gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
[Effect of Pitressin (8-arginine vasopressin) on the lower esophageal sphincter in dogs]. (1984)

The effect of vasopressin on the lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LESP) is still poorly understood. The present study was designed to determine the effect of I.V. and intra-arterial administration of 8-arginine vasopressin (Pitressin) on the LESP in dogs. A total of 16 anesthetized mongrel dogs were given a continuous perfusion of Pitressin for 20 minutes. Group A (3 dogs): Infused at 2.75 mU/kg/min into the superior mesenteric artery. Group B (3 dogs): 2.75 mU/kg/min into a peripheral vein. Group C (5 dogs): 14 mU/kg/min into a peripheral vein (equivalent to therapeutic dose in humans). Group D (5 dogs): 28 mU/kg/min into a peripheral vein. Esophageal manometry was performed using a triple lumen polyvinyl tube assembly perfused with water at 0.4 ml/min. LESP was checked by the pull-through technique before, immediately and 30 minutes later after termination of the infusion. LESP was monitored at 3 locations during the infusion. No change in LESP was noted when Pitressin (2.75 mU/kg/min) was infused intra-arterial or I.V. I.V. infusion of 14 and 28 mU/kg/min Pitressin caused a significant sustained decrease in LESP (p less than 0.001). After infusion of 28 mU/kg/min, LESP failed to return to control levels in 30 minutes. The results suggest that intravenous administration of a high dose of Pitressin predisposes to gastroesophageal reflux during and shortly after infusion.
Non-surgical therapies for peripheral nerve injury (2011)

The hypotheses proved in animals and in vitro should be translated to human clinical practice.
Using Bayesian Networks to Analyze Expression Data (2000)

DNA hybridization arrays simultaneously measure the expression level for thousands of genes. These measurements provide a "snapshot" of transcription levels within the cell. A major challenge in computational biology is to uncover, from such measurements, gene/protein interactions and key biological features of cellular systems. In this paper, we propose a new framework for discovering interactions between genes based on multiple expression measurements. This framework builds on the use of Bayesian networks for representing statistical dependencies. A Bayesian network is a graph-based model of joint multivariate probability distributions that captures properties of conditional independence between variables. Such models are attractive for their ability to describe complex stochastic processes and because they provide a clear methodology for learning from (noisy) observations. We start by showing how Bayesian networks can describe interactions between genes. We then describe a method for recovering gene interactions from microarray data using tools for learning Bayesian networks. Finally, we demonstrate this method on the S. cerevisiae cell-cycle measurements of Spellman et al. (1998).
An object-relational database system for the interactive multimedia (2002)

A practical and effective data model for interactive multimedia is provided in the authors' project. It is shown that the data model is not only adequate to represent various types of media entities including audio, video, image and text, but also competent for facilitating hypermedia relationships among different entities. Based on such a data model, they have designed and developed an object-relational multimedia database infrastructure, with a number of useful schemas for supporting multimedia services. Apart from standard authoring, editing, and searching/querying features, advanced options such as hypermedia navigating and browsing are also supported in the object-relational multimedia database (ORDB). A prototype of the proposed ORDB is being implemented for interactive multimedia applications.
The carotid bodies in bronchial asthma (1991)

A histological study was made of right-sided carotid bodies resected therapeutically from 50 patients with bronchial asthma. Also studied as controls were 10 right-sided carotid bodies from subjects coming to necropsy. Hypoxaemia was considered a contra-indication to glomectomy and only patients with a resting arterial oxygen tension exceeding 65 mm Hg were submitted to operation. It was found that in patients with a short history of bronchial asthma the carotid bodies were not enlarged, but there was hyperplasia of sustentacular cells. In cases with asthma for 5 years or more the sustentacular cell hyperplasia was more pronounced and was associated with many nerve fibrils and slight enlargement of the carotid bodies. The functional significance of the proliferation of sustentacular cells and the abundance of nerve axons is obscure. In the asthma cases there was prominence of the dark variant of chief cells, thought to be related to episodes of hypoxaemia.
Antipsychotic drugs and QTc prolongation: the potential role ofCYP2D6genetic polymorphism (2007)

