cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epidemioligical characteristics of viral encephalitis in Guangdong province

Objective To understand the epidemiological features of viral encephalitis in Guangdong province. Method Viral encephalitis inpatients information were collected from district level and above general hospitals and Hospitals for Maternal and Child Health Care from 7 cities in Guangdong(Guangzhou, Foshan, Zhaoqing, Yunfu, Maoming, Meizhou and Shantou) during 2009 to 2011 in June 2012. Results 93 of the 141 hospitals investigated had admitted 7 259 viral encephalitis inpatients.Among them 227 died, and the fatality rate was 3.13%. The yearly median morbidities of 7 cities from 2009 to 2011 were 4.89 per 100 000, 5.14 per 100 000 and 4.75 per 100 000, respectively. The peak of disease attack was from May to July. The cases under 15 years old occupied 57.60%(4 181 / 7 259) of the total.Children under5 years old occupied 57.12%(2 388 / 4 181) among the age group 15 years old. Most death happened on the age group under 15, with the ratio of 76.21%(173 / 227). Among all inpatients 2.87%(208 / 7 259) were definitely diagnosed with specific pathogen.Among them,73.46% were caused by enteroviruse,15.17% were caused by EB virus, and 5.21% were caused by Japanese encephalitis virus. Conclusion The incidence peak of viral encephalitis was in spring and summer,the high risk and high fatality rate population were those in the age group under 15 years old. It is necessary to set up sentinel surveillance system especially focus on cases under 15 years old to understand the burden of disease and pathogenic spectrum of viral encephalitis in Guangdong province.
Biological denitrification of hydrolysates from octahydro-1,3,5,7 tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine.

Alternatives for the destruction of common military explosives, including trinitrotoluene; hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine; and octahydro-1,3,5,7 tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine (HMX) are being investigated in the post-cold war period. One alternative combines chemical treatment (i.e., base hydrolysis of the explosives) and biological treatment (i.e., denitrification of the hydrolysate). This paper focuses on results of the biological part of the treatment process, during which Hyphomicrobium sp. bacteria were isolated from a seed obtained from a denitrification facility. The bacteria were enriched and maintained on a surrogate waste with methanol as the carbon source. The resulting culture is capable of anoxic growth in waste solutions containing up to 5000 mg/L of nitrite-nitrogen. The culture efficiently denitrifies both surrogate and actual hydrolysate wastes. A substrate inhibition model was used to accurately predict denitrification rates. Comparisons are made between denitrification rates obtained for surrogate versus actual wastes. Denitrification rates were higher when actual waste streams were used. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using Hyphomicrobium sp. bacteria to treat HMX hydrolysate and presents a model that can be used to design a large-scale system.
Vibrations and spatial patterns in biomimetic surfaces: using the shark-skin effect to control blood clotting.

We study the effect of small-amplitude fast vibrations and small-amplitude spatial patterns on various systems involving wetting and liquid flow, such as superhydrophobic surfaces, membranes and flow pipes. First, we introduce a mathematical method of averaging the effect of small spatial and temporal patterns and substituting them with an effective force. Such an effective force can change the equilibrium state of a system as well as a phase state, leading to surface texture-induced and vibration-induced phase control. Vibration and patterns can effectively jam holes in vessels with liquid, separate multi-phase flow, change membrane properties, result in propulsion and locomotion and lead to many other multi-scale, nonlinear effects including the shark-skin effect. We discuss the application of such effects to blood flow for novel biomedical ‘haemophobic’ applications which can prevent blood clotting and thrombosis by controlling the surface pattern at a wall of a vessel (e.g. a catheter or stent). This article is part of the themed issue ‘Bioinspired hierarchically structured surfaces for green science’.
11-Deoxycortisol may be superior to cortisol in confirming a successful adrenal vein catheterization without cosyntropin: a pilot study.

Aim: We aimed to compare the performance of nine adrenal steroids in confirming the correct catheter position during adrenal venous sampling (AVS) without cosyntropin in patients with primary hyperaldosteronism. Materials & methods: A successful adrenal vein catheterization without cosyntropin was defined as the ratio of steroids from adrenal to peripheral veins being >3:1. AVS samples from four patients with primary hyperaldosteronism were analyzed. Results: Compared with the mean ratio of cortisol without cosyntropin, the ratios of 11‐deoxycortisol (p = 0.008), dehydroepiandrosterone (p = 0.01) and androstenedione (p = 0.008) were significantly higher. None of the ratios (n = 8) of cortisol from adrenal to peripheral veins exceeded 3:1, while all ratios of 11‐deoxycortisol (p 3. Conclusion: Cosyntropin infusion during AVS may not be necessary if 11‐deoxycortisol is used to confirm catheter position.
Midlife cardiovascular health and 20-year cognitive decline: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study results.

