gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Representation of Touch Location by a Population of Leech Sensory Neurons (1998)

To form accurate representations of the world, sensory systems must accurately encode stimuli in the spike trains of populations of neurons. The nature of such neuronal population codes is beginning to be understood. We characterize the entire sensory system underlying a simple withdrawal reflex in the leech, a bend directed away from the site of a light touch. Our studies show that two different populations of mechanosensory neurons each encode touch information with an accuracy that can more than account for the behavioral output. However, we found that only one of the populations, the P cells, is important for the behavior. The sensory representation of touch location is based on the spike counts in all of the four P cells. Further, fewer than three action potentials in the P cell population, occurring during the first 100 ms of a touch stimulus, may be required to process touch location information to produce the appropriately directed bend.
Human <i>Herpesviridae</i> in acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis in children in Nigeria (1997)

Herpesviruses have been implicated in the pathogenesis of human periodontitis. The present study investigated whether herpesviruses are present in the lesions of acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis. Sixty-two Nigerian children, aged 3-14 years, were studied. Twenty-two children had acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis and were also malnourished, 20 exhibited no acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis but were malnourished and 20 were free of acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis and in a good nutritional state. Polymerase chain reaction methods were used to determine the presence of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV), Epstein-Barr virus type 1 and type 2 (EBV-1, EBV-2), herpes simplex virus (HSV), human herpes virus 6 (HHV-6), human papilloma virus and human immunodeficiency virus type 1 in crevicular fluid specimens collected by paper points. Of the 22 acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis patients, 15 (68%) revealed viral infection and 8 (36%) viral coinfection. Thirteen (59%) acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis patients demonstrated HCMV, 6 (27%) EBV-1, 5 (23%) HSV and 1 (5%) HHV-6. Only 2 (10%) subjects from each group not affected by acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis showed viral presence, and no control subject revealed viral coinfection. These findings suggest that HCMV and possibly other herpesviruses contribute to the onset and/or progression of acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis in malnourished Nigerian children.
Helping the Web help the disabled (1999)

The World Wide Web's two chief problems for the disabled are poor page design and browsers that do not work well with adaptive equipment. Consequently, lists of do's and don'ts have been compiled to steer the page designer in applying adaptive technology. A selection of such guidelines is given. For most people today, getting to the Web means using some kind of computer. While a system that is useful to the disabled only when they are on the Web can certainly be set up, a more practical approach is to have a computer that is "disabled-friendly" both on and off the Internet. Such a computer can then be used not only for Web surfing, but also for e-mail, word processing, database management, spreadsheets, and all the other sorts of tasks for which the nondisabled use computers. Thus the first thing to examine is how the computer industry is serving the needs of the disability community. Some of the adaptive technology available for disabled people are discussed including improved computer displays, screen readers, Braille displays, voice input systems and browser developments.
Predicting Margin of Victory in NFL Games: Machine Learning vs. the Las Vegas Line (2010)

In this study we describe efforts to use machine learning to out-perform the expert Las Vegas line-makers at predicting the outcome of NFL football games. The statistical model we employ for inference is the Gaussian process, a powerful tool for supervised learning applications. With predictions for the margin of victory and associated confidence intervals from the Gaussian process model, we propose a simple framework which recommends a bet on a given game when it is deemed statistically favorable. The training dataset we consider in this study includes a wide variety of offensive and defensive NFL statistics from about 2,000 games between 2000 and 2009. We also explore the impact of including additional novel features previously unstudied: the temperature difference between competing team’s cities and a team’s computed strength according to [10]. We show that our predictions for margin of victory result in an error just 2 % higher than that of the Las Vegas line and that we can successfully pick the game winner over 64 % of the time. The bet-recommendation scheme we propose is shown to provide a win rate just under 51 % but falls short of the mark of 52.4 % needed to break even in the NFL gambling system. 1
Mercury cycling in a flooded rice paddy (2012)

