Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Consumer Bankruptcy, Bank Mergers, and Information

This article analyzes the relationship between consumer bankruptcy patterns and the destruction of soft information caused by mergers. Using a major Canadian bank merger as a source of exogenous variation in local banking conditions, we show that local markets affected by the merger exhibit an increase in consumer bankruptcy rates post-merger. The evidence is consistent with the most plausible mechanism being the disruption of consumer–bank relationships. Markets affected by the merger show a decrease in the merging institutions’ branch presence and market share, including those stemming from higher switching rates. We rule out alternative mechanisms such as changes in quantity of credit, loan rates, or observable borrower characteristics.
The roles of potassium currents in Drosophila flight muscles

The roles of different K+ currents in regulating the generation and waveform of action potentials in Drosophila dorsal longitudinal flight muscles (DLMs) were examined in current-clamp experiments. In response to depolarizing current, DLMs displayed an initial transient rectification of the electronic potential lasting for up to hundreds of milliseconds. This delay in excitation was followed by oscillations or graded spikes that finally gave way to sharply rising spikes. Previous voltage-clamp studies of DLMs have revealed an inward Ca2+ current and at least three K+ currents: IA and IK, which are voltage-dependent, and IC, which is Ca2+ dependent. IA and IC are early inactivating currents, while IK is a slow, noninactivating current. In mature adults, selective elimination of IA either with Shaker (Sh) mutations or with 4- aminopyridine (4-AP), had no effect on spike duration or on the delay in excitation. In contrast, when IC was specifically eliminated with the slowpoke (slo) mutation, there was no delay before excitation, the amplitude of the spikes was significantly increased, and the spike duration was increased by 10-fold. Similar results were obtained by reducing IC in normal muscle by intracellular injections of EGTA or by use of low Ca2+ saline. Furthermore, DLM spikes evoked in slo by stimulation of the motorneuron were also broadened, suggesting that IC functions in a similar manner during normal flight as in current- clamped muscles. Elimination of IK along with IA and IC in saline containing tetraethylammonium or Ba2+ resulted in further prolongation of the DLM spike. In Ba2+ saline, there was an additional increase in spike amplitude as well. We conclude that in mature adults, IC, rather than IA, plays the major role in repolarization of DLM spikes and in the delay before excitation.
Effect of Sniffing on the Temporal Structure of Mitral/Tufted Cell Output from the Olfactory Bulb

Neural activity underlying odor representations in the mammalian olfactory system is strongly patterned by respiratory behavior. These dynamics are central to many models of olfactory information processing. We have found previously that sensory inputs to the olfactory bulb change both their magnitude and temporal structure as a function of sniff frequency. Here, we ask how sniff frequency affects responses of mitral/tufted (MT) cells—the principal olfactory bulb output neurons. We recorded from MT cells in anesthetized rats while reproducing sniffs recorded previously from awake animals and varying sniff frequency. The dynamics of a sniff-evoked response were consistent from sniff to sniff but varied across cells. Compared to the dynamics of receptor neuron activation by the same sniffs, the MT response was shorter and faster, reflecting a temporal sharpening of sensory inputs. Increasing sniff frequency led to moderate attenuation of MT response magnitude and significant changes in the temporal structure of the sniff-evoked MT cell response. Most MT cells responded with a shorter duration and shorter rise-time spike burst as sniff frequency increased, reflecting increased temporal sharpening of inputs by the olfactory bulb. These temporal changes were necessary and sufficient to maintain respiratory modulation in the MT cell population across the range of sniff frequencies expressed during behavior. These results suggest that the input–output relationship in the olfactory bulb varies dynamically as a function of sniff frequency and that one function of the postsynaptic network is to maintain robust temporal encoding of odor information across different odor sampling strategies.
A Sub-µg Bias-Instability MEMS Oscillating Accelerometer With an Ultra-Low-Noise Read-Out Circuit in CMOS

