julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Exercise-induced normalization of decreased BDNF serum concentration in elderly women with remitted major depression
2010-01-13

Major depression (MD) has been associated with decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) serum levels, while antidepressant drugs were found to increase these decreased BDNF levels. We investigated if this is also caused by a single exercise session in elderly women with remitted MD. In our study 35 elderly women with a (partially) remitted depressive episode of unipolar depression according to DSM-IV criteria within the last year and 20 age-matched healthy female controls were included. Depression severity was assessed by HAMD. Serum levels of BDNF were measured by ELISA. Blood samples were taken during the rest period before beginning the exercise including spiroergometry, at the end of the exercise and after a 30-min recovery period. At baseline MD patients showed significantly decreased BDNF serum levels compared to healthy female controls. After a single 30-min exercise period, we found a significant increase of BDNF serum levels in MD patients towards values comparable with the baseline levels of the healthy controls, followed by a significant decrease after 30 min rest, while the healthy controls showed only a mild but non-significant increase. In conclusion, a single exercise session leads to a significant up-regulation and transient normalization of BDNF serum levels in elderly women with remitted MD. This mechanism may contribute to the beneficial therapeutic and relapse-preventing effects of physical activity on MD.
Surgical Technique and Validation of Outcome Assessment in Sagittal Synostosis
2010-01-13

Our results suggest that the feasible time period for the method used by us is around the 5th - 6th month of life, with satisfying results. With regard to the aesthetic outcome assessment we recommend our approach using validation by parents as a valuable new principle.
Structure of the HCMV UL16-MICB Complex Elucidates Select Binding of a Viral Immunoevasin to Diverse NKG2D Ligands
2010-01-14

The activating immunoreceptor NKG2D promotes elimination of infected or malignant cells by cytotoxic lymphocytes through engagement of stress-induced MHC class I-related ligands. The human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-encoded immunoevasin UL16 subverts NKG2D-mediated immune responses by retaining a select group of diverse NKG2D ligands inside the cell. We report here the crystal structure of UL16 in complex with the NKG2D ligand MICB at 1.8 A resolution, revealing the molecular basis for the promiscuous, but highly selective, binding of UL16 to unrelated NKG2D ligands. The immunoglobulin-like UL16 protein utilizes a three-stranded beta-sheet to engage the alpha-helical surface of the MHC class I-like MICB platform domain. Intriguingly, residues at the center of this beta-sheet mimic a central binding motif employed by the structurally unrelated C-type lectin-like NKG2D to facilitate engagement of diverse NKG2D ligands. Using surface plasmon resonance, we find that UL16 binds MICB, ULBP1, and ULBP2 with similar affinities that lie in the nanomolar range (12-66 nM). The ability of UL16 to bind its ligands depends critically on the presence of a glutamine (MICB) or closely related glutamate (ULBP1 and ULBP2) at position 169. An arginine residue at this position however, as found for example in MICA or ULBP3, would cause steric clashes with UL16 residues. The inability of UL16 to bind MICA and ULBP3 can therefore be attributed to single substitutions at key NKG2D ligand locations. This indicates that selective pressure exerted by viral immunoevasins such as UL16 contributed to the diversification of NKG2D ligands.
Structure of Adenovirus Type 21 Knob in Complex with CD46 Reveals Key Differences in Receptor Contacts among Species B Adenoviruses
2010-01-14

ABSTRACT The complement regulation protein CD46 is the primary attachment receptor for most species B adenoviruses (Ads). However, significant variability exists in sequence and structure among species B Ads in the CD46-binding regions, correlating with differences in affinity. Here, we report a structure-function analysis of the interaction of the species B Ad21 knob with the two N-terminal repeats SCR1 and SCR2 of CD46, CD46-D2. We have determined the structures of the Ad21 knob in its unliganded form as well as in complex with CD46-D2, and we compare the interactions with those observed for the Ad11 knob-CD46-D2 complex. Surface plasmon resonance measurements demonstrate that the affinity of Ad21 knobs for CD46-D2 is 22-fold lower than that of the Ad11 knob. The superposition of the Ad21 and Ad11 knob structures in complex with CD46-D2 reveals a substantially different binding mode, providing an explanation for the weaker binding affinity of the Ad21 knob for its receptor. A critical difference in both complex structures is that a key interaction point, the DG loop, protrudes more in the Ad21 knob than in the Ad11 knob. Therefore, the protruding DG loop does not allow CD46-D2 to approach the core of the Ad21 knob as closely as in the Ad11 knob-CD46-D2 complex. In addition, the engagement of CD46-D2 induces a conformational change in the DG loop in the Ad21 knob but not in the Ad11 knob. Our results contribute to a more profound understanding of the CD46-binding mechanism of species B Ads and have relevance for the design of more efficient gene delivery vectors.
Gravity for FDI
2010-01-15

