gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Paraoxonase inhibits high-density lipoprotein oxidation and preserves its functions. A possible peroxidative role for paraoxonase. (1998)

HDL levels are inversely related to the risk of developing atherosclerosis. In serum, paraoxonase (PON) is associated with HDL, and was shown to inhibit LDL oxidation. Whether PON also protects HDL from oxidation is unknown, and was determined in the present study. In humans, we found serum HDL PON activity and HDL susceptibility to oxidation to be inversely correlated (r2 = 0.77, n = 15). Supplementing human HDL with purified PON inhibited copper-induced HDL oxidation in a concentration-dependent manner. Adding PON to HDL prolonged the oxidation lag phase and reduced HDL peroxide and aldehyde formation by up to 95%. This inhibitory effect was most pronounced when PON was added before oxidation initiation. When purified PON was added to whole serum, essentially all of it became HDL-associated. The PON-enriched HDL was more resistant to copper ion-induced oxidation than was control HDL. Compared with control HDL, HDL from PON-treated serum showed a 66% prolongation in the lag phase of its oxidation, and up to a 40% reduction in peroxide and aldehyde content. In contrast, in the presence of various PON inhibitors, HDL oxidation induced by either copper ions or by a free radical generating system was markedly enhanced. As PON inhibited HDL oxidation, two major functions of HDL were assessed: macrophage cholesterol efflux, and LDL protection from oxidation. Compared with oxidized untreated HDL, oxidized PON-treated HDL caused a 45% increase in cellular cholesterol efflux from J-774 A.1 macrophages. Both HDL-associated PON and purified PON were potent inhibitors of LDL oxidation. Searching for a possible mechanism for PON-induced inhibition of HDL oxidation revealed PON (2 paraoxonase U/ml)-mediated hydrolysis of lipid peroxides (by 19%) and of cholesteryl linoleate hydroperoxides (by 90%) in oxidized HDL. HDL-associated PON, as well as purified PON, were also able to substantially hydrolyze (up to 25%) hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), a major reactive oxygen species produced under oxidative stress during atherogenesis. Finally, we analyzed serum PON activity in the atherosclerotic apolipoprotein E-deficient mice during aging and development of atherosclerotic lesions. With age, serum lipid peroxidation and lesion size increased, whereas serum PON activity decreased. We thus conclude that HDL-associated PON possesses peroxidase-like activity that can contribute to the protective effect of PON against lipoprotein oxidation. The presence of PON in HDL may thus be a major contributor to the antiatherogenicity of this lipoprotein.
Spousal Presence as a Nonpharmacological Pain Management during Childbirth: A Pilot Study (2015)

Background. Measures of spousal effect during parturient pain should take a tripartite approach involving the parturients, spouses, and midwives. Aim. To develop and validate three questionnaires measuring spousal presence in management of parturient pain in Nigeria. Methods. There are two phases: (1) development of questionnaires, Abuja Instrument for Midwives (AIM), Abuja Instrument for Parturient Pain (AIPP), and Abuja Instrument for Parturient Spouses (AIPS), utilizing literatures, Kuopio instrument for fathers (KIF) and expertise of health professionals, and (2) pilot study to validate the questionnaires which were administered in two hospitals in Nigeria: midwives (n = 10), parturients (n = 10), and spouses (n = 10). Results. Internal consistency for the three questionnaires indicated Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 0.789 (AIM), 0.802 (AIPP), and 0.860 (AIPS), while test-retest reliability was r = 0.99 (AIM), r = 0.99 (AIPP), and r = 0.90 (AIPS). Conclusions. AIM, AIPP, and AIPS provide a means of investigating the effectiveness of spousal presence in management of parturient pain in Nigeria. However, further testing of each instrument is needed in a larger population to replicate the beneficial findings of AIMS, AIPP, and AIPS which can contribute rigor to future studies.
[Effects of aromatic bisamidines on blood coagulation and fibrinolysis]. (1976)

