gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Polymer-coated long-circulating microparticulate pharmaceuticals (1998)

The field of long-circulating microparticulate drug carriers is reviewed. The protective effect of certain polymers including poly(ethylene glycol) on nanoparticulate carriers (liposomes, nanoparticles, micelles) is considered in terms of statistical behaviour of macromolecules in solution. Using liposomes as an example, the mechanism is discussed assuming that surface-grafted chains of flexible and hydrophilic polymers form dense 'conformational clouds' preventing other macromolecules from interaction with the surface even at low concentrations of the protecting polymer. The scale of the protective effect is interpreted as the balance between the energy of the hydrophobic anchor interaction with the liposome membrane core or with the particle surface and the energy of the polymer chain free motion in solution. The possibility of using protecting polymers other than poly(ethylene glycol) is analysed, and examples of such polymers are given, based on polymer-coated liposome biodistribution data. General requirements for protecting polymers are formulated. Sterically protected nanoparticles and micelles are considered, and differences in steric protection of liposomes and particles are discussed. The problem of the preparation of drug carriers combining longevity and targetability is analysed. The biological consequences of steric protection of drug carriers with surface-grafted polymers are discussed, and possible clinical applications for long-circulating pharmaceutical carriers are considered.
PRINTS COMMEMORATING THE ROME, 1656 PLAGUE EPIDEMIC (1985)

title RIASSUNTO /title La peste di Roma del 1656 fu uno degli avvenimenti meglio documentato del diciassettesimo secolo e la maggior parte delle principali storie politiche ed ecclesiastiche ne hanno fatto riferimento come pure la corrispondenza diplomatica e le memorie personali. Libri ed opuscoli che ne parlavano uscirono in gran numero e furono pubblicate stampe commemorative illustranti gli avvenimenti dell'epidemia e le misure prese dai magistrati per alleviarla e per attuare i decreti speciali destinati a ridurne gli effetti.
Deadzone compensation in motion control systems using neural networks (2000)

A compensation scheme is presented for general nonlinear actuator deadzones of unknown width. The compensator uses two neural networks (NNs), one to estimate the unknown deadzone and another to provide adaptive compensation in the feedforward path. The compensator NN has a special augmented form containing extra neurons whose activation functions provide a "jump function basis set" for approximating piecewise continuous functions. Rigorous proofs of closed-loop stability for the deadzone compensator are provided and yield tuning algorithms for the weights of the two NNs. The technique provides a general procedure for using NNs to determine the preinverse of an unknown right-invertible function.
The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI): Cross-Validation and Development of Clinical Cutoff Scores (2005)

The Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) is a brief multidimensional scale for assessing sexual function in women. The scale has received initial psychometric evaluation, including studies of reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity (Meston, 2003; Rosen et al., 2000). The present study was designed to crossvalidate the FSFI in several samples of women with mixed sexual dysfunctions (N = 568) and to develop diagnostic cut-off scores for potential classification of women's sexual dysfunction. Some of these samples were drawn from our previous validation studies (N = 414), and some were added for purposes of the present study (N = 154). The combined data set consisted of multiple samples of women with sexual dysfunction diagnoses (N = 307), including female sexual arousal disorder (FSAD), hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD), female sexual orgasm disorder (FSOD), dyspareunia/vaginismus (pain), and multiple sexual dysfunctions, in addition to a large sample of nondysfunctional controls (n = 261). We conducted analyses on the individual and combined samples, including replicating the original factor structure using principal components analysis with varimax rotation. We assessed Cronbach's alpha (internal reliability) and interdomain correlations and tested discriminant validity by means of a MANOVA (multivariate analysis of variance; dysfunction diagnosis x FSFI domain), with Bonferroni-corrected post hoc comparisons. We developed diagnostic cut off scores by means of standard receiver operating characteristics-curves and the CART (Classification and Regression Trees) procedure. Principal components analysis replicated the original five-factor structure, including desire/arousal, lubrication, orgasm, pain, and satisfaction. We found the internal reliability for the total FSFI and six domain scores to be good to excellent, with Cronbach alpha's >0.9 for the combined sample and above 0.8 for the sexually dysfunctional and nondysfunctional samples, independently. Discriminant validity testing confirmed the ability of both total and domain scores to differentiate between functional and nondysfunctional women. On the basis of sensitivity and specificity analyses and the CART procedure, we found an FSFI total score of 26.55 to be the optimal cut score for differentiating women with and without sexual dysfunction. On the basis of this cut-off we found 70.7% of women with sexual dysfunction and 88.1% of the sexually functional women in the cross-validation sample to be correctly classified. Addition of the lubrication score in the model resulted in slightly improved specificity (from .707 to .772) at a slight cost of sensitivity (from .881 to .854) for identifying women without sexual dysfunction. We discuss the results in terms of potential strengths and weaknesses of the FSFI, as well in terms of further clinical and research implications.
Tunneling and energy transfer in ZnSe-based semimagnetic double quantum wells (1998)

