Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Home environment and suspected atopic eczema in Japanese infants: The Osaka Maternal and Child Health Study

Atopic eczema is most commonly diagnosed in children under the age of 5 yr. Environmental factors during pregnancy or in early life may confer risk for childhood atopic eczema. The present prospective study examined the relationship of the perinatal home environment and the risk of suspected atopic eczema among Japanese infants under the age of 1. Study subjects were 865 parent–child pairs. The term ‘suspected atopic eczema’ was used to define an outcome based on our questionnaire at 2–9 months postpartum. Adjustment was made for maternal age, gestation, family income, maternal and paternal education, maternal and paternal history of asthma, atopic eczema, and allergic rhinitis, time of delivery before the second survey, baby's older siblings, baby's sex, and baby's birth weight. A high mite allergen level from maternal bedclothes and mold in the kitchen during pregnancy were significantly associated with an increased risk of suspected atopic eczema. Frequent vacuuming practices during pregnancy and giving the infant a bath or shower at least once a day were significantly inversely related to the risk of suspected atopic eczema. Maternal smoking, maternal use of a synthetic duvet and pillow, carpet use in the living room and maternal bedroom, indoor domestic pets, no ducted heating appliance, and gas use for cooking during pregnancy and household smoking in the same room as the infant, infant's synthetic duvet, carpet use in the infant's room, or vacuuming the infant's room were not related to the risk of suspected atopic eczema. High house dust mite allergen levels and mold in the kitchen during pregnancy may increase the risk of infantile atopic eczema, whereas frequent vacuuming practices during pregnancy and giving the infant a bath or shower at least once a day may protect against infantile atopic eczema.
Policy Effects on the Quality of Public Health Care: Evaluating Portuguese Public Hospitals’ Quality through Customers’ Views

Abstract In this paper, public health care administration issues are reviewed and public hospital patients’ views on quality of health care are empirically tested. The purpose is to support the recommendation of new public policies that lead to better performance, if necessary. Hospital patients’ views on service quality were assessed through a questionnaire to estimate a global customer satisfaction measure. We argue that customer satisfaction should be measured through multiple indicators, as a latent variable. Thus, we considered the latent segment models (LSM) approach to assess customer service satisfaction. We found a twosegment latent structure: segment 1, the satisfied, with 48 percent of patients, mostly male and middle-aged patients; and segment 2, the unsatisfied, with 52 percent of patients, mostly female and youngest/oldest patients.
Political Cynicism Revisited: An Information-Processing Reconciliation of Policy-Based and Incumbency-Based Interpretations of Changes in Trust in Government

Arthur H. Miller (1974a) and Jack Citrin (1974) offer alternate explanations for changes in levels of trust in government in the United States. We suggest these two competing viewpoints can be reconciled by considering the ways in which citizens chronically think about politics. We operationalize two political "chronicities" (chronically accessible cognitive constructs or schemas): one based on issues; the other based on persons. We hypothesize that alienation from the issue stands on both major parties (or candidates) will lead to declining trust in government (as Miller argues), but only for people who have an issues chronicity. Dissatisfaction with the performance of the incumbent president will also lead to declining trust in government (as Citrin argues), but chiefly for people with a person chronicity. We find support for these two hypotheses in the National Election Studies (NES) 1972-74-76 panel study (a period of declining trust in government) and in the NES 1984 survey (a period of increasing trust in government). We also find evidence that political cynicism is associated with greater approval of antigovernment protest, but only for respondents with a person chronicity.
Self-Assembled Ultralow-Voltage Flexible Transparent Thin-Film Transistors Gated by $\hbox{SiO}_{2}$-Based Solid Electrolyte

A simple self-assembling approach with only one nickel shadow mask is developed for flexible transparent thin-film transistors (TFTs) with patterned channel fabrication. An ultralow operation voltage of 1.5 V is realized due to the large specific gate capacitance (1.5 μF/cm2 ) of the microporous SiO2-based solid-electrolyte dielectric. Flexible transparent indium-tin-oxide TFTs exhibit a good performance with a low subthreshold swing of <; 70 mV/dec and a large on/off ratio of ~ 107, respectively. Such low-voltage flexible transparent TFTs with a simple self-assembling process are promising for portable flexible transparent electronics applications.
[Helicobacter pylori infection and a decrease in the pH of gastric juice as a possible cause of bleeding in erosive gastritis].

