Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Minimal Sustainability of Dedifferentiation by ROCK Inhibitor on Rat Nucleus Pulposus Cells In Vitro

Introduction Intervertebral disc degeneration is strongly associated with low back pain. Cell transplantation has been extensively studied as a treatment option for intervertebral disc degeneration. It is often necessary to perform cell culture prior to cell transplantation; however, during cell expansion, the cells tend to dedifferentiate and lose their potency. Although the ability to suppress dedifferentiation by ROCK inhibitor (ROCKi) has recently been reported for chondrocytes, its effects on nucleus pulposus cells are still largely unknown. Methods Rat nucleus pulposus cells were cultured with or without the addition of ROCKi (Y-27632), and cell proliferation; CD24 positivity; expression of SOX9, COL2A1, Aggrecan, and COL1A1; and cell redifferentiation ability in pellet culture were evaluated. Results Although the addition of ROCKi tended to slightly increase the cell proliferative capacity, no significant differences were observed between treated and untreated conditions. The addition of ROCKi showed a trend of minimally increased COL2A1, ACAN, and SOX9 expression. Increases in COL1A1 expression was slightly suppressed by ROCKi. In pellet culture, strong increase in type II collagen deposition was observed by the addition of ROCKi. The addition of ROCKi did not significantly change the levels of CD24 positivity. The supplementation of ROCKi did not significantly enhance nucleus pulposus cell marker expression during monolayer expansion. However, ROCKi addition did result in an increased type II collagen deposition in 3D pellet culture. Conclusions Taken together, the results suggest a minimal effect by ROCKi on nucleus pulposus cell phenotype maintenance.
A divergence‐free semi‐implicit finite volume scheme for ideal, viscous, and resistive magnetohydrodynamics

In this paper, we present a novel pressure‐based semi‐implicit finite volume solver for the equations of compressible ideal, viscous, and resistive magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The new method is conservative for mass, momentum, and total energy, and in multiple space dimensions, it is constructed in such a way as to respect the divergence‐free condition of the magnetic field exactly, also in the presence of resistive effects. This is possible via the use of multidimensional Riemann solvers on an appropriately staggered grid for the time evolution of the magnetic field and a double curl formulation of the resistive terms. The new semi‐implicit method for the MHD equations proposed here discretizes the nonlinear convective terms as well as the time evolution of the magnetic field explicitly, whereas all terms related to the pressure in the momentum equation and the total energy equation are discretized implicitly, making again use of a properly staggered grid for pressure and velocity. Inserting the discrete momentum equation into the discrete energy equation then yields a mildly nonlinear symmetric and positive definite algebraic system for the pressure as the only unknown, which can be efficiently solved with the (nested) Newton method of Casulli et al. The pressure system becomes linear when the specific internal energy is a linear function of the pressure. The time step of the scheme is restricted by a CFL condition based only on the fluid velocity and the Alfvén wave speed and is not based on the speed of the magnetosonic waves. Being a semi‐implicit pressure‐based scheme, our new method is therefore particularly well suited for low Mach number flows and for the incompressible limit of the MHD equations, for which it is well known that explicit density‐based Godunov‐type finite volume solvers become increasingly inefficient and inaccurate because of the more and more stringent CFL condition and the wrong scaling of the numerical viscosity in the incompressible limit. We show a relevant MHD test problem in the low Mach number regime where the new semi‐implicit algorithm is a factor of 50 faster than a traditional explicit finite volume method, which is a very significant gain in terms of computational efficiency. However, our numerical results confirm that our new method performs well also for classical MHD test cases with strong shocks. In this sense, our new scheme is a true all Mach number flow solver.
RACE AND ALCOHOL CONSUMPTON: THE EFFECTS OF RACE AND ALCOHOL EXPECTANCIES IN A COLLEGE POPULATION by GARNETTE

