gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
γ-Aminobutyric acid, acting through γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptors, inhibits the biosynthesis of neurosteroids in the frog hypothalamus (2000)

Most of the actions of neurosteroids on the central nervous system are mediated through allosteric modulation of the gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA(A)) receptor, but a direct effect of GABA on the regulation of neurosteroid biosynthesis has never been investigated. In the present report, we have attempted to determine whether 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3beta-HSD)-containing neurons, which secrete neurosteroids in the frog hypothalamus, also express the GABA(A) receptor, and we have investigated the effect of GABA on neurosteroid biosynthesis by frog hypothalamic explants. Double immunohistochemical labeling revealed that most 3beta-HSD-positive neurons also contain GABA(A) receptor alpha(3) and beta(2)/beta(3) subunit-like immunoreactivities. Pulse-chase experiments showed that GABA inhibited in a dose-dependent manner the conversion of tritiated pregnenolone into radioactive steroids, including 17-hydroxy-pregnenolone, progesterone, 17-hydroxy-progesterone, dehydroepiandrosterone, and dihydrotestosterone. The effect of GABA on neurosteroid biosynthesis was mimicked by the GABA(A) receptor agonist muscimol but was not affected by the GABA(B) receptor agonist baclofen. The selective GABA(A) receptor antagonists bicuculline and SR95531 reversed the inhibitory effect of GABA on neurosteroid formation. The present results indicate that steroid-producing neurons of the frog hypothalamus express the GABA(A) receptor alpha(3) and beta(2)/beta(3) subunits. Our data also demonstrate that GABA, acting on GABA(A) receptors at the hypothalamic level, inhibits the activity of several key steroidogenic enzymes, including 3beta-HSD and cytochrome P450(C17) (17alpha-hydroxylase).
Fast service restoration for large-scale distribution systems with priority customers and constraints (1998)

A fast, effective service restoration method is designed for large-scale distribution systems with priority customers. The service restoration problem is formulated as a constrained multi-objective optimization problem. A ranking-based search method employing analytical information obtained from three-phase power flow simulations is designed to restore service to as many priority customers as possible while maximizing the amount of total load restored and minimizing the number of required switch operations. The proposed method is designed with consideration to networks which have predominantly manual switches. Comprehensive simulation results of the search method, including priority customers, single and multiple faults and multiple out-of-service areas are presented for a 416 bus distribution network.
MMIC-calibrated probing by CW electrooptic modulation (1995)

This paper describes an electrooptic probing technique using a CW semiconductor-laser beam associated with a fast photodetector. Besides its simplicity, this technique presents some advantages over the sampling one thanks to the presence of a Fabry-Perot effect, namely an enhancement of the electrooptic interaction and a simple solution to the calibration problem. The good validity of the calibration method allows the application of this technique to S-parameter measurements. The S-parameter determination, in modulus and in phase, of an industrial MMIC by the electrooptic method is reported and compared with direct network analyzer measurements.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">></ETX>
Dietary methionine restriction enhances metabolic flexibility and increases uncoupled respiration in both fed and fasted states (2010)

Dietary methionine restriction (MR) is a mimetic of chronic dietary restriction (DR) in the sense that MR increases rodent longevity, but without food restriction. We report here that MR also persistently increases total energy expenditure (EE) and limits fat deposition despite increasing weight-specific food consumption. In Fischer 344 (F344) rats consuming control or MR diets for 3, 9, and 20 mo, mean EE was 1.5-fold higher in MR vs. control rats, primarily due to higher EE during the night at all ages. The day-to-night transition produced a twofold higher heat increment of feeding (3.0 degrees C vs. 1.5 degrees C) in MR vs. controls and an exaggerated increase in respiratory quotient (RQ) to values greater than 1, indicative of the interconversion of glucose to lipid by de novo lipogenesis. The simultaneous inhibition of glucose utilization and shift to fat oxidation during the day was also more complete in MR (RQ approximately 0.75) vs. controls (RQ approximately 0.85). Dietary MR produced a rapid and persistent increase in uncoupling protein 1 expression in brown (BAT) and white adipose tissue (WAT) in conjunction with decreased leptin and increased adiponectin levels in serum, suggesting that remodeling of the metabolic and endocrine function of adipose tissue may have an important role in the overall increase in EE. We conclude that the hyperphagic response to dietary MR is matched to a coordinated increase in uncoupled respiration, suggesting the engagement of a nutrient-sensing mechanism, which compensates for limited methionine through integrated effects on energy homeostasis.
Association between beta-1 and beta-2 adrenergic receptor gene polymorphisms and the response to beta-blockade in patients with stable congestive heart failure (2005)

