gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Regulation of human IgG subclass production by cytokines. IFN-gamma and IL-6 act antagonistically in the induction of human IgG1 but additively in the induction of IgG2. (1994)

In this study, we investigated the roles of IFN-gamma and IL-6 in the induction of IgG subclasses from PBMC stimulated with PWM. The presence of IFN-gamma in the first half of the culture period dramatically suppressed the production of IgG1, whereas spontaneous IgG2 secretion was sharply enhanced by IFN-gamma when the latter was present throughout the culture period. Endogenous IFN-gamma was shown to be effective in IgG1 and IgG2 production because IgG1 production was enhanced and IgG2 production was inhibited by the addition of anti-IFN-gamma Ab. Because IFN-gamma did not act on the PBMC depleted of surface IgG2-bearing cells to enhance IgG2, IFN-gamma is unlikely to act as a switching factor. Differing from IFN-gamma, IL-6 enhanced every IgG subclass production as a nonswitching factor, although each of IgG subclasses required IL-6 differentially; maximal IgG1 responses and IgG4 responses occurred when IL-6 was present for the entire culture period or the last half of the culture period, whereas maximal IgG3 responses required the presence of IL-6 for the entire culture period and maximal IgG2 responses were seen when IL-6 was present solely during the last half of the culture period. IFN-gamma antagonized the synthesis of IgG1 by IL-6 and cooperated with IL-6 to produce IgG2. This observation was further supported by the fact that the IL-6-induced IgG1 and IgG2 enhancement were respectively up-regulated and down-regulated by anti-IFN-gamma. Altogether, the critical roles of IFN-gamma and IL-6 were implicated.
Group B Streptococcal Surface Proteins as Targets for Protective Antibodies: Identification of Two Novel Proteins in Strains of Serotype V (1999)

Strains of group B streptococcus (GBS) express surface proteins that confer protective immunity. In particular, most strains of the four classical capsular serotypes (Ia, Ib, II, and III) express either of the Rib and alpha proteins, two members of the same protein family. Here, we report a study of surface proteins expressed by strains of serotype V, which has recently emerged as an important serotype among GBS strains causing serious disease. Two novel GBS proteins were identified, purified, and characterized. One of these proteins, designated Fbs, was immunologically unrelated to other GBS surface proteins. This approximately 110-kDa protein was found in 15 of 49 (31%) type V isolates but in few strains of other serotypes. The Fbs proteins expressed by different strains showed limited variation in size. The most common surface protein among type V strains, found in 29 of 49 (59%) isolates, was designated Rib-like, since it cross-reacted with Rib but was not immunologically identical to Rib. Characterization of this Rib-like protein showed that the N-terminal sequence (12 residues) was identical to that of alpha, although these two proteins lacked cross-reactivity. The biochemical and immunological properties of the Rib-like GBS protein indicate that it is closely related to the R28 protein of Streptococcus pyogenes. Importantly, passive and active immunization experiments with mice showed that the Fbs and Rib-like proteins are targets for protective antibodies. These two proteins are therefore of interest for analysis of pathogenic mechanisms and for vaccine development.
A case study of dependable software upgrade with distributed components (2003)

The technology presented allows validation of software architecture before component upgrades. This paper presents a case study of applying this method to the upgrade of a wireless monitoring system. After the validation showing the feasibility for an online upgrade, an actual upgrade was carried out and proven to be successful. A wireless monitoring system collects network data to deduce voice quality of voice-over-IP (VoIP) and notifies wireless users of network failures. Voice networks traditionally operate with an availability of 99.999%. Software upgrade must be done online to maintain such a high availability. Our experimental results show that the outcome of the actual upgrade is consistent with the validation result of the method given by Li et al. (2000). Our method is effective in providing round-the-clock wireless network activities while upgrading network protocols or application software.
Drilling a Hole in Granite Submerged in Water By Use of CO2 Laser (2010)

