Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Attitudes to new smoking restrictions and second-hand smoke among young Finnish males

Aims: Relatively little is known about the attitudes of young people to restrictions on smoking in public places and to environmental second-hand smoke in housing estates. The objective was to explore the attitudes of young male adults after the new smoke-free legislation was implemented in Finland. Methods: A survey of 1167 Finnish male military conscripts was performed. The main outcome variables were their attitudes to the new restrictions on smoking in public places and concerns about second-hand smoke in the home originating from their neighbours. Results: Almost half of the youths (43.5%) reported that they supported the more restrictive smoking regulations, with 44.8% having a neutral view. Only 16.0% of the respondents were irritated about the second-hand smoke entering to their house from outside and 48.6% were not concerned about smoking in their neighbourhood. A total of 555 (47.6%) conscripts were current smokers. Current smokers were more often totally opposed to the legislation and had less negative views about the exposure to second-hand smoke than non-smokers. Strong nicotine dependence increased the feelings of anxiety and stigmatisation when the new restrictions were introduced. Conclusions: Finnish young men do accept new smoking restrictions. However, smoking with high nicotine dependence was surprisingly common among these young men and the negative attitude to the legislation can be traced to this group of smokers. The repulsion felt towards second-hand smoke by non-smokers represents an opportunity for public health initiatives to guarantee a smoke-free environment in public and private places.
Association of glycaemia with macrovascular and microvascular complications of type 2 diabetes (UKPDS 35): prospective observational study

Abstract Objective: To determine the relation between exposure to glycaemia over time and the risk of macrovascular or microvascular complications in patients with type 2 diabetes. Design: Prospective observational study. Setting: 23 hospital based clinics in England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Participants: 4585 white, Asian Indian, and Afro-Caribbean UKPDS patients, whether randomised or not to treatment, were included in analyses of incidence; of these, 3642 were included in analyses of relative risk. Outcome measures: Primary predefined aggregate clinical outcomes: any end point or deaths related to diabetes and all cause mortality. Secondary aggregate outcomes: myocardial infarction, stroke, amputation (including death from peripheral vascular disease), and microvascular disease (predominantly retinal photo-coagulation). Single end points: non-fatal heart failure and cataract extraction. Risk reduction associated with a 1% reduction in updated mean HbA1c adjusted for possible confounders at diagnosis of diabetes. Results: The incidence of clinical complications was significantly associated with glycaemia. Each 1% reduction in updated mean HbA1c was associated with reductions in risk of 21% for any end point related to diabetes (95% confidence interval 17% to 24%, P<0.0001), 21% for deaths related to diabetes (15% to 27%, P<0.0001), 14% for myocardial infarction (8% to 21%, P<0.0001), and 37% for microvascular complications (33% to 41%, P<0.0001). No threshold of risk was observed for any end point. Conclusions: In patients with type 2 diabetes the risk of diabetic complications was strongly associated with previous hyperglycaemia. Any reduction in HbA1c is likely to reduce the risk of complications, with the lowest risk being in those with HbA1c values in the normal range (<6.0%).
Numerical Simulation of Airflow Patterns and Air Temperature Distribution during Inspiration in a Nose Model with Septal Perforation

Background The most typical symptoms of patients with nasal septal perforation (SP) are crusting and recurrent nosebleed. The objective of the study was to determine the influence of SP on intranasal temperature profile and airflow patterns during inspiration by means of numerical simulation. Methods Two realistic bilateral models of the human nose with and without SP were reconstructed based on computed tomography (CT). A numerical simulation was performed. The intranasal air temperature distribution and airflow patterns during inspiration were displayed, analyzed, and compared. Results SP causes a highly disturbed airflow in the area of perforation. A spacious vortex within the perforation including various localized vortices was detected. A disturbed intranasal temperature distribution between the right and left nasal cavities developed. Conclusions The numerical simulation demonstrates the interaction between airflow patterns and heating of respiratory air. The disturbed airflow causes reduced air conditioning. This fact may contribute to crusting and recurrent nosebleed.
A new high-k/metal gate CMOS integration scheme (Diffusion and Gate Replacement) suppressing gate height asymmetry and compatible with high-thermal budget memory technologies

A new scheme called in the following “Diffusion and Gate Replacement” (D&GR) MIPS integration is demonstrated. The CMOS flow allows to control the gate height asymmetry between NMOS and PMOS by driving the work function shifter directly into the high-k. Since the threshold voltage (Vth) shifter sources are removed, it is compatible with other processes requiring high-thermal budget such as memory technologies (DRAM periphery).
Effect of torsional stiffness and inertia on the dynamics of low aspect ratio flapping wings

