gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Chemonucleolysis for herniated nucleus pulposus in adolescents. (1985)

Fifty-five adolescents between the ages of thirteen and nineteen years underwent chemonucleolysis for one or more herniated lumbar discs at St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario. The surgery was done by the senior one of us (J.M.) between 1972 and 1982. The duration of symptoms ranged from two months to three years. Pain in the lower limb was the predominant symptom in forty-eight patients. Reduction of the amount of straight leg-raising by 50 per cent or more, with or without pain in the ipsilateral hip when the asymptomatic limb was lifted (cross-over pain) and with or without pain radiating up or down the lower limb when the tibial nerve was pressed in the popliteal fossa (bowstring discomfort), was considered evidence of tension on or irritation of the nerve root and was present in all patients. Chemonucleolysis was considered as an alternative to discectomy and was performed only after the patient failed to respond to conservative management. An anaphylactic reaction occurred in one patient and was treated successfully. The most common symptom after injection was increased back pain, and it was controlled with medication. One patient had transient weakness of the extensor hallucis longus after injection. The length of follow-up ranged from two to twelve years (average, four years and six months), excluding one patient who was killed in an accident six months after injection. Chemonucleolysis did not relieve the symptoms in eleven of the fifty-five patients. These eleven patients all subsequently had surgical excision of the disc, and in them the chemonucleolysis was considered to have failed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The suppression of human prostate tumor growth in mice by the intratumoral injection of a slow-release polymeric paste formulation of paclitaxel. (2000)

Most patients that present in the clinic with prostate cancer have either localized or recurrent postradiotherapy therapy tumors that may be amenable to injectable treatments using slow-release cytotoxic drugs. The objective of this preclinical study was to design an injectable polymeric paste formulation of paclitaxel for intratumoral injection into nonmetastatic human prostate tumors grown s.c. in mice. Paclitaxel was dissolved (10% w/w) in a blend of a biodegradable triblock copolymer of a random copolymer of D,L-lactide and epsilon-caprolactone (PLC) with poly(ethyleneglycol) [PEG; PLC-PEG-PLC] blended with methoxypoly(ethylene glycol) in a 40:60 ratio. Human prostate LNCaP tumors grown s.c. in castrated athymic male mice were injected with 100 microl of this paste at room temperature. Changes in tumor progression were assessed using both serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels and tumor size. Paclitaxel inhibited LNCaP cell growth in vitro in a concentration-dependent fashion with an IC50 of 1 nM. Apoptosis was documented using DNA fragmentation analysis. The paste formulation solidified over a period of 1 h both in vivo and in aqueous media at 37 degrees C as the methoxypoly(ethylene glycol) component partitioned out of the insoluble PLC-PEG-PLC/paclitaxel matrix. The semisolid implant released drug at a rate of about 100 microg/day in vitro. In control mice treated with paste without paclitaxel, serum PSA levels increased from 2-8 ng/ml (mean, 4.3+/-2 ng/ml) to 60-292 ng/ml (mean, 181+/-88 ng/ml), and tumor volume increased from 30 to 1000 mm3. In mice treated with a single 100-microl injection 3 weeks after castration (early-phase treatment group), tumors decreased in volume from a mean of 43+/-19 mm3 to nonpalpable, and PSA levels decreased from a mean of 22+/-8 to 2+/-1 ng/ml by 8 weeks after castration. In mice treated 5 weeks after castration (androgen-independent tumors; late-phase treatment group), tumors decreased in volume from a mean of 233+/-136 mm3 to nonpalpable, and serum PSA decreased from 24+/-8 to 9+/-4 ng/ml. Observed side effects of the treatment were limited to minor ulceration at the needle injection site in paclitaxel-treated mice only. The controlled-release formulation can be injected via 22-gauge needles and is effective in inhibiting LNCaP tumor growth and PSA levels in mice bearing multiple nonmetastatic tumors. Paclitaxel may be an effective therapy for patients with localized tumors recurring after radiotherapy and for some patients with localized tumors who are not candidates for radical treatment.
Tangential flow microfiltration and ultrafiltration for human influenza A virus concentration and purification (2005)

Large scale purification of viruses and viral vectors for gene therapy applications and viral vaccines is a major separation challenge. Here tangential flow microfiltration and ultrafiltration using flat sheet membranes has been investigated for concentration of human influenza A virus. Ultrafiltration membranes with molecular weight cutoffs of 100 and 300 kDa as well as 0.1, 0.2 and 0.45 microm microfiltration membranes have been tested. The results indicate that use of 300 kDa membranes not only concentrate the virus particles but also lead to a significant removal of host cell proteins and DNA in the permeate. Tangential flow filtration may be used to fractionate virus particles. Human influenza A virus particles are spherical with an average size of 100 nm. Use of a 0.1 microm membrane leads to passage of virus particles less than 100 nm into the permeate and an increase of larger particles in the retentate. These results suggest that control of the transmembrane pressure, membrane pore size and pore size distribution could enable isolation of intact virus particles from damaged virions. Isolation of the virus particles of interest from viral fragments and other particulate matter could result in simplification of subsequent purification steps. Larger pore size membranes such as 0.45 microm that allow the passage of all virus particles may be used to remove host cell fragments. In addition virus particles attached to these fragments will be removed. Careful selection of membrane morphology and operating conditions will be essential in order to maximize the benefit of tangential flow filtration steps in the purification of viral products from cell cultures.
Emergence of the Chicken as a Model Organism: Implications for Agriculture and Biology (2007)