This article, written by Assistant Technology Editor Karen Bybee, contains highlights of paper SPE 119914, ’Drilling a 2-inch in Diameter Hole in Granites Submerged in Water by CO2 Lasers,’ by Toshio Kobayashi, SPE, and Masahiro Nakamura, Japan Drilling Company, and Satoshi Kubo and Makoto Ichikawa, SPE, Japan Oil, Gas, and Metals National Corporation, originally prepared for the 2009 SPE/IADC Drilling Conference and Exhibition, Amsterdam, 17-19 March. The paper has not been peer reviewed. As part of a fundamental study of rock drilling by laser irradiation, the full-length paper describes laser drilling of a 5.08-cm-diameter hole in granites submerged in water. The laser beams melted the granite surface locally to form small glassy beads. Repetition of this procedure demonstrated that a high-power laser beam propagating in water can be used to generate a hole in rocks. Experimental A 10.6-µm carbon dioxide (CO2) laser was used. The laser had a 5-kW peak-output power, a 5-ms pulse width, a 10-Hz repetition rate, a 250-J pulsed energy, and a 50% duty ratio. The CO2 laser has a ring mode. A laser-irradiation nozzle with a 20-in. focal length was used for irradiation in air and in water. For irradiation in water, a 300-mm3 acrylics chamber was used. A high-speed video camera was placed at the side of the chamber to photograph the dynamic behavior of the formation of bubbles induced by laser irradiation. A rock specimen was placed in the chamber so that the distance from the water surface to the top surface of the granite was 50 mm. The CO2 laser was intermittently irradiated perpendicularly from a muddy-water surface. The irradiated laser beam was absorbed in the water and formed cone-shaped bubbles that had an irregular interface. Because the induced bubbles kept their shape until a subsequent laser beam reached the rock, the laser beam could drill the rock effectively. Rock Specimens Inada granite was selected as a rock specimen because the Inada granite is representative of quartz-group minerals and quartz-bearing rocks in Japan. Its K-Ar chronology is 60 Ma. Inada granite often is used as construction materials and experimental materials. The Inada granite contains 33.7% quartz, 32.1% potash feldspar, 30.3% plagioclase, and 3.8% biotite. Physical characteristics of Inada granite are as follows: 180-MPa uniaxial compressive strength, 0.75-MPa split-ting tensile strength, 65-GPa Young’s modulus, 2.63 g/cm3, 0.75% porosity, 0.0167- to 0.0377-J/(g-K) specific heat, and 54.4- to 83.7-W/(m.K) thermal conductivity. Results and Discussion In earlier experiments with Inada granite irradiated in air with a CO2 laser, transparent glassy objects crystallized on the walls of the created hole. It was observed that the fused Inada granite could not fully flow out of the hole, solidifying on the bottom to close the bottom of the hole. As a result, a complete hole cannot be created by the laser irradiation in air.
Oral Formulations of Adefovir Dipivoxil: In Vitro Dissolution and in Vivo Bioavailability in Dogs (1997)

The effect of formulation on oral bioavailability of the antiviral nucleotide analogue adefovir from the prodrug adefovir dipivoxil was examined in beagle dogs. A suspension formulation of adefovir dipivoxil granules was administered to five fasted male beagle dogs (250 mg prodrug per dog; 135.7 mg-equiv of adefovir per dog). Tablets prepared from the same granulation (batch B94) were administered at 2 x 125 mg prodrug per dog. In addition, the same tablets were administered to dogs in the fed state or following pentagastrin pretreatment. Two further tablet batches (H94 and D501) with slight formulation changes were also evaluated in pentagastrin pretreated dogs (n = 5). Concentrations of adefovir in plasma were determined by HPLC following fluorescence derivatization. Tablet dissolution was examined at pH 2.0. One batch of adefovir dipivoxil tablets showed a 5-fold slower dissolution rate in vitro (B94 = H94 >> D501). Adefovir dipivoxil was completely converted to adefovir following oral absorption in dogs. The oral bioavailability of adefovir from the suspension was 35.0 +/- 8.9%. The oral bioavailability of adefovir from the tablet formulation was 34.7 +/- 10.3%, 37.2 +/- 4.5%, and 44.9 +/- 5.9% in fasted dogs, fed dogs and fasted dogs pretreated with pentagastrin, respectively. All three tablet batches had equivalent bioavailability in dogs. Oral bioavailability of adefovir from the prodrug in dogs (35-46%) was unaffected by formulation, food, or the acidic pH of the gastrointestinal tract. In vitro dissolution of adefovir dipivoxil tablets did not correlate with oral bioavailability. Oral bioavailability of adefovir dipivoxil appears to be limited by low permeability and biological conversion of the prodrug to adefovir.
Glomerular basement membrane. Identification of a fourth chain, alpha 4, of type IV collagen. (1990)

