gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Diffusion‐ and perfusion‐weighted MRI response to thrombolysis in stroke (2001)

Diffusion- and perfusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging provides important pathophysiological information in acute brain ischemia. We performed a prospective study in 19 sub-6-hour stroke patients using serial diffusion- and perfusion-weighted imaging before intravenous thrombolysis, with repeat studies, both subacutely and at outcome. For comparison of ischemic lesion evolution and clinical outcome, we used a historical control group of 21 sub-6-hour ischemic stroke patients studied serially with diffusion- and perfusion-weighted imaging. The two groups were well matched for the baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale and magnetic resonance parameters. Perfusion-weighted imaging-diffusion-weighted imaging mismatch was present in 16 of 19 patients treated with tissue plasminogen activator, and 16 of 21 controls. Perfusion-weighted imaging-diffusion-weighted imaging mismatch patients treated with tissue plaminogen activator had higher recanalization rates and enhanced reperfusion at day 3 (81% vs 47% in controls), and a greater proportion of severely hypoperfused acute mismatch tissue not progressing to infarction (82% vs -25% in controls). Despite similar baseline diffusion-weighted imaging lesions, infarct expansion was less in the recombinant tissue plaminogen activator group (14cm(3) vs 56cm(3) in controls). The positive effect of thrombolysis on lesion growth in mismatch patients translated into a greater improvement in baseline to outcome National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale in the group treated with recombinant tissue plaminogen activator, and a significantly larger proportion of patients treated with recombinant tissue plaminogen activator having a clinically meaningful improvement in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale of > or = 7 points. The natural evolution of acute perfusion-weighted imaging-diffusion-weighted imaging mismatch tissue may be altered by thrombolysis, with improved stroke outcome. This has implications for the use of diffusion- and perfusion-weighted imaging in selecting and monitoring patients for thrombolytic therapy.
Design of Pusher‐Plate‐Type Left Ventricular Assist Device Based on Mechanical Analyses (1984)

A permanently implantable left ventricular assist device (LVAD) pump of the pusher-plate type was designed based on mechanical analyses. A series of three different segmented polyether polyurethanes was utilized for the diaphragm, cannulae, and their blood-contacting surfaces, considering each material's characteristics. The span and thickness of the pump diaphragm were determined so as to minimize the stress developed by the bending and blood pressure forces. The inflow and outflow cannulae were designed using fundamental equations that describe the operation of a piston-type reciprocating pump. The pump diameter was determined considering the required flow for the average Japanese person. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed good pump performance, which satisfied the design specifications. No failure was observed in the designed diaphragm. The Hall effect sensor incorporated in the pump was very useful in monitoring the cardiac output of the pump.
A ternary blend of a polymer, fullerene, and insulating self-assembling triptycene molecules for organic photovolatics (2016)

We show that incorporation of 5 wt% triptycene leads to an improvement in polymer crystallinity, power conversion efficiency (maximum: 9.4%), and long-term stability.
The largest prospective warfarin-treated cohort supports genetic forecasting (2008)

Genetic variants of cytochrome P450 2C9 (CYP2C9) and vitamin K epoxide reductase (VKORC1) are known to influence warfarin dose, but the effect of other genes has not been fully elucidated. We genotyped 183 polymorphisms in 29 candidate genes in 1496 Swedish patients starting warfarin treatment, and tested for association with response. CYP2C9*2 and *3 explained 12% (P = 6.63 x 10(-34)) of the variation in warfarin dose, while a single VKORC1 SNP explained 30% (P = 9.82 x 10(-100)). No SNP outside the CYP2C gene cluster and VKORC1 regions was significantly associated with dose after correction for multiple testing. During initiation of therapy, homozygosity for CYP2C9 and VKORC1 variant alleles increased the risk of over-anticoagulation, hazard ratios 21.84 (95% CI 9.46; 50.42) and 4.56 (95% CI 2.85; 7.30), respectively. One of 8 patients with CYP2C9*3/*3 (12.5%) experienced severe bleeding during the first month compared with 0.27% of other patients (P = .066). A multiple regression model using the predictors CYP2C9, VKORC1, age, sex, and druginteractions explained 59% of the variance in warfarin dose, and 53% in an independent sample of 181 Swedish individuals. In conclusion, CYP2C9 and VKORC1 significantly influenced warfarin dose and predicted individuals predisposed to unstable anticoagulation. Our results strongly support that initiation of warfarin guided by pharmacogenetics would improve clinical outcome.
Movement of a Loop in Domain 3 of Aerolysin Is Required for Channel Formation (1998)

