Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
velopment and reproduction biology / Biologie du développement et de la reproduction trastructural study of spermiogenesis in a rare desert phisbaenian Diplometopon zarudnyi

Spermiogenesis, in particular the head differentiation of Diplometopon zarudnyi, was studied at the ultrastructural level by Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). The process includes acrosomal vesicle development, nuclear elongation, chromatin condensation and exclusion of excess cytoplasm. In stage I, the proacrosomal vesicle occurs next to a shallow fossa of the nucleus, and a dense acrosomal granule forms beneath it. This step commences with an acrosome vesicle forming from Golgi transport vesicles; simultaneously, the nucleus begins to move eccentrically. In stage II, the round proacrosomal vesicle is flattened by projection of the nuclear fossa, and the dense acrosomal granule diffuses into the vesicle as the fibrous layer forms the subacrosomal cone. Circular manchettes surrounded by mitochondria develop around the nucleus, and the chromatin coagulates into small granules. The movement of the nucleus causes rearrangement of the cytoplasm. The nucleus has uniform diffuse chromatin with small indices of heterochromatin. The subacrosome space develops early, enlarges during elongation, and accumulates a thick layer of dark staining granules. In stage III, the front of the elongating nucleus protrudes out of the spermatid and is covered by the flat acrosome; coarse granules replace the small ones within the nucleus. One endonuclear canal is present where the perforatorium resides. In stage IV, the chromatin concentrates to dense homogeneous phase. The circular manchette is reorganized longitudinally. The Sertoli process covers the acrosome and the residues of the cytoplasmic lobes are removed. In stage V, the sperm head matures. 2013 Académie des sciences. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved. Corresponding author. Transmission Electron Microscope Unit, arch Center (Central Laboratory), College of Science, King Saud ersity, Building No. 5, PO Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia. E-mail address: mahmed1@ksu.edu. sa (M. Ahmed).
A Method to Disentangle Mode Effects in a Mixed-mode Dataset Using Comparable Single-mode Data

Survey designs in which data from different groups of respondents are collected by different survey modes have become increasingly popular. However, such mixed-mode (MM) designs lead to a confounding of selection effects and measurement effects (measurement error) caused by mode differences. Consequently, MM data have poor quality. Nevertheless, comparing MM data with data from a comparable single-mode survey allows researchers to measure selection effects and measurement effects separately. The authors develop a method to evaluate mode effects and illustrate this method with data from a Dutch MM experiment within the European Social Survey program. In this experiment, respondents could choose between three modes: a Web survey, a telephone interview, or a face-to-face interview. Mode effects on three political variables are evaluated: interest in politics, perceived complexity of politics, and voter turnout in the last national election.
The Finnish Payroll Tax Cut Experiment Revisited

In this paper I evaluate the effects of a regional experiment that reduced payroll taxes by 3–6 percentage points of the firms’ wage sum in northern and eastern Finland. I estimate the effect of the payroll tax reduction on firms’ employment levels, wage sum and profits, and on workers’ hourly pay and monthly hours worked, by comparing the changes in employment and wages before and after the start of the experiment to a control region. My results indicate that the reduction in payroll taxes did not lead to any unequivocal aggregate effects in the target region.
No association of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist VNTR polymorphism and rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility : a meta-analysis

Background & objectives Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) is a natural anti-inflammatory molecule that blocks the action of IL-1 signaling. A variable-number tandem repeat polymorphism (VNTR) in IL-1Ra gene (IL-1RN) intron 2 has been reported to be associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with inconsistent results. Here, we perform a meta-analysis to assess the common effect size of this polymorphism on RA susceptibility.
Kamon Sanada differentiation in neocortical progenitor cells Increased dosage of DYRK 1 A and DSCR 1 delays neuronal Material Supplemental

Material Supplemental http://genesdev.cshlp. org/content/suppl/2013/12/18/27.24. 2708.DC1. html References http://genesdev.cshlp. org/content/27/24/2708.full. html#ref-list-1 This article cites 51 articles, 16 of which can be accessed free at: License Commons Creative . http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ Creative Commons License (Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported), as described at ). After six months, it is available under a http://genesdev.cshlp. org/site/misc/terms.xhtml six months after the full-issue publication date (see This article is distributed exclusively by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press for the first
The Application of Approximate Entropy Theory in Defects Detecting of IGBT Module