Although the most common, and usually serious, side effects of first-generation (or typical) antipsychotic drugs, such as Parkinsonism, dystonias and tardive dyskinesia, were known from early times, their cardiovascular safety was not properly in the focus of treatment management. The growing evidence of these drug-related cardiac changes and the appearance of potentially fatal dysrhythmias have increased the interest on their safety profile. Thus, the introduction of the new second-generation (atypical) antipsychotic drugs put emphasis on the preregistration evaluation of the potential cardiac side effects and electrocardiogram predictors (QT interval lengthening). In spite of this, these drugs do not appear to be exempt from these potential risks. The present review summarizes up-to-date knowledge about the cardiac safety of antipsychotic drugs, and analyses the role of drug metabolic processes (CYP2D6 genetic polymorphism) in the complex pathophysiology of the phenomenon. In addition, some recommendations are formulated.
Advances in Measurement Science (1988)

Year after year, physicists measure various quantities with increasing accuracy and see various objects in increasing detail. These advances are vital, because science's understanding of the physical world is necessarily limited by the accuracy with which science can measure that world. The Instrument and Measurement Science Topical Group of the American Physical Society sponsored several symposia at the recent APS March meeting in New Orleans that discussed recent advances in measurement and observation.
Effect of form of nitrogen on growth of ruminal microbes in continuous culture. (1996)

A study was conducted to determine the effect of various forms of N on the growth of ruminal microbes in a continuous culture system with solids and liquid dilution rates comparable to those of a high-producing dairy cow. Nitrogen forms were isolated soy protein, soy peptides, individual amino acids (AA) blended to profile soy protein, and urea, which were fed alone and in combinations so that the total N provided was 1.6% of the diet DM. The 100% soy protein treatment resulted in reduced digestion of N and nonstructural carbohydrate compared with other N forms, and outflow of bacterial N/24 h was less than when peptides were fed. This suggested that proteolysis rather than peptide uptake was the rate-limiting step in N utilization in this study. Non-urea N forms increased ADF digestion, total VFA production and the molar percentages of isobutyrate, isovalerate, and valerate compared to urea, which reflected the contribution of carbon skeletons of AA. When combinations of N forms were used, each form contributed an equal quantity of N, 50% of the total treatment, which was .8% of the diet DM. Combinations of N forms did not enhance, and in most cases reduced, ADF and NDF digestion when compared with individual N forms, and no combinations increased microbial growth over that of the individual forms. These results confirm that N forms other than ammonia are needed not only for maximum microbial growth, and they further demonstrate a need for non-protein N for the fiber digestion. In addition, results of this study suggest a requirement for a minimum level of peptide or AA N, which was met only when individual N forms were fed.
Sustained release of epidermal growth factor accelerates wound repair. (1985)

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) is a potent mitogen in vitro, but its biological role is less clear. The vulnerary effects of EGF were evaluated in a model of wound repair, the polyvinyl alcohol sponge implanted subcutaneously in rats. EGF was purified to homogeneity by reverse-phase HPLC and quantified by receptor binding assay and amino acid analysis. Preliminary data showed moderate promotion of granulation tissue formation by daily injections of 10 micrograms of EGF. To test the hypothesis that long-term exposure to EGF is required for complete cellular response, the factor was incorporated into pellets releasing 10 or 20 micrograms of biologically active EGF per day, and the pellets were embedded within the sponges. Slow release of EGF caused a dramatic increase in the extent and organization of the granulation tissue at day 7, a doubling in the DNA content, and 33% increases in protein content and wet weight, as compared with placebo controls. Although collagen content was also increased by almost 50%, the relative rate of collagen synthesis remained the same, suggesting that the morphological and biochemical increase in collagen resulted from increased numbers of fibroblasts rather than a specific stimulation of collagen synthesis. These results indicate that the local sustained presence of EGF accelerates the process of wound repair, specifically neovascularization, organization by fibroblasts, and accumulation of collagen.
Prevention of postoperative adhesions by precoating tissues with dilute sodium hyaluronate solutions. (1993)

