gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Lasing optical cavities based on macroscopic scattering elements (2017)

Two major elements are required in a laser device: light confinement and light amplification. Light confinement is obtained in optical cavities by employing a pair of mirrors or by periodic spatial modulation of the refractive index as in photonic crystals and Bragg gratings. In random lasers, randomly placed nanoparticles embedded in the active material provide distributed optical feedback for lasing action. Recently, we demonstrated a novel architecture in which scattering nanoparticles and active element are spatially separated and random lasing is observed. Here we show that this approach can be extended to scattering media with macroscopic size, namely, a pair of sand grains, which act as feedback elements and output couplers, resulting in lasing emission. We demonstrate that the number of lasing modes depends on the surface roughness of the sand grains in use which affect the coherent feedback and thus the emission spectrum. Our findings offer a new perspective of material science and photonic structures, facilitating a novel and simple approach for the realization of new photonics devices based on natural scattering materials.
Studies on the hypoglycaemic activity of<i> Punica granatum</i> seed in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats (2001)

The hypoglycaemic activity of Punica granatum Linn. (Family Punicaceae) seed extract on rats made diabetic by streptozotocin (STZ) was investigated. The methanol extract of the seed at doses of 300 and 600 mg/kg, and chlorpropamide 200 mg/kg was administered to STZ diabetic rats. The seed extract (150, 300 and 600 mg/kg, orally) caused a significant reduction of blood glucose levels in STZ induced diabetic rats by 47% and 52%, respectively, at the end of 12 h.
QUANTIZATION IN THE PRESENCE OF LARGE AMPLITUDE THRESHOLD NOISE (2005)

Signal quantization in the presence of independent, identically distributed, large amplitude threshold noise is examined. It has previously been shown that when all quantization thresholds are set to the same value, this situation exhibits a form of stochastic resonance known as suprathreshold stochastic resonance. This means the optimal quantizer performance occurs for a small input signal-to-noise ratio. Here we examine the performance of this stochastic quantization in terms of both mutual information and mean square error distortion. It is also shown that for low input signal-to-noise ratios that the case of all thresholds being identical provides the optimal mean square error distortion performance for the given noise conditions.
ChemInform Abstract: Partially Modified Retro‐Inverso Peptides: Development, Synthesis, and Conformational Behavior (1998)

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.
All Together Now: Intergovernmental Relations in Canada’s Labour Market Sector (2019)

Canada’s labour market sector: Intergovernmental cooperation in practice.
Engagement, bonding, and identity across multiple platforms: Avaaz on Facebook, YouTube, and MySpace (2012)

This article explores the role of social media platforms in transnational activism by examining the case of Avaaz.org, an international advocacy organization aiming to bring people-powered politics to global decision-making. Focusing on the Avaaz website, its channel on YouTube, its page on Facebook and its profile page on MySpace, the article investigates the affordances of these platforms for identity-building, bonding, and engagement. The empirical data is derived from features analysis of the selected web platforms, as well as textual analysis of the comments posted by users. The findings show that while social media platforms make individual voices more visible, their design helps Avaaz to maintain a coherent collective voice. In terms of bonding, platforms allow individual activists to communicate with the organization and to spread its message to their existing social networks, but opportunities for private interpersonal communication with other Avaaz supporters are limited.
Respiratory diseases and allergies in two polluted areas in East Germany. (1999)

