Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mutant p53 is a transcriptional co-factor that binds to G-rich regulatory regions of active genes and generates transcriptional plasticity

The molecular mechanisms underlying mutant p53 (mutp53) “gain-of-function” (GOF) are still insufficiently understood, but there is evidence that mutp53 is a transcriptional regulator that is recruited by specialized transcription factors. Here we analyzed the binding sites of mutp53 and the epigenetic status of mutp53-regulated genes that had been identified by global expression profiling upon depletion of endogenous mutp53 (R273H) expression in U251 glioblastoma cells. We found that mutp53 preferentially and autonomously binds to G/C-rich DNA around transcription start sites (TSS) of many genes characterized by active chromatin marks (H3K4me3) and frequently associated with transcription-competent RNA polymerase II. Mutp53-bound regions overlap predominantly with CpG islands and are enriched in G4-motifs that are prone to form G-quadruplex structures. In line, mutp53 binds and stabilizes a well-characterized G-quadruplex structure in vitro. Hence, we assume that binding of mutp53 to G/C-rich DNA regions associated with a large set of cancer-relevant genes is an initial step in their regulation by mutp53. Using GAS1 and HTR2A as model genes, we show that mutp53 affects several parameters of active transcription. Finally, we discuss a dual mode model of mutp53 GOF, which includes both stochastic and deterministic components.
Antifibrotic Activity of Manassantin B from Saururus chinensis in HSC-T 6 Hepatic Stellate Cells

− Manassantin B, a dilignan isolated from Saururus chinensis, significantly inhibited proliferation in HSC-T6 cells in concentrationand time-dependent manners. In addition, treatment of HSC-T6 cells with manassantin B changed cell morphology from flattened myofibroblastic membranous morphology, representing activation state, to slender shape, representing quiescent state. Furthermore, manassantin B effectively reduced collagen content in HSC-T6 cells. These results suggested that manassantin B exerted antifibrotic activity in HSCT6 cells, in part, via inhibition of cell proliferation and decrease of collagen production.
Managing Foreign Business Operations Through Institutional Change from Transition to Post-Transition

Abstract This article demonstrates how the nature of the post-socialist transition shapes the institutional business environment over time, and how this shows in foreign firms' strategies. We analyze this question through Finnish business operations in two post-socialist countries, Russia and Estonia, drawing on 169 semi-structured interviews. We show how a rapid and goal-oriented transition quickly removes transition-specific problems in relation to the public sector, whereas a slower and undetermined change allows them to persist. Transition-specific problems in relation to personnel and other enterprises have been alleviated in both Estonia and Russia, but followed by new ones rooted in the transition period. Also, three mechanisms prompt institutional change: the stability of national/federal formal institutions, the international formal institutional pressure, and role models embodied in informal institutional practices imported by foreign firms.
Osmotic Stress Reduces Ca2+ Signals through Deformation of Caveolae*

Background: Caveolae are membrane domains that have been shown to enhance Gαq signals. Results: Osmotic stress deforms caveolae, reduces the association of Gαq, and reduces Gαq-mediated Ca2+ release. Conclusion: Mechanical deformation of caveolae weakens Ca2+ responses through changes in Gαq interactions. Significance: These studies connect the mechanical and signaling functions of caveolae. Caveolae are membrane invaginations that can sequester various signaling proteins. Caveolae have been shown to provide mechanical strength to cells by flattening to accommodate increased volume when cells are subjected to hypo-osmotic stress. We have previously found that caveolin, the main structural component of caveolae, specifically binds Gαq and stabilizes its activation state resulting in an enhanced Ca2+ signal upon activation. Here, we show that osmotic stress caused by decreasing the osmolarity in half reversibly changes the configuration of caveolae without releasing a significant portion of caveolin molecules. This change in configuration due to flattening leads to a loss in Cav1-Gαq association. This loss in Gαq/Cav1 association due to osmotic stress results in a significant reduction of Gαq/phospholipase Cβ-mediated Ca2+ signals. This reduced Ca2+ response is also seen when caveolae are reduced by treatment with siRNA(Cav1) or by dissolving them by methyl-β-cyclodextran. No change in Ca2+ release with osmotic swelling can be seen when growth factor pathways are activated. Taken together, these results connect the mechanical deformation of caveolae to Gαq-mediated Ca2+ signals.
Dynamics of fine wine and asset prices: evidence from short- and long-run co-movements

