gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Simple methods for preparing EAC1,4b,2a,3b and EAC4b,3b with human or guinea pig complement components using an anticomplementary agent, K-76 monocarboxylic acid. (1981)

Abstract Simple methods were developed for preparing EAC1–3b, EAC4b,3b, EAC–3b,P, and EAC4b,3b,P with either human or guinea pig complement (C) components. The methods are based on the inactivation of both C5 and C3b inactivator (C3blNA) in serum or serum deficient in properdin (RP) with the anticomplementary compound K-76 monocarboxylic acid (K-76COOH). EAC1–3b,P is readily obtained by incubating sensitized erythrocytes (EA) with whole C serum pretreated with K-76COOH. EAC1-3b is obtained similarly using RP instead of whole serum. The numbers of C3b sites per cell are inversely proportional to the cell concentration used during the preparation. EAC1–3b,P cells possessed only C3b molecules with no other derivatives of C3. These C3b molecules were fully sensitive to the action of C3blNA and β1H. EAC4b,3b,P and EAC4b,3b are obtained by removing C1 with ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA) and incubating the mixture at 37°C to allow decay of C2a. These intermediate cells can initiate the alternative pathway of C activation in the presence of Mg ion and ethyleneglycolbis(aminoethyl) tetraacetate (EGTA). When tested by agglutination assay with antiserum to factor B, properdin, or βH, factor B is detected only on EAC1–3b,P; a small amount of properdin is found even on EAC1–3b and EAC4b,3b when they have been prepared at lower cell concentration, and β1H H globulin is detected on all these intermediates. Guinea pig C5 is more effectively titrated with the intermediate cells EAC1–3b or EAC1–3b,P containing guinea pig C components than with those containing human components; human C5 is more effectively titrated with intermediate cells containing human components. Factor B can be titrated hemolytically with EAC4b,3b or EAC4b,3b,P cells followed by treatment with rat or guinea pig serum in EDTA buffer (C-EDTA). None of the intermediate cells prepared by these methods react with bovine conglutinin. Treatment of the cells with C3blNA and β1H renders the cells able to show conglutination. The intermediate cells prepared by these methods form rosettes with Raji cells but not with Daudi cells. Treatment of the cells with C3blNA and β1H enhances rosette formation with Raji cells, and enables the cells to form rosettes with Daudi cells.
Proteolytic processing and cell biological functions of the amyloid precursor protein (2000)

Recent research has identified some key players involved in the proteolytic processing of amyloid precursor protein (APP) to amyloid beta-peptide, the principal component of the amyloid plaques in Alzheimer patients. Interesting parallels exists with the proteolysis of other proteins involved in cell differentiation, cholesterol homeostasis and stress responses. Since the cytoplasmic domain of APP is anchored to a complex protein network that might function in axonal elongation, dendritic arborisation and neuronal cell migration, the proteolysis of APP might be critically involved in intracellular signalling events.
Clinical aspects of salivary biology for the dental clinician (2007)

Saliva as a fluid is a composite of the secretions of major and minor salivary glands. Saliva also contains material derived from the gingival sulcus, a point that has diagnostic relevance in terms of salivary markers of periodontal destruction. The composition of saliva varies from site to site within the mouth of each individual, and changes according to the time of day and proximity to mealtimes. Its properties are affected by the level of hydration and general health of the individual. Saliva performs a multiplicity of roles within the oral cavity, and like many things in life, its importance is usually not appreciated until it is absent. First
Genetic and immunochemical analysis of mutant p53 in human breast cancer cell lines. (1990)

