gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Masitinib as an add-on therapy to riluzole in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a randomized clinical trial (2019)

<i>Objective:</i> To assess masitinib in the treatment of ALS. <i>Methods:</i> Double-blind study, randomly assigning 394 patients (1:1:1) to receive riluzole (100 mg/d) plus placebo or masitinib at 4.5 or 3.0 mg/kg/d. Following a blinded transition from phase 2 to phase 2/3, a prospectively defined two-tiered design was implemented based on ALSFRS-R progression rate from disease-onset to baseline (ΔFS). This approach selects a more homogeneous primary efficacy population ("Normal Progressors", ΔFS < 1.1 points/month) while concurrently permitting secondary assessment of the broader population. Primary endpoint was decline in ALSFRS-R at week-48 (ΔALSFRS-R), with the high-dose "Normal Progressor" cohort being the prospectively declared primary efficacy population. Missing data were imputed <i>via</i> last observation carried forward (LOCF) methodology with sensitivity analyses performed to test robustness. <i>Results:</i> For the primary efficacy population, masitinib (<i>n</i> = 99) showed significant benefit over placebo (<i>n</i> = 102) with a ΔALSFRS-R between-group difference (ΔLSM) of 3.4 (95% CI 0.65-6.13; p = 0.016), corresponding to a 27% slowing in rate of functional decline (LOCF methodology). Sensitivity analyses were all convergent, including the conservative multiple imputation technique of FCS-REGPMM with a ΔLSM of 3.4 (95% CI 0.53-6.33; p = 0.020). Secondary endpoints (ALSAQ-40, FVC, and time-to-event analysis) were also significant. Conversely, no significant treatment-effect according to ΔALSFRS-R was seen for the broader "Normal and Fast Progressor" masitinib 4.5 mg/kg/d cohort, or either of the low-dose (masitinib 3.0 mg/kg/d) cohorts. Rates of treatment-emergent adverse events (AEs) (regardless of causality or post-onset ΔFS) were 88% with masitinib 4.5 mg/kg/d, 85% with 3.0 mg/kg/d, and 79% with placebo. Likewise, rates of serious AE were 31, 23, and 18%, respectively. No distinct event contributed to the higher rate observed for masitinib and no deaths were related to masitinib. <i>Conclusions:</i> Results show that masitinib at 4.5 mg/kg/d can benefit patients with ALS. A confirmatory phase 3 study will be initiated to substantiate these data.
Robust visual analysis for planogram compliance problem (2015)

This paper presents a novel visual analysis based framework for automated planogram compliance check in retail stores. Our framework provides an efficient and convenient solution for ensuring planogram compliance by real-time analysis of the shelf image acquired in freehand manner. We present a novel application of Hausdorff metric for occupancy computation in product shelf images. Subsequently, we present a robust solution for product counting which applies robust row detection algorithm, and exploits texture and color feature for accurate counting. In this context, our system addresses the most general scenario of multiple varieties in single product type. The empirical validation of our framework is demonstrated on range of real-life images from stores located across different geographies, where it has achieved satisfactory and encouraging results.
Rake receiver finger placement for realistic channels (2004)

This paper deals with finder placement for Rake receivers, which is a key aspect in the design of receivers for spread-spectrum communications. Finger placement is typically performed using a path searcher, which estimates the power/delay profile (PDP) of the received signal to determine where signal energy is present. A commonly used finger placement approach is to place fingers at delays corresponding to the peaks of the PDP, with a restriction that fingers he no closer than some minimum spacing. Another approach is to place fingers on an equally-spaced grid of delays. For the typical urban (TU) channel model, we quantify performance of the two approaches in terms of acquired signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and modem bit- error-rate (BER). We show that performance depends primarily on minimum finger spacing and number of fingers. The grid approach performs well when there are enough fingers to collect most of the signal energy. For a channel model in which path delays vary dynamically, we find that the grid approach provides robust performance.
Characterization of Receptor Interaction and Transcriptional Repression by the Corepressor SMRT (1997)

