Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Socio-economic disparities in mortality among the elderly in China

This longitudinal study of mortality among the elderly (65 and over) in China used a large representative sample to examine the association between mortality and three different socio-economic status (SES) indicators—education, economic independence, and household income per head. The results, while varying depending on the measures used, show that there is strong evidence of a negative association between SES and overall mortality. A cause-specific analysis shows that SES is more strongly related to the reduction of mortality from more preventable causes, such as circulatory disease and respiratory disease, than from less preventable causes such as cancer. We also investigated the effects of three sets of factors that may mediate the observed SES–mortality relationship: support networks, health-related behaviours, and access to health care. The results show that for both overall and cause-specific mortality, access to health care is the most important of the three.
Social Comparisons are Associated with Poorer and Riskier Financial Decision Making, no Matter whether Encounters are Sporadic or Repeated

Abstract Previous research suggests that social comparisons affect decision making under uncertainty. However, the role of the length of the social interaction for this relationship remains unknown. This experiment tests the effect of social comparisons on financial risk taking and how this effect is modulated by whether social encounters are sporadic or repeated. Participants carried out a computer task consisting of a series of binary choices between lotteries of varying profitability and risk, with real monetary stakes. After each decision, participants could compare their own payoff to that of a counterpart who made the same decision at the same time and whose choices/earnings did not affect the participants’ earnings. The design comprised three between-subjects treatments which differed in the nature of the social interaction: participants were informed that they would be matched with either (a) a different participant in each trial, (b) the same participant across all trials, or (c) a “virtual participant”, i.e., a computer algorithm. Compared to the non-social condition (c), subjects in both social conditions (a and b) chose lotteries with lower expected value (z = –3.10, p < .01) and higher outcome variance (z = 2.13, p = .03). However, no differences were found between the two social conditions (z = 1.15, p = .25 and z = 0.35, p = .73, respectively). These results indicate that social comparison information per se leads to poorer and riskier financial decisions, irrespective of whether or not the referent other is encountered repeatedly.
Anterior stability of the glenohumeral joint

This study defines the interaction of the rotator cuff musculature and the glenohumeral ligaments in provid ing anterior stability to the glenohumeral joint. Eight cadaveric shoulders were studied using a testing frame that individually simulated the forces of the subscapu laris, the supraspinatus, and the infraspinatus/teres minor musculature. The application of these forces abducted the humerus to approximately 90°. The cock ing phase of throwing was then simulated through the use of an Instron. With random variation of the rotator cuff forces, we investigated the effects that each force had on the rotation of the humerus and the strain of the inferior glenohumeral ligament. Our results demon strate that the infraspinatus/teres minor muscle group was the most effective in controlling external rotation of the humerus and in reducing ligamentous strain. These observations are pertinent in the treatment of anterior instability syndromes of the shoulder.
ISTA 14—Impact of antibiotics from pig slurry on soil microbial communities, including the basidiomycete Trametes versicolor

Livestock slurry containing antibiotics is a source of contamination of agricultural soils, with possible effects on soil function and micro‐organisms. Extracellular oxido‐reductases and hydrolases from the fungus T. versicolor and fungal growth were monitored in liquid cultures in the presence of tetracycline, lincomycine, sulfadiazine and ciprofloxacin for 10 days, in order to assess the suitability of these enzymes as biomarkers. Among the conditions of treatment, statistical analysis demonstrated an increase in manganese‐dependent peroxidase after exposure to sulfadiazine at 1 mg/L when compared with the control. Acid phosphatase activity was decreased by lincomycine at 1 or 10 mg/L. Conversely, β‐glucosidase activity increased in the presence of this antibiotic at 10 mg/L. In Terrestrial Model Ecosystems spiked with contaminated pig slurry, lincomycine at the concentration of 8 or 80 μg/kg dry soil, and ciprofloxacin at 250 ng/kg dry soil decreased the activity of soil dehydrogenase, when compared with a green slurry treatment, over 28‐day incubations. Laccase activity was similarly decreased in the presence of the highest concentration of antibiotics. We determined bacterial and fungal biomasses using Q‐PCR. Bacterial biomass was increased in the presence of lincomycine at 80 μg/kg whatever the time of exposure, and to a lesser extent in the presence of ciprofloxacin at 250 ng/kg, but only at day 28. In contrast, both antibiotics, whatever their concentrations, did not modify fungal biomass in soil. In conclusion, we were unable to demonstrate important effects of antibiotics at concentrations found in the agricultural environment. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2012.
Adverse events caused by drug interactions involving glucuronoconjugates of zidovudine, valproic acid and lamotrigine, and analysis of how such potential events are discussed in package inserts of Japan, UK and USA

