gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Hormonal regulation of messenger ribonucleic acid encoding steroidogenic acute regulatory protein in ovine corpora lutea (1995)

Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), proposed to be involved in the transport of cholesterol to the inner mitochondrial membrane, has recently been cloned from MA-10 cells. Using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, we generated a complementary DNA encoding 404 base pairs of StAR from ovine luteal tissue to perform studies regarding regulation of the messenger RNA (mRNA) encoding this protein. In Exp 1, ewes were hypophysectomized (HPX) on day 5 of the estrous cycle and administered saline or physiological regimens of LH and/or GH until collection of luteal tissue on day 12 of the estrous cycle (n = 4/group). Luteal concentrations [mean +/- SEM; femtomoles per microgram poly(A)+ RNA] of mRNA encoding StAR were lower (P < 0.05) in the HPX plus saline-treated ewes (26.4 +/- 7.3) than in day 12 pituitary-intact ewes (n = 4; 77.7 +/- 9.3). Replacement of LH (59.1 +/- 13.1), GH (59.1 +/- 12.8), or LH and GH (69.9 +/- 4.5) in HPX ewes increased (P < 0.05) concentrations of mRNA encoding StAR to values not different from those in day 12 controls. In Exp 2, ewes on day 11 or 12 of the estrous cycle were injected with prostaglandin F2 alpha (PGF2 alpha) to induce luteal regression. Corpora lutea were collected 4, 12, or 24 h after injection (n = 4-5/time point) and from untreated control ewes (n = 4) or 24 h after injection of saline (n = 4). Treatment with PGF2 alpha decreased (P < 0.05) concentrations of progesterone in serum 4, 12, and 24 h after injection. Concentrations of StAR mRNA were decreased (P < 0.01) to 47%, 19%, and 8% of control values 4, 12, and 24 h after PGF2 alpha injection, respectively. In Exp 3, ewes received ovarian arterial infusions of saline, PGF2 alpha, or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), and luteal tissue was collected 0 (no infusion), 4, 12, or 24 h later (n = 3-4/group). Treatment with PGF2 alpha or PMA decreased (P < 0.05) concentrations of progesterone in serum 4, 12, and 24 h postinjection. Steady state concentrations of mRNA encoding StAR (P < 0.05) were 36% and 25% of the control value 12 and 24 h after PGF2 alpha injection. Injection of PMA decreased (P < 0.05) concentrations of StAR mRNA to 75% and 50% of control values at 4 and 12 h, but concentrations of mRNA encoding StAR were not different from control values at 24 h.
Reactions of the UVRABC excision nuclease with DNA damaged by diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (1985)

Mutants of Escherichia coli, which are blocked in excision repair (uvrA6, uvrB5, or uvrC34) are exceptionally sensitive to the antitumor drug cis-Pt(II)(NH3)2Cl2 (cis-DDP) but not the trans isomer. Plasmid DNA, damaged by either the cis or trans compound and treated with the UVRABC excision nuclease was cut as shown by conversion of supercoiled DNA to relaxed forms. All three protein products of the uvrA, uvrB, and uvrC genes were required for incision. End-labeled fragments damaged with cis-DDP and reacted with the UVRABC nuclease were cut at the 8th phosphodiester bond 5' and at the 4th phosphodiester bond 3' to adjacent GG's. DNA treated with trans-DDP was not cut appreciably at adjacent GG's by the repair enzyme as subsequent analysis of reaction products after enzyme digestion gave a pattern similar to those obtained with control untreated fragments. The results indicate that the UVRABC nuclease may promote cell survival by the removal of adjacent GG's which are crosslinked by cis-Pt(II)(NH3)2Cl2.
Spinal Stenosis and Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion (1985)

One hundred forty-two patients with the common types of spinal stenosis were treated by posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF). The majority of the patients had one or more decompressive procedures prior to PLIF. The results were excellent or good in 78%. A review of the literature concerning long-term results of decompressive procedures indicates a short-term failure rate of 15%-20% and about 50% failure by ten or more years after the operation. Anterior fusion in primary disc lesions produces admirable results but is of little value in spinal stenosis. Long-term reports of the success rates of posterior lumbar interbody fusion indicate that this operation combines the success rate of an anterior interbody fusion with the benefits of posterior decompression.
Elevated C-Reactive Protein Levels in Overweight and Obese Adults (1999)

