Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Modulated Microwave Radiation at Cellular Telephone Frequency (1.95 GHz) on X-Ray-Induced Chromosome Aberrations in Human Lymphocytes In Vitro

Abstract Manti, L. , Braselmann, H. , Calabrese, M. L. , Massa, R. , Pugliese, M. , Scampoli, P., Sicignano, G. and Grossi, G. Effects of Modulated Microwave Radiation at Cellular Telephone Frequency (1.95 GHz) on X-Ray-Induced Chromosome Aberrations in Human Lymphocytes In Vitro. Radiat. Res. 169, 575–583 (2008). The case for a DNA-damaging action produced by radiofrequency (RF) signals remains controversial despite extensive research. With the advent of the Universal Mobile Telecommunication System (UMTS) the number of RF-radiation-exposed individuals is likely to escalate. Since the epigenetic effects of RF radiation are poorly understood and since the potential modifications of repair efficiency after exposure to known cytotoxic agents such as ionizing radiation have been investigated infrequently thus far, we studied the influence of UMTS exposure on the yield of chromosome aberrations induced by X rays. Human peripheral blood lymphocytes were exposed in vitro to a UMTS signal (frequency carrier of 1.95 GHz) for 24 h at 0.5 and 2.0 W/kg specific absorption rate (SAR) using a previously characterized waveguide system. The frequency of chromosome aberrations was measured on metaphase spreads from cells given 4 Gy of X rays immediately before RF radiation or sham exposures by fluorescence in situ hybridization. Unirradiated controls were RF-radiation- or sham-exposed. No significant variations due to the UMTS exposure were found in the fraction of aberrant cells. However, the frequency of exchanges per cell was affected by the SAR, showing a small but statistically significant increase of 0.11 exchange per cell compared to 0 W/kg SAR. We conclude that, although the 1.95 GHz signal (UMTS modulated) does not exacerbate the yield of aberrant cells caused by ionizing radiation, the overall burden of X-ray-induced chromosomal damage per cell in first-mitosis lymphocytes may be enhanced at 2.0 W/kg SAR. Hence the SAR may either influence the repair of X-ray-induced DNA breaks or alter the cell death pathways of the damage response.
Household food insecurity and dietary intake in Korea: results from the 2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey

Abstract Objective To examine the prevalence of household food insecurity and compare dietary intake by food security status in a representative Korean population. Design Cross-sectional. Food security status of households was classified using an eighteen-item food security questionnaire. The nutrition survey comprised questions on dietary habits, a 24 h dietary recall and a semi-quantitative FFQ. Setting The 2012 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Subjects A total of 3007 households completed the food security questionnaire. Family members within each household aged ≥1 year (n 7118) participated in the nutrition survey. Results Results from the 2012 survey indicated that 88·7 % of Korean households showed food security. The remaining 11·3 % (9·3 % for food insecurity without hunger and 2·0 % for food insecurity with hunger) were in food-insecure households. The prevalence of household food insecurity was 13·2 % in households with children and 10·3 % in households without children. Mean daily intakes of energy, fat and carbohydrates were not significantly different between food-secure and food-insecure adults. In contrast, mean daily intakes of protein, crude fibre, vitamins and minerals as well as weekly consumption frequencies of vegetables, seaweeds, fruits, fruit juice, nuts, and milk and milk products were significantly lower in food-insecure adults compared with food-secure adults. Conclusions The study demonstrated that food insecurity is associated with reduced intakes of healthy foods and nutrients essential for health and growth in a representative Korean population.
Placement of energy storage coordinated with smart PV inverters

