Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Superresolution imaging of Drosophila tissues using expansion microscopy

The limited resolving power of conventional diffraction-limited microscopy hinders analysis of small, densely packed structural elements in cells. Expansion microscopy (ExM) provides an elegant solution to this problem, allowing for increased resolution with standard microscopes via physical expansion of the specimen in a swellable polymer hydrogel. Here, we apply, validate, and optimize ExM protocols that enable the study of Drosophila embryos, larval brains, and larval and adult body walls. We achieve a lateral resolution of ∼70 nm in Drosophila tissues using a standard confocal microscope, and we use ExM to analyze fine intracellular structures and intercellular interactions. First, we find that ExM reveals features of presynaptic active zone (AZ) structure that are observable with other superresolution imaging techniques but not with standard confocal microscopy. We further show that synapses known to exhibit age-dependent changes in activity also exhibit age-dependent changes in AZ structure. Finally, we use the significantly improved axial resolution of ExM to show that dendrites of somatosensory neurons are inserted into epithelial cells at a higher frequency than previously reported in confocal microscopy studies. Altogether, our study provides a foundation for the application of ExM to Drosophila tissues and underscores the importance of tissue-specific optimization of ExM procedures.
A second-order finite difference scheme for quasilinear time fractional parabolic equation based on new fractional derivative

ABSTRACT Recently, Caputo and Fabrizio introduce a new derivative with fractional order which has the ability to describe the material heterogeneities and the fluctuations of different scales. In this article, a finite difference scheme to solve a quasilinear fractal mobile/immobile transport model based on the new fractional derivative is introduced and analysed. This equation is the limiting equation that governs continuous time random walks with heavy tailed random waiting times. Some a priori estimates of discrete errors with optimal order of convergence are established on uniform partition. Moreover, the applicability and accuracy of the scheme are demonstrated by numerical experiments to support our theoretical analysis.
Functional Outcome in Stroke Inpatient Rehabilitation: Predicting No, Low and High Response Patients

The aims of this study were: (1) to identify reliable prognostic factors for detecting subgroups of no, low and high response in consecutive patients admitted for rehabilitation of first stroke sequelae, and (2) to quantify the relative risk of poor or excellent prognosis on both Activities of Daily Living (ADL) and mobility for each significant variable. We prospectively studied 440 of 475 patients. From a group of 32 independent variables, those significantly associated with no, low and high effectiveness on both ADL and mobility were selected by means of multiple regression; then, the relative risk was calculated for each variable that significantly entered the multiple regressions. Patients with severe impairment or with global aphasia showed a relative risk of no response 4–6 times higher than that of other patients. An interval before rehabilitation longer than 2 months was associated with an increasing risk of no response. Elderly patients had a significantly higher relative risk of low response both on ADL and mobility. The presence of hemineglect and depression was associated with an increasing risk of low response on ADL but not on mobility. The absence of hemineglect and a short interval are prerequisites for an excellent functional prognosis on both ADL and mobility. A minor impairment, employed status, the absence of global aphasia and age ≤65 years increased the risk of high response. At the beginning of treatment, clear prognostic factors for the detection of subgroups with poor or excellent rehabilitation prognosis can be identified.
Capsicum annuum Tobacco Mosaic Virus-Induced Clone 1 Expression Perturbation Alters the Plant's Response to Ethylene and Interferes with the Redox Homeostasis1

Capsicum annuum tobacco mosaic virus (TMV)-induced clone 1 (CaTin1) gene was expressed early during incompatible interaction of hot pepper (Caspsicum annuum) plants with TMV and Xanthomonas campestris. RNA-blot analysis showed that CaTin1 gene was expressed only in roots in untreated plants and induced mainly in leaf in response to ethylene, NaCl, and methyl viologen but not by salicylic acid and methyl jasmonate. The ethylene dependence of CaTin1 induction upon TMV inoculation was demonstrated by the decrease of CaTin1 expression in response to several inhibitors of ethylene biosynthesis or its action. Transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) plants expressing CaTin1 gene in sense- or antisense-orientation showed interesting characteristics such as the accelerated growth and the enhanced resistance to biotic as well as abiotic stresses. Such characteristics appear to be caused by the elevated level of ethylene and H2O2. Moreover, in transgenic plants expressing antisense CaTin1 gene, the expression of some pathogenesis-related genes was enhanced constitutively, which may be mainly due to the increased ethylene level. The promoter of CaTin1 has four GCC-boxes, two AT-rich regions, and an elicitor-inducible W-box. The induction of the promoter activity by ethylene depends on GCC-boxes and by TMV on W-box. Taken together, we propose that the CaTin1 up-regulation or down-regulation interferes with the redox balance of plants leading to the altered response to ethylene and biotic as well as abiotic stresses.
Combining gene expression profiles and clinical parameters for risk stratification in medulloblastomas.

