gebhart/patrepeval huggingface dataset:
Active Contour External Force Using Vector Field Convolution for Image Segmentation (2007)

Snakes, or active contours, have been widely used in image processing applications. Typical roadblocks to consistent performance include limited capture range, noise sensitivity, and poor convergence to concavities. This paper proposes a new external force for active contours, called vector field convolution (VFC), to address these problems. VFC is calculated by convolving the edge map generated from the image with the user-defined vector field kernel. We propose two structures for the magnitude function of the vector field kernel, and we provide an analytical method to estimate the parameter of the magnitude function. Mixed VFC is introduced to alleviate the possible leakage problem caused by choosing inappropriate parameters. We also demonstrate that the standard external force and the gradient vector flow (GVF) external force are special cases of VFC in certain scenarios. Examples and comparisons with GVF are presented in this paper to show the advantages of this innovation, including superior noise robustness, reduced computational cost, and the flexibility of tailoring the force field.
Differences among Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Chorioamnionitis Based on Levels of Inflammation-Associated Proteins in Cord Blood (1998)

The serum concentration of inflammation-associated proteins and several complement components in the cord blood of 215 newborns with and without chorioamnionitis (CAM), who were delivered between 17 and 42 weeks of gestation, were measured. We investigated the relationship of levels of serum proteins to acute, subacute, and chronic CAM, and to subacute necrotizing funisitis (SNF). Complement components C3d, C3, and C4 levels increased in subacute CAM (P = 0. 0002, P = 0.0007, P = 0.0029, respectively), whereas factor B increased in each type of CAM (P = 0.0001, P = 0.0009, P = 0.0004, respectively). Among the immunoglobulins, IgG levels were unrelated to the presence or type of CAM, IgM levels increased in subacute CAM (P < 0.0001), and IgA levels increased in chronic CAM (P < 0.0001). Among the acute phase reactants (APR), haptoglobin and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels increased in acute (P < 0.0001, P = 0.0022, respectively) and chronic CAM (P = 0.0035, P = 0.0345, respectively), whereas orosomucoid levels increased in chronic CAM (P = 0.0003). IL-6 levels increased in acute (P = 0.0011) and subacute (P = 0. 0475) CAM. C3d (P = 0.0063), C3 (P = 0.0289), C4 (P = 0.0491), and IgM (P < 0.0001) levels were increased in SNF. These findings suggest that the histologic distinction of acute, subacute, and chronic CAM is a useful indicator of the inflammatory mediator status of the infants. The infants with SNF may have ended their initial active inflammatory states, but they still have subacute immune activation.
Immunochemical studies of human factor XIII. (1981)

Plasma factor XIII circulates as a noncovalently associated, tetrameric zymogen (a2b2). The b subunit may act as a carrier protein for the a subunit, which possesses the potential catalytic function. In order to define interactions that occur between the two subunits, a sensitive and specific RIA for the b subunit has been developed. Purified plasma factor XIII was incubated with thrombin and chromatographed on organomercurial agarose to separate the subunits. Pure b chain eluted in buffer containing CaCl2. This material was used as the standard b preparation, both for preparing a monospecific antiserum and for establishing the assay. The linear range of the assay is 7 to 700 ng/ml (Ca. 0.1 to 10 nM b subunit), with a minimum detectable dose of l. Data were analyzed by use of the logit-log transformation of antigen-binding curves. The dose-response slope for standard b is -2.76 + or - 0.20, with a potency (ED50) of 74.9 + or - 6.5 ng/ml. This RIA is also valid for determining b subunit concentration of plasma and serum. The dose-response slope for the plasma system is -2.69 + or - 0.20 with an ED50 identical to that of the purified system. By this method the mean b subunit concentration in normal human plasma (corrected for anticoagulant) is 13.8 micro g/ml (ca. 0.15 micro M). The concentration in serum is 13.6 micro g/ml, which shows that b subunit is quantitatively recovered after coagulation has occurred.
Rack-scale Disaggregated Cloud Data Centers: The dReDBox Project Vision (2016)

