gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Clinical applications of intracardiac echocardiography in interventional procedures (2005)

A ccurate knowledge of the anatomy of intracardiac structures is essential for the efficiency and safety of performing interventional procedures.Although fluoroscopy is an important aid while advancing catheters in the heart, it is not sufficient to supply accurate anatomical information on the position of veins, ridges, and septa in the heart.Furthermore radiation exposure forms a risk to both the patient and the operator.Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) is a promising technique for imaging of intracardiac structures, and may serve as an alternative for the transoesophageal approach, 1 which is semi- invasive and requires anaesthesiology.The introduction of ICE catheters with low frequencies allows accurate visualisation of intracardiac anatomical structures with an ultrasound catheter placed exclusively in the right side of the heart.This report focuses on the use of ICE in guiding percutaneous interventional procedures. BASICS OF INTRACARDIAC ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY cHistory of two dimensional intracardiac ultrasound systems The first application of ICE was done using mechanical ultrasound systems, which were introduced in the 1980s.These systems provided high resolution imaging, but because of the high frequency of the transducers (20-40 MHz), tissue penetration was only limited and anatomic intracardiac overviews could not be obtained.The subsequent development of lower frequency transducers allowed imaging of intracardiac structures, but these systems were still limited by the low steerability and over-the-wire design of the catheters. 2The clinical use was improved by the development of flexible lower frequency transducers (9 MHz), but depth control of these catheters still was not sufficient to allow visualisation of the whole heart from the right side of the heart.In the 1990s, systems modified after transoesophageal echocardiographic probes were introduced.In these systems depth was improved by the use of lower frequencies (5 MHz).However, the large size of these transducers limited the clinical use.In recent years the development of steerable phased array ultrasound catheter systems with low frequency and Doppler qualities has expanded the clinical use of ICE.
Use of interferon in the treatment of chronic viral hepatitis. (1993)

Interferon-alpha therapy has been approved for treatment of chronic hepatitis C and B. Candidates for treatment are patients with well-compensated liver disease and histological evidence of chronic hepatitis who have demonstrated abnormal aminotransferase levels for more than 6 months. In patients with chronic hepatitis B, candidates for treatment need to have evidence of viral replication, either hepatitis B e antigen or hepatitis B virus DNA. Successful response in patients with chronic hepatitis C (i.e., normalization or near-normalization of aminotransferase levels) can be expected to occur in approximately 50% of treated individuals. After a successful course of treatment, the relapse rate is at least 50%. With chronic hepatitis B, successful response (i.e., elimination of viral replicative markers) occurs in approximately 40% of treated patients. In this group, relapse is rare, and successfully treated patients may have no detectable hepatitis B surface antigen with long-term follow-up. Variables that may predict a response in patients with chronic hepatitis C include lower pretherapy alanine aminotransferase levels, female sex, and younger age. In individuals with chronic hepatitis B, response is more likely if pretreatment hepatitis B virus DNA is low, pretherapy alanine aminotransferase levels are high, and the duration of infection is short. Current data available in treating chronic delta hepatitis are limited, but suggest that although transient responses can occur, sustained response is unlikely with this disease.
DEVELOPMENT OF DONOR-SPECIFIC B LYMPHOCYTE ANTIBODIES AFTER RENAL TRANSPLANTATION (1979)

Serum samples from 66 recipients of first cadaver donor renal transplants were screened for cytotoxic antibodies to normal T and B lymphocytes and B lymphocytes from chronic lymphocytic leukaemia patients. In addition, the sera of 44 patients were tested with the B lymphocytes of their respective donors. Donor-specific antibodies were found in 10 of 16 (63%) recipients who had lost their transplant within 2 months, and in 17 of 28 (61%) patients with functioning transplants at 2 months. No correlation was found between the development of B lymphocyte antibodies (either against the panel or the donor) and the onset of an acute rejection episode. In the 17 patients with a successful transplant and donor-specific antibodies, six (35%) had not experienced a rejection episode and another seven patients developed their antibodies after the appearance of the first rejection episode. Thus, our results show that the appearance of donor-specific B lymphocyte antibodies after transplantation is not indicative of graft failure or predictive of acute rejection episodes. However, the common occurrence of such antibodies raises questions concerning the nature of the antigenic stimulus, the specificity of the antibodies, and their role (if any) in transplantation.
Lymphocytes are detrimental during the early innate immune response against Listeria monocytogenes (2006)

