julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
Effect of sequential estrogen/progestin treatment on biochemical vasoactive markers in postmenopausal women comparing oral and transdermal application.
2000-01-01

The observed effects can be explained by vasodilatory actions during the estrogen phases which can be maintained or even increased during the consecutive estrogen/progestin treatment suggesting a time-dependent beneficial estrogen effect. However, oral progestin addition may antagonise this effect already within two weeks of treatment whereby the prostacyclin-thromboxane quotient seems to be the most sensitive marker surrogating on vasoconstrictory progestin action.
On R�denberg's integral approximations and their unrestricted and combined use in molecular orbital theories of Hartree-Fock type
2000-01-01

Rüdenberg's well-known letter of 1951 contains two implications which still have not been employed so far in numerical computations: (1) Whenever all types of attraction and repulsion integrals are subject to the Rüdenberg approximations in its simplest form partially known already from Mulliken, the attractive, the Coulomb, as well as the exchange part of the restricted Hartree–Fock–Roothaan equation can be led back to the calculation of corresponding diagonal elements, only. Using Rüdenberg's more elaborate concepts, which are invariant with respect to the rotation of local coordinate axes, the complete Fock-matrix representation can be constructed equivalently from only its own diagonal blocks, each belonging to one atom. Similar formulas are valid for the unrestricted Hartree–Fock theory of Pople and Nesbet. (2) If, however, one prefers to calculate all types of one- and two-center integrals exactly as suggested in Rüdenberg's headline, the original simplicity of both representations is lost. Instead, one is led to more complicated expressions, which arise from the fact that Rüdenberg's integral formulas, when applied to certain kinds of three-center repulsion integrals, imply considerable oversimplifications. In spite of this critical result, Rüdenberg's ideas offer an extension together with an interpretation of the semiempirical Wolfsberg and Helmholz recipe (better known from Hoffmann's “extended Hückel” theory), on the one hand, and of the “neglect of differential overlap” schemes ZDO and NDDO, on the other, from a common point of view. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Quant Chem 76: 148–160, 2000
The 'HysteroTrainer´ - An in vitro Simulator for Hysteroscopy and Falloposcopy
2000-01-01

Hysteroscopy and falloposcopy are routine procedures in gynecological endoscopy. Injuries to the cervix or uterine perforations due to blind manipulation or wrong use of instruments are the most common complications associated with these procedures. In vitro simulators have been shown to be valuable tools in the laparoscopic training of physicians. Therefore we developed a simulator for hysteroscopy offering realistic anatomical and physiological training conditions. Additionally, we examined different polymer substances as basic materials for organ modules that allow the realistic application of electric instruments, e.g. resector blades and rollerball.
In vivo application of RNA leads to induction of specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes and antibodies
2000-01-01

To study the efficiency of RNA-based vaccines, RNA coding for the model antigen β-galactosidase (β-gal) was transcribed in vitro from a lacZ gene flanked by stabilizing Xenopus laevis β-globin 5' and 3' sequences and was protected from RNase degradation by condensation with the polycationic peptide protamine. The liposome-encapsulated condensed RNA-peptide complex, the condensed RNA-peptide complex without liposome or naked, unprotected RNA, was injected into BALB / c (H-2d) mice. All preparations led to protein expression in the local tissue, activation of Ld-restricted specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) and production of IgG antibodies reactive against β-gal. RNA-triggered CTL were as efficient in the lysis of lacZ-transfected target cells as CTL triggered by a lacZ-DNA eukaryotic expression vector. Immunization with RNA transcribed from a cDNA library from the β-gal-expressing cell line P13.1 again led to β-gal-specific CTL and IgG induction. Thus, both naked and protected RNA can be used to elicit a specific immune response in vivo, whereby the protected RNA is stable in vitro for a longer period of time. RNA vaccines can be produced in high amounts and have the same major advantages as DNA vaccines but lack the potentially harmful effect of DNA integration into the genome.
Allegations of sexual abuse in child custody disputes.
2000-01-01

