Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Calcium and adenosine affect human sperm adenylate cyclase activity

The adenylate cyclase activity of human ejaculated spermatozoa in broken-cell preparations was investigated. In the presence of 5 mM metal cations and 0.1 mM ATP, the relative enzyme activity with Mn2+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Ba2+ was 1.00, 0.28, 0.22, and 0.03, respectively. Added Ca2+ appeared to activate the enzyme in the presence of Mn2+ or Mg2+. The human sperm adenylate cyclase was stimulated by ∼ 2-fold by free Ca2+ (lmM) in the presence of Mg2+ (5 mM). If the GTP analogue, 5′-guanylyl imidophosphate (Gpp(NH)p) was added to the sperm homogenate in the presence of 200 μM ethylene-glycol-bis (β-aminoethylether) N,N′-tetraacetic acid (EGTA), the adenylate cyclase activity was increased by approximately 25%, but with the addition of 280 μM Ca2+ there was a decrease in enzyme activity. A similar response to low concentrations of Ca2+ was obtained after complementation of the sperm enzyme with the guanine nucleotide regulatory component from human erythrocytes, where the addition of 40 μM Gpp(NH)p, 200 μM EGTA, and Ca2+ (≤ 160 μM) stimulated the sperm enzyme ∼ 3–4-fold, but the further addition of Ca2+ (280 μM, final) neutralized the stimulatory effect. The addition of adenosine, and the nucleotides 5′-AMP and 5′-ADP inhibited the enzyme, whereas guanine and 5′-GMP had no appreciable effect. Human follicular fluid and serum also had little direct effect on the sperm adenylate cyclase. These resuls suggest that Ca2+ might be an important physiological modulator of the human sperm adenylate cyclase.
HspB5/αB-Crystallin: Properties and Current Progress in Neuropathy

HspB5/alphaB-crystallin (alphaBC), one of the most representative member of mammalian small heat shock protein family (sHsp), shares the common features with other nine members HspB1-B4 and HspB6-10. Meanwhile, it has a strong antiapoptic effect; its interaction with cytoskeleton participates in maintaining cell structure and plays an important role in cytoprotection. Recent studies reveal that HspB5 has a strong relationship with neurological diseases acting as a protective molecular chaperone or in certain conditions, a pathogenic factor. This review gives a brief introduction on properties of HspB5, its current progress in neurological diseases and potential therapeutic intervention in demyelinating disease, neurodegenerative disease, myopathy and cerebrovascular disease.
Suprathermal electron moments in the ionosphere

The ionospheric electron population is divided into two groups. The ambient electrons are thermalized. Their energy is usually smaller than one electron volt. Their densities and temperatures are the usual ones measured by incoherent scatter radars, or modeled by international codes such as International Reference Ionosphere (IRI). There is however a second population called the suprathermal electrons. This one is either due to photoionization or to electron impact between the thermosphere and the precipitation in the high latitude zone. In the frame of space weather, it may be the source of scintillations, plasma bulks and other physical phenomena. The suprathermal electron population can only indirectly be measured through the plasmaline and had never been modeled. Its modeling requires the computation of the electron stationary flux by solving the Boltzmann transport equation. This flux is multiplied by various powers of the velocity v and integrated to obtain the different order moments. By integrating f over v0dv, one deduces the suprathermal electron density. An integration of v1fdv allows the computation of their mean velocity. Higher moments give access to their temperature and finally to their heat flux. In this work, we demonstrate for the first time the full and rigorous calculation of the ionospheric electron moments up to three. As two case studies, we focus on high latitude in the auroral oval and low magnetic latitude over Algiers for different solar and geophysical conditions. We compare the suprathermal densities and temperatures to the thermal electron parameters. Our results highlight that – as expected – the suprathermal density is small compared to the thermal one. Although it is close to 3 × 103 m−3 at 180 km during the day, it drops drastically at night, to hardly reach 3 m−3. Contrarily to the density, the velocity is about 10 times more important during the nighttime when precipitation occurs than during the daytime under the electromagnetic solar flux. At 400 km, it varies during the day between 700,000 m s−1 (active solar conditions) and 900,000 m s−1 (quiet Sun). At night, the velocity varies between 3 × 106 m s−1 (low mean energy precipitation) and 3 × 107 m s−1 (high mean energy precipitation) at 400 km. The suprathermal temperature increases as the solar activity decreases or as the mean energy of the electron precipitation increases. It may reach values close to 3 × 108 K. The heat flux may be fully oriented downward or experiences a reversal with some flux going up depending on the forcing.
SURFACE‐ENHANCED RESONANCE RAMAN SCATTERING SPECTROSCOPY AS A SURFACE TOPOGRAPHY PROBE IN PLANT PHOTOSYNTHETIC MEMBRANES