Higher BMI is associated with higher CRP concentrations, even among young adults aged 17 to 39 years. These findings suggest a state of low-grade systemic inflammation in overweight and obese persons.
Production of High-Titered Interferon in Cultures of Human Diploid Cells (1972)

The effect of incubation with interferon prior to the stimulation of interferon production (priming) and of sequential treatment with cycloheximide and actinomycin D (superinduction) on the interferon yield from polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I.poly C)-induced diploid human foreskin cell cultures (FS-3 strain) was studied. Suitable priming with interferon produced, on the average, about an eightfold increase over the control yield, with a greater increase noted on some occasions when the control interferon yield was very low. Under the optimal conditions carefully defined in our experiments, superinduction produced about a 100-fold increase over the average control yield, resulting in interferon yields of about 10,000 reference units from cultures containing about 10(6) cells. Combined superinduction and priming did not produce yields markedly higher than obtainable by superinduction alone. Essentially similar results were obtained in cultures of human embryonic kidney cells and in FS-3 cells stimulated with other double-stranded polynucleotide inducers. However, stimulation of cells with certain concentrations of a mixture of diethylaminoethyl-dextran and poly I.poly C altered the interferon response; the yield was considerably higher than in cells stimulated with poly I.poly C alone, but it could not be markedly increased further by superinduction.
Application of Catalyzed Signal Amplification in Immunodetection of Gonadotropin Subunits in Clinically Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenomas (1996)

Pituitary adenomas that are characterized by the absence of a particular clinical syndrome and the absence of excessive hormone secretion have been classified as nonfunctioning adenomas. Recent development of immunohistochemical analysis and hormonal assay have suggested that many of these tumors have function to secret the gonadotropin subunits. A novel procedure biotin amplification in immunohistochemistry, catalyzed signal amplification (CSA) has been reported recently. In this study, the authors applied this new method to tissues from 50 cases of clinically nonfunctioning adenomas. These cases had no evidence of endocrinological signs by hormone secretion. When the CSA system was applied in normal pituitary gland, each of subunits was positive even when the antibody was diluted 1:1,000,000, which is 1,000 folds of standard indirect immunoperoxidase method. Immunohistochemical staining by indirect immunohistochemical method revealed that all 50 adenomas were negative for all the anterior hormones, including growth hormone (GH), prolactin (PRL), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), beta-subunit of luteinizing hormone (LH beta), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH beta), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH beta), and a-subunit of glycoprotein (alpha SU). Using avidin-biotin complex (ABC) method, two cases were positive for FSH beta and four cases were positive for alpha SU, respectively, and the immunopositivities were observed weakly in scattered cells. By CSA system, 26 cases of 50 nonfunctioning adenoma were positive for FSH beta, 16 cases were positive for LH beta, and 29 cases were positive for alpha SU, respectively. The immunoreactivities were clearly observed in cytoplasm of many adenoma cells. This amplification procedure provides a means of greatly increasing the sensitivity of the immunohistochemistry including subunits of glycoproteins that are difficult to detect by previous indirect immunoperoxidase method or ABC method. This amplification procedure provides a great increase in the sensitivity of the immunohistochemistry for the detection of gonadotropin subunits and suggest that significant proportion of the nonfunctioning adenomas are gonadotropin subunit producing adenomas.
Inflammatory cell infiltrates in human melanoma at different stages of tumor progression (1988)