Abstract Introduction The aim was to examine associations between midlife cardiovascular health (CVH) and 20-year cognitive decline among blacks and whites. Methods Midlife CVH metrics (American Heart Association's Life's Simple 7) were calculated and examined in relation to midlife and 20-year change in cognitive function among 13,270 whites and blacks from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Cohort Study. We used linear mixed models to estimate adjusted associations of midlife CVH with midlife cognitive status and change. Results Higher midlife (Life's Simple 7) scores and individual metrics, particularly blood pressure and glucose, were associated with better midlife cognition and reduced 20-year decline. Midlife CVH 20-year neuroprotection was more pronounced among whites than blacks. Discussion Better midlife CVH was associated with higher midlife and reduced decline in cognitive function 20 years later. However, the benefits of midlife CVH on cognition were stronger for whites than for blacks. Our findings suggest that improved midlife CVH may promote enduring cognitive health.
Hypoxia-induced transcription factor signaling is essential for larval growth of the mosquito Aedes aegypti.

Gut microbes positively affect the physiology of many animals, but the molecular mechanisms underlying these benefits remain poorly understood. We recently reported that bacteria-induced gut hypoxia functions as a signal for growth and molting of the mosquito Aedes aegypti. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that transduction of a gut hypoxia signal requires hypoxia-induced transcription factors (HIFs). Expression studies showed that HIF-α was stabilized in larvae containing bacteria that induce gut hypoxia but was destabilized in larvae that exhibit normoxia. However, we could rescue growth of larvae exhibiting gut normoxia by treating them with a prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, FG-4592, that stabilized HIF-α, and inhibit growth of larvae exhibiting gut hypoxia by treating them with an inhibitor, PX-478, that destabilized HIF-α. Using these tools, we determined that HIF signaling activated the insulin/insulin growth factor pathway plus select mitogen-activated kinases and inhibited the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase pathway. HIF signaling was also required for growth of the larval midgut and storage of neutral lipids by the fat body. Altogether, our results indicate that gut hypoxia and HIF signaling activate multiple processes in A. aegypti larvae, with conserved functions in growth and metabolism.
Quickstep: a data platform based on the scaling-up approach

Modern servers pack enough storage and computing power that just a decade ago was spread across a modest-sized cluster. This paper presents a prototype system, called Quickstep, to exploit the large amount of parallelism that is packed inside modern servers. Quickstep builds on a vast body of previous methods for organizing data, optimizing, scheduling and executing queries, and brings them together in a single system. Quickstep also includes new query processing methods that go beyond previous approaches. To keep the project focused, the project's initial target is read-mostly in-memory data warehousing workloads in single-node settings. In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of Quickstep for this target application space. We also present experimental results comparing the performance of Quickstep to a number of other systems, demonstrating that Quickstep is often faster than many other contemporary systems, and in some cases faster by orders-of-magnitude. Quickstep is an Apache (incubating) project.
Screening for Depression and Dementia in Parkinson's Disease Provides Information on Mortality Risk (P06.095)

OBJECTIVE: To examine relationships between depressive symptomatology, cognitive status, and all-cause mortality over a 28 year follow-up period in a large Parkinson9s disease (PD) cohort. BACKGROUND: PD is the 14th leading cause of the death in the United States and accounts for over 10% of all deaths from neurologic/psychiatric conditions in developed nations. Prior work shows the presence of both dementia and depression contribute to PD mortality risk. However, the extent to which depressive symptoms contribute to mortality beyond the risk attributable to dementia presents a gap in our clinical knowledge. DESIGN/METHODS: After obtaining informed consent, 155 PD patients were screened for both depression and dementia, interviewed to obtain a psychiatric and medical history, and underwent neurological examination. We investigated relationships between positive baseline screening for depression (Beck Depression Inventory cutoff 13/14 ), possible dementia (Mini-Mental State Examination cutoff 24/25 ), and all-cause mortality over a 28 year follow-up period using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS: Depression (HR = 1.58, p = 0.037; 95% CI 1.03-2.44) was predictive of shorter survival, independent of age at PD onset (HR = 1.07, p 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These data confirm a clear additive effect of threshold level depressive symptomatology, beyond dementia and clinicodemographic factors, on mortality risk in PD. Ultimately, depression screens such as the Beck Depression Inventory may serve as simple (obtainable in less than five minutes during a clinic visit), low-cost prognostic indicators for mental health and mortality in PD. Disclosure: Dr. Scanlon has nothing to disclose. Dr. Katzen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Levin has nothing to disclose.
MOM Approval in a World of Active Shareholders

