gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Approaches Towards Efficient Use of Boar Semen in the Pig Industry (2011)

The current cervical artificial insemination (CAI) procedure, involving deposition of excessive sperm numbers, is uneconomical for pig industry. The most obvious alternative requires uterine deposition in combination with fixed-time AI, which would reduce the number of sperm required per pregnant sow, thus allowing the best use of valuable boars and, ultimately, the commercial integration of frozen-thawed and sexed sperm. This review depicts possible best ways to implement an efficient use of liquid-stored, frozen-thawed and sexed sperm by the pig industry.
Modification of Plant Lipid Synthesis (1995)

Genetic engineering of new storage oils and fats has produced oil crop plants with fatty acid compositions unattainable by plant breeding alone. The combination of classical breeding methods with molecular techniques provides new ways for designing oils for food and nonfood uses. Alterations in the position and number of double bonds, variation in fatty acid chain length, and the introduction of desired functional groups have already been achieved in model systems. Short-term prospects include crops such as rapeseed or soybean engineered to have greater than 70 to 80 percent medium-chain fatty acids by content, greater than 90 percent oleic acid, and high erucic acid content, and engineered to form ricinoleic acid in seed storage tissues.
Parallel VLSI-routing models for polymorphic processors array (2002)

This paper explores various parallel processing methods for concurrent multi-layer VLSI-routing. One approach is based on efficient execution of the maze routing algorithm on custom processing elements arranged in the form of a hexagonal array. The key features here are the mapping policy and the acceleration of three-dimensional search operations. Subsequently, parallel algorithms over a reconfigurable SIMD array is discussed to handle a wider range of routing applications. A routing framework is discussed that consolidates many of the existing specialized algorithms such as channel, switch-box and maze routers into one muting system. The concept of a total grid-graph is used to capture the state of the routing region and propose new and efficient parallel algorithms for cycle detection cycle elimination, and tree reduction on such graphs. The proposed algorithms scale well with increased problem sizes since they require only O (log(N)) time given a N/sup 2/-node grid-graph. Based on these algorithms, the paper develops two types of generalized detailed routers, each capable of finding paths concurrently spanning multiple layers. The first, called a parallel chord router, has the ability to compute various "useful" route patterns in close to constant time; the second is an adaptation of maze routing capable of simultaneously expanding from multiple pins. In addition, a parallel hill-climbing algorithm is discussed that can be used to improve a given route, if possible, by iteratively identifying and rewiring bends in the route.
Effects of febuxostat on metabolic and renal alterations in rats with fructose-induced metabolic syndrome (2008)

Increased fructose consumption is associated with hyperuricemia, metabolic syndrome, and renal damage. This study evaluated whether febuxostat (Fx), an investigational nonpurine, and selective xanthine oxidase inhibitor, could alleviate the features of metabolic syndrome as well as the renal hemodynamic alterations and afferent arteriolopathy induced by a high-fructose diet in rats. Two groups of rats were fed a high-fructose diet (60% fructose) for 8 wk, and two groups received a normal diet. For each diet, one group was treated with Fx (5-6 mg.kg(-1).day(-1) in the drinking water) during the last 4 wk (i.e., after the onset of metabolic syndrome), and the other received no treatment (placebo; P). Body weight was measured daily. Systolic blood pressure and fasting plasma uric acid (UA), insulin, and triglycerides were measured at baseline and at 4 and 8 wk. Renal hemodynamics and histomorphology were evaluated at the end of the study. A high-fructose diet was associated with hyperuricemia, hypertension, as well as increased plasma triglycerides and insulin. Compared with fructose+P, fructose+Fx rats showed significantly lowered blood pressure, UA, triglycerides, and insulin (P < 0.05 for all comparisons). Moreover, fructose+Fx rats had significantly reduced glomerular pressure, renal vasoconstriction, and afferent arteriolar area relative to fructose+P rats. Fx treatment in rats on a normal diet had no significant effects. In conclusion, normalization of plasma UA with Fx in rats with metabolic syndrome alleviated both metabolic and glomerular hemodynamic and morphological alterations. These results provide further evidence for a pathogenic role of hyperuricemia in fructose-mediated metabolic syndrome.
Small-molecule inhibition of Wee1 kinase by MK-1775 selectively sensitizes p53-deficient tumor cells to DNA-damaging agents (2009)

