gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Water-triggered shape memory of multiblock thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs) (2013)

In this article we describe the preparation and characterization of a water-triggered shape memory polymer (SMP) family, PCL–PEG based thermoplastic polyurethanes (TPUs). Upon immersion in water, water molecules selectively swelled the hydrophilic PEG domains, resulting in durable hydrogels with strain-to-failure values greater than 700%. Dry samples fixed in a temporary shape underwent water-triggered shape recovery wherein only the oriented PEG domains recovered, causing incomplete shape recovery toward the equilibrium shape upon contact with liquid water. Addressing the limited recovery observed for dry-fixing samples that led to some PCL domain deformation, we developed a novel, “wet-fixing” SM cycle, where the temporary shape is achieved by deforming the material in the hydrogel state (wet drawing) and is later fixed via PEG recrystallization upon drying. The fixing and recovery ratios were substantially improved using this new shape memory programming method, the mechanism of which was proven by X-ray diffraction analysis. The recovery speed of this material system was studied by varying the thickness of bulk films and demonstrated that water-recovery is diffusion-limited. By processing the TPUs as a web of microfibers, rapid shape recovery was achieved in water at room temperature within 1.3 s. The controllable actuation speed, the high recoverable strain, and the simple fixing and recovery process make these materials potential candidates for applications as water responsive sensors, actuators, and medical devices.
ChemInform Abstract: A Well‐Defined Rhenium(VII) Olefin Metathesis Catalyst. (1990)

Abstract In the preparation of the title complex (VIII), (III) is isolated as the major isomer of the two ones present in solution.
Optically sectioned image generating method for microscopy imaging apparatus involves combining measured characteristics of signals from respective positions of conjugate image plane to generate optically sectioned image of specimen (2003)

A method and a microscopy imaging apparatus for generating an optically sectioned image of a specimen are provided. The method comprises the steps of:illuminating the specimen with a modulating, spatially periodic illumination pattern; imaging said specimen on a conjugate image plane; acquiring a plurality of signals at respective positions on said image plane, each signal corresponding to the incident light intensity at that position and having an oscillatory component caused by the modulation of the illumination pattern; and measuring a characteristic of the oscillatory component of each of the signals, whereby the measured characteristics when combined in their relative positions generate an optically sectioned image of the specimen.
High-intensity tone generation by aeroacoustic sources (1987)

An experimental investigation has been carried out on the production of high-intensity tones by axisymmetric ring cavities. Maximum sound production occurs during an acoustic resonance at Strouhal numbers, which depend only on the local flow velocity independent of cavity location. Values of sound pressure of about 115 dB at 1-m distance can be generated by axisymmetric ring cavities on projectiles moving at a relatively low flight speed equal to 70 m/s. Frequencies in the audible range up to several kilohertz can be generated aeroacoustically. A simple analytical model has been developed to explain the experimental observations.
Noninvasive Measurement of Regional Cerebral Blood Flow by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Indocyanine Green (1998)

Clinicians lack a practical method for measuring CBF rapidly, repeatedly, and noninvasively at the bedside. A new noninvasive technique for estimation of cerebral hemodynamics by use of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and an intravenously infused tracer dye is proposed. Kinetics of the infrared tracer indocyanine green were monitored on the intact skull in pigs. According to an algorithm derived from fluorescein flowmetry, a relative blood flow index (BFI) was calculated. Data obtained were compared with cerebral and galeal blood flow values assessed by radioactive microspheres under baseline conditions and during hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation. Blood flow index correlated significantly (rs = 0.814, P < 0.001) with cortical blood flow but not with galeal blood flow (rs = 0.258). However, limits of agreement between BFI and CBF are rather wide (+/- 38.2 +/- 6.4 mL 100 g-1 min-1) and require further studies. Data presented demonstrate that detection of tracer kinetics in the cerebrovasculature by NIRS may serve as valuable tool for the noninvasive estimation of regional CBF. Indocyanine green dilution curves monitored noninvasively on the intact skull by NIRS reflect dye passage through the cerebral, not extracerebral, circulation.
Insecticidal activity of a recombinant baculovirus containing an antisense c-myc fragment. (1997)