The effect of the aromatic diamidine derivative 2,6-bis (4-amidinobenzyl)-cyclohexanon-(1) on blood coagulation and fibrinolysis in vitro and in vivo was compared with that of the benzamidine derivative 4-amidinophenyl pyruvic acid and the aromatic diamidine derivative 4,4'-diamidinophenoxypentane. 2,6-Bis(4-amidinobenzyl)-cyclohexanon-(1) was found to be a strong inhibitor of the clotting enzyme thrombin. Because of the toxic side effects and pharmacokinetic properties of both diamidine derivatives their in vivo use as anticoagulants is limited.
New biospecific adsorbents for the purification of estradiol receptor. (1978)

The synthesis of biospecific adsorbents for the purification of the cytosol estrogen receptor from calf uterus is described. The characteristic of several estradiol derivatives, spacer chains, and insoluble matrix were systematically studied. Estradiol derivatives substituted at positions C2, 3, 4 7 alpha, 17 alpha, and 17 beta were tested for their affinities for the receptor; positions 7 alpha and 17 alpha were the most suibable. Acidic compounds had lower affinities than their methylester analogues. Long chain derivatives bound the receptor less firmly than corresponding shorter chains. However, when these ligands were attached to an insoluble matrix, the long spacer chain derivatives (greater than or equal to 14 atoms) were more efficient than the shorter ones. There was a satisfactory parallelism between affinities of free ligands and receptor binding to the respective biospecific adsorbents. On the basis of their stability in the presence of cytosol (no release of ligand), due to the absence of ester bonds, long chains were selected as spacers. Both acrylamide and agarose biospecific adsorbents displayed some ionic exchange capacity and consequently nonspecifically bound proteins; the influence of this nonspecific binding on the purification of the receptor was studied. On the basis of their stability, of their binding specificity, and of their selectivity for the receptor, the estradiol-7 alpha derivative adsorbents were selected for the purification of the receptor.
Prostate‐specific antigen‐derived epitopes capable of inducing cellular and humoral responses in HLA‐A24+ prostate cancer patients (2003)

The PSA(152-160) and PSA(248-257) peptides could be appropriate target molecules in use for specific immunotherapy of HLA-A24+ prostate cancer patients.
Vascular permeability in a human tumor xenograft: molecular size dependence and cutoff size. (1995)

Molecular size is one of the key determinants of transvascular transport of therapeutic agents in tumors. However, there are no data in the literature on the molecular size dependence of microvascular permeability in tumors. Therefore, we measured microvascular permeability to various macromolecules in the human colon adenocarcinoma LS174T transplanted in dorsal skin chambers in severe combined immunodeficient mice. These molecules were fluorescently labeled and injected i.v. into mice. The microvascular permeability was calculated from the fluorescence intensity measured by the intravital fluorescence microscopy technique. The value of permeability varied approximately 2-fold in the range of molecular weight from 25,000 to 160,000. These data indicate that tumor vessels are less permselective than normal vessels, presumably due to large pores in the vessel wall. The transport of macromolecules appears to be limited by diffusion through these pores. The cutoff size of the pores was estimated by observations of transvascular transport of sterically stabilized liposomes of 100-600 nm in diameter. We found that tumor vessels in our model were permeable to liposomes of up to 400 nm in diameter, suggesting that the cutoff size of the pores is between 400 and 600 nm in diameter.
Timeline-based information assimilation in multimedia surveillance and monitoring systems (2005)

Most surveillance and monitoring systems nowadays utilize multiple types of sensors. However, due to the asynchrony among and diversity of sensors, information assimilation - how to combine the information obtained from asynchronous and multifarious sources is an important and challenging research problem. In this paper, we propose a hierarchical probabilistic method for information assimilation in order to detect events of interest in a surveillance and monitoring environment. The proposed method adopts a bottom-up approach and performs assimilation of information at three different levels - media-stream level, atomic-event level and compound-event level.To detect an event, our method uses not only the current media streams but it also utilizes their two important properties - first, accumulated past history of whether they have been providing the concurring or contradictory evidences, and - second, the system designer's confidence in them. A compound event, which comprises of two or more atomic-events, is detected by first estimating probabilistic decisions for the atomic-events based on individual streams, and then by aligning these decisions along a timeline and hierarchically assimilating them. The experimental results show the utility of our method.
Defucosylated Anti-CCR4 Monoclonal Antibody (KW-0761) for Relapsed Adult T-Cell Leukemia-Lymphoma: A Multicenter Phase II Study (2012)