This article examines short- and long-term price linkages among the majority of fine wine and equity markets over the period of 2003 to 2012. We do not consider the price index (LIV-EX 100 or 500), as is typically undertaken in previous studies, but rather examine the auction price series of the world’s most traded wine-vintage pairs (5 Bordeaux first growth, 8 Bordeaux second growth, 5 Burgundy, 3 Rhone, 4 Italian, 5 Californian, 1 Australian and 1 Portuguese). A global equity index is also included using the Morgan Stanley Capital International World. Cointegration procedures, the Granger non-causality test, and ECM are used to analyse short- and long-run relationships among these markets. The results indicate a strong effect of financial markets on wine prices and short-term causality for certain wines. Moreover, the findings indicate short-run causality between the wines themselves, revealing a leader (exogenous) or follower (endogenous) status of certain fine wines in price dynamics, and also long-run causality for endogenous wines. This approach is relevant to portfolio diversification strategies and allows price movements to be anticipated more accurately than using an index approach.
Scattering analysis for arbitrarily shaped dielectric bodies using characteristic modes

Characteristic mode (CM) theory has recently attracted great attention from antenna engineers. Other than its great potential in antenna designs and optimizations, this paper discusses the applications of the CM theory in the analysis of scattering from three-dimensional arbitrarily shaped dielectric bodies using a novel characteristic mode formulation we proposed very recently. It is a powerful tool in the investigation of the contributions of each mode to the scattering pattern. Such investigation provides useful information for further scattering pattern controlling. Numerical results are presented to validate the approach in scattering analysis.
Relationship between systematic-risk measured in the second-order and third-order co-moments in the downside framework

The difference between systematic risk measured in terms of the third-order and second-order co-moment of returns in the downside framework is influenced by a factor associated with the market portfolio returns. Empirical evidence reveals that the smaller the spread in the returns in the market portfolio, the greater the influence of this factor. When measuring systematic risk in the downside, the choice of the order of co-moment is influenced by the variation in abnormal returns in the portfolios.
Failure to Replicate the Unconscious Thought Advantages

: In this study we tried to replicate the unconscious thought advantage (UTA), which states that complex decisions are better handled by unconscious thinking. We designed an experiment in e-prime using similar material as the original study (choosing between four different apartments, each described by 12 attributes). A total of 73 participants (52 women (71.2%); 18 to 62 age: M=24.63; SD=8.7) took part in the experiment. We did not replicate the results suggested by UTT. However, from the present study we cannot conclude whether this was the case of flaws in the theory or flaws in our experiment and we discuss several ways in which the issue of UTA could be examined further.
Optimal Investment for an Insurer to Minimize Its Probability of Ruin

Abstract This paper studies optimal investment strategies of an insurance company. We assume that the insurance company receives premiums at a constant rate, the total claims are modeled by a compound Poisson process, and the insurance company can invest in the money market and in a risky asset such as stocks. This model generalizes the model in Hipp and Plum (2000) by including a risk-free asset. The investment behavior is investigated numerically for various claim-size distributions. The optimal policy and the solution of the associated Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation are then computed under each assumed distribution. Our results provide insights for managers of insurance companies on how to invest. We also investigate the effects of changes in various factors, such as stock volatility, on optimal investment strategies, and survival probability. The model is generalized to cases in which borrowing constraints or reinsurance are present.
Intrahousehold Allocation of Nutrients in Rural India: Are Boys Favored? Do Parents Exhibit Inequality Aversion?

This paper develops a multinutrient input, multihealth related outcome model of intrahousehold nutrient allocation that permits identification of gender preferences and equity-productivity tradeoffs. Estimates for rural South India suggest that parents display male preference during the lean season, particularly in lower-caste households. Parents also exhibit inequality aversion so pure investment models may be misleading, though such inequality aversion is less in the lean season than estimated for the United States. The combination of male preference and limited inequality aversion means that the nutritionally most vulnerable-especially females-may be at considerable risk when food is scarcest. Copyright 1988 by Royal Economic Society.
Integration of Social Sciences in Terrorism Modelling: Issues, Problems and Recommendations

Abstract : This report identifies and discusses issues and problems related to the integration of social scientific knowledge in terrorism modelling. It analyses the state of the art in the area of modelling the origins and causes of terrorism and other forms of political violence; terrorists behaviour; the structure of terrorist organisations and networks; terrorism threat; and influence strategies and actions directed towards terrorism threat anticipation and minimisation.
A Variance‐Ratio Test of Random Walks in Foreign Exchange Rates

The separate variance-ratio tests under homoscedasticity and heteroscedasticity both provide evidence rejecting the random walk hypothesis using five pairs of weekly nominal exchange rate series over the period from August 7, 1974, to March 29, 1989. The rejections cast doubt on the random walk hypothesis in exchange rates, which has received support in the existing literature. Furthermore, since the rejections are robust to heteroscedasticity, they suggest autocorrelations of weekly increments in the nominal exchange rate series, which may be consistent with the exchange rate overshooting or undershooting phenomenon. Copyright 1991 by American Finance Association.
Non‐invasive imaging of reporter genes