Gravity equations explaining foreign affiliates' sales are ad hoc and hence estimated coefficients are hard to interpret. We therefore provide the theoretical underpinnings of the gravity equation applied to the analysis of sales of foreign affiliates of multinational firms. We argue that the success of the gravity equation results from the fact that it can be derived from various theoretical models. We illustrate this point by deriving a gravity equation from three different models of multinational firms. Using data on real affiliate sales, we show how the gravity equation can nevertheless be used to discriminate between the different theoretical models. Copyright © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Netrin-1 Dampens Pulmonary Inflammation during Acute Lung Injury
2010-01-15

Pulmonary netrin-1 levels are repressed during ALI. This results in pronounced pulmonary damage, an increased infiltration of neutrophils, and increased pulmonary inflammation. Exogenous netrin-1 significantly dampens the extent of ALI through the adenosine 2B receptor.
IRAG determines nitric oxide- and atrial natriuretic peptide-mediated smooth muscle relaxation
2010-01-15

These findings indicate that signalling of cGKIbeta via IRAG is an essential functional part for regulation of smooth muscle tone and of intracellular calcium by NO (exogenously applicated or endogenously synthesized) and by ANP. IRAG signalling does not modulate basal tone but might be important for blood pressure regulation under pathophysiological conditions.
Pyridinylquinoxalines and Pyridinylpyridopyrazines as Lead Compounds for Novel p38α Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Inhibitors
2010-01-15

Various substituted 2(3)-(4-fluorophenyl)-3(2)-(pyridin-4-yl)quinoxalines and 2(3)-(4-fluorophenyl)-3(2)-(pyridin-4-yl)pyridopyrazines were synthesized as novel p38 alpha MAP kinase inhibitors via different short synthetic strategies with high variation possibilities. The formation of the quinoxaline/pyridopyrazine core was achieved from alpha-diketones and o-phenylenediamines/alpha-diaminopyridines under microwave irradiation. Introduction of an amino moiety at the pyridine C2 position of the 2(3)-(4-fluorophenyl)-3(2)-(pyridin-4-yl)quinoxalines led to compounds showing potent enzyme inhibition down to the double-digit nanomolar range (6f; IC(50) = 81 nM). Replacement of the quinoxaline core with pyrido[2,3-b]pyrazine gave compound 9e with superior p38 alpha MAP kinase inhibition (IC(50) = 38 nM).
The chemical composition of TS 01, the most oxygen-deficient planetary nebula
2010-01-15

The planetary nebula TS 01 (also called PN G 135.9+55.9 or SBS 1150+599A), with its record-holding low oxygen abundance and its double degenerate close binary core (period 3.9 h), is an exceptional object located in the Galactic halo. We have secured observational data in a complete wavelength range in order to pin down the abundances of half a dozen elements in the nebula. The abundances are obtained via detailed photoionization modelling taking into account all the observational constraints (including geometry and aperture effects) using the pseudo-3D photoionization code Cloudy_3D. The spectral energy distribution of the ionizing radiation is taken from appropriate model atmospheres. Both stellar components contribute to the ionization: the ``cool'' one provides the bulk of hydrogen ionization, and the ``hot'' one is responsible for the presence of the most highly charged ions, which explains why previous attempts to model the nebula experienced difficulties. The nebular abundances of C, N, O, and Ne are found to be respectively, 1/3.5, 1/4.2, 1/70, and 1/11 of the Solar value, with uncertainties of a factor 2. Thus the extreme O deficiency of this object is confirmed. The abundances of S and Ar are less than 1/30 of Solar. Standard models of stellar evolution and nucleosynthesis cannot explain the abundance pattern observed in the nebula. To obtain an extreme oxygen deficiency in a star whose progenitor has an initial mass of about 1 msun requires an additional mixing process, which can be induced by stellar rotation and/or by the presence of the close companion. We have computed a stellar model with initial mass of 1 msun, appropriate metallicity, and initial rotation of 100 kms, and find that rotation greatly improves the agreement between the predicted and observed abundances.
The effect of pressure gradients on luminosity distance–redshift relations
2010-01-15

