gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Six Sigma demystified (2004)

Learning Six Sigma CAN be a painless process! Six Sigma is among the most effective process methods used today--and it's also among the most baffling topics to those new to the subject. The good news is Six Sigma DeMYSTiFieD, second edition, explains it all in a language you'll understand. This easy-to-understand reference teaches the methods of Six Sigma, explains their applications, and tests expertise--without confusing statistics and formulas. In notime, you'll develop the skills you need to solve problems, anticipate customer needs, and meet the demands of the most challenging markets. Filled with practical hands-on advice and essentialorganizational tips, Six Sigma DeMYSTiFieD providesa complete blueprint for developing strategies, plotting growth, and performing at peak efficiency for maximum profits. This fast and easy guide offers: Proven techniques for building a solid Six Sigma infrastructure Tips for deploying projects using DMAIC methodology Clear advice on when and how to use specific problem-solving tools Essential calculations and assumptions Case studies, quizzes, and a final exam that reinforce what you've learned Simple enough for a beginner but challenging enough for a more advanced student, Six Sigma DeMYSTiFieD is your shortcut to a solid foundation in this powerful improvement methodology.
Assessment of promoter elements of the germ cell‐specific proacrosin gene (2001)

The testis-specific proacrosin gene encodes for a fertilization-promoting protein. In mouse and rat it is first transcribed in late pachytene spermatocytes and revealed to be translationally regulated. Former proacrosin promoter studies demonstrated that elements necessary for conducting a stage and temporal-specific expression of the gene are located within 0.9 kb upstream of the translational start codon. In the present study we analyzed putative cis-acting elements located in this promoter region for their specific binding properties to nuclear factors assumed to be involved in proacrosin gene regulation. Supplement of specific antibodies in electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) revealed that two Y-box proteins and the transcription factors CREM and YY1 interact with proacrosin promoter elements. The Y-box proteins, antigenically related to the frog Y-box proteins FRGY1 and FRGY2, bound to the Y-box (55-66 bp upstream of the ATG initiation codon) in brain and testis nuclear extracts, respectively. CREM bound to three elements (30-37, 252-259, and 717-724 bp upstream of ATG). The ubiquitous transcription factor YY1 bound to a conserved element in the central proacrosin promoter (457-473 bp upstream of ATG) and showed almost germ cell-specific truncates in EMSA. These results suggest that the identified factors are involved in proacrosin gene regulation.
Optical and electrical properties of (1-101)GaN grown on a 7° off-axis (001)Si substrate (2004)

Uniform growth of (1-101)GaN was performed on coalesced stripes of GaN which had been prepared by selective metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy on a 7° off-axis (001)Si substrate via an AlN intermediate layer. The cathodoluminescence spectra at 4 K exhibited a donor bound excitonic emission at 358 nm followed by defect-related emission peaks at 363, 371, and 376 nm. The 363 and 376 emission bands are observed upon the coalescence region. The Hall measurements exhibited p-type conduction at 80–300 K (the hole carrier density 6.3×1012 cm−2 and hole mobility 278 cm2/V s at 100 K). The activation energy of the acceptor was estimated to be 60 meV. The possible origin of the p-type conduction is discussed in relation to the unintentionally doped carbon.
Improved Design Method for Nearly Linear-Phase IIR Filters Using Constrained Optimization (2012)

A new optimization method for the design of nearly linear-phase IIR digital filters that satisfy prescribed specifications is proposed. The group-delay deviation is minimized under the constraint that the passband ripple and stopband attenuation are within the prescribed specifications and either a prescribed or an optimized group delay can be achieved. By representing the filter in terms of a cascade of second-order sections, a non-restrictive stability constraint characterized by a set of linear inequality constraints can be incorporated in the optimization algorithm. An additional feature of the method, which is very useful in certain applications, is that it provides the capability of constraining the maximum gain in transition bands to be below a prescribed level. Experimental results show that filters designed using the proposed method have much lower group-delay deviation for the same passband ripple and stopband attenuation when compared with corresponding filters designed with several state-of-the-art competing methods.
Lifetime Optimization for Wireless Sensor Networks Using the Nonlinear Battery Current Effect (2009)

