Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Generation of Gradients on a Microfluidic Device: Toward a High-Throughput Investigation of Spermatozoa Chemotaxis

Various research tools have been used for in vitro detection of sperm chemotaxis. However, they are typically poor in maintenance of gradient stability, not to mention their low efficiency. Microfluidic device offers a new experimental platform for better control over chemical concentration gradient than traditional ones. In the present study, an easy-handle diffusion-based microfluidic chip was established. This device allowed for conduction of three parallel experiments on the same chip, and improved the performance of sperm chemotaxis research. In such a chip, there were six channels surrounding a hexagonal pool. The channels are connected to the hexagon by microchannels. Firstly, the fluid flow in the system was characterized; secondly, fluorescein solution was used to calibrate gradient profiles formed in the central hexagon; thirdly, sperm behavior was observed under two concentration gradients of progesterone (100 pM and 1 mM, respectively) as a validation of the device. Significant differences in chemotactic parameters were recognized between experimental and control groups (p < 0.05). Compared with control group, sperm motility was greatly enhanced in 1 mM group (p < 0.05), but no significant difference was found in 100 pM group. In conclusion, we proposed a microfluidic device for the study of sperm chemotaxis that was capable of generating multi-channel gradients on a chip and would help reduce experimental errors and save time in experiment.
Does the Milky Way Produce a Nuclear Galactic Wind?

We detect high-velocity absorbing gas using Hubble Space Telescope and Far Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Explorer medium-resolution spectroscopy along two high-latitude active galactic nucleus (AGN) sight lines (Mrk 1383 and PKS 2005-489) above and below the Galactic center (GC). These absorptions are most straightforwardly interpreted as a wind emanating from the GC that does not escape from the Galaxy's gravitational potential. Spectra of four comparison B stars are used to identify and remove foreground velocity components from the absorption-line profiles of O VI, N V, C II, C III, C IV, Si II, Si III, and Si IV. Two high-velocity (HV) absorption components are detected along each AGN sight line, three redshifted and one blueshifted. Assuming that the four HV features trace a large-scale Galactic wind emanating from the GC, the blueshifted absorber is falling toward the GC at a velocity of 250 ± 20 km s-1, which can be explained by "Galactic fountain" material that originated in a bound Galactic wind. The other three absorbers represent outflowing material; the largest derived outflow velocity is +250 ± 20 km s-1, which is only 45% of the velocity necessary for the absorber to escape from its current position in the Galactic gravitational potential. All four HV absorbers are found to reach the same maximum height above the Galactic plane ( = 12 ± 1 kpc), implying that they were all ejected from the GC with the same initial velocity. The derived metallicity limits of ≳10%-20% solar are lower than expected for material recently ejected from the GC unless these absorbers also contain significant amounts of hotter gas in unseen ionization stages.
STELLAR CONTENTS AND GLOBULAR CLUSTER CANDIDATES IN THE SCULPTOR GROUP GALAXY NGC 300

We present UBVI CCD photometry of the stellar contents and globular cluster(GC) candidates in the spiral galaxy NGC 300 in the Sculptor group. Color-magnitude diagrams for 18 OB associations having more than 30 member stars are presented. The slope of the initial mass function for the bright stars in NGC 300 is estimated to be ${\Gamma}
A C-system defined by a universe in a category

This is the third paper in a series started in 1406.7413. In it we construct, in a functorial way, a C-system $CC({\cal C},p)$ starting from a category $\cal C$ together with a morphism $p:\widetilde{U}\rightarrow U$ assuming that $\cal C$ has a final object and pull-backs of $p$.
Genome Size Estimates and Chromosome Numbers of Callicarpa L. (Lamiaceae)

Genome size estimates and chromosome number information can be useful for studying the evolution or taxonomy of a group and also can be useful for plant breeders in predicting cross-compatibility. Callicarpa L. is a group of '140 species with nearly worldwide distribution. There are no estimates of genome size in the literature and the information on chromosome numbers is limited. Genome size estimates based on flow cytometry are reported here for 16 accessions of Callicarpa comprising 14 species in addition to chromosome counts on six species. Chromosome counts were conducted by staining meristematic cells of roots tips using modified carbol fuchsin. Holoploid genome size estimates ranged from 1.34 pg to 3.48 pg with a mean of 1.74 pg. Two tetraploids (2n =4 x = 68; C. salicifolia P'ei & W. Z. Fang and C. macrophylla Vahl GEN09-0081) were identified based on holoploid genome size and confirmed by chromosome counts. There was little variation among species for monoploid genome size. 1Cx-values ranged from0.67pgto0. 88pgwithameanof0.77pg. Chromosomecountsforsixspeciesrevealeda base chromosome number of x = 17. Callicarpa chejuensis Y. H. Chung & H. Kim, C. japonicaThunb. 'Leucocarpa',C. longissimaMerr. ,andC.rubellaLindl. were confirmed as diploids (2n =2 x = 34). Cytology supported flow cytometry data that C. salicifolia and C. macrophylla GEN09-0081 were tetraploids. The two accessions of C. macrophylla included in the study were found to be of different ploidy levels. The presence of two ploidy levels among and within species indicates that polyploidization events have occurred in the genus.
The Effects of Body Acupuncture on Obesity: Anthropometric Parameters, Lipid Profile, and Inflammatory and Immunologic Markers