INTRODUCTION Bleeding erosive gastritis and ulcer disease are the most common causes of bleeding from the upper parts of the alimentary tract. Over the period of the last 10 years there has been an increased number of patients where Helicobacter pylori is mentioned as the possible cause of infection. At the same time in this group of patients pH values were decreased. During our research we wanted to examine the influence of local pH value and Helicobacter pylori infection on the occurrence of bleeding erosive gastritis. MATERIAL AND METHODS During this research we examined two groups of patients. The following parameters were examined within these two groups of patients: 1. presence of Helicobacter pylori infection; 2. histopathologic changes in mucus; 3. there were 57 patients with a bleeding form of gastritis of unknown etiology, whereas the second group consisted of 351 patients with non-bleeding form of gastritis. We examined the localization: 4. local pH. RESULTS The presence of Helicobacter pylori infection is statistically significantly higher in the group of patients with bleeding gastritis, when compared to the non-bleeding group (72%:57%). Within the Helicobacter positive patients the most common change of mucose (over 90%) is active chronic gastritis. The presence of erosions and histopathological changes characteristic for Helicobacter pylori infection coincides with colonization of Helicobacter in the antrum. The pathogenetic action of bacteria in antrum decreases the local pH. Therefore the lowest value of local pH occurred in the group of bleeding Helicobacter pylori positive gastritis (1.72). DISCUSSION Results of this research helped us in treatment of helicobacter pylori positive patients making a risk group for development of recurrent bleeding. We accomplished therapeutical effect in 80% of patients by using a three component eradication therapeutic protocol for helicobacter pylori. Within the group of patients who have been cured, regression of histopathological changes occurred and increase of local pH took place. In the group with persistent infection we have come across with high percentage of recurrent bleeding (37.5%). CONCLUSION In our opinion helicobaceter pylori infection and decrease of local pH, which take place during the reaction of mucose on the presence of infection, are very aggressive factors which can cause bleeding erosions.
Promoting oral health practice among patients with diabetes attending primary health care clinics

Abstract The oral public health program for patients with diabetes was initiated by Saudi Arabia Ministry of Health (MoH) based on international quality standard to control the severity of oral disease in patients with diabetes through improving the accessibility of patients to dental clinics in primary health care centers (PHCC). This program intends to deliver oral health care (OHC) for each patient with diabetes at least one visit every six months. However, we found that more than 90% of patients with diabetes that visited prince Mohammed bin Saud PHCC in Riyadh do not get their regular dental check up every six months. We developed a quality improvement project (QIP) using the quality improvement model to activate MoH oral health program for patients with diabetes visiting prince Mohamed bin Saud PHCC. The aim of our QIP was to increase number of patients with diabetes receiving their regular oral health check up during the PHC visit. The quality team tested two simple improvement ideas. The first idea was having the dentist signature on appointment request. The testing of the first idea led to the second idea, that both physician and dentist should sign the referral form. After running several PDSA cycles to test these interventions ideas, we found the number of patients with diabetes seen in dental clinic had increased dramatically compared with the baseline assessment. We conclude that the idea of signing the referral form by both physician and dentist is a practical and simple strategy to be executed and has a direct impact on the patient clinical flow between clinics.
Dose-dependent effects of dietary Pb and Zn on feeding and growth rates of the landsnail Helix engaddensis.

Dose-dependent effects of dietary lead and zinc on feeding and growth rates of adult Helix engaddensis snails were studied over a 1-month period followed by a 2-week recovery period. Snails were fed on an artificial diet containing the following lead or zinc concentrations= 0, 20, 100, 500, 2500, and 12,500 microg/g dry food. At the end of the 6 weeks, mortality rate among snails fed on Pb-contaminated diet was 18.3% (11/60) and the respective value for Zn-contaminated diet was 50% (30/60). Both metals significantly reduced growth and feeding rates. Snails were found to be sensitive to zinc but tolerant to lead. During the recovery period, snails fed on Zn-contaminated diet failed completely to feed or grow normally, whereas snails fed on Pb-contaminated diet showed signs of slow improvement in terms of feeding and growth rates. The NOEC and LOEC for lead were 100 and 500 microg/g (-1), respectively, while the respective concentrations for zinc were 20 and 100 microg/g (-1).
Are international top executives paid more? Empirical evidence on fixed and variable compensation in management boards of German MNCs

This paper asks the question whether international executives receive higher pay than their non-international peers. Building upon human capital theory and agency theory, we assume that highly international executives achieve higher market value in terms of their level of compensation than less international executives. To investigate this relationship, we use a multidimensional construct of internationalisation and differentiate between fixed and variable pay components of top executives. Based on a comprehensive sample of top executives from Germany's DAX firms, we find empirical evidence that 'being international' pays off for the individual in terms of variable compensation but not in terms of fixed compensation. We also demonstrate that the structure of compensation is affected by the internationalisation level of the supervisory board members. Hence, we show that governance bodies who are deciding on management board members' compensation should not be neglected in top management research.
The Golgi complex of the early spermatid in guinea pig

