cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reduction of Acrylamide Formation in Potato Chips by Low-temperature Vacuum Frying

Potatoes and other foods that have a high content of the amino acid asparagine and a high accumu- lation of reducing sugars are subject to the formation of acrylamide upon frying. The objectives of this research were (1) to analyze the level of acrylamide formed during deep-fat frying of potato chips and (2) to evaluate means of reducing acrylamide in potato chips by using different potato cultivars and vacuum frying. Several potato cultivars were used in this research, including Innovator (I), NDTX 4930-5W (N), ATX 854 04-8W (ATw), Atlantic (A), Shepody (S), ATX847806-2Ru (ATr), and White-Rose ( W) . An electric bench-top (atmospheric conditions)-type fryer was used to fry the potatoes. Three temperatures were used: 150 °C, 165 °C, and 180 °C. The vacuum frying experiments were performed at 118 °C, 125 °C, and 140 °C and a vacuum pressure of 10 Torr. The potatoes were sliced (1.5-mm thick) and fried for different lengths of times. For potatoes fried at 165 °C (for 4 min) at atmospheric conditions, the acrylamide contents were 5021 55 ppb (W), 552 25 ppb (I), 358 50 ppb (N), 397 25 ppb (ATw), 646 55 ppb (A), 466 15 ppb(S), and 537 14 ppb (ATr). Vacuum frying reduced acrylamide formation by 94%. Results showed that both cultivar and modified frying systems can play an impor- tant role in reducing acrylamide formation in fried potatoes. As the frying temperature decreased from 180 °C to 165 °C, acrylamide content in potato chips reduced by 51% during traditional frying and by 63% as the tempera- ture decreased from 140 °C to 125 °C in vacuum frying. Increased frying time increased acrylamide formation during traditional frying for all temperatures and frying methods analyzed. However, the effect on acrylamide
Paroxetine retards disease onset and progression in Huntingtin mutant mice

We report that administration of paroxetine, a widely prescribed antidepressant drug that acts by inhibiting reuptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin, suppresses the neurodegenerative process and increases the survival of huntingtin mutant mice, an animal model of Huntington's disease (HD). Paroxetine attenuated motor dysfunction and body weight loss and improved glucose metabolism in the HD mice. Paroxetine was beneficial when treatment was initiated before or after the onset of motor dysfunction, suggesting a potential for such antidepressant drugs in the treatment of presymptomatic and symptomatic HD patients.
If You Want to Convict a Domestic Violence Batterer, List Multiple Charges in the Police Report:

Problem:Even though reforms in the past 40 years mandated police response to domestic violence (DV) crime, and in many states also mandated arrest, never-the-less baseline rates of DV prosecution r...
Firearm-related hospitalization and risk for subsequent violent injury, death, or crime perpetration: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Risk for violent victimization or crime perpetration after firearm-related hospitalization (FRH) must be determined to inform the need for future interventions. OBJECTIVE: To compare the risk for subsequent violent injury, death, or crime perpetration among patients with an FRH, those hospitalized for noninjury reasons, and the general population. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: All hospitals in Washington. PATIENTS: Patients with an FRH and a random sample of those with a non-injury-related hospitalization in 2006 to 2007 (index hospitalization). MEASUREMENTS: Primary outcomes included subsequent FRH, firearm-related death, and the combined outcome of firearm- or violence-related arrest ascertained through 2011. RESULTS: Among patients with an index FRH (n RESULTS: = 613), rates of subsequent FRH, firearm-related death, and firearm- or violence-related arrest were 329 (95% CI, 142 to 649), 100 (CI, 21 to 293), and 4221 (CI, 3352 to 5246) per 100 000 person-years, respectively. Compared with the general population, standardized incidence ratios among patient results with an index FRH were 30.1 (CI, 14.9 to 61.0) for a subsequent FRH and 7.3 (CI, 2.4 to 22.9) for firearm-related death. In survival analyses that accounted for competing risks, patients with an index FRH were at greater risk for subsequent FRH (subhazard ratio [sHR], 21.2 [CI, 7.0 to 64.0]), fire RESULTS: arm-related death (sHR, 4.3 [CI, 1.3 to 14.1]), and firearm- or violence-related arrest (sHR, 2.7 [CI, 2.0 to 3.5]) than those with a non-injury-related index hospitalization. LIMITATION: Lack of information on whether patients continued to reside in Washington during follow-up may have introduced outcome misclassification. CONCLUSION: Hospitalization for a firearm-related injury is associated with a heightened risk for subsequent violent victimization or crime perpetration. Further research at the intersection of clinical care, the criminal justice system, and public health to evaluate the effectiveness of interventions delivered to survivors of firearm-related injury is warranted. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: Seattle City Council and University of Washington Royalty Research Fund. Language: en
Arguing about the Eurozone crisis: a discursive institutionalist analysis

