Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Using the Hill viewpoints from 1965 for evaluating strengths of evidence of the risk for brain tumors associated with use of mobile and cordless phones1)

Abstract Background: Wireless phones, i.e., mobile phones and cordless phones, emit radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMF) when used. An increased risk of brain tumors is a major concern. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) at the World Health Organization (WHO) evaluated the carcinogenic effect to humans from RF-EMF in May 2011. It was concluded that RF-EMF is a group 2B, i.e., a “possible”, human carcinogen. Bradford Hill gave a presidential address at the British Royal Society of Medicine in 1965 on the association or causation that provides a helpful framework for evaluation of the brain tumor risk from RF-EMF. Methods: All nine issues on causation according to Hill were evaluated. Regarding wireless phones, only studies with long-term use were included. In addition, laboratory studies and data on the incidence of brain tumors were considered. Results: The criteria on strength, consistency, specificity, temporality, and biologic gradient for evidence of increased risk for glioma and acoustic neuroma were fulfilled. Additional evidence came from plausibility and analogy based on laboratory studies. Regarding coherence, several studies show increasing incidence of brain tumors, especially in the most exposed area. Support for the experiment came from antioxidants that can alleviate the generation of reactive oxygen species involved in biologic effects, although a direct mechanism for brain tumor carcinogenesis has not been shown. In addition, the finding of no increased risk for brain tumors in subjects using the mobile phone only in a car with an external antenna is supportive evidence. Hill did not consider all the needed nine viewpoints to be essential requirements. Conclusion: Based on the Hill criteria, glioma and acoustic neuroma should be considered to be caused by RF-EMF emissions from wireless phones and regarded as carcinogenic to humans, classifying it as group 1 according to the IARC classification. Current guidelines for exposure need to be urgently revised.
Interferon Regulatory Factor 1 and Type I Interferon Cooperate To Control Acute Gammaherpesvirus Infection

ABSTRACT Gammaherpesviruses are ubiquitous pathogens that establish lifelong infection in >95% of adults worldwide and are associated with a variety of malignancies. Coevolution of gammaherpesviruses with their hosts has resulted in an intricate relationship between the virus and the host immune system, and perturbation of the virus-host balance results in pathology. Interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) is a tumor suppressor that is also involved in the regulation of innate and adaptive immune responses. Here, we show that type I interferon (IFN) and IRF-1 cooperate to control acute gammaherpesvirus infection. Specifically, we demonstrate that a combination of IRF-1 and type I IFN signaling ensures host survival during acute gammaherpesvirus infection and supports IFN gamma-mediated suppression of viral replication. Thus, our studies reveal an intriguing cross talk between IRF-1 and type I and II IFNs in the induction of the antiviral state during acute gammaherpesvirus infection. IMPORTANCE Gammaherpesviruses establish chronic infection in a majority of adults, and this long-term infection is associated with virus-driven development of a range of malignancies. In contrast, a brief period of active gammaherpesvirus replication during acute infection of a naive host is subclinical in most individuals. Here, we discovered that a combination of type I interferon (IFN) signaling and interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) expression is required to ensure survival of a gammaherpesvirus-infected host past the first 8 days of infection. Specifically, both type I IFN receptor and IRF-1 expression potentiated antiviral effects of type II IFN to restrict gammaherpesvirus replication in vivo, in the lungs, and in vitro, in primary macrophage cultures.
A Single Color Camera Stereo Vision System

