cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Histological assessment of organs in sexually mature and post-spawning steelhead trout and insights into iteroparity

Steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are anadromous and iteroparous, but repeat-spawning rates are generally low. Like other anadromous salmonids, steelhead trout fast during freshwater spawning migrations, but little is known about the changes that occur in vital organs and tissues. We hypothesized that fish capable of repeat-spawning would not undergo the same irreversible degeneration and cellular necrosis documented in semelparous salmon. Using Snake River steelhead trout as a model we used histological analysis to assess the cellular architecture in the pyloric stomach, ovary, liver, and spleen in sexually mature and kelt steelhead trout. We observed 38 % of emigrating kelts with food or fecal material in the gastrointestinal tract. Evidence of feeding was more likely in good condition kelts, and feeding was associated with a significant renewal of villi in the pyloric stomach. No vitellogenic oocytes were observed in sections of kelt ovaries, but perinu- cleolar and early/late stage cortical alveolus oocytes were present suggesting iteroparity was possible. We documented a negative correlation between the quan- tity of perinucleolar oocytes in ovarian tissues and fork length of kelts suggesting that larger steelhead trout may invest more into a single spawning event. Liver and spleen tissues of both mature and kelt steelhead trout had minimal cellular necroses. Our findings indicate that the physiological processes causing rapid senescence and death in semelparous salmon are not evident in steelhead trout, and recovery begins in fresh water. Future management efforts to increase itero- parity in steelhead trout and Atlantic salmon must consider the physiological processes that influence post-spawning recovery.
Practitioners’ use of single system evaluation: Is the glass half full or half empty?

Abstract This study describes the results of a survey on the use of clinical evaluation principles and procedures among social work practitioners. As part of the second‐year research curriculum in their master's degree program, these practitioners had been involved in a year‐long course and project experience in single system methodology as applied to non‐behavioral practice. Findings support the effectiveness of this research experience in helping graduates engage in practice evaluation procedures. They used SSD procedures with an average of 74% of their cases. The procedures most frequently used included operationalizing problems and goals, involving the client in monitoring change over time, and recording goals in the case record. In addition, the majority of respondents identified the impact of the course on their ability to conceptualize practice activities and to communicate their thinking about a case more effectively to colleagues. The implications of these findings for current methods of teaching...
Improvements and refinements to the H.F. band body-radio coupling model

The effects of a nearby biological body on the efficiency and radiation patterns of a small hand-held radio operating in the HF band are determined by computer modeling. The paper represents a summary of the improvements and modifications made to the model in the period from the SSST'93 presentation (Cooper and Radcliff, 1993). The modifications include using a closed-form expression for the near fields of a center-fed finite-length dipole used to model the radio (Balanis, 1982), including the scattered field when determining the input impedance of the dipole (Nyquist et al., 1977), and adding a complex Gaussian quadrature numerical integration routine. The assumptions stated in the previous investigation are still employed in them present paper; due to the small electrical size of the dipole, the coupling effect between the dipole and body is negligible and subsequently disregarded. A moment method is used to solve a volumetric integral equation for the equivalent polarization currents in the biological body. >
Atomic Friction Modulation on the Reconstructed Au(111) Surface

Friction between a nanoscale tip and a reconstructed Au(111) surface is investigated both by atomic force microscopy (AFM) and molecular statics calculations. Lateral force AFM images exhibit atomic lattice stick–slip behavior with a superstructure corresponding to the herringbone reconstruction pattern. However, the superstructure contrast is not primarily due to variations in the local frictional dissipation (which corresponds to the local width of the friction loop). Rather, the contrast occurs primarily because the local centerline position of the friction loop is periodically shifted from its usual value of zero. Qualitatively, similar behavior is reproduced in atomistic simulations of an AFM tip sliding on the reconstructed Au(111) substrate. In both simulations and experiments, this centerline modulation effect is not observed on unreconstructed surfaces. Similarly, using a topographically flat surface as a hypothetical control system, the simulations show that the centerline modulation is not caused by variations in the reconstructed surface’s topography. Rather, we attribute it to the long-range variation of the local average value of the tip-sample interaction potential that arises from the surface reconstruction. In other words, surface atoms located at unfavorable sites, i.e., in the transition between face-centered-cubic (FCC) and hexagonal-close-packed (HCP) regions, have a higher surface free energy. This leads to a varying conservative force which locally shifts the centerline position of the friction force. This demonstrates that stick–slip behavior in AFM can serve as a rather sensitive probe of the local energetics of surface atoms, with an attainable lateral spatial resolution of a few nanometers.
Measuring constraint-set utility for partitional clustering algorithms

