gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Nurses’ experiences of conflicting encounters in diabetes care (2008)

Aim: To describe nurses’ experiences of encounters with patients in diabetes care.Methods: Focus-group interviews with 17 nurses about their experiences of caring for patients with diabetes. Interviews were analysed by qualitative content analysis.Results: Four themes described conflicts in their encounters with patients, disclosing a complex professional role as a diabetes nurse. Implementing guidelines at the same time as being patient-centred was found to be problematic. Nurses further viewed medical knowledge as being more important than life experience of diabetes. The nurses’ comments were distanced from, and judgemental about, patients as a collective. Finally, the nurses felt comfortable in expert roles, but not in equal and mutual relationships with patients.Conclusion: The interviews identified a feeling of frustration over conflicting demands between different goals and ideologies for diabetes care. These conflicts may also arise from the difficulty of integrating medical goals and patients’ life experiences of illness.
Using DDS middleware in distributed partitioned systems (2018)

Communication middleware technologies are slowly being integrated also into critical domains that are also progresively transitioning to partitioned systems. Especially, avionics systems have transitioned from federated architectures to IMA (Integrated Modular Avionics) standard that targets partitioned systems to comply with the requirements of cost, safety, and weight. In the future developments, it is fully considered the integration of middleware to support data communication and application interoperability. As specified in FACE (Future Airborne Capability Environment), middleware will be integrated into mixed criticality systems to ease the development of portable components that can interoperate effectively. Still nowadays, in realtime environments, communication middleware is perceived as a source of unpredictability; and still there are very few contributions that present real applications of the integration of communication middleware into partitioned systems to support distribution. This paper describes the usage of a publish-subscribe middleware (precisely, DDS -Data Distribution Service for real-time systems-) into a fully distributed partitioned system. We explain the design of a reliable communication setting enabled by the middleware, and we exemplify it using a distributed monitoring application for an emulated partitioned system with the goal of obtaining the middleware communication overhead. Implementation results show stable communication times that can be integrated in the resource assignment to partitions.
High Performance Reconfigurable Computing: From Applications to Hardware (2008)

This paper presents the author's experience in programming Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) in the context of high performance digital signal and data processing. In particular, the paper presents the concept of hardware skeletons as a mean to bridge the gap between high level applications and low level hardware, and satisfy the dual requirement of high level abstract design and hardware efficiency. The concept will be illustrated in the context of image/video processing applications among other applications. In using and developing a variety of hardware design tools, the author will finally suggest a multi-language approach to hardware development.
The Relationship Between Physical Function And Health-related Quality Of Life In Older Copd Patients (2009)

The measurement of health-related quality of life (HRQL) among chronically ill older adults has gained considerable attention in recent years. The SF36 is widely used for subjective measurement of HRQL in healthy and chronically ill elderly. However, few studies have compared subjective measurement techniques such as the SF36 with objective measures of health relevant to quality of life, such as physical function. PURPOSE: To compare objective measurement of physical function with subjective measures of HRQL using the SF36. METHODS: Forty older (70.1 ± 7.3) men (n = 20) and women (n = 20) with COPD (FEV1% = 36.7%; GOLD Stage III) referred to pulmonary rehabilitation completed an extensive battery of tests including the SF36 [constructs: Physical Function (PF), Role-Physical (RP), Bodily Pain (BP), General Health (GH), Vitality (V), Social Functioning (SF), Role-Emotional (RE), and Mental Health (MH)]; the Senior Fitness Test (SFT) battery [6 Minute Walk (6MW), Chair Stands (CS), 8-Foot Up and Go (UNG), Arm Curl (AC), Modified Sit and Reach (MSR), Scratch Test (ST)]; the Lift and Reach Test (LNR), a separate measure of upper body function; and one repetition maximum (1RM) incline chest press (CP) and seated leg press (LP) to measure maximal dynamic strength of the upper and lower limbs. Objective measures were counterbalanced to control for an order effect. RESULTS: Four objective measures were positively correlated with subjective measurement of physical function (PF); namely CP (r = 0.35; p =.036), LP (r = 0.50; p = 0.001), CS (r = 0.34; p = 0.037), and 6MW (r = 0.46; p = 0.003). These objective measures were also positively correlated with several other subjective measures of HRQL. Of particular interest is the relationship between CP (r = 0.35; p =.036), LP (r = 0.45; p =.005), CS (r = 0.35; p =.035), and 6MW (r = 0.31, p =.055) to SF, which relates to the impact physical health has on one's ability to participate in social activities. CONCLUSION: The positive and consistent relationship between objective measures of physical function and self-reported HRQL suggests that physical function may positively influence HRQL in older, chronically ill men and women. Further research needs to examine the impact of improving physical function on patients' perceptions of their HRQL.
Bitter melon (Momordica charantia): A review of efficacy and safety (2003)

