gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Semisynthesis of Ribonuclease A using Intein-Mediated Protein Ligation (2002)

The introduction of non-natural amino acid residues or modules into proteins provides a new means to explore the basis for conformational stability, folding/unfolding behavior, or biological function. We exploited intein-mediated protein ligation to produce a semisynthetic ribonuclease A. Of the 124 residues of RNase A, residues 1-94 were linked to an intein. After expression of the fusion protein and thiol-induced cleavage, the RNase A(1-94) fragment possessed a C-terminal thioester. A peptide identical to the C-terminal residues 95-124 of RNase A (with residue 95 being cysteine) was successfully ligated to that thioester thereby reconstituting full-length wild-type RNase A. In mass spectrometry, this semisynthetic RNase A proved to be undistinguishable from the control protein, namely recombinant wild-type RNase A. Recombinant wild-type RNase A was obtained by expression of RNase A(1-124)-intein fusion protein followed by thiol-induced cleavage and hydrolysis of the thioester. Both proteins showed thermal stabilities (Tm) and catalytic activities comparable to the wild-type enzyme, indicating that both proteins folded properly. These results might serve as basis for the semisynthesis of RNase A variants containing non-natural modules in the aforementioned peptide.
Laboratory and clinical stain removal evaluations of two tartar control dentifrices. (1995)

The purpose of this research was to evaluate Colgate original Tartar Control dentifrice (TC) and new Colgate Micro Cleansing Tartar Control (MCTC) dentifrice in a laboratory and clinical study for their ability to remove induced stain. In the laboratory study, polished and etched bovine enamel specimens were stained for 4 days with a coffee, tea, and mucin, Sarcina lutea tartox culture in trypticase soy broth. Sixteen specimens were then brushed for 200 strokes with a sodium carboxymethyl cellulose solution to remove loose stain, and then brushed for 300 strokes with a 1:1 toothpaste slurry. Tooth color was measured by reflectance with the CLE L*a*b* scale. The calculated stain removal, 37% for MCTC and 24% for TC, was significantly different (p<0.01) favoring the MCTC dentifrice. In the clinical study, eight-six subjects were given Peridex (0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate) mouthrinse, a low abrasive dentifrice and a soft toothbrush to use twice a day for 8 weeks. Stain was monitored on the buccal and lingual surfaces of the anterior teeth using the Lobene index. The seventy-seven subjects with sufficient total stain were stratified into two balanced groups, given a new soft toothbrush and were randomly assigned to use one of the dentifrices tested, twice a day for 8 weeks. At 4, 6 and 8 weeks in the study, the MCTC dentifrice product had consistent, significantly (p<0.05-0.001) lower total stain scores than the TC dentifrice. In the laboratory and clinical studies conducted, even though stain induction and evaluation procedures differed, the new Colgate Micro Cleansing Tartar Control dentifrice was significantly more effective at removing stain than the Colgate original Tartar Control dentifrice formula.
DVC using a half-feedback based approach (2008)

Distributed video coding has become increasingly popular in recent years among the researchers in video coding due to its attractive and promising features. DVC proposed a dramatic structural change to video coding by shifting the majority of complexity conventionally residing in the encoder towards the decoder. Nevertheless, these kinds of architectures have some serious limitations that hinder its practical application. The uses of a feedback channel between the encoder and the decoder requires an interactive decoding procedure which is a limitation for certain applications such as offline processing. On the other hand, the decoder needs an efficient way to estimate the probability of error without assuming the availability of the original video at the decoder. In this paper we investigate a first approximation to solve both problems based on the use of machine learning to extract the knowledge that exits between the residual frame and the number of requests over this feedback channel. Exploiting this correlation gives us a more practical architecture without higher complexity encoders. We apply these concepts to pixel-domain Wyner-Ziv coding and the results show a loss of 0.21 dB in the rate-distortion performance.
Enhanced cognitive Radio Resource Management for LTE systems (2013)

