gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Traces of Tobacco-Specific Nitrosamines (TSNAs) in USP Grade Nicotine, E-Liquids, and Particulate Phase Generated by the Electronic Smoking Devices (2017)

Summary The present study describes the development of a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) technique for the analysis of trace levels of four tobaccospecific nitrosamines (TSNAs): nitrosoanabasine (NAB), nitrosoanatabine (NAT), 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanone (NNK), and nitrosonornicotine (NNN). The technique can be applied for the analysis of TSNAs in USP grade nicotine. Nicotine used in e-liquids for the electronic smoking devices is typically obtained from tobacco plant materials ( Nicotiana tabacum, Nicotiana rustica ) and, although it is purified, it contains besides nicotine low levels of several contaminants such as minor alkaloids. It also contains traces of TSNAs. Analysis of TSNAs in USP grade nicotine is a challenging task since the analyzed samples contain about 10 +7 –10 +8 times more nicotine than individual TSNAs. Because the analyzed solutions cannot be diluted too much in order to keep the TSNAs level above the limit of quantitation (LOQ), even for apparently good chromatographic separations, the peak tailing of nicotine may generate interferences. The new method of analysis uses a Luna Omega 1.6 μm particles chromatographic column for separation and detection on a LC-MS/MS instrument with scheduled multiple reaction monitoring (Scheduled MRM). The levels of TSNAs in nicotine of USP purity from four commercial sources varied between 3 to 8 ng/g NAB, 4 to 20 ng/g NAT, 30 to 50 ng/g NNK, and 0.5 to 2 ng/g for NNN. Besides the analysis of TSNAs in nicotine, the technique has been applied successfully in the analysis of TSNAs in e-liquids and in particulate phase generated by the electronic smoking devices.
(Invited) Reactive Bonding with Integrated Reactive and Nano Scale Energetic Material Systems (iRMS): State-of-the-Art and Future Development Trends (2014)

This paper introduces different principles and deposition methods that use a specific form of local heat generation. Such systems consist of integrated and nano scale energetic material systems. These materials generate heat based on a self-propagating exothermic reaction during inter diffusion. The resulting heat can be used as heat source for bonding processes.
Styryl-Based and Tricyclic Compounds as Potential Anti-Prion Agents (2011)

Prion diseases currently have no effective therapy. These illnesses affect both animal and human populations, and are characterized by the conformational change of a normal self protein PrP(C) (C for cellular) to a pathological and infectious conformer, PrP(Sc) (Sc for scrapie). We used a well characterized tissue culture model of prion infection, where mouse neuroblastoma cells (N2a) were infected with 22L PrP(Sc), to screen compounds for anti-prion activity. In a prior study we designed a library of styryl based, potential imaging compounds which were selected for high affinity binding to Alzheimer's disease β-amyloid plaques and good blood-brain barrier permeability. In the current study we screened this library for activity in the N2a/22L tissue culture system. We also tested the anti-prion activity of two clinically used drugs, trimipramine and fluphenazine, in the N2a/22L system. These were selected based on their structural similarity to quinacrine, which was previously reported to have anti-prion activity. All the compounds were also screened for toxicity in tissue culture and their ability to disaggregate amyloid fibrils composed of PrP and β-amyloid synthetic peptides in vitro. Two of the imaging agents, 23I and 59, were found to be both effective at inhibiting prion infection in N2a/22L tissue culture and to be non-toxic. These two compounds, as well as trimipramine and fluphenazine were evaluated in vivo using wild-type CD-1 mice infected peripherally with 139A PrP(Sc). All four agents significantly prolonged the asymptomatic incubation period of prion infection (p<0.0001 log-rank test), as well as significantly reducing the degree of spongiform change, astrocytosis and PrP(Sc) levels in the brains of treated mice. These four compounds can be considered, with further development, as candidates for prion therapy.
High density current operation in nanographite fiber synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (2003)

