Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ultrasound-guided embryo transfer improves pregnancy rates and increases the frequency of easy transfers.

BACKGROUND Recent reports have suggested that ultrasound (US) guidance during embryo transfer might improve pregnancy rates. METHODS A prospective randomized (computer-generated random table) trial was performed to compare embryo transfer under abdominal US guidance (n = 255 women) with clinical touch embryo transfer (n = 260). RESULTS The clinical pregnancy rate was 26.3% (67/255) in the US-guided transfer group compared with 18.1% (47/260) in the clinical touch transfer group (P < 0.05). The implantation rate was 11.1% (100/903) in the US group compared with 7.5% (66/884) in the clinical touch group (P < 0.05). US-guided transfer was associated with a decrease in the difficulty of the transfers: 97% of transfers were easy in the US-guided group compared with 81% in the clinical touch group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS US-guided embryo transfer increased pregnancy and implantation rates in IVF cycles, as well as the frequency of easy transfers. It is suggested that the decrease in cervical and uterine trauma can play a role in the increase in pregnancy rates associated with US-guided transfer. It is recommended that embryo transfer should be performed under US guidance.
Longitudinal trends in academic web links

Longitudinal studies of web change are needed to assess the stability of webometric statistics and this paper forms part of an on-going longitudinal study of three national academic web spaces. It examines the relationship between university inlinks and research productivity over time and identifies reasons for individual universities experiencing significant increases and decreases in inlinks over the last six years. The findings also indicate that between 66 and 70% of outlinks remain the same year on year for all three academic web spaces, although this stability conceals large individual differences. Moreover, there is evidence of a level of stability over time for university site inlinks when measured against research productivity. Surprisingly, however, inlink counts can vary significantly from year to year for individual universities, for reasons unrelated to research which undermines their use in webometrics studies.
Evaluation of texture methods for image analysis

The evaluation of texture features is important for several image processing applications. Texture analysis forms the basis of object recognition and classification in several domains. There is a range of texture extraction methods and their performance evaluation is an important part of understanding the utility of feature extraction tools in image analysis. In this paper we evaluate five different feature extraction methods. These are autocorrelation, edge frequency, primitive-length. , Law's method, and co-occurrence matrices. All these methods are used for texture analysis of Meastex database. This is a publicly available database and therefore a meaningful comparison between the various methods is useful to our understanding of texture algorithms. Our results show that the Law's method and co-occurrence matrix method yield the best results. The overall best results;are obtained when we use features from all five methods. Results are produced using leave-one-out method.
Application of recurrent approximation to the synthesis of neural network for control of processes phototherapy

Three examples of problems of analytical learning as standardizated elements for design multy-layers neural network with any complicated configuration of input-output vector-function are consider. Solutions for synaptic weight coefficients (SWC) as recurrent sequence are represented in analytic form. Convergence of recurrent approximation for two schemes of approaches by a linear and quadratic curve are proposed and discussed for System Support Decision Making (SSDM) of physiotherapy with artificial neural networks (ANN).
The Influence of Time and Gender on Hungarian Hypnotizability Scores1

Abstract In a between-lab study, a constant and steady shift was found in hypnotizability scores measured with standard scales. To investigate a time effect in a Hungarian (within-lab) sample, 613 subjects’ scores on Stanford Hypnotic Susceptibility Scale, Forms A and B, 1898 subjects’ self-scores, and 1713 subjects’ observer-scores on the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility were analyzed. From the 1970s to 2010, a significant increase was observed in the SHSS:A and B scores of female subjects and the HGSHS:A scores of both genders. Females proved to be significantly more hypnotizable than males in a group setting but not in an individual context. Time and gender did not interact. The possible reasons for these effects on hypnotizability and the role of the testing context are discussed.
Compressible large eddy simulation using unstructured grids

We present an algorithm for compressible Large Eddy Simulation (LES) using unstructured tetrahedral grids. Two methods for simulation of the subgrid scale stresses are examined. The rst method is the Monotone Integrated Large Eddy Simulation (MILES) technique of Boris, Oran and Grinstein, whereby the energy transfer from the resolved scales to the subgrid scales is modeled using the inherent dissipation of the numerical algorithm. The second method is a hybrid technique combining MILES with a Smagorinsky eddy viscosity model for the subgrid scale stresses. The inviscid uxes are determined by Godunov's second method or Roe's method. Two different second-order accurate function reconstruction techniques have been evaluated. The subgrid scale stresses are computed using a second-order accurate method based on Gauss' theorem. A second-order Runge-Kutta method is employed for the temporal integration. Simulation of the decay of incompressible isotropic turbulence has been performed for two di erent grids. Good agreement is obtained with the experimental data of Comte-Bellot and Corrsin for the decay of turbulence energy, and reasonable agreement with the temporal evolution of the energy spectrum. A parallel version of the code using MPI has been developed and validated. Copyright c 1998 by Doyle Knight. Published by American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc., with permission. yProfessor, Associate Fellow AIAA. zResearch Associate, Member AIAA. x Graduate Research Assistant, Member AIAA.
Regulation of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ Expression by Adipocyte Differentiation and Determination Factor 1/Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1: Implications for Adipocyte Differentiation and Metabolism