Majority of Minority (MOM) approval is a common mechanism used in many jurisdictions to control conflicts of interest in related party transactions. Recently, in M & F Worldwide, the Delaware Supreme Court held that MOM approval in a controlling shareholder freezeout shifted the standard of review from Entire Fairness to Business Judgement Rule. In this article, I investigate how MOM approval functions in the presence of active shareholders (both hedge funds and actively managed mutual funds). After reviewing the potential benefits and problems with MOM approval, I review the use of MOM provisions in controlling shareholder freezeouts in the U.S. between 2010 and 2017. I combine this with three case studies involving MOM approval: the Dell MBO; the Oracle/NetSuite merger; and the unsuccessful effort by the Dolan family to take Cablevision private in 2007. I then briefly consider a quite different sort of MOM approval: the EU Takeover Directive’s requirement that conditions mandatory freezeouts on achieving a very high level of ownership (90-95%), typically through a tender offer. The principal lessons of this investigation are ambiguous. First, I do not find significant evidence that the use of MOM conditions in Delaware has attracted the sort strategic behavior by hedge funds or actively managed mutual funds that transactional lawyers have worried about. Except for the 2007 Cablevision deal (an unhappy experience for both investors and the controlling shareholder), I have not found any cases in which shareholders have successfully used MOM provisions to block transactions. Second, as far as I can tell, the MOM condition also does not seem to do much good. I have not found any cases in which shareholders have successfully threatened to block a deal as a way of increasing the consideration paid by the controlling shareholder. Contrary to the hopes of optimists, the MOM condition does not seem to have empowered even large active shareholders to negotiate with controlling shareholders over price. Although it is possible that the MOM condition serves as a shareholder referendum on the performance of the special committee, there is little evidence that it has done so. Third, EU directive’s mandatory version of MOM (the 90-95% threshold for freezeouts) does seem to attract strategic investors who block transactions until they are bought out at a higher price. The lack of observable effects of MOM approval raise a question whether an independent special committee combined with MOM approval provides sufficiently robust protections of non-controlling shareholders to relieve Delaware courts of their traditional role in scrutinizing conflicted controlling shareholder transactions for Entire Fairness.
The Challenges of Implementing Multiarmed Early Phase Oncology Clinical Trials

Abstract In the recent years, drug development in oncology has shifted from classical cytotoxic chemotherapy to the novel molecularly targeted agents (MTAs). With the emergence of MTAs, early phase trials have evolved into complex studies, and trial designs have changed with it. Herein, we address how early phase studies have evolved in the last few years to optimize the process of drug development. We also discuss the challenges that both investigators and institutions have to face as a result of this evolution. Finally, we summarize a number of actions both researchers and research centers may adopt to improve efficiency and rate of late stage trials evolving Phase 1 methodologies.
Elucidation of anti -inflammatory constituents in Hypericum perforatum extracts and delineation of mechanisms of anti-inflammatory activity in RAW 264.7 mouse macrophages

105 Keyword Index 106 Introduction 106 Results/Discussion 108 Conclusions and Concluding Remarks 117 Experimental 117 Acknowledgements 122 Literature Cited 123 Tables 127 Figure Legends 131 Figures 133 CHAPTER 5. IDENTIFICATION OF PATHWAYS IMPORTANT FOR THE ANTI-INFLAMMATORY ACTIVITY OF AN HYPERICUM PERFORATUM FRACTION AND FOUR PUTATIVE BIOACTIVE CONSTITUENTS IN RAW 264.7 MOUSE MACROPHAGES USING MICROARRAY ANALYSIS 138 Abstract 138
Web programming with Ruby on Rails: conference workshop

This workshop provides a hands-on demonstration of Ruby on Rails and our experience using it in the classroom. Ruby on Rails is a relatively new web programming framework. It differs from other approaches to web-based program in that it integrates many different aspects of web services into a unified whole. Rails uses an Object-Relational Model (ORM) to address the database aspect of web programming and a supports a Model-View-Controller (MVC) organization of the application. Rails also uses meta-programming (scripts that generate program code) to quickly build commonly used code sequences in a way that can then be customized. Rails also provides a flexible routing scheme for connecting URLs to controllers. There is an active community supporting Rails from which we have received substantial assistance from other Rails users. Rails supports a variety of Ajax controls. Although none of these ideas is unique to Ruby on Rails, they come together nicely and enable students to construct complex web applications in a rapid and reliable way. Industrial use of Rails is increasing and a number of our graduates are using this technology in their jobs. This tutorial will cover the basic of Rails from an instructional perspective and demonstrate student projects created by the web programming class. This will be a hands-on tutorial, based on the NetBeans support for Ruby on Rails. No Internet connection will be needed --- Netbeans is capable of running a local server for code testing and development. We will build a web application from scratch that demonstrates the essential features of Rails.
Torsional splitting and the four-fold barrier to internal rotation: The rotational spectra of vinylsulfur pentafluoride.

