gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Structure-Activity Studies on Neuropeptide S (2006)

Neuropeptide S (NPS) has been recently recognized as the endogenous ligand for the previous orphan G-protein-coupled receptor GPR154, now referred to as the NPS receptor (NPSR). The NPS-NPSR receptor system regulates important biological functions such as sleeping/wakening, locomotion, anxiety, and food intake. To collect information on the mechanisms of interaction between NPS and its receptor, a classical structure-activity relationship study was performed. Human (h) NPS derivatives obtained by Ala and d-scan and N- and C-terminal truncation were assessed for their ability to stimulate calcium release in HEK293 cells expressing the human recombinant NPSR. The results of this study indicate that (i) the effect of hNPS is mimicked by the fragment hNPS-(1-10); (ii) Phe(2), Arg(3), and Asn(4) are crucial for biological activity; (iii) the sequence Thr(8)-Gly(9)-Met(10) is important for receptor activation, although with non-stringent chemical requirements; and (iv) the sequence Val(6)-Gly(7) acts as a hinge region between the two above-mentioned domains. However, the stimulatory effect of hNPS given intracerebroventricularly on mouse locomotor activity was not fully mimicked by hNPS-(1-10), suggesting that the C-terminal region of the peptide maintains importance for in vivo activity. In conclusion, this study identified the amino acid residues of this peptide most important for receptor activation.
Enantiocomplementary Chemoenzymatic Asymmetric Synthesis of (R)‐ and (S)‐Chromanemethanol (2009)

Abstract A non‐lipase‐based, enantiocomplementary chemoenzymatic route towards enantiopure ( R )‐ and ( S )‐chromanemethanol ( 12 ), which are the key building blocks for the synthesis of stereoisomerically pure α‐tocopherols, has been achieved by the biocatalytic resolution of a racemic 2,2‐disubstituted oxirane using an epoxide hydrolase and a halohydrin dehalogenase, which exhibit opposite enantiopreferences. The introduction of chirality at an early stage of the synthesis ensured a high efficiency, leading to total overall yields of 16 and 26 % for ( R )‐ and ( S )‐chromanemethanol ( 12 ), respectively.(© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2009)
Endocytosis of a cytotoxic human high density lipoprotein results in disruption of acidic intracellular vesicles and subsequent killing of African trypanosomes. (1994)

The host range of Trypanosoma brucei brucei is restricted by the cytolytic effects of human serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL). The lytic activity is caused by a minor subclass of human serum HDL called trypanosome lytic factor (TLF). TLF binds in the flagellar pocket to specific TLF-binding sites. Internalization and localization of TLF to a population of endocytic vesicles, and ultimately large lysosome-like vesicles, precedes lysis of T. b. brucei. The membranes of these large vesicles are disrupted by the accumulation of TLF particles. Inhibitor studies with lysosomotropic amines have shown these large vesicles to be acidic in nature and that prevention of their rupture spares the cells from TLF-mediated lysis. Furthermore, leupeptin inhibition suggests that a thioprotease may be involved in the mechanism of TLF-mediated lysis of T. b. brucei. Based on these results, we propose a lytic mechanism involving cell surface binding, endocytosis and lysosomal targeting. This is followed by lysosomal disruption and subsequent autodigestion of the cell.
A Genetic Resource for Rapid and Comprehensive Phenotype Screening of Nonessential Staphylococcus aureus Genes (2013)

Infections caused by Staphylococcus aureus cause significant morbidity and mortality in both community and hospital environments. Specific-allelic-replacement mutants are required to study the biology of this organism; however, this process is costly and time-consuming. We describe the construction and validation of a sequence-defined transposon mutant library available for use by the scientific community through the Network on Antimicrobial Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus (NARSA) strain repository. In addition, complementary resources, including a website (http://app1.unmc.edu/fgx/) and genetic tools that expedite the allelic replacement of the transposon in the mutants with useful selectable markers and fluorescent reporter fusions, have been generated. Overall, this library and associated tools will have a significant impact on studies investigating S. aureus pathogenesis and biology and serve as a useful paradigm for the study of other bacterial systems.
Characterization of Synthetic Polymers by Electrospray-Assisted Pyrolysis Ionization-Mass Spectrometry (2005)