The noncollagenous domain hexamer of collagen IV from bovine glomerular basement membrane was further investigated to determine the types of collagen chain from which subunits M2*b and M3 are derived. M2*b was shown to be a shorter form, containing 9 fewer residues, of M2*a which was previously established as the noncollagenous domain of a third chain, alpha 3, of collagen IV (Saus, J., Wieslander, J., Langeveld, J.P.M., Quinones, S., and Hudson, B.G. (1988) J. Biol. Chem. 263, 13374-13380). M3 was identified as the noncollagenous domain of a fourth chain, alpha 4, of type IV collagen, on the basis of additional sequence data together with previous findings. A comparison of the collagenous-noncollagenous junction regions of alpha 3(IV) and alpha 4(IV) chains with those of classical alpha 1(IV) and alpha 2(IV) chains reveals structural information which provides a potential strategy for molecular cloning of these novel chains. The results further reveal the complexity of electrophoresis patterns of the hexamer and potential ambiguities in using one-dimensional patterns to determine whether molecular defects of collagen IV occur in pathological processes affecting basement membranes.
Targeting effector memory T-cells with Kv1.3 blockers. (2007)

After initially being pursued for general immunosuppression, the voltage-gated potassium channel Kv1.3 has more recently emerged as an attractive pharmacological target for the selective suppression of CCR7- effector memory T-cells in T-cell mediated autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. This article gives a brief summary of the role of Kv1.3 in autoimmune diseases, reviews the progress made in both developing peptidic and small-molecule inhibitors for this challenging target, and in validating Kv1.3 as a target for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
Link prediction based on local random walk (2010)

The problem of missing link prediction in complex networks has attracted much attention recently. Two difficulties in link prediction are the sparsity and huge size of the target networks. Therefore, the design of an efficient and effective method is of both theoretical interests and practical significance. In this Letter, we proposed a method based on local random walk, which can give competitively good prediction or even better prediction than other random-walk-based methods while has a lower computational complexity.
Amplification of the full-length hepatitis A virus genome by long reverse transcription-PCR and transcription of infectious RNA directly from the amplicon. (1996)

The genetic study of RNA viruses is greatly facilitated by the availability of infectious cDNA clones. However, their construction has often been difficult. While exploring ways to simplify the construction of infectious clones, we have successfully modified and applied the newly described technique of "long PCR" to the synthesis of a full-length DNA amplicon from the RNA of a cytopathogenic mutant (HM 175/24a) of the hepatitis A virus (HAV). Primers were synthesized to match the two extremities of the HAV genome. The antisense primer, homologous to the 3' end, was used in both the reverse transcription (RT) and the PCR steps. With these primers we reproducibly obtained a full-length amplicon of approximately 7.5 kb. Further, since we engineered a T7 promoter in the sense primer, RNA could be transcribed directly from the amplicon with T7 RNA polymerase. Following transfection of cultured fetal rhesus kidney cells with the transcription mixture containing both the HAV cDNA and the transcribed RNA, replicating HAV was detected by immunofluorescence microscopy and, following passage to other cell cultures, by focus formation. The recovered virus displayed the cytopathic effect and large plaque phenotype typical of the original virus; this result highlights the fidelity of the modified long reverse transcription-PCR procedure and demonstrates the potential of this method for providing cDNAs of viral genomes and simplifying the construction of infectious clones.
Knowledge Management and Collaboration. (2000)

