gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Novel Roles of Specific Isoforms of Protein Kinase C in Activation of the c-fosSerum Response Element (1999)

Protein kinase C (PKC) is a multigene family of enzymes consisting of at least 11 isoforms. It has been implicated in the induction of c-fos and other immediate response genes by various mitogens. The serum response element (SRE) in the c-fos promoter is necessary and sufficient for induction of transcription of c-fos by serum, growth factors, and the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). It forms a complex with the ternary complex factor (TCF) and with a dimer of the serum response factor (SRF). TCF is the target of several signal transduction pathways and SRF is the target of the rhoA pathway. In this study we generated dominant-negative and constitutively active mutants of PKC-alpha, PKC-delta, PKC-epsilon, and PKC-zeta to determine the roles of individual isoforms of PKC in activation of the SRE. Transient-transfection assays with NIH 3T3 cells, using an SRE-driven luciferase reporter plasmid, indicated that PKC-alpha and PKC-epsilon, but not PKC-delta or PKC-zeta, mediate SRE activation. TPA-induced activation of the SRE was partially inhibited by dominant negative c-Raf, ERK1, or ERK2, and constitutively active mutants of PKC-alpha and PKC-epsilon activated the transactivation domain of Elk-1. TPA-induced activation of the SRE was also partially inhibited by a dominant-negative MEKK1. Furthermore, TPA treatment of serum-starved NIH 3T3 cells led to phosphorylation of SEK1, and constitutively active mutants of PKC-alpha and PKC-epsilon activated the transactivation domain of c-Jun, a major substrate of JNK. Constitutively active mutants of PKC-alpha and PKC-epsilon could also induce a mutant c-fos promoter which lacks the TCF binding site, and they also induce transactivation activity of the SRF. Furthermore, rhoA-mediated SRE activation was blocked by dominant negative mutants of PKC-alpha or PKC-epsilon. Taken together, these findings indicate that PKC-alpha and PKC-epsilon can enhance the activities of at least three signaling pathways that converge on the SRE: c-Raf-MEK1-ERK-TCF, MEKK1-SEK1-JNK-TCF, and rhoA-SRF. Thus, specific isoforms of PKC may play a role in integrating networks of signal transduction pathways that control gene expression.
Anti-inflammatory effects of bifidobacteria by inhibition of LPS-induced NF-κB activation (2006)

Some strains of bifidobacteria are effective in inhibiting LPS-induced inflammation and thus might be appropriate candidates for probiotic intervention in chronic intestinal inflammation.
Predicting Bacteremia in Older Patients (1995)

These findings provide means to identify older hospitalized patients at high risk of bacteremia. Although the proposed predictive model will need further validation and more precise evaluation of the potential benefits, it may nevertheless be of some help in early recognition and treatment of bacteremia.
A randomized, controlled trial of the efficacy of closed chest compressions in ambulances (1997)

The percentage of correct compressions in all the vehicles tested was lower when compared with the percentage on the ground, and the increase in heart rate was higher. Only one of these results was statistically significant. A further study with more participants seems warranted.
Ag Nanowires Coated with Ag/Pd Alloy Sheaths and Their Use as Substrates for Reversible Absorption and Desorption of Hydrogen (2004)

When the surfaces of Ag nanowires were coated with thin sheaths of Pd/Ag alloys, they exhibited hydrogen absorption/desorption behaviors and capacities similar to those of pure Pd powders or nanotubes. The stronger mechanical strengths of these cable-like nanostructures also allowed them to undergo more absorption/desorption cycles with no morphological changes. These nanostructures can be used as a good model system to study the interaction between hydrogen and metal alloys with relatively low concentrations of Pd (<10%) with respect to structural, thermodynamic, and kinetic features.
Angiopoietin‐2 plays an important role in retinal angiogenesis (2002)

