Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cigarette smoking and low maternal weight gain in Medicaid-eligible pregnant women.

OBJECTIVES Weight gain during pregnancy (termed maternal weight gain) is an important predictor of maternal and infant health. This analysis was conducted to examine if cigarette smoking during pregnancy was associated with low maternal weight gain, as defined by the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) recommendations, independent of caloric intake. METHODS The participants were 265 Medicaid-eligible, pregnant women. Data were self-reported. Low maternal weight gain was defined as gaining less than the IOM recommendation for a given prepregnancy body mass index (BMI). Logistic regression was used to determine if smokers had greater odds of low maternal weight gain independent of caloric intake. RESULTS Approximately 21% of the participants were self-reported smokers. No difference was observed in mean maternal weight gain between smokers and nonsmokers (14.4 kg vs. 13.9 kg, respectively, p = 0.80). However, a greater proportion of smokers were categorized as having low maternal weight gain compared with nonsmokers (35.7% vs. 31.1%). Unadjusted regression analysis showed that the odds of low maternal weight gain were 1.34 times greater for smokers than nonsmokers (odds ratio [OR] = 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.73, 2.67). The OR did not materially change after adjustment for daily caloric intake, age, and length of gestation. In addition, the data suggest that the more cigarettes smoked, the higher the odds of having low maternal weight gain. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest that cigarette smoking is associated with low maternal weight gain, as defined by the IOM recommendations, independent of caloric intake.
Smoking, Smoking Cessation, and Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death in Women

Background— Few prospective studies have examined quantitative cigarette consumption and smoking cessation on sudden cardiac death (SCD) risk with long-term follow-up. Methods and Results— We prospectively examined the association between cigarette smoking and smoking cessation on the risk of SCD among 101 018 women participating in the Nurses’ Health Study without known coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer at baseline 1980. During 30 years of follow-up, we identified 351 SCD events. Compared with never smokers, current smokers had a 2.44-fold (95% CI, 1.80–3.31) increased risk of SCD after controlling for coronary risk factors. In multivariable analyses, quantity of cigarettes smoked daily (P value for trend, <0.0001) and smoking duration (P value for trend, <0.0001) were linearly associated with SCD risk among current smokers. Small-to-moderate amounts of cigarette consumption (1–14 per day) were associated with a significant 1.84-fold (95% CI, 1.16–2.92) increase in SCD risk and every 5 years of continued smoking was associated with an 8% increase in SCD risk (hazard ratio, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.05–1.12; P<0.0001). The SCD risk linearly decreased over time after quitting and was equivalent to that of a never smoker after 20 years of cessation (P value for trend, <0.0001). Conclusions— In this large prospective cohort of women without coronary heart disease at baseline, a strong dose–response relationship between cigarette smoking and SCD risk was observed, and smoking cessation significantly reduced and eventually eliminated excess SCD risk. This suggests efforts to prevent SCD among women should include aggressive strategies for smoking cessation.
Currency Dependence of Corporate Credit Spreads

Many pricing and risk management models need credit spread curves as an input. In the corporate bond market the estimation of credit spread curves is not trivial. Most issuers have only too few bonds outstanding and frequently these bonds are denominated in different currencies. To ensure a sufficient number of bonds for the estimation procedure in many cases bonds in different currencies have to be used which implies that the estimation procedure has to take into account potential currency effects. Under the hypothesis of zero correlation between the default variables and the exchange rates deflated by the relevant money market accounts we show using a rather general pricing framework that credit spreads are expected to be equal across different currencies. This paper analyses these effects and presents a new model which allows to estimate a credit spread curve for a single issuer with bonds in different currencies. This new model is based on the multi-curve estimation approach which allows a parsimonious joint estimation of a risk free term structure and the credit spread curve of the issuer. We reject the hypothesis of zero correlation between credit and exchange rate risk and present empirical evidence that there are significant differences of issuer specific credit spreads across different currencies in a representative sample of international corporate bonds. Moreover, this implies that dollar related credit spread curves cannot be used without special care for pricing defaultable claims denominated in other currencies.
Serum erythropoietin concentrations and responses to anaemia in patients with or without chronic kidney disease.