For quite some time now, computing systems servers, whether low-power or high-end ones designs are created around a common design principle: the main-board and its hardware components form a baseline, monolithic building block that the rest of the hardware/software stack design builds upon. This proportionality of compute/memory/network/storage resources is fixed during design time and remains static throughout machine lifetime, with known ramifications in terms of low system resource utilization, costly upgrade cycles and degraded energy proportionality. dReDBox takes on the challenge of revolutionizing the low-power computing market by breaking server boundaries through materialization of the concept of disaggregation. Besides proposing a highly modular software-defined architecture for the next generation datacentre, dRedBox will specify, design and prototype a novel hardware architecture where SoC-based microservers, memory modules and accelerators, will be placed in separated modular server trays interconnected via a high-speed, low-latency opto-electronic system fabric, and be allocated in arbitrary sets, as driven by fit-for-purpose resource/power management software. These blocks will employ state-of-the-art low-power components and be amenable to deployment in various integration form factors and target scenarios. dRedBox aims to deliver a full-fledged, vertically integrated datacentre-in-a-box prototype to showcase the superiority of disaggregation in terms of scalability, efficiency, reliability, performance and energy reduction which will be demonstrated in three pilot use-cases.
Phosphorus Limitation Enhances Biofilm Formation of the Plant Pathogen <i>Agrobacterium tumefaciens</i> through the PhoR-PhoB Regulatory System (2004)

The plant pathogen Agrobacterium tumefaciens forms architecturally complex biofilms on inert surfaces. Adherence of A. tumefaciens C58 was significantly enhanced under phosphate limitation compared to phosphate-replete conditions, despite slower overall growth under low-phosphate conditions. Replacement of Pi with sn-glycerol-3-phosphate and 2-aminoethylphosphonate yielded similar results. The increase in surface interactions under phosphate limitation was observed in both static culture and continuous-culture flow cells. Statistical analysis of confocal micrographs obtained from the flow cell biofilms revealed that phosphate limitation increased both the overall attached biomass and the surface coverage, whereas the maximum thickness of the biofilm was not affected. Functions encoded on the two large plasmids of A. tumefaciens C58, pTiC58 and pAtC58, were not required for the observed phosphate effect. The phosphate concentration at which increased attachment was observed triggered the phosphate limitation response, controlled in many bacteria by the two-component regulatory system PhoR-PhoB. The A. tumefaciens phoB and phoR orthologues could only be disrupted in the presence of plasmid-borne copies of the genes, suggesting that this regulatory system might be essential. Expression of the A. tumefaciens phoB gene from a tightly regulated inducible promoter, however, correlated with the amount of biofilm under both phosphate-limiting and nonlimiting conditions, demonstrating that components of the Pho regulon influence A. tumefaciens surface interactions.
GPU Accelerated Stochastic Simulation (2011)

Abstract—Through computational methods, biologists are able learn more about molecular biology by building accurate models. These models represent and predict the reactions among species populations within a system. One popular method to develop predictive models is to use a stochastic, Monte Carlo method developed by Gillespie called the stochastic simulation algorithm (SSA). Since this algorithm is based on stochastic principles, large numbers of simulations are needed to provide quality statistical models of the species and their interactions, giving way to long runtimes for large systems. In this paper, we provide an implementation of SSA onto NIVIDA graphics processing units using CUDA to parallelize ensembles of simulations. With this implementation we are able to see up to 41.9x speedup over the best-known serial implementations. Index Terms—Gillespie; SSA; GPU; CUDA; I.
Design of a repeating pneumatic pellet injector for the Joint European Torus (1987)

A three-barrel pneumatic pellet injector has been developed for plasma fueling of the Joint European Torus (JET). The versatile device consists of three independent machine-gun-like mechanisms that operate at cryogenic temperatures (14/sup 0/K to 20/sup 0/K). Individual high speed extruders provide a continuous supply of solid deuterium to each gun assembly, where a reciprocating breech-side cutting mechanism forms and chambers cylindrical pellets from the extrusion; deuterium pellets are then accelerated in the gun barrels with controlled amounts of compressed hydrogen gas (pressures up to 100 bars) to velocities less than or equal to 1.5 km/s. The injector features three nominal pellet sizes (2.7 mm, 4.0 mm, and 6.0 mm) and has been tested at repetition rates of 5 Hz, 2.5 Hz, and 1 Hz, respectively. Each gun is capable of operating (individually or simultaneously) at the design repetition rate for 15-second duration pulses (limited only by the capacity of the extruder feed system). A remote, stand-alone control and data acquisition system is used for injector operation. 7 refs.
Functional Clustering of Neurons in Motor Cortex Determined by Cellular Resolution Imaging in Awake Behaving Mice (2009)