This article uses the framework of ‘discursive institutionalism’ to explore the different ways in which the many approaches to ideas and discursive interaction may complement or contradict one another when applied to the Eurozone Crisis. In so doing, the article considers the different forms, types, levels, rates, and mechanisms of change in ideas followed by the EU leaders’ discursive interactions in the ‘coordinative’ discourse and their ‘communicative discourse’ to the global markets and European publics.
Leukotriene Pathways and In Vitro Adenotonsillar Cell Proliferation in Children With Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Introduction The abundant expression of leukotrienes (LTs) and their receptors in adenotonsillar tissues of children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) suggest that LT antagonists could be useful in treating OSA. Methods The effects of LTD4 and of LT receptor antagonists zileuton, montelukast, and BAY u9773 were examined on mixed cell cultures prepared from dissociated tonsils or adenoids harvested intraoperatively from children with polysomnographically diagnosed OSA. Proliferation was assessed by 3 [H]-thymidine incorporation, and inflammatory cytokine production (tumor necrosis factor [TNF]-α, interleukin [IL]-6, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-12) was assessed in supernatants using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results LTD4 elicited dose-dependent increases in adenotonsillar cell proliferation (p −4 mmol/L; p Conclusions LT pathways mediate intrinsic proliferative and inflammatory signaling pathways in adenotonsillar tissues from children with OSA, and targeted pharmacologic disruption of these pathways may provide nonsurgical alternatives for prevention and treatment of this disease.
Contingencies for Interdisciplinary Research: Matching Research Questions with Research Organizations

The conditions under which interdisciplinary research helps improve research performance are explored in a heterogeneous sample of 67 ongoing academic interdisciplinary teams from the United States and Canada. We conclude that interdisciplinary research is more appropriate for very difficult research questions and at early stages of the research process. Interdisciplinary research was found to inhibit the outputs of articles, books, papers, and technical reports when the research had a clearly identified client prior to the start of the project. Interdisciplinary research was not found to be more helpful for either applied or pure research. It was not found to be helpful either at the concluding stage of research or when used throughout the research process.
The refined crystal structure of an endochitinasefrom Hordeum vulgare L. seeds at 1.8 Å resolution

Class II chitinases (EC 3.2.1.14) are plant defense proteins. They hydrolyze chitin, an insoluble beta-1,4-linked polymer of N-acetylglucosamine (NAG), which is a major cell-wall component of many fungal hyphae. We previously reported the three-dimensional structure of the 26 kDa class II endochitinase from barley seeds at 2.8 A resolution, determined using multiple isomorphous replacement (MIR) methods. Here, we report the crystallographic refinement of this chitinase structure against data to 1.8 A resolution using rounds of hand rebuilding coupled with molecular dynamics (X-PLOR). The final model has an R-value of 18.1% for the 5.0 to 1.8 A data shell and 19.8% for the 10.0 to 1.8 A shell, and root-mean-square deviations from standard bond lengths and angles of 0.017 A and 2.88 degrees, respectively. The 243 residue molecule has one beta-sheet, ten alpha-helices and three disulfide bonds; 129 water molecules are included in the final model. We show structural comparisons confirming that chitinase secondary structure resembles lysozyme at the active site region. Based on substrate binding to lysozyme, we have built a hypothetical model for the binding of a hexasaccharide into the pronounced active site cleft of chitinase. This provides the first view of likely substrate interactions from this family of enzymes; the model is consistent with a lysozyme-like mechanism of action in which Glu67 acts as proton donor and Glu89 is likely to stabilize the transition state oxycarbonium ion. These binding site residues, and many hydrophobic residues are conserved in a range of plant chitinases. This endochitinase structure will serve as a model for other plant chitinases, and that catalytic models based on this structure will be applicable to the entire enzyme family.
Flat beams in the SLC

The Stanford Linear Collider was designed to operate with round beams; horizontal and vertical emittance made equal in the damping rings. The main motivation was to facilitate the optical matching through beam lines with strong coupling elements like the solenoid spin rotator magnets and the SLC arcs. Tests in 1992 showed that 'flat' beams with a vertical to horizontal emittance ratio of around 1/10 can be successfully delivered to the end of the linac. Techniques developed to measure and control the coupling of the SLC arcs allow these beams to be transported to the Interaction Point (IP). Before flat beams could be used for collisions with polarized electrons, a new method of rotating the electron spin orientation with vertical arc orbit bumps [4] had to be developed Early in the 1993 run, the SLC was switched to 'flat' beam operation. Within a short time the peak luminosity of the previous running cycle was reached and then surpassed. The average daily luminosity is now a factor of about two higher than the best achieved last year. In the following we present an overview of the problems encountered and their solutions for different parts of the SLC. >
Echocardiography in Bacterial Endocarditis

Abstract We examined 129 standard M-mode echocardiograms obtained in 65 patients (16 to 73 years old) with bacterial endocarditis. Twenty of the 22 patients with vegetations recognizable by echocardiography died, or underwent cardiac operation (mean interval from admission 22 days, and range two to 120 days). Vegetations were seen on the echocardiograms in 22 (aortic 10, mitral nine and tricuspid three, with anatomic confirmation in 19). Of patients without vegetations on echocardiography none underwent emergency operation or died as a result of cardiac disease (mean follow-up period of 14 months, range of two to 38 months). Other echocardiographic findings in those with vegetations included early mitral-valve closure (six), "flail" aortic leaflet (three), and "flail" mitral leaflet (three). Echocardiography can provide a rapid, reliable noninvasive diagnosis of bacterial vegetations in certain patients with bacterial endocarditis and may identify patients with more severe disease who may require operativ...
Assessment of biological responses of EpiAirway 3-D cell constructs versus A549 cells for determining toxicity of ambient air pollution.

