gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Asphaltene Aggregation and Solubility (2015)

An attenuated association model describing the aggregation of asphaltenes in solution is extended to derive an equation for the weight-average degree of association and account for phase behavior. The weight-average molecular weight is calculated to be higher than number average, as it must be for a polydisperse material, but not by enough to explain the very large differences in these quantities reported in the literature. Binodals and spinodals are calculated using expressions derived previously, but modified to account for free volume (thermal expansion) differences. The phase behavior of asphaltene solutions is examined in more detail, particularly in the dilute solution regime. It is shown that the formation of nanoaggregates significantly affects the critical value of the χ interaction parameter. The phase diagram is highly asymmetric and the phase boundary approaches the pure solvent composition limit. This has a number of implications in terms of asphaltene solution characterization and the nature of asphaltene solutions. The results indicate that there are toluene insoluble asphaltene components, but these could exist as microphase-separated clusters stabilized against further aggregation by steric and kinetic factors. This would explain the large difference between observed number and weight-average molecular weights. In addition, because of the shape of the binodal curve at low concentrations, experimental data that have previously been interpreted in terms of a critical cluster or micelle concentration are shown to be consistent with a microphase separation.
Coding of time-varying electric field amplitude modulations in a wave-type electric fish (1996)

1. The coding of time-varying electric fields in the weakly electric fish, Eigenmannia, was investigated in a quantitative manner. The activity of single P-type electroreceptor afferents was recorded while the amplitude of an externally applied sinusoidal electric field was stochastically modulated. The amplitude modulation waveform (i.e., the stimulus) was reconstructed from the spike trains by mean square estimation. 2. From the stimulus and the reconstructions we calculated the following: 1) the signal-to-noise ratio and thus an effective temporal bandwidth of the units; 2) the coding fraction, i.e., a measure of the fraction of the time-varying stimulus encoded in single spike trains; and 3) the mutual information provided by the reconstructions about the stimulus. 3. Signal-to-noise ratios as high as 7:1 were observed and the bandwidth ranged from 0 up to 200 Hz, consistent with the limit imposed by the sampling theorem. Reducing the cutoff frequency of the stimulus increased the signal-to-noise ratio at low frequencies, indicating a nonlinearity in the receptors' response. 4. The coding fraction and the rate of mutual information transmission increased in parallel with the standard deviation (i.e., the contrast) of the stimulus as well as the mean firing rate of the units. Significant encoding occurred 20-40 Hz above the spontaneous discharge of a unit. 5. When the temporal cutoff frequency of the stimulus was increased between 80 and 400 Hz, 1) the coding fraction decreased, 2) the rate of mutual information transmission remained constant over the same frequency range, and 3) the reconstructed filter changed. This is in agreement with predictions obtained in a simplified neuronal model. 6. Our results suggest that 1) the information transmitted by single spike trains of primary electrosensory afferents to higherorder neurons in the fish brain depends on the contrast and the cutoff frequency of the stimulus as well as on the mean firing rate of the units; and 2) under optimal conditions, more than half of the information about a Gaussian stimulus that can in principle be encoded is carried in single spike trains of P-type afferents at rates up to 200 bits per second.
Satisfactory safety and immunogenicity of MSP3 malaria vaccine candidate in Tanzanian children aged 12–24 months (2009)

The MSP3 malaria vaccine candidate was safe, well tolerated and immunogenic in children aged 12-24 months living in a malaria endemic community. Given the vaccine's safety and its induction of cytophilic IgG responses, its efficacy against P. falciparum infection and disease needs to be evaluated in Phase 2 studies.
Multi-face Location on Embedded DSP Image Processing System (2008)

