gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Risk factors prospectively associated with adult obsessive–compulsive symptom dimensions and obsessive–compulsive disorder (2011)

The current findings underscore the need for a dimensional approach in evaluating childhood risk factors for obsessions and compulsions.
Hallux valgus: immediate operation versus 1 year of waiting with or without orthoses: A randomized controlled trial of 209 patients (2003)

Hallux valgus operations can not always be done immediately because of long waiting lists. In this study, 209 consecutive patients (mean age 48 years, 93% female) with a painful hallux valgus were randomized into 3 groups: immediate operation or 1 year waiting with or without foot orthoses. The follow-up period was 2 years. The main outcome measurement was the intensity of pain during walking. During the first year, 64/71, 0/69 and 4/69 patients were operated on in the surgery, orthosis and no orthosis groups, respectively, and during the 2-year follow-up, 66, 43 and 48, respectively. At the 1-year follow-up, the pain was least intense in the surgery group. At the 2-year follow-up, the intensity of pain was similar in all groups. The satisfaction with treatment was best in the surgery and orthosis groups. The total costs of care were similar in all groups. We conclude that immediate operation is superior to delayed operation or foot orthoses. However, if this is not possible because of limited possibilities for surgery, waiting for 1 year, with or without an orthosis, does not jeopardize the final outcome.
Stimulated polariton scattering in an intracavity RbTiOPO_4 crystal generating frequency-tunable THz output (2016)

A high power, frequency-tunable THz source based on intracavity stimulated polariton scattering (SPS) in RbTiOPO<sub>4</sub> (RTP) is demonstrated for the first time. Frequency tunable THz output was obtained from 3.10 to 4.15 THz, with a gap at 3.17 to 3.49 THz, arising from the 104 cm<sup>-1</sup> A<sub>1</sub> mode in RTP. A maximum average output power of 16.2 µW was detected at 3.8 THz. This is the highest average output power ever reported for an intracavity polariton laser.
A color‐filterless LCD with RGB LED and lenticular‐lens arrays (2010)

Abstract A direct‐lit liquid crystal display that does not use color filters is proposed. A backlight unit that employs compartmentalized RGB LED and lenticular‐lens arrays is used instead of color filters to direct the RGB LED lights into the RGB subpixels. The color‐filterless LED backlight design, simulation, and experiment results are presented.
ag13 is expressed in Alnus glutinosa nodules in infected cells during endosymbiont degradation and in the nodule pericycle (1997)

We isolated and characterized an Alnus glutinosa cDNA clone, pAg13, which corresponds to a gene expressed at higher levels in nodules induced by Frankia than in roots. The deduced polypeptide sequence is rich in glutamic acid and proline and contains a putative signal peptide indicating an extracellular location of Ag13. In situ hybridization showed that ag13 is expressed in the pericycle of the nodule vascular bundle and in infected cells that exhibited degradation of the endosymbiont.
Birefringence and optical rotation in chiral ferroelectric and antiferroelectric liquid crystals (1997)

Abstract The optical properties of birefringent and spatially modulated chiral liquid crystal phases can be conveniently described by the perturbative approach to the wave equation. Within the first order approximation, which is valid far from the points of degeneration, the optics of chiral smectic phases is described by the space-averaged dielectric tensor. We have performed high resolution birefringence and optical rotation measurements in the ferroelectric and antiferroelectric liquid crystals and interpreted the results within the perturbative approach. Whereas the fluctuation-induced changes of the birefringence are nearly negligible in the paraelectric phase of a ferroelectric liquid crystal 4–(2'-methylbutyl)-phenyl 4'-n-octylbiphenyl-4-carboxylate (CE-8), we observe large, fluctuation-dominated birefringence changes in the paraelectric phase of an antiferroelectric liquid crystal 4–(1-methyl-heptyloxycarbonylphenyl) 4'-octylbiphenyl-4-carboxylate (MHPOBC). The magnitude of the order parameter, as deduced from the measured temperature dependence of the birefringence, exhibits in both substances a crossover of the order parameter exponent from β = 0·5 close to the paraelectric phase to the tricritical value β = 0·25 far away from the transition. This stresses the importance of the sixth order terms in the Landau free-energy expansion in ferroelectric and antiferroelectric liquid crystals. Key Words: Ferroelectric liquid crystalsantiferroelectric liquid crystalsbirefringenceoptical rotationorder parameter
Human feasibility study of fluorescence spectroscopy guided optical biopsy needle for prostate cancer diagnosis (2015)