Progression of human melanoma is associated with changes in antigenic phenotypes of tumor cells. To establish whether inflammatory infiltrates in progressing melanoma also change, we studied 146 cutaneous melanomas at different stages of progression. Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) against lymphocyte and macrophage subpopulations, interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2 R), immune interferon (IFN-gamma), and the IFN-gamma-inducible, progression-associated melanoma antigens HLA-DR and gp89 were applied in situ. During the course of melanoma progression, decreased amounts of peritumoral T cells, IL-2 R-expressing lymphocytes and dermal T6+ dendritic cells were found, while increased numbers of intratumoral T cells, inflammatory (27E10+) and mature (25F9+) macrophages were associated with local progression of primary melanomas. In metastases, most infiltrate components except 25F9+ macrophages were rare. Positive correlations were observed between: (1) dermal T6+ cells and IL-2 R+ lymphocytes, and (2) presence of IFN-gamma in the infiltrate and HLA-DR and gp89 antigens on tumor cells. In all stages, HLA-DR expression on tumor cells was correlated with: (1) a shift towards T8+ lymphocytes in the infiltrates and (2) a loss of IL-2 R expression. Our data suggest mutual influences between melanoma cells and mononuclear cell infiltrates in situ.
A novel method to quantify local CpG methylation density by regional methylation elongation assay on microarray (2008)

This technique allows for quantitative analysis of regional methylation density, which is the representative of all allelic methylation patterns in the sample. The results show that this technique has the characteristics of simplicity, rapidness, specificity and high-throughput.
An Active Micro Mixer Using Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) Convection (2000)

This paper presents a new active micro mixer using electrohydrodynamic (EHD) convection for the application of microfluidic-based biochemical analysis systems and biochips. To understand the EHD convection mixing, analytical analyses on the micro mixer have been performed for two different liquid samples with different electric conductivities. Using the analytical results, a new active micro mixer has been designed, fabricated, and also characterized by flowing two liquid samples through the microchannel. DI water and saltine water solution, which have less than the volume of IO pl, have been fully mixed in the mixing zone at 5 -20 V of the applied voltage. Since the realized micro mixer has simple structure and no mechanical moving parts, it shows very reliable mixing performance. The active micro mixing device studied in this work also shows feasible mixing capabilities in nano-or pico-liter range of liquid volumes by applying a low voltage of 5 V across the microchannel.
Engineered anti‐CD20 antibodies with enhanced complement‐activating capacity mediate potent anti‐lymphoma activity (2009)

One of the major issues in current antibody therapy is insufficient efficacy. Various biological factors relating to the host's immune system or tumor cells have been suggested to reduce the efficacy of anti-CD20 therapy in B-cell malignancies. In this study, we characterized the in vitro anti-lymphoma activity of anti-CD20 antibodies having a novel engineered heavy chain with enhanced complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). Anti-CD20 antibodies having a variant heavy constant region of mixed IgG1/IgG3 isotype, which have previously been found to enhance CDC, were investigated for their in vitro CDC against lymphoma cells and whole blood B-cell depletion activity. Use of the variant constant region greatly increased the CDC of an anti-CD20 antibody having variable regions identical to those of rituximab to the level shown by an IgG1 antibody of ofatumumab. Although the whole blood assay showed different cytotoxicity patterns among individual blood donors, the CDC-enhancing variant of rituximab showed higher activity than the parent IgG1 and consistently showed maximized activity when further combined with antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC)-enhancing modification by fucose removal from Fc-linked oligosaccharides. In addition, the rituximab variant showed potent CDC against transfectant cells with lower CD20 expression and chronic lymphocytic leukemia-derived cell lines with higher complement regulatory proteins. These findings suggest that CDC enhancement, both alone and in combination with ADCC enhancement, increases the anti-lymphoma activity of anti-CD20 antibodies irrespective of individual differences in effector functions, and renders current anti-CD20 therapy capable of overcoming the potential resistance mechanisms.
Functionally important regions of the factor IX gene have a low rate of polymorphism and a high rate of mutation in the dinucleotide CpG. (1989)

We have recently described genomic amplification with transcript sequencing (GAWTS), a three-step procedure that allows direct genomic sequencing. By GAWTS more than 100,000 bp of sequence have been generated from eight regions of the factor IX gene, which include the putative promoter region, the coding region, and the splice junctions. All eight regions were examined in 20 unrelated normal individuals of defined ethnicity and subsequently in 22 hemophiliacs in different families. The following three major conclusions emerge: (1) The rate of polymorphism in these eight regions of functional significance has been measured in an X-linked gene, and it is about one-third of the average rate observed for intronic and intergenic sequences on the X chromosome. The rate is low enough that the causative mutation should be the only sequence change seen in the overwhelming majority of hemophiliacs. (2) Transitions of CpG account for 31% (5/16) of the distinct mutations and for 38% (5/13) of the single-base changes. The rate of transitions at CpG is elevated by an estimated 77-fold, presumably owing to lack of repair of thymidine generated by the spontaneous deamination of 5-methylcytidine. (3) High-quality, reproducible sequence data can be obtained on a time scale that makes direct carrier testing and prenatal diagnosis feasible.
Targeting p53 for adoptive T-cell immunotherapy. (1998)

