Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Continuous exposure to low amplitude extremely low frequency electrical fields characterizing the vascular streaming potential alters elastin accumulation in vascular smooth muscle cells

In normal development and pathology, the vascular system depends on complex interactions between cellular elements, biochemical molecules, and physical forces. The electrokinetic vascular streaming potential (EVSP) is an endogenous extremely low frequency (ELF) electrical field resulting from blood flowing past the vessel wall. While generally unrecognized, it is a ubiquitous electrical biophysical force to which the vascular tree is exposed. Extracellular matrix elastin plays a central role in normal blood vessel function and in the development of atherosclerosis. It was hypothesized that ELF fields of low amplitude would alter elastin accumulation, supporting a link between the EVSP and the biology of vascular smooth muscle cells. Neonatal rat aortic smooth muscle cell cultures were exposed chronically to electrical fields characteristic of the EVSP. Extracellular protein accumulation, DNA content, and electron microscopic (EM) evaluation were performed after 2 weeks of exposure. Stimulated cultures showed no significant change in cellular proliferation as measured by the DNA concentration. The per‐DNA normalized protein in the extracellular matrix was unchanged while extracellular elastin accumulation decreased 38% on average. EM analysis showed that the stimulated cells had a 2.85‐fold increase in mitochondrial number. These results support the formulation that ELF fields are a potential factor in both normal vessel biology and in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic diseases including heart disease, stroke, and peripheral vascular disease. Bioelectromagnetics 34:358–365, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Stochastic method for determination of the organ‐specific averaged SAR in realistic environments at 950 MHz

The organ‐specific averaged specific absorption rate (SARosa) in a heterogeneous human body phantom, the Virtual Family Boy, is determined for the first time in five realistic electromagnetic environments at the Global System for Mobile Communications downlink frequency of 950 MHz. We propose two methods based upon a fixed set of finite‐difference time‐domain (FDTD) simulations for generating cumulative distribution functions for the SARosa in a certain environment: an accurate vectorial cell‐wise spline interpolation with an average error lower than 1.8%, and a faster scalar linear interpolation with a maximal average error of 14.3%. These errors are dependent on the angular steps chosen for the FDTD simulations. However, it is demonstrated that both methods provide the same shape of the cumulative distribution function for the studied organs in the considered environments. The SARosa depends on the considered organ and the environment. Two factors influencing the SARosa are investigated for the first time: conductivity over the density ratio of an organ, and the distance of the organ's center of gravity to the body's surface and exterior of the phantom. A non‐linear regression with our model provides a correlation of 0.80. The SARosa due to single plane‐wave exposure is also investigated; a worst‐case single plane‐wave exposure is determined for all studied organs and has been compared with realistic SARosa values. There is no fixed worst‐case polarization for all organs, and a single plane‐wave exposure condition that exceeds 91% of the SARosa values in a certain environment can always be found for the studied organs. Bioelectromagnetics. 34:549–562. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A moderate static magnetic field enhances TRAIL‐induced apoptosis by the inhibition of Cdc2 and subsequent downregulation of survivin in human breast carcinoma cells

Tumor necrosis factor‐related apoptosis‐inducing ligand (TRAIL) exhibits its potent antitumor activity via membrane receptors on cancer cells without deleterious side effects for normal tissue. However, as many other cancer types, breast cancer cells develop a resistance to TRAIL. In the present study, we reported that exposure to 3.0 mT static magnetic field (SMF) mediated the sensitization of breast cancer cells to TRAIL‐induced apoptosis. This effect was significantly reduced by the forced expression of survivin, suggesting the sensitization was mediated at least in part through the inhibition of survivin expression. In addition, SMF alone or in combination with TRAIL induced a cell cycle arrest within the G2/M phase, and the reduction in the survivin protein level was associated with the downregulated expression of Cdc2, a cyclin B‐dependent kinase that is necessary for the entry into the M phase. Taken together, our results demonstrated that SMF promoted TRAIL‐induced apoptosis by inhibiting the expression of Cdc2 and, subsequently, survivin. Of note, SMF did not sensitize untransformed human mammary epithelial cells to TRAIL‐mediated apoptosis. Therefore, the combined treatment of SMF and TRAIL may offer an attractive strategy for safely treating resistant breast cancers. Bioelectromagnetics. 35:337–346, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Generation of infant anatomical models for evaluating electromagnetic field exposures

