gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Acoustic distortion in the ear canal. I. Cubic difference tones: Effects of acute noise injury (1986)

Acoustic emissions in the form of cubic difference tones (CDT's), 2f1-f2, were measured in the ear canals of gerbils and cats. The state of the cochlea was manipulated by means of acute exposure to noise and was monitored with the aid of the whole-nerve response to tone pips. The resulting shifts in the levels of emissions generated by pairs of primary tones of equal intensity were then compared to the corresponding threshold shifts of the whole-nerve response across frequency. Data obtained from normal ears before injury indicate that the absolute thresholds of the whole-nerve responses across frequency are not necessarily good predictors of the absolute levels of CDT emissions generated by 70- and 80-dB SPL primaries. While high emission levels were often linked to low whole-nerve thresholds in pre-exposed ears, instances of animals with sensitive whole-nerve thresholds coupled with very weak emissions were also found. Conversely, animals with poor whole-nerve thresholds (shifted by up to 30 dB) could occasionally have high levels of emissions. After acute noise injury, however, the shifts of emission levels as a function of the center frequency of the primary-tone pair largely corresponded to the threshold shifts seen in the whole-nerve response. In other words, the temporary level shift of an acoustic emission largely reflected the acute change to a specific cochlear region associated with the primary frequencies.
<i>DOK7</i> gene therapy benefits mouse models of diseases characterized by defects in the neuromuscular junction (2014)

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is the synapse between a motor neuron and skeletal muscle. Defects in NMJ transmission cause muscle weakness, termed myasthenia. The muscle protein Dok-7 is essential for activation of the receptor kinase MuSK, which governs NMJ formation, and DOK7 mutations underlie familial limb-girdle myasthenia (DOK7 myasthenia), a neuromuscular disease characterized by small NMJs. Here, we show in a mouse model of DOK7 myasthenia that therapeutic administration of an adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector encoding the human DOK7 gene resulted in an enlargement of NMJs and substantial increases in muscle strength and life span. When applied to model mice of another neuromuscular disorder, autosomal dominant Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy, DOK7 gene therapy likewise resulted in enlargement of NMJs as well as positive effects on motor activity and life span. These results suggest that therapies aimed at enlarging the NMJ may be useful for a range of neuromuscular disorders.
Structural neuroimaging in Alzheimer's disease: do white matter hyperintensities matter? (2009)

The targeted brain dysfunction that accompanies aging can have a devastating effect on cognitive and intellectual abilities. A significant proportion of older adults experience precipitous cognitive decline that negatively impacts functional activities. Such individuals meet clinical diagnostic criteria for dementia, which is commonly attributed to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Structural neuroimaging, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), has contributed significantly to our understanding of the morphological and pathology-related changes that may underlie normal and disease-associated cognitive change in aging. White matter hyperintensities (WMH), which are distributed patches of increased hyperintense signal on T2-weighted MRI, are among the most common structural neuroimaging findings in older adults. In recent years, WMH have emerged as robust radiological correlates of cognitive decline. Studies suggest that WMH distributed in anterior brain regions are related to decline in executive abilities that is typical of normal aging, whereas WMH distributed in more posterior brain regions are common in AD. Although epidemiological, observational, and pathological studies suggest that WMH may be ischemic in origin and caused by consistent or variable hypoperfusion, there is emerging evidence that they may also reflect vascular deposition of beta-amyloid, particularly when they are distributed in posterior areas and are present in patients with AD. Findings from the literature highlight the potential contribution of small-vessel cerebrovascular disease to the pathogenesis of AD, and suggest a mechanistic interaction, but future longitudinal studies using multiple imaging modalities are required to fully understand the complex role of WMH in AD.
Induced and Spontaneous Mutations at Ser202 of Carboxypeptidase E (1996)