Aerolysin is a channel-forming toxin that must oligomerize in order to become insertion-competent. Modeling based on the crystal structure of the proaerolysin dimer and electron microscopic images of the oligomer indicated that a loop in domain 3 must move away from the beta-sheet that forms the main body of the protein before oligomerization can proceed. In order to determine if movement actually occurs, strategically located amino acids in the loop and in the sheet were replaced with cysteines by site-directed mutagenesis. A double mutant was produced in which the new cysteines, at position 253 on the loop and position 300 in the sheet, were close enough together to allow formation of a disulfide bridge. The double mutant was unable to oligomerize, and it was completely inactive, showing not only that the bridge had formed but also that movement of the loop was essential for formation of the oligomer. The existence of the bridge was confirmed by X-ray crystallography. The reduced form of the protein and the single mutants T253C and A300C were as active as wild type, indicating that the amino acid replacements themselves had no functional consequences. Labeling studies using an environment-sensitive fluorescent sulfhydryl-reactive probe confirmed that the structure of the protein changes in the loop region as a consequence of proteolytic activation of proaerolysin, a step which also must precede oligomerization.
A Suprachoroidal Electrical Retinal Stimulator Design for Long‐Term Animal Experiments and In Vivo Assessment of Its Feasibility and Biocompatibility in Rabbits (2008)

This article reports on a retinal stimulation system for long-term use in animal electrical stimulation experiments. The presented system consisted of an implantable stimulator which provided continuous electrical stimulation, and an external component which provided preset stimulation patterns and power to the implanted stimulator via a paired radio frequency (RF) coil. A rechargeable internal battery and a parameter memory component were introduced to the implanted retinal stimulator. As a result, the external component was not necessary during the stimulation mode. The inductive coil pair was used to pass the parameter data and to recharge the battery. A switch circuit was used to separate the stimulation mode from the battery recharging mode. The implantable stimulator was implemented with IC chips and the electronics, except for the stimulation electrodes, were hermetically packaged in a biocompatible metal case. A polyimide-based gold electrode array was used. Surgical implantation into rabbits was performed to verify the functionality and safety of this newly designed system. The electrodes were implanted in the suprachoroidal space. Evoked cortical potentials were recorded during electrical stimulation of the retina. Long-term follow-up using OCT showed no chorioretinal abnormality after implantation of the electrodes.
Identification of a Novel Basic Helix-Loop-Helix–PAS Factor, NXF, Reveals a Sim2 Competitive, Positive Regulatory Role in Dendritic-Cytoskeleton Modulator Drebrin Gene Expression (2003)

Sim2, a basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH)-PAS transcriptional repressor, is thought to be involved in some symptoms of Down's syndrome. In the course of searching for hypothetical Sim2 relatives, we isolated another bHLH-PAS factor, NXF. NXF was a novel gene and was selectively expressed in neuronal tissues. While no striking homolog of NXF was found in vertebrates, a Caenorhabditis elegans putative transcription factor, C15C8.2, showed similarity in the bHLH-PAS domain. NXF had an activation domain as a transcription activator, and Arnt-type bHLH-PAS subfamily members were identified as the heterodimer partners of NXF. The NXF/Arnt heterodimer was capable of binding and activating a subset of Sim2/Arnt target DNA variants, and Sim2 could compete with the NXF activity on the elements. We showed that Drebrin had several such NXF/Arnt binding elements on the promoter, which could be direct or indirect cross talking points between NXF (activation) and Sim2 (repression) action. Drebrin has been reported to be engaged in dendritic-cytoskeleton modulation at synapses, and such a novel NXF signaling system on neural gene promoter may be a molecular target of the adverse effects of Sim2 in the mental retardation of Down's syndrome.
Observation of growing kinetics of particles in a helium-diluted silane rf plasma (1992)

