gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Community urbanization and hospitalization of adults for asthma. (2006)

Asthma research has traditionally focused on children and the elderly, the two populations considered most susceptible to complications. The prevalence of asthma in the adult population (19-64 years of age) is, however, gaining recognition as a formidable clinical and public health problem. Few studies have compared the incidence of adult asthma hospitalizations in urban and nonurban areas. The study reported here, using population size, population density, and traffic-related factors to define urban versus nonurban environments, selected six Pennsylvania counties to test the hypothesis that the degree of urbanization influences the asthma hospitalization rate for adults. The study group comprised adults 19-64 years of age who were hospitalized for asthma (as the primary diagnosis) from 1999 to 2001. To define urbanization in relation to traffic, the study used daily vehicular traffic count and miles of roads/highways for each of the six counties. The authors found a decrease in the adult asthma hospitalization rate as urbanization decreased in some of the counties. For other counties, however, the rate increased as urbanization decreased. The counties in which the latter was observed had depressed measures of socioeconomic status. These findings suggest that depressed socioeconomic conditions may supersede exposure to traffic-related pollution as a factor associated with asthma hospitalizations.
Hemi-isotropic radiators for the S- or X-band (1959)

An aerial having approximate hemi-isotropic properties has been constructed on the principle that a dielectric rod will act as a guiding medium for electromagnetic energy. Using this principle, a broadband, shaped dielectric element has been developed, which, when placed at the aperture of an open-ended circular waveguide, radiates with hemi-isotropic cover over a 20% frequency band.
On the pH Dependence of Class-1 RF-Dependent Termination of mRNA Translation (2015)

We have studied the pH dependence of the rate of termination of bacterial protein synthesis catalyzed by a class-1 release factor (RF1 or RF2). We used a classical quench-flow technique and a newly developed stopped-flow technique that relies on the use of fluorescently labeled peptides. We found the termination rate to increase with increasing pH and, eventually, to saturate at about 70 s(-1) with an apparent pKa value of about 7.6. From our data, we suggest that class-1 RF termination is rate limited by the chemistry of ester bond hydrolysis at low pH and by a stop-codon-dependent and pH-independent conformational change of RFs at high pH. We propose that RF-dependent termination depends on the participation of a hydroxide ion rather than a water molecule in the hydrolysis of the ester bond between the P-site tRNA and its peptide chain. We provide a simple explanation for why the rate of termination saturated at high pH in our experiments but not in those of others.
Effect of Sterilization Process Using Plasma-Excited Neutral Gas on Materials of Medical Instruments (2015)

We try to develop the sterilization process for medical instruments using atmospheric pressure plasma. The reactor chamber is remotely located from the plasma and a metal mesh for eliminating charged particles is installed between them. Only reactive neutral species such as plasma-excited gas molecules and radicals were separated from the plasma and sent to the reactor chamber for sterilization. Deterioration of materials by heat, UV irradiation, electrical fields, and charged particles generated from plasma is avoided in the sterilization process. As a result, using a humidified mixture of 0.1 to 20% oxygen addition to nitrogen as the plasma source gas shows more than 6-log reduction of Geobacillus stearothermophilus spores. The mixture gas of 0.1% oxygen addition to nitrogen shows the large sterilization effect without ozone generation. Under this condition, the surface of titanium, silicon rubber, PET, and nylon-6 are not affected by the sterilization.
Moving towards a Treatable Traits model of care for the management of obstructive airways diseases (2021)

Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are two prevalent chronic airways diseases. Both are complex and heterogeneous. Traditionally, clinical guidelines have advocated a stepwise approach to pharmacotherapy of asthma and COPD, but there is increasing realization that both require a more personalized and precise management approach. To this end, a management strategy based on the so-called Treatable Traits has been proposed. Emerging evidence suggests that this model improves relevant outcomes in patients with chronic airway diseases but further research is needed to guide implementation. This review discusses the challenges, opportunities, and hurdles that its implementation will have to face.
Development of AlGaInSb/GaInSb multi-quantum well light emitting diodes for CO2 detection at 4.26 µm (2021)

In recent years there has been a rapidly increasing demand for CO2 sensors for applications in health monitoring, control of air quality and horticulture. Amongst the various approaches reported so far, the AlGaInSb quaternary alloy shows great promise for the development of compact Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) as it offers bandgap Type-I alignments, which enable the design of effective multi-quantum well (MQW) active regions. In this paper we show a more than fourfold improvement in wall-plug eﬃciency by optimising both the strain in AlGaInSb MQW active regions and the fabrication process flow of LEDs emitting at 4.26 um.
Detection of low-amplitude in vivo intrinsic signals from an optical imager of retinal function (2006)

