gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Sciatic Nerve Blockade in Infant, Adolescent, and Adult Rats (1998)

Background Ropivacaine is a newly introduced local anesthetic. No data are available regarding its safety, efficacy, or sensory-selectivity in children. The sciatic block duration and systemic toxicity of bupivacaine and ropivacaine were compared among infant, adolescent, and adult rats. Methods Infant, adolescent, and adult rats received blocks with ropivacaine or bupivacaine. Nociceptive, proprioceptive, and motor blockade were assessed. Systemic effects (contralateral leg analgesia, seizures, respiratory distress, apnea) were quantified. Plasma local anesthetic concentrations were measured at terminal apnea. Results Nerve blockade for a given absolute dose lasted longer in infants than in older rats for both drugs. Block duration from ropivacaine generally was the same as or slightly shorter than bupivacaine. There was no difference in sensory-selectivity between the drugs. Doses required to induce all systemic toxicity indices were inversely related to age (e.g., the lethal dose in 50% of animals [LD50] of ropivacaine in infants is 155 mg/kg; in adults it is 54 mg/kg). All indices of toxicity occurred at higher doses per kilogram for ropivacaine than bupivacaine, at all ages (e.g., the LD50 of bupivacaine in infants is 92 mg/kg; in adults it is 30 mg/kg). Plasma concentrations at terminal apnea were higher for ropivacaine than for bupivacaine at all ages, and were higher in infants than in older rats. Conclusions Ropivacaine resembles bupivacaine in its local anesthetic effects but has a greater margin of safety. For a given absolute dose, sciatic blockade in infant rats lasts longer than in adolescents or adults. Although the doses (in milligrams per kilogram) causing toxicity were much higher in infants than in adults, this probably does not correspond to a wider therapeutic index.
Effect of c-kit mutation on prognosis of gastrointestinal stromal tumors. (1999)

Gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is the most common mesenchymal tumor of the gastrointestinal tract. Gain-of-function mutations in the juxtamembrane domain of the c-kit gene have been found in several GISTs. In this study, we examined the correlation between the presence of c-kit mutation and prognosis in 124 cases of GIST. DNA samples were extracted from paraffin sections. Exon 11 of the c-kit gene encoding the juxtamembrane domain and exon 17 encoding the kinase domain were amplified by PCR and sequenced. Most GISTs (89%) express the KIT protein, and missense mutations of exon 11 were found in 71 of 124 GISTs (57%). No mutations were detectable in exon 17. These 71 mutation-positive GISTs were larger in size and had more frequently invaded adjacent tissues than did the 53 mutation-negative GISTs. Histologically, the mutation-positive GISTs showed higher mitotic figures and more necrosis and hemorrhage. The patients with mutation-positive GISTs showed more frequent recurrences (P = 0.0005) and higher mortality (P = 0.0001) than did those with mutation-negative GISTs. The c-kit mutation was an independent prognostic factor for overall and cause-specific survival of the patients with GISTs. These results suggest that GISTs may be divided into mutation-positive and -negative subtypes. The prognosis was worse in patients with mutation-positive GISTs than in those with mutation-negative GISTs. Thus, mutation of the c-kit gene may be a good prognostic marker of GISTs.
Geologic Controls On Wettability of Carbonate Reservoirs, Abu Dhabi, U.A.E. (1995)

