gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Pre-implant determinants of adequate long-term function of single lead VDD pacemakers (2002)

According to our data, adequate sinus-driven atrial rate and no history of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and cardiac enlargement predict maintenance of the VDD pacing mode in elderly patients treated for heart block. Routine information available at implantation is sufficient to guide acceptance of single lead VDD pacing therapy.
Characterization and Proposed Nomenclature of Epidemic Strains of MRSA in Canada (1999)

The incidence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been increasing in many Canadian hospitals over the past few years. Some strains may be considered 'epidemic', in that they are clinically or epidemiologically significant, and have been identified in patients from multiple hospitals and geographic regions across the country. This paper describes phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of four epidemic MRSA strains in Canada and proposes standardized nomenclature.
The design and implementation of a secure auction service (2002)

We present the design and implementation of a distributed service for performing sealed-bid auctions. This service provides an interface by which clients, or "bidders", can issue secret bids to the service for an advertised auction. Once the bidding period has ended, the auction service opens the bids, determines the winning bid, and provides the winning bidder with a ticket for claiming the item bid upon. Using novel cryptographic techniques, the service is constructed to provide strong protection for both the auction house and correct bidders, despite the malicious behavior of any number of bidders and even a constant fraction of the servers comprising the auction service. Specifically, it is guaranteed that (i) bids of correct bidders are not revealed until after the bidding period has ended, (ii) the auction house collects payment for the winning bid, (iii) losing bidders forfeit no money, and (iv) only the winning bidder can collect the item bid upon. We also discuss techniques to enable anonymous bidding.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>
[Synthesis of emodin derivatives and their inhibiting effects on proliferation of leukemia cell lines]. (2013)

The aim of this study was to explore the inhibitory effect of newly synthesised emodin derivatives on the proliferation of leukemia cell lines and to select the most effective one from these emodin derivatives for further research. Emodin derivatives were synthesized by modifying the structure of emodin. MTT method was used to detect the proliferative inhibition in leukemia cell lines treated with emodin derivatives. The results showed that the half inhibitory concentration (IC50) for K562 cells treated with emodin derivatives E10-19 for 48 h was 0.84 - 12.01 µmol/L. E19 displayed the best anti-proliferative activity, while E16 and E17 did not show effects on K562 cells. Emodin derivative E19 was chosen for treating U937, NB4, Molt-4 and CA-46 cells, their IC50 for 48 h were 0.85, 0.9, 0.76, 0.8 µmol/L respectively. The IC50 of E19 for LQ2 cells was 3.60 µmol/L, and the IC50 range of E19 for normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells at 48 h was 4.01 - 4.78 µmol/L. It is concluded that emodin derivative E19 can strongly inhibit the growth of leukemia cells and its inhibiting effect on proliferation of leukemia cells has a certain specificity. The specific mechanism of E19 anti-leukemia effect should be further studied.
Benzaldehyde lyase, a novel thiamine PPi-requiring enzyme, from Pseudomonas fluorescens biovar I (1989)

Pseudomonas fluorescens biovar I can grow on benzoin as the sole carbon and energy source. This ability is due to benzaldehyde lyase, a new type of enzyme that irreversibly cleaves the acyloin linkage of benzoin, producing two molecules of benzaldehyde. Benzaldehyde lyase was purified 70-fold and found to require catalytic amounts of thiamine PPi (TPP) and a divalent cation as cofactors. Optimal activity was obtained with a 1.0 mM concentration of Mn2+, Mg2+, or Ca2+. Gel permeation chromatography indicated a native molecular weight of 80,000, whereas the enzyme migrated in sodium dodecyl sulfate-containing polyacrylamide gels as a single polypeptide with a molecular weight of 53,000. Benzaldehyde lyase is highly specific; of a variety of structurally related compounds tested, only benzoin and anisoin (4,4'-dimethoxybenzoin) acted as substrates, their apparent Kms being 9.0 x 10(-3) and 3.25 x 10(-2) mM, respectively. A catalytic mechanism for the enzyme is proposed.
Jak/Stat3 Signaling Promotes Somatic Cell Reprogramming by Epigenetic Regulation (2012)