SMRT (silencing mediator of retinoic acid and thyroid hormone receptor) and N-CoR (nuclear receptor corepressor) are two related transcriptional corepressors that contain separable domains capable of interacting with unliganded nuclear receptors and repressing basal transcription. To decipher the mechanisms of receptor interaction and transcriptional repression by SMRT/N-CoR, we have characterized protein-protein interacting surfaces between SMRT and nuclear receptors and defined transcriptional repression domains of both SMRT and N-CoR. Deletional analysis reveals two individual nuclear receptor domains necessary for stable association with SMRT and a C-terminal helix essential for corepressor dissociation. Coordinately, two SMRT domains are found to interact independently with the receptors. Functional analysis reveals that SMRT contains two distinct repression domains, and the corresponding regions in N-CoR also repress basal transcription. Both repression domains in SMRT and N-CoR interact weakly with mSin3A, which in turn associates with a histone deacetylase HDAC1 in a mammalian two-hybrid assay. Far-Western analysis demonstrates a direct protein-protein interaction between two N-CoR repression domains with mSin3A. Finally we demonstrate that overexpression of full-length SMRT further represses basal transcription from natural promoters. Together, these results support a role of SMRT/N-CoR in corepression through the utilization of multiple mechanisms for receptor interactions and transcriptional repression.
Narrow-bandwidth picosecond BBO-MOPA system: construction and experimental validation (2001)

The construction of a double, synchronously pumped OPO is described. It generates pulses with duration 25 ps and repetition rate of 10 Hz. The bandwidth of the radiation is 1.36 cm<SUP>-1</SUP>, close to the Fourier limit. A single pulse from each oscillator is further amplified with an OPA obtaining pulse energies up to 3.7 mJ. This source can be tuned between 410 nm and 2000 nm.
Construction, Characterization, and Use of Two<i>Listeria monocytogenes</i>Site-Specific Phage Integration Vectors (2002)

Two site-specific shuttle integration vectors were developed with two different chromosomal bacteriophage integration sites to facilitate strain construction in Listeria monocytogenes. The first vector, pPL1, utilizes the listeriophage U153 integrase and attachment site within the comK gene for chromosomal insertion. pPL1 contains a useful polylinker, can be directly conjugated from Escherichia coli into L. monocytogenes, forms stable, single-copy integrants at a frequency of approximately 10(-4) per donor cell, and can be used in the L. monocytogenes 1/2 and 4b serogroups. Methods for curing endogenous prophages from the comK attachment site in 10403S-derived strains were developed. pPL1 was used to introduce the hly and actA genes at comK-attBB' in deletion strains derived from 10403S and SLCC-5764. These strains were tested for second-site complementation in hemolysin assays, plaquing assays, and cell extract motility assays. Unlike plasmid-complemented strains, integrated pPL1-complemented strains were fully virulent in the mouse 50% lethal dose assay. Additionally, the PSA phage attachment site on the L. monocytogenes chromosome was characterized, and pPL1 was modified to integrate at this site. The listeriophage PSA integrates in the 3' end of an arginine tRNA gene. There are 17 bp of DNA identity between the bacterial and phage attachment sites. The PSA prophage DNA sequence reconstitutes a complete tRNA(Arg) gene. The modified vector, pPL2, was integration proficient at the same frequency as pPL1 in common laboratory serotype 1/2 strains as well as serotype 4b strains.
Method For Silicon Surface Texturing Using Ion Implantation (2011)

As the semiconductor industry continues to show more interest in the photovoltaic market, cheaper and readily integrable methods of silicon solar cell production are desired. One of these methods—ion implantation—is well‐developed and optimized in all commercial semiconductor fabrication facilities. Here we have developed a silicon surface texturing technique predicated upon the phenomenon of surface blistering of H‐implanted silicon, using only ion implantation and thermal annealing. We find that following the H implant with a second, heavier implant markedly enhances the surface blistering, causing large trenches that act as a surface texturing of c‐Si. We have found that this method reduces total broadband Si reflectance from 35% to below 5percent;. In addition, we have used Rutherford backscattering/channeling measurements investigate the effect of ion implantation on the crystallinity of the sample. The data suggests that implantation‐induced lattice damage is recovered upon annealing, reproducing the original monocrystalline structure in the previously amorphized region, while at the same time retaining the textured surface.
Improvement of islet function in a bioartificial pancreas by enhanced oxygen supply and growth hormone releasing hormone agonist (2012)