ABSTRACT Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is a nuclear receptor implicated in adipocyte differentiation and insulin sensitivity. We investigated whether PPARγ expression is dependent on the activity of adipocyte differentiation and determination factor 1/sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (ADD-1/SREBP-1), another transcription factor associated with both adipocyte differentiation and cholesterol homeostasis. Ectopic expression of ADD-1/SREBP-1 in 3T3-L1 and HepG2 cells induced endogenous PPARγ mRNA levels. The related transcription factor SREBP-2 likewise induced PPARγ expression. In addition, cholesterol depletion, a condition known to result in proteolytic activation of transcription factors of the SREBP family, induced PPARγ expression and improved PPRE-driven transcription. The effect of the SREBPs on PPARγ expression was mediated through the PPARγ1 and -3 promoters. Both promoters contain a consensus E-box motif that mediates the regulation of the PPARγ gene by ADD-1/SREBP-1 and SREBP-2. These results suggest that PPARγ expression can be controlled by the SREBP family of transcription factors and demonstrate new interactions between transcription factors that can regulate different pathways of lipid metabolism.
To See and Be Seen: Celebrity Practice on Twitter

Social media technologies let people connect by creating and sharing content. We examine the use of Twitter by famous people to conceptualize celebrity as a practice. On Twitter, celebrity is practiced through the appearance and performance of ‘backstage’ access. Celebrity practitioners reveal what appears to be personal information to create a sense of intimacy between participant and follower, publicly acknowledge fans, and use language and cultural references to create affiliations with followers. Interactions with other celebrity practitioners and personalities give the impression of candid, uncensored looks at the people behind the personas. But the indeterminate ‘authenticity’ of these performances appeals to some audiences, who enjoy the game playing intrinsic to gossip consumption. While celebrity practice is theoretically open to all, it is not an equalizer or democratizing discourse. Indeed, in order to successfully practice celebrity, fans must recognize the power differentials intrinsic to the relationship.
Public Goods and Public Choices

A new mode of analysis for dealing with the organization and delivery of public goods and services has developed over the last two decades. This mode of analysis, identified with public choice theory, involves the application of economic reasoning to nonmarket decisionmaking. A key element in the analysis turns upon the nature of goods and services. Characteristics which pertain to exclusion and jointness of use can be arrayed to define different types of goods and services. A public good is defined as one which is not subject to exclusion and is subject to jointness in its consumption or use. Characteristics of nonexclusion and jointness of consumption or use, create situations in which market arrangements may fail to meet individual demands for public goods. Special forms of governmental or quasi-governmental organization are required to deal with these contingencies. The problems, however, occur largely in relation to the organization of collective consumption. As long as appropriate collective consumption units are organized, several alternative options can be used for the production and delivery of public goods and services. These options include private [8] suppliers as well as governmental agencies serving as suppliers.
Explicit Mentalizing Mechanisms and Their Adaptive Role in Memory Conformity

Memory conformity occurs when an individual endorses what other individuals remember about past events. Research on memory conformity is currently dominated by a ‘forensic’ perspective, which views the phenomenon as inherently undesirable. This is because conformity not only distorts the accuracy of an individual's memory, but also produces false corroboration between individuals, effects that act to undermine criminal justice systems. There is growing awareness, however, that memory conformity may be interpreted more generally as an adaptive social behavior regulated by explicit mentalizing mechanisms. Here, we provide novel evidence in support of this emerging alternative theoretical perspective. We carried out a memory conformity experiment which revealed that explicit belief-simulation (i.e. using one's own beliefs to model what other people believe) systematically biases conformity towards like-minded individuals, even when there is no objective evidence that they have a more accurate memory than dissimilar individuals. We suggest that this bias is functional, i.e. adaptive, to the extent that it fosters trust, and hence cooperation, between in-group versus out-group individuals. We conclude that memory conformity is, in more fundamental terms, a highly desirable product of explicit mentalizing mechanisms that promote adaptive forms of social learning and cooperation.
Risks of International Projects: Reward or Folly?