Although leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) maintains the ground state pluripotency of mouse embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by activating the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Jak/Stat3) pathway, the mechanism remained unclear. Stat3 has only been shown to promote complete reprogramming of epiblast and neural stem cells and partially reprogrammed cells (pre-iPSCs). We investigated if and how Jak/Stat3 activation promotes reprogramming of terminally differentiated mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs). We demonstrated that activated Stat3 not only promotes but also is essential for the pluripotency establishment of MEFs during reprogramming. We further demonstrated that during this process, inhibiting Jak/Stat3 activity blocks demethylation of Oct4 and Nanog regulatory elements in induced cells, which are marked by suppressed endogenous pluripotent gene expression. These are correlated with the significant upregulation of DNA methyltransferase (Dnmt) 1 and histone deacetylases (HDACs) expression as well as the increased expression of lysine-specific histone demethylase 2 and methyl CpG binding protein 2. Inhibiting Jak/Stat3 also blocks the expression of Dnmt3L, which is correlated with the failure of retroviral transgene silencing. Furthermore, Dnmt or HDAC inhibitor but not overexpression of Nanog significantly rescues the reprogramming arrested by Jak/Stat3 inhibition or LIF deprivation. Finally, we demonstrated that LIF/Stat3 signal also represents the prerequisite for complete reprogramming of pre-iPSCs. We conclude that Jak/Stat3 activity plays a fundamental role to promote pluripotency establishment at the epigenetic level, by facilitating DNA demethylation/de novo methylation, and open-chromatin formation during late-stage reprogramming.
Biglycan binds to α‐ and γ‐sarcoglycan and regulates their expression during development (2006)

The dystrophin-associated protein complex (DAPC), which links the cytoskeleton to the extracellular matrix, is essential for muscle cell survival, and is defective in a wide range of muscular dystrophies. The DAPC contains two transmembrane subcomplexes-the dystroglycans and the sarcoglycans. Although several extracellular binding partners have been identified for the dystroglycans, none have been described for the sarcoglycan subcomplex. Here we show that the small leucine-rich repeat (LRR) proteoglycan biglycan binds to alpha- and gamma-sarcoglycan as judged by ligand blot overlay and co-immunoprecipitation assays. Our studies with biglycan-decorin chimeras show that alpha- and gamma-sarcoglycan bind to distinct sites on the polypeptide core of biglycan. Both biglycan proteoglycan as well as biglycan polypeptide lacking glycosaminoglycan (GAG) side chains are components of the dystrophin glycoprotein complex isolated from adult skeletal muscle membranes. Finally, our immunohistochemical and biochemical studies with biglycan null mice show that the expression of alpha- and gamma-sarcoglycan is selectively reduced in muscle from young (P14-P21) animals, while levels in adult muscle (> or = P35) are unchanged. We conclude that biglycan is a ligand for two members of the sarcoglycan complex and regulates their expression at discrete developmental ages.
Plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 is independently associated with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease whereas leptin and adiponectin vary between genders (2014)

PAI-1 is independently associated with NAFLD after adjusting for other factors, including leptin and adiponectin. Male and female NAFLD patients show distinct patterns of leptin and adiponectin alterations; special attention is required when evaluating these alterations in female NAFLD patients < 45 years.
Arrest of cell membrane movements by In Vitro incubation with polycation reversed by poly anion (1979)

A total arrest of cell membrane movement occurred after incubation for 2 h of cultured fibroblasts with the polycation DEAE-dextran. The immobilized cells resumed normal membrane undulations after exposure for 5 min to the polyanion dextran-sulphate. The influence of DEAE-dextran on the electrophoretic mobility, which was seen after 10 min of incubation was also erased by a subsequent incubation with dextran-sulphate. No influence on growth of the culture was seen.
Ratio of Balmer line intensities resulting from dissociative excitation of molecular hydrogen in an ionizing plasma (1989)

We have estimated the cross section for the production of excited hydrogen atoms from the emission cross sections for Lyman and Balmer lines when molecular hydrogen is dissociated into excited atoms. We have constructed a collisional-radiative model for the system of ground-state hydrogen molecules, excited hydrogen atoms, and protons, in a plasma and have calculated the population density distribution of the excited states. The resulting emission-line intensity ratios for the Balmer series lines are plotted against electron density. We expect these results to be useful for studies of plasmas containing molecular hydrogen, such as occur in the outer region of tokamak plasmas.
The Use of Genetic Algorithms in Well Placement Optimization (2001)