Carboxypeptidase E (CPE) is involved in peptide processing in the brain and various neuroendocrine tissues. In mice homozygous for the Cpefat mutation, the virtual absence of CPE activity in islets of Langerhans and pituitary was associated with a missense mutation effecting a Ser202 to Pro shift (Naggert, J. K., Fricker, L. D., Varlamov, O., Nishina, P. M., Rouille, Y., Steiner, D. F., Carroll, R. J., Paigen, B. J., and Leiter, E. H. (1995) Nat. Genet. 10, 135-142). To examine the importance of Ser202 in CPE function, several mutations in this position were generated (Pro202, Ala202, Gly202, and Phe202). When the mutant proteins were expressed in a Baculovirus system, both Phe202 and Pro202CPE were enzymatically inactive, were unable to bind to a substrate affinity column, and were not secreted from Sf9 cells. In contrast, Ala202CPE or Gly202CPE exhibited enzymatic properties similar to those of wild-type CPE and were secreted from Sf9 cells. When expressed in AtT-20 cells, a mouse pituitary-derived cell line, CPE with Pro202 and Phe202 were not secreted. Pulse-chase analysis with [35S]Met indicated that Pro202CPE was degraded in AtT-20 cells within several hours. This degradative process was blocked by incubation at 15 degrees C but not by brefeldin A or by lysosomotrophic drugs. Pulse-chase analysis using dispersed pituitary cells from C57BLKS/Lt-Cpefat/Cpefat mutant mice shows similar results; Pro202-CPE produced in these cells was not secreted but rather was degraded within 5 h. Immunofluorescence analysis of epitope-tagged CPE revealed Ser202CPE to be present primarily in secretory vesicles, whereas Pro202CPE was localized to the endoplasmic reticulum and not the secretory vesicle-like structures. These results support the previous finding that Cpefat/Cpefat mice are defective in CPE activity because of the point mutation producing the Ser202 to Pro substitution. Furthermore, these results are consistent with a model that Ser202 is important for the intracellular folding of CPE.
New dimensions in wavelet analysis (1992)

A new class of signal analysis tools that generalizes the popular wavelet and short-time Fourier transforms is introduced. The class allows skews and rotations of the analyzing wavelet in the time-frequency plane, in addition to the time and frequency translations and scalings used by conventional transforms. In addition to providing a unifying framework for studying existing time-frequency representations, the general class provides a systematic method for designing new representations with properties useful for certain types of signals.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">></ETX>
Reward allotment in an event-driven hybrid learning classifier system for online soccer games (2006)

This paper describes our study into the concept of using rewards in a classifier system applied to the acquisition of decision-making algorithms for agents in a soccer game. Our aim is to respond to the changing environment of video gaming that has resulted from the growth of the Internet, and to provide bug-free programs in a short time. We have already proposed a bucket brigade algorithm (a reinforcement learning method for classifiers) and a procedure for choosing what to learn depending on the frequency of events with the aim of facilitating real-time learning while a game is in progress. We have also proposed a hybrid system configuration that combines existing algorithm strategies with a classifier system, and we have reported on the effectiveness of this hybrid system. In this paper, we report on the results of performing reinforcement learning with different reward values assigned to reflect differences in the roles performed by forward, midfielder and defense players, and we describe the results obtained when learning is performed with different combinations of success rewards for various type of play such as dribbling and passing. In 200 matches played against an existing soccer game incorporating an algorithm devised by humans, a better win ratio and better convergence were observed compared with the case where learning was performed with no roles assigned to all of the in-game agents.
Dendritic growth on the die under hermetic high temperature operation (2010)

Electronic units that operate in outdoor environments, such as printed circuit board assemblies (PCBA) in telecom, automotive, industrial, and aerospace applications, can experience a significant amount of humidity exposure over their lifetimes, which might exposes the PCBA to be susceptible to dendritic growth and electrical leakage during operation. However, even in the encapsulated PCBAs operated under high temperature condition, the dendritic growth could still occur and jeopardize the reliability performance of the field operation, which might cause serious financial loss. This study would demonstrate a physics of failure investigation on the electronics component (plastic encapsulated microcircuits) of encapsulated PCBA employed for hermetic high temperature operation. The silver dendritic growth on the die, induced by the excessive silver epoxy die attach material, has been detected and confirmed to be responsible for the current leakage occurring and result in the serious interruption during the field operation.
Cotransfection with adenovirus DNA enhances transcription from linear DNA containing eucaryotic promoters. (1987)

