gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Relocation Simulation Model for Multiple-Station Shared-Use Vehicle Systems (2006)

A shared-use vehicle system has a small number of vehicles reserved exclusively for use by a relatively larger group of members. Challenged by accessible and economical public transportation systems, multiple-station shared-use vehicle companies are driven to gain a competitive edge by using an operator-based relocation system to ensure privacy, simplicity, and convenience to their users. To help operators identify measures to maximize resources and enhance service levels, a simulation model is developed, with an emphasis on operator-based relocation techniques. A qualitative analysis conducted on operator-based relocation systems provides insights on the key issues involved and their influences over each other. On the basis of this analysis, a time-stepping simulation model is developed, and three performance indicators are proposed to evaluate the effectiveness of the different relocation techniques. The model has been validated by using commercially operational data from a local shared-use vehicle company. With the existing operational data as the base scenario, two proposed relocation techniques, namely, shortest time and inventory balancing techniques, and various operating parameters are studied. The simulation results have shown that if the inventory balancing relocation technique is used, the system can afford a 10% reduction in car park lots and 25% reduction in staff strength, generating cost savings of approximately 12.8% without lowering the level of service for users.
Regularized tone mapping using edge preserving filters (2015)

Tone mapping is the process of compressing the dynamic range of a scene to make it compatible with displays with limited dynamic range. In this paper, we present a new approach for tone mapping of high dynamic range (HDR) images using edge-preserving filter. We pose it as a variational problem and derive an optimal solution. We compare the results with some of the existing tone mapping algorithms and show that our algorithm compresses the high dynamic range better while preserving the details and avoiding common artefacts. We use an online dynamic range independent metric for analysing the results by the proposed and existing operators and to detect the deviation from the reference HDR image.
β- and γ-cytoplasmic actins display distinct distribution and functional diversity (2009)

Using newly generated monoclonal antibodies, we have compared the distribution of beta- and gamma-cytoplasmic actin in fibroblastic and epithelial cells, in which they play crucial roles during various key cellular processes. Whereas beta-actin is preferentially localized in stress fibers, circular bundles and at cell-cell contacts, suggesting a role in cell attachment and contraction, gamma-actin displays a more versatile organization, according to cell activities. In moving cells, gamma-actin is mainly organized as a meshwork in cortical and lamellipodial structures, suggesting a role in cell motility; in stationary cells, gamma-actin is also recruited into stress fibers. beta-actin-depleted cells become highly spread, display broad protrusions and reduce their stress-fiber content; by contrast, gamma-actin-depleted cells acquire a contractile phenotype with thick actin bundles and shrinked lamellar and lamellipodial structures. Moreover, beta- and gamma-actin depleted fibroblasts exhibit distinct changes in motility compared with their controls, suggesting a specific role for each isoform in cell locomotion. Our results reveal new aspects of beta- and gamma-actin organization that support their functional diversity.
Entropy-constrained scalar quantization and minimum entropy with error bound by discrete wavelet transforms in image compression (2000)

The global maximum of an entropy function with different decision levels for a three-level scalar quantizer performed after a discrete wavelet transform was derived. Herein, we considered the case of entropy-constrained scalar quantization capable of avoiding many compression ratio reductions as the mean squared error was minimized. We also dealt with the problem of minimum entropy with an error bound, which was referred to as the rate distortion function. For generalized Gaussian distributed input signals, the Shannon bound would decrease monotonically when the parameter of distribution /spl gamma/ was to leave from 2. That is Gaussian distributions would contain the highest Shannon bound among the generalized Gaussian distributions. Additionally, we proposed two numerical approaches of the secant and false position methods implemented in real cases to solve the problems of entropy-constrained scalar quantization and minimum entropy with an error bound. The convergence condition of the secant method was also addressed.
Introduction to Surface Hardening of Steels (2013)

