gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Protection Against Preterm Delivery in Mice by Urinary Trypsin Inhibitor (1999)

In Brief Objective To investigate the precise mechanism by which urinary trypsin inhibitor suppresses cytokine production in the prevention of preterm delivery. Methods In vivo and in vitro studies were performed using ascites and peritoneal macrophages obtained on day 15 of pregnancy from female C3H/HeN mice that had been impregnated by B6D2F1 male mice. Lipopolysaccharide receptor, the intracellular signal transduction system, and nuclear factor-κB level were examined. Results In the in vivo study, we found that urinary trypsin inhibitor ameliorated the deterioration of intraperitoneal conditions induced by lipopolysaccharide (ie, increases in ascitic volume, peritoneal cell count, and tumor necrosis factor-α level) and caused a decrease in the binding of lipopolysaccharide to mouse macrophages. In the in vitro studies, urinary trypsin inhibitor decreased the binding capacity of lipopolysaccharide for its receptor, blocked the intracellular signal transduction induced by lipopolysaccharide, and decreased the nuclear factor-κB level. Increases were induced in the binding capacity of the macrophages for urinary trypsin inhibitor and its incorporation into them in the presence of lipopolysaccharide. Conclusion We postulate that urinary trypsin inhibitor may suppress the production of inflammatory cytokines induced by lipopolysaccharide in mouse peritoneal macrophages through suppression of the lipopolysaccharide receptor, inhibition of the intracellular signal transduction system, and decrease in the nuclear factor-κB level. Urinary trypsin inhibitor suppresses production of inflammatory cytokines induced by lipopolysaccharide in pregnant mouse peritoneal macrophages through suppression of lipopolysaccharide receptor and nuclear factor-B levels.
Significance of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Expression in Colorectal Carcinoma (2002)

Objective To investigate the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF) and its relationship with the progression of colorectal carcinoma.Methods VEGF protein in 48 cases of human colorectal carcinoma was examined with the S-P method and its relations to tumor histologic type, histologic grade, Dukes stage and lymph node metastasis were analyzed.Results VEGF positive rate increased with Dukes stage and the VEGF positive rate in Dukes C stage was significantly higher than that in Dukes A stage. Tumors with lymph node metastasis expressed VEGF significantly higher than tumors without lymph node metastasis. No correlation was found between the VEGF expression and tumor histologic type or histologic grade.Conclusion VEGF promotes the progression of colorectal carcinoma. VEGF expression may serve as a tumor marker to evaluate the biological behavior of colorectal carcinoma.
Vaccinia virus preferentially enters polarized epithelial cells through the basolateral surface (1991)

The uptake of vaccinia virus in polarized epithelial cells was studied to determine whether the site of entry was confined to either the apical or the basolateral membrane. Virus infection was monitored with a recombinant vaccinia virus carrying the luciferase reporter gene. Using cell lines MDCK and MDCK-D11, a clonal line with high transepithelial electrical resistance, we determined that vaccinia virus preferentially enters through the basolateral membrane. The possibility that there is a polarized cell surface distribution of vaccinia virus receptors which may be involved in systemic poxvirus infections is discussed.
Detection and differentiation between mycotoxigenic and non-mycotoxigenic strains of two Fusarium spp. using volatile production profiles and hydrolytic enzymes (2000)

Volatile profiles and hydrolytic enzyme production by one non-mycotoxigenic and three mycotoxigenic strains of Fusarium moniliforme and F. proliferatum, grown in vitro for up to 96 h on a grain medium at 25 degrees C/0.95 water activity, were examined for differentiation of isolates. After spore lawn inoculation, measurements were made after 48, 72 and 96 h by sampling the head space above cultures with an electronic nose system using a 14 sensor surface polymer array, and by extraction and quantification of hydrolytic enzymes. There was good reproducibility of volatile patterns between replicates of the same treatment. Principal component analysis indicated that discrimination could be achieved between the uninoculated controls, the non-mycotoxigenic strain and the mycotoxin-producing strains for both species after 48 h. The total and specific activity of three out of seven enzymes (beta-D-glucosidase, alpha-D-galactosidase and N-acetyl-beta-D-glucosaminidase) were found to increase significantly in the non-mycotoxigenic when compared with the toxigenic strains of both species after 72 h. Activities of the others (beta-D-fucosidase, alpha-D-mannosidase, beta-D-xylosidase and N-acetyl-alpha-D-glucosaminidase) were not significantly different between strains. The study has shown for the first time that it is possible to differentiate between mycotoxigenic and non-mycotoxigenic strains of such spoilage fungi based on their volatile production patterns using an electronic nose system. These results have significance in the development of methods for the early detection of toxin-producing spoilage moulds in the food industry.
The distribution of trypsin‐like enzyme activity in cultures of a virulent and an a virulent strain of Bacteroides gingivalis W50 (1989)

