julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Encapsulation of Islets in Rough Surface, Hydroxymethylated Polysulfone Capillaries Stimulates VEGF Release and Promotes Vascularization after Transplantation
2005-02-01

The transplantation of encapsulated islets of Langerhans is one approach to treat type 1 diabetes without the need of lifelong immunosuppression. Capillaries have been used for macroencapsulation because they have a favorable surface-to-volume ratio and because they can be refilled. It is unclear at present whether the outer surface of such capillaries should be smooth to prevent, or rough to promote, cell adhesions. In this study we tested a new capillary made of modified polysulfone (MWCO: 50 kDa) with a rough, open-porous outer surface for islet transplantation. Compared with free-floating islets, encapsulation of freshly isolated rat islets affected neither the kinetics nor the efficiency of glucose-induced insulin release in perifusion experiments. Free-floating islets maintained insulin secretion during cell culture but encapsulated islets gradually lost their glucose responsiveness and released VEGF. This indicated hypoxia in the capillary lumen. Transplantation of encapsulated rat islets into diabetic rats significantly reduced blood glucose concentrations from the first week of implantation. This hypoglycaemic effect persisted until explantation 4 weeks later. Transplantation of encapsulated porcine islets into diabetic rats reduced blood glucose concentrations depending on the islet purity. With semipurified islets a transient reduction of blood glucose concentrations was observed (2, 8, 18, 18 days) whereas with highly purified islets a sustained normoglycaemia was achieved (more than 28 days). Explanted capillaries containing rat islets were covered with blood vessels. Vascularization was also observed on capillaries containing porcine islets that were explanted from normoglycaemic rats. In contrast, on capillaries containing porcine islets that were explanted from hyperglycemic rats a fibrous capsule and lymphocyte accumulations were observed. No vascularization on the surface of transplanted capillaries was observed in the absence of islets. In conclusion, encapsulated islets can release VEGF, which appears to be an important signal for the vascularization of the capillary material. The rough, open-porous outer surface of the polysulfone capillary provides a site well suited for vascular tissue formation and may allow a prolonged islet function after transplantation.
Expansion of peripheral CD8+ CD28- T cells in response to Epstein-Barr virus in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
2005-02-01

RA patients show clonal expansion of dysfunctional, terminally differentiated CD8+ EBV-specific T cells in their T cell responses to immunodominant lytic peptide EBV epitopes, which could be a sign of specific impairment of virus-host interactions in RA.
Impact of task difficulty on lateralization of pitch and duration discrimination
2005-02-01

To investigate lateralization of duration and pitch discrimination processing with emphasis on the influences of task difficulty, we used event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging. Seventeen healthy volunteers performed paired auditory discrimination tasks at varying levels of difficulty. Analysis of lateralization effects revealed leftward lateralization within the insular and the temporal cortex under both conditions. Moreover, parametric analysis of haemodynamic responses showed increasing activation within the right temporal cortex correlated to increasing accuracy of stimulus discrimination. Thus, highly differential acoustic stimuli seem to be predominantly processed within the right hemisphere, whereas the detection of slight signal differences might be linked to the left hemisphere. In conclusion, we found evidence for preferential involvement of the right hemisphere in holistic feature processing within the auditory domain.
Rhodium(II)-Catalyzed Inter- and Intramolecular Cyclopropanations with Diazo Compounds and Phenyliodonium Ylides: Synthesis and Chiral Analysis
2005-02-01