After aldehyde‐tannic fixation, Zinc‐iodine‐osmium fixation, Phospho Tungstic acid‐chromium stain and two cytochemical reactions, the ultrastructure of the Golgi complex of early spermatids in the guinea pig reveals two different regions. One, close to the cell surface, involves endoplasmic reticulum (ER), intermediate vesicles, and Golgi outer cisternae and has membranes of uniform thickness and symmetrical trilaminar pattern, a strong ZIO precipitate, and an almost negligible cytochemical reaction to polysaccharides and cholesterol. The other region, close to the nucleus, exhibits thicker, sometimes asymmetric membranes, a polygonal network coating the thick cisterna, condensing vacuoles and areas of the acrosomal membrane, an intense reaction to polysaccharides and cholesterol, and packages of different densities in the condensing vacuoles and acrosome. This work also shows the coincidence of the cytochemical marker of cholesterol with the polygonal coating of clathrin in the condensing face of the Golgi.
Physicochemical characterization and pharmacokinetics in broiler chickens of a new recrystallized enrofloxacin hydrochloride dihydrate.

Enrofloxacin, a key antimicrobial agent in commercial avian medicine, has limited bioavailability (60%). This prompted its chemical manipulation to yield a new solvate-recrystallized enrofloxacin hydrochloride dihydrate entity (enroC ). Its chemical structure was characterized by means of mass spectroscopy, Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, and thermal analysis. Comparative oral pharmacokinetics (PK) of reference enrofloxacin (enroR ) and enroC in broiler chickens after oral administration revealed noticeable improvements in key parameters and PK/PD ratios. Maximum serum concentration values were 2.61 ± 0.21 and 5.9 ± 0.42 μg/mL for enroR and enroC , respectively; mean residence time was increased from 5.50 ± 0.26 h to 6.20 ± 0.71 h and the relative bioavailability of enroC was 336%. Considering Cmax /MIC and AUC/MIC ratios and the MIC values for a wild-type Escherichia coli O78/H12 (0.25 μg/mL), optimal ratios will only be achieved by enroC (Cmax /MIC = 23.6 and AUC/MIC = 197.7 for enroC ; vs. Cmax /MIC = 10.4 and AUC/MIC = 78.1 for enroR ). Furthermore, enroC may provide in most cases mutant prevention concentrations (Cmax /MIC ≥ 16). Ready solubility of powder enroC in drinking water at concentrations regularly used (0.01%) to provide an additional advantage of enroC in the field. Further development of enroC is warranted before it can be recommended for clinical use in veterinary medicine.
Subjective social status and shaming experiences in relation to adolescent depression.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the associations among social status, shaming experiences, and adolescent depression using a status-shaming model. DESIGN Population-based, self-report cohort study. SETTING Västmanland, Sweden. PARTICIPANTS A cohort of 5396 students in grade 9 (age 15-16 years) and the second year of high school (age 17-18 years). Intervention Participants completed the anonymous questionnaire Survey of Adolescent Life in Västmanland-2006 during class hours. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES We investigated the prevalence of depression according to the Depression Self-Rating Scale of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (Fourth Edition, Text Revision), A-criterion, regarding subjective social status, shaming experiences, and social background. Social status was measured as (1) attributed status of a family's socioeconomic and social standing and (2) acquired status of peer group and school. Binary logistic regressions were used for the analyses. RESULTS Shaming experiences and low social status interacted with depression. If shaming experiences were present, participants with both high and low attributed status were at increased risk for depression (odds ratio [low and high groups, respectively], 5.4-6.9), whereas medium status seemed to have a protective function. For acquired status, the highest elevated risk was found in participants with low status (odds ratio [girls and boys, respectively], 6.7-8.6). CONCLUSIONS Social status may influence the risk for depression when an individual is subjected to shaming experiences. The present study contributes to the mapping of the influence of social status on health and may have essential implications for understanding, preventing, and treating adolescent depression.
Willingness to pay to avoid arsenic-related risks: a special regressor approach

Subjective probabilities often better explain behaviours than science-based risks. Incorporating them into a behavioural model has important ramifications for environmental and health policy, but if these risks are measured with error or endogenous, then doing so leads to possible troubles in interpretation of results. Our application is to mortality risks associated with arsenic found in drinking water in various spots in the United States. The behaviour of interest is a yes/no response to a willingness to pay (WTP) question to reduce these risks. We apply the special regressor approach to handle the endogeneity and measurement error in the WTP model and find that doing so leads to different implications for policy that could be pursued to reduce the risks.
Heat induced ‘masking’ of redox sensitive component(s) of the DNA-nuclear matrix anchoring complex