The distribution of trypsin‐like enzyme activity was studied in 48‐ and 72‐h batch cultures of Bacteroides gingivalis W50 and an avirulent variant (W50/BE1) of the parent strain. Activity was measured at pH 7.4 in cells, the extracellular vesicle (ECV) and soluble extracellular protein (EP) fractions recovered by ammonium sulphate precipitation from spent growth medium. Both organisms produced cell surface and extracellular vesicles, but whilst strain W50 produced more ECV, W50/ BE1 yielded more of the EP fraction by weight. Whole cultures of W50 displayed a three‐fold greater trypsin activity than those of W50/BE1. However, 90% of the total enzyme activity of W50 cultures was associated with the particulate fraction (cells and ECV totalled), whereas this fraction accounted for only 10‐30% of the total for W50/BE1. Unlike W50/BE1, the specific activities of W50 cells and ECV rose in 72‐h cultures. Conversely, cultures of W50/BE1 displayed an increase in the yield and specific activity of the EP fraction.
A Population-based Ecologic Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: Searching for Etiologic Clues (2006)

The authors' objective in this study was to determine geographic variations in the incidence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), specifically Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, in the Canadian province of Manitoba and its association with the sociodemographic, geographic, and disease-related characteristics of the study population. Using the University of Manitoba IBD Epidemiology Database, the authors applied spatial and ecologic techniques to visualize, explore, and model the incidence of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis for the period 1990-2001. The study demonstrated marked, statistically significant geographic variability in rates of both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis associated with the characteristics of the study population. Incidences of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis were observed to be highest among non-Aboriginal persons, persons of high socioeconomic status, persons with the lowest rates of enteric infection, and persons with the highest rates of multiple sclerosis. The observation of an inverse association between IBD incidence and rates of reportable enteric infection at the population level is consistent with the "hygiene hypothesis," which suggests that early exposure to enteric agents affords protection against eventual development of IBD. The positive association between IBD incidence rates and multiple sclerosis suggests that these two chronic, immunologically mediated diseases may have a common environmental etiology. This study underscores the importance of environment in IBD causation.
Bladder wall penetration of intravesical mitomycin C in dogs. (1991)

We examined the kinetics of penetration of mitomycin C (MMC) in the dog bladder wall after intravesical instillation of 20 mg/40 ml, a dose used in patients. Bladder tissues were harvested and concentration-depth profiles were established by analysis of thin tissue slices cut parallel to the urothelial surface of the bladder. Tissue concentrations after a dwell time of 5-7 min were similar to those after 30-120 min. In tissues harvested 60 and 75 min after removal of the dose, MMC was not detected in 5 of 6 samples and was less than 1 micrograms/g at the mucosa in the remaining sample, suggesting a rapid "washout" of the drug. The rapid equilibrium between the drug in urine and bladder tissue indicates that the duration of exposure of the bladder wall tissue was approximately equal to the dwell time of intravesical therapy. Tissue concentrations declined log-linearly with respect to the depth of penetration. The concentration immediately underneath the urothelium (C0) showed considerable intra- and interanimal variability. Bladder distention appeared to increase C0 by several fold. C0 ranged from 2 to 275 micrograms/g wet tissue weight, with a median value of 24 micrograms/g, or 11 micrograms/g when two animals with distended bladders were excluded. MMC concentrations in 3 different sites of the same bladder varied up to 5-fold. Within the capillary-perfused mucosa and muscularis (between 50 and 2000 microns from the urothelial surface), concentrations decreased by 50% for each 500-microns distance. The median concentration at 2000 microns was 1 microgram/g (n = 24). At 2000-3000 microns, tissue concentrations in most (18 of 24) specimens either declined to an asymptotic value or were lower than the detection limit of 0.1 microgram/g. Concentrations in the bladder contents were 200-500 micrograms/ml, the average tissue concentration from 50 to 3000 microns was 10 micrograms/g, and plasma concentrations were less than 0.1 microgram/ml. This supports the therapeutic advantage of intravesical therapy of high local drug concentrations while minimizing systemic exposure. A comparison of the urine concentration and C0 indicated a 30-fold decline in concentration across the urothelium. This suggests the importance of the urothelium as a barrier to MMC absorption. A separate study in our laboratories showed that 16 micrograms/ml of MMC was needed to produce a 90% inhibition of the labeling index of explants of human bladder cancers located in the urothelium (Ta tumor, TNM classification), 25 micrograms/ml in the lamina propria (T1 tumors), and 43 micrograms/ml in the muscle layer (T2 tumors).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Conversation with Raphael Mechoulam (2007)