The expression of the tumour suppressor gene p53 was analysed in 11 human breast cancer cell lines by immunohistochemistry, immunoprecipitation and cDNA sequencing. We used a panel of anti-p53 monoclonal antibodies for cell staining and found abnormalities in every case. Eight of the cell lines produce a form of p53 which can be immunoprecipitated by the monoclonal antibody PAb240 but not by PAb1620. In the murine system PAb240 only immunoprecipitates mutant p53. We sequenced p53 cDNA directly from four of the PAb240 positive cell lines using asymmetric PCR templates. All four contained missense mutations in p53 RNA, with no detectable expression of the wild type sequence. Different residues were affected in each cell line, but all the mutations changed amino acids conserved from man to Xenopus. These results imply that as in the murine system, the PAb240 antibody reliably detects a wide variety of p53 mutations and that these mutations have a common effect on the structure of p53. Immunohistochemical data suggest that p53 mutation is the commonest genetic alteration so far detected in primary breast cancer.
Treatment of experimental visceral leishmaniasis in a T-cell-deficient host: response to amphotericin B and pentamidine (1993)

In experimental visceral leishmaniasis, euthymic but not athymic (nude) BALB/c mice respond to conventional treatment with pentavalent antimony, indicating that the in vivo efficacy of antimony is T cell dependent. This finding correlates with frequent antimony treatment failures for T-cell-deficient patients with visceral leishmaniasis. To determine whether the in vivo efficacies of alternative antileishmanial agents also require T cells, Leishmania donovani-infected euthymic and nude BALB/c mice were treated with pentamidine or amphotericin B. Pentamidine induced leishmanistatic activity in euthymic mice but had little effect in nude mice. In contrast, amphotericin B exerted potent leishmanicidal activities in both euthymic and nude animals. These results suggest that amphotericin B may be of particular use for T-cell-deficient patients with visceral leishmaniasis.
4D ULTRAFAST ELECTRON DIFFRACTION, CRYSTALLOGRAPHY, AND MICROSCOPY (2006)

In this review, we highlight the progress made in the development of 4D ultrafast electron diffraction (UED), crystallography (UEC), and microscopy (UEM) with a focus on concepts, methodologies, and prototypical applications. The joint atomic-scale resolutions in space and time, and sensitivity reached, make it possible to determine complex transient structures and assemblies in different phases. These applications include studies of isolated chemical reactions (molecular beams), interfaces, surfaces and nanocrystals, self-assembly, and 2D crystalline fatty-acid bilayers. In 4D UEM, we are now able, using timed, single-electron packets, to image nano-to-micro scale structures of materials and biological cells. Future applications of these methods are foreseen across areas of physics, chemistry, and biology.
Modelling and Restoration of Ultrasonic Phased-Array B-Scan Images (1985)

A model is presented for the radio-frequency image produced by a B-scan (pulse-echo) ultrasound imaging system using a phased-array transducer. This type of scanner is widely used for real-time heart imaging. The model allows for dynamic focusing as well as an acoustic lens focusing the beam in the elevation plane. A result of the model is an expression to compute the space-variant point spread function (PSF) of the system. This is made possible by the use of a combination of Fresnel and Fraunhoffer approximations which are valid in the range of interest for practical applications. The PSF is used to design restoration filters in order to improve image resolution. The filters are then applied to experimental images of wires.
Face recognition (2003)

As one of the most successful applications of image analysis and understanding, face recognition has recently received significant attention, especially during the past several years. At least two reasons account for this trend: the first is the wide range of commercial and law enforcement applications, and the second is the availability of feasible technologies after 30 years of research. Even though current machine recognition systems have reached a certain level of maturity, their success is limited by the conditions imposed by many real applications. For example, recognition of face images acquired in an outdoor environment with changes in illumination and/or pose remains a largely unsolved problem. In other words, current systems are still far away from the capability of the human perception system.This paper provides an up-to-date critical survey of still- and video-based face recognition research. There are two underlying motivations for us to write this survey paper: the first is to provide an up-to-date review of the existing literature, and the second is to offer some insights into the studies of machine recognition of faces. To provide a comprehensive survey, we not only categorize existing recognition techniques but also present detailed descriptions of representative methods within each category. In addition, relevant topics such as psychophysical studies, system evaluation, and issues of illumination and pose variation are covered.
Medical management of premenstrual dysphoric disorder. (2001)

