Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Epigenetic Features of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells Determine Their Permissiveness for Induction of Relevant Transcriptional Changes by SYT-SSX1

Background A characteristic SYT–SSX fusion gene resulting from the chromosomal translocation t(X;18)(p11;q11) is detectable in almost all synovial sarcomas, a malignant soft tissue tumor widely believed to originate from as yet unidentified pluripotent stem cells. The resulting fusion protein has no DNA binding motifs but possesses protein-protein interaction domains that are believed to mediate association with chromatin remodeling complexes. Despite recent advances in the identification of molecules that interact with SYT-SSX and with the corresponding wild type SYT and SSX proteins, the mechanisms whereby the SYT-SSX might contribute to neoplastic transformation remain unclear. Epigenetic deregulation has been suggested to be one possible mechanism. Methodology/Principal Findings We addressed the effect of SYT/SSX expression on the transcriptome of four independent isolates of primary human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (hMSC). We observed transcriptional changes similar to the gene expression signature of synovial sarcoma, principally involving genes whose regulation is linked to epigenetic factors, including imprinted genes, genes with transcription start sites within a CpG island and chromatin related genes. Single population analysis revealed hMSC isolate-specific transcriptional changes involving genes that are important for biological functions of stem cells as well as genes that are considered to be molecular markers of synovial sarcoma including IGF2, EPHRINS, and BCL2. Methylation status analysis of sequences at the H19/IGF2 imprinted locus indicated that distinct epigenetic features characterize hMSC populations and condition the transcriptional effects of SYT-SSX expression. Conclusions/Significance Our observations suggest that epigenetic features may define the cellular microenvironment in which SYT-SSX displays its functional effects.
Placement of multiple mobile base stations in wireless sensor networks

Due to energy constraints in individual sensor nodes, extending the lifetime is an essential objective in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). Several proposals have aimed at that objective by designing energy efficient protocols at the physical, medium access, and network layers. While the proposed protocols achieve significant energy savings for individual sensor nodes, they fail to solve topology-related problems; an example of such problems is that sensor nodes around the base station become bottlenecks and deplete their battery energy much faster than other nodes. A natural solution to such a problem is to have multiple mobile base stations so that the load is distributed evenly among all nodes. Only few proposals have followed that direction. In this paper we propose a mobile base station placement scheme for extending the lifetime of the network. In our scheme the life of the network is divided into rounds and base stations are moved to new locations at the beginning of each round. While previous work has focused on placing the base stations at predefined spots (e.g., the work in [1]) or at the boundary of the network (e.g., the work in [2]), we define and solve a more general problem in which a base station can be placed anywhere in the sensing field. We formulate the problem as an Integer Linear Program (ILP) and use an ILP solver (with a constant time limit) to find a near-optimal placement of the base stations and to find routing patterns to deliver collected data to base stations. Our experiments show that our scheme makes significant extension to the lifetime of the network.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE MERGER CLAUSE BASED ON UNIDROIT PRINCIPLES OF INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL CONTRACTS (UNIDROIT Principles)

In the current era of globalization, there are a significant number of international transactions which require international commercial contracts. The increasing number of international commercial contracts has led to the development of international legal instruments that regulate these contracts and accommodate the needs of the parties involved in international business transactions. One of these instruments is known as the UNIDROIT Principles. A merger provision is typically written into a large number of contracts. This clause is governed by the UNIDROIT Principles, which can be found in one of its provisions. This research paper will analyse the implementation of the merger clause in the UNIDROIT Principles by courts and arbitration. Taking into account the fact that only a few cases have been decided relating to merger clause under UNIDROIT Principles, this research paper will discuss this topic. This paper aims to examine the implementation of merger clauses under UNIDROIT Principles by court and arbitration through the review of related cases. The method used in this study is normative juridical with a descriptive-analytical nature. To date, the judicial and arbitral decisions that are accessible shed light on the meaning of the merger clause and its relation to the interpretation of the contract.
Comparative off‐host survival of larval Rocky Mountain Wood Ticks (Dermacentor andersoni) collected from ecologically distinct field populations

Dermacentor andersoni (Ixodida: Ixodidae) Stiles, also known as the Rocky Mountain Wood Tick (RMWT), is found throughout the western United States and transmits pathogens of importance to human and animal health. The distributions and activity patterns of RMWTs are shaped by regional climatic variation. However, it is unknown if responses to climatic variation differ across the tick's geographical range. The objective of this narrow study was to test the hypothesis that the responses of RMWTs to abiotic conditions [e.g. temperature and RH (relative humidity)] vary among populations. We collected RMWTs from ecologically distinct field sites in the states of Montana and Oregon (USA). In the laboratory, we tracked weekly survival of tick larvae under four combinations of RH (75% and 98%) and temperature (26 and 32 °C) that reflected the range of conditions observed in the source habitats during spring‐summer. For both populations, larval survival time decreased at the higher ambient temperature (50% mortality 1–2 weeks earlier). Differences in RH did not affect the survival time of larvae from Oregon. By contrast, the survival time of larvae from Montana decreased at the lower RH (50% mortality 1 week earlier). These data suggest that the tolerance limits for water stress may differ among populations of D. andersoni.
At the Leading Front of Neuroscience: A Bibliometric Study of the 100 Most-Cited Articles