Current prostate biopsy cores have a very low diagnostic yield. These biopsies often fail to diagnose prostate cancer since 90% of cores are histopathologically classified as benign. The concentrations of endogenous fluorophores in prostate tissue vary with disease states. Thus, fluorescence spectroscopy could be utilized to quantify these variations for identification of malignant lesions. We investigated clinical feasibility of a 14 gauge (1.98 mm) optical biopsy needle guided by fluorescence spectroscopy for real-time in vivo prostate cancer diagnosis. Built-in optical sensor has 8×100μm fibers for tissue excitation and a single 200μm fiber to collect spectral data. Custom-made fluorometer has 2 light-emitting diodes at 290 and 340 nm and a spectrometer. User interface for fluorometer operation and data collection was developed using LabView software. Each spectral data acquisition required ~2 seconds. The in vivo biopsies were performed during radical retropubic prostatectomy surgery on the exposed prostate with blood flow to the gland intact. A tissue biopsy core was obtained from each biopsy site after acquisition of spectral data. Above procedure was repeated ex vivo after surgical excision of the prostate. Biopsy cores were histopathologically classified as either benign or malignant and correlated with corresponding spectral data. Partial Least Square analysis was performed to determine diagnostically significant principal components as potential classifiers. A linear support vector machine and leave-one-out cross validation method was employed for tissue classification. Thirteen patients were consented to the study. Histopathological analysis found cancer in 29/208 in vivo and 51/224 ex vivo viable biopsy cores. Study results show 72% sensitivity, 66% specificity, and 93% negative predictive value for in vivo and 75%, 80%, and 93%, respectively, for ex vivo malignant versus benign prostatic tissue classification. Optical biopsy needle has a very high negative predictive value to indicate benign tissue while sufficient sensitivity for targeting areas suspicious for cancer within the prostate gland. Hence, the optical biopsy needle can increase the diagnostic yield of prostate biopsies with consequent improvement in patient care.
Vehicle Platooning With Non-Ideal Communication Networks (2020)

The performance and effectiveness of a vehicle platoon rely on the topology of information flow and quality of communications, such as delays and dropouts. In this paper, we investigate the homogeneous and constant-time-headway-spacing-policy-based vehicle platoon longitudinal control problem, where communication impairments including the limited communication range, random packet losses, and time-varying communication delays are considered. Here, internal stability characterizes the system stability without disturbance while string stability is concerned with the error amplification when the vehicle platoon is affected by external disturbances. First, for the case when each vehicle utilizes the position, velocity, and acceleration information of multiple preceding and following vehicles, we obtain sufficient conditions to guarantee the internal stability of the vehicle platoon system based on the stability of matrix polynomials and the matrix eigenvalue perturbation theory. Then, considering random packet losses, we find that the effectiveness of platoon control relies on the frequency of packets being successfully received, or the delay till a new packet is received. We also obtain the upper bound for delays on all communication links such that the internal stability of the vehicle platoon can still be maintained when time-varying communication delays are within the bound. The L2-string stability is also analyzed through the transfer function for both ideal communication cases, and cases with uniform and constant delays. Extensive simulink-based numerical results validate our analysis, which reveals how communication impairments affect platoon control with a realistic information flow topology.
Differential T cell responses to Mycobacterium tuberculosis ESAT6 in tuberculosis patients and healthy donors (1998)