p53 gene mutations occur in most human cancers and result in an altered protein product that accumulates within the cell. Although the observed endogenous human CTL response to p53 is weak, high-affinity, human p53-specific CTLs have been generated from HLA A2.1 transgenic mice immunized with human CTL epitope peptides. In this study, we examine the ability of HLA A2.1-restricted and human p53-specific CTLs from HLA A2.1 transgenic mice to suppress the growth of p53-overexpressing human tumors in severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. In vitro, murine p53(149-157)-specific CTLs selectively lysed the p53-overexpressing pancreatic carcinoma cell line Panc-1 but did not recognize HLA A2.1- tumor cells or HLA A2.1+ normal human fibroblasts. Furthermore, in vivo, the growth of established human tumor xenografts in SCID mice was significantly reduced and survival was prolonged after the administration of p53-specific CTLs but not after the administration of control CTLs or PBS alone. Following treatment with p53(149-157)-specific CTLs, regressing Panc-1 tumors were infiltrated by the CD8+ CTLs, as demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. These findings suggest that p53(149-157)-specific and HLA A2.1-restricted murine CTLs suppress the growth of established Panc-1 tumors following adoptive transfer into SCID hosts and prolong their survival.
Structurally Well-Defined, Recoverable C3-Symmetric Tris(β-hydroxy phosphoramide)-Catalyzed Enantioselective Borane Reduction of Ketones (2006)

[reaction: see text] A series of new chiral C(3)-symmetric tris(beta-hydroxy phosphoramide) ligands have been synthesized via the reaction of trisphosphoramide ester and Grignard reagents. The catalytic asymmetric borane reduction of ketones with these new C(3)-symmetric chiral tris(beta-hydroxy phosphoramide)s was investigated. Structurally well-defined, recoverable ligand 1d is an efficient catalyst for the enantioselective borane reduction of both electron-deficient and electron-rich ketones, and high enantioselectivities were achieved (up to 98% ee).
Fiber grating type dependence of temperature and strain coefficients and application to simultaneous temperature and strain measurement (2003)

Although fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) have been widely used as advanced optical sensors, the cross-sensitivity between temperature and strain has complicated independent measurement procedures for these two measurands. We report here, for the first time to our knowledge, the results of a systematic investigation of the dependence of both temperature and strain sensitivities on the grating type, including the well-known Type I, Type IIA, and a new type which we have designated Type IA, using both hydrogen-free and hydrogenated B/Ge codoped fibers. We have identified distinct sensitivity characteristics for each grating type, and we have utilised them to implement a novel dual-grating, dual-parameter sensor device with performance superior to that of previously reported grating-based structures.
Retroviral transduction of human dendritic cells with a tumor-associated antigen gene. (1996)

Dendritic cells (DCs) are potent antigen-presenting cells that can activate quiescent T lymphocytes. When pulsed with tumor-associated antigen (TAA) peptide or protein, murine DCs can provide antitumor immunity. We reasoned that DCs retrovirally transduced with TAA genes might have important advantages over peptide- or protein-pulsed DCs, including long-term TAA presentation in vivo, and presentation of important but undefined epitopes. Therefore, we attempted to retrovirally transduce human DCs with a melanoma TAA gene (MART-1) and determine whether these transduced DCs could raise a specific antitumor response from quiescent autologous T lymphocytes. After retroviral transduction, human CD34+ cells were differentiated into DCs in vitro using granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and stem cell factor. This method consistently yielded a population of DCs as analyzed by morphology, phenotype, and MLR. Flow cytometric analysis revealed that 22-28% of cells expressing the DC phenotype also expressed a transduced marker gene. When DCs were transduced with the gene encoding MART-1, they stimulated much higher levels of cytokine release by MART-1-specific tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes than control DCs transduced with an irrelevant gene. In vitro stimulation using MART-1-transduced DCs but not control-transduced DCs raised specific antitumor CTLs from autologous quiescent T cells. These results provide evidence that human DCs can be retrovirally transduced with a TAA gene and that these transduced cells can raise a specific antitumor immune response in vitro. Transduced DCs may be useful for in vivo immunization against TAA.
Effects of single d‐amino acid substitutions on disruption of β‐sheet structure and hydrophobicity in cyclic 14‐residue antimicrobial peptide analogs related to gramicidin S (2004)

