Diet and Dental Health: Differential Diets of the Middle Horizon (CE 400-1000) in San Pedro de Atacama, Northern Chile

This research utilizes dental health data from three archaeological sites from the Middle Horizon (AD 400-1000) period in the Atacama oases of northern Chile: Coyo 3, Quitor 6, Solcor 3 elite, and Solcor 3 non-elite. The Middle Horizon is characterized in the Andes by the establishment of the Tiwanaku State, which exerted political and economic influence in much of the South-Central Andes, which is explored here using the two Solcor 3 sites. In this thesis, I analyze the aspects of oral health of the population using the prevalence of dental caries, abscesses, tooth loss, and occlusal wear. I calculated the frequency of each type of dental pathology for males, females, and the total population for different parts of the dental arcade, to test if there are significant differences in oral health, and therefore in dietary practices, between the sites. The dental arcade was divided into six sections: anterior, posterior, superior, inferior, right, and left. Then, using statistical tests of Chi-Square and Analysis of Variance, I tested for significant differences between each section and between sexes. I found that there was a significant difference in total presence of dental pathological conditions throughout the entire dental arcade between males and females at all sites, showing a possible difference in diet between the sexes. In addition, all sites had significant differences between the posterior and anterior sections of the dental arcade and two sites, Coyo 3 and Quitor 6, had significant differences between the superior and inferior sections of the dental arcade when all dental conditions were considered. The Solcor 3 Pre-Tiwanaku and Solcor 3 Tiwanaku individuals had similar rates of abscesses and antemortem tooth loss, but significantly different rates of caries, possibly suggesting a change in diet after the establishment of the Tiwanaku state.No embargoAcademic Major: Anthropological Science

Australian Participation in the Spanish Civil War

A small number of Australians participated directly in the Spanish Civil War without the sanction of their Government. A few lost their lives. This article discusses some of the motivating factors that encouraged these people, both educated and uneducated, to become willing participants in a war that did not directly concern Australia. It will be shown that there was a complexity of reasons for their participation dependent upon the point in which their personal lives had reached

An Epidemiological Study of West Nile Virus in Maricopa County, Arizona

Introduction: Vector-borne infectious diseases represent a major public health problem in both developing and developed nations. In particular, West Nile Virus (WNV), a mosquito-borne disease that can lead to severe disease and death in humans, caused over 2,100 reported cases in the United States last year (CDC, 2016). In Maricopa County, Arizona WNV has caused 474 reported cases during the last five years, with a case-fatality rate at 7.8%. Aim: To examine the association between weather patterns and incidence of WNV in Maricopa County, AZ from 2007 to 2013. Methods: We analyzed weekly data on climatological variables and WNV incidence from Maricopa County, AZ. The specific independent variables of interest were precipitation, minimum temperatures, mean temperatures, and maximum temperatures. A full model was generated using multiple linear regression, and a stepwise selection procedure yielded a minimal model. Results: The full multiple linear regression model explains 45.30% of the observed variance in WNV incidence. The variable showing a significant impact on WNV incidence in this model was rainfall (p \u3c0.0001). Stepwise selection results explained 45.16% of the variance observed in the data. This model included two significant predictors: precipitation and maximum temperature. Conclusion: Climatic variables, particularly the amount of rainfall and maximum temperatures, significantly influence WNV dynamics in Maricopa County, Arizona. These findings are in line with prior studies and could be useful to guide mosquito control programs in the state of Arizona

RECHALLENGE WITH ANTI-EGFR MONOCLONAL ANTIBODIES IN PRETREATED METASTATIC COLORECTAL CANCER PATIENTS: BEYOND THE LIMITS OF ACQUIRED RESISTANCE

Background: Scientific data provide today the evidence that secondary K-RAS mutations do not occur during anti-EGFR therapy in CRC patients. This multicenter phase II prospective study aims to investigate the activity of a retreatment with a cetuximab-based therapy. Patients and Methods: we enrolled 39 irinotecan refractory patients who had a clinical benefit after a line of Cetuximab plus irinotecan-based therapy and then a progression of disease for which underwent a new line chemotherapy and finally, after a clear new progression of disease, were re-treated with the same Cetuximab plus Irinotecan based therapy. Results: Median number of therapeutic lines before accrual was 4. Median interval time between last cycle of first cetuximab-based therapy and first cycle of the retreatment was 6 months. Overall response rate was 53.8% with 19 partial responses (48.7%) and 2 complete responses (5.1%). Disease stabilization was obtained in 35.9% of patients and progression in 4 patients (10.2%). Median time to progression was 6.6 months. The correlation between skin toxicity during first cetuximab therapy and during cetuximab rechallenge was significant (p= .01). Conclusions: Rechallenge with the same cetuximab-based therapy may achieve a new important clinical benefit further delaying the progression of disease and improving the therapeutic options