Realistic anatomical modeling is essential in analyzing human exposure to electromagnetic fields. Infants have significant physical and anatomical differences compared with other age groups. However, few realistic infant models are available. In this work, we developed one 12‐month‐old male whole body model and one 17‐month‐old male head model from magnetic resonance images. The whole body and head models contained 28 and 30 tissues, respectively, at spatial resolution of 1 mm × 1 mm × 1 mm. Fewer identified tissues in the whole body model were a result of the low original image quality induced by the fast imaging sequence. The anatomical and physical parameters of the models were validated against findings in published literature (e.g., a maximum deviation as 18% in tissue mass was observed compared with the data from International Commission on Radiological Protection). Several typical exposure scenarios were realized for numerical simulation. Dosimetric comparison with various adult and child anatomical models was conducted. Significant differences in the physical and anatomical features between adult and child models demonstrated the importance of creating realistic infant models. Current safety guidelines for infant exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields may not be conservative. Bioelectromagnetics. 35:10–26, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Millimeter waves as a source of selective heating of skin

This study demonstrates that 20–100 GHz range can be used for spatially‐accurate focusing of heating inside the skin achieved by varying frequency and exposure beam size, as well as by enforcing air convection. The latter is also used to reduce overheating of skin surface. Heating at different skin depths depending on these parameters is investigated in detail using the hybrid bio‐heat equation. In particular, it is shown that decreasing frequency and/or increasing exposure beam size at forced airflow result in elevation of heating of deeper layers of tissue and decrease of skin surface temperature. Changes of water content within 15%, which exceed those due to aging and presence of tumors, only slightly affect heating. Exposure intensity necessary to reach a target temperature significantly increases in different areas of body with elevated blood flow. Dependence on exposure intensity and hyperthermia treatment duration is also investigated and discussed. Results of this study suggest that the lower part of the millimeter‐wave range is an attractive alternative for non‐invasive thermal treatment of skin cancer with a high spatial resolution. Bioelectromagnetics. 36:464–475, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of 1950 MHz W‐CDMA‐like signal on human spermatozoa

There are growing concerns about how electromagnetic waves (EMW) emitted from mobile phones affect human spermatozoa. Several experiments have suggested harmful effects of EMW on human sperm quality, motility, velocity, or the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of spermatozoa. In this study, we analyzed the effects on human spermatozoa (sperm motility and kinetic variables) induced by 1 h of exposure to 1950 MHz Wideband Code Division Multiple Access (W‐CDMA)‐like EMW with specific absorption rates of either 2.0 or 6.0 W/kg, using a computer‐assisted sperm analyzer system. We also measured the percentage of 8‐hydroxy‐2′‐deoxyguanosine (8‐OHdG) positive spermatozoa with flow cytometry to evaluate damage to DNA. No significant differences were observed between the EMW exposure and the sham exposure in sperm motility, kinetic variables, or 8‐OHdG levels. We conclude that W‐CDMA‐like exposure for 1 h under temperature‐controlled conditions has no detectable effect on normal human spermatozoa. Differences in exposure conditions, humidity, temperature control, baseline sperm characteristics, and age of donors may explain inconsistency of our results with several previous studies. Bioelectromagnetics. 37:373–381, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Microscale temperature and SAR measurements in cell monolayer models exposed to millimeter waves

