Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Declining lung cancer mortality of young Australian women despite increased smoking is linked to reduced cigarette ‘tar’ yields

Lung cancer data were examined to determine whether the mortality rates of young Australian women have continued to increase in line with the proportions of them who have smoked tobacco. Trends in annual age-specific lung cancer mortality were estimated for 1965–1998. Age-specific mortality rates and age-adjusted ratios of mortality rates were calculated for birth cohorts. Proportions of smokers in those cohorts were estimated from results of eight national surveys of smoking, and their mean ages of commencement and years of smoking were assessed from surveys of smokers in two states. Lung cancer mortality rates of 20–44-year-old Australian women peaked in 1986. Age-adjusted mortality rates are lower for women born in the 1950s and 1960s than for women born in the 1940s, despite higher proportions of smokers, younger age of commencement and longer duration of smoking by age 30 years in the more recent cohorts. Increased smoking has not resulted in higher lung cancer mortality for Australian women born in the 1950s and 1960s. Reductions in tar yields of Australian-made cigarettes, which would have affected primarily those born after the 1940s, may be responsible. © 2001 Cancer Research Campaign http://www.bjcancer. com
The Efficiency of Attentional Networks in Early and Late Bilinguals: The Role of Age of Acquisition

Previous studies have demonstrated a bilingual advantage in the efficiency of executive attention. A question remains, however, about the impact of the age of L2 acquisition and relative balance of the two languages on the enhancement of executive functions in bilinguals, and whether this is modulated by the similarity of the bilingual's two languages. The present study explores these issues by comparing the efficiency of attentional networks amongst three groups of young adults living in Australia: English monolinguals and early and late Chinese–English bilinguals. We also address the impact of bilingualism on hemispheric lateralization of cognitive functions, which is of interest since a recent study on early bilinguals revealed reduced hemispheric asymmetry in attentional functioning. In the present study, participants performed a modified version of the lateralized attention network test. Both early and late bilinguals were found to have more efficient executive network than monolinguals. The late bilinguals, who were also reported to be more balanced in the proficiency and usage of their two languages, showed the greatest advantage in conflict resolution, whereas early bilinguals seemed to show enhanced monitoring processes. These group differences were observed when controlling for non-verbal intelligence and socioeconomic status. Such results suggest that specific factors of language experience may differentially influence the mechanisms of cognitive control. Since the bilinguals had distinct language sets, it seems that the influence of bilingualism on executive functions is present regardless of the similarity between the two languages. As for hemispheric lateralization, although the results were not clear-cut, they suggest the reduced lateralization in early bilinguals.
The role of epistemic motivation in the link between arousal and focus of attention

Title of Document: THE ROLE OF EPISTEMIC MOTIVATION IN THE LINK BETWEEN AROUSAL AND FOCUS OF ATTENTION Edward Orehek, Doctor of Philosophy, 2009 Directed By: Distinguished University Professor, Arie W. Kruglanski, Department of Psychology Over 60 years of research has led to a law-like acceptance of the Easterbro ok (1959) hypothesis. Easterbrook (1959) famously reviewed the evidence on the arousalattention link and concluded that as arousal increases, the range of cues utilized decreases, and the focus of attention narrows. However, the present set of eig ht studies suggests that the Easterbrook hypothesis needs to be seriously qualified. Recent developments in the understanding of the role of arousal in information processing suggests that rather than invariably leading to a focus of attent ion, arousal instead serves as information regarding the urgency and/or importance of active processing strategies (Storbeck & Clore, 2008). Because some processing st rategie lead to a broadening of attention, arousal should sometimes be negatively related t o a focusing of attention. A first set of four studies investigated the need for cl osure as it relates to the arousal-attention link. The need for closure refers to the motivati on to make quick, firm judgments, and has been shown to lead to the use of fewer available cues. Because of this, it seems that the need for closure should lead to a tendency to focus one’s attention. However, when need for closure is low, individuals tend to process more available cues, broadening attention in order to avoid reaching premature closure. The results indicate that when individuals are high on the need f or closure, arousal is positively related to focus of attention, whereas when individual s are low on the need for closure, arousal is negatively related to focus of attenti on. A second set of four studies investigated the influence of the regulatory modes of locomotion and assessment on the arousal-attention link. Because locomotion is oriented towards movement, it should lead to a focus of attention. Because assessment is oriented towards making evaluations based on comparisons among alternatives, it should lead to a broadening of attention. The results show that when a locomotion mode is active, arousal is positively related to focus of attention, where as, when an assessment mode is active, arousal is negatively related to focus of atte nti n. THE ROLE OF EPISTEMIC MOTIVATION IN THE LINK BETWEEN AROUSAL AND FOCUS OF ATTENTION
Cytosolic Phospholipase A 2 (cid:2) –deﬁcient Mice Are Resistant to Collagen-induced Arthritis