In this paper, a novel single color camera stereo vision system is proposed. Two planar mirrors are used to create double views (blue and red views). A dichroic filter (DF) is used to combine them and eliminate their interference. The double views can then be captured by a color camera through blue and red channels. When the DF transmits the red light, refraction would occur. During calibration, we separate the calibration process: calibrate the virtual red camera and the virtual blue camera in order, and then calibrate their pose relationship. The refraction is removed in this process. Moreover, when computing the 3-D position of a point, the measurement error caused by the refraction is also considered. In this experiment, the interference between the blue- and red-channels is shown to be negligible. We verified the proposed vision system on the standard spherical and cylindrical surfaces. It is shown that the measurement accuracy is improved when the effect of refraction is considered. In addition, the noise robustness of this proposed system is also tested. The measurement accuracy would not be affected severely, if the standard deviation of the uniformly distributed random noise is less than 0.035. Finally, the proposed system is employed to measure the profile of a flower model. The proposed system has potential industrial applications.
Pathogenesis of Brain and Spinal Cord Atrophy in Multiple Sclerosis

For more than a century, multiple sclerosis was viewed as a disease process characterized by oligodendrocyte and myelin loss, and research into the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis was mainly focused on the mechanisms of inflammation. However, with development of more sophisticated neuroimaging and molecular biology techniques, attention has shifted to new aspects of pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis: axonal loss and neurodegeneration. Evidence is increasing that tissue destruction, primarily axonal loss and neurodegeneration, is a key element in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis. In addition, it is now known that brain and spinal cord atrophy begins early in the disease process of multiple sclerosis and advances relentlessly throughout the course of the disease. Cumulative data suggest that axonal loss is the major determinant of progressive neuro logic disability in patients with multiple sclerosis. Magnetic resonance imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy in patients with multiple sclerosis for < 5 years indicate brain atrophy and loss of axonal integrity. Neurodegeneration and axonal loss in patients with multiple sclerosis are initially accompanied by a local response from oligodendrocyte progenitor cells and some remyelination. However, these repair mechanisms eventually fail, and patients typically develop generalized brain atrophy, cognitive decline, and permanent disability. Although the exact mechanisms underlying central nervous system atrophy in patients with multiple sclerosis are largely unknown, evidence exists that atrophy may represent an epiphenomenon related to the effects of dynamic inflammation within the central nervous system, including demyelination, axonal injury, neuronal loss, Wallerian degeneration, and possibly iron deposition. This article summarizes the potential mechanisms involved in central nervous system atrophy in patients with multiple sclerosis.
Pesticide monitoring programme of the Ministry of Health of Brazil

The structure of the recently introduced Brazilian government programme for monitoring pesticide residues in six major agricultural products is described. Residues found from the analysis of samples of tomatoes and strawberries are discussed in detail. The much greater frequency of detection of pesticide residues, many of which are not approved for use in Brazil, in produce being sold on the domestic market, as opposed to that produced for export, is of major concern. It is perceived that this new monitoring programme will become permanent and be used to underpin enforcement actions that will need to be taken to reduce the numbers of incidents of illegal residues occurring, particularly in fresh fruits and vegetables.
Time Domain Transformation Method for Accelerating EMTP Simulation of Power System Dynamics

Electromagnetic Transients Program (EMTP) is widely used in power system dynamics studies. However, in most cases EMTP is found inadequate for dealing with the realistic size power systems due to the small time step resulting in relatively slow simulation speeds. To accelerate the EMTP simulations of power system dynamics, a novel frequency-adaptive methodology is proposed. In this method, a new transformation is presented. The properties of the transformation and the numerical solutions based on the transformation are discussed. The component models obtained by discretizing the differential equations at the branch level are also given which are convenient for EMTP implementation. The proposed method allows using large time steps without sacrificing accuracy, which greatly improves the simulation speed. To validate the proposed methodology, a general program has been developed. Furthermore, various case studies substantiate the claims and demonstrate the application of the method.
Influence of the number of motile spermatozoa inseminated and of their morphology on the success of intrauterine insemination.