In our sample, we found a significant incidence of sexual deviations of a parent. With respect to the allegations of sexual abuse in divorce cases, we were able to identify four types of family dynamics. Our qualitative assessment of the data showed that distinguishing between actual abuse and false allegations cannot adequately help to clarify the family dynamics. Rather, it tends to conceal the fact that even a false allegation usually originates from a sexualized atmosphere in the family. The main family structures which were observed without exception in our sample generally already existed before the separation phase and had corresponding effects on the child which must be considered in the evaluation.
Speciation of Botryobasidium subcoronatum (Basidiomycota) collected in Taiwan: morphology, mating tests, and molecular data
2000-01-01

Taiwan is a phytogeographically isolated area, with a rate of ca. 40% endemism in higher plants. In this study, the strong tendency towards genetic isolation and speciation of Botryobasidium subcoronatum (Basidiomycota) from Taiwan is evaluated in comparison with European specimens. Mating tests among B. subcoronatum specimens collected in Taiwan and Europe were performed, Mon-mon and di-mon matings confirm different intersterility groups or biological species. The biological species concept was compared with results from morphological comparison and molecular data from mtSSU rDNA and the nuclear ITS2 region. Three intersterility groups have been detected comprising European and Taiwanese strains from temperate and subtropical areas. MtSSU rDNA and the ITS2 rDNA sequences confirm conspecifity of B. subcoronatum.
Static timing analysis of embedded software on advanced processor architectures
2000-01-01

This paper examines several techniques for static timing analysis. In detail, the first part of the paper analyzes the connection of prediction accuracy (worst case execution time) and applicability of a methodology for modeling and analysis of instruction as well as data cache behavior. The second part of the paper proposes a timing analysis technique for super-scalar processors. The objects of our studies are two processors of the PowerPC family, in particular the PPC403 and the MPC750.
h-sgk Serine-Threonine Protein Kinase as Transcriptional Target of p38/MAP Kinase pathway in HepG2 Human Hepatoma Cells
2000-01-01

The human serum and glucocorticoid dependent serine/threonine kinase h-sgk has previously been discovered as cell volume regulated gene. The present study has been performed to elucidate the involvement of p38-kinase in the transcriptional control of h-sgk by osmotic cell shrinkage. The p38-kinase has previously been cloned as the mammalian homologue of HOG1 kinase, which constitutes a part of the osmosensor in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Phosphorylated (active) p38-kinase has been estimated with Western blotting, transcription of hsgk using Northern blotting. Both, increase of extracellular NaCl concentration by 50 mmol/l and addition of 10 micromol/l anisomycin increase phosphorylation of the p38-kinase within 5 to 10 minutes. h-sgk transcription is upregulated by addition of 50 mmol/l NaCl and by anisomycin (10 micromol/l), effects completely inhibited by the specific p38-kinase inhibitor, SB 203580 (10 micromol/l). In conclusion, the stimulation of h-sgk transcription by osmotic cell shrinkage is mediated by p38-kinase.
Identification of a new HLA-A*0201-restricted T-cell epitope from the tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP2) melanoma antigen
2000-01-01

For the development of peptide-based immunotherapies, the identification of additional tumor antigens and T-cell epitopes is required. Because HLA-A(*)0201 is the most common allele in Caucasians, who represent the majority of patients with melanomas, 6 peptides carrying an HLA-A(*)0201 motif were synthesized from tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP2) melanoma antigen and tested for binding affinity to the HLA allele using processing-defective T2 cells. These peptides were then pulsed onto autologous dendritic cells and used to stimulate in vitro CD8(+)-enriched T cells isolated from peripheral blood of HLA-A(*)02(+) healthy donors or melanoma patients for the induction of specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). One peptide, TRP2(288-296) (SLDDYNHLV), the best HLA-A(*)0201 binder, elicited specific CTLs from 1 of 4 patients and 3 of 4 healthy donors. The induced CTLs from the patient and from 1 donor efficiently recognized HLA-A(*)02(+) TRP2(+) melanomas as well as COS-7 cells expressing HLA-A(*)0201 and TRP2 in an HLA class I-restricted manner, as assessed by cytokine production and direct cytolysis. The remaining 2 CTL lines derived from 2 donors displayed low T-cell receptor avidity, which could lyse melanoma cells in the presence of exogenous peptide. Since TRP2 is an antigen expressed in most melanomas, identification of the TRP2/HLA-A(*)0201 peptide SLDDYNHLV may facilitate the design of present peptide-based immunotherapies for the treatment of a large fraction of melanoma patients.
Speech Disorders following Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Kinematic Analysis of Syllable Repetitions Using Electromagnetic Articulography
2000-01-01

