome consisting of a core genome shared by all isolates, accounting for approximately 80% of any single genome, plus a dispensable genome consisting of partially shared and strain-specific genes. Mathematical extrapolation of the data suggests that the gene reservoir available for inclusion in the S. agalactiae pan-genome is vast and that unique genes will continue to be identified even after sequencing hundreds of genomes.
Epitope interactions of monoclonal antibodies targeting CD20 and their relationship to functional properties (2013)

Several novel anti-CD20 monoclonal antibodies are currently in development with the aim of improving the treatment of B cell malignancies. Mutagenesis and epitope mapping studies have revealed differences between the CD20 epitopes recognized by these antibodies. Recently, X-ray crystallography studies confirmed that the Type I CD20 antibody rituximab and the Type II CD20 antibody obinutuzumab (GA101) differ fundamentally in their interaction with CD20 despite recognizing a partially overlapping epitope on CD20. The Type I CD20 antibodies rituximab and ofatumumab are known to bind to different epitopes. The differences suggest that the biological properties of these antibodies are not solely determined by their core epitope sequences, but also depend on other factors, such as the elbow hinge angle, the orientation of the bound antibody and differential effects mediated by the Fc region of the antibody. Taken together, these factors may explain differences in the preclinical properties and clinical efficacy of anti-CD20 antibodies.
Cancer statistics, 2012 (2012)

Each year, the American Cancer Society estimates the numbers of new cancer cases and deaths expected in the United States in the current year and compiles the most recent data on cancer incidence, mortality, and survival based on incidence data from the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries and mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics. A total of 1,638,910 new cancer cases and 577,190 deaths from cancer are projected to occur in the United States in 2012. During the most recent 5 years for which there are data (2004-2008), overall cancer incidence rates declined slightly in men (by 0.6% per year) and were stable in women, while cancer death rates decreased by 1.8% per year in men and by 1.6% per year in women. Over the past 10 years of available data (1999-2008), cancer death rates have declined by more than 1% per year in men and women of every racial/ethnic group with the exception of American Indians/Alaska Natives, among whom rates have remained stable. The most rapid declines in death rates occurred among African American and Hispanic men (2.4% and 2.3% per year, respectively). Death rates continue to decline for all 4 major cancer sites (lung, colorectum, breast, and prostate), with lung cancer accounting for almost 40% of the total decline in men and breast cancer accounting for 34% of the total decline in women. The reduction in overall cancer death rates since 1990 in men and 1991 in women translates to the avoidance of about 1,024,400 deaths from cancer. Further progress can be accelerated by applying existing cancer control knowledge across all segments of the population, with an emphasis on those groups in the lowest socioeconomic bracket.
On evolutionary optimization with approximate fitness functions (2000)

The evaluation of the quality of solutions is usually very time-consuming in design optimization. Therefore, time-efficient approximate models can be particularly beneficial for the evaluation when evolutionary algorithms are applied. In this paper, the convergence property of an evolution strategy (ES) with neural network based fitness evaluations is investigated. It is found that the evolutionary algorithm will converge incorrectly if the approximate model has false optima. To address this problem, two strategies to control the evolution process are introduced. In addition, methods to eliminate false minima in neural network training are proposed. The effectiveness of the methods are shown with simulation studies on the Ackley function and the Rosenbrock function.
Cutoff Finder: A Comprehensive and Straightforward Web Application Enabling Rapid Biomarker Cutoff Optimization (2012)

Gene or protein expression data are usually represented by metric or at least ordinal variables. In order to translate a continuous variable into a clinical decision, it is necessary to determine a cutoff point and to stratify patients into two groups each requiring a different kind of treatment. Currently, there is no standard method or standard software for biomarker cutoff determination. Therefore, we developed Cutoff Finder, a bundle of optimization and visualization methods for cutoff determination that is accessible online. While one of the methods for cutoff optimization is based solely on the distribution of the marker under investigation, other methods optimize the correlation of the dichotomization with respect to an outcome or survival variable. We illustrate the functionality of Cutoff Finder by the analysis of the gene expression of estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PgR) in breast cancer tissues. This distribution of these important markers is analyzed and correlated with immunohistologically determined ER status and distant metastasis free survival. Cutoff Finder is expected to fill a relevant gap in the available biometric software repertoire and will enable faster optimization of new diagnostic biomarkers. The tool can be accessed at http://molpath.charite.de/cutoff.