gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Can pelvic lymph node dissection be omitted in intermediate-risk prostate cancer patients? A SEER-based comparative study using inverse-probability-of-treatment weighting. (2015)

95 Background: To investigate whether pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) reduces prostate cancer specific mortality (PCSM) in surgically-treated men with intermediate-risk prostate cancer (Pca). Methods: We identified 44,112 men diagnosed with intermediate-risk Pca from 2004-2009 in Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program (SEER). We used inverse-probability-of-treatment weighting (IPTW) to adjust for baseline characteristics between PLND + radical prostatectomy (RP, N=26,571), versus RP alone (N=17,541) groups; Cox competing-risk model and propensity score-adjusted analyses were used for validation. Gleason scores were based on prostatectomy since biopsy scores were not available for RP-treated patients in SEER from 2004-2009. Results: After a median follow-up of 54 months, there was no survival benefit associated with PLND + RP compared to RP alone (Gray's test, P=0.30). After IPTW adjustment for baseline characteristics, PLND was still not associated with PCSM (AHR: 0.93, 95% CI: 0.65-1.33). This result was consistent with propensity score-adjusted model (AHR=1.05, 95% CI: 0.71-1.55) and the Cox competing-risk model (AHR=1.06, 95% CI: 0.71-1.57). Of men who received RP with PLND, 502 men (1.9%) had pathologically positive lymph nodes, which were associated with a higher risk for PCSM (AHR: 4.02, 95%CI: 1.83-8.84). Conclusions: PLND with RP was not associated with reduced PCSM compared with RP alone in men with intermediate-risk disease, suggesting that PLND is diagnostic but not therapeutic in this patient population. However, a caveat of this study is that risk group was defined by pathologic Gleason score; the 5% of clinically intermediate risk patients who are typically found to have Gleason 8-10 disease at prostatectomy could not be included in this analysis. [Table: see text]
Evaluating Approaches to Rendering Braille Text on a High-Density Pin Display (2017)

Refreshable displays for tactile graphics are typically composed of pins that have smaller diameters and spacing than standard braille dots. We investigated configurations of high-density pins to form braille text on such displays using non-refreshable stimuli produced with a 3D printer. Normal dot braille (diameter 1.5 mm) was compared to high-density dot braille (diameter 0.75 mm) wherein each normal dot was rendered by high-density simulated pins alone or in a cluster of pins configured in a diamond, X, or square; and to "blobs" that could result from covering normal braille and high-density multi-pin configurations with a thin membrane. Twelve blind participants read MNREAD sentences displayed in these conditions. For high-density simulated pins, single pins were as quickly and easily read as normal braille, but diamond, X, and square multi-pin configurations were slower and/or harder to read than normal braille. We therefore conclude that as long as center-to-center dot spacing and dot placement is maintained, the dot diameter may be open to variability for rendering braille on a high density tactile display.
Protective action of antioxidants against amino acids degradation caused by free radicals (2007)

It is known that, in the human body, disequilibrium between free radical production and the human system defence, based on enzymatic and antioxidants actions, can produce an oxidative stress status and bring about a biochemical modification and a pathological status. Free radicals cannot be eliminated from the organism because they are continuously produced, but it is possible to control their concentrations. This paper describes the evaluation the effect of oxygen free radicals on amino acids, such as glycine, alanine and histidine, especially as the expression of their interaction with proteins. The first aim has been to develop two analytical methods (potentiometric and conductometric) to measure the amino acid degradability in the presence of radical oxygen species; the second one is to evaluate the short- and long-time action of antioxidants at different concentrations. To estimate the antioxidant capability, free radicals have been produced by the system xanthine/xanthineoxidase in the solution containing one of the three considered amino acids in the presence or absence of the antioxidant.
Factor structure and use of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in the homeless and socially marginalized (2006)

The homeless have been identified as a group at risk of significant anxiety and depression and screening is therefore highly desirable to identify those needing psychological and psychiatric support. However, the psychometric properties of routine screening instruments have yet to be established in this group. This study sought to determine the psychometric properties of the widely used Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale in this group. Using a cross-sectional design, 314 clients presenting at homelessness units (shelters) supported by The Salvation Army were administered the HADS. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed three-factor models offered the best fit to the data (best-fit model CFI = .98, RMSEA = .06, WRMR = .87). This investigation confirms contemporary research findings that the HADS comprises an underlying tri-dimensional factor structure. However, the internal consistency of the HADS anxiety (alpha = .81) and depression (alpha = .90) sub-scales was excellent. The findings of the current study suggest that the HADS is a suitable screening tool in this group.
Beeinflussung der Blutgerinnung durch ein niedermolekulares Heparin (2008)

