Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Breast and cervical cancer screening among Chinese American women.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to describe breast and cervical cancer screening knowledge and practices of a representative sample of Chinese American women and to examine the factors associated with screening practices. DESCRIPTION OF STUDY A random sample of 332 Chinese American women, 40 to 69 years of age, from the Chinatown area of Chicago, Illinois, were interviewed face to face, using both Chinese Mandarin (or Putunghua) and Cantonese versions of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) Cancer Control Supplement Questionnaire. Knowledge and use of mammogram, clinical breast examination (CBE), breast self-examination (BSE), and Pap smear test were assessed. RESULTS The results showed a low level of knowledge of cancer screening tests and low use rates. Multiple logistics regression analysis showed that women with spoken English fluency were more likely to have knowledge and use of CBE, BSE, Pap test, and mammograms. Women with better than an elementary education were more likely to have knowledge and use of CBE, BSE, and Pap test. The source of medical care was statistically significant for having had a mammogram. Knowledge of cancer warning signs and symptoms was significant for knowledge of mammogram and BSE and for the use of BSE. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Multiple strategies are needed. These might include the following: 1) integration of research with population-based care by physicians and scientists; 2) coordinated public health education on cancer screening and postscreening support in Chinese languages; and 3) replication of the NHIS survey methodology and adaptive application of these instruments across several states and regions, combined with the assessment of screening performance in Chinese American populations.
Agricultural Cost Sharing and Water Quality in the Chesapeake Bay: Estimating Indirect Effects of Environmental Payments

&NA; This article analyzes the effect of agricultural cost sharing for cover crops on the acres of three conservation practices. A survey of farmers from Maryland is used to estimate the direct effect of cover crop cost sharing on the acres of cover crops, and the indirect effect of cover crop cost sharing on the acres of two other practices: conservation tillage and contour/strip cropping. A two‐stage simultaneous equation approach is used to correct for voluntary self‐selection into cost‐sharing programs, and to account for substitution effects among conservation practices. Using model parameters from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Chesapeake Bay Program, the estimated effects of cost sharing are then translated to pollution reduction in order to quantify water quality benefits. The results indicate that the large cover crop cost sharing effort in Maryland had considerable effects on cover crop acreage, substantially reducing nitrogen and phosphorus runoff. Moreover, after accounting for the indirect effects on conservation tillage, the cost per pound of phosphorus abatement in the Chesapeake Bay decreased by between 60‐67%.
Effects of carcinogen‐induced transcription factors on the activation of hepatitis B virus expression in human hepatoblastoma HepG2 cells and its implication on hepatocellular carcinomas

To elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in the action of common carcinogens, which can act as important cofactors in modulating hepatitis B virus–mediated hepatocellular carcinogenesis, we have investigated the influence of aflatoxin B1 (AFB), a potent liver carcinogen, as well as benzo[a]pyrene (BP) and 4‐aminobiphenyl (4‐ABP), carcinogens in cigarette smoke, on the induction of various transcription factors in human hepatoblastoma HepG2 cells. DNA electrophoretic mobility shift assays were performed with nuclear extracts from HepG2 cells treated with 10 μmol/L AFB, 40 μmol/L BP, or 300 μmol/L 4‐ABP for 6 and 24 hours. Eight‐ and 6‐fold increases in nuclear transcription factor κB (NF‐κB), and 5‐ and 10‐fold increases in activated protein (AP‐1) transcription factor were observed with 24 hours AFB and BP treatments, respectively, whereas 4‐ABP treatment resulted in an approximately 4‐fold induction of both NF‐κB and AP‐1. Moreover, 4‐ABP gave the strongest NF‐κB activation in 6 hours of treatment. Four‐ and 10‐fold activation of stress protein was detected by a consensus heat shock factor (HSF) sequence binding probe, with AFB and BP treatments, respectively. DNA adducts were observed by immunoassays in HepG2 cells treated with AFB and BP but not with 4‐ABP. Increased human hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen (HBsAg) synthesis was detected in AFB‐ and BP‐treated HepG2 cells following transfection with recircularized HBV DNA. These data suggest that certain carcinogen‐induced transcription factors may influence viral carcinogenesis and initiate hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC).
Transient stability enhancement in power system with distributed static series compensator (DSSC)

