gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Protective Effect of Vaginal<i>Lactobacillus paracasei</i>CRL 1289 against Urogenital Infection Produced by<i>Staphylococcus aureus</i>in a Mouse Animal Model (2007)

Urogenital infections of bacterial origin have a high incidence among the world female population at reproductive age. Lactobacilli, the predominant microorganisms of the healthy vaginal microbiota, have shown a protective effect against the colonization and overgrowth of urogenital pathogens that increased the interest for including them into probiotics products assigned to restore the urogenital balance. In the present work, we determined in a mouse animal model the capability of Lactobacillus paracasei CRL 1289, a human vaginal strain with probiotic properties, to prevent the vaginal colonization of a uropathogenic strain of Staphylococcus aureus. Six-week-old female BALB/c mice, synchronized in their estral cycle, were intravaginally inoculated with two doses of 10(9) lactobacilli before challenging them with a single dose of 10(5) or 10(7) CFU of S. aureus. The vaginal colonization of both microorganisms and the effect on the vaginal structure were determined at 2, 5, and 7 days after pathogen inoculation. Control mice and those challenged only with the pathogen showed an insignificant lactobacilli population, whereas 10(5) lactobacilli/mL of vaginal homogenate were recovered at 2 days after challenge from the L. paracasei CRL 1289 and the probiotic + pathogen groups, decreasing this number on the following days. The treatment with L. paracasei CRL 1289 decreased significantly the number of staphylococci recovered at 2 and 5 days when mice were challenged only with 10(5) CFU of pathogen. The inoculation of S. aureus produced a remarkable inflammatory response and structural alterations in the vaginal mucosa that decreases in a significant manner when the mice were protected with L. paracasei CRL 1289. The results obtained suggest that this particular Lactobacillus strain could prevent the onset of urogenital infections by interfering with the epithelial colonization by uropathogenic S. aureus.
Introduction (2014)

A revolution, captured on mobile phones, shared via Facebook, Twitter and Flickr and collaboratively edited by volunteers.2 On the social network site Facebook, aging hippies gather to reminisce, share memories and in the process ‘make a documentary’ about their experiences on the beaches of Goa.3 Inspired by a collection of stories collected in high-rise buildings, people from around the world send in their own images and stories to add to an Internet documentary.4 The documentary impulse has a long history; practitioners are, it seems, still driven to preserve, show, report, explain, persuade and advocate. But it is also an impulse that is constantly seeking new avenues, new ways of capturing the social-historical, or ‘treating’ actuality5 and new ways of connecting with an audience.
Kinetic Studies of the Branched Chain Amino Acid Preferring Peptidase Activity of the 20S Proteasome:  Development of a Continuous Assay and Inhibition by Tripeptide Aldehydes and <i>clasto</i>-Lactacystin β-Lactone (1998)

