gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Hepatitis B virus surface antigen impairs myeloid dendritic cell function: a possible immune escape mechanism of hepatitis B virus (2008)

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the result of an inadequate immune response towards the virus. Myeloid dendritic cells (mDC) of patients with chronic HBV are impaired in their maturation and function, resulting in more tolerogenic rather than immunogenic responses, which may contribute to viral persistence. The mechanism responsible for altered mDC function remains unclear. The HBV-infected patients display large amounts of HBV particles and viral proteins in their circulation, especially the surface antigen HBsAg, which allows multiple interactions between the virus, its viral proteins and DC. To assess whether HBV directly influences mDC function, the effects of HBV and HBsAg on human mDC maturation and function were investigated in vitro. As already described for internalization of HBV by DC, the present study shows that peripheral blood-derived mDC of healthy controls also actively take up HBsAg in a time-dependent manner. Cytokine-induced maturation in the presence of HBV or HBsAg resulted in a significantly more tolerogenic mDC phenotype as demonstrated by a diminished up-regulation of costimulatory molecules and a decreased T-cell stimulatory capacity, as assessed by T-cell proliferation and interferon-gamma production. In addition, the presence of HBV significantly reduced interleukin-12 production by mDC. These results show that both HBV particles and purified HBsAg have an immune modulatory capacity and may directly contribute to the dysfunction of mDC in patients with chronic HBV. The direct immune regulatory effect of HBV and circulating HBsAg particles on the function of DC can be considered as part of the mechanism by which HBV escapes immunity.
Importance of temporal heterogeneity in assessing the contraction abnormalities associated with acute myocardial ischemia. (1984)

A number of recent two-dimensional echocardiographic studies have attempted to relate quantitative changes in short-axis left ventricular radial wall motion to underlying myocardial ischemia/infarction. The significance of temporal variation in the contraction sequence within these ischemic regions in the overall evaluation of segmental left ventricular dysfunction, however, remains undefined. To assess this, we examined the motion of 192 individual radii that intersected known ischemic segments at 16.7 msec intervals from end-diastole to end-systole. The studies were performed in 13 dogs 1 hr after acute coronary ligation (six of the left anterior descending and seven of the circumflex coronary artery). Zones of infarction were confirmed by triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining at the termination of the experiment and by a corresponding decrease of more than 75% in myocardial perfusion at the 1 hr sampling period. Dyskinesis (defined for each radius as negative or outward excursion relative to the end-diastolic reference on two consecutive fields) was noted along 168 of 192 radii (88%) at some point in the contraction sequence. The maximal outward or dyskinetic motion occurred most commonly in the fourth decile of the normalized contraction sequence. In 147 of the 168 dyskinetic radii (88%) the maximal outward motion occurred during the first half of systole while in only two radii in one animal was the maximal outward motion noted at end-systole. The total number of radii showing dyskinetic motion at any given point in the contraction sequence likewise varied with time. Although again the greatest number of radii showed abnormal motion during the fourth decile of the normalized contraction sequence, only 66 of 168 or 39% remained dyskinetic to end-systole. No relationship was observed between the point of maximal dyskinesis (time-weighted average of all dyskinetic radii for a given animal) and (1) the total number of radii showing dyskinesis, (2) the total number of radii within the infarct zone, or (3) the infarct area expressed as a percent of the slice area. The major factor determining persistence of dyskinesis to end-systole for any radius was the maximal outward motion of the endocardial segment at the point of maximal dyskinesis. Therefore, simple measurement of endocardial excursion from end-diastole to end-systole may fail to detect important wall motion abnormalities and, in some cases, may miss dyskinetic segments completely.
BCL-2 delay apoptosis and PARP cleavage induced by NO donors in GT1-7 cells (1996)

BCL-2 is a negative regulator of cell death in several systems. Here we report that bcl-2 expression protects against apoptosis induced by nitric oxide (NO) donors in GT1-7 hypothalamic cells. BCL-2 significantly inhibited neuronal death caused by 200 microM S-nitroso-cysteine (SNOC), 200 microM S-nitroso-N-acetyl-penicillamine (SNAP), or 1 mM 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1). To explore further the protective mechanism(s) elicited by bcl-2 expression, we investigated whether BCL-2 could prevent NO-induced cleavage of poly-ADP-ribose-polymerase (PARP), which is a substrate for interleukin-1 beta converting enzyme (ICE)-like proteases in apoptosis. Formation of 85 and 25 kDa PARP fragments elicited by NO donors was inhibited in cells over-expressing bcl-2.
Effect of short HV pulses on bacteria and fungi (1995)