Pathogenic mechanisms relevant to rheumatoid arthritis occur in the mouse model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Cytosolic phospholipase A 2 (cid:2) (cPLA 2 (cid:2) ) releases arachidonic acid from cell membranes to initiate the production of prostaglandins and leukotrienes. These inflammatory mediators have been implicated in the development of CIA. To test the hypothesis that cPLA 2 (cid:2) plays a key role in the development of CIA, we backcrossed cPLA 2 (cid:2) -deficient mice on the DBA/1LacJ background that is susceptible to CIA. The disease severity scores and the incidence of disease were markedly reduced in cPLA 2 (cid:2) -deficient mice compared with wild-type littermates. At completion of the study, (cid:3) 90% of the wild-type mice had developed disease whereas none of the cPLA 2 (cid:2) -deficient mice had more than one digit inflamed. Further-more, visual disease scores correlated with severity of disease determined histologically. Pannus formation, articular fibrillation, and ankylosis were all dramatically reduced in the cPLA 2 (cid:2) deficient mice. Although the disease scores differed significantly between cPLA 2 (cid:2) mutant and wild-type mice, anti-collagen antibody levels were similar in the wild-type mice and mutant littermates. These data demonstrate the critical role of cPLA 2 (cid:2) in the pathogenesis of CIA.
The Ethics of Tax Evasion: A Survey of Business Students in Poland

The ethics of tax evasion has been discussed sporadically in the theological and philosophical literature for at least 500 years. Martin Crowe wrote a doctoral thesis that reviewed much of that literature in 1944. The debate revolved around about 15 issues. Over the centuries, three main views evolved on the topic. This paper begins with a review of the literature and identifies the main issues and summarizes the three main viewpoints that have emerged over the centuries. It then reports on the results of a survey of Polish business students who were asked their opinions on the ethics of tax evasion. The survey consisted of 18 statements, representing the 15 issues and 3 viewpoints that have emerged over the centuries plus 3 statements representing more recent issues. Participants were asked to signify the extent of their agreement with each statement by placing a number from 1 to 7 in the space provided. Two hundred seventy-nine (279) usable responses were received. The data were then analyzed to determine which of the three viewpoints was dominant among the sample population. Male scores were also compared to female scores to determine if the responses differed by gender.
The Relationship between the Price of Land and Size of Plot When Plots are Small

Most research, using American data, has found that the price of land per unit of area decreases with plot size. This seems counter intuitive. A data set of land sales collected in an almost laboratory-like situation is used to examine the relationship. The evidence shows that the price of land per unit of area increases with plot size. The current study looks at smaller sites which are otherwise identical in their characteristics. Most other studies, however, look at sites which vary in size, in location, and, in particular, the extent to which they are serviced with infrastructure
Integrated Variance Reduction Strategies for Simulation

We develop strategies for integrated use of certain well-known variance reduction techniques to estimate a mean response in a finite-horizon simulation experiment. The building blocks for these integrated variance reduction strategies are the techniques of conditional expectation, correlation induction including antithetic variates and Latin hypercube sampling, and control variates; all pairings of these techniques are examined. For each integrated strategy, we establish sufficient conditions under which that strategy will yield a smaller response variance than its constituent variance reduction techniques will yield individually. We also provide asymptotic variance comparisons between many of the methods discussed, with emphasis on integrated strategies that incorporate Latin hypercube sampling. An experimental performance evaluation reveals that in the simulation of stochastic activity networks, substantial variance reductions can be achieved with these integrated strategies. Both the theoretical and experimental results indicate that superior performance is obtained via joint application of the techniques of conditional expectation and Latin hypercube sampling.
Improvement in 100-m Sprint Performance at an Altitude of 2250 m

A fair system of recognizing records in athletics should consider the influence of environmental conditions on performance. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of an altitude of 2250 m on the time for a 100-m sprint. Competition results from the 13 Olympic Games between 1964 and 2012 were corrected for the effects of wind and de-trended for the historical improvement in performance. The time advantage due to competing at an altitude of 2250 m was calculated from the difference between the mean race time at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City and the mean race times at the low-altitude competition venues. The observed time advantage of Mexico City was 0.19 (±0.02) s for men and 0.21 (±0.05) s for women (±90% confidence interval). These results indicate that 100-m sprinters derive a substantial performance advantage when competing at a high-altitude venue and that an altitude of 1000 m provides an advantage equivalent to a 2 m/s assisting wind (0.10 s). Therefore, the altitude of the competition venue as well as the wind speed during the race should be considered when recognizing record performances.
Effect of Marine Omega 3 Fatty Acids on Methylmercury-Induced Toxicity in Fish and Mammalian Cells In Vitro