This cross-sectional epidemiological study collected health data for 2,470 school children between 5 and 14 years of age (89% of eligible children) who had lived most of their lives in either one of two counties strongly impacted by industrial pollution (Bitterfeld and Hettstedt) or in a neighboring county without any sources of industrial pollution (Zerbst). The objective of the study was to examine whether regional differences--with respect to the occurrence of childhood respiratory diseases and symptoms or allergies--exist and, if such differences are found, whether they persist when we adjust for the effects of known risk factors such as medical and sociodemographic factors or factors related to the indoor environment. Controlling for medical, sociodemographic, and indoor factors, according to parental reports, children residing in Hettstedt have about a 50% increased lifetime prevalence for physician-diagnosed allergies, eczema, and bronchitis compared to children from Zerbst and about twice the number of respiratory symptoms such as wheeze, shortness of breath, and cough without cold. Sensitization to common aeroallergens according to skin prick tests [odds ratio (OR) = 1.38; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02-1.86] and specific IgE levels (OR = 1.75; CI, 1.31-2.33) was more common for children from Hettstedt than children from the nonpolluted county. Bitterfeld children, on the other hand, more often received a diagnosis of asthma and eczema than children residing in Zerbst and also showed slightly increased sensitization rates. In conclusion, industrial pollution related to mining and smelting operations in the county of Hettstedt were associated with a higher lifetime prevalence of respiratory disorders and an increased rate of allergic sensitization in children between the ages of 5 and 14 years. Further studies are needed to determine what role the high dust content of heavy metals plays in Hettstedt.
Requirement of the fusogenic micropeptide myomixer for muscle formation in zebrafish (2017)

Skeletal muscle formation requires fusion of mononucleated myoblasts to form multinucleated myofibers. The muscle-specific membrane proteins myomaker and myomixer cooperate to drive mammalian myoblast fusion. Whereas myomaker is highly conserved across diverse vertebrate species, myomixer is a micropeptide that shows relatively weak cross-species conservation. To explore the functional conservation of myomixer, we investigated the expression and function of the zebrafish myomixer ortholog. Here we show that myomixer expression during zebrafish embryogenesis coincides with myoblast fusion, and genetic deletion of myomixer using CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis abolishes myoblast fusion in vivo. We also identify myomixer orthologs in other species of fish and reptiles, which can cooperate with myomaker and substitute for the fusogenic activity of mammalian myomixer. Sequence comparison of these diverse myomixer orthologs reveals key amino acid residues and a minimal fusogenic peptide motif that is necessary for promoting cell-cell fusion with myomaker. Our findings highlight the evolutionary conservation of the myomaker-myomixer partnership and provide insights into the molecular basis of myoblast fusion.
Gohcci: Protecting Sensitive Data on Stolen or Misplaced Mobile Devices (2009)

Mobile devices containing sensitive data are often misplaced or stolen. Often, the data on the device is misused for financial gains or is purposefully published to discredit a company or disgrace an individual. We present a system for reducing the risk of exposure of sensitive data on Microsoft Windows based mobile devices. The system introduces a continuous authentication scheme, where the device must be in contact with an external entity. Should this contact be broken, an automated shutdown or sanitization of sensitive data on the device can be initiated. The system also performs continuous and transparent sanitization of disk blocks to reduce sanitization time.In particular, the system monitors use of files containing sensitive data and prevents data leakage through application-specific renaming, deletion, and copying of files. The system is able to prevent leakage from all applications in the Microsoft Office suite and Open Office. We quantify the extent of data leakage from Word, Excel, and Writer, showing that application data leakage is substantial, and hence a security risk that must be addressed.
Generalized Lamb-wave multisensor (2003)

Integrated-circuit fabrication techniques were used to make a versatile silicon-based sensor that uses elastic wave propagation in a plate that is thin compared with the wavelength. In-plane tension raises the velocity of the lowest antisymmetric flexural wave (474 m/s) above that predicted for a pure Lamb wave (422 m/s). Because of the low velocity, when in contact with a fluid the device excites an evanescent disturbance that extends just tens of micrometers from the membrane. The device is quite sensitive to loading: contact with a 6- mu l droplet of water shifts the oscillation frequency downward 36%, in excellent agreement with theory. The device could operate as a microphone, biosensor, chemical vapor or gas detector, scale, manometer, densitometer, viscometer, radiometer, or thermometer. It is concluded that the sensor offers unique means for separating out the influences of multiple measurands.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">></ETX>
Synthesis of guar gum-graft-poly(acrylamide-co-diallyldimethylammonium chloride) and its application in the pulp and paper industry (2011)

