Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Muscle force regulates bone shaping for optimal load-bearing capacity during embryogenesis

The vertebrate skeleton consists of over 200 individual bones, each with its own unique shape, size and function. We study the role of intrauterine muscle-induced mechanical loads in determining the three-dimensional morphology of developing bones. Analysis of the force-generating capacity of intrauterine muscles in mice revealed that developing bones are subjected to significant and progressively increasing mechanical challenges. To evaluate the effect of intrauterine loads on bone morphogenesis and the contribution of the emerging shape to the ability of bones to withstand these loads, we monitored structural and mineral changes during development. Using daily micro-CT scans of appendicular long bones we identify a developmental program, which we term preferential bone growth, that determines the specific circumferential shape of each bone by employing asymmetric mineral deposition and transient cortical thickening. Finite element analysis demonstrates that the resulting bone structure has optimal load-bearing capacity. To test the hypothesis that muscle forces regulate preferential bone growth in utero, we examine this process in a mouse strain (mdg) that lacks muscle contractions. In the absence of mechanical loads, the stereotypical circumferential outline of each bone is lost, leading to the development of mechanically inferior bones. This study identifies muscle force regulation of preferential bone growth as the module that shapes the circumferential outline of bones and, consequently, optimizes their load-bearing capacity during development. Our findings invoke a common mechanism that permits the formation of different circumferential outlines in different bones.
IAMwildCAT: The Winning Strategy for the TAC Market Design Competition

In this paper we describe the IAMwildCAT agent, designed for the TAC Market Design game which is part of the International Trading Agent Competition. The objective of an agent in this competition is to effectively manage and operate a market that attracts traders to compete for resources in it. This market, in turn, competes against markets operated by other competition entrants and the aim is to maximise the market and profit share of the agent, as well as its transaction success rate. To do this, the agent needs to continually monitor and adapt, in response to the competing marketplaces, the rules it uses to accept offers, clear the market, price the transactions and charge the traders. Given this context, this paper details IAMwildCAT's strategic behaviour and describes the wide techniques we developed to operationalise this. Finally, we empirically analyse our agent in different environments, including the 2007 competition where it ranked first.
Allergy Diagnosis in Children and Adults: Performance of a New Point-of-Care Device, ImmunoCAP Rapid

BackgroundAllergy is a serious problem affecting approximately 1 of 4 individuals. The symptoms with and without allergy etiology are often difficult to distinguish from each other without using an IgE antibody test. The aim of this study was to investigate the performance of a new point-of-care (POC) test for IgE antibodies to relevant allergens in Europe.MethodsIgE antibodies from children and adults with allergies recruited from allergy clinics in Sweden and Spain were analyzed for 10 allergens, suitable for the age groups, using the new POC test and ImmunoCAP laboratory test. The IgE antibody level best discriminating between positive and negative results (the cutoff point) for the different allergens of the POC test and the efficacy of the POC and the ImmunoCAP laboratory tests for diagnosing allergy compared with that of clinical diagnosis were investigated.ResultsThe estimated cutoffs for the different allergens in the POC test ranged from 0.70 to 2.56 kUA/L. Taking into account all positive allergen results in a given patient, the POC test could identify 95% of the patients with allergies. Seventy-eight percent of the allergen-specific physicians' diagnoses were identified and 97% of the negative ones. Most allergens exhibited good performance, identifying about 80% of clinically relevant cases. However, dog, mugwort, and wall pellitory would benefit from improvement.ConclusionsThe POC test will be a valuable adjunct in the identification or exclusion of patients with allergies and their most likely offending allergens, both in specialist and general care settings.
ALMA sub-mm maser and dust distribution of VY Canis Majoris

Aims. Cool, evolved stars have copious, enriched winds. Observations have so far not fully constrained models for the shaping and acceleration of these winds. We need to understand the dynamics better, from the pulsating stellar surface to similar to 10 stellar radii, where radiation pressure on dust is fully effective. Asymmetric nebulae around some red supergiants imply the action of additional forces. Methods. We retrieved ALMA Science Verification data providing images of sub-mm line and continuum emission from VY CMa. This enables us to locate water masers with milli-arcsec accuracy and to resolve the dusty continuum. Results. The 658, 321, and 325 GHz masers lie in irregular, thick shells at increasing distances from the centre of expansion. For the first time this is confirmed as the stellar position, coinciding with a compact peak offset to the NW of the brightest continuum emission. The maser shells overlap but avoid each other on scales of up to 10 au. Their distribution is broadly consistent with excitation models but the conditions and kinematics are complicated by wind collisions, clumping, and asymmetries.
Kidney remodelling and scarring: the plasticity of cells.