We have developed an assay to continuously monitor the branched amino acid preferring peptidase (BrAAP) activity of the proteasome. This assay is based on the hydrolysis of the fluorogenic peptide, Abz-Gly-Pro-Ala-Leu-Ala-Nba (Abz is 2-aminobenzoyl and Nba is 4-nitrobenzylamide) which is cleaved exclusively at the Leu-Ala bond by the 20S proteasome with a kc/Km value of 13 000 M-1 s-1. Hydrolysis of this peptide is accompanied by an increase in fluorescence intensity (lambda ex = 340 nm, lambda em = 415 nm) due to release of the internally quenched 2-aminobenzoyl fluorescence that accompanies diffusion apart of the hydrolysis products, Abz-Gly-Pro-Ala-Leu and Ala-Nba. Using this assay, we examined inhibition of the BrAAP activity of the proteasome by a series of tripeptide aldehydes, Z-Leu-Leu-Xaa-H. When Xaa = Phe, (p-Cl)Phe, and Trp we observe biphasic or partial inhibition of the BrAAP activity. In contrast, when Xaa = Nva and Leu, simple inhibition kinetics are observed and allow us to calculate Ki values of 120 nM and 12 nM, respectively. The inhibitors that exhibit simple inhibition kinetics for BrAAP activity are also approximately equipotent for inhibition of the chymotrypsin-like (ChT-L) and peptidyl-glutamyl peptide hydrolyzing (PGPH) activities, dissociation constants varying by less than 25-fold, whereas the inhibitors that exhibit biphasic inhibition kinetics for BrAAP activity are >300-fold more potent for inhibiting ChT-L activity than for PGPH activity. Inactivation of the BrAAP activity of the proteasome by clasto-lactacystin beta-lactone is also biphasic. beta-Lactone inactivates approximately 60% of the BrAAP activity rapidly, with kinetics indistinguishable from its inactivation of the chymotrypsin-like activity. The remaining 40% of the BrAAP activity is inactivated by beta-lactone at a 50-fold slower rate, with kinetics indistinguishable from its inactivation of the PGPH activity. These results suggest a mechanism in which hydrolysis of Abz-Gly-Pro-Ala-Leu-Ala-Nba (i.e., BrAAP activity) occurs at two different active sites in the 20S proteasome, and that these two active sites are the same ones that catalyze the previously described ChT-L and PGPH activities.
Hydrodesulfurization of dibenzothiophene (DBT) catalyzed by sulfided CoO-MoO/sub 3//. gamma. -Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/: the reaction kinetics (1980)

Rates of the two competing conversion routes of DBT, a model compound for components of heavy oils and coal liquids, i.e., aromatic ring hydrogenation followed by hydrodesulfurization of the tetra- and hexahydro-DBT intermediates to cyclohexylbenzene (the hydrogenation route) and direct DBT hydrodesulfurization to biphenyl (the hydrogenolysis route) were measured independently at 548/sup 0/, 573/sup 0/, and 598/sup 0/K and 178 atm over an in-situ desulfurized commercial CoO-MoO/sub 3//..gamma..-Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ catalyst. The rate data were fitted to Langmuir-Hinshelwood equations derived by nonlinear least-squares regression analysis, and all the kinetic parameters were accurately estimated. The selectivity for the hydrogenolysis route can be increased, and hence hydrogen consumption minimized, by increasing temperature, reducing hydrogen sulfide concentration in the system through recycle gas scrubbing, or by adding quinoline which acts as inhibitor of the hydrogenation route preferentially.
Effects of Glucose on Blood Pressure and Production of Vascular Aldosterone and Corticosterone (2004)

These results reveal that glucose able to induce hypertension and provide evidence that glucose inhibits the transcriptions of both 11beta-HSD2 and CYP 11B2 in vasculature, leading to lower aldosterone and higher corticosterone production in vessels, and increased vasoconstrictor responses to norepinephrine.
Passive robots and haptic displays based on nonholonomic elements (2002)

Describes a new architecture for passive robots and haptic displays, which the authors call a programmable constraint machine (PCM). An n-DOF PCM can, under computer control, exhibit constraints (smooth, impenetrable virtual surfaces of dimensionality <n), or it can allow free n-DOF motion. At the heart of the PCM is a nonholonomic element, which is used as a continuously variable transmission (CVT). A rolling wheel, for instance, can be used as a CVT. A prototype 2-DOF cartesian PCM has been built, using a single rolling wheel. The authors sketch PCMs of higher dimensionality. A rolling wheel may be thought of as a translational CVT, coupling the x and y velocities of its center by a transmission ratio which is the tangent of its steering angle, Its utility in a cartesian PCM motivates interest in a rotational analog for revolute architectures. The authors develop a novel rotational CVT which couples two angular velocities by an adjustable ratio.
Effects of Varying Approaches for Identifying Respiratory Disturbances on Sleep Apnea Assessment (2000)

