gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Branhamella catarrhalis: epidemiology, surface antigenic structure, and immune response (1996)

Over the past decade, Branhamella catarrhalis has emerged as an important human pathogen. The bacterium is a common cause of otitis media in children and of lower respiratory tract infections in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. B. catarrhalis is exclusively a human pathogen. It colonizes the respiratory tract of a small proportion of adults and a larger proportion of children. Studies involving restriction enzyme analysis of genomic DNA show that colonization is a dynamic process, with the human host eliminating and acquiring new strains frequently. The surface of B. catarrhalis contains outer membrane proteins, lipooligosaccharide, and pili. The genes which encode several outer membrane proteins have been cloned, and some of these proteins are being studied as potential vaccine antigens. Analysis of the immune response has been limited by the lack of an adequate animal model of B. catarrhalis infection. New information regarding outer membrane structure should guide studies of the human immune response to B. catarrhalis. Immunoassays which specifically detect antibodies to determinants exposed on the bacterial surface will elucidate the most relevant immune response. The recognition of B. catarrhalis as an important human pathogen has stimulated research on the epidemiology and surface structures of the bacterium. Future studies to understand the mechanisms of infection and to elucidate the human immune response to infection hold promise of developing new methods to treat and prevent infections caused by B. catarrhalis.
PCR-Based homology probing reveals a family of GABA receptor-like genes in Drosophila melanogaster (1994)

A polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based homology probing strategy was employed to screen Drosophila melanogaster genomic DNA for sequences encoding a conserved amino acid 'signature motif' known to be present in vertebrate GABA receptor and glycine receptor subunit genes. This approach yielded three discrete amplified sequence elements (designated LCCH1, LCCH2, and LCCH3) that contained open reading frames and > 40% amino acid sequence identity to the corresponding regions of vertebrate ligand-gated chloride channel genes. Genomic DNA clones corresponding to each element were isolated and sequenced, and predicted amino acid sequences corresponding to the second (M2) and third (M3) transmembrane domains of vertebrate genes were analyzed for identity or similarity to known sequences. LCCH1 was identical to the Rdl gene, a known GABA receptor subunit gene from D. melanogaster, whereas LCCH2 and LCCH3 were novel D. melanogaster sequences that exhibited structural similarity to other members of the ligand-gated chloride channel gene family. LCCH2 was equally divergent in M2 and M3 (46-49% amino acid identity) from all other known members of this family and may therefore represent a new subunit or receptor class within this family. LCCH2 was localized by in situ hybridization to cytogenetic region 75A on the left arm of chromosome 3. LCCH3 was closely related to mammalian (79% amino acid identity) and snail (96% amino acid identity) GABA receptor beta subunits and may therefore be the homologue in D. melanogaster of this subunit class. LCCH3 was localized by in situ hybridization to cytogenetic region 13F on the X chromosome.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A Manganese Alternative to Gadolinium for MRI Contrast (2015)

Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are routinely used to diagnose soft tissue and vascular abnormalities. However, safety concerns limit the use of iodinated and gadolinium (Gd)-based CT and MRI contrast media in renally compromised patients. With an estimated 14% of the US population suffering from chronic kidney disease (CKD), contrast media compatible with renal impairment is sorely needed. We present the new manganese(II) complex [Mn(PyC3A)(H2O)](-) as a Gd alternative. [Mn(PyC3A)(H2O)](-) is among the most stable Mn(II) complexes at pH 7.4 (log KML = 11.40). In the presence of 25 mol equiv of Zn at pH 6.0, 37 °C, [Mn(PyC3A)(H2O)](-) is 20-fold more resistant to dissociation than [Gd(DTPA)(H2O)](2-). Relaxivity of [Mn(PyC3A)(H2O)](-) in blood plasma is comparable to commercial Gd contrast agents. Biodistribution analysis confirms that [Mn(PyC3A)(H2O)](-) clears via a mixed renal/hepatobiliary pathway with >99% elimination by 24 h. [Mn(PyC3A)(H2O)](-) was modified to form a bifunctional chelator and 4 chelates were conjugated to a fibrin-specific peptide to give Mn-FBP. Mn-FBP binds the soluble fibrin fragment DD(E) with Kd = 110 nM. Per Mn relaxivity of Mn-FBP is 4-fold greater than [Mn(PyC3A)(H2O)](-) and increases 60% in the presence of fibrin, consistent with binding. Mn-FBP provided equivalent thrombus enhancement to the state of the art Gd analogue, EP-2104R, in a rat model of arterial thrombosis. Mn metabolite analysis reveals no evidence of dechelation and the probe was >99% eliminated after 24 h. [Mn(PyC3A)(H2O)](-) is a lead development candidate for an imaging probe that is compatible with renally compromised patients.
Polymerized Liposome Assemblies:  Bifunctional Macromolecular Selectin Inhibitors Mimicking Physiological Selectin Ligands (2001)

