gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Effects of Panax ginseng, consumed with and without glucose, on blood glucose levels and cognitive performance during sustained ‘mentally demanding’ tasks (2006)

Single doses of the traditional herbal treatment Panax ginseng have recently been shown to lower blood glucose levels and elicit cognitive improvements in healthy, overnight-fasted volunteers. The specific mechanisms responsible for these effects are not known. However, cognitive improvements may be related to the glycaemic properties of Panax ginseng. Using a double-blind, placebo-controlled, balanced-crossover design, 27 healthy young adults completed a 10 minute "cognitive demand" test battery at baseline. They then consumed capsules containing either ginseng (extract G115) or a placebo and 30 minutes later a drink containing glucose or placebo. A further 30 minutes later (i.e. 60 minutes post-baseline/capsules) they completed the "cognitive demand" battery six times in immediate succession. Depending on the condition to which the participant was allocated on that particular day, the combination of capsules/drink treatments corresponded to a dose of: 0mg G115/0 mg glucose (placebo); 200mg G115/0 mg glucose (ginseng); 0 mg G115/25 g glucose (glucose) or 200 mg G115/25 g glucose (ginseng/glucose combination). The 10 minute "cognitive demand" battery comprised a Serial Threes subtraction task (2 min); a Serial Sevens subtraction task (2 min); a Rapid Visual Information Processing task (5 min); and a "mental fatigue" visual analogue scale. Blood glucose levels were measured prior to the day's treatment, and before and after the post-dose completions of the battery. The results showed that both Panax ginseng and glucose enhanced performance of a mental arithmetic task and ameliorated the increase in subjective feelings of mental fatigue experienced by participants during the later stages of the sustained, cognitively demanding task performance. Accuracy of performing the Rapid Visual Information Processing task (RVIP) was also improved following the glucose load. There was no evidence of a synergistic relationship between Panax ginseng and exogenous glucose ingestion on any cognitive outcome measure. Panax ginseng caused a reduction in blood glucose levels 1 hour following consumption when ingested without glucose. These results confirm that Panax ginseng may possess glucoregulatory properties and can enhance cognitive performance.
Morphology and characterization of GaN single crystals grown in a Na flux (1998)

Morphology of GaN single crystals grown in a Na flux at 750°C for 100 h was observed by scanning electron microscopy. It changed from prismatic to platelet and fine grains with increasing rNa=Na/(Na+Ga) molar ratio of starting materials. Hall measurement was carried out for GaN single crystals with a size of 0.4–0.7 mm. The electron concentration and mobility were about 1020 cm−3 and 10–100 cm2 V−1 s−1 at room temperature. The near band-edge emission of GaN was observed at 363 nm by cathodoluminescence spectroscopy.
Neighboring nucleotide interactions during DNA sequencing gel electrophoresis (1991)

Electrophoretic separation of oligonucleotides in denaturing polyacrylamide gels is primarily a function of length-dependent mobility. The 3' terminal nucleotide sequence of the oligonucleotide is a significant, secondary determinant of mobility and separation. Oligomers with 3'-ddT migrate more slowly than expected on the basis of length alone, and thus are better separated from the preceding, shorter oligomers in the sequencing ladder. Oligomers with 3'-ddC are relatively faster than expected, and are therefore less separated. At the 3' penultimate position, -dC- increases and -dT- reduces separation. Purines at the 3' terminal or penultimate positions of oligonucleotides affect separation less than the pyrimidines. These results suggest specific interactions among neighboring nucleotides with important effects on the conformation of oligonucleotides during electrophoresis. These interactions are compared to compression artifacts, which represent more extreme anomalies of length-dependent separation of oligonucleotides. Knowledge of base-specific effects on electrophoretic behavior of DNA oligomers supplements the usual information available for determination of sequences; additionally it provides an avenue to thermodynamic and hydrodynamic investigations of DNA structure.
Lossless laser beam shaping (1996)

