Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Morphological convergence as a consequence of extreme functional demands: examples from the feeding system of natricine snakes

Despite repeated acquisitions of aquatic or semi‐aquatic lifestyles revolving around piscivory, snakes have not evolved suction feeding. Instead, snakes use frontally or laterally directed strikes to capture prey under water. If the aquatic medium constrains strike performance because of its physical properties, we predict morphological and functional convergence in snakes that use similar strike behaviours. Here we use natricine snakes to test for such patterns of convergence in morphology and function. Our data show that frontal strikers have converged on a similar morphology characterized by narrow elongate heads with a reduced projected frontal surface area. Moreover, simple computational fluid dynamics models show that the observed morphological differences are likely biologically relevant as they affect the flow of water around the head. In general, our data suggest that the direction of evolution may be predictable if constraints are strong and evolutionary solutions limited.
HMGA2 as a potential molecular target in KMT2A‐AFF1‐positive infant acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in infants is an intractable cancer in childhood. Although recent intensive chemotherapy progress has considerably improved ALL treatment outcome, disease cure is often accompanied by undesirable long‐term side effects, and efficient, less toxic molecular targeting therapies have been anticipated. In infant ALL cells with KMT2A (MLL) fusion, the microRNA let‐7b (MIRLET7B) is significantly downregulated by DNA hypermethylation of its promoter region. We show here that the expression of HMGA2, one of the oncogenes repressed by MIRLET7B, is reversely upregulated in infant ALL leukaemic cells, particularly in KMT2A‐AFF1 (MLL‐AF4) positive ALL. In addition to the suppression of MIRLET7B, KMT2A fusion proteins positively regulate the expression of HMGA2. HMGA2 is one of the negative regulators of CDKN2A gene, which encodes the cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor p16INK4A. The HMGA2 inhibitor netropsin, when combined with demethylating agent 5‐azacytidine, upregulated and sustained the expression of CDKN2A, which resulted in growth suppression of KMT2A‐AFF1‐expressing cell lines. This effect was more apparent compared to treatment with 5‐azacytidine alone. These results indicate that the MIRLET7B‐HMGA2‐CDKN2A axis plays an important role in cell proliferation of leukaemic cells and could be a possible molecular target for the therapy of infant ALL with KMT2A‐AFF1.
Very Small Embryonic-Like Stem Cells Purified from Umbilical Cord Blood Lack Stem Cell Characteristics

Very small embryonic-like (VSEL) cells have been described as putatively pluripotent stem cells present in murine bone marrow and human umbilical cord blood (hUCB) and as such are of high potential interest for regenerative medicine. However, there remain some questions concerning the precise identity and properties of VSEL cells, particularly those derived from hUCB. For this reason, we have carried out an extensive characterisation of purified populations of VSEL cells from a large number of UCB samples. Consistent with a previous report, we find that VSEL cells are CXCR4+, have a high density, are indeed significantly smaller than HSC and have an extremely high nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio. Their nucleoplasm is unstructured and stains strongly with Hoechst 33342. A comprehensive FACS screen for surface markers characteristic of embryonic, mesenchymal, neuronal or hematopoietic stem cells revealed negligible expression on VSEL cells. These cells failed to expand in vitro under a wide range of culture conditions known to support embryonic or adult stem cell types and a microarray analysis revealed the transcriptional profile of VSEL cells to be clearly distinct both from well-defined populations of pluripotent and adult stem cells and from the mature hematopoietic lineages. Finally, we detected an aneuploid karyotype in the majority of purified VSEL cells by fluorescence in situ hybridisation. These data support neither an embryonic nor an adult stem cell like phenotype, suggesting rather that hUCB VSEL cells are an aberrant and inactive population that is not comparable to murine VSEL cells.
Estimation of high dimensional covariance matrices by shrinkage algorithms

This paper addresses the shrinkage estimation problem of high-dimensional covariance matrices with low sample size data. A class of structured target matrices that include banding, thresholding, diagonal and block diagonal matrices is proposed, and an optimal oracle shrinkage coefficient is derived. To approximate the oracle estimator, an iterative method is presented and proved to be convergent. Moreover, a closed-form solution of its limit, which is guaranteed to be in the unit interval, is obtained. For the banding and thresholding target matrices with unknown bandwidth and threshold respectively, two adaptive algorithms are presented to estimate the covariance matrix, and some properties on the estimation error are discussed theoretically. Some simulations are given to illustrate the competitive performances of proposed covariance matrix estimators.
Mining Educational Data to Analyze Students' Performance