Rapid characterization of synthetic polymers based on the differences in the appearance of the polar pyrolysate ions was achieved by electrospray-assisted pyrolysis ionization-mass spectrometry. The pyrolytical products produced by a commercial Curie point pyroprobe were conducted to the tip of a capillary, where charged methanol droplets were generated continuously by electrospray. Polar components in the pyrolysates may react directly with the protonated methanol ions or fuse with the charged methanol droplets; electrospray ionization proceeds from the fused droplets to generate protonated analyte ions. The mass spectra obtained through this approach were used to rapidly distinguish the polymer standards that differ in the nature of building units, degrees of polymerization, and copolymerization coefficients.
Cationic liposomes (Lipofectin) mediate retroviral infection in the absence of specific receptors (1990)

We have used cationic liposomes (Lipofectin) to facilitate retrovirus infection of cells lacking the homologous viral receptor. Ecotropic murine leukemia virus and packaged retroviral vectors were shown to infect mink cells, and amphotropic packaged retroviral vectors were shown to infect hamster cells in the presence of Lipofectin but not in the presence of Polybrene. Lipofectin-mediated infection of cells lacking the homologous receptor results in a titer approximately 0.1% of the titer in cells with the homologous receptor, using the standard Polybrene protocol. The use of Lipofectin may provide a simple means to experimentally infect a wide variety of cells with viruses not normally infectious for the species, tissue, or cell type of interest.
2DEG electrodes for piezoelectric transduction of AlGaN/GaN MEMS resonators (2013)

A 2D electron gas (2DEG) interdigitated transducer (IDT) in Gallium Nitride (GaN) resonators is introduced and demonstrated. This metal-free transduction does not suffer from the loss mechanisms associated with more commonly used metal electrodes. As a result, this transducer can be used for both the direct interrogation of GaN electromechanical properties and the realization of high Q resonators. A 1.2 GHz bulk acoustic resonator with mechanical Q of 1885 is demonstrated, with frequency quality factor product (f·Q) of 2.3×10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">12</sup> , the highest measured in GaN to date.
When all else fails, try HARM REDUCTION (1999)

Log in or Register Subscribe to journalSubscribe Get new issue alertsGet alerts Enter your Email address: Wolters Kluwer Health may email you for journal alerts and information, but is committed to maintaining your privacy and will not share your personal information without your express consent. For more information, please refer to our Privacy Policy. Subscribe to eTOC Secondary Logo Journal Logo All Articles Images Videos Podcasts Blogs Advanced Search Toggle navigation Subscribe Register Login Articles & Issues Current IssueArchivesePub Ahead-of-Print Collections Acute/Critical CareContinuing EducationCOVID-19 Disaster and Emergency PreparednessEnvironmental Health and IssuesEthics Evidence-Based Practice, Step by StepFamily CaregiversFocus on DEIGeriatric NursingHolistic NursingIn The CommunityInfectious DiseaseInternational TopicsLegal ClinicMental HealthNurse WellbeingNursing Research, Step By StepNursing ResourcesPalliative CarePatient SafetyPolicy and PoliticsProfessional Development, Leadership and ScholarshipProfessional Partners Supporting Diverse Family Caregivers Across SettingsQI: Quality ImprovementResearchSocial Media and Information TechnologySpecial SupplementsStrip SavvySupporting Family Caregivers: No Longer Home AloneSystematic Reviews Step by StepTeaching For PracticeTransforming Care at the Bedside (TCAB)Uniforms (Nursing)Uniting States, Sharing StrategiesWomen's HealthWriting Resources Videos Videos WebinarsFor Authors Call for ManuscriptsSubmit a ManuscriptInformation for AuthorsLanguage Editing ServicesAuthor PermissionsOpen Access Journal Info About the JournalAdvertising and BusinessAward WinnersBook of the Year AwardsContact InfoEditorial BoardInformation for FacultyInformation for MediaInformation for Peer ReviewersLetters to the EditorNurse Faculty Scholars / AJN Mentored Writing AwardReprintsRights and PermissionsSubscription ServicesNurses: Submit Your Photos! All Articles Images Videos Podcasts Blogs Advanced Search
Multi-dimensional clustering (2003)