Gramicidin S (GS) is a 10-residue cyclic beta-sheet peptide with lytic activity against the membranes of both microbial and human cells, i.e. it possesses little to no biologic specificity for either cell type. Structure-activity studies of de novo-designed 14-residue cyclic peptides based on GS have previously shown that higher specificity against microbial membranes, i.e. a high therapeutic index (TI), can be achieved by the replacement of a single L-amino acid with its corresponding D-enantiomer [Kondejewski, L.H. et al. (1999) J. Biol. Chem. 274, 13181]. The diastereomer with a D-Lys substituted at position 4 caused the greatest improvement in specificity vs. other L to D substitutions within the cyclic 14-residue peptide GS14, through a combination of decreased peptide amphipathicity and disrupted beta-sheet structure in aqueous conditions [McInnes, C. et al. (2000) J. Biol. Chem. 275, 14287]. Based on this information, we have created a series of peptide diastereomers substituted only at position 4 by a D- or L-amino acid (Leu, Phe, Tyr, Asn, Lys, and achiral Gly). The amino acids chosen in this study represent a range of hydrophobicities/hydrophilicities as a subset of the 20 naturally occurring amino acids. While the D- and L-substitutions of Leu, Phe, and Tyr all resulted in strong hemolytic activity, the substitutions of hydrophilic D-amino acids D-Lys and D-Asn in GS14 at position 4 resulted in weaker hemolytic activity than in the L-diastereomers, which demonstrated strong hemolysis. All of the L-substitutions also resulted in poor antimicrobial activity and an extremely low TI, while the antimicrobial activity of the D-substituted peptides tended to improve based on the hydrophilicity of the residue. D-Lys was the most polar and most efficacious substitution, resulting in the highest TI. Interestingly, the hydrophobic D-amino acid substitutions had superior antimicrobial activity vs. the L-enantiomers although substitution of a hydrophobic D-amino acid increases the nonpolar face hydrophobicity. These results further support the role of hydrophobicity of the nonpolar face as a major influence on microbial specificity, but also highlights the importance of a disrupted beta-sheet structure on antimicrobial activity.
Zebrafish Dorsal Root Ganglia Neural Precursor Cells Adopt a Glial Fate in the Absence of Neurogenin1 (2008)

The proneural transcription factor neurogenin 1 (neurog1) has been shown to be a key regulator of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neuron development. Here we use a novel transgenic zebrafish line to demonstrate that the neural crest population that gives rise to DRG neurons becomes fate restricted to a neuronal/glial precursor before the onset of neurog1 function. We generated a stable transgenic zebrafish line that carries a modified bacterial artificial chromosome that expresses green fluorescent protein (GFP) under the control of the neurog1 promoter [Tg(neurog1:EGFP)]. In contrast to previously described neurog1 transgenic lines, Tg(neurog1:EGFP) expresses GFP in DRG neuronal precursors cells as they migrate ventrally and after their initial differentiation as neurons. Using this line, we are able to track the fate of DRG neuronal precursor cells during their specification. When Neurog1 function is blocked, either by neurog1 morpholino antisense oligonucleotide injection or in neurog1 mutants, GFP expression initiates in neural crest cells, although they fail to form DRG neurons. Rather, these cells take on a glial-like morphology, retain proliferative capacity, and express glial markers and become associated with the ventral motor root. These results suggest that, within the zebrafish neural crest, there is a fate-restricted lineage that is limited to form either sensory neurons or glia in the developing DRG. Neurog1 acts as the key factor in this lineage to direct the formation of sensory neurons.