gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Is AF Ablation Cost Effective? (2010)

The use of catheter ablation to treat AF is increasing rapidly, but there is presently an incomplete understanding of its cost-effectiveness. AF ablation procedures involve significant up-front expenditures, but multiple randomized trials have demonstrated that ablation is more effective than antiarrhythmic drugs at maintaining sinus rhythm in a second-line and possibly first-line rhythm control setting. Although truly long-term data are limited, ablation, as compared with antiarrrhythmic drugs, also appears associated with improved symptoms and quality of life and a reduction in downstream hospitalization and other health care resource utilization. Several groups have developed cost effectiveness models comparing AF ablation primarily to antiarrhythmic drugs and the model results suggest that ablation likely falls within the range generally accepted as cost-effective in developed nations. This paper will review available information on the cost-effectiveness of catheter ablation for the treatment of atrial fibrillation, and discuss continued areas of uncertainty where further research is required.
CALTO, a Self-Sufficient Presence System for Autonomous Networks (2003)

In recent years much attention has been paid to spontaneously formed Ad Hoc networks. These networks can be formed without central management and without the use of the infrastructure the Internet provides. lack of infrastructure support brings difficulties in information location and management. This paper describes Calto, a distributed Self Sufficient Presence System for Autonomous Networks. Calto aspires to solve the problems of the currently untouched areas of presence, notification, and location management in Ad Hoc networks. In order to achieve this, Calto combines presence concepts from Second and Third Generation Mobile networks with Instant Messaging Systems subscriber services while providing distributed DNS style functionality in a Peer-to-Peer setting. It also utilizes locality and key nodes to provide Client-Server like functionality. Calto accommodates for true Ad Hoc environments while being scalable and robust in the face of network instability.
Fate of Cerebrospinal Fluid‐Borne Amyloid β‐Peptide: Rapid Clearance into Blood and Appreciable Accumulation by Cerebral Arteries (1996)

In Alzheimer's disease, the neuritic or senile amyloid plaques in hippocampus and association cortex, the diffuse plaques in brain areas such as the cerebellum and sensorimotor cortex, and the amyloid deposits in the walls of pial and parenchymal blood vessels are mainly composed of amyloid beta-peptides. In the present study, either soluble 40-residue amyloid beta-peptide radiolabeled with 125I (I-sAbeta) or [14C]polyethylene glycol ([14C]PEG, a reference material) was briefly infused into one lateral ventricle of normal rats. By 3.5 min, 30% of the I-sAbeta was cleared from ventricular CSF into blood; another 30% was removed over the next 6.5 min. No [14C]PEG was lost from the CSF-brain system during the first 5 min, and only 20% was cleared by 10 min. Much of the I-sAbeta that reached the subarachnoid space was retained by pial arteries and arterioles. Virtually no I-sAbeta was found in brain. The clearance of amyloid beta-peptides from the CSF-brain system, reported herein for normal rats, may be reduced in Alzheimer's disease, thus contributing to amyloid deposition in cerebral tissue and blood vessels.
Wear Debris in Total Joint Replacements (1994)

In vivo degradation of prosthetic implant materials is increasingly recognized as a major factor limiting the durability of total joint arthroplasty. In vivo degradation occurs primarily by means of wear processes that can generate large quantities of particulate debris. This debris can stimulate an adverse local host response leading to periprosthetic bone loss, which can compromise implant fixation and bone stock. The authors review the basic mechanisms of implant degradation and the host response to particulate degradation products, particularly in the context of the pathogenesis of osteolysis. Submicron polyethylene particles (mean size, 0.5 um) are the dominant type of wear particle present in periprosthetic tissues associated with uncemented hip replacements. Polyethylene wear can be minimized by improving the quality of the polyethylene, avoiding use of large-diameter (greater than 28 mm) femoral heads in total hip arthroplasty, and improving the design and fabrication of modular connections, which can be important sources of three-body wear particles. Advances in the understanding of the basic mechanisms of osteolysis are critical to the development of preventive measures that will minimize the clinical impact of this phenomenon.
Bi2Ru2O7 Pyrochlore Electrodes for Bi2O3 Based Electrolyte for IT-SOFC Applications (2006)