An asymmetric double-quantum-well structure has been fabricated by molecular-beam epitaxy, consisting of a semimagnetic (Zn,Cd,Mn)Se and a nonmagnetic (Zn,Cd)Se well, weakly coupled via a ZnSe barrier. Level crossing of the quantum well excitons is accomplished through an external magnetic field. The crossing is accompanied by reverse of the tunneling direction. The tunneling process is of excitonic nature. Besides the very efficient 2-LO-phonon scattering mechanism, indications for a radiationless resonance energy-transfer have been found.
Axl-dependent signalling: a clinical update (2011)

Axl is a receptor tyrosine kinase that was originally cloned from cancer cells. Axl belongs to the TAM (Tyro3, Axl and Mertk) family of receptor tyrosine kinases. Gas6 (growth-arrest-specific protein 6) is a ligand for Axl. Activation of Axl protects cells from apoptosis, and increases migration, aggregation and growth through multiple downstream pathways. Up-regulation of the Gas6/Axl pathway is more evident in pathological conditions compared with normal physiology. Recent advances in Axl receptor biology are summarized in the present review. The emphasis is given to translational aspects of Axl-dependent signalling under pathological conditions. In particular, inhibition of Axl reduces tumorigenesis and prevents metastasis as well. Axl-dependent signals are important for the progression of cardiovascular diseases. In contrast, deficiency of Axl in innate immune cells contributes to the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders. Current challenges in Axl biology are related to the functional interactions of Axl with other members of the TAM family or other tyrosine kinases, mechanisms of ligand-independent activation, inactivation of the receptor and cell-cell interactions (with respect to immune cells) in chronic diseases.
Morphological study of the proximal femur: a new method of geometrical assessment using 3-dimensional reverse engineering (2002)

This study presents a new method of using computerized tomography images combined with the reverse engineering technique to obtain and analyse the three-dimensional inner and outer geometry of the proximal cadaveric femur. Three-dimensional models were reconstructed from the computerized tomography images and approximated with 2D and 3D fitting algorithms based on reverse engineering methods. The following parameters were calculated for each femur: femoral head diameter, femoral neck axis, femoral shaft axis, anteversion angle and neck-shaft angle. These data represent the geometry of the studied proximal femur, and can be used for the design of proper size and shape of femoral prostheses and trochanteric nail systems.
A combinatorial library of an α-helical bacterial receptor domain (1995)

The construction and characterization of a combinatorial library of a solvent-exposed surface of an alpha-helical domain derived from a bacterial receptor is described. Using a novel solid-phase approach, the library was assembled in a directed and successive manner utilizing single-stranded oligonucleotides containing multiple random substitutions for the variegated segments of the gene fragment. The simultaneous substitution of 13 residues to all 20 possible amino acids was carried out in a region spanning 81 nucleotides. The randomization was made in codons for amino acids that were modelled to be solvent accessible at a surface made up from two of the three alpha-helices of a monovalent Fc-binding domain of staphylococcal protein A. After cloning of the PCR-amplified library into a phagemid vector adapted for phage display of the mutants, DNA sequencing analysis suggested a random distribution of codons in the mutagenized positions. Four members of the library with multiple substitutions were produced in Escherichia coli as fusions to an albumin-binding affinity tag derived from streptococcal protein G. The fusion proteins were purified by human serum albumin affinity chromatography and subsequently characterized by SDS-electrophoresis, CD spectroscopy and biosensor analysis. The analyses showed that the mutant protein A derivatives could all be secreted as soluble full-length proteins. Furthermore, the CD analysis showed that all mutants, except one with a proline introduced into helix 2, have secondary structures in close agreement with the wild-type domain. These results proved that members of this alpha-helical receptor library with multiple substitutions in the solvent-exposed surface remain stable and soluble in E. coli.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Biological mediators for periodontal regeneration (1999)