Long distance AC transmission system is often subjected to stability problems which limit the transmission capability. Large power systems often suffer from weakly damped swings between synchronous generators. This paper aims to enhance the transient stability of the power system with the use of distributed static series compensator (DSSC). First of all, a detailed simulation model of the DSSC has been presented. DSSC has a function like static synchronous series compensator (SSSC) but is in smaller size and lower price along with more other capabilities. Likewise, DSSC lies in transmission lines in a distributed fashion. A case study comprising two-machine power system has been put under investigation through the extensive time domain simulations. In the sequel, the DSSC has been incorporated in the studied system in different cases. Simulation results approve the DSSC ability for increasing transient stability margin of the power system.
Social protection for people with disabilities in Africa and Asia: a review of programmes for low- and middle-income countries

ABSTRACT Despite a greater need for social protection among people with disabilities, there is limited evidence of their inclusion into social protection programmes in low- and middle-income countries. This paper presents the findings from a review of regional and global data sources for Asia-Pacific and Africa to identify social protection programmes that aim to include people with disabilities. It finds a substantial number of programmes in both regions, although there is considerable variation in the quantity and types of programmes within and between regions and countries, as well as between low- and middle-income countries. Further, the quality of data is not sufficient to assess the degree to which these programmes are genuinely inclusive of people with disabilities. As such, it highlights important limitations in the way data is currently being collected that require further attention in the context of the Sustainable Development Goals and the commitment to ‘Leave No-one Behind’
AGE‐RELATED SYNAPTIC CHANGES IN THE CA1 STRATUM RADIATUM AND SPATIAL LEARNING IMPAIRMENT IN RATS

1 Age‐related impairments in hippocampus‐dependent spatial learning and memory are not associated with a loss of neurons, but may be related to synaptic changes. In the present study, we analysed the behavioural performance of adult, middle‐aged and old Wistar rats using the Morris water maze, as well as the structure of synapses and the expression of autophosphorylated Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II at threonine 286 (pThr286‐αCaMKII), a key post‐synaptic protein in the CA1 stratum radiatum, in the same rats. 2 Old Wistar rats showed significant cognitive deficits. Synaptic density, the area of post‐synaptic densities and the total number of synapses in the CA1 stratum radiatum of old rats were significantly decreased compared with adult rats. The decrease in autophosphorylated pThr286‐αCaMKII was age dependent. 3 These findings reveal that age‐related impairments in learning and memory are associated with synaptic atrophy. The decreased expression of pThr286‐CaMKII may result in reduced synaptic function with ageing.
Biomechanical behavior of the cornea and its response to radial keratotomy.

BACKGROUND Radial keratotomy reduces myopia by flattening the central cornea, but the mechanism remains a matter of controversy. In this article, we studied the biomechanical behavior of the cornea and its response to radial keratotomy. METHODS A human cadaver eye model without corneal epithelium was used in this study. We studied the effects which varying intraocular pressure (IOP) and corneal hydration would have on the keratometric power of unoperated eyes and eyes following radial keratotomy. For nonoperated eyes, first, normal corneal hydration was maintained while the IOP was varied. Second, the IOP was maintained at a constant level of 20 mm Hg while the corneal hydration was changed. The effects of separately varying the IOP and corneal hydration of postoperative eyes following an eight-incision radial keratotomy were studied in a similar fashion. RESULTS In the nonoperated eye, a very high IOP was associated with a general reduction of corneal astigmatism without significantly affecting the overall keratometric spherical equivalent refraction. A steepening change of less than 0.50 diopters (D) was obtained in all eyes when dehydrating the cornea from 700 +/- 50 microns (centrally) and 830 +/- 70 microns (peripherally), to 495 +/- 25 microns (centrally) and 655 +/- 45 microns (peripherally). Following radial keratotomy, changes in IOP within the physiological range were found to have minimal influence (< 0.50 D) on the radial keratotomy keratometric power. However, after hydrating the cornea with balanced salt solution for 30 minutes, we obtained a mean flattening of 10.00 D. When dehydrating these corneas with topical hyperosmotic solution over a period of 3.5 hours, the flattening reversed to near preoperative values. The change in keratometric power resulting from radial keratotomy was significantly modulated by varying the hydration state of the deepithelialized cornea: the greater the hydration, the flatter the central cornea; therefore, the unpredictable surgical outcomes and diurnal fluctuations observed after radial keratotomy may be affected by applying topical hyperosmotic agents. CONCLUSIONS We hypothesize that the corneal stroma is an inelastic, anisotropic, layered collagen structure that distributes tensile stress unequally throughout its thickness as a function of the amount of hydration. IOP, within physiological levels, did not have a significant effect on corneal flattening.
LABOUR MARKET INEQUALITY AND EXCLUSION AS FACTORS OF FEMINIZATION OF POVERTY IN UKRAINE