Many of the features of the chicken make it an ideal model organism for phylogenetics and embryology, along with applications in agriculture and medicine. The availability of new tools such as whole genome gene expression arrays and single nucleotide polymorphism panels, coupled with the genome sequence, will enhance this position. These advances are reviewed and their implications are discussed.
Establishment of HIV-1 latency in resting CD4 + T cells depends on chemokine-induced changes in the actin cytoskeleton (2010)

Eradication of HIV-1 with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is not possible due to the persistence of long-lived, latently infected resting memory CD4(+) T cells. We now show that HIV-1 latency can be established in resting CD4(+) T cells infected with HIV-1 after exposure to ligands for CCR7 (CCL19), CXCR3 (CXCL9 and CXCL10), and CCR6 (CCL20) but not in unactivated CD4(+) T cells. The mechanism did not involve cell activation or significant changes in gene expression, but was associated with rapid dephosphorylation of cofilin and changes in filamentous actin. Incubation with chemokine before infection led to efficient HIV-1 nuclear localization and integration and this was inhibited by the actin stabilizer jasplakinolide. We propose a unique pathway for establishment of latency by direct HIV-1 infection of resting CD4(+) T cells during normal chemokine-directed recirculation of CD4(+) T cells between blood and tissue.
Static corrections—a review, Part 1 (1993)

In many onshore exploration areas, the land surface is covered with a relatively thin layer of material of low seismic velocity. Commonly known to geophysicists as the weathered layer, it is generally related to aerated material above the water table or to geologically recent unconsolidated sediments on a substratum of harder consolidated rocks. This seismic layer, despite the geophysicist’s terminology, appears to have very little to do with the geologic weathered layer.
Bidirectional effects of Kupffer cells on hepatocyte proliferation in vitro (1991)

The control of rat hepatocyte DNA synthesis in vitro by Kupffer cells and transformed perisinusoidal lipocytes, i.e. myofibroblast-like cells was studied. Conditioned media from Kupffer cells inhibit the replicative (hydroxyurea-sensitive) DNA synthesis dose-dependently in primary cultures of hepatocytes stimulated by epidermal growth factor (EGF). The cytokine responsible for the inhibition was identified as transforming growth factor beta (TGF beta). After neutralization of activated TGF beta in these media, DNA synthesis is stimulated in quiescent hepatocytes via transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha) demonstrated by competitive TGF alpha/EGF-receptor blocking on hepatocytes. Results similar to those obtained with Kupffer cells were found with conditioned media of myofibroblast-like cells. Northern blot hybridization confirms the expression of both TGF beta and TGF alpha in Kupffer cells and myofibroblast-like cells, respectively. These findings support the notion that Kupffer cells and myofibroblast-like cells might regulate in both directions liver regeneration depending on the proportion of secreted TGF alpha and TGF beta and on the activation status of TGF beta, of which a significant fraction is secreted in the latent form.
A Single Subunit (GB2) Is Required for G-protein Activation by the Heterodimeric GABAB Receptor (2002)

Although G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) have been shown to assemble into functional homo or heteromers, the role of each protomer in G-protein activation is not known. Among the GPCRs, the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type B receptor (GABA(B)R) is the only one known so far that needs two subunits, GB1 and GB2, to function. The GB1 subunit contains the GABA binding site but is unable to activate G-proteins alone. In contrast the GB2 subunit, which does not bind GABA, has an heptahelical domain able to activate G-proteins when assembled into homodimers (Galvez, T., Duthey, B., Kniazeff, J., Blahos, J., Rovelli, G., Bettler, B., Prézeau, L., and Pin, J.-P. (2001) EMBO J. 20, 2152-2159). In the present study, we have examined the role of each subunit within the GB1-GB2 heteromer, in G-protein coupling. To that end, point mutations in the highly conserved third intracellular loop known to prevent G-protein activation of the related Ca-sensing or metabotropic glutamate receptors were introduced into GB1 and GB2. One mutation, L686P introduced in GB2 prevents the formation of a functional receptor, even though the heteromer reaches the cell surface, and even though the mutated subunit still associates with GB1 and increases GABA affinity on GB1. This was observed either in HEK293 cells where the activation of the G-protein was assessed by measurement of inositol phosphate accumulation, or in cultured neurons where the inhibition of the Ca(2+) channel current was measured. In contrast, the same mutation when introduced into GB1 does not modify the G-protein coupling properties of the heteromeric GABA(B) receptor either in HEK293 cells or in neurons. Accordingly, whereas in all GPCRs the same protein is responsible for both agonist binding and G-protein activation, these two functions are assumed by two distinct subunits in the GABA(B) heteromer: one subunit, GB1, binds the agonists whereas the other, GB2, activates the G-protein. This illustrates the importance of a single subunit for G-protein activation within a dimeric receptor.
Radiative Heat Transfer (2018)