AbstractContext: EpiAirwayTM 3-D constructs are human-derived cell cultures of differentiated airway epithelial cells that may represent a more biologically relevant model of the human lung. However, limited information is available on their utility for exposures to air pollutants at the air-liquid interface (ALI).Objective: To assess the biological responses of EpiAirwayTM cells in comparison to the responses of A549 human alveolar epithelial cells after exposure to air pollutants at ALI.Methods: Cells were exposed to filtered air, 400 ppb of ozone (O3) or a photochemically aged Synthetic Urban Mixture (SynUrb54) consisting of hydrocarbons, nitrogen oxides, O3 and other secondary oxidation products for 4 h. Basolateral supernatants and apical washes were collected at 9 and 24 h post-exposure. We assessed cytotoxicity by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release into the culture medium and apical surface. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) and interleukin 8 (IL-8) proteins were measured in the culture medium and in...
Explore Ways of Carrying on the Quality Education in Teaching Circuit Analysis

Quality education is the best way of training students profession ability and multiple qualities. How can we do for the carrying on the Quality Education in the specialized course teaching? It is very important task for our teachers. So , I try to probe the way in the teaching Circuit Analysis and get preliminary results; great attention must be paid to the blend of moral character and professional accomplishment; great attention must be paid to the penetration of liberal arts and specialized course; great attention must be paid to the influence of physically and mentally healthy and profession ability.
Spatial and temporal stability of mtDNA haplogroup frequencies in native North America.

Mitochondrial DNA lineage frequencies in prehistoric Aleut, eastern Utah Fremont, Southwestern Anasazi, Pyramid Lake, and Stillwater Marsh skeletal samples from northwest Nevada and the Oneota of western Illinois are compared with those in 41 contemporary aboriginal populations of North America. The ancient samples range in age from 300 years to over 6,000 years. The results indicate that the prehistoric inhabitants of North America exhibit the same level of mtDNA variability as contemporary populations of the continent. Variation in modern mtDNA haplogroup frequencies is highly geographically structured, and the prehistoric samples exhibit the same geographic pattern of variation. This indicates that differentiation of regional patterns of mtDNA lineage variation occurred early in North American prehistory (much more than 2,000 years B.P.), has remained relatively stable since its origin, and was little influenced by the disruptions hypothesized for other genetic systems as a result of population declines and relocations at contact.
Concentration Trends for Lead and Calcium-Normalized Lead in Fish Fillets from the Big River, a Mining-Contaminated Stream in Southeastern Missouri USA

Lead (Pb) and calcium (Ca) concentrations were measured in fillet samples of longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis) and redhorse suckers (Moxostoma spp.) collected in 2005–2012 from the Big River, which drains a historical mining area in southeastern Missouri and where a consumption advisory is in effect due to elevated Pb concentrations in fish. Lead tends to accumulated in Ca-rich tissues such as bone and scale. Concentrations of Pb in fish muscle are typically low, but can become elevated in fillets from Pb-contaminated sites depending in part on how much bone, scale, and skin is included in the sample. We used analysis-of-covariance to normalize Pb concentration to the geometric mean Ca concentration (415 ug/g wet weight, ww), which reduced variation between taxa, sites, and years, as was the number of samples that exceeded Missouri consumption advisory threshold (300 ng/g ww). Concentrations of Pb in 2005–2012 were lower than in the past, especially after Ca-normalization, but the consumption advisory is still warranted because concentrations were >300 ng/g ww in samples of both taxa from contaminated sites. For monitoring purposes, a simple linear regression model is proposed for estimating Ca-normalized Pb concentrations in fillets from Pb:Ca molar ratios as a way of reducing the effects of differing preparation methods on fillet Pb variation.
The Association between Neighborhood Poverty and HIV Diagnoses among Males and Females in New York City, 2010–2011

Objective.We assessed the association of neighborhood poverty with HIV diagnosis rates for males and females in New York City.Methods.We calculated annual HIV diagnosis rates by ZIP Code, sex, and neighborhood poverty level using 2010–2011 New York City (NYC) HIV surveillance data and data from the U.S. Census 2010 and American Community Survey 2007–2011. Neighborhood poverty levels were percentage of residents in a ZIP Code with incomes below the federal poverty threshold, categorized as 0%–<10% (low poverty), 10%–<20% (medium poverty), 20%–<30% (high poverty), and 30%–100% (very high poverty). We used sex-stratified negative binomial regression models to measure the association between neighborhood-level poverty and HIV diagnosis rates, controlling for neighborhood-level education, race/ethnicity, age, and percentage of men who have sex with men.Results.In 2010–2011, 6,184 people were newly diagnosed with HIV. Median diagnosis rates per 100,000 population increased by neighborhood poverty level overall ...
Others: “There but for the grace of god … ”

