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210 Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) risk is understood to be mostly unmodifiable and inherited, but there is evidence that environmental and behavioral factors may also contribute. A recent study of health professional cohorts suggests a healthy lifestyle can mitigate a high inherited risk of lethal PCa. It is unknown how modifiable factors affect PCa risk in more diverse populations. Our objective was to determine the effects of healthy lifestyle and Agent Orange exposure on PCa risk when accounting for race/ethnicity, family history, and genetic risk in a diverse population. Methods: The Million Veteran Program (MVP) is a national, population-based cohort study of United States military veterans conducted 2011-2021 with 590,750 male participants available for analysis. Healthy lifestyle was quantified as: A healthy lifestyle score (range 0-3) was calculated with a point assigned for each of the following at MVP enrollment: not a current smoker, body mass index (BMI) 30 and strenuous activity 2 days per week. Agent Orange exposure was obtained from VA records. Genetic risk was assessed via a polygenic hazard score using genotype data. Results: Healthy lifestyle was independently associated with reduced metastatic PCa (HR 0.82, 95% CI 0.77–0.87, p

Porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (PHEV) is a member of the subgenus Embecovirus of the genus Betacoronavirus, and it is ubiquitously distributed in most pig-farming countries worldwide with low clinical incidence. Here, we report the full-length genome sequence and molecular characterization of a novel PHEV strain identified in diarrheic neonates in South Korea. The complete genome of the Korean PHEV strain GNU-2113 was sequenced and analyzed to characterize PHEV circulating in South Korea. The GNU-2113 genome was determined to be 29,982 nucleotides in length, with large unique deletions in the regions encoding nonstructural protein 3 and NS2. It was found to share 95.1-96.9% sequence identity with other global strains. Genetic and phylogenetic analysis indicated that the GNU-2113 strain is distantly related to the existing PHEV genotypes, implying that the virus appears to undergo substantial evolution under endemic pressure. This study provides important information about the genetic diversity of PHEV circulating subclinically in swine herds, which may ensure viral fitness in the enzootic environment.

We studied the evolutionary relationship of two widely distributed parapatric butterfly species, Melitaea athalia and Melitaea celadussa, using the ddRAD sequencing approach, as well as genital morphology and mtDNA data. M. athalia was retrieved as paraphyletic with respect to M. celadussa. Several cases of mito-nuclear discordance and morpho-genetic mismatch were found in the contact zone. A strongly diverged and marginally sympatric clade of M. athalia from the Balkans was revealed. An in-depth analysis of genomic structure detected high levels of admixture between M. athalia and M. celadussa at the contact zone, though not reaching the Balkan clade. The demo-graphic modelling of populations supported the intermediate genetic make-up of European M. atha-lia populations with regards to M. celadussa and the Balkan clade. However, the dissimilarity matrix of genotype data (PCoA) suggested the Balkan lineage having a genetic component that is unrelated to the athalia-celadussa group. Although narrowly sympatric, almost no signs of gene flow were found between the main M. athalia group and the Balkan clade. We propose two possible scenarios on the historical evolution of our model taxa and the role of the last glacial maximum in shaping their current distribution. Finally, we discuss the complexities regarding the taxonomic delimitation of parapatric taxa., This research was funded by the Academy of Finland, grant numbers 314702 and 328895; the Kvantum Institute; the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación of Spain, grant number PID2019-107078GB-I00/AEI/10.13039/501100011033]; and supported by the project “Ricerca e conservazione sugli Impollinatori dell’Arcipelago Toscano e divulgazione sui Lepidotteri del parco”.

Background: Systemic inflammation has been associated with severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease and mortality. Hyponatremia can result from inflammation due to non-osmotic stimuli for vasopressin production.Methods: We prospectively studied 799 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 between March 7 and November 7, 2020, at Hospital Posadas in Buenos Aires, Argentina in order to evaluate the association between hyponatremia, inflammation, and its impact on clinical outcomes. Admission biochemistries, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), ferritin, patient demographics, and outcome data were recorded. Outcomes (within 30 days after symptoms) evaluated included ICU admission, mechanical ventilation, dialysis-requiring acute kidney injury (AKI), and in-hospital mortality. Length of hospital stay (in days) were evaluated using comprehensive data from the EHR.Results: Hyponatremia (median Na = 133 mmol/L) was present on admission in 366 (45.8%). Hyponatremic patients had higher hsCRP (median 10.3 [IR 4.8–18.4] mg/dl vs. 6.6 [IR 1.6–14.0] mg/dl, p < 0.01) and ferritin levels (median 649 [IQR 492–1,168] ng/dl vs. 393 [IQR 156–1,440] ng/dl, p = 0.02) than normonatremic patients. Hyponatremia was associated with higher odds of an abnormal hsCRP (unadjusted OR 5.03, 95%CI: 2.52–10.03), and remained significant after adjustment for potential confounders (adjusted OR 4.70 [95%CI: 2.33–9.49], p < 0.01). Hyponatremic patients had increased mortality on unadjusted (HR 3.05, 95%CI: 2.14–4.34) and adjusted (HR 2.76, 95%CI:1.88–4.06) in Cox proportional hazard models. Crude 30-day survival was lower for patients with hyponatremia at admission (mean [SD] survival 22.1 [0.70] days) compared with patients who were normonatremic (mean [SD] survival 27.2 [0.40] days, p < 0.01).Conclusion: Mild hyponatremia on admission is common, is associated with systemic inflammation and is an independent risk factor for hospital mortality.Clinical Trial Registration:www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier NCT04493268.

