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Background Since 2006, “snus” smokeless tobacco has been sold in the U.S.. However, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco (USST) and Swedish Match developed and marketed pouched moist snuff tobacco (MST) since 1973. Material and Methods Analysis of previously secret tobacco documents, advertisements and trade press. Results USST partnered with Swedish Match, forming United Scandia International to develop pouch products as part of the “Lotus Project.” Pouched MST was not commonly used, either in Sweden or the U.S. prior to the Lotus Project’s innovation in 1973. The project aimed to transform smokeless tobacco from being perceived as an “unsightly habit of old men” into a relevant, socially acceptable urban activity, targeting 15–35 year-old men. While USST’s initial pouched product “Good Luck,” never gained mainstream traction, Skoal Bandits captured significant market share after its 1983 introduction. Internal market research found that smokers generally used Skoal Bandits in smokefree environments, yet continued to smoke cigarettes in other contexts. Over time, pouch products increasingly featured increased flavor, size, nicotine strength and user imagery variation. Conclusions Marlboro and Camel Snus advertising mirrors historical advertising for Skoal Bandits, designed to recruit new users and smokers subjected to smokefree places. Despite serious efforts, pouched MST marketing has been unable to dispel its association with traditional smokeless tobacco stereotypes as macho and rural. Public education efforts to discourage new users and dual use of MST and cigarettes should emphasize that “new” pouch products are simply repackaging “old” smokeless tobacco.

Background. Tobacco companies have actively promoted the substitution of cigarettes with purportedly safer tobacco products (e.g., smokeless tobacco, e-cigarettes) as tobacco harm reduction (THR). Given the tobacco, e-cigarette, and pharmaceutical industries' substantial financial interests, we quantified industry influence on support for THR. Objectives. To analyze a comprehensive set of articles published in peer-reviewed journals assessing funding sources and support for or opposition to substitution of tobacco or nicotine products as harm reduction. Search Methods. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and PsycINFO with a comprehensive search string including all articles, comments, and editorials published between January 1, 1992, and July 26, 2016. Selection Criteria. We included English-language publications published in peer-reviewed journals addressing THR in humans and excluded studies on modified cigarettes, on South Asian smokeless tobacco variants, on pregnant women, on animals, not mentioning a tobacco or nicotine product, on US Food and Drug Administration-approved nicotine replacement therapies, and on nicotine vaccines. Data Collection and Analysis. We double-coded all articles for article type; primary product type (e.g., snus, e-cigarettes); themes for and against THR; stance on THR; THR concepts; funding or affiliation with tobacco, e-cigarette, pharmaceutical industry, or multiple industries; and each author's country. We fit exact logistic regression models with stance on THR as the outcome (pro- vs anti-THR) and source of funding or industry affiliation as the predictor taking into account sparse data. Additional models included article type as the outcome (nonempirical or empirical) and industry funding or affiliation as predictor, and stratified analyses for empirical and nonempirical studies with stance on THR as outcome and funding source as predictor. Main Results. Searches retrieved 826 articles, including nonempirical articles (21%), letters or commentaries (34%), editorials (5%), cross-sectional studies (15%), systematic reviews and meta-analyses (3%), and randomized controlled trials (2%). Overall, 23.9% disclosed support by industry; 49% of articles endorsed THR, 42% opposed it, and 9% took neutral or mixed positions. Support from the e-cigarette industry (odds ratio [OR] = 20.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 5.3, 180.7), tobacco industry (OR = 59.4; 95% CI = 10.1, +infinity), or pharmaceutical industry (OR = 2.18; 95% CI = 1.3, 3.7) was significantly associated with supportive stance on THR in analyses accounting for sparse data. Authors' Conclusions. Non-industry-funded articles were evenly divided in stance, while industry-funded articles favored THR. Because of their quantity, letters and comments may influence perceptions of THR when empirical studies lack consensus. Public Health Implications. Public health practitioners and researchers need to account for industry funding when interpreting the evidence in THR debates.

BackgroundSince 2006, "snus" smokeless tobacco has been sold in the U.S.. However, U.S. Smokeless Tobacco (USST) and Swedish Match developed and marketed pouched moist snuff tobacco (MST) since 1973.MethodsAnalysis of previously secret tobacco documents, advertisements and trade press.ResultsUSST partnered with Swedish Match, forming United Scandia International to develop pouch products as part of the "Lotus Project." Pouched MST was not commonly used, either in Sweden or the U.S. prior to the Lotus Project's innovation in 1973. The project aimed to transform smokeless tobacco from being perceived as an "unsightly habit of old men" into a relevant, socially acceptable urban activity, targeting 15-35 year-old men. While USST's initial pouched product "Good Luck," never gained mainstream traction, Skoal Bandits captured significant market share after its 1983 introduction. Internal market research found that smokers generally used Skoal Bandits in smokefree environments, yet continued to smoke cigarettes in other contexts. Over time, pouch products increasingly featured increased flavor, size, nicotine strength and user imagery variation.ConclusionsMarlboro and Camel Snus advertising mirrors historical advertising for Skoal Bandits, designed to recruit new users and smokers subjected to smokefree places. Despite serious efforts, pouched MST marketing has been unable to dispel its association with traditional smokeless tobacco stereotypes as macho and rural. Public education efforts to discourage new users and dual use of MST and cigarettes should emphasize that "new" pouch products are simply repackaging "old" smokeless tobacco.

