gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Association of catastrophizing with interleukin-6 responses to acute pain (2008)

Catastrophizing exerts its deleterious effects on pain via multiple pathways, and some researchers have reported that high levels of catastrophizing are associated with enhanced physiological reactivity to painful stimulation. In this project, 42 generally healthy adults underwent a series of psychophysical pain testing procedures assessing responses to noxious mechanical, heat, and cold stimuli. Pain catastrophizing cognitions were assessed prior to and then immediately after the various pain induction procedures. Blood samples were taken at baseline and then at several time points from the end of the procedures to 1h post-testing. Samples were assayed for serum levels of cortisol and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Both cortisol and IL-6 increased from baseline during the post-testing period (p's<.05), with cortisol returning to baseline by 1h post-testing and IL-6 remaining elevated. Pain catastrophizing, measured immediately after the pain procedures, was unrelated to cortisol reactivity, but was strongly related to IL-6 reactivity (p<.01), with higher levels of catastrophizing predicting greater IL-6 reactivity. In multivariate analyses, the relationship between catastrophizing and IL-6 reactivity was independent of pain ratings. Collectively, these findings suggest that cognitive and emotional responses during the experience of pain can shape pro-inflammatory immune system responses to noxious stimulation. This pathway may represent one important mechanism by which catastrophizing and other psychosocial factors shape the experience of both acute and chronic pain in a variety of settings.
Refractory Period Extension During Ventricular Pacing at Fibrillatory Pacing Rates (1997)

Refractory period extension (RPE) has been proposed as a basic mechanism for defibrillation but it remains unclear if RPE exists at the fast rates associated with ventricular fibrillation. In 7 pentobarbital anesthetized dogs, we measured refractory periods with and without 8 ms rectangular transcardiac shocks at left ventricular pacing rates of 200-600 beats/min. To achieve these high rates, an incremental rate pacing method was used to produce pacing train timing sequences requiring 4.5-27 seconds. A variably timed premature stimulus followed the last stimulus in each pacing train. To determine refractoriness, a 128 electrode array (4 x 4 cm) was used to detect the presence, or absence of an activation sequence sweeping away from the pacing site. At each rate, a control refractory period (RPc) was measured and refractory periods were also measured for 8 and 12 V/cm shocks with coupling intervals of 60% to 90% of RPc. RPc decreased as the rate increased with a minimum RPc of 94 ms at a rate of 600 beats/min (100 ms cycle length). RPE/RPc versus shock coupling interval was similar at all pacing rates. RPE/RPc increased with increased coupling interval or higher shock intensity. We conclude that during ventricular pacing at fibrillatory rates tissue is nearly always in a refractory state; that RPE exists at fibrillatory activation rates; and that RPE/RPc versus shock coupling interval does not vary strongly with pacing rate. These findings support the hypothesis that RPE contributes to defibrillation.
Evaluation of the Accuracy of NaviDent, a Novel Dynamic Computer-guided Navigation System for Placing Dental Implants (2013)

Objectives: To evaluate and compare an experimental surgical navigation system (ESNS) in implant placement accuracy to static planning and transfer systems. Material and Methods: Partially edentulous, surgical typodonts were used to simulate prosthetically-driven osteotomies in preclinical setting. After cbCT acquisition the DICOM files were used to reverse plan and fabricate surgical guides. Manual placement, three static guiding systems and ESNS were compared. Eight osteotomies per jaw were transferred to 10 typodonts in five series, resulting in 400 osteotomies by 3 operators, each modality. Lateral, vertical, total and angular deviations were measured and compared. Results: Computer-assisted systems were comparable and provided superior precision laterally and in angulation, but not vertically; implants placed in free-end positions were less accurate. Conclusions: All computer-aided methods showed less than 2 mm or 5 degrees error on average, which needs to be considered in clinical practice.
Pill-esophagitis caused by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs. (1991)

A case of meclofenamate-induced pill-esophagitis is reported, and the relevant literature is reviewed. The role of posture, amount of fluid chaser, esophageal obstruction or dysmotility, drug formulation, physical and chemical properties of the drug, and concomitant ingestion of alcohol, as well as the diagnosis and management of such cases, are discussed.
Evolved aniline catabolism in Acinetobacter calcoaceticus during continuous culture of river water (1986)

