gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Evaluating intensity standardization and inhomogeneity correction in magnetic resonance images (2003)

Image intensity standardization is a recently developed postprocessing method designed for correcting acquisition-to-acquisition signal intensity variations inherent in MR images. Inhomogeneity correction is a method used to remove the low spatial frequency background non-uniformities that exist in MR images. Both these procedures have important implications for MR medical image segmentation, registration and image analysis. The effects of these post-processing operations on improvement of image quality in isolation has been well documented. However, the combined effects of these two processes on MR images has not been studied thus far. In this paper, we evaluate the effect of inhomogeneity correction followed by standardization on MR images and vice-versa, in order to determine the best sequence to follow for enhancing image quality. We found that improved standardization was achieved by preceding it with correction, and image inhomogeneity was greatly reduced by standardizing and then correcting.
Carbon Nanotube–Nanocup Hybrid Structures for High Power Supercapacitor Applications (2012)

Here, we design and develop high-power electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) using carbon-based three dimensional (3-D) hybrid nanostructured electrodes. 3-D hybrid nanostructured electrodes consisting of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes (CNTs) on highly porous carbon nanocups (CNCs) were synthesized by a combination of anodization and chemical vapor deposition techniques. A 3-D electrode-based supercapacitor showed enhanced areal capacitance by accommodating more charges in a given footprint area than that of a conventional CNC-based device.
Applications of tree/link partitioning for moment computations of general lumped RLC networks with resistor loops (2004)

A new moment computation technique for general lumped circuits with resistor loops is proposed. Using the concept of tearing, a lumped network can be portioned into a spanning tree and several resistor links. The contributions of network moments from each tree and the corresponding links can be determined independently. By combining the conventional moment computation algorithms and the reduced ordered binary decision diagram (ROBDD), the proposed method can compute system moments efficiently.
Saccharocin, a new aminoglycoside antibiotic. Fermentation, isolation, characterization and structural study. (1983)

A new aminoglycoside antibiotic, saccharocin has been isolated from the fermentation broth of Saccharopolyspora sp. AC-3440 (FERM P-6238) by column chromatography on a cation-exchange resin. Saccharocin is active against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. The structure was elucidated to be 4"-deamino-4"-hydroxyapramycin by 13C NMR spectral analysis.
Do It Yourself Haptics: Part II [Tutorial] (2008)

This article is the second of a two-part series intended to be an introduction to haptic interfaces, their construction, and application design. Haptic interactions employ mechanical, programmed physical devices that can be used for human-computer communication via the sense of touch. In Part I of this series, we focused on the devices themselves: the classes of hardware schemes currently available or envisioned, the software components that drive them, and specific examples that can be built on the kitchen table. Here in Part II, we broach a topic that is coming into its own; between the vision of a particular utility that haptic feedback theoretically should enable and the hardware capable of delivering the required sensations is the problem of designing the interaction in a usable way.
Denuded Zone Thickness from Surface Photovoltage Measurements: Comparison with Microscopy Techniques (1998)

A method for measuring denuded zone depth from lifetime measurements is proposed and compared to observations by microscopy techniques. The surface photovoltage (SPV) method is chosen for measuring lifetime, as it is found to be extremely sensitive to oxygen precipitation. SPV estimates of denuded zone depth are compared to observations by microscopy techniques, such as selective etching and inspections by a scanning electron microscope or an atomic force microscope, and analysis by transmission electron microscopy. SPV estimates agree with microscopy inspection, provided defect density is high enough to allow a denuded zone to be identified.
RNA-Seq transcriptome analysis of Spirodela dormancy without reproduction (2014)

The identification and functional annotation of differentially expressed genes open a major step towards understanding the molecular network underlying vegetative frond dormancy. Moreover, genes have been identified that could be engineered in duckweeds for practical applications easing agricultural production of food crops.
Potent Taccalonolides, AF and AJ, Inform Significant Structure–Activity Relationships and Tubulin as the Binding Site of These Microtubule Stabilizers (2011)

