gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Effect of Anti-Mullerian Hormone on Sertoli and Leydig Cell Functions in Fetal and Immature Rats<sup>1</sup> (1998)

Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) is mainly involved in the regression of Mullerian ducts in male fetuses, but it may have other functions linked to gonadal development. The present study examines the effect of AMH on steroidogenesis by Sertoli and Leydig cells in fetal and immature rats during the period where AMH is physiologically produced in the testis. The basal aromatase activity of Sertoli cells in primary culture was strongly stimulated (77-91%) by cAMP. AMH (35 nM) reduced cAMP-stimulated aromatase activity by 49-69% as early as fetal day 16 and until postnatal day 20. This effect was dose dependent and was seen after 48 h in culture. AMH also blocked the Sertoli cell aromatase activity stimulated by FSH, but LH did not stimulate this activity, confirming that the aromatase activity effectively resulted from Sertoli cells and not from contaminating Leydig cells. RT-PCR analysis showed that AMH reduced aromatase activity by decreasing the amount of aromatase messenger RNA. AMH also inhibited the LH-stimulated testosterone production by dispersed fetal Leydig cells in culture in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect of AMH did not depend on the fetal stage studied (16 or 20 days postconception) and resulted from a drop in the steroidogenic activity of each Leydig cell without affecting the number of 3beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-positive cells. These data provide the first evidence that AMH, like other members of the transforming growth factor-beta family, has an autocrine/paracrine effect on testicular steroidogenic function during the fetal and prepubertal periods.
siRNA pool targeting different sites of human hepatitis B surface antigen efficiently inhibits HBV infection (2008)

The main objective was to determine whether a pool of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting different regions of hepatitis B virus surface antigen (HBsAg) efficiently inhibits hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. siRNAs targeting different regions of HBsAg were transfected into HBV-producing HepG2.2.15 cells and at 72 h post-transfection, the culture medium was collected for ELISA to determine HBsAg, while total RNA was isolated from the cells for real-time PCR. Three siRNA sequences that efficiently inhibited HBV infection were converted into small hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) and then cloned into a single plasmid psiSTRIKE driven by a single U6 promoter. These shRNA expressing plasmids were tested for HBsAg gene silencing in HepG2.2.15 cells. A pool of siRNAs targeting HBsAg efficiently inhibited HBV replication and antigen expression when transfected into HepG2.2.15 cells, compared with the use of single siRNA. Similarly, the plasmid encoding three different shRNAs driven by a single U6 promoter was more effective in silencing HBsAg at DNA, mRNA and protein levels compared with the plasmid encoding single shRNA. No apoptotic change was observed in the cells when the plasmid was transfected at a dose of 0.5-2 microg/1 x 10(6) cells after complex formation with Lipofectamine LTX. Furthermore, transfection with siRNA or shRNA did not increase interferon-gamma (IFNs-gamma) release, suggesting no induction of IFN response. In conclusion, a pool of chemically synthesised siRNAs as well as the shRNA expression plasmid encoding multiple shRNAs targeting different regions of HBsAg showed high gene silencing in HepG2.2.15 cells.
l-Ascorbic Acid 6-Hexadecanoate, a Potent Hyaluronidase Inhibitor (2004)

Hyaluronidases are enzymes that degrade hyaluronan, an important component of the extracellular matrix. The mammalian hyaluronidases are considered to be involved in many (patho)physiological processes like fertilization, tumor growth, and metastasis. Bacterial hyaluronidases, also termed hyaluronate lyases, contribute to the spreading of microorganisms in tissues. Such roles for hyaluronidases suggest that inhibitors could be useful pharmacological tools. Potent and selective inhibitors are not known to date, although L-ascorbic acid has been reported to be a weak inhibitor of Streptococcus pneumoniae hyaluronate lyase (SpnHL). The x-ray structure of SpnHL complexed with L-ascorbic acid has been elucidated suggesting that additional hydrophobic interactions might increase inhibitory activity. Here we show that L-ascorbic acid 6-hexadecanoate (Vcpal) is a potent inhibitor of both streptococcal and bovine testicular hyaluronidase (BTH). Vcpal showed strong inhibition of Streptococcus agalactiae hyaluronate lyase with an IC(50) of 4 microM and weaker inhibition of SpnHL and BTH with IC(50) values of 100 and 56 microM, respectively. To date, Vcpal has proved to be one of the most potent inhibitors of hyaluronidase. We also determined the x-ray structure of the SpnHL-Vcpal complex and confirmed the hypothesis that additional hydrophobic interactions with Phe-343, His-399, and Thr-400 in the active site led to increased inhibition. A homology structural model of BTH was also generated to suggest binding modes of Vcpal to this hyaluronidase. The long alkyl chain seemed to interact with an extended, hydrophobic channel formed by mostly conserved amino acids Ala-84, Leu-91, Tyr-93, Tyr-220, and Leu-344 in BTH.
The Hybrid Reciprocal Velocity Obstacle (2011)