Abstract This paper is centered in the optimization of well placement using Genetic Algorithms. A Simple Genetic Algorithm program has been developed and it has been used to optimize well placement in two case studies. The effects of different internal parameters on the algorithm performance have been analyzed and a base case configuration suggested. Future modifications are analyzed.
Hyaluronan‐binding proteins in development, tissue homeostasis, and disease (1993)

The high molecular weight glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan plays an important role in tissue remodeling during development, normal tissue homeostasis, and disease. The interaction of hyaluronan with matrix hyaluronan-binding proteins and cell-surface hyaluronan receptors regulates many aspects of cell behavior such as cell migration, cell-cell adhesion, and cell differentiation. Hyaluronan-binding proteins have been grouped together as a family termed hyaladherins--further subdivided in matrix and cell-surface hyaladherins (receptors). Specific hyaluronan-hyaladherin interactions that affect cell behavior are the focus of this review. Both clearance and turnover of hyaluronan involve hyaluronan receptor-mediated endocytosis. Pericellular matrix assembly and retention on many cells, especially chondrocytes, are mediated by hyaluronan receptors, in coordination with other matrix hyaladherins. Hyaluronan can also have an independent, direct effect on cell-to-cell adhesion as well as migration, again mediated by specific cell-surface hyaluronan receptors. This is especially apparent in tumor cells, where metastatic potential is correlated with hyaluronan receptor expression. As migrating cells encounter new environments enriched in matrix hyaladherins, the capacity for matrix assembly may terminate cell migration. Thus, the temporal/spatial deposition of particular matrix hyaladherins also serves as signals or matrix cues to alter cell behavior.
Noncovalent association of heavy and light chains of human immunoglobulins. III. Specific interactions between VH and VL. (1982)

Mildly reduced monoclonal human IgM proteins have been cleaved at cysteinyl residues to give VH fragments after S-cyanylation with 2-nitro-5-thiocyanobenzoic acid. The noncovalent interaction between the VH fragments and autologous kappa-chains was studied by ultraviolet difference spectroscopy and circular dichroism. A bimolecular complex was formed with an association constant in excess of 10(7) M-1 at 23 degrees C. Complex formation was accompanied by burial of tryptophan and tyrosine side-chains. In contrast to the studies with autologous species, the VH fragments did not associate with heterologous kappa-chains as judged both by difference spectroscopy and gel filtration using radiolabeled VH fragments. This specificity in the association between VH and VL has been attributed to interactions contributed to by residues in the third hypervariable region of VH encoded by the DH and JH genes.
Van buitenaf - Innovatie (2008)

Het optreden van de brandweer moet meeveranderen met snelle ontwikkelingen in de maatschappij en de mogelijkheden van de informatie- en communicatietechnologie (ICT). Dat stellen onderzoekers Eric Mol, Ronald Heus en Thomas Visser. Zij zijn verbonden aan TNO Defensie en Veiligheid en het First Responders Fieldblab op het Brandweer Opleidingscentrum Amsterdam-Amstelland Schiphol (BOCAS). In deze aflevering Van Buitenaf vertellen zij over lopende ontwikkelingen.
A Pilot Study to Examine the Feasibility of Insulin Glargine in Subjects with Impaired Fasting Glucose, Impaired Glucose Tolerance or New-Onset Type 2 Diabetes (2008)

The results of this pilot study suggest that glargine can be used by people with IFG, IGT or new-onset type 2 diabetes for management of hyperglycaemia with low risk of hypoglycaemia. However titration of insulin in people on dietary restrictions should be more cautious as they may be more prone to hypoglycaemia. Further studies are warranted to determine the clinical benefits of this approach.
Fabrication of permeable tubular constructs from chemically modified chitosan with enhanced antithrombogenic property (2009)