A review of the literature on the use of growth-regulatory molecules in the oral cavity permits a model in which to consider approaches to oral tissue engineering. These concepts apply to periodontal regeneration and to regeneration of alveolar bone. In either case, the formation of tissues is complex but proceeds in a deliberate and orderly sequence. In these sequence of events resulting in either bone or cementum formation, periodontal ligament and bone can be stimulated at various points. Different signals can apparently be used to stimulate tissue formation including mitogenic signals and differentiation factors. Additionally, both hard and soft tissue stimulatory molecules appear to be permissive. Classic receptor-mediated peptides or extracellular matrix molecules for soft and hard tissues appear to allow stimulation of tissue formation cascades. Importantly, it also appears that the stimulatory event is transitory (that is, short-lived) and leads itself to a sequence of cellular events. These cellular events in turn stimulate a number of subsequent events (such as chemotaxis, proliferation, differentiation or angiogenesis), which lead to further progression of tissue formation. While a solid scientific rationale exists for the use of a variety of growth and attachment factors in regeneration of oral tissues, only a small number are being pursued clinically. Many therapeutic regimens have failed in preclinical testing or have resulted in limited regenerative capacity. The mitogenic polypeptides that stimulate soft tissue growth (such as platelet-derived growth factor) and both hard and soft tissue growth (such as transforming growth factor-beta) appear to have not led to successful enough outcomes to facilitate further work towards regulatory approval. The demonstrated ability of bone morphogenetic proteins to generate substantial quantities of bone suggest many applications in the oral cavity where this is the only tissue desired. Another therapeutic candidate is enamel matrix derivative, a set of matrix proteins. Enamel matrix derivative appears to stimulate first acellular cementum formation, which may allow for functional periodontal ligament formation. It will be of interest in the future to determine whether the protein matrix contains classic mitogenic or differentiation factors as well as the amelogenins. It is also evident that the bone morphogenetic proteins permit periodontal ligament formation. The conditions for stimulating predictable periodontal ligament tissues with bone morphogenetic proteins however are not known. It is clear that the bone morphogenetic proteins are excellent molecules for stimulating oral bone formation. The results of all these studies will determine the future therapeutic potential for these growth molecules such that they may be used to optimally stimulate and direct specific points along tissue formation cascades.
Concentrated Heparin Lock Is Associated with Major Bleeding Complications after Tunneled Hemodialysis Catheter Placement (2007)

Vascular access complications, including thrombosis, are associated with significant patient morbidity and mortality. Currently, up to 60% of new patients and 30% of prevalent patients are using a catheter for dialysis. To prevent interdialytic catheter thrombosis, these devices are routinely locked with concentrated heparin solutions. Several recent studies have elucidated the potential for abnormal coagulation markers (aPTT) that may arise from this practice. This abnormal elevation in aPTT may be explained by significant early and late leakage from the catheter that occurs after performing a catheter lock. To date no study has evaluated the impact of this practice, or the elevation in aPTT that may result from it, on bleeding complication rates. We conducted a retrospective analysis comparing bleeding rates in subjects who received concentrated heparin catheter lock (5000 u/cc) [group 1, n = 52] to those who received citrate or dilute heparin catheter lock (1000 u/cc) [group 2, n = 91] immediately after tunneled hemodialysis catheter insertion. Baseline characteristics did not differ between the groups except for the preprocedure INR, which was higher in the postpolicy group compared with the prepolicy group (1.29 vs. 1.21, p = 0.04). Results from logistic regression analyses revealed that the likelihood of a composite bleeding event in group 1 was 11.9 times that of a composite bleeding event in group 2, p = 0.04. Concentrated heparin (5000 u/ml) is associated with increased major bleeding complications posttunneled catheter placement compared with low-dose heparin (1000 u/ml) or citrate catheter lock solution, p = 0.02. Given the findings of this study, a randomized controlled trial comparing the safety and efficacy of common anticoagulation lock solutions is warranted.
Dynamics of transient pores in stretched vesicles (1999)

