gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Reliable large format arrays of Geiger-mode avalanche photodiodes (2008)

The fabrication of reliable InP-based Geiger-mode avalanche photodiode arrays is described. Arrays of up to 256 times 64 elements have been produced and mated to silicon read-out circuits forming single-photon infrared focal plane imagers for 1.06 and 1.5 mum applications.
New Technique for Testing Performance of Thermoelectric Quantum Well Materials (2009)

A new test technique and apparatus have been developed for measuring the thermoelectric (TE) performance of the quantum well (QW) thin films. Innovative, nanotechnology Si/SiGe QW TE thin film materials have been developed that appear to demonstrate significantly higher Seebeck coefficients and lower electrical resistivities that show the power factor, Seebeck coefficient squared divided by resistivity, to be many times higher than for the state-of-the-art TE materials such as Bi2Te3, PbTe, TAGS or SiGe bulk materials. The power factor values were derived from QW films deposited on very electrically resistive Si substrates. Since the electrical resistance of the Si substrate is so high (> 100 times the QW film sample resistance) it acts like an insulator and the Seebeck and resistivity values that are measured are essentially those of the QW films. The measurement of thermal conductivity of QW films to obtain efficiency and the Figure of Merit, ZT, is much more difficult to measure and spurred this new experimental approach. This test was designed to determine if the QW materials are significantly better in ZT and efficiency than state-of-the-art TE materials such as Bi2Te3. As with the Seebeck and resistivity measurements, the presence of the Si substrate complicates the performance analysis. This test setup was designed to minimize the influence of the substrate. The technique developed allows the N or P sample to be measured as a thermoelectric couple with a copper wire as the other leg. During the test, the electrical output of the test sample and the imposed temperature difference are recorded simultaneously. The measured temperature difference, along with measured electrical properties at the steady-state conditions, is used to calculate the conversion efficiency by two different methods. Three separate QW samples were tested in the new test apparatus. A bulk Bi2Te3 sample was also tested to compare the QW performance with a state-of-the-art bulk TE material. From the experimental data, it was found that the QW samples exhibited conversion efficiencies which were approximately three times higher than the efficiency of the bulk Bi2Te3 material. Also, the experimentally measured properties of the Bi2Te3 sample were in good agreement with the published properties of the material, thus providing additional confirmation of this new test technique. Another confirmation of a higher ZT is that maximum efficiency and maximum power peaks exist at considerably different loads, whereas these peaks both occur near matched loads for Bi2Te3 alloys. The new test apparatus has been used effectively to measure the power factor of the QW thin films deposited on silicon substrates, and this power factor is significantly higher than for the state-of-the-art bulk TE materials.
DNA-launched live-attenuated vaccines for biodefense applications (2016)

A novel vaccine platform uses DNA immunization to launch live-attenuated virus vaccines in vivo. This technology has been applied for vaccine development against positive-strand RNA viruses with global public health impact including alphaviruses and flaviviruses. The DNA-launched vaccine represents the recombinant plasmid that encodes the full-length genomic RNA of live-attenuated virus downstream from a eukaryotic promoter. When administered in vivo, the genomic RNA of live-attenuated virus is transcribed. The RNA initiates limited replication of a genetically defined, live-attenuated vaccine virus in the tissues of the vaccine recipient, thereby inducing a protective immune response. This platform combines the strengths of reverse genetics, DNA immunization and the advantages of live-attenuated vaccines, resulting in a reduced chance of genetic reversions, increased safety, and improved immunization. With this vaccine technology, the field of DNA vaccines is expanded from those that express subunit antigens to include a novel type of DNA vaccines that launch live-attenuated viruses.
Advances in the development of vaccines for dengue fever (2012)

