gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Electric field induced transient pores in phospholipid bilayer vesicles (1981)

A study of the voltage induction of transient pores in phospholipid bilayer vesicles is reported. Unilamellar vesicles (dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine), with a size distribution of 100 +/- 30 nm, were prepared by the method of Enoch & Strittmatter [Enoch, H., & Strittmatter, P. (1979) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 76, 145]. The vesicles loaded with [14C]sucrose and suspended in a mixture of 150 mM NaCl and 272 mM sucrose (both are the isotonic solvent for erythrocytes) were exposed to an intense electric field in the range of 20--40 kV/cm, with a field decay time of 5--15 micro second. A transient leakage of sucrose label was detected when the field strength exceeded 30 kV/cm. After the field was removed, no slow leakage of the tracer molecules occurred during a 65-h incubation period at the room temperature (23 +/- 2 degrees C). The leakage is attributed to the field-induced transmembrane potential, but not other effects such as the Joule heating or the shock wave associated with the voltage discharge. When the potential exceeded a threshold value of 200 mV, corresponding to an applied field strength of 30 kV/cm, there was a dielectric breakdown of the bilayer structure. Pores which allowed passage of sucrose were formed, transiently. Experiments show that these pores were fully reversible, and no global and permanent damages to the vesicle bilayer were detected. The implication of this membrane potential triggered conducting state of lipid bilayers to biological functions of cells is discussed.
Comparative Aspects of Spin-Dependent Interaction Potentials for Spin-1/2 and Spin-1 Matter Fields (2016)

This paper sets out to establish a comparative study between classes of spin- and velocity-dependent potentials for spin-1/2 and spin-1 matter currents/sources in the nonrelativistic regime. Both (neutral massive) scalar and vector particles are considered to mediate the interactions between (pseudo-)scalar sources or (pseudo-)vector currents. Though our discussion is more general, we contemplate specific cases in which our results may describe the electromagnetic interaction with a massive (Proca-type) photon exchanged between two spin-1/2 or two spin-1 carriers. We highlight the similarities and peculiarities of the potentials for the two different types of charged matter and also focus our attention on the comparison between the particular aspects of two different field representations for spin-1 matter particles. We believe that our results may contribute to a further discussion of the relation between charge, spin, and extensibility of elementary particles.
A Gray System Modeling Approach to the Prediction of Calibration Intervals (2005)

This paper discusses a class of data-preprocessed statistical models for evaluating the optimal calibration interval of a measuring instrument. These models are based on the assumption that the calibration status of a measuring instrument can be predicted using the instrument's historical calibration data. On the basis of the gray threshold value prediction method, a series of historical calibration data are preprocessed so that a monotone-increasing series of data points will be created. Then, the first-order gray model, exponential regression, linear regression, and general polynomial regression are applied to fit the series of preprocessed data points to predict the time at which the measured value of the instrument will be outside of the allowable tolerance range. The effectiveness of each developed model was evaluated through the actual data collected in a calibration laboratory. Results demonstrate that the gray threshold value prediction based on second-order polynomial model, a modified autoregressive model, is the best method for forecasting the calibration interval of a measuring instrument.
A system of shuttle vectors and yeast host strains designed for efficient manipulation of DNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. (1989)

A series of yeast shuttle vectors and host strains has been created to allow more efficient manipulation of DNA in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Transplacement vectors were constructed and used to derive yeast strains containing nonreverting his3, trp1, leu2 and ura3 mutations. A set of YCp and YIp vectors (pRS series) was then made based on the backbone of the multipurpose plasmid pBLUESCRIPT. These pRS vectors are all uniform in structure and differ only in the yeast selectable marker gene used (HIS3, TRP1, LEU2 and URA3). They possess all of the attributes of pBLUESCRIPT and several yeast-specific features as well. Using a pRS vector, one can perform most standard DNA manipulations in the same plasmid that is introduced into yeast.
An Androgen Response Element in a Far Upstream Enhancer Region Is Essential for High, Androgen-Regulated Activity of the Prostate-Specific Antigen Promoter (1997)

