Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Incense Smoke on Human Lymphocyte DNA

Incense burning is common in Southeast Asia, where it is a traditional and ceremonial practice in deity worship and paying respect to ancestors. However, incense emissions are an important source of indoor air pollution in Asia, and may induce health problems to those exposed. In this in vitro study the effects of incense emissions on human DNA were investigated using the comet assay. Particulates in smoke from six kinds of incense were trapped in saline or ethanol and human lymphocytes were exposed under controlled conditions. Results showed that DNA damage, including strand breaks, was induced by both aqueous and ethanolic extracts of two samples. The ethanolic extract of one sample induced DNA damage, while no significant DNA damage was found in the remaining three samples. The mechanisms underlying DNA damage induced by incense emissions were also investigated. Catalase (CAT), sodium azide, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were co-incubated with extract, which exerted significant DNA damaging effects. Results showed that CAT with or without SOD diminished DNA damage, whereas sodium azide did not seem able to reduce DNA damage. Data indicate there are potential adverse health effects of such exposure, particularly for temple workers.
The HIV epidemic in Greenland – a slow spreading infection among adult heterosexual Greenlanders

Introduction . We aimed to characterise the HIV epidemic in Greenland and to determine incidence, prevalence, mortality rates (MR) and specific causes of deaths. Study design . The study design used was population-based nationwide cohort study. Methods . We included all patients diagnosed with HIV in Greenland before 2011. Data were obtained from patient files, death certificates and the mandatory reports of HIV cases. Incidence and prevalence were estimated as cases/100,000 adults/year and MR as deaths/1,000 person-years (PYR). MRs were estimated for the pre-HAART (≤1996), early-HAART (1997–2004) and late-HAART (≥2005) periods. Deaths were considered AIDS related, if CD4 count <6 months before death was <200 cells/µL and/or an AIDS-related event occurred <12 months of death. Results . We identified 171 cases of HIV among adult Greenlanders. Of these, 133 (78%) were infected in Greenland, 17 (10%) in Denmark and 21 (12%) in other places. The majority was infected through heterosexual contact [127 (74%)], 30 (18%) through homosexual contact, 3 (2%) through intravenous drug use and 11 (6%) through other or unknown routes of transmission. The median age at HIV diagnosis was 46 years (interquartile range 34–56). The incidence increased from 3.8 before 1989 to 29.7 cases/100,000 adults/year in the late 1990s. The incidence has slowly declined to approximately eight cases/100,000 adults/year. Prevalence increased to a maximum in 2009 (174.9/100,000 inhabitants), and slowly declined since then. A total of 79 have died and 25 have emigrated. MRs were high in the pre- and early-HAART periods, 65.3 [95% confidence intervals (CI) 40.0–106.6] and 87.0 [95% CI 63.5–119.0], and a large fraction of deaths were AIDS related. In the late-HAART period, MR has declined markedly to 53.4 (95% CI 35.8–79.7) with a substantial decline in AIDS-related MR. Conclusion . Heterosexual contact is the main route of HIV infection and the patients are diagnosed at a median age of 46. The incidence of newly diagnosed HIV patients has decreased markedly since year 2000. Mortality is high although declining in recent years. To access the supplementary material to this article please see Supplementary files under Article Tools online
Immunologic monitoring

Summary: The development of reliable in vitro assays that could allow the quantitation and characterization of anti‐donor alloimmune responses has always been a goal in clinical transplantation, both to predict presensitization to the transplanted tissue and to be able to identify rejection without resorting to more invasive tests. With recent development in our understanding of transplantation biology and therapeutics, there is a real expectation that these tests may be used to identify tolerance as much as to predict rejection. The traditional limiting dilution assays still have a contribution to make and are being complemented by an array of tools, such as ELISpot, flow cytometry‐based techniques, and microarray analysis. The assays that have been informative, to date, are discussed in this review. This information will lead, at least, to a better understanding of how and when the rejection process occurs. More interestingly, the objective is to apply this information to evaluate tolerance‐inducing strategies or to identify patients that have become tolerant to their graft and can be weaned of immunosuppression. Of course sensitive, accurate and specific immunologic monitoring has applications well beyond the field of transplantation.
How to improve the stated helpfulness of hotel reviews? A multilevel approach