Bismuth ruthenate pyrochlore (Bi2Ru2O7: BRO) was tested as a cathode in several bismuth oxide-based electrolyte cells. Erbium oxide stabilized bismuth oxide (ESB) (Bi2O3)0.8 (Er2O3) 0.2, Bi2V0.9Me0.1O5.35 (BIMEVOX10, Me = Co, Cu, Zn), and Bi2Ru2O7 (BRO) were synthesized via solid state reaction. ESB and BIMEVOX powders were pressed and sintered into dense pellets while BRO was deposited and sintered as porous electrodes onto ESB and BIMEVOX dense pellet surfaces. Morphologies and phases of the materials were characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope and x-ray diffraction, respectively. Electrochemical performances of BRO/ESB and BRO/BIMEVOX symmetric cells were tested using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) at 200-700 {degree sign}C in air. High polarization for BIMEVOX cells was observed, while ESB cells showed a promising behaviour. Different electrochemical performances of BRO electrodes, with ESB or BIMEVOX, indicated that the phases formed at electrodes/electrolyte interface controlled the cell polarization process.
Discovery of a novel genomic alteration that renders leukemic cells resistant to CD19-targeted immunotherapies (2022)

CD19-targeted immunotherapies that stimulate a cytotoxic T-cell response have revolutionized the management of B-cell malignancies, specifically relapsed or refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/ R ALL).Blinatumomab is an anti-CD19 bispecific T-cell engager approved for the treatment of patients with R/R ALL. 1 KTE-X19 is an autologous anti-CD19 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy under investigation in the ZUMA-3 (XXX) phase 1/2 clinical trial (registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov2][3][4][5] Several distinct mechanisms have been documented, including truncating mutations in the transmembrane domain of CD19 that prevent surface expression, 5 as well as alternative messenger RNA splicing that results in loss of the antigenic epitope and prevents CAR binding. 3,4Here we describe the discovery of a novel genomic modification outside of the transmembrane and antigenic domains of CD19 that enable resistance to blinatumomab and KTE-X19.A 60-year-old woman with B-cell ALL was treated with chemotherapy followed by 2 cycles of blinatumomab as initial therapy.She experienced disease relapse after the second cycle of blinatumomab and was enrolled in the ZUMA-3 investigational study of KTE-X19.She received a single infusion of anti-CD19 CAR T cells at the target dose but had no disease response.
Enhancement of Intestinal Permeability Utilizing Solid Lipid Nanoparticles Increases γ‐Tocotrienol Oral Bioavailability (2012)

γ-Tocotrienol (γ-T3), a member of the vitamin E family, has been reported to possess an anticancer activity. γ-T3 is a lipophilic compound with low oral bioavailability. Previous studies showed that γ-T3 has low intestinal permeability. Thus, we have hypothesized that enhancing γ-T3 intestinal permeability will increase its oral bioavailability. Solid lipid nanoparticles (SLN) were tested as a model formulation to enhance γ-T3 permeability and bioavailability. γ-T3 intestinal permeability was compared using in situ rat intestinal perfusion, followed by in vivo relative oral bioavailability studies. In addition, in vitro cellular uptake of γ-T3 from SLN was compared to mixed micelles (MM) in a time and concentration-dependent studies. To elucidate the uptake mechanism(s) of γ-T3 from SLN and MM the contribution of NPC1L1 carrier-mediated uptake, endocytosis and passive permeability were investigated. In situ studies demonstrated SLN has tenfold higher permeability than MM. Subsequent in vivo studies showed γ-T3 relative oral bioavailability from SLN is threefold higher. Consistent with in situ results, in vitro concentration dependent studies revealed γ-T3 uptake from SLN was twofold higher than MM. In vitro mechanistic characterization showed that while endocytosis contributes to γ-T3 uptake from both formulations, the reduced contribution of NPC1L1 to the transport of γ-T3, and passive diffusion enhancement of γ-T3 are primary explanations for its enhanced uptake from SLN. In conclusion, SLN successfully enhanced γ-T3 oral bioavailability subsequent to enhanced passive permeability.
A Systems Approach to Model Metastatic Progression (2006)