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is expressed at a high level in the luminal epithelial cells of the prostate and is absent or expressed at very low levels in other tissues. PSA expression can be regulated by androgens. Previously, two functional androgen-response elements were identified in the proximal promoter of the PSA gene. To detect additional, more distal control elements, DNasel-hypersensitive sites (DHSs) upstream of the PSA gene were mapped in chromatin from the prostate-derived cell line LNCaP grown in the presence and absence of the synthetic androgen R1881. In a region 4.8 to 3.8 kb upstream of the transcription start site of the PSA gene, a cluster of three DHSs was detected. The middle DNAseI-hypersensitive site (DHSII, at approximately -4.2 kb) showed strong androgen responsiveness in LNCaP cells and was absent in chromatin from HeLa cells. Further analysis of the region encompassing DHSII provided evidence for the presence of a complex, androgen-responsive and cell-specific enhancer. In transient transfected LNCaP cells, PSA promoter constructs containing this upstream enhancer region showed approximately 3000-fold higher activity in the presence than in the absence of R1881. The core region of the enhancer could be mapped within a 440-bp fragment. The enhancer showed synergistic cooperation with the proximal PSA promoter and was found to be composed of at least three separate regulatory regions. In the center, a functionally active, high-affinity androgen receptor binding site (GGAACATATTGTATC) could be identified. Mutation of this element almost completely abolished PSA promoter activity. Transfection experiments in prostate and nonprostate cell lines showed largely LNCaP cell specificity of the upstream enhancer region, although some activity was found in the T47D mammary tumor cell line.
The Role of Breakdown of the Blood-Retinal Barrier in Cell-Injection Models of Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy (1988)

Rabbits were given an intravitreous injection of 5.0 x 10(5) rabbit retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) cells, human RPE cells, or human dermal fibroblasts in one eye and an injection of vehicle alone in the other eye. Some rabbits were treated with retinal cryopexy or intravenous sodium iodate on the day before injection. Vitreous fluorophotometry (VFP) and fundus examinations were performed before and at various times after cell injections. Retinal detachments were graded by premortem ophthalmoscopic examinations and postmortem gross pathologic examinations. Eyes injected with cells had higher VFP readings than eyes injected with vehicle at all time points. Eyes injected with fibroblasts or rabbit RPE had significantly higher mean VFP values before the onset of retinal detachment than those injected with human RPE cells. Within each group, high levels of fluorescein leakage in the first week correlated well with severity of subsequent traction retinal detachment and the fibroblast and rabbit RPE groups had more severe detachments than the human RPE group. Treatment with cryopexy or sodium iodate resulted in higher VFP readings, a higher frequency of retinal detachments, and detachments that occurred earlier and that were more severe. These data demonstrate that intravitreous cells cause blood-retinal barrier breakdown in rabbits and that the amount and duration of this breakdown are important variables in retinal detachment formation.
Cloning of the human estrogen receptor cDNA. (1985)

Poly(A)+ RNA isolated from the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 was fractionated by sucrose gradient centrifugation and fractions enriched in estrogen receptor (ER) mRNA were used to prepare randomly primed cDNA libraries in the lambda gt10 and lambda gt11 vectors. Clones corresponding to ER sequence were isolated from both libraries after screening with either ER monoclonal antibodies (lambda gt11) or synthetic oligonucleotide probes designed from two peptide sequences of purified ER (lambda gt10). Five cDNA clones were isolated by antibody screening and five were isolated after screening with synthetic oligonucleotides. The two largest ER cDNA clones, lambda OR3 (1.3 kilobase pairs) and lambda OR8 (2.1 kilobase pairs), isolated by using antibodies and oligonucleotides, respectively, were able to enrich selectively for ER mRNA by hybrid-selection. Furthermore, lambda OR8 contains the DNA sequence expected from the two ER peptides and crosshybridizes with each of the other ER cDNA clones. These results demonstrate that the clones isolated correspond to the ER mRNA sequence. Use of lambda OR8 as a hybridization probe revealed a single poly(A)+ RNA band of approximately equal to 6.2 kilobase pairs in the ER-containing human breast cancer cell lines MCF-7 and T47D. In contrast, no hybridization was seen in the human ER-negative cell line HeLa. The same probe hybridizes to a chicken gene that is expressed in oviduct tissue as a 7.5-kilobase-pair poly(A)+ RNA.
Self-referenced fiber optic sensor for microdisplacement measurement (1995)

