Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Photobleaching/Photoblinking Differential Equation Model for Fluorescence Microscopy Imaging

Abstract Fluorescence images present low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), are corrupted by a type of multiplicative noise with Poisson distribution, and are affected by a time intensity decay due to photoblinking and photobleaching (PBPB) effects. The noise and the PBPB effects together make long-term biological observation very difficult. Here, a theoretical model based on the underlying quantum mechanic physics theory of the observation process associated with this type of image is presented and the common empirical weighted sum of two decaying exponentials is derived from the model. Improvement in the SNR obtained in denoising when the proposed method is used is particularly important in the last images of the sequence where temporal correlation is used to recover information that is sometimes faded and therefore useless from a visual inspection point of view. The proposed PBPB model is included in a Bayesian denoising algorithm previously proposed by the authors. Experiments with synthetic and real data are presented to validate the PBPB model and to illustrate the effectiveness of the model in denoising and reconstruction results.
Hypotonic Swelling Increases L‐Type Calcium Current in Smooth Muscle Cells of the Human Stomach

The purpose of the present study was to characterize the Ca2+ channels in smooth muscle cells from human stomach and to examine the effects of osmotic swelling on the channel activity. Ca2+ channel current with either Ca2+ or Ba2+ as charge carrier was recorded from freshly isolated smooth muscle cells using the conventional whole‐cell patch clamp technique. The degree of cell swelling as a result of hypotonic challenge was monitored using a video image analysis system. The changes in intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) were measured by microfluorimetry. The pharmacological and voltage activation profile suggests a typical dihydropyridine‐sensitive L‐type Ca2+ current. Cell swelling, induced by hypotonic challenge, enhanced the amplitude of currents through L‐type Ca2+ channels without significant effects on steady‐state voltage dependency. After treatment with the L‐type Ca2+ channel agonist Bay K 8644 (0.1‐2 μM), no further significant increase in calcium channel current or corresponding [Ca2+]i transients were provoked by the swelling. The above results demonstrated that the presence of L‐type Ca2+ current in smooth muscle cells of the human stomach and the augmentation of the current are closely associated with the volume increase resulting from hypotonic swelling.
Legislative Participation in the EU: An analysis of questions, speeches, motions and declarations in the 7th European Parliament

Which legislative activities in the European Parliament are ‘pluralistic’ – i.e. undertaken by all Members of the European Parliament, irrespective of legislative and electoral status? What type of parliamentary activity – if any – is dominated by party leaderships or vote-seekers in the European Union? This study will advance our knowledge of legislative politics in the EU by determining whether its legislature conforms to expectations from the legislative behaviour literature. This study compares the participation patterns in the EP7 (2009–2014) parliamentary questions, speeches, motions and written declarations via multilevel negative binomial regression. It makes use of a dataset on activity levels and demographics of 842 individual Members of the European Parliament serving between 2009 and 2014. The findings highlight that highly procedurally constrained activities, such as speeches and oral questions, are dominated by frontbenchers and vote-seekers, while procedurally ‘freer’ activities – written questions in particular – are very representative of the population of Members of the European Parliament. The analysis finds that there are both ‘pluralistic’ and vote-seeking activities in the ‘second order’ EU legislature, and that participation patterns broadly conform to patterns found in other established representative democracies.
Widening of the tracheal bifurcation on chest radiographs: value as a sign of left atrial enlargement.