The pharmacology, clinical efficacy, adverse effects, drug interactions, and place in therapy of bitter melon are described. Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is an alternative therapy that has primarily been used for lowering blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes mellitus. Components of bitter melon extract appear to have structural similarities to animal insulin. Antiviral and antineoplastic activities have also been reported in vitro. Four clinical trials found bitter melon juice, fruit, and dried powder to have a moderate hypoglycemic effect. These studies were small and were not randomized or double-blind, however. Reported adverse effects of bitter melon include hypoglycemic coma and convulsions in children, reduced fertility in mice, a favism-like syndrome, increases in gamma-glutamyltransferase and alkaline phosphatase levels in animals, and headaches. Bitter melon may have additive effects when taken with other glucose-lowering agents. Adequately powered, randomized, placebo-controlled trials are needed to properly assess safety and efficacy before bitter melon can be routinely recommended. Bitter melon may have hypoglycemic effects, but data are not sufficient to recommend its use in the absence of careful supervision and monitoring.
Human Histone H3K79 Methyltransferase DOT1L Methyltransferase Binds Actively Transcribing RNA Polymerase II to Regulate Gene Expression (2012)

Histone-modifying enzymes play a pivotal role in gene expression and repression. In human, DOT1L (Dot1-like) is the only known histone H3 lysine 79 methyltransferase. hDOT1L is associated with transcriptional activation, but the general mechanism connecting hDOT1L to active transcription remains largely unknown. Here, we report that hDOT1L interacts with the phosphorylated C-terminal domain of actively transcribing RNA polymerase II (RNAPII) through a region conserved uniquely in multicellular DOT1 proteins. Genome-wide profiling analyses indicate that the occupancy of hDOT1L largely overlaps with that of RNAPII at actively transcribed genes, especially surrounding transcriptional start sites, in embryonic carcinoma NCCIT cells. We also find that C-terminal domain binding or H3K79 methylations by hDOT1L is important for the expression of target genes such as NANOG and OCT4 and a marker for pluripotency in NCCIT cells. Our results indicate that a functional interaction between hDOT1L and RNAPII targets hDOT1L and subsequent H3K79 methylations to actively transcribed genes.
Model-order reduction by dominant subspace projection: error bound, subspace computation, and circuit applications (2005)

Balanced truncation is a well-known technique for model-order reduction with a known uniform reduction error bound. However, its practical application to large-scale problems is hampered by its cubic computational complexity. While model-order reduction by projection to approximate dominant subspaces without balancing has produced encouraging experimental results, the approximation error bound has not been fully analyzed. In this paper, a square-integral reduction error bound is derived for unbalanced dominant subspace projection by using a frequency-domain solution of the Lyapunov equation. Such an error bound is valid in both the frequency and time domains. Then, a dominant subspace computation scheme together with three Krylov subspace options is introduced. It is analytically justified that the Krylov subspace for moment matching at low frequencies is able to provide a better dominant subspace approximation than the Krylov subspace at high frequencies, while a rational Krylov subspace with a proper real shift parameter is capable of achieving superior approximation than the Krylov subspace at low frequency. A heuristic method of choosing a real shift parameter is also introduced based on its new connection to the discretization of a continuous-time model. The computation algorithm and theoretical analysis are then examined by several numerical examples to demonstrate the effectiveness. Finally, the dominant subspace computation scheme is applied to the model-order reduction of two large-scale interconnect circuit examples.
Liposome Disruption Detected by Surface Plasma Resonance at Lower Concentrations of a Peptide Antibiotic (2000)