Abstract Surface hardening improves the wear resistance of steel parts. This article focuses exclusively on the methods that involve surface and subsurface modification without any intentional buildup or increase in part dimensions. These include diffusion methods, such as carburizing, nitriding, carbonitriding, and austenitic and ferritic nitrocarburizing, as well as selective-hardening methods, such as laser transformation hardening, electron beam hardening, ion implantation, selective carburizing, and surface hardening with arc lamps. The article also discusses the factors affecting the choice of these surface-hardening methods.
Meclozine Facilitates Proliferation and Differentiation of Chondrocytes by Attenuating Abnormally Activated FGFR3 Signaling in Achondroplasia (2013)

Achondroplasia (ACH) is one of the most common skeletal dysplasias with short stature caused by gain-of-function mutations in FGFR3 encoding the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3. We used the drug repositioning strategy to identify an FDA-approved drug that suppresses abnormally activated FGFR3 signaling in ACH. We found that meclozine, an anti-histamine drug that has long been used for motion sickness, facilitates chondrocyte proliferation and mitigates loss of extracellular matrix in FGF2-treated rat chondrosarcoma (RCS) cells. Meclozine also ameliorated abnormally suppressed proliferation of human chondrosarcoma (HCS-2/8) cells that were infected with lentivirus expressing constitutively active mutants of FGFR3-K650E causing thanatophoric dysplasia, FGFR3-K650M causing SADDAN, and FGFR3-G380R causing ACH. Similarly, meclozine alleviated abnormally suppressed differentiation of ATDC5 chondrogenic cells expressing FGFR3-K650E and -G380R in micromass culture. We also confirmed that meclozine alleviates FGF2-mediated longitudinal growth inhibition of embryonic tibia in bone explant culture. Interestingly, meclozine enhanced growth of embryonic tibia in explant culture even in the absence of FGF2 treatment. Analyses of intracellular FGFR3 signaling disclosed that meclozine downregulates phosphorylation of ERK but not of MEK in FGF2-treated RCS cells. Similarly, meclozine enhanced proliferation of RCS cells expressing constitutively active mutants of MEK and RAF but not of ERK, which suggests that meclozine downregulates the FGFR3 signaling by possibly attenuating ERK phosphorylation. We used the C-natriuretic peptide (CNP) as a potent inhibitor of the FGFR3 signaling throughout our experiments, and found that meclozine was as efficient as CNP in attenuating the abnormal FGFR3 signaling. We propose that meclozine is a potential therapeutic agent for treating ACH and other FGFR3-related skeletal dysplasias.
Activating FLT3 mutations in CD117/KIT+ T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemias (2004)

Activating FLT3 mutations are the most common genetic aberrations in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), resulting in the constitutive activation of this receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), but such mutations are rarely found in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Here we describe a unique subset of de novo adult T-cell ALL (T-ALL) cases that coexpress CD117/KIT and cytoplasmic CD3 (CD117/KIT(+) ALL). Activating mutations in the FLT3 RTK gene were found in each of 3 CD117/KIT(+) cases that were analyzed, but not in 52 other adult T-ALL samples from the same series that lacked CD117/KIT expression. Our results indicate the need for clinical trials to test the efficacy of drugs that inhibit the FLT3 RTK in this subset of patients with T-ALL.
A time-domain analysis of multiple periodic signals (2000)

Periodic signal analysis is important in many areas such as communications systems, bio-medicine, sonar and radar. Many modelling schemes are used in this analysis and for a real system a period estimation technique must be able to estimate either single or multiple periodicities from sensor data. This estimation process may be constrained by the fact that the periods, periodic waveforms and number of periodicities present are unknown a-priori. It is also reasonable to assume that the sampling rate will not be synchronised to the replication rate of any of the periodic waveforms and that the period and shape of the periodic components will vary with time. We propose a time-domain estimator, for such a scenario. Our time domain estimator is based on a modified incremental multi-parameter (IMP) algorithm. It is able to detect and track several periodic components in a single time series. Two aspects of our method are discussed: (a) a detection and acquisition stage that includes a novel track-before-detect method, to estimate the period and amplitude profile (state variables) of each detected periodic component and (b) a recursive mode for updating the state variables in a real-time practical situation. (10 pages)
Chaotic cryptology (1995)

