Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assisted conception and placental perfusion assessed by uterine artery Doppler at 11-13 weeks' gestation.

BACKGROUND Pregnancies conceived by IVF are at increased risk of pre-eclampsia (PE). This study examines the potential mechanism for such association by examining the effect of method of conception on placentation as assessed by uterine artery Doppler at 11-13 weeks' gestation. METHODS This prospective screening study at 11(+0)-13(+6) weeks for PE in singleton pregnancies used a combination of maternal history and uterine artery pulsatility index (PI). Regression analysis was performed to examine the association between the method of conception and both uterine artery PI and development of PE, after adjustment for maternal characteristics and obstetric history. RESULTS In the study population of 27 461 pregnancies, conception was spontaneous in 26 538 (96.6%), by IVF in 426 (1.6%) and by use of ovulation induction (OI) drugs in 497 (1.8%) pregnancies. Conception by IVF was associated with an increase in risk for early-PE, requiring delivery before 34 weeks [odds ratio 3.94, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.51-10.27] but not for late-PE. In the OI group, the risk of early- and late-PE was not increased. In addition to IVF, other significant contributors to the prediction of early-PE were maternal weight, height, African and South Asian racial origin, previous and family history of PE and history of chronic hypertension. Significant contributions in explaining log(10) uterine artery PI were provided from maternal characteristics but not from the method of conception. The median uterine artery PI multiple of the median (MoM) in the IVF group (1.02 MoM) and in the OI group (1.03 MoM) were not significantly different from that of the spontaneous conception group (1.01 MoM; P= 0.870 and P= 0.296, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Conception by IVF substantially increases the risk for early-PE, through a mechanism unrelated to clinically measurable impairment in placental perfusion.
Sleep Quality and Emotional Correlates in Taiwanese Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Patients 1 Week and 1 Month after Hospital Discharge: A Repeated Descriptive Correlational Study

Background Poor sleep quality is a common health problem for coronary artery bypass graft patients, however few studies have evaluated sleep quality during the period immediately following hospital discharge. Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate changes in sleep quality and emotional correlates in coronary artery bypass graft patients in Taiwan at 1 week and 1 month after hospital discharge. Methods We used a descriptive correlational design for this study. One week after discharge, 87 patients who had undergone coronary artery bypass surgery completed two structured questionnaires: the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Three weeks later (1 month after discharge) the patients completed the surveys again. Pearson correlations, t-tests, ANOVA and linear multiple regression analysis were used to analyze the data. Results A majority of the participants had poor sleep quality at 1 week (82.8%) and 1 month (66.7%) post-hospitalization, based on the global score of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Despite poor sleep quality at both time-points the sleep quality at 1 month was significantly better than at 1-week post hospitalization. Poorer sleep quality correlated with older age, poorer heart function, anxiety and depression. The majority of participants had normal levels of anxiety at 1 week (69.0%) and 1 month (88.5%) as measured by the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. However, some level of depression was seen at 1 week (78.1%) and 1 month (59.7%). Depression was a significant predictor of sleep quality at 1 week; at 1 month after hospital discharge both anxiety and depression were significant predictors of sleep quality. Conclusion Sleep quality, anxiety and depression all significantly improved 1 month after hospital discharge. However, more than half of the participants continued to have poor sleep quality and some level of depression. Health care personnel should be encouraged to assess sleep and emotional status in patients after coronary artery bypass surgery and offer them appropriate management strategies to improve sleep and reduce anxiety and depression.
Circular groups, planar groups, and the Euler class

We study groups of C 1 orientation-preserving homeomorphisms of the plane, and pursue analogies between such groups and circularly- orderable groups. We show that every such group with a bounded orbit is circularly-orderable, and show that certain generalized braid groups are circularly-orderable. We also show that the Euler class of C ∞ diffeomorphisms of the plane is an unbounded class, and that any closed surface group of genus > 1 admits a C ∞ action with arbitrary Euler class. On the other hand, we show that Z ⊕ Z actions satisfy a homological rigidity property: every orientation- preserving C 1 action of Z ⊕ Z on the plane has trivial Euler class. This gives the complete homological classification of surface group actions on R 2
The Idiosyncratic Fit Heuristic: Effort Advantage as a Determinant of Consumer Response to Loyalty Programs