We have previously reported that the application of a DC field can adjust the position and/or bandwidth of the selective reflection notch in polymer-stabilized cholesteric liquid crystals (PSCLCs). The proposed mechanism of these electro-optic (EO) response is ion-facilitated electromechanical deformation of the polymer stabilizing network. Accordingly, the concentration of ions trapped within the polymer network should considerably influence the EO response of PSCLC. Our prior studies have indicated that photoinitiators can increase ion density in PSCLC by an order of magnitude. Here, we isolate the contribution of ionic impurities associated with liquid crystal monomers (LCMs) by utilizing initiator-less polymerization. PSCLCs prepared with LCM with low ion concentration show bandwidth broadening of the reflection band whereas PSCLCs prepared with LCM with high ion concentration exhibit a red shifting tuning of the reflection band. The extent of the tuning or bandwidth broadening of the CLC reflection band depends on the concentration of LCMs and the chirality of the LCM.

ImportanceThere is controversy about the benefit of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening. Prostate-specific antigen screening rates have decreased since 2008 in the US, and the incidence of metastatic prostate cancer has increased. However, there is no direct epidemiologic evidence of a correlation between population PSA screening rates and subsequent metastatic prostate cancer rates.ObjectiveTo assess whether facility-level variation in PSA screening rates is associated with subsequent facility-level metastatic prostate cancer incidence.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis retrospective cohort used data for all men aged 40 years or older with an encounter at 128 facilities in the US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2019.ExposuresYearly facility-level PSA screening rates, defined as the proportion of men aged 40 years or older with a PSA test in each year, and long-term nonscreening rates, defined as the proportion of men aged 40 years or older without a PSA test in the prior 3 years, from January 1, 2005, to December 31, 2014.Main Outcomes and MeasuresThe main outcomes were facility-level yearly counts of incident metastatic prostate cancer diagnoses and age-adjusted yearly metastatic prostate cancer incidence rates (per 100 000 men) 5 years after each PSA screening exposure year.ResultsThe cohort included 4 678 412 men in 2005 and 5 371 701 men in 2019. Prostate-specific antigen screening rates decreased from 47.2% in 2005 to 37.0% in 2019, and metastatic prostate cancer incidence increased from 5.2 per 100 000 men in 2005 to 7.9 per 100 000 men in 2019. Higher facility-level PSA screening rates were associated with lower metastatic prostate cancer incidence 5 years later (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.91 per 10% increase in PSA screening rate; 95% CI, 0.87-0.96; P P = .01).Conclusions and RelevanceFrom 2005 to 2019, PSA screening rates decreased in the national VHA system. Facilities with higher PSA screening rates had lower subsequent rates of metastatic prostate cancer. These data may be used to inform shared decision-making about the potential benefits of PSA screening among men who wish to reduce their risk of metastatic prostate cancer.

Bupleurum euphorbioides is a rare native plant attributed with analgesic, gallbladder-supportive, and other functions in China and the Republic of Korea. However, the complete chloroplast genome sequence of the native plant B. euphorbioides has not been determined. In this study, we sequenced the complete chloroplast genome sequence, and examined the molecular phylogeny and genetic information of B. euphorbioides. The total chloroplast genome of B. euphorbioides was 154,871 bp in length with a large single-copy region (85,089 bp), small single-copy region (17,714 bp), and pair of inverted repeats regions (26,034 bp). The chloroplast genome encoded a total of 176 genes, including 131 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes. The phylogenetic tree indicated that B. euphorbioides was the most closely related to B. latissimum.

