Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effects of mefloquine treatment in pregnancy.

We investigated the relationship between mefloquine antimalarial treatment and the outcome of pregnancy in Karen women living in an area along the western border of Thailand where multidrug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum infections are common. Of 3,587 pregnancies investigated, 208 (5.8%) were exposed to mefloquine, 656 (18.3%) to quinine only, and 909 (25.3%) to other antimalarials, and 2,470 (68.9%) had no documented malaria. There were 61 stillbirths and 313 abortions. Women who received mefloquine treatment during but not before pregnancy had a significantly greater risk of stillbirth than did women treated with quinine alone (odds ratio [OR], 4.72; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.7-12.7), women exposed to other treatments (OR, 5.10; 95% CI, 2-13.1), and women who had no malaria (OR, 3.50; 95% CI, 1.6-7.6) (P < .01). This association remained after adjustment for all identified confounding factors. Mefloquine was not associated with abortion, low birth weight, neurological retardation, or congenital malformations. Mefloquine treatment during pregnancy was associated with an increased risk of stillbirth.
Expected Values for Pedometer-Determined Physical Activity in Youth

This review assembles pedometry literature focused on youth, with particular attention to expected values for habitual, school day, physical education class, recess, lunch break, out-of-school, weekend, and vacation activity. From 31 studies published since 1999, we constructed a youth habitual activity step-curve that indicates: (a) from ages 6 to 18 years, boys typically take more steps per day than girls; (b) for both sexes the youngest age groups appear to take fewer steps per day than those immediately older; and (c) from a young age, boys decline more in steps per day to become more consistent with girls at older ages. Additional studies revealed that boys take approximately 42–49% of daily steps during the school day; girls take 41–47%. Steps taken during physical education class contribute to total steps per day by 8.7–23.7% in boys and 11.4–17.2% in girls. Recess represents 8–11% and lunch break represents 15–16% of total steps per day. After-school activity contributes approximately 47–56% of total steps per day for boys and 47–59% for girls. Weekdays range from approximately 12,000 to 16,000 steps per day in boys and 10,000 to 14,000 steps per day in girls. The corresponding values for weekend days are 12,000–13,000 steps per day in boys and 10,000–12,000 steps per day in girls.
Attachment and Personality Disorders Among Child Molesters: The Role of Trust

The present study investigated multivariate associations between attachment styles and personality disorders (PDs)—and the mediating role of trust—in a sample of child molesters (n = 84) and a matched control group from the general community (n = 80). Among child molesters, canonical correlation analysis revealed that two variates resembling avoidant and anxious attachment dimensions were associated with PD traits. Attachment avoidance was related to schizoid, schizotypal, and avoidant PDs, with a marginal contribution of antisocial PD. Attachment anxiety was related to borderline and histrionic PDs, with a marginal contribution of obsessive-compulsive PD. Paranoid and dependent PDs contributed to both variates. In the control group, a more general association between attachment insecurity and PDs emerged. Finally, mistrust significantly explained the associations between attachment and PDs in both samples. Future studies should examine whether treatment for PDs in child molesters could benefit from a focus on attachment and trust.
FRUIT EVOLUTION AND DIVERSIFICATION IN CAMPANULID ANGIOSPERMS

With increases in both the size and scope of phylogenetic trees, we are afforded a renewed opportunity to address long‐standing comparative questions, such as whether particular fruit characters account for much of the variation in diversity among flowering plant clades. Studies to date have reported conflicting results, largely as a consequence of taxonomic scale and a reliance on potentially conservative statistical measures. Here we examine a larger and older angiosperm clade, the Campanulidae, and infer the rates of character transitions among the major fruit types, emphasizing the evolution of the achene fruits that are most frequently observed within the group. Our analyses imply that campanulids likely originated bearing capsules, and that all subsequent fruit diversity was derived from various modifications of this dry fruit type. We also found that the preponderance of lineages bearing achenes is a consequence of not only being a fruit type that is somewhat irreversible once it evolves, but one that also seems to have a positive association with diversification rates. Although these results imply the achene fruit type is a significant correlate of diversity patterns observed across campanulids, we conclude that it remains difficult to confidently and directly view this character state as the actual cause of increased diversification rates.
Is There an Effect of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome on Oxidative Stress and Inflammatory Parameters in Patients With Craniofacial Anomalies?