Wee1 is a tyrosine kinase that phosphorylates and inactivates CDC2 and is involved in G(2) checkpoint signaling. Because p53 is a key regulator in the G(1) checkpoint, p53-deficient tumors rely only on the G(2) checkpoint after DNA damage. Hence, such tumors are selectively sensitized to DNA-damaging agents by Wee1 inhibition. Here, we report the discovery of a potent and selective small-molecule inhibitor of Wee1 kinase, MK-1775. This compound inhibits phosphorylation of CDC2 at Tyr15 (CDC2Y15), a direct substrate of Wee1 kinase in cells. MK-1775 abrogates G(2) DNA damage checkpoint, leading to apoptosis in combination with DNA-damaging chemotherapeutic agents such as gemcitabine, carboplatin, and cisplatin selectively in p53-deficient cells. In vivo, MK-1775 potentiates tumor growth inhibition by these agents, and cotreatment does not significantly increase toxicity. The enhancement of antitumor effect by MK-1775 was well correlated with inhibition of CDC2Y15 phosphorylation in tumor tissue and skin hair follicles. Our data indicate that Wee1 inhibition provides a new approach for treatment of multiple human malignancies.
Series elastic actuators for high fidelity force control (2002)

Series elastic actuators provide many benefits in force control of robots in unconstrained environments. These benefits include high force fidelity, extremely low impedance, low friction, and good force control bandwidth. Series elastic actuators employ a novel mechanical design architecture which goes against the common machine design principal of “stiffer is better”. A compliant element is placed between the gear train and driven load to intentionally reduce the stiffness of the actuator. A position sensor measures the deflection, and the force output is accurately calculated using Hooke’s Law ( F = Kx ). A control loop then servos the actuator to the desired output force. The resulting actuator has inherent shock tolerance, high force fidelity and extremely low impedance. These characteristics are desirable in many applications including legged robots, exoskeletons for human performance amplification, robotic arms, haptic interfaces, and adaptive suspensions.
Heterogeneity in alkaline phosphatase isozyme expression in human testicular germ cell tumours: An enzyme-/immunohistochemical and molecular analysis (1999)

In humans, alkaline phosphatases are encoded by one tissue-non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNAP) gene and three tissue-specific alkaline phosphatase genes, intestinal, placental (PLAP), and germ cell-specific alkaline phosphatase (GCAP). Although the presence of alkaline phosphatases in testicular germ cell tumours (TGCTs) of adolescents and adults has been utilized for both detection and patient monitoring, it is not known in detail which isozymes are expressed. Since alkaline phosphatase is detected in carcinoma in situ (CIS), the common precursor of all TGCTs, it might provide a marker for the early diagnosis of TGCTs. Testicular cancers of germ cell and non-germ cell origin along with testicular parenchyma with and without CIS have been analysed for the expression of the different alkaline phosphatase isozymes. Antibodies to TNAP and PLAP/GCAP showed positivity in CIS, seminoma, and embryonal carcinoma. The heterogeneous staining pattern detected in frozen tissue sections was similar to the pattern found in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded material, indicating a biological phenomenon and not a handling artefact. Since PLAP and GCAP cannot be distinguished using immunohistochemistry, the expression of these isozymes was studied at the molecular level using a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) approach, in combination with a primer extension assay. The results show that CIS and seminoma predominantly express GCAP, while in embryonal carcinoma the expression of GCAP versus PLAP varies. Due to the presence of alkaline phosphatase transcripts in normal testicular parenchyma, an RT-PCR-based analysis of alkaline phosphatase is not informative for the early detection of TGCTs in biopsy samples.
Fast Hydrazone Reactants: Electronic and Acid/Base Effects Strongly Influence Rate at Biological pH (2013)

Kinetics studies with structurally varied aldehydes and ketones in aqueous buffer at pH 7.4 reveal that carbonyl compounds with neighboring acid/base groups form hydrazones at accelerated rates. Similarly, tests of a hydrazine with a neighboring carboxylic acid group show that it also reacts at an accelerated rate. Rate constants for the fastest carbonyl/hydrazine combinations are 2-20 M(-1) s(-1), which is faster than recent strain-promoted cycloaddition reactions.
Certain topics in telegraph transmission theory (2002)

