Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Exposure to environmental tobacco smoke: association with personal characteristics and self reported health conditions

STUDY OBJECTIVE To examine the association between exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) and demographic, lifestyle, occupational characteristics and self reported health conditions. DESIGN Cross sectional study, using data from multiphasic health checkups between 1979 and 1985. SETTING Large health plan in Northern California, USA. PARTICIPANTS 16 524 men aged 15–89 years and 26 197 women aged 15–105 years who never smoked. RESULTS Sixty eight per cent of men and 64 per cent of women reported any current ETS exposure (at home, in small spaces other than home or in large indoor areas). The exposure time from all three sources of ETS exposure correlated negatively with age. Men and women reporting high level ETS exposure were more likely to be black and never married or separated/divorced, to have no college or partial college education, to consume three alcoholic drink/day or more and to report exposure to several occupational hazards. Consistent independent relations across sexes were found between any current exposure to ETS and a positive history of hay fever/asthma (odds ratio (OR)=1.22 in men, 1.14 in women), hearing loss (OR=1.30 in men, 1.27 in women), severe headache (OR=1.22 in men, 1.17 in women), and cold/flu symptoms (OR=1.52 in men, 1.57 in women). Any current ETS exposure was also associated with chronic cough (OR=1.22) in men and with heart disease (OR=1.10) in women. Self reported stroke was inversely associated with any current ETS exposure in men (OR=0.27). No associations were noted for cancer or tumour and for migraine. CONCLUSION ETS exposure correlated with several personal characteristics potentially associated with adverse health outcomes. Although the study design precluded causal inference, ETS exposure was associated with several self reported acute and chronic medical conditions.
Significant and prolonged antisense effect of a multifunctional envelope‐type nano device encapsulating antisense oligodeoxynucleotide

A multifunctional envelope‐type nano device (MEND) was developed for use as an efficient non‐viral system for the delivery of plasmid DNA (pDNA) using octaarginine (R8) as an internalizing ligand. Three types of R8‐MENDs were prepared, co‐encapsulating luciferase‐encoding pDNA and antiluciferase oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) condensed by three polycations, stearyl octaarginine (STR‐R8), poly‐l‐lysine (PLL) and protamine, and the antisense effects of the ODN‐encapsulated R8‐MENDs (ODN‐MEND) were analysed in‐vitro. The ODN‐MEND packaged using protamine as a condenser showed a 90% antisense effect 16 h after the transfection, and a persistent antisense effect of over 75% for up to 48 h, which was much more effective than that of LipofectAmine2000. On the other hand, the ODN‐MENDs prepared using PLL and STR‐R8 as condensers did not show any significant inhibition of luciferase activity. Although there was no specific relation between the physicochemical characteristics of the ODN‐MENDs and their antisense effect, the pattern of the antisense effect among the ODN‐MENDs was similar to that of the silencing effect of R8‐MEND encapsulating plasmid DNA encoding siRNA. These results suggest that R8‐MENDs are able to deliver encapsulated DNA to the cytosol as well as to the nucleus, and that protamine can also function as an efficient decondenser, not only in the nucleus but also in the cytosol. In conclusion, we successfully developed an ODN‐MEND with a high antisense effect using protamine as a DNA condensing as well as a decondensing agent.
Effect of cimetidine, a model drug for inhibition of the organic cation transport (OCT2/MATE1) in the kidney, on the pharmacokinetics of glycopyrronium.