The Fresnel approximation is used in the design of a lens that turns a beam with one intensity distribution into a beam with a different distribution at the focal plane of a Fourier transform lens. In general, this cannot be done exactly, so one must be satisfied with approximate solutions to this problem. It is shown that the difficulty of this problem depends on a parameter β that is a dimensionless measure of how well the geometrical optics approximation holds. An analytical method is given for determining the lens when β is large. The sensitivity of this solution to various imperfections in the system alignment is also analyzed.
ELISA for Antibody to Hepatitis E Virus (HEV) Based on Complete Open-Reading Frame-2 Protein Expressed in Insect Cells: Identification of HEV Infection in Primates (1993)

A recombinant baculovirus containing the complete open-reading frame (ORF)-2 region of the hepatitis E virus (HEV) genome was constructed. The major protein synthesized in insect cells infected with recombinant virus was about the size expected for the complete ORF-2 product. This protein reacted in a Western blot assay with plasma from an HEV-infected chimpanzee. Lysates of the recombinant virus-infected insect cells were used in ELISA to monitor seroconversion of eight primate species (chimpanzees, four species of Old World monkeys, and three species of New World monkeys) inoculated with HEV. Homologous detector anti-immunoglobulin was more sensitive than heterologous anti-immunoglobulin for detecting anti-HEV by ELISA. All primate species except tamarins seroconverted after inoculation with HEV, although anti-HEV titers of Old World monkey species were generally higher than those of New World monkey species. The ELISA with complete ORF-2 antigen appeared to be a sensitive and practical method for detecting anti-HEV.
Use of SM-1 monoclonal antibody and human complement in selective killing of small cell carcinoma of the lung. (1985)

SM-1 is a murine monoclonal antibody strongly reactive with a cell membrane antigen of small cell carcinoma (SCC) of the lung but unreactive with the membrane of most other carcinomas and normal tissues including normal bone marrow. We have found that in the presence of human complement, SM-1 antibody is highly cytotoxic to SCC cells. Using three treatments with antibody and complement, more than 99% of SCC cells in culture were lysed, as determined by the chromium release and clonogenic assays. Similar efficiency of SCC cell lysis was observed when one SM-1 antibody treatment was followed by three treatments with human complement. In contrast, there was little antibody-dependent lysis of non-small cell lung cancer cells, other carcinomas, and leukemia cell lines. The amount of chromium released from normal bone marrow cells treated with SM-1 antibody and complement was minimal and was mainly due to the effect of complement alone. Clonogenic assays, including colony-forming unit-granulocytic/monocytic, erythroid burst-forming unit, and colony-forming unit-granulocytic/erythroid/monocytic/megakaryocytic, also showed no significant SM-1 antibody-dependent cytotoxicity on normal bone marrow precursors. Since SM-1 antibody is selectively cytotoxic to SCC cells in the presence of human complement, it is a potentially useful agent for the selective eradication of tumor cell contamination in marrows of patients with metastatic small cell lung cancer and possibly for in vivo serotherapy.
Neurotrophin 4/5 is required for the normal development of the slow muscle fiber phenotype in the rat soleus (2003)

During normal postnatal development, rat soleus (SOL) muscle fibers undergo a dramatic fast-to-slow myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoform transformation. We exploited this phenomenon to evaluate the role of neurotrophin 4/5 (NT-4/5) in the regulation of muscle fiber phenotype. Intramuscular injections of recombinant NT-4/5 into the SOL muscle of rat neonates significantly accelerated the normal fast-to-slow MyHC isoform transformation. Sequestration of endogenous NT-4/5 with TrkB-IgG prevented this transformation from occurring. Administration of the other TrkB ligand, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), did not affect the normal course of the MyHC isoform transformation in this muscle, indicating that the observed effect is NT-4/5 specific. Botulinum toxin blockade of synaptic transmission significantly disrupted the normal fast-to-slow MyHC isoform switch. Because administration of NT-4/5 to paralyzed muscles failed to restore the normal course of this MyHC transformation, we believe that the effect of NT-4/5 is not directly on the muscle fibers but that it probably activates or forms a type of retrograde signal to motoneurons. The developmental upregulation of NT-4/5 mRNA in rat SOL muscle fibers occurred earlier than the upregulation of MyHC I/b mRNA associated with muscle fiber transformation. This timing is consistent with the idea that NT-4/5 is involved in early events that lead to the upregulation of the slow MyHC isoform in this muscle.
Restoration of Deficient Membrane Proteins in the Cardiomyopathic Hamster by In Vivo Cardiac Gene Transfer (2002)