The most obvious method for determining the distortion of telegraph signals is to calculate the transients of the telegraph system. This method has been treated by various writers, and solutions are available for telegraph lines with simple terminal conditions. It is well known that the extension of the same methods to more complicated terminal conditions, which represent the usual terminal apparatus, leads to great difficulties. The present paper attacks the same problem from the alternative standpoint of the steady-state characteristics of the system. This method has the advantage over the method of transients that the complication of the circuit which results from the use of terminal apparatus does not complicate the calculations materially. This method of treatment necessitates expressing the criteria of distortionless transmission in terms of the steady-state characteristics. Accordingly, a considerable portion of the paper describes and illustrates a method for making this translation. A discussion is given of the minimum frequency range required for transmission at a given speed of signaling. In the case of carrier telegraphy, this discussion includes a comparison of single-sideband and double-sideband transmission. A number of incidental topics is also discussed.
Results from a phase 2 study of enzalutamide (ENZA), an androgen receptor (AR) inhibitor, in advanced AR+ triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). (2015)

1003 Background: The AR may be a therapeutic target for pts with androgen-driven TNBC. ENZA, a potent AR inhibitor, is approved in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and improves median PFS compared to bicalutamide in men with mCRPC (15.7 vs 5.8 mos; HR 0.44; p<0.0001). Methods: MDV3100-11 was an open-label, Simon 2-stage study evaluating single agent ENZA in advanced AR+ TNBC (AR >0% by IHC; NCT01889238). Pts could be prescreened for AR, and have non-measurable bone disease and unlimited prior regimens; CNS metastases or seizure history were exclusionary. The primary endpoint was clinical benefit (CR, PR or SD) at 16 wks (CBR16) in ‘Evaluable’ pts defined as having both AR IHC ≥10% and a response assessment. CBR24, PFS, response rate, and safety were assessed. An androgen-driven gene signature (Dx) was created from gene profiling and outcomes were assessed accordingly. Stage 2 enrolled if CBR16 was ≥3 of 26 Evaluable pts; H0 was rejected if CBR16 was ≥9 in 62 yielding 85% power at 5% significance to test against a 1-sided alternative (CBR16 ≥20%). Results: As of 16 JAN 2015, 404 samples were tested for AR IHC: 79% had AR >0%; 55% had AR ≥10%. 118 pts were treated with ENZA; 43 pts were not Evaluable (29 AR <10%; 14 AR ≥10% but no response assessment). Key outcomes in the defined populations are below as shown in the Table. Over 50% received ENZA as 1st or 2nd line; mPFS in these pts was 32 wks in Dx+ and 9 wks in Dx-. Two CRs and 5 PRs have been observed. Related AEs in ≥10% of 118 pts were fatigue (34%), nausea (25%), decreased appetite (13%), diarrhea and hot flush (10%). Fatigue (5%) was the only AE ≥ Grade 3 in ≥5%. Conclusions: This is the largest study of an AR inhibitor in TNBC. IHC results suggest AR prevalence is higher than previously reported. 47% of pts had an androgen-related gene signature (Dx+) and clinical outcomes appeared superior in this group. AEs from ENZA were consistent with its known profile. ENZA may represent a novel therapeutic option in pts with TNBC who would otherwise receive cytotoxic chemotherapy. Clinical trial information: NCT01889238. Evaluable n=75 Dx+ n=56 Dx- n=62 CBR16, % (95% CI) 35 (24-46) 39 (27-53) 11 (5-21) CBR24, % (95% CI) 29 (20-41) 36 (24-49) 7 (2-16) mPFS, wks (95% CI) 14 (8-19) 16 (10-32) 8 (7-13)
Compliance with and accuracy of daily self-assessment of peak expiratory flows (PEF) in asthmatic subjects over a three month period (1996)

