Negative skill sorting across production chains

Previous literature generally predicts that individuals with higher skills work in industries with longer production chains. However, the opposite skill-sorting pattern, a "negative skill-sorting" phenomenon, is also observed in reality. This paper proposes a possible mechanism by which both cases can happen and shows that negative skill sorting is more likely to occur when the quality of intermediate inputs degrade rapidly (or improves slowly) along the production chain. We empirically confirm our theoretical prediction by using country-industry panel data. The results are robust regardless of estimation method, control variables, and industry coverage. This study has important implications for understanding countries\u27 comparative advantages and development patterns

Percentage body fat and results of a periodic health examination

肥満や栄養過剰は多くの慢性疾患、とりわけ成人病と関連が強いことが従来から指摘されている。肥満の判定には体脂肪率を測定することが重要であるが、その方法の一つとして、集団検診に使用しやすい生体電気インピーダンス法（bioelectrical impedance analysis）がある。今回、1ビール製造工場の定期健康診断において、対象者男235人および女137人の体脂肪率をこの方法により測定した。まずこの体脂肪率とBMIおよび肥満度との相関関係を求め、男性より女性において相関が高いことを認めた。ついで肥満群と正常群に分けて、血圧および血液検査の異常率の出現頻度を統計的に比較したところ、肥満群では男女共に総コレステロールで、また男性では尿酸、γGTP、SGPTの各値で、異常者が高率であることを認めた。またSGPTは30才台から、γGTP及びTchは40才台からその傾向が見られた。しかし、肥満指数とこれらの検査値との相関係数は高くはなかった。Data from periodic health examinations such as ALP, UA, RBC, Hb, SGOT, SGPT, Tch(total choresterol), TG(triglyceride), blood pressure, body length, body weight and also percentage body fat(% Fat) as measured by bioelectrical impedance mehtod were obtained from 235 male and 137 female workers at a brewery factory in Okayama Prefecture and results were analyzed. The correlation coefficients for % Fat and Body Mass Index values(BMI) are found to be 0.678 for males and 0.803 for females. Examinees were then devided into normal and obesity groups respectively, and the frequency of values over normal ranges (classified by obesity indicators such as % Fat, BMI and obesity rate calculated from standard weight) were statistically compared. Results showed that % Fat and BMI were more sensitive than obesity rate and that the obesity group had statistically high frequencies of abnormality in some of the data as in the case of SGPT, γGTP and TG compared to the control group. Furthermore this tendency was found to be more significant among male workers than female ones

The saw-tooth sign as a clinical clue for intrathoracic central airway obstruction

BACKGROUND: The saw-tooth sign was first described by Sanders et al in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome as one cause of extrathoracic central airway obstruction. The mechanism of the saw-tooth sign has not been conclusively clarified. The sign has also been described in various extrathoracic central airway diseases, such as in burn victims with thermal injury to the upper airways, Parkinson’s disease, tracheobronchomalacia, laryngeal dyskinesia, and pedunculated tumors of the upper airway. CASE PRESENTATION: A 61-year-old man was referred to our hospital with a two-month history of persistent dry cough and dyspnea. He was diagnosed with lung cancer located in an intrathoracic central airway, which was accompanied by the saw-tooth sign on flow-volume loops. This peculiar sign repeatedly improved and deteriorated, in accordance with the waxing and waning of central airway stenosis by anti-cancer treatments. CONCLUSION: This report suggests that the so-called saw-tooth sign may be found even in intrathoracic central airway obstruction due to lung cancer

EDUCAÇÃO PERMANENTE PARA GESTORES DE SAÚDE NA PANDEMIA COVID-19: REVISÃO DE ESCOPO :

Objetivo: identificar evidências documentais sobre ações de educação permanente para gestores de saúde decorrentes das necessidades de informação, decisão e ação desencadeadas pela pandemia COVID-19. Método: realizado Scoping Review segundo Joanna Briggs Institute, entre dezembro de 2019 e julho de 2022. Resultados: foram selecionados 11 estudos, classificados com base nas categorias propostas na Política e gestão da força de trabalho em saúde no contexto da resposta à pandemia da COVID-19, publicada pela Organização Mundial da Saúde/ Organização Pan-Americana da Saúde. A categoria mais observada foi Intervenções para apoiar os profissionais de saúde no nível individual. Não foram encontrados estudos com intervenções voltadas ao ambiente organizacional. Considerações finais: evidenciou-se impacto positivo das ações de educação permanente na melhoria do bem-estar dos profissionais de saúde, no enfrentamento adequado dos desafios clínicos e na otimização do cuidado prestado aos pacientes durante a pandemia. Descritores: Gestor de Saúde. Saúde Pública. Educação Continuada. COVID-19

Gene Expression and Protein Synthesis in Mitochondria Enhance the Duration of High-Speed Linear Motility in Boar Sperm

Sperm motility patterns are continuously changed after ejaculation to fertilization in the female tract. Hyperactivated motility is induced with high glucose medium in vitro or the oviduct fluids in vivo, whereas sperm maintain linear motility in the seminal plasma or the uterine fluids containing low glucose. Therefore, it is estimated that sperm motility patterns are dependent on the energy sources, and the mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation is activated to produce ATP in low glucose condition. To elucidate these hypotheses, boar sperm was incubated in different energy conditions with the transcription and translation inhibitors in vitro. Sperm motility parameters, mitochondrial activity, ATP level, gene expression and protein synthesis were analyzed. Sperm progressive motility and straight-line velocity were significantly increased with decreasing glucose level in the incubation medium. Moreover, the mitochondrial protein turnover meaning transcription and translation from mitochondrial genome in sperm is activated during incubation. Incubation of sperm with mitochondrial translation inhibitor (D-chloramphenicol) suppressed mitochondrial protein synthesis, mitochondrial activity and ATP level in sperm and consequently reduced the linear motility speed, but not the motility. Thus, it is revealed that the mitochondrial central dogma is active in sperm, and the high-speed linear motility is induced in low glucose condition via activating the mitochondrial activity for ATP generation.This work was supported in part by Livestock Promotional Funds of Japan Racing Association (JRA) grant no. H30-279 and by Hiroshima Cryopreservation Service Co., grant no. H30-1 (to MS). ZZ was supported by China Scholarship Council during a visit of “Zhendong Zhu” to Hiroshima University (#CSC201706300110).The Supplementary Material for this article can be found online at: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2019.00252/full#supplementary-materia