The explosive growth in mobile Internet and related services has increased the need for more bandwidth in cellular networks. The Long-Term Evolution (LTE) technology is an attractive solution for operators and subscribers to meet such need since it provides high data rates and scalable bandwidth. Radio Resource Management (RRM) is essential for LTE to provide better communication quality and meet the application QoS requirements. Cognitive resource management is a promising solution for LTE RRM as it improves network efficiency by exploiting radio environment information, intelligent optimization algorithms to configure transmission parameters, and mitigate interference. In this paper, we propose a cognitive resource management scheme to adapt LTE network parameters to the environment conditions. The scheme optimizes resource blocks assignment, modulation selection and bandwidth selection to maximize throughput and minimize interference. The scheme uses constrained optimization for throughput maximization and interference control. It is also enhanced by learning mechanism to reduce the optimization complexity and improve the decision-making quality. Our evaluation results show that our scheme achieved significant improvements in throughput and LTE system capacity. Results also show the improvement in the user satisfaction over other techniques in LTE RRM.
Austenite Reversion Behavior of Maraging Steel Additive-manufactured by Laser Powder Bed Fusion (2022)

This study was set to fundamentally investigate the characteristics of austenite reversion occurring in maraging steels additive-manufactured by laser powder bed fusion (L-PBF). The maraging steel samples manufactured under different L-PBF process conditions (laser power P and scan speed v) were subjected to heat treatments at 550°C for various durations, compared with the results of the austenitized and water-quenched sample with fully martensite structure. The L-PBF manufactured samples exhibited the martensite structure (including localized austenite (γ) phases) containing submicron-sized cellular structures. Enriched alloy elements were detected along the cell boundaries, whereas such cellar structure was not found in the water-quenched sample. The localized alloy elements can be rationalized by the continuous variations in the γ-phase composition in solidification during the L-PBF process. The precipitation of nanoscale intermetallic phases and the following austenitic reversion occurred in all of the experimental samples. The L-PBF manufactured samples exhibited faster kinetics of the precipitation and austenite reversion than the water-quenched sample at elevated temperatures. The kinetics changed depending on the L-PBF process condition. The enriched Ni element (for stabilizing γ phase) localized at cell boundaries would play a role in the nucleation site for the formation of γ phase at 550°C, resulting in the enhanced austenite reversion in the L-PBF manufactured samples. The variation in the reaction kinetics depending on the L-PBF condition would be due to the varied thermal profiles of the manufactured samples by consecutive scanning laser irradiation operated under different P and v values.
Polarization ray tracing in anisotropic optically active media I Algorithms (1993)

Procedures for performing polarization ray tracing through birefringent media are presented in a form compatible with the standard methods of geometrical ray tracing. The birefringent materials treated include the following: anisotropic optically active materials such as quartz, non-optically active uniaxial materials such as calcite, and isotropic optically active materials such as mercury sulfide and organic liquids. Refraction and reflection algorithms are presented that compute both ray directions and wave directions. Methods for computing polarization modes, refractive indices, optical path lengths, and Fresnel transmission and reflection coefficients are also specified. A numerical example of these algorithms is given for analyzing the field of view of a quartz rotator.
Electrolyte for electrochemical cell (2023)

The electrolyte includes a cyclic polysiloxane having one or more side chains that each includes a poly(alkylene oxide) moiety and a spacer. Each spacer is positioned between the poly(alkylene oxide) moiety and a silicon on the main chain of the polysiloxane.
(Invited) Thermomechanical Finite Element Modeling of Cu-SiO2 Direct Hybrid Bonding with a Dishing Effect on Cu Surfaces (2016)