BACKGROUND Renal anaemia is caused by a relative erythropoietin (EPO) deficiency. Due to difficult interpretation of serum EPO concentrations adapted to anaemia and renal function, the diagnostic value of measuring serum EPO concentrations is limited. METHODS We retrospectively analysed the relationship between haemoglobin and serum EPO concentrations routinely measured in in- and out-patients of our university hospital from 2001-04. Patients under EPO substitution or those with acute renal failure, polycystic kidney disease, renal carcinoma or polycythaemia due to pulmonary disease were excluded. The study population (n = 500) was then stratified according to the presence or absence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and to the stage if CKD was present. EPO concentrations were expressed in percentiles corrected for the severity of anaemia and based on the EPO response in patients without CKD. RESULTS In patients without CKD (n = 167) there was a strong parametric correlation between severity of anaemia and increase in EPO (r = -0.81). Linear regression of the log-transformed EPO values revealed the equation log EPO (mIU/ml) = -0.135 x Hb (g/dl) + 2.821 (r(2) = 0.65). With increasing stages of CKD the correlation between haemoglobin and EPO concentrations was gradually attenuated and was completely lost in CKD stage four and five. In anaemic patients with Hb < 11 g/dl, relative EPO deficiency defined as EPO concentrations below the 25th percentile was present in 38%, 67%, 93% and 100% of the patients with CKD stages 1-5, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Expression of EPO concentrations in percentiles improves the diagnostic value of measuring EPO concentrations for diagnosing relative EPO deficiency and renal anaemia.
How the insect immune system interacts with an obligate symbiotic bacterium

The animal immune system provides defence against microbial infection, and the evolution of certain animal–microbial symbioses is predicted to involve adaptive changes in the host immune system to accommodate the microbial partner. For example, the reduced humoral immune system in the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum, including an apparently non-functional immune deficiency (IMD) signalling pathway and absence of peptidoglycan recognition proteins (PGRPs), has been suggested to be an adaptation for the symbiosis with the bacterium Buchnera aphidicola. To investigate this hypothesis, the interaction between Buchnera and non-host cells, specifically cultured Drosophila S2 cells, was investigated. Microarray analysis of the gene expression pattern in S2 cells indicated that Buchnera triggered an immune response, including upregulated expression of genes for antimicrobial peptides via the IMD pathway with the PGRP-LC as receptor. Buchnera cells were readily taken up by S2 cells, but were subsequently eliminated over 1–2 days. These data suggest that Buchnera induces in non-host cells a defensive immune response that is deficient in its host. They support the proposed contribution of the Buchnera symbiosis to the evolution of the apparently reduced immune function in the aphid host.
Contribution of scintigraphy and ultrasonography to the prediction of malignancy in thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the contribution of (131)I scintigraphy and ultrasonography to the prediction of malignancy in thyroid nodules with indeterminate cytology in euthyroid patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The sample consisted of 102 patients with thyroid nodules, submitted to FNAC and presenting an indeterminate cytological diagnosis (follicular neoplasm). RESULTS Malignancy was observed in 19/25 (76%) nodules with suspicious ultrasonographic characteristics versus 5/77 (6.5%) without suspicious findings. When (131)I scintigraphy showed a cold or hot nodule, the chance of malignancy was 38.5% and 2.5%, respectively. This exam was inconclusive in 10% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS Surgery is indicated when a thyroid nodule with indeterminate cytology exhibits suspicious ultrasonographic characteristics. Otherwise, (131)I scintigraphy can exclude thyroidectomy when reveals uptake in the nodule, which is observed in half the cases.
Maximum likelihood approach to HF radar performance characterization

