gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Nanobubble Technologies Offer Opportunities To Improve Water Treatment (2019)

Since first hypothesizing the existence of nanobubbles (NBs) in 1994, the empirical study of NB properties and commercialization of NB generators have rapidly evolved. NBs are stable spherical packages of gas within liquid and are operationally defined as having diameters less than 1000 nm, though they are typically in the range of 100 nm in one dimension. While theories still lack the ability to explain empirical evidence for formation of stable NBs in water, numerous NB applications have emerged in different fields, including water and wastewater purification where NBs offer the potential to replace or improve efficiency of current treatment processes. The United Nations identifies access to safe drinking water as a human right, and municipal and industrial wastewaters require purification before they enter water bodies. These protections require treatment technologies to remove naturally occurring (e.g., arsenic, chromium, fluoride, manganese, radionuclides, salts, selenium, natural organic matter, algal toxins), or anthropogenic (e.g., nitrate, phosphate, solvents, fuel additives, pharmaceuticals) chemicals and particles (e.g., virus, bacteria, oocysts, clays) that cause toxicity or aesthetic problems to make rivers, lakes, seawater, groundwater, or wastewater suitable for beneficial use or reuse in complex and evolving urban and rural water systems. NBs raise opportunities to improve current or enable new technologies for producing fewer byproducts and achieving safer water. This account explores the potential to exploit the unique properties of NBs for improving water treatment by answering key questions and proposing research opportunities regarding (1) observational versus theoretical existence of NBs, (2) ability of NBs to improve gas transfer into water or influence gas trapped on particle surfaces, (3) ability to produce quasi-stable reactive oxygen species (ROS) on the surface of NBs to oxidize pollutants and pathogens in water, (4) ability to improve particle aggregation through intraparticle NB bridging, and (5) ability to mitigate fouling on surfaces. We conclude with key insights and knowledge gaps requiring research to advance the use of NBs for water purification. Among the highest priorities is to develop techniques that measure NB size and surface properties in complex drinking and wastewater chemistries, which contain salts, organics, and a wide variety of inorganic and organic colloids. In the authors' opinion, ROS production by NB may hold the greatest promise for usage in water treatment because it allows movement away from chemical-based oxidants (chlorine, ozone) that are costly, dangerous to handle, and produce harmful byproducts while helping achieve important treatment goals (e.g., destruction of organic pollutants, pathogens, biofilms). Because of the low chemical requirements to form NBs, NB technologies could be distributed throughout rapidly changing and increasingly decentralized water treatment systems in both developed and developing countries.
Analytical design method for the improvement of steel structures stability (2021)

Abstract This article presents a design method for the improvement of steel structures stability by modifying their structural elements parameters. The available parameters can be selected from a predefined list of stiffness and ultimate capacities for joints and steel members. The proposed procedure is based on determining the critical load factor (ratio between the critical and the demanding loads: α cr = P cr / P Ed ) and analyzing its sensitivity with respect to the design parameters, by using its gradient vector and Hessian matrix. The methodology is well suited for structures where the second order effects are relevant. A simple two parameter example is presented, and the general procedure for finite element analysis is outlined.
Pre-clinical antigenicity studies of an innovative multivalent vaccine for human visceral leishmaniasis (2017)

The notion that previous infection by Leishmania spp. in endemic areas leads to robust anti-Leishmania immunity, supports vaccination as a potentially effective approach to prevent disease development. Nevertheless, to date there is no vaccine available for human leishmaniasis. We optimized and assessed in vivo the safety and immunogenicity of an innovative vaccine candidate against human visceral leishmaniasis (VL), consisting of Virus-Like Particles (VLP) loaded with three different recombinant proteins (LJL143 from Lutzomyia longipalpis saliva as the vector-derived (VD) component, and KMP11 and LeishF3+, as parasite-derived (PD) antigens) and adjuvanted with GLA-SE, a TLR4 agonist. No apparent adverse reactions were observed during the experimental time-frame, which together with the normal hematological parameters detected seems to point to the safety of the formulation. Furthermore, measurements of antigen-specific cellular and humoral responses, generally higher in immunized versus control groups, confirmed the immunogenicity of the vaccine formulation. Interestingly, the immune responses against the VD protein were reproducibly more robust than those elicited against leishmanial antigens, and were apparently not caused by immunodominance of the VD antigen. Remarkably, priming with the VD protein alone and boosting with the complete vaccine candidate contributed towards an increase of the immune responses to the PD antigens, assessed in the form of increased ex vivo CD4+ and CD8+ T cell proliferation against both the PD antigens and total Leishmania antigen (TLA). Overall, our immunogenicity data indicate that this innovative vaccine formulation represents a promising anti-Leishmania vaccine whose efficacy deserves to be tested in the context of the "natural infection".
Structure of crossing-shock-wave/turbulent-boundary-layer interactions (1993)