Defect is one of the key factors in reducing the reliability of the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) module, so developing the diagnostic method for defects inside the IGBT module is an important measure to avoid catastrophic failure and improves the reliability of power electronic converters. For this reason, a novel diagnostic method based on the approximate entropy (ApEn) theory is presented in this paper, which can provide statistical diagnosis and allow the operator to replace defective IGBT modules timely. The proposed method is achieved by analyzing the cross ApEn of the gate voltages before and after the occurring of defects. Due to the local damage caused by aging, the intrinsic parasitic parameters of packaging materials or silicon chips inside the IGBT module such as parasitic inductances and capacitances may change over time, which will make remarkable variation in the gate voltage. That is to say the gate voltage is close coupled with the defects. Therefore, the variation is quantified and used as a precursor parameter to evaluate the health status of the IGBT module. Experimental results validate the correctness of the proposed method.
Photoluminescence investigation of strictly ordered Ge dots grown on pit-patterned Si substrates

Thermally activated redistribution of Si surface atoms is found to be a crucial factor for the growth of aligned Ge dots on pit-patterned Si(001) substrates. A phenomenon of Si accumulation around the edge of pits significantly alters the substrate surface morphology. As the pit spacing is reduced to below 100 nm, a convex morphology developed between adjacent pits causes a chemical potential distribution that drives the Ge dots into the pits. In addition, the pits of an etching depth greater than 60 nm will evolve into truncated inverted pyramids with sharp base corners that provide deep potential wells for the confinement of Ge dots. Perfectly aligned Ge dots are obtained on pit-patterned Si substrates with this range of pit spacing and etching depth. We also find that the initial geometric shape of the pits does not affect the spatial arrangement of Ge dots.
C-choline PET/MRI for Characterization of Primary High-Risk Prostate Cancer: Correlations between Positron Emission Tomography Imaging Parameters and Clinical Features

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether PET (positron emission tomography) imaging parameters from simultaneous C-choline PET/MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) could be used to characterize primary prostate cancer. Methods: Forty-six patients with biopsy-proven high-risk prostate cancer (clinical T stage ≥ cT2c, a Gleason score ≥ 8, or PSA (prostate-specific antigen) level > 20 ng/mL) were prospectively enrolled. A SUV (standardized uptake value) histogram analysis including maximum SUV, mean SUV, SUV variance, SUV entropy, MTV (metabolic tumor volume), and UVP (uptake volume product) was applied for the calculation of PET imaging parameters. Correlations between the PSA level and Gleason score were then evaluated. Results: Maximum SUV, mean SUV, MTV, UVP, and SUV variance were significantly correlated with PSA level, whereas SUV variance was the only parameter negatively correlated with the Gleason score. Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that MTV and PSA level at diagnosis were independent predictors of positive distant metastasis status. Conclusions: PET imaging parameters from simultaneous C-choline PET/MRI were correlated with PSA level. However, C-choline metabolic tumor heterogeneity was not associated with biospecimen-derived Gleason scores in prostate cancer. To apply PET texture quantification analysis to prostate cancer, a more specific PET radiotracer is required.
Morphological Descriptive Study of Phlebotominae Species (Diptera: Psychodidae) in Eastern Al-Hamza District / Al-Diwaniya City

The sand flies Phlebotominae of vector to leishmaniosis, and nearly 700 species known to it, but there are a small number of species are carriers of the disease, especially of animal origin, as found 20 species of the Phlebotomus genus exist in the ancient world and 24 species of the Lutzomyia genus exist in the modern world known to be proved and probable carriers of the disease (Sacks et al., 2008).
Fundamentals of allergy and immunology Pathogenic CD 4 1 T cells in patients with asthma