• Tobacco control in Arizona flourished from 1997-2007, thanks to public support at the ballot box and the hard work of Arizonan tobacco control activists.• Arizona's state-run Tobacco Education and Prevention Program (TEPP), created by Proposition 200 in 1994 from 23% of a 40 cent tobacco tax increase, provided a key component in Arizona tobacco control, spending between $15 and $36 million annually.• Tobacco control advocacy between 1997 and 2007 resulted in more than tripling tobacco excise taxes from 58 cents to $2.00, enacting comprehensive local clean indoor air ordinances, defeating tobacco industry counter-initiatives, and passing Smoke-Free Arizona, Arizona's statewide comprehensive clean indoor air law.• Arizona tobacco control advocates instituted 18 local clean indoor air ordinances between 1997 and 2007. The tobacco industry has never won at the ballot box in Arizona, locally or statewide.• On November 7, 2006, Arizona became the 16th state to pass a comprehensive clean indoor air act. The law went into effect on May 1, 2007. The Arizona Department of Health Services enforces the law with revenues from a 2 cent tobacco excise tax included in the Smoke-Free Arizona initiative. Any tax funds not used to enforce clean indoor air go to Arizona's tobacco control program TEPP.• Tobacco taxes were raised to 58 cents per pack by Arizona voters in 1994. In 2002, voters raised tobacco taxes 60 cents to $1.18 per pack, with the revenue going to the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). Tobacco taxes were raised again by voters in 2006 to $2.00 per pack with 80 cents paying for early childhood care.• Deciding how to spend Master Settlement Agreement (MSA) money was contentious and politically difficult, as illustrated by an unwillingness to compromise among the Legislature, Governor, and County Health Departments. Ultimately voters decided in November 2000 to allocate all of the MSA funds to AHCCCS to expand Arizona's medicare program to 100% the federal poverty level. No MSA money goes to tobacco control.• The Tempe smokefree ordinance, passed by initiative in May 2002, became Arizona's first 100% clean indoor air act including bars. Dr. Leland Fairbanks led the Arizona tobacco control organization Arizonans Concerned About Smoking (ACAS) to spearhead the successful effort and defended Tempe's smokefree ordinance against the ensuing legal challenges and attempted referendum by pro-tobacco groups.• Local efforts to pass other clean indoor air ordinances in Arizona often led to compromises that routinely exempted bars. Also, elected officials in Phoenix resisted adopting a smokefree ordinance despite tobacco control leaders' concerted efforts. Tempe's successful comprehensive clean indoor air act in 2002, however, paved the way with Guadalupe (2002) for Prescott (2003), Coconino County (2003), Flagstaff (2005), and Sedona (2006), to successfully pass comprehensive clean indoor air acts of their own.• In FY2002 Governor Jane Hull and the Legislature, looking for available funds during a recession period, diverted $60 million from the Health Education and Research Accounts, which fund TEPP and research on tobacco-related disease. These funds were never recovered.• To prevent further seizures of TEPP funds, in November 2002 voters passed the referendum Proposition 303 which increased the tobacco tax 60 cents (two per cent of which went to tobacco control) and re-enacted the original 1994 Proposition 200 tobacco control measure bringing TEPP under voter protection, preventing it from further legislative tampering. Voluntary health organizations now turned their attention from protecting TEPP funds to translating their electoral success into a comprehensive statewide smokefree campaign.• While TEPP expenditures exceeded the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) minimum recommended levels for state tobacco control expenditures (at the time, $27.8 million) from FY1999 through FY2001, in October 2007 the CDC increased its Best Practices estimate for Arizona to $68.1 million annually, a figure Arizona has not yet approached in its tobacco control spending.• In 2004, prompted by citizens (but not the ALA, AHA, or ACS), Arizona Legislator Linda Lopez (D-Tucson) introduced a statewide clean indoor air bill including bars into the Republican-controlled House. The bill, however, was assigned to three committees, denied a hearing, and died in the Commerce Committee.• In Arizona, the tobacco industry spent a total of $16,201 in direct campaign contributions between 1997 and 2006 on legislators, constitutional officers, and political parties. Tobacco industry lobbyists spent $25,367 on legislators during this period. Republicans received more than 5 times the tobacco companies' contributions as Democrats.• In the 2006 election cycle RJ Reynolds mounted an $8.8 million counter-initiative (Proposition 206, the Non-Smoker Protection Act) in an attempt to confuse voters and preempt local tobacco control. The campaign concentrated much of its resources attacking Proposition 201, the health group-driven Smoke-Free Arizona initiative. Despite Reynolds' superior resources and negative campaigning, 57.3% of voters rejected Reynolds' initiative, while 54.8% of voters approved Smoke-Free Arizona.• TEPP's media campaigns with Riester-Robb from 1996-2001 enjoyed commendations nationally. The TEPP-contracted ad agency sold over 2 million units of merchandise with the media campaign's tagline Tobacco: Tumor causing, teeth staining, smelly puking habit. In July 2001 the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS), which manages TEPP, did not renew the media contract with Riester-Robb, instead favoring the E.B. Lane agency. This rough transition from one agency to the next occurred just as the Legislature appropriated TEPP's funds, throwing TEPP into disarray, resulting in a dead year (approximately Fall 2001-Fall 2002) under the E.B. Lane contract when tobacco control media came to a virtual halt. E.B. Lane provided TEPP's lower intensity media campaigns from 2002 through 2005. From 2005 to 2007, TEPP did not coordinate media through a contracted ad agency, instead working on a more fragmented ad hoc basis. In late 2007, TEPP contracted again with the Riester firm, though with a smaller budget.• TEPP suffered from a lack of leadership since the program's inception, with a revolving-door Office Chief position, inconsistent directives from the ADHS, and overcautiousness concerning crossing the lobbying-advocacy/advocacy-education line. Between 2005 and 2007 every TEPP employee left, leaving the agency without many employees having any prior experience in tobacco control. As a result, many tobacco control advocates perceived TEPP as an ineffective program, not making best use of its resources. While TEPP leadership in 2007 painted an optimistic vision of TEPP's future, concrete programmatic action that reflects current best practices remains to be demonstrated.

Introduction: Tobacco harm reduction (THR) discourse has been divisive for the tobacco control community, partially because it sometimes aligns public health and tobacco industry interests. Industry funding is contentious as it influences study outcomes, and is not always disclosed in scientific publications. This study examines the role of disclosed and undisclosed industry support on THR publications via social network analysis.Methods: We reviewed 826 English-language manuscripts (1992-2016) to determine disclosed and undisclosed industry (pharmaceutical, tobacco and e-cigarette) and non-industry (including government) support received by 1,405 authors. We used social network analysis to identify the most influential authors in THR discourse by assessing the number of their collaborators on publications, the frequency of connecting other authors in the network, and tendency to form groups based on the presence of sponsorship disclosures, sources of funding and THR stance.Results: 284 (20%) out of 1,405 authors were supported by industry. Industry-sponsored authors were more central and influential in the network: with twice as many publications (Median = 4), 1.25 as many collaborators on publications (Median = 5), and higher likelihood of connecting other authors and thus having more influence in the network, compared to non-industry-sponsored authors. E-cigarette industry-sponsored authors had the strongest association with undisclosed industry support.Conclusions: Authors with industry support exerted stronger influence on the THR scientific discourse than non-industry-supported authors. Journals should continue adhering to strict policies requiring conflicts of interest disclosures. An increase in public health spending on tobacco control research may be necessary to achieve funding parity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Solid-phase synthesis underpins many advances in synthetic and combinatorial chemistry, biology, and material science. The immobilization of a reacting species on the solid support makes interfacing of reagents an important challenge in this approach. In traditional synthesis columns, this leads to reaction errors that limit the product yield and necessitates excess consumption of the mobile reagent phase. Although droplet microfluidics can mitigate these problems, its adoption is fundamentally limited by the inability to controllably interface microbeads and reagent droplets. Here, we introduce Dielectrophoretic Bead-Droplet Reactor as a physical method to implement solid-phase synthesis on individual functionalized microbeads by encapsulating and ejecting them from microdroplets by tuning the supply voltage. Proof-of-concept demonstration of the enzymatic coupling of fluorescently labeled nucleotides onto the bead using this reactor yielded a 3.2-fold higher fidelity over columns through precise interfacing of individual microreactors and beads. Our work combines microparticle manipulation and droplet microfluidics to address a long-standing problem in solid-phase synthesis with potentially wide-ranging implications.