Clustering with constraints is an active area of machine learning and data mining research. Previous empirical work has convincingly shown that adding constraints to clustering improves performance, with respect to the true data labels. However, in most of these experiments, results are averaged over different randomly chosen constraint sets, thereby masking interesting properties of individual sets. We demonstrate that constraint sets vary significantly in how useful they are for constrained clustering; some constraint sets can actually decrease algorithm performance. We create two quantitative measures, informativeness and coherence, that can be used to identify useful constraint sets. We show that these measures can also help explain differences in performance for four particular constrained clustering algorithms.
Population Trends of Tundra-Nesting Birds at Cape Churchill, Manitoba, in Relation to Increasing Goose Populations

Abstract To assess potential changes in tundra-nesting bird populations relative to increased herbivory by growing Lesser Snow Goose (Chen caerulescens caerulescens) and Ross's Goose (C. rossii) populations, we estimated avian population densities in coastal tundra near Cape Churchill, Manitoba, Canada in June 1984, 1999, and 2000. We also compared bird abundance in altered and intact freshwater sedge (Carex spp.) meadows to assess bird response at a smaller spatial scale, the habitat patch. At the landscape scale, Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) densities were significantly greater in both 1999 and 2000 than 1984, and Semipalmated Sandpiper (Calidris pusilla) and Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis) densities were greater in 2000 than 1984. As a group, tundra-nesting passerine densities were significantly greater in 1999 than 1984. Dunlin (Calidris alpina) densities were significantly lower in 1999 than 1984, and many larger, ground-nesting birds declined in abundance and occurrence along transec...
Safe and Cost Effective Use of Alteplase for the Clearance of Occluded Central Venous Access Devices

PURPOSE: To determine whether cryopreserved solutions of the thrombolytic agent alteplase could be used as a safe, effective, and economically reasonable alternative to urokinase in patients presenting with occluded central venous access devices (CVADs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Alteplase has been reported as an efficacious alternative to urokinase for treatment of occluded CVADs. However, the practicality of using alteplase as the thrombolytic of choice for this indication remained conjectural. To make this approach economically feasible, alteplase was diluted to 1 mg/mL and 2.5-mL aliquots were stored at −20°C until use. A need to confirm that the cryopreserving and thawing of the reconstituted solution did not compromise the safety and efficacy reported from prior trials was recognized. A quality assessment initiative was undertaken to concurrently monitor the safety and efficacy of this approach. Patients presenting with occluded CVADs received a sufficient volume of the thawed alteplase solution to fil...
Artificial general intelligence and classical neural network

The research goal of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and the notion of Classical Neural Network (CNN) are specified. With respect to the requirements of AGI, the strength and weakness of CNN are discussed, in the aspects of knowledge representation, learning process, and overall objective of the system. To resolve the issues in CNN in a general and efficient way remains a challenge to future neural network research.
Brugada syndrome vs. pulmonary embolism vs. paradoxical embolism—what are we to believe?

In a recent case report published in a prominent medical journal, a patient with acute pulmonary embolism was misdiagnosed as Brugada syndrome because of the presence of ST-segment elevation in the right precordial leads in conjunction with an incomplete right bundle branch block on the ECG. Unfortunately, acute pulmonary embolism per se could not explain the ST-segment elevation in V1 and V2 in the described patient; right heart strain secondary to acute pulmonary embolism should cause ST-segment depression
Stress, Quality of Life and Physical Activity in Women with Varying Degrees of Premenstrual Symptomatology

Premenstrual symptomatology, stress, quality of life (QOL) and exercise frequency, volume, and intensity were assessed in 114 females (18-33 years). Based on premenstrual symptoms (PMS), women were divided into high and low PMS groups and compared on stress, QOL and exercise variables. Results revealed women with high PMS had significantly more stress and poorer QOL than women with low PMS (p <.05 for both comparisons). Groups did not significantly differ on any of the exercise variables. Further analyses were performed to determine if exercise variables impacted PMS symptoms, stress and QOL reports in the high PMS group. While exercise volume and intensity did not impact any of the variables assessed, women with high PMS who reported exercising "sometimes" had more stress than women who reported exercising "often" or "never". This nonlinear relationship suggests that women with the worst symptoms may respond by exercising, while women who exercise often or never do not associate exercise with their symptoms.
Transparency, career concerns, and incentives for acquiring expertise

An agent, who cares about signaling his ability, chooses among dierent projects that generate observable outcomes. The agent's information about which project de- livers a good outcome depends on both his ability and his eort. This paper examines how the agent's incentives for eort change depending on whether or not the agent's project choice is observed. If this choice is publicly observed, the agent's project choice is distorted towards particular types of projects. When the outcomes of these advan- taged projects are particularly sensitive to the agent's information, such transparency boosts the agent's information-gathering incentives. However, when public observa- tion of project choice leads the agent to choose information-insensitive projects, then such transparency dampens incentives. This provides a more nuanced view of the implications of action transparency in the literature on career concerns for experts.
A fault tolerant algorithm for distributed mutual exclusion

