gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Comparing 4-Year Changes in Patient-Reported Outcomes Following Ankle Arthroplasty and Arthrodesis (2021)

Therapeutic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Bordetella pertussis filamentous hemagglutinin: evaluation as a protective antigen and colonization factor in a mouse respiratory infection model (1990)

Filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA) is a cell surface protein of Bordetella pertussis which functions as an adhesin for this organism. It is a component of many new acellular pertussis vaccines. The proposed role of FHA in immunity to pertussis is based on animal studies which have produced some conflicting results. To clarify this situation, we reexamined the protective activity of FHA in an adult mouse respiratory infection model. Four-week-old BALB/c mice were immunized with one or two doses of 4 or 8 micrograms of FHA and then aerosol challenged with B. pertussis Tohama I. In control mice receiving tetanus toxoid, the CFU in the lungs increased from 10(5) immediately following infection to greater than 10(6) by days 5 and 9 after challenge. Mice immunized with FHA by the intraperitoneal or intramuscular route had significantly reduced bacterial colonization in the lungs. A decrease in colonization of the trachea was also observed in FHA-immunized mice. Evaluation of antibody responses in these mice revealed high titers of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM to FHA in sera and of IgG to FHA in lung lavage fluids. No IgA to FHA was detected. BALB/c mice were also passively immunized intravenously with either goat or rat antibodies to FHA and then aerosol challenged 24 h later, when anti-FHA antibodies were detected in the respiratory tract. Lung and tracheal colonization was markedly reduced in mice immunized with FHA-specific antibodies compared with those receiving control antibodies. In additional studies, the role of FHA in the colonization of the mouse respiratory tract was evaluated by using strain BP101, an FHA mutant of B. pertussis. FHA was important in the initial colonization of the mouse trachea, but was not required for colonization of the trachea later in the infection. FHA was not a factor in colonization of the lungs. Collectively, these experiments demonstrate (i) that systemic immunization with FHA can provide significant protection against B. pertussis infection in both the lower and upper respiratory tract of mice as defined by the lungs and trachea, respectively; (ii) that this protection is mediated primarily by serum antibodies to FHA, which transudate into respiratory secretions; and (iii) that FHA is an important upper respiratory tract colonization factor. These studies provide further evidence for the role of FHA in pertussis pathogenesis and immunity.
Gap-edge Asymptotics of Defect Modes in 2D Photonic Crystals (2007)

We consider the evolution of defect modes created in complete band gaps of 2D photonic crystals by altering the dielectric constant in some region. We derive a simple exponential law which links the frequency difference between the defect mode and the band edge to the dielectric constant change.
Kinetics of nucleation in near-critical fluids (1980)

A simple set of rate equations is proposed to describe nucleation and growth of droplets in metastable, near-critical fluids. These equations are used in conjunction with steady-state nucleation theory to compute completion times for phase separation in binary mixtures. Reexamination of available experimental data provides little if any evidence for the major failure of conventional nucleation theory that has been postulated on the basis of these data.
Distinguishability of Functionally Distinct Evoked Neuroelectric Signals on the Surface of a Nerve (1979)

This paper describes initial experiments to determine the feasibility of recording functionally distinct neuroelectric signals from the surface of the rabbit's sciatic nerve. A cuff electrode assembly was constructed; it consisted of two planar arrays, each having four wires equally spaced around the circumference of the electrode. The electrode assembly was placed on the sciatic nerve proximal to the popliteal fossa. A hook electrode was placed on six branches of the sciatic nerve in turn, just proximal to each branch's insertion into a leg muscle. Stimulation of the nerve branches was used to evoke signals in the sciatic nerve.
Color Based Hand and Finger Detection Technology for User Interaction (2008)

The aim of this paper is to present the methodology for hand detection and propose the finger detection method. The detected hand and finger can be used to implement the non-contact mouse. This technology can be used to control the home devices such as curtain and television. Skin color is used to segment the hand region from background and counter is extracted from the segmented hand. Analysis of counter gives us the location of finger tip in the hand. We have performed extensive experiment and achieve very encouraging result.
Nested Dissection of a Regular Finite Element Mesh (1973)