The progression of chronic kidney failure remains one of the main challenges in nephrology in view of the ever-increasing number of patients presenting every year with end-stage renal failure. It is predicted that the increased trend will continue unabated for at least another 10 years [1]. It is therefore imperative to improve our understanding of the underlying kidney scarring process in order to design imaginative therapeutic preventive approaches.
Does organizing security patterns focus architectural choices?

Security patterns can be a valuable vehicle to design secure software. Several proposals have been advanced to improve the usability of security patterns. They often describe extra annotations to be included in the pattern documentation. This paper presents an empirical study that validates whether those proposals provide any real benefit for software architects. A controlled experiment has been executed with 90 master students, who have performed several design tasks involving the hardening of a software architecture via security patterns. The results show that annotations produce benefits in terms of a reduced number of alternatives that need to be considered during the selection of a suitable pattern. However, they do not reduce the time spent in the selection process.
Energy-Efficient SVM Learning Control System for Biped Walking Robots

An energy-efficient support vector machine (EE-SVM) learning control system considering the energy cost of each training sample of biped dynamic is proposed to realize energy-efficient biped walking. Energy costs of the biped walking samples are calculated. Then the samples are weighed with the inverses of the energy costs. An EE-SVM objective function with energy-related slack variables is proposed, which follows the principle that the sample with the lowest energy consumption is treated as the most important one in the training. That means the samples with lower energy consumption contribute more to the EE-SVM regression function learning, which highly increases the energy efficiency of the biped walking. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Mutation of a Chitinase-Like Gene Causes Ectopic Deposition of Lignin, Aberrant Cell Shapes, and Overproduction of Ethylene Article, publication date, and citation information can be found at www.plantcell.org/cgi/doi/10.1105/tpc.010278.

Chitinase-like proteins have long been proposed to play roles in normal plant growth and development, but no mutations in chitinase-like genes have been obtained previously to support this hypothesis. In this study, we have shown that the gene responsible for the elp1 mutation in Arabidopsis encodes a chitinase-like protein (AtCTL1). Mutation of this chitinase-like gene caused ectopic deposition of lignin and aberrant shapes of cells with incomplete cell walls in the pith of inflorescence stems. The AtCTL1 gene was expressed in all organs during normal plant growth and development, but it was not induced by wounding, salicylic acid, pectin fragments, or ethylene. Consistent with its ubiquitous expression pattern, mutation of the AtCTL1 gene affected many aspects of plant growth and development, including exaggerated hook curvature, reduced length and increased diameter of hypocotyls in dark-grown seedlings, and reduced root length and increased number of root hairs in light-grown seedlings. The mutant phenotypes could be rescued partially by ethylene inhibitors, and ethylene production in the mutant was significantly greater than in the wild type. Together, these results suggest that AtCTL1, a chitinase-like gene, is essential for normal plant growth and development in Arabidopsis.
Characteristics of lunar mare deposits in Smythii and Marginis basins: Implications for magma transport mechanisms

An analysis of 34 lunar lava flows and ponds in the eastern limb Smythii and Marginis basins was undertaken to examine and model the first stages of secondary crustal formation and assess processes involved in magma transport and eruption. In order to isolate the characteristics of single eruptive episodes, we focused on discrete mare ponds adjacent to the major mafia. Mean values for areas and volumes of deposits estimated to be good candidates for single eruptive phases are large, approximately 950-1000 km 2 and -200 km 3 respectively. These eruptive volumes are commensurate with the largest known terrestrial eruptions (flood basalts). The lack of geomorphological structures indicative of shallow magma reservoirs indicates that deep, probably subcrustal source regions are prevalent. With respect to crustal thickness relationships, the magnitude and frequency of eruptive events are observed to be greatest in areas of thinnest crust. Specifically, regions of major maria (Mare Smythii, Mare Marginis) occur in areas of thinnest crust, while isolated ponds occur where the crust is relatively thicker. This is consistent with the correlation observed globally between crustal thickness and the magnitude and frequency of eruptive events. Ages of volcanic flows and pyroclastic events range from Early Imbrian to Imbfian-Eratosthenian but are concentrated most heavily between 3.80-3.60 Ga, suggesting a period of peak volcanism beginning around 3.85 Ga and lasting approximately 200 Ma. However, the existence of dark-halo crater clusters in non-mare units within the region suggests the presence of cryptomaha, which would indicate an earlier onset of volcanism and a volume of mare matehal potentially greater than that currently exposed on the surface. Typical nearest-neighbor distances suggest deposits derive from reservoirs <-100 km in diameter. The observations made here are consistent with a magma transport model in which plumes rising diapirically stall at a density boundary under the lunar crust and propagate dikes to the surface through overpressufization.
THE ILAC-PROJECT: SUPPORTING ANCIENT COIN CLASSIFICATION BY MEANS OF IMAGE ANALYSIS