We image macroscopic transient pores in mechanically stretched giant vesicles. Holes open above a critical radius r(c1), grow up to a radius r(c2), and close. We interpret the upper limit r(c2) by a relaxation of the membrane tension as the holes expand. The closing of the holes is caused by a further relaxation of the surface tension when the internal liquid leaks out. A dynamic model fits our data for the growth and closure of pores.
Research of Toxicity Effect about Environmental Toxicantsto the Staphylococcus Aureus (2003)

The growth of Staphylococcus aureus were inhibited by toxicants of plumb pervasion in the nutrition agar, and formed blue inhibition zones have been measured. The toxicity effects of Hg, Cr6+, Pb, CN-, As, NO-2, F-, phenol were studied. The results show that concentration of toxicants and inhibition zones has correlation,and each correlation coefficient has high significant level.Sensitivity of Staphylococcus aureus to the toxicants is Cr6+Hg AsCN-Pb NO-2phenolF-.The toxicity on together of different toxicants was synergic.
Humanisation of monoclonal antibodies for therapy. (1990)

Monoclonal antibodies are playing an increasing role in many experimental therapies. A major limitation of their use is that they are recognised by the patient as being of foreign origin and an antiglobulin response is provoked. Recombinant DNA technology offers the ability to convert these rodent antibodies into a more human form. Different degrees of humanisation can be achieved ranging from chimeric antibodies with a combination of human constant regions with rodent variable regions to fully reshaped antibodies where the variable regions are also humanised. Encouraging preliminary results have been obtained and it seems likely that these will dictate the use of humanisation as a required procedure in the therapeutic use of monoclonal antibodies.
Effects of Long-Term Intravenous Administration of Adrenomedullin (AM) Plus hANP Therapy in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure A Pilot Study (2009)

In this small, pilot trial, AM + hANP therapy had beneficial hemodynamic and hormonal effects in ADHF. Intravenous infusion of AM with hANP could be used as a therapeutic drug in ADHF. These data are preliminary and require confirmation in a larger clinical study.
Identification of 8 Foodborne Pathogens by Multicolor Combinational Probe Coding Technology in a Single Real-Time PCR (2007)

MCPC is suitable for rapid and reliable identification of foodborne pathogens at the species level.
HIV-1 preferentially binds receptors copatched with cell-surface elastase (2003)

Human leukocyte elastase (HLE) interacts with HIV-1 glycoprotein (gp)41, suggesting a nonenzymatic receptor function for HLE in the context of HIV-1. HLE is found localized to the cell surface, but not granules in HIV permissive clones, and to granules, but not the cell surface of HIV nonpermissive clones. Inducing cell-surface HLE expression on HLE null, HIV nonpermissive clones permits HIV infectivity. HIV binding and infectivity diminish in proportion to HLE RNA subtraction. HIV binding and infectivity show dose dependence for the natural HLE ligand alpha1 proteinase inhibitor (alpha1antitrypsin, alpha1PI). Chemokines prevent, whereas alpha1PI promotes, copatching of HLE with the canonical HIV receptors. Recent demonstration that decreased viral RNA is significantly correlated with decreased circulating alpha1PI in HIV seropositive individuals is consistent with a model in which HLE and alpha1PI can serve as HIV coreceptor and cofactor, respectively, and potentially participate in the pathophysiology of HIV disease progression.
Data Flow Supercomputers (1980)

Programmability with increased performance? New strategies to attain this goal include two approaches to data flow architecture: data flow multiprocessors and the cell block architecture.
Advantages of palmolive alternate (1959)