The ‘masking effect’ is the observation that heat shock reduces or masks the apparent expression of ionizing radiation (IR) damage to DNA. The mechanism of this effect is thought to involve the aggregation of proteins to the nuclear matrix or chromatin, thereby stabilizing these structures and masking actual DNA damage from assays and presumably from DNA repair complexes. Previously, using the ‘halo assay’, it has been shown that nucleoids treated with 1 mm dithiothreitol (DTT) and/or IR inhibited the rewinding of DNA supercoils and that this effect was masked in nucloids isolated from heated cells. Here it is reported that treatment of living cells with reducing agents diminishes the interaction between DNA and Protein Disulphide Isomerase (PDI) and that hyperthermia restored the PDI-DNA interaction, indicating that the masking effect occurred in vivo. PDI is a nuclear matrix protein which binds MAR DNA sequences and may be involved in regulating the degree of DNA supercoiling. It is hypothesized that heat-induced stabilization of PDI-DNA interaction will mask changes in supercoiling observed with reducing reagents and also IR. This stabilization may be affected through either the heat-induced association or enhancement of the binding of proteins to MAR DNA at the NM. Several proteins, including B23 and Hsp60, have been identified whose interaction with DNA increased following heat shock. Further work will be needed to determine if these proteins do, in fact, play a role in the masking effect.
Intertemporal substitution and consumer durables : an analysis based on Japanese date

Several studies using Japanese aggregate data suggest that the intertemporal elasticity of substitution for Japanese consumers is far larger than that for U.S. consumers. The available estimates for Japan, however, do not allow for both intratemporal substitution between non-durables and durables and time aggregation. After corrections for removing these two effects are made, this paper shows that the point estimates for Japan are still larger than those for the U.S., but are unlikely to be much above one. This result suggests that Japan’s high saving rate may be explained by the magnitude of the intertemporal elasticity of substitution.
Time Series Forecasting Using Bayesian Method: Application to Cumulative Rainfall

In this work an algorithm to adjust parameters using a Bayesian method for cumulative rainfall time series forecasting implemented by an ANN-filter is presented. The criterion of adjustment comprises to generate a posterior probability distribution of time series values from forecasted time series, where the structure is changed by considering a Bayesian inference. These are approximated by the ANN based predictor in which a new input is taken in order for changing the structure and parameters of the filter. The proposed technique is based on the prior distribution assumptions. Predictions are obtained by weighting up all possible models and parameter values according to their posterior distribution. Furthermore, if the time series is smooth or rough, the fitting algorithm can be changed to suit, in function of the long or short term stochastic dependence of the time series, an on-line heuristic law to set the training process, modify the NN topology, change the number of patterns and iterations in addition to the Bayesian inference in accordance with Hurst parameter H taking into account that the series forecasted has the same H as the real time series. The performance of the approach is tested over a time series obtained from samples of the Mackey-Glass delay differential equations and cumulative rainfall time series from some geographical points of Cordoba, Argentina.
Parthenolide Sensitizes Cells to X-Ray-Induced Cell Killing through Inhibition of NF-κB and Split-Dose Repair

Abstract Mendonca, M. S. , Chin-Sinex, H. , Gomez-Millan, J., Datzman, N. , Hardacre, M. , Comerford, K. , Nakshatri, H. , Nye, M. , Benjamin, L. , Mehta, S. , Patino, F. and Sweeney, C. Parthenolide Sensitizes Cells to X-Ray-Induced Cell Killing through Inhibition of NF-κB and Split-Dose Repair. Radiat. Res. 168, 689–697 (2007). Human cancers have multiple alterations in cell signaling pathways that promote resistance to cytotoxic therapy such as X rays. Parthenolide is a sesquiterpene lactone that has been shown to inhibit several pro-survival cell signaling pathways, induce apoptosis, and enhance chemotherapy-induced cell killing. We investigated whether parthenolide would enhance X-ray-induced cell killing in radiation resistant, NF-κB-activated CGL1 cells. Treatment with 5 μM parthenolide for 48 to 72 h inhibited constitutive NF-κB binding and cell growth, reduced plating efficiency, and induced apoptosis through stabilization of p53 (TP53), induction of the pro-apoptosis protein BAX, and phosphorylation of BID. Parthenolide also enhanced radiation-induced cell killing, increasing the X-ray sensitivity of CGL1 cells by a dose modification factor of 1.6. Flow cytometry revealed that parthenolide reduced the percentage of X-ray-resistant S-phase cells due to induction of p21waf1/cip1 (CDKN1A) and the onset of G1/S and G2/M blocks, but depletion of radioresistant S-phase cells does not explain the observed X-ray sensitization. Further studies demonstrated that the enhancement of X-ray-induced cell killing by parthenolide is due to inhibition of split-dose repair.