Previous studies have clearly demonstrated the beneficial effect of beta-blockers in patients with stable congestive heart failure (CHF). beta-blockers improve left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and reduce cardiac mortality. However, there is an interindividual variability in the response to these agents. Two studies have suggested a possible impact of some functional betaAR gene polymorphisms on the effects of beta-blockade. The objective of the study is to analyse the association between genetic variations in the beta1 or the beta2 adrenoreceptor (AR) gene and the effects of beta-blockade in patients with stable CHF. We studied 199 consecutive patients with stable CHF not treated with beta-blockers. Before introduction of beta-blockers and 3 months after the maximal tolerated dose was reached, patients underwent an echocardiography and a radionuclide angiography. The beta1ARGly389Arg, beta1ARSer49Gly, beta2ARGly16Arg, beta2ARGln27Glu and beta2ARThr164Ile polymorphisms were determined: beta-blockade resulted in a significant decrease in heart rate, a significant increase in LVEF (from 30+/-10% to 40+/-13%, P<0.0001). There was no association between the five polymorphisms and heart rate or LVEF, either before or after beta-blockade. Heart rate and LVEF responses to beta-blockade were not associated with the beta1AR or the beta2AR polymorphisms. betaAR polymorphisms did not explain the interindividual variability in the response to beta-blockers.
Liver Cell Culture Techniques (2008)

Different sources of hepatic tissue, including whole or split livers from organ donors or from cadavers, waste liver from therapeutic hepatectomies or small-sized surgical biopsies, can be successfully used to prepare human hepatocytes cultures. The two-step collagenase perfusion remains the most effective way to isolate high yields of viable hepatocytes from human liver samples that express many typical hepatic functions, among them drug-metabolising (detoxification) enzymes, when placed in primary culture. Once isolated, human hepatocytes cultured in monolayer in chemically defined conditions (serum-free) survive for limited periods of time gradually losing their differentiated phenotype, in particular the drug-metabolising enzymes. Supplementation of chemically defined media with growth factors, hormones and other specific additives has been used with variable success to extend hepatocyte survival and functionality in culture. Other culture improvements include the use of extracellular components to coat plates or to entrap cells. Conditions for short-term monolayer cultures, allowing the maintenance of liver-specific functions for approximately 1 week, are now well established. Cultures on plastic dishes coated with extracellular matrix components (i.e. Matrigel(TM), collagen, fibronectin or mixture of collagen and fibronectin) do meet many of the requirements for short-term incubation experiments, without adding too much complexity to the system. Practical details on how to carry out these cultures and to assess their functionality (CYP activity and ureogenesis) are discussed in this chapter.
Neuroprotective Effect of Diazoxide in Animal Model of Focal Cerebral Ischemia (2009)

