Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
FUS Mislocalization and Vulnerability to DNA Damage in ALS Patients Derived hiPSCs and Aging Motoneurons

Mutations within the FUS gene (Fused in Sarcoma) are known to cause Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease affecting upper and lower motoneurons. The FUS gene codes for a multifunctional RNA/DNA-binding protein that is primarily localized in the nucleus and is involved in cellular processes such as splicing, translation, mRNA transport and DNA damage response. In this study, we analyzed pathophysiological alterations associated with ALS related FUS mutations (mFUS) in human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) and hiPSC derived motoneurons. To that end, we compared cells carrying a mild or severe mFUS in physiological- and/or stress conditions as well as after induced DNA damage. Following hyperosmolar stress or irradiation, mFUS hiPS cells recruited significantly more cytoplasmatic FUS into stress granules accompanied by impaired DNA-damage repair. In motoneurons wild-type FUS was localized in the nucleus but also deposited as small punctae within neurites. In motoneurons expressing mFUS the protein was additionally detected in the cytoplasm and a significantly increased number of large, densely packed FUS positive stress granules were seen along neurites. The amount of FUS mislocalization correlated positively with both the onset of the human disease (the earlier the onset the higher the FUS mislocalization) and the maturation status of the motoneurons. Moreover, even in non-stressed post-mitotic mFUS motoneurons clear signs of DNA-damage could be detected. In summary, we found that the susceptibility to cell stress was higher in mFUS hiPSCs and hiPSC derived motoneurons than in controls and the degree of FUS mislocalization correlated well with the clinical severity of the underlying ALS related mFUS. The accumulation of DNA damage and the cellular response to DNA damage stressors was more pronounced in post-mitotic mFUS motoneurons than in dividing hiPSCs suggesting that mFUS motoneurons accumulate foci of DNA damage, which in turn might be directly linked to neurodegeneration.
Measuring Intelligence: Facts and Fallacies

This book penetrates the thicket of controversy, ideology and prejudice surrounding the measurement of intelligence to provide a clear non-mathematical analysis of it. The testing of intelligence has a long and controversial history and whether intelligence exists and can be measured still remains unresolved. The debate about it has centered on the "nurture versus nature" controversy and especially on alleged racial differences and the heritability of intelligence.
LEARNING PREFERENCES IN RELATION TO SUBJECTS OF STUDY OF STUDENTS IN HIGHER EDUCATION

Applications for entry to Higher Education have persistently shown marked differences between ethnic minority groups and gender. Research into learning preferences suggests that these might be one reason for these differential choices. This paper reports a study of over 384 undergraduates and 483 PGCE students, exploring their learning styles by means of a 50 item Likert scale and comparing this with a small number of ranking questions based on preferred styles of teaching and learning. Four dimensions were identified: Approaches to Learning; Interaction Preferences; Beliefs about Knowledge; and Regulation of Study Strategies. Clear subject differences in these learning preferences were identified. There were some differences between those students electing to pursue a PGCE course (who tended towards the 'deep' learning end of the scales) and the undergraduate students, although the subject order remained consistent. Mathematics students lie at one end (characterising 'surface' learning approaches, belief in the transferability of a fixed knowledge base, less dependence on interaction) of the scale and English students at the other. There was little variation attributable to gender differences.
Effects of pain stimulation on bispectral index, heart rate and blood pressure at different minimal alveolar concentration values of sevoflurane

Background: The aim of the present study was to examine the level of unconsciousness measured with bispectral index (BIS) at different minimal alveolar concentration (MAC) levels of sevoflurane, and to study the hemodynamic and BIS reactions during noxious stimulation with transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and an ice water pain test (IWP).
Simulation of Graphene Nanoribbon Field-Effect Transistors

We present an atomistic 3-D simulation of graphene nanoribbon field-effect transistors (GNR-FETs), based on the self consistent solution of the 3-D Poisson and Schrodinger equations with open boundary conditions within the nonequilibrium Green's function formalism and a tight-binding Hamiltonian. With respect to carbon nanotube FETs, GNR-FETs exhibit comparable performance, reduced sensitivity to the variability of channel chirality, and similar leakage problems due to band-to-band tunneling. Acceptable transistor performance requires prohibitive effective nanoribbon width of 1-2 nm and atomistic precision that could in principle be obtained with periodic etch patterns or stress patterns.
VCARP: Vehicular Ad-hoc Networks context-aware routing protocol