The success of establishing the Indonesian growing fast hybrid carp, namely “Permata”, on a controlled environmental test must be followed up with a large-scale test. This study aims to evaluate the phenotypic performance of the Permata hybrid carp in multi-locations with different cultivation systems. The test sites consisted of floating net cages, running-water ponds, semi-concrete ponds, earthen ponds, fully concrete ponds, and static net cages. For 90 days, fish were fed commercial pellets with a 28%–30% protein content. At the end of the test, all fish were harvested and counted. Data on length, weight, survival rate, and harvested biomass were used to analyze the effect of genotype, environment, and their interaction on the phenotypic performance. The growth based on final weight is used to analyze the stability performance in each test location. The results showed that the length and weight of common carp were significantly affected by genotype and the environment, but not by the interaction of both. The genotype, environment, and the interaction of both factors affected common carp’s survival and harvested biomass. Common carp reared in floating net cages generally had the best performance, while carp reared in fully concrete tanks and static net cages had the lowest. The growth stability analysis showed that the common carp in this study were unstable genotypes but have a broad adaptability in term of different environments.

Abstract Transformative research is a broad and loosely connected family of research disciplines and approaches, with the explicit normative ambition to fundamentally question the status quo, change the dominant structures, and support just sustainability transitions by working collaboratively with society. When engaging in such science-practice collaborations for transformative change in society, researchers experience ethical dilemmas. Amongst others, they must decide, what is worthwhile to be researched, whose reality is privileged, and whose knowledge is included. Yet, current institutionalised ethical standards, which largely follow the tradition of medical ethics, are insufficient to guide transformative researchers in navigating such dilemmas. In addressing this vacuum, the research community has started to develop peer guidance on what constitutes morally good behaviour. These formal and informal guidelines offer a repertoire to explain and justify positions and decisions. However, they are only helpful when they have become a part of researchers’ practical knowledge ‘in situ’. By focusing on situated research practices, the article addresses the need to develop an attitude of leaning into the uncertainty around what morally good behaviour constitutes. It also highlights the significance of combining this attitude with a critical reflexive practice both individually and collaboratively for answering questions around ‘how to’ as well as ‘what is the right thing to do’. Using a collaborative autoethnographic approach, the authors of this paper share their own ethical dilemmas in doing transformative research, discuss those, and relate them to a practical heuristic encompassing axiological, ontological, and epistemological considerations. The aim is to support building practical wisdom for the broader research community about how to navigate ethical questions arising in transformative research practice.

Life history characteristics, habitat landscape, and historical events are believed to have shaped the patterns of genetic variation in many taxa. The bony lip barb, Osteohilus vittatus, represent a potamodromous fish that complete all life cycle in freshwater and is widely distributed in Southeast Asia. It usually lives in small rivers and other freshwater habitats, and movement between habitats for either food or reproduction has been typical. These life history characteristics may promote gene flow, leading to less structured populations. However, many freshwateOsteochilus vittatusr habitats are fragmented, which restricts gene flow. We investigate how this interplay has shaped patterns of genetic variation and phylogeographic structure within this species in the Sundaland, a biodiversity hotspot with a complex geological history, using mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (mtCOI) as a genetic marker. Forty-six mtCOI sequences of 506 bp long were collected from ten localities, eight geographically isolated and two connected. The sequences were used for population genetic and phylogeographic analyses. Our results showed a low genetic diversity within populations but high between populations. There was a deep phylogeographic structure among geographically isolated populations but a lack of such structure in the connected habitats. Among geographically isolated populations, sequence divergence was revealed, ranging from 1.8% between Java and Sumatra populations to 12.2% between Malaysia and Vietnam. An indication of structuring was also observed among localities that are geographically closer but without connectivity. We conclude that despite high dispersal capacity, the joint effects of historical events, long-term geographic isolation associated with sea level oscillation during the Pleistocene, and restricted gene flow related to lack of habitat connectivity have shaped the phylogeographic structure within the O. vittatus over the Sundaland.

To describe how the tobacco and gaming industries opposed clean indoor air voter initiatives in 2006, we analyzed media records and government and other publicly available documents and conducted interviews with knowledgeable individuals. In an attempt to avoid strict 'smoke free' regulations pursued by health groups via voter initiatives in Arizona, Ohio, and Nevada, in 2006, the tobacco and gaming industries sponsored competing voter initiatives for alternative laws. Health groups succeeded in defeating the pro-tobacco competing initiatives because they were able to dispel confusion and create a head-to-head competition by associating each campaign with its respective backer and instructing voters to vote 'no' on the pro-tobacco initiative in addition to voting 'yes' on the health group initiative. (doi:10.2105/AJPH. 2008.138461)

Microcellular injection molding (MuCell®) using supercritical fluid (SCF) as a foaming agent to achieve weight reduction has become popular in carbon emission reduction. In the typical MuCell® process, SCF N2 is commonly used. Although SCF CO2 exhibits high solubility and can achieve a high weight reduction, controlling the foaming is not easy, and its foaming cells are usually larger and less uniform, which limits its industrial application. Our previous studies have shown that gas counter pressure (GCP) can improve the foaming quality effectively. Here, we investigated whether or not the CO2 SCF foaming quality could be improved, and weight reduction was achieved for polycarbonate (PC) material. This is quite important for the electronics industry, in which most of the housing for devices is made of PC materials. MuCell® was subjected to molding experiments using the parameters of the SCF dosage, melt temperature, mold temperature, and injection speed. The results revealed that using CO2 gas for the PC material can reduce the size of microcellular cells to 40 µm and increase the cell densities to 3.97 × 106 cells/cm3. Using GCP significantly improved the microcellular injection-molded parts by reducing the cell size to 20.9 µm (a 45.41% improvement) and increasing the cell density to 8.04 × 106 cells/cm3 (a 102.48% improvement). However, implementing GCP may slightly decrease the target weight reduction. This study reveals that microcellular injection molding of PC parts using SCF CO2 can achieve high-quality foaming and reduce the weight by about 30%.