Thermal radiation is one of the most universal physical phenomena, and its study has played a key role in the history of modern physics. Our understanding of this subject has been traditionally based on Planck's law, which in particular sets limits on the amount of thermal radiation that can be emitted or exchanged. However, recent advances in the field of radiative heat transfer have defied these limits, and a plethora of novel thermal phenomena have been discovered that in turn hold the promise to have an impact in technologies that make use of thermal radiation. Here we review the rapidly growing field of radiative heat transfer, paying special attention to the remaining challenges and identifying future research directions. In particular, we focus on the recent work on near-field radiative heat transfer, including (i) experimental advances, (ii) theoretical proposals to tune, actively control, and manage near-field thermal radiation, and (iii) potential applications. We also review the recent progress in the control of thermal emission of an object, with special emphasis in its implications for energy applications, and in the comprehension of far-field radiative heat transfer. Heat is becoming the new light, and its understanding is opening many new research lines with great potential for applications.
Growth Kinetics and Morphology of ZnO Single Crystal Grown under Hydrothermal Conditions (1974)

Anisotropic growth rates, interface processes during growing and occurrence of an inversion twin of ZnO crystals have been studied under a hydrothermal condition as growth temperature 360°-380°C, temperature difference 10°-25°C, pressure 600-1000 bar, solvent 3.0mol KOH with 0-2.0mol LiOH.The results showed:(1) The growth rate was a function of growth temperature, concentration of LiOH added and temperature difference between dissolution and growth zones; under Li-free condition the activation energies in normal direction of basal and prismatic face, (0001) and (1010), were 20 and 80kcal/mol, respectively, whereas these energies almost reversed in 2.0mol LiOH.(2) The concentration of Li adsorbed on -c (0001) or O-layer side was higher than that on c (0001) or Zn-layer side. This anisotropic adsorption of Li seems to be caused by the growth environment or reductive atmosphere.(3) The growth mechanism on (0001) face distinctly changed from a rough pattern to a spiral step with the increase of adsorbed Li content.(4) The rate functions of Rg∝tm and Rg∝ΔTn had the transition point which can be regarded as the alteration of processes at the interface, where Rg is the growth rate of linear extention of a particular face, t the growth time, ΔT the temperature difference between dissolution and growth zones, m and n constants. It is phenomenologically concievable that a interface of the initial crystal growth from the seed crystals, and the one of the following principal growth can be corresponded to the processes of the growth on the rough surface or kink face and on the smooth surface or spiral step face, respectively. From the results obtained m=1/2 and n=1 for the initial growth, and m=-1/2 and n=1.5-1.7 for the principal growth.(5) A polar twin easily occurred from spontaneous nucleation. This twin was an inversion contact twin at the initial state of the growth. With progressing of the growth, the twinning shape which changed from the inversion contact to the inversion core twin was observed by chemical etch pattern on the cross section in parallel with the c-axis.Thus the growth kinetics and morphology of ZnO single crystal are closely correlated with calculated activation energies, adsorbed Li content in the crystal, the rate functions and micro-growth mechanism of a particular surface.
Comparison between Two Erwinia carotovora L-Asparaginase II Constructions: cloning, Heterologous Expression, Purification, and Kinetic Characterization (2010)

L-Asparaginase II from Erwinia carotovora may represent an important alternative therapy in the treatment of acute childhood lymphoblastic leukaemia, despite its promising lower glutaminase activity than Escherichia coli and Erwinia chrysanthemi L-asparaginases II, currently used in treatment of this disease. Here we describe cloning, expression, purification and determination of steady-state kinetic parameters for E. carotovora L-asparaginase II: with (AspSP) and without the signal peptide (AspMP). AspMP was purified to homogeneity by a single-step protocol with 91% yield, and AspSP by a two-step protocol with 28% yield. In addition, both enzymes presented similar high specific activities: 208.1 and 237.6 U mg -1 , respectively. The K m and k cat values showed that AspMP has lower glutaminase activity than AspSP. Moreover AspMP is produced by a simpler purification protocol, and at higher yield. This process can be amenable to large scale production and be of interest to researchers and biopharmaceutical companies.
ChemInform Abstract: New gem‐ and vic‐Disubstituent Effects on Cyclizations (1999)