In this study, the impacts of different ultrasonic treatments on TiO

The dynamic electro‐optic (EO) response of polymer‐stabilized cholesteric liquid crystals prepared using unpolarized UV light (U–PSCLC), such as reflection bandwidth broadening and either red or blue tuning of the reflection peak, has been previously reported. Herein, recent efforts to use a polarized single argon‐ion laser beam to create PSCLCs (L–PSCLCs) with higher‐order reflections are described. The L–PSCLCs exhibit a primary reflection peak in the near‐infrared (NIR) regime and a second‐order reflection band with a narrow bandwidth in the visible regime that results from a deformed in‐plane CLC helical structure. The initial positions of the reflection bands are adjusted by the chiral dopant concentrations of the CLC mixture, and red, green, and blue reflection colors from the second‐order Bragg reflection are demonstrated. The primary and the second‐order reflection bands can be shifted to longer wavelengths by application of a DC electric field. The reflection efficiency of the higher‐order reflection notch increases with polymer concentration, which affects the degree of in‐plane deformation and fixation of the CLC helix. Modeling is used to further explain the formation of the higher‐order reflection bands of PSCLCs observed experimentally.

During efforts to generate DNA barcodes for all European Lepidoptera

PURPOSE Prostate cancer (PCa) is among the leading causes of cancer deaths. While localized PCa has a 5-year survival rate approaching 100%, this rate drops to 31% for metastatic prostate cancer (mPCa). Thus, timely identification of mPCa is a crucial step toward measuring and improving access to innovations that reduce PCa mortality. Yet, methods to identify patients diagnosed with mPCa remain elusive. Cancer registries provide detailed data at diagnosis but are not updated throughout treatment. This study reports on the development and validation of a natural language processing (NLP) algorithm deployed on oncology, urology, and radiology clinical notes to identify patients with a diagnosis or history of mPCa in the Department of Veterans Affairs. PATIENTS AND METHODS Using a broad set of diagnosis and histology codes, the Veterans Affairs Corporate Data Warehouse was queried to identify all Veterans with PCa. An NLP algorithm was developed to identify patients with any history or progression of mPCa. The NLP algorithm was prototyped and developed iteratively using patient notes, grouped into development, training, and validation subsets. RESULTS A total of 1,144,610 Veterans were diagnosed with PCa between January 2000 and October 2020, among which 76,082 (6.6%) were identified by NLP as having mPCa at some point during their care. The NLP system performed with a specificity of 0.979 and sensitivity of 0.919. CONCLUSION Clinical documentation of mPCa is highly reliable. NLP can be leveraged to improve PCa data. When compared to other methods, NLP identified a significantly greater number of patients. NLP can be used to augment cancer registry data, facilitate research inquiries, and identify patients who may benefit from innovations in mPCa treatment.

Importance: Early detection of prostate cancer to reduce mortality remains controversial because there is often also overdiagnosis of low-risk disease and unnecessary treatment. Genetic scores may provide an objective measure of a man9s risk of dying from prostate cancer and thus inform screening decisions, especially in men of African ancestry, who have a higher average risk of prostate cancer death but are often treated as a homogeneous group. Objective: Determine whether a polygenic hazard score based on 290 genetic variants (PHS290) is associated with risk of metastatic or fatal prostate cancer in a racially and ethnically diverse population. Design: Million Veteran Program (MVP) cohort study, 2011-2021. Setting: Nation-wide study of United States military veterans. Participants: Population-based volunteer sample of male participants. Exposure(s): Genotype data were used to calculate the genetic score, PHS290. Family history of prostate cancer and ancestry group (harmonized genetic ancestry and self-reported race/ethnicity: European, African, Hispanic, or Asian) were also studied. Main Outcome(s) and Measure(s): Study designed after MVP data collected. Primary outcome: age at death from prostate cancer. Key secondary outcome: age at diagnosis of prostate cancer metastases. Hypothesis: A germline genetic score (PHS290) is associated with risk of fatal (or metastatic) prostate cancer. Results: 513,997 MVP participants were included. Median age at last follow-up: 69 years. PHS290 was associated with age at death from prostate cancer in the full cohort and for each ancestry group (p

3-Hydroxypropionaldehyde (3-HPA, reuterin) is a broad-spectrum natural antimicrobial agent used in the food industry and other fields. The low yield from the industrial production of 3-HPA using Lactobacillus reuteri and the spontaneous conversion of 3-HPA to acrolein have limited its more widespread use. We isolated L. reuteri BR201 as a biocatalyst for 3-HPA production and confirmed the effect of each factor in the two-step procedure for 3-HPA bioconversion. After initial cultivation for 8 h (late exponential phase), this isolate produced 378 mM of 3-HPA in 1 h at a concentration of OD600 nm 100, 30 °C, and an initial glycerol concentration of 500 mM. This is the highest reported biocatalytic yield of 3-HPA from a glycerol aqueous solution without additives. We confirmed that 4 mM of 3-HPA had antimicrobial activity against five pathogens. The degradation of 3-HPA to acrolein was greater at high temperatures, and there was little degradation when 3-HPA was maintained at 4 °C for 4 weeks. Our results may be useful for future applications of 3-HPA.

