gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Dendritic Cells Acquire Antigens from Live Cells for Cross-Presentation to CTL (2001)

Dendritic cells (DC) can readily capture Ag from dead and dying cells for presentation to MHC class I-restricted CTL. We now show by using a primate model that DC also acquire Ag from healthy cells, including other DC. Coculture assays showed that fluorescently labeled plasma membrane was rapidly and efficiently transferred between DC, and transfer of intracellular proteins was observed to a lesser extent. Acquisition of labeled plasma membrane and intracellular protein was cell contact-dependent and was primarily a function of immature DC, whereas both immature and CD40L-matured DC could serve as donors. Moreover, immature DC could acquire labeled plasma membrane and intracellular proteins from a wide range of hemopoietic cells, including macrophages, B cells, and activated T cells. Notably, macrophages, which readily phagocytose apoptotic bodies, were very inefficient at acquiring labeled plasma membrane and intracellular proteins from other live macrophages or DC. With live-cell imaging techniques, we demonstrate that individual DC physically extract plasma membrane from other DC, generating endocytic vesicles of up to 1 microm in diameter. Finally, DC but not macrophages acquired an endogenous melanoma Ag expressed by live DC and cross-presented Ag to MHC class I-restricted CTL, demonstrating the immunological relevance of our finding. These data show for the first time that DC readily acquire Ag from other live cells. We suggest that Ag acquisition from live cells may provide a novel mechanism whereby DC can present Ag in the absence of direct infection, and may serve to expand and regulate the immune response in vivo.
Central dizziness associated with cerebral blood flow disorders. (1994)

This retrospective study describes the use of transcranial Doppler (TCD) and history for further defining and diagnosing cerebral blood flow (CBF) disorders in patients with central dizziness. Central dizziness was defined as dizziness of nonlabyrinthine, non-peripheral causes. It was believed that at least some of the causes for central dizziness are not unknown but are associated with CBF disorders. Fifty patients who presented with central dizziness were examined and subsequently tested with TCD. In 33 of 50 cases (66%) a diagnosis could be assigned after TCD; whereas, on the basis of both history and TCD a diagnosis was assigned to 38 patients (76%).
Activation of the midbrain periaqueductal gray induces airway smooth muscle relaxation (2002)

In this study, we examined effects of chemical stimulation of the ventrolateral region of the midbrain periaqueductal gray (vl PAG) on airway smooth muscle tone. We observed that in anesthetized, paralyzed, and artificially ventilated ferrets, vl PAG stimulation elicited airway smooth muscle relaxation. To clarify the mechanisms underlying this observation, we examined the GABA-GABA(A) receptor signaling pathway by 1) examining the expression of GABA(A) receptors on airway-related vagal preganglionic neurons (AVPNs) located in the rostral nucleus ambiguus region (rNA), by use of receptor immunochemistry and confocal microscopy; 2) measuring GABA release within the rNA by using microdialysis; and 3) performing physiological experiments to determine the effects of selective blockade of GABA(A) receptors expressed by AVPNs in the rNA region on vl PAG-induced airway relaxation, thereby defining the role of the GABA(A) receptor subtype in this process. We observed that AVPNs located in the rNA region do express the GABA(A) receptor beta-subtype. In addition, we demonstrated that activation of vl PAG induced GABA release within the rNA region, and this release was associated with airway smooth muscle relaxation. Blockade of the GABA(A) receptor subtype expressed by AVPNs in the rNA by bicuculline diminished the inhibitory effects of vl PAG stimulation on airway smooth muscle tone. These data indicate, for the first time, that activation of vl PAG dilates the airways by a release of GABA and activation of GABA(A) receptors expressed by AVPNs.
FBBM: A New Backup Method with Data De-duplication Capability (2008)

