gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
In vivo skin optical clearing in humans (2021)

The issue optical clearing technique is promising for the enhancement of many optical diagnostic and therapeutical methods. Despite the wide development of different optical clearing approaches, it is difficult to achieve effective skin optical clearing in vivo. The main problems are the physiological response of living tissue to the action of the optical clearing agents and enhancers, the need to use biocompatible agents, and the need to overcome the natural skin barrier. Therefore, most investigations have been carried out for in vitro or ex vivo models and have been not realized for humans in vivo. Besides, many approaches have been developed effectively for animals only. This chapter focuses on the features and possibilities of in vivo skin optical clearing in humans using biocompatible chemical and physical enhancers of epidermal permeability, and the application of these approaches to some optical diagnostic methods, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), reflectance and transmittance spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and microscopy, laser speckle contrast imaging, hyperspectral imaging, and photoacoustic imaging. The authors also briefly review the structure and optical properties of human skin.
Plasmonic Superpixel Sensor for Compressive Spectral Sensing (2015)

In multispectral and hyperspectral sensing, there is a growing need for a versatile sensor capable of adapting response and improving detection of hard-to-find dynamic targets of interest in contested environments. Such on-the-fly adaptivity in current systems requires significant data resources and computation time for data analysis. In order to implement practical systems with this capability, sensors that reduce data loads and computational requirements while maintaining performance are required. To this end, we report a novel hybrid algorithm sensor method using plasmon-based tunable superpixels and a compressive spectral sensing (CSS) algorithm for the next generation of hyperspectral sensors. The benefit of our hybrid approach is that it enables us to effectively sense a minimal data set and only performs simple arithmetic such as linear superposition to extract spectral features of a target without requiring actual spectral filters. In this paper, we focus on the selection of a minimum basis of plasmonic spectral bands, the configuration of superpixels using selected plasmonic structures, and finally the generalization of a CSS algorithm to process superpixel data for feature extractions. The performance of algorithm-driven superpixels has been successfully demonstrated with the context of reconstructing infrared spectral signatures.
Phosphorylation of cardiac myosin–binding protein-C contributes to calcium homeostasis (2020)

Cardiac myosin-binding protein-C (cMyBP-C) is highly phosphorylated under basal conditions. However, its phosphorylation level is decreased in individuals with heart failure. The necessity of cMyBP-C phosphorylation for proper contractile function is well-established, but the physiological and pathological consequences of decreased cMyBP-C phosphorylation in the heart are not clear. Herein, using intact adult cardiomyocytes from mouse models expressing phospho-ablated (AAA) and phosphomimetic (DDD) cMyBP-C as well as controls, we found that cMyBP-C dephosphorylation is sufficient to reduce contractile parameters and calcium kinetics associated with prolonged decay time of the calcium transient and increased diastolic calcium levels. Isoproterenol stimulation reversed the depressive contractile and Ca<sup>2+</sup>-kinetic parameters. Moreover, caffeine-induced calcium release yielded no difference between AAA/DDD and controls in calcium content of the sarcoplasmic reticulum. On the other hand, sodium-calcium exchanger function and phosphorylation levels of calcium-handling proteins were significantly decreased in AAA hearts compared with controls. Stress conditions caused increases in both spontaneous aftercontractions in AAA cardiomyocytes and the incidence of arrhythmias <i>in vivo</i> compared with the controls. Treatment with omecamtiv mecarbil, a positive cardiac inotropic drug, rescued the contractile deficit in AAA cardiomyocytes, but not the calcium-handling abnormalities. These findings indicate a cascade effect whereby cMyBP-C dephosphorylation causes contractile defects, which then lead to calcium-cycling abnormalities, resulting in aftercontractions and increased incidence of cardiac arrhythmias under stress conditions. We conclude that improvement of contractile deficits alone without improving calcium handling may be insufficient for effective management of heart failure.
Long- and Short-Term Variability of Perimetry in Glaucoma (2022)

Fluctuations in true sensitivity increase in glaucoma, even after accounting for increased short-term variability. This long-term variability cannot be reduced by altering testing algorithms alone.
Measurement of the electrical resistivity and Hall coefficient at high temperatures (2012)

