gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
“One-Pot” Fabrication of Highly Versatile and Biocompatible Poly(vinyl alcohol)-porphyrin-based Nanotheranostics (2017)

Nanoparticle-based theranostic agents have emerged as a new paradigm in nanomedicine field for integration of multimodal imaging and therapeutic functions within a single platform. However, the clinical translation of these agents is severely limited by the complexity of fabrication, long-term toxicity of the materials, and unfavorable biodistributions. Here we report an extremely simple and robust approach to develop highly versatile and biocompatible theranostic poly(vinyl alcohol)-porphyrin nanoparticles (PPNs). Through a "one-pot" fabrication process, including the chelation of metal ions and encapsulation of hydrophobic drugs, monodispersenanoparticle could be formed by self-assembly of a very simple and biocompatible building block (poly(vinyl alcohol)-porphyrin conjugate). Using this approach, we could conveniently produce multifunctional PPNs that integrate optical imaging, positron emission tomography (PET), photodynamic therapy (PDT), photothermal therapy (PTT) and drug delivery functions in one formulation. PPNs exhibited unique architecture-dependent fluorescence self-quenching, as well as photodynamic- and photothermal- properties. Near-infrared fluorescence could be amplified upon PPN dissociation, providing feasibility of low-background fluorescence imaging. Doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded PPNs achieved 53 times longer half-life in blood circulation than free DOX. Upon irradiation by near infrared light at a single excitation wavelength, PPNs could be activated to release reactive oxygen species, heat and drugs simultaneously at the tumor sites in mice bearing tumor xenograft, resulting in complete eradication of tumors. Due to their organic compositions, PPNs showed no obvious cytotoxicity in mice via intravenous administration during therapeutic studies. This highly versatile and multifunctional PPN theranostic nanoplatform showed great potential for the integration of multimodal imaging and therapeutic functions towards personalized nanomedicine against cancers.
22.1: Bistable Bend‐Splay LCD (2004)

Abstract A bistable liquid crystal display based on the bend and splay configurations has been demonstrated. This display can remain indefinitely either in the splay deformation or in the bend deformation mode. It has the advantages of wide viewing angles, good contrast ratios, faster selection and low operating voltages.
A finishing process via ultrasonic drilling for additively manufactured carbon fiber composites (2021)

Purpose Additively manufactured objects have layered structures, which means post processing is often required to achieve a desired surface finish. Furthermore, the additive nature of the process makes it less accurate than subtractive processes. Hence, additive manufacturing techniques could tremendously benefit from finishing processes to improve their geometric tolerance and surface finish. Design/methodology/approach Rotary ultrasonic machining (RUM) was chosen as a finishing operation for drilling additively manufactured carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites. Two distinct additive manufacturing methods of fused deposition modeling (FDM) and laser-assisted laminated object manufacturing (LA-LOM) were used to fabricate CFRP plates with continuous carbon fiber reinforcement. The influence of the feedrate, tool rotation speed and ultrasonic power of the RUM process parameters on the aforementioned quality characteristics revealed the feasibility of RUM process as a finishing operation for additive manufactured CFRP. Findings The quality of drilled holes in the CFRP plates fabricated via LA-LOM was supremely superior to the FDM counterparts with less pullout delamination, smoother surface and less burr formation. The strong interfacial bonding in LA-LOM proven to be superior to FDM was able to endure higher cutting force of the RUM process. The cutting force and cutting temperature overwhelmed the FDM parts and induced higher surface damage. Originality/value Overall, the present study demonstrates the feasibility of a hybrid additive and subtractive manufacturing method that could potentially reduce cost and waste of the CFRP production for industrial applications.
Progress of adsorption cycle and its hybrids with conventional multi-effect desalination processes (2014)

