gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Patient characteristics and outcomes associated with small cell lung cancer by treatment status in a U.S. Medicare population. (2022)

e20614 Background: Globally, small cell lung cancer (SCLC) accounts for approximately 10% of lung cancers and is typically diagnosed at an advanced/extensive stage in elderly current or former smokers. The objective of this study was to describe patient characteristics (demographic and clinical) and outcomes (survival) associated with SCLC in the Medicare population by systemic anticancer treatment status (treated vs untreated). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted using the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER)–Medicare linked database. Patients were included if they had a record with a diagnosis of SCLC in the database from 1/1/2007 – 12/31/2017, were ≥65 years of age at diagnosis, and had continuous enrollment for ≥180 days pre-SCLC diagnosis. Patient characteristics and overall survival (OS) were stratified by treatment status. Median OS was estimated using the Kaplan Meier method. Results: 13,516 patients met the study criteria. Overall, 57.7% were female, mean age was 74 years, and 89.5% were white. Nearly three-fourths (73.1%) were diagnosed with stage 4 disease. Just over half (55.4%, N = 6,022) initiated 1L treatment. Older patients were less likely to be treated: 36.3%, 51.1%, and 78.5% of patients 65-74 yrs, 75-84 yrs, and 85+ yrs, respectively, were untreated. Patients diagnosed at stage I-III were more likely to be treated than those diagnosed with stage IV disease (68.2% vs 51.4% treated). Patients with metastasis in the brain and/or liver were also less likely to be treated than patients without metastasis in those sites. On average untreated patients had more comorbid conditions than treated patients (average Charlson Comorbidity Index [CCI] 9.2 vs 9.5). In particular, congestive heart failure (49.3% vs 32.6%), myocardial infarction (25.7% vs 18.9%), renal disease (31.5% vs 18.9%), dementia (13.3% vs 3.5%), hemiplegia/paraplegia (8.0% vs 3.2%), and diabetes with complications (21.1% vs 16.4%) were more common among untreated patients. Median survival among untreated patients was 1.1 months (95% CI: not estimable) versus 9.2 months (95% CI:9.0-9.5 months) among treated patients. Approximately 5% of untreated patients were alive 12 months after diagnosis whereas 40% of treated patients were alive 12 months after initiating 1L treatment. Conclusions: Nearly half of SCLC patients did not initiate systemic anticancer treatment. Those who were untreated were on average older, had more comorbid conditions, were more likely to be diagnosed with stage IV disease, and had shorter survival, affirming the continued need for safe and effective therapies for SCLC.
A novel amphoteric, pH‐sensitive, biodegradable poly[chitosan‐<i>g</i>‐(<scp>L</scp>‐lactic‐<i>co</i>‐citric) acid] hydrogel (2003)

Abstract The novel amphoteric, pH‐sensitive, biodegradable poly([chitosan‐ g ‐( L ‐lactic‐ co ‐citric) acid]) hydrogel (CLC) was synthesized through the reaction of chitosan (CS) with poly( L ‐lactic‐ co ‐citric acid) (PLCA). The structure of CLC was characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, elemental analysis, and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction measurement. The degree of substitution of CS amino groups was evaluated from salicylaldehyde analysis. The swelling behavior of CLC film in an aqueous solution with various pHs and the apparent swelling kinetics were studied. The swelling mechanisms of CLC film in acidic and alkaline mediums are discussed. The results showed that CLC hydrogel had a higher degree of swelling in the pH range of 4 > pH > 8 and that the swelling rate order in different buffers was neutral > acidic > basic mediums. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 3850–3854, 2003
Bi-functional Li<sub>2</sub>B<sub>12</sub>H<sub>12</sub> for energy storage and conversion applications: solid-state electrolyte and luminescent down-conversion dye (2015)

Li 2 B 12 H 12 is a bi-functional material that can be used as a superionic conductor in all solid-state lithium ion batteries and as a blue luminescent down-conversion dye.
SOA without Web services: a pragmatic implementation of SOA for financial transactions systems (2005)

