gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Deposition of uniform Zr-Sn-Ti-O films by on-axis reactive sputtering (1998)

We describe the deposition of amorphous Zr-Sn-Ti-O (aZTT) dielectric thin films using conventional on-axis reactive sputtering. Thin films of composition Zr/sub 0.2/Sn/sub 0.2/Ti/sub 0.6/O <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> have excellent dielectric properties: 40-50-nm thick films with a dielectric constant of 50-70 were obtained, depending on the processing conditions, yielding a specific capacitance of 9-17 fF/μm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> . Breakdown fields were measured to be 3-5 MV/cm, yielding a figure of merit /spl epsi//spl epsi/ <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">0</sub> E/sub br/=15-30 μC/cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> , up to eightfold higher than conventional deposited SiO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> . Leakage currents, measured at 1.0 MV/cm, were in the range 10/sup -9/-10/sup -7/ A/cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> . This material appears well-suited for use in Si-IC device technology, for example as storage capacitors in DRAM.
Umsetzungen mit Monohydrazonen von Dicarbonylverbindungen, V: Umsetzungen von Hydrazonoethylidenammonium‐Salzen und Hydrazonoaldehyden mit Grignard‐Verbindungen (1978)

Abstract Hydrazonoethylidenammonium‐Salze der Konstitution 3c , a lassen sich mit Grignard‐Verbindungen zu den entsprechenden α‐Aminohydrazonen 8a – k und 16 umsetzen. Aus den Verbindungen mit aliphatischer Kette, 8a – g , sind durch Abspaltung der Aminogruppe α,β‐ungesättigte Hydrazone 9a – g darstellbar. Die α,β‐ungesättigten 4‐Hydrazonoaldehyde 29a , b reagieren mit magnesiumorganischen Verbindungen zunächst zu Alkoholen 31a – d , die leicht zu N ‐Aminopyrrolen 32a – d cyclisieren.
Kinetics of the Ring-Opening Polymerization of 6-, 7-, 9-, 12-, 13-, 16-, and 17-Membered Lactones. Comparison of Chemical and Enzymatic Polymerizations (2002)

The kinetics of bulk polymerization of 6-, 7-, 9-, 12-, 13-, 16-, and 17-membered lactones initiated with a zinc 2-ethylhexanoate/butyl alcohol system at 100 °C was studied and compared with that of lipase-catalyzed polymerization. Instantaneous concentrations of the lactone monomers were determined on the basis of the relative intensities of signals in the 1H NMR spectra (500 MHz, CDCl3 as a solvent, room temperature) from the ω-methylene protons (−(CH2)x-1CH2OC(O)−) (where x = 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 14, and 15) in the lactone monomer and the polyester repeating units, respectively. Linearity of the semilogarithmic kinetic dependencies (ln([lactone]0/[lactone]) vs time), revealed a first order of propagation in monomer for all of the polymerizations studied. This kinetic behavior, pointing to the constant concentration of the involved active centers and thus to the practical elimination of termination side reaction, allowed the relative polymerization rates to be determined. The following order of polymerization rates has been obtained: 2500:330:21:0.9:1.0:0.9:1.0 for the 6-, 7-, 9-, 12-, 13-, 16-, and 17-membered lactones, respectively. The order of rates of the enzymatic polymerization, determined earlier in an independent paper, shows an inverted dependence on the ring size, namely 0.10:0.13:0.19:0.74:1.0 for the 7-, 12-, 13-, 16-, and 17-membered lactones, respectively. The resulting difference in the orders of lactone reactivities in chemical and enzymatic polymerizations is explained in terms of a difference in factors controlling polymerization rates in both processes. The ring strain, which decreases with increasing lactone size, is partially released in the transition state of the elementary reaction of the polyester chain growth, which eventually leads to faster propagation for more strained monomers in chemical polymerizations. In enzymatic polymerizations, the rate-determining step involves formation of the lactone−lipase complex. The latter reaction is promoted by the hydrophobicity of the lactone monomer, which is higher for the larger lactone rings.
Chip-level vacuum packaging of micromachines using nanogetters (2003)

