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although capsule retention is a known complication of small bowel capsule endoscopy , initial studies with colon capsule endoscopy ( cce ) have not reported any capsule retention or sticking neither in the small bowel nor in the colon .
we report a complication of cce when the stuck colon capsule was passed through the malignant colon stricture and removed by the aid of a flexible colonoscope . during cce in a 76-year - old iron deficiency anemia patient
the real - time viewing system indicated the colon capsule to be stuck in a malignant ascending colon stricture for more than two hours . with the aim to avoid complete capsule retention , immediate colonoscopy was performed .
the stuck capsule was caught by a polypectomy snare , passed through the tumor stricture and finally removed from the large bowel .
the current case describes the usefulness of the real - time viewing system .
similar situations may occur during the forthcoming spread of cce and the present case is an example of how to manage the potentially risky stuck colon capsule condition . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | in initial studies colon capsule endoscopy ( cce ) has been shown to be safe and able to demonstrate colon polyps and cancers . in these cce studies there were no severe adverse events and the comparative colonoscopies were performed the same day as the cce , after excretion of capsule or when recording of images had stopped . we report a special case of cce where the stuck colon capsule was passed through the malignant colon stricture and removed by the aid of flexible colonoscopy . a 76-year - old woman with a history of percutaneous coronary stent implantation was admitted because of worsening dyspnea and cardiac chest pain . at admission hb was 4.8 g / dl ( normal 12 - 16 g / dl ) , all other routine laboratory tests were within normal ranges . esophagogastroduodenoscopy was negative for a source of bleeding . with the suspicion of large bowel bleeding origin , pillcam colon capsule endoscopy ( given imaging ltd . , the patient had neither previous intestinal surgery nor symptoms for suspected bowel obstruction and abdominal ultrasound was negative . a 24-hour colon preparation with 6 l of an oral preparation was performed of polyethylene glycol osmotic solution ( colopeg , roche laboratories , gaillard , france ) without any adverse event . the colon capsule reached the colon after 69 min small bowel transit time . during the cce procedure real - time viewing an actively bleeding obstructive tumor mass was detected in the ascending colon which blocked the capsule passage for 2.5 h ( fig . 1 , 2 ) . at this point , with the aim to avoid total bowel obstruction with clinical emergency and also to complete the diagnosis , an immediate colonoscopy was performed with a standard colonoscope ( cf-160 , olympus , tokyo , japan ) . colonoscopy revealed a 10-cm - long ascending colon tumor leaving only a 10 - 12 mm lumen in diameter at the most oral tumor segment . although by standard colonoscopy it was possible to intubate only the distal part of the tumorous stenosis , there was a chance to cannulate the most narrow proximal segment with a polypectomy snare . as the capsule was stuck in a partly transverse position , it was first mobilized to a longitudinal position , then caught by the polypectomy snare and passed through the tumorous stricture ( fig . the patient underwent right side hemicolectomy without complication and was discharged home on hospital day 14 . capsule endoscopy has rapidly expanded for the visualization of the small intestine and cce appears to be a promising new modality for colonic evaluation . although capsule retention is one of the known complications of small bowel capsule endoscopy , initial studies with cce , despite the larger capsule size ( 11 31 mm ) , have not reported any capsule retention or sticking neither in the small bowel nor in the colon . in our high cardiological risk case , after negative esophagogastroduodenoscopy cce was chosen first for colon examination , however conventional colonoscopy was also available as a standby method . assuming the experiences of published cce studies , if conventional colonoscopy is indicated based upon the cce results , the most appropriate is to perform it on the same day as the capsule study when the colon is already prepared . the real - time viewing system offers occasional control of capsule localization and progression , and moreover , as in our case , the immediate detection of suspected bleeding lesions . capsule retention is defined as the presence of the capsule endoscope in the digestive tract for a minimum of 2 weeks . in our case the colon capsule was stuck in the malignant colon stricture for more than two hours , obviously not fulfilling the criteria of capsule retention . however , there is no data available yet about the usual clinical outcome of stuck colon capsule situations . although colon capsules operate about 10 h and in our case we did not know whether the stuck capsule would pass spontaneously through the stricture , we decided to perform immediate colonoscopy to avoid complete bowel obstruction resulting in clinical emergency . assuming all conditions we felt that for our high age cardiac patient it is less risky to perform flexible colonoscopy as soon as possible instead of monitoring the possible capsule retention . polypectomy snare proved to be a suitable device for mobilizing , catching and removing the capsule . considering that the colon capsule was stuck transversely in the significant stricture , we concluded that not the short examination time but rather the anatomical situation was the reason of incomplete capsule colonoscopy . reported a case in whom cce allowed a complete colonoscopy that was impossible initially with conventional endoscopy . series found that in only half of the patients with incomplete colonoscopy cce offered a satisfactory colon examination . to our knowledge this is the first case presentation demonstrating the combination of cce and immediate conventional colonoscopy to the diagnosis of bleeding colon cancer and the successful removal of a stuck capsule . the current case describes the usefulness of the real - time viewing system and the methodology of rendezvous colonoscopy. we believe that by the forthcoming spread of cce similar clinical situations may occur and that endoscopists should be aware of them to manage potentially risky stuck colon capsule conditions . |
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backgroundthe aim of this study was to calculate 95% reference intervals and double - sided limits of serum alpha - fetoprotein ( afp ) and carcinoembryonic antigen ( cea ) according to the clsi ep28-a3 guideline.material/methodsserum afp and cea values were measured in samples from 26 000 healthy subjects in the shuyang area receiving general health checkups .
the 95% reference intervals and upper limits were calculated by using medcalc.resultswe provided continuous reference intervals from 20 years old to 90 years old for afp and cea .
the reference intervals were : afp , 1.317.89 ng / ml ( males ) and 1.017.10 ng / ml ( females ) ; cea , 0.514.86 ng / ml ( males ) and 0.353.45ng / ml ( females ) .
afp and cea were significantly positively correlated with age in both males ( r=0.196 and r=0.198 ) and females ( r=0.121 and r=0.197).conclusionsdifferent races or populations and different detection systems may result in different reference intervals for afp and cea .
continuous reference intervals of age changes are more accurate than age groups . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | serum alpha - fetoprotein ( afp ) and carcinoembryonic antigen ( cea ) are the most widely used tumor markers in tumor treatment and post - treatment monitoring . reference intervals of cea and afp vary by ethnicity , living standard , geographical location , detection system , and many other factors . however , at present , most laboratories use the afp and cea reference intervals provided by the reagent manual . according to chinese laws and regulations and industry standards , clinical laboratories must set reference intervals suitable for the region to meet the needs of clinical diagnosis and treatment . in this paper , according to clsi ep28-a3 , we established particular reference intervals based on a large sample of local healthy people . from april 2013 to may 2016 , 26 000 healthy subjects were chosen from the shuyang area health examination findings , focusing on the exclusion of liver and gastrointestinal diseases ( such as positive hbv surface - antigen and data from questionnaires ) . afp and cea were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay on beckman dxi system 800 immunoassay analyzers ( beckman co. , ltd . the detection limits of the assays are 0.11000 ng / ml(cea ) and 0.53000 ng / ml(afp ) . regular internal quality control ( iqc ) procedures and external quality assessment scheme ( eqas ) were performed to validate the quality of afp and cea results . afp and cea data were pooled and showed by the non - parametric method using 95% ( double - sided ) reference intervals according to clsi ep28-a3 guidelines . gaussian distribution of all data was tested using the dagostino - pearson test . for outlier exclusion , tukey s outlier method was used . the ratio d / r proposed by dixon was used to detect outliers , but we decided not to exclude any data unless clear analytical or biological reasons could be demonstrated , and all data analyses were performed using spss 17.0 and medcalc version 16.4.3 ( 95% double - sided , tucker , box - cox transformation , lambda and shift parameter get from data , dagostino - pearson test ) . afp and cea data were pooled and showed by the non - parametric method using 95% ( double - sided ) reference intervals according to clsi ep28-a3 guidelines . gaussian distribution of all data was tested using the dagostino - pearson test . for outlier exclusion , tukey the ratio d / r proposed by dixon was used to detect outliers , but we decided not to exclude any data unless clear analytical or biological reasons could be demonstrated , and all data analyses were performed using spss 17.0 and medcalc version 16.4.3 ( 95% double - sided , tucker , box - cox transformation , lambda and shift parameter get from data , dagostino - pearson test ) . the results of the dagostino - pearson test show the afp and cea in our study were not in normal distribution . the reference intervals of afp and cea according to clsi ep28-a3 guideline were determined using the non - parametric method ( 95% double - sided ) , and these values of afp and cea were significant for males and females ( p<0.0001 and p < 0.0001 , respectively ) . we established the reference intervals based on the non - parametric method ( 95% , double - sided ) . the reference intervals for afp and cea are listed in table 1 . as shown in figure 2 , figure 3 shows continuous reference intervals for alpha - fetoprotein ( afp ) and carcinoembryonic antigen ( cea ) concentration . the establishment of reference intervals of afp and cea should be divided into the age groups of 2050 years old and over 50 years old ( table 2 ) . in this study , we analyzed serum afp and cea in a large cohort of apparently healthy individuals and established their reference intervals in shuyang , jiangsu province , china . a study of afp and cea in the fang chenggang area concluded that the reference interval of the instrument should be established . in the modern era of individualized medical care doctors assess the patient s current test results , and the patient s baseline value or the past test report are particularly important . if lacking basic values or previous data , inspection reports should be marked with the reference interval and detection system , especially in developing countries in regions such as latin america , asia , and africa , where laboratory information systems are not common . in this study , we found that afp and cea were positively correlated with age ( figure 2 ) , showing that afp and cea tend to increase with age [ 68 ] . as shown in figure 3 , it is more reasonable to establish a different reference ranges for people over and under 50 years of age . in our study , the upper limits of the reference intervals are different from those of a previous report , possibly because the detection systems are different . different ethnicities and different detection systems may result in different reference intervals for afp and cea . in addition to providing the baseline , it is important to note the variations between the different detection systems and to establish the continuous reference intervals by age . |
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– Passengers aboard a Swedish plane united in a simple but effective protest that has stopped a deportation, at least for now: They refused to buckle their seat belts, and that was enough to keep the plane from taking off, reports the Independent. The unusual action took place when passengers got wind of the situation involving fellow passenger Ghader Ghalamere, a Kurd who was supposed to have been shipped back to his native Iran. Ghalamere fled his homeland five years ago and eventually settled in Sweden, where he now has a wife with Swedish citizenship and two kids. That's apparently not enough to keep him in the country, however, and Swedish officials decided to give him the boot. After the passengers' protest, Ghalamere was removed from the plane and is now being held in a migrant detention center in central Sweden, reports the International Business Times. His legal situation hasn't changed, but backers are hopeful given how his plight is drawing international attention (along with the requisite Facebook page). “It's enough now,” says the leader of a refugee support group in Sweden. “No one who sees the family can doubt that it would harm the children to their father expelled.” | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | A man facing deportation from Sweden has been granted a temporary reprieve after fellow passengers aboard his flight to Iran prevented it from taking off by refusing to fasten their seat belts. A Kurd fearing persecution in his home country of Iran, Ghader Ghalamere fled the country years ago and now has two young children with his wife Fatemeh, a Swedish resident. As a result he qualifies for a residence permit himself – yet because of a quirk in immigration laws he is required to apply for it from outside Sweden. On Thursday, Mr Ghalamere was put on a flight at Östersund bound for Stockholm – and ultimately Iran itself – accompanied by his friends and family in protest. Gathering in the departure lounge, they spoke to other passengers preparing to board the flight and explained the situation. Clearly moved, once on board the plane the other passengers refused to fasten their seat belts – a protest that prevented the pilots from being able to begin take off. With the flight unable to go ahead as scheduled, Mr Ghalamere was removed and taken to a migrant detention centre in Gävle, central Sweden – but the country’s migration board insists nothing about his situation has changed. “It's enough now,” said Sanna Vestin, chairman of the Swedish Network of Refugee Support Groups (FARR). “No one who sees the family can doubt that it would harm the children to their father expelled.” Ms Vestin, who has followed the family’s fate since the father contacted FARR a year ago, said police had asked Mr Ghalamere to travel to Norway to make his application for a Swedish passport from there. After two weeks the attempt failed and he returned to Sweden empty-handed – but upon his arrival the family was told his trip had proven the children could survive in his absence, and the Migration Board ordered his deportation. Mr Ghalamere first fled the prospect of torture and execution in Iran by travelling to Turkey, where he met Fatemeh and was granted refugee status by the UN’s High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). After five years of failed attempts to find him a country that would take him from Turkey, Mr Ghalamere was finally able to reach Sweden. “Now his case has received attention in the media – even in Iran itself,” Ms Vestin said. “There is one more reason to reconsider the case. The Migration Board can do [his hearing] over and do it right.” Since being returned to the detention centre, Mr Ghalamere has gone on hunger strike, and FARR have organised two demonstrations for Tuesday in Östersund and Gävle. Campaigners have also set up a Facebook group, stoppa utvisningen av ghader, which has around 4,000 members. Ms Vestin said: “It is gratifying that so many people have lined up. Sweden has undertaken to defend the rights of children and the right of asylum. When the authorities cannot do it on their own, others have to take responsibility when we get the chance.” ||||| A flight destined for Iran never made it off the tarmac at a Swedish airport when passengers on board protested over the deportation of Kurdish refugee Ghader Ghalamere who was due to be sent home on the same flight. Ghalamere fled Iran in 2012 and settled as a refugee in Sweden with his wife Fatemeh (a Swedish resident) and two children. Despite qualifying for a residency permit - Swedish immigration laws demand that he formally applies for it outside Sweden - he was put on the Stockholm flight at Östersund. The aircraft would ultimately have returned him to Iran. Angry passengers refused to fasten their seatbelts in protest at his treatment and prevented the pilots from being able to take off. Ghalamere has been given a temporary reprieve. He is being housed at the migrant detention centre in Gavle, central Sweden. Sanna Vestin, chairman of the Swedish Network of Refugee Support Groups, said: "It's enough now. No one who sees the family can doubt that it would harm the children to see their father expelled." His deportation order to Iran was prompted when he failed to get residency while he was in Norway for two weeks. Sweden's Migration Board ruled that the trip had proved that his children could survive in his absence. Vestin said: "Now his case has received attention in the media – even in Iran itself. There is one more reason to reconsider the case. The Migration Board can do [his hearing] over again and do it right." Ghalamere fled the threat of torture and execution in Iran by travelling to Turkey where he met Fatemeh and was granted refugee status by the UN's High Commissioner for Refugees. After five years of failed attempts to find him a country from Turkey he was finally able to reach Sweden. Since his return to the detention centre, Ghalamere has gone on hunger strike, and Farr have organised two demonstrations for Tuesday in Östersund and Gävle. Campaigners have also set up a Facebook group, which has around 4,000 members. Vestin added: "It is gratifying that so many people have lined up. Sweden has undertaken to defend the rights of children and the right of asylum. When the authorities cannot do it on their own, others have to take responsibility when we get the chance." |
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– A Rutgers University student took five photos of a black bear that killed him soon afterward, and police yesterday released the images. They show the bear at a distance of about 100 feet from Darsh Patel, who took the pictures with his phone in the Apshawa Preserve in New Jersey. The phone was discovered near Patel's body after police arrived on the scene, having received a call from the four friends Patel had been hiking with. In the aftermath of the incident, a necropsy found human flesh and clothing in the bear; it was also found to have had blood on its paws, the Record reports. Police have said that two other hikers warned Patel and his friends that a bear was following behind the duo. The group wanted to see the animal, so they kept walking, says a report by a wildlife official who spoke with the surviving hikers. "They stopped and took photographs of the bear with their cell phones and the bear began walking towards them," the report says. They started walking away, and when the bear closed the distance between them to roughly 15 feet they ran, splitting up as they did so, police say. Patel lost a shoe while running and was last seen climbing up some rocks with the bear behind him; he yelled to his friends to keep going, police note. The others escaped and called 911. Four hours later, emergency personnel found Patel's body, NJ.com reports. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | WEST MILFORD — The hiker who was killed by a bear in September took pictures of the animal just before the attack. The pictures show the 300-pound black bear approaching the group of hikers in West Milford’s Apshawa Preserve on Sept. 21, according to authorities, who released the series of five photographs in response to an Open Public Records Act request filed by NJ Advance Media. The photographs are from the phone of Darsh Patel, the 22-year-old Rutgers University student who was killed by the same bear just a short while later, said Lt. Keith Ricciardi, of the West Milford Police. The phone was later recovered with a puncture mark from the animal’s teeth, according to investigatory records. Chief Timothy Storbeck said in previous interviews that Patel and four of his friends had begun walking into the preserve that afternoon when they were met by a man and a woman coming the other way. The pair warned the larger group about a bear following them. The couple walked away, leaving the group of five to talk about what they were going to do. They eventually walked farther into the woods. The five stopped when the bear was 300 feet away, Storbeck had said. For more, LIKE NJ.com on Facebook The five pictures taken from Patel’s phone show the bear from approximately 100 feet, looking toward the hikers but still behind a fallen log, authorities said. A sixth photo, taken by a friend of Patel’s who was apparently standing next to him, is virtually identical to the five from Patel’s phone. Those were the only six pictures taken by the group, said Ricciardi. The hikers turned around when the bear kept approaching, authorities said. But the bear caught up with them, eventually closing to within 15 feet, investigators said. When the bear reached that proximity, the group split up running in different directions, they later told police investigators. Patel at one point lost his shoe, and was last seen climbing a rock formation as he hollered for his friends to continue, with the bear right behind him. The group of four fled the woods and called 911, according to police records. Emergency responders came upon Patel’s body about four hours later. The bear was in the area, authorities said. Eventually, a police officer shot and killed the bear. An autopsy showed that Patel was mauled by the bear. Human remains were found in the bear’s stomach and esophagus, and human blood and tissue were found underneath its claws, authorities said. The death of Patel was the first confirmed instance of a person being killed by a bear in New Jersey. Some 60 such fatal attacks have occurred in North America over the last century, experts said. However, the attacks on Patel can still be considered "one in a million," they added. Black bears were virtually eradicated from New Jersey by the 1960s, but have since rebounded to a population of about 2,500. New Jersey’s fifth consecutive bear hunt begins Dec. 8. Seth Augenstein can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @SethAugenstein. Find NJ.com on Facebook. ||||| Hiker took photos of bear ahead of deadly West Milford attack By minjae park staff writer | The Record Buy this photo West milford police department A photograph of the black bear which killed Darsh Patel on Sept. 21 in a wooded area of West Milford was recovered from the victim's phone A hiker who was mauled to death by a black bear in September took five photos of the bear before the fatal attack, West Milford police said. The police department on Tuesday released a total of six pictures, five of them shot by Darsh Patel, the Rutgers student who was killed in the deadly bear encounter. Buy this photo CHRIS PEDOTA / staff photographer The five men had been hiking in Apshawa Preserve when the deadly attack occurred. Patel had been hiking with four friends, all from Edison, at the Apshawa Preserve in West Milford when they met a couple who warned them a bear had been following them. The five hikers continued because they wanted to see the bear, according to a report by a state Fish & Wildlife officer, who interviewed the hikers. The report says that the hikers first sighted the bear about 100 feet away. “They stopped and took photographs of the bear with their cell phones and the bear began walking towards them,” the report says. The bear continued to follow as they walked away and they split up as they ran, the report continues. Four of them reunited, noticed Patel was missing and called police, who found Patel’s body after a two-hour search. A bear lingering near the body and acting aggressively was shot to death by a police officer, authorities have said. A necropsy of the bear revealed it had ingested human tissue and blood, as well as clothing, and had human blood on its paws. The five photos were recovered from Patel’s phone, which was found near his body with a puncture mark on the front screen, state officials have said. Patel’s pants, socks, glasses and sneakers also were later found near his body. A sixth photo taken by another hiker, David Suh, was also released by West Milford police. Email: [email protected] |
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– America could have a new state called New Columbia by this time next year if voters in Washington, DC, choose statehood this fall and Congress allows it. The name—first chosen during a statehood bid in 1982—was approved this week by a statehood commission that included Mayor Muriel Bowser and Paul Strauss, who is one of DC's two "shadow senators," reports the Washington Post. Strauss admitted that he isn't a "super fan" of the name. "We decided to keep what had been part of the statehood legacy since 1982," he said. "If the voters of the new state want to change it, that's going to be a great thing they can do as a free state." Runner-up names at the 1982 statehood convention included Potomac, Anacostia, Capital State, and the State of Utopia. The Washingtonian reports that at the statehood commission meeting this week, there was applause when DC resident Travis Swanson said the US has "sugarcoated the history of Christopher Columbus" and he doesn't deserve to be honored with a star on the American flag. Swanson suggested the state name "Douglass Commonwealth," which would honor anti-slavery leader Frederick Douglass and allow DC to remain DC. (President Obama says he supports DC statehood.) | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | How does New Columbia sound? That may be the new name for the District of Columbia if the city wins its bid to become the 51st state, a statehood commission decided on Monday. Settling on a name was among the most basic constitutional questions settled by Mayor Muriel E. Bowser, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, D.C. shadow Sen. Paul Strauss and others on the five-member commission, which also approved a draft state constitution that calls for the creation of a 21-person state legislature. [D.C. convenes first constitutional convention of the 21st century] New Columbia is actually an old name - it was approved by voters in a 1982 referendum that was part of an earlier campaign for statehood. But the moniker is far from a crowd pleaser. Residents suggested at least 10 alternatives ranging from Potomac to Anacostia to Douglass Commonwealth - an homage to abolitionist Frederick Douglass that would have maintained the District’s “D.C.” abbreviation. “We decided to keep what had been part of the statehood legacy since 1982,” said Strauss, who says he’s not a “super fan” of the New Columbia name. “If the voters of the new state want to change it, that’s going to be a great thing they can do as a free state.” Some also wanted the new name disconnected from Christopher Columbus, saying they associate the Italian explorer with the decimation of indigenous people. If D.C. becomes the 51st state, what should it be called? Voting is closed on this poll User Poll Results: If the District is granted statehood, what should the 51st state be named? New Columbia Anacostia Potomac and Douglass Commonwealth Douglass Commonwealth None of the above. We need something better. Pardon the interruption! We need to verify that you are an actual person. New Columbia Anacostia Potomac and Douglass Commonwealth Douglass Commonwealth None of the above. We need something better. View Results This is a non-scientific user poll. Results are not statistically valid and cannot be assumed to reflect the views of Washington Post users as a group or the general population. Bowser is leading a renewed push for statehood that has picked up steam this year, including some high-profile endorsements from President Obama and Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton. The District’s statehood bid also won the backing this week of the U.S. Conference of Mayors this week, and is included in a draft of the national Democratic Party platform to be debated at the July convention in Philadelphia. The proposed 51st state name, however, got little love on social media following Monday’s decision. Those who detest “New Columbia” will get an opportunity to lobby for a different name in the fall, when the D.C. Council holds hearings on the draft constitution before bringing it before voters as a ballot question in November. ||||| “New Columbia”/noo ko-lum-be-a/The would-be 51st state—and cause for debate. The debate over DC statehood has gone national, as first Mayor Muriel Bowser, then comedian John Oliver, and now the presidential candidates have discussed whether the District should finally get full representation and autonomy. The local citizenry—most of them having bought into the idea decades ago—are instead arguing over cosmetics: What should they call their home in the improbable event that the city does become a state? When Bowser rolled out her draft state constitution in May, some in the audience pressed her on the proposed name, New Columbia—the default ever since a 1982 Statehood Constitutional Convention chose it over Anacostia (the runner-up), Potomac, Rock Creek, Capital State, and (fanciful even then) the State of Utopia. “Somewhere along the way, New Columbia became the accepted idea for the name,” says George Washington University public-policy professor Garry Young. Since statehood’s early-’80s hurrah, however, civic nomenclature has become a sensitive issue. (See: NFL teams, Washington franchise.) Americans “have sugarcoated the history of Christopher Columbus and what he did as a person,” said DC resident Travis Swanson at the mayor’s rollout, to scattered applause. “I don’t think that we should instill an honor on Columbus that would give him a star on the US flag.” The antipathy puzzles Walter Smith of the DC Appleseed Center for Law and Justice, who is a longtime statehood advocate. “I don’t think people stop to ask the question ‘Well, where did Columbia come from?’ ” he says. The debate points up DC’s confused sense of place. Washington was once one city among others—Georgetown and Alexandria—within the District (then the Territory) of Columbia. Only in the late 19th century, after Alexandria returned to Virginia and Washington swallowed Georgetown, did the federal city become synonymous with the District. Forging a new state would create yet another layer; sticking with a version of “Columbia” at least has the advantage of simplicity. (In 1982, “New” was appended, says Smith, only to differentiate the city from the Maryland town and South Carolina’s capital.) Swanson, a Ward 7 resident, floated names honoring DC’s history as a hub of black culture: State of Sojourner [Truth] or [Frederick] Douglass Commonwealth (i.e., “DC”). Julie Koczela, chair of the Historical Society of Washington, suggested Potomac and Anacostia, noting that 15 other states share names with rivers. The mayor replied: “I am personally not opposed to a discussion about the name.” But why wait for statehood? Given all these points, perhaps it’s past time for the District of Anacostia. This article appears in our July 2016 issue of Washingtonian. Share this story! |
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we present generalized - ensemble algorithms for isobaric - isothermal molecular simulations .
in addition to the multibaric - multithermal algorithm and replica - exchange method for the isobaric - isothermal ensemble , which have already been proposed , we propose a simulated tempering method for this ensemble .
we performed molecular dynamics simulations with these algorithms for an alanine dipeptide system in explicit water molecules to test the effectiveness of the algorithms .
we found that these generalized - ensemble algorithms are all useful for conformational sampling of biomolecular systems in the isobaric - isothermal ensemble .
monte carlo ( mc ) and molecular dynamics ( md ) simulations with generalized - ensemble algorithms have been widely used for studies of proteins and peptides in order to have efficient conformational sampling ( for a review , see , e.g. , ref . 1 ) .
three well - known generalized - ensemble algorithms are the multicanonical algorithm ( muca ) @xcite ( the md version was developed in refs . 4 and 5 ) ,
replica - exchange method ( rem ) @xcite ( the method is also referred to as parallel tempering @xcite and the md version , which is referred to as remd , was developed in ref .
8) , and simulated tempering ( st ) @xcite .
these methods can be used for obtaining accurate physical quantities in the canonical ensemble . among them , rem ( particularly remd ) is often used because the weight factor is _ a priori _ known ( i.e. , the boltzmann factor ) , while those for muca and st have to be determined before the simulations .
multidimensional ( or multivariable ) extensions of the original generalized - ensemble algorithms have been developed in many ways ( see the references in ref . 1 ) and recently the general formulations have been given in refs .
11 - 13 . in this letter , we present a multidimensional simulated tempering algorithm in the isobaric - isothermal ( @xmath0 ) ensemble . several generalized - ensemble algorithms for the @xmath0 ensemble have been proposed ( for example , the multibaric - multithermal ( mubath ) algorithm @xcite and rem in temperature and pressure @xcite ) and here , we present an st algorithm for the @xmath0 ensemble to complete generalized - ensemble algorithms for this ensemble .
we first briefly review the generalized - ensemble algorithms for isobaric - isothermal molecular simulations .
let us consider a physical system that consists of @xmath1 atoms and that is in a box of a finite volume @xmath2 .
the states of the system are specified by coordinates @xmath3 and momenta @xmath4 of the atoms and volume @xmath2 of the box .
the potential energy @xmath5 for the system is a function of @xmath6 and @xmath2 .
we first describe mc simulation algorithms for muca , rem , and st in the @xmath0 ensemble . in these cases ,
momenta of atoms do not have to be considered . to make a system an equilibrium state ,
the detailed balance condition is imposed and a transition probability @xmath7 from an old state @xmath8 to a new state @xmath9 can be given by the metropolis criterion .
@xcite in mubath simulations , we introduce a function @xmath10 and use a weight factor @xmath11 $ ] so that the distribution function @xmath12 of @xmath13 and @xmath2 may be uniform : @xmath14 where @xmath15 is an arbitrary inverse reference temperature defined as @xmath16 ( @xmath17 is the boltzmann constant ) and @xmath18 is the density of states . to perform mubath mc simulations ,
the trial moves are generated in the same way as in the usual constant @xmath0 mc simulations @xcite and the transition probability from @xmath19 to @xmath20 is given by @xcite @xmath21,\ ] ] where @xmath22 - \mathcal{h}\left [ e(s , v),v\right ] - nk_{\text{b}}t_0 \ln ( v'/v ) \right\ } , \ ] ] and @xmath23 is the scaled coordinates defined by @xmath24 .
here , we are assuming the box is a cube of side @xmath25 . in rem simulations , we prepare a system that consists of @xmath26 non - interacting replicas of the original system , where @xmath27 and @xmath28 are the number of temperature and pressure values used in the simulation , respectively .
the replicas are specified by labels @xmath29 @xmath30 , temperature by @xmath31 @xmath32 , and pressure by @xmath33 @xmath34 . to perform rem mc ( remc ) simulations ,
we carry out the following two steps alternately : ( 1 ) perform a usual constant @xmath0 simulation in each replica at assigned temperature and pressure and ( 2 ) try to exchange the replicas . if the temperature ( specified by @xmath31 and @xmath35 ) and pressure ( specified by @xmath33 and @xmath36 ) between the replicas are exchanged , the transition probability from @xmath37},v^{[i]};t_{m_t},p_{m_p}),\cdots,(s^{[j]},v^{[j]};t_{n_t},p_{n_p } ) , \cdots\}$ ] to @xmath38},v^{[i]};t_{n_t},p_{n_p}),\cdots,(s^{[j]},v^{[j]};t_{m_t},p_{m_p } ) , \cdots\}$ ] at the trial is given by @xcite @xmath39 , \label{rem_transition1}\ ] ] where @xmath40},v^{[j ] } ) - e(s^{[i]},v^{[i ] } ) \right ] + ( \beta_{m_t } p_{m_p}- \beta_{n_t } p_{n_p})\left ( v^{[j ] } - v^{[i ] } \right ) .
\label{rem_transition2 } \ ] ] in st simulations , we introduce a function @xmath41 and use a weight factor @xmath42 $ ] so that the distribution function @xmath43 of @xmath44 and @xmath45 may be uniform : @xmath46 = \text{constant}. \label{eq : dis : st}\ ] ] from eq .
( [ eq : dis : st ] ) , it is found that @xmath41 is formally given by @xmath47 \right\},\ ] ] and the function is the dimensionless gibbs free energy except for a constant . to perform st mc simulations ,
we carry out the following two steps alternately : ( 1 ) perform a usual constant @xmath0 simulation and ( 2 ) try to update the temperature and pressure .
the transition probability from @xmath48 to @xmath49 for this trial is given by @xmath50 , \label{st_transition1}\ ] ] where @xmath51 .
\label{st_transition2}\ ] ] for md simulations with muca , rem , and st in the @xmath0 ensemble , the actual formulations depend on constant temperature and pressure algorithms . here
, we employ the md methods with the martyna - tobias - klein ( mtk ) algorithm , @xcite whose equations of motion follow nos @xcite and hoover @xcite for the thermostat and andersen @xcite for the barostat . to perform mubath md simulations , we solve the usual equations of motion for the mtk algorithm except that it is necessary to modify the equations for @xmath52 and @xmath53 as follows : @xmath54 where @xmath55,\ ] ] @xmath53 is the momentum associated with the logarithm of @xmath2
, @xmath56 is the momentum of the thermostat , and @xmath57 and @xmath58 are the masses of barostat and thermostat , respectively .
when we perform md simulations with rem and st , the momenta should be rescaled if the replicas are exchanged for the temperature in rem @xcite and the temperature is updated in st @xcite
. in rem md ( remd ) simulations with the mtk algorithm , let an old state be @xmath59},v^{[i]},p^{[i]},p_{\varepsilon}^{[i]},p_{\xi}^{[i]};t_{m_t},p_{m_p}),\cdots,(r^{[j]},v^{[j]},p^{[j]},p_{\varepsilon}^{[j]},p_{\xi}^{[j]};t_{n_t},p_{n_p } ) , \cdots\}$ ] and a new state @xmath59},v^{[i]},p^{[i]\prime},p_{\varepsilon}^{[i]\prime},p_{\xi}^{[i]\prime};t_{n_t},p_{n_p}),\cdots,(r^{[j]},v^{[j]},p^{[j]\prime},p_{\varepsilon}^{[j]\prime},p_{\xi}^{[j]\prime};t_{m_t},p_{m_p } ) , \cdots\}$ ] .
when replica exchange is performed , the momenta should be rescaled as follows : @xcite @xmath60\prime } = \sqrt{\frac{t_{n_t}}{t_{m_t}}}p^{[i ] } , \quad p^{[j]\prime } = \sqrt{\frac{t_{m_t}}{t_{n_t}}}p^{[j ] } \\
p_{\varepsilon}^{[i]\prime } = \sqrt{\frac{t_{n_t}w_{n}}{t_{m_t}w_{m}}}p_{\varepsilon}^{[i ] } , \quad p_{\varepsilon}^{[j]\prime } = \sqrt{\frac{t_{m_t}w_{m}}{t_{n_t}w_{n } } } p_{\varepsilon}^{[j ] } \\
p_{\xi}^{[i]\prime } = \sqrt{\frac{t_{n_t}q_{n}}{t_{m_t}q_{m}}}p_{\xi}^{[i ] } , \quad p_{\xi}^{[j]\prime } = \sqrt{\frac{t_{m_t}q_{m}}{t_{n_t}q_{n } } } p_{\xi}^{[j ] } , \end{aligned}\ ] ] where @xmath61 and @xmath62 are the masses in the simulation at @xmath63 and @xmath64 , and @xmath65 and @xmath66 are the ones at @xmath67 and @xmath68
. then the transition probability ( [ rem_transition1 ] ) and ( [ rem_transition2 ] ) can also be used in the remd simulations
. in st md simulations with the mtk algorithm , let an old state be @xmath69 and a new state @xmath70 .
if @xmath71 and @xmath72 are written as @xmath73 where @xmath74 and @xmath75 are the masses in the simulation at @xmath76 and @xmath77 , then it can be shown that the transition probability is given by eqs .
( [ st_transition1 ] ) and ( [ st_transition2 ] ) .
while the weight factors in rem simulations are _ a priori _ known , those in mubath and st simulations have to be determined before the simulations .
we propose two - dimensional extensions of the replica - exchange multicanonical algorithm ( remuca ) @xcite and the replica - exchange simulated tempering ( rest ) @xcite for the isobaric - isothermal ensemble to overcome the difficulty of determining the weight factors .
first , we perform a rem simulation for the isobaric - isothermal ensemble and then calculate the density of states and the dimensionless gibbs free energy by the multiple - histogram reweighting techniques , @xcite or the weighted histogram analysis method ( wham ) , @xcite using the results of the rem simulation .
the wham equations for isobaric - isothermal simulations are given by @xmath78 } , \\
\label{wham2 } \exp \left ( -g_{ij}\right ) & = \sum_e \sum_v n(e , v ) \exp \left[-\beta_i ( e+p_jv ) \right ] , \end{aligned}\ ] ] where @xmath79 , @xmath80 is the histogram of @xmath13 and @xmath2 , @xmath81 is the number of the data , and @xmath82 is the integrated autocorrelation time in the simulation at @xmath83 and @xmath84 , respectively .
these equations need to be solved self - consistently .
we remark that for biomolecular systems , it was found that @xmath82 may be set to a constant value for all @xmath29 and @xmath85 in eq .
( [ wham1 ] ) .
@xcite in the isobaric - isothermal version of rest , the weight factor can also be determined using the dimensionless gibbs free energy obtained from eqs .
( [ wham1 ] ) and ( [ wham2 ] ) . in order to verify that the generalized - ensemble algorithms discussed above can be effective for conformational sampling and give the same results , we performed md simulations with the three generalized - ensemble algorithms .
we used a system of an alanine dipeptide in 73 surrounding water molecules and the system was placed in a cubic cell with periodic boundary conditions . both of the backbone
dihedral angles @xmath86 and @xmath87 of the peptide were initially set to 180@xmath88 .
the simulations were performed with the tinker program package .
@xcite several of the programs were modified and a few programs were added so that mubath , rem , and st simulations with the mtk algorithm can be performed .
we used the amber parm99 force field @xcite for the peptide and the tip3p water model .
@xcite the electrostatic interactions were calculated by the particle mesh ewald method .
@xcite in the van der waals interaction calculations , we used the spherical cutoff method and the cutoff distance was set to 12.0 .
the integration of the equations of motion was employed by the method proposed by martyna _
et al . _
@xcite and the shake / rattle / roll constraint method @xcite was used so that the water molecules are rigid body molecules .
the unit time step was set to 0.5 fs .
the mass parameters @xmath57 and @xmath58 were determined as in ref .
39 .
first , we performed the two - dimensional remd simulation .
the simulation time was set to 2.0 ns .
we used the following 6 temperature ( @xmath89 ) and 4 pressure ( @xmath90 ) values : 280 , 305 , 332 , 362 , 395 , and 430 k for temperature and 0.1 , 65 , 150 , and 250 mpa for pressure . at the replica - exchange trial , either exchanging temperature ( @xmath44-exchange ) or exchanging pressure ( @xmath45-exchange ) was chosen randomly and then the pairs @xmath91 or @xmath92 for @xmath44-exchange and @xmath93 or @xmath94 for @xmath45-exchange were also chosen randomly . and
@xmath45 in one of the replicas and ( b ) the time series of the replica label at 280 k and 250 mpa.,width=453 ] figure [ result : remd](a ) shows the time series of @xmath44 and @xmath45 in one of the replicas and fig .
[ result : remd](b ) shows the time series of the label of the replicas in the simulation at 280 k and 250 mpa . from these figures
, it is found that random walks in @xmath44-@xmath45 space were realized in each of the replicas .
the acceptance ratios in the rem simulation were in the range from 0.152 to 0.205 for @xmath44-exchange and from 0.296 to 0.446 for @xmath45-exchange , respectively , which also implies that sufficient number of replica exchange was realized .
we then performed 24 mubath simulations of 2.0 ns , where the total simulation time was 48 ns so that it is equal to that in the remd simulation . in each of the simulations ,
different initial velocities were given .
the data were sampled every 100 fs . the reference temperature was set to 430 k. @xmath95 and @xmath96 were interpolated by the third - order polynomial , following ref .
17 . of @xmath13 and @xmath2 ( a ) in the mubath simulations and ( b ) for the @xmath0 ensemble at 280 k and 250 mpa ( left ) and at 430 k and 0.1 mpa ( right ) .
the distributions corresponding to the @xmath0 ensemble were calculated by the single - histogram reweighting techniques @xcite using the results of the mubath simulations.,width=453 ] figure [ result : mubath ] shows the probability distributions of @xmath13 and @xmath2 from the mubath simulations . from fig . [
result : mubath](a ) , it is found that the mubath simulations gave a uniform distribution in the range where the density of states was obtained accurately in the remd simulation and that the distribution of the mubath simulations was much wider than the ones for the @xmath0 ensemble ( see fig .
[ result : mubath](b ) ) .
twenty - four st simulations of 2.0 ns were carried out , which gave us the same number of sampled data as in the remd and mubath simulations . in each simulation
, different initial velocities were given .
we used the same temperature and pressure values as in the remd simulation .
we tried to update the parameter ( @xmath44 or @xmath45 ) every 100 fs and the data were sampled just before the trials .
the choice between updating @xmath44 ( @xmath44-update ) and updating @xmath45 ( @xmath45-update ) was made randomly and then either @xmath97 or @xmath98 for @xmath44-update and @xmath99 or @xmath100 for @xmath45-update was also chosen randomly , where @xmath31 and @xmath33 stand for the labels corresponding to the temperature and the pressure before the trial , respectively . and
@xmath45 for 2.0 ns and ( b ) the logarithm of the probability distribution @xmath101 of @xmath44 and @xmath45 . ,
width=453 ] figure [ result : st](a ) shows the time series of @xmath44 and @xmath45 and fig .
[ result : st](b ) shows the probability distribution of @xmath44 and @xmath45 .
these figures indicate that random walks in @xmath102 space were successfully realized .
the acceptance ratios in the st simulations were in the range from 0.260 to 0.430 for @xmath44-update and from 0.426 to 0.642 for @xmath45-update , respectively . and
@xmath87 in the simulations with ( a ) remd , ( b ) mubath , and ( c ) st and ( d ) in the conventional isobaric - isothermal simulations . in these figures ,
the probability distributions at 298 k and 0.1 mpa are plotted in logarithmic scale and were calculated by the single - histogram reweighting techniques for mubath and by wham for remd and st.,width=302 ] figure [ fig : dihedral ] shows the probability distributions of the backbone dihedral angles at 298 k and 0.1 mpa in all the simulations .
compared with the simulations with remd , mubath , and st , we also performed 24 conventional isobaric - isothermal simulations of 2.0 ns at 298 k and 0.1 mpa with different initial velocities .
the dihedral angle distributions in the simulations with the generalized - ensemble algorithms had a small peak in @xmath103 and @xmath104 , although there was no peak in the range in the distribution of the conventional simulations .
all the simulations with the three generalized - ensemble algorithms were able to provide the same results and reproduce the distribution obtained previously in refs .
43 and 44 . in this letter
, we presented the extensions of muca , rem , and st for isobaric - isothermal molecular simulations .
these algorithms can be effective methods for conformational sampling and give accurate physical quantities in the isobaric - isothermal ensemble .
therefore , one can use the generalized - ensemble algorithms to study temperature and pressure effects on complex systems such as biomolecular systems .
we expect the simulated tempering to be a more useful method for simulations in large systems .
many replicas are needed in rem simulations of large systems , while only one replica is used in st simulations .
in addition , st can be easily implemented into existing program packages compared to muca ( or mubath ) , in which a force calculation part of programs has to be modified for md simulations .
therefore , molecular simulations with st will be more easily applicable to larger systems than with the other two generalized - ensemble algorithms . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | some of the computations were performed on the supercomputers at the information technology center , nagoya university and at the research center for computational science , institute for molecular science .this work was supported , in part , by grants - in - aid for scientific research on innovative areas ( fluctuations and biological functions " ) and for the next generation super computing project , nanoscience program from the ministry of education , culture , sports , science and technology ( mext ) , japan .99 a. mitsutake , y. sugita , and y. okamoto : biopolymers ( peptide science ) * 60 * ( 2001 ) 96 .b. a. berg and t. neuhaus : phys .b * 267 * ( 1991 ) 249 .b. a. berg and t. neuhaus : phys .* 68 * ( 1992 ) 9 .u. h. e. hansmann , y. okamoto , and f. eisenmenger : chem .phys . lett . *259 * ( 1996 ) 321 .n. nakajima , h. nakamura , and a. kidera : j. phys .b * 101 * ( 1997 ) 817 .k. hukushima and k. nemoto : j. phys .* 65 * ( 1996 ) 1604 .e. marinari , g. parisi , and j. j. ruiz - lorenzo : in _ spin glasses and random fields _young ( world scientific , singapore , 1998 ) p. 59 .y. sugita and y. okamoto : chem .phys . lett .* 314 * ( 1999 ) 141 .a. p. lyubartsev , a. a. martsinovski , s. v. shevkunov , and p. n. vorontsov - velyaminov : j. chem . phys .* 96 * ( 1992 ) 1776 .e. marinari and g. parisi : europhys . lett .* 19 * ( 1992 ) 451 .a. mitsutake and y. okamoto : phys .e * 79 * ( 2009 ) 047701 .a. mitsutake and y. okamoto : j. chem . phys .* 130 * ( 2009 ) 214105 .a. mitsutake : j. chem* 131 * ( 2009 ) 094105 .h. okumura and y. okamoto : chem .* 383 * ( 2004 ) 391 .h. okumura and y. okamoto : phys .e * 70 * ( 2004 ) 026702 .h. okumura and y. okamoto : chem .phys . lett .* 391 * ( 2004 ) 248 .h. okumura and y. okamoto : j. comput .* 27 * ( 2006 ) 379 .t. nishikawa , h. ohtsuka , y. sugita , m. mikami , and y. okamoto : prog .* 138 * ( 2000 ) 270 .t. okabe , m. kawata , y. okamoto , and m. mikami : chem .* 335 * ( 2001 ) 435 .y. sugita and y. okamoto : in _ lecture notes in computational science and engineering _ , eds .t. schlick and h. h. gan ( springer - verlag , berlin , 2002 ) p. 303 ; arxiv : cond - mat/0102296 [ cond-mat.stat-mech ] .d. paschek and a. e. garca : phys .* 93 * ( 2004 ) 238105 .n. metropolis , a. w. rosenbluth , m. n. rosenbluth , a. h. teller , and e. teller : j. chem . phys . * 21 * ( 1953 ) 1087 .i. r. mcdonald : mol . phys . * 23 * ( 1972 ) 41 .g. j. martyna , d. j. tobias , and m. l. klein : j. chem . phys .* 101 * ( 1994 ) 4177 .s. nos : mol . phys .* 52 * ( 1984 ) 255 .s. nos : j. chem .* 81 * ( 1984 ) 511 .w. g. hoover : phys .a * 31 * ( 1985 ) 1695 .h. c. andersen : j. chem .* 72 * ( 1980 ) 2384 .y. mori and y. okamoto : submitted .y. sugita and y. okamoto : chem. phys . lett . *329 * ( 2000 ) 261 .a. mitsutake and y. okamoto : chem .* 332 * ( 2000 ) 131 .a. m. ferrenberg and r. h. swendsen : phys .* 63 * ( 1989 ) 1195 .s. kumar , d. bouzida , r. h. swendsen , p. a. kollman , and j. m. rosenberg : j. comput .* 13 * ( 1992 ) 1011 .j. w. ponder and f. m. richards : j. comput .* 8 * ( 1987 ) 1016 .j. wang , p. cieplak , and p. a. kollman : j. comput .* 21 * ( 2000 ) 1049 .w. l. jorgensen , j. chandrasekhar , j. d. madura , r. w. impey , and m. l. klein : j. chem .* 79 * ( 1983 ) 926 .t. darden , d. york , and l. pedersen : j. chem .* 98 * ( 1993 ) 10089 .u. essmann , l. perera , m. l. berkowitz , t. darden , h. lee , and l. g. pedersen : j. chem . phys .* 103 * ( 1995 ) 8577 .g. j. martyna , m. e. tuckerman , d. j. tobias , and m. l. klein : mol . phys .* 87 * ( 1996 ) 1117 .ryckaert , g. ciccotti , and h. j. c. berendsen : j. comput . phys .* 23 * ( 1977 ) 327 .h. c. andersen : j. comput .* 52 * ( 1983 ) 24 .a. m. ferrenberg and r. h. swendsen : phys .* 61 * ( 1988 ) 2635 [ errata ; * 63 * ( 1989 ) 1658 ] .h. okumura and y. okamoto : bull .* 80 * ( 2007 ) 1114 .h. okumura and y. okamoto : j. phys .b * 112 * ( 2008 ) 12038 . |
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this report describes a case of spontaneous recurrent hemarthrosis of the knee that presented 4 weeks after total knee arthroplasty .
femoral arteriography showed a false aneurysm of a branch of the inferior lateral geniculate artery .
therapeutic embolization of the arterial branch was performed using three platinum coils with good clinical result and good knee joint function .
hemarthrosis has not recurred since embolization . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | vascular complications after total knee arthroplasty are rare and occur in only 0.030.2% [ 1 , 2 , 4 , 6 , 8 , 9 ] . these complications include arterial occlusion , vascular damage , arteriovenous fistulae and aneurysms [ 1 , 2 , 4 ] . if recurrent hemarthrosis becomes manifest after total knee replacement , the consequence for the patient is a considerable restriction of movement that jeopardizes the final postoperative result . rapid , adequate diagnosis and treatment are therefore crucial for a good postoperative outcome . in most cases recurrent hemarthrosis develops from an injury to the popliteal artery and displays the typical clinical characteristics of pulsating tumor , audible arterial murmur , and differences in the systolic blood pressure of the lower extremity . a 72-year - old woman who suffered from medial osteoarthritis of her right knee joint got joint replacement surgery . a cemented total knee prosthesis ( type lcs , johnson & johnson , new brunswick , new jersey , usa ) was placed through a medial arthrotomy . during the procedure a tourniquet was applied at 300 mm hg . the surgical procedure was uneventful as was the initial postoperative course . the patient was discharged 1 week postoperatively with a slender , stable knee and stable wound healing ; knee flexion was 100 with full extension . the foot and popliteal pulses were well palpable and no pulsating swelling was felt in the popliteal fossa . the bacteriological investigation of the hemarthrosis was sterile and the values for chemical laboratory parameters were all normal . the radiological assessment showed proper axial alignment without signs of loosening . on the basis of these findings conservative treatment with analgetics , cool packs and she represented to the casualty department with recurrent hemarthrosis within 10 days after the first presentation . consequently an arthroscopy was performed to confirm the tentative diagnosis of recurrent bleeding from hoffa impingement . arthroscopy identified two possible sources of bleeding in hoffa s fat pad and these were coagulated . this time a femoral arteriography under local anesthesia was performed . a false aneurysm of a branch of the inferior lateral geniculate artery was discovered ( figs . 1 and 2 ) and successfully embolized in the same session with a total of three platinum - coated coils ( vort x-18 diameter 3 mm , length 23 mm ; boston scientific switzerland ag ) . the follow - up 3 months after embolization showed that the patient was free from symptoms and had regained full motion ( 110-0 - 0 ) . two years postoperatively there were no further instances of knee swelling and the range of motion remained 110-0-0.fig . 2selective arteriography of the inferior lateral artery shows a powerful jet ( white arrow ) from the lateral branch into the false aneurysm non - selective arteriography showing false aneurysm of the inferior lateral geniculate artery . the vascular system in the field of investigation is otherwise normal selective arteriography of the inferior lateral artery shows a powerful jet ( white arrow ) from the lateral branch into the false aneurysm the importance of the current report lies in the recognition of an arteriography as a possible tool to identify the cause of the hemarthrosis and subsequently in the acceptation of a treatment algorithm for unexplained hemarthrosis after total knee arthroplasty . recurrent hemarthrosis after total knee arthroplasty occurs in less than 1% , but if it is does occur it seriously jeopardizes the postoperative outcome [ 3 , 4 , 6 ] . another frequent cause of recurrent hemorrhaging is the entrapment of synovial tissue or hoffa s fat pad - impingement between the prothetic joint components [ 3 , 7 ] . this produces the classical signs of ischemia and symptoms may be interpreted as deep crural thrombosis . unexplained recurrent hemarthrosis after total knee arthroplasty should be treated in stages : in every case needle aspiration for relief of pain and stiffness should be performed at first , also to confirm the diagnosis . aspiration of the effusion followed by conservative methods ( cooling , elevation , and rest ) will prevent in most cases further hemorrhage . if conservative treatment is not successful , as next step a femoral arteriography should be considered to obtain further clarification . femoral arteriography is a very profitable investigation in the search for the source of bleeding and immediate embolization ( arteriovenous fistulae , aneurysms ) . embolization of the source of bleeding via the in situ catheter is a straightforward and effective method . in our presented case , the third hemarthros could probably have been prevented when we would have taken this step before the arthroscopic evaluation . the embolization has significant advantages compared to an arthroscopic or open surgical revision : local anesthesia only , minimal risk of infection and subsequent rapid mobilization of the knee , which is essential for the clinical outcome . if embolization is unsuccessful , arthroscopy is the next step , because it is both a diagnostic and a therapeutic instrument . entrapped tissue and any sources of bleeding can then be localized and treated , using a vaper . if this approach is unsuccessful an open synovectomy is indicated ; thus only when the cause of recurrent hemarthrosis remains unclear after the previously mentioned steps have been conducted . |
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– A California woman who recently moved to Maui died Thursday morning when she plunged 150 feet from a zipline, Hawaii News Now reports. Rescuers struggled to find Patricia Rabellizsa, 29, among the vegetation, tree cover, and difficult terrain found in the area of Makawao. "Where the ziplines are, they go through the gulches, so it made it kinda difficult," said a Maui Fire spokesman. "Where the body was—where the lady fell—we couldn't access it with the helicopters so they had to carry her off to the side." Rabellizsa, a zipline worker, was dead on the scene. Her fall has revived talk about regulating Hawaii's zipline industry to protect worker safety—an effort that died in the state legislature two years ago, KHON2 reports. At the time, the state auditor found no evidence of "harm or abusive practices" in the zipline business (see the report here). State Rep. Mark Nakashima, who introduced the bill, says Rabellizsa's death may be "what it takes to get interest from the legislature." But the owner of Piiholo Ranch Zipline—where Rabellizsa worked and died—says his business follows safety guidelines and does "major inspections" twice a year. (Last year, a Guinness-Record holder died while trying to cross a river using a zipline and his ponytail.) | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | This collection contains web crawls performed as the pre-inauguration crawl for part of the End of Term Web Archive, a collaborative project that aims to preserve the U.S. federal government web presence at each change of administration. Content includes publicly-accessible government websites hosted on .gov, .mil, and relevant non-.gov domains, as well as government social media materials. The web archiving was performed in the Fall and Winter of 2016 to capture websites prior to the January 20, 2017 inauguration. For more information, see http://eotarchive.cdlib.org/. ||||| Maui Police are investigating the death of a zipline worker who fell 150 feet in Makawao Thursday morning. The victim was identified as 29-year-old Patricia "Trish" Rabellizsa of Kihei, who worked as a guide at Piiholo Ranch Zipline. The Maui County Fire Department said its crews were called at 9:51 a.m. Rescue efforts by air were hampered because of difficult terrain, vegetation and tree cover. "Where the ziplines are, they go through the gulches, so it made it kinda difficult," said Maui Fire spokesman Capt. Lionel Montalvo. "Where the body was -- where the lady fell -- we couldn't access it with the helicopters so they had to carry her off to the side." Montalvo said Rabellizsa was already dead by the time crews were able to reach her. Rabellizsa was originally from California and had moved to Maui just a few months ago. Her death has resurrected calls for legislation to regulate the zipline industry in Hawaii to ensure the safety of workers. "Visitors do like the zip lines. Every day there's hundreds of them having great experiences, and clearly where the incidence are alarming is when the workers themselves are getting seriously hurt," said Rep. Angus McKelvey (D-West Maui, Maalaea, North Kihei). McKelvey had sponsored legislation two years after an accident killed a contractor testing a zipline on the Big Island. The measure was supported by Piiholo Ranch Piiholo Ranch released the following statement on their Facebook page: The Piiholo Zipline Ohana expresses its condolences and sympathy to those involved in today's tragic event. We especially offer our deepest aloha and prayers to the family and friends of our co-worker Patricia "Trish" Rabellizsa at this difficult time. We are working in full cooperation with the Maui Police Department's ongoing investigation. Maui police are investigating Rabellizsa's death as an accident. An autopsy has been ordered to determine the cause of death. Piiholo Zipline suspended its operations after the accident. It's not known yet whether business will resume Friday. Previous story: Zipline operators push for mandatory safety regulations Follow Ben Gutierrez: Copyright 2014 Hawaii News Now. All rights reserved. ||||| Piiholo Ranch Zipline The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened an investigation after a 29-year-old woman fell to her death Thursday in a zipline accident on Maui. It happened at around 9:51 a.m. at Piiholo Ranch Zipline in Makawao. The company posted a statement on its Web site identifying the woman as employee Patricia “Trish” Rabellizsa. “We are working in full cooperation with the Maui Police Department’s ongoing investigation,” the statement said. According to police, the woman fell about 150 feet into a gulch. Rescuers had to hike into thick vegetation and rugged terrain to get to her, but by then, she had died. In 2011, company founder Peter Baldwin told KHON2 News that the zipline follows strict safety guidelines set forth by the Association for Challenge Course Technology. “I know on our course, we do major inspections twice a year,” said Baldwin. “We have an independent third party come and do inspections.” Two years ago, state lawmakers introduced legislation to regulate the zipline industry, but the effort failed. They turned to the State Auditor to determine whether there should be regulation. The Auditor responded, saying “since proponents have not provided any evidence of harm or abusive practices, we conclude that the necessity for regulating zipline and canopy tour operators has not been established.” Related Link: Read the full report ‘Sunrise Analysis: Regulation of Ziplines and Canopy Tours’ The report went on to say that the insurance companies already annually inspect the ziplines according to the industry’s standards, and the state labor department already has a backlog of safety inspections and does not have the manpower or resources to oversee the ziplines. “The Dept. of Labor objected because they don’t have the manpower and resources, and they usually don’t do regulatory type structures, except for health and safety workplace things,” said state Rep. Angus McKelvey (D-West Maui, Maalaea, North Kihei), chair of the Consumer Protection and Commerce Committee. “The DCCA (Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs) will be the most appropriate entity… to have them in there.” State Rep. Mark Nakashima (D-Hamakua, North Hilo, South Hilo), who has a number of ziplines in his Big Island district, has been spearheading efforts to regulate the industry. Thursday’s incident has sparked new interest in looking at the ziplines again, which is now a largely self-regulated industry. “I did introduce a bill a year before the last accident and it is only after the accident that the bill got some traction,” said Nakashima. “We are back here once again and perhaps this is what it takes to get interest from the legislature.” “These type of instances, if it’s becoming a pattern, definitely we will have us take a look at the industry next session,” said McKelvey. |
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– John Kasich will have to do better if he wants to win over New York voters in next month's primary. The Ohio governor went to a Queens pizza shop on Wednesday and committed a local faux pas: He used a fork when eating a slice, reports ABC News. This prompted reaction along the lines of this headline in the New York Post: "WTF is wrong with John Kasich?" Kasich then had to explain himself on Good Morning America on Thursday morning. "Look, look, the pizza came scalding hot, OK? And so I use a little fork." Other politicians who have caught flak over this include Bill DeBlasio and, as Politico notes, none other than Donald Trump back in 2011, who explained that he was avoiding the crust to keep his weight down. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | GOP presidential candidate John Kasich didn’t score many points with New York pizza lovers Wednesday when he ate his slice with a knife and fork. Mr. Midwestern Manners resorted to silverware Wednesday at Gino’s Pizzeria in Howard Beach, Queens, where he went for lunch following a town hall meeting at a nearby church. The Ohio governor cut off a big bite and picked up the cheesy goodness with a fork. Mayor Bill de Blasio was widely mocked when he did the same thing last year on Staten Island. But Kasich seemed to realize his faux pas: He finished the rest of the slice with his hands. Later, he went behind the counter to greet staff, and handed out free pizza to startled customers. ||||| Republican presidential hopeful John Kasich bit into culinary controversy this week when he turned down a Wisconsin dessert and used a fork to eat pizza in New York. Kasich’s first food faux pas came on Tuesday, when he declined to try frozen custard at a 65-year-old Milwaukee-area establishment, a week before the Badger State’s primary. “I have a young, beautiful, smart wife, so I have to stay thin,” Kasich told a couple outside Kopp’s Frozen Custard, in Greenfield, Wisconsin. They told him abstaining from the custard might cost him at the ballot box. "It’s big in Wisconsin,” Richard Warren, a 58-year-old Glendale, Wisconsin, resident who works in IT and plans to vote for Kasich next week, told the governor. "It might mean votes.” His wife added: "Custard does mean votes.” It was the first time in recent memory a politician had come to the shop and not tasted the frozen confection, a Kopp's employee told ABC News. Local politicians to presidents make a habit of partaking in local cuisine across the country, from craft beers to famous hamburgers and greasy diner food. In New York City today, Kasich threw his diet to the wind, finishing off two slices of pizza, part of a third slice and a portion of a sausage dish. “A man’s got to eat!” he told ABC News, weeks before New Yorkers head to the polls. The politics of pizza can provide days of fodder for late-night talk-show hosts, as they did when New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio used a knife and fork to eat New York pizza two years ago – a major gaffe in the Big Apple. And today, Kasich followed in his footsteps, ever so briefly using a fork to eat his first bite of pizza at Gino’s Pizzeria and Restaurant, in Queens. He used his hands to eat the rest of his pizza, before donning an apron and serving free slices to patrons. Pressed on the fork snafu, Kasich defended his technique. “I was eating pizza before you were born!” he said. At least one of Kasich's competitors has done the same. Donald Trump, the Republican frontrunner, used utensils when eating pizza in New York's Times Square in 2011. He called the food exemplary. “I am going to declare this place great!” he said, fist-bumping a restaurant employee. The sausage was awesome! The pizza, great!” ||||| Presidential Candidate John Kasich eats a piece of pizza at Gino's Pizzeria and Restaurant on March 30, in the Queens borough of New York City. | Getty Kasich defends eating pizza with fork: It was 'scalding hot, OK?' During a stop at a pizza joint in New York on Wednesday, John Kasich drew the mock ire of locals and reporters on Twitter as he used a fork. On Thursday, Kasich explained himself. "Look, look, the pizza came scalding hot, OK? And so I use a little fork," the governor of Ohio told ABC's "Good Morning America." "You know what? My wife who is on spring break with my daughters said, ’I'm proud of you. You finally learned how to use a utensil properly.’ But I mean — not only did I eat the pizza, I had the hot sausage. It was fantastic." Kasich, apparently recognizing his error, finished up using his hands, although he did not fold over the slice, as is customary. "But here's what I've learned — I came to New York, there were like 100 press people there. Get ready, John, because I'll be spending a lot of time in New York," he joked, referring to himself in the third person. "New Yorkers eat their pizza a certain way. Not just New Yorkers, but around the world," co-host Robin Roberts told Kasich, as laughter erupted off-camera. Kasich replied in jest, "Listen — I was eating pizza before that reporter was born." The Midwestern governor is not the only presidential candidate who has been criticized for his form. In 2011, while dining at a Famous Famiglia pizza joint in Manhattan with Sarah Palin, Queens native Donald Trump came under fire for using a fork. "This way you can take the top of the pizza off, you're not just eating the crust. I like not to eat the crust so that we keep the weight down at least as good as possible," the businessman said in a YouTube video. That response followed a verbal thrashing by Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show," with the host joking, "Based on how you eat pizza, Donald, I'd like to see your long-form birth certificate. I don't think you were really born in New York." |
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introductiondislocation following total hip replacement is a well - documented complication .