This paper examines the nature of labour market inequality and exclusion in Ukraine and how they increase women's chances to go into poverty. Inequality and segregation based on gender exists in all spheres of the labour market and these are caused by multiple factors which sometimes interplay to the disadvantage of the female folks in Ukraine. For this paper, Interviews were conducted with some experts in the field of gender studies and labour market relations to gather expert information. Based on the interviews, it is deduced that the existent poor economic situation in the country creates hardship which affects both genders thereby making the discriminations against women unobvious. It is also gathered that the Ukrainian crisis has created steeper competition in the market with employers wanting to maximize profit by placing priority on efficiency which goes hand in glove with longer working hours and more flexible itineraries which sometimes places women at disadvantaged positions due to their maternity roles. Women's labour are therefore priced cheaper leading to about 30 % wage gap between men and women in Ukraine. Other factors such as unequal domestic obligations, traditional patriarchal culture, unpaid domestic labour, attitude towards low wages, vertical and horizontal segregation and gendered educational career path were found as causes of gender inequality in the labour market. For the full harnessing and exploitation of the Ukrainian human resource, stereotypes and gender discriminations in the economic spheres need to be dismantled to the barest minimum.
Leadership and Trade-Offs Between Social–Ecological Outcomes in Community-Governed Forests

ABSTRACT I explore the effect of leadership on the trade-off between social and ecological outcomes of community driven efforts in governing forests globally. I do so by using logistic regression and QCA (qualitative comparative analysis) for the analysis of cross-sectional data from the International Forestry Resources and Institutions (IFRI) research program. While the net effect of leadership on the trade-off in forestry outcomes is significant, there are multiple causal paths via which various factors influence the trade-off in forestry outcomes. Some of these paths take place in the presence of leadership, while the presence or the absence of leadership is irrelevant for the rest of the paths. This finding indicates that leaders often play an important role in the decisionmaking process during the governance of forests, especially when hard decisions need to be taken.
Challenges of diagnosis in fetal alcohol syndrome and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder in the adult

Adults with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and the subsets of individuals with attenuated phenotype subsumed under the umbrella term of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) provide clinicians with a challenge. Compounding this, FASD is different from most genetic syndromes since a specific diagnostic biological test is not available. The diagnosis first needs to be suspected and confirmation requires a diagnostic assessment that is best carried out in the context of a multi‐disciplinary team approach. There is surprisingly little research published on the prevalence, natural history, medical, and social complications relevant to adults with FASD. The evidence that is emerging suggests that this disorder is common, and that services to diagnose and treat these individuals are limited. Adults with FASD have a higher incidence of impairments in social adaptive and executive function, and a higher degree of psychopathology when compared to the general population. The impact of FASD has significant and serious effects on those affected with FASD, their families, and our communities. There is a need for improved access to diagnosis, and more research and evaluation of interventions currently in use. In this paper, we describe the current diagnostic criteria, the differential diagnosis, the prevalence, natural history, the behavioral and mental health consequences, medical and social management issues, and interventions for adults affected with this disorder. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The body mass index of Chinese adults in the 1980s.