Different classes of cyclopropanes derived from Meldrum's acid (=2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione; 4), dimethyl malonate (5), 2-diazo-3-(silyloxy)but-3-enoate 16, 2-diazo-3,3,3-trifluoropropanoate 18, diazo(triethylsilyl)acetate 24a, and diazo(dimethylphenylsilyl)acetate 24b were prepared via dirhodium(II)-catalyzed intermolecular cyclopropanation of a set of olefins 3 (Schemes 1 and 4-6). The reactions proceeded with either diazo-free phenyliodonium ylides or diazo compounds affording the desired cyclopropane derivatives in either racemic or enantiomer-enriched forms. The intramolecular cyclopropanation of allyl diazo(triethylsilyl)acetates 28, 30, and 33 were carried out in the presence of the chiral dirhodium(II) catalyst [Rh2{(S)-nttl)4}] (9) in toluene to afford the corresponding cyclopropane derivatives 29, 31 and 34 with up to 37% ee (Scheme 7). An efficient enantioselective chiral separation method based on enantioselective GC and HPLC was developed. The method provides information about the chemical yields of the cyclopropane derivatives, enantioselectivity, substrate specifity, and catalytic activity of the chiral catalysts used in the inter- and intramolecular cyclopropanation reactions and avoids time-consuming workup procedures.
Urinary Excretion of Arbutin Metabolites after Oral Administration of Bearberry Leaf Extracts
2005-02-01

An HPLC assay with fluorimetric detection of the arbutin metabolites hydroquinone glucuronide (2) and hydroquinone sulphate (6) in urine was developed and validated. Methylarbutin (4) and 6 were synthesised as reference substances. Compound 2 was prepared enzymatically from hydroquinone and uridine 5'-diphosphoglucuronic acid using the glucosyltransferase system of rat liver microsomes and enriched by two liquid-liquid and an additional solid phase extraction. Compound 2 as the main component of this purified product was identified by UV and fluorescence spectroscopy, by HPLC-MS, and by enzymatic hydrolysis to hydroquinone (5). The assay yields precise and accurate urine levels of 2, 5 and 6 in the concentration range expected after oral administration of recommended therapeutic doses of bearberry leaf extract. In a preliminary pharmacokinetic study on 3 volunteers the time-dependent renal excretion of arbutin metabolites 2, 5 and 6 was investigated after ingestion of an aqueous bearberry leaf extract containing an arbutin dose recommended by the German Kommission E. More than half of the administered dose of arbutin was excreted within 4 hours mainly in form of the metabolites 2 and 6 and more than 75 % of the total applied arbutin was excreted within 24 h. The elimination of 5 was negligible in 2 out of 3 volunteers. The excretion of this metabolite in the third test person reached 5.6 % of the total administered arbutin dose. The preliminary pharmacokinetic results confirm that renal elimination of toxicologically critical concentrations of the metabolite 5 will not be expected.
Comparative Analysis of the Human and Chicken Prion Protein Copper Binding Regions at pH 6.5
2005-02-01

Recent experimental evidence supports the hypothesis that prion proteins (PrPs) are involved in the Cu(II) metabolism. Moreover, the copper binding region has been implicated in transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, which are caused by the infectious isoform of prion proteins (PrP(Sc)). In contrast to mammalian PrP, avian prion proteins have a considerably different N-terminal copper binding region and, most interestingly, are not able to undergo the conversion process into an infectious isoform. Therefore, we applied x-ray absorption spectroscopy to analyze in detail the Cu(II) geometry of selected synthetic human PrP Cu(II) octapeptide complexes in comparison with the corresponding chicken PrP hexapeptide complexes at pH 6.5, which mimics the conditions in the endocytic compartments of neuronal cells. Our results revealed that structure and coordination of the human PrP copper binding sites are highly conserved in the pH 6.5-7.4 range, indicating that the reported pH dependence of copper binding to PrP becomes significant at lower pH values. Furthermore, the different chicken PrP hexarepeat motifs display homologous Cu(II) coordination at sub-stoichiometric copper concentrations. Regarding the fully cation-saturated prion proteins, however, a reduced copper coordination capability is supposed for the chicken prion protein based on the observation that chicken PrP is not able to form an intra-repeat Cu(II) binding site. These results provide new insights into the prion protein structure-function relationship and the conversion process of PrP.
Composition and properties of ZnS thin films prepared by chemical bath deposition from acidic and basic solutions
2005-02-01

Zinc sulfide thin films were prepared by chemical bath deposition (CBD) on soda lime glass, silicon and gallium phosphide substrates using an acidic (acetic acid-thioacetamide), and ammonia (thiourea or thioacetamide) baths. The thickness of the films varied from a few nm to 100 nm. Films deposited using the acidic bath showed a smaller concentration of Zn-O bonds and are much closer to ZnS stoichiometry, as it was found by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopies. X-ray diffraction patterns prove crystallinity of as deposited films from the acidic bath, which crystallize in the cubic modification. The optical band-gap energy was determined to be 3.64 eV from the best-fit of spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Epidemiologic, immunologic and practical considerations in developing and evaluating a human hookworm vaccine
2005-02-01