Over the past few years, customer relationship management and loyalty programs (LPs) have been widely adopted by companies and have received a great deal of attention from marketers, consultants, and, to a lesser degree, academics. In this research, the authors examine the effect of the level of effort required to obtain an LP reward on consumers' perception of the LP's attractiveness. The authors propose that in certain conditions, increasing program requirements can enhance consumers' likelihood of joining the program, thus leading consumers to prefer a dominated option. Specifically, the authors hypothesize that consumers often evaluate LPs on the basis of their individual effort to obtain the reward relative to the relevant reference effort (e.g., the effort of typical other consumers). When consumers believe they have an effort advantage over typical others (i.e., an idiosyncratic fit with the LP), higher program requirements magnify this perception of advantage and can therefore increase the overall perceived value of the program. The authors support this proposition in a series of studies in which the perceived idiosyncratic fit was manipulated either by reducing the individual effort or by raising the reference effort. The authors' findings also indicate that (1) idiosyncratic fit considerations are elicited spontaneously, (2) idiosyncratic fit mediates the effect of effort on consumer response to LPs, and (3) an alternative account for the results based on signaling is not supported. The authors conclude that the findings are part of a broader phenomenon, which they term the “idiosyncratic fit heuristic,” whereby a key factor that affects consumers' response to marketing programs and promotional offers is the perceived relative advantage or fit with consumers' idiosyncratic conditions and preferences.
Emotion regulation, attention to emotion, and the ventral attentional network

Accounts of the effect of emotional information on behavioral response and current models of emotion regulation are based on two opposed but interacting processes: automatic bottom-up processes (triggered by emotionally arousing stimuli) and top-down control processes (mapped to prefrontal cortical areas). Data on the existence of a third attentional network operating without recourse to limited-capacity processes but influencing response raise the issue of how it is integrated in emotion regulation. We summarize here data from attention to emotion, voluntary emotion regulation, and on the origin of biases against negative content suggesting that the ventral network is modulated by exposure to emotional stimuli when the task does not constrain the handling of emotional content. In the parietal lobes, preferential activation of ventral areas associated with “bottom-up” attention by ventral network theorists is strongest in studies of cognitive reappraisal. In conditions when no explicit instruction is given to change one's response to emotional stimuli, control of emotionally arousing stimuli is observed without concomitant activation of the dorsal attentional network, replaced by a shift of activation toward ventral areas. In contrast, in studies where emotional stimuli are placed in the role of distracter, the observed deactivation of these ventral semantic association areas is consistent with the existence of proactive control on the role emotional representations are allowed to take in generating response. It is here argued that attentional orienting mechanisms located in the ventral network constitute an intermediate kind of process, with features only partially in common with effortful and automatic processes, which plays an important role in handling emotion by conveying the influence of semantic networks, with which the ventral network is co-localized. Current neuroimaging work in emotion regulation has neglected this system by focusing on a bottom-up/top-down dichotomy of attentional control.
Formation and evolution of molecular products in α-pinene secondary organic aerosol

Significance Secondary organic aerosol (SOA) plays a pivotal role in climate and air quality. Characterizing the molecular makeup of SOA has been a major research goal for several decades, yet the chemical dynamics of most anthropogenic and biogenic SOA systems remain poorly resolved. We report here the time-resolved molecular characterization of SOA derived from the canonical α-pinene system, one of the most abundant biogenic emissions in the troposphere. We reveal distinct features of SOA components in terms of molecular structure, abundance, growth rates, evolution patterns, and responses to variations in temperature, relative humidity, and oxidant type. Our findings provide a comprehensive analysis of processes governing α-pinene SOA formation and aging. Much of our understanding of atmospheric secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation from volatile organic compounds derives from laboratory chamber measurements, including mass yield and elemental composition. These measurements alone are insufficient to identify the chemical mechanisms of SOA production. We present here a comprehensive dataset on the molecular identity, abundance, and kinetics of α-pinene SOA, a canonical system that has received much attention owing to its importance as an organic aerosol source in the pristine atmosphere. Identified organic species account for ∼58–72% of the α-pinene SOA mass, and are characterized as semivolatile/low-volatility monomers and extremely low volatility dimers, which exhibit comparable oxidation states yet different functionalities. Features of the α-pinene SOA formation process are revealed for the first time, to our knowledge, from the dynamics of individual particle-phase components. Although monomeric products dominate the overall aerosol mass, rapid production of dimers plays a key role in initiating particle growth. Continuous production of monomers is observed after the parent α-pinene is consumed, which cannot be explained solely by gas-phase photochemical production. Additionally, distinct responses of monomers and dimers to α-pinene oxidation by ozone vs. hydroxyl radicals, temperature, and relative humidity are observed. Gas-phase radical combination reactions together with condensed phase rearrangement of labile molecules potentially explain the newly characterized SOA features, thereby opening up further avenues for understanding formation and evolution mechanisms of α-pinene SOA.
Elementary Subgroups of Relatively Hyperbolic Groups and Bounded Generation

