gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Camellia sinensis leaf extracts lacking catechins exert depigmentary effects through ERK-dependent, MiTF-mediated tyrosinase downregulationin melan-a cells and a human skin equivalent (2019)

Green tea from Camellia sinensis, a popular beverage worldwide, is also considered a herbal medicine. The bioactive compounds of green tea include polyphenols, polysaccharides, amino acids, and vitamins. Tea polyphenols are composed of various catechins such as epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), whereas polysaccharides include complex pectic substances and glycoproteins. Unfractionated C. sinensis leaf extracts show various pharmacological effects that are attributable to catechins, which include antimelanogenic properties. Most studies have focused on the biological function of catechins in green tea, and the effects of C. sinensis leaf extracts lacking catechins (CSLE-LC) have received little research attention. We examined the skin-whitening properties of the fraction lacking catechins. The melanin content in melan-a cells was significantly reduced, as has been shown for unfractionated C. sinensis extracts and catechins. We also elucidated the molecular mechanism underlying the antimelanogenic effects of CSLE-LC on skin melanocytes. Our results show that CSLE-LC acts through inhibition of MiTF and subsequent activation of extracellular-signal regulated kinase (ERK) to reduce tyrosinase protein levels. We confirmed the whitening ability of CSLE-LC using a human skin equivalent. Our findings provide the first evidence that CSLE-LC could exert efficient antimelanogenesis activity, and suggest that polysaccharides as well as catechins contribute to the whitening efficacy of C. sinensis leaf extracts.
Disulfide Bonds Are Not Necessary for Intrinsic TNSALP Activity (2023)

Recent developments in single-molecule enzymology (SME) have allowed for the observation of subpopulations present in enzyme ensembles. Tissue-nonspecific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP), a homodimeric monophosphate esterase central to bone metabolism, has become a model enzyme for SME studies. TNSALP contains two internal disulfide bonds that are critical for its effective dimerization; mutations in its disulfide bonding framework have been reported in patients with hypophosphatasia, a rare disease characterized by impaired bone and tooth mineralization. In this paper, we present the kinetics of these mutants and show that these disulfide bonds are not crucial for TNSALP enzymatic function. This surprising result reveals that the enzyme's active conformation does not rely on its disulfide bonds. We posit that the signs and symptoms seen in hypophosphatasia are likely not primarily due to impaired enzyme function, but rather decreased enzyme expression and trafficking.
Rapid Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing by Stimulated Raman Scattering Imaging of Deuterium Incorporation in a Single Bacterium (2022)

To slow and prevent the spread of antimicrobial resistant infections, rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) is in urgent need to ﻿quantitatively determine the ﻿antimicrobial effects on pathogens. ﻿It typically takes days to complete the AST by conventional methods based on the long-time culture, and they do not work directly for clinical samples. Here, we report a rapid AST ﻿method enabled by stimulated Raman scattering (SRS) imaging of deuterium oxide (D2O) metabolic incorporation. Metabolic incorporation of D2O into biomass and the metabolic activity inhibition upon exposure to antibiotics at the single bacterium level are monitored by SRS imaging. The﻿ single-cell metabolism inactivation concentration (SC-MIC) of bacteria upon exposure to antibiotics can be obtained after a total of 2.5 h of sample preparation and detection. Furthermore, this rapid AST method is directly applicable to bacterial samples in complex biological environments, such as urine or whole blood. SRS metabolic imaging of deuterium incorporation is transformative for rapid single-cell phenotypic AST in the clinic.
Immunohistochemical Characterization of the Origins of Metastatic Well-differentiated Neuroendocrine Tumors to the Liver (2017)