The main objective of higher education institutions is to provide quality education to its students. One way to achieve highest level of quality in higher education system is by discovering knowledge for prediction regarding enrolment of students in a particular course, alienation of traditional classroom teaching model, detection of unfair means used in online examination, detection of abnormal values in the result sheets of the students, prediction about students' performance and so on. The knowledge is hidden among the educational data set and it is extractable through data mining techniques. Present paper is designed to justify the capabilities of data mining techniques in context of higher education by offering a data mining model for higher education system in the university. In this research, the classification task is used to evaluate student's performance and as there are many approaches that are used for data classification, the decision tree method is used here. By this task we extract knowledge that describes students' performance in end semester examination. It helps earlier in identifying the dropouts and students who need special attention and allow the teacher to provide appropriate advising/counseling. Keywords-Educational Data Mining (EDM); Classification; Knowledge Discovery in Database (KDD); ID3 Algorithm.
The Effect of Educational Program Based on BASNEF Model for Eye Care in Non-insulin Dependent Diabetic Patients.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of educational program based on the BASNEF (Belief, Attitude, Subjective Norm, and Enabling Factors) Model on eye care among patients with insulin independent diabetes mellitus in Shiraz City, Fars Province, Iran. METHODS We enrolled 100 patients with non-insulin independent diabetes mellitus (Type II) fulfilling the inclusion criteria of this experimental study. The participants were randomly divided into two groups, one experimental, and one control group. All groups completed the questionnaires based on the BASNEF Model, a checklist related to patient's practice including patients' HbA1c and FBS levels, the pre-test results of an ophthalmologist's eyes examination and the results of three months follow-up. The experimental group participated in eight educational sessions during the interventional. The data analysis used including chi square-test, t-test, and ANOVA. RESULTS The knowledge and all BASNEF Model components were significantly increased in the experimental group compared to the control group after intervention. In addition, behavioral eye care, such as physical activities, regular taking medicine, having eye examination, FBS checking, having appropriate diet, HbA1c level , and fasting blood sugar levels improved significantly among the experimental group compared to the control group. CONCLUSION Applying the BASNEF Model is very effective for developing an educational program for diabetic patients, in order to control their blood sugar and enhancing behavioral eye care. Besides such programs, follow up education on controlling and monitoring is highly recommended.
Molecular and Cellular Pathobiology NovelOncogenic PDGFRA Mutations inPediatricHigh-Grade Gliomas

The outcome for children with high-grade gliomas (HGG) remains dismal, with a 2-year survival rate of only 10% to 30%. Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) comprise a subset of HGG that arise in the brainstem almost exclusively in children. Genome-wide analyses of copy number imbalances previously showed that plateletderived growth factor receptor a (PDGFRA) is the most frequent target of focal amplification in pediatric HGGs, including DIPGs. To determine whether PDGFRA is also targeted by more subtle mutations missed by copy number analysis, we sequenced all PDGFRA coding exons from a cohort of pediatric HGGs. Somatic-activating mutations were identified in 14.4% (13 of 90) of nonbrainstem pediatric HGGs and 4.7% (2 of 43) of DIPGs, including missense mutations and in-frame deletions and insertions not previously described. Forty percent of tumors with mutation showed concurrent amplification, whereas 60% carried heterozygous mutations. Six different mutations impacting different domains all resulted in ligand-independent receptor activation that was blocked by small molecule inhibitors of PDGFR. Expression of mutants in p53-null primary mouse astrocytes conferred a proliferative advantage in vitro and generated HGGs in vivo with complete penetrance when implanted into brain. The gene expression signatures of these murine HGGs reflected the spectrum of human diffuse HGGs. PDGFRA intragenic deletion of exons 8 and 9 were previously shown in adult HGG, but were not detected in 83 nonbrainstem pediatric HGG and 57 DIPGs. Thus, a distinct spectrum of mutations confers constitutive receptor activation and oncogenic activity to PDGFRa in childhoodHGG. Cancer Res; 73(20);
MicroRNA Expression Profile in CAD Patients and the Impact of ACEI/ARB

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the largest killer of males and females in the United States. There is a need to develop innovative diagnostic markers for this disease. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of noncoding RNAs that posttranscriptionally regulate the expression of genes involved in important cellular processes, and we hypothesized that the miRNA expression profile would be altered in whole blood samples of patients with CAD. We performed a microarray analysis on RNA from the blood of 5 male subjects with CAD and 5 healthy subjects (mean age 53 years). Subsequently, we performed qRT-PCR analysis of miRNA expression in whole blood of another 10 patients with CAD and 15 healthy subjects. We identified 11 miRNAs that were significantly downregulated in CAD subjects (P < .05). Furthermore, we found an association between ACEI/ARB use and downregulation of several miRNAs that was independent of the presence of significant CAD. In conclusion, we have identified a distinct miRNA signature in whole blood that discriminates CAD patients from healthy subjects. Importantly, medication use may significantly alter miRNA expression. These findings may have significant implications for identifying and managing individuals that either have CAD or are at risk of developing the disease.
Stiffness Matrix of Manipulators With Passive Joints: Computational Aspects