A new approach to vacuum packaging of micro-machined resonant, tunneling, and display devices is covered in this paper. A multi-layer, thin-film getter, called a NanoGetter, which is particle free and does not increase the chip size of the microsystem has been developed and integrated into conventional wafer-to-wafer bonding processes. Hermetic electrical feedthroughs are also provided as part of this total-solution technology. Experimental data taken with silicon resonators is presented in which Q values in excess of 21,000 have been obtained. Applications for this technology include gyroscopes, accelerometers, displays, flow sensors, density meters, infrared (IR) sensors, microvacuum tubes, radio frequency microelectromechanical systems (RF-MEMS) and pressure sensors.
Inhibitors of human heart chymase based on a peptide library. (1995)

We have synthesized two sets of noncleavable peptide-inhibitor libraries to map the S and S' subsites of human heart chymase. Human heart chymase is a chymotrypsin-like enzyme that converts angiotensin I to angiotensin II. The first library consists of peptides with 3-fluorobenzylpyruvamides in the P1 position. (Amino acid residues of substrates numbered P1, P2, etc., are toward the N-terminal direction, and P'1, P'2, etc., are toward the C-terminal direction from the scissile bond.) The P'1 and P'2 positions were varied to contain each one of the 20 naturally occurring amino acids and P'3 was kept constant as an arginine. The second library consists of peptides with phenylalanine keto-amides at P1, glycine in P'1, and benzyloxycarbonyl (Z)-isoleucine in P4. The P2 and P3 positions were varied to contain each of the naturally occurring amino acids, except for cysteine and methionine. The peptides of both libraries are attached to a solid support (pins). The peptides are evaluated by immersing the pins in a solution of the target enzyme and evaluating the amount of enzyme absorbed. The pins with the best inhibitors will absorb most enzyme. The libraries select the best and worst inhibitors within each group of peptides and provide an approximate ranking of the remaining peptides according to Ki. Through this library, we determined that Z-Ile-Glu-Pro-Phe-CO2Me and (F)-Phe-CO-Glu-Asp-ArgOMe should be the best inhibitors of chymase in this collection of peptide inhibitors. We synthesized the peptides and found Ki values were 1 nM and 1 microM, respectively. The corresponding Ki values for chymotrypsin were 10 nM and 100 microM. The use of libraries of inhibitors has advantages over the classical method of synthesis of potential inhibitors in solution: the libraries are reusable, the same libraries can be used with a variety of different serine proteases, and the method allows the screening of hundreds of compounds in short periods of time.
Assessing and Improving Methods Used in Operational Taxonomic Unit-Based Approaches for 16S rRNA Gene Sequence Analysis (2011)

In spite of technical advances that have provided increases in orders of magnitude in sequencing coverage, microbial ecologists still grapple with how to interpret the genetic diversity represented by the 16S rRNA gene. Two widely used approaches put sequences into bins based on either their similarity to reference sequences (i.e., phylotyping) or their similarity to other sequences in the community (i.e., operational taxonomic units [OTUs]). In the present study, we investigate three issues related to the interpretation and implementation of OTU-based methods. First, we confirm the conventional wisdom that it is impossible to create an accurate distance-based threshold for defining taxonomic levels and instead advocate for a consensus-based method of classifying OTUs. Second, using a taxonomic-independent approach, we show that the average neighbor clustering algorithm produces more robust OTUs than other hierarchical and heuristic clustering algorithms. Third, we demonstrate several steps to reduce the computational burden of forming OTUs without sacrificing the robustness of the OTU assignment. Finally, by blending these solutions, we propose a new heuristic that has a minimal effect on the robustness of OTUs and significantly reduces the necessary time and memory requirements. The ability to quickly and accurately assign sequences to OTUs and then obtain taxonomic information for those OTUs will greatly improve OTU-based analyses and overcome many of the challenges encountered with phylotype-based methods.
The Total Synthesis of Immunostimulant α-Galactosylceramides from Naturally Configured α-Galactoside Raffinose (2011)