Data de-duplication eliminates multiple copies of the same file and repeated chunks or segments of data within those files, thus reduces disk capacity and bandwidth required for backups. Recently, driven by the needs of large-capacity/high performance data backup, data de-duplication is becoming a new research focus of the storage industry. In this paper, we present a fingerprint-based backup method named FBBM which performs data de-duplication in the backup. FBBM breaks files into variable sized chunks using anchor-based chunking scheme for the purpose of duplication detection. Chunks are stored on a write-once RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks) and indexed and addressed by the hash of their content, this leads to intrinsically single instance storage. FBBM outperforms traditional backup methods in terms of storage and bandwidth saving. This makes it a promising tool for modern enterprises to backup or archive their ever-growing valuable data with low storage and bandwidth cost.
Compatibility among fungicide treatments on soybean seeds through film coating and inoculation with Bradyrhizobium strains (2010)

This research evaluated the development of soybean plants grown in a greenhouse, from seeds that were treated with fungicide, film coated and inoculated with Bradyrhizobium. Seeds from the soybean cultivar 'Vencedora' were submitted to treatments disposed in a factorial 5 x 3 x 2 design. The seeds were treated with Derosal Plus® with polymer; Tegran® with polymer; Derosal Plus® without polymer, Tegran® without polymer; and without fungicide and without polymer. After the chemical treatment, the seeds were inoculated with peat or liquid inoculants, and without inoculant. The chemical treatments were used either previous to or after the six months of storage. Seed inoculation was performed with CPAC15 and BR29 strains, immediately before sowing in Leonard pots (two seedlings per pot). The plants at R2 stage were evaluated through the number and dry matter weight of nodules, the shoot dry matter weight, and the chlorophyll content. The results indicated that the treatments with Derosal Plus or Tegran-associated or not with the polymer, and independent of the application time-did not affect nodule establishment and development, or nitrogen fixation when the seeds were inoculated. Liquid and peat inoculants applied to the seeds were equally efficient in the formation of nodules in soybean plants; however, the liquid inoculant promoted higher shoot dry matter weight.
Mississippian coral latitudinal diversity gradients (western interior United States): Testing the limits of high resolution diversity data (1997)

Analysis of high resolution diversity data for Mississippian corals in the western interior United States yielded mild latitudinal diversity gradients despite the small geographic area covered by samples and a large influence on diversity patterns by geographic sampling intensity (sample bias). Three competing plate tectonic reconstructions were tested using the diversity patterns. Although none could be forcefully rejected, one reconstruction proved less consistent with diversity patterns than the other two and additional coral diversity data from farther north in Canada would better discriminate the two equivalent reconstructions. Despite the relatively high sampling intensity represented by the analyzed database, diversity patterns were greatly affected by sample abundance and distribution. Hence, some effort at recognizing and accounting for sample bias should be undertaken in any study of latitudinal diversity gradients. Small-scale geographic lumping of sample localities had only small effects on geographic diversity patterns. However, large-scale (e.g., regional) geographic lumping of diversity data may not yield latitudinally sensitive diversity patterns. Temporal changes in coral diversity in this region reflect changes in eustacy, local tectonism, and terrigenous sediment flux, far more than they do shifting latitude. Highest regional diversity occurred during the interval when the studied region occupied the highest latitude. Therefore, diversity data from different regions may not be comparable, in terms of latitudinal inference. Small-scale stratigraphic lumping of the data caused a nearly complete loss of the latitudinal diversity patterns apparent prior to lumping. Hence, the narrowest possible stratigraphic resolution should be maintained in analyzing latitudinal diversity gradients.
Frequent promoter hypermethylation of tumor-related genes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (2009)