Dependence of the concentration of peptide antibiotics on the lysis of liposomes of different compositions is presented in this study. Here, we clearly demonstrate that cecropin B and its analogues can lyse anionic liposomes immobilized on a biosensor chip. Surface plasmon resonance measurements showed that, for two peptides, lysis was only induced at low peptide concentrations and, at higher concentrations, the peptides bound to the liposomes without lysing them. The concentration-dependent mechanism of peptide−lipid interactions revealed here is relevant to the action of cationic peptides on the anionic membranes of bacteria and neoplastic cells. Use of the technique described here will provide a new direction to assess the action and efficacy of antibacterial peptides, antibiotics, and anticancer agents.
Upregulation of miR-135b Is Involved in the Impaired Osteogenic Differentiation of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Multiple Myeloma Patients (2013)

Previous studies have demonstrated that mesenchymal stem cells from multiple myeloma (MM) patients (MM-hMSCs) display a distinctive gene expression profile, an enhanced production of cytokines and an impaired osteogenic differentiation ability compared to normal donors (ND-hMSCs). However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are unclear. In the present study, we observed that MM-hMSCs exhibited an abnormal upregulation of miR-135b, showing meanwhile an impaired osteogenic differentiation and a decrease of SMAD5 expression, which is the target of miR-135b involved in osteogenesis. By gain and loss of function studies we confirmed that miR-135b negatively regulated hMSCs osteogenesis. We also found that MM cell-produced factors stimulated ND-hMSCs to upregulate the expression of miR-135b. Importantly, treatment with a miR-135b inhibitor promoted osteogenic differentiation in MM-hMSCs. Finally, we observed that MM cell-derived soluble factors could induce an upregulation of miR-135b expression in ND-hMSCs in an indirect coculture system and the miR-135b expression turned to normal level after the removal of MM cells. Collectively, we provide evidence that miR-135b is involved in the impaired osteogenic differentiation of MSCs derived from MM patients and might therefore be a promising target for controlling bone disease.
Glutathione Depletion by Buthionine Sulfoximine Induces Oxidative Damage to DNA in Organs of Rabbits in Vivo (2009)

Glutathione (GSH) exists in mammalian tissues in vivo at high concentrations and plays an important protective role against oxidatively induced damage to biological molecules, including DNA. We investigated oxidatively induced damage to DNA by GSH depletion in different organs of rabbits in vivo. Rabbits were treated subcutaneously with buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), an effective GSH-depleting compound. GSH levels were measured in heart, brain, liver, and kidney of animals. BSO treatment significantly reduced GSH levels in heart, brain, and liver, but not in kidney. DNA was isolated from these tissues to test whether GSH depletion causes oxidatively induced DNA damage in vivo. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry with isotope dilution methods were applied to measure typical products of oxidatively induced damage in isolated DNA samples. Several such products were identified and quantified in all organs. BSO treatment caused significant formation of 8-hydroxyguanine, 2,6-diamino-4-hydroxy-5-formamidopyrimidine, 8-hydroxyadenine, and (5'S)-8,5'-cyclo-2'-deoxyadenosine in DNA of organs of rabbits. Animals were fed with the semiessential amino acid 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid (taurine) during BSO treatment. Taurine significantly inhibited GSH depletion and also formation of DNA products. Depletion of GSH correlated well with formation of DNA products, indicating the role of GSH in preventing oxidatively induced DNA damage. Our findings might contribute to the understanding of pathologies associated with DNA damage, oxidative stress, and/or defective antioxidant responses and improve our understanding of the effect of BSO in increasing the efficacy of anticancer therapeutics.
Criteria for Quick and Consistent Synthesis of Poly(glycerol sebacate) for Tailored Mechanical Properties (2015)