Women who suffer from severe dysphoric premenstrual complaints can now be accurately diagnosed. A diagnosis of premenstrual dysphoric disorder is best made by ruling out other psychiatric and general medical conditions and by collecting daily ratings of symptom expression across the menstrual cycle. Recent treatment findings support the use of (1) antidepressants that block the serotonin transporter, and (2) the benzodiazepine anxiolytic alprazolam. Medication administered only during the luteal phase of the cycle will result in substantial relief for patients suffering from severe premenstrual dysphoric disorder.
Filtering in SPECT Image Reconstruction (2011)

Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging is widely implemented in nuclear medicine as its clinical role in the diagnosis and management of several diseases is, many times, very helpful (e.g., myocardium perfusion imaging). The quality of SPECT images are degraded by several factors such as noise because of the limited number of counts, attenuation, or scatter of photons. Image filtering is necessary to compensate these effects and, therefore, to improve image quality. The goal of filtering in tomographic images is to suppress statistical noise and simultaneously to preserve spatial resolution and contrast. The aim of this work is to describe the most widely used filters in SPECT applications and how these affect the image quality. The choice of the filter type, the cut-off frequency and the order is a major problem in clinical routine. In many clinical cases, information for specific parameters is not provided, and findings cannot be extrapolated to other similar SPECT imaging applications. A literature review for the determination of the mostly used filters in cardiac, brain, bone, liver, kidneys, and thyroid applications is also presented. As resulting from the overview, no filter is perfect, and the selection of the proper filters, most of the times, is done empirically. The standardization of image-processing results may limit the filter types for each SPECT examination to certain few filters and some of their parameters. Standardization, also, helps in reducing image processing time, as the filters and their parameters must be standardised before being put to clinical use. Commercial reconstruction software selections lead to comparable results interdepartmentally. The manufacturers normally supply default filters/parameters, but these may not be relevant in various clinical situations. After proper standardisation, it is possible to use many suitable filters or one optimal filter.
Is the p53 inactivation frequency in squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck underestimated? Analysis of p53 exons 2-11 and human papillomavirus 16/18 E6 transcripts in 123 unselected tumor specimens. (2003)

Mutations and interaction with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) E6 oncoprotein are well-established mechanisms of p53 inactivation. In a series of 123 unselected squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (SCCHN), we performed sequence analysis of the entire coding region of p53 transcript and determined the presence of the E6 transcripts of HPV 16 and 18. Aberrant p53 transcripts were identified in 97 (79%) SCCHN. HPV 16 and/or 18 E6 transcripts were detected in 37 (30%) tumor specimens, including 20 (77%) of the 26 p53 wild-type tumors. The likely inactivation of p53 in 117 (95%) of the 123 SCCHN suggests that this event could be obligatory in the multistep process of carcinogenesis.
Small Molecule Antagonists of the MDM2 Oncoprotein as Anticancer Agents (2005)

In this early phase of the new era of molecularly targeted patient friendly cancer chemotherapy, there is a need for novel viable anticancer molecular targets. The MDM2 oncoprotein has been validated as a potential target for cancer drug development. MDM2 amplification and/or overexpression occur in a wide variety of human cancers, several of which can be treated experimentally with MDM2 antagonists. MDM2 interacts primarily with the p53 tumor suppressor protein in an autoregulatory negative feedback loop to attenuate p53's cell cycle arrest and apoptosis functions. Inhibition of the p53-MDM2 interaction has been shown to cause selective cancer cell death, as well as sensitize cancer cells to chemotherapy or radiation effects. Consequently, this interaction has been the main focus of anticancer drug discovery targeted to MDM2. The promotion of the proteasomal degradation of the p53 protein by MDM2 is central to its repression of the tumor suppressor functions of p53, and many proteins impinge upon this activity, either enhancing or inhibiting it. MDM2 also has oncogenic activity independent of its interaction with p53, but this has so far not been explored for drug discovery. Among the approaches for targeting MDM2 for cancer therapy, small molecule antagonists have recently featured as effective anticancer agents in experimental models, although the repertoire is currently limited and none has yet entered human clinical trials. Small molecules that have been reported to disrupt the p53-MDM2 binding, thereby enhancing p53 activity to elicit anticancer effects include the following: synthetic chalcones, norbornane derivatives, cis-imidazoline derivatives (Nutlins), a pyrazolidinedione sulfonamide and 1,4-benzodiazepine-2,5-diones, as well as tryptophan derivatives. In addition to compounds disrupting p53pMDM2 binding, three compounds have been discovered that are effective in inhibiting the E3 ligase activity of MDM2 towards p53, and should serve as leads for drug discovery targeting this aspect of the p53-MDM2 interaction as well. These compounds were discovered from library screening and/or structure-based rational drug design strategies.
Tabulation of human transthyretin (TTR) variants, 2003 (2003)