The gastrointestinal tract is the first organ directly affected by fasting. However, little is known about how fasting influences the intestinal immune system. Intestinal dendritic cells (DCs) capture antigens, migrate to secondary lymphoid organs, and provoke adaptive immune responses. We evaluated the changes of intestinal DCs in mice with short-term fasting and their effects on protective immunity against

Large-scale global efforts on DNA barcoding have repeatedly revealed unexpected patterns of variability in mtDNA, including deep intraspecific divergences and haplotype sharing between species. Understanding the evolutionary causes behind these patterns calls for insights from the nuclear genome. While building a near-complete DNA barcode library of Finnish caddisflies, a case of barcode-sharing and some cases of deep intraspecific divergences were observed. In this study, the Apatania zonella (Zetterstedt, 1840) group and three Limnephilus Leach, 1815 species were studied using double digest RAD sequencing (ddRAD-seq), morphology, and DNA barcoding. The results support the present species boundaries in the A. zonella group species. A morphologically distinct but mitogenetically nondistinct taxon related to parthenogenetic Apatania hispida (Forsslund, 1930) got only weak support for its validity as a distinct species. The morphology and genomic-scale data do not indicate cryptic diversity in any of the three Limnephilus species despite the observed deep intraspecific divergences in DNA barcodes. This demonstrates that polymorphism in mtDNA may not reflect cryptic diversity, but mitonuclear discordance due to other evolutionary causes.

Thin film holographic liquid crystal gratings are of great interest due to their controllable photonic properties. Holographic polymer dispersed liquid crystal (H-PDLC) with a polymer concentration of 40-90% is an example of a system where nonuniform irradiation is used to template alternating polymer-rich and polymer-poor regions with a periodicity related to the illumination wavelength. Here, we present a tunable holographic polymer stabilized liquid crystal (H-PSLC) reflection grating using a relatively small amount of polymer (6-20 wt%). Switching behavior from transparent to reflective state will be discussed by heating or applying an AC field. Heating above the isotropic temperature of the polymer-poor regions leads to the refractive index mismatch between the ordered LC polymer-rich regions and the disordered isotropic polymer-poor. Alternatively, the application of an AC field can be used as an Ohmic heat source to induce the thermal color change.

This presentation reveals the re-writability property of azobenzene liquid crystal photoalignment. Stable in thermal fluctuations, one can change existing photoalignment by exposing it to polarized light in the visible regime. One can use this unique property by patterning photoalignment through the liquid crystal bulk in that the sample’s front and back have differing director orientations. Photoalignment using linear polarized light as well as complex polarizations will be covered. No surface alignment on sample substrates is necessary because the azobenzene is mixed with the liquid crystal in-situ in sample preparation.

In this paper, we propose a boosted 3-D PCA algorithm based on an efficient analysis method. The proposed method involves three steps that improve image detection. In the first step, the proposed method designs a new analysis method to solve the performance problem caused by data imbalance. In the second step, a parallel cross-validation structure is used to enhance the new analysis method further. We also design a modified AdaBoost algorithm to improve the detector accuracy performance of the new analysis method. In order to verify the performance of this system, we experimented with a benchmark dataset. The results show that the new analysis method is more efficient than other image detection methods.

Background This study was designed to investigate the genetic evidence for repurposing of GLP1R (glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor) agonists to prevent heart failure (HF) and whether the potential benefit exceeds the benefit conferred by more general glycemic control. Methods and Results We applied 2‐sample Mendelian randomization of genetically proxied GLP1R agonism on HF as the main outcome and left ventricular ejection fraction as the secondary outcome. The associations were compared with those of general glycemic control on the same outcomes. Genetic associations were obtained from genome‐wide association study summary statistics of type 2 diabetes mellitus (228 499 cases and 1 178 783 controls), glycated hemoglobin (n=344 182), HF (47,309 cases and 930 014 controls), and left ventricular ejection fraction (n=16 923). Genetic proxies for GLP1R agonism associated with reduced risk of HF (odds ratio per 1 mmol/mol decrease in glycated hemoglobin 0.75; 95% CI, 0.64–0.87; P =1.69×10 −4 ), and higher left ventricular ejection fraction (SD change in left ventricular ejection fraction per 1 mmol/mol decrease in glycated hemoglobin 0.22%; 95% CI, 0.03–0.42; P =0.03). The magnitude of these benefits exceeded those expected from improved glycemic control more generally. The results were similar in sensitivity analyses, and we did not find evidence to suggest that these associations were mediated by reduced coronary artery disease risk. Conclusions This genetic evidence supports the repurposing of GLP1R agonists for preventing HF.