OBJECTIVE Glycopyrronium (NVA237), a novel once-daily long-acting muscarinic antagonist (LAMA), has recently been approved for maintenance treatment of COPD. This study evaluated the effect of organic cation transporter inhibition on inhaled glycopyrronium disposition using cimetidine as a probe inhibitor. METHODS In this open-label, two-period, two-sequence, crossover study, 20 healthy subjects received two treatments. A single dose of 100 μg glycopyrronium was inhaled alone and on Day 4 of a 6-day treatment with oral cimetidine 800 mg b.i. d. Trough plasma concentrations of cimetidine were determined throughout cimetidine dosing. Plasma concentrations and urinary excretion of glycopyrronium were determined up to 72 hours post glycopyrronium dose. The primary pharmacokinetics (PK) parameters were plasma peak concentration (Cmax), AUC up to the last measured concentration (AUClast), and renal clearance (CLr) of glycopyrronium. RESULTS Cimetidine trough concentrations indicated that PK steady state of cimetidine was reached prior to single dose inhalation of glycopyrronium. Inhalation of glycopyrronium in the presence of cimetidine resulted in an increase in total systemic exposure (AUClast) of glycopyrronium by 22% (geometric mean ratio 1.22; 90% CI: 1.12 - 1.32). This exposure increase correlated with a slight decrease of 23% in CLr (geometric mean ratio 0.77; 90% CI: 0.70 - 0.85). Cmax was not affected. Both treatments were safe and well tolerated without any deaths or severe adverse events. CONCLUSION Based on the magnitude of the PK changes seen in this study, no relevant drug interaction is expected when glycopyrronium is co-administered with cimetidine or other inhibitors of the organic cation transport.
Efficacy and Safety of the Selective Aldosterone Blocker Eplerenone in Japanese Patients With Hypertension: A Randomized, Double‐Blind, Placebo‐Controlled, Dose‐Ranging Study

Approximately 40% of Japanese patients with essential hypertension, including low‐renin hypertension, are inadequately managed. Low‐renin hypertension generally responds poorly to angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin‐receptor blockers, but may respond more optimally to diuretics, calcium channel blockers, and aldosterone blockers. This multicenter, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, parallel‐group, dose‐ranging study evaluated the efficacy and safety of the selective aldosterone blocker eplerenone in 193 Japanese patients with essential hypertension. Although not a study inclusion criterion, baseline active plasma renin levels were consistently low (5.7–10.1 mU/L); most patients met the criteria for low‐renin hypertension (≤42.5 mU/L; normal range, 7–76 mU/L). Patients received placebo or eplerenone 50, 100, or 200 mg once daily for 8 weeks. Systolic blood pressure decreased significantly (−6.8 to −10.6 mm Hg vs. −2.1 mm Hg; p≤0.0245 vs. placebo) at all eplerenone doses; diastolic pressure decreased significantly at 100 and 200 mg doses (−6.9 to −7.5 mm Hg vs. −3.0 mm Hg; p≤0.0022 vs. placebo). Eplerenone offers significant blood pressure reduction with good tolerability in Japanese patients with hypertension, including those with low‐renin hypertension.
Effectiveness of the Biomass Crop Assistance Program: Roles of Behavioral Factors, Credit Constraint, and Program Design

The Biomass Crop Assistance Program (BCAP) aims to incentivize the production of biomass for bioenergy and bioproducts. This paper investigates the potential effectiveness of BCAP in stimulating biomass production. We find that the effectiveness of BCAP is significantly affected by program design, farmers’ risk and time preferences, credit availability, and biomass prices. The impact of a budget-constrained BCAP on incentivizing biomass production is much larger under a program design that enrolls land with the largest incremental biomass production per BCAP payment dollar (IBP-Max design) than under a design that enrolls land with the lowest cost of production (COP-Min design). The effectiveness of BCAP in inducing biomass production is highest when farmers are credit constrained, have a high degree of risk aversion, and a high rate of time preference under the IBP-Max design. The mix of feedstocks induced by the BCAP also varies as the biomass price increases; at low prices much of the biomass induced is from crop residues, while at high prices it is from perennial energy crops. The additional biomass production induced by the BCAP ranges from 0.1% to 62% of total biomass production without BCAP under the IBP-Max design, and from 0.1% to 3% under the COP-Min design. However, the volume of biomass production induced by BCAP is small even in the credit constrained, high-risk aversion, and high discount rate scenario (2.7 million metric tons annually) due to the limited program budget of $125 million BCAP budget under the 2014 Farm Bill.
Activation patterns of vasopressinergic and oxytocinergic brain regions following social play exposure in juvenile male and female rats