OBJECTIVE This study evaluated widening of the tracheal bifurcation (subcarinal and interbronchial) angle on posteroanterior chest radiographs as a sign of left atrial enlargement. The purpose was to determine the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the sign. MATERIALS AND METHODS The chest radiographs and echocardiograms of 122 clinically stable patients were retrospectively reviewed. The mean interval between examinations was 10 days (range, 0-30 days). The left atrial dimension was measured on the two-dimensional echocardiograms. Sixty-five patients had a normal left atrial dimension (mean, 34 mm), and 45 patients had an enlarged atrium (mean, 47 mm) on echocardiography. Subcarinal and interbronchial angles were jointly measured by two observers who were unaware of the echocardiographic findings. Correlation analysis was used to determine which angle measurement best predicted the left atrial size. Discriminant analysis was used to derive a threshold angle that predicted left atrial enlargement. RESULTS The carina was inadequately seen on 14 radiographs. Left atrial size correlated poorly with both the interbronchial (r = .33) and the subcarinal (r = .25) angel values. An interbronchial angle of 76.4 degrees and a subcarinal angle of 65.4 degrees were the best discriminators between patients with normal and those with enlarged left atrial dimensions (sensitivities, 61% and 51%, respectively; specificities, 63% and 66%). CONCLUSION Our findings show that widening of the tracheal bifurcation angle on chest radiographs is an insensitive and nonspecific sign of left atrial enlargement. This sign is of little value in diagnosing left atrial enlargement.
Effects of co-fermentation by Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Issatchenkia orientalis on sea buckthorn juice

This work relates to the development of a co-fermented product of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Issatchenkia orientalis. Besides malic acid degradation, the parameters of present production technology were also standardized with emphasis on the retainability of total phenolic content (TPC) of sea buckthorn juice. The effect of co-fermentation on physico-chemical characteristics, organic acids, flavonoids, TPC and antioxidant activities was studied. The high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed 55% reduction in malic acid content after the co-fermentation of sea buckthorn juice. The TPC of sea buckthorn product was 2.18 g gallic acid equivalent (GAE)/l. The estimated scavenging effect on 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radicals was 2.63 Trolox equivalent (TE) mmol/l. Ferric-reducing antioxidant power and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenz-thiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) assays also showed that sea buckthorn product was on a par with commercial wines (Cabernet Shiraz and Beaujolais). We conclude that the process of co-fermentation resulted in a significant antioxidant potential of sea buckthorn product.
Clinical, Confocal, and Morphological Investigations on the Cornea in Human Mucopolysaccharidosis IH-S

Purpose: The aim was to describe the confocal and histological findings of 2 corneas from a patient with an advanced case of type I mucopolysaccharidoses Hurler–Scheie disease (MPS IH-S). Methods: Both corneas from an MPS IH-S–affected patient were examined in vivo using confocal microscopy and then removed and processed for evaluation using light microscopy and transmission and scanning electron microscopy. Results: Confocal microscopy evaluation showed basal epithelial cells with either diffuse or granular hyperreflectivity. Keratocytes were highly reflective determining a web-shaped stromal appearance. Endothelial cells were barely visible. The histopathological study demonstrated superficial cells with apical microfolds, small vesicles, and evident intercellular junctions. The wing cells showed either well-evident tonofilaments and small peripheral vesicles, or large paranuclear vesicles. The basal cells showed polygonal shapes, many small vesicles, and enlarged intercellular spaces. The Bowman layer was either normal or thinner and was formed by variably electron dense material. In the stroma, irregularly oriented lamellae, many vesicle-filled keratocytes, and intercellular granular material were present. The Descemet membrane was normal, whereas the corneal endothelium showed marked degenerative changes. Conclusions: The confocal alterations appeared consequent to the anomalous accumulation of material. The histopathological images gave a clue to better understand the corneal changes demonstrated by the confocal studies in MPS IH-S.
Defining the Relationship Between Rotator Cuff Injury and Proximal Humerus Fractures