A randomized controlled clinical trial in 196 obese subjects was performed to examine the effectiveness of body acupuncture on body weight loss, lipid profile and immunogenic and inflammatory markers. Subjects received authentic (cases) or sham (controls) acupuncture for 6 weeks in combination with a low-calorie diet. In the following 6 weeks, they received the low-calorie diet alone. Subjects were assessed at the beginning, 6 and 12 weeks later. Heat shock protein (Hsps)-27, 60, 65, 70 antibody titers and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels were also assessed. A significant reduction in measures of adiposity and improvement in lipid profile were observed in both groups, but the levels of anti-Hsp-antibodies decreased in cases only. A reduction in anthropometric and lipid profile in cases were sustained in the second period, however, only changes in lipid profile were observed in the control group. Anti-Hsp-antibodies and hs-CRP levels continued to be reduced in cases but in controls only the reduction in hs-CRP remained. Changes in anthropometric parameters, lipid profile, and anti-Hsp-antibodies were more evident in cases. Body acupuncture in combination with diet restriction was effective in enhancing weight loss and improving dyslipidemia.
Constrained two‐dimensional cutting stock problems a best‐first branch‐and‐bound algorithm

In this paper we develop a new version of the algortihm proposed in [17] for solving exactly some variants of (un)weighted constrained two-dimensional cutting stock problems. We introduce one-dimensional bounded knapsacks in order to obtain an improved initial lower bound for limitating initially the space search, an improved upper bound at each internal node, a symmetric-strategy for neglecting some unnecessary duplicate patterns, a new data structure of the set representing the best subproblems and we use some characteristics of the BOB-library.
Teacher Learning Within Professional Learning Communities

iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS iv LIST OF TABLES viii LIST OF FIGURES x CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION Statement of the Problem 1 Purpose of the Study 3 Research Questions and Hypotheses 4 Theoretical Underpinnings 5 Assumptions 5 Limitations 6 Delimitations 7 Definition of Terms 8 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction 10 Professional Learning Communities 13 Collaborative Learning and Leadership 21 Experiential Learning Theory 28 Learning Styles 31 Team Dynamics 44 Summary 49
HIGHLIGHTED TOPIC Role of Exercise in Reducing the Risk of Diabetes and Obesity Fat as an endocrine organ: influence of exercise

10.1152/japplphysiol.00134. 2005. —The prevalence of diabetes and obesity con- tinues to increase. It is therefore important to identify the pathophysiology under-lying these disorders. An inability of insulin to stimulate glucose uptake, i.e., insulin resistance, appears to be a common link between diabetes and obesity. The identiﬁcation of various adipocyte-secreted cytokines (adipocytokines) that inﬂu- ence satiety, energy balance, and insulin sensitivity provide a novel target for the treatment of these disorders. Adipocytokines are differentially expressed with obesity and diabetes, making them a strong candidate for linking insulin resistance to these pathological conditions. This review explores the role of adipocytokines in insulin action and examines the effect of exercise training on adipocytokine content.
Laughter Out of Place: Race, Class, Violence, and Sexuality in a Rio Shantytown

List of Illustrations Foreword Acknowledgments Introduction: Hard Laughter 1. Laughter "Out of Place" 2. The Aesthetics of Domination: Class, Culture, and the Lives of Domestic Workers 3. Color-Blind Erotic Democracies, Black Consciousness Politics, and the Black Cinderellas of Felicidade Eterna 4. No Time for Childhood 5. State Terror, Gangs, and Everyday Violence in Rio de Janeiro 6. Partial Truths, or the Carnivalization of Desire 7. What's So Funny about Rape? Notes Glossary References Index
Collective Travel Planning in Spatial Networks