The water energy environment nexus is an important issue in today’s development of desalination for potable water production. Engineers and scientists in desalination are striving not only for more energy efficient technology, they are concern with the environment impact in terms of CO2 emissions and discharge of chemical laden brine into the sea. The complexity of available technologies dictates engineers and scientists to be aware of the environmental impact from both fundamental sciences and technology processes. The thermodynamics limit for desalination is known to have an energy consumption of 0·78 to 1·09 kWhe per m3, but practical desalination processes are operated at several folds higher than the thermodynamic limit due to irreversible losses incurred in removing dissolved salts. Although recent advances in membrane technology has an energetic benchmark of 3·5–5 kWhe m−3 or about 14·5 kWh_pe (primary energy) per m3, the high water production rates and protection of membranes have resulted in large dosage of chemicals and acids being used in the pretreatment of seawater feed. This resulted in the excessive discharge of chemically laden brine from RO plants. Despite the high but low exergy latent energy consumed for evaporation process, the multiple re-use of latent energy have managed to lower their specific energy consumption to 22 kWh-pe m−3 at a high gain output ratio (GOR). In this paper, the state-of-art of adsorption desalination over the past decade is presented along with a hybridization of the adsorption and nano-filtration (AD-NF) processes to the conventional MED processes. Their integration achieves an energetic efficiency comparable to those from RO processes. Incorporation of AD-NF is a result of recent innovations in selective removal of covalence salts within the feed prior to its introduction to the MED; It permits the top brine temperatures of MED to operate beyond the present limit of 65°C. Dissolved ions in the heated brine are known to be responsible ‘soft-scales’ formation, namely Ca++, Mg++, etc., but when removed partially prior to supplying to the MED, it enables the TBT to be raised up to 125°C without excessive scaling on the heat transfer surfaces. Coupled with an AD cycle to the bottom of MED stage, it lowers the stage temperature (LBT) to below that of the ambient, typically as low as 10°C; The low evaporative temperature retards scaling and fouling on the tube surfaces despite the higher saline concentration at LBT stage. We proposed an AD-NF-MED cycle where their integration can achieve an energetic efficiency that rivals the best available energetic efficiency in desalination and yet retaining the cycle robustness in handling large fluctuations in feed water quality, caused either by the high salinity or the harmful algae (HAB), etc.
Sonochemical coating of textile fabrics with antibacterial nanoparticles (2012)

The high incidence of hospital-acquired infections places a huge financial burden on our healthcare systems. These infections are also responsible for many millions of deaths each year. Antibacterial fabrics for use in medical textiles, such as hospital uniforms, bedding and wound dressings, can provide a useful weapon in the on-going fight against these infections. The aim of this EU funded Framework 7 project is to develop a pilot line sonochemical coating machine for the production of antibacterial fabrics. The sonochemical coating technology under development is based on a lab scale process that was developed at Bar-Ilan University (BIU). It involves two processes that are driven by acoustic cavitation; the in situ generation of the metal oxide (MO) nanoparticles and the simultaneous high velocity propulsion of these nanoparticles onto a fabric leading to impregnation. Here we report on a comparison of 2 different MO nanoparticle coatings, ZnO and CuO, that were sonochemically applied on to a plain cotton fabric. Both of these coatings were prepared by BIU. In this work, the antibacterial efficacy of the coated fabrics was quantitatively assessed using the absorption method from BS EN ISO 20743:2007. Both types of metal oxide nanoparticle displayed antibacterial activity against all of the test bacteria with particularly high levels of bacterial reduction observed with the CuO coating. The results presented here are from an EU Framework 7 funded project (SONO, EU Project Number: 228730). The project is a collaboration between 17 partner organizations from 10 different European countries. Further details can be found on the project website at: www.fp7-sono.eu.
Optical frequency self stabilization in a coupled optoelectronic oscillator (2007)

The technique of incorporating a high finesse Fabry-Perot etalon (FPE) for optical frequency stabilization and supermode suppression of an actively, harmonically mode-locked laser has been combined with the basic coupled optoelectronic oscillator (COEO) design to produce a completely self contained optical frequency stabilized COEO. In this way the nominal COEO frequency, the stability of the optical frequencies, and the long term stability of the COEO signal are all referenced to a single intracavity high finesse FPE.
Attachment of Ampicillin to Expanded Poly(tetrafluoroethylene): Surface Reactions Leading to Inhibition of Microbial Growth (2008)