In 2008 and 2009, mercury (Hg) cycling was investigated in a flooded rice paddy in the Wanshan Hg mining region of eastern Guizhou, China, in the rice‐planted (2008 and 2009) and fallow (2009) sections of the same paddy. In the rice‐planted section, pore water was more acidic and pore water methylmercury (MeHg) concentrations were higher compared to the fallow section. However, iron (Fe) and sulfur (S) cycling differed in 2008 and 2009, with higher sediment Fe concentrations in 2009, when pore water MeHg and sulfate concentrations were more strongly correlated in the rice‐planted section. We explored whether elevated sediment Fe contributed to S cycling and hence, Hg(II)‐methylation. Critical pH values for formation of FeS (s) were estimated. Based on pore water pH collected in both sections of the paddy, the fallow section was more often a sink for FeS (s) , while FeS (s) did not form in the rice‐planted section, although sulfide concentrations were low in both sections in both years (i.e.,<10 μ M). We hypothesized Fe(III) oxidized sulfide, and intermediate S species (e.g., polysulfides) were further oxidized to sulfate instead of forming FeS (s) , thus prolonging sulfate reduction and promoting Hg(II)‐methylation in the rice‐planted section in 2009. Results suggested Fe(III) reduction increased electron acceptors for sulfate‐reducing bacteria, which indirectly enhanced Hg(II)‐methylation. Additionally, highest sediment MeHg concentrations were observed in the fallow section after the paddy was dried and re‐wetted, indicating water‐saving rice cultivation practices (e.g., alternating wetting and drying), may cause MeHg concentrations in paddy soil to spike, which should be further investigated.
Evaluation of Commercial Crosslinked Polyacrylamide Gel Systems for Injection Profile Modification (1988)

ABSTRACT This paper describes a unified testing program to identify the best polymer gel systems for a particular field application. Beaker tests are used to rapidly screen gel systems. Coreflood tests are then employed for the final system selection. Results are presented from a full-scale laboratory evaluation of 15 commercially available polyacrylamide polymers with a Cr(III)-redox crosslinker for profile modification in a thick, multizone reservoir. Beaker tests showed that low levels of polymer hydrolysis were required to produce consistent gels at reservoir conditions. In addition, the pH of the gel solution in the buffered field brine had a large effect on the gel properties. Allied Cglloids Alcoflood ®935L and American Cyanamid Cyanagel ®150 were selected for further evaluation in coreflood tests. Either polymer gel maintained a permeability reduction of at least 97 percent after 50 days of static aging at reservoir conditions. The stability of an Alcoflood 935L gel was evaluated during continuous injection and with exposure to near wellbore pressure gradients.
All-optical AND gate operating on 10 Gbit/s signalsat the samewavelength using four-wave mixing in a semiconductor laser amplifier (1995)

Bit error ratio measurements on a new optical AND gate using four-wave mixing in a semiconductor laser amplifier and operating on degenerate wavelength input signals are presented. Operation on two 10 Gbit/s data streams with BER < 10-10 shows the potential for using the device in high bit rate optical networks.
Isolation and characterization of debris in membranes around total joint prostheses. (1994)

Particles of wear debris have been implicated in osteolysis around and aseptic loosening of total joint prostheses, but the number and size distribution of particles present in periprosthetic tissues are unknown. A method of particle assay was developed, consisting of nitric-acid digestion of tissue followed by collection of particles, electronic quantitation, and parallel morphological and chemical characterization. Nitric acid had minimum deleterious effects on control samples of titanium, cobalt-chromium alloy, and polyethylene particles, as determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electronic measurements of the sizes of the particles. Acid digestion of twelve control samples of tissue, including tissue rich in hemosiderin, resulted in particle counts that were no higher than that in the digestion solution background. Other digestion preparations, including hydrochloric acid and sodium hypophosphate, were not as effective as nitric acid. With the low size limit of detection of approximately 0.58 micrometer, particle analysis of tissue adjacent to twenty retrieved total joint implants indicated a range of concentration of 0.85 to 141.85 x 10(9) particles per gram of tissue (dry weight). Although a few particles of more than 100 micrometers were detected, the mode of particle diameter from each sample ranged from the lower limit of detection (approximately 0.58 micrometer) to 0.79 micrometer. The findings of morphological studies and x-ray spectroscopy of isolated particles corresponded with those of light microscopy of the fibrous membranes. These data indicate that most of the particles in implant membranes are smaller than the resolution of the light microscope and that tissue digestion is necessary for quantitation and characterization.
Expression of CD34 in hematopoietic cancer cell lines reflects tightly regulated stem/progenitor‐like state (2011)

Hematopoietic cancer stem cells preserve cellular hierarchy in a manner similar to normal stem cells, yet the underlying regulatory mechanisms are poorly understood. It is known that both normal and malignant stem/progenitor cells express CD34. Here, we demonstrate that several cell lines (HL-60, U266) derived from hematopoietic malignancies contain not only CD34(-) but also CD34(+) subpopulations. The CD34(+) cells displayed a stem/progenitor-like phenotype since, in contrast to CD34(-) cells, they frequently underwent cellular division and rapidly formed colonies in methylcellulose-based medium. Strikingly, a constant fraction of the CD34(+) and CD34(-) cell subpopulations, when separated, rapidly switched their phenotype. Consequently, both separated fractions could generate tumors in immunocompromised NOD/LtSz-scid/scid mice. Cultures in vitro showed that the proportion of CD34(+) stem/progenitor-like cells in the population was decreased by cell-cell contact and increased by soluble factors secreted by the cells. Using cytokine arrays, we identified some of these factors, notably thymopoietin that was able to increase the proportion of CD34(+) cells and overall colony-forming capacity in tested cell lines. This action of thymopoietin was conserved in mononuclear cells from bone marrow. Therefore, we propose that hematopoietic cancer cell lines containing subpopulations of CD34(+) cells can provide an in vitro model for studies of cancer stem/progenitor cells.
New pH-Buffered Low Polymer Borate Crosslinked Fluids for Hydraulic Fracturing (1997)

