cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
T-Tube Gastrostomy as a Novel Approach for Distal Staple Line Disruption after Sleeve Gastrectomy for Morbid Obesity: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy has recently become a feasible option in the management of morbid obesity. One of the most feared complications of this procedure is staple line disruption and leakage. There are, to our knowledge, few literature reports that try to explain the reasons and management of this rare but serious complication. We report a case of staple line disruption that was managed using a T-tube gastrostomy. A 50-year-old female, 2 weeks status post-sleeve gastrectomy in an outside facility, was admitted to the emergency room at Cleveland Clinic Florida with new onset of fever, abdominal pain, jaundice, hematemesis, and melena. A computed tomography scan of the abdomen revealed a large extravasation of contrast material parallel to the gastric sleeve. A diagnostic laparoscopy was performed that showed a distal and proximal disruption of the staple line. A T-tube gastrostomy with a large proximal and distal limb was placed into the most distal area of disruption. After thorough over sewing and drainage of the proximal site and T-tube, a feeding jejunostomy was placed. The T-tube permitted to control the leak and to have a controlled fistula. Four weeks postoperatively, the T-tube was removed after the patient had a negative Gastrografin study and tolerated oral fluids with a clamped T-tube. The long-term recovery and follow-up were uneventful. T-tube gastrostomy appears to be a safe and feasible treatment option for staple line disruption after vertical sleeve gastrectomy. Early detection and drainage remain the most important principles to manage this type of complication.
Benchmarking Accounts in Application Management Service (AMS)

This paper describes our latest work on designing and developing a benchmarking system to be applied to AMS (Application Management Service) domain. Benchmarking allows an AMS client or account to understand where it stands in relative to others in terms of its operational performance, and helps it set a realistic target to reach. We elaborate the entire system process in the paper which consists of the following modules: account data collection, cleansing, sampling, mapping and normalization, benchmarking pool formation, KPI (key performance indicator) design for account performance measurement, KPI implementation, evaluation and visualization, and finally, a post-benchmarking analysis. So far, we have applied this benchmarking tool to a dozen of real AMS accounts, and have received some initial yet encouraging feedback.
Facilitating the formation of disulfide bonds in the Escherichia coli periplasm via coexpression of yeast protein disulfide isomerase.

Sacchromyces cerevisiae protein disulfide isomerase (yPDI) was expressed in the E. coli periplasm by using plasmids encoding the OmpA-yPDI-(His) 6 fusion gene under the control of the araBAD, trc, or T7 promoter. The expression levels of yeast PDI under these promoters were compared. Our results showed that yeast PDI expressed into the periplasm could catalyze the formation of disulfide bonds in alkaline phosphatase, restoring the phoA + phenotype in dsbA - mutants. The yeast PDI was purified from the Escherichia coli periplasm and shown to exhibit catalytic properties comparable to those of the rat enzyme with reduced RNase as substrate. In vivo, coexpression of the yeast PDI increased the yield of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) in E. coli by 2-fold, similar to the effect seen previously with the coexpression of the rat enzyme. However yeast PDI was more effective than rat PDI in facilitating the expression of active tissue plasminogen activator (tPA). These results point to differences in the substrate specificity of various PDI enzymes, at least in the context of the E. coli periplasm.
Format wars all over again

Sometime soon Sony intends to embed Blu-Ray, a new optical disc format, in the PlayStation 3 and Sonys VCRs. Sony has gone to great lengths to generate a coalition of firms to support Blu-Ray. Opposing it is the high-definition DVD, sponsored and supported by many firms, including Toshiba, NEC, Sanyo, Microsoft, and Intel.
Oxygen consumption in the symbiotic hydra Hydra viridis

Oxygen consumption was measured in the algal-bearing and aposymbiotic hydra, Hydra viridis using a microrespirometer. In the light, green animals exhibited a lower rate of oxygen consumption than green animals in the dark or aposymbiotic animals. Treatment of the algal-bearing animals with the photosynthetic inhibitor DCMU demonstrated that oxygen produced by symbiotic algae as a result of photosynthesis may supply part of the host's respiratory needs.
Kinetic Monte Carlo simulation of the effective diffusivity in grain boundary networks

Abstract The effective diffusivity in grain boundary networks of polycrystalline materials is evaluated using a kinetic Monte Carlo model. This model connects the atomic hopping processes with the coarse-grained diffusion so that the macroscopic simulations can be conducted without the need to resolve atomic details. The effects of various properties of the grain boundary network on the effective diffusivity have been examined, including grain size, two- vs. three-dimensional networks, and distribution of grain boundary diffusivities. It is shown that the effective diffusivity does not depend on the grain size when grain boundary diffusion is the dominant diffusion mechanism in a polycrystalline sample. We find that the behavior of the effective diffusivity is qualitatively the same for two- and three-dimensional models, except that the percolation threshold and the critical exponents need to be changed accordingly when using empirical functions to characterize the effective diffusivity. In addition, we find that the effective diffusivity exhibits large fluctuations due to its dependence on the grain boundary distributions, and therefore the details of the materials microstructure can significantly impact the effective diffusivity in a specific finite-size sample. Finally, we check the applicable range of the effective medium theory and discuss the effects of modeling different grain boundary types with varying diffusivities using just two vs. many types. The grain boundary diffusion program (GBDiff) developed in this study is available under open source licensing as part of the MAterials Simulation Toolkit (MAST) and can be obtained from https://pypi.python.org/pypi/MAST/1.1.0 .
The Secret Agent: Centennial Essays