Squamous cell carcinomas of head and neck (HNSCC) are a result of multiple genetic and epigenetic alterations. Epigenetic inactivation of tumor suppressor genes is an important event in head and neck carcinogenesis. Here we analyzed the promoter methylation of 15 genes (RASSF1A, p16, MGMT, DAPK, RARbeta, MLH1, CDH1, GSTP1, RASSF2, RASSF4, RASSF5, MST1, MST2, LATS1, LATS2) in 54 HNSCC and in matching 23 normal tissues. Methylation of these tumor-related genes (TRG) was significantly more frequent in HNSCC (42%) compared to normal samples (23%; p<0.05). Particularly, methylation of p16 (60%), MGMT (53%), DAPK (67%), RARbeta (75%), MLH1 (69%), CDH1 (43%), RASSF5 and MST1 (96%) was often found in HNSCC. Methylation of RASSF1A (18%), GSTP1 (4%), RASSF4 (13%), MST2 (4%), LATS1 (24%) and LATS2 (8%) was less frequently detected. A trend of increased TRG methylation in more advanced tumor stages and less differentiated HNSCC was observed. Methylation of p16 was significantly higher in poorly differentiated HNSCC (p=0.037) and RASSF5 methylation occurred preferentially in advanced tumor stages (p<0.05). Methylation of RASSF4 was higher in patients with recurrent HNSCC (23%) than patients without relapse (0%; p=0.033). Methylation of TRG in head and neck cancer cell lines was observed at similar frequency as in primary HNSCC. In summary, frequent hyper-methylation of tumor-related genes in HNSCC was detected and this epigenetic silencing event may have an essential role in head and neck carcinogenesis.
Can diclofenac ester prodrug promote direct penetration across the skin (2014)

This research project was to determine the extents of direct penetration across live rat skin from topical application of diclofenac and its ester prodrug. Diclofenac and its prodrugs were formulated into patches with different pressure sensitive adhesives. In vitro flux studies across the human epidermis and across hairless rat skin were conducted. Direct penetration across live rat skin from topical application of either a diclofenac acid patch or a glycerol diclofenac ester patch were evaluated with a dual agar gel in situ rat model. Diclofenac ester prodrugs showed higher in vitro fluxes from patches with polyisobutylene adhesives, while diclofenac acid showed higher fluxes in patches with polyacrylate adhesives. Direct penetration from diclofenac acid patch accounted for 0.12% of the drug absorbed into the body and 78% of the drug collected in the agar gel, and the numbers from glycerol diclofenac ester patch were 0.083% and 77%, respectively. Topical application of either diclofenac acid patch or its ester prodrug patch demonstrated some direct penetration across the live rat skin, but the extent of direct penetration across the live rat skin from the glycerol diclofenac ester patch was not advantageous over that from the diclofenac acid patch.
Mechanisms that Promote and Suppress Chromosomal Translocations in Lymphocytes (2011)

Recurrent chromosomal translocations are characteristic features of many types of cancers, especially lymphomas and leukemias. Several basic mechanistic factors are required for the generation of most translocations. First, DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) must be present simultaneously at the two participating loci. Second, the two broken loci must either be in proximity or be moved into proximity to be joined. Finally, cellular DNA repair pathways must be available to join the two broken loci to complete the translocation. These mechanistic factors can vary in different normal and mutant cells and, as a result, substantially influence the frequency at which particular translocations are generated in a given cell type. Ultimately, however, appearance of recurrent oncogenic translocations in tumors is, in most cases, strongly influenced by selection for the translocated oncogene during the tumorigenesis process. In this review, we discuss in depth the factors and pathways that contribute to the generation of translocations in lymphocytes and other cell types. We also discuss recent findings regarding mechanisms that underlie the appearance of recurrent translocations in tumors.
Processing of the intracellular form of the west Nile virus capsid protein by the viral NS2B-NS3 protease: an in vitro study (1994)