Let G be a group hyperbolic relative to a collection of subgroups {Hλ, λ ∈ Λ}. We say that a subgroup Q ≤ G is hyperbolically embedded into G, if G is hyperbolic relative to {Hλ, λ ∈ Λ} ∪ {Q}. In this paper we obtain a characterization of hyperbolically embedded subgroups. In particular, we show that if an element g ∈ G has infinite order and is not conjugate to an element of some Hλ, λ ∈ Λ, then the (unique) maximal elementary subgroup containing g is hyperbolically embedded into G. This allows us to prove that if G is boundedly generated, then G is elementary or Hλ = G for some λ ∈ Λ.
Generalized Linear Models

The technique of iterative weighted linear regression can be used to obtain maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters with observations distributed according to some exponential family and systematic effects that can be made linear by a suitable transformation. A generalization of the analysis of variance is given for these models using log-likelihoods. These generalized linear models are illustrated by examples relating to four distributions; the Normal, Binomial (probit analysis, etc.), Poisson (contingency tables) and gamma (variance components). The implications of the approach in designing statistics courses are discussed.
Efficacy of Ganitumab (AMG 479), Alone and in Combination with Rapamycin, in Ewing's and Osteogenic Sarcoma Models

Ewing's and osteogenic sarcoma are two of the leading causes of cancer deaths in children and adolescents. Recent data suggest that sarcomas may depend on the insulin-like growth factor type 1 (IGF-1) receptor (IGF1R) and/or the insulin receptor (INSR) to drive tumor growth, survival, and resistance to mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) inhibitors. We evaluated the therapeutic value of ganitumab (AMG 479; C6472H10028N1728O2020S42), an anti-IGF1R, fully human monoclonal antibody, alone and in combination with rapamycin (mTORC1 inhibitor) in Ewing's (SK-ES-1 and A673) and osteogenic (SJSA-1) sarcoma models. IGF1R was activated by IGF-1 but not by insulin in each sarcoma model. INSR was also activated by IGF-1 in the SJSA-1 and SK-ES-1 models, but not in the A673 model where insulin was the preferred INSR ligand. Ganitumab significantly inhibited the growth of SJSA-1 and SK-ES-1 xenografts; inhibition was associated with decreased IGF1R and Akt phosphorylation, reduced total IGF1R and bromodeoxyuridine detection, and increased caspase-3 expression. Ganitumab inhibited rapamycin-induced IGF1R, Akt, and glycogen synthase kinase-3β hyperphosphorylation in each sarcoma model. However, ganitumab in combination with rapamycin also resulted in a marked increase in INSR expression and activity in the SJSA-1 and A673 models. The in vivo efficacy of ganitumab in the two ganitumab-sensitive models (SJSA-1 and SK-ES-1) was significantly enhanced in combination with rapamycin. Our results support studying ganitumab in combination with mTORC1 inhibitors for the treatment of sarcomas and suggest that INSR signaling is an important mechanism of resistance to IGF1R blockade.
Statin Use in Prostate Cancer: An Update

3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors, known as statins, are commonly prescribed for the treatment of hypercholesterolemia and cardiovascular disease. A systematic review was conducted using the keywords “statin and prostate cancer” within the title search engines including PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library for relevant research work published between 2004 and December 2015. Although still premature, accumulating clinical evidence suggests that statin use may be beneficial in the prevention and/or treatment of prostate cancer. These human studies consist of meta-analyses of secondary endpoints obtained from randomized, controlled cardiovascular disease clinical trials of statins, patient database, observational studies, and a few, small case–control studies, directly addressing statin use on prostate cancer pathology and recurrence. This review summarizes and discusses the recent clinical literature on statins and prostate cancer with a recommendation to move forward with randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials, investigating the use of statins. Additional preclinical testing of statins on prostate cancer cell lines and in vivo models is needed to elucidate pathways and determine its efficacy for prevention and/or treatment of prostate cancer, more specifically, the difference in the effectiveness of lipophilic versus hydrophilic statins in prostate cancer.
Business Culture and Corporate Social Responsibility: an Analysis in the Light of Catholic Social Teaching with an Application to Whistle Blowing