Angiopoietin 2 (Ang2) expression in the retina is increased during physiologic and pathologic neovascularization suggesting that it may be involved. In this study, we used Ang2-deficient mice to test that hypothesis. Mice deficient in Ang2 showed delayed and incomplete development of the superficial vascular bed of the retina, which develops primarily by vasculogenesis, and complete absence of the intermediate and deep vascular beds which develop by angiogenesis. In addition to incomplete retinal vascular development, Ang2-deficient mice showed lack of regression of the hyaloid vasculature, resulting in a phenotype that mimics infants with persistent fetal vasculature (PFV), a relatively common congenital abnormality. Exposure to high levels of oxygen resulted in partial regression of the retinal vessels, indicating that oxygen-induced regression of retinal vessels does not require Ang2. When these oxygen-exposed mice with few retinal vessels were moved to room air, there was no ischemia-induced retinal neovascularization. These data support the hypothesis that Ang2 plays a critical role in physiologic and pathologic angiogenesis, and physiologic, but not oxygen-induced vascular regression. The data also suggest that infants with PFV should be examined for genetic modifications that would be expected to cause perturbations in Tie2 signaling.
Location constraint based 2D-3D registration of fluoroscopic images and CT volumes for image-guided EP procedures (2008)

Presentation of detailed anatomical structures via 3D Computed Tomographic (CT) volumes helps visualization and navigation in electrophysiology procedures (EP). Registration of the CT volume with the online fluoroscopy however is a challenging task for EP applications due to the lack of discernable features in fluoroscopic images. In this paper, we propose to use the coronary sinus (CS) catheter in bi-plane fluoroscopic images and the coronary sinus in the CT volume as a location constraint to accomplish 2D-3D registration. Two automatic registration algorithms are proposed in this study, and their performances are investigated on both simulated and real data. It is shown that compared to registration using mono-plane fluoroscopy, registration using bi-plane images results in substantially higher accuracy in 3D and enhanced robustness. In addition, compared to registering the projection of CS to the 2D CS catheter, it is more desirable to reconstruct a 3D CS catheter from the bi-plane fluoroscopy and then perform a 3D-3D registration between the CS and the reconstructed CS catheter. Quantitative validation based on simulation and visual inspection on real data demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed workflow in EP procedures.
Dendritic Cells Cross-Present Latency Gene Products from Epstein-Barr Virus–Transformed B Cells and Expand Tumor-Reactive Cd8+ Killer T Cells (2001)

Dendritic cells (DCs) are not targets for infection by the transforming Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). To test if the adjuvant role of DCs could be harnessed against EBV latency genes by cross-presentation, DCs were allowed to process either autologous or human histocompatibility leukocyte antigen (HLA)-mismatched, transformed, B lymphocyte cell lines (LCLs) that had been subject to apoptotic or necrotic cell death. After phagocytosis of small numbers of either type of dead LCL, which lacked direct immune-stimulatory capacity, DCs could expand CD8(+) T cells capable of killing LCLs that were HLA matched to the DCs. Necrotic EBV-transformed, major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-negative LCLs, when presented by DCs, also could elicit responses to MHC class II-negative, EBV-transformed targets that were MHC class I matched to the DCs, confirming efficient cross-presentation of LCL antigens via MHC class I on the DC. Part of this EBV-specific CD8(+) T cell response, in both lytic and interferon gamma secretion assays, was specific for the EBV nuclear antigen (EBNA)3A and latent membrane protein (LMP)2 latency antigens that are known to be expressed at low levels in transformed cells. The induced CD8(+) T cells recognized targets at low doses, 1-10 nM, of peptide. Therefore, the capacity of DCs to cross-present antigens from dead cells extends to the expansion of high affinity T cells specific for viral latency antigens involved in cell transformation.
Dynamic frame resizing with convolutional neural network for efficient video compression (2017)

In the past, video codecs such as vc-1 and H.263 used a technique to encode reduced-resolution video and restore original resolution from the decoder for improvement of coding efficiency. The techniques of vc-1 and H.263 Annex Q are called dynamic frame resizing and reduced-resolution update mode, respectively. However, these techniques have not been widely used due to limited performance improvements that operate well only under specific conditions. In this paper, video frame resizing (reduced/restore) technique based on machine learning is proposed for improvement of coding efficiency. The proposed method features video of low resolution made by convolutional neural network (CNN) in encoder and reconstruction of original resolution using CNN in decoder. The proposed method shows improved subjective performance over all the high resolution videos which are dominantly consumed recently. In order to assess subjective quality of the proposed method, Video Multi-method Assessment Fusion (VMAF) which showed high reliability among many subjective measurement tools was used as subjective metric. Moreover, to assess general performance, diverse bitrates are tested. Experimental results showed that BD-rate based on VMAF was improved by about 51% compare to conventional HEVC. Especially, VMAF values were significantly improved in low bitrate. Also, when the method is subjectively tested, it had better subjective visual quality in similar bit rate.
Antagonism of calmodulin by local anesthetics. Inhibition of calmodulin-stimulated calcium transport of erythrocyte inside-out membrane vesicles. (1981)