Strong resonance Raman (RR) and surface‐enhanced resonance Raman scattering (SERRS) signals from carotenoids were detected from thylakoid (stromal‐side out) vesicles and inside‐out (lumenal‐side out) vesicles isolated from spinach chloroplasts. The intensity of the signals from both types of membranes was comparable, indicating that plant carotenoids are exposed on or close to both surfaces or sides of the thylakoid membrane. This is in contrast to previous studies with bacterial photosynthetic membranes (Picorel et al., 1988, J. Biol. Chem. 263, 4374–4380; and 1990, Biochemistry29, 707–712) that show carotenoids selectively located on the cytoplasmic side. In addition; strong RR and SERRS signals were detected from stacked and unstacked photosystem‐II‐enriched membrane fragments, demonstrating that carotenoids are also exposed on both surfaces of the appressed region of the thylakoid membrane. Antibodies against the photosystem (PS) II extrinsic proteins blocked SERRS signals from stacked PS II membrane fragments, but only partially affected the SERRS signals from unstacked membranes. The results indicate that these antibodies, which preferentially cover the surface of the original lumenalside of the appressed region, act as spacers between the membrane and SERRS electrode surfaces. The original stromal‐side of the appressed region is unaffected. These findings verify the distance sensitivity of the SERRS technique and underscore the above conclusion about the location of carotenoids in the appressed regions. Finally, SERRS signals are sensitive to membrane aging and storage temperature; caution is suggested to those applying SERRS spectroscopy to intact membrane systems.
Relationships between soil hydrology and forest structure and composition in the southern Brazilian Amazon

Abstract Question: Is soil hydrology an important niche-based driver of biodiversity in tropical forests? More specifically, we asked whether seasonal dynamics in soil water regime contributed to vegetation partitioning into distinct forest types. Location: Tropical rain forest in northwestern Mato Grosso, Brazil. Methods: We investigated the distribution of trees and lianas ≥ 1 cm DBH in ten transects that crossed distinct hydrological transitions. Soil water content and depth to water table were measured regularly over a 13-month period. Results: A detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) of 20 dominant species and structural attributes in 10 × 10 m subplots segregated three major forest types: (1) high-statured upland forest with intermediate stem density, (2) medium-statured forest dominated by palms, and (3) low-statured campinarana forest with high stem density. During the rainy season and transition into the dry season, distinct characteristics of the soil water regime (i.e. hydro-indicators) were closely associated with each vegetation community. Stand structural attributes and hydro-indicators were statistically different among forest types. Conclusions: Some upland species appeared intolerant of anaerobic conditions as they were not present in palm and campinarana sites, which experienced prolonged periods of saturation at the soil surface. A shallow impermeable layer restricted rooting depth in the campinarana community, which could heighten drought stress during the dry season. The only vegetation able to persist in campinarana sites were short-statured trees that appear to be well-adapted to the dual extremes of inundation and drought. Nomenclature: Ribeiro et al. (1999).
Changes in Phytochemical Content and Antiproliferative Activity of Germinated Geunnun and Ilpum Rice Varieties

