Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effects of a physical activity intervention on employees in small and medium enterprises: a mixed methods study.

OBJECTIVE Workplaces have potential as a setting for physical activity promotion but evidence of the effectiveness of intervention programmes in small and medium sized enterprises is limited. This paper reports the impact of an intervention which trained existing employees to promote physical activity to their colleagues. PARTICIPANTS Eighty-nine previously low-active employees from 17 small and medium sized organisations participated. METHODS A mixed methods evaluation design was used. Quantitative data were collected at baseline and 6 months later using an online questionnaire. Qualitative data from a series of 6 focus groups were analysed. RESULTS Repeated measures t-tests showed significant increases over time in physical activity, general health rating, satisfaction with life and positive mood states. There were significant decreases in body mass index (BMI), perceived stress, negative mood states and presenteeism. There was no change in absenteeism. Analysis of focus group data provided further insight into the impact of the intervention. Five major themes emerged: awareness of physical activity; sustaining physical activity behaviour change; improved health and well-being; enhanced social networks; and embedding physical activity in the workplace culture. CONCLUSIONS This study shows it is feasible and effective to train employees in small and medium sized enterprises to support their colleagues in physical activity behaviour change.
Socio-demographical and psychosocial determinants of anxiety symptoms in a population of pregnant women in the regions of central and eastern Poland.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE Until recently, depression and anxiety during pregnancy were a neglected medical problem. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of symptoms of anxiety and depression during pregnancy and identification of the socio-demographic and psychosocial factors. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study was prospective and longitudinal, and the research group consisted of 314 adult pregnant women. To assess the prevalence of anxiety symptoms and depression, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was applied. To assess the psychosocial variables the Rosenberg Self-Assessment Scale, Marital Communication Questionnaire and the Berlin Social Support Scale and authors' Socio-demographical questionnaire were used. To assess the normal distribution the Shapiro-Wilk test was used. For non-parametric tests the Mann Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis ANOVA were used due to the distribution of the variables tested against the intergroup comparisons that deviate from the normal distribution. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS Co-existence of anxiety and depression in different trimesters amounted relatively to 12.7% in the first trimester, 10.8% in the second trimester and 12.4% in the third trimester of pregnancy. Symptoms of anxiety were often experienced by unmarried women, non-working women, and those respondents who estimated their housing and financial situation as being worse. Those most susceptible to depressive symptoms were tested women with primary education and those who assessed as worse their financial and housing situation. Higher self-esteem, good communication in a relationship, satisfying social support was associated with a lower incidence of anxiety symptoms during pregnancy. Higher self-esteem, good communication in a relationship, and satisfying social support was associated with a lower incidence of anxiety symptoms during pregnancy.
An update on the leukodsytrophies

This review centers on important recent advances in the understanding of the role of glial fibrillary acidic protein in Alexander disease and of proteolipid protein in hypomyelinating disorders such as Pelizaeus-Merzbacher and spastic paraplegia. We also describe seven novel leukodystrophies. These include childhood ataxia with central nervous system hypomyelination, a relatively common leukodystrophy syndrome with linkage to chromosome 3 in some patients, and megalencephalic leukoencephalopathy with subcortical cysts whose gene has recently been cloned. These, along with five other disorders, including leukodystrophy with polyol metabolism abnormality, demonstrate that an increasing number of protein and metabolic abnormalities can cause primary myelin disorders.
“E-Commerce Institutionalization is not for us”: SMEs perception of E-Commerce in Tanzania

E-Commerce in least developing countries (LDCs) is believed to be non-existent because few businesses, especially Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) who are usually the vanguard of the LDCs economy, have adopted E-Commerce and even those that have, none have institutionalized the technology. Using structuration theory as a lens, this study attempts to provide an explanation as to what E-Commerce means to SMEs with the purpose of unraveling the underlying cause for the lack of E-Commerce institutionalization in LDC - Tanzania. Results indicate that SMEs use their social context to create symbolic interpretive schemes that facilitate their shared understanding of E-Commerce. This understanding was significantly influenced by social structures and resulted into new practices of doing business. They view E-Commerce as merely having a static web presence and the significant use of the mobile device. That is, E- Commerce did not necessary translate to the buying and selling of products online using their website. Websites were purely used for information purposes. They were unimpressed by the perceived benefits of institutionalizing E-Commerce because in their view, their new practices of using mobile communication and mobile payment systems mitigated against the need for institutionalization. This hybrid view of e-commerce being a mix of static website and mobile payment transactional capability is a unique perspective, which arises out of the LDC context.
Identification of 9-cis-retinoic acid as a pancreas-specific autacoid that attenuates glucose-stimulated insulin secretion

