Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Answering Questions About Race: How Racial and Ethnic Identities Influence Survey Response

Given the fundamental role that race and ethnicity play in U.S. society, sensitive survey items on this subject can often lead individuals to underreport their true attitudes. Previous studies have shown that the absence of an interviewer reduces the pressure to provide socially desirable responses. The 2012 and 2016 American National Election Studies (ANES), where both interviewer and self-administered surveys were used, allows us to test whether mode effects emerge in the way respondents answer survey items related to racial attitudes. We also expect mode effects to vary based on the extent to which individuals are politically socialized in the United States. We find that respondents tend to underreport their racial animosity in interview-administered versus online surveys. Moreover, underreporting is nonexistent in the responses provided by foreign-born Latinos, but emerges for U.S.-born Latinos, Blacks, and Whites. These findings pose a number of implications for our understanding of racial attitudes and survey mode.
Novel Endogenous Protein Kinase C Substrate Proteins, Neutrinins, in Brain Synaptic Membranes of Maturing Rat

Abstract: A new family of membrane phosphoproteins designated as P9, P12, P15, P16, and P20 with corresponding apparent molecular weights of 9K, 12K, 15K, 16K, and 20K was characterized from rat brain by using in vitro exogenous or endogenous phosphorylation and autoradiography. As the phosphorylation was selectively inhibited by the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor PKC19–31 or Ca2+‐chelating reagents and again stimulated by the PKC activator phorbol 12,13‐dibutyrate, these proteins are thought to be the natural PKC substrates. Because P12, P15, P16, and P20 were neutral proteins (pl 7.0) and specifically distributed in neuronal membranes, the new family of membrane‐associated PKC substrate proteins was referred to as neutrinins. Neutrinins were widely distributed in rat brain, being especially plentiful in the spinal cord, medulla oblongata, cerebellum, and midbrain, relatively scanty in the cerebral cortex, but lacking in cytosol of brain areas and cell membrane preparations of peripheral tissues. The expression of the developmental changes of neutrinins has been monitored by the in vitro exogenous phosphorylation approach, i.e., adding purified PKC to a deactivated synaptosomal plasma membrane system. Levels of all the neutrinin proteins in rat cerebral cortex, as represented by P12, P15, and P16, showed an ontogenetic increase from the early postnatal days to the adult. This appears to be correlated with the commencement of synaptogenesis.
Three-gene molecular diagnostic model for thyroid cancer.

BACKGROUND The preoperative diagnosis of thyroid nodules primarily depends upon fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology. However, up to 25% of FNA samples have associated "suspicious or indeterminate", but not diagnostic cytologic reports, resulting in difficulty deciding appropriate clinical management for these patients. We hypothesize that the use of molecular markers as an adjunct to FNA cytology can improve the distinction of benign from malignant nodules that have associated suspicious or indeterminate cytology. METHODS Using microarray analysis, we previously identified and reported on 75 genes useful in the distinction of benign versus malignant thyroid nodules. In the present study, we have further validated the expression of 14 of these markers in a large number of thyroid samples by immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis of 154 thyroid tumors and quantitative real-time RT-PCR (QRT-PCR) analysis of 95 FNA samples. Of the 154 tumors analyzed by IHC, 44 samples (29%) had associated suspicious or indeterminate FNA cytology. RESULTS Receiver operating characteristic using three-gene model, (HMGA2, MRC2, and SFN) analysis for the detection of malignant nodules resulted in areas under the curve (AUCs) of≥0.95 (80% sensitivity; 100% specificity) and≥0.84 (71% sensitivity; 84% specificity) for the IHC data in tumors, and QRT-PCR data in FNA samples, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that a three-gene model for the cytological diagnosis of indeterminate thyroid nodules is both feasible and promising. Implementation of this as an adjunct to thyroid cytology may significantly impact the clinical management of patients with suspicious or indeterminate thyroid FNA nodules.
Comparison of different vaccines and induced immune response against Campylobacter jejuni colonization in the infant mouse