The service oriented architecture (SOA) provides a methodology for designing software systems by integrating loosely coupled services. Compared to traditional distributed object-oriented architectures, SOA is more suitable to integrate heterogeneous systems, and more adaptable in a changing environment. This paper presents the design and implementation of a SOA framework for financial transaction applications. The framework provides an easy and uniform way for service composition in a controlled environment, and leverages Web service standards with efficient communication mechanisms and durable and/or transactional message queues. Specifically, the work addresses the following issues: 1) the incorporation of existing systems and protocols that are not Web-service compatible. This paper focuses on business processes of equities transactions using the FIX protocol; 2) the configuration and deployment of services and service endpoints in a flexible and dynamic manner; 3) the capability of specifying business processes as Web service compositions and a distributed runtime environment that supports it; 4) the scalability, resiliency and transactional aspects as required in critical business applications. The experience of applying the framework in building a high performance equities transaction system is presented.
Using E-Mail SPAM DNS Blacklists for Qualifying the SPAM-over-Internet-Telephony Probability of a SIP Call (2009)

SPIT is an upcoming threat for receiving unsolicited messages in Voice over IP systems. We assume, that future SPIT will be sent through the same infrastructure as SPAM today, namely through a network of compromised hosts. Therefore spammers will see SPIT as an additional business case. In this paper we show a viable way to increase the hit rate of a SPIT detection system. Our proposal is to query e-mail SPAM blacklists for IP addresses which are sent with SIP/SDP messages. We enabled a well-established e-mail filter application to handle information out of these messages. We also present the performance of such a solution with respect to call setup delays and success rates.
The Sulfur Problem (2000)

Sulfur compounds contaminate many industrially important feedstocks and, on release to the atmosphere as sulfur oxides, can cause widespread damage to the ecosystem. The main objectives of The Sulfur Problem: Cleaning Up Industrial Feedstocks are to demonstrate the importance of eliminating sulfur contaminants from the environment and the measures necessary to effect this. Using a systematic and pedagogical approach, the reader is first presented with the problem. Current technology for solving it is then outlined together with appropriate theory on the synthesis, structure and sorption behaviour of the materials used. Relevant characterisation techniques are described with reference to typical sorbents, to demonstrate how the sorption behaviour of the materials correlates with their properties. The book is unique in blending together aspects of environmental chemistry, materials/solid state chemistry, surface chemistry, catalysis and separation processes to address the problem of sulfur contaminants in a wide range of feedstocks.
Fabrication of microtextured membranes for cardiac myocyte attachment and orientation (2000)

To understand the role of tissue adaptation to altered physiological states, a more physiologically and dimensionally relevant in vitro model of cardiac myocyte organization has been developed. A microtextured polymeric membrane with micron range dimensions promotes myocyte adhesion through substrate/cell interlocking and, thus, provides a more suitable stretchable matrix for studying overlying cell populations. These microtextured membranes are created using photolithography and microfabrication techniques. Biologically, mechanically, and optically compatible interfaces with specified microarchitecture and surface chemistry have been designed, microfabricated, and characterized for this purpose. Cardiac myocytes plated on these membranes display greater attachment and cell height compared to conventional culture substrates. Advantages of the microtextured membranes include the high degree of reproducibility and the ability to create features on the micron and submicron size scale. Because of the flexibility of substrate material and the ease of creating micron size structures, this technique can be applied to many other physiological and biological systems.
Dual band interleaved base station phased array antenna with optimized cross-dipole and EBG/AMC structure (2014)

In this work, a new base station antenna is proposed. Two separate frequency bands with separate radiating elements are used in each band. The frequency band separation ratio is about 1.3:1. These elements are arranged with different spacing (wider spacing for the lower frequency band, and narrower spacing for the higher frequency band). Isolation between bands inherently exists in this approach. This avoids the grating lobe effect, and mitigates the beam narrowing (dispersion) seen with fixed element spacing covering the whole wide bandwidth. A new low-profile cross dipole is designed, which is integrated in the array with an EBG/AMC structure for reducing the size of low band elements and decreasing coupling at high band.
Intraspecific <i>de novo</i> gene birth revealed by presence–absence variant genes in <i>Caenorhabditis elegans</i> (2022)