PurposeThe prevalence of online review websites and the ever-growing difficulty of judging review quality result in the increasing need for consumers to reduce cognitive costs. Thus, the purpose of this study is to find out the determinants of review helpfulness based on a comprehensive theoretical framework and empirical model.Design/methodology/approachThis study applied a comprehensive framework, including both review content quality and reviewer background, to investigate the determinants of review helpfulness. It also presents empirical models to further control factors around product features.FindingsConsumers are more likely to give helpful votes to those informative and readable reviews accompanied by extreme ratings. Reviewers who disclose information, have a high reputation and report a poor experience are always identified as helpful. Consumers also tend to signal suggestions from users with a local cultural background as subjective and useless.Research limitationsThis study focuses on upscale hotels in China. Information registered on TripAdvisor was used presenting a residential address not nationality. Only few controlling factors available because of the limited information are shown on online review websites.Practical implicationsManagers of both hotels and online review websites need to focus on reviews and/or reviewers as KOLs who attract consumers’ attention and affect their subsequent decisions. A dialogue with those KOLs can be by focusing on responding to reviews with certain characteristics. A reward system for reviews and KOLs may benefit review quality on online review websites and reduce cognition costs.Originality/valueThis positivistic research design, with multilevel approach, presenting a comprehensive conceptual framework and empirical model not only considering review- and reviewer-related factors but also controlled factors in product or service level (hotel-related characteristics).
Development of novel murine mammary imaging windows to examine wound healing effects on leukocyte trafficking in mammary tumors with intravital imaging

ABSTRACT We developed mammary imaging windows (MIWs) to evaluate leukocyte infiltration and cancer cell dissemination in mouse mammary tumors imaged by confocal microscopy. Previous techniques relied on surgical resection of a skin flap to image the tumor microenvironment restricting imaging time to a few hours. Utilization of mammary imaging windows offers extension of intravital imaging of the tumor microenvironment. We have characterized strengths and identified some previously undescribed potential weaknesses of MIW techniques. Through iterative enhancements of a transdermal portal we defined conditions for improved quality and extended confocal imaging time for imaging key cell-cell interactions in the tumor microenvironment.
Bacterial‐derived Neutrophilic Inflammation Drives Lung Remodeling in a Mouse Model of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Abstract Loss of secretory IgA is common in the small airways of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and may contribute to disease pathogenesis. Using mice that lack secretory IgA in the airways due to genetic deficiency of polymeric Ig receptor (pIgR−/− mice), we investigated the role of neutrophils in driving the fibrotic small airway wall remodeling and emphysema that develops spontaneously in these mice. By flow cytometry, we found an increase in the percentage of neutrophils among CD45+ cells in the lungs, as well as an increase in total neutrophils, in pIgR−/− mice compared with wild‐type controls. This increase in neutrophils in pIgR−/− mice was associated with elastin degradation in the alveolar compartment and around small airways, along with increased collagen deposition in small airway walls. Neutrophil depletion using anti‐Ly6G antibodies or treatment with broad‐spectrum antibiotics inhibited development of both emphysema and small airway remodeling, suggesting that airway bacteria provide the stimulus for deleterious neutrophilic inflammation in this model. Exogenous bacterial challenge using lysates prepared from pathogenic and nonpathogenic bacteria worsened neutrophilic inflammation and lung remodeling in pIgR−/− mice. This phenotype was abrogated by antiinflammatory therapy with roflumilast. Together, these studies support the concept that disruption of the mucosal immune barrier in small airways contributes to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease progression by allowing bacteria to stimulate chronic neutrophilic inflammation, which, in turn, drives progressive airway wall fibrosis and emphysematous changes in the lung parenchyma.
Atomic Force Microscopy Study of the Anti-inflammatory Effects of Triptolide on Rheumatoid Arthritis Fibroblast-like Synoviocytes