ABSTRACT Wettability is one of the most important rock properties that controls fluid saturation distribution and fluid flow behavior. It will have significant impact on original oil-in-place, reservoir performance, ultimate oil recovery and accordingly, field economics. Geologic controls on wettability is a subject of increasing interest, which will lead to better understanding of the origin, distribution and prediction of this important rock property. The Thamama carbonate reservoirs, which are the main producing reservoirs in Abu Dhabi, U.A.E., are the prime target of this paper. Geological and Petrophysical studies of core samples indicated unique phenomena, which could not be explained by the conventional theory of wettability. For example, review of the "Amott" wettability measurements generally indicated oil wet character in the oil zone, mixed wet in the transition zone and water wet in the water zone. Fresh core resistivity measurement showed variable saturation exponent "n" with changing water saturation of the same sample. Other examples are discussed in this paper. In order to explain these phenomena, careful examination of geological and petrophysical properties such as pore throat size distribution and petrographie image analysis, were conducted, which confirmed close relation between wettability and rock type especially the pore system. The pore system proposed in this study is based on the pore throat size. Accordingly, the pore system of the Thamama reservoirs is classified into; Macropore throats (more than 4 microns), Mesopore throats (4-0.3 microns) and Micropore throats (less than 0.3 microns). Micropores are always filled with water (Swi). Mesopores are filled with either oil or water depending on the oil column thickness. Macropore are easily filled with oil above the free water level (FWL). Based on the above observations, a wettability distribution model is proposed and the following new concepts are introduced: True Wettability, represents stabilized condition of grain surfaces in a water/oil system under conditions where oil can contact the rock surfaces. True wettability of the Thamama carbonate reservoirs is considered to be oil wet.Wettability Change, represents the oil accumulation process in a virgin water filled reservoir. Before oil accumulation, wettability was originally water wet, after oil accumulation wettability changed to oil wet if grain surfaces contacted with oil.Apparent Wettability, which is the measured wettability, represents the distribution of oil and water in the different pore spaces. It will depend on micropore throat percent and oil column thickness. Several geological and petrophysical evidences and examples were discussed in this paper.
Immunogenicity of aSalmonella typhimurium aroA aroDVaccine Expressing a Nontoxic Domain ofClostridium difficileToxin A (1999)

The C-terminal repeat domain of Clostridium difficile toxin A harbors toxin-neutralizing epitopes and is considered to be a candidate component of a vaccine against C. difficile-associated disease (CDAD). Fourteen of the 38 C-terminal toxin A repeats (14CDTA) were cloned into pTECH-1 in frame with the immunogenic fragment C of tetanus toxin (TETC) to generate plasmid p56TETC. Expression of the TETC-14CDTA fusion protein was driven from the anaerobically inducible nirB promoter within attenuated Salmonella typhimurium BRD509 (aroA aroD). The TETC-14CDTA fusion protein was purified and shown to bind to known toxin A receptors found on the surface of rabbit erythrocytes. Intranasal (i.n.) and intragastric (i.g.) immunization with 10(7) and 10(10) CFU, respectively, of BRD509(p56TETC) generated significant (P < 0.05) anti-toxin A serum responses after a single dose. Antibody titers were elevated following a boosting dose with either live vaccine or a subcutaneous injection of 0.5 microgram of purified 14CDTA protein. Importantly, serum from mice immunized with BRD509(p56TETC) neutralized toxin A cytotoxicity. Both i.n. and i.g. immunizations also generated toxin A-specific immunoglobulin A on the pulmonary and intestinal mucosa, respectively. Intranasal vaccination induced consistently higher serum and mucosal anti-toxin A antibody responses. Significant anti-tetanus toxoid serum and mucosal antibodies were also generated by both immunization routes. The availability of live attenuated Salmonella typhi for human use may allow the development of a multivalent mucosal vaccine against CDAD, tetanus, and typhoid.
What Sets the Long-Term Level of Renal Sympathetic Nerve Activity (2003)

Increasing evidence suggests elevated sympathetic outflow may be important in the genesis of hypertension. It is thought that peripheral angiotensin II, in addition to its pressor actions, may act centrally to increase sympathetic nerve activity (SNA). Without direct long-term recordings of SNA, testing the involvement of neural mechanisms in angiotensin II-induced increases in arterial pressure is difficult. Using a novel telemetry-based implantable amplifier, we made continuous recordings of renal SNA (RSNA) before, during, and after 1 week of angiotensin II-based hypertension in rabbits living in their home cages. Angiotensin II infusion (50 ng x kg(-1) x min(-1)) caused a sustained increase in arterial pressure (18+/-3 mm Hg). There was a sustained decrease in RSNA from 18+/-2 normalized units (n.u.) before angiotensin II to 8+/-2 n.u. on day 2 and 9+/-2 n.u. on day 7 of the angiotensin II infusion (P<0.01) before recovering to 17+/-2 n.u. after ceasing angiotensin II. Analysis of the baroreflex response showed that although angiotensin II-induced hypertension led to resetting of the relationship between mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate, there was no evidence of resetting of the MAP-RSNA relationship. We propose that the lack of resetting of the MAP-RSNA curve, with the resting point lying near the lower plateau, suggests the sustained decrease in RSNA during angiotensin II is baroreflex mediated. These results suggest that baroreflex control of RSNA and thus renal function is likely to play a significant role in the control of arterial pressure not only in the short term but also in the long term.
A Ubiquitin Mutant with Specific Defects in DNA Repair and Multiubiquitination (1995)

