Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A detailed protocol for a rapid analysis of testicular cell populations using flow cytometry

Accurate analysis and quantification of different testicular cell populations are of central importance in studies of male reproductive biology. The traditional histomorphometric and immunohistochemical methods remain the gold standard in studying the complex dynamics of the testicular tissue. Through past years advances have been made in the application of flow cytometry for the rapid analysis of testicular cell populations. Detection of DNA content and of surface antigens and fluorescent reporters have been widely used to analyze and sort cells. Detection of intracellular antigens can broaden the possibilities of applying flow cytometry in studies of male reproduction. Here, we report a detailed protocol for the preparation of rat testicular tissue for detection of intracellular antigens by flow cytometry, and a pipeline for subsequent data analysis and troubleshooting. Rat testicular ontogenesis was chosen as the experimental model to validate the performance of the assay using vimentin and γH2AX as intracellular markers for the somatic and spermatogenic cells, respectively. The results show that the assay is reproducible and recapitulates the rat testis ontogenesis.
A Plastic Vegetative Growth Threshold Governs Reproductive Capacity in Aspergillus nidulans

Ontogenetic phases separating growth from reproduction are a common feature of cellular life. Long recognized for flowering plants and animals, early literature suggests this life-history component may also be prevalent among multicellular fungi. We establish the basis of developmental competence—the capacity to respond to induction of asexual development—in the filamentous saprotroph Aspergillus nidulans, describing environmental influences, including genotype-by-environment interactions among precocious mutants, gene expression associated with wild type and precocious competence acquisition, and the genetics of competence timing. Environmental effects are consistent with a threshold driven by metabolic rate and organism density, with pH playing a particularly strong role in determining competence timing. Gene expression diverges significantly over the competence window, despite a lack of overt morphological change, with differentiation in key metabolic, signaling, and cell trafficking processes. We identify five genes for which mutant alleles advance competence timing, including the conserved GTPase RasB (AN5832) and ambient pH sensor PalH (AN6886). In all cases examined, inheritance of competence timing is complex and non-Mendelian, with F1 progeny showing highly variable transgressive timing and dominant parental effects with a weak contribution from progeny genotype. Competence provides a new model for nutrient-limited life-cycle phases, and their elaboration from unicellular origins. Further work is required to establish the hormonal and bioenergetic basis of the trait across fungi, and underlying mechanisms of variable inheritance.
Credit Scoring Models with AUC Maximization Based on Weighted SVM

Credit scoring models are very important tools for financial institutions to make credit granting decisions. In the last few decades, many quantitative methods have been used for the development of credit scoring models with focus on maximizing classification accuracy. This paper proposes the credit scoring models with the area under receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) maximization based on the new emerged support vector machines (SVM) techniques. Three main SVM models with different features weighted strategies are discussed. The weighted SVM credit scoring models are tested using 10-fold cross validation with two real world data sets and the experimental results are compared with other six traditional methods including linear regression, logistic regression, k nearest neighbor, decision tree, and neural network. Results demonstrate that weighted 2-norm SVM with radial basis function (RBF) kernel function and t-test feature weighting strategy has the overall better performance with very narrow margin than other SVM models. However, it also consumes more computational time. In considering the balance of performance and time, least squares support vector machines (LSSVM) with RBF kernel maybe a better choice for large scale credit scoring applications.
Systematic analysis of microarray datasets to identify Parkinson's disease-associated pathways and genes

In order to investigate commonly disturbed genes and pathways in various brain regions of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), microarray datasets from previous studies were collected and systematically analyzed. Different normalization methods were applied to microarray datasets from different platforms. A strategy combining gene co-expression networks and clinical information was adopted, using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to screen for commonly disturbed genes in different brain regions of patients with PD. Functional enrichment analysis of commonly disturbed genes was performed using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID). Co-pathway relationships were identified with Pearson's correlation coefficient tests and a hypergeometric distribution-based test. Common genes in pathway pairs were selected out and regarded as risk genes. A total of 17 microarray datasets from 7 platforms were retained for further analysis. Five gene coexpression modules were identified, containing 9,745, 736, 233, 101 and 93 genes, respectively. One module was significantly correlated with PD samples and thus the 736 genes it contained were considered to be candidate PD-associated genes. Functional enrichment analysis demonstrated that these genes were implicated in oxidative phosphorylation and PD. A total of 44 pathway pairs and 52 risk genes were revealed, and a risk gene pathway relationship network was constructed. Eight modules were identified and were revealed to be associated with PD, cancers and metabolism. A number of disturbed pathways and risk genes were unveiled in PD, and these findings may help advance understanding of PD pathogenesis.
Discovery of a Bipolar Outflow from 2MASSW J1207334–393254, a 24 MJup Brown Dwarf

