gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Constitutive Expression of Inducible Nitric Oxide Synthase in Human Bronchial Epithelial Cells Induces C-Fos and Stimulates the cGMP Pathway (1994)

Two major roles have been defined for nitric oxide (NO): cell-cell communication mediated by the stimulation of cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) synthesis and cytotoxicity by direct or indirect interaction of the free radical NO with cellular targets. Thus, pathologic states might result from an alteration of NO pathways, e.g., by deregulated activity of NO synthase. To investigate this hypothesis, we introduced the murine-inducible NO synthase (iNOS) sequence into immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B). iNOS activity, measured by conversion of [14C]arginine to [14C]citrulline in the presence of 1 mM EGTA, was higher than 100 pmol/min/mg protein in early passages of iNOS-transfected cells but decreased with cell subculturing. No iNOS activity could be detected in control vector-transfected cells. NO stimulated cGMP production in iNOS-transfected cells, and this effect was inhibited by the iNOS inhibitor NG-monomethyl-L-arginine. In addition, NO production induced c-fos expression and did not interfere with clonal cell growth. These results suggest that BEAS-2B cells constitute a suitable model to study the consequences of iNOS activity on signal transduction pathways in bronchial epithelium.
Control of Pore Sizes in Mesoporous Silica Templated by Liquid Crystals in Block Copolymer−Cosurfactant−Water Systems (2000)

Colloidal silica has been polymerized in the aqueous domain of lyotropic liquid crystal phases in ternary surfactant (Pluronic F127 or P123)−cosurfactant (butanol, pentanol, or hexanol)−water systems to create optically transparent mesostructured surfactant−cosurfactant−silica monoliths. The use of ternary systems enriches phase diagrams of aqueous surfactant systems, which in turn introduces more flexibility and diversity into the designed synthesis of mesoporous materials. Lyotropic surfactant liquid crystal phases are preserved throughout the inorganic polymerization and gelation processes and directly template the formation of inorganic mesophases. The cosurfactant chain length and the cosurfactant/surfactant mass ratio have been used to control the pore size. The large shrinkage of mesopores during calcination can be reduced with hydrothermal treatment prior to calcination. Highly ordered mesoporous silica samples with identical pore sizes, but very different wall thickness, can be prepared. The removal of surfactants and cosurfactants gives periodic hexagonal mesoporous silica with excellent thermal and hydrothermal stability.
Human very low density lipoproteins and chylomicrons can protect against endotoxin-induced death in mice. (1990)

Endotoxemia stimulates many physiologic responses including disturbances in lipid metabolism. We hypothesized that this lipemia may be part of a defensive mechanism by which the body combats the toxic effects of circulating endotoxin. We tested the effects of mixtures of endotoxin, lipoproteins, and lipoprotein-free plasma and determined the ability of varying concentrations of human very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) and chylomicrons, as well as low density lipoproteins (LDL) and high density lipoproteins (HDL), and of the synthetic lipid emulsion SOYACAL to prevent endotoxin-induced death in mice. This study demonstrates that the triglyceride-rich VLDL and chylomicrons, as well as cholesterol-rich LDL and HDL, and cholesterol-free SOYACAL can protect against endotoxin-induced death. Protection required small amounts of lipoprotein-free plasma, and depended on the incubation time and the concentration of lipoprotein lipid. Despite stringent techniques to prevent exogenous endotoxin contamination eight of ten duplicate VLDL preparations contained endotoxin (5,755 +/- 3,514 ng endotoxin/mg triglyceride, mean +/- SEM) making the isolation of endotoxin-free VLDL difficult. In contrast, simultaneous preparations of LDL and HDL were relatively free of endotoxin contamination (3 +/- 3 and 320 +/- 319 ng/mg total cholesterol, respectively), suggesting that the contamination of VLDL occurs in vivo and not during the isolation procedure. These observations suggest a possible role for increased triglyceride-rich lipoproteins in the host's defense against endotoxemia and infection.
Fetal cortical astrocytes migrate from cortical homografts throughout the host brain and over the glia limitans (1988)