Energy storage (ES) is increasing used in electrical transmission and distribution systems because it can perform many functions. These include peak shaving, voltage regulation, frequency regulation, spinning reserve, and aiding integration of renewable generation by mitigating the effects of intermittency. This work focuses on the usage of energy storage for peak shaving and voltage regulation on a distribution system having a high penetration of photovoltaic (PV) generation. The PV stations considered make use of smart PV inverters as proposed by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). These inverters assist the energy storage with voltage regulation. Additionally, the proposed method includes support for varying energy storage unit (ESU) sizes, non-radial distribution systems, and reverse power flow, both real and reactive. The method is applied to the worst-case voltage regulation scenario. The impact of the placement and voltage regulation on the profitability of energy storage is assessed. This is accomplished by adding voltage regulation as a constraint to the problem scheduling energy storage in order to maximize profit. Applying the method shows that the best place to put an ESU is near the end of a feeder. Validation of the method shows that it does not impact the ability of ES to be scheduled in order to maximize economic benefits with time-of-use pricing.
Population Dynamics of Exploited Fish Stocks at Low Population Levels

Models of population dynamics in which per capita reproductive success declines at low population levels (variously known as depensation, the Allee effect, and inverse density-dependence) predict that populations can have multiple equilibria and may suddenly shift from one equilibrium to another. If such depensatory dynamics exist, reduced mortality may be insufficient to allow recovery of a population after abundance has been severely reduced by harvesting. Estimates of spawner abundance and number of surviving progeny for 128 fish stocks indicated only 3 stocks with significant depensation. Estimates of the statistical power of the tests strengthen the conclusion that depensatory dynamics are not apparent for fish populations at the levels studied.
Fracture resistance of posterior teeth restored with high-viscosity bulk-fill resin composites in comparison to the incremental placement technique

Aim: Comparative evaluation of the fracture resistance of maxillary premolar teeth restored with two high-viscosity bulk-fill composites and incrementally placed composite. Materials and Methods: Seventy-five freshly extracted maxillary premolar teeth were selected. Fifteen specimens served as positive control (Group 1). Mesio-occluso-distal cavity preparation was prepared on the rest of the specimens. These specimens were further divided into four groups: unrestored teeth (Group 2), teeth restored with incrementally placed nanocomposite (Group 3), teeth restored with high-viscosity bulk-fill giomer (Group 4), and teeth restored with high-viscosity bulk-fill nanocomposite (Group 5). The specimens were then subjected to compressive axial load using Instron universal testing machine. Data were analyzed using data were analyzed using Statistical package for social sciences software (SPSS v 20.0, IBM Corp.). Results: The positive control group exhibited highest fracture resistance (1104.70 ± 122.2 N). There was no statistically significant difference seen in between the incrementally placed nanocomposite and high-viscosity nanocomposite (P > 0.05). The fracture resistance values displayed by the high-viscosity bulk-fill giomer were found to be statistically lower than the other two groups. Conclusion: High-viscosity bulk-fill nanocomposite may substitute incrementally placed nanocomposite with respect to fracture resistance.
Differential effects of dopamine antagonists on locomotor activity, conditioned activity and conditioned place preference induced by cocaine in rats

Neuronal substrates that mediate the conditioned effects of cocaine have not been well characterized. To examine dopaminergic mechanisms, three antagonists were tested for their capacity to inhibit the expression of conditioned locomotor activity and conditioned place preference in rats. Antagonists were also assessed against acute cocaine-stimulated locomotor activity for comparison. For locomotor activity conditioning, six conditioning sessions were conducted over a 10-day period. Paired rats received 10 mg/kg cocaine prior to activity sessions and saline after; unpaired controls received saline prior and cocaine after. For place preference conditioning, eight conditioning sessions were conducted over a 13-day period; rats received 10 mg/kg cocaine while restricted to one of two distinct chambers and, on alternate days, they received saline in the other. Antagonists (haloperidol, raclopride and SCH23390; 0.03–0.1 mg/kg) were given only on test days for conditioned effects. All three antagonists significantly and dose-dependently attenuated the direct stimulatory effect of cocaine. SCH23390 showed a tendency to reduce the expression of conditioned locomotor activity, and only haloperidol blocked the expression of conditioned place preference. Thus, direct and conditioned stimulant effects of cocaine were shown to be differentially sensitive to dopamine receptor blockade. Further, conditioned stimulant effects differed from conditioned reinforcing effects in this regard.
Dental Fluorosis and Nutritional Status of 6– to 11–Year–Old Children Living in Rural Areas of Paraíba, Brazil