Adaptation of Acinetobacter calcoaceticus from river water to aniline depends on the dynamics of parent and mutant populations. The parent, Acinetobacter strain DON26 phenotype Ani0, was common in river water and assimilated aniline effectively at micromolar concentrations, but was inhibited at higher concentrations of aniline. The Ani0 phenotype was also characterized by a broad specificity for oxidation of chloroanilines by aniline-induced cells. The mutant Ani+ phenotype was represented by DON2, isolated from a population of less than 100 cells ml-1 in a mixed river water culture, and by DON261, isolated during continuous culture of DON26. Ani+ strains assimilated aniline at a greater maximum specific rate than the parent and were able to grow at concentrations of aniline greater than 16 mM. These strains cooxidized phenol after growth at high aniline concentrations, but showed reduced activity toward chloroanilines. These changes plus kinetic data, oxygen uptake data, and the results of auxanography indicate that the mutant has an increased activity and altered specificity of the initial enzyme in the aniline catabolic pathway. The parent strain, DON26, was at a selective advantage relative to the mutant at low concentrations of aniline, but was replaced by the mutant when aniline concentrations increased. Adaptation of the mixed river water community to aniline involved selection of both phenotypes. Reversion of the Ani+ to Ani0 phenotype occurred at a frequency of 10(-2) in the absence of aniline selection. Plasmid content was not altered during either acquisition or loss of the Ani+ phenotype. Adaptive changes in Acinetobacter spp. populations illustrate important differences in the catabolic activities of natural and pollutant selected strains.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Acid-catalyzed Reactions of Cyclobutanones. II. Generation of Acylium Ions from β,γ-Unsaturated Cyclobutanones (1972)

Acid-catalyzed rearrangement of 3-methylene-2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutanone (1) gave the γ-lactone of 2,2,3,4-tetramethyl-4-hydroxyvaleric acid. Reaction of 2,2,4,4-tetramethylcyclobutane-1,3-dione (5) with PPA gave diisopropylketone with evolution of carbon dioxide. Acylium ions are postulated as intermediates in both these reactions.
Activation of electrogenic Rb+ transport of (Na,K)-ATPase by an electric field. (1984)

Previous study shows that human erythrocytes when exposed, in an isotonic suspension, to an electric field that generated 6-15 mV of transmembrane potential induced a Rb+ uptake that was sensitive to ouabain, a potent inhibitor of (Na,K)-ATPase ( Serpersu , E. H., and Tsong , T. Y. (1983) J. Membr . Biol. 74, 191-201). Here we present evidence that this uptake indeed involved the activity of (Na,K)-ATPase. Transport of Rb+, K+, and Na+ were carefully monitored during the voltage stimulation. It is shown that the electric field stimulated only the ouabain-sensitive influx of Rb+, and this uptake was against a chemical concentration gradient. The rate of the stimulated Rb+ uptake was measured under different intracellular Na+ and extracellular Rb+ concentrations. The Km for the stimulated Rb+ uptake was, respectively, 7 mM for the intracellular Na+ and 1.7 mM for the extracellular Rb+, consistent with the values for the red cell (Na,K)-ATPase. Yet, the voltage-sensitive Rb+ uptake did not depend on the intracellular ATP level. Neither did the voltage stimulation cause an elevation of ATP concentration in the red blood cells as was observed in mitochondrial and chloroplast ATP synthetase systems under higher electric field conditions. Since only Rb+ uptake was stimulated by the voltage, it follows then that the Na+ and the K+ pumping activities of the (Na,K)-ATPase could be decoupled, and the K+ pumping activity may derive from the electrogenic component of the enzyme action. In the present case, the applied electric field could polarize the membrane to provide membrane potential required for the electrogenic transport of Rb+. Data also show that vanadate at 180 microM completely inhibited the ATP-dependent Na+ and Rb+ pumping activities of the enzyme, but only reduced the voltage-stimulated Rb+ uptake to 50% level. This represents the first systematic study of the activation of a transport ATPase by an externally applied electric field.
An Introduction to Appropriate Technology (1978)