One of the design challenges of wireless sensor networks is the tradeoff between network operation time and network coverage. Recent studies reveal that the useable battery capacity drops faster at a higher discharge current in a nonlinear fashion. To take advantage of this battery current effect, in this paper we explore a new sensor node deployment scheme to prolong the entire sensor network lifetime as well as each individual sensor node. The key idea of the proposed scheme is to assign a sensor node having higher traffic load to adopt lower transmission power level. In this way, batteries of all nodes in a given area are discharged at the same current, thus they are depleted at the same time. Extensive simulations have conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed sensor node deployment scheme. Compared with peer work on heterogeneous deployment, the useable battery capacity by using the proposed scheme can be improved by 26.67%, and the operating time per sensor node can be enhanced by 20.95%. Furthermore, the proposed deployment scheme can reduce the number of sensor nodes required to cover the given area, leading to a significant reduction of deployment cost.
Inflammatory phenotype of classical (CD14++CD16-) monocytes in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. (2013)

11071 Background: Monocytes are intrinsic members of the innate immune system and play an important role in immunity and inflammation. Human monocytes are subdivided into three populations depending on cell surface CD14 and CD16 expression: Classical (CD14 ++ CD16 - ), intermediate (CD14 + CD16 - ) and non-classical (CD14 - CD16 ++ ). These populations have diverse functions and have been postulated to play both anti and pro-inflammatory roles in a variety of diseases including atherosclerosis, sarcoidosis and other rheumatological conditions. However, the prevalent monocyte populations in cancer have not as yet been identified. We aim to define the prevalent monocyte populations in non-small cell lung cancer as well as further characterising them using flow cytometry and Affymetrix technology. Methods: Blood was obtained from 24 newly diagnosed patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer and 12 age matched healthy donors. Monocyte subpopulations were sorted using flow cytometry. Gene expression profiling was performed using Affymetrix Human U133 Plus 2.0 array. Results: The classical (CD14 ++ CD16 - ) monocyte population is significantly increased in non-small cell lung cancer patients when compared to healthy donors (p<0.01). The intermediate (CD14 + CD16 + ) and non-classical (CD14 - CD16 ++ ) populations are unchanged. Analysis of the gene expression profile of the classical monocyte subset identified 265 up-regulated and 261 down-regulated genes in cancer patients compared to healthy donors (p<0.05, fold change >2). These genes were assigned to biological processes with gene ontology annotation. Functional annotation reveals a strong association of regulated genes with the G.O term “inflammation” (p=0.009). Among these inflammatory genes are a cluster of chemokines including CXCL2 and CXCR4. Conclusions: By identifying the prevalent monocyte subsets as well as characterising their function in cancer, there is the potential to target detrimental effects and promote their beneficial functions. As such, monocytes subsets may be used as a possible therapeutic target.
Will that smart contract really do what you expect it to do (2018)

Smart contracts are believed to be the next step in inter-party automation; traditional trusted third parties are to be replaced by small pieces of code running on a distributed system that written by fallible humans. However, at the end of the day, these smart contracts controlling high-value assets are pieces of code written by fallible humans. And because of the special nature of smart contracts, mistakes or bugs can have a significant financial impact, as illustrated by a number of recent high-profile incidents. In this white paper we explore this problem further and describe a number of strategies and approaches for the creation of secure and robust smart contracts, some of which can be applied right now, while others require additionial research & development to be applicable.
Optimal stochastic linear systems with exponential performance criteria and their relation to deterministic differential games (1973)

Two stochastic optimal control problems are solved whose performance criteria are the expected values of exponential functions of quadratic forms. The optimal controller is linear in both cases but depends upon the covariance matrix of the additive process noise so that the certainty equivalence principle does not hold. The controllers are shown to be equivalent to those obtained by solving a cooperative and a noncooperative quadratic (differential) game, and this leads to some interesting interpretations and observations. Finally, some stability properties of the asymptotic controllers are discussed.
The dengue vaccine pipeline: Implications for the future of dengue control (2015)