The degradation of many proteins involves the sequential ligation of ubiquitin molecules to the substrate to form a multiubiquitin chain linked through Lys-48 of ubiquitin. To test for the existence of alternate forms of multiubiquitin chains, we examined the effects of individually substituting each of six other Lys residues in ubiquitin with Arg. Substitution of Lys-63 resulted in the disappearance of a family of abundant multiubiquitin-protein conjugates. The UbK63R mutants were not generally impaired in ubiquitination, because they grew at a wild-type rate, were fully proficient in the turnover of a variety of short-lived proteins, and exhibited normal levels of many ubiquitin-protein conjugates. The UbK63R mutation also conferred sensitivity to the DNA-damaging agents methyl methanesulfonate and UV as well as a deficiency in DNA damage-induced mutagenesis. Induced mutagenesis is mediated by a repair pathway that requires Rad6 (Ubc2), a ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme. Thus, the UbK63R mutant appears to be deficient in the Rad6 pathway of DNA repair. However, the UbK63R mutation behaves as a partial suppressor of a rad6 deletion mutation, indicating that an effect of UbK63R on repair can be manifest in the absence of the Rad6 gene product. The UbK63R mutation may therefore define a new role of ubiquitin in DNA repair. The results of this study suggest that Lys-63 is used as a linkage site in the formation of novel multiubiquitin chain structures that play an important role in DNA repair.
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor suppresses intestinal carcinogenesis in Apc Min /+ mice with natural ligands (2009)

Intestinal cancer is one of the most common human cancers. Aberrant activation of the canonical Wnt signaling cascade, for example, caused by adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene mutations, leads to increased stabilization and accumulation of beta-catenin, resulting in initiation of intestinal carcinogenesis. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) has dual roles in regulating intracellular protein levels both as a ligand-activated transcription factor and as a ligand-dependent E3 ubiquitin ligase. Here, we show that the AhR E3 ubiquitin ligase has a role in suppression of intestinal carcinogenesis by a previously undescribed ligand-dependent beta-catenin degradation pathway that is independent of and parallel to the APC system. This function of AhR is activated by both xenobiotics and natural AhR ligands, such as indole derivatives that are converted from dietary tryptophan and glucosinolates by intestinal microbes, and suppresses intestinal tumor development in Apc(Min/+) mice. These findings suggest that chemoprevention with naturally-occurring and chemically-designed AhR ligands can be used to successfully prevent intestinal cancers.
Current-based eccentricity detection for direct-drive wind turbines via synchronous sampling (2013)

Current-based wind turbine generator (WTG) fault detection techniques have received more and more attention in academia and industry due to their nonintrusive character and economic advantages. This paper presents a novel broadband and highly accurate and efficient synchronous sampling method for eccentricity fault detection of direct-drive WTGs (i.e., no gearbox) only using generator stator current measurements. The proposed method resamples the WTG current measurements in a way such that the variable characteristic frequencies of the excitations generated by a WTG eccentricity fault are converted to constant values. Then, the excitations generated by WTG eccentricity fault can be easily extracted by using a traditional power spectrum density (PSD) method. Experimental results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method for eccentricity fault detection of a direct-drive WTG operating with variable rotating speeds.
Possible mechanism of alkene/alkane production in oil shale retorting (1980)

The purpose of the work reported is to clarify the reaction mechanisms which determine the observed alkene/alkane ratios under various conditions. The C/sub 1/ to C/sub 3/ hydrocarbons and hydrogen were measured as a function of time for oil shale heated at a constant rate. The effect of an inert sweep gas on the time-dependent ethene/ethane and propene/propane ratios and the integral 1-alkene/n-alkane ratios in the oil were also determined. It is shown that the C/sub 2/H/sub 4/-C/sub 2/H/sub 6/-H/sub 2/ system is not in thermal equilibrium. Results are interpreted in terms of a nonequilibrium free radical mechanism proposed by Raley.
Hydrophilic Pyrazine Dyes as Exogenous Fluorescent Tracer Agents for Real-Time Point-of-Care Measurement of Glomerular Filtration Rate (2011)