Varying approaches to measuring the respiratory disturbance index (RDI) may lead to discrepant estimates of the severity of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). In this study, we assessed the impact of varying the use of corroborative data (presence and degree of desaturation and/or arousal) to identify hypopneas and apneas. The relationships among 10 RDIs defined by various definitions of apneas and hypopneas were assessed in 5,046 participants in the Sleep Heart Health Study (SHHS) who underwent overnight unattended 12-channel polysomnography (PSG). The magnitude of the median RDI varied 10-fold (i.e., 29.3 when the RDI was based on events identified on the basis of flow or volume amplitude criteria alone to 2.0 for an RDI that required an associated 5% desaturation with events). The correlation between RDIs based on different definitions ranged from 0.99 to 0.68. The highest correlations were among RDIs that required apneas and hypopneas to be associated with some level of desaturation. Lower correlations were observed between RDIs that required desaturation as compared with RDIs defined on the basis of amplitude criteria alone or associated arousal. These data suggest that different approaches for measuring the RDI may contribute to substantial variability in identification and classification of the disorder.
T Cells Against a Bacterial Heat Shock Protein Recognize Stressed Macrophages (1989)

Heat shock proteins are evolutionarily highly conserved polypeptides that are produced under a variety of stress conditions to preserve cellular functions. A major antigen of tubercle bacilli of 65 kilodaltons is a heat shock protein that has significant sequence similarity and cross-reactivity with antigens of various other microbes. Monoclonal antibodies against this common bacterial heat shock protein were used to identify a molecule of similar size in murine macrophages. Macrophages subjected to various stress stimuli including interferon-gamma activation and viral infection were recognized by class I-restricted CD8 T cells raised against the bacterial heat shock protein. These data suggest that heat shock proteins are processed in stressed host cells and that epitopes shared by heat shock proteins of bacterial and host origin are presented in the context of class I molecules.
Low Drop-Out Voltage Regulators: Capacitor-less Architecture Comparison (2014)

Demand for system-on-chip solutions has increased the interest in low drop-out (LDO) voltage regulators which do not require a bulky off-chip capacitor to achieve stability, also called capacitor-less LDO (CL-LDO) regulators. Several architectures have been proposed; however comparing these reported architectures proves difficult, as each has a distinct process technology and specifications. This paper compares CL-LDOs in a unified matter. We designed, fabricated, and tested five illustrative CL-LDO regulator topologies under common design conditions using 0.6?m CMOS technology. We compare the architectures in terms of (1) line/load regulation, (2) power supply rejection, (3) line/load transient, (4) total on-chip compensation capacitance, (5) noise, and (6) quiescent power consumption. Insights on what optimal topology to choose to meet particular LDO specifications are provided.
Responder and nonresponder patients exhibit different peripheral transcriptional signatures during major depressive episode (2012)

To date, it remains impossible to guarantee that short-term treatment given to a patient suffering from a major depressive episode (MDE) will improve long-term efficacy. Objective biological measurements and biomarkers that could help in predicting the clinical evolution of MDE are still warranted. To better understand the reason nearly half of MDE patients respond poorly to current antidepressive treatments, we examined the gene expression profile of peripheral blood samples collected from 16 severe MDE patients and 13 matched controls. Using a naturalistic and longitudinal design, we ascertained mRNA and microRNA (miRNA) expression at baseline, 2 and 8 weeks later. On a genome-wide scale, we detected transcripts with roles in various biological processes as significantly dysregulated between MDE patients and controls, notably those involved in nucleotide binding and chromatin assembly. We also established putative interactions between dysregulated mRNAs and miRNAs that may contribute to MDE physiopathology. We selected a set of mRNA candidates for quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-qPCR) to validate that the transcriptional signatures observed in responders is different from nonresponders. Furthermore, we identified a combination of four mRNAs (PPT1, TNF, IL1B and HIST1H1E) that could be predictive of treatment response. Altogether, these results highlight the importance of studies investigating the tight relationship between peripheral transcriptional changes and the dynamic clinical progression of MDE patients to provide biomarkers of MDE evolution and prognosis.
The effect of remote plasma nitridation on the integrity of the ultrathin gate dielectric films in 0.13 μm CMOS technology and beyond (2001)