Abstract: Dengue fever is caused by the mosquito-borne dengue virus (DENV) serotypes 1–4, and is the most common arboviral infection of humans in subtropical and tropical regions of the world. There are currently no prophylaxis or treatment options in the form of vaccines or antivirals, leaving vector control the only method of prevention. A particular challenge with DENV is that a successful vaccine has to be effective against all four serotypes without predisposing for antibody-mediated enhanced disease. In this review, we discuss the current lead vaccine candidates in clinical trials, as well as some second-generation vaccine candidates undergoing preclinical evaluation. In addition, we discuss DENV epidemiology, clinical disease and strategies used for Flavivirus antivirals in the past, the development of new DENV therapeutics, and their potential usefulness for prophylaxis and treatment. Keywords: tetravalent dengue vaccine, live attenuated vaccine, purified inactivated vaccine, DNA vaccine, antibody-dependent enhancement, antivirals
Enhanced Two-Photon In Vivo Flow Cytometry with an Extended Cavity Laser (2007)

We use multiphoton in vivo flow cytometry to monitor multiple cell lines. With a reduced-repetition-rate (20-MHz) mode-locked oscillator, the signal is enhanced four-fold, enabling detection in blood of multiple cell lines expressing different GFP variants.
A sugarcane mosaic virus vector for gene expression in maize (2019)

<i>Zea mays</i> L. ssp. <i>mays</i> (maize) is an important crop plant as well as model system for genetics and plant biology. The ability to select among different virus-based platforms for transient gene silencing or protein expression experiments is expected to facilitate studies of gene function in maize and complement experiments with stable transgenes. Here, we describe the development of a sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV) vector for the purpose of protein expression in maize. An infectious SCMV cDNA clone was constructed, and heterologous genetic elements were placed between the protein 1 (P1) and helper component-proteinase (HC-Pro) cistrons in the SCMV genome. Recombinant SCMV clones engineered to express green fluorescent protein (GFP), β-glucuronidase (GUS), or bialaphos resistance (BAR) protein were introduced into sweet corn (Golden × Bantam) plants. Documentation of developmental time courses spanning maize growth from seedling to tasseling showed that the SCMV genome tolerates insertion of foreign sequences of at least 1,809 nucleotides at the P1/HC-Pro junction. Analysis of insert stability showed that the integrity of GFP and BAR coding sequences was maintained longer than that of the much larger GUS coding sequence. The SCMV isolate from which the expression vector is derived is able to infect several important maize inbred lines, suggesting that this SCMV vector has potential to be a valuable tool for gene functional analysis in a broad range of experimentally important maize genotypes.
1310 nm grating-outcoupled surface-emitting semiconductor lasers (2003)

A single frequency 1310nm grating-outcoupled-surface-emitting laser with greater than 1mW output power, 30dB SMSR, far field beam divergence of 5×7 degrees (FWHM) and 2.5Gb/s modulation rate is demonstrated.
Noninvasive quantitative assessment of diabetic wounds with diffuse photon density wave technology (2008)

Quantitative non-invasive assessment of the wound healing process in chronic wounds may assist in selection and monitoring of expensive treatments. The Diffuse Photon Density Wave (DPDW) methodology at near infrared wavelengths can be used to non-invasively measure the optical absorption and reduced scattering coefficients of tissue at depths of several millimeters. Changes in the optical properties of tissue at near-infrared wavelengths (685nm-950nm) are caused by changes in blood volume, oxygenation, and tissue hydration. A four-wavelength DPDW system with a single source position and four detectors was used to monitor the optical properties of wounds in healthy and streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Optical data obtained after inflicting full-thickness wounds on the dorsal region of diabetic and control rats indicate that DPDW technology can be used to monitor wound healing and differentiate the rate of impaired vs. normal wound healing. The concentrations of oxyhemoglobin, deoxyhemoglobin and water were calculated from the optical absorption coefficients. Changes in hemoglobin concentration may indicate increased vascularization throughout the wound healing process, while changes in water content may reflect inflammation following tissue injury. These physiological changes are supported by qualitative immunohistochemical analysis of wound biopsies.
Anti-Helix-Loop-Helix Domain Antibodies: Discovery of Autoantibodies That Inhibit DNA Binding Activity of Human Centromere Protein B (CENP-B)1 (1992)