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a ubiquitous environmental contaminant which bioaccumulates in marine biota. Fish constitute an important part of a balanced human diet contributing with health beneficial nutrients but may also contain contaminants such as MeHg. Interactions between the marine n-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3, EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6n-3, DHA) with MeHg-induced toxicity were investigated. Different toxic and metabolic responses were studied in Atlantic salmon kidney (ASK) cell line and the mammalian kidney-derived HEK293 cell line. Both cell lines were preincubated with DHA or EPA prior to MeHg-exposure, and cell toxicity was assessed differently in the cell lines by MeHg-uptake in cells (ASK and HEK293), proliferation (HEK293 and ASK), apoptosis (ASK), oxidation of the red-ox probe roGFP (HEK293), and regulation of selected toxicological and metabolic transcriptional markers (ASK). DHA was observed to decrease the uptake of MeHg in HEK293, but not in ASK cells. DHA also increased, while EPA decreased, MeHg-induced apoptosis in ASK. MeHg exposure induced changes in selected metabolic and known MeHg biomarkers in ASK cells. Both DHA and MeHg, but not EPA, oxidized roGFP in HEK293 cells. In conclusion, marine n-3 fatty acids may ameliorate MeHg toxicity, either by decreasing apoptosis (EPA) or by reducing MeHg uptake (DHA). However, DHA can also augment MeHg toxicity by increasing oxidative stress and apoptosis when combined with MeHg.
Analyzing the Impacts of Commitment and Entrenchment on Behavioral Intentions

The lack of a universal definition for the organizational commitment brings difficulties for improving knowledge about the construct. Following the commitment construct revision proposed by Rodrigues (2009) through the separation of its continuance dimension - now referred to as organizational entrenchment, this paper analyzed the relationships between organizational affective commitment and entrenchment with behavioral intentions. The study was conducted in a Brazilian information technology company with the participation of 307 people. The results show that organizational entrenchment is indeed a different construct than the organizational affective commitment. It was found that affective commitment to the organization is a predecessor of the intentions to stay, defend, and exert extra effort, while entrenchment displayed no relevant relationships with them.
Behavioral alterations in reward system function: the role of childhood maltreatment and psychopathology.

OBJECTIVE To examine in children the influence of maltreatment and associated psychiatric sequelae on behavioral responses to reward stimuli. METHOD A computerized two-choice decision-making task involving probabilistic monetary gains was used to probe elemental processes of goal-directed actions. Using different risk contingencies, the authors examined decision-making, expectations of outcomes, and affective responses to rewards in 38 maltreated children and 21 demographically matched controls (8-14 years old). RESULTS Maltreated children selected risk options faster than controls; however, whereas controls responded more quickly as the chance of winning increased, maltreated children did not vary in response speed as a function of the likelihood of winning. When choosing between high- and low-risk options, maltreated children with depressive disorders more frequently selected safe over risky choices than did controls. No group differences emerged in self-report ratings of positive or negative reactions to winning or not winning, respectively. CONCLUSIONS This initial experimental study of responses to reward lays the groundwork for subsequent research on neurodevelopmental aspects of reward processes in relationship to maltreatment and psychopathology. Clinical applications of these data may be relevant for developing treatment plans for maltreated children, particularly those with depression.
Driving electric ? : a financial assessment of electric vehicle policies in France

In recent years, electric vehicles have come to the forefront of public transport policies. They are seen as remedy for various pressing public concerns and are thus increasingly benefiting from supportive policy measures. Such measures remain contested: their impact on actual vehicle uptake rates, their sustainability, usefulness and justification are far from being self-evident. This study aims at uncovering the effect of financial demand-side public policy measures on i) the uptake rate of electric vehicles among private households in France, and ii) the public budget. First, the context within which electric vehicles are to evolve is sketched. A comprehensive overview of the potential opportunities that come with the introduction of electric vehicles is given. An international policy review depicts public policy levers that are currently deployed in order to support the uptake of electric vehicles. A focus is put on financial demand-side measures. Preliminary conclusions on their effectiveness with regards to observed electric vehicle uptake rates in the various countries reviewed are drawn. Next, the potential market for electric vehicles among French households is explored. Besides financial aspects, socio-economic obstacles to electric vehicle uptake among private households are analysed. With the aid of scenario analysis that accounts for the many uncertainties with regards to future vehicle developments, costs and market trends, a forecast of the electric vehicles' potential up until 2023 is given. The applied disaggregate approach based on the database of the French National Transport Survey 2007/2008 allows identifying the most promising sets of financial public policy measures that are likely to guarantee certain electric vehicle uptake rates over the next decade. Lastly, the effect of replacing one conventional vehicle by one electric vehicle on the public budget is investigated. Both, vehicle manufacture and use aspects are considered. The set up valuation model hereby accounts for direct and indirect financial impacts on the public budget. These comprise direct purchase subsidies, tax breaks, and tax income, as well as effects of changing employment situations that alter the amount of social contributions and unemployment benefits . The study's findings and considerations allow for various suggestions for vehicle manufacturers and policy makers willing to support the uptake of electric vehicles. These are listed in the conclusions section which also sketches directions for further research
Testosterone Increases: Sodium Reabsorption, Blood Pressure, and Renal Pathology in Female Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats on a High Sodium Diet