Micro air vehicle-motivated aerodynamics in biological flight has been an important subject in the past decade. Inspired by the novel flapping wing mechanisms in insects, birds and bats, we have carried out a numerical study systematically investigating a three-dimensional flapping rigid wing with passively actuated lateral and rotational motion. Distinguishing it from the limited existing studies, this work performs a systematic examination on the effects of wing aspect ratio (AR = 1.0 to infinity), inertia (density ratio σ = 4–32), torsional stiffness (frequency ratio F = 1.5–10 and infinity) and pivot point (from chord-center to leading edge) on the dynamics response of a low AR rectangular wing under an initial zero speed flow field condition. The simulation results show that the symmetry breakdown of the flapping wing results in a forward/backward motion with a rotational pitching. When the wing reaches its stable periodic state, the induced pitching frequency is identical to its forced flapping frequency. However, depending on various kinematic and dynamic system parameters, (i.e. flapping frequency, density ratio and pitching axis), the lateral induced velocity shows a number of different oscillating frequencies. Furthermore, compared with a one degree of freedom (DoF) wing in the lateral direction only, the propulsion performance of such a two DoF wing relies very much on the magnitude of torsional stiffness adding on the pivot point, as well as its pitching axis. In all cases examined here, thrust force and moment generated by a long span wing is larger than that of a short wing, which is remarkably linked to the strong reverse von Kármán vortex street formed in the wake of a wing.
Analysis and design of interfacing inverter output virtual impedance in a low voltage microgrid

This paper presents the control strategies and output (virtual) impedance design approach for parallel operated distributed generation (DG) units in a low voltage (LV) microgrid system. To achieve communicationless control among DG interfacing converters, virtual impedances are placed between the interfacing converter outputs and the grid to improve system stability and mitigate coupling between real and reactive power. In order to properly design the virtual impedance, small-signal models of a microgrid in different operation modes are developed using complex number matrix, which is flexible and can be easily extended when more DG units are added. Based on the developed microgrid models, system damping and stability are evaluated. Together with the DG power capacity and power decoupling requirements, the desired DG output virtual impedance can be designed. To realize the virtual impedance, a robust implementation method that avoids using of any high/low pass filters is presented. Moreover, to further improve the power control performance during transients, a transient power decoupling algorithm and an adaptive transient impedance control scheme are proposed. Experimental results are provided to validate the impedance design approach, the virtual impedance implementation method and the proposed transient power control strategies.
Changes in physical fitness and all-cause mortality. A prospective study of healthy and unhealthy men.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relationship between changes in physical fitness and risk of mortality in men. DESIGN Prospective study, with two clinical examinations (mean interval between examinations, 4.9 years) to assess change or lack of change in physical fitness as associated with risk of mortality during follow-up after the subsequent examination (mean follow-up from subsequent examination, 5.1 years). SETTING Preventive medicine clinic. STUDY PARTICIPANTS Participants were 9777 men given two preventive medical examinations, each of which included assessment of physical fitness by maximal exercise tests and evaluation of health status. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES All cause (n = 223) and cardiovascular disease (n = 87) mortality. RESULTS The highest age-adjusted all-cause death rate was observed in men who were unfit at both examinations (122.0/10,000 man-years); the lowest death rate was in men who were physically fit at both examinations (39.6/10,000 man-years). Men who improved from unfit to fit between the first and subsequent examinations had an age-adjusted death rate of 67.7/10,000 man-years. This is a reduction in mortality risk of 44% (95% confidence interval, 25% to 59%) relative to men who remained unfit at both examinations. Improvement in fitness was associated with lower death rates after adjusting for age, health status, and other risk factors of premature mortality. For each minute increase in maximal treadmill time between examinations, there was a corresponding 7.9% (P = .001) decrease in risk of mortality. Similar results were seen when the group was stratified by health status, and for cardiovascular disease mortality. CONCLUSIONS Men who maintained or improved adequate physical fitness were less likely to die from all causes and from cardiovascular disease during follow-up than persistently unfit men. Physicians should encourage unfit men to improve their fitness by starting a physical activity program.
Test Anxiety and Salivary Cortisol Levels in Nursing Students

Stress, in the form of test anxiety, inhibits examination performance essential to nursing success. Salivary cortisol, a biomarker of stress, was obtained before 3 examinations and 1 nursing didactic class from a sample of baccalaureate nursing students in a midwestern US university. Significant differences were found between cortisol sampling events and by junior or senior status. These findings suggest that diverse examinations and program level yield differences in stress for students.
Risk shocks with time-varying higher moments

