Enhancement of adhesion and promotion of osteogenic differentiation of human adipose stem cells by poled electroactive poly(vinylidene fluoride)

Poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is a biocompatible material with excellent electroactive properties. Non-electroactive α-PVDF and electroactive β-PVDF were used to investigate the substrate polarization and polarity influence on the focal adhesion size and number as well as on human adipose stem cells (hASCs) differentiation. hASCs were cultured on different PVDF surfaces adsorbed with fibronectin and focal adhesion size and number, total adhesion area, cell size, cell aspect ratio and focal adhesion density were estimated using cells expressing EGFP-vinculin. Osteogenic differentiation was also determined using a quantitative alkaline phosphatase assay. The surface charge of the poled PVDF films (positive or negative) influenced the hydrophobicity of the samples, leading to variations in the conformation of adsorbed extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins, which ultimately modulated the stem cell adhesion on the films and induced their osteogenic differentiation.The study was supported financially by the Academy of Finland (136288, 140978 and 256931), the Sigrid Jusélius Foundation, the Pirkanmaa Hospital District and the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (TEKES). This study was also supported by FEDER through the COMPETE Program, by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) in the framework of the Strategic Project PEST- C/FIS/UI607/2011 and by projects NANO/NMed-SD/0156/2007 and PTDC/CTM NAN/112574/2009. The autors also thank the project Matepro – Optimizing Materials and Processes”, ref. NORTE-07-0124-FEDER-000037”, co-funded by the “Programa Operacional Regional do Norte” (ON.2 – O Novo Norte), under the “Quadro de Referência Estratégico Nacional” (QREN), through the “Fundo Europeu de Desenvolvimento Regional” (FEDER). V.S. and C.R. thank the FCT for the SFRH/BPD/63148/2009 and SFRH/BPD/90870/2012 grants, respectively

Environmental impact assessment of online advertising

There are no commonly agreed ways to assess the total energy consumption of the Internet. Estimating the Internet's energy footprint is challenging because of the interconnectedness associated with even seemingly simple aspects of energy consumption. The first contribution of this paper is a common modular and layered framework, which allows researchers to assess both energy consumption and CO2e emissions of any Internet service. The framework allows assessing the energy consumption depending on the research scope and specific system boundaries. Further, the proposed framework allows researchers without domain expertise to make such an assessment by using intermediate results as data sources, while analyzing the related uncertainties. The second contribution is an estimate of the energy consumption and CO2e emissions of online advertising by utilizing our proposed framework. The third contribution is an assessment of the energy consumption of invalid traffic associated with online advertising. The second and third contributions are used to validate the first. The online advertising ecosystem resides in the core of the Internet, and it is the sole source of funding for many online services. Therefore, it is an essential factor in the analysis of the Internet's energy footprint. As a result, in 2016, online advertising consumed 20–282 TWh of energy. In the same year, the total infrastructure consumption ranged from 791 to 1334 TWh. With extrapolated 2016 input factor values without uncertainties, online advertising consumed 106 TWh of energy and the infrastructure 1059 TWh. With the emission factor of 0.5656 kg CO2e/kWh, we calculated the carbon emissions of online advertising, and found it produces 60 Mt CO2e (between 12 and 159 Mt of CO2e when considering uncertainty). The share of fraudulent online advertising traffic was 13.87 Mt of CO2e emissions (between 2.65 and 36.78 Mt of CO2e when considering uncertainty). The global impact of online advertising is multidimensional. Online advertising affects the environment by consuming significant amounts of energy, leading to the production CO2e emissions. Hundreds of billions of ad dollars are exchanged yearly, placing online advertising in a significant role economically. It has become an important and acknowledged component of the online-bound society, largely due to its integration with the Internet and the amount of revenue generated through it