The Role of Edge Effects on Emerald Ash Borer Infestation and Forest Responses

The emerald ash borer (EAB; Agrilus planipennis) is a buprestid beetle native to Asia, classified as an invasive species in North America. EAB infests trees of genus Fraxinus (ash) and has spread to 35 states since its introduction in the early to mid-1990s. Notably, EAB has the potential to functionally extirpate all native ash species in North America. Our study aims to characterize the ecological impacts of EAB infestation in the Roanoke Valley of Southwest Virginia, to quantify the impact of edge effects on EAB forest invasion and mortality of ash trees, as well as investigate the role that forest edge effects play in forest regeneration post-ash tree mortality. In 2017, twelve forested study sites, six with ash trees and six without (e.g. controls), were established in the Roanoke Valley. Data were collected annually through 2020 on tree species composition and growth, as well as understory woody species composition. Signs of EAB infestation and ash mortality were tracked via a dieback scoring system at the ash sites across all study years. Significant increases in dieback scores of large (\u3e12-cm DBH) and small (\u3c12-cm DBH) trees across all years were documented, indicating progressive mortality of ash trees. Large trees had significantly higher dieback scores than small trees indicating more rapid progression of mortality, particularly in 2019 and 2020. Finally, while there were significantly less ash seedlings at the edge of ash sites (8.04 +/- 0.98) than in the core ( 20.20 +/- 2.27), there were no significant changes over time in the mean number of ash seedlings in the edge or core of ash sites. This may be due to harsher microclimatic conditions in the edge leading to lower seed production and/or recruitment. Because percent cover of invasive vine species was significantly higher at the edge of ash sites (14.22 +/- 3.02%) than in the core (6.51 +/- 3.27%), the survival of ash seedlings at the forest edge may be suppressed and thus survival of ash in these forests may be dependent upon the survival of ash seedlings in the core

In Brief: Myeloid-derived suppressor cells in cancer

The role of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) in cancer development has become clear over recent years, and MDSC targeting is an emerging opportunity for enhancing the effectiveness of current anticancer therapies. As MDSCs are not only able to limit anti-tumour T-cell responses, but also to promote tumour angiogenesis and invasion, their monitoring has prognostic and predictive value. Herein, we review the key features of MDSCs in cancer promotion

Modelli e algoritmi di routing non lineare per l'integrazione planning-scheduling in produzione

Questo lavoro di tesi propone un algoritmo ACO (Ant Colony Optimization) per risolvere il problema di integrazione del ciclo di lavorazione (produzione) con lo scheduling dell’impianto produttivo (Multimode Flexible Job Shop Problem). Il problema considerato è un’estensione del classico problema di scheduling della produzione (Job Shop), che considera i seguenti tipi di flessibilità: i) parti (assiemi) con processi alternativi di lavorazione e/o montaggio (non linear routing); ii) macchine alternative per la lavorazione e/o montaggio (resource flessibilità); iii) modi (metodi, processi) alternativi di lavorazione e/o montaggio (multimode). Il sistema di produzione, considerando questi tre tipi di flessibilità, ha una maggiore robustezza in casi di cambiamenti nell’ambiente di lavoro, quali guasti/manutenzione di macchine, utensili e sistemi di movimentazione, indisponibilità dei pezzi, nuove commesse di lavorazione, ecc. Il sistema proposto utilizza un algoritmo di list scheduling per generare uno schedule ammissibile, visitando ogni nodo del grafo una ed una sola volta, con l’obiettivo di minimizzare il makespan. L’algoritmo è stato sviluppato in C++ ed è stato testato con vari benchmark di letteratura

Women Of Nashville: A Magazine

Short essay about the origin of Women Of Nashville: A Magazin

Canagliflozin To Slow Renal Insufficiency Progression in Non-Diabetic Chronic Kidney Disease

Chronic kidney disease is a serious illness that reduces the life span and quality of life in diagnosed patients. Despite advancements in medical management, progression to end-stage renal disease persists. While the renoprotective effects of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors in diabetes mellitus patients are well-documented, no studies have examined the efficacy of these drugs in treating renal disease in the absence of diabetes mellitus. The objective of this trial is to determine whether canagliflozin, a sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor, can improve renal outcomes in patients with non-diabetic chronic kidney disease. Utilizing a double-blind, randomized control trial design, we will examine the effects of canagliflozin on patients’ glomerular filtration rate and progression to end-stage renal disease. We hypothesize that adding canagliflozin to the standard of care, including a maximum tolerated labeled dose of an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin II receptor blocker, will decrease the mean glomerular filtration rate decline per year