Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) refers to cases in which women have had three failed in vitro fertilization (IVF) attempts with good quality embryos. The definition should also take advanced ...maternal age and embryo stage into consideration. The failure of embryo implantation can be a consequence of uterine, male, or embryo factors, or the specific type of IVF protocol. These cases should be investigated to determine the most likely etiologies of the condition, as this is a complex problem with several variables. There are multiple risk factors for recurrent implantation failure including advanced maternal age, smoking status of both parents, elevated body mass index, and stress levels. Immunological factors such as cytokine levels and presence of specific autoantibodies should be examined, as well as any infectious organisms in the uterus leading to chronic endometritis. Uterine pathologies such as polyps and myomas as well as congenital anatomical anomalies should be ruled out. Sperm analysis, pre-implantation genetic screening and endometrial receptivity should be considered and evaluated, and IVF protocols should be tailored to specific patients or patient populations. Treatment approaches should be directed toward individual patient cases. In addition, we suggest considering a new initial step in approach to patients with RIF, individualized planned activities to activate the brain's reward system in attempt to improve immunological balance in the body.
•We provide the first quantitative assessment of neurocognitive theories of obesity.•These results were obtained with quantitative meta-analyses of fMRI studies.•Overall, we provide support for an ...incentive sensitization theory of obesity.•Obese individuals have greater activation of reward regions for visual food cues.•The brain of obese individuals is more sensitive to hunger and less to satiety.
The dysregulation of food intake in chronic obesity has been explained by different theories. To assess their explanatory power, we meta-analyzed 22 brain-activation imaging studies. We found that obese individuals exhibit hyper-responsivity of the brain regions involved in taste and reward for food-related stimuli. Consistent with a Reward Surfeit Hypothesis, obese individuals exhibit a ventral striatum hyper-responsivity in response to pure tastes, particularly when fasting. Furthermore, we found that obese subjects display more frequent ventral striatal activation for visual food cues when satiated: this continued processing within the reward system, together with the aforementioned evidence, is compatible with the Incentive Sensitization Theory. On the other hand, we did not find univocal evidence in favor of a Reward Deficit Hypothesis nor for a systematic deficit of inhibitory cognitive control. We conclude that the available brain activation data on the dysregulated food intake and food-related behavior in chronic obesity can be best framed within an Incentive Sensitization Theory. Implications of these findings for a brain-based therapy of obesity are briefly discussed.
In the research domain framework (RDoC), dysfunctional reward expectation has been proposed to be a cross-diagnostic domain in psychiatry, which may contribute to symptoms common to various ...neuropsychiatric conditions, such as anhedonia or apathy/avolition. We used a modified version of the Monetary Incentive Delay (MID) paradigm to obtain functional MRI images from 22 patients with schizophrenia, 24 with depression and 21 controls. Anhedonia and other symptoms of depression, and overall positive and negative symptomatology were also measured. We hypothesized that the two clinical groups would have a reduced activity in the ventral striatum when anticipating reward (compared to anticipation of a neutral outcome) and that striatal activation would correlate with clinical measures of motivational problems and anhedonia. Results were consistent with the first hypothesis: two clusters in both the left and right ventral striatum were found to differ between the groups in reward anticipation. Post-hoc analysis showed that this was due to higher activation in the controls compared to the schizophrenia and the depression groups in the right ventral striatum, with activation differences between depression and controls also seen in the left ventral striatum. No differences were found between the two patient groups, and there were no areas of abnormal cortical activation in either group that survived correction for multiple comparisons. Reduced ventral striatal activity was related to greater anhedonia and overall depressive symptoms in the schizophrenia group, but not in the participants with depression. Findings are discussed in relation to previous literature but overall are supporting evidence of reward system dysfunction across the neuropsychiatric continuum, even if the specific clinical relevance is still not fully understood. We also discuss how the RDoC approach may help to solve some of the replication problems in psychiatric fMRI research.