Edited by Allan H. Simmons and J. H. Stape (Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2007), x + 185 pp. €40.00 paper. More than a century after the publication of Joseph Conrad’s The Secret Agent: A Simple Tale, the nov...
Heroes, Metanarratives, and the Paradox of Masculinity in Contemporary Western Culture:

The mythic figuration of the hero thrives in contemporary American culture, functioning as both an unattainable ideal against which contemporary masculinity is measured and a mythic means of assuri...
Fault-Tolerant Technique for Δ-Connected AC-Motor Drives

A fault-tolerant technique for motor-drive systems is introduced in this paper. The technique is merely presented for ac motors with Δ-connected circuits in their stator windings. In this technique, the faulty phase is isolated by solid-state switches after the occurrence of a failure in one of the stator phases. Then, the fault-tolerant technique manages current-flow in the remaining healthy phases. This technique is to significantly mitigate torque pulsations, which are caused by an open-Δ configuration in the stator windings. The performance of the fault-tolerant technique was experimentally verified using a 5-hp 460-V induction motor-drive system and the results are presented in this paper.
Grade and Prognosis in Localized Primary Angiosarcoma

Abstract Background Primary angiosarcoma of the breast (PAOB) is rare and institutional series have provided conflicting data on the effect of grade on prognosis. Patients and Methods Using a case listing session of Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) 18 (1973-2010) we examined outcomes for patients with PAOB. Analyses were conducted with SEER*Stat 8.1.2, Microsoft Excel 2007, and GraphPad Prism 6. Comparisons were made using the Fisher exact test and log rank test (Mantel–Cox); P values were 2-sided. Results Two hundred twenty-six women with PAOB were identified; median age was 49 (range, 15-107) years and 82% (185) were white. Seventy-two percent (162) had localized disease, 15% (34) regional disease, 7% (16) distant disease, and 6% (14) had unknown staging. Fourteen percent (32) had Grade 1, 24% (55) Grade 2, 30% (68) Grade 3 disease, and grade was unknown in 32% (72) of patients. Median overall survival (OS) for patients with localized, regional, and distant disease was 172, 24, and 16 months, respectively ( P P P = .070) and 24% (55) of all patients received radiation. Radiation did not improve survival for localized Grade 1 and 2 disease ( P = .676), or Grade 3 disease ( P = .589); surgery and grade subgroups were too small for meaningful comparisons regarding radiation. Conclusion Histologic grade is a significant predictor of survival for patients with localized PAOB. Regardless of grade, adjuvant radiation did not confer a survival benefit for patients with localized disease.
Getting Closer at the Company Party: Integration Experiences, Racial Dissimilarity, and Workplace Relationships

Using survey data from two distinct samples, we found that reported integration behaviors (e.g., attending company parties, discussing nonwork matters with colleagues) were associated with closer relationships among coworkers but that this effect was qualified by an interaction effect. Racial dissimilarity moderated the relationship between integration and closeness such that integration was positively associated with relationship closeness for those who were demographically similar to their coworkers, but not for those who were demographically dissimilar from their coworkers. Additionally, this moderation effect was mediated by the extent to which respondents experienced comfort and enjoyment when integrating. These findings highlight the importance of creating the right kind of interactions for building closer relationships between employees, particularly relationships that span racial boundaries.
Heart failure: not just the heart but also the lungs.

Dyspnea is the major symptom experienced by patients with heart failure (HF) and points to the important role of the lungs in this syndrome. Article see p 693 Normal left ventricular diastolic function keeps the left atrial and pulmonary venous pressures low (<12 mm Hg), both at rest and during submaximal exercise.1 With this normal low pulmonary venous pressure, only a small amount of fluid and protein are filtered through gaps in the pulmonary capillary endothelial cells and into the alveolar interstitial space because the hydrostatic pressure is mostly offset by the protein osmotic pressure.2 Thus, normally the small amount of fluid and protein entering the interstitial space is cleared by lymphatic drainage into the venous circulation. An elevation of left ventricular diastolic and pulmonary venous pressures is a characteristic of HF, regardless of the ejection fraction.3 Mild elevations of pulmonary venous pressure (18–25 mm Hg) increase the flow into the interstitial space.2 When this flow exceeds the clearance ability of the lymphatics, edema accumulates in the lung interstitial space. This can be seen on a chest x-ray as Kerley B lines. The accumulation of interstitial fluid enhances the stiffness of the lungs, leading to an increase in work required to breathe, and produces the perception of dyspnea. With higher pulmonary venous pressures (>25 mm Hg), the accumulating fluid enters the alveolar space, producing pulmonary edema. This interferes with gas exchange and results in intrapulmonary shunting, leading to hypoxia. In this way, acute pulmonary edema can produce …
Gestational Diabetes Screening After HAPO: Has Anything Changed?