Vaccination against and diagnosis of tuberculosis are still insufficient. Proteins secreted by Mycobacterium tuberculosis induce strong immune responses in tuberculosis and constitute prime candidates for development of novel vaccines against tuberculosis as well as for immunodiagnostic assays. We investigated the role of the secreted proteins MPT63, MPT64 and ESAT6 from M. tuberculosis in healthy individuals and tuberculosis patients. None of the secreted proteins stimulated peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors. In contrast, CD4+ T cells from many tuberculosis patients were stimulated in an MHC class II-restricted fashion by ESAT6, but not by MPT63 or MPT64. T cell reactivities of tuberculosis patients were focused on the N-terminal region of ESAT6. The ESAT6 T cell epitopes were presented by different HLA-DR phenotypes. Cell cultures responding to either ESAT6 or synthetic peptides thereof showed mRNA transcripts for macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α, monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP)-1 or IL-8 and production of IFN-γ and MIP-1α. Our results suggest that the secreted M. tuberculosis proteins MPT63, MPT64 or ESAT6 do not stimulate unprimed T cells, and that ESAT6 may be a potential candidate antigen for detection of clinical disease.
Wide-waveguide high-power low-RIN single-mode distributed feedback laser diodes for optical communication (2022)

We present an 8-µm-wide 800-µm-long high-power, single-mode and low RIN DFB laser using a dual-waveguide structure. The introduced passive lower waveguide has weakenes the lateral optical confinement for the ridge waveguide, and thus reduces losses caused by the p-doped layers and maintains single mode stability of the laser. The fabricated laser exhibited an output power higher than 170 mW and a relative intensity noise (RIN) below -157 dB/Hz along with a side-mode suppression-ratio (SMSR) over 55 dB. The temperature tuning from -10°C to 60°C allows an 8.6 nm wavelength tunability with a variation coefficient of 0.12 nm/K. The relaxation oscillation frequency is around 8 GHz, and the linewidth is about 250 kHz at 100 mW output power for the fabricated laser. The characteristics of the proposed high-power laser, including high slope efficiency, single mode stability and low noise, make it a suitable candidate for optical communication.
Piezoelectric Inertia Motors—A Critical Review of History, Concepts, Design, Applications, and Perspectives (2017)

Piezoelectric inertia motors—also known as stick-slip motors or (smooth) impact drives—use the inertia of a body to drive it in small steps by means of an uninterrupted friction contact. In addition to the typical advantages of piezoelectric motors, they are especially suited for miniaturisation due to their simple structure and inherent fine-positioning capability. Originally developed for positioning in microscopy in the 1980s, they have nowadays also found application in mass-produced consumer goods. Recent research results are likely to enable more applications of piezoelectric inertia motors in the future. This contribution gives a critical overview of their historical development, functional principles, and related terminology. The most relevant aspects regarding their design—i.e., friction contact, solid state actuator, and electrical excitation—are discussed, including aspects of control and simulation. The article closes with an outlook on possible future developments and research perspectives.
Histone H3 clipping is a novel signature of human neutrophil extracellular traps (2022)

Neutrophils are critical to host defence, executing diverse strategies to perform their antimicrobial and regulatory functions. One tactic is the production of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). In response to certain stimuli, neutrophils decondense their lobulated nucleus and release chromatin into the extracellular space through a process called NETosis. However, NETosis, and the subsequent degradation of NETs, can become dysregulated. NETs are proposed to play a role in infectious as well as many non-infection related diseases including cancer, thrombosis, autoimmunity and neurological disease. Consequently, there is a need to develop specific tools for the study of these structures in disease contexts. In this study, we identified a NET-specific histone H3 cleavage event and harnessed this to develop a cleavage site-specific antibody for the detection of human NETs. By microscopy, this antibody distinguishes NETs from chromatin in purified and mixed cell samples. It also detects NETs in tissue sections. We propose this antibody as a new tool to detect and quantify NETs.
Diagnosis of Mycoplasma hyopneumoniae infection and associated diseases. (2021)

In this chapter, the different diagnostic techniques available for Mycoplasma hyopneumonia in growing and/or finishing animals alongside their advantages and limitations are reviewed.
ChemInform Abstract: Novel Properties and Potential Applications of Functional Ligand‐Modified Polyoxotitanate Cages (2016)