we present an unusual cause of failure to achieve a concentric closed reduction of a cemented total hip replacement which has never previously been reported.presentation of casea 78-year - old female patient had an unsuccessful closed reduction of a posteriorly dislocated total hip replacement .
careful review of perioperative radiographs revealed a fragment of bone cement incarcerated within the acetabular component blocking reduction .
this was confirmed on a subsequent computed tomography scan .
open reduction via a posterior approach with retrieval of the cement fragment was eventually required.discussionobservation of important radiological features which may prevent unnecessary further attempts at closed reduction are discussed .
we consider reasons for a non - concentric reduction and reflect on the dangers of multiple forced attempts.conclusionthis case emphasises the importance of clinical judgement during closed reduction and highlights a previously unreported cause for non - concentric reduction in a dislocated cemented total hip replacement . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | dislocation following total hip replacement ( thr ) is a well - known complication with an incidence of 16% of primary surgery . two - thirds of these are successfully treated in the acute setting with closed reduction without the need for subsequent surgery . however , there are several recognised causes for unsuccessful closed reduction including soft tissue interposition , component loosening and inadequate muscle relaxation during anaesthesia . this case report details an unusual complication of closed reduction in which a fragment of bone cement from the acetabular rim was dislodged into the acetabular component during manipulation thereby preventing complete reduction . a 78-year - old female patient with a background history of osteoarthritis , hypertension and chronic kidney disease underwent a left metal - on - polyethylene cemented furlong ( jri , london , uk ) primary thr in 1999 . she suffered a posterior dislocation in 2011 following a simple slip on a wet floor causing a twisting injury to the left hip . two years later , she presented with a second posterior dislocation sustained whilst lowering herself onto a toilet seat . examination revealed a painful , shortened and internally rotated left leg with no distal neurovascular deficit . was initially managed with an attempted closed reduction under general anaesthesia . with the knee flexed , clunk was felt and there was gross correction of the limb deformity suggesting successful reduction . however , intraoperative radiographs revealed a non - concentric reduction i.e. the prosthetic femoral head was not fully engaged within the acetabular component ( fig . the hip was unstable and re - dislocated at 45 of flexion in neutral rotation . a radio - opaque object was seen to be incarcerated within the acetabular component obstructing complete relocation of the hip . no further attempts were made to re - manipulate the hip in order to avoid further damage to the articulating surfaces . computed - tomography subsequently confirmed the intra - articular presence of a 10 mm 5 mm fragment of bone cement blocking reduction ( fig . 3 ) . there was no periprosthetic lucency to suggest loosening of the acetabular component or femoral stem . she subsequently underwent open reduction and retrieval of the loose cement fragment through a posterior approach ( figs . 4 and 5 ) . the femoral head was found to be sitting on the rim of the acetabular component . with retraction of the femoral head , the cement fragment could be visualised directly and was removed . as the joint surfaces were found to be intact with no macroscopic evidence of excessive wear , the patient was ambulating the day after the procedure and was discharged a week later . many individual risk factors have been identified but the cause is often multifactorial . reported dislocation rates vary wildly in the literature with some series observing rates of up to 15% . in the majority of cases successful initial management numerous manoeuvres for achieving closed reduction have been described and adequate analgesia or sedation with sufficient muscle relaxation are essential . perioperative fluoroscopy is a useful adjunct for both guiding reduction manoeuvres and confirming a concentric reduction . non - concentric reduction should alert the surgeon to the possibility of soft tissue or third body interposition . to our knowledge , there have been no cases previously described of bone cement incarceration obstructing closed reduction of a dislocated thr . similarly , canale and manugian reported a non - concentric reduction due to an osteocartilaginous loose body in the acetabulum . most recently , leversedge et al . reported a case of entrapment of the sciatic nerve following closed reduction of a thr thereby preventing complete relocation . immediately following attempted closed reduction , we noticed that the reduction was non - concentric . following retrospective analysis , a prominent cement cuff on the inferior aspect of the acetabular rim was evident on the patient 's initial radiograph . the block of cement obstructing complete reduction could have easily been overlooked on the perioperative radiographs . this highlights the importance of vigilance and maintaining a high index of suspicion when attempting to reduce a dislocated cemented thr . furthermore , we recommend that further forceful attempts should not be made at reduction due to the risk of sustaining either an intraoperative fracture or damaging the articulating bearing surfaces . damage to the femoral head could potentially lead to surface roughening , abrasive wear and subsequent aseptic loosening . we emphasise the importance of careful monitoring of intraoperative radiographs during closed reduction of dislocated cemented thrs . it is also essential to maintain a high index of suspicion regarding the presence of a loose cement fragment when non - concentric reduction occurs . in these cases , written informed consent was obtained from the patient for publication of this case report and accompanying images . a copy of the written consent is available for review by the editor - in - chief of this journal on request . hai fon lim had made data acquisition , drafted the article , and made final approval of the version . sameer jain , ben haughton , veysi veysi , and david shaw analysed the data , revised the article , and helped hai fon lim in final approval of the version . |
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– The Pentagon has confirmed it is investigating allegations that three service members on President Trump's Asia trip broke curfew and had what the Washington Post calls "improper contact" with women in Vietnam. Sources tell the Post that the Army noncommissioned officers have been reassigned from their White House roles while the allegations are investigated. The three were assigned to the White House Communications Agency, a specialized unit of 1,200 military staffers responsible for providing secure communications for the president and other White House officials. Pentagon spokeswoman Dana White tells the AP that the incident is under investigation. The officers could end up losing their security clearances or even being court-martialed. The BBC notes that four personnel from the same unit were investigated over allegations they took foreign women into a secure area during Mike Pence's trip to Panama in August, though the military has not disclosed the outcome of the investigation. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon says it is investigating allegations of misbehavior by three service members during President Donald Trump's trip to Asia earlier this month. The Washington Post reports that the Army personnel are under investigations for claims they broke curfew and had improper contact with foreign women during Trump's stop in Vietnam. Chief Pentagon spokeswoman Dana W. White has confirmed to The Associated Press that "the incident is under investigation." The Post reports that the Army noncommissioned officers worked for the White House Communications Agency, which helps ensure that the president and other officials have secure communications systems. The three service members, who have been reassigned, could lose their security clearances and face other disciplinary actions. ||||| Image copyright AFP Image caption The incident reportedly took place in Vietnam during President Trump's tour of Asia Three members of the US military had improper contact with foreign women during President Trump's tour of Asia, US media report. They have reportedly been reassigned from their jobs at the White House following the incident, which is said to have happened in Vietnam. The Washington Post says the personnel worked for a unit that provides the White House with secure communications. The Pentagon is investigating the incident. The service members are alleged to have broken their curfew during the trip to Vietnam, which was part of the president's recent 12-day tour of Asia. If the personnel are found guilty of having improper contact with foreign women they could lose their security clearances or face further disciplinary procedures. Four other military personnel from the same unit, the White House Communications Agency, are currently under investigation for allegedly taking foreign women into a secure area during a trip to Panama in August. ||||| President Trump and Vietnamese President Tran Dai Quang participate in a welcome ceremony at the presidential palace in Hanoi on Nov. 12. (Jonathan Ernst/Reuters) Three military personnel have been reassigned from their White House jobs amid allegations that they had improper contact with foreign women while traveling with President Trump on his recent trip to Asia, according to officials familiar with the situation. The service members worked for the White House Communications Agency, a specialized military unit that helps provide the president, vice president, Secret Service and other officials with secure communications. The military is scrutinizing three Army noncommissioned officers who allegedly broke curfew during Trump’s trip to Vietnam this month, officials said. Mark Wright, a spokesman for the Defense Department, confirmed that the Pentagon is examining the behavior of personnel during the visit to Vietnam. “We are aware of the incident, and it is currently under investigation,” Wright said. The Post's Ishaan Tharoor looks at what President Trump accomplished on his trip to Asia. (Jason Aldag,Ishaan Tharoor/The Washington Post) If found guilty, the service members face the risk of losing their security clearances or could be subject to administrative discipline or courts-martial. Trump visited Vietnam as part of a 12-day swing through Asia. The episode comes after four military personnel on the same White House team faced allegations related to their behavior during a trip to Panama in August with Vice President Pence. Those men — two from the Army and two from the Air Force — stood accused of taking foreign women after hours into a secure area as they were preparing for Pence’s arrival, officials said. They were flown home before Pence arrived and stripped of their White House assignments pending the findings of the investigation, officials said. Army Col. Amanda I. Azubuike, a military spokeswoman, said an investigation into the Panama case has been closed and the findings forwarded to senior military officials for review. She said she was not aware of the final conclusions or disciplinary action. NBC previously reported that military members on the Panama trip had been removed from White House duty. Service members with high-level security clearances are expected to report contacts with foreign individuals to ensure that their interactions do not compromise national security. The mission of the White House Communications Agency is to prevent eavesdropping on presidential communications and to ensure that White House officials can be securely reached worldwide at a moment’s notice. The agency is part of the White House Military Office, a team of technical personnel traveling worldwide to support presidential trips. The communications agency employs 1,200 staffers drawn from all branches of the military. Many of its personnel are assigned to White House duties on four-year tours. Spokesmen for Trump and Pence declined to comment and referred questions to the office of Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. The alleged misconduct on back-to-back White House trips comes five years after a high-profile episode involving Secret Service agents on a presidential trip. In April 2012, 13 Secret Service agents and officers were flown back to Washington from Cartagena, Colombia, after being accused of taking prostitutes back to their hotel rooms. The men were supposed to be preparing for President Barack Obama’s arrival for an economic summit in the seaside resort. Ten lost their jobs. The scandal raised concerns that prostitutes had access to the agents’ rooms and possibly classified information about the president’s movements. The Secret Service director at the time, Mark Sullivan, testified to Congress that the episode was humiliating but said there was never a risk to the president. |
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we discuss the magnetization process slightly below the saturation field in frustrated magnets .
a condensation of bound magnons on the spin - polarized state induces either a spin nematic phase or a state with phase separation .
the ( effective ) interaction between the bound magnon pairs not only is crucial to the stability of the nematic phase , but also determines the slope of the magnetization curve near saturation .
we generally derive the expression of this interaction by using the perturbative scattering theory . by applying the method to coupled zigzag chains licuvo@xmath0 , we find the positive pair - pair interaction implying the stability of the spin nematic phase .
we also point out that the magnetization curve of licuvo@xmath0 is almost vertical ( _ i.e. _ very large @xmath1 ) near the saturation exhibiting one - dimensional feature despite non - negligible interchain couplings . _
introduction_- magnetic frustration sometimes brings about various exotic phenomena in quantum magnets .
one such example is the appearance of the spin nematic phase , in which long - range magnetic order manifests itself not in the local magnetization but in the rank-2 tensor @xcite .
although the possibility of spin nematic phases have been pointed out theoretically in various systems @xcite , there are only a handful experimental candidates .
a spin-1/2 compound licuvo@xmath0 , which may be viewed as coupled quantum @xmath2 @xmath3-@xmath4 chains @xcite , is one of the promising candidates that are supposed to realize the putative nematic phase under high magnetic fields @xmath5 @xcite .
close to saturation , stable bound states of spin - flip excitations ( magnons ) are formed by the ferromagnetic nearest - neighbor interaction and the spin - nematic phases realize when they condense earlier than the single magnon @xcite .
recently , slightly below ( 3.9 - 4.9 t ) the saturation field @xmath6 t ( 52 t ) for @xmath5 parallel to the @xmath7 ( @xmath8 or @xmath9 ) axis , an additional phase transition has been reported @xcite ; on the basis of the trial wave function , the new phase above it has been argued @xcite to be the spin nematic phase .
as magnons are bosons , this phase may be viewed as a magnetic counterpart of the pair - superfluid phase of bosons @xcite and the coupled @xmath3-@xmath4 system provides us with a unique playground to study the physics of bosonic composite .
theoretically , the single - chain model has been extensively investigated both numerically and analytically @xcite , and the results obtained have shed some lights on the behavior of the coupled - chain system licuvo@xmath0 . for instance , the spin modulated phase found experimentally @xcite may be viewed as the sdw2 phase ( a bosonic density - wave phase formed by pairs ) found in the dmrg studies.@xcite on the other hand , the existence of a long - range helical spin order at @xmath10 implies non - negligible effects of interchain couplings .
recently , several attempts have been made @xcite to investigate the effects of the interchain couplings on the multipolar phases found in 1d @xcite .
one of the few , but reliable methods to study the nematic phases independent of the dimensionality is to calculate the energy of a bound state of magnons on the spin - polarized background @xcite . in this letter
, we study the properties of the nematic phase formed slightly below the saturation field by developing a method of calculating the effective pair - pair interaction on the basis of the dilute bose - gas expansion ( see , _ e.g. _ , ref.@xcite for a review ) .
the interaction among condensed bound magnons plays an important role ; not only being crucial to the stability of the nematic phase , it also determines the asymptotic form of the magnetization curve as well as the critical temperature of the nematic phase .
first we derive , for a general setting , an integral equation which determines this interaction up to first order in two - magnon - scattering amplitude .
next , we apply this method to the magnetic properties of a quasi - one - dimensional compound licuvo@xmath0 under high magnetic field .
_ magnon bose - einstein condensation ( bec)_- let us consider a spin-1/2 heisenberg model on a bravais lattice with generic interactions @xmath11 placed in a magnetic field ( @xmath5 ) : @xmath12 we rewrite this hamiltonian by the hardcore boson ( @xmath13 ) representation of spin operator : @xmath14 to obtain the following boson hamiltonian @xmath15 @xmath16 where @xmath17 is the minimum of the single - magnon energy @xmath18 and @xmath19 is the hard - core potential which guarantees @xmath20 at each site .
now , the external field @xmath5 controls the energy of a magnon as the chemical potential .
if we reduce the magnetic field down to @xmath21 , the gap of a magnon closes and the single - magnon bec may occur , which leads to @xmath22 and thereby stabilizes various kinds of magnetic orders @xcite .
then , the emergent phase is determined @xcite by the effective interaction between condensed magnons , which is given by the magnon - magnon scattering amplitude @xmath23 at @xmath24 ( see fig . [ fig : scatteringm ] ) : @xmath25 where @xmath26 and @xmath27 respectively are the center - of - mass momentum of the two magnons in question and the binding energy .
this integral equation is exactly solvable@xcite .
magnon - magnon scattering amplitude @xmath23 given by the ladder diagram .
[ fig : scatteringm ] ] _ magnon - pair condensation_- if a stable bound state of magnons ( a magnon pair ) exists , the single - magnon bec is not necessarily the leading instability from the spin - polarized state .
in fact , if the gap of the magnon pair is smaller than double of that of the single - magnon , magnon - pair condensation occurs at @xmath28 and the spin - nematic order @xmath29 takes place .
the binding energy of the bound state @xmath30 is determined by a pole of the scattering amplitude @xmath23 .
the wave function of the bound state @xmath31 then is obtained as the residue of @xmath23 at the pole @xcite .
if we assume that the condensation of pairs occurs only at @xmath32 , the effective potential for the pair - superfluid phase may be written as @xmath33 where @xmath34 and @xmath35 respectively are the density of the condensed pairs and the binding energy at the bottom of the pair dispersion @xmath36 .
the normalization constant @xmath37 in front of @xmath38 is introduced for the symmetry factor of the scattering amplitude .
the interaction between the condensed pairs @xmath38 is the only parameter that remains to be determined in this effective potential .
the sign of @xmath38 determines the stability of the spin nematic phase : negative @xmath38 in eq.([ea ] ) naively means that @xmath39 is favored on the energetic ground if the higher order terms in @xmath34 are neglected .
then , real - space collapse of magnon pairs destroys the long - range nematic order and leads to the first - order transition at some @xmath40 satisfying @xmath41 . on the other hand , if @xmath38 is positive , the dilute condensate of pairs is stable and the second - order phase transition at @xmath42 may occur . when @xmath43 , by minimizing the potential and neglecting the non - condensate contribution , we obtain the asymptotic form of magnetization near @xmath44 : @xmath45 where @xmath46 is the actual saturation field .
if we introduce the creation operator of the bound state @xmath47 , the low - energy dynamics near @xmath48 may be described by the following effective hamiltonian : @xmath49 where @xmath50 and the ellipsis denotes higher - order interactions which are suppressed in the dilute limit .
the mass @xmath51 of the bound state is obtained by expanding the pair dispersion @xmath30 around its minimum .
then , in the dilute limit , the phonon spectrum in the condensed phase is given by @xmath52 the dilute - bose gas approximation is justified when @xmath53 .
now we are at the place to derive @xmath38 from the scattering process of the magnon pairs . in terms of @xmath38 , the scattering process of two pairs at @xmath32 ( shown in the left panel of fig .
[ fig : boundint ] ) may be expressed as @xmath54 , where @xmath55 is assumed . of the single magnons ( see fig.[fig : scatteringm ] ) .
[ fig : boundint ] ] by keeping only the first - order processes in @xmath23 , we obtain the scattering amplitude @xmath38 as ( see the right part of fig . [
fig : boundint])@xcite @xmath56 where the integration is carried out over the brillouin zone and @xmath57 is normalized as @xmath58 since the bound state is the same for @xmath59 and @xmath60
. our perturbation expansion in @xmath23 may be valid when @xmath23 ( and hence , @xmath38 , too ) is small .
the largeness of @xmath61 may also be a simple criterion for the validity since @xmath61 suppresses @xmath23 in eq .
( [ ch2:effectiveintbm ] ) .
_ application to 1d chain_- first , let us apply our formulation to the @xmath3-@xmath4 spin chain , which is well studied by the dmrg and the bosonization technique @xcite .
the hamiltonian is given by @xmath62 where @xmath63 , @xmath64 .
the result of the numerical calculation for @xmath38 is shown in fig .
[ fig:1dj1j2_int ] . for @xmath65
, @xmath38 is positive and the nematic phase is stable , while for @xmath66 , @xmath38 is negative and the nematic phase is unstable .
one possible consequence of the negative @xmath38 in 1d or 2d is the formation of further bound states of the pairs ( e.g. , quartets ) due to infra - red fluctuations and their condensation .
this can be explicitly seen by considering , as in eq .
( [ eq : m2r ] ) , the ladder diagram using the hamiltonian ( [ eq : bmh ] ) . is positive , the sign of the interaction does not change by the infra - red fluctuation .
hence , the stability of the nematic phase itself can be judged from @xmath38 even in low - dimensional systems . ] for the 1d @xmath67 chain .
the kink occurs at @xmath68 where the bottom of the bound state @xmath69 changes from incommensurate value to commensurate one @xmath70 .
[ fig:1dj1j2_int ] ] the previous results @xcite suggest the nematic phase for @xmath71 and the condensation of the three - magnon bound states for @xmath72 . hence , @xmath38 should remain positive for @xmath73 .
this discrepancy may be due to our perturbative expansion .
although our method underestimates @xmath38 in 1d , it may be more reliable in 2d and 3d where quantum fluctuation is believed to be weaker than that in 1d and perturbative techniques may work better .
_ application to licuvo@xmath0_- next , we apply our method to licuvo@xmath0 and , by calculating @xmath38 , determine magnetization curve near the saturation field .
the lattice structure of licuvo@xmath0 is shown in fig .
[ fig : licuvo4 ] ( the three crystal axes are @xmath74 ) . to avoid a long computational time
, we neglected the weak @xmath75 and @xmath76 couplings and studied the following two - dimensional hamiltonian in the @xmath77-plane ( see fig .
[ fig : licuvo4].(b ) ) : @xmath78 where @xmath79 ( mev ) , @xmath80 ( mev ) and @xmath81 ( mev ) @xcite and @xmath82 denote the unit vectors in the direction of the crystal axes . for the values of @xmath83 given above , the minimal energy of the magnon pair @xmath84 occurs at @xmath85 @xcite . and various exchange interactions @xcite .
the circles denote spins ( @xmath20 ) .
the dominant @xmath3-@xmath4 chains ( thick lines ) are running along the @xmath86(@xmath9)-direction .
( b ) neglecting relatively weak @xmath75 and @xmath76 , one obtains 2d network ( in @xmath77-plane ) considered here .
[ fig : licuvo4 ] ] the method described above yielded a positive value @xmath87 implying the stability of the spin - nematic phase near the saturation field .
we plot the magnetization ( @xmath88 ) curve obtained by eq . in fig .
[ fig : magcurve ] ( for @xmath89 @xcite , @xmath90 t ) .
clearly , due to small @xmath38 , magnetization exhibits rapid decrease slightly below the saturation field , which is reminiscent of the pure-1d results@xcite . .
the thin lines are to underline the slopes .
@xmath87 is the first - order result obtained for .
@xmath91 is the upper bound of the renormalized @xmath38 ( see fig . [
fig : m2ladder ] ) .
the linear interpolation between the origin and saturation gives fairly large value @xmath92 .
[ fig : magcurve ] ] _ effect of infra - red divergence_- so far , we have studied specific models in 1d and 2d .
however , physics of bec strongly depends on the dimensionality .
for example , if we could treat the scattering process up to infinite order as we do in the ladder approximation , infra - red fluctuations would suppress the scattering amplitude as @xmath93 for 1d and 2d models @xcite .
hence , in low - dimensional systems , the magnetization curve has an infinite slope at the saturation field @xcite .
in fact , from the renormalization group argument , the asymptotic form of magnetization is obtained as @xcite @xmath94 this implies that the effect of interplane ( interchain ) coupling in 2d case is more relevant than in 1d case .
actually , a small interplane coupling of the order of @xmath95 gives that @xmath96 : the steep behavior ( log divergence ) is fairly flattened by a week @xmath95 .
to take into account the effects of infra - red fluctuations in our calculation , we consider the ` super ladder diagram ' constructed out of the process shown in the right part of fig .
[ fig : boundint ] .
now , we use the low - energy effective pair hamiltonian eq . , which is tailored to licuvo@xmath0 , to calculate the two - magnon propagator , where we approximate @xmath38 by that obtained for the 2d model eq .
( [ 2d : licuvo4 ] ) is enough larger than the interplane coupling since @xmath27 also suppresses the infra - red fluctuation ] and use the mass parameters of the bound state given by @xmath97 for comparison , we give those of a _ single _ magnon : @xmath98 , @xmath99 , and @xmath100 .
surprisingly , we found that @xmath101 is by far smaller than @xmath102 and @xmath103 implying that the low - energy dynamics is dominated by one - dimensional motion along the @xmath86-axis ( i.e. @xmath9-axis ) .
is easily broken for a finite density of condensates @xmath34 due to a large mass . however , even in this case , @xmath104 is given by eq .
( [ dmdh2 ] ) , and we naively expect @xmath1 at a finite @xmath34 is analytically connected and continuous to the region of extremely - low @xmath34 : the deviation from our prediction using @xmath105 may be perturbative in @xmath34 unless an additional phase transition from the nematic phase occurs .
] if we introduce the momentum cutoff @xmath106 @xmath107 into the hamiltonian eq .
( [ eq : bmh ] ) , the ladder diagrams for the pair - pair scattering are summed up to yield @xmath108 if we assume , for example , @xmath87 and the cutoff @xmath109 , we obtain @xmath110 .
the infra - red divergence suppresses the interaction as we expect from the results for the usual magnon - magnon scattering . this suppression is stronger for larger @xmath38 as is seen from fig .
[ fig : m2ladder ] .
in fact , we found that however large the bare pair - pair interaction @xmath38 might be , the renormalized value @xmath111 is bounded by a finite value about 10 due to infra - red fluctuations .
to summarize , the magnetization curve ( near saturation ) in general gets steeper when the fluctuation effects are included . by the infra - red fluctuations .
we have assumed that the mass of the bound state is given by eq .
( [ mass_bound ] ) and the cutoff is given as @xmath112 .
[ fig : m2ladder ] ] _ comment on the collinear phase_- experimentally , it is believed that the high - field ( @xmath113 t ) phase with modulating @xmath114 and zero transverse magnetization @xcite is a 3d analogue of the sdw2 ( a bosonic density - wave state of pairs ) phase found in the 1d chain @xcite . in 1d systems , either the spin - nematic phase or sdw2
is selected depending on the value of the effective luttinger - liquid parameter @xcite .
below , we show that in higher dimensions it is possible to have a phase where the nematic order and modulating @xmath114 coexist . before discussing the modulated phase ,
let us recall the nature of the nematic phase considered in the previous sections .
the wave function of the pair condensate proposed in ref .
@xcite is : @xmath115 with @xmath116 being the normalization constant .
we can explicitly evaluate @xmath117 by using _
e.g. _ , @xmath118 and @xmath119 to obtain a uniform magnetization .
therefore , the single-@xmath120 condensation of the pairs leads to @xmath121const . on the other hand ,
if two modes ( at @xmath122 and @xmath123 ) of bound states simultaneously condense ( double-@xmath26 condensation ) , the wave function may be given instead by @xmath124 where @xmath125@xmath126 ( with @xmath127 the density of the @xmath128-th bound state ) .
then , the spin density is calculated as @xmath129 where we have kept the terms up to the second order in @xmath130 .
now , @xmath114 oscillates while the transverse magnetization vanishes .
this phase may emerge through a second order phase transition from the usual nematic phase with @xmath131 , by continuously introducing a finite pair - condensate @xmath132 at @xmath123 , in a similar way as the superfluid - supersolid phase transition in the hard - core boson model , where a roton minimum softens@xcite .
obviously , @xmath133 corresponds to the pairs at @xmath134 .
possible candidates of the @xmath132 pair may be the one formed by magnons near the single - particle minima @xmath135 .
there are three candidates of @xmath136 : @xmath137 for @xmath138 and @xmath139 for @xmath140 .
closes , there are two possibility whether one of @xmath141 or both condense . then , the emergent phase could be understood by the interaction between the pairs . ]
a possible scenario is as follows . immediately below the saturation field ,
the usual single-@xmath26 nematic phase appears first , and , by further reducing the external field , the second - order phase transition takes place where bound states at @xmath142 start to condense .
a quantitative estimate of the critical field remains to be an open problem . _
summary- _ we have discussed the properties of the nematic phase slightly below the saturation field by microscopically calculating the interaction @xmath38 between the magnon bound states .
first , we have derived the general expression of @xmath38 as eq .
( [ ch2:effectiveintbm ] ) at the first order in the two magnon scattering process . using @xmath38 thus obtained ,
we have investigated the stability , the asymptotic behavior of the magnetization curve , and the low - energy excitation in the nematic phase .
we have applied this method to analyze the magnetic properties of @xmath20 frustrated spin system licuvo@xmath0 .
we have found that the nematic phase is stable near the saturation field and exhibits a steep magnetization curve reminiscent of that in 1d .
this steep behavior slightly below the _ actual _ saturation field is consistent with the recent nmr measurement @xcite .
we have also discussed the possible second - order - phase transition from the usual nematic phase to a new spin - density - modulated phase with the transverse nematic order .
the authors thank d. jido , y. nishida , and m. takigawa for stimulating discussions .
one of the authors ( k.t . ) was supported by grants - in - aid for scientific research no .
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_ , unpublished . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | in this supplemental note , we detail the derivation of the scattering amplitude @xmath38 between two - bound magnons .first , we briefly review the method to obtain the energy and the wavefunction of a bound state from the two - body green s function .next , we derive @xmath38 from the scattering theory . generally , if we write @xmath143 as the eigenstate of the hamiltonian , the green s function of the operator @xmath144 is given by , @xmath145 where @xmath146 is the ground state and @xmath147 . in the above equation ,a pole exists at @xmath148 which implies the existence of the stable state . to study the two - body scattering problem in our case , we assume @xmath149 , @xmath150 , @xmath151 .now , the bare time - ordered - two - body - green s function without interactions reads @xmath152 where the one - particle green s function @xmath153 is given by @xmath154 and @xmath155 is given by eq .( 4 ) in the main paper .the branch cut exists for @xmath156 , which represents the continuum of two particles . in the interacting case ,the two particle green s function in the fully saturated phase is exactly given by @xmath157 where @xmath23 represents the ladder diagram discussed in the main paper eq .while the pole ( branch cut ) of the first term in the right - hand side provides the continuum , @xmath23 in the second term may introduce a pole even below the continuum , which implies the existence of a stable bound state .hence , the energy of the bound state @xmath158 is determined by a pole of @xmath159 . in the later discussionwe will neglect the first term in eq .( [ g2full ] ) , which describes a non - scattered amplitude and eventually vanishes for @xmath160 . for convenience , sometimes we will abbreviate the notation of this term as @xmath161 . this green s functionis also related to the wave function of the bound state . near the pole of the bound state ,the nearly diverging term is dominant , and we neglect the other terms .hence , if we assume @xmath162 as the wavefunction of the bound state , we obtain for @xmath163 : @xmath164 where @xmath165 is the eigenket of the bound state , and @xmath162 is the wavefunction given by @xmath166 since the vacuum @xmath146 is the exact ground state corresponding to the fully saturated phase even in the interacting case .this wavefunction satisfies the normalization condition as @xmath167 , where the summation over @xmath168 is taken in the brillouin zone , since @xmath169 . in this subsection , we study the effective interaction up to the first order in the ladder diagram of two single magnons . for convenience ,we introduce @xmath170 as the creation operator of the bound state : @xmath171 the green s function of the bound state for @xmath163 is given by @xmath172 where we use eq .( [ greenchi ] ) .let us discuss the scattering process of two - incoming - bound states . according to the lsz - reduction formula ( for review , see sec .vii in ref . ) , we consider the fourier transformation of the correlation function : @xmath173 where we assume @xmath174 and @xmath175 ( @xmath176 ) is in the ` out ' ( ` in ' ) time region where the interaction between bound magnons is asymptotically zero since we consider the case that each bound magnon is well separated after and before the scattering process. diagrammatically this process is represented as the left diagram in fig .[ fig : boundint ] , which gives : @xmath177 where @xmath38 is the scattering amplitude between the two bound magnons , and @xmath178 , @xmath179 is assumed since we consider the scattering between the physically stable lowest energy bound states . in this case, the field strength is zero because the fully saturated ferromagnetic phase is the exact ground state and the self energy of the bound state is zero . from another viewpoint ,( [ swavel ] ) is easily understood from the effective hamiltonian eq .( 8) in the main paper . to calculate @xmath38 , we consider the first - order expansion in the @xmath23 ( the scattering amplitude between the two single magnons ) as shown in the right diagram in fig .[ fig : boundint ] .the external lines are calculated as : @xmath180\\ = & \frac{1}{n^3}\sum_{{\text{\bf p}},{\text{\bf p}}^\prime}|\frac{1}{4}\sum_{{\text{\bf p}}^{\prime\prime}}(-ig^{(2)-1}_0({\text{\bf p}}))(ig^{(2)}_0({\text{\bf p}}))(-i\gamma({\text{\bf p}},{\text{\bf p}}^{\prime\prime})ig_0^{(2)}({\text{\bf p}}^{\prime\prime})\chi_{{\mathbf{q}}_{\text{\bf k}}}({\text{\bf p}}^{\prime\prime})|^2\\ & \times |\frac{1}{4}\sum_{{\text{\bf p}}^{\prime\prime}}(-ig^{(2)-1}_0({\text{\bf p}}^\prime))(ig^{(2)}_0({\text{\bf p}}^\prime))(-i\gamma({\text{\bf p}}^\prime,{\text{\bf p}}^{\prime\prime})ig_0^{(2)}({\text{\bf p}}^{\prime\prime})\chi_{{\mathbf{q}}_{\text{\bf k}}}({\text{\bf p}}^{\prime\prime})|^2\times 4t({\mathbf{q}}_k;{\text{\bf p}},{\text{\bf p}}^\prime)\\= & \frac{1}{n^3}\sum_{{\text{\bf p}},{\text{\bf p}}^\prime } \times t({\mathbf{q}}_k;{\text{\bf p}},{\text{\bf p}}^\prime)\\ = & \frac{1}{n}(\frac{i}{\omega_0-e({\mathbf{q}}_{\text{\bf k}})})^4\frac{1}{n^2}\sum_{{\text{\bf p}},{\text{\bf p}}^\prime}(\frac{ig^{(2)}_0({\text{\bf p}})}{2})^{-2}(\frac{ig^{(2)}_0({\text{\bf p}}^\prime)}{2})^{-2}|\chi_{{\mathbf{q}}_{\text{\bf k}}}({\text{\bf p}})|^2|\chi_{{\mathbf{q}}_{\text{\bf k}}}({\text{\bf p}}^\prime)|^2 \times t({\mathbf{q}}_k;{\text{\bf p}},{\text{\bfp}}^\prime)\ , \end{split}\ ] ] where @xmath181 is taken , and @xmath182 is the diagram describing the internal scattering . @xmath183 in front of @xmath184 counts the permutation of the legs. the internal diagram @xmath184 is given by : @xmath185 when we evaluate the residue integrals in @xmath184 , we take the contour in the lower half - plane of @xmath186 to evade the pole of @xmath23 ( see eq.([ch2:greendd ] ) ) . in total , the effective interaction between the condensed bound state is given by @xmath187 where we use @xmath188 .we note that the integration should be carried out over the brillouin zone if the bound state is normalized as @xmath189 . |
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neural fibrolipoma is an uncommon tumor - like lesion that involves the upper extremity and usually arises in the median nerve .
it is associated with macrodactyly in one - third of the cases . a 3-year - old girl presented with increasing size of fingers of both the hands since birth .
clinical examination revealed macrodactyly of two fingers of the right hand and three fingers of the left .
surgical reduction was performed and microscopy of the biopsy specimen established the diagnosis of neural fibrolipoma .
knowledge of the clinicopathological features is necessary for accurate diagnosis and treatment of this rare entity . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | neural fibrolipoma , also known as fibrolipomatous hamartoma , is a rare benign tumor - like lesion which commonly involves the upper extremity and has predilection for the median nerve . we report a case of multiple neural fibrolipomas in a child presenting with macrodactyly of both hands and discuss the differential diagnosis . a 3-year - old apparently healthy girl was brought to the orthopedics department with complaints of increasing size of fingers of both hands and swelling over left hand since birth , which was initially noticed by her mother . there was no history of any other deformity or illness associated with the hand deformity . macrodactyly of index and middle fingers of right hand , and thumb , index and middle finger of left hand were noted along with elongated phalanges with palpable soft tissue mass over the left palm [ figure 1 ] . there was no associated tenderness , sensory loss or vascular changes . general physical examination and routine laboratory parameters were within normal limits except for low hemoglobin . amputation of the enlarged digits was performed on two occasions at an interval of 2 months with regular monthly follow - up and the specimen sent for histopathologic examination . x - ray showing hypertrophy of index , middle fingers of right hand and thumb , index and middle fingers of the left the excised specimen consisted of two sausage - shaped soft tissue masses which weighed 34 g together , with the larger one measuring 10 6 1 cm and the smaller one measuring 6 2 0.5 cm . cut section showed nodular , gray - white and fatty areas . microscopy revealed markedly thickened nerve containing nerve bundles with marked concentric thickening of epineurium and perineurium with intervening adipose tissue and fibrous stroma containing few thin - walled vascular channels [ figures 2a and b ] . thickened nerve bundle with intervening adipose tissue ( h and e , 40 ) nerve bundles with perineural thickening ( h and e , 40 ) the excised specimen consisted of two sausage - shaped soft tissue masses which weighed 34 g together , with the larger one measuring 10 6 1 cm and the smaller one measuring 6 2 0.5 cm . cut section showed nodular , gray - white and fatty areas . microscopy revealed markedly thickened nerve containing nerve bundles with marked concentric thickening of epineurium and perineurium with intervening adipose tissue and fibrous stroma containing few thin - walled vascular channels [ figures 2a and b ] . thickened nerve bundle with intervening adipose tissue ( h and e , 40 ) nerve bundles with perineural thickening ( h and e , 40 ) the excised specimen consisted of two sausage - shaped soft tissue masses which weighed 34 g together , with the larger one measuring 10 6 1 cm and the smaller one measuring 6 2 0.5 cm . cut section showed nodular , gray - white and fatty areas . microscopy revealed markedly thickened nerve containing nerve bundles with marked concentric thickening of epineurium and perineurium with intervening adipose tissue and fibrous stroma containing few thin - walled vascular channels [ figures 2a and b ] . thickened nerve bundle with intervening adipose tissue ( h and e , 40 ) nerve bundles with perineural thickening ( h and e , 40 ) neural fibrolipoma is described as proliferation of mature adipocytes within and around the peripheral nerves . when it is associated with overgrowth of bone and macrodactyly , it is known as macrodystrophia lipomatosa . this condition was first described by feriz and barsky . it can be complicated by overgrowth in the palm , dorsum and forearm . median nerve is most commonly affected , with the other affected nerves being ulnar , radial , etc . the clinical differential diagnoses of macrodactyly encompass numerous conditions both acquired and congenital , ranging from dactylitis , infarction , still 's disease , osteoid osteoma , lymphangioma and hemangioma . major clinical features of neural fibrolipomas are gigantism of a digit , hands / feet or whole extremity since birth and are almost always seen during the first three decades of life . history of increasing pain , tenderness , diminished sensation , paraesthesia with enlarging mass causing compression neuropathy may be present . grossly , neurofibrolipomas present as a soft , gray - yellow , fusiform , sausage - shaped mass that has diffusely infiltrated and replaced portions of a large nerve and its branches . the size may vary from small simple lesion to extensive complex lipomatosis involving all upper extremity nerves . lipomatous neurofibromas are smaller dermal based lesions which on microscopy show interlacing fascicles or whorls of uniform , delicate spindle cells regularly interspersed with adipose tissue . in diffuse lipomatosis , there is diffuse overgrowth of mature adipose tissue which affects large portions of extremity or trunk and there is no involvement of nerves . complete excision of fibrofatty growth is contraindicated because it may cause sensory or motor disturbances . in conclusion , neural fibrolipoma with macrodactyly is a rare lesion , the clinical presentation of which can range from a small lesion to a large mass involving the entire extremity . hence , knowledge of the characteristic histological and radiological findings is essential for correct diagnosis and treatment . |
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– Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh alarmed human rights activists last week when he vowed to quickly execute all of the nation's prisoners on death row. Amnesty International is now worried that he's started making good on the threat, reports Voice of America. Nine inmates were killed late Thursday, the first executions in the West African country in 27 years, and the rights group says more could come in the next few days. It's not clear how many inmates are on death row, but most wire accounts put the number at least 47 at the time of Jammeh's announcement. Amnesty called on him to "reverse the giant leap backward" and call off any more hangings. Treason is a capital offense in Gambia, and critics fear that Jammeh will use it an excuse to get rid of political opponents, reports AP. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Gambia has executed nine convicted criminals, the Civil Society Associations reported Saturday as Amnesty International warned that dozens more on death-row are under imminent threat as the West African nation carries out its first death sentences in 27 years. President Yaya Jammeh vowed earlier this month to execute all inmates sentenced to death "to ensure that criminals get what they deserve, that is, those who killed are killed and those who deserve to be put away from the society are put away from the society in accordance with the law." A government statement issued late Friday night said "All persons on death row have been tried by the Gambian courts of competent jurisdiction and thereof convicted and sentenced to death in accordance with the law. They have exhausted all their legal rights of appeal as provided by the law." It added "the peace and stability of our beloved nation as regards to protection of the lives, liberty and property of individuals must at all cost be preserved and jealously guarded." Eight men and one woman were removed from their prison cells Friday night and executed, London-based Amnesty reported, quoting "credible sources." It said two of those executed are believed to be foreigners from Senegal. A barrage of protests met the move, with expressions of shock coming from the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States, the French and Nigerian governments and human rights groups. It was not clear how the prisoners were executed, but Gambia's constitution says executions should be by hanging. "What is however clear is that inmates were rounded up at 9.30 p.m. Thursday August 23 and that by the morning of August 24, the bodies were actually lying in the Mile Two Prison yard," the Civil Society Associations of Gambia reported. Amnesty warned "more persons are under threat of imminent executions today and in the coming days." Amnesty said the executions are the first in Gambia since 1987. Gambia reinstated the death penalty in 1995 but had not executed anyone, former minister Omar Jallow has told The Associated Press. Amnesty said there were 47 inmates on death row before Friday's executions: government figures put the number at 42 men and two women and another three men reportedly also received the death sentence this year. Capital punishment can be imposed in Gambia for murder and treason. Three of those reportedly executed had been sentenced for treason, Amnesty said. It's not known how many of those on death row have been sentenced for alleged coup-plotting, a treasonable offense that could indicate Jammeh is using the executions to get rid of political opponents. Jammeh was reelected in November in elections that were "neither free nor fair," according to the U.S. State Department. Its annual human rights report criticized "the government's harassment and abuse of its critics, which resulted in a muzzled press and the death, torture, arrest and detention, and sometimes enforced disappearance of citizens." Amnesty called the executions, if confirmed, "a hugely retrograde step" putting Gambia among a minority of African states that still impose the death penalty. Thirty-eight of the 54 members of the African Union have abolished the death penalty or, if it is still in their law books, do not perform executions, Amnesty International said. ||||| There are now conflicting accounts whether authorities in The Gambia have executed nine prisoners, as reported by Amnesty International.Amnesty said Friday that according to "reliable sources," nine death-row inmates were taken from their cells the night before and executed.A group called the Civil Society Associations of Gambia says on its website that it confirmed the executions, and that on Friday morning the bodies were seen lying in the yard of the Mile Two Central Prison.However, the president of a rights group in neighboring Senegal tells says that "so far, nobody was executed."Alioune Tine, president of the African Assembly for the Defense of Human Rights, says his information comes from Gambian opposition members and journalists and the foreign ministers of The Gambia and Benin.A Gambian government statement late Friday defended the country's death-penalty laws, but neither confirmed nor denied any executions had taken place.If confirmed, the executions would be first in the tiny West African nation in more than a quarter-century.President Yahya Jammeh said earlier this week that he will ensure that the death penalty is "carried out to the letter" by mid-September for all condemned prisoners.Government officials have confirmed the president's statement, but have not discussed any individual cases. Before Thursday, it was believed that Gambian courts had handed down death sentences for 47 imprisoned men and women - many of whom had been charged with treason.Amnesty International is appealing to Jammeh to reverse the "giant leap backwards" he took by ordering the execution of all prisoners already sentenced to death.News reports say the African Union and Britain also urged Jammeh to call off the executions. Without responding directly, authorities in Banjul have stressed that all condemned prisoners have already exhausted their judicial rights of appeal.One account said two of those executed were Senegalese.The Gambia is a small sliver of land surrounded by Senegal, except where the Gambia River empties into the Atlantic Ocean near Banjul, the capital.President Jammeh has ruled the country since seizing power in military coup in 1994. His administration has been accused of many human-rights abuses.The Gambia outlawed capital punishment decades ago, but Jammeh reinstated the death penalty in 1995. However, there had been no reports of executions until now. Some information for this report was provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. |
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– As horrific as yesterday's crash at an air race event in Reno was, witnesses say it could have been worse if not for last-second maneuvers by the veteran pilot. "If he wouldn't have pulled up, he would have taken out the entire bleacher section," one dad there with his two daughters tells AP. "I think he was trying to do whatever he could right up to the end," another tells CNN. "I thought he was coming in on top of us. Instead, he missed us by about 100 feet and went out into the box area in front of us." As of this morning, three people were dead, including 74-year-old pilot Jimmy Leeward of Ocala, Fla. Early speculation is centering on mechanical failure. In a profile, the Los Angeles Times notes that Leeward—a real estate developer by trade—was a legend in the plane racing circuit and owned his own race team. He "barreled through the skies in more than 120 competitions, and worked as a stunt pilot in several films. He was brawny and handsome; only some salt and peppering on his temples gave a hint of his 74 years." His Facebook page is collecting tributes, though the Times notes that some were questioning whether Leeward was too old for the circuit: "What the hell was he doing up there over a public venue?" (This blogger agrees.) | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | In the world of airplane racing, Jimmy Leeward was as big as they came.His story was legendary: Born to parents who made a life flying and selling airplanes, Leeward "was literally raised on the airports his father operated," according to a profile on his family's website.A business in real estate development paid the bills, but there was never a question to anyone who knew him that Leeward's heart rested in racing planes. He owned a team of racers, barreled through the skies in more than 120 competitions, and worked as a stunt pilot in several films. He was brawny and handsome; only some salt and peppering on his temples gave a hint of his 74 years.Leeward's most recent obsession was the "Galloping Ghost," a World War II -era P-51 Mustang fighter he and friends retrofitted for racing.He excitedly trumpeted the work that had been done on the Galloping Ghost to prepare it for the National Championship Air Races held in Reno. "She's rested but hungry," his website said. "The [reins] are coming off and she's coming out of the stable…. How fast will she go? Hold on tight, you'll find out soon enough."On Friday, Leeward crashed while piloting that plane during a high-speed race in Reno. Leeward was killed, as were spectators on the ground. Scores of others suffered injuries, some of them critical.Leeward's family members witnessed the crash, said Reno Championship Air Races President and Chief Executive Mike Houghton."They obviously are devastated," he said at a televised Reno news conference. "His wife wanted me to know that Jimmy would not want us to cancel the races." Leeward's pilot's medical records were up-to-date, and he was "a very qualified, very experienced pilot," Houghton said. He'd been racing at the event in Reno since 1975.News of the crash and Leeward's death left the fervent airplane racing community stunned and deeply saddened. "Everybody knows him. It's a tight-knit family," Houghton said. "He's been here for a long, long time."Hundreds of people posted messages on Leeward's Facebook page."RIP Jimmy," one read. "He left this world with his boots on doing what he loved."Some angrily questioned why man his age was racing planes. "What the hell was he doing up there over a public venue?" one asked.Fans at the race said it appeared that Leeward tried to steer the plane away from the stands where spectators were sitting. It is unclear what caused the crash, although officials said initial reports may indicate a mechanical failure.Leeward ran Leeward Air Ranch in Ocala , Fla., described on its website as a "500-acre private, gated pilot's paradise" where fliers can "experience the freedom of flying far from the restrictive airspace of the big city." He left little doubt that he relished the speed and challenge of racing in a class of planes that commonly exceeded 450 mph. It was no hobby for him. He wanted to win."Welcome to the Big League. The 'serious toys for big boys' club," read his website. "You need massive horsepower, a tricked-out airframe, and a great pilot to get past it.…No margin for error here! These guys are always on the edge knowing one wrong move, in one split second, could mean the end." ||||| Reno, Nevada (CNN) -- A man who once appeared discreetly as a stunt pilot in movies became the center of national attention after a crash at a Nevada air show. Jimmy Leeward is presumed dead after the Friday crash. The 74-year-old owned Leeward Ranch, a pilot community in Ocala, Florida. The 500-acre gated community features plane enthusiasts who build custom homes on lots that include hangars. The community has a runway so that people can fly from their homes. "The vision was to have a variety of great airplanes, a variety of great pilots," Leeward said in a documentary about his ranch. "And a place where everybody could really have a lot of fun. I wanted that as part of my vision to be something that was just like my father had in the 1930s." Leeward started building the community in the 1980s with his sons and it has grown to more than 170 homes. Some residents left condolences on Leeward's Facebook page. His family also left a message on the page. "Dear friends, we are deeply saddened by the tragedy at the air race today. Please join us in praying at this time for all the families affected," the message said. Leeward, was flying a P-51 Mustang in a Reno air race Friday, when he lost control and crashed. Some witnesses are crediting him with using his flying skills to help limit the number of people injured. 'I was ... preparing to die,' witness at Nevada air race crash says "I think he was trying to do whatever he could right up to the end," said Fred Scholz, a witness. "I could hear the engine ... I thought he was coming in on top of us. Instead, he missed us by about 100 feet and went out into the box area in front of us." Leeward, a son of a pilot, said that he was raised in airports. He worked as a stunt pilot in several films, including "Amelia" and "The Tuskegee Airmen." He had been part of the Reno air race since 1975, said Mike Houghton, president of the Reno Air Racing Association. "He was very active in aviation. He did a lot of stunt flying for movies," he said. "He was a close personal friend. Well liked. Great guy. Great family man." |
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[ purpose ] this study was performed to evaluate the clinical effect of the dual - wall
pushup plus exercise in patients with scapular dyskinesis with a winged or tipped scapula .
[ subject ] a 32-year - old man with scapular dyskinesis participated in this study .
[ methods ]
the subject performed the dual - wall pushup plus for 2 months , 4 days a week , for an
average of 2 hours each day . the scapular dyskinesis test , linear distance of the
acromion , acromion angle , and inferior scapular distance were evaluated before and after
the exercise program .
[ results ] after 2 months of dual - wall pushup plus exercises , the
scapular dyskinesis test was negative , the linear distance of the acromion decreased , the
acromion angle increased , and the inferior scapular distance decreased compared with the
initial measurements .
[ conclusion ] the dual - wall pushup plus exercise is an effective
intervention in patients with scapular dyskinesis with a winged or tipped scapula . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | abnormal scapular orientations such as winging are caused by lesions of the long thoracic , accessory , and dorsal scapular nerves , which innervate the serratus anterior , trapezius , and rhomboid muscles , respectively1 , 2 . injuries causing scapular winging are rare and may require surgical management in some cases1 , 2 . mcclure et al.3 developed the scapular dyskinesis test to evaluate abnormal scapular kinematics in the posterior view while the subject performs a dynamic loaded task . performing a pushup activates the scapulothoracic musculature , including the serratus anterior , upper and lower trapezius , and pectoralis muscles4 . as a closed kinetic exercise , a pushup can be beneficial for dynamic stabilization and stimulating proprioception in the shoulder complex4 . however , performing a pushup against gravity may be unsuitable in the initial stages of a rehabilitation program . researchers have suggested the wall pushup plus as an alternative exercise that requires relatively low effort to complete the movement5 . we developed a new exercise , the dual - wall pushup plus , for patients with scapular dyskinesis with a winged or tipped scapula and investigated its clinical effects . the study purpose and methods were explained to the subject , who provided informed consent according to the principles of the declaration of helsinki before participating . three physical therapists evaluated the participant for the presence or absence of scapular dyskinesis . the participant was asked to elevate his arms overhead within 3 seconds in a thumbs - up position and lower them within 3 seconds . a 3-lb weighted cuff was attached to the subject s forearm , and the subject performed four repetitions ( two for flexion and two for abduction ) that were recorded by a video camera . the subject then assumed a supine position with his knees bent and arms relaxed at his sides , and the linear distance from the treatment table to the posterior aspect of the acromion was measured . a palpation meter ( palm ; performance attainment associates , st . paul , mn , usa ) was used to measure the acromion angle between the acromion and the c7 spinous process and the inferior scapular distance from the inferior angle to the spinal process . the subject then performed the dual - wall pushup plus exercise for 2 months , 4 days a week , for an average of 2 hours each day with his hands shoulder - width apart . the dual - wall pushup plus involved a front wall pushup at 90 of shoulder flexion with the scapulae protracted to push the thorax posteriorly against the back wall for 5 seconds ( fig . initially , the subject was determined to have scapular dyskinesis . the linear distance from the table to the posterior aspect of the acromion was 4 cm , the acromion angle was 1 degree , and the inferior scapular distance was 10 cm . after performing the dual - wall pushup plus exercise for 2 months , there was no sign of scapular dyskinesis , the linear distance from the table to the posterior aspect of the acromion had decreased to 2 cm , the acromion angle had increased to 5 degrees , and the inferior scapular distance had decreased to 6 cm . a change in scapular position and motion influences the lengths of the muscles attached to the scapula , ultimately leading to shoulder pathology6 . although scapular dyskinesis can occur in pain - free individuals , the scapular kinematics of dyskinesis are similar to those of subjects with impingement syndrome3 . shortness of the levator scapular and pectoralis minor muscle activity result in scapular elevation and inferior angle tipping6 . ludewig et al.7 reported that middle and lower trapezius weakness caused a forward shoulder posture with scapular anterior tilt . the serratus anterior originates from the lateral aspects of the upper eight ribs and inserts on the anteromedial border and inferior angle of the scapula , positioning the scapula close against the thorax and stabilizing the scapula , which prevents the medial border and inferior angle from projecting posteriorly8 . weakness of the serratus anterior can contribute to altered scapular kinematics , such as winging and tipping . in the dual - wall pushup plus , the front wall pushup is performed at 90 of shoulder flexion and the scapulae are protracted to push the thorax posteriorly against the back wall . the resistance of the front wall pushup likely activates the serratus anterior and middle and lower trapezius muscles , while the resistance of the thorax pushing posteriorly against the back wall stretches the levator scapula and pectoralis minor by limiting scapular movement . the dual - wall pushup plus exercise also produces a compression force that corrects the abnormal scapular position . athletes and patients with shoulder injuries should perform appropriate , effective exercises to strengthen the shoulder muscles to prevent shoulder impairment and improve performance9 . this study suggests that the dual - wall pushup plus exercise is an effective intervention for patients with scapular dyskinesis with a winged or tipped scapula . |
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– It’s not a hoax or a dream: Herman Cain really has surged to the upper echelon in GOP primary polls. Cain more than tripled his support in Gallup’s October poll, jumping from 5% in September to 18%, just a hair behind Mitt Romney’s 20%. Rick Perry, meanwhile, plummeted from 31% to 15%. The result is roughly in line with last week’s polls showing Cain’s surge. The rest of the candidates were all in the single digits. The tumult is unusual for Republicans, who have historically (with the exception of John McCain in 2008) picked a frontrunner early and stuck with him, Gallup notes. And given that a whopping 20% of the field is still undecided, “the race may remain fluid for some time." Romney for one plainly isn’t worried by Cain’s rise—last night he told a crowd in New Hampshire that Cain was a “terrific guy” and that they should “give him a look,” Politico reports. “Vote for either one of us and you’ll be happy." | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Romney and Cain closely matched near 20%, with Perry at 15% PRINCETON, NJ -- Republicans' support for Herman Cain has surged to 18%, their support for Rick Perry has sagged to 15%, and their support for Mitt Romney remains relatively stable at 20%. However, Romney's support is matched by the 20% of Republicans who are unsure which candidate they will back for the Republican nomination in 2012. Gallup's Oct. 3-7 update of Republicans' preferences for their party's 2012 presidential nominee shows that Romney since mid-September has regained a numerical lead over the rest of the field, mainly because Perry's support has dropped by half over the same period. At the same time, support for Cain has more than tripled, from 5% to 18%, creating a competitive three-way race for the nomination between Romney, Cain, and Perry -- all within five percentage points of each other. Prior to now, Gallup has had Romney out front, Perry out front, or a two-way battle between them. Also of note in the new results are Ron Paul's return to single-digit support levels, and the failure of Michele Bachmann, Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, and Jon Huntsman to make significant gains. Republicans Have Historically Nominated Early Front-Runners Republicans' current lack of consensus about who should face President Barack Obama next fall is in stark contrast to Republican primary contests over the past half century in which, in all but one case, the eventual nominee was the runaway leader by this point in the campaign. For instance, in early October 1999, George W. Bush led the Republican field, with 60% of Republicans preferring him for the 2000 nomination. Bob Dole led at a comparable point in 1995 with 46%, George H.W. Bush in 1987 with 41%, Ronald Reagan in 1979 with 41% (in a trial heat that did not include former President Gerald Ford), and so on back to Richard Nixon in 1959, when he led with 67%. The exception occurred in 2007, when the eventual Republican nominee, John McCain, was drawing just 16% support in early October, putting him in third place behind Rudy Giuliani (32%) and Fred Thompson (20%) for the 2008 nomination. Republicans in 2011 Are Following Democrats' Primary Pattern Republican trial-heat trends show that there has been a strong front-runner by this point in the campaign -- three to four months before the first primaries are held. In contrast, the Democratic fields in past elections tended to be more competitive, and thus may provide a better point of comparison for interpreting today's fractured Republican field. In the 10 presidential elections since 1960 that involved a competitive Democratic primary campaign, the Democrat with a significant lead in October of the year before the election won the nomination in only 2 cases: sitting Vice President Al Gore in 1999, with a 12-point lead over Bill Bradley, and former Vice President Walter Mondale in 1983, with a 19-point lead over John Glenn. In the remaining eight elections, the eventual front-runner's position at this point was tied for first (John F. Kennedy in 1959), second (Barack Obama in 2007 and Michael Dukakis in 1987), third (Hubert Humphrey in 1967), fourth (John Kerry in 2003 and George McGovern in 1971), sixth (Bill Clinton in 1991), or ninth (Jimmy Carter in 1975). In several cases (1991, 1971, and 1967), the Democrat leading at this point was someone who ultimately did not seek the nomination; however, in many cases (2007, 2003, 1991, 1987, 1975, 1971, and 1967), the eventual nominee still trailed one or more active candidates. Bottom Line Romney and Cain currently lead in Republicans' preferences nationally for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination. However, their 20% and 18% support levels, respectively, are well below where most previous Republican nominees stood in October of the year prior to the election. Today's Republican lineup is more akin to the history of Democratic primary campaigns than Republican campaigns. And it may be instructive to note that the Democrats' eventual nominees often ranked second or lower at this stage leading up to the election year. Of course, the media, political climate, and political system are quite different today from decades past, so the opportunity for candidates with lower support to surge into the lead as a result of early primary (or state party convention or caucus) wins may not be as great as it once was. In the meantime, Gallup is seeing plenty of surging and plunging of candidates as a result of the media exposure they are receiving from the Republican straw polls and debates. Given that, and the still-sizable percentage of Republicans who are undecided, history suggests the race may remain fluid for some time. Track every angle of the presidential race on Gallup.com's Election 2012 page. ||||| Mitt Romney's affection for Herman Cain has been well documented, at POLITICO and elsewhere. Romney took it to the next level at a New Hampshire town hall this evening. "We each have our own experiences, he’s a great guy. Vote for either one of us and you’ll be happy," Romney said, per POLITICO's Reid Epstein. Romney also called Cain a "terrific guy" and said voters should "give him a good look." That's not something Romney would say about a candidate he views as a real threat, and it's a reminder of how much Cain's rise has been mutually beneficial to both him and Romney. |
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– Online privacy concerns are migrating to the real world. A researcher at Carnegie Mellon was able to identify 31% of students passing by with the help of facial recognition software, reports Mashable. First he collected 25,000 photos from Facebook profiles. Then he asked passersby to pose for a quick webcam photo. He had names for 1 in 3 in a matter of seconds. In just a few years, “facial visual searches may become as common as today's text-based searches,” says researcher Alessandro Acquisti. His team also made an iPhone app that takes pictures of people and reveals their names and personal data. Another test compared Facebook data with dating site information and was able to identify about 10% of those on the dating site, even though they were using pseudonyms, CNET reports. It all means “ominous risks for privacy,” says Acquisti. After all, it's easy to change your name online, but not your face. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Facebook has had its share of problems over face recognition — a feature that connects a photo of a person's face with their Facebook profile, making it easier to tag people in photos — but researchers from Heinz College, Carnegie Mellon University recently proved that Facebook's vast photo archive can be used to identify people on the street, too. The authors of the study titled "Faces of Facebook: Privacy in the Age of Augmented Reality" — Alessandro Acquisti, Ralph Gross and Fred Stutzman — demonstrated it at the Black Hat technical security conference, which was July 30 to August 4 in Las Vegas. They used publicly available data — photos from Facebook profiles of students — and then used face recognition technology to recognize these students as they look into a web camera. The results? Using a database of 25,000 photos taken from Facebook profiles, the authors' face recognition software correctly identified 31 percent of the students after fewer than three (on average) quick comparisons. In another test, the authors took photos from 277,978 Facebook profiles and compared them to nearly 6,000 profiles from an unnamed dating Web site, managing to identify approximately 10 percent of the site's members. The study raises important questions about our privacy. Online, you can make steps to hide your real identity such as changing your name, but as the authors of the study note, "It is much harder ... to change someone's face." Based on the results of the study, it's not hard to imagine someone creating a simple software/hardware combination which could identify people simply as they walk through a street or peer into a store's window. "Our focus, however, was on examining whether the convergence of publicly available Web 2.0 data, cheap cloud computing, data mining, and off-the-shelf face recognition is bringing us closer to a world where anyone may run face recognition on anyone else, online and offline — and then infer additional, sensitive data about the target subject, starting merely from one anonymous piece of information about her: the face," the study concludes. Check out the FAQ related to the study here. [via CNET] ||||| Carnegie Mellon researcher demonstrates a new Facebook privacy threat: profile photos can be used to ID people on dating sites and on the street. Carnegie Mellon's Alessandro Acquisti shows how to use Facebook to ID people on dating sites and on the street (Credit: Declan McCullagh/CNET) LAS VEGAS--Facebook's online privacy woes are well-known. But here's an offline one: its massive database of profile photos can be used to identify you as you're walking down the street. A Carnegie Mellon University researcher today described how he assembled a database of about 25,000 photographs taken from students' Facebook profiles. Then he set up a desk in one of the campus buildings and asked willing volunteers to peer into Webcams. The results: facial recognition software put a name to the face of 31 percent of the students after, on average, less than three seconds of rapid-fire comparisons. In a few years, "facial visual searches may become as common as today's text-based searches," says Alessandro Acquisti, who presented his work in collaboration with Ralph Gross and Fred Stutzman at the Black Hat computer security conference here. As a proof of concept, the Carnegie Mellon researchers also developed an iPhone app that can take a photograph of someone, pipe it through facial recognition software, and then display on-screen that person's name and vital statistics. This has "ominous risks for privacy" says Acquisti, an associate professor of information technology and public policy at the Heinz College at Carnegie Mellon University. Widespread facial recognition tied to databases with real names will erode the sense of anonymity that we expect in public, he said. Another test compared 277,978 Facebook profiles (the software found unique faces in about 40 percent) against nearly 6,000 profiles extracted from an unnamed dating Web site. About 1 in 10 of the dating site's members--nearly all of whom used pseudonyms--turned out to be identifiable. Facebook isn't the only source of profile data, of course. LinkedIn or Google+ might work. But because of its vast database and its wide-open profile photos, Facebook was the obvious choice. (Facebook's privacy policy says: "Your name and profile picture do not have privacy settings.") Facial recognition technology, which has been developing in labs for decades, is finally going mainstream. Face.com opened its doors to developers last year; the technology is built into Apple's Aperture software and Flickr. Google bought a face-recognition technology in the last few weeks, and Facebook's automated photo-tagging has drawn privacy scrutiny. In the hands of law enforcement, however, face recognition can raise novel civil liberties concerns. If university researchers can assemble such an extensive database with just Facebook, police agencies or their contractors could do far more with DMV or passport photographs--something that the FBI has been doing for years. (The U.S. Army partially funded the Carnegie Mellon research.) Acquisti is the first to admit that the technology isn't perfect. It works best with frontal face photos, not ones taken at an angle. The larger the database becomes, the more time comparisons take, and the more false-positive errors arise. On the other hand, face recognition technology is advancing quickly, especially for nonfrontal photos. "What we did on the street with mobile devices today will be accomplished in less intrusive ways tomorrow," he says. "A stranger could know your last tweet just by looking at you." |
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– It looked like a normal plate of spaghetti marinara, perfectly edible by school cafeteria standards. But when a Chicago high school student bit into it, he got a rude awakening. Someone had spiked a jar of the school's marinara sauce with "Da Bomb" hot sauce, a brand that prides itself on its near toxicity, ABC News reports. One variety, "Final Answer Hot Sauce" has almost as many Scoville units as pepper spray. The student complained to cafeteria staff, who investigated. The result? Three of the staffers wound up in the hospital from inhaling the fumes of the stuff. Police and school officials have just now revealed the May 14 incident, saying they've arrested the student they suspect perpetrated the prank. He'll be charged as a juvenile with misdemeanor battery. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | A high school student allegedly spiked the cafeteria's spaghetti with hot sauce. (Image credit: Brian Yarvin/Getty Images) A Chicago high school student is facing misdemeanor battery charges after allegedly spiking the school cafeteria's spaghetti marinara with hot sauce. Three cafeteria staff members were hospitalized after inhaling fumes from the fiery sauce, according to Highland Park High School spokeswoman Natalie Kaplan. "Several staff and students reported reactions to the sauce, including coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath and skin rashes," said Kaplan. "The impacted staff members were taken to hospital but no serious injuries were reported." The World's Hottest Pepper: Brings Pleasure and Pain Relief Police say the male student behind the peppery prank, whose name and age have not been released, somehow sneaked "Da Bomb" hot sauce into a container of marinara sauce during the first lunch period on May 14. "A student then went through the food line and purchased spaghetti with marinara sauce, and after sitting down and taking his first bite, found it intolerably hot and went back to the food line to advise staff," said Highland Park Police Deputy Chief George Pfutzenreuter. "Staff pulled the sauce from the line and, in evaluating the sauce, some of the staff members also started feeling effects." Pfutzenreuter said he didn't know which type of Da Bomb hot sauce was used in the prank. According to the brand's website, "Final Answer Hot Sauce" reaches 1,500,000 Scoville units - a level of heat approaching that of law enforcement-grade pepper spray. The alleged perpetrator will be charged as a juvenile on five counts of misdemeanor battery, according to Pfutzenreuter. And the high school plans to install a security camera in the cafeteria food line to fend off future schemes, according to Kaplan. ||||| Da’ Bomb Hot Sauce This is how bombs work: You’re quietly walking down the street, minding your own business, when you hear a slight whistling sound. That’s all the warning you get. Suddenly the world explodes in blinding flashes of heat all around you. You’re terrified. You want to hide, but there’s nowhere to go. All you can think is, “Am I going to survive?” This pretty well captures the experience of eating Da’ Bomb hot sauces. Except for the whistling. With these hot sauces, there’s no warning. They make no sound. They look and smell perfectly innocent. But when they explode on your taste buds, in your throat, and deep down in your stomach and bowels, you’ll know you’re in a war. Can you take it? Are you strong enough to survive? We’ll see… One thing these sauces have that bombs don’t is flavor. Deep, rich, satisfying flavor. It’s like eating a gourmet meal in the middle of a battlefield. You’re still scared, but you’re also damn glad you’re getting the chance to taste something so magnificent. You may feel like death is around the corner, but if you’re a warrior, that just heightens the pleasure. CLICK TO SEE ALL OF OUR DA’ BOMB PRODUCTS Bombs come in all sizes and intensities, and so do Da’ Bomb hot sauces. Choose your weapon (click on the sauce name for more info and to order): Da Bomb Beyond Insanity – This sauce will leave your sanity far behind. Pure Habanero pepper enhanced with Habanero infused flavor create a sauce measured at 119,700 Scoville units. Wicked beyond belief! WARNING: Consume one drop at a time with extreme caution. Keep out of reach of children. Da Bomb Ground Zero – Da’ Bomb hits the target with this one. Let its explosion annihilate your taste buds! It has been officially measured at 234,000 Scoville units, and they have the certificate to prove it. Ground Zero is almost twice as hot as Da’ Bomb Beyond Insanity. This is serious stuff. Da Bomb Ghost Pepper Sauce – Da’ Bomb Ghost Pepper Sauce is that latest in the Da Bomb Hot Sauce collection. It’s made from one of the world’s hottest peppers, the Bhut Jalokia or Ghost Pepper. This provides the knockout punch you would expect from a sauce called Da Bomb. Da Bomb Final Answer Hot Sauce – This little bottle contains the hottest sauce the Da’ Bomb line – by far! It’s nuclear. It’s radioactive. It lays waste to all who dare set it off. Rated at 1,500,000 Scoville Units, it is not for direct consumption! Use as a food additive only – and no more than a tiny drop at a time. Warning: Do NOT eat this sauce straight out of the jar! You will die. If you can survive the huge- to atomic-sized explosions caused by ingesting the Da’ Bomb line of hot sauces, you might just be the sort who can casually nibble on little bombs over a bottle of beer or your favorite drink, too. Surprise yourself – and perhaps your unsuspecting guests – with a snack that’s not likely to be forgotten soon: Da Bomb Ghost Pepper Nuts – When you hit the bar, the war may be winding down, but it’s not over. Da Bomb’s hot pepper-coated nuts have been popular for decades among chili heads. Now they’ve turned the container into a cluster bomb, each peanut a bit of hot shrapnel on your tongue. We dare you to down a handful! Do you have what it takes? Are you a warrior? Will you survive? There’s only one way to find out… CLICK TO SEE ALL OF OUR DA’ BOMB PRODUCTS |
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paratubal cysts ( ptcs ) are generally incidentally detected in pregnancy . however ,
paratubal cystadenomas in pregnant women are very rare cases who are reported individually .