Growing process and behavior of particles in a helium-diluted silane rf plasma are studied using two kinds of laser light scattering methods. The region where particles began to be observed appears in a sheath edge region near the periphery of the rf electrode, and then tends to extend inward along the rf electrode and also toward the grounded electrode. From this result, it can be concluded that particles are mainly produced around the sheath edge of the rf electrode. In the sheath of the rf electrode and its neighborhood, larger particles tend to reside closer to the rf electrode, which suggests that they are suspended by an electrostatic force due to the time-averaged sheath electric field and some force increasing with particle size. The size and density of particles around the sheath edge of the rf electrode are ≳60 nm and ≲109 cm−3 under our experimental conditions.
Leptin-to-Adiponectin Ratio as a Potential Atherogenic Index in Obese Type 2 Diabetic Patients (2004)

Obesity promotes the progression of atherosclerosis by inducing multiple cardiovascular and metabolic derangements such as diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia, all of which have high atherogenic potential. Adipose tissue has been considered an important endocrine organ that secretes many biologically active substances, collectively known as adipocytokines (1). Two major adipocytokines, leptin and adiponectin, are thought to play important roles in the regulation of cardiovascular and metabolic homeostasis. Leptin acts directly on the hypothalamus, thereby regulating food intake and energy expenditure (2). Plasma leptin concentrations are significantly elevated in obese subjects in proportion to the degree of adiposity (3), suggesting that hyperleptinemia may play a role in the pathogenesis of obesity-related complications. On the other hand, adiponectin increases tissue fat oxidation, leading to reduced levels of fatty acids and tissue triglyceride content, thus increasing insulin sensitivity (4). Paradoxically, plasma adiponectin concentrations are decreased in obese subjects (5), suggesting that hypoadiponectinemia is involved in the pathophysiology of obesity. Two recent studies have demonstrated that vascular remodeling and neointimal formation are markedly attenuated in leptin-deficient ob/ob mice and db/db mice with leptin receptor mutation (6,7), suggesting that leptin may accelerate the development of vascular injury. Conversely, studies with adiponectin-deficient mice have revealed that adiponectin plays a protective role in the development of atherosclerosis (8,9). In obese type 2 diabetic patients who are susceptible to atherosclerosis, plasma concentrations of leptin are increased, whereas those of adiponectin …
Gβγ-dependent and Gβγ-independent Basal Activity of G Protein-activated K+ Channels (2005)

Cardiac and neuronal G protein-activated K+ channels (GIRK; Kir3) open following the binding of Gbetagamma subunits, released from Gi/o proteins activated by neurotransmitters. GIRKs also possess basal activity contributing to the resting potential in neurons. It appears to depend largely on free Gbetagamma, but a Gbetagamma-independent component has also been envisaged. We investigated Gbetagamma dependence of the basal GIRK activity (A(GIRK,basal)) quantitatively, by titrated expression of Gbetagamma scavengers, in Xenopus oocytes expressing GIRK1/2 channels and muscarinic m2 receptors. The widely used Gbetagamma scavenger, myristoylated C terminus of beta-adrenergic kinase (m-cbetaARK), reduced A(GIRK,basal) by 70-80% and eliminated the acetylcholine-evoked current (I(ACh)). However, we found that m-cbetaARK directly binds to GIRK, complicating the interpretation of physiological data. Among several newly constructed Gbetagamma scavengers, phosducin with an added myristoylation signal (m-phosducin) was most efficient in reducing GIRK currents. m-phosducin relocated to the membrane fraction and did not bind GIRK. Titrated expression of m-phosducin caused a reduction of A(GIRK,basal) by up to 90%. Expression of GIRK was accompanied by an increase in the level of Gbetagamma and Galpha in the plasma membrane, supporting the existence of preformed complexes of GIRK with G protein subunits. Increased expression of Gbetagamma and its constitutive association with GIRK may underlie the excessively high A(GIRK,basal) observed at high expression levels of GIRK. Only 10-15% of A(GIRK,basal) persisted upon expression of both m-phosducin and cbetaARK. These results demonstrate that a major part of Ibasal is Gbetagamma-dependent at all levels of channel expression, and only a small fraction (<10%) may be Gbetagamma-independent.
An efficient one-step site-directed deletion, insertion, single and multiple-site plasmid mutagenesis protocol (2008)