Proteomic profiling of human disease has seen much early activity with the accessibility of the newest generation of high-throughput platforms and technologies. Nevertheless, the nature of the dynamic physiologic milieu and high dimensionality of the data has complicated major diagnostic and prognostic breakthroughs. Our recent article in Cancer Cell delineates an integrative model for culling a molecular signature of metastatic progression in prostate cancer from proteomic and transcriptomic analyses and shows its facility as a predictor of prognosis. The study leveraged direct proteomic analysis of tumor tissue extracts, differential feature selection characterizing the proteomic alterations of prostate cancer subclasses, and integration with public and study-derived genomic data to construct a multiplex gene signature representing progression of indolent cancer to aggressive disease. This further predicted clinical outcome in a variety of solid tumors. This review describes the context of the work, the framework for the analysis itself, and a look forward to the promise of this systems approach to human disease.
Anti-HLA antibodies do not recognize xenoantigens from DAF transgeneic pig kidneys (1998)

81 We have investigated the behavior of transgeneic kidneys for the human DAF molecule perfused with plasmas of hyperimmunized patients against HLA molecules, in an ex vivo perfusion system. Indeed these latter patients could be potential candidates for renal xenograft since their constant high level of anti-HLA antibodies (Ab) renders then unlikely to be considered for an allograft. The use of transgeneic pig organs could be an attractive alternative solution, since they have been shown to be protected against hyperacute rejection, providing these alloantibodies do not cross-react with xenoantigens. We have selected 6 haemodialyzed patients of our waiting list and having anti-HLA Ab reaction on at least 80% of a panel of representative alloreactive cells and stable in time. All patients have accepted to undergo two plasmaphereses allowing us to obtain at least 4 liters of plasma per patient. DAF transgeneic kidneys were perfused for 2.5 hours, after a cold ischemia time of 6 hours, in a perfusion system with a separate cartridge oxygenator circuit and a constant monitoring of the perfusion pressure. Biopsies were performed before and at the end of the perfusion. Samples of plasma were sequentially harvested from the perfusion circuit during the procedure to measure the level of anti-Gal α 1-3 Gal and anti-HLA Ab. Finally, the organs were frozen in order to eluate and study the trapped Ab. Control organs were obtained from non transgeneic animals of the same genetic background and control plasmas were obtained from non immunized individuals. The histology at the end of perfusion, showed essentially a diffuse tubulopathy without any glomcrular or vascular abnormalities for transgenic as well as control organs. Electronic microscopy showed no abnormalities. Anti-Gal Ab decreased quickly to reach a plateau after 30 minutes of perfusion. On the contrary, the level of anti-HLA Ab remained stable, suggesting that these Ab did not cross-react with xeno epitopes and especially SLA molecules. Moreover, kidneys, once perfused, were processed to eluate the bound Ab (acid elution) which were identified as anti-Gal Ab; none of these were anti-HLA Ab. These results indicate that hyperimmunized patients would not be disadvantaged toward xenotransplantation as they are toward allotransplantation.
A Numerical Study on the Optimum Fuel Split-Injection Scheme Configuration in a Constant-Volume Chamber (2008)

The effects of diesel fuel split-injection on the fuel-air ratio and the gas velocity distribution inside the combustion chamber are numerically investigated using a modified KIVA-3V code that incorporates an Enhanced Taylor Analogy Breakup (ETAB) model into the calculation of spray droplet breakup. The second injection in the split-injection scheme can generate a sudden increase in the flammable mixture area inside the chamber. Among the schemes evaluated, the split-injection configuration in which 75% of the fuel mass is injected during the first injection and the remaining fuel mass is injected after a 1.0-ms dwell is preferred as the optimum configuration with respect to particulate emission reduction. The configuration tends to produce the widest flammable area inside the chamber during the mixing-controlled combustion phase. The dwell duration in split-injection schemes does not have a linear correlation with the area of the flammable mixture. The gas velocity distributions do not change significantly when the fuel injection mass ratio and dwell duration are varied.
Tolerance and chronic rejection (2001)