The purpose of our study was to correlate radiographic characteristics with rotator cuff tendon injury on magnetic resonance imaging after fractures of the proximal humerus. We prospectively obtained magnetic resonance imaging on 30 patients with proximal humerus fractures after classifying each fracture radiographically using Neer and AO systems and determining the displacement of the greater tuberosity. Twelve patients (40.0%) had either complete ruptures or avulsions of at least one of the rotator cuff muscles. No abnormality was identified in the rotator cuff musculature in nine patients (29%). Severity of injury to the rotator cuff tendons increased substantially with respect to increasing AO and Neer classes and 5 mm or greater displacement of the greater tuberosity fragment. Additional study is needed to determine the exact role of rotator cuff tendon injury in the ultimate function attained by patients with proximal humerus fractures.Level of Evidence: Level II, prognostic study. See the Guidelines for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Elevated plasma homocysteine upon ischemic stroke is associated with increased long-term mortality in women

Background Ischemic stroke is a leading cause of death worldwide, despite preventive and therapeutic advances during the last twenty years. Blood-borne biomarkers have been studied in association to short- and long-term outcome, in order to investigate possible modifiable predictors of disability and death. Increased homocysteine has been associated with increased vascular risk and unfavorable outcome, but homocysteine lowering treatment has not consistently been successful in risk reduction. The aim of this study was to investigate homocysteine levels upon acute ischemic stroke in association to long-term mortality. Methods Of 622 patients included in our hospital-based registry, 331 survived the first month after admission, and had a diagnosis of ischemic stroke and available homocysteine values. All-cause and vascular mortality were investigated based on the national patient- and cause of death-registries. Survival analysis and Cox proportional hazard models were used to investigate time to death and predictors of outcome. Results Of 331 patients, 148 (45%) had low homocysteine (<13 micromol/L) and 183 (55%) had high homocysteine (> = 13 micromol/L). During 10 years of follow-up (median 5.5 years), 47 patients (32%) with low homocysteine and 94 (51%) with high homocysteine died (p<0.0001). Estimated median survival was not reached for the low homocysteine group, and was 80 months in the high homocysteine group (p with log-rank test 0.002). High homocysteine was not independently associated with increased risk for death after adjustment for age, sex, comorbidities, and eGFR (HR 1.29, 95% CI 0.86–1.93; p = 0.2). Subgroup analysis by sex showed that high homocysteine was an independent predictor of mortality in women after adjustment for age and vascular comorbidities (HR 1.85; 95% CI 1.03–3.31; p = 0.04), but not in men (HR 0.87; 95% CI 0.52–1.43; p = 0.6). Conclusion Increased plasma homocysteine (> = 13 micromol/L) upon acute ischemic stroke was not independently associated with mortality in our study. In the subgroup of women, high homocysteine was associated with increased five-year risk of death. Our study’s retrospective design and the exploratory nature of subgroup analysis, prevent robust conclusions based on that observation. Future studies on homocysteine levels before as well as upon stroke will shed further light on a possible causal association.
Cyclosporine treatment of normal rats produces a rise in blood pressure and decreased renal vascular responses to nerve stimulation, vasoconstrictors and endothelium-dependent dilators.

Clinical use of the immunosuppressant cyclosporine A (CyA) is associated with nephrotoxicity and hypertension of unknown mechanisms. Because the vascular endothelium is now known to influence vascular tone by release of relaxing factors and CyA can damage endothelial cells, it was of interest to determine if CyA could induce a rise in blood pressure (BP) in normal rats and if this was associated with increased vascular responses to constrictor stimuli and/or decreased responses to endothelium-dependent dilators. Male Wistar rats were treated daily for 21 days by gavage with 5, 10 or 20 mg/kg of CyA or olive oil vehicle (1 ml/kg). Creatinine clearance was measured before treatment and on day 19. On day 20 the rats were anesthetized with ether and a carotid artery cannulated and exteriorized. On day 21 mean arterial BP and heart rate were recorded directly for 1 hr while the rats were conscious and unrestrained. An arterial blood sample was taken for analysis of catecholamines by high-performance liquid chromatography. The rats were then anesthetized and both kidneys isolated and perfused at 3 ml/min with Krebs' solution. Vasoconstrictor responses were obtained to periarterial renal nerve stimulation (1-30 Hz) and to bolus injections of norepinephrine (10-300 ng), angiotensin II (1-30 ng) and potassium (30-100 mumol). Perfusion pressure was then increased by 125 mm Hg with a norepinephrine infusion and vasodilator responses obtained to the incremental infusion of acetylcholine (1 nM-1 microM) and nitroprusside (100 nM-3 microM). CyA treatment decreased creatinine clearance and produced a dose-dependent increase in BP and heart rate. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Behavioral Finance And Speculative Behavior Of Investors: Evidence From Saudi Stock Market