Travel planning and recommendation are important aspects of transportation. We propose and investigate a novel Collective Travel Planning (CTP) query that finds the lowest-cost route connecting multiple sources and a destination, via at most <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$</tex-math><alternatives> <inline-graphic xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="shang-ieq1-2509998.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> meeting points. When multiple travelers target the same destination (e.g., a stadium or a theater), they may want to assemble at meeting points and then go together to the destination by public transport to reduce their global travel cost (e.g., energy, money, or greenhouse-gas emissions). This type of functionality holds the potential to bring significant benefits to society and the environment, such as reducing energy consumption and greenhouse-gas emissions, enabling smarter and greener transportation, and reducing traffic congestions. The CTP query is Max SNP-hard. To compute the query efficiently, we develop two algorithms, including an exact algorithm and an approximation algorithm. The exact algorithm is capable finding the optimal result for small values of <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$</tex-math><alternatives> <inline-graphic xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="shang-ieq2-2509998.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> (e.g., <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX"> $k = 2$</tex-math><alternatives><inline-graphic xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="shang-ieq3-2509998.gif"/></alternatives> </inline-formula>) in interactive time, while the approximation algorithm, which has a <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX"> $5$</tex-math><alternatives><inline-graphic xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="shang-ieq4-2509998.gif"/></alternatives> </inline-formula>-approximation ratio, is suitable for other situations. The performance of the CTP query is studied experimentally with real and synthetic spatial data.
When Communication Quality is Trustworthy? Transactive Memory Systems and the Mediating Role of Trust in Software Development Teams

While the importance of communication frequency to transactive memory system (TMS) development has well been established, few studies have been done examining the relationship between communication quality and transactive memory systems in software development teams. This study empirically tests the relationships between communication quality and TMS, and the effect of TMS on team effectiveness. We also examine the mediating effect of trust on the link between communication quality and TMS. By investigating 86 software development teams in China, the results suggest that: (1) communication quality has a positive effect on TMS; (2) the link between communication quality and TMS is mediated by benevolence‐ and competence‐based trust; and (3) TMS has a positive impact on team performance. Theoretical and managerial implications of the study findings are discussed.
Blind Identification of Convolutional Encoder Parameters

This paper gives a solution to the blind parameter identification of a convolutional encoder. The problem can be addressed in the context of the noncooperative communications or adaptive coding and modulations (ACM) for cognitive radio networks. We consider an intelligent communication receiver which can blindly recognize the coding parameters of the received data stream. The only knowledge is that the stream is encoded using binary convolutional codes, while the coding parameters are unknown. Some previous literatures have significant contributions for the recognition of convolutional encoder parameters in hard-decision situations. However, soft-decision systems are applied more and more as the improvement of signal processing techniques. In this paper we propose a method to utilize the soft information to improve the recognition performances in soft-decision communication systems. Besides, we propose a new recognition method based on correlation attack to meet low signal-to-noise ratio situations. Finally we give the simulation results to show the efficiency of the proposed methods.
Relative Performance Evaluation for Chief Executive Officers

Relative performance evaluation (RPE) provides employees with an incentive to perform well while insulating their compensation from shocks that also affect the performances of other workers in the same firm, industry, or market. This paper reviews the benefits and costs of RPE and tests for the presence of RPE in the compensation contracts of chief executive officers (CEOs) using data on 1,668 CEOs from 1,049 corporations from 1974 to 1986. The results, in contrast to the findings of previous research, strongly support the hypothesis that RPE is used in compensation and retention decisions affecting CEOs: the revision in a CEO's pay and the probability that a CEO remains in his position for the following year are positively and significantly related to firm performance, but are negatively and significantly related to industry and market performance.
Architecture of cerebral neurosecretory cell systems in the silkworm Bombyx mori

Anatomical and physiological characteristics of putative neurosecretory cells (NSCs) in the medial and lateral areas of the larval brain of Bombyx mori , identifiable by the opalescent appearance of their somata, were examined by means of intracellular recording and staining. Intracellular injection of Lucifer Yellow revealed that the medial cell group consisted of at least six subgroups of cells distinguishable by the geometry of their dendritic branches. Five subgroups of cells project axons to the contralateral corpus allatum (CA) or to the corpus cardiacum (CC). The remaining subgroup sends an axon to the ipsilateral ventral nerve cord. Three subgroups of cells were identified in the lateral group, projecting axons to the ipsilateral CC, to the CA or to the contralateral CA. Large and prolonged action potentials, similar to those recorded in some neurosecretory systems, were recorded from these medial and lateral cells. However, two pairs of medial cells containing paraldehyde-fuchsin-positive (neurosecretory) material and with axons extending to the contralateral nerve cord had action potentials of a short duration, more typical of non-NSCs such as tritocerebral cells innervating the stomodeal dilator muscles via the CC.
On Somatotopic Representation Centers for Finger Movements in Human Primary Motor Cortex and Supplementary Motor Area