The cerebral cortices from 14-day gestation rat embryos were prelabeled with Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutin (PHAL) and then homografted into freshly made implantation pockets in the host cerebral cortex. Animals were sacrificed at 30 and 60 days postimplantation (DPI). Paraffin sections were double labeled for the presence of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a specific marker for astrocytes, and PHAL, utilized as a marker for transplant-derived cells. Transplant-derived astrocytes were found on the glia limitans along the entire circumference of the brain, in the hippocampal commissure, corpus callosum, internal capsule, entopeduncular nucleus, habenular commissure, brachium of the superior colliculus, optic tract, optic chiasm, and sensory root of the trigeminal nerve. Transplanted astrocytes entered the spaces of Virchow-Robin, and migrated along parenchymal blood vessels and between the ependymal and subependymal layers of the third and lateral ventricles. The presence of basal lamina or parallel nerve fiber bundles was a common factor for these migration routes.
Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Induces Chronic Pelvic Pain (2010)

Chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS) is a debilitating syndrome of unknown etiology often postulated, but not proven, to be associated with microbial infection of the prostate gland. We hypothesized that infection of the prostate by clinically relevant uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) can initiate and establish chronic pain. We utilized an E. coli strain newly isolated from a patient with CP/CPPS (strain CP1) and examined its molecular pathogenesis in cell culture and in a murine model of bacterial prostatitis. We found that CP1 is an atypical isolate distinct from most UPEC in its phylotype and virulence factor profile. CP1 adhered to, invaded, and proliferated within prostate epithelia and colonized the prostate and bladder of NOD and C57BL/6J mice. Using behavioral measures of pelvic pain, we showed that CP1 induced and sustained chronic pelvic pain in NOD mice, an attribute not exhibited by a clinical cystitis strain. Furthermore, pain was observed to persist even after bacterial clearance from genitourinary tissues. CP1 induced pelvic pain behavior exclusively in NOD mice and not in C57BL/6J mice, despite comparable levels of colonization and inflammation. Microbial infections can thus serve as initiating agents for chronic pelvic pain through mechanisms that are dependent on both the virulence of the bacterial strain and the genetic background of the host.
Applications of tissue engineering in the genitourinary tract (2005)

Congenital abnormalities and acquired disorders can lead to organ damage or loss of tissue within the genitourinary tract. For reconstructive purposes, tissue-engineering efforts are currently underway for virtually every type of tissue and organ within the urinary tract. Tissue engineering incorporates the fields of cell transplantation, materials science and engineering for the purpose of creating functional replacement tissue. This article reviews some of the principles of tissue engineering and some of the applications of these principles to the genitourinary tract.
Rationale for adjuvant idiotypic vaccination after high-dose therapy for multiple myeloma. (1997)

With conventional therapy, multiple myeloma (MM) has a poor prognosis. During the last few years, it has become clear that high-dose chemotherapy with autologous stem cell support can increase overall survival of MM patients, but further improvement in outcome is desperately needed. The monoclonal immunoglobulin (Ig) produced by the MM cells called idiotypes (Id) is a tumor-specific antigen due to unique antigenic determinants that are localized in the variable regions of the Ig molecule. Conceivably, Id immunization of MM patients in complete remission could further increase survival. Here we review the scientific basis for such Id immunization.
Alanine-170 and proline-172 are critical determinants for extracellular CD20 epitopes; heterogeneity in the fine specificity of CD20 monoclonal antibodies is defined by additional requirements imposed by both amino acid sequence and quaternary structure (2002)