Inhomogeneous cosmological models have had significant success in explaining\\ncosmological observations without the need for dark energy. Generally, these\\nmodels imply inhomogeneous matter distributions alter the observable relations\\nthat are taken for granted when assuming the Universe evolves according to the\\nstandard Friedmann equations. Moreover, it has recently been shown that both\\ninhomogeneous matter and pressure distributions are required in both early and\\nlate stages of cosmological evolution. These associated pressure gradients are\\nrequired in the early Universe to sufficiently describe void formation, whilst\\nlate-stage pressure gradients stop the appearance of anomalous singularities.\\nIn this paper we investigate the effect of pressure gradients on cosmological\\nobservations by deriving the luminosity distance - redshift relations in\\nspherically symmetric, inhomogeneous spacetimes endowed with a perfect fluid.\\nBy applying this to a specific example for the energy density distribution and\\nusing various equations of state, we are able to explicitly show that pressure\\ngradients may have a non-negligble effect on cosmological observations. In\\nparticular, we show that a non-zero pressure gradient can imply significantly\\ndifferent residual Hubble diagrams for compared to when the\\npressure is ignored. This paper therefore highlights the need to properly\\nconsider pressure gradients when interpreting cosmological observations.\\n
Organotypic Cultures of Spinal Cord Ventral Horn Are Valuable Tools for Investigating Immobility-Related Mechanisms In Vitro
2010-01-15

To the Editor: Using decerebrated rats, Kungys et al.1 identified the ventral horn of the spinal cord as the pivotal region within the spinal cord where propofol induces immobility. Their finding that the effects of propofol but not isoflurane were antagonized by picrotoxin indicates that only propofol acts predominantly via GABA(A) receptors. In the discussion, Kungys et al. argue that spinal slice cultures, which have been used in our work, are not well suited for the study of anesthetic mechanisms because of artificial receptor expression during ex vivo development. Moreover, the authors imply that their observations are inconsistent with results published by our group,2 stating erroneously that in our study propofol acted via glycine and GABAA receptors. To the contrary, we reported that propofol acted almost exclusively via GABA(A) receptors, which is clearly consistent with the findings of Kungys et al. Moreover, we showed that in spinal cord slice cultures, GABA(A) receptors are only a minor target for isoflurane.3 Again, this observation agrees with the results reported by Kungys et al. In cultured spinal slices, propofol showed a limited efficacy to depress ventral horn network activity compared with isoflurane, which is consistent with the findings of Kungys et al. and also in good agreement with clinical studies.4,5 Finally, we showed that beta3 subunit-containing GABA(A) receptors are essential for mediating the immobilizing actions of etomidate in mice and the actions of the same anesthetic in cultured spinal slices.6 In our opinion, in vivo and in vitro data on the spinal actions of general anesthetics are in excellent accord with each other and provide impressive evidence of the mechanisms and neural substrates by which anesthetics produce immobility. Christian Grasshoff, MD Bernd Antkowiak, PhD Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Experimental Anesthesiology Section Eberhard-Karls-University Tuebingen, Germany [email protected]
After the Ross procedure the patients' survival is similar to that of the normal population: results from the German-Dutch Ross Registry in 1623 patients
2010-01-15

Background: Aim of the present study was to compare the survival of patients after the Ross procedure with that of the general population using data from the large multi-center German-Dutch Ross Registry.
Dose-dependent improvement in hemodynamic function after BNP administration during cardiac surgery: animal model
2010-01-15

Objectives: The etiology of heart failure after cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is multifactorial. It is related to ischemia during aortic cross clamping, residual cardioplegia, and chronic myocardial dysfunction.
What happens to patients in the second decade after the Ross operation? Results from the German-Dutch Ross registry
2010-01-15

Objectives: The Ross operation offers excellent hemodynamic and clinical outcome in a selected group of patients undergoing aortic valve replacement. To determine whether this outcome remains stable, follow-up data beyond 10 years are of great interest.
Percutaneous tissue engineered pulmonary valved stent implantation: three month follow-up
2010-01-15