Linear DNAs, containing a copy of the adenovirus serotype 2 (Ad2) inverted terminal repeat sequence at each end, replicate in 293 cells when cotransfected with Ad2 DNA (Hay et al., J. Mol. Biol. 175:493-510, 1984). We have linked either the Ad2 IVa2 promoter (IVa2) or major late promoter (MLP) to the chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene and inserted this DNA into such a plasmid (pARKR) between its two inverted terminal repeats. These recombinant plasmids were linearized and then used to transfect 293 cells in the presence or absence of Ad2 helper DNA. Synthesis of IVa2 and MLP RNAs, and production of chloramphenicol acetyltransferase was increased dramatically when the Ad2 DNA was included. However, unlike the patterns of temporal regulation which are seen during a cycle of virus replication when these genes are contained within the virion, there was no obvious difference in the timing of RNA synthesis from plasmid IVa2 or MLP after cotransfection. When linearized plasmids containing IVa2 and MLP sequences but lacking inverted terminal repeats at their ends (replication deficient plasmids) were used for transfection, an increase in RNA synthesis from IVa2 or MLP was also observed and similarly required cotransfection with Ad2 DNA. When HeLa cells, which do not constitutively express the adenovirus E1a gene, were cotransfected with linearized plasmids and adenovirus DNA that lacks the E1a region (H5dl312), a stimulation of transcription was also observed, although it was less than the level observed with wild-type DNA. The results of the present study demonstrate that an early gene product(s) besides E1a functions in trans to regulate transcription.
Reduced Expression of the Immediate-Early Protein IE0 Enables Efficient Replication of <i>Autographa californica</i> Multiple Nucleopolyhedrovirus in Poorly Permissive <i>Spodoptera littoralis</i> Cells (2002)

Infection of Spodoptera littoralis SL2 cells with the baculovirus Autographa californica multiple nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) results in apoptosis and low yields of viral progeny, in contrast to infection with S. littoralis nucleopolyhedrovirus (SlNPV). By cotransfecting SL2 cells with AcMNPV genomic DNA and a cosmid library representing the complete SlNPV genome, we were able to rescue AcMNPV replication and to isolate recombinant virus vAcSL2, which replicated efficiently in SL2 cells. Moreover, vAcSL2 showed enhanced infectivity for S. littoralis larvae compared to AcMNPV. The genome of vAcSL2 carried a 519-bp insert fragment that increased the distance between the TATA element and the transcriptional initiation site (CAGT) of immediate-early gene ie0. This finding correlated with low steady-state levels of IE0 and higher steady-state levels of IE1 (the product of the ie1 gene, a major AcMNPV transactivator, and a multifunctional protein) than of IE0. Mutagenesis of the ie0 promoter locus by insertion of the chloramphenical acetyltransferase (cat) gene yielded a new recombinant AcMNPV with replication properties identical to those of vAcSL2. Thus, the analysis indicated that increasing the steady-state levels of IE1 relative to IE0 should enable AcMNPV replication in SL2 cells. This suggestion was confirmed by constructing a recombinant AcMNPV bearing an extra copy of the ie1 gene under the control of the Drosophila hsp70 promoter. These results suggest that IE0 plays a role in the regulation of AcMNPV infection and show, for the first time, that significant improvement in the ability of AcMNPV to replicate in a poorly permissive cell line and organism can be achieved by increasing the expression of the main multiple functional protein, IE1.
Losses in PWM inverters using IGBTs (1994)