In vivo ablation of malignant B cells can be achieved using antibodies directed against the CD20 antigen. Fine specificity differences among CD20 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are assumed not to be a factor in determining their efficacy because evidence from antibody-blocking studies indicates limited epitope diversity with only 2 overlapping extracellular CD20 epitopes. However, in this report a high degree of heterogeneity among antihuman CD20 mAbs is demonstrated. Mutation of alanine and proline at positions 170 and 172 (AxP) (single-letter amino acid codes; x indicates the identical amino acid at the same position in the murine and human CD20 sequences) in human CD20 abrogated the binding of all CD20 mAbs tested. Introduction of AxP into the equivalent positions in the murine sequence, which is not otherwise recognized by antihuman CD20 mAbs, fully reconstituted the epitope recognized by B1, the prototypic anti-CD20 mAb. 2H7, a mAb previously thought to recognize the same epitope as B1, did not recognize the murine AxP mutant. Reconstitution of the 2H7 epitope was achieved with additional mutations replacing VDxxD in the murine sequence for INxxN (positions 162-166 in the human sequence). The integrity of the 2H7 epitope, unlike that of B1, further depends on the maintenance of CD20 in an oligomeric complex. The majority of 16 antihuman CD20 mAbs tested, including rituximab, bound to murine CD20 containing the AxP mutations. Heterogeneity in the fine specificity of these antibodies was indicated by marked differences in their ability to induce homotypic cellular aggregation and translocation of CD20 to a detergent-insoluble membrane compartment previously identified as lipid rafts.
Staphylococcus epidermidis surfactant peptides promote biofilm maturation and dissemination of biofilm-associated infection in mice (2010)

Biofilms are surface-attached agglomerations of microorganisms embedded in an extracellular matrix. Biofilm-associated infections are difficult to eradicate and represent a significant reservoir for disseminating and recurring serious infections. Infections involving biofilms frequently develop on indwelling medical devices in hospitalized patients, and Staphylococcus epidermidis is the leading cause of infection in this setting. However, the molecular determinants of biofilm dissemination are unknown. Here we have demonstrated that specific secreted, surfactant-like S. epidermidis peptides--the β subclass of phenol-soluble modulins (PSMs)--promote S. epidermidis biofilm structuring and detachment in vitro and dissemination from colonized catheters in a mouse model of device-related infection. Our study establishes in vivo significance of biofilm detachment mechanisms for the systemic spread of biofilm-associated infection and identifies the effectors of biofilm maturation and detachment in a premier biofilm-forming pathogen. Furthermore, by demonstrating that antibodies against PSMβ peptides inhibited bacterial spread from indwelling medical devices, we have provided proof of principle that interfering with biofilm detachment mechanisms may prevent dissemination of biofilm-associated infection.
Combinatorial Biosynthesis of Carotenoids in a Heterologous Host: A Powerful Approach for the Biosynthesis of Novel Structures (2002)

Carotenoids are commercially important pigments with high antioxidative potential. A variety of structures can be biosynthesized in the heterologous host Escherichia coli after transformation with combinations of genes from prokaryotes, lower and higher plants. Among the produced carotenoids are novel structures with superior antioxidative activity. In this article, the concept of the combinatorial biosynthesis approach, E. coli as a carotenoid production system, and metabolic engineering of precursor supply are covered.
Optical Resonance in a Narrow Slit in a Thick Metallic Screen (2001)

Interaction of TM-polarized waves with a subwavelength thick metallic slit has been analyzed. A Fabry-Pérot-like behavior is reported. The resonance peaks, however, have very low magnitude and a systematic shift towards longer wavelengths is observed. The slit being narrow, this shift can be interpreted as the result of an aperture effect. Spectral transmission from a periodic array of such slits features the same peaks with a high increase in their magnitude, confirming that a grating acts as an amplifier of those resonances. Such a mechanism might explain the enhancement of the transmission observed in recent experiments [T. W. Ebbesen, H. J. Lezec, H. F. Ghaemi, T. Thio, and P. A. Wolff, Nature (London) 391, 667 (1998)].
Proline: A Novel Cryoprotectant for the Freeze Preservation of Cultured Cells of Zea mays L (1979)