Genes embed their evolutionary history in the form of various alleles. Presence-absence variants (PAVs) are extreme cases of such alleles, where a gene present in one haplotype does not exist in another. Because PAVs may result from either birth or death of a gene, PAV genes and their alternative alleles, if available, can represent a basis for rapid intraspecific gene evolution. Using long-read sequencing technologies, this study traced the possible evolution of PAV genes in the PD1074 and CB4856 <i>C</i>. <i>elegans</i> strains as well as their alternative alleles in 14 other wild strains. We updated the CB4856 genome by filling 18 gaps and identified 46 genes and 7,460 isoforms from both strains not annotated previously. We verified 328 PAV genes, out of which 46 were <i>C</i>. <i>elegans</i>-specific. Among these possible newly born genes, 12 had alternative alleles in other wild strains; in particular, the alternative alleles of three genes showed signatures of active transposons. Alternative alleles of three other genes showed another type of signature reflected in accumulation of small insertions or deletions. Research on gene evolution using both species-specific PAV genes and their alternative alleles may provide new insights into the process of gene evolution.
Degenerate Primer IDs and the Birthday Problem (2012)

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans the biological, physical, and social sciences.
Laccase from <i>Melanocarpus albomyces</i> binds effectively to cellulose (2004)

A laccase from the thermophilic fungus Melanocarpus albomyces was shown to bind to softwood and pure microcrystalline cellulose. The binding isotherm fitted well the Langmuir type one-site binding model. The adsorption parameters indicated that M. albomyces laccase binds with high affinity to cellulose with a relatively low maximum binding capacity, as compared to the values for various cellulases. The binding was shown to be reversible and not influenced by non-specific protein or 0.1-0.5 M Na2SO4. No binding was detected with laccases from Trametes hirsuta or Mauginiella sp., which suggests that binding to cellulose is typical for only some laccases.
Tuning the Structure, Conductivity, and Wettability of Laser-Induced Graphene for Multiplexed Open Microfluidic Environmental Biosensing and Energy Storage Devices (2021)

The integration of microfluidics and electrochemical cells is at the forefront of emerging sensors and energy systems; however, a fabrication scheme that can create both the microfluidics and electrochemical cells in a scalable fashion is still lacking. We present a one-step, mask-free process to create, pattern, and tune laser-induced graphene (LIG) with a ubiquitous CO<sub>2</sub> laser. The laser parameters are adjusted to create LIG with different electrical conductivity, surface morphology, and surface wettability without the need for postchemical modification. Such definitive control over material properties enables the creation of LIG-based integrated open microfluidics and electrochemical sensors that are capable of dividing a single water sample along four multifurcating paths to three ion selective electrodes (ISEs) for potassium (K<sup>+</sup>), nitrate (NO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup>), and ammonium (NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup>) monitoring and to an enzymatic pesticide sensor for organophosphate pesticide (parathion) monitoring. The ISEs displayed near-Nernstian sensitivities and low limits of detection (LODs) (10<sup>-5.01</sup> M, 10<sup>-5.07</sup> M, and 10<sup>-4.89</sup> M for the K<sup>+</sup>, NO<sub>3</sub><sup>-</sup>, and NH<sub>4</sub><sup>+</sup> ISEs, respectively) while the pesticide sensor exhibited the lowest LOD (15.4 pM) for an electrochemical parathion sensor to date. LIG was also specifically patterned and tuned to create a high-performance electrochemical micro supercapacitor (MSC) capable of improving the power density by 2 orders of magnitude compared to a Li-based thin-film battery and the energy density by 3 orders of magnitude compared to a commercial electrolytic capacitor. Hence, this tunable fabrication approach to LIG is expected to enable a wide range of real-time, point-of-use health and environmental sensors as well as energy storage/harvesting modules.
New 3D HMI tool for robot path planning based on latest W3C standards (2012)

The paper describes the 3-dimensional trajectory planning editor which supports the consequent real-time generation of the robot effector path using motion control technology (PLCopen standard). The presented 3D editor is powered by modern open technologies and enables users to simply view, edit and simulate the final trajectory. Moreover, the role of the editor in the whole robot control chain is clearly explained and demonstrated on 3D cable robot example.
Genetic polymorphisms in N-acetyltransferase-2 and microsomal epoxide hydrolase, cumulative cigarette smoking, and lung cancer. (2002)