Abstract The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) exhibits oxidative stress and inflammation in patients who have a congenital, craniofacial anomaly. This prospective, cross-sectional cohort study included ambulant sleep study data to asses OSAS in patients with syndromic craniosynostosis and Treacher Collins syndrome. Laboratory analyses were performed including malondialdehyde, tumor necrosis factor &agr; (TNF-&agr;), interleukin 6, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Forty-eight patients were included; 11 were adults; 37 were children. The patients’ body mass indexes were normal, with a median (SD) of 0.7 (−1.82 to 2.48) in children and 20.5 (15.2–29.4) in adults. Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome was diagnosed in 23 of 48 patients. It was mild (median obstructive apnea–hypopnea index [oAHI], 2.3; oxygenation-desaturation index [ODI], 0.9) in 16 patients and moderate/severe in 7 patients (median oAHI, 10.8; ODI, 5.0). Neither oxidative stress nor inflammation had a correlation with the oAHI and ODI. Only TNF-&agr; was found significantly higher in both the OSAS and non-OSAS groups compared with the reference values (median, 15.1 pg/mL and 12.3 pg/mL versus 4.05 [0.0–8.1 pg/mL], P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). Based on our findings we conclude that (mainly mild) OSAS, oxidative stress, as well as high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and interleukin 6 levels are not abnormal in the day time in a population of nonobese patients with a craniofacial anomaly. The increased level of TNF-&agr; cannot be explained by OSAS. Future research should focus on mapping chronobiologic changes for further interpretation of the results.
Analysis of European Equity Funds Preferences for Stock Characteristics

We analyze the equity portfolio composition of investment funds of 15 European countries. We find that these institutions tend to prefer larger, more liquid, high dividend, low volatility stocks that belong to the main stock market indices. These results are consistent with previous studies that analyze institutional preferences for stock characteristics. These results are also consistent with theories of “prudent” behavior by institutions and are robust to factors such as funds holding a small number of stocks and funds with unusually large holdings relative to the number of outstanding shares of a single company. When we compare institutional preferences across sub-groups of funds, we find no relevant differences between the stock preferences of funds from Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece and Spain and those of funds from other countries; also, there seem to be no significant differences between funds with different investment styles and preferences before and during the recent financial crisis in Europe. We also find similar preferences for funds located in countries that adopted the Euro and funds from other countries. Additionally, we find that funds with long-term strategies are more conforming with “prudent” behavior than funds more focused on the short-term.
Large scale object detection

This thesis focuses on the problem of large scale visual object detection and classification in digital images. A new type of image features that are derived from state-of-the-art convolutional neural networks is proposed. It is further shown that the newly proposed image signatures bare a strong resemblance to the Fisher Kernel classifier, that recently became popular in the object category retrieval field. Because this new method suffers from having a large memory footprint, several feature compression / selection techniques are evaluated and their performance is reported. The result is an image classifier that is able to surpass the performance of the original convolutional neural network, from which it was derived. The new feature extraction method is also used for the object detection task with similar results.
Correlation of rheumatoid arthritis severity with the genetic functional variants and circulating levels of macrophage migration inhibitory factor.