Using electromagnetic articulography, the lips, the tip of the tongue, and the tongue dorsum were tracked during repetitions of the syllables [pa], [ta] and [ka] in 10 speakers with dysarthria following severe traumatic brain injury and in 10 age-matched control subjects. When asked to produce the syllable trains as fast as possible, the patient group showed a rather homogeneous pattern of movement abnormalities including prolonged syllable durations and reduced peak velocity/amplitude ratios. Most presumably, limited speed generation gives rise to the impaired ability to increase speech rate. During the habitual speaking condition, reduced velocity/amplitude ratios were restricted to the tongue tip and tongue dorsum. Obviously, the tongue and the lips are differentially affected in dysarthria following severe traumatic brain injury.
Differential expression of endothelial ?-catenin and plakoglobin during development and maturation of the blood-brain and blood-retina barrier in the chicken
2000-01-01

The development of the blood-brain barrier depends upon the formation of a closely regulated system of adherens and tight junctions. A prerequisite for a functional junction system is the linkage of transmembrane adhesion receptors (cadherins) to the cytoskeleton via catenins. The localization of specific catenins at the adherens junction correlates with the stability of interendothelial contacts in vitro, but in vivo data are lacking thus far. Investigating brain angiogenesis in the chicken, we demonstrated that beta-catenin, but not plakoglobin, initially codistributed with N-cadherin at the ablumenal endothelial membrane at contact sites to perivascular cells, from where both antigens disappeared during blood-brain barrier maturation. In contrast, plakoglobin was most prominent at the interendothelial junction where only small amounts of beta-catenin were present. Western-blot analysis revealed a stronger developmental decrease of beta-catenin than plakoglobin, whereas N-cadherin was completely lost. beta-Catenin but not N-cadherin was reinduced in brain endothelial cells during dedifferentiation in vitro and localized to the interendothelial junctions. These first in vivo data support the hypothesis that endothelial beta-catenin and N-cadherin are transiently relevant for the contact of brain endothelial to perivascular cells. Plakoglobin seems not to interact with N-cadherin but is exclusively localized at interendothelial junctions providing evidence for its role in the formation of stable adherens junctions, which may play a role for the initiation, and/or stabilization of tight junctions. Dev Dyn 2000;217:86-98.
Mycorrhiza of Brazil Pine (Araucaria angustifolia [Bert. O. Ktze.])
2000-01-01

Abstract: Tropical and subtropical forests once covered large areas of Central and South America. An important member of forests of the southern hemisphere is the genus Araucaria. Because of clear cutting only small remnants of Araucaria angustifolia forests still exist in Southern Brazil. Attempts at reforestation have had only limited success because of lack of knowledge about the environmental requirements of this species. This is especially true with respect to the root/fungus symbiosis (mycorrhiza) which is necessary for enhanced water and nutrient uptake and present in more than 90 % of land plants. Analysis of the root systems of Araucaria trees from forest and grassland (campo) sites revealed mycorrhizal structures (appressoria, penetration and coiled hyphae, vesicles, arbuscules, spores) which are characteristic for the arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) type. The spores of AM fungi at both sites ‐ forest and campo ‐ were identified. The biodiversity at the forest site was much higher, with 13 species, whereas only 6 different species could be identified at the campo site. Glomus and Acaulospora were the only genera present at the campo. The forest, however, also contained spores of Entrophospora and Scutellospora. In addition to the greater biodiversity, the spore number in soil as well as the percent mycorrhizal colonization in roots were significantly higher at the forest site than at the campo site. Because of the low frequency of hyphal coils and the dominating intercellular growth of hyphae, these mycorrhizas can be classified as an Arum ‐type, which is the first report of this kind in gymnosperms.
Non-autonomous Miyadera perturbations
2000-01-01