Vehicular Networks routing protocols must deal with several issues such as high mobility, high speed and, consequently, high disconnection rate among the network nodes. In this paper, we propose VCARP, a geocast routing protocol for Vehicular Networks that takes into account context informations of the network (such as nodes location and destination) to make routing decisions. It consists of a shared cache mechanism used to avoid packets loss due to full caches, and a flow-based routing to reduce network overhead caused by unnecessary packet retransmissions. Simulations show that the proposed protocol can increase packet delivery rate by 40% and decrease overhead by up to 89%, compared to another geocast protocol of the literature. In addition, we have studied the influence of cache size and neighbors discovery period duration on the packet delivery rate.
U-251 revisited: genetic drift and phenotypic consequences of long-term cultures of glioblastoma cells

It is well known that in vitro subculture represents a selection pressure on cell lines, and over time this may result in a genetic drift in the cancer cells. In addition, long‐term cultures harbor the risk of cross‐contamination with other cell lines. The consequences may have major impact on experimental results obtained in various laboratories, where the cell lines no longer reflect the original tumors that they are supposed to represent. Much neglected in the scientific community is a close monitoring of cell cultures by regular phenotypic and genetic characterization. In this report, we present a thorough characterization of the commonly used glioblastoma (GBM) model U‐251, which in numerous publications has been wrongly identified as U‐373, due to an earlier cross‐contamination. In this work, the original U‐251 and three subclones of U‐251, commonly referred to as U‐251 or U‐373, were analyzed with regard to their DNA profile, morphology, phenotypic expression, and growth pattern. By array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH), we show that only the original low‐passaged U‐251 cells, established in the 1960s, maintain a DNA copy number resembling a typical GBM profile, whereas all long‐term subclones lost the typical GBM profile. Also the long‐term passaged subclones displayed variations in phenotypic marker expression and showed an increased growth rate in vitro and a more aggressive growth in vivo. Taken together, the variations in genotype and phenotype as well as differences in growth characteristics may explain different results reported in various laboratories related to the U‐251 cell line.
More Enforceable Security Policies

We analyze the space of security policies that can be enforced by monitoring programs at runtime. Our program monitors are automata that examine the sequence of program actions and transform the sequence when it deviates from the speci(cid:12)ed policy. The simplest such automaton truncates the action sequence by terminating a program. Such automata are commonly known as security automata, and they enforce Schneider’s EM class of security policies. We de(cid:12)ne automata with more powerful transformational abilities, including the ability to insert a sequence of actions into the event stream and to suppress actions in the event stream without terminating the program. We give a set-theoretic characterization of the policies these new automata are able to enforce and show that they are a superset of the EM policies.
PEG-modified GoldMag nanoparticles (PGMNs) combined with the magnetic field for local drug delivery

Polyethylene glycol-modified GoldMag nanoparticles (PGMNs) were synthesized and characterized by several analysis including transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer. Here, we showed that the composite nanoparticles have a saturated magnetization of 34 emu/g with an average diameter of 50 nm. The kinetics analysis showed the maximum doxorubicin (DOX) loading capacity of PGMNs is 107.78 mg/g. The PGMNs loaded with DOX (DOX-loaded PGMNs) exhibited a controlled drug release pattern within the first 4 h and then a slowly, sustained release pattern for 4 days. The biodistribution of DOX-loaded PGMNs in vivo indicated that the concentrations of DOX in liver exposed to magnetic field group (60.7 ± 8.14, 53.6 ± 4.89, 44.8 ± 6.41, and 38.4 ± 2.58 ng/g) were significantly higher than those of no applied magnetic field group (40.8 ± 9.96, 31.9 ± 7.01, 28 ± 6.11, and 20.7 ± 5.78 ng/g) at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 h (P < 0.05), respectively. The amount of Fe in liver exposed magnetic field showed a similar trend. Histological studies revealed an enhanced particle aggregation in the targeted liver area. Under the external magnetic field, the biodistribution of DOX-loaded PGMNs was changed compared to absence of magnet field, and the PGMNs were capable of carrying drug for targeting therapeutic purposes.
Honeytraps , A Network Forensic Tool