Vinylsulfur pentafluoride (VSPF), a molecule with a four-fold internal rotor, -SF4, has been studied with high resolution Fourier transform microwave spectroscopy. We believe that this is the first report of resolved four-fold internal rotation. As such, we have presented the tools needed to understand and analyze such a problem. These include debugging the ERHAM computer program necessary to fit the spectra and the free rotor to high barrier correlation diagram necessary to understand the torsional states of the four-fold rotor. The A, E, and B torsional state rotational transitions are well resolved and assigned. Spectroscopic transitions of four isotopologues of VSPF, H2C=CH-SF5, the normal isotopologue, and the singly substituted 34S and 13C isotopologues were measured and assigned. Contrary to expectation, the A torsional state could not be fit with only a semi-rigid Hamiltonian. The barrier to internal rotation, V4, is found to be 227 cm-1. Ab initio calculations at the MP2 aug-cc-pVQZ level of theory and basis set were performed and the results of this calculation are compared to our experimental results.
Wind capacity growth in the Northwest United States: Cooptimized versus sequential generation and transmission planning:

This article demonstrates the benefits of simultaneous cooptimization on a 312-bus network representation of the Western Interconnection power grid with emphasis on The Bonneville Power Administrat...
Understanding and Quantifying Urban Density Toward more Sustainable City Form

Urban density is a term used in urban planning and design to refer to the number of people inhabiting in a given urbanized area. Density and compactness are two closely related, but different, criteria relevant for the transformation of cities to become more resilient to climate change. While a high degree of compactness is desirable, too much density can be detrimental to liveability, health, and social well-being. More compact cities are an advantage and will help in curbing urban sprawl, but a consolidated urban form requires urban infill at densities that support compact self-reliant districts and mixed-use neighborhoods. The social dimension of such density increase is likely to be a future challenge and face community resistance. This essay argues that a quantitative approach to describe urban density helps to better understand cities; however, urban form is always more than just a mathematical formula, including nonquantifiable qualities of cities.
Open pit mine production schedule optimization using a hybrid of maximum-flow and genetic algorithms

Abstract Production scheduling is a critical activity for the long-term production planning of open pit mining operations. It deals with the effective management of resources and maximizes cash flows to generate higher profits over the life of a mine. Production scheduling problems determine that blocks be mined and processed over a number of periods subjected to mining and processing constraints, which makes the problem more complex. The complexity is further increased due to the uncertainty in the input parameters. In this study, the maximum flow algorithm with a genetic algorithm is used to generate the long-term production schedule. The graph structure for maximum flow is created for multiple periods under uncertainty, and the flow in the arcs is controlled by a genetic algorithm to develop a production schedule. Numerical results for realistic instances are provided to indicate the efficiency of the solutions.
Displaying Time Series, Spatial, and Space-Time Data with R, 2nd ed

Oscar P. Lamigueiro’s Displaying Time Series, Spatial, and Space-Time Data with R is an excellent handbook for anyone who works frequently with temporal, spatial, or space-time data. The book is di...
The IEC 61850 Sampled Measured Values Protocol: Analysis, Threat Identification, and Feasibility of Using NN Forecasters to Detect of Spoofed Packets

As contemporary smart grid operation is expected to be heavily reliant on distributed microprocessor-based control, a strong need arises for interoperability standards to address the heterogeneous nature of the data in the smart grid. With the emergence of IEC 61850 as a strong industry-accepted interoperability standard, electronic instrument transformers and merging units are being utilized to digitize and transmit current and voltage measurements as Sampled Measured Values. Realizing the importance of feedback measurements for the reliable operation of the smart grid, firstly, this paper presents a detailed analysis of the Sampled Measured Values protocol and its benefits, then, it identifies its vulnerabilities and derives the associated cyber threats. Secondly, current security measures are outlined and, thirdly, the feasibility of using neural network forecasters to detect spoofed sampled values is investigated. It was shown that although neural network forecasters have high spoofed data detection accuracy, their performance decreases with the accumulation of forecasting error.
Knowledge of War and the War on Knowledge: What Affects One’s Decision to Support War?

Several scholars have referenced the US public’s lack of knowledge on foreign policy. Yet, many fewer studies have actually explored the impact of this supposed lack of awareness. This study examines the relationship between the media, knowledge held of war and military foreign policy, and attitudes towards war. Online survey data were collected from a four-year university located in a heavily militarized area. The findings suggest that having knowledge of Afghanistan and Iraq War facts negatively affected one’s decision to support war and was the strongest predictor of this decision. The media was not found to be a significant predictor impacting this knowledge when controlling for other variables. Political ideology and other related variables were found to be more influential regarding this knowledge. These findings imply that the public may be imprudently supporting war without proper exposure to the facts or without regard to reality. Future research is needed to investigate how knowledge of war is formulated.
Approach to ECG Interpretation

The ECG provides a wealth of information about our patients, but its interpretation requires a careful systematic process to ensure important details are recognized and not overlooked. This chapter provides a structured approach to the analysis of ECGs in the inpatient hospital setting.
DARC, Glycophorin A, Band 3, and GLUT1 Diffusion in Erythrocytes: Insights into Membrane Complexes