This paper focuses on stiffness matrix computation for manipulators with passive joints, compliant actuators, and flexible links. It proposes both explicit analytical expressions and an efficient recursive procedure that are applicable in the general case and allow us to obtain the desired matrix either in analytical or numerical form. Advantages of the developed technique and its ability to produce both singular and nonsingular stiffness matrices are illustrated by application examples that deal with stiffness modeling of two Stewart-Gough platforms.
Methylphenidate modifies the motion of the circadian clock Lamotrigine in mood disorders and cocaine dependence Cortical glutamate in postpartum depression Thinking Outside the Box : Orbitofrontal Cortex , Imagination , and How we can Treat Addiction

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Acetylcholine release and inhibitory interneuron activity in hippocampal CA1

Acetylcholine release in the central nervous system (CNS) has an important role in attention, recall, and memory formation. One region influenced by acetylcholine is the hippocampus, which receives inputs from the medial septum and diagonal band of Broca complex (MS/DBB). Release of acetylcholine from the MS/DBB can directly affect several elements of the hippocampus including glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons, presynaptic terminals, postsynaptic receptors, and astrocytes. A significant portion of acetylcholine's effect likely results from the modulation of GABAergic inhibitory interneurons, which have crucial roles in controlling excitatory inputs, synaptic integration, rhythmic coordination of principal neurons, and outputs in the hippocampus. Acetylcholine affects interneuron function in large part by altering their membrane potential via muscarinic and nicotinic receptor activation. This minireview describes recent data from mouse hippocampus that investigated changes in CA1 interneuron membrane potentials following acetylcholine release. The interneuron subtypes affected, the receptor subtypes activated, and the potential outcome on hippocampal CA1 network function is discussed.
Investigations on Structural, Mechanical, and Thermal Properties of Pineapple Leaf Fiber-Based Fabrics and Cow Softy Leathers: An Approach Toward Making Amalgamated Leather Products

Natural leathers processed from hides and skins of animals face major threat from synthetic leathers as an alternative material with comparable properties for most of the applications. As consumers are becoming increasingly aware of environmental issues, there is a need for ecofriendly biodegradable materials. Natural fibers have several advantages such as low cost, high strength, and biodegradabiliy. In this study, natural cow softy leathers meant for leather goods application and three types of pineapple leaf fiber (PALF)-based fabrics with various blending combination have been chosen and analyzed for physical, morphological, and thermal properties. It was found that most of the physical properties of cow softy leather and PALF-based fabrics are comparable. It is interesting to note that the tensile strength and elongation at break of select PALF-based fabrics is higher in the parallel direction (along the warp length) than in the perpendicular direction (weft). The color and light fastness properties of PALF-based fabrics are better than that of cow softy leather. Scanning electron microscopic analysis provided convincing evidence for characteristic fiber pattern in the individual fiber bundles (yarn) and also their blend fiber composition. The thermal decomposition behavior of both cow softy leather and PALF-based fabrics seems to be comparable, with uniform weight loss of 60 ± 10% during decomposition. The results of this study suggest that the identified PALF-based natural fabrics can be used for making a variety of products in combination with leather for several applications.
An Application of Yield Management to the Hotel Industry Considering Multiple Day Stays

In this paper we study optimal strategies for renting hotel rooms when there is a stochastic and dynamic arrival of customers from different market segments. We formulate the problem as a stochastic and dynamic programming model and characterize the optimal policies as functions of the capacity and the time left until the end of the planning horizon. We consider three features that enrich the problem: we make no assumptions concerning the particular order between the arrivals of different classes of customers; we allow for multiple types of rooms and downgrading; and we consider requests for multiple nights. We also consider implementations of the optimal policy. The properties we derive for the optimal solution significantly reduce the computational effort needed to solve the problem, yet in the multiple product and/or multiple night case this is often not enough. Therefore, heuristics, based on the properties of the optimal solutions, are developed to find "good" solutions for the general problem. We also derive upper bounds which are useful when evaluating the performance of the heuristics. Computational experiments show a satisfactory performance of the heuristics in a variety of scenarios using real data from a medium size hotel.
Asymptotics for $p$-value based threshold estimation in regression settings

We investigate the large sample behavior of a p-value based procedure for estimating the threshold level at which a regression function takes off from its baseline value – a problem arising in environmental statistics, engineering and other related fields. The estimate is constructed via fitting a “stump” function to approximate p-values obtained from tests for deviation of the regression function from its baseline level. The smoothness of the regression function in the vicinity of the threshold determines the rate of convergence: a “cusp” of order k at the threshold yields an optimal convergence rate of n−1/(2k+1), n being the number of sampled covariates. We show that the asymptotic distribution of the normalized estimate of the threshold, for both i.i. d. and short range dependent errors, is the minimizer of an integrated and transformed Gaussian process. We study the finite sample behavior of confidence intervals obtained through the asymptotic approximation using simulations, consider extensions to short-range dependent data, and apply our inference procedure to two real data sets. AMS 2000 subject classifications: Primary 62G20, 62G86; secondary 62G30.
Understanding Nonmalicious Security Violations in the Workplace: A Composite Behavior Model