A fiber optic microdisplacement sensor is realized by placing a diffraction grating surface in front of multimode fiber endfaces. This grating serves as a dispersion component. The incident white light from a multimode fiber is dispersed by the grating and a portion of the optical power of the color band is picked up by the same fiber or another multimode fiber placed side by side. The spectrum of the light received by the second fiber is a function of the air gap between the fiber endface and the grating surface. Because diffraction angles are different for different wavelength components, the received power of different wavelengths varies differently as the air gap changes. A standard two-wavelength demodulation technique is employed as a self-referenced scheme to compensate for the signal power shift that occurs as a result of light source power fluctuations, fiber bending, and other disturbances. A resolution of 2 μm has been obtained over the range from 0 to 150 μm. Potential applications of this device are also discussed.
Antibodies that neutralize human beta interferon biologic activity recognize a linear epitope: analysis by synthetic peptide mapping. (1991)

The location of biologically relevant epitopes on recombinant human beta interferon in which Ser-17 replaces Cys-17 (rh[Ser17]IFN-beta) was evaluated by testing the immunoreactivity of antibodies against 159 sequential, overlapping octamer peptides. Three monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that neutralize rh[Ser17]IFN-beta biologic activity, designated A1, A5, and A7, bound to peptides spanning only residues 39-48, whereas nonneutralizing mAb bound less specifically at multiple sites near the amino terminus. The immunoreactivity of peptides spanning residues 40-47 that contained a series of single amino acid substitutions suggested that residues 41-43 (Pro-Glu-Glu) and 46 (Gln) are important for the binding of neutralizing mAbs. The reactivity of mAbs to larger synthetic peptides containing rh[Ser17]IFN-beta sequences from residue 32 through residue 56 was evaluated. All mAbs except A7 reacted with synthetic peptides representing rh[Ser17]IFN-beta residues 32-47, 40-56, and 32-56, but only mAbs A1 and A5 bound to the core peptide composed of residues 40-47. Peptide 32-56 effectively blocked the binding of mAbs A1 and A5 to rh[Ser17]IFN-beta and markedly inhibited their neutralizing activity. Biologic activity of the peptides was undetectable. Rabbit antisera raised against peptides 32-47 and 40-56 recognized rh[Ser17]IFN-beta but did not neutralize its antiviral activity. Thus, structure-function analysis by peptide mapping has permitted the identification of a linear epitope recognized by neutralizing antibody on a biologically active cytokine. We conclude that the region spanning residues 32-56 is of major importance in the expression of the biologic activity of human IFN-beta.
Effect of SpeB and EndoS from Streptococcus pyogenes on Human Immunoglobulins (2001)

Streptococcus pyogenes secretes a specific immunoglobulin G (IgG)-protease, SpeB, as well as the IgG glycan-hydrolyzing enzyme EndoS. Here we show that SpeB also degrades IgA, IgM, IgD, and IgE. We also show that EndoS only hydrolyzes the glycan moiety on native but not denatured IgG. Thus, SpeB has a broad immunoglobulin-degrading activity, while EndoS is highly specific for IgG.
Joining of immunoglobulin heavy chain gene segments: implications from a chromosome with evidence of three D-JH fusions. (1982)

A chromosomal segment with a unique structure around the immunoglobulin heavy chain joining region (JH) has been molecularly cloned from an Abelson murine leukemia virus-transformed cell line. Attached to JH3 in the cloned DNA, in inverted sequence, is the DNA from JH1 to the JH2 recognition sequence. The inverted segment is attached at its other end to the 5' recognition sequence of a diversity segment (D). To form this structure, three joining events must have occurred on the same chromosome. One of these events could have been a normal D-JH joining but the others must have been irregular events including ones that result in inversions. One of the joining events left fused recognition elements from JH2 and a D whose sequence shows that, during joining, reciprocal joinings of the recognition elements must occur to fuse the heptameric elements back to back. Because joined D and JH undergo deletion of terminal coding sequence during recombination but the joined heptameric recognition sequences do not contain the deleted sequence, joining must be a nonreciprocal event. Also, extra nucleotides are inserted between D and JH as part of the joining process; it is suggested that this added sequence is a product of the activity of terminal deoxynucleotidyltransferase at the D/JH (and probably the VH/D) joints and that it represents a new element of heavy chain gene structure, the N region.
Permeable Layers with Large Windows in [(CH3CH2CH2)2NH2]5In5Sb6S19·1.45 H2O:  High Ion-Exchange Capacity, Size Discrimination, and Selectivity for Cs Ions (2007)