Single-particle tracking offers a method to interrogate the organization of transmembrane proteins by measuring their mobilities within a cell's plasma membrane. Using this technique, the diffusion characteristics of the Duffy antigen (DARC), glycophorin A, band 3, and GLUT1 were compared under analogous conditions on intact human erythrocyte membranes. Microscopic diffusion coefficients revealed that the vast majority of all four transmembrane proteins exhibit very restricted movement but are not completely immobile. In fact, only 12% of GLUT1 resolved into a highly mobile subpopulation. Macroscopic diffusion coefficients and compartment sizes were also similar for all four proteins, with movements confined to the approximate dimensions of the "corrals" of the cortical spectrin cytoskeleton. Taken together, these data suggest that almost the entire populations of all four transmembrane proteins are immobilized by either the incorporation within large multiprotein complexes or entrapment within the protein network of the cortical spectrin cytoskeleton.
The Influence of Tobacco Use on Endosseous Implant Failures

Summary Mounting evidence documents the extent of the risk for increased implant failures when patients who use tobacco are provided this treatment. Our data on overall implant failures are similar to those previously reported. Smokers experienced an implant failure rate 1.5 times to 3 times that of the patients who never smoked. The findings presented in this article suggest numerous important clinical issues: (1) the adverse effects of tobacco use may reduce the capacity of the bone to repair during the healing period, (2) continued use of tobacco reduces the ability of the bone to repair damage that occurs during clinical use, (3) all stages of implant treatment appear to be affected by tobacco use, (4) the deleterious effects of smoking may to some degree be ameliorated after smoking cessation, (5) HA-coated implants may have an advantage over non-HA-coated implants in smokers, (6) preoperative antibiotic use may carry over into all stages of implant treatment/clinical function and reduce failures, (7) patients with an ASA III status are poor candidates for implant treatment, (8) mobility at placement increases the risk of implant failure, (9) the periodontal indices may not show significant changes in well-controlled clinical studies, and (10) Periotest values are not different in smokers and nonsmokers. These issues appear to be consistent with what is currently known from the limited research associated with endosseous implants. Issues 5 and 6 represent important issues for future implant research. Results reported in this paper represent 36-month follow-up data. More extensive statistical analyses are planned for the final 5-year data.
Capturing cognitive and behavioral variability among individuals with Down syndrome: a latent profile analysis

There is a high degree of inter- and intra-individual variability observed within the phenotype of Down syndrome. The Down Syndrome Cognition Project was formed to capture this variability by developing a large nationwide database of cognitive, behavioral, health, and genetic information on individuals with Down syndrome, ages 6–25 years. The current study used the Down Syndrome Cognition Project database to characterize cognitive and behavioral variability among individuals with Down syndrome. Latent profile analysis was used to identify classes across a sample of 314 participants based on their cognition (IQ and executive functioning), adaptive and maladaptive behavior, and autism spectrum disorder symptomatology. A multivariate multinomial regression model simultaneously examined demographic correlates of class. Results supported a 3-class model. Each class demonstrated a unique profile across the subdomains of cognition and behavior. The “normative” class was the largest (n = 153, 48%) and displayed a relatively consistent profile of cognition and adaptive behavior, with low rates of maladaptive behavior and autism symptomatology. The “cognitive” class (n = 109, 35%) displayed low cognitive scores and adaptive behavior and more autism symptomatology, but with low rates of maladaptive behavior. The “behavioral” class, the smallest group (n = 52, 17%), demonstrated higher rates of maladaptive behavior and autism symptomatology, but with cognition levels similar to the “normative” class; their adaptive behavior scores fell in between the other two classes. Household income and sex were the only demographic variables to differ among classes. These findings highlight the importance of subtyping the cognitive and behavioral phenotype among individuals with Down syndrome to identify more homogeneous classes for future intervention and etiologic studies. Results also demonstrate the feasibility of using latent profile analysis to distinguish subtypes in this population. Limitations and future directions are discussed.
The impact of removing former drinkers from genome-wide association studies of AUDIT-C.

Background and aims The Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) questionnaire screens for harmful drinking using a 12-month timeframe. A score of 0 is assigned to individuals who report abstaining from alcohol in the past year. However, many middle-aged individuals reporting current abstinence are former drinkers (FDs). Because FDs may be more genetically prone to harmful alcohol use than life-long abstainers (LAs) and are often combined with LAs, we evaluated the impact of differentiating them on the identification of genetic association. Design and setting The UK Biobank (UKBB) includes AUDIT-C and alcohol drinker status. Participants 131,510 Europeans, including 5,135 FDs. Measurements We compared three genome-wide association (GWAS) analyses to explore the effects of removing FDs: the full AUDIT-C data, AUDIT-C data without FDs, and data from a random sample numerically matched to the data without FDs. Because prior studies show a consistent association of the ADH1B polymorphism rs1229984 with both alcohol consumption and alcohol use disorder, we compared allele frequencies for rs1229984 stratified by AUDIT-C value and FD versus LA status. Additionally, we calculated polygenic risk scores (PRS) of related diseases. Findings The rs1229984 allele frequencies among FDs were numerically comparable to those with high AUDIT-C scores and very different from those of LAs. Removing FDs from GWAS yielded a stronger association with rs1229984 (p-value after removal: 1.9 x10-70 versus 1.7x10-65 and 2.5 x10-62 ), more statistically significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (after removal: 11 versus 9 and 8), and genomic loci (after removal: 11 versus 9 and 7). Additional independent SNPs were identified after removal of FDs: rs2817866 (PTGER3), rs7105867 (ANO3), and rs17601612 (DRD2). For PRS of alcohol use disorder and major depressive disorder, there are statistically significant differences between FDs and LAs. Conclusions Differentiating between former drinkers and life-long abstainers can improve Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption (AUDIT-C) genome-wide association results.
Sexual abuse, sexual barter, and silence