The implementation of the van der Pauw (VDP) technique for combined high temperature measurement of the electrical resistivity and Hall coefficient is described. The VDP method is convenient for use since it accepts sample geometries compatible with other measurements. The technique is simple to use and can be used with samples showing a broad range of shapes and physical properties, from near insulators to metals. Three instruments utilizing the VDP method for measurement of heavily doped semiconductors, such as thermoelectrics, are discussed.
Breast fine-needle aspiration malondialdehyde deoxyguanosine adduct in breast cancer (2011)

This study has analysed the generation of 3-(2-deoxy-β-D-erythro-pentafuranosyl)pyrimido[1,2-α]purin-10(3H)-one deoxyguanosine adduct [M₁dG], a biomarker of oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation, in breast fine-needle aspirate samples of 22 patients with breast cancer, at different clinical stages, in respect to 13 controls. The multivariate analysis show that M(1)dG adduct was higher in cases than in controls (Mean Ratio (MR) = 5.26, 95% CI = 3.16-8.77). Increased M₁dG was observed in women with a tumour grade 3 and a pathological diameter 2 (MR = 7.61, 95% CI = 3.91-14.80 and MR = 5.75, 95% CI = 3.13-10.59, respectively). A trend with increasing tumour grade and pathological diameter was present (MR = 1.98, 95% CI = 1.57-2.50 and MR = 2.44, 95% CI = 1.71-3.48, respectively). Not significant effects of age and smoking habit were found (MR = 1.58, 95% CI = 0.92-2.72 and MR = 1.68, 95% CI 0.88-3.20, respectively). An increment over the background frequency of M₁dG can contribute to breast cancer development. Increasing severity of breast tumour can influence DNA damage level.
Epidermal Langerhans cells rapidly capture and present antigens from C-type lectin-targeting antibodies deposited in the dermis (2010)

Antigen-presenting cells can capture antigens that are deposited in the skin, including vaccines given subcutaneously. These include different dendritic cells (DCs) such as epidermal Langerhans cells (LCs), dermal DCs, and dermal langerin DCs. To evaluate access of dermal antigens to skin DCs, we used mAb to two C-type lectin endocytic receptors, DEC-205/CD205 and langerin/CD207. When applied to murine and human skin explant cultures, these mAbs were efficiently taken up by epidermal LCs. In addition, anti-DEC-205 targeted langerin CD103 and langerin CD103 mouse dermal DCs. Unexpectedly, intradermal injection of either mAb, but not isotype control, resulted in strong and rapid labeling of LCs in situ, implying that large molecules can diffuse through the basement membrane into the epidermis. Epidermal LCs targeted in vivo by ovalbumin-coupled anti-DEC-205 potently presented antigen to CD4 and CD8 T cells in vitro. However, to our surprise, LCs targeted through langerin were unable to trigger T-cell proliferation. Thus, epidermal LCs have a major function in uptake of lectin-binding antibodies under standard vaccination conditions.
Creation of a Highly Active Pt/Pd/C Core–Shell-Structured Catalyst by Synergistic Combination of Intrinsically High Activity and Surface Decoration with Melamine or Tetra-(<i>tert</i>-butyl)-tetraazaporphyrin (2020)

A Pt/Pd/C core–shell-structured catalyst with an extraordinarily high activity of 3625 A g–1-Pt at 0.9 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was created by a synergistic combination of intrinsically high activity and surface decoration with melamine or tetra-(tert-butyl)-tetraazaporphyrin (tBuTAP). The intrinsically highly active Pt/Pd/C catalyst with an ORR mass activity of ca. 1000 A g–1-Pt at 0.9 V versus RHE was synthesized by a direct displacement reaction method, and the activity was activated to ca. 1500 A g–1-Pt via a high activation protocol (HAP) (a rectangular potential cycling of 0.05–1.0 V vs an RHE conducted in 0.1 mol dm–3 HClO4 under an Ar atmosphere at 80 °C). The ORR activities of the Pt/Pd/C catalysts were further increased by surface decoration with melamine or tBuTAP, and the mass activity of ORR of the catalyst activated by an HAP was enhanced to 3625 A g–1-Pt at 0.9 V versus RHE via the melamine decoration, which is about 11-fold that of a reference Pt/C catalyst (320 A g–1-Pt). Cyclic voltammograms, linear sweep voltammograms, and CO stripping voltammograms indicated that the surface decoration further destabilized the OH species (OHad) adsorbed on the Pt shell and suppressed the formation of oxide on the Pt shell, which could explain the extraordinary enhancement of ORR activity. We present guidelines for creating Pt-based catalysts with extraordinarily high activity for the ORR by the synergistic combination of the intrinsically active Pt-based catalyst [improvement from the inside of Pt nanoparticles (NPs)] and surface decoration (improvement from the outside of Pt NPs).
A Critical Analysis of the Evidence for the SARS-CoV-2 Origin Hypotheses (2023)