Various hydrophilic pyrazine-bis(carboxamides) derived from 3,5-diamino-pyrazine-2,5-dicarboxylic acid bearing neutral and anionic groups were prepared and evaluated for use as fluorescent glomerular filtration rate (GFR) tracer agents. Among these, the dianionic d-serine pyrazine derivatives 2d and 2j, and the neutral dihydroxypropyl 2h, exhibited favorable physicochemical and clearance properties. In vitro studies show that 2d, 2h, and 2j have low plasma protein binding, a necessary condition for renal excretion. In vivo animal model results show that these three compounds exhibit a plasma clearance equivalent to iothalamate (a commonly considered gold standard GFR agent). In addition, these compounds have a higher urine recovery compared to iothalamate. Finally, the plasma clearance of 2d, 2h, and 2j remained unchanged upon blockage of the tubular secretion pathway with probenecid, a necessary condition for establishment of clearance via glomerular filtration only. Hence, 2d, 2h, and 2j are promising candidates for translation to the clinic as exogenous fluorescent tracer agents in real-time point-of-care monitoring of GFR.
Pump-wavelength dependence of Raman gain in single-mode optical fibers (2003)

The magnitude of the stimulated Raman gain spectrum depends on the absolute wavelength of the pump laser. For many fibers, this dependence can be cast as a simple scaling of the overall gain curve according to a power-law dependence on the pump wavelength. We present three methods of measuring this scaling: estimation from Raman gain theory and known fiber parameters, a brute-force comparison of gain versus pump wavelength, and a more elegant comparison of the asymmetry in the Stokes and anti-Stokes Raman gain spectrum at a fixed pump wavelength. We discuss the advantages of the asymmetry technique, which yields the full wavelength dependence of the Raman gain with low uncertainty using only a single pump laser, a broadband source, and an optical spectrum analyzer. Finally, we report on the pump-wavelength scaling of the Raman gain for a number of standard transmission fibers.
TNF signaling inhibition in the CNS: implications for normal brain function and neurodegenerative disease (2008)

The role of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) as an immune mediator has long been appreciated but its function in the brain is still unclear. TNF receptor 1 (TNFR1) is expressed in most cell types, and can be activated by binding of either soluble TNF (solTNF) or transmembrane TNF (tmTNF), with a preference for solTNF; whereas TNFR2 is expressed primarily by microglia and endothelial cells and is preferentially activated by tmTNF. Elevation of solTNF is a hallmark of acute and chronic neuroinflammation as well as a number of neurodegenerative conditions including ischemic stroke, Alzheimer's (AD), Parkinson's (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS). The presence of this potent inflammatory factor at sites of injury implicates it as a mediator of neuronal damage and disease pathogenesis, making TNF an attractive target for therapeutic development to treat acute and chronic neurodegenerative conditions. However, new and old observations from animal models and clinical trials reviewed here suggest solTNF and tmTNF exert different functions under normal and pathological conditions in the CNS. A potential role for TNF in synaptic scaling and hippocampal neurogenesis demonstrated by recent studies suggest additional in-depth mechanistic studies are warranted to delineate the distinct functions of the two TNF ligands in different parts of the brain prior to large-scale development of anti-TNF therapies in the CNS. If inactivation of TNF-dependent inflammation in the brain is warranted by additional pre-clinical studies, selective targeting of TNFR1-mediated signaling while sparing TNFR2 activation may lessen adverse effects of anti-TNF therapies in the CNS.
Processing of Bioceramic Implants Via Fused Deposition Process (1998)

Porous ceramic structures have long been a subject of investigation as bone sl..bstitute. Most of these porous structures are typically made by techniques that result .randomly arranged pores with a wide variety of pore sizes. In recent years, SFF methods are being used for the fabrication of porous bioceramic implants. Porous ceramic structures have been fabricated using indirect route where a .polymeric mold is fitst created via fused deposition process. The mold was then infiltrated with ceramic slurry, dried. and ·then subjected to a binder bum out and sintering cycle. In this paper, processing of 3D honeycomb porous alumina ceramic structures and some.initial mechanical properties for bone implants will be discussed.
Elevation of oil body integrity and emulsion stability by polyoleosins, multiple oleosin units joined in tandem head-to-tail fusions (2010)