Abstract A method to transfer secret information using chaotic dynamical systems is proposed. It is based on modulating a chaotic system with the message such that its time evolution contains the hidden information. Decryption of the cipher is achieved by chaos control. Operation of the scheme is demonstrated by en‐ and decoding a short german text.
Hierarchical grid transformation for image warping in the analysis of two-dimensional electrophoresis gels (2002)

Two-dimensional electrophoresis is a widely used method for separating a large number of proteins from complex protein mixtures and for revealing differential patterns of protein expressions. In the computer-assisted proteome research, the comparison of protein separation profiles involves several heuristic steps, ranging from protein spot detection to matching of unknown spots. An important prerequisite for efficient protein spot matching is the image warping step, where the geometric relationship between the gel profiles is modeled on the basis of a given set of known corresponding spots, so-called landmarks, and the locations of unknown spots are predicted using the optimized model. Traditionally, polynomial functions together with least squares optimization has been used, even though this approach is known to be incapable of modeling all the complex distortions inherent in electrophoretic data. To satisfy the need of more flexible gel distortion correction, a hierarchical grid transformation method with stochastic optimization is presented. The method provides an adaptive multiresolution model between the gels, and good correction performance in the practical cross-validation tests suggests that automatic warping of gel images could be based on this approach. We believe that the proposed model also has significance in the ultimate comparison of corresponding protein spots since the matching process should benefit from the closeness of the true spot pairs.
The Leidenfrost phenomenon (1978)

The paper describes four demonstrations, suitable for a large lecture hall, of the Leidenfrost phenomenon. The demonstrations show the floating of liquid drops on their own vapor above a hot surface, the delayed quenching of red-hot brass by water, the explosion of vessels containing suspended liquid droplets, and the momentary incombustibility of living tissue immersed in boiling oil. The paper also contains some history of the study of phenomenon, and suggests that it should, in fairness to Boerhaave’s prior description, be renamed the Boerhaave-Leidenfrost phenomenon.
pre-miRNA profiles obtained through application of locked nucleic acids and deep sequencing reveals complex 5′/3′ arm variation including concomitant cleavage and polyuridylation patterns (2011)

Recent research hints at an underappreciated complexity in pre-miRNA processing and regulation. Global profiling of pre-miRNA and its potential to increase understanding of the pre-miRNA landscape is impeded by overlap with highly expressed classes of other non coding (nc) RNA. Here, we present a data set excluding these RNA before sequencing through locked nucleic acids (LNA), greatly increasing pre-miRNA sequence counts with no discernable effect on pre-miRNA or mature miRNA sequencing. Analysis of profiles generated in total, nuclear and cytoplasmic cell fractions reveals that pre-miRNAs are subject to a wide range of regulatory processes involving loci-specific 3 0 -and 5 0 -end variation entailing complex cleavage patterns with co-occurring polyuridylation. Additionally, examination of nuclear-enriched flanking sequences of pre-miRNA, particularly those derived from polycistronic miRNA transcripts, provides insight into miRNA and miRNA-offset (moRNA) production, specifically identifying novel classes of RNA potentially functioning as moRNA precursors. Our findings point to particularly intricate regulation of the let-7 family in many ways reminiscent of DICER1-independent, pre-mir-451-like processing, introduce novel and unify known forms of pre-miRNA regulation and processing, and shed new light on overlooked products of miRNA processing pathways.
Apparent association constants of tRNAs for the ribosomal A, P, and E sites. (1992)