When humans experience a new, devastating viral infection such as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), significant challenges arise. How should individuals as well as societies respond to the situation? One of the primary questions concerns the origin of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that infected and was transmitted efficiently among humans, resulting in a pandemic. At first glance, the question appears straightforward to answer. However, the origin of SARS-CoV-2 has been the topic of substantial debate primarily because we do not have access to some relevant data. At least two major hypotheses have been suggested: a natural origin through zoonosis followed by sustained human-to-human spread or the introduction of a natural virus into humans from a laboratory source. Here, we summarize the scientific evidence that informs this debate to provide our fellow scientists and the public with the tools to join the discussion in a constructive and informed manner. Our goal is to dissect the evidence to make it more accessible to those interested in this important problem. The engagement of a broad representation of scientists is critical to ensure that the public and policy-makers can draw on relevant expertise in navigating this controversy.
Evasin-3-like anti-chemokine activity in salivary gland extracts of ixodid ticks during blood-feeding: a new target for tick control (2010)

Ticks exploit many evasion mechanisms to circumvent the immune control of their hosts including subversion of the communication language between cells of the immune system provided by chemokines and other cytokines. One subversive molecule secreted in the saliva of Rhipicephalus sanguineus is Evasin-3, a structurally unique 7 kDa protein that selectively binds the neutrophil chemoattractants, CXCL8 and (with lower affinity) CXCL1. We compared anti-human CXCL8 and anti-mouse CXCL1/KC activities in salivary gland extracts prepared from adult Amblyomma variegatum, Rhipicephalus appendiculatus and Dermacentor reticulatus ticks during blood-feeding. Both anti-CXCL8 activity and anti-CXCL1 activity were detected in all species and in both adult females and males, with consistently higher activity levels against CXCL8. These results suggest that Evasin-3-like activity is common amongst metastriate ixodid tick species, and provide further evidence of the importance to ticks in controlling neutrophils during blood-feeding. As such, Evasin-3 offers a new target for anti-tick vaccine development.
OS 15-08 Ang(1–7) INFLUENCES ET-1 SIGNALING THROUGH MAS (2016)

Objective: Ang(1–7) has been shown to protect against pulmonary hypertension (PH). Mechanisms remain unclear. Considering the importance of ET-1 in PH pathophysiology and endothelial dysfunction, we questioned whether Ang(1–7) influences ET-1 signaling in endothelial cells and whether Ang(1–7) treatment influences the ET-1 system in PH. Design and Method: Human endothelial cells (hEC) were stimulated with ET-1 in absence/presence of Ang(1–7). Mas and ETBR interaction was observed by immunoprecipitation. To characterize physical interactions, we utilized novel technology, employing a library of peptides spanning the MasR sequence, to define sites of ETBR binding. To investigate pathophysiological significance of our findings, we investigated whether Ang(1–7) treatment ameliorates PH. Hypoxia was used to induce PH in mice: normoxic (NV) and hypoxic vehicle (HV), normoxic (NA) and hypoxic PH (HA) treated with Ang(1–7) 30 μg/kg/day. Results: Ang(1–7) increases ET-1 release (125%) and ETBR protein (50%). ET-1-induced increases in VCAM-1 protein (38%) and TNFα production (30%) were blocked by Ang(1–7). Pro-inflammatory effects were dependent on NO. Ang(1–7) increased NO production (257%) in a Mas and ETBR-dependent manner. Mutagenesis studies identified regions conferring specificity for ETBR binding. Peptide disruptors to prevent Mas/ETBR interaction were used for in vitro validation. We previously demonstrated in hEC that Ang(1–7) stimulates eNOS phosphorylation (180%), an effect inhibited by pre-incubation with peptide disruptors. In HP mice, RVSP (18.7 NV vs. 47.6mmHg HV, p < 0.05) RVH (0.19 NV vs. 0.28 HV, p < 0.01) and ET-1 levels (0.8 NV vs 2.4pg/ml HV, p < 0.05) were increased and blocked by Ang(1–7). Hypercontractility in pulmonary arteries of HV mice was attenuated by Ang(1–7). Conclusions: These findings indicate that vasoprotective effects of Ang(1–7) may be mediated through Mas:ETBR dimerization. In vivo studies support a relationship between Ang(1–7)/Mas and ET-1 systems. In conclusion we have identified a novel link between Ang(1–7) and ET-1 through physical interactions between Mas and ETBR.
Supplemental Table 2 from Lipocalin-2 Promotes Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma by Regulating Inflammation in the Tumor Microenvironment (2023)