The total synthesis of absolute anomeric confirmation α-galactosylceramide analogues from raffinose is described. Using the naturally occurring α-galactoside raffinose as the starting material, the easily maneuverable protocol without glycosylation reactions ensured the critical α-linkage in the product and simplified the synthetic procedures. The immunostimulatory activities of the new α-galactosylceramides were validated by both in vitro and in vivo NKT cell stimulation assays.
Vascular effects of cyclosporine A in vivo and in vitro. (1990)

The authors have evaluated the in vivo effects of cyclosporine A on the de-endothelialized rabbit carotid artery. Vascular endothelium was gently removed from the common carotid artery of 10 New Zealand White rabbits that then were treated with therapeutic doses of cyclosporine A (15 mg/kg/day), or its vehicle (Cremophor-EL). Significant intimal proliferation was observed in all cases 2 weeks after de-endothelialization. Concomitant cyclosporine A therapy had no significant effect on intimal smooth muscle proliferation, but was associated with 1) intimal smooth muscle vacuolation, 2) an increase in total intimal thickening, because of the presence of numerous macrophage-derived foam cells, and 3) incorporation of 3H-thymidine by neo-intimal monocyte/macrophages. Mean plasma cholesterol levels were moderately increased in both groups. Although this may have contributed to foam cell formation in the cyclosporine-A-treated animals, it was not the sole determinant, as foam-cell-rich lesions were not observed in control animals. In vitro, cyclosporine A reduced the rate of proliferation of rabbit aortic smooth muscle and endothelial cells in a dose-dependent fashion, and induced smooth muscle cell vacuolation. These data suggest that cyclosporine A may contribute to the formation of graft-related atherosclerosis.
Production of platelet-derived growth factor-like molecules by cultured arterial smooth muscle cells accompanies proliferation after arterial injury. (1986)

The migration and proliferation of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) within the intima of arteries following mechanical injury is thought to be initiated by vessel wall injury and release of growth factors, in particular the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF). However, the mechanism by which SMC proliferation is regulated after platelet interaction with the vessel wall has ceased is unknown. Here we show that SMCs derived from the intima of injured rat arteries (intimal SMCs) are phenotypically distinct from SMCs from unmanipulated vessels (medial SMCs). Intimal SMCs secrete 5-fold greater amounts of PDGF-like activity into conditioned medium in culture, have fewer receptors for 125I-labeled PDGF, and are not mitogenically stimulated by exogenous purified PDGF. This study demonstrates that two SMC phenotypes can develop in the adult rat artery and suggests that SMC proliferation in vivo may be controlled, in part, by SMCs that produce PDGF-like molecules.
New Generation of Ensemble-Decision Aliquot Ranking Based on Simplified Microfluidic Components for Large-Capacity Trapping of Circulating Tumor Cells (2013)

Ensemble-decision aliquot ranking (eDAR) is a sensitive and high-throughput method to analyze circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from peripheral blood. Here, we report the next generation of eDAR, where we designed and optimized a new hydrodynamic switching scheme for the active sorting step in eDAR, which provided fast cell sorting with an improved reproducibility and stability. The microfluidic chip was also simplified by incorporating a functional area for subsequent purification using microslits fabricated by standard lithography method. Using the reported second generation of eDAR, we were able to analyze 1 mL of whole-blood samples in 12.5 min, with a 95% recovery and a zero false positive rate (n = 15).
Digital Image Warping (1990)

This best-selling, original text focuses on image reconstruction, real-time texture mapping, separable algorithms, two-pass transforms, mesh warping, and special effects. The text, containing all original material, begins with the history of the field and continues with a review of common terminology, mathematical preliminaries, and digital image acquisition. Later chapters discuss equations for spatial information, interpolation kernels, filtering problems, and fast-warping techniques based on scanline algorithms.
JPEG2000: Image Compression Fundamentals, Standards and Practice (2002)