Association constants for tRNA binding to poly(U) programmed ribosomes were assessed under standardized conditions with a single preparation of ribosomes, tRNAs, and elongation factors, respectively, at 15 and 10 mM Mg2+. Association constants were determined by Scatchard plot analysis (the constants are given in units of [10(7)/M] measured at 15 mM Mg2+): the ternary complex Phe-tRNA.elongation factor EF-Tu.GTP (12 +/- 3), Phe-tRNA (1 +/- 0.4), AcPhe-tRNA (0.7 +/- 0.3), and deacylated tRNA(Phe) (0.4 +/- 0.15) bind with decreasing affinity to the A site of poly(U)-programmed ribosomes. tRNA(Phe) (7.2 +/- 0.8) binds to the P site with higher affinity than AcPhe-tRNA (3.7 +/- 1.3). The affinity of the E site for deacylated tRNA(Phe) (1 +/- 0.2) is about the same as that of the A site for AcPhe-tRNA (0.7 +/- 0.3). At lower Mg2+ concentrations the affinity of the E site ligand becomes stronger relative to the affinities of the A site ligands. Phe-tRNA and ternary complexes can occupy the A site at 0 degrees C in the presence of poly(U) even if the P site is free, whereas, as already known, deacylated tRNA or AcPhe-tRNA bind first to the P site of programmed ribosomes. Hill plot analyses of the binding data confirm an allosteric linkage between A and E sites in the sense of a negative cooperativity.
Metastasis-associated Mts1 (S100A4) Protein Modulates Protein Kinase C Phosphorylation of the Heavy Chain of Nonmuscle Myosin (1998)

Mts1 protein (S100A4 according to a new classification) has been implicated in the formation of the metastatic phenotype via regulation of cell motility and invasiveness. Previously we have demonstrated that Mts1 protein interacted with the heavy chain of nonmuscle myosin in a calcium-dependent manner. To elucidate the role of the Mts1-myosin interaction, we mapped the Mts1-binding region on the myosin heavy chain molecule. We prepared proteolytically digested platelet myosin and a series of overlapped myosin heavy chain protein fragments and used them in a blot overlay with Mts1 protein. Here we report that the Mts1-binding site is located within a 29-amino acid region, at the C-terminal end of the myosin heavy chain (between 1909-1937 amino acids). Two-dimensional phosphopeptide analysis showed that Mts1 protein inhibits protein kinase C phosphorylation of the platelet myosin heavy chain at Ser-1917. We hypothesize that Mts1 protein regulates cytoskeletal dynamics of the metastatic cells through modulation of the myosin phosphorylation by protein kinase C in calcium-dependent fashion.
A design technique for nonuniform quantizer in PCM generation (1982)

This paper is devoted to the use of nonuniform quantizer in order to reduce quantization noise in Communication Systems. The quantizer is designed to minimize the Mean Square quantizing Error (MSE) for a given probability density of the signal distribution. The addition of a suitable nonlinear reference waveform to the constant slope staircase function introduces the desired nonlinearity in quantizer characteristic. In the receiver also, similar process is used to decode the signal. The parameters which characterize the reference waveform are optimized to achieve the minimum MSE. Such a quantizer can profitably be used for Laplacian, Gamma, and Gaussian signals. The improvement of the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is shown to be considerably better than that of is law quantizer. The performance for a Laplacian distribution is investigated in detail to highlight the utility of the nonuniform quantizer.
Advanced photonic biosensors for point-of-care diagnostics (2011)

The application of portable, easy-to-use and highly sensitive biosensor devices for real-time diagnosis could offer significant advantages over current analytical methods. Silicon photonic biosensors based on evanescent wave detection have revealed themselves as the most promise candidates for achieving truly point-of-care devices. Advantages as miniaturization, extreme sensitivity, robustness, reliability, potential for multiplexing and mass production at low cost can be offered. We present our work towards the assembly of a point-of-care device by using integrated silicon interferometers sensors, polymer microfluidics and diffractive grating couplers for light in-coupling. The micro/nanointerferometric devices have shown sensitivity close to 10-7 in refractive index units, which means an ability to discern, in a label-free scheme, concentrations of biological molecules at pM level.
Evolutionary Relationship and Structural Characterization of the EPF/EPFL Gene Family (2013)