Let M be a mesh consisting of $n^2 $ squares called elements, formed by subdividing the unit square $(0,1) \times (0,1)$ into $n^2 $ small squares of side ${1 / h}$, and having a node at each of the $(n + 1)^2 $ grid points. With M we associate the $N \times N$ symmetric positive definite system $Ax = b$, where $N = (n + 1)^2 $, each $x_i $ is associated with a node of M, and $A_{ij} \ne 0$ if and only if $x_i $ and $x_j $ are associated with nodes of the same element. If we solve the equations via the standard symmetric factorization of A, then $O(n^4 )$ arithmetic operations are required if the usual row by row (banded) numbering scheme is used, and the storage required is $O(n^3 )$. In this paper we present an unusual numbering of the mesh (unknowns) and show that if we avoid operating on zeros, the $LDL^T $ factorization of A can be computed using the same standard algorithm in $O(n^3 )$ arithmetic operations. Furthermore, the storage required is only $O(n^2 \log _2 n)$. Finally, we prove that all orderings of the mesh must yield an operation count of at least $O(n^3 )$, provided we use the standard factorization algorithm.
Anorexigens and Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (2005)

Anorexigens are drugs that suppress appetite mainly bymodulating the serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] signaling pathway in the brain. It was always obvious that the efﬁcacy of anorexigens was at most modest, leading to sustained weight reductions of only 5-10% more than placebo and diet alone. A signiﬁcant group of anorexigen users had been minimally above the ideal body weight, and thus one can see these compounds as examples of ‘‘image-enhancing drugs’’ rather than tools against the battle of obesity. The industry of image-enhancing drugs has always been powerful and has repeatedly won over common sense and independent scientiﬁc thinking. The anorexigen story is an interesting example of the failure of Poincare´’s principle:The method of the physical sciences is based upon the induction which leads us to expect recurrence of a phenomenon when the circumstances which give rise to it are repeated. (H. Poincare´, Science and Hypothesis, 1905.)SM is a CIHR Strategic Fellow (TORCH program) and a Fellow in the Universityof Alberta Clinician Investigator Program. y EM is a CIHR New Investigator and AHFMR Scholar.
Development of a bacterial challenge test for gnotobiotic sea bass ( Dicentrarchus labrax ) larvae (2009)

The use of probiotic microorganisms in aquaculture is gaining a lot of interest. Gnotobiotic model systems are required in order to fully understand the effects and modes-of-action of these microorganisms, as the native microbial communities present in non-sterile animals can lead to false conclusions. In this study, a gnotobiotic sea bass larvae (Dicentrarchus labrax) test system was developed. In order to obtain bacteria-free animals, the eggs were disinfected with glutaraldehyde and subsequently incubated in a solution of rifampicin and ampicillin. Axenity was confirmed using culture-dependent and -independent techniques. The gnotobiotic larvae were fed axenic Artemia sp. from 7 days after hatching onwards. In the challenge test, one of the three opportunistic pathogens, Aeromonas hydrophila, Listonella anguillarum serovar O1 and O2a, was added to the model system via the water and encapsulated in Artemia sp. Only serovar O2a led to increased mortality in the sea bass larvae. The presented gnotobiotic model can be used for research on, among others, reciprocal metabolic effects between microorganisms and the host (e.g. as measured by gene expression), immunostimulants, pharmacological research and the histological development of the gastrointestinal tract and growth of larvae.
Penetration of mixed micelles into the epidermis: effect of mixing sodium dodecyl sulfate with dodecyl hexa(ethylene oxide). (2003)