Abstract Review: 72 refs.
Hypoxia Pathways and Cellular Stress Activate Pancreatic Stellate Cells: Development of an Organotypic Culture Model of Thick Slices of Normal Human Pancreas (2013)

Thirty sections per specimen (n=10) were cultured. Hypoxia pathways were activated by the higher expression of HIF1-α at H48 and H72. Apoptosis was limited with only rare acinar cells expressing of the caspase-3 at 48 and H72 (NS). Morphological analysis showed gradual appearance of acinoductal metaplasia, proven by CK7 expression and ductal phenotype of dedifferentiated acini. Transdifferentiation of PSC was shown by de novo SMA immunochemistry at H24 and H48. Expression of Ki67 index identified significant proliferation of activated PSC (double immunostaining Ki67-SMA) at H48 and H72 (p=0.02). In vitro culture of normal human pancreas thin sections is feasible with optimized cell viability at 72 hours. This model of culture in hyperoxic conditions provides evidences that cellular stress may rapidly induce transactivation of PSC with ducto-acinar metaplasia.
Generation and analysis of a barcode-tagged insertion mutant library in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe (2012)

This collection of S. pombe barcode-tagged insertion mutants is well-suited for genome-wide studies. Because insertion mutations may eliminate, reduce or alter the function of essential and non-essential genes, this library will contain strains with a wide range of phenotypes that can be assayed by their associated barcodes. The design of the barcodes in this library allows for barcode sequencing using next generation or standard benchtop cloning approaches.
TEM Observation of the Polytype Transformation of Bulk SiC Ingot (2008)

This article describes the analysis of the polytype transformation of SiC ingot. We analyzed the sample by Raman spectroscopy and TEM observation. The result of the analysis shows the polytype is transformed from 4H-SiC to 6H-SiC, and then returned to 4H-SiC. We found that the direction of the c-axis is not the same as the growth direction of the ingot. And also we found the existence of 8H-SiC at the interface between 6H-SiC and 4H-SiC region by the selected area diffraction pattern and confirmed it by HR-TEM observation.
Stereoselective Synthesis of Fused Vinylcyclopropanes by Intramolecular Tsuji–Trost Cascade Cyclization (2018)

A stereoselective intramolecular Tsuji-Trost cascade cyclization of (homo)allylic vicinal diacetates with a pendant β-ketoamide or related carbon nucleophile to give γ-lactam-fused vinylcyclopropanes is reported. In addition to two new rings, the products contain three new C-C stereocenters (two of which are quaternary) with a 9:1 dr. Moreover, the reaction proceeds in >94% enantiospecificity with optically enriched starting materials, using an inexpensive carbohydrate as the source of chirality.
8-Oxo-9-Dihydromakomakine Isolated from Aristotelia chilensis Induces Vasodilation in Rat Aorta: Role of the Extracellular Calcium Influx (2018)

