gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Chitosan Microparticles and Nanoparticles as Biocompatible Delivery Vehicles for Peptide and Protein-Based Immunocontraceptive Vaccines (2011)

It has become increasingly recognized that polymer particle size can have a profound effect on the interactions of particle-based vaccines with antigen presenting cells (APCs) thereby influencing and modulating ensuing immune responses. With the aim of developing chitosan particle-based immunocontraceptive vaccines, we have compared the use of chitosan-based nanoparticles and chitosan-based microparticles as vaccine delivery vehicles for vaccine candidates based on luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH). Particles, functionalized with chloroacetyl groups, which allows the covalent attachment of thiol-containing antigens, were able to adsorb ~60-70% of their weight of peptide-based antigen and 10-20% of their weight of protein-based antigen. Quantitation by amino acid analysis of antigen associated with particles demonstrated a correlation between associated antigen and the degree of chloracetylation of particles. Visualization of fluorescently labeled antigen-loaded particles by confocal microscopy indicated that the majority of antigen was localized at the particle surface with a smaller amount located in the interior. We also found that uptake of both fluoresceinated nanoparticles and microparticles by dendritic cells occurred in a manner dependent on particle concentration. Nanoparticles trafficked from the injection site to draining lymph nodes faster than microparticles; high numbers of nanoparticle-bearing cells appeared in draining lymph nodes on day 3 and microparticles on day 4. This difference in trafficking rate did not, however, appear to have any significant impact on the ensuing immune response because inoculation with both peptide-conjugated and protein-conjugated particles induced high levels of LHRH-specific antibodies. In the case of protein-conjugated particles, the levels of antibodies elicited were similar to those elicited following inoculation with antigen emulsified with complete Freund's adjuvant. The approach to vaccine design that we have described here could represent another useful method for inducing immune responses against microbial, viral and tumorigenic protein antigens.
A Testbed for Implementing Lightweight Physical Layer Security in an IoT-based Health Monitoring System (2021)

Telemedicine is a technique that allows patients to have health-related consultations without the need to be physically present in the hospital through phone and video calling technologies. In recent years, researchers have made many contributions to reform and facilitate better telemedicine services through the use of body area networks or wireless body area networks. This paper presents a testbed where we implement a lightweight physical layer security scheme, using gray code, on an IoT-based health monitoring system to secure transmitted patient readings while preserving its clinical features. We address several existing adversarial scenarios, where an adversary can eavesdrop on the packets and infer their content using some of the existing packet inspection techniques. We prove that the introduced physical layer security scheme effectively protects the patient transmitted data, even if read by an adversary.
3D Thermal Model with High Spatial and Temporal Resolution (2012)

The performance of photovoltaic (PV) modules in the field is significantly affected by the ambient conditions it is subjected to during its operational life. The ambient conditions typically considered the most important in this respect are temperature, wind speed and moisture. In terms of temperature, the impact can be manifold: • The overall module temperature impacts directly the module performance: increased temperatures at the cell level lead to a drop in VOC which negatively impact the overall performance; • Local variations in illumination and/or temperature (temporally as well as spatially) can cause mismatch between the cells connected in series; • Thermal cycling mechanically stresses the module and may cause cracking and delamination of the different layers in the module (cell, interconnect metallization, encapsulant, glass, back sheet) over time. In short, the operational temperature has an important impact on the potential energy yield of PV modules, either through suboptimal performance of the different cells in the module, or through a reduction of the operational lifetime (reliability issues related to thermal cycling). Here, the aim is to understand by 3D FEM modeling and experimental calibration the thermal behavior in detailed spatial and fine temporal regime of modules to determine potential cell- and module-level improvements. In particular we want to build a thermal model for the MWT c-Si wafer-based modules.
Lipid–Polymer Nanomaterials (2011)