ALCOHOL EXPECTANCIES IN A COLLEGE POPULATION by GARNETTE J. COTTON (Under the Direction of Lily D. McNair, Ph.D.) ABSTRACT This study examined the influence of ethnicity and beliefs regarding alcohol use on consumption patterns in a sample of Southeastern college students. ANOVAs revealed a significant group effect for amount of alcohol consumed as well as strength of expectancies held. Specifically, Caucasian participants held expectancies related to the use of alcohol more strongly than did African-American students, as well as consumed more alcohol then African-American students. Further research is recommended to explore the social and cultural settings in which alcohol consumption occurs within these groups.
THE PAN-STARRS1 MEDIUM-DEEP SURVEY: THE ROLE OF GALAXY GROUP ENVIRONMENT IN THE STAR FORMATION RATE VERSUS STELLAR MASS RELATION AND QUIESCENT FRACTION OUT TO z ∼ 0.8

Using a large optically selected sample of field and group galaxies drawn from the Pan-STARRS1 Medium-Deep Survey (PS1/MDS), we present a detailed analysis of the specific star formation rate (SSFR)—stellar mass (M*) relation, as well as the quiescent fraction versus M* relation in different environments. While both the SSFR and the quiescent fraction depend strongly on stellar mass, the environment also plays an important role. Using this large galaxy sample, we confirm that the fraction of quiescent galaxies is strongly dependent on environment at a fixed stellar mass, but that the amplitude and the slope of the star-forming sequence is similar between the field and groups: in other words, the SSFR–density relation at a fixed stellar mass is primarily driven by the change in the star-forming and quiescent fractions between different environments rather than a global suppression in the star formation rate for the star-forming population. However, when we restrict our sample to the cluster-scale environments (M > 1014 M☉), we find a global reduction in the SSFR of the star-forming sequence of 17% at 4σ confidence as opposed to its field counterpart. After removing the stellar mass dependence of the quiescent fraction seen in field galaxies, the excess in the quiescent fraction due to the environment quenching in groups and clusters is found to increase with stellar mass, although deeper and larger data from the full PS1/MDS will be required to draw firm conclusions. We argue that these results are in favor of galaxy mergers to be the primary environment quenching mechanism operating in galaxy groups whereas strangulation is able to reproduce the observed trend in the environment quenching efficiency and stellar mass relation seen in clusters. Our results also suggest that the relative importance between mass quenching and environment quenching depends on stellar mass—the mass quenching plays a dominant role in producing quiescent galaxies for more massive galaxies, while less massive galaxies are quenched mostly through the environmental effect, with the transition mass around 1–2 × 1010 M☉ in the group/cluster environment.
Clinical Study Procoagulant and Anticoagulant Factors in Childhood Hypothyroidism

1 Department of Pediatrics, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, The Ministry of Health of Turkey, Ulucanlar Caddesi, Altindag, 06340 Ankara, Turkey 2 Department of Pediatric Endocrinology, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, The Ministry of Health of Turkey, Ulucanlar Caddesi, Altindag, 06340 Ankara, Turkey 3 Department of Pediatric Hematology, Ankara Training and Research Hospital, The Ministry of Health of Turkey, Ulucanlar Caddesi, Altindag, 06340 Ankara, Turkey
An exploration of perceptions of real-life suspects’ from the Asian Muslim community relating to the police interviewing practices in England

ABSTRACT In England and Wales, the ‘war on terror’ has been argued to impact adversely on existing race relations policies. New legislation (such as wide discretionary powers of stop and search and arrest under the Terrorism Act (TA) 2000, the extension of pre-charge detention of 28 days (TA 2006), and the use of control orders to detain without trial), policing, and counter-terrorism measures may cast Muslims as the ‘enemy within’. The current research concerns real-life Asian Muslim suspects’ perceptions and experiences of police interviewing practices in England. This study involves semi-structured interviews with 22 people who had previously been interviewed as suspects throughout England. Around two-thirds of participants reported perceiving the demonstration of various stereotyping by police officers during interviews, half of whom indicated that the interviewers demonstrated racial/religious stereotypes via discriminatory behaviour. Given the potential and serious consequences of such racial/religious stereotypes and discriminatory behaviour, further training of police officers seems necessary to improve both interviewing performance and community cohesion.
Investigating the Nanoparticles Penetration Efficiency through Horizontal Tubes Using an Experimental Approach

It is a complex transfer process of nanoparticles in a tube. In this paper, in order to quantify the penetration efficiency of nanoparticles in different flows condition through horizontal tubes, the experiments have been carried out with particles diameter between 6 nm and 560 nm in various lengths of sampling tube. The results were in good agreement with the theory of Gormley and Kennedy and the experiment results of Kumar et al. for particles size smaller than 100 nm. Particles penetration rate increases with increasing of the Schmidt number (Sc), and it decreases with increasing Reynolds and tube length. Particles deposition on the wall induces the changes of the mass and average diameter of particles continuously. Therefore, a nondimensional parameter (ς) defined dependency on Reynolds number and particle residence time in tube has been used to express total mass penetration efficiency and mean size growth rate through a straight tube.
Formality and contextuality in blogs

The aim of this study is to investigate formality and contextuality in weblogs. It investigates the main formality and contextuality features principally focusing on the F-score proposed by Heylighen and Dewale (1999). The primary material comes from the online blog directory Technorati and from Blogeries.com. The method was a corpus analysis using the concordance software Wordsmith in order to carry out a linguistic analysis of the data. The main findings confirm previous findings that blogs are mainly separated into thematic and Personal blogs. In addition, the more focused the author on imparting information, the higher the F-score and consequently the lower the contextuality of the text. Authors who focused on their personal lives produced more contextual texts with lower F-scores. The study suggests that whilst the F-score is a good indicator of formality, it should not be considered an absolute indication of formality in the traditional sense, rather it should be seen as an indication of a text’s contextuality and be used as a basis from which further investigation can be developed.
Breeding of Climbing Perch (Anabas testudineus Bloch, 1792) Induced with Ovatide

Climbing perch (Anabas testudineus) is a much demanded fish in the northeastern part of India, yet the absence of a standardized method to induce breeding remains a major constraint in the development of aquaculture of this species. In this study, breeding was induced using 0.1, 0.2, or 0.3 ml/kg body weight of the synthetic hormone Ovatide and compared with fish injected with 30 mg carp pituitary extract (CPE) per kg body weight or 0.5 ml saline (control). Male and female brooders were injected once with an identical dose and left to spawn in tubs at a ratio of 2:1. No breeding occurred in the saline-injected control fish. There was partial spawning in the 0.1 and 0.2 Ovatide treatments and complete spawning in fish injected with 0.3 Ovatide. Spawning and number of eggs in fish injected with 0.3 Ovatide did not statistically differ from results in fish injected with CPE (p≥0.05). The present experiment suggests that Ovatide at 0.3 ml/kg body weight is optimal for seed production of climbing perch held in captivity and can be used for species restoration.
Observing multiple populations in globular clusters with the ESO archive: NGC 6388 reloaded

The metal-rich and old bulge globular cluster (GC) NGC 6388 is one of the most massive Galactic GCs (M ~ 106 M⊙). However, the spectroscopic properties of its multiple stellar populations rested only on 32 red giants (only 7 of which observed with UVES, the others with GIRAFFE), given the difficulties in observing a rather distant cluster, heavily contaminated by bulge and disc field stars. We bypassed the problem using the resources of the largest telescope facility ever: the European Southern Observatory (ESO) archive. By selecting member stars identified by other programmes, we derive atmospheric parameters and the full set of abundances for 15 species from high-resolution UVES spectra of another 17 red giant branch stars in NGC 6388. We confirm that no metallicity dispersion is detectable in this GC. About 30% of the stars show the primordial composition of first-generation stars, about 20% present an extremely modified second-generation composition, and 50% have an intermediate composition. The stars are clearly distributed in the Al–O and Na–O planes in three discrete groups. We find substantial hints that more than a single class of polluters is required to reproduce the composition of the intermediate component in NGC 6388. In the heavily polluted component the sum Mg+Al increases as Al increases. The sum Mg+Al+Si is constant, and is the fossil record of hot H-burning at temperatures higher than about 70 MK in the first-generation polluters that contributed to form multiple populations in this cluster.
Nonlinear Resonance Behavior in the Human Exposed to Whole-Body Vibration

The driving-point impedance technique was applied to identify nonlinear resonance behavior in the human exposed to sinusoidal vibration between 3 and 20 Hz at three acceleration levels. Up to four regions of resonance were observed. A significant decline in the first and fourth resonance frequency and the disappearance of the second resonance peak occurred with a fivefold increase in the acceleration level. A proposed, base-excited five degree-of-freedom model, representing major dynamic structures in the human, proved highly successful in simulating the typical impedance responses. The model was used to quantify the variations in the mass, stiffness, and damping characteristics associated with changes in the acceleration level.
Effect of synaptic cell-to-cell transmission and recombination on the evolution of double mutants in HIV

Recombination in HIV infection can impact virus evolution in vivo in complex ways, as has been shown both experimentally and mathematically. The effect of free virus versus synaptic, cell-to-cell transmission on the evolution of double mutants, however, has not been investigated. Here we do so by using a stochastic agent-based model. Consistent with data, we assume spatial constraints for synaptic but not for free-virus transmission. Two important effects of the viral spread mode are observed: (i) For disadvantageous mutants, synaptic transmission protects against detrimental effects of recombination on double mutant persistence. Under free virus transmission, recombination increases double mutant levels for negative epistasis, but reduces them for positive epistasis. This reduction for positive epistasis is much diminished under pre-dominantly synaptic transmission, and recombination can in fact lead to increased mutant levels. (ii) The mode of virus spread also directly influences the evolutionary fate of double mutants. For disadvantageous mutants, double mutant production is the predominant driving force, and hence synaptic transmission leads to highest double mutant levels due to increased transmission efficiency. For advantageous mutants, double mutant spread is the most important force, and hence free virus transmission leads to fastest invasion due to better mixing. For neutral mutants, both production and spread of double mutants are important, and hence an optimal mixture of free virus and synaptic transmission maximizes double mutant fractions. Therefore, both free virus and synaptic transmission can enhance or delay double mutant evolution. Implications for drug resistance in HIV are discussed.
Reproductive biology of the vulnerable species Sciaena umbra Linnaeus, 1758 (Pisces: Sciaenidae)

Reproductive biology of the brown meagre, Sciaena umbra , is described based on 171 specimens caught by trammel nets and spear gun from April 1998 to October 2000. Histological examination and gonadosomatic index suggest that the spawning season of the brown meagre in Balearic waters is from May to August and peaks in May and June. Seven stages of gonadal development were identified: immature, early developing, late developing, running, spent, recovering and resting. The frequency distribution of oocyte diameter reveals that brown meagre is an iteroparous, gonochoristic, seasonal multiple-spawning fish with aynchronous oocyte development. Size at first maturity was 25.4 cm of total length for males and 29.9 cm for females. Sex ratio varied with fish size, with a tendency for greater numbers of females in higher size classes. Weight-length relationships for both sexes, as well as for the total population, were significantly allometric positive. An analysis of the monthly variations of hepatosomatic index (HSI), and Le Cren’s condition factor showed that HSI is not a good indicator of the lipid reserves of S. umbra . According to our results, current management measures for this species should be re-evaluated.
Paper Series Number 195 Immigration , Conflict and Redistribution

We study how the possibility of a conflict between natives and immigrants shapes income redistribution in democracies. Conflict erupts when immigrants are given less than what they could obtain by resorting to confrontation. That in turn can make natives vote for lower tax rates and lower public spending. We show that income redistribution, both vertical (from the rich to the poor) and horizontal (from natives to migrants), decreases with the level of immigration. This is because the threat of conflict intensifies as the migrant population becomes bigger. Inequality softens the effect of immigration on tax rates but reduces horizontal redistribution. Despite the threat of conflict, the welfare of the native population unambiguously increases with the stock of migrants.
Video Storybook Reading as a Remedy for Vocabulary Deficits: Outcomes and Processes

Ein erheblicher Prozentsatz der Kinder in niederlandischen Kindergarten hat einen so erheblichen Ruckstand in der Zweitsprachkompetenz, dass sie kaum von dem als Mittel gegen Vokabeldefizite gepriesenen Lesen von Kinderbuchern profitieren konnen. Das erste Forschungsziel dieser Studie war zu testen, ob junge Kinder mit eingeschrankter Zweitsprachkompetenz von einem wiederholten Lesen digitaler Geschichten mit integrierten Videosequenzen mehr profitieren als vom Lesen digitaler Geschichten mit statischen Abbildungen. Die Versuchsteilnehmer (n = 106) wurden im Zufallsverfahren der Kontrollbedingung oder einem von vier Experimentalbedingungen zugewiesen, die sich als gekreuztes Studiendesign mit zwei verschiedenen Stufen des wiederholten Lesens (eine oder vier Wiederholungen) und zwei verschiedenen Versionen derselben Geschichte (statische Abbildungen oder Videosequenzen) ergaben. Als zweites Ziel der Studie wurde die Hypothese getestet, ob Video Storybooks den Zweitspracherwerb dadurch fordern, dass die Kinder ihre Bereitschaft zum sinnentnehmenden Lesen langer aufrecht erhalten, wenn dem Text Videofunktionen hinzugefugt werden. Als Indikator fur den Grad an geistiger Anstrengung wurde in einer Substichprobe von Kindern (n = 42), die dieselbe Geschichte viermal lasen, der Hautleitwert gemessen. The Ergebnisse stutzen die Hypothese dass Video Storybooks einen geeigneten Rahmen fur den Wortschatzerwerb von Kinderkartenkindern mit geringer Zweitsprachkompetenz bieten. Zusatzlich zeigte sich, dass die geistige Anstrengung auf einem hoheren Niveau blieb, wenn ein Video Storybook wiederholt gelesen wurde. Diese Stabilitat ist einer der generativen Mechanismen durch den Video Storybooks den Wortschatzerwerb in der Zweitsprache starker stimulieren als Geschichten mit statischen Abbildungen.
Use of Forest Edges by Bats in a Managed Pine Forest Landscape

Abstract Forest edges often have increased species richness and abundance (edge effect) and affect spatial behaviors of species and dynamics of species interactions. Landscapes of intensively managed pine (Pinus spp.) stands are characterized by a mosaic of patches and linear forest edges. Managed pine forests are a primary landscape feature of the southeastern United States, but the effects of intensive management on bat communities are poorly understood. Insectivorous bats are important top predators in nocturnal forest food webs. We examined bat foraging behavior along forest edges and in 4 structurally distinct stand types (open-canopy pine, prethinned pine, thinned pine, and unmanaged forest) within a managed pine forest in the coastal plain of North Carolina, USA. During May–August, 2006 and 2007, we recorded echolocation calls using Pettersson D240X bat detectors linked to digital recorders at 156 sites. We also sampled nocturnal flying insects at each site using Malaise insect traps. We used negative binomial count regression models to describe bat foraging behavior relative to forest edges, stand types, and prey availability. Although some species showed affinities for certain stand types and prey items, bat activity patterns were most strongly related to forest edges. Edges were used extensively by 6 aerial-hunting bat species, but avoided by Myotis species. Forest edges function similarly to natural forest gaps, by providing foraging opportunities for aerial-hunting bat species. Therefore, the maintenance of forest edges in managed pine landscapes may enhance foraging habitat for aerial-hunting bat species.
Xenophobia among the Czech Population in the Context of Post-Communist Countries and Western Europe

This article is based on data found in the European Value Study of 1999 and focuses on the following questions: (1) What is the degree of intensity of xenophobia among the Czech population in comparison with the states of Western and post-Communist Europe? (2) How is the view of 'foreign' ethnic group differentiated? (3) What groupings among countries may be identified if we examine the character of xenophobic attitudes among the population? (4) What factors influence the level of xenophobia of an individual? The article confirms the overall high degree of intensity of xenophobia among the population of post-communist countries in comparison with advanced Western states. The intensity of xenophobia among the Czechs roughly corresponds to the average of attitudes of the entire sample. From the viewpoint of attitudes toward individual 'foreign' ethnic groups, the respondents expressed the strongest rejection of the Roma, and were most tolerant toward the Jewish ethnic group. The EVS data also enabled a partial identification of traits for a profile of a xenophobe.