Macroscopic (millimeter scale) functional clustering is a hallmark characteristic of motor cortex spatial organization in awake behaving mammals; however, almost no information is known about the functional micro-organization (approximately 100 microm scale). Here, we optically recorded intracellular calcium transients of layer 2/3 neurons with cellular resolution over approximately 200-microm-diameter fields in the forelimb motor cortex of mobile, head-restrained mice during two distinct movements (running and grooming). We showed that the temporal correlation between neurons was statistically larger the closer the neurons were to each other. We further explored this correlation by using two separate methods to spatially segment the neurons within each imaging field: K-means clustering and correlations between single neuron activity and mouse movements. The two methods segmented the neurons similarly and led to the conclusion that the origin of the inverse relationship between correlation and distance seen statistically was twofold: clusters of highly temporally correlated neurons were often spatially distinct from one another, and (even when the clusters were spatially intermingled) within the clusters, the more correlated the neurons were to each other, the shorter the distance between them. Our results represent a direct observation of functional clustering within the microcircuitry of the awake mouse motor cortex.
Enhancement of exchange bias in Mn–Ir/Co–Fe based spin valves with an ultrathin Cu underlayer and <i>in situ</i> Mn–Ir surface modification (2001)

Enhancement of exchange bias induced at the interface of the antiferromagnetic (AF)/ferromagnetic (F) layers was studied using the bottom “spin-valve films” (SVs) with the Mn–Ir/Co–Fe exchange coupled films. Exchange bias increased using an ultrathin Cu underlayer. Meanwhile, both exchange bias field, Hex, and blocking temperature, TB, increased intensively by heating specimens after depositing Mn–Ir film in a high vacuum. These two enhancement effects worked in an additive. As a result, an unidirectional anisotropy constant, JK, of 0.39 erg/cm2 (Hex of 1.3 kOe) and TB of ∼325 °C were obtained for the bottom SVs with a total thickness of 233 Å including an AF layer of 68 Å Mn74Ir26 and a pinned layer of 20 Å Co90Fe10, where the SVs were field annealed at 320 °C. A microstructural analysis using x-ray diffraction revealed that Hex did not depend on the diffraction intensity from Mn–Ir (111) for the SVs with various underlayers, and no remarkable changes occurred in the microstructure of the SVs with the heating treatment in a vacuum. Therefore, the enhancement effects might result from some changes in the microstructure and/or the morphology of the interface of AF/F layers.
GBR 12909 administration as a mouse model of bipolar disorder mania: mimicking quantitative assessment of manic behavior (2009)

Thus, selectively inhibiting the DAT produced a long-lasting cross-strain behavioral profile in mice that was consistent with that observed in manic BD patients. These findings support the use of selective DAT inhibition in animal models of the impaired dopaminergic homeostasis putatively involved in the pathophysiology of BD mania.
Amorphous Compositions Using Concentration Enhancing Polymers for Improved Bioavailability of Itraconazole (2008)