This paper is devoted to the problem of Multi-face localization on embedded DSP image processing system. The application of face localization is becoming important in machine vision, systems video monitoring and security access system. Skin color acts as an important cue for segmentation, localization and tracking of face. We capture face image on DSP image processing system and build a skin-color model for face detection using the three components original data on YUV color space. Combining the character of the embedded DSP image processing system, a multi-face locating method based on the improved connected components labeling algorithm is presented in this paper. The experimental results show that the proposed approach not only has the features of high speed and high efficiency, but also has the ability to locate human faces regardless of the size, number, orientation and viewpoint of the faces. It can still get an ideal location effect in the inadequate lighting complicated background.
Synthesis of novel architectures by radical polymerization with reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT polymerization) (2003)

Abstract Radical polymerization with R eversible A ddition‐ F ragmentation chain T ransfer ‐ RAFT polymerization can be adapted to produce a wide variety of block copolymers and other polymers of complex architecture. Such polymerizations require use of a suitable compound [Z‐(C=X)X‐R], which is selected to have a very high transfer constants in radical polymerization of the desired monomers, and appropriate choice of reaction conditions. Block and multiblock polymers, stars and grafts are available through use of precursors containing multiple thiocarbonylthio groups. Stars and microgels are also available through self assembly and crosslinking of RAFT synthesized block copolymer micelles and by a varient of the ‘arm‐first’ approach wherein of a diene monomer is (co)polymerized in the presence of a preformed RAFT‐made polymer. This paper briefly reviews RAFT polymerization then examines the scope for utilizing the technology in the construction of novel architectures.
Managing the Impact of Increasing Microprocessor Power Consumption (2001)

The power dissipation of modern processors has been rapidly increasing along with increasing transistor count and clock frequencies. At the same time, there is a growing disparity between the maximum power consumption of a processor and the “typical” power consumed by that processor; i.e., power consumed while running typical applications. This trend is the result of the significant increase in transistor count required to reach the desired peak performance targets. Designing a processor with the intent of minimizing system costs, especially those arising from high power consumption, while retaining a high level of reliability requires attention at all stages of the design. In the case of the Pentium 4 processor, the design team focused from the beginning on reducing power consumption without negatively impacting either the performance or reliability of the processor in any significant way. Many techniques, both innovative and pre-existing, were applied across the entire processor in an effort to eliminate unnecessary power consumption. The mass adoption of these techniques resulted in a significant reduction in both maximum and typical processor power dissipation.
A Neural Model of how Horizontal and Interlaminar Connections of Visual Cortex Develop into Adult Circuits that Carry Out Perceptual Grouping and Learning (2001)

A neural model suggests how horizontal and interlaminar connections in visual cortical areas V1 and V2 develop within a laminar cortical architecture and give rise to adult visual percepts. The model suggests how mechanisms that control cortical development in the infant lead to properties of adult cortical anatomy, neurophysiology and visual perception. The model clarifies how excitatory and inhibitory connections can develop stably by maintaining a balance between excitation and inhibition. The growth of long-range excitatory horizontal connections between layer 2/3 pyramidal cells is balanced against that of short-range disynaptic interneuronal connections. The growth of excitatory on-center connections from layer 6-to-4 is balanced against that of inhibitory interneuronal off-surround connections. These balanced connections interact via intracortical and intercortical feedback to realize properties of perceptual grouping, attention and perceptual learning in the adult, and help to explain the observed variability in the number and temporal distribution of spikes emitted by cortical neurons. The model replicates cortical point spread functions and psychophysical data on the strength of real and illusory contours. The on-center, off-surround layer 6-to-4 circuit enables top-down attentional signals from area V2 to modulate, or attentionally prime, layer 4 cells in area V1 without fully activating them. This modulatory circuit also enables adult perceptual learning within cortical area V1 and V2 to proceed in a stable way.
Genetic Heterogeneity among Strains of<i>Treponema phagedenis</i>-Like Spirochetes Isolated from Dairy Cattle with Papillomatous Digital Dermatitis in Japan (2009)