Chapter 4 focuses attention on audiences to SBB productions and on how prison theater relates to professional Shakespeare performance. It evaluates the accomplishments of SBB players not in terms of a professional/amateur binary, but in the light of the artistic integrity and “honesty” to which SBB actors constantly aspire. By analogy, RSC actors who visited Broadmoor mental hospital talk about the way their stage encounters with patients there gave their performances of Shakespeare a feeling of honesty frequently lacking in commercial venues; the dismantling of boundaries between themselves and audience members resulted in a shared perception among the celebrity actors that it was the patients as audience who therapized the actors. The importance to Shakespeare of Montaigne’s essay on repentance allows us to take a wider view of the complexity and diversity of Shakespeare’s characters as compelling roles for the inmate exploration of honesty.
A comparison study of multivariate fixed models and Gene Association with Multiple Traits (GAMuT) for next-generation sequencing

In this paper, extensive simulations are performed to compare two statistical methods to analyze multiple correlated quantitative phenotypes: (1) approximate F-distributed tests of multivariate functional linear models (MFLM) and additive models of multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), and (2) Gene Association with Multiple Traits (GAMuT) for association testing of high-dimensional genotype data. It is shown that approximate F-distributed tests of MFLM and MANOVA have higher power and are more appropriate for major gene association analysis (i.e., scenarios in which some genetic variants have relatively large effects on the phenotypes); GAMuT has higher power and is more appropriate for analyzing polygenic effects (i.e., effects from a large number of genetic variants each of which contributes a small amount to the phenotypes). MFLM and MANOVA are very flexible and can be used to perform association analysis for (i) rare variants, (ii) common variants, and (iii) a combination of rare and common variants. Although GAMuT was designed to analyze rare variants, it can be applied to analyze a combination of rare and common variants and it performs well when (1) the number of genetic variants is large and (2) each variant contributes a small amount to the phenotypes (i.e., polygenes). MFLM and MANOVA are fixed effect models that perform well for major gene association analysis. GAMuT can be viewed as an extension of sequence kernel association tests (SKAT). Both GAMuT and SKAT are more appropriate for analyzing polygenic effects and they perform well not only in the rare variant case, but also in the case of a combination of rare and common variants. Data analyses of European cohorts and the Trinity Students Study are presented to compare the performance of the two methods.
Use of High-Dose Oral Valacyclovir During an Intravenous Acyclovir Shortage: A Retrospective Analysis of Tolerability and Drug Shortage Management

Introduction In late 2011, a shortage of IV acyclovir led to the need to empirically substitute high-dose oral valacyclovir (HDVA) to conserve IV acyclovir for patients with confirmed herpes simplex virus (HSV) meningitis or encephalitis. This report describes the management of the most recent national IV acyclovir shortage by the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP) at Northwestern Memorial Hospital (NMH), Chicago, IL, USA, and the use of HDVA. Secondarily, we assessed the safety and tolerability of HDVA as an alternate to IV acyclovir during this shortage.
Ionizing radiation sensitizes tumors to PD-L1 immune checkpoint blockade in orthotopic murine head and neck squamous cell carcinoma

Immunotherapy clinical trials targeting the programmed-death ligand axis (PD-1/PD-L1) show that most head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients are resistant to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition. We investigated whether local radiation to the tumor can transform the immune landscape and render poorly immunogenic HNSCC tumors sensitive to PD-L1 inhibition. We used the first novel orthotopic model of HNSCC with genetically distinct murine cell lines. Tumors were resistant to PD-L1 checkpoint blockade, harbored minimal PD-L1 expression and tumor infiltrating lymphocytes at baseline, and were resistant to radiotherapy. The combination of radiation and PD-L1 inhibition significantly enhanced tumor control and improved survival. This was mediated in part through upregulation of PD-L1 on tumor cells and increased T-cell infiltration after RT, resulting in a highly inflamed tumor. Depletion of both CD4 and CD8 T-cells completely abrogated the effect of anti PD-L1 with radiation on tumor growth. Our findings provide evidence that radiation to the tumor can induce sensitivity to PD-L1 checkpoint blockade in orthotopic models of HNSCC. These findings have direct relevance to high risk HNSCC patients with poorly immunogenic tumors and who may benefit from combined radiation and checkpoint blockade.
Abstract 099: Functional Remodeling of the Renal Vasculature Precedes the Establishment of Salt-sensitive Hypertension in Eln-deficient Mice