an unusually giant case of paratubal cystadenoma in a pregnant woman is presented here . a 27-year - old woman presented to our department for a routine pregnancy checkup .
a giant cystic mass accompanying a 17-week gestation was detected on examination . during laparotomy ,
a huge right - sided ptc was resected .
histopathological evaluation revealed a benign cystadenoma originating in the ipsilateral paratubal space .
ptcs are often denoted as being benign .
neoplastic transformation or malign potential will change the course of follow - up and the patients ' prognosis .
treatment with surgical excision in the second trimester can safely prevent such associated adverse conditions . in conclusion
, gynecologists should be careful for causes of adnexal masses in a woman with an intrauterine pregnancy .
ptcs also tend to show accelerated growth patterns during pregnancy . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | adnexal masses are detectable in 14% of all pregnancies [ 1 , 2 ] . among the causes of adnexal masses in pregnancy , paratubal cysts ( ptc ) they may be classified as either non - neoplastic simple cysts or cysts of neoplastic origin . the simple ptcs are considered to originate from the mesothelium of embryonic remnants of the mllerian and wolffian duct , or from the invagination of the fallopian tube 's serosa . neoplastic ptcs like benign ovarian tumors ( i.e. cystadenomas or cystadenofibromas ) originate from the neoplastic transformation of a simple ptc or from adjacent ovarian tissue . a 27-year - old female presented to the hitit university training hospital for her routine pregnancy checkup . her medical , surgical , and obstetric background was unremarkable , and she had considered her pregnancy up to this day unexceptional . on abdominal examination , a smooth painless mass arising from the right hemi - pelvis , extended up to a level just 10 cm above the umbilicus . an ultrasound scan confirmed the presence of a live 17-week gestation accompanied by an incidental cystic mass measuring 210 180 120 mm . blood samples for serum tumor markers were drawn and the results were within normal limits ( ca-125 : 8.6 u / ml , alpha - fetoprotein : 25.4 ng / ml ) . magnetic resonance imaging ( mri ) reported a 203 210 mm cystic mass , while all other pelvic structures were denoted as being within normal limits ( fig . 1 ) . laparotomy was performed via a 15-cm midline incision . upon entering the abdominal cavity , a small sample of intra - abdominal fluid ( 3 ml ) exploration of the pelvis revealed minimal abdominal liquor , a gravid uterus and a left - sided adnexia of normal morphology . however , the right adnexial area comprised a 220 200 100 mm smooth surfaced cystic mass , originating from the right mesosalpinx . the mass was independent of the right ovary and was connected to the right fallopian tube with a pedincle 8 cm in length ( fig . 2 ) . following resection of the cyst , it was sent to our department of pathology for a frozen histology evaluation . cytological examination of the intra - abdominal fluid ruled out malignancy , and the mass was reported as a giant ptc . the patient 's postoperative follow - up was uneventful , yet close monitorization of the fetus was carried out to reassure the mother . the patient was later discharged from hospital 5 days after the procedure without any signs of maternal or fetal complication . definitive histopathological examination confirmed a paratubal cystadenoma of the right fallopian tube ( fig . the thick fibrocollagenized wall of the cystic mass , adjacent to the serosa of the tube , was lined with a single layer of ciliary columnar epithelium . figure 3:the thick fibrocollagenized wall of the cystic mass , lined with stratified and complex epithelium , h&e , 200 . the thick fibrocollagenized wall of the cystic mass , lined with stratified and complex epithelium , h&e , 200 . ptcs are generally asymptomatic , but they may rarely cause clinical conditions such as hemorrhage , torsion , rupture , infection or malignant transformation . in 1909 , the very earliest report of a pregnancy complicated by a ptc , described the excision of a torted ptc in an emergency setting . neoplastic features of these cysts ( i.e. cystadenomas ) are so rare that they have previously been reported as individual case reports . differential diagnosis should include hydatid cysts of morgagni and hydrosalpinx . typically cystadenomas have a thick collagenized wall , and basically are lined with stratified and complex epithelium especially in focal areas . ptcs are mostly 18 cm in diameter . it is emphasized that they may reach larger sizes under the influence of hormonal factors . when deciding on an appropriate management and treatment plan , the nature of the mass is crucial . small , unilocular , simple cysts are managed expectantly while persistent , thick - walled cysts involving papillary projections or masses showing signs of complications such as torsion or hemorrhagia are managed surgically . if elective surgery is considered , this should be performed after 14 weeks gestation to minimize obstetric complications , although this risk is minimal . in conclusion , gynecologists should be careful for causes of adnexal masses in a woman with an intrauterine pregnancy , and should consider such cases in a multidisciplinary fashion . in this case , the patient was surgically evaluated in collaboration with our department of general surgery . the resection of a giant paratubal cystadenoma in the second trimester was undertaken without peroperative maternal or fetal complications and may have also prevented potential future obstetric dilemmas associated with rapid enlargement of the cyst . if ptcs are correctly identified , and definitely discerned from ovarian lesions , they are often denoted as being benign . mere importance. in addition to the previously mentioned complications , acknowledgement of neoplastic transformation or malignant potential will definitely change the course of follow - up and the patients ' prognosis . that ptcs tend to show accelerated growth patterns during pregnancy should be beared in mind and therefore should not be overlooked as insignificant lesions . |
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– With their son's trial set to start in a month, the parents of suspected Aurora theater shooter James Holmes make a plea for his life in the Denver Post today. "He is not a monster," write Robert and Arlene Holmes. "He is a human being gripped by a severe mental illness." The Holmeses aren't arguing that their son isn't the shooter, only that he should not be executed because of his illness. They think the best course would be for him to plead guilty, avoid a trial, and wind up in an institution that can provide proper treatment for the rest of his life: "We love our son, we have always loved him, and we do not want him to be executed." "In the criminal justice system, the prosecution and defense can agree to a sentence of life in prison, without parole, in exchange for a guilty plea," they write. "If that happened, our son would be in prison the rest of his life, but no one would have to relive those horrible events at a trial the media has permission to televise." Failing that, jury selection is scheduled to begin on Jan. 20 in the attack that killed 12 and injured 70, reports AP. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | DENVER (AP) — The parents of Colorado theater shooting suspect James Holmes are pleading for him to be spared the death penalty. FILE - In this Monday, Dec. 8, 2014, file photo, Robert Holmes, far right, father of theater shooting suspect James Holmes, walks to a pretrial readiness hearing, in Centennial, Colo. Robert and Arlene... (Associated Press) FILE - In this Monday, Dec. 8, 2014, file photo, Arlene Holmes, center, is consoled as she leaves the courtroom after a pretrial readiness hearing in the murder trial of her son, James Holmes, in Centennial,... (Associated Press) FILE - In this March 12, 2013, file photo, Robert and Arlene Holmes, the parents of Aurora theater shooting suspect James Holmes, arrive at district court for the arraignment of their son in Centennial,... (Associated Press) In a letter to The Denver Post published Friday, Robert and Arlene Holmes say they have always loved their son and do not want him to be executed. "He is not a monster. He is a human being gripped by a severe mental illness," they wrote. Holmes has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to charges of killing 12 people and injuring 70 in the 2012 attack at a movie theater in Aurora outside Denver. Jury selection is scheduled to start Jan. 20. His parents, who live in Rancho Penasquitos, California, say they also would like to avoid a traumatic trial. One option would be a plea deal allowing him to plead guilty to the charges in exchange for life in prison without parole. "If that happened, our son would be in prison the rest of his life, but no one would have to relive those horrible events at a trial the media has permission to televise," they wrote. They say the best option for their son would be if he is sent to an institution for the mentally ill, which could happen if he is found not guilty by reason of insanity. Holmes' parents say they have spent every moment of the two years since the shooting thinking about the victims and their families and friends. "We are always praying for everyone in Aurora. We wish that July 20, 2012 never happened," they wrote. The letter is the first public comment by Holmes' parents about the shooting since some brief comments made through a lawyer immediately after the attack in which they also expressed support for him. They have not disclosed details of their son's condition or whether they had any warning that he might become violent. ||||| As the parents of James Holmes, we have spent every moment for more than two years thinking about those who were injured, and the families and friends of the deceased who were killed, in the theater shooting in Aurora. We are always praying for everyone in Aurora. We wish that July 20, 2012, never happened. Our son pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the charges associated with these shootings. Defense attorneys for our son first stated in open court in May 2013 that James was diagnosed in Colorado with a serious mental illness. Prior to July 20, 2012, he never harmed anyone and he had no criminal history. We understand that if our son is found not guilty by reason of insanity, he could go to an institution that provides treatment for the mentally ill for the remainder of his life. This result would prevent any future harm to him and others. We realize treatment in an institution would be best for our son. We love our son, we have always loved him, and we do not want him to be executed. We also decry the need for a trial. A lengthy trial requires everyone to relive those horrible moments in time, causing additional trauma. In the criminal justice system, the prosecution and defense can agree to a sentence of life in prison, without parole, in exchange for a guilty plea. If that happened, our son would be in prison the rest of his life, but no one would have to relive those horrible events at a trial the media has permission to televise. Advertisement We do not know how many victims of the theater shooting would like to see our son killed. But we are aware of people's sentiments. We have read postings on the Internet that have likened him to a monster. He is not a monster. He is a human being gripped by a severe mental illness. We believe that the death penalty is morally wrong, especially when the condemned is mentally ill. We are not alone in our sentiments. The Murder Victims' Families for Human Rights, an international organization of family members of murder victims and family members of the executed, and the National Alliance on Mental Illness formed the "Prevention, Not Execution Project," aimed at ending the death penalty for people with severe mental illness. Our family has not given interviews to the media because we do not want coverage of ourselves. We mourn the deaths and the serious injuries and emotional trauma of the others who were in the theater. The focus should be on the injured and their healing. Robert and Arlene Holmes live in Rancho Penasquitos, Calif. To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by e-mail or mail. |
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– Some people might use an old mug to hold toothbrushes and toothpaste. A man in England used a 4,000-year-old piece of pottery, by accident. Karl Martin picked up the pot along with another at a flea market for all of $5, reports Atlas Obscura. Martin is a valuer at Hansons Auctioneers, but the pot didn't strike him as that special, so he stuck it in his bathroom and used it as a toothbrush holder. There it sat for a few years until Martin noticed similar-looking pottery while helping a colleague unload a van. He asked the colleague to inspect his own pot and, voila, turns out it was made around 1900 BC in the Indus Valley Civilization in what is now Afghanistan. "I feel a bit guilty about keeping my toothbrush in it now," says Martin in a news release from Hansons. The pot features the image of an antelope, and the style is consistent with Indus Valley work, according to the chief of antiquities at Hansons. The piece recently sold at auction, and while Martin won't get rich on the $102 it fetched, it's still not a bad return on his investment. (This piece of pottery is twice as old, and it suggests that those who made it enjoyed their wine.) | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Karl Martin’s toothbrush holder. Courtesy Hansons Auctioneers and Valuers Ltd During the Bronze Age, around 4,000 years ago, in what is now Afghanistan, an artisan from the Indus Valley (or Harappan) civilization made a ceramic pot. The four-inch-tall vessel was distinguished by a doe-eyed antelope painted across its flank. We’ll never know who used it, or for what—at least before 2013. That’s when Karl Martin, a valuer at Hansons Auctioneers in Derbyshire, England, purchased the pot at a car boot sale, a kind of English flea market. And why not? He got it and another pot for a total of £4—or, £1 for every thousand years since it had been made. Of course Martin didn’t know at the time that he was buying an authentic artifact from one of the cradles of civilization. All he knew, he said in a Hansons release, was that he “liked it straight away,” so he gave it a place of honor in his household where he would see it every day. It was in the bathroom, where it held his toothbrush and toothpaste. There it sat for years. And there it would have stayed, if not for the fact that Martin often encounters antiquities in his line of work. One day, he was helping a Hansons colleague unload some items headed for the block when he spotted some familiar-looking pottery, coated with patterns and animals like those on his toothbrush-holder. He brought his holder to the colleague, James-Seymour Brenchley, Hansons’ Head of Ancient Art, Antiquities & Classical Coins. Brenchley was able to link the pot’s painting style to that of other Indus Valley artifacts. He speculates that the pot had arrived in the United Kingdom via British tourists. Martin decided to put it up for auction at Hansons, where it sold this week for £80—“not a fortune,” Martin admits, but still a 1,900 percent profit, not adjusting for inflation. Mohenjo-Daro, a major Indus Valley city and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Quratulain/CC BY-SA 3.0 The Indus Valley Civilization flourished in the northwestern part of South Asia between 2600 and 1900 BC, across parts of modern-day India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. Its most distinctive artifacts are probably carved seals used to mark trade goods with symbols that may or may not represent one of mankind’s earliest written languages. (The Indus script is the subject of much heated scholarly debate.) But the Indus Valley pot is not the only antiquated item in the United Kingdom that had been unintentionally repurposed for modern times. Earlier this week, researchers realized that Henry VII’s unidentified bed was used to decorate film and television sets between the 1970s and 1990s. That’s at least two items for a first-class master bedroom suite. ||||| A piece of pottery snapped up for a song at a Midlands car boot sale has turned out to be a genuine ancient antiquity made in 1900 BC – making it 4,000 years old. The pottery jar, featuring a painting of an antelope, was spotted on a stall at Willington car boot sale five years ago by Derby man Karl Martin – and he bought it along with another pot, £4 for the pair. “I liked it straight away,” said Mr Martin, 49, a keen collector who followed his passion for all things old, quirky and collectable by joining the team at Derbyshire’s Hansons Auctioneers seven years ago. “I used it in the bathroom to store my toothpaste and toothbrush – it even ended up getting a few toothpaste marks on it. “I suspected it might be very old but forgot all about it.Then, one day at work, I was helping Hansons’ antiquities expert James Brenchley unload a van and noticed some pottery which was similar to my toothbrush pot. The painting style looked the same and it had similar crudely-painted animal figures. “I rescued the pot from my bathroom and asked him to examine it for me. He confirmed it was a genuine antiquity from Afghanistan and dated back to 1900 BC. “That means it’s around 4,000 years old – made 2,000 years before Christ was born. It’s amazing, really. How it ended up at a South Derbyshire car boot sale, I’ll never know. “I like the pot but decided to sell it at Hansons’ November antiquities auction just to see how it would do. There was interest straight away with advance bids placed and it eventually sold for £80 – not a fortune but a decent profit. Perhaps I should have held on to it. I feel a bit guilty about keeping my toothbrush in it now.” James Brenchley, head of antiquities at Hansons Auctioneers, said: “This is an Indus Valley Harappan Civilisation pottery jar dating back to 1900 BC. This was a Bronze Age civilisation mainly in the north western regions of South Asia. “Along with Ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, it was one of three early cradles of civilisations of the Old World, and of the three, the most widespread. The civilisation was primarily located in modern-day India and Pakistan as well as Afghanistan.” “I do come across items like this from time to time and was familiar with the painting technique. It was probably brought back to the UK years ago by wealthy travellers.” The pottery was sold at Hansons Auctioneers on November 26. Entries are now invited for its next Antiquities and Historica Auction on February 25. To arrange a free valuation, email [email protected]. |
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– A top-ranked high school basketball player died suddenly during a game before he was able to fulfill his dream of using his gifts to help his family out of poverty. Per CBS News, James Hampton collapsed during a Nike Elite Youth Basketball League game in Virginia on Saturday. The 6'5" teen from Charlotte, North Carolina was a Class of 2019 prospect and just 17 years old. Just last year, a tweet written by the teen revealed what drove him to succeed and becomes all the more heartbreaking in the wake of his untimely death. "Family depending on me, can't stop now. In couple years it's won't be Section8 living," he wrote. Team director Jacoby Davis told the Charlotte Observer that Hampton had suffered seizures the year prior. His last words on Saturday evening were reportedly "hey ref" directed at an official before he collapsed. The teen appeared unresponsive as a medical team ran to the court and administered CPR before an ambulance rushed him to a hospital. Among the shocked attendees in the stands Saturday was NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen, whose son was also in the same tournament. "Emotional day at Nike EYBL in Virginia after the passing of James Hampton. My thoughts go out to the young man’s family, friends and teammates. RIP, James," Pippen tweeted. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | A player from Team United, a Charlotte AAU program, collapsed and died Saturday night at a Nike Elite Youth Basketball League event at the Boo Williams Sports Complex in Hampton, Va., Team United director Jacoby Davis confirmed. James Hampton, a senior at Liberty Heights, a private school in Charlotte, collapsed on the court during a game against Nike Phamily, the AAU team for which Marvin Bagley Jr., the father of former Duke star Marvin Bagley III, is the director. Bagley Jr. was not at the event, but his son Marcus plays on the Phamily team. According to Davis, Hampton was running down the floor and looked at a nearby referee. Hampton said, “Hey, ref,” and then collapsed. Hampton appeared unconscious as medical personnel ran on to the court to assist him. Chest compressions were administered. His teammates and coaches first gathered on their bench across the court, many in tears. Hampton was taken by ambulance from the arena. SIGN UP Davis said Hampton had suffered seizures in the past. “He just fell down on the floor,” Davis said. “He had seizures a year ago and I remember (one of the Team United coaches) telling me that, ‘I saw his eyes rolling back in his head.’ I ran on the court thinking he was having a seizure. A trainer came over and said he didn’t know what was wrong. Another trainer checked his pulse. He said he didn’t have a pulse. It got crazy after that.” Hampton's AAU teammates and family stood vigil at Sentara CarePlex Hospital, which is less than a mile from the arena. Hampton’s parents were not in Virginia for the game, Davis said. “It’s hard to even explain,” Davis said. “To have a kid in your program with so much life, that’s just the kind of kid he was. He was always happy. For something like this to happen, I can’t even explain it, and to have to talk to a parent not even in town and tell him that his son has died, well, that’s more devastating.” Davis said the Team United players wanted to stay in Virginia and finish the tournament Sunday, in Hampton’s honor. “They want to play Sunday,” Davis said. “They really want to finish it up. The coaches are just torn up right now. So it’s going to be tough, but it’s what the kids want to do." Team United is scheduled to play Sunday at 11 a.m. against All Ohio Red and at 5 p.m. against the Minnesota-based Howard Pulley. Saturday night's game against Nike Phamily was Team United's second of the day. Hampton did not play in the first game. ||||| James Hampton, a top high school basketball player from Charlotte, North Carolina, collapsed and died during a Nike Elite Youth Basketball League game on Saturday night in Virginia. Hampton, who played for Team United and was a Class of 2019 basketball prospect, was 17 years old. "It's hard to even explain," Team United director Jacoby Davis told The Charlotte Observer. "To have a kid in your program with so much life -- that's just the kind of kid he was. He was always happy. For something like this to happen, I can't even explain it. And to have to talk to a parent not even in town and tell him that his son has died, well, that's more devastating." RIP James Hampton The 17-year-old Team United player who collapsed on the floor during today’s Nike EYBL game has passed away. Posted by Ballislife on Saturday, May 26, 2018 Hampton, a senior at Liberty Heights Athletic Institute in Charlotte, collapsed in the second half while playing against Nike Phamily, a team run by Marvin Bagley Jr., the father of former Duke star Marvin Bagley III. Bagley Jr. was not at the event, the newspaper reported. The team tweeted its "deepest condolences." Deepest condolences for the young man and his family. No words... 😪 — Nike Phamily EYBL™ (@PhxPhamily) May 27, 2018 Davis said that right before Hampton fell, the player said "Hey ref" while looking at an official. Davis told the Charlotte Observer that Hampton had suffered seizures in the past. "He just fell down on the floor," Davis said. "He had seizures a year ago -- and I remember [one of the Team United coaches] telling me that, 'I saw his eyes rolling back in his head.' I ran on the court thinking he was having a seizure. A trainer came over and said he didn't know what was wrong. Another trainer checked his pulse. He said he didn't have a pulse. It got crazy after that." NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen was at the game. Pippen, who has a son playing for another team in the tournament, tweeted: Emotional day at Nike EYBL in Virginia after the passing of James Hampton. My thoughts go out to the young man’s family, friends and teammates. RIP, James. 🙏🏿 pic.twitter.com/E2fhTIHCqA — Scottie Pippen (@ScottiePippen) May 27, 2018 Davis said that despite the tragedy, the team will finish the tournament Sunday, to honor Hampton. "They want to play Sunday," Davis said. "They really want to finish it up. The coaches are just torn up right now. So it's going to be tough, but it's what the kids want to do." Last year, Hampton wrote on Twitter, "Family depending on me , can't stop now. In couple years it's won't be Section8 living." |
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a high - throughput phenotypic screen in glioblastoma stem - like cells ( gscs ) identified a novel molecular mechanism in which ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase / phosphodiesterase 1 ( enpp1 ) plays an important role in balancing the pool of nucleotides , thus maintaining gscs in an undifferentiated proliferative state .
this finding highlights the connection between cell cycle length and the stem - like tumor state . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | glioblastoma is the most common primary brain tumor and among the deadliest human cancers . because of its location , aggressiveness , and diffuse growth pattern , therapy for glioblastoma is tremendously challenging and only a small improvement in survival has been achieved over the past 30 years . this is thought to be mainly due to a sub - population of highly resistant tumor cells , the so - called glioblastoma stem - like cells ( gscs ) , that can continuously self - renew and regenerate the tumor . since current treatment strategies aim to target the bulk tumor mass they potentially fail to account for the different molecular and clinical properties of this sub - population of gscs , ultimately causing the therapy to be unsuccessful . this failure might be caused by the different features of bulk tumor cells and gscs such as variable proliferation rates , differential gene expression including genes that control differentiation , and alterations in programmed cell death . indeed , major drawbacks of current cancer chemotherapy are the lack of tumor - specific targets and its incapacity to target gscs . it is therefore critical to discover novel cancer drugs targeting that sub - population of tumor cells in particular . in the last decade , the advent of high - throughput next - generation sequencing technologies has led to a new era in the study of de novo mutations , helping to uncover disease preconditions and mechanisms . however , although very informative , these analyses do not account for post - translational modifications that lead to oncogene activation or tumor suppressor gene inhibition . the use of a high - throughput phenotypic screen is a means to study the activity of tumor - relevant pathways . using a lentiviral - based rnai screen , we aimed to identify phosphatases that are implicated in the maintenance of gscs this screening approach identified many genes that alter the level of the gsc marker cd133 and are as such potential positive regulators of the gsc phenotype . among these , we highlighted ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase / phosphodiesterase 1 ( enpp1 ) , an ectonucleotidase located at the cell surface whose role is to cleave pyrophosphate and phosphodiester bonds from various substrates . interestingly , enpp1 is highly expressed in grade iv glioblastoma and gscs compared to normal brain and fetal neural stem cells , suggesting an important role in this aggressive brain tumor . in addition to its effect on cd133 , knockdown of enpp1 leads to downregulation of other progenitor / stem cell markers such as cd15 , lhx2 , and msi1 , as well as increased expression of astrocytic differentiation markers . moreover , comparison of existing stem cell - associated gene sets with the expression profiling of enpp1-deficient gscs revealed a global downregulation of stem cell - associated genes . these data support the important role of enpp1 for the maintenance of the gsc phenotype . as differentiation of gscs has previously been shown to increase their response to therapeutic agents , knockdown of enpp1 increased the apoptotic response of the cells to 1,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-1-nitrosourea ( bcnu ) , a cytotoxic agent used in the treatment of malignant gliomas . additionally , we have shown that knockdown of enpp1 affects the level of the intracellular nucleotide pool . this deregulation might be attributable to the enzymatic activity of enpp1 in the extracellular space , resulting in decreased transcriptional function of the cell cycle regulator e2f transcription factor 1 ( e2f1 ) ( fig . interestingly , enpp1 knockdown impaired proliferation and led to the accumulation of cells in g1 phase of the cell cycle . this appears to be a direct consequence of the decreased transcriptional function of e2f1 , which is known to positively control s phase entry . numerous studies have highlighted the correlation between cell cycle progression and cell fate decision in neural stem cells ; however , our study is the first to suggest the interconnection of a lengthened g1 phase and the induction of differentiation in gscs . these data are in line with previous findings showing onset of differentiation accompanied by an accumulation of stem - like cells in g1 phase . this might have important implications for therapy as the length of the g1 phase of the tumor cells seems to impact tumorigenicity and resistance of these cells to chemotherapeutic agents ( fig . figure 1.factors influencing the phenotype of glioblastoma stem - like cells : ( a ) model of enpp1 function in glioblastoma stem - like cells . acting upstream of the e2f transcription factor 1 ( e2f1 ) , enpp1 is important for the maintenance of a proliferative stem - like phenotype in glioblastoma . ( b ) proposed model for the interconnection of cell cycle state and stem - like phenotype in glioblastoma and its impact on tumorigenicity and response to chemotherapeutics . factors influencing the phenotype of glioblastoma stem - like cells : ( a ) model of enpp1 function in glioblastoma stem - like cells . acting upstream of the e2f transcription factor 1 ( e2f1 ) , enpp1 is important for the maintenance of a proliferative stem - like phenotype in glioblastoma . a possible implication of a balanced nucleotide pool is indicated by the dashed line . ( b ) proposed model for the interconnection of cell cycle state and stem - like phenotype in glioblastoma and its impact on tumorigenicity and response to chemotherapeutics . |
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the detection of the orbital period of @xmath0 is reported for the new intermediate polar .
the orbital period was derived from time - resolved photometric and spectral observations .
we also confirmed the @xmath1 sec spin period of the white dwarf consistent with the x - ray pulsations and were able to distinguish the beat period in the light curve .
strong modulations with orbital period are detected in the emission spectral lines from spectral observations .
they show the presence of a bright hot spot on the edge of the accretion disk .
the parameters of this recently discovered intermediate polar are determined . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | cataclysmic variables ( cvs ) are close binary systems in which mass is transferred from a red dwarf star that fills its roche lobe onto a white dwarf ( wd ) . intermediate polars ( or dq her systems )are a subclass of magnetic cataclysmic variables with an asynchronously rotating ( @xmath2 ) magnetic white dwarf ( patterson , @xcite ; warner , @xcite ) .the accretion flow from the red dwarf star forms an accretion disk around white dwarf , and this disk is disrupted by the magnetic field close to the white dwarf . within the magnetospheric radius, the material is channeled towards the magnetic polar regions in an arc - shaped accretion ( rosen,@xcite ) the recently discovered pulsating x - ray source ( israel et al . , @xcite )was announced as a new intermediated polar ( ip ) by negueruela et al . , ( @xcite ) from spectral observations .strong modulations of this source in x - rays were obtained from rosat pspc ( @xmath3 sec ) and more accurate @xmath4 sec from asca are presented by israel et al .( @xcite ) and israel et al .( @xcite ) .photometric observations of the optical counterpart of exhibited strong optical variations , compatible with the x - rays ( @xmath5 min ) period ( uslenghi et al . , @xcite ) .this modulation was interpreted as evidence of a spin period of the wd in this close binary system . in this paperwe present the results of new photometric and spectral observations of this system .the ccd photometric and spectral observations of the were carried out on 25 august 2000 at the 1.5 m and 2.12 m telescopes of the observatorio astronomico nacional , san pedro martir of the institute of astronomy of unam , mexico .the log of observations is presented in table.[logobs ] ..observations log [ cols="<,^,^,^,^ " , ] ( 175,80)(0,3 ) ( 0,11 ) doppler tomography is a useful tool to extract further information on cvs from trailed spectra .this method , which was developed by marsh & horne , ( @xcite ) , uses the velocity profiles of emission - lines at each phase to create a two - dimensional intensity image in velocity - space coordinates ( @xmath6 ) .therefore , the doppler tomogram can be interpreted as a projection of emitting regions in cataclysmic variables onto the plane perpendicular to the observers view .we used the code developed by spruit ( @xcite ) to constrain doppler maps of with maximum entropy method .the resulting doppler maps ( or tomogram ) of emission lines of , and the blend of / are displayed as a gray - scale image in fig.[doppler ] and fig.[doppler1 ] .also in fig.[doppler ] are displayed trailed spectra of and in phase space and their corresponding reconstructed counterparts .two features in the maps are distinct : an accretion disk seen as a dark circle extending to up to @xmath7km / sec on h@xmath8 doppler tomogram and a bright spots detected in all three maps to the left and below the center of mass at velocities @xmath9 , @xmath10 in 4686 . apart from the spot a cometary tail linked to it and extending to @xmath11 can be clearly seen on the map . these we identify with the mass transfer stream and its shape was essential for our selection of the ballistic trajectory .a helpful assistance in interpreting doppler maps are additional inserted plots which mark the position of the secondary star and the ballistic trajectory of the gas stream .here we used our estimates of p@xmath12 and m@xmath13 with various combination of @xmath14 and @xmath15 from fig.[angle ] in order to obtain the `` best fit '' ( by simple eye inspection ) of calculated stream trajectory with the gray scale image .our preferred solution of inclination is @xmath16 .it is marked on fig.[angle ] and is given in table.[param ] .of course other close solutions are applicable . comparing the location of spots in doppler maps of and we can distinguish actually two hot spots on the disk ( fig.[doppler ] ) . the elongated spot coinciding in both emission linesis caused probably by the mass transfer stream and the shock of impact with the disk , while the compact dense spot toward negative v@xmath17 s , much better seen in than in the two other lines , is a result of heating of the disk by x - ray beam .the / pattern mostly repeats that of with less intensity of course ( fig.[doppler1 ] ) .the results to be a classical `` textbook '' intermediate polar .it has an orbital period p@xmath18 above the period gap , as the vast majority of ips .it exhibits x - ray and optical coherent pulsations of the order of @xmath19p@xmath12 , undoubtfully originating from asynchronous spin of magnetic wd in a close binary system .also the beat period in optical light is detectable .this is another characteristic of intermediate polars .other orbital parameters derived from assumption that the system obeys the p@xmath12@xmath20m@xmath13 relation for cvs are also in - line with accumulated data on other ips and theoretical aspects ( warner , @xcite , paterson , @xcite , see also url ) . the radial velocity curves , the light curve and the doppler tomography confirm the presence of an accretion ring around the wd and the existence of hot spots caused by heating of parts of the disk by the x - ray beam and from interaction with the mass transfer stream . |
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a 49-year - old woman presented with chronic abdominal discomfort , significant weight loss , and chronic intermittent diarrhea .
she suddenly developed massive upper gastrointestinal bleeding and was referred for further treatment .
endoscopy indicated a large mass in the upper gastric body with antral and duodenal bulb involvement .
endosonography showed a large well - defined isoechoic gastric subepithelial mass with multiple intra - abdominal and peripancreatic lymphadenopathy , suspected to be malignant on the basis of fine needle aspiration cytology .
the tumor was surgically removed , and histopathology showed typical characteristics of a neuroendocrine tumor .
on the basis of immunohistochemical staining , somatostatinoma , a rare neuroendocrine tumor , was diagnosed .
gastrointestinal bleeding is a rare presentation and the stomach is an uncommon tumor location . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | somatostatinoma was first reported in 1997 by larsson et al.1 since then , only a handful of cases have been reported worldwide because of the extremely low incidence of this tumor , estimated to be 1 in 4 million.2 women were found to have higher incidence than men.3 most of the cases were symptomatic , with some clinical features of inhibitory symptoms such as diabetes mellitus - like symptoms , steatorrhea , cholelithiaisis , and chronic diarrhea . asymptomatic somatostatinoma accounted for approximately 10% of reported cases.4 the most common locations for tumors were the duodenum and pancreas.5 this tumor was malignant in 60% to 70% of cases with tumor size usually less than 5 cm . an association between somatostatinoma and some familial neuroendocrine disorders such as neurofibromatosis and von hippel - lindau syndrome was reported in approximately 7% of cases . adjuvant chemotherapy was not advocated after surgery . despite slow disease progression , 5-year survival after incomplete resection of the tumor was reported to be 60% to 100%.6 we report a case of somatostatinoma with an unusual location and rare manifestation . a 49-year - old woman with a history of type 2 diabetes mellitus for a few years presented with chronic abdominal discomfort and nausea for 1 year . three months earlier , she complained of severe abdominal pain , significant weight loss , and chronic intermittent watery diarrhea . abdominal sonography showed a large epigastric mass , 1016 cm in size , with multiple hyperechoic nodules at both lobes of the liver and peripancreatic lymphadenopathy , suspected to be metastatic spread to the lymph nodes . the patient was scheduled for a computed tomography ( ct ) scan of the upper abdomen . while she was waiting at the radiology unit , she developed hematemesis and was referred to the internal medicine department for further treatment endoscopy showed a large mass , approximately 15 cm in diameter , in the upper gastric body . the mass extended down to the antrum and duodenal bulb with blood oozing ( fig . , endoscopic ultrasonography was performed , and a large well - defined isoechoic gastric subepithelial mass more than 138 cm in diameter was detected ( fig . multiple intra - abdominal and peripancreatic lymphadenopathy were detected , and the lesions varied in size from 8 to 25 mm . fine needle aspiration was performed on the mass , and the cytology results led to a suspicion of malignancy . the ct scan showed a large soft tissue mass , with multiple liver metastases and intra - abdominal lymphadenopathy ( fig . gross pathology showed tumor involvement of the posterior wall of the stomach , with the tumor forming a large intramural multinodular mass ( fig . multiple well - circumscribed masses were detected at the pancreatic head and body and at the first part of the duodenum . histopathology showed that the tumor was arranged in solid nests or in an acinar pattern infiltrating from muscularis propria of the stomach through the mucosa and extending to the duodenum . their nuclei were monotonous and bland , with salt and pepper nuclear chromatin , a typical characteristic of neuroendocrine tumors including positivity for typical characteristic of psammoma bodies ( fig . however , she developed acute jejunal obstruction 2 weeks later due to intussusception from the jejunal leiomyoma and underwent gastrojejunostomy . this case of somatostatinoma involved a tumor , whose size was the largest ever reported . tumors in most of the reported cases were smaller than 5 cm . more than 85% were symptomatic and more than two - thirds were malignant.7 - 9 the most common locations of this tumor were the duodenum and pancreas . however , this patient 's gastric somatostatinoma was detected in a rare location . in the presented case , the patient only had chronic intermittent watery diarrhea , one of the clinical presentations of classic somatostatinoma syndrome , without any other symptoms . in many other reports , these classic somatostatinoma syndrome presentations were more common for pancreatic masses , whereas obstructive symptoms such as abdominal pain , nausea , and vomiting were more common for duodenal masses . interestingly , this patient presented with acute massive gastric haemorrhage , which was a rare manifestation of this tumor . duodenal and periampullary bleeding have been reported in very few cases worldwide as a clinical presentation.10 - 12 the bleeding was easily stopped with an adrenaline injection . surprisingly , the endosonographic study could not demonstrate any difference between this tumor and other subepithelial tumors such as gastrointestinal stromal tumor . in our previous study,13 it was very difficult to differentiate the etiology of large subepithelial tumors , especially those larger than 9 cm in diameter , using only endosonographic characteristics . therefore , a definite diagnosis must be based on cytology and histopathology with special immunohistochemical stains . no data supports the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy for the treatment of metastatic somatostatinoma , although few small case series reported that the synthetic somatostatin analogue octreotide , at 0.5 mg subcutaneously per day , had some benefits , including reduced diarrhea and other somatostatinoma symptoms , and stabilised tumor growth . some studies on somatostatinoma reported no benefit from this treatment , which might be from a different subtype of somatostatin produced from the tumor.14,15 the overall 5-year survival for metastatic somatostatinoma was reported at approximately 40% , whereas that for small nonmetastatic lesions is 100%.15 |
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– Things got ugly at UC Berkeley yesterday, when students tried to set up an Occupy encampment on campus against university orders. No sooner had students set up their tents than dozens of cops in riot gear descended on them, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. When students linked arms around the tents, the cops lashed out at them with their batons—as seen in this video spotted by Raw Story. In the clip, the protesters hold the line, chanting “Stop beating students!” But police eventually did break through and take down the tents, arresting six students and one faculty member. By evening, the tents were back up, and police again arrived—this time armed with bean bag guns—and after another violent scuffle again took down the tents. The school issued a statement saying that students could protest in the plaza 24-7 for a week, but couldn’t use tents or sleeping bags. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Berkeley -- Dozens of police in riot gear descended on UC Berkeley's Sproul Plaza on Wednesday in two violent confrontations with student protesters that prevented them from building an Occupy encampment on the campus. Campus police arrested seven protesters during an afternoon altercation at the plaza after protesters set up three tents, which police promptly tore down. By evening, protesters had once again erected tents - this time there were seven. Students joined arms and chanted "hold the line" and "the whole world is watching" while police approached with batons and bean-bag guns. After a brief scuffle, police broke through their line and pulled down the tents. Then officers formed a perimeter on the steps of Sproul Hall. Andrew Snyder, 25, a graduate student, was locked in arms with fellow protesters when he said he was "crushed" by police as they pushed toward the tents. He said he was surprised the police acted forcefully twice in one day. "Police don't usually act violently the first day of a camp going up," he said. "This just shows us how afraid they are of the Occupy movement." The protesters were among thousands of students, faculty and Occupy activists participating in a statewide protest that marked the first banding of the Occupy movement with students against the financial handling of the state's higher education system. Students had voted to set up an encampment in defiance of university orders, and as soon as they had the first tents up, baton-wielding police moved in on them. "Put the guns down!" shouted students who had linked arms as police shoved and swung batons, whacking anyone who stood between them and the impromptu encampment outside the administration building. "It really, really hurt - I got the wind knocked out of me," said doctoral student Shane Boyle, raising his shirt to reveal a red welt on his chest. "I was lucky I only got hit twice." Six UC Berkeley students and one faculty member, English Professor Celeste Langan, were arrested for resisting and delaying police officers, said Lt. Alex Yao of the UC Berkeley Police, which got help from the Alameda County Sheriff's Office and other UC police. Tents went back up When officers withdrew, students quickly set up their tents again, declaring that they would try to stay all night. Shortly after 6 p.m., Harry Le Grande, vice chancellor of student affairs, announced that the university would not allow anyone to camp overnight, and that those who tried would risk arrest. Le Grande said they could protest "24-7" for one week in the plaza, but that no tents or sleeping bags would be allowed. Students said their protest was in preparation for a confrontation at next week's meeting of the Board of Regents in San Francisco. Firm rejection In the past, regents have urged student protesters to take their demands to lawmakers in Sacramento rather than to UC leadership. Wednesday's protest represented a firm rejection of that approach. The day began with a noon rally at Sproul Plaza, where speakers decried the rising costs of public education and aimed their complaints at specific regents who serve on bank boards or run corporations. The regents included Monica Lozano, Dick Blum, Paul Wachter and Leslie Tang Shilling. In the crowd, doctoral student Rachel Brahinsky, who studies geography, said that joining the Occupy movement will ensure that students' voices are heard beyond campus gates. "The people who are making the decisions about the financial future of this institution are totally disconnected from the needs of the majority," she said. "The students of the UC come from the majority." Students' fury Anger has built for years as tuition has risen while courses and services have declined. Student Lark Omura captured students' fury as she screamed at the crowd: "We just spent trillions of dollars on the war, and the politicians tell us we have no money for education! When they tell us there's no money, it's a lie!" Protesters then marched onto Telegraph Avenue, pausing at a Bank of America to chant, "Hey hey! Ho ho! Wall Street regents got to go!" Regents did not respond to requests for comment. But UC spokesman Steve Montiel spoke on their behalf. Well-connected regents can raise donations to benefit low-income students, he noted. "While no tuition action is planned at the regents meeting next week," he added, "we understand the frustration that leads to protests of rising tuition resulting from state disinvestment in higher education. ." Chronicle staff writer Will Kane contributed to this report. This article appeared on page C - 1 of the San Francisco Chronicle ||||| Video of police attack on peaceful protesters at Occupy Berkeley By David Ferguson Thursday, November 10, 2011 9:56 EDT This video is difficult to watch and some viewers may find the footage from Berkeley, California disturbing. In it, a line of police in riot gear attempt to surge into a line of peaceful protesters, jabbing with night-sticks. Cries of pain and alarm are heard as the protesters are jabbed in the gut, punched, and knocked to the ground. In spite of what is apparently a police effort to scatter them, however, the protesters stand firm. They lock arms and chant “Stop beating students!” in unison and the video ends in a tense standoff. Watch the clip, embedded via YouTube, below: |
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backgroundprocalcitonin ( pct ) is closely correlated with parasite burden and clinical outcome in falciparum malaria .
the role of pct in tertian malaria has not previously been investigated.patients and methodspct serum levels in 37 patients with tertian malaria were analysed .
clinical and laboratory parameters were assessed and statistically correlated both to the initial pct levels and during the course of the disease.resultspct levels rose for one day after commencing treatment and declined thereafter .
however , there was no significant correlation with parasite burden , clinical parameters , laboratory values , or the presence of semi - immunity . before treatment
, the majority of patients showed normal or slightly elevated pct levels ( < 2.5 ng / ml ) , but pct was markedly elevated ( 4.8 47 ng / ml ) in one third of the population .
the two groups did not differ by any other of the assessed parameters .
thus , while the post - treatment course of pct resembles falciparum malaria , the lack of correlation between disease severity and even high pct levels in a large proportion of patients is intriguing.conclusionsthere is a fundamental difference in the relationship of pct with tertian malaria not seen in other infectious diseases in which elevated pct levels have been observed .
this suggests distinct pathophysiological pathways in malaria . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | procalcitonin ( pct ) is elevated in serum of patients with severe infections of bacterial or parasitic origin . increased levels it has been recently demonstrated that pct levels in falciparum malaria correlate with parasitemia and disease severity , and that markedly elevated values ( > 25 ng / ml ) are associated with a high risk of fatal outcome . in this study , pct levels were investigated in patients with tertian malaria , which is generally mild without severe organ complications and which is usually non - fatal . patients with malaria who are seen at the site of the study follow a standard protocol for prospective assessment of relevant parameters . thirty seven unselected , consecutive patients with tertian malaria due to plasmodium vivax or plasmodium ovale seen during 2000 and 2001 and in whom all necessary data were available , were analysed . concomitant infections with a possible impact on pct levels were excluded by history , clinical examination , and laboratory tests . patients who were raised in an area endemic for tertian malaria were defined as semi - immune ( n = 12 ) . blood samples were drawn immediately before treatment ( day 0 ) and on follow - up until day 7 . pct serum levels were determined using an immuno - luminometric assay ( lumitest pct , brahms diagnostica gmbh , berlin , germany ) according to the manufacturer 's specifications . routine laboratory investigations included differential blood count , haemoglobin , platelets , standard coagulation tests , creatinine , neopterin , c - reactive protein , lactate dehydrogenase and liver function tests . patients were monitored by physical examination , ecg , abdominal ultrasound , and chest radiography . two patients , in whom the plasmodium species could not be differentiated by the first blood sample , received mefloquine . results were compared with data obtained at the same site in a cohort of plasmodium falciparum patients and published earlier . all patients had a low or modest parasitemia ( < 1% ) , haemoglobin concentrations > 12 g / dl ( except two patients with 8.4 and 10.7 g / dl ) , normal renal and liver function , and no signs of concomitant infections . the disease progression was always mild with a rapid parasite clearance in response to anti - malarial treatment . initial pct concentrations varied between < 0.1 ng / ml and 47 ng / ml and , in all patients , dropped with declining parasite counts and clinical recovery ( figure 1 ) . pct levels before treatment did not correlate with parasite burden , laboratory values , reported duration of illness , body temperature or fever attacks , or the presence of semi - immunity . before treatment , two thirds of the patients showed normal ( < 0.5 ng / ml ) or slightly elevated pct levels ( geometric mean 0.44 ng / ml , range < 0.1 2.1 ) . in a subset of patients ( 12/37 ) , however , pct was markedly elevated ( geometric mean 14.4 ng / ml ; range 4.8 47 ) . pct in these patients was in the range of patients with severe and complicated falciparum malaria ( > 2.5 ng / ml , figure 2 ) . the two groups with low or high pct were undistinguishable by means of history , clinical signs , or laboratory parameters . serum procalcitonin ( pct ) concentrations in 37 patients with tertian malaria immediately before treatment ( day 0 ) , and on follow - up . box : median , 25 , and 75percentile ; whiskers : 5and 95percentile ; star : 1and 99percentile ; open squares : mean ; filled circles : geometric mean . pct levels before treatment in patients with tertian malaria ( triangles ) compared to falciparum malaria ( open squares : survivors ; filled squares : patients that died ) . cluster a : semi - immune patients ; cluster b : non - immune patients with mild disease ; cluster c : non - immune patients with severe and complicated disease . the horizontal line at 2.5 ng / ml is the lower cut - off for complicated falciparum malaria and arbitrarily discriminates a high level from a low level group in tertian malaria . in contrast to falciparum malaria and other infectious diseases in which pct is induced , markedly elevated pct levels could be observed in this cohort in one third of the patients without any correlation to disease severity . this could not be attributed to concomitant infections or complications . while the study was not statistically powered to significantly detect weak correlations , although the pathophysiology of pct has not been determined yet , the question remains , what is so different in tertian malaria . in contrast to bacterial or other infectious diseases , tertian malaria is characterized by surges in parasitic density and fever every 48 hours , leaving time in - between for the defence system to recover . . it would be interesting to find out whether such host factors indicated an individual risk of developing severe falciparum malaria . the unique feature of pct induction in tertian malaria raises interesting questions about the clinical and pathophysiological role of pct in infectious diseases and in malaria in particular . ss assessed the clinical parameters and participated in the design of the study and the statistical analysis . |
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– Abraham Lincoln perused a book of racist "science" before he was president and his note inside is proof, a museum says. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library confirms—by way of Lincoln's unusual style of writing the letters E and N—that one of the most popular Americans wrote an inscription inside a tattered copy of Types of Mankind, which has sat on a shelf at a small Illinois library for years. The book argues that different races were formed separately and thus African-Americans are not "fellow men," NBC Chicago reports, noting the argument was often used to justify slavery. Lincoln scribbled the name of the book's owner, Clifton Moore, inside the front cover but did not include his signature, the museum says. So did the Great Emancipator buy the arguments he read? "Lincoln was worried that the whole idea that you could segregate one group of people based on some brand-new thinking would just carry on into other realms," a presidential library curator tells CBS Washington. "Everything we know about Lincoln's legal, religious, and scientific thinking tells us he rejected that argument." Though published in 1854, it isn't clear when Lincoln got his hands on the book. Below his inscription, however, is a note from a local attorney attesting to the fact that Lincoln wrote in the book in 1861, after he was elected president but before he left Illinois; some think it's possible he borrowed it to prepare for his presidential campaign. The Vespasian Warner Public Library eventually plans to put the book on display. (In other news, experts think they've identified a mysterious pen pal of Lincoln's.) | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Experts at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library say they have confirmed that a book at the Warner Public Library in Clinton, Illinois, bears Lincoln’s handwriting. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library says a book found in a small-town Illinois library confirms that Lincoln did research on the scientific debates about race while he was still an Illinois resident, prior to his election as President of the United States. Experts at the library say they have confirmed that a book at the Warner Public Library in Clinton, Illinois, bears Lincoln’s handwriting. Inside the front cover, Lincoln appears to have written the name of the book’s owner, attorney Clifton Moore, presumably because he had borrowed it and wanted to make sure it was eventually returned to the proper person. The book, titled “Types of Mankind,” used “science” like skull shape to make the argument that different races were formed at different times and places. Such pseudo-science was often part of the debate over the propriety of enslaving certain members of society. Library scholars say “Types of Mankind” suggested the Biblical admonition to be kind to one’s fellow men did not apply, since African Americans and Native Americans were not “fellow men”. “Lincoln had long been upset by national legal codes that treated blacks and whites so differently,” James Cornelius, curator of the Library’s Lincoln Collection said in a release. “Everything we know about Lincoln’s legal, religious, and scientific thinking tells us he rejected that argument.” Exactly when Lincoln borrowed the book isn’t clear. In 1855 he represented a DeWitt County resident who sued for libel because his brother-in-law was going around town claiming he was secretly African-American. The brother-in-law was represented by Clifton Moore, the book’s owner. It’s believed he also could have borrowed the book in 1858 to prepare for his debates against Steven Douglas, or in 1860 during the campaign for president. ||||| SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — For years, librarians at a small central Illinois library gossiped that a tattered book lying on one of its shelves justifying racism may have been in the hands of none other than Abraham Lincoln, the Great Emancipator. On Tuesday, state historians confirmed that theory by announcing Lincoln’s handwriting had been found inside the cover of the 700-page text, at the same time taking great pains to offer reassurance that the former president who ended slavery didn’t subscribe to the theories at hand, but likely read the book to better educate himself about his opponents’ line of thinking. “Lincoln was worried that the whole idea that you could segregate one group of people based on some brand new thinking would just carry on into other realms,” Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum Curator James Cornelius Tuesday said of Lincoln. “He could foresee the whole country coming apart over the issue that different people could be barred from different things based on different qualities.” “Types of Mankind” makes a case that different races were formed at different times and places and thus can’t be equals. It was seized upon by slave owners during the Civil War era as support for their way of life. The authors suggested that Africans and Native Americans were fundamentally different from Caucasians, and enslaving them was part of the natural order. Like so many other supposed Lincoln artifacts discovered in places the former president frequented, the authenticity of the inscription remained in question for years, until a new library director decided to have it inspected by experts at the state historical museum this summer. “We didn’t know whether we should take it seriously,” Vespasian Warner Public Library Assistant Director Bobbi Perryman said. But shortly after the 700-page book arrived at the Lincoln Library and Museum, Cornelius made a swift assessment by looking at handwriting and spacing between letters, one that was quickly backed up by other experts on staff, as well as an outside expert the museum asked to inspect the book. “There are certain letters of the alphabet that Lincoln wrote in a way that were not common to his era,” Cornelius said, referencing Lincoln’s style of writing E’s and N’s. “A forger can typically do some of the letters in a good Lincolnian way. They’ll give themselves away on a couple of the others. This all adds up.” “Types of Mankind” was published in 1854 and circulated for decades by the Vespasian Warner Library in Clinton, about 50 miles northeast of the state Capitol in Springfield. Local attorney Clifton Moore, a colleague of Lincoln’s, had donated thousands of books to the system, which formed the basis of the library’s circulating collection when it opened in the early 1900s. The inscription inside “Types of Mankind” doesn’t bear Lincoln’s signature — but a note in his handwriting on one of the first pages states that the copy rightfully belongs to Moore. Below that inscription is an attestation by another local attorney noting that Lincoln wrote inside the book in 1861, just before he left for Washington after being elected president. Perryman said the library doesn’t know exactly when the book was retired from circulation — only that it suffered significant wear and tear from being borrowed for so many years. Perryman said the library is currently keeping the book in its safe deposit box, with plans to restore it eventually and put it on display in a secure place. More Political News (© Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.) |
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– Gov. Paul LePage isn't going anywhere, the Boston Globe reports. Nor will he be seeking "professional help." The embattled Maine governor announced on the radio Wednesday his plans to stay in office and seek "spiritual guidance" along with his family. "I'm not an alcoholic, and I'm not a drug addict, and I don't have mental issues," he said. "What I have is a backbone." LePage has faced a wave of criticism after calling state lawmaker Drew Gattine a "son-of-a-bitch, socialist cocksucker" in a vulgar voicemail, then telling reporters he wished he could shoot Gattine in a duel. A local reporter had implied Gattine called LePage a racist for insisting more than 90% of drug dealers in the state are black or Hispanic. According to ABC News, LePage met with Gattine for less than 10 minutes Wednesday and came away convinced Gattine did not, in fact, call him a racist. Also on Wednesday, LePage accused the aforementioned reporter of a "cheap shot" and announced to all reporters that he's done with them, USA Today reports. "I will no longer speak to the press ever again after today," LePage said. He said he's "serious" about this and is tired of "the gotcha moments." “You folks live in a seven-second fiction world," LePage said. "I live in 24-hour reality." He says he'll only address the press in writing from now on. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Well, that’s that. “I will not resign,” Governor Paul LePage of Maine said Wednesday morning, a day after he had floated that possibility in a radio interview. The combative governor made the declaration after meeting with Drew Gattine, the Democratic state representative whom he had berated in an obscenity-laced voice-mail message and mused about shooting between the eyes in a duel. Advertisement Facing calls to step down from Democrats, and pressure to take “corrective action” from fellow Republicans, LePage announced that he would seek “spiritual guidance” with his wife and children. Get Fast Forward in your inbox: Forget yesterday's news. Get what you need today in this early-morning email. Sign Up Thank you for signing up! Sign up for more newsletters here But he said he would not seek “professional help” as Democrats had been urging him to do. “I’m not an alcoholic and I’m not a drug addict and I don’t have mental issues,” LePage said. “What I have is a backbone, and I want to move Maine forward.” Speaking to reporters, LePage vowed that he would never again speak to the media, whom he accused of stoking controversies. “I will no longer speak to the press ever again after today,” he said. Advertisement “And I’m serious. Everything will be put into writing. I’m tired of being caught in the gotcha moments.” House Speaker Mark Eves, a Democrat, said after LePage’s meeting with Gattine that the governor needs to resign. “This has never been about an apology for the governor’s profane and threatening voice message,” Eves said. “By his continued erratic behavior Governor LePage has proven again he is unfit to serve as Maine’s governor.” Michael Levenson can be reached at [email protected] . Follow him on Twitter @mlevenson ||||| Maine Gov. LePage says he will not speak to reporters anymore CLOSE Maine Gov. Paul LePage is addressing questions about his fitness to serve and is vowing that he won't resign. This comes and lawmakers and voters call for him to step down. (Aug. 31) AP Gov. Paul LePage, while speaking to reporters, announced that he would never speak to the press again. On Wednesday, the Maine governor apologized for threatening a state representative last week. But he then said there was someone else who should apologize as well — the reporter who asked him about Democratic Rep. Drew Gattine in the first place. “After speaking with Rep. Gattine, I think that the reporter who put the mic in my face owes the people of Maine an apology as well. Because (Gattine) never called me racist,” LePage told reporters, according to video from a Maine News 13 reporter Wednesday. “He said I made racially (charged) comments. Maybe, in my mind, it is semantics. But in his mind, after talking to him, it was clear that there was a real difference. Fine.” LePage said he took the media's “bait,” but he called the fact that the reporter appeared to suggest Gattine called LePage a racist was a “cheap shot.” How does he plan to avoid incidents like this in the future? “I will no longer speak to the press ever again after today,” LePage said. “And I’m serious. Everything will be put in writing. I am tired of being caught — the gotcha moments.” “You folks live in a seven-second fiction world. I live in 24-hour reality,” he continued. LePage has faced scrutiny following the voicemail attack on Gattine, which was prompted after a reporter appeared to suggest that Gattine had called LePage racist. Hello! We’ve got complete midterm election coverage right here. Let’s begin! Gattine said he never called LePage racist, according to The Portland Press Herald, which also posted audio of the voicemail from last Thursday. “Mr. Gattine, this is Gov. Paul Richard LePage, I would like to talk to you about your comments about my being a racist, you (expletive). I want to talk to you. I want you to prove that I’m a racist. I’ve spent my life helping black people and you little son-of-a-b----, socialist (expletive). I need you to, just friggin, I want you to record this and make it public because I am after you. Thank you.” After leaving the voicemail, LePage told reporters that he had left the message and that he wished it was 1825 so the two could duel. “When a snot-nosed little guy from Westbrook calls me a racist, now I’d like him to come up here because, tell you right now, I wish it were 1825,” LePage said, according to the Press Herald. “And we would have a duel, that’s how angry I am, and I would not put my gun in the air, I guarantee you, I would not be (Alexander) Hamilton. I would point it right between his eyes, because he is a snot-nosed little runt and he has not done a damn thing since he’s been in this Legislature to help move the state forward.” There has been pressure for LePage to resign following the outburst. On Tuesday, he told a Maine radio station “maybe it’s time to move on.” But by Wednesday he had decided he would stay in office. “Being called a racist was a horrible thing for me. It was enormously hurtful. It hurt my family. I will not resign, though,” LePage said Wednesday. Read or Share this story: http://usat.ly/2bRf25O |
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when a slowly moving pattern is presented on a monitor which itself is moved , the pattern appears to freeze on the screen ( mesland and wertheim in vis res 36(20):33253328 , 1996 ) even if we move our head with the monitor , as with a head mounted display ( pavard and berthoz in perception 6:529540 , 1977 ) .