We present the hybrid reciprocal velocity obstacle for collision-free and oscillation-free navigation of multiple mobile robots or virtual agents. Each robot senses its surroundings and acts independently without central coordination or communication with other robots. Our approach uses both the current position and the velocity of other robots to compute their future trajectories in order to avoid collisions. Moreover, our approach is reciprocal and avoids oscillations by explicitly taking into account that the other robots sense their surroundings as well and change their trajectories accordingly. We apply hybrid reciprocal velocity obstacles to iRobot Create mobile robots and demonstrate direct, collision-free, and oscillation-free navigation.
Explosive Percolation in the Human Protein Homology Network (2009)

We study the explosive character of the percolation transition in a real-world network. We show that the emergence of a spanning cluster in the Human Protein Homology Network (H-PHN) exhibits similar features to an Achlioptas-type process and is markedly different from regular random percolation. The underlying mechanism of this transition can be described by slow-growing clusters that remain isolated until the later stages of the process, when the addition of a small number of links leads to the rapid interconnection of these modules into a giant cluster. Our results indicate that the evolutionary-based process that shapes the topology of the H-PHN through duplication-divergence events may occur in sudden steps, similarly to what is seen in first-order phase transitions.
Remote data checking using provable data possession (2011)

We introduce a model for provable data possession (PDP) that can be used for remote data checking: A client that has stored data at an untrusted server can verify that the server possesses the original data without retrieving it. The model generates probabilistic proofs of possession by sampling random sets of blocks from the server, which drastically reduces I/O costs. The client maintains a constant amount of metadata to verify the proof. The challenge/response protocol transmits a small, constant amount of data, which minimizes network communication. Thus, the PDP model for remote data checking is lightweight and supports large data sets in distributed storage systems. The model is also robust in that it incorporates mechanisms for mitigating arbitrary amounts of data corruption. We present two provably-secure PDP schemes that are more efficient than previous solutions. In particular, the overhead at the server is low (or even constant), as opposed to linear in the size of the data. We then propose a generic transformation that adds robustness to any remote data checking scheme based on spot checking. Experiments using our implementation verify the practicality of PDP and reveal that the performance of PDP is bounded by disk I/O and not by cryptographic computation. Finally, we conduct an in-depth experimental evaluation to study the tradeoffs in performance, security, and space overheads when adding robustness to a remote data checking scheme.
A new hydrogen peroxide biosensor by using modified Carbon PasteElectrode with catalase enzyme and Mn2O3 Nanoparticles (2012)

We used of Nanoscience, biology and electrochemistry in designing a new hydrogen peroxide biosensor by using modified Carbon Paste Electrode with catalase enzyme and Mn2O3 Nanoparticles. Cyclic voltammetry method as a general method in electrochemical studies was performed using an Autolab potentiostat. A conventional threeelectrode cell was employed throughout the experiments. The produced Mn2O3 Nanoparticles was characterized by XRD, UV-visible, SEM and TEM analysis. The direct electrochemistry behavior of CAT / Mn2O3 Nps/ CPE was studied and a pair of well-defined redox peaks was observed at the CAT / Mn2O3 Nps/ CPE in a 0.1 mol L−1 phosphate buffer solution (PBS) of pH 7.0 at a scan rate of 100mVs−1 compared to the Mn2O3 Nps/ CPE. Its anodic peak potential and cathodic peak potential were located at −150mV and −200mV (vs. SCE), respectively. The formal potential (Eo) of Catalase, estimated as the midpoint of reduction and oxidation potentials, was - (175 ± 2) mV. The presented experiment has introduced a new biosensor for the sensitive determination of H2O2 in the solution in the range of 15-135 μM.
Analysis of gas dispersed in scattering liquids and solids (2002)

Summary form only. A preliminary sensitivity analysis shows, that gas signatures should be detectable under many circumstances. We have made preliminary model experiments at 780 nm using diode laser radiation with a sharp spectral imprint due to passage of a cell with rubidium vapour. After passage through several mm of apple tissue or through paper resulting in heavy scattering, the sharp gas feature is clearly visible using two-tone frequency modulation spectroscopy. A set-up for molecular oxygen monitoring at 760 nm using optical fibres for transmission and receiving is being assembled and results will be reported. Numerous applications including medical ones can be envisaged with this hitherto unexplored methodology.
Javelin: Internet-based parallel computing using Java (1997)