A fault-tolerant mutual exclusion algorithm for distributed systems is presented. The algorithm uses a distributed queue strategy and maintains alternative paths at each site to provide a high degree of fault tolerance. However, owing to these alternative paths, the algorithm must use reverse messages to avoid the occurrence of directed cycles, which may form when the direction of edges is reversed after the token passes through. If there is no alternative path, the total number of the messages exchanged is O (2*log N) in light traffic and two messages in heavy traffic; however, in this case the system cannot tolerate even a single communication link or site failure. If there are alternative paths between sites, the system can achieve a higher degree of fault tolerance at the expense of increased message traffic (owing to reverse messages). Thus, there is a tradeoff between efficiency and reliability, and a system can be designed to balance these two criteria properly. A recovery procedure for restoring a recovering site consistently into the system is also presented. >
The pathology of malignant catarrhal fever, with an emphasis on ovine herpesvirus 2.

The enigmatic pathogenesis of malignant catarrhal fever (MCF) involves dysregulated immune responses in susceptible ruminant species. Economically important outbreaks of MCF are due to 2 of the 10 viruses currently comprising the malignant catarrhal fever virus group: ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2) and alcelaphine herpesvirus 1 (AlHV-1). Attempts to develop effective vaccines for this group of viruses in the 1970s were sufficiently discouraging that they were temporarily abandoned. This review focuses on recent efforts to understand the pathogenesis of MCF, particularly the sheep-associated form of the disease, with the goal of developing rational control methods, including vaccination. The past 2 decades have seen several advances, including recognition of new members of the MCF virus group, better diagnostic assays, induction of disease by a natural route (aerosol), and clearer understanding of OvHV-2’s shedding patterns by domestic sheep. A consistent theme in experimental studies of OvHV-2 in susceptible species is that there are 2 peaks of OvHV-2 gene expression: a preclinical peak involving the respiratory tract and a second in multiple organ systems leading to clinical disease. Latent and lytic gene expression may coexist in tissues during clinical stages in symptomatic animals.
Effects of Parameterized Diffusion on Simulated Hurricanes

AbstractIn this study the authors analyze and interpret the effects of parameterized diffusion on the nearly steady axisymmetric numerical simulations of hurricanes presented in a recent study. In that study it was concluded that horizontal diffusion was the most important control factor for the maximum simulated hurricane intensity. Through budget analysis it is shown here that horizontal diffusion is a major contributor to the angular momentum budget in the boundary layer of the numerically simulated storms. Moreover, a new scale analysis recognizing the anisotropic nature of the parameterized model diffusion shows why the horizontal diffusion plays such a dominant role. A simple analytical model is developed that captures the essence of the effect. The role of vertical diffusion in the boundary layer in the aforementioned numerical simulations is more closely examined here. It is shown that the boundary layer in these simulations is consistent with known analytical solutions in that boundary layer dept...
Real-time RT-PCR for quantitation of hepatitis C virus RNA

A newly developed real-time RT-polymerase chain reaction assay for quantitation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in human plasma and serum was applied. A pair of primers and a probe (molecular beacon) were designed that are specific for the recognition of a highly conservative 5'-non-coding region (5'-NCR) in HCV genome. HCV real-time RT-PCR assay had a sensitivity of 1000 RNA copies per reaction, with a dynamic range of detection between 10(3) and 10(7) RNA copies. The coefficient variation of threshold cycle (Ct) values in intra- and inter-runs were less than 1.37 and 4.66%, respectively. The real-time RT-PCR assay on the HCV sero-positive samples yielded reproducible data, with less than 2.09% of the inter-assay variation. In order to determine its potential for clinical diagnosis, real-time RT-PCR was used to examine the HCV RNA levels in plasma from sero-positive and negative subjects, showing that the assay is highly sensitive and has specificity of 100%. It was demonstrated that the real-time RT-PCR was able to amplify HCV RNA in reference sera with seven genotypes (1A, 1B, 2B, 3A, 4, 5A and 6A) that include six major HCV genotypes circulated in the world. Since HCV is a major pathogen of post-transfusion and community-transmitted non-A, non-B hepatitis, this assay has a broad application for basic and clinical investigations.
Low-frequency, bottom-interacting pulse propagation in range-dependent oceans

An asymptotic-numerical model for low-frequency, bottom-interfacing pulse propagation in the ocean is derived. This model, referred to as the progressive wave equation (PWE), works in the time domain using an approach analogous to the parabolic equation method that is commonly used in the frequency domain. The mode handles depth and range variations in the speed of sound, density, and attenuation. The attenuation is assumed to depend linearly on frequency in the sediment. A numerical solution for the PWE was derived, and the accuracy of the asymptotics, numerics, and starting field was demonstrated with a benchmark. >
Alaskan North Slope Geology