Vascular stiffening due to elastin deficiency is a leading risk for hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the mechanisms by which elastin deficiency is involved in the pathogenesis of hypertension and/or CKD are poorly understood. Here, we used elastin heterozygous mice ( Eln+/- ), an animal model of elastin insufficiency, to test the hypothesis that renal dysfunction due to elastin deficiency occurs independently of and precedes the development of hypertension in this mouse model. We assessed blood pressure (BP) and renal hemodynamics in 30-day (P30) and 12-week old anesthetized male and female mice. At P30, mean blood pressure of Eln+/- was similar to wild type (WT) controls ( Eln+/- , 79 ± 5 vs. WT, 69±3 mmHg, P = 0.06); however, renal blood flow was lower ( Eln+/- 2.9 ± 0.2 vs. WT 4.0 ± 0.5 mL/min/g KW, P = 0.03) whereas renal vascular resistance (RVR; Eln+/- 29 ± 3 vs. WT 18 ± 3 mmHg/mL/min/g KW, P = 0.03) was augmented at baseline in Eln+/- mice. At 12 wks old, RVR remained elevated while filtration fraction was higher in male Eln+/- relative to WT mice ( Eln+/- 44 ± 3 vs. WT 38±5 % P = 0.07). Eln+/- mice showed isolated systolic hypertension that was evident only at nighttime ( Eln+/- 136 ± 2 vs. WT 112 ± 6 mmHg, P Eln+/- mice ( Eln+/- 118 ± 5 vs. WT 102 ± 6 mmHg, P = 0.03), causing a rightward shift and blunted slope of the pressure-natriuresis curve. Renal interlobar artery basal tone and myogenic response to increasing intraluminal pressure at P10 were similar ( Eln+/- 78 ± 3 vs. WT 67 ± 6 % P = 0.06) whereas they were augmented at P30 ( Eln+/- 63 ± 4 vs. WT 49 ± 6 % P = 0.05) and at 12 wks old in Eln+/- mice ( Eln+/- 50 ± 2 vs. WT 33 ± 3 % P Eln+/- 22 ± 9 vs. WT 8 ± 5 % P = 0.10). We conclude that AT1R mediates augmented mechanotransduction and renal vascular dysfunction due to Eln insufficiency that in turn contribute to altered renal sodium handling and increased BP. Such prolonged systemic BP elevation leads to glomerular structural damage due to high renal perfusion pressure. Therefore, therapies that target the AT1R to control BP in patients with elastin deficiency may be beneficial in preventing hypertension-evoked kidney damage.
Diophantine equations over ℂ(t) and complex multiplication

The diophantine equations tx3−(t−1)y2=1 (or x) can be completely solved in ℂ(t) by complex multiplication in the ring of sixth (or fourth) roots of unity. Relations to well-known diophantine equations in Φ are indicated.
Dynamics of thin-film piezoelectric microactuators with large vertical stroke subject to multi-axis coupling and fabrication asymmetries

The high performance and small size of MEMS based scanners has allowed various optical imaging techniques to be realized in a small form factor. Many such devices are resonant scanners, and thus their linear and nonlinear dynamic behaviors have been studied in the past. Thin-film piezoelectric materials, in contrast, provide sufficient energy density to achieve both large static displacements and high-frequency resonance, but large deformation can in turn influence dynamic scanner behavior. This paper reports on the influence of very large stroke translation of a piezoelectric vertical actuator on its resonant behavior, which may not be otherwise explained fully by common causes of resonance shift such as beam stiffening or nonlinear forcing. To examine the change of structural compliance over the course of scanner motion, a model has been developed that includes internal forces from residual stress and the resultant additional multi-axis coupling among actuator leg structures. Like some preceding vertical scanning micro-actuators, the scanner of this work has four legs, with each leg featuring four serially connected thin-film PZT unimorphs that allow the scanner to generate larger than 400 µm of vertical displacement at 14 V DC. Using an excitation near one or more resonances, the input voltage can be lowered, and complementary multi-axis rotations can be also generated, but change of the resonant frequencies with scanner height needs to be understood to maximize scanner performance. The presented model well predicts the experimental observation of the decrease of the resonant frequencies of the scanner with the increase of a dc bias voltage. Also, the effects of the magnitude and uniformity of residual stress across the scanner structure on the natural frequencies have been studied.
Evaluation Procedures for Conjoint Marital Psychotherapy

It is necessary to clarify individual roles and views of the relationship, as well as the personality dynamics that contribute to the couples’ problems
Multivariable analysis of association of beta-blocker use and survival in advanced ovarian cancer.

Abstract Objective In this study, we sought to evaluate the relationship between survival and beta blocker use in both the primary and interval debulking setting while adjusting for frequently co-administered medications. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study reviewing charts of women who underwent primary or interval cytoreduction for stage IIIC and IV epithelial ovarian cancer. The exposure of interest was beta-blocker use identified at the time of cytoreduction. The outcomes of interest were PFS and OS. We collected demographic/prognostic variables and information about use of aspirin, metformin, and statins. We used the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards models in survival analyses. Results 534 women who underwent surgery for stage IIIC or IV ovarian cancer were included in the study. The median age at diagnosis was 64 and 84.8% of women had serous carcinoma. We identified 105 women (19.7%) on a beta-blocker of whom 94 (90%) were on a cardioselective beta-blocker. Additionally, 24 women (4.5%) were on metformin, 91 (17%) on aspirin, and 128 (24%) on a statin. In univariable analysis, beta-blocker users had a median overall survival of 29 months vs 35 months among non-users (hazard ratio HR = 1.52, p = 0.007). After adjustment for important demographic, clinical, and histopathologic factors, as well as use of other common medications, beta-blocker use remain associated with an increased hazard of death (adjusted HR 1.57, p = 0.006). Conclusion In this retrospective study, we found that patients identified as being on a beta-blocker at the time of surgery had worse overall survival and greater risk of death when compared to those patients not on betablockers. Importantly, 90% of patients on beta-blockers were identified as being on a cardioselective beta-blocker.
Spectral Representation of Deterministic Signals: Fourier Series and Transforms

In this chapter we will take a closer look at the spectral, or frequency-domain, representation of deterministic (nonrandom) signals which was already mentioned in Chap. 1. The tools introduced below, usually called Fourier, or harmonic, analysis will play a fundamental role later in our study of random signals. Almost all of the calculations will be conducted in the complex form. Compared with working in the real domain, the manipulation of formulas written in the complex form turns out to be simpler and all the tedium of remembering various trigonometric formulas is avoided. All of the results written in the complex form can be translated quickly into results for real trigonometric series expressed in terms of sines and cosines via the familiar de Moivre’s formula from Chap. 1, e jt = cos t = j sin t.
Testing the Morphogenesist Model of Primary State Formation: The Zapotec Case

