gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Shifting responsibility for social services as enterprises privatize in Belarus (1997)

In Belarus, divestiture of social assets, a misnomer for fringe benefits that comprise a part of wages, is needed to transform enterprises so they can function appropriately in a market economy. Maintaining supply of these services after enterprise divestiture is an important public policy problem in transition economies. These fringe benefits, issued mainly in the form of housing and kindergarten services, were cut by at least two-thirds as a proportion of employee remuneration between 1994 and 1995 because of the economic downturn. This report debates whether most of these fringe benefits should continue to be subsidized or receive preferential tax treatment. A strong case is made for some government funding of the public health and kindergarten services, and public utility and housing services divested by enterprises. The reasons for assigning services such as education and health to local governments is debated and financing arrangements such as revenue sharing are examined. Among the problems cited with the latter are interregional imbalances caused by unequal resources distribution, tax breaks given to agriculture which has reduced payments to rural local governments, the absence of close links between beneficiaries and payers justifying extrabudgetary funding, and inadequate subnational government taxation raising insignificant amounts of revenue. Where transfers to local governments are required, formula financing is suggested for unconditional grants to low-income local governments and conditional grants to support specific objectives.
Modeling of Radial Over Cut in Electrochemical Machining of Al-B4C MMC Using Response Surface Methodology (2013)

Abstract Electrochemical machining (ECM) is increasing its importance in machining of metal matrix composites (MMC) due to some specific advantages which can be exploited during machining operation. In ECM the quality of the surface produced is also depends on the workpiece physical and electrical properties along with the process parameters like voltage, feed rate, electrolyte concentration, type of electrolyte, current, gap between electrodes etc. Therefore, in the present work the percentage of reinforcement of the particulates in the matrix is considered one of the process parameters along with the applied voltage, electrode feed rate and electrolyte concentration. A mathematical prediction model of the radial over cut (ROC) was developed using response surface methodology (RSM). The effects of electrochemical machining parameters on the Radial over cut were evaluated. The contour plots were drawn to study the effect of various process parameters and their interaction. In this work the predicted values and measured values are quite close to each other. Therefore, the developed model can be effectively used to predict the radial over cut on electrochemical machining of Al-B 4 C composites.
Auxin, gibberellins, and the gravitropic response of grass leaf sheath pulvini (2008)

The role of hormones in mediating tropic responses has been a central question in plant biology. Another key issue concerns how interactions between hormones regulate plant responses. In the September 2007 issue of Physiologia Plantarum, we published a paper relevant to both these questions.1 This paper focuses on gravitropism in the barley leaf sheath pulvinus. The results support the Cholodny-Went theory on hormones and tropic responses, and highlight how an environmental factor (gravity) appears to first affect auxin content and consequently that of bioactive gibberellins (GAs). It appears that while GAs do not actually trigger the gravitropic bending of barley pulvini, they do act to magnify the bending response.
Humoral and cellular immune responses: independent forces or collaborators in the fight against cancer? (2001)

Recent advances in our understanding of immune function with regard to the generation of a potent antitumor response have resulted in a renewed interest in cancer vaccines and point to a role for immunotherapy in the treatment of cancer. Currently, the majority of vaccine strategies for the treatment of solid malignancies focus on the generation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) that destroy tumor cells that express a given target protein, or antigen. However, antibody therapies have already been successful against some cancers. Current humoral immunotherapy typically involves the passive infusion of monoclonal antibodies, which usually target a specific tumor-encoded antigen. However, vaccines can be engineered to induce humoral immunity. By focusing on the cellular arm of the immune response at the expense of humoral immunity (or the converse), we may have inadvertently limited the potential efficacy of our anticancer vaccines. This article seeks to explore the notion that a vaccine designed to optimally activate both arms of the immune system may well generate an antitumor immune response greater than the sum of the two individual effector mechanisms alone.
Antimicrobial Activity of CXA-101, a Novel Cephalosporin Tested in Combination with Tazobactam against Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacteroides fragilis Strains Having Various Resistance Phenotypes (2011)

CXA-101, a novel oxyimino-aminothiazolyl cephalosporin, CXA-201 (CXA-101 combined with tazobactam), and various comparators were susceptibility tested by broth microdilution methods against 1,301 well-characterized clinical strains collected worldwide, including ceftazidime-resistant members of the family Enterobacteriaceae and Klebsiella pneumoniae carbapenemase (KPC)- and extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Bacteroides fragilis. CXA-201 was 2- to 32-fold more active than ceftazidime and piperacillin-tazobactam against ceftazidime-resistant Enterobacteriaceae species but less active than cefepime for some species. CXA-101 and CXA-201 were very active against P. aeruginosa (MIC50, 1 μg/ml for both compounds), including imipenem-resistant strains.
Enhancement of <i>in vitro</i> and <i>in vivo</i> tumor cell radiosensitivity by valproic acid (2004)