Asthma encompasses a variety of clinical phenotypes that involve distinct T cell–driven inflammatory processes. Improved understanding of human T-cell biology and the influence of innate cytokines on T-cell responses at the epithelial barrier has led to new asthma paradigms. This review captures recent knowledge on pathogenic CD4 T cells in asthmatic patients by drawing on observations in mouse models and human disease. In patients with allergic asthma, TH2 cells promote IgE-mediated sensitization, airway hyperreactivity, and eosinophilia. Here we discuss recent discoveries in the myriad molecular pathways that govern the induction of TH2 differentiation and the critical role of GATA3 in this process. We elaborate on how cross-talk between epithelial cells, dendritic cells, and innate lymphoid cells translates to T-cell outcomes, with an emphasis on the actions of thymic stromal lymphopoietin, IL-25, and IL-33 at the epithelial barrier. New concepts on how T-cell skewing and epitope specificity are shaped by multiple environmental cues integrated by dendritic cell ‘‘hubs’’ are discussed. We also describe advances in understanding the origins of atypical TH2 cells in asthmatic patients, the role of TH1 cells and other nonTH2 types in asthmatic patients, and the features of T-cell pathogenicity at the single-cell level. Progress in technologies that enable highly multiplexed profiling of markers within a single cell promise to overcome barriers to T-cell discovery in human asthmatic patients that could transform our understanding of disease. These developments, along with novel T cell–based therapies, position us to expand the assortment of molecular targets that could facilitate personalized treatments. (J Allergy Clin Immunol 2017;nnn:nnn-nnn.)
Localization of putative binding sites for cyclic guanosine monophosphate and the anti-cancer drug 5-fluoro-2[prime]-deoxyuridine-5[prime]-monophosphate on ABCC11 in silico models

Background: The Multidrug Resistance Protein ABCC11/MRP8 is expressed in physiological barriers and tumor breast tissues in which it secretes various substrates including cGMP (cyclic guanosine monophosphate) and 5FdUMP (5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine-5′-monophosphate), the active metabolite of the anticancer drug 5-FluoroUracil (frequently included to anticancer therapy). Previously, we described that ABCC11 high levels are associated to the estrogen receptor (ER) expression level in breast tumors and in cell lines resistant to tamoxifen. Consequently, by lowering the intracellular concentration of anticancer drugs, ABCC11 likely promotes a multidrug resistance (MDR) phenotype and decreases efficiency of anticancer therapy of 5FdUMP. Since no experimental data about binding sites of ABCC11 substrate are available, we decided to in silico localize putative substrate interaction sites of the nucleotide derivatives. Taking advantage of molecular dynamics simulation, we also analysed their evolution under computational physiological conditions and during the time. Results: Since ABCC11 crystal structure is not resolved yet, we used the X-ray structures of the mouse mdr3 (homologous to human ABCB1) and of the bacterial homolog Sav1866 to generate two independent ABCC11 homology models in inwardand outward-facing conformations. Based on docking analyses, two putative binding pockets, for cGMP and 5FdUMP, were localized in both inwardand outward-facing conformations. Furthermore, based on our 3D models, and available biochemical data from homologous transporters, we identified several residues, potentially critical in ABCC11 transport function. Additionally, molecular dynamics simulation on our inward-facing model revealed for the first time conformation changes assumed to occur during transport process. Conclusions: ABCC11 would present two binding sites for cGMP and for 5FdUMP. Substrates likely first bind at the intracellular side of the transmembrane segment while ABCC11 is open forward the cytoplasm (inward-facing conformation). Then, along with conformational changes, it would pass through ABCC11 and fix the second site (close to the extracellular side), until the protein open itself to the extracellular space and allow substrate release.
Content-adaptive lenticular prints Citation

Lenticular prints are a popular medium for producing automultiscopic glasses-free 3D images. The light field emitted by such prints has a fixed spatial and angular resolution. We increase both perceived angular and spatial resolution by modifying the lenslet array to better match the content of a given light field. Our optimization algorithm analyzes the input light field and computes an optimal lenslet size, shape, and arrangement that best matches the input light field given a set of output parameters. The resulting emitted light field shows higher detail and smoother motion parallax compared to fixed-size lens arrays. We demonstrate our technique using rendered simulations and by 3D printing lens arrays, and we validate our approach in simulation with a user study. CR Categories: I.3. 1 [Computer Graphics]: Hardware Architecture —Three-dimensional displays;
Modelling Holocene carbon accumulation and methane emissions of boreal wetlands – an Earth system model approach