The aim of this paper is to calculate the forward and switching losses of a PWM inverter employing IGBTs using a relatively simple method from manufacturers' catalogue parameters, that is, finding a reasonable compromise between accuracy and complexity. The system will be able to calculate losses for different modulation methods, provided the current output is sinusoidal. Part of the results can be used for other devices, such as bipolar transistors or MOSFETs.
A general purpose reconfigurable MEMS-based attenuator for Radio Frequency and microwave applications (2009)

In this paper we present a power attenuator for RF (radiofrequency) and microwave signals entirely designed in MEMS (microelectromechanical-system) technology. It is fabricated in the RF-MEMS technology available at Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) based on a surface micromachining process. The network is realized in a low-cost manufacturing process and its dimensions are significantly compact compared to traditional implementations of RF power attenuators. More interestingly, employment of MEMS technology for such architecture enables a very large reconfigurability, making the network compatible with different standards and usable in several wireless communication systems. Electromechanical and RF behaviour of the discussed network are simulated and compared against experimental results collected by the first fabricated samples. RF measured performances are rather promising in spite a technology issue occurred during the fabrication deteriorating the attenuator low-frequency characteristic. RF modelling of such issue (already fixed in the batches being currently fabricated) is shown and discussed through this paper.
Improved Dual-Luciferase Reporter Assays for Nuclear Receptors (2010)

Nuclear receptors play important roles in many cellular functions through control of gene transcription. It is also a large target class for drug discovery. Luciferase reporter assays are frequently used to study nuclear receptor function because of their wide dynamic range, low endogenous activity, and ease of use. Recent improvements of luciferase genes and vectors have further enhanced their utilities. Here we applied these improvements to two reporter formats for studying nuclear receptors. The first assay contains a Murine Mammary Tumor Virus promoter upstream of a destabilized luciferase. The presence of response elements for nuclear hormone receptor in this promoter allows the studies of endogenous and/or exogenous full length receptors. The second assay contains a ligand binding domain (LBD) of a nuclear receptor fused to the GAL4 DNA binding domain (DBD) on one vector and multiple Gal4 Upstream Activator Sequences (UAS) upstream of luciferase reporter on another vector. We showed that codon optimization of luciferase reporter genes increased expression levels in conjunction with the incorporation of protein destabilizing sequences into luciferase led to a larger assay dynamic range in both formats. The optimum number of UAS to generate the best response was determined. The expression vector for nuclear receptor LBD/GAL4 DBD fusion also constitutively expresses a Renilla luciferase-neo(R) fusion protein, which provides selection capability (G418 resistance, neo(R)) as well as an internal control (Renilla luciferase). This dual-luciferase format allowed detecting compound cytotoxicity or off-target change in expression during drug screening, therefore improved data quality. These luciferase reporter assays provided better research and drug discovery tools for studying the functions of full length nuclear receptors and ligand binding domains.
Dysfunction of mitochondria and oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease: On defects in the cytochrome c oxidase complex and aldehyde detoxification (2006)

The mitochondrion is an organelle that plays a central role in energy production. It, at the same time, generates reactive oxygen species as by-products. Large-scale epidemiological case-control studies suggest the involvements of dihydrolipoamide succinyltransferase (DLST) of the mitochondrial Krebs cycle and mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The DLST gene has two gene-products, one of which, a novel gene product MIRTD, mediates the molecular assembly of the cytochrome c oxidase complex whose defect has been a candidate of the causes of AD. Since levels of MIRTD mRNA in the brains of AD patients were significantly low, a decrease in MIRTD could affect energy production. ALDH2, a matrix enzyme, was found to act as a protector against oxidative stress through oxidizing toxic aldehydes, such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, that are spontaneously produced from lipid peroxides. Hence, a decrease in ALDH2 activity is proposed to contribute to AD. Indeed, transgenic mice with low activity of ALDH2 exhibited an age-dependent neurodegeneration accompanying memory loss. Since amyloid beta peptide has been recently shown to be present in neuronal mitochondria to decline energy production and enhance ROS production, it has become possible to link AD more closely with roles of mitochondria in the pathogenesis.
43 Hemin reconstitutes the growth of an H+ -ATPase negative mutant of Lactococcus lactis (2000)