Centromere protein B (CENP-B) is one of the centromere DNA binding proteins constituting centromeric heterochromatin of human chromosomes. This protein was originally identified as the target antigen in autoimmune disease patients (often with scleroderma). In this study, we cloned a human CENP-B cDNA which was longer than the previously isolated one and expressed functional recombinant CENP-B in Escherichia coli. The DNA binding domain was finely located within the N-terminal 134-amino-acid residues covering a predicted helix-loop-helix (HLH) structure, by using a set of recombinant products with stepwise deletions from the C-terminus. From the analysis of their reactivity to anti-centromere sera from autoimmune disease patients, four epitopes were mapped on CENP-B antigen. In addition to two epitopes at the C-terminus, two were found on the HLH region at the N-terminus. In the analysis of the interaction between the antigen and autoantibodies, we found that the DNA binding activity of CENP-B was distorted by the attack of the anti-HLH domain antibodies in in vitro binding reactions. Our results suggest that the direct inhibition of the DNA binding activity by the autoantibodies might be involved in patients' autoimmune reactions in vivo.
Estimating uncomfortable loudness levels using evoked potentials to auditory stimuli for hearing aid fitting (2012)

Determining the loudest sound level that a person can comfortably tolerate (uncomfortable loudness level: UCL) imposes a strain on people suffering from hearing loss. In the present study, we propose a method of estimating UCL based on auditory evoked potentials (AEPs). Adults with normal hearing (18 men aged 25-56 years) participated in the study. Three tone bursts (S1, S2 and S3; a triplet) of the same frequency (either 1k, 2k or 4k Hz) were presented to the right or left ear with an interstimulus interval of 300 ms. The sound intensity decreased gradually by 5 dB HL from 80 dB (S1) to 70 dB HL (S3). The interval between triplets was 450 ± 50 ms. The frequency of a given triplet differed from the frequency of the preceding triplet. An electroencephalogram was recorded from three scalp electrode sites (Cz, C3, and C4) with the right mastoid reference. The 900-ms period after the onset of the triplet was transformed to a wavelet coefficient and averaged separately by stimulated ear and tone frequency. The UCLs were estimated by linear discriminant analysis on the basis of trained data of the other participants' subjective UCLs and the wavelet coefficients. The mean estimation error was 4.9 ± 5.0 dB. This result suggests that the UCLs could be estimated successfully on the basis of AEPs to triplets of auditory tones.
United States Rotavirus Strain Surveillance From 2005 to 2008 (2010)

: The increased overall prevalence of G3P [8] strains in 2007-2008, the first rotavirus season with reasonable rotavirus vaccine coverage, was consistent with Australian reports of G3 dominance following RotaTeq introduction. However, these strain changes in both countries have occurred in the context of large declines in severe rotavirus disease and we cannot rule out that they are simply the result of naturally occurring changes in rotavirus strain prevalence. These findings underscore the need for careful monitoring of strains to assess possible vaccine pressure-induced changes and vaccine effectiveness against various rotavirus genotypes.
Fully Integrated Artificial Pancreas in Type 1 Diabetes (2012)

Integrated closed-loop control (CLC), combining continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) with insulin pump (continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion [CSII]), known as artificial pancreas, can help optimize glycemic control in diabetes. We present a fundamental modular concept for CLC design, illustrated by clinical studies involving 11 adolescents and 27 adults at the Universities of Virginia, Padova, and Montpellier. We tested two modular CLC constructs: standard control to range (sCTR), designed to augment pump plus CGM by preventing extreme glucose excursions; and enhanced control to range (eCTR), designed to truly optimize control within near normoglycemia of 3.9-10 mmol/L. The CLC system was fully integrated using automated data transfer CGM→algorithm→CSII. All studies used randomized crossover design comparing CSII versus CLC during identical 22-h hospitalizations including meals, overnight rest, and 30-min exercise. sCTR increased significantly the time in near normoglycemia from 61 to 74%, simultaneously reducing hypoglycemia 2.7-fold. eCTR improved mean blood glucose from 7.73 to 6.68 mmol/L without increasing hypoglycemia, achieved 97% in near normoglycemia and 77% in tight glycemic control, and reduced variability overnight. In conclusion, sCTR and eCTR represent sequential steps toward automated CLC, preventing extremes (sCTR) and further optimizing control (eCTR). This approach inspires compelling new concepts: modular assembly, sequential deployment, testing, and clinical acceptance of custom-built CLC systems tailored to individual patient needs.
Digital demodulator at low sampling frequency for contactless smart cards transceiver (2004)