An electronic health record (EHR) is a technology that allows you to keep track of your health information. It keeps computerized records of several healthcare organizations. Records are exchanged ...via enterprise-wide data systems as well as other networking technologies and exchanges. Patients nowadays expect immediate access to their health information. However, the health sector comes with immediate access to data, and there are worries about the privacy and security of medical records of patients. As a result, a blockchain-based solution can assist in resolving this issue. The blockchain has the potential to beat the conventional centralized system, which suffers from a severe lack of accessibility. The current healthcare system is often seen as being both costly and convoluted. However, with improved health data management and insurance providers, this may be reduced via the use of Blockchain Technology (BT). It is the goal of the developers of BT to make it possible to keep track of financial transactions without having to rely on a central authority or a bank. Innovations in BT have allowed for better health records, insurance billing, and smart contract transactions, and it also enable a decentralized data structure of activities, as well as eternal availability and security over health information. Access to medical records, instrument tracking, prescription databases, hospital facilities, and property lifetime all inside a blockchain architecture is made possible by BT that also greatly improves the seamless integration of health information. The use of BT in the medical field has this advantage as one of its primary advantages. Access to a patient's medical history is crucial for prescribing the right treatment, and BT has the potential to greatly enhance the current state of public healthcare delivery. This paper offers a block chain-based scheme called “Health Chain” as a solution for maintaining medical records. Health Chain is made to be better than the existing systems since it gives patients, health professionals, and other external stakeholders safe, efficient, and ubiquitous medical information available while maintaining the patients' confidentiality. To regulate operations and restrict access to digital health records, Health Chain uses timed-based smart contracts. In addition, it uses cutting-edge encryption methods to boost security. This study suggests a new reward system that uses healthcare professionals to track patients' medical information and construct additional units. Numerous tests are run to assess the proposed Health Chain model's performance, and the findings demonstrate that the proposed suggestion effectively manages a huge dataset called (nCOV19) from the Covid-19 study with little delay. Maximum efficiency will be expected to be attained by 98%, transaction latency by 95%, overall system execution time by 96%, data security by 92%, and data scalability by 95%, according to the suggested research.
Most physiology and behavior of mammalian organisms follow daily oscillations. These rhythmic processes are governed by environmental cues (e.g., fluctuations in light intensity and temperature), an ...internal circadian timing system, and the interaction between this timekeeping system and environmental signals. In mammals, the circadian timekeeping system has a complex architecture, composed of a central pacemaker in the brain's suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN) and subsidiary clocks in nearly every body cell. The central clock is synchronized to geophysical time mainly via photic cues perceived by the retina and transmitted by electrical signals to SCN neurons. In turn, the SCN influences circadian physiology and behavior via neuronal and humoral cues and via the synchronization of local oscillators that are operative in the cells of most organs and tissues. Thus, some of the SCN output pathways serve as input pathways for peripheral tissues. Here we discuss knowledge acquired during the past few years on the complex structure and function of the mammalian circadian timing system.
Our study adds perspective on research into choices in the design of management control systems by examining: (1) how transformational-leadership style influences the choice of the design of a ...comprehensive performance-measurement system (PMS) and reward system; (2) how subordinate managers' reliance on broad-scope accounting (BSA) information facilitates their managerial decision-making processes and managerial performance. Our results suggest that transformational-leadership style has a significant positive and direct effect on managerial performance. We find that it has a significant positive and direct effect on the use of BSA information and comprehensive PMS, but has no significant effect on reward systems. We also find that transformational-leadership style has a partial indirect effect on managerial performance via three mediators, namely, comprehensive PMS, reward systems, and BSA information. Our findings shed light on how such mediators intervene in the relationship between transformational-leadership style and managerial performance.