This study examines the profile of individual stock traders in Saudi stock market and attempts to determine the behavioral finance factors affecting the speculative behavior of investors as well as to discover the strongest predictors. Using questionnaire survey method, 130 individual traders in Saudi stock market were identified for this study. The survey is carried out in the biggest brokerage firms in Dammam, Riyadh, and Jeddah. It appears that more than 50% of the individual stock traders are in the age group of between 3039 years and most of them are inexperienced traders. The results from the Partial Least Square method show that anchoring, confirmation, representativeness and overconfidence heuristics have a significant relationship with speculative behavior. Anchoring appears to be the main predictor of speculative behavior, followed by confirmation, representativeness, and overconfidence. In contrast, availability, loss aversion, and regret aversion does not play a significant role in the speculative behavior of individual traders. The behavior factors introduced in this study explain 34% of individuals’ speculative behavior. The findings provide important implications to Capital Market Authority in Saudi to develop appropriate programs and strategies to help market participants to make better and wiser buying decisions that can aggregate to increase market efficiency rather than just to speculate on the price movement of the stock market. © 2018 Published by Future Academy www.FutureAcademy. org.UK
Antigen-Specific Development of Mucosal Foxp3+RORγt+ T Cells from Regulatory T Cell Precursors

Foxp3+retinoic acid–related orphan receptor (ROR)γt+ T cells have recently been characterized as an immunoregulatory population highly enriched in the colon lamina propria. However, their developmental origin and relationship to RORγt− regulatory T and Th17 cells remain unclear. In this study, we use a fixed TCRβ system to show that the TCR repertoire of the Foxp3+RORγt+ population is mostly distinct compared with other colonic T cell subsets. However, of these TCRs, a fraction is also found in the Th17 subset, suggesting that TCR repertoire overlap may contribute to the reported ability of Foxp3+RORγt+ cells to regulate Th17 immunity. Naive transgenic T cells expressing a Foxp3+RORγt+-restricted TCR first acquire a Foxp3+RORγt− phenotype before coexpressing RORγt, suggesting that Foxp3+RORγt+ cell development can occur via an RORγt− regulatory T cell intermediate.
How Do Powerful CEOs View Dividends and Stock Repurchases? Evidence from the CEO Pay Slice (CPS)

Abstract Agency theory suggests that CEOs view dividends unfavorably because dividend payouts deprive them of the free cash flow they could otherwise exploit. Using Bebchuk, Cremers, and Peyer’s (2011) CEO pay slice (CPS) to measure CEO power, we find that an increase in CEO power by one standard deviation decreases the probability of paying dividends by 17.48%. For dividend-paying firms, a rise in CEO power by one standard deviation reduces the size of dividend payouts by 5.91%. Share repurchases, however, are not influenced by CEO power, although they too take away the free cash flow from the CEO.
Brachial plexus injury during cardiac catheterisation in children: Report of two cases

The arm is particularly vulnerable to neurological injury, due to the intimate anatomical relationship between the brachial plexus and the traction zones. Severe injuries of the brachial plexus can be caused by compression, traction or laceration. Fortunately, many deficits are superfial and permanent neurovascular deficits are rare. Nevertheless, it is important to identify the probable cause of the injury since the prognosis for recovery directly depends on the underlying nature of the neurological deficit. Two anaesthetised children who suffered brachial plexus injury during cardiac catheterisation are reported. The first, with Ebstein's anomaly and significant pulmonary valve stenosis, presented, after the procedure, with a right arm motor deficit with proximal predominance. The second patient, with tetralogy of Fallot and pulmonary atresia, presented difficulty in left arm abduction and external rotation on awakening.
Strong Competition Among Audit Companies and Power to Achieve Higher Audit Fees: Who is at the Forefront?