Mice deficient in lymphocytes are more resistant than normal mice to Listeria monocytogenes infection during the early innate immune response. This paradox remains unresolved: lymphocytes are required for sterilizing immunity, but their presence during the early stage of the infection is not an asset and may even be detrimental. We found that lymphocyte-deficient mice, which showed limited apoptosis in infected organs, were resistant during the first four days of infection but became susceptible when engrafted with lymphocytes. Engraftment with lymphocytes from type I interferon receptor-deficient (IFN-alphabetaR(-/-)) mice, which had reduced apoptosis, did not confer increased susceptibility to infection, even when the phagocytes were IFN-alphabetaR(+/+). The attenuation of innate immunity was due, in part, to the production of the antiinflammatory cytokine interleukin 10 by phagocytic cells after the apoptotic phase of the infection. Thus, immunodeficient mice were more resistant relative to normal mice because the latter went through a stage of lymphocyte apoptosis that was detrimental to the innate immune response. This is an example of a bacterial pathogen creating a cascade of events that leads to a permissive infective niche early during infection.
Differential effects of phorbol esters on normal myeloid precursors and leukemic cells: basis for autologous bone marrow reconstitution in acute nonlymphocytic leukemia using phorbol ester-treated bone marrow from patients in remission. (1986)

The phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) induces macrophage-like differentiation of HL60 cells and cells from patients with acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL). We assessed the use of TPA as a means of eradicating residual leukemia from remission bone marrow prior to autologous bone marrow reconstitution. A 30-min incubation with TPA led to marked growth arrest in HL60 cells and in cells from most patients with acute myelogenous leukemia and acute myelomonocytic leukemia, whereas cells from most patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia and acute undifferentiated leukemia demonstrated a lesser degree of growth arrest. Freezing and thawing, a necessary step in autologous reconstitution, had no effect on the cessation of proliferation induced in HL60 or ANLL cells preincubated with TPA for 30 min. Virtually normal myeloid precursor growth occurred in normal or remission bone marrow cells preincubated with TPA and then frozen and thawed. Based on these observations, two patients with advanced ANLL in remission underwent marrow ablative therapy followed by autologous reconstitution using TPA-treated bone marrow. Limited normal hematopoiesis was reestablished in both patients, although they subsequently experienced leukemic relapse. These studies demonstrate that in ANLL cells, TPA stimulates growth arrest; in contrast, hematopoiesis is able to proceed both in vitro and in vivo.
Genetic Analyses from Ancient DNA (2004)

About 20 years ago, DNA sequences were separately described from the quagga (a type of zebra) and an ancient Egyptian individual. What made these DNA sequences exceptional was that they were derived from 140- and 2400-year-old specimens. However, ancient DNA research, defined broadly as the retrieval of DNA sequences from museum specimens, archaeological finds, fossil remains, and other unusual sources of DNA, only really became feasible with the advent of techniques for the enzymatic amplification of specific DNA sequences. Today, reports of analyses of specimens hundreds, thousands, and even millions of years old are almost commonplace. But can all these results be believed? In this paper, we critically assess the state of ancient DNA research. In particular, we discuss the precautions and criteria necessary to ascertain to the greatest extent possible that results represent authentic ancient DNA sequences. We also highlight some significant results and areas of promising future research.
Quality Assessment of Hypertension Management of Office-based Physicians in Korea (1997)

Background : Hypertension is one of the most important risk factors of the cerebrovascular accident and coronary artery disease which are the major causes of mortality in Korea. In Korea, the quality of care provided by office-based physicians has not been evaluated formally. The purpose of this study is to assess the quality of hypertension management of office-based physicians. Method : Self-administered questionnaires were mailed to the office-based physicians with the speciality of internal medicine, general surgery, family medicine, and general practitioners. Among 2,045 physicians, 981 doctors(48.0%) replied the questionnaires. Contents of questionnaires were based on the recommendation from the JNC-V report(the Fifth Report of the Joint National Committee on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure), and included the criteria of diagnosis, treatment, follow-up interval, and other characteristics of physicians(age, sex, type of speciality, and location of practice). Results : Eighty four percent of the office-based physicians made diagnosis of hypertension with less than 3 times of blood pressure measurements. The performance rate of required examination for hypertensives was very low in most items. Rate of fundoscopic examination is the lowest one among them(5.9%). The performance rate of laboratory examination was also low in most items. Internists tended to order more frequent laboratory examinations than any other type of physicians. Only 11.4% of the physicians did appropriate treatments for the mild hypertension case. The antihypertensives selected by the physicians as a first line drug were in the order of beta blocker(26.4%), calcium channel blocker(23.4%), diuretics(23.1%), ACE inhibitors(14.3%). The visit interval for established hypertensives was very short. Proportion of physicians with follow-up interval longer than 4 weeks was only 4.3%. Conclusions : The overall quality of hypertension management of office-based physicians in Korea is very problematic in many aspects. So further investigations to find out the reasons of low quality arid quality of care should be initiated.
Drug focus: adalimumab in the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis. (2007)