Social play is a highly rewarding and motivated behaviour predominately displayed by juveniles and expressed by nearly all mammalian species. Prior work suggested that the vasopressin (AVP) and oxytocin (OT) systems can regulate the expression of social play in sex‐specific ways. In the present study, we investigated whether there are sex differences in the recruitment of vasopressinergic and oxytocinergic brain regions following social play exposure in juvenile rats. Single‐housed rats were allowed to play, in their home cage, with an age‐ and sex‐matched unfamiliar conspecific for 10 minutes, or received similar handling but no partner. Double‐labelled fluorescence immunohistochemistry for Fos and either AVP or OT was completed in adjacent series of tissues to determine recruitment of AVP‐ and OT‐immunoreactive neurones in response to social play. Exposure to social play did not increase recruitment of AVP or OT neurones in the supraoptic (SO) or paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei of either sex compared to the no‐play control condition. Interestingly, there was a robust sex difference in SO recruitment, irrespective of social play condition, with males exhibiting twice the recruitment of SO‐AVP and SO‐OT neurones compared to females. Lastly, exposure to social play increased recruitment of the posterior bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (pBST) and the posterodorsal medial amygdalar nucleus (MEApd) compared to the no‐play control condition, and this effect was most pronounced in females. Our findings revealed sex differences in the recruitment of brain regions (i) independent of play condition (ie, SO) possibly representing a sex difference in the baseline levels of AVP and OT signalling required for typical functioning and (ii) specific to play condition (ie, pBST, MEApd). In sum, the present study provides further evidence that the neural substrates underlying social play behaviour are sex‐specific.
Alcohol Use, Mycoplasma genitalium, and Other STIs Associated With HIV Incidence Among Women at High Risk in Kampala, Uganda

Background:In 2008, the first clinic for women involved in high-risk sexual behavior was established in Kampala, offering targeted HIV prevention. This article describes rates, determinants, and trends of HIV incidence over 3 years. Methods:A total of 1027 women at high risk were enrolled into a closed cohort. At 3-monthly visits, data were collected on sociodemographic variables and risk behavior; biological samples were tested for HIV and other reproductive tract infections/sexually transmitted infections (RTI/STIs). Hazard ratios for HIV incidence were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression among the 646 women HIV negative at enrolment. Results:HIV incidence was 3.66/100 person-years (pyr) and declined from 6.80/100 pyr in the first calendar year to 2.24/100 pyr and 2.53/100 pyr in the following years (P trend = 0.003). Sociodemographic and behavioral factors independently associated with HIV incidence were younger age, younger age at first sex, alcohol use (including frequency of use and binge drinking), number of paying clients in the past month, inconsistent condom use with clients, and not being pregnant. HIV incidence was also independently associated with Mycoplasma genitalium infection at enrolment [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) = 2.28, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.15 to 4.52] and with Neisseria gonorrhoeae (aHR = 5.91, 95% CI: 3.04 to 11.49) and Trichomonas vaginalis infections at the most recent visit (aHR = 2.72, 95% CI: 1.27 to 5.84). The population attributable fractions of HIV incidence for alcohol use was 63.5% (95% CI: 6.5 to 85.8) and for treatable RTI/STIs was 70.0% (95% CI: 18.8 to 87.5). Conclusions:Alcohol use and STIs remain important risk factors for HIV acquisition, which call for more intensive control measures in women at high risk. Further longitudinal studies are needed to confirm the association between M. genitalium and HIV acquisition.
Zinc Transport Differs in Rat Spermatogenic Cell Types and Is Affected by Treatment with Cyclophosphamide