Non‐invasive, quantitative and repetitive imaging of biological processes in living animals is rapidly changing the way in which many experiments in models of human disease and normal physiological processes are conducted. This review summarizes the newest molecular imaging approaches to analyzing reporter gene expression, with particular emphasis on pre‐clinical cancer research. Alternative modes of imaging are summarized, followed by descriptions of the major reporter gene systems now used for radionuclide imaging in vivo of gene expression. Several somatic delivery paradigms for co‐ordinate expression of therapeutic and imaging genes are presented, and our own emphasis on the dopamine D2 receptor and Herpes Simplex Virus Type I thymidine kinase reporter genes are detailed. J. Cell. Biochem. Suppl. 39: 36–44, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Importance of Matching Physical Friction, Hardness, and Texture in Creating Realistic Haptic Virtual Surfaces

Interacting with physical objects through a tool elicits tactile and kinesthetic sensations that comprise your haptic impression of the object. These cues, however, are largely missing from interactions with virtual objects, yielding an unrealistic user experience. This article evaluates the realism of virtual surfaces rendered using haptic models constructed from data recorded during interactions with real surfaces. The models include three components: surface friction, tapping transients, and texture vibrations. We render the virtual surfaces on a SensAble Phantom Omni haptic interface augmented with a Tactile Labs Haptuator for vibration output. We conducted a human-subject study to assess the realism of these virtual surfaces and the importance of the three model components. Following a perceptual discrepancy paradigm, subjects compared each of 15 real surfaces to a full rendering of the same surface plus versions missing each model component. The realism improvement achieved by including friction, tapping, or texture in the rendering was found to directly relate to the intensity of the surface's property in that domain (slipperiness, hardness, or roughness). A subsequent analysis of forces and vibrations measured during interactions with virtual surfaces indicated that the Omni's inherent mechanical properties corrupted the user's haptic experience, decreasing realism of the virtual surface.
An update on computational oral absorption simulation

Introduction: Within the last decades, computational models have developed rapidly and some of these models have proven useful in understanding how physiological, physicochemical and formulation factors affect oral drug absorption. Nowadays, complex computer-based absorption models are being used as standard tools in both academia and the pharmaceutical industry at several stages of the drug development process. Areas covered: Areas covered include the progress of computational tools for predicting drug absorption. The various qualitative and quantitative approaches that have been proposed are summarized, with special emphasis on a key tool for predicting oral drug absorption, physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling (PBPK). The theories of the different models are described and recent applications within drug research and development are summarized and evaluated. Additionally, the current state of computational absorption models is discussed, including areas for potential improvements. Expert opinion: The field of pharmacokinetics modeling has undergone a major transformation over the last 10 – 20 years and there will most likely be even more exciting developments ahead. With the availability of generic physiologically based absorption models, more and more case examples using PBPK models have been published that demonstrate either improved ability to predict oral drug absorption or have allowed a more mechanistic interpretation of experimentally observed data.
Dietary intake of selected micronutrients and breast‐cancer risk

The relation between 17 micronutrients and breast‐cancer risk was analyzed in a case‐control study conducted between 1993 and 1999 in the Swiss Canton of Vaud. Cases were 289 women with incident, histologically confirmed breast cancer, and controls were 442 women admitted to the same hospital for a wide spectrum of acute non‐neoplastic conditions unrelated to long‐term modifications of diet. Dietary habits were investigated using a validated food‐frequency questionnaire. Odds ratios (ORs) were obtained after allowance for age, education, parity, menopausal status, body mass index, total energy intake and alcohol drinking. For several micronutrients, the ORs tended to decline with increasing tertile of intake, with significant inverse trends in risk for potassium (OR for the highest tertile = 0.21), total carotenoids (OR = 0.42), lycopene (OR = 0.43), folic acid (OR = 0.45), vitamin C (OR = 0.19), vitamin E (OR = 0.37) and vitamin B6 (OR = 0.54). In a model including a continuous term for the 7 micronutrients significantly related to breast cancer, the only persisting significant inverse relations were for vitamin C (OR = 0.23) and lycopene (OR = 0.64). © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Image-to-X Registration using Linear Features