The discovery well for the Prudhoe Bay field, the largest oil accumulatn yet found in the United States, was drilled on the Arctic coast of Alaska by ARCO and Exxon in 1968. A decade of exploratory geology and increasingly detailed geophysical surveys, mostly by Sinclair and British Petroleum in the early years, but then by a number of companies, preceded the discovery. Systematic U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reconnaissance of the Brooks Range—the great mountain system of northern Alaska—had begun in the 1940s and was accelerated after the discovery, as was industry work. In the last decade, scientists from the Alaska Division of Geology and Geophysics and from various universities have become increasingly involved. This modestly priced two-volume work presents hitherto unavailable summaries of much of this modern work.
Impaired endothelial function in coronary heart disease patients with depressive symptomatology.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to assess whether depressive symptomatology was associated with vascular endothelial dysfunction in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). Background In patients with CHD, the presence of depression is associated with a two to four times increased risk of mortality, but the disease pathways involved are uncertain. Endothelial dysfunction is an established risk factor for cardiovascular events in patients with CHD. Methods Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery, a measure of endothelial function, was assessed in 143 patients (99 men, 44 women), ages 40 to 84 years (mean age, 63 ± 10 years), with documented CHD. Results Patients with significant depressive symptomatology, as indicated by a Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score ≥10 (n = 47) showed attenuated FMD (p = 0.001) compared with patients that were not depressed (BDI Conclusions The increased risk of cardiovascular events in CHD patients with elevated symptoms of depression may be mediated, in part, by endothelial dysfunction.
Reliability and Validity of the Commitment to Physical Activity Scale for Adolescents.

Abstract Purpose. To examine psychometric properties of a Commitment to Physical Activity Scale for Adolescents (CPASA). Design. Two test-retest studies and a prospective study, approved by a university institutional review board, were conducted in midwestern U.S. urban areas. Setting. The first test-retest study occurred in four community centers, the second test-retest study took place in a community school, and the prospective study occurred in eight middle schools. Subjects. To measure commitment at baseline and 1 week later, 51 girls in the first test-retest study completed an original 26-item scale, and 91 in the second test-retest study completed a revised 11-item scale. In the prospective study, 503 girls completed the 11-item scale. Measures. Commitment was measured via the CPASA. After completing the CPASA, girls in the prospective study wore ActiGraph GT3X-plus accelerometers that measured light, moderate, and vigorous physical activity (LMVPA) and moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA)....
Kodak versus Fuji (A): A Section 301 Petition: Kodak Accuses Fuji of Unfair Trade

This series of cases (see also the B [UVA-BP-0372] and C [UVA-BP-0373] cases) examines Eastman Kodak's Section 301 petition against Fuji Film Company of Japan and the Japanese government, Fuji's response, and the U.S. trade representative's role in the dispute. The cases are a vehicle for discussing key aspects of U.S. trade policy, the World Trade Organization, and the nature of global competition in the photographic-film industry.
A Possible Experimental Approach to the Association of Hereditary α1-Antitrypsin Deficiency and Pulmonary Emphysema.

SummaryProteolytic enzymes from various cellular sources were tested against pro-teinase inhibitors of human serum. Serum α1-antitrypsin was shown to inhibit the proteolytic enzymes of human leucocytes. This finding was interpreted in relation to the association between ai-antitrypsin deficiency and pulmonary emphysema.
Endoscopic Treatment of Vesicoileal Anastomotic Stricture

ABSTRACT A 26-year-old man with anastomotic stricture at the junction of an ileal ureter and the bladder was managed successfully by endoureterotomy. Follow-up at 18 months indicated the absence of recurrent stricture. To our knowledge, endourologic management of an ileovesical anastomotic stricture has not been reported previously.
UPSTREAM USE OF ELECTRONIC DATA TO DISCOVER PATIENTS ELIGIBLE FOR ADVANCED HEART FAILURE THERAPIES

About 5% - 10% of heart failure (HF) patients have advanced disease, some of whom may be candidates for advanced HF therapies including heart transplantation and left ventricular assist devices (LVAD). To guide the appropriate recognition and timely referral of these patients, we evaluated the
Genetic Heterogeneity of Kidney Cancer

Clinicians have long suspected that significant heterogeneity may exist within individual tumors and their metastases. Patients with metastatic renal cell cancer (RCC) are known to develop mixed responses to therapy suggesting the presence of tumor subclones and clonal selection. Advances in laboratory techniques – including next generation sequencing – have provided new means of understanding RCC intra tumor heterogeneity and clomal evolution. This chapter briefly summarizes the state-of-the-art in RCC hetero geneity research and highlights potential clinical implicatiuons.
Realization of Programming for Fast Drawing of 3D Bitmap Based Terrain

Realistic 3-D terrain is the foundation of a virtual scene and whose rendering speed and quality are the key to the construction of virtual scene. By building a correspondence between the gray value of Bitmap and the height of terrain to create the data array of the Digital Elevation Model,the system was used to draw the 3D mesh terrain based on MFC of Visual C + + and OpenGL. In order to rendering the realistic terrain,the normal vector of the 3D mesh terrain was processed repeatedly and the shading effect was rendered by the lighting and texture mapping. Finally,the whole 3D terrain in the visual scene was drawn rapidly by programming with OpenGL.
Efficacy observation of grading nursing intervention on prevention of sudden medical accidents in high-risk patients