Since the Last Glacial Maximum, boreal wetlands have accumulated substantial amounts of peat, estimated at 180–621 Pg of carbon. Wetlands have significantly affected the atmospheric greenhouse gas composition in the past and will play a significant role in future changes of atmospheric CO 2 and CH 4 concentrations. In order to investigate those changes with an Earth system model, biogeochemical processes in boreal wetlands need to be accounted for. Thus, a model of peat accumulation and decay was developed and included in the land surface model JSBACH of the Max Planck Institute Earth System Model (MPI-ESM). Here we present the evaluation of model results from 6000 yr BP to the pre-industrial period. Over this period of time, 240 Pg of peat carbon accumulated in the model in the areas north of 40° N. Simulated peat accumulation rates agree well with those reported for boreal wetlands. The model simulates CH 4 emissions of 49.3 Tg CH 4 yr −1 for 6000 yr BP and 51.5 Tg CH 4 yr −1 for pre-industrial times. This is within the range of estimates in the literature, which range from 32 to 112 Tg CH 4 yr −1 for boreal wetlands. The modelled methane emission for the West Siberian Lowlands and Hudson Bay Lowlands agree well with observations. The rising trend of methane emissions over the last 6000 yr is in agreement with measurements of Antarctic and Greenland ice cores.
The Informativeness of Auditor Going Concern Opinions: International Evidence

This study examines auditor reporting for going-concern uncertainty and whether there are differences in the informativeness of auditor reporting across countries. In our analyses we compare the relative informativeness of auditor’s opinions with going concern modifications (GCOs), versus an ex ante estimate of probability of default (PD), in predicting ex post default events. Our study uses an international sample of audit opinions from ten countries for the years 2000 to 2012 and a large database of default events. We find that GCOs are informative about ex post default events. We also demonstrate that there are important country differences influencing the predictability of default events. Nevertheless, when we compare the relative predictive power of GCO versus PD at the country-level, both indicators are generally as informative in predicting default events. Moreover, GCO and PD are incremental to each other in predicting default events. This study extends the international GCO and audit-quality literature by fostering our understanding of auditor reporting across countries and providing evidence on the informativeness of GCOs. Furthermore, our combined results suggest that the gap between the number of GCOs and the number of ex post default events is not necessarily evidence that the audit opinion is uninformative.
In Search of a Nominal Anchor : What Drives Inflation Expectations ?

According to both central bankers and economic theory, anchored inflation expectations are key to successful monetary policymaking. Yet, we know very little about the determinants of those expectations. We explore a theory of expectations formation that can produce episodes of unanchoring. Its key feature is state-dependency in the sensitivity of long-run inflation expectations to short-run inflation surprises. Price-setting agents act as econometricians trying to learn about average long-run inflation. They set prices according to their views about future inflation, which hence feed back into actual inflation. When expectations are anchored, agents believe there is a constant long-run inflation rate, which they try to learn about. However, in the spirit of Marcet and Nicolini (2003), a long enough sequence of inflation suprises leads agents to doubt the constancy of long-run inflation, and switch to putting more weight on recent developments. As a result, long-run inflation expectations become unanchored, and start to react more strongly to short-run inflation surprises. Shifts in agents’views about long-run inflation feed into their price-setting decisions, imparting a drift to actual inflation. Hence, inflation can show persistent swings away from its long-run mean. We estimate the model using actual inflation data, and only short-run inflation forecasts from surveys, for various countries. The estimated model produces long-run forecasts that track survey measures extremely well. The estimated model has several uses: 1) It can tell a story of how inflation expectations got unhinged in the 1970s; it can also be used to construct a counterfactual history of inflation under anchored long-run expectations. 2) At any given point in time, it can be used to compute the probability of unanchoring episodes, that may produce inflation or deflation scares. 3) When embedded into an environment with explicit monetary policy, it can also be used to study the role of policy in shaping the expectations formation mechanism. JEL classification codes:
Evaluation of UAS Class and EO Sensor Payload Type for Applications in Hostage Crisis Missions