Amorphous engineered particle compositions of itraconazole (ITZ) and potential concentration enhancing polymers, cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP) and polyvinyl acetate phthalate (PVAP), were produced by ultra-rapid freezing to investigate the effect of these polymers on the bioavailability of ITZ solid dispersions. X-ray diffraction analyses of engineered particle compositions were shown to be amorphous. Modulated differential scanning calorimetry demonstrated that ITZ:CAP engineered particle compositions exhibited a strong correlation with the Gordon−Taylor relationship while ITZ:PVAP formulations exhibited positive deviations from predicted values attributed to hydrogen bonding interactions between the drug and polymer. Energy dispersive spectroscopy mapping demonstrated that the drug was homogenously distributed within all compositions, supporting the miscibility of the drug with the polymers. Scanning electron microscopy imaging of the particles demonstrated that the material existed in two general forms, discrete particles of approximately 5 μm and larger aggregates in excess of 30 μm, with engineered particle compositions having approximately 15 times higher measured specific surfaces areas compared to micronized ITZ. In vitro supersaturated dissolution results showed that all compositions provided significantly lower levels of supersaturation in acidic media and greater extents of supersaturation in neutral media compared to Sporanox pellets. ITZ:CAP formulations provided the greatest degree and extent of supersaturation in neutral media. Dissolution data were fitted to an exponential relationship based on a simplified model of particle growth, allowing for the determination of drug half-life in solution for evaluation of stabilization behavior. 1:2 ITZ:CAP showed superior in vitro performance compared to all other engineered particle compositions and was selected for in vivo testing. Although not fully elucidated, data indicated that the stabilization mechanism was due to interactions between the drug and polymer, primarily attributed to steric hindrance resulting from the molecular weight of the polymer chain and chemical composition of the polymer backbone relative to position of hydrogen bonding sites. In vivo testing conducted in Sprague−Dawley rats (n = 6) demonstrated a significant improvement in oral bioavailability from the 1:2 ITZ:CAP (AUC = 4,516 ± 1,949 ng·h/mL) compared to the Sporanox pellets (AUC = 2,132 ± 1,273 ng·h/mL) (p ≤ 0.05). Additionally, the more rapid onset of action indicated superior targeting of the upper small intestines, and the prolonged half-life suggested the utility of CAP to maintain supersaturated concentrations, in vivo. These results demonstrated that amorphous compositions of ITZ and enteric concentration enhancing polymers provided improved bioavailability due to enhanced intestinal targeting and increased durations of supersaturation.
A trans‐outer membrane porin‐cytochrome protein complex for extracellular electron transfer by <scp> <i>G</i> </scp> <i>eobacter sulfurreducens</i>   <scp>PCA</scp> (2014)

The multi-heme, outer membrane c-type cytochrome (c-Cyt) OmcB of Geobacter sulfurreducens was previously proposed to mediate electron transfer across the outer membrane. However, the underlying mechanism has remained uncharacterized. In G. sulfurreducens, the omcB gene is part of two tandem four-gene clusters, each is predicted to encode a transcriptional factor (OrfR/OrfS), a porin-like outer membrane protein (OmbB/OmbC), a periplasmic c-type cytochrome (OmaB/OmaC) and an outer membrane c-Cyt (OmcB/OmcC) respectively. Here, we showed that OmbB/OmbC, OmaB/OmaC and OmcB/OmcC of G. sulfurreducens PCA formed the porin-cytochrome (Pcc) protein complexes, which were involved in transferring electrons across the outer membrane. The isolated Pcc protein complexes reconstituted in proteoliposomes transferred electrons from reduced methyl viologen across the lipid bilayer of liposomes to Fe(III)-citrate and ferrihydrite. The pcc clusters were found in all eight sequenced Geobacter and 11 other bacterial genomes from six different phyla, demonstrating a widespread distribution of Pcc protein complexes in phylogenetically diverse bacteria. Deletion of ombB-omaB-omcB-orfS-ombC-omaC-omcC gene clusters had no impact on the growth of G. sulfurreducens PCA with fumarate but diminished the ability of G. sulfurreducens PCA to reduce Fe(III)-citrate and ferrihydrite. Complementation with the ombB-omaB-omcB gene cluster restored the ability of G. sulfurreducens PCA to reduce Fe(III)-citrate and ferrihydrite.
ChemInform Abstract: SYNTHESIS AND SPECTROMETRIC STUDY OF 2,4,5‐SUBSTITUTED PYRAZOL‐3‐ONE (1980)

Abstract Durch Kondensation des Pyrazolons (I) mit substituierten Benzaldehyden (IIa) oder Zimtaldehyden (IIb) erhält man die Pyrazolonfarbstoffe (III) (10 weitere Beispiele im Original).
Relationships between opioid disposition and their pharmacological effects--an overview. (1991)

The understanding of the metabolic disposition and pharmacokinetics of opioid analgesics and their relationship to therapeutic and adverse effects has been an area of considerable research activity in the past two decades and has provided the beginning of an applied science in this area. Given the experimental nature and complexity of pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationships and the state of the art in this area, the most meaningful therapeutic conclusions and extrapolations remain those based on the results of the most adequate and well-controlled therapeutic evaluations. In contrast, advances in analytical methodology and an understanding of the pharmacokinetics of opioid analgesics in specific patient populations (e.g. severe hepatic cirrhosis, renal failure) have provided clinically useful guidance towards the appropriate precautions for the use of opioid analgesics.
Secoiridoids, Tocopherols, and Antioxidant Activity of Monovarietal Extra Virgin Olive Oils Extracted from Destoned Fruits (2005)