The authors report the effect of the remote plasma nitridation (RPN) process on characteristics of ultrathin gate dielectric CMOSFETs with the thickness in the range of 18 /spl Aring//spl sim/22 /spl Aring/. In addition, the effect of RPN temperature on the nitrogen-profile within the gate dielectric films has been investigated. Experimental results show that the thinner the gate dielectric films, the more significant effect on reducing the gate current and thinning the thickness of gate dielectric films by the RPN process. Furthermore, the minimum dielectric thickness to block the penetration of B and N has been estimated based on the experimental results. The minimum RPN gate dielectric thickness is about 12 /spl Aring/.
Characterization of an ATP-stimulatable calcium2+ independent phospholipase A2 from clonal insulin-secreting HIT cells and rat pancreatic islets: a possible molecular component of the .beta.-cell fuel sensor (1994)

Isolated pancreatic islets from rats and humans express a plasmalogen-preferring ATP-stimulatable, Ca(2+)-independent phospholipase A2 (ASCI-PLA2) enzyme which participates in the glucose-stimulated hydrolysis of arachidonate from membrane phospholipids and in insulin secretion. Here we report that clonal insulin-secreting HIT beta-cells contain substantial amounts of endogenous plasmalogens and express a similar ASCI-PLA2 activity with the following properties: (1) Enzymatic activity as well as glucose-induced eicosanoid release and insulin secretion are inhibited by a mechanism-based suicide substrate directed towards ASCI-PLA2. (2) HIT cell ASCI-PLA2 is selectively activated and protected against thermal denaturation by ATP. (3) The magnitude of ASCI-PLA2 activation by the nonhydrolyzable ATP analog AMP-PCP is similar to that by ATP. (4) The ATP concentrations required to activate ASCI-PLA2 fall within physiologic ranges in the presence of Mg2+. (5) ADP induces a concentration-dependent attenuation of the activation of ASCI-PLA2 by ATP. HIT cell ASCI-PLA2 exhibited an apparent isoelectric point of 7.5 on chromatofocusing analysis and was quantitatively adsorbed to an ATP-agarose matrix and selectively desorbed from this column by ATP. Mono-Q anion-exchange analysis of the active ATP-agarose eluant yielded a peak of ASCI-PLA2 activity associated with a single protein band with an apparent molecular mass of 40 kDa. Similar chromatographic behavior of the rat pancreatic islet ASCI-PLA2 activity was observed during sequential ATP-agarose and Mono-Q anion-exchange steps. These results indicate that HIT cells express an ASCI-PLA2 similar to the analogous islet enzyme and suggest that expression of this enzyme and of its preferred plasmalogen substrates may be a general property of insulin-secreting beta-cells.
Vacuum Arc Anode Phenomena (1983)

This paper briefly reviews anode phenomena in vacuum arcs, specially experimental work. It discusses, in succession, arc modes at the anode, anode temperature measurements, anode ions, transitions of the arc into various modes (principally the anode spot mode), and theoretical explanations of anode phenomena. The two most common anode modes in a vacuum arc are a low current mode where the anode is basically passive, acting only as a collector of particles emitted from the cathode, and a high current mode with a fully developed anode spot. Characteristically this anode spot has a temperature near the atmospheric boiling point of the anode material and is a copious source of vapor and energetic ions. However, other anode modes can exist. A low current vacuum arc with electrodes of readily sputterable material may emit a flux of sputtered atoms from the anode. Usually this sputtered flux will have little effect upon the vacuum arc, but in certain circumstances it could be significant. A vacuum arc doesn't always transfer directly from a low current mode to the anode spot mode. In appropriate experimental conditions, formation of an anode spot may be preceded by the formation of an anode footpoint. This footpoint is luminous, but much cooler than a true anode spot. Finally, (again in appropriate circumstances) several small anode spots may form instead of one large anode spot. With sufficient increase in arc current or arcing time these will usually combine to form a single large active spot.
Is Product Placement Really Worse Than Traditional Commercials? Cognitive Load and Recalling of Advertised Brands (2018)