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image sizeKey Words: transthyretinvariantmutationamyloidosisfamilial amyloidotic polyneuropathymass spectrometry
:Iron and Blood: Civil Wars in Sixteenth Century France (1993)

Heller refutes Roland Mousnier's thesis that early modern France was a society of orders in which most people knew and accepted their status in society. This concept of order certainly had meaning for the sixteenth-century elite because of aristocratic domination over land and people, but it is not clear that this was also the view of the commoners. Heller maintains that for peasants, craftsmen, and merchants the decline of the French economy started at the beginning rather than the middle of the sixteenth century. This resulted in unrest which spread from town to countryside, culminating in the three great popular movements of the civil wars: the Calvinist Revolt of the 1560s, the Catholic League's challenge to the power of the Monarchy, and the revolts of the 1590s. Heller stresses that the history of sixteenth-century France is one of both resistance and domination. It was often the upper class which took the initiative, directing much of the violence toward the commoners, and many of those involved in the civil wars were fighting for their own economic positions. Iron and Blood helps to clarify the significance of the French Civil Wars by showing them to be rooted in an aristocratic reaction against the earlier social unrest which began among the common people.
Software infrastructure for natural language processing (1997)

We classify and review current approaches to software infrastructure for research, development and delivery of NLP systems. The task is motivated by a discussion of current trends in the field of NLP and Language Engineering. We describe a system called GATE (a General Architecture for Text Engineering) that provides a software infrastructure on top of which heterogeneous NLP processing modules may be evaluated and refined individually, or may be combined into larger application systems. GATE aims to support both researchers and developers working on component technologies (e.g. parsing, tagging, morphological analysis) and those working on developing end-user applications (e.g. information extraction, text summarisation, document generation, machine translation, and second language learning). GATE promotes reuse of component technology, permits specialisation and collaboration in large-scale projects, and allows for the comparison and evaluation of alternative technologies. The first release of GATE is now available.
Digital PCR provides sensitive and absolute calibration for high throughput sequencing (2008)

Several of the next generation sequencers are limited in their sample preparation process by the need to make an absolute measurement of the number of template molecules in the library to be sequenced. As currently practiced, the practical effects of this requirement compromise sequencing performance, both by requiring large amounts of sample DNA and by requiring extra sequencing runs to be performed. We used digital PCR to quantitate sequencing libraries, and demonstrated its sensitivity and robustness by preparing and sequencing libraries from subnanogram amounts of bacterial and human DNA on the 454 and Solexa sequencing platforms. This assay allows absolute quantitation and eliminates uncertainties associated with the construction and application of standard curves. The digital PCR platform consumes subfemptogram amounts of the sequencing library and gives highly accurate results, allowing the optimal DNA concentration to be used in setting up sequencing runs without costly and time-consuming titration techniques. This approach also reduces the input sample requirement more than 1000-fold: from micrograms of DNA to less than a nanogram.
ZONE MELTING (1957)