In this chapter, I take a macroevolutionary approach to primary state formation by conducting an empirical test of the morphogenesist model, the key postulates of which are that (1) chiefdoms and states are based on fundamentally different principles of administrative structure and optimal regulatory strategies and (2) the transition from chiefdom to primary state is an emergent, transformational process and not simply the result of continuous, incremental adaptation. I draw an analogy between this model of cultural transformation and the adaptive landscape approach to macroevolution pioneered by Sewall Wright in his shifting balance theory and further developed by George G. Simpson in his theory of quantum evolution. A key expectation of both approaches is that the system undergoing such a major evolutionary transformation for the first time must traverse a “valley” of relatively low adaptedness as it moves from a long-standing “peak” to a newly emergent peak on the adaptive landscape. I assess this expectation with data on the emergence of the Monte Alban state ca. 300 B.C. in Mexico’s Oaxaca Valley.
Evaluation of animal protein supplements in diets of early-weaned pigs.

Three growth assays were conducted to determine the efficacy of replacing dried skim milk and(or) dried whey in diets of starting pigs with commercially available spray-dried porcine plasma, spray-dried porcine blood, spray-dried bovine plasma, or spray-dried extracted meat protein. In Exp. 1, 236, 24-d-old crossbred pigs were fed diets containing either skim milk and whey or porcine plasma from 0 to 14 d postweaning and whey or porcine plasma from 14 to 28 d. Although pigs fed diets containing porcine plasma had greater ADFI and ADG than those fed milk products from 0 to 7 d, no differences were observed from d 0 to 14 or from 14 to 28 d postweaning. In Exp. 2, 204, 21-d-old pigs were fed corn-soybean meal-based diets using the following supplemental protein source combinations: skim milk and whey; skim milk, whey, and casein; porcine plasma, whey, and lactose/starch (10%); porcine plasma and lactose/starch (24.4%); or whey. A common diet (1.25% lysine, 10% whey) was fed from 14 to 35 d postweaning. Pigs fed diets containing porcine plasma consumed more feed and had greater ADG than others (P < .05) from 0 to 14 d and from 0 to 35 d. Both ADG and ADFI were highest when the diet contained 10.3% porcine plasma, 20% whey, and 10% added lactose. Experiment 3 used 150, 21-d-old pigs to compare the inclusion of skim milk, porcine plasma, porcine blood, bovine plasma, or meat extract in diets fed from 0 to 14 d postweaning. A common diet (the same as in Exp. 2) was fed from 14 to 35 d. Pigs fed porcine plasma had greater ADFI (P < .05) from 0 to 14 d than pigs fed other treatments. Also, pigs fed porcine plasma had greater ADG (P < .05) from 0 to 14 d than pigs fed all other diets except porcine blood. Pigs fed porcine blood had the largest ADFI (P < .05) from 14 to 35 d compared with pigs fed other diets. These experiments indicate that porcine plasma is a protein supplement superior to skim milk in diets of starting pigs and that porcine blood has a positive influence on subsequent growth performance.
Residual Stress and Strength Loss in Filament-Wound Composites

Filament-wound composites are fabricated using an initial stress in the filament strand called the "winding tension." This initial stress will interact structurally with the winding form and each of the wound layers incrementally as the fabrication process proceeds. The interactions will result in a variable residual stress distribution or possibly in total tension loss in some of the wound layers. Total tension loss before cure of the resin matrix produces strength loss in the affected layers and the whole structure. An incremental construction procedure has been implemented into a finite element computer program for analysis of the winding process. The method involves switching "on" element stiffnesses in the finite element model as construction proceeds. The initial stress in the element being switched on due to winding tension is converted to nodal loads and applied to the currently existing structure. If any layer loses all its initial stress, then its material stiffness is reduced (assuming the uncured composite cannot carry fiber direction compressive loads). The incremental addition of element stiffnesses and modification of material properties make the analysis incrementally nonlinear. An analytical and experimental study was conducted on a series of cylinders. The parameters investigated include winding mandrels of aluminum or plastic, two uniform winding tension levels, and two final composite thicknesses all using a Kevlar/epoxy composite. Two aluminum mandrel thicknesses were used to vary the mandrel stiffness, with the plastic mandrel serving as a very low stiffness mandrel. Residual stress distributions were predicted for all the wound parts, and these were used to calculate the mandrel strain during construction which was compared with measured response of strain gages on the mandrel. Correlations were very good. Tension loss in the inner layers was seen in two cases; these were for the highest winding tension and largest final composite thickness wound on the thin aluminum mandrel and wound on the plastic mandrel. The study shows results of modeling the fabrication process and the consequence of fabrication parameter choices. Situations were produced which show strength loss in Kevlar/epoxy composites. It is therefore necessary to include fabrication engineering as part of the design of filament-wound structures.
Genomic and cDNA sequence of prophenoloxidases from Drosophila melanogaster.