The most common cause of chronic allograft loss is an incompletely understood clinicopathological entity called chronic rejection (CR). Recent reports suggest an improvement in long-term renal allograft survival, although it is not clear from these data whether a true reduction of biopsy-proven CR has occurred. Although newer immunosuppressive medications have greatly reduced the incidence of acute rejection (AR) in the early post-transplantation period, the ideal therapy for both AR and CR would be to achieve a state of tolerance. By definition, such a state should allow for indefinite allograft survival, with no histopathological evidence of CR, despite immunocompetence in the host (i.e. without the need for chronic immunosuppression). Although several experimental studies are able to achieve tolerance, with clear improvement in allograft survival, detailed studies on graft function and morphology are often not included. This review will discuss possible ways that tolerance induction could lead to a CR-free state. General mechanisms of CR and transplantation tolerance induction are discussed as well as the difficulties in translating small animals studies into large animals and humans.
Maintenance of broad host range vector pKT230 in marine unicellular cyanobacteria (1992)

The host range of pKT230 in marine unicellular cyanobacteria was investigated. The broad host range vector, pKT230, was successfully transferred by transconjugation to Synechococcus sp. PCC7335, NKBG15031a and Synechocystis 7a. pKT230 was found to be maintained as an autonomous replicon in strains NKBG15031a and 7a. pKT230 stability in Synechococcus sp. NKBG15041c, in which pKT230 was found to be maintained as an autonomous replicon in our previous report [1], was also studied. In the absence of selection pressure, after 120 h of cultivation, about 50% of cells lost the plasmid. In the presence of selection pressure (kanamycin 25 μg ml−), after 120 h of cultivation, more than 90% of the cells harboured the plasmid.
What is a Blockchain? A Definition to Clarify the Role of the Blockchain\n in the Internet of Things (2021)

The use of the term blockchain is documented for disparate projects, from\ncryptocurrencies to applications for the Internet of Things (IoT), and many\nmore. The concept of blockchain appears therefore blurred, as it is hard to\nbelieve that the same technology can empower applications that have extremely\ndifferent requirements and exhibit dissimilar performance and security. This\nposition paper elaborates on the theory of distributed systems to advance a\nclear definition of blockchain that allows us to clarify its role in the IoT.\nThis definition inextricably binds together three elements that, as a whole,\nprovide the blockchain with those unique features that distinguish it from\nother distributed ledger technologies: immutability, transparency and\nanonimity. We note however that immutability comes at the expense of remarkable\nresource consumption, transparency demands no confidentiality and anonymity\nprevents user identification and registration. This is in stark contrast to the\nrequirements of most IoT applications that are made up of resource constrained\ndevices, whose data need to be kept confidential and users to be clearly known.\nBuilding on the proposed definition, we derive new guidelines for selecting the\nproper distributed ledger technology depending on application requirements and\ntrust models, identifying common pitfalls leading to improper applications of\nthe blockchain. We finally indicate a feasible role of the blockchain for the\nIoT: myriads of local, IoT transactions can be aggregated off-chain and then be\nsuccessfully recorded on an external blockchain as a means of public\naccountability when required.\n
Scheduling Cilk multithreaded parallel programs on processors of different speeds (2000)