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between nutritional status and dental fluorosis in areas with fluoride in the drinking water in Paraíba, Brazil. Rural villages of comparable low socio–economic status and stable water fluoride levels were selected. Lifelong residents (6–11 years old, n = 650) were examined for nutritional status (height–for–age index; WHO methods) and dental fluorosis of central incisors and first molars (TF index). The sample was divided into three groups according to fluoride levels in the drinking water: low (below 0.7 ppm F, n = 164), medium (between 0.7 and 1.0 ppm F, n = 360) and high (above 1.0 ppm F, n = 126). Dental fluorosis was observed in 30.5, 61.1 and 71.4% of the children in these F groups, respectively. The prevalence was significantly related to the water F concentrations (χ2 = 59.93, d.f. = 2, p<0.001). The severity of dental fluorosis ranged from TF 1 to 3 in the low F group and up to 7 in the others. Malnutrition prevalence was approximately 20% in all F groups, but was unrelated to dental fluorosis. The fairly high prevalence of dental fluorosis observed suggests that other factors may be operating.
Potential use of glucuronylglucosyl-β-cyclodextrin/dendrimer conjugate (G2) as a DNA carrier in vitro and in vivo

In this study, we evaluated the polyamidoamine starburst dendrimer (dendrimer, generation 2: G2) conjugate with 6-O-α-(4-O-α-D-glucuronyl)-D-glucosyl-β-cyclodextrin (GUG-β-CDE (G2)) as a gene transfer carrier. The in vitro gene transfer activity of GUG-β-CDE (G2, degree of substitution (DS) of cyclodextrin (CyD) 1.8) was remarkably higher than that of dendrimer (G2) conjugate with α-CyD (α-CDE (G2, DS 1.2)) and that with β-CyD(β-CDE (G2, DS 1.3)) in A549 and RAW264.7 cells. The particle size, ζ-potential, DNase I-catalyzed degradation, and cellular association of plasmid DNA (pDNA) complex with GUG-β-CDE (G2, DS 1.8) were almost the same as those of the other CDEs. Fluorescent-labeled GUG-β-CDE (G2, DS 1.8) localized in the nucleus 6 h after transfection of its pDNA complex in A549 cells, suggesting that nuclear localization of pDNA complex with GUG-β-CDE (G2, DS 1.8), at least in part, contributes to its high gene transfer activity. GUG-β-CDE (G2, DS 1.8) provided higher gene transfer activity than α-CDE (G2, DS 1.2) and β-CDE (G2, DS 1.3) in kidney with negligible changes in blood chemistry values 12 h after intravenous injection of pDNA complexes with GUG-β-CDE (G2, DS 1.8) in mice. In conclusion, the present findings suggest that GUG-β-CDE (G2, DS 1.8) has the potential for a novel polymeric pDNA carrier in vitro and in vivo.
The relation of the temporal muscle to the form of the skull

The possibility that the temporal muscles may affect the form of the brain case has been recognized for many years. The matter was already being debated by Fick and Virchow in 1859 and is discussed by Hooton in 1946. The reason that such an old problem is still unsettled is that description alone cannot untangle the various factors, all of which may play some part in shaping the developing skull. To HrdliEka ( '24) the importance of the muscles in moulding the brain case was self-evident. Yet T'eidenreich ( '41), after a comprehensive review of the evolution of the skull, concludes that it is the size of the brain which determines cranial form. Such disagreement should occasion 110 surprise, f o r even the simple relation of the temporal muscle to the form of the coronoid process of the mandible cannot be elucidated by comparative means. In nature, a functioning bone-muscle complex is always present, so that the relative roles of intrinsic factors in the bone and of function in shaping the process can be evaluated only by experiment. In spite of the interest which has centered on the comparative anatomy and anthropology of the head, the experimental analysis of the mammalian skull has never attracted many investigators. The result is that studies based on few animals of various kinds are inconclusive. Fickl believed that the
Using the HOME Inventory with Infants in Costa Rica