In the early stages of some retinal diseases, such as glaucoma, loss of retinal activity may be difficult to detect with today's clinical instruments. Many of today's instruments focus on detecting changes in anatomical structures, such as the nerve fiber layer. Our device, which is based on a modified fundus camera, seeks to detect changes in optical signals that reflect functional changes in the retina. The functional imager uses a patterned stimulus at wavelength of 535nm. An intrinsic functional signal is collected at a near infrared wavelength. Measured changes in reflectance in response to the visual stimulus are on the order of 0.1% to 1% of the total reflected intensity level, which makes the functional signal difficult to detect by standard methods because it is masked by other physiological signals and by imaging system noise. In this paper, we analyze the video sequences from a set of 60 experiments with different patterned stimuli from cats. Using a set of statistical techniques known as Independent Component Analysis (ICA), we estimate the signals present in the videos. Through controlled simulation experiments, we quantify the limits of signal strength in order to detect the physiological signal of interest. The results of the analysis show that, in principle, signal levels of 0.1% (-30dB) can be detected. The study found that in 86% of the animal experiments the patterned stimuli effects on the retina can be detected and extracted. The analysis of the different responses extracted from the videos can give an insight of the functional processes present during the stimulation of the retina.
Game Theory in Communication Networks: Cooperative Resolution of Interactive Networking Scenarios (2012)

A mathematical tool for scientists and researchers who work with computer and communication networks, Game Theory in Communication Networks: Cooperative Resolution of Interactive Networking Scenarios addresses the question of how to promote cooperative behavior in interactive situations between heterogeneous entities in communication networking scenarios. It explores network design and management from a theoretical perspective, using game theory and graph theory to analyze strategic situations and demonstrate profitable behaviors of the cooperative entities. The book promotes the use of Game T
Discovering Neglected Conditions in Software by Mining Dependence Graphs (2008)

Neglected conditions are an important but difficult-to-find class of software defects. This paper presents a novel approach to revealing neglected conditions that integrates static program analysis and advanced data mining techniques to discover implicit conditional rules in a code base and to discover rule violations that indicate neglected conditions. The approach requires the user to indicate minimal constraints on the context of the rules to be sought, rather than specific rule templates. To permit this generality, rules are modeled as graph minors of enhanced procedure dependence graphs (EPDGs), in which control and data dependence edges are augmented by edges representing shared data dependences. A heuristic maximal frequent subgraph mining algorithm is used to extract candidate rules from EPDGs, and a heuristic graph matching algorithm is used to identify rule violations. We also report the results of an empirical study in which the approach was applied to four open source projects (openssl, make, procmail, amaya). These results indicate that the approach is effective and reasonably efficient.
Secure Locking Protocols for Multilevel Database Management Systems. (1996)

While there are several secure concurrency control protocols for multilevel database management systems, most of them employ timestamp ordering or multiple versions of data or a hybrid protocol that utilizes both. The only known secure locking protocol that maintains single version data and can guarantee serializability, immediately aborts a higher level transaction whenever any of its locks at the lower levels is broken. In this paper, we offer two secure locking protocols. The first protocol produces pairwise serializable histories. The second protocol generates serializable histories if the security levels form a total order; however, in general, when the security levels form a partial order, it generates MLSserializable histories, a notion of correctness that we introduce. The proposed protocols maintains single version data and require only the lock manager to be trusted; a higher level transaction can continue its execution and commit successfully even if some of its locks at the...
Synthesis of oligocarbonate diols from a "green monomer" – dimethyl carbonate – as soft segments for poly(urethane-urea) elastomers (2010)

Summary — Results from the investigation of a two-step synthesis of oligocarbonate diols from a “green monomer” — dimethyl carbonate (DMC) are presented and discussed. In the first step 1,6-hexanediol or 1,10-decanediol was reacted with DMC to obtain bis(methylcarbonate)hexamethylene (1h) or bis(methylcarbonate)decamethylene (1d), respectively which were further reacted in the next step with appropriate diol at a intended molar ratio to obtain the final product. The solvent — 1,4-dioxane — served as a suppressant of the evaporation of both the diol and low molecular weight oligomers, while facilitating the removal of residual amount of methanol and full conversion of methylcarbonate groups. This method allows for the synthesis of oligocarbonate diols without ether linkages containing exclusively terminal hydroxyl groups and of desired molecular weights. It was shown that such oligomerols can be applied for the preparation of poly(urethane-urea) elastomers. The obtained elastomers based on oligocarbonate diols of molecular weights ranging from 1700 to 2700 exhibited very good mechanical properties.
Nonlinear optical response of highly energetic excitons in GaAs: Microscopic electrodynamics at semiconductor interfaces (2002)