The penetration of the anionic surfactant sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) into the epidermis from contacting solutions of SDS and the nonionic surfactant dodecyl hexa(ethylene oxide) (C(12)E(6)) was measured for three SDS concentrations (25 mM, 50 mM, and 100 mM) and three SDS solution compositions (1, 0.83, and 0.50). The addition of C(12)E(6) to the SDS solutions was found to decrease the amount of SDS penetrating into the epidermis. The observed decrease occurred via two plausible mechanisms: (i) the addition of C(12)E(6) decreased the SDS monomer concentration, thus reducing the driving force for the penetration of monomeric SDS into the epidermis, and (ii) the addition of C(12)E(6) reduced, or prevented, the penetration of micellar SDS into the epidermis. Using dynamic light scattering, the hydrodynamic radii of the SDS/C(12)E(6) micelles were determined to be 20 A, for the alpha(m) = 1 micelles, 24 A for the alpha(m) = 0.83 micelles, and 27 A for the alpha(m) = 0.50 micelles (where alpha(m) denotes the SDS micelle composition). A comparison with typical stratum corneum aqueous pore radii reported in the literature (10-28 A) suggests that the alpha(m) = 1 (pure SDS) micelles are able to penetrate into the epidermis, while the alpha(m) = 0.83 and the alpha(m) = 0.50 SDS/C(12)E(6) mixed micelles are sterically hindered from doing so due to their larger sizes. The observed reduced penetration of SDS into the epidermis upon the addition of C(12)E(6) could lead to a reduction in the skin irritation potential of SDS, provided that there is a relationship between the concentration of SDS in the epidermis and the skin irritation induced by SDS.
Multidimensional visualization of ultrasonic images (1994)

Modern commercial medical ultrasound instruments are capable of obtaining up to 40 real-time, two-dimensional images per second. One of the most difficult organs to evaluate with ultrasound is the heart. The heart is a complex organ that achieves its pumping function through cyclic motion of its chambers and valves. Computerized visualization of the heart is being developed to aid in training and to provide comprehensible images of this complex organ to the patient, the surgeon, and the researcher. To obtain the required data, the two-dimensional imaging plane of an ultrasound instrument is scanned through the heart from the surface of the chest, or more commonly, from within the esophagus. Sequences of digitized two-dimensional images taken at incremental positions through the heart are gated with the cardiac cycle and assembled by computer programs into volumetric images. Visualization methods of filtering, segmentation, and rendering are used to produce comprehensible, data dense, three-dimensional images of the heart. Sequences of the three-dimensional images obtained at sequential points through the cardiac cycle produce what are called ‘‘four’’-dimensional images. Mathematical projections of elements of these images onto selected two-dimensional planes can be recorded on videotape to produce movies of the structure or function of interest at various angles of view. Metrics such as distance, area, volume, or speed can be used on these data to produce quantitative measurements.
Noncompetitive Immunoassays Using Bifunmctional Unilamellar Vesicles or Liposomes (1995)

Small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) functionalized with an enzyme label and with specific ligands for biological molecules are useful as signal enhancement vehicles in the development of enzyme-linked immunoadsorbent assays and other biosensor applications. Bifunctional vesicles were prepared by covalently attaching horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and an antibody to the outside of the lipid bilayer of an SUV. The reaction conditions were optimized to obtain 7-12 antibody molecules and 100-200 HRP molecules per vesicle. The enzyme retained 70-80% of its specific activity after immobilization, and the presence of immobilized proteins on the vesicle surface apparently increased the vesicle stability. To minimize the background signal and maximize the specific signal, the immunoassay protocol was optimized with respect to (1) the type and concentration of blocking agent, (2) the diluents for HRP-antibody-vesicles and sample, (3) the incubation period, and (4) the incubation temperature. The bifunctional vesicles were used in a noncompetitive immunoassay to detect d-dimer, a fibrin dimer formed at the early stages of thrombosis. A second conjugate, HRP-antibody, was prepared, characterized, and used as a control against which to compare the assay using vesicles. The assay results using vesicles led to a detection limit for d-dimer in human plasma 9 times lower than what was achieved using the conventional enzyme-antibody conjugate assay.
Cold pressor test using strain-gauge plethysmography (2016)