The all-trans-retinoic acid (atRA) isomer, 9-cis-retinoic acid (9cRA), activates retinoic acid receptors (RARs) and retinoid X receptors (RXRs) in vitro. RARs control multiple genes, whereas RXRs serve as partners for RARs and other nuclear receptors that regulate metabolism. Physiological function has not been determined for 9cRA, because it has not been detected in serum or multiple tissues with analytically validated assays. Here, we identify 9cRA in mouse pancreas by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS), and show that 9cRA decreases with feeding and after glucose dosing and varies inversely with serum insulin. 9cRA reduces glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) in mouse islets and in the rat β-cell line 832/13 within 15 min by reducing glucose transporter type 2 (Glut2) and glucokinase (GK) activities. 9cRA also reduces Pdx-1 and HNF4α mRNA expression, ∼8- and 80-fold, respectively: defects in Pdx-1 or HNF4α cause maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY4 and 1, respectively), as does a defective GK gene (MODY2). Pancreas β-cells generate 9cRA, and mouse models of reduced β-cell number, heterozygous Akita mice, and streptozotocin-treated mice have reduced 9cRA. 9cRA is abnormally high in glucose-intolerant mice, which have β-cell hypertropy, including mice with diet-induced obesity (DIO) and ob/ob and db/db mice. These data establish 9cRA as a pancreas-specific autacoid with multiple mechanisms of action and provide unique insight into GSIS.
Biochemical effects of chlorpyrifos and deltamethrin on altered antioxidative defense mechanisms and lipid peroxidation in rat liver

Pesticides such as organophosphorus and organochlorine compounds commonly used in agriculture for achieving better quality products are toxic substances and lead to generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) which have harmful effects on human health. While pyrethroid pesticides are used in preference to organophosphates and organochlorines due to their high effectiveness, low toxicity to non‐target organisms and easy biodegradability, they may also produce oxidative stress. Thus, we investigated the effects of chlorpyrifos (CP, an organophosphate) and deltamethrin (DM, a pyrethroid pesticide) treatments at low and high doses on lipid peroxidation (LPO) and antioxidant enzyme activities such as SOD, GSH‐Px and CAT in rat liver following 16 weeks exposure. Antioxidative defence mechanisms and lipid peroxidation in rat liver tissues display different responses depending on different pesticide treatments and doses. Biochemical analysis showed that administrations of the chlorpyrifos and deltamethrin cause liver damage. In the present study, we observed that lipid peroxidation levels are higher at high doses than at low doses, but DM caused more pronounced increase than CP. Experimentally, we have also observed that oxidant‐antioxidant balance is more affected by deltamethrin treatment than by chlorpyrifos. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Associated factors for age related maculopathy in the adult population in China: the Beijing eye study