Smart card applications are very widespread today. The adaptation of contactless technology to smart cards suppresses expensive systems with electric contacts. However, the missing of an embedded power source leads to the use of simple and low power circuits. The chip's supply is obtained by tele-supply. Communication from the contactless smart card to the reader can be performed by load modulation. The information signal detected by the reader is an amplitude modulated signal. The modulation index is low - close to a few percent. Classic analog demodulators need amplification steps matched at the carrier frequency. This article presents a complete digital architecture for the reader system in order to suppress most of the analog drawbacks.
Bistable Configurations of Compliant Mechanisms Modeled Using Four Links and Translational Joints (2004)

Bistable mechanical devices remain stable in two distinct positions without power input. They find application in valves, switches, closures, and clasps. Mechanically bistable behavior results from the storage and release of energy, typically in springs, with stable positions occurring at local minima of stored energy. Compliant mechanisms offer an elegant way to achieve this behavior by incorporating both motion and energy storage into the same flexible element. Interest in compliant bistable mechanisms has also recently increased because of the advantages of bistable behavior in many micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). Design of compliant or rigid-body bistable mechanisms typically requires simultaneous consideration of both energy storage and motion requirements. This paper simplifies this process by developing theory that provides prior knowledge of mechanism configurations that guarantee bistable behavior. Configurations which include one or more translational, or slider, joints are studied in this work. Several different mechanism types are analyzed to determine compliant segment placement that will ensure bistable mechanism operation. Examples demonstrate the power of the theory in design.
Smoothing lung segmentation surfaces in 3D x-ray CT images using anatomic guidance (2004)

Several methods for automatic lung segmentation in volumetric computed tomography (CT) images have been proposed. Most methods distinguish the lung parenchyma from the surrounding anatomy based on the difference in CT attenuation values. This can lead to an irregular and inconsistent lung boundary for the regions near the mediastinum. This paper presents a fully automatic method for the 3D smoothing of the lung boundary using information from the segmented human airway tree. First, using the segmented airway tree we define a bounding box around the mediastinum for each lung, within which all operations are performed. We then define all generations of the airway tree distal to the right and left mainstem bronchi to be part of the respective lungs, and exclude all other segments. Finally, we perform a fast morphological closing with an ellipsoidal kernel to smooth the surface of the lung. This method has been tested by processing the segmented lungs from eight normal datasets. The mean value of the magnitude of curvature of the contours of mediastinal transverse slices, averaged over all the datasets, is 0.0450 before smoothing and 0.0167 post smoothing. The accuracy of the lung contours after smoothing is assessed by comparing the automatic results to manually traced smooth lung borders by a human analyst. Averaged over all volumes, the root mean square difference between human and computer borders is 0.8691 mm after smoothing, compared to 1.3012 mm before. The mean similarity index, which is an area overlap measure based on the kappa statistic, is 0.9958 (SD 0.0032).
Control of O-Glycan Branch Formation (1999)

A novel human UDP-GlcNAc:Gal/GlcNAcbeta1-3GalNAcalpha beta1, 6GlcNAc-transferase, designated C2/4GnT, was identified by BLAST analysis of expressed sequence tags. The sequence of C2/4GnT encoded a putative type II transmembrane protein with significant sequence similarity to human C2GnT and IGnT. Expression of the secreted form of C2/4GnT in insect cells showed that the gene product had UDP-N-acetyl-alpha-D-glucosamine:acceptor beta1, 6-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase (beta1,6GlcNAc-transferase) activity. Analysis of substrate specificity revealed that the enzyme catalyzed O-glycan branch formation of the core 2 and core 4 type. NMR analyses of the product formed with core 3-para-nitrophenyl confirmed the product core 4-para-nitrophenyl. The coding region of C2/4GnT was contained in a single exon and located to chromosome 15q21.3. Northern analysis revealed a restricted expression pattern of C2/4GnT mainly in colon, kidney, pancreas, and small intestine. No expression of C2/4GnT was detected in brain, heart, liver, ovary, placenta, spleen, thymus, and peripheral blood leukocytes. The expression of core 2 O-glycans has been correlated with cell differentiation processes and cancer. The results confirm the predicted existence of a beta1,6GlcNAc-transferase that functions in both core 2 and core 4 O-glycan branch formation. The redundancy in beta1,6GlcNAc-transferases capable of forming core 2 O-glycans is important for understanding the mechanisms leading to specific changes in core 2 branching during cell development and malignant transformation.
Monolithic Differential Vibrating Beam Accelerometer Within an Isolating System Between the Two Resonators (2006)