Two new fields within Communication Systems and Networks, born in the practioner realm, have quietly grown in importance in the Internet age: Computer Forensics and Deception technology. These two fields share the goal of collecting information about computer mischief, but with dramatically contrasting desired outcomes. To date, no published results document efforts to leverage the similarity in these areas. In this paper, we detail a method to utilize deception technology to enhance computer and network forensic capabilities.
Spectroscopic characterization of a higher plant heme oxygenase isoform‐1 from Glycine max (soybean) −coordination structure of the heme complex and catabolism of heme

Heme oxygenase converts heme into biliverdin, CO, and free iron. In plants, as well as in cyanobacteria, heme oxygenase plays a particular role in the biosynthesis of photoreceptive pigments, such as phytochromobilins and phycobilins, supplying biliverdin IXα as a direct synthetic resource. In this study, a higher plant heme oxygenase, GmHO‐1, of Glycine max (soybean), was prepared to evaluate the molecular features of its heme complex, the enzymatic activity, and the mechanism of heme conversion. The similarity in the amino acid sequence between GmHO‐1 and heme oxygenases from other biological species is low, and GmHO‐1 binds heme with 1 : 1 stoichiometry at His30; this position does not correspond to the proximal histidine of other heme oxygenases in their sequence alignments. The heme bound to GmHO‐1, in the ferric high‐spin state, exhibits an acid–base transition and is converted to biliverdin IXα in the presence of NADPH/ferredoxin reductase/ferredoxin, or ascorbate. During the heme conversion, an intermediate with an absorption maximum different from that of typical verdoheme–heme oxygenase or CO–verdoheme–heme oxygenase complexes was observed and was extracted as a bis‐imidazole complex; it was identified as verdoheme. A myoglobin mutant, H64L, with high CO affinity trapped CO produced during the heme degradation. Thus, the mechanism of heme degradation by GmHO‐1 appears to be similar to that of known heme oxygenases, despite the low sequence homology. The heme conversion by GmHO‐1 is as fast as that by SynHO‐1 in the presence of NADPH/ferredoxin reductase/ferredoxin, thereby suggesting that the latter is the physiologic electron‐donating system.
Black Carbon and Particulate Matter (PM2.5) Concentrations in New York City’s Subway Stations

The New York City (NYC) subway is the main mode of transport for over 5 million passengers on an average weekday. Therefore, airborne pollutants in the subway stations could have a significant impact on commuters and subway workers. This study looked at black carbon (BC) and particulate matter (PM2.5) concentrations in selected subway stations in Manhattan. BC and PM2.5 levels were measured in real time using a Micro-Aethalometer and a PDR-1500 DataRAM, respectively. Simultaneous samples were also collected on quartz filters for organic and elemental carbon (OC/EC) analysis and on Teflon filters for gravimetric and trace element analysis. In the underground subway stations, mean real time BC concentrations ranged from 5 to 23 μg/m3, with 1 min average peaks >100 μg/m3, while real time PM2.5 levels ranged from 35 to 200 μg/m3. Mean EC levels ranged from 9 to 12.5 μg/m3. At street level on the same days, the mean BC and PM2.5 concentrations were below 3 and 10 μg/m3, respectively. This study shows that both BC soot and PM levels in NYC’s subways are considerably higher than ambient urban street levels and that further monitoring and investigation of BC and PM subway exposures are warranted.
Early gestational age at preeclampsia onset is associated with subclinical atherosclerosis 12 years after delivery

Women with a history of preeclampsia have increased risk of cardiovascular disease later in life. However, it is unclear whether early gestational age at preeclampsia onset is associated with higher cardiovascular disease risk. This study aimed to test the association between gestational age at preeclampsia onset (including the early‐onset/late‐onset preeclampsia distinction) and subclinical atherosclerosis and arterial stiffness in age‐matched women 12 years after index pregnancy.
A significant feature of microvessels in magnifying narrow-band imaging for diagnosis of early gastric cancer