The synthesis and characterization of a novel fixative, guar gum-graft-poly(acrylamide-co-diallyldimethylammonium chloride) (GG-g-p(AM-co-DADMAC)) polymer is described. The grafted polymerproved to be effective at adsorbing hydrophobic wood resin particles onto papermaking fibre surfaces, thus removing wood resins from the water phase where they have a tendency to aggregate and form troublesome deposits. The new polymer combines the colloidal stabilising features of a natural product, guar gum, and the wood resin fixative properties of a synthetic polymer p(AM-co-DADMAC). GG-g-p(AM-co-DADMAC was effective over the entire pH range as compared to other commercially available polymeric fixatives that were evaluated.
The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptors in port‐wine stains (2008)

VEGF and its receptor may play an important role in the pathogenesis of PWS. It is possible that PWS may progress by hyperplasia in addition to hypertrophy. VEGF-R blockade may have a potential role as a targeted approach in the treatment of this disfiguring condition in the future.
A practical and economical approach to resource allocation (2002)

Providing quality of service guarantees requires resource reservations. As congestion becomes the common scenario, it is important to reserve network resources efficiently. However, many proposed algorithms make assumptions that can not be validated in a realistic framework. We make practical assumptions to enable immediate implementation of the proposed algorithm. In order to make the best use of the existing network resources, simple pricing is used. We use the burstiness bound approximation (BBA) traffic model which is a derivative of the leaky bucket traffic model (leaky bucket parameters and the peak rate). The specified traffic parameters directly relate to the source's reserved buffer and bandwidth requirements. This paper describes a method in which the bandwidth and buffer resources to be reserved are determined based on the resource availabilities (prices) and the specified traffic parameters to yield efficient utilization of network resources. The simulation results are presented to show its effectiveness.
Division-of-amplitude photopolarimeter based on conical diffraction from a metallic grating (1992)

Get PDF Email Share Share with Facebook Tweet This Post on reddit Share with LinkedIn Add to CiteULike Add to Mendeley Add to BibSonomy Get Citation Copy Citation Text R. M. A. Azzam, "Division-of-amplitude photopolarimeter based on conical diffraction from a metallic grating," Appl. Opt. 31, 3574-3576 (1992) Export Citation BibTex Endnote (RIS) HTML Plain Text Citation alert Save article
Ultrastructural and biochemical characterization of autophagy in higher plant cells subjected to carbon deprivation: control by the supply of mitochondria with respiratory substrates. (1996)

Autophagy triggered by carbohydrate starvation was characterized at both biochemical and structural levels, with the aim to identify reliable and easily detectable marker(s) and to investigate the factors controlling this process. Incubation of suspension cells in sucrose-free culture medium triggered a marked degradation of the membrane polar lipids, including phospholipids and galactolipids. In contrast, the total amounts of sterols, which are mainly associated with plasmalemma and tonoplast membranes, remained constant. In particular, phosphatidylcholine decreased, whereas phosphodiesters including glycerylphosphorylcholine transiently increased, and phosphorylcholine (P-Cho) steadily accumulated. P-Cho exhibits a remarkable metabolic inertness and therefore can be used as a reliable biochemical marker reflecting the extent of plant cell autophagy. Indeed, whenever P-Cho accumulated, a massive regression of cytoplasm was noticed using EM. Double membrane-bounded vacuoles were formed in the peripheral cytoplasm during sucrose starvation and were eventually expelled into the central vacuole, which increased in volume and squeezed the thin layer of cytoplasm spared by autophagy. The biochemical marker P-Cho was used to investigate the factors controlling autophagy. P-Cho did not accumulate when sucrose was replaced by glycerol or by pyruvate as carbon sources. Both compounds entered the cells and sustained normal rates of respiration. No recycling back to the hexose phosphates was observed, and cells were rapidly depleted in sugars and hexose phosphates, without any sign of autophagy. On the contrary, when pyruvate (or glycerol) was removed from the culture medium, P-Cho accumulated without a lag phase, in correlation with the formation of autophagic vacuoles. These results strongly suggest that the supply of mitochondria with respiratory substrates, and not the decrease of sucrose and hexose phosphates, controls the induction of autophagy in plant cells starved in carbohydrates.
Multilayer 2-D array transducers with integrated circuit transmitters and receivers: a feasibility study (1994)