We report an electrical characterization of nanographite fibers (NGFs) by measuring current–voltage characteristics of the individual NGFs in air at room temperature in order to optimize the NGF mass production process. The NGFs were synthesized by thermal chemical vapor deposition with thermal annealing. The NGF contains many defects in comparison with a multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) synthesized by arc discharge, which can be clearly confirmed in the current–voltage characteristic. The maximum current density, however, is typically 108 A/cm2, which is comparable to that in the MWNT. The high-density current operation mechanism is inferred from the measured diameter dependence of the current-voltage characteristic in various diameter NGFs.
Charge pumping and pseudopyroelectric effect in active ferroelectric relaxor-type films (1992)

Unidirectional charge flow was observed in potassium tantalum niobate, ${\mathrm{KTa}}_{0.6}$${\mathrm{Nb}}_{0.4}$${\mathrm{O}}_{3}$, films. These films of relaxor-type diffuse phase transition material were formed by metalorganic deposition and had a polarization gradient normal to the surface of the films. Novel charge pumping was observed in the active operation of simple two-terminal structures by excitation with periodic, strong electric fields. Such operation also showed a large pseudopyroelectric response. Effective pyroelectric coefficients as large as 2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}5}$ C/${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ \ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}C have been obtained.
Multiwatt semiconductor disk lasers for near-infrared wavelengths (2004)

Optically-pumped semiconductor disk lasers offer high output power in combination with good beam quality. By optimizing epitaxial quality as well as thermal resistance, we have demonstrated more than 8W of continuous-wave, room-temperature emission at 1000nm. These high power-levels are tied to high optical-conversion efficiencies of more than 40%. Whereas available wavelengths for solid-state disk lasers are restricted to a set of atomic transitions, semiconductor disk lasers can be conveniently tailored to meet almost any wavelength. Building upon the high-power results at 1000nm, we have extended the emission range towards 900nm as well as 1100nm. Two prominent examples are devices realized at 920nm and 1040nm, in each case demonstrating several Watts of laser output.
Structural basis of the broadly neutralizing anti‐interferon‐α antibody rontalizumab (2015)

Interferons-alpha (IFN-α) are the expressed gene products comprising thirteen type I interferons with protein pairwise sequence similarities in the 77-96% range. Three other widely expressed human type I interferons, IFN-β, IFN-κ and IFN-ω have sequences 29-33%, 29-32% and 56-60% similar to the IFN-αs, respectively. Type I interferons act on immune cells by producing subtly different immune-modulatory effects upon binding to the extracellular domains of a heterodimeric cell-surface receptor composed of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2, most notably anti-viral effects. IFN-α has been used to treat infection by hepatitis-virus type C (HCV) and a correlation between hyperactivity of IFN-α-induced signaling and systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE), or lupus, has been noted. Anti-IFN-α antibodies including rontalizumab have been under clinical study for the treatment of lupus. To better understand the rontalizumab mechanism of action and specificity, we determined the X-ray crystal structure of the Fab fragment of rontalizumab bound to human IFN-α2 at 3Å resolution and find substantial overlap of the antibody and IFNA2 epitopes on IFN-α2.
Howling detection in hearing aids using Discrete Energy Separation Algorithm-2 and Generalized Teager-Kaiser Operator (2014)

Howling is one of the most annoying consequences of the acoustical coupling in hearing aids. In this paper, a method of howling detection is proposed applying Discrete Energy Separation Algorithm-2 (DESA-2) and Generalized Teager-Kaiser Operator (GTKO). Several GTKOs with various resolution parameters monitor the input signal to recognize the howling occurrence while DESA-2 is used to estimate the howling frequency. Performance of the proposed method is compared with two known howling detection approaches, i.e. Peak-to-Harmonic Power Ratio (PHPR) and Adaptive Notch Filter (ANF). Simulation results show the advantage of the proposed method in terms of having lower false detection and shorter detection time.
Targeted disruption of the hepcidin 1 gene results in severe hemochromatosis (2006)