Background: The feasibility of percutaneously implanted autologues tissue engineered valved stents in the pulmonary artery was pursued to overcome the current limitation of degeneration and calcification of the bovine jugular vein valves.
Major adverse cardiac events after the Ross operation in 1620 patients – current status of the German-Dutch Ross Registry with up to 20 years follow-up
2010-01-15

Background: Reports on autograft and allograft durability as well as major adverse cardiac events (MACE) over time after the Ross procedure and in large patient cohorts are scarce in the literature. Aim of this study to report the MACE observed in the large patient population of the German-Dutch Ross Registry.
General and theoretical aspects of amidines and imidic acid derivatives
2010-01-16

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Physico-chemical Properties Theoretical Considerations Electronic Spectra Infrared and Raman Spectra Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectra Mass Spectra References
Physical and chemical analysis of quinones
2010-01-16

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction NMR Spectra of Quinones IR Spectra of Quinones UV/VIS Spectra of Quinones Esr/Endor Spectra of Quinone Ion Radicals Electrochemical Methods Chromatography of Quinones Chemical Methods Conclusions Acknowledgements
Identification and determination of quinones
2010-01-16

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction N.m.r. Spectra of Quinones I.r. Spectra of Quinones U.v. Spectra of Quinones Identification of Quinones by Polarography and E.s.r. Spectroscopy Chemical Methods Quantitative Determination of Quinones Distinction Between p- and o-Quinones Acknowledgment References
Bootstrapping the Chain-Ladder Method for Several Correlated Run-Off Portfolios
2010-01-16

The prediction of the outstanding loss liabilities for a non-life run-off portfolio as well as the quantification of the prediction error is one of the most important actuarial tasks in non-life insurance. In this paper we consider this prediction problem in a multivariate context. More precisely, we derive the predictive distribution of the claims reserves simultaneously for several correlated run-off portfolios in the framework of the Chain-ladder claims reserving method for several correlated run-off portfolios.
Basic Quantitative Assessment of Visual Performance in Patients with Very Low Vision
2010-01-18

BaLM results systematically differed between the very-low-acuity categories NLP, LP, and HM. Light and time yielded similar results, as did localization and motion; still, for assessing the visual prostheses with differing temporal characteristics, they are not redundant. The results suggest that this simple test battery provides a quantitative assessment of visual function in the very-low-vision range from NLP to HM.
Human cardiac tissue in a microperfusion chamber simulating extracorporeal circulation - ischemia and apoptosis studies
2010-01-18

Our human cardiac preparation served as a reliable cellular model tool to study apoptosis in vitro. Decisively cardiac tissue from the right auricle can be easily obtained at nearly every cardiac operation avoiding biopsying of the myocardium or even experiments on animals.The apoptotic damage induced by the ischemia/reperfusion stimulus could be significantly reduced by the cold crystalloid cardioplegia. The additional treatment of cardiomyocytes with a non-selective beta-blocker, carvedilol had even a significantly higher reduction of apoptotis.
Brain Mechanisms Underlying Speech Motor Control
2010-01-18

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Macro- and Microstructural Characteristics of the Brain in Subhuman Primates and Man Acoustic Communication in Monkeys and Apes Cerebral Representation of Orofacial and Laryngeal Musculature in Subhuman Primates Morphological Asymmetries of Primary and Nonprimary Motor Areas in Subhuman Primates and Man Cortical Maps of Vocal Tract Muscle Representation in Humans Electro- and Magnetoencephalographic Measurements of the Time Course of Brain Activity Related to Spreech Production Clinical Data: Compromised Motor Aspects of Speech Production in Focal Brain Lesions and Degenerative Diseases of the Central Nervous System (CNS) Cerebral Networks of Speech Motor Control: Functional Hemodynamic Imaging Studies Conclusions References
Basic mathematical rules are encoded by primate prefrontal cortex neurons
2010-01-19