Dengue has become the most rapidly expanding mosquito-borne infectious disease on the planet, surpassing malaria and infecting at least 390 million people per year. There is no effective treatment for dengue illness other than supportive care, especially for severe cases. Symptoms can be mild or life-threatening as in dengue hemorrhagic fever and dengue shock syndrome. Vector control has been only partially successful in decreasing dengue transmission. The potential use of safe and effective tetravalent dengue vaccines is an attractive addition to prevent disease or minimize the possibility of epidemics. There are currently no licensed dengue vaccines. This review summarizes the current status of all dengue vaccine candidates in clinical evaluation. Currently five candidate vaccines are in human clinical trials. One has completed two Phase III trials, two are in Phase II trials, and three are in Phase I testing.
On Remote Attestation for Google Chrome OS (2012)

In this paper we present an approach to add Remote Attestation capabilities to the Google Chrome OS platform. Our approach is based on the combination of two integral aspects of Chrome OS: (1) its Verified Boot procedure and (2) its extensible, app-based architecture. Verified Boot ensures the integrity of the static operating system base including firmware, kernel and user land code. The dynamic part of Chrome OS is formed by apps, that can be installed, updated and removed during runtime by the user. We propose an approach that is able to attest both the integrity of the static Chrome OS base as well as the dynamic part composed of apps installed by the user to a remote party. The static part is attested without any measurements of binaries. We detail properties of apps that are reasonable to be measured. Thus, a remote party can reason about the trustworthiness of a remote platform by knowing (1) that it is running Chrome OS and (2) by knowing certain characteristics of installed apps.
Stereoselective olefin formation from the dehydration of 1-(p-alkoxyphenyl)-1,2-diphenylbutan-1-ols: application to the synthesis of tamoxifen (1987)

Acid-catalysed dehydration of either diastereoisomer of a 1-(p-alkoxyphenyl)-1,2-diphenylbutan-1-ol gives mainly the Z isomer of the but-1-ene via a common carbenium ion intermediate that can be regenerated by protonation of the (Z)- or (E)-butene with fluorosulphonic acid. Highly stereoselective syn eliminations were achieved by treatment of the butan-1-ols with base and carbon disulphide but dehydrations using N,N,N-triethylammonio-N′-methoxycarbonylsulphamidate proceeded mainly via a carbenium ion. Aspects of the stereoselectivity of the reactions are discussed. The methods can be applied to give simple stereoselective syntheses of the anti-cancer drug tamoxifen.
The influence of HTLV-III infection on the natural history of hepatitis B virus infection in male homosexual HBsAg carriers (1987)

The presence of antibodies to HTLV-III and markers of active hepatitis B virus replication was examined in a longitudinal study of 33 consecutive male homosexual HBsAg carriers. The mean follow-up time was 37 months (range = 4 to 109 months). All patients were initially hepatitis B virus DNA-positive and HBeAg positive. Antibodies to HTLV-III were detectable in eight patients while they were positive for both of these markers. One of them cleared hepatitis B virus DNA and seroconverted from HBeAg to anti-HBe. This corresponds to an annual clearance/seroconversion rate of 4% (95% confidence limits = 0 to 15%). In two patients, antibodies to HTLV-III appeared after clearance of hepatitis B virus DNA and HBeAg, and in one of them, hepatitis B virus DNA reappeared. Among the 25 patients negative for HTLV-III antibodies, the annual hepatitis B virus DNA clearance rate was 20% and HBeAg to anti-HBe seroconversion rate was 11% (95% confidence limits = 11 to 31% and 4 to 20% respectively). The observed hepatitis B virus DNA clearance rates in the two groups were significantly different (p less than 0.05). Disease activity, as determined by transaminase levels, was significantly lower in HTLV-III-infected individuals as compared to individuals without HTLV-III infection (p less than 0.05). Infection with HTLV-III may extend the period of active viral replication or even reactivate hepatitis B virus replication and seems to diminish inflammatory disease activity in chronic HBsAg carriers.
Use of dexamethasone and prednisone in acute asthma exacerbations in pediatric patients. (2009)