Background: It might be difficult for clinicians and scientists to identify comprehensively the major research topics given the large number of publications. A bibliometric report that identifies the most-cited articles within the body of the relevant literature may provide insight and guidance for readers toward scientific topics that are considered important for researchers and all relevant workers of academia. To our knowledge, there is a lack of an overall evaluation of the most-cited articles and hence of a comprehensive review of major research topics in neuroscience. The present study was therefore proposed to analyze and characterize the 100 most-cited articles in neuroscience. Methods: Based on data provided from Web of Science, the 100 most-cited articles relevant to neuroscience were identified and characterized. Information was extracted for each included article to assess for the publication year, journal published, impact factor, adjusted impact factor, citation count (total, normalized, and adjusted), reference list, authorship and article type. Results: The total citation count for the 100 most-cited articles ranged from 7,326 to 2,138 (mean 3087.0) and the normalized citation count ranged from 0.163 to 0.007 (mean 0.054). The majority of the 100 articles were research articles (67%) and published from 1996 to 2000 (30%). The author and journal with the largest share of these 100 articles were Stephen M. Smith (n = 6) and Science (n = 13) respectively. Among the 100 most-cited articles, 37 were interlinked via citations of one another, and they could be classified into five major topics, four of which were scientific topics, namely neurological disorders, prefrontal cortex/emotion/reward, brain network, and brain mapping. The remaining topic was methodology. Interestingly 41 out of 63 of the rest, non-interlinked articles could also be categorized under the above five topics. Adjusted journal impact factor among these 100 articles did not appear to be associated with the corresponding adjusted citation count. Conclusion: The current study compiles a comprehensive list and analysis of the 100 most-cited articles relevant to neuroscience that enables the comprehensive identification and recognition of the most important and relevant research topics concerned.
A Case in Which HLA-DR4 is Involved in the Development of Complex Immune-Related Endocrinological Adverse Events following Combination Therapy with Nivolumab and Ipilimumab

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become a focal point in cancer immunotherapy, though their utilization is also linked to the occurrence of diverse immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Herein, we present details of a 42-year-old woman diagnosed with a malignant vaginal melanoma who underwent ICI therapy with the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab. Approximately two months after initiating therapy, the patient manifested destructive thyroiditis and fulminant type 1 diabetes mellitus, thus necessitating intensive insulin therapy. Following the onset of adrenocorticotropic hormone deficiency, frequent hypoglycemic episodes prompted the initiation of replacement therapy with hydrocortisone. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DNA typing revealed the presence of HLA-DRB1∗04 : 05 and DQB1∗04 : 01. HLA-DR4 has been suggested to be associated with the development of multiple endocrine irAEs. This is the first reported case of three endocrine irAEs occurring within a short period, in which the presence of HLA-DR4 may have contributed to the pathogenesis.
Benfluorex and Unexplained Valvular Heart Disease: A Case-Control Study

Background Recent case reports suggest that benfluorex, a fenfluramine derivative used in the management of overweight diabetic patients and dyslipidemia, is associated with cardiac valve regurgitation. Methods We conducted a case-control study. Eligible patients were those admitted in the cardiology or the cardiac surgery units of our hospital between January, 1st 2003 and June 30th 2009, with mitral insufficiency diagnostic codes (ICD-10 I340 and I051). Patients with either a primary cause (degenerative, known rheumatic heart disease, infectious endocarditis, congenital, radiation-induced valvular disease, associated connective and/or vasculitis disease, trauma, tumor) or a secondary (functional) cause were considered as having an “explained” mitral regurgitation. Other patients were considered as having an “unexplained” mitral regurgitation and were included as cases. For each case, two controls were matched for gender and for the closest date of birth, among a list of patients with an “explained” mitral regurgitation. Drug exposures were assessed blindly regarding the case or control status, through contacts with patients, their family and/or their physicians. Results Out of the 682 eligible patients, 27 cases and 54 matched controls were identified. The use of benfluorex was reported in 22 patients: 19 of the 27 cases, versus 3 of the 54 controls, odds-ratio 17.1 (3.5 to 83), adjusted for body mass index, diabetes and dexfenfluramine use. Conclusion The use of benfluorex is associated with unexplained mitral regurgitation.
Reliability Nonparametric Bayesian Estimation in Parallel Systems