Due to shallow penetration of millimeter waves (MMW) and convection in liquid medium surrounding cells, the problem of accurate assessment of local MMW heating in in vitro experiments remains unsolved. Conventional dosimetric MMW techniques, such as infrared imaging or fiber optic (FO) sensors, face several inherent limits. Here we propose a methodology for accurate local temperature measurement and subsequent specific absorption rate (SAR) retrieval using microscale thermocouples (TC). SAR was retrieved by fitting the measured initial temperature rise to the numerical solution of an equivalent thermal model. It was found that the accuracy of temperature measurement depends on thermosensor size, that is, the smaller TC, the more accurate the temperature measurement. SAR determined using TC with lead diameters of 25 and 75 μm demonstrated 98.5% and 80.4% match with computed SAR, respectively. However, both TC provided the same temperature rises in long run (> 10 min). FO probe failed to measure adequately local heating both for short and long exposures due to the relatively large size of the probe sensor (400 μm) and time constant (0.6 s). Calculated SAR in the cell monolayer was almost two times lower than that in the surrounding liquid. It was shown that the impact of the cell monolayer on heating due to its small thickness (5 to 10 μm) can be considered as negligible. Moreover, we demonstrated the possibility of accurate measurement of MMW‐induced thermal pulses (up to 10 °C) using 25 μm TC. Bioelectromagnetics. 38:11–21, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Simulacra Effect: The Effect of Media Simulations on Eating Disorder Symptomology in Gay Men

ABSTRACT Researchers have uncovered a disturbing trend in the gay community: Gay men are at an increased risk for disordered eating. Researchers in this area generally support the existence of a sociocultural component to this phenomenon; however, these assertions have not been experimentally tested. We attempted to demonstrate that media representations targeted toward gay men have the potential to affect disordered eating and self-perception. Results showed that contrary to the hypothesis, the experimental group did not show an increase in eating disorder symptomology; in some cases, the opposite occurred. Implications of the importance of identifying with media images are discussed.
Trends in Maternal Mortality by Sociodemographic Characteristics and Cause of Death in 27 States and the District of Columbia.

OBJECTIVE To analyze recent trends in maternal mortality by sociodemographic characteristics and cause of death and to evaluate data quality. METHODS This observational study compared data from 2008-2009 with 2013-2014 for 27 states and the District of Columbia that had comparable reporting of maternal mortality throughout the period. Maternal mortality rates were computed per 100,000 live births. Statistical significance of trends and differentials was evaluated using a two-proportion z-test. RESULTS The study population included 1,687 maternal deaths and 7,369,966 live births. The maternal mortality rate increased by 23% from 20.6 maternal deaths per 100,000 live births in 2008-2009 to 25.4 in 2013-2014. However, most of the increase was among women aged 40 years or older and for nonspecific causes of death. From 2008-2009 to 2013-2014, maternal mortality rates increased by 90% for women 40 years of age or older but did not increase significantly for women younger than 40 years. The maternal mortality rate for nonspecific causes of death increased by 48%; however, the rate for specific causes of death did not increase significantly between 2008-2009 (13.5) and 2013-2014 (15.0). CONCLUSION Despite the United Nations Millennium Development Goal and a 44% decline in maternal mortality worldwide from 1990 to 2015, maternal mortality has not improved in the United States and appears to be increasing. Maternal mortality rates for women 40 years or older and for nonspecific causes of death were implausibly high and increased rapidly, suggesting possible overreporting of maternal deaths, which may be increasing over time. Efforts to improve reporting for the pregnancy checkbox and to modify coding procedures to place less reliance on the checkbox are essential to improving vital statistics maternal mortality data, the official data source for maternal mortality statistics used to monitor trends, identify at-risk populations, and evaluate the success of prevention efforts.
Understanding Asian/American Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Experiences from a Poststructural Perspective

This study explores the college experiences of nine Asian/American gay, lesbian, and bisexual students and, specifically, the impact of concealing or revealing their sexual orientation on their emerging sense of self. By utilizing a Foucauldian, poststructural theoretical perspective, the researcher found that the students navigated multiple discourses, and their decisions about revealing their sexual orientation were based on relationships formed within those discourses. These decisions, in turn, helped many of the students grasp their emerging agency within the dominant discourse. To conclude, the researcher discusses the implications of these findings for higher education as a whole.
Protein‐protein interactions: Making sense of networks via graph‐theoretic modeling