Assessing and managing risk is a complex and critical task for international construction projects that support new business ventures. Indeed, it could be argued that the word "risk" and the term "international projects" could be used interchangeably. Driven by such factors as new markets, domestic competition, and trade liberalization, U.S. owners and contractors have in recent years aggressively pursued international business opportunities and projects. International work requires owners to assess a diverse set of political, geographic, economic, environmental, regulatory, and cultural risk factors when contemplating an international capital project. In addition, contractors must consider a similar set of risk factors in determining whether to undertake such projects, and how to price and schedule the work if they do. A limited amount of research has been undertaken to address these issues, and current efforts to assess and evaluate the risks associated with international construction are fragmented and fail to provide adequate assistance to project managers. Can risks be systematically addressed and mitigated on these types of projects or is it folly to attempt this process? This paper will report the results of a research project focused on international projects sponsored by the Center for Construction Industry Studies (CCIS), the Construction Industry Institute (CII) and the Project Management Institute (PMI). This research included input from over 100 industry experts representing 58 organizations. Data from 65 international projects, with a total cost of approximately $27 billion (U.S.) were analyzed. Key risk issues and a management approach to help mitigate risks will be presented. Included in that discussion will be the International Project Risk Assessment (IPRA) tool developed in collaboration with industry. This management tool provides a systematic method to identify, assess, and determine the relative importance of international-specific risks across the project’s life cycle. The reward of risk management on international ventures will be explored. How industries other than construction can gain from this research will be outlined.
A Meta-Analysis of Hedonic Studies to Assess the Property Value Effects of Low Impact Development

Stormwater runoff from urban areas is a significant source of water pollution in the United States. Many states are promoting low impact development (LID) practices, which provide a variety of direct and ancillary ecosystem services. We describe a meta-analysis designed to evaluate the property value benefits of LID practices that reduce impervious surfaces and increase vegetated areas in developments, and present an example application to a hypothetical land use scenario. From the many hedonic property valuation studies of the benefits of general open space, we identified 35 studies that valued open spaces that were similar in nature to the small, dispersed open spaces characteristic of LID. The meta-regression estimates the percent change in a home’s value for an observed percent change in open space within a specific radius of a parcel, based on changes expected to result from LID approaches that increase green spaces. Our results indicate that the design and characteristics of a project affect the magnitude of benefits, and that values decline with distance. More broadly, the meta-analysis shows percent change and proximity are robust determinants of household willingness to pay for aesthetic and other services associated with local availability of small, dispersed open spaces resulting from LID, but that values for other features, including type of vegetation and recreational use may be site-specific. Policymakers and developers could draw on our synthesis of site characteristics’ effects to maximize benefits from open space associated with LID.
Evaluating Inclusivity using Quantitative Personas

Exclusion assessment is a powerful method for assessing inclusivity in a quantitative way. However, its focus on capability data makes it difficult to consider the effect of other factors such as different ways of using a product. We propose addressing this by combining exclusion assessment with quantitative personas. Each persona represents a group of people with similar capabilities, and is enhanced with other personal information. The capabilities of each persona are compared against the product demands to assess whether they (and thus the group they represent) could do a task. The additional persona information helps to determine how they approach and conduct the task. By examining personas that cover the whole of the target population, it is possible to estimate the proportion of that population who could complete the task. We present a proof-of-concept study using personas created from Disability Follow-up Survey data. These were used to assess the task of carrying a tray of food across a cafe, taking into account how using mobility aids restricts hand use.
Financial Regulatory Reform: A New Foundation or More of the Same?

ecently, the Obama Administration and the Federal Reserve released a comprehensive regulatory reform proposal aimed at preventing future financial crises like what the country underwent in 2008. At first pass, the plan looks like sweeping regulatory reform with a focus on protecting financial industry consumers from future financial crises. The Administration’s proposal is ambitious in scope and detail, but it is not flawless. In particular, two titles of the proposal, “Title II: Consolidated Supervision and Regulation of Large, Interconnected Financial Firms,” and “Title X: Consumer Financial Protection Agency Act of 2009” appear to protect the financial industry consumer; however, these two titles end up serving divergent interests.
Premotor Symptoms as Predictors of Outcome in Parkinsons Disease: A Case-Control Study