Considering the large number of adverts inundating the average consumer every day, the marketing industry is seeking methods to reach clients in a more subtle manner than traditional marketing messages. One such tool is product placement. The article addresses issues of effectiveness of product placement in comparison to a traditional commercial. The objective of the study was to check how participants would recall the content of persuasive messages in conditions of artificially inducted cognitive load (in conditions of traditional advertisement and product placement). Two studies were conducted - a pre-study intended to assess the usefulness of the selected stimuli, and the main experiment. The experiment devoted to this question was planned using an ANOVA scheme 2 (Type of advert: traditional vs. product placement) × 2 (neutral conditions vs. cognitive load). It turned out that the commercial was better retained in neutral conditions than in conditions of cognitive load. The traditional commercial was remembered better than product placement. From the perspective of the study's ecological validity, of importance is also comparison of retention of brands viewed in a traditional commercial in conditions of cognitive load with retention of brands in conditions of product placement without load. These comparisons indicate the superiority of product placement - brands presented in this manner were more frequently recalled by viewers.
A tamper-resistant digital token-based rights management system (2017)

Use of digital token - which certifies the bearer's rights to some kind of products or services - is quite common nowadays for its convenience, ease of use and cost-effectiveness. Many of such digital tokens, however, are produced with software alone, making them vulnerable to forgery, including alteration and duplication. For a more secure safeguard for both token owner's right and service provider's accountability, digital tokens should be tamper-resistant as much as possible in order for them to withstand physical attacks as well. In this paper, we present a rights management system that leverages tamper-resistant digital tokens created by hardware-software collaboration in our eTRON architecture. The system features the complete life cycle of a digital token from generation to storage and redemption. Additionally, it provides a secure mechanism for transfer of rights in a peer-to-peer manner over the Internet. The proposed system specifies protocols for permissible manipulation on digital tokens, and subsequently provides a set of APIs for seamless application development. Access privileges to the tokens are strictly defined and state-of-the-art asymmetric cryptography is used for ensuring their confidentiality. Apart from the digital tokens being physically tamper-resistant, the protocols involved in the system are proven to be secure against attacks. Furthermore, an authentication mechanism is implemented that invariably precedes any operation involving the digital token in question. The proposed system presents clear security gains compared to existing systems that do not take tamper-resistance into account, and schemes that use symmetric key cryptography.
Fluorescent probe for highly selective and sensitive detection of hydrogen sulfide in living cells and cardiac tissues (2012)

A coumarin-based fluorescence chemoprobe was developed and evaluated for the selective and sensitive detection of hydrogen sulfide in degassed PBS buffers and fetal bovine serum. Fluorescence detection of hydrogen sulfide in living cells was also successfully achieved using two-photon confocal fluorescence imaging. Further in situ visualization of endogenous H(2)S was realized in cardiac tissues of normal rats and atherosclerosis (AS) rats.
Pulsed excitation of low-mobility light-emitting diodes: Implication for organic lasers (1999)

We present a theoretical and experimental study of electrical pulsed excitation in polymer light-emitting diodes (LEDs). We find that the low mobility results in a relatively high charge density within an electrically pumped structure. The broad spectrum of the charge-induced absorption and its overlap with the ground-state absorption pose a significant barrier for achieving net gain and lasing. We suggest an approach that might circumvent this problem using suitable emitters and an appropriate driving scheme. We also suggest methods for ultrafast modulation of LEDs as well as direct determination of the space charge within the recombination zone.
The utility of cells as vehicles for oncolytic virus therapies. (2008)

Oncolytic viruses are emerging as promising anticancer agents, but efficient delivery and dispersal at sites of tumor growth remain a significant challenge. Viruses can be efficiently neutralized by antiviral antibodies in the blood stream or sequestered by phagocytic cells in the liver and spleen, and they often fail to extravasate and migrate in tumor deposits or in the tissues to which tumors metastasize. As an alternative to the administration of naked viruses, virus-infected carrier cells are currently under investigation as vehicles to deliver oncolytic viruses more reliably, uniformly and efficiently to sites of tumor growth in the body, even in virus-immune individuals. Aside from their virus chaperoning capabilities, certain carrier cell types may exert additional antitumor activities that operate in synergy with the oncolytic virus infection to mediate tumor regression.