Objective To improve the diagnosis model to prevent sudden medical accidents in high-risk patients in the outpatient department.Methods The relevant data on high-risk patients in the outpatient department before and after grading nursing intervention were collected.The observation indices include the incidence rate of sudden medical accidents,the mortality and death counts.The effects on prevention of sudden medical accidents in high-risk patients were compared after grading nursing intervention.Results After nursing interventions,each index of sudden medical accidents mentioned above was declined with varying degrees.The differences were statistically significant when those indices were compared with previous indices(P0.01).Conclusion The application of regular grading nursing intervention in the outpatient department can regulate the behaviors of nursing staff,improve their sense of responsibility,conscientiously improve their ability to foresee and prevent risks and ultimately enhance their rescue ability.It also can improve the nursing quality and service connotations,reduce incidence rates of accidents and mortality,avoid medical disputes,and decrease losses both in finance and social reputation.
Treatment of chronic hidradenitis suppurativa: surgical modification.

Chronic hidradenitis suppurativa causes painful discomfort as well as social embarrassment. An intensive search for adequate therapy has not yielded a widely accepted method for treating the different stages of this disease. A surgical modification which drained the chronic foci of infection and eliminated the cavity lining was successful in 35 patients treated by the authors. They recommend that even a single chronic lesion should be treated by this method.
Survival Impact of Early Post-Transplant Toxicities in Pediatric and Adolescent Patients Undergoing Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Malignant and Nonmalignant Diseases: Recognizing Risks and Optimizing Outcomes.

Abstract In pediatric and adolescent patients undergoing allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation, treatment-related toxicities remain a clinical challenge. A paucity of data investigates the risks for and survival impact of treatment-related toxicities in this population. Here the authors assess the relative toxicity of myeloablative, reduced-toxicity, and reduced-intensity conditioning regimens; identify patient-related predictors of post-transplant toxicities; and investigate the impact of early post-transplant toxicities on transplant-related mortality (TRM). In this retrospective study, 164 patients (aged 1 to 22 years) underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation after busulfan-based conditioning for malignant and nonmalignant diseases between 2000 and 2014. The number of grades III to IV toxicities between days 0 and +30 was calculated for each patient. TRM was calculated to 2 years. Median patient age was 9 years, and median number of toxicities was 3 (range, 0 to 17). The 100-person day incidence of post-transplant toxicities in myeloablative conditioning was not different from the incidence in reduced-toxicity conditioning (13.88 versus 13.59, P = .812). Reduced intensity was less toxic than both myeloablative and reduced toxicity (13.75 versus 8.41, P
Long-term follow-up of periodic limb movements in sleep in older adults.

Study Objectives: The goal of this study was to examine the natural history of periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS) in older adults. Design: Prospective, longitudinal design. Setting: San Diego area. Participants: Community-dwelling older adults. Interventions: NA Measurements and Results: Subjects participated in follow-up visits every few years. Sleep disorders were assessed at each visit using sleep questionnaires and overnight sleep recordings. Changes in PLMS over time were examined as well as variables that were associated with change. Average PLMS did not change over time, although there was considerable variability within the sample. In women, changes in PLMS were associated with changes in sleep-disordered breathing. This relationship was not found in men. Conclusions: Although the prevalence of PLMS is high for older adults, the severity of the disorder does not progressively worsen with increasing age.
A security architecture for computational grids

State-of-the-art and emerging scientific applications require fast access to large quantities of data and commensurately fast computational resources. Both resources and data are often distributed in a wide-area network with components administered locally and independently. Computations may involve hundreds of processes that must be able to acquire resources dynamically and communicate efficiently. This paper analyzes the unique security requirements of large-scale distributed (grid) computing and develops a security policy and a corresponding security architecture. An implementation of the architecture within the Globus metacomputing toolkit is discussed.
Effect of Fiber Aspect Ratio on Ultimate Properties of Short-Fiber Composites

The maximum fiber utilization efficiency is achieved for short fiber composites by aligning the fibers with the directions of major applied stresses, by controlling the fiber aspect ratio and volume fraction, and by choosing the appropriate type of fiber and matrix. In developing design equations to predict mechanical behavior, it is helpful to begin with a well-aligned short fiber system. The use of well-aligned systems allows one to isolate the strong effects of fiber aspect ratio and orientation distribution on the mechanical behavior and fracture mechanisms.
Fulminant Amebic Colitis after Corticosteroid Therapy: A Systematic Review.