BACKGROUND Although intrauterine insemination (IUI) is one of the most common assisted reproductive technology methods in the world, the relative influence of various semen characteristics on the likelihood of a successful outcome is controversial. The aim of our study was to assess the results of IUI as a function of both the number of motile spermatozoa inseminated (NMSI) and the percentage of morphologically normal spermatozoa after preparation. METHODS This was a retrospective study of 889 couples who underwent 2564 IUI cycles of ovarian stimulation with HMG or recombinant FSH in our centre between January 1991 and December 2000. RESULTS A total of 331 clinical pregnancies were obtained, for a pregnancy rate/cycle of 12.91%. When the NMSI was < 1 x 10(6), the pregnancy rate/cycle was significantly lower (3.13%) than in any of the subgroups with NMSI > or = 2 x 10(6). Sperm morphology, assessed before or after preparation, was not in itself a significant factor that affected the likelihood of IUI success. Nonetheless, when the post-migration rate of normal sperm was < 30%, the pregnancy rate/cycle was 5.43% when NMSI was < 5 x 10(6) and 18.42% when NMSI was > or = 5 x 10(6) (P = 0.008). Pregnancy rates did not differ significantly according to NMSI when the percentage of normal sperm after preparation was > or = 30%, or according to percentage of normal sperm when the NMSI was > or = 5 x 10(6). CONCLUSIONS Our results show that a minimum of 5 x 10(6) motile spermatozoa should be inseminated when the normal morphology of the sperm after preparation is < 30%; the quantity compensates at least in part for the defective quality. If this threshold of NMSI cannot be obtained, IVF should be recommended.
Experimental and Theoretical Study of Transition Between Glow Modes of Planar Barrier Capacitive RF Discharge in Argon at One Atmosphere Pressure

Characteristics of planar barrier radio frequency (RF) discharge in different modes at atmospheric pressure of Ar have been studied experimentally and theoretically. Experimental data, as well as results of numeric simulation, have shown a presence of transient mode of the discharge glow, which is due to coexistence of low-current α and high-current γ discharge modes with occurrence of a transition between the modes during each half cycle of RF voltage supplied to the discharge.
Effects of Leptin on Insulin Secretion From Isolated Rat Pancreatic Islets

Leptin is a hormone secreted by adipocytes as a peripheral metabolic signal for the central regulation of energy homeostasis or the reproductive system. Recent studies demonstrated that leptin receptor mRNA is expressed in pancreatic islets of rodents and that leptin at relatively high doses inhibits glucose-induced insulin secretion from rat islets. However, the physiological mechanism of leptin on insulin secretion has not been identified. In this study, we report that leptin inhibits glucose-induced insulin secretion at lower concentrations ranging from 25 to 50 ng/ml using a static incubation method. A perifusion study revealed that leptin (50 ng/ml) affected the second phase of insulin secretion but not the first phase. Leptin did not affect insulin secretion stimulated by glibenclamide (1 and 5 μmol/l) or forskolin (1 μmol/l). Leptin (50 ng/ml) significantly inhibited insulin secretion induced by the phorbol ester phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (TPA) in the presence of Ca2+ but not in the absence of Ca2+. Because TPA is known to activate protein kinase C (PKC), these present results suggest that leptin, at a physiological concentration, suppresses the second phase of insulin secretion by reducing activity of the Ca2+-dependent PKC isoform.
Epidemiology of invasive candidiasis

Purpose of reviewThis review covers candidaemia in numbers, susceptibility issues, host groups, risk factors and outcome. Recent findingsThe incidence of candidaemia has increased over the last decades. Candida glabrata is particularly common in the northern hemisphere and with increasing age whilst the opposite is true for C. parapsilosis, C. glabrata, C. krusei and a number of emerging species are not fully susceptible to azoles. C. parapsilosis and C. guilliermondii are not fully susceptible to echinocandins. Increasing rates of C. parapsilosis have been observed at centres with a high use of echinocandins, and outcome for this species is not superior comparing echinocandins with fluconazole. Acquired azole resistance has recently been described in as many as a third of 19% resistant isolates and echinocandin resistance has emerged and been detected as early as day 12 of echinocandin therapy. ICU stay and abdominal surgery are among the most important risk factors. Outcome is dependent on species involved, timing, dosing and choice of therapy and management of the primary focus of infection. However, host factors are dominating predictors of mortality in recent studies of ICU candidiasis. SummaryThe changing epidemiology highlights the need for close monitoring of local incidence, species distribution and susceptibility in order to optimize therapy and outcome.
ClinicalTrials.gov Reporting: Strategies for Success at an Academic Health Center