Java offers the basic infrastructure needed to integrate computers connected to the Internet into a seamless distributed computational resource: an infrastructure for running coarse-grained parallel applications on numerous, anonymous machines. First, we sketch such a resource's essential technical properties. Then, we present Javelin, an infrastructure for global computing. The system is based on Internet software that is interoperable, increasingly secure and ubiquitous: Java-enabled Web technology. Ease of participation is seen as a key property for such a resource to realize the vision of a multiprocessing environment comprising thousands of computers. Javelin's architecture and implementation require participants to have access to only a Java-enabled Web browser. The security constraints implied by this, the resulting architecture and the current implementation are presented. The Javelin architecture is intended to be a substrate on which various programming models may be implemented. Different computation servers, each corresponding to a different programming model, are supported by Javelin's architecture. Several are presented briefly. Experimental results are given in the form of micro-benchmarks, a Mersenne Prime application and a ray-tracing application that run on a heterogeneous network of several parallel machines, workstations and PCs. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development of soft sensor exterior embedded with multi-axis deformable tactile sensor system (2009)

In some important robotic human daily life support applications, such as housework or nursing care, soft sensor exterior is needed for allowing close contacts against humans or environments. Although there are many studies on tactile sensing elements themselves and some of them realize the mechanical softness of the element, most of their studies just propose their detection theory with their sensor element prototypes and it is difficult to use them for developing soft tactile exterior. Therefore a soft sensor exterior embedded with multi-axis deformation sensor is developed in this paper. The most important feature for this sensor is that it can detect multi-axis deformation, and the sensor element itself has enough softness to deform with the outer exterior. The developed sensor is constructed by molding a soft urethane foam with infrared LEDs and corresponding phototransistors. It detects 3D deformation of the sensor as voltage changes at each phototransistors. Furthermore, a prototype of soft sensor exterior embedded with the developed sensing elements is realized and we confirmed that the 3D deformation, such as stroking, pinching, and pushing, can be detected using the developed sensor exterior prototype.
A framework to rapidly test SDN use-cases and accelerate middlebox applications (2013)

Software-defined networking (SDN) is envisioned to provide a centralized interface to programmatically manage networking elements. However, despite its conceptual simplicity, current switch and SDN architectures have poor performance with little support to innovate and test novel SDN applications. We propose an application extensibility framework that allows researchers to build new SDN applications without requiring modification to the OpenFlow-based plumbing available today. We also employ both hardware and software packet processing capabilities of switching elements by offloading intensive per-packet processing onto the switch processing pipeline using dynamically loadable packet processing modules (PPMs). Our architecture thus allows flexibility in the type of applications alongside high switching performance. We believe that our architecture will unleash the potential of SDN by inspiring the SDN “killer app”. We evaluate our framework using an encryption middlebox application and show a two orders-of-magnitude improvement over an implementation using the current SDN architecture when using hardware offload blocks.
Supramolecular assemblies of block copolymers as templates for fabrication of nanomaterials (2010)

Self-assembled polymeric systems have played an important role as templates for nanofabrication; they offer nanotemplates with different morphologies and tunable sizes, are easily removed after reactions, and could be further modified with different functional groups to enhance the interactions. Among the various self-assembled polymeric systems, block copolymer supramolecular assemblies have received considerable attention because of the inherent processing advantages. These supramolecular assemblies are formed by the non-covalent interactions of one of the blocks of the block copolymer with a low molar-mass additive. Selective extraction of the additive leads to porous membranes or nano-objects which could then be used as templates for nanofabrication leading to a variety of ordered organic/inorganic nanostructures. In this feature article, we present an over-view of the recent developments in this area with a special focus on some examples from our group.
Three-dimensional hydrodynamic focusing with a single sheath flow in a single-layer microfluidic device (2009)

We report a contraction–expansion array (CEA) microchannel that allows three-dimensional hydrodynamic focusing with a single sheath flow in a single-layer device. The CEA microchannel exploits centrifugal forces acting on fluids travelling along the contraction and expansion regions of the microchannel. Around an entrance of the contraction region, the centrifugal forces induce a secondary flow field where two counter-rotating vortices enable to envelop a sample flow with a sheath flow in three dimensions. We herein describe an underlying principle and a design of the CEA microchannel and demonstrate complete sheathing of a sample fluid (water and human red blood cells) in three dimensions. The focusing characteristics of the CEA microchannel are investigated in terms of the number of the rectangular structures, flow rate, and flow ratio between sample and sheath flows. This microfluidic channel for three-dimensional hydrodynamic focusing is easy to fabricate in a single-layer fabrication process and simple to operate with a single sheath flow.
Mobile geotagged data gathering for disaster remediation (2012)