KW-0761 demonstrated clinically meaningful antitumor activity in patients with relapsed ATL, with an acceptable toxicity profile. Further investigation of KW-0761 for treatment of ATL and other T-cell neoplasms is warranted.
Thiopurine methyltransferase deficiency in childhood lymphoblastic leukaemia: 6‐mercaptopurine dosage strategies (1997)

Daily 6-mercaptopurine (6MP) forms the backbone of continuing chemotherapy for childhood lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). A major metabolic route is catalysed by thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT). TPMT deficiency occurs in 1 in 300 individuals and results in high concentrations of thioguanine nucleotides (TGNs), cytotoxic 6MP metabolites. A leukaemic child taking 6MP repeatedly developed profound pancytopenias. TPMT deficiency was confirmed. TGN formation was then studied on attenuated 6MP dosages. Four weekly oral doses of 75 mg/m2 6MP produced TGNs of 2348 pmol/8 × 108 red cells, nearly double the maximum TGNs recorded in ALL children with TPMT activity taking long term daily 75 mg/m2 6MP. Grossly elevated TGN concentrations were also produced at 10% standard 6MP dosage (7.5 mg/m2 daily), accompanied by unacceptable 6MP toxicity (neutropenia, diarrhoea, vomiting). The child was eventually stabilised on 10% alternate day therapy and after 15 weeks TGNs were 1670 pmol, just above the upper end of the TGN range for ALL children with TPMT activity. Med. Pediatr. Oncol. 29:252–255, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Interleukin‐11 protects the clonogenic stem cells in murine small‐intestinal crypts from impairment of their reproductive capacity by radiation (1995)

The rapidly proliferating gastrointestinal mucosa is one of the major limiting tissues in cancer therapy. Because of its short transit time and high sensitivity to radiation and chemotherapeutic drugs, damage is rapidly manifested. Protection of the important stem cells in the tissue could be achieved, in principle, by appropriate prior manipulation with cytokines or growth factors which might make them more resistant to the cytotoxic treatment, for example, by putting them out of cycle. Such strategies might reduce some of the adverse side-effects of cancer treatment and improve the quality of life of patients, while possibly allowing an escalation of therapeutic dose. The functional capacity of stem cells has been studied for many years using a microcolony assay technique which measures the regenerative capacity of the clonogenic stem cells in crypts. These cells determine the survival of crypts which themselves determine whether or not the mucosal integrity is maintained and ultimately whether the animal or patient survives. Here, we demonstrate that treatment with interleukin-11 for 2 days prior to radiation exposure can significantly increase the number of surviving crypts. Treatment with IL-11 both before (for 2 days) and after irradiation (for 3 days) produces a slightly enhanced protection. Up to about 4 times more crypts survive at the highest radiation dose after either of these treatment schedules. These studies may provide a radiobiological explanation for the increased survival of animals when IL-11 is administered during 5FU and radiation exposures.
Rapid and specific enzyme immunoassay of serotonin (1991)

A new, highly sensitive enzyme immunoassay (EIA) of serotonin (5HT) is described. The assay is based on the competition between N-succinyl-glycinamide-serotonin (N-SGA-5HT, obtained by acylation of the 5HT in the sample to be assayed) and an enzymic tracer, N-succinyl-5HT-acetylcholinesterase, for binding to rabbit polyclonal antibody coated onto the wells of microtiter plates. The antibody is directed against an immunogen obtained by coupling N-succinyl-5HT to glycyl-bovine serum albumin. The EIA permits the accurate measurement of as little serotonin as 0.5 nmol/L (1.8 pg per well) in blood, plasma, serum, cerebrospinal fluid, urine, platelets, and other tissues, with no significant cross-reactivity with other compounds. The results obtained correlate well with those obtained by HPLC after extraction. The assay has the advantage of permitting the measurement of 5HT in up to 500 samples in as little as 3 h.
Single-walled carbon nanotubes as high pressure nanocontainer (2014)

The single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) under high internal pressure are studied by the constant-pressure molecular dynamics method. The results show that SWCNTs are suitable candidates for high pressure nanocontainer, and they can resist 30 GPa to 110 GPa internal pressure. We find that the ultimate internal pressure that nanotubes can sustain is mainly determined by the radius of the tube, and it is not sensitive to the tube chirality. The breaking of the nanotube induced by high internal pressure is mainly due to bond stretching rather than bond angle changing. An elastic model is used to explain the size-dependent ultimate internal pressure behavior for SWCNTs.
Glucose Modulation of Glucokinase Activation by Small Molecules (2008)