The failure of artificial vascular grafts in small diameter vessel replacement is mainly due to the early formation of thrombosis. To prevent the occurrence of thrombosis, much effort has been focused on developing an anti-thrombogenic coating of synthetic vascular prostheses or artificial conduits with improved anti-thrombogenic properties. Because surface coatings may be unstable for long-term applications, a bulk material with anti-thrombogenic property is desirable for the fabrication of vascular grafts or conduits. To this end, we have chemically modified chitosan by phthalization to derive an anti-thrombogenic material for the fabrication of vascular grafts. The chemical structure of phthalized chitosan was characterized with infrared spectroscopy. The hydrophilicity was examined with contact angle measurement, and the molecular weight distribution was measured using gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Protein adsorption, hemolysis, and platelet adhesion assays were used to confirm the enhanced anti-thrombogenic properties of this phthalized chitosan. Cytotoxicity and proliferation assays were performed to test its high biocompatibility. With its improved solubility and processibility, this phthalized chitosan was fabricated into selective permeable tubular constructs of varying sizes and morphology through a wet phase-inversion process. With improved anti-thrombogenic property, biocompatibility, and great processibility, phthalized chitosan has great potential as the material for the fabrication of small diameter vascular grafts.
Enhancement of nonspecific immunity to Klebsiella pneumoniae infection by a synthetic immunoadjuvant (N-acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine) and several analogs. (1977)

N-Acetylmuramyl-L-alanyl-D-isoglutamine and four other synthetic adjuvants that are structural analogs of part of the mycobacterial peptidoglycan monomer are shown to enhance the nonspecific immunity of mice infected by Klebsiella pneumoniae. These compounds are active by various routes, including oral administration; they are also effective when administered after challenge. Of the seventeen other analogs tested, none is able to increase significantly resistance to infection, although seven of these molecules are adjuvant-active in saline. Previous results have shown that in contrast to lipopolysaccharides, these synthetic adjuvants are devoid of immunogenicity, mitogenicity, and toxicity in normal or adrenalectomized mice.
Experimental Observation of Localized Optical Excitations in Random Metal-Dielectric Films (1999)

Localization of optical excitations within subwavelength areas of a random metal-dielectric film is observed using near-field scanning optical microscopy. This effect is attributed to Anderson localization of surface plasmon modes in a semicontinuous metal film. The localized modes are seen as giant fluctuations of local electric fields spatially concentrated in ``hot'' spots, where the fields are much greater than the applied field. The local near-field spectra consisting of strong resonance peaks are detected and shown to depend markedly on the sample site probed. The observed spectral peaks correspond to localized modes of random metal-dielectric films.
Pancreatic Progenitor Cells—Recent Studies (2008)

Past studies of pancreatic progenitor cell biology relied mostly on histological analyses. Recent studies, using genetic labeling and tracing of progenitors, direct single cell analyses, colony assays, and enrichment of the minor population of progenitor cells through the use of cell surface markers, have strongly suggested that pancreatic progenitor cells with various frequency and lineage potentials, including the multipotent progenitors that give rise to endocrine, exocrine, and duct cells, exist in the developing and adult pancreas. In this review, it is therefore proposed that pancreatic progenitor cells may be organized in a hierarchy, in which the most primitive pan-pancreatic multipotent progenitors are at the top and rare, and the monopotent progenitors are at the bottom and abundant. This model may explain why only drastic injuries lead to effective activation of the progenitor cell compartment of the higher hierarchy, whereas under steady state, pregnancy, and milder injuries, recruitment of preexisting mature cells or their immediate monopotent progenitors could be sufficient to restore metabolic homeostasis. It is also proposed that the morphologically defined ductal cells are likely to be functionally heterogeneous and that endocrine progenitor cell activity should be determined based on functional analyses rather than histological locations.
Duplicated genes evolve independently after polyploid formation in cotton (1999)