Background: To evaluate factors associated with the prevalence of age related maculopathy (ARM) in the adult Chinese population. Methods: The Beijing Eye Study, a population based prevalence study, included 4439 out of 5324 subjects from a rural area and an urban region of greater Beijing, aged 40+ years and invited to participate (response rate 83.4%). Fundus photographs were graded using the Wisconsin Age-Related Maculopathy Grading system. The following parameters were graded: drusen size, drusen type, and the area covered by drusen; pigmentary abnormalities; geographic atrophy; and exudative ARM. Results: Fundus photographs were available for 8655 eyes of 4376 (98.6%) subjects. Early age related macular degeneration (ARD), late ARD, and exudative ARD, respectively, were present in 1.4%, 0.20%, and 0.10% of the subjects. In a binary logistic regression analysis, early ARM was statistically associated with age (p<0.001; 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.08), hyperopic refractive error (p = 0.008; 95% CI: 1.04 to 1.28), rural region (p<0.001; 95% CI: 0.17 to 0.49), and lower level of education (p = 0.01; 95% CI: 1.07 to 1.65). Early ARM was not significantly associated with the optic disc size (p = 0.42), and size of beta zone of peripapillary atrophy (p = 0.28), the self reported diagnosis of diabetes mellitus (p = 0.39; OR: 1.37; 95% CI: 0.66 to 2.85), amount of cortical cataract (p = 0.72), subcapsular cataract (p = 0.98), nuclear cataract (p = 0.26), sex (p = 0.23), cataract surgery (p = 1.0; OR: 0.96; 95% CI: 0.13 to 6.95), glaucomatous optic nerve damage (p = 0.77; OR: 0.62; 95% CI: 0.15 to 2.52), and history of smoking (p = 0.66; OR: 1.14; 95% CI: 0.65 to 2.00). Conclusions: Hyperopic refractive error besides age was the single most important risk factor for ARM in adult Chinese. Other associated factors were rural region and lower level of education.
Model Free ESO-Based Repetitive Control for Rejecting Periodic and Aperiodic Disturbances

This paper presents an extended state observer (ESO) based repetitive control (RC) to compensate periodic signals, aperiodic disturbances, and uncertainties of the plant with relative degree equal to or greater than zero. Since linear ESO has only two tuning parameters, the proposed controller provides a simple and user friendly solution to complex engineering problems in practice. Moreover, due to the model free approach of a ESO-based control, it can be applied to a wide variety of plants. The design procedures are proposed to ensure a stable system. Various types of disturbances are used in simulations and experiments which show that the ESO-based RC cannot only reject periodic and aperiodic disturbances but also handle the plant parameter uncertainty. The comparison studies demonstrate that the ESO-based RC has superb performance.
Faulty analysis or unsuitable data?

Frisher and Forsyth1 question whether the number of problematic drug users (PDUs) has increased or decreased in the 21st century, what the impact of treatment has been, particularly with reference to drugs-related deaths, and the Drug Harm Index’s reliance on readily available published data. These and other questions, particularly about injector incidence, off-injecting rates and model, as well as statistical, uncertainty, are addressed in 21st Century Drugs and Statistical Science in the UK , which was published in December 2008 by the Home Office’s Surveys, Design and Statistics Subcommittee (chair: S.M.B.) and is available at http://www.homeoffice. gov.uk/documents/science-advisory-committee/ (accessed 16 January 2008). The report includes an …
Enhanced Drought Stress Tolerance by the Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis in a Drought-Sensitive Maize Cultivar Is Related to a Broader and Differential Regulation of Host Plant Aquaporins than in a Drought-Tolerant Cultivar

The arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis has been shown to improve maize tolerance to different drought stress scenarios by regulating a wide range of host plants aquaporins. The objective of this study was to highlight the differences in aquaporin regulation by comparing the effects of the AM symbiosis on root aquaporin gene expression and plant physiology in two maize cultivars with contrasting drought sensitivity. This information would help to identify key aquaporin genes involved in the enhanced drought tolerance by the AM symbiosis. Results showed that when plants were subjected to drought stress the AM symbiosis induced a higher improvement of physiological parameters in drought-sensitive plants than in drought-tolerant plants. These include efficiency of photosystem II, membrane stability, accumulation of soluble sugars and plant biomass production. Thus, drought-sensitive plants obtained higher physiological benefit from the AM symbiosis. In addition, the genes ZmPIP1;1, ZmPIP1;3, ZmPIP1;4, ZmPIP1;6, ZmPIP2;2, ZmPIP2;4, ZmTIP1;1, and ZmTIP2;3 were down-regulated by the AM symbiosis in the drought-sensitive cultivar and only ZmTIP4;1 was up-regulated. In contrast, in the drought-tolerant cultivar only three of the studied aquaporin genes (ZmPIP1;6, ZmPIP2;2, and ZmTIP4;1) were regulated by the AM symbiosis, resulting induced. Results in the drought-sensitive cultivar are in line with the hypothesis that down-regulation of aquaporins under water deprivation could be a way to minimize water loss, and the AM symbiosis could be helping the plant in this regulation. Indeed, during drought stress episodes, water conservation is critical for plant survival and productivity, and is achieved by an efficient uptake and stringently regulated water loss, in which aquaporins participate. Moreover, the broader and contrasting regulation of these aquaporins by the AM symbiosis in the drought-sensitive than the drought-tolerant cultivar suggests a role of these aquaporins in water homeostasis or in the transport of other solutes of physiological importance in both cultivars under drought stress conditions, which may be important for the AM-induced tolerance to drought stress.
Met expectations and the wellbeing of diaspora immigrants: a longitudinal study.