we present a simple model of these phenomena , which states that the perceived relative velocity between two stimuli ( the pattern and the moving monitor ) is proportional to the difference between the perceived velocities of these stimuli in space , minus a noise factor .
the latter reflects the intrinsic noise in the neural signals that encode retinal image velocities . with noise levels derived from the literature
the model fits empirical data well and also predicts strong distortions of visually perceived motion during vestibular stimulation , thus explaining both illusions as resulting from the same mechanism . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | the physical stimuli that represent the model input variables are : physical velocity of monitor in space m ; velocity of the image ( grating ) on the monitor r ; and eye velocity in space e. the psychophysical constants of the model are : the weber fractions for the difference between retinal and reference signals w , and for the difference between two retinal velocity signals w ; and a stimulus - dependent gain factor g for the visual perception of velocities . let \documentclass[12pt]{minimal } \usepackage{amsmath } \usepackage{wasysym } \usepackage{amsfonts } \usepackage{amssymb } \usepackage{amsbsy } \usepackage{mathrsfs } \usepackage{upgreek } \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt } \begin{document } $ $ \theta { \left ( { x , t } \right ) } $ $ \end{document } be a function defined by : \documentclass[12pt]{minimal } \usepackage{amsmath } \usepackage{wasysym } \usepackage{amsfonts } \usepackage{amssymb } \usepackage{amsbsy } \usepackage{mathrsfs } \usepackage{upgreek } \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt } \begin{document } $ $ \theta { \left ( { x , t } \right ) } = 0{\text { if } } { \left| x \right| } < t\quad { \text{and}}\quad \theta { \left ( { x , t } \right ) } = x - t $ $ \end{document } otherwise . the perceived velocity of the monitor in space is related to the difference between the retinal velocity of the monitor vmon / ret = e m , and the reference signal vref which is equal to e for a still observer and to e + vhead / space for a moving observer : \documentclass[12pt]{minimal } \usepackage{amsmath } \usepackage{wasysym } \usepackage{amsfonts } \usepackage{amssymb } \usepackage{amsbsy } \usepackage{mathrsfs } \usepackage{upgreek } \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt } \begin{document } $ $ \hat{v}_{{{\text{mon / space } } } } = \theta { \left ( { v_{{{\text{ref } } } } - v_{{{\text{mon / ret } } } } { \text { , jnd}}_{1 } } \right ) } , $ $ \end{document}where \documentclass[12pt]{minimal } \usepackage{amsmath } \usepackage{wasysym } \usepackage{amsfonts } \usepackage{amssymb } \usepackage{amsbsy } \usepackage{mathrsfs } \usepackage{upgreek } \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt } \begin{document } $ $ { \text{jnd}}_{1 } = - { \text{sign}}(v_{{{\text{mon / ret } } } } ) \,w{\kern 1pt } { \sqrt { v_{{{\text{ref } } } } ^{2 } + v_{{{\text{mon / ret } } } } ^{2 } } } . $ $ \end{document}the perceived velocity of the grating in space is related to the difference between the retinal velocity of the grating vgrat / ret e ( m + r ) , and the reference signal vref : \documentclass[12pt]{minimal } \usepackage{amsmath } \usepackage{wasysym } \usepackage{amsfonts } \usepackage{amssymb } \usepackage{amsbsy } \usepackage{mathrsfs } \usepackage{upgreek } \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt } \begin{document } $ $ \hat{v}_{{{\text{grat / space } } } } = \theta { \left ( { v_{{{\text{ref } } } } - v_{{{\text{grat / ret } } } } { \text { , jnd}}_{2 } } \right ) } , $ $ \end{document}where \documentclass[12pt]{minimal } \usepackage{amsmath } \usepackage{wasysym } \usepackage{amsfonts } \usepackage{amssymb } \usepackage{amsbsy } \usepackage{mathrsfs } \usepackage{upgreek } \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt } \begin{document } $ $ { \text{jnd}}_{2 } = - { \text{sign}}(v_{{{\text{grat / ret } } } } ) \,w{\kern 1pt } { \sqrt { v_{{{\text{ref } } } } ^{2 } + v_{{{\text{grat / ret } } } } ^{{\text{2 } } } } } . $ $ \end{document}the perceived velocity of the grating relative to the monitor is related to the difference between the two perceived velocities in space , using a jnd based on the difference between the two retinal signals involved . these are assumed to be : the retinal velocity of the monitor vmon / ret = e m ; and the velocity difference between the image of the monitor and the grating within it vdelta = (m r ) . thus : \documentclass[12pt]{minimal } \usepackage{amsmath } \usepackage{wasysym } \usepackage{amsfonts } \usepackage{amssymb } \usepackage{amsbsy } \usepackage{mathrsfs } \usepackage{upgreek } \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt } \begin{document } $ $ \hat{v}_{{{\text{grat / mon } } } } = \theta { \left ( { \hat{v}_{{{\text{grat / space } } } } - \hat{v}_{{{\text{mon / space } } } } { \text { , jnd}}_{3 } } \right ) } , $ $ \end{document}where \documentclass[12pt]{minimal } \usepackage{amsmath } \usepackage{wasysym } \usepackage{amsfonts } \usepackage{amssymb } \usepackage{amsbsy } \usepackage{mathrsfs } \usepackage{upgreek } \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt } \begin{document } $ $ { \text{jnd}}_{3 } = - { \text{sign}}(\hat{v}_{{{\text{mon / space } } } } { \text{)}}\,w_{\delta } \,{\sqrt { v_{{{\text{mon / ret } } } } ^{2 } + v_{{{\text{delta } } } } ^{2 } } } . $ $ \end{document}this value is then to be factored by a stimulus - dependent gain g to model the experimentally measured perceived velocity of the grating on the monitor . note that the model is deterministic and treats jnd s as signed values , the sign of which is defined as opposite to that of the perceived velocity of the monitor or grating in space . however , since we think of a jnd as intrinsic noise , it should be an interesting challenge to translate the model in more probabilistic terms . |
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– A 68-year-old London retiree has just taken on tech giant Apple, representing himself in court, and won. The uncommon victory for Deric White is the culmination of a one-year battle in court after White dropped off his phone for servicing at the Apple Store on Regent Street in London, only to return 20 minutes later to find that employees had wiped his entire phone clean without asking permission first, reports the Evening Standard. When his wife learned that their 2014 honeymoon photos from the Seychelles were gone, she cried, and White, who'd just beaten cancer, decided to wage another battle. "Having fought cancer," he says, "I was not going to get defeated by Apple." "I did this for the common man," White says. "It's not so much the money that I have won, but it's the moral victory. ... It's a monumental victory." White asked for just over $7,000 so that he and his wife could take their trip a second time, but he was reportedly happy with the roughly $3,000 he was awarded instead. He says he and his wife plan to spend it on a trip to Cornwall in the UK. In addition to losing his honeymoon pics and "favorite" video of a tortoise biting his hand, he lost pictures from an African safari, as well as photos of the medical team from his 10-month battle against cancer of the esophagus. White's case is a good reminder to regularly back up devices, notes the Daily Dot, since even tech support is far from infallible, and "you never know when you could drop it in the toilet and lose everything." (Apple lost what could be a far bigger battle earlier this year.) | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Deric White, a 68-year-old London retiree, just fought Apple and won. He sued the company after he took his iPhone into a local Apple Store and, upon getting it back from servicing, discovered that employees had erased everything on his phone without asking him if he'd backed it up anywhere. White asked for £5,000, and was awarded £2,000, which is roughly $3,000, the Evening Standard reported. Amazingly, he represented himself in court against the tech giant. Though the man lost all of his contact data and photos, White and his wife were particularly perturbed about losing all the media from their 2014 honeymoon in Seychelles. He told the paper his favorite video was one of a tortoise biting his hand. The suit took almost 12 months to successfully argue, and in the end Apple was held responsible. White apparently considers himself a modern-day hero, going up against a retail giant like Apple for "the common man." He told the Evening Standard: I did this for the common man. I would say to anybody who has got a gripe with Apple – don’t let them boss you about and ignore you... It’s not so much the money that I have won, but it’s the moral victory. Apple is just an enormous conglomerate and everyone said you can’t win this, they said you can’t take on Apple. It’s absolutely fabulous, it’s a monumental victory. White says he plans on using the £1,200 in compensation (the other £800 was for costs of the suit) for a vacation to Cornwall, UK. Apple did not respond to a request for comment at press time. Apple's employees may have been negligent in not asking White whether or not he'd backed up his phone, but human error happens even with tech support, so it's always good practice to back up your device on a regular basis, both before you get to the retail store and even when nothing's wrong with it. You never know when you could drop it in the toilet and lose everything. You can back up your iPhone through iCloud or iTunes sync. Simply connect your device to your computer, and you'll be prompted to save everything. Just in case the Apple Store employees forget to remind you, it's possible to restore all the data from your backup. If White already has the hot hand against Apple in court, perhaps next time he can get Apple to fix its horrible charging cable durability. Illustration by Max Fleishman ||||| A pensioner who sued Apple for wiping his treasured honeymoon snaps from his phone has been awarded £2,000 after winning the court case. Retired property developer Deric White, 68, said he scored a “monumental" victory for the "common man" after successfully taking on the tech giant over the blunder. Bungling staff at Apple’s flagship store in Regent Street had wiped the whole phone without warning after he took it to the shop in December last year. Mr White, who had just beaten cancer when it happened, was determined not to give up on his David and Goliath battle, despite having to pursue the case for nearly 12 months and being told "you can't take on Apple". Blunder: Mr White's phone was wiped at the Apple store in Regent's Street “I would not let it go,” he told the Standard. “Having fought cancer, I was not going to get defeated by Apple. “My wife was reduced to tears when they wiped my phone. Everyone tells me this has happened to them or their mate. “I did this for the common man. I would say to anybody who has got a gripe with Apple – don’t let them boss you about and ignore you.” He added: "Other people should be inspired – you can’t keep getting trod on by corporations coming at you with Ts and Cs." Central London County Court ruled in Mr White’s favour on Monday, awarding him £1,200 compensation and nearly £800 in costs. He appeared in court without representation and argued his own case against the giant's legal team. Mr White, who lives in Pimlico, visited the store in December last year after receiving a text saying there was a problem with the phone, and left it with staff for 20 minutes while they attempted to fix the issue. He only realised when he got home that the photos and videos from his honeymoon in the Seychelles last autumn – after he married in summer 2014 – had vanished. These included his “favourite” video of a tortoise biting his hand. He also lost pictures from an earlier African safari trip, all of his contact numbers, and photos of medics who cared for him when he was in hospital for 10 months fighting cancer of the oesophagus. He said Apple remained “intransigent” over the past year and never offered any compensation. He was initially seeking £5,000 to pay for another honeymoon and says he will put the £1,200 towards a holiday in Cornwall instead. He added: “It’s not so much the money that I have won, but it’s the moral victory. “Apple is just an enormous conglomerate and everyone said you can’t win this, they said you can’t take on Apple. “It’s absolutely fabulous, it’s a monumental victory.” Apple did not respond to requests for a comment. |
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– Lamenting the "drip, drip, drip" of the private email server heard 'round the world, Hillary Clinton said Sunday that the current scandal roiling Clintonland isn't the first—and probably won't be the last. "I have been involved from the receiving side in a lot of these accusations," Clinton said, per Reuters. "In fact as you might remember during the '90s there were a bunch of them. All of them turned out to be not true." Acknowledging that "there is only so much I can control," she told Meet the Press that she also has no idea what new accusations might be coming down the pike. "I can't predict to you what the Republicans will come up with, what sort of charges and claims they might make." Rather, she says, "what I have tried to do in explaining this is provide more transparency and more information than anybody I'm aware of who has ever served in government." At one point, she dismissed claims of being less than transparent "ridiculous." Politico notes Clinton's apparent exasperation with the issue, at one point asking interviewer Chuck Todd if his next question would involve "another conspiracy theory." | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Getty Hillary Clinton: 'Another conspiracy theory' A seemingly frustrated Hillary Clinton strove on Sunday to link the latest flap over her personal email server with the string of scandals and attacks Republicans raised against her in the 1990s. “During the ’90s, I was subjected to the same kind of barrage,” the former first lady said on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” noting that New York voters elected her a senator despite the attacks. Story Continued Below “When I ran for the Senate, they overlooked all of that,” the former secretary of state and front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination continued. “I was elected senator after going through years of back and forth.” After a series of questions from host Chuck Todd about her emails, including a new charge that a recently released email exchange with former CIA director and retired Gen. David Petraeus occurred earlier than she acknowledged using her personal account, an exasperated-sounding Clinton asked Todd whether his next question would be about “another conspiracy theory.” She rejected the notion that her decision to use a personal email server as secretary of state was meant to evade public records searches, noting that congressional investigators unearthed many of her emails before she released them because they were obtainable through public systems. She acknowledged, however, the “drip, drip, drip” of accusations leveled at her, but couldn’t guarantee when they would stop. “There’s only so much I can control,” Clinton said, characterizing her responses as entailing “more transparency and more information than anybody I’m aware of that’s ever served in the government.” She used a personal email server, she said, because her husband, former President Bill Clinton, had set it up in their house after leaving office. Clinton also defended herself on Sunday from charges that she’s altered her positions on issues like same-sex marriage, the Iraq War and the Keystone XL pipeline out of political expedience. “I just don’t think that reflects … my assessment of issues, and I don’t think it reflects how people who are thoughtful actually conduct their lives,” she said, suggesting she takes positions based on the information available to her at the time. Authors: ||||| WASHINGTON Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton said on Sunday the politically damaging "drip, drip, drip" of revelations about her use of a private email server is out of her control and she is unsure when the controversy might end. Clinton, who has seen her lead shrivel in the race for the 2016 Democratic presidential nomination, said she has tried to be as open as possible and take responsibility for the email flap. "It is like a drip, drip, drip. That's why I said there is only so much I can control," Clinton told NBC's "Meet the Press." But asked if she could reassure nervous Democrats that no new email revelations would arise, she said: "I can't predict to you what the Republicans will come up with, what sort of charges and claims they might make." Clinton compared criticism about her use of private email instead of a government account while she was secretary of state to the flood of controversies and Republican-led investigations that marked the presidency of her husband Bill Clinton in the 1990s. "I have been involved from the receiving side in a lot of these accusations," Clinton said. "In fact as you might remember during the 90s there were a bunch of them. All of them turned out to be not true." Clinton has apologized for the email set-up and said it was a mistake. She gave 55,000 pages of work-related emails to the State Department last year but eliminated about 30,000 emails she said were personal. On Sunday, she said she did not help her lawyers determine which ones to turn over. "I did not want to be looking over their shoulder," she said, calling accusations she was trying to avoid transparency laws "ridiculous". A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll on Sunday found Clinton's lead over top rival Bernie Sanders, a U.S. senator from Vermont, has dwindled to 7 percentage points, 42 percent to 35 percent, amid the controversy. Asked about the hit in polls, Clinton said "what I have tried to do in explaining this is provide more transparency and more information than anybody I'm aware of who has ever served in government." The most recent revelation was a report on Friday about an email exchange with David Petraeus, then commander of U.S. Central Command, that she did not turn over and which occurred before she said she had set up her personal account. Clinton could not explain why the email chain had just surfaced. She said the private server was already in her house because her husband had set it up after leaving office, and she added her account to it. "What we had available at the time was turned over," she said. "I wasn't that focused on my email server." Clinton also was asked to defend her shifting positions in recent years on issues like the Keystone XL oil pipeline, which she announced last week she would oppose. She had refrained from taking a stance for months, saying she wanted President Barack Obama to make his decision before she weighed in. "It was frankly, uncomfortable to have so many people asking me and my saying, I'm waiting and waiting and waiting," she said. (Editing by Andrew Roche and Eric Walsh) |
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– Ben Carson has apparently decided that staying in President Trump's cabinet is more important than having a fancy table. After the House Oversight Committee announced that it's investigating the refurbishment of the Department of Housing and Urban Development chief's offices, a Carson spokesman said the agency is trying to cancel a controversial order for a $31,000 hardwood dining table, chairs, hutch, and sideboard, reports the New York Times. But Armstrong Williams added that rescinding the order is complicated. "The person they contracted has already spent $14,000 making the table," he said. "While his intentions are to cancel it, we have to see what happens." Carson said in a statement that "nobody was more surprised" than he was about the furniture order, which may have violated a law requiring congressional approval for office refurbishment costs above $5,000. Whistleblower Helen Foster, former chief administrative officer at HUD, says she was told "$5,000 won't even buy a decent chair" when she pointed out the limit. The Guardian reports that when she was asked Thursday whether Trump is considering Carson's future, press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said: "In terms of if you are asking if he is getting rid of anyone in the Cabinet, I’m not aware of that." She added that HUD is "looking for another option that is much more responsible to taxpayer dollars." | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Carson promises ‘full disclosure’ over use of public funds to buy furniture, in his first public remarks since news of Hud spending broke Ben Carson, the US secretary for housing and urban development (Hud), has scrapped an order for a $31,000 dining set for his Washington office amid a growing ethics controversy. Congress investigates Ben Carson's housing department over staffing claims Read more Raffi Williams, a Hud spokesman, said in an email on Thursday: “At the request of the secretary, the agency is working to rescind the order for the dining room set.” The decision, first reported by CNN, followed a promise from Carson of “full disclosure” over his use of public funds to buy expensive furniture, in his first public remarks since the Guardian revealed a senior Hud official’s allegation that she was demoted for refusing to break a legal spending limit on redecoration. The pressure has been growing on Carson amid reports that the White House was angered by his spending. Facing a question about the expensive dining set, and whether the president was considering Carson’s future, the White House spokeswoman, Sarah Sanders, said: “In terms of if you are asking if he is getting rid of anyone in the cabinet, I’m not aware of that. The order you reference, that was cancelled,” she said, noting that Carson’s department was “looking for another option that is much more responsible to taxpayer dollars”. Carson and his wife, Candy, denied wrongdoing in a post to their personal Twitter account on Wednesday evening and struck out at unidentified enemies. “We suspect, based on past attempts, that they will continue to probe and make further accusations even without evidence or substantiation,” they wrote. The Republican-controlled House oversight committee told Carson on Wednesday to turn over all documentation relating to the reassignment of Helen Foster, who was moved from her job as chief administrative officer last year following a series of disagreements with managers. Foster alleged to a whistleblower-protection watchdog that she lost her job partly as retaliation for her refusal in January and February last year to find a way to exceed a $5,000 limit on spending on improvements to Carson’s office. She said she was told by Craig Clemmensen, who was Hud’s acting director while Carson went through the Senate confirmation process, to find more money for use by Carson’s wife, Candy, and that “$5,000 will not even buy a decent chair”. Following Foster’s reassignment, the department spent $31,000 on a dining table and accompanying items for Carson’s suite. The findings came after Donald Trump proposed billions of dollars in cuts to Hud’s budget, reducing programs for poor and homeless people. Carson’s department also signed a contract last year to spend $165,000 on “lounge furniture” for its Washington headquarters from the retailer OFS Brands of Huntingburg, Indiana, according to federal procurement records. The president and chief of executive of OFS Brands, Robert “Hank” Menke, has made donations to Republican politicians including Mike Pence, the US vice-president, who as Indiana governor in 2013 appointed Menke to a “blue ribbon panel” on transportation and infrastructure in the state. Menke, whose family founded OFS Brands, has contributed $49,000 to Republican campaigns in Indiana since 2004, according to state campaign finance filings. He has also given $35,700 to Republican campaigns at federal level since 2011, according to filings to the federal election commission. OFS Brands also supplied furniture to federal government departments during Barack Obama’s presidency. Emails to the company from the Guardian were not returned when comment was sought about the Hud furniture, some of which came from a range that OFS describes as “glamorous, with a beau mondes presence”. Democrats in Congress and the campaign group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew) on Wednesday urged Hud’s inspector general, Helen Albert, to investigate the allegations made by Foster. Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio, the senior Democrat on the Senate’s banking committee, said Albert should expand an inquiry that he and colleagues asked for earlier this month following reports on Carson’s involvement of his family members in government affairs. ||||| WASHINGTON — Ben Carson, the secretary of housing and urban development, is attempting to cancel a $31,000 order for a customized hardwood dining room table, chairs, sideboard and hutch the day after the chairman of the House Oversight Committee announced an investigation into the refurbishment of his HUD office. “At the request of the secretary, the agency is working to rescind the order for the dining room set,” Armstrong Williams, Mr. Carson’s business manager and an informal adviser, said on Thursday. He added, however, that “it might not be possible.” On Tuesday, Raffi Williams, a department spokesman said Mr. Carson had no problem with the order and no intention of returning the table. But early Thursday, Mr. Williams said the secretary, who was sharply criticized for the purchase at a time when his agency is facing $6.8 billion in budget cuts requested by the White House, seemed to change his mind. “Nobody was more surprised than me,” about the order, Mr. Carson said in a statement. But several department officials, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation, said it would have been highly unusual for Mr. Carson not to have been told that a significant section of his office suite was about to be upgraded. |
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– Reports of Lindsay Lohan’s diva behavior in jail are coming out, but diva behavior behind bars is just a bit different from, say, backstage at a concert. A fellow inmate tells Star Lindsay “freaked out” when she didn’t get another blanket, Perez Hilton reports. “She kept yelling out, 'Hello! I asked for a blanket like two hours ago! I'm getting sick!' It went on for hours,” the inmate says. Another inmate’s visitor adds that LiLo wants bottled water, because “unpurified water makes her sick,” and she demanded a fan because “she was going to pass out.” Meanwhile, mom Dina is giving deluded interviews, complaining to Radar that Lindsay "doesn't have cell phone privileges, that's absurd,” and noting her displeasure at having to talk to her daughter through a glass window: “She's treated like a common criminal.” Click here to read about that "common criminal's" time behind bars from the perspective of her LA county jail neighbor. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Inmate: Lindsay Lohan Was Crying When She Was Brought In Email This Alexis Neiers, star of E! Online's reality show 'Wild Things,' was just recently released from Century Regional Correctional Facility--and her jailhouse next-door neighbor was none other than Lindsay Lohan. And in an interview with "I wish her the best, honestly, but you know, it's all up to your mindset, and I don't know what her mindset is in there," says Neiers, who was there doing jail time for robbing Orlando Bloom's house. More excerpts of the interview after the jump. Alexis Neiers, star of E! Online's reality show 'Wild Things,' was just recently released from Century Regional Correctional Facility--and her jailhouse next-door neighbor was none other than Lindsay Lohan. And in an interview with E! News , Neiers, 19, discusses Lindsay's first day in the slammer, what the actress was wearing and what jail is really like."I wish her the best, honestly, but you know, it's all up to your mindset, and I don't know what her mindset is in there," says Neiers, who was there doing jail time for robbing Orlando Bloom's house.More excerpts of the interview http://xml.channel.aol.com/xmlpublisher/fetch.v2.xml?option=expand_relative_urls&dataUrlNodes=uiConfig,feedConfig,entry&id=758652&pid=758651&uts=1273239157 http://www.popeater.com/mm_track/popeater/music/?s_channel=us.musicpop&s_account=aolpopeater,aolsvc&omni=1&ke=1 http://cdn.channel.aol.com/cs_feed_v1_6/csfeedwrapper.swf Celebrity Mug Shots Lawrence Taylor was charged May 6 with raping a 16-year-old runaway who police said was forced into prostitution by a man who had beaten her up. He was arrest at a Holiday Inn in Montebello, NY and is also charged with solicitation. Ramapo Police Department / AP Ramapo Police Department / AP Celebrity Mug Shots "She was crying. She was talking to deputies and, you know, just trying to--I couldn't really like make it out, but from what I saw the first day, I mean, she was lying in there and just trying to like calm down.""She had her head down when she walked by and she was in oranges, just like us. I mean, she got to keep her extensions in and everything, which most people don't, and the girls were like, 'Ah, they had to take my weave out and cut it all out and,' you know, stuff like that.""You feel violated and just uncomfortable... it's scary," says the reality starlet. "I mean, you're going to jail and the girls in there aren't, you know, I mean, some of them were kind and some of them really weren't." ||||| Well, unfortunately for the rest of us, she won't have to deal with it much longer! Star Magazine is reporting that Lindsay Lohan has quite a few demands in jail! A released inmate revealed: "The other day Lindsay was freaking out because she wanted another blanket. She kept yelling out, 'Hello! I asked for a blanket like two hours ago! I'm getting sick!' It went on for hours." A visitor to the jail also experienced La Loca's diva demands, saying: "My sister told me that Lindsay was complaining about not having any bottled water to drink, and saying that unpurified water makes her sick. But this isn't some fancy hotel. If inmates want water, they drink good old Los Angeles tap water. "Then she was demanding someone bring her a fan. She said she was going to pass out. Of course she didn't get it — or the water." LOLs! You're not at the Chateau Marmont, Linds! What are you thinking? Tags: blanket, breakdown, demands, inmates, jail, la loca, purified water, star magazine ||||| Lindsay Lohan is NOT getting special treatment in jail and her life behind bars has been anything but comfortable, her mom Dina told RadarOnline.com in an exclusive interview on Thursday. PHOTOS: Dina & Ali Lohan Visit Lindsay In Jail Thursday Lindsay, 24, doesn’t even have a pillow and talks to her mother and other visitors through a glass partition using a telephone, Dina revealed. PHOTOS: Lindsay Lohan’s Deep Throat Moment As Linda Lovelace Some reports have claimed Lindsay has a cell phone but Dina says that’s far from the truth. “She doesn’t have cell phone privileges, that’s absurd. She doesn’t even have a pillow to sleep on,” Dina told RadarOnline.com exclusively. PHOTOS: Lindsay Lohan’s Family Album “I talk to her through glass. There’s a phone and we put her on speaker but I can’t even hug my daughter. “She’s treated like a common criminal.” PHOTOS: Dina Lohan & Shawn Chapman Holley Visit Lindsay In Jail Tuesday But the Mean Girls star has been treated well while locked up, according to her mom. “I have to say that the people inside have been pretty cool to her…the guards and the inmates.” Dina told RadarOnline.com PHOTOS: Lindsay Lohan Totes Gun In Disturbing Tweet Lindsay has been at the Lynwood Correctional Center for nine days and is expected to be released any day. She will head straight to an inpatient rehab facility, most likely in Los Angeles. Her mom is greatly relieved. PHOTOS: Lindsay Lohan By The Pool Basking In Her Legal Troubles “We’re all so happy that this is finally coming to a close,” Dina told RadarOnline.com. “When this first happened, we were all hysterical messes. “But I’m so proud of Lindsay, she’s been so strong and positive, even under what I consider to be a extremely harsh punishment.” PHOTOS: Lindsay’s Poolside White Bikini Dina and Lindsay’s younger sister Ali were on their way to visit the actress on Thursday afternoon. |
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synovial sarcomas are rare tumors accounting for approximately 5 - 10% of soft tissue sarcomas .
they occur predominantly in the extremities , followed by head and neck .
primary pulmonary sarcomas are very rare and comprise only 0.5% of all primary lung malignancies .
the diagnosis is established only after sarcomas like primary lung malignancies , and metastatic sarcomas have been excluded . for synovial sarcomas that arise at unusual locations , a definitive diagnosis is challenging and requires the use of ancillary diagnostic procedures such as immunohistochemistry ( ihc ) and molecular genetic techniques for confirmation of diagnosis .
we report a case of 29-year - old male who had right lower lobe lung mass .
he underwent right lower lobectomy .
intraoperative squash smears revealed spindle cell sarcoma .
subsequent histopathology and ihc confirmed the diagnosis as synovial sarcoma .
we report this case on account of its rarity and to emphasize the utility of intraoperative squash smears in the diagnosis of such cases , which has been under - utilized in clinical practice . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | primary pulmonary sarcoma is rare and accounts for < 0.5% of all malignant tumors of the lung . synovial sarcoma is a mesenchymal spindle cell tumor , which is unrelated to synovium and can occur at any site . it is classified into three major histological subtypes : monophasic ( epithelial and fibrous type ) , biphasic and poorly differentiated type . as metastatic sarcomas are more common , proper evaluation of the patient should be done before giving a diagnosis of primary pulmonary sarcoma . definitive diagnosis requires a detailed immunohistochemistry ( ihc ) and imaging investigations to exclude primary source . most synovial sarcomas show immunoreactivity for cytokeratin ( ck ) , epithelial membrane antigen ( ema ) , cd99 , bcl-2 , s-100 and other markers . synovial sarcoma has a consistent chromosomal translocation t(x:18)(p11;q11 ) and this translocation fuses syt gene with either of the two homologous genes sssx1 or ssx2 . we report this case on account of its rarity and to emphasize the utility of intraoperative squash smears in the diagnosis of such cases , which has been under - utilized in clinical practice . a 29-year - old kashmiri male presented with cough and blood tinged sputum of 1-month duration . contrast enhanced computed tomography chest revealed well defined right lower lobe homogenous nonenhancing lesion of soft tissue , in relation to superior basal segments . trachea was central , and no intraluminal mass density was seen in trachea or bronchi . a solid firm well circumscribed yellowish white mass was seen in the right lower lobe of the lung . some tissue was sent to the pathology department for a quick preoperative diagnosis . as the tissue was soft and easily crushable , imprint as well as squash smears microscopy of these smears reveals high cellularity with spindle to epithelioid cells present in fragments as well as scattered singly . frequent mitotic figures along with small foci of calcification were seen [ figure 1b ] . based on these observations preliminary diagnosis of spindle cell sarcoma was given . gross examination of the specimen showed right lobe of the lung with a 7.5 cm 6.5 cm cavity from which the tumorous mass had been enucleated . the separate mass was firm globular greyish white , unencapsulated measuring 6 cm 5 cm 4 cm . on cut section , ( a ) microscopy showing highly cellular tumor comprising of spindle cells arranged in a fascicular and herring bone pattern ( h and e , 100 ) . ( b ) intra - operative squash smears showing monotonous population of short spindle cells arranged in fragments and single cells containing scant granular cytoplasm and coarse chromatin with comma shaped nuclei ( mgg , 100 ) histopathological examination of the soft tissue mass revealed a highly cellular tumor comprising of spindle cells arranged in a fascicular and herring bone pattern [ figure 1a ] . on ihc the tumor cells were positive for bcl-2 [ figure 2 ] , mic-2 and ema . tumor cells showing bcl-2 positivity ( ihc , 400 ) thus , final diagnosis was that of synovial sarcoma lung , based on histopathological features and confirmed on ihc . synovial sarcoma is a rare mesenchymal tumor accounting for 5 - 10% of all soft tissue sarcomas . on an average primary pulmonary sarcomas are rare with only a few case reports in the literature . the diagnosis can be established only after clinical and imaging investigations to exclude primary sources . 2/3 of reported cases were centrally located and associated with cough , dyspnea , fever and hemoptysis . peripheral tumors are less common and usually asymptomatic but may infiltrate into adjacent tissues and give rise to distant metastasis . radiological investigations are helpful to characterize the tumor and to rule out any primary source . microscopically tumor can be broadly classified into four types biphasic , monophasic fibrous , monophasic epithelial and poorly differentiated . it is usually of fibrous type composed of spindle cells arranged in fascicles and hemangiopericytomatous like areas . a poorly differentiated form is being increasingly recognized by increased degree of cellularity , necrosis , atypia and mitotic activity . the case reported here was a fibrous monophasic type with densely packed spindle and epitheloid cells in fascicles with brisk mitosis . however , cytological features have been described on fine needle aspiration cytology . in monophasic synovial sarcoma , fine - needle aspiration biopsy consists of a monotonous population of short spindle cells arranged in fragments and single cells containing scant granular cytoplasm and coarse chromatin with comma shaped nuclei . biphasic synovial sarcoma contains small acinar like structures composed of round cells with prominent nucleoli in addition to spindle cells . features of monophasic synovial sarcoma were noted on crush smears in our case , and a diagnosis of spindle cell sarcoma with features favoring synovial sarcoma were given . differential diagnosis of monophasic synovial sarcoma includes fibrosarcoma , hemagiopericytoma , leiomyosarcoma , spindle cell variant of squamous cell carcinoma . synovial sarcomas are positive for vimentin ck , ema , cd-99 , bcl-2 , and negative for cd34 and s-100 . owing to its rarity and paucity of data regarding its natural history , there are no guidelines for optimal treatment . therefore , current treatment includes complete surgical resection ( lobectomy or pneumonectomy ) , followed by adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy . |
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background : h19 is a strong candidate gene for influencing birth weight variation and is exclusively imprinted maternally . in an attempt to understand the relationship of this gene polymorphism with low birth weight children , we investigated association of h19/rsai polymorphism with low birth weight and normal birth weight in children and their mothers .
objectives : the aim of our study was to establish the association between h19 gene polymorphism and lw in children born in pernambuco , state of brazil.patients and methods : it were selected 89 children , 40 low birth weight ( lw ) and 49 normal birth weight ( nw ) and 71 mothers ( 40 mothers of newborns nw and 31 mothers of newborns lw ) attended at dom malan hospital , petrolina , pernambuco - brazil .
peripheral blood samples were collected from patients and genomic dna was extracted and detected by electrophoresis agarose gel , stained by blue green loading dye .
dna pcr amplification was done using the primers h1 ( sense ) and h3 ( antisense ) .
pcr products were digested with rsai and electrophoresed on agarose gel stained by ethidium bromide .
statistical analyses were performed using the program bioestat version 5.0.results:the rsai polymorphism in the h19 gene showed that genotype frequencies did not differ statistically between low birth weight ( aa = 12.5% , ab = 45% , bb = 42.5% ) and control ( aa = 8.6%
ab = 36.73% , bb= 55.10% groups ) and the allele frequencies were not significantly different ( p = 0.2897 ) .
we also did not observe any association between maternal h19 allele polymorphism and low birth weight newborns ( p = 0.7799 ) or normal birth weight children ( p = 0.8976).conclusions : the small size of sample may be the explanation for these results ; future studies with more patients are needed to confirm the effect of h19/rsai polymorphism on birth weight of lw newborns . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | neonatal ( 0 to 28 days of life ) mortality represents about 70% of infant mortality in brazil , an indicator of living conditions and health of the population . birth weight < 2,500 g is pointed out as the most influential factor in determining neonatal morbidity and mortality . the fetal growth is regulated by genetic , environmental , hormonal , nutritional , and placental factors ( 1 ) . igf2 and h19 genes are of special interest , since in addition to their reciprocal imprinting patterns , they are closely linked on chromosome 11 in humans and are strong candidate genes for influencing birth weight variation ( 2 ) . the human h19 is an untranslated gene that lies within 200 kb downstream of the paternally expressed allele ( 3 ) . the maternally expressed h19 gene itself does not encode a protein , but the rna has growth potentially suppressing functions ( 4 ) through inhibiting translation of igf2 rna ( 5 ) . igf2 appears to be an important growth factor and low expression of its gene might be associated with intrauterine fetal life damaging resulting in low birth weight ( lw ) of newborn and may predispose the individual to chronic diseases in post - natal life such as obesity and hypertension ( 6 ) . studies have shown an association between birth weight with polymorphisms of igf2 and h19 genes ( 7 ) . the aim of our study was to establish the association between h19 gene polymorphism and lw in children born in pernambuco , state of brazil . we selected 89 children , 40 lw and 49 normal birth weight ( nw ) and 71 mothers ( 40 mothers of nw newborns and 31 mothers of lw newborns ) who attended hospital dom malan , petrolina , pe - brazil . dna pcr amplification was based on petry and ong ( 8) with h1 ( sense ) and h3 ( anti - sense ) primers . the pcr products were digested with rsai 4 hour at 37c and electrophoresed on 1.5% agarose gel and stained by ethidium bromide . genotype and allele frequencies in groups were compared by i test with significance set for a p value < 0.05 . hardy - weinberg test was used to verify if the genotypes of the control group nw and lw were in equilibrium . we selected 89 children , 40 lw and 49 normal birth weight ( nw ) and 71 mothers ( 40 mothers of nw newborns and 31 mothers of lw newborns ) who attended hospital dom malan , petrolina , pe - brazil . dna pcr amplification was based on petry and ong ( 8) with h1 ( sense ) and h3 ( anti - sense ) primers . the pcr products were digested with rsai 4 hour at 37c and electrophoresed on 1.5% agarose gel and stained by ethidium bromide . genotype and allele frequencies in groups were compared by i test with significance set for a p value < 0.05 . hardy - weinberg test was used to verify if the genotypes of the control group nw and lw were in equilibrium . we observed in this study that the frequencies of aa , ab and bb genotypes did not differ significantly between lw and nw children ( p = 0.4873 ) as well as the allele frequencies ( p = 0.2897 ; or = 0.6 ) . also no association was observed between maternal h19 allele polymorphism and lw newborns ( p = 0.7799 ; or = 0.85 ) or nw newborns ( p = 0.8976 ; or = 1.01 ) . genotype frequencies in both groups did not differ significantly . in the present study , we observed a higher frequency of allele b for both groups in relation to gene polymorphism h19/rsai . it was also shown that the value of genotypic frequency of allele b of the gene h19 was higher than the a allele for both nw children ( 55.10% ) and mothers of nw children ( 52.5% ) . abbreviations : hw , hard - weinberg equilibrium ; lw , low weight ; nw , normal weight . abbreviations : hw , hard - weinberg equilibrium ; lw , low weight ; nw , normal weight . snp located in h19 gene that may alter mrna structure could influence the imprint of igf2 , which is a major fetal growth factor ( 9 ) . however our results did not reveal an association of h19/rsai polymorphism with lw children , outcomes that are consistent with those described by araujo ( 10 ) . study of polymorphism of the igf2 gene in this same population found no association of this polymorphism with lw children ( 11 ) . despite the few studies on the association of h19 gene polymorphism with lw children , the findings detect association of the polymorphism with the condition of children born with lw . snps in the 5 region of the h19 ( rs2067051 , rs2251375 , and rs4929984 ) gene were associated with birth weight ( 2 ) . petry and ong found that birth weight of offspring showed association with h19 2992c > t snp genotype of mothers ( 8) . the small size of sample may be the explanation for these results ; future studies with more patients are needed to confirm the effect of h19/rsai polymorphism on birth weight of lw newborns . |
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until recently , salmonella enterica serotype enteritidis has remained sensitive to most antibiotics .
however , national surveillance data from denmark show that quinolone resistance in s. enteritidis has increased from 0.8% in 1995 to 8.5% in 2000 .
these data support concerns that the current use of quinolone in food animals leads to increasing resistance in s. enteritidis and that action should be taken to limit such use . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | from 1995 to 2000 , 13,334 s. enteritidis infections were recorded in denmark , accounting for 62% of all zoonotic salmonella infections . to monitor drug resistance ( 2 ) , we examined a random sample of 2,546 isolates , of which 82 ( 3.2% ) were resistant to the quinolone nalidixic acid . these data showed that quinolone resistance increased from 0.8% ( 3 of 384 isolates ) in 1995 to 8.5% ( 31 of 366 ) in 2000 ( figure ) . resistance to other antimicrobial agents was infrequent , and quinolone resistance was mainly present as a single resistance . quinolone resistance was related to foreign travel as well as s. enteritidis phage type ( pt ) . in isolates from patients with a known history of foreign travel , 8.9% were resistant , compared with 2.4% in domestically acquired infections ( p<0.0001 ; table ) . in 157 patients who had returned from a european destination ( excluding scandinavia ) , 18 ( 11.5% ) had resistant isolates . resistance was highest in patients returning from spain : 12 ( 19.7% ) of 61 isolates were resistant . five ( 7.5% ) resistant strains were found in 67 isolates from asia ( mainly turkey and thailand ) , but no resistant strains were recovered from 25 persons who had traveled to africa . five patients had visited other countries ( 1 resistant strain ) , and we had no information about the destination for the remaining 48 patients ( 3 resistant strains ) . the major sources of domestically acquired s. enteritidis infections are raw or undercooked eggs produced in denmark ( 3 , unpub . data ) . the most common phage types in danish layer hens are pt 6 and pt 8 , which accounted for 65.1% of the domestically acquired infections in our study . resistance in these two phage types remained low ( table ) , as were the rates of resistance in pt 13a , pt 25 , and pt 34 . in contrast , the proportion of resistant isolates was highest in phage types pt 1 , pt 4 , pt 6a , pt 14b , and pt 21 , which are often associated with infections from imported poultry products , including imported broiler chickens . from 1994 to 1997 in england and wales , quinolone resistance in s. enteritidis increased from 0.4 % to 1.3% . as in our study , resistance was highest in pt 1 ( 19% ) and pt 6a ( 14% ) ( 4 ) . these types were mainly associated with foreign travel . in a recent study from spain , 31% of 385 s. enteritidis isolates overall but 80% of pt 1 isolates were reported to be quinolone resistant ( 5 ) . the emergence of quinolone resistance in the most common salmonella serotype worldwide is a serious public health concern . resistance to nalidixic acid has been associated with reduced efficacy of fluoroquinolones such as ciprofloxacin ( 6,7 ) . the use of nalidixic acid or fluoroquinolones in humans is unlikely to contribute substantially to the increase in resistance , for the following reasons : an antibiotic prescribed in connection with a physician s request for a fecal specimen is unlikely to have affected the resistance pattern because treatment is usually initiated after the specimen is collected . fluoroquinolones are potent bactericidal drugs and are not likely to select for resistance when therapeutic concentrations are obtained ( 8) . nalidixic acid is used in some developing countries for the treatment of dysentery , but the this practice is unlikely to select for quinolone - resistant s. enteritidis in the zoonotic reservoir . the prevalence of resistance in s. enteritidis was , in our study , highest in patients returning from developed countries . < 15 years of age , the prevalence of quinolone - resistant strains was 9.5% ( 4/42 ) among patients with a history of foreign travel and 1.4% ( 7/499 ) in domestically acquired cases . the corresponding figures for adults were 8.9% ( 23/260 ) and 2.7% ( 47/1,744 ) . finally , the use of quinolones in humans could not conceivably be responsible for the large variation in the prevalence of resistance by phage type . if the use of quinolones in human medicine contributed to the emergence of quinolone resistance in s. enteritidis , resistance would be found independently of phage type . increasing quinolone resistance is not confined to foodborne salmonella but also includes campylobacters ; resistance is primarily driven by the use of fluoroquinolones in the livestock production ( 8,9 ) . limited quantities of fluoroquinolones are currently used in food production in scandinavia . during 1997 - 1998 , the annual use of the liquid formulation of fluoroquinolones for 130 million to 140 million poultry was < 150 kg ; during 1999 - 2000 , usage decreased to < 100 kg ( 2 ) . unfortunately , quantitative data on the use of fluoroquinolones are not available from most areas . several fluoroquinolones are licensed and used in other countries of europe , southeast asia , and the americas for treatment of food animals , particularly for mass medication in the poultry industry , mainly for broiler chickens ( 2,711 ) . our data support concerns that the current pattern of quinolone use in food animals leads to increasing quinolone resistance in s. enteritidis and that action should be taken to limit this use . |
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background : fluoride has become a recurring theme in discussing water issues in india . in karnataka , where groundwater sources are concentrated with fluorides
the impact is devastating .
dental and spine - related ailments are showing up in many cities and villages .
several villages in pavagada taluk in tumkur district have fluoride concentration 5 times more than the permissible level .
the different aspects to the problem are many defluoridation interventions were failure.objective:to determine and compare fluoride level in water samples from fluorosis mitigation project area.materials and methods : samples of municipal water were collected in sterile containers in an unannounced visit .
all the samples of water were assigned a code so that those undertaking analysis would be blind to the source .
fluoride levels were determined by an ion - selective electrode ( orion 94 - 09 ) method.results:mean fluoride level in the water samples collected in the project was 0.8 which was within the normal range.conclusion:even though the fluoride level was within the normal limits after implementation of flourosis mitigation project , ground reality was numbers of beneficiaries were less .
hence , proper planning and monitoring always becomes essential for any project to be successful . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | fluoride has become a recurring theme in discussing water issues and particularly water quality issues in india . in karnataka , where much of groundwater sources are concentrated with fluorides and nitrates , the impact is devastating . dental and spine - related ailments are showing up in many cities and villages . out of 56,682 villages in india - fluoride content was high in 5838 villages and in karnataka more than 6% of districts were affected by dental fluorosis . in that , tumkur district , pavagada taluk comprises of 33 grampanchayats with 2,46,255 population according to 2001 census report . several villages in pavagada taluk in tumkur district have fluoride concentration 5 times more than the permissible level . there are several different aspects to the problem like : financial aspect : lack of fund.technical aspect : availability of defluoridation kits and plants.social aspect : lack of maintenance of the technical solutions implemented . social aspect : lack of maintenance of the technical solutions implemented . to overcome this to certain extent in 2006 , rural development and panchayat raj , government of karnataka with baif ( bharatiya agro industries foundation ) institute of rural development ( bird - k ) implemented a 5 year fluorosis mitigation project ( this was implemented in tumkur , gadag and kolar district ( 4 taluk and 15 villages in each taluk ) . the objective was to ensure safe drinking water through innovative technologies to eradicate flourosis and rain water harvesting was the method of choice . this can be one of the examples for private public partnership as the money was collected by mobilization of contribution . people were asked to contribute a part of the implementation money and the rest government of karnataka will bear and public help in the construction of tanks and the whole project will be monitored by bird - k . to determine and compare fluoride level in water samples from fluorosis mitigation plant and borewell from project area . among eight grampanchayats of pavagada taluk , tumkur district , three villages ( k t halli , navagram and veeralagondi ) were included in the present study according to the convenience of reaching the places . thirty sample of water from the mitigation plants [ figure 1 ] and eighteen sample of water from the bore wells in three villages ( k t halli , veeralagondi , navagram ) were collected in sterile containers in an unannounced visit . all the samples of water were assigned a code so that those undertaking analysis would be blind to the source . fluoride mitigation plants , pavgada taluk fluoride levels were determined by a spectrocolorimetric method in department of civil engineering , siddaganga institute of technology , tumkur . statistical analysis was done following descriptive analysis and unpaired student t test was used to compare the mean . table 1 shows the grampanchayats and villages of pavagada taluk , tumkur district involved in the project . the gram panchayats and villages of pavagada taluk , tumkur district involved in the project table 2 shows the fluoride concentration of the test samples . the value ranged from 0.03 to 0.83 in mitigation plant water samples and in borewell samples it ranged from 0.65 to 1.40 . flouride concentration of test samples ( average of three bottles in each sample ) table 3 depicts comparison of fluoride content from mitigation plant and bore water in 3 different places . the difference was statistically highly significant showing fluoride content more in bore water and the water samples from mitigation plant was below optimum level of fluoride in drinking water . the present study showed fluoride level was above optimal level in the water samples from the borewell water in the mitigation area which was similar to the baseline report produced by baif to the government of karnataka . in the water samples collected from the mitigation plants , fluoride level was below optimal levelconfirming it has succeeded in reaching the goal of the project . even though the fluoride level was within the normal range ( 0.030.8 ppm ) in the water samples from the mitigation plants , ground reality was different . according to agro climatic condition the average rainfall is 494.6 mm annually in pavagada taluk and as rainfall is meager the area is declared as dry zone ( source : taluk panchayat office and agriculture department ) . and out of 250300 houses in the village , the plant was implemented only in 810 houses of which few were not in working condition when the project was still in progress . as the plant installed were not in working conditions people were using it for storage purposes and few demolished the plants as in spite of complaining they didnt get it repaired [ figure 2 ] . when the villagers were asked , they reported that they use the water from the mitigation plants when it rains and in the other season they consume the borewell water . even though the fluoride level was within the normal range ( 0.030.8 ppm ) in the water samples from the mitigation plants , ground reality was different . and whenever a project involving public private partnership is considered , first and foremost it should be need based and there should be interaction of proper planning , monitoring and regular reinforcement . failure in any one of the things the project will work only on papers but wont reach the beneficiaries . |
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– It's been nearly a week since Tricia Todd vanished in Florida, and police have now released the last known surveillance photo of her in the hope of jogging memories. In the photo taken in a Publix supermarket in Hobe Sound Tuesday night, the 30-year-old Air Force vet is smiling and appears to be "in good spirits," Martin County Sheriff William Snyder says, per NBC News. Todd, who works as a hospice nurse, was supposed to pick up her 2-year-old daughter the next day, but her ex-husband told police that she never turned up. Her car, with the keys still in the ignition, was found near her home. Snyder says Todd's home and car have been searched, along with the home of the ex-husband, and no evidence of a crime has been discovered, TCPalm reports. "No body fluids, no blood spatter, no damage," the sheriff says. He adds that although her phone and wallet have also vanished, there has been no activity on her credit card. The sheriff says reported sightings of Todd around the country have not panned out. One clue may be her social media postings, which suggest that "she was having some kind of emotional angst within herself," the sheriff says. "I guess that's the best way to describe it." (Another missing person case turned out to be an elaborate ruse, say police.) | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | The last known photo of an Air Force veteran who vanished in South Florida last week was released Monday and appeared to show Tricia Todd, 30, "in good spirits," Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said. During a news conference, authorities said the image was taken by a surveillance camera at a grocery store in Hobe Sound, Fla., on Tuesday night, just a few hours before she disappeared. The last known photo of Tricia Todd, taken at a Publix grocery store in Hoby Sound. Martin County Sheriff's Office Todd failed to pick up her 2-year-old daughter the next morning from a hospital, where the girl had been taken by her father, Todd's ex-husband, Snyder said. Detectives later found Todd's car near her Hobe Sound home with the keys still in the ignition and her cell phone gone. "As of this moment, we've forensically examined her car, her home, her former husband's car," Snyder said. "There is not one scintilla of evidence of a crime." Todd's ex-husband lives in North Carolina but was in Florida for a visit with their daughter, Snyder said. Snyder said that the ex was the alleged offender in a domestic violence incident against Todd two years ago, but that he was not arrested. "We don't know the nature of" the allegation, he said, adding that the ex-husband has cooperated with authorities in Todd's disappearance. "Every single thing he's told us so far has been corroborated," Snyder said. Tricia Todd failed to pick up her child Saturday. Her car was found near her residence with the keys in the ignition and her purse still in the vehicle. Martin County Sheriff's Office Snyder said that Todd's social media presence left an impression that she was "having some kind of emotional angst within herself," though he did not provide additional details and, when asked if she had sought counseling or medical attention, he said: "I don't know the answer to that." Volunteers helped authorities as they searched for Todd over the weekend. That search, which the sheriff's office described as "full scale," included helicopters, marine units, bloodhounds and ATVs, which were used in state parks, beaches and woods where Todd was known to take early morning walks. Synder said Monday that authorities planned to continue their search. The sheriff's office had so far received 15 to 20 tips about Todd, including possible sightings, Snyder said, but that none had yielded her whereabouts. ||||| By Will Greenlee of TCPalm HOBE SOUND — The home of missing mother Tricia Todd — along with her car and that of her ex-husband — have been examined forensically with no evidence of a crime being found. "No body fluids, no blood spatter, no damage," Martin County Sheriff William Snyder said Monday afternoon. Snyder made the statement during an afternoon briefing following several days of searching for Todd. Officials also released the last known photo of Todd, 30, which was captured about 9:40 p.m. last Tuesday at a Publix in Hobe Sound. "She is smiling and appears to be in good spirits," Snyder said. Todd vanished after failing to pick up her 2-year-old daughter in Hobe Sound the next day. Todd's brother, Nathan Todd, 19, said there are a total of eight siblings, the youngest being 15. He said the family is asking for prayers and continuing to pray. "I think that's the most powerful thing we can do," he said. "No matter what happens, if it is to glorify God, I think that's what Trish would want." Snyder said Todd's ex-husband was in the area to visit their 2-year-old daughter. He said the ex-husband, who has cooperated with authorities, stayed for a few days at a bed and breakfast in the area. Sgt. Yesenia Carde said the ex-husband indicated "he called her close to midnight saying the baby was not feeling well, so she went back to the (bed and breakfast)." "She was there and she left at approximately 2 a.m. and that was the last time she was seen or heard from," Carde said. Snyder said that in 2014 there was a report in another state of domestic violence between them but no arrests were made. "Her social media sites would leave one to at least … surmise that she was having some kind of emotional angst within herself," Snyder said. "I guess that's the best way to describe it." Nathan Todd, however, said his sister was a "perfectly happy individual." Nathan Todd said he has no idea where his sister could be. He also said he didn't think she had gone missing in the past. Asked if he had a theory, Nathan Todd said, "I have something that I know for a fact, and that's that God's in control and that God will take care of it." Snyder said officials are continuing to search, and have gotten tips from as far away as California. He said there's no exact science on how long the search will continue. He said Tricia Todd was known for going to the beach in the early morning to pray and also to take nature hikes. Snyder said Tricia Todd's credit cards and cell phone have not been used. "We do have some cell phone data, but it all puts her right here," Snyder said. "There's only one cell phone tower in Hobe Sound.'' |
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i present theoretical results at approximate nnlo from nnll resummation for top quark production at the lhc and the tevatron , including new results at 8 tev lhc energy .
total cross sections are shown for @xmath0 production , for single top production in the @xmath1 and @xmath2 channels and via associated @xmath3 production , and for associated @xmath4 production .