A genome-wide association study of corneal astigmatism: The CREAM Consortium

PURPOSE: To identify genes and genetic markers associated with corneal astigmatism. METHODS: A meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies (GWASs) of corneal astigmatism undertaken for 14 European ancestry (n=22,250) and 8 Asian ancestry (n=9,120) cohorts was performed by the Consortium for Refractive Error and Myopia. Cases were defined as having >0.75 diopters of corneal astigmatism. Subsequent gene-based and gene-set analyses of the meta-analyzed results of European ancestry cohorts were performed using VEGAS2 and MAGMA software. Additionally, estimates of single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based heritability for corneal and refractive astigmatism and the spherical equivalent were calculated for Europeans using LD score regression. RESULTS: The meta-analysis of all cohorts identified a genome-wide significant locus near the platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) gene: top SNP: rs7673984, odds ratio=1.12 (95% CI:1.08–1.16), p=5.55×10−9. No other genome-wide significant loci were identified in the combined analysis or European/Asian ancestry-specific analyses. Gene-based analysis identified three novel candidate genes for corneal astigmatism in Europeans—claudin-7 (CLDN7), acid phosphatase 2, lysosomal (ACP2), and TNF alpha-induced protein 8 like 3 (TNFAIP8L3). CONCLUSIONS: In addition to replicating a previously identified genome-wide significant locus for corneal astigmatism near the PDGFRA gene, gene-based analysis identified three novel candidate genes, CLDN7, ACP2, and TNFAIP8L3, that warrant further investigation to understand their role in the pathogenesis of corneal astigmatism. The much lower number of genetic variants and genes demonstrating an association with corneal astigmatism compared to published spherical equivalent GWAS analyses suggest a greater influence of rare genetic variants, non-additive genetic effects, or environmental factors in the development of astigmatism

Troubled social background of male anabolic-androgenic steroid abusers in treatment

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The aim of this study was to investigate the social background and current social situation of male abusers of anabolic-androgenic steroids (AAS).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We compared thirty-four AAS-abusing patients from an Addiction Centre (AC) with two groups, 18 users and 259 non-users of AAS from a public gym in Orebro, Sweden. The study is based on semi-structured interviews and questionnaires.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Histories of a troubled childhood as well as current social disadvantage were both more frequent among the AAS users. Users also reported poor relationships with their parents and almost half of them had experienced physical or mental abuse. The AC group's experiences from school were mostly negative, and included concentration problems, boredom and learning difficulties. Their current circumstance included abuse of other drugs, battering of spouses and other criminality such as assault, illegal possession of weapons and theft.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In conclusion, this study shows that abusers of AAS often have a troubled social background. This underlines the importance of making a thorough social assessment as a part of the treatment programme. The results of the study may help in directing appropriate questions relevant to the abuse of AAS.</p

Relationships Linking Amplification Level to Gene Over-Expression in Gliomas

Background: Gene amplification is thought to promote over-expression of genes favouring tumour development. Because amplified regions are usually megabase-long, amplification often concerns numerous syntenic or non-syntenic genes, among which only a subset is over-expressed. The rationale for these differences remains poorly understood. Methodology/Principal Finding: To address this question, we used quantitative RT-PCR to determine the expression level of a series of co-amplified genes in five xenografted and one fresh human gliomas. These gliomas were chosen because we have previously characterised in detail the genetic content of their amplicons. In all the cases, the amplified sequences lie on extra-chromosomal DNA molecules, as commonly observed in gliomas. We show here that genes transcribed in nonamplified gliomas are over-expressed when amplified, roughly in proportion to their copy number, while non-expressed genes remain inactive. When specific antibodies were available, we also compared protein expression in amplified and nonamplified tumours. We found that protein accumulation barely correlates with the level of mRNA expression in some of these tumours. Conclusions/Significance: Here we show that the tissue-specific pattern of gene expression is maintained upon amplification in gliomas. Our study relies on a single type of tumour and a limited number of cases. However, it strongly suggests that, even when amplified, genes that are normally silent in a given cell type play no role in tumour progression