Of the many processes that generate gene duplications, polyploidy is unique in that entire genomes are duplicated. This process has been important in the evolution of many eukaryotic groups, and it occurs with high frequency in plants. Recent evidence suggests that polyploidization may be accompanied by rapid genomic changes, but the evolutionary fate of discrete loci recently doubled by polyploidy (homoeologues) has not been studied. Here we use locus-specific isolation techniques with comparative mapping to characterize the evolution of homoeologous loci in allopolyploid cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) and in species representing its diploid progenitors. We isolated and sequenced 16 loci from both genomes of the allopolyploid, from both progenitor diploid genomes and appropriate outgroups. Phylogenetic analysis of the resulting 73.5 kb of sequence data demonstrated that for all 16 loci (14.7 kb/genome), the topology expected from organismal history was recovered. In contrast to observations involving repetitive DNAs in cotton, there was no evidence of interaction among duplicated genes in the allopolyploid. Polyploidy was not accompanied by an obvious increase in mutations indicative of pseudogene formation. Additionally, differences in rates of divergence among homoeologues in polyploids and orthologues in diploids were indistinguishable across loci, with significant rate deviation restricted to two putative pseudogenes. Our results indicate that most duplicated genes in allopolyploid cotton evolve independently of each other and at the same rate as those of their diploid progenitors. These indications of genic stasis accompanying polyploidization provide a sharp contrast to recent examples of rapid genomic evolution in allopolyploids.
Enzymatic Analysis of cDNA-Expressed Human CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and CYP1B1 With 7-Ethoxyresorufin as Substrate (2006)

Cytochrome P450 (P450) enzymes belonging to the CYP1 family are highly inducible by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other environmental chemicals and play a major role in the metabolism of many foreign chemicals and endogenous substances. We describe a spectrofluorometric method for determining 7-ethoxyresorufin O-dealkylation catalyzed by CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and CYP1B1. The formation of the enzymatic product, resorufin, is monitored continuously by fluorescence using an excitation wavelength of 530 nm and an emission wavelength of 580 nm. This method can be applied to assay P450-catalyzed formation of resorufin from other alkoxyresorufins, such as 7-methoxyresorufin, 7-benzyloxyresorufin, and 7-pentoxyresorufin. It can also be used to assay 7-ethoxyresorufin O-dealkylation activity in isolated hepatocytes and cultured cells that express this P450 activity.
Cationic liposomes as vaccine adjuvants (2007)

Cationic liposomes are lipid-bilayer vesicles with a positive surface charge that have re-emerged as a promising new adjuvant technology. Although there is some evidence that cationic liposomes themselves can improve the immune response against coadministered vaccine antigens, their main functions are to protect the antigens from clearance in the body and deliver the antigens to professional antigen-presenting cells. In addition, cationic liposomes can be used to introduce immunomodulators to enhance and modulate the immune response in a desirable direction and, thereby, represent an efficient tool when designing tailor-made adjuvants for specific disease targets. In this article we review the recent progress on cationic liposomes as vehicles, enhancing the effect of immunomodulators and the presentation of vaccine antigens.
Potentiometric Detection of DNA Hybridization using Enzyme-Induced Metallization and a Silver Ion Selective Electrode (2009)

Here, we report on a highly sensitive potentiometric detection of DNA hybridization. The new assay uses a low-volume solid-contact silver ion-selective electrode (Ag(+)-ISE) to monitor the depletion of silver ions induced by the biocatalytic reaction of the alkaline-phosphatase enzyme tag. The resultant potential change of the Ag(+)-ISE, thus, serves as the hybridization signal. Factors affecting the potentiometric hybridization response have been optimized to offer a detection limit of 50 fM (0.2 amol) DNA target. The new potentiometric assay was applied successfully to the monitoring of the 16S rRNA of E. coli pathogenic bacteria to achieve a low detection limit of 10 CFU in the 4 microL sample. Such potentiometric transduction of biocatalytically induced metallization processes holds great promise for monitoring various bioaffinity assays involving common enzyme tags.
AlF[sub 3]-Coating to Improve High Voltage Cycling Performance of Li[Ni[sub 1∕3]Co[sub 1∕3]Mn[sub 1∕3]]O[sub 2] Cathode Materials for Lithium Secondary Batteries (2007)

powders were modified by coating their surface with amorphous as a new coating material. The -coated electrode showed improved cycle performance and rate capability under a high cutoff voltage range of 4.5 and . AC impedance results showed that the -coated has stable charge transfer resistance regardless of the cycle number. Electron diffraction analysis also showed that no structural transition of the primary particles was observed for the -coated electrode. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and electron microscopy indicate that coating plays an important role of stabilizing the interface between cathode and electrolyte.