As part of NURC maritime surveillance research activities, there is a need to characterize the performance of HF radar vessel-detection processing, in support of subsequent automatic tracking as well as fusion with other available sensor data. In particular, HF radar detection and localization performance for a given contact SNR threshold must be determined. This paper examines two approaches to do so: one based on the maximum-likelihood criterion, the other using a localization threshold on target-originated contacts. The differences in and merits of the two approach are discussed with simulated and real maritime HF radar data. We introduce a multi-stage track-extract-track approach to HF radar tracking that is effective in a heavily-cluttered environment. Finally, we introduce scalar information metric for sensor characterization and discuss its relevance to sensor selection and detection threshold determination.
A 120-GHz FMCW radar frontend demonstrator based on a SiGe chipset

This paper presents a frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar operating at 120 GHz. It was built with Silicon-Germanium (SiGe) chips that employ HBTs with 320 GHz fmax. The chipset comprises a fundamental-wave signal-generation chip with a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) that provides frequencies between 114 GHz and 130 GHz and a corresponding dual transceiver (TRX) chip with monostatic and quasi-monostatic TRX cells. The single-stage cascode amplifiers employed in the TRX chip were characterized in separate test chips and yielded peak small-signal gains of approximately 15 dB. Finally, a quasi-monostatic two-channel FMCW radar front end with off-chip differential microstrip-antennas was built on RF substrate. FMCW radar measurements with frequency chirps from 119 GHz to 122 GHz verified the functionality of the designed radar sensor.
Supporting primary healthcare professionals to care for people with intellectual disability: a research agenda.

BACKGROUND The vast health inequities experienced by people with intellectual disability remain indisputable. Persistent and contemporary challenges exist for primary healthcare providers and researchers working to contribute to improvements to the health and well-being of people with intellectual disability. Over two decades after the only review of supports for primary healthcare providers was published, this paper contributes to an evolving research agenda that aims to make meaningful gains in health-related outcomes for this group. METHODS The present authors updated the existing review by searching the international literature for developments and evaluations of multinational models of care. RESULTS Based on our review, we present three strategies to support primary healthcare providers: (i) effectively using what we know, (ii) considering other strategies that offer support to primary healthcare professionals and (iii) researching primary health care at the system level. CONCLUSIONS Strengthening primary care by supporting equitable provision of health-related care for people with intellectual disability is a much needed step towards improving health outcomes among people with intellectual disability. More descriptive quantitative and qualitative research, as well as intervention-based research underpinned by rigorous mixed-methods evaluating these strategies at the primary care level, which is sensitive to the needs of people with intellectual disability will assist primary care providers to provide better care and achieve better health outcomes. ACCESSIBLE ABSTRACT Many people with intellectual disability have poor health. The authors reviewed what has been written by other researchers about how to improve the health of people with intellectual disability. In the future, people who support adults with intellectual disability should continue doing what they do well, think of other ways to improve health, and do more research about health. At all times, the needs of people with intellectual disability should be the greatest concern for those trying to support them.
Fusiform gyrus volume reduction and facial recognition in chronic schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND The fusiform gyrus (FG), or occipitotemporal gyrus, is thought to subserve the processing and encoding of faces. Of note, several studies have reported that patients with schizophrenia show deficits in facial processing. It is thus hypothesized that the FG might be one brain region underlying abnormal facial recognition in schizophrenia. The objectives of this study were to determine whether there are abnormalities in gray matter volumes for the anterior and the posterior FG in patients with chronic schizophrenia and to investigate relationships between FG subregions and immediate and delayed memory for faces. METHODS Patients were recruited from the Boston VA Healthcare System, Brockton Division, and control subjects were recruited through newspaper advertisement. Study participants included 21 male patients diagnosed as having chronic schizophrenia and 28 male controls. Participants underwent high-spatial-resolution magnetic resonance imaging, and facial recognition memory was evaluated. Main outcome measures included anterior and posterior FG gray matter volumes based on high-spatial-resolution magnetic resonance imaging, a detailed and reliable manual delineation using 3-dimensional information, and correlation coefficients between FG subregions and raw scores on immediate and delayed facial memory derived from the Wechsler Memory Scale III. RESULTS Patients with chronic schizophrenia had overall smaller FG gray matter volumes (10%) than normal controls. Additionally, patients with schizophrenia performed more poorly than normal controls in both immediate and delayed facial memory tests. Moreover, the degree of poor performance on delayed memory for faces was significantly correlated with the degree of bilateral anterior FG reduction in patients with schizophrenia. CONCLUSION These results suggest that neuroanatomic FG abnormalities underlie at least some of the deficits associated with facial recognition in schizophrenia.
Physical Properties, Baryon Content, and Evolution of the Lyα Forest: New Insights from High-Resolution Observations at z ≲ 0.4