Copper direct bonding technology is considered to be one of the most promising approaches for matching the miniaturization needs in future tridimensional integrated high performance circuits (3D-IC). However, the bonding mechanisms of copper surfaces with an initial dishing effect, induced by the polishing step, must be investigated in order to optimize the adhesion process and prevent further reliability issues. In this study, we present thermo-mechanical finite element simulations of Cu-SiO2 hybrid bonding with account for the annealing step and various amplitudes of the initial dishing. A cohesive interaction model that mimics nonlinear interactions between Cu/Cu and SiO2/SiO2 interfaces with related bonding mechanism is implemented within a nonlinear contact strategy. The overall bonding process along with the influence of the annealing conditions and the copper plastic response on the closure of the Cu/Cu interface are investigated. Figure 1
Flexible high-order QAM transmitter using tandem IQ modulators for generating 16/32/36/64-QAM with balanced complexity in electronics and optics (2013)

In order to adapt to the dynamics in the future optical networks, we propose a flexible high-order QAM transmitter using a tandem in-phase/quadrature (IQ) modulators to synthesize different high-order quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) formats, such as 16QAM, 32 or 36QAM and 64QAM. To generate high-order QAMs, an offset-QAM is firstly generated using an IQ modulator driven by electronics with reduced modulation-level, and then mapped to other quadrants through another following IQ modulator configured as a standard quadrature phase-shift keying (QPSK) modulator. All of the embedded sub-Mach-Zehnder modulators are operated in push-pull configurations to avoid introducing excess phase chirp. In contrast with the schemes based on a single IQ modulator driven by multilevel electronics or a highly-integrated parallel modulator, by deploying commercially-available optical modulators and driving electronics with reduced modulation-level, the transmitter complexity in optics and electronics is well-balanced. In the case of generating optical 64QAM, different from another tandem scheme deploying dual-drive IQ modulator driven by independent four binary streams, less phase chirp is observed in our proposed scheme, and comparable implementation penalty is obtained even without applying additional specific compensation algorithm in the coherent receiver. Moreover, thanks to the tandem structure and the deployment of QPSK modulator, the obtained high-order QAM is naturally differentially coded, which is helpful to solve the phase ambiguity at coherent receiver. We experimentally demonstrate the generations of these high-order QAMs including 16QAM, 32/36QAM and 64QAM, and confirm the error-free operations with comparable BER performance to the "electrical" approach based on a single IQ modulator.
Calcium-dependent complex assembly of the myeloic differentiation proteins MRP-8 and MRP-14 (1991)

MRP-8 and MRP-14 are calcium-binding proteins belonging to the S-100 protein family which have been shown to be associated with specific stages of myeloic/monocytic cell differentiation. Members of this protein family are shown to form homo- and heterodimers. Complex formation has also been observed in preliminary experiments for MRP-8 and MRP-14. To evaluate the in vivo relevance of the MRP complex formation and the stoichiometric ratio of individual components complexes were isolated from granulocytes and monocytes by immunoaffinity chromatography using monospecific antibodies. The purified fraction of the MRPs was found to contain monomers and dimers as shown on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis by silver staining and immunoblotting. Similar results were obtained by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting of crude cell extracts. The existence of the MRP complexes in vivo was demonstrated by chemical cross-linking and subsequent isolation of complexes by immunoaffinity chromatography. Two new, highly abundant complexes were found in addition to the heterodimer, but neither monomers nor homodimers were detected. The two larger protein complexes (35.0 and 48.5 kDa) were identified as [MRP-8)2.(MRP-14] trimer and [MRP-8)2.(MRP-14)2) tetramer, respectively. All complexes could be shown to be noncovalently associated in vivo. Furthermore, the association of MRPs was shown to be Ca2+ dependent.
TLR2 Agonist PSK Activates Human NK Cells and Enhances the Antitumor Effect of HER2-Targeted Monoclonal Antibody Therapy (2011)

These results showed that PSK activates human NK cells and potentiates trastuzumab-mediated ADCC. Concurrent treatment with PSK and trastuzumab may be a novel way to augment the antitumor effect of trastuzumab.
Scheduling and Codeword Length Optimization in Time Varying Wireless Networks (2006)