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common complications of pregnancy. It is defined as diabetes that is first recognized during pregnancy. The diagnosis of GDM is important because it impacts maternal health care during and after pregnancy. The American Diabetes Association, American Congress of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the World Health Organization, and the National Diabetes Data Group all have recommendations for screening; however, there is no consensus. The Hyperglycemia and Adverse Pregnancy Outcome Research Cooperative Study Group published their findings that show hyperglycemia has a significant effect on pregnancy outcome. In addition, recent studies showed that treatment of mild hyperglycemia may affect adverse outcomes. However, at this time no new guidelines for screening and diagnosis of gestational diabetes have been published. This article summarizes the current state of screening for gestational diabetes
Stability of Spinach Catalase.

SUMMARY The effects of certain variables on the thermal stability of spinach catalase were investigated with model systems. The rate of thermal inactivation of spinach catalase was accelerated as heating temperature was increased. Inactivation kinetics were not first-order with solutions of the purified enzyme between 50 and 60°C and with spinach extracts at 55°C, hut became first-order with the latter preparation as the temperature was increased to 65°C. The presence of a heat-labile catalase inhibitor is postulated. Catalase was more thermostable in spinch extracts than in solutions of the purified enzyme. Purified spinach catalase at 55°C was more thermostable in solutions at pH 5.5 and 7.0 than at pH 9.0. The thermostahility of purified spinach catalase was not influenced by the enzyme concentration or by the presence of 1.5% NaCl, 3.6% sucrose, or 3.6% starch in pH 7.0 solution at 55°C.
Characterising an indoor environment with a mobile robot and uncalibrated stereo

The author shows how it is possible for a mobile robot to exploit the visual information obtained by scanning a room to determine its size and shape, and to orient itself continually within it. The equipment used is a very simple camera setup whose detailed initial configuration is not known but can be deduced as the algorithm runs. The approach does not require any special environment, nor is it sensitive to changes in the physical aspect of the room being inspected such as moved furniture or roaming people. The long-term goal of the project is for the robot to use the information thus acquired in order to build maps of its environment, presumed to be a single floor of an office building, and to localize itself within this framework. >
Repeated exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and asthma: effect of seroatopy.

Abstract Background Exposure to traffic-related air pollutants, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), can induce asthma. However, the effects of early repeated PAH exposure over time on different asthma phenotypes have not been examined. Objective To assess associations between repeated PAH exposure, measured from prenatal personal and residential indoor monitors in children's homes, and asthma in an inner-city cohort. Methods Prenatal exposure was assessed by personal air monitoring during 48 hours and exposure at 5 to 6 years of age by 2-week residential monitoring in the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health cohort. PAH was dichotomized into pyrene (representative semivolatile PAH) and the sum of 8 nonvolatile PAHs. High exposure to each was defined as measures above the median at both repeated time points. Asthma and wheeze were determined by validated questionnaires at ages 5 to 6 years. Children with specific IgE levels greater than 0.35 IU/mL to any of 5 indoor allergens were considered seroatopic. Results Among all 354 children, repeated high exposure to pyrene was associated with asthma (odds ratio [OR], 1.90; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-3.20). Among 242 nonatopic children, but not those sensitized to indoor allergens (n = 87) or with elevated total IgE levels (n = 171), high pyrene levels were associated positively with asthma (OR, 2.89; 95% CI, 1.77-5.69), asthma medication use (OR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.13-4.59), and emergency department visits for asthma (OR, 2.43; 95% CI, 1.20-4.91). Associations between the levels of the 8 nonvolatile PAHs and asthma were not observed, even when stratifying by seroatopy. Conclusion Nonatopic children may be more susceptible to the respiratory consequences of early pyrene exposures.
Mechanism of Epinephrine-Induced Platelet Aggregation