Valproic acid (VA) is a well-tolerated drug used to treat seizure disorders and has recently been shown to inhibit histone deacetylase (HDAC). Because HDAC modulates chromatin structure and gene expression, parameters considered to influence radioresponse, we investigated the effects of VA on the radiosensitivity of human brain tumor cells grown in vitro and in vivo. The human brain tumor cell lines SF539 and U251 were used in our study. Histone hyperacetylation served as an indicator of HDAC inhibition. The effects of VA on tumor cell radiosensitivity in vitro were assessed using a clonogenic survival assay and gammaH2AX expression was determined as a measure of radiation-induced DNA double strand breaks. The effect of VA on the in vivo radioresponse of brain tumor cells was evaluated according to tumor growth delay analysis carried out on U251 xenografts. Irradiation at the time of maximum VA-induced histone hyperacetylation resulted in significant increases in the radiosensitivity of both SF539 and U251 cells. The radiosensitization was accompanied by a prolonged expression of gammaH2AX. VA administration to mice resulted in a clearly detectable level of histone hyperacetylation in U251 xenografts. Irradiation of U251 tumors in mice treated with VA resulted in an increase in radiation-induced tumor growth delay. Valproic acid enhanced the radiosensitivity of both SF539 and U251 cell lines in vitro and U251 xenografts in vivo, which correlated with the induction of histone hyperacetylation. Moreover, the VA-mediated increase in radiation-induced cell killing seemed to involve the inhibition of DNA DSB repair.
Control of cardiac sodium pump by long-chain acyl coenzymes A. (1987)

Since we had shown recently that fatty acyl-CoA derivatives stimulate (Na+ + K+)-ATPase activity at suboptimal ATP concentrations, we used sealed vesicles of beef heart sarcolemma to examine the effects of these compounds on the transport function of the enzyme. The sodium pump was detected in inside-out vesicles as a component of Na+ uptake that was dependent on intravesicular (extracellular) K+ and extravesicular (intracellular) ATP and was sensitive to vanadate and digitoxigenin. The pump flux was stimulated without a lag by palmitoyl-CoA (K0.5 = 3 microM) when ATP concentration was 50 microM, but not when it was 2 mM. Saturating palmitoyl-CoA reduced the K0.5 of ATP for the pump by a factor of 3-6. Raising the intracellular K+ concentration increased the K0.5 of ATP, and this effect of K+ was antagonized by palmitoyl-CoA. At concentrations up to 0.5 mM, palmitoyl-CoA had no effect on ATP-independent (passive) Na+ uptake. All tested long-chain acyl-CoA derivatives had effects similar to that of palmitoyl-CoA; but CoA, acetyl-CoA, and palmitic acid were ineffective. Palmitoyl carnitine and docosahexanoic acid, amphiphilic compounds with inhibitory and biphasic effects on the hydrolytic activity of purified (Na+ + K+)-ATPase, had purely inhibitory effects on the pump at high concentrations that also affected the passive fluxes. The data support the proposition that fatty acyl-CoA derivatives mimic the effect of ATP at a regulatory site and suggest that these intracellular liponucleotides may be involved in the control of the pump.
The therapeutic potential of novel antiangiogenic therapies (2003)

Promising new antiangiogenic strategies are emerging for the treatment of cancer. Numerous candidate drugs that target vascular endothelial growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, integrins, matrix metalloproteinases and other blood vessel targets are being developed and tested in clinical trials. This review highlights the numerous drugs in clinical trials and expands on potential new approaches to inhibiting angiogenesis. These approaches include gene therapy, vaccine strategies and antiangiogenic radioligands. New insight has been gained from completed Phase III trials with antiangiogenic drugs and some of the major obstacles include design of trials, dosing, toxicities and resistance. This review will discuss these barriers and methods by which they can be overcome.
Effectiveness of adjustable dorsiflexion night splint in combination with accommodative foot orthosis on plantar fasciitis (2012)

Foot orthoses and night splints have been used separately to treat patients with plantar fasciitis, but were not always successful. Combined use of both orthoses might give better outcomes. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a soft and self-adjustable dorsiflexion night splint in combination with an accommodative foot orthosis for patients with plantar fasciitis. Twenty-eight patients were assigned to group A (foot orthosis only) and group B (combination of foot orthosis and dorsiflexion night splints). A foot function index (FFI) questionnaire was used to evaluate the pain and functions of feet just before, 2 weeks after, and 8 weeks after the treatments. Results showed that subjects in group B had significantly reduced pain scores at week 2 (p < 0.001) and week 8 (p < 0.001). In group A, no statistical differences were noted in the pain (p = 0.15), disability (p = 0.56), activity limitation (p = 0.75), and total FFI (p = 0.35) scores for the three time periods. The application of foot orthoses with adjustable dorsiflexion night splints was found to be more effective than the application of foot orthoses alone in relieving foot pain in patients with plantar fasciitis.
An unstructured grid, three-dimensional model based on the shallow water equations (2000)