This paper describes a SOI MEMS oscillating accelerometer with a fully differential CMOS continuous-time read-out circuit. A new ultra-low-noise continuous-time bandpass transimpedance amplifier (TIA) is proposed and serves as the front-end of the read-out circuit. The new TIA topology greatly relaxes the tradeoffs among gain, bandwidth and noise, and achieves a state-of-the-art input referred current noise density of 6.6 fA/√Hz, which helps improve the bias-instability and noise floor of the MEMS oscillating accelerometer. The TIA provides a transimpedance gain of 45 MΩ in the bandwidth from 0.5 Hz to 350 kHz and consumes only 583 μW. To reduce the amplitude-stiffness effect induced frequency variation, the accelerometer employs a displacement control strategy that stabilizes the oscillation amplitude of the MEMS oscillator and a chopper stabilization technique to minimize the flicker noise in the amplitude control block. The accelerometer yields bias-instability of 0.6 μg (Allan Variance) or bias stability of 6.3 μg (1σ in one hour) and 2 μg/√Hz noise floor with 140 Hz/g scale factor and ±20 g full scale. The overall power consumption of the accelerometer is 3.5 mW under a 1.5 V supply.
Awareness level of kidney functions and diseases among adults in a Nigerian population

The prevalence of kidney diseases is on the increase in Nigeria. The cost of its management is far beyond the reach of an average patient. Prevention is thus of paramount importance and awareness of kidney diseases will help in its prevention. The aim of this study is to assess the level of awareness of kidney functions and diseases among adults in a Nigerian population. A semi-structured, researcher – administered questionnaire was the tool for data collection. Four hundred and thirty-five questionnaires were analyzed. There were 160 males (36.8%) and 275 females (63.2%). The mean age was 42.8 ± 14 years with a range of 18–78 years. Among these, 82.1% were aware of the kidneys' involvement in waste removal from the body through urine while 36% and 29% were aware of kidneys' role in blood pressure regulation and blood production, respectively. Only 26.6% correctly identified at least two basic functions of the kidneys. Also, 32.6% of the respondents were aware of at least three common causes of kidney diseases in our environment. Majority of the respondents (70.7%) did not know that kidney diseases could be inherited. Furthermore, belief in alternative therapy for kidney disease was documented in 83.2%, while unawareness of dialysis as a treatment modality was recorded in 68% of the respondents. The awareness of kidney functions and diseases among the population is poor. Measures are needed to improve this to stem the rising prevalence of chronic kidney disease in Nigeria.
Heterotopic transplantation of a decellularized and recellularized whole porcine heart.

OBJECTIVES One of the final treatments for end-stage heart failure is heart transplantation. However, a shortage of donor hearts has created a long waiting list and limited benefits. Our ultimate goal is to create a whole beating heart fabricated on an organ scaffold for human heart transplantation. Here, we successfully performed the first transplantation using a decellularized whole porcine heart with mesenchymal stem cells. METHODS A porcine heart was harvested following cardiac arrest induced by a high-potassium solution and stored at -80°C for 24 h. The porcine heart was completely decellularized with 1% sodium dodecyl sulphate and 1% Triton X-100 under the control of perfusion pressure (100 mmHg) and maintained at 37°C. A decellularized whole-heart scaffold was sterilized with gamma irradiation. Cultured mesenchymal stem cells were collected and either infused into the ascending aorta or injected directly into the left ventricular wall. Finally, recellularized whole-heart scaffolds were transplanted into pigs under systemic anticoagulation treatment with heparin. Coronary artery angiography of the transplanted heart graft was performed. RESULTS In our decellularization method, all cellular components were removed, preserving the heart extracellular matrix. Heterotopic transplantations were successfully performed using a decellularized heart and a recellularized heart. The scaffolds were well perfused, without bleeding from the surface or anastomosis site. Coronary angiography revealed a patent coronary artery in both scaffolds. The transplanted decellularized heart was harvested on Day 3. Haematoxylin and eosin staining showed thrombosis in the coronary arteries and migrated inflammatory cells. Haematoxylin and eosin staining of the transplanted recellularized heart showed similar findings, with the exception of injected mesenchymal stem cells. CONCLUSIONS To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of heterotopic transplantation of a decellularized whole porcine heart with mesenchymal stem cells. The scaffolds endured surgical procedures. We detected short-term coronary artery perfusion in the transplanted scaffolds by angiography. Future studies should analyse the histological features of transplanted decellularized scaffolds and optimize the system for recellularization to apply this unique technology clinically.
The Influence of Religious Affiliation on Community Views about Environment, Climate Change, and Renewable Energy in and around the Mormon Culture Region