PURPOSE Stratification of risk in patients with medulloblastoma remains a challenge. As clinical parameters have been proven insufficient for accurately defining disease risk, molecular markers have become the focus of interest. Outcome predictions on the basis of microarray gene expression profiles have been the most accurate to date. We ask in a multivariate model whether clinical parameters enhance survival predictions of gene expression profiles. PATIENTS AND METHODS In a cohort of 55 young patients (whose medulloblastoma samples have been analyzed previously for gene expression profile), associations between clinical and gene expression variables and survival were assessed using Cox proportional hazards models. Available clinical variables included age, stage (ie, the presence of disseminated disease at diagnosis), sex, histologic subtype, treatment, and status. RESULTS Univariate analysis demonstrated expression profiles to be the only significant clinical prognostic factor (P=.03). In multivariate analysis, gene expression profiles predicted outcome independent of other criteria. Clinical criteria did not significantly contribute additional information for outcome predictions, although an exploratory analysis noted a trend for decreased survival of patients with metastases at diagnosis but favorable gene expression profile. CONCLUSION Gene expression profiling predicts medulloblastoma outcome independent of clinical variables. These results need to be validated in a larger prospective study.
Corporate Governance and Mergers and Acquisitions Performance in Banks: Evidence under the Special Regulatory Environment in Taiwan

ABSTRACT In this study, we focus on the relation between bank governance and bank merger results under Taiwan’s special regulatory environment in 2000. Adopting governance variables (executive remuneration, managerial ownership, and board diversity), we find that managerial ownership is positively related to bank merger results and that board size is negatively correlated with bank mergers’ performance. This study supports sound governance mechanisms to prevent banks from pursuing a value-loss merger and acquisition (M&A). Our results offer the insight that internal bank governance structures have a bigger impact on the value effects from bank mergers. Thus, regulators may elevate the performance of bank M&As by enhancing corporate governance codes.
Risk factors of non-specific neck pain and low back pain in computer-using office workers in China: a cross-sectional study

Objectives Several studies have found that inappropriate workstations are associated with musculoskeletal disorders. The present cross-sectional study aimed to identify the risk factors of non-specific neck pain (NP) and low back pain (LBP) among computer-using workers. Design Observational study with a cross-sectional sample. Setting This study surveyed 15 companies in Zhejiang province, China. Participants After excluding participants with missing variables, 417 office workers, including 163 men and 254 women, were analyzed. Outcome measures Demographic information was collected by self-report. The standard Northwick Park Neck Pain Questionnaire and Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Index, along with other relevant questions, were used to assess the presence of potential occupational risk factors and the perceived levels of pain. Multinomial logistic regression analysis, adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, education, marital status and neck/low back injury, was performed to identify significant risk factors. Results Compared with low-level NP, the computer location (monitor not in front of the operator, but on the right or left side) was associated with ORs of 2.6 and 2.9 for medium- and high-level NP, respectively. For LBP, the computer location (monitor not in front) was associated with an OR of 3.2 for high-level pain, as compared with low-level pain, in females. Significant associations were also observed between the office temperature and LBP (OR 5.4 for high vs low), and between office work duration ≥5 years and NP in female office workers (OR 2.7 for medium vs low). Conclusions Not having the computer monitor located in front of the operator was found to be an important risk factor for NP and LBP in computer-using female workers. This information may not only enable the development of potential preventive strategies but may also provide new insights for designing appropriate workstations.
User-Centric Network MIMO With Dynamic Clustering

Recent advances have demonstrated the potential of network MIMO (netMIMO), which combines a practical number of distributed antennas as a virtual netMIMO AP (nAP) to improve spatial multiplexing of an WLAN. Existing solutions, however, either simply cluster nearby antennas as static nAPs, or dynamically cluster antennas on a per-packet basis so as to maximize the sum rate of the scheduled clients. To strike the balance between the above two extremes, in this paper, we present the design, implementation and evaluation of FlexNEMO, a practical two-phase netMIMO clustering system. Unlike previous per-packet clustering approaches, FlexNEMO only clusters antennas when client distribution and traffic pattern change, as a result being more practical to be implemented. A medium access control protocol customized for uplink transmissions is then designed to allow the clients at the center of nAPs to have a higher probability to gain uplink access opportunities, but still ensure long-term fairness among clients. By combining on-demand clustering and priority-based access control, FlexNEMO not only improves antenna utilization, but also optimizes the channel condition for every individual client. We evaluated our design via both test bed experiments on USRPs and trace-driven emulations. The results demonstrate that FlexNEMO can deliver 94.7% and 93.7% throughput gains over static antenna clustering in a 4-antenna test bed and 16-antenna emulation, respectively.
Myron Melamed, 1927–2013