A layered indium thioantimonate was synthesized that has extra large windows in the inorganic slabs, imparting a 3D character to the compound. High ion-exchange selectivity and high capacity for Cs+ ions were found to be associated with this novel structure.
Genotyping by multiplex polymerase chain reaction for detection of endemic hepatitis B virus transmission (1993)

A nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) protocol was developed for rapid genotyping of hepatitis B virus (HBV). During the first PCR round, a universal HBV primer pair was used to amplify the entire pre-S region of the HBV genome. Within the pre-S region, many nucleotide exchanges are observed. These are partly correlated to the serological hepatitis B surface antigen subtypes. Five additional subtype-specific primers were selected from that region which, together with two universal non-group-specific primers, generated specific combinations of two to four DNA fragments of defined sizes. By this approach, 55 hepatitis B surface antigen-positive patients from a pediatric oncology unit in Germany were analyzed. Fifty-four patients who had been infected within 2 years had an identical pattern in the multiplex PCR, suggesting a common source of infection and person-to-person transmission within the unit. One child who was infected 5 years later had a different PCR pattern and, therefore, must have been infected from a different source. Furthermore, 109 serum samples taken from pregnant Cameroonian women and 25 serum samples from their babies taken 6 months after birth were analyzed. In one case, mother-to-infant transmission of the virus was demonstrated. Apart from its role in epidemiological studies on HBV, multiplex PCR may also be a useful tool for rapid genetic analysis in other fields if there is a moderate degree of sequence variation which enables the design of specific primers.
IL-1R1/MyD88 Signaling Is Critical for Elastase-Induced Lung Inflammation and Emphysema (2009)

Lung emphysema and fibrosis are severe complications of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and uncontrolled protease activation may be involved in the pathogenesis. Using experimental elastase-induced acute inflammation, we demonstrate here that inflammation and development of emphysema is IL-1R1 and Toll/IL-1R signal transduction adaptor MyD88 dependent; however, TLR recognition is dispensable in this model. Elastase induces IL-1beta, TNF-alpha, keratinocyte-derived chemokine, and IL-6 secretion and neutrophil recruitment in the lung, which is drastically reduced in the absence of IL-1R1 or MyD88. Further, tissue destruction with emphysema and fibrosis is attenuated in the lungs of IL-1R1- and MyD88-deficient mice. Specific blockade of IL-1 by IL-1R antagonist diminishes acute inflammation and emphysema. Finally, IL-1beta production and inflammation are reduced in mice deficient for the NALP3 inflammasome component apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain (ASC), and we identified uric acid, which is produced upon elastase-induced lung injury, as an activator of the NALP3/ASC inflammasome. In conclusion, elastase-mediated lung pathology depends on inflammasome activation with IL-1beta production. IL-1beta therefore represents a critical mediator and a possible therapeutic target of lung inflammation leading to emphysema.
The pharmacological effects of an aqueous extract from Acacia nilotica seeds (1999)

An aqueous extract of the seed of Acacia nilotica was investigated for its pharmacological profile. On the isolated guinea-pig ileum, the extract displayed sustained dose-related contractile activity. The contractions which were reduced by hexamethonium, promethazine or atropine were completely abolished by nifedipine. The intravenous (i.v.) administration of the extract (11, 22, 44, 55 µg/kg) to anaesthetized cats produced a dose-related significant elevation of blood pressure. The mechanisms of the spasmogenic and vasoconstrictor actions of the extract have not been determined, however, the results suggest the involvement of calcium. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of Fenofibrate Treatment on Cardiovascular Disease Risk in 9,795 Individuals With Type 2 Diabetes and Various Components of the Metabolic Syndrome (2008)