Serial peak expiratory flow (PEF) assessment has been proposed in the clinical evaluation of asthma. In subjects attending the asthma clinic of a tertiary care hospital, we wanted to assess: 1) compliance in performing PEF; and 2) accuracy of a PEF-diary. Twenty adult asthmatic subjects, all using inhaled steroids, were asked to assess their PEF in the morning and evening with a VMX instrument (Clement Clarke Int., Colombus, OH, USA). This instrument, which incorporates a standard mini-Wright peak flow meter, stores PEF data on a computer chip. Subjects were not informed that the values were being stored. The mean duration of PEF monitoring was 89 days (range 44-131 days). For the total of 20 subjects, it was estimated that 3,482 values should have been written down and stored on the VMX computer chip. Whilst 1,897 values (54%) were written down, only 1,533 (44%) were stored, 425 values being invented. Morning and evening values were stored on 34% of days; and values were stored at least once a day on 55% of days. The values written down corresponded precisely to stored values 90% of the time, and were within +/- 20 L 94% of the time. We conclude that: 1) compliance with daily peak expiratory flow assessments is generally poor in chronic stable asthmatic subjects assessed on two visits separated by a 3 month period; and 2) a substantial percentage of values (22%) is invented. The unsatisfactory compliance with peak expiratory flow monitoring in this group of asthmatics on inhaled steroids underlines the need for similar studies on peak expiratory flow monitoring as part of an action treatment plan, and in more severe and brittle asthmatics.
Diagnosis of Parasitic Diseases: Old and New Approaches (2009)

Methods for the diagnosis of infectious diseases have stagnated in the last 20-30 years. Few major advances in clinical diagnostic testing have been made since the introduction of PCR, although new technologies are being investigated. Many tests that form the backbone of the "modern" microbiology laboratory are based on very old and labour-intensive technologies such as microscopy for malaria. Pressing needs include more rapid tests without sacrificing sensitivity, value-added tests, and point-of-care tests for both high- and low-resource settings. In recent years, research has been focused on alternative methods to improve the diagnosis of parasitic diseases. These include immunoassays, molecular-based approaches, and proteomics using mass spectrometry platforms technology. This review summarizes the progress in new approaches in parasite diagnosis and discusses some of the merits and disadvantages of these tests.
Binary Actin-ADP-Ribosylating Toxins and their Use as Molecular Trojan Horses for Drug Delivery into Eukaryotic Cells (2008)

Binary bacterial toxins are unique AB-type toxins, composed of two non-linked proteins that act as a binding/translocation component and an enzyme component. All known actin-ADP-ribosylating toxins from clostridia possess this binary structure. This toxin family is comprised of the prototypical Clostridium botulinum C2 toxin, Clostridium perfringens iota toxin, Clostridium difficile CDT, and Clostridium spiroforme toxin. Once in the cytosol of host cells, these toxins transfer an ADP-ribose moiety from nicotinamide-adenosine-dinucleotide onto G-actin that then leads to depolymerization of actin filaments. In recent years much progress has been made towards understanding the cellular uptake mechanism of binary actin-ADP-ribosylating toxins, and in particular that of C2 toxin. Both components act in a precisely concerted manner to intoxicate eukaryotic cells. The binding/translocation (B-) component forms a complex with the enzyme (A-) component and mediates toxin binding to a cell-surface receptor. Following receptor-mediated endocytosis, the enzyme component escapes from acidic endosomes into the cytosol. Acidification of endosomes triggers pore formation by the binding/translocation component in endosomal membranes and the enzyme component subsequently translocates through the pore. This step requires a host cell chaperone, Hsp90. Due to their unique structure, binary toxins are naturally "tailor made" for transporting foreign proteins into the cytosol of host cells. Several highly specific and cell-permeable recombinant fusion proteins have been designed and successfully used in experimental cell research. This review will focus on the recent progress in studying binary actin ADP-ribosylating toxins as highly effective virulence factors and innovative tools for cell physiology as well as pharmacology.
Preparation and Characteristics of lead titanate by glow discharge using metal-organic Precursors (1993)

