gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Cerebral ischemia and CNS transplantation (1998)

Stroke mortality has declined over recent decades, prompting a demand for the development of effective rehabilitative therapies for stroke survivors. This effort has been facilitated by significant progress in replicating the behavioral and neuropathological changes of authentic human cerebral ischemia using relevant animal models. Since the rodent model of middle cerebral artery occlusion mimics several motor abnormalities seen in clinical cerebral ischemia, we have utilized this model to investigate treatment strategies for stroke. The present study explored the potential benefits of neural transplantation of fetal rat striatal cells or human neurons derived from a clonal embryonal carcinoma cell line to correct the abnormalities associated with cerebral ischemia. We report here that ischemia-induced behavioral dysfunctions were ameliorated by the neural grafts as early as 1 month post-transplantation. Of note, transplantation of human neurons induced a significantly more robust recovery than fetal rat striatal grafts. Thus, the logistical and ethical concerns about the use of fetal striatal cells for transplantation therapy can be eliminated by exploiting cell line-derived human neurons as alternative graft sources. Transplantation of human neurons has a therapeutic potential for treatment of behavioral deficits associated with cerebral ischemia.
Long dsRNAbut not siRNAinitiatesRNAi in western corn rootworm larvae and adults (2015)

Abstract Transgenic maize plants expressing ds RNA targeting western corn rootworm ( WCR , Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) v‐ ATP ase subunit C mRNA for RNA i provided significant root protection from WCR larval feeding damage in greenhouse assays compared to negative controls. Transcribed hairpin ds RNA in WCR ‐resistant maize plants was present as both intact hairpin‐derived ds RNA and plant‐processed si RNA . Therefore, the ability of ds RNA and si RNA targeting Dv v‐ ATP ase C mRNA to cause an RNA i response was studied in both WCR larvae and adults. In 9‐day diet‐based feeding assays, ds RNA of at least 60 bp in length resulted in high levels of larval mortality. In contrast, 15‐, 25‐ or 27‐bp ds RNA s or pooled 21‐bp si RNA s did not cause mortality of exposed larvae. When larvae were fed with diet overlaid with si RNA s, Dv v‐ ATP ase C transcript levels did not change. Conversely, when WCR larvae were fed with diet overlaid with 184‐bp ds RNA , the mRNA level was reduced by &gt;20‐fold relative to yfp ds RNA negative control. Similarly, 184‐bp ds RNA caused 100% mortality of WCR adults, whereas the mortality of adults fed on diet treated with si RNA s was similar to the negative control. Feeding adults with si RNA s on diet did not affect the level of Dv v‐ ATP ase C mRNA transcripts, whereas adults fed with the 184‐bp ds RNA showed approximately 35‐fold reduction in the target mRNA level. Similar results were obtained with the WCR adults injected with 184‐bp ds RNA or 21‐bp si RNA . These results suggest that only long ds RNA or hairpin‐derived ds RNA is effective in causing lethal knock‐down of Dv v‐ ATP ase C mRNA . These results have implications for efficacious plant‐delivered ds RNA for the protection of transgenic maize from WCR feeding damage and for the risk assessment of transgenic maize expressing insecticidal ds RNA .
Integrin family of cell adhesion molecules in the injured brain: Regulation and cellular localization in the normal and regenerating mouse facial motor nucleus (1999)

Integrins are a large family of heterodimeric glycoproteins that play a crucial role in cell adhesion during development, inflammation, and tissue repair. In the current study, we investigated the localization of different integrin subunits in the mouse facial motor nucleus and their regulation after transection of the facial nerve. In the normal mouse brain, there was clear immunoreactivity for alpha5-, alpha6-, and beta1-integrin subunits on blood vessel endothelia and for alphaM- and beta2-subunits on resting parenchymal microglia. Facial nerve transection led to an up-regulation of the beta1-subunit on the axotomized neurons and an increase in the alpha4-, alpha5-, alpha6-, beta1-, alphaM-, alphaX-, and beta2-subunits on the adjacent, activated microglia. Quantification of the microglial integrins revealed two different expression patterns. The subunits alpha5 and alpha6 showed a monophasic increase with a maximum at day 4, the alphaM-subunit a biphasic regulation, with an early peak at day 1 and an elevated plateau between day 14 and 42. At day 14, there was also an influx of lymphocytes immunoreactive for the alpha4beta1- and alphaLbeta2-integrins, which aggregated at sites of neural debris and phagocytotic microglia. This finding was accompanied by a significant increase of the alpha5beta1-integrin on blood vessel endothelia. In summary, facial axotomy is followed by a strong and cell-type-specific expression of integrins on the affected neurons and on surrounding microglia, lymphocytes, and vascular endothelia. The presence of several, strikingly different temporal patterns suggests a selective involvement of these molecules in the different adhesive events during regeneration in the central nervous system.
The Immunogenicity of 7‐Valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine versus 23‐Valent Polysaccharide Vaccine in Adults Aged 50–80 Years (2009)