The coagulation-inhibiting effect of subcutaneously administered commercial and a low-molecular heparin was compared in healthy volunteers. Global clotting activity, measured as activated partial thromboplastin time as well as thrombin activity were inhibited almost equally by commercial and low-molecular heparin. Low-molecular heparin caused a ten-fold stronger inhibition of factor Xa. The effect on factor Xa increased nearly logarithmically with the injected dose. Half-life of heparin measured in terms of the inhibition of factor Xa was 5.5 hours for the low-molecular and 3.5 hours for the commercial preparation. These results indicate that low-molecular heparin has a high specificity in the inhibition of factor Xa. A lower dose of low-molecular heparin, administered once daily, may have an anti-thrombotic effect while reducing the risk of bleeding.
The use of a novel tissue sealant as a hemostatic adjunct in cardiac surgery. (2000)

When applied as a hemostatic adjunct to sutures at a coronary anastomosis, the sealant appears to be an effective means of preventing bleeding without adverse tissue reaction or scarring.
Solution and structure of an alternatingD,L-peptide (2004)

The crystal structure of H-(L-Tyr-D-Tyr)(4)-L-Lys-OH has been determined to 1.3 A resolution. The D,L-alternating peptide crystallizes in the tetragonal system, space group P4(3)2(1)2, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 27.99 (3), c = 78.93 (8) A. The crystals contain two molecules in the asymmetric unit that form a double-stranded right-handed antiparallel beta-helix. The structure has been solved by SIRAS using a crystal soaked in an iodide-containing solution for 1 min. The programs SHELXD and SHELXE were used to determine the iodide substructure and also the experimental electron-density map. Using the coordinates of known D,L-peptides deposited in the PDB, several attempts were made to solve the structure by molecular-replacement techniques. Although the backbone of the MR model selected shows great similarity and was used to trace the actual peptide structure in the map, it was not possible to obtain the correct solution before the experimental phases became available. The correct fragment orientations are easily determined, but the same does not apply to the translation search. Nevertheless, insights into fragment search and expansion were gained from the tests described in this paper. The correlation coefficient calculated with the resolution shell of data around 2.4 A, a distance corresponding to most 1-3 interatomic vectors, is a particularly good discriminator of correct orientations in the rotation search of small fragments.
El género es un infierno, tampoco tiene límites. Sobre cuestiones de género en El lugar sin límites de Arturo Ripstein (2015)

From the gender theory developed by Judith Butler the representation system has been questioned. This serves as a framework for the analysis of Arturo Ripstein´s film, El lugar sin límites (1978). This paper attempts to describe how the film, from a gender perspective, reveals gender performativity and its constitution as the unambiguous image that represents it.
Hormone replacement therapy (1998)

Observational studies suggest that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) reduces the risk of coronary artery disease by approximately 50%. This review focuses on possible mechanisms for this reduction in disease risk. HRT reverses many of the lipid and lipoprotein change associated with menopause, and the route of hormone delivery influences these changes. Oral HRT improves serum markers of clotting, although it may increase the risk of deep vein thrombosis. Endothelial function, particularly endothelium-dependent vasodilation, improves with estrogen. Central body fat appears to be reduced with oral HRT, possibly reducing the risk of coronary artery disease. Insulin sensitivity, which worsens after menopause, may be improved with HRT. Global systolic function, as measured by ejection fraction, may improve with oral HRT. Understanding how HRT regimens influence cardiovascular risk may allow physicians to make intelligent choices about HRT for particular patients.
Disparity analysis for real time obstacle detection by linear stereovision (2003)

A new approach is presented for real-time obstacle detection in front of moving cars by computer vision. The experimental set-up makes use of two line-scan cameras in order to analyse the scene in front of the vehicle. The camera calibration, based on a procedure specifically developed for line-scan stereo vision, allows the system to know precisely where a point of the real world appears in each of the two linear images. Prominent features in the linear images are extracted by a differential operator and matched by means of a correlation measure of similarity.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>
Suppression of cell proliferation and telomerase activity in 4-(hydroxyphenyl)retinamide-treated mammary tumors (1999)