top quark transverse momentum and rapidity distributions in @xmath0 production are also presented , as well as new results for @xmath1-channel single top and single antitop @xmath5 distributions . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | the top quark is a centerpiece of lhc and tevatron physics , and both @xmath0 and single top production are being studied .the lo partonic processes for top - antitop pair production are @xmath6 , dominant at the tevatron , and @xmath7 , dominant at lhc energies . for single top quark productionthe partonic channels are the @xmath1 channel : @xmath8 and @xmath9 ; the @xmath2 channel : @xmath10 ; and associated @xmath3 production : @xmath11 .a related process is the associated production of a top quark with a charged higgs , @xmath12 .higher - order qcd corrections are significant for top quark production .soft - gluon emission corrections are dominant and have been resummed through nnll accuracy @xcite .approximate nnlo ( and even higher - order @xcite ) differential cross sections have been derived from the expansion of the nnll resummed result for @xmath0 @xcite and single top @xcite production .there are several different approaches to resummation ( for a detailed review see @xcite ; yet another approach appeared later in @xcite ) .the approach used here is the only nnll calculation at the differential cross - section level using the standard moment - space resummation in pqcd .we note that the threshold approximation works very well not only for tevatron but also for lhc energies because partonic threshold is still important .there is less than 1% difference between nlo approximate and exact cross sections , and this is also true for differential distributions , see the left plot in fig . 1 .we begin with top - antitop pair production @xcite .the nnlo approximate @xmath0 cross section at the tevatron , with a top quark mass @xmath13 gev and using mstw2008 nnlo pdf @xcite , is @xmath14 pb , where the first uncertainty is from scale variation @xmath15 and the second is from the pdf at 90% c.l . the @xmath0 cross section at the lhc at 7 tev energy is @xmath16 pb ; at 14 tev it is @xmath17 pb .the new result for the current 8 tev lhc energy is ^nnloapprox_t|t(m_t=173 gev , 8 tev)&=&234 ^+10_-7 12 .distribution at the lhc ( left ) and the tevatron ( right).,title="fig:",scaledwidth=38.0% ] distribution at the lhc ( left ) and the tevatron ( right).,title="fig:",scaledwidth=38.0% ] the top quark @xmath5 distribution at the tevatron is shown in the right plot of fig .1 . we note the excellent agreement of the nnlo approximate results with d0 data @xcite .the top quark @xmath5 distributions at the lhc at 7 and 8 tev energies are shown in the left plot of fig .2 . ( left ) andrapidity ( right ) distributions at the lhc [ @xmath18.,title="fig:",scaledwidth=38.0% ] ( left ) and rapidity ( right ) distributions at the lhc [ @xmath18.,title="fig:",scaledwidth=38.0% ] the top quark rapidity distribution at the lhc at 7 and 8 tev energies is shown in the right plot of fig .2 . the top quark rapidity distribution at the tevatron displays a significant forward - backward asymmetry , @xmath19/[\sigma(y>0)+\sigma(y<0)]=0.052^{+0.000}_{-0.006}$ ] , which is smaller than observed values ( see also the review in @xcite and recently @xcite ) .we continue with single top production @xcite , and start with updated results for the @xmath1 channel ..@xmath1-channel cross sections in pb at the lhc for @xmath13 gev . [ cols="^,^,^,^",options="header " , ] next we present @xmath2-channel results .table 2 shows the @xmath2-channel cross sections at the lhc . the @xmath2-channel total cross section versus lhc energy in shown in the left plot of fig .the @xmath2-channel single top cross section at the tevatron is @xmath20 pb ; the result for antitop production at the tevatron is identical to that for top .-channel total and @xmath21 ( left ) and @xmath4 ( right ) production cross sections.,title="fig:",scaledwidth=38.0% ] -channel total and @xmath21 ( left ) and @xmath4 ( right ) production cross sections.,title="fig:",scaledwidth=38.0% ] next we study the associated @xmath21 production at the lhc .the @xmath21 cross section at 7 tev is @xmath22 pb ; at 8 tev it is @xmath23 pb ; and at 14 tev it is @xmath24 pb .the cross section for @xmath25 production is identical .the @xmath21 cross section versus lhc energy in shown in the left plot of fig .finally , we study the associated production of a top quark with a charged higgs . the right plot of fig .5 shows results at lhc energies versus charged higgs mass with @xmath26 .the work of n.k . was supported by the national science foundation under grant no .phy 0855421 .n. kidonakis .phys . rev .* d82 * ( 2010 ) 114030 ; phys . rev .* d84 * ( 2011 ) 011504 .n. kidonakis .phys . rev .* d81 * ( 2010 ) 054028 ; phys . rev .* d82 * ( 2010 ) 054018 ; phys . rev .* d83 * ( 2011 ) 091503 .n. kidonakis .a19 * ( 2004 ) 405 ; phys . rev .* d73 * ( 2006 ) 034001 .n. kidonakis and b. d. pecjak .arxiv:1108.6063 [ hep - ph ] .m. beneke , p. falgari , s. klein , and c. schwinn .b855 * ( 2012 ) 695 .a. d. martin , w. j. stirling , r. s. thorne , and g. watt .j. * c63 * ( 2009 ) 189 .d0 collaboration .. lett . * b693 * ( 2010 ) 515 .s. j. brodsky and x .- g .arxiv:1205.1232 [ hep - ph ] .p. skands , b. webber , and j. winter .arxiv:1205.1466 [ hep - ph ] . |
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– A one-legged homeless man in Portland was left to drag himself out of jail over the weekend because his wheelchair had been moved to an off-site storage facility after he was picked up on a drinking citation. "Scottie" Hamilton, a 37-year-old Iraq veteran who lost his leg in a motorbike accident, has been arrested some 10 times this year. Police usually return his wheelchair on release after taking away his loaner and they are investigating what went wrong this time, ABC News reports. "It was over the top, beyond being disrespectful or inconsiderate. It was negligence," said his girlfriend, adding that Hamilton has arthritis and his hands were left swollen and purple after he used them to push himself along on his butt to leave jail. Police who tried to return Hamilton's wheelchair to him yesterday arrived just as other officers were arresting him for failing to appear in court for an earlier drinking citation, the Oregonian reports. Police and a state lawmaker who was outraged to hear about the case are working to help Hamilton access social services. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | First, the good news: Scott Hamilton has his wheelchair back.Hamilton, a homeless disabled man known as One-legged Scottie, was discharged from Multnomah County's downtown jail earlier this week without his chair and ended up sliding out of the jail lobby on his bottom -- prompting an internal investigation into how that could happen.Next, the bad news: Hamilton is back in jail.Here's what happened:Just after noon Wednesday, mounted Portland patrol officers came across Hamilton at his preferred spot outside the Rite-Aid near the corner of Southwest Alder Street and Sixth Avenue. He was sitting and drinking a can of beer on the sidewalk, the same misdemeanor he was cited for Sunday night when he was arrested on a warrant for drinking in public. They handed him a ticket.Around the same time, a Portland police sergeant was picking up Hamilton's wheelchair and knapsack at the police property warehouse in Northwest Portland to deliver to him, said police spokesman Pete Simpson. They had been confiscated when he was arrested Sunday.The sergeant arrived at the corner just as a pair of Multnomah County sheriff's deputies were preparing to usher Hamilton, 37, into their car to take him to a hearing for failing to appear in court for an earlier drinking citation.The judge ended up putting Hamilton back into custody on a contempt of court warrant and sentenced him to 24 hours in jail, authorities said.What happens next?Rep. Julie Parrish, a Republican representing Tualatin and West Linn, said she ranted on the House floor about Hamilton's predicament. She told fellow lawmakers: "Let's fix this."Staffers called the state Department of Veterans' Affairs to determine whether Hamilton qualifies for medical and other services. He served in the Navy in Iraq, according to both Hamilton and his father, Frank Hamilton, a retired police officer and sheriff's deputy in Washington state.Simpson said police also hope to see the chronic offender get the help he needs. "We have facilitated Scottie getting his things and getting him to court," he said. "Now we'll hope to plug him into some services -- if he's willing to embrace them."-- Kimberly A.C. Wilson ||||| Jail workers in Portland, Ore., discharged a one-legged homeless man without his wheelchair Monday morning after a citation for consuming alcohol in public. The security officers apparently watched as Scott Hamilton, 37, used his hands to scoot out of the jail on his butt and head out into the dark street about 1 a.m. Hamilton then made his way to a convenience store about three blocks away where girlfriend Eve Browne picked him up, she said. "It was just over the top, beyond being disrespectful or inconsiderate. It was just negligence," Browne said of the treatment Hamilton received from the Multnomah County Detention Center. Hamilton has rheumatoid arthritis, and his hands were swollen and purple after making the trek, Browne said. Officials have since returned the wheelchair to Hamilton. Portland police arrested Hamilton Sunday night. He was given a receipt for his belongings, including the wheelchair, when he was booked into jail. Hamilton has battled alcoholism since his early 20s, according to his father, Frank Hamilton, and lost his leg in a motorcycle accident. Police said he has been arrested at least 10 times since January. His personal wheelchair is usually held at the jail and Hamilton is given a loaner. But Hamilton's personal wheelchair was taken away this time to an off-site storage facility. When it came time for discharge, his wheelchair was unavailable. When the loaner chair was taken away from him, Hamilton became angry. He stormed out of the jail on his hands, as a security officer held the door open for him. "This was kind of a miscommunication," chief deputy of corrections Michael Shults said. Shults, who works for the sheriff's office, added that policies and training practices will likely change to ensure this doesn't happen again. "We want people to be able to get home safely," he said. Today, Hamilton -- who could not be reached for comment -- is back on the streets panhandling, but still without his wheelchair. Shults is working to return the wheelchair to Hamilton and an investigation of the incident has been launched. "We don't want this to ever happen again," Mary Lindstrand, public information officer for the sheriff's office, said. Lindstrand said the poor treatment of Hamilton has overshadowed all the positive things the sheriff's office does. That will be particularly noticeable tonight when the sheriff's office is scheduled to give out 31 awards during its annual awards ceremony. Neil Donovan, the executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless, said that incidents such as Hamilton's are all too common. A Washington, D.C., homeless man was forced out of his wheelchair and tackled by police Sunday as they arrested him. Video capturing the event shows police rough-handling the man, who has blood spewing from his head from the fall. Donovan said that while law enforcement officials certainly have a role in situations such as these, the problem is rooted much deeper and stems from policies aimed at getting homeless people off the streets rather than solving the cause of the homeless problem. Donovan said that even after 31 years in the business, these events are still tough to accept. "I feel a real sense of sadness for the individual who had to be humiliated and had their civil rights taken away," he said. "Injustice seems to never grow old or allow you to become accustomed to it." |
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– No one knows celebrities quite like their assistants do. And one assistant to the stars, Lydia Whitlock, has written a book about her experiences—and those of other Hollywood assistants. She spills some of the craziest stories to Radar: One of Whitlock's bosses needed his butter to be just so. Every day, Whitlock "had to squeeze the packets of butter to make sure they were the right temperature" if she didn't want him to throw a fit, she says. Another assistant had to transport a stool sample from her boss's dog to the veterinarian. One assistant's boss got a pedometer from her very expensive personal trainer—and made her assistant wear it while taking laps around the building. Click for more crazy celebrity requests ... as demanded by Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey may be bitter enemies right now, but they can definitely bond over one thing: their crazy tour riders. Both divas, but certainly not them solely, have bizarre demands whenever they go on tour or are chosen to perform somewhere. Like what? Oh, like 20 white kittens and 100 doves, for example (Ms. Mariah), or buckets of spicy fried chicken -- no thighs, lot of wings (Ms. Minaj). Okay now granted, many times the reason for these "huh?!" requests is to make sure the venue reads the actual rider. The idea is to test them: if what the artist asks for is so impossible or ridiculous the venue says they can't do, it proves they actually read through it. But in light of the recently discovered tour rider of Lady Gaga, which includes one mannequin with puffy pink pubic hair, we decided to go back and check: what are the world's biggest stars' most outrageous demands? ||||| Last week, the world met real-life Ari Gold, CAA agent Nancy Etz, an over-the-top entitled Hollywood exec who called her assistant a “b***h” in a scathing, condescending email that quickly went viral. For assistant-turned- author Lydia Whitlock, however, the email was all too familiar: After five years toiling away as an assistant, Whitlock quit the biz to expose the seamy side of the Hollywood system in a no-holds-barred book, To My Assistant: Things I’ll Never Do to You, But Many Other Crazy Bosses Will. Now, she shares some of her craziest tales with RadarOnline.com — stories that make Nancy Etz seem like the boss of the year. “I was not at all surprised that the [Etz] email exists,” Whitlock tells RadarOnline.com exclusively. “I was surprised that someone had the guts to leak it because that’s an unsaid rule in the industry.” Indeed, Whitlock used the cover of anonymity when she started blogging about her experiences as a Hollywood assistant in 2011, three years after graduating from Yale and heading to Los Angeles. PHOTOS: Hollywood Housekeepers & Assistants Tell All — 31 Scandalous Secrets Of The Stars “I started the blog because I noticed that a lot of times when assistants have something terrible done to them or are asked to do something ridiculous for their bosses, they’ll say ‘When I have an assistant, I won’t be like that,'” she explains. “I thought it was a very hopeful and good-natured way to look at how a lot of bosses treat their assistants.” If she didn’t laugh, it seems, she’d have to cry. Whitlock remembers one particular instance when she faced an epic meltdown over butter. “I had a boss who screamed at me once because the butter that came with his lunch was too warm,” Whitlock remembers. “It was like, full-on tantrum level. From then on, every day I had to squeeze the packets of butter to make sure they were the right temperature.” PHOTOS: 15 Of The Most Embarrassing Celebrity Moments Worse still was the story she heard from another assistant that Whitlock says “is just extraordinary, probably reaching the level of urban legend at this point.” “I knew an assistant who once had to pick up a stool sample from a boss’ dog to take it to the vet,” she reveals. “It was pretty terrible. The only way it could have been worse is if it was from the boss themselves!” Whitlock’s blog, ToMyAssistant.com, and her Twitter feed are full of similarly cringe-worthy stories, which she says she gets via submission and her own “flashbacks.” She then writes them up as notes to her hypothetical future assistant. (Whitlock says she’s “neither busy enough nor rich enough” to have one now.) “After my trainer, who I pay more per month than you make in six weeks, gives me a pedometer and assigns me a certain number of steps to take each day,” she writes to her future assistant in one post inspired by a real assistant’s story, “I will not regularly make you clip it onto your waist and take laps around the outside of our building during lunch while I sit at my desk and eat a double serving of Lean Cuisines.” In another, she promises, “When the chef at my favorite restaurant takes my favorite salad off the menu, I will not throw a 20-minute temper tantrum, directed at you, before wondering aloud if it’s your “lack of phone manners” that prompted this terrible tragedy.” PHOTOS: Celebrity Mugshots Yet another ripped-from-real-life entry reads, “I will not get mad at you when I get back from lunch at a particular restaurant you recommended to me, because the person I believe to be my business nemesis was also there, “and you should have known better.” Whitlock collected these and dozens of other entries for her book, To My Assistant: Things I’ll Never Do to You, But Many Other Crazy Bosses Will, which was published this spring. “I did it to expand the content beyond just what can be posted on Tumblr,” Whitlock says, adding that it includes “transcripts of email conversations and I’m conversations based on past experiences.” And even though she’s since been pretty much blacklisted from the Hollywood assistant pool, she harbors no resentment and says the book is meant to entertain assistants, not embarrass their bosses. Whitlock says, “Hopefully assistants can pick it up and laugh at it and not feel so alone.” Share your own horrible bosses stories in the comments! |
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– If you couldn't bring yourself to rush out and do battle on Black Friday, no need to feel like you missed out: The discounts you'd be seeing if you were at the mall right now are what the Wall Street Journal calls "retail theater." Stores are not actually slashing prices on inventory that otherwise wouldn't sell. Instead they work with suppliers to set artificially high starting prices that will still yield the desired profit once they take, say, 50% off. The "discount" price is, in effect, the real intended price. Since 2009, both the number of discounts and size of discounts at 31 major retailers have shot up, yet profit margins have remained completely flat. Some stores even increase prices right before the holidays; a Journal analysis showed prices rising an average 8% in the weeks before Thanksgiving last year for about one-fifth of the products analyzed. Customers are mostly rewarding the behavior, although a handful have sued, saying that items weren't offered at their list price "for a reasonably substantial period of time," the vague standard mandated by the FTC. If you want to avoid some of the sneakiest "pricing tricks" retailers use, check out this tip sheet from The Week. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Unfortunately, for every door-buster steal on the first page of your favorite retailer's Black Friday ad scan, there are three ho-hum deals on the tenth page that aren't worth your time, money, or sleep. Black Friday has essentially cannibalized itself; retailers, in the rush to capture more and more dollars the day after Thanksgiving, have stuffed every product on hand into their Black Friday ads in the hopes that Black Friday's name will help them push "average" deals. So what's a shopper to do? Peruse these ads carefully, for starters. Here are four of retailers' favorite Black Friday pricing tricks — and your best moves for beating them: 1. They mislead us on original prices. Retailers usually list the "regular" price of an item next to the Black Friday price to show shoppers the discount they're getting on a Black Friday purchase. To make the discount appear larger, though, retailers typically use the original item's manufacturer's suggested retail price (MSRP) as the "regular" price in the ad, not the price the item is currently selling for on their website. In Bon-Ton's 2013 Black Friday ad scan, for example, the retailer advertises a $99.97 price for the Keurig K45 Elite Brewer, down from the regular $172, according to Bon-Ton. If you checked out Bon-Ton's website at the time of this writing, though, you'd find that same Keurig K45 coffee brewer selling currently for $119.99. Bon-Ton's Black Friday Keurig K45 price isn't a bad one — but it isn't exactly $72 off. This practice isn't limited to Bon-Ton. Macy's 2013 Black Friday ad shows a Tommy Hilfiger faux leather military bomber jacket, WebId #947625, selling for the Black Friday price of $79.99, down from the regular price of $195-$250. If you search for the item on Macy's online store, though, you'd find the same Tommy Hilfiger leather jacket, with the same web id, selling for the same $79.99 price. These deals aren't exactly buried in the ads, either — both the Bon-Ton and Macy's examples are from the retailers' first pages of their 2013 ads. How to beat the retailer: Double check the "regular" price of an item to make sure you're getting the deal you think you're getting. 2. They push derivative products. How can retailers offer such eye-popping discounts on HDTVs, laptops, and other electronics? Well, the wares they're selling often aren't the cream of the crop. While some retailers simply sell lower-end brands, other less forthcoming merchants hawk limited-time-only TV models designed for the holiday season and Black Friday. These models are, unsurprisingly, unreliable and shoddy. Derivative products often have fewer features than comparable sets as well. How to beat the retailer: Check the model numbers you see in Black Friday ads against the retailer's current website offering or in a standard web search engine. If you can't find that specific TV currently on sale at multiple retailers, you might be looking at a derivative product. 3. They repeat deals from last year. While many deals advertised in Black Friday ad leaks aren't exclusive to the holiday, some of these sales aren't even exclusive to Black Friday 2013. A NerdWallet study last year found that 90 percent of Black Friday ads from 2012 contained at least one of the exact same items selling at the exact same price as in 2011. For shoppers purchasing discounted Christmas trees or cheap cookware, this deal repetition might not be a problem. For consumers purchasing consumer technology, though, this sneaky retailer practice is a raw deal. Staples, for example, sold the same Brother MFC-7860DW Laser Multi-Function Wireless Printer for $199.99 in both 2011 and 2012. You'd expect another year of the printer product cycle to have further outdated that wireless printer — but the printer wasn't any cheaper at Staples in 2012. How to beat the retailer: Compare a retailer's 2013 Black Friday ad scan side-by-side with the retailer's 2012 edition. If any items have very similar product pictures, take a closer look — there's a good chance you'll find it's the same item, selling at the exact same price. 4. They use rebates. Rebates are a tried-and-true Black Friday tactic. Merchants will advertise a fantastic item price in their ads and then sneak a line of fine print under the item stating that shoppers will need to submit a rebate to get that advertised price. How painful the rebate process is varies significantly by retailer — but remember that you'll probably have a lot on your mind during the holidays. Shoppers often forget to submit rebates — which is exactly why retailers love them. How to beat the retailer: Watching out for rebates is fairly simple — make sure to read every ounce of text in your desired item's item description box. Better yet, read the whole page: There might be fine print at the bottom of the ad. Then be sure to claim the rebate to which you're entitled. More from The Fiscal Times... ||||| When shoppers head out in search of Black Friday bargains this week, they won't just be going to the mall, they'll be witnessing retail theater. Stores will be pulling out the stops on deep discounts aimed at drawing customers into stores. But retail-industry veterans acknowledge that, in many cases, those bargains will be a carefully engineered illusion. The common assumption is that retailers stock up on goods and then mark... |
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– As Syria's bloody civil war has raged on, Richard Cohen at the Washington Post has been dismayed to see so many liberals fighting against intervention. "The argument is that Syria would be Iraq all over again," Cohen writes. But "this is tendentious." People like Cohen weren't out to "impose some US-friendly regime, but merely to stop the killing" with low-risk measures like imposing a no-fly zone. "Early on this was possible." Now it may be too late. Iraq has fostered in the US a "pernicious pacifism," with every call for humanitarian intervention "sneeringly dismissed as if the rallying cry is 'on to Baghdad.'" Nor do these people seem to care about the continued atrocities in Syria—a UN report out today reported "new levels of brutality," with war crimes like rape and torture now routine. "Liberals, once characterized as bleeding hearts, seem now to have none at all." Click for Cohen's full column. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Please enable cookies on your web browser in order to continue. The new European data protection law requires us to inform you of the following before you use our website: We use cookies and other technologies to customize your experience, perform analytics and deliver personalized advertising on our sites, apps and newsletters and across the Internet based on your interests. By clicking “I agree” below, you consent to the use by us and our third-party partners of cookies and data gathered from your use of our platforms. See our Privacy Policy and Third Party Partners to learn more about the use of data and your rights. You also agree to our Terms of Service. ||||| A letter to the editor of the New York Times Book Review says it all. It mentions the situation in Syria and says, “The crisis continues.” The “crisis,” you should know, is not the continuing slaughter of civilians nor the river of miserable refugees spilling over the borders but rather a “crisis of masculinity,” which accounts for why some men have gone dashingly and idiotically off to war in the past — and now want to intervene in the Syrian one. I cite the letter because its author is Norman Birnbaum, a quite distinguished emeritus professor at Georgetown University. In tone and approach, it is very much like a long article in the New York Review of Books by David Bromwich, a professor of English at Yale and yet another prominent liberal. He, too, chides us alleged war-lovers, reminding us of Iraq, where some of us were wrong (guilty) and some duplicitous (not guilty), and offers instruction on the difficulties and complexities of intervention — Shiites, Sunnis, Alawites and all the rest, a veritable casting call for “Lawrence of Arabia.” Unmentioned is that those difficulties have been compounded by the furious inaction of the Obama administration. The president has called on Bashar al-Assad to go — and predicted he would — but here he remains, more than two years into the war and more than 80,000 dead along the way. The Syrian dictator may well win this thing. He now has the fresh troops of Hezbollah and, possibly soon, Russian S-300 antiaircraft missiles, which could well make imposing a no-fly zone a non-starter. What perplexes me is that a good deal of this patronizing criticism of we interveners comes from the left. The argument is that Syria would be Iraq all over again. This is tendentious. The whole idea of intervening early — it may already be too late — was not to impose some U.S.-friendly regime but merely to stop the killing and avoid an immense humanitarian calamity. Early on, this was possible. The proposal was to arm the moderate rebels, impose a no-fly zone and throw the weight of the United States behind the effort to topple Assad. “Boots on the ground” — the schoolyard taunt to an argument never made — was never contemplated. The business plan was for the United States to venture little but gain much — leveraging, I think it’s called. Syria was never going to be the Iraq war. It was going to be a humanitarian intervention, an attempt to stop the killing, end the misery — use U.S. power to do good. This was not colonialism or neocolonialism or imposing a repellent Western regime on the always virtuous East. All we wanted — all I wanted — was to end the killing. Only the United States had the wherewithal to do this. 1 of 86 Full Screen Autoplay Close Skip Ad × Tom Toles goes global View Photos A collection of cartoons about international news. Caption A collection of Tom Toles cartoons about international news. Buy Photo Wait 1 second to continue. In 1933, the Oxford Union debating society approved a resolution saying that it would not fight for its king and country.The resolution was a fair approximation of the British mood at the time, especially among the upper classes. It was a perfectly understandable, yet unforgivable, reaction to the horrendous slaughter of World War I, carnage so great and unprecedented that victory seemed indistinguishable from defeat. With a population of around 40 million, Britain lost some 900,000 men. It won, aside from victory, virtually nothing. The consequence was a pernicious pacifism, which cheered Hitler and infuriated Churchill. Something like that is happening now. The reaction to the Iraq war has produced a there-they-go-again-syndrome, so that a proposed humanitarian intervention is sneeringly dismissed as if the rallying cry is “on to Baghdad.” More depressing still is the total lack of concern for the misery of Syrians. Rarely do any of these anti-intervention pieces cry bloody murder at the killing that continues apace in Syria. Liberals, once characterized as bleeding hearts, seem now to have none at all. They agonize over the slippery slope, not the horror of mounting civilian deaths. I have always recognized the difficulties of any intervention in Syria and the hideous ethnic complexities of the place. And I recognize, too, that no threat like Hitler is out there. But there will be consequences nonetheless. The United States has impeccably conducted itself as a blowhard. The president demanded that Assad resign; he warned direly of red lines. But who believes it? Once again Barack Obama is doing his Prince of Denmark number. We have squandered our leadership — actual and moral — and done nothing to save lives. We might have contained a war that is spreading daily. We could at least have tried. It’s been a shameful performance. Read more from Richard Cohen’s archive. |
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porokeratoma ( acanthoma with features of porokeratosis ) is a recently described entity with a distinct pattern of cornoid lamellation and clinically different from typical porokeratosis .
we present a case of multiple porokeratomas on the buttock of a 78-year - old man with paraplegia secondary to poliomyelitis and ankylosing spondylarthritis .
we briefly review the characteristics and controversies of this new entity . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | it is still controversial if it is part of the spectrum of porokeratosis or if it represents a different entity . the term porokeratoma ( defined as an acanthoma with features of porokeratosis ) was coined by walsh , et al . in 2007 as a new entity with a distinct pattern of cornoid lamellation from typical porokeratosis . a 78-year - old man , with paraplegia secondary to poliomyelitis and ankylosing spondylarthritis , presented with a 4-year history of slightly painful and slowly growing lesions on his left buttock . clostridiopeptidase and protease ointment had been occasionally applied . on physical examination , there were six well - defined verrucous lesions , with central depressions filled with keratotic material [ figure 1 ] . the lesion consisted of an acanthotic epidermis with low papillomatosis and overlying compact orthokeratosis [ figure 2 ] . scattered throughout the lesion were multiple epidermal depressions containing cornoid lamella below which the granular layer was absent and dyskeratotic keratinocytes were identified [ figures 3 and 4 ] . detail of three well - defined , non - confluent papular lesions , with central depressions filled with yellowish keratotic material on the left buttock mild papillomatosis , slight acanthosis , and multiple epidermal depressions containing keratotic material ( h and e , original magnification 40 ) ( a and b ) : transition area between cornoid lamellae and orthokeratosis . note the absence of granular cell layer and the dyskeratosis below the column of parakeratosis ( arrow ) ( h and e , original magnification 200 ) detail of cornoid lamellae ( h and e , original magnification 200 ) porokeratoma is a recently described type of acanthoma containing the characteristic feature of porokeratosis : the cornoid lamella . it usually appears as a tumor - like lesion in patients without personal or familiar history of porokeratosis and without immunosuppressive conditions . the most frequent locations are extremities , followed by head and neck , chest , buttocks , and intergluteal cleft . clinically , porokeratoma may be present as scaling plaques , papules , or nodules with central hyperkeratosis , but lesions can occasionally have verrucous appearance . with respect to the case herein presented , we highlight the peculiar appearance mimicking a perforating disease . microscopically , porokeratoma shows orthokeratosis , acanthosis , occasional papillomatosis , and clear demarcation from normal skin . multiple , broad , and confluent cornoid lamellae are disposed throughout the entire lesion , and not limited to the borders . below the cornoid lamellae , dyskeratosis and loss of granular layer mild vascular dilatation with surrounding lymphoid cell infiltrate is usually seen within the superficial dermis . cornoid lamella is an expression of focal abnormal cornification and it is regarded as an epithelial reaction pattern . although it is classically seen in porokeratosis , it is not pathognomonic of this entity . cornoid lamella can incidentally appear in other skin lesions such as actinic keratosis , seborrheic keratosis , scars , verruca vulgaris , milia , and squamous cell carcinomas or basal cell carcinomas . although porokeratomas share a similar histological feature of cornoid lamellae , they are clinically and morphologically distinct from porokeratosis and its variants . lesions of porokeratosis present as scaling annular plaques of various sizes with ridge - like hyperkeratotic edges , central hypopigmentation , and atrophy . in addition to differences in clinical presentation , porokeratomas differ from porokeratosis at the histological level since there is no central epidermal atrophy , and the cornoid lamellae are embedded throughout the entire horny layer instead of being present only at the borders . porokeratoma has been included in a long list of terms such as hyperkeratotic porokeratosis , genitogluteal porokeratosis , follicular porokeratosis , and more commonly porokeratosis ptychotropica . clinically , these cases of verrucous porokeratosis frequently show psoriatic - like plaques in butterfly - shape on the buttocks surrounding the anus and occasional satellite lesions . although both entities share the presence of multiple cornoid lamellae , lesions of porokeratoma clinically and histologically differ from verrucous ( hyperkeratotic ) porokeratosis . the majority of previous reported cases of porokeratomas have been solitary , except for a case reported by kanitakis , et al . to the best of our knowledge , our patient represents the second case with multiple porokeratomas and ankylosing spondylarthritis ; therefore , we agree with kanitakis , et al . that there is a possibility of an association between these two entities . although many cases of porokeratosis have been associated with immunosuppression , heretofore , none of the cases of porokeratomas have similarly shown this association . malignant neoplasms have been reported in different clinical variants of porokeratosis , being squamous cell carcinoma the most frequently observed . due to the similarities with porokeratosis , it has been suggested that porokeratoma may also have potential for malignant transformation ; therefore , although malignant transformation has not yet been reported in porokeratomas , excision and close follow - up is indicated in patients with porokeratomas , especially if they are immunocompromised . in conclusion , we have presented a case of multiple porokeratomas in a patient with ankylosing spondylarthritis . although , so far , the terminology is not clearly defined , we agree that porokeratoma probably represents a completely different form of porokeratosis . clinical and histopathological findings suggest that porokeratoma represents a different entity from porokeratosis.association of porokeratoma with ankylosing spondylarthritis may probably be more than a casual finding . |
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– Tens of thousands of people are being evacuated in Puerto Rico after reports of a dam failing Friday, CBS News reports. According to NPR, the National Weather Service announced the Guajataca Dam was failing, causing flash flooding on the Guajataca River. Buses are trying to evacuate the cities of Isabela and Quebradillas—home to about 70,000 people. But details on the damage to the dam and evacuation were sparse as communication is still difficult following Hurricane Maria's battering of the island. “It’s a structural failure. I don’t have any more details,” the Guardian quotes Gov. Ricardo Rossello as saying. “We’re trying to evacuate as many people as possible.” The Guajataca Dam was built decades ago and holds back a man-made lake of about 2 square miles. The National Weather Service is warning of a "life-threatening" situation and advising people to "move to higher ground now." At least seven rivers in Puerto Rico are currently above "flood stage" and much of the island is under a flash-flood warning through Friday. Puerto Rico averages about 10 inches of rain for the entire month of September; some areas of the island have received nearly 40 in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Up to 6 inches of rain is expected through Saturday, and heavy rain is expected on and off until Tuesday. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Puerto Rico Dam Fails As Hurricane Maria Continues To Plague Residents Updated 10:10 p.m. ET Fri Though the brunt of Hurricane Maria has left Puerto Rico, the island's water worries continue. On Friday afternoon, the National Weather Service reported that the Guajataca Dam in the northwest is "failing," causing flash flooding. Buses were trying to evacuate people from the area "as quickly as they can," the service said. Officials say between 50,000 and 70,000 residents may have to be evacuated, according to the Associated Press, which also notes that authorities sent "frantic warnings on Twitter that went unseen by many in the blacked-out coastal area." The dam failure is causing flooding downstream on the Guajataca River. A flash flood watch is also in effect for much of the island through Friday evening with continued rainfall. At least seven rivers in Puerto Rico are still running above "flood stage" (the point at which overflow begins to cause damage from flooding): As Hurricane Maria passed, the entire main island saw persistent and intense rain that accumulated quickly. Caguas, about an hour inland from San Juan, saw 37.9 inches of rainfall, and most of the island got around 20 inches. Los Angeles Times reporter Molly Hennessy-Fiske described the rain in San Juan as "white sheets of rain almost like a snowstorm. It's that intense and can get sort of whiteout effects." Occasionally heavy rain is expected to continue until Tuesday, according to the NWS. Over the past 100-plus years, Puerto Rico has averaged 10 inches of rain for all of September. ||||| Officials are rushing to evacuate tens of thousands of people from their homes in western Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria inflicted structural damage on a dam and unleashed “extremely dangerous” flash floods. Some 70,000 residents in the municipalities of Isabela and Quebradillas were being evacuated by bus after a crack appeared in the nearly 90-year old Guajataca dam. “It’s a structural failure. I don’t have any more details,” Governor Ricardo Rossello said from the capital, San Juan. “We’re trying to evacuate as many people as possible.” “This is an EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION. Buses are currently evacuating people from the area as quickly as they can,” the US National Weather Service tweeted on Friday . NWS San Juan (@NWSSanJuan) 215PM FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY for A Dam Failure in Isabela Municipality y Quebradillas Municipality in Puerto Rico... #prwx pic.twitter.com/L3utOjxspR In a later message, the NWS tweeted: “All Areas surrounding the Guajataca River should evacuate NOW. Their lives are in DANGER! Please SHARE!” NWS San Juan (@NWSSanJuan) Todas las areas alrededor del Rio Guajataca deben desalojar AHORA. Sus vidas corren PELIGRO. Favor de COMPARTIR. #prwx More than 15in (nearly 40cm) of rain has fallen on the mountains surrounding the Guajataca dam, swelling the reservoir behind the nearly 90-year-old dam, which holds back a manmade lake covering about two square miles (five square kilometres). An engineer inspecting the dam reported a “contained breach” that officials quickly realized was a crack and could be the first sign of total failure of the dam, said Anthony Reynes, a meteorologist with the US National Weather Service. “There’s no clue as to how long or how this can evolve. That is why the authorities are moving so fast, because they also have the challenges of all the debris. It is a really, really dire situation,” Reynes said. “They are trying to mobilize all the resources they can, but it’s not easy. We really don’t know how long it would take for this failure to become a full break of the dam.” The scale of the damage inflicted by Hurricane Maria is only just beginning to emerge, partly because communications to outlying areas of the island were severely hampered by the storm. A government spokesman, Carlos Bermudez, said officials had no communication with 40 of the 78 municipalities on the island more than two days after the category 5 storm crossed the island, toppling power lines and cell phone towers and sending floodwaters cascading through city streets. Maj Gen Derek P Rydholm, deputy to the chief of the air force reserve, said at the Pentagon that it was impossible to say when communication and power would be restored. He said mobile communications systems were being flown in but acknowledged “it’s going to take a while” before people in Puerto Rico will be able to communicate with their families outside the island. Until Friday, he said, “there was no real understanding at all of the gravity of the situation”. Maria was the second major hurricane to hit the Caribbean this month and the strongest storm to hit the US territory in nearly 90 years. It completely knocked out the island’s power, and several rivers hit record flood levels. Officials on the island said on Friday that six people had been confirmed killed by the storm: three died in landslides in Utuadno, in the island’s mountainous center; two drowned in flooding in Toa Baja, west of San Juan; and one died in Bayamón, also near San Juan, after being struck by a panel. Earlier news media reports had the death toll on the island as high as 15. “At the moment, these are fatalities we know of. We know of other potential fatalities through unofficial channels that we haven’t been able to confirm,” said Héctor Pesquera, the government’s secretary of public safety. |
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– More than a dozen employees of a Buffalo, NY, firm are accused of lying to, threatening, and bullying thousands of people across the US in what officials say is the biggest debt-collection fraud ever prosecuted. Some 15 employees of Four Star Resolution have been charged with fraudulently collecting $31 million, NBC News reports. An indictment states that the firm's "elite" team used "particularly aggressive and egregious tactics," including sending fake legal documents, "in attempting to trick consumers into paying debts." In some cases, collectors tried to squeeze more money out of the victims than they owed, according to the indictment. US Attorney Preet Bharara says the firm took "ruthless advantage of the desperate situation in which the victims found themselves." Court papers describe how the firm's collectors told victims or their relatives that failing to pay debts was a felony and threatened to do things like issue arrest warrants and suspend driver's licenses, reports the Buffalo News. According to court papers, some of the money collected funded the gambling habit of the collection agency's owner, as well as cosmetic surgery for his wife, NBC notes. Four of the 15 employees have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, the News reports. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | A debt-collection company in Buffalo used lies and trickery to fraudulently collect more than $31 million from thousands of people across the country, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Manhattan said Tuesday in announcing guilty pleas by four participants and charges against 11 others. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement that the millions of dollars involved could make it the largest fraudulent debt-collection scheme ever prosecuted. The collectors, he said, took “ruthless advantage of the desperate situation in which the victims found themselves” by threatening them with arrest and coercing some into paying more than they owed. Court papers describe orchestrated lies. Victims were told, for example, that they had committed a felony by failing to pay debts, that their driver’s licenses would be suspended and they would be referred to an “attorney network.” One collector told the mother of a debtor undergoing dialysis that he was a “legal investigator’’ with a law firm, not a collection agency, and that he was calling about check fraud, according to court papers. In a third example, a collector told victims that they had committed fraud and that he was “in contact with the magistrate. …” “They are en route right now,” he reportedly continued. “Within 46 minutes, they will be there to serve you.” Prosecutors say that company owners Travell Thomas, 37, of Orchard Park, and Maurice Sessum, 39, of Buffalo, instructed employees to “juice” balances to trick people into thinking they owed greater sums than they might have believed. The prosecutors said Thomas spent some of his resulting fortune to gamble and pay for sports tickets, his wedding reception, jewelry and cosmetic surgery for his wife. While court papers and prosecutors do not name the debt-collection company, Thomas and Sessum were named as the principals of an assortment of debt-collection companies that the Federal Trade Commission and State Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman sought to shut down in February because of allegedly abusive practices. In that case, Thomas and Sessum are named as principal managers and officers of 4 Star Resolution LLC, Profile Management Inc. and International Recovery Service LLC, among others. Attorney Michael A. Benson, of Springville, represents Thomas and is one of the lawyers representing 4 Star. He said he does not yet know whether he also will represent Thomas on the criminal charges. But he said Thomas was en route to Benson’s office Tuesday morning and would have surrendered to the authorities had they not arrested him at his home. Thomas and the other defendants all pleaded not guilty in U.S. District Court in Buffalo. Benson said the FTC and now the U.S. Attorney’s Office set the fraudulently obtained figure at $31 million, but they ignore the fact that legitimate debts were being collected and that the company’s principals had payroll and other business expenses to pay from the proceeds, which were collected over seven or eight years. “They make it look in the indictment that they unsealed today that these gentlemen took the money and ran,” Benson said. “That is completely not true.” He went on to say that it will be difficult and expensive for the defendants to face charges in New York City and that he expected their lawyers to attempt to move the case to Buffalo. Asked why the criminal matter was begun in New York City and not Buffalo, a spokeswoman for Bharara said the FTC referred the case to the U.S. Attorney’s office for the Southern District. The charges are wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The prosecutors announced that four company employees have pleaded guilty to the conspiracy charge, a crime punishable by up to 20 years in prison. The four are: Mark Lavin, 45, of Buffalo; John Salatino, 34, of Amherst; Jessica Mann, 30, of Dunkirk; and Jennifer Sherk, 27, of Buffalo. Others facing the charges are: Anthony Brzezowski, 49, of Buffalo, the company’s director of operations; company managers Jimmy Stokes, 38, of Buffalo; Heather Gasta, 41, of Buffalo; and Tacoby Thomas, 37, of Orchard Park; and debt collectors Anthony Caba, 25, of Buffalo; Columbus Simmons, 46, of Buffalo; Charles Starks, 32, of Buffalo; William Clark, 30, of Buffalo; and Michael Calandra, 31, of Angola. email: [email protected] ||||| Breaking News Emails Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. Oct. 27, 2015, 7:52 PM GMT / Updated Oct. 27, 2015, 11:26 PM GMT By Tracy Connor Fifteen employees of a debt-collection firm have been charged with using threats and deception to get struggling consumers to pay overdue bills, collecting $31 million from thousands of of people across the United States, prosecutors said Tuesday. Some of the money was used to pay for the company co-owner's gambling expenses and wedding reception, as well as cosmetic surgery for his wife, according to court papers. The company based in Buffalo, New York, had an "elite team" that used "particularly aggressive and egregious tactics in attempting to trick consumers into paying debts," the indictment charged. The collectors claimed to be tied to government offices — even prosecutors — and told their targets that they would face arrest warrants, driver's license suspensions and civil suits if they didn't fork over what they owed and more, Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara charged. Fake documents were e-mailed to the victims, and the defendants followed "scripts" that were filled with made-up legal terms designed to scare the person on the other end of the phone, prosecutors said. |
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turner syndrome ( ts ) is one of the most common chromosomal abnormalities , with an estimated frequency among female live births of 1/2,000 - 3,000 .
the syndrome is characterized by the partial or complete absence of one x chromosome ( 45,x karyotype ) .
we reported a unique case of a 40-year - old woman with ts accompanying unexpected elongated styloid process specific to eagle syndrome ( es ) and followed up - prolactinoma .
the present article is the first report to define the cone - beam computed tomographic ( cbct ) features of ts accompanying es .
patients with ts carry various risks that make treatment more complicated ; thus advanced imaging techniques for proper treatment and follow - up are extremely important . in the light of cbct examination ,
craniofacial abnormalities specific to ts and accompanying syndromes such as the crowding of teeth especially in the maxillary anterior region caused by maxillary narrowness , micrognatic maxilla and mandible , relative mandibular retrusion , malocclusion , open - bite , and an elongated styloid process ( length of 32.7 mm ) on the right side were illustrated in detail . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | a 40-year - old female patient was referred to ukurova university faculty of dentistry with the requisition of orthodontic treatment and odontalgia due to dental caries . medical anamnesis of the patient revealed that she had ts accompanying prolactinoma and osteoporosis ( fig . the patient was also receiving care from the endocrinology , neurology , and physical and rehabilitation medicine departments at the university hospital . a general physical examination showed that the patient height was 140 cm and weight 40 kg with normal gait and vital signs . according to the patient 's medical history , it was revealed that she had undergone ear surgery due to otorrhea and recurrent otitis media at the age of 6 . she had been diagnosed with ts at the age of 12 by endocrinologists due to the patient 's complaints of amenorrhea and shortness in stature . at the age of 16 , the patient had been on medical treatment ( dopamine agonist therapy ) for a period of about 8 years for the tumor . she had responded to the medical treatment well without needing any surgical treatment . however , the last cranial magnetic resonance imaging ( mri ) of the patient showed a recurrence of the prolactinoma . she has been continuing to follow up at the neurology clinic and receiving medical treatment with a dopamine agonist for her microadenoma ( fig . the patient 's general clinical symptoms were hirsutism , amenorrhea , congenital speech difficulties , partial hearing loss , sinusitis , headache , neck and throat pain , and dysphagia ( fig . 3 ) . she used calcium supplements , oral bisphosphonate , and vitamin d for osteoporosis ; ethinyl estradiol for increasing growth velocity ; cyproterone for hirsutism ; and lansoprazol for peptic ulcer . the intraoral examination and panoramic radiograph demonstrated that the patient had malocclusion , maxillary micrognatia , high and narrow palatal arch , retrusive mandible , bifid uvula , prevalent microdontia , hypoplastic first maxillary premolars , and short dental roots ( figs . 4 and 5 ) . we utilized the patient 's cbct ( iluma cone - beam ct scanner , imtec imaging l.l.c . , ardmore , ok , usa ) scan , which was performed for orthodontic evaluation , and detected a number of craniofacial abnormalities specific to ts . the dental tomographic examination showed the crowding of teeth , especially in the maxillary anterior region , because of the maxillary narrowness . an elongated styloid process ( length of 32.7 mm ) was also detected on the right side ( fig . 7 ) . the patient was referred to the otolaryngology department of the university hospital for a detailed examination and assessment of speech problems . the temporal bone axial and coronal computed tomography ( ct ) reports noted that the tympanic membranes looked thick and retracted bilaterally ; on the left side , peripheral soft tissue density appeared at the external auditory canal . otoscopic examination showed that the right tympanic membrane was intact and calcified plaques were visible around the tympanic membrane . the left tympanic membrane was perforated , and there was an adhesion to the head of the stapes . according to endoscopic rhinoscopy , the nasal septum deviated to the left side ; there was also a slight polypoid degeneration in the middle nasal conchas and adenoid vegetation at the nasopharynx . there is evidence in the literature that genetic factors could contribute to dental and craniofacial abnormalities.8,16,17 patients with ts have a high palatal arch and cleft palate , sharpened canines and premolars , atypical cusps , root length alterations , and hypoplastic crown of premolars.6,8,17 " turner 's teeth " are described as permanent teeth , especially in the case of second mandibular premolars , that show hypoplasia in their crowns.18 our patient had hypoplastic maxillary first premolars , which could be described as turner 's teeth . some other specific abnormalities of ts , including imbalanced craniofacial skeletal growth with flattening of the basal skull , reduction of the transversal dimension of the maxilla , and retrusion of both jaws , has also been described.16 a high arched palate , a higher frequency of cleft palate occurrence , and malocclusion have been described.8,17 orthodontic anomalies of patients with ts were also reported by harju et al.19 they found that the occlusion of these patients seemed to be more abnormal than that of women without ts . it might be speculated that enamel genes on the x chromosome are involved in occlusal development.19,20 according to a hypothesis of gorlin et al , the absence of an x chromosome also has an effect on mandibular growth relative to maxillary development.21 intraoral examination and cbct investigation of our patient showed a number of craniofacial abnormalities specific to ts and an unexpected elongated styloid process specific to es . it was thought that some of the patient 's complaints , including headache , throat and neck pain , and dysphagia , might have been based on es . to the best of our knowledge , there has been no such case of turner syndrome accompanying es and prolactinoma reported in the literature . in conclusion , patients with ts carry various risks that make treatment more complicated ; thus advanced imaging techniques for proper treatment and follow - up would be extremely important . in the light of cbct examination , craniofacial abnormalities specific to ts and accompanying syndromes could be illustrated in detail . |
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– Some 5,000 giant anteaters are thought to exist in the wild, and encounters with humans are rare and largely harmless. The hairy animals with long noses and an appetite for insects do sport "pocketknives" for front claws, AFP reports, which they typically put to use digging into anthills. In two separate incidents in Brazil, however, the 4- to 7-foot-long animals have dug into people instead, and the hunters who encountered them bled to death after being punctured in their thighs and upper arms; one man was hit in the femoral arteries. Both cases, one in 2010 and one in 2012, have just been described in scientific literature this month. "These injuries are very serious and we have no way of knowing whether it is a defense behavior acquired by the animals," one researcher says, adding that it's important to give the anteaters space. One estimate has their population down by about 30% in the past decade due to loss of habitat, wildfires, hunting, and roadkill, and they are now considered a vulnerable species. An expert in Brazil says she hopes the news of the incidents doesn't further threaten the animals: "We have a lot of problems with this species because people believe that (they) bring bad luck and kill the animal on purpose." Adding to the trouble: Anteaters have poor vision and are known for being easily startled. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | A picture taken May 18, 2009 shows giant anteaters at the Israeli zoo of Ramat Gan, near Tel Aviv (AFP Photo/Jonathan Nackstrand) Washington (AFP) - Giant anteaters in Brazil have killed two hunters in separate incidents, raising concerns about the animals' loss of habitat and the growing risk of dangerous encounters with people, researchers said. The long-nosed, hairy mammals are not typically aggressive toward people and are considered a vulnerable species by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), largely due to deforestation and human settlements that encroach on their territory. However, they have poor vision and if frightened, they may defend themselves with front claws that are as long as pocketknives. The case studies of two fatal attacks by giant anteaters were described in the journal Wilderness and Environmental Medicine, which released the paper online this month, ahead of its publication in the December print issue. "Both were farmers, were hunting and were attacked by wounded or cornered animals," lead author Vidal Haddad of the Botucatu School of Medicine at Sao Paulo State University told AFP. In the first case, a 47-year-old man was hunting with his two sons and his dogs when they came upon a giant anteater in northern Brazil. The hunter did not shoot at the animal, but he approached it with his knife drawn. The anteater stood on its hind legs and grabbed the man with its forelimbs, causing deep puncture wounds in his thighs and upper arms. The hunter bled to death at the scene, said the report, which noted that the encounter happened on August 1, 2012 but had not been described in scientific literature until now. The other case involved a 75-year-old man who died in 2010 when an anteater used its long front claws -- which typically help it dig into anthills -- to puncture his femoral arteries, located in the groin and thigh. "These injuries are very serious and we have no way of knowing whether it is a defense behavior acquired by the animals," said Haddad. He stressed that such attacks are rare, but said they are important because they show the need for people to give wild animals plenty of space. - Easily startled - Giant anteaters (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) are believed to be extinct in Belize, El Salvador, Guatemala and Uruguay. Some 5,000 exist in the wild and can be found in parts of Central and South America. Overall their numbers have declined about 30 percent in the past decade due to habitat loss, roadkills, hunting, wildfires and burning of sugar cane plantations, according to the IUCN. They range in length from four to seven feet (1.2-2 meters), and may weigh as much as 100 pounds (45 kilograms). Giant anteaters eat mainly insects but they also enjoy citrus and avocados, according to zookeeper Rebecca Lohse who works with them in captivity at the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, Arizona. "They are animals that can startle quickly -- planes going overheard, chainsaws, leaf blowers can startle them," she said. "The way they defend themselves is by standing up on their rear legs and swinging their front legs in from the side," she explained. "They have incredibly muscular forearms and those claws are several inches long." Zookeepers generally avoid being in the same space as the animals, coaxing them into separate fenced-off areas when they approach their living quarters for cleaning, she added. Anteater expert Flavia Miranda, who works with the animals in Brazil, said she was concerned that the journal article could cause more woes for a creature that already faces plenty of threats to its livelihood. "We have a lot of problems with this species because people believe that (they) bring bad luck and kill the animal on purpose," she told AFP in an email. "But I understand the importance of the article because recently I also had an accident with a giant anteater that almost cost me my life." ||||| Habitat and Ecology: This terrestrial anteater is found in tropical moist forest, dry forest, savanna habitats and open grasslands; it has also been reported from the Gran Chaco (Meritt 2008, Noss et al. 2008) and timber plantations (Kreutz et al. 2013). Recent camera trap data suggest that the species may be more abundant in areas of upland forest in the Brazilian Amazon than previously thought (F. Miranda pers. comm. 2013). Giant anteaters require large areas for their survival, which should contain forested patches. Animals are generally solitary. Once per year, the female gives birth to a single young. Gestation length is 171 to 184 days (Bartmann 1983, Patzl et al. 1998, Knott et al. 2013). The mother carries the offspring on its back for approximately six months. Data from captive animals in European zoos show several females reproducing for the first time at 18-22 months, and the oldest known reproductive captive dams were 20-24 years old (unpublished report provided by I. Schappert). For wild females, sexual maturity is usually indicated as being around 2 years however, as it is not possible to determine their age once they reach adult size and long-term population studies on giant anteaters are lacking, there are no data on the longevity, survival rates, or reproductive rates of wild giant anteaters. The generation length of M. tridactyla in the wild is therefore unknown, but it is suspected to be around 7 years |
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– Jim Graves apparently had a very specific political agenda: Defeat Michele Bachmann. The Democratic businessman came within a whisker of doing so in Minnesota last year, and now that Bachmann has announced she's not running for re-election to Congress, that would seem to be good news for Graves' political career, right? But Graves tells MinnPost in the wake of Bachmann's announcement that he's leaving politics. "I’ve been talking to my friends and family and frankly, the feeling is, ‘Mission Accomplished,'" he says. "She wasn’t representing the people of the 6th District appropriately, and now she won’t be representing them. There’s no way anyone could run and win who would be worse than Michele Bachmann. So we accomplished that task.” Daily Intel adds some context, noting that this is a heavily Republican district. "In other words, against a qualified and sane Republican, he has no chance." | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Photo: Win McNamee/2012 Getty Images Amateur politician Jim Graves, the founder of a hotel chain, nearly beat Minnesota congresswoman Michele Bachmann in last year's election because she is crazy. He vowed to try again in 2014, but then Bachmann said she will not run again, so neither will Graves because he is not crazy. "Basically, after all that's gone on, and with Michele Bachmann now stepping down, I've been talking to my friends and family and frankly, the feeling is, 'Mission Accomplished," the Democrat told MinnPost today. "She wasn't representing the people of the 6th District appropriately, and now she won't be representing them. There's no way anyone could run and win who would be worse than Michele Bachmann. So we accomplished that task." Sure, okay! Graves lost the House seat to Bachmann by just 1.2 percentage points in a district that Mitt Romney won with 56 percent of the vote, or his best in the state. In other words, against a qualified and sane Republican, he has no chance: "Charlie Cook, who analyzes every congressional district based on multiple factors, rates the district 'R +10,' which means a generic Republican should start out with roughly a 10-percentage-point lead over a generic Democrat. That makes the 6th the most Republican-leaning district in Minnesota." Graves said "his plan is to give no interviews for a month so the spotlight can shift to others who want to enter the race from which he is withdrawing." Is that a Bachmann un-retiring we smell? Maybe if she decides to run again, Graves will, too, and they can keep playing chicken until Election Day. ||||| MinnPost photo by Jana Freiband As of today, Jim Graves is going to indefinitely suspend his campaign for Congress from the 6th District. Translation: He is not running. He is dropping out of politics to concentrate on his family and his business. Later this morning he will circulate a press release to this effect. But he says he will not take questions about it today, nor is he particularly interested in hearing from various Democrats who might want to talk him into changing his mind. In fact, his plan is to give no interviews for a month so the spotlight can shift to others who want to enter the race from which he is withdrawing. Except one interview. Graves kindly reached out to me Thursday night to offer a brief interview and agreed that MinnPost could break the story this morning, a short time before his official statement is released. Here is what he told me: ‘Mission Accomplished’ “Basically, after all that’s gone on, and with Michele Bachmann now stepping down, I’ve been talking to my friends and family and frankly, the feeling is, ‘Mission Accomplished.’ She wasn’t representing the people of the 6th District appropriately, and now she won’t be representing them. There’s no way anyone could run and win who would be worse than Michele Bachmann. So we accomplished that task.” I asked Graves if he was claiming credit for ending Bachmann’s political career, but he demurred. “I don’t know everything that went into her decision,” he said. “Clearly, it was going to be a competitive race. All through Memorial Day weekend, she was in the district, working the crowds. Obviously something happened to cause her to believe that she shouldn’t run again. We’re very happy she dropped out. The country can do better.” As for his own future, he declined to make an absolute Shermanesque commitment never to run for office again, but he has no such plans. “I’m not a politician; I’m a business guy,” he said. “Now there are zero things on my agenda that I feel a need to do in public life.” Opposite of Bachmann’s approach Graves said he entered his brief political fling hoping to emphasize three or four qualities and ideas that he felt were the opposite of Bachmann’s approach. Bachmann demonizes those with whom she disagrees. He believes in civility. Bachmann constantly misstates the facts. He believes in being careful and rigorous about the factual basis for the positions he advocates. Bachmann thrives on gridlock, believing that preventing the Democrats from accomplishing anything is goal enough. He believes in trying to find solutions to problems, even if you have to compromise with those advocating different solutions in order to make progress. REUTERS/Mario Anzuoni “I don’t think compromise is a dirty word,” Graves said. “It’s a great approach. You can never get a perfect deal.” I asked Graves whether his decision was shaped by the emerging conventional wisdom that, while he had a fair shot at defeating Bachmann, he stood little chance against a less radical, divisive, fact-challenged Republican, because the 6th District has such a strong Republican lean. He didn’t exactly say yes or no. He emphasized that Amy Klobuchar has done very well in the district in both of her Senate races. She is a Democrat, but she offers a constructive approach. He acknowledged that the national media, the national Democratic Party and the national liberal-donor base are going to be a lot less interested in who represents the 6th District of Minnesota now that Bachmann has removed herself. He said that the attention and support he received from far and wide was not about him. “I was just the guy who was running against her,” he said. “I’m humble enough to realize that.” And now he isn’t running against her or anyone else. He is looking forward to life out of the limelight. |
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– A radio host and former Playboy playmate says Sen. Al Franken assaulted her—and unlike some women coming forward with similar tales about other high-profile figures, Leeann Tweeden offered proof. In a first-person account at KABC, Tweeden says she was groped in December 2006 when she and the Democratic senator from Minnesota, then a comedian, were on a plane ride home from the Middle East, where they'd entertained troops as part of a USO tour. As she slept, Tweeden says Franken groped her breasts in a moment that was caught on camera. "It wasn't until I was back in the US and looking through the CD of photos we were given by the photographer that I saw this one," Tweeden says of the photo, which shows Franken grinning, his hands on Tweeden's clothed breasts. Earlier in the trip, Tweeden says Franken had also kissed her without her consent as the pair were rehearsing a skit. Franken decided their characters would kiss and "mashed his lips against mine and aggressively stuck his tongue in my mouth," Tweeden writes. "I felt disgusted and violated" and "wanted to shout my story to the world with a megaphone," she continues. "But even as angry as I was, I was worried about the potential backlash and damage going public might have on my career as a broadcaster," Tweeden writes. But "I've decided it's time to tell my story. #MeToo," she tweeted. Franken apologized Thursday but says he remembers the skit rehearsal differently, per the Hill. "As to the photo, it was clearly intended to be funny but wasn't," he says. "I shouldn't have done it." | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | A TV host and sports broadcaster on Thursday accused Sen. Al Franken Alan (Al) Stuart FrankenGillibrand announces exploratory committee to run for president on Colbert The Hill’s 12:30 Report: Trump AG pick Barr grilled at hearing | Judge rules against census citizenship question | McConnell blocks second House bill to reopen government Overnight Health Care: House Dems launch major drug pricing investigation | Judge blocks Trump contraception rule rollback | Booker tries to shake doubts about pharmaceutical ties ahead of 2020 | FDA to resume high-risk food inspections MORE (D-Minn.) of kissing and groping her without her consent in 2006. Leeann Tweeden accused Franken of groping her, without her consent, while she was asleep and provided a photo as evidence. KABC anchor: Senator Al Franken Kissed and Groped Me Without My Consent, And There’s Nothing Funny About It https://t.co/lG4A1ZTUhC pic.twitter.com/EYIzr9ok2s — Meridith McGraw (@meridithmcgraw) November 16, 2017 The incident happened in December 2006, she said, when she and Franken, then a comedian, were on a USO tour to "entertain our troops." Franken in a statement apologized for his actions. ADVERTISEMENT "It wasn’t until I was back in the U.S. and looking through the CD of photos we were given by the photographer that I saw this one," Tweeden wrote about the photo on KABC. "I felt violated all over again. Embarrassed. Belittled. Humiliated," she wrote. "How dare anyone grab my breasts like this and think it’s funny?" Tweeden wrote that Franken, who was the headliner on the tour, had written some skits and told her he had a part for her, adding that she "agreed to play along." "When I saw the script, Franken had written a moment when his character comes at me for a ‘kiss’. I suspected what he was after, but I figured I could turn my head at the last minute, or put my hand over his mouth, to get more laughs from the crowd," she wrote. "On the day of the show Franken and I were alone backstage going over our lines one last time. He said to me, 'We need to rehearse the kiss.' I laughed and ignored him. Then he said it again. I said something like, ‘Relax Al, this isn’t SNL…we don’t need to rehearse the kiss.’" She wrote Franken continued to insist and she got "uncomfortable." "He repeated that actors really need to rehearse everything and that we must practice the kiss. I said ‘OK’ so he would stop badgering me. We did the line leading up to the kiss and then he came at me, put his hand on the back of my head, mashed his lips against mine and aggressively stuck his tongue in my mouth," she wrote. "I immediately pushed him away with both of my hands against his chest and told him if he ever did that to me again I wouldn’t be so nice about it the next time." She said she felt disgusted and violated. She added that she didn't tell anyone what happened at the time, but she was "angry." Tweeden also said she fell asleep while on the plane back to the U.S. She said is wasn't until she saw the photo of Franken groping her that she told her husband what had happened and showed him the photo. "I wanted to shout my story to the world with a megaphone to anyone who would listen, but even as angry as I was, I was worried about the potential backlash and damage going public might have on my career as a broadcaster," she wrote. "But that was then, this is now. I’m no longer afraid." She said she is sharing her story because there may be others. "I want the days of silence to be over forever," she wrote. Tweeden also issued a direct statement to Franken. "Senator Franken, you wrote the script. But there’s nothing funny about sexual assault," she wrote. "You knew exactly what you were doing. You forcibly kissed me without my consent, grabbed my breasts while I was sleeping and had someone take a photo of you doing it, knowing I would see it later, and be ashamed." Franken said he does not remember the incident the same way but acknowledged the photo "wasn't" funny. “I certainly don’t remember the rehearsal for the skit in the same way, but I send my sincerest apologies to Leeann. As to the photo, it was clearly intended to be funny but wasn't. I shouldn't have done it," he said in a statement. Tweeden's comments come amid increased reports of sexual harassment in the workplace, including on Capitol Hill. Multiple women in Congress have come forward to say they have been victims of sexual harassment, prompting lawmakers to call for reform. Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) said Tuesday the House has paid out $15 million in harassment settlements over more than a decade, though a spokesperson later clarified that figure does not only account for sexual harassment claims. She said at a Tuesday hearing that two current members of Congress, one Republican and one Democrat, have been accused of sexual harassment. Her comments come after multiple women have accused GOP Senate candidate Roy Moore of sexual misconduct. Moore is facing growing calls from top Republicans to step aside in the Alabama race, though he has indicated he plans to continue running. This report was updated at 11:07 a.m. |
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– Two conservative media giants are combining forces. Glenn Beck and Mark Levin are merging TheBlaze and CRTV to create what the Hollywood Reporter calls a "conservative media powerhouse." Beck founded TheBlaze after exiting Fox News, while Levin, a former attorney in Ronald Reagan's administration and nationally syndicated radio host, founded LevinTV, which ultimately became CRTV ("Conservative Review" TV). CNN notes that the two media entities have been competitors for years, both offering on-demand video libraries with content from conservative contributors (among CRTV's stable: Michelle Malkin and Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson) and websites featuring conservative news and commentary; it paints the merger as "one of the most sizable consolidations to ever take place in right-wing media." Beck says the new company, Blaze Media, could ultimately bring others onboard: "This is the beginning of scale," he tells THR. "Anyone who loves the Bill of Rights and pursues honesty, I want them all in. We’re an open book. Let’s talk." CNN reports that TheBlaze had been struggling recently, with executive turnover, layoffs, and high-profile splits with talent including Tomi Lahren. Ben Shapiro's Daily Wire had considered merging with the company recently, and Beck tells THR he'd "still like to do that." For now, Daily Wire will be one of Blaze Media's competitors; others include Breitbart News, the Daily Caller, and the newly launched Fox Nation online streaming platform. Blaze Media will reach 165 million people via digital platforms and social media, plus some TV providers including DISH and Verizon. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | New York (CNN Business) TheBlaze and CRTV, two of the largest online conservative media organizations, announced on Monday that they had merged to form a new company called Blaze Media, representing one of the most sizable consolidations to ever take place in right-wing media. "We are so grateful and so blessed to finally come together," Glenn Beck, the founder of TheBlaze, said on his radio program Monday. For years, TheBlaze and CRTV have competed against each other, offering readers and viewers a similar product as they vied for the same target demographic. Each company featured an on-demand video library of daily programs from an array of conservative commentators. Both companies also operated websites where writers posted conservative commentary and news. Now that the two organizations have joined forces, Blaze Media will be one of the largest carrier of on-demand conservative media content on the Internet. Blaze Media said it will also be carried by some television providers, including DISH and Verizon. The company, however, declined to reveal how many subscribers it has. Read More ||||| The homes of Glenn Beck and Mark Levin are combining to create Blaze Media, which they say will reach 165 million people via television, digital platforms and social media. Glenn Beck and Mark Levin are teaming up by merging TheBlaze and CRTV to create a conservative-media entity dubbed Blaze Media, which they say will reach 165 million people via television, digital platforms and social media. Beck and Levin are set to officially announce what they are calling a merger of equals Monday, but Beck tells The Hollywood Reporter that the move could be just a next step in building a powerhouse, independent media company. "This is the beginning of scale," he says. "Anyone who loves the Bill of Rights and pursues honesty, I want them all in. We're an open book. Let's talk." Beck founded TheBlaze in 2011 after leaving Fox News, where his show drew a large audience though it was constantly attacked by progressive groups that discouraged advertisers. TheBlaze grew quickly, but in recent years has scaled back in order to preserve money. TheBlaze is seen on Dish Network, Verizon Fios, Roku, SlingTV and several regional cable outlets, and it is heard on Sirius XM Radio, iHeartRadio and elsewhere. Next year, it will launch a live tour with the working title Blaze Live. Levin, a former attorney in Ronald Reagan's presidential administration, is a nationally syndicated radio host, and he hosts Life, Liberty & Levin on Fox News. He founded LevinTV and the digital outlet morphed into CRTV, the "CR" standing for "Conservative Review." Beyond Levin, some of the talent at CRTV includes Michelle Malkin, Steven Crowder, Matt Kibbe, Deneen Borelli, Phil Robertson of Duck Dynasty fame and Gavin McInnes, the co-founder of Vice Media who hosts the show Get Off My Lawn at CRTV. Blaze Media will be run by Tyler Cardon and Gaston Mooney, who were named co-presidents of the merged company. Previously, Mooney was president of CRTV and Cardon was president of TheBlaze. Levin had no management authority at CRTV and will have none at Blaze Media, according to insiders. "Tens of millions of Americans have had it with the biased, ideologically driven mainstream media outlets that sanctimoniously advance their own agendas under the guise of 'news' and 'journalism.' Conservatives actually believe in a free press and the rest of the Constitution," said Levin. He added that his intention with the merger is "to further expand and offer the public an alternative to liberal media groupthink." Blaze Media will compete with conservative outlets like Breitbart News, The Daily Caller (co-founded by Tucker Carlson) and Salem Media Group, a publicly traded company that is considered the industry leader in talk radio. It will also compete with Daily Wire, founded by Ben Shapiro, a former Breitbart editor who had also considered merging with Beck's company. "I'd still like to do that," Beck said. "I'm a big fan of what Ben has built." Blaze Media will be headquartered in Dallas at Beck's facilities, but he says that's only a technicality as it will operate all over the country. "Dallas will be the epicenter, but we'll be like a movie studio, like United Artists. It's a much better system for the talent." The Blaze has been going through a rocky stretch, laying off about 20 percent of its staffers and losing talent like NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch and Tomi Lahren, the latter after publicly feuding with Beck over pro-choice remarks she made on her former show. Beck says the incident was misreported without context. "We're a different kind of media company, without a centralized command and control," he says. "There's no network you have to confer with. Talent is free to express their opinions, whether I agree with them or not." Financial terms of the merger were not disclosed, but Beck acknowledges his company had bled some red ink, though it has been profitable for about 12 months. "We worked hard to make sure we're in the black. If we had spoken to CRTV a couple of years ago, it would have been a different story," he says. "We talked about a merger when neither of us needs it. That's the best time." Beck said four years ago he was moving into movie production, but notes it hasn't been financially feasible until now. "The merger will help those efforts," he said. "First and foremost, I'm an artist and a storyteller." |
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tumor local immune escape is one of the hallmarks of cancer leading to poor prognosis .
the effects of local radiotherapy on tumors are rapidly emerging as opportunities to remodel and enhance immunity against cancer .
however , this immunity remodeling and enhancing are not permanent after local radiotherapy .
high expression of hif-1 following local radiotherapy for tumor cell reoxygenation has been confirmed , and recently accumulating evidence shows the tumor immune suppression effects .
these research findings suggest a new direction in the investigation of methods to enhance the efficacy of local radiotherapy .