Relevant results for (sub-)distribution functions related to parallel systems are discussed. The reverse hazard rate is defined using the product integral. Consequently, the restriction of absolute continuity for the involved distributions can be relaxed. The only restriction is that the sets of discontinuity points of the parallel distributions have to be disjointed. Nonparametric Bayesian estimators of all survival (sub-)distribution functions are derived. Dual to the series systems that use minimum life times as observations, the parallel systems record the maximum life times. Dirichlet multivariate processes forming a class of prior distributions are considered for the nonparametric Bayesian estimation of the component distribution functions, and the system reliability. For illustration, two striking numerical examples are presented.
Fermentation Profiles of Wheat Dextrin, Inulin and Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum Using an in Vitro Digestion Pretreatment and in Vitro Batch Fermentation System Model

This study investigated the fermentation and microbiota profiles of three fibers, wheat dextrin (WD), partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG), and inulin, since little is known about the effects of WD and PHGG on gut microbiota. A treatment of salivary amylase, pepsin, and pancreatin was used to better physiologic digestion. Fibers (0.5 g) were fermented in triplicate including a control group without fiber for 0, 4, 8, 12, and 24 h. Analysis of pH, gas volume, hydrogen and methane gases, and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations were completed at each time point. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to measure Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus CFUs at 24 h. WD produced the least gas during fermentation at 8, 12, and 24 h (P < 0.0001), while inulin produced the most by 8 h (P < 0.0001). Each fiber reached its lowest pH value at different time points with inulin at 8 h (mean ± SE) (5.94 ± 0.03), PHGG at 12 h (5.98 ± 0.01), and WD at 24 h (6.17 ± 0.03). All fibers had higher total SCFA concentrations compared to the negative control (P < 0.05) at 24 h. At 24 h, inulin produced significantly (P = 0.0016) more butyrate than WD with PHGG being similar to both. An exploratory microbial analysis (log10 CFU/µL) showed WD had CFU for Bifidobacteria (6.12) and Lactobacillus (7.15) compared with the control (4.92 and 6.35, respectively). Rate of gas production is influenced by fiber source and may affect tolerance in vivo. Exploratory microbiota data hint at high levels of Bifidobacteria for WD, but require more robust investigation to corroborate these findings.
Analyses of Diurnal Behaviour of Captive Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) in Alipore Zoological Garden, Kolkata, India

: Wild herbivorous animals are difficult to house in captivity due to their wide home range and specific diet. As wild captive animal ’ s behavioural data are used as a welfare indicator, diurnal behavioural study and time budgeting of a male giraffe ( Giraffa camelopardalis ) was carried out from August 2022 to June 2023 in Alipore Zoological Garden, Kolkata, India. This study aimed to explore the overall seasonal behavioural patterns and hourly activity budget from 10.00 to 17.00 h by using focal sampling method with 23,520 minutes of observations. During the observation period, the giraffe spent maximum time in standing in alert condition, followed by resting. The mean time spent percentage for feeding of offered feed was 5.07% to 6.86% of total observation period. Feeding of offered feed was found significantly (P<0.05) higher during monsoon season and lower during winter, while grazing activity showed an inverse trend. The giraffe spent more time in standing alert activity during monsoon compared to other two seasons which might be due to more visitor pressure of winter season. Walking activity was observed more during monsoon, while resting during summer. The giraffe exhibited no social negative behaviour, only during winter when maximum social positive behaviour was noted. The giraffe spent a larger amount of time performing oral stereotype, licking behaviour during summer. Feeding of offered feed was noted maximum at 16:00-17:00 h during monsoon and winter, while it was at 11:00-12:00 h during summer. Standing in alert condition was occurred at higher frequency at 10:00-11:00 h during winter and summer, whereas at 15:00-16:00 h during monsoon. Licking activity was found most at 13:00-14:00 h during winter and summer and at 11:00-12:00 h during monsoon. This study suggests the improvement of feeding strategy with the provision of natural browsing to encourage their foraging activity as well as to mitigate the observed oral abnormal stereotypic behaviour. Additionally, this study will provide a better understanding and baseline information of the behavioural pattern of giraffe in captivity that could aid future conservation efforts.
A quantitative description of NMDA receptor-channel kinetic behavior