Abstract High-resolution atomic force microscopy (AFM) was used for the in situ evaluation of the anti-inflammatory effects of triptolide on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) to understand the anti-RA effects of triptolide, based on the morphological and biophysical changes observed in RA-FLS. RA-FLS have been reported to play a primary role in inflammatory bone destruction during the development of RA and thus are regarded as an important target for RA treatment. Triptolide pretreatment significantly inhibited tumor necrosis factor-α-induced expression of the interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-8 genes in MH7A cells. Using AFM, we showed that triptolide-induced morphological damage in MH7A cells by inducing significant ultrastructure changes in the membrane, which were closely related to triptolide-induced apoptosis in MH7A cells. Using force measurements determined with AFM, triptolide was shown to increase the stiffness of MH7A cells. These findings not only revealed the strong anti-inflammatory effects of triptolide on RA-FLS, highlighting triptolide as a potential anti-RA agent, but also revealed the possible use of AFM for studying anti-inflammatory responses in RA-FLS, which we expect to be developed into a potential tool for anti-RA drug studies in RA-FLS.
Locking and Unlocking of Running Wheel Affects Circadian Period Stability Differently in Three Inbred Strains of Rats

Running-wheel access has been shown to shorten the circadian period length ([.tau]) of various mammalian species. Due to the close correlation between [. tau] and the level of activity, running wheel–induced changes of the activity level are thought to be responsible for the observed changes in [. tau]. In the present study, the influence of the running wheel on [. tau] and the activity level was examined in three inbred strains of rats (ACI, BH, LEW). Four animals of each strain had free access to their running wheels, while the wheels of the other 4 animals of each strain were mechanically locked. These conditions were changed twice, so that each animal encountered both kinds of changes, that is, from a locked to an unlocked running wheel and vice versa. During the whole study, overall activity was measured by infrared detectors. Running-wheel access resulted in a significant increase of overall activity in strains LEW and ACI. However, significant changes of [. tau] were observed only in LEW rats. These rats showed a significant shortening of [. tau] after the second change of the housing conditions regardless of whether the wheel was locked or unlocked. Consequently, no causal relationship was found between changes of [. tau] and running wheel–induced changes of overall activity. Instead, the results suggest that subtle environmental influences like locking or unlocking the running wheel affect [. tau] in a strain-dependent manner, whereas changes in the activity level are neither necessary nor sufficient to induce changes of [. tau].
Small sample GEE estimation of regression parameters for longitudinal data

Longitudinal (clustered) response data arise in many bio‐statistical applications which, in general, cannot be assumed to be independent. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) is a widely used method to estimate marginal regression parameters for correlated responses. The advantage of the GEE is that the estimates of the regression parameters are asymptotically unbiased even if the correlation structure is misspecified, although their small sample properties are not known. In this paper, two bias adjusted GEE estimators of the regression parameters in longitudinal data are obtained when the number of subjects is small. One is based on a bias correction, and the other is based on a bias reduction. Simulations show that the performances of both the bias‐corrected methods are similar in terms of bias, efficiency, coverage probability, average coverage length, impact of misspecification of correlation structure, and impact of cluster size on bias correction. Both these methods show superior properties over the GEE estimates for small samples. Further, analysis of data involving a small number of subjects also shows improvement in bias, MSE, standard error, and length of the confidence interval of the estimates by the two bias adjusted methods over the GEE estimates. For small to moderate sample sizes ( N ⩽50 ), either of the bias‐corrected methods GEEBc and GEEBr can be used. However, the method GEEBc should be preferred over GEEBr, as the former is computationally easier. For large sample sizes, the GEE method can be used. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Hypofractionated Radiotherapy for Palliation in Locally Advanced Head and Neck Cancer