The purpose of this work was to measure the changes in -aminobutyric acid (GABA) and polyphenolic content of two different rice varieties (Geunnun and Ilpum), as well as the antiproliferative activities of both germinated brown rice varieties in cancer cells. The contents of GABA in Geunnun and Ilpum, especially in the bran of Ilpum increased significantly after germination. The content of polyphenol in Geunnun also increased after germination, but the contents of flavonoid in both varieties decreased after germination. A significant increase in the antiproliferative activity of both varieties on human lung and gastric cancer cell line was observed after germination.
Economic and biological benefits of intercropping berseem clover with oat in corn-soybean-oat rotations

Sustainability of Iowa agriculture may require change from predominantly a corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ] rotation to more diverse cropping systems. Alternative crops are vital for providing temporal diversity. Reincorporating small grains into a three-crop rotation with corn and soybean can provide greater temporal diversity, especially if a forage legume is included as a companion crop. A field study was established in 1991 on a Kenyon (fine-loamy, mixed, mesic Typic Hapludoll) soil to evaluate the economic and biological benefits of an oat (Avena saliva L.) crop underseeded with berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) in a three crop rotation. Two rotation treatments were compared: (i) corn-soybean-oat and (ii) corn-soybean-oat intercropped with berseem clover. In 1992, 1993, 1994, and 1995, oat grain yield was not significantly changed when berseem clover was underseeded with the oat crop. However, in 5 yr, oat underseeded with berseem clover produced up to 70% more biomass (harvested material without the grain) than sole-crop oat straw. The biomass (40% oat straw and 60% berseem clover forage) also had adequate digestible material (51%) to be considered as low quality forage. Berseem clover regrowth after oat grain harvest produced an average 1.2 tons/acre of forage, which could have been harvested for hay or left in the field as green manure. During this trial, berseem clover regrowth was left as groundcover and green manure, which contributed an average of 39 lb N/acre to the succeeding corn crop. Corn grain yields following berseem clover were 10% higher over the trial period. Soybean grain yields were the same for both treatments. Intercropping berseem clover with oat returned an average of S39/acre more than sole-crop oat. This study demonstrated both economic and biological advantages for more diverse cropping practices.
STUDENT SURVEY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION QUALITY – CHALLENGES TO DESIGN AND ANALYSE DATA

Purpose of the study: The objective of this study was to present useful practical advice on the process of designing questionnaires for student surveys for higher education quality, as well as conducting such survey through the analysis of results of such survey that was held in National University "Odesa Law Academy". Methodology: This research is based on the results of an anonymous online survey among 142 students of the Faculty of Advocacy of the National University "Odesa Law Academy", which was conducted in April 2017. The survey consisted of 29 questions. All questions were divided into 3 separate groups: assessment of academic discipline, assessment of lectures, and assessment of practical classes. Each group consisted of open-ended and closed-ended questions. Closed-ended questions were evaluated on a 10-point scale, where 1 is the lowest score, and 10 is the highest. Main Findings: The research findings demonstrate that to increase the response rate of student it's better to reduce the number of questionnaires and questions in them. Also, the authors stated that the online form of survey is better than paper form (in aspects of accessibility, anonymity, and convenience for students). It was found that the vast majority of students' responses were received during the first days of the survey, which indicates that it is impractical to be conducting such a survey over a long period. It was found that in response to closed-ended questions most students chose the highest mark (10 out of 10), so developers of questionnaires have to choose another scale for closed-ended question assessment which has some real references. Also, it was stated that only a fraction of open-ended questions will contain really useful information that can be further used to improve educational services. Application of this study: This research can be used by administration staff and teachers of universities as a guideline in conducting similar surveys. Novelty/Originality of this study: The novelty of this research lies in the attempt of combining relatively easy in implementation but quite effective in usage rules of conducting student’s survey on higher education quality in one paper.
Latent Dirichlet Analysis of Categorical Survey Expectations