Hookworm is a widely prevalent human parasite and an important contributor to anemia worldwide. Efforts to control hookworm In developing countries currently focus on chemotherapy, especially for school-aged children. Due to the high rates of post-treatment hookworm reinfection and other factors that limit the success of school-based chemotherapy programs, a vaccine would represent a major new tool in the control of hookworm. Recent developments in the molecular biology of hookworm have made it possible to develop a recombinant vaccine. As hookworms have fundamentally different epidemiologic and Immunologic characteristics to viral and bacterial Infections, special methodologic and statistical consideration Is needed in clinical trial design and evaluation. There are many remaining obstacles and issues in the research, large-scale development and delivery of a vaccine for a disease that afflicts the poorest of the poor In developing countries. There is also a need to assess the cost-effectiveness of vaccination relative to chemotherapy programs. This review summarizes current progress In vaccine development and discusses some of these Issues and ongoing efforts to overcome remaining challenges.
Insulin Glulisine
2005-02-01

In recent years, recombinant DNA technology has been used to design insulin molecules that overcome the limitations of regular insulin in mealtime supplementation. However, safety issues have been raised with these alternatives, as the alteration of the three-dimensional structure may alter the interaction with the insulin and/or IGF-I receptors and therefore lead to the activation of alternate metabolic as well as mitogenic signaling pathways. It is therefore essential to carefully study acute and long-term effects in a preclinical state, as insulin therapy is meant to be a lifelong treatment. In this study, we determined in vivo the insulin receptor signaling characteristics activated by insulin glulisine (LysB3, GluB29) at the level of insulin receptor phosphorylation, insulin receptor substrate phosphorylation, and downstream signaling elements such as phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase, AKT, and mitogen-activated protein kinase. C57BL/6 mice were injected with insulin glulisine or regular insulin and Western blot analysis was performed for liver and muscle tissue. The extent and time course of insulin receptor phosphorylation and activation of downstream signaling elements after insulin glulisine treatment was similar to that of human regular insulin in vivo. Moreover, insulin signaling in hypothalamic tissue determined by PI 3-kinase activity was comparable. Therefore, insulin glulisine may be a useful tool for diabetes treatment.
Simulation and Visualisation of Virtual Textiles for Virtual Try-On
2005-02-01

The correct simulation and visualisation of textiles comprises many research fields such as mathematics, physics, materials science, and computer graphics. It consists of modelling the physical behaviour of textiles based on real data of garment patterns which have to be placed around an avatar. Therefore efficient numerical algorithms have to be developed to solve the appearing differential equations. Finally the obtained results are displayed photorealistically). The aim of the national research project "Virtual Try-On" consists in providing a prototype of a virtual try-on scenario in a real shop or the internet realizing cost-efficient made-tomeasure wear. In this article we present the whole process chain from the choice of clothes up to the final visualisation and the individual evaluation of fit.
Structural evolution and granite chronology of the central Molong Zone, Eastern Lachlan Fold Belt, Australia
2005-02-01