A semi-implicit finite difference model based on the three-dimensional shallow water equations is modified to use unstructured grids. There are obvious advantages in using unstructured grids in problems with a complicated geometry. In this development, the concept of unstructured orthogonal grids is introduced and applied to this model. The governing differential equations are discretized by means of a semi-implicit algorithm that is robust, stable and very efficient. The resulting model is relatively simple, conserves mass, can fit complicated boundaries and yet is sufficiently flexible to permit local mesh refinements in areas of interest. Moreover, the simulation of the flooding and drying is included in a natural and straightforward manner. These features are illustrated by a test case for studies of convergence rates and by examples of flooding on a river plain and flow in a shallow estuary. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Splicing function of mitotic regulators links R-loop–mediated DNA damage to tumor cell killing (2015)

Although studies suggest that perturbing mitotic progression leads to DNA damage and p53 activation, which in turn lead to either cell apoptosis or senescence, it remains unclear how mitotic defects trigger p53 activation. We show that BuGZ and Bub3, which are two mitotic regulators localized in the interphase nucleus, interact with the splicing machinery and are required for pre-mRNA splicing. Similar to inhibition of RNA splicing by pladienolide B, depletion of either BuGZ or Bub3 led to increased formation of RNA-DNA hybrids (R-loops), which led to DNA damage and p53 activation in both human tumor cells and primary cells. Thus, R-loop-mediated DNA damage and p53 activation offer a mechanistic explanation for apoptosis of cancer cells and senescence of primary cells upon disruption of the dual-function mitotic regulators. This demonstrates the importance of understanding the full range of functions of mitotic regulators to develop antitumor drugs.
No differential DNA methylation of <i>PARK2</i> in brain of Parkinson's disease patients and healthy controls (2013)

We thank Dr. Claire Troakes and the London Neurodegenerative Diseases Brain Bank for supplying all postmortembrain samples and Dr. Mario Fraga and Agustín F. Fernández for pro-viding the methylation DNA controls. We also thank the “FundacionParkinson Asturias” and “Obra Social Cajastur” for their support.
Flat group delay low pass filters using two CPW topologies (2005)

Improved and small flat group delay low pass filters are presented. The design of these filters is based on two CPW stub topologies. The improvement of the flatness group delay is achieved by loading the stub at the appropriate positions. The straight stub filter is realised and measured, and a good agreement is observed. The second topology is based on a reshaped open circuit stub. The optimized structures are well matched beyond the cutoff frequency with a flat group delay.
An Overview of Additive Manufacturing of Titanium Components by Directed Energy Deposition: Microstructure and Mechanical Properties (2017)

The directed energy deposition (DED) process can be employed to build net shape components or prototypes starting from powder or wires, through a layer-by-layer process. This process provides an opportunity to fabricate complex shaped and functionally graded parts that can be utilized in different engineering applications. DED uses a laser as a focused heat source to melt the in-situ delivered powder or wire-shaped raw materials. In the past years extensive studies on DED have shown that this process has great potential in order to be used for (i) rapid prototyping of metallic parts, (ii) fabrication of complex and customized parts, (iii) repairing/cladding valuable components which cannot be repaired by other traditional techniques. However, the industrial adoption of this process is still challenging owing to the lack of knowledge on the mechanical performances of the constructed components and also on the trustworthiness/durability of engineering parts produced by DED. This manuscript provides an overview of the additive manufacturing (AM) of titanium alloys and focuses in particular on the mechanical properties and microstructure of components fabricated by DED.
Introduction à Démographie. Analyse des populations et démographie économique (1992)

International audience
DSP solutions run the gamut for color systems (1993)

Some of the fundamental concepts of color science are presented in terms of digital signal processing methods. The concepts include color matching, color sensitivity, and color reproduction. Grassmann's law for additive color mixture, mathematical descriptions for color matching, and properties of color matching functions are discussed. Additive and subtractive color systems for color reproduction are reviewed. It is shown that the vector space approach provides a foundation for formulating and solving many problems in color measurement and reproduction. It is also shown how this approach is used for solving problems in color science, including secondary reproduction, color correction for varying illuminants, estimation of illumination, and design of scanning filters.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">></ETX>
Novel, multilayer coupled-line structures and their circuit applications (2002)