Our modified protocol significantly increased the efficiency of single mutation and also allowed facile large single insertions, deletions/truncations and multiple mutations in a single experiment, an option incompatible with the standard QuikChange. Furthermore the new protocol required significantly less parental DNA which facilitated the DpnI digestion after the PCR amplification and enhanced the overall efficiency and reliability. Using our protocol, we generated single site, multiple single-site mutations and a combined insertion/deletion mutations. The results demonstrated that this new protocol imposed no additional reagent costs (beyond basic QuikChange) but increased the overall success rates.
Formation process of the vortex ring generated by an impulsively started circular disc (2012)

Abstract We present an experimental study on the axisymmetric vortex ring generated by a thin circular disc. The velocity and vorticity fields are measured by digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV). The finite-time Lyapunov exponent fields and the Lagrangian coherent structures (LCSs) of the vortex flow are computed in order to analyse the transport of the fluid during its formation and identify the boundary of the vortex ring. The volume, circulation and energy of the vortex ring are calculated. It is found that the formation of the vortex ring basically includes three phases: a rapid growth phase, a stable growth phase and a non-axisymmetric phase. In the rapid growth phase (dimensionless time $0\lt {T}_{n} \lt 0. 2$ ) during which Taylor’s inviscid estimation is valid, the circulation of the vortex ring grows and the translational velocity of the vortex ring decreases. In the stable growth phase ( $0. 2\lt {T}_{n} \lt 4$ ), the growth rate of the circulation decreases gradually. In the non-axisymmetric phase ( ${T}_{n} \gt 4$ ), the ring loses axisymmetry due to instability. Compared with the vortex ring generated by the laminar flow from an orifice, the one generated by a circular disc always moves with the disc, and the entrained fluid decreases and the saturated circulation increases. The temporal impulse exerted by the moving disc on the fluid is estimated by DPIV measurements and is calculated using the direct momentum conservation method. The momentum of the control volume enclosing the LCS is found to occupy 64–68 % of the entire impulse exerted by the disc on the fluid.
A synthetic peptide deduced from the sequence in the cross-region of laminin A chain mediates neurite outgrowth, cell attachment and heparin binding (1994)

Synthetic peptides from the cross-region of the laminin A chain were prepared and tested for their biological activities, especially for neurite outgrowth. A synthetic 8-mer peptide (designated LMA-5) in the cross-region of the laminin A chain was found to promote neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells and cerebellar microexplant cultures. Furthermore, this peptide mediated cell attachment and heparin binding. In addition, an antibody against peptide LMA-5 inhibited laminin- and LMA-5-mediated cell attachment. This antibody also inhibited more than half of the LMA-5-promoted neurite outgrowth in cerebellar microexplant cultures. These data suggest that peptide LMA-5 is one of the active sites in laminin that regulate cell behaviour including neurite outgrowth, cell attachment and heparin binding.
P72-T Using Titanium Dioxide IMAC for Enrichment of Phosphopeptides Prior to Tandem Mass Spectrometry. (2007)

Protein phosphorylation plays a significant role in regulating cellular processes such as signal transduction, cell division, cell motility, apoptosis, metabolism, differentiation, gene regulation, and carcinogenesis. Typically, there are 10–20% of proteins which are phosphorylated. Due to the low level of phosphoproteins in the presence of overwhelming amounts of non-phosphorylated proteins, as well as those proteins’ wide dynamic variation over time, identification of phosphopeptides is still a formidable task. In addition, phosphopeptides often have poor ionization efficiency in MS analysis. Thus, a highly sensitive detection method plus phosphopeptide enrichment is extremely important for a successful phosphopeptide identification. Currently, immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) is the method of choice for enriching phosphopeptides from complex biological samples. Typically, nickel, iron, and gallium–based IMAC shows significant binding of non-phosphorylated peptides that have multiple acidic residues. Forest White et al. used a kind of chemistry to put methyl esters onto those acidic groups (D and E) to solve the problem of nonspecific binding to the IMAC beads. However, this approach brings in a lot of side reactions to that chemistry, and raises issues of how complete the modifications are. Recently, several papers and posters have been published demonstrating the unique ability of titanium dioxide and zirconium dioxide to selectively retain phosphopeptides contained in complex biological mixtures. In this application, a TiO(2)-based IMAC method was successfully developed to enrich phosphopeptides and adapted to a complex biological sample, Saccharomyces. Trapping phosphopeptides are demonstrated via the analysis protein CaO19_4593 (gi|68466366), a family of GTPase-activating proteins which contains multiple kinase-binding domains.
Wireless and batteryless surface acoustic wave sensors for high temperature environments (2009)