The details of the deformation of the Molong Zone after its development are poorly constrained because of the paucity of dates on significant structural features, the difficulty of mapping faults that are poorly exposed, and the limited understanding of the timing and kinematics on key faults. Bedding and foliation in the Ordovician metavolcanics and greywackes in the northern Molong Zone record pre-granite Benambran deformation and up to three post-granite foliation-forming events (Bowning-Bindian, Tabberabberan and Kanimblan). There appears to have been multiple cycles of follation development along meridional trends. The granites were intruded along pre-existing faults and overall this area shows post-granite southward and anticlockwise movement during dominant east-west shortening. Fault movement occurred during sedimentation, prior to, during and after granite intrusion. Many major faults have a complex history involving a significant component of dextral strike-slip movement sometimes after normal, dip-slip histories. The granodiorites and granite intruded at different structural levels and were progressively uplifted during generally east-directed thrusting between the bounding Wongalong-Werribee and Copperhannia-Godolphin Fault Systems. Zircons from the Carcoar Granodiorite were dated using single crystal and SHRIMP dating methods and recorded a crystallisation age of 425.6 ± 2.3 Ma (mean) and 434.4 ± 5.5 Ma, respectively. Conventional U-Pb on three zircon grains from the Barry Granodiorite gave a crystallisation age of 425.8 ± 1.9 Ma. U-Pb in hornblende radiometric ages for the granodiorites suggest that there is a 2-28 million years interval between granite crystallisation and hornblende closure. This is unlikely given these are high-level granites and suggest that intercalibration problems between the U-Pb and Ar-Ar radiometric methods may in part explain the apparent extended period between crystallisation and closure of hornblende.
Making profits in wartime: corporate profits, inequality, and GDP in Germany during the First World War1
2005-02-01

Making profits in wartime: corporate profits, inequality, and GDP in Germany during the First World War. This article reconsiders, and rejects, Kocka's (1973) hypothesis that a strong income redistribution from workers to capital owners occurred in Germany during the First World War. A small number of firms profited from the war, but the majority experienced a decline in real income, similar to the decline in workers' real wages. This finding also has important implications for the political history of the Weimar Republic. The authors also use their figures to improve German GDP estimates for the war period, since their sample makes it possible to estimate private service sector development. Economic indicators were worse for the war year of 1917 than previously believed.
New Aminocoumarin Antibiotics from Genetically Engineered Streptomyces Strains
2005-02-01

The aminocoumarin antibiotics novobiocin, clorobiocin and coumermycin A(1) are produced by different Streptomyces strains and are potent inhibitors of DNA gyrase. The biosynthetic gene clusters of all three antibiotics have been cloned and sequenced, and the function of most genes contained therein has been elucidated. In the last years, a number of "unnatural" aminocoumarins could be generated using the genetic information for the biosynthesis of these antibiotics. The investigated enzymes of aminocoumarin biosynthesis have less-than-perfect substrate specificity, facilitating the production of new antibiotics by various methods. Several new aminocoumarins could be produced by targeted genetic manipulation in the natural producers, but also in heterologous host Streptomyces coelicolor after expression of the respective gene cluster. Mutasynthesis experiments, i. e. generation of a cloQ-defective mutant of the clorobiocin producer and feeding of 13 different structural analogs of 3-dimethylallyl-4-hydroxybenzoic acid to this mutant, allowed the isolation of 32 new aminocoumarins. These compounds contained, instead of the genuine 3-dimethylallyl-4-hydroxybenzoyl moiety, the externally added analogs as the acyl components in their structures. Production of new aminocoumarins was also achieved by chemoenzymatic synthesis in vitro. Several biosynthetic enzymes have been heterologously expressed, purified und used for chemoenzymatic synthesis. The structures of the new aminocoumarins were elucidated by NMR and mass spectroscopy. Their inhibitory activity on gyrase in vitro as well as their antibacterial activity was determined. These results give further insight into the structure-activity relationships of aminocoumarins.
Capital Budgeting with Taxes under Uncertainty and Irreversibility / Investitionsplanung mit Steuern bei Unsicherheit und Irreversibilität
2005-02-01

Summary This article investigates the derivation of post-tax investment rules and neutral tax systems under risk neutrality and risk aversion for irreversible investment projects. Integrating taxes into real option theory, it can be shown that the possible approaches dynamic programming and contingent claims analysis yield identical investment rules under risk neutrality. Under risk aversion, contingent claims analysis requires a sophisticated capital market model which is still missing. In contrast, dynamic programming as an individual approach permits explicit investment rules at least in the pre-tax case. After taxes, both approaches fail to reach general solutions. Nevertheless, we succeed in proving neutral tax systems for the first time under risk aversion in the real option context using dynamic programming.
[Large vessel vasculitis as cause of fever of unknown origin (FUO) or systemic inflammation. Diagnosis using 18-F-fluor-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography ((18)F-FDG-PET)].
2005-02-01