Abstract The sections in this article are Introduction Lipopolymers Synthesis and Fabrication of Lipopolymers Properties and Characterization of Lipopolymers Applications of Lipopolymers in the Life Sciences Lipid–Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles Synthesis and Fabrication of Lipid–Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles Synthesis of Polymer‐Protected Lipidic Nanoparticles Synthesis of Lipid‐Coated Polymeric Nanoparticles Characterization of Lipid–Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles Applications of Lipid–Polymer Hybrid Nanoparticles Lipid–Polymer Films and Coatings Synthesis of Lipid–Polymer Films and Coatings Characterization of Lipid–Polymer Films and Coatings Applications of Lipid–Polymer Films and Coatings Summary and Future Perspective
Characteristics of Fly Ashes from Full-Scale Coal-Fired Power Plants and Their Relationship to Mercury Adsorption (2007)

Nine fly ash samples were collected from the particulate collection devices (baghouse or electrostatic precipitator) of four full-scale pulverized coal (PC) utility boilers burning eastern bituminous coals (EB−PC ashes) and three cyclone utility boilers burning either Powder River Basin (PRB) coals or PRB blends (PRB−CYC ashes). As-received fly ash samples were mechanically sieved to obtain six size fractions. Unburned carbon (UBC) content, mercury content, and Brunauer−Emmett−Teller (BET)−N2 surface areas of as-received fly ashes and their size fractions were measured. In addition, UBC particles were examined by scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission microscopy, and thermogravimetry to obtain information on their surface morphology, structure, and oxidation reactivity. It was found that the UBC particles contained amorphous carbon, ribbon-shaped graphitic carbon, and highly ordered graphite structures. The mercury contents of the UBCs (Hg/UBC, in ppm) in raw ash samples were comparable to those of the UBC-enriched samples, indicating that mercury was mainly adsorbed on the UBC in fly ash. The UBC content decreased with a decreasing particle size range for all nine ashes. There was no correlation between the mercury and UBC contents of different size fractions of as-received ashes. The mercury content of the UBCs in each size fraction, however, generally increased with a decreasing particle size for the nine ashes. The mercury contents and surface areas of the UBCs in the PRB−CYC ashes were about 8 and 3 times higher than UBCs in the EB−PC ashes, respectively. It appeared that both the particle size and surface area of UBC could contribute to mercury capture. The particle size of the UBC in PRB−CYC ash and thus the external mass transfer was found to be the major factor impacting the mercury adsorption. Both the particle size and surface reactivity of the UBC in EB−PC ash, which generally had a lower carbon oxidation reactivity than the PRB−PC ashes, appeared to be important for the mercury adsorption.
Optical characterization of the nematic lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals: Light absorption, birefringence, and scalar order parameter (2005)

We report on the optical properties of the nematic (N) phase formed by lyotropic chromonic liquid crystals (LCLCs) in well aligned planar samples. LCLCs belong to a broad class of materials formed by one-dimensional molecular self-assembly and are similar to other systems such as "living polymers" and "wormlike micelles." We study three water soluble LCLC forming materials: disodium chromoglycate, a derivative of indanthrone called Blue 27, and a derivative of perylene called Violet 20. The individual molecules have a planklike shape and assemble into rodlike aggregates that form the phase once the concentration exceeds about 0.1 M. The uniform surface alignment of the N phase is achieved by buffed polyimide layers. According to the light absorption anisotropy data, the molecular planes are on average perpendicular to the aggregate axes and thus to the nematic director. We determined the birefringence of these materials in the N and biphasic N-isotropic (I) regions and found it to be negative and significantly lower in the absolute value as compared to the birefringence of typical thermotropic low-molecular-weight nematic materials. In the absorbing materials Blue 27 and Violet 20, the wavelength dependence of birefringence is nonmonotonic because of the effect of anomalous dispersion near the absorption bands. We describe positive and negative tactoids formed as the nuclei of the new phase in the biphasic N-I region (which is wide in all three materials studied). Finally, we determined the scalar order parameter of the phase of Blue 27 and found it to be relatively high, in the range 0.72-0.79, which puts the finding into the domain of general validity of the Onsager model. However, the observed temperature dependence of the scalar order parameter points to the importance of factors not accounted for in the athermal Onsager model, such as interaggregate interactions and the temperature dependence of the aggregate length.
Origin of carrier generation in photovoltaic perovskite variant Cs2SnI6 (2015)

