Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In vitro fertilization in Northern Finland 1990-1995 : prenatal and early childhood outcome until three years of age

The aim of this population-based cohort study was to evaluate prenatal and child outcome and costs resulting from prenatal and neonatal care after in vitro fertilization (IVF) in comparison to those after natural conception using a cohort of 304 IVF exposed children born between 1990–1995 in Northern Finland, and two cohorts of unexposed control children (I: n = 569, representing general population in proportion of multiple births; II: n = 103, matched for plurality). The control children were randomly chosen from the Finnish Medical Birth Register (FMBR) and matched for sex, year of birth, area of residence, parity, maternal age and socioeconomic status. Analyses were performed by comparing the whole IVF population with controls representing general population as well as stratifying by singleton or twin status. IVF mothers carried a higher risk for vaginal bleeding, threatened preterm birth and intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy than control mothers, and they used specialized antenatal care more than others. Neonatal outcome was also poorer after IVF in terms of gestational age, birthweight, morbidity and intensive care treatment. The prevalence of congenital heart malformations (septal defects) was 4-fold for IVF children in comparison to controls. The three year follow-up showed delayed growth and increased morbidity for IVF children, but their psychomotor development was similar to that of the control children. Health care costs were 1.3-fold for IVF singletons in comparison to control singletons, but for twins the costs were equal. Multiple births increased the costs ∼3-fold when compared to singleton births. IVF increased the health risks for the pregnancies and the offspring, seen mostly in the comparison between the whole IVF population and controls representing natural proportion of multiple births, indicating that multiple birth is the strongest determinant of medical outcome after IVF. The effects of fertility therapy and maternal characteristics related to infertility cannot be ruled out at this point. The increased health care costs after IVF were mostly due to the high proportion of multiple births. In order to improve the outcomes and to reduce the health care costs after IVF, the amount of multiple births should be limited to a minimum by using single embryo transfer when possible.
A simple and accurate matrix for model based photoacoustic imaging

Accurate model-based methods in Photo-Acoustic Tomography (PAT) can reconstruct the image from insufficient and inaccurate measurements. Most of the models either make the simplified assumption of spherical averaging or use accurate models that have computationally burdensome implementations. We present a simple and accurate measurement matrix that is derived from the pseudo-spectral PAT model. The accuracy of the measurement matrix is first validated against the experimental PAT signal. We also compare the model against the standard k-wave measurement model and the spherical averaging model. We then highlight several reconstruction strategies based on the nature of the region of interest to further demonstrate the accuracy of the proposed measurement matrix.
Syntactic and prosodic properties of Italian restructuring verbs

Complex predicates present grammatical frameworks with in teresting interface problems. While the issues they raise with regard to the syntax-s emantics interface have received considerable attention in the literature, this is not the ca se for the syntax-phonology interface. In this respect, a particular kind of complex predicate will be addressed which occurs in the presence of Italian restructuring verbs (Rizzi 1982). I wil l argue that an analysis of these verbs in terms of argument composition can provide a uniform accou nt f clitic climbing as well as of the other syntactic properties that characterize them. 1
What We Educators Get Wrong About 21st-Century Learning: Results of a Survey

Abstract Twenty-first-century learning and how it differs from prior conceptions of learning have received significant attention lately. Kereluik, Mishra, Fahnoe, and Terry (2013) offered a synthesis of multiple expert frameworks and perspectives on 21st-century learning, summarizing them in nine forms of knowledge (under three broad categories: foundational, humanistic, and meta). Using this framework, in this study, 518 practicing educators completed a survey on their beliefs about 21st-century learning, allowing us to compare practitioners' perspectives to that of the experts. Our analyses indicate that, in contrast to the expert view as Kereluik et al. synthesized, which equally valued all the categories, survey participants ranked creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking (meta-knowledge) and digital/information and communication technology (ICT) literacy (one component of foundational knowledge) as being most important. Life/job skills, ethical/emotional awareness, and cultural competence (humanistic knowledge) were ranked lower, while disciplinary and cross-disciplinary knowledge (two components of foundational knowledge) were regarded as being least important. Though these results are consistent with some popular views about 21st-century learning, we argue that this reduced emphasis on foundational and humanistic knowledge is misguided. It is, we suggest, the consequence of an unreflective emphasis on the power of technology to access information and a fundamental misunderstanding of the very nature of learning and the broader goals and purposes of education. Finally, we highlight three myths about learning in the 21st century and offer recommendations to address these myths.
Antibacterial Activity of Thymus Syriacus Boiss Essential Oil and Its Components against Some Syrian Gram-Negative Bacteria Isolates