Proline is an effective cryoprotectant for the storage of cultured cells of Zea mays L. in liquid N(2). Increased freeze tolerance can be achieved by pregrowth for 3 to 4 days in medium containing proline. Cells cryoprotected with proline have an increased recovery potential when compared with cells cryoprotected with dimethylsulfoxide and glycerol. They also show a reduced postthaw viability loss and greater tolerance of a range of postthaw culture conditions. It is suggested that the mechanism of action of proline may be similar to that in its putative role of conferring protection against natural stresses. It may be protecting the cell against solution effects caused by dehydration during freezing. These findings are discussed in relation to other freeze tolerance enhancing treatments.
Interfacial properties of InAlAs/InGaAs HIGFETs and MIS capacitors (1990)

The interfacial properties and characteristics of In0.52Al0.48As/In0.53Ga0.47As MIS capacitors grown on InP substrates by molecular beam epitaxy and of prototype enhancement-mode heterojunction insulated gate field-effect transistors (HIGFETS) were investigated experimentally. The interface state density distribution within the fundamental band gap is less than 1012 cm-2 eV-1 and the DC transistor characteristics are stable, with drain current drift of 2+or-1% for gate voltages between -0.2 and 0.2 V over a time period of 700 s.
42.1: Invited Paper : Improved Amorphous In‐Ga‐Zn‐O TFTs (2008)

Abstract We review the features of amorphous In‐Ga‐Zn‐O (a‐IGZO) thin‐film transistors (TFTs), as well as circuit operation based on these TFTs. We also report a novel TFT structure which improves environmental stability of the TFT operation by taking full advantage of the a‐IGZO properties, where a conventional PECVD a‐SiN X :H films serve not only as an effective barrier layer but also as a hydrogen source to form the coplanar source and drain.
Survivin Is an Independent Prognostic Marker for Risk Stratification of Breast Cancer Patients (2004)

Survivin demonstrates a strong, independent, association with poor prognosis. Survivin might be used as a new marker to stratify breast cancer patients for more optimal treatment modalities, or it could be a promising new target for therapy.
GITR subverts Foxp3+ Tregs to boost Th9 immunity through regulation of histone acetylation (2015)

Glucocorticoid-induced TNFR-related protein (GITR) is a costimulatory molecule with diverse effects on effector T cells and regulatory T cells (Tregs), but the underlying mechanism remains poorly defined. Here we demonstrate that GITR ligation subverts the induction of Foxp3(+) Tregs and directs the activated CD4(+) T cells to Th9 cells. Such GITR-mediated iTreg to Th9 induction enhances anti-tumour immunity in vivo. Mechanistically, GITR upregulates the NF-κB family member p50, which recruits histone deacetylases to the Foxp3 locus to produce a 'closed' chromatin structure. Furthermore, GITR ligation also activates STAT6, and STAT6 renders Il9 locus accessible via recruitment of histone acetyltransferase p300, and together with inhibition of Foxp3, GITR induces strong Th9 responses. Thus, Th9 cells and iTregs are developmentally linked and GITR can subvert tolerogenic conditions to boost Th9 immunity.
Expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 in dystrophic patient muscles correlates with fibrosis. Pathogenetic role of a fibrogenic cytokine. (1995)

Duchenne muscular dystrophy is a fatal disorder characterized by progressive muscular weakness, wasting, and severe muscle contractures in later disease stages. Muscle biopsy reveals conspicuous myofiber degeneration and fibrosis substituting muscle tissue. We quantitatively determined mRNA of the potent fibrogenic cytokine transforming growth factor-beta 1 by quantitative PCR in 15 Duchenne muscular dystrophy, 13 Becker muscular dystrophy, 11 spinal muscular atrophy patients, and 16 controls. Higher transforming growth factor-beta 1 expression was greater in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients than controls (P = 0.012) and Becker patients (P = 0.03). Fibrosis was significantly more prominent in Duchenne muscular dystrophy than Becker muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy, and controls. The proportion of connective tissue in muscle biopsies increased progressively with age in Duchenne muscular dystrophy patients, while transforming growth factor-beta 1 levels peaked at 2 and 6 yr of age. Transforming growth factor-beta 1 protein was also detected by immunocytochemistry and immunoblotting. Our findings suggest that transforming growth factor-beta 1 stimulates fibrosis in Duchenne muscular dystrophy. Expression of transforming growth factor-beta 1 in the early stages of Duchenne muscular dystrophy may be critical in initiating muscle fibrosis and antifibrosis treatment could slow progression of the disease, increasing the utility of gene therapy.
Specificity of Creatine Kinase for Guanidino Substrates (1972)