Metastatic neoplasms of unknown primary site pose a major challenge to patient management. As targeted therapies are now being tailored to neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) of different primary sites, identifying the origin of metastatic NETs has become increasingly important. Compared with more extensive efforts on metastatic adenocarcinomas of unknown primary, the literature on metastatic NETs (often to the liver) is relatively sparse and most studies are based on primary tumors. We sought to study metastatic well-differentiated NETs to the liver to identify markers that predict the site of origin. Eighty-five metastatic NETs to the liver were retrieved from the pathology archive. The primary sites were determined based on either pathologic review of the primary tumors (in most cases) or radiologic/clinical findings. Immunohistochemical labeling for TTF1, CDX2, ISL1, NKX2.2, and PDX1 was performed on either tissue microarrays or whole sections. The primary sites of the NETs in the study cohort included: pancreas (35%), small intestine (32%), rectum (8%), stomach (2%), bile duct (1%), lung (9%), and unknown primary (12%). We found predominant expression of TTF1 in lung carcinoid (63%), CDX2 in small intestinal (89%) and ISL1 in pancreatic NETs (77%), respectively. NKX2.2 was mainly expressed in NETs of the digestive organs. PDX1 was detected in a small percentage of pancreatic, small intestinal and the single bile duct NET. There was no statistically significant association between tumor grade (World Health Organization G1 vs. G2) and the expression of any of the above markers. The 3-marker panel (TTF1, CDX2, and ISL1) had sensitivities of 81%, 89%, and 63%, specificities of 100%, 94%, and 100%, positive predictive values of 100%, 89%, and 100%, and negative predictive values of 84%, 94%, and 96% in separating metastatic NETs into 3 major primary sites: pancreas/rectum, small intestine, and lung, respectively, with an overall accuracy of 82%. Furthermore, this panel predicted a primary site for 6 of the 10 NETs of unknown primary, which reduced the NETs of unknown primary from 12% to 5%. Thus, through immunohistochemical study of a large series of metastatic NETs to the liver, we have demonstrated the utility of a 3-marker panel for the identification of one or more potential primary sites of most metastatic NETs, which could provide practical guidance in patient management.
The Quantized Cosine Transform for Sensor-Layer Image Compression (2005)

We introduce a compressive encoding at the sensor layer based on the quantized cosine transform. Compression at the physical layer of integrated imaging systems reduces the measurements-to-pixels ratio, the data volume and accelerates image estimation.
Effect of Acceptor Lamination on Photocarrier Dynamics in Hole Transporting Hexabenzocoronene Nanotubular Self-Assembly (2013)

Measurements of transient photoconductance under an external magnetic field were used to investigate photocarrier dynamics in low-dimensional hexabenzocoronene (HBC) self-assemblies, which are a promising material group for highly efficient solar cells achieved by bottom-up technology, and to clarify the effect of lamination with electron acceptor layer on the surfaces of HBC nanotubes. In an HBC column without an acceptor, the carrier generation yield from a geminate electron–hole (e-h) pair is dependent on the external electric and magnetic fields. The time dependence of the magnetic field effect on geminate e-h pair dynamics in the HBC column structure was analyzed to estimate the recombination rate constants of the singlet and triplet e-h pairs (krS and krT), which were 1.5 × 108 and 1.2 × 108 s–1 respectively. The same kinetic analysis with consideration of the electric field effect on the photocarrier generation yield provided an electric field dependent dissociation rate constant in the range of 107–108 s–1 in the HBC column structure. However, neither electric nor magnetic field effects on the carrier generation process were observed in acceptor-appended HBC nanotubes. The disappearance of the external field effects in acceptor-appended HBC indicates that the geminate recombination is reduced substantially by a well-organized donor/acceptor heterojunction with an interval of a few nanometers due to some σ-bonds. However, efficient nongeminate recombination with a ratio of krS:krT = 1.0:0.8 in the acceptor-appended HBC nanotubes was also elucidated by the incident photon density and magnetic field effects, which is an inherent nature in materials with high carrier density.
Cognitive and Sensorimotor Tasks for Assessing Functional Impairments in Mouse Models of Alzheimer’s Disease and Related Disorders (2012)

In the last couple of decades, substantial progress has been made in the development of transgenic mouse models developing amyloid-β deposits and/or neurofibrillary tangles. These mouse models of Alzheimer's disease and related disorders provide an excellent tool for investigating etiology, pathogenic mechanisms, and potential treatments. An essential component of their characterization is a detailed behavioral assessment, which clarifies the functional consequences of these pathologies. We have selected and refined a series of cognitive and sensorimotor tasks that are ideal for studying these models and the efficacy of various treatments.
Enhancing Interferon Regulatory Factor 7 Mediated Antiviral Responses and Decreasing Nuclear Factor Kappa B Expression Limit HIV-1 Replication in Cervical Tissues (2015)