Monomeric sialyl Lewis(X) (sLe(x)) and sLe(x)-like oligosaccharides are minimal structures capable of supporting selectin binding in vitro. However, their weak binding interactions do not correlate with the high-affinity binding interactions witnessed in vivo. The polyvalent display of carbohydrate groups found on cell surface glycoprotein structures may contribute to the enhanced binding strength of selectin-mediated adhesion. Detailed biochemical analyses of physiological selectin ligands have revealed a complicated composition of molecules that bind to the selectins in vivo and suggest that there are other requirements for tight binding beyond simple carbohydrate multimerization. In an effort to mimic the high-affinity binding, polyvalent scaffolds that contain multicomponent displays of selectin-binding ligands have been synthesized. Here, we demonstrate that the presentation of additional anionic functional groups in the form of sulfate esters, on a polymerized liposome surface containing a multimeric array of sLe(x)-like oligosaccharides, generates a highly potent, bifunctional macromolecular assembly. This assembly inhibits L-, E-, and P-selectin binding to GlyCAM-1, a physiological ligand better than sLe(x)-like liposomes without additional anionic charge. These multivalent arrays are 4 orders of magnitude better than the monovalent carbohydrate. Liposomes displaying 3'-sulfo Lewis(X)-like oligosaccharides, on the other hand, show slight loss of binding with introduction of additional anionic functional groups for E- and P-selectin and negligible change for L-selectin. The ability to rapidly and systematically vary the composition of these assemblies is a distinguishing feature of this methodology and may be applied to the study of other systems where composite binding determinants are important for high-affinity binding.
Varistor-controlled liquid-crystal displays (1979)

A new method of constructing multiplexed reflective liquid-crystal displays is described. A passive nonlinear control layer is formed by applying appropriate conductor and insulator layers to a slab of ZnO varistor material which forms the rear wall of the liquid-crystal cell, thereby, placing a varistor in series with each display element. The sharp nonlinearity of the varistor I-V characteristics allows matrix displays with a very large number of lines (∼ 1000), while achieving the same optical performance as a nonmultiplexed display. Resolution limits and drive requirements are also discussed.
Is there a unique sequence in heparin for interaction with heparin cofactor II? Structural and biological studies of heparin-derived oligosaccharides. (1988)

To study the structural requirements in heparin for interaction with heparin cofactor II (HC II) we have analyzed the properties of oligosaccharide fractions obtained after digestion of heparin by heparinase and gel filtration. No activation of HC II was detected in the presence of di-, tetra-, hexa-, octa-, deca-, or do-decasaccharides. The hexasaccharide pool was fractionated by ion-exchange chromatography, and the structure of the major species, obtained in a homogeneous state, was investigated by NMR. All the resonances were unambiguously assigned using correlation by homonuclear and heteronuclear scalar coupling. The six monosaccharide residues of this hexasaccharide were thus easily identified. The sequence was established through two-dimensional nuclear Overhauser effect experiments. The results indicate that this product is a hexasaccharide recently described by Linhardt et al. (Linhardt, R. J., Rice, K. G., Merchant, Z. M., Kim, Y. S., and Lohse, D. L. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 14448-14454). However, we could not confirm the anticoagulant activity observed by these authors. Moreover, none of the individual components obtained after fractionation of the hexasaccharide pool was able either to activate HC II against thrombin or to inhibit HC II activation by heparin. Thus, our data led us to conclude that no unique sequence is involved in heparin for binding to HC II and inactivation of thrombin. The interaction merely results from the highly anionic character of heparin.
Enhancing Images By Nonlinear Extrapolation In Frequency (1995)

Improved method of enchancing edges in image involves nonlinear filter operation creating image-intensity components having spatial frequencies higher than those present in input image and locked in phase to lower-frequency input components. In comparison with other edge-enhancement methods involving mostly strengthening of higher-frequency components already present in input, this method computationally simpler and yields better results. Better suited to real-time applications like high-definition television and compression of image data.
Low power synchronization design for large bandwidth wireless LAN systems (2014)