We previously reported that mice made deficient for the transcriptional factor USF2 fail to express hepcidin 1 and hepcidin 2 genes as a consequence of targeted disruption of the Usf2 gene lying just upstream in the locus. These mice developed an iron overload phenotype with excess iron deposition in parenchymal cells and decreased reticuloendothelial iron. At that time, although the role of USF2 was still confounding, we proposed for the first time the role of hepcidin as a negative regulator of iron absorption and iron release from macrophages. Accordingly, we subsequently demonstrated that hyperexpression of hepcidin 1, but not hepcidin 2, resulted in a profound hyposideremic anemia. To analyze the consequences of hepcidin 1 deletion on iron metabolism without any disturbance due to USF2 deficiency, we disrupted the hepcidin 1 gene by targeting almost all the coding region. Confirming our prior results, Hepc1(-/-) mice developed early and severe multivisceral iron overload, with sparing of the spleen macrophages, and demonstrated increased serum iron and ferritin levels as compared with their controls.
Polymer Nanocomposites (2001)

Reinforcement of polymers with a second organic or inorganic phase to produce a polymer composite is common in the production of modern plastics. Polymer nanocomposites (PNCs) represent a radical alternative to these conventional polymer composites [1-5]. The most noteworthy effort in the last 15 years has demonstrated a doubling of the tensile modulus and strength without sacrificing impact resistance for nylon-layer silicate nanocomposites containing as little as 2 vol. % inorganic layered silicate. In addition, the heat distortion temperature of the nanocomposites increases by up to 100 °C, extending the use of the composite to higher temperature environments, such as for under-the-hood parts in automobiles.
Can terminal settling velocity and drag of natural particles in water ever be predicted accurately? (2021)

Abstract. Natural particles are frequently applied in drinking water treatment processes in fixed bed reactors, fluidised bed reactors, and sedimentation processes to clarify water and to concentrate solids. When particles settle, it has been found that, in terms of hydraulics, natural particles behave differently when compared to perfectly round spheres. To estimate the terminal settling velocity of single solid particles in a liquid system, a comprehensive collection of equations is available. For perfectly round spheres, the settling velocity can be calculated quite accurately. However, for naturally polydisperse non-spherical particles, experimentally measured settling velocities of individual particles show considerable spread from the calculated average values. This work aims to analyse and explain the different causes of this spread. To this end, terminal settling experiments were conducted in a quiescent fluid with particles varying in density, size, and shape. For the settling experiments, opaque and transparent spherical polydisperse and monodisperse glass beads were selected. In this study, we also examined drinking-water-related particles, like calcite pellets and crushed calcite seeding material grains, which are both applied in drinking water softening. Polydisperse calcite pellets were sieved and separated to acquire more uniformly dispersed samples. In addition, a wide variety of grains with different densities, sizes, and shapes were investigated for their terminal settling velocity and behaviour. The derived drag coefficient was compared with well-known models such as the one of Brown and Lawler (2003). A sensitivity analysis showed that the spread is caused, to a lesser extent, by variations in fluid properties, measurement errors, and wall effects. Natural variations in specific particle density, path trajectory instabilities, and distinctive multi-particle settling behaviour caused a slightly larger degree of the spread. In contrast, a greater spread is caused by variations in particle size, shape, and orientation. In terms of robust process designs and adequate process optimisation for fluidisation and sedimentation of natural granules, it is therefore crucial to take into consideration the influence of the natural variations in the settling velocity when using predictive models of round spheres.
Chemical composition and in vitro fermentation characteristics of ancient grains using canine fecal inoculum (2020)