WITH deep sadness we learned that Myron Roy Melamed, known to his friends and colleagues as Mike, died on September 18 after a six and a half year battle against pancreatic cancer. His name is well-known among researchers in the fields of pathology, flow cytometry, and imaging cytometry and his contributions to these fields are many, varied, and impactful. Mike earned his MD from the University of Cincinnati in 1950 and followed it with residency and fellowship training that included internal medicine, hematology, pathology, and histochemistry at the University of Cincinnati, Duke University Hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, and Hammersmith Hospital in London. During the Korean War he served as a Captain in the Army Medical Corps. From 1979 to 1989 Mike was the Chairman of the Pathology Department at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and Professor of Pathology and Biology at Cornell University Medical College. From1991 to 2007 he was Chairman of the Department of Pathology at Westchester Medical Center in Valhalla, NY. His contribution to the field of cytometry is enormous. In 1965, Mike and his friend and colleague Louis (Lou) Kamentsky, who was then at the IBM Watson Laboratory at Columbia University published the seminal paper “Spectrophotometer: New Instrument for Ultra-rapid Cell Analysis” (18). The extremely fruitful collaboration between Mike and Lou, which continued into the current century, led to the development of the several generations of flow cytometers and subsequently to the laser scanning slide-based cytometer (LSC). Their work together is described in the continuing segment of this In Memoriam article by Lou himself. Mike’s interest in cytometry stems from his recognition of the importance of quantitative analysis of cellular attributes in pathology. He pioneered the development of numerous applications of flowand laser scanningcytometry for clinical diagnosis and prognosis, particularly for many types of cancer. A perusal of his publications reveals numerous original and review articles, extensively cited, utilizing cytometry for analyses of clinical material as well as in basic research in cell biology (1–28). From historical perspective it is likely that Mike will be recognized as the world most renowned pathologist contributing towards developments in cytometry. Mike’s contribution comes also from his work in organizing and coordinating developments in the field of cytometry worldwide. He was the originator, Founding Member and one of the first Presidents of the International Society for Analytical Cytology, currently known as the International Society for Advancement of Cytometry (ISAC). Under the auspices of the Engineering Foundation Mike organized one of the first In the Pantheon of Fathers of Cytometry: Mort Mendelsohn, Mike Melamed and Lou Kamentsky (ISAC Congress 1998)
Conformational changes in the M2 muscarinic receptor induced by membrane voltage and agonist binding

Non‐technical summary Muscarinic receptors were recently shown to be modulated by membrane potential. Here, we show that membrane potential alters the binding of agonists in an agonist‐specific manner. Moreover, agonist binding results in agonist‐specific conformational changes in the muscarinic receptor, as measured by changes in the receptor's response to voltage. Voltage‐dependent modulation of muscarinic receptors has important consequences for cellular signalling in excitable tissues and implications for cardiovascular drug development.
Novel Functions for TAF7, a Regulator of TAF1-independent Transcription

The transcription factor TFIID components TAF7 and TAF1 regulate eukaryotic transcription initiation. TAF7 regulates transcription initiation of TAF1-dependent genes by binding to the acetyltransferase (AT) domain of TAF1 and inhibiting the enzymatic activity that is essential for transcription. TAF7 is released from the TAF1-TFIID complex upon completion of preinitiation complex assembly, allowing transcription to initiate. However, not all transcription is TAF1-dependent, and the role of TAF7 in regulating TAF1-independent transcription has not been defined. The IFNγ-induced transcriptional co-activator CIITA activates MHC class I and II genes, which are vital for immune responses, in a TAF1-independent manner. Activation by CIITA depends on its intrinsic AT activity. We now show that TAF7 binds to CIITA and inhibits its AT activity, thereby repressing activated transcription. Consistent with this TAF7 function, siRNA-mediated depletion of TAF7 resulted in increased CIITA-dependent transcription. A more global role for TAF7 as a regulator of transcription was revealed by expression profiling analysis: expression of 30–40% of genes affected by TAF7 depletion was independent of either TAF1 or CIITA. Surprisingly, although TAF1-dependent transcripts were largely down-regulated by TAF7 depletion, TAF1-independent transcripts were predominantly up-regulated. We conclude that TAF7, until now considered only a TFIID component and regulator of TAF1-dependent transcription, also regulates TAF1-independent transcription.
Radiation impedance of collapsed capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers

The radiation impedance of a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) array is a critical parameter to achieve high performance. In this paper, we present a calculation of the radiation impedance of collapsed, clamped, circular CMUTs both analytically and using finite element method (FEM) simulations. First, we model the radiation impedance of a single collapsed CMUT cell analytically by expressing its velocity profile as a linear combination of special functions for which the generated pressures are known. For an array of collapsed CMUT cells, the mutual impedance between the cells is also taken into account. The radiation impedances for arrays of 7, 19, 37, and 61 circular collapsed CMUT cells for different contact radii are calculated both analytically and by FEM simulations. The radiation resistance of an array reaches a plateau and maintains this level for a wide frequency range. The variation of radiation reactance with respect to frequency indicates an inductance-like behavior in the same frequency range. We find that the peak radiation resistance value is reached at higher kd values in the collapsed case as compared with the uncollapsed case, where k is the wavenumber and d is the center-to-center distance between two neighboring CMUT cells.
IS security networks in credit card fraud prevention.

