gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Ubiquitous Computing for Cognitive Decline: Findings from Intel's Proactive Health Research (2003)

This paper summarizes findings from the first phase of Intel’s Proactive Health research: uncovering needs brought on by cognitive impairment that can be addressed through home computing technologies. This project was motivated by the demographic shift of our aging population, the consequent health care crisis, and the particular obstacles that cognitive impairment poses to independent living. Although it is clear that the general needs of elders with cognitive impairments—for invisible, intuitive support and assessment—are well suited to innovative computing solutions, there are many unanswered questions about how these solutions can fit into everyday environments and routines. The ethnographic needs inquiry included expert interviews, focus groups, and contextualized interviews with cognitively impaired individuals and their informal care networks in 44 households in five U.S. regions. Emerging themes from this ethnographic research fall into four major categories: prevention and detection, managing everyday life, social connectedness, and identity affirmation. Technology opportunities that map onto these categories include embedded assessment, contextual prompting, social synchronization, remote wellness checking, and life span mapping. Concepts and demos that embody these solution capabilities are also described, along with directions for future research.
Poly(3-hexylthiophene) crystalline nanoribbon network for organic field effect transistors (2010)

We report on the fabrication of crystalline nanoribbon network field effect transistors (FETs) using low molecular weight (MW) poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) with different surface treatments and compare with thin film FETs cast from the same MW regioregular P3HT. Nanoribbon FET shows improved performance with a maximum mobility of 0.012 cm2/V s and current on/off ratios of 6.5×104 due to unique crystalline structure and morphology. With various surface treatments, the nanoribbon FETs show less variation in device mobilities, while thin film FETs show more than ten times variation in device mobilities and up to 100 times change in current on/off ratios.
To what extent can space be compressed? Bandwidth limits of spaceplates (2022)

Spaceplates are novel flat-optic devices that implement the optical response of a free-space volume over a smaller length, effectively “compressing space” for light propagation. Together with flat lenses such as metalenses or diffractive lenses, spaceplates have the potential to enable the miniaturization of any free-space optical system. While the fundamental and practical bounds on the performance metrics of flat lenses have been well studied in recent years, a similar understanding of the ultimate limits of spaceplates is lacking, especially regarding the issue of bandwidth, which remains as a crucial roadblock for the adoption of this platform. In this work, we derive fundamental bounds on the bandwidth of spaceplates as a function of their numerical aperture and compression ratio (ratio by which the free-space pathway is compressed). The general form of these bounds is universal and can be applied and specialized for different broad classes of space-compression devices, regardless of their particular implementation. Our findings also offer relevant insights into the physical mechanism at the origin of generic space-compression effects and may guide the design of higher performance spaceplates, opening new opportunities for ultra-compact, monolithic, planar optical systems for a variety of applications.
SpliceAid 2: A database of human splicing factors expression data and RNA target motifs (2011)

Splicing is the most frequently altered biological process by mutations within gene regions. Information for splicing is recognized by several factors that bind pre-mRNA sequence and, through coordinated interaction, yield mature transcripts. Some in silico methods have been developed to predict if a mutation leads to aberrant splicing patterns. We previously created SpliceAid tool that is able to minimize false positive predictions because it adopts strictly experimental RNA target motifs bound by splicing proteins in humans. In order to improve prediction accuracy and better understand the splicing outcome, the tissue specificity of each splicing regulatory factor has to be taken into account. Here, we have developed SpliceAid 2 by adding the expression data related to the splicing factors extracted from the main proteomic and transcriptomic databases, true 5' and 3' splice sites, polypyrimidine tracts, and branch point sequences. The new version collects 2,220 target sites of 62 human splicing proteins and their expression data in 320 tissues per cell. SpliceAid 2 can be useful to foresee the splicing pattern alteration, to guide the identification of the molecular effect due to the mutations and to understand the tissue-specific alternative splicing. SpliceAid 2 is freely accessible at www.introni.it/spliceaid.html.
Utility of RNA-seq and GPMDB Protein Observation Frequency for Improving the Sensitivity of Protein Identification by Tandem MS (2014)

Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) followed by database search is the method of choice for protein identification in proteomic studies. Database searching methods employ spectral matching algorithms and statistical models to identify and quantify proteins in a sample. In general, these methods do not utilize any information other than spectral data for protein identification. However, considering the wealth of external data available for many biological systems, analysis methods can incorporate such information to improve the sensitivity of protein identification. In this study, we present a method to utilize Global Proteome Machine Database identification frequencies and RNA-seq transcript abundances to adjust the confidence scores of protein identifications. The method described is particularly useful for samples with low-to-moderate proteome coverage (i.e., <2000-3000 proteins), where we observe up to an 8% improvement in the number of proteins identified at a 1% false discovery rate.
A liquid azobenzene derivative as a solvent-free solar thermal fuel (2014)