We report that a genetic polymorphism of the alpha2-adrenergic receptor (A2AR) encoded by chromosome 10 is associated with hypertension and an increase in epinephrine-mediated platelet aggregation in humans. The mechanism responsible for this heritable contrast in sensitivity to epinephrine is unknown. We tested our hypothesis that epinephrine-induced platelet aggregation is mediated by activation of chloride transport. We measured epinephrine-mediated increases in optical density of gel-filtered platelets suspended in a bicarbonate-buffered physiological salt solution. Compared with platelets incubated in the control buffer (130 mmol/L NaCl), platelets incubated with either bumetanide, a Na/K/2Cl cotransport inhibitor; anthracene-9-carboxylic acid, a chloride channel blocker; or acetazolamide, an agent that blocks ATP-dependent chloride transport had significantly decreased aggregation responses to epinephrine. When measured fluorometrically, epinephrine significantly increased intraplatelet chloride concentrations. Chloride-dependent modifications of epinephrine-induced platelet aggregation were not attributable to changes in A2AR ligand binding characteristics or to the concentration of platelet cAMP. Finally, subthreshold concentrations of epinephrine also potentiated thrombin-induced platelet aggregation, and blockade of chloride transport diminished this synergistic action of epinephrine on thrombin-stimulated platelet aggregation. Heritable differences in epinephrine-mediated platelet aggregation may be attributable to genetic differences in chloride transport in platelets. Furthermore, because we observed a necessary role for chloride transport in epinephrine-mediated platelet aggregation, pharmacological agents that block chloride transport, such as diuretics, may provide salutary protection against vascular thrombosis in patients with hypertension independent of the effect of these drugs on blood pressure.
Adolescents’ Experiences of Sexual Assault by Peers: Prevalence and Nature of Victimization Occurring Within and Outside of School

This study examined adolescent peer-on-peer sexual assault victimization occurring within and outside school. The sample consisted of 1,086 7th through 12th grade students, with a mean age of 15. Most of the respondents were White (54%) or Black (45%), and approximately half of respondents were female (54%). A modified version of the Sexual Experiences Survey was used to assess opposite sex sexual victimization in 7th through 12th grade students. Rates of peer sexual assault were high, ranging from 26% of high school boys to 51% of high school girls. School was the most common location of peer sexual victimization. Characteristics of assault varied by location, including type of victimization, victims’ grade level, relationship to the perpetrator, type of coercion, and how upsetting the assault was. Distinctions between sexual assault occurring in and out of school are conceptualized with literature on developmental changes in heterosexual relationships and aggression.
Microearthquake location using a maximum likelihood processor

Sonobuoy arrays located over the Mid‐Atlantic Ridge, during the French‐American Mid‐Ocean Undersea Study (FAMOUS), have been used to measure the spatial coherence of sound pressure radiated from sea quakes and provide refined estimates of epicenter locations. These measurements were made with array elements separated by two km and tracked to an accuracy of 30 m relative to a bottom‐moored transponder. Spatial coherence, the normalized cross‐spectral density, has been found to be as high as 0.7 at 13 Hz and to be typically about 0.5 between 16 and 60 Hz. Short‐range events are significantly more coherent than long‐range events whose onset is smeared in time. A maximum‐likelihood array processor has been used to obtain accurate estimates of horizontal epicenter locations. The high‐resolution processor yields about three times the resolving power of the conventional delay and sum processor. The resolving power obtained with these arrays is consistent with measured spatial coherence.
Cancer Mortality of Chinese in New York City 1988–1992

Background. This study examines cancer mortality among Chinese migrants in New York City, and compares it with that of residents of China as well as New York City whites. Method. Mortality records for 1988-1992 from the New York City Department of Health, and the 1990 US census data for New York City were used for the analysis. Age-specific deaths and the population of urban China reported by the World Health Organization were also used for comparison. Age-adjusted death rates by gender for Chinese and whites in New York City, as well as for Chinese in China were computed using the world standard population. Results. New York Chinese had lower mortality rates for all causes, total cancer, oesophageal and lung cancer deaths than did either New York whites or Chinese in China in both genders. However, they had lower death rates than New York whites, but similar to those in China, for colon cancer in both genders, and breast cancer in females. By contrast, New York Chinese had higher death rates for nasopharyngeal cancer than either New York City whites or Chinese in China. Stomach and liver cancer death rates in New York Chinese fell between those in China and New York City whites. Conclusions. Cancer mortality rates among Chinese migrants in New York City being the lowest for total cancer and some types of cancers, did not follow the usual pattern of migrants (an intermediate position between rates of native New Yorkers and Chinese in homeland China). However, substantial variations in certain cancer-specific mortality by geography were observed.
In search of an anonymous and secure lookup: attacks on structured peer-to-peer anonymous communication systems

