gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Microdissection testicular sperm extraction for non-obstructive azoospermia: the assessment of serum hormone levels before and after procedure (2009)

Microdissection testicular sperm extraction(microTESE)has become a recognized procedure for men with nonobstructive azoospermia(NOA). Micro-TESE and intracytoplasmic sperm injection(ICSI)cycles expose the couple to an emotional and financial burden, so it would be beneficial to predict the success of sperm retrieval using noninvasive parameters before attempted procedure. It has been noted that micro-TESE done while observing the seminiferous tubules under an operating microscope could minimize the damage to testicular tissue, while maximizing sperm recovery, compared to random biopsies[1]. Micro-TESE has also been shown to be more successful in sperm retrieval than a single biopsy or multiple random biopsies[2,3]. In addition, micro-TESE improves the yield of spermatozoa per biopsy, results in less tissue removal(and loss of testicle), and allows identification of blood vessels within the testicle, minimizing the risk of vascular injury and loss of other areas of the testis[1]. Thus, micro-TESE is based on the principle of identifying the most advanced pattern, not necessarily the predominant pattern, of spermatogenesis in the testis. Although FSH reflects the predominant pattern of spermatogenesis, it may not reflect isolated areas of spermatogenesis within the testis. Klinefelter syndrome (KS) is the most common sex-chromosome disorder, with a prevalence of 1 in 660 men[4], and is a frequent cause of hypogonadism and infertility. In all patients in whom microTESE was successful we could identify focal spermatogenesis in dilated and opaque seminiferous tubules surrounded by shrunken tubules or fibrous tissue. Micro-TESE is particularly helpful for successful sperm retrieval in KS cases. Although numerous studies have compared conventional versus micro-TESE[2, 3, 5], there are a few large comprehensive study analyzing the hormonal changes after micro-TESE. In addition, especially KS patients, the study of hormonal change after microTESE is lacking. Hypogonadism in KS is relative rather than absolute and has been found to be an independent risk factor for development of abdominal adiposity[6]. Hypogonadism is also associated with metabolic syndrome and type2 diabetes[7]. We reviewed the outcomes of micro-TESE, primarily the sperm retrieval in patients with elevated serum FSH. We also analyzed the predictive value of gonadotropin and biopsy histology for retrieving testicular sperm by micro-TESE in NOA patients. In addition, we reviewed complications in this procedure for the patients between 46XY males with NOA and KS during follow-up.
Automatic three‐dimensional mesh generation by the modified‐octree technique (1984)

Abstract An approach for the fully automatic generation of three‐dimensional finite element meshes is presented. The method is specifically designed for use with solid modelling systems which provide a complete and unique definition of the geometry of a part. The method follows from the basic concepts of the octree encoding technique with specific modifications made to produce valid, user controllable finite element meshes. Example problems are included to demonstrate the technique.
Elevation of serum soluble E‐selectin and VCAM‐1 in severe asthma (2001)

These data indicate that circulating soluble forms of the selectins may have different kinetics during the clinical course of asthma, suggesting that they may reflect different inflammatory pathways in severe asthma. Both sVCAM-1 and sE-selectin may be useful immunological markers for monitoring disease activity in asthma.
The Prevention of Lung Cancer Induced by a Tobacco-Specific Carcinogen in Rodents by Green and Black Tea (1999)

A growing body of evidence from studies in laboratory animals indicates that green tea protects against cancer development at various organ sites. We have previously shown that green tea, administered as drinking water, inhibits lung tumor development in A/J mice treated with 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-I-butanone (NNK), a potent nicotine-derived lung carcinogen found in tobacco. The inhibitory effect of green tea has been attributed to its major polyphenols compound, epigallo-catechin gallate (EGCG), and, to a lesser extent, to caffeine. We have also demonstrated that while levels of O6-methylguanine, a critical lesion in NNK lung tumorigenesis, were not affected in lung DNA. However, the levels of 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OH-dG), a marker of oxidative DNA damage, were significantly suppressed in mice treated with green tea or EGCG. These studies underscore the importance of the antioxidant activity of green tea and EGCG for their inhibitory activity against lung tumorigenesis. Unlike green tea, the effect of black tea on carcinogenesis has been scarcely studied, even though the worldwide production and consumption of black tea far exceeds that of green tea. The oxidation products found in black tea, thearubigins and theaflavins, also possess antioxidant activity, suggesting that black tea may also inhibit NNK-induced lung tumorigenesis. Indeed, bioassays in A/J mice have shown that black tea given as drinking water retarded the development of lung cancer caused by NNK. However, data on the relationship of black tea consumption with the lung cancer risk in humans are limited and inconclusive. There is a need for additional tumor bioassays in animal models to better examine the protective role of black tea against lung cancer. The development of adenocarcinomas and adenosquamous carcinomas in F344 rats upon chronic administration of NNK provides an important and relevant model for lung carcinogenesis in smokers. Thus far, no information was previously available regarding the effects of tea on this model. We conducted a 2-year lifetime bioassay in F344 rats to determine whether black tea and caffeine are protective against lung tumorigenesis induced by NNK. Our studies in both mice and rats have generated important new data that support green and black tea and caffeine as potential preventive agents against lung cancer, suggesting that a closer examination of the roles of tea and caffeine on lung cancer in smokers may be warranted.
Synthesis and characterization of soft polyurethane for pressure ulcer prevention (2022)