Abstract ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.
Affine-invariant B-spline moments for curve matching (1996)

The article deals with the problem of matching and recognizing planar curves that are modeled by B-splines, independently of possible affine transformations to which the original curve has been subjected (for example, rotation, translation, scaling, orthographic, and semiperspective projections), and possible occlusion. It presents a fast algorithm for estimating the B-spline control points that is robust to nonuniform sampling, noise, and local deformations. Curve matching is achieved by using a similarity measure based on the B-spline knot points introduced by Cohen et al. (1991). This method, however, can neither handle the affine transformation between the curves nor the occlusion. Solutions to these two problems are presented through the use of a new class of weighted B-spline curve moments that are well defined for both open and closed curves. The method has been applied to classifying affine-transformed aircraft silhouettes, and appears to perform well.
Past, present and future of haemophilia gene therapy: From vectors and transgenes to known and unknown outcomes (2018)

Since the 1960s, the pace of innovation in haemophilia treatment has been fast and furious and occasionally with unintended consequences. As newer technologies are harnessed to better treat, and potentially cure, haemophilias A and B, an understanding of their underlying scientific principles and their benefits and risks are essential for all stakeholders. This review summarizes the starts and stops of introducing FVIII and FIX transgenes clinically, beginning 20 years ago. Lessons from earlier nonclinical and clinical experiments have been utilized to improve vector selection, vector design, promoter/enhancer cis control regions and codon-optimized transgenes to trigger in vivo clinical FVIII and FIX levels in the near-normal to normal ranges. Many known and unknown questions remain, and some, based upon benefit and risk, should be answered during larger phase 3 clinical trials. Prior clinical outcomes in haemophilia trials have not been standardized, making between-trial comparisons difficult. Going forward, haemophilia gene therapy clinical trials should utilize a standard set of core outcomes, to facilitate comparisons to other gene- and protein-based therapies. These outcomes will be more important as the field moves beyond the first-generation gene therapies into more complex vectors that may address the shortcomings of first-generation vectors and offer greater benefits to the patient.
An Electronic Case Manager for Diabetes Control (1998)

Patients with diabetes who accessed the ECM system received timely, cost-effective, and reliable medical intervention. This reduced the incidence of diabetic crises and the need for frequent clinic visits. The ECM empowers case managers to provide safer and superior diabetes care.
Clinical Aspects and Pathophysiology of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (2002)

The chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, are recognized as important causes of gastrointestinal disease in children and adults. In this review we delineate the clinical manifestations and diagnostic features of IBD. In addition, we summarize important recent advances in our understanding of the immune mediators of intestinal inflammation. This information has led to new therapeutic approaches in IBD. Further, we discuss the considerable data that point to the significance of genetic factors in the development of IBD and the genetic loci which have been implicated through genome-wide searches. The commensal bacterial flora also appears to be a critical element, particularly in regards to Crohn's disease, although the precise role of the bacteria in the disease manifestations remains unclear. Current investigations promise to yield fresh insights in these areas.
[Effects of dexamethasone on acute lung injury in rats induced by lipopolysacharide]. (2006)

Dexamethasone can improve lung permeability and reduce lung edema. There is no need to be treated with glucocorticoids in advance.
Formation of CC Bonds by Addition of Free Radicals to Alkenes (1983)

Abstract There are many reactions in which CC bonds are formed by addition of free radicals to alkenes. Information about the mechanism is important for the synthesis of specific target molecules. The rate of addition of alkyl radicals to alkenes is controlled by steric and polar effects. The stabilities of the educts and products are of only limited importance, since the transition states for these exothermic reactions occur very early on the reaction coordinate. Variations in reactivity and selectivity can be described using frontier orbital theory: for nucleophilic radicals the dominant interactions are those between SOMO's and LUMO's, and for electrophilic radicals those between SOMO's and HOMO's. The large differences in the steric effects of α ‐ and β‐ substituents of alkenes can be explained by postulating an unsymmetrical transition state— the radical approaches one of the C atoms preferentially. Regioand stereoselectivities can be predicted and are determined, in general, by steric effects.
A Three-Component Enzyme System Catalyzes the O Demethylation of the Herbicide Dicamba in Pseudomonas maltophilia DI-6 (1997)

An enzyme activity which converts dicamba (2-methoxy-3,6-dichlorobenzoic acid) to 3,6-dichlorosalicylic acid in vitro has been detected in cell lysates of Pseudomonas maltophilia DI-6. Phenyl-Sepharose column chromatography of a partially purified lysate resulted in the separation of this enzyme into three separate protein components tentatively identified as an oxygenase, a ferredoxin, and a reductase. The activity of dicamba O-demethylase was dependent on oxygen and required NADH and Mg(sup2+).