ABSTRACT Adequate zinc levels are required for proper cellular functions and for male germ cell development. Zinc transport is accomplished by two families of zinc transporters, the ZIPs and the ZnTs, that increase and decrease cytosolic zinc levels, respectively. However, very little is known about zinc transport in the testis. Furthermore, whether cytotoxic agents such as cyclophosphamide (CPA), a known male germ cell toxicant, can affect zinc transport and homeostasis is unknown. We examined zinc transporter expression and zinc transport in pachytene spermatocytes (PS) and round spermatids (RS) in a normal state and after exposure to CPA. We observed differences in the expression of members of the ZnT and ZIP families in purified populations of PS and RS. We also observed that RS accumulate more zinc over time than PS. The expression of many zinc binding genes was altered after CPA treatment. Interestingly, we found that the expression levels of ZIP5 and ZIP14 were increased in PS from animals treated daily with 6 mg/kg CPA for 4 wk but not in RS. This up-regulation led to an increase in zinc uptake in PS but not in RS from treated animals compared to controls. These data suggest that CPA treatment may alter zinc homeostasis in male germ cells leading to an increased need for zinc. Altered zinc homeostasis may disrupt proper germ cell development and contribute to infertility and effects on progeny.
Incorporating Foreign Direct Investment and Trade into Energy-Employment Nexus: Evidence from China

Energy consumption in China has been rapidly increasing due to production and consumption, and the growth varies by regions. Chinese government has been trying to reduce energy intensity in production and energy use among households through several energy efficiency policies since 1980s. However, there has been concern over the employment impact of the change of production and consumption structure. Previous studies on the energy-employment nexus focused primarily on the energy-to-employment link, neglecting the possibility of the reverse. In addition, these studies investigated the direct link between the two, ignoring the channel through which one could affect another. This article seeks to fill up the gap by incorporating FDI and trade into the energy-employment nexus using panel cointegration and Granger causality methods. The major findings suggest that energy efficiency policy can be implemented in FDI-led and trade-led provinces located in the China’s coast without impeding the employment growth. However, performance of trade and FDI should be further enhanced in China’s hinterland to promote employment growth and energy efficiency. This study highlights the importance of devising energy policy and labor market policy alongside trade liberalization and foreign investment policies in China.
Activation and Function of the MAPKs and Their Substrates, the MAPK-Activated Protein Kinases

SUMMARY The mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) regulate diverse cellular programs by relaying extracellular signals to intracellular responses. In mammals, there are more than a dozen MAPK enzymes that coordinately regulate cell proliferation, differentiation, motility, and survival. The best known are the conventional MAPKs, which include the extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), c-Jun amino-terminal kinases 1 to 3 (JNK1 to -3), p38 (α, β, γ, and δ), and ERK5 families. There are additional, atypical MAPK enzymes, including ERK3/4, ERK7/8, and Nemo-like kinase (NLK), which have distinct regulation and functions. Together, the MAPKs regulate a large number of substrates, including members of a family of protein Ser/Thr kinases termed MAPK-activated protein kinases (MAPKAPKs). The MAPKAPKs are related enzymes that respond to extracellular stimulation through direct MAPK-dependent activation loop phosphorylation and kinase activation. There are five MAPKAPK subfamilies: the p90 ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK), the mitogen- and stress-activated kinase (MSK), the MAPK-interacting kinase (MNK), the MAPK-activated protein kinase 2/3 (MK2/3), and MK5 (also known as p38-regulated/activated protein kinase [PRAK]). These enzymes have diverse biological functions, including regulation of nucleosome and gene expression, mRNA stability and translation, and cell proliferation and survival. Here we review the mechanisms of MAPKAPK activation by the different MAPKs and discuss their physiological roles based on established substrates and recent discoveries.
Segmenting craft beer drinkers: An analysis of motivations, willingness to pay, and repeat patronage intentions

ABSTRACT In order to determine the specific motivations of U.S. craft beer drinkers to visit a microbrewery taproom, the current study utilized a two-step data collection process along with a two-step cluster analysis. The current study shows that U.S. craft beer drinkers can be broken into two segments in terms of involvement and variety seeking: high involvement-variety seeking and low involvement-variety seeking. Furthermore, these two segments differ significantly regarding their motivations to visit a microbrewery taproom and their willingness to pay for craft beer at a microbrewery taproom compared to other locations. Implications for practice and academics are discussed in detail.
Coronary artery disease and abdominal aortic aneurysm growth