we speculate that by blocking hif-1 , the immune effects of radiotherapy might be prolonged and enhanced . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | each stage in the development and progression of cancer is the result of cross - talk between the tumor and the host s immune system . the constant selective pressure of the immune system promotes the emergence of tumor cells that are highly resistant to immune rejection . , including cell - mediated immune tolerance , loss of some antigens , defective death receptor signaling , and immunosuppressive cytokines . various immune cell types ( e.g. , tregs , mdscs , and tams ) have been shown to contribute to the establishment and maintenance of immune tolerance . tumor cells frequently downregulate expression of hla class i antigens , which play an important role in antigen presentation to cd8 + t cells . nk cells express activating receptors , such as nkg2d , which bind to stress - induced ligands ( mica and micb ) that can be up - regulated in a variety of tumors , making the tumor susceptible to nk cell - mediated cytotoxicity , which means that their paucity in the tumor may prevent nk - cell recruitment to the tumor site . evidence shows that the expression of mica and micb can be suppressed in the hypoxic environment of the tumor . as one of the death receptors , down - regulation or loss of fas expression in tumors may also contribute to their resistance to tumor immunity . tumor cells also produce a variety of cytokines ( e.g. , vegf , il-10 , tgf- , and pge2 ) that can negatively affect maturation and function of immune cells . as a consequence , these negative regulators create a balance between immune activation and immune inhibition , resulting in tumor escape and tumor progression . however , this balance has been proven to be upset by interventions such as radiotherapy that contribute to systemic antitumor immunity . enhanced expression of death receptors , mhc class i molecules , costimulatory molecules , adhesion molecules ( icam-1 and vcam-1 ) , and stress - induced ligands on tumor cells after radiation increased their recognition and killing by t cells or nk cells in vitro and/or in vivo in several cancer models . interestingly , although many phenotypic changes have been observed and demonstrated to benefit antitumor immunity , some negative regulators have also been reported to be induced in some trails , like tgf- and tregs . this means that the effects of radiation should not be simply considered as promoting antitumor immunity , but may be a tendency of the tumor to regain the balance . in fact , the phenotypic changes are not persistent , so there is a chance to enhance the immune effects of radiotherapy by prolonging the phenotypic changes . here , we concentrate on hif-1 , a factor which increases after radiation and has recently been shown to suppress antitumor immunity . although hif-1 is mostly known as a transcription factor activated by hypoxia in tumors , it can also elevate in other situations , for example after radiotherapy in cancer treatment . within hours after irradiation , intratumoral hif-1 activity decreases due to von hippel - lindau however , during reoxygenation , free radical species accumulate in tumor tissue and lead to overexpression of hif-1 . as a result , hif-1 expression increases in a hypoxia - independent manner 18 to 24 h after radiotherapy . , accumulating evidence has indicated that hif-1 can act as a suppressor of antitumor immunity . reported that hypoxia dramatically alters the function of mdsc in the tumor microenvironment and redirects their differentiation toward tams via hif-1 . ben - shoshan et al . found that hif-1 increases the number and suppressive properties of naturally occurring cd4(+)cd25(+ ) treg . suggested that intratumor hypoxia promotes immune tolerance by inducing tregs via tgf- 1 in gastric cancer . it has also been shown that tgf- is a hif-1 target gene , and introduces the possibility that hypoxia induction of tregs involves a coordinated response involving hif-1 and tgf- . in addition to promoting the generation of tregs , hif-1 can also negatively regulate functions of t cells directly by regulating t cell receptor signal transduction . a study found a mechanistic link between hif-1 , increased expression of adam10 , and decreased surface mica levels . the expression of hif-1 in nk cells also seems impair their ability to upregulate the surface expression of the major activating nk - cell receptors ( nkp46 , nkp30 , nkp44 , and nkg2d ) . the association of hif-1 and fas expression has been implied in some experiments . andrew et al . showed that a vegf / jak2/stat5 axis may decrease the apoptosis of endothelial cells by repression of proapoptotic fas / fasl , and vegf can be induced by hif-1. in summary , accumulating evidence shows that the immune suppression effects of hif-1 and the elevating of hif-1 after irradiation could prevent the immune effects of irradiation ( figure 1 ) . therefore , we speculate that inhibition of hif-1 following radiotherapy may prolong and enhance the immune effects of radiotherapy . in the past decades , the immune effects of radiotherapy in tumors have been investigated extensively . however , tumors are so clever that they can remodel themselves and reverse the immune effects of radiotherapy , which makes the effects temporary . hif-1 may be one of factors taking part in the remodeling , and inhibition of hif-1 following radiotherapy may prevent the process . |
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epidermoid and dermoid cysts represent less than 0.01% of all oral cavity cysts . we describe a rare case of large epidermoid cyst in floor of mouth , with an oral as well as submental component resembling plunging ranula reported in the literature from india .
we present a case of a 16-year - old girl with complaints of a mass in sublingual region , difficulty chewing , and dysphagia for about 5 months .
fine - needle aspiration cytology showed keratin flakes and proteinaceous material .
contrast - enhanced ct oral cavity was done and showed 7.0 5 4.5 cm well - circumscribed non - enhancing cystic mass extending into the floor of the mouth . on examination ,
a firm swelling was noticed in the submental area , extending down to the thyroid notch .
the patient underwent surgical removal of the mass .
on histopathology , acidophilic stratum corneum and basophilic dot like staining of stratum granulosum , which is the hallmark of an epidermoid cyst , were seen . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | epidermoid and dermoid cysts are benign lesions encountered throughout the body , with 7% occurring in the head and neck area and 1.6% within the oral cavity . the cysts can be defined as epidermoid when the lining presents only epithelium , dermoid cysts when skin adnexa are found , and teratoid cysts when other tissue such as muscle , cartilage , and bone are present . the pathogenesis of the midline cysts of floor of mouth includes dysontogenetic , traumatic , and thyroglossal anomaly . histologically , meyer divided the cysts of the floor of the mouth into three groups : epidermoid , dermoid , and teratoid . the term dermoid is used to indicate all three categories . dermoid cysts occur primarily in the testes and ovaries , and the most common location in head and neck is external third of the eyebrow . the treatment of dermoid cysts of the floor of mouth is surgical and can be by an intraoral or extraoral route according to the localization and size of the mass . dermoid cysts usually present early in life as an asymptomatic mass and are treated by simple excision . such swelling in the floor of the mouth can occasionally cause serious problems for swallowing and speaking . a 16-year - old female presented with complaints of a mass in oral cavity beneath the tongue and difficulty in chewing and swallowing of solid foods for the past 5 months . the patient had no dyspnea or pain , no previous history of surgery or trauma to the oral cavity or neck . on examination , there was 7 cm 5 cm sublingual mass that was non - tender , fluctuant , soft , non - mobile , with overlying mucosa showing no secondary changes [ figure 1 ] . large intraoral sublingual epidermoid mass sublingual epidermoid cyst being excised out on examination , a soft swelling was also noticed in the submental area , extending down to the thyroid notch . contrast - enhanced ct was done and showed 7.0 5 4.5 cm well - circumscribed non - enhancing cystic mass extending into the floor of the mouth . posteriorly , the lesion is abutting the base of tongue and causing compression over anterior wall of the oropharynx . ct features and extension suggested possibility of plunging ranula and thyroglossal cyst [ figure 3 ] . ct scan showing large well - circumscribed non - enhancing cystic mass extending into the floor of the mouth under general anesthesia , intraoral incision was given in the floor of the mouth from base of tongue to mandible . sharp and blunt dissection was done to free the cyst from fibers of mylohyoid muscle . the resultant defect was closed in layers after ensuring hemostasis . excised specimen of sublingual epidermoid cyst measuring approx . 7 cm 5 cm the postoperative period was uneventful and the tongue went back to its normal position . on histological examination , acidophilic stratum corneum and basophilic dot like staining of stratum granulosum were seen . the patient did well postoperatively , and no recurrence was noticed at the two - month follow - up . h and e stain 20 showing acidophilic stratum corneum and basophilic dot like staining of stratum granulosum congenital cysts are dysembryogenetic lesions that arise from ectodermic elements entrapped during the midline fusion of the first and second branchial arches between the third and fourth weeks of intrauterine life . moreover , other authors proposed that midline cysts may represent a variant form of thyroglossal duct cyst . dermoid cysts are generally diagnosed in young adults in the second and third decades of life , although the case presented here is a 16-year - old girl . the differential diagnosis of sublingual lesions includes ranula , lymphatic malformation , dermoid cyst , epidermoid cyst , and heterotopic gastrointestinal cyst . for this reason , bimanual palpation and conventional radiography are not always sufficient in making differential diagnoses . in these cases , it is necessary to use ultrasonography , ct scan , or mr imaging together with cytology examination by fine - needle aspiration biopsy . ct scan and mr imaging allow more precise localization of the lesion in relationship to geniohyoid and mylohyoid muscles , and enable the surgeon to choose the most appropriate surgical approach , especially for very large- and medium - sized lesions . in our patient , the cyst was 7 cm 5 cm being one of large cyst reported in literature . ct scan showed it to be ranula but histopathology confirmed it to be epidermoid cyst ; all the other possibilities of sublingual lesions were ruled out on the basis of histopathology and ct scan . in our patient , we used intraoral approach as the cyst was easily accessible through this route and was easily excised . several techniques are reported in the literature , which may be divided into intraoral and extraoral techniques depending on which approach is used . extraoral approach is generally preferred in the case of median geniohyoid or very large sublingual cysts , whereas the intraoral approach is typically used for medium - sized sublingual cysts . malignant changes have been recorded in dermoid cysts by new and erich but not in the floor of the mouth , although a 5% rate of malignant transformation of oral dermoid cysts of the teratoid type has been reported by other authors . |
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– Jurors deciding whether Dzhokhar Tsarnaev will live or die are suddenly being asked to pay a lot of attention to an image of him flipping the bird. Yesterday, prosecutors showed jurors the image, taken from video in his jail cell three months after the bombing, and cast it as the gesture of an "unrepentant" bomber sending another message to Americans. Today, though, his defense team showed jurors video footage from which it came and suggested it was nowhere near as sinister as prosecutors say, reports the New York Times. In the video, Tsarnaev moves close to the camera—which attorney Miriam Conrad likened to a mirror because of its reflective cover—and began adjusting his hair. At one point, he makes a sideways V sign, followed by the middle finger alone. The judge did not allow Conrad to give her interpretation of what Tsarnaev meant by the gestures, declaring that the video should stand on its own. "How old was he at that time?" she asked an assistant US marshal on the stand, reports AP. When he responded he didn't know, Conrad said, "You didn't know that he was 19 years old?" A friend of the bomber's tells the Boston Globe that he doesn't think Tsarnaev was sending a vile message, adding that the sideways V was more of a goofy gesture that their friends sometimes used in photos. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Jurors in the death penalty trial of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on Wednesday were shown video of him making an obscene gesture as well as holding his fingers in the shape of “V” to a surveillance camera in a courthouse holding cell three months after he was arrested in the terror attack. A prosecutor had shown a picture of Tsarnaev making the obscene gesture to the jury in US District Court in Boston at the end of her opening statement in the penalty phase of the trial on Tuesday, underlining her argument that he was “unconcerned, unrepentant, and unchanged” after the attack. Advertisement On Wednesday, video of the incident, which happened on July 10, 2013, was shown to jurors at the request of Tsarnaev’s defense team. Tsarnaev was being held in a cell prior to his arraignment in court on the charges for which he was convicted earlier this month. Get Fast Forward in your inbox: Forget yesterday's news. Get what you need today in this early-morning email. Sign Up Thank you for signing up! Sign up for more newsletters here Even though the sideways “V” sign can be an offensive gesture in some countries, at least one friend of Tsarnaev’s said he doubts Tsarneav meant it in that way. David Zimble said that, among Tsarnaev’s circle of friends, that sideways V sign was sometimes used as a playful gesture — more of a variation of the 1960s “peace” sign — and that it did not mean anything profane or political if used. He said sometimes friends used this as a goofy gesture in photos. Advertisement In court, Gary Oliviera, a US Marshals Service employee, said he was monitoring surveillance cameras including the one in Cell 4, where Tsarnaev was placed. He testified that he saw Tsarnaev display his middle finger and that he reported it to supervisors. He was ordered to write a report two days later, he said. For the first time since the second phase of the trial began, the defense cross-examined a prosecution witness. The jury was shown a two-minute snippet of video that also showed Tsarnaev before making the gesture. The longer sequence showed Tsarnaev fixing his unkempt hair while looking into the reflective camera lens, putting up his index and middle finger in a “V” — and then displaying his middle finger alone. During cross-examination, defense attorney Miriam Conrad called the gesture a “V sign.” US District Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. ordered her not to describe Tsarnaev’s actions, ruling that the video spoke for itself. Tsarnaev has been convicted in the April 15, 2013, bombing near the Marathon finish line in which three people were killed and more than 260 others were wounded. He has also been convicted in the slaying of an MIT police officer several days later. Prosecutors say his older brother, Tamerlan, was his partner in the violence. The jury earlier this month determined that he was guilty of 30 charges, including 17 that carry the death penalty. The jury is now in the second day of the second phase of the trial, one in which they will decide whether he gets the death penalty or life in prison. ||||| BOSTON (AP) — Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev peered into the security camera in the corner of his jail cell, fussed with his hair while looking in the reflective glass, flashed a two-digit salute like a teenager taking a selfie and then defiantly put up his middle finger. In this courtroom sketch, prosecutor Nadine Pellegrini makes opening arguments during the first day of the penalty phase in the trial of Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, seated at right, Tuesday,... (Associated Press) EDS NOTE: OBSCENE GESTURE - In this July 10, 2013, surveillance photo released by the U.S. Attorney's office, Dzhokhar Tsarnaev extends his middle finger to a security camera in his jail cell in Devens,... (Associated Press) A photo and video footage of the obscene gesture were released publicly Wednesday, a day after the photo caused a sensation when prosecutors showed it in court to the jury that will decide whether Tsarnaev lives or dies. The images were taken by a video camera in Tsarnaev's cell three months after the April 2013 marathon bombings killed three people and injured more than 260. It was the day he was taken into court to be formally arraigned on 30 federal charges in the bombing and in the killing of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer. Prosecutors presented the photo, wedged between vibrant photos of the people Tsarnaev has been convicted of killing, during their opening statement, telling the jury it showed an "unconcerned, unrepentant and unchanged" Tsarnaev. On Wednesday, Tsarnaev's lawyers tried to blunt the impact of the photo by showing video of Tsarnaev in his cell before and after. The video shows Tsarnaev pacing around, fixing his hair and then climbing up on a bench and making the gestures. It shows an obvious injury to the side of his face where he was shot during a gunbattle with police days after the bombings. Defense lawyer Miriam Conrad emphasized Tsarnaev's young age when questioning Assistant U.S. Marshal Gary Oliveira about the video. "How old was he at that time?" she asked. Oliveira said he did not know. "You don't know that he was 19 years old?" Conrad responded. Testimony in the penalty phase of Tsarnaev's trial was to resume Thursday. |
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subclavian venous catheterization was once widely used for volume resuscitation , emergency venous access , chemotherapy , parenteral nutrition , and hemodialysis .
however , its use has drastically reduced recently because of life - threatening complications such as hemothorax , pneumothorax . in this case , a patient admitted for a scheduled operation underwent right subclavian venous catheterization for preoperative , intraoperative , and postoperative volume resuscitation and parenteral nutrition .
the procedure was performed by an experienced senior resident . despite detecting slight resistance during the guidewire insertion , the resident continued the procedure to the point of being unable to advance or remove it , then attempted to forcefully remove the guidewire , but it broke and became entrapped within the thorax .
we tried to remove the guidewire through infraclavicular skin incision but failed .
so video - assisted thoracoscopic surgery was used to remove the broken guidewire .
this incident demonstrates the risks of subclavian venous catheterization and the importance of using a proper and gentle technique . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | central vein catheterization has commonly been used for volume resuscitation , emergency venous access , chemotherapy , parenteral nutrition , hemodialysis , and central venous pressure monitoring . the percutaneous approach includes access via the internal jugular vein , femoral vein , or subclavian vein . during a case of right subclavian venous catheterization using the landmark method , we experienced extravasation , breakage , and entrapment of a guidewire within the thorax that was subsequently removed using video - assisted thoracoscopic surgery ( vats ) . we report this case for educational purposes because this procedure is common but must be performed carefully . a 79-year - old female patient diagnosed with ascending colon cancer was admitted to the division of colon and rectal surgery of our institution for a scheduled operation on july 23 , 2012 . at admission , the patient 's calculated acute physiology and chronic health evaluation ii score was 10 with a predicted death rate of 11.3% . central venous catheterization was performed for preoperative , intraoperative , and postoperative volume resuscitation and nutritional therapy . a senior surgical resident used the landmark method to perform catheterization of the right subclavian vein . the spectrum central venous catheter set ( length , 20 cm ; size , 7.0 f ; william a. cook australia pty . ltd . , brisbane , australia ) the right subclavian vein was successfully punctured using the seldinger technique , and the guidewire was then inserted . slight resistance was detected during the guidewire insertion process , but the resident proceeded with it . when guidewire advancement was not possible , its removal was attempted . however , by this point , it could be neither advanced nor removed because of resistance . chest radiography was immediately performed to determine the position of the guidewire , and the results indicated guidewire looping and entrapment within the upper right clavicle ( fig . chest computed tomography scans revealed that the broken guidewire was outside the vein and had not induced hemothorax , pneumothorax , or hematoma of the soft tissues ( fig . after we had explained this to the patient , under local anesthesia , we tried to remove the broken guidewire through infraclavicular skin incision but we could not find the guidewire . the patient was transferred to the operating room for the scheduled operation and underwent vats of the right thorax . the surgical manifestation was metallic foreign body impaction in the upper chest wall that was successfully removed ( fig . volume resuscitation was conducted through the internal jugular vein during the operation , while nutritional support was delivered via peripheral venous access . the use of subclavian venous access has decreased in recent years because of its associated potentially life - threatening complications such as hemothorax , pneumothorax , and mediastinal hematoma . however , it has the advantages of increased patient comfort and convenience in the postoperative care period . especially considering its convenience of consistent landmarks despite being a blind procedure in emergent settings , it is frequently performed when rapid venous access is required , such as during cardiopulmonary resuscitation . a recent study reported that the use of bedside real - time ultrasound for subclavian vein catheterization was effective . however , more studies have demonstrated that the ultrasound technique is better than the landmark method in the internal jugular vein , and its effectiveness in the subclavian vein is both controversial and known to be technically difficult [ 3 - 5 ] . when ultrasound is not possible or a patient is in a surgically emergent setting , rapid venous access via the subclavian fig . wang and sweeney reported a case of guidewire entrapment during left subclavian venous catheterization in which they were able to remove the entrapped catheter using gentle traction . that report argued that a guidewire should not be inserted further if resistance is detected during insertion or removal , and that j - tip guidewires should be used to reduce the risk of vascular perforation . despite these lessons of wang and sweeney , complications involving guidewire knotting and entrapment onan et al . recently reported a case of a knotted and entrapped guidewire that was removed using an infraclavicular incision under local anesthesia . in our case , because the patient was already scheduled for an operation that required general anesthesia , the entrapped guidewire can be removed using vats . there has been a recent decrease in the use of the subclavian venous catheterization method . however , use of this procedure is inevitable sometimes in emergency conditions requiring rapid venous access or when other insertion sites are unavailable because of previous insertions or catheter - related infections . therefore , surgeons and physicians must be well familiarized with and educated on the standard landmark method . as our experience demonstrates , resistance encountered during guidewire insertion indicates possible knotting , looping , or entrapment ; in such cases , the guidewire should not be forcibly inserted or removed . in addition , when experts are not available , the use of ultrasound - guided internal jugular vein access rather than the subclavian vein approach can help reduce the risk of complications . in conclusion , mastery of the basic principles of this technique is important , and such procedures should be gently performed using accurate landmark assessment with the patient in trendelenburg position long enough to allow for sufficient venous retention . |
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backgroundherpes zoster ophthalmicus ( hzo ) can involve the oculomotor nerve ; however , isolated trochlear nerve palsy has rarely been reported.case reportan 83-year - old man who suffered from hzo in the right frontal area and scalp subsequently developed vertical diplopia and severe pain .
cerebrospinal fluid examination and brain mri revealed no abnormalities .
isolated right trochlear nerve palsy was diagnosed based on the findings of neuro - ophthalmological tests.conclusionsisolated trochlear nerve involvement associated with hzo is very rare and may be easily overlooked .
physicians should carefully examine oculomotor involvement in hzo . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | herpes zoster ophthalmicus ( hzo ) can involve the oculomotor nerve ; however , isolated trochlear nerve palsy has rarely been reported . an 83-year - old man who suffered from hzo in the right frontal area and scalp subsequently developed vertical diplopia and severe pain . isolated right trochlear nerve palsy was diagnosed based on the findings of neuro - ophthalmological tests . isolated trochlear nerve involvement associated with hzo is very rare and may be easily overlooked . herpes zoster ophthalmicus ( hzo ) causes diverse ocular and central nervous system lesions . in hzo , the reported incidence of extraocular muscle palsies has ranged between 7% and 31%,1 - 4 but many cases are asymptomatic because the diplopia is observed in the extreme of gaze and visual acuity is decreased in the affected eye.4 the oculomotor nerve is most commonly affected , followed by the abducens nerve ; the trochlear nerve appears to be the least frequently involved.3 - 6 we report herein the case of a man who suffered from hzo in the right frontal area and scalp , and who subsequently developed vertical diplopia due to isolated trochlear nerve palsy . an 83-year - old man with a 14-year history of controlled hypertension and diabetes presented to our emergency room with acute confusion . five days previously a vesicular eruption and lancinating pain had developed over the distribution of the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve on the right side of the forehead ; the headache was treated with oral acetaminophen . on examination , his blood pressure was 170/90 mmhg and his body temperature was 36. a neurological examination demonstrated reduced wakefulness associated with time , place , and person disorientation . the cranial nerves , and sensory and motor functions were all normal , and no meningeal irritating signs were detected . the results of routine laboratory tests were normal , with the exception of an elevated fasting blood glucose level of 252 mg / dl . cerebrospinal fluid examination was normal with the exception of increased levels of varicella zoster virus igg and igm . his blood pressure ranged from 190/100 to 230/110 mmhg during the 24 hours after admission . after adding antihypertensive agents the patient 's drowsiness and disorientation were markedly improved , and he was alert and able to answer correctly in response to queries about recent events . however , the dose of acyclovir was changed to 1,000 mg / day orally 2 days later because his serum creatinine levels rose to 1.6 mg / dl and he complained of difficulty urinating and swelling of the lower extremities . two weeks after the vesicular eruption appeared on the right side of his forehead , the patient complained of vertical diplopia when he looked in the left lower direction . ophthalmologic examination revealed his visual acuity to be 20/25 in each eye , and no visual field defects were noted on the goldmann perimeter . the right eye showed a severe inferior oblique overaction and underaction of the superior oblique muscle . the bielschowsky three - step head - tilt test disclosed isolated right superior oblique palsy , and the prism cover - uncover test showed right exodeviation of 10 prism diopters ( pd ) on near fixation and right hypertrophy of 4 pd on far fixation . left side downward gaze caused right hypertrophy of 6 pd , and tilting toward the right side produced right hypertrophy of 6 pd . routine laboratory tests and brain mri were performed repeatedly but no abnormal findings were observed . a follow - up examination performed 4 weeks later found that the trochlear nerve palsy had not improved . the extraocular muscle palsy associated with hzo is usually seen in the elderly and is a self - limiting condition.4 in hzo , extraocular muscle palsy occurs within 1 - 2 weeks after the appearance of skin lesions and improves significantly within 2 months in most cases.7 however , it has been reported that the duration of diplopia can vary from 2 to 23 months.7 hzo is commonly associated with ocular complications such as keratitis , iridocyclitis , muscular palsies , and optic neuritis in approximately half of cases.8 however , isolated trochlear nerve palsy is very rare in hzo,5,6,9 and vertical double vision is frequently asymptomatic due to the diplopia that is present only in the extremes of gaze or decreased visual acuity of the affected eye in many cases.2,6 in our case it was necessary to discriminate involvement of the inferior rectus muscle . in inferior rectus paralysis the hypertropia is observed in the primary gaze , with looking to the right and down increasing the hypertrophy . the pathogenetic mechanism underlying extraocular muscle palsy in hzo is not clear and several hypotheses have been proposed . first , a virus may cause a direct cytopathic effect or allergic response in the nervous tissue.10 second , occlusive vasculitis may induce the cranial neuropathy.11 third , a myositic cause is another possible mechanism.12 while the treatment of extraocular muscle palsy associated with hzo has not been formally investigated , the administration of antiviral agents or systemic steroid has been suggested.13 however , since the paralytic lesions improve spontaneously and satisfactorily in some cases , the necessity for any specific treatment is equivocal.14 one prospective study found that administering acyclovir during the early course of hzo could prevent the ocular complication.15 ophthalmoplegia associated with hzo is not uncommon , but isolated trochlear nerve involvement is very rare and can be overlooked . |
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– If the name Cyntoia Brown isn't familiar, that could change soon thanks to the advocacy of Rihanna and other celebs. An Instagram post by Rihanna caused the hashtag FREECYNTOIABROWN to go viral Tuesday, reports the Tennessean. The 29-year-old Brown is serving a life sentence in Tennessee for a murder she committed at age 16. She's not eligible for parole until age 69, which advocates call an outrage because they say Brown had been a victim of child sex trafficking when the killing took place. In 2004, a 43-year-old realtor named Johnny Mitchell Allen picked up Brown in his truck and brought her back to his home for paid sex. While there, she fatally shot him in bed, though Brown says she thought Allen had been reaching for a gun. "Did we somehow change the definition of #JUSTICE," wrote Rihanna. "Something is horribly wrong when the system enables these rapists and the victim is thrown away for life! To each of you responsible for this child's sentence I hope to God you don't have children, because this could be your daughter being punished for punishing already!" Fellow celebs including Kim Kardashian West have echoed the message. Brown, who has gotten her associate's degree in prison and is considered a model prisoner, was the subject of a documentary that changed the state's laws on prostitution and sex trafficking, though the changes came too late for her benefit, per Newsweek. Now, a 16-year-old would be considered a victim of sex trafficking, not a prostitute. The film also documented the years of physical and sexual abuse Brown suffered, as a child and teen. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | This collection broadly documents online sources related to Delaware policy, politics and government, including websites and social media sites of current and former members of Congress; Delaware political parties; Delaware individuals who represent leadership in diplomatic or political arenas, domestic or foreign, at the local, state, and national levels; institutions, organizations, or groups concerned with public policy or civic affairs in Delaware; and Delaware political campaign websites. ||||| The system has failed. It’s heart breaking to see a young girl sex trafficked then when she has the courage to fight back is jailed for life! We have to do better & do what’s right. I’ve called my attorneys yesterday to see what can be done to fix this. # FreeCyntoiaBrownpic.twitter.com/73y26mLp7u ||||| Celebrities have come in force to support sex trafficking victim Cyntoia Brown. In 2004, Brown was sentenced to life in prison when she was 16 years old for killing the man who paid her for sex. A photo that carried a caption loosely detailing Brown’s controversial trial surfaced online on Monday and went viral. It was shared by stars like Kim Kardashian, Rihanna, T.I and several others. The image originated from filmmaker Daniel Birman’s 2011 documentary following the Tennessee-native’s case. The film gave insight on the physical, sexual and verbal abuse Brown suffered as a child before she was solicited for sex by 43-year-old realtor Johnny Mitchell Allen. Brown shot and killed Allen after being taken to his home. Speaking with Tennessee’s Fox17 Nashville on Thursday, Birman explained Brown came from a family with a long history of sexual and physical abuse toward women. “We started the conversation [with Brown being] a young girl who’s at the tail end of three generations of violence against women,” he said. “She had no chance.” During Brown’s trial in 2004, she testified that being beaten, choked, dragged and raped was a regular occurrence in her household. She was often threatened at gunpoint. Her legal team argued the trauma of her childhood is essentially what led her shoot Allen after engaging in intercourse with him, which he paid for. Keep up with this story and more by subscribing now Even though Brown was legally a child when Allen paid her for sex, she was given a life sentence on murder and prostitution charges. She is eligible for parole after serving 51 years behind bars. Birman’s documentary helped change sex trafficking and prostitution laws in Tennessee. Now only adults 18 years and older can be charged for prostitution. Children are deemed victims of sex trafficking in the state. But the new law didn't pertain to Brown. Brown, now 29, has already spent nearly 13 years in prison. She completed her associate's degree behind bars and is reportedly working on her bachelors. She also serves as an unpaid consultant at the Juvenile Justice system. A number of Tennessee residents rallied for Brown’s freedom, launching a clemency petition. So far, it has received more than 100,000 signatures. Celebrities in the hip-hop community took to Instagram and Twitter to advocate against the unfair sentencing of people of color. In early November, a number of music industry elites launched a rally to fight the “unfair and unjust” sentencing of rapper Meek Mill, who was ordered to serve a 2 to 4-year prison sentence for violating his parole. ||||| In 2004, Cyntoia Brown was arrested for murder. There was no question that a 43-year-old man is dead and that she killed him. What mystified filmmaker Daniel Birman was just how common violence among youth is, and just how rarely we stop to question our assumptions about it. He wondered in this case what led a girl — who grew up in a reasonable home environment — to this tragic end? MORE Me Facing Life: Cyntoia’s Story explores Cyntoia’s history and her future. Without attempting to excuse her crime as youthful indiscretion nor to vilify her as an example of a generation gone off the rails, Birman simply follows Cyntoia through six years of her life after the crime, and searches for answers to persistent questions. The camera first glimpses Cyntoia the week of her arrest at age 16 and follows her for nearly six years. Along the way, nationally renowned juvenile forensic psychiatrist, Dr. William Bernet from Vanderbilt University, assesses her situation. We meet Ellenette Brown, Cyntoia’s adoptive mother who talks about the young girl’s early years. Georgina Mitchell, Cyntoia’s biological mother, meets her for the first time since she gave her up for adoption 14 years earlier. When we meet Cyntoia’s maternal grandmother, Joan Warren, some patterns begin to come into sharp focus. Cyntoia wrestles with her fate. She is stunningly articulate, and spends the time to put the pieces of this puzzle together with us. Cyntoia's pre-prison lifestyle was nearly indistinguishable from her mother's at the same age. History — seemingly predestined by biology and circumstance — repeats itself through each generation in this family. Cyntoia is tried as an adult, and the cameras are there when she is convicted and sentenced to life at the Tennessee Prison for Women. After the verdict, Cyntoia calls her mom to tell her the news. In the end, we catch up with Cyntoia as she is adjusting to prison, and struggling with her identity and hope for her future. The Filmmaker Daniel H. Birman is the producer and director of Me Facing Life: Cyntoia’s Story. Previously, Birman produced the highly acclaimed documentary Brace for Impact: The Chesley B. Sullenberger Story, which aired on TLC and the Discovery Channel. LESS |
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– As the judge put it, “Pardon the pun, but it seems to me you wanted to get there, come hell or high water.” That was apparently the case for an American nabbed while crossing illegally into Canada on an air mattress, CBC reports. Officials say John Bennett, 25, was busted last week after he washed up on shore in New Brunswick and was spotted by a local resident. "He was wet and carrying his boots," said prosecutor Peter Thorn. Bennett told Royal Canadian Mounted Police that he had tried to cross the border at Calais, Maine, the normal way, but was denied entry after a background check turned up criminal mischief charges pending in the US, the Guardian reports. He said he had to get to the town of St. Stephen to protect his pregnant girlfriend from a violent ex-boyfriend. So he bought an inflatable mattress at a Walmart in Maine, used a wooden board as a paddle and headed out on the St. Croix River. “He, in his mind, thought he needed to do what needed to be done to get over there to see her and ensure that she was OK,” Thorn said, adding that there has been no word yet from the "so-called fiancee’s side." Bennett pleaded guilty on Thursday to illegally crossing the border, and a judge sentenced him to two months in jail—but not before noting the unusual nature of the case. Even the prosecutor said the "gallant" act has tugged on heartstrings. "I sense that there’s this element of a Romeo-Juliet type of thing," he said. (These distracted Canadians accidentally crossed the border while playing you-know-what.) | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | His goal was simple, he told authorities. He was hoping to protect his pregnant fiancee from a violent ex-boyfriend. There was just one, rather formidable, obstacle in his way: the Canada-US border. The solution devised by the 25-year-old American – floating down a river that separates the two countries on an inflatable mattress to illegally enter Canada – was ingenious, but it led this week to a two-month jail sentence. The American, identified as John Bennett by a crown prosecutor, first tried to legally cross the border between Calais, Maine, and the Canadian province of New Brunswick on Wednesday. He told authorities he wanted to see his girlfriend who lived in Canada, in the small town of St Stephen. He was denied entry after a background check turned up pending mischief charges in the US. Hours later he headed to his local Walmart, a court in Canada heard on Thursday. He bought an air mattress, inflated it, fashioned a wooden board into a paddle and set sail on the St Croix river, a tidal river 500 yards wide that sits between Maine and New Brunswick. As he floated along the river, he was spotted by a local resident who called the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, said Peter Thorn, a lawyer representing the public prosecution service of Canada. The RCMP headed to the area and found him soon after. “He was wet and carrying his boots and matched the description that the witness had given,” said Thorn. The young man immediately admitted to police that, driven by concerns over his girlfriend’s safety, he had crossed the river after being denied legal entry to Canada. “He, in his mind, thought he needed to do what needed to be done to get over there to see her and ensure that she was OK,” said Thorn. “But there has not been any corroboration on the so-called fiancee’s side of the story, meaning we don’t know the accuracy of what he was saying.” He was arrested and held in police custody overnight. During a court appearance on Thursday, he pleaded guilty to failing to appear at a border crossing. Bennett, who has no fixed address but is believed to reside in Calais, Maine, was sentenced to two months in jail in Canada, after which he will be returned to the United States. While this was the first time he had heard of someone making the crossing by air mattress, Thorn had had other cases where people had crossed the border by swimming or crossing the railway bridge. Some were people who refused to recognise land borders, others suffered mental health problems. “And there are other people who are overcome with desire to come across even though they have been rebuffed at the border, for whatever reason,” he said. “I don’t think this is the only case of a so-called love interest that has caused a person to break the law to go over there.” Still, the reaction to the case has surprised him. Some swooned over the gallantry of the act, with Thorn overhearing one person remark that they wished someone would carry out such an act for them. “I sense that there’s this element of a Romeo-Juliet type of thing. I think that’s part of it.” Others delighted in the idea of floating along the tidal river, said Thorn, such as the judge who told the accused in court, “Pardon the pun, but it seems to me you wanted to get there, come hell or high water.” ||||| A young U.S. resident, driven by what he said was a desire to protect his Canadian girlfriend, used an air mattress to float across the St. Croix River in southeastern Maine and illegally enter New Brunswick late Wednesday, a Crown prosecutor says. Twenty-five-year-old John Bennett told police he had earlier tried to cross the border at Calais, Maine, but customs officers denied him entry because he was facing mischief charges in the U.S., lawyer Peter Thorn said Thursday. "He was told by the officer that until he got those cleared up, he wouldn't be admitted into Canada," the prosecutor said. Bennett was sentenced Thursday to two months in jail. Thorn said the provincial court in Saint John, N.B., was told Bennett purchased an air mattress at the local Walmart, inflated it and later used a wooden board to paddle across to an area near Ledge Road, southeast of St. Stephen, N.B. However, a local resident spotted the man, and he was later arrested by the RCMP and charged with failing to appear at the border crossing as required by the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. "He was wet and carrying his boots ... [and] walking towards the town," said Thorn, a lawyer representing the federal Public Prosecution Service of Canada. Before Bennett pleaded guilty to the charge Thursday, he told police he had to reach his pregnant girlfriend in Canada because he was worried for her safety, Thorn said. "He said she had an ex-boyfriend who was threatening her, but that hasn't been confirmed by the other party," he said. Bennett has no fixed address but is believed to live in Calais. The prosecutor said he had heard of people swimming across the river before, but he said the air mattress method was a novel approach. As for the judge hearing the case, Thorn said he told the accused: "Pardon the pun, but it seems to me you wanted to get there, come hell or high water." |
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metabolic and electrolyte abnormalities , including hypokalemia , hyperglycemia and lactic acidosis , are associated with theophylline overdose . however
, we report an unusual case of sinus tachycardia , lactic acidosis , hypokalemia and hyperglycemia associated with the usual theophylline dose in a patient with asthma .
the theophylline dose was 200 mg orally twice daily .
three hours after administration of the third dose , the patient experienced palpitation . an electrocardiogram showed a sinus tachycardia .
arterial blood gas analysis revealed a mixed metabolic acidosis and respiratory alkalosis .
serum lactate level was 51
mmol / l ( normal 0.72.1
mmol / l ) .
biochemistry results were sodium 136 m eq / l , chloride 99 m eq / l , potassium 1.9 m eq / l and glucose 204 mg / dl .
our case suggests that a possibility of theophylline - associated metabolic abnormalities should be considered when an asthmatic patient given the usual theophylline dose presents with lactic acidosis , hypokalemia and hyperglycemia of unknown etiology . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | metabolic and electrolyte abnormalities , including hypokalemia , hyperglycemia and lactic acidosis , are associated with theophylline overdose . we herein report the first case , to our knowledge , of sinus tachycardia , lactic acidosis , hypokalemia and hyperglycemia associated with the usual theophylline dose in a patient with asthma . two days before , she was diagnosed with mild persistent asthma for the first time in our allergy clinic . at that time , biochemistry results were sodium 138 meq / l , potassium 4.8 meq / l , chloride 108 meq / l and glucose 103 meq / l and an electrocardiogram ( ecg ) showed normal sinus rhythm at 80 beats / min . she did not have acute and chronic hepatic dysfunction , cardiac decompensation , cor pulmonale and febrile illness . she began to take asthma medications , including sustained - release theophylline ( 200 mg twice a day ) , pranlukast hydrate ( 112.5 mg twice a day ) , salmeterol xinafoate inhaler ( 25 mg twice a day ) and fluticasone propionate ( 250 mg twice a day ) . she took a total of three doses of the medication before her visit to the emergency room . two hours later , she inhaled 5 consecutive puffs of salbutamol , a short acting 2-agonist , regarding the palpitation as one of asthma symptoms and the palpitation continued for 3 hr before presentation . on physical examination , she was awake and alert , although restless . blood pressure was 120/80 mmhg , pulse was regular at 126 beats / min , respirations were 20/min and temperature was 36.7c . forced vital capacity and forced expiratory volume in one second were 3.59 l ( 108% of predicted value ) and 3.23 l ( 111% ) , respectively . arterial blood gas analysis on room air revealed a mixed metabolic acidosis and respiratory alkalosis with a ph of 7.46 , pco2 of 19.3 mmhg , po2 of 96.7 mmhg and bicarbonate of 13.4 mmol / l and biochemistry results were sodium 136 meq / l , chloride 99 meq / l , potassium 1.9 meq / l and glucose 204 mg / dl . serum theophylline concentration measured at 13 hr after admission was 8.64 mg / ml . intravenous administration of normal saline with potassium replacement was done . the rate of potassium infusion was 1.8 meq / hr and the potassium deficit was corrected rapidly after 5 hr . heart rates on ecg monitoring were gradually decreased and returned to normal at approximately 10 hr after admission . the abnormal bicarbonate , pco2 and serum lactate levels returned to near normal 5 days after admission . although the serum theophylline level was within therapeutic range , a possibility of theophylline - associated sinus tachycardia , lactic acidosis , hypokalemia and hyperglycemia was considered . because she was afraid of the possible symptoms , she refused a challenge test with theophylline . instead , after getting approval from the institutional review board and her informed consent , the same asthma medications as before , except theophylline , were given again at 6 days after admission . measurements for arterial blood gas , serum electrolytes and serum lactate at 5 days after the medications showed no abnormal findings . at two months after discharge , her asthma has been well controlled with regular medications , including pranlukast hydrate ( 112.5 mg twice a day ) , salmeterol xinafoate inhaler ( 25 mg twice a day ) and fluticasone propionate ( 250 mg twice a day ) , without adverse effects . in our case , it is most likely that theophylline was the culprit for our patient s sinus tachycardia , lactic acidosis , hypokalemia and hyperglycemia , in view of the time course of events and absence of occurrence of these metabolic abnormalities after taking the other asthma medications , except theophylline . possible concurrent drug ingestion contributing to the acidosis was excluded by the scrupulous history taking , although not demonstrated by negative toxicology screen . it is known that toxic ingestions of theophylline cause elevated blood levels of the catecholamines , epinephrine and norepinephrine . this may lead to lactic acidosis , as has been described in pheochromocytoma , hyperglycemia and hypokalemia . on the other hand , studies on normal volunteers given therapeutic doses of theophylline have shown concentration - related changes in plasma glucose , free fatty acids and insulin and increases in plasma catecholamines . it is possible that our patient s sinus tachycardia and metabolic abnormalities associated with the usual theophylline dose may be mediated in part by stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system . also , the short acting 2-agonist , misused for palpitation control in our case , may aggravate the abnormalities . unfortunately , the serum theophylline concentration was measured at an inappropriate time because we did not expect the theophylline - associated tachycardia and metabolic disturbances . it is likely that the serum theophylline level was beyond the therapeutic range , although our patient took the usual dose of theophylline . on the other hand , a possibility of theophylline drug intolerance might be considered if the earlier measurement showed that the serum theophylline level was within therapeutic range . this unusual case suggests that a possibility of theophylline - associated metabolic abnormalities be considered when an asthmatic patient , given the usual dose of theophylline , presents with lactic acidosis , hypokalemia and hyperglycemia of unknown etiology . |
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i review some numerical ways to determine the parameters of systems close to a first order phase transition point : energy and specific heat of the coexisting phases and interface tension .
numerical examples are given for the 2-d @xmath0 states potts model . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | first order phase transitions are easily described in terms of the competition between two phases ( see e.g. @xcite ) .consider for definiteness a temperature driven phase transition between a disordered phase and a q - fold degenerate ordered phase of free energy @xmath1 and @xmath2 . in order to use numerical methods, one needs to know the behavior of statistical averages in a finite volume , close to the transition point .this was more or less correctly guessed by several authors @xcite , and put on rigorous footing ( at least for a class of models including the large @xmath0 potts model ) in ref @xcite where the partition function is shown to behave like this formula is correct for periodic boundary conditions , @xmath1 and @xmath2 are @xmath4 independent functions , and @xmath5 . although there is no analytical continuation of the free energy of one phase into the other phase , both @xmath1 and @xmath2 are shown to be several times differentiable at @xmath6 , the ( infinite volume ) transition point where @xmath7 . as a consequence the finite size behavior of any moment of the energy is obtained by differentiating eq .for example , the maximum of the energy fluctuation behaves like with similar results for @xmath9 , @xmath10 ( the binder landau cumulant ) , @xmath11 the constants @xmath12 and @xmath13 in eq.[max ] are simple functions of @xmath14 , @xmath15 , @xmath16 and @xmath17 , the ( infinite volume limit ) energy and specific heat of the pure phases at @xmath6 .identical results for the first two terms in the @xmath18 expansion can be obtained using the binder landau ansatz@xcite for the energy probability density @xmath19 . which can be obtained from eq.[z ] by inverse laplace transform , neglecting the @xmath21 terms .in order to estimate @xmath12 and @xmath13 from numerical data , the presence of @xmath22 corrections in eq.[max ] is a nuisance .as first noticed in @xcite , averages estimated at @xmath6 are better behaved , for example the energy fluctuation a simple powerful method to determine the value for @xmath6 follows @xcite : perform simulations on increasing sized lattices , at a value close to @xmath6 .extrapolate to neighboring values of @xmath25 using the swendsen wang reweighting method@xcite .@xmath6 is determined as the fixed point of the set of curves @xmath26 .this is similar to binder s cumulant method@xcite to determine a second order phase transition point using the fourth order cumulant : @xmath27 .however in the current case , the estimate has only exponentially small corrections .application@xcite of this method to the 2-d @xmath28 potts model can be found in fig.[fig.beta_eff ] . this is a strong first order phase transition ( see tab.[table1 ] ) , the estimated value for @xmath6 is @xmath29 in excellent agreement with the exact value @xmath30 . .the2-d potts model : values of @xmath16 from the large @xmath0 expansion , exact values for @xmath31 , @xmath32 , and correlation length @xmath33 of the disordered phase .the correlation length of the ordered phase is smaller .[ cols= " < , > , > , > , > " , ] among the by products of interface tension measurements are precise determinations of the locations of the peaks of @xmath19 .these are seen to move with @xmath4 , an effect not described by eq.[p(e ) ] .two models have been proposed to explain this dependence .the first one@xcite involves mixed phase effects , the prediction is @xmath34 .the second one involves higher order @xmath18 terms in the laplace transform of eq.[z ] , neglecting all @xmath35 terms , namely all mixed phase effects .the result is @xmath36 , where @xmath37 is related to the third derivative of the free energy of the phase .numerical estimate @xcite of @xmath38 as function of @xmath18 are shown in fig.[fig6 ] for the @xmath39 model .the line drawn is the parameter free prediction of model two from ref.@xcite in leading order .similar results are obtained for the @xmath28 case .the predicted @xmath40 behavior is barely seen , but i ) it has been shown in ref.@xcite that the discrepancy can be accommodated by higher orders terms ( still without any mixed phase effects ) ii ) a fit to the @xmath41 form gives an estimates of @xmath42 incompatible with the exact value of @xmath15 .k. binder and d. heermann , monte carlo simulations in statistical physics , springer series in solid state physics 80 ( 1988 ) ; + k. binder , rep .50 ( 1987 ) 783 ; + h.j .herrmann , w. janke and f. karsch ( editors ) , _ dynamics of first order phase transitions _, world scientific , singapore 1992 .t. bhattacharya , r. lacaze and a. morel , europh .letters 83 ( 1993 ) 547 ; + nucl .b ( proc . supp . ) 34 ( 1994 ) 671 ; + saclay preprint spht/94/008 , to appear in nuclb ; + saclay preprint spht/94/086 , to appear .e. buffenoir and s. wallon , j. phys .a26 ( 1993 ) 3045 ; + j. johnson , s. krinsky and b. mc coy , phys .a8 ( 1973 ) 2526 ; + a. klmper , a. schadschneider and j. zittartz , z. phys .b76 ( 1989 ) 247 ; + a. klmper , int .journal of mod .b4 ( 1990 ) 871 ; + c. borgs and w. janke , j. phys .i ( france ) 2 ( 1992 ) 2011 . |
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– Tucker Carlson is in deep doodoo with conservative women after an ill-advised tweet referencing Sarah Palin that he posted, then removed, Monday night. "Palin's popularity falling in Iowa, but maintains lead to become supreme commander of Milfistan," he tweeted—and we probably don't need to tell you where that is. His first attempt at an apology, which he tweeted the next morning: "Apparently Charlie Sheen got control of my Twitter account last night while I was at dinner. Apologies for his behavior.” That wasn't good enough for many conservative women, Politico notes, rounding up reactions from bloggers to Michelle Malkin calling his behavior sexist and misogynistic. By late Tuesday, Carlson had offered up a more sincere-sounding apology: “I’m sorry for last night’s tweet. I meant absolutely no offense. Not the first dumb thing I’ve said. Hopefully the last.” But at least one man—Erick Erickson, editor of RedState.com—was on Carlson's side, tweeting his reaction to the post in question: "I laughed then got out my passport." | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Tucker Carlson Exposes His Own Sexism on Twitter (Updated) Tucker Carlson has done some good work in the past… His site, The Daily Caller, is a frequent stop of mine and many other Conservatives. They were responsible for exposing the Journolist scandal, which highlighted the planning and coordination of many members of the left-wing press. I will always be grateful to Tucker’s team for bringing that story to light. This is also why I am so angered by Tucker’s recent actions. I thought he was better than this. If you haven’t heard by now, Monday evening, Tucker Carlson posted a disturbing tweet about Governor Palin which said: Palin’s popularity falling in Iowa, but maintains lead to become supreme commander of Milfistan Aside from Tucker’s sheep-like response to warped poll numbers, he also failed to take ownership of his sexist comment. He deleted the original (which is why I had to link to a retweet) obviously aware that what he had posted was wrong. Unfortunately for him, many people had already seen it and responded. You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube, Tucker. Is this the sort of treatment that Conservative women, who want to get involved in the process, are expected to put up with? Is it okay for male columnists (Conservative or otherwise) to continue objectifying women in the world of politics? No it’s not! The best thing Tucker Carlson could do, is admit that what he tweeted was wrong, apologize to Governor Palin, and urge his fellow colleagues to be respectful with their language and written word. What he did was demeaning and offensive, and there is no place for it in Conservative circles. Update: This is a poor attempt at an apology. Tucker Carlson tries to cover his tracks this morning by repeating the same mistakes he made last night. He wrote: Apparently Charlie Sheen got control of my Twitter account last night while I was at dinner. Apologies for his behavior. He didn’t take responsibility for his comment and he fails horribly at humor. Try again, and Tucker… you’re not funny. Update II: Almost a day later, he finally apologizes: I’m sorry for last night’s tweet. I meant absolutely no offense. Not the first dumb thing I’ve said. Hopefully the last. ||||| Tweet with a location You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more ||||| I am not down with @karlrove @tuckercarlson misogynist mockery of @sarahpalinusa . Sick of it. ||||| On Monday night, while the rest of the world was watching Charlie Sheen flame out live on CNN, Tucker Carlson took to Twitter to make some impolitic statements of his own. "Palin's popularity falling in Iowa, but maintains lead to become supreme commander of Milfistan," he wrote. By the next morning, the tweet was deleted and he had apologized, writing, “Apparently Charlie Sheen got control of my Twitter account last night while I was at dinner. Apologies for his behavior.” But that wasn’t enough to spare him the ire of conservative women on the blogosphere and Twitter. On Tuesday, before Carlson’s first apology, Stacy Drake, writing on Conservatives4Palin, praised Carlson’s works at The Daily Caller, particularly the leaks of the Journolist emails, saying that’s why his tweet stung so badly. Aside from Tucker’s sheep-like response to warped poll numbers, he also failed to take ownership of his sexist comment. He deleted the original (which is why I had to link to a retweet) obviously aware that what he had posted was wrong. Unfortunately for him, many people had already seen it and responded. You can’t put the toothpaste back in the tube, Tucker. Is this the sort of treatment that Conservative women, who want to get involved in the process, are expected to put up with? Is it okay for male columnists (Conservative or otherwise) to continue objectifying women in the world of politics? No it’s not! She was unimpressed with his first apology, and called for him to apologize to Palin while continuing to denounce him for sexism on her Twitter account. Michelle Malkin joined the calls Tuesday, tweeting: “I am not down with @karlrove @tuckercarlson misogynist mockery of @sarahpalinusa. Sick of it.” Later Tuesday, Carlson obliged: “I’m sorry for last night’s tweet. I meant absolutely no offense. Not the first dumb thing I’ve said. Hopefully the last.” Some bros have come to Carlson's aid. Tuesday, Erick Erickson tweeted, "Maybe my sense of humor needs to be recalibrated, but when I heard @TuckerCarlson's MILFistan comment, I laughed then got out my passport." (Needless to say, Drake was not amused.) But by Wednesday, the thing had escalated into a full-blown war of the sexes within the conservative blogosphere, with Whitney Pitcher taking Carlson's tweet as inspiration for her post on Conservatives4Palin: "MILF–Misogynists (and Elites) I’d Like to Fulminate." Perhaps an additional reason that Governor Palin does not win the respect of the Elite and Establishment is that you cannot be praised for your “perfectly creased pants” if you often wear a skirt, right David Brooks? The continued line of attack from the Establishment and Elite men in the GOP have come as a result of Governor Palin’s genetic makeup. This post has been updated to correct the spelling of Stacy Drake's first name. |
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– A huge mastiff attack dog, described as a "big Scooby-Doo" by its owner, suddenly turned on a 4-year-old boy in a Brooklyn home, killing him. Police are investigating the attack, which occurred shortly after the mom returned home with the boy and his three siblings. The dog, a Cane Corso that neighbors say was trained to attack, belongs to the mother's live-in boyfriend, according to investigators. Family members and neighbors were unable to pull the dog, named Machete, off Jayelin Graham as the animal bit the boy in the head and neck. "Within a split second it happened," the boy's aunt, told WABC-TV. "The dog wouldn't let go." What a "horrible way to die," said Jayelin's grandfather. "I've got a lot of frustrations, a lot of emotions, a lot of anger." Neighbors said the dog was vicious and had already killed the family's pet rabbit. "He was trained to kill," the man told the New York Daily News. "He had the boy by his throat. The dog was shaking him. He had no chance." Jayelin's siblings have been removed from the home by child protection services. The dog has been taken to a shelter and will be observed for 10 days. The dead boy's mom, Saquina Jubeark, said the killing was no one's fault. "The dog had showed no sign of aggression," she said. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Mutt that mauled 4-year-old to death was trained to kill by dead child's stepdad Nicholas Fevelo for News Saquina Jubeark (c.), the mother of Jayelin Graham, is seen outside her Brooklyn apartment. Nicholas Fevelo for News Police said the fatal attack went down in a matter of seconds. Related News Articles Daly: Neighbors' premonitions of doom became reality The malevolent mutt that fatally mauled a 4-year-old boy as his terrified brothers watched from beneath a bed was trained to kill by the dead child's stepdad, neighbors said Saturday. Brooklyn residents who watched Damian Jones walk his powerful pets on the street were shocked but not surprised by the canine carnage that left little Jayelin Graham dead in a blood-spattered bedroom. "Those dogs were vicious," said building superintendent Kenny Risher, 50. "They stink and they are nasty. The same dog ate their (pet) rabbit." Another neighbor, who tried desperately to help free the child from the brutal Cane Corso dubbed "Machete," said there was no chance of pulling the overmatched boy from the dog's death grip. "He was trained to kill," said the 29-year-old man. "He had the boy by his throat. The dog was shaking him. He had no chance." But Jones, known as "Animal" or "Dread," and his devastated fiancée Saquina (Honey) Jubeark insisted the death was a tragic accident. "He was like a big Scooby-Doo," said Jones, whose Facebook page says he's a fan of the television program "When Animals Attack." "He acted like a big kid and just wanted to play." Jubeark, a mother of four, was sobbing and hysterical when she returned to the gore-covered apartment after hours of questioning at a Brooklyn police precinct. Later, she absolved her fiancé of any blame. "It was not my son's or (Jones') fault," she told The News. "The dog had showed no sign of aggression." Jones, who was working when the fatal attack occurred, brought the Italian-bred dog home two months ago. The dogs are large, muscular animals traditionally used to hunt wild boars. The couple was preparing for both Jubeark's 24th birthday and their June 10 wedding - two events now linked forever to the horrific killing. Police said the fatal attack went down in a matter of seconds, when Jubeark returned to the squalid apartment with her four kids. The bride-be-be left her three boys alone in a bedroom as she carried her infant daughter into the hallway to grab her keys from a stroller. When she came back, the ferocious dog had its jaws locked on the little boy's neck as his brothers - age 2 and 5 - cowered beneath a nearby bed. Cops needed a tranquilizer gun to take the snarling dog down. The child was pronounced dead at Brookdale University Hospital. "What a horrible way to die," said the boy's great-grandfather, Ameer Jamaal-Uddin. "I have a lot of frustrations, a lot of emotions, a lot of anger." Family and neighbors recalled Jayelin as a happy-go-lucky kid often spotted playing outside. He was the second of his mother's four kids, arriving after 5-year-old Sincere and before Jordan, 2, and 6-month-old Savannah. ||||| The Cane Corso mastiff that fatally mauled a Brooklyn, N.Y., boy was a vicious dog, trained to kill, according to some neighbors, but the dog's owner described it as "like a big Scooby-Doo." Police investigating the mauling, which happened Friday evening just after the boy, his mother, and three of his siblings had returned to the apartment, said they do not know what set off the dog, which reportedly belonged to his mother's boyfriend, Damian Jones. Jayelin Graham, 4, was killed Friday, in a brutal attack by a Cane Corso mastiff. Jayelin Graham, 4, was killed Friday, in a brutal attack by a Cane Corso mastiff. Until the investigation is complete, the three surviving children were removed from the apartment by the city Administration for Children Services. The Cane Corso mastiff bit Jayelin Graham all over his head, neck and body before family and neighbors could get him off the child. It was already too late. He was taken to Brookdale Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. "Within a split second it happened," Calandra Jubeark, the boy's aunt, told ABC station WABC-TV in New York. "[Saquina Jubeark, the boy's mother] said, 'The dog wouldn't let go.' It's painful." "What a horrible way to die. I've got a lot of frustrations, a lot of emotions, a lot of anger," the boy's grandfather told WABC-TV. When police arrived, they tranquilized the dog and took him to the city's department of Animal Care & Control, where he was to be observed for 10 days so officials can decide what to do with him. For some of the boy's neighbors, that would seem to be a foregone conclusion. "Those dogs were vicious," Kenny Risher, the superintendent of the building, told the New York Daily News. "They stink and they are nasty. The same dog ate their (pet) rabbit." A man who tried to save the boy from the dog said as soon as the dog had the child in his jaws, there was no hope. "He was trained to kill," the man told the Daily News. "He had the boy by his throat. The dog was shaking him. He had no chance." No charges had been filed in the case as of late Saturday. |
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– When "America's Toughest Sheriff" needs someone to train his "posse," who does he turn to? Steven Seagal, apparently. The aging action star was in Maricopa County over the weekend to train Sheriff Joe Arpaio's armed volunteers on how to handle a school shooting. Arpaio already has these posses patrolling local schools, a plan that's not universally adored. Saturday's training session involved a simulated school shooting at a vacant school; 25 teen volunteers took part while posse members practiced how to deal with multiple shooters. ABC News notes that some posse members have criminal records ranging from assault to sex crimes against children. Right now, the posses stay around the perimeter of the schools, but an Arpaio rep says they'll be authorized to enter if a real emergency arises. Seagal, a friend of Arpaio's and already a member of one of his posses, led other training that included hand-to-hand combat and the use of semi-automatic rifles using fake bullets. Of course, the training has quite a few opponents, and Seagal had words for them, ABC News reports. “Anybody who has criticized me or the sheriff for standing up to help the children, in my opinion, is an embarrassment to the human race," he said. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio teamed up with actor Steven Seagal to teach members of his armed volunteer "posse" how to handle potential school shootings. The self-described "America's Toughest Sheriff" sparked controversy late last year after the Newtown, Connecticut school shooting when he said he would deploy the posse to monitor the perimeter of more than 50 Phoenix-area schools for suspicious activity. Members of the 3,450-strong group began patrolling in January, and the sheriff's office announced recently that the program will likely continue next year. The simulated shooting took place on Saturday afternoon in a vacant school outside Phoenix. About 25 teenage volunteers acted the part of students while members of the posse practiced what to do if a shooter or multiple shooters entered school premises. The training was designed to teach posse members how to handle multiple-shooter situations, room-entry tactics and hand-to-hand combat. Posse members practiced using semi-automatic rifles and handguns called simunitions, which use marking rounds rather than bullets. "I want everybody to know that we're going to be around those schools, that if you do something we will be armed, and we're going into the schools to save our kids," Arpaio told reporters on Saturday, pounding a podium to emphasize each point. While the volunteers are assigned to monitor around the perimeter of schools, a spokeswoman for Arpaio said that if an emergency arose, the posse would be permitted to enter school grounds. However, as ABC/Univision previously noted, according to a local CBS affiliate, some of Arpaio's posse members have criminal records. Their investigation "uncovered a number of posse members with arrests for assault, drug possession, domestic violence, sex crimes against children, disorderly conduct, impersonating an officer - and the list goes on." Seagal, a friend of the sheriff's, led the training along with members of the sheriff's SWAT team. According to a statement from the sheriff's office, "While his qualified armed posse volunteers are already well trained to handle emergency situations, Arpao says that school shootings pose unique circumstances which require more mission specific training modalities." Not everyone agrees however. Members of Respect Arizona Recall Arpaio, a group that opposes the sheriff's actions, carried signs and protested outside of the school on Saturday. They told Univision the training was politically motivated and designed to garner attention. They said the fact that an actor was leading a training for such a serious topic was absurd. But Seagal told reporters on Saturday that he was qualified for the job. He already volunteers as part of Arpaio's posse, and he has been deputized with sheriff's offices in three other states. The star of Under Siege and Above the Law also filmed a reality show, Steven Segal: Lawman, where he served as a reserve deputy in Louisiana. "I've put hundreds of thousands if not millions of hours into my weapons training," the actor told reporters on Saturday. Seagal added that he would do anything to protect students. "They are our most precious asset," he said. "They are our treasures and we have to protect them." Sheriff Arpaio, who has also come under fire for his hardline stance on immigration, told ABC/Univision in December that it did not matter whether schools wanted armed posse members patrolling outside. "It doesn't matter whether they like it or don't," he said. "I'm still going to do it. I can't imagine criticism coming when they're given free protection." ||||| Hollywood action star Steven Seagal has a few choice words for critics of his latest role. On Saturday, the actor and martial arts expert guided members of Sheriff Joe Arpaio's volunteer posse through a simulated school shooting. Members of the volunteer posse, some of them armed, began patrolling areas surrounding schools in Arizona's most populous county, Maricopa, which includes Phoenix, in January. Seagal's involvement was called a "mockery" by an Arizona state legislator, while a group of protesters also voiced their concern over Arpaio's school posse protection plan. "Anybody who has criticized me or the sheriff for standing up to help the children, in my opinion, is an embarrassment to the human race," Seagal told reporters on Saturday. Two dozen high school students volunteered to participate in the simulation Saturday, while SWAT deputies posed as the shooters. In one scenario, which was allowed to be filmed, students hid under cafeteria tables while under siege by a gunman, who was then taken down by volunteer posse members. "I want everybody to know that we are going to be around those schools and if you do something, we will be armed and we are going into the schools to save our kids," Arpaio said on Saturday. Sheriff Joe's Top Publicity Stunts: From Pink Underwear to Glen Campbell The volunteer posse, which is nearly 3,500 members strong, has been used to patrol shopping malls during the holiday season, scope out undocumented immigrants, and investigate President Obama's birth certificate. Seagal occasionally worked as a deputy for the Jefferson Parish sheriff in Louisiana and had a reality show "Steven Seagal: Lawman." Arpaio, the self-styled "America's Toughest Sheriff," began sending armed posse members to patrol schools in January, following the Newtown, Conn., elementary school massacre and a more local threat that resulted in the Dec. 20 arrest of a 16-year-old student at Red Mountain High School in Mesa, Ariz., for a plot to bomb the school and shoot the students and faculty. "We're not going to wait for all the politicians," Arpaio said. "Talk, talk, talk." |
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although coronary artery anomalies may cause some clinical symptoms , most are incidentally discovered as benign findings on coronary angiograms .