BackgroundRecent efforts have identified genetic loci that are associated with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection rates and disease outcome severity. Translating these genetic findings into druggable genes and readily available compounds that reduce COVID-19 host susceptibility is a critical next step.MethodsWe integrate COVID-19 genetic susceptibility variants, multi-tissue genetically regulated gene expression (GReX) and perturbargen signatures to identify candidate genes and compounds that reverse the predicted gene expression dysregulation associated with COVID-19 susceptibility. The top candidate gene is validated by testing both its GReX and observed blood transcriptome association with COVID-19 severity, as well as by in vitro perturbation to quantify effects on viral load and molecular pathway dysregulation. We validate the in silico drug repositioning analysis by examining whether the top candidate compounds decrease COVID-19 incidence based on epidemiological evidence.ResultsWe identify IL10RB as the top key regulator of COVID-19 host susceptibility. Predicted GReX up-regulation of IL10RB and higher IL10RB expression in COVID-19 patient blood is associated with worse COVID-19 outcomes. In vitro IL10RB overexpression is associated with increased viral load and activation of immune-related molecular pathways. Azathioprine and retinol are prioritized as candidate compounds to reduce the likelihood of testing positive for COVID-19.ConclusionsWe establish an integrative data-driven approach for gene target prioritization. We identify and validate IL10RB as a suitable molecular target for modulation of COVID-19 host susceptibility. Finally, we provide evidence for a few readily available medications that would warrant further investigation as drug repositioning candidates.

To validate the possibility of the developed microwave plasma source with a novel structure for plasma aerosol deposition, the characteristics of the plasma flow velocity generated from the microwave plasma source were investigated by a Mach probe with pressure variation. Simulation with the turbulent model was introduced to deduce calibration factor of the Mach probe and to compare experimental measurements for analyses of collisional plasma conditions. The results show calibration factor does not seem to be a constant parameter and highly dependent on the collision parameter. The measured plasma flow velocity, which witnessed fluctuations produced by a shock flow, was between 400 and 700 m/s. The optimized conditions for microwave plasma assisted aerosol deposition were derived by the results obtained from analyses of the parameters of microwave plasma jet. Under the optimized conditions, Y2O3 coatings deposited on an aluminum substrate were investigated using scanning electron microscope. The results presented in this study show the microwave plasma assisted aerosol deposition with the developed microwave plasma source is highly feasible for thick films with &gt, 50 μm.

In this manuscript, the force exerted on the dielectric in the fringe field from the two conducting parallel plates with applied electrical potential was calculated and found to be an effective micro/nanoscale manipulation tool. The conformal mapping was employed to obtain the fringe field generated from the edges of the plates. The strong gradient of the fringe field near the edges was manifested in both parametric mapping and simulation. It was found that the force analytically obtained from the fringe field was proportional and directed to the gradient of the squared electric field. The result was compared to dielectrophoresis (DEP).