Human interest in ancient grains replacing traditional carbohydrate sources has reached the pet food market; however, chemical composition of these grains and their digestive properties in the canine model, specifically the fermentative characteristics, have not been established. Five ancient grain varieties were analyzed: amaranth (AM), white proso millet (WPM), oat groats (OG), quinoa (QU), and red millet (RM). Cellulose (CEL) was used as a negative control, and beet pulp (BP) was used as a positive control. Substrates were analyzed for macronutrient composition as well as free and hydrolyzed sugar profiles in addition to their in vitro fermentative characteristics. Substrates were allocated into 2 sets to allow for quantification of pH, short-chain fatty acids, and branched-chain fatty acids, as well as gas volume and composition. Samples were digested for 6 and 18 h with pepsin and pancreatin, respectively, prior to inoculation with fecal bacteria for 0, 3, 6, 9, or 12 h. Detectable levels of cereal β-glucans were observed solely in OG (3.5%), with all other substrate containing <0.35% cereal β-glucans. All test substrates had fairly similar macronutrient and starch profiles with the exception of RM that contained the highest resistant starch content (2.4%), with all other test substrates containing <0.5% resistant starch. However, the analyzed pseudocereals, AM and QU, had the highest concentrations of free glucose while the minor cereal grains, WPM, OG, and RM, contained the highest concentrations of hydrolyzed glucose. All test substrates had propionate production values similar or greater than BP after 3, 6, 9, and 12 h of fermentation, and similar or greater butyrate production values than BP after 6, 9, and 12 h. All substrates had greater (P < 0.05) changes in pH than CEL after 6, 9, and 12 h, with AM, WPM, OG, and RM having greater (P < 0.05) changes in pH than BP after 9 and 12 h. These data suggest select ancient grains have similar fermentation characteristics as BP, a moderately fermentable fiber considered the gold standard in terms of fiber sources in the pet food market today, and that OG and AM may be more fermentable during longer fermentation periods.
Integrating logic simulation and dependency modeling (2002)

Simulatable logic models are used for design and test generation. Dependency models are developed independently to analyze inherent testability characteristics and generate test strategies for diagnosis. This paper describes a set of translation tools that convert logic models into dependency models. These tools reduce both the manual effort required and the chances of undetected errors, as well as streamline configuration management.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>
Minimally Invasive Fusion (2003)

Ideally, minimally invasive surgery (MIS) allows less extensive manipulation of surrounding tissues than a conventional open procedure while accomplishing the same goals and objectives at the target structure. Long-term follow-up combined with appropriate outcome measures are necessary to prove the safety and effectiveness of MIS. For MIS procedures to be widely adopted, they must have an acceptable learning curve. Special skills are needed and are beyond those of traditional open surgery, By definition, as compared with conventional open surgeries, minimally invasive procedures typically involve smaller incisions and less extensive surgical manipulation of the tissues that surround the target structure. Ideally, once the target structure has been reached, the minimally invasive procedure should accomplish the same goals and objectives as its open surgical counterpart. Thus, although minimally invasive surgeries are aimed at reducing the morbidity associated with open surgical approaches, they should not hinder the surgeon's ability to perform a successful operation. In other words, minimal invasion should not equate to minimally effective.
Crowdsourcing for Information Visualization: Promises and Pitfalls. (2015)

Crowdsourcing offers great potential to overcome the limitations of controlled lab studies. To guide future designs of crowdsourcing-based studies for visualization, we review visualization research that has attempted to leverage crowdsourcing for empirical evaluations of visualizations. We discuss six core aspects for successful employment of crowdsourcing in empirical studies for visualization – participants, study design, study procedure, data, tasks, and metrics & measures. We then present four case studies, discussing potential mechanisms to overcome common pitfalls. This chapter will help the visualization community understand how to effectively and efficiently take advantage of the exciting potential crowdsourcing has to offer to support empirical visualization research.
Mannan binding lectin-associated serine protease-2 (MASP-2) critically contributes to post-ischemic brain injury independent of MASP-1 (2016)