This study determined the psychometric properties of the HOME (Home Observation for Measurement of the Environment) Inventory in a Latin American sample. HOME data for 183 healthy Costa Rican infants were compared to the original HOME standardisation sample from Little Rock. The Costa Rican total HOME average of 29.8 ± 6.7 was similar to the scores of families in Little Rock (mean = 31.2 ± 7.3). Measures or internal consistency and factor structure were similar in US and Costa Rican samples. In contrast to these similarities, Costa Rican HOME scores showed no significant correlation with developmental test scores in infancy (Bayley MDI), and the correlation with Full Scale IQ (WPPSI) at five years was modest, albeit statistically significant (r = 0.28, P < 0.05). These relationships were similar to those of Mexican-American children in a recent collaborative study by Bradley et al., 1989 and not as strong as for US white and black populations. However, when the concept of outcome was broadened beyond IQ scores to include child health and development in general, the HOME seemed sensitive to important environmental differences in this Costa Rican group. Lower HOME scores related to a shorter duration of breastfeeding and differentiated children with iron deficiency anaemia in infancy, a condition associated with long-lasting developmental disadvantage. Thus, the HOME was helpful in identifying children at risk for delayed development in this Latin American sample.
Regulation of gene expression in post-meiotic male germ cells: CREM-signalling pathways and male fertility

Summary Spermatogenesis is a remarkably complex process in which diploid spermatogonial stem cells undergo a series of mitotic and meiotic cell divisions to give rise to haploid round spermatids. These haploid cells then go through a dramatic morphological remodelling involving extensive chromatin condensation, reduction in nuclear and cytoplasmic volume, formation of an acrosome system and tail, all of which contribute to the formation of a mature spermatozoon fully capable of fertilizing the oocyte and passing along its genetic information to the next generation. To accomplish such a complex program, an intricate and efficient mechanism is required to finely tune the levels of expression of specific genes necessary for this process. Accordingly, the regulation of gene expression in post-meiotic male germ cells is governed by specific mechanisms unique to these cells. The cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element modulator (CREM) is an essential component of this program, and its activity is regulated through interactions with a germ cell-specific, CREM phosphorylation-independent transcriptional co-activator, activator of CREM in testis (ACT). In turn, the ability of ACT to regulate CREM activity is controlled by a germ cell-specific kinesin, Kif17b, which regulates the subcellular distribution of ACT. Further, the mRNA from CREM target genes interacts with several germ cell-specific RNA-binding proteins, which function to transport and stabilize these mRNAs. This sophisticated and complex regulation of gene expression in post-meiotic germ cells is governed by unique mechanisms specific to these cells and is fundamental to male fertility.
An improved optical flow tracking technique for real-time MR-guided beam therapies in moving organs

Magnetic resonance (MR) guided high intensity focused ultrasound and external beam radiotherapy interventions, which we shall refer to as beam therapies/interventions, are promising techniques for the non-invasive ablation of tumours in abdominal organs. However, therapeutic energy delivery in these areas becomes challenging due to the continuous displacement of the organs with respiration. Previous studies have addressed this problem by coupling high-framerate MR-imaging with a tracking technique based on the algorithm proposed by Horn and Schunck (H and S), which was chosen due to its fast convergence rate and highly parallelisable numerical scheme. Such characteristics were shown to be indispensable for the real-time guidance of beam therapies. In its original form, however, the algorithm is sensitive to local grey-level intensity variations not attributed to motion such as those that occur, for example, in the proximity of pulsating arteries. In this study, an improved motion estimation strategy which reduces the impact of such effects is proposed. Displacements are estimated through the minimisation of a variation of the H and S functional for which the quadratic data fidelity term was replaced with a term based on the linear L1norm, resulting in what we have called an L2–L1 functional. The proposed method was tested in the livers and kidneys of two healthy volunteers under free-breathing conditions, on a data set comprising 3000 images equally divided between the volunteers. The results show that, compared to the existing approaches, our method demonstrates a greater robustness to local grey-level intensity variations introduced by arterial pulsations. Additionally, the computational time required by our implementation make it compatible with the work-flow of real-time MR-guided beam interventions. To the best of our knowledge this study was the first to analyse the behaviour of an L1-based optical flow functional in an applicative context: real-time MR-guidance of beam therapies in moving organs.
Nutritional Support in Cancer Topic 26 Module 26 . 5 Nutrition in Prevention of Cancer