SUMMARY The degree of protection conferred by vaccinated dams on infant mice against colonization by Campylobacter jejuni depended on the bacterial strain, preparation, and route of administration of the vaccine. In some instances of homologous protection, serum bactericidal titres correlated well with protection. However, boiled C. jejuni vaccine, which was non-protective, also elicited a strong bactericidal antibody response. Conversely, bactericidal activity could not be demonstrated against strains capable of cross-protection. There was a good correlation between high campylobacter-specific IgG response and bactericidal activity.
A Multi-Worksite Analysis of the Relationships Among Body Mass Index, Medical Utilization, and Worker Productivity

Background: The relationships between worker health and productivity are becoming clearer. However, few large scale studies have measured the direct and indirect cost burden of overweight and obesity among employees using actual biometric values. The objective of this study was to quantify the direct medical and indirect (absence and productivity) cost burden of overweight and obesity in workers. Measures: A cross-sectional study of 10,026 employees in multiple professions and worksites across the United States was conducted. The main outcomes were five self-reported measures of workers' annual health care use and productivity: doctor visits, emergency department visits, hospitalizations, absenteeism (days absent from work), and presenteeism (percent on-the-job productivity losses). Multivariate count and continuous data models (Poisson, negative binomial, and zero-inflated Poisson) were estimated. Results: After adjusting for covariates, obese employees had 20% higher doctor visits than normal weight employees (confidence interval [CI] 16%, 24%, P < 0.01) and 26% higher emergency department visits (CI 11%, 42%, P < 0.01). Rates of doctor and emergency department visits for overweight employees were no different than those of normal weight employees. Compared to normal weight employees, presenteeism rates were 10% and 12% higher for overweight and obese employees, respectively (CI 5%, 15% and 5%, 19%, all P < 0.01). Taken together, compared to normal weight employees, obese and overweight workers were estimated to cost employers $644 and $201 more per employee per year, respectively. Conclusions: This study provides evidence that employers face a financial burden imposed by obesity. Implementation of effective workplace programs for the prevention and management of excess weight will benefit employers and their workers.
Medical informatics across Europe: Analysis of medical informatics scientific output in 33 European countries

Objectives To investigate the medical informatics scientific output in 33 European countries. Methods Medical Subject Heading term “medical informatics” was used to identify all relevant articles published in 1998–2007 and indexed in the Medline database. The number of articles was adjusted to the population size of each included country in order to obtain the rates per million inhabitants. Results A total of 28 604 articles were identified. The highest number per million inhabitants was found for Switzerland and the lowest for Albania. Overall, European Union member states had higher output than non-member states, gross domestic product was strongly associated with the scientific output in the field of medical informatics (r = 0.88, p < 0.001). While most countries had significant increase in the scientific output during the observed period, an adjustment to the European average output trend suggested that Lithuania, Portugal, Serbia and Spain had a greater increase than the rest of Europe. Conclusion The results suggest large disparities across Europe. Further development of medical informatics as a profession and a clear recognition of the discipline are needed to reduce these disparities and propel further increase in research productivity.
Excessive daytime sleepiness in asthma: What are the risk factors?

ABSTRACT Objective: Previous studies have found that excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS) is a more common problem in asthmatic subjects than in the general population. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the prevalence of EDS is increased in asthmatic subjects and, if so, to analyse the occurrence of potential risk factors for EDS in asthmatics. Methods: Cross-sectional epidemiological study. In 2008, a postal questionnaire was sent out to a random sample of 45,000 individuals aged 16–75 years in four Swedish cities. Results: Of the 25,160 persons who participated, 7.3% were defined as having asthma. The prevalence of EDS was significantly higher in asthmatic subjects (42.1% vs. 28.5%, p < 0.001) compared with non-asthmatic subjects. Asthma was an independent risk factor for EDS (adjusted OR 1.29) and the risk of having EDS increased with asthma severity. Risk factors for EDS in subjects with asthma included insomnia (OR, 3.87; 95% CI, 3.10–4.84); chronic rhinosinusitis (OR, 2.00; 95% CI, 1.53–2.62); current smoking (OR, 1.60; 95% CI, 1.15–2.22) and obesity (OR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.09–2.13). Conclusions: EDS is a common problem among subjects with asthma. Asthma is an independent risk factor for having EDS. Furthermore, subjects with asthma often have other risk factors for EDS, many of them potentially modifiable.
The Impact of Climate on the Law of One Price: A Test Using North American Food Prices from the 1920s

