gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Identification of the thyrotropin-releasing hormone precursor, its processing products, and its coexpression with convertase 1 in primary cultures of hypothalamic neurons: anatomic distribution of PC1 and PC2. (1996)

The processing of pro-TRH, has been extensively studied in our laboratory using a corticotropic cell line, AtT20, transfected with the pro-TRH gene. We have also demonstrated that the convertases PC1 and PC2 process pro-TRH to cryptic peptides in vitro. However, although these processing pathways have been well characterized in vitro, little is known about the processing and subcellular distribution of pro-TRH and its derived peptides in hypothalamic neurons, an endogenous source of pro-TRH and PC enzymes. In this study we used multiple approaches to identify, both biochemically and anatomically, the presence and localization of pro-TRH (26 kDa) and its processing products. We also investigated the presence of PC1 and PC2 enzymes and the coexpression of pro-TRH and PC1 messenger RNAs. Identification of the TRH precursor was demonstrated by 1) Western blot analysis of cellular extracts, 2) immunoprecipitation of radiolabeled pro-TRH followed by analysis on acrylamide gel electrophoresis, 3) fluorescence immunocytochemistry, and 4) immunoelectron microscopy. The presence of the convertases PC1 and PC2 was determined by Western blot analysis of cellular extracts and fluorescence immunocytochemistry. The coexpression of pro-TRH with PC1 was shown by double in situ hybridization. Our findings support three main conclusions. First, this primary culture system of hypothalamic neurons is suitable for characterizing pro-TRH processing as well as identifying the anatomical location of its processing products. Second, prohormome processing takes place during axonal transport after removal of the signal peptide in the endoplasmic reticulum, and subsequent cleavages of the prohormone occur as intermediate peptides move down the axon toward the nerve terminal. This coupled transport-processing phenomenon may provide the necessary mechanism to ensure flexibility in differential processing of specific protein sequences that are determined by the secretory needs of cells. It appears that certain intermediate peptides differ in their subcompartmental distribution, suggesting the possibility of a differential processing and maturation of pro-TRH-derived peptides. Thirdly, the 87-kDa form of PC 1 may initiate the processing of pro-TRH at the Golgi complex level, which then continues to be processed by PC1 and PC2 in later stages of the secretory pathway.
Brain Peroxidase and Catalase in Parkinson Disease (1975)

Peroxidase and catalase activities were determined in various regions of parkinsonian brains and control brains from patients with nonneurological diseases. The highest peroxidase activity was localized in the substantia nigra of the normal brain. In Parkinson disease, the peroxidase activity was decreased in the substantia nigra, caudate and putamen. Catalase activity was also reduced in the substantia nigra and putamen of the parkinsonian brain. These enzyme changes may be causally related to the degeneration and depigmentation of the substantia nigra neurons in Parkinson disease.
Selective Impairment of Corticotropin-Releasing Factor1 (CRF1) Receptor-Mediated Function Using CRF Coupled to Saporin (2000)

CRF is the main component in the brain neuropeptide effector system responsible for the behavioral, endocrine, and physiological activation that accompanies stress activation. Reduced CRF system activation plays a role in the etiology of a variety of psychiatric and metabolic disease states. We have developed a novel protein conjugate that joins native rat/human CRF to a ribosome-inactivating protein, saporin (CRF-SAP), for the purpose of targeted inactivation of CRF receptor-expressing cells. Cytotoxicity measurements revealed that CRF-SAP (1–100 nm) produced concentration-dependent and progressive cell death over time in CRF1 receptor-transfected L cells, but at similar concentrations had no effect on CRF2α receptor-transfected cells. The CRF-SAP-induced toxicity in CRF1-transfected cells was prevented by coincubation with the competitive CRF1/CRF2 receptor peptide antagonist,[ d-Phe12]CRF-(12–41), or the selective nonpeptide CRF1 receptor antagonist, NBI 27914. Finally, in cultured rat pituitary cells that express native CRF1 receptors, CRF-SAP suppressed CRF-induced (1 nm) ACTH release. GnRH (1–10 nm) stimulated LH release was also assessed in the same pituitary cultures. Although there was a slight decrease in LH release from these cultures, this decrease was observed with CRF-SAP or SAP alone, suggesting that the response was nonspecific. Taken together, these results suggest the utility of CRF-SAP as a specific and subtype-selective tool for long term impairment of CRF1 receptor-expressing cells.
3D COUPLED MECHANICAL AND HYDRAULIC MODELING OF THE COLUMN-SUPPORTED EMBANKMENT IN HIGHWAY WIDENING PROJECT (2013)