Background and study aims: Magnifying narrow-band imaging (NBI) is more useful than conventional endoscopy for diagnosing early gastric cancer (EGC). However, evaluation of irregular microvascular patterns is subjective and is often difficult, even with expert eyes. The aim of this study was to clarify the most important microvascular patterns in magnifying NBI for diagnosis of EGC. Patients and methods: This was a post-hoc analysis of a multicenter prospective trial among nine Japanese hospitals. A total of 1353 patients underwent screening with white-light endoscopy and 362 patients had small (≤ 10 mm) depressed lesions. They were randomly assigned to magnifying NBI or white-light endoscopy followed by magnifying NBI. During diagnosis, magnifying NBI images were recorded before biopsy. All magnifying NBI images were reviewed and evaluated for the association of four features of microvessels – that is, dilation, tortuosity, difference in caliber, and variation in shape – with cancer diagnosis. Results: Images of 343 lesions (40 cancerous and 303 benign depression lesions) were evaluable. The diagnostic performance (sensitivity/specificity) of each finding was: dilation, 25/90 %; tortuosity, 55/24 %; difference in caliber, 13 /99 %; and variation in shape, 70/95 %. Multivariate analysis identified only variation in shape as being statistically significantly associated with diagnosis of cancer (odds ratio 38.0, 95 % confidence interval: 16.1 – 95.7, P < 0.001). All findings showed moderate agreement (κ values): dilation, 0.44; tortuosity, 0.33; difference in caliber, 0.26; and variation in shape, 0.48. Conclusions: A variation in shape was the most significant feature of microvessels observed in magnifying NBI for diagnosis of small depressed-type EGC. Study registration: UMIN-CTR000001072
WEIGHT LOSS: EXPLORING SELF-REGULATION THROUGH MINDFULNESS MEDITATION

Increasing rates of overweight/obese adults, with corresponding increases in health risks, obesity-related illnesses, and health costs have not been significantly impacted despite research and commercial attempts to provide recommended weight loss strategies. Mindfulness Meditation (MM) teaches individuals to increase their awareness in the present moment which may offer an additional strategy to weight loss interventions. This study explored the effects of MM combined with standard behavioral weight loss intervention (SBWP) on short-term weight loss, physical activity, eating behaviors, food intake and mindfulness in overweight/obese adults. Additionally, adherence, feasibility and acceptability of MM were explored through retention, attendance, diary return rate, MM practice and qualitative interviewing.This exploratory mixed methods study was a 24 week randomized controlled trial that compared SBWP and Standard Behavioral Weight Loss Program plus Mindfulness Meditation (SBWP+MM) followed by a qualitative interview that explored the experiences of 12 SBWP+MM participants. The sample which was randomized between treatment groups included 46 overweight/obese, 87% female, mean age 45.2 years (SD=8.2), mean weight 91.9 kg. (SD=12.8), 21.7% African American, and 78% college-educated adults living in the Pittsburgh area. Outcome measures of weight, physical activity, eating behavior, food intake and mindfulness were explored at three time points. Data analysis was based on intention-to-treat with linear mixed effects modeling and general linear modeling.Thirty-five subjects (76%) completed the study. Mean total weight loss was 5.48 kg (SD=2.01) with a significant decrease in food intake (p<.00) and significant increase in physical activity and healthy eating behaviors (p<.000). There was a mean greater weight loss in the SBWP+MM group (6.89kg compared to 4.07kg). Only eating behaviors significantly improved in the SBWP+MM group based on the results of linear mixed effects modeling (p=.034). The SBWP+MM group had higher rates of retention (86.4%) and attendance (75%) and a difference in diary return (15 weeks versus 12 weeks). The overarching SBWP+MM qualitative theme of expanding mindfulness in personal life flowed from taking time intentionally for self to lifestyle changes.The exploratory results, eating behavior significance and other outcome differences in the SBWP+MM group suggest that a larger sample size over a longer period of time may find further statistical and clinical significance. In light of the current obesity epidemic, hypothesis testing of MM could lead to enhanced weight loss interventions for this overweight/obese population.
Formulación de una estructura teórica para la contabilidad ambiental