(18)F-FDG-PET is a useful diagnostic tool in patients with unclear systemic inflammation and FUO. Especially when large vessel vasculitis is suspected, further diagnostic work by PET seems to be of benefit. Furthermore, it offers the opportunity to evaluate disease activity and to check which vessels are involved.
Synthesis of the Salicylihalamide Core Structure from Epichlorohydrin– Laying the Foundation to Macrolactone Collections
2005-02-01

Abstract Starting from ( R )‐epichlorohydrin, two successive carbon–carbon bond formations, one with acetylide and the other with cyanide, led to the 3‐hydroxynitrile 20 . This compound was further elaborated to the enynol 29 via an Evans aldol reaction of the derived aldehyde 22 with the pentenoyloxazolidinone 23 and conversion of the carboxyl to a methyl group after the aldol reaction. Mitsunobu esterification of the enynol 29 with the benzoic acid 5 gave rise to the ester 30 with two double bonds and one triple bond. After protection of the terminal triple bond with a TIPS group, the ring closing metathesis proceeded in good yield. The macrolactone E ‐33 was converted into the vinyl iodide 34 and the pyridin containing salicylihalamide analog 36 . The described sequence, the two‐sided elongation of epichlorohydrin appears as a general route to secondary alcohols that can be further elaborated to functionalized macrolactones. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH &amp; Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)
Transport regulation by the serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase SGK1
2005-02-01

The serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase SGK1 is an ubiquitously expressed kinase with the ability to regulate a variety of transport systems. Recent observations point to a role of SGK1 in the regulation of diverse physiological functions such as epithelial transport and cardiac and neuronal excitability. At least partially through its effect on transport, SGK1 contributes to a number of pathophysiological conditions including metabolic syndrome and fibrosing disease.
Quality of Life and Prenatal Decisions
2005-02-01

Case Dr. Berkman welcomes his long time patient, Sue, to the clinic. Today she is accompanied by her 17-year-old daughter, Marie, and Marie's boyfriend, Tom. Marie is 8 weeks pregnant, and the 3 have come for genetic counseling.
Protein Microarrays
2005-02-01

Abstract With the introduction of DNA microarrays as novel analytical tools, the determination of thousands of binding events in one reaction became possible. The developed technology platforms are not limited to nucleic acids, and, in principle, every ligand‐binding assay that works on solid phase can be miniaturized and brought into an array format. This unit explains how protein microarrays can be generated using equipment originally designed for DNA microarrays and how multiplexed assays for the quantification of proteins are set up. A protocol that describes a parallelized system for detecting autoantibodies in human serum is included as an example, and it is shown how existing sandwich immunoassays can be miniaturized and performed in array format. The unit also provides some theoretical background and commentary on the problems associated with this still‐novel technology.
Reconstructive Urology
2005-02-01

Objective: This work analyzed the renal function and structure in offspring rats that were submitted to maternal protein-calorie restriction during prenatal or lactation periods.Study design: Kidneys from adult offspring were studied.Animals from mothers that were submitted to food restriction were separated in 3 groups: control, prenatal restriction, and lactation restriction.Blood pressure, microalbuminuria, and glomerular filtration rate were determined.Kidney cortical remodeling was analyzed with stereology; volume-weighted glomerular volume and the number of glomeruli were estimated.Results: Adult prenatal restriction offspring showed enhanced microalbuminuria, decreased glomerular filtration rate, and hypertension; their kidneys showed a smaller number of hypertrophied glomeruli than control and lactation restriction animals.Conclusion: Maternal prenatal protein-calorie restriction in rats causes kidney disease in adult offspring, which is characterized by hypertension and renal dysfunction and suggests secondary kidney remodeling because of an impairment of glomerulogenesis. Editorial CommentThis is one more important study from the State University of Rio de Janeiro on the effects of maternal protein and energy malnutrition during prenatal or lactation periods.After an extensive study using different methodologies, the authors found that rats prenatally submitted to undernutrition became hypertensive and proteinuric.On the other hand, the effects on the renal function and blood pressure are not evident when the protein-calorie restriction takes place after birth.