&lt;p&gt;Supplementary Table 2. List of human (h) and mouse (m) primer sequences used in study.&lt;/p&gt;
Efficiency-Risk Tradeoffs in Dynamic Oligopoly Markets - with application to electricity markets (2012)

In this paper, we examine in an abstract framework, how a tradeoff between efficiency and robustness arises in different dynamic oligopolistic market architectures. We consider a market in which there is a monopolistic resource provider and agents that enter and exit the market following a random process. Self-interested and fully rational agents dynamically update their resource consumption decisions over a finite time horizon, under the constraint that the total resource consumption requirements are met before each individual's deadline. We then compare the statistics of the stationary aggregate demand processes induced by the non-cooperative and cooperative load scheduling schemes. We show that although the non-cooperative load scheduling scheme leads to an efficiency loss - widely known as the "price of anarchy" - the stationary distribution of the corresponding aggregate demand process has a smaller tail. This tail, which corresponds to rare and undesirable demand spikes, is important in many applications of interest. On the other hand, when the agents can cooperate with each other in optimizing their total cost, a higher market efficiency is achieved at the cost of a higher probability of demand spikes. We thus posit that the origins of endogenous risk in such systems may lie in the market architecture, which is an inherent characteristic of the system.
Field-Trial of an All-Optical PSK Regenerator/Multicaster in a 40 Gbit/s, 38 Channel DWDM Transmission Experiment (2011)

The performance of future ultra-long haul communication systems exploiting phase-encoded signals is likely to be compromised by noise generated during signal transmission. One potential way to mitigate such noise is to use Phase Sensitive Amplifiers (PSAs) which have been demonstrated to help remove phase as well as amplitude noise from phase-encoded signals. Recently, we showed that a PSA-based signal regenerator based on degenerate four-wave mixing can be implemented in a network-compatible manner in which only the (noisy) signal is present at the device input (black-box operation). The developed regenerator was also able to perform simultaneous wavelength conversion and multicasting, details/analysis of which are presented herein. However, this scheme was tested only with artificial noise generated in the laboratory and with the regenerator placed in front of the receiver, rather than in-line where even greater performance benefits are to be expected. Here, we address both theoretically and experimentally the important issue of how such a regenerator, operating for convenience in a multicasting mode, performs as an in-line device in an installed transmission fiber link. We also investigate the dispersion tolerance of the approach.
Formation of a Substituted 1,<i>N</i><sup>6</sup>-Etheno-2‘-deoxyadenosine Adduct by Lipid Hydroperoxide-Mediated Generation of 4-Oxo-2-nonenal (2000)