The emerging area of network biology is seeking to provide insights into organizational principles of life. However, despite significant collaborative efforts, there is still typically a weak link between biological and computational scientists and a lack of understanding of the research issues across the disciplines. This results in the use of simple computational techniques of limited potential that are incapable of explaining these complex data. Hence, the danger is that the community might begin to view the topological properties of network data as mere statistics, rather than rich sources of biological information. A further danger is that such views might result in the imposition of scientific doctrines, such as scale‐free‐centric (on the modeling side) and genome‐centric (on the biological side) opinions onto this area. Here, we take a graph‐theoretic perspective on protein‐protein interaction networks and present a high‐level overview of the area, commenting on possible challenges ahead.
Trans People’s Experience of Sexuality in the Netherlands: A Pilot Study

This pilot study explores the specificity of 12 Dutch trans people’s experience of sexuality in order to provide new hypotheses and perspectives for future research. Emerging themes include the interconnection of sexual development with coming out and transition processes, the way incongruence between gender identity, gendered embodiment, and social perception of gender affected participants’ experience of sexuality, and changes in physical sexual functioning after hormone therapy and/or various types of surgery. Our research design allowed for subjective accounts of trans people’s experience of sexuality and detailed descriptions of changes in sexuality that occurred over time and throughout the coming out and transitioning processes.
Broken barriers: Human‐induced changes to gene flow and introgression in animals

We identify two processes by which humans increase genetic exchange among groups of individuals: by affecting the distribution of groups and dispersal patterns across a landscape, and by affecting interbreeding among sympatric or parapatric groups. Each of these processes might then have two different effects on biodiversity: changes in the number of taxa through merging or splitting of groups, and the extinction/extirpation of taxa through effects on fitness. We review the various ways in which humans are affecting genetic exchange, and highlight the difficulties in predicting the impacts on biodiversity. Gene flow and hybridization are crucially important evolutionary forces influencing biodiversity. Humans alter natural patterns of genetic exchange in myriad ways, and these anthropogenic effects are likely to influence the genetic integrity of populations and species. We argue that taking a gene‐centric view towards conservation will help resolve issues pertaining to conservation and management.
Making new out of old: Recycling and modification of an ancient protein translocation system during eukaryotic evolution

At first glance the three eukaryotic protein translocation machineries – the ER‐associated degradation (ERAD) transport apparatus of the endoplasmic reticulum, the peroxisomal importomer and SELMA, the pre‐protein translocator of complex plastids – appear quite different. However, mechanistic comparisons and phylogenetic analyses presented here suggest that all three translocation machineries share a common ancestral origin, which highlights the recycling of pre‐existing components as an effective evolutionary driving force.
Effects of CO2 Laser Irradiation of the Gingiva during Tooth Movement

Patients often feel pain or discomfort in response to orthodontic force. It was hypothesized that CO2 laser irradiation may reduce the early responses to nociceptive stimuli during tooth movement. The distribution of Fos-immunoreactive (Fos-IR) neurons in the medullary dorsal horn of rats was evaluated. Two hrs after tooth movement, Fos-IR neurons in the ipsilateral part of the medullary dorsal horn increased significantly. CO2 laser irradiation to the gingiva just after tooth movement caused a significant decrease of Fos-IR neurons. PGP 9.5- and CGRP-positive nerve fibers were observed in the PDL of all study groups. The maximum temperature below the mucosa during CO2 laser irradiation was less than 40°C. It was suggested that CO2 laser irradiation reduced the early responses to nociceptive stimuli during tooth movement and might not have adverse effects on periodontal tissue.
On the border of the homeotic function: Re‐evaluating the controversial role of cofactor‐recruiting motifs