A liquid solar thermal fuel is developed; a low-molecular weight liquid trans-azobenzene derivative shows facile photoisomerization to the higher-energy cis-isomer in neat condition so that a high volumetric energy density is achieved. Shear viscosity measurements for each isomer liquid unveiled transitions from non-Newtonian to Newtonian fluids.
Smart Magnetic Drilling Fluid With In-Situ Rheological Controllability Using Fe3O4 Nanoparticles (2017)

Abstract Engineering a drilling fluid tailored to meet specific downhole and environmental demands with tunable rheological properties can revolutionize the drilling industry. This study investigates magnetically controllable, water-based drilling fluid systems containing custom-made (CM) iron oxide (Fe3O4) magnetic nanoparticles (NP). These could potentially offer in-situ control of the drilling fluid viscosity and yield stress, under the application of an external magnetic field. CM Fe3O4 NP were synthesized by the co-precipitation method. NP were added to the base fluid at two different concentrations (0.5 and 1.0 wt%). The magnetorheological properties were analyzed via a strain- controlled rheometer equipped with a magnetic field source in parallel-plate geometry giving a range of magnetic flux densities of up to 1 Tesla (T). The rheological behavior of the produced fluids was examined at room temperature of 25°C as a function of volume fraction, shear rate and magnetic field strength. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed that the NP was spherical with mean diameter of 6-8 nm, while the X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern revealed peaks corresponding to pure crystallites of magnetite (Fe3O4) with no impurities. Superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) analysis proved that the prepared NP displayed superparamagnetic behavior. Magneto- rheological measurements of the nanofluids indicated increase in the yield stress of up to +75% upon exposure to a magnetic field of 0.1 T, while larger changes of up to +609% were observed for higher concentrations of NP with intensities up to 0.7 T. The viscosity of the nanofluids monotonically increased under the presence of a magnetic field at all shear rates. The original rheological profile of the developed fluids was recovered upon removal of the magnetic field with an average deviation of +20% from the initial value, reflecting the disintegration of particle chains because of random movements due to Brownian forces. Results highlight the potential for the development of multifunctional smart fluids that are greener and economical with tailor-made properties that can reversibly modify their rheological characteristics. Their unique ability to withstand a rapid increase in the viscosity and yield stress in the presence of an external magnetic field could enable drillers to formulate drilling fluid systems with instantaneous responses to continuously changing drilling environment, leading to enhanced well control and contributing to decreased non-productive time and costs.
Knot-tying with Visual and Force Feedback for VR Laparoscopic Training (2005)

Real-time simulation of thread and knot-tying with visual and force feedback is an essential part of virtual reality laparoscopic training. This paper presents a physics-based thread simulator that enables realistic knot tying at haptic rendering rate. The virtual thread follows Newton's law and behaves naturally. The model considers main mechanical properties of the real thread such as stretching, compressing, bending and twisting, as well as contact forces due to self-collision and interaction with the environment, and the effect of gravity. The structure of the system has essential advantages over geometrically based approaches, as was illustrated in an implementation on the Xitact simulator.
Measuring activation patterns of the heart at a microscopic size scale with thin-film sensors (1994)

To study the spread of excitation in ventricular heart preparations we have designed a fast, high-resolution recording and mapping system. Papillary muscles were dissected from the isolated guinea pig hearts. The preparation was fixed in a tissue bath and superfused with Tyrode solution. Linear and two-dimensional arrays of Ag/AgCl electrodes were made on glass with a thin-film technique. The transparent sensors with up to 24 electrodes (spaced 50, 90, or 180 microns apart) were positioned close to the surface of the preparation with a custom-designed three-dimensional micromanipulator. Extracellular signals were simultaneously recorded by a 24-channel data acquisition system with a 200 kHz per channel sample rate, with 12-bit amplitude resolution and a maximum data length of up to 3 MB. Digitized video images of the electrode array and the underlaying preparation were used to identify the locations of the recording sites. A UNIX-based computer system with a custom-designed data acquisition and database program was used to control the instruments and to manage the experimental data. This technique gave signals with excellent signal-to-noise ratios (up to 65 dB) and permitted accurate evaluation of the time and the site of the local activation with high resolution (to within 5 microseconds, 50 microns). We describe the spread of excitation within the area of a few cells and found a substantial dispersion of conduction velocities. Beat-to-beat comparison of activation patterns showed relatively small variations in the spread of excitation (a few microseconds).
Communication between neocortex and hippocampus during sleep in rodents (2003)