Background and objective: As pharmacokinetic drug interactions frequently cause adverse events, it is important that the relevant information is given in package inserts (PIs). We previously analysed the provision of PIs for HMG‐CoA reductase inhibitors and Ca antagonists, for which metabolism by cytochrome P450 could be a major interaction mechanism. In this article, we focus on interactions involving glucuronoconjugates because many drugs and their metabolites undergo this conjugation.
T-cell–induced mucosal damage in the intestine

Purpose of review T cells are central to most inflammatory disorders of the intestine, particularly Celiac disease, graft vs. host disease, Crohn disease, and ulcerative colitis. The mechanisms by which T cells contribute to mucosal damage in these disorders have been explored using both in vitro and in vivo models. This review will highlight recent studies directed at understanding the mechanisms by which T cells are involved in the induction of mucosal damage. Recent findings The recent studies of in vivo T-cell activation using monoclonal anti-CD3 antibody have shown that a number of cytotoxic T-cell pathways are required and involved in the induction of mucosal damage and in particular in the induction of epithelial cell apoptosis. These include the Fas/FasL and perforin pathways. Other mediators of T-cell–induced cytotoxicity, such as TNF&agr; and IFNγ may contribute to mucosal damage but are not required for the induction of mucosal damage in vivo. In addition, several studies have tried to identify the role of regulatory mucosal T cells and the physiologically relevant triggers for T-cell–induced mucosal damage. Summary It is now clear that there are significant redundancies in the mechanisms that lead to immune-mediated mucosal damage and that the mechanisms that operate in vivo may not be predicted by in vitro experiments. These investigations are improving our understanding of the pathogenesis of immune-mediated enteropathies and will hopefully lead to new approaches to the management of these disorders.
TakeCARE, a Video to Promote Bystander Behavior on College Campuses: Replication and Extension

Previous research has demonstrated that college students who view TakeCARE, a video bystander program designed to encourage students to take action to prevent sexual and relationship violence (i.e., bystander behavior), display more bystander behavior relative to students who view a control video. The current study aimed to replicate and extend these findings by testing two different methods of administering TakeCARE and examining moderators of TakeCARE’s effects on bystander behavior. Students at four universities (n = 557) were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (a) view TakeCARE in a monitored computer lab, (b) view TakeCARE at their own convenience after receiving an email link to the video, or (c) view a video about study skills (control group). Participants completed measures of bystander behavior at baseline and at a 1-month follow-up. Participants in both TakeCARE conditions reported more bystander behavior at follow-up assessments, compared with participants in the control condition. The beneficial effect of TakeCARE did not differ significantly across administration methods. However, the effects of TakeCARE on bystander behavior were moderated by students’ perceptions of campus responsiveness to sexual violence, with more potent effects when students perceived their institution as responsive to reports of sexual violence.
PrimPol-deficient cells exhibit a pronounced G2 checkpoint response following UV damage

ABSTRACT PrimPol is a recently identified member of the archaeo-eukaryote primase (AEP) family of primase-polymerases. It has been shown that this mitochondrial and nuclear localized enzyme plays roles in the maintenance of both unperturbed replication fork progression and in the bypass of lesions after DNA damage. Here, we utilized an avian (DT40) knockout cell line to further study the consequences of loss of PrimPol (PrimPol−/−) on the downstream maintenance of cells after UV damage. We report that PrimPol−/− cells are more sensitive to UV-C irradiation in colony survival assays than Pol η-deficient cells. Although this increased UV sensitivity is not evident in cell viability assays, we show that this discrepancy is due to an enhanced checkpoint arrest after UV-C damage in the absence of PrimPol. PrimPol−/− arrested cells become stalled in G2, where they are protected from UV-induced cell death. Despite lacking an enzyme required for the bypass and maintenance of replication fork progression in the presence of UV damage, we show that PrimPol−/− cells actually have an advantage in the presence of a Chk1 inhibitor due to their slow progression through S-phase.
Proneness to psychological distress is associated with risk of Alzheimer’s disease