Postoperative adhesions (POA), the collagenous connective tissues which form in response to surgical trauma, can be a severe and life threatening surgical complication. However, no generally applicable methods are currently available to mitigate this often serious problem. We have investigated the use of dilute aqueous solutions of sodium hyaluronate (HA) as protective tissue coatings applied prior to surgical manipulation. In a random/blind rat cecal adhesions study conducted at three separate research centers, 0.4 wt% HA in buffered saline gave a three center average of 24% significant adhesions (n = 74) versus 87% for phosphate buffered saline (PBS) controls (n = 69). Histological data suggest that hyaluronic acid tissue precoating minimizes surgical trauma thereby inhibiting POA formation. Clinical studies have been initiated to evaluate the efficacy of tissue precoating with HA solutions in human surgery.
Regulation of Wound Healing by Growth Factors and Cytokines (2003)

Cutaneous wound healing is a complex process involving blood clotting, inflammation, new tissue formation, and finally tissue remodeling. It is well described at the histological level, but the genes that regulate skin repair have only partially been identified. Many experimental and clinical studies have demonstrated varied, but in most cases beneficial, effects of exogenous growth factors on the healing process. However, the roles played by endogenous growth factors have remained largely unclear. Initial approaches at addressing this question focused on the expression analysis of various growth factors, cytokines, and their receptors in different wound models, with first functional data being obtained by applying neutralizing antibodies to wounds. During the past few years, the availability of genetically modified mice has allowed elucidation of the function of various genes in the healing process, and these studies have shed light onto the role of growth factors, cytokines, and their downstream effectors in wound repair. This review summarizes the results of expression studies that have been performed in rodents, pigs, and humans to localize growth factors and their receptors in skin wounds. Most importantly, we also report on genetic studies addressing the functions of endogenous growth factors in the wound repair process.
Sequential Probability Ratio Tests for Reactor Signal Validation and Sensor Surveillance Applications (1990)

The properties of sequential probability ratio tests (SPRTs) and the application of these tests to nuclear power reactor operation are examined. Recently, SPRTs have been applied to delayed neutron (DN) signal data analysis using actual reactor data from the Experimental Breeder Reactor II (EBR-II), which is operated by Argonne National Laboratory. The implementation of this research as part of an expert system is described. Mathematical properties of the SPRT are investigated, and theoretical results are validated with tests that use DN signal data taken from the EBR-II in Idaho. Variations of the basic SPRT and applications to general signal validation are also explored.
A Protein Phosphatase 2C Involved in ABA Signal Transduction in Arabidopsis thaliana (1994)

The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) mediates various responses such as stomatal closure, the maintenance of seed dormancy, and the inhibition of plant growth. All three responses are affected in the ABA-insensitive mutant abi1 of Arabidopsis thaliana, suggesting that an early step in the signaling of ABA is controlled by the ABI1 locus. The ABI1 gene was cloned by chromosome walking, and a missense mutation was identified in the structural gene of the abi1 mutant. The ABI1 gene encodes a protein with high similarity to protein serine or threonine phosphatases of type 2C with the novel feature of a putative Ca2+ binding site. Thus, the control of the phosphorylation state of cell signaling components by the ABI1 product could mediate pleiotropic hormone responses.
A study of polyethylene oxide-polysiloxane networks as biomaterials for drug release (1988)

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences and Technology Program in Medical Engineering and Medical Physics, 1989.
Registration and warping of magnetic resonance images to histological sections (1999)