Sistem pentanahan adalah sistem hubungan penghantar yang menghubungkan sistem, badan peralatan dan instalasi dengan bumi/tanah sehingga dapat mengamankan manusia dari sengatan listrik, dan mengamankan komponen-komponen instalasi dari bahaya tegangan/arus abnormal. Berdasarkan hasil pengukuran yang sudah dilakukan sebelumnya pada Laboratorium Komputer Kampus V Universitas Negeri Padang, hasil pengukuran grounding yang didapat yaitu 13,94 Ω dan tidak memenuhi ketentuan dari Persyaratan Umum Instalasi Listrik. Sistem pentanahan yang baik adalah sistem pentanahan yang memiliki nilai resistansi atau tahanan yang kecil. Semakin kecil nilai tahanan dari pentanahan tersebut maka kualitas pentanahan semakin baik. Metode Pengumpulan data dalam tugas akhir ini menggunakan metode observasi, metode dokumentasi, dan metode pengukuran tiga titik dengan Earth Tester.Nilai tahanan jenis tanah di area sekitar Gedung LaboratoriumKomputer Kampus V Universitas Negeri Padang untuk kedalaman 1,2 m sebesar 16,433 Ω.m dan termasuk jenis tanah rawa. Hasil dari perhitungan menggunakan elektroda panjang 8 m yang dipasang paralel, jarak antar elektroda 10 m, jarak elektroda ke panel 2 m, dan didapat nilai tahanan sebesar 0,95 Ω. Nilai tahanan pentanahan yang didapat sudah memenuhi ketentuan pada Peraturan Umum Instalasi Listrik (PUIL)dan sesuai dengan kebutuhan tahanan pentanahan perangkat elektronik. Namun, setelah pemasangan sistem grounding di Laboratorium Kampus V Universitas Negeri Padang di dapatkan nilai tahanan grounding yang berbeda dengan rancangan awal karena spesifikasi bahan yang digunakan saat pemasangan berbeda dengan spesifikasi rancangan. Perubahan spesifikasi dilakukan karena anggaran biaya tidak dapat terpenuhi.. Rata-rata nilai tahanan grounding yang didapatkan setelah pemasangan sistem grounding yaitu 3,006 Ω.

Context Declining smoking prevalence and denormalisation of tobacco in developed countries reduced transnational tobacco company (TTC) profit during 1990s and 2000s. As these companies faced increasingly restrictive policies and lawsuits, they planned to shift their business to socially acceptable reduced-harm products. We describe the internal motivations and strategies to achieve this goal.Methods We analysed previously secret tobacco industry documents available through the Truth Tobacco Documents Library. These documents were triangulated with TTCs’ investor and other professional reports, websites and public statements.Findings Mimicking pharmaceutical business models, tobacco companies sought to refurbish their image and ensure long-term profitability by creating and selling pharmaceutical-like products as smoking declined. These products included snus, heated tobacco products, e-cigarettes, nicotine gums and inhalers. Tobacco companies created separate divisions to develop and roll out these products, and the majority developed medical research programmes to steer these products through regulatory agencies, seeking certification as reduced-harm or pharmaceutical products. These products were regarded as key to the survival of the tobacco industry in an unfriendly political and social climate.Conclusions Pharmaceuticalisation was pursued to perpetuate the profitability of tobacco and nicotine for tobacco companies, not as a sincere search to mitigate the harms of smoking in society. Promotion of new pharmaceuticalised products has split the tobacco control community, with some public health professionals and institutions advocating for the use of ‘clean’ reduced-harm nicotine and tobacco products, essentially carrying out tobacco industry objectives.

Microalgae in the wild often form consortia with other species promoting their own health and resource foraging opportunities. The recent application of microalgae cultivation and deployment in commercial photobioreactors (PBR) so far has focussed on single species of algae, resulting in multi-species consortia being largely unexplored. Reviewing the current status of PBR ecological habitat, this article argues in favor of further investigation into algal communication with conspecifics and interspecifics, including other strains of microalgae and bacteria. These mutualistic species form the ‘phycosphere’: the microenvironment surrounding microalgal cells, potentiating the production of certain metabolites through biochemical interaction with cohabitating microorganisms. A better understanding of the phycosphere could lead to novel PBR configurations, capable of incorporating algal-microbial consortia, potentially proving more effective than single-species algal systems.

This study was conducted to produce biodiesel from a mixture of 5 different oils i.e, palm oil, used cooking oil, soybean oil, canola oil, and sunflower oil, through transesterification under mole ratio variations of oil: methanol. The oils were mixed at a total volume of 300 mL with the same amount of each oil used. The transesterification of blended oils was conducted at 60°C for 1 h, and the mole ratios of oil: methanol were set to 1:3, 1:6, 1:9, 1:12, and 1:15. The results demonstrated that the mole ratios of 1:6 resulted in the highest yield of 92.99% with the conversion of 99.58% mass. The gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS) results showed that all mole variations had a methyl ester percentage of more than 98% area. The FTIR analysis revealed peaks that indicated the presence of a methyl ester functional group and its long-chain (–R) for all variations. The methyl ester content, Density, acid value, and total glycerol test parameters were in accordance with the quality standards of ASTM D 6751, EN 14214, and SNI 7182–2015. Therefore, multi-feedstock biodiesel suitable for industrial-scale applications was successfully produced in this study.

The COVID-19 pandemic has proven that extraordinary public health measures can pivot every aspect of society. Norms, politics, economics, and business practices rapidly responded to coordinated simultaneous policies worldwide. This begs the question of why such advancements have not yet been similarly executed to reduce the short- and long-term morbidity and mortality due to environmental destruction and climate change. This article reviews various reasons explaining the discrepancy between the policies of these two health threats, using a terror management theory lens. Exploring how anthropogenic climate change potentiated the contagion and outcomes of COVID-19, the environmental determinants of health deserve increased attention in public discourse. The industry-driven response to COVID-19 also has exacerbated preexisting health inequalities and vulnerabilities, suggesting that a just transition for climate change must not repeat some of the same mistakes taken in global pandemic measures. Finally, addressing emergency health harms in ways that create increased environmental health harms is deemed iatrogenic, displacing rather than truly treating disease. Thus, a planetary health model focused on multisolving health issues is recommended for the basis of addressing COVID-19 and other health disasters.