Background: Chronic stress is associated with hippocampal damage and impaired memory in animals and humans. Objective: To examine this relationship with clinical and pathologic data from the Religious Orders Study. Methods: Older Catholic clergy members underwent annual clinical evaluations, which included clinical classification of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and detailed cognitive function testing from which composite measures of global cognition and specific cognitive functions were derived. At the baseline evaluation, participants completed a measure of the tendency to experience psychological distress, a stable personality trait that served as an indicator of susceptibility to negative emotional states across the life span. More than 90% of participants who died underwent a uniform postmortem examination of the brain from which summary measures of AD pathology were derived. The association of distress proneness with incident AD and cognitive decline and with measures of AD pathology was examined in analyses adjusted for selected demographic and clinical variables. Results: During a mean of 4.9 years of follow-up, 140 persons developed AD. Those high in distress proneness (90th percentile) had twice the risk of developing AD than those low in distress proneness (10th percentile). Distress proneness was related to decline in episodic memory but not in other cognitive domains, with a >10-fold increase in episodic memory decline in those high in distress proneness compared with those low in the trait. Among those who died, however, distress proneness was not related to common measures of AD pathology. Conclusion: Proneness to experience psychological distress is a risk factor for AD, an effect independent of AD pathologic markers such as cortical plaques and tangles.
Antifungal and physical characteristics of modified denture base acrylic incorporated with silver nanoparticles.

OBJECTIVE This study evaluated the antifungal and physical characteristics of denture base acrylic combined with silver nanoparticles. MATERIALS AND METHODS Polymerized denture acrylic disc specimens containing 0 (control), 1.0, 5.0, 10.0, 20.0 and 30.0 wt% of silver nanoparticles were placed on separate culture plate dish and 100 ìL samples of yeast suspension of Candida albicans strain were inoculated on each specimens and incubated at 37°C, for 24 h. The antifungal effects were evaluated as a number of viable cells in retrieved fungal suspension. To characterize physical aspects, specimens were tested for elution of silver cation (Ag(+)) at 24 h and 30th day, thermal analysis (TG/DTA), scanning electron microscope and energy dispersed X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX) and color stability. RESULTS Significant reduced CFU was exhibited at 20.0 and 30.0 wt% of silver nanoparticles incorporated (p < 0.01) and Ag(+) elution from specimens (maximum 0.356 ± 0.11 mg/L) contributed little to the antifungal activity considering MIC of Ag(+) in this study (3.0 mg/L). The successful synthesis of modified denture acrylic containing silver nanoparticles was accessed by TG/DTA and EDX analysis. CONCLUSION The modified denture base acrylic combined with silver nanoparticles displayed antifungal properties and acted like latent antifungal material itself with low-releasing Ag(+), however, the improvement of poor color stability was still required.
Genetic and Environmental Determinants of Volumetric and Areal BMD in Multi‐Generational Families of African Ancestry: The Tobago Family Health Study

BMD is higher and fracture risk is lower among individuals of African versus European descent, but little is known about the genetic architecture of BMD in the former group. Heritabilities of areal and volumetric BMD were moderate in our large families of African descent but differed for trabecular and cortical BMD.
Transmission dynamics and economics of rabies control in dogs and humans in an African city