a circumflex coronary artery anomalously originating from the right sinus of valsalva is the most common coronary anomaly .
however , a double circumflex coronary artery , both stenotic in their mid portions , resulting in symptomatic heart failure is a rare clinical and angiographic condition . in this case
, we present a 71-year - old male patient admitted to our clinic with the diagnosis of acute heart failure .
angiography revealed stenotic double circumflex arteries , arising from the left and right sinus of valsalva , and the patient was treated by percutaneous coronary intervention . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | coronary artery anomalies are uncommon , being found in 0.61.5% of patients undergoing coronary angiography ( cag ) . there are four common courses for the anomalously arising left coronary artery ( lca ) from the right sinus of valsalva ( rsv ) , one common course for the right coronary artery ( rca ) anomalously arising from left sinus of valsalva ( lsv ) , and one common course for the circumflex coronary artery ( cx ) , arising anomalously from rsv . although anomalously originating cx from the rsv is the most common coronary anomaly , this anomaly is thought to be of little clinical significance unless the vessel is severely narrowed . however , double cx arteries constitute a very rare congenital coronary anomaly with just three cases reported in the literature . this report describes a cx with stenosis in its mid portion and anomalously originating from the rsv , in addition to a left cx with stenosis in its mid portion , originating from the left main coronary artery ( lmca ) . a 71-year - old caucasian male patient with a history of diabetes mellitus ( dm ) , hypertension , and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( copd ) was brought to our emergency department with the complaints of severe dyspnoea , sweating and confusion . on physical examination , the blood pressure was 140 mmhg systolic , 80 mmhg diastolic , and his pulse rate was 110 beats / min . a pansystolic murmur was audible at the apex , and inspiratory crackles were heard throughout both lung fields . there was a progressive increase in breathlessness and orthopnoea over the previous 3 weeks , and it became worse for last few days . he was diagnosed with acute pulmonary oedema and admitted into the intensive care unit ( icu ) . the electrocardiogram ( ecg ) confirmed sinus tachycardia ( 122 beats / min . ) with nonspecific intraventricular conduction delay , and previous anterior infarction ( figure 1 ) , and the chest x - ray confirmed cardiomegaly , interstitial oedema , and fibrotic scar from previous lung infection ( figure 2 ) . the transthoracic echocardiography ( tte ) demonstrated mild pericardial effusion , global hypokinesis of the left ventricle ( lv ) , lv dilation , and moderate mitral regurgitation with ejection fraction estimated at 35% . three days later his condition was good enough for a cag to be carried out . the cag revealed a double cx ; one arising from left ( figure 3 ) and the other originating from right coronary sinus ( figure 4 ) . both were 70% stenotic in their mid portions ; the rca was non - dominant , and the left anterior descending ( lad ) had non - obstructive coronary artery disease . primary percutaneous coronary intervention ( pci ) , including balloon angioplasty and stenting , was successfully performed for both stenoses ( figure 5 , figure 6 ) . the patient remained uneventful and discharged on the seventh day following the procedure with a medical therapy which includes an ace inhibitor , a - blocker , antidiabetics , a diuretic , aspirin , and clopidogrel . figure 1the electrocardiogram shows sinus tachycardia with intraventricular delay and previous anterior myocardial infarction . figure 2chest x - ray indicates cardiomegaly , interstitial oedema , and fibrotic scar from previous lung infection . chest x - ray indicates cardiomegaly , interstitial oedema , and fibrotic scar from previous lung infection . although most of them have no clinical significance , they may cause acute myocardial damage and/or chronic injuries in the area supplied by the anomalous coronary artery arising from the incorrect coronary sinus of valsalva . some coronary artery anomalies may cause chest pain , arrhythmia , heart failure , and sudden death . myocardial ischemia can occur because of earlier and more aggressive atherosclerosis compared to a normal coronary artery that was found exclusively in anomalous vessels arising from the right side with a retroaortic course . the anomalously originating cx artery generally arises posterior to the rca , and courses inferiorly and posteriorly to the aorta to enter the left atrioventricular groove . a study confirmed that the incidence of stenosis was greater in the cx arteries originating from the right coronary sinus compared to normal cx originating from the lmca . although the anomaly is common , to our best of knowledge double cx anomalies are rare with only few cases reported in the literature . presented a case of twin cx arteries arising from left and right coronary systems with acute inferior myocardial infarction treated by pci , as in our case . including that case , dual cx arteries arising from the left and right coronary systems double cx artery cases have been reported with both of them originating from the left coronary systems , and from the left system and aorta , respectively . the case we presented was suffering from severe heart failure due to ischemic injury as proved by the elevated cardiac enzymes and the ecg finding . the significant stenoses of both the anomalously and normally originating cxs were successfully treated by balloon angioplasty and stenting . in patients with diminished left ventricular systolic function and/or progressive dyspnoea , coronary artery anomalies should be suspected and coronary angiography should be performed in order to exclude or show additional atherosclerotic disease , and pci may be used as a treatment of choice in comparison with medical and/or surgical intervention . |
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adrenocortical carcinoma is a rare disease
. additionally , in the case of coexisting pregnancy , there are diagnostic difficulties due to associated physiological hormonal changes as well as imaging limitations .
cushing 's syndrome and virilization during pregnancy is a rare entity with few cases reported in the literature .
misdiagnosis is common as the syndrome may be easily confused with preeclampsia or gestational diabetes .
we present the case of a 31-year - old pregnant woman with rapidly developing symptoms related to hormonally active adrenocortical cancer . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | adrenocortical carcinoma ( acc ) is a rare tumor , even rarer during pregnancy and has extremely poor prognosis both for mother and fetus . in pregnancy the most common clinical presentation , maternal and fetal complication of acc is cushing 's syndrome ( cs ) with virilization , hypertension , and prematurity . however , it is unknown whether tumor progression is different in pregnant women due to the rarity of the disease . magnetic resonance imaging ( mri ) is the investigation of choice and the best time for a surgical procedure during pregnancy is the second trimester . a 31-year - old , 4-month pregnant woman was referred to us with complaints of generalized weakness , persistent headache , palpitations , restlessness , nocturia , and increase in appetite since 2 months . she had high blood pressure and was started on antihypertensive medication ( methyldopa and amlodipine ) . fetal development was normal as per the gestational age . during hospitalization , her blood pressure was 170/100 mmhg and fasting blood sugar / random blood sugar level were 200/408 mg / dl , respectively . laboratory studies revealed : hemoglobin ( hb ) -11.4 g% , hematocrit ( hct ) -34.9% , red blood cell - 4.37 10/mm , mean cell volume ( mcv ) : 70.7 fl , white blood cell- 10.0 10/mm , platelet count ( plt ) : 225 10/mm ) , coagulation tests : prothrombin time ( pt ) -10.60 s ( 10.8 - 13.5 ) , international normalized ratio ( inr ) - 0.83 ( 0.9 - 1.2 ) , creatinine -0.4 mg / dl , potassium -3.1 mmol / l , sodium -135 mmol / l , bilirubin -0.39 mg / dl , aspartate aminotransferase ( ast ) -138 u / l ( 10 - 37 ) , alanine aminotransferase ( alt ) - 245 u / l ( 10 - 41 ) , albumin-2.9 gm / dl ( 3.5 - 5.2 ) . 24-hour urine for metanephrines and vanillyl mandelic acid ( vma ) were 269.5 mcg/24 hours ( 25 - 312 ) and 4.20 mg/24 hours ( 0 - 13.60 ) , respectively . testosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate ( dhea - s ) levels were 602.87 ng / dl ( 14 - 76 ) and 312.90 g / dl ( 74 - 410 ) , respectively . thyroid stimulating hormone ( tsh ) was normal , 0.41 iu / ml ( 0.35 - 5.5 ) . abdominal ultrasound and mri revealed a large heterogeneous tumor originating in the right adrenal gland measuring 77 64 64 mm , displacing the liver parenchyma superiorly and right kidney inferiorly with focal loss of fat planes suggestive of neoplastic adrenal tumor [ figure 1 ] . neither enlarged lymph nodes in retroperitoneal space nor liver metastases was seen . an echocardiography study showed normal left ventricular size and systolic function with ejection fraction of 54% ( 50 - 80 ) and left bundle branch block with no regional wall abnormalities seen . large heterogeneous tumor originating in the right adrenal gland measuring 77 64 64 mm hypokalemia ( 2.7 mmol / l ) needed constant administration of intravenous potassium . diabetes control was achieved by intensive insulin therapy ( regular and nph ) . the decision to treat was taken by a multidisciplinary team consisting of urologist , gastro - surgeon , gynecologists , endocrinologists , and anesthesiologists . risk and benefit of laparoscopy vs. open surgery gradually , her general condition improved and potassium normalized ( 4.6 mmol / l ) . anti - hypertensive drug dosage was reduced and gradually stopped . a histopathological examination of the resected tumor confirmed the diagnosis of the adrenal carcinoma with tumor cell showing prominent nucleoli [ figure 2 ] . . adrenal carcinoma with tumor cell showing prominent nucleoli at 6 months follow up , she was doing well . adrenocortical cancer during pregnancy is a diagnostic dilemma as signs and symptoms overlap and are associated with various hormone overproduction syndromes most commonly being cortisol ( 30% ) , androgens ( 20% ) , estrogens ( 10% ) , and aldosterone ( 2% ) . maternal complications of cs include hypertension ( 58 to 68% ) , diabetes or impaired fasting glucose ( 25% ) , preeclampsia ( 14% ) , osteoporosis or pathologic fractures ( 5% ) , psychiatric disorders ( 4% ) , cardiac failure ( 3% ) , wound infection ( 2% ) , and maternal death ( 2% ) . the most common fetal complications are prematurity ( 43% ) , still birth ( 6% ) , spontaneous abortion / intrauterine death ( 5% ) , intrauterine growth retardation ( 21% ) , and adrenal hypoplasia ( 2% ) . free plasma cortisol in pregnant patients is 2 to 3 times higher than non - pregnant women , but its circadian rhythm is preserved . our patient had a very high cortisol ( 8 times ) and testosterone levels with features of cs and virilization , which greatly facilitated the diagnosis . due to low incidence of acc in pregnancy and high risk involved for fetus as well as mother laparoscopy offers advantage of minimum invasive surgery but at the same time is associated with some increased theoretical risk associated with pneumoperitoneum but nevertheless it is safe in pregnancy . in our view , it should be individualized based on patient and surgeon preference after explaining relative risk involved in each case and surgical expertise . |
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abstractretrorectal cystic hamartomas are rare congenital presacral lesions and malignancy is extremely rare .
although surgical excision is the essential for treatment , a unique feature of our case compared with previously reported tailgut cysts is that this patient 's blood irregular antibodies are positive with higher operational risks.a 44-year - old woman presented to our department complaining of pelvic and perineal pain for 6 months .
computed tomography ( ct ) scan of the abdomen and pelvis demonstrated a well - demarcated hypodense , multilocular cystic lesion , 10 cm in size , in the presacral region of the right of the midline .
we found her blood irregular antibodies were positive in the preoperative examination .
so she quitted surgery .
exploratory laparotomy and incision and drainage of pelvic tumor were operated .
postoperative routine pathology showed : ( retroperitoneal tumors ) moderately differentiated adenocarcinoma .
combined with clinical symptom and imaging , malignant transformation of retrorectal cystic hamartomas ( tailgut cysts ) was diagnosed .
taking into account that cyst is not sensitive to radiotherapy , so tumor necrosis factor ( tnf ) and raltitrexed were infused into the cysts and 3 cycles oxaliplatin ( 130 mg / m2 ) were completed .
now although the lesion is shrink , but yellow , viscous mucus still secrete constantly , 100 ml / w.given surgical excision is the essential for treatment , complete surgical excision should be implemented as far as possible .
but if surgery can not be carried out like the presented case , systemic chemotherapy and local radiotherapy are also available , which can alleviate the symptoms of oppression and improve the quality of life partly . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | tailgut cysts or retrorectal cystic hamartomas are rare congenital presacral lesions identified in all age groups . they are believed to arise from the remnants of the embryonic hindgut . malignancy in tailgut cysts is extremely rare , the majority being adenocarcinomas and carcinoid tumors . a unique feature of our case compared with previously reported tailgut cysts is that this patient 's blood irregular antibodies are positive with higher operational risks . a 44-year - old woman presented to our department complaining of pelvic and perineal pain for 6 months . a nontender , extrinsic , well - defined presacral mass was discovered by digital rectal examination which compressed the rectum . computed tomography ( ct ) scan of the abdomen and pelvis demonstrated a well - demarcated hypodense , multilocular cystic lesion , 10 cm in size , in the presacral region of the right of the midline ( fig . 1 ) . we found her blood irregular antibodies were positive in the preoperative examination . at exploratory laparotomy for excision of the lesion , we found that the mass was adherent to and not easily separated from the rectum and surrounding pelvic wall . abdominal ct demonstrated that lesion was bigger than the last ct image , 14 cm in size ( fig . 2 ) . what 's more , the patient had difficulty in passing her motions with shape changing . abdominal ct demonstrated that lesion was bigger than the last ct image , 16 cm in size ( fig . 3 ) . taking into account the cystic mass , paracentesis was carried out with about 2000 ml yellow liquid extracted . we found that the mass was adherent to and not easily separated from the rectum and surrounding pelvic wall . combined with clinical symptom and imaging , malignant transformation of retrorectal cystic hamartomas ( tailgut cysts ) was diagnosed ( fig . 4 ) . then tumor necrosis factor ( tnf ) and raltitrexed were infused into the cysts and 3 cycles oxaliplatin ( 130 mg / m ) were completed . now although the lesion is shrinking , but yellow , viscous mucus still secrete constantly , 100 ml / w . as surgical excision is the essential for treatment , we still suggest this patient to operate by prestoring herself blood and autologous blood transfusion . the ct image took in february 2013 , 10 cm in size , in the presacral region to the right of the midline . postoperative routine pathology : combined with clinical symptom and imaging , malignant transformation of retrorectal cystic hamartomas ( tailgut cysts ) was diagnosed . this study was approved by the institutional review boards and ethics committees of shandong cancer hospital and institute . in the literature , various terms have been used to describe tailgut cysts , including cyst of the postanal intestine , mucus - secreting cyst , retrorectal cystic hamartomas , simple cyst , retrorectal cyst , and enterogenous cyst . it was most often found in asymptomatic middle - aged women . because the lesion is located in the bathy - pelvis and extremely rare , so it is difficult to diagnosis . ultrasound shows multilocular cystic lesions with internal echoes due to mucoid material or inflammatory debris . abdominal ct demonstrated a well - demarcated hypodense , bilocular cystic lesion in the presacral region . there is one report of endoscopic ultrasonography - fine needle aspiration ( eus - fna ) with a flexible echoendoscope . puncture should be performed when other etiologies are considered or if malignant degeneration changes management . malignant transformation in the form of adenocarcinoma or neuroendocrine tumors , although rare , does occur . mathis et al reported 31 patients with tailgut cysts and 4 of them ( 13% ) had malignant findings : adenocarcinoma in 3 and neuroendocrine tumors in 1 . they concluded that presacral tailgut cysts should be removed because of the risk of malignant transformation , because 2 of the 4 patients with malignancy had died through the follow - up period . therefore , complete resection of these lesions is recommended , as surgical excision is the gold - standard treatment . the treatment of choice is complete excision of the lesion , with resection of the coccyx and a surrounding margin of grossly normal tissue . if surgery can not be carried out , systemic chemotherapy and local radiotherapy can be implemented . prognosis for tailgut cysts with malignant transformation depends on the status of complete surgical resection and tumor histology and grade . two cases with local recurrences and 1 case with a distant metastasis have been reported in adenocarcinomas arising in tailgut cysts in the literature . tailgut cysts should be taken into account , if a retrorectal mass can not be diagnosis clearly . given surgical excision is the essential for treatment , complete surgical excision should be implemented as far as possible . malignant transformation , although unusual , may be focal , so meticulous examination of the gross mass and thorough samplings are important . the coccyx and a surrounding margin of grossly normal tissue should also be excision , when malignant transformation was confirmed . but if surgery can not be carried out like the presented case , systemic chemotherapy and local radiotherapy are also available , which can alleviate the symptoms of oppression and improve the quality of life partly . |
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we reported a case of unusual intraocular loa loa in a 27-year - old patient who presented with painful red eye .
biomicroscopy revealed a living and active adult worm in the anterior chamber of the right eye .
after surgical extraction under local anesthesia , parasitological identification confirmed l. loa filariasis . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | loa loa is endemic in western and central africa , where about 10 million people are estimated to be infected . in cameroon it varies from 0% in the grassland savannah , 6.6% in the deciduous equatorial rainforest , and 9.7% in the dense - humid equatorial rainforest to 33.3% in the forested savannah.1 intraocular infestation by live l. loa is a rare occurrence . two previous cases have been reported in cameroon in children , initially by lucot et al.2 and later by eballe et al.3 the severity of the clinical manifestations and complications depend on many factors , including the localization of the worm and the duration of symptoms . we reported a case of a patient who presented with a live l. loa in the anterior chamber and who underwent surgical removal using local anesthesia . a 27-year - old cameroonian farmer living in saa ( lekie department ) presented at the university teaching hospital yaound with complains of sudden redness , pain , and lacrimation in the right eye for 3 days . past medical history revealed a few episodes of fugitive itchy swelling below the skin . visual acuity ( va ) was hand motion on the affected right eye and 1.0 on the left eye . intraocular pressure was taken by non - contact tonometer , which was 18 mmhg on the affected eye and 14 mmhg on the controlateral eye . slit - lamp examination revealed conjonctival hyperhemia , edema of corneal stroma , and a moving white object in the anterior chamber ( fig . emergency removal of the worm was performed in the theater through a 2.8 mm clear corneal tunnel under retrobulbar anesthesia ( fig . 2 ) . the procedure ended with an anterior chamber washout , followed by a subconjuctival injection of a combination of steroids and antibiotics . postoperative treatment included dexamethasone eye drops six times per day , tropicamide 0.5% one drop two times per day , and a combination of steroid and antibiotic ointment for evening . this medication was slowly tapered down , and at postoperative day 10 , slit - lamp examination revealed a calm anterior chamber with 1.0 va . at the last follow - up visit ( 3 months postoperatively ) , the right eye was quiet , with full va . postoperatively , macroscopic parasitological examination revealed a 6.5 mm in length and 0.5 mm in wide round , whitish worm that was identified as mature female l. loa . although blood film examination for microfilaria during day time was negative , the patient was given a specific systemic l. loa medication diethylcarbamazine 2 mg / kg body weight three times a day for 3 weeks associated with prednisolone 20 mg daily for 21 days . in the current case , the patient lives in the degraded forest area of the lekie division , areas in which the prevalence of l. loa is particularly high.4 ocular manifestation of loasis has been documented mostly in the developing countries.2,3,5 this rare manifestation can occur at any age . in two previous cases reported in cameroon , the patients were aged 14 and 18 months.2 in the current study , the patient age was similar to that reported by yusoff et al.6 age appears to be a factor of early presentation . children usually do not complain , and this can explain the gap between the onset and the diagnosis of the case reported by ombgwa et al.3 our patient presented with painful red eye with a severe decrease in va . a decrease in va observed in this case was more linked to the central position ( in the visual axis ) of the worm at presentation . surgical removal of the worm was curative and relatively simple and should be done as soon as possible to prevent structural damages in the anterior chamber . in developing countries , this procedure can be delayed in young patients because of the lack of general anesthesia . in our case , our patient did not develop complications owing to the early presentation and adequate management . however , uveitis with hypopyon and secondary cataract with corneal edema were the reported complications in patients who were diagnosed after long symptomatic periods.2,7 one case of blindness following anterior chamber filariasis has been reported by osuntokun et al.7 early surgical removal of the adult worm from the anterior chamber surely prevents severe complications , but the probability of further recidives is possible , as another adult worm can migrate into the anterior chamber the next day . although there is no specific program to control l. loa infection in cameroon , this filariasis has largely benefited from the african program for onchocerciasis control . since severe adverse reactions have been reported in people who take ivermectin for the treatment of onchocerciasis and who have highly coinfected with l. loa,8 it is important to assess the level of loiasis endemicity in a community before initiating mass treatment against onchocerciasis . the treatment of loiasis can be difficult and often requires advice from an expert in infectious diseases or tropical medicine . ophthalmologists from endemic areas need to be aware of this diagnosis that can mimic other eye pathologies . careful examination , prompt diagnosis , and early surgical removal of the worm from anterior chamber can reduce ocular morbidity . the examination of the worm is better to be made by an experienced parasitologist , and treatment is better to be made by an experienced ophthalmologist in conjunction with an infectiologist . |
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– Inspired by Taylor Swift, who regularly pens songs about her real-life boyfriends, the New York Daily News lists six stories behind six classic songs. Most come from new book The Girl in the Song by Michael Heatley and Frank Hopkinson: Billy Joel, “Uptown Girl”: Contrary to popular belief, this song is about Elle MacPherson, not Christie Brinkley. Joel dated MacPherson before Brinkley. Bob Dylan, “It Ain’t Me Babe”: The singer had an affair with Joan Baez in the ‘60s—and then penned this song as a kiss-off to her. She returned the favor with “Diamonds and Rust.” Leonard Cohen, “Chelsea Hotel No. 2”: Penned after a sexual encounter with Janis Joplin at the Chelsea Hotel—before which she admitted to him that she’d rather have hooked up with Kris Kristofferson. (Line from the song: “You told me you preferred handsome men.”) The Kinks, “Lola”: This song, about a drag queen, is supposedly about Candy Darling—who also supposedly dated Kinks leader Ray Davies. For the complete list, click here—or click here for more songs that are secretly about other celebrities. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | While Taylor Swift has kept mum regarding speculation that her latest single, 'Dear John', is about rumored ex John Mayer , the songstress doesn't deny that she has a habit of calling out the boys who break her heart. PEOPLE reports that the singer opened up, but didn't apologize for, her bold lyrical choices, saying, "This is album No. 3, so I figure that these people have had fair warning."Swift, who was recently spotted with Jake Gyllenhaal in New York City, may be open when it comes to her romantic relationships, but her songs aren't always critical of her former flames. The singer, who dated Taylor Lautner in 2009, penned apology song 'Back to December' for the 'Twilight' hunk on her most recent album, 'Speak Now'. ||||| Billy Joel's 'Uptown Girl' was about Elle Macpherson, not Christie Brinkley: book Cooper/AP;Jackson/Getty Billy Joel's 'Uptown Girl' has always been assumed to be about his wife, Christie Brinkley, but a new book reveals it's actually about another supermodel: Elle McPherson. Taylor Swift isn't the first pop star to pluck people from real life to inspire a song. While Swift regularly pens thinly veiled lyrics addressing, and often skewering, names like Taylor Lautner and Joe Jonas, she stands behind a long line of stars who've made the charts by writing songs about their true muses. A new book, "The Girl in the Song" by Michael Heatley and Frank Hopkinson, chronicles 50 stories behind these hidden inspirers. Here's a look at some of the book's reveals, along with some more surprises: Billy Joel's "Uptown Girl" The Inspirer: Elle Macpherson The story: While everyone assumes this song was written about Joel's wife Christie Brinkley (especially since she appears in the video), another model lit the first spark. Joel was on vacation in the Caribbean when he came upon three models staying in the same hotel: Macpherson, Brinkley and a young, pre-fame Whitney Houston. Joel began to date McPherson, and his original name for the song was "Uptown Girls." After he switched to Brinkley, though, the sole focus turned to the woman he later married. Neil Diamond's "Sweet Caroline" The inspirer: Caroline Kennedy The story: Smash songwriter Diamond wasn't expressing a romantic ode with this classic hit but a nod to innocence. A photograph of then-President Kennedy's 5-year-old daughter Caroline in Life magazine became his muse during a period of disillusionment in his life. The pic was of young Caroline, in 1962, on a horse with the caption "On Her Pony Macaroni." Diamond revealed his inspiration for the song only in 2007, by which time Caroline was in her 50s. "I thought she might be embarrassed," Diamond said. "But she seemed to be struck by it." Bob Dylan's "It Ain't Me Babe" The inspirer: Joan Baez The story: When the Staten Island-born Baez first met Dylan in 1961, she was by far the bigger star. But he had the hipper buzz. The pair had an affair, and Baez hoped Dylan would not only stay as her lover but join her in the peace movement. Instead, he intended to move away from his role as a "protest singer" − and from her. His song "It Ain't Me Babe" offers his kiss-off to both. In 1975, Baez got her revenge with the song "Diamonds and Rust," which gives her side of the story. It became the biggest hit of her career. Leonard Cohen's "Chelsea Hotel No. 2" The inspirer: Janis Joplin The story: Cohen − one of rock's greatest bards − had a sexual encounter with Joplin at the famous Chelsea Hotel in the late '60s. When they ran into each other in the elevator, Joplin admitted she had hoped to see the more studly Kris Kristofferson (who later wrote what became Janis' biggest hit, "Me and Bobby McGee"). Cohen used that slight to inspire the line in the song "You told me you preferred handsome men/But for me you would make an exception." But he evened the score with another line in the piece, addressing them both: "We're ugly/But we have the music." The Kinks' "Lola" The inspirer: Candy Darling The story: Fans have long wondered who inspired the first major pop hit about a drag queen. Rolling Stone claims it was Warhol "superstar" Candy Darling, whom, the mag alleges, Kinks' leader Ray Davies briefly dated. Darling's sexual ambiguity also inspired the Velvet Underground song "Candy Says," a reference in Lou Reed's famous hit "Walk on the Wild Side," as well as Morrissey's "You Know I Couldn't Last." George Harrison's "Something" The inspirer: Patti Boyd The story: Harrison first met teenage London model Boyd on the set of the Beatles' debut flick, 1964's "A Hard Day's Night." She played (what else?) a screaming school girl besotted with the band. In real life, George fancied her, asked her out, but she turned him down, since she had a boyfriend at the time. Later, Boyd thought better on it and four days after their first date, she introduced the "quiet Beatle" to her parents. In her biography, Boyd wrote that Harrison casually told her he wrote his best known song, "Something," for her. Later, though, George said he was thinking of Ray Charles when he penned it. Interestingly, Boyd was also the inspirer of Eric Clapton's tortured love ballad "Layla," recorded with Derek and the Dominoes. Clapton wrote it to woo her in 1970 while she was still married to George, Eric's close friend. [email protected] |
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– Thousands of people are not on board with Maroon 5 headlining the Super Bowl halftime show. At least 48,541 people, to be exact. That's how many people, as of this writing, had signed a Change.org petition asking the band to drop out of the performance. But no, not because they have anything against the band. Rather, the petition claims that Rihanna turned down the opportunity to perform because she supports Colin Kaepernick, and Maroon 5 should do the same. "Kaepernick risked his career to take a knee for equality, and the NFL punished him for it. Until the league changes their policy and support players’ constitutional right to protest, no artists should agree to work with the NFL," the petition reads. Maroon 5 has yet to officially confirm the rumor that it is this season's halftime headliner, Us reports. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Click here to tell the artists to #TakeAKnee during their halftime set in solidarity with Kaepernick. Rihanna has reportedly turned down the opportunity to perform in front of over 100 million people at the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show. Why? She supports Colin Kaepernick, the former San Francisco 49ers quarterback who has been exiled from the NFL because of his decision to kneel during the national anthem. Kaepernick risked his career to take a knee for equality, and the NFL punished him for it. Until the league changes their policy and support players’ constitutional right to protest, no artists should agree to work with the NFL. Join me in asking Maroon 5 to drop out of the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show. Rihanna is not the first major artist to turn down the Super Bowl halftime show. Jay-Z turned down a request to perform at the 2017 Super Bowl, and even addressed it in his 2018 song “Apesh*t.” The lyrics say, “I said no to the Super Bowl: you need me, I don't need you. Every night we in the endzone, tell the NFL we in stadiums too," while the music video shows a line of men on one knee. Comedian Amy Schumer has also weighed in, praising Rihanna and encouraging Maroon 5 to follow her lead and step down. Schumer also said that she will refuse to do any commercials that would air during the big game. “Hitting the NFL with the advertisers is the only way to really hurt them," she said. Maroon 5 has made music over the years featuring artists from all genres, including Rihanna, Cardi B and Kendrick Lamar — all of whom have publicly supported Kaepernick in his decision to protest the violent racism sweeping the United States. Maroon 5 must do the same. The band has a chance to stand on the right side of history. If they don’t, they will be remembered for choosing to side with the NFL over its players. The band’s lead singer, Adam Levine, has not shied away from politics in the past. He has been a strong supporter of same sex marriage and LGBT rights. The band even changed the location of a show because the venue supported anti-gay marriage laws. If the band can take a stand for LGBT rights, they should do the same for these players. Colin Kaepernick has sacrificed his NFL career to call out violent racism in America, and players across the country have followed his lead. Rihanna, Jay-Z, Amy Schumer and others have refused to work with the NFL. Maroon 5: Americans look to artists and celebrities as leaders, and you have huge opportunity to use your influence to take a stand. Sign to tell Maroon 5 to drop out of the Super Bowl halftime show in solidarity with Kaepernick and players who #TakeAKnee. ||||| Adam Levine and Maroon 5 are being urged to pull out of performing at the Super Bowl halftime show in support of former NFL player Colin Kaepernick. More than 44,000 people have signed a petition on change.org calling on the group to cancel their plans to perform at the sporting event in Atlanta on February 3 next year. According to the petition, “Kaepernick risked his career to take a knee for equality, and the NFL punished him for it. Until the league changes their policy and support players’ constitutional right to protest, no artists should agree to work with the NFL.” The former San Francisco 49ers quarterback, 31, was the first NFL player to kneel during the national anthem in a peaceful protest against police brutality and racial inequality in 2016. He has not played since that season and last year filed a grievance against the league and its owners, accusing them of colluding to keep him off the field. US Weekly exclusively revealed in September that the Grammy-winning band had accepted an offer to perform at the Super Bowl, with multiple sources later telling Us that Cardi B is “being considered” as a special guest. Maroon 5 have yet to officially confirm their involvement, but Levine, 39, did little to dispel the rumors during an appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Friday, November 16. “It’s definitely a rumor. And the rumor’s a rumor that everyone seems to be discussing. It’s the Super Bowl. It’s a great event and there’s gonna be a band performing — or an artist of some kind — at halftime. And it’s gonna be great, regardless of who it is,” the Voice judge said. “Whoever is lucky enough to get that gig is probably gonna crush it. … Whoever does it is probably equal parts nervous and excited. This is all speculative ‘cause I don’t know who I’m talking about.” In October, Amy Schumer urged the band to reconsider performing at the show, while Us exclusively reported that Rihanna had decided to skip performing at the Super Bowl because she “supports Colin Kaepernick.” Jay Z also claimed on his song “Apes—t” that he had also turned down an offer to headline the show, and Pink, who sang the national anthem at the Super Bowl this year, also reportedly said no. For all the inside details on the biggest celebrity stories and scoop this week, subscribe to our new podcast "Us Weekly's Hot Hollywood" below! Sign up now for the Us Weekly newsletter to get breaking celebrity news, hot pics and more delivered straight to your inbox! Want stories like these delivered straight to your phone? Download the Us Weekly iPhone app now! |
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air embolism is a rare complication of percutaneous nephrolithotomy .
patent foramen ovale , which is necessary in fetal circulation , is a potential route for emboli arising from the venous system to enter the systemic arterial circulation , resulting in paradoxical air embolism syndrome .
a case of paradoxical air embolism during percutaneous nephrolithotomy is presented . to our knowledge , this is the first report of paradoxical air embolism associated with patent foramen ovale during percutaneous nephrolithotomy . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | patent foramen ovale , which is necessary in fetal circulation , is a potential route for emboli arising from the venous system to enter the systemic arterial circulation , resulting in paradoxical air embolism syndrome . we report a case of paradoxical air embolism as a complication of percutaneous approach for treatment of calyceal diverticular stone . a 37-yr - old man in good health was referred to us for right calyceal diverticulum with milk of calcium . after induction of general anesthesia , the patient was placed in the lithotomy position . a 6-fr ureteral catheter with ureteropelvic junction occlusion balloon was passed through the right ureter , and the patient was then turned to prone position . after confirming the position of the ureteral catheter under fluoroscopy , the pyelogram was performed by injecting contrast and a small volume of air into the right pelvocalyceal system to locate the diverticulum ( fig . 1 ) . direct puncture of the calyceal diverticulum was attempted several times without success . the total volume of air used during the procedure was about 25 ml . the patient remained cardiovascularly stable throughout the procedure . six hours after the surgical procedure , the patient complained of weakness of his right leg . eight hours after this episode , he had sudden tonic seizure and became unconscious ; he was transferred to the intensive care unit and treated , accordingly . the patient underwent magnetic resonance imaging of the brain including diffusion - weighted imaging , which was negative . twenty - four hours after the procedure , he recovered fully without any neurological deficit and regained consciousness . neurologic evaluation showed that cryptogenic arterial air embolism was the mostly likely cause of the seizure . cardiac workup with transthoracic echocardiogram failed to reveal a cardiac source of emboli . however , transesophageal echocardiography with provocation testing showed air bubbles in the left atrium revealing that the patient had right - to - left shunt due to patent foramen ovale ( fig . 2 ) . in this case , the clinical features were strongly suggestive of paradoxical air embolism during air pyelogram . air embolism , the entry of gas into the vascular structure , is mainly a iatrogenic problem that can result in serious morbidity and even death . venous embolism occurs when air is introduced to the central venous intravascular space and embolizes to the right heart or pulmonary arterial system . arterial embolism results from the entry of gas into the left heart chambers , as with paradoxical air embolism across an intracardiac shunt or during cardiac surgery , or directly into the arteries of the systemic circulation such as during decompression barotraumas or penetrating trauma involving an artery ( 1 , 2 ) . this phenomenon was first described by lopez , who noted the passage of fluid from the calyces into the renal veins ( 6 ) . air embolism as a complication of retrograde pyelography , and air entering the hepatic veins after nephrolithotomy have also been reported ( 7 ) . the factors that influence morbidity and mortality of air embolism include the volume of air entrained , rate of entrainment , position of patient during the event , and the cardiac status of the patient . patent foramen ovale is necessary in fetal circulation to sustain intrauterine life . the closure of the foramen ovale is normally completed by the age of 2 yr . in case of incomplete closure , the foramen ovale is kept sealed by the left atrial to right atrial pressure gradient but may be opened if the right atrial pressure increases and exceeds that of the left atrium ( 8) . a persistent patent foramen ovale is thus a potential route for emboli arising from the venous system to enter the systemic arterial circulation . a patent foramen ovale and paradoxical air embolism syndrome has been increasingly implicated in cryptogenic embolic stroke . the most widely supposed mechanism for a patent foramen ovale related stroke is paradoxical air embolism of venous thrombotic material across the atrial right - to - left shunt ( 9 , 10 ) . the normal collecting system is known to have a capacity of approximately 5 - 10 cc . in this case , retrograde injection of 25 ml of air appeared to be the cause of physiologically significant air embolism , most likely via pyelovenous backflow phenomenon . in addition , clinical features of this case strongly suggested paradoxical air embolism associated with patent foramen ovale . a recent study reported that endoscopic operation under carbon dioxide pneumovesicum is effective and safe ( 11 ) . although gas embolism is usually air embolism , the medical use of other gases such carbon dioxide , nitrous oxide , nitrogen , and helium can also result in embolism . thus , endoscopic operation using carbon dioxide , which is highly water - soluble and relatively safe , carries potential risk of embolism . to our knowledge , this is the first report of paradoxical air embolism associated with patent foramen ovale during percutaneous nephrolithotomy . at present , there are no consensual guidelines on the optimal management of patent foramen ovale in patients who have suffered from cryptogenic embolic stroke ( 12 ) . urologists who prefer to use air during pecutaneous nephrolithotomy under general anesthesia should be aware of the potential risk of air embolism . injection of a smaller amount of air for pneumopyelography is strongly advisable , if necessary . |
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[ purpose ] this study examined the effects of a ball - backrest chair combined with an
accelerometer on the pain and trunk muscle endurance of a computer worker with low - back
pain ( lbp ) .
[ subject and methods ] a 36-year - old male with a flat back who complained of
lbp at the l35 level was the subject .
he used the ball - backrest chair when working at a
computer for 1 week .
[ results ] after using the ball backrest , the trunk extensor and
flexor muscle endurance times had increased compared with the baseline and the vas score
had decreased from 7 to 4 .
[ conclusion ] combining exercises with information on motion is
a useful common treatment approach for improving trunk muscle endurance in lbp . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | poor posture while working at computers might increase the risk of work - related musculoskeletal problems by decreasing the strength of the spine - stabilizing muscles and increasing the compressive forces on the articulations of the spine1 . various chairs have been designed to promote a correct seating posture while maintaining comfort and functionality2 . numerous studies have investigated the impact of chair design parameters and the position of computer monitors on the neck , shoulder , and back pain , including the backrest type3 . yoo et al.4 first designed the ball backrest to exert a continuous external load via the tension of the ball against the trunk . they reported that the activities of the serratus anterior and middle trapezius muscles , known to be weakened in subjects with upper - cross syndrome , were significantly higher when a ball - backrest chair was used4 . however , they suggested further clinical studies of the long - term effects of the ball - backrest chair on subjects with pain . therefore , this study examined the effects of the ball - backrest chair combined with an accelerometer on pain and trunk muscle endurance of a computer worker with low - back pain ( lbp ) . a 36-year - old male , with a height of 176 cm , weight of 55 kg , and a flat back , who complained of lbp pain at the l35 level was the subject of this study . ethics approval was obtained from the inje university faculty of health science human ethics committee , and the subject provided with written informed consent to participation before commencing the study . he complained of continuous lbp for 8 months , but had not received any specific treatment for this condition . when he flexed forward in the standing position with his knees fully extended , he experienced pain , assessed on a visual analogue scale ( vas ) , of score 7 . the ball - backrest chair had a 25-cm - diameter ball instead of a general - purpose backrest . the center of the ball backrest was placed at the horizontal height of t5t74 ( fig . the capacitive components of an accelerometer are commonly used to convert mechanical motion into an electrical signal . the analog signal was converted to a digital signal with an a / d converter ( ni usb-6009 , national instruments ; austin , tx , usa ) . the accelerometer detected linear motion and provided visual feedback with the aid of graphic software featuring a user - friendly interface in labview ( national instruments ) . motion during computer work and associated ball - backrest motions were plotted using a visual display to provide biofeedback ( fig . the trunk extensor endurance test measures the time a subject can hold the extended spine horizontal on a table edge with his thighs , knees , and ankles supported on the table ( biering srensen test ) . the starting position for the trunk flexor endurance test involved positioning the subject on a plinth with his back resting against a wedge maintaining 60 flexion from the horizontal . the knees were flexed at 90 , and the feet were secured with a seat belt . he used the ball - backrest chair when working at a computer for 1 week . the initial vas score was 7 ; the initial trunk extensor muscle endurance time was 40 sec ; the initial trunk flexor muscle endurance was 32 sec . after using the ball backrest combined with an accelerometer , the trunk extensor muscle endurance time had increased compared with the baseline ( 83 vs. 40 s ) , as had the trunk flexor muscle endurance time ( 64 vs. 32 s ) , and the vas score had decreased from 7 to 4 . this study examined the effects of a ball - backrest chair combined with an accelerometer on the back pain and trunk muscle strength of a computer worker with lbp . it has been shown that specific exercises are more effective than other treatments for lbp . after using the ball - backrest combined with an accelerometer , the trunk extensor and flexor muscle endurance times had increased markedly , and the vas score had decreased . clinically , a subject is considered to have failed the trunk extensor and flexor muscle endurance tests when times are less than 60 s and 50 s , respectively . the literature suggests that sufficient trunk muscle endurance contributes to spinal stability during prolonged , strenuous physical tasks6 . adequate trunk muscle endurance may play an important role in injury - free performance6 , 7 . osullivan et al.7 showed that decreased trunk muscle endurance is associated with habitual adoption of a passive sitting posture and reduced activity levels . van dieen et al.8 found that stature was improved after 3 hours of sitting in two dynamic chairs compared with sitting in a fixed chair . our ball - backrest platform acts as a dynamic chair and featured biofeedback . a combination of exercise with information on motion is widely considered useful for improving trunk muscle endurance in lbp . |
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– It could be a whale of a deal. SeaWorld Entertainment has filed the paperwork to go public, three years after being bought for $2.3 billion by Blackstone Group, reports the Wall Street Journal. Media reports vary on what the move is expected to raise, with the Journal citing figures of up to $700 million, and AP pegging the number at just $100 million. Regardless, the funds will allow SeaWorld to reduce its $1.83 billion in debt, reports the New York Post. It plans to trade under the ticker "SEAS" on the Nasdaq. The company warns that its business is dependent on customers' willingness to spend on leisure and entertainment, which may be a tough proposition in a still-weak US economy. Still, SeaWorld's revenue has risen in the three years that it's been owned by Blackstone, with profit jumping 73% in the first nine months of 2012 to $86.2 million from $50 million a year earlier. Blackstone will continue to own a majority stake in the company, which operates 11 theme parks housing 67,000 animals around the United States. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | FILE - In this Monday, March 7, 2011, file photo, park guests watch as a killer whale flips out of the water at SeaWorld Orlando's Shamu Stadium in Orlando, Fla. SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. on Thursday,... (Associated Press) FILE - In this Monday, March 7, 2011, file photo, park guests watch as a killer whale flips out of the water at SeaWorld Orlando's Shamu Stadium in Orlando, Fla. SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. on Thursday,... (Associated Press) The company famous for water shows featuring killer whales, dolphins and other animals at SeaWorld said Thursday that it is planning to go public. SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. has filed for an initial public offering of stock aimed at raising $100 million. That number is likely to change as the company's bankers gauge interest from investors. From its origins as a Busch Gardens animal park at Anheuser-Busch's Tampa Budweiser brewery, the company has grown to span 11 theme parks housing 67,000 animals. Besides the three SeaWorld parks, the company owns two Busch Gardens parks and Sesame Place, an amusement park based on the children's TV show Sesame Street. The company warns that its business is dependent on customers' willingness to spend on leisure and entertainment _ which may be a tough proposition in a still-weak U.S. economy. Still, SeaWorld's revenue has risen in the three years that it's been owned by private equity firm Blackstone Group LP. The company has looked for ways to stay competitive in the current market, branching out this year with a Saturday morning television show, "Sea Rescue," on the ABC network to attract young viewers. Blackstone is expected to sell some of its stock in the IPO but keep a majority stake, SeaWorld said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. SeaWorld plans to use money raised in the IPO to pay down debt and make a payment to the New York-based firm. Blackstone bought SeaWorld, formerly Busch Entertainment Corp., from beer brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2009 for $2.3 billion. The Belgian company was shedding assets to help pay for its $52 billion takeover of St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch in 2008. Anheuser-Busch started Busch Gardens in Tampa in 1959. The beer company bought SeaWorld, whose park opened in San Diego in 1964, in 1989. SeaWorld is now based in the theme park mecca of Orlando, Florida, also home to Walt Disney Co.'s Walt Disney World resort and Universal Studios. More than half of the company's revenue is generated in Florida. SeaWorld said about 24 million people attended its 11 parks during the 12 months ended Sept. 30. The company did not disclose how that figure has grown or shrank in the past few years, but says it has a "stable attendance base." In the first nine months of 2012, SeaWorld's profit jumped 73 percent to $86.2 million from $50 million a year earlier, as revenue rose nearly 8 percent to $1.16 billion. Some of the company's competitors have had a difficult climb back from the recession. Amusement park operator Six Flags Entertainment Corp. filed for bankruptcy protection in 2009, emerging in mid-2010. It has been growing revenue since then, although it posted a loss in 2011. SeaWorld, which plans to trade under the ticker "SEAS" on the Nasdaq, did not name a date for its IPO or detail how many shares will be sold, and at what price, in its filing with regulators. But SeaWorld did warn investors of the risks involved with having its animals interact with human visitors, noting that accidents could hurt its parks' reputation and attendance. In 2010, a trainer at its SeaWorld Orlando park was killed by an orca, or killer, whale. Last month an 8-year-old Georgia girl said a dolphin at the same Orlando park bit her hand while she fed the animal as part of an attraction. ||||| Steve Schwarzman is taking Shamu for another ride. Schwarzman’s Blackstone Group, which acquired SeaWorld Entertainment for $2.7 billion in 2009, filed yesterday to take the amusement park chain public. Blackstone didn’t say how many shares the company would sell, but sources said the firm is looking to raise as much as $500 million in the initial public offering, which will trade under the ticker “SEAS.” While SeaWorld has returned to profitability under Blackstone’s ownership, it is swimming in $1.83 billion of debt. Besides saddling it with loans to leverage its buyout, Blackstone and its partners have taken $610 million out of the company through dividends. They invested $975 million in the deal. Blackstone’s advisory business also charges the company about $6 million a year. Some $40 million in proceeds from the IPO will be paid to Blackstone to terminate their advisory agreement. Much of the rest “allows SeaWorld to expand internationally,” where it has little presence, according to amusement park consultant Dennis Spiegel. There are very few destination parks to buy in the US so growth has to come from overseas, he said. SeaWorld, home of famed killer whale Shamu, has 11 parks including Busch Gardens and Sesame Place. Blackstone has made moves to improve operations including buying property for $15 million in Chula Vista, Calif., next to SeaWorld, so it can open an adjacent park allowing customers to swim with dolphins, Spiegel said. PE firms like the amusement park business because operators can generate profit margins of more than 30 percent. ||||| Dow Jones Reprints: This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. To order presentation-ready copies for distribution to your colleagues, clients or customers, use the Order Reprints tool at the bottom of any article or visit www.djreprints.com |
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– The last survivor of the Nazi death camp Treblinka—which systematically murdered 875,000 people during World War II, a gruesome toll eclipsed only by Auschwitz—died Friday at his home in Israel at the age of 93. Samuel Willenberg, born in Poland in 1923, was a physically fit bricklayer at the time of his arrival at Treblinka and was sent to work instead of immediately gassed like most prisoners, reports the BBC. He said it was "chance, sheer chance" that on Aug. 2, 1943, shortly before the camp was destroyed, he managed to escape during a mass revolt, reports the AP. The then-20-year-old had to climb over bodies to mount a fence and then keep running even as friends were shot alongside him. He was one of just 67 people known to have survived Treblinka. Willenberg credits his blue eyes and "non-Jewish" looks with his ability to evade capture in the following weeks as he made his way back to Poland and joined the uprising there (his mother was an Orthodox Christian but converted to Judaism, notes Haaretz). Both his sisters were killed at the camp, and he's survived by a daughter and grandchildren. Eventually Willenberg settled down in Israel and worked as a surveyor, and he told the AP in 2010: "I live two lives, one is here and now and the other is what happened there. It never leaves me. It stays in my head. It goes with me always." He regularly visited the area to guide youth tour groups and said, "The world cannot forget Treblinka." (The Nazis tried to destroy evidence of Treblinka in 1943, but archaeologists uncovered some of its secrets.) | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | FILE -- In this Oct. 31, 2010 file photo, Holocaust survivor Samuel Willenberg poses for a picture at his studio, during an interview with the Associated Press in Tel Aviv, Israel. Willenberg, the last... (Associated Press) JERUSALEM (AP) — Samuel Willenberg, the last survivor of Treblinka, the Nazi death camp in occupied Poland where 875,000 people were systematically murdered, has died in Israel at the age of 93. Only 67 people are known to have survived the camp, fleeing in a revolt shortly before it was destroyed. Treblinka holds a notorious place in history as perhaps the most vivid example of the "Final Solution," the Nazi plan to exterminate Europe's Jews. Unlike at other camps, where some Jews were assigned to forced labor before being killed, nearly all Jews brought to Treblinka were immediately gassed to death. Only a select few — mostly young, strong men like Willenberg, who was 20 at the time— were spared from immediate death and assigned to maintenance work instead at the camp, located northeast of Warsaw. On Aug. 2, 1943, a group of Jews stole some weapons, set fire to the camp and headed to the woods. Hundreds fled, but most were shot and killed by Nazi troops in the surrounding mine fields or captured by Polish villagers who returned them to Treblinka. "The world cannot forget Treblinka," Willenberg told The Associated Press in a 2010 interview. He described how he was shot in the leg as he climbed over bodies piled at the barbed wire fence and catapulted over. He kept running, ignoring dead friends in his path. He said his blue eyes and "non-Jewish" look allowed him to survive in the countryside before arriving in Warsaw and joining the Polish underground. After the war Willenberg moved to Israel and became a surveyor for the Housing Ministry. Later in life, he took up sculpting to describe his experiences. His bronze statues depicted Jews standing on a train platform, a father removing his son's shoes before entering the gas chambers, a young girl having her head shaved, and prisoners removing bodies. "I live two lives, one is here and now and the other is what happened there," Willenberg said. "It never leaves me. It stays in my head. It goes with me always." His two sisters were killed at Treblinka. He described his survival as "chance, sheer chance." The Nazis and their collaborators killed about 6 million Jews during the Holocaust. The death toll at Treblinka was second only to Auschwitz — a prison camp in southern Poland where more than a million people died in gas chambers or from starvation, disease and forced labor. His daughter said he died on Friday. He is survived by a daughter and grandchildren. ||||| Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Treblinka survivor Samuel Willenberg recounts the Treblinka uprising in 2011 Samuel Willenberg, the last survivor of Nazi Germany's Treblinka death camp in Poland, has died in Israel aged 93. Only one of 67 people known to have survived the camp, he escaped by clambering over bodies piled up by a fence as the Nazis shot prisoners during a mass break-out. In 2013, he returned to the site to mark 70 years since his escape. About 870,000 people died in the gas chambers at Treblinka - more than anywhere else except Auschwitz. Mr Willenberg urged the world never to forget Treblinka. Image copyright AP Image caption Mr Willenberg escaped from Treblinka by clambering over the bodies of his dead friends Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Mr Willenberg regularly returned to Treblinka to guide youth tour groups In October 1942, aged 19, he was among 6,000 Jews from the Opatow ghetto who arrived by train at the camp. They were told they were at a transit camp and had to undress and shower before being sent onward. In reality, the shower rooms were gas chambers. But because he was a bricklayer he was assigned to manual labour duties and escaped an early death. His job was to sort through the belongings of the people sent to the gas chambers. After the war Mr Willenberg - whose two sisters were killed at the camp - moved to Israel and became a surveyor. "I live two lives, one is here and now and the other is what happened there,'' he said. `"It never leaves me. It stays in my head. It goes with me always." Most of Treblinka's guards were never prosecuted for their part in the crimes there. Treblinka's commandant, Franz Stangl, was sentenced to life imprisonment in October 1970 following his trial in the west German city of Duesseldorf. Today nothing remains of the extermination camp apart from the ashes of the mostly Jewish men, women and children murdered there. ||||| These crawls are part of an effort to archive pages as they are created and archive the pages that they refer to. That way, as the pages that are referenced are changed or taken from the web, a link to the version that was live when the page was written will be preserved.Then the Internet Archive hopes that references to these archived pages will be put in place of a link that would be otherwise be broken, or a companion link to allow people to see what was originally intended by a page's authors.The goal is to fix all broken links on the web . Crawls of supported "No More 404" sites. |
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– The Texas man who claimed his adopted 3-year-old daughter disappeared after he put her outside at 3am as punishment was arrested Monday, a day after a child's body was found. Police say Wesley Mathews was charged with felony injury to a child after visiting a police station with his attorney and giving them a different version of events, the Dallas Morning News reports. "He provided an alternate series of events from what he had previously given us," said police spokesman Kevin Perlich, who did not elaborate. Police say the body found in a culvert less than a mile from the Mathews home in the Dallas suburb of Richardson is "most likely" that of Sherin Mathews, though they are waiting for confirmation. Mathews, who was out on bail on a charge of child endangerment, is being held on $1 million bond on the new charge, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, the AP reports. Police say more charges—and more arrests—are possible. Mathews has told police that Sherin, who was adopted from India last year, was on a special diet and was being punished for not drinking her milk. He did not report her missing for five hours and police are seeking surveillance footage of a vehicle they believe left the home between 4am and 5am on Oct. 7, the night the girl disappeared. Earlier Monday, Mathews and his wife went to a court hearing seeking to regain custody of their biological 4-year-old daughter, who was taken into protective custody after Sherin disappeared. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | FILE- This undated photo provided by the Richardson Texas Police Department shows 3-year-old Sherin Mathews. Police in a Dallas suburb say they've found the body of a small child on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017,... (Associated Press) FILE- This undated photo provided by the Richardson Texas Police Department shows 3-year-old Sherin Mathews. Police in a Dallas suburb say they've found the body of a small child on Sunday, Oct. 22, 2017, not far from the home of Sherin Mathews, who's been missing since early this month. Her father,... (Associated Press) DALLAS (AP) — The father of a missing 3-year-old North Texas girl was arrested Monday after voluntarily giving new answers to investigators' questions about his daughter's disappearance. Wesley Mathews, 37, was charged Monday afternoon with first-degree felony injury to a child, a crime punishable by up to life imprisonment. Bond was set at $1 million, Richardson police Sgt. Kevin Perlich said. Perlich did not say how Mathews' new answers deviated from his previous statements regarding the disappearance of his adopted daughter, Sherin Mathews. But Perlich said the elder Mathews gave different answers to police questions than before. Police on Monday were waiting for confirmation that a body found over the weekend was that of the missing child, although Perlich said investigators have no reason not to believe the body found Sunday is that of Sherin Mathews. Police are also awaiting a cause of death from the medical examiner's office. Sherin, who was adopted from India last year, was reported missing by her father on Oct. 7. He told police that he had ordered her to stand near a tree outside of their home at about 3 a.m. as punishment for not drinking her milk, and that she was gone when he went to check on her about 15 minutes later. Authorities said he waited five hours to report her missing. Previously, Mathews was free on bond after being charged with abandoning or endangering a child. According to police, Mathews said the girl was developmentally disabled and malnourished when he and his wife adopted her, and that they had to put her on a special diet that included feeding her whenever she was awake, including in the middle of the night, to help her gain weight. Wesley Mathews told police that after doing an initial search once he realized his daughter was missing, he went inside and did laundry while waiting for her to come home or for daylight so that he could continue looking. He and his wife, Sini Mathews, attended a court hearing earlier Monday to determine whether they could regain custody of their 4-year-old biological daughter, who was placed in protective custody after her sister went missing. The judge postponed the hearing until Nov. 13 to give Wesley Mathews time to hire a civil attorney, said Marissa Gonzales, a spokeswoman for Child Protective Services. The girl will remain in foster care at least until that hearing or until a judge orders a change in custody. "We do have the names of some relatives who have expressed interest in taking care of her," Gonzales said. "We can begin looking into those relatives, but it is entirely up to the judge where she is placed." Authorities using dogs to search for Sherin found the remains Sunday in a drainage tunnel about a half-mile from the family's home. Rafael De La Garza, an attorney for Wesley Mathews, told The Dallas Morning News after Monday's hearing that his client was "mourning the death of his child," but he didn't address the criminal charges. De La Garza did not immediately reply to a phone message from The Associated Press. Police said they believe Sini Mathews was sleeping when the girl went missing and was unaware of the alleged punishment. Investigators have asked neighbors and area businesses to check their video surveillance cameras for footage of a maroon Acura SUV owned by the Mathews family that they believe left the home between 4 a.m. and 5 a.m. on Oct. 7. Kent Starr, an attorney for Sini Mathews, said that as part of Wesley Mathews' bond agreement, the couple cannot live together. Starr told The Dallas Morning News that his client is seeking to regain custody of her other daughter and that she has cooperated with the police in trying to help identify Sherin's body. Officials from the Indian Embassy in the U.S. and the Indian Consulate in Houston tweeted late last week that they are in contact with police regarding the investigation and actively helping. Neither office has released a statement since the body was found. Police confirmed they are working with the consulate to obtain adoption records and other documents. ___ Associated Press writer Terry Wallace in Dallas contributed to the report. ___ Follow Claudia Lauer on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ClaudiaLauer ||||| Updated at 11:45 a.m. Tuesday: Revised to include that the body has been identified as Sherin Mathews. The body of a young child found Sunday in a culvert in Richardson has been identified as that of missing 3-year-old Sherin Mathews, police confirmed Tuesday. Richardson police said the Dallas medical examiner's office used dental records to confirm the identity of the body that was found Sunday. Her cause of death has not been determined and police haven't said whether or not they suspect foul play. Sherin's father, who originally told police he sent her out to an alley as punishment, is facing a felony charge after offering a new account Monday of how the girl went missing two weeks ago. |
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– They're going to need a lot more paintings: Lehman Bros. raised $12.3 million tonight at Sotheby's by selling off artwork it picked up during its golden run on Wall Street, reports BBC. It's good news for Lehman's many creditors, but not great news considering the collapsed investment bank owes hundreds of billions. Lehman's has another auction next week, this time at Christie's. The Sotheby's sales actually exceeded expectations, notes LindsayPollack.com. Of the 142 lots, 83% found buyers. The top seller was Julie Mehretu's Untitled 1, which went to a private bidder for a little more than $1 million, while Liu Ye’s The Long Way Home went for $962,500. Both sold for significantly higher than expected. One of the unlucky ones was Damien Hirst's We've Got Style. Expected to be top dog at up to $1.2 million, it opened at $200,000 and found zero takers. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Lehman Bros art makes $12m in US There was considerable interest in the Sotheby's auction Continue reading the main story Related Stories An auction of fine art from the New York offices of collapsed investment bank Lehman Brothers has raised more than $12m (£7.6m) at Sotheby's. The proceeds will go towards paying Lehman's creditors, owed $600bn since the firm's collapse in 2008. On Wednesday art from Lehman's extensive European collection will be auctioned at Christie's in London. Top sellers in New York included work by Ethiopian artist Julie Mehretu and an oil painting by Liu Ye of China. Mehretu's ink and acrylic work, entitled Untitled 1, sold for a little more than $1m (£640,000.) Liu's oil painting The Long Way Home went for $962,500 (£615,606). Both works set records for the artists. However, a work by British artist Damien Hirst - entitled We've Got Style (The Vessel Collection - Blue/Green) - failed to sell after being expected to fetch about $1m. The proceeds from the sales in both New York and London will go towards repaying the creditors of the investment bank, which was the biggest bankruptcy in US corporate history when it collapsed in September 2008. Works by Lucien Freud and Gary Hume are in the company's European collection, which is to be sold for an estimated £2m ($3.13m) by Christie's in London. A company sign from its offices in Canary Wharf, London, will be among the objects sold in London, as will Lehman Brothers cigar boxes and tea caddies. With an estimated value of up to £150,000 ($243,530), an image of a New York stock exchange by photographer Andreas Gursky will be sold separately in October. ||||| Julie Mehretu's "Untitled 1" sold for $1 million at Sotheby's Lehman Neuberger Berman auction By Mackie Healy, Art Market Views Contributor The sale of corporate art from Neuberger Berman and Lehman Brothers tallied $12.3 million today at Sotheby’s, exceeding the $12 million presale high estimate. Seventeen auction records were achieved. Julie Mehretu’s layered, abstract Untitled 1 (2001) was the sale’s top lot, selling for $1 million to an unnamed private collector bidding by phone. The work was estimated to sell for $600,000 – $800,000, outstripping the $21,726 Neuberger had paid in 2001. The large-scale ink and acrylic canvas also set a new auction record for Mehretu, surpassing the previous high – $394,038 for Untitled (Dervish), 2005 at Sotheby’s London in June 2009. Eighty-three percent of the 142 lots found buyers. The majority of the bidding was done over the phone, with intermittent paddle-waving from dealers and Wall Street types, unbuttoning their weekday trading suits for Saturday casual ensembles of golf shirts and running shorts. There was even some institutional bidding.The Museum Art Center Buenos Aires (MACBA), snatched up works by Robert Longo, Callum Innes, and Karin Davie, spending $212,000. With a preponderance of phone bidding, the salesroom mood was sluggish, despite yeoman efforts of auctioneer Tobias Meyer. Meyer, who usually handles pricey evening auctions gamely plucked a few bids from cyberspace via Sotheby’s online bidding system. Meyer, who conducted the first half of the sale, announced it was his first run-in with Internet bidding. He looked at a laptop positioned a few feet in front of his rostrum. “Not yours computer,” he quipped, when the online bidder was outdone by a dealer in the salesroom. Conceptual artist Glenn Ligon also achieved an auction record. His 1991 work, Invisible Man (Two Views), saw competitive telephone bidding before selling to a caller for $434,500. Ligon has gotten off to a strong fall. His previous auction record was established last week at Christie’s. The similar smudged text Invisible Man painting fetched $314,500 at that sale. Liu Ye’s The Long Way Home, (2005) was the sale’s second priciest lot, fetching $962,500. The snowy portrait of a little girl dressed in pink and her hooded guardian was estimated to sell for $500,000 – $700,000. The multi-colored catalog cover lot – Untitled (Three-tiered Perspective) by Mark Grotjahn – rounded out the top three, going for $782,500 to a phone bidder. Not all was buoyant.The sale’s top projected lot, Damien Hirst’s 1993 We’ve Got Style (The Vessel Collection – Blue/Green), tanked. Meyer opened the bidding at $200,000, but found no takers. The turquoise cabinet of household curiosities was pegged to sell for $800,000 – $1.2 million. More Lehman material sells at Christie’s on Wednesday, Sept. 29 in London. Freeman’s in Philadelphia offers more Lehman art Nov. 7. The Top Ten (prices include buyer’s premium): 1) Julie Mehretu, Untitled 1, 2001 $1 million (est. $600,000 – $800,000) Buyer: Private Collector 2) Lie Ye, The Long Way Home, 2005 $962,500 (est. $500,000 – $700,000) Buyer: Private Collector 3) Mark Grotjahn, Untitled (Three-tiered Perspective), 2000 $782,500 (est. $600,000 – $800,000) Buyer: Anonymous 4) Neo Rauch, Einbruch, 1999 $542,500 (est. $400,000 – $600,000) Buyer: Anonymous 5 & 6 ) Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild (763-5), 1992 $506,600 (est. $200,000 – $300,000) Buyer: American Private Collector Gerhard Richter, Abstraktes Bild (763-9), 1992 $506,500 (est. $300,000 – $400,000) Buyer: Anonymous 7) John Baldessari, Stares (with Lamps), 1986 $482,500 (est. $350,000 – $450,000) Buyer: American Private Collector 8 & 9) Olafur Eliasson, The Waterfall Series, 1996 $458,500 (est. $60,000 – $80,000) Buyer: American Private Collector Gerhard Richter, Betty, 1991 $458,500 (est. $100,000 – $150,000) Buyer: Anonymous 10) Glenn Ligon, Invisible Man (Two Views), $434,500 (est. $100,000 – $150,000) Buyer: Anonymous |
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endoscopy of both the upper and lower gastrointestinal tract remains one of the commonest procedures performed on patients .