Adalimumab is a fully human IgG1 monoclonal antibody that specifically binds to tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha, and is administered by subcutaneous injection. The mechanism of action is based on both the neutralization of TNF-alpha bioactivity and the induction of apoptosis of TNF-expressing mononuclear cells. The drug is approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and recently also for the treatment of Crohn's disease. The effectiveness of adalimumab in psoriasis was previously suggested by the subset analysis of patients enrolled in PsA trials who were affected by concomitant psoriasis, and recently confirmed by a phase II trial and the preliminary results from phase III trials in moderate to severe psoriasis. These results demonstrate that adalimumab is effective in improving psoriasis and quality of life, with sustained effects over >/= 1-year treatment period. The safety data from psoriasis studies were similar to those of previous studies in other diseases. The risk of adverse events did not appear to increase with continuous long-term exposure to adalimumab.
Mapping molecular orientation and conformation at interfaces by surface nonlinear optics (1999)

Second-order nonlinear optics can be used to quantitatively determine the orientation of chemical bonds or submoieties of a fairly complicated molecule at an interface, and therefore completely map out its orientation and conformation. As a specific example, we have studied pentyl-cyanoterphenyl molecules at the air-water interface. We have measured the orientation of all three parts of the molecule (cyano head group, terphenyl ring, and pentyl chain) by optical second-harmonic generation and infrared-visible sum-frequency generation. A quantitatively consistent picture of the molecular configuration has been obtained. The technique can be applied to situations where other methods would fail (e.g., the surface of neat liquids or buried interfaces).
Mechanisms of Methane Activation and Transformation on Molybdenum Oxide Based Catalysts (2005)

We present a comprehensive survey of different CH activation pathways over various kinds of active sites of terminal oxygens [O] and bridge oxygens [O] by using Mo3O9 model systems. This allows us to provide some insights into fundamental issues concerning CH activation by metal oxo species involved in many heterogeneous, homogeneous, and enzymatic processes. We show that H abstraction is the most feasible reaction pathway for the activation of a CH bond on molybdenum oxides; and that [O] is more active than [O]. Our calculations also suggest that (2+2) can be an alternative if MO bond possesses a high polarity, while (5+2) can provide another effective pathway if two MO bonds are in close proximity. Implications for the related heterogeneous, homogeneous, and enzymatic processes are discussed.
Predicted solution structure of zymogen human coagulation FVII (2001)

A model solution structure for the complete tissue factor-free calcium ion-bound human zymogen FVII (residues 1-406) (FVII) has been constructed to study possible conformational changes associated with the activation process and tissue factor (TF) binding. The initial structure for the present model was constructed using the X-ray crystallographic structure of human coagulation FVIIa/TF complex bound with calcium ions (Banner et al., Nature 1996, 380, 41-46). This model was subsequently subjected to lengthy molecular dynamics simulations. The Amber force field in conjunction with the PME electrostatic summation method was employed. The estimated TF free solution structure was then compared with the currently available X-ray crystal structures of FVIIa (with or without TF, variable inhibitor bound) to estimate the restructuring of FVII due to TF binding and activation. The solution structure of the zymogen FVII in the absence of TF is predicted to be an extended domain structure similar to that of the TF-bound X-ray crystal structure. An additional extension of the serine protease (SP) domain of the zymogen above a reference lipid surface by approximately 7 A was in agreement with experiment. Significant Gla-EGF1 and EGF1-EGF2 interdomain motions in the zymogen were observed. Carbohydrate dimers attached to Ser-52 and Ser-60 did not cause restructuring in this domain. Minimal restructuring of the SP domain is found upon inference of the zymogen from the activated form. The catalytic triad residues maintain the H-bonded network while Lys-341 occupies the S1 specific site in the zymogen.
Novel Statistical Modeling, Analysis and Implementation of Rate-Distortion Estimation for H.264/AVC Coders (2010)

In H.264/advanced video coding, the encoder employs the rate-distortion optimization (RDO) to select the optimal coding mode of each block. Although it is effective to employ the RDO technique for mode decision, the computation load increases drastically. To reduce the computation complexity of the RDO technique, in this paper, we propose efficient algorithms for the estimation of block-level rate and distortion. For rate estimation, we model the transform coefficients with accurate generalized Gaussian distributions, and the weighted sum of absolute quantized transform coefficients is proposed as an efficient rate estimator, where the weights provide an implicit mechanism for evaluating different contributions of different frequency components to the coding bits. For distortion estimation, we first analyze the origins of distortion thoroughly. Then a direct relationship between the discarded bits in quantization and the distortion is explored. According to this investigation, a simple and efficient algorithm is proposed for the distortion estimation. With above proposed algorithms, the RDO technique can be efficiently implemented in a low-complexity way. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that, compared with the original RDO implementation, the proposed algorithms achieve about 32% reduced total encoding time with ignorable coding performance degradation.
Single- and multipoint fiber-laser sensors (1993)