EPF1-EPF2 and EPFL9/Stomagen act antagonistically in regulating leaf stomatal density. The aim of this study was to elucidate the evolutionary functional divergence of EPF/EPFL family genes. Phylogenetic analyses showed that AtEPFL9/Stomagen-like genes are conserved only in vascular plants and are closely related to AtEPF1/EPF2-like genes. Modeling showed that EPF/EPFL peptides share a common 3D structure that is constituted of a scaffold and loop. Molecular dynamics simulation suggested that AtEPF1/EPF2-like peptides form an additional disulfide bond in their loop regions and show greater flexibility in these regions than AtEPFL9/Stomagen-like peptides. This study uncovered the evolutionary relationship and the conformational divergence of proteins encoded by the EPF/EPFL family genes.
Response of Lactating Dairy Cows to a Cellulase and Xylanase Enzyme Mixture Applied to Forages at the Time of Feeding (1999)

Fifty Holstein cows (20 primiparous and 30 multiparous) were used in an experiment to evaluate the dose response to a direct-fed cellulase and xylanase enzyme mixture applied to the forage portion (60% corn silage and 40% alfalfa hay) of a total mixed ration just prior to feeding. Cows were fed one of five treatment diets for 12 wk. Diets 1 through 4 were 55% forage: 45% concentrate and consisted of an untreated control and the control diet plus 0.7, 1.0, or 1.5 L of enzyme concentrate/tonne of forage dry matter, respectively. Diet 5 was an untreated 45% forage: 55% concentrate diet. Actual production of milk increased as much as 10.8% relative to the control diet with 1.5 L of enzyme, and production of fat and protein increased as much as 20 and 13%, respectively. The lowest concentration of enzyme treatment (0.7 L/tonne) accounted for approximately one-half of the production increases. The responses to enzyme-treated forages occurred 2 to 4 wk after the cows started to consume the treated forages, and the same responses were maintained throughout the remainder of the experiment. Cows that started to receive enzyme-treated forage during the first 100 d postpartum produced 9 to 15% more milk and 16 to 23% more energy-corrected milk than did cows fed the control diet. However, production was not increased when cows were in midlactation at the start of the experiment. Responses to enzyme-treated forages fed in 55: 45 forage to concentrate rations were similar to the response to increased proportions of concentrates fed with untreated forages at the 45:55 forage to concentrate ratio.
The filter cache: a run-time cache management approach (1999)

This work presents a new hardware cache management approach for improving the cache hit ratio and reducing the bus traffic. Increasing the L1 cache hit ratio is a crucial aspect of obtaining good performance with the current processors. The proposed approach also increases the overall (L1 plus L2) cache hit ratio, especially in multiprocessor systems, where the bus latencies are low. This work focuses in multiprocessor systems where a forth kind of miss (the coherence miss) and the bus utilization problem appear; however, the model can also be applied to uniprocessor systems. Our organization increases the overall cache hit ratio and thus reduces the bus utilization. The proposed model introduces two independent L1 caches with different organizations placed in parallel. Each cache block has attached to it a small counter for storing the reuse related information. The proposed microarchitecture not only reduces the bus traffic and speeds up better than the conventional organization, but it also saves die area. The performance (versus conventional cache organizations) increases as the number of processors increases.
User needs and design guidelines for mobile services for sharing digital life memories (2008)

Digital media content can contain items that are very personal and valuable for their owner. Such items can form life memories, such as media collages from happy events or recordings of the first steps of one's children. Memories can be evoked and created "anytime, anyplace", and thus mobility is a key factor in managing them. Even though related systems for sharing photographs exist, users' needs for managing personal content have not been investigated specifically from the viewpoint of life memories. This paper describes our empirical research on users' needs for sharing the digital representations of their life memories. As the main contribution, we present design guidelines for services for sharing digital life memories. Furthermore, we present a mobile service prototype which was designed based on the guidelines. Our research shows that the creation, sharing, managing and viewing of digital life memories is highly based on meaningful real-life events.