Establishment of a productive HIV-1 infection in the female reproductive tract likely depends on the balance between anti-viral and pro-inflammatory responses leading to activation and proliferation of HIV target cells. Immune modulators that boost anti-viral and depress pro-inflammatory immune responses may decrease HIV-1 infection or replication. Polyinosinic:polycytidylic [Poly (I:C)] has been reported to down-regulate HIV-1 replication in immune cell subsets and lymphoid tissues, yet the scope and mechanisms of poly (I:C) regulation of HIV-1 replication in the cervicovaginal mucosa, the main portal of viral entry in women remain unknown. Using a relevant, underexplored ex vivo cervical tissue model, we demonstrated that poly (I:C) enhanced Interferon Regulatory Factor (IRF)7 mediated antiviral responses and decreased tissue Nuclear Factor Kappa B (NFκB) RNA expression. This pattern of cellular transcription factor expression correlated with decreased HIV-1 transcription and viral release. Reducing IRF7 expression up-regulated HIV-1 and NFκB transcription, providing proof of concept for the critical involvement of IRF7 in cervical tissues. By combining poly (I:C) with a suboptimal concentration of tenofovir, the leading anti-HIV prophylactic microbicide candidate, we demonstrated an earlier and greater decrease in HIV replication in poly (I:C)/tenofovir treated tissues compared with tissues treated with tenofovir alone, indicating overall improved efficacy. Poly (I:C) decreases HIV-1 replication by stimulating IRF7 mediated antiviral responses while reducing NFκB expression. Early during the infection, poly (I:C) improved the anti-HIV-1 activity of suboptimal concentrations of tenofovir likely to be present during periods of poor adherence i.e. inconsistent or inadequate drug use. Understanding interactions between anti-viral and pro-inflammatory immune responses in the genital mucosa will provide crucial insights for the identification of targets that can be harnessed to develop preventative combination strategies to improve the efficacy of topical or systemic antiviral prophylactic agents and protect women from HIV-1 and other sexually transmitted infections.
Hemoperfusion in the intensive care unit (2022)

Multiple organ failure following a septic event derives from immune dysregulation. Many of the mediators of this process are humoral factors (cytokines), which could theoretically be cleared by direct adsorption through a process called hemoperfusion. Hemoperfusion through devices, which bind specific molecules like endotoxin or theoretically provide non-specific adsorption of pro-inflammatory mediators has been attempted and studied for several decades with variable results. More recently, technological evolution has led to the increasing application of adsorption due to more biocompatible and possibly more efficient biomaterials. As a result, new indications are developing in this field, and novel tools are available for clinical use. This narrative review will describe current knowledge regarding technical concepts, safety, and clinical results of hemoperfusion. Finally, it will focus on the most recent literature regarding adsorption applied in critically ill patients and their indications, including recent randomized controlled trials and future areas of investigation. Clinical trials for the assessment of efficacy of hemoperfusion in septic patients should apply the explanatory approach. This includes a highly selected homogenous patient population. Enrichment criteria such as applying genetic signature and molecular biomarkers allows the identification of subphenotypes of patients. The intervention must be delivered by a multidisciplinary team of trained personnel. The aim is to maximize the signals for efficacy and safety. In a homogenous cohort, confounding uncontrolled variables are less likely to exist. Trials with highly selected populations have a high internal validity but poor generalizability. The parallel design described in the figure is robust and usually is required by regulatory agencies for the approval of a new treatment. Allocation concealment and randomization are key to minimize bias such as confirmation bias, observer bias. The intervention should be delivered following a strict protocol. Deviations from the protocol might negatively influence the potential effects of the therapies. Surrogates such as cytokine measurement are adequate primary outcomes in phase 3 trials with small sample size because there is a higher likelihood of finding positive results concerning surrogate markers than in respect with clinical outcomes. Once a trial shows positive results concerning surrogate markers, a rationale for another phase 3 trial exploring clinical outcomes is built, justifying the allocation of financial sources to the intended trial.
Interstitial oxygen molecules in amorphous SiO2. III. Measurements of dissolution kinetics, diffusion coefficient, and solubility by infrared photoluminescence (2005)