Donohue V. (2014). Evaluation of UAS class and EO sensor payload type for applications in hostage crisis missions. International Journal of Unmanned Systems Engineering. 2(1): 1-8. Law Enforcement entities are tasked with ensuring the safety of citizens to the best of their ability. They use every advantage at their disposal to capture and restrain criminals while reducing the risk to civilians. This ability is often limited by the constraints of slim and shrinking budgets. Departments with larger budgets and greater flexibility have historically taken advantage of airborne assets, most often helicopters, which provide a tremendous advantage against criminals due to enhanced surveillance, pursuit, and capture capability. The latest technological advancements in remote electronic sensing, along with major strides in aircraft automation and miniaturization, have allowed a surge in the implementation of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in Law Enforcement missions. This paper discusses the use of UAS by Law Enforcement in a hostage crisis situation. A scenario is presented and a Concept of Operations (CONOPS) is developed to thoroughly detail the mission goal, strategy and tactics. The class of UAS appropriate for the mission, including Micro Air Vehicles and small UAS, and a refined selection between fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft are identified. The Draganflyer X6 and the RAPTR rotary wing UAVs are discussed in deciding what system best accomplishes the hostage crisis mission. Electro-optical sensors, including high definition video, low light level TV and infrared sensors, provide superior applicability. © Marques Engineering Ltd.
Comparative in-vitro transcorneal permeation studies of aqueous drop of esmolol HCl through excised goat, sheep, and buffalo corneas

The present work focuses to evaluate the effect of formulation factors transcorneal permeation of aqueous drop of esmolol HCL through freshly excised goat, sheep, and buffalo corneas. Effect of concentration of esmolol HCl in aqueous solution on permeation of drug through excised goat, sheep, and buffalo corneas was study. Esmolol HCL ophthalmic solutions of different concentrations (pH 7.2) or 0.5% (w/v) solutions of different pH or 0.5% solutions (pH 7.2) containing different preservatives were made. Franz diffusion was used for measuring the drug permeated in the receptor by spectrophotometry at 280 nm, after 120 minutes. Compared with control formulation, esmolol HCL 0.5 %( w/v) solution at pH 7.2 containing benzalkonium chloride (0.01% w/v) in the formulation increased permeation to the maximum with all the corneas and the apparent permeability coefficient was found to be maximum 9.85±0.4 on goat cornea. The results of the ophthalmic aqueous drop optimized formulation containing BAC,control formulation (without BAC) and marketed cardioselective eye drop betoptic S (betaxolol HCl) through paired corneas showed near bit same result. It can be accomplished that from the present studies increase in concentration of esmolol HCL in aqueous drop causes a disproportionate increase in permeation.
Virtual Channel Allocation ( VA ) Switch Allocation ( SA ) Routing Computation ( RC ) Crossbar ( XB )

The increasing number of cores on a chip has made the Network on Chip (NoC) concept the standard communication paradigm for Chip Multiprocessors. A fault in an NoC leads to undesirable ramifications that can severely impact the performance of a chip. Therefore, it is vital to design fault tolerant NoCs. In this paper, we present Shield, a reliable NoC router architecture that has the unique ability to tolerate both hard and soft errors in the routing pipeline using techniques such as spatial redundancy, exploitation of idle cycles, bypassing of faulty resources and selective hardening. Using Mean Time to Failure and Silicon Protection Factor metrics, we show that Shield is six times more reliable than the baseline-unprotected router and is at least 1.5 times more reliable than existing fault tolerant router architectures. We introduce a new metric called Soft Error Improvement Factor and show that the soft error tolerance of Shield has improved by three times in comparison to the baseline-unprotected router. This reliability improvement is accomplished by incurring an area and power overhead of 34% and 31% respectively. Latency analysis using SPLASH-2 and PARSEC reveals that in the presence of faults, latency increases by a modest 13% and 10% respectively.