Mathematics is based on highly abstract principles, or rules, of how to structure, process, and evaluate numerical information. If and how mathematical rules can be represented by single neurons, however, has remained elusive. We therefore recorded the activity of individual prefrontal cortex (PFC) neurons in rhesus monkeys required to switch flexibly between “greater than” and “less than” rules. The monkeys performed this task with different numerical quantities and generalized to set sizes that had not been presented previously, indicating that they had learned an abstract mathematical principle. The most prevalent activity recorded from randomly selected PFC neurons reflected the mathematical rules; purely sensory- and memory-related activity was almost absent. These data show that single PFC neurons have the capacity to represent flexible operations on most abstract numerical quantities. Our findings support PFC network models implementing specific “rule-coding” units that control the flow of information between segregated input, memory, and output layers. We speculate that these neuronal circuits in the monkey lateral PFC could readily have been adopted in the course of primate evolution for syntactic processing of numbers in formalized mathematical systems.
Influence of intramolecular polar bonds on interface energetics in perfluoro-pentacene on Ag(111)
2010-01-19

We investigated the structural and electronic properties of vacuum sublimed perfluoro-pentacene (PFP) thin films on Ag(111) substrates using x-ray standing waves (XSW), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS). XSW results reveal a flat adsorption geometry of the monolayer PFP/Ag(111) with a relatively large bonding distance of 3.16Å for both, the carbon and fluorine atoms. Multilayers PFP/Ag(111) adopt a herringbone structure with the molecular long axis parallel to the substrate and a vertical lattice spacing of 3.06Å as evidenced by XRD. The strong intramolecular polar bond character of the fluorine-carbon bonds in PFP leads to an orientation dependent ionization energy (IE) that is experimentally observed by UPS for the monolayer-multilayer transition: The inclined molecular plane orientation in the multilayer herringbone arrangement leads to an increase of the PFP IE by &gt;0.4eV compared to the flat lying monolayer.
A New Approach to the Investigation of Sexual Offenses—Cytoskeleton Analysis Reveals the Origin of Cells Found on Forensic Swabs*
2010-01-19

Abstract: There are forensic inquiries in which an identification of epithelial cell types would provide important probative evidence. In cancer diagnosis, this information is yielded by histological examination of cytokeratin (Ck). Therefore, we tested 19 antibodies against different Cks (Ck1, Ck2e, Ck4, Ck5‐6, Ck7, Ck8, Ck9, CK10, Ck13, Ck14, Ck15, Ck16, Ck17, Ck18, Ck19, Ck20, Ck903, PanCkAE1_3, and CAM5‐2) on histological sections of epidermis, buccal mucosa, vaginal mucosa, penis, urogenital tract, and rectum and could identify two antigens unique to buccal‐cell and vaginal‐cell (Ck4) and skin epithelial‐cell (Ck10) cytokeratin. Subsequently, we developed an immunocytological technique for distinguishing swabbed skin and mucosal cells up to at least 1 year after sampling. By the detection of the Ck4 and Ck10 mRNAs in biopsy and laser capture microdissection collected samples via quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction, we were able to confirm our immunological findings. Hence, this study offers techniques to discriminate between skin and mucosal cells (buccal and vaginal) in forensic casework.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Human Glioma Cells by means of an Interleukin‐6 Receptor‐Targeted Contrast Agent
2010-01-19

The interleukin 6 receptor (IL‐6R) and its ligand interleukin 6 (IL‐6) play a crucial role in glioma growth and development accomplished by autocrine growth promotion and induction of angiogenesis via activation of vascular epithelial growth factor A (VEGF‐A). Therefore, IL‐6R represents a target for both therapy (preventing VEGF‐A activation by blocking the receptor) and imaging (higher receptor density on tumor cells). A short heptapeptide that selectively binds to IL‐6R and which inhibits the effect of IL‐6 was coupled to the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent gadolinium (Gd)‐1,4,7,10‐tetraazacyclododecane‐1,4,7,10‐tetraacetic acid (DOTA) and the fluorescent dye rhodamine. MRI, confocal laser scanning microscopy, and flow cytometry showed that our IL‐6‐DOTA‐rhodamine conjugate was taken up into the cytoplasm of human U373 glioma cells without any cytotoxic effects. Competition experiments indicate that this uptake was receptor‐mediated. This conjugate might be used for future MRI studies of brain tumors after systemic or intraoperative local application. The cytoplasm specificity of the conjugate also makes it a potential building block for the design of future cytoplasm‐directed imaging and therapeutic conjugates.