In this paper, a downlink scenario in which a single-antenna base station communicates with K single antenna users, over a time-correlated fading channel, is considered. It is assumed that channel state information is perfectly known at each receiver, while the statistical characteristics of the fading process and the fading gain at the beginning of each frame are known to the transmitter. By evaluating the random coding error exponent of the time-correlated fading channel, it is shown that there is an optimal codeword length which maximizes the throughput. The throughput of the conventional scheduling that transmits to the user with the maximum signal to noise ratio is examined using both fixed length codewords and variable length codewords. Although optimizing the codeword length improves the performance, it is shown that using the conventional scheduling, the gap between the achievable throughput and the maximum possible throughput of the system tends to infinity as K goes to infinity. A simple scheduling that considers both the signal to noise ratio and the channel time variation is proposed. It is shown that by using this scheduling, the gap between the achievable throughput and the maximum throughput of the system approaches zero.
The Development of Adultoid Reproductives and Brachypterous Neotenic Reproductives From the Last Instar Nymphs inReticulitermes labralis(Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae): A Comparative Study (2015)

Secondary reproductives develop primarily from nymphs. However, they have been rarely studied; in particular, the development of adultoid reproductives (AR) with floppy wings is still unclear. In this study, the change in juvenile hormone (JH) levels, vitellogenin gene expression, and oogenesis during the development of AR and brachypterous neotenic reproductives (BN) from the last instar nymphs of Reticulitermes labralis are investigated and compared. The results showed that the AR derived from the last instar nymphs by molting, and they were more similar to neotenic reproductives in morphology. In addition, the paired AR were not able to survive in the absence of workers. In R. labralis, the process of the last instar nymphs developing into AR and BN took an increase in JH level as a starting point. The JH level of the last instar nymphs molting into BN was approximately 1.5-fold higher than that of the AR. Additionally, The JHIII level of BN peaked on day 5, and that of AR peaked on day 10, which induced the onset of vitellogenesis in BN and AR, respectively. After molting, the vitellogenin gene expression levels of both BN and AR initially increased and then declined, and the expression levels in the BN were significantly higher than those in the AR. In addition, the oocytes of BN matured earlier than those of the AR, and the number of eggs laid by the BN was higher than the number laid by the AR. Our results demonstrate that, in R. labralis, the last instar nymphs can develop into AR, which are significantly different from BN in their development.
Increased sympathetic outflow in juvenile rats submitted to chronic intermittent hypoxia correlates with enhanced expiratory activity (2008)

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) in rats produces changes in the central regulation of cardiovascular and respiratory systems by unknown mechanisms. We hypothesized that CIH (6% O(2) for 40 s, every 9 min, 8 h day(-1)) for 10 days alters the central respiratory modulation of sympathetic activity. After CIH, awake rats (n = 14) exhibited higher levels of mean arterial pressure than controls (101 +/- 3 versus 89 +/- 3 mmHg, n = 15, P < 0.01). Recordings of phrenic, thoracic sympathetic, cervical vagus and abdominal nerves were performed in the in situ working heart-brainstem preparations of control and CIH juvenile rats. The data obtained in CIH rats revealed that: (i) abdominal (Abd) nerves exhibited an additional burst discharge in late expiration; (ii) thoracic sympathetic nerve activity (tSNA) was greater during late expiration than in controls (52 +/- 5 versus 40 +/- 3%; n = 11, P < 0.05; values expressed according to the maximal activity observed during inspiration and the noise level recorded at the end of each experiment), which was not dependent on peripheral chemoreceptors; (iii) the additional late expiratory activity in the Abd nerve correlated with the increased tSNA; (iv) the enhanced late expiratory activity in the Abd nerve unique to CIH rats was accompanied by reduced post-inspiratory activity in cervical vagus nerve compared to controls. The data indicate that CIH rats present an altered pattern of central sympathetic-respiratory coupling, with increased tSNA that correlates with enhanced late expiratory discharge in the Abd nerve. Thus, CIH alters the coupling between the central respiratory generator and sympathetic networks that may contribute to the induced hypertension in this experimental model.
Silica capping for Al0.3Ga0.7As/GaAs and In0.2Ga0.8As/GaAs quantum well intermixing (1998)