OBJECTIVE To study whether genetic variants of macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), the MIF -173G>C and CATT(5-8) alleles, are associated with disease severity and levels of circulating MIF in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS Genotyping was performed in patients with early RA and in healthy controls. Demographic data, disease activity, and outcome measurements were compared between patients with and without the MIF variants. MIF -173G>C and CATT(5-8) polymorphisms were genotyped, and a newly developed enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for human MIF was used. Allele and genotype distributions of the MIF -173G>C and CATT(5-8) polymorphisms were compared between patients and controls by chi-square test. Multiple regression analysis was performed to assess the independence of the MIF functional genetic variants as risk factors for radiologic joint damage. RESULTS Genotyping of the -173G>C and CATT(5-8) polymorphisms of MIF in RA patients and healthy individuals (n = 277 each) revealed similar frequencies of genotypes and haplotypes in both groups. No significant differences in demographic or clinical features were observed between RA patients carrying the MIF -173C allele or the MIF CATT7 allele or both and non-carrier RA patients. Radiologic joint damage was significantly higher in patients carrying risk alleles of the MIF -173G>C or the MIF CATT(5-8) functional variants. No synergistic effects between both genetic variants were observed. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that presence of the MIF -173C/C and MIF CATT(7/7) genotypes and having 1 MIF -173C allele were independent prognostic variables. Carriership of the MIF -173C allele (P = 0.002) or MIF CATT7 allele (P = 0.004) was associated with significantly higher circulating MIF levels compared with those in subjects having none of the risk-conferring alleles, and greater circulating MIF levels correlated with more severe radiologic joint damage (r = 0.64, P = 0.001). CONCLUSION The MIF polymorphisms are not associated with RA susceptibility but are associated with high levels of radiologic joint damage. High circulating MIF levels were shown to correlate strongly with radiologic joint damage, suggesting that MIF expression is genetically determined and can be used as a novel prognostic tool in RA.
Transcriptional Regulation and Characterization of a Novel β-Fructofuranosidase-Encoding Gene from Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003

ABSTRACT An operon involved in fructooligosaccharide breakdown was identified in the genome of Bifidobacterium breve UCC2003. This 2.6-kb transcriptional unit was comprised of three genes that encoded a putative permease, a conserved hypothetical protein, and a β-fructofuranosidase. Active transcription of the operon was observed when B. breve UCC2003 was grown on sucrose or Actilight, while transcription appeared to be repressed when the organism was grown on glucose, fructose, a combination of glucose and sucrose, or a combination of fructose and sucrose. The β-fructofuranosidase encoded by this operon was purified and biochemically characterized. The optimum pH and temperature for catalytic activity were determined to be pH 6.0 and 37°C, respectively, and there was a dependence on bivalent cations, particularly manganese. The Km and Vmax values for sucrose hydrolysis were determined to be 25 ± 2 mM and 24 ± 3 μmol min−1 mg−1, respectively. Interestingly, the enzyme was shown to specifically catalyze cleavage of the β(2-1) glycosidic bond between glucose and its neighboring fructose moiety in sucrose and other fructooligosaccharides with a relatively low degree of polymerization, and there was no detectable activity towards the β(2-1) glycosidic bond between two fructose moieties within the same substrate. To our knowledge, such an enzymatic activity has not previously been described in bifidobacteria or other gram-positive bacteria.
Measurement of the time between synthesis and surface excretion of sebaceous lipids in sheep and man.

The delay between synthesis and excretion of sebum in sheep and in man was determined by measurement of the time between intradermal injection of [1- 14 C]acetate and the appearance of a peak of radioactivity in the skin surface lipids at the injection site. In two sheep, a peak of radioactivity in the total surface lipid occurred 6 days after injection, and this is interpreted as the time required for the excretion of sebum after it was synthesized. In three human males, the delay between synthesis and excretion averaged 8.0 ± 0.5 days. Fractionation of the surface lipids from both sheep and man showed that each of the major constituents had a similar excretion time.
Efficacy of Venous Supercharging of the Deep Inferior Epigastric Perforator Flap in a Rat Model