A series of super-soft polyurethanes was prepared by synthesizing lightly crosslinked polyurethane with low isocyanate:hydroxyl ([NCO]:[OH]) molar ratios. The starting materials were polymeric isocyanate (pMDI), polypropylene glycol (PPG), and 1,1,1-tris(hydroxymethyl)propane (TMP). The effects of the [NCO]:[OH] molar ratio and concentrations of the crosslinking agent TMP on the crosslink density and the thermal, dynamic-mechanical, and mechanical properties of the polyurethanes were determined. In addition, TMP generates chemical and physical crosslinks within polyurethane; therefore, data calculated using the Flory-Rehner equation and the rubber elasticity were compared. The success of the reaction between pMDI and PPG was confirmed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. The synthesized polyurethanes exhibited a mixing phase between soft and hard segments. The addition of TMP increased the crosslinking density, resulting in increased glass transition temperature, tensile properties, and hardness; however, the pressure distribution was suppressed. The synthesized polyurethane showed effective properties for pressure ulcer relief applications.
Angiotensin AT <sub>2</sub> Receptor Stimulation Inhibits Early Renal Inflammation in Renovascular Hypertension (2010)

Angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT₂R) counteracts most effects of angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT(1)R). We hypothesized that direct AT₂R stimulation reduces renal production of the inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and enhances the production of nitric oxide (NO) and cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) in the clipped kidney of 2-kidney, 1-clip (2K1C) hypertension rat model. We used Sprague-Dawley rats to evaluate changes in renal interstitial fluid recovery levels of TNF-α, IL-6, NO, and cGMP; renal expression of AT₁R, AT₂R, TGF-β1, TNF-α, and IL-6 in sham and 2K1C rats treated for 4 days with vehicle, AT₂R agonist compound 21 (C21), or AT₂R antagonist PD123319 (PD), alone and combined (n=6, each group). Systolic blood pressure increased significantly in 2K1C and was not influenced by any treatment. Clipped kidneys showed significant increases in renal expression of AT₁R, AT₂R, TNF-α, IL-6, TGF-β1 and decreases in NO and cGMP levels. These factors were not influenced by PD treatment. In contrast, C21 caused significant decrease in renal TNF-α, IL-6, TGF-β1 and an increase in NO and cGMP levels. Combined C21 and PD treatment partially reversed the observed C21 effects. Compared to sham, there were no significant changes in TNF-α, IL-6, TGF-β1, NO, or cGMP in the nonclipped kidneys of 2K1C animals. We conclude that direct AT₂R stimulation reduces early renal inflammatory responses and improves production of NO and cGMP in renovascular hypertension independent of blood pressure reduction.
FUNDAMENTALS OF ULTRASONIC WELDING. PHASE I. Final Report Covering the Period December 1, 1957-December 1, 1958 (1959)

The investigations are oriented to the development of a phenomenological theory of ultrasonic or vibratory welding that will account for the observed effects. Phase I of an extended research program is concerned with the development of techniques to permit quantitative investigation of the internal cyclic stresses, transient temperatures, and net energy associated with the generation of such metallurgical bonds. Preliminary irformation on the energy required to generate ultrasonic welds in several materials was obtained with a view to predicting ultrasonic weldability in terms of the more familiar material properties. (auth)
Probabilistic Weather Forecasting for Winter Road Maintenance (2010)