Background: Nursing Outcome Classification (NOC) Self-care for Toileting is an instrument for measuring the abilities of toileting self-care among children with physical disabilities. However, there has been no cultural adaptation in the Indonesian context, especially among children with physical disabilities, so that the validity and inter-rater reliability of the instrument has not been reported. Testing the content validity and interrater reliability of this instrument is necessary so that it could be used to measure the ability of toileting self-care. Purpose: This study aimed to examine the content validity and inter-rater reliability of NOC Self-care for Toileting among children with physical disabilities. Methods: This was a descriptive quantitative non-experimental research with a cross-sectional design. In the content validity test, this study employed seven experts teaching in nursing academies with a minimum degree of S2/specialist and had the experiences in basic nursing to assess the validity of NOC Self-care for Toileting. As for the inter-rater reliability test, this study involved two raters of nursing students who have passed block 2.4 lecture on “Growth and Development” and 36 children with physical disabilities at a Special School in Bantul, Yogyakarta. The validity test was analyzed using CVR, CVI, and Aiken’s V indexes, while the inter-rater reliability test was analyzed using Kappa and percent agreement. Results: The validity test showed the CVR value range of 0.71-1.00, the CVI value of 0.91, and the V coefficient range of 0.86-1.00. In the inter-rater reliability test, the Kappa value obtained was 0.958, and the percent agreement value was 97.22% for all indicators of NOC Self-care for Toileting. Conclusion: NOC Self-care for Toileting is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring the abilities of toileting self-care among children aged 6-18 with mild to moderate degrees of physical disabilities. Further research can be conducted by involving different respondents and cultures with more than two raters if possible.

Lada hitam dihasilkan dari buah tanaman lada yang diproses dengan cara dirontok dan dikeringkan. Proses perontokan dapat dilakukan secara manual atau mekanis. Proses perontokan lada secara manual memiliki banyak kelemahan sehingga perlu dikembangkan sistem perontokan lada secara mekanis. Sistem perontokan yang didesain harus sesuai dengan kebutuhan petani lada yang umumnya adalah petani dengan luas lahan sempit. Mesin perontok lada tipe silinder perontok berjaring merupakan upaya untuk mengatasi permasalahan ini karena mesin memiliki konstruksi sederhana, murah dan terbuat dari bahan yang mudah diperoleh. Tujuan penelitian yang dilakukan adalah merancang bangun dan menguji kinerja mesin perontok lada dengan mekanisme perontok berupa silinder perontok berjaring. Variabel bebas dalam pengujian adalah kekuatan tarik pegas sedangkan variabel tak bebas adalah kapasitas, efisiensi perontokan dan tingkat kerusakan buah lada. Pelaksanaan penelitian dilakukan dengan melakukan perancangan dan pembuatan komponen, dilanjutkan dengan melakukan pengujian. Hasil rancang bangun diperoleh mesin perontok lada tipe silinder perontok berjaring berpenggerak motor listrik 1/4 HP, kecepatan putar silinder perontok 339 rpm, sistem transmisi sabuk V dan puli, massa mesin 12 kg, panjang 50,0 cm, lebar 38,5 cm dan tinggi 68 cm. Hasil pengujian menunjukkan bahwa semakin kecil kekuatan tarik pegas dapat meningkatkan kapasitas perontokan lada. Sebaliknya, semakin besar kekuatan tarik pegas dapat meningkatkan efisiensi perontokan dan persentase kerusakan buah lada. Kapasitas dan persentase kerusakan buah lada tertinggi diperoleh pada kekuatan tarik pegas 0,19 kg/cm dengan kapasitas 117,8 kg/jam dan persentase kerusakan 8,8%, sedangkan efisiensi perontokan tertinggi diperoleh pada kekuatan tarik pegas 0,45 kg/cm yaitu sebesar 97,5%

The long-term antibody response to the novel SARS-CoV-2 in infected patients and their residential neighborhood remains unknown in Indonesia. This information will provide insights into the antibody kinetics over a relatively long period as well as transmission risk factors in the community. We aim to prospectively observe and determine the kinetics of the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody for 2 years after infection in relation to disease severity and to determine the risk and protective factors of SARS CoV-2 infections in the community. A cohort of RT-PCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 patients (case) will be prospectively followed for 2 years and will be compared to a control population. The control group comprises SARS-CoV-2 non-infected people who live within a one-kilometer radius from the corresponding case (location matching). This study will recruit at least 165 patients and 495 controls. Demographics, community variables, behavioral characteristics, and relevant clinical data will be collected. Serum samples taken at various time points will be tested for IgM anti-Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and IgG anti-Spike RBD of SARS-CoV-2 by using Chemiluminescent Microparticle Immunoassay (CMIA) method. The Kaplan-Meier method will be used to calculate cumulative seroconversion rates, and their association with disease severity will be estimated by logistic regression. The risk and protective factors associated with the SARS-CoV-2 infection will be determined using conditional (matched) logistic regression and presented as an odds ratio and 95% confidence interval.

One of the agriculture sectors that can be used as business opportunities is the vegetable commodity horticultural agriculture sector. There are 5 criteria that can be used, namely the analysis of initial capital, operational costs, harvest time, selling price and profits. While there are 12 kinds of plants namely shallots, green cayenne peppers, green mustard greens, round green eggplants, squash / cucumber, cucumber, long beans, spinach, kale, tomatoes, cauliflower and bitter melon / bitter melon. The implementation of Decision Support System (SPK) to determine horticultural farming business opportunities can be done using the Simple Additive Weighting (SAW) and Promethee methods. The SAW method calculates the value of each criterion, the weight of the criteria and the type of criteria that can be determined by the user himself and the method of method used to determine the order of priority. The SAW method calculates the value of each criterion, the weight of the criteria and the type of criteria that can be determined by the user himself and the promethee methods used to determine the order of priority. The results of this study are getting the highest priority value is spinach plants by 78.1% based on data processed in June 2019 in Karawang district with business analysis in an area of 23 x 2 meters.