Cs2SnI6 is an air-stable & non-toxic variant of perovskite-type photovoltaic materials. In this letter, stability of intrinsic defects in Cs2SnI6 was examined by density functional theory calculations. We found that iodine vacancy and tin interstitial are the dominant defects, mainly responsible for the intrinsic n-type conductivity in Cs2SnI6. However, the transition levels of the dominant defects are deep, which makes it difficult to achieve high-density n-type doping. Tin vacancy is expected for p-type doping, but it has a very high formation energy > 3.6 eV because of the strong Sn-I covalent bonds and can hardly be generated. Instead, cesium vacancy is formed at an extremely Cs-poor condition and explains already-reported p-type conductivity by SnI2 doping.
ChemInform Abstract: Preparation and Use of Enantiomerically Pure α‐Tetrasubstituted . alpha.‐Amino Acids (1997)

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.
Ophthalmology 1 Age-related macular degeneration (2012)

Age-related macular degeneration is a major cause of blindness worldwide. With ageing populations in many countries, more than 20% might have the disorder. Advanced age-related macular degeneration, including neovascular age- related macular degeneration (wet) and geographic atrophy (late dry), is associated with substantial, progressive visual impairment. Major risk factors include cigarette smoking, nutritional factors, cardiovascular diseases, and genetic markers, including genes regulating complement, lipid, angiogenic, and extracellular matrix pathways. Some studies have suggested a declining prevalence of age-related macular degeneration, perhaps due to reduced exposure to modifi able risk factors. Accurate diagnosis combines clinical examination and investigations, including retinal photography, angiography, and optical coherence tomography. Dietary anti-oxidant supplementation slows progression of the disease. Treatment for neovascular age-related macular degeneration incorporates intra ocular injections of anti- VEGF agents, occasionally combined with other modalities. Evidence suggests that two commonly used anti-VEGF therapies, ranibizumab and bevacizumab, have similar effi cacy, but possible diff erences in systemic safety are diffi cult to assess. Future treatments include inhibition of other angiogenic factors, and regenerative and topical therapies.
EXTH-93. THE IRAK-4 INHIBITOR EMAVUSERTIB (CA-4948) FOR THE TREATMENT OF PRIMARY CNS LYMPHOMA (2022)

Abstract BACKGROUND PCNSL is an aggressive brain tumor accounting for 3% of all CNS malignancies and is associated with poor prognosis. Standard of care treatment includes induction with high-dose methotrexate based chemoimmunotherapy followed by consolidation with autologous stem cell transplant or whole brain radiation. However, more than half of PCNSL patients cannot tolerate this intensive therapeutic intervention. Novel treatments are urgently needed. Toll-like receptor signaling pathway via MyD88/IRAK-4 signalosome is constitutively active in PCNSL secondary to MYD88 L265P mutation and represents an excellent therapeutic target. Emavusertib (CA-4948) is an oral first-in-class small molecule inhibitor of IRAK-4 that demonstrates clinical activity in patients with systemic Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, however it has not been evaluated in the CNS space. HYPOTHESIS: Emavusertib has anti-tumor activity against preclinical PCNSL. METHODS Using multiparameter immunohistochemistry (IHC) and proteomics analysis, IRAK-1, IRAK-4, and NF-κB pathway activation were examined in patient PCNSL tissues as compared to normal controls. Plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, and brain tissue were assessed via UPLC-MS/MS for emavusertib drug concentration following single oral high dose in a murine model. Survival responses in preclinical PCNSL models were measured in response emavusertib treatment, along with in vivo tumor proliferation and downstream biomarker expression by multi-parameter IHC. RESULTS Our data confirm elevated IRAK-1, IRAK-4, and NF-κB signaling in patient PCNSL. We show that emavusertib can achieve therapeutically relevant concentrations in the brain and CSF. Emavusertib impairs tumor cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo, and shows dose-dependent single-agent activity in preclinical PCNSL models. We confirm decreased ERK1/2, MAPK and NF-κB activation, indicative of downstream IRAK-4 inhibition. CONCLUSIONS Our data supports that emavusertib demonstrates anti-tumor activity in the CNS space, warranting further preclinical and clinical evaluation of this agent for the treatment of PCNSL.
Human kynurenine aminotransferase II – reactivity with substrates and inhibitors (2011)