The detection of telomerase activity has been proposed as a biomarker of breast cancer development and progression. In this study, we used cell proliferation and telomerase in MNU (N-methyl-N-nitrosourea)-induced mammary carcinomas as targets for assessing the response of tumor cells to 4-(hydroxyphenyl)retinamide (4-HPR), a known inhibitor of mammary carcinogenesis in animal models and premenopausal women. In mammary tumors of rats treated for 1, 2, 4 or 6 weeks with 4-HPR, we observed that telomerase activity decreased progressively with the extension of 4-HPR administration. A marked reduction in telomerase activity was already observed by 2 weeks after treatment and the lowest level was found at 6 weeks after initiation of 4-HPR treatment. The changes in telomerase activity were preceded and accompanied by a significant decrease in the percentage of proliferating cells as evaluated by 5-bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU)-labeling. However, when the values of telomerase activity in the individual tumors were compared with the percentage of proliferating cells, no significant correlation was found. These data suggest that the decreased telomerase activity in the animals treated with 4-HPR is not a simple consequence of the changes in cell proliferation, but a more complex phenomenon involving different cellular mechanisms and pathways. The time-dependent and consistent decrease of telomerase activity in the tumors treated with 4-HPR suggests that, in addition to the percentage of proliferating cells, telomerase activity could also be used as an endpoint in breast cancer chemotherapy studies.
Scale-dependent fracture patterns and flow in low-enthalpy geothermal targets: the role of diagenesis and contingent nodes (2023)

Under diagenetic conditions between ca. 50 &amp;#8451; to 250 &amp;#8451; the systematics of cement precipitation and differential infill makes network porosity, and thus permeability and strength, scale and thermal history dependent. Using examples of regional opening-mode fractures in sandstones from the Cambrian Flathead Formation, Wyoming, a low-enthalpy geothermal outcrop analog, we show that quartz deposits preferentially fill fractures up to ca. 0.05 mm wide with a transition from mostly sealed to mostly open fractures over a narrow size range of opening displacements from 0.05 to 0.1 mm. Scale- and diagenesis- dependent connectivity can be described using use rule-based node descriptions to rapidly measure diagenesis sensitive connections within the context of current field practice. &amp;#160;In our example, although networks have trace connectivity, effective connectivity for fluid flow is greatly reduced by quartz cement. Near some faults, trace connectivity increases as initially wide porous fractures preferentially shear and wing cracks form, increasing fracture intersections (Y-nodes). However, pore space is lost due to the development of quartz-cemented microbreccia. Macro-scale trace connectivity increases, but porous connectivity diminishes and thus potential for fluid flow is markedly lower. We illustrate how diagenesis-sensitive contingent nodes can be used to extrapolate permeability estimates to locations having different thermal histories.
Initial Evaluation of 18F-GE-179, a Putative PET Tracer for Activated N-Methyl d-Aspartate Receptors (2014)

(18)F-GE-179 exhibits high and rapid brain extraction, with a relatively homogeneous distribution in gray matter and acceptable between-subject variability. Despite its rapid peripheral metabolism, quantification of (18)F-GE-179 VT is feasible both within regions of interest and at the voxel level. The specificity of (18)F-GE-179 binding, however, requires further characterization with in vivo studies using activation and disease models.
Teaching drive control using Energetic Macroscopic Representation - initiation level (2007)

The energetic macroscopic representation (EMR) has been developed in 2000 to develop control of systems with several drives. Since 2002 this graphical tool has been introduced to teach drive control in France, then Canada and Switzerland. The University of Lille proposes two drive control units for students in electrical engineering: initiation level and expert level unit. This first paper deals with the content of the initiation level unit and describes the simulation project of an electrical vehicle using EMR.
Power-saving protocols for IEEE 802.11-based multi-hop ad hoc networks (2003)

Power-saving is a critical issue for almost all kinds of portable devices. In this paper, we consider the design of power-saving protocols for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) that allow mobile hosts to switch to a low-power sleep mode. The MANETs being considered in this paper are characterized by unpredictable mobility, multi-hop communication, and no clock synchronization mechanism. In particular, the last characteristic would complicate the problem since a host has to predict when another host will wake up to receive packets. We propose three power management protocols, namely dominating-awake-interval, periodically-fully-awake-interval, and quorum-based protocols, which are directly applicable to IEEE 802.11-based MANETs. As far as we know, the power management problem for multi-hop MANETs has not been seriously addressed in the literature. Existing standards, such as IEEE 802.11, HIPERLAN, and Bluetooth, all assume that the network is fully connected or there is a clock synchronization mechanism. Extensive simulation results are presented to verify the effectiveness of the proposed protocols.
Nonnegative Matrix Factorization Using Autoencoders And Exponentiated Gradient Descent (2018)

We introduce a new autoencoder-based algorithm for non-negative matrix factorization. Instead of stochastic gradient descent-based update rules, our approach employs exponentiated gradient decent which, unlike the former, inherently guarantees the non-negativity of basis vectors when they are initialized to non-negative values. Moreover, we explore the potential of our autoencoder-based non-negative matrix factorization model for clustering applications, and show that it can learn hierarchical factorizations, each of which corresponding to a different and meaningful clustering. Further, we show that adding a supervised loss at intermediate layers results in more diverse representations at the different layers of the NMF hierarchy. We provide extensive empirical evaluations on text and image datasets and compare our proposed model to two alternative approaches, including another autoencoder-based algorithm.
Compatible genericity with run-time types for the Java programming language (1998)