Abstract Within the context of a financial accelerator model, we model time-varying uncertainty (i.e. risk shocks) through the use of a mixture normal model with time variation in the weights applied to the underlying distributions characterizing entrepreneur productivity. Specifically, we model capital producers (i.e. the entrepreneurs) as either low-risk (a relatively small second moment of productivity) or high-risk (a relatively large second moment of productivity) and the fraction of both types is time-varying. We show that this modeling feature implies that the aggregate distribution of productivity shocks is non-normal and has time varying kurtosis and skewness; both of these features have important effects on equilibrium characteristics. In particular, after estimating the steady-state share and the change in the fraction of risky entrepreneurs, we show that a small change in the fraction of risky types can result in a large quantitative effect of a risk shock relative to standard models for both financial and real variables. Moreover, the bankruptcy rate and the risk premium in the economy are very sensitive to a change in the composition of entrepreneurs.
Functional assays in high‐resolution clear native gels to quantify mitochondrial complexes in human biopsies and cell lines

We introduce high resolution clear native electrophoresis (CNE) as a powerful technique to resolve enzymatically active mitochondrial complexes from cultured human cell lines and skeletal muscle biopsy samples. Quantitative enzymatic assays can be performed using small amounts of cultured cells with low mitochondria content, for example, around 10 mg of sedimented osteosarcoma cells (wet weight) which is equivalent to around 10 million cells. High resolution CNE offers general advantages for in‐gel catalytic activity assays compared to blue native electrophoresis. It seems especially suited for assaying mitochondrial ATP synthase and respiratory chain complexes I and II in cell models of human mitochondrial disorders and for detailed analyses of patient cells and tissues with defects in oxidative phosphorylation.
Rational Design and Biochemical Utility of Specific Inhibitors of Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme

Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), the receptor for an important new class of antihypertensive drugs, is now one of the better studied zinc metallopeptidases. The development of several classes of tightly binding competitive inhibitors of ACE has led to increased understanding of the structure and function of this enzyme while also yielding important new drugs for the diagnosis and treatment of hypertensive disease. Peptides from snake venom provided the first proof of the therapeutic utility of ACE inhibitors, and a tripeptide sequence, Phe-Ala-Pro, was used as a model for side-chain interactions with ACE in the rational design of simpler nonpeptidic inhibitors such as captopril and enalapril. These and more recently developed ACE inhibitors can be classified according to their structural analogy to dipeptides or tripeptides and according to the nature of their zinc-binding ligands, such as sulfhydryl, ketone, carboxylate, or hydroxyphosphinyl, that contribute greatly to their binding to ACE. Several newer ACE inhibitors have increased potency and/or improved pharmacokinetic properties due to modifications such as substitution of the proline ring or replacement of the methyl side chain analogous to Ala by an aminobutyl residue analogous to Lys. The availability of structurally diverse ACE inhibitors with great potency and specificity provides a powerful biochemical tool for purification, localization, and characterization of ACE in different tissues, and for distinguishing related zinc metallopeptidases with similar properties.
Relationship between insulin resistance-associated metabolic parameters and anthropometric measurements with sugar-sweetened beverage intake and physical activity levels in US adolescents: findings from the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relationship between insulin resistance-associated metabolic parameters and anthropometric measurements with sugar-sweetened beverage intake and physical activity levels. DESIGN A cross-sectional analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data collected by the National Center for Health Statistics. SETTING Nationally representative samples of US adolescents participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey during the years 1999-2004. PARTICIPANTS A total of 6967 adolescents aged 12 to 19 years. MAIN EXPOSURE Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption and physical activity levels. OUTCOME MEASURES Glucose and insulin concentrations, a homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), total, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, triglyceride concentrations, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, waist circumference, and body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) percentile for age and sex. RESULTS Multivariate linear regression analyses showed that increased sugar-sweetened beverage intake was independently associated with increased HOMA-IR, systolic blood pressure, waist circumference, and body mass index percentile for age and sex and decreased HDL cholesterol concentrations; alternatively, increased physical activity levels were independently associated with decreased HOMA-IR, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, and triglyceride concentrations and increased high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. Furthermore, low sugar-sweetened beverage intake and high physical activity levels appear to modify each others' effects of decreasing HOMA-IR and triglyceride concentrations and increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations. CONCLUSIONS Sugar-sweetened beverage intake and physical activity levels are each independently associated with insulin resistance-associated metabolic parameters and anthropometric measurements in adolescents. Moreover, low sugar-sweetened beverage intake and high physical activity levels appear to modify each others' effects on several health-related outcome variables.
Factors Influencing Injury Severity to Highway Workers in Work Zone Intrusion Accidents