The <i>Journal of Electronic Imaging</i> (JEI), copublished bimonthly with the Society for Imaging Science and Technology, publishes peer-reviewed papers that cover research and applications in all areas of electronic imaging science and technology.
Omnidirectional Printing of Flexible, Stretchable, and Spanning Silver Microelectrodes (2009)

Flexible, stretchable, and spanning microelectrodes that carry signals from one circuit element to another are needed for many emerging forms of electronic and optoelectronic devices. We have patterned silver microelectrodes by omnidirectional printing of concentrated nanoparticle inks in both uniform and high-aspect ratio motifs with minimum widths of approximately 2 micrometers onto semiconductor, plastic, and glass substrates. The patterned microelectrodes can withstand repeated bending and stretching to large levels of strain with minimal degradation of their electrical properties. With this approach, wire bonding to fragile three-dimensional devices and spanning interconnects for solar cell and light-emitting diode arrays are demonstrated.
Circularized Ac/Ds Transposons: Formation, Structure and Fate (1997)

The maize Ac/Ds transposable elements are thought to transpose via a cut-and-paste mechanism, but the intermediates formed during transposition are still unknown. In this work we present evidence that circular Ac molecules are formed in plants containing actively transposing elements. In these circles, transposon ends are joined head-to-head. The sequence at the ends' junction is variable, containing small deletions or insertions. Circles containing deleted Ac ends are probably unable to successfully reintegrate. To test the ability of circles with intact transposon ends to integrate into the genome, an artificial Ds circle was constructed by cloning the joined ends of Ac into a plasmid carrying a plant selectable marker. When such a circular Ds was introduced into tobacco protoplasts in the presence of Ac-transposase, no efficient transposase-mediated integration was observed. Although a circular transposition intermediate cannot be ruled out, the findings of circles with deleted transposon ends and the absence of transposase-mediated integration of the circular Ds suggest that some of the joined-ends-carrying elements are not transposition intermediates, but rather abortive excision products. The formation of Ac circles might account for the previously described phenomenon of Ac-loss. The origin of Ac circles and the implications for models of Ac transposition are discussed.
An alternative education (1991)

Listening and reflecting skills are vital qualities of the diabetes nurse specialist argues Florence Brown
New Mouse Model for Dengue Virus Vaccine Testing (1999)

Several dengue (DEN) virus vaccines are in development; however, the lack of a reliable small animal model in which to test them is a major obstacle. Because evidence suggests that interferon (IFN) is involved in the human anti-DEN virus response, we tested mice deficient in their IFN functions as potential models. Intraperitoneally administered mouse-adapted DEN 2 virus was uniformly lethal in AG129 mice (which lack alpha/beta IFN and gamma IFN receptor genes), regardless of age. Immunized mice were protected from virus challenge, and survival times increased following passive transfer of anti-DEN polyclonal antibody. These results demonstrate that AG129 mice are a promising small animal model for DEN virus vaccine trials.
A central role for IL-1 β in the in vitro and in vivo regulation of hepatic inducible nitric oxide synthase. IL-1 β induces hepatic nitric oxide synthesis (1995)