Poly(glycerol sebacate) (PGS) and its derivatives make up an attractive class of biomaterial owing to their tunable mechanical properties with programmable biodegradability. In practice, however, the application of PGS is often hampered by frequent inconsistency in reproducing process conditions. The inconsistency stems from the volatile nature of glycerol during the esterification process. In this study, we suggest that the degree of esterification (DE) can be used to predict precisely the physical status, the mechanical properties, and the degradation of the PGS materials. Young's modulus is shown to linearly increase with DE, which is in agreement with an entropic spring theory of rubbers. To provide a processing guideline for researchers, we also provide a physical status map as a function of curing temperature and time. The amount of glycerol loss, obtainable by monitoring the evolution of the total mass loss and the DE during synthesis, is shown to make the predictions even more precise. We expect that these strategies can be applicable to different categories of polymers that involve condensation polymerization with the volatility of the reactants. In addition, we demonstrate that microwave-assisted prepolymerization is a time- and energy-efficient pathway to obtain PGS. For example, 15 min of microwave time is shown to be as efficient as prepolymerization in nitrogen atmosphere for 6 h at 130 °C. The quick synthesis method, however, causes a severe evaporation of glycerol, resulting in a large distortion in the monomer ratio between glycerol and sebacic acid. Consequently, more rigid PGS is produced under a similar curing condition compared to the conventional prepolymerization method. Finally, we demonstrate that the addition of molecularly rigid cross-linking agents and network-structured inorganic nanoparticles are also effective in enhancing the mechanical properties of the PGS-derived materials.
All the finesse of a charging rhino : lifestyle motoring (2008)

Had there been an award in a motoring competition for the car with the most chutzpah, it would be won unopposed by the Volkswagen Citi Golf range. Who, other than Volkswagen, could get away with selling a 1977 car, with a 1987 engine and a few 1997 modifications at 2007 prices?
Optimal DC/AC data bus inversion coding (2018)

GDDR5 and DDR4 memories use data bus inversion (DBI) coding to reduce termination power and decrease the number of output transitions. Two main strategies exist for encoding data using DBI: DBI DC minimizes the number of outputs transmitting a zero, while DBI AC minimizes the number of signal transitions. We show that neither of these strategies is optimal and reduction of interface power of up to 6% can be achieved by taking both the number of zeros and the number of signal transitions into account when encoding the data. We then demonstrate that a hardware implementation of optimal DBI coding is feasible, results in a reduction of system power and requires only an insignificant additional die area.
Diffusion constant in a random system near resonance (1992)

We propose a modification of the traditional Boltzmann equation when scatterers are near resonance conditions. On the basis of this modified equation we find that the diffusion constant is largely renormalized. Our calculated results agree with the recent experimental results of van Albada et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 66, 3132 (1991)] for the diffusion of optical waves.
Research on desulfurization activity of hydroxyl oxidize iron prepared with different alkali ratio (2006)

With the reaction system between FeSO_(4)-NaOH and FeCl_(2)-Ca(OH)_(2),and the different alkali ratio,many hydroxyl oxidize iron were prepared.The paper stated the crystal phase,sharpe,BET surface area,pore specific volume and desulfurization activity.The results showed that FeCl_(2)-Ca(OH)_(2) system could synthesize FeSO_(4)-NaOH with acid method and with the alkali ratio increased,the desulfurization activity would be highly increased.The alkali method synthesized results were be reversed.When the alkali ratio of the FeCl_(2)-Ca(OH)_(2),system was 1,acide method could prepare the amorphous FeOOH with high desulfurized activity.The TG desulfurized conversion rate would be improved 30 % higher than the well crystallized γ-FeOOH.The FeOOH desulfurization activity is not only related to crystal phase,but also has a relationship to the crystal sharp and diameter.
Laser photolysis of liquid hexafluorobenzene: graphitic and fluorine-containing carbon formation at ambient temperature (1998)