The survival of three kinds of microorganisms under strong-pulse electric field conditions was investigated with a possible application of the electric pulse method for sterilization of consumable liquids. The results of the investigations of survival ratio of Gram-negative (Escherichia coli, Yersinia enterocolitica) and Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes) bacteria and yeastlike fungi (Candida albicans) are presented. The HV pulses with peak voltage U=0 to 100 kV and rise time t/sub n/= 0.5 to 1.2 /spl mu/s were applied. The microorganisms were suspended in an NaCl solution with /spl gamma/=6 to 13 mS/cm conductivity and pH=7.2. The experimental setup and the dependency of the microorganism survival ratio on the rise time, peak voltage and on the number of pulses applied, are presented. It has been found that the lethal effect on microorganisms caused by HV pulses depends on the pulse parameters as well as on the kind of microorganism being treated.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>
Mass spectrometrically derived amino acid sequence of thioredoxin from Chlorobium, an evolutionarily prominent photosynthetic bacterium. (1987)

The amino acid sequence of the thioredoxin isolated from the photosynthetic green sulfur bacterium Chlorobium thiosulfatophilum was determined chiefly by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry combined with Edman degradation and tandem mass spectrometry. For this purpose, the protein was digested with trypsin, alpha-chymotrypsin, thermolysin, and Staphylococcus aureus protease or combinations thereof. Chemical cleavage with cyanogen bromide was also used alone or in combination with trypsin. The resulting sequence of 108 amino acids is as follows: Ala-Gly- Lys-Tyr-Phe-Glu-Ala-Thr-Asp-Lys-Asn-Phe-Gln- Thr-Glu-Xle-Xle-Asp-Ser-Asp-Lys-(Ala-Val)-Xle- Val-Asp-Phe-Trp-Ala-Ser-Trp-Cys-Gly-(Pro-Cys)- Met-Met-Xle-Gly-Pro-Val-Xle-Glu-Gln-Xle-Ala-Asp- Asp-Tyr-Glu-Gly-Lys-Ala-Xle-Xle-Ala-Lys-Xle-Asn- Val-Asp-Glu-Asn-Pro-Asn-Xle-Ala-Gly-Gln-Tyr-Gly- Xle-Arg-Ser-Xle-Pro-Thr-Met-Xle-Xle-Xle-Ly s- (Gly-Gly-Lys)-Val-Val-Asp-Gln-Met-Val-Gly-Ala- Xle-Pro-Lys-Asn-Met-Xle-Ala-Lys-Lys-Xle-Asp-Glu-His-Il e-Gly (where Xle represents leucine or isoleucine; sequences in parentheses are based on homology considerations). It exhibits less than 53% homology with Escherichia coli thioredoxin.
The absorption of oral micronized progesterone: the effect of food, dose proportionality, and comparison with intramuscular progesterone. (1993)

To examine the effects of food ingestion and administered dose on the absorption of oral micronized P (Utrogestan; Besins-Iscovesco, Paris, France) and to compare the bioavailability of intramuscular versus oral routes of administration.Prospective, randomized, open label crossover protocol with 7 days between dosages.Academic institution.Fifteen normal postmenopausal women.All subjects participated in three separate protocols: [1] micronized P (200 mg) or placebo under fasting or nonfasting conditions once daily for 5 days; [2] micronized P (100, 200, or 300 mg) once daily under fasting conditions for 5 days; and [3] micronized P (200 mg) or intramuscular P (50 mg in oil) administered once daily for 2 days.Serum P concentrations were measured in all groups.Concomitant food ingestion increased the area under the serum P concentration versus time curve (AUC0 to 24) and the maximum serum P concentration (Cmax) without affecting time to maximum serum concentration (Tmax) (P < 0.05). Micronized P absorption and elimination were first-order processes and exhibited dose-independent pharmacokinetics between 100 and 300 mg. After intramuscular P, Cmax was higher and Tmax occurred later compared with the oral P preparation. Oral P had lower relative bioavailability (8.6%) than intramuscular P.Absorption of micronized P was enhanced twofold in the presence of food. Both absorption and elimination were dose-independent, dose proportionality being confirmed. Bioavailability of the oral P was approximately 10% compared with intramuscular P.
Heparan Sulphate Proteoglycan as Mediator of Some Adhesive Responses and Cytoskeletal Reorganization of Cells on Fibronectin Matrices: Independent Versus Cooperative Functions (2007)