Estrogen (E) and testosterone (T) are important in the sexually dimorphic pattern of blood pressure (BP) development. The goal was to examine the effects of endogenous E and exogenous T in the development of hypertension in female spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) on a high sodium diet. Female SHR (N = 27, 5-week) were divided into four groups: (1) control (n = 8), (2) ovariectomized (OVX, n = 26), (3) testosterone implants with intact ovaries (T, n = 6), and (4) ovariectomized + testosterone implants (OVX+T, n = 7). T was given immediately after OVX and replaced every two weeks and they were fed a 3% NaCl diet. BP was measured weekly and plasma norepinephrine (NE) analyzed by HPLC. OVX+T females exhibited the greatest elevation in BP (190 ± 4.0 mmHg) compared to controls at 15 weeks of age (140 ± 3.4 mmHg, P < .001) and a pattern of hypertension development similar to that of male SHR. Females with T treatment showed evidence of glomerulosclerosis. In conclusion, T accelerated the development of hypertension similar to the BP pattern observed in males; the presence of ovaries attenuated the T induced increase in BP; T increased renal sodium reabsorption, and T increased glomerulosclerosis.
Cytokine and hormonal profile in blood serum and follicular fluids during ovarian stimulation with the multidose antagonist or the long agonist protocol.

BACKGROUND The aim of our study was to explore cytokine and hormonal profiles in blood and follicular fluids from normal women stimulated with either the multidose antagonist or the long agonist protocol. METHODS Fifty-six patients were stimulated with the multidose antagonist protocol and 12 with the long agonist protocol. Interleukin (IL)-1beta, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha), leptin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), estradiol (E(2)), progesterone and testosterone levels were measured in serum and follicular fluids by immunoassays. RESULTS The two treatment groups had similar cytokine concentrations in serum. The intrafollicular concentrations of IL-1beta, IL-6, VEGF and leptin were also similar in the two groups. The concentrations of bFGF in follicular fluids from the antagonist group (169.5 +/- 113.2 ng/ml) were lower than those from the agonist group (249.7 +/- 119.8 ng/ml). bFGF concentrations were correlated with the amount of administered gonadotrophins (R = 0.364, P < 0.01) which was significantly lower in the antagonist group (antagonist group: 2037.7 +/- 725.8 IU; agonist group: 2836.4 +/- 1163.5 IU). CONCLUSIONS Normal women stimulated with either the multidose antagonist or the long agonist protocol generally have similar cytokine profiles in serum and follicular fluids. The intrafollicular levels of bFGF tend to be lower in antagonist cycles because of the lower amount of administered gonadotrophins.
Are Immigrants Positively or Negatively Selected? The Role of Immigrant Selection Criteria and Self-Selection

This paper specifies and estimates a structural model of international migration using micro data. This provides a direct test of human capital theory that suggests that individuals respond to the earnings differentials across countries while making their migration decisions. The paper specifies migration as a joint outcome of two decision makers, i.e. the individual who decides to apply for migration and the host country that reviews applications, and identifies the factors determining the decision of these two players. The empirical results provide evidence in support of the human capital model. It is also shown that both the host country and the individual have significant impacts on the resulting charatersitics of immigrants. The results suggest negative self-selection at the application stage both in terms of observed and unobserved characteristics and a positive selection at the review step by the host country. Although there is negative self- selection in terms of schooling among applicants, as a result of the positive selection at the review step the resulting migrants are positively selected. However, in terms of unobservable characteristics the review step is unable to reverse the negative self-selection that occurs at the application stage, and the resulting migrants are negatively selected in this dimension.
Hog Operations, Environmental Effects, and Residential Property Values

A hedonic study of rural residential house sales in southeastern North Carolina was conducted to determine the effect of large-scale hog operations on surrounding property values. An index of hog manure production at different distances from the houses was developed. It was found that proximity caused a statistically significant reduction in house prices of up to 9 percent depending on the number of hogs and their distance from the house. The effect on the price of a house from opening a new operation depended on the number of hogs already in the area.