• Cancer is a preventable disease; • Environmental factors play a prominent role in increasing cancer risk; • Diet, physical activity and maintenance of a healthy weight can prevent 40% of all cancers; • Fruit, vegetables, and fibre have a protective effect, whereas high-temperature cooked red meat and processed meat increase the risk of developing cancer; • While there is no evidence that intake of non-physiologic doses of vitamin supplements would prevent an array of conditions attributable to oxidative stress, correction of vitamin D deficiency is seemingly playing a major role in reducing incidence and mortality from a host of chronic conditions, including cancer.
OHIO PRISONERS' REFLECTIONS ON RETURNING HOME

This policy brief presents the findings from surveys of 424 male prisoners serving time in Ohio facilities, who were interviewed as part of the multi-site research study Returning Home: Understanding the Challenges of Prisoner Reentry. The respondents, who were within 30 days of release and returning to the Cleveland community, reported on their experiences and expectations across a range of issue areas, including education, employment, financial support, substance use, health, family, and faith. Based on these findings, this policy brief details the histories and anticipated needs of this population as they re-enter society and sketches the policy implications for practitioners, community stakeholders, and policymakers.
[Protective effect of Huaxia shallot preparation on human umbilical vein endothelial cell injury induced by oxidized low density lipoprotein and its mechanism].

OBJECTIVE To observe the protective effect of Huaxia shallot preparation on human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) injury induced by oxidized low density lipoprotein (Ox-LDL) in vitro. METHODS Ox-LDL was prepared and identified, and HUVECs were cultured. After 2-hour intervention of different drugs and 24-hour following intervention of Ox-LDL, the number of HUVECs was observed by phase contrast optical microscope and the activity of the HUVECs was observed by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) technique. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and nitric oxide (NO) content were assayed by respective kit. The protein expressions and mRNA levels of peroxisome proliferators activated receptor gamma(PPAR-gamma) and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) were measured by western blot technique and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS Ox-LDL could increase the apoptosis rate of the HUVECs and decrease the NO release as compared with the blank control group (P<0.05). These effects induced by Ox-LDL were all significantly inhibited by Huaxia shallot preparation. It could up-regulate the protein expressions and mRNA levels of PPAR-gamma and eNOS significantly (P<0.05). Huaxia shallot preparation could decrease the apoptosis rate of the HUVECs. CONCLUSION Ox-LDL may be involved in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis by injuring the endothelial cells directly and may cause the endothelial dysfunction. Huaxia shallot preparation can protect against Ox-LDL induced endothelial cell injury by up-regulating the protein expressions and mRNA levels of PPAR-gamma and eNOS. It suggests that Huaxia shallot preparation may play a role in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular disease.
Coronavirus infections in horses in Saudi Arabia and Oman

Summary Equine coronaviruses (ECoV) are the only coronavirus known to infect horses. So far, data on ECoV infection in horses remain limited to the USA, France and Japan and its geographic distribution is not well understood. We carried out RT‐PCR on 306 nasal and 315 rectal swabs and tested 243 sera for antibodies to detect coronavirus infections in apparently healthy horses in Saudi Arabia and Oman. We document evidence of infection with ECoV and HKU23 coronavirus by RT‐PCR. There was no conclusive evidence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus infection in horses. Serological data suggest that lineage A betacoronavirus infections are commonly infecting horses in Saudi Arabia and Oman but antibody cross‐reactivities between these viruses do not permit us to use serological data alone to identify which coronaviruses are causing these infections.