Background: An insidious risk with the use of muscle perforator flaps is the possibility of venous outflow compromise. Congestion in deep inferior epigastric perforator (DIEP) flaps in particular is not infrequent. On an empiric basis, their salvage has been accomplished by augmenting venous drainage through alternative outflow tracts. The validity of this clinical maneuver can now best be tested in a rat DIEP flap model. Methods: The rat DIEP flap is a modification of the rat ventral abdomen flap. Flap perfusion can be based on a single rectus abdominis musculocutaneous perforator. No muscle is included with the flap. Three groups of five male Sprague-Dawley rats each were used. The conventional DIEP flap group had only a solitary perforator artery and venae comitantes and served as the control. The contralateral superficial inferior epigastric vein was included with the flap in the other two groups as a distinctly separate venous outflow tract. The latter two groups differed in that the perforator venae comitantes were either retained or deleted. Results: Mean flap survival in the control DIEP flap group was 80.8 ± 16.3 percent. Retention of the contralateral superficial inferior epigastric vein resulted in a statistically significant enhancement in flap viability (p < 0.027) whether the perforator venae comitantes were left intact (99.8 ± 0.4 percent) or had been intentionally ablated (99.6 ± 0.5 percent). Conclusions: Venous supercharging of the rat DIEP flap ensures greater flap survival. As a corollary, this supports the efficacy of prior anecdotal experiences in which an alternative venous outflow tract, preferably from the superficial system, had been used to overcome venous congestion. It is advisable for any muscle perforator flap to always try to retain a second outflow source to allow the potential for venous supercharging, if later indicated.
Morning Surge in Blood Pressure and Cardiovascular Risk: Evidence and Perspectives

Hypertension is the most powerful risk factor for the cardiovascular diseases, including stroke, coronary artery disease, heart failure, chronic kidney disease, and aortic and peripheral arterial diseases. There is a significant variability in BP level among hypertensives; however, the diagnosis of hypertension and the therapeutic target of BP are based on the average of each BP measured. There is marked diurnal variation in the onset time of cardiovascular events, with the peak being exhibited in early morning. Blood pressure (BP) also exhibits a similar diurnal variation, with a decrease during sleep and a surge in the morning.1,2 In addition to the persistent pressor stress (averaged throughout a 24-hour period), dynamic diurnal variation in pressor stress from the nadir to the peak in the morning, that is, the morning surge in BP, would be expected to progress target organ damage and trigger cardiovascular events, particularly those occurring in the morning.3,4 Because my group first demonstrated that exaggerated morning surge in BP constitutes a risk for stroke independent of 24-hour BP,5 there has been a steady increase in cross-sectional and prospective evidence supporting the idea that morning BP surge is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Here I review the recent evidence and the remaining unresolved issues on this topic. ### Prospective Findings on Cardiovascular Events Normal morning BP surge is a physiological phenomenon, but an exaggerated morning BP surge is a cardiovascular risk. Thus, the association between the degree of morning BP surge and cardiovascular risk is not linear but rather has a threshold. There have been 6 prospective studies demonstrating that the morning surge in BP is a risk for cardiovascular events (Table 1). 5–10 These studies have used 3 different definitions of the morning BP surge as follows (Figure 1): (1) a sleep-trough surge defined as the morning BP (2-hour …
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE EQUITY RETURN LEVELS OF OIL COMPANIES AND UNANTICIPATED EVENTS: THE CASE OF THE EXXON VALDEZ ACCIDENT

This study examines the effects of the March 24, 1989 grounding of the tanker Exxon Valdez on the equity return levels of several major oil companies. Using the Multivariate Regression model (MVRM) methodology, the results indicate that the equity prices of the effected firms immediately and fully reflected the relevant information associated with the accident. Additionally, the evidence reveals that the market was able to discriminate among the oil companies based on their levels of exposure to the Trans-Alaska Pipeline. The lack of significant abnormal equity price changes for those firms which were, at most, only marginally affected by the accident suggests that the market did not view the disaster as having industry-wide repercussions.
Preliminary results of single-port versus triple-port complete thoracoscopic lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer.