We describe the design and implementation of a new data layout scheme, called multi-dimensional clustering, in DB2 Universal Database Version 8. Many applications, e.g., OLAP and data warehousing, process a table or tables in a database using a multi-dimensional access paradigm. Currently, most database systems can only support organization of a table using a primary clustering index. Secondary indexes are created to access the tables when the primary key index is not applicable. Unfortunately, secondary indexes perform many random I/O accesses against the table for a simple operation such as a range query. Our work in multi-dimensional clustering addresses this important deficiency in database systems. Multi-Dimensional Clustering is based on the definition of one or more orthogonal clustering attributes (or expressions) of a table. The table is organized physically by associating records with similar values for the dimension attributes in a cluster. We describe novel techniques for maintaining this physical layout efficiently and methods of processing database operations that provide significant performance improvements. We show results from experiments using a star-schema database to validate our claims of performance with minimal overhead.
Polarization of the Fluorescence of Solutions Subjected to an Electric Field (1965)

The dipole moments of fluorescent molecules in nonpolar solvents in the lowest singlet excited state has been previously calculated from observations of the increase in fluorescence polarization when the molecules are subjected to an electric field on the assumption that the Langevin distribution prevails at the time of the emission. By the use of Benoit's theory of the rotational diffusion of a dipole placed in an electric field, and under conditions of isotropic depolarization, an equation is obtained which allows the calculation of the excited dipole moment when the equilibrium distribution is not reached during the excited state.
Energy Transfer from Quantum Dots to Metal–Organic Frameworks for Enhanced Light Harvesting (2013)

Because of their efficient energy-transport properties, porphyrin-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are attractive compounds for solar photochemistry applications. However, their absorption bands provide limited coverage in the visible spectral range for light-harvesting applications. We report here the functionalization of porphyrin-based MOFs with CdSe/ZnS core/shell quantum dots (QDs) for the enhancement of light harvesting via energy transfer from the QDs to the MOFs. The broad absorption band of the QDs in the visible region offers greater coverage of the solar spectrum by QD-MOF hybrid structures. We show through time-resolved emission studies that photoexcitation of the QDs is followed by energy transfer to the MOFs with efficiencies of more than 80%. This sensitization approach can result in a >50% increase in the number of photons harvested by a single monolayer MOF structure with a monolayer of QDs on the surface of the MOF.
Anti–Proteinase 3 Antibody Activation of Neutrophils Can Be Inhibited by α 1-Antitrypsin (2001)

Wegener's granulomatosis (WG) is classically associated with the presence of cytoplasmic antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies (c-ANCA). Proteinase 3 (PR3), the target antigen for c-ANCA, is inhibited by the antiprotease alpha1-antitrypsin (A1AT), and recent studies have demonstrated that WG patients who are A1AT-deficient have a worse clinical course, suggesting that a protease-antiprotease imbalance may play a role in WG. We evaluated the effect of A1AT on anti-PR3 antibody-induced activation of neutrophils. The neutrophil was chosen because of its central role in the pathogenesis of WG. Isolated neutrophils from healthy controls were incubated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha to induce surface expression of PR3. Subsequently, they were stimulated with a monoclonal antibody to PR3, resulting in a significant increase in respiratory burst. Addition of A1AT (1 mg/ml) to the TNF-alpha- primed cells before the addition of the anti-PR3 antibody resulted in a 47% reduction in anti-PR3 antibody-induced activation. A1AT mediated this inhibitory action by preventing anti-PR3 antibody binding to PR3 on the cell, thereby preventing the PR3-FcgammaR11a cross-linkage required for cell activation. Further, anti-PR3 antibody-induced activation of neutrophils from WG patients can be reduced by 56% with A1AT. These data suggest that protease-antiprotease interactions may play a pivotal role in neutrophil activation in WG.
Properties of chimeric toxins with two recognition domains: interleukin 6 and transforming growth factor .alpha. at different locations in Pseudomonas exotoxin (1992)