The 24 MJup brown dwarf 2MASS 1207-3932 has for some time been known to show clear signs of classical T Tauri-like accretion. Through analysis of its oxygen forbidden emission, we have discovered that it is driving a bipolar outflow. Blue- and redshifted components to the [O I] λ6300 forbidden emission line are seen at velocities of -8 and +4 km s-1 (on either side of the systemic velocity). Spectroastrometry recovers the position of both components relative to the brown dwarf at ~0.08'' (in opposing directions). A position-velocity diagram of the line region supports the spectroastrometric results. The Hα and He I λ6678 lines were also analyzed. These line regions are not offset with respect to the continuum, ruling out the presence of spectroastrometric artifacts and underlining the validity of the [O I] λ6300 results. The low radial velocity of the outflow and the relatively large offsets are consistent with 2MASS 1207-3932 having a near edge-on disk as proposed by Scholz et al. 2MASS 1207-3932 is now the smallest mass galactic object known to drive an outflow. The age of the TW Hydrae association (~8 Myr) also makes this one of the oldest objects with a resolved jet. This discovery not only highlights the robustness of the outflow mechanism over an enormous range of masses but also suggests that it may even be feasible for young giant planets with accretion disks to drive outflows.
A Study on Perception and Usage Status on Health Functional Foods in Women according to Menopause Status

Objectives This study was performed to provide a reference base for suggesting proper guidelines for the health of the people by analyzing perception and intake pattern on health functional foods and by identifying needs in pre- and postmenopausal women. Methods We conducted a self-administered survey in women admitted to the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at a university hospital between July and August, 2014. The survey questionnaire consisted of 8 items on general characteristics, 4 items on awareness on health functional foods, and 16 items on usage status. Results Of all 133 women with ages ranging between 19 to 67 years, postmenopausal women were 57 accounting for 42.9% of all subjects. Mean age was 55.4 ± 6.2 and menopausal age was 49.6 ± 4.3 in the postmenopause group. Mean age was 38.7 ± 9.0 in the postmenopause group. With respect to components of health functional foods, 76.3% of women answered "important" in the postmenopause group, significantly higher than 49.1% in the postmenopause group (P < 0.01). In regard to price, those who answered "important" accounted for the largest percentage in the premenopausal group at 56.6%, and those who answered "moderately important" accounted for 57.9% in the postmenopausal women. A significant difference was found between the two groups (P < 0.05). Conclusion Development of products reflecting consumer needs can be considered. It is important to foster an environment allowing individuals to choose right health functional foods and further studies are warranted.
Anxiety and defensiveness as predictors of maternal child-centrism

Maternal child-centrism is widely regarded in Western societies as the ideal of being a good mother. However, it has recently been criticized for the toll it takes on mothers. This study examines the widespread maternal practice of child-centrism. It is the first, to our knowledge, to examine predictors of the tendency towards child-centrism. Nowadays, with the social unwritten imperative to prioritize children's needs regardless of maternal standpoint, this study aims to focus and shed light on mothers and to explore which maternal characteristics predict maternal child-centrism. Self-reported questionnaires were completed by 320 Jewish-Israeli mothers, dealing with maternal child-centrism, maternal characteristics (i.e. attachment style, anxiety, defensiveness, and negative and positive affect), and socio-demographic context. The results of the Hierarchical Regression analysis revealed that stress-related maternal characteristics of anxiety and defensiveness predicted maternal child-centrism. These findings may imply that child-centrism serves as a mechanism for overcoming distress faced by mothers struggling with current Western societal norms. Its relationship to the feminist conceptualization of the Myth of Motherhood is discussed.
A westward-intensified decadal change in the North Pacific thermocline and gyre-scale circulation

Abstract From the early 1970s to the mid-1980s, the main thermocline of the subarctic gyre of the North Pacific Ocean shoaled with temperatures at 200–400-m depth cooling by 1°–4°C over the region. The gyre-scale structure of the shoaling is quasi-stationary and intensified in the western part of the basin north of 30°N, suggesting concurrent changes in gyre-scale transport. A similar quasi-stationary cooling in the subtropical gyre south of 25°N is also observed but lags the subpolar change by several years. To explore the physics of these changes, the authors examine an ocean model forced by observed wind stress and heat flux anomalies from 1970–88 in which they find similar changes in gyre-scale thermocline structure. The model current fields reveal that the North Pacific subpolar and subtropical gyres strengthened by roughly 10% from the 1970s to the 1980s. The bulk of the eastward flow of the model Kuroshio–Oyashio Extension returned westward via the subpolar gyre circuit, while the subtropical gyre .
Mapping elementary school students' creativity in science process skills of life aspects viewed from their divergent thinking patterns