Both neocortical and hippocampal networks organize the firing patterns of their neurons by prominent oscillations during sleep, but the functional role of these rhythms is not well understood. Here, we show a robust correlation of neuronal discharges between the somatosensory cortex and hippocampus on both slow and fine time scales in the mouse and rat. Neuronal bursts in deep cortical layers, associated with sleep spindles and delta waves/slow rhythm, effectively triggered hippocampal discharges related to fast (ripple) oscillations. We hypothesize that oscillation-mediated temporal links coordinate specific information transfer between neocortical and hippocampal cell assemblies. Such a neocortical-hippocampal interplay may be important for memory consolidation.
Characterization of a Microscale Cascade Impactor (2012)

Although a cascade impactor is widely used for bioaerosol sampling and separation, the conventional system has some shortcomings when it is applied for the portable device. In the present study, a microscale cascade impactor system was developed using a soft lithography process to provide good portability and cost efficiency. The system described here included three impaction stages, and a rectangular-shaped jet nozzle was employed with a 0.5 L/min airflow rate. The collection efficiency of each stage was evaluated using polystyrene latex (PSL) (0.2–2.5 μm) and ammonium sulfate (10–700 nm) particles. The 50% cutpoints of each stage were numerically calculated to be 1.06, 0.55, and 0.26 μm, and the experimental values were found to be 1.19, 0.51, and 0.27 μm, respectively. The bounce and re-entrainment in the impaction zone were reduced by spin-coating of silicon oil onto the microchannel surface. The overall particle losses were less than 10% for the 0.2–2.5 μm particles and 9%–12% for the 0.05–0.20 μm particles. Copyright 2012 American Association for Aerosol Research
Comparative Study of Polysaccharide-Based Hydrogels: Rheological and Texture Properties and Ibuprofen Release (2022)

Polysaccharides are attractive gelling agents in pharmacy due to their safety, biocompatibility, biodegradability, relatively easy way of preparation, and low price. Due to their variable physical-chemical properties, polysaccharides have potentialities to be used for designing new drug delivery systems for controlled drug release. In this comparative study, rheological and texture properties as well as the in vitro release of model drug ibuprofen (IBU) with 11 polysaccharide-based hydrogels were investigated. The in vitro release of IBU significantly differed between (i) neutral (hydroxy/alkylcelluloses), (ii) anionic (carboxyalkylcellulose and its sodium salt, tragacanth, carrageenan, xanthan gum), and (iii) cationic (chitosans) hydrogels due to different contribution of provided interactions and viscosity within the hydrogel groups. The drug release kinetics of each hydrogel system was evaluated for five kinetic models. Several combinations of cationic hydrogels with neutral or anionic ones were performed to illustrate possibilities of providing modified IBU release profiles. In this context, chitosan was presented as an effective modifier of diffusion profiles for negatively charged drugs formulated into combined polymeric systems, providing their prolonged release. The most appropriate hydrogel for the topical application (i.e., providing favorable rheological and texture properties along with the highest drug release) was selected from a studied series of polysaccharide-based hydrogels.
In Situ Observation of CO<sub>2</sub> Sequestration Reactions Using a Novel Microreaction System (2003)

A novel, externally controlled microreaction system has been developed to provide the first in situ observations of the reaction processes that control CO2 sequestration via mineral carbonation. The system offers pressure (to 20 MPa), temperature (to 250 degrees C), and activity control suitable for investigating a variety of fluid-fluid and fluid-solid interactions of environmental interest. Mineral sequestration efforts to date have effectively accelerated carbonation, a natural mineral weathering process, to an industrial timescale. However, the associated reaction mechanisms are poorly understood, limiting further process development. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy have been used to provide the first in situ insight into the associated supercritical mineral carbonation process. Magnesite was found to form directly under the reaction conditions observed (e.g., 150 degrees C and 15 MPa CO2),facilitating geologically stable sequestration. Thermodynamic analysis of fluid-phase species concentrations in the Na+ buffered H2O-CO2 reaction system found the primary aqueous reactant species to be CO2(aq) and HCO3-, with CO2(aq) more prevalent under the reaction conditions observed. The microreactor provides a powerful new tool for in situ investigation of a broad range of environmentally, fundamentally, and commercially important processes, including the reactions associated with geological carbon dioxide sequestration.
Nicotinamide Nucleotide Transhydrogenase (Nnt) Links the Substrate Requirement in Brain Mitochondria for Hydrogen Peroxide Removal to the Thioredoxin/Peroxiredoxin (Trx/Prx) System (2014)