Quarantine policies introduced in the context of COVID-19 are affecting business operations and slowing down the flow rate of the overall economy. Different degrees and types of threats occur in both ...the living environment and the working environment during the epidemic prevention, which causes many additional uncertainties. The impact on employees is the identity threat from environment and organizations. This is different from the related research on the identification and impact of the threat before the occurrence of COVID-19. However, in the post-pandemic period, companies continue to strengthen important factors that can increase innovation and recovery, including the role of employee knowledge sharing. The organizational inequity and lack of organizational justice bring about the threat of internal identification in organizations. In order to ensure their own interests in organizations, employees may think twice when sharing knowledge. Therefore, this study explores the relationship among employees' identity threat, social capital and knowledge sharing behavior from the perspective of organizational behavior. In this study, a sample of high-tech employees was conducted, and a total of 434 questionnaires were obtained. The research results show that employees' perception of identity threat has a negative impact on knowledge sharing behavior and positively affects social capital; employees' social capital positively affects their knowledge sharing behaviors; and organizational reward system moderates the relationship between identity threat and knowledge sharing behavior. Based on the comprehensive research findings, this research proposes corresponding theoretical and practical implications.
•Cafeteria (CAF) diet has high construct validity.•CAF diet induces hyperphagia and metabolic syndrome better than other diets.•A CAF protocol should include different nutrients, tastes, textures, ...etc.•A CAF protocol should rotate and be voluntary.•CAF diet alters reward preferences and tends to reduce stress and spatial memory.
Obesity is a major health risk, with junk food consumption playing a central role in weight gain, because of its high palatability and high-energy nutrients. The Cafeteria (CAF) diet model for animal experiments consists of the same tasty but unhealthy food products that people eat (e.g. hot dogs and muffins), and considers variety, novelty and secondary food features, such as smell and texture. This model, therefore, mimics human eating patterns better than other models. In this paper, we systematically review studies that have used a CAF diet in behavioral experiments and propose a standardized CAF diet protocol. The proposed diet is ad libitum and voluntary; combines different textures, nutrients and tastes, including salty and sweet products; and it is rotated and varied. Our summary of the behavioral effects of CAF diet show that it alters meal patterns, reduces the hedonic value of other rewards, and tends to reduce stress and spatial memory. So far, no clear effects of CAF diet were found on locomotor activity, impulsivity, coping and social behavior.
Background
A loot box is a gaming term for an electronic lottery that randomly provides items that enhance the gaming experience. In recent years, loot boxes have been increasingly discussed as a ...risk factor of gaming disorder (GD). While they may be purchased for a few dollars at a time, the cumulative expenses resulting from their addictive use have become a social problem.
Case Presentation
This paper presents a case of GD involving a substantial financial burden incurred through the use of a Japanese loot box called Gacha.
Conclusion
The randomness in the selection of virtual items in loot boxes resembles gambling, triggering the reward system and contributing to an addiction to purchasing more loot boxes. For therapeutic purposes, understanding the motivations behind purchasing loot boxes and considering individual developmental characteristics are crucial to helping patients find satisfaction and a sense of achievement in activities besides gaming.
Plastic pollution has emerged as a major global concern due to its enduring nature and limited recycling options. In response to this critical challenge, this paper presents a novel approach ...utilizing a Detection-Based Reward System (DBRS) alongside an innovative business model to promote effective plastic waste management, reduce plastic waste accumulation in the nature, and uphold environmental cleanliness. Leveraging the YOLOv5 algorithm for its exceptional accuracy, speed, and open-source availability, plastic bottle detection becomes a pivotal aspect of this system. Users seamlessly enroll in the system, triggering an automated detection process that computes reward points corresponding to their deposited plastic bottles. These reward points are meticulously stored within a centralized database. Beyond its operational facets, this comprehensive system encompasses a robust business model, strategically poised to capture widespread engagement with waste disposal practices, thereby contributing to the realization of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) geared towards fostering a healthier environment. Notably, the DBRS attains cutting-edge performance in plastic bottle detection, boasting an impressive mean Average Precision (mAP) of 0.973, underscoring its efficacy in tackling plastic pollution.
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