Pseudomonas exotoxin (PE) is a potent cytotoxic agent that is composed of 613 amino acids arranged into three major domains. We have previously identified two positions where ligands can successfully be placed in PE to direct it to cells with specific surface receptors. One site is at the amino terminus and the other is close to but not at the C-terminus. To examine the possibility of constructing oncotoxins with two different recognition elements that will bind to two different receptors, we have placed cDNAs encoding either transforming growth factor alpha (TGF alpha) or interleukin 6 (IL6) at the 5' end of a PE gene and also inserted a cDNA encoding TGF alpha near the 3' end of the PE gene. The plasmids encoding these chimeric toxins were expressed in Escherichia coli and the chimeric proteins purified to near homogeneity. In all the new toxins, the TGF alpha near the C-terminus was inserted after amino acid 607 of PE and followed by amino acids 604-613 so that the correct PE C-terminus (REDLK) was preserved. For each chimera, the toxin portion was either PE4E, in which the cell binding domain (domain Ia) is mutated, PE40, in which domain Ia is deleted, or PE38, in which domain Ia and part of domain Ib are deleted. These derivatives of PE do not bind to the PE receptor and allow 607, 355, or 339 amino acids, respectively, between the two ligands.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Location services architecture for future mobile networks (2002)

The next generation mobile networks and their services are being designed to easily accommodate the growth and changes in technology that will occur during their operational lifetime. One such service is the location service. This may be used to provide location information for subscriber services (e.g. summon a taxi to the subscriber's current location), for "emergency services" (e.g. summon medical assistance to the subscriber's location) and to assist the mobile network's internal operations (e.g. location dependent handover). Technology is rapidly developing in this area, both within the mobile networks and outside (e.g. satellite GPS). A client server architecture provides an efficient and flexible design that can accommodate both the growth in service requirements and the changes in technology that will occur within the mobile networks. As the service and the technology develop, the measurement process and the servers may be upgraded to introduce new capabilities. In this way the network operator is assured of maintaining the most efficient and up-to-date capabilities and technology for the services within their network. This paper reviews the client server architecture and operations developed within the 3GPP UTRAN "third generation" mobile standards and their applications to future communications networks.
Cognitive Impairment and Effects on Upper Body Strength of Adults with Dementia (2008)

The purpose of this investigation was to examine the association between cognitive ability and upper body muscle strength. Two sources of existing data were pooled for this examination. Thirty-eight older participants diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease or dementia (25 women, 13 men; age = 83.2 +/- 5.6 years, MMSE score = 16.75 +/- 7.04, M +/- SD) underwent an assessment of grip strength via handheld dynamometry. Multiple-regression analysis indicated that cognitive status was a significant predictor of strength and, when combined in a model with age and sex, explained 57% of the between-individuals variance in handgrip strength. The findings from this exploratory investigation suggest that dementia is associated with strength loss, a key contributor to functional disability; this further justifies efforts to investigate mechanisms responsible for this decay and to preserve muscle integrity by integrating physical activity interventions, notably, muscle strengthening, into the lifestyle of adults with dementia.
Increased Glioma Growth in Mice Depleted of Macrophages (2007)