Current anti-doping policy: a critical appraisal

BACKGROUND: Current anti-doping in competitive sports is advocated for reasons of fair-play and concern for the athlete's health. With the inception of the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA), anti-doping effort has been considerably intensified. Resources invested in anti-doping are rising steeply and increasingly involve public funding. Most of the effort concerns elite athletes with much less impact on amateur sports and the general public. DISCUSSION: We review this recent development of increasingly severe anti-doping control measures and find them based on questionable ethical grounds. The ethical foundation of the war on doping consists of largely unsubstantiated assumptions about fairness in sports and the concept of a "level playing field". Moreover, it relies on dubious claims about the protection of an athlete's health and the value of the essentialist view that sports achievements reflect natural capacities. In addition, costly antidoping efforts in elite competitive sports concern only a small fraction of the population. From a public health perspective this is problematic since the high prevalence of uncontrolled, medically unsupervised doping practiced in amateur sports and doping-like behaviour in the general population (substance use for performance enhancement outside sport) exposes greater numbers of people to potential harm. In addition, anti-doping has pushed doping and doping-like behaviour underground, thus fostering dangerous practices such as sharing needles for injection. Finally, we argue that the involvement of the medical profession in doping and anti-doping challenges the principles of non-maleficience and of privacy protection. As such, current anti-doping measures potentially introduce problems of greater impact than are solved, and place physicians working with athletes or in anti-doping settings in an ethically difficult position. In response, we argue on behalf of enhancement practices in sports within a framework of medical supervision. SUMMARY: Current anti-doping strategy is aimed at eradication of doping in elite sports by means of all-out repression, buttressed by a war-like ideology similar to the public discourse sustaining international efforts against illicit drugs. Rather than striving for eradication of doping in sports, which appears to be an unattainable goal, a more pragmatic approach aimed at controlled use and harm reduction may be a viable alternative to cope with doping and doping-like behaviour

Towards versatile access networks (Chapter 3)

Compared to its previous generations, the 5th generation (5G) cellular network features an additional type of densification, i.e., a large number of active antennas per access point (AP) can be deployed. This technique is known as massive multipleinput multiple-output (mMIMO) [1]. Meanwhile, multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) evolution, e.g., in channel state information (CSI) enhancement, and also on the study of a larger number of orthogonal demodulation reference signal (DMRS) ports for MU-MIMO, was one of the Release 18 of 3rd generation partnership project (3GPP Rel-18) work item. This release (3GPP Rel-18) package approval, in the fourth quarter of 2021, marked the start of the 5G Advanced evolution in 3GPP. The other items in 3GPP Rel-18 are to study and add functionality in the areas of network energy savings, coverage, mobility support, multicast broadcast services, and positionin