Abstract The aim of the research is to determine if the audit fees are statistically significantly different between the audit companies and vary, depending on the size of client and audit company. We find that for large auditees the average audit fees of the Big 4 Group did not statistically significantly deviate from normative audit fees, even surpass them, but not statistically significant. On average, small audit firms when auditing large auditees do not meet the predicted normative audit fees, and this deviation is statistically significant. Also, we confirm that the Big 4 auditing companies (KPMG, E & Y, Deloitte and PwC) were, statistically, significantly more likely to charge higher audit fees than a small auditing company would charge. The paper contributes to the literature to give users a clear indication about what average audit fees are typical of the Slovenian audit companies and which audit company is at the forefront.
Loss of conformational entropy in protein folding calculated using realistic ensembles and its implications for NMR-based calculations

Significance Despite 40 years of study, no consensus has been achieved on the magnitude of the loss of backbone (BB) and side-chain (SC) entropies upon folding, even though these quantities are essential for characterizing the energetics of folding and conformational change. We calculate the loss using experimentally validated denatured and native state ensembles, avoiding the drastic assumptions used in many past analyses. By also accounting for correlated motions, we find that the loss of BB entropy is three- to fourfold larger than the SC contribution. Our values differ with some calculations by up to a factor of 3 and depend strongly on 2° structure. These results have implications upon other thermodynamic properties, the estimation of entropy using NMR methods, and coarse-grained simulations. The loss of conformational entropy is a major contribution in the thermodynamics of protein folding. However, accurate determination of the quantity has proven challenging. We calculate this loss using molecular dynamic simulations of both the native protein and a realistic denatured state ensemble. For ubiquitin, the total change in entropy is TΔSTotal = 1.4 kcal⋅mol−1 per residue at 300 K with only 20% from the loss of side-chain entropy. Our analysis exhibits mixed agreement with prior studies because of the use of more accurate ensembles and contributions from correlated motions. Buried side chains lose only a factor of 1.4 in the number of conformations available per rotamer upon folding (ΩU/ΩN). The entropy loss for helical and sheet residues differs due to the smaller motions of helical residues (TΔShelix−sheet = 0.5 kcal⋅mol−1), a property not fully reflected in the amide N-H and carbonyl C=O bond NMR order parameters. The results have implications for the thermodynamics of folding and binding, including estimates of solvent ordering and microscopic entropies obtained from NMR.
Serum Biomarker for Diagnosis of Endometriosis

Endometriosis is estimated to affect 10% of women during the reproductive years. The lack of a non‐invasive diagnostic test significantly contributes to the long delay between onset of the symptoms and definitive diagnosis of endometriosis. This case–control study was conducted to identify specific endometriosis antigens using 2D gel analysis in women with endometriosis (n = 5) and without endometriosis (n = 5). Differentially expresses spots were analyzed using matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization‐time‐of‐flight/mass spectrometry (nanoLC‐ESI‐MS/MS) with MASCOT analysis, in order to identify the corresponding proteins. ELISAs were performed on a different cohort of endometriosis (n = 120) and healthy patients (n = 20) in order to confirm the differential expression of the identified proteins. ROC analysis of ELISA results confirmed the statistical significance of the differential expression for one of these proteins: Zn‐alpha2‐glycoprotein (P = 0.019). We propose the analysis of the expression level of this protein in the serum as a new non‐invasive diagnostic test for endometriosis. J. Cell. Physiol. 229: 1731–1735, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.