Transport of calcium across the erythrocyte membrane is regulated by a Ca2+-activated, Mg2+-dependent ATPase which is stimulated by calmodulin. The regulation of Ca2+ transport by calmodulin was studied in inside-out membrane vesicles (IO vesicles) prepared from erythrocytes treated with protease inhibitors and lysed in media containing ethylene glycol bis(β-aminoethyl ether)-N,N,N’,N’-tetraacetic acid and EDTA. Ca2+ uptake by IO vesicles was absolutely dependent on ATP, and the basal rate of uptake was 14.3 ± 1.1 nmoles/mg of IO vesicle protein per minute at a saturating concentration of free Ca2+ in the medium. Calmodulin stimulated Ca2+ uptake by an average of 3.5-fold to a Vmax of 49.4 ± 3.9 nmoles/mg of IO vesicle protein per minute. The K0.5 for calmodulin was 4.9 ± 0.9 nM and the maximal initial rate of Ca2+ uptake was attained at about 64 nM calmodulin. In a medium containing 80 mM Na+, calmodulin reduced the K0.5 for Ca2+ from 8.9 ± 1.8 µM (n = 3) to 5.0 ± 0.3 µM, but in a medium in which all Na+ was replaced by K+, calmodulin decreased K0.5 Ca2+ to 1.4 µM free Ca2+. Certain local anesthetics and drugs with local anesthetic-like properties (e.g., dibucaine, tetracaine, QX572, proadifen, mepacrine, quinine, propranolol, phenacaine, monocaine, and procaine), as well as trifluoperazine, inhibited calmodulin-stimulated Ca2+ uptake into IO vesicles. Calmodulin-stimulated (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase activity was inhibited to a degree equivalent to the effect on calcium uptake. Basal Ca2+ uptake (minus calmodulin) was only weakly inhibited; e.g., dibucaine at 1.0 mM inhibited stimulation by calmodulin 96.9%, but reduced basal Ca2+ uptake by only 11.4%. The local anesthetics increased the K0.5 for calmodulin and reduced Vmax for Ca2+ uptake. The reduction of Vmax by local anesthetics was dose-dependent: e.g., 35% reduction at 0.25 mM dibucaine and 65% reduction at 0.5 mM dibucaine. Vmax could not be restored to control levels by the addition of an excess of either calmodulin or Ca2+. The antagonism of calmodulin by local anesthetics appeared to have elements of both competitive and noncompetitive inhibition. The antagonism versus Ca2+ was uncompetitive. These results are in agreement with our previous findings that certain local anesthetics are antagonists of calmodulin-stimulated (Ca2+ + Mg2+)-ATPase and calmodulin-stimulated cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase. It is suggested that certain of the well-known inhibitory effects of local anesthetics on Ca2+-dependent cellular functions may be due to inhibition of the role played by calmodulin in facilitating these Ca2+-dependent processes.
The effect of annealing on resistivity of low pressure chemical vapor deposited titanium diboride (1991)

The correlation between the resistivity of TiB2 and the chemical vapor deposition parameters and subsequent annealing temperature have been studied. The films deposited from TiCl4 and B2H6 above 600 °C are found to be nearly stoichiometric TiB2 with a resistivity of 250 μΩ cm±20%, while those deposited below 600 °C are found to contain excess boron, and exhibit a higher resistivity. The resistivity of the films is observed to be independent of thickness in the thickness range from 15 to 550 nm. After high-temperature rapid thermal annealing (≳1000 °C), the resistivity is reduced to as low as 36 μΩ cm. The grain size in annealed films increases exponentially with temperature. The conductivity and the Hall mobility of the samples increase linearly with the grain size. The activation energy of grain growth, conductivity, and Hall mobility was found to be the same, 1.6–1.7 eV. From these results, it is evident that the carrier mobility of TiB2 is dominated by grain boundary scattering. The lower limit for resistivity of chemical vapor deposited TiB2 films is expected to be attainable only after annealing at temperatures approaching 1300 °C.
PERIODIC ALTERNATING NYSTAGMUS (1976)