Background To evaluate the association between the premotor symptoms and the prognosis of PD. Methods A total of 1213 patients who were diagnosed of PD from January 2001 to December 2008 were selected from the Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. Patients were traced back to determine the presence of premotor symptoms, including rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD), depression, and constipation. Cox’s regression analysis was used to detect the risks between the occurrence of premotor symptoms and the outcome (including death, psychosis, accidental injury, dementia and aspiration pneumonia). In addition, the association between premotor symptoms and levodopa equivalent dosage (LED) was examined. Results Higher occurrence of death, dementia and aspiration pneumonia were identified in PD patients with premotor symptoms than without premotor symptoms (HR 1·69, 95% CI 1·34–2·14, p <0·001 for death; HR 1·63, 95% CI 1·20–2·22, p = 0·002 for dementia; HR 2·45, 95% CI 1·42–4·21, p = 0·001 for aspiration pneumonia). In a comorbidities-stratified analysis, PD patients with premotor symptoms showed significantly high risks of mortality and morbidity (dementia and aspiration pneumonia), especially in the absence of comorbidities. Independent predictors of mortality in PD were found to be higher age, male sex, constipation, RBD, RBD with constipation and depression, and diabetes. Furthermore, no significant differences of LED and subsequent accidental injury were noted between PD patient with or without premotor symptoms. Conclusion Premotor symptoms seem to be not merely risk factors, but also prognostic factors of PD.
Testing the utility of paleonutrient proxies Cd/Ca and Zn/Ca in benthic foraminifera from thermocline waters

Reconstruction of oceanic nutrient concentrations in the past provides information about nutrient cycling and physical circulation and the role these processes have played in past climate changes. The Cd/Ca and Zn/Ca of benthic foraminifera have been used successfully to reconstruct past deep ocean nutrient concentrations. In this study we test the ability of benthic foraminiferal Cd/Ca and Zn/Ca to detect changes in thermocline nutrient concentrations using a set of 31 multicores collected in the Florida Straits. Multicore sites span depths of 173–751 m, estimated seawater Cd concentrations of 0.02–0.42 nmol kg−1, and estimated seawater Zn concentrations of 0.3–3.1 nmol kg−1. Cd/Ca in several taxa of benthic foraminifera captures the regional differences and general shape of the nutricline on either side of the Florida Straits, indicating that it is capable of resolving small changes in upper ocean nutrient concentrations in the past. We estimate that the upper ocean partition coefficient for calcitic Cd/Ca may be slightly higher than the established value. Low seawater Zn concentrations combined with low partition coefficients and slight laboratory contamination severely complicated the evaluation of benthic foraminiferal Zn/Ca. However, at least one species, C. pachyderma, incorporates Zn with a relatively high partition coefficient (∼22), minimizing these complications. C. pachyderma Zn/Ca reflects the regional differences and general shape of the nutricline on either side of the Florida Straits and demonstrates potential for thermocline paleoceanography.
Characteristics of Children with Type 1 Diabetes and Persistent Suboptimal Glycemic Control

Objective: This study aims to determine the relationship between the duration of persistent poor glycemic control in type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) children and the likelihood of subsequent improvement. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on T1DM patients aged 6-18 years, followed for at least six visits at Children’s National Medical Center (Washington, DC) with at least one hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥10% after the first year since the initial visit (n=151). Medical records of patients with subsequently improved glycemic control were reviewed (n=39). Results: Patients aged 12-18 years, females, and Medicaid patients were twice as likely to be in persistently poor control as patients aged 6-11 years, males, and privately insured patients, respectively. Each additional visit with HbA1c ≥10% and one percentage point increase in the mean HbA1c reduced the likelihood of subsequent improvement by 20% and 50%, respectively. Of the 39 patients with improved control, only 5 (13%) sustained their improvement for ≥2 years. Multiple contributing factors for improved control were identified, but no one factor explained improved control in >25% of patients. Conclusion This study suggests that the longer the duration of poor control, the more difficult it is to reverse the underlying factors of poor diabetes management. Strategies to improve regular clinic attendance along with reinforcement of changes which resulted in improved control are critical. Adolescents, females, and Medicaid patients in particular should be targeted for sustained intervention. Conflict of interest:None declared.
Lymphoma Immunotherapy: Current Status

The rationale to treat lymphomas with immunotherapy comes from long-standing evidence on their distinctive immune responsiveness. Indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas, in particular, establish key interactions with the immune microenvironment to ensure prosurvival signals and prevent antitumor immune activation. However, reports of spontaneous regressions indicate that, under certain circumstances, patients develop therapeutic antitumor immunity. Several immunotherapeutic approaches have been thus developed to boost these effects in all patients. To date, targeting CD20 on malignant B cells with the antibody rituximab has been the most clinically effective strategy. However, relapse and resistance prevent to cure approximately half of B-NHL patients, underscoring the need of more effective therapies. The recognition of B-cell receptor variable regions as B-NHL unique antigens promoted the development of specific vaccines to immunize patients against their own tumor. Despite initial promising results, this strategy has not yet demonstrated a sufficient clinical benefit to reach the regulatory approval. Several novel agents are now available to stimulate immune effector functions or counteract immunosuppressive mechanisms, such as engineered antitumor T cells, co-stimulatory receptor agonist, and immune checkpoint-blocking antibodies. Thus, multiple elements can now be exploited in more effective combinations to break the barriers for the induction of anti-lymphoma immunity.