A spectroscopic investigation of bound electron-hole pairs in GaAs propagating with large center-of-mass momentum is presented. The approach is based on transmission experiments exploiting the coupling of excitonic polarization to the electromagnetic field of femtosecond laser pulses. The dispersion relations of the coherent excitations are determined up to excess energies of 300 meV above the band edge. A surprisingly low Fr\"ohlich coupling of light-hole excitons is observed in excellent agreement with theoretical simulations. The influence of different phonon scattering processes on the excitonic damping is discussed. The interaction dynamics of excitonic wave packets with nonthermal carrier distributions is analyzed with femtosecond time resolution. A theoretical model based on the exciton-polariton concept including additional boundary conditions reproduces our experimental results. The observations in extremely thin samples show deviations from our phenomenological model. This finding is important for a detailed understanding of the microscopic polarizability near semiconductor surfaces.
Planarization of gold and aluminum thin films using a pulsed laser (1986)

Micrometer-thick gold and aluminum films have been planarized by momentarily melting them with optical pulses from a dye laser. Submicrosecond pulses were used in order to minimize the temperature rise in the substrate, reduce the energy required for melting, and prevent undesirable metallurgical reactions. Planarization of two-level gold metallization structures insulated by SiO <inf xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</inf> (including interlevel vias) has been achieved. Aluminum metallization on integrated circuits (IC's) has also been planarized. The use of a thin (<200 Å) silicon overcoating greatly aids the aluminum planarization process by passivating the aluminum and increasing its initial optical absorbance.
Warpage optimization and influence factors analysis of 3D printing personalized JJY tablets (2020)

To explore the feasibility of preparing traditional Chinese medicine using 3 D printing technology and reduce warpage commonly occurs in large-size tablets, we investigated the prescription, warpage optimization and influence factors of 3 D printing Jiuxiang Jianpi Yangwei (JJY) tablets. The procedures used conformed to the requirements of the 2015 edition of the <i>Chinese Pharmacopeia</i>. The results of the prescription screening showed that 75% ethanol and HPMC (9%) could be adhesives. Meanwhile, stevia (0.5%) and citric acid (0.5%) improved the taste of the 3 D printed JJY tablets. To ensure the quality and appearance of the printed tablets, the best parameters were as follows: drying at room temperature, 40% of the filling density, a 3 mm model height, two outer ring numbers and a printing speed of 15 mm/s. The optimized printed tablets had a smooth appearance, suitable hardness, with the weight uniformity in accordance with the <i>Pharmacopeia</i>. We also prepared personalized JJY cartoon tablets (which contained images of a big-headed pig and a small yellow duck) which were designed to increase the compliance of children when taking their medications. In conclusion, this study reported that 3 D printing technology has great potential for preparing traditional Chinese medicines, and it provided guidance for 3 D printing tablets without warpage.
Multifunctional Optoelectronic Synapse Based on Ferroelectric Van der Waals Heterostructure for Emulating the Entire Human Visual System (2021)

Abstract The development of optoelectronic synapses can provide an important breakthrough toward creating a sophisticated and adaptable artificial visual system analogous to that of humans. However, it remains a great challenge to implement the various functions of the biological visual neuromorphic system at the single device level. Intriguingly, 2D van der Waals (vdW) heterostructure may offer a platform to address the issue. Here, a novel multifunctional synaptic device based on ferroelectric α‐In 2 Se 3 /GaSe vdW heterojunction is proposed to emulate the entire biological visual system. Essential synaptic behaviors are observed in response to light and electrical stimuli; additionally, the retina‐like selectivity for light wavelengths and the achievement of Pavlov's dog experiment demonstrate the device's capacity for processing complex electrical and optical inputs. Beyond the optoelectronic synaptic behaviors, the device incorporates memory and logic functions analogous to those in the brain's visual cortex. The results of artificial neural network simulations show that the vdW heterojunction‐based device is completely capable of performing logic operations and recognizing images with a high degree of accuracy. The study indicates that versatile devices with a rationally designed construction have great potential for efficiently processing complex visual information and may simplify the design of artificial visual systems.
NuSTARREVEALS EXTREME ABSORPTION INz< 0.5 TYPE 2 QUASARS (2015)

The intrinsic column density (N H ) distribution of quasars is poorly known. At the high obscuration end of the quasar population and for redshifts z < 1, the X-ray spectra can only be reliably characterized using broad-band measurements that extend to energies above 10 keV. Using the hard X-ray observatory NuSTAR, along with archival Chandra and XMM-Newton data, we study the broad-band X-ray spectra of nine optically selected (from the SDSS), candidate Compton-thick (N H > 1.5 10 24 cm -2 ) type 2 quasars (CTQSO2s); five new NuSTAR observations are reported herein, and four have been previously published. The candidate CTQSO2s lie at z < 0.5, have observed
Ferintoic Acids A and B, New Cyclic Hexapeptides from the Freshwater Cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa (1996)