The operation of single- and multipoint active fiber sensors for both strain and temperature measurements is reported. An active fiber source consists of a pair of wavelength-matched Bragg gratings formed in a rare earth doped fibre, and when, optically pumped, lase in a narrow bandwidth around the Bragg wavelength. The primary advantage of an active sensor over a passive sensor is a significant increase in signal-to-noise ratio.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>
Both systemic and local application of Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is neuroprotective after retinal ganglion cell axotomy (2009)

We thus show that G-CSF neuroprotection is at least partially independent of potential systemic effects and provide further evidence that the clinically applicable G-CSF could become a treatment option for both neurodegenerative diseases and glaucoma.
Optimized libraries for CRISPR-Cas9 genetic screens with multiple modalities (2018)

The creation of genome-wide libraries for CRISPR knockout (CRISPRko), interference (CRISPRi), and activation (CRISPRa) has enabled the systematic interrogation of gene function. Here, we show that our recently-described CRISPRko library (Brunello) is more effective than previously published libraries at distinguishing essential and non-essential genes, providing approximately the same perturbation-level performance improvement over GeCKO libraries as GeCKO provided over RNAi. Additionally, we present genome-wide libraries for CRISPRi (Dolcetto) and CRISPRa (Calabrese), and show in negative selection screens that Dolcetto, with fewer sgRNAs per gene, outperforms existing CRISPRi libraries and achieves comparable performance to CRISPRko in detecting essential genes. We also perform positive selection CRISPRa screens and demonstrate that Calabrese outperforms the SAM approach at identifying vemurafenib resistance genes. We further compare CRISPRa to genome-scale libraries of open reading frames (ORFs). Together, these libraries represent a suite of genome-wide tools to efficiently interrogate gene function with multiple modalities.
Pathophysiology and management of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor-associated refractory hypotension during the perioperative period. (2013)

Hypertension is a common chronic condition in many patients requiring anesthesia. Pharmacologic therapy is a mainstay of treatment for hypertension, with angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors being a frequently prescribed class of drugs. The American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association 2007 Guidelines on Perioperative Cardiovascular Evaluation and Care for Noncardiac Surgery provide information on many drug classes used in the treatment of hypertension; noticeably absent is a guideline for ACE inhibitors. Literature demonstrates that practice standards vary on whether ACE inhibitor regimens are continued or withheld during the preoperative period. When ACE inhibitor therapy is continued in patients undergoing general anesthesia, varying degrees of hypotension can be seen depending on confounding patient variables and the type of surgical procedure. In some instances, this hypotension can be refractory to traditional interventions such as administration of a fluid bolus, ephedrine, or phenylephrine. Vasopressin and methylene blue have been found to be effective treatments for ACE inhibitor-associated refractory hypotension. With the prevalence of hypertension and use of ACE inhibitors, anesthesia providers are likely to encounter refractory hypotension of this nature. The absence of guidelines regarding ACE inhibitors in the perioperative period contributes to a lack of consistency in practice.
Irradiation-Induced Metal Nanoparticles in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquid (2010)

Metal nanoparticles were prepared with γ-ray and accelerator electron beam irradiation in the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis((trifluoromethyl)sulfonyl)amide (BuMeIm+Tf2N-) room-temperature ionic liquids. As for Au nanoparticles yielded in this investigation, the γ-ray irradiation made the particle size smaller compared to that by the accelerator electron beam irradiation. It is interesting to note that the nanoparticles prepared in this article were very stable although the surface was not covered with a stabilizing agent, which is usually employed so as to prevent aggregation. Similarly, other metal nanoparticle productions such as Ag, Cu, Mg, Al, Zn, and Fe were also investigated by means of the accelerator electron beam irradiation. In addition, some RTILs with Au nanoparticles yielded by the irradiation experiment showed fluorescent behavior under ultraviolet irradiation of 365 nm. It implies that the RTILs contain Au nanoparticles as well as Au clusters that cannot be observed by a common TEM system. In this study, we also found that the Si wafer, on which NaAuCl4⋅2H2O-added RTIL was spread, has distinctive two-dimensional Au microstructure crystals on the surface after the accelerator electron beam irradiation.