ABSTRACT While political ideology is a consistent predictor of public environmental views in the United States, religious affiliation may also be an important correlate of environmental attitudes, especially in regions with a majority denomination. Using data from a 2014 survey in five communities across Utah, Idaho, and Wyoming (n = 906) experiencing renewable energy development, we investigate the influence of religious affiliation on environmental beliefs, views about climate change, and support for renewable energy. We are particularly interested in the influence of Mormonism, an understudied area of research. We find Mormonism, Protestantism, and Catholicism all significantly and negatively related to general pro-environment beliefs. However, this relationship doesn’t hold as consistently for views about global warming or renewable energy development. We also find income, gender, length of residence, and political orientation to be important predictors of environmental attitudes, and that general environmental beliefs are only weakly related to views about renewable energy.
Polymorphisms of Renin-Angiotensin System and Natriuretic Peptide Receptor A Genes in Patients of Greek Origin with a History of Myocardial Infarction

We assessed the association between (CA)n repeat polymorphism of angiotensinogen (AGT), 250 base pair (bp) insertion/deletion (I/D) of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), tetranucleotide repeat polymorphism (TCTG)n of renin (REN), (CT)n repeat polymorphism of the natriuretic peptide receptor A (NPRA) genes, and the presence and extent of coronary artery disease (CAD) in Greek patients with a history of myocardial infarction (MI). A total of 158 post-MI patients referred for coronary angiography were compared with 144 controls. The SS genotype of the AGT gene was related with an increased risk for 3-vessel CAD (odds ratio [OR], 1.94; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05-3.61; P = .041), whereas the SL genotype was related with a decreased risk (OR, 0.44; 95% CI, 0.22-0.87; P = .019). Moreover, there was a trend for the SL genotype of the REN gene toward increased risk for CAD. There was a significant association between (CA)n polymorphism of the AGT gene and the extent of CAD in Greek patients with a history of MI.
Direct Trocar Insertion without Pneumoperitoneum and the Veress Needle in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: a Comparative Study

Abstract Purpose: The purpose of this study is to compare the safety and complications of direct trocar insertion without pneumoperitoneum (DTI) with Veress needle (VN) in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Methods: We studied 84 patients admitted to our hospital for LC, in a random simple blind design, 42 patients were assigned to DTI and 42 to VN. The variables analysed were: procedure complications, laparoscope insertion time and duration of surgery. Results: Complication percentages between the groups were significantly different (DTI 2.3% versus VN 23.8%, p = 0.009). The duration of surgery between the two groups was also significantly different (DTI 56 ±31 versus VN 71 ± 28 minutes, p < 0.02). Finally, laparoscope insertion time between the two techniques was significantly different (DTI 1.5 ± 0.5 versus VN 3.0 ± 0.4 minutes p < 0.001). Conclusions: Our results show DTI to be a safe, efficient, rapid and easily-learned alternative technique, reducing the number of procedure-related complications.
Limitations in measurement of subsurface temperatures using pulsed photothermal radiometry.