Development of the computer is very fast and is used in various fields of life. Usually the computer is used to produce a variety of important information in order to improve the performance of an organization, company or institution to get the job done more effectively and efficiently it is because the computer to process information quickly. To maintain the smooth, monitor, and also simplify the task of managing data majoring student thesis easily then it encourages the writer to create a research titled "Web Application Thesis Management On Teknik Informatika STMIK Palangkaraya". System development using codeigniter PHP Framework scripts and MySQL database are supported by CSS and Bootstrap. The methods used in data collection such as interviews, observation, and literature. The interview is to collect data by conducting a question and answer directly to the section that relates to the object under study. Observation of direct observation on the submission by the current manual. A literature study is collecting data by studying books or literature concerning the design of a system to generate a Web Application Thesis management on Teknik Informatika STMIK Palangkaraya that can provide convenience to students and admin in the management of the final task in submitting the riset title, schedule of seminars, and schedule the final exam anytime and anywhere along the internet connected so that information services related to the final task of students become more optimal

Objective: The human umbilical cord and placenta have been considered as attractive alternative sources for noninvasive isolation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Different sources of MSC may have individual differentiation potential and phenotype. In this study, we compared the genome-wide expression data of umbilical cord and placenta derived hMSCs to identify specific differential expression genes (DEGs) and corresponding functions. Materials and methods: We collected human placental tissues and umbilical cord from healthy full-term placenta (n = 17). The genome-wide gene expression data of hMSCs were used to analyze and compare with that of fibroblasts. We identified the differential expression genes (DEGs) based on the Student's t-test and one-way ANOVA. Results: According to the DEGs of umbilical cord and placenta, we used the Venn diagram to evaluate the consistence and specific genes. There are 390 umbilical cord specific DEGs which functions are related to movement of sub-cellular component. Then, the DEGs derived from placenta have two major clusters (i.e., placenta-specific (AM-CM-specific) and UC-like (UC-CD-specific)). 247 placenta-specific DEGs are down-regulated and involved in cell communication. 278 UC-like genes are up-regulated and are involved in the cell cycle, cell division, and DNA repair process. Finally, we also identified 239 umbilical cord-placenta consistence DEGs. According to the umbilical cord-placenta consistence DEGs, 175 genes are down-regulated and involved in cell death, cell growth, cell developmental processes. Conclusion: We identified the consistence and specific DEGs of human placenta and umbilical cord based on the genome-wide comparison. Our results indicated that hMSCs derived from umbilical cord and placenta have different gene expression patterns, and most of specific genes are involved in the cell cycle, cell division, cell death, and cell developmental processes.

Lembaga Pengkajian dan Studi Islam (LPSI) merupakan salah satu lembaga yang ada di Universitas Islam Indragiri (UNISI) Tembilahan dimana pada lembaga ini bertugas untuk membina urusan keAgamaan, Sistem Informasi E-SBQ merupakan Sistem berbasis Web yang fungsinya sangat membantu dalam penyimpanan data-data baik itu data mahasiswa, nilai dan lain-lain. Kesulitan mahasiswa adalah kurang akuratya informasi yang diperoleh dari pihak lembaga baik itu informasi pendaftaran dan juga penjadwalan. Pembuatan system mengunakan bahasa pemrograman berbasis PHP dan MySQL sebagai database. Metode pengembangan system yang digunakan adalah SDLC dalam hal ini UML digunakan untuk pemodelan system yang telah dirancang. hasil akhir dari perancangan system yaitu berupa sertifikat SBQ serta pengontrolan data-data LPSI. Berdasarkan pengujian beberapa pengguna di limgkunganj LPSI bahwa system sangat memberi kemudahan dalam mengelola data-data LPSI dan layak di imlementasikan. Kata Kunci :informasi, e-sbq, php

Aim/hypothesis. We analysed Japanese MODY patients for mutations in the HNF-1α gene. Methods. Fifty unrelated Japanese patients with early-onset diabetes (diagnosed at 25 years of age or younger) or with a strong family history of diabetes were screened for mutations in the HNF-1α gene. Functional studies of the mutant HNF-1α were carried out. Results. We identified three new mutations in the HNF-1α gene in the families with a strong family history for diabetes. One mutation (L518P519fsTCC→A) was identified in three unrelated families, while the other two mutations (T521I and V617I) were identified in one family. We also identified the A site of the promoter (+102G-to-C), which was reported previously. We examined the functional properties of the mutant HNF-1α. By increasing the amount of L518P519fsTCC→A-HNF-1α, increasing inhibition of the transcription of human transthyretin (TTR) was observed (up to 61% of the control). Increasing amounts of T521I-HNF-1α or V617I-HNF-1α mutant proteins increased TTR promoter transcription up to 4.3-fold and 2.4-fold, respectively, whereas both increased transcription up to 12.4-fold of the control. Conclusion/interpretation. The L518P519fsTCC→A was identified for the first time and this mutation might be a common cause of Japanese MODY3 in Okinawa area. In addition, both the T521I and V617I mutations were present in two patients in the same family. Since the prevalence of these mutations is relatively high (10%, 5/50), the HNF-1α gene needs to be screened for mutations in patients either with early-onset diabetes or with a strong family history for diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lembaga Pengkajian dan Studi Islam (LPSI) merupakan salah satu lembaga yang ada di Universitas Islam Indragiri (UNISI) Tembilahan dimana pada lembaga ini bertugas untuk membina urusan keAgamaan, Sistem Informasi E-SBQ merupakan Sistem berbasis Web yang fungsinya sangat membantu dalam penyimpanan data-data baik itu data mahasiswa, nilai dan lain-lain. Kesulitan mahasiswa adalah kurang akuratya informasi yang diperoleh dari pihak lembaga baik itu informasi pendaftaran dan juga penjadwalan. Pembuatan system mengunakan bahasa pemrograman berbasis PHP dan MySQL sebagai database. Metode pengembangan system yang digunakan adalah SDLC dalam hal ini UML digunakan untuk pemodelan system yang telah dirancang. hasil akhir dari perancangan system yaitu berupa sertifikat SBQ serta pengontrolan data-data LPSI. Berdasarkan pengujian beberapa pengguna di limgkunganj LPSI bahwa system sangat memberi kemudahan dalam mengelola data-data LPSI dan layak di imlementasikan. Kata Kunci :informasi, e-sbq, php.

The bike is still one of the favorite modes of transportation as it is cheaper and environmentally friendly. However, some problems still arise in current bicycle design, one of which is a discrepancy between dimensions of the bike with anthropometry of the user. This has resulted in unneutral and uncomfortable posture for the users. This study focuses on providing optimum configuration of distance from saddle to pedal, the height of handle-bar, and distance from handlebar to saddle of the bike. Some physiological parameters such as the percentage of CVL (cardiovascular limit), energy consumption and Posture Evaluation index are measured to determine the optimum distance of handle-bar, distance from handlebar to saddle, and distance from saddle to pedal. Results show that it is necessary to modify the current dimension of the bike to accommodate three posture categories of Indonesia population: small posture (P5), medium (P50) and large posture (P95).