In a monolithic differential vibrating beam accelerometer (i.e. the two beams on the same chip), a specific problem, known as "lock-in", appears when the beam frequencies become close due to the applied acceleration. This phenomenon, due to the mechanical coupling between the two beams, leads to a "blind zone" which degrades the VBA accuracy. In this paper, an original differential VBA structure including an isolating system is presented: the principle of operation is explained and recent experimental results show the effectiveness of this system: the measured blind zone is lower than 500 /spl mu/g, value compatible with the accuracy objective of this concept (a few 100 /spl mu/g, measurement range /spl plusmn/ 100 g).
Vertical Graphene Base Transistor (2012)

We present a novel graphene-based-device concept for a high-frequency operation: a hot-electron graphene base transistor (GBT). Simulations show that GBTs have high current on/off ratios and high current gain. Simulations and small-signal models indicate that it potentially allows terahertz operation. Based on energy-band considerations, we propose a specific material solution that is compatible with SiGe process lines.
Fast Inter-Prediction based on Decision Trees for AV1 encoding (2019)

The AOMedia Video 1 (AV1) standard can achieve considerable compression efficiency thanks to the usage of many advanced tools and improvements, such as advanced inter-prediction modes. However, these come at the cost of high computational complexity of encoder, which may limit the benefits of the standard in practical applications. This paper shows that not all sequences benefit from using all such modes, which indicates that a number of encoder optimisations can be introduced to speed up AV1 encoding. A method based on decision trees is proposed to selectively decide whether to test all inter modes. Appropriate features are extracted and used to perform the decision for each block. Experimental results show that the proposed method can reduce the encoding time on average by 43.4\% with limited impact on the coding efficiency.
Atherosclerotic plaque temperature measurements with infrared fiber optic imaging (2003)

Rupture of atherosclerotic plaques-the main cause of heart attack and strokes-is not predictable. Fatal plaques are found at autopsies to be associated with active inflammatory cells. Classically, inflammation sites have been characterized by heat, swelling, red color and pain (color, tumor, rubor and dolor). We have demonstrated in vitro that heat accurately locates the dangerous plaques that are significantly warmer then those plaques without inflammation. In order to develop a non-surgical method of locating these plaques, an infrared fiber optic imaging methodology has been developed in our laboratory to evaluate the causes and effect of heat in atherosclerotic plaques. The temperature heterogeneity of atherosclerotic plaques developed in the arterial of the experimental animal models is under study with the new device. The preliminary experimental results from the animal model are encouraging. The potential of using this new technology in diagnostic evaluation of the vulnerable atherosclerotic plaques is considerable.
Theoretical and Numerical Studies on Continuous Detonation Wave Engines (2011)

The paper presents the scope of theoretical and numerical studies conducted at ICARECNRS on the Continuous Detonation Wave Engine (CDWE). The last part is devoted to a comparative performance analysis of two ideal engines fed with gaseous H2 and O2: conventional rocket engine (CRE) and continuous detonation wave rocket engine (CDWRE). Flow parameters in main cross sections and the engine performance are evaluated using a global 0D approach with a detailed thermochemical model of equilibrium combustion products. Performance results are obtained in wide rages of mixture ratio, injection pressure, and nozzle exit pressure. It is shown that the CDWRE has an important advantage over the CRE in terms of cycle work and specific impulse.