Three patients with periodic alternating nystagmus (PAN) are described in detail. Digital computer methods were used to quantify their disordered eye movement in an attempt to understand the pathophysiology. One of the patients was unusual in showing rebound nystagmus with fixation and PAN without fixation. Each patient had hyperactive vestibular responses and the phase and gain of the PAN cycles were altered in a predictable fashion by vestibular stimuli. It is postulated that PAN represents cyclical firing between reciprocally connected groups of inhibitory neurons within the vestibular and oculomotor nuclei. The cyclical firing is initiated by a critical imbalance of tonic input to either group of normally functioning neurons.
Excretion of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus in semen after experimentally induced infection in boars (1994)

Four boars intranasally inoculated with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) virus were monitored for 56 days after exposure for changes in semen characteristics and for the presence of virus in the semen. Clinically, 2 of 4 boars had mild respiratory signs of 1 day's duration after infection. Changes in appetite, behavior, or libido were not detected. All boars seroconverted on the indirect fluorescent antibody and serum virus neutralization tests by day 14 after inoculation. Virus was isolated from serum between days 7 and 14 after inoculation. During the monitoring period, semen volume decreased and pH correspondingly increased; however, this change began 7 to 10 days prior to infection. Differences in sperm morphologic features, concentration, or motility between the preinfection and postinfection samples were not observed. The PRRS virus was detected in semen at the first collection in each of the 4 boars (ie, 3 or 5 days after challenge exposure). Virus was detected in nearly all semen samples collected from the 4 infected boars through days 13, 25, 27, and 43, respectively. Neither gross nor microscopic lesions attributable to PRRS virus were observed in tissues collected at the termination of the experiment (day 56), and virus isolation results from reproductive tissues were negative.
Well-Defined Biocompatible Block Copolymers via Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of 2-Methacryloyloxyethyl Phosphorylcholine in Protic Media (2003)

2-Methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) is commonly used to prepare biocompatible copolymers that have delivered clinically proven benefits in various biomedical applications. Recently, we reported that MPC could be homopolymerized to high conversions with good control via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) in protic media. In the present study we describe the synthesis of a wide range of well-defined MPC-based block copolymers using either near-monodisperse macroinitiators or sequential monomer addition. With the former approach, the macroinitiators were based on either poly(alkylene oxides) or poly(dimethylsiloxane). With the latter approach, suitable comonomers included a wide range of methacrylic and other monomers, including 2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DMA) and its quaternized derivatives, 2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DEA), 2-(diisopropylamino)ethyl methacrylate (DPA), methyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxypropyl methacrylate, and glycerol monomethacrylate. Polymerization of MPC using the three macroinitiators yielded novel PEO−MPC, PPO−MPC, and PDMS−MPC diblock copolymers. The PPO−MPC diblock copolymer proved to be thermoresponsive: molecular dissolution occurred in cold water, with colloidal aggregates being formed reversibly at elevated temperatures due to the inverse temperature solubility behavior of the PPO block. For the sequential monomer addition syntheses, the MPC monomer was generally polymerized first under optimized conditions, followed by the second monomer. High conversions were obtained for both stages of polymerization, and where applicable, aqueous GPC analyses indicated reasonably low polydispersities and good blocking efficiencies. Above pH 8, the MPC−DMA diblock copolymers also exhibited thermoresponsive behavior, forming DMA-core aggregates at elevated temperature. Spontaneous dissociation occurred on cooling to ambient temperature as the hydrophobic DMA block became hydrophilic again. The MPC−DMA, MPC−DEA, and MPC−DPA diblock copolymers proved to be pH-responsive polymeric surfactants at ambient temperature: molecular dissolution occurred in dilute acidic solution with well-defined, near-monodisperse micelles being formed at around neutral pH. In each case, the MPC block formed the biocompatible micelle coronas and the tertiary amine methacrylate block formed the hydrophobic micelle cores. In the case of the MPC−DPA diblock copolymer, the pyrene partition constant for the DPA-core micelles at pH 9 was similar to that reported previously for polystyrene-core micelles. These new MPC-based diblock copolymers are being evaluated as new nonviral vectors for DNA condensation and “stealthy” nanocapsules for the delivery of hydrophobic drugs and also for the synthesis of biocompatible shell cross-linked micelles.
The role of apoptosis in the modulation of colon carcinogenesis by dietary fat and by the organoselenium compound 1,4-phenylenebis(methylene)selenocyanate. (1997)