Summary The utilization of low concentrations (15 to 20 lbm/1000 gal) of borate-crosslinked guar has not been successful in the past because of the inability to effectively control the pH and B(OH)−4 concentration of the fluid. Today's new pH buffer technology allows the use of low concentrations of guar at temperatures up to 210°F. These new pH-buffered borate-crosslinked guar fluids can be effectively utilized at temperatures up to 240°F by increasing the polymer loading. Due to the lower achievable polymer loading and relatively low pH, these new pH-buffered borate fluids possess excellent cleanup and retained proppant conductivity. In field documented cases, well cleanup times have been reduced by more than half. Laboratory conductivity tests show that these pH-buffered fluids, utilizing reduced polymer loading, produce retained conductivity values of 10 to 25% (absolute) higher than alternative conventional borate-crosslinked fluids incorporating higher polymer loading.
Towards High‐Throughput Production of Uniformly Encoded Microparticles (2006)

Flow-focusing technology: The straightforward, fast production of microparticles of a controlled size (a few micrometers, see Figure) using the combination of a flow-focusing device and a solvent extraction/evaporation process is shown. This strategy relies on the design of microscale systems that possess a high input energy efficiency.
Electrophoretic resolution <i>versus</i> fluctuations of the lateral dimensions of a capillary (1995)

Because the local electrical resistance is inversely proportional to the local cross-section of a capillary, the intensity of the electric field varies along the migration path if the inner diameter of the capillary is not constant. Therefore, fluctuations of the lateral dimensions of a capillary can directly affect the net elution time as well as the peak width, and, hence the final resolution. In this article, we develop the theoretical framework for the study of such effects. We then examine the simple case where both the mobility and the diffusion coefficient are field-independent; in particular, we demonstrate that resolution can be severely reduced if the inner walls are not flat, and that optimal resolution is always obtained for perfectly flat walls. Generalized to ultrathin gels, our results clearly indicate that both random and systematic variations of the gel thickness can greatly affect the performance of the separation process. Acceptable degrees of flatness are estimated for both geometries. This study thus provides a quantitative understanding of the type of quality control one requires to obtain optimal results with capillaries and ultrathin gels.
Mitophagy or how to control the Jekyll and Hyde embedded in mitochondrial metabolism: implications for melanoma progression and drug resistance (2012)

Proteins and pathways that control cell fate are placed under intense scrutiny. The same tight regulation applies to essential organelles that can both sustain cell survival or promote self-degradation programs. Mitochondria are perhaps the prime example of cellular machineries with split functions (personalities). As a main source of ATP, mitochondria represent the main powerhouse of eukaryotic cells. However, mitochondrial respiration has the hidden complication of the production of potentially harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS). Moreover, mitochondria holds an armamentarium of stress-response factors, which depending on the context, may lead to pro-inflammatory signals, and to various forms of cell death, ranging from apoptosis to necrosis. A main clearance mechanism to eliminate superfluous, damaged or hyperactive mitochondria is selective mitophagy. Mitophagy, in fact, is emerging as a key quality-control mechanism in cancer cells. Specifically, malignant transformation has been found to induce marked changes in mitochondrial dynamics and structure. Moreover, a key hallmark of tumor progression is metabolic reprogramming, which further deregulates ROS content and renders cells more susceptible to mitochondrial perturbations. Despite its increasing relevance in cancer biology, the field of mitophagy remains virtually unexplored in melanoma. However, given unique antioxidant mechanisms in melanocytic cells (e.g., linked to melanin) and the idiosyncratic interplay between ROS and hypoxia (both mitophagy inducers) in melanoma, this tumor type represents an ideal scenario for physiological studies of mitochondrial turnover. This perspective summarizes proof of concept for in-depth basic and translational studies of mitophagy in melanoma. Particular emphasis is dedicated to new opportunities for gene discovery and drug design in this still aggressive disease.
New citric esters with aromatic content and a complex structure considered for use as tribological fluids (2003)