We have previously demonstrated that high levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression in hepatocytes required a combination of LPS and TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IFN-gamma. The need for such a complex regulatory system seemed unwarranted based on the importance of NO in the liver. Therefore, we investigated whether individual cytokines could induce NO synthesis in hepatocytes and characterized some of the mechanisms involved. Rat hepatocytes were stimulated in vitro with escalating doses of TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, or IFN-gamma. Only IL-1 beta induced high levels of iNOS mRNA and corresponding NO2- + NO3- production, and dexamethasone and cycloheximide blocked a majority of this response. Nuclear run-on experiments revealed that IL-1 beta upregulated iNOS gene transcription. IL-1 receptor antagonist protein (IL-1ra) competitively inhibited IL-1 beta-stimulated NO synthesis, implying activation through a cell-specific receptor. Rats injected with both LPS and IL-1ra showed decreased hepatic iNOS mRNA and plasma NO2- + NO3- compared with rats given LPS alone, indicating that IL-1 beta plays a role in regulating iNOS expression within the liver in vivo during endotoxemia. The soluble TNF receptor antagonist, PEG-(rsTNF-RI)2, also suppressed hepatic iNOS mRNA levels and plasma NO2- + NO3- increases, supporting a role for this cytokine in LPS-induced iNOS expression. Finally, IL-1 beta at high doses also induced iNOS mRNA and significant NO2- + NO3- production in cultures of primary human hepatocytes. These data indicate an important role for IL-1 beta in the regulation of hepatic NO synthesis.
Tracer studies of the interconversion of R- and S-methylmalonic semialdehydes in man (1985)

Two human subjects were given separate oral doses of sodium [2H6]isobutyrate and [methyl-2H3]thymine and the labelling patterns of urinary metabolites were determined. Ingestion of deuterated isobutyrate resulted in the excretion of 2H5-labelled S-3-hydroxyisobutyric acid, formed on the direct catabolic pathway, and of S- and R-[2H4]-3-hydroxyisobutyric acids, formed by the reduction of S- and R-methylmalonic semialdehydes respectively. Only the R-enantiomer of urinary 3-hydroxyisobutyric acid was labelled by thymine. This labelling pattern indicates a flow from S- to R-methylmalonic semialdehyde, suggesting that the R-enantiomer is the substrate of methylmalonic semialdehyde dehydrogenase.
Genetically Encoded Photocontrol of Protein Localization in Mammalian Cells (2010)

Precise photochemical control of protein function can be achieved through the site-specific introduction of caging groups. Chemical and enzymatic methods, including in vitro translation and chemical ligation, have been used to photocage proteins in vitro. These methods have been extended to allow the introduction of caged proteins into cells by permeabilization or microinjection, but cellular delivery remains challenging. Since lysine residues are key determinants for nuclear localization sequences, the target of key post-translational modifications (including ubiquitination, methylation, and acetylation), and key residues in many important enzyme active sites, we were interested in photocaging lysine to control protein localization, post-translational modification, and enzymatic activity. Photochemical control of these important functions mediated by lysine residues in proteins has not previously been demonstrated in living cells. Here we synthesized 1 and evolved a pyrrolysyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA pair to genetically encode the incorporation of this amino acid in response to an amber codon in mammalian cells. To exemplify the utility of this amino acid, we caged the nuclear localization sequences (NLSs) of nucleoplasmin and the tumor suppressor p53 in human cells, thus mislocalizing the proteins in the cytosol. We triggered protein nuclear import with a pulse of light, allowing us to directly quantify the kinetics of nuclear import.
Calprotectin (S100A8/S100A9), an Inflammatory Protein Complex from Neutrophils with a Broad Apoptosis-Inducing Activity (2003)

Calprotectin, a complex of two calcium-binding proteins that belong to the S100 protein family, is abundant in the cytosolic fraction of neutrophils. A high level of calprotectin reportedly exists in extracellular fluid during various inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, cystic fibrosis and abscesses. However, the exact biological role(s) of the factor is now under investigation. We recently observed that neutrophils contain a factor that shows growth-inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing activities against various cell types including tumor cells and normal fibroblasts, and we identified that factor as calprotectin. The findings suggest that calprotectin exerts a regulatory activity in inflammatory processes through its effect on the survival or growth states of cells participating in the inflammatory reaction. It is also possible that calprotectin, at a high concentration, might have a deleterious effect on fibroblasts and influence the recovery of inflammatory tissue. Therefore, the protein factor may be a new drug target to control inflammatory reactions. We found that a few of the Amaryllidaceae alkaloids effectively inhibited the growth-inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing activities of calprotectin. In this article, we focus on the biological functions of calprotectin in extracellular fluids, focusing on its apoptosis-inducing activity.