The H+-ATPase of Lactococcus lactis allows the generation of a proton motive force and the control of the internal pH by utilising ATP. The atp operon encoding the membrane bound H+-ATPase of L. lactis was recently cloned and characterised in our group, and subsequent work produced a strain containing the H+-ATPase operon under the control of an nisin-inducible promoter (NICE-system) [10]. Under non-induced conditions this strain, designated PJ4699, is H+-ATPase-negative. It cannot grow on SA agar plates in the absence of nisin leading to the conclusion that the H+-ATPase is vital for L. lactis [10]. ATP production in this organism is limited to glycolysis due to the lack of oxidative phosphorylation. In medium containing an excess of glucose, this purely catabolic pathway merely generates two moles of ATP per mole of glucose with lactate as the major end product. Finding another means to generate a proton gradient could result in higher biomass due to energy savings from proton transport. It has been reported that the addition of hemin, an iron-protoporphyrin which is a prostethic group of cytochromes, to growth media, reconstituted a cytochromelike NADH oxidase activity in some Streptococci species [1] when cells were grown aerobically. A ∼25% increase in ATP yield on glucose, which was reflected by a higher final biomass, was observed in a Streptococcus faecalis (reclassified to Enterococcus faecalis) strain. The researchers concluded that E. faecalis could benefit from oxidative phosphorylation and demonstrated the existence of cytochromes under aerobic conditions with hemin [1]. This conclusion is supported by a report,
The effects of particulate bone cements at the bone-implant interface (2001)

We used a rat model in vivo to study the effects of particulate bone cements at the bone-implant interface. A ceramic pin was implanted into the tibiae of 48 rats. Three types of particle of clinically relevant size were produced from one bone-cement base without radio-opacifier, with zirconium dioxide (ZrO 2 ) and with barium sulphate (BaSO 4 ). The rats were randomly assigned to four groups to receive one of the three bone cements or normal saline with 2% v/v Sprague-Dawley serum as the control. A total of 10 9 particles was injected into the knee at 8, 10 and 12 weeks after the original surgery. The animals were killed at 14 weeks and the tibiae processed for histomorphometry. The area of fibrous tissue and the gap between the implant and bone were measured using image analysis. All three types of particle were associated with a larger area of bone resorption than the control. Only in the case of the BaSO 4 -containing cement did this reach statistical significance (p = 0.01). Particles of bone cement appear to promote osteolysis at the bone-implant interface and this effect is most marked when BaSO 4 is used as the radiopaque agent.
Growth and Development of Soybean (<i>Glycine max</i> [L.] Merr.) Pods (1975)

The rates of CO(2) exchange and (14)CO(2) incorporation in the light and dark and the activities of several photosynthetic, photorespiratory, and respiratory enzymes of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr. cv. Wye) reproductive structures were determined at weekly intervals from anthesis to pod maturity. At all stages of pod development soybean reproductive structures were found to be incapable of net photosynthesis under the experimental conditions employed, but capable of gross photosynthesis and light-induced (14)CO(2) uptake. Consistent with the lack of net photosynthesis throughout the development of the reproductive structure, the maximum in vitro activity of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase (EC 4.1.1.39) in pod tissue was only 3% of that in leaf extracts when expressed on a fresh weight basis. We concluded that the major role of the reproductive structure of the soybean with respect to photosynthetic carbon metabolism is the reassimilation of its respiratory CO(2).
Measurements of the Equation of State of a Two-Dimensional Gas near Its Critical Point (1974)

We have experimentally determined the equation of state of a two-dimensional "gas" of pentadecylic-acid molecules moving on the surface of water. Our data provide conclusive evidence for the occurrence of a phase transition in this two-dimensional system, similar to the liquid-vapor transition displayed by three-dimensional pure fluids. We have demonstrated the existence of a critical point, determined the shape of the coexistence curve, and observed an increase in the isothermal compressibility near the critical point.