The effect of olive stone removal before processing on the degradation level, secoiridoid and tocopherol contents, and antioxidant activity of monovarietal extra virgin olive oils (EVOOs) was studied. EVOOs were extracted from olives of the Leccino, Moraiolo, Frantoio, Pendolino, Taggiasca, and Colombaia varieties both in the presence and in the absence of the stones. The degradation level of EVOOs was evaluated by acidity, peroxide number, and spectroscopic indices K(232) and K(270), according to EU regulation. The secoiridoid compounds typical of EVOO, namely, the oleuropein and ligstroside derivatives, hydroxytyrosol, tyrosol, and tocopherols were analyzed by HPLC. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by the xanthine oxidase/xanthine system, generating superoxide radical and hydrogen peroxide, and by the 2,2-diphenyl-1-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl)hydrazyl test. Results showed that EVOOs obtained from both stoned and destoned olives had a very low degradation level, which was not affected by destoning. Destoning lowered slightly the alpha-tocopherol content in EVOOs but increased the total secoiridoid content and the antioxidant activity of EVOOs (up to 3.5-fold). However, these effects were variety-dependent and negligible in some conditions. It was concluded that a better knowledge of the reactions occurring during olive processing, and particularly on the involvement of endogenous pulp and stone enzymes, is essential to predict the effect of destoning on EVOO quality.
Review of Jeffrey Stout, Ethics after Babel: the Languages of Moralsand Their Discontents (1989)

Jeffrey Stout is one of the most penetrating and provocative philosophers on the American scene. He also is the leading moral critic of a pragmatic bent concerned with the relations between secular thought and religious traditions as well as the history of modern Western ethics. In his exciting new book, Stout extends his concerns into the terrain of social criticism. Although he still grapples with the challenges of skepticism, relativism, and nihilism to his own sophisticated historicist perspective, it is clear that the élan vital of the text is the role and function of moral discourse in contemporary American society. In my brief response to Stout's fascinating book, I shall highlight what I consider to be the fundamental contribution Stout makes to how we should do our work as cultural critics. This contribution consists of his call for a new mode of social criticism—a mode I shall dub improvisational criticism.
Grain Boundary Characterization of Nanocrystalline Cu from the Stereological Analysis of Transmission Electron Microscope Orientation Maps (2011)

Extended abstract of a paper presented at Microscopy and Microanalysis 2011 in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, August 7–August 11, 2011.
The Afro-alpine Grey Duiker of Kilimanjaro (1975)

the Grey Duiker, Sylvicapra grimmia Linn, was studied in the Afro-alpine zone of Mount Kilimanjaro.Three specimens were collected which are described and compared to Grey Duikers living in other East Africa alpine areas and on nearby lowlands.Data on habitat relationships, density, and distribution are presented along with observations on reproduction, behaviour, and feeding habits.Older records suggested that at least 4 species of small antelope lived on upper Kilimanjaro but evidence collected in this study indicates that only the Grey Duiker is present.This duiker may represent an undescribed race of Sylvicapra grimmia for the following reasons: a) geographical isolation, b) ears more squarely tipped than neighbouring races, c) very short tail compared to other races, and d) very short nasal bone compared to other races.However, additional specimens are needed before a final conclusion is made.The duiker on upper Kilimanjaro is most abundant between 3,300 and 3,800 m in areas that are relatively level, open, and well disected by drainage lines.A density of not less than 1.80 per km2 occurred in a good habitat while an estimated 0.5 per km2 or less occurred in a poor habitat.Succulent shrubs and herbs such as Alchemilla and Ranunculus spp.appear to be the most important foods.Evidence suggested breeding occurs throughout the year and that juvenile mortality was probably very high.
Local immune and microbiological responses to mucosal administration of a Liposome-TLR agonist immunotherapeutic in dogs (2019)

Taken together, these results indicate that LTC administration mucosally to dogs can trigger local innate immune activation and activation of antiviral immunity, without significantly disrupting the composition of the local microbiome. Thus, the LTC immune stimulant has potential for use as a non-specific immunotherapy for prevention or early treatment of viral and bacterial infections in dogs.