Abstract PbTiO3 thin films on Si substrate were prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) using Ti(O-i-C3H7)4, Pb(C2H5)4 and oxygen. The composition of PECVD PbTiO3 thin films was intensively influenced by the input flow rate ratio of precursors, while it was independent of the deposition temperatures. As-deposited PECVD PbTiO3 thin film showed a uniform distribution of the Pb, Ti and C component throughout the bulk of film. The PECVD PbTiO3 thin films after annealing at 650°C under O2 ambient for 1 hr were converted from the amorphous phase to the crystalline perovskite phase. The phase transition between the tetragonal and the cubic phase occurred at about 500°C. The properties of thin films such as morphology, structure, dielectric constant, leakage current and P-E hysteresis-were also investigated.
Cloning and Expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae of a Synthetic Gene for the Type-I Trophoblast Interferon Ovine Trophoblast Protein-1: Purification and Antiviral Activity (1991)

Ovine trophoblast protein-1 (oTP-1) is a unique, Type I, trophoblast interferon (IFN) that possesses potent antiviral activity and is thought to be primarily responsible for maternal recognition of pregnancy in sheep. To provide sufficient amounts of protein for detailed studies, a synthetic gene for oTP-1 was designed and assembled in Escherichia coli, subcloned into a yeast expression plasmid, and used to overproduce recombinant oTP-1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Recombinant oTP-1 was purified from soluble yeast extract using sequential ion-exchange and molecular sieve chromatography. Recombinant oTP-1 purified in this fashion exhibited potent antiviral activity (0.6 x 10(8) U/mg) similar to native oTP-1. This expression system will enable production of large quantities of soluble, biologically active, and correctly processed recombinant oTP-1. Furthermore, the synthetic gene construct facilitates introduction of mutations for ongoing structure/function studies of this unique, Type I, trophoblast IFN.
Si/SiO2 resonant cavity photodetector (1996)

It has been shown earlier that GeSi/Si resonant-cavity photodiodes can achieve high speed without sacrificing quantum efficiency. In this letter, we report a Si-based resonant-cavity photodiode that utilizes a Si/SiO2 Bragg reflector. This structure is more compatible with standard Si processing technology than the GeSi/Si resonant-cavity photodiodes. The absorbing region is a 1-μm-thick polysilicon layer that has been annealed to enhance secondary grain growth and the bottom mirror consists of three quarter-wavelength pairs of Si and SiO2. After annealing the dark current was 9 μA at 1 V, the peak quantum efficiency was 44%, and the bandwidth was ≳1.4 GHz.
Identification of Biomarkers in Human Head and Neck Tumor Cell Lines That Predict For In Vitro Sensitivity to Gefitinib (2009)

Potential biomarkers were identified for in vitro sensitivity to the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib in head and neck cancer. Gefitinib sensitivity was determined in cell lines, followed by transcript profiling coupled with a novel pathway analysis approach. Eleven cell lines were highly sensitive to gefitinib (inhibitor concentration required to give 50% growth inhibition [GI(50)] < 1 microM), three had intermediate sensitivity (GI(50) 1-7 microM), and six were resistant (GI(50) > 7 microM); an exploratory principal component analysis revealed a separation between the genomic profiles of sensitive and resistant cell lines. Subsequently, a hypothesis-driven analysis of Affymetrix data (Affymetrix, Inc., Santa Clara, CA, USA) revealed higher mRNA levels for E-cadherin (CDH1); transforming growth factor, alpha (TGF-alpha); amphiregulin (AREG); FLJ22662; EGFR; p21-activated kinase 6 (PAK6); glutathione S-transferase Pi (GSTP1); and ATP-binding cassette, subfamily C, member 5 (ABCC5) in sensitive versus resistant cell lines. A hypothesis-free analysis identified 46 gene transcripts that were strongly differentiated, seven of which had a known association with EGFR and head and neck cancer (human EGF receptor 3 [HER3], TGF-alpha, CDH1, EGFR, keratin 16 [KRT16], fibroblast growth factor 2 [FGF2], and cortactin [CTTN]). Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and enzyme-linked immunoabsorbant assay analysis confirmed Affymetrix data, and EGFR gene mutation, amplification, and genomic gain correlated strongly with gefitinib sensitivity. We identified biomarkers that predict for in vitro responsiveness to gefitinib, seven of which have known association with EGFR and head and neck cancer. These in vitro predictive biomarkers may have potential utility in the clinic and warrant further investigation.