The cyclic hexapeptides ferintoic acids A (1) and B (2) have been isolated from cells of Microcystis aeruginosa harvested during a natural bloom of the toxic cyanobacterium. The structures of 1 and 2 were determined by a combination of spectroscopic analysis and chemical degradation.
The ethics of pharmaceutical industry relationships with medical students (2004)

Little research has been done on the extent of the relationship between the pharmaceutical industry and medical students, and the effect on students of receiving gifts. Potential harms to patients are documented elsewhere; we focus on potential harms to students. Students who receive gifts may believe that they are receiving something for nothing, contributing to a sense of entitlement that is not in the best interests of their moral development as doctors. Alternatively, students may be subject to recognised or unrecognised reciprocal obligations that potentially influence their decision making. Medical educators have a duty of care to protect students from influence by pharmaceutical companies.
The Bulk Service Queue with a General Control Strategy: Theoretical Analysis and a New Computational Procedure (1986)

This paper develops a general framework for analyzing a wide class of vehicle dispatching strategies for bulk arrival, bulk service queues. We provide a simple derivation of the queue length transform for the embedded Markov chain, and present a new computational procedure for finding the moments of the queue length distribution. Extensive computational tests demonstrate that the new procedure is significantly faster and more stable than the standard method, from the literature, that requires solving a set of simultaneous linear equations. We give formulas for the mean and variance of the length of the queue for the general case of compound Poisson arrivals, random batch capacities, general service times and a general control strategy.
Fluorine NMR studies on stereochemical aspects of reactions catalyzed by transcarboxylase, pyruvate kinase, and enzyme I (1985)

The stereochemistry of the transcarboxylase-catalyzed carboxylation of 3-fluoropyruvate has been studied by using fluorine NMR of unpurified reaction mixtures. When the product 3-fluorooxaloacetate was trapped by using malate dehydrogenase, only the 2R,3R diastereomer of 3-fluoromalate was formed. The fluoromethyl group of fluoropyruvate does not take up deuterium label from the solvent during the reaction. These results confirm and extend those obtained previously by Walsh and co-workers [Goldstein, J. A., Cheung, Y. F., Marletta, M. A., & Walsh, C. (1978) Biochemistry 17, 5567-5575] showing that transcarboxylase is specific for one of the two prochiral hydrogens in fluoropyruvate. Transcarboxylase, coupled to malate dehydrogenase, has been used to analyze samples of chiral fluoropyruvate obtained by dephosphorylation of (Z)-fluorophosphoenolpyruvate in D2O in the presence of either pyruvate kinase or enzyme I from the Escherichia coli sugar transport systems. Analysis of the fluoromalate produced showed that fluoroenolpyruvate is deuterated from opposite faces by these two enzymes: enzyme I protonates (deuterates) fluoroenolpyruvate exclusively from the 2-re face and pyruvate kinase does so mainly from the 2-si face. Fluoropyruvate is carboxylated by transcarboxylase with absolute retention of configuration.
Blogging and online collaborative discovery learning - making a case for a successful group-tracking technique (2013)

With the surge of digital native students entering classrooms, instructors worldwide have been trying hard to incorporate ICTs into their pedagogy in order to enhance student learning environment and prepare better graduates for the employment market. Among various shifts in paradigms, online collaborative discovery learning (OCDL) has become a coin phrase that instructors want to include in their many attempts at responding to the needs of the digital native students. With the increasing popularity of OCDL, researchers have studied issues related to OCDL such as instructor lack of understanding of OCDL and how it can or should be incorporated into pedagogy; studies have also highlighted issues with actual assessment of collaborative projects. However, few studies have actually studied or even recognized the issue of tracking these collaborative efforts of students, monitoring their progress, reducing conflicts and enhancing students' overall collaborative experience. This papers identifies three barriers to creating a successful OCDL environment in terms and proposes an adaptation and implementation of a blended learning tool, blogging, to help both instructors and students track their groups.
Principles Underlying New Methods for Chronic Neural Recording (1975)

Chronic recording is possible from nerve fibers which have grown through holes in an insulating medium (regeneration electrodes) or which are enclosed by an insulating sheath (cuff electrodes). Use of three electrodes in a balanced configuration permits good rejection of electromyographic (EMG) signals and other sources of electrical interference (fluorescent lights, 60 Hz signals from the mains, etc.). Equations are derived and tested for predicting the amplitude and form of the signals expected for a given cuff length and diameter. These equations can be used to design electrode units optimally for a given application. Finally, the use of transformers permits the neural signals to be carefully matched to the recording apparatus and further optimizes the neural signal-to-noise and signal-to-EMG ratios. Use of these methods in several physiological and clinical applications, as well as potential abuses, are discussed.