Objective: To evaluate changes in shape and alterations in thickness and vertical marginal bone levels of the alveolar bone around the maxillary and mandibular incisors before and after orthodontic treatment with premolar extraction using geometric morphometric analysis. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six patients with Class I bialveolar protrusion who underwent orthodontic treatment with premolar extraction were included. Cone-beam computed tomographic scans were obtained from the patients before and after treatment. Five fixed landmarks and 70 semilandmarks were used to represent the morphology of the alveolar bone around the maxillary and mandibular incisors. The coordinates of the landmarks of the alveolar bones were generated by Procrustes fit. The labial and lingual alveolar bone thicknesses around the maxillary and mandibular incisors and vertical marginal bone level were assessed quantitatively. Results: There was a significant difference in shape change of the alveolar bone before and after treatment. The deformation grid of the thin plate spline showed that the thickness and vertical marginal bone decreased on the lingual side after treatment. Shape changes were greater for the lingual alveolar bone on the mandibular incisor than for the maxillary incisors. Conclusions: Orthodontic treatment with premolar extraction might cause loss of alveolar bone around the maxillary and mandibular incisors. Careful consideration is needed to avoid iatrogenic degeneration of periodontal support around the incisors, particularly in the lingual area.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a significant cause of mortality1, yet its genetic determinants remain incompletely defined. We performed a discovery genome-wide association study in the Million Veteran Program and UK Biobank testing ~13 million DNA sequence variants for association with VTE (26,066 cases; 624,053 controls) and meta-analyzed both studies, followed by independent replication with up to 17,672 VTE cases and 167,295 controls. We identified 22 novel loci, bringing the total number of VTE-associated loci to 33 and subsequently fine-mapped these associations. We developed a genome-wide polygenic risk score for VTE that identifies 5% of the population at equivalent incident VTE risk to carriers of the established F5 Leiden (p.R506Q) and prothrombin G20210A mutations. Our data provide new mechanistic insights into the genetic epidemiology of VTE and suggest a greater overlap among venous and arterial cardiovascular disease than previously suggested., Editorial summary Genome-wide analysis of venous thromboembolism identifies 22 new risk loci and facilitates construction of a polygenic risk score. Comparison to arterial vascular disease highlights shared pathophysiology and potential therapeutic strategies.

Furfuryl alcohol (C5H6O2) (FA) was used as the precursor for the synthesis of approximately 1.0 mm sized polymeric beads (PFAB) via suspension polymerization. The polymeric beads were carbonized and activated to synthesize porous carbon beads (PFAB/C/A) as an efficient adsorbent for gaseous volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Surface characterization tests revealed the material to be predominantly microporous with the specific surface area measured to be ∼446 m2/g. Raman measurements revealed a graphitic characteristics of PFAB/C/A. Adsorption tests were performed in a fixed tubular packed bed adsorber under different operating conditions: amounts of adsorbents (2–6 g), gas flow rates (0.2–0.4 standard cc per min), adsorption temperatures (40–60 °C), VOC concentrations (2000–53,300 ppm) and types of VOCs (toluene and benzene). The tests revealed high adsorption capacities of the synthesized material i.e., 515 and 350 mg/g for toluene and benzene, respectively at 50 °C. This study has clearly shown that the biomass-based environmentally benign FA can be a potential alternative precursor to the synthetic petro-based polymers presently used for preparing carbon-based adsorbents.

Background: Approximately 13% of black individuals carry 2 copies of the apolipoprotein L1 ( APOL1 ) risk alleles G1 or G2, which are associated with 1.5- to 2.5-fold increased risk of chronic kidney disease. There have been conflicting reports as to whether an association exists between APOL1 risk alleles and cardiovascular disease (CVD) that is independent of the effects of APOL1 on kidney disease. We sought to test the association of APOL1 G1/G2 alleles with coronary artery disease, peripheral artery disease, and stroke among black individuals in the Million Veteran Program. Methods: We performed a time-to-event analysis of retrospective electronic health record data using Cox proportional hazard and competing-risks Fine and Gray subdistribution hazard models. The primary exposure was APOL1 risk allele status. The primary outcome was incident coronary artery disease among individuals without chronic kidney disease during the 12.5-year follow-up period. We separately analyzed the cross-sectional association of APOL1 risk allele status with lipid traits and 115 cardiovascular diseases using phenome-wide association. Results: Among 30 903 black Million Veteran Program participants, 3941 (13%) carried the 2 APOL1 risk allele high-risk genotype. Individuals with normal kidney function at baseline with 2 risk alleles had slightly higher risk of developing coronary artery disease compared with those with no risk alleles (hazard ratio, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.01–1.21]; P =0.039). Similarly, modest associations were identified with incident stroke (hazard ratio, 1.20 [95% CI, 1.05–1.36; P =0.007) and peripheral artery disease (hazard ratio, 1.15 [95% CI, 1.01–1.29l; P =0.031). When both cardiovascular and renal outcomes were modeled, APOL1 was strongly associated with incident renal disease, whereas no significant association with the CVD end points could be detected. Cardiovascular phenome-wide association analyses did not identify additional significant associations with CVD subsets. Conclusions: APOL1 risk variants display a modest association with CVD, and this association is likely mediated by the known APOL1 association with chronic kidney disease.

This case report introduces a treatment in mandibular prognathism correction by combining the surgery-first (SF) approach and clear aligners. An intraoral scanner (TRIOS 3, 3Shape, Copenhagen, Denmark) and a virtual setup program (OrthoAnalyzer, 3Shape) were used for treatment simulation. All clear aligners were fabricated using a 3-dimensional printer. The total treatment was completed within 3 months after surgery. An immediate improvement of the facial profile was obtained using the SF approach, and rapid and esthetic tooth movement was achieved using clear aligners. This case report demonstrated that the combination of the SF approach and clear aligners could be a patient-oriented surgical-orthodontic treatment method.