The ability to locate random relays is a key challenge for peer-to-peer (P2P) anonymous communication systems. Earlier attempts like Salsa and AP3 used distributes hash table lookups to locate relays, but the lack of anonymity in their lookup mechanisms enables an adversary to infer the path structure and compromise used anonymity. NISAN and Torsk are state-of-the-art systems for P2P anonymous communication. Their designs include mechanisms that are specifically tailored to mitigate information leak attacks. NISAN proposes to add anonymity into the lookup mechanism itself, while Torsk proposes the use of secret buddy nodes to anonymize the lookup initiator. In this paper, we attack the key mechanisms that hide the relationship between a lookup initiator and its selected relays in NISAN and Torsk. We present passive attacks on the NISAN lookup and show that it is not as anonymous as previously thought. We analyze three circuit construction mechanisms for anonymous communication using the NISAN lookup, and show that the information leaks in the NISAN lookup lead to a significant reduction in user anonymity. We also propose active attacks on Torsk that defeat its secret buddy mechanism and consequently compromise user anonymity. Our results are backed up by probabilistic modeling and extensive simulations. Our study motivates the search for a DHT lookup mechanism that is both secure and anonymous.
PS1-47: Clinical Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Disease in Asian-Indian and Non-Hispanic White Men in the California Men's Health Study

Background/Aims Asian-Indians (AIs) have disproportionately higher rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than most racial/ethnic groups. We evaluated clinical risk factors including diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension (HTN), and dyslipidemia in AI men compared with non-Hispanic white (NHW) men enrolled in the California Men’s Health Study (CMHS).
Evidence suggesting a dissociation of DNA strand scissions and late-stage promotion of tumor cell phenotype

The relationship between the direct (i.e., within the target cell itself) induction by tumor promoters of DNA double or single strand scissions and late-stage promotion of a selected tumor cell phenotype in JB6 mouse epidermal cells was investigated. These cells have been shown to respond to late-stage tumor promoters with an irreversible induction of anchorage independent growth. Mezerein, a late-stage tumor promoter in mouse skin, stimulated promotion of anchorage independent growth of JB6 cells without detectable concomitant induction of DNA double or single strand breaks. A single treatment of JB6 cells with benzoyl peroxide, a complete tumor promoter, or H2O2, a weak complete tumor promoter but an efficient Stage I tumor promoter, did not induce anchorage independent growth but did induce DNA single strand scissions. The lack of induction of detectable DNA strand scissions by mezerein, an active promoter of anchorage independent growth, and the existence of promoters which induce DNA strand scissions but not promotion of anchorage independent growth after a single treatment, suggest that direct induction of DNA strand scissions is unrelated to the late-stage promotion of tumor cell phenotype in JB6 cells.
Neutrino-induced production of hadrons and the Weinberg sum rules

We consider hadron production from leptons through the process e− +\(\overline \nu \) → hadrons. While experimentally not feasible at the present time the theoretical analysis of this reaction exhibits a test of the Weinberg sum rules for chiralSU2 ×SU2 current algebra which is relatively free of strong-interaction assumptions other than the sum rules themselves. This result is exact in the current-current form of the weak interaction.
Sex, Race, and the Quality of Life Factors Most Important to Patients' Well-Being Among Those Seeking Bariatric Surgery.

Background Evidence suggests obesity-related social stigma and impairment in work function may be the two most detrimental quality of life (QOL) factors to overall well-being among patients seeking weight loss surgery (WLS); whether the relative importance of QOL factors varies across patient sex and race/ethnicity is unclear.
Reactve Programming of Supply and Demand Relations-Applications to Fresh Vegetables

S INCE "Reactive Programming" is a new term, coined to describe to some extent the process employed, we may well spend a few minutes in learning something about the technique. Then we will move on to one of several applications which have been made. We will define Reactive Programming as a means of obtaining the equilibrium flows of a commodity between areas with given transportation cost functions, given demand schedules in each of the several areas of consumption and given supply schedules in each of the several areas of production. Though the technique is by no means limited to the case considered in this paper, we limit ourselves here to the problem of determining the perfect competition equilibrium flows of a commodity between areas with given demand schedules in each of several areas of consumption, fixed supplies in each of several areas of production, and given constant unit transportation costs. We apologize for the necessity of employing a good many symbols with subscripts and superscripts. But, their use is required for an orderly presentation of the technique. First, we let i=l, 2, ? ? , m denote the different producing areas and j =1, 2, ? ? ?, n denote the different consuming areas. Next, we let Pj denote price of the homogeneous product in the jth consuming area, Qij denote quantity purchased in the jth consuming area which was produced in the ith producing area, Tij denote the constant unit cost of transporting the product from the ith producing area to the jth consuming area, Si denote the fixed supply in the ith producing area, and Rij denote the "net" average revenue per unit for the product produced in the ith producing area and sold in the jth consuming area. Since an iterative procedure is used, we use the superscript (k) to denote the variables Qij being solved for at any stage of the process and the superscript (k -1) to denote the last values obtaine(l for all Qij's prior to solving for the variables in question. As given data for the problem we must have the n demand equations,'
Student admission matching based content-cache allocation