We present a study of the Lyα forest at z ≲ 0.4, from which we conclude that at least 20% of the total baryons in the universe are located in the highly ionized gas traced by broad Lyα absorbers. The cool photoionized low-z intergalactic medium (IGM) probed by narrow Lyα absorbers contains about 30% of the baryons. We further find that the ratio of broad to narrow Lyα absorbers is higher at z ≲ 0.4 than at 1.5 ≲ z ≲ 3.6, implying that a larger fraction of the low-redshift universe is hotter and/or more kinematically disturbed. We base these conclusions on an analysis of seven QSOs observed with both FUSE and the HST STIS E140M ultraviolet echelle spectrograph. Our sample has 341 H I absorbers with a total unblocked redshift path of 2.064. The observed absorber population is complete for log N ≳ 13.2, with a column density distribution f(N) ∝ N. For narrow (b ≤ 40 km s-1) absorbers, β = 1.76 ± 0.06. The distribution of the Doppler parameter b at low redshift implies two populations: narrow (b ≤ 40 km s-1) and broad (b > 40 km s-1) Lyα absorbers (referred to as NLAs and BLAs, respectively). Both the NLAs and some BLAs probe the cool (T ~ 104 K) photoionized IGM. The BLAs also probe the highly ionized gas of the warm-hot IGM (T ≃ 105-106 K). The distribution of b has a more prominent high-velocity tail at z ≲ 0.4 than at 1.5 ≲ z ≲ 3.6, which results in median and mean b-values that are 15%-30% higher at low z than at high z. The ratio of the number density of BLAs to NLAs at z ≲ 0.4 is a factor of ~3 higher than at 1.5 ≲ z ≲ 3.6.
Left Atrial Enlargement: Echocardiographic Assessment of Electrocardiographic Criteria

SUMMARY A comparison of electrocardiographic manifestations of left atrial enlargement (LAE) and left atrial size by echocardiography was made in 307 patients in sinus rhythm. Electrocardiographic criteria used were L: P wave duration in lead II equal to or greater than 0.12 sec; Va: the ratio of the duration of negative terminal P in V1 to the P-R segment equal to or greater than 1.0; Vb: a negative P terminal force in V, less than −0.03 mm sec. The echocardiographic diagnosis of left atrial enlargement was based on 1) transverse dimension greater than 4.0 cm, or 2) a ratio of transverse atrial to transverse aortic root dimension greater than 1.17. In the presence of left atrial enlargement, a combination of criteria occurred more often than a single criterion. The overall predictive index of the electrocardiogram for left atrial enlargement was 63% (excluding criterion Vb raised probability to 80%); and that for absence of left atrial enlargement was 78%. The index of coarse versus fine fibrillary waves was unreliable in predicting left atrial enlargement. Changes in P wave morphology may be used as a reasonably specific but less sensitive indicator of left atrial enlargement.
Electrocardiographic changes in hospitalized patients with leptospirosis over a 10-year period