Background: Despite the medical discoveries of different medicines and advanced ways of treatment, statistics have shown that the number of patients is increasing. This may be due to chemical drugs used in healthcare, agriculture, and diets. This soaring demand in medicines urges us to look for natural sources such as aromatic plants and essential oils, which are rich in efficient compounds. Methods: Extraction of essential oils was performed using a Clevenger-type apparatus. Identification was achieved using the GC-FID technique. Confirmation was made using the GC-MS technique, and isolation was done using a preparative HPLC, equipped with an aliquots collector. The microdilution broth susceptibility assay was utilized to determine minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). Results: Our in vitro study demonstrated the antibacterial activity of the Thymus syriacus Boiss essential oil and its components against the tested isolates at levels between 0.375 and 50 µl/ml. The main components of the T. syriacus essential oil were carvacrol, γ-terpinene, and ß–caryophyllene. MIC90 values for the T. syriacus essential oil against the gram-negative organisms varied between 3.125 and 12.5 µl/ml. The most effective components against the gram-negative bacteria were thymol, carvacrol, dihydro-carvon, and linalool respectively. Conclusions: The T. syriacus essential oil and some of its components exhibited very good inhibitory effects against Syrian gram-negative isolates.
Hes6 Inhibits Astrocyte Differentiation and Promotes Neurogenesis through Different Mechanisms

The mechanisms regulating the generation of cell diversity in the mammalian cerebral cortex are beginning to be elucidated. In that regard, Hairy/Enhancer of split (Hes) 1 and 5 are basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) factors that inhibit the differentiation of pluripotent cortical progenitors into neurons. In contrast, a related Hes family member termed Hes6 promotes neurogenesis. It is shown here that knockdown of endogenous Hes6 causes supernumerary cortical progenitors to differentiate into cells that exhibit an astrocytic morphology and express the astrocyte marker protein GFAP. Conversely, exogenous Hes6 expression in cortical progenitors inhibits astrocyte differentiation. The negative effect of Hes6 on astrocyte differentiation is independent of its ability to promote neuronal differentiation. We also show that neither its proneuronal nor its anti-gliogenic functions appear to depend on Hes6 ability to bind to DNA via the basic arm of its bHLH domain. Both of these activities require Hes6 to be localized to nuclei, but only its anti-gliogenic function depends on two short peptides, LNHLL and WRPW, that are conserved in all Hes6 proteins. These findings suggest that Hes6 is an important regulator of the neurogenic phase of cortical development by promoting the neuronal fate while suppressing astrocyte differentiation. They suggest further that separate molecular mechanisms underlie the proneuronal and anti-gliogenic activities of Hes6 in cortical progenitor cells.
Validation of Self-Reported Sleep Against Actigraphy

Background Self-report remains the most practical and cost-effective method for epidemiologic sleep studies involving large population-based samples. Several validated questionnaires have been developed to assess sleep, but these tools are lengthy to administer and may be impractical for epidemiologic studies. We examined whether a 3-item sleep questionnaire, similar to those typically used in epidemiologic studies, closely corresponded with objective measures of sleep as assessed using actigraphy monitoring. Methods Eligible participants were Western Australian women aged 18 to 80 years. Participants completed a sleep questionnaire, wore a wrist actigraph for 7 nights, and completed a brief daily sleep log. Objective actigraphy measurements for 56 participants were summarized by mean and mode and compared with the subjective reports, using weighted kappa and delta. Results Data collected from the questionnaire showed poor agreement with objectively measured sleep, with kappas ranging from −0.19 to 0.14. Conclusions Our results indicate that sleep questions typically used in epidemiologic studies do not closely correspond with objective measures of sleep as assessed using actigraphy. The findings have implications for studies that have used such sleep questions. A means of appropriately measuring sleep as a risk factor in epidemiologic studies remains to be determined.
The C957t Polymorphism in the Dopamine Receptor D2 (drd2) Gene Modulates Domain- General Category Learning (running Head: Drd2, Domain-general Category Learning)