Objective: The heterogeneous nature of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and the absence of known MSC-specific biomarkers make it challenging to define MSC phenotypes and characteristics. In this study, we compared the phenotypic and functional features of human placenta-derived MSCs with those of human dermal fibroblasts in vitro in order to identify a biomarker that can be used to increase the purity of MSCs in a primary culture of placenta-derived cells. Materials and methods: Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis was used to analyze and compare the proteome of human placenta-derived MSCs with that of fibroblasts. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence, and flow cytometry were used to determine expression levels of EphA2 in placenta-derived MSCs. EphA2-positive cells were enriched by magnetic-activated cell sorting or with a cell sorter. An shRNA-mediated EphA2 knockdown was used to assess the role of EphA2 in MSC response to Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α stimulation. Results: Analysis of proteomics data from MSCs and fibroblasts resulted in the identification of the EphA2 surface protein biomarker, which could reliably distinguish MSCs from fibroblasts. EphA2 was significantly upregulated in placenta-derived MSCs when compared to fibroblasts. EphA2 played an important role in MSC migration in response to inflammatory stimuli, such as TNF-α. EphA2-enriched MSCs were also more responsive to inflammatory stimuli in vitro when compared to unsorted MSCs, indicating a role for EphA2 in the immunomodulatory functionality of MSCs. Conclusion: EphA2 can be used to distinguish and isolate MSCs from a primary culture of placenta-derived cells. EphA2-sorted MSCs exhibited superior responsiveness to TNF-α signaling in an inflammatory environment compared with unsorted MSCs or MSC-like cells.

BACKGROUND:Tobacco addiction is a complex, multicomponent phenomenon stemming from nicotine's pharmacology and the user's biology, psychology, sociology, and environment. After decades of public denial, the tobacco industry now agrees with public health authorities that nicotine is addictive. In 2000, Philip Morris became the first major tobacco company to admit nicotine's addictiveness. Evolving definitions of addiction have historically affected subsequent policymaking. This article examines how Philip Morris internally conceptualized addiction immediately before and after this announcement. METHODS AND FINDINGS:We analyzed previously secret, internal Philip Morris documents made available as a result of litigation against the tobacco industry. We compared these documents to public company statements and found that Philip Morris's move from public denial to public affirmation of nicotine's addictiveness coincided with pressure on the industry from poor public approval ratings, the Master Settlement Agreement (MSA), the United States government's filing of the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) suit, and the Institute of Medicine's (IoM's) endorsement of potentially reduced risk products. Philip Morris continued to research the causes of addiction through the 2000s in order to create successful potentially reduced exposure products (PREPs). While Philip Morris's public statements reinforce the idea that nicotine's pharmacology principally drives smoking addiction, company scientists framed addiction as the result of interconnected biological, social, psychological, and environmental determinants, with nicotine as but one component. Due to the fragmentary nature of the industry document database, we may have missed relevant information that could have affected our analysis. CONCLUSIONS:Philip Morris's research suggests that tobacco industry activity influences addiction treatment outcomes. Beyond nicotine's pharmacology, the industry's continued aggressive advertising, lobbying, and litigation against effective tobacco control policies promotes various nonpharmacological determinants of addiction. To help tobacco users quit, policy makers should increase attention on the social and environmental dimensions of addiction alongside traditional cessation efforts.

Background Tobacco Harm Reduction (THR) has become synonymous with substituting alternative tobacco products for cigarettes. However, there exists much dissension among tobacco control professionals regarding accepting harm reduction methods prolonging nicotine addiction and profiting the tobacco, e-cigarette and pharmaceutical industries. We evaluate the influence of these industries on the academic THR literature and debate. Methods We undertook a comprehensive review of all peer-review papers published on the topic of tobacco harm reduction between 1992 and July 2016. Our initial search yielded 5,172 relevant hits, and after screening, we double-coded 1,067 full-text articles. Codes include the article's stand on THR (weakly or strongly pro-, anti-, or neutral/mixed), major themes, product type, country of author origin, article type (letter/commentary, RTC, longitudinal study, etc.), journal quality, and funding source. These results were analyzed in STATA. Results Of the 498 articles we have coded so far, 379 were included. The results show that six percent of all articles are editorials, 36% letters or commentaries, and 21% are non-empirical articles while only 31% are original research and 6% reviews. Thirty-three percent of pro-THR articles disclosed some sort of industry funding. Of these, 30% were funded by the tobacco industry, 22% by the E-cigarette industry and 48% were funded by pharmaceutical industries. Conclusions The THR debate has been influenced by scientists funded by tobacco, electronic-cigarette and surprisingly pharmaceutical industries in the favor of product substitution. Moreover, the majority of this debate is occurring over 'opinion pieces' rather than on the basis of empirical research. Thus, more robust and unbiased scientific evidence is needed to evaluate these alternative products before endorsing them for the public.

Shrimp red cherry shrimp is one of the ornamental potential developed. One of the conservation efforts can be made to increase production by optimizing keragaannya on enlargement phase. This study aims at scaling up the production of red cherry shrimp, especially in the phase of enlargement. Treatment in the form of background color is composed of (A) without colors (control), (B) white, (C) in black, and (D) red. Each treatment was repeated three times with a 45-day long research. Container maintenance in the form of an aquarium measuring 14x14x14 cm3 volume of 1 l and equipped with aeration. The prawns used were 10 fish / aquarium with a weighted average of 0.018 ± 0.21 g and the total length of the average of 0.82 ± 0.21 cm. Feeding in the form of an ad bloodworm satiation and include aquatic plant Hydrilla sp. as a source of additional food and shelter in the form of detritus. The results showed that the weight gain and the highest long background color was achieved by treatment D (red) which is equal to 0.09 ± 0.3 g and 1.62 ± 0.3 cm. Survival at each treatment reached 100%. The water quality of all treatments during the study period remained within normal limits.