Numerical studies were conducted to improve the understanding of the behavior of column-supported embankments in highway widening project. Due to the complexity of the problem, so far, consolidation process and three-dimensional patterns of columns have not been well simulated in most published numerical studies. As a result, the time-dependant behavior and the serviceability of this system have not been well evaluated. In this study, a three dimensional coupled mechanical and hydraulic modeling was conducted using ABAQUS to consider consolidation and three-dimensional arrangement of columns. The numerical predictions are analyzed in terms of settlements and increments in vertical effective stresses. Firstly, the effectiveness of the use of columns and caps is studied. Afterwards, a parametric analysis is performed to study the influence on the soil-columns and caps system of the deformability and the effective friction angle of the embankment. At last some conclusions are obtained from the result of the numerical calculation.
Identification of a cell-surface antigen associated with activated T lymphoblasts and activated platelets (1991)

Abstract We have identified and biochemically characterized an antigen, 8A3, which is expressed on activated T lymphoblasts and activated platelets. Monoclonal antibodies to 8A3 were raised against the primitive lymphoid/myeloid cell line KG1a and additionally bound to the erythroleukemia-derived cell line HEL, whilst exhibiting little or no reactivity with a panel of other hematopoietic cell lines. The 8A3 antigen was expressed on poorly differentiated T-cell leukemias and on phytohemagglutinin-activated T-cells maintained in interleukin-2 (7,000 sites/cell). This antigen, though not detected on resting platelets, was expressed on thrombin-activated platelets (2,000 sites/platelet). Antibodies to 8A3 identified polypeptides of Mr 170,000 and 150,000 in lysates of surface-iodinated KG1a cells, T lymphoblasts, and activated platelets under both reducing and nonreducing conditions. However, peptide mapping and susceptibily to glycosidases indicated that the 8A3 antigen was a monomeric glycoprotein of Mr 170,000 which contained two N-linked endoglycosidase H-sensitive glycans, and that the Mr 150,000 structure was derived from it by proteolytic degradation. The 8A3 antigen was not detectably phosphorylated in KG1a cells in vivo, nor did immune complexes containing it exhibit kinase activity in vitro. Structural and serologic characteristics of the 8A3 antigen indicate that it is different from other previously described leukocyte activation antigens including transferrin receptors, interleukin-2 receptors, members of the integrin family of adhesion molecules, or “restricted” members of the leukocyte-common antigen/CD45 cluster. Furthermore, the 8A3 antigen does not appear to be related to the other previously described activation-specific platelet molecule, GMP140/PADGEM. This antibody may be useful in monitoring T-cell activation status in some clinical situations and in characterizing clinically relevant activation-associated platelet membrane alterations.
Claudin-3 gene silencing with siRNA suppresses ovarian tumor growth and metastasis (2009)

Claudin-3 (CLDN3) is a tight junction protein that is overexpressed in 90% of ovarian tumors. Previous in vitro studies have indicated that CLDN3 overexpression promotes the migration, invasion, and survival of ovarian cancer cells. Here, we investigated the efficacy of lipidoid-formulated CLDN3 siRNA in 3 different ovarian cancer models. Intratumoral injection of lipidoid/CLDN3 siRNA into OVCAR-3 xenografts resulted in dramatic silencing of CLDN3, significant reduction in cell proliferation, reduction in tumor growth, and a significant increase in the number of apoptotic cells. Intraperitoneal injection of lipidoid-formulated CLDN3 siRNA resulted in a substantial reduction in tumor burden in MISIIR/TAg transgenic mice and mice bearing tumors derived from mouse ovarian surface epithelial cells. Ascites development was reduced in CLDN3 siRNA-treated mice, suggesting the treatment effectively suppressed metastasis. Toxicity was not observed after multiple i.p. injections. Importantly, treatment of mice with nonimmunostimulatory 2'-OMe modified CLDN3 siRNA was as effective in suppressing tumor growth as unmodifed siRNA. These results suggest that lipidoid-formulated CLDN3 siRNA has potential as a therapeutic for ovarian cancer.
Unequivocal syntheses of 6‐methyl‐ and 6‐phenylisoxanthopterin (1987)