The registration of imagery to maps and GIS layers is a fundamental operation for the management of spatial data in GIS. This paper introduces automated algorithms for the registration of sequences of aerial imagery to vector map data using linear features (primarily roads) as control information. Our algorithms support both the use of single elements as well as complete networks. Regarding single elements, our method is based on the extraction of linear features using active contour models (a.k.a. snakes), followed by the construction of a polygonal template upon which a matching process is applied. To accommodate more robust matching, this work presents both exact and inexact matching schemes for linear features. Additionally, in order to overcome the influence of the snakes-based extraction process on the matching results, a matching refinement process is suggested. This information is used to generate image mosaics and register these mosaics to a map. The performance of the proposed scheme was tested on sequences of aerial imagery of 1 m resolution that were subjected to shifts and rotations using both the exact and inexact matching scheme, and was shown to produce angular accuracies of less than 0.7 degrees and positional accuracies of less than 2 pixels.
The Effects of Physical and Cultural Distance on Tourist Satisfaction: A Case Study of Local-Based Airlines, Public Transportation, and Government Services in Hong Kong

This study examines the effects of distance decay (i.e., physical distance and cultural distance) on overall service satisfaction and evaluates individual service quality attributes across local-based airlines, public transportation, and government services in Hong Kong. Harnessing simple regression analysis on primary data collected via a SERVQUAL-based questionnaire, empirical results reveal that cultural distance negatively affects the overall service satisfaction level on public transportation as well as leisure and cultural services. Physical distance, on the other hand, is positively associated with overall tourist satisfaction toward local-based airline services, government services, and mass transit railway (MTR) services. Further findings from the paired sample t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and importance and performance analysis suggest that the three analyzed sectors suffer from negative disconfirmation, with the most problematic area in taxi drivers’ communication skills.
The level of cAMP‐dependent protein kinase A activity strongly affects osmotolerance andosmo‐instigated gene expression changes in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The influence of cAMP‐dependent protein kinase (PKA) on protein expression during exponential growth under osmotic stress was studied by two‐dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D–PAGE). The responses of isogenic strains (tpk2Δtpk3Δ) with either constitutively low (tpk1w1), regulated (TPK1) or constitutively high (TPK1bcy1Δ) PKA activity were compared. The activity of cAMP‐dependent protein kinase (PKA) was shown to be a major determinant of osmotic shock tolerance. Proteins with increased expression during growth under sodium chloride stress could be grouped into three classes with respect to PKA activity, with the glycerol metabolic proteins GPD1, GPP2 and DAK1 standing out as independent of PKA. The other osmotically induced proteins displayed a variable dependence on PKA activity; fully PKA‐dependent genes were TPS1 and GCY1, partly PKA‐dependent genes were ENO1, TDH1, ALD3 and CTT1. The proteins repressed by osmotic stress also fell into distinct classes of PKA‐dependency. Ymr116c was PKA‐independent, while Pgi1p, Sam1p, Gdh1p and Vma1p were fully PKA‐dependent. Hxk2p, Pdc1p, Ssb1p, Met6p, Atp2p and Hsp60p displayed a partially PKA‐dependent repression. The promotors of all induced PKA‐dependent genes have STRE sites in their promotors suggestive of a mechanism acting via Msn2/4p. The mechanisms governing the expression of the other classes are unknown. From the protein expression data we conclude that a low PKA activity causes a protein expression resembling that of osmotically stressed cells, and furthermore makes cells tolerant to this type of stress. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Domestic Violence Electronic Database (DVED): A Taiwan Study

The Domestic Violence Prevention Act (DVPA), passed in Taiwan in 1998, was the first set of laws and regulations in Asia specifically for domestic violence. The law required the central government to establish a nationwide Domestic Violence Electronic Database (DVED). The DVED is now the most important case record system for both public and private-sector social workers in Taiwan. However, new technology brings new problems. This article examines the use of the DVED, including access management and usage permissions, to gain insights from current users of the database and to make relevant recommendations for the future of the DVED.
Guest Workers or Colonized Labor?: Mexican Labor Migration to the United States

A decade of political infighting over comprehensive immigration reform appears at an end, after the 2012 election motivated the Republican Party to work with the Democratic Party's immigration reform agendas. However, a guest worker program within current reform proposals is generally overlooked by the public and by activist organizations. Also overlooked is significant corporate lobbying that affects legislation. This updated edition critically examines the new guest worker program included in the White House and Congressional bipartisan committee s immigration reform blueprints and puts the debate into historical and contemporary contexts. It describes how the influential U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO agreed on guidelines for a new guest worker program to be included in the plan. Gonzalez shows how guest worker programs stand within a history of utilizing controlled, cheap, disposable labor with lofty projections rarely upheld. For courses in a wide variety of disciplines, this timely text taps into trends toward teaching immigration politics and policy.Features of the New Edition"