Fibronectin is a multifunctional glycoprotein which promotes the adhesion of a variety of cell types to extracellular matrices, including artificial tissue culture substrata. Biochemical analyses of substratum adhesion sites indicated important functions for cell-surface heparan sulphate proteoglycan (HS-PG) in directly mediating adhesive responses by the binding of heparan sulphate sequences to fibronectin. In addition, fibronectin has a binding domain for a cell surface 'receptor' (possibly a 140K glycoprotein) important in these responses. To differentiate the relative importance of these two binding activities, a proteolytically generated cell-binding fragment of fibronectin has been isolated which binds to the 140K 'receptor' but not to HS or to collagen. Platelet factor 4 (PF4), a tetravalent HS-binding protein, provides a model of the tetravalent HS-binding activity of fibronectin, as supported by affinity chromatography studies (these studies also reveal the complexity of HS-PG metabolism in adhesion sites). Responses are measured on substrata coated with the cell-binding fragment of fibronectin, intact fibronectin, or PF4, singly or in combination. Fibroblast-like BALB/c 3T3 cells form both close and tight-focal adhesive contacts with associated microfilament stress fibres on intact fibronectin. Whereas HS-PG binding appears to mediate the formation of close contacts and linear microfilament bundles, a cooperative relationship exists between the HS- and the cell-binding activities of the intact fibronectin molecule in the formation of focal contacts and stress fibres. Human dermal fibroblasts generate different adhesive responses on HS-binding or cell-binding substrata, which are dependent on whether cells have been grown in medium with ascorbate to maximize production of their own collagenous matrix. As with 3T3 cells, focal contact and stress fibre formations of dermal cells require both binding activities in the intact fibronectin molecule. A third system consists of neuroblastoma tumour cells which adhere and extend neurites on fibronectin. Cell-body adherence, but not neurite extension, occurs on HS-binding matrices whereas neurite extension requires only fibronectin's cell-binding activity; the responses of primary peripheral neurons were exactly the opposite and CNS neurons did not respond at all. These studies indicate the diversity of molecular mechanisms by which various cells interact with the multifunctional fibronectin molecule in order to perform specialized functions, as well as the independent or cooperative functions of heparan sulphate proteoglycan on the cell surface in mediating these responses.
Transgenic sugarcane plants via microprojectile bombardment (1992)

Summary Transgenic sugarcane plants were produced by bombardment of embryogenic callus with high‐velocity DNA‐coated microprojectiles, followed by a selection and regeneration procedure designed for this target tissue. Optimal bombardment conditions for embryogenic callus required microprojectile velocities higher than those previously found effective for sugarcane suspension culture cells. Bombardment of target tissues twice increased the number of transiently expressing cells in regenerable callus regions, to more than 300 per treated plate. Stable transformants were obtained following bombardment with the neomycin phosphotransferase ( npt‐II ) gene under the control of the Emu strong monocot promoter. Stepped increases in antibiotic concentration during selection and regeneration allowed recovery of actively growing callus and plants on media containing geneticin concentrations completely inhibitory to untransformed controls. NPT‐II levels in transformed plants were 20–50 times the background levels in control plants in ELISA assays, and Southern analysis revealed integration of one to three copies of the introduced gene in the sugarcane genome. The procedures described yield one to three transgenic plants per treated plate within 16 weeks of bombardment and provide a simple, efficient and broadly applicable system for genetic transformation of sugarcane. A similar approach should be applicable to other members of the Poaceae able to form embryogenic callus.
Methylglyoxal Is a Predictor in Type 2 Diabetic Patients of Intima-Media Thickening and Elevation of Blood Pressure (2010)