Beliefs are important determinants of an individual's choices and economic outcomes, so understanding how they differ across individuals is of considerable interest. Researchers often rely on surveys that report individual expectations as qualitative data. We propose using a Bayesian hierarchical latent class model to summarize and interpret observed heterogeneity in categorical expectations data. We show that the statistical model corresponds to an economic structural model of information acquisition, which guides interpretation and estimation of the model parameters. An algorithm based on stochastic optimization is proposed to estimate a model for repeated surveys when beliefs follow a dynamic structure and conjugate priors are not appropriate. Guidance on selecting the number of belief types is also provided. Two examples are considered. The first shows that there is information in the Michigan survey responses beyond the consumer sentiment index that is officially published. The second shows that belief types constructed from survey responses can be used in a subsequent analysis to estimate heterogeneous returns to education.
The Changing Role of Customer Experience in the Age of Industry 4.0

THE AIMS OF THE PAPER The fourth industrial revolution will result in a paradigm shift in the production and the marketing of products and services. The digitalization driven paradigm shift will make it possible to personalize the marketing tools, like pricing, distribution, communication, customer management, and customer experience. The aim of the paper is twofold: firstly to draw attention to the increased importance of customer experience and secondly to discuss how customer experience has changed due to the digitalized business environment. METHODOLOGY The conceptual study builds on a comprehensive literature review. The literature studied includes scientific papers describing how customer experience has developed and altered in different industries. The desk research also took into consideration the published finding of researches carried out by well-known international research agencies. MOST IMPORTANT RESULTS One of the most important results of the study is to find an appropriate definition of customer experience and to find its role among the managerial functions. Another result is the knitting of customer experience to the development of the consumer decision journey. Digitalization has completely changed the traditional funnel type of the customer decision journey, new touchpoints have appeared and gained importance. The paper discusses the role of customer experience management and elaborates on the process of how companies should prepare their activities in this field to enhance their competitiveness. RECOMMENDATIONS The study concludes that companies to stay competitive have to map the decision journey of their existing and potential customers. They have to explore the important contact point and have to provide them with authentic content and information. This is rather difficult in today’s multichannel environment. The real-time information they need should be provided through the analytics of big data. While collecting this information they should take care not to hurt the privacy of customers.
Acoustic signal monitoring in laser paint cleaning

Laser paint removal has many advantages compared to traditional paint removal methods and has been widely used in the industry. A closed-loop control based on real-time monitoring of the laser paint removal process is essential to achieve a good clean effect without damaging the substrate. The acoustic signals generated in various stages have been studied experimentally. The results show that the property of the acoustic signal is closely correlated with the status of laser paint removal. The amplitude and the local standard deviation of the acoustic signal in the frequency range of 7–10 kHz gradually decreases to a steady value with the removal of the paint. The change of these two factors can reflect the status of laser paint removal more realistically than the signal amplitude in the time domain. Compared with the laser induced breakdown spectroscopy method, we found that monitoring based on acoustic signal works on a wider laser fluence range. We proved that this method can be used to evaluate whether the paint is cleaned or not when laser works in a scanning model. Our work can benefit the real-time monitoring and close-loop control of laser paint removal.
Phylogenetic and Cophylogenetic Analyses of the Leaf-Nodule Symbiosis in Ardisia Subgenus Crispardisia (Myrsinaceae): Evidence from Nuclear and Chloroplast Markers and Bacterial rrn Operons