Winter road maintenance is one of the main tasks for the Washington State Department of Transportation. Anti-icing, that is, the preemptive application of chemicals, is often used to keep the roadways free of ice. Given the preventive nature of anti-icing, accurate predictions of road ice are needed. Currently, anti-icing decisions are usually based on deterministic weather forecasts. However, the costs of the two kinds of errors are highly asymmetric because the cost of a road closure due to ice is much greater than that of taking anti-icing measures. As a result, probabilistic forecasts are needed to optimize decision making. We propose two methods for forecasting the probability of ice formation. Starting with deterministic numerical weather predictions, we model temperature and precipitation using distributions centered around the bias-corrected forecasts. This produces a joint predictive probability distribution of temperature and precipitation, which then yields the probability of ice formation, defined here as the occurrence of precipitation when the temperature is below freezing. The first method assumes that temperatures, as well as precipitation, at different spatial locations are conditionally independent given the numerical weather predictions. The second method models the spatial dependence between forecast errors at different locations. The model parameters are estimated using a Bayesian approach via Markov chain Monte Carlo. We evaluate both methods by comparing their probabilistic forecasts with observations of ice formation for Interstate Highway 90 in Washington State for the 2003–2004 and 2004–2005 winter seasons. The use of the probabilistic forecasts reduces costs by about 50% when compared to deterministic forecasts. The spatial method improves the reliability of the forecasts, but does not result in further cost reduction when compared to the first method.
England in 1946 (1946)

It is perhaps of the nature of wars that they should hasten developments endemic in a society and bring to pass in a few short years what would also have happened under conditions of peace, but in a much longer span of time. This at least has been in some measure the effect of the recent war on Great Britain's position in the world. It is now apparent and generally recognized that the situation of privilege if not domination which was the lot of the English people from the time before the Seven Years War—or from the middle of the eighteenth century onwards—has come to an end. Perhaps this change in England's position has been recognized for some while in the United States. On the other hand Americans have perhaps never realized the striking contrast in the past between the standard of living and the stability and security of this island and that of the larger continental countries and centers of force—France and Germany.
Applying the frame relay interface to private networks (1992)

Frame relay is a standardized interface that provides multiplexed access to bandwidth-on-demand backbone networks and delivers LAN-like performance over a wide area. It is shown that use of frame relay can benefit private networks. The multiplexed physical interface reduces the number of ports required on expensive bridge, router, and controller equipment, as well as the number of expensive communications facilities required to interconnect the bridges, routers, and controllers. Frame relay's data link connection identifier (DLCI) addressing allows a single frame-relay access device to communicate as if directly attached to nearly 1000 other access devices. The bandwidth-on-demand characteristics give end systems and intermediate systems the appearance of having far more bandwidth available than they physically have dedicated, and the optional local management interface (LMI) extensions simplify the configuration and management of frame-relay-based networks. Most important is that the application of frame relay interfaces reduces the latency of private networks.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">></ETX>
Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) with t(8;14)(q11.2;q32): B-Lineage Disease with High Proportion of Down Syndrome. A Children’s Oncology Group (COG) Study. (2008)

Abstract Recurrent chromosome translocations play a critical role in the pathogenesis of ALL and many translocations have important prognostic significance. The t(8;14)(q11.2;q32) is a recurrent translocation that fuses the chromosome 8 CEBPD (CCAAT enhancer binding protein delta) gene to the IgH (immunoglobulin heavy chain) gene, leading most likely to deregulated CEPD expression. We previously reported the clinical data of 10 such patients (Leukemia, 2000;14:238–240). Using the COG ALL cytogenetics database we expand the report to include 22 patients (13 females and 9 males) with the t(8;14)(q11.2;q32). All patients with available immunophenotyping data (n=20) had B-lineage ALL. The median age at diagnosis was 9.2 years (range: 1.6 months – 17.1 years). Median diagnostic white blood cell count (WBC) was 9,950 (range: 700–172,000). Of the 22 patients, 7 were NCI standard risk and 15 were high risk. The most common additional cytogenetic abnormality was trisomy 21. Of the ten cases with trisomy 21, seven were constitutional (Down Syndrome), thus confirming previous reports that a significant fraction of t(8;14) patients (7/22; 31.8%) have Down Syndrome, which is much higher than the 3% (80/2811) overall rate of children with Down Syndrome in a recent COG ALL trial (p&lt;0.0001). In addition to the Down Syndrome cases, one case with phenotypic Turner syndrome had a mosaic constitutional r(Y)(p11q11.2); thus, eight cases (36%) had constitutional abnormalities. Secondary abnormalities included additional X (n=5); additional 5 (n=3); Philadelphia chromosome (n=1). Two cases had a second der(14)t(8;14) and two had loss of the der(8) t(8;14), consistent with the der(14)t(8;14) as the significant abnormality. Four cases (18%) had 9p deletions compared with 11% in the overall ALL population, and two cases (9%) had abnormalities of 13q compared with 2% in the overall population. Numerically, the cases were pseudodiploid (n=12) and hyperdiploid (n=10). Children with Down Syndrome had superior estimated 5-year event-free survival of 100%, compared to non-Down patients with 50.1±17.7% (p=0.04). Overall survival was also different but did not reach statistical significance: 100% vs. 60.9±17.0% (p=0.088). In summary, the rare t(8;14)(q11.2;q32) is associated with B-lineage phenotype and occurs with greatly increased frequency in children with Down Syndrome, who have an excellent outcome with standard COG therapy as compared to non-Down Syndrome patients with this translocation.
Luminescence of some piazselenols. A new fluorimetric reagent for selenium (1962)

