gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Training-Specific Neural Plasticity in Spinal Reflexes after Incomplete Spinal Cord Injury (2016)

The neural plasticity of spinal reflexes after two contrasting forms of walking training was determined in individuals with chronic, motor-incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). Endurance Training involved treadmill walking for as long as possible, and Precision Training involved walking precisely over obstacles and onto targets overground. Twenty participants started either Endurance or Precision Training for 2 months and then crossed over after a 2-month rest period to the other form of training for 2 months. Measures were taken before and after each phase of training and rest. The cutaneomuscular reflex (CMR) during walking was evoked in the soleus (SOL) and tibialis anterior muscles by stimulating the posterior tibial nerve at the ankle. Clonus was estimated from the EMG power in the SOL during unperturbed walking. The inhibitory component of the SOL CMR was enhanced after Endurance but not Precision Training. Clonus did not change after either form of training. Participants with lower reflex excitability tended to be better walkers (i.e., faster walking speeds) prior to training, and the reduction in clonus was significantly correlated with the improvement in walking speed and distance. Thus, reflex excitability responded in a training-specific way, with the reduction in reflex excitability related to improvements in walking function. Trial registration number is NCT01765153.
Convective Drying in Combination with Microwave and IR Drying for Biological Materials (2009)

The main aim of this article is to find an optimal method for drying of biological materials. Eight schedules of combined (hybrid) drying processes were carried out experimentally with the use of different techniques like convective, microwave, and infrared radiation. The drying time and the quality of dried products were the points of interest. Beetroot (Beta vulgaris) was used as the experimental material. The kinetic curves of drying for the beetroot samples were determined and the dried samples were photographed for visual assessment of the sample quality. Based on the result, attempts were made to suggest suitable drying methods for the application of biological materials in terms of drying time and product quality.
Pitfalls of Plug&Play (1999)

The VXI Plug&Play Systems Alliance sought to make VXI systems easier to build and use. However, a misleading picture may have emerged as to both the relative level of complexity and the propensity towards undesirable effects in both creating and maintaining an ATE system. This paper will attempt to identify some of the pitfalls of Plug&Play. In terms of the complexity level aspect, a misleading picture may have been painted as to the creation of an ATE system. The VXI Plug&Play picture is often depicted as a potential user merely selecting stimulus and measurement instruments and creating a truly effective ATE system with little or no resulting problems. This might indeed be the case for a limited suite of relatively simplistic UUT. However, for more complex UUT there are a host of issues which can make if difficult if not impossible, for even the most capable engineer to assemble a successful ATE system if his or her team does not have extensive experience in ATE systems design, development and integration In addition, other undesirable effects can occur. First of all, not every OEM produces Plug&Play code. The use of Plug&Play does not support the concept of "open systems" since it is invariably LabVIEW or LabWindows with other compilers/environments rarely supported. Plug&Play does not promote the ability to share code and does not promote good coding techniques. There is no warranty for the code to be bug free and no guarantee any fixes of such bugs will not create other problems. Software maintenance is more expensive in the long run due to a disparity in coding techniques. As each new Plug&Play code is used in a system the learning curve for maintenance personnel must be extended, with this increased burden pertaining to both TPS and system utilities.
A Clinician's Guide to Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (1990)

Cost-effectiveness analysis can be used to help set priorities for funding health care programs. For each intervention, the costs and clinical outcomes associated with that strategy must be compared with an alternate strategy for treating the same patients. If an intervention results in improved outcomes but also costs more, the incremental cost per incremental unit of clinical outcome should be calculated. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for various programs can be ranked to set funding priorities. By using this list, the person responsible for allocating resources can maximize the net health benefit for a target population derived from a fixed budget. Clinicians may not share this objective because, individually, they are appropriately concerned solely with the effectiveness of a specific intervention for their patients and are not concerned with the benefit derived from spending those resources on other patients in the target population. In addition, allocation may be driven by distributional and political objectives. Nevertheless, cost-effectiveness analysis demonstrates the consequences of allocation decisions. Because clinicians should participate in policy making, they must understand d the role of this technique in setting funding priorities.
Fiber gratings as demultiplexing filters for WDMA networks (1995)

Fiber gratings written into photosensitive fiber by UV holographic techniques are attracting considerable attention due to their broad range of potential application in photonic devices and optical communications. Parallel to the efforts in the optimisation and refinement of the fabrication procedures, research efforts have been directed towards several applications such as dispersion compensation, and sensors. Being an optical filter, the fibre grating (FG) can also be applied as a demultiplexer in OFDM high-speed communication systems. The feasibility of this approach is contingent on: a) the possibility of a wide range of wavelength tuning, and b) the obtention of filter bandwidths in the order of those corresponding to the transmitted channels (few GHz). In this paper, we report the results on an crosstalk analysis carried out to determine the performance of these structures as demultiplexers in direct detection ODFM communication systems. We show that they have the potential of providing significant improvement in terms of bit error rate (BER) as compared to fibre single cavity Fabry-Perots (SCFP).
The effect of certain processing variables on the form ii to form i phase transformation in polybutene‐1 (1985)