Concentration changes of interstitial oxygen molecules (O2) in amorphous SiO2(a-SiO2) thermally annealed in oxygen atmosphere were examined by the O2 photoluminescence at 1272 nm excited with 765-nm light of titanium sapphire laser. This highly sensitive technique allows the time- and temperature-dependent concentration changes of interstitial O2 due to their incorporation from an oxygen atmosphere to be directly measured. The data provide the dissolution rate, the diffusion coefficient, and the solubility of interstitial O2 in a-SiO2 and are able to exclude interferences from other forms of mobile oxygen species in a-SiO2. These observations confirm that O2 molecules are incorporated into a-SiO2 without separating into monoatomic species, diffuse in a-SiO2 without extensive interaction with the a-SiO2 network, and play a primary role in the thermal oxidation of silicon.
A direct-conversion receiver integrated circuit for WCDMA mobile systems (2003)

A prototype of a 3-V SiGe direct-conversion receiver integrated circuit for use in third-generation (3G) WCDMA mobile cellular systems has been completed. The goal of its design was to minimize current draw while meeting WCDMA receiver rf specifications with margin. The design includes a bypassable low-noise amplifier, quadrature downconverter, and first-stage variable-gain baseband amplifiers integrated on chip. The design is optimized for use with a single-ended off-chip bandpass surface-acoustic-wave filter with no external matching components. The prototype design represents a first step toward a fully integrated monolithic WCDMA/UMTS receiver system-on-a-chip. A rigorous set of performance tests are used to characterize the noise and linearity performance of the packaged IC across its full frequency band of operation. A receiver test-bed system with a software baseband demodulator is used to determine the bit-error-rate performance of the receiver integrated circuit (IC) at sensitivity. Measured results are compared with estimated system performance requirements to determine compliance with key WCDMA rf specifications.
Alternatives to Shellac Coatings Provide Comparable Gloss, Internal Gas Modification, and Quality for 'Delicious' Apple Fruit (2002)

Zein, starch, polyvinyl acetate (PVA), carnauba, and carnauba-polysaccharide (CPS) coatings were compared with a commercial shellac coating using controlled atmosphere stored 'Delicious' apples ( Malus × domestica Borkh). Coated apples were stored in air at 2 °C for 2 weeks and then removed to 21 °C for an additional two weeks to simulate marketing conditions. Gloss, internal O 2 and CO 2 partial pressures, weight loss, flesh firmness, and contents of sugars, acids and volatiles were measured on 0, 2, and 4 weeks after coating treatment. Starch- and carnauba-coated apples had high initial gloss, similar to that found for shellac-coated fruit. Gloss of all coated fruit decreased similarly during the 4-week evaluation period, although all of the coated fruit were glossier than uncoated controls. For uncoated apples, the differences of O 2 and CO 2 partial pressure between internal and ambient atmosphere were ≈1 kPa at 2 °C, and these increased by a further 2 kPa after transfer to 21 °C. Fruit coated with shellac and starch had &gt;10 kPa CO 2 , and &lt;10 kPa O 2 at 21 °C. Zein-, PVA- and carnauba-coated apples showed a less modified internal atmosphere (6-7 kPa CO 2 , 11-15 kPa O 2 ). Internal partial pressures of O 2 and CO 2 were inversely related for most coatings, except for the CPS coating, for which partial pressures of both CO 2 and O 2 were low. Carnauba-, PVA-, and shellac-coated fruit lost less weight than uncoated fruit. Starch-, shellac-, and CPS-coated fruit were firmer than those from other coating treatments, and all coated fruit were firmer than uncoated control. Titratable acidity was higher in the fruit coated with CPS, starch, and shellac than in uncoated control. Ethyl alcohol and ethyl esters accumulated in starch-, shellac-, and CPS-coated fruit kept at 2 °C, but, levels of these volatiles decreased after transfer of fruit to 21 °C. Carnauba, PVA and zein coatings compared favorably to shellac for gloss and other quality characteristics.
A Processing Approach to Tuning the Drug Delivery Characteristics of Calcium Polyphosphate Matrices (2010)