We test whether plasma level of methylglyoxal (MG) is an independent risk factor predicting the progression of diabetic macroangiopathy or microangiopathy in type 2 diabetic patients. We measured in 50 type 2 diabetic patients plasma levels of MG and 3-deoxyglucosone (DG) using an electrospray ionization-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. We assessed the correlations between baseline levels of MG or DG and the percentage changes after 5 years of clinical parameters linked to diabetic macroangiopathy or microangiopathy, that is, intima-media thickness (IMT), systolic blood pressure (SBP), the amount of urinary albumin excretion (ACR), pulse wave velocity (PWV), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Multiple regression analysis was performed using the percentage changes in IMT, SBP, ACR, PWV, and eGFR over the 5-year period as the independent or objective variables and the values of MG, DG, glycohemoglobin A1c, body mass index, triglyceride, and diabetic duration at the baseline as the dependent variables. The values of IMT, PWV, SBP, and ACR all increase, but eGFR reduces with time during the 5-year period. Baseline level of MG correlates significantly with the percentage changes of IMT, SBP, ACR, PWV, and eGFR, whereas that of DG does only with ACR. A multiple regression analysis reveals that MG is an independent risk factor for the percentage changes of IMT, PWV, and SBP but not for those of ACR and eGFR. DG is an independent risk factor for the percentage change of ACR. MG is a predictor in type 2 diabetic patients of intima-media thickening, of increase of PWV, and of elevation of SBP.
Lyme disease. (1993)

The clinical features of Lyme disease have been well documented since its description as a distinct clinical entity in 1975. A better understanding of the diversity of Borrelia strains and species that cause the disease as well as new insights into the immunology and pathogenesis of Lyme disease help explain some of the observed variations in clinical manifestations. The diagnosis of Lyme disease may be straightforward when patients in endemic areas present with typical clinical features; however, the diagnosis should be in doubt when the clinical picture is nonspecific or atypical, or a feasible exposure history cannot be obtained. Laboratory diagnosis is primarily based on serologic techniques, but interpretation of test results can be fraught with uncertainty. Treatment with appropriate antibiotics is successful in the majority of cases of Lyme disease. However, some patients may not respond, and in these cases multiple repeated courses are usually ineffective and unwarranted. More data are needed to determine the appropriate treatment of Lyme disease during pregnancy, and the appropriate management of ixodes tick bites. A suitable arthropod vector and a competent animal reservoir host are essential for perpetuating Lyme disease in a geographic location. The intricate ecologic forces at work are well understood in certain endemic areas but are poorly defined elsewhere, particularly where the disease is sporadic or its existence is in question. Prevention of Lyme disease is best achieved through education regarding avoidance of the tick vector. A vaccine using a recombinant form of the OspA protein of B. burgdorferi has been successful in animal models. Whether an effective human vaccine can be developed remains unknown.
Snoring and Arousals: A Retrospective Analysis (1995)

The purpose of this retrospective analysis was to search for possible associations between snoring and arousals. We searched our data base containing more than 2,000 records and selected only patients who 1) had objective measurements of snoring, 2) were not taking sedating medication, 3) did not have sleep apnea (apnea/ hypopnea index < 10) and 4) did not have periodic leg movements (myoclonus index < 5). This procedure left 367 patients available for analysis. We hypothesized that arousals observed in these patients were associated with snoring, and we performed univariate and multivariate regression analysis with arousals as the dependent variable, and age, body mass index, snoring, maximum nocturnal sound intensity and nocturnal oxygen saturation as the independent variables. The results showed that only snoring and mean nocturnal oxygen saturation were significant (p < 0.05) but weak determinants of arousals, accounting for only 7% of their variance. To examine whether snorers have more arousals than non-snorers, we compared a control group of non-snorers (< 50 snores/hour of sleep), with a group of heavy snorers (> 400 snores/hour of sleep). We found that the arousal index was significantly but weakly higher in snorers than non-snorers [mean +/- standard deviation (SD) = 14 +/- 8 vs. 10 +/- 6, p < 0.002]. Conversely, patients within the highest arousal quartile snored significantly more than those within the lowest quartile (snoring index 293 +/- 292 vs. 179 +/- 282, p < 0.008, respectively). We conclude that despite the limitations of this retrospective analysis, there appears to be an association between snoring and arousals, warranting further, properly designed prospective studies.
Sorafenib Potently Inhibits Papillary Thyroid Carcinomas Harboring RET/PTC1 Rearrangement (2008)