Kynurenine aminotransferase (KAT) is a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate-dependent enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of kynurenine, an intermediate of the tryptophan degradation pathway, into kynurenic acid, an endogenous antagonist of ionotropic excitatory amino acid receptors in the central nervous system. KATII is the prevalent isoform in mammalian brain and a drug target for the treatment of schizophrenia. We have carried out a spectroscopic and functional characterization of both the human wild-type KATII and a variant carrying the active site mutation Tyr142→Phe. The transamination and the β-lytic activity of KATII towards the substrates kynurenine and α-aminoadipate, the substrate analog β-chloroalanine and the inhibitors (R)-2-amino-4-(4-(ethylsulfonyl))-4-oxobutanoic acid and cysteine sulfinate were investigated with both conventional assays and a novel continuous spectrophotometric assay. Furthermore, for high-throughput KATII inhibitor screenings, an endpoint assay suitable for 96-well plates was also developed and tested. The availability of these assays and spectroscopic analyses demonstrated that (R)-2-amino-4-(4-(ethylsulfonyl))-4-oxobutanoic acid and cysteine sulfinate, reported to be KATII inhibitors, are poor substrates that undergo slow transamination.
In Vitro Anticancer Activities of Selected Ethiopian Plant Extracts on HeLa and PC3 Cell Lines (2022)

In vitro anticancer activity of the 80% ethanolic extracts of 23 traditionally used Ethiopian medicinal plants was studied using cervical (HeLa) and prostate (PC3) cancer cell lines by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) colourimetric assay. Mouse embryonic fibroblast normal cells(3T3) were used for evaluation of safety of extracts. Among the tested plants, Dovyalis abyssinica, Scadoxus multiflorus, Rumex abyssinicus, and Euphorbia abyssinica exhibited significant anticancer activity against HeLa cells with IC50 values of 6.2, 14.6, 18.6, and 22.8 µg/ml, respectively. Similarly, S. multiflorus and D. abyssinica significantly inhibited PC3 cell growth with IC50 values of 9.8 and 17.4 µg/ml, respectively. Extracts of S. multiflorus, R. abyssinicus, and E. abyssinica demonstrated high selectivity index. D. abyssinica showed selective toxicity against HeLa (SI = 2.51) cancer cells, but not against PC3 (SI = 0.98) cancer cells. Evaluation for safety indicated that about 83.3% of the extracts under this study were nontoxic at 30 µg/ml. The findings of this study suggest that further bioactivity guided fractionation and phytochemical studies may lead to the discovery of novel anticancer compounds.
Indocyanine-green matching phantom for fluorescence-guided imaging system characterization and performance monitoring (Conference Presentation) (2020)

Fluorescence imaging for surgical guidance is a proven modality that allows for visualization of fluorescent markers in numerous biological imaging applications. As the field continues to develop there is an urgent need for fluorescence-imaging standards that enable system characterization and performance monitoring. Here, we present a long-term stable standard that mimics indocynine green (ICG) spectral behavior and is capable of probing the sensitivity of commercially available imaging systems. The standard is composed of three different tests: a varying concentration sensitivity test (0.1nM-3000nM), a tissue-equivalent-depth sensitivity test (0.2mm-7mm), and a 1951 USFA fluorescence resolution test. The fluorescence standard platform developed can incorporate 3-D printing with tissue-equivalent layers, enabling a wide variety of anatomical-specific designs. The manufacturing capabilities developed allow for incorporation of different fluorophores for applications beyond ICG and NIR.
Decoding the contents of the developing visual system with fMRI in awake infants (2019)