Abstract Density and wide angle x‐ray scattering techniques were used to study the form II to form I phase transformation in polybutene‐1. The influence of deformation by cold rolling, orientation produced by melt processing (film blowing), and certain additives blended with the homopolymer on the phase transformation behavior were examined. A new technique based on a combination of wide angle X‐ray diffraction and density measurements was devised to determine the relative fractions of form I, form II, and amorphous phases present. Small reductions in thickness by cold rolling cause a rapid partial transformation to form I followed by further transformation at enhanced rates. The enhancement of crystal transformation by cold rolling is primarily the result of the stresses or strains applied rather than the orientation produced. The introduction of molecular orientation by melt processing also enhances the rate of the form II to form I phase transformation, but it is rather less effective than small amounts of cold rolling which themselves produce comparatively little change in molecular orientation. The mechanical blending of polypropylene with polybutene‐1 was found to accelerate the form II to form I phase transformation, while another additive (1‐naphtylacetamide) known to be a good nucleating agent for crystallization of polybutene‐1 did not increase the rate of phase transformation when added at concentration levels needed to nucleate crystallization from the melt.
Carbonic anhydrase activity in intact red blood cells measured with 18O exchange. (1977)

We have used a stirred, temperature-regulated, reaction vessel separated by a Teflon membrane from the ion source of a mass spectrometer to monitor continuously the time course of disappearance of C18O16O, mass 46, at chemical equilibrium as the 18O exchanges with 16O in water. This instrument is sensitive to less than 0.01 mm Hg of partial pressure of C18O16O with a response time of less than 3 s. The equation of Mills and Urey was used to calculate the hydration velocity constant for uncatalyzed or catalyzed homogenous solutions from the exponential disappearance of mass 46. Addition of red blood cells to the reaction mixture produces biphasic (double exponential) disappearance curve for mass 46. A theory of this process has been developed which describes the time course of [C18O16O] as a function of the catalytic factor for intracellular carbonic anhydrase (A) and the permeability of the cell membrane to HCO3- (P) in addition to the known values; water volume of the cells in the suspension, extracellular pH, the extracellular hydration reaction velocity constant, ku, and dehydration reaction velocity constant, ku. Using this theory, A and P were estimated from the disappearance curve for mass 46 at different values of hematocrit in the reaction mixture, both by a trial and error curve fitting procedure and by a more convenient graphical linearization method. The values of A and P obtained were very sensitive to small amounts of lysis (less than 1%), but the graphical method of analysis minimized this effect. For the blood cells of five normal subjects suspended in 24 mM bicarbonate in 145 mM NaCl at pH 7.4 and 37 degrees, using the graphical method we obtained an average value of 9,906 for A as compared to 19,900 for a comparable concentration of hemolysate. Correcting for a lower pH and chloride concentration inside the cell the latter figure would reduce to 17,500, still 80% higher than the intracellular value. The reason for this discrepancy is not clear. The average permeability of the red cell to bicarbonate ion was 3 X 10(-4) cm/s.
Se-Methylselenocysteine induces apoptosis through caspase activation in HL-60 cells (2001)

Apoptosis, a programmed process of cell suicide, has been proposed as the most plausible mechanism for the chemopreventive activities of selenocompounds. In our study, we found that Se-methylselenocysteine (MSC) induced apoptosis through caspase activation in human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60) cells. Measurements of cytotoxicity, DNA fragmentation and apoptotic morphology revealed that MSC was more efficient at inducing apoptosis than selenite, but was less toxic. Moreover, MSC increased both the apoptotic cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and caspase-3 activity, whereas selenite did not. We next examined whether caspases and serine proteases are required for the apoptotic induction by MSC. A general caspase inhibitor, z-VAD-fmk, dramatically decreased cytotoxicity in MSC-treated HL-60 cells and several other apoptotic features, such as, caspase-3 activation, the apoptotic DNA ladder, TUNEL-positive staining and the DNA double-strand break. Interestingly, a general serine protease inhibitor, AAPV-cmk, also effectively inhibited MSC-mediated cytotoxicity and apoptosis. These results demonstrate that MSC is a selenocompound that efficiently induces apoptosis in leukemia cells and that proteolytic machinery, in particular caspase-3, is necessary for MSC-induced apoptosis. On the other hand, selenite-induced cell death could be derived from necrosis rather than apoptosis, since selenite did not significantly induce several apoptotic phenomena, including the activation of caspase-3.
Acoustic Metamaterials: A Potential for Cabin Noise Control in Automobiles and Armored Vehicles (2016)