Phenoloxidase (PO) is an important enzyme associated with the biochemistry of three physiologically important processes in insects. The first process, viz., cuticular sclerotization, ensures the protection of the soft bodied insects from their predators and preys as well as from desiccation by hardening the cuticle (Andersen et al.,1996; Sugumaran 1991; 1998). During sclerotization, PO generated quinones serve both as sclerotizing agents and as substrates for quinone isomerases that produce quinone methides (Sugumaran, 1998; Saul & Sugumaran 1988, 1989 a,b,1990, Ricketts & Sugumaran 1994). The reactions of quinones and quinone methides with cuticular structural components viz., chitin and proteins, lead to the hardening of cuticle (Andersen et al., 1996; Sugumaran 1991, 1998). In the second process, organisms establishing successful entry into the insect hemocel face among other host defense reactions, the dreaded action of PO, which causes deposition of melanin pigment around the intruder (Ashida & Brey 1995; Gillespie et al., 1997>; Nappi & Sugumaran 1993; Soderhall, et al., 1990; Sugumaran, 1996; Sugumaran & Kanost, 1993). While the intruder may still live in side the melanotic encapsule, its ability to multiply and damage the host is dramatically hindered by the melanotic capsule. Finally during wounding, loss of insect hemolymph is arrested by the rapid deposition melanin at the wounding site (Lai-Fook, 1966; Sugumaran, 1996). Apart from sealing the wound, PO action may also provide cytotoxic quinones that could harm the opportunistically invading microorganism (Nappi & Sugumaran 1993; >Sugumaran 1996).
Temperature induced shifts in leaf water relations and growth efficiency indicate climate change may limit aspen growth in the Colorado Rockies

Abstract Higher temperatures and evaporative demand forecasted for Colorado forests by the end of the century suggest that soil water limitation increasingly will negatively impact whole plant performance. At the same time, upslope or poleward migration of plant ranges in response to warming may result in species experiencing cooler overnight temperatures, particularly if extremes in climate increase. In 2014 we established three experimental gardens along a temperature/elevation gradient to test the implications of shifting temperatures on tree function. Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) seedlings from a mid-elevation population were established in all three gardens and leaves were sampled monthly during the 2017 growing season. From these, we quantified the magnitude and timing of osmotic regulation, the relationships between leaf osmotic potential (Ψosm), midday leaf water potential (Ψmid), and soil moisture conditions under different temperature regimes, and growth efficiency (change in basal area/growing day). We observed a strong relationship between Ψosm and soil moisture, and a strong seasonal decline in Ψosm at the warmest and intermediate sites while the coldest site experienced a later increase in osmolytes associated with the highest degree of freeze tolerance. Growth efficiency was highest at the intermediate-temperature site – closest in elevation to the seed source location – but declined asymmetrically with warming or cooling. The novel abiotic conditions at both non-local sites resulted in declines in growth efficiency, suggesting that aspen will experience suboptimal conditions whether it stays in areas experiencing warming temperatures or if it migrates upslope to areas with colder overnight temperatures.
Misclassification of Myocardial Injury as Myocardial Infarction: Implications for Assessing Outcomes in Value-Based Programs.

Importance Similar to other patients with acute myocardial infarction, patients with type 2 myocardial infarction (T2MI) are included in several value-based programs, including the Hospital Readmissions Reduction Program and the Hospital Value-Based Purchasing Program. To our knowledge, whether nonischemic myocardial injury is being misclassified as T2MI is unknown and may have implications for these programs. Objective To determine whether patients with nonischemic myocardial injury are being miscoded as having T2MI and if this has implications for 30-day readmission and mortality rates. Design, Settings, and Participants Using the newInternational Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, Tenth Revisioncode, we identified patients who were coded as having T2MI between October 2017 and May 2018 at Massachusetts General Hospital. Strict adjudication using the fourth universal definition of MI was then applied. Main outcome and Measures Clinical adjudication of T2MI and 30-day readmission and mortality rates as a function of T2MI or nonischemic myocardial injury. Results Of 633 patients, 369 (58.3%) were men and 514 (81.2%) were white. After strict adjudication, 359 (56.7%) had T2MI, 265 (41.9%) had myocardial injury, 6 (0.9%) had type 1 MI, and 3 (0.5%) had unstable angina. Patients with T2MI had a higher prevalence of cardiovascular comorbidities than those with myocardial injury. Patients with T2MI and myocardial injury had high in-hospital mortality rates (10.6% and 8.7%, respectively;P = .50). Of those discharged alive (563 [88.9%]), 30-day readmission rates (22.7% vs 21.1%;P = .68) and mortality rates (4.4% vs 7.4%;P = .14) were comparable among patients with T2MI and myocardial injury. Conclusions and Relevance A substantial percentage of patients coded as having T2MI actually have myocardial injury. Both conditions have high 30-day readmission and mortality rates. Including patients with high-risk myocardial injury may have substantial implications for value-based programs.
Epitranscriptomic Regulation of HIV-1 Gene Expression by m 5 C and the Novel m 5 C Reader MBD2