The broad spectrum antibiotic, ampicillin (AM), was reacted to expanded poly (tetrafluoroethylene) (ePTFE) surfaces and resulted in the formation of antimicrobial surfaces effective against gram-positive, Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus thuringiensis, and Enterococcus faecalis, and gram-negative, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas putida, and Salmonella enterica bacteria. These ePTFE surface modifications were accomplished by utilization of microwave maleic anhydride (MA) plasma reactions leading to the formation of acid groups, followed by amidation reactions of heterofunctional NH2/COOH-terminated polyethylene glycol (PEG). The final step, the attachment of AM to the PEG spacer, was achieved by amidation reactions between COOH-terminated PEG and NH2 groups of AM. This approach protects the COOH-AM functionality and diminishes the possibility of hydrolysis of the antimicrobial active portion of AM. These studies also show that approximately 90% of AM molecules are still covalently attached to PEG-MA-ePTFE surfaces after exposure to the bacteria solutions. Even after a 24 h period, the AM volume concentration changes only from 2.25 to 2.04 µg/m3, and depending upon the bacteria type, the bacteria suspensions containing AM-PEG-MA-ePTFE specimens retain 85−99% of their initial optical density.
Dispersibility in Water of Dried Nanocrystalline Cellulose (2012)

Dispersibility is important for nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) because recovering the unique suspension and particle properties is essential after the product has been dried for storage or transport. It is our goal to produce dried NCC that redisperses in water to yield colloidal suspensions without the use of additives or a large energy input. In contrast with the as-prepared acidic form of NCC (H-NCC), suspensions of neutral sodium-form NCC (Na-NCC) dried by evaporation, lyophilization, or spray-drying are readily dispersible in water. Suspension properties and NCC particle size determined by light scattering were used as indicators of dispersion quality. The neutral counterion content, drying technique, freezing action, drying and redispersion concentrations, and moisture content in the dried NCC were all found to influence dispersibility. When a minimum of 94% of the H(+) counterion is exchanged for Na(+), the neutral salt form is fully dispersible in water even when fully dried. Mild sonication is generally sufficient to recover measured particle sizes identical to those in the never-dried Na-NCC sample. A threshold moisture content of 4 wt % was found, above which dried H-NCC is fully dispersible in water.
Proposition of Atomic Force Probes Based on Silicon Ring-Resonators (2007)

We present the first implementation of an atomic force microscope (AFM) probe using bulk- mode silicon resonators. This probe is developed in order to perform force or dissipation spectroscopy and to enable AFM imaging in liquids thanks to reduced dissipation effects. We show that balanced tip integration allows the probe to operate in a lateral mode derived from elliptical bulk modes of circular plates. A proof-of-concept technological realization opens up the way to first AFM experiments using this resonator around 7 MHz frequencies.
UNCONVENTIONAL DROPLETS MANIPULATIONS ON SUPERHYDROPHOBIC-PATTERNED SURFACE MICROFLUIDICS (2011)

In this paper, we present a comprehensive theoretical and experimental investigation of unconventional droplets manipulations on a superhydrophobic-patterned surface microfluidic (S²M) platform. The S²M network pins the liquid-solid interface of droplets to the lithographically defined wetting boundary and establishes direct linkage between the volumetric and hydraulic measures. Diverse manipulation modes are characterized in a bi-droplet configuration, among which several unconventional droplet manipulations are first demonstrated. These include big-to-small droplet merging, droplet balancing, as well as bidirectional transporting, in addition to the classic small-to-big droplet merging. Furthermore, multi-stage programmable bidirectional pumping has been implemented on the S²M platform.
Intracellular delivery of cell-penetrating peptide-transcriptional factor fusion protein and its role in selective osteogenesis (2014)