Attempts to develop baculovirus-based insecticides by insertion of genes encoding enzyme inhibitors, neuropeptides or toxins have met with some success. However, it is often difficult to ensure correct processing or secretion of the encoded peptides. Here we tested a simpler strategy by insertion of an antisense fragment of a host gene to block translation of a protein essential for larval growth and development. We selected the c-myc gene for two main reasons: (i) its protein is known to be well conserved in evolution and to have multiple essential functions during development; and (ii) c-myc family genes have yet to be characterized in insects, thus blockage of essential genes by anti-sense transcripts from a strong virus promoter could provide a sensitive test for the existence of myc-like gene products. An appropriate fragment of the human c-myc gene was inserted downstream from the polyhedrin promoter of Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus and tested in bioassays on Spodoptera frugiperda larvae. Western blot analysis with a human c-myc antibody revealed an endogenous protein band which bound specifically to these antibodies. This band disappeared more rapidly from cells infected with the antisense c-myc recombinant virus than from those infected with c-myc-negative virus. Results of bioassays showed that the antisense construct stopped feeding as soon as the polyhedrin promoter-driven transcripts accumulated, followed shortly by death of the larvae. These results suggest that c-myc-like protein(s) exist in insects and that the antisense strategy is an effective approach to virus insecticide productions.
An affordable multideterminant plasma-derived hepatitis B virus vaccine. (1984)

A new vaccine is reported which contains hepatitis B virus (HBV) e antigen (HBeAg) and pre-S determinants, in addition to highly purified HBV surface antigen (HBsAg). The rationale for this approach depends on the following data indicating that anti-HBe and antibody to the core antigen (anti-HBc), and antibody to pre-S determinants may play an active role in preventing HBV infection: (1) active immunization of chimpanzees with HBeAg(s) devoid of detectable HBsAg protected against subsequent challenge with HBV; (2) passive immunization of chimpanzees with an anti-HBe/anti-HBc intravenous immunoglobulin devoid of anti-HBs significantly delayed and appeared to attenuate HBV infection following subsequent challenge with HBV; (3) antibody to pre-S determinants appears to be able to neutralize infective HBV. The purification procedure used for the production of the New York Blood Center vaccine was designed to accomplish a high degree of purification with minimal use of complex equipment. This may facilitate eventual utilization of the vaccine on a mass scale for prevention of the HBV carrier state in high-prevalence regions of the world. The procedure uses polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitations and hydroxylapatite adsorption steps, followed by only a single isopycnic separation in a zonal rotor, to achieve a vaccine which is substantially free of serum proteins and detectable HBV DNA yet contains HBsAg, HBeAg and pre-S determinants. The original vaccine was inactivated by Tween 80 and formalin. Four lots passed chimpanzee safety tests; two of these have been tested in clinical trials. Recently an improved vaccine has been developed in which two heat inactivation steps are used instead of formalin inactivation. This has resulted in further improvement in yields of antigenicity and immunogenicity, and provides an additional margin of safety.
A unified method based on wavelet filtering and Active Contour Models for segmentation of Pelvic CT images (2009)

Accurate segmentation of bone tissue from Pelvic CT images is an important step in the process of developing an automated computer aided decision making system that would provide physicians with recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of traumatic pelvic injuries. The proposed algorithm is an automated, unsupervised, and hierarchical method for the segmentation of bone tissue. The method incorporates, as key components, wavelet processing, automated seed growing and Active Contour Models (ACM's). A wavelet based method is applied for filtering and enhancing of noisy CT images that are the target of segmentation. The main task of the proposed seed growing is to automatically find a suitable set of points for ACM initialization. Another benefit of the proposed method is that the resulting seeds are suitable for identifying small fragments of shattered bones. ACM is used to capture the edges of larger bones that, due to their natural varying densities, and consequently varying grey levels, cannot be correctly segmented by solely using seed growing. The preliminary results produced by the proposed method are very promising. The proposed method performs the challenging task of identifying the fragments of fractured bone, as well as accurately detecting the edges of bones in the pelvic region. Moreover, separation between bones is identified even in challenging areas such as hip joints.
On-Chip Ultra-Thin Layer Chromatography and Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (2012)

We demonstrate that silver nanorod (AgNR) array substrates can be used for on-chip separation and detection of chemical mixtures by combining ultra-thin layer chromatography (UTLC) and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). The UTLC-SERS plate consists of an AgNR array fabricated by oblique angle deposition. The capability of the AgNR substrates to separate the different compounds in a mixture was explored using a mixture of four dyes and a mixture of melamine and Rhodamine 6G at varied concentrations with different mobile phase solvents. After UTLC separation, spatially-resolved SERS spectra were collected along the mobile phase development direction and the intensities of specific SERS peaks from each component were used to generate chromatograms. The AgNR substrates demonstrate the potential for separating the test dyes with plate heights as low as 9.6 μm. The limits of detection are between 10(-5)-10(-6) M. Furthermore, we show that the coupling of UTLC with SERS improves the SERS detection specificity, as small amounts of target analytes can be separated from the interfering background components.
The design and evaluation of multitouch marking menus (2010)