We present a method for coregistration and warping of magnetic resonance images (MRI) to histological sections for comparison purposes. This methodology consists of a modified head and hat surface-based registration algorithm followed by a new automated warping approach using nonlinear thin plate splines to compensate for distortions between the data sets. To test the methodology, 15 male Wistar rats were subjected to focal cerebral ischemia via permanent occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. The MRI images were acquired in separate groups of animals at 16-24 h (n = 9) and 48-168 h (n = 6) postocclusion. After imaging, animals were immediately sacrificed and hematoxylin- and eosin-stained brain sections were obtained for histological analysis. The MRI was coregistered and warped to histological sections. The MRI lesion areas were defined using the Eigenimage (EI) filter technique. The EI is a linear filter that maximizes the projection of a desired tissue (ischemic tissue) while it minimizes the projection of undesired tissues (nonischemic tissue) onto a composite image called an EI. When using coregistration without warping the MRI lesion area demonstrated poor correlation (r = 0.55, p > 0.01) with a percent difference between the two lesion areas of 22.5% +/- 10.8%. After warping, the MRI and histology had significant correlation (r = 0.97, p < 0.01) and a decreased percent difference of 5.56% +/- 4.31%. This methodology is simple and robust for coregistration and warping of MRI to histological sections and can be utilized in many applications for comparison of MRI to histological data.
Pharmacokinetics of lansoprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin after simultaneous and single administration (2002)

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, four-way crossover study, possible influences of the triple therapy with amoxicillin, clarithromycin and the proton pump inhibitor lansoprazole on the pharmacokinetics of each of the drugs and the active 14-OH-clarithromycin metabolite were assessed. Twelve Helicobacter pylori-negative healthy male volunteers (age 27 +/- 4.3 years; creatinine clearance 7.0 +/- 2.0 L/h) were given lansoprazole 30 mg, amoxicillin 1 g and clarithromycin 500 mg, alone and in triple combination. Drug elimination intervals were at least 9 days between the dosing periods. The study medication was administered twice daily for 4 days. On the fifth day of each period, drugs were only given once in the morning, and blood and urine samples were collected for 12 h. The concentrations of the three substances administered, and 14-OH-clarithromycin, were determined by validated HPLC methods. Alterations in the serum kinetics were found for lansoprazole and the active 14-OH-clarithromycin metabolite (all data expressed as mean +/- S.D.). For lansoprazole, the elimination half-life (t(1/2)) was significantly prolonged (1.46 versus 1.7 h, P < 0.05) and the area under the concentration-time curve from 0 to 8 h (AUC(0-8)) was significantly increased (3.65 versus 4.59 mg.h/L, P < 0.05) by combination of the drugs. For 14-OH-clarithromycin, the peak concentration (C(max)) was 0.95 versus 1.18 mg/L and the AUC from 0 to 12 h (AUC(0-12)) was 8.3 versus 10.5 mg.h/L (augmented significantly, P < 0.05). The amoxicillin concentrations were slightly elevated by concomitant administration of lansoprazole and clarithromycin but without statistical significance (11.1 versus 12.6 mg/L). For clarithromycin, the time to maximum concentration of drug in serum (T(max)) was increased (2.73 versus 3.31 h, P < 0.05), whereas AUC and C(max) remained unchanged. Simultaneous administration of lansoprazole, amoxicillin and clarithromycin increases the serum concentrations of lansoprazole and the active 14-OH-clarithromycin metabolite significantly. These effects were not so pronounced as to have any therapeutic influence, making dosage adjustment unnecessary.
Intravenous and Isolated Limb Perfusion Delivery of Wild Type and a Tumor-Selective Replicating Mutant Vaccinia Virus in Nonhuman Primates (2006)

In this study we examine the safety, feasibility, and biodistribution of a tumor-selective mutant vaccinia (vvDD) and wild-type WR (vF13) vaccinia after delivery via intradermal or intravenous infection or isolated limb perfusion (ILP) in rhesus macaques. By intradermal inoculation, 10(6) PFU of vvDD caused a minimal skin reaction whereas vF13 caused marked erythema and necrosis with a peak indurated area of 108 cm2. By intravenous delivery, vvDD caused no clinical symptoms of viremia and no viral recovery from tissues, serum, saliva, urine, or feces. In contrast, vF13 caused symptoms of lethargy, anorexia, fever, and signs of viremia. Delivery of vF13 via ILP resulted in numerous cutaneous pox lesions localized solely to the perfused limb with high viral recovery in the perfused skin and muscle. ILP with vvDD resulted in no visible pox lesions and no clinical signs or symptoms of viremia. No long-term toxicity was identified after ILP with 10(9) PFU of vvDD, and no virus was recovered from any tissue, serum, saliva, urine, or fecal sample. These results suggest that vvDD appears to be safe in primates, and thus vvDD should be further investigated for clinical trial in human cancer patients.
Human hand gesture recognition using a convolution neural network (2014)