the common risk factors associated with this procedure are well known .
however , some of the rarer complications are not known or are not considered in the immediate postprocedure time period when a patient experiences acute abdominal pain .
herein , we report a case of solid organ injury ( splenic capsular tear ) resulting from endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography .
the risk factors and presentation of this type of injury are reviewed , including its association with chronic pancreatitis , which we describe for the first time . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | a 38-year - old male was admitted to the hospital under the gastroenterology service with an acute exacerbation of alcohol - induced chronic pancreatitis . , the patient complained of ongoing left upper quadrant abdominal discomfort with associated nausea . during the investigation of this abdominal pain an endoscopic retrograde cholangiogram this study was technically difficult ; a pancreatogram could not be obtained ; imaging of the bile duct revealed a slight narrowing of the distal common bile duct . in the time immediately following the endoscopic retrograde cholangiogram , the patient complained of worsening left upper quadrant abdominal discomfort with associated left shoulder tip pain . at this time , the surgery department was consulted . examination revealed a patient in moderate distress , with a tachycardia of 120 beats per minute , blood pressure of 120/80 mm hg with no postural changes , and afebrile . multiple views of the abdomen revealed residual contrast in the biliary tree , but no free air . serial physical examinations were performed , and a computed tomography ( ct ) examination of the abdomen and pelvis was performed with intravenous and oral contrast . a large amount of free fluid in the peritoneal cavity was observed surrounding both the liver and spleen . no evidence of solid organ splenic or liver injury was identified on the ct scan . examination after the ct scan was performed revealed increasing abdominal pain , with signs of peritonitis . the patient was resuscitated and taken for emergent laparotomy . at celiotomy the patient was found to have 2000 cc of fresh and old ( clotted ) blood throughout the peritoneal cavity . the gland was hard in keeping with chronic pancreatitic changes , with a small pseudocyst located in the tail of the gland . some dense adhesions were present between the tail of the pancreas , the stomach , and the spleen as well as the transverse colon and splenic flexure . a major splenic capsular tear / disruption was identified as the cause of the hemoperitoneum , and in fact was still bleeding vigorously . the spleen was of normal size and consistency , with no evidence of splenomegaly or splenic vein thrombosis . splenorrhaphy was felt to be inappropriate given the amount of ongoing bleeding , as well as some transient hemodynamic instability the patient had experienced . injuries to the spleen following colonoscopy and endoscopy are rare ; 2 large series prior to 1975 involving over 12 000 patients failed to report a single case of splenic rupture . a recent review of splenic rupture following colonoscopy in 1997 revealed 18 cases to date , with 7 more cases being reported in the literature since then , bringing the total to 25 cases . two prior reports of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy causing splenic rupture have been reported , and one case of liver hemorrhage . patients presenting with this rare injury usually do so within 24 hours ; however , it may be delayed up to 3 days . symptoms often include localized peritoneal irritation in the left upper quadrant progressing with time to generalized peritonitis , along with referred pain to the left shoulder . changes in vital signs often accompany the peritonitis , including tachycardia and orthostatic changes in blood pressure . prior reports emphasize 3 important predisposing factors to the development of splenic injury during endoscopy : excessive traction on the splenocolic or gastrosplenic ligaments , a decrease in the mobility between the spleen and the surrounding organs ( most often resulting from adhesions ) , and finally direct trauma to the spleen . in this case , the presence of chronic pancreatitis along with an intervention for a prior pseudocyst caused both adhesions and a decrease in mobility between the stomach , pancreas , and the spleen as a result of fibrosis secondary to prior inflammation . this increases the risk of a traction injury to the spleen as a result of manipulating the endoscope in the stomach , causing the transmission of mechanical forces through the ligamentous attachments of the spleen . although uncommon , this type of injury is important for endoscopists to be aware of . unfortunately , the injury is not often included in the differential diagnosis of postendoscopy pain . as in this case , the ct scan will often not show any direct evidence of splenic injury . the authors suggest that this is because the injury is usually a capsular avulsion , and therefore no parenchymal changes will be seen on ct . the ct will demonstrate free fluid , which will be interpreted as representing a perforated hollow viscus rather than a splenic injury . in this scenario , management should be tailored to the patient 's condition as well as the nature of the splenic injury . in patients exhibiting hemodynamic however , if the patient is stable , and an isolated capsular / parenchymal tear involving the spleen is identified , nonoperative management as used in traumatic splenic injuries may be undertaken by an experienced clinician . in addition , splenorrhaphy may be considered at laparotomy in a stable patient with an isolated injury amenable to repair . this case illustrates 2 important points . the first being that solid organ injury , especially involving the spleen , should be considered in the postendoscopy patient with increasing abdominal pain . and the second being that the presence of chronic pancreatitis is a risk factor for injury to the spleen during the course of an endoscopic examination . |
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– Now it's death by helicopter. Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has already boasted he has killed three criminals himself, Time reports. Now the man nicknamed "Duterte Harry" is warning corrupt officials he will toss them from his helicopter—and he says he's already done it. "If you are corrupt, I will fetch you with a helicopter and I will throw you out on the way to Manila," Duterte said on Tuesday, per the Philippine Star. "I have done that before, why should I not do it again?" Duterte even furnished details about how high the pilot had to fly so "the body's splatter wouldn't cause a commotion," per the Star. Speaking in the northern town of Camarines Sur after touring areas devastated by a Christmas Day typhoon, it didn't take long for the strongman to turn the topic to one of his favorite topics, execution of drug dealers and other criminals. Earlier this month Duterte said that as mayor of Davao he hunted down criminals on motorbike to show the police "that if I can do it, why can't you." He once threatened to kill his children if they used drugs. In his latest speech, he stressed his campaign against drugs and corruption will remain the centerpiece of his six-year term. Human rights groups have railed against Duterte's extrajudicial war that has left more than 5,000 dead since he took office in June. While some 2,000 deaths resulted from anti-drug operations, many of the executions have been carried out by hit squads and unidentified assailants, per the Guardian. (James Taylor canceled his Manila concert in protest.) | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte has threatened to round up corrupt officials and toss them from his helicopter midflight — and it wouldn’t be the first time he’s done it, he says. In a speech at Camarines Sur in the northern Philippines on Tuesday, Duterte reportedly recounted throwing an alleged kidnapper to his death — furnishing details about how high the pilot had to fly — while he was mayor of Davao City, according to local newspaper the Philippine Star. “If you are corrupt, I will fetch you with a helicopter and I will throw you out on the way to Manila,” the newspaper quoted him as saying in Tagalog during the speech. “I have done that before, why should I not do it again?” Duterte was in Camarines Sur after touring provinces ravaged by Typhoon Nock-Ten, which made landfall on Christmas Day. But after he announced financial assistance packages for disaster-stricken areas, talk swung to the anticorruption drive he stressed would be a main focus of his six-year term — alongside his antidrug campaign, which has seen over 6000 people killed in brutal, extrajudicial fashion. The Brief Newsletter Sign up to receive the top stories you need to know right now. View Sample Sign Up Now Duterte is notorious for his outbursts. He once said he should have “been first” in the gang rape of an Australian missionary in a prison riot in 1989. He also said he would kill his own children if they used drugs. Earlier this month, Duterte admitted to personally killing three people. Members of Duterte’s Cabinet habitually dial back on such utterances, claiming that they are jokes or hyperbole. However, the U.N. human-rights commission has urged the Philippines to launch a murder investigation into Duterte’s claims. Write to Joseph Hincks at [email protected]. ||||| MANILA, Philippines – Is this another joke or hyperbole? President Duterte vowed yesterday that corrupt officials would suffer the same fate as kidnap suspects he claimed to have thrown off a helicopter in mid-flight when he was mayor of Davao City. Duterte made reference on how he dealt with criminals in the past to drive a point that he is serious about his government’s anti-corruption drive. “If you are corrupt I will fetch you with a helicopter and I will throw you out on the way to Manila,” he said in Filipino yesterday in a speech at the Camarines Sur provincial capitol after he visited disaster-stricken areas affected by Typhoon Nina. “I have done that before, why should I not do it again?” said Duterte after he announced that he was giving between P50 million to P100 million in financial assistance for disaster-stricken areas, in addition to a standby P1-billion calamity fund. Duterte stressed that his anti-corruption drive, like his anti-drug campaign, will remain the main focus of his six-year term. He has already gotten flak from international human rights groups over summary executions and his recent admission that he personally hunted criminals and killed them when he was Davao mayor. Duterte narrated an incident when he had to go after kidnappers of a Chinese who mercilessly abused their victim even after the parents paid ransom. Duterte recalled ordering the pilot to fly at the proper height, indicating the helicopter must be at the right distance from the ground so the body’s splatter won’t cause a commotion. ‘Take it or leave it’ Duterte offered no apologies for his harsh language, which had in the past triggered outrage from US President Barack Obama, members of the United Nations and the European Union. He said it is just the way he speaks. “I am that person, take it or leave,” he said. In a previous interview during the campaign, Duterte admitted killing three kidnap suspects during an encounter. He cited also a Chinese kidnap victim was involved in that operation which happened in 1988. There was a report of Duterte killing a drug dealer by dropping him off a helicopter when he was mayor, but it is not clear whether the President was referring to this incident in yesterday’s speech. In the same speech, Duterte even mentioned in passing that he did not spare two of his fraternity brothers for accepting P50-million bribe from a Macau-based online gambling operator of the Fontana Leisure Parks and Casino in Pampanga. After announcing his assistance to the disaster victims, Duterte reiterated anew his seriousness in the anti-drug campaign. This time, Duterte said he is faced with a tough problem on how to deal with four million drug users. “Out of the four million, at a liberal computation, just give me one million who had gone crazy. What will I do with them? Turn them into fertilizer? I can do that in Mindanao, but here you’ll just report it. But that’s our problem,” he said. In criminal lingo, only rotten bodies turn up as fertilizers. Duterte also slammed the Catholic Church for criticizing him over the extrajudicial killings attributed to his brutal campaign against illegal drugs. He said he believes there is a God, he believes in Allah, but that he does not believe in religion, particularly the Catholic Church. “My statement’s full of sarcasm because they (priests) have been criticizing me,” the President told the gathering of Davao City barangay captains and kagawads last night. Duterte said he does not intend to follow any religious practice once he dies. “Cremate me within 24 hours when I die,” he said. – With Edith Regalado |
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traumatic pseudoaneurysm of the axillary artery is a rare sequela of injury to shoulder region .
we report here a unique case of delayed presentation of axillary artery pseudoaneurysm after a blunt injury , clinically mimicking soft tissue tumor without evidence of gross bony injury .
the gentleman presented after six months of injury with a progressively growing mass in left axillary region and neurological deficit .
ultimate management of the lesion was surgical resection and saphenous vein graft interpositioning .
unfortunately the lack of subsequent neurological recovery parallels some of the findings in the literature , from cases where decompression of the brachial plexus was not undertaken soon enough . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | pseudoaneurysms of the axillary artery are uncommon and usually encountered after penetrating or blunt trauma to the axilla ( 1 ) . in the case of blunt trauma there tends to be an associated bony injury to the shoulder and most often an anterior dislocation ( 2 ) , in which axillary artery damage has been reported at around 0.3% prevalence ( 3 ) . other injuries that have been described are fractures of the neck of the humerus and proximal humerus ( 4 ) . the usual presenting complaint is a mass near the site of the trauma that is pulsating , painful , and warm . indeed clinical suspicion can be lessened by the absence of hard initial signs of arterial injury ( 6 ) and the patient may present much later with potentially irreversible sequelae , particularly brachial plexus injuries ( 5 ) . here we describe a unique case , where the patient presented without typical features of pseudoaneurysm and no dislocation or fracture and indeed the full consequences of the injury only became apparent when significant secondary neurological deficit had occurred . a 30 year old patient presented to our institute after six months of an injury sustained to his left shoulder during a fall from a tree with complaints of progressively growing mass in left axillary region and gradual progression of neurological deficit to the point at which the arm became useless and insensate . on examination 1 ) . clinical photograph of pseudoaneurysm of left axillary artery the left radial , ulnar and brachial pulses were palpable but decreased as compared to the right side . subsequent doppler study to look for vascular compression revealed pseudoaneurysm of axillary artery , which was confirmed by ct angiography ( fig . ct angiographic cut showing pseudoaneurysm 3d reconstruction of ct angiogram showing displacement of vessel and leakage of blood into pseudoaneurysmal sac the patient was taken up for surgical management . exploration was done and the proximal and the distal part of the axillary artery were controlled with umbilical tape and brachial plexus cords were identified and preserved . after administering 1 cc heparin ( 5,000 iu ) intravenously , we clamped the proximal and distal vascular structures and opened the capsule of the pseudoaneurysm with a direct incision . the capsule was dissected and evaluated histopathologically and microbiologically . in order to avoid increasing the risk of major hemorrhage or nerve injury , we did not resect the aneurysmal pouch completely . saphenous vein graft interpositioning was then performed because vascular structure was not conducive to end - to - end anastomosis . there had been no recovery of neurological function in the arm at two months follow up . aneurysms at less common locations are generally due to major trauma , syphilis , marfan syndrome , or infection . atherosclerotic aneurysms are often seen in large arteries and in patients of advanced age , but pseudoaneurysms due to penetrating or blunt trauma are seen in patients of every age and at any location ( 7 ) . frequency of pseudoaneurysms in the upper extremities is much lower than that in the lower extremities . however , as lifespans increase and diagnostic and evaluation processes improve , the detection of such pseudoaneurysms is becoming more common . infection , polyarteritis nodosa , congenital arterial defects , and especially trauma play a role in the pathogenesis of upper extremity pseudoaneurysms . if the only causal factor is trauma , the aneurysm takes the form of a pseudoaneurysm . sometimes , as in our report , patients are admitted to hospitals with pseudoaneurysms months or years after the trauma ( 7,8 ) . pseudoaneurysms typically present as a mass near the site of the trauma that is pulsating , painful , and warm . since this patient presented late and without any typical features of pseudoaneurysm or evident bony injury , it was misdiagnosed as soft tissue tumor . pseudoaneurysms after blunt trauma to the shoulder tend to occur in the third part of the axillary artery . one theory for this is the lesser mobility of this region of artery because of the relatively fixed nature of the circumflex humeral and subscapular arteries , leading to tearing of the axillary artery with attempts at mobilisation ( 3,4 ) . pseudoaneurysms of axillary artery are very rare in absence of bony injury in blunt trauma ( 9 ) . in our case patient this has been described by several authors and can occur as a primary injury or delayed , as the aneurysm grows in size and compresses the plexus ( 10 ) . delay in decompression is of paramount importance for recovery ( 1 ) . in this case decompression two months post surgery , assessment by the rehabilitation team had not shown any sign of recovery . the poor outlook is supported by several authors , including robbs et al ( 5 ) , who reported 12 cases of delayed ( after one to six weeks ) compression of the brachial plexus by an axillary pseudoaneurysm in a variety of injuries . the outcome of the six patients presenting initially with total brachial plexus lesions were that none recovered fully and one showed no recovery whatsoever at 18 months . the lesion was repaired by open surgical approach so as to remove organised thrombus , which was causing compression of the neurovascular bundle of arm . an endovascular approach with insertion of a covered stent is a less invasive option for early cases of pseudoaneurysms . |
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Landmine Use Moratorium Act of 1995 - Directs the President to support, at the 1995 United Nations review conference, proposals to modify Protocol II to the 1980 Conventional Weapons Convention to implement the U.S. goal of the elimination of antipersonnel landmines.
Declares a U.S. moratorium, for a one year period beginning three years after enactment of this Act, on the use of such landmines except along internationally recognized national borders within a perimeter marked area monitored by military personnel and protected by adequate means to ensure the exclusion of civilians. Urges the President to encourage other nations to join in such moratorium.
Prohibits the United States from selling, licensing for export, or transferring any defense article or service to a foreign country that sells, exports, or transfers antipersonnel landmines. Authorizes the President to waive such prohibition, after notice to the Congress, if an emergency exists which makes such waiver vital to the interest of the United States. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. This Act may be cited as the ``Landmine Use Moratorium Act of 1995''.SEC. 2. FINDINGS. The Congress makes the following findings: (1) On September 26, 1994, the President declared it to be a goal of the United States to eventually eliminate antipersonnel landmines. (2) On December 15, 1994, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution sponsored by the United States which calls for international efforts toward the eventual elimination of antipersonnel landmines. (3) According to the Department of State, there are an estimated 80,000,000 to 110,000,000 unexploded landmines in 62 countries, and millions of additional mines were laid in 1994. (4) Antipersonnel landmines are routinely used against civilian populations and kill and maim an estimated 26,000 people each year, or approximately 70 people each day. (5) The Secretary of State has noted that landmines have been called ``slow-motion weapons of mass destruction''. (6) There are hundreds of varieties of antipersonnel landmines, ranging from the simple $2 type to the more complex self-destructing type, all of which are incapable of distinguishing between civilians and combatants.SEC. 3. CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS CONVENTION REVIEW. (a) Implementation of United States Goal.--The President shall, at the 1995 review conference, actively support proposals to modify Protocol II to the 1980 Conventional Weapons Convention to implement as rapidly as possible the goal of the United States of the eventual elimination of antipersonnel landmines. (b) 1995 Review Conference.--The 1995 review conference referred to in subsection (a) is the international conference sponsored by the United Nations to be held from September 25, 1995, through October 13, 1995, to review the 1980 Conventional Weapons Convention (CWC), including Protocol II to that convention, relating to landmines. (c) 1980 Conventional Weapons Convention.--For purposes of this section, the term ``1980 Conventional Weapons Convention'' means the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed To Be Excessively Injurious or To Have Indisciminate Effects, together with the protocols relating thereto, done at Geneva on October 10, 1980.SEC. 4. MORATORIUM ON USE OF ANTIPERSONNEL LANDMINES. (a) United States Moratorium.--(1) During the one-year period beginning three years after the date of the enactment of this Act, the United States Government shall not use antipersonnel landmines. (2) The moratorium under paragraph (1) does not apply to the use of antipersonnel landmines along internationally recognized national borders within a perimeter marked area that is monitored by military personnel and protected by adequate means to ensure the exclusion of civilians. (3) If the President determines, before the end of such one-year period, that the governments of other nations are implementing moratoriums similar to the moratorium by the United States under paragraph (1), the President may extend the period of that moratorium for such additional period as the President considers appropriate. (b) Other Nations.--The President shall actively encourage the governments of other nations to join the United States in solving the global landmine crisis by implementing, as an interim step toward the eventual elimination of antipersonnel landmines moratoriums on the use of antipersonnel landmines similar to the United States moratorium under subsection (a).SEC. 5. ANTIPERSONNEL LANDMINE EXPORTS. (a) Purpose.--The purpose of this section is to discourage the proliferation of antipersonnel landmines. (b) Prohibition.--The United States Government shall not sell, license for export, or transfer any defense article or service to any foreign government which the President determines sells, exports, or transfers antipersonnel landmines. (c) Waiver Authority.--The President may waive the applicability of the prohibition in subsection (b) to a foreign government if the President determines that there exists an emergency which makes it vital to the interest of the United States for the President to waive such prohibition. Any such waiver may not take effect until the President transmits to Congress, in writing, notice of such waiver and the reasons for the waiver.SEC. 6. DEFINITION. For purposes of this Act, the term ``antipersonnel landmine'' means any munition that-- (1) is placed under, on, or near the ground or other surface area; (2) is delivered by artillery, rocket, mortar, or similar means or dropped from an aircraft; and (3) is designed, constructed, or adapted to be detonated or exploded by the presence, proximity, or contact of a person. |
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– A 17-year-old girl who became separated from friends after a night out experienced the unthinkable in East London, say police: three sexual assaults within a 60-minute period. The BBC reports the teen was seen on surveillance footage in the area just before midnight on Sept. 29. She was being carried by a man who is believed to have assaulted her on Cambridge Heath Road; items of her clothing were found in the area. Just after midnight, more footage shows her being followed down another street by a man wheeling a bicycle who police say was her second attacker. In the third alleged attack, thought to have occurred minutes later around 12:45, as many as three men may have been involved. Of that final incident, the Evening Standard reports CCTV shows a third, possibly bow-legged, man meeting up with two "other figures" and then seemingly lowering himself to a spot between parked cars. Someone ultimately came upon the girl and called the police. "We believe two of the three were very serious sexual assaults indeed, and are determined to catch the persons responsible for these hideous crimes," says Detective Inspector Suzanne Jordan. Video showing two suspects taken from the CCTV has been released (BuzzFeed reports the video from Cambridge Health Road wasn't released due to quality issues), and police note that toxicology tests are underway as they believe the teen may have been drugged. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | A manhunt has been launched after a teenage girl suffered three horrific sex attacks within one hour while she walked home from a night out in east London. The 17-year-old victim was sexually assaulted by three different men after she was separated from her friends on her journey home to central London. She was attacked by the different suspects in quick succession in the Bethnal Green area in the early hours of Saturday, September 29, police investigating the horrific ordeal said. Police said her ordeal started shortly before midnight on Friday September 29 when she was picked up on camera being carried by a man in Cambridge Heath Road. The pair are then seen appearing to go into a doorway in the same road, after which the man, who was wearing dark clothing, is not seen again on camera. Items of the top half of the girl's clothing were subsequently found nearby. Shortly after midnight, another CCTV camera picks up the girl stumbling down Mint Street, being followed by a different, bearded male, on a racing bicycle. Officers said the man followed the teenager along Mint Street, into Three Colts Lane, and then as she heads in the direction of Bethnal Green Overground station. When the next camera picks her up, the man has approached her and they have reached Corfield Street. Some time later, the camera picks up the man leaving the area and walking away. The girl, whose clothing appears dishevelled, emerges shortly afterwards and goes further down Corfield Street. Just minutes later, at around 12.45am, detectives believe the victim suffered a third attack, possibly involving two or three men. The CCTV captures a third, different man walking down Corfield Street and joining two other figures under some trees. He appears to bend down towards a spot on the kerb in between some parked cars. Detectives believe it was at this point that the victim was sexually assaulted. A short time later, a member of the public spotted the teenager lying on the ground in Corfield Street in a state of distress and called 999. Detectives believe it is possible that she was drugged and are in the process of carrying out toxicology tests. Detective Inspector Suzanne Jordan, from the Metropolitan Police's child abuse and sexual offences command, said: "This is a horrific multiple sexual assault on an young female who was simply making her way home after a night out. "We would like to thank the members of the public who intervened to help her and possibly prevented her ordeal from continuing even further. "We believe two of the three were very serious sexual assaults indeed, and are determined to catch the persons responsible for these hideous crimes." Police have released images of two men wanted in connection with the assaults. Anyone with information should call police on 101 or via twitter at @MetCC, or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org. ||||| Tweet with a location You can add location information to your Tweets, such as your city or precise location, from the web and via third-party applications. You always have the option to delete your Tweet location history. Learn more ||||| Media playback is unsupported on your device Media caption Police released CCTV of men they want to trace A teenage girl was sexually assaulted by three different men within an hour as she walked home from a night out. Police said the 17-year-old was attacked in Bethnal Green, east London, after becoming separated from friends. They believe the girl, who was found "distressed" by a member of the public, may also have been drugged. Images have been released of two men police want to speak to in connection with the attacks, which happened on the night of 29 and 30 September. Image copyright Met police Image caption Police want to speak to a bearded man who was on a racing bike The victim was spotted on camera shortly before midnight being carried by a man, who was wearing dark clothing, in Cambridge Heath Road. The pair appeared to go into a doorway on the same road, and some of the girl's clothing was later found nearby. 'Bow-legged' man Shortly after midnight, the girl was seen on CCTV stumbling down Mint Street, followed by another man on a racing bike who is described as having a beard and wearing a baseball cap backwards and a hooded zipped jacket. She was then attacked for a second time. Minutes later, detectives believe the girl suffered a third attack, possibly involving two or three men. They say she was approached by a third man, who police describe as walking unevenly, "perhaps being slightly bow-legged". Image copyright Met Police Image caption The man with a beard was wearing a baseball cap backwards Police say she was then found by a member of the public who saw her lying in Corfield Street in "a state of distress" and rang 999. Det Insp Suzanne Jordan said: "This is a horrific multiple sexual assault on an young female who was simply making her way home after a night out. "We would like to thank the members of the public who intervened to help her and possibly prevented her ordeal from continuing even further." She urged anyone with information about the "hideous crimes" to contact them urgently. |
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– The head of the NSA told a Senate panel today that his agency's controversial surveillance had helped prevent "dozens of terrorist events," reports the Wall Street Journal. Gen. Keith Alexander said he couldn't go into specifics but was working to declassify some of the details. He did mention two cases in which the information helped bring about arrests, reports the Washington Post—that of Najibullah Zazi, who pleaded guilty in 2010 to plotting suicide attacks in New York City, and David Headley, who helped plan the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Also of note is an exchange with Susan Collins in which she makes reference to NSA leaker Edward Snowden, reports ThinkProgress: Collins: “I saw an interview in which Mr. Snowden claimed that due to his position at NSA he could tap into virtually any American’s phone call or e-mails. True or false?” Alexander: “False, I know of no way to do that.” Click to read about how one senator halted the hearing to respond to a reporter's tweet. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | WASHINGTON—The director of the National Security Agency, defending his agency after days of furor over secret data-surveillance programs, said those government efforts had prevented dozens of terrorist attacks in recent years. Testifying before a Senate committee, Army Gen. Keith Alexander didn't elaborate on the attacks that were stopped, other than to tie them to two well-known foiled 2009 plots. He said he would brief senators privately on Thursday and would push to make available more details about attacks that were foiled. ... ||||| The provision that allowed the NSA to collect phone records has helped thwart “dozens” of terror events, Gen. Keith B. Alexander told a Senate panel. (The Washington Post) The provision that allowed the NSA to collect phone records has helped thwart “dozens” of terror events, Gen. Keith B. Alexander told a Senate panel. (The Washington Post) The head of the National Security Agency said Wednesday that his agency’s extensive electronic surveillance programs have played a critical role in thwarting “dozens” of terrorist attacks aimed at U.S. targets and abroad. Gen. Keith Alexander, in making the assertion, cited the two intelligence collection programs that have been the focus of public scrutiny in recent days, one that allows the government to collect the call records of millions of Americans from U.S. telecommunications companies and another that collects Internet records. In testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee, he cited in particular the cases of Najibullah Zazi, an Afghan American who pleaded guilty to planning suicide attacks in New York, and Pakistani American David Headley, who conducted surveillance in support of the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, India, which killed more than 160 people. In both instances, he said, the Internet data-mining program helped unravel the plots. The Obama administration had defended its extensive collection of telephone and Internet records amid a political furor over the surveillance that has consumed Washington for the past week. It follows disclosures in the The Washington Post and the Guardian newspaper. President Obama last week said he would welcome a public debate over the surveillance, saying Americans will have to sacrifice some privacy for the sake of security. Alexander vowed to quickly make public records that show the success of the phone program in preventing attacks. Thomas Drake was indicted after leaking classified information to a journalist. Drake ultimately didn’t serve any jail time but he says the experience changed his life forever. He offers insights on what Edward Snowden now faces. (The Fold/The Washington Post) “I don’t have those figures today,” he said. “Over the next week it will be our intent to get those figures out...I want the American people to know we’re being transparent here.’’ The order that allowed for the NSA collection of phone records of millions of Americans was based on Section 215 of the Patriot Act, which allows law enforcement to obtain a wide variety of “business records,” including calling records. The program collects customer “metadata,” including the phone numbers dialed and the length of calls, which is used by intelligence analysts to detect patterns and personal connections, on every phone call made or received by U.S. customers of major American phone companies. The principal source of the recent revelations was Edward Snowden, a 29-year-old NSA contractor who has worked for several government agencies. A senior intelligence official said Wednesday that the CIA has opened an internal investigation to determine what Snowden was involved in when he worked there. Separately, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence has ordered a damage assessment following Snowden’s disclosures, which he acknowledged on Sunday in interviews with the Post and the Guardian. “Obviously, Mr. Snowden’s actions over the past week-plus are generating a lot of activity on the part of the intelligence community and the CIA (in terms of taking) a look back and seeing what we can learn about just what he may have been involved in, and also see if there are some lessons we can learn,” said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing inquiry. CIA officials did not dispute that Snowden was a CIA employee, though they could not say exactly when he worked there. After leaving the agency, he worked for the technology company Dell and later for Booz Allen Hamilton, the consulting firm. While working for Booz Allen earlier this year, he was assigned to the National Security Agency Threat Center in Honolulu, where he is believed to have downloaded highly classified material, including information about widespread surveillance programs run by the NSA. Karen DeYoung contributed to this report. ||||| Share this: "NSA Director Says Leaker’s Wiretapping Ability Claims Are ‘False’" Share: While speaking at a Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on enduring cybersecurity threats, National Security Agency (NSA) Director Gen. Keith Alexander called claims made by NSA leaker Edward Snowden about his personal wiretapping abilities at the Agency “false.” Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) asked directly, “I saw an interview in which Mr. Snowden claimed that due to his position at NSA he could tap into virtually any American’s phone call or e-mails. True or false?” Alexander responded unequivocally, “False, I know of no way to do that.” Collins’ appeared to be referencing a statement made by Snowden in an interview where he claimed “I, sitting at my desk, certainly had the authorities to wiretap anyone, from you or your accountant, to a federal judge or even the president, if I had a personal e-mail.” According to earlier reports, Snowden was essentially a contracted IT guy for the NSA rather than an intelligence officer. |
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– Southwest notified the FAA yesterday of a serious oversight—it failed to conduct a mandatory inspection of some of its planes' rudder systems. Here's the weird part: The inspections still aren't done, but the planes are still flying. The FAA granted the airline an unusual waiver to keep them going for a maximum of five days while the inspections on the Boeing 737-700s are finished, reports the Wall Street Journal. The inspections involve a backup hydraulic system, one that would be used to control the rudder only if the primary system fails. The FAA says it concluded that the risk to air travelers is small "and agreed that the airline could continue to operate the planes during this short interim," reports Bloomberg. Major hassles would ensue at airports across the country if Southwest had to immediately ground nearly 130 jets, about one-fifth of its fleet. As it is, the airline has had to cancel about 100 flights over the last two days as it tries to get the two-hour inspections completed, but that number would be far higher had the FAA cracked down harder. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Southwest Airlines failed to perform mandatory rudder inspections on over 125 jets, but worked out a deal to keep some planes flying for now. WSJ's Scott McCartney reports. Photo: AP Southwest Airlines Co. failed to perform mandatory rudder inspections on more than 125 jets, or roughly one-fifth of its fleet, forcing it to scramble late Tuesday to negotiate an unusual arrangement with federal regulators to keep the planes flying until the checks were completed. The drama began Tuesday afternoon, when the carrier informed the FAA that certain hydraulic inspections were missed on 128 of the company’s Boeing 737-700 models, which were voluntarily taken out of service right away. Some 80 flights were canceled... ||||| Southwest Airlines Co., the world’s biggest operator of Boeing Co. 737 jets, said it will continue flying 128 aircraft while catching up on missed inspections on the planes’ rudders. Almost 80 of the Boeing Co. 737-700 checks were completed by midday Wednesday, and the carrier expects to finish all 128 before a five-day deadline set by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, the airline said. The FAA said Southwest could operate the planes, which make up about one-fifth of its fleet, while conducting the reviews. Southwest voluntarily grounded the planes for six hours Tuesday after discovering the maintenance lapse and notifying the FAA. The latest problem follows two instances in the last decade in which the Dallas-based airline was fined at least $10 million by the FAA for inadequate inspections or maintenance repairs. “These airplanes have complicated inspection schedules,” said John Hansman, professor of aeronautics and astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “They go through a series of different progressive checks. It sounds like a tracking error oversight.” The missed inspections involve standby hydraulic systems, which serve as the final backup to two primary levels of equipment, and the lowest of three intervals for the checks, the airline said. Each inspection takes about two hours, Southwest said. “This is a periodic inspection of a backup system,” the FAA said in an e-mailed statement. “The FAA evaluated the risk and agreed that the airline could continue to operate the planes during this short interim.” Southwest canceled 80 flights across its network Tuesday because of the missed inspections, said Brandy King, a spokeswoman for the carrier. Minimal Impact “The airline is anticipating very minimal impact to their operation as they complete the remaining checks,” King said. “We only expect around 15 to 19 cancels today as we reposition aircraft.” Southwest fell 2.7 percent to $44.12 at the close in New York. The Bloomberg U.S. Airlines Index declined 2.9 percent. Boeing’s twin-engine 737 is the world’s most widely flown jetliner, a workhorse model on short-haul flights like those flown by Southwest. Southwest is the world’s biggest discount carrier and had 665 planes in its all-737 fleet at the end of 2014. Under FAA’s policy of overseeing airline safety for the past decade, Southwest probably won’t face an enforcement action or penalty for the lapse. Voluntary Reporting As part of a broader effort to improve safety as accidents have become increasingly rare and difficult to predict, the agency has begun encouraging pilots and carriers to come forward with safety errors voluntarily. In exchange for that openness, the FAA essentially gives airlines immunity if it finds that they didn’t make errors intentionally and didn’t mislead the agency. “This is the way the system is supposed to work,” John Cox, a former 737 pilot who now heads a safety consulting company, said in an interview. “They discovered an inadvertent oversight and they brought it to the FAA’s attention.” Cox said he never had to use the backup hydraulic system that Southwest failed to inspect during the 15 years he flew the 737. Pilots test it at least once a day to ensure it’s working, so the chances of it causing a safety problem in flight are extremely low, he said. While the issue doesn’t appear to have compromised safety, it’s unusual for an airline to miss a mandatory inspection and the FAA will conduct an investigation to determine how the lapse occurred, he said. Cox is president of Washington-based Safety Operating Systems, which does airline safety audits and consulting. Stark Contrast The latest incident is a stark contrast to Southwest’s failure to perform inspections for fuselage cracks in 2006 and 2007. In that case, Southwest and an FAA manager knew about the missed inspections involving 46 jets used on almost 60,000 flights, and didn’t report them. The issue didn’t come to light until whistle-blowers brought it to congressional investigators. The FAA sought a then-record $10.2 million fine and Southwest later agreed to pay $7.5 million. Southwest is opposing a proposed $12 million fine the FAA proposed last year for operating “numerous flights” in 2009 with inadequate repairs to fuselage skins. The maintenance was designed to eliminate potential cracks on 44 of the airline’s 737s. The repairs were done by a Southwest contractor. Also in 2009, Southwest inspected all 181 of one model of 737 for metal weakness after a hole about a foot wide opened in a plane’s fuselage, forcing an emergency landing. No flaws were found, Southwest said at the time. A year earlier, the FAA told American Airlines to park its Boeing MD-80s because of what the agency said were maintenance failures that led to chafed wires, misrouted wiring bundles and missing clamps. That incident forced American to cancel 3,300 flights -- and came as the FAA faced criticism over its failure to oversee maintenance at Southwest. |
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– If the phrase "booty poppin" is what you've been needing to hear (over and over and over), you may want to check out a new music video by someone WAVY deems Virginia's new "unlikely rap star." That would be Stephanie Morales, the Portsmouth Commonwealth's attorney, who posted a video entitled "Sundress Season" on Sunday on YouTube, and on Monday on her Facebook page. Underlaid by a bass-heavy beat and heavy on the phrase "booty poppin'" (which is heard at least 30 times, per WTKR), the video shows Morales and her husband, Luis, dancing and rapping throughout the video, with shorter spots featuring their 14-year-old son and young daughters. Her lyrics, per the Virginian-Pilot, specifically touch upon her physique: "I'm summer fine down to my thighs. My stride's right. My abs tight. Let's go for this, right." Morales tells the Pilot the video came about after her son lost a bet with Luis, requiring the former to produce an entire song for the latter to perform. "Fast forward, the WHOLE family jumped on the track," she wrote on Facebook; she and her husband reportedly wrote their own lyrics. But some members of the Portsmouth community are perturbed about the video, including "People's Pastor" Barry Randall, who wants her recalled from her job. He says Morales is setting a bad example "to display her body in that [manner]" when women are dealing with serious issues like sexual assault. "She … has every right to pop her booty in her home with her husband, but to do that with a bunch of teenagers who look to her for mentoring … That's a problem," he tells WTKR. Morales dismisses his concerns, telling WAVY she's promoting a "positive body image" and that the video was "a chronicle of our summer family fun," per WTKR. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Published on Sep 16, 2018 The things we do for our kids😊 @luisproducedit is a 14 year old music producer and need an opportunity to produce and engineer a song all the way through. So went gather the whole family and made this hit🙄 He has done several since and they have gotten progressively better. Excuse the lyrics it's about the production. ||||| Please enable Javascript to watch this video PORTSMOUTH, Va. - Could a homemade video, recently released, lead to the recall of a local Commonwealth Attorney? Stephanie Morales, the Commonwealth’s Attorney for the city of Portsmouth put this YouTube video on her Facebook page on Monday, saying her 14-year-old son wanted to produce a music video with the whole family. The video is the talk of the city not even a full day later and many are expressing their disappointment in what they are calling ‘a distasteful display.’ Community activist Barry Randall calls himself ‘the People’s Pastor,’ and he met with News 3 on Tuesday to discuss the video he thought was a joke. “We had four people shot last Thursday, we had three males shot last Monday and we have cases that have yet to be brought to trial but she (Morales) is booty poppin,” said Randall. In the video Morales, her young daughters, her son and her husband are all seen dancing. Meanwhile lyrics like, ‘booty crack’ ‘and ‘booty bouncin’ play in the background. ‘Booty poppin’’ is heard in the background at least 30 times. Morales spoke to News 3 and responded to our questions via email. We asked her what the purpose of the video was. Morales said, “The video we made was a chronicle of our summer family fun to go along with a song we made to share in our son's creative interests and showcase his talent of music production.” To the many people who say the video in inappropriate, Morales said, “this video shows our ability to set aside time to enjoy family time and support our children at their level and also highlights the fact that we are normal people and we have a sense of humor.” She added, “I hope voters always remember the importance of making time for family and also the importance of finding different ways to engage and support the ones we love the most.” Randall criticized the attorney, saying this is no way to lead by example. “She (Morales) has every right to pop her booty in her home with her husband but to do that with a bunch of teenagers who look to her for mentoring, young boys and girls, and she is booty poppin’. That’s a problem,” said Randall. Morales said her Facebook comments have been nothing but positive, but other shares have shown negative feedback from voters as well. ||||| See more of Stephanie N. Morales on Facebook ||||| Close Get email notifications on Scott Daugherty daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. Whenever Scott Daugherty posts new content, you'll get an email delivered to your inbox with a link. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. ||||| Unlikely rap star: Portsmouth CA featured in 'booty poppin' video Copyright 2018 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Screenshot from YouTube video [ + - ] Video PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) - The Portsmouth Commonwealth's Attorney is at the center of a controversy outside of the courtroom. Some are calling Stephanie Morales' outside of work activities into question after she tweeted out a link to her family rap video titled "Sundress Season," which is posted on YouTube for the public to view. Civic activist Barry Randall has a problem with the video and has started an effort to get her recalled. "Turn on our computer and watch our commonwealth's attorney do the booty pop... I have a problem with the whole gist of the video," Randall told WAVY News 10. 10 On Your Side spoke to Morales about the video on Tuesday. She said she is proud of it, saying the dancing, the music, all of it, was created from the ground up. Morales says her 14-year-old son lost a bet to his dad and had to give him one of his beats, which they used to create the video. Morales says she wrote the lyrics she says in the video. Her husband Luis wrote his lines. Their son and young daughters also appear throughout the video. Copyright 2018 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Copyright 2018 Nexstar Broadcasting, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Randall is calling for Morales to step down, due to what he calls poor judgment. "What women have to face on the workforce and sexual assault, I think it is poor choice for our city's top cop to exploit and display her body in that matter," he said. "To suggest that women are disrespecting themselves by having a positive body image as I do in that video, where I discuss my fitness goals, also talk about my intellect, on a track produced by my son needs to do a little bit of soul searching," said Morales. Andy Fox went to the Portsmouth courthouse to gauge the public's view on the video. Watch his full report tonight on WAVY News 10 at 6:15 p.m. |
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– Police have arrested a 23-year-old man following a group attack last month on a gay couple in Manhattan. Alfonso Lanier has been charged with hate crime assault and aggravated harassment, CBS New York reports, and police are still looking for fellow attackers. After Peter Notman and Michael Felenchak left a movie theater in Chelsea, two men began shouting anti-gay slurs before punching and kicking them, according to police. Several more people then teamed up with the attackers. "It was six of them against the two of us," says Notman. "I was hit with brass knuckles down the side of my face," he added. "I had contusions, had to have an MRI, and Michael received several stitches in his mouth where they punched us ... I was shocked this happened on the street I call home." The couple managed to call police and the attackers ran off. City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and state Sen. Brad Hoylman condemned the attack, distributing flyers to raise awareness. "I am appalled by reports that two men were senselessly beaten in Chelsea simply because they were perceived to be gay," Quinn said, per CNN. The attack came amid a spate of violence against gay people in the city over the summer; CBS recounts the details. Another random—and fatal—attack is being treated as a hate crime. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) — A suspect has been arrested and charged in an alleged anti-gay bias attack on a couple in Chelsea last month. Alfonso Lanier, 23, was charged Tuesday with aggravated harassment and assault as a hate crime, police said. Police Tuesday were still looking for several more suspects. They released sketches of two of the suspects shortly after the attack. The attack happened early on the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 14, in the area of West 25th Street and Ninth Avenue, shortly after Peter Notman and Michael Felenchak left the Chelsea Bowtie Cinemas. The two were walking down the street when two other men approached them yelling anti-gay slurs and then punched and kicked the victims repeatedly, police said. That’s when three or four more men joined in on the attack, police said. “It was six of them against the two of us,” Notman said. “Typical of the cowards they are.” Felenchak, 27, and Notman, 53, were able to use their cell phones to call police. The suspects fled on 9 Avenue in the direction of West 25 Street after the attack, police said. The two were taken to Beth Israel Hospital and treated for their injuries. “I was hit with brass knuckles down the side of my face,” Notman said. “I had contusions, had to have an MRI and Michael received several stitches in his mouth where they punched us.” Felenchak ended up requiring a total of seven stitches. “I was shocked this happened on the street I call home,” Notman said. “Unbelievable.” The arrests Tuesday also came the same day a man was charged with murder as a hate crime in Queens. Steven Torres, 22, of the Bronx, was charged with second-degree murder as a hate crime and criminal possession of a weapon in connection with the death of 69-year-old Ever Orozco under the elevated 7 train tracks at Elmhurst and Roosevelt avenues. Police said Torres confessed after claiming the victim was blowing kisses and making sexual advances. But authorities said there is no evidence to support those claims, CBS 2 reported. Ever’s wife said her husband had dropped her off for a doctor’s appointment a few minutes before the fatal attack. A rash of anti-gay attacks was plaguing the city only a few months ago. In the severest incident, Mark Carson, 32, was shot and killed on May 18 by a man who first called him and his partner “f***ots” and asked if they were “gay wrestlers,” police said. Couples were attacked in at least two other incidents in May. On May 5, Nick Porto and his partner, Kevin Atkins, were beaten near Madison Square Garden after a group of men wearing Knicks shirts called them anti-gay slurs. Porto was among the speakers at a rally in Greenwich Village denouncing the attacks and calling for an end to the violence. And early on May 10, two men tried to get into an after-hours billiards hall on West 32nd Street but were not let in, police said. They were then approached by a group of approximately five others who proceeded to shout anti-gay slurs and beat the men, police said. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visit the Crime Stoppers website at www.nypdcrimestoppers.com or text tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. The search continued for more suspects Tuesday. Anyone with information in regards to this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). The public can also submit their tips by logging onto the Crime Stoppers website at or by texting their tips to 274637 (CRIMES) then enter TIP577. You May Also Be Interested In These Stories: ||||| Story highlights Lanier is charged with assault as a hate crime Police are still looking for a second suspect The victims were apparently holding hands at the time of the attack A man who allegedly attacked two others last month because he perceived them as gay has been arrested. Alfonso Lanier, 23, was charged Tuesday with aggravated harassment and assault as a hate crime, the New York Police Department said. Authorities are still looking for a second suspect. The assault took place August 14 in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. The attackers used derogatory words about the victims' sexual orientations, New York Police Detective Marc Nell said. "It makes me sick to my stomach," Michael Felenchak, one of the victims, told CNN affiliate WABC at the time. "It scares me. It upsets me. It's really awful." Felenchak, 27, had to have multiple stitches on his chin and suffered scrapes across his stomach from the attack. "First they punched me so hard, I feel brass knuckles," the other victim, Peter Nortman, 53, told WABC. "Then I fell on the floor, and I jumped back up and I got hit again. And then I tried to pull them down." The attack brought New York community leaders together to raise awareness. New York State Sen. Brad Hoylman and City Council Speaker Christine Quinn handed out flyers to spread the word about what police called a hate crime attack. "I am appalled by reports that two men were senselessly beaten in Chelsea simply because they were perceived to be gay," Quinn said. She said the pair were holding hands at the time of the attack. It wasn't clear early Wednesday morning whether Lanier had retained a lawyer. |
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objective hyperglycemia is a common condition in hospitalized patients .
the aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between glycemia upon admission and mortality in a heterogeneous group of adult patients.research design and methods
the 3-year records released from a general hospital were associated with a plasma glucose dataset of its general laboratory .
a matched case - control study was implemented ( 3,338 case - control subject pairs ) .
all - patient refined diagnosis
related groups and the relative risk of death were the matching criteria .
a multivariate conditional logistic regression model was used to evaluate the associations between death and glycemia.resultshigher in - hospital mortality was associated with hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia , whereas lower risk was observed for values between 78 and 101 mg / dl.conclusions our data confirm the relation between glycemia upon admission and mortality and suggest that slightly increased or decreased plasma glucose can be linked with increased mortality risk . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | analyses included data released from 96,405 patients hospitalized for different pathologies at san giovanni battista hospital of turin , a large teaching general hospital excluding departments of ophthalmology , obstetrics and gynecology , and pediatrics and infectious diseases , between 1 october 2003 and 30 september 2006 . for every patient , administrative records were linked with the laboratory measurements dataset of plasma glucose . of the 96,405 admissions , 26,409 ( 27.4% ) were excluded because plasma glucose was not measured upon admission to the hospital . from this cohort , related groups ( apr - drgs ) and their relative risk of death ( riskd ) ( 6 ) . based severity measurement systems taking into consideration the principal diagnosis , age , interactions of multiple secondary diagnoses , and combinations of nonoperating procedures incorporated with the principal diagnosis of subjects . among the 3,401 deaths , 63 records ( 62 with an apr - drg 196 , cardiac arrest , unexplained , and 1 with apr - drg 130 , respiratory system diagnosis with ventilator support 96 + hours ) were excluded from the study because we could not find a surviving control subject . a total of 3,338 cases were thus matched with a random sample of control subjects within each matching stratum . this procedure led to a set of 6,676 patients perfectly balanced for apr and riskd distribution . all plasma glucose measurements were determined in a central laboratory with a glucose analyzer ( roche / hitachi modular d analyser : acn 767 , indianapolis , in ) . we performed a multivariate conditional logistic regression model to evaluate the associations between in - hospital mortality and a set of variables including demographic characteristics ( sex , age , marital status , and level of education ) and clinical characteristics ( type of admission , type of treatment , and plasma glucose on admission ) . apr - drgs and riskd , as matching variables , were not included in the model . plasma glucose measurements were added to the model as restricted cubic spline to investigate the association between in - hospital death and plasma glucose levels through a straight and smooth line outside the whole interval of values . values of plasma glucose minimizing the risk of death were determined using the inverse spline function , and 95% cis were derived from bootstraps with 1,000 runs . the whole population with plasma glucose available at admission presents 69,996 cases ( mean 65 years of age [ range 5175 ] ; 42% female ; 5% dead ) . within this group , we analyzed a cohort of 3,338 cases ( dead ) versus 3,338 control subjects ( alive ) ( mean 70 years of age [ 5978 ] vs. 73 years of age [ 6380 ] ; 40 vs. 42% female ; and mean 99 mg / dl [ 82128 ] vs. 107 mg / dl [ 85144 ] plasma glucose on admission ) . the effect of plasma glucose adjusted by administration data was nonlinear , as described in fig . , the minimal risk of in - hospital mortality was found at plasma glucose levels of mean 89 mg / dl ( range 78101 ) . the adjusted odds ratio ( or ) of deaths for plasma glucose on admission from 100 to 200 mg / dl is 1.32 ( 95% ci 1.221.43 ) , whereas the or for plasma glucose from 60 to 80 mg / dl is 1.06 ( 1.041.07 ) . a significant number of in - hospital patients display hyperglycemia , which can be the cause of admission or , more frequently , comorbidity . previous reports ( 79 ) have pointed out the relationship between hyperglycemia and prognosis in critically ill patients . the main novelty of the present study is that even moderate glucose elevations or reductions are associated with increased in - hospital mortality in this heterogeneous population . in this study , we have analyzed a large cohort of patients hospitalized for multiple pathologies with a nested case - control study . furthermore , our observations strongly suggest that , independently of the cause of hospitalization , a patient with an optimal plasma glucose measure between 78 and 101 mg / dl displays lower risk of death . interestingly , this optimal glycemic range is closely related to normoglycemic values as defined by criteria of the american diabetes association ( 10 ) . the retrospective design prevents concluding whether hypo- or hyperglycemia was a cause of increased mortality or just a marker of increased risks of mortality , although we do observe a strong association between hospital mortality and glycemic levels . other limitations are 1 ) missing data for 27.4% of all admitted patients ( this data gap could be the consequence of the use of point - of - care procedures)in any case , within this group , the mortality rate was only 3.5% ; 2 ) some specialties were excluded from the study because they were allocated to other hospitals ; 3 ) we do not know the duration of hypo- or hyperglycemia ; and 4 ) hypoglycemic values could result from diabetes therapy or critical diseases . however , these data confirm the importance of glycemic value upon hospital admission ( 11 ) . lowest hospital mortality rates were observed among patients with plasma glucose concentrations between 78 and 101 mg / dl , and even a moderate variation below or above these cutoff values may increase mortality in a heterogeneous group of patients . |
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colonic postanastomotic strictures occur in 1.58% of patients following colorectal surgery .
traditionally , colonic strictures were treated by multiple modalities including endoscopic dilatation .
self - expanding metal stents ( sems ) have been indicated in the management of benign colonic strictures ; however , there are limited available data with regard to their efficacy .
we present the case of a 68-year - old male who had perforated sigmoid diverticulitis followed by hartmann 's procedure with eventual reanastomosis 6 months later .
he subsequently developed benign colonic stricture , which was treated with a metal stent .
sems are associated with a low mortality rate and are appropriate in treating acute colonic obstruction as a result of benign stricture in the setting of postanastomosis . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | anastomotic strictures may result from a poor blood supply , technical errors in suture execution , and inflammation due to anastomotic leaks or radiotherapy . traditionally , colonic strictures were treated by tissue ablation with laser or argon plasma coagulation , extensive surgical resection , stricturoplasty , or endoscopic dilatation [ 3 , 4 ] . self - expanding metal stents ( sems ) have been indicated in the management of benign colonic strictures related to anastomotic stenoses , inflammatory bowel disease , diverticulitis , and radiation . there are limited and conflicting available data with regard to the efficacy and safety of sems in anastomotic strictures [ 4 , 6 , 7 ] . overall , sems may be an appropriate treatment option for benign colorectal obstruction , allowing effective decompression and medium - term symptom relief until elective surgery can be performed [ 5 , 8 ] . we present the case of a 68-year - old male who was treated with an sems after he had presented with colonic obstruction following sigmoid colon anastomotic site stricture following ileostomy reversal . a 68-year - old male had perforated sigmoid diverticulitis with subsequent hartmann 's procedure performed in april 2014 . the patient had no complaints , and then had ileostomy reversal with end - to - end anastomosis in october 2014 . a barium enema study done prior to the ileostomy reversal had revealed persistent narrowing at the rectosigmoid junction with irregularities of the mucosa . multiple surgical clips were also noted in the rectosigmoid junction , without any evidence of contrast extravasation . the patient was discharged on the second postoperative day . after the end - to - end anastomosis , he complained of constipation , eventually requiring hospital admission 7 days after the ileostomy reversal due to constipation and abdominal distension . he was treated conservatively with nasogastric aspiration and rectal enemas and again discharged after he was tolerating a soft diet . he presented to our institution in december 2014 after complaining of abdominal distention and feculent emesis for 1 day . ct scanning of the abdomen and pelvis revealed gaseous distention of the large bowel with mild fat stranding noted adjacent to the anastomotic site and surgical clip ( fig . the patient was admitted to the surgical inpatient service and the gastroenterology team was consulted . flexible sigmoidoscopy revealed a benign - appearing , intrinsic , severe stenosis measuring 4 mm ( in diameter ) which could not be traversed . subsequently , over the guide wire balloon , a catheter was inserted , and contrast injection revealed a tight stricture in the anastomosis area . this was stented with a 25 90 mm , uncovered wallflex colonic tts stent ( boston scientific ) under fluoroscopic guidance ( fig . after the procedure , the patient returned to the medical floor , where he began to have return of flatus . initially , he had a small amount of diarrhea , which improved by the time of discharge . he was seen in the outpatient clinic in january 2015 and decided to defer resection of the colonic stricture with primary anastomosis and diverting loop ileostomy until april 2015 after the risk of complications were explained to him . following resection of the colonic stricture with primary anastomosis and diverting loop ileostomy , his postoperative course was complicated by an anterior abdominal wall abscess , which was drained under ultrasound guidance in may 2015 . in july 2015 since 1991 , colorectal stents have been used in the treatment of malignant stenosis . at that time , plastic stents , which were indicated for esophageal strictures , were utilized . currently , endoscopic balloon dilation is a simple therapeutic approach . endoscopic dilation requires multiple treatments and is associated with high rates of recurrence ( with refractoriness in up to over 20% of the cases ) and perforation risk . colonic stent placement can be performed under fluoroscopic guidance , endoscopic guidance , or both . a guide wire is then passed through the stenosis , over which the stent is placed and eventually deployed . sole endoscopic management can be achieved in cases where the endoscope can pass through the stricture . deployment of colonic stents utilizes either the tts ( through - the - scope ) system via the working channel or a non - tts system where the endoscope is withdrawn after wire passage prior to advancement of the stent delivery system . the stent can then be passed over the wire , reinserting the scope to visualize deployment . this minimally invasive technique may permit bowel preparation through elective decompression , avoiding the need for a stoma . colonic stents may provide medium- to long - term management of benign colorectal strictures when patients are not fit for surgical intervention [ 5 , 8 ] . early complications include perforation ( 5% ) , bleeding ( 05% ) , and misplacement . late complications are stent migration ( 11% ) , reobstruction , and erosion or fistulation of the intestinal wall . use of noncovered or longer / larger - diameter stents seems to reduce the risk of migration . in conclusion , sems are an appropriate form of treatment in patients who have acute colonic obstruction as a result of benign stricture in the setting of postanastomosis . this minimally invasive procedure provides a suitable option for bridging to elective surgical intervention with low rates of complication in the short term . |
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– President Trump on Friday insisted that "total freedom of the press" is important to him, but he thinks reporters need to follow rules of "decorum" at press conferences. In response to a judge's decision to restore the press credentials of CNN's Jim Acosta, Trump said the White House is writing up "rules and regulations" for journalists. Asked to clarify, he said: “Decorum. You can’t take three questions and four questions. And just stand up and not sit down.” See the video here. The White House revoked Acosta's credentials after he refused to hand over his microphone to an intern while peppering Trump with questions. "You have to act with respect," said Trump. If reporters “don’t listen to the rules and regulations, we will end up back in court and we will win," he added, per the AP. And failing that, the president suggested he would simply leave press conferences if he thought reporters were being disrespectful. (See controversial video of the Acosta incident.) | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds. ||||| CNN's Jim Acosta speaks to journalists on the North Lawn upon returning back to the White House in Washington, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the White House to... (Associated Press) CNN's Jim Acosta speaks to journalists on the North Lawn upon returning back to the White House in Washington, Friday, Nov. 16, 2018. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the White House to immediately return Acosta’s credentials. He found that Acosta was “irreparably harmed” and dismissed... (Associated Press) WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the legal challenge to the White House's decision to strip CNN reporter Jim Acosta of his White House press credentials (all times local): 1:20 p.m. President Donald Trump says the White House is "writing up rules and regulations" for reporters after a judge ordered the administration to restore credentials for CNN reporter Jim Acosta. Trump told reporters Friday that "people have to behave." He added that if journalists "don't listen to the rules and regulations, we will end up back in court and we will win." Asked what he meant by rules and regulations, Trump said: "Decorum. You can't take three questions and four questions. And just stand up and not sit down." Trump said he wants "total freedom of the press," but added "you have to act with respect." The White House said Friday that it would "temporarily reinstate" the credentials that were revoked after Acosta and Trump tangled during a press conference last week. 12:40 p.m. CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta says all he wants to do is go back to work covering "the guy in there," referring to President Donald Trump. More than 50 members of the White House press corps greeted Acosta as he strode through the northwest gate of the presidential compound. A federal judge on Friday ordered the administration to restore the credentials that were revoked after Acosta and Trump tangled during a press conference last week. Acosta says journalists need to know that in the United States their First Amendment rights and freedom of the press "are sacred" and protected by the Constitution. He says he's grateful for the judge's ruling, that it was a test and he thinks the media passed the test. Acosta says: "This is just any other day at the White House for me and I would like to get back to work." ___ 11:55 a.m. The White House says it will "temporarily reinstate" the White House press credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta in response to a judge's order. A federal judge on Friday ordered the administration to return the credentials that were revoked after Acosta and Trump tangled during a press conference last week. White House spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders also called for "decorum" at the White House and said they would be developing "rules and processes to ensure fair and orderly press conferences in the future." The judge granted CNN's request for a temporary restraining order. A lawsuit that CNN brought against the Trump administration over the issue is continuing. __ 10:47 a.m. CNN's Jim Acosta has thanked the judge who ordered the Trump administration to immediately return his White House press credentials. Acosta said Friday that he wanted to thank fellow reporters who supported him and the judge for the "decision he made today." U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly ordered the White House to immediately return Acosta's credentials while CNN's lawsuit continues. He found that Acosta was "irreparably harmed" and dismissed the government's argument that CNN could send another reporter in Acosta's place to cover the White House. In brief remarks after the ruling, Acosta said, "Let's go back to work!" __ 10:30 a.m. A federal judge in Washington is ordering the Trump administration to immediately return the White House press credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Kelly announced his decision Friday morning. CNN had asked that Acosta's credentials be returned while a lawsuit over their revocation goes forward. The network's chief White House correspondent has clashed repeatedly with Trump and press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders in briefings over the last two years. But the White House pulled his credentials last week following a combative press conference in which he clashed with Trump. The judge is a Trump appointee. __ 12:50 a.m. It's a waiting game in the legal case about whether a federal judge will order the Trump administration to return the White House press credentials of CNN reporter Jim Acosta. CNN has asked U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, who was appointed to the bench by President Donald Trump, for an order that would force the White House to immediately hand back credentials that give reporters access to the White House complex. CNN wants Acosta's credentials returned while a lawsuit over their revocation goes forward. Acosta has clashed repeatedly with Trump and press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders in briefings over the past two years. The White House pulled his credential last week following a combative press conference. Trump has made his dislike of CNN clear since before he took office and continuing into his presidency. He's described the network as "fake news" both on Twitter and in public comments. |
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– Her husband didn't dwell much on his African heritage when he addressed a group of young leaders from the continent this week in DC, but first lady Michelle Obama took the opposite approach today, reports Reuters. “The blood of Africa runs through my veins, and I care deeply,” she told 500 Africans completing a six-week fellowship in Washington. “The roots of my family tree are in Africa,” she said to cheers, noting that the president's father was born in Kenya. The first lady urged the group to focus on women's equality upon returning home, reports AP. Making sure girls get an education is important, but it's not enough, she said. Men must “look into their hearts and souls and ask if they truly view women as their equals." The first lady said the men who raised her set great examples on that front, "which is why I went on to marry a man who had the good sense to fall in love with a woman who was his equal, to treat me as such—a man who supports and reveres me." | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | WASHINGTON (AP) — Michelle Obama called on young African leaders to change traditional attitudes and beliefs that harm girls and women, adding that educating and making women financially literate is not enough. First lady Michelle Obama speaks to selected participants of the Presidential Summit for the Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders in Washington, Wednesday, July 30, 2014, during a roundtable... (Associated Press) First lady Michelle Obama speaks to participants of the Presidential Summit for the Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders in Washington, Wednesday, July 30, 2014. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) (Associated Press) First lady Michelle Obama hugs a participant of the Presidential Summit for the Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders in Washington, Wednesday, July 30, 2014. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) (Associated Press) "No country can ever truly flourish if it stifles the potential of its women and deprives itself of the contributions of half of its citizens," Mrs. Obama said