We have successfully created polyoleosins by joining multiple oleosin units in tandem head-to-tail fusions. Constructs encoding recombinant proteins of 1, 3 and 6 oleosin repeats were purposely expressed both in planta and in Escherichia coli. Recombinant polyoleosins accumulated in the seed oil bodies of transgenic plants and in the inclusion bodies of E. coli. Although polyoleosin was estimated to only accumulate to <2% of the total oil body protein in planta, their presence increased the freezing tolerance of imbibed seeds as well as emulsion stability and structural integrity of purified oil bodies; these increases were greater with increasing oleosin repeat number. Interestingly, the hexameric form of polyoleosin also led to an observable delay in germination which could be overcome with the addition of external sucrose. Prokaryotically produced polyoleosin was purified and used to generate artificial oil bodies and the increase in structural integrity of artificial oil bodies-containing polyoleosin was found to mimic those produced in planta. We describe here the construction of polyoleosins, their purification from E. coli, and properties imparted on seeds as well as native and artificial oil bodies. A putative mechanism to account for these properties is also proposed.
Bcl-x and Bcl-2 inhibit TNF and Fas-induced apoptosis and activation of phospholipase A2 in breast carcinoma cells. (1995)

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) induces cel death in several tumor cell lines by undefined mechanisms. Using a cDNA expression cloning strategy we identified two cDNAs that completely inhibit the TNF-induced death pathway in MCF7 breast carcinoma cells. These cDNAs encoded for Bcl-2 and Bcl-x. To compare the cytotoxic signal transduction pathway induced by the TNF receptor versus that induced by Fas, we transfected MCF7 cells with a Fas expression construct. The resulting cell line, MCF-Fas, was highly sensitive to cytotoxicity induced by TNF or anti-Fas. Expression of either bcl-2 or bcl-x in these cells rendered them completely resistant to lysis induced by either TNF or Fas. Interestingly, exposure of MCF-Fas cells to anti-Fas or TNF induced activation of phospholipase A2 (PLA2), while only TNF activated NF-kappa B. Activation of PLA2 was completely blocked whereas activation of NF-kappa B was unaffected by overexpression of either bcl-x or bcl-2. Moreover, PLA2-inhibitors, quinacrine and dexamethasone, partially inhibited cytotoxicity induced by either TNF or anti-Fas. These data suggest an involvement of PLA2 in both TNF- and Fas-mediated cytotoxicity and a novel mechanism of action for bcl-2 and bcl-x, i.e. inhibition of arachidonic acid metabolism, by which they may, in addition of apoptosis, modulate inflammation.
Activation of C3H/HeJ macrophage tumoricidal activity and cytokine release by R-chemotype lipopolysaccharide preparations. Differential effects of IFN-gamma. (1990)

We have investigated the relative immunostimulatory activities of S-chemotype LPS and R-chemotype LPS preparations on C3H/HeJ peritoneal macrophages in vitro. As assessed by either secretion of TNF-alpha or IL-1, some of the R-chemotype LPS manifest significant activity on these normally LPS-unresponsive cells. The expression of IL-1 activity by R-LPS-stimulated C3H/HeJ macrophages was unaffected by IFN-gamma; however, this cytokine significantly enhanced TNF-alpha production by the same cells. The R-chemotype LPS preparations alone were not able to activate C3H/HeJ macrophages to become tumoricidal but activity could readily be demonstrated in the presence of IFN-gamma. Of potential importance is the observation that the profile of relative activity of the various R-chemotype LPS preparations for macrophage activation does not parallel that previously obtained by us for the C3H/HeJ B-lymphocyte activation.
Disseminated Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection due to interferon deficiency. Response to replacement therapy (2006)

The case of a previously healthy HIV seronegative woman with disseminated Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and markedly reduced interferon gamma production is reported here. Complete healing of her disseminated lesions was seen only after addition of subcutaneous interferon gamma to her tuberculosis treatment.
Randomised controlled trial of short bursts of a potent topical corticosteroid versus prolonged use of a mild preparation for children with mild or moderate atopic eczema (2002)

A short burst of a potent topical corticosteroid is just as effective as prolonged use of a milder preparation for controlling mild or moderate atopic eczema in children.
Bacteria Associated with the Intestinal Wall of the Fowl ( Gallus domesticus ) (1971)

Using histological and cultural techniques bacteria associated with the intestinal wall of the chick have been demonstrated. The main sites of adhesion were the crop, ileum and caecum. The pattern of attachment was characteristic for each site.