We report on a study of the relationship between collaboration and knowledge management. Successful knowledge management projects encourage and enhance collaboration between employees. The presence of `collaborative&amp;apos; technologies might help that process but does not automatically increase collaboration. Empirical evidence is taken from a broad range of organisations: Anglian Water plc, BG Technology, BP Amoco plc, Ernst and Young and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). Four of these organisations focus their knowledge management policy on the development of their corporate intranet. The empirical evidence shows that knowledge management is a collaborative activity, which depends on the creation of `shared context&amp;apos; between the participants. This is more likely to occur with a combination of face-toface meetings and machine-mediated communications. __________________ The copyright of this paper belongs to the paper&amp;apos;s authors. Permission to copy without fee all or part of this material is granted provide that copies are not made or distributed for direct commercial advantage Proc. of the Third Int. Conf. On Practical Aspects of Knowledge Management (PAKM2000) Basel, Switzerland , 30 -- 31 Oct. 2000, (U Reimer, ed.) http://sunsite.informatik.rwth-aachen.de/Publications/SEUR-WS/Vol-34/ 1
Cell‐Surface Antigen Expression in Early and Term Gestation Fetal Hematopoietic Progenitor Cells (1998)

The objective of this study was to compare the expression of primitive cell-surface antigens on CD34+ cells from early in gestation to those from term gestations. Fetal blood samples were obtained from 10 early gestation (21.0+/-0.8 [SE] weeks) and 12 term gestation (39.3+/-0.4 weeks) fetuses. The mononuclear cell population was separated by red cell lysis. Two-color flow cytometry was used to assess cell surface antigen coexpression of CD34 with CD33, CD38, and HLA-DR as well as staining by a cocktail of monoclonal antibodies for lineage-associated (Lin) antigens (CD2, CD10, CD11b, CD19, CD20, CD33, CD36, 7B9, and Glycophorin-A). The frequency of CD34+ cells (5.5+/-0.9 versus 1.5+/-0.2, p < 0.001) was significantly higher in the early gestational age group. Within the CD34+ population, the frequency of CD34+/CD38- cells (81.8+/-9.9 versus 51.3+/-7.7, p = 0.02) and CD34+/DR- cells (15.3+/-7.4 versus 8.2+/-2.7, p = 0.05) was also higher in the early gestational age group. In contrast, CD34+/CD33- (51.8+/-10.1 versus 83.0+/-6.1, p = 0.02) and CD34+/Lin- cells (15.9+/-7.0 versus 51.8 +/-6.9, p < 0.01) were higher in the term gestation group. The high percentage of CD34+, CD34+/CD38-, and CD34+/DR- cells supports our hypothesis that early gestational age fetal blood has a higher frequency of primitive hematopoietic progenitor/stem cells than does umbilical cord blood at term. This suggests that hematopoietic progenitor/stem cells in early fetal blood may be a desirable target for in utero gene therapy. However, further studies to characterize the functional properties of CD34+ cell subsets at different stages of fetal development will be necessary to determine the appropriateness of targeting fetal hematopoietic cells for in utero gene therapy. The higher frequency of CD34+/CD33- and CD34+/Lin- cells from term gestational age fetuses was unexpected, and the significance of this finding is unclear at this time.
Modeling early recovery of physical function following hip and knee arthroplasty (2006)

Knowledge about the predicted growth curves will assist clinicians in referencing patient progress, and determining the critical time points for measuring change. The study has contributed further evidence to highlight the benefit of using physical performance measures to learn about the patients' actual level of disability.
Subnanoliter enzymatic assays on microarrays (2005)

Many areas of research today are based on enzymatic assays most of which are still performed as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays in microtiter plates. The demand for highly parallel screening of thousands of samples eventually led to a miniaturization and automation of these assays. However, the final transfer of enzymatic assays from a microtiter-based technology to microarrays has proven to be difficult for various reasons, such as the inability to maintain unbound reaction products on the spot of reaction or the missing capability of multiplexing. Here, we have conducted multiplex enzymatic assays in subnanoliter volumes on a single microarray using the multiple spotting technology. We were able to measure enzymatic activity with a sensitivity down to 35 enzyme molecules, applying only conventional flat microarray surfaces and standard microarray hardware. We have performed assays of inhibition and applied this format for the detection of prognostic markers, such as cathepsin D. The new approach allows the rapid and multiplex screening of thousands of samples on a single microarray with applications in drug screening, metagenomics, and high-throughput enzyme assays.
T-cell differentiation in thymus organ cultures. (1990)