International audience
1.5-μm eye-safe coherent lidar system for wind velocity measurement (2001)

A coherent lidar is an attractive sensor for atmospheric observation because it enables the wind velocity measurement in clear air conditions. A 1.5-?m eye-safe coherent lidar is more attractive than a 2-?m eye-safe coherent lidar. The wavelength of 1.5-?m provides a ten times higher maximum permissible exposure for human eyes than the wavelength of 2-?m. In addition, optical fiber components and devices developed for optical fiber communications are easily available. We have already reported first 1.5-?m coherent lidar system for wind velocity measurement, and recently completed the full system. The system has the Er,Yb:Glass pulsed laser with the output energy 10.9-mJ and the telescope with effective aperture of 100-mm. The system provides the available measurement range of 5-km (SNR>+1-dB), the detectable wind velocity range of between -50- m/sec and +50-m/sec and the range resolution of 30-m. The velocity accuracy of 0.14-m/sec (standard deviation) is obtained by measuring velocity of a nonmoving hard target.
CW-Pumped Evanescent Amplification Based on Side-Polished Fiber with Heavily Er3+-Doped Glass Overlay (2006)

A novel diffractive-pumping scheme is proposed to improve the evanescent amplification using blazed fiber grating for the first time. We also investigate the cw-pumped evanescent amplification at 1.55 µm wavelength with the relative optical gain pumped at 1480 nm of around 2 dB based on side-polished fiber with the effective interaction length as long as 16 mm and with a heavily Er3+-doped (NEr3+>1.19×1021 ions/cm3), low refractive index (n1550<1.47) glass overlay, which has no concentration quenching (τf=9.0 ms).
Phase Compensation Technique for Effective Heat Focusing in Microwave Hyperthermia Systems (2021)

In this paper, effective electromagnetic (EM) focusing achieved with a phase compensation technique for microwave hyperthermia systems is proposed. To treat tumor cells positioned deep inside a human female breast, EM energy must be properly focused on the target area. A circular antenna array for microwave hyperthermia allows EM energy to concentrate on a specific target inside the breast tumor. Depending on the cancerous cell conditions in the breast, the input phases of each antenna are calculated for single and multiple tumor cell locations. In the case of multifocal breast cancer, sub-array beam focusing via the phase compensation technique is presented to enhance the ability of EM energy to concentrate on multiple targets while minimizing damage to normal cells. To demonstrate the thermal treatment effects on single and multiple tumor locations, the accumulation of the specific absorption rate (SAR) parameter and temperature changes were verified using both simulated and experimental results.
ChemInform Abstract: From Conventional to Unusual Enzyme Inhibitor Scaffolds: The Quest for Target Specificity (2011)

Abstract Review: 43 refs.
Pickup suppression in sagnac-based fiber-optic acoustic sensor array (2006)

Large-scale acoustic fiber sensor arrays consisting of hundreds of hydrophones distributed along kilometers-long fiber buses are required for applications such as undersea oil exploration. Sagnac-based sensor arrays (SSAs) exhibit attractive performance; however, the acoustic wave incident on the buses generates a pickup signal that can swamp the signals from the hydrophones. A simple technique for reducing this unwanted pickup is proposed, modeled, and demonstrated by periodically inserting deaf hydrophones in the buses instead of hydrophones so the pickup signal is measured at different locations along the buses. The first method directly subtracts the deaf hydrophone signal from the signal seen by the adjacent hydrophone (true signal and pickup) to recover the true hydrophone signal. This method is limited to small signal amplitudes by the nonlinearity of the Sagnac interferometer. The second method corrects the nonlinearity before pickup subtraction and allows in principle a full suppression of the pickup. When applied to an experimental two-rung SSA, this technique produced a -18.6-dB pickup suppression for pickup amplitudes as large as 0.44 rad and signal amplitudes of up to 0.44 rad and -15 dB for a signal as large as 0.88 rad. These values are limited by the accuracy of the 8-bit data acquisition and/or electronic noise. With a low-noise 12-bit data acquisition, the pickup suppression for small signal amplitudes is predicted to be -35 dB. This paper makes headway toward practical SSAs.