Devastating floods in Thailand during the final quarter of 2011 caused almost 600 deaths as well as severe damage to the country's infrastructure and economy. The crisis prompted us to very quickly develop a system using mobile devices to survey the status of industrial facilities in disaster-affected areas. Our objective was to create a system that would allow an untrained user equipped with a modern mobile telephone to acquire and transmit location-tagged information, in multiple modalities, about the conditions at a disaster site. The system needed to be robust in the face of abnormal conditions in the disaster area, should permit the users to use their own language, and should make the resulting data available immediately both to supervisors coordinating the disaster remediation effort and to experts elsewhere. In this paper we describe the motivation and methodology for this project, the functional architecture of the resulting software, its present status and its future prospects. The project serves a case study for rapid application development of geospatial software. The resulting application has potential utility in other disaster situations.
Nb-Doped <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="TeX">$\hbox{La}_{2}\hbox{O}_{3} $</tex-math></inline-formula> as Charge-Trapping Layer for Nonvolatile Memory Applications (2014)

Charge-trapping properties of Nb-doped La <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> O <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> (LaNbO) are investigated using an Al/Al <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> O <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> /LaNbO/SiO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> /Si structure. Compared with the memory device with La <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> O <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">3</sub> , the one with LaNbO shows better charge-trapping characteristics, including larger memory window (6.0 V at ±16 V sweeping voltage), higher programming speed (9.1 V at +16 V for 1 ms), and better retention property (94% charge retained after 10 <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">4</sup> s at 120°C), due to its higher trapping efficiency resulted from increased trap density and suppressed formation of a silicate interlayer at the LaNbO/SiO <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> interface by the Nb doping. Therefore, LaNbO is a promising candidate as the charge-trapping layer for nonvolatile memory applications.
Replacement of a Nitrogen by a Phosphorus Donor in Biomimetic Copper Complexes: a Surprising and Informative Case Study with Calix[6]arene-Based Cryptands (2009)

The aim of the paper is to characterize Cu complexes in the P(Ar)N(3) environment provided by ligands derived from triphenylphosphine P(C(6)H(4)CH(2)NHR)(3) and compare their coordination behavior and reactivity with those obtained with all-nitrogen ligands such as tren. It is shown that coordination of the PN(3) ligand (R = iPr) to Cu(I) and Cu(II) leads to complexes whose coordination sphere is hardly controlled as they readily undergo decoordination of either one N or the P donor together with oxidation of the latter. In strong contrast, when grafted on the small rim of a calix[6]arene, the P(Ar)N(3) is geometrically constrained into a tripod that enforces the metal center to remain in the same environment with a P-Cu bond for both oxidation states. These calix[6]PN(3)-based Cu(I) and Cu(II) complexes react readily with exogenous ligands, making a comparison with calix[6]tren-based copper complexes possible. Indeed, reactivity studies in solution highlight very different behaviors. The complex [Cu(calix[6]PN(3))](2+) shows an unusual affinity for weak sigma-donors (e.g., MeCN > EtOH), while the analogous cuprous complex, [Cu(calix[6]PN(3))](+), displays a surprising affinity for hard O-donor ligands (EtOH, DMF), which has never been observed for the tren analogues. Even more surprising is the lack of reactivity of [Cu(calix[6]PN(3))](+) toward dioxygen, which contrasts strongly with the high reactivity of the [Cu(calix[6]tren)](+) complex. In an attempt to explain the observed differences in binding properties and reactivity, Density Functional Theory calculations and electronic spectra simulations were undertaken. They suggest that coordination of the soft P(Ar)(3) center allows to tune the metal ion properties, either by absorbing excess electron density from Cu(I), or by increasing the electronic density of Cu(II). This is due to the simultaneous presence of the phosphorus atom (sigma-donor) in apical position and the aromatic groups (pi-acceptors) bound to the P-atom.
A BIOMECHANICAL MODEL OF THE CERVICAL SPINE DURING CYCLING (2007)

With the objective of estimating the internal forces in the cervical spine during cycling, nine subjects pedaled in three postures. The image of the sagittal posture of the spine
was recorded through filming and the muscle activity of the cervical extensors was registered. Reflexive markers were placed on anatomical points on the head and the cervical spine. One subject was submitted to radiological exam of the head and cervical spine in the sagittal plane with lead markers placed on the same anatomical points of reference. Muscular force was calculated using the inverse dynamics technique. The results demonstrate that muscular strength and the RMS value increase significantly (p<0.05) when the cervical spine is more extended and the head is pushed forward.