Currents evoked in neurons of the vertebrate CNS by the glutamate agonist N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) exhibit a marked voltage dependence in the presence of extracellular Mg. At the single-channel level, the addition of external Mg alters single-channel openings from long-lived events to many very short events grouped into bursts of openings. These bursts apparently result from short interruptions of current flow during periods when the channel is in the open configuration. Single- channel currents evoked by NMDA have been studied in outside-out patches of membrane taken from hippocampal CA 1 neurons grown in dissociated cell culture. The effects of changing external Mg concentration and holding potential on the single-channel parameters of open time, closed time, and burst length have been successfully described assuming a 3- or 4-state model with 1 open state, 1 or 2 “blocked” states, and 1 absorbing closed state. Evaluation of the blocking rates over Mg concentrations from 0.2–200 microM indicate that a single “blocking” mechanism cannot account for the short closed states and that a second voltage-dependent but Mg-independent “blocked” state is necessary to explain the data especially at low Mg concentrations.
New Frontiers in Diagnostic Imaging in Concussive Head Injury

Concussed athletes may have documented incapacitating postconcussive symptoms, neuropsychological deficits, and consequent important changes in their lives and sport, yet the majority of neuroimaging attempts reveal few findings to account for these signs and symptoms. In this paper, we explore new techniques in the neuroimaging of concussion including diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging and functional brain imaging technology.
A High-Low Model of Daily Stock Price Ranges

We observe that daily highs and lows of stock prices do not diverge over time and, hence, adopt the cointegration concept and the related vector error correction model (VECM) to model the daily high, the daily low, and the associated daily range data. The in-sample results attest the importance of incorporating high-low interactions in modeling the range variable. In evaluating the out-of-sample forecast performance using both mean-squared forecast error and direction of change criteria, it is found that the VECM-based low and high forecasts offer some advantages over some alternative forecasts. The VECM-based range forecasts, on the other hand, do not always dominate - the forecast rankings depend on the choice of evaluation criterion and the variables being forecasted.
Methods for the evaluation of an interactive InfoVis tool supporting exploratory reasoning processes

Developing Information Visualization (InfoVis) techniques for complex knowledge domains makes it necessary to apply alternative methods of evaluation. In the evaluation of Gravi++ we used several methods and studied different user groups. We developed a reporting system yielding data about the insights the subjects gained during the exploration. It provides complex information about subjects' reasoning processes. Log files are valuable for time-dependent analysis of cognitive strategies. Focus groups provide a different view on the process of gaining insights. We assume that our experiences with all these methods can also be applied in similar evaluation studies on InfoVis techniques for complex data.
Absence of population‐level phenotype matching in an obligate pollination mutualism

Coevolution is thought to promote evolutionary change between demes that ultimately results in speciation. If this is the case, then we should expect to see similar patterns of trait matching and phenotypic divergence between populations and between species in model systems for coevolution. As measures of divergence are frequently only available at one scale (population level or taxon level), this contention is rarely tested directly. Here, we use the case of co‐divergence between different varieties of Joshua tree Yucca brevifolia (Agavaceae) and their obligate pollinators, two yucca moths (Tegeticula spp. Prodoxidae), to test for trait matching between taxa and among populations. Using model selection, we show that there is trait matching between mutualists at the taxon level, but once we account for differences between taxa, there is no indication of trait matching in local populations. This result differs from similar studies in other coevolving systems. We hypothesize that this discrepancy arises because coevolution in obligate mutualisms favours divergence less strongly than coevolution in other systems, such as host–parasite interactions.
Solving combinatorial exchanges: optimality via a few partial bids

Auctions have been studied in economics and game theory for a long time as important resource allocation mechanisms in distributed environments. In recent years, their role has grown with the emergence of Internet and electronic commerce, as businesses and corporations leverage the new medium to streamline their procurement process. Many businesses are moving to an auction-based purchase method where they issue a request for quotes for the goods and services needed, and let the suppliers bid for a piece of the business. Driven by these fundamentals, auctions and algorithms related to them have become important and popular research topics in computer science. An exchange generalizes the auction mechanism to the setting with multiple buyers and sellers. Some familiar examples are the exchanges for equities and commodities, transportation, electricity, and the businessto-business exchanges. A combinatorial exchange is an exchange where buyers and sellers can bid on bundles (subsets) of goods. Combinatorial markets are desirable because items often have complementarity, and combinatorial bidding minimizes bidders’ risk of getting stuck with only a partial subset. It also improves the overall economic efficiency.
Expressed Emotion in Individual and Family Settings: a Comparative Study

Expressed emotion ratings were performed, in two separate settings, on the parents of 20 children suffering from anorexia nervosa. Ratings were made on conventional individual interviews and on videotapes of a family interview. Comparison of ratings in the two settings showed a very high correlation for ‘critical comments'. Findings on the other scales were harder to interpret, but significant correlations as well as differences were noted. Expressed emotion rated in family interviews provides new possibilities for the study of families.