Islet transplantation is a feasible therapeutic alternative for metabolically labile patients with type 1 diabetes. The primary therapeutic target is stable glycemic control and prevention of complications associated with diabetes by reconstitution of endogenous insulin secretion. However, critical shortage of donor organs, gradual loss in graft function over time, and chronic need for immunosuppression limit the indication for islet transplantation to a small group of patients. Here we present a promising approach to address these limitations by utilization of a macrochamber specially engineered for islet transplantation. The s.c. implantable device allows for controlled and adequate oxygen supply and provides immunological protection of donor islets against the host immune system. The minimally invasive implantable chamber normalized blood glucose in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rodents for up to 3 mo. Sufficient graft function depended on oxygen supply. Pretreatment with the growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) agonist, JI-36, significantly enhanced graft function by improving glucose tolerance and increasing β-cell insulin reserve in rats thereby allowing for a reduction of the islet mass required for metabolic control. As a result of hypervascularization of the tissue surrounding the device, no relevant delay in insulin response to glucose changes has been observed. Consequently, this system opens up a fundamental strategy for therapy of diabetes and may provide a promising avenue for future approaches to xenotransplantation.
Reduction of volatile organic compound emission. I. Synthesis and characterization of alkoxy‐modified silsesquioxane (2009)

Abstract The preparation and characterization of a class of alkoxy‐modified silsesquioxane (AMS) compounds containing less than 5 wt % of latent alcohol is described. The AMS derived from octyl triethoxysilane (OTES) behaves as a shielding agent in silica‐filled rubbers while significantly reducing the volatile organic compounds that are released during the manufacture of rubber articles. Analysis of AMS by high pressure liquid chromatography and 29 Si NMR shows that it has a plethora of structures present that can best be described as a highly condensed opened oligomeric, branched arrangement of silsesquioxanes units. This structure is moisture stable, hydrocarbon soluble, and reactive with silica at compounding temperatures. The AMS has been prepared by acid‐ or base‐catalyzed hydrolysis and condensation in alcohol solution to form a product that often separates from the lower density reaction mixture. The kinetics of the AMS formation was examined and showed two separate rate processes occurring. The co ‐AMS prepared from OTES and 3‐mercaptopropyl trimethoxysilane yielded an effective shielding agent and coupling agent when used in silica‐filled vulcanizates. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010
ChemInform Abstract: Towards the Rational Design of Efficient Organic Structure‐Directing Agents for Zeolite Synthesis (2014)

Abstract Review: 78 refs.
Cell Culture on Artificial Capillaries: An Approach to Tissue Growth in vitro (1972)

Artificial capillaries perfused with culture medium provide a matrix in which cells can attain tissue-like densities in vitro. Products secreted into the medium can be measured as indicators of cell function or may be recovered for other purposes without disturbing the culture.
Biodistribution and Clearance of A Filamentous Plant Virus in Healthy and Tumor-Bearing Mice (2013)

Aim: Nanoparticles based on plant viruses are emerging biomaterials for medical applications such as drug delivery and imaging. Their regular structures can undergo genetic and chemical modifications to carry large payloads of cargos, as well as targeting ligands. Of several such platforms under development, only few have been characterized in vivo. We recently introduced the filamentous plant virus, potato virus X (PVX), as a new platform. PVX presents with a unique nanoarchitecture and is difficult to synthesize chemically. Methods: Here, we present a detailed analysis of PVX biodistribution and clearance in healthy mice and mouse tumor xenograft models using a combination of ex vivo whole-organ imaging, quantitative fluorescence assays and immunofluorescence microscopy. Results & conclusion: While up to 30% of the PVX signal was from the colon, mammary and brain tumor tissues, remaining particles were cleared by the reticuloendothelial system organs (the spleen and liver), followed by slower processing and clearance through the kidneys and bile. Original submitted 7 November 2012; Revised submitted 19 January 2013; Published online 9 July 2013
No Reference Block Based Blur Detection (2009)