The Food and Drug Administration Amendments Act of 2007 (FDAAA 2007, US Public Law 110-98) mandated registration and reporting of results for applicable clinical trials. Meeting these registration and results reporting requirements has proven to be a challenge for the academic research community. Duke Medicine has made compliance with registration and results reporting a high priority. In order to create uniformity across a large institution, a written policy was created describing requirements for clinical trials disclosure. Furthermore, a centralized resource group was formed with three full time staff members. The group not only ensures compliance with FDAAA 2007, it also acts as a resource for study teams providing hands-on support, reporting, training, and ongoing education. Intensive resourcing for results reporting has been crucial for success. Due to implementation of the institutional policy and creation of centralized resources, compliance with FDAAA 2007 has increased dramatically at Duke Medicine for both registration and results reporting. A consistent centralized approach has enabled success in the face of changing agency rules and new legislation.
Protease inhibitor use among a community sample of people with HIV disease.

OBJECTIVES Protease inhibitors have become integral to HIV disease management. This paper examines sociodemographic factors affecting patient use and perceived knowledge of protease inhibitors, and the relationship between protease inhibitor use and perceived health. METHODS 1034 people with HIV disease from a large AIDS services organization completed a mailed self-administered survey that assessed sociodemographics, protease inhibitor use and perceived knowledge, and perceived change in health status over the previous year. Multiple logistic regression was used to determine sociodemographic factors independently associated with protease inhibitor use and perceived knowledge, and perceived overall health status. RESULTS Two thirds (66%) of correspondents included in the sample were currently taking protease inhibitors and 52% reported being very knowledgeable about these medications. Adjusting for sociodemographic factors, those who were currently not taking protease inhibitors were more likely to be African American, non-English speaking, earning <$9600 U.S. annually, or uninsured. Among protease inhibitor users, those who reported less knowledge about the drugs were more likely to be nonwhite, earning <$9600 U.S. annually, and not college educated. Protease inhibitor use was independently associated with perceived improved overall health and having been college educated. CONCLUSIONS Further efforts should be directed toward increasing use and knowledge of protease inhibitors among disadvantaged populations.
A critical examination of three approaches for the design of passive ankle walking assist devices

Current ankle assist devices aim to improve the user's walking ability and stability. Despite the success of classical ankle orthoses and powered exoskeletons, these devices are still facing challenges that drive their continued development. This paper will first introduce the distinct types of ankle devices for walking assist. Then, three common approaches used in the design and development of these devices will be discussed and analyzed. These are inverse dynamics, the inverted pendulum model, and the design based on joint quasi-stiffness. The inverse dynamics approach simplifies all soft tissue contributions to a single force moment couple regardless of the source of the forces, thus making the prediction of metabolic cost very difficult. The inverted pendulum model is focused on the conservation of energy as the center of mass advances. It assumes rigid limb support and does not consider the ankle joint or the advancement of the center of pressure along the foot. The quasi-stiffness design approach attempts to translate the ankle stiffness into a combination of linear zones in order to be easily replicated with mechanical spring elements. The stiffness of the biological ankle is highly variable and dependent upon the speed of walking. Therefore devices using mechanical springs with non variable stiffness characteristics will only be effective within a narrow range of walking speeds. The current challenges faced by passive walking assist devices may be due to the methods used to assess the requirements of the body. If the parameters advised by these analytical approaches do not match the needs of the human body, the resulting devices will be inherently flawed.
House cleaning with chlorine bleach and the risks of allergic and respiratory diseases in children