The hierarchical organization of the visual system has been supported by studies using convolutional neural networks (CNNs) to decode fMRI data from human adults. Along visual processing streams there is a transition from low-level features such as edges and luminance, represented in earlier model layers, to mid-level invariant features such as shapes and parts, represented in middle model layers, to high-level object identity and category, represented in later model layers. How and when the human visual system comes to be organized this way over development is unclear, partly because of the difficulty of conducting comparable fMRI studies early in development. Here we report our approach for early developmental fMRI based on adult-grade acquisition and analysis methods. Two cohorts of infants/toddlers (N=5 range: 3–8 months; N=8 range: 8–36 months), and an adult comparison group (N=8), watched a short but engaging cartoon during fMRI. Overall, we observed surprising similarity between the brain responses of infants and adults, particularly in visual cortex. To decode the specific contents of the infant brain, we used a CNN to represent the movie in terms of low-, mid-, and high-level content. Converging model-based analyses using univariate regression and representational similarity showed that all levels of content explained similar variance in early visual cortex of infants and adults. However, a developmental difference emerged in later visual areas: in adults, high-level content was better represented than low- and mid-level content and than high-level content in early visual cortex; these differences were not observed in infants, despite the fact that they exhibited reliable visual activity relative to a control auditory region. Additional steps were taken to control for the impact of differences in anatomical alignment and data quality. These findings provide an initial foray into early developmental changes in the large-scale functionality and selectivity of human visual cortex.
Forward-viewing spectrally encoded endoscopy with angled detection optics (Conference Presentation) (2018)

Utilizing spatial wavelength encoding, spectrally encoded endoscopy (SEE) makes it possible to create miniature, small diameter endoscopic probes that can allow easy access to hard-to-reach locations within the body. Previously described SEE probes have been side-viewing, which limits their use for guiding the navigation of narrow passages. Forward-viewing SEE probes are advantageous as they provide a look ahead that facilitates navigation and surveillance of a wider field of view. In this work, we present a novel forward-viewing SEE probe. The 500-µm illumination optics are designed in such a way that the shortest wavelength (460 nm) propagates along the optical axis, while an angle of approximately 56° is formed between the longest wavelength (720 nm) and the optical axis. Two-dimensional illumination was accomplished by rotating the illumination optics at a speed of 15 rps using a miniature torque coil. Reflected light from the sample was collected by 8 multimode detection fibers that were arranged into a circular array around the illumination optics. The proximal ends of the detection fibers were polished at a 17° angle, resulting in a total angle of detection of approximately 100°. Light coming out from the distal end of the detection fibers, which were rearranged into a linear array, was detected using a custom spectrometer with a tall-pixel linear CCD camera. Similar to the theoretical value, an effective FOV of 23 mm at a focal distance of 10 mm was measured by imaging a grid pattern. Preliminary results demonstrate the potential of the forward-viewing SEE probe for a variety of medical imaging applications.
Gi-independent macrophage chemotaxis to lysophosphatidylcholine via the immunoregulatory GPCR G2A (2004)

G2A is a G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) involved in immune regulation. Previous studies have shown that lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), a bioactive lipid associated with atherosclerosis and autoimmunity, acts through G2A to induce diverse biologic effects. Production of LPC during cell apoptosis serves as a chemotactic signal for macrophage recruitment. Here we demonstrate that macrophage chemotaxis to LPC is dependent on G2A function. Wild-type but not G2A-deficient mouse peritoneal macrophages migrated toward LPC. RNAi-mediated knockdown of G2A in J774A.1 macrophages abolished LPC-induced chemotaxis, whereas overexpression of G2A significantly enhanced this process. Mutation of the conserved DRY motif of G2A resulted in loss of chemotaxis to LPC, suggesting a requirement for G-protein signaling. Unlike most GPCRs, including the chemokine receptors, coupling to G(i) is not required for LPC/G2A-mediated chemotaxis, but coupling to G(q/11) and G(12/13) is necessary as judged by inhibition with dominant negative forms of these alpha subunits or with regulators of G-protein signaling (RGS) constructs. Collectively, these data establish that pertussis toxin-insensitive G2A signaling regulates macrophage chemotaxis to LPC. Defects in this signaling pathway may be related to the pathogenesis of systemic autoimmune disease.