http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/NCT00197821.
FPGA implementation of a configurable cache/scratchpad memory with virtualized user-level RDMA capability (2009)

We report on the hardware implementation of a local memory system for individual processors inside future chip multiprocessors (CMP). It intends to support both implicit communication, via caches, and explicit communication, via directly accessible local (ldquoscratchpadrdquo) memories and remote DMA (RDMA). We provide run-time configurability of the SRAM blocks near each processor, so that part of them operates as 2nd level (local) cache, while the rest operates as scratchpad. We also strive to merge the communication subsystems required by the cache and scratchpad into one integrated Network Interface (NI) and Cache Controller (CC), in order to economize on circuits. The processor communicates with the NI in user-level, through virtualized command areas in scratchpad; through a similar mechanism, the NI also provides efficient support for synchronization, using two hardware primitives: counters, and queues. We describe the block diagram, the hardware cost, and the latencies of our FPGA-based prototype implementation, which integrates four MicroBlaze processors, each with 64 KBytes of local SRAM, a crossbar NoC, and a DRAM controller on a Xilinx-5 FPGA. One-way, end-to-end, user-level communication completes within about 30 clock cycles for short transfer sizes.
Improved efficiency Si-photonic attenuator (2008)

A forward-biased p-i-n diode integrated with a ridge waveguide forms a basic Si attenuator building block. Disruptive power improvement was achieved through a recessed contact configuration by limiting the amount of Si volume for carrier recombination. A device model was established by using realistic surface recombination velocities instead of effective carrier lifetime concept to understand the device physics of the afore-mentioned Si attenuator.
Expression of genes introduced into cells by retroviral infection is more efficient than that of genes introduced into cells by DNA transfection (1984)

Calcium phosphate-mediated DNA transfection and retroviral infection are two alternative gene transfer techniques designed to introduce specific DNA fragments into the chromosomes of recipient cells. To compare the efficiency of expression of genes introduced into cells by either of these two techniques, a retrovirus-derived vector was constructed from the genome of Moloney murine leukemia virus by replacing the coding sequences of the envelope gene with the bacterial Neor gene derived from Tn5, termed rEnv-Neor. Expression of the hybrid Neor gene in NIH 3T3 cells after DNA transfection or retroviral infection was determined by measuring the steady-state levels of the corresponding cytoplasmic polyadeylated RNA species. Cells containing one copy of the integrated rEnv-Neor DNA introduced into cells by retroviral infection expressed 10- to 50-fold-higher levels of vector-specific RNA compared with cells harboring one copy of the same DNA derived by DNA transfection. Analysis of the integrated rEnv-Neor DNA with the methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme SmaI has shown that DNA integrated after DNA transfection but not after viral infection is partially methylated, predominantly in the 5' long terminal repeat, the region involved in initiation of transcription.
Hydrogen blister depth in boron and hydrogen coimplanted n-type silicon (1999)

We have studied the depths of hydrogen surface blisters in 〈100〉 n-type silicon, which formed after B+H coimplantation and heat treatment. The silicon substrates had three different dopant levels, ranging from 1014 to 1019 cm−3. The Si substrates were first implanted with B+ ions at 147 keV to a dose of 1015 cm−2. Some of the B-implanted samples were left in their as-implanted state; others were electrically activated by a rapid thermal anneal. The samples were then implanted with 40 keV H+ to a dose of 5×1016 cm−2. At the chosen implantation energies, the hydrogen- and boron-implantation distributions overlap. Following H+ implantation, all the samples were vacuum annealed and examined by ion-beam analysis and scanning electron microscopy. In all cases, the blister depth was consistently found to be strongly correlated with the H damage profile rather than the H or B concentration profiles.
Unique Synthetic Peptides Stimulating Streptolysin S Production in Streptococci (1999)