Using grocery price data for over 100 urban locations across the US and Canada from the 1920s, we show that deviations from the law of one price (LOP) were strongly related to climate differences. The effect of climate has a large impact on the elasticity of deviations from LOP with respect to distance, while having no impact on the border effect. We then test a counterfactual to show that the relationship between deviations from LOP and temperature does not hold when historical temperature data are replaced with contemporary. This is evidence that climate impacts production.
Effect of incomplete exposure assessment on epidemiologic dose-response analyses.

OBJECTIVES When potentially hazardous agents have multiple environmental sources, failure to include all exposure sources can constitute a type of measurement error. In addition, the effects of exposure from one source can also be confounded by exposure to other sources of the same agent. In this study clarification of these concepts is sought, and the direction and magnitude of the resulting bias in epidemiologic measures of association are examined. METHODS The bias in dose-response functions when the exposure data omit some sources of the agent was estimated with linear and log-linear models to compute risk differences and risk ratios under different assumptions about the magnitude and correlation of exposures from measured and unmeasured sources. RESULTS With unmeasured exposure of constant magnitude, there is no bias when a measure of association of the appropriate form (difference measures for additive dose-response processes, ratios for multiplicative ones) is selected. When the magnitude of unmeasured exposure varies, the results is nondifferential measurement error that can bias observed dose-response relations upward or downward, depending on the pattern of measurement error and the measure of association. CONCLUSIONS Failure to measure all sources of exposure to an agent and account for them in the analysis can bias the results of epidemiologic studies. When it is not feasible to measure all exposure sources, the magnitude of bias can be predicted by estimating the distribution of omitted exposures from external data or substudies. Sensitivity analyses are particularly useful for estimating the direction and magnitude of potential bias from incomplete exposure assessment.
Hormonal Contraception as Treatment for Heavy Menstrual Bleeding: A Systematic Review

A systematic review to compare the effectiveness of contraceptives to treat heavy menstrual bleeding (HMB). PubMed was searched for studies using hormonal contraceptive methods to treat HMB. Two reviewers screened 734 citations and extracted eligible trials based on rigid inclusion and exclusion criteria. Fourteen articles met inclusion criteria. The evidence was good to poor quality and suggested that all contraceptives tested were effective in the treatment of HMB, but the levonorgestrel intrauterine system was the most effective method. Hormonal contraceptives effectively treat HMB. The levonorgestel intrauterine system is the superior method.
Interleukin-37 Expression Is Increased in Chronic HIV-1-Infected Individuals and Is Associated with Inflammation and the Size of the Total Viral Reservoir

Interleukin-37 (IL-37) is a recently identified cytokine with potent antiinflammatory and immunosuppressive functions. The objective of this study was to compare levels of IL-37 mRNA in immunological subgroups of chronic human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HlV-1)-infected individuals and noninfected controls, to determine IL-37’s association with biomarkers of inflammation and reservoir size. This was a cross-sectional study. The HIV-1-infected patients were categorized in three subgroups depending on their combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) treatment status and CD4+ T-cell count. Quantitative RT-PCR was used for the detection of IL-37 mRNA and HIV-1 DNA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Biomarkers in plasma were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), whereas T-cell activation was determined by flow cytometry. Lastly, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulations of patients PBMCs were carried out to determine differences in IL-37 mRNA response between the subgroups. Sixty HIV-1-infected patients and 20 noninfected controls were included in the study. Steady-state IL-37 mRNA levels in PBMCs were significantly higher in HIV-1-infected individuals compared with noninfected controls: 2.4-fold (p ≤ 0.01) cART-naïve subjects; 3.9-fold (p ≤ 0.0001) inadequate immunological responders; and 4.0-fold (p ≤ 0.0001) in immunological responders compared with noninfected controls. Additionally, levels of the monocyte inflammatory marker sCD14 correlated with IL-37 mRNA (p = 0.03), whereas there was no association with T-cell activation. Finally, we observed a significant correlation between total viral HIV-1 DNA and IL-37 mRNA in PBMCs (p < 0.0001). Collectively, our data shows that the level of IL-37 mRNA is affected by chronic HIV-1-infection. A relationship with the activation of the monocyte compartment is suggested by the correlation with sCD14 and, interestingly, IL-37 could be related to the size of the total viral HIV-1 reservoir.
Biometry of the cornea in myopic chinese patients.