As a support to the backend storage, the content caching technique is of great importance to online social networks (e.g., Facebook), in reducing the request service latency and improving user satisfaction. However, the limited caching capacity and booming user data pose great challenges for the content-cache allocation. In this paper, we propose a three-layer content caching model, and focus on how to efficiently allocation contents to caches in order to minimize the overall service latency. We try to tackle this issue by utilizing both centralized Mix Integer Linear Programming (MILP) optimization and by modeling it as a distributed student admission (SA) stable matching problem. In the SA model, we leverage the resident-oriented Gale-Shapley (RGS) algorithm to yield a stable matching between contents and cache centers. We compare the performance between the centralized and distributed algorithms in terms of system welfare and computation analysis. Through numerical results, we prove the effectiveness of our proposed methods.
Dorsal Contact Toxicity of Six Insecticides to Wintering Larvae of the European Pine Shoot Moth

Tests were conducted with six organic insecticides in a settling type spray chamber to determine their relative dorsal contact toxicity to overwintering larvae of the European pine shoot moth, Rhyacionia buoliana (Schiff). No significant mortality was obtained with DDT, chlordane, or BHC at any concentration used. Malathion, Thimet® O,O -diethyl S -(ethylthio) methyl phosphorodithioate, and dimethoate produced mortality at all concentrations used. Failure of DDT to act as a contact insecticide in these tests suggests that the excellent control obtained with it in the field is due to the residue acting as a stomach poison.
Assessment of sweat-testing practices for the diagnosis of cystic fibrosis.

Abstract Objective.—To describe the results of the College of American Pathologists survey questions assessing the current practice of sweat testing in North America and to identify areas in which improvement is needed. Data Source.—Results of the supplemental questions to the SW-B 2000 survey. Study Selection.—Supplemental questions were designed to assess variation in sweat collection, analysis, and interpretation. Data Extraction.—Extractions of the data were made based on the relevance of the data to the objectives of the review. Data Synthesis.—The majority of laboratories surveyed performed sweat testing according to the procedures described in the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards' document. The study revealed that a number of laboratories have adopted poor practice standards and are potentially compromising patient care. Areas of concern include the number of laboratories performing few sweat tests per year, the persistence of unreliable methodology, misunderstanding of collecti...
Survival of Asian Females With Advanced Lung Cancer in the Era of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapy

Abstract Introduction We examined the effect of access to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) therapy on survival for Asian female (AF) EGFR mutation-enriched patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma. Materials and Methods We used the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database to study patients with stage IV lung adenocarcinoma diagnosed from 1998 to 2012. We compared survival (lung cancer-specific survival [LCSS] and overall survival) between AFs and non-Asian males (NAMs), an EGFR mutation-enriched and EGFR mutation-unenriched population, respectively, with a diagnosis in the pre-EGFR TKI (1998-2004) and EGFR TKI (2005-2012) eras. We used Cox proportional hazards models to examine the interaction of access to TKI treatment and EGFR enrichment status. Results Among 3029 AF and 35,352 NAM patients, we found that LCSS was best for AFs with a diagnosis in the TKI era (median, 14 months), followed by AFs with a diagnosis in the pre-TKI era (median, 8 months), NAMs with a diagnosis in the TKI era (median, 5 months), and NAMs with a diagnosis in the pre-TKI era (median, 4 months; log-rank P P = .0020; overall survival, P = .0007). A lung cancer diagnosis in the TKI era was associated with an overall mortality decrease of 26% for AFs (hazard ratio, 0.740; 95% confidence interval, 0.682-0.80) and 15.9% for NAMs (hazard ratio, 0.841; 95% confidence interval, 0.822-0.860). Conclusions We found increased survival for lung adenocarcinoma diagnoses made after widespread access to EGFR TKIs, with the greatest increase among AF patients enriched for EGFR mutations. The present analysis eliminated the effect of crossover, which has complicated assessments of the survival advantage in EGFR TKI randomized trials.
Drug Interaction Facts 2010 Edition (Bound)

Edited by David S. Tatro, Pharm.D. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, 77 Westport Plaza, Suite 450, St. Louis, MO 63146, 2009. 2035 p. Price $99.95. This comprehensive reference provides concise, accurate, and current information to help health care providers prevent and manage drug interactions
A quantitative comparison of statistical and deterministic methods on virtual in-situ calibration in building systems

Abstract Systematic and random errors of working sensors in building systems could significantly compromise the system's performance and thus indoor environmental quality. An extended virtual in-situ calibration has been suggested to solve problems regarding sensor errors and calibration. This calibration can correct these errors for all critical working sensors in building systems without removing working sensors or adding reference sensors as is done in a conventional calibration. This method is capable of estimating measurands using a parameter estimation technique based on mathematical system models. Deterministic and statistical methods can be used for conducting the estimation. In this study, genetic algorithm (GA)-based optimization is used as a deterministic method and Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) is used as a statistical method to solve the calibration problem formulated by the extended virtual in-situ calibration. A case study of a single-effect LiBr-H2O refrigeration system illustrates the problem formulating process and compares the accuracy distributions of calibrations derived from the two different methods.
The integration of periodic truss bridge design and impulse response method