A peptide has been isolated from pronase digest of bovine serum albumin as the stimulatory factor of streptolysin S (SLS) production by Streptococcus pyogenes, and its primary structure has been deduced [Akao et al. (1992) Infect. Immun. 60, 4777-4780]. To determine the essential structure for the stimulation, a peptide (P-1) having the deduced structure, in which three peptide fragments are linked by two disulfide bonds, and shorter analogs (P-2 to P-4) of peptide P-1 were chemically synthesized. Another peptide (P-5), in which Ala is inserted between the two Cys residues in the middle peptide chain of P-1, was also synthesized. These synthetic peptides were identified by mass spectrometry and analysis of amino acid compositions. The synthetic P-1 stimulated SLS production in a dose-dependent manner. Other peptide analogs also showed remarkable stimulation of SLS production. Treatment of P-1 with performic acid resulted in loss of its stimulatory activity, indicating that disulfide bridges of the peptides are necessary for their activity on SLS production. These results suggest that the unique primary structure of three peptide chains linked by two disulfide bridges is requisite for the stimulatory effect on SLS production.
Small‐molecule CFTR activators increase tear secretion and prevent experimental dry eye disease (2016)

Dry eye disorders, including Sjögren's syndrome, constitute a common problem in the aging population, with limited effective therapeutic options available. The cAMP-activated Cl(-) channel cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is a major prosecretory channel at the ocular surface. We investigated whether compounds that target CFTR can correct the abnormal tear film in dry eye. Small-molecule activators of human wild-type CFTR identified by high-throughput screening were evaluated in cell culture and in vivo assays, to select compounds that stimulate Cl(-)-driven fluid secretion across the ocular surface in mice. An aminophenyl-1,3,5-triazine, CFTRact-K089, fully activated CFTR in cell cultures with EC50 ∼250 nM and produced an ∼8.5 mV hyperpolarization in ocular surface potential difference. When delivered topically, CFTRact-K089 doubled basal tear volume for 4 h and had no effect in CF mice. CFTRact-K089 showed sustained tear film bioavailability without detectable systemic absorption. In a mouse model of aqueous-deficient dry eye produced by lacrimal ablation, topical administration of 0.1 nmol CFTRact-K089 3 times daily restored tear volume to basal levels, preventing corneal epithelial disruption when initiated at the time of surgery and reversing it when started after development of dry eye. Our results support the potential utility of CFTR-targeted activators as a novel prosecretory treatment for dry eye.-Flores, A. M., Casey, S. D., Felix, C. M., Phuan, P. W., Verkman, A. S., Levin, M. H. Small-molecule CFTR activators increase tear secretion and prevent experimental dry eye disease.
Applications And Engineering Of Monoclonal Antibodies (1998)

A valuable resource for researchers and workers in the fields of both pharmaceuticals and biotechnology as well as undergraduates in biochemistry, applied biology, biomedical sciences and pharmacy, this book compares established techniques of antibody production with the new. Antibody structure and the implications of antibody engineering are fully
Organic−Inorganic Nanoassembly Based on Complexation of Cationic Silica Nanoparticles and Weak Anionic Polyelectrolytes in Aqueous and Alcohol Media (2004)

Complexation of tertiary amine containing silica nanoparticles (diameter ≈ 3.0 nm) and a weak acidic polyelectrolyte, poly(acrylic acid), which has a characteristic pH-responsive property, was investigated under various environments. The salt- and temperature-induced association/transformation/dissociation behavior was studied in aqueous medium by following the turbidity as a function of time. Complex formation was observed in methanol, whereas no complexation was obtained in DMF. The size and density of the aggregate structures formed in methanol could be controlled by the temperature, as confirmed by TEM measurements. Characterization of the isolated complexes was conducted by elemental analysis, 1H NMR, and FT-IR measurements, suggesting that the silica composition in the complex isolated from water is the same as that obtained from methanol. On the contrary, the kind of solvent has a significant influence on the interaction between the components and the resulting aggregated structures. MALDI-TOF MS was used for the determination of the molecular weights and molecular weight distribution of the silica nanoparticles, which give useful information on the stoichiometry of the complex systems. Morphological and ionization changes of the complexes in response to the environmental changes are discussed in view of the interactions between the two constituents, stoichiometry, and sizes of the cationic particle and the anionic polyelectrolyte.
The nanogranular acoustic signature of shale (2009)