In this occasional series we record the views and personal experience of people who have specially contributed to the evolution of ideas in the Journal's field of interest. Entering what was, at the start, a neglected field, Raphael Mechoulam went on to pursue, over the next 40 years, a highly productive career in cannabis research. This interview charts a sequence of discoveries and reveals something of the dedication and intellectual daring which has characterized the enterprise throughout.
Short Communication : A Novel Mutation (F227L) Arises in the Reverse Transcriptase of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 on Dose-Escalating Treatment of HIV Type 1-Infected Cell Cultures with the Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitor Thiocarboxanilide UC-781 (1998)

Treatment of wild-type human immunodeficiency virus [HIV-1(IIIB)]-infected cell cultures with the thiocarboxanilide UC-781 under low selective pressure (i.e., 0.01 microg/ml) resulted in the emergence of V106A RT mutant virus. On increasing drug concentrations (stepwise up to 30 microg/ml) the virus retained the V106A RT mutation but acquired the novel F227L mutation in the RT genome in addition to the L100I, K1O1I, and Y181C mutations. This multiple-mutant virus proved highly resistant to virtually all nonnucleoside RT inhibitors (NNRTIs) (e.g., nevirapine, delavirdine, and loviride), but retained full sensitivity to nucleoside analogs such as AZT, ddI, (-)FTC, and 3TC. The F227 amino acid is highly conserved in HIV-1 strains and forms part of the NNRTI-binding pocket. Our model suggests a hydrophobic interaction between F227 and the chloro atom of UC-781.
Superoxide dismutase in the housefly, Musca domestica (L.) (1986)

Abstract Four superoxide dismutase (SOD) (E.C. 1.15.1.1) isozymes were present in whole tissue homogenates of Musca domestica when examined by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. One of the isozymes contained manganese, and the other three contained copper and zinc. All were observed in each of the body tagma (head, abdomen, and thorax) and at each developmental stage (egg to adult). The copper‐ and zinc‐containing isozymes purified from newly emerged, adult M. domestica had a relative molecular weight of 34,800 as determined by gel filtration chromatography but consisted of two equal‐size subunits of 16,000 as measured by sodium dodecylsulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. An isoelectric point between 4.8 and 5.1 was measured. Approximately 2 mol each of copper and zinc were present per dimer. The three copper, zinc isozymes were identified as charge variants. The amino acid composition of the enzyme was similar to that of copper, zinc‐containing superoxide dismutases from other sources. Purified housefly copper, zinc superoxide dismutase was neither deactivated nor able to protect lactic dehydrogenase against deactivation in the presence of light and rose bengal, a known generator of singlet oxygen. The role of SOD in the phototoxic reaction involving rose bengal is discussed.
Aggregates Formed by Amphoteric Diblock Copolymers in Water (2000)

peer reviewed
Functional Role of CD40 and Its Ligand (1997)

CD40, a cell surface receptor which belongs to the TNF-R family, was first identified and functionally characterized on B lymphocytes. In recent years, CD40 has been found expressed on other cells, including monocytes, dendritic cells, endothelial cells and epithelial cells and is now thought to play a more general role in immune regulation. The present paper reviews recent developments about CD40, with main emphasis on: (1) structure and expression of CD40 and its ligand; (2) CD40 signal transduction; (3) in vitro function of CD40 on different cell types, and (4) in vivo functions of CD40/CD40L interactions.
Image Composition Based on Blur Estimation from Captured Image for Augmented Reality (2006)