How the covalent modification of individual mRNA nucleotides, termed epitranscriptomic modification, alters mRNA function remains unclear. One road block has been the difficulty of quantifying epitranscriptomic modifications. Using purified HIV-1 genomic RNA, we show that this RNA bears more epitranscriptomic modifications than cellular mRNAs, with 2’O-methyl and 5-methylcytosine (m5C) modifications being particularly high. The primary writer for m5C on HIV-1 RNAs was identified as NSUN2 and inactivation of NSUN2 inhibits HIV-1 gene expression without affecting HIV-1 RNA levels. We identify MBD2 as an m5C reader and demonstrate that MBD2 not only has a higher affinity for m5C modified RNAs but also that MBD2 binding sites on the HIV-1 genome coincide with m5C addition sites. Loss of MBD2 function phenocopies loss of NSUN2 in that both reduce HIV-1 gene expression and perturb alternative splicing of HIV-1 RNAs. These data identify m5C as a post-transcriptional regulator of both mRNA splicing and function.
Bidirectional synaptic plasticity rapidly modifies hippocampal representations independent of correlated activity

Abstract According to standard models of synaptic plasticity, correlated activity between connected neurons drives changes in synaptic strengths to store associative memories. Here we tested this hypothesis in vivo by manipulating the activity of hippocampal place cells and measuring the resulting changes in spatial selectivity. We found that the spatial tuning of place cells was rapidly reshaped via bidirectional synaptic plasticity. To account for the magnitude and direction of plasticity, we evaluated two models – a standard model that depended on synchronous pre- and post-synaptic activity, and an alternative model that depended instead on whether active synaptic inputs had previously been potentiated. While both models accounted equally well for the data, they predicted opposite outcomes of a perturbation experiment, which ruled out the standard correlation-dependent model. Finally, network modeling suggested that this form of bidirectional synaptic plasticity enables population activity, rather than pairwise neuronal correlations, to drive plasticity in response to changes in the environment.
Effect of methylprednisolone combined with immunoglobulin on prognosis of children with severe hand foot mouth disease

Objective To investigate the effect of methylprednisolone combined with immunoglobulin on prognosis of children with severe hand-foot-mouth disease. Methods A total of 98 cases of severe hand-foot-mouth disease in Shanxi Children’s Hospital form May 2016 to April 2018 were selected. They were divided into combined group and control group according to the random number table method, with 49 cases in each group. The control group was treated with routine drugs, and the combined group was treated with methylprednisolone combined with gamma immunoglobulin on the basis of the treatment in the control group. The clinical efficacy, immune function, inflammatory reaction and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. Results The total effective rate in the combined treatment group (79.59%) was higher than that in the control group (51.02%), and the difference was significant (P<0.05). The levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin A (IgA) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) after treatment in the combined group and the control group were all higher than those before the treatment, and the improvement of the above indexes in the combined group were better than those in the control group, the differences were significant (P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of CT, CRP and WBC in the two groups were significantly lower than those before treatment, and the improvement of the above indexes in the combined group were better than those in the control group, the differences were significant (P<0.05); the incidence of total adverse reaction (6.12%) in the combined group was less than that in the control group (20.41%), and the difference was significant (P<0.05). Conclusions Methylprednisolone combined with immunoglobulin can improve the clinical efficacy on children with hand-foot-mouth disease, which can improve the immune function of the body, reduce the inflammatory response, and have less adverse reactions, and the prognosis of the children is better. Key words: Severe hand-foot-mouth disease; Methylprednisolone; Immunoglobulin; Immune function; Inflammatory response
The Adverse Impact of Modern Biotechnology on the Environment

It has been the requirement of the human population to obtain greater supplies of food items for consumption.
Prevalence of low back pain and related disability in patients with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome.

BACKGROUND Low back pain (LBP) has been associated with worse hip function for persons with femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS). Reports are limited to surgical populations and based on the presence or absence of LBP, regardless of pain severity. OBJECTIVES To report the prevalence of clinically significant LBP for persons with FAIS; compare demographics, pain, and function between those with and without clinically significant LBP; and evaluate relationships between hip function and both LBP-related disability and LBP severity. We hypothesized that participants with LBP would be older, have higher body mass index (BMI), and report worse groin pain, longer symptom duration, and worse hip function. We hypothesized that worse LBP-related disability and LBP severity would be related to worse hip function. DESIGN Observational cross-sectional study. SETTING Hip preservation clinic. PARTICIPANTS 158 persons with FAIS. INTERVENTIONS n/a MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Visual analog pain scales (VAS 0-100) were used to categorize participants with (≥30) and without (<30) clinically significant LBP. Age, sex, BMI, pain severity and duration, and hip function (33-item Hip Outcome Tool [iHOT33]) were compared between those with and without clinically significant LBP. Correlations were evaluated between the modified Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and iHOT33, ODI and groin pain severity, LBP severity and iHOT33, and LBP and groin pain severity. RESULTS Sixty percent of participants reported clinically significant LBP (n = 95). These participants reported worse iHOT33 scores (mean difference: 10.1 points) than those without clinically significant LBP (p = .001). Worse ODI scores were associated with worse iHOT33 scores (P < .001; ρ = -0.74). Significant relationships were also observed between (1) ODI and groin pain, (2) LBP and iHOT33, and (3) LBP and groin pain, but the magnitudes of these correlations were weak (ρ ≤ 0.36). CONCLUSIONS Clinically significant LBP is highly prevalent in persons with FAIS and is associated with worse hip function. Worse LBP-related disability, but not LBP severity, was strongly associated with worse hip function.