PURPOSE To develop a close-fit mathematical model of corneal anterior and posterior topography and investigate the variation of corneal topography with biometric parameters in a group of young adult myopic Chinese patients. METHODS Corneal topography data were acquired from 112 eyes of 61 myopic patients (mean age: 24.10±3.66 years). Videokeratoscopic images were recorded for anterior and posterior corneal surfaces using an Orbscan IIz topography system (Bausch & Lomb), and elevation data were fit to ellipsoid, hyperboloid, and paraboloid equations. Axial length, anterior chamber depth, refractive error, corneal curvature, central corneal thickness, and white-to-white distance were also measured and statistically analyzed. RESULTS The ellipsoid equation provided the best fit for the anterior and posterior corneal surfaces in all patients. Corneal asymmetry slightly improved the accuracy of the mathematical model and reduced errors of fit with the clinical data. Strong evidence of right and left corneal symmetry was obtained in the form of similar corneal curvature, shape factor, and thickness values. The refractive error showed strong correlation with axial length (r=-0.586, P<.001) but not with corneal curvature or anterior chamber depth, indicating that myopia may be related to scleral stretching and globe elongation rather than changes in corneal curvature or anterior chamber depth. CONCLUSIONS Axial length appears to be the main morphological parameter related to myopia. Myopic corneas took the form of a rotationally asymmetric prolate ellipsoid that gradually flattened towards the periphery. The study also provided evidence of symmetry between an individual's right and left corneas.
Improving the amplitude‐modulated control experiment for multislice continuous arterial spin labeling

The use of an amplitude‐modulated radiofrequency (RF) pulse for a control experiment is a proven method to control for off‐resonance effects in multislice continuous arterial spin labeling (CASL) experiments. This method is also known as double adiabatic inversion. The adiabaticity factor of a single half‐pulse, β1/2, and a new dimensionless parameter α, which is obtained from the labeling parameters and the flow velocity, are introduced. This makes it possible to distinguish three distinct cases: 1) With low α, a double inversion occurs. 2) With α ≥ ∼4, the efficiency with which the longitudinal magnetization is returned to the z‐axis depends on the phase of the amplitude modulation at the time the spins cross the center of the labeling plane. 3) In the intermediate region, the efficiency shows undesirable fluctuations. In a Bloch equation simulation, three optimized parameter sets are determined. Near ideal performance should always be achieved by combinations of parameters for which β1/2 ≥ ∼2 and α ∼ π/β1/2. The efficiency increases were realized in a volunteer study, showing the practical application of the suggested optimization. Magn Reson Med 53:1096–1102, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Inactivation of DNA‐polymerase associated with hepatitis B virus