Ischemic preconditioning is the earlier stress adaptive response that occurs during repeated episodes of the brief ischemia and reperfusion. It is now well known that this adaptive response can render the neuron more tolerant to the subsequent potential lethal ischemic injury. Although the selective mitochondrial channel opener induces protective effects similar to that of ischemic preconditioning, the underlying mechanism is not known yet. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanism of neuroprotective effect of diazoxide, a mitochondrial channel opener, pretreatment on a focal cerebral ischemic injury of rat brain. Thirthy-four Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Animals were randomly divided into normal control group, middle cerebral artery (MCA) permanent occulusion group (experimental control group), and diazoxide pretreated group. Animals were sacrified at 2 hours or 24 hours after MCA occulusion injury. For inducing the focal cerebral ischemic injury, the left MCA was occuluded by modified Longa's method. Diazoxide (3 mg/kg) was administrated through the femoral artery at 15 minutes earlier to surgical procedures. TTC-stained brain sections of experimental group showed a remarkable infarct injury in the ipsilateral cerebral cortex and striatum. However, the infarction volume of the diazoxide pretreated group was significantly reduced. Accordingly, the number of neurons undergoing eosinophilic degeneration and nuclear chromatin condensation was reduced by diazoxide pretreatment. TUNEL-positive neurons were not detected at 2 hours after MCA permanent occlusion but lots of them were observed at 24 hours. The number of c-fos immunoreactive neurons was remarkably increased at 2 hours following MCA permanent occulusion and reduced to the basal level at 24 hours in both experimental control and diazoxide pretreated group. However, the number of Bcl-2 or pAkt immunoreactivitive neurons of the diazoxide pretreated group outnumbered those of the experimental control group at all timepoints in our experiment. In conclusion, the pretreatment of diazoxide, channel opener, could have neuroprotective effects on ischemic neurons by upregulating the expression of anti-apoptotic proteins, like Bcl-2 or pAkt.
Experience with a Simplified Computer Based Intensive Care Monitoring System in the Management of Acutely Ill Surgical Patients. (1979)

The need exists for a simplified and ecomonical computer based monitoring system for critically ill surgical patients. Such a system would enjoy widespread use in surgical intensive care units in regional, as well as larger community hospitals. We have assembled such a system which provides digital readout of the usual physiologic parameters, and also provide computer storage of accumulated data for review and evaluation of patient care. The computer provides graphic and digital display and digital printout for subsequent inclusion in the patient records. Most frequent indications for this system include the development of acute respiratory insufficiency or acute circulatory failure due to invasive sepsis and/or severe arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Information most beneficial in patient care included measurement of cardiac output;alveolar arterial oxygen gradient.
Crystal structure of dimeric human ciliary neurotrophic factor determined by MAD phasing. (1995)

Ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) promotes the survival and differentiation of developing motor neurons and is a potential therapeutic for treating neurodegeneration and nerve injury. The crystal structure of human CNTF has been determined at 2.4 A resolution using multi-wavelength anomalous diffraction (MAD) phasing from a single Yb3+ ions. The structure reveals that CNTF is dimeric, with a novel anti-parallel arrangement of the subunits, not previously observed for other cytokines. Each subunit adopts a double crossover four-helix bundle fold, in which two helices contribute to the dimer interface, whilst two different helices show pronounced kinks. Analysis of the electrostatic surface of CNTF identified residues within these kinked helices that may contact the CNTF receptor-alpha. Solution experiments show that CNTF dimerizes at concentrations > 40 microM. Such dimers are likely to be relevant to the storage of CNTF in the peripheral nerve given the high concentrations present in this tissue. However, it is unlikely that they play a role in engaging the three distinct receptor subunits that comprise the CNTF receptor, given the low concentration of extracellular CNTF and its high potency.
The Cellulose Synthase Gene Superfamily and Biochemical Functions of Xylem-Specific Cellulose Synthase-Like Genes in<i>Populus trichocarpa</i>  (2006)

Wood from forest trees modified for more cellulose or hemicelluloses could be a major feedstock for fuel ethanol. Xylan and glucomannan are the two major hemicelluloses in wood of angiosperms. However, little is known about the genes and gene products involved in the synthesis of these wood polysaccharides. Using Populus trichocarpa as a model angiosperm tree, we report here a systematic analysis in various tissues of the absolute transcript copy numbers of cellulose synthase superfamily genes, the cellulose synthase (CesA) and the hemicellulose-related cellulose synthase-like (Csl) genes. Candidate Csl genes were characterized for biochemical functions in Drosophila Schneider 2 (S2) cells. Of the 48 identified members, 37 were found expressed in various tissues. Seven CesA genes are xylem specific, suggesting gene networks for the synthesis of wood cellulose. Four Csl genes are xylem specific, three of which belong to the CslA subfamily. The more xylem-specific CslA subfamily is represented by three types of members: PtCslA1, PtCslA3, and PtCslA5. They share high sequence homology, but their recombinant proteins produced by the S2 cells exhibited distinct substrate specificity. PtCslA5 had no catalytic activity with the substrates for xylan or glucomannan. PtCslA1 and PtCslA3 encoded mannan synthases, but PtCslA1 further encoded a glucomannan synthase for the synthesis of (1-->4)-beta-D-glucomannan. The expression of PtCslA1 is most highly xylem specific, suggesting a key role for it in the synthesis of wood glucomannan. The results may help guide further studies to learn about the regulation of cellulose and hemicellulose synthesis in wood.
Hepatitis C virus: viral proteins on the move (2009)