The outcomes of a market economy depend on human behaviour within business organisations and this in turn is closely related with our conceptions of organisational culture and corporate social responsibility. Markets cannot be seen as ‘autonomous’ as is often suggested, but behaviour within markets is affected by the cultural environment within which business organisations operate. The first insight of this paper is the importance of culture in the economic sphere in influencing individual decision-making. Secondly, we point out that culture itself is shaped by the decisions of human persons: culture is not exogenous. Thirdly, we argue that an important aspect of a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) policy within an organisation should be the promotion of virtuous behaviour in order to help create a culture of virtue in the business sector more generally. It is concluded that both individuals and companies have a responsibility to help foster a culture of virtue within the business environment in which they operate which has ‘spillovers’ outside the organisation itself. A practical application of the ideas to the concept of ‘whistle blowing’ is proposed.
‘Students get bogged down’: how religious Israeli elementary teachers view problems and solutions in Bible teaching

Abstract Bible teachers in contemporary society confront serious problems related to the nature of the biblical text and the socio-cultural context of their teaching. This study, based on semi-structured interviews, examines the problems that five expert religious Israeli elementary school teachers encounter in their teaching and the solutions they employ. Our findings show two major domains of pedagogic issues: unfamiliar biblical linguistics and problematic content. Teachers reported student difficulties in understanding biblical Hebrew. Problematic content includes irrelevant topics, emotionally laden material, and age inappropriate issues. Linguistic solutions relied on reading comprehension techniques and use of features specific to Bible reading such as diacritical marks. Regarding content issues, teachers were motivated by faith in the sanctity of the text to find effective solutions. These include selectivity, reinterpretation using homiletic tools, a holistic understanding and contextualising the narrative. Though teachers felt ill-prepared by their pre-service training in dealing with these challenges, they demonstrated resilience in their solution-oriented pedagogy. These findings suggest attention to mentoring and professional development, and to the creation of a community of practice to support teachers’ dealing with the ongoing challenges in their teaching.
Propofol Infusion Syndrome in Refractory Status Epilepticus: A Case Report and Topical Review

Propofol infusion syndrome (PRIS) is a fatal complication when doses of propofol administration exceed 4 mg/kg/h for more than 48 hours. Propofol overdosage is not uncommon in patients with refractory status epilepticus (RSE). We describe a case of refractory status epilepticus complicated by propofol infusion syndrome and collect from 5 databases all reports of refractory status epilepticus cases that were treated by propofol and developed the syndrome and outline whether refractory status epilepticus treatment with propofol is standardized according to international recommendations, compare it with alternative medications, and discuss how this syndrome can be treated and prevented. A total of 21 patients who developed this syndrome reported arrhythmia in all cases (100%), rhabdomyolysis in 9 cases (42%), lactic acidosis in 13 cases (62%), renal failure in 8 cases (38%), lipemia in 7 cases (33%), and elevated hepatic enzymes in 6 cases (28%). 13 patients died (66%). Propofol is still given in a dosage higher than what is internationally recommended, and new treatment modalities such as renal replacement therapy, blood exchange, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation seem to be promising. In conclusion, propofol should be carefully titrated, the maximal infusion rate needs to be reassessed, and combination of different sedative agents may be considered.
Ecology of Andaman Sea : past , present and future

The marine resources are a major source of food, a reservoir of minerals, major suppliers of oxygen, regulator of climate and also an ultimate dumping ground for the mounting burden of human waste material. Due to unchecked anthropogenic activity in recent years, the physico-chemical and biological status of the marine environments have changed significantly, which in turn resulted in the changing environmental scenario of the world. The Bay of Bengal, of which Andaman sea is a part, is one of the largest Bay in the world known to receive large flow of sediments from several rivers and other water bodies from India, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Indonesia etc., Many of these rivers bring along with them, a large quantity of effluents from cities / towns located on either side of these rivers, thus making the Bay nutrient rich. This Bay also plays a major role in determining the climatic conditions of India and other South East Asian countries. Thus its ecology is of paramount interest. Apart from the above, the Bay is also known for its oligotrophic nature as well as low productivity, thus resulting in high diversity of flora and fauna. In addition to the above, the marine zooplankton species, known to act as bioindicators, indicates the quality of water / environment. The ecological status of the Bay has a direct bearing on the lifescape of the Bay, and therefore, a study was undertaken to understand the ecological status of the Bay and to understand the marine bio-indicators, that will throw light on the status of abiotic factors of the Bay. Based on the observations, the study recommends certain appropriate measures to be taken to conserve the ecology of one of the largest Bay in the world.