Papillomatous digital dermatitis (PDD) is an infectious foot disease of cattle that is prevalent throughout the world. Although it has been prevalent in Japan since the first case was reported in 1992, full epidemiological and bacteriological examinations have not been conducted. We collected 91 lesions of PDD from 80 dairy cattle on 12 farms in eight regions of Japan to isolate the spirochetes that are frequently detected in lesions. We isolated 40 strains of spirochetes from 24 cattle (30.0%) by a simple two-step culture technique, in which the biopsy samples were incubated at 4 degrees C for 48 to 72 h in an enrichment broth supplemented with antibiotics, which improved the rate of isolation, and then inoculated on selective agar plates. All spirochetes examined were catalase positive and oxidase negative and showed weak beta-hemolytic activity. Enzyme activities were identical to those of Treponema phagedenis ATCC 27087. Sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene showed that all strains isolated had >99% identity to those of the T. phagedenis type strain and of T. phagedenis-like strains isolated from PDD lesions in the United States and Europe. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and PCR-based random amplified polymorphism DNA methods revealed considerable diversity among strains isolated not only from different cattle but also from the same individuals. These findings may provide further evidence for the role of these treponemes in the pathogenesis of persistent PDD.
Use of Degenerate Primers and Touchdown PCR for Construction of cDNA Libraries (2002)

Optimized construction of low-redundancy cDNA mini-libraries using low-stringency RT-PCR is described cDNAs are generated using arbitrary consensus-degenerate hybrid oligonucleotide primers and nanogram amounts of Schistosoma mansoni mRNA. A number of conditions such as temperature and salt concentration are combined to create balanced, low-stringency conditions that permit a normalized amplification of a diversified, random set of sequences. On average, 350 different sequences are obtained per mini-library, which represents a significantly higher diversity of messages per library when compared to previously published conditions (ie., 20-40 sequences/ mini-library). The optimized high-throughput approach described here is likely to help in the discovery of expressed genes in any complex organism.
The internal conversion electrons of actinon (1938)

Actinium emanation was introduced into a cloud chamber for the purpose of making a study of the secondary β-rays. The energies were in agreement with those given by Surugue using the magnetic spectrum method, except that his strong line at 105 kV. was absent. By comparing the numbers of β-rays with the relative intensities of the groups of α-particles, measured by Rosenblum, it was found that the internal conversion coefficients were in general agreement with previous experimental values in the same region of energy. Tracks of Auger electrons associated with the secondary β-rays were found in the photographs. In general, the results from the cloud chamber method agreed with accepted theories and confirmed the results obtained by other methods.
Expression of a bovine rhodopsin gene in Xenopus oocytes: demonstration of light-dependent ionic currents. (1988)

Xenopus oocytes express a gene encoding bovine rhodopsin as well as its SP6 RNA polymerase-derived transcripts and total retinal mRNA. The opsin produced is in unglycosylated (30 kDa) and two glycosylated (35 kDa and 41 kDa) forms. Incubation of the cells expressing the above proteins with 11-cis-retinal generates rhodopsin, which was purified by immunoaffinity chromatography. The purified protein shows the expected UV/visible absorption spectrum and characteristic light-dependent activation of the rod outer segment GTP binding protein. Oocytes expressing rhodopsin exhibit light-dependent ionic currents that are detected by voltage-clamp techniques.
DNA hybridization studies of the association of Pseudomonas maltophilia with inflammatory bowel diseases. (1983)