We consider time dependent perturbations of a non--autonomous Cauchy problem on a Banach space . The existence of a mild solution of the perturbed problem is proved under Miyadera type conditions on . In the parabolic case and , , we show that is differentiable a.e. and satisfies for a.e. . Our approach uses perturbation results due to one of the authors, [29], and S. Monniaux and J. Prüß, [14], which are applied to the evolution semigroup induced by the evolution family related to . As an application we obtain solutions of a second order parabolic equation with singular lower order coefficients.
Carbon formed by hydrothermal treatment of α‐SiC crystals
2000-01-01

The hydrothermal behavior of α-SiC crystals has been studied in the temperature range 500–700 °C under 30–200 MPa pressure at different pH values. The extent of carbon formation via selective oxidative extraction of Si out of the SiC crystal lattice and the structure of the carbon formed depends on the experimental conditions. Homogeneous carbon coatings were obtained on machined crystal surfaces at ca. 600 °C and p ≥ 60 MPa using distilled water. They were analysed using TEM, SEM, optical microscopy, micro-Raman spectroscopy, photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger spectroscopy and SIMS. The films consist of hydrogenated carbon which contains up to 13 atom% oxygen on the surface and ca. 3 atom% oxygen in the bulk. Predominantly amorphous sp2-carbon formed, which shows little tendency to form turbostratic disordered or partly crystallized graphite. However, some particles containing nanocrystalline diamond were also found. A mechanism for hydrothermal carbon formation is proposed. The different methods for carbon analysis applied are compared.
Influence of Plasticizer-Free CAPD Bags and Tubings on Serum, Urine, and Dialysate Levels of Phthalic Acid Esters in CAPD Patients
2000-01-01

Objectives To evaluate the impact of a plasticizer-free device on exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) and its major metabolites in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). DEHP is the most commonly used plasticizer in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products; it is added to CAPD bags in order to improve the flexibility of the material. Since DEHP leaches out of the plastic matrix, patients on CAPD are exposed to considerable amounts of DEHP and its metabolites. Design A prospective cross-over study. Setting Department of nephrology in a teaching hospital. Participants Six patients (4 female, 2 male) stable on peritoneal dialysis (PD) for at least 6 months. Interventions Patients were switched from a plasticizer-containing PVC CAPD system (A.N.D.Y. Plus, Fresenius Medical Care, Bad Homburg, Germany) to a polyolefine-made plasticizer-free system (stay-safe, Fresenius). Main Outcome Measures Prior to and 42 days after the switch, 24-hour effluent dialysate and urine collections were performed and 10 mL blood was drawn. Concentrations of DEHP, mono-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (MEHP), phthalic acid (PA), and 2-ethylhexanol (2-EH) in urine, dialysate, and serum were determined using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Results Complete data were obtained from 5 patients. Serum levels of PA decreased significantly during the study period (0.137 ± 0.078 mg/L vs 0.124 ± 0.049 mg/L, p = 0.04), and the respective levels of DEHP decreased insignificantly (0.097 ± 0.076 mg/L vs 0.069 ± 0.046 mg/L, p = 0.07), whereas the concentrations of MEHP and 2-EH remained unchanged. Urine concentrations of PA were high (0.81 ± 0.69 mg/L) but did not change substantially (0.70 ± 0.50 mg/L). Effluent dialysate concentrations of MEHP and PA decreased significantly (0.0176 ± 0.004 mg/L vs 0.0040 ± 0.0007 mg/L, p = 0.043 and 0.158 ± 0.056 mg/L vs 0.111 ± 0.051 mg/L, p = 0.043, respectively). Conclusions Although PD patients seem to be exposed to other sources of phthalates in addition to dialysis, use of plasticizer-free devices may help to reduce potentially immunosuppressive exposure to phthalate esters.
Dopamine D3 receptors in the rat kidney: role in physiology and pathophysiology
2000-01-01