Macrophages can promote the growth of some tumors, such as those of the breast and lung, but it is unknown whether this is true for all tumors, including those of the nervous system. On the contrary, we have previously shown that macrophages can slow the progression of malignant gliomas through a tumor necrosis factor-dependent mechanism. Here, we provide evidence suggesting that this antitumor effect could be mediated by T lymphocytes, as their number was drastically reduced in tumor necrosis factor-deficient mice and inversely correlated with glioma volume. However, this correlation was only observed in allogeneic recipients, prompting a reevaluation of the role of macrophages in a nonimmunogenic context. Using syngeneic mice expressing the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase under the control of the CD11b promoter, we show that macrophages can exert an antitumor effect without the help of T lymphocytes. Macrophage depletion achieved by ganciclovir treatment resulted in a 33% increase in glioma volume. The antitumor effect of macrophages was not likely due to a tumoricidal activity because phagocytosis or apoptosis of glioma cells, transduced ex vivo with a lentiviral vector expressing green fluorescent protein, was rarely observed. Their antitumor effect was also not due to a destructive action on the tumor vasculature because macrophage depletion resulted in a modest reduction in vascular density. Therefore, this study suggests that macrophages can attenuate glioma growth by an unconventional mechanism. This study also validates a new transgenic model to explore the role of macrophages in cancer.
Spontaneous light emission in complex nanostructures (2004)

The spontaneous emission of an excited atom surrounded by different materials is studied in the framework of a semiclassical approach, where the transition dipole moment acts as the source of the emission field. The emission in the presence of semiinfinite media, metallic nanorings, spheres, gratings, and other complex geometries is investigated. Strong emission enhancement effects are obtained in some of these geometries associated to the excitation of plasmons (e.g., in nanorings or spheres). Furthermore, the emission is shown to take place only along narrow angular distributions when the atom is located inside a low-index dielectric and near its planar surface, or when metallic nanogratings are employed at certain resonant wave lengths. In particular, axially symmetric gratings made of real silver metal are considered, and both emission rate enhancement and focused far-field emission are achieved simultaneously when the grating is decorated with further nanostructures.
Susceptibility to hydrolysis of phenylboronic pinacol esters at physiological pH (2012)

Abstract Boronic acids and their esters are highly considered compounds for the design of new drugs and drug delivery devices, particularly as boron-carriers suitable for neutron capture therapy. However, these compounds are only marginally stable in water. Hydrolysis of some phenylboronic pinacol esters is described here. The kinetics is dependent on the substituents in the aromatic ring. Also the pH strongly influences the rate of the reaction, which is considerably accelerated at physiological pH. Therefore, care must be taken when considering these boronic pinacol esters for pharmacological purposes.
Linking drought‐resistance mechanisms to drought avoidance in upland rice using a QTL approach: progress and new opportunities to integrate stomatal and mesophyll responses (2002)

The advent of saturated molecular maps promised rapid progress towards the improvement of crops for genetically complex traits like drought resistance via analysis of quantitative trait loci (QTL). Progress with the identification of QTLs for drought resistance-related traits in rice is summarized here with the emphasis on a mapping population of a cross between drought-resistant varieties Azucena and Bala. Data which have used root morphological traits and indicators of drought avoidance in field-grown plants are reviewed, highlighting problems and uncertainties with the QTL approach. The contribution of root-growth QTLs to drought avoidance appears small in the experiments so far conducted, and the limitations of screening methodologies and the involvement of shoot-related mechanisms of drought resistance are studied. When compared to Azucena, Bala has been observed to have highly sensitive stomata, does not roll its leaves readily, has a greater ability to adjust osmotically, slows growth more rapidly when droughted and has a lower water-use efficiency. It is also a semi-dwarf variety and hence has a different canopy structure. There is a need to clarify the contribution of the shoot to drought resistance from the level of the biochemistry of photosynthesis through stomatal behaviour and leaf anatomy to canopy architecture. Recent advances in studying the physical and biochemical processes related to water use and drought stress offer the opportunity to advance a more holistic understanding of drought resistance. These include the potential use of infrared thermal imaging to study energy balance, integrated and online stable isotope analysis to dissect processes involved in carbon dioxide fixation and water evaporation, and leaf fluorescence to monitor photosynthesis and photochemical quenching. Justification and a strategy for this integrated approach is described, which has relevance to the study of drought resistance in most crops.