End users are said to be "the weakest link" in information systems (IS) security management in the workplace. They often knowingly engage in certain insecure uses of IS and violate security policies without malicious intentions. Few studies, however, have examined end user motivation to engage in such behavior. To fill this research gap, in the present study we propose and test empirically a nonmalicious security violation (NMSV) model with data from a survey of end users at work. The results suggest that utilitarian outcomes (relative advantage for job performance, perceived security risk), normative outcomes (workgroup norms), and self-identity outcomes (perceived identity match) are key determinants of end user intentions to engage in NMSVs. In contrast, the influences of attitudes toward security policy and perceived sanctions are not significant. This study makes several significant contributions to research on security-related behavior by (1) highlighting the importance of job performance goals and security risk perceptions on shaping user attitudes, (2) demonstrating the effect of workgroup norms on both user attitudes and behavioral intentions, (3) introducing and testing the effect of perceived identity match on user attitudes and behavioral intentions, and (4) identifying nonlinear relationships between constructs. This study also informs security management practices on the importance of linking security and business objectives, obtaining user buy-in of security measures, and cultivating a culture of secure behavior at local workgroup levels in organizations.
Therapeutic effect of topical application of curcumin during treatment of radiation burns in a mini-pig model

Curcumin protects the skin against radiation-induced epidermal damage and prevents morphological changes induced by irradiation skin, thereby maintaining the epidermal thickness and cell density of basal layers. In this study, the effects of topical curcumin treatment on radiation burns were evaluated in a mini-pig model. Histological and clinical changes were observed five weeks after radiation exposure to the back (60Co gamma-radiation, 50 Gy). Curcumin was applied topically to irradiated skin (200 mg/cm2) twice a day for 35 days. Curcumin application decreased the epithelial desquamation after irradiation. Additionally, when compared to the vehicle-treated group, the curcumin-treated group showed reduced expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and nuclear factor-kappaB. Furthermore, irradiation prolonged healing of biopsy wounds in the exposed area, whereas curcumin treatment stimulated wound healing. These results suggest that curcumin can improve epithelial cell survival and recovery in the skin and therefore be used to treat radiation burns.
Stability and Folding Behavior Analysis of Zinc-Finger Using Simple Models

Zinc-fingers play crucial roles in regulating gene expression and mediating protein-protein interactions. In this article, two different proteins (Sp1f2 and FSD-1) are investigated using the Gaussian network model and anisotropy elastic network model. By using these simple coarse-grained methods, we analyze the structural stabilization and establish the unfolding pathway of the two different proteins, in good agreement with related experimental and molecular dynamics simulation data. From the analysis, it is also found that the folding process of the zinc-finger motif is predominated by several factors. Both the zinc ion and C-terminal loop affect the folding pathway of the zinc-finger motif. Knowledge about the stability and folding behavior of zinc-fingers may help in understanding the folding mechanisms of the zinc-finger motif and in designing new zinc-fingers. Meanwhile, these simple coarse-grained analyses can be used as a general and quick method for mechanistic studies of metalloproteins.
Endothelial Dysfunction, Hemodynamic Forces, and Atherogenesis a

Abstract: Phenotypic modulation of endothelium to a dysfunctional state contributes to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. The localization of atherosclerotic lesions to arterial geometries associated with disturbed flow patterns suggests an important role for local hemodynamic forces in atherogenesis. There is increasing evidence that the vascular endothelium, which is directly exposed to various fluid mechanical forces generated by pulsatile blood flow, can discriminate among these stimuli and transduce them into genetic regulatory events. At the level of individual genes, this regulation is accomplished via the binding of certain transcription factors, such as NFκB and Egr‐1, to shear‐stress response elements (SSREs) that are present in the promoters of biomechanically inducible genes. At the level of multiple genes, distinct patterns of up‐ and downregulation appear to be elicited by exposure to steady laminar shear stresses versus comparable levels of non‐laminar (e.g., turbulent) shear stresses or cytokine stimulation (e.g., IL‐1β). Certain genes upregulated by steady laminar shear stress stimulation (such as eNOS, COX‐2, and Mn‐SOD) support vasoprotective (i.e., anti‐inflammatory, anti‐thrombotic, anti‐oxidant) functions in the endothelium. We hypothesize that the selective and sustained expression of these and related “atheroprotective genes” in the endothelial lining of lesion‐protected areas represents a mechanism whereby hemodynamic forces can influence lesion formation and progression.