8-Oxo-9-dihydromakomakine is a tetracyclic indole alkaloid extracted from leaves of the Chilean tree <i>Aristotelia chilensis</i>. The present study investigated the effects of this alkaloid on vascular response in tissues isolated from aortic segments obtained from normotensive rats. Our results showed that 8-oxo-9-dihydromakomakine induced a dose-dependent relaxation of aortic rings pre-contracted with phenylephrine (PE; 10<sup>-6</sup> M). The vasorelaxation induced by 8-oxo-9-dihydromakomakine in rat aortic rings is independent of endothelium. The pre-incubation of aortic rings with 8-oxo-9-dehydromakomakine (10<sup>-4</sup> M) significantly reduced the contractile response to KCl (<i>p</i> < 0.001) more than PE (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The highest dose of 8-oxo-9-dehydromakomakine (10<sup>-4</sup> M) drastically reduced the contraction to KCl (6·10<sup>-2</sup> M), but after that, PE (10<sup>-6</sup> M) caused contraction (<i>p</i> < 0.05) in the same aortic rings. The addition of 8-oxo-9-dihydromakomakine (10<sup>-5</sup> M) decreased the contractile response to tetraethylammonium (a voltage-dependent potassium channels blocker; TEA; 5 × 10<sup>-3</sup> M; <i>p</i> < 0.01) and BaCl₂ (a non-selective inward rectifier potassium channel blocker; 5 × 10<sup>-3</sup> M; <i>p</i> < 0.001) in rat aorta. 8-oxo-9-dihydromakomakine (10<sup>-5</sup> M) decreased the contractile response to PE in rat aorta in the presence or absence of ouabain (an inhibitor of Na,K-ATPase; 10<sup>-3</sup> M; <i>p</i> < 0.05). These results could indicate that 8-oxo-9-dihydromakomakine partially reduces plasma membrane depolarization-induced contraction. In aortic rings depolarized by PE, 8-oxo-9-dihydromakomakine inhibited the contraction induced by the influx of extracellular Ca<sup>2+</sup> in a Ca<sup>2+</sup> free solution (<i>p</i> < 0.01). 8-oxo-9-dihydromakomakine reduced the contractile response to agonists of voltage-dependent calcium channels type L (Bay K6844; 10<sup>-8</sup> M; <i>p</i> < 0.01), likely decreasing the influx of extracellular Ca<sup>2+</sup> through the voltage-dependent calcium channels. This study provides the first qualitative analysis indicating that traditional folk medicine <i>Aristotelia chilensis</i> may be protective in the treatment of cardiovascular pathologies.
Tunable compensation of dispersion-induced RF power degradation in multiple-channel SCM transmission by nonlinearly-chirped FBGs (2003)

Summary form only given. For many applications, it is quite advantageous to transmit several analog or digital subcarrier-multiplexed (SCM) RF channels over a fiber link or network. These applications include: CATV, interfacing wireless networks, microwave photonic systems, and transmitting control information for optical packet switching. However, transmitting traditional double-sideband (DSB) signals over a fiber is problematic due to the fiber's chromatic dispersion in which the two sidebands walk-off from each other. This causes serious RF power fading and is a function of subcarrier frequency and accumulated fiber dispersion. We report the use of a nonlinearly-chirped fiber Bragg grating to tunably compensate for dispersion-induced RF power degradation in multiple-channel SCM transmission.
Structural basis of eukaryotic gene transcription (2004)

An RNA polymerase II promoter has been isolated in transcriptionally activated and repressed states. Topological and nuclease digestion analyses have revealed a dynamic equilibrium between nucleosome removal and reassembly upon transcriptional activation, and have further shown that nucleosomes are removed by eviction of histone octamers rather than by sliding. The promoter, once exposed, assembles with RNA polymerase II, general transcription factors, and Mediator in a approximately 3 MDa transcription initiation complex. X-ray crystallography has revealed the structure of RNA polymerase II, in the act of transcription, at atomic resolution. Extension of this analysis has shown how nucleotides undergo selection, polymerization, and eventual release from the transcribing complex. X-ray and electron crystallography have led to a picture of the entire transcription initiation complex, elucidating the mechanisms of promoter recognition, DNA unwinding, abortive initiation, and promoter escape.
Gene set meta-analysis with Quantitative Set Analysis for Gene Expression (QuSAGE) (2019)

Small sample sizes combined with high person-to-person variability can make it difficult to detect significant gene expression changes from transcriptional profiling studies. Subtle, but coordinated, gene expression changes may be detected using gene set analysis approaches. Meta-analysis is another approach to increase the power to detect biologically relevant changes by integrating information from multiple studies. Here, we present a framework that combines both approaches and allows for meta-analysis of gene sets. QuSAGE meta-analysis extends our previously published QuSAGE framework, which offers several advantages for gene set analysis, including fully accounting for gene-gene correlations and quantifying gene set activity as a full probability density function. Application of QuSAGE meta-analysis to influenza vaccination response shows it can detect significant activity that is not apparent in individual studies.