Blur is one of the most important features related to image quality. Accurately estimating the blur level of an image is of great help to estimate its quality. In this paper, a No Reference Block-based Blur Detection (NR-BBD) algorithm is proposed. It calculates the local blur at the boundaries of Macro Blocks (MBs) and then averages all of them to get the blur of the image. A content dependent weighting scheme is employed to reduce the influence from the texture. Compared with traditional edge based blur metrics, NR-BBD has a lower complexity, exhibits more stable for different image content, and results in a higher correlation with the perceived subjective visual quality (the resulting Pearson Correlation is 0.85 in the data set with 1176 images with different content type and different quality level.).
Synthesis and biological activity of two metabolites of 1-methyl-5-(1-methylethyl)-2-nitro-1H-imidazole, an antiprotozoal agent (1977)

5-(-Hydroxyl-1-methylethyl-)-1-methyl-2-nitro-1 H-imidazole (6) and 5-(1,2-dihydroxyl-1-methylethyl)-1-methyl-2-nitro-1 H-imidazole (9) are the principal metabolites found in urines of animals (mice, rats, and dogs) treated with 1-methyl-5-(1-methylethyl)-2-nitro-1 H-imidazole (1), an effective antitrichomonas agent. These two metabolites have been synthesized. Compound 6 was found to be less toxic than the parent compound 1 and to possess essentially the same activity against Trichomonas vaginalis in experimental infections. Compound 9 showed a low degree of in vivo activity.
Robust high-resolution imaging and quantitative force measurement with tuned-oscillator atomic force microscopy (2016)

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and spectroscopy are based on locally detecting the interactions between a surface and a sharp probe tip. For highest resolution imaging, noncontact modes that avoid tip-sample contact are used; control of the tip's vertical position is accomplished by oscillating the tip and detecting perturbations induced by its interaction with the surface potential. Due to this potential's nonlinear nature, however, achieving reliable control of the tip-sample distance is challenging, so much so that despite its power vacuum-based noncontact AFM has remained a niche technique. Here we introduce a new pathway to distance control that prevents instabilities by externally tuning the oscillator's response characteristics. A major advantage of this operational scheme is that it delivers robust position control in both the attractive and repulsive regimes with only one feedback loop, thereby providing an easy-to-implement route to atomic resolution imaging and quantitative tip-sample interaction force measurement.
Early Diagnosis of Diabetes through the Eye (2015)

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder characterized by high blood sugar levels which give rise to complications in the eye, kidneys and the brain. Diabetes triggers the development of ocular diseases like diabetic retinopathy and cataracts which are the leading cause of blindness around the world. The most common method for the diagnosis of diabetes involves measuring the blood sugar levels in the body. One major disadvantage of this method is the fluctuating blood sugar levels which contribute to false negative results. This leads to delay in treatment, eventually causing permanent damage to the organs. Therefore, diagnosis of diabetes at an early stage is very crucial. One biomarker for diabetes related diseases is the formation of Advanced Glycation End-products (AGEs) that result from the Maillard reaction of proteins with glucose. α-crystallin in the ocular lens is a small heat shock protein with no protein turnover and hence acts as a record for post-translational modifications especially glycation which forms AGEs. We have used steady state and time resolved fluorescence measurements to study the spectroscopic changes in α-crystallin with increase in time of glycation and the intact lenses from diabetic and nondiabetic donors. Overall, this study was focused on developing a noninvasive diagnostic tool for early detection of diabetes mellitus.
SU-G-201-09: Evaluation of a Novel Machine-Learning Algorithm for Permanent Prostate Brachytherapy Treatment Planning (2016)