The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the existing industrial practices used for cabin noise control in various industries such as automotive, marine, aerospace, and defense. However, emphasis is placed on automobiles and armored vehicles. Generally, automobile cabins usually constitute of thin structural panels, where the fundamental frequency typically falls below 200[Formula: see text]Hz. If a specific structural mode couples with a specific acoustic mode of the cabin, booming noise occurs. As such, discomfort may be felt by the occupants. Fundamentally, vibroacoustics problems may be minimized if the acoustic modes and the structural modes are decoupled, which is achieved usually by structural modifications or acoustical treatments. However, if excessively performed, the weight limitation of an automobile design will be exceeded; not to mention the adverse effect of increased weight on several factors such as fuel efficiency, mileage life of tires and acceleration of the vehicle. Moreover, current solutions have several drawbacks in low frequency noise control. In light of this, it is of great interest to explore the feasibility of acoustic metamaterials as an alternative with hope to improve cabin noise.
Impugnar la transacción judicial (2007)

Aportacion al estudio de los presupuestos para la impugnacion por nulidad y anulabilidad del acuerdo homologado judicialmente de la Ley de Enjuiciamiento Civil de 2000
Nurse Executive leadership: A corporate perspective (1989)

It is a new age of understanding for nursing leaders. New corporate leadership positioning and power allow nurses the opportunity to evaluate leading abilities and to develop innovative leadership models. A corporate perspective sheds new light on old and difficult leadership problems. New sources of information are useful to all nursing leaders as they guide professional nurses, students, physicians, administrative colleagues, and others involved in health care delivery.
A comparison between collaborative and non-collaborative coexistence mechanisms for interference mitigation in ISM bands (2002)

Wireless systems operating in the ISM frequency bands and sharing the same environment are likely to interfere with each other. We address the problem of coexistence between IEEE 802.11 and IEEE 802.15 devices, and we present a mechanism that mitigates the interference between these devices when IEEE 802.15 supports voice traffic. The proposed scheme can work when 802.11 and 802.15 devices operate in non-collaborative mode, ie, independently of one another. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared to the results obtained through the so-called MEHTA scheme, which is a collaborative mechanism recently presented to the IEEE 802.15 Working Group. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm gives good performance relative to the MEHTA scheme when colocated interfering devices only are considered, while it outperforms the MEHTA scheme when non-colocated interfering devices are present.
[Inhibition of oxidative activity of myeloperoxidase by anti-myeloperoxidase antibodies from patients with microscopic polyangiitis]. (2008)

Anti-MPO antibodies, from the majority of patients with MPA, could inhibit the oxidation activity of MPO and interfere with the binding between MPO and ceruloplasmin.
Influence of yogurt consumption on the respiratory immune response (2009)

The influence of two yogurts, made with different starter strains, on the immune response against a respiratory pathogen was studied. Yogurt P (YP) was prepared with the immune-enhancing strains Lactobacillus bulgaricus CRL 423 and Streptococcus thermophilus CRL 412. Control yogurt (YC) was prepared with L. bulgaricus AV31 and S. thermophilus AV4 strains with no intrinsic immunoenhancing activity. Swiss albino mice were fed YP or YC for five days and infected intranasally with Streptococcus pneumoniae on day 6. The resistance to the infection and innate and specific immune responses were studied. Results showed that both yogurts were able to improve the resistance against pneumococcal infection when compared with control mice. However, YP was more effective than YC in protecting the mice against the infection. Both yogurts improved the activation and recruitment of phagocytes in the respiratory tract, but only YP was capable of increasing the number of IgA+ cells in the bronchus and the levels of pathogen specific IgA and IgG in the airways and serum. Our results show that the consumption of yogurt is able to enhance immunity in the respiratory tract. In addition, we demonstrate that the protective effect of yogurt could be improved if it is prepared with starter strains of L. bulgaricus and S. thermophils that have intrinsic immunomodulatory activity.
Relationship between variations in pathogenicity and lag phase at 37°C of Listeria monocytogenes previously stored at 4°C (1996)