Despite the considerable quantity of research directed towards multitouch technologies, a set of standardized UI components have not been developed. Menu systems provide a particular challenge, as traditional GUI menus require a level of pointing precision inappropriate for direct finger input. Marking menus are a promising alternative, but have yet to be investigated or adapted for use within multitouch systems. In this paper, we first investigate the human capabilities for performing directional chording gestures, to assess the feasibility of multitouch marking menus. Based on the positive results collected from this study, and in particular, high angular accuracy, we discuss our new multitouch marking menu design, which can increase the number of items in a menu, and eliminate a level of depth. A second experiment showed that multitouch marking menus perform significantly faster than traditional hierarchal marking menus, reducing acquisition times in both novice and expert usage modalities.
A Flagella-less Mutant of Borrelia burgdorferi as a Live Attenuated Vaccine in the Murine Model of Lyme Disease (1996)

The immunogenicity and protective efficacy of an attenuated isolate of Borrelia burgdorferi, the agent of Lyme disease, were evaluated. An isogenic pair of isolates of strain HB19 differed in the expression of flagella; neither produced systemic infection or persisted in the skin of mice. In a comparison of intradermally administered live flagella-bearing and flagella-less cells, the flagella-less isolate was equal to or superior to the flagella-bearing wild type in eliciting growth-inhibiting antibodies and preventing infection in mice. In a comparison of live and killed flagella-less cells, immune responses to live cells were superior to those to killed cells, as assessed by ELISA, growth inhibition assay, and infectious challenge. The dose protecting 50% of mice was 10(3.8) and 10(5.2) for live and killed cells, respectively (P < .05).
A strategy for control of bovine leukemia virus infection: test and corrective management. (1983)

Test and corrective management was applied in one dairy herd (130 milking cows) to control bovine leukemia virus infection. It consisted of: raising uninfected calves in order to establish a pool of uninfected replacement heifers, preventing transmission of bovine leukemia virus through transfer of blood from animal to animal and closing the herd. Regular herd testing was combined with selected changes in herd management. These procedures have been followed since January 1979. Prevalence of antibodies (as determined by gel-immunodiffusion) has declined markedly since the program was implemented.
Doppler Compensation & Single Pulse Imaging using Adaptive Pulse Compression (2009)

The effects of target Doppler are addressed in relation to adaptive receive processing for radar pulse compression. To correct for Doppler-induced filter mismatch over a single pulse, the Doppler-compensated adaptive pulse compression (DC-APC) algorithm is presented whereby the respective Doppler shifts for large target returns are jointly estimated with the illuminated range profile and subsequently incorporated into the original APC adaptive receive filter formulation. As a result, the Doppler-mismatch-induced range sidelobes can be suppressed thereby regaining a significant portion of the sensitivity improvement that is possible when applying adaptive pulse compression (APC) without the existence of significant Doppler mismatch. In contrast, instead of compensating for Doppler mismatch, the single pulse imaging (SPI) algorithm generalizes the APC formulation for a bank of Doppler-shifted matched filters thereby producing a sidelobe-suppressed range-Doppler image from the return signal of a single radar pulse which is applicable for targets with substantial variation in Doppler. Both techniques are based on the recently proposed APC algorithm and its generalization, the multistatic adaptive pulse compression (MAPC) algorithm, which have been shown to be effective for the suppression of pulse compression range sidelobes thus dramatically increasing the sensitivity of pulse compression radar.
The Use of Enzyme Therapy to Regulate the Metabolic and Phenotypic Consequences of Adenosine Deaminase Deficiency in Mice (2000)

Adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency results in a combined immunodeficiency brought about by the immunotoxic properties of elevated ADA substrates. Additional non-lymphoid abnormalities are associated with ADA deficiency, however, little is known about how these relate to the metabolic consequences of ADA deficiency. ADA-deficient mice develop a combined immunodeficiency as well as severe pulmonary insufficiency. ADA enzyme therapy was used to examine the relative impact of ADA substrate elevations on these phenotypes. A "low-dose" enzyme therapy protocol prevented the pulmonary phenotype seen in ADA-deficient mice, but did little to improve their immune status. This treatment protocol reduced metabolic disturbances in the circulation and lung, but not in the thymus and spleen. A "high-dose" enzyme therapy protocol resulted in decreased metabolic disturbances in the thymus and spleen and was associated with improvement in immune status. These findings suggest that the pulmonary and immune phenotypes are separable and are related to the severity of metabolic disturbances in these tissues. This model will be useful in examining the efficacy of ADA enzyme therapy and studying the mechanisms underlying the immunodeficiency and pulmonary phenotypes associated with ADA deficiency.
Cleavage Specificity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis ClpP1P2 Protease and Identification of Novel Peptide Substrates and Boronate Inhibitors with Anti-bacterial Activity (2015)