Background Amebic colitis, caused by intestinal infection with the parasite, Entamoeba histolytica, is a common cause of diarrhea worldwide. Fulminant amebic colitis is the most devastating complication of this infection, associated with both high mortality and morbidity. We conducted a review of the English literature to describe cases of fulminant amebic colitis associated with exposure to corticosteroid medications in order to identify the risk factors for poor outcome and determine difficulties in diagnosis and treatment. Methodology and Principal Findings Articles reporting severe and fulminant forms of amebic colitis between 1991 and 2016 were collected. 525 records were screened to identify 24 cases for qualitative analysis associated with corticosteroid use. Cases arose from areas of high endemicity or travel to such areas. Most cases (14 of 24, 58%) were given corticosteroids for initially misdiagnosed colitis, mainly inflammatory bowel, resulting in rapid progression of disease. Nearly half of all cases underwent surgical intervention, and 25% of cases died, despite all patients eventually receiving treatment with metronidazole. The odds of death did not differ significantly by prior misdiagnosis, co-morbidities, bowel perforation or need for surgery. Conclusions and Significance Infection with E. histolytica should be considered prior to the administration of corticosteroids, in particular for patients residing in endemic areas or those with appropriate travel history, especially prior to the diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease. The development of preventative and treatment interventions are needed to improve outcomes of fulminant disease.
Time Frames for Saving the Planet

Professor Brooks’ paper projects an aura of inevitable catastrophe. He correctly notes that the climate is always changing and that somewhere in the near or far future there will always be somethin...
Abstract 14147: The Non-Linear Relationship of Pulse Pressure to Mortality at the 22 year Follow-Up of the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program

Introduction: An association of pulse pressure (PP) with mortality has been reported. However, scant data are available on long-term follow-up in placebo controlled clinical trials and on the shape of the relationship between PP and all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) death. Hypothesis: We examined the relationship between PP with mortality at 22 years in the placebo and active treatment groups of the Systolic Hypertension in the Elderly Program (SHEP). Methods: SHEP enrolled participants aged 60 and older (mean 72) with isolated systolic hypertension (systolic blood pressure 160 mm Hg or higher and diastolic blood pressure below 90 mm Hg). The relationship between all-cause and CV mortality with baseline PP was examined in 4,211 SHEP participants. Results: A J curve relationship of mortality and PP was observed for all-cause death in an unadjusted analysis: linear term p<0.0001, quadratic term (green) p=0.01743 and tricubic (red). In this analysis highest risk was at a PP of 118 mm Hg (left figure). When the analysis was adjusted for age, gender, co-morbidities and risk factors for CV disease, the non-linear relationship was markedly attenuated with the quadratic term not statistically significant (right figure). Age (p<0.0001) and female gender (p=0.0215) were significant predictors of mortality. The effects on CV mortality were similar to those of all-cause mortality. Conclusions: In patients with isolated systolic hypertension, there is a non-linear (quadratic) relationship between PP and all-cause and CV mortality at 22 years of follow-up. This relationship is primarily mediated by age, gender, co-morbidities and CV risk factors and is attenuated after adjustment. ![][1] ![][2] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif [2]: /embed/graphic-2.gif
Sex, Blood, and Death

A friend of mine from graduate school – today a successful writer in his 40s – sleeps with his sheet up to his chin; a leftover habit of childhood, when a movie or book about Count Dracula terrified him so much that he feared falling asleep. His mother had assured him that keeping his neck covered would keep any would-be bloodsuckers at bay.
Identifying search keywords for finding relevant social media posts

In almost any application of social media analysis, the user is interested in studying a particular topic or research question. Collecting posts or messages relevant to the topic from a social media source is a necessary step. Due to the huge size of social media sources (e.g., Twitter and Facebook), one has to use some topic keywords to search for possibly relevant posts. However, gathering a good set of keywords is a very tedious and time-consuming task. It often involves a lengthy iterative process of searching and manual reading. In this paper, we propose a novel technique to help the user identify topical search keywords. Our experiments are carried out on identifying such keywords for five (5) real-life application topics to be used for searching relevant tweets from the Twitter API. The results show that the proposed method is highly effective.
Survival in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Myeloma Undergoing Therapy with Lenalidomide and Dexamethasone: Impact of High-Risk Cytogenetic Risk Status on Outcome