PTC cells carrying the RET/PTC1 rearrangement were more sensitive to sorafenib than PTC cells carrying a BRAF mutation. Because RET/PTC rearrangements are unique to thyroid carcinomas, our findings support the clinical evaluation of sorafenib for patients with PTC and the identification of patients most likely to respond to sorafenib treatment.
Thin film contact resistance with dissimilar materials (2011)

This paper presents results of thin film contact resistance with dissimilar materials. The model assumes arbitrary resistivity ratios and aspect ratios between contact members, for both Cartesian and cylindrical geometries. It is found that the contact resistance is insensitive to the resistivity ratio for a/h &amp;lt; 1, but is rather sensitive to the resistivity ratio for a/h &amp;gt; 1 where a is the constriction size and h is film thickness. Various limiting cases are studied and validated with known results. Accurate analytical scaling laws are constructed for the contact resistance over a large range of aspect ratios and resistivity ratios. Typically the minimum contact resistance is realized with a/h ∼ 1, for both Cartesian and cylindrical cases. Electric field patterns are presented, showing the crowding of the field lines in the contact region.
Cooperative Communications for Cognitive Radio Networks (2009)

Cognitive radio is an exciting emerging technology that has the potential of dealing with the stringent requirement and scarcity of the radio spectrum. Such revolutionary and transforming technology represents a paradigm shift in the design of wireless systems, as it will allow the agile and efficient utilization of the radio spectrum by offering distributed terminals or radio cells the ability of radio sensing, self-adaptation, and dynamic spectrum sharing. Cooperative communications and networking is another new communication technology paradigm that allows distributed terminals in a wireless network to collaborate through some distributed transmission or signal processing so as to realize a new form of space diversity to combat the detrimental effects of fading channels. In this paper, we consider the application of these technologies to spectrum sensing and spectrum sharing. One of the most important challenges for cognitive radio systems is to identify the presence of primary (licensed) users over a wide range of spectrum at a particular time and specific geographic location. We consider the use of cooperative spectrum sensing in cognitive radio systems to enhance the reliability of detecting primary users. We shall describe spectrum sensing for cognitive radios and propose robust cooperative spectrum sensing techniques for a practical framework employing cognitive radios. We also investigate cooperative communications for spectrum sharing in a cognitive wireless relay network. To exploit the maximum spectrum opportunities, we present a cognitive space-time-frequency coding technique that can opportunistically adjust its coding structure by adapting itself to the dynamic spectrum environment.
[Resorption and formation in metastatic bone]. (1984)

Bony metastases are a source of numerous complications and remain a difficult therapeutic target. Malignant cells implant in bony tissue where they can secrete factors which stimulate resorption and/or bone formation. The nature of these factors is now being discovered, even though their mode of action is better understood: the osteolytic action of prostaglandin E2 secreted in breast cancer, or the osteogenesis stimulating action of "transforming growth factor" in prostatic cancer. Progress in these areas of research is soon forthcoming due to new techniques in molecular biology.
Robust hover control of thrust-vectored unmanned tail-sitter aircraft against gust load (2013)

Vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft has the merits of both fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft. Tail-sitter is the simplest way for the VTOL maneuver since it does not need extra actuators. However, conventional tail-sitting airplanes made by propellers or duct fans have less thrust and efficiency. In this paper a conceptual thrust-vectored unmanned tail-sitter (CTUT) aircraft which is controlled by no control surfaces but only with two thrust vectors is introduced. However, the system of hovering control for a tail-sitter UAV is like a 3-D inverse pendulum, which is unstable and quite difficult to control against the gust load in traditional PID controllers. In this paper, the synthesized system model including thrust-vectored tail-sitter aircraft model, actuator system and gust model is developed. The LQG/LTR control for robust hovering against gust load is proposed. The results show that the controller designed successfully compensates the errors generated by gust.