The purpose of this study was to map elementary school students’ creativity in science process skills (SPS) of life aspects in science subjects viewed from their divergent thinking patterns using written tests whose items were fitted with Partial Credit Model (PCM). The measurement used a test validated using the IRT approach published in JEE journal in 2015. The trials employed four sets of test, each comprising 20 items completed with anchor items which were fitted referring to PCM. The measurements were performed with larger scale on 14 regional technical implementation unit (RTIU) in Yogyakarta Special Province in five regencies/cities to students of grades IV, V, and VI. The findings showed that the higher the grade level, the higher of the testees’ scores would be. There were some testees who did not have divergent thinking ability and they obtained a score of 0 The divergent thinking ability of the students was not related to the regency/city where an RTIU was located.
The Relationship Between Physical Activity and Depressive Symptoms in Healthy Older Women

Objective: Depression and inactivity in the elderly are major health problems with significant ramifications for healthy aging. Research shows an inverse relationship between depression and physical activity levels. The purpose of the current investigation is to examine the relationship between physical activity and depressive symptoms in healthy older women, first within the framework of exercise programs, and second via the impact of an intervention. Method: Two experiments were conducted. In the first, 65 women, all above the age of 60, participated. Measures of physical activity were gained by self-report using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire while the measure of depressive symptomatology was the Beck Depression Inventory. In the second, 11 women participated in a line dancing intervention, and their self-reported depressive symptomatology was measured prior to and just after the 6-week exercise intervention using the Beck Depression Inventory. In addition, during the second experiment, pedometer data were gathered during the fourth week. Results and Conclusion: The data of the first study revealed a relationship between the total amount of physical activity and scores on the Beck Depression Inventory; that is, the more active a person is, the lower her self-reported depressive symptoms. Significant correlations were found between the Beck Depression Inventory and the reports of vigorous and moderate exercise levels, but not with walking. Participants who were part of an organized exercise group exercised significantly more than those who exercised on their own. In the second study, those who participated in a line dancing intervention had significantly lower Beck Depression Inventory scores post intervention. The implications of these findings for public health are discussed.
Reduction of zooxanthellae density, chlorophyll a concentration, and tissue thickness of the coral Montastraea faveolata (Scleractinia) when competing with mixed turf algae

We evaluated the effects of competition for space between mixed turf algae (MTA) and the hermatypic coral Montastraea faveolata Ellis and Solander (1786) using reciprocal transplantation of 17 cm2 cores and by measuring the response of some biological parameters of the coral: zooxanthellae density, mitotic index, chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentration, and tissue thickness. Mitotic index and Chl a zooxanthellae−1 were not significantly affected by the competition, but zooxanthellae density, Chl a cm−2, and tissue thickness were reduced in M. faveolata tissue surrounded by algae. Lower values have been reported for these three biological parameters of scleractinian corals subjected to stress conditions. Stressed M. faveolata surrounded by MTA were completely overgrown in 6–9 months. MTA frequently formed unattached cushions before the algae were attached to the coral skeleton. The cushions could be affecting M. faveolata by shading the coral tissue beneath the algae and probably causing stress to the tissue. Trapped sediments in the cushions may also be affecting M. faveolata by trapping sediments that cause smothering or burial of coral tissue. This is the first demonstration that algae directly stress a coral species and that MTA can be superior competitors than M. faveolata under experimental conditions. M. faveolata is sensitive to algae and bacteria, and the outlook for this coral species is poor if deleterious conditions act together in the Caribbean Sea.
A Cross-sectional Serological Study of Cysticercosis, Schistosomiasis, Toxocariasis and Echinococcosis in HIV-1 Infected People in Beira, Mozambique