A short course of steroids is indicated in the treatment of asthma exacerbations. Both prednisone (1 to 2 mg/kg daily for 5 days) and dexamethasone (0.3 to 0.6 mg/kg daily for 1 to 5 days) are effective in reducing hospital admissions and unscheduled return to care, with minimal side effects.
Islet amyloid in type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes (1996)

Amyloid deposits are found in pancreatic islets of 90% of type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetic subjects at postmortem. Islet amyloid is formed from islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP). IAPP is a 37 amino acid peptide which is a normal constituent of beta cells and is co-secreted with insulin in animals and in man. The causative factors for fibrillogenesis of IAPP are unclear, but could be related to the sequence of IAPP and abnormal production of the peptide. The lack of islet amyloid in rodent models of diabetes is due to proline substitutions in the amyloidogenic region of IAPP. Amyloid fibrils are deposited between beta cells and islet capillaries: fibrils in invaginations of the plasma membrane may interfere with membrane signalling and insulin release. Amyloid fibrils are formed within 2 days in culture in islets isolated from transgenic mice expressing the gene for human IAPP, but not in vivo. Overexpression and decreased clearance of human IAPP from islet spaces may be important factors. Progressive deposition of IAPP fibrils combined with the associated reduction in the insulin-secreting beta cells is likely to contribute to deterioration of islet function in the course of type 2 diabetes.
Adenomatous polyposis coli, protein kinases, protein tyrosine phosphatase: The effect of sulindac (1995)

A putative explanation of the effect of sulindac on adenomatous colon and duodenal polyps from clinical observations and related in vitro experiments is presented. In cells with mutant APC genes, persistent high prostaglandin content of polyps leads to desensitization, downregulation of adenylate cyclase, uncoupling of cAMP synthesis from prostaglandin, and inactivation of protein kinase A (PKA). It is suggested that in normal cells, (APC) protein binds to catenins and microtubules to maintain structure and contribute to cell-cell communication, adherence, and the dephosphorylated state, a necessary condition for such functions. Cells with mutant APC product become isolated, deprived of communication and adhesion to other epithelial cells, overphosphorylated, and without corrective capability. The latter is largely due to downregulation of cAMP synthesis and protein kinase A activity secondary to high prostaglandin. Three main biochemical defects ensue: (1) the restrictive influence of PKA catalyzed phosphorylation of Raf-1 kinase and resultant effects on the MAP kinase cascade and transcription is lost, (2) the transcription of immediate early genes, including cyclooxygenase is stimulated, and (3) the stimulation of protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) by PKA is in abeyance. These putative abnormalities are reversed by inhibition of cyclooxygenase-1 by sulindac. cAMP synthesis and PKA activity return to normal. PKA catalyzed phosphorylations block Raf-1 kinase at the confluence of the Ras and protein kinase C pathways. The MAP kinase cascade is inhibited as is transcription of immediate early genes. At the same time PKA stimulates PTPase, which dephosphorylates the cytoskeleton and restores cell-cell communication, adherence, and structure. The transformed phenotype is circumvented by adjustment of the phosphorylation state and mutant cells rejoin the epithelial community. The redox state of cytoplasm in mutant cells may be shifted toward reduction.
Design and Implementation of Pulse Width Modulation Driving System for Voice Coil Motor (2016)

According to the performance requirements of the control system for voice coil motor, a pulse width modulation driving system is designed and implemented based on an integrated power device and a field programmable gate array. LMD18200 is used as the motor driver to design the unit of switch type power driving. With APA300 as the digital controller, the modular design of the digital controller realizes with the Verilog hardware describing language, so it has a good flexibility and portability. The experimental results show that the current loop can rapidly keep track of current changes under the working condition of the voice coil motor power driver. Therefore, the servo system of voice coil motor is compared with the practical requirement.
Systems pharmacology identifies drug targets for Stargardt disease–associated retinal degeneration (2013)