This work demonstrates the essential role of the low-abundant MASP-2 in the mediation of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury and demonstrates that targeting MASP-2 by an inhibitory therapeutic antibody markedly improved the neurological and histopathological outcome after focal cerebral ischemia. These results contribute to identifying the key lectin pathway component driving brain tissue injury following cerebral ischemia and call for a revision of the presently widely accepted view that MASP-1 is an essential activator of the lectin pathway effector component MASP-2.
Synthesis, Characterization, and Optical Properties of Copolymers Containing Fluorine-Substituted Distyrylbenzene and Nonconjugated Spacers (1999)

Copolymers containing fluorinated distyrylbenzenes as conjugated segments have been synthesized using the Horner−Emmons reaction of dialdehydes and diphosphonates. The presence of well-defined conjugated fluorinated systems gives rise to strong blue emissions in solution. Quantum yields and emission maxima in solution depend on the substituents on the chromophore and the nature of the nonconjugated segments. Construction of conjugated segments containing a central perfluorophenyl ring and aromatic groups substituted with electron-donating groups at the terminae, as evidenced by strong solvatochromic behavior, allow an induced intramolecular charge transfer state. Face-to-face π stacking has been observed in thin films formed from each of the polymers and causes large red shifts in the emission as compared to those in solution. The low quantum yield of emission in thin films is a result of self-quenching due to stacking.
Fabrication of surface-emitting laser with two-dimensional square-lattice photonic crystal (2002)

A semiconductor laser with a two-dimensional (2D) square-lattice photonic crystal is developed. The photonic crystal slab, composed of InP and air holes, is embedded near an active layer by a wafer-fusion technique. Lasing oscillation and surface-emission reflecting the nature of the 2D square-lattice photonic crystal are successfully demonstrated.
Up‐regulation of nuclear PLCβ1 in myogenic differentiation (2003)

Phospholipase C beta(1) (PLCbeta(1)) signaling in both cell proliferation and differentiation has been largely investigated, but its role in myoblast differentiation is still unclear. The C2C12 myogenic cell line has been used in this study in order to find out the role of the two subtypes of PLCbeta(1), i.e., a and b in this process. C2C12 myoblast proliferate in response to mitogens and upon mitogen withdrawal differentiates into multinucleated myotubes. We found that differentiation of C2C12 skeletal muscle cells is characterized by a marked increase in the amount of nuclear PLCbeta(1)a and PLCbeta(1)b. Indeed, treatment with insulin induces a dramatic rise of both PLCbeta(1) subtypes expression and activity, as determined by immunochemical and enzymatic assays. Immunofluorescence experiments with anti-PLCbeta(1) specific monoclonal antibody showed a low level of cytoplasmatic and nuclear staining during the initial 12 h of differentiation whilst a massive nuclear staining is appreciable in differentiating cells. The time course of PLCbeta(1) expression versus Troponin T expression clearly indicates that the increase in the amount of PLCbeta(1) takes place 24 h earlier than that of Troponin T. Moreover, the overexpression of the PLCbeta(1)M2b mutant, lacking the nuclear localization signal and entirely located in the cytoplasm, represses the formation of mature multinucleated myotube. Taken together these results suggest that nuclear PLCbeta(1) is a key player in myoblast differentiation, functioning as a positive regulator of this process.
Soy Saponins and the Anticancer Effects of Soybeans and Soy-Based Foods (2004)

While the cancer protective effect of soy-based diets has been the subject of numerous studies, the constituents of soy that may give rise to this effect remain elusive. Recent publications describing anticancer activity of crude and purified soybean saponins have sparked a renewed interest in these compounds. In this review, I summarize the epidemiological studies concerning the cancer protective effects of soy and the efforts to elucidate the constituents responsible for this effect. The recent reports of the anticancer activity of soy saponins is placed in context with reports of promising anticancer activity of structurally related non-dietary saponins from other legumes. While recent studies have demonstrated a direct effect of soy saponins on cancer cells, alternative mechanisms of cancer prevention by these agents are also discussed. It is concluded that the soy saponins may represent promising leads both in terms of elucidating the soy constituents involved in the cancer protective effect of soy as well as in the discovery of anticancer agents with novel mechanisms of action.