Context: In India, a considerable proportion of patients with head and neck cancer present with locoregionally advanced disease. Symptom palliation becomes a major objective in these cases when they could not be considered for a curative approach. Aims: The aim of this study is to assess the role of palliative radiotherapy for symptom control in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer. Settings and Design: This was a retrospective study. Subjects and Methods: Between July 2015 and June 2016, 98 patients with stage IV head and neck cancer were treated with palliative radiotherapy 25 Gray (Gy)/4 fractions (fr)/1 fraction (6.25 Gy)/week. Presenting symptoms were noted. The primary end point was relief of symptoms in the 4th week after radiotherapy. Percentage symptom relief was quantified by the patient using a rupee scale. Treatment response was noted using the WHO criteria. Acute toxicity was graded as per the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) criteria. Results: The most common presenting symptom was pain. At 4 weeks after radiotherapy completion, all patients had >50% pain relief. Dysphagia was improved in 82% of patients. Respiratory distress was improved in all the symptomatic patients. Tumor complete response (CR) was seen in 2 patients, partial response in 89, stable disease in 3, and progressive disease in 4. RTOG Grade 2 and 3 acute skin and mucosal toxicities were seen in 29% and 27% cases, respectively. No patient had Grade 4 adverse effect. Conclusions: Hypofractionated radiation could provide effective symptom palliation in advanced head and neck cancers. The weekly schedule was well tolerated and found convenient by the patients.
Physiological Responses to Slimming

Overweight people who wish to lose weight are faced with the problem that their metabolism has become accustomed to their state of fatness, indeed it is possible to argue that for them it is their normal state, and when an attempt is made to change it the body displays a number of physiological responses which are designed to protect the status quo. A fuller understanding of these changes will assist nutritionists in devising more successful weight-loss strategies and long-term treatments. The creation of a negative energy balance, which is necessary for all slimming regimens, invokes a wide variety of different physiological outcomes each of which is likely to be affected by a number of influencing variables. The outcomes include: energy-sparing adaptations, alterations in fat and lean body mass, altered energy substrate handling, changes in appetite, health-related outcomes (e.g. fitness, glucose tolerance), altered hormonal status, and altered fertility. The influencing variables include: genotype, degree of obesity at the onset of slimming, rate and duration of weight loss, the composition of the slimming diet, the incorporation or otherwise of exercise into the slimming regimen, and pharmacological agents if used. An attempt to cover all the permutations created by this variety of physiological responses and influencing factors would inevitably have to be trivially superficial. In order to avoid this the present review will only consider energy-sparing adaptations and the composition of weight loss. These are two of the most important outcomes and are covered by a substantial body of literature from which some definite conclusions can be drawn. Before the functions of
Cross‐Country Evidence of Corruption Spillovers to Formal and Informal Entrepreneurship

Using cross&#8208;country data this paper examines the spillovers of corruption to formal and informal entrepreneurship in neighboring countries. Whereas research has shown that entrepreneurs move underground to escape corruption, we argue that entrepreneurs may also seek refuge in neighboring countries. Indeed, the empirical results show that in response to a ceteris paribus increase in corruption in neighboring countries formal entrepreneurship increases in the home country with no effect on informal entrepreneurship. This is consistent with entrepreneurs circumventing corrupt public officials by immigrating to countries with presumably less corruption. These results withstand a battery of robustness checks.
Concurrent microdeletion and duplication of 22q11.2