in press at the Journal of Neurophysiology *The authors would like to thank Marissa Gorlick for help in generating Figure 1 and Marissa Gorlick and Kirsten Smayda for generating the experimental code. ABSTRACT Adaptive learning from reward and punishment is vital for human survival. Striatal and frontal dopaminergic activities are associated with adaptive learning. For example, the C957T single nucleotide polymorphism of the DRD2 gene alters striatal D2 receptor availability and affects individuals' adaptive learning ability. Specifically, individuals with the T/T genotype, which is associated with higher striatal D2 availability, show enhanced learning from negative outcomes. Prior work examining DRD2 genetic variability has focused primarily on frontally-mediated reflective learning that is under effortful, conscious control. However, less is known about a more automatic, striatally-mediated reflexive learning. Here we examined the extent to which this polymorphism differentially influences reflective and reflexive learning across visual and auditory modalities. We employed rule-based (RB) and information-integration (II) category learning paradigms that target reflective and reflexive learning respectively. Results revealed an advantage in II category learning but poorer RB category learning in T/T homozygotes. The pattern of results was consistent across sensory modalities. These findings suggest that this DRD2 polymorphism exerts opposite influences on domain-general frontally-mediated reflective learning and striatally-mediated reflexive learning. 1. INTRODUCTION Adaptive learning from reward and punishment is vital for human survival and normal cognitive development. Maladaptive learning from reward and punishment has been implicated in psychopathology including alcohol and substance dependence (Bechara et al. A myriad of evidence points to a critical role for the neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) in the regulation of reward and punishment learning Specifically, striatal and frontal dopaminergic activities are associated with selection of behaviors that maximize rewards and minimize punishments (Frank et al. Waelti et al. 2001). Dopaminergic genes modulate DA function and thereby impact individuals' ability to learn from positive and negative outcomes (Frank et al. 2009; Frank and Hutchison 2009; Frank et al. 2007). Prior research has primarily focused on learning in a reflective mode that is under effortful, conscious control. Less work has explicitly examined learning in a reflexive mode that is relatively more automatic, and not under conscious control. Recent evidence suggests that dopaminergic genetic effects may differentiate depending on whether learning is predominantly reflective or reflexive (Karabanov et al. 2010). Here we examined the effects of an extensively studied polymorphism in the dopamine D2 receptor (DRD2) gene on reflective and reflexive learning. …
A journey through God's creation: Environmental education for Christians

Christians have the power to make significant changes in the natural world; if Christians were to embrace the responsibility to care for Creation, then they can have a great impact in improving the state of the natural world. Current resources available to Christian educators, however, are lacking. New resources are needed to engage Christian audiences and to encourage environmental literacy and stewardship. This project involved developing a guide based on a conceptual framework for creating environmental education curriculum resources for Christians to increase their environmental literacy and likelihood of stewardship. The framework is drawn from the spectrum of beliefs Christians hold about Creation and the ways they have participated in environmental efforts historically.
Addressing Anger, Stress, and Alcohol-Related Difficulties in the Military: An ACT Intervention

The use of alcohol to manage emotion is a common technique seen in military service personnel, the implication of which is evident in the relationship between alcohol misuse and mood disorders. However, investigations into transdiagnostic treatments aimed at addressing the common underlying processes to these problems in military personnel are lacking. The present study aimed to investigate the efficacy of a real-world Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)-based intervention undergone by 262 military personnel. A quasi-experimental prepost design was employed (interim 1 month postintervention) with a waitlist control group utilized to compare differences over time between those who promptly completed the week-long intervention course and the delayed waitlist participants. In line with predictions, the intervention group showed greater improvement (cf. preintervention waitlist group) in emotion management, and greater reductions in levels of alcohol consumption, aggression, anxiety, stress, and perceptions of others being responsible for their circumstances. No significant differences were found in the comparison of both groups’ 1-month postintervention results (i.e., both groups evidenced similar improvements); suggesting having to wait to start the course had little effect on its impact. The results suggest the course holds promise for helping military service personnel improve a range of psychosocial outcomes. Further testing with a more rigorous methodology is recommended, as is using a more proactive approach in the promotion and implementation of future courses.
Novel stability criteria of T-S fuzzy hopfield neural networks with time-varying delays and uncertainties

The problem of asymptotic stability for Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy Hopfield neural networks with time-varying delays is studied in this paper. Based on the Lyapunov functional method, new delay-dependent stability criteria are derived in terms of Linear Matrix Inequalities (LMIs) that can be calculated easily by the LMI Toolbox in MATLAB. The proposed approach does not involve free weighting matrices and can provide less conservative results than some existing ones. Besides, numerical examples are given to show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Enhanced Antitumor Efficacy of Clinical-Grade Vasculature-Targeted Liposomal Doxorubicin