Fetal thymus organ cultures support a full range of T-cell precursor differentiation in vitro, including TCR gene rearrangement and expression. This provides an accessible model system in which the intra-thymic regulation of T-cell development can be investigated. Thymus organ cultures can be manipulated by adding antibodies to block different cell surface components on stromal or lymphoid elements. In addition, it is possible to deplete thymus lobes of their lymphoid cells and recolonize them with T-cell precursors of a different MHC haplotype to produce chimeric lobes. Recolonization can also be achieved with defined numbers or types of precursor cells, including a single micro-manipulated cell. These approaches have been used to obtain information on the signals regulating intra-thymic proliferation, T-cell lineage relationships, antigen receptor diversification within the thymus and the cellular interactions and intracellular mechanisms regulating selection of the antigen receptor repertoire.
Influence of Body Position on Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Systematic Review (2013)

Aim. The aim of this review is to determine the relationship between sleeping body posture and severity of obstructive sleep apnea. This relationship has been investigated in the past. However, the conclusions derived from some of these studies are conflicting with each other. This paper intends to summarize the reported relationships between sleep posture and various sleep indices in patients diagnosed with sleep apnea. Methods and Materials. A systematic review of the published English literature during a 25-year period from 1983 to 2008 was performed. Results. Published data concerning the sleep apnea severity and posture in adults are limited. Supine sleep posture is consistently associated with more severe obstructive sleep apnea indices in adults. However, relationship between sleep apnea severity indices and prone posture is inconsistent.
The effects of aging on memory for sequentially presented objects in rats. (2009)

The current study investigated memory for sequentially presented objects in young rats 6 months old (n = 12) and aged rats 24 months old (n = 12). Rats were tested on a task involving three exploratory trials and one probe test. During the exploratory trials, the rat explored a set of three sequentially presented object pairs (A-A, B-B, and C-C) for 5 min per pair with a 3-min delay between each pair. Following the exploratory trials, a probe test was conducted where the rat was presented simultaneously with one object from the first exploratory trial (A) and one object from the third exploratory trial (C). Results from the exploratory trials showed no significant age-related differences in exploration, indicating that 24-month-old rats explored the object pairs as much as 6-month-old rats. The probe test demonstrated that 6-month-old rats spent significantly more time exploring object A compared to object C, indicating that young rats show intact temporal order memory for the exploratory trial objects. However, 24-month-old rats showed no preference for object A and spent a relatively equal amount of time exploring objects A and C. The results suggest that temporal order memory declines as a result of age-related changes in the rodent brain. The findings also may reflect differences in attraction to objects with different memory strengths. Since age-related differences were not detected during the exploratory trials, age-related differences on the probe trial were not due solely to decreased exploration, motivation, or locomotion.
Variants of the hK2 Protein Gene (<i>KLK2</i>) Are Associated with Serum hK2 Levels and Predict the Presence of Prostate Cancer at Biopsy (2006)

These findings suggest a role for the KLK2 gene in prostate cancer susceptibility and imply that this role may be realized at least in part by the induction of increases in hK2 production.
Modeling and deformation of the human body using an anatomically-based approach (2002)

The authors propose a method to simulate human beings based on anatomy concepts. They believe that the closer the model is to reality, the better the results will be. Using this approach, they are developing a human representation. The model is divided into three different layers and is presented in three steps: the rigid body conception from a real skeleton, the muscle design and deformation based on physical concepts, and the skin generation. Integration aspects and results are also presented.
Surface passivation of III-V compound semiconductors (2002)

Passivation of GaAs and InP surfaces have been accomplished using both wet and dry techniques. The wet techniques include ammonium sulfide based solutions, whereas the dry techniques involve the use H/sub 2/ and H/sub 2/S plasmas. These treatments, followed by the deposition of ECR-PECVD silicon nitride, result in significant reduction in the SiN/GaAs (InP) interfacial defect density. The technique is also used for passivating surface-sensitive devices, such as AlGaAs/GaAs heterojunction bipolar transistors.