The taccalonolides are a class of microtubule stabilizing agents isolated from plants of the genus Tacca. In efforts to define their structure-activity relationships, we isolated five new taccalonolides, AC-AF and H2, from one fraction of an ethanol extract of Tacca plantaginea. The structures were elucidated using a combination of spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR and HR-ESI-MS. Taccalonolide AJ, an epoxidation product of taccalonolide B, was generated by semisynthesis. Five of these taccalonolides demonstrated cellular microtubule-stabilizing activities and antiproliferative actions against cancer cells, with taccalonolide AJ exhibiting the highest potency with an IC(50) value of 4.2 nM. The range of potencies of these compounds, from 4.2 nM to >50 μM, for the first time provides the opportunity to identify specific structural moieties crucial for potent biological activities as well as those that impede optimal cellular effects. In mechanistic assays, taccalonolides AF and AJ stimulated the polymerization of purified tubulin, an activity that had not previously been observed for taccalonolides A and B, providing the first evidence that this class of microtubule stabilizers can interact directly with tubulin/microtubules. Taccalonolides AF and AJ were able to enhance tubulin polymerization to the same extent as paclitaxel but exhibited a distinct kinetic profile, suggesting a distinct binding mode or the possibility of a new binding site. The potencies of taccalonolides AF and AJ and their direct interaction with tubulin, together with the previous excellent in vivo antitumor activity of this class, reveal the potential of the taccalonolides as new anticancer agents.
Side chain dendritic polyurethanes with shape-memory effect (2009)

In this study, thermally reversible polyurethanes (PUs) with shape memory effect were developed by using hydrogen bonding to enhance physical interactions. Two different types of PUs were synthesized: (1) a linear PU whose hard segment consists of methylene di-para-phenyl isocyanate (MDI) and di(ethylene glycol) (DEG); its soft segment is made of Tone 0260 polyol, a polyester polyol; (2) a side-chain dendritic PU which replaces DEG with different generations of dendritic chain extenders. By incorporation of the dendritic structure with peripheral long alkyl chains (strong van der Waals forces), the miscibility between hard and soft segments can be significantly improved. Consequently, the hydrogen bonding reinforced hard segments (malonamide linkages) of side chain dendritic PUs result in greatly enhanced mechanical properties and shape memory effect. During cyclic shape memory tests, one of the series can effortlessly achieve complete recovery in less than 10 second without any deficiency.
Targeting Vascular Endothelial-Cadherin in Tumor-Associated Blood Vessels Promotes T-cell–Mediated Immunotherapy (2017)

T-cell infiltration of solid tumors is associated with improved prognosis and favorable responses to immunotherapy. Mechanisms that enable tumor infiltration of CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells have not been defined, nor have drugs that assist this process been discovered. Here we address these issues with a focus on VE-cadherin, a major endothelial cell-specific junctional protein that controls vascular integrity. A decrease in VE-cadherin expression is associated with tumor pathology. We developed an oligonucleotide-based inhibitor (CD5-2), which disrupted the interaction of VE-cadherin with its regulator miR-27a, resulting in increased VE-cadherin expression. Administration of CD5-2 in tumor-bearing mice enhanced expression of VE-cadherin in tumor endothelium, activating TIE-2 and tight junction pathways and normalizing vessel structure and function. CD5-2 administration also enhanced tumor-specific T-cell infiltration and spatially redistributed CD8<sup>+</sup> T cells within the tumor parenchyma. Finally, CD5-2 treatment enhanced the efficacy of anti-PD-1 blocking antibody. Our work establishes a role for VE-cadherin in T-cell infiltration in tumors and offers a preclinical proof of concept for CD5-2 as a therapeutic modifier of cancer immunotherapy via effects on the tumor vasculature. <i>Cancer Res; 77(16); 4434-47. ©2017 AACR</i>.
Light-Weight Intermetallic Titanium Aluminides – Status of Research and Development (2011)