Abstract Although 6‐methyl‐ ( 1 ) and 6‐phenylisoxanthopterin ( 2 ) have previously been synthesized, the requirement of high purity necessary for immunological testing has necessitated our development of the first reported synthesis of these compounds by unequivocal methods. In the process of so doing four new pyrazines, ethyl 3‐amino‐5‐chloro‐6‐methyl‐2‐pyrazinecarboxylate ( 11 ), N,N ‐dimethyl‐ N '‐(6‐chloro‐3‐cyano‐5‐phenylpyrazin‐2‐yl)methanimidamide ( 16 ), 2‐amino‐3‐ethoxycarbonyl‐5‐phenylpyrazine 1‐oxide ( 19 ), and ethyl 3‐amino‐5‐chloro‐6‐phenyl‐2‐pyrazinecarboxylate ( 20 ) were synthesized. Four new pteridines, 7‐methoxy‐6‐methyl‐2,4‐pteridinediamine ( 7 ), 7‐methoxy‐6‐phenyl‐2,4‐pteridinediamine ( 17 ), 2‐amino‐7‐ethoxy‐6‐methyl‐4(3 H )‐pteridinone ( 12 ), and 2‐amino‐7‐ethoxy‐6‐phenyl‐4(3 H )‐pteridinone ( 21 ) have also been synthesized enroute to these isoxanthopterins.
Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV) Type 2 Glycoprotein D Subunit Vaccines and Protection against Genital HSV‐1 or HSV‐2 Disease in Guinea Pigs (2003)

In two recent clinical trials, a vaccine containing herpes simplex virus (HSV) type 2 glycoprotein D (gD2) and a novel adjuvant AS04 comprising alum (Al) and 3-deactylated monophosphoryl lipid A (3-dMPL) afforded HSV-seronegative women significant protection against HSV-2 genital disease (vaccine efficacy, 73% in study 1 and 74% in study 2) and limited protection against infection (46% in study 1 and 39% in study 2). In the present report, studies in the guinea pig model investigated the protection afforded by gD2/AS04 against HSV-1 and HSV-2 genital herpes and investigated whether immunization could prevent or reduce recurrent disease in guinea pigs that developed mucosal infection. Immunization with gD2/AS04 conveyed nearly complete protection against primary disease with either virus but did not prevent mucosal infection. Guinea pigs immunized with gD2/AS04 were significantly better protected against recurrent disease than were guinea pigs immunized with a gD2/Al vaccine, which suggests that inclusion of 3-dMPL improved protection against latent infection.
Polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration into cerebral focal ischemic tissue: Myeloperoxidase activity assay and histologic verification (1991)

Two different techniques were utilized to identify the infiltration of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) into cerebral tissue following focal ischemia: histologic analysis and a modified myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity assay. Twenty-four hours after producing permanent cortical ischemia by occluding and severing the middle cerebral artery of male spontaneously hypertensive rats, contralateral hemiparalysis and sensory-motor deficits were observed due to cerebral infarction of the frontal and parietal cortex. In hematoxylin-and-eosin-stained histologic sections, PMN, predominantly neutrophils, were identified at various stages of diapedesis from deep cerebral and meningeal vessels at the periphery of the infarct, into brain parenchyma. When MPO activity in normal brain tissue was studied initially, it could not be demonstrated in normal tissues extracted from non-washed homogenates. However, if tissue was homogenized in phosphate buffer (i.e., washed), MPO activity was expressed upon extraction. Utilizing this modified assay, MPO activity was significantly increased only in the infarcted cortex compared to other normal areas of the brain. This was observed in non-perfused animals and after perfusion with isotonic saline to remove blood constituents from the vasculature prior to brain removal. The increased PMN infiltration and MPO activity were not observed in forebrain tissue of sham-operated control rats. Also, MPO activity was not increased in the ischemic cortex of MCAO rats perfused immediately after middle cerebral artery occlusion, indicating that blood was not trapped in the ischemic area. By using a leukocyte histochemical staining assay, activity of peroxidases was identified within vascular-adhering/infiltrating PMN in the infarcted cortex 24 hr after focal ischemia. An evaluation of several blood components indicated that increased MPO activity was selective for PMN. The observed increase of approximately 0.3 U MPO/g wet weight ischemic tissue vs. nonischemic cerebral tissues probably reflects the increased vascular adherance/infiltration of approximately 600,000 PMN/g wet weight infarcted cortex 24 hr after focal ischemia. This combined biochemical and histological study strongly suggests that PMN adhere within blood vessels and infiltrate into brain tissue injured by focal ischemia and that the associated inflammatory response might contribute to delayed progressive tissue damage in focal stroke. This modified MPO assay is a useful, quantitative index of PMN that can be utilized to elucidate the potential deleterious consequences of neutrophils infiltrating into the central nervous system after cerebral ischemia, trauma, or other pro-inflammatory stimuli.
Triurethane-Protected Guanidines and Triflyldiurethane-Protected Guanidines:  New Reagents for Guanidinylation Reactions (1998)