Purpose: A novel, automated, algorithm for permanent prostate brachytherapy (PPB) treatment planning has been developed. The novel approach uses machine-learning (ML), a form of artificial intelligence, to substantially decrease planning time while simultaneously retaining the clinical intuition of plans created by radiation oncologists. This study seeks to compare the ML algorithm against expert-planned PPB plans to evaluate the equivalency of dosimetric and clinical plan quality. Methods: Plan features were computed from historical high-quality PPB treatments (N = 100) and stored in a relational database (RDB). The ML algorithm matched new PPB features to a highly similar case in the RDB; this initial plan configuration was then further optimized using a stochastic search algorithm. PPB pre-plans (N = 30) generated using the ML algorithm were compared to plan variants created by an expert dosimetrist (RT), and radiation oncologist (MD). Planning time and pre-plan dosimetry were evaluated using a one-way Student's t-test and ANOVA, respectively (significance level = 0.05). Clinical implant quality was evaluated by expert PPB radiation oncologists as part of a qualitative study. Results: Average planning time was 0.44 ± 0.42 min compared to 17.88 ± 8.76 min for the ML algorithm and RT, respectively, a significant advantage [t(9), p = 0.01]. A post-hoc ANOVA [F(2,87) = 6.59, p = 0.002] using Tukey-Kramer criteria showed a significantly lower mean prostate V150% for the ML plans (52.9%) compared to the RT (57.3%), and MD (56.2%) plans. Preliminary qualitative study results indicate comparable clinical implant quality between RT and ML plans with a trend towards preference for ML plans. Conclusion: PPB pre-treatment plans highly comparable to those of an expert radiation oncologist can be created using a novel ML planning model. The use of an ML-based planning approach is expected to translate into improved PPB accessibility and plan uniformity.
Changing the Nature of the Initial Chaperonin Capture Complex Influences the Substrate Folding Efficiency (1998)

For the chaperonin substrates, rhodanese, malate dehydrogenase (MDH), and glutamine synthetase (GS), the folding efficiencies, and the lifetimes of folding intermediates were measured with either the nucleotide-free GroEL or the activated ATP.GroEL.GroES chaperonin complex. With both nucleotide-free and activated complex, the folding efficiency of rhodanese and MDH remained high over a large range of GroEL to substrate concentration ratios (up to 1:1). In contrast, the folding efficiency of GS began to decline at ratios lower than 8:1. At ratios where the refolding yields were initially the same, only a relatively small increase (1.6-fold) in misfolding kinetics of MDH was observed with either the nucleotide-free or activated chaperonin complex. For rhodanese, no change was detected with either chaperonin complex. In contrast, GS lost its ability to interact with the chaperonin system at an accelerated rate (8-fold increase) when the activated complex instead of the nucleotide-free complex was used to rescue the protein from misfolding. Our data demonstrate that the differences in the refolding yields are related to the intrinsic folding kinetics of the protein substrates. We suggest that the early kinetic events at the substrate level ultimately govern successful chaperonin-substrate interactions and play a crucial role in dictating polypeptide flux through the chaperonin system. Our results also indicate that an accurate assessment of the transient properties of folding intermediates that dictate the initial chaperonin-substrate interactions requires the use of the activated complex as the interacting chaperonin species.
Renin Inhibitors (1985)

Summary: Infusion of H.261, the inhibitor of human renin in the baboon, lowered blood angiotensin I, plasma angiotensin II, and arterial pressure suggesting that in the sodium-depleted state angiotensin II contributes to the maintenance of arterial pressure. In a second experiment dose-response infusions of angiotensin II were given in conscious sodium-depleted dogs before and during infusion of the renin inhibitor H.77. These suggested that the contribution of angiotensin II to the maintenance of arterial pressure in this state was made mainly by a circulating peptide. Preliminary results in normal humans show that infusion of H.142 intravenously lowered angiotensin I, angiotensin II, and arterial pressure.
A filter to improve seismic discontinuity data for fault interpretation (2006)

Abstract Seismic-discontinuity attributes quantify the degree to which neighboring seismic traces vary from each other (Bahorich and Farmer, 1995). They detect abrupt lateral changes in seismic data character caused by faults, diapirs, stratigraphic changes, and noise. An important application is to highlight fault discontinuities for seismic data interpretation. For this purpose, other discontinuities are considered noise and should be removed (Ashbridge et al., 2000; Pedersen et al., 2002; AlBinHassan and Marfurt, 2003).