The first paper on zone melting was published in July 1952. Since then (up to May 1956) some fifty or sixty papers devoted largely or entirely to some aspect of zone melting have appeared, while use of the method has been indicated briefly in many others. The frequency of appearance of new papers has increased steadily. Most applications have been to semi-conductors or metals, with, up to now, a smaller number to inorganic and organic chemicals.
Glucose responsiveness of a reporter gene transduced into hepatocytic cells using a retroviral vector (1995)

An MMLV-based retroviral vector containing the chloramphenicol acetyl transferase reporter gene under the control of a glucose-dependent internal promoter derived from the L-type pyruvate kinase gene was constructed. After transfection into psi-CRIP packaging cells, clones producing recombinant retrovirus were selected. These retroviruses were used to infect cultured established hepatocytic cells whose endogenous L-type pyruvate kinase gene is transcriptionally regulated by glucose. In the infected cells, the reporter gene was as responsive to glucose as the endogenous L-type pyruvate kinase gene, and the glucose gene activation was time- and concentration-dependent. The possibility to confer a glucose responsiveness on a transgene carried by a retroviral vector provides a powerful tool in the prospect of gene therapy for diabetes mellitus.
Microfluidic flow control using selective hydrophobic patterning (1997)

We have developed a method to pattern self assembled monolayer films of n-octadecyltrichlorosilane on silicon and glass substrates using a simple lift-off procedure. By defining hydrophobic regions at definite locations in microchannels and using an external pressure source, we can split off precise nanoliter volume liquid drops and control the motion of those drops through the microchannels. We have also constructed an on-chip pressure source for drop splitting and motion by heating air trapped in a micromachined chamber. Both techniques can produce and move drops on the order of 50 nl.
Organic electroluminescent devices with improved stability (1996)

Highly stable organic electroluminescent devices based on vapor-deposited Alq thin films have been achieved. The improvement in stability is derived from several factors including: (1) a multilayer thin-film structure with a CuPc stabilized hole-injection contact, (2) a hole-transport diamine layer using a naphthyl-substituted benzidine derivative, and (3) an ac drive wave form. These emissive devices have shown an operational half-lifetime of about 4000 h from an initial luminance of 510 cd/m2.
Activation of PPARγ is required for curcumin to induce apoptosis and to inhibit the expression of extracellular matrix genes in hepatic stellate cells in vitro (2004)

During liver fibrogenesis, quiescent HSC (hepatic stellate cells) become active, a transformation that is associated with enhanced cell proliferation and overproduction of ECM (extracellular matrix). Inhibition of cell proliferation and induction of apoptosis are potential strategies to block the activation of HSC for the prevention and treatment of liver fibrosis. Levels of PPARgamma (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma) are dramatically diminished in parallel with HSC activation. Stimulation of PPARgamma by its agonists inhibits HSC activation in vitro and in vivo. We demonstrated recently that curcumin, the yellow pigment in curry, inhibited HSC activation in vitro, reducing cell proliferation, inducing apoptosis and inhibiting ECM gene expression. Further studies indicated that curcumin induced the gene expression of PPARgamma and stimulated its activity in activated HSC in vitro, which was required for curcumin to inhibit HSC proliferation. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the roles of PPARgamma activation in the induction of apoptosis and suppression of ECM gene expression by curcumin in activated HSC, and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Our results demonstrated that blocking PPARgamma activation abrogated the effects of curcumin on the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of the expression of ECM genes in activated HSC in vitro. Further experiments demonstrated that curcumin suppressed the gene expression of TGF-beta (transforming growth factor-beta) receptors and interrupted the TGF-beta signalling pathway in activated HSC, which was mediated by PPARgamma activation. Taken together, our results demonstrate that curcumin stimulated PPARgamma activity in activated HSC in vitro, which was required for curcumin to reduce cell proliferation, induce apoptosis and suppress ECM gene expression. These results provide novel insight into the mechanisms responsible for the inhibition of HSC activation by curcumin. The characteristics of curcumin, which has no adverse health effects, make it a potential candidate for prevention and treatment of hepatic fibrosis.