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) is a leading cause of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality; however, the extent to which genetic factors increase risk for PAD is largely unknown. Using electronic health record data, we performed a genome-wide association study in the Million Veteran Program testing ~32 million DNA sequence variants with PAD (31,307 cases and 211,753 controls) across veterans of European, African and Hispanic ancestry. The results were replicated in an independent sample of 5,117 PAD cases and 389,291 controls from the UK Biobank. We identified 19 PAD loci, 18 of which have not been previously reported. Eleven of the 19 loci were associated with disease in three vascular beds (coronary, cerebral, peripheral), including LDLR, LPL and LPA, suggesting that therapeutic modulation of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, the lipoprotein lipase pathway or circulating lipoprotein(a) may be efficacious for multiple atherosclerotic disease phenotypes. Conversely, four of the variants appeared to be specific for PAD, including F5 p.R506Q, highlighting the pathogenic role of thrombosis in the peripheral vascular bed and providing genetic support for Factor Xa inhibition as a therapeutic strategy for PAD. Our results highlight mechanistic similarities and differences among coronary, cerebral and peripheral atherosclerosis and provide therapeutic insights.

Analyzing data on all US employers in a cohort of entering firms, we document a highly skewed size distribution, such that the largest 5% account for over half of cohort employment at firm birth and more than two-thirds at firm age 7. Analyzing linked survey-administrative data, we find that female, African–American, and younger founders are initially less likely to start large firms. The gender gap persists through firm age 7, while racial and age gaps do not. Education is positively associated with start-up size, except for graduate degrees. Prior entrepreneurship and founding team size are positively associated, but team diversity is not. Specifications with capital and industry controls illuminate roles of financial constraints and sectoral choice.

Butyric acid-producing strain Clostridium tyrobutyricum ATCC25755 produces acetic acid as a byproduct, which lowers butyric acid yield and selectivity. Supplementing glycerol would be a rational approach to enhance a NADH-requiring metabolite butyric acid selectivity by increasing NADH availability; however, there has been no report butyric acid production using glycerol as either a sole carbon source or a co-substrate with C. tyrobutyricum. In this study, glycerol was supplemented along with sugar to increase NADH availability facilitating the production of butyric acid. C. tyrobutyricum was found to simultaneously consume glucose and glycerol only when acetic acid was present. Notably, acetic acid was not produced but consumed. The amount of glycerol consumption was linearly dependent on the amount of acetic acid consumption. When mixed sugars (glucose 80 g/L and xylose 30 g/L) and crude glycerol were used, not only exogenous acetic acid consumption but also acetic acid reassimilation were clearly observed, resulting in significantly enhanced butyric acid production (54.79 g/L), yield (0.464 g/g), and selectivity (98.3%) compared to sugar-only fermentation (production, 35.42 g/L; yield, 0.339 g/g; selectivity, 69.1%). Therefore, this study would pave the way for selective and cost-effective butyric acid production using sugars and glycerol from biodiesel facility.

OBJECTIVEThe objective of this study was to elucidate the features and surgical outcomes of cervical schwannomas.METHODSThe authors retrospectively reviewed the records of 90 patients who underwent surgically treated cervical schwannomas from January 1995 to December 2017, with an emphasis on MRI findings such as tumor location, tumor size, extent of tumor resection, and growth of a residual tumor.RESULTSThis study included 51 men (56.7%) and 39 women (43.3%) with a mean age of 44.5 years (range 7–77 years). Dumbbell-shaped tumors comprised 62 (68.9%) of 90 cases and gross-total resection (GTR) was achieved in 59 (65.6%) of 90 cases. All nondumbbell tumors (n = 28) underwent GTR. Only 1 case of recurrence in the GTR group showed a gradual increase in size (by 8.9 mm) during the 150-month follow-up period. For the regrowth patients in the subtotal resection group, the mean percentage increase in tumor size was 47.5% ± 33.1% and the mean growth rate was 5.8 ± 4.6 mm/year during the 20.3-month follow-up period. However, the size of residual tumor spontaneously decreased by a mean of 8.3% ± 11.1% during the 48.4-month follow-up period in the nonregrowth group.CONCLUSIONSThese findings suggested that frequent MRI follow-up examinations are required for residual schwannomas in the cervical spine for at least 2 years, and continuous MRI follow-ups are also required thereafter.