A detailed comparison of experimental and computational results on the flowfield structure of a Mach 4, 15-deg symmetric crossing-shock-wave/turbulent-boundary-layer interaction is presented. Experimentally obtained planar laser scattering images are compared with static-pressure contours predicted by the computation.
Smooth Handoff with Enhanced Packet Buffering-and-Forwarding in Wireless/Mobile Networks (2005)

Packet buffering-and-forwarding is a simple but essential mechanism and has been widely used with other mechanisms to provide seamless handoffs in many wireless/mobile networks. However, some undesirable side effects of this mechanism, if not managed appropriately, can easily diminish its effectiveness in providing seamless inter-cell transitions during a handoff. We first examine these side effects and show how inappropriate buffer management by a mobility agent could affect the TCP performance. The throughput of TCP is then studied with special emphasis on the effects of a handoff. We enhance the conventional buffering-and-forwarding by proposing the last-come-first-drop (LCFD) buffer management policy (to be employed by mobility agents) and post-handoff acknowledgement suppression (to be used by mobile nodes). Our enhancements are backward compatible and suitable for the gradual/incremental deployment. By deriving an analytical model and conducting numerical analysis, we show that our scheme can improve the TCP throughput up to 30%. Finally, we conduct the ns-2 based simulation to confirm these numerical results, and demonstrate the applicability of the analytic model for predicting TCP throughput in other handoff schemes.
Segregated Networks of Carbon Black in Poly(vinyl acetate) Latex: Influence of Clay on the Electrical and Mechanical Behavior (2008)

Abstract Films were prepared from mixtures of PVAc latex, CB, and natural sodium montmorillonite clay. In the absence of clay, these composites exhibit a percolation threshold of 1.2 vol.‐% CB, which is nearly an order of magnitude lower than that observed for composites prepared using PVAc solution. SEM images reveal a segregated CB network that is the result of excluded volume created by the much larger polymer particles in the latex. With the addition of 0.2 wt.‐% clay, the percolation threshold is reduced to 0.9 vol.‐% carbon black due to clay‐induced networking. The storage modulus is also enhanced by the presence of clay, although higher clay concentration appears to adversely affect electrical and mechanical behavior of these composites. magnified image
P097 FISTULIZING CROHN’S DISEASE PREVALENCE ESTIMATE IN THE UNITED STATES: A SYSTEMATIC LITERATURE REVIEW AND POPULATION-BASED DATABASE ANALYSIS (2019)

Intestinal fistulas may arise as a complication of Crohn’s disease. They are classified according to their anatomic location as anal, rectovaginal, enterocutaneous or internal. Despite the substantial burden imposed on patients and clinicians, limited data are available on the epidemiology of fistulizing Crohn’s disease in the United States. We performed a systematic literature review to ascertain the prevalence of fistulas in patients with Crohn’s disease. Retrieved titles and abstracts were screened for inclusion criteria (population-based studies published between 1970 and 2017, reporting data on the epidemiology of fistulizing Crohn’s disease in the United States). From identified data, the prevalence of the condition was estimated. To validate the literature-based estimate, we analysed data from a United States claims database (Truven MarketScan database) with a broad geographic coverage (national, regional, state, intrastate) that contained healthcare data for more than 60 million unique patients. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to estimate an upper limit for the prevalence of fistulizing Crohn’s disease in the United States. For this analysis, the prevalence of Crohn’s disease in the United States was estimated extrapolating that reported in a high prevalence area (Olmsted County, Minnesota) to the 2017 United States population. The literature search retrieved seven articles for full-text review; one met the criteria for inclusion. This was a study published in 2002, that reported the cumulative incidence of fistulas in a Crohn’s disease population from Olmsted County (Minnesota), over 20 years. Analysis of reported data yielded an estimated prevalence of 76,600 patients with fistulizing Crohn’s disease in the United States. Analysis of claims data from the United States healthcare database resulted in an estimated prevalence of 75,700 patients, confirming the robustness of the original estimate. The sensitivity analysis suggested an upper limit for the prevalence of fistulizing Crohn’s disease in the United States of 105,000 patients. The estimated prevalence of fistulizing Crohn’s disease, based on two separate analyses using different estimation methods, is approximately 77,000 patients. According to the threshold criterion of <200,000 patients established by the United States Food and Drug Administration, this estimate suggests fistulizing Crohn’s disease is an orphan condition. This literature-based estimate should be interpreted with caution due to the limited availability of published epidemiological studies. We note, however, that this estimate was highly consistent with a separate estimate derived from a large healthcare database.
β-1,3-Glucan synthesis, novel supramolecular self-assembly, characterization and application (2022)