Until recently, silence has shrouded the experience of sexual abuse of and sexual barter by Jewish adolescent boys during the Holocaust. Nate Leipciger’s memoir, The Weight of Freedom, published by...
Underlying Medical Conditions and Severe Illness Among 540,667 Adults Hospitalized With COVID-19, March 2020-March 2021.

INTRODUCTION: Severe COVID-19 illness in adults has been linked to underlying medical conditions. This study identified frequent underlying conditions and their attributable risk of severe COVID-19 illness. METHODS: We used data from more than 800 US hospitals in the Premier Healthcare Database Special COVID-19 Release (PHD-SR) to describe hospitalized patients aged 18 years or older with COVID-19 from March 2020 through March 2021. We used multivariable generalized linear models to estimate adjusted risk of intensive care unit admission, invasive mechanical ventilation, and death associated with frequent conditions and total number of conditions. RESULTS: Among 4,899,447 hospitalized adults in PHD-SR, 540,667 (11.0%) were patients with COVID-19, of whom 94.9% had at least 1 underlying medical condition. Essential hypertension (50.4%), disorders of lipid metabolism (49.4%), and obesity (33.0%) were the most common. The strongest risk factors for death were obesity (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] = 1.30; 95% CI, 1.27-1.33), anxiety and fear-related disorders (aRR = 1.28; 95% CI, 1.25-1.31), and diabetes with complication (aRR = 1.26; 95% CI, 1.24-1.28), as well as the total number of conditions, with aRRs of death ranging from 1.53 (95% CI, 1.41-1.67) for patients with 1 condition to 3.82 (95% CI, 3.45-4.23) for patients with more than 10 conditions (compared with patients with no conditions). CONCLUSION: Certain underlying conditions and the number of conditions were associated with severe COVID-19 illness. Hypertension and disorders of lipid metabolism were the most frequent, whereas obesity, diabetes with complication, and anxiety disorders were the strongest risk factors for severe COVID-19 illness. Careful evaluation and management of underlying conditions among patients with COVID-19 can help stratify risk for severe illness.
Prognostic value of presalvage metabolic tumor volume in patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Identification of new prognostic factors in relapsed/refractory (rel/ref) diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is essential for developing risk-adapted approaches. We retrospectively analyzed prognostication based on metabolic tumor volume (MTV) in rel/ref DLBCL (n = 108) before platinum-based salvage chemotherapy. Using 41% SUVmax threshold, patients achieving complete response (CR) exhibited significantly lower baseline values of MTV, compared to those achieving partial response (PR) or with progression of disease (medians MTV 16.26 versus 72.51 versus 98.11 ml, respectively). As a continuous variable, log2(MTV) was predictive of failure to achieve CR (1-unit increase odds ratio [OR] = 1.58, p < 0.001). Log2(MTV) significantly predicted progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS), and one-unit increase in log2(MTV) was associated with shorter PFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.12, p = 0.035) and OS (HR = 1.17, p = 0.007). However, heterogeneity in the selection of post-salvage chemotherapy approaches may have affected survival. These data demonstrate the ability of presalvage MTV to discriminate responders from non-responders to platinum-based chemotherapy and predict survival.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Multiple Sclerosis: A Study of Pulse-Technique Efficacy

Forty-two patients with the clinical diagnosis of multiple sclerosis were examined by proton magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 0.5 T. An extensive protocol was used to facilitate a comparison of the efficacy of different pulse techniques. Results were also compared in 39 cases with high-resolution x-ray computed tomography (CT). MRI revealed characteristic abnormalities in each case, whereas CT was positive in only 15 of 33 patients. Milder grades 1 and 2 disease were usually undetected by CT, and in all cases, the abnormalities noted on MRI were much more extensive than on CT. Cerebral abnormalities were best shown with the T2-weighted spin-echo sequence (TE/TR = 120/1000); brainstem lesions were best defined on the inversion-recovery sequence (TE/TI/TR = 30/400/1250). Increasing TE to 120 msec and TR to 2000 msec heightened the contrast between normal and abnormal white matter. However, the signal intensity of cerebrospinal fluid with this pulse technique obscured some abnormalities.
Variable response to vitamin B12 of megaloblastic anemia of infancy.