This study demonstrates the feasibility of high efficiency in vivo myocardial gene transfer and shows application in improving the level of a deficient cardiac structural protein and cardiac function in CM hamsters. The approach should be useful for assessing effects of expressing other genes that influence the structure or function of the normal and failing heart.
Hospitalidad e intercambio en los valles mesotermales del Noroeste Argentino (2005)

El dominio inca en los Andes del sur se basó en el manejo simultáneo del control militar, la ideología y la hospitalidad ceremonial. La comida y las celebraciones públicas fueron fundamentales para el surgimiento de jerarquías sociales y en la negociación del poder mediante la creación de alianzas y relaciones de reciprocidad. En el Noroeste Argentino, la administración inca ejerció un gobierno directo en ubicaciones clave. Para poder obtener una visión más clara de los procesos micropolíticos que se desarrollaron en algunos valles mesotermales del Noroeste Argentino bajo el dominio inca se intentará conocer la importancia que las fiestas o ceremonias tuvieron para las elites estatales al crear límites sociales por medio del consumo de alimentos especiales y del uso de formas cerámicas distintivas. Para ello, el Estado invirtió energía en ampliar las áreas agrícolas como una estrategia de producción y administración de bienes y servicios mediante el dominio del espacio productivo, el cual fue apropiado por el Inca a partir del ya existente vínculo pukara-ancestros-fertilidad de las chacras.
Interplay of two functionally and structurally distinct domains of the c-fos AU-rich element specifies its mRNA-destabilizing function. (1994)

AU-rich elements (ARE) in the 3' untranslated region of many highly labile mRNAs for proto-oncogenes, lymphokines, and cytokines can act as an RNA-destabilizing element. The absence of a clear understanding of the key sequence and structural features of the ARE that are required for its destabilizing function has precluded the further elucidation of its mode of action and the basis of its specificity. Combining extensive mutagenesis of the c-fos ARE with in vivo analysis of mRNA stability, we were able to identify mutations that exhibited kinetic phenotypes consistent with the biphasic decay characteristic of a two-step mechanism: accelerated poly(A) shortening and subsequent decay of the transcribed portion of the mRNA. These mutations, which affected either an individual step or both steps, all changed the mRNA stability. Our experiments further revealed the existence of two structurally distinct and functionally interdependent domains that constitute the c-fos ARE. Domain I, which is located within the 5' 49-nucleotide segment of the ARE and contains the three AUUUA motifs, can function as an RNA destabilizer by itself. It forms the essential core unit necessary for the ARE-destabilizing function. Domain II is a 20-nucleotide U-rich sequence which is located within the 3' part of the c-fos ARE. Although it alone can not act as an RNA destabilizer, this domain serves two critical roles: (i) its presence enhances the destabilizing ability of domain I by accelerating the deadenylation step, and (ii) it has a novel capacity of buffering decay-impeding effects exerted by mutations introduced within domain I. A model is proposed to explain how these critical structural features may be involved in the c-fos ARE-directed mRNA decay pathway. These findings have important implications for furthering our understanding of the molecular basis of differential mRNA decay mediated by different AREs.
Temperature coefficient of the surface resistivity of two-dimensional island gold films (2000)