C. A. Parker and L. G. Harvey, Analyst, 1962, 87, 558 DOI: 10.1039/AN9628700558
Decision tree and instance-based learning for label ranking (2009)

The label ranking problem consists of learning a model that maps instances to total orders over a finite set of predefined labels. This paper introduces new methods for label ranking that complement and improve upon existing approaches. More specifically, we propose extensions of two methods that have been used extensively for classification and regression so far, namely instance-based learning and decision tree induction. The unifying element of the two methods is a procedure for locally estimating predictive probability models for label rankings.
Statoil's First Onshore Support Center: The Result of New Work Processes and Technology Developed to Exploit Real-Time Data (2004)

Abstract Applying innovative technology and work processes to land support for offshore drilling and well operations enhances value creation chiefly through better well placement in the reservoir and more efficient operations. Over the last 5 years, new technological developments have driven an evolution in work practices towards greater integration between disciplines and over the large distances between offshore drilling operations and asset teams on land. The Onshore Support Center (OSC) opened in December 2003 at Statoil's Mid-Norway operations office is a workplace where data and competency can meet, creating a perfect infrastructure for integrating operations. Integrated operations are a common industry goal, with widely recognized value. The center provides seamless data transfer & video-conferencing with rigs, platforms and vessels operating on Statoil's Halten/Nordland fields (via a fiber-optic cable/broadband radio), where onshore and offshore staff can share and co-visualize data and interpretations from drilling, completion and work-over operations. The technical design of the center and the work practises used there, however, are based on a number of years of experience with increasing integration between offshore drilling operations and land-based support. To enable this evolution, a number of new technologies had to be developed, some of which have been commercialized or have led to new industry standards. Multi-disciplinary collaboration is more natural and effective when both teams have the same data viewed at the same time in the same applications – this allows real-time data to be fully exploited. Making the drilled well data immediately available together with all offset well log and drilling data, seismic data, geological and petrophysical models opens opportunities for better drilling optimization, better controlled well correlation, near real-time formation evaluation, and therefore more optimal well placement for production. The ability of the land support team to quickly analyze the data for decision support is enhanced and reaction time to unexpected situations can be reduced. This contribution details some of the technological developments which led to development of the Halten/Nordland OSC, showing how they have changed the way we work and affected the outcome of drilling operations.
Micellar properties of disodium 4-alkyl 3-sulfonatosuccinates, two-headed anionic surfactants (1984)

Density, viscosity, conductance, dye solubility, and carbon-13 n.m.r. studies were performed in aqueous solution of three disodium 4-alkyl 3-sulfonatosuccinate surfactants at 25.0ºC. The CMC values were 0.33 mol dm-3 for the hexyl homologue (dhss), 0.14 mol dm-3 for the octyl homologue(doss), and 0.041 mol dm-3 for the decyl homologue (ddss). The aggregation numbers determined viscometrically and conductimetrically were 15 for dhss, 29 for doss, and 50 for ddss. The volume changes upon micellization were 7.0 cm3 mol-1 for dhss, 8.8 cm-3 mol-1 for doss, and 9.1 cm3 mol-1for ddss. Binding constants for the dye pada to the micelle and the fractions of unbound counter-ion were also obtained. The two polar heads with their carbon linkage were likely in an aqueous environment in the doss micelles with the micelles themselves being spherical.
Hepatic Stellate Cell Behavior during Resolution of Liver Injury (2001)

Acute self-limiting and chronic liver injury are both associated with activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). In chronic injury, activated stellate cells are the major source of the collagens that comprise fibrosis and cirrhosis, as well as of the tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) which inhibit collagen degradation. Recovery from acute and chronic injury is characterized by apoptosis of activated HSCs, which removes extracellular matrix-producing cells that are also expressing TIMPs, thereby relieving the inhibition of matrix degradation. HSC apoptosis is regulated in progressive injury and counterbalances cell proliferation. Apoptosis probably also represents a default pathway for the HSCs. The survival of activated HSCs in liver injury is dependent on soluble growth factors and cytokines, and on components of the fibrotic matrix. Additionally, stimulation of death receptors expressed on HSCs can precipitate their apoptosis. Our increasing understanding of the process of stellate cell behavior in recovery from injury is likely to be important to the design of antifibrotic therapies.