Presented are characteristics of new (or described in the literature but not in detail) symmetric and asymmetric coupled-line structures which are of use in the design of quasi-ideal multilayer microstrip and coplanar directional couplers as well as other coupled-line passive components for monolithic and hybrid microwave integrated circuits. In several designs of tightly and weakly coupled multistrip lines, the coupling coefficient can be achieved in a large range of values, enabling at the same time their quasi-ideal realisation for a given dielectric stratification of the structure. This property allows the design of high-performance multisection coupled-line passive circuits, which are very sensitive to how much the coupling coefficients for individual coupled-line sections differ from the values determined by the circuit synthesis methods. The investigated structures have been used in the design and practical realisation of the following integrated circuits: single- and multi-section coupled-line directional couplers, filters, phase shifters and power dividers, as well as coupled-line compensated baluns, non-reflective multiple pin-diode attenuators/DPDT switches, compact multidimensional Butler matrices, and broadband in-phase antenna array feeding networks. We include the design data and experimental results for most of the circuits we describe. The paper presents the results of the authors' research into the properties and applications of new microstrip and coplanar lines from the period of the past few years. Some of the most recent results (not yet published) are also presented.
Residual Magnetic Field Sensing for Stress Measurement and Defect Detection (2006)

Abstract. The evaluation of both applied and residual stresses in engineering structures to provide early indications of stress status and eventual failure is a fast growing area in non-destructive testing. Much work has been done in recent years in the development of magnetic stress measurement techniques for ferromagnetic materials using applied
Electric-field and temperature induced phase transitions in Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.3PbTiO3 single crystals (2010)

Electric-field and/or temperature induced phase transitions were observed using polarizing light microscope on [100]-oriented Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3–0.3PbTiO3 (PMN–0.3PT) single crystals with electric fields applied along the [001] and [011] directions, respectively. The monoclinic (M) and tetragonal (T) phases were observed with electric field applied along the [001] direction at 5 and 9 kV/cm, respectively. The orthorhombic (O) and T were observed with 5 kV/cm and 10 kV/cm electric field applied along the [011] direction, respectively. The intermediate phases [M and/or O phase(s)] were also confirmed by the temperature-dependent dielectric behavior.
The Pauper's Gift: Postcolonial Theory and the New Democratic Dispensation (2011)

This essay considers recent critiques of postcolonial theory and proposes democracy as a theme likely to prove crucial for the future of the field. It argues that a properly postcolonial turn toward democracy demands a new philosophical, political, and ethical valuation of the concept of naïveté.
Tomatoes: Origin, Cultivation Techniques and Germplasm Resources (2008)

The tomato originated from South America and its most widely known scientific name is Lycopersicon esculentum, but it can also be identified as Solanum lycopersicon, as originally classified by Linnaeus in 1753, because of the similarity between tomatoes and potatoes. This fruit contains a variety of micro-components, such as lycopene (an antioxidant), potassium, vitamins (A, C, E and K), sucrose and folic acid. Among several climatic factors affecting tomato cultivation, the temperature should be emphasized. This is because the rate of liquid assimilation, i.e., efficiency of growth, is observed when the temperature is 18–28°C. In this temperature range optimum tomato production is carried out using appropriate techniques, such as the production of seedlings, soil preparation, application of organic matter, transplanting, planting and coverage, chemical nutrition, staking, pruning and pest control. 4Factors such as temperature, relative air humidity, luminosity and genetics can affect the tomato fruit content of organic acids (citric and malic acids), sugars (glucose, fructose and sucrose), solids insoluble in alcohol (proteins, celluloses, pectin and polysaccharides), carotenes, and lipids, among others. Finally, many physiological, phytopathological and entomological disturbances can be resolved by genes that are in germplasm banks.
<i>In Vivo</i> Trypanosomicidal Activity of Imidazole- or Pyrazole-Based Benzo[<i>g</i>]phthalazine Derivatives against Acute and Chronic Phases of Chagas Disease (2011)

The in vivo trypanosomicidal activity of the imidazole-based benzo[g]phthalazine derivatives 1-4 and of the new related pyrazole-based compounds 5 and 6 has been studied in both the acute and chronic phases of Chagas disease. As a rule, compounds 1-6 were more active and less toxic than benznidazole in the two stages of the disease, and the monosubstituted derivatives 2, 4, and 6 were more effective than their disubstituted analogs. Feasible mechanisms of action of compounds 1-6 against the parasite have been explored by considering their inhibitory effect on the Fe-SOD enzyme, the nature of the excreted metabolites and the ultrastructural alterations produced. A complementary histopathological analysis has confirmed that the monosubstituted derivatives are less toxic than the reference drug, with the behavior of the imidazole-based compound 4 being especially noteworthy.