Spin-on silica capping has been demonstrated to be an effective dielectric encapsulant layer for quantum well (QW) intermixing at temperatures significantly lower than for conventionally deposited silica. A blueshift of up to 125 meV was observed in the photoluminescence (PL) peak energy of both GaAs and InGaAs QWs after annealing for less than 60 s at 850 °C, without noticeable degradation in the PL emission intensity. A threshold temperature was identified below which no significant QW disordering took place. The activation energy for Al diffusion in Al0.3Ga0.7As/GaAs QWs was about 2.55 eV. Broadly similar effects were seen for In0.2Ga0.8As/GaAs QWs but, in addition, strain effects appear to enhance disordering during the early stages of the anneal.
A Hybrid Multi-Path CMOS Magnetic Sensor With 76 ppm/°C Sensitivity Drift and Discrete-Time Ripple Reduction Loops (2017)

This paper presents a temperature-insensitive magnetic sensor system for contactless current measurements. To simultaneously achieve wide bandwidth and low noise, the proposed system employs a multi-path structure with a set of spinning current Hall sensors in its low-frequency path and a set of pick-up coils in its high-frequency path. The Hall sensors and pick-up coils are used in a differential sensing arrangement that naturally rejects common-mode magnetic field interference, e.g., due to the earth's magnetic field. A common-mode ac reference field can then be used to continuously stabilize the sensitivity of the Hall sensors, which, unlike that of the pick-up coils, is quite temperature dependent. In this design, the ripple reduction loops in the Hall sensor readout are implemented in a discrete-time manner, and so occupy 20% less area than a previous continuous-time implementation. Over a -45 °C to 105 °C temperature range, the proposed system reduces the Hall sensor drift from 22% to 1%, which corresponds to a temperature coefficient of 76 ppm/°C.
Physical and chemical analysis of outdoor dust deposited on photovoltaic panels installed in Rabat (2016)

In this paper, several physical and chemical analyses have been performed to determine the composition of the dust naturally deposited on photovoltaic panels installed in our RDI Solar Energy Platform in Rabat. The mineralogical composition was determined by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-Ray Fluorescence Analysis (XF). Additional characterization has also been performed by Thermal Analysis and Infrared Spectroscopy (IR). XF results show that silica, alumina, iron oxide, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide and potassium oxide are the most abundant elements in the dust. Mineralogical analysis shows that this dust also contains quartz, calcite, kaolin and dolomite. The paper presents also the effect of dust layer thickness on the optical transmittance of Petri dish glass and photo-optical effects and modifications of various materials in the dust on the solar panels.
Initial Experience With the Development and Numerical and In Vitro Studies of A Novel Low-Pressure Artificial Right Ventricle for Pediatric Fontan Patients (2006)

The Fontan operation, an efficient palliative surgery, is performed for patients with single-ventricle pathologies. The total cavopulmonary connection is a preferred Fontan procedure in which the superior and inferior vena cava are connected to the left and right pulmonary artery. The overall goal of this work is to develop an artificial right ventricle that can be introduced into the inferior vena cava, which would act to reverse the deleterious hemodynamics in post-Fontan patients. We present the initial design and computational analysis of a micro-axial pump, designed with the particular hemodynamics of Fontan physiology in mind. Preliminary in vitro data on a prototype pump are also presented. Computational studies showed that the new design can deliver a variety of advantageous operating conditions, including decreased venous pressure through proximal suction, increased pressure rise across the pump, increased pulmonary flows, and minimal changes in superior vena cava pressures. In vitro studies on a scaled prototype showed trends similar to those seen computationally. We conclude that a micro-axial flow pump can be designed to operate efficiently within the low-pressure, low-flow environment of cavopulmonary flows. The results provide encouragement to pursue this design to for in vitro studies and animal studies.