Previous research has pointed to the importance of expectations for the adaptation of immigrants. However, most studies have been methodologically retrospective with only limited possibilities to show the optimal relationship between migrants' expectations and actual acculturation experiences for their wellbeing and other aspects of psychological adaptation. Moreover, previous research has been conducted mostly among sojourners and students. This longitudinal study focused on the relationship between premigration expectations and postmigration experiences of diaspora immigrants from Russia to Finland (N = 153). We examined how the fulfillment of premigration expectations in social (i.e., family relations, friendships, and free time) and economic (i.e., occupational position, working conditions, and economic and career situation) domains affects immigrants' wellbeing (i.e., satisfaction with life and general mood) after migration. Three alternative models of expectation confirmation (i.e., disconfirmation model, ideal point model, and the importance of experiences only) derived from previous organizational psychological research were tested with polynomial regression and response surface analysis. In the economic domain, immigrants' expectations, experiences, and their interrelationship did not affect wellbeing in the postmigration stage. However, in the social domain, the more expectations were exceeded by actual experiences, the better were life satisfaction and the general mood of immigrants. The results underline the importance of social relationships and the context-dependent nature of immigrants' wellbeing. Interventions in the preacculturation stage should create positive but realistic expectations for diaspora immigrants and other groups of voluntary (re)migrants. Furthermore, policies concerning the postmigration stage should facilitate the fulfillment of these expectations and support the social adaptation of immigrants.
Virtual metrology for plasma etch using tool variables

This paper presents work carried out with data from an industrial plasma etch process. Etch tool parameters, available during wafer processing time, are used to predict wafer etch rate. These parameters include variables such as power, pressure, temperature, and RF measurement. A number of variable selection techniques are examined, and a novel piecewise modelling effort is discussed. The achievable accuracy and complexity trade-offs of plasma etch modelling are discussed in detail.
Secondary school students' university readiness and their transition to university

Het vwo-diploma betekent dat iemand toelaatbaar is tot de universiteit, maar betekent dit ook dat die persoon er klaar voor is, oftewel over de benodigde eigenschappen beschikt om succesvol te zijn op de universiteit? Uitvalcijfers doen vermoeden dat dit niet automatisch het geval is: Een derde van de eerstejaarsstudenten gaat niet door naar het tweede jaar van de opleiding waaraan zij begonnen. In dit proefschrift onderzochten we welke vwo-leerlingkenmerken bijdragen aan een vlotte transitie van vwo naar universiteit en welke rol vwo-leraren spelen in het voorbereiden van leerlingen op de universiteit. De resultaten lieten zien dat leerlingen die op het vwo nieuwsgieriger waren en meer wetenschappelijke interesse hadden meer vertrouwen erin hadden dat zij succesvol zouden zijn op de universiteit. Ook scoorden zij na de transitie hoger op motivatie en voelden zij zich meer thuis in de universitaire omgeving. Daarnaast bleek dat leerlingen die op het vwo meer inzet toonden en beter gebruik maakten van leerstrategieen succesvoller waren op de universiteit. Factoren als nieuwsgierigheid en wetenschappelijke interesse zijn dus belangrijk, maar factoren met betrekking tot daadwerkelijk studiegedrag – met name zelfregulerend leren – zijn noodzakelijk voor een goede aanpassing aan de universitaire leeromgeving. Hoewel vwo-leraren universiteitsvoorbereiding als een belangrijke taak zagen, was hun rol klein en zelden expliciet. De rol bestond voornamelijk uit informatieverschaffing en minder uit het stimuleren van vaardigheden die leerlingen nodig hebben op de universiteit. De centrale examens en niet weten wat universiteiten van eerstejaarsstudenten verwachten vormden voor leraren een barriere om meer aandacht aan universiteitsvoorbereiding te besteden.
Differential cardiovascular and respiratory responses to central administration of selective opioid agonists in conscious rabbits: correlation with receptor distribution