Human rabies in developing countries can be prevented through interventions directed at dogs. Potential cost-savings for the public health sector of interventions aimed at animal-host reservoirs should be assessed. Available deterministic models of rabies transmission between dogs were extended to include dog-to-human rabies transmission. Model parameters were fitted to routine weekly rabid-dog and exposed-human cases reported in N′Djaména, the capital of Chad. The estimated transmission rates between dogs (βd) were 0.0807 km2/(dogs·week) and between dogs and humans (βdh) 0.0002 km2/(dogs·week). The effective reproductive ratio (Re) at the onset of our observations was estimated at 1.01, indicating low-level endemic stability of rabies transmission. Human rabies incidence depended critically on dog-related transmission parameters. We simulated the effects of mass dog vaccination and the culling of a percentage of the dog population on human rabies incidence. A single parenteral dog rabies-mass vaccination campaign achieving a coverage of least 70% appears to be sufficient to interrupt transmission of rabies to humans for at least 6 years. The cost-effectiveness of mass dog vaccination was compared to postexposure prophylaxis (PEP), which is the current practice in Chad. PEP does not reduce future human exposure. Its cost-effectiveness is estimated at US $46 per disability adjusted life-years averted. Cost-effectiveness for PEP, together with a dog-vaccination campaign, breaks even with cost-effectiveness of PEP alone after almost 5 years. Beyond a time-frame of 7 years, it appears to be more cost-effective to combine parenteral dog-vaccination campaigns with human PEP compared to human PEP alone.
Redox Cycling Effect on the Surface-enhanced Raman Scattering Signal of Crystal Violet Molecules at Nanostructured Interdigitated Array Electrodes

Nanostructured interdigitated array (IDA) electrodes with different inter-electrode spacing were demonstrated to improve the detection sensitivity of short-lived electroactive species and to follow interfacial dynamics by their surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) functionality. Nanostructured IDA electrodes fabricated using electron beam lithography were used for an electrochemical SERS study of irreversible electroactive species, crystal violet (CV), in an aqueous KCl solution in single and generation-collection (GC) mode experiments. The GC mode enabled us to amplify the SERS intensity. An inter-electrode spacing dependent study found the maximum number of redox cycling, collection efficiency and amplification of the SERS intensity. Its SERS function disclosed the potential-dependent dynamics of CV molecules at the electrode surface, which was not observed in the redox current. Miniaturized nanostructured IDA electrodes are of great importance for developing lab on chip devices, and are useful for analyzing dynamical features within small space/volume domains, which require small amounts and/or concentration of analytes.
Activity monitoring in heart failure patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy.

BACKGROUND Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) improves functional capacity in heart failure patients. This study aimed to prospectively analyze long-term device-based monitoring of physical activity in patients undergoing CRT. METHODS AND RESULTS The Activity Log Index (ALI), calculated by CRT devices, represents the percentage of time when acceleration exceeds a threshold and monitors the physical activity. Data from 178 CRT patients (New York Heart Association III 91%, left ventricular ejection fraction 21+/-6%, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter 69+/-9 mm, QRS 159+/-27 ms, sinus rhythm 81%) were retrieved. The ALI increased from a baseline value of 3.6+/-2.0 to 11.2+/-4.6 (p<0.005) 104 weeks after initiation of CRT. A plateau was reached at approximately 12 weeks and thereafter ALI remained stable for up to 2 years. The magnitude of the changes in ALI was similar in patients with different etiologies and underlying rhythms. Despite similar values at baseline, elderly patients (>or=65 years) exhibited significantly lower ALI values than younger patients during the follow-up and at the plateau (9.5+/-4.2 vs 13.3+/-4.8, p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Device-based monitoring of physical activity in CRT patients is feasible. CRT resulted in a large and long-term increase in physical activity.
Down the Passage Which We Should Not Take: The Folly of Hate Crime Legislation