Background : Multiple myeloma (MM) is a heterogeneous disease with very divergent outcomes that are dictated in a large part by specific cytogenetic abnormalities, as well as other prognostic factors such as the proliferative rate of marrow plasma cells. Prognostic systems incorporating these factors have shown clinical utility in identifying high-risk patients, and are increasingly being utilized for treatment decision-making. However, the prognostic relevance of these factors may change with the application of novel therapies. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of risk-stratification (incorporating plasma cell metaphase cytogenetics, interphase fluorescent in-situ hybridization (FISH) and the slide-based plasma cell labeling index (PCLI)) in a cohort of patients with newly diagnosed MM treated initially with lenalidomide + dexamethasone (Rev-Dex). Methods : From March 2004 to November 2007, 100 consecutive patients treated with Rev (25mg/day) on days 1 through 21 of a 4-week cycle in combination with dexamethasone as initial therapy for newly diagnosed myeloma, were identified. High-risk MM was defined as presence of any one or more of the following: hypodiploidy, monoallelic loss of chromosome 13 or its long arm (by metaphase cytogenetics only), deletion of p53 (locus 17p13 ) or PCLI ≥ 3% or immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) translocations, t(4;14) (p16.3;q32) or t(14;16)(q32;q23) on FISH. PFS and OS survival estimates were created using the Kaplan Meier method, and compared by log-rank tests. Results : The median estimated follow-up of the entire cohort (N=100) was 36 months. The median PFS was 31 months; the median OS has not been reached. The 2- and 3-year OS estimates were 93% and 83%, respectively. 16% patients were deemed high-risk by at least one of the 3 tests (cytogenetics, FISH or PCLI). Response rates (PR or better) were 81% versus 89% in the high-risk and standard risk groups, respectively, P=NS; corresponding values for CR plus VGPR rates were 38% and 45% respectively. The median PFS was 18.5 months in high-risk patients compared to 37 months in the standard-risk patients (n=84), P Conclusion : The TTP and PFS of high-risk MM patients are inferior to that of the standard-risk patients treated with Rev-Dex, indicating that the current genetic and proliferation-based risk-stratification model remains prognostic with novel therapy. However, the TTP, PFS, and OS obtained in high-risk patients treated with Rev-Dex in this study is comparable to overall results in all myeloma patients reported in recent phase III trials. In addition, no significant impact of high-risk features on OS is apparent so far. Longer follow-up is needed to determine the impact of risk stratification on the OS of patients treated with Rev-Dex.
3.1 POWER9™: A processor family optimized for cognitive computing with 25Gb/s accelerator links and 16Gb/s PCIe Gen4

Cognitive computing and cloud infrastructure require flexible, connectable, and scalable processors with extreme IO bandwidth. With 4 distinct chip configurations, the POWER9 family of chips delivers multiple options for memory ports, core thread counts, and accelerator options to address this need. The 24-core scale-out processor is implemented in 14nm SOI FinFET technology [1] and contains 8.0B transistors. The 695mm2 chip uses 17 levels of copper interconnect: 3–64nm, 2–80nm, 4–128nm, 2–256nm, 4–360nm pitch wiring for signals and 2– 2400nm pitch wiring levels for power and global clock distribution. Digital logic uses three thin-oxide transistor V t s to balance power and performance requirements, while analog and high-voltage circuits eliminated thick-oxide devices providing process simplification and cost reduction. By leveraging the FinFET's increased current per area, the base standard cell image shrunk from 18 tracks per bit in planar 22nm to 10 tracks per bit in 14nm providing additional area scaling.
Discovery of WP1066, a novel Stat3/c-myc inhibitor with potent antitumor activity against human melanoma in vitro and in vivo

5894 Melanoma is a potentially lethal cancer that responses poorly to radiotherapy and other commonly used chemotherapeutic agents. Although much attention has been focused on melanoma immunotherapy, few effective therapeutic agents for melanoma exist, especially those useful for treatment of metastatic disease. A novel low MW agent, WP1066, was synthesized that effectively blocked Stat3 activation by cytokines and induced c-myc degradation in multiple tumor cell types. Since melanoma cells express constitutively activated Stat proteins and unregulated c-myc expression the antiprolifeative effects of WP1066 against the human A375 metastatic melanoma cell line were examined in vitro and in A375 xenografts in nude mice. WP1066 induced growth inhibition and apoptosis of A375 cells with an IC50 ∼1.5 μM. WP1066 suppressed Stat3 tyrosine phosphorylation without effecting Stat3 protein levels at similar concentrations (
Science and the Religious Rhetorics of the Ineffable: A Comparison Between Two "Cosmoses"

Since Thomas Kuhn’s revolutionary look at the social construction of science, research into the rhetorics of science has shown how science is a persuasive form of discourse, rarely as transparent and self-evident as is often understood. Rhetorical studies have taken this cue to examine how science is constructed through available means beyond mere logic. Arguably, the resurgence of creationist beliefs in political discourse has brought on a new impetus in science to persuade the “hearts and minds” of the American population, inspiring Neil deGrasse Tyson’s remaking of Carl Sagan’s 1980 documentary Cosmos. Using Rudolph Otto’s, The Idea of the Holy, this article will define religion as an ineffable experience that creates “creature-consciousness,” or a sense of awe and insufficiency towards something outside the self, while also producing a sense of identification or “oneness.” The ineffable experience is core to the public making of science, just as the ineffable experience plays a defining role in religions. Though science and religion are often seen as mutually exclusively (sometimes in opposition), identifying the ineffable experience as a shared ground can provide opportunities for science and religion to dialogue in new ways.
Traces That Remain: From Life to Faith to Life