1 The effects of intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) and intracisternal (i.c.) administration of a range of doses (0.01, 0.1 and 1.0 nmol kg−1) of specific μ‐ δ‐ and κ‐opioid agonists on cardiovascular and respiratory function and on plasma catecholamines have been studied in conscious rabbits. The distribution of μ‐ δ‐ and κ‐opioid receptors was localized in rabbit brain by in vitro autoradiography. 2 The μ‐agonist [D‐Ala2, MePhe4‐Gly5‐ol]enkephalin (DAGOL) given i.c. v. caused a large rise in plasma noradrenaline and adrenaline, hypertension accompanied by an initial bradycardia followed by tachycardia, respiratory depression and sedation. After i.c. administration there were similar changes in heart rate (HR) and respiration, but no significant changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP) or plasma catecholamines. 3 The δ‐agonist [D‐Pen2,5]enkephalin (DPDPE) increased MAP and HR after both i.c. v. and i.c. administration, caused a small increase in noradrenaline but had no effect on adrenaline and did not alter respiration rate or blood gases. After i.c. v. DPDPE the rabbits became more alert and active. 4 The κ‐agonist U69593 given i.c. v. or i.c. had no effect on MAP or HR. After i.c. v. U69593, Paco2 fell, but there were no other respiratory effects. The responses to dynorphin 1–13, an endogenous κ‐agonist, were similar to those of U69593. 5 The opioid antagonist naloxone (30 nmol kg−1) given intravenously (i.v.) blocked the effects of i.c. v. DAGOL (1 nmol kg−1). A 100 fold higher dose of i.v. naloxone (3 μmol kg−1) was required to abolish the effects of i.c. v. DPDPE (1 nmol kg−1). 6 Autoradiographic studies demonstrated a high density of μ‐ and δ‐opioid receptors in hypothalamic sites. In the brainstem μ‐receptors were demonstrated in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) and δ‐receptors in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus. κ‐Receptors were not detected in either the hypothalamus or brainstem. 7 These findings demonstrate that DAGOL increases sympatho‐adrenal outflow, probably by stimulation of hypothalamic μ‐receptors. The effects on HR are probably partly through a baroreflex and partly through an action of DAGOL on μ‐receptors in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus. DPDPE probably acts on δ‐receptors in the NTS to increase MAP and HR. Respiratory depression resulted from stimulation of μ‐receptors in the brainstem with no evidence of δ‐ or κ‐receptors being involved.
Body mass index and risk of ESRD in China.

BACKGROUND The relationship between body mass index (BMI) and risk of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in Asians has not been well established. STUDY DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS 143,802 men and women 40 years and older in China. PREDICTOR Body weight, height, and covariables were obtained at a baseline examination in 1991 by following a standardized protocol. BMI was calculated as weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters. OUTCOMES Time to onset of ESRD, ascertained in 1999 to 2000 from medical records, death certificates, and interviews with participants or their proxies. RESULTS During 1,112,667 person-years of follow-up, 350 participants initiated renal replacement therapy or died of renal failure. After adjustment for age, sex, geographic region (north versus south China), urbanization (urban versus rural residence), education, physical activity, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption, a J-shaped association between BMI and all-cause ESRD was observed. Compared with those with normal body weight (BMI, 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m(2)), multivariate-adjusted relative risks for all-cause ESRD for underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m(2)), overweight (BMI, 25.0 to 29.9 kg/m(2)), and obese subjects (BMI >or= 30 kg/m(2)) were 1.39 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02 to 1.91), 1.21 (95% CI, 0.92 to 1.59), and 2.14 (95% CI, 1.39 to 3.29), respectively. The J-shaped association existed even after additional adjustment for systolic blood pressure and history of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. LIMITATIONS Although patients with ESRD at baseline were excluded, information for chronic kidney disease at the baseline examination was not available. CONCLUSION Strategies aimed at preventing the development of ESRD should incorporate measures to maintain a normal body weight.