A pulsed photothermal technique to calculate internal temperatures from noncontact surface temperature measurements is presented. The inversion process is based on approximating the integral equation describing the thermal interaction with a matrix equation. The matrix equation is then solved using singular-value decomposition. The method was evaluated using computer simulations and experiments with tissue phantoms and skin. The algorithm predicted internal temperatures within 10% for homogeneous samples down to a depth of about 500 μm. It did not predict internal temperatures accurately for inhomogeneous samples, but yielded fairly accurate estimates of the depths of subsurface absorbers and conserved energy. The uncertainty in the calculated depth of the absorber increased with depth. Currently this technique can probe depths to 500 μm.
Improvement of Atopic Dermatitis in NC/Nga Mice by Topical Application of CpG Phosphodiester-ODN

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease with pruritic and eczematous lesions characterized by increased total IgE level, inflammatory cell infiltration, and the elevated expression of Th2 cytokines. Synthetic oligodeoxynucleotides containing unmethylated CpG dinucleotides are known to have immunostimulatory activities in mice and to convert from Th2 to Th1 immune responses in AD. Previous work has shown clinical effectiveness of CpG phosphorothioate-ODN in AD mice model. However, due to longer in vivo half-life and the possibility of causing unwanted side effects, therapeutic use of CpG phosphorothioate-ODN can be limited. Thus, we investigated the efficacy of CpG phosphodiester-ODN with a novel sequence in NC/Nga mice. Topical application of phosphodiester-ODN penetrated rapidly from epidermis to the lymph nodes, accompanied by reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and decreased number of cells expressing cytokines such as IL-4, IL-10 and IFN-γ. Furthermore, the expression of IFN-γ was reduced in the CpG ODNs-treated NC/Nga mice while the expression of IL-12p40 was increased, suggesting stimulation of Th1 immune response. The expression of IL-10 was strongly reduced, which meant the suppression of Th2 immune response in NC/Nga mice, accompanied by reduced level of IgE and IgG1, but increased level of IgG2a in sera. Since phosphodiester-ODN has been shown to cause minimum side effect comparing its phosphorothioate counterpart, it is proposed to become a new therapeutic modality for AD.
Automated polyp detection at CT colonography: feasibility assessment in a human population.

PURPOSE To test the feasibility of and improve a computer algorithm to automatically detect colonic polyps in real human computed tomographic (CT) colonographic data sets. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty patients with known polyps underwent CT colonography in the supine position. CT colonographic data were processed by using a shape-based algorithm that depicts masses that protrude into the lumen. We studied nine shape criteria and three isosurface threshold settings. Results were compared with those of conventional colonoscopy performed the same day. RESULTS There were 50 polyps (28 were > or =10 mm in size; 12, 5-9 mm; 10, <5 mm). The sensitivity with optimal settings for detecting polyps 10 mm or greater was 64% (18 of 28). Sensitivity improved to 71% (10 of 14) for polyps 10 mm or greater in well-distended colonic segments. Performance decreased for polyps less than 10 mm, poorly distended colonic segments, and other shape algorithms. There was a mean of six false-positive lesion sites per colon. These sites were reduced 39% to 3.5 per colon by sampling CT attenuation at the lesion site and discarding sites having attenuation less than a threshold. CONCLUSION Automated detection of colonic polyps, especially clinically important large polyps, is feasible. Colonic distention is an important determinant of sensitivity. Further increases in sensitivity may be achieved by adding prone CT colonography.
Comparison of Pipelle sampler with conventional dilatation and curettage (D&C) for Chinese endometrial biopsy

Abstract The aim of this study is to investigate the accuracy and adequacy of the Pipelle endometrial sampler for endometrial biopsy as compared with those of conventional dilatation and curettage (D&C). A total of 245 patients subject to endometrial biopsy were included in this study. We have shown that the failure rates with D&C and Pipelle were 7.75% and 8.98%, respectively, without statistical difference. Additionally, the obtained specimen quality and accurate diagnosis of various diseases using the two methods had no significant statistical differences. Furthermore, patients experienced less pain when Pipelle sampler was used than D&C. Therefore, Pipelle sampler is effective in obtaining adequate endometrial tissue for histodiagnosis, and is applicable in most of the cases for Chinese endometrial biopsy.
Use of the Advia 120 hematology analyzer in the differential cytologic analysis of biological fluids (cerebrospinal, peritoneal, pleural, pericardial, synovial, and others).