An infectious etiology has been suggested for the inflammatory bowel diseases, Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, and an association of cell wall-defective variants of Pseudomonas maltophilia and Pseudomonas-like group Va bacteria with Crohn's disease has been reported by Parent and Mitchell. Seven of the Parent-Mitchell isolates were compared by using DNA hybridization and six were identical and similar, but not identical, to a type strain of P. maltophilia. The seventh isolate showed extensive homology with VARC, a reference strain of group Va organism, but not with P. maltophilia. Pseudomonas DNAs were radiolabeled by nick translation and used as probes for homologous DNA in hybridization experiments involving 48 different tissues. The presence of DNA with sequences homologous to those of P. maltophilia was detected in three of 23 Crohn's disease samples, two of 10 ulcerative colitis samples, and none of 15 control samples. There was no hybridization with VARC or Pseudomonas aeruginosa probes. We were unable to culture cell wall-defective organisms from patients' tissues but have detected pleomorphic organisms in hypertonic cultures of 14 of 53 Crohn's disease specimens, none of six ulcerative colitis specimens, and none of 11 control specimens. None reverted to normal bacteria. These results do not support an exclusive association of P. maltophilia with Crohn's disease but rather suggest a possible association of P. maltophilia with IBD. Technical limitations currently preclude definitive conclusions regarding the significance of this association. Although we demonstrated the presence of DNA sequences with homology to P. maltophilia DNA in tissues of some patients with IBD, the role, if any, of these bacteria in the pathogenesis of IBD has yet to be established.
Estimation of rubber content of guayule (<i>Parthenium argentatum</i>) using low‐resolution proton magnetic resonance (1983)

Abstract Low‐resolution proton magnetic resonance (p.m.r.) has been investigated as a rapid screening method for the determination of rubber in guayule. Regression equations have been derived relating p.m.r. measurements to rubber content in the original material and in acetone extracted material, and to the amount of rubber extracted. Linear relationships have been established for all three variables with r 2 values of 0.92, 0.94 and 0.92 ( P < 0.001) respectively. Sample pretreatment was found to be important, with grinding and heating resulting in a loss of rubber, as determined by both p.m.r. and extraction.
Quantitation of protein phosphorylation in pregnant rat uteri using stable isotope dimethyl labeling coupled with IMAC (2006)

Quantitative analysis of protein phosphorylation provides important insights into molecular signaling mechanisms and a better understanding of many cellular processes. In this study, we coupled stable isotope dimethyl labeling with immobilized metal affinity chromatography (IMAC) enrichment to quantify protein phosphorylation at MS-determined phosphorylation sites. The proposed method was first characterized using alpha- and beta-casein as two model phosphoproteins, and further applied to the analysis of pregnant rat uteri with and without treatment with 8-bromo-cGMP. Dimethyl labeling has several significant advantages: global, fast (within 5 min) and complete (near 100%). Our results indicate that the labeling has no adverse effect on the IMAC enrichment for tryptic peptides having single and multiple phosphorylation sites. Moreover, the enhanced a1 signal and the complete reaction by dimethyl labeling provide unequivocal identification of both the N-terminal amino acid and the number of the labeling site. Using these two criteria in data validation, which is particularly important for identifying phosphoproteins, we found that the confidence in interpreting dimethyl-labeled peptides had greatly increased. In the analysis of late gestation rat uteri, the abundance ratio between treated and un-treated phosphopeptide signals ranged from 0.51 to 1.69 with an average of around 1.01 +/- 0.25. The obtained ratio of the phosphorylation levels at Ser 15 of HSP27 was further confirmed by the consistent results obtained from Western blot analyses. Based on the analysis of the results, it is interesting to note that the activated cGMP dependent protein kinase G (PKG) seems to affect the phosphorylation of proteins associated with the inhibition of cell migration and proliferation, redistribution of actin-associated proteins, and the increase of protein synthesis in late-gestation uteri. These observations provide important evidence suggesting that activated PKG may play a critical role in the shift of pregnant uteri from proliferative to hypertrophic states.
Progress in Spin-on Hard Mask Materials for Advanced Lithography (2014)