The Midwest Quarterly; Vol. 14 No. 3

in this issue. . . SPRING hopes eternally. We misquote with deliberation, thinking our rearrangement of Pope\u27s line no less true to human nature and considerably more cheerful, whereupon we ask ourselves whether our springtime mood borrows any color from the contents of this April issue of THE MIDWEST QUARTERLY. Despite the foreboding subtitle Tenacity in the Pursuit of Folly, there is a guarded optimism in the conclusion made by D. E. SHEPARDSON to his study of American policy in Asia, and ROLLAND DEWING might be said to be determinedly hopeful about The Limits of Economic Expansion. Deploring the ethnocentricity of the American approach to political philosophy, DAVID S. LINDSAY proposes to acknowledge that the Chinese, for example, have not only been around a long time but have also done some valuable thinking in the area of political science. C. ROGER LAMBERT tells a wonderfully absurd story about the slaughter of little pigs amid warnings of divine vengeance, T. M. PARSSINEN examines the image of the industrial city in Victorian social criticism, and DALE J. SCHMITT reminds us that The Welfare Dilemma has been with us for a long time. We remain cautiously hopeful. A MIDWESTERNER like ourselves, Donald E. Shepardson is an assistant professor in the history department of the University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls. His B. S. degree is from Eastern Illinois University and his M. A. and Ph. D. are both from the University of Illinois. Before assuming his present position, he served four years in the United States Air Force, then taught at Western Illinois University, Macomb, at Bowling Green (Ohio) University, and at Virginia Polytechnic. His major field is in modern European history, specifically European diplomacy, on various phases of which he has published or delivered addresses. Shortly before this issue appears he is scheduled to chair a session in modern European history at the Missouri Valley Historical Convention. CONTRIBUTOR Rolland Dewing is likewise a Midwesterner, born in North Dakota and now teaching and serving as chairman in the social sciences division of Chadron State College, Nebraska. His B. A. and M. Ed. degrees are from Central Washington State College, Ellensburg, and he holds the Ph. D. from Ball State University, Muncie, Indiana. He has published a number of studies devoted to educational and ecological questions, and has a new article, Malthus Reconsidered, in the January Rocky Mountain Social Science Journal. BACK in October, 1970, we published an article by David S. Lindsay on the financial mechanics of political parties. We welcome his return with an article of equal timeliness on Chinese political thought. Another of his articles, The Monopoly of Choice: Independents on the Ballot, appeared in the November, 1971, issue of National Civic Review. Aside from that, Professor Lindsay has no fresh news about himself, and we can only repeat our earlier notice that he has a Ph. D. in government from Florida State University and teaches at Central Missouri State College, Warrensburg. OUR NEXT CONTRIBUTOR is likewise from a neighboring state. C. Roger Lambert took his M. A. at North Texas State University and his Ph. D. at the University of Oklahoma. He has taught at Wichita University and at Del Mar and Angelo State, and since 1966 has been: at Arkansas State University, where he is an associate professor in their history division. A glance at brief titles of some of his publications, Hoover and the Red Cross, The Drought Cattle Purchase, Want and Plenty, and Texas Cattlemen and the New Deal\u27\u27 would suggest that his interest in surplus piglets is no new thing. His publications and most of his research as he himself has observed, do concentrate on federal surplus and food relief programs. FOR OUR FIFTH contributor we turn eastward to Philadelphia. T. M. Parssinen received his Ph. D. in the history of ideas from Brandeis University and taught at Grinnell College, Iowa, before joining the history department of Temple University. He has published several articles on English political history and is now working on a history of popular science movements in early Victorian Britain. THE AUTHOR of our sixth and final article, Dale J. Schmitt, became interested in American colonial history while attending Yale University on a National Merit Scholarship. A native Kansan, he then chose to return to the University of Kansas for his M. A. and Ph. D. degrees. Since 1969 he has been an assistant professor of history at East Tennessee State University, Johnson City. His study of colonial welfare problems grew out of extensive research in the primary records of colonial Connecticut, and he is presently engaged in a number of similar research topics which will help bring the seventeenth century closer to our own times. AMONG old friends and poets, we are happy to welcome back PHILIP DACEY, CHARLES EDWARD EATON, JACK FLAVIN, and CHAD WALSH. Asked for fresh news about himself, Philip Dacey tells us that his poems have recently appeared or will soon appear in Esquire, Georgia Review, Massachusetts Review, Prairie Schooner, and a number of other journals, as well as in a textbook/anthology called New Voices in American Poetry (Winthrop) edited by David Evans. . . . Charles Edward Eaton comes again with the April issue (along with Daffodils and Early-flowering Tulips, if the printer is punctual, otherwise with Cottage and Darwin types), his most recent poem having been in the April issue of last year. . . . Jack Flavin was last with us in the October 1971 issue. . . . Finally, Chad Walsh is almost too new to the QUARTERLY to be called one of our old poets, since we had the pleasure of publishing his Tapepoem in our issue of January last. Meanwhile, another good poem having come our way . NEW to the pages of the QUARTERLY are poets PHILIP APPLEMAN, JAMES COLE, TOM DORRIEN, and ALBERT GOLDBARTH. Poet Appleman, a professor of English at Indiana University, has published a first novel, In the Twelfth Year of the War (Putnam, 1970), has read on the campuses of many American universities, and has won a number of awards from literary societies. His poems have appeared in such magazines as Antioch Review, Arizona Quarterly, Beloit Poetry Journal, Literary Review, Massachusetts Review, The Nation, New Republic, and many others, as well as in Best Poems of 1967 (Borestone Mountain Poetry Awards). His first volume of poems, Kites on a Windy Day, was published in England by the Byron Press, University of Nottingham, 1967, and a second volume, Summer Love and Surf, by the Vanderbilt University Press, 1968. . . . James Cole writes that his poem in this issue is from a collection on Irish subjects he has recently completed, titled Black Head. He grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska, went to school there, then received an M. A. from the University of Washington, studying along the way under such distinguished poet teachers as Karl Shapiro and Theodore Roethke. Since 1963 has taught at the University of Wyoming and has spent alternate summers in Ireland. His poems have appeared in Beloit Poetry Journal, The Dublin Magazine, Encounter, The Journal of Irish Literature, Poetry, Prairie Schooner, The Southern Review, The Virginia Quarterly Review, and other periodicals in England and Ireland as well as at home. . . . Tom Dorrien is a young man of twenty-five, part Ojibwa Indian and a native of northern Michigan, who now lives in Marquette. He has a degree in English but dropped out of the graduate program to take a job as a newspaper reporter. His work has appeared or is about to appear in such journals as Poetry Northwest, Shenandoah, Commonweal, Inscape, and others, and he is at work on the first book-length collection of his poetry. As influences he acknowledges Thomas, Plath, Kinnell, Sexton, Bly, Ignatow, and in fact everybody I read . . . Albert Goldbarth has had work published or accepted for publication in Poetry, The Nation, Antioch Review, Prairie Schooner, Shenandoah, Ohio Review, Epoch, Massachusetts Review, Kansas Quarterly, Field, Minnesota Review, Salmagundi, Poetry Northwest (Theodore Roethke Award, 1972), as well as in the forthcoming anthologies The Young American Poets: 2nd Selection (Follett) and New Voices in American Poetry (Winthrop/Prentice-Hall). A collection of poems, Under Cover, has just been issued by The Best Cellar Press. In a recent note he writes that his first full-length collection of poems, The Feces Fruit, has been accepted for publication in mid-1973 by New Rivers Press. He is currently teaching creative writing at Central YMCA Community College, Chicago. THE BRIEF REVIEWS in this April issue are by the editor