β-1,3-Glucans are ubiquitously observed in various biological systems with diverse physio-ecological functions, yet their underlying assembly mechanism and multiscale complexation <i>in vitro</i> remains poorly understood. Here, we provide for the first-time evidence of unidentified β-1,3-glucan supramolecular complexation into intricate hierarchical architectures over several length scales. We mediated these unique assemblies using a recombinantly produced β-1,3-glucan phosphorylase (<i>Ta</i>1,3BGP) by fine-tuning solution conditions during particle nucleation and growth. We report a synthesis of interconnected parallel hexagonal lamellae composed of 8 nm thick sheets of highly expanded paracrystals. The architecture consists of β-1,3-glucan triple-helices with considerable inter-intra hydrogen bonding within, as well as in between adjacent triple-helices. The results extend our understanding of β-1,3-glucan molecular organization and shed light on different aspects of the crystallization processes of biomolecules into structures unseen by nature. The presented versatile synthesis yields new materials for diverse medical and industrial applications.
State-Feedback Control of a Hybrid Distribution Transformer for Power Quality Improvement of a Distribution Grid (2023)

A Hybrid Distribution Transformer (HDT) combines a power converter and a conventional Low-Frequency Transformer (LFT) in a single device. The most recurrent configuration consists of a shunt converter fed by the Auxiliary Winding (AW) of the LFT and a series converter connected to the low-voltage grid. Nonetheless, load harmonics circulate through the power converter and LFT, affecting their lifetime. In this work, an HDT composed of a series converter connected to the primary side through Coupling Transformers and a shunt converter directly connected to the secondary side is presented. The HDT model and discrete-time state-feedback control are presented. The results show that the HDT can improve the power quality of the grid, focused on extending the LFT lifetime.
Data-Driven Design of Braking Control Systems (2011)

The spread of active braking controllers on vehicles with significant mechanical differences and on low-cost products asks for control design approaches which offer easy and fast calibration and re-tuning capabilities. This task is made difficult by the use of model-based control approaches which heavily rely on specific vehicle dynamics descriptions. To address these issues, this brief paper proposes a data-driven approach to active braking control design, grounded on the virtual reference feedback tuning (VRFT) approach complemented with a data-driven nonlinear compensator. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is assessed both on a full-fledged multibody simulator and on a tire-in-the-loop experimental facility.
Reversible Dysfunction of Wild-Type p53 following Homeodomain-Interacting Protein Kinase-2 Knockdown (2008)

About half of cancers sustain mutations in the TP53 gene, whereas the other half maintain a wild-type p53 (wtp53) but may compromise the p53 response because of other alterations. Homeodomain-interacting protein kinase-2 (HIPK2) is a positive regulator of p53 oncosuppressor function. Here, we show, by microarray analysis, that wtp53 lost the target gene activation following stable knockdown of HIPK2 (HIPK2i) in colon cancer cell line. Our data show that the stable knockdown of HIPK2 led to wtp53 misfolding, as detected by p53 immunoprecipitation with conformation-specific antibodies, and that p53 protein misfolding impaired p53 DNA binding and transcription of target genes. We present evidence that zinc supplementation to HIPK2i cells increased p53 reactivity to conformation-sensitive PAb1620 (wild-type conformation) antibody and restored p53 sequence-specific DNA binding in vivo and transcription of target genes in response to Adriamycin treatment. Finally, combination of zinc and Adriamycin suppressed tumor growth in vivo and activated misfolded p53 that induced its target genes in nude mice tumor xenografts derived from HIPK2i cells. Bioinformatics analysis of microarray data from colon cancer patients showed significant association of poor survival with low HIPK2 expression only in tumors expressing wtp53. These results show a critical role of HIPK2 in maintaining the transactivation activity of wtp53 and further suggest that low expression of HIPK2 may impair the p53 function in tumors harboring wtp53.
The Complex Charge Paradigm: A New Approach for Designing Electromagnetic Wavepackets (2020)

Singularities in optics famously describe a broad range of intriguing phenomena, from vortices and caustics to field divergences near point charges. The diverging fields created by point charges are conventionally seen as a mathematical peculiarity that is neither needed nor related to the description of electromagnetic beams and pulses, and other effects in modern optics. This work disrupts this viewpoint by shifting point charges into the complex plane, and showing that their singularities then give rise to propagating, divergence-free wavepackets. Specifically, point charges moving in complex space-time trajectories are shown to map existing wavepackets to corresponding complex trajectories. Tailoring the complex trajectories in this "complex charge paradigm" leads to the discovery and design of new wavepacket families, as well as unprecedented electromagnetic phenomena, such as the combination of both nondiffracting behavior and abruptly-varying behavior in a single wavepacket. As an example, the abruptly focusing X-wave-a propagation-invariant X-wave-like wavepacket with prechosen self-disruptions that enhance its peak intensity by over 200 times-is presented. This work envisions a unified method that captures all existing wavepackets as corresponding complex trajectories, creating a new design tool in modern optics and paving the way to further discoveries of electromagnetic modes and waveshaping applications.
Multivalent adaptor proteins specifically target NK cells carrying a universal chimeric antigen receptor to ErbB2 (HER2)-expressing cancers (2023)