This laboratory activity is designed to teach students how to measure forearm muscle blood flow (FBF) to describe the mechanisms of peripheral blood flow thermal regulation in healthy subjects. The cold pressor test (CPT) is the clinical procedure used in the experiment to induce arterial vasoconstriction. Strain-gauge plethysmography is applied on the patient's forearm to noninvasive monitor vasoconstriction effects on local blood perfusion and physiological parameters such as blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR). Patients with an altered peripheral vascular resistance (e.g., in hypertension) have different responses to the CPT from healthy subjects. To date, experimental evidence remains unexplained, as we do not know if the BP and HR increase is caused by a decrease in flow rate or an increase in peripheral vascular resistance during the test. To clarify this situation, we have to quantify the parameter we assume is being conditioned by the regulatory physiological intervention, i.e., peripheral vascular resistance. Peripheral vascular resistance quantification can be calculated as the ratio between muscle flow and mean arterial pressure. Students will learn how to apply the instrumental procedure to collect and analyze data before, during, and after the CPT and to describe the physiological responses of the peripheral vascular system to external stressors. They will also learn how to distinguish healthy from pathological responses on the basis of how sympathetic nervous system reactions influence the biomechanics of peripheral vessels.
Tissue microarrays (TMAs) for high-throughput molecular pathology research (2001)

A rapidly increasing number of genes are being suspected to play a role in cancer biology. To evaluate the clinical significance of newly detected potential cancer genes, it is usually required to examine a high number of well-characterized primary tumors. Using traditional methods of molecular pathology, this is a time consuming endeavor rapidly exhausting precious tissue resources. To allow for a high throughput tissue analysis we have developed a "tissue chip" approach (Kononen et al., Nat. Med. 1998;4:844-7). Using this tissue microarray (TMA) technology, samples from up to 1,000 different tumors are arrayed in one recipient paraffin block, sections of which can be used for all kind of in situ analyses. Section from TMA blocks can then be utilized for the simultaneous analysis of up to 1,000 different tumors on the DNA, RNA or protein level. TMAs allow a high throughput molecular analysis of thousands of tumors within a few hours. All currently available data have suggested that minute arrayed tissue specimens are highly representative of their donor tissues. There are multiple different types of TMAs that can be utilized in cancer research including multi tumor arrays (containing different tumor types), tumor progression arrays (tumors of different stages) and prognostic arrays (tumors with clinical endpoints). The combination of multiple different TMAs allows a very quick but comprehensive characterization of biomarkers of interest. We anticipate that the use of TMAs will greatly accelerate the transition of basic research findings to clinical applications.
Application of GPR in canadian mines (1996)

To be competitive on the international market, the Canadian mining industry must reduce its costs, increase its productivity and maintain a high standard of safety. There is a great need today for improved methods that would allow the detection of geological structures in advance of mining to reduce dilution and the monitoring of underground structures to increase safety. This will facilitate planning for optimum exploitation of the mine and to increase production at lower costs. This paper discusses two examples of more efficient mine planning using new technologies such as Ground Probing Radar (GPR). In Kidd Creek mine, GPR technology was used at the 2500 and 2600 levels to (1) monitor the stability of the sill pillar; (2) locate the presence of disseminated sulphide pockets in the sill pillar for extracting the mineral content; (3) monitor the stope backs and wall structures to evaluate the effect of on-time filling sequences; and (4) assess rockfill quality in terms of the presence of voids and fractures within the rockfilled areas. In the New Brunswick coal mine in Minto, GPR was used along with core log data to map and construct a 3D block ofa section of the bench showing the relative position of different layers overlying the coal seam.
EFIRM liquid biopsy (eLB) to detect actionable mutations in NSCLC. (2016)