Abstract The specificity of rabbit muscle creatine kinase for a series of guanidino substrate analogs has been investigated at 0°. The maximum velocities range from ≤0.1 to 90% that of creatine whereas the Michaelis constants are as much as two orders of magnitude larger than that for creatine. The activity is found to be very sensitive to certain structural features of the guanidino substrate molecules, such as the length of the alkyl side chain length and the position of the carboxyl group. The dissociation constants, Kdiss, of the guanidino analogs from the abortive quaternary complex, MnADP-guanidino analog-enzyme, have been determined by using the difference in the proton relaxation rate of water in the presence of each respective quaternary complex and the ternary MnADP-enzyme complex. Kdiss was also determined for some of the analogs as an inhibition constant, Ki, for the reverse reaction. Nitrate is found to affect drastically both the dissociation constant of the analogs from their respective quaternary complexes and the proton relaxation rate of these complexes. For example, the Kdiss of creatine is decreased from 5 mm to 80 µm and the proton relaxation rate of water is decreased by 50% on the addition of 2 mm potassium nitrate. In the absence of nitrate the dissociation constants are generally of the same order as the Michaelis constants, while in the presence of nitrate they are between one and two orders of magnitude smaller. These results provide cogent evidence for the hypothesis that the nitrate anion acts as an analog of the planer phosphoryl group which is transferred, thus leading to a structure which resembles the transition state.
The conserved histidine 166 residue of the human neonatal Fc receptor heavy chain is critical for the pH‐dependent binding to albumin (2006)

The MHC class I-related neonatal Fc receptor (FcRn) serves in the homeostatic regulation of IgG and albumin by increasing their half-lives. FcRn may bind IgG and albumin simultaneously, and in a pH-dependent manner, with ligand binding at pH 6.0-6.5 and release at pH 7.0-7.4. The FcRn-IgG interaction has been extensively characterized at the amino acid level and shown to depend on conserved histidine residues in the IgG-Fc part that interact with negatively charged residues in the alpha-2 domain of FcRn. The recently discovered FcRn-albumin interaction remains to be elucidated. Guided by the pH dependence of the FcRn-albumin interaction, we compared the sequence of the FcRn alpha-2 domain from eleven different species, and identified histidine residues that were conserved in all (H166) or seven (H161) of these. Both residues are located directly opposite to the IgG interaction site in the folded molecule. We did in vitro mutagenesis (H161A or H166A) in combination with interaction studies (ELISA and surface plasmon resonance) with recombinant, soluble, purified receptors and IgG and albumin to investigate the role of the two histidine residues. Our results show clear evidence that the conserved H166 is a key player in the FcRn-albumin interaction.
An improved fiber optic pressure and temperature sensor for downhole application (2009)

We report on the fabrication of a high pressure extrinsic Fabry–Perot interferometric (EFPI) fiber optic sensor for downhole applications by using a mechanical transducer. The mechanical transducer has been used for increasing the pressure sensitivity and the possibility of installation of the sensor downhole. The pressure–temperature cross-sensitivity (PTCS) problem has been solved by replacing the reflecting fiber with a metal microwire in the EFPI sensor. In this way the PTCS coefficient of the sensor was decreased from 47.25 psi °C−1 to 7 psi °C−1. By using a new EFPI design, a temperature sensor was fabricated. Further improvement in the pressure and temperature sensor has been done by developing fabrication technique and signal processing.
Effects of a novel selective peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐α modulator, pemafibrate, on hepatic and peripheral glucose uptake in patients with hypertriglyceridemia and insulin resistance (2018)

Pemafibrate increased splanchnic glucose uptake from baseline in patients with hypertriglyceridemia.