In 2-D arrays, the elements have poor signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) because their small size results in a small clamped capacitance and a large electrical impedance near resonance. The SNR can be increased using multi-layer PZT transducers. It is hypothesized that further improvements in pulse-echo SNR are obtained using a hybrid array in the following configuration: in the transmit mode, 10 Ω electronic transmitters exciting 10 Ω multi-layer elements, and in the receive mode, single layer elements driving high impedance pre-amplifiers. A sparsely sampled array was modeled, operating at 7.5 MHz. According to simulations, pulse-echo SNR was improved by 40 dB in the hybrid configuration compared to the control. An experimental feasibility study was also performed using a 2.25 MHz transducer. The measurements were consistent with the simulations. The dramatic improvement in SNR for the hybrid configuration allows for new implementations of the transmit and receive circuitry
Chemical synthesis of a biologically active natural tRNA with its minor bases (1992)

The complete chemical synthesis of an E. coli tRNA(Ala) with its specific minor nucleosides, dihydrouridine, ribothymidine and pseudouridine, is reported. The method makes use of protected 2'-O-tertiobutyldimethylsilyl-ribonucleoside-3'-O-(2-cyanoethyl-N- ethyl-N- methyl)phosphoramidites. The exocyclic amino functions of the bases were protected by the phenoxyacetyl group for purines and acetyl for cytosine. The assembling has been performed on a silica support with coupling yield better than 98% within 2 min of condensation. Triethylamine tris-hydrofluoride allowed a clean and complete deprotection of the tBDMS groups. The synthetic tRNA(Ala) has been transcribed into cDNA by reverse transcriptase and sequenced. With E. coli alanyl-tRNA synthetase the alanyl acceptance activity and kcat/Km were 672 pmol/A260 and 6 x 10(4)M-1s-1, respectively.
Real-time Bidding campaigns optimization using attribute selection (2019)

Real-Time Bidding is nowadays one of the most promising systems in the online advertising ecosystem. In the presented study, the performance of RTB campaigns is improved by optimising the parameters of the users' profiles and the publishers' websites. Most studies about optimising RTB campaigns are focused on the bidding strategy. In contrast, the objective of our research consists of optimising RTB campaigns by finding out configurations that maximise both the number of impressions and their average profitability. The experiments demonstrate that, when the number of required visits by advertisers is low, it is easy to find configurations with high average profitability, but as the required number of visits increases, the average profitability tends to go down. Additionally, configuration optimisation has been combined with other interesting strategies to increase, even more, the campaigns' profitability. Along with parameter configuration the study considers the following complementary strategies to increase profitability: i) selecting multiple configurations with a small number of visits instead of a unique configuration with a large number, ii) discarding visits according to the thresholds of cost and profitability, iii) analysing a reduced space of the dataset and extrapolating the solution, and iv) increasing the search space by including solutions below the required number of visits. The developed campaign optimisation methodology could be offered by RTB platforms to advertisers to make their campaigns more profitable.
<title>Signal loss recovery in DCT-based image and video codecs</title> (1991)

This paper presents a new technique fpr image reconstruction from a partial set of transform coefficients in DCT image coders. By utilizing the correlation between adjacent blocks and imposing smoothing constraints on the reconstructed image the proposed algorithm produces an image which is maximally smooth among all the images with the same available coefficients. The optimal solution can be obtained either by a linear transformation or through an iterative process. The underlying principle of the algorithm is applicable to any unitary block-transform and is very effective for recovering the DC and other low frequency coefficients. Applications in DCT based still image codecs and video codecs using motion compensation have been considered. Simulation results with still images show that a very good reconstruction can be obtained even when DC and certain low frequencies are missing in many blocks .
Healing of extra-articular angulated apex volar fractures of the distal radius. (1988)