espanolLa contabilidad tradicional se configura como un instrumento de la economia mundial, limitada a divulgar informacion de caracter financiero a los usuarios de interes; en tal caso la contabilidad tan solo reflejara los impactos economicos de la empresa, ignorando los impactos sociales y medioambientales. Este trabajo tiene por objetivo crear un conjunto de conceptos basicos, para la adecuada comprension y posterior representacion de informacion para el segmento contable social y ambiental, con el animo de aportar referentes teoricos que enriquezcan la investigacion sobre la preparacion de modelos contables sociales y ambientales. EnglishTraditional accounting is an instrument of global economy that is limited to disseminating financial information to interested users. In this case, accounting can only reflect the economic impact of a company, thus overlooking its social and environmental impact. The purpose of this work is to create a set of basic concepts to ensure proper understanding and subsequent representation of information for the social and environmental accounting segment, aiming to provide theoretical reference frameworks that enhance research of the preparation of social and environmental accounting models.
The Functional Region of CENP-H Interacts with the Nuf2 Complex That Localizes to Centromere during Mitosis

ABSTRACT CENP-H is a constitutive centromere component that localizes to the centromere throughout the cell cycle. Because CENP-H is colocalized with CENP-A and CENP-C, it is thought to be an inner centromere protein. We previously generated a conditional loss-of-function mutant of CENP-H and showed that CENP-H is required for targeting of CENP-C to the centromere in chicken DT40 cells. In the present study, we used this mutant to identify the functional region of chicken CENP-H necessary for centromere targeting and cell viability. This region was found by yeast two-hybrid analysis to interact with Hec1, which is a member of the Nuf2 complex that transiently localizes to the centromere during mitosis. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments revealed that CENP-H interacts with the Nuf2 complex in chicken DT40 cells. Photobleaching experiments showed that both Hec1 and CENP-H form stable associations with the centromeres during mitosis, suggesting that Hec1 acts as a structural component of centromeres during mitosis. On the basis of these results and previously published data, we propose that the Nuf2 complex functions as a connector between the inner and outer kinetochores.
Global Not Local Masker Features Govern the Auditory Continuity Illusion

When an acoustic signal is temporarily interrupted by another sound, it is sometimes heard as continuing through, even when the signal is actually turned off during the interruption—an effect known as the “auditory continuity illusion. ” A widespread view is that the illusion can only occur when peripheral neural responses contain no evidence that the signal was interrupted. Here we challenge this view using a combination of psychophysical measures from human listeners and computational simulations with a model of the auditory periphery. The results reveal that the illusion seems to depend more on the overall specific loudness than on the peripheral masking properties of the interrupting sound. This finding indicates that the continuity illusion is determined by the global features, rather than the fine-grained temporal structure, of the interrupting sound, and argues against the view that the illusion arises in the auditory periphery.
Notch 1–Deficient Common Lymphoid Precursors Adopt a B Cell Fate in the Thymus

We have recently reported that Notch 1, a member of the Notch multigene family, is essential for the development of murine T cells. Using a mouse model in which Notch 1 is inactivated in bone marrow (BM) precursors we have shown that B cells instead of T cells are found in the thymus of BM chimeras. However, it is not clear whether these B cells develop by default from a common lymphoid precursor due to the absence of Notch 1 signaling, or whether they arise as a result of perturbed migration of BM-derived B cells and/or altered homeostasis of normal resident thymic B cells. In this report we show that Notch 1–deficient thymic B cells resemble BM B cells in phenotype and turnover kinetics and are located predominantly in the medulla and corticomedullary junction. Peripheral blood lymphocyte analysis shows no evidence of recirculating Notch1−/− BM B cells. Furthermore, lack of T cell development is not due to a failure of Notch1−/− precursors to home to the thymus, as even after intrathymic reconstitution with BM cells, B cells instead of T cells develop from Notch 1–deficient precursors. Taken together, these results provide evidence for de novo ectopic B cell development in the thymus, and support the hypothesis that in the absence of Notch 1 common lymphoid precursors adopt the default cell fate and develop into B cells instead.