The population of the world is distributed over very varied regions differing markedly in climate and environment. There are also large ethnic, social and cultural differences between the various communities and their economic conditions. Roughly one-quarter of the world’s population is generally regarded as developed and the remaining three-quarters is described variously as developing, undeveloped, Third World, emerging, or low income. Whatever word we use to describe these countries, the basic fact about them is that they are regions in which most of the people have a low, and sometimes a very low, standard of life.
Clinical trial of foam cushions in the prevention of decubitis ulcers in elderly patients. (1988)

Polyurethane foam cushions in a slab form or a customized contoured form are commonly used in wheelchairs to prevent the development of decubitus ulcers (DU) in elderly chronically ill persons. Sixty-two consenting subjects, 60 years or older, were randomly assigned to sit on one of the two types of cushions for 3 or more hours daily for 5 months. A total of 72 DU developed in the 52 subjects who completed the study. These were mostly in the areas of ischial tuberosities, buttocks, and thighs; were of persistent erythema level in severity; and took an average of 6 to 8 weeks to heal. No statistically significant differences were found in the incidence, location, severity, or healing time of the sores that developed in the subjects who used the slab (N = 26) and those who used the contoured (N = 26) cushions. But, more severe sores did develop among the slab cushion group in the area of ischial tuberosities. It appears that foam customization for elderly persons could be justified only if DU have been a particular problem in this region. Incontinence as a contributory factor to DU formation should receive careful attention with respect to prevention. The trials described are being continued, using a larger number of subjects.
Expression of an interspecies idiotype in sera of SLE patients and their first-degree relatives. (1988)

Sera from 29 SLE patients and 81 first-degree healthy family members were tested for quantitative expression of a cross-reactive idiotype present on a murine monoclonal anti-Sm autoantibody (Y2). Forty-one percent of SLE patients and 27% of all relatives showed increased serum levels of the Y2 idiotype compared to 6% in a normal, unrelated control group. In addition, female relatives of SLE patients showed slightly increased levels of anti-Sm antibodies compared to male relatives (15% vs 3%). In one of the 28 families and three unrelated SLE patients studied, there was a significant correlation between the Y2 idiotype expression and expression of another idiotype present on anti-DNA antibodies (1341d). Affinity column absorption studies showed that these two idiotypes were present on different antibody molecules. This study demonstrates: (1) a genetic predisposition for an anti-Sm antibody idiotype expression in humans; and (2) that two different idiotypes may be under parallel or coordinate regulation.
Cutting Edge: Human γδ T Cells Are Activated by Intermediates of the 2- <i>C</i> -methyl- <scp>d</scp> -erythritol 4-phosphate Pathway of Isoprenoid Biosynthesis (2001)

Activation of V gamma 9/V delta 2 T cells by small nonprotein Ags is frequently observed after infection with various viruses, bacteria, and eukaryotic parasites. We suggested earlier that compounds synthesized by the 2-C:-methyl-D-erythritol 4-phosphate (MEP) pathway of isopentenyl pyrophosphate synthesis are responsible for the V gamma 9/V delta 2 T cell reactivity of many pathogens. Using genetically engineered Escherichia coli knockout strains, we now demonstrate that the ability of E. coli extracts to stimulate gamma delta T cell proliferation is abrogated when genes coding for essential enzymes of the MEP pathway, dxr or gcpE, are disrupted or deleted from the bacterial genome.
Adaptive linear prediction with power-of-two coefficients (2001)

When digital filters are designed with power-of-two coefficients, the multiplications can be implemented by simple shifting operations. For VLSI implementations, multiplierless filters are faster and more compact than filters with multipliers. In this paper, an algorithm is designed to find and update the power-of-two coefficients of an adaptive filter. The new method uses the well known genetic algorithm (GA) for this purpose. The GA is used in a unique way in order to reduce computations. Small blocks of data are used for the GA and only one new generation is produced per sample of data. This coupled with fact that the coefficients are power-of-two, yields a computational complexity of O(N) additions and no multiplications. Examples are given for adaptive linear prediction. The results are very promising and illustrate the performance of the new algorithm.
Age and sex differences in reaction time in adulthood: Results from the United Kingdom Health and Lifestyle Survey. (2006)