According to the existing model of flavivirus polyprotein processing, one of the cleavages in the amino-terminal part of the flavivirus polyprotein by host cell signalases results in formation of prM (precursor to one of the structural proteins, M) and the membrane-bound intracellular form of the viral capsid protein (Cint) retaining the prM signal sequence at its carboxy terminus. This hydrophobic anchor is subsequently removed by the viral protease, resulting in formation of the mature viral capsid protein found in virions (Cvir). We have prepared in vitro expression cassettes coding for both forms of the capsid protein, for the prM protein, for the C-prM precursor, and for the viral protease components of West Nile flavivirus and characterized their translation products. Using Cint and Cvir translation products as molecular markers, we have observed processing of the intracellular form of the West Nile capsid protein by the viral protease in vitro both upon cotranslation of the C-prM precursor and the viral protease-encoding cassette and by incubation of C-prM translation products with a detergent-solubilized extract of cells infected with a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing the active viral protease. The cleavage of Cint by the viral protease at the predicted dibasic site was verified by introduction of point mutations into the cleavage site and an adjacent region. These studies provide the first direct demonstration of processing of the intracellular form of the flavivirus capsid protein by the viral protease.
Generation of 50-fs, 5-nJ pulses at 103 μm from a wave-breaking-free fiber laser (2003)

We report the generation of 6-nJ chirped pulses from a mode-locked Yb fiber laser at 1.03 micrometre. A linear anomalous-dispersion segment suppresses wave-breaking effects of solitonlike pulse shaping at high energies. The dechirped pulse duration is 50 fs, and the energy is 5 nJ. This laser produces twice the pulse energy and average power, and approximately five times the peak power, of the previous best mode-locked fiber laser. It is to our knowledge the first fiber laser that directly offers performance similar to that of solid-state lasers such as Ti:sapphire.
Dielectric properties of lung tissue as a function of air content (1993)

Dielectric measurements were made on lung samples with different electrode systems in the frequency range 5 kHz-100 kHz. In the case of plate electrodes and spot electrodes, the effects of electrode polarization were partly corrected. An air filling factor F is defined, which is determined from the mass and volume of the sample. The results indicate that the electrical properties of lung tissue are highly dependent on the condition of the tissue. Furthermore they show that the conductivity sigma as well as the relative permittivity epsilon r decreases with increasing F. This is discussed using histological material. Using a simple theoretical model, the decrease of sigma and epsilon r is explained by the thinning of the alveolar walls as well as by the deformation of the epithelial cells and blood vessels through the expansion of the alveoli.
Multiple Molecular Chaperones Complex with Misfolded Large Oligomeric Glycoproteins in the Endoplasmic Reticulum (1997)

Thyroglobulin (Tg), the major protein secreted by thyroid epithelial cells and precursor of thyroid hormones, is a large dimeric glycoprotein with multiple disulfide bonds. The folding and assembly of this complex molecule begins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and is likely to involve a variety of reactions catalyzed by molecular chaperones (Kuznetsov, G., Chen, L. B., and Nigam, S. K. (1994) J. Biol. Chem. 269, 22990-22995). By coimmunoprecipitation in rat thyroid cells, we were able to demonstrate that BiP, grp94, ERp72, and grp170, four proteins believed to function as specific molecular chaperones, complex with Tg during its maturation. The same complex of the four putative chaperones with Tg was observed in cells treated with tunicamycin, indicating that these four ER chaperones stably associate with Tg when it is misfolded/misassembled due to inhibition of its glycosylation. BiP, grp94, and ERp72 were also found to associate with Tg in cells in which misfolding was induced by perturbing ER calcium stores. To determine if the assembly of a complex between the four chaperones and Tg under conditions of misglycosylation was unique to the maturation of this particular secretory protein or a more general phenomenon, adenovirus-transformed rat thyroid cells that do not synthesize Tg were analyzed. In these transformed cells, the only protein these same four chaperones were found to complex with was a protein of approximately 200 kDa. This protein was subsequently identified as thrombospondin, which, like Tg, is a large oligomeric secreted glycoprotein with multiple disulfide bonds. We therefore propose that these ER chaperones complex together with a variety of large oligomeric secretory glycoproteins as they fold and assemble in the ER.
Estrogen Receptor Gene Expression in Relation to Neuropsychiatric Disorders (2003)