Chlorine bleach or sodium hypochlorite can inactivate common indoor allergens. In this cross‐sectional study we evaluated to what extent regular house cleaning with bleach can influence the risks of respiratory and allergic diseases in children. We studied a group of 234 schoolchildren aged 10–13 yr among whom 78 children were living in a house cleaned with bleach at least once per week. Children examination included a questionnaire, an exercise‐induced bronchoconstriction test and the measurement of exhaled nitric oxide (NO) and of serum total and aeroallergen‐specific immunoglobulin (Ig)E, Clara cell protein (CC16) and surfactant‐associated protein D (SP‐D). Children living in a house regularly cleaned with bleach were less likely to have asthma (OR, 0.10; CI, 0.02–0.51), eczema (OR, 0.22; CI, 0.06–0.79) and of being sensitized to indoor aeroallergens (OR, 0.53; CI, 0.27–1.02), especially house dust mite (OR, 0.43; CI, 0.19–0.99). These protective effects were independent of gender, ethnicity, previous respiratory infections, total serum IgE level and of family history of allergic diseases. They were however abolished by parental smoking, which also interacted with the use of bleach to increase the risk of recurrent bronchitis (OR, 2.03; CI, 1.12–3.66). House cleaning with bleach had effect neither on the sensitization to pollen allergens, nor on the levels of exhaled NO and of serum CC16 and SP‐D. House cleaning with chlorine bleach appears to protect children from the risks of asthma and of sensitization to indoor allergens while increasing the risk of recurrent bronchitis through apparently an interaction with parental smoking. As chlorine bleach is one of the most effective cleaning agent to be found, these observations argue against the idea conveyed by the hygiene hypothesis that cleanliness per se increases the risk of asthma and allergy.
An Emergent Taxonomy of Public Personnel Management: Exploring the Task Environment of Human Resource Managers in Spanish Local Government

This study presents a taxonomy for public personnel management based on emergent profiles of local human resource managers in Spain. The analysis focuses on the task environments of managers defined by three salient constructs from strategic human resources management research. Specifically, this study looks at the level of participation of human resource managers in strategic-level policy-making processes, vertical and horizontal policy integration, and the flexibility of human resource managers in interpreting and implementing key functions of personnel management (i.e., recruitment, hiring, and remuneration). The results yield five distinct profiles that describe different approaches of human resource management. The five profiles include Technical Administrative (TA); Technical Functional (TF); Managerial Administrative (MA); Managerial Functional (MF); and Strategic Executive (SE). The profiles are not a linear typology of human resource management practices. However, they do fit within a larger theoretical framework that captures central constructs of strategic human resource management (SHRM).
Fabrication of high aspect ratio 35 /spl mu/m pitch interconnects for next generation 3-D wafer level packaging by through-wafer copper electroplating

3-D wafer level packaging is one of the key technologies to fabricate next generation compact, highly dense and high speed electronic devices. In order to realize these future nanoscale IC devices, fabrication of through-wafer interconnects with ultra fine pitch, is the foremost requirement. High aspect ratio through-wafer interconnects connect several devices in vertical axis and thus offer the shortest possible interconnection length. Due to the shortest interconnect length, parasitic losses and time delay during signal propagation is the minimum, which result in faster speed. In this paper, we report the fabrication of very high aspect ratio (~15) ultra fine pitch (-35 mum) through-wafer copper interconnects by innovative electroplating process. In this technique, process parameters are continuously varied as the electroplating process goes on. To reduce the chances of void formation and to ensure the complete wetting of via surface with copper electrolyte, hydrophilic nature of vias surface is increased. Copper interconnects having diameter as low as 15 mum and height as high as 400 mum have been fabricated by above technique. Vertically standing and smooth copper interconnects with very fine grains are obtained, which are characterized by SEM