Recently, concerns have been raised about LVDC distribution grid and DC microgrid. The LVDC distribution grid connected with renewable energy sources adopts an ungrounded system factoring power loss and economical efficiency. However, it is difficult to detect the pole to ground fault because the change of the fault current is very minute when a pole to ground fault happens. In this paper, we propose a detection method of the pole to ground fault in ungrounded LVDC distribution grid using the DWT of measurement current by signal injection method. To demonstrate the effects of the proposed ground fault detection method, the collected signals were analyzed after the LVDC grid modeling process using PSCAD, and then the proposed method was conducted. Simulation results show that the proposed detection method can correctly detect the pole to ground fault without malfunction. In addition, the proposed algorithm accurately estimates the fault resistance.

Materials that can be switched between low and high thermal conductivity states would advance the control and conversion of thermal energy. Employing in situ time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) and in situ synchrotron X-ray scattering, we report a reversible, light-responsive azobenzene polymer that switches between high (0.35 W m −1 K −1 ) and low thermal conductivity (0.10 W m −1 K −1 ) states. This threefold change in the thermal conductivity is achieved by modulation of chain alignment resulted from the conformational transition between planar ( trans ) and nonplanar ( cis ) azobenzene groups under UV and green light illumination. This conformational transition leads to changes in the π-π stacking geometry and drives the crystal-to-liquid transition, which is fully reversible and occurs on a time scale of tens of seconds at room temperature. This result demonstrates an effective control of the thermophysical properties of polymers by modulating interchain π-π networks by light.

There has been considerable interest in nanomaterials for the development of anisotropic molecular alignment layers for electronic and biomedical applications. This review covers the recent progress in the design, synthesis, and characterization of automatic liquid crystal (LC) alignment layers. Amphiphilic hybrid nanomaterials consisting of organic parts and inorganic cores can interact favorably on LC media and substrates resulting in the uniaxial orientation of LC molecules in a specific direction. Among such systems, this review emphasizes giant surfactants showing automatically self-assembled 2D monolayers. Polymerizable giant surfactants allow us to build robust molecular alignment layers via a one-bottle approach. We believe that the automatic LC alignment layer constructed by doping giant surfactants can realize practical applications in smart materials.

이 연구의 목적은 교육정책의 실행자로서 교사의 영어교육정책에 대한 인식과 대응방식을 분석하여 영어교육정책의 방향에 시사점을 제공하는 데 있다. 이를 위해 최근 10년 간 대학입시제도와 밀접하게 연관되면서 영어교육과 관련하여 학교 현장에 큰 영향을 준 국가영어능력평가와 수능영어절대평가 정책을 토대로 고등학교 현직 교사 10명을 대상으로 심층면담을 진행하고 이를 근거이론 접근법으로 분석하였다. 연구 결과, 교사들은 교사가 배제되고 학교 현장에서의 실행가능성에 대한 충분한 숙의 없이 진행된 하향식 영어교육정책에 대해 부정적 입장을 갖고 있는 것으로 나타났다. 의사소통역량을 함양하고 영어에 대한 과도한 교육열, 입시로 인한 스트레스 감소를 위해 실용영어능력을 강조하고 장기적으로는 절대평가로 전환하고자 하는 국가의 영어교육 방향에 대해서는 대체적으로 수긍하고 있었다. 그러나 학교 현장의 준비 부족, 교육수요자의 신뢰 확보 실패, 정책실행자인 교사의 이해와 공감 형성결여 및 현장과 동떨어진 이상 추구로 인해 결과적으로 국가영어능력평가 정책은 사라졌고, 수능영어절대평가 정책의 정책목표 달성이 어려운 것으로 인식하고 있었다. 이러한 인과적·맥락적 조건으로 인하여 교사들은 나름의 대응전략을 사용하고 소극적 실행과 현실 타협의 모습을 보이고 있었다. 따라서 이 연구는 다음과 같은 시사점을 도출한다. 첫째, 영어교육정책은 보다 많은 영어교사들의 의견 수렴과 참여를 바탕으로 설계되어야만 현장과 이상의 간극을 좁힐 수 있다. 둘째, 교육 수요자, 다양한 영어교육 관련 당사자들 및 정책 관련 이익 집단 사이의 공감대 형성을 위한 충분한 시간이 필요하다. 셋째, 정책과 실제 교수 · 학습 사이의 실행 가능성을 타진하여 정책목표가 효과적으로 달성될 수 있도록 추진되어야 한다. 이를 위한 행 · 재정적 지원, 지역 교육청 및 학교 경영자의 지원과 보조가 중요하다.