Premise of research. Leaf-nodule symbiosis represents an intriguing relationship between angiosperms and bacteria. In leaf-nodulated Ardisia (subgenus Crispardisia), it has been hypothesized that the bacterial symbionts, which are also observed in reproductive organs, are transmitted to the next generation in a vertical and closed manner. We tested this hypothesis by using molecular approaches to locate the symbionts within hosts and to conduct host-symbiont cophylogenetic analyses. Methodology. Universal primers were used to amplify bacterial rrn operon from field-collected Crispardisia for identification of symbionts and design of symbiont-specific primers for PCR detection. The relationships of symbionts from 11 Crispardisia taxa with 60 validly named species in the same genus were analyzed. The monophyly of the hosts was also explored by constructing a phylogeny of Ardisia based on nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (nrITS) and three chloroplast markers from 36 taxa belonging to nine subgenera. Host-symbiont cophylogenetic analyses were conducted using TreeMap and ParaFit. Pivotal results. Ribosomal RNA operons amplified from the rod-shaped Gram-negative symbionts of Crispardisia suggested they form a clade within Burkholderia. The host taxa were also resolved as a monophyletic group in the phylogenetic analyses based on nrITS, trnL-trnF, atpB-rbcL, and psbA-trnH. PCR detection confirmed the speculation based on electron microscope observation that the same symbiotic bacteria occur in both vegetative and reproductive organs. The similarity of rrn operon sequences of symbionts from hosts collected from different localities and the overall Crispardisia-Burkholderia cophylogenetic pattern suggest that the symbionts have been confined to the host’s life cycle since the formation of such an intimate association. Conclusions. Overall, this study supports the hypothesis that Ardisia leaf-nodule symbionts are vertically transmitted and should be recognized as an integral part of Crispardisia.
Crown morphology relationships among alfalfa plant introductions and cultivars

The alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) crown is an important morphological structure because of its association with regrowth, yield, and persistence. The objectives of this research were to evaluate variability for crown morphological traits among 1067 plant introductions (P.I.s) and 110 North American cultivars, to determine the association between crown morphological traits and germplasm sources, and to compare the association between crown morphological traits and fall dormancy classes for North American alfalfa cultivars. The P.I. s and the cultivars were grown in separate field studies at Rosemount, MN, during 1989 and 1990, respectively. Plots consisted of one 3.5-m-long row for P.I. s, and one 1.8-m-long row for cultivars. They were seeded in May and the plants were dug in October. Plants were individually evaluated for crown depth, crown width, number of crow stems, crown stem width, and number of crown buds. Variation was observed among both P.I. s and North American cultivars for all crown traits. Discriminant analysis of crown traits was effective at separating germplasm sources from diverse geographic origins. The crown traits of germplasm sources from less diverse origins appeared similar. Discriminant analysis of crown traits separated highly dormant (fall dormancy = 1) cultivars more effectively than semi-dormant and non-dormant cultivars. Only number of crown buds had a meaningful correlation (-) with fall growth. Variation observed for crown traits among alfalfa germplasm sources indicated that selection for specific crown modifications could be effective.
Dynamic analysis of micro-cantilever with electrostatic force

ABSTRACT Micro-cantilever beam are now widely used in modern micro and nano devices. This device includes micro-switches and microscopes which are operated by atomic force. The dynamic analysis of cantilever beams is of critical prior to manufacturing of the beams. Dynamic analysis is carried out using an energy technique based on Galerkin method and pull-in parameters are to be found out for prismatic cantilever. In squeeze film damping the air present between movable beam and fixed beam behave as squeezed fluid and producing the damping effect which lead to reducing in displacement. In case of fringing field the line of action of electrostatic force do not remain perpendicular at the boundaries. The effect of damping due to Squeeze film and fringing field on dynamic performance of beam is studied and found out the pull-in factors and matched with the published outcomes. This area opens novel opportunities for structural optimization of electrostatic micro-beams.
Population Differences in the Schooling Behaviour of Newborn Guppies, Poecilia reticulata

Population differences in the schooling behaviour of adult guppies (Poecilia reticulata) from Trinidad have previously been well documented. This paper demonstrates that variation in schooling behaviour is also present in newborn fish. Guppies from the Aripo River of Trinidad display well-developed schooling behaviour from birth. In addition to forming cohesive and polarized groups, these newborn fish also exhibit predator inspection behaviour. Newborn guppies from the Paria River perform inspections but, unlike the Aripo fish, are poor schoolers. Population variation in behaviour at birth does not necessarily reflect the pattern observed in the adult fish. As adults, guppies from the Upper section of the Aripo River have a much lower schooling tendency and are less wary during inspection than the downstream Lower Aripo guppies. At birth, however, the schooling behaviour and inspection behaviour in the two populations is identical. These results suggest that different selective pressures operate on adult and newborn guppies in Trinidad.