This Study examines whether the Multi-year Development has been implemented effectively and efficiently on the Development Multi-year Activities between the Government of Riau Islands Province with PT. Nindya Karya. It also analyzes and finds the best solution for the effective implementation of Local Regulation. Data was collected through interviews. Research method used in this study was a socio-legal method. It found that there is a dualism or disharmony in the implementation of the multi-year activities arising from the Regulation No.14 of 2007 and the Work Agreement. This causes the Regional Regulation No. 14 of 2007 invalid and inefficient. It is suggested that the preparation of legal products should be harmonized with other laws. === Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menganalisis apakah Pembangunan Tahun Jamak telah diterapkan secara efektif dan efisien pada Kegiatan Pembangunan Tahun Jamak antara Pemerintah Provinsi Kepulauan Riau dengan PT. Nindya Karya. Penelitian ini juga menganalisis dan menemukan solusi terbaik agar Peraturan Daerah dapat berlaku efektif dalam penerapannya, Pengumpulan data dilakukan dengan wawancara. Metode yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini yaitu metode Yuridis Sosiologis. Penelitian ini mengungkapkan bahwa terjadi dualisme atau disharmonisasi dalam pelaksanaan pekerjaan tahun jamak yang disebabkan oleh Perda No. 14 Tahun 2007 dan Perjanjian Pelaksana Pekerjaan. Hal ini menyebabkan Perda No. 14 tahun 2007 menjadi tidak valid dan tidak efisien. Oleh karena itu dalam penyusunan produk hukum harus dilakukan harmonisasi dengan produk-produk hukum lainnya.
Cholinergic neurons of the basal forebrain mediate biochemical and electrophysiological mechanisms underlying sleep homeostasis

The tight coordination of biochemical and electrophysiological mechanisms underlies the homeostatic sleep pressure (HSP) produced by sleep deprivation (SD). We have reported that during SD the levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), extracellular nitric oxide (NO), adenosine [AD]ex, lactate [Lac]ex and pyruvate [Pyr]ex increase in the basal forebrain (BF). However, it is not clear whether all of them contribute to HSP leading to increased electroencephalogram (EEG) delta activity during non‐rapid eye movement (NREM) recovery sleep (RS) following SD. Previously, we showed that NREM delta increase evident during RS depends on the presence of BF cholinergic (ChBF) neurons. Here, we investigated the role of ChBF cells in coordination of biochemical and EEG changes seen during SD and RS in the rat. Increases in low‐theta power (5–7 Hz), but not high‐theta (7–9 Hz), during SD correlated with the increase in NREM delta power during RS, and with the changes in nitrate/nitrite [NOx]ex and [AD]ex. Lesions of ChBF cells using IgG 192‐saporin prevented increases in [NOx]ex, [AD]ex and low‐theta activity, during SD, but did not prevent increases in [Lac]ex and [Pyr]ex. Infusion of NO donor DETA NONOate into the saporin‐treated BF failed to increase NREM RS and delta power, suggesting ChBF cells are important for mediating NO homeostatic effects. Finally, SD‐induced iNOS was mostly expressed in ChBF cells, and the intensity of iNOS induction correlated with the increase in low‐theta activity. Together, our data indicate ChBF cells are important in regulating the biochemical and EEG mechanisms that contribute to HSP.
Differential effects of EPA versus DHA on postprandial vascular function and the plasma oxylipin profile in men[S]

Our objective was to investigate the impact of EPA versus DHA on arterial stiffness and reactivity and underlying mechanisms (with a focus on plasma oxylipins) in the postprandial state. In a three-arm crossover acute test meal trial, men (n = 26, 35–55 years) at increased CVD risk received a high-fat (42.4 g) test meal providing 4.16 g of EPA or DHA or control oil in random order. At 0 h and 4 h, blood samples were collected to quantify plasma fatty acids, long chain n-3 PUFA-derived oxylipins, nitrite and hydrogen sulfide, and serum lipids and glucose. Vascular function was assessed using blood pressure, reactive hyperemia index, pulse wave velocity, and augmentation index (AIx). The DHA-rich oil significantly reduced AIx by 13% (P = 0.047) with the decrease following EPA-rich oil intervention not reaching statistical significance. Both interventions increased EPA- and DHA-derived oxylipins in the acute postprandial state, with an (1.3-fold) increase in 19,20-dihydroxydocosapentaenoic acid evident after DHA intervention (P < 0.001). In conclusion, a single dose of DHA significantly improved postprandial arterial stiffness as assessed by AIx, which if sustained would be associated with a significant decrease in CVD risk. The observed increases in oxylipins provide a mechanistic insight into the AIx effect.