Three haemolytic, pathogenic strains of Listeria monocytogenes (a reference strain, a food-derived strain and a human strain) were held at 4 degrees C for 4 weeks in phosphate-buffered saline pH 5.5 or 7.0, with and without 0.2% potassium sorbate or 0.3% sodium acetate. The number of viable cells did not change significantly during this storage. Pathogenicity of non-growing L. monocytogenes cells for 14-d-old chick embryos was determined before and after storage. Storage at 4 degrees C resulted in decreased pathogenicity, but effects were strain-, pH-and substrate-dependent. After 4 weeks storage at 4 degrees C non-growing bacterial cells were transferred to Brain Heart Infusion broth and growth characteristics were determined during incubation at 37 degrees C. Strains that showed decreased pathogenicity had significantly longer lag phases at 37 degrees C than strains that maintained pathogenicity. It is concluded that decreased pathogenicity of L. monocytogenes stored without growth at 4 degrees C for 4 weeks and subsequent long lag phase at 37 degrees C are correlated.
Anti-Human FSH Receptor Monoclonal Antibodies:  Immunochemical and Immunocytochemical Characterization of the Receptor (1996)

The extracellular domain of the human FSH receptor was expressed in Escherichia coli as a fusion protein with ubiquitin. It was tagged with a poly-His tract which was used for its purification. Immunization of mice allowed the preparation of high affinity antireceptor monoclonal antibodies. The latter fell into two categories: some of them were inhibited hormone binding and adenylate cyclase activation whereas others were devoid of these properties. None of the antibodies had agonistic activity (i.e., stimulated adenylate cyclase). Immunoaffinity chromatography allowed us to purify the native receptor in a single step either from a permanently transfected L cell line (75% recovery) or from human ovaries (33% recovery). Immunoblotting of the receptor in human ovaries showed the presence of a major band of 87 kDa and of a minor band of 81 kDa. Endoglycosidase digestion and pulse-chase experiments showed the former to be the mature receptor and the latter the precursor containing mannose-rich carbohydrates. Thus, as in the case for the LH receptor, there was an accumulation (albeit to a lower degree) of the precursor in target cells. We did not detect variant forms of the protein corresponding to the alternative mRNA transcripts previously described. Additive binding to the receptor of several antibodies, but not of the same antibody, allowed us to establish a sandwich-type ELISA for the receptor (sensitivity approximately 1 fmol) and to obtain evidence against the existence of previously described oligomeric forms of the protein. All monoclonal antibodies were able to label the receptor immunocytochemically in transfected cells, and two of them were also able to detect it at the markedly lower physiological concentrations, i.e., in human Sertoli and granulosa cells.
Castor oil as a renewable resource for the chemical industry (2010)

Abstract Castor oil is, as many other plant oils, a very valuable renewable resource for the chemical industry. This review article provides an overview on this specialty oil, covering its production and properties. More importantly, the preparation, properties and major application possibilities of chemical derivatives of castor oil are highlighted. Our discussion focuses on application possibilities of castor oil and its derivatives for the synthesis of renewable monomers and polymers. An overview of recent developments in this field is provided and selected examples are discussed in detail, including the preparation and characterization of castor oil‐derived polyurethanes, polyesters and polyamides.
Near-IR and IR imaging in lipid metabolism and obesity. (1998)

Approximately one-third of Americans are classified as obese. There has long been an interest in drug therapies for obesity. Interest in obesity research and in drug interventions in obesity has greatly increased since the discovery of a protein named leptin, one of apparently many competing biological signals in energy metabolism. The complexity of the obesity problem demands new non-invasive and non-destructive methods for monitoring lipid metabolism and energy expenditure to study the competing biological signals and their effects. A new computer algorithm for spectrometric imaging of living subjects is used to remove artifacts arising from subject motion from spectra and images. The algorithm is sufficiently simple to be implemented easily in hardware for real-time video processing. Because the algorithm can be applied to images, thermogenesis and lipid metabolism in interscapular adipose tissue can be observed directly in unrestrained and unanesthetized subjects using an InSb focal plane array video camera. The accuracy and precision of temperature and spectral measurements are established using laboratory references and prototype drugs in test subjects.
A New Modeling Based on Urban Trenches to Improve GNSS Positioning Quality of Service in Cities (2013)

Digital maps with 3D data proved to make it possible the determination of Non-Line-Of-Sight (NLOS) satellites in real time, whilst moving, and obtain significant benefit in terms of navigation accuracy. However, such data are difficult to handle with Geographical Information System (GIS) embedded software in real time. The idea developed in this article consists is proposing a method, light in terms of information contents and computation throughput, for taking into account the knowledge of the 3D environment of a vehicle in a city, where multipath phenomena can cause severe errors in positioning solution. This method makes use of a digital map where homogeneous sections of streets have been identified, and classified among different types of urban trenches. This classification is so called: ?Urban Trench Model?. Not only NLOS satellites can be detected, but also, if needed, the corresponding measurements can be corrected and further used in the positioning solver. The paper presents in details the method and its results on several real test sites, with a demonstration of the gain obtained on the final position accuracy. The benefit of the Urban Trench Model, i.e. the reduction of positioning errors as compared to conventional solver considering all satellites, gets up to an amount between 30% and as much as 70% e.g. in Paris.