There is now increasing evidence that LDs (lipid droplets) play a central role in the production of infectious HCV (hepatitis C virus) and participate in virus assembly. Two viral proteins, namely core, which forms the capsid, and NS5A (non-structural 5A protein), a component of complexes engaged in viral RNA synthesis, are detected at LD surfaces in infected cells. Interactions between the two proteins may be critical for anchoring RNA replication sites to droplets for initiating virus assembly. The requirements for targeting of core in particular has received considerable attention since the nature of its interaction with LDs could play a key role in determining the efficiency of virion production. As well as attaching to droplets, core is able to alter their intracellular distribution and direct them towards the microtubule organizing centre. Inhibitors that disrupt microtubules block this redistribution by core and there is a concomitant decrease in virus production. Therefore altered dynamics of LDs may contribute to HCV assembly and release. The purpose of targeting LDs by HCV may be linked to their contribution to the formation of VLDLs (very-low-density lipoproteins) in hepatocytes since virus circulating in infected patients is associated with lipoprotein. Thus HCV may utilize the role played by LDs in the formation of lipoprotein particles as part of its life cycle and access this pathway by direct interaction of viral components with these intracellular storage organelles.
A new dimensionality reduction method for seabed characterization: supervised Curvilinear Component Analysis (2005)

In this paper, we present a new method for dimensionality reduction, called supervised Curvilinear Component Analysis, for the classification of sonar images task using support vector machines. Indeed it is important in many underwater applications to get tools that give automatically the kind of sediments. This method derives from the known method Curvilinear Component Analysis. It gives good results for data not highly overlapped. We have used this method after a feature extraction step based on wavelet decomposition applied to our sonar images database.
Ideal flux concentrators as shapes that do not disturb the geometrical vector flux field: A new derivation of the compound parabolic concentrator (1979)

The lines of flow of the geometrical vector flux form surfaces along which mirrors can be placed without distributing the flux field. This result is used to give new insights into the design of nonimaging concentrators.
Delayed Hypersensitivity Reaction to Pseudorabies Virus as a Field Diagnostic Test in Swine (1978)

SUMMARY A skin test based on a delayed hypersensitivity reaction to Pseudorabies virus antigens was used in swine recovered from natural or experimental infections, to determine their immune status. More than 500 animals were subjected to over 700 test inoculations in the field. Approximately 200 tests were conducted on more than 125 swine in the laboratory. All ages of animals were tested, although most of the tests involved shoats and mature animals. Of 4 anatomic sites tested, the skin of the medial surface of the thigh in shoats and the fold of skin at the base of the tail in mature animals were found to be the most satisfactory. In general, the efficiency of the skin test was directly related to the titer of serum-neutralization ( sn ) tests. The skin test was about 50% as effective as the sn test in identifying swine that had been infected with Pseudorabies virus when sn titers of 1:4 or above were in the sera tested. Differences in efficiency between the antigens were not significant. The test was reproducible; its optimal reactions occurred about 24 hours after inoculation; and it did not result in seroconversion ( sn test) among susceptible animals. Inasmuch as animals negative to the skin test may not be negative on an sn test, the test is best used for evaluations of the immune status of herds rather than of individuals.
Reconstitution of Yeast Nucleotide Excision Repair with Purified Rad Proteins, Replication Protein A, and Transcription Factor TFIIH (1995)