A systems pharmacological approach that capitalizes on the characterization of intracellular signaling networks can transform our understanding of human diseases and lead to therapy development. Here, we applied this strategy to identify pharmacological targets for the treatment of Stargardt disease, a severe juvenile form of macular degeneration. Diverse GPCRs have previously been implicated in neuronal cell survival, and crosstalk between GPCR signaling pathways represents an unexplored avenue for pharmacological intervention. We focused on this receptor family for potential therapeutic interventions in macular disease. Complete transcriptomes of mouse and human samples were analyzed to assess the expression of GPCRs in the retina. Focusing on adrenergic (AR) and serotonin (5-HT) receptors, we found that adrenoceptor α 2C (Adra2c) and serotonin receptor 2a (Htr2a) were the most highly expressed. Using a mouse model of Stargardt disease, we found that pharmacological interventions that targeted both GPCR signaling pathways and adenylate cyclases (ACs) improved photoreceptor cell survival, preserved photoreceptor function, and attenuated the accumulation of pathological fluorescent deposits in the retina. These findings demonstrate a strategy for the identification of new drug candidates and FDA-approved drugs for the treatment of monogenic and complex diseases.
The stability region of the finite-user slotted ALOHA protocol (1991)

A version of the discrete-time slotted ALOHA protocol operating with finitely many buffered terminals is considered. The stability region is defined to be the set of vectors of arrival rates lambda =( lambda /sub 1/,. . ., lambda /sub M/) for which there exists a vector of transmission probabilities such that the system is stable. It is assumed that arrivals are independent from slot to slot, and the following model for the arrival distribution in a slot is assumed: the total number of arrivals in any slots is geometrically distributed, with the probability that such an arrival is at node i being lambda /sub i/ times ( Sigma /sub k/ lambda /sub k/)/sup -1/, independent of the others. With this arrival model, it is proven that the closure of the stability region of the protocol is the same as the closure of the Shannon capacity region of the collision channel without feedback, as determined by J.L. Massey and P. Mathys (1985). At present it is not clear if this result depends on the choice of arrival distribution. The basic probabilistic observation is that the stationary distribution and certain conditional distributions derived from it have positive correlations for bounded increasing functions.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">></ETX>
Direct Observation of Anomalous Electron Diffusion due to Small-Scale Magnetic Turbulence in a Tokamak (1986)

Nonclassical diffusion of test electrons was directly observed in a tokamak by examination of the radial broadening of their drift orbits. A strong correlation between this enhanced diffusion and small-scale radial magnetic field fluctuations of high poloidal mode number was found. The origin of these magnetic fluctuations is discussed in terms of microtearing mode.
Bis-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-pyridyl-2-methane: The common laxative principle of Bisacodyl and sodium picosulfate. (1975)

After both oral and rectal administration in humans (4,4'-diacetoxy-diphenyl)-(pyridyl-2)-methane (bisacodyl, Dulcolax) and 4,4'-(2-pyridyl-methylene)-diphenol-disulfuric acid semiester disodium (sodium picosulfate, Laxoberal) are hydrolyzed to bis-(p-hydroxyphenyl)-pyridyl-2-methane (BHPM). In both cases BHPM is responsible for the laxative action. Experiments in rats and guinea pigs have shown that the hydrolysis of picosulfate, in contrast to that of bisacodyl, is attributable to the microorganisms of the intestinal flora.
Stimulation of toll-like receptor 4 expression in human mononuclear phagocytes by interferon-γ: a molecular basis for priming and synergism with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (2002)

In human monocytes and macrophages, interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) augmented mRNA and surface expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), a crucial component of the signaling receptor complex for bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Expression of the accessory component MD-2 and of the adapter protein MyD88 was also increased. LPS increased TLR4 mRNA levels, but concomitantly decreased its surface expression. IFNgamma counteracted the LPS-induced downregulation of TLR4. IFNgamma-primed monocytes showed increased responsiveness to LPS in terms of phosphorylation of the interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK; immediately downstream of the MyD88 adapter protein), NF-kB DNA binding activity, and, accordingly, of cytokine (tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNFalpha] and interleukin-12 [IL-12]) production. These results suggest that enhanced TLR4 expression underlies the long-known priming by IFNgamma of mononuclear phagocytes for pathogen recognition and killing as well as its synergism with LPS in macrophage activation.