The most serious impediment to writing substantial programs in the Java&amp;trade; programming language is the lack of a gentricity mechanism for abstracting classes and methods with respect to type. During the past two years, several research groups have developed Java extensions that support various forms of genericity, but none has succeeded in accommodating general type parameterization (akin to Java arrays) while retaining compatibility with the existing. Java Virtual Machine. In this paper, we explain how to support general type parameterization---including both non-variant and covariant subtyping---on top of the existing Java Virtual Machine at the cost of a larger code footprint and the forwarding of some method calls involving parameterized classes and methods. Our language extension is forward and backward compatible with the Java 1.2 language and run-time environment: programs in the extended language will run on existing Java 1.2 virtual machines (relying only on the unparameterized Java core libraries) and all existing Java 1.2 programs have the same binary representation and semantics (behavior) in the extended language.
A prospective observational post‐marketing study of natalizumab‐treated multiple sclerosis patients: clinical, radiological and biological features and adverse events. The BIONAT cohort (2013)

The efficacy of NTZ therapy on relapsing-remitting MS in a real life setting is confirmed in the BIONAT cohort. The next step will be the identification of biomarkers predicting response to NTZ therapy and adverse events.
Deeply supervised UNet for semantic segmentation to assist dermatopathological assessment of Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) (2021)

Accurate and fast assessment of resection margins is an essential part of a dermatopathologist's clinical routine. In this work, we successfully develop a deep learning method to assist the pathologists by marking critical regions that have a high probability of exhibiting pathological features in Whole Slide Images (WSI). We focus on detecting Basal Cell Carcinoma (BCC) through semantic segmentation using several models based on the UNet architecture. The study includes 650 WSI with 3443 tissue sections in total. Two clinical dermatopathologists annotated the data, marking tumor tissues' exact location on 100 WSI. The rest of the data, with ground-truth section-wise labels, is used to further validate and test the models. We analyze two different encoders for the first part of the UNet network and two additional training strategies: a) deep supervision, b) linear combination of decoder outputs, and obtain some interpretations about what the network's decoder does in each case. The best model achieves over 96%, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity on the test set.
Ischemic preconditioning stimulates sodium and proton transport in isolated rat hearts. (1995)

One or more brief periods of ischemia, termed preconditioning, dramatically limits infarct size and reduces intracellular acidosis during subsequent ischemia, potentially via enhanced sarcolemmal proton efflux mechanisms. To test the hypothesis that preconditioning increases the functional activity of sodium-dependent proton efflux pathways, isolated rat hearts were subjected to 30 min of global ischemia with or without preconditioning. Intracellular sodium (Nai) was assessed using 23Na magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and the activity of the Na-H exchanger and Na-K-2Cl cotransporter was measured by transiently exposing the hearts to an acid load (NH4Cl washout). Creatine kinase release was reduced by greater than 60% in the preconditioned hearts (P < 0.05) and was associated with improved functional recovery on reperfusion. Preconditioning increased Nai by 6.24 +/- 2.04 U, resulting in a significantly higher level of Nai before ischemia than in the control hearts. Nai increased significantly at the onset of ischemia (8.48 +/- 1.21 vs. 2.57 +/- 0.81 U, preconditioned vs. control hearts; P < 0.01). Preconditioning did not reduce Nai accumulation during ischemia, but the decline in Nai during the first 5 min of reperfusion was significantly greater in the preconditioned than in the control hearts (13.48 +/- 1.73 vs. 2.54 +/- 0.41 U; P < 0.001). Exposure of preconditioned hearts to ethylisopropylamiloride or bumetanide in the last reperfusion period limited in the increase in Nai during ischemia and reduced the beneficial effects of preconditioning. After the NH4Cl prepulse, preconditioned hearts acidified significantly more than control hearts and had significantly more rapid recovery of pH (preconditioned, delta pH = 0.35 +/- 0.04 U over 5 min; control, delta pH = 0.15 +/- 0.02 U over 5 min). This rapid pH recovery was not affected by inhibition of the Na-K-2Cl cotransporter but was abolished by inhibition of the Na-H exchanger. These results demonstrate that preconditioning alters the kinetics of Nai accumulation during global ischemia as well as proton transport after NH4Cl washout. These observations are consistent with stimulation of the Na-K-2Cl cotransporter and Na-H exchanger by preconditioning.