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-engineered immune effector cells constitute a promising approach for adoptive cancer immunotherapy. Nevertheless, on-target/off-tumor toxicity and immune escape due to antigen loss represent considerable challenges. These may be overcome by adaptor CARs that are selectively triggered by bispecific molecules that crosslink the CAR with a tumor-associated surface antigen. Here, we generated NK cells carrying a first- or second-generation universal CAR (UniCAR) and redirected them to tumor cells with so-called target modules (TMs) which harbor an ErbB2 (HER2)-specific antibody domain for target cell binding and the E5B9 peptide recognized by the UniCAR. To investigate differential effects of the protein design on activity, we developed homodimeric TMs with one, two or three E5B9 peptides per monomer, and binding domains either directly linked or separated by an IgG4 Fc domain. The adaptor molecules were expressed as secreted proteins in Expi293F cells, purified from culture supernatants and their bispecific binding to UniCAR and ErbB2 was confirmed by flow cytometry. In cell killing experiments, all tested TMs redirected NK cell cytotoxicity selectively to ErbB2-positive tumor cells. Nevertheless, we found considerable differences in the extent of specific cell killing depending on TM design and CAR composition, with adaptor proteins carrying two or three E5B9 epitopes being more effective when combined with NK cells expressing the first-generation UniCAR, while the second-generation UniCAR was more active in the presence of TMs with one E5B9 sequence. These results may have important implications for the further development of optimized UniCAR and target module combinations for cancer immunotherapy.
CDK12 loss in cancer cells affects DNA damage response genes through premature cleavage and polyadenylation (2018)

The cyclin-dependent kinase 12 (CDK12) modulates transcription elongation by phosphorylating the carboxy-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II and appears to selectively affect the expression of DNA damage response (DDR) and mRNA processing genes. Yet, the mechanism(s) by which it achieves this selectivity remains unclear. Using a highly selective CDK12/13 inhibitor, THZ531, and nascent RNA sequencing, we show that CDK12 inhibition results in gene length-dependent elongation defects, leading to premature cleavage and polyadenylation (PCPA) as well as loss of expression of long (&gt;45 kb) genes, a substantial proportion of which participate in the DDR. This early termination phenotype correlated with an increased proportion of intronic polyadenylation sites, a feature that was especially prominent among DDR genes. Finally, phosphoproteomic analysis indicated that pre-mRNA processing factors, including those involved in PCPA, are direct phosphotargets of CDKs 12 and 13. These results support a model in which DDR genes are uniquely susceptible to CDK12 inhibition due primarily to their relatively longer lengths and lower ratios of U1 snRNP binding to intronic polyadenylation sites.
Jitter analysis of CBR streams in multimedia networks (2004)

The performance of real time applications such as video and voice streams relies on packet delay jitter. Large delay jitter causes buffer overflow or underflow at the receiver end and the user encounters interrupts. The delay jitter is mainly due to the perturbation of background traffic in the bottleneck router. Fulton and Li (1998) provide an analytical approximation for the first-order and second-order statistics of delay jitter. However, their analysis is based on a Markovian model of the background traffic, which is not quite suitable for Internet traffic and requires lots of computational effort. We propose an efficient method to predict the jitter variance of a CBR (constant-bit rate) connection based on the wavelet model of the background traffic. The wavelet analysis extracts the statistical properties of background traffic and the analysis result can be used to predict an upper bound for the jitter variance of the CBR connection.
Current - voltage properties of piezoelectric thin film ZnO in a micromechanical force sensor (2002)

A piezoelectric thin film of ZnO was investigated as the active piezoelectric material for a novel force sensor in DNA sequencing. Current-voltage measurements (I-V measurements) were carried out for the electrical characterization. It was found that the I-V curves are not only nonlinear, they are also irreversible and dependent on the electrical history. A model that explains the observed phenomena qualitatively is presented.
ChemInform Abstract: 3‐Arylcyclohex‐2‐en‐1‐ones and 3,6‐Diarylcyclohex‐2‐en‐1‐ones. New Liquid Crystalline Compounds. (1994)

Abstract ChemInform is a weekly Abstracting Service, delivering concise information at a glance that was extracted from about 100 leading journals. To access a ChemInform Abstract of an article which was published elsewhere, please select a “Full Text” option. The original article is trackable via the “References” option.
Abnormal epigenetic changes during differentiation of human skeletal muscle stem cells from obese subjects (2017)

Our study identifies IL-32 as a novel myogenic regulator, provides a comprehensive map of the dynamic epigenome during differentiation of human muscle stem cells and reveals abnormal epigenetic changes in obesity.