Patterns and trends in the body composition of Chinese adults are studied with data from the 1982 China Nationwide Nutrition Survey (CNS-82) and the 1989 China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS-89). The CNS-82 showed rural inhabitants were approximately 3 kg lighter than urban residents and approximately 2.2 cm shorter. Males were heavier (55.2 +/- 7.4 vs 50.7 +/- 8.0 kg) and taller (165.3 +/- 7.3 and 153.5 +/- 6.3 cm). Using a cut-off for underweight of a body mass index (BMI: kg/m2) < 18.5 and for obesity of > 25, 11.6% and 12.9% of the urban and rural sample were underweight and 9.8% and 6.9% respectively were overweight. The CHNS-89 surveyed 5138 adults aged 20-45 in eight selected provinces. The proportion of underweight in both urban and rural samples declined slightly (approximately 1.3%) but the proportion of obesity increased considerably (4.8% for the urban sample and 2% for the rural one). Increased income was significantly associated with reduced low body mass index (BMI: kg/m2) in the urban sample while, for the rural and overall samples, the opposite was found for obesity. Provincial patterns in energy intake were not associated with the distribution of BMI while occupation was. In particular, government officials and housewives were much more likely to be obese as also were subpopulation groups consuming greater proportions of energy from animal sources. Over 80% of the population fell in the normal BMI range (18.5-25). This may relate to the relatively even distribution of food in China during the past several decades.
The effect of remittances and foreign direct investment on economic growth in Jordan

Remittances and Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflow into the Jordanian economy have been generally increasing throughout the past 30 years. This study aims to examine the short and long run effects of these inflows, especially on Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth. The study utilizes the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) model to analyze remittances and FDI data in Jordan for the period 1980 to 2014. Through the Augmented DickeyFuller, findings showed that GDP growth is stationary at the level and at first difference, whereas remittances and FDI are stationary at first difference. In addition, utilizing Wald Test for checking the availability of long run association, it was concluded that there is co-integration between the variables. Moreover, results revealed that remittances have a significant positive, yet small impact in the short run and no significant effect in the long run. Furthermore, this study also concluded that FDI affect growth negatively in the short run and positively in the long run. لاخ رشابملا يبنجلأا رامثتسلااو جراخلا نم نيلماعلا تلايوحت يف ديازت يندرلأا داصتقلاا دهش اوولأا ل ةريخلأا نيثلاثلا ىلإ ةساردلا هذه فدهت . يف ثحبلا ىلو تاريغتملا هذه ريثأت ليوطلاو ريصقلا ىدملا ىلو لاا يلحملا جتانلا ومن نم ةرتفلل ندرلأا يف يلامج 1980 ىلإ 2014 ادختساب ن جذوم يتاذلا رادحنلاا عزوملا ءاطبلإل (ARDL) ل لاخ نمو . جذومن قيبطت يكيد رلوف ،ززعملا ي يلحملا جتانلا ومن نأ نيبت ةتباث ةرشابملا ةيبنجلأا تارامثتسلااو تلايوحتلا نأ نيح يف ،ل ولأا قرافلاو ىوتسملا ىلو تباث يلامجلإا يف قرافلا ،كلذ ىلإ ةفاضلإابو . ل ولأا رهظأ دلاو رابتخا ىلإ فداهلا صحف طابترا رفاوت ىدملا ىلو لا ، ليوط كانه نأ اكرتشم لاماكت . تاريغتملا نيب
In vivo Response of Bioactive PMMA-based Bone Cement Modified with Alkoxysilane and Calcium Acetate