The ClpP1P2 protease complex is essential for viability in Mycobacteria tuberculosis and is an attractive drug target. Using a fluorogenic tripeptide library (Ac-X3X2X1-aminomethylcoumarin) and by determining specificity constants (kcat/Km), we show that ClpP1P2 prefers Met ≫ Leu > Phe > Ala in the X1 position, basic residues or Trp in the X2 position, and Pro ≫ Ala > Trp in the X3 position. We identified peptide substrates that are hydrolyzed up to 1000 times faster than the standard ClpP substrate. These positional preferences were consistent with cleavage sites in the protein GFPssrA by ClpXP1P2. Studies of ClpP1P2 with inactive ClpP1 or ClpP2 indicated that ClpP1 was responsible for nearly all the peptidase activity, whereas both ClpP1 and ClpP2 contributed to protein degradation. Substrate-based peptide boronates were synthesized that inhibit ClpP1P2 peptidase activity in the submicromolar range. Some of them inhibited the growth of Mtb cells in the low micromolar range indicating that cleavage specificity of Mtb ClpP1P2 can be used to design novel anti-bacterial agents.
Homology throughout the multiple 32-kilobase circular plasmids present in Lyme disease spirochetes (1997)

We have characterized seven different 32-kb circular plasmids carried by Borrelia burgdorferi isolate B31. Restriction endonuclease recognition site mapping and partial sequencing of these plasmids indicated that all seven are probably closely related to each other throughout their lengths and have substantial relationships to cp8.3, an 8.3-kb circular plasmid of B. burgdorferi sensu lato isolate Ip21. With the addition of the seven 32-kb plasmids, this bacterial strain is known to carry at least 10 linear and 9 circular plasmids. Variant cultures of B. burgdorferi B31 lacking one or more of the 32-kb circular plasmids are viable and, at least in some cases, infectious. We have examined a number of different natural isolates of Lyme disease borreliae and found that all of the B. burgdorferi sensu stricto isolates and most of the B. burgdorferi sensu lato isolates tested appear to carry multiple 32-kb circular plasmids related to those of B. burgdorferi B31. The ubiquity of these plasmids suggests that they may be important in the natural life cycle of these organisms. They may be highly conjugative plasmids or prophage genomes, which could prove to be useful in genetically manipulating B. burgdorferi.
Intranasal Immunization of Hamsters with Envelope Glycoproteins of Human Parainfluenza Virus Type 3 (1988)

Envelope glycoproteins of human parainfluenza virus type 3 (PIV-3) were selectively solubilized with n-octyl beta-D-glucopyranoside and reconstituted into lipid vesicles by dialysis of the detergent. The efficacy of the glycoprotein preparation as a subunit vaccine when administered to hamsters intranasally or subcutaneously was compared. Animals receiving four intranasal immunizations with 5 micrograms of the glycoprotein preparation were completely resistant to challenge infection. Only partial protection, however, was observed in animals immunized subcutaneously with the same dose of antigen. The local glycoprotein-specific IgA response was significantly higher in intranasally immunized animals and was implicated in resistance to challenge infection.
JPEG2000 block-wise truncation of quality layers (2008)

Quality scalability and quality progression are fundamental features of JPEG2000, achieved through the use of quality layers that are optimally formed in the encoder by rate-distortion optimization techniques. The successive truncation and decoding of the codestream at quality layers boundaries achieves optimal rate-distortion representations of the image, and when the image is interactively transmitted, quality layers supply successive quality refinements for the transmitted windows of interest. Although quality layers are a sound mechanism of JPEG2000, their practical use must consider that codestreams containing an inadequate allocation of layers may greatly penalize the coding performance, especially when few quality layers are available and truncations at any point rather than at quality layers boundaries are carried out. In interactive image transmission, real-time video rendering, and transcoding applications, for instance, this issue represents an unacceptable shortcoming. This paper introduces a block- wise truncation of quality layers that, requiring negligible computational resources, enhances the coding performance of codestreams containing an inadequate layer allocation. Experimental results suggest that the proposed strategy achieves near-optimal results even when the codestream contains a single quality layer.
Dynamics of a pneumatic artificial muscle actuation system driving a trailing edge flap (2014)

This study presents a time domain dynamic model of an antagonistic pneumatic artificial muscle (PAM) driven trailing edge flap (TEF) system for next generation active helicopter rotors. Active rotor concepts are currently being widely researched in the rotorcraft community as a means to provide a significant leap forward in performance through primary aircraft control, vibration mitigation and noise reduction. Recent work has shown PAMs to be a promising candidate for active rotor actuation due to their combination of high force, large stroke, light weight, and suitable bandwidth. When arranged into biologically inspired agonist/antagonist muscle pairs they can produce bidirectional torques for effectively driving a TEF. However, there are no analytical dynamic models in the literature that can accurately capture the behavior of such systems across the broad range of frequencies required for this demanding application. This work combines mechanical, pneumatic, and aerodynamic component models into a global flap system model developed for the Bell 407 rotor system. This model can accurately predict pressure, force, and flap angle response to pneumatic control valve inputs over a range of operating frequencies from 7 to 35 Hz (1/rev to 5/rev for the Bell 407) and operating pressures from 30 to 90 psi.