OBJECTIVE To compare the feasibility and safety of single-port vs. triple-port complete thoracoscopic lobectomy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS A retrospective study was conducted on 82 patients with NSCLC who underwent complete thoracoscopic lobectomy from August 2014 to October 2014 in Department of Thoracic Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital. There were 33 cases in single-port complete thoracoscopic lobectomy group (single-port group) and the other 49 ones in triple-port complete thoracoscopic lobectomy group (triple-port group). Total lymph node harvest, mediastinal lymph node harvest, dissection of mediastinal lymph node groups, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, chest drainage duration, postoperative hospital stay, postoperative one-day pain visual analogue scale (POP-VAS), and the complications were thoroughly compared between the two groups. RESULTS There were no significant differences in total lymph node harvest, mediastinal lymph node harvest, dissection of mediastinal lymph node groups, intraoperative blood loss, chest drainage duration, postoperative hospital stay, and complications between the two groups (P>0.05). However, the operation time of single-port group was significantly longer than that of triple-port group (181.3±27.5 vs. 149.5±30.9 min, P<0.05). POP-VAS in single-port group was significantly lower than that in triple-port group (3.6±0.7 vs. 5.5±1.0, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS For NSCLC, the feasibility and safety of single-port complete thoracoscopic lobectomy is similar to triple-port complete thoracoscopic lobectomy. Compared with triple-port complete thoracoscopic lobectomy, the operation time of single-port complete thoracoscopic lobectomy is longer, but its postoperative pain is gentler. As the experience accumulating, single-port complete thoracoscopic lobectomy should be popularized with its merits of minimal invasiveness.
Decrease in the prevalence of adolescent alcohol use and its possible causes in Japan: periodical nationwide cross-sectional surveys.

BACKGROUND Trends in alcohol drinking prevalence were assessed among Japanese adolescents, and possible reasons for a decrease in drinking prevalence observed in 2004. METHODS Cross-sectional nationwide surveys were conducted periodically. High schools were randomly sampled from throughout Japan in 1996, 2000, and 2004. All enrolled students in sampled schools were subjects of the surveys. Self-reporting anonymous questionnaires were collected from 115,814 students in 1996, 106,297 in 2000, and 102,451 in 2004. Questions about drinking prevalence of students and family members, proportion of students who have no friends, and sources of alcohol were included. Students who drunk at least one day of the 30 days preceding the survey were defined as the current drinkers. RESULTS The drinking prevalence in 2004 was decreased in comparison to that in 1996 and 2000 in both sexes and in all school grades. The current drinking rate (monthly drinker) among junior high school boys was 29.4% in 1996, 29.0% in 2000, and 20.5% in 2004, while that among senior high school boys was 49.7%, 48.7%, and 36.2%, respectively. The respective prevalence among junior and senior girls was 24.0%, 25.5%, and 20.0% and 40.8%, 42.1%, and 34.1%. The prevalent sources of alcohol beverages were searching in home, stores (convenience store, supermarket, or gas-stand), liquor shops, and bars. An analysis of the reasons for this decrease identified a decrease in drinking prevalence in students' families, especially by fathers and older brothers, and an increase in the proportion of students who had no friends. CONCLUSIONS A decrease in drinking prevalence of male family members and a limitation of sources of alcoholic beverages may contribute to the decrease in adolescent drinking prevalence.
The Eck Fistula Rat: Definition of an Experimental Model *, **

Abstract Fifty‐nine male Sprague‐Dawley rata were subjected to an end‐to‐side portacaval shunt and compared with appropriate controls. During the first ten days after the operation, the liver weights decreased from an average of 4.2 to 2.3% of the body weight and thereafter remained at this level. Testicular atrophy also occurred regularly but only after the tenth postoperative day. Three weeks after the operation, the body weight of shunted rats had decreased by an average of 20%, whereas sham operated controls gained 17%. These changes were related to food intake and coprophagy. Hyper‐ammonaemia developed gradually and levelled off at about 500 (μg/100 ml. Other alterations were more variable in severity. Spontaneous motor activity decreased to 12–77% of the preoperative value and was significantly correlated with changes in body weight. The electrocorticographic pattern was characterized by an average increase in rapid waves to 205% after five to six weeks, whereas the slow waves remained unchanged. These studies have established a standard of reference for further investigations with this animal model.