Development and processing of high-temperature materials is the key to technological progress in engineering areas where materials have to meet extreme requirements. Examples for such areas are the aerospace and automotive industries. New structural materials have to be stronger, stiffer and lighter to withstand the extremely demanding conditions in the next generation of aero- and automotive engines. Intermetallic -TiAl based alloys exhibit numerous attractive properties which meet these demands. These properties include high melting point, low density, high specific elastic modulus, good oxidation and burn resistance, and high specific strength up to application temperatures of 700 to 800°C. Thus, current -TiAl based alloys outperform advanced Ti-based alloys and have the potential to replace heavy Ni-based superalloys.
Bow-tie antenna for UWB communication frequency (2004)

The growing use of wireless devices has forced the need of larger bandwidths. This calls for a result of larger bit-rates or the use of different standards using different frequency bands. The ultra-wideband (UWB) system has attracted as a system because it can realize a bit rate of several hundred Mbit/s. But the main difficulty is to design a suitable antenna for a UWB system. This work presents a novel wideband printed bow-tie antenna at UWB communication frequency of 3.1-10.6 GHz. The antenna is designed on an inexpensive printed circuit board to keep the product cheap. A coplanar strip (CPS) fed with appropriate matching has been used.
Bioluminescence Imaging of<i>Clavibacter michiganensis</i>subsp.<i>michiganensis</i>Infection of Tomato Seeds and Plants (2010)

Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis is a Gram-positive bacterium that causes wilting and cankers, leading to severe economic losses in commercial tomato production worldwide. The disease is transmitted from infected seeds to seedlings and mechanically from plant to plant during seedling production, grafting, pruning, and harvesting. Because of the lack of tools for genetic manipulation, very little is known regarding the mechanisms of seed and seedling infection and movement of C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis in grafted plants, two focal points for application of bacterial canker control measures in tomato. To facilitate studies on the C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis movement in tomato seed and grafted plants, we isolated a bioluminescent C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis strain using the modified Tn1409 containing a promoterless lux reporter. A total of 19 bioluminescent C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis mutants were obtained. All mutants tested induced a hypersensitive response in Mirabilis jalapa and caused wilting of tomato plants. Real-time colonization studies of germinating seeds using a virulent, stable, constitutively bioluminescent strain, BL-Cmm17, showed that C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis aggregated on hypocotyls and cotyledons at an early stage of germination. In grafted seedlings in which either the rootstock or scion was exposed to BL-Cmm17 via a contaminated grafting knife, bacteria were translocated in both directions from the graft union at higher inoculum doses. These results emphasize the use of bioluminescent C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis to help better elucidate the C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis-tomato plant interactions. Further, we demonstrated the broader applicability of this tool by successful transformation of C. michiganensis subsp. nebraskensis with Tn1409::lux. Thus, our approach would be highly useful to understand the pathogenesis of diseases caused by other subspecies of the agriculturally important C. michiganensis.
Continuous Flow Ion Mobility Separation with Mass Spectrometric Detection Using a Nano-Radial Differential Mobility Analyzer at Low Flow Rates (2013)

We describe a hybrid mass-mobility instrument in which a continuous-flow ion mobility classifier is used as a front-end separation device for mass spectrometric analysis of ions generated with an electrospray ionization source. Using nitrogen as a carrier gas, the resolving power of the nano-radial differential mobility analyzer (nRDMA) for nanometer-sized ions is 5-7 for tetraalkylammonium ions. Data are presented demonstrating the ability of the system to resolve the different aggregation and charge states of tetraalkylammonium ions and protonated peptides using a quadrupole ion trap (QIT) mass spectrometer to analyze the mobility-classified ions. Specifically, data are presented for the two charge states of the decapeptide Gramicidin S. A key feature of the new instrument is the ability to continuously transmit ions with specific mobilities to the mass spectrometer for manipulation and analysis.
Comparative analysis of the human macrophage inflammatory protein family of cytokines (chemokines) on proliferation of human myeloid progenitor cells. Interacting effects involving suppression, synergistic suppression, and blocking of suppression (1993)

Macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP)-1 alpha, part of a family termed chemokines, has been implicated in suppression of hemopoietic stem and progenitor cell proliferation. The chemokine family has been organized into two subgroups with MIP-1 alpha, MIP-1 beta, macrophage chemotactic and activating factor (MCAF) and RANTES belonging to one subgroup, and GRO-alpha, MIP-2 alpha (GRO-beta), MIP-2 beta (GRO-gamma), platelet factor 4 (PF4), IL-8, and neutrophil activating peptide (NAP)-2 belonging to the other. These molecules were evaluated for effects on colony formation by human bone marrow multipotential (CFU-GEMM), erythroid (BFU-E) and granulocyte-macrophage (CFU-GM) progenitor cells. None of the chemokines stimulated colony formation in the absence of CSF, or influenced colony formation stimulated by a single growth factor such as granulocyte-macrophage-CSF or erythropoietin. However, MIP-1 alpha, MIP-2 alpha, PF4, IL-8, and MCAF suppressed in dose-response fashion colony formation of immature subsets of myeloid progenitor cells stimulated by GM-CSF plus steel factor. Effects were apparent on low density and CD34 HLA-DR(+)-sorted marrow cells in which up to 88.4% of the cells were composed of progenitor cells, suggesting direct effects on the progenitors themselves. Up to 2500-fold less of each chemokine could be used to demonstrate synergistic suppression when any two of these five chemokines were used together at low concentrations, effects also apparently directly on the progenitors. In contrast, MIP-1 beta, MIP-2 beta, GRO-alpha, NAP-2, and RANTES were not suppressive nor did they synergize with MIP-1 alpha, MIP-2 alpha, PF4, IL-8, or MCAF to suppress. However, a fivefold excess of MIP-1 beta blocked the suppressive effects of MIP-1 alpha. Similarly, a fivefold excess of either MIP-2 beta or GRO-alpha blocked the suppressive effects of IL-8 and PF4. These suppressing, synergizing and blocking effects may be of relevance to blood cell regulation.
Blood Kidney Injury Molecule-1 Is a Biomarker of Acute and Chronic Kidney Injury and Predicts Progression to ESRD in Type I Diabetes (2014)

Currently, no blood biomarker that specifically indicates injury to the proximal tubule of the kidney has been identified. Kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1) is highly upregulated in proximal tubular cells following kidney injury. The ectodomain of KIM-1 is shed into the lumen, and serves as a urinary biomarker of kidney injury. We report that shed KIM-1 also serves as a blood biomarker of kidney injury. Sensitive assays to measure plasma and serum KIM-1 in mice, rats, and humans were developed and validated in the current study. Plasma KIM-1 levels increased with increasing periods of ischemia (10, 20, or 30 minutes) in mice, as early as 3 hours after reperfusion; after unilateral ureteral obstruction (day 7) in mice; and after gentamicin treatment (50 or 200 mg/kg for 10 days) in rats. In humans, plasma KIM-1 levels were higher in patients with AKI than in healthy controls or post-cardiac surgery patients without AKI (area under the curve, 0.96). In patients undergoing cardiopulmonary bypass, plasma KIM-1 levels increased within 2 days after surgery only in patients who developed AKI (P<0.01). Blood KIM-1 levels were also elevated in patients with CKD of varous etiologies. In a cohort of patients with type 1 diabetes and proteinuria, serum KIM-1 level at baseline strongly predicted rate of eGFR loss and risk of ESRD during 5-15 years of follow-up, after adjustment for baseline urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio, eGFR, and Hb1Ac. These results identify KIM-1 as a blood biomarker that specifically reflects acute and chronic kidney injury.
Frequency tunable terahertz interdigitated photoconductive antennas (2010)