In this review we present concepts that challenge a recently emerging paradigm explaining how similar Hox proteins perform different developmental functions across evolution, despite relatively limited sequence variability. This paradigm relates to the transcription factor, Fushi tarazu (Ftz), whose evolutionary plasticity has been shown to rely on the shuffling between two short protein recognition motifs. We discuss the Ftz paradigm and consider alternative interpretations to the evolutionary flexibility of this Hox protein. In particular, we propose that the protein environment might have played a critical role in the functional shuffling of Ftz during arthropod evolution.
Comparison of Face-to-Face and Web Surveys on the Topic of Homosexual Rights

ABSTRACT Although academic research on homosexuality relies heavily on survey data, there has been limited study of the survey method of asking relevant questions. This study examines the effect of survey mode on responses to questions about homosexual rights. We find significant mode effects among heterosexual respondents, who are more likely to support equal access to employment, military service, adoption, and marriage for homosexual people in face-to-face surveys than in Web surveys. They are also more likely to choose to not respond when face-to-face than online. Homosexual respondents do not show mode effects for either substantive responses or item nonresponse rate.
Control of osteoclast precursor migration: A novel point of control for osteoclastogenesis and bone homeostasis

Osteoclasts are bone-resorbing, multinucleated giant cells that differentiate from mononuclear macrophage/monocyte-lineage hematopoietic precursors. They have critical roles not only in normal bone remodeling but also during pathogenesis of destructive bone disorders such as osteoporosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancers metastatic to bone. Many molecules, especially macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) and receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL), make significant contributions to osteoclast differentiation. However, the process of osteoclast precursor trafficking to and from the bone surface, where cell fusion occurs to form the fully differentiated multinucleated cells that mediate bone resorption, is less well-documented. Recent studies have shed light on the mechanisms involved and have demonstrated the vital participation of various chemokines such as CCL2, CCL5, CXCL12, and CX3CL1, and lipid mediators such as sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P). In addition, advances in imaging technologies, such as the development of intravital multiphoton microscopy, have enabled the in situ visualization of the behavior of osteoclasts and their precursors within intact bone tissue. This capability will be extremely useful for dissecting the mechanisms controlling the migration of these cells in vivo. In this Perspective, we review the latest knowledge in this new field of bone biology, with a focus on novel imaging methodology and its applications in this field. IBMS BoneKEy. 2010 August;7(8):279-286. ©2010 International Bone & Mineral Society
Veterinary Hematology Atlas of Common Domestic Species

This, the third edition of the title, has brought several new aspects to the useful information it contains. Up-to-date comment on the possible influence of diet on behaviour, as well as the use of carefully chosen drug support in conjunction with behavioural modification are both included and are a useful starting point for further reading or research. The sections on behaviour—both ‘normal’ and problematic—in domestic species other than cats and dogs are perhaps the most fascinating—and fill a gap which has existed in this genre for some time. Explanations are simple and to the point, and while they are unlikely to offer sufficient detail to allow a full diagnosis and treatment programme to be established, they do focus on the most pertinent questions that need to be asked. The illustrations throughout the book vary in quality and pertinence, however the easily accessible text makes this a useful quick reference guide for anyone interested in the behaviour of many different domestic species.
“Coming Out” of Prison: An Exploratory Study of LGBT Elders in the Criminal Justice System

ABSTRACT This two-phase qualitative study explores the experiences of 10 formerly incarcerated LGBT elders’ experiences prior to, during, and after release from prison. A core theme of self and the social mirror emerged from the data that represented LGBT elders ongoing coming-out process of unearthing their “true selves” despite managing multiple stigmatized identities or social locations, such as being LGBT, elderly, HIV positive, formerly incarcerated, and a racial/ethnic minority. These findings further our awareness of an overlooked population of LGBT who are older and involved in the criminal justice system. Recommendations that incorporate suggestions from formerly incarcerated LGBT elders for services and policy reform are presented.