Analysis of the reaction between 2'-deoxyadenosine and 13-hydroperoxylinoleic acid by liquid chromatography/constant neutral loss mass spectrometry revealed the presence of two major products (adducts A and B). Adduct A was shown to be a mixture of two isomers (A(1) and A(2)) that each decomposed with the loss of water to form adduct B. The mass spectral characteristics of adduct B were consistent with the substituted 1, N(6)-etheno-2'-deoxyadensoine adduct 1' '-[3-(2'-deoxy-beta-D-erythro-pentafuranosyl)-3H-imidazo[2, 1-i]purin-7-yl]heptan-2' '-one. Adducts A(1), A(2), and B were formed when 2'-deoxyadenosine was treated with synthetic 4-oxo-2-nonenal, which suggested that it was formed by the breakdown of 13-hydroperoxylinoleic acid. A substantial increase in the rate of formation of adducts A(1), A(2), and B was observed when 13-hydroperoxylinoleic acid and 2'-deoxyadenosine were incubated in the presence of Fe(II). Thus, 4-oxo-2-nonenal was most likely formed by a homolytic process. Although adducts A(1), A(2), and B were formed in the reaction between 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal and 2'-deoxyadenosine, a number of additional products were observed. This suggested that 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal was not a precursor in the formation of 4-oxo-2-nonenal from 13-hydroperoxylinoleic acid. This study has provided additional evidence which shows that 4-oxo-2-nonenal is a major product of lipid peroxidation and that it reacts efficiently with DNA to form substituted etheno adducts.
A System for Clock Synchronization in an Internet of Things (2018)

Synchronizing clocks on Internet of Things (IoT) devices is important for applications such as monitoring and real time control. In this paper, we describe a system for clock synchronization in IoT devices that is designed to be scalable, flexibly accommodate diverse hardware, and maintain tight synchronization over a range of operating conditions. We begin by examining clock drift on two standard IoT prototyping platforms. We observe clock drift on the order of seconds over relatively short time periods, as well as poor clock rate stability, each of which make standard synchronization protocols ineffective. To address this problem, we develop a synchronization system, which includes a lightweight client, a new packet exchange protocol called SPoT and a scalable reference server. We evaluate the efficacy of our system over a range of configurations, operating conditions and target platforms. We find that SPoT performs synchronization 22x and 17x more accurately than MQTT and SNTP, respectively, at high noise levels, and maintains a clock accuracy of within ~15ms at various noise levels. Finally, we report on the scalability of our server implementation through microbenchmark and wide area experiments, which show that our system can scale to support large numbers of clients efficiently.
All‐Nanofiber Self‐Powered Skin‐Interfaced Real‐Time Respiratory Monitoring System for Obstructive Sleep Apnea‐Hypopnea Syndrome Diagnosing (2021)

Abstract Human respiration is an indispensable physiological behavior of the body, which is an important indicator to evaluate health status, especially for sleep‐related diseases. A real‐time respiratory monitoring and sleep breathing detecting system with convenience, high sensitivity, simple fabrication, and wearing comfort still remains a challenge and urgently desirable. Here, a breathable, highly sensitive, and self‐powered electronic skin (e‐skin) based on a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) is reported for real‐time respiratory monitoring and obstructive sleep apnea‐hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) diagnosis. By using multilayer polyacrylonitrile and “polyamide 66” nanofibers as the contact pairs, and deposited gold as the electrodes, a contact‐separation type of TENG‐based all‐nanofiber e‐skin is developed. The e‐skin has a peak power density of 330 mW m −2 , high pressure sensitivity of 0.217 kPa −1 , excellent working stability, and good air permeability. Therefore, the e‐skin is simultaneously capable of energy autonomy and accurate real‐time subtle respiration monitoring. Meanwhile, a self‐powered diagnostic system for real‐time detection and severity evaluation of obstructive sleep apnea‐hypopnea syndrome are further developed to prevent the occurrence of OSAHS, delay its development, and improve sleep quality. This study hopes to pave a new and practical pathway for real‐time respiration monitoring and sleep breathing diseases clinical detection.
11-Year cyclicity of the near-surface heat flux at the Vostok station (2013)

It is known that the solar component is difficult to find in a climatic signal due to its small size and significant internal random disturbances of the climatic system, such as variations in cloudiness, precipitation, winds, and oceanic currents. In the center of the polar cap, these disturbances are as minimal as possible; therefore, solving the inverse heat conduction problem, we can calculate the informative heat flux through the ice cover based on temperature data. Variations in the heat flux are quite significant in amplitude (0.2–0.3 W/m2) and coincide with the 11-year solar cycle in phase. Application of this approach to the indices of the global and sea surface temperatures cannot yield a solar signal, yet it can be traced for solar cycles with big amplitude (cycles 19 and 21). Thus, the found variation in the heat flux is most probably caused by a change in the solar constant (TSI); however, other mechanisms are also possible.