Small molecule activators of glucokinase (GK) were used in kinetic and equilibrium binding studies to probe the biochemical basis for their allosteric effects. These small molecules decreased the glucose K 0.5 ( approximately 1 mM vs approximately 8 mM) and the glucose cooperativity (Hill coefficient of 1.2 vs 1.7) and lowered the k cat to various degrees (62-95% of the control activity). These activators relieved GK's inhibition from glucokinase regulatory protein (GKRP) in a glucose-dependent manner and activated GK to the same extent as control reactions in the absence of GKRP. In equilibrium binding studies, the intrinsic glucose affinity to the activator-bound enzyme was determined and demonstrated a 700-fold increase relative to the apoenzyme. This is consistent with a reduction in apparent glucose K D and the steady-state parameter K 0.5 as a result of enzyme equilibrium shifting to the activator-bound form. The binding of small molecules to GK was dependent on glucose, consistent with the structural evidence for an allosteric binding site which is present in the glucose-induced, active enzyme form of GK and absent in the inactive apoenzyme [Kamata et al. (2004) Structure 12, 429-438]. A mechanistic model that brings together the kinetic and structural data is proposed which allows qualitative and quantitative analysis of the glucose-dependent GK regulation by small molecules. The regulation of GK activation by glucose may have an important implication for the discovery and design of GK activators as potential antidiabetic agents.
A novel IQ imbalance compensation scheme for the reception of OFDM signals (2001)

Digital receivers still employ analog components in the demodulation process causing amplitude and phase imbalances between the I and Q branches. This article describes a novel digital compensation scheme for orthogonal frequency division multiplex (OFDM) receivers based on adaptive frequency domain filtering to remove the IQ imbalance effects.
Temporal regulation of influenza hemagglutinin expression in vaccinia virus recombinants and effects on the immune response (1986)

Regulation of the expression of influenza A/PR/8/34 hemagglutinin (HA) by the vaccinia virus promoters PF (early), P7.5 (early and late) and PL11 (late) has been demonstrated using HA-vaccinia recombinant viruses VV-PR8-HA3, VV-PR8-HA6 and VV-PR8-HA, respectively. Levels of HA on the surface of VV-PR8-HA3 (PF)-infected cells were lower than with either VV-PR8-HA6 (P7.5) or VV-PR8-HA8 (PL11). Expression of HA under the control of the late promoter PL11 was inhibited in the absence of DNA replication. All three recombinant viruses stimulated a specific antibody response in mice which was dependent on the presence of infectious virus. Recognition of HA by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) was assessed by the ability of the viruses to stimulate naive precursors in vivo, to restimulate primed CTL in vitro and by target cell recognition. HA expressed under the control of either of the promoters with early function (PF or P7.5) was recognized by CTL when VV-PR8-HA3 or VV-PR8-HA6 were used to prime or restimulate splenocytes or to infect target cells. On the other hand, HA expressed by VV-PR8-HA8 (PL11) failed to prime for a CTL response in naive CBA/H mice, was ineffective at restimulation of primed splenocytes and failed to produce target cells for recognition by specific CTL. However, in BALB/c mice VV-PR8-HA8 did prime for a specific CTL response. These studies show that HA synthesized early in infection was recognized by both B and T cells while HA expressed after DNA replication was not generally recognized by T cells. The implications of the observations with the late promoter with respect to the use of late promoters in potential vaccinia virus-based vaccines are considered.
Identification of proteomic differences in asthenozoospermic sperm samples (2008)

We have identified several proteins present at different amount in asthenozoospermic sperm samples. These proteins could be candidates towards the development of diagnostic markers, and open up the opportunity to gain further insight into the pathogenic mechanisms involved in asthenozoospermia.
Recombinant Human Erythropoietin Produced by Namalwa Cells (1989)