N-acetyltrasferase-2 (NAT2) and microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) are polymorphic genes that metabolize different tobacco carcinogens. Smaller studies found inconsistent relationships between NAT2 or mEH polymorphisms and lung cancer risk. To determine whether there is gene-environment interaction between NAT2 polymorphisms, alone or in combination with mEH polymorphisms, and cumulative smoking exposure in the development of lung cancer, we conducted a case control study of 1115 Caucasian lung cancer patients and 1250 spouse and friend controls. The results were analyzed using generalized additive models and logistic regression, adjusting for relevant covariates. There was no overall relationship between NAT2 genotype and lung cancer risk; the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of the rapid versus slow acetylator genotypes was 0.96 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.79-1.16]. However, gene-environment interaction analyses revealed that the adjusted ORs increased significantly as pack-years increased. For nonsmokers, the fitted OR was 0.66 (95% CI, 0.44-0.99), whereas for heavy smokers (80 pack-years), the OR increased to 1.22 (95% CI, 0.89-1.67). When comparing the extreme genotype combinations of the NAT2 rapid acetylator, higher mEH activity genotype to the NAT2 slow acetylator, and very low mEH activity genotype, the corresponding ORs at 0 and 80 pack-years were 0.30 (95% CI, 0.14-0.62) and 2.19 (95% CI, 1.26-3.81), respectively. Results were similar with ORs derived from stratified models. In conclusion, NAT2 rapid acetylator genotypes are protective against lung cancer in nonsmokers but are risk factors in heavy smokers. The joint effects of NAT2 and mEH polymorphisms are consistent with an independent, additive effect of these two genes, modified by smoking history.
Bioprospecting metagenomes: glycosyl hydrolases for converting biomass (2009)

Throughout immeasurable time, microorganisms evolved and accumulated remarkable physiological and functional heterogeneity, and now constitute the major reserve for genetic diversity on earth. Using metagenomics, namely genetic material recovered directly from environmental samples, this biogenetic diversification can be accessed without the need to cultivate cells. Accordingly, microbial communities and their metagenomes, isolated from biotopes with high turnover rates of recalcitrant biomass, such as lignocellulosic plant cell walls, have become a major resource for bioprospecting; furthermore, this material is a major asset in the search for new biocatalytics (enzymes) for various industrial processes, including the production of biofuels from plant feedstocks. However, despite the contributions from metagenomics technologies consequent upon the discovery of novel enzymes, this relatively new enterprise requires major improvements. In this review, we compare function-based metagenome screening and sequence-based metagenome data mining, discussing the advantages and limitations of both methods. We also describe the unusual enzymes discovered via metagenomics approaches, and discuss the future prospects for metagenome technologies.
Terahertz imaging with Si MOSFET focal-plane arrays (2009)

We report on imaging at terahertz frequencies using a 3x5 Si MOSFET focal-plane array (FPA) processed by a 0.25-μm CMOS technology. Each pixel of the FPA consists of a 645-GHz patch antenna coupled to a FET detector and a 43-dB voltage amplifier with a 1.6-MHz bandwidth. We achieve a typical single-pixel responsivity of 80 kV/W and a noise-equivalent power (NEP) of 300 pW/√Hz at 30-kHz. The performance data of these all-CMOS devices pave the way for the realization of broad-band THz detectors and FPAs for video-rate active imaging on the basis of established low-cost and integration-friendly CMOS technology.
Distributions of singular values for some random matrices (1999)

The singular value decomposition is a matrix decomposition technique widely used in the analysis of multivariate data, such as complex space-time images obtained in both physical and biological systems. In this paper, we examine the distribution of singular values of low-rank matrices corrupted by additive noise. Past studies have been limited to uniform uncorrelated noise. Using diagrammatic and saddle point integration techniques, we extend these results to heterogeneous and correlated noise sources. We also provide perturbative estimates of error bars on the reconstructed low-rank matrix obtained by truncating a singular value decomposition.
The Internet Routing Overlay Network (IRON) (2011)