In our increasingly connected world, maintaining the security of information systems is challenging. Today’s interconnected business environment calls for a change in how IS security is achieved to include thinking about the entire networks of relationships involved in preventing threats rather than just focusing on individual organizational security processes. Despite acknowledging the role of distributed and heterogeneous actors in achieving a secure environment, there is a lack of knowledge of how these actors actually prevent security threats. Moreover, the heterogeneity of actors involved gives rise to the issue of incentives needed to align their interests to ensure successful collective security efforts. This PhD thesis addresses these issues by zooming in on security networks, defined as collective efforts pursued by distributed actors to develop and adopt prevention measures to achieve security, to explain how these networks prevent security threats and identify the incentive mechanisms for converging the network’s heterogeneous actors. I challenge equilibrium and linearity assumptions identified in the current literature and argue for the need to adopt different theoretical and methodological approaches to uncover the dynamics in these networks. Through a historical case study of credit card fraud and how its prevention measures evolved over the last 55 years, I develop a process model of prevention encounters in security networks. The model depicts the dynamic and interactive nature of the prevention process and shows how the three proposed prevention mechanisms, namely, proposing solutions, resolving dissonance, and paving the way, interact to achieve prevention. The thesis further proposes three new forms of incentive mechanisms (transformative, preparatory, and captive) that are crucial for the survival of collective security efforts and show how they interact with the three prevention mechanisms. By this, this research complements the current security networks literature by offering a process model that explains how security networks achieve prevention. In addition, the interplay between the three incentive mechanisms reveals that incentives are not only ready-made structures or one-time event as depicted in the current literature but that they should also be seen as a socially dynamic process.
Hepatic attenuation differences associated with obstruction of the portal or hepatic veins in patients with hepatic abscess.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of our study was to determine the nature of the association between the attenuation difference of the hepatic parenchyma surrounding an abscess and obstruction of the regional portal vein or of the hepatic vein. MATERIALS AND METHODS Helical CT scans of 60 patients with hepatic abscess were analyzed for the presence of complete or partial obstruction of the portal or hepatic veins and for attenuation differences in the surrounding parenchyma. Clinical (age, sex, underlying disease, and microorganism) and CT (obstruction of the portal or hepatic vein and number, location, and size of abscesses) findings were analyzed statistically for possible associations with each of regional parenchymal hyper- and hypoattenuation by using the chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS Regional parenchymal hyperattenuation was identified in 40 patients (67%). More patients with portal vein obstruction showed regional parenchymal hyperattenuation than patients without portal vein obstruction (22/27 patients vs 18/33, p = 0.028), and more patients with hepatic vein obstruction showed regional parenchymal hypoattenuation than those without hepatic vein obstruction (11/21 vs 3/39, p = 0.0003). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that portal venous obstruction was the only statistically significant predictor of regional parenchymal hyperattenuation (p = 0.032; odds ratio, 3.7) and that parenchymal hypoattenuation was associated with hepatic venous obstruction (p = 0.001; odds ratio, 44.9). CONCLUSION Parenchymal hypo- and hyperattenuation are frequently observed in the hepatic region surrounding an abscess on dynamic CT. Moreover, these parenchymal attenuation differences are associated with regional portal or hepatic vein obstruction.
Hybrid Warfare: an Orientating or Misleading Concept in Analysing Russia’s Military Actions in Ukraine?

Abstract Hybrid warfare is perhaps the most frequently used concept in seeking to explain and define Russia‘s military actions in Ukraine. This article thoroughly analyses the development of the theory of hybrid warfare and circumstances of its formation, draws a line between hybrid warfare and hybrid threats, and discusses the perception of hybrid warfare in the armies of Western states and Russia. Actions of the Russian army in Crimea are analysed on the grounds of the provisions of the theory of hybrid warfare formulated by Frank Hoffman through revealing the impact on a military operation not only of the changing warfare tendencies but also of political, cultural, demographic and military conditions that existed on the Crimean peninsula. The article ends with an assessment of the capability of the hybrid warfare theory, as an analytical category, to explain Russia’s military actions in Crimea.