Abstract. This paper presents the ILAC project, which aims at the development of an automated image-based classification system for ancient Roman Republican coins. The benefits of such a system are manifold: operating at the suture between computer vision and numismatics, ILAC can reduce the day-to-day workload of numismatists by assisting them in classification tasks and providing a preselection of suitable coin classes. This is especially helpful for large coin hoard findings comprising several thousands of coins. Furthermore, this system could be implemented in an online platform for hobby numismatists, allowing them to access background information about their coin collection by simply uploading a photo of obverse and reverse for the coin of interest. ILAC explores different computer vision techniques and their combinations for the use of image-based coin recognition. Some of these methods, such as image matching, use the entire coin image in the classification process, while symbol or legend recognition exploit certain characteristics of the coin imagery. An overview of the methods explored so far and the respective experiments is given as well as an outlook on the next steps of the project.
Rapid Detection of Positive Selection in Genes and Genomes Through Variation Clusters

Positive selection in genes and genomes can point to the evolutionary basis for differences among species and among races within a species. The detection of positive selection can also help identify functionally important protein regions and thus guide protein engineering. Many existing tests for positive selection are excessively conservative, vulnerable to artifacts caused by demographic population history, or computationally very intensive. I here propose a simple and rapid test that is complementary to existing tests and that overcomes some of these problems. It relies on the null hypothesis that neutrally evolving DNA regions should show a Poisson distribution of nucleotide substitutions. The test detects significant deviations from this expectation in the form of variation clusters, highly localized groups of amino acid changes in a coding region. In applying this test to several thousand human–chimpanzee gene orthologs, I show that such variation clusters are not generally caused by relaxed selection. They occur in well-defined domains of a protein's tertiary structure and show a large excess of amino acid replacement over silent substitutions. I also identify multiple new human–chimpanzee orthologs subject to positive selection, among them genes that are involved in reproductive functions, immune defense, and the nervous system.
Firms' Heterogeneous Sensitivities to the Business Cycle, and the Cross-Section of Expected Returns

In this paper, I propose and test a simple technology-based theory of firms' sensitivities to aggregate shocks. I show that when the elasticity of substitution between capital and labor is below unity, low profitability firms are more sensitive to aggregate shocks, i.e. to the business cycle. Since the wage is smoother than productivity, revenues are more procyclical than costs, making profits, the residual procyclical. Firms with low profitability are more procyclical since the residual is smaller and the amplification greater. I study the asset pricing implications of this technology and find that it can explain the riskiness of small and â€œvalueâ€ firms (Fama and French 1996). These firms are less profitable and are thus more procyclical. I find empirically that the cross-section of expected returns is well explained by differences in sensitivities of firmsâ€™ earnings to GDP growth, or by differences in profitability. The model yields rich empirical implications by linking a firmâ€™s real behavior (the elasticity of output, employment and profits to an aggregate shock) to its financial characteristics (the firm's betas and its average return). I next embed my partial equilibrium model in a full DSGE model to conduct a GE analysis. Empirically I show that firms with low margins are indeed more sensitive to the business cycle in their employment, sales or profits
Correlates of Sex-Specific Young Adult College Student Dating Violence Typologies: A Latent Class Analysis Approach

Objective: To use latent class analysis (LCA) techniques to identify the sex-specific structure of college student dating violence typologies and to examine the shared and sex-specific background-situational correlates of college student dating violence typologies. Method: Sample consisted of 3,344 North American college students (2,323 females and 1,021 males) between 18 and 25 years in heterosexual dating relationships. Data were drawn from the International Dating Violence Study. Results: Five college student dating violence typologies defined by both perpetration and victimization behaviors were indicated for both sexes: no dating violence, physical assault-psychological aggression-sexual coercion, physical assault-psychological aggression, psychological aggression, and psychological aggression-sexual coercion. Findings indicated sex-specific variations in the college student dating violence profiles. Psychological aggression perpetration and victimization behaviors were characteristic of all dating violence typologies (except the no dating violence typology). Antisocial personality symptoms, violence approval, criminal history, and length of relationship were generally characteristic of males and females in different college student dating violence typologies. Gender hostility to men and women and stressful conditions were characteristic of females in different college student dating violence typologies. Childhood violent socialization and sexual abuse history were not characteristic of males and females in different college student dating violence typologies. Conclusions: Results point to the complexity of college student dating violence behavior presentations with shared and sex-specific background-situational correlates. Findings could inform the development of intervention programs designed to help young adult males and females in different dating violence typologies.
Social Comparisons in Ultimatum Bargaining