The use of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA)-based bone cement is popular in orthopedics for the fixation of artificial joints with bone. However, it has a major problem with prostheses loosening because of coverage by fibrous tissue after long-term implantation. Recently, a bioactive bone cement has been developed that shows direct bonding to living bone through modification of PMMA resin with γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) and calcium acetate. The cement is designed to exhibit bioactivity, through incorporation of silanol groups and calcium ions. Thus, it has the potential to form a layer of bone-like hydroxyapatite, which is essential for achieving direct bonding to living bone. This type of modification allows the cement to show spontaneous hydroxyapatite formation on its surface in a simulated body fluid after one day, and there is evidence of osteoconduction of the cement in rabbit tibia for periods of more than three weeks. However, the influence of the dissolved ions from the modified cement has not yet been clarified. Thus, the authors focused on the dissolution of the modified PMMA-based bone cement and its tissue response in muscle and bone by comparison with the behavior of non-modified PMMA-based bone cement. One week after implantation in the latissimus dorsi of a rabbit, the modified PMMA-based bone cement showed more inflammatory width than the commercial cement. However, four weeks after implantation, the inflammatory width of both cements was essentially the same. The osteoconductivity around the modified cement was higher than that for the conventional cement after four weeks implantation. These results indicate that the initial dissolution of calcium acetate from the modified cement to form the hydroxyapatite induced the acute inflammation around tissue, but also developed the osteoconductivity. It is suggested that the initial inflammation can be effective for inducing osteoconduction through a bone healing reaction when the material provides an environment that promotes bone formation.
Brain expansion in the chick embryo initiated by experimentally produced occlusion of the spinal neurocoel

The brain expands in the early chick embryo from pressure generated by accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in a closed neural tube. The sealing of the neural tube occurs as the result of occlusion of the spinal neurocoel rostral to and before closure of the posterior neuropore. We have previously demonstrated the dependence of normal brain expansion upon intraluminal pressure. We had yet to demonstrate, however, that brain expansion actually depends upon natural occlusion of the spinal neurocoel. To demonstrate such dependence, we experimentally occluded the spinal neurocoels of embryos 5 hr younger than stage 11 embryos (in which occlusion of the neurocoel occurs naturally). The stage 10 chick embryos were cultured ex ovo and critically staged, and their spinal neurocoels were occluded using microcautery. All embryos were photographed immediately and at 5, 12, and 24 hr after cautery. Serial sections were made of selected embryos, in which the areas of both the brain and the head were measured. Wilcoxon‐Mann‐Whitney rank‐sum nonparametric tests, Hodges‐Lehmann estimators, bootstrapping techniques, and resampling randomization tests were used to determine whether the increases in the brain and head areas for the experimental embryos were significantly different from those of the control embryos during three distinct intervals of expansion: 0–5, 5–12, and 0–12 hr. From 0 to 5 hr, the brains of the precociously occluded embryos expanded significantly more than the brains of the non‐occluded controls. From 5 to 12 hr, the brains of the embryos with naturally occluded neurocoels grew significantly larger than the brains of the embryos with precociously occluded neurocoels. At 12 hr, there appeared to be no difference in brain size for these two groups. We conclude that the data support the hypothesis that brain expansion is directly dependent upon occlusion of the spinal neurocoel. Anat Rec 268:147–159, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sequences in sigmaN determining holoenzyme formation and properties.

Sigma subunits of bacterial RNA polymerases are closely involved in many steps of promoter-specific transcription initiation. Holoenzyme formed with the specialised minor sigma-N (sigmaN) protein binds rare promoters in a transcriptionally inactive state and functions in enhancer-dependent transcription. Using competition and dissociation assays, we show that sigmaN-holoenzyme has a stability comparable to the major sigma70-holoenzyme. Purified partial sequences of sigmaN were prepared and assayed for retention of core RNA polymerase binding activity. Two discrete fragments of sigmaN which both bind the core but with significantly different affinities were identified, demonstrating that the sigmaN interface with core RNA polymerase is extensive. The low affinity segment of sigmaN included region I sequences, an amino terminal domain which mediates activator responsiveness and formation of open promoter complexes. The higher affinity site lies within a 95 residue fragment of region III. We propose that the core to region I contact mediates properties of the sigmaN-holoenzyme important for enhancer responsiveness. Heparin is shown to dissociate sigmaN and core, indicating that disruption of the holoenzyme is involved in the heparin sensitivity of the sigmaN closed complex.