This article interprets Jakob von Uexküll’s understanding of different beings’ Innenwelt, Gegenwelt, and umwelt through Deleuzian insights of multiplicity, context, and particularity. This Deleuzian interpolation into Uexküll’s insights acknowledges the absence of a unitary ‘human’ view of nature, recognizing instead that plural viewpoints of cultures, subgroups and individuals understand and interpret natural signs variously not just because of ideology but because of physiology and contrastive fundamental ways of accessing the world. Recent formative research in comparative neurobiology suggests that universal anthropological claims of cross-cultural semiotic similarity are incorrect. Interpreting biosemiotics as the investigation of apprehending the Innenwelt of radically different others (species), such semiotic understandings themselves are not necessarily generalizable between different members of the same species in a group, same-species groups in different natural cultural contexts, or even (as with humans) the same animal at different points of time (based on new understandings, patterns, or events of meaning altering interpretations of self and events). Conjoining Deleuze’s insights of the complexity of multiplicity with Uexküll’s scientific-imaginative system of comprehending other creatures’ ways of understanding their world offers an increased self-reflexivity regarding the simultaneous levels of actual semiotic activity for biosemiotic inquiry.

Introduction: Cerebral palsy (CP) is an encephalic static lesion characterized as a nonprogressive disorder of movements and posture with functional deficits that may favor the occurrence of various malocclusions. We looked for a possible association between overall functional impairment and malocclusion in this population., Methods: Seventy patients from the Center of Attendance for Special Needs Patients, ages 6 to 18 years and with a CP diagnosis, were involved in the research. The overall degree of functional impairment was assessed with the Gross Motor Function Classification System, and malocclusion was evaluated with the criteria established by the World Health Organization and selected occlusion characteristics. To test the associations, univariate and multiple logistic Poisson regression analyses were used, and prevalence ratio values were calculated., Results: Patients with limited or severely limited mobility (Gross Motor Function Classification of 4 or 5) (P = 0.003), parafunctional habits (P = 0.001), and a caregiver who was not the mother had 3 to 4 times more risk for open bite. Patients with dyskinetic CP are 4 times more likely to develop deepbite (P = 0.005)., Conclusions: The results showed that the type of CP, the degree of motor involvement, and the presence of parafunctions are important factors to be considered to establish a correct diagnosis of malocclusion in persons with CP., (Copyright © 2018 American Association of Orthodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Motorization and supermarket-proliferation affect lifestyles. About 15 years ago, Okinawans went to several shops on foot, but now they go to supermarkets by car. The influences of these changes on the prevalence of diabetes are uncertain. OBJECTIVE AND MEASUREMENTS: The influence of motorization and supermarket-proliferation on the prevalence of diabetes was studied in the inhabitants of a town on Okinawa, Japan. Measurements were composed of anthropometry and blood chemistry. Participants were asked where they buy food and daily necessities (several shops or a supermarket) and how they get there (by car or on foot)., Design: Serial cross-sectional., Participants: Inhabitants of the island of Okinawa were studied., Results: In 1991, 24% went to several shops and 20% to a supermarket. However, in 2004, only 3.1% went to several shops and 83% to a supermarket. In 1991, 55% went to shopping places on foot and 38% by car. However, in 2004, only 14% went on foot and 76% by car. The prevalence of diabetes in Okinawa increased from 4.7% in 1991 to 8.4% in 2004. The prevalence of diabetes correlated positively with the percent of inhabitants going to supermarkets, and those going there by car. In 1991, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes was 4.7% in men and 4.6% in women; no difference was noted between men and women. In 2004, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes increased to 9.2% in men and to 7.5% in women. The increase in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes from 1991 to 2004 was higher in men than in women., Conclusions: About 15 years ago, Okinawans went to shops on foot, but now they go to supermarkets by car. The prevalence of diabetes is increasing. Motorization and supermarket-proliferation are associated with the increases of the prevalence of diabetes. The increase in diabetes prevalence was higher in men than in women.

We previously reported that a missense mutation at codon 121 (CGG(Arg) to TGG(Trp), R121W) of PAX4 may be associated with the onset of type 2 diabetes in Japanese. In this study, we determined the frequency of the R121W mutation of PAX4 and characterized the prodiabetic phenotype in a population-based study. Healthy 372 residents participated in annual health check-ups in Nishihara (Okinawa, Japan) and unrelated 193 type 2 diabetic patients from the outpatient clinic of Ryukyu University Hospital were enrolled. Diagnosis of diabetes was based on the 1997 American Diabetes Association criteria. The R121W mutation in PAX4 was genotyped by PCR-RFLP analysis. In healthy residents, R121W mutation was detected in 12 of 372 residents (3.1%). The prevalence of newly diagnosed type 3 diabetes (25% vs. 5%, p=0.004) and HbA(1c) (5.6+/-1.9 vs. 5.1+/-0.7, p=0.026) was higher in the variants than in the wild-types. The odds ratio of diabetes in the R121W variants was 5.98 with 95% confidence interval from 1.50 to 23.9. The R121W mutation was observed in 12 of the 193 type 2 diabetic patients (6.2%). Onset-ages of diabetes were earlier (37+/-10 vs. 47+/-13 years, p=0.010) and the rate of insulin user was two times higher (83% vs. 41%, p=0.005) in the variants. The R121W mutation in PAX4 is a predisposing factor for the development of type 2 diabetes in Okinawans.

Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) decreases the immune response of T cells by inactivating the signal that occurs with interaction between CD28 on T cells and B7 on antigen-presenting cells. Gene polymorphisms involving CTLA-4 promoter (-318 C/T), exon 1 (49 A/G), and exon 4 (microsatellite (AT)n) have been linked to Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT) and other autoimmune diseases. HT also has a reported association with human T-cell lymphotrophic virus-1 (HTLV-1) infection. We investigated the occurrence of CTLA-4 polymorphisms in Japanese patients with HT with and without anti-HTLV-1 antibodies (HTLV-1 Ab). DNA samples from 143 patients with HT and 199 controls were subjected to polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis using the restriction enzymes, Bbv 1, Tse 1, and Mse 1. In the HTLV-1 Ab-positive group the exon 1 G allele was more frequent in patients with HT than in controls (67% vs. 53%, p = 0.0377), and in HTLV-1 Ab-negative group it was also frequent in patients with HT than in controls (68% vs. 53%, p = 0.0041). Frequency of the G allele in HT with HTLV-1 Ab was comparable to those without HTLV-1 Ab. Frequency of polymorphism in the promoter did not differ between patients with HT and controls, nor between controls with and without HTLV-1 Ab. HTLV-1 infection is not associated with CTLA-4 polymorphisms in either HT or controls. HTLV-1 infection is not regulated by genetic factor such as CTLA-4, and may affect occurrence of HT as an independent purely environmental factor.