Abstract A multiscale, micromechanics model has been developed for the prediction of anisotropic acoustic properties of shale. The model is based on the recently identified nanogranular mechanical response of shale through indentation experiments. It recognizes the dominant role of the anisotropic elastic properties of compacted clay in the anisotropic elasticity of shale at different length scales compared to contributions of shape and orientation of particles. Following a thorough validation at multiple length scales using mineral elasticity data, nanoindentation experiment results, and ultrasonic pulse velocity tests, the model predictions compare adequately with measurements on kerogen-free and kerogen-rich shales and shaley sandstones. The acoustic signature of shale thus is found to be controlled by two volumetric parameters that synthesize the porosity and mineralogy information: the clay-packing density and the silt inclusion volume fraction. Through a series of dimensionless isoparametric plots, the micromechanics model predicts trends of increasing elastic anisotropy with increasing clay-packing density (or decreasing porosity), which correspond to the intrinsic mechanical response of unfractured shale, and quantifies the stiffness reduction induced by the presence of kerogen.
Forced Dimerization of gp130 Leads to Constitutive STAT3 Activation, Cytokine-independent Growth, and Blockade of Differentiation of Embryonic Stem Cells (2006)

The mode of activation of glycoprotein 130 kDa (gp130) and the transmission of the activation status through the plasma membrane are incompletely understood. In particular, the molecular function of the three juxtamembrane fibronectin III-like domains of gp130 in signal transmission remains unclear. To ask whether forced dimerization of gp130 is sufficient for receptor activation, we replaced the entire extracellular portion of gp130 with the c-jun leucine zipper region in the chimeric receptor protein L-gp130. On expression in cells, L-gp130 stimulates ligand-independent signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 3 and extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 phosphorylation. gp130 activation could be abrogated by the addition of a competing peptide comprising the leucine zipper region of c-fos. When stably expressed in the interleukin-3-dependent Ba/F3 murine pre-B-cells, these cells showed constitutive STAT3 activation and cytokine-independent growth over several months. Because gp130 stimulation completely suppressed differentiation of murine embryonic stem cells in vitro, we also stably expressed L-gp130 in these cells, which completely blocked their differentiation in the absence of cytokine stimulation and was consistent with high constitutive expression levels of the stem cell factor OCT-4. Thus, L-gp130 can be used in vitro and in vivo to mimic constitutive and ligand-independent activation of gp130 and STAT3, the latter of which is frequently observed in neoplastic diseases.
Synthesis and antibiotic activity of a gramicidin S analogue containing bicyclic β-turn dipeptides (1986)

In order to demonstrate the usefulness of a bicyclic dipeptide derivative designed to simulate the backbone conformation of a β-turn (type II′), the dipeptide (3S, 6S, 9R)-2-oxo-3-amino-7-thia-1-azabicyclo[4.3.0]nonane-9-carboxylic acid has been incorporated into gramicidin S (GS) at the β-turns in place of the D-Phe-Pro sequences.The GS analogue exhibited equal antibacterial activity, and a closely similar c.d. spectrum, to that of GS, indicating that there are two β-turns in the biologically active conformation of GS. The method seems applicable to more flexible peptides of biological interest.
Impaired Interaction Between Efferent and Afferent Renal Nerve Activity in SHR Involves Increased Activation of α2-Adrenoceptors (2011)