Abstract This paper presents the results of research carried out to produce synthetic ester oils with a mixed structure, based on citric acid, with beneficial tribological properties and potential biodegradability. Two series of unsymmetrical triesters have been synthesised by varying the molar relationship between aliphatic alcohols from C 1 , to C 13 along with an alcohol of a complex alkyl‐aryl structure, namely 2‐[(p‐nonyl)phenoxy]ethanol. The variation of the principal properties as a function of the length of the aliphatic chain introduced by the aliphatic alcohol and the aromatic content introduced by the alkyl‐aryl alcohol has been assessed. The wide range of viscosities of these triesters demonstrates their versatility, and the natural citric acid origin holds potential for their having good ecological characteristics.
Water-Soluble Porous Nanospheres (1998)

Poly[(2-cinnamoylethyl methacrylate)-random-(2-octanoylethyl methacrylate)]-block-poly(acrylic acid) [P(CEMA-r-OEMA)-b-PAA] forms micelles in water with P(CEMA-r-OEMA) as the core and PAA as the shell. POEMA is incorporated into the micellar cores. After PCEMA cross-linking, POEMA is extracted to produce porous water-soluble P(CEMA-r-OEMA)-b-PAA nanospheres. The porous nanospheres sorb a significantly higher amount of perylene from water/acetone and water/acetone/DMSO mixtures than the nonporous P(CEMA-r-OEMA)-b-PAA nanospheres.
High-sensitivity measurements for low-level TRU wastes using advanced passive neutron techniques (1992)

In recent years, both passive- and active-neutron nondestructive assay (NDA) systems have been used to measure the uranium and plutonium content in 200-{ell} drums. Because of the heterogeneity of the wastes, representative sampling is not possible and NDA methods are preferred over destructive analysis. Active-neutron assay systems are used to measure the fissile isotopes such as {sup 235}U, {sup 23}Pu, and {sup 241}Pu; the isotopic ratios are used to infer the total plutonium content and thus the specific disintegration rate. The active systems include 14-MeV-neutron (DT) generators with delayed-neutron counting, (D,T) generators with the differential die-away technique, and {sup 252}Cf delayed-neutron shufflers. Passive assay systems (for example, segmented gamma-ray scanners)5 have used gamma-ray sessions, while others (for example, passive drum counters) used passive-neutron signals. We have developed a new passive-neutron measurement technique to improve the accuracy and sensitivity of the NDA of plutonium scrap and waste. This new 200-{ell}-drum assay system combines the classical NDA method of counting passive-neutron totals and coincidences from plutonium with the new features of add-a-source'' (AS) and multiplicity counting to improve the accuracy of matrix corrections and statistical techniques that improve the low-level detectability limits. This paper describes the improvements we have made in passive-neutronmore » assay systems and compares the accuracies and detectability limits of passive- and active-neutron assay systems.« less
Enzyme-Free Electrochemical Immunosensor Based on Host–Guest Nanonets Catalyzing Amplification for Procalcitonin Detection (2015)

An enzyme-free electrochemical immunosensor based on the host-guest nanonets of N,N-bis(ferrocenoyl)-diaminoethane/β-cyclodextrins/poly(amidoamine) dendrimer-encapsulated Au nanoparticles (Fc-Fc/β-CD/PAMAM-Au) for procalcitonin (PCT) detection has been developed in this study. The signal probe was constructed as follows: amine-terminated β-CD was adsorbed to PAMAM-Au first, and then the prepared Fc-Fc was recognized by the β-CD to form stable host-guest nanonets. Next, secondary antibodies (Ab2) were attached into the formed netlike nanostructure of Fc-Fc/β-CD/PAMAM-Au by chemical absorption between PAMAM-Au and -NH2 of β-CD. Herein, the PAMAM-Au act not only as nanocarriers for anchoring large amounts of the β-CD and Ab2 but also as nanocatalysts to catalyze the oxidation of ascorbic acid (AA) for signal amplification. Moreover, the Fc-Fc could be stably immobilized by the hydrophobic inner cavity of β-CD as well as improving solubility by the hydrophilic exterior of β-CD. With the unique structure of two ferrocene units, Fc-Fc not only affords more electroactive groups to make the electrochemical response more sensitive but also plays a role of combining dispersive β-CD-functionalized PAMAM-Au to form the netlike nanostructure. Furthermore, Fc-Fc exhibits good catalytic activity for AA oxidation. When the detection solution contained AA, the synergetic catalysis of PAMAM-Au and Fc-Fc to AA oxidation could be obtained, realizing enzyme-free signal amplification. The proposed immunosensor provided a linear range from 1.80 pg/mL to 500 ng/mL for PCT detection and a detection limit of 0.36 pg/mL under optimal experimental conditions. Moreover, the immunosensor has shown potential application in clinical detection of PCT.
Machine Learning-assisted Management of a Virtualized Network (2018)

Toward proactive network management, machine learning is expected especially from enhancing fault management and sustaining automated system itself. This paper describes the motives for using machine learning, and provides some proof-of-concept demonstrations.