Two-dimensional island gold films (2D-I(Au)Fs) were prepared by a thermal evaporation technique where Corning 7059 glass slides, held at an ambient temperature during deposition, were used as substrates. After exposing the films to air at a room temperature of 300 K, the dc resistance of the films was monitored until the films attained short-term stability, namely, invariance of the resistance over time. The island gold films were identified by the value of their stable surface resistivity (ρs); these values are 23, 275, 4.4 × 103, 23.2 × 103 and 37.5 × 103 MΩ/□. The variation of the stabilized surface resistivity with temperature over the range of 100-300 K was studied and the temperature coefficient of the surface resistivity (TCR) was deduced. The films have a negative TCR and for any particular temperature the magnitude of the TCR increases with ρs. For films with a certain ρs, the magnitude of the TCR increases with a decrease in temperature. The comparison between the magnitudes of the TCRs of the studied films in the present work and those reported by other investigators revealed that our films possess much higher values, and therefore this advantage renders them suitable for being used as temperature sensors. Our results were interpreted, qualitatively, by assuming that the electron transfer between islands takes place by the activated tunnelling mechanism.
Calibrated micropost arrays for biomechanical characterisation of cardiomyocytes (2011)

The study of biomechanics of isolated cardiomyocytes can allow us to understand the cardiac function and disease development in the absence of viscoelastic or contractile properties of the surrounding tissue. However, popular techniques such as micropipettes and carbon fibre-based measurements require serial, single-cell measurements and limit the amount of data passing through a system or process. The authors utilise elastomer micropost arrays microfabricated by a replica molding technique for precise and quantitative force measurements of cardiomyocytes with the potential for high throughput. The authors also present a calibration system using a piezoresistive force sensor and video-analysis technique to improve the resolution and validate the analysis of these low-force measurements. Calibrated microposts arrays are applied to measure the contractile forces of rat neonatal cardiomyocytes. Using image processing, the contractile forces for a sample of cardiomyocytes are extracted. It was found that isolated rat neonatal myocytes generate 39±5 nN average contractile force per post and an integrated axial contractile force of 189±20 nN, which is four times smaller than isolated adult Wistar rat cardiomyocytes and 30 times smaller than isolated adult rat cardiomyocytes. With calibration and quantitative image analysis, this study demonstrates that micropost systems can provide precise high-throughput test beds for myocyte mechanics using pharmacologic, small peptide, gene therapies or heart disease models.
The Pattern of Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and Its Modulating Agents IL-1 Receptor Antagonist and IL-1 Soluble Receptor Type II in Acute Meningococcal Infections (1997)

Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) is considered an important mediator in the pathogenesis of septic shock or bacterial meningitis. Its activity is specifically modulated by IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and IL-1 soluble receptor type II (IL-1sRII). We now describe the time-course of IL-1beta and these modulating agents in 59 patients with acute meningococcal infections, the prototype human disease of acute endotoxin exposure. Plasma IL-1beta was increased only in severe shock and normalized within 12 to 24 hours, indicating that patients were admitted in an early stage of cytokine activation. Increased IL-1beta values in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were confined to patients with meningitis. Plasma IL-1Ra was elevated in both shock and nonshock patients, extremely high values being measured in severe shock. High concentrations of IL-1Ra in CSF were found in meningitis. Plasma IL-1Ra peaked shortly after IL-1beta and decreased steeply in 1 to 2 days, followed by sustained moderately elevated levels in shock patients. Interestingly, IL-1sRII showed a completely different pattern. At admission, both nonshock and shock patients manifested a similar moderate increase of plasma IL-1sRII. However, during recovery plasma IL-1sRII further increased reaching maximal concentrations 3 to 5 days after admission, 1 to 2 days after normalization of IL-1Ra. In shock patients this increase was more prominent than in nonshock patients. It is hypothesized that this increase in plasma IL-1sRII can be explained by a synergistic effect of dexamethasone and endotoxin. A second interesting observation was that, unlike the pattern in plasma, IL-1sRII levels in CSF paralleled those of IL-1beta and IL-1Ra. This suggests different modulation of IL-1beta activity in the subarachnoid space and the plasma compartment. We conclude that: (1) During the early stage of meningococcal infections IL-1Ra modulates IL-1 activity, whereas during recovery IL-1sRII may be more important. (2) Modulation in CSF and in the plasma compartment are differentially regulated.
Absence of Whisker-Related Pattern Formation in Mice with NMDA Receptors Lacking Coincidence Detection Properties and Calcium Signaling (2003)