My life work revolves around a few deep convictions. I have never been fully faithful to them in practice, and my critics (especially traditionalist Catholics) have portrayed them as dangerous faul...
Pre-operative Sarcopenia Identifies Patients at Risk for Poor Survival After Resection of Biliary Tract Cancers

Biliary tract cancers (BTC) are aggressive malignancies that require complex surgical procedures. Patients with BTC can present with skeletal muscle depletion, yet the effects of muscle wasting (sarcopenia) on outcomes have not been well studied. The objective of the current study was to define the impact of sarcopenia on survival among patients undergoing resection of BTC. Patients who underwent exploration for BTC who had a pre-operative CT scan available for review were identified. Body composition variables including total and psoas muscle area (cm2), muscle density (Hounsfield units), visceral fat area, subcutaneous fat area, and waist-to-hip ratio were analyzed at the level of L3. Outcomes were assessed according to the presence or absence of sarcopenia defined using sex- and BMI-specific threshold values for Psoas Muscle Index (PMI, cm2/m2). Among 117 patients with BTC, 78 (67%) underwent curative-intent resection and 39 (33%) were explored but did not undergo resection due to metastatic/locally advanced disease. Tumor type included distal cholangiocarcinoma (n = 18, 15.4%), hilar cholangiocarcinoma (n = 27, 23.1%), gallbladder carcinoma (n = 52, 44.4%), and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (n = 20, 17.1%). Median patient age was 65.6 years and 43.6% were male. Mean patient BMI was 26.1 kg/m2 among men and 27.5 kg/m2 among women. Overall, 41 (35.0%) patients had sarcopenia. Sarcopenia was associated with an increased risk of death among patients who underwent resection (HR 3.52, 95%CI 1.60–7.78, p = 0.002), which was comparable to patients with unresectable metastatic disease. Other factors such as low serum albumin (HR 3.17, 95% CI 1.30–7.74, p = 0.011) and low psoas density (HR 2.96, 95% CI 1.21–7.21, p = 0.017) were also associated with increased risk of death. Survival was stratified based on sarcopenia, psoas density, and serum albumin. The presence of each variable was associated with an incremental increased risk of death (0 variables ref.; 1 variable HR 3.8, 95% CI 1.0–14, p = 0.043; 2 variables HR 13.1, 95% CI 3.0–57.7, p = 0.001; 3 variables HR 14.6, 95% CI 2.5–87.1, p = 0.003). Patients who had no adverse prognostic factors had a 3-year OS of 67% versus no survival among patients with all 3 factors. Sarcopenia was common among patients undergoing resection of BTC, occurring in 1 of every 3 patients. Sarcopenia was associated with poor survival after resection, particularly among patients who experienced a recurrence. Body composition metrics such as sarcopenia and low psoas muscle density in addition to low albumin level were able to stratify patients into different prognostic categories.
Closure and Family Systems: My Life (1993)

The film, My Life, is based on an original screenplay by Bruce Joel Rubin about Bob Jones (born Bob Ivanovich), who is dying from metastatic renal cell carcinoma in his late 30s. It is not a good time to have a terminal illness, as his wife is pregnant. Bob makes a series of videos about his life for his unborn son so he will not grow up without knowing his father. At the same time, Bob, born and raised in a lower middle class family and neighborhood in Detroit, does not get along with his own parents, and now lives in Los Angeles with his wife.
Lost in Translation: Local Relief Provision and Historiographical Imperialism

The historiographical record of charity, both visual and written, has long been appropriated by philanthro-imperialists intent on using material aid to further their own agendas. International actors committed to bringing their own priorities and prerogatives with them overseas have ignored or intentionally erased accounts of local, particularly non-Western, humanitarian and charitable initiatives. In some contexts, local communities have also chosen to erase their own charitable history. This article uncovers one such hidden charitable tradition, that of pre-Maoist China. I discuss indigenous Chinese charitable work and its interplay with Western charitable actors and activities at the turn of the twentieth century, at the height of the New Imperialism (c. 1870–1914) to explore two little-recognized facets of the relationship between charity and imperialism: the erasure of local traditions of charity in the annals of imperialist powers and the importance of language in the preservation and validation of these traditions.
Overview of Seizures

Epilepsy is a chronic disorder characterized by recurrent unprovoked epileptic seizures. Not all epileptic seizures indicate the existence of an epileptic disorder; many represent a natural response of the normal brain to transient noxious insults that are not likely to be repeated (reactive seizures). Not only is it important to distinguish conditions associated with these relatively benign epileptic events from epilepsy, but also it is important to recognize the many types of epileptic seizures and many types of epilepsy, reflecting different underlying anatomic and pathophysiologic substrates, which determine therapy and prognosis. Acute care for an epileptic seizure, therefore, includes search for an underlying treatable cause and protection against recurrence, if necessary. Neurologic consultation in the emergency department can help avoid unnecessary diagnostic procedures and treatments, particularly in patients with reactive seizures and established epileptic disorders. Communication with the patient's continuing care physician is an essential part of the emergency department management plan.