Studies in laboratory animals have demonstrated that dietary supplements of organoselenium, 1,4-phenylenebis(methylene)selenocyanate (p-XSC) inhibit colon carcinogenesis. Diverse chemopreventive agents and clinically used anticancer drugs have been shown to induce apoptosis in colonic tumors. Inducing apoptosis is a key mechanism for the effectiveness of some chemopreventive agents; however, failure of apoptosis is now believed to contribute to the development of human cancer. In this study, we determined the number of apoptotic bodies in the colon tumors of rats fed a low-fat (LF) or a high-fat (HF) diet with or without p-XSC treatment. At 5 weeks of age, male F344 rats were divided into four groups, which were then maintained on one of the following diets: LF, 5% corn oil; HF, 23.5% corn oil; and LF and HF supplemented with 20 ppm p-XSC. In addition, the LF or HF diet with p-XSC supplements was administered either during the initiation stage or postinitiation. At 7 weeks of age, all rats except those intended for vehicle (normal saline) treatment were given 15 mg/kg of body weight of azoxymethane once weekly for 2 weeks. The animals were sacrificed 38 weeks after carcinogen treatment, and their colonic tumors were examined for appearance of apoptosis. The LF diet significantly increased the percentage of apoptosis as compared to the HF diet; the percentage of apoptosis in LF and HF diets were 12.4 and 2.9. The colon tumors that were present in the groups fed p-XSC together with a LF or a HF diet after carcinogen administration (postinitiation period) had a higher number of apoptotic bodies than those that were present in the animals fed p-XSC before carcinogen treatment (initiation period). The extent of apoptosis was weak when p-XSC was given with a HF diet (4.4%) during the initiation phase, but it was high significant when p-XSC was administered with LF diet (25.2%). Taken together, our data suggest that administration of LF diet supplemented with p-XSC increases apoptosis as compared to a HF diet alone.
Production of the Carotenoids Lycopene, β-Carotene, and Astaxanthin in the Food Yeast Candida utilis (1998)

The food-grade yeast Candida utilis has been engineered to confer a novel biosynthetic pathway for the production of carotenoids such as lycopene, beta-carotene, and astaxanthin. The exogenous carotenoid biosynthesis genes were derived from the epiphytic bacterium Erwinia uredovora and the marine bacterium Agrobacterium aurantiacum. The carotenoid biosynthesis genes were individually modified based on the codon usage of the C. utilis glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase gene and expressed in C. utilis under the control of the constitutive promotes and terminators derived from C. utilis. The resultant yeast strains accumulated lycopene, beta-carotene, and astaxanthin in the cells at 1.1, 0.4, and 0.4 mg per g (dry weight) of cells, respectively. This was considered to be a result of the carbon flow into ergosterol biosynthesis being partially redirected to the nonendogenous pathway for carotenoid production.
Animals bearing malignant grafts reject normal grafts that express through gene transfer the same antigen. (1990)

Breaking the state of immunological unresponsiveness of tumor-bearing individuals to cancer is a prerequisite for active or passive tumor-specific immunotherapy. To study this problem the immunogenic MHC class I antigen, K216 was transfected into a progressor tumor. The transfected tumors were regularly rejected by normal mice but grew progressively in mice bearing nontransfected tumors. In addition, transgenic mice were derived to obtain normal cells and tissues expressing the same K216 gene product. Normal mice rejected K216-positive normal or malignant tissue grafts and generated K216-specific CTL in vitro and in vivo in response to these challenges. In contrast, mice bearing nontransfected tumors, though rejecting K216-positive nonmalignant tissue grafts, did not reject K216-positive tumors nor generate K216-specific CTL in response to K216-positive tumor cells. Mice bearing K216-positive tumors also rejected the nonmalignant K216-positive tissue grafts, but this in vivo response failed to lead to rejection of the simultaneously present tumor graft expressing the same antigen; in fact, immunity had no measurable effect whatsoever on tumor size or incidence and caused no selection for antigen loss variants. Taken together, the present findings suggest that transfer of expression of a target antigen into nonmalignant cells provides a way for obtaining effective stimulation of antigen-specific CTL in tumor-bearing mice, but that additional manipulations will be required to cause immunological rejection of established tumors.