8520 Background: Liquid biopsy to detect actionable mutations in NSCLC is in clinical practice primarily based on digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) and/or next generation sequencing (NGS) technologies with performance at ~70-80% concordance with tissue-based genotyping. Technologies that will permit 100% concordance detection (sensitivity) will provide the ultimate complementation to the tumor-specific fingerprint (specificity) for unambiguous detection of the tumor in a non-invasive setting. The electric field induced released and measurement (EFIRM) fulfilled this translational and clinical goal. Methods: A double blinded study enrolled 37 NSCLC patients at three lung cancer centers in China (SLCI/Sichuan, JCH/Nanjing and HCH/Henan). For each patient, both pre- and post- biopsy/surgery, saliva and plasma were collected. Codes were removed from samples and blinded. Tissues were genotyped for EGFR L858R and exon 19del genotyping by Cobas (Roche Molecular Systems) while saliva and plasma were assayed for same EGFR TKI-sensitive mutation by eLB. Results were sent to MD Anderson Cancer Center for concordance analysis with the tissue-based genotyping data from Cobas. Results: In this blinded study, using tumor tissue (surgery/biopsy) genotyping as gold standard (Cobas), eLB correctly predicted both EGFR exon 19del and L858R status for all 37 pre- and post- surgery/biopsy saliva samples (AUC = 1.0). Plasma from the same 37 patients’ pre- and post-surgery/biopsy were measured by eLB with AUC = 1.0 for exon 19del, and AUC = 0.96 for L858R. Signals in saliva are cleaner than that in plasma for L858R. For Exon 19del, both plasma and saliva have clean separation between mutants and wild types. Correlations between pre- and post- saliva assays are excellent (0.82 and 0.95), a bit lower but still high for pre- and post- plasma (0.70 and 0.93). Conclusions: This study confirmed the concordance performance of eLB for detecting EGFR mutations from pre- and post-biopsy serum and saliva samples for actionable EGFR mutations in NSCLC patients.
Safety and Pharmacokinetics of Recombinant Human Superoxide Dismutase Administered Intratracheally to Premature Neonates With Respiratory Distress Syndrome (1996)

Data suggest that a single IT dose of rhSOD results in significant increases in both concentration and activity of the antioxidant in serum, TAF, and urine for 2 to 3 days. The enzyme appears to be well tolerated, and TAF inflammatory markers are reduced after administration. This has important implications in rhSOD trials to prevent acute and chronic lung injury in preterm neonates.
Human Insulin: Facile Synthesis by Modification of Porcine Insulin (1972)

Human insulin differs from porcine insulin by a single amino acid- the carboxyl terminal residue of the B chain. By means of chemical and enzymatic treatment, it is possible to remove quantitatively and selectively the carboxyl terminal octapeptide from porcine insulin B chain. This fragment can be replaced by an analogous synthetic human octapeptide to give a protein which is identical to human insulin by a number of criteria. By this method, human insulin can be prepared on a large scale simply and inexpensively from porcine insulin. The method is also useful for preparing specifically labeled radioactive human insulin, as well as insulins with modified amino acid sequences, for research purposes.
Mechanism of activation of hydroxyl‐containing polymers with N‐hydroxysuccinimide and carbodiimides: Reason for leakage (1988)

Abstract The carbodiimide‐mediated reaction of N‐hydroxysuccinimide with carboxyl groups immobilized to hydroxyl‐containing polymers (such as Sepharose or Trisacryl) leads to N‐hydroxysuccinimide ester and N‐hydroxysuccinimide derivatives of β‐alanine which react subsequently with the hydroxyl group of the polymer via ester and carbamate bonds. These derivatives are formed upon interaction of dicyclohexyl carbodiimide with three equivalents of N‐hydroxysuccinimide followed by a Lossen rearrangement. The amount of β‐alanine thus coupled is very high compared to the number of carboxyl groups present on the resin. The β‐alanine bound through the ester bond comprises about 90% of the β‐alanine bound. Alkaline treatment of the ester bonded β‐alanine containing polymers (prior to coupling of amino‐containing ligands) causes a rearrangement yielding β‐alanine with a free carboxyl group coupled through a stable carbamate linkage. After coupling of amino‐containing ligands, the above‐described rearrangement cannot occur, and the β‐alanine‐linked ligand leaks from the polymer via hydrolysis of the ester bond. The newly formed carboxyl groups (derived from the rearrangement) can be used to prepare active esters (e.g. nitrophenyl). Upon coupling with amino‐containing ligands, these esters yield resins bearing chemically stable bonds.
Fabrication of 2D Gold Nanowires by Self-Assembly of Gold Nanoparticles on Water Surfaces in the Presence of Surfactants (2002)

Self-assembly of metallic nanostructures using 2D templates consisting of surfactant systems at the air/water interface is demonstrated (see Figure). The morphology of the resulting nanostructures can be partially controlled by adjusting parameters such as the molecular structure of the surfactant, the chemical properties of the assembly units, and the surface pressure.