Reaction times (RTs) slow and become more variable with age. Research samples are typically small, biased, and of restricted age range. Consequently, little is known about the precise pattern of change, whereas evidence for sex differences is equivocal. The authors reanalyzed data for 7,130 adult participants in the United Kingdom Health and Lifestyle Survey, originally reported by F. A. Huppert (1987). The authors modeled the age differences in simple and 4-choice reaction time means and variabilities and tested for sex differences. Simple RT shows little slowing until around 50, whereas choice RT slows throughout the adult age range. The aging of choice RT variability is a function of its mean and the error rate. There are significant sex differences, most notably for choice RT variability.
Thick-film CO gas sensors (1979)

A gas sensor of SnO <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> -based materials has been made by thick-film technology utilizing hydrophobic silica as a binder. The technology can achieve a high productivity as well as a reduced humidity dependence and a sufficient mechanical strength of sensors. A thick-film sensor of SnO <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> incorporated with ThO <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> shows highly selective detection for CO gas, separated from H <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> gas; i.e., sensitivity to CO is 42 times higher than to H <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> at both gas concentrations of 50 ppm. An excellent humidity-independent sensitivity is also achieved.
Synthesis of alumina-metal nanocomposites by mechanical alloying (1993)

The synthesis of nanometer-sized [MATH]-Al2O3-metal composites can be performed by room temperature ball-milling of mixtures of metal-oxides and aluminium as shown by Matteazzi and Le Caër. The average crystallite size of the alumina-metal composite so obtained is in general about 10nm. Such composites may also be prepared by direct grinding of a mixture of [MATH]-Al2O3 and of a metal or an alloy. The present work is devoted to the study of the reaction mechanisms by X-Ray diffraction and 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy for the [MATH]-Al2O3-Cr, [MATH]-Al2O3-Fe, [MATH]-Al2O3-(Fe-Cr) and [MATH]-Al2O3-Ti systems. Mössbauer spectroscopy shows that non-completely reduced Fe, partly in the form of Fe2+, still exists at the end of the synthesis and belongs to a ternary Al-Fe-O oxide in [MATH]-Al2O3-Fe composites although it cannot be indexed by X-Ray diffraction. The Fe2+ component is mainly associated with iron environments in or similar to those of hercynite. Species like Fe3+ in Al2O3 or in grain boundaries are observed, Fe4+ and Feo cannot be excluded. Differences are obtained by reactive milling and by direct milling the reaction products. Reactive milling of Al-TiO2 (anatase) yields [MATH]-Al2O3-Ti nanocomposites. The transient formation of a high-pressure orthorhombic form of TiO2 of the [MATH]-PbO2 type is observed.
The performance of the multispectral thermal imager (MTI) surface temperature retrieval algorithm at three sites (2005)

This work describes the surface temperature retrieval algorithm for the U.S. Department of Energy Multispectral Thermal Imager (MTI) satellite and its performance at three test sites. The MTI is a 15-band multispectral research and technology development satellite that provides high spatial resolution imagery of the earth's surface from a polar orbit. It has a capability for pixel-by-pixel retrieval of total atmospheric water vapor during the day. The surface temperature retrieval process uses atmospheric profiles of temperature and water vapor from numerical weather prediction data assimilation products available for the globe. The profiles of water vapor are scaled using the retrieved pixel-by-pixel water vapor during the day to improve atmospheric compensation within the image. The algorithm requires specification of a maximum emissivity or the acceptance of a default: here the maximum band emissivity is known and specified. The results of the algorithm are evaluated at three sites with a high degree of surface uniformity and known spectral emissivity: Lake Tahoe, NV/CA, Ivanpah Playa, NV/CA, and the Mauna Loa caldera, HI. At the first two sites, coincident measurements of surface temperature and emissivity are available. At Mauna Loa, surface emissivity measurements are available, but surface temperature measurements are not. Therefore, at Mauna Loa, the surface emissivity estimates derived from the surface temperature retrieval are compared with emissivity measurements. The results show that the surface temperature retrievals had a root mean square (RMS) difference with surface measurements of 0.6 K during the day and 1.0 K at night. This indicates, albeit weakly, that the use of pixel-by-pixel water vapor retrieved by the satellite improves the overall surface temperature retrievals. At Ivanpah Playa, all the data are daytime, and the surface temperature retrievals have an RMS difference with the in situ measurements of 0.8 K. The Mauna Loa emissivities derived from the surface temperature retrieval agreed excellently with in situ emissivity measurements. The approach taken to perform surface temperature retrieval, used operationally within the MTI research and development program, is seen to be simple and effective.
Purification and characterization of urease isolated from the pathogenic fungus<i>Coccidioides immitis</i> (2002)