This paper experimentally examines the effect of social comparisons in ultimatum bargaining. While previous experiments and the theoretical models on fairness focus on the two bargaining counterparts, we address a new reference group - others in like circumstances. We inform responders on how much other responders are offered before they decide whether to accept or reject their specific offer. Such information has a sizable positive effect on offers, rejection and equal split rates. This result is consistent with people disliking deviations from the norm of equity but inconsistent with fairness theories, where people dislike income disparity between themselves and their referents.
The Angstrom Project: a microlensing survey of the structure and composition of the bulge of the Andromeda galaxy

The Andromeda Galaxy Stellar Robotic Microlensing Project (The Angstrom Project) aims to use stellar microlensing events to trace the structure and composition of the inner regions of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31). We present microlensing rate and time-scale predictions and spatial distributions for stellar and sub-stellar lens populations in combined disc and barred bulge models of M31. We show that at least half of the stellar microlenses in and around the bulge are expected to have characteristic durations between 1 and 10 d, rising to as much as 80 per cent for brown-dwarf dominated mass functions. These short-duration events are mostly missed by current microlensing surveys that are looking for Macho candidates in the M31 dark matter halo. Our models predict that an intensive monitoring survey programme, such as Angstrom, which will be able to detect events of durations upwards of a day, could detect around 30 events per season within ∼5 arcmin of the M31 centre due to ordinary low-mass stars and remnants. This yield increases to more than 60 events for brown-dwarf dominated mass functions. The overall number of events and their average duration are sensitive diagnostics of the bulge mass, in particular the contribution of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs. The combination of an inclined disc, an offset bar-like bulge, and differences in the bulge and disc luminosity functions results in a four-way asymmetry in the number of events expected in each quadrant defined by the M31 disc axes. The asymmetry is sensitive to the bar prolongation, orientation and mass.
Sensitization of cancer cells treated with cytotoxic drugs to fas-mediated cytotoxicity.

BACKGROUND The transmembrane receptor Fas, together with its protein-binding partner (Fas ligand), is a key regulator of programmed cell death (i.e., apoptosis). Fas and Fas ligand also influence the ability of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells to eliminate tumor cells. However, by inducing apoptosis in activated T cells, the Fas/Fas ligand system may protect some tumor cells from clearance by the immune system. Anticancer drugs enhance Fas ligand expression on the surface of Fas receptor-expressing leukemia cells, thus suggesting that apoptosis caused by these drugs may be mediated via the Fas/Fas ligand system. PURPOSE This study was conducted to further investigate the relationship between the modulation of Fas receptor gene and protein expression by treatment of cells with cytotoxic drugs and the immune clearance of tumor cells. METHODS Fas expression on human HT29 colon carcinoma cells treated with a variety of anticancer drugs (cisplatin, doxorubicin, mitomycin C, fluorouracil, and camptothecin) was analyzed by use of quantitative flow cytometry. Human HCT8R and HCT116 colon carcinoma cells and human U937 leukemia cells were treated with cisplatin only and analyzed in the same way. Fas ligand messenger RNA and protein levels were studied by use of a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay and by flow cytometry. Fas gene expression and messenger RNA levels in cisplatin-treated HT29 cells were characterized by use of in vitro nuclear run-on and northern blot hybridization assays. The cytotoxic activities of agonistic anti-Fas antibodies, Fas ligand, and allogeneic peripheral blood leukocytes, in the absence or presence of Fas-blocking monoclonal antibodies, against tumor cells were assessed by methylene blue staining and chromium-51 release assays. RESULTS Clinically relevant concentrations of cisplatin, doxorubicin, mitomycin C, fluorouracil, or camptothecin enhanced Fas receptor expression on the plasma membrane of HT29 cells. Cisplatin-mediated increases in Fas expression were confirmed in HCT8R, HCT116, and U937 cells. The enhancement of Fas protein expression was associated with an increased sensitivity of cisplatin-treated tumor cells to agonistic anti-Fas antibodies, to soluble Fas ligand, and to allogeneic peripheral blood leukocyte-mediated cytotoxicity. Each of these effects was blocked by co-treatment of the cells with antagonistic anti-Fas antibody. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS In addition to their direct cytotoxic effects, chemotherapeutic drugs sensitize tumor cells to Fas-mediated cytotoxicity and Fas-dependent immune clearance. On the basis of these findings, new strategies might be developed to improve the efficacy of these drugs.
An Intercultural Examination of Cooperation in the Commons

We design a real-time, intercultural common pool resource experiment using participants from cultures that derive different benefits from a global public good (extraction vs. conservation of biodiversity resources) to analyze the effect of group affiliation on cooperative behavior. We also collect survey attitudes toward conservation to augment our experimental results. We find that when participants interact interculturally, extraction choices change significantly and that these changes can be attributed to an amplification of the relationship between attitudes and choices cued by the intercultural treatment.