Purpose:In vivo evaluation of good manufacturing practice-grade targeted liposomal doxorubicin (TVT-DOX), bound to a CD13 isoform expressed on the vasculature of solid tumors, in human tumor xenografts of neuroblastoma, ovarian cancer, and lung cancer. Experimental Design: Mice were implanted with lung, ovarian, or neuroblastoma tumor cells via the pulmonary, peritoneal, or orthotopic (adrenal gland) routes, respectively, and treated, at different days post inoculation, with multiple doses of doxorubicin, administered either free or encapsulated in untargeted liposomes (Caelyx) or in TVT-DOX. The effect of TVT-DOX treatment on tumor cell proliferation, viability, apoptosis, and angiogenesis was studied by immunohistochemical analyses of neoplastic tissues and using the chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane assay. Results: Compared with the three control groups (no doxorubicin, free doxorubicin, or Caelyx), statistically significant improvements in survival was seen in all three animal models following treatment with 5 mg/kg (maximum tolerated dose) of TVT-DOX, with long-term survivors occurring in the neuroblastoma group; increased survival was also seen at a dose of 1.7 mg/kg in mice bearing neuroblastoma or ovarian cancer. Minimal residual disease after surgical removal of neuroblastoma primary mass, and the enhanced response to TVT-DOX, was visualized and quantified by bioluminescence imaging and with magnetic resonance imaging. When treated with TVT-DOX, compared with Caelyx, all three tumor models, as assayed by immunohistochemistry and chorioallantoic membrane, showed statistically significant reductions in cell proliferation, blood vessel density, and microvessel area, showing increased cell apoptosis. Conclusion: TVT-DOX should be evaluated as a novel angiostatic strategy for adjuvant therapy of solid tumors.
Divorced pearlite in steels

Steels containing large carbon concentrations are used particularly when a high hardness is required, for example, in the manufacture of components such as bearings. This, however, makes it difficult to shape or machine the alloys during the process of component manufacture unless they are first heat-treated into a softened condition. One method of achieving this economically is to generate a microstructure known as divorced pearlite, in which ferrite and cementite grow from the austenite in a non-cooperative manner, leading to a final microstructure that consists of coarse, spherical particles of cementite dispersed in a matrix of ferrite. This is in contrast to the harder lamellar pearlite which normally develops when high-carbon steels are cooled. The theoretical framework governing the transition from the divorced to the lamellar form is developed and validated experimentally.
The effect of the distance from the webcam in heart rate estimation from face video images

Human facial video captured with a webcam can be processed to extract the heart rate. The objective of this paper is to show that the distance of the person from the webcam is an important parameter in the accuracy of the estimated heart rate. In fact, with increasing this distance, facial region is limited and the resolution of the video image is diminished which eventually leads to decrease in the accuracy of the estimated heart rate. We have carried out experiments on a data set of 12 subjects. The results of experiment have been compared with the heart rates recorded by a fingertip pulse oximeter in a statistical analysis framework. Our comparison reveals that the root mean square error of the difference of the recorded and the estimated heart rates has been increased from 8.91 for one-half meter away from the webcam to 16.77 for three meters away from the webcam.
Efficient Unsupervised Discovery of Word Categories Using Symmetric Patterns and High Frequency Words

We present a novel approach for discovering word categories, sets of words sharing a significant aspect of their meaning. We utilize meta-patterns of high-frequency words and content words in order to discover pattern candidates. Symmetric patterns are then identified using graph-based measures, and word categories are created based on graph clique sets. Our method is the first pattern-based method that requires no corpus annotation or manually provided seed patterns or words. We evaluate our algorithm on very large corpora in two languages, using both human judgments and WordNet-based evaluation. Our fully unsupervised results are superior to previous work that used a POS tagged corpus, and computation time for huge corpora are orders of magnitude faster than previously reported.
The CIRCE Element and Its Putative Repressor Control Cell Cycle Expression of the Caulobacter crescentus groESLOperon

ABSTRACT The groESL operon is under complex regulation inCaulobacter crescentus. In addition to strong induction after exposure to heat shock, under physiological growth conditions, its expression is subject to cell cycle control. Transcription and translation of the groE genes occur primarily in predivisional cells, with very low levels of expression in stalked cells. The regulatory region of groESL contains both a ς32-like promoter and a CIRCE element. Overexpression ofC. crescentus ς32 gives rise to higher levels of GroEL and increased levels of the groESL transcript coming from the ς32-like promoter. Site-directed mutagenesis in CIRCE has indicated a negative role for thiscis-acting element in the expression of groESLonly at normal growth temperatures, with a minor effect on heat shock induction. Furthermore, groESL-lacZ transcription fusions carrying mutations in CIRCE are no longer cell cycle regulated. Analysis of an hrcA null strain, carrying a disruption in the gene encoding the putative repressor that binds to the CIRCE element, shows constitutive synthesis of GroEL throughout theCaulobacter cell cycle. These results indicate a negative role for the hrcA gene product and the CIRCE element in the temporal control of the groESL operon.
A correlational analysis of academic stress in adolescents in respect of socio-economic status

For students, the adolescent is a major transition in their lives since they make various decisions regarding all aspects of their lives such as academics, social life, and leisure activities. They have to struggle to meet the expectations of their parents which include desires related to their academic performance. In addition, society believes that studies with a high-rank from the reputed institute are a “passport” to a good job, high salaries, and high social status which is expected from students. As a result, the students are indirectly subjected to a variety of stressors mainly linked to academic success.