Hard masks used in lithography processes play a vital role in pattern transfer to the desired substrate. Hard mask materials can be categorized into organic and inorganic types. Examples of organic type hard masks include amorphous carbon, organo siloxane based materials with reflection control properties. These organic hard masks are deposited either by CVD process or spin-on processes. SiN, SiON and TiN are some examples of inorganic type hard masks and typically these hard masks are deposited through CVD process. In either type, key requirement is etch resistance to either oxygen rich plasma or halogen rich plasma depending on the substrate to be etched away. However, in the advanced lithography processes, in addition to good etch resistance, they also need to possess good wet removability, fill capability in high aspect ratio contacts and trenches. In this paper, we discuss the advances made in the spin-on organic and inorganic hard masks. The spin-on option provides high throughput and several alternate material options compared to CVD option. Spin-on carbon (SOC) is a high carbon containing polymer solution and as a coating material, the polymers need to be soluble in organic solvent and insoluble after curing for coating upper layer materials. Recent progress made in good filling, low outgas, high thermal stability and planarization properties required for double and quadruple patterning is presented. Similarly, novel spin-on type inorganic formulations providing Ti, W, and Zr oxide hard masks with high etch selectivity, wet removal capability and good shelf-life stability are described. These novel AZ(R) Spin-on MHM formulations can be used in several new applications and can potentially replace any metal, metal oxide, metal nitride or silicon-containing hard mask films currently deposited using CVD process in the semiconductor manufacturing process.
Microscale solid-state thermal diodes enabling ambient temperature thermal circuits for energy applications (2017)

Thermal diodes, or devices that transport thermal energy asymmetrically, analogous to electrical diodes, hold promise for thermal energy harvesting and conservation, as well as for phononics or information processing. The junction of a phase change material and phase invariant material can form a thermal diode; however, there are limited constituent materials available for a given target temperature, particularly near ambient. In this work, we demonstrate that a micro and nanoporous polystyrene foam can house a paraffin-based phase change material, fused to PMMA, to produce mechanically robust, solid-state thermal diodes capable of ambient operation with Young's moduli larger than 11.5 MPa and 55.2 MPa above and below the melting transition point, respectively. Moreover, the composites show significant changes in thermal conductivity above and below the melting point of the constituent paraffin and rectification that is well-described by our previous theory and the Maxwell-Eucken model. Maximum thermal rectifications range from 1.18 to 1.34. We show that such devices perform reliably enough to operate in thermal diode bridges, dynamic thermal circuits capable of transforming oscillating temperature inputs into single polarity temperature differences - analogous to an electrical diode bridge with widespread implications for transient thermal energy harvesting and conservation. Overall, our approach yields mechanically robust, solid-state thermal diodes capable of engineering design from a mathematical model of phase change and thermal transport, with implications for energy harvesting.
Non-Invasive Measurement of Right Atrial Pressure by Near-Infrared Spectroscopy: Preliminary Experience. A Report from the SICA-HF Study (2017)

Measuring RAP using NIRS identifies ambulatory patients with CHF who have more severe congestion and a worse outcome. The device might be a useful objective method of monitoring RAP, especially for those inexperienced in eliciting physical signs or when measurement of natriuretic peptides is not immediately available.
Influence of silane on the structure of polystyrene prepared by sol-gel coatings via UV curing (2017)

Light, heat, oxygen, moisture, ozone, atmospheric pollution and biological effects are the most important effectives wreak to chemical degradation in the polymer structure. In result of chemical degradation on the polymer consist of problems such as discoloration, brittleness, surface cracks, perspiration, crumbling, smell, surface acidity. In this work, it is aimed to improve the problem of the polystyrene (PS) material against chemical degradation. For this reason, PS is coated with silica sol-gel hybrid coating. Silica sol-gel was synthesized by using vinyltrimethoxysilane (VTMS) as a cross-linker and tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) as a silica source. Firstly, four different pre-treatment technique (oven, vacuum oven, lyophilizer and freezing) was studied to determine the most suitable pre-treatment technique for coating on PS substrate of sol-gel prepared with initial formulation (S1). A freezing technique gave the best results for coating sample. The change of surface colour of coated PS was measured by CIE L*a*b* methods. Secondly, the most suitable curing agent (Irgacure 184, Irgacure 819, Darocur 1173 and TiO2 as crystalline anatase phase) was determined to coat the sol-gel on PS. It was determined to the lowest yellowing of PS surface hybrid coated as UV curing of TEOS sol modified by VTMS and TiO2 as photo-initiators. Finally, the chemical and morphological structure of the coated PS samples was determined by FT-IR and SEM instruments, respectively.