Photometric registration is as important as geometric registration to generate a seamless augmented reality scene. Especially the difference in image quality between a real image and virtual objects decreases the seamlessness for users because the real image is degraded by blur effects caused by an optical system of a camera. To avoid this problem in video see-through augmented reality, it is necessary to simulate the optical system of the camera when virtual objects are rendered. This paper proposes an image composition method for augmented reality, which is based on blur estimation from a real image and rendering of virtual objects with the blur effect. Moreover, geometric registration is improved by estimating the camera position and orientation in consideration of the blur effect. In experiments, the effectiveness of the proposed method is confirmed by comparing a real image with a virtual object generated by our method.
Free Fatty Acid-induced β-Cell Defects Are Dependent on Uncoupling Protein 2 Expression (2004)

Chronic exposure to elevated free fatty acids (lipotoxicity) induces uncoupling protein (UCP2) in the pancreatic beta-cell, and therefore a causal link between UCP2 and beta-cell defects associated with obesity may exist. Recently, we showed that lipid treatment in vivo and in vitro in UCP2(-/-) mice/islets does not result in any loss in beta-cell glucose sensitivity. We have now assessed the mechanism of maintained beta-cell function in UCP2(-/-) mice by exposing islets to 0.4 mM palmitate for 48 h. Palmitate treatment increased triglyceride concentrations in wild type (WT) but not UCP2(-/-) islets because of higher palmitate oxidation rates in the UCP2(-/-) islets. Dispersed beta-cells from the palmitate-exposed WT islets had reduced glucose-stimulated hyperpolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential compared with both control WT and palmitate-exposed UCP2(-/-) beta-cells. The glucose-stimulated increases in the ATP/ADP ratio and cytosolic Ca2+ are attenuated in palmitate-treated WT but not UCP2(-/-) beta-cells. Exposure to palmitate reduced glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in WT islets, whereas UCP2(-/-) islets had enhanced GSIS. Overexpression of recombinant UCP2 but not enhanced green fluorescent protein in beta-cells resulted in a loss of glucose-stimulated hyperpolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential and GSIS similar to that seen in WT islets exposed to palmitate. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to increase the activity of UCP2. We showed that ROS levels were elevated in control UCP2(-/-) islets as compared with WT and UCP2(-/-) islets overexpressing UCP2 and that palmitate increased ROS in WT and UCP2(-/-) islets overexpressing UCP2 but not in UCP2(-/-) islets. Thus, UCP2(-/-) islets resisted the toxic effects of palmitate by maintaining glucose-dependent metabolism-secretion coupling. We propose that higher free fatty acid oxidation rates prevent accumulation of triglyceride in UCP2(-/-) islets, such accumulation being a phenomenon associated with lipotoxicity.
Electroanatomical Mapping for Ventricular Premature Complexes from the Right Ventricular Outflow Tract (2008)

This chapter contains sections titled: Clinical vignette Electrophysiology study and ablation
Properties of a mutant recA-encoded protein reveal a possible role for Escherichia coli recF-encoded protein in genetic recombination. (1988)

A mutation partially suppressing the UV sensitivity caused by recF143 in a uvrA6 background was located at codon 37 of recA where GTG (valine) became ATG (methionine). This mutation, originally named srf-803, was renamed recA803. Little if any suppression of the recF143 defect in UV induction of a lexA regulon promoter was detected. This led to the hypothesis that a defect in recombination repair of UV damage was suppressed by recA803. The mutant RecA protein (RecA803) was purified and compared with wild-type protein (RecA+) as a catalyst of formation of joint molecules. Under suboptimal conditions, RecA803 produces both a higher rate of formation and a higher yield of joint molecules. The suboptimal conditions tested included addition of single-stranded DNA binding protein to single-stranded DNA prior to addition of RecA. We hypothesize that the ability of RecA803 to overcome interference by single-stranded DNA binding protein is the property that allows recA803 to suppress partially the deficiency in repair caused by recF mutations in the uvrA6 background. Implications of this hypothesis for the function of RecF protein in recombination are discussed.
Molecular Pathogenesis and a Consequent Classification of Multiple Myeloma (2005)