The centralization of our laboratories and the demand for new parameters to measure have led to an increase in the number of biological fluid samples, which are generally sent for urgent analysis. Due to this they cannot be processed by manual methods. Meeting this increased demand for assistance is a challenge for the laboratory, and the challenge has been met by the automated hematology area. A study of the reliability of the Advia 120 hematology analyzer has been carried out through leukocyte and red blood cell counting of 179 biological fluids: cerebrospinal, peritoneal or ascitic, pleural, pericardial, synovial, and others. The automated leukocyte counts of cerebrospinal fluid samples containing up to 0.150 x 10(9) leukocytes/L are correlated with counts obtained with the manual reference method in a Neubauer counting chamber (r = 0.958; P = .0001). Applying Passing-Bablok regression analysis to these results indicates a slope p of 1.155 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.915-1.347) and an ordinate intercept b of 0.0076 (95% CI, 0.012-0.034), showing the results to be perfectly interchangeable. In the comparison of the manual analysis of the leukocyte differential using the May-Grünwald-Giemsa staining method with the analysis using the automated method, the percentage of polymorphonuclear granulocytes of the Advia 120 basophil/lobularity method is significantly correlated (r = 0.844; P = .0001) with that obtained with the manual count. The results of Passing-Bablok regression analysis (p = 0.859 [95% CI, 0.58-1.190]; b = 8.8 [95% CI, -12.09-24.2]) indicate that these two counting methods are also perfectly interchangeable. Automated leukocyte and differential counts of peritoneal or ascitic fluids also show good correlations with the manual method, and the results are not statistically different. Pretreating synovial fluid samples with hyaluronidase enzyme allows their processing on the Advia 120; no significant differences were found between manual and automated methods with respect to leukocyte counts and differentials. Finally, results with pleural fluid samples indicated that leukocyte and differential counts obtained with the Advia 120 showed significant differences from results obtained with manual methods because of the high incidence of mesothelial, lymphoid, and other tumoral cells in this kind of fluid sample. This result shows that use of hematology analyzers is questionable for these kinds of samples, especially from oncology patients with tumors. A procedure is proposed for the processing of these pleural fluids.
Explicit foreground and background modeling in the classification of text blocks in scene images

Achieving high accuracy for classifying foreground and background is an interesting challenge in the field of scene image analysis because of the wide range of illumination, complex background, and scale changes. Classifying foreground and background using bag-of-feature model gives a good result. However, the performance of the classifier depends on designed features. Therefore, this paper presents an alternative classification method based on three categories of object-attributes features namely object description, color distribution and gradient strength. Each feature is computed to a classifier model. The robustness of the method has been tested on the ICDAR2015 dataset. The experimental results show that the performance of the proposed method performs competitively against the results of existing methods in term of precision and recall.
Mouse Lymphoid Cell Line Selected To Have High Immunoglobulin Promoter Activity

ABSTRACT Immunoglobulin variable region promoters are predominantly B-cell specific, but the molecular basis for this specificity has not been elucidated. To further understand how B-cell-specific immunoglobulin promoter expression is mediated, the murine lymphoid cell line 2017 was engineered to express the green fluorescent protein under the control of an immunoglobulin heavy chain promoter and selected for high activity using multiple rounds of fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Rare clones with intense and stable immunoglobulin promoter activity were isolated. Transient transfection experiments demonstrated that two different immunoglobulin promoters and two other B-cell-specific promoters have higher activities in the selected cell lines relative to the parental line and to the non-cell-type-specific histone H2B promoter. The increased immunoglobulin activity required nucleotide residues downstream of the transcription initiation site which were also important for maximal activity in B cells and which were conserved in other B-cell-specific promoters. Unlike the unselected cells, the 2017 variants also showed activation of their endogenous immunoglobulin heavy chain variable regions.