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) functions to remove DNA damage caused by ultraviolet light and by other agents that distort the DNA helix. The NER machinery has been conserved in structure and function from yeast to humans, and in humans, defective NER is the underlying cause of the cancer-prone disease xeroderma pigmentosum. Here, we reconstitute the incision reaction of NER in Saccharomyces cerevisiae using purified protein factors. The Rad14 protein, the Rad4-Rad23 complex, the Rad2 nuclease, the Rad1-Rad10 nuclease, replication protein A, and the RNA polymerase II transcription factor TFIIH were purified to near homogeneity from yeast. We show that these protein factors are both necessary and sufficient for dual incision of DNA damaged by either ultraviolet light or N-acetoxy-2-aminoacetylfluorene. Incision in the reconstituted system requires ATP, which cannot be substituted by adenosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate), suggesting that the hydrolysis of ATP is indispensable for the incision reaction. The excision DNA fragments formed as a result of dual incision are in the 24-27-nucleotide range.
The development of a noisy brain. (2010)

Early in life, brain development carries with it a large number of structural changes that impact the functional interactions of distributed neuronal networks. Such changes enhance information processing capacity, moving the brain from a deterministic system to one that is more stochastic. The evidence from empirical studies with EEG and functional MRI suggests that this stochastic property is a result of an increased number of possible functional network configurations for a given situation. This is captured in the variability of endogenous and evoked responses or "brain noise ". In empirical data from infants and children, brain noise increases with maturation and correlates positively with stable behavior and accuracy. The noise increase is best explained through increased noise from network level interactions with a concomitant decrease of local noise. In old adults, brain noise continues to change, although the pattern of changes is not as global as in early development. The relation between high brain noise and stable behavior is maintained, but the relationships differ by region, suggesting changes in local dynamics that then impact potential network configurations. These data, when considered in concert with our extant modeling work, suggest that maturational changes in brain noise represent the enhancement offunctional network potential--the brain's dynamic repertoire.
Optimum Packet Data Transmission in Cellular Multirate CDMA Systems With Rate-Based Slot Allocation (2004)

High-rate packet transmission is realized for the downlink in cellular multirate code-division multiple-access systems using multicode concatenated signaling, combined with iterative detection and self-interference cancellation. Since an optimum packet transmission is to allocate the maximum allowable rate to the user with the best received signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR), a problem with fairness arises, in the sense that only a very small number of users receive at or near the maximum allowable rate, and the rest of the users do not receive at all. To overcome this, a new soft multimodal fairness control is proposed to adjust the latency (or waiting time) between two extreme values. Throughput is analyzed by deriving the probability distribution of the rate allocation, which is based on the maximum received SINR in a slot. For this, statistics on the SINRs are jointly characterized under three-sector cell structure because of their mutual correlation. Traffic variations are also taken into account to formulate the statistics under two algorithms for adaptive base station selection. It is shown that high-rate transmission can be achieved by a substantial reduction in in-cell interference, and the tradeoff between throughput and fairness can be met by the fairness control.
Studies on new dehydropeptidase inhibitors. III. Biological properties of WS1358A1. (1990)

WS1358A1, a novel inhibitor of renal dehydropeptidase (DHP), augmented the urinary recovery of a carbapenem antibiotic imipenem and improved its protective effect in experimental infections when simultaneously administered to mice with the antibiotic. WS1358A1 was a competitive DHP inhibitor with a Ki value of 1.6 x 10(-7) M.
Blue-Violet Laser Diodes Suitable for Blu-ray Disk (2002)

The authors have developed 405 nm high-power laser diodes suitable for use in Blu-ray Disk systems, the next generation of large-capacity optical recording systems. Epitaxial lateral overgrowth was refined considering the spatial distribution of dislocation density in the lateral growth region to achieve satisfactory lifetimes. Improvements in the threshold/operating current, slope efficiency and characteristic temperature are discussed, in particular with respect to the effect of the location of an AlGaN electron-blocking layer.