Wireless LAN systems have been continuously evolving to provide ~10X increase in data rates every five years, exploiting higher mmWave frequencies and larger bandwidths, such as IEEE 802.11ad, providing 6.76 Gb/s using 2.16 GHz of bandwidth at 60 GHz. One of the key technical challenges to successful commercialization of these large bandwidth systems is power consumption. In this paper, we focus on reducing the idle listening mode power consumption where the device is actively looking for packets and the power consumption is dominated by the high speed ADCs. We propose a low power and bandwidth-scalable synchronization design for large bandwidth systems by developing reduced bandwidth modes in high-speed ADCs used in such systems. We study the impact of the proposed synchronization design on the detection probability, false alarm, AGC design and symbol timing estimation. Comparisons of our design using a bandwidth reduction of 4 with the existing IEEE 802. Had synchronization design show no loss in AWGN and a 0.8 dB loss in fading for an equivalent acquisition time and false alarm rate while providing a 33% power reduction in idle mode, assuming the ADCs consume 50% of the total idle power consumption. We also provide backward compatibility with current IEEE 802.11ad systems with limited impact on performance and power consumption.
In vitro comparison of RNA preparation methods for detection of feline calicivirus in urine of cats by use of a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction assay (2005)

Of the methods evaluated, the RN and QA methods of RNA preparation were most appropriate for the FCV RT-PCR assay. An RT-PCR assay optimized for detection of FCV in feline urine may aid investigations of FCV-induced urinary tract diseases in cats.
Localized Temperature Control in Microchannel Reactors Using Bimetallic Thermally-Actuated Valves (2015)

The smaller physical dimensions of microchannel reactors result in substantial reductions in capital and operating cost. However, microreactor control is challenging because of the difficulty of implementing distributed measurement devices and actuators. Using an autothermal catalytic plate reactor coupling steam-methane reforming and methane combustion as a test case, we propose a novel temperature control method using bimetallic strips that function as thermally actuated valves to regulate fluid flow in the microchannels. Bimetallic strips convert temperature variations into mechanical displacement, and by proper placement in the reactor channels, they can function as valves that close and open with temperature changes. We discuss the necessary design decisions and show through simulations that the thermally actuated valves contribute to an inherently safer design of microchannel reactors. We demonstrate that they can compensate for unequal flow distribution to the microchannels and successfully reject disturbances that would otherwise result in hotspots that could damage the reactor structure.
A Water Soluble Hydrated Metal Oxide primer for Adhesively Bonded Joints (1989)

Abstract Weight saving and manufacturing cost benefits have led to the increase in use of adhesively-bonded structures in the automotive, aerospace and marine industries. In order to be a viable alternative to, for example, metal fasteners, these adhesive bonds should maintain the strength typical of conventional fastener systems. In many applications, the bonds are put under a variety of environmental and mechanical stresses. For example, frequently these bonds are exposed over long periods of time to wet environments which can result in a loss of bond strength. The loss of strength can result from the extension of cracks and other deformations that occur in the adhesive or metal oxide which are accelerated by the moist environment. As a result of this deficiency, extensive research and development efforts have been undertaken to define methods and identify materials which improve bonded joint performance in humid conditions. For example, it is known that surface preparation is important in the bonding of aluminum and titanium, and cleanliness in the bonding of ceramic articles. Thus, it is essential that, before bonding, the adherend is cleaned and chemically pretreated to produce a surface which in combination with the adhesive develops the bond strengths which meet application requirements. The normal procedure after surface treatment is to apply a corrosion-inhibiting primer by a spray technique for surface protection prior to bonding and to insure resin penetration into the oxide structure which provides improved environmental resistance. A major drawback of spray application is the large volume of organic solvent (normally MEK) emitted to the atmosphere. A successful alternative is the recently-developed electrodeposited primer by Northrup Corp., which consists of water solubilized primer particles which migrate in an electric field to a conductive work piece where they are deposited in a dense, continuous coating.1 The primer was developed for use with 121°C (250°F) curing epoxy adhesives. An Air Force sponsored contract is currently under way, the objective of which is to develop an electrodeposited water-based primer for use with 177°C (350°F) curing epoxy systems.2 A water-based epoxy primer system for application using the more conventional spray techniques has also been decribed.3
In Pursuit of Functional Electrospun Materials for Clinical Applications in Humans (2016)

Electrospinning is a simple, low-cost and versatile approach to fabricate multifunctional materials useful in drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. Despite its emergence into other manufacturing sectors, electrospinning has not yet made a transformative impact in the clinic with a pharmaceutical product for use in humans. Why is this the current state of electrospun materials in biomedicine? Is it because electrospun materials are not yet capable of overcoming the biological safety and efficacy challenges needed in pharmaceutical products? Or, is it that technological advances in the electrospinning process are needed? This review investigates the current state of electrospun materials in medicine to identify both scientific and technological gaps that may limit clinical translation.
Intracellular chemiluminescence activates targeted photodynamic destruction of leukaemic cells (2006)