Protein-transduction technology has been attempted to deliver macromolecular materials, including protein, nucleic acids, and polymeric drugs, for either diagnosis or therapeutic purposes. Herein, fusion protein composed of an arginine-rich cell-penetrating peptide, termed low-molecular-weight protamine (LMWP), and a transcriptional coactivator with a PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) protein was prepared and applied in combination with biomaterials to increase bone-forming capacity. TAZ has been recently identified as a specific osteogenic stimulating transcriptional coactivator in human mesenchymal stem cell (hMSC) differentiation, while simultaneously blocking adipogenic differentiation. However, TAZ by itself cannot penetrate the cells, and thus needs a transfection tool for translocalization. The LMWP-TAZ fusion proteins were efficiently translocalized into the cytosol of hMSCs. The hMSCs treated with cell-penetrating LMWP-TAZ exhibited increased expression of osteoblastic genes and protein, producing significantly higher quantities of mineralized matrix compared to free TAZ. In contrast, adipogenic differentiation of the hMSCs was blocked by treatment of LMWP-TAZ fusion protein, as reflected by reduced marker-protein expression, adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein 2, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ messenger ribonucleic acid levels. LMWP-TAZ was applied in alginate gel for the purpose of localization and controlled release. The LMWP-TAZ fusion protein-loaded alginate gel matrix significantly increased bone formation in rabbit calvarial defects compared with alginate gel matrix mixed with free TAZ protein. The protein transduction of TAZ fused with cell-penetrating LMWP peptide was able selectively to stimulate osteogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, this fusion protein-transduction technology for osteogenic protein can thus be applied in combination with biomaterials for tissue regeneration and controlled release for tissue-engineering purposes.
The railplug: Development of a new ignitor for internal combustion engines (1992)

The railplug project is essentially divided into three main tasks: (1) Railplug System Development, (II) Application of Railplugs to Engines, and (III) Railplug Durability. Railplug system development is subdivided into two categories: power supply development and ignitor development. In addition to these two categories, there is also a significant amount of work in progress to standardize the evaluation techniques used to measure railplug system performance. These issues are described below. The railplug requires a high voltage spike to breakdown the gap between the rails followed by some sustained voltage to drive the arc down the rails. The power supply chosen is a parallel circuit supply. The parallel circuit utilizes a high voltage ({approximately}20 kV) ignition coil in parallel with relatively low voltage (<600 V) capacitors to supply the breakdown and follow-on energies to the plug. The capacitors are charged off of line voltage while an automotive battery and opening switch provide the input to the ignition coil. The circuit is simple, inexpensive, and reliable, but has the drawback of requiring a high voltage diode to isolate the low voltage capacitors from the high voltage impulse. This is not really a single element, but rather consists of many diodes serially connected to achieve a high stand-off voltage. It has a limited average current rating, which means that high rep rates (>{approximately}30 Hz) are currently not attainable. The diode also consumes significant amounts of energy. This power supply has consistently discharged railplugs at pressures up to 500 psig.
Diode-bar-pumped Nd:YVO4 laser for disk texturing (1998)

We have developed configurations of acoustooptically Q-switched diode-bar-pumped Nd: YVQ4 lasers that generate highly stable (<1% rms) pulses (50-100 ns) at high repetition rates (50-150 kHz).
DNA probes for identification of clinically important Bacteroides species (1986)

