The residue fields of a zero-dimensional ring

AbstractGilmer and Heinzer have considered the question: For an indexed family of fields oK = {Kα}αgEA, under what conditions does there exist a zero-dimensional ring R (always commutative with unity) such that oK is up to isomorphism the family of residue fields {RMα}αgEA of R? If oK is the family of residue fields of a zero-dimensional ring R, then the associated bijection from the index set A to the spectrum of R (with the Zariski topology) gives A the topology of a Boolean space. The present paper considers the following question: Given a field F, a Boolean space X and a family {Kx}xgEX of extension fields of F, under what conditions does there exist a zero-dimensional F-algebra R such that oK is up to F-isomorphism the family of residue fields of R and the associated bijection from X to Spec(R) is a homeomorphism? A necessary condition is that given x in X and any finite extension E of F in Kx, there exist a neighborhood V of x and, for each y in V, an F-embedding of E into Ky. We prove several partial converses of this result, under hypotheses which allow the “straightening” of the F-embeddings to make them compatible. We give particular attention to the cases where X has only one accumulation point and where X is countable; and we provide several examples

Vermonters’ Opinions on Low-Dose CT Lung Cancer Screening

Introduction: Lung cancer is the number one cause of cancer death among men and women in Vermont and the United States. Smoking increases the risk of lung cancer—nearly 90% of lung cancer is due to smoking. Frequently, lung cancers do not present clinically until they are advanced stage and therefore prognosis is poor. However, if detected early lung cancers are more operable and patients have better outcomes. In December 2013 the US Preventive Services Task Force released new guidelines for lung cancer screening among current and former smokers ages 55 to 80. It is recommended that current and former (within 15 years of quitting) smokers of 30 pack years receive an annual low-dose CT scan. The objective of this project was to assess the level of knowledge and attitudes towards lung cancer screening with low-dose CT scanning among Vermonters in the Burlington area.https://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/1205/thumbnail.jp

Impact of health insurance expansions on nonelderly adults with hypertension.

Introduction Hypertension is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD), the leading cause of death in the United States. The treatment and control of hypertension is inadequate, especially among patients without health insurance coverage. The Affordable Care Act offered an opportunity to improve hypertension management by increasing the number of people covered by insurance. This study predicts the long-term effects of improved hypertension treatment rates due to insurance expansions on the prevalence and mortality rates of CVD of nonelderly Americans with hypertension. Methods We developed a state-transition model to simulate the lifetime health events of the population aged 25 to 64 years. We modeled the effects of insurance coverage expansions on the basis of published findings on the relationship between insurance coverage, use of antihypertensive medications, and CVD-related events and deaths. Results The model projected that currently anticipated health insurance expansions would lead to a 5.1% increase in treatment rate among hypertensive patients. Such an increase in treatment rate is estimated to lead to 111,000 fewer new coronary heart disease events, 63,000 fewer stroke events, and 95,000 fewer CVD-related deaths by 2050. The estimated benefits were slightly greater for men than for women and were greater among nonwhite populations. Conclusion Federal and state efforts to expand insurance coverage among nonelderly adults could yield significant health benefits in terms of CVD prevalence and mortality rates and narrow the racial/ethnic disparities in health outcomes for patients with hypertension

Land-Based Wind Energy Cost Trends in Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Norway, Sweden and the UnitedStates

This paper presents work by the International Energy Agency’s Task 26 ‘Cost of Wind Energy’ on technological and cost trends in land-based wind energy in six participating countries (Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Norway, Sweden, United States) and the European Union between 2008 and 2016. Results indicate that there is a general trend towards larger, taller machines with lower specific powers resulting in higher capacity factors, despite small falls in new site wind resources in most countries, while wind project capital costs and project finance costs also fell. This resulted in an average levelized cost of energy (LCOE) fall of 33% for new projects to 48€/MWh at the end of the study period. Analysis of the components of levelized cost change indicated that changes in specific power, financing cost and capital cost accounted for 45%, 25% and 17% respectively of the estimated reduction. It is therefore important that trends in technological factors such as specific power are considered when assessing wind energy learning rates, rather than just capital costs, which has been the primary focus heretofore. While LCOEs have fallen, the value of wind energy has fallen proportionately more, meaning grid parity appears no closer than at the beginning of the study. Policymakers must therefore consider both the cost and value of wind energy, and understand the volatility of this gap when designing land-based wind energy policy measures

Determinants of Breast Conservation Rates: Reasons for Mastectomy at a Comprehensive Cancer Center

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/75345/1/j.1524-4741.2008.00668.x.pd

H5N1 highly pathogenic avian influenza clade 2.3.4.4b in wild and domestic birds: Introductions into the United States and reassortments, December 2021–April 2022

Highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses (HPAIVs) of the A/goose/Guangdong/1/1996 lineage H5 clade 2.3.4.4b continue to have a devastating effect on domestic and wild birds. Full genome sequence analyses using 1369 H5N1 HPAIVs detected in the United States (U.S.) in wild birds, commercial poultry, and backyard flocks from December 2021 to April 2022, showed three phylogenetically distinct H5N1 virus introductions in the U.S. by wild birds. Unreassorted Eurasian genotypes A1 and A2 entered the Northeast Atlantic states, whereas a genetically distinct A3 genotype was detected in Alaska. The A1 genotype spread westward via wild bird migration and reassorted with North American wild bird avian influenza viruses. Reassortments of up to five internal genes generated a total of 21 distinct clusters; of these, six genotypes represented 92% of the HPAIVs examined. By phylodynamic analyses, most detections in domestic birds were shown to be point-source transmissions from wild birds, with limited farm-to-farm spread

Effect of Maternal Exercise on Adverse Cardio-Pulmonary Responses in Offspring Exposed to Post-Natal Chronic Hypoxia

Emerging evidence shows exercise by women throughout pregnancy (i.e., maternal exercise) endows the offspring with positive health benefits and resistance to many diseases later in life. PURPOSE: To determine if maternal exercise reduces unfavorable cardiopulmonary development and improves exercise capacity in offspring after chronic hypoxic exposure throughout early life. METHODS: Female adult C57BL/6J mice were randomly assigned to one of the following groups: high altitude, sedentary (HS), high altitude, active (HE), or the respective, low-altitude conditions (LS or LE). Pregnant females in the exercise groups performed voluntary wheel running during mating and the perinatal period (about 4 weeks). Three days after birth, the pups in the high-altitude groups were exposed to chronic hypobaric hypoxia (450mmHg). When pups were eight weeks old, body size (weight and tail length) was measured and exercise capacity was assessed via a Rotarod test. Terminal procedures were performed to measure right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP), hematocrit, and heart remodeling (Fulton’s Index: right ventricular weight ratio to bodyweight (RV/BW) and to the left ventricle plus septum (RV/LV+S)). RESULTS: All variables measured had a main effect for altitude (pCONCLUSION: Chronic hypoxia decreases exercise capacity and attenuates growth. This stress also induces potentially harmful cardiovascular changes, such as high blood viscosity, RVSP, and right ventricular hypertrophy. Our results indicate that maternal exercise may attenuate some of the negative effects of chronic hypoxia in the offspring, but does not prevent significant development impairments

A phase I clinical study of vaccination of melanoma patients with dendritic cells loaded with allogeneic apoptotic/necrotic melanoma cells. Analysis of toxicity and immune response to the vaccine and of IL-10 -1082 promoter genotype as predictor of disease progression

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Sixteen melanoma patients (1 stage IIC, 8 stage III, and 7 stage IV) were treated in a Phase I study with a vaccine (DC/Apo-Nec) composed of autologous dendritic cells (DCs) loaded with a mixture of apoptotic/necrotic allogeneic melanoma cell lines (Apo-Nec), to evaluate toxicity and immune responses. Also, IL-10 1082 genotype was analyzed in an effort to predict disease progression.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>PBMC were obtained after leukapheresis and DCs were generated from monocytes cultured in the presence of GM-CSF and IL-4 in serum-free medium. Immature DCs were loaded with gamma-irradiated Apo-Nec cells and injected id without adjuvant. Cohorts of four patients were given four vaccines each with 5, 10, 15, or 20 × 10⁶DC/Apo-Nec cell per vaccine, two weeks apart. Immune responses were measured by ELISpot and tetramer analysis. Il-10 genotype was measured by PCR and corroborated by IL-10 production by stimulated PBMC.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Immature DCs efficiently phagocytosed melanoma Apo-Nec cells and matured after phagocytosis as evidenced by increased expression of CD83, CD80, CD86, HLA class I and II, and 75.2 ± 16% reduction in Dextran-FITC endocytosis. CCR7 was also up-regulated upon Apo-Nec uptake in DCs from all patients, and accordingly DC/Apo-Nec cells were able to migrate <it>in vitro </it>toward MIP-3 beta. The vaccine was well tolerated in all patients. The DTH score increased significantly in all patients after the first vaccination (Mann-Whitney Test, p < 0.05). The presence of CD8⁺T lymphocytes specific to gp100 and Melan A/MART-1 Ags was determined by ELISpot and tetramer analysis in five HLA-A*0201 patients before and after vaccination; one patient had stable elevated levels before and after vaccination; two increased their CD8 + levels, one had stable moderate and one had negligible levels. The analysis of IL-10 promoter -1082 polymorphism in the sixteen patients showed a positive correlation between AA genotype, accompanied by lower <it>in vitro </it>IL-10 production by stimulated PBMC, and faster melanoma progression after lymph nodes surgery (p = 0.04). With a mean follow-up of 49.5 months post-surgery, one stage IIC patient and 7/8 stage III patients remain NED but 7/7 stage IV patients have progressed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We conclude that DC/Apo-Nec vaccine is safe, well tolerated and it may induce specific immunity against melanoma Ags. Patients with a low-producing IL-10 polymorphism appear to have a worst prognosis.</p> <p>Trial registration</p> <p>Clinicaltrials.gov (NHI) NCT00515983</p