Precise refinement of synaptic connectivity is the result of activity-dependent mechanisms in which coincidence-dependent calcium signaling by NMDA receptors (NMDARs) under control of the voltage-dependent Mg2+ block might play a special role. In the developing rodent trigeminal system, the pattern of synaptic connections between whisker-specific inputs and their target cells in the brainstem is refined to form functionally and morphologically distinct units (barrelettes). To test the role of NMDA receptor signaling in this process, we introduced the N598R mutation into the native NR1 gene. This leads to the expression of functional NMDARs that are Mg2+ insensitive and Ca2+ impermeable. Newborn mice expressing exclusively NR1 N598R-containing NMDARs do not show any whisker-related patterning in the brainstem, whereas the topographic projection of trigeminal afferents and gross brain morphology appear normal. Furthermore, the NR1 N598R mutation does not affect expression levels of NMDAR subunits and other important neurotransmitter receptors. Our results show that coincidence detection by, and/or Ca2+ permeability of, NMDARs is necessary for the development of somatotopic maps in the brainstem and suggest that highly specific signaling underlies synaptic refinement.
Protection Patterns of tRNAs Do Not Change during Ribosomal Translocation (1998)

The translocation reaction of two tRNAs on the ribosome during elongation of the nascent peptide chain is one of the most puzzling reactions of protein biosynthesis. We show here that the ribosomal contact patterns of the two tRNAs at A and P sites, although strikingly different from each other, hardly change during the translocation reaction to the P and E sites, respectively. The results imply that the ribosomal micro-environment of the tRNAs remains the same before and after translocation and thus suggest that a movable ribosomal domain exists that tightly binds two tRNAs and carries them together with the mRNA during the translocation reaction from the A-P region to the P-E region. These findings lead to a new explanation for the translocation reaction.
Inhibitors of Cholesterol Biosynthesis. 2. Hypocholesterolemic and Antioxidant Activities of Benzopyran and Tetrahydronaphthalene Analogs of the Tocotrienols (1994)

Tocotrienols exhibit antioxidant and cholesterol-biosynthesis-inhibitory activities and may be of value as antiatherosclerotic agents. The mechanism of their hypolipidemic action involves posttranscriptional suppression of HMG-CoA reductase (HMGR) in a manner mimicking the action of putative non-sterol feedback inhibitors. The in vitro cholesterol-biosynthesis-inhibitory and HMGR-suppressive activities in HepG2 cells of an expanded series of benzopyran and tetrahydronaphthalene isosteres and the hypocholesterolemic activity of selected compounds assessed in orally dosed chickens are presented. Preliminary antioxidant data of these compounds have been obtained using cyclic voltammetry and Cu-induced LDL oxidation assays. The farnesyl side chain and the methyl/hydroxy substitution pattern of gamma-tocotrienol deliver a high level of HMGR suppression, unsurpassed by synthetic analogues of the present study. In orally dosed chickens, 8-bromotocotrienol (4o), 2-desmethyltocotrienol (4t), and the tetrahydronaphthalene derivative 35 exhibit a greater degree of LDL cholesterol lowering than the natural tocotrienols.
Categories of Death (1989)

During the early morning of 23 January R.M. was asleep in bed when two gunmen burst into his house and murdered him. On the night of 18 November R.K. shot himself in the head, having previously told his wife that he could not ‘face up to his responsibilities’. On the evening of 14 December A.G. (a schizophrenic) poured petrol over himself and ignited it. He died in hospital the following day. And on the afternoon of 13 October an apparently fit and healthy 21-year-old male collapsed and died suddenly whilst playing football in the street.1 The anatomical cause of death was never determined. Were these natural or unnatural deaths? And how is it possible to distinguish the one kind from the other? Indeed, is it necessary so to do?