Summary Background The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and type of ECG changes in patients with leptospirosis regardless of clinical evidence of cardiac involvement. Material/Methods A total of 97 patients with serologically confirmed leptospirosis treated at the University Hospital for Infectious Diseases „Dr. Fran Mihaljević‟ in Zagreb, Croatia, were included in this retrospective study. A 12-lead resting ECG was routinely performed in the first 2 days after hospital admission. Thorough past and current medical history was obtained, and careful physical examination and laboratory tests were performed. Results Abnormal ECG findings were found in 56 of 97 (58%) patients. Patients with abnormal ECG had significantly elevated values of bilirubin and alanine aminotransferase, lower values of potassium and lower number of platelets, as well as more frequently recorded abnormal chest x-ray. Non-specific ventricular repolarization disturbances were the most common abnormal ECG finding. Other recorded ECG abnormalities were sinus tachycardia, right branch conduction disturbances, low voltage of the QRS complex in standard limb leads, supraventricular and ventricular extrasystoles, intraventricular conduction disturbances, atrioventricular block first-degree and atrial fibrillation. Myopericarditis was identified in 4 patients. Regardless of ECG changes, the most commonly detected infection was with Leptospira interrogans serovar Australis, Leptospira interrogans serovar Saxkoebing and Leptospira kirschneri serovar Grippotyphosa. Conclusions The ECG abnormalities are common at the beginning of disease and are possibly caused by the direct effect of leptospires or are the non-specific result of a febrile infection and metabolic and electrolyte abnormalities. New studies are required for better understanding of the mechanism of ECG alterations in leptospirosis.
Analysis of uterine rupture at university teaching hospital Pakistan

Objective: To determine the risk factors, management modalities, fetomaternal outcome of uterine rupture cases at University teaching hospital in Pakistan. Methods: This retrospective descriptive study was conducted at the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences (LUMHS) for a period of one year from January 1st to December 31st 2012. Main outcome measures were frequency, age, parity, booking status, risk factors, management modalities, fetal and maternal mortality associated with uterine rupture. The data was collected on pre-designed proforma analysed using SPSS Version 16 statistical package. Results: The frequency of ruptured uteri was calculated to be 0.67%, giving a ratio of 1:148 deliveries. Highest incidence was found in age group 25-30 (44.26%) with mean age of 30.36 years. and parity group 2-3 (57.37%) with mean parity 4.08. The risk factors for ruptured uterus include Caesarean section 43(70.49%), injudicious use of oxytocin 33(54.09%), obstructed labour 15 (24.59%) and multiparty 18 (29.50%). Repair of uterus was performed in 47(77.04%) cases. Maternal case fatality was 5(8.19%), while foetal wastage was 51 (83.60%). Conclusion: This study confirms the existence of a serious preventable obstetric problem, with significant maternal mortality and foetal wastage. Integrated efforts include Health education, focused antenatal care, skilled attendance, avoidance of injudicious use of oxytocin, and need of hospital based deliveries in patients with caesarean section which should be intensified to reduce this drastic obstetrical complication.
The physiology of host feeding in parasitic wasps: implications for survival

Summary 1 Models developed to predict behavioural and life-history decisions of parasitoids rely heavily on assumptions concerning the nature and function of the nutrients that the female obtains from the host. 2 Using a combination of colorimetric and thin-layer chromatography techniques, we analysed the composition of the host-feeding fluid consumed by the parasitoid Eupelmus vuilletti and found it to be consistent with the composition of the host's haemolymph. 3 The analysis of the haemolymph revealed that it was rich in proteins but also rich in sugars, trehalose and sucrose in particular. 4 Injections of these sugars at haemolymph concentrations directly into the parasitoid's haemolymph showed that these sugars are solely responsible for the increased longevity observed in host-fed females. 5 This study is the first to identify the constituents of host-feeding meals and their impact on parasitoid longevity and provide further evidence of the extent to which parasitoid behavioural decisions are determined by physiological variables. Our study demonstrates that the integration of nutritional physiology, behaviour, life history and population dynamics is essential in order to understand parasitoid foraging ecology.