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) involves a two-stage process. A light-absorbing photosensitiser (Ps) is endocytosed and then stimulated by light, inducing transfer of energy to a cytoplasmic acceptor molecule and the generation of reactive oxygen species that initiate damage to cellular membrane components and cytolysis. The expanded use of PDT in the clinic is hindered by the lack of Ps target-cell specificity and the limited tissue penetration by external light radiation. This study demonstrates that bioconjugates composed of transferrin and haematoporphyrin (Tf-Hp), significantly improve the specificity and efficiency of PDT for erythroleukemic cells by a factor of almost seven-fold. Fluorescence microscopy showed that the conjugates accumulate in intracellular vesicles whereas free Hp was mostly membrane bound. Experiments with cells deliberately exposed to Tf-Hp at <LD(100) doses showed that surviving cells did not develop resistance to subsequent treatments with the conjugate. Furthermore, we show that the compound luminol induces intracellular chemiluminescence. This strategy was then used to obviate the use of external radiation for Ps activation by incubating the cells with luminol either before or together with Tf-Hp. This novel chemical means of PDT activation induced cytotoxicity in 95% of cells. These combined approaches provide an opportunity to develop broader and more effective applications of PDT.
Order-Optimal Rate of Caching and Coded Multicasting With Random Demands (2017)

We consider the canonical shared link caching network formed by a source node, hosting a library of m information messages (files), connected via a noiseless multicast link to n user nodes, each equipped with a cache of size M files. Users request files independently at random according to an a-priori known demand distribution q. A coding scheme for this network consists of two phases: cache placement and delivery. The cache placement is a mapping of the library files onto the user caches that can be optimized as a function of the demand statistics, but is agnostic of the actual demand realization. After the user demands are revealed, during the delivery phase the source sends a codeword (function of the library files, cache placement, and demands) to the users, such that each user retrieves its requested file with arbitrarily high probability. The goal is to minimize the average transmission length of the delivery phase, referred to as rate (expressed in channel symbols per file). In the case of deterministic demands, the optimal min-max rate has been characterized within a constant multiplicative factor, independent of the network parameters. The case of random demands was previously addressed by applying the order-optimal min-max scheme separately within groups of files requested with similar probability. However, no complete characterization of order-optimality was previously provided for random demands under the average rate performance criterion. In this paper, we consider the random demand setting and, for the special yet relevant case of a Zipf demand distribution, we provide a comprehensive characterization of the order-optimal rate for all regimes of the system parameters, as well as an explicit placement and delivery scheme achieving order-optimal rates. We present also numerical results that confirm the superiority of our scheme with respect to previously proposed schemes for the same setting.
Electrogenic uptake of gamma-aminobutyric acid by a cloned transporter expressed in Xenopus oocytes. (1992)

GAT-1, a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter cloned from rat brain, was expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Voltage-clamp measurements showed concentration-dependent, inward currents in response to GABA (K0.5 4.7 microM). The transport current required extracellular sodium and chloride ions; the Hill coefficient for chloride was 0.7, and that for sodium was 1.7. Correlation of current and [3H]GABA uptake measurements indicate that flux of one positive charge occurs per molecule of GABA transported. Membrane hyperpolarization from -40 to -100 mV increased the transport current approximately 3-fold. The results indicate that the transport of one molecule of GABA involves the co-transport of two sodium ions and one chloride ion.
Role and rationale for the use of milnacipran in the management of fibromyalgia (2010)

Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex syndrome characterized by chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain which is often accompanied by multiple other symptoms, including fatigue, sleep disturbances, decreased physical functioning, and dyscognition. Due to these multiple symptoms, as well as high rates of comorbidity with other related disorders, patients with FM often report a reduced quality of life. Although the pathophysiology of FM is not completely understood, patients with FM experience pain differently from the general population, most likely due to dysfunctional pain processing in the central nervous system leading to both hyperalgesia and allodynia. In many patients with FM, this aberrant pain processing, or central sensitization, appears to involve decreased pain inhibition within the spinal tract, which is mediated by descending pathways that utilize serotonin, norepinephrine, and other neurotransmitters. The reduced serotonin and norepinephrine levels observed in patients with FM suggest that medications which increase the levels of these neurotransmitters, such as serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs), may have clinically beneficial effects in FM and other chronic pain conditions. Milnacipran is an SNRI that has been approved for the management of FM. In clinical trials, treatment with milnacipran for up to 1 year has been found to improve the pain and other symptoms of FM. Because FM is characterized by multiple symptoms that all contribute to the decreased quality of life and ability to function, the milnacipran pivotal trials implemented responder analyses. These utilized a single composite endpoint to identify the proportion of patients who reported simultaneous and clinically significant improvements in pain, global disease status, and physical function. Other domains assessed during the milnacipran trials include fatigue, multidimensional functioning, mood, sleep quality, and patient-reported dyscognition. This review article provides information intended to help clinicians make informed decisions about the use of milnacipran in the clinical management of patients with FM. It draws primarily on results from 2 of the pivotal clinical trials that formed the basis of approval of milnacipran in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration.