Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The sperm penetration test (P‐test) can predict fecundability in the male partner from infertile couples

Summary. Three hundred and twenty‐one consecutive couples were investigated for infertility at Hvidovre University Hospital in the period from November 1977 to June 1985. The male partners were evaluated in two ways: the classical semen analysis, and the ability of sperm to penetrate fresh hen egg white, the P‐test. A Cox regression analysis was used to describe the relation between these variables and fecund‐ability, i.e. the time required to conceive. Four of thirteen variables—the number of morphologically normal spermatozoa, the number of motile spermatozoa, the P‐test, and the man's age—each have significant relation to the fecund‐ability. However, when covariation is considered, only the P‐test and the man's age posses significant prognostic information, whereas the variables of the classical semen analysis do not. This indicates that the P‐test may replace the classical semen analysis when trying to predict individual pregnancy probabilities. Finally, the P‐test and the man's age are combined to form a prognostic index which predicts the fecundability of the male partner in the individual infertile couple.
Study of histomorphometric changes of the mandibular condyles in neonatal and juvenile rats after administration of cyclophosphamide.

Forty 1-week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups of 10 animals each. Five rats of each group served as the controls, and another 5 were given weekly intraperitoneal injections of 20 mg cyclophosphamide (CTX, Endoxan, Cytoxan) per kg of body weight. The animals of each group were sacrificed either at 1, 3, 5, or 7 weeks after initial intraperitoneal injection of CTX or water. The mandibular condyles of all rats were assayed histomorphometrically for changes on cartilage and bone cells, and other elements. The results showed a decreasing tendency in the thickness of the cartilage layer, the number of prechondroblasts, the number of chondrocytes, the percentage of cartilage matrix, the percentage of hard tissue, the bone surface perimeter, the number of osteoblasts, the number of osteoclasts, and the average number of nuclei per osteoclast in the condyles at 1 or 3 weeks after initial CTX treatment. After 7 weeks of treatment with CTX there was a significant decrease in the thickness of the cartilage layer, the number of prechondroblasts, and the numbers of both osteoblasts and osteoclasts per square millimeter of bone surface in the condyles, when compared with those of the control groups. In addition, after 5 or 7 weeks of CTX treatment there was a significant decrease in the percentage of hard tissue, the number of osteoblasts and the number of osteoclasts. Furthermore, changes in the morphology and size of the bone cells were also observed in all the rats. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Large-Scale Minimal Complexity Machines Using Explicit Feature Maps

Minimal complexity machines (MCMs) are a class of hyperplane classifiers that try to minimize a tight bound on the Vapnik–Chervonenkis dimension. MCMs can be used both in the input space and in a higher dimensional feature space via the kernel trick. MCMs tend to produce very sparse solutions in comparison to support vector machines, often using three to ten times fewer support vectors. However, large datasets present significant challenges in terms of storage and operations on the kernel matrix. In this paper, we present a stochastic subgradient descent solver for large-scale machine learning with the MCM. The proposed approach uses an explicit feature map-based approximation of the kernel, to improve the scalability of the algorithm.
Comparison of CAT Item Selection Criteria for Polytomous Items

Item selection is a core component in computerized adaptive testing (CAT). Several studies have evaluated new and classical selection methods; however, the few that have applied such methods to the use of polytomous items have reported conflicting results. To clarify these discrepancies and further investigate selection method properties, six different selection methods are compared systematically. The results showed no clear benefit from more sophisticated selection criteria and showed one method previously believed to be superior—the maximum expected posterior weighted information (MEPWI)—to be mathematically equivalent to a simpler method, the maximum posterior weighted information (MPWI).
Butterfly Sprint Swimming Technique, Analysis of Somatic and Spatial-Temporal Coordination Variables

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate somatic properties and force production of leg extensor muscles measured in the countermovement jump test (CMJ), as well as to analyse kinematic variables of sprint surface butterfly swimming. Thirty-four male competitive swimmers were recruited with an average age of 19.3 ± 1.83 years. Their average body height (BH) was 183.7 ± 5.93 cm, body fat content 10.8 ± 2.64% and body mass (BM) 78.3 ± 5.0 kg. Length measurements of particular body segments were taken and a counter movement jump (CMJ) as well as an all-out 50 m butterfly speed test were completed. The underwater movements of the swimmers’ bodies were recorded with a digital camera providing side-shots. We registered a significant relationship between body mass (r = 0.46), lean body mass (r = 0.48) and sprint surface butterfly swimming (VSBF). The anaerobic power measured in the CMJ test, total body length (TBL) as well as upper and lower extremity length indices did not influence swimming speed significantly. The temporal entry-kick index (the time ratio between the first kick and arm entry) significantly influenced VSBF (r = -0.45). Similarly, medium power of the coefficient was indicated between a) stroke rate kinematics (SR), b) duration of the first leg kick (LP1), c) air phase duration of arm recovery (Fly-arm), and VSBF (r = 0.40; r = 0.40 and r = 0.41, respectively). The entry-kick temporal index showed that, in the butterfly cycle, an appropriately early executed initial kick when compared to arm entry was associated with a longer arm propulsion phase, which in turn was associated with minimizing resistive gliding phases and enabled relatively longer and less resistive air arm recovery (higher value of the fly-arm index). The higher value of SR kinematic was another important element of the best butterfly results in this study.
A 5.5-GHz 1-mW Full-Modulus-Range Programmable Frequency Divider in 90-nm CMOS Process

Operating up to 5.5 GHz with 1-mW power consumption, a 90-nm CMOS programmable frequency divider with eight stages of new static D-flip-flop-based (2/1) divider cells is presented, where the supply voltage of 1.0 V is employed. The divider achieves a full modulus range from 1 to 256 and operates over a wide range maintaining up to 4 GHz with -30-dBm input power. The divider also accomplishes a power efficiency of 12.8 GHz/mW with 0.5-V supply voltage. It is favorable for advanced processes.
The eradication of fallow deer (Dama dama) and feral goats (Capra hircus) from Kangaroo Island, South Australia

ABSTRACT An eradication program for fallow deer (Dama dama) and feral goats (Capra hircus) was initiated on Kangaroo Island in 2005 and is now close to completion. The program followed established principles for successful eradication which included effective planning, gaining support from stakeholders, developing and implementing effective control and monitoring, and minimising reinfestation risks. Support for the eradication program was high based on results from community surveys and public meetings. The distribution of feral goats and fallow deer was identified initially using community observations. The area occupied by goats was divided into seven management units which were targeted sequentially, but the deer population was small and could be targeted effectively across the entire distribution. Judas goats were an essential part of the program and assisted in the location and destruction of over 1200 feral goats. Since the program began, restrictions for keeping domestic goats and deer have been tightened with the implementation of a permit system. There are no known feral goats surviving. No juvenile deer have been detected for four years and only two female deer. Monitoring continues to determine if other breeding individuals remain.
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase Activity Is Required at a Postendocytic Step in Platelet-derived Growth Factor Receptor Trafficking (*)

We have previously reported that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor mutants that lack high affinity binding sites for phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase) fail to concentrate in juxtanuclear vesicular structures after activation with PDGF. We have now identified the point in the endocytic pathway at which PI 3-kinase binding sites are required. Receptor internalization from the plasma membrane, measured as the acquisition of acid resistance of prebound I-PDGF, was only slightly decreased in cells expressing a PDGF receptor mutant (F5) lacking PI 3-kinase, GTPase-activating protein (GAP), phospholipase C, and Syp binding sites but not expressing mutants where any of these individual sites were restored nor expressing a mutant lacking exclusively PI 3-kinase binding sites. In contrast, the extent of down-regulation of PDGF binding sites from the cell surface after prolonged incubation with PDGF as well as the degradation of [S]methionine-labeled receptor were markedly reduced in cells expressing the F5 mutant, mutants restored in GAP, phospholipase C, or Syp binding sites or expressing the mutant exclusively lacking PI 3-kinase binding sites but not in cells expressing the mutant where PI 3-kinase binding sites were restored. Inhibition of PI 3-kinase activity with wortmannin caused a dramatic decrease in the rates of down-regulation and degradation of wild-type receptors. These results suggest that PI 3-kinase binding sites are not required for internalization of PDGF receptor but are required to divert the PDGF receptor to a degradative pathway. Furthermore, the requirement for PI 3-kinase binding sites on the receptor appears to be due to a requirement for PI 3-kinase catalytic activity.
Rooted in Resilience: A Framework for the Integration of Well-Being in Teacher Education Programs

The process of teaching students is incredibly difficult. Oftentimes, the adversities of the profession sway highly effective teachers into social and emotional deficits, and eventually lead to burnout (Spilt, Koomen, & Thijs, 2011; Wisniewski & Gargiulo, 1997). Emotional depletion, burnout, and high attrition in the profession may be costly for the educational system – both financially and academically (Klusmann, Richter, & Lüdtke, 2016). We suggest that the key to preventing burnout, and cultivating flourishing students, is through the educators themselves. Educators who are taught, practice, and implement the skills of well-being at the onset of their careers are more likely to positively adapt and endure the adversities associated with the profession. Investigation of the current integration of well-being skills in teacher education programs suggests that teaching well-being is not prioritized and, therefore, not well included in the curriculum of teacher education programs. As a result, we suggest a framework for the reform of teacher education programs, which includes well-being accreditation standards, supporting domains, and sample courses. Planting a seed of resilience within teacher education programs may allow educators to build foundational practices and pedagogies based on the science of human flourishing. We hope that our research sparks conversations about the importance of prioritizing teacher well-being and resilience.
Follow But No Track: Privacy Preserved Profile Publishing in Cyber-Physical Social Systems

Due to the close correlation with individual’s physical features and status, the adoption of cyber-physical social systems (CPSSs) has been inevitably hindered by users’ privacy concerns. Such concerns keep growing as our bile devices have more embedded sensors, while the existing countermeasures only provide incapable and limited privacy preservation for sensitive physical information. Therefore, we propose a novel privacy preservation framework for CPSSs. We formulate both the privacy concerns and user expectations in CPSSs based on real-world knowledge. We also design a corresponding data publishing mechanism for users. It regulates the publishing behaviors to hide sensitive physical profiles. Meanwhile, the published data retain comprehensive social profiles for users. Our analysis demonstrates that the mechanism achieves a local maximized performance on the aspect published data size. The experiment results toward real datasets reveals that the performance is comparable to the global optimal one.
Correlation between pyramidal tract degeneration and widespread white matter involvement in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A study with tractography and diffusion-tensor imaging

Our aim was to evaluate the location and extent of white matter involvement in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) using diffusion-tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI). We obtained fractional anisotropy (FA) values from the internal capsule and various white matter regions of 46 patients with sporadic ALS and 19 control subjects. In ALS patients, FA values in the internal capsule, frontal white matter, genu and splenium of the corpus callosum (p<0.001), parietal and temporal lobe white matter, and posterior cingulum (p<0.05) were significantly lower than in controls. FA values in frontal white matter were lower than in parietal white matter (p<0.001). Decreased FA values in frontal, parietal, and temporal white matter, and the genu of the corpus callosum, correlated significantly with those in the internal capsule (r=0.66 and p<0.001, r=0.47 and p=0.001, r=0.33 and p=0.021, r=0.41 and p=0.005, respectively). No such correlations were found for FA values in other white matter areas or in controls. Patient FA values generally were not correlated with disease duration. DTI demonstrated more widespread involvement of the cerebral white matter in ALS patients than previously believed. The severity of involvement in the frontal, temporal and parietal white matter correlated with severity in the pyramidal tract.
Correlation between Kind of Delivery and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Background: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a very common mental condition and a unique anxiety disorder. Aim: The present study tried to examine the correlation between kind of delivery and PTSD. Subjects and Methods: This prospective study evaluated 240 Iranian female residents of Tehran, Iran, during the third trimester of their pregnancy and 6–8 weeks after labor. Data were collected using the customized screening form, the Symptom Checklist-90, PTSD Symptom Scale (PSS), and Social Support Questionnaire. The collected data were then analyzed with SPSS software. Results: According to the participants' responses to the subscales of the PSS, reexperiencing, avoidance, and hyperarousal symptoms were present in 100, 25, and 77 participants, respectively. Moreover, 15 individuals manifested all three groups of symptoms. Therefore, the prevalence of PTSD in the studied population was 6.2%. The logistic regression analysis revealed PTSD to be 0.06 times more prevalent in women with poor social support after delivery than in those enjoying a desirable level of support (P < 0.01; odds ratio = 0.06). Based onChisquare test results, there was no significant correlation between the kind of delivery and the incidence of PTSD after delivery (P = 0.48). Conclusion: Since PTSD was more common after cesarean sections (than after vaginal deliveries), health policymakers need to develop efficient strategies to promote vaginal delivery.
Passive nanotechnology based sensors for the remote detection of environmental pollutants impacting public health

Carbon nanotube sensors offer sensitivity and compactness, and provide a versatile chemical platform for ambient monitoring of environmental pollutants such as ozone, ammonia and volatile organic compounds, known to cause acute respiratory health problems (e.g., exacerbations of asthma and COPD). The advances in electronics and the feasibility to interface complex sensor materials with low-resistance metallic contacts enable novel sensor configurations, such as passive nodes scattered on ground and remotely monitored by drones or radar. Under an NIH Grant, we are developing sensor arrays to detect ambient environmental triggers of respiratory diseases in the personal microenvironment. Our approach makes use of the unique electronic properties of single-walled nanotubes (SWNTs) and the tremendous potential to modulate their sensitivity and selectivity using tailored chemical functionalization to adsorb specific molecules. In this paper, we present the first results to demonstrate the feasibility of a completely passive SWNT-based ammonia sensor remotely interrogated by an instrumented monostatic radar. It is shown that the backscattered signal produces a unique resonant response that can be used as a marker for the gas detection.
Faith and Pedagogy: Intersections of Asian American Teachers’ Identities and Practice

Abstract This article explores the role that teachers’ religious identities play in the classroom, particularly as they relate to understandings of race and equity. Employing an intersectional framework, I use interview data to examine how two Asian American teachers, who emphasize how important their Christian identities are to their lives and to their classroom practice, enact identity and pedagogy. Findings suggest that Christian teachers see teaching as an act of Christian service, that both faith and racial identities play roles in shaping culturally relevant pedagogy, and that teachers’ faith identities are integral to how they view themselves as individuals and as teachers.
Intrinsic biventricular dysfunction in Marfan syndrome

Background Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an autosomal, dominantly inherited, connective tissue disorder usually caused by a mutation in the fibrillin-1 gene (FBN1). As fibrillin-1 is a component of the extracellular matrix of the myocardium, mutations in FBN1 may cause impairment of ventricular function. Furthermore, aortic elasticity is decreased in patients with MFS, which might also impair ventricular function. We assessed biventricular function and the influence of aortic elasticity in patients with MFS by means of cardiac MRI. Methods and results Cardiac magnetic resonance was performed in 144 patients with MFS without significant valvular dysfunction, previous cardiac surgery or previous aortic surgery. Biventricular diastolic and systolic volumes were measured, and ejection fractions were calculated. Flow wave velocity, a measurable derivative of aortic elasticity, was measured between the ascending aorta and the bifurcation. When compared to healthy controls (n=19), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was impaired in patients with MFS (53%±7% vs 57%±4%, p<0.005), as was right ventricular ejection fraction (RVEF) (51%±7% vs 56%±4%, p<0.005). LVEF and RVEF were strongly correlated. (r=0.7, p<0.001). No significant differences were found between patients with β-blocker treatment and those without. There was no correlation between aortic elasticity as measured by flow wave velocity and LVEF. Conclusions Biventricular ejection fraction was impaired in patients with MFS, and the impairment was independent of aortic elasticity and β-blocker usage. There was also a strong correlation between LVEF and RVEF. Our findings suggest intrinsic myocardial dysfunction in patients with MFS. Clinical trial registration http://www.trialregister. nl/trialreg/admin/rctview.asp? TC=1423. Unique Identifier: NTR1423
AEGONE - Agent-Enabled, Grid-Oriented, and just-in-time Network of Experts