Global structural monitoring strategies for steel truss bridges have the challenges as the influence of boundary conditions on the comparison of predicted and measured properties, and the insensitivity of current methods to small flaws. It is important to consider the damage mechanisms and their influences to structural behavior in the design process. In this paper, the truss optimization is linked with periodic structure design such that each periodic unit (repetitive truss section) has distinct dispersion curve that can be monitored in time for the presence of damage. The numerical model of periodic unit is performed for pristine and cracked conditions. The changes in dispersion behavior with the increase of damage are noted. A section of the truss is built in the laboratory, and the dispersion of periodic unit is obtained using impulse response method in order to reduce the influence of boundary conditions. The changes of dispersion curve of periodic cell with the increase of damage are compared with the numerical results. The proposed design strategy integrates the damage detection philosophy to the design stage, and increases the reliability of nondestructive evaluation method.
A Characterization of Authenticated-Encryption as a Form of Chosen-Ciphertext Security.

In this note we introduce a variation of the standard definition of chosen-ciphertext security, which we call IND-CCA3, and prove that IND-CCA3 is equivalent to authenticated-encryption.
Proton velocity ring-driven instabilities and their dependence on the ring speed: Linear theory

Linear dispersion theory is used to study the Alfven-cyclotron, mirror and ion Bernstein instabilities driven by a tenuous (1%) warm proton ring velocity distribution with a ring speed, vr, varying between 2vA and 10vA, where vA is the Alfven speed. Relatively cool background protons and electrons are assumed. The modeled ring velocity distributions are unstable to both the Alfven-cyclotron and ion Bernstein instabilities whose maximum growth rates are roughly a linear function of the ring speed. The mirror mode, which has real frequency ωr=0, becomes the fastest growing mode for sufficiently large vr/vA. The mirror and Bernstein instabilities have maximum growth at propagation oblique to the background magnetic field and become more field-aligned with an increasing ring speed. Considering its largest growth rate, the mirror mode, in addition to the Alfven-cyclotron mode, can cause pitch angle diffusion of the ring protons when the ring speed becomes sufficiently large. Moreover, because the parallel phase speed, v∥ph, becomes sufficiently small relative to vr, the low-frequency Bernstein waves can also aid the pitch angle scattering of the ring protons for large vr. Potential implications of including these two instabilities at oblique propagation on heliospheric pickup ion dynamics are discussed.
A Survey of the Prevalence and Impact of Reporting Guideline Endorsement in Pathology Journals.

Objectives To determine the prevalence of reporting guideline endorsement in pathology journals and to estimate the impact of guideline endorsement. Methods We compared the quality of reporting in two sets of studies: (1) studies published in journals that explicitly mentioned a guideline vs studies published in journals that did not and (2) studies that cited a guideline vs studies that did not. The quality of reporting in prognostic biomarker studies was assessed using the REporting recommendations for tumor MARKer prognostic studies (REMARK) guideline. Results We found that six (10%) of the 59 leading pathology journals explicitly mention reporting guidelines in the instructions to authors. Only one journal required authors to submit a checklist. There was significant variation in the rate at which various REMARK items were reported (P < .001). Journal endorsement was associated with more complete reporting (P = .04). Studies that cited REMARK had greater adherence to the REMARK reporting guidelines than studies that did not (P = .02). Conclusions The prevalence of guideline endorsement is relatively low in pathology journals, but guideline endorsement may improve the quality of reporting.
A Comparison of Clofarabine-based (GCLAC) and Cladribine-based (CLAG) Salvage Chemotherapy for Relapsed/Refractory AML

Abstract Background Salvage regimens for patients with relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia (rrAML) lack comparative data for superiority. Thus, we conducted a retrospective analysis of clofarabine-based (GCLAC; granulocyte colony-stimulating factor [filgrastim], clofarabine, high-dose cytarabine) versus cladribine-based (CLAG; cladribine, cytarabine, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor [filgrastim]) regimens in rrAML. Patients and Methods We identified 41 consecutive patients with rrAML who had received either GCLAC or CLAG from 2011 to 2014. The primary outcome measure was the complete remission (CR) rate defined according to the International Working Group criteria. The secondary outcomes included the proportion of patients who underwent allogenic stem cell transplantation and the rate of relapse-free survival and overall survival. Results We found no significant differences in the baseline characteristics of the patients treated with GCLAC (n = 22) or CLAG (n = 19). The outcomes with these 2 regimens were not significantly different. Patients treated with GCLAC had a CR/CR with incomplete blood count recovery rate of 64% compared with 47% for the patients treated with CLAG ( P = .36). Of the GCLAC patients, 45% underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation compared with 26% of the CLAG patients ( P = .32). The median relapse-free survival after GCLAC and CLAG was 1.59 years and 1.03 years, respectively ( P = .75). The median overall survival after GCLAG and CLAG was 1.03 years and 0.70 years, respectively ( P = .08). The drug costs were significantly different for GCLAC versus CLAG. Using an average wholesale price, the cost per patient per cycle was $60,821.60 for GCLAC and $4910.60 for CLAG. Conclusion A single-institutional retrospective analysis found no significant differences in the outcomes between GCLAC and CLAG for rrAML patients, although formal comparisons should be performed in a randomized clinical trial. The cost of GCLAC was greater than that of CLAG, which should be considered when evaluating the choice for the salvage chemotherapy options.
Atherosclerosis: Association between the gut microbiome and atherosclerosis