It has been proposed that Pu-238 be produced by irradiating neptunium solution in one or more loops in a reactor and then recovering the Pu-238 in a close-coupled separations plant. Such a scheme could replace the more conventional scheme of solid element fabrication, irradiation, and reprocessing for plutonium and neptunium recovery. This document presents the advantages of such a scheme from the standpoint of product purity and Pu-238 production.
Prevention of Propofol Injection Pain in Children: A Comparison of Pretreatment with Tramadol and Propofol-Lidocaine Mixture (2012)

Pretreatment with tramadol 60 sec before propofol injection and propofol-lidocaine mixture were significantly reduced propofol injection pain when compared to placebo in children.
Structure and function of the phenazine biosynthetic protein PhzF from Pseudomonas fluorescens (2004)

Phenazines produced by Pseudomonas and Streptomyces spp. are heterocyclic nitrogen-containing metabolites with antibiotic, antitumor, and antiparasitic activity. The antibiotic properties of pyocyanin, produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, were recognized in the 1890s, although this blue phenazine is now known to be a virulence factor in human disease. Despite their biological significance, the biosynthesis of phenazines is not fully understood. Here we present structural and functional studies of PhzF, an enzyme essential for phenazine synthesis in Pseudomonas spp. PhzF shares topology with diaminopimelate epimerase DapF but lacks the same catalytic residues. The structure of PhzF in complex with its substrate, trans-2,3-dihydro-3-hydroxyanthranilic acid, suggests that it is an isomerase using the conserved glutamate E45 to abstract a proton from C3 of the substrate. The proton is returned to C1 of the substrate after rearrangement of the double-bond system, yielding an enol that converts to the corresponding ketone. PhzF is a dimer that may be bifunctional, providing a shielded cavity for ketone dimerization via double Schiff-base formation to produce the phenazine scaffold. Our proposed mechanism is supported by mass and NMR spectroscopy. The results are discussed in the context of related structures and protein sequences of unknown biochemical function.
Ultrafast vibrational spectroscopy of charge-carrier dynamics in organic photovoltaic materials (2009)

Ultrafast vibrational spectroscopy is used to examine the dynamics of interfacial electron transfer, free-carrier formation, and bimolecular charge recombination and trapping in an organic photovoltaic material. The carbonyl (C[double bond, length as m-dash]O) stretch of the functionalized fullerene, PCBM, is probed as a local vibrational reporter of the dynamics in a blend with a conjugated polymer, CN-MEH-PPV. Ultrafast interfacial electron transfer from CN-MEH-PPV to PCBM occurs on time scales ranging from less than 100 fs to 1 ps. PCBM molecules at interfaces with the polymer have carbonyl vibrations that are higher in frequency compared to the ensemble. The frequency variation results in part from a vibrational Stark shift arising from an interfacial dipole formed by spontaneous charge transfer from the polymer to PCBM. The Stark shift provides a means to observe directly the formation of free carriers through the spectral evolution of the carbonyl stretch. Free carrier formation occurs surprisingly quickly on the 1-10 ps time scale, suggesting that the charges experience a smaller effective Coulombic binding energy than expected. The interfacial dipole decreases the Coulombic binding energy because the negative pole of the dipole repels electrons at the PCBM domain interface. Following free-carrier formation, electrons diffuse within the material and become trapped on the microsecond time scale resulting in the formation of a distinct peak in the vibrational spectra. The time scale of charge trapping corresponds to the carrier lifetime of similar PPV-based polymer blends that have been reported in the literature on the basis of transient photocurrent measurements.
Growth of InN at High Temperature by Halide Vapor Phase Epitaxy (1997)

Epitaxial growth of InN at high temperature was tried on a GaN buffer/(0001)sapphire substrate by halide vapor phase epitaxy using InCl 3 and NH 3 sources. An InN epitaxial layer was obtained reproducibly at a growth temperature as high as 750° C. The growth rate of hexagonal InN was 0.2 µ m/h at 750° C. The X-ray full width at half-maximum (FWHM) value of the obtained InN showed a minimum (24.7 min) at the growth temperature of 700° C. It was found that a high input partial pressure of InCl 3 was necessary for the growth of InN at high temperature.