Two cases of megaloblastic anemia in infancy have improved following treatment with vitamin B12. A third case failed to respond to this factor but subsequently responded to pteroylglutamic acid (folic acid). It is suggested that megaloblastic anemia may be a syndrome which embraces more than one entity.
Masculinizing tumors of the ovary (arrhenoblastoma, adrenal ovarian tumors)

Abstract This paper is based primarily on the study of 11 cases of arrhenoblastoma, including the 6 new cases here reported. This group raises the total number of cases in the literature from 45 to 51, although instances of this interesting tumor type are being recorded with increasing frequency. The characteristic biologic effect of this neoplasm is to produce defeminization and masculinization phenomena. Chief among the former are amenorrhea, retrogression of the mammary glands, and loss of the feminine contour. Of the masculinization effects, the most striking are hirsutism, deepening of the voice, and hypertrophy of the clitoris. Removal of the tumor is followed by a return to normality, though this may not always be complete. In a small minority of cases, even though the tumor is clearly an arrhenoblastoma from a histologic standpoint, abnormal sex changes may be almost or entirely absent. The proper basis for the microscopic diagnosis of these tumors is a knowledge of the early embryology of the gonads, and only in this way can one appreciate the very different histologic appearance encountered in different tumors and often in different parts of the same tumor. All gradations are seen between a structure closely simulating that of normal testis (testicular adenoma), to pictures showing only incomplete efforts at tubular formation, to those of sarcoma-like appearance. The fact that all these variations may be seen in different tumors, producing the same biologic effect, and, for that matter, in different parts of the same tumor, is strong evidence not only of their kinship, but also of the probable correctness of Meyer's original hypothesis that the origin of arrhenoblastoma is from certain maledirected cells persisting in the medulla of the ovary, particularly in the region of the rete ovarii. The clinical and pathologic characteristics of the tumor have been described, stress being laid upon the fact that regression of the symptoms is of rather crucial importance in the substantiation of the diagnosis. While the development of masculinization phenomena in a previously normal woman, coupled with the presence of an ovarian tumor, justifies a strong suspicion of arrhenoblastoma, such a diagnosis cannot be considered absolute, as has been discussed in the paper. It is not possible, for example, to eliminate the possibility of the rare ovarian tumor composed of adrenal tissue, of which 3 cases are reported in this paper. The clinical syndrome of this tumor type and that of arrhenoblastoma may be almost identical, though there is not the slightest histologic resemblance. It seems quite probable that the adrenal may in some as yet unknown way be linked up with arrhenoblastoma, or at any rate that it may play a part in the production of the characteristic symptomatology of this tumor.
Persistence of influenza vaccine-induced antibodies in lung transplant patients between seasons.

J.J.M. Moran, W.E. Rose, A.J. Darga, K.A. Rohde, M.S. Hayney. Persistence of influenza vaccine-induced antibodies in lung transplant patients between seasons. Transpl Infect Dis 2011: 13: 466–470. xx: 000–000. All rights reserved Background. Immunization policy-making bodies advised against immunizing too early before the influenza season because vaccine-specific antibody may wane before the end of the influenza season. Lung transplant patients are included in the group of high-risk patients for whom this recommendation had been made. We hypothesized that immunosuppressed lung transplant patients would maintain protective concentrations of influenza antigen-specific antibodies between seasons. Methods. As part of a planned 5-year study of influenza vaccine responses in lung transplant patients, we measured influenza antibody concentrations by hemagglutination inhibition assay before influenza immunization annually. The fraction of lung transplant patients who maintained seroprotective levels (≥40 hemagglutination units) approximately 11 months from last season immunization was calculated. Antibody concentrations and response rates in lung transplant patients were compared with healthy individuals and those waiting for lung transplantation. Results. The majority of lung transplant patients maintained seroprotective influenza antigen-specific antibody concentrations for approximately 11 months after immunization. Seroprotection rates varied greatly with influenza antigens (healthy 68–100%, pretransplant 44–100%, transplant 64–100%), and were similar when groups were compared. More than 70% of lung transplant patients maintained seroprotective antibody concentrations to 10 of 11 vaccine antigens. Conclusion. Seroprotective influenza antibody concentrations are maintained at very high rates among immunosuppressed lung transplant patients and depend more on the vaccine virus than the immunostatus of the vaccine recipient. Early seasonal influenza immunization of lung transplant patients is appropriate.
Modeling of pesticide emissions from agricultural ecosystems