The gut microbiota has been associated with many different disorders, including cardiovascular diseases. A new study by Jie and colleagues is the first large case–control study to examine directly the enrichment of certain communities of gut bacteria in patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease compared with control individuals.
An assessment of CBOL plant DNA barcodes in the genus Manfreda Salisb. (Asparagaceae) for utility in species Identification and phylogenetic studies

The genus Manfreda Salisb. (Asparagaceae) consists of 26–32 species distributed across North and Central America. Manfreda has been subject to a number of alternative taxonomic classifications based on morphology with alternative generic and subgeneric system employed for the taxon. The CBOL Plant DNA barcode (MatK and rbcL) was assessed for the ability to discriminate existing taxa allocated to the genus and construct meaningful phylogenies. Neither Bayesian nor Maximum Parsimony methods of phylogenetic inference were able to find adequate support for any divergence between the 19 specimens of Manfreda studied. It is therefore surmised that CBOL Plant DNA Barcodes have limited utility in the genus Manfreda for species identification or phylogenetic inference.
Tick-borne disease occupational risks and behaviors of Florida Fish, Wildlife, and Parks Service employees – A health belief model perspective

Abstract Early research indicates that outdoor workers, such as park rangers and land managers, are at greater risk of tick-borne disease (TBD) infection because of their repeated occupational exposure to ticks, yet few studies have sought to determine predictors of personal protective behavior in this population. The purpose of this study was to identify within the framework of the Health Belief Model, relevant demographic and psychosocial predictors of TBD personal protective behaviors (PPB) among Fish and Wildlife, and State Parks employees in the U.S. State of Florida. Following informed consent, an e-survey was used to obtain cross-sectional data from 631 study participants. Seven scales and one index of items were adopted to operationalize the independent variables in this study. Study findings revealed that only twenty-five percent of respondents reported receiving occupational risk training about TBD from their employer. ‘Checking for ticks on skin’ was the TBD PPB most adopted by study participants, while the least adopted TBD PPB was ‘tucking pants into socks’. We found the most significant predictors of checking for ticks on skin to be ‘high specific knowledge of TBD PPB’, ‘high perceived risk for TBD’, ‘high intention of taking action to prevent tick bites’, and ‘high perceived self-efficacy for taking action to prevent tick bites’. This study represents a response to the collective call for TBD research focused on the unique issues in Florida. Study findings suggest that occupational training of employees should tailor interventions toward males. Such efforts should focus on increasing specific knowledge of TBD PPB. Management implications Managers of nature-based destinations for which exposure to ticks poses a significant risk to employees will find it useful to develop interventions for reducing tick exposure among employees using the following guidelines: I. Educational curriculum for occupational training programs should be tailored to increasingly target behavior modification among male employees. II. Content for curriculum to be used in training programs should emphasize specific, rather than general knowledge of tick-borne disease personal protective behavior. Suggestions for content includes the social, economic and health risks of TBD, specific action that can be taken to prevent TBDs, benefits of taking preventive action, role of checking for ticks, tucking shirts into pants and overall TBD PPB in TBD prevention.
Representations of Mahmud of Ghazni in the Islamic State’s texts

The militant group known as the Islamic State has published periodicals in multiple languages since its declaration of a ‘caliphate’ in 2014. A series of articles in Arabic and English praises Mahm...
Religiosity and Subjective Well-Being: An International Perspective

To what extent does religiosity relate to subjective well-being (SWB) across the world? We review empirical evidence from both Western and non-Western nations and it points to a pan-cultural positive relation between religiosity and SWB. Using a multilevel perspective, we propose psychological and social mechanisms for this process: at the individual level, religiosity fulfills needs; at the national level, collective religiosity can enhance pro-social behaviors. Recent research also points to contextual effects of religiosity. National religiosity can serve as a buffer to SWB against difficult life circumstances; it can also augment personal religiosity effects on SWB. Future research directions on religiosity and SWB are discussed.
Issues in Pharmacological Treatment

The history of psychopharmacology is only three and a half decades old, dating back to the discovery of the first neuroleptic (chlorpromazine) in the early 1950s. This discovery may be considered one of the major advances in twentieth-century medicine. Like most advances, the introduction of chlorpromazine led to a period of rapidly expanding use, if not overuse, followed by a more gradual delineation of the specific areas of the drug’s usefulness.