Objective: Highway workers in work zones are in close proximity to traveling vehicles, exposing them to injury risks when vehicles intrude into the work zone. The purpose of this research was to perform an analysis of injuries endured by highway workers due to intrusion accidents and to identify factors that would have a significant effect on injury severity. Methods: Ten years of California work zone injury data were collected and analyzed. The data were first used to determine trends in work zone injury. Statistical models were also created to evaluate variables influencing injury severity. Statistical models included multiple correspondence analysis, Cox proportional hazard regression, logistic regression, and Poisson regression. Results: Statistical analysis of California injury data identified the 4 variables of accident/work zone location, work zone duration, time of day, and type of activity performed by the worker as having the most significant impact on injury severity. The results show that locations such as those on freeways/highways and stationary lane closures result in more severe injuries than work zones on city streets. Short-term stationary and short-duration work zones had increased odds of nonminor injuries compared to mobile work zones. For the time of day, the results indicate that the odds of more serious injuries are higher during nonpeak hours than during peak rush hours. Finally, workers on foot have greater odds of experiencing a more severe injury versus workers inside vehicles. Conclusion: This research has shown that considering the effects of work zone location, duration, time of day, and worker activity can have the most significant impact on risk of injury to workers. Understanding these factors can provide a basis for planning and design of work zones to improve worker safety.
Expression of the Multidrug Transporter P-glycoprotein is Highly Correlated with Clinical Outcome in Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: Results of a Long-Term Prospective Study

The improved cure rate in childhood ALL may be attributed largely to the effective multidrug regimens currently applied in well-designed clinical trials. However, in a minority of patients with ALL, chemotherapy failure remains a leading cause of cancer related death, most probably due to cellular drug resistance. The better-known mechanism of such resistance is mediated by P-glycoprotein (P-gp). In a long term prospective study (mean time of follow-up: 65 months) the multidrug efflux pump P-gp was examined immunocytochemically in leukemic cells of 102 protocol-treated children with de novo acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and of 37 children with relapsed ALL. Fourteen percent expressed P-gp at initial diagnosis and 35% were P-gp positive at relapse. The patients being P-gp positive at initial diagnosis had a higher rate of leukemic relapse than the P-gp negative patients (P =0.02). In the relapsing patients, those who were P-gp positive had a 2.18-fold greater risk for leukemic death than those who were P-gp negative. Paired analysis on diagnostic and relapsed samples from 20 patients did not support the hypothesis of P-gp mediated expression being a chemotherapy induced phenomenon. The cumulative event free survival for de novo ALL patients was significantly higher in the P-gp negative patient group. Multivariate analysis showed that P-gp expression is independent of other known risk factors. In conclusion we strongly advise that tests for P-gp in leukemic blasts should be conducted for every child with ALL, since this parameter selects a subgroup of patients with increased risk for leukemic relapse.
CHOROIDAL THICKENING AND PACHYCHOROID IN CUSHING SYNDROME: Correlation With Endogenous Cortisol Level

Purpose: To investigate subfoveal choroidal thickness and pachychoroid and their correlation with hormone level in patients with endogenous Cushing syndrome (CS). Methods: We enrolled a consecutive series of patients with CS and healthy controls. All participants had swept-source optical coherence tomography. All patients with CS had hormone test including morning plasma-free cortisol, 24-hour urine-free cortisol (24UFC), and plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone. We compared subfoveal choroidal thickness and pachychoroid changes between two groups. We performed univariate and multivariate analysis to study correlation between hormone level and choroid thickness as well as pachychoroid in patients with CS. Results: Compared with control group, Cushing group had significantly greater subfoveal choroidal thickness (371.6 ± 114.9 and 320.0 ± 74.0, P = 0.002) and higher proportion of eyes with pachychoroid (53.1 and 14.3%, P < 0.001). Subfoveal choroidal thickness was significantly correlated with 24UFC (P = 0.007) but not with plasma-free cortisol (P = 0.48) or adrenocorticotropic hormone (P = 0.56). Pachychoroid was significantly correlated with 24UFC (P = 0.03) but not with plasma-free cortisol (P = 0.24) or adrenocorticotropic hormone (P = 0.32). Conclusion: There was a positive correlation between elevated 24UFC and choroid thickening as well as pachychoroid, indicating the importance of normal endogenous cortisol level in maintaining the human choroid vasculature.
Weather Fluctuation, Expectation Formation, and the Short-run Behavioral Responses to Climate Change

One premise adopted in most previous studies is that weather fluctuation affects economic outcomes in a contemporaneous fashion. Yet under certain circumstances, the impact of weather fluctuation in the current year can be carried over into the future. Using agricultural production as an example, we empirically investigate how past weather fluctuation affects economic decision-making through shifting agents’ subjective expectation on future climate. We find that agricultural producers do not form expectations on future climate rationally, and instead engage in a combination of cognitive biases, including the availability heuristic and the reinforcement strategy. Adopting these heuristics causes farmers to significantly over-react to more recent fluctuations in weather and water availability when making ex ante acreage and crop allocation deci-