[1] Pesticides are applied to crops and soils to improve agricultural yields, but the use of pesticides has become highly regulated because of concerns about their adverse effects on human health and environment. Estimating pesticide emission rates from soils and crops is a key component for risk assessment for pesticide registration, identification of pesticide sources to the contamination of sensitive ecosystems, and appreciation of transport and fate of pesticides in the environment. Pesticide emission rates involve processes occurring in the soil, in the atmosphere, and on vegetation surfaces and are highly dependent on soil texture, agricultural practices, and meteorology, which vary significantly with location and/ or time. To take all these factors into account for simulating pesticide emissions from large agricultural ecosystems, this study coupled a comprehensive meteorological model with a dynamic pesticide emission model. The combined model calculates hourly emission rates from both emission sources: current applications and soil residues resulting from historical use. The coupled modeling system is used to compute a gridded (36 � 36 km) hourly toxaphene emission inventory for North America for the year 2000 using a published U.S. toxaphene residue inventory and a Mexican toxaphene residue inventory developed using its historical application rates and a cropland inventory. To my knowledge, this is the first such hourly toxaphene emission inventory for North America. Results show that modeled emission rates have strong diurnal and seasonal variations at a given location and over the entire domain. The simulated total toxaphene emission from contaminated agricultural soils in North America in 2000 was about 255 t, which compares reasonably well to a published annual estimate. Most emissions occur in spring and summer, with domain-wide emission rates in April, May and, June of 36, 51, and 35 t/month, respectively. The spatial distribution of emissions depends on the distribution of toxaphene soil residues, and high emission rates coincide with heavily contaminated areas.
Structural Abnormalities of the Inner Macula in Incontinentia Pigmenti

Importance This report presents evidence from spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and fluorescein angiography of inner foveal structural abnormalities associated with vision loss in incontinentia pigmenti (IP). Observations Two children had reduced visual behavior in association with abnormalities of the inner foveal layers on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Fluorescein angiography showed filling defects in retinal and choroidal circulations and irregularities of the foveal avascular zones. The foveal to parafoveal ratios were greater than 0.57 in 6 eyes of 3 patients who had extraretinal neovascularization and/or peripheral avascular retina on fluorescein angiography and were treated with laser. Of these, 3 eyes of 2 patients had irregularities in foveal avascular zones and poor vision. Conclusions and Relevance Besides traction retinal detachment, vision loss in IP can occur with abnormalities of the inner foveal structure seen on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, consistent with prior descriptions of foveal hypoplasia. The evolution of abnormalities in the neural and vascular retina suggests a vascular cause of the foveal structural changes. More study is needed to determine any potential benefit of the foveal to parafoveal ratio in children with IP. Even with marked foveal structural abnormalities, vision can be preserved in some patients with IP with vigilant surveillance in the early years of life.
Insertion Element IS3-Based PCR Method for Subtyping Escherichia coli O157:H7

An Escherichia coli O157:H7 subtyping method based on PCR amplification of variable DNA sequences between the repetitive element IS3 was developed. Template DNA was prepared by boiling cells in Chelex. Two separate IS3 PCR amplifications were performed for each isolate: one with a single primer (primer IS3A) and one with two primers (primers IS3A and IS3B). The IS3 PCR subtyping method was applied to 35 epidemiologically related and unrelated E. coli O157:H7 isolates that had been previously characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). PFGE identified 25 different subtypes (difference of one or more bands). PCR with single primer IS3A and primer pair IS3A-IS3B identified 6 and 14 different subtypes, respectively. By combining the results of the two PCR amplifications, 15 different IS3 PCR subtypes were identified. While not as sensitive as PFGE, IS3 PCR subtyping grouped all outbreak-related isolates. IS3 PCR banding patterns were reproducible between amplifications and between subcultures. IS3 PCR could serve as a simple, rapid screening method for the identification of unrelated E. coli O157:H7 isolates.
What P/E Will the U.S. Stock Market Support?

The purpose of the study reported here was to determine the earnings multiple of the U.S. stock market (proxied by the S&P 500 Index) that can be justified by economic fundamentals at any given time. When price to earnings or earnings to price was used as the dependent variable, several regression models were found to be significant. The final E/P model had eight significant variables and explained more than 88 percent of P/E variation. This model indicates that today's multiples of 30 to 35 are not justified by current or expected economic conditions.
Genes differentially expressed in the kindled mouse brain.

Abstract Kindling involves long-term changes in brain excitability and is considered a model of epilepsy and neuroplasticity. Differentially expressed genes in the kindled mouse brain were screened using an reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR) differential display (DD) method. C3H male mice were kindled with 40 stimuli in the hippocampus at 5-min intervals. Hippocampal RNA was isolated for DD from mice at 0.5 h, 1 day, 1 week, and 1 month after kindling and from sham-operated controls. About 30,000 bands were screened and of these, 50 were displayed differentially. Northern blot analysis confirmed that 26 of the 50 bands were differentially expressed following rapid kindling. Further sequence analysis revealed that 14 of the genes were previously identified and 12 were novel. The novel genes are referred to as King (1–12) genes because of their association with kindling. According to their temporal and quantitative pattern of expression in forebrain, the 26 genes were grouped into five types. Expression of five of the DD genes, one from each expression type, was further analyzed in hippocampus, forebrain, brainstem, and cerebellum of the kindled mice. Differential expression of these genes was observed in hippocampus and forebrain, but not in brainstem or cerebellum. Only one gene, a regulator of G-protein signaling 4 (RGS4), showed prolonged changes in expression in response to kindling. Our results show that rapid kindling produces spatial and temporal changes in gene expression that may influence kindling-associated neuroplasticity.