ArF laser photolysis of liquid hexafluorobenzene affords a number of aromatic fluorocarbons, graphitic carbon and a fluorine containing polymeric C/F material. The preponderance of decafluorobiphenyl among the perfluoroaromatic products reveals the importance of the pentafluorophenyl radical combinations in the initial stages of photolysis. The C/F material is judged to arise from polymerization of fluoroalkyne transients. The graphite formation represents a unique mode of photolytic liquid-phase graphitization of perfluoroaromatic compounds.
Globally Consistent Reconstruction of Ripped-Up Documents (2007)

One of the most crucial steps for automatically reconstructing ripped-up documents is to find a globally consistent solution from the ambiguous candidate matches. However, little work has been done so far to solve this problem in a general computational framework without using application-specific features. In this paper, we propose a global approach for reconstructing ripped-up documents by first finding candidate matches from document fragments using curve matching and then disambiguating these candidates through a relaxation process to reconstruct the original document. The candidate disambiguation problem is formulated in a relaxation scheme, in which the definition of compatibility between neighboring matches is proposed and global consistency is defined as the global criterion. Initially, global match confidences are assigned to each of the candidate matches. After that, the overall local relationships among neighboring matches are evaluated by computing their global consistency. Then these confidences are iteratively updated using the gradient projection method to maximize the criterion. This leads to a globally consistent solution and thus provides a sound document reconstruction. The overall performance of our approach in several practical experiments is illustrated. The results indicate that the reconstruction of ripped-up documents up to fifty pieces is possibly accomplished automatically.
Amsterdam Expeditions to the West Indian Islands, Report 16. A representative of the mainly abyssal family Pardaliscidae (Crustacea, Amphipoda) in cave waters of the Caicos Islands (1982)

A new genus and species of Amphipoda is described from cave waters on Providenciales (Caicos Islands) as Spelaeonicippe provo. Another species belonging to the same new genus is known from a cave on Lanzarote (Canary Islands). The genus belongs to the Pardaliscidae, a predominantly bathyal/ abyssal family. A possible evolutionary scenario for both species is discussed.
Transformation of subcutaneous nitric oxide into nitrate in the rat (1997)

Following its addition to arterialized blood in vitro, nitric oxide (NO) is transformed into nitrate in the erythrocytes. Inhaled NO is similarly transformed into nitrate in the blood in vivo. These observations suggest that nitrate is a universal end-metabolite of NO, i.e. of endogenously formed NO as well. However, endogenous NO may also be inactivated in tissues, i.e. outside the vascular lumen. To study the fate of NO metabolized with delayed access to the blood, rats were given subcutaneous injections of 15NO or K15NO3, and the plasma concentrations of 15NO3(-) were followed for 450 min after injection. The values for the distribution volume and plasma decay (t12) of 15NO3(-) did not differ between rats given 15N-labelled NO and NO3(-). The area under the plasma decay curve for rats given 15NO amounted to 89% of the corresponding area for animals given K15NO3. This demonstrates that 15NO, when given extravascularly in millimolar concentrations, is mainly transformed into 15N-labelled nitrate. Other rats were kept in an atmosphere containing a mixture of 16O2 and 18O2. Nitrate residues containing either one or two 18O atoms were isolated from the blood, indicating that inhaled oxygen was incorporated during both the formation of NO and the subsequent transformation of NO into nitrate. The fraction of nitrate residues containing two 18O atoms was larger than that containing one 18O atom. We propose that nitrate is a major stable metabolite of endogenous NO that does not primarily diffuse into the vascular lumen following formation. Hence nitrate seems to be the quantitatively most important end-product of the metabolism of endogenous NO. The transformation of endogenous NO into nitrate involves the incorporation of inhaled oxygen.