It is well accepted that dopamine receptors play an important role in the regulation of cardiovascular and kidney function. Most of the knowledge on the renal actions of dopamine has been accumulated focussing on the prototypes of the two known dopamine receptor subfamilies, i.e. D 1 and D 2 . The dopamine D 3 receptor is a member of the D 2 ‐like subfamily and has been intensively studied in the neurosciences. Recently, the peripheral actions of this receptor subtype have also raised considerable interest as well because its effects on kidney function appear to be different from that of the other dopamine receptors. This short overview will summarize the data reported and add new results on the role of D 3 receptors in the regulation of renal function as well as their potential pathophysiological implications.
Transport of <i>L</i>-Citrulline in Neural Cell Cultures
2000-01-01

Uptake of &lt;i&gt;L&lt;/i&gt;-[&lt;sup&gt;14&lt;/sup&gt;C]citrulline was studied in cell culture models of the main neural cell populations, in astroglia-rich primary cultures derived from neonatal rat brain, in rat glioma cells C6-BU-1, in cells of the murine microglial clone N11 and in the glioma × neuroblastoma hybrid cell line 108CC15 with neuronal properties. For comparison, cells of the peripheral macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 were also investigated. A saturable component of uptake was found in all cases with K&lt;sub&gt;M&lt;/sub&gt; values between 0.4 and 3.4 m&lt;i&gt;M&lt;/i&gt; and V&lt;sub&gt;max&lt;/sub&gt; values between 15 and 35 nmol· min&lt;sup&gt;–1&lt;/sup&gt;·(mg protein)&lt;sup&gt;–1&lt;/sup&gt;. A nonsaturable component dominated uptake at high concentrations of extracellular citrulline. Rates of uptake of &lt;i&gt;L&lt;/i&gt;-citrulline were not affected when Na&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt; or Cl&lt;sup&gt;–&lt;/sup&gt; were omitted from the incubation medium or in the presence of depolarizing concentrations of K&lt;sup&gt;+&lt;/sup&gt;. Saturable uptake of citrulline was strongly inhibited by an excess of histidine or β-2-aminobicyclo-(2.2.1)-heptane-2-carboxylic acid; excess amounts of arginine, creatine, glutamate, cysteic acid or N-methyl-α-aminoisobutyric acid did not reduce citrulline uptake. Preincubation of the cells with bacterial lipopolysaccharide and interferon γ did not stimulate transport of citrulline. The results suggest that at physiological concentrations citrulline is taken up by neural cells with the help of transport system L for large neutral amino acids. Therefore, in the brain, effective utilization of extracellular citrulline as part of an intercellular trafficking of intermediates of an NO/citrulline cycle depends on the concentrations of all neutral amino acids present.
The peripapillary glia of the optic nerve head in the chicken retina
2000-01-01

The eye of reptiles and birds is characterized by an avascular retina and a vascular convolute called conus papillaris in reptiles and pecten oculi in birds which arises from the papilla nervi optici (PNO) or optic nerve head into the vitreous. At least in birds, this central part of the retina is the site of a heterogeneous population of glial cells. Müller cells reside in the retina, astrocytes in the optic nerve, and pecteneal glial cells in the pecten. The latter are developmentally related to the pigment epithelial cells. In addition to these established types of cells, there is a population of glial cells lining the base of the pecten oculi. In the present study, we investigated both the morphology and the development of these glial cells of the PNO in a series of chicken embryos. These cells were called peripapillary glial cells. They were characterized by their morphology and by their spatiotemporal expression of antigens typical of glial cells (intermediate filaments and glutamine synthetase). They reside at the border between the retina and the optic nerve and at the innermost border of the ventricular cleft representing transitional forms among Müller cells, astrocytes, and pigment epithelial cells. The developmental data suggest a migration of the perikarya of the peripapillary glia in vitread direction, which may coincide with that of the pecteneal glia. Whereas the pecteneal glial cells differentiate morphologically from E16 on, the peripapillary glia retain characteristics of radial glia by spanning the distance from the vitreous to the ventricular cleft. Blood vessels only occurred in the optic nerve head and the pecten oculi. No capillaries were found in the retinal tissue, beyond the peripapillary glia, leading us to suggest that these cells may play a role in demarcating the outer limit of vascularization. The functional properties of these cells are unknown but were discussed to include prevention of vessel growth into the avascular retina and/or axonal guidance during development.