The Internet routing system is experiencing a growth profile that has
led many to express concerns for unsustainable routing scaling.
Operational practices such as increased use of multihoming with IPv4
Provider-Independent (PI) addressing are resulting in more and more
fine-grained prefixes injected into the routing system from more and
more end user networks. Furthermore, depletion of the remaining public
IPv4 address space has raised concerns for both increased
deaggregation (leading to yet further routing scaling) and an
impending address space runout scenario. At the same time, the IPv6
routing system is finally beginning to see significant growth in IPv6
Provider-Aggregated (PA) prefixes but there does not seem to be
solution on the near term horizon for IPv6 PI addressing. Since the
Internet must continue to support escalating growth due to increasing
demand, it is clear that current mechanisms and operational practices
are reaching a tipping point where something must be done. This
document proposes an Internet Routing Overlay Network (IRON) for
supporting sustainable growth while requiring no changes to end
systems and no changes to the existing routing system.
NO2 Formation in a Diesel Engine (1991)

<div class="htmlview paragraph">The formation of NO<sub>2</sub> in the cylinder of a diesel engine has been investigated using a total cylinder sampling technique and a simple kinetic model. Exhaust measurements of NO<sub>2</sub> as a function of equivalence ratio and as function of time after engine start were made.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Samples obtained by total cylinder sampling from an operating direct injection diesel engine showed NO<sub>2</sub>/NO ratios of 25 to 50%. This is much higher than the 1 to 3% which was measured in the exhaust. Simulations of the sampling process indicate that conversion of NO to NO<sub>2</sub> is at least partially responsible for the high NO<sub>2</sub>/NO measurements. However, the processes which produce the NO to NO<sub>2</sub> conversion during the sampling also occur during normal combustion. This may lead to high NO<sub>2</sub> concentrations during the combustion cycle which are then lowered during the expansion to the measured exhaust concentrations. Simple kinetic models of combustion processes similar to diesel combustion indicate that NO<sub>2</sub>/NO ratios greater than 1 may be possible during the cycle.</div> <div class="htmlview paragraph">Measurements of the NO<sub>2</sub>/NO ratios in the exhaust increase markedly as the equivalence ratio is decreased, increasing from 0.01 to 0.62 as the equivalence ratio is reduced from 0.6 to 0.07. The concentration of NO<sub>2</sub> in the exhaust peaked at an intermediate equivalence ratio of 0.24. Measurements of the NO<sub>2</sub>/NO ratio as a function of time indicate that 45 to 60 minutes is required for stabilization.</div>
NGF increases [Ca2+]i in regenerating mature oligodendroglial cells (1994)

The effect of NGF on [Ca2+]i of mature regenerating oligodendroglial cells was investigated by measuring fluo-3 fluorescence. NGF caused transient increases in [Ca2+]i, which could be inhibited by anti-NGF antibody. The rise in [CA2+]i was in part due to influx of extracellular Ca2+ since it was markedly attenuated in Ca2+-free solution. It also depended on release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores as tested by prior depletion with cyclopiazonic acid. These results support a role for Ca2+ in the effects of NGF on oligodendroglial cells.
Estimating Radium Activity in Shale Gas Produced Brine (2018)

Shale gas reservoir-produced brines may contain elevated levels of naturally occurring radioactive material, including Ra-226 and Ra-228, which come from the decay of U-238 and Th-232 in shale. While the total Ra activity in shale gas wastewaters can vary by over 3 orders of magnitude, the parent radionuclides tend to only vary by 1 order of magnitude. The extent of Ra mobilization from the shale into produced brines is thought to be largely controlled by adsorption/desorption from the shale, which is influenced by shale cation exchange capacity (CEC) and reservoir brine salinity, often reported as the total dissolved solids (TDS). To determine how these factors lead to such large variation in Ra activity of produced brines, the U content and CEC of shale samples from the Antrim and Utica-Collingwood shales in Michigan and the Marcellus shale in Pennsylvania were evaluated. Analysis of produced brine from 17 Antrim shale gas wells was then used to develop an empirical relationship between Ra-226 activity and produced water TDS for a given U content of the shale. This correlation will provide an a priori estimate of the expected Ra activity of a produced brine from a given shale gas play when the brine salinity and U content of the shale are known. Such information can serve as a guide for optimal wastewater treatment and disposal strategies prior to any drilling activity, thereby reducing risks associated with elevated Ra activity in shale gas wastewaters.