Background Helminthic infections are highly endemic in Mozambique, due to limited access to healthcare and resources for disease prevention. Data on the subclinical prevalence of these diseases are scarce due to the fact that an immunological and imaging diagnosis is not often available in endemic areas. We conducted a cross-sectional study on HIV1+ patients from Beira city in order to determine the seroprevalence of cysticercosis, schistosomiasis, toxocariasis and echinoccocosis and its possible interaction with HIV infection. Methodology/Principal Findings Patients (601) were voluntarily recruited at the Ponta Gea Health Center and their demographic and clinical data were recorded (including CD4+ cell count and antiretroviral regimen). Mean age was 39.7 years, 378 (62.9%) were women and 223 (37.1%) were men. Four hundred seventy-five (475) patients (79%) were already on highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART), and 90 started therapy after being enrolled in the study. For serological testing we used a Multiplex Western Blot IgG from LDBIO Diagnostics. The overall seroprevalence was 10.2% for cysticercosis, 23% for schistosomiasis, 7.3% for toxocariasis and 17.3% for echinococcosis. Conclusions/Significance Neither age nor the CD4+ count were significantly associated with the seroprevalence of the helminths studied. However, patients with CD4+ between 200–500/µl had a higher seroprevalence to all helminths than those with less than 200/µl cells/and those with more than 500 cells/µl. Female gender was significantly associated with cysticercosis and schistosomiasis, and being in HAART with toxocariasis. Headache was significantly associated with cysticercosis and toxocariasis. There was no association between epilepsy and seropositivity to any of the parasites. The study concluded that a clear understanding of the prevalence and manifestations of these coinfections, how best to diagnose subclinical cases, and how to manage diseases with concomitant antiretroviral therapy is needed.
Effects of Media Attributions on Responsibility Judgments and Policy Opinions

This study tests how the public’s responsibility judgments and their policy opinions could be affected by different types of attributions made by the media. Study 1 examined three types of attributions regarding smartphone addiction: (a) individualistic (e.g., lack of self-control), (b) societal (e.g., the media industry or government), and (c) none (i.e., control group). Results showed that individualistic attributions by the media did not affect perceived individual responsibility and support for smartphone-addicted children. On the other hand, societal attributions increased perceived industry responsibility, which subsequently increased punishment opinions for the smartphone industry. Study 2 examined three types of attributions regarding childhood obesity (child vs. parent vs. societal) by two types of exemplar formats (“interviews” vs. “user comments”). Consistent with Study 1, results showed that the societal attribution condition resulted in greater perceived industry responsibility and greater punishment opinions for the food industry. However, the effect was not moderated by the type of exemplar format.
Discrete independent component analysis (DICA) with belief propagation

We apply belief propagation to a Bayesian bipartite graph composed of discrete independent hidden variables and discrete visible variables. The network is the Discrete counterpart of Independent Component Analysis (DICA) and it is manipulated in a factor graph form for inference and learning. A full set of simulations is reported for character images from the MNIST dataset. The results show that the factorial code implemented by the sources contributes to build a good generative model for the data that can be used in various inference modes.
Story of my life: How life events and relations have led to my leadership emergence ; A qualitative study of formative and relational life stories that are significant for leadership emergence

1 1.0 Introduction . 2 2.0 Literature Review . 4 2.1 Personality approaches to leadership . 4 2.2 Emergence and social formation of leadership . 4 2.3 Narrative approaches to leadership . 6 Figure 1: agencyand communal themes (McAdams 2001) . 7 2.4 Studying formative experiences of leadership . 8 Figure 2: Subdivision of life events (McAdams 2001) . 8 2.5 Studying relational formation of leadership . 10 3.0 Research question . 12 4.0 Methodology . 13 4.1 The Life Story Interview . 13 4.2 Research design and data collection . 14 4.3 Interviews . 14 4.4 Data sample . 15 4.5 Choice of method . 16 4.6 Data analysis . 17 4.7 Considerations . 18 5.0 Meeting the interviewees . 19 Figure 3: Introduction to the storytellers . 22 6.0 Findings and discussion . 23 Figure 4: Main findings . 24 6.1. 1 Getting people oriented through teams . 26 6.1. 2 The role of getting people oriented through teams . 29 6.2.1 Using struggles as sources of growth . 33 6.2.2 The role of using struggles as sources of growth . 36 6.3. 1 Taking responsibility for progression . 40 GRA19003 Master Thesis Page iii 6.3. 2 The role of taking responsibility for progression . 42 6.4.1 Appropriating and channeling voices . 45 6.4.2 The role of appropriating and channeling voices . 48 6.5 Summarizing discussion . 52 7.0 Contribution to the literature . 57 8.0 Conclusion . 59 9.0 Limitations and future research . 61 10.0 References . 63 11.0 Appendix . 70 11.1 Interview guide . 70 12.0 Preliminary . 71 GRA19003 Master Thesis