Mitochondrial reactive oxygen species are implicated in the etiology of multiple neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson disease. Mitochondria are known to be net producers of ROS, but recently we have shown that brain mitochondria can consume mitochondrial hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in a respiration-dependent manner predominantly by the thioredoxin/peroxiredoxin system. Here, we sought to determine the mechanism linking mitochondrial respiration with H2O2 catabolism in brain mitochondria and dopaminergic cells. We hypothesized that nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (Nnt), which utilizes the proton gradient to generate NADPH from NADH and NADP(+), provides the link between mitochondrial respiration and H2O2 detoxification through the thioredoxin/peroxiredoxin system. Pharmacological inhibition of Nnt in isolated brain mitochondria significantly decreased their ability to consume H2O2 in the presence, but not absence, of respiration substrates. Nnt inhibition in liver mitochondria, which do not require substrates to detoxify H2O2, had no effect. Pharmacological inhibition or lentiviral knockdown of Nnt in N27 dopaminergic cells (a) decreased H2O2 catabolism, (b) decreased NADPH and increased NADP(+) levels, and (c) decreased basal, spare, and maximal mitochondrial oxygen consumption rates. Nnt-deficient cells possessed higher levels of oxidized mitochondrial Prx, which rendered them more susceptible to steady-state increases in H2O2 and cell death following exposure to subtoxic levels of paraquat. These data implicate Nnt as the critical link between the metabolic and H2O2 antioxidant function in brain mitochondria and suggests Nnt as a potential therapeutic target to improve the redox balance in conditions of oxidative stress associated with neurodegenerative diseases.
Polymer-Laminated Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub>T<sub>X</sub> MXene Electrodes for Transparent and Flexible Field-Driven Electronics (2021)

MXenes (Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub>T<sub>X</sub>) are two-dimensional transition-metal carbides and carbonitrides with high conductivity and optical transparency. However, transparent MXene electrodes with high environmental stability suitable for various flexible organic electronic devices have rarely been demonstrated. By laminating a thin polymer film onto a solution-processed MXene layer to protect the MXene film from harsh environmental conditions, we present transparent and flexible MXene electronic devices. A thin polymer layer spin-coated onto a transparent MXene electrode provides environmental stability even under air exposure longer than 7 d at high temperatures (up to 70 °C) and humidity levels (up to 50%) without degrading the transparency of the electrode. The resulting polymer-laminated (PL) MXene electrode facilitates the development of a variety of field-driven photoelectronic devices by exploiting the electric field exerted between the MXene layer and the counter electrode through the insulating polymer. Field-induced electroluminescent displays, based on both organic and inorganic phosphors, with PL-MXene electrodes are demonstrated with high transparency and mechanical flexibility. Furthermore, our PL-MXene electrode exhibits high versatility through successful implementation in capacitive-type pressure sensors and triboelectric nanogenerators, resulting in field-driven sensing and energy harvesting electronic devices with excellent operation reliability.
The Selective Generation of Acetic Acid Directly from Synthesis Gas (1987)

Acetic acid has been generated directly from synthesis gas (CO/H2) in up to 95 wt % selectivity and 97% carbon efficiency using a Ru-Co-I/Bu4PBr "melt" catalyst combination. The critical roles of each of the ruthenium, cobalt and iodide catalyst components in achieving maximum selectivity to HOAc have been identified. C1-Oxygenate formation is observed only in the presence of ruthenium carbonyls; [Ru(CO)3I3] is here the dominant species. Controlled quantities of iodide ensure that initially formed MeOH is rapidly converted to the more reactive methyl iodide. Subsequent cobalt-catalyzed carbonylation to acetic acid may be preparatively attractive (>80% selectivity) relative to competing syntheses where the [Co(CO)4]- concentration is optimized; that is, where the Co/Ru ratio is >1, the syngas feedstock is rich in CO and the initial iodide/cobalt ratios are close to unity.
Polyamines, androgens, and skeletal muscle hypertrophy (2010)

The naturally occurring polyamines, spermidine, spermine, and their precursor putrescine, play indispensible roles in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, from basic DNA synthesis to regulation of cell proliferation and differentiation. The rate-limiting polyamine biosynthetic enzymes, ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, are essential for mammalian development, with knockout of the genes encoding these enzymes, Odc1 and Amd1, causing early embryonic lethality in mice. In muscle, the involvement of polyamines in muscle hypertrophy is suggested by the concomitant increase in cardiac and skeletal muscle mass and polyamine levels in response to anabolic agents including β-agonists. In addition to β-agonists, androgens, which increase skeletal mass and strength, have also been shown to stimulate polyamine accumulation in a number of tissues. In muscle, androgens act via the androgen receptor to regulate expression of polyamine biosynthetic enzyme genes, including Odc1 and Amd1, which may be one mechanism via which androgens promote muscle growth. This review outlines the role of polyamines in proliferation and hypertrophy, and explores their possible actions in mediating the anabolic actions of androgens in muscle.
VACUUMATICS 3D-FORMWORK SYSTEMS: CUSTOMISED FREE-FORM SOLIDIFICATION (2009)

The form flexibility and adaptability of vacuumatics enables them to be effectively applied as fully flexible and adaptable formwork systems to create geometrically complex shapes and customised surface textures in concrete.