Coccidioides immitis, the causative agent of San Joaquin Valley fever (coccidioidomycosis), produces a urease which has been suggested to contribute to the virulence of this fungal pathogen. Urease catalyzes the hydrolysis of urea and has been proposed to at least partly account for alkalinity of the microenvironment in which C. immitis grows due to the release of ammonia and ammonium ions. The C. immitis urease was purified to homogeneity (1048-fold) from the mycelial cytosol by chromatographic fractionation. The sequence of 12 N-terminal amino-acid residues of the purified, native polypeptide was identical to that predicted by the translated urease gene sequence which has been reported. The isolated enzyme exhibited a specific activity in the presence of urea of 1750 micromol min(-1) mg(-1) protein, has a native molecular mass of 450 kDa, revealed a Km for urea of 4.1 mM, had a pH optimum of 8.0 and is heat stable. Hydroxyurea, acetohydroxamic acid (AHA) and boric acid each inhibited activity of the purified enzyme. Urease activity was enhanced by the presence of 5-10 mM concentrations of Mg2+ or Mn2+, but inhibited by Li+, Ni2+, Cu2+ or Zn2+. The reversible urease inhibitor, AHA, blocked enzyme activity in the crude mycelial cytosolic fraction when added at a concentration of 10 mM. On the other hand, 10 mM AHA added to 4-day-old mycelial cultures only partially decreased the amount of ammonium detected in the culture medium. It is evident, therefore, that C. immitis urease activity does not account for the total amount of ammonia secreted during in vitro growth of the pathogen. Other metabolic sources of ammonia, which may also contribute to the virulence of C. immitis, are under investigation.
Multispectral imaging of the ocular fundus using light emitting diode illumination (2010)

We present an imaging system based on light emitting diode (LED) illumination that produces multispectral optical images of the human ocular fundus. It uses a conventional fundus camera equipped with a high power LED light source and a highly sensitive electron-multiplying charge coupled device camera. It is able to take pictures at a series of wavelengths in rapid succession at short exposure times, thereby eliminating the image shift introduced by natural eye movements (saccades). In contrast with snapshot systems the images retain full spatial resolution. The system is not suitable for applications where the full spectral resolution is required as it uses discrete wavebands for illumination. This is not a problem in retinal imaging where the use of selected wavelengths is common. The modular nature of the light source allows new wavelengths to be introduced easily and at low cost. The use of wavelength-specific LEDs as a source is preferable to white light illumination and subsequent filtering of the remitted light as it minimizes the total light exposure of the subject. The system is controlled via a graphical user interface that enables flexible control of intensity, duration, and sequencing of sources in synchrony with the camera. Our initial experiments indicate that the system can acquire multispectral image sequences of the human retina at exposure times of 0.05 s in the range of 500-620 nm with mean signal to noise ratio of 17 dB (min 11, std 4.5), making it suitable for quantitative analysis with application to the diagnosis and screening of eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration.
Dendrimer-Encapsulated Pt Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization, and Applications to Catalysis (1999)

Communication: Dendrimers act as templates for platinum nanoparticles. The authors describe a general synthetic approach whereby a dendrimer nanotemplate is loaded with Pt2+, which is reduced in situ to yield a dendrimer-encapsulated metal cluster. The clusters are monodisperse and very stable, and when attached to an electrode surface, they act as efficient electrocatalysts for O2 reduction (see Figure).