Frequency tunable terahertz (THz) interdigitated photoconductive antennas (PCAs) are realised by adjusting electrode spacing. An interdigitated geometry allows fabrication of PCAs with small gaps and large surface area for optical excitation. The pulsed electric field and emission spectra are measured using THz-time domain spectroscopy (TDS). It is observed that the peak frequency of the emitted spectra is shifted to higher frequencies (from 0.73 to 1.33 THz) as the electrode gap decreases (from 20 to 2µm). Measurements are in good agreement when compared to Drude-Lorentz simulations that include the interdigitated capacitance and gap size. The simulations highlight that as the electrode spacing is reduced, faster space-charge screening of the bias field occurs, leading to the higher frequency emission. As a result, the frequency response of an interdigitated PCA can be easily designed with an appropriate electrode spacing geometry.
Broad-band light source using mutually injected Fabry-Pe/spl acute/rot laser diodes for WDM-PON (2005)

We propose and demonstrate a new broad-band light source (BLS) for a wavelength division multiplexing-passive optical network (WDM-PON) based on the wavelength locked Fabry-Pe/spl acute/rot laser diodes (F-P LDs). By mutual injection between two antireflection-coated F-P LDs, we realized a broad-band light with a low relative intensity noise. By using the proposed BLS for wavelength locking of the F-P LD, we achieve color-free operation of the optical network termination with Manchester coded data. We also demonstrate a WDM-PON based on the proposed BLS.
A simple modification to facilitate robust generalized sidelobe canceller for hearing aids (2015)

This work focuses on an adaptive beamformer in a hearing aid application using a generalized sidelobe canceller structure (GSC). In this application, the constraint and blocking matrices in the GSC structure are specifically designed using an estimate of the transfer functions between the target source and the microphones to ensure optimal beamformer performance. We show that, in practice, the GSC always-unintentionally-attenuates the target sound in a special but realistic situation where all signals, including the target and noise signals, originate from the look direction reflected by the look vector. This happens because, in practice, the blocking matrix in the GSC structure is non-ideal. We introduce a simple modification to the GSC structure, which solves the problem of undesired target signal attenuation in situations where all signals originate from the look direction. Furthermore, this modification can also prevent desired signals, originating from positions spatially close to the look direction, to be removed. We also show that the solution has no impact on other acoustic situations.
<title>Technique to analyze large-area surface roughness of a wafer using TXRF</title> (1998)

Determining the roughness of a wafer surface inside a wafer fabrication plant would be advantageous in solving process problems in semiconductor device manufacturing. Currently, there is not a technique in the fab that will measure the large area surface roughness accurately and non-destructively. Traditionally Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM)1 has been the method of choice for surface roughness analysis. However, AFM typically measures roughness in a micro-area (e.g. 5 μm x 5μm). We have developed a new technique with Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence (TXRF)2 for the determination of surface roughness using a large area scan. TXRF is used primarily to find trace metal contamination on the surface of a wafer. 3 In the TXRF measurement a secondary fluorescence signal is obtained following irradiation with a primary x-ray beam. We have found that plotting the primary scatter beam (e.g. Au L13 counts per second) versus the secondary fluorescent x-rays (e.g. Si counts per second), a trend is obtained that is linear and specific for a particular wafer. The slope of this linear trend is strongly dependent on the roughness of the wafer surface as determined by AFM. By comparing the slopes of these lines we have found that an increase in slope relates to an increase in roughness. The data has shown that this relationship is independent of the surface type. Polysilicon, oxide and metal stack wafers with varying surface roughness (e.g. AFM) have been studied with the TXRF.
Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) Routing and Spectrum Assignment for Flexgrid-based Elastic Optical Networking (2014)

A maximum entropy approach to routing and spectral allocation in elastic optical networks is implemented using a genetic algorithm and operated on a real network topology. This approach avoids fragmentation problems and increases network utilization.