Consider a model developed by a multi-disciplinary team of scientists. This model will be used by researchers to support some scientific investigation. However, this investigation might be hampered if the researcher needs to interface (on the fly) with the members of the inter-disciplinary team responsible for the development of the model. The situation becomes more complicated if the following occurs: (a) multiple distributed models are needed for the researcher's scientific endeavor and (b) a similar need for interaction with the model-development teams arises. (As an example, consider a weather researcher who needs access to multiple weather models from different localities and each model reflects the contributions of several experts in air currents, air pressure, temperature, etc.). This paper presents an innovative integrated solution to the two problems identified above (i.e., access to multi-disciplinary team members responsible for model development and access to multiple distributed models and other data/information resources in a user-friendly transparent way) with the introduction of Agent-Enabled, Grid-Oriented Network of Expert agents (AEGONE). AEGONE is a system under development to give researchers just-in-time access to expert domain knowledge. This system will enable them to conduct scientific investigations and transparent access to distributed models and other resources without the immediate need to interface with human experts or knowledge of the complexity of the underlying grid-oriented and agent-mediated infrastructures
Nosocomial transmission of hepatitis C virus in haemodialysis patients

A systematic virological follow‐up of 114 haemodialysis patients treated in the same unit showed that 37, including 17 PCR positive patients, were seropositive for hepatitis C virus (HCV). Type 1b HCV was detected in 10 patients and was much more frequent in this population than in the whole population of patients treated in the hepatogastroenterology departments in southeastern France. The E1/E2 genomic region of seven type 1b HCV strains was sequenced. In four patients, a similar strain was detected in both the E1 variable region and the E2 hypervariable region (HVR1). In addition, two of these four patients were seronegative and PCR negative at the beginning of the study and had not been transfused or transplanted during this period. A phylogenetic tree was drawn which confirmed that these strains were very similar and showed that HCV was transmitted via the nosocomial pathway in this haemodialysis unit. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Impaired extrapyramidal function caused by the targeted disruption of Retinoid X receptor RXRγ1 isoform

Retinoid X receptors RXRα, β and γ exert multiple functions in the genetic regulation of mammalian signalling systems by forming heterodimeric complexes with several nuclear ligand receptors. In contrast to the widespread expression of RXRα and RXRβ, the expression of RXRγ is restricted to particular tissues in which RXRγ1 is the major isoform expressed in the mouse corpus striatum.
Software engineering productivity measurement using function points: a case study

This paper reports on the findings of an empirically based case study of the use of function points analysis (FPA) by the information systems division of a large financial services company. The software engineering productivity figures measured by FPA in this company varied widely across the departments of the division and projects. Investigation of the reasons for the variations showed that, in addition to factors such as the technology platform and application characteristics, organizational and human factors affect the accuracy and reliability of productivity figures. Elucidating the lessons from this case, this paper suggests that three factors – knowledge of the FPA, calibration of the function point productivity indicator and rigour of the measurement process – are critical to the successful implementation of an FPA programme. These findings and the issues identified in the paper will be of interest to academics in the area of software productivity measurement and companies considering FPA as a productivity metric.