New guanidinylation reagents are reported. These reagents consist of N,N‘,N‘‘-tri-Boc-guanidine (1) and N,N‘,N‘‘-tri-Cbz-guanidine (2), which allow for the facile conversion of alcohols to substituted guanidines. A series of arginine analogues were synthesized via condensation of a primary or secondary alcohol with the guanidinylation reagents 1 or 2, under Mitsunobu conditions,1 to produce protected alkylated guanidines. In addition, an extended study of the previously reported reagents2 N,N‘-di-Boc-N‘‘-triflylguanidine (3) and N,N‘-di-Cbz-N‘‘-triflylguanidine (4) is presented. The triflyldiurethane-protected guanidine 3 was utilized to guanidinylate primary and secondary amines under mild conditions with high yield in both solution and on solid phase.
Gene Therapy using Adenovirus Carrying the Herpes Simplex-Thymidine Kinase Gene to Treat In Vivo Models of Human Malignant Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer (1995)

Previous studies have shown adenoviral transfer of the herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSVtk) gene followed by the anti-viral drug ganciclovir (GCV) can be used to successfully treat established human mesothelioma tumors growing within the peritoneal cavities of severe combined immune deficient (SCID) mice. These findings raised a number of questions important to the applicability, efficiency, and safety of this treatment strategy. In this report, we have further characterized the use of recombinant adenovirus carrying the HSVtk gene to treat mesothelioma and other localized malignancies. Our results indicate that the Ad.RSVtk/GCV system is effective in causing tumor regression in animals inoculated with another mesothelioma cell line and a lung cancer cell line and that animals with bulky disease can be successfully treated. Effects are seen at a wide range of virus doses and significant anti-tumor activity is present at doses of ganciclovir that are clinically achievable. Finally, this treatment approach appears safe, with limited dissemination of virus using a sensitive RT-PCR detection system. These studies further characterize the use of adenoviral transfer of the HSVtk gene to treat experimental mesothelioma and suggest that clinical trials using this approach may be feasible.
Identification of an O-glycosidic mannose-linked sialylated tetrasaccharide and keratan sulfate oligosaccharides in the chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan of brain. (1986)

The chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan of rat brain was digested with Pronase, and after removal of glycosaminoglycans, the resulting glycopeptides were treated with alkaline borohydride to release O-glycosidically linked oligosaccharides. These were fractionated by ion exchange chromatography, gel filtration, and preparative thin layer chromatography, and their structural properties were studied by specific enzymatic degradations, methylation analysis, and gas-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry of disaccharides as their trimethylsilylated and permethylated derivatives. In addition to the previously characterized N-acetyl-galactosamine-linked oligosaccharides and neutral mannitol-containing oligosaccharides [GlcNAc(beta 1-3) Manol and Gal(beta 1-4)[Fuc(alpha 1-3)]GlcNAc(beta 1-3)Manol] (where Fuc is fucose), we have now identified the sialylated tetrasaccharide NeuAc(alpha 2-3)Gal(beta 1-4)GlcNAc (beta 1-3)Manol, which accounts for approximately 20% of the mannitol-containing oligosaccharides. The proteoglycan also contains mannose-linked keratan sulfate chains (with a molecular size of 3,000 to 10,000 Da) composed of disaccharide repeating units consisting of Gal(beta 1-4)GlcNAc-6-O-SO4(beta 1-3), with a small proportion of branch points at C-6 of galactose residues. There is approximately one keratan sulfate chain per four chondroitin sulfate chains of 18,000-19,000 Da. After alkaline borohydride treatment of the neutral and monosialyl glycopeptide fractions, the combined decrease in mannose and N-acetylgalactosamine was very close to the observed destruction of serine + threonine and was accompanied by an equimolar increase in alanine and alpha-aminobutyric acid. One half of the mannose was destroyed by alkaline borohydride treatment of the glycopeptides and stoichiometrically converted to mannitol, while there were only small changes in the relative amounts of the other sugars and amino acids. The data demonstrate that over half of the carbohydrate-peptide linkages in the proteoglycan are of the mannosyl-O-serine/threonine type.
CD154 Gene Therapy for Human B‐Cell Malignancies (2005)

Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells (CLL) who received a one-time bolus infusion of autologous leukemia cells transduced with adenovirus encoding recombinant CD154 experienced acute and long-term reductions in leukemia cell counts and lymph-node size. This was associated with increases in the numbers of leukemia-specific CD4+ T cells and high serum-levels of IL-12 and IFN-gamma. CD40-ligation induces CLL cells to express the proapoptotic molecule Bid and death receptors CD95 (Fas) and DR5, rendering CLL B cells first resistant and then sensitive to Fas-mediated apoptosis. Increasing sensitivity to Fas-mediated apoptosis was also due to differential expression of pro- and antiapoptotic proteins at early versus late time points after activation. Additional treatment with inhibitors to the X-linked inhibitor to apoptosis (XIAP) rendered the CD40-activated cells sensitive to Fas-mediated apoptosis even at early time points after CD40-activation, suggesting that XIAP inhibitors might enhance the effectiveness of CD154-based immune-gene therapy strategies for patients of B-cell malignancies.
Infectious Sindbis virus transient expression vectors for studying antigen processing and presentation. (1992)

Sindbis virus (SIN) is a small positive-strand enveloped RNA virus that infects a broad range of vertebrate and insect cells. A SIN vector (called dsSIN), designed for transient expression of heterologous RNAs and proteins, was engineered by inserting a second subgenomic mRNA promoter sequence into a nonessential region of the SIN genome. By using this vector, dsSIN recombinants have been constructed that express either bacterial chloramphenicol acetyltransferase, a truncated form of the influenza hemagglutinin (HA), or mini-genes encoding two distinct immunodominant cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) HA epitopes. Infection of murine cell lines with these recombinants resulted in the expression of approximately 10(6)-10(7) chloramphenicol acetyltransferase polypeptides per cell and efficient sensitization of target cells for lysis by appropriate major histocompatibility complex-restricted HA-specific CTL clones in vitro. In addition, priming of an influenza-specific T-cell response was observed after immunizing mice with dsSIN recombinants expressing either a truncated form of HA or the immunodominant influenza CTL epitopes. This SIN expression system allows the generation of high-titered recombinant virus stocks in a matter of days and should facilitate mapping and mutational analysis of class I major histocompatibility complex-restricted T-cell epitopes expressed via the endogenous pathway of antigen processing and presentation.
Approach to a multiparametric sensor-chip-based tumor chemosensitivity assay (2001)

Although not widely practiced by oncologists, in vitro tumor chemosensitivity assays (TCA) have proved to increase the lifetime of tumor patients in prospective clinical trials. By individualizing cancer therapy, they can support the clinician's decision which is usually based on empirically retrieved data and thereby prevent inadequate chemotherapy. We present the first results of a new sensor-chip-based technology which might be useful for a multiparametric TCA. In particular, the aspect of dynamic on-line data generation on intact cellular specimens is a major difference to alternative assays. A series of experiments has been performed on cell lines and human tumor explants. Cell cultures and tumor tissue explants were placed on miniaturized silicon and glass sensor chips. The sensor data currently analyze metabolic profiles (rates of extracellular acidification and cellular oxygen consumption) and changes in cell morphology (monitoring of electric impedance). With the cell lines, drug-associated cellular signals have been detected with all three parameters, while primary explants so far caused metabolic responses only. In particular, cellular respiration or mitochondrial activity seems to be a most sensitive indicator of acute cytotoxic effects. The experimental results were achieved using different test versions. Besides giving a status report, the theoretical potential and current problems of sensor chip technology in TCA is discussed.
Raman Spectroscopy of Shocked Olivine in the Hungarian L-Chondrite, Mócs (2009)

Introduction. The Mocs meteorite is L5-type chondrite, which fell in 1882, Kolozs county. The meteorite major modal composition are: olivine, pyroxene, plagioclase feldspars, and opaque minerals. The meteorite is highly fractured, and shock induced veins are also discernible. The fractures are filled by iron rich material. The sample contains shock-metamorphic effects (especially in olivine), such as weaklymoderately olivine shock mosaicism, and planar fractures (PF’s) as well as planar deformation features (PDF’s) (Fig. 1). Relatively low interference color in plagioclase and reduce one in pyroxene are also observable in this sample. We have investigated a PDF’s enriched olivine grains using Raman spectroscopy, and searching for evidence for the shock-metamorphic effects in the lattice vibrational changes.