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices are widely used as filter, resonator or delay line in electronic systems in a wide range of applications: mobile communication, TVs, radar, stable resonator for clock generation, etc. The resonance frequency and the delay line of SAW devices are depending on the properties of materials forming the device and could be very sensitive to the physical parameters of the environment. Since SAW devices are more and more used as sensor for a large variety of area: gas, pressure, force, temperature, strain, radiation, etc. The sensors based SAW present the advantage to be passive (batteryless) and/or wireless. These interesting properties combined with a small size, a low cost radio request system and a small antennas when operating at high frequency, offer new and exiting perspectives for wireless measurement processes and IDTAG applications. When the materials constituting the devices are properly selected, it becomes possible to use those sensors without embedded electronic in hostile environments (as high temperature, nuclear site, ...) where no solutions are currently used. General principle of the SAW sensor in wired and wireless configurations will be developed and a review of recent works concerning the field of high temperature applications will be presented with specific attention given to the choice of materials constituting the SAW device.
Optical and electrical properties of Au nanoparticles in two-dimensional networks: an effective cluster model (2009)

We report a study of the optical and electric properties of Au nanoparticle networks grown on the porous alumina membrane by dry atom sputtering deposition approach. An effective cluster model was developed to evaluate the dielectric function and the electrical conductivities of the nanoparticle networks by taking into account the effects of the Au particle size, the Au volume fraction, and the particle-particle interaction. The calculated transmission spectra from the model were in good agreement with the experimental data. The percolation threshold of the as-fabricated structure was predicted to occur at Au volume fraction of 0.18, consistent with the dc electric resistance measurement.
Regulation of class II gene expression: analysis in B cell stimulatory factor 1-inducible murine pre-B cell lines. (1986)

We have analyzed the mechanism of action of BSF-1 on class II gene expression in two murine pre-B cell lines that are at different stages of differentiation. In vitro transcription assays demonstrated that BSF-1 induced rapid transcription of class II genes within 1 hr by a mechanism that was independent of protein synthesis. Although cell surface expression of class II was detectable by 2 hr after induction and persisted for up to 96 hr after removal of BSF-1, levels of class II-specific mRNA and density of cell surface class II increased to a maximum between 24 and 72 hr after induction. Furthermore, prostaglandin E2 prevented the induction of class II gene expression by BSF-1. The effects of BSF-1 are unlikely to be mediated through calcium fluxes or activation of protein kinase C, since treatment with agents such as PMA and the calcium ionophore A23187 did not result in expression of class II molecules. Other lymphokines, such as IFN-gamma, IL 1, IL 2, and IL 3, did not affect class II gene expression in these two cell lines. These data provide further insight into the mechanisms by which class II gene expression is regulated in B cells.
Clinical Study of a New Antikeloid Agent (1979)

An old healing drug has been assessed and found to be of clinical value in stopping the inflammatory phase of hypertrophic scars and keloids. So far, this drug has no known side effects other than occasional mild gastric intolerance and allergic reaction. Our findings are well supported in the literature. The effect of the drug on other forms of connective tissue anomalies that present an inflammatory phase is similar to that on keloids, gradually brining scars to the maturation phase. Our results on this will be published later. Madecassol has also been shown to have a preventive effect on burn and postoperative hypertrophic scars. It compares favorably in effectiveness with compression bandaging, and gives more lasting results than intralesional cortisone or radiation therapy. Finally, Madecassol has a placebo effect of 29%-well within acceptable limits.