Conventional procedures for identifying gram-negative anaerobes such as Bacteroides spp. are cumbersome and time-consuming. A simpler approach would be to use DNA probes to identify these organisms. Since many different species of gram-negative anaerobes are isolated from clinical specimens, the most useful DNA probes would be probes that identify a few clinically significant groups of anaerobes. To obtain such probes, we cloned HindIII-digested chromosomal DNA from various Bacteroides species and then screened these probes, labeled with 32P by nick translation, for hybridization to DNA from various species of Bacteroides, Fusobacterium, and other gram-negative bacteria. We identified three DNA probes (pBFII-4, pBFII-5, and pBFII-6) that hybridized specifically to DNA from Bacteroides fragilis, the species that accounts for about half of all isolates from clinical specimens containing anaerobes. We identified one DNA probe (pBE-3) that hybridized to all members of the B. fragilis group, a group of species that resemble B. fragilis with respect to fermentation pattern and antibiotic resistances. We also identified one probe (pBO-21) that hybridized to DNA from all Bacteroides sp. strains as well as to DNA from strains of Fusobacterium necrophorum and Fusobacterium nucleatum. pBO-21, but not pBE-3, cross-hybridized with a cloned Bacteroides sp. 16S rRNA gene. The limit of detection for these probes was 10(6) bacteria. The probes could detect B. fragilis in blood culture medium and in mixed cultures with other gram-negative bacteria. Attempts to use biotin-labeled DNA probes instead of 32P-labeled probes were not successful because the Bacteroides sp. extracts contained material that bound the streptoavidin-peroxidase detection reagent.
Intrinsically cell-penetrating multivalent and multitargeting ligands for myotonic dystrophy type 1 (2019)

Developing highly active, multivalent ligands as therapeutic agents is challenging because of delivery issues, limited cell permeability, and toxicity. Here, we report intrinsically cell-penetrating multivalent ligands that target the trinucleotide repeat DNA and RNA in myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1), interrupting the disease progression in two ways. The oligomeric ligands are designed based on the repetitive structure of the target with recognition moieties alternating with bisamidinium groove binders to provide an amphiphilic and polycationic structure, mimicking cell-penetrating peptides. Multiple biological studies suggested the success of our multivalency strategy. The designed oligomers maintained cell permeability and exhibited no apparent toxicity both in cells and in mice at working concentrations. Furthermore, the oligomers showed important activities in DM1 cells and in a DM1 liver mouse model, reducing or eliminating prominent DM1 features. Phenotypic recovery of the climbing defect in adult DM1 <i>Drosophila</i> was also observed. This design strategy should be applicable to other repeat expansion diseases and more generally to DNA/RNA-targeted therapeutics.
Dejavu: An Accurate Energy-Efficient Outdoor Localization System (2013)

We present Dejavu, a system that uses standard cell-phone sensors to provide accurate and energy-efficient outdoor localization suitable for car navigation. Our analysis shows that different road landmarks have a unique signature on cell-phone sensors; For example, going inside tunnels, moving over bumps, going up a bridge, and even potholes all affect the inertial sensors on the phone in a unique pattern. Dejavu employs a dead-reckoning localization approach and leverages these road landmarks, among other automatically discovered abundant virtual landmarks, to reset the accumulated error and achieve accurate localization. To maintain a low energy profile, Dejavu uses only energy-efficient sensors or sensors that are already running for other purposes. We present the design of Dejavu and how it leverages crowd-sourcing to automatically learn virtual landmarks and their locations. Our evaluation results from implementation on different android devices in both city and highway driving show that Dejavu can localize cell phones to within 8.4m median error in city roads and 16.6m on highways. Moreover, compared to GPS and other state-of-the-art systems, Dejavu can extend the battery lifetime by 347%, achieving even better localization results than GPS in the more challenging in-city driving conditions.
Directional Drilling Attitude Control With Input Disturbances and Feedback Delay (2017)

This paper presents a general approach for the attitude control of directional drilling tools for the oil and gas industry. It extends the recent work where a kinematic bilinear model of the directional drilling tool was developed and used as the basis for Constant Build Rate (CBR) controller design. The CBR controller in combination with a modified Smith Predictor (SP) is implemented for the attitude control of the directional drilling. The results of a transient simulation of the proposed modified SP-CBR controller are presented and compared with that from the CBR controller of the earlier studies. It is shown that the modified SP-CBR controller significantly reduces the adverse effects of input disturbances and time delay on the feedback measurements with respect to stability and performance.
Characterization of an alternative packaging system derived from the cat RD114 retrovirus for gene delivery (2009)

This is the first demonstration that replication-defective RD114 viral particles can be generated and used for efficient gene delivery into human hematopoietic cells. We conclude that RD114-derived vectors could be useful in the field of gene therapy.