The effects of heat, sodium hypochlorite, diethyl ether, and ethyl alcohol on the activity of DNA polymerase (DNA‐P) associated with hepatitis B virsus (HBV) in serum were evaluated. The response of DNA‐P to heating at 60°C for 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 180, and 240 minutes was studied and the data suggested that there may be two types of DNA‐P. The majority of DNA‐P was type ‘a’, and it showed a one log redution (D60) at 60°C in 36 minutes, while the remaining activity was type ‘b’ that showed a one log reduction (D60) in 340 minutes. Treatment of DNA‐P with sodium hypochlorite at concentrations of 250 and 500 parts per million (ppm) of available chlorine resulted in a 20 to 25% reduction in DNA‐P activity within one minute. Complete loss in detectable DNA‐P activity occurred within one minute when available Cl‐ was 2500 ppm or greater. Various concentrations of ethyl alcohol (ranging from 10 to 70%) caused gradually increasing inactivation of DNA‐P activity in ten minutes at 4°C. Ninety percent inactivation occurred with 60% alcohol. Overnight treatment of DNA‐P‐reactive material with diethyl ether at 4°C led to loss of detectable activity. A reduction in the titer of HBsAg was found following treatment with alcohol or ether. The possible use of DNA‐P assay as an indicator of the rate of inactivation of HBV is proposed.
Mamekhaya: a pilot study combining a cognitive-behavioral intervention and mentor mothers with PMTCT services in South Africa

Abstract Nearly 30% of pregnant women in South Africa are estimated to be HIV seropositive, yet adherence to guidelines for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) is often low. A pilot study was developed to see whether PMTCT services provided by the South African Government could be enhanced by the Mamekhaya program, a combination of the mothers2mothers peer-mentoring program and a culturally adapted cognitive-behavioral intervention (CBI) from the USA. Pregnant women attending two maternity clinics offering PMTCT in Gugulethu and Vanguard Townships, Cape Town, South Africa, were invited to participate in the study. Women at the intervention site (Gugulethu) received the support of a mentor mother and also attended an eight-session Mamekhaya CBI. At the control site (Vanguard), women received standard services provided by midwives and counselors. Baseline assessments were completed by all participants at enrollment (n=160), and follow-ups were completed six months later by 44% of participants. Self-reports of adherence to PMTCT practices were high across both sites (90% or more engaging in the core practices). Women at the Mamekhaya site showed significantly greater improvement in establishing social support and reducing depression scores than women at the control site. Mamekhaya participants also showed trends for better attendance at follow-up medical visits, and greater improvements in positive coping. The greatest effect of the Mamekhaya program was to increase HIV knowledge scores, particularly with regard to understanding the meaning and importance of viral load and CD4 test results. Results from this pilot study show promise that augmenting basic PMTCT services with mentor mothers and a culturally adapted CBI can be effective in conveying information and in improving the emotional outlook and hopefulness of HIV-positive pregnant women in South Africa.
Mechanism of the Zonal Displacements of the Pacific Warm Pool: Implications for ENSO

The western equatorial Pacific warm pool is subject to strong east-west migrations on interannual time scales in phase with the Southern Oscillation Index. The dominance of surface zonal advection in this migration is demonstrated with four different current data sets and three ocean models. The eastward advection of warm and less saline water from the western Pacific together with the westward advection of cold and more saline water from the central-eastern Pacific induces a convergence of water masses at the eastern edge of the warm pool and a well-defined salinity front. The location of this convergence is zonally displaced in association with El Niño-La Niña wind-driven surface current variations. These advective processes and water-mass convergences have significant implications for understanding and simulating coupled ocean-atmosphere interactions associated with El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO).
Human FAD synthase (isoform 2): a component of the machinery that delivers FAD to apo‐flavoproteins

A soluble form of human FAD synthase (isoform 2; hFADS2) was produced and purified to homogeneity as a recombinant His‐tagged protein. The enzyme binds 1 mole of the FAD product very tightly, although noncovalently. Complete release of FAD from the ‘as isolated’ protein requires extensive denaturation. A 75 : 25 mixture of apo/holoprotein could be prepared by treatment with mild chaotropes, allowing estimatation of the contribution made by bound FAD to the protein stability and evaluatation of whether structural rearrangements may be required for FAD release. Under turnover conditions, the enzyme catalyzes FAD assembly from ATP and FMN and, at a much lower rate, the pyrophosphorolytic hydrolysis of FAD. Several mechanistic features of both reactions were investigated in detail, along with their dependence on environmental conditions (pH, temperature, dependence on metals). Our data indicate that FAD release may represent the rate‐limiting step of the whole catalytic cycle and that the process leading to FAD synthesis, and delivery to client apoproteins may be tightly controlled.