Metabolic syndrome components identify higher CVD risk in individuals with type 2 diabetes, so the absolute benefits of fenofibrate are likely to be greater when metabolic syndrome features are present. The highest risk and greatest benefits of fenofibrate are seen among those with marked hypertriglyceridemia.
A SiOx-Carbon-Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanocomposite as a High Stability Anode Material for Lithium-Ion Batteries (2013)

Abstract not Available.
Smad Signaling Determines Chondrogenic Differentiation of Bone-Marrow-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Inhibition of Smad1/5/8P Prevents Terminal Differentiation and Calcification (2010)

The aim of this study was to investigate the roles of Smad2/3 and Smad1/5/8 phosphorylation in transforming growth factor-beta-induced chondrogenic differentiation of bone-marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) to assess whether specific targeting of different Smad signaling pathways offers possibilities to prevent terminal differentiation and mineralization of chondrogenically differentiated BMSCs. Terminally differentiated chondrocytes produced in vitro by chondrogenic differentiation of BMSCs or studied ex vivo during murine embryonic limb formation stained positive for both Smad2/3P and Smad1/5/8P. Hyaline-like cartilage produced in vitro by articular chondrocytes or studied in ex vivo articular cartilage samples that lacked expression for matrix metalloproteinase 13 and collagen X only expressed Smad2/3P. When either Smad2/3 or Smad1/5/8 phosphorylation was blocked in BMSC culture by addition of SB-505124 or dorsomorphin throughout culture, no collagen II expression was observed, indicating that both pathways are involved in early chondrogenesis. Distinct functions for these pathways were demonstrated when Smad signaling was blocked after the onset of chondrogenesis. Blocking Smad2/3P after the onset of chondrogenesis resulted in a halt in collagen II production. On the other hand, blocking Smad1/5/8P during this time period resulted in decreased expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13, collagen X, and alkaline phosphatase while allowing collagen II production. Moreover, blocking Smad1/5/8P prevented mineralization. This indicates that while Smad2/3P is important for continuation of collagen II deposition, Smad1/5/8 phosphorylation is associated with terminal differentiation and mineralization.
Scavenging of photogenerated oxidative species by antimuscarinic drugs: atropine and derivatives (2002)

The quenching ability of photogenerated oxidative species by some antimuscarinic drugs generically named atropines (e.g. atropine [I] eucatropine [II], homatropine [III] and scopolamine [IV]) have been investigated employing stationary photolysis, polarographic detection of dissolved oxygen, stationary and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy, and laser flash photolysis. Using Rose Bengal as a dye sensitiser for singlet molecular oxygen, O2(1Δg), generation, compounds I-IV behave as moderate chemical plus physical quenchers of the oxidative species. Correlation between kinetic and electrochemical data indicates that the process is possibly driven by a charge-transfer interaction. The situation is somewhat more complicated employing the natural pigment riboflavin (Rf) as a sensitiser. Compounds I and II complex Rf ground state, diminishing the quenching ability towards singlet and triplet excited state of the pigment. On the other hand, compounds III and IV effectively quench Rf excited states, protecting the pigment against photodegradation. Under anaerobic conditions, semireduced Rf (Rf•-) is formed through quenching of excited triplet Rf. Nevertheless, although Rf•- is a well-known generator of the reactive species superoxide radical anion by reductive quenching in the presence of oxygen, the process of O2(1Δg) production prevails over superoxide radical generation, due to the relatively low rate constants for the quenching of triplet Rf by the atropines (in the order of 107 M-1s-1 for compounds III and IV) in comparison to the rate constant for the quenching by ground state oxygen, approximately two orders of magnitude higher, yielding O2(1Δg). Compound I is the most promising O2(1Δg) physical scavenger, provided that it exhibits the higher value for the overall quenching rate constant and only 11% of the quenching process leads to its own chemical damage.
On simple and secure key distribution (1993)

The encrypted key exchange (EKE) protocol is augmented so that hosts do not store cleartext passwords. Consequently, adversaries who obtain the one-way encrypted password file may (i) successfully mimic (spoof) the host to the user, and (ii) mount dictionary attacks against the encrypted passwords, but cannot mimic the user to the host. Moreover, the important security properties of EKE are preserved—an active network attacker obtains insufficient information to mount dictionary attacks. Two ways to accomplish this are shown, one using digital signatures and one that relies on a family of commutative one-way functions.