Activation of efferent renal sympathetic nerve activity (ERSNA) increases afferent renal nerve activity (ARNA), leading to decreases in ERSNA by activation of the renorenal reflexes in the overall goal of maintaining low ERSNA. The renorenal reflex responses to various stimuli are impaired in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). Because renal tissue density of α(2)-adrenoceptors (ARs) is increased in SHR, we examined whether the ERSNA-induced increases in ARNA are impaired in SHR and, if so, the role of α(2)-ARs. The ARNA responses to increases in ERSNA were impaired in SHR, 2390 ± 460%·seconds, versus in Wistar-Kyoto rats, 6620 ± 1690%·seconds. Renal pelvic release of substance P was not altered by 6250 pmol/L norepinephrine (NE) in SHR but was increased by 250 pmol/L NE in Wistar-Kyoto rats, from 5.7 ± 0.7 to 12.5±1.3 pg/min. Renal pelvic administration of the α(2)-AR antagonist rauwolscine enhanced the ERSNA-induced increases in ARNA, 4170 ± 900%·seconds, in SHR but not in Wistar-Kyoto rats. In the presence of rauwolscine, 250 pmol/L NE increased substance P release, from 5.2 ± 0.3 to 11.2 ± 0.8 pg/min, in pelvises from SHR. Because angiotensin II suppresses the activation of renal mechanosensory nerves in SHR, we examined whether losartan improved the ERSNA-induced ARNA responses. Losartan had no effect on the ARNA responses or the NE-induced increases in substance P in SHR. However, losartan+rauwolscine resulted in further enhancement of the responsiveness of the renal sensory nerves to increases in ERSNA and NE in SHR but not in WKY. We conclude that increased activation of renal α(2)-ARs and angiotensin II type 1 receptors contributes to the impaired interaction between ERSNA and ARNA in SHR.
Effects of aromatic isothiocyanates on tumorigenicity, O6-methylguanine formation, and metabolism of the tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone in A/J mouse lung. (1989)

Phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC), benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), and phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC) were tested for their abilities to inhibit lung tumorigenesis and O6-methylguanine formation in lung DNA induced by the tobacco-specific nitrosamine 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK) in A/J mice. Pretreatment with PEITC for 4 consecutive days at daily doses of 5 or 25 mumol inhibited tumor multiplicity induced by a single 10-mumol dose of NNK by approximately 70% or 97%, respectively. The 25-mumol daily dose of PEITC also reduced the percentage of animals that developed tumors by 70%. In contrast, both BITC and PITC failed to significantly reduce tumor multiplicity or the percentages of mice that developed tumors. Using an identical dosing regimen, parallel results were observed in the effects of these isothiocyanates on O6-methylguanine formation in the lung, in which PEITC at either dose resulted in considerable inhibition at 2 or 6 h after NNK administration, while BITC or PITC had little effect. PEITC was further tested for its ability to inhibit lung microsomal metabolism of NNK. A single administration of PEITC (5 or 25 mumol) resulted in 90% inhibition of NNK metabolism. These results in conjunction with recent results obtained using F344 rats firmly establish PEITC as an effective inhibitor of NNK lung tumorigenesis and suggest that the basis of this inhibition is the reduction of DNA adduct formation caused by the inhibition of enzymes responsible for NNK activation.
Microwave Synthesis of Poly(L-lactic acid) (2008)

Synthesis of poly(L-lactic acid) typically requires a long process time with the use of tin octoate as a catalyst. In this study microwave-assisted polymerization of lactic acid has been studied both with the aid and without the aid of tin octoate catalyst. While the presence of tin octoate assists in the polymerization process, it is not a pre-requisite to polymerization with microwaves. Molecular masses in excess of 25 kDa were possible over process times as little as 2.5 h without the need for a controlled environment. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and gel-permeation chromatography were used to follow the polymerization process. Microwave-assisted polymerization of lactic acid to yield poly(L-lactic acid) has been shown to be a viable and quicker alternative to tradition approaches to the synthesis of poly(L-lactic acid).
Color Gamut Scalable Video Coding For SHVC (2013)

The HEVC extension for Scalable Video Coding (SHVC) is currently under definition. Color Gamut Scalability (CGS) has been identified as one MPEG requirement. This paper discuss what could be the stake of CGS in the context of video distribution. Two CGS models are presented: one simple scheme based on Gain-Offset transformation, and one based on 3D color LUT, more generic. A comparison of their performances and respective advantages is carried out using different test contents trying to address realistic use cases.
A tool for subsystem configuration management (2003)

This paper describes a tool that manages a hierarchical, "is a subsystem of"-structure on a set of software development artefacts and that provides configuration management (CM) for subsystems by interacting with an existing CM tool. The tool is based on a recently proposed framework for subsystem-based configuration management. The tool demonstrates the feasibility of the framework and develops it further The design of the framework and the tool was developed in collaboration with Invensys SCADA Development and it is discussed in relation to their current software development process.