There appear to be two pathways involved in the pathogenesis of premalignant non-immunoglobulin M (IgM) monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) and multiple myeloma (MM). Nearly half of tumors are nonhyperdiploid, and mostly have one of five recurrent IgH translocations: 16% 11q13 (CCN D1), 3% 6p21 (CCN D3), 5% 16q23 (MAF), 2% 20q12 (MAFB), and 15% 4p16 (FGFR3 and MMSET). The remaining hyperdiploid tumors have multiple trisomies involving chromosomes 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 15, 19, and 21, and infrequently one of these five translocations. Although cyclin D1 is not expressed by healthy lymphoid cells, it is bi-allelically dysregulated in a majority of hyperdiploid tumors. Virtually all MM and MGUS tumors have dysregulated and/or increased expression of cyclin D1, D2, or D3, providing an apparent early, unifying event in pathogenesis. The patterns of translocations and cyclin D expression (TC) define a novel classification that includes eight groups: 11q; 6p; MAF; 4p; D1 (34%); D1+D2 (6%); D2 (17%); and none (2%). The hyperdiploid D1 group is virtually absent in extramedullary MM and MM cell lines, suggesting a particularly strong dependence on interaction with the bone marrow microenvironment. Despite shared progression events (RAS mutations, MYC dysregulation, p53 mutations, and additional disruption of the retinoblastoma pathway), the phenotypes of MGUS and MM tumors in the eight TC groups is determined mainly by early oncogenic events. Similar to acute lymphocytic leukemia, MM seems to include several diseases (groups) that have differences in early or initiating events, global gene expression patterns, bone marrow dependence, clinical features, prognosis, and response to therapy.
Effect of Dolomite Limestone Powder on the Compressive Strength of Concrete (2013)

The purpose of this work is to describe the effect of fine ground dolomite limestone on important physic and mechanical properties of concrete. The present examinations indicate that the use of dolomite limestone as component instead of limestone is a viable solution for producing Portland dolomite limestone cement, especially for quarries with dolomitic inclusions or overburden.
EDITORIAL COMMENT Atherosclerosis (1994)

Division of Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
Lipid-based mRNA vaccine delivery systems (2014)

Synthetic mRNAs can become biopharmaceutics allowing vaccination against cancer, bacterial and virus infections. Clinical trials with direct administration of synthetic mRNAs encoding tumor antigens demonstrated safety and induction of tumor-specific immune responses. Although immune responses are generated by naked mRNAs, their formulations with chemical carriers are expected to provide more specificity and internalization in dendritic cells (DCs) for better immune responses and dose reduction. This review reports lipid-based formulations (LBFs) that have proved preclinical efficacy. The selective delivery of mRNA LBFs to favor intracellular accumulation in DCs and reduction of the effective doses is discussed, notably to decorate LBFs with carbohydrates or glycomimetics allowing endocytosis in DCs. We also report how smart intracellular delivery is achieved using pH-sensitive lipids or polymers for an efficient mRNA escape from endosomes and limitations regarding cytosolic mRNA location for translation.
Sfold web server for statistical folding and rational design of nucleic acids (2004)

The Sfold web server provides user-friendly access to Sfold, a recently developed nucleic acid folding software package, via the World Wide Web (WWW). The software is based on a new statistical sampling paradigm for the prediction of RNA secondary structure. One of the main objectives of this software is to offer computational tools for the rational design of RNA-targeting nucleic acids, which include small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), antisense oligonucleotides and trans-cleaving ribozymes for gene knock-down studies. The methodology for siRNA design is based on a combination of RNA target accessibility prediction, siRNA duplex thermodynamic properties and empirical design rules. Our approach to target accessibility evaluation is an original extension of the underlying RNA folding algorithm to account for the likely existence of a population of structures for the target mRNA. In addition to the application modules Sirna, Soligo and Sribo for siRNAs, antisense oligos and ribozymes, respectively, the module Srna offers comprehensive features for statistical representation of sampled structures. Detailed output in both graphical and text formats is available for all modules. The Sfold server is available at http://sfold.wadsworth.org and http://www.bioinfo.rpi.edu/applications/sfold.