We study the problem of executing parallel programs, in particular Cilk programs, on a collection of processors of different speeds. We consider a model in which each processor maintains an estimate of its own speed, where communication between processors has a cost, and where all scheduling must be online. This problem has been considered previously in the fields of asynchronous parallel computing and scheduling theory. Our model is a bridge between the assumptions in these fields. We provide a new more accurate analysis of of an old scheduling algorithm called the maximum utilization scheduler. Based on this analysis, we generalize this scheduling policy and define the high utilization scheduler. We next focus on the Cilck platform and introduce a new algorithm for scheduling Cilk multithreaded parallel programs on heterogeneous processors. This scheduler is inspired by the high utilization scheduler and is modified to fit in a Cilk context. A crucial aspect of our algorithm is that it keeps the original spirit of the Cilk scheduler. In fact, when our new algorithm runs on homogeneous processors, it exactly mimics the dynamics of the original Cilk scheduler.
Influence of O-antigen Aeromonas salmonicida on non-specific and specific immune responses in Siberian sturgeon, Acipenser baeri Brandt (1999)

Investigations were carried out on Siberian sturgeon (A. baeri Brandt) fry rearing in recir- culation systems conditions. Outer membrane antigen of A. salmonicida was administered in the single intra peritoneal injection . Test of NBT reduction (both cytochemical and spectrophotometric assay), li- sozyme activity, phagocytic ability of PMN neutrophils, levels of globulins and total protein, titres of natural and specific antibodies were determined during six weeks after injection. The results obtained showed significant elevation of the cellular and humoral response indices; production of specific anti- bodies began in the first week yet.
Bioengineering Cardiac Tissue Constructs With Adult Rat Cardiomyocytes (2018)

Bioengineering cardiac tissue constructs with adult cardiomyocytes may help treat adult heart defects and injury. In this study, we fabricated cardiac tissue constructs by seeding adult rat cardiomyocytes on a fibrin gel matrix and analyzed the electromechanical properties of the formed cardiac tissue constructs. Adult rat cardiomyocytes were isolated with a collagenase type II buffer using an optimized Langendorff perfusion system. Cardiac tissue constructs were fabricated using either indirect plating with cardiomyocytes that were cultured for 1 week and dedifferentiated or with freshly isolated cardiomyocytes. The current protocol generated (3.1 ± 0.5) × 10 (n = 5 hearts) fresh cardiomyocytes from a single heart. Tissue constructs obtained by both types of plating contracted up to 30 days, and electrogram (ECG) signals and contractile twitch forces were detected. The constructs bioengineered by indirect plating of dedifferentiated cardiomyocytes produced an ECG R wave amplitude of 15.1 ± 5.2 µV (n = 7 constructs), a twitch force of 70-110 µN, and a spontaneous contraction rate of about 390 bpm. The constructs bioengineered by direct plating of fresh cardiomyocytes generated an ECG R wave amplitude of 6.3 ± 2.5 µV (n = 8 constructs), a twitch force of 40-60 µN, and a spontaneous contraction rate of about 230 bpm. This study successfully bioengineered three-dimensional cardiac tissue constructs using primary adult cardiomyocytes.
No evidence for disease-like processes in fetal transplants (2009)

On the back of recent reports showing Lewy body-like inclusions in a small percentage of transplanted dopamine neurons in Parkinson's disease (PD) over a decade after transplantation, Cicchetti et al. (1) now speculate that fetal grafts in Huntington's disease (HD) show a predisposition to disease-like processes 10 years after transplantation. Several points should, however, be taken into consideration when interpreting the data presented in this study, which we believe challenge the conclusions made by the authors.
An Efficient Channel-Aware Aloha-Like OFDMA-Based Wireless Communication Protocol for IoT Communications in Wireless Sensor Networks (2017)

Wireless sensor networks consisting of several sensors deployed in a given area, under an internet of things (IoT) paradigm, are considered. Sensor nodes may or may not be close enough to communicate with each other in order to perform collaborative transmissions. A communication protocol based on random access and orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) is proposed in order to allow the sensors to operate autonomously by transmitting their measured data to a central processing system, where it is processed and analyzed. Whenever it has data to transmit, each sensor independently accesses a time-frequency slot in a probabilistic manner to avoid collisions. A controlling entity, e.g., a central base station (BS) covering a certain sensor deployment area receives the sensor transmissions and provides synchronization information by periodically transmitting a pilot signal over the available OFDMA subcarriers. Sensors use this signal for channel quality estimation. Results show that this approach performs well in terms of transmission data rates and collision probability.