We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine the representation pattern for repetitive voluntary finger movements in the primary motor cortex (M1) and the supplementary motor area (SMA) of humans. Healthy right-handed participants performed repetitive individuated flexion-extension movements of digits 1, 2, and 3 using the dominant hand. Contralateral functional labeling for the group indicated a largely overlapping activation pattern in M1 and SMA for the three digits. Consistent with recent findings, the geographic activation center in M1 for each finger differed, and we found some evidence of a homunculus organization pattern in M1 and SMA, but only for the central location of the representations. However, the statistical power for the homunculus pattern was weak, and the distance separating the digit geographical centers was typically less than 15% of the entire extent of digit representations in M1 or SMA. While separations for digit representations occurred, the entire data set provided more support for the concept of distributed, overlapping representations than for a classic homunculus organization for voluntary finger movements.
Classification of Doppler Ultrasound signal quality for the application of fetal valve motion identification

One dimensional Doppler Ultrasound (DUS) is a commonly applied technique for fetal heart rate monitoring, but it can also be used to identify the timings of fetal cardiac valve motion. These timings are required to estimate the fetal cardiac intervals, which are fundamental and clinically significant markers of fetal development and well-being. Several methods have been proposed in previous studies to automatically identify the valve movement timings using 1-D DUS and fetal Electrocardiography (fECG) as a reference. However DUS is highly susceptible to noise and variable on a beat-to-beat basis. Therefore it is crucial to assess the signal quality to ensure its validity for a reliable estimation of the valve movement timings. An automated quality assessment can provide the operator with an online feedback on the quality of DUS during data collection. This paper investigates automated classification of the DUS signal quality using Naive Bayes (NB) classifier. The quality of 345 beats of DUS signals collected from 57 fetuses was assessed by four independent annotators and used for training and validation of the classifier. Using Fleiss kappa test, a fair agreement was found between the raters with overall κ = 0.3. The performance of the classification was tested by 10-fold cross validation. Results showed an average classification accuracy of 86% on training and 84% on test data.
Genetic variability in the endocannabinoid system and 12-week clinical response to citalopram treatment: the role of the CNR1, CNR2 and FAAH genes

First line treatment of major depression is based on selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that enhance serotonergic neurotransmission by blocking the serotonin transporter. However, clinical response is a complex phenomenon in which other systems such as the endocannabinoid system could be involved. Given the evidence for the role of the endocannabinoid system in the pathogenesis of depression as well as in the mediation of antidepressant drug effects, the aim of this study was to analyze genetic variability in the endocannabinoid system genes (CNR1, CNR2 and FAAH genes) and their role in clinical response (at week 4) and remission (at week 12) in SSRI (citalopram) treatment in a sample of 154 depressive outpatients, all of Spanish origin. All patients were treated with citalopram and followed over 12 weeks. Severity of depressive symptomatology was evaluated by means of the 21-item Hamilton Depression Rating Score (HDRS). No differences were found in any of the genotype distributions according to response or remission. The longitudinal study showed that (i) the CNR1 rs1049353-GG genotype conferred a better response to citalopram treatment in the subgroup of male patients and (ii) G allele carriers (CNR2 rs2501431) presented higher HDRS scores in the follow-up than AA homozygous allele carriers. Our results seem to suggest the involvement of CNR1 and CNR2 genes in clinical responses to citalopram treatment.
The Dual Impact of HIV-1 Infection and Aging on Naïve CD4+ T-Cells: Additive and Distinct Patterns of Impairment

HIV-1-infected adults over the age of 50 years progress to AIDS more rapidly than adults in their twenties or thirties. In addition, HIV-1-infected individuals receiving antiretroviral therapy (ART) present with clinical diseases, such as various cancers and liver disease, more commonly seen in older uninfected adults. These observations suggest that HIV-1 infection in older persons can have detrimental immunological effects that are not completely reversed by ART. As naïve T-cells are critically important in responses to neoantigens, we first analyzed two subsets (CD45RA+CD31+ and CD45RA+CD31-) within the naïve CD4+ T-cell compartment in young (20–32 years old) and older (39–58 years old), ART-naïve, HIV-1 seropositive individuals within 1–3 years of infection and in age-matched seronegative controls. HIV-1 infection in the young cohort was associated with lower absolute numbers of, and shorter telomere lengths within, both CD45RA+CD31+CD4+ and CD45RA+CD31-CD4+ T-cell subsets in comparison to age-matched seronegative controls, changes that resembled seronegative individuals who were decades older. Longitudinal analysis provided evidence of thymic emigration and reconstitution of CD45RA+CD31+CD4+ T-cells two years post-ART, but minimal reconstitution of the CD45RA+CD31-CD4+ subset, which could impair de novo immune responses. For both ART-naïve and ART-treated HIV-1-infected adults, a renewable pool of thymic emigrants is necessary to maintain CD4+ T-cell homeostasis. Overall, these results offer a partial explanation both for the faster disease progression of older adults and the observation that viral responders to ART present with clinical diseases associated with older adults.