Compelling evidence now exists for estrogen's involvement in the regulation of mood and cognitive functions. Serum estrogen levels have been shown to play an important role in the expression of psychiatric disorders such as depression and schizophrenia. We have characterized the distribution of the estrogen receptors, ERalpha and ERbeta, in the human brain and showed a preferential limbic-related expression pattern for these transcripts. The ERalpha mRNA dominates in the amygdala and hypothalamus, suggesting estrogen modulation of autonomic and neuroendocrine as well as emotional functions. In contrast, the hippocampal formation, entorhinal cortex, and thalamus appear to be ERbeta-dominant areas, suggesting a role for ERbeta in cognition, non-emotional memory, and motor functions. The role of estradiol can also be examined in regard to its relationship to other neurotransmitter systems known to be linked to specific psychiatric disorders. Estradiol has been shown to regulate the serotonin (5-HT) system, which has been strongly implicated in affective disorders. We have studied a genetic animal model of depression, and found altered 5-HT receptor mRNA levels in discrete brain regions; many of the abnormalities are reversed by estradiol treatment, especially for the 5-HT(2A) receptor subtype. The norepinephrine (NE) system is, similar to serotonin, a target for antidepressant drugs, and projects to mesocorticolimbic structures implicated in mood disorders. We have recently observed that NE neurons in the human locus coeruleus (LC) express moderate levels of both ER transcripts. The possibility of estrogen's regulating LC function has been documented in animal studies. Results from our preliminary experiments have revealed that the ERbeta mRNA is decreased in persons committing suicide, a cause of death that is highly linked to affective disorder. Follow-up studies are currently under way with a much larger population to validate these results. Overall, the discrete anatomical organization of the ER mRNAs in the human brain provide evidence as to the specific neuronal populations in which the actions of ERs could modulate mood and thus underlie the neuropathology of psychiatric disorders such as depression.
Anti-CD4 abrogates rejection and reestablishes long-term tolerance to syngeneic newborn hearts grafted in mice chronically infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. (1992)

The contribution of autoimmunity in the genesis of chronic Chagas' heart pathology is not clear. In the present study, we show that: (a) BALB/c mice chronically infected with Trypanosoma cruzi reject syngeneic newborn hearts; (b) in vivo treatment with anti-CD4 but not anti-CD8 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) abrogates rejection; (c) CD4+ T cells from chronically infected mice proliferate in vitro to syngeneic myocardium antigens and induce heart graft destruction when injected in situ; (d) anti-CD4 treatment of chronically infected mice establishes long-term tolerance to syngeneic heart grafts; and (e) the state of tolerance is related to in vitro and in vivo unresponsiveness of the CD4+ T cells. These findings allow us to suggest that autoimmunity is the major mechanism implicated in the rejection of syngeneic heart tissues grafted into the pinna of the ear of mice chronically infected with T. cruzi. The similarity of the lesions to those found in humans suggests that autoimmunity is involved in the pathogenesis of chagasic cardiomyopathy in humans. Moreover, this could imply therapeutic strategies by reestablishing long-term tissue-specific tolerance with anti-CD4 mAb treatment, mediating anergy, or deleting the responder CD4+ T cells to heart tissue antigens.
Cathodoluminescence spectroscopy of epitaxial-lateral-overgrown nonpolar (11-20) and semipolar (11-22) GaN in relation to microstructural characterization (2007)

Low temperature spatially resolved cathodoluminescence was carried out on GaN films grown by the epitaxial-lateral-overgrowth (ELO) technique with the nonpolar (11-20) and the semipolar (11-22) orientations on R- and M-sapphires, respectively. Defect related optical transitions were identified and their localization was correlated to different regions of ELO. The sample microstructure was further investigated by plan-view and cross-section transmission electron microscopies. It is shown that the defect related emissions are mainly localized in the seed of the samples, but different defects occur as well in the wings, especially in the case of nonpolar GaN. The structural defect densities are lowest in the overgrown wings of semipolar GaN. In particular, the [0001] wing region of semipolar ELO-GaN is almost defect-free with a cathodoluminescence spectrum dominated by the GaN band-edge emission at 3.476eV.