To determine whether coronary artery disease (CAD) is associated with abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) growth, we performed a meta-analysis of currently available studies. Databases including MEDLINE and EMBASE were searched through October 2015 using PubMed and OVID. Search terms included enlargement, expansion, growth, or progression; rate or rates; and abdominal aortic aneurysm. Studies considered for inclusion met the following criteria: the design was unrestricted; the study population was AAA patients with and without CAD; and outcomes included data regarding AAA growth. For each study, growth rates in both the CAD and non-CAD groups were used to generate standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Of 664 potentially relevant publications screened initially, we identified 20 eligible studies including data on a total of 7238 AAA patients. A pooled analysis of all 20 studies demonstrated a statistically significant association of CAD with slower AAA growth rates (i.e. a significantly negative association of CAD with AAA growth) in the fixed-effect model (SMD, −0.06 [–0.0592]; 95% CI, −0.12 [–0.1157] to −0.00 [–0.0027]; p = 0.04). There was minimal between-study heterogeneity (p = 0.16) and a statistically non-significant association of CAD with slower AAA growth rates (i.e. a non-significantly negative association of CAD with AAA growth) in the pooled result from random-effects modeling (SMD, −0.06; 95% CI, −0.13 to 0.01; p = 0.12). In conclusion, CAD may be negatively associated with AAA growth.
Flourishing relationships with consulting clients

Some relationships go quite well - others less well. In this dissertation I explore consulting relationships that flourish and how such a bond develops between consultant and client. I distil the essence of my and some other practising consultants’ experience of flourishing relationships using transcendental phenomenological methods. Unlike quantitative analysis, the description obtained in this way retains the complexity of our experience and I present it as a series of dialogues, mirroring the form of the conversations from which it was drawn. In the flourishing consulting relationships I researched, I found firstly that consultant and client mark out some fundamental common ground they have with one another in terms of their beliefs, interests and behaviours. They check that something is at stake that both value. While they do so, they discover ways to mutually engage, to let each other in. They came to like, respect, trust and feel accepted by one another. They enter into each other’s emotions and perspectives, empathising deeply with the other. Neither feels superior. They become energised about what they are doing. They maintain a strong sense of personal connection despite the peaks and troughs experienced thereafter. Then, as a partnership develops, they become a dyadic unit, one in spirit. They co-own their project, embedded together in it. They ask for and value each other’s opinions, given honestly. They feel responsible for one another. They share the work, their skills and experience synergised. Finally, operating as a team, they are able to act in concert as they engage with the outside world to further the purpose of the assignment that brought them together. They have a common purpose, aim, plot and script, within which they can both improvise. A summary description of the phenomenon is presented, accompanied by diagrams showing the underlying structures. I apply my findings to my own practice and reflect on how they help me, what I have learned about myself and how I relate to others, and the contribution I hope my inquiry makes to knowledge. A paper summarising this dissertation has been published in the peer-reviewed Work Based Learning e-Journal international, published by Middlesex University (Davis, 2015).
A Symmetric Approach To The Labor Market

In this paper we present a modification of the usual labor market model. Three wage concepts are introduced. We assume that the worker has a minimum wage in mind for which she is willing to participate and that the employer has a maximum wage in mind, which he is willing to pay for a specific type of labor. If the female does not work we assume that the institutional wage does not lie between those wage levels. This model is estimated on a cross-section data set of 6352 working and non-working married females. We employ a flexible simulated EM-algorithm where we simulate from individually varying sets with positive or zero measure in IR3 and ile. The estimated model indicates that the presence of young children does not only reduce the female's willingness to participate but also the employer's willingness to hire. On the basis of the model we differentiate unemployment as being due to unwillingness of the worker, the employer or both to supply and demand of labor at the present institutional wage level. It is estimated that about 40% of female employment may be attributed to the "insider advantage". A political evaluation of some effects of wage measures is provided. It is found that, in addition to the manipulation of wages and wage costs, the supply of childcare facilities will have a considerable impact on female participation.