Microduplication of 22q11.2 has been reported in fewer than 40 cases, all of them including the DiGeorge critical region (DGCR). We here present the characterization of a new duplication that does not include the DGCR. The duplication was initially found by multiplex ligation‐dependent probe amplification analysis of 22q11.2 in a young girl with a concurrent deletion of the DGCR in 70% of her peripheral blood lymphocytes. Her phenotype included many of the features of the velocardiofacial syndrome, with velopharyngeal insufficiency, recurrent infections, learning and concentration problems as well as difficulties in social interactions. However, there were no congenital malformations, and her facial appearance was not typical for the syndrome. Further investigations included array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) to size map the deletion/duplication and interphase fluorescent in situ hybridization to investigate mosaicism and the structure of the rearrangement. An identical duplication of this part of 22q11.2 has not been reported before, and the duplication itself seems to be associated with very mild or no symptoms. This study contributes to the growing knowledge regarding new deletions and duplications of 22q11.2, most of them mediated by the pre‐disposing high number of low‐copy repeats in the region.
An access-control model for Body Sensor Networks using authorisation policies.

The authorspsila previous work discusses a policy-based approach for autonomous management of access control in body-sensor networks using the concept of a Self-Managed-Cell (SMC). This paper discusses an implementation on this approach that permits the specification and enforcement of policies that facilitate management of access control on the SMC resources allowing for the grouping of resources in domains and roles.
Identification of a selective glucocorticoid receptor modulator that prevents both diet‐induced obesity and inflammation

High‐fat diet consumption results in obesity and chronic low‐grade inflammation in adipose tissue. Whereas glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antagonism reduces diet‐induced obesity, GR agonism reduces inflammation, the combination of which would be desired in a strategy to combat the metabolic syndrome. The purpose of this study was to assess the beneficial effects of the selective GR modulator C108297 on both diet‐induced weight gain and inflammation in mice and to elucidate underlying mechanisms.
Modelling and analysis for the machinability evaluation of Udimet-L605 in wire-cut electric discharge machining

The intention of this research is to examine and analyse the machinability of Udimet-L605 in wire-cut electric discharge machining. The pulse-on time, pulse-off time, peak current, wire tension, spark gap voltage, wire feed have been considered as input variables and two response variables as material removal rate and surface roughness. The four models, such as support vector machine using two different kernels, nonlinear regression and multi-linear regression have been proposed to check the variation among the experimental and predicted consequences. In addition to this, the sensitivity analyses test has been performed on prominent model to examine the influence of input variables on the material removal rate and surface roughness in wire electric discharge machining and epitomised that pulse-on time is the momentous parameter for both material removal rate and surface roughness. The support vector regression based on the polynomial kernel model has conferred enhanced resulting in a contest with other models.
Arcticiflavibacter luteus gen. nov., sp. nov., a member of the family Flavobacteriaceae isolated from intertidal sand.

A yellow-pigmented, rod-shaped, non-flagellated, aerobic and Gram-reaction-negative bacterium, designated strain SM1212T, was isolated from intertidal sand of Kongsfjorden, Svalbard. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain SM1212T constituted a distinct lineage within the family Flavobacteriaceae. It shared highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with the type strains of Bizionia echini (96.0 %), Lacinutrix jangbogonensis (95.8 %) and Psychroserpens damuponensis (95.7 %) and < 95.6 % sequence similarity with other recognized species in the family Flavobacteriaceae. The strain grew at 4-35 °C and with 0-6.0 % (w/v) NaCl. It hydrolysed gelatin, DNA, starch and Tween 80 but did not reduce nitrate to nitrite. The major cellular fatty acids were anteiso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 0, iso-C15 : 1 G, anteiso-C15 : 1 A, iso-C15 : 0 3-OH, C17 : 0 2-OH and iso-C17 : 0 3-OH and the major respiratory quinone was menaquinone MK-6. Polar lipids included phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified phospholipid, one unidentified aminophospholipid, three unidentified aminolipids and nine unidentified lipids. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain SM1212T was 36.6 mol%. On the basis of data from this polyphasic study, strain SM1212T represents a novel species in a new genus in the family Flavobacteriaceae, for which the name Arcticiflavibacter luteus gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Arcticiflavibacter luteus is SM1212T ( = MCCC 1K00234T = KCTC 32514T).