To establish a practical exogenous gene expression system in human cells, a cDNA coding for human erythropoietin (EPO) was expressed in human B-Iymphoblastoid Namalwa cells. The Namalwa-derived recombinant EPO was purified from the culture fluid by a simple three-step procedure. The Namalwa EPO showed an equivalent activity in vivo to that of human urinary EPO. Oligosaccharide structure analyses suggested that almost all N-linked oligosaccharide chains of Namalwa EPO are shared by urinary EPO. The two major N-linked oligosaccharides of Namalwa EPO were fucose-containing tetraantennary and fucose-containing triantennary structures.
Engineering vascular networks in porous polymer matrices (2002)

Enhanced vascularization is critical to the treatment of ischemic tissues and the engineering of new tissues and organs. We have investigated whether sustained and localized delivery of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) combined with transplantation of human microvascular endothelial cells (HMVECs) can be used to engineer new vascular networks. VEGF was incorporated and released in a sustained manner from porous poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLG) matrices to promote angiogenesis at the transplantation site. VEGF could be incorporated and released in a biologically active form from PLG matrices, with the majority of VEGF release (64%) occurring within 2 weeks. These matrices promoted a 260% increase in the density of host SCID mouse-derived capillaries invading the matrices after 7 days of implantation, confirming the activity of the released VEGF. HMVECs were transplanted into SCID mice on PLG matrices, and organized to form immature human-derived vessels within 3 days. Functional vessels were observed within 7 days. Importantly, when HMVECs were transplanted on VEGF-releasing matrices, a 160% increase in the density of human-derived blood vessels was observed after 14 days. These findings suggest that combining elements of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis provides a viable and novel approach to enhancing local vascularization.
Adhesion ofHistoplasma capsulatumto pneumocytes and biofilm formation on an abiotic surface (2012)

The pathogenic fungus, Histoplasma capsulatum, causes the respiratory and systemic disease 'histoplasmosis'. This disease is primarily acquired via inhalation of aerosolized microconidia or hyphal fragments of H. capsulatum. Evolution of this respiratory disease depends on the ability of H. capsulatum yeasts to survive and replicate within alveolar macrophages. It is known that adhesion to host cells is the first step in colonization and biofilm formation. Some microorganisms become attached to biological and non-biological surfaces due to the formation of biofilms. Based on the importance of biofilms and their persistence on host tissues and cell surfaces, the present study was designed to investigate biofilm formation by H. capsulatum yeasts, as well as their ability to adhere to pneumocyte cells. H. capsulatum biofilm assays were performed in vitro using two different clinical strains of the fungus and biofilms were characterized using scanning electron microscopy. The biofilms were measured using a 2,3-bis(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-5-[(phenylamino)carbonyl]-2H-tetrazolium-hydroxide (XTT) reduction assay. The results showed that both the H. capsulatum strains tested were very efficient at adhering to host cells and forming biofilm. Therefore, this is a possible survival strategy adopted by this fungus.
Assessment of Type 1 and Type 2 Cytokines in HIV Type 1-Infected Individuals: Impact of Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (1999)

Although the effect of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) on HIV-1 replication has been established, the mechanisms involved in restoration of immune responses and reconstitution remain unknown. This study provides evidence of changes in expression of type 1 and type 2 cytokine-specific mRNA occurring during HIV-1 infection, before and after initiation of HAART. Unstimulated PBMCs from nine HIV-1-infected individuals obtained at different time intervals before and after the initiation of HAART were assessed for specific IFN-gamma, IL-2, IL-4, and IL-10 mRNA expression, using RT-PCR. Correlation with CD4+ T cell counts and viral load was also carried out. Before initiation of HAART, in all patients, little expression of specific IFN-gamma and IL-2 (type 1 cytokine) mRNA was noted. In contrast, expression of specific IL-4 and/or IL-10 (type 2) mRNA was readily detectable in the majority of patients. After initiation of HAART there was a continuous increase in IFN-gamma and IL-2 mRNA expression, although the latter occurred in lower amounts. This paralleled a dramatic reduction in viral load and increase in CD4+ T cell counts. Type 2 cytokine-specific mRNA expression fell to undetectable levels and in some cases reappeared later in the course of HAART. Predominant expression of type 2 cytokine mRNA, before initiation of HAART, concurs with previous findings of a dominant antiproliferative, type 2 cytokine profile during HIV-1 infection. Reversion of the cytokine profile, after HAART, to a strong type 1 profile suggests that in addition to suppressing virus replication directly the immune system may be given a chance to recover.