Amplified Loci on Chromosomes 8 and 17 Predict Early Relapse in ER-Positive Breast Cancers

Adjuvant hormonal therapy is administered to all early stage ER+ breast cancers, and has led to significantly improved survival. Unfortunately, a subset of ER+ breast cancers suffer early relapse despite hormonal therapy. To identify molecular markers associated with early relapse in ER+ breast cancer, an outlier analysis method was applied to a published gene expression dataset of 268 ER+ early-stage breast cancers treated with tamoxifen alone. Increased expression of sets of genes that clustered in chromosomal locations consistent with the presence of amplicons at 8q24.3, 8p11.2, 17q12 (HER2 locus) and 17q21.33-q25.1 were each found to be independent markers for early disease recurrence. Distant metastasis free survival (DMFS) after 10 years for cases with any amplicon (DMFS  = 56.1%, 95% CI  = 48.3–63.9%) was significantly lower (P  = 0.0016) than cases without any of the amplicons (DMFS  = 87%, 95% CI  = 76.3% –97.7%). The association between presence of chromosomal amplifications in these regions and poor outcome in ER+ breast cancers was independent of histologic grade and was confirmed in independent clinical datasets. A separate validation using a FISH-based assay to detect the amplicons at 8q24.3, 8p11.2, and 17q21.33-q25.1 in a set of 36 early stage ER+/HER2- breast cancers treated with tamoxifen suggests that the presence of these amplicons are indeed predictive of early recurrence. We conclude that these amplicons may serve as prognostic markers of early relapse in ER+ breast cancer, and may identify novel therapeutic targets for poor prognosis ER+ breast cancers