Automatic human gesture recognition from camera images is an interesting topic for developing intelligent vision systems. In this paper, we propose a convolution neural network (CNN) method to recognize hand gestures of human task activities from a camera image. To achieve the robustness performance, the skin model and the calibration of hand position and orientation are applied to obtain the training and testing data for the CNN. Since the light condition seriously affects the skin color, we adopt a Gaussian Mixture model (GMM) to train the skin model which is used to robustly filter out non-skin colors of an image. The calibration of hand position and orientation aims at translating and rotating the hand image to a neutral pose. Then the calibrated images are used to train the CNN. In our experiment, we provided a validation of the proposed method on recognizing human gestures which shows robust results with various hand positions and orientations and light conditions. Our experimental evaluation of seven subjects performing seven hand gestures with average recognition accuracies around 95.96% shows the feasibility and reliability of the proposed method.
Preliminary biological evaluation of polyamidoamine (PAMAM) StarburstTM dendrimers (1996)

PAMAM Starburst dendrimers are spherical macromolecules composed of repeating polyamidoamino units. They can be produced in successive "generations," each with a defined size, molecular weight, and number of terminal amino groups. Because of these well-defined characteristics, PAMAMs are finding utility in a variety of applications, many of which are biological in nature. Little is known, however, about the biological behavior of the PAMAMs, which is critical to their use in vivo. Generation 3 (G3; MW = 5,147; 24 terminal amines), 5 (G5; MW = 21,563; 96 amines), and 7 (G7; MW = 87,227; 384 amines) PAMAMs were studied in V79 cells or in Swiss-Webster, mice for a number of biological properties, including (1) in vitro toxicity, (2) in vivo toxicity, (3) immunogenicity, and (4) biodistribution. Potential biological complications were observed only with G7 at the highest level tested. No evidence of immunogenicity was seen. The biodistribution properties of the Starburst dendrimers were rather unusual. G3 showed the highest accumulation in kidney tissue (approximately 15% ID/g over 48 h); G5 and G7 appeared to preferentially localize in the pancreas (peak levels approximately 32% ID/g at 24 h, and approximately 20% ID/g at 2 h, respectively). In addition, G7 showed extremely high urinary excretion, with values of 46 and 74% ID/g at 2 and 4 h, respectively. In general, the dendrimers did not exhibit properties that would preclude their use in biological applications. Depending on the situation (desired endpoint, dose, and generation used), however, the biodistribution of biological preparations should be carefully studied.
MUC1 Cytoplasmic Domain Coactivates Wnt Target Gene Transcription and Confers Transformation (2003)

The DF3/MUC1 mucin-like transmembrane oncoprotein is overexpressed by most human carcinomas. The MUC1 cytoplasmic domain (CD) binds directly to the Wnt effector, beta-catenin, and colocalizes with beta-catenin in the nucleus; however, the nuclear function of MUC1 is unknown. The present results demonstrate that MUC1 coactivates transcription of beta-catenin-Tcf-binding sites in the pTOPFLASH reporter. Activation of transcription was abrogated by expression of MUC1 with a Y-46->F mutation in the CD that attenuates binding of MUC1 and beta-catenin. We also show that transcription of the Wnt responsive cyclin D1 promoter is activated by MUC1, but not MUC1(Y46F), and that the cyclin D1 gene is upregulated in MUC1-positive cells. In concert with these results, MUC1-induced anchorage-independent growth and tumorigenicity were also abrogated by mutating MUC1 at the Y-46 site. These findings support a model in which the MUC1 functions as a transforming protein by coactivating transcription of Wnt target genes.