Healed extra-articular angulated apex volar fractures of the distal radius are a relatively common orthopedic finding. The functional end-results of treatment of this injury are controversial. Twenty-nine patients with 34 fractures were reviewed by subjective and objective assessment, as well as radiologic examination. Some had unsatisfactory results. These poor results were associated with older age, poor anatomical reduction and, in some, the presence of a midcarpal instability pattern.
Editing the microbiome the CRISPR way (2019)

Our bodies are colonized by a complex ecosystem of bacteria, unicellular eukaryotes and their viruses that together play a major role in our health. Over the past few years tools derived from the prokaryotic immune system known as CRISPR-Cas have empowered researchers to modify and study organisms with unprecedented ease and efficiency. Here we discuss how various types of CRISPR-Cas systems can be used to modify the genome of gut microorganisms and bacteriophages. CRISPR-Cas systems can also be delivered to bacterial population and programmed to specifically eliminate members of the microbiome. Finally, engineered CRISPR-Cas systems can be used to control gene expression and modulate the production of metabolites and proteins. Together these tools provide exciting opportunities to investigate the complex interplay between members of the microbiome and our bodies, and present new avenues for the development of drugs that target the microbiome. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue 'The ecology and evolution of prokaryotic CRISPR-Cas adaptive immune systems'.
Green's function for an infinite slot printed between two homogeneous dielectrics. I. Magnetic currents (2003)

This sequence of papers presents an analytical closed form for the Green's function of an infinite slot printed between two different homogeneous dielectrics. This first part is devoted to the derivation of the slot magnetic current and to the discussion of the relevant physical implications. The Fourier spectrum of the magnetic current is derived by solving in analytical form, under small width approximation, the integral equation (IE) representing the continuity of the magnetic field trough the slot axis. The accuracy of the result is validated trough a fine meshing Method of Moments. From the consequent spectral expression, a closed form approximation of the leaky-wave propagation and attenuation constants is derived. An asymptotic expression for the current is also obtained by steepest descent path evaluation of the pertinent spectral integral. Analytical expressions of the quasi static (reactive) contribution is given for both elementary dipole and delta gap excitations.
Properties of yeast debranching enzyme and its specificity toward branched cyclodextrins (1992)

Debranching enzyme was purified from Saccharomyces cerevisiae by DEAE-cellulose, omega-aminobutyl agarose and hydroxyapatite column chromatography. The activity of the eluent was monitored by the iodine-staining method which detects both the direct and indirect debranching enzymes. The elution profiles at every step showed a single peak with no shoulder. The crude and the purified enzyme preparations gave a single activity band with the same mobility on PAGE. The crude product produced 80% glucose compared to reducing sugar from glycogen-phosphorylase-limited dextrin while the partially purified and purified preparations produced 100% glucose. The activity of the purified enzyme was characterized and compared with that of the rabbit muscle enzyme by using various branched cyclodextrins as substrates. Both enzymes hydrolyzed 6-O-alpha-D-glucosyl cyclodextrins to glucose and cyclodextrins, but did not act on 6-O-alpha-maltosyl cyclomaltoheptaose. The yeast enzyme gave rise to glucose as a sole reducing sugar from 6-O-alpha-maltotriosyl cyclomaltoheptaose and 6-O-alpha-maltotetraosyl cyclomaltoheptaose, indicating that maltosyl and maltotriosyl transfers, respectively, had occurred, prior to the action of amylo-1,6-glucosidase. 6-O-alpha-D-Glucosyl cyclomaltoheptaose and 6-O-alpha-D-glucosyl cyclomalto-octaose, respectively, were better substrates than glycogen-phosphorylase-limited dextrin for the yeast and muscle enzymes. The yeast enzyme released glucose at a similar rate from 6-O-alpha-maltotriosyl cyclomaltoheptaose as from 6-O-alpha-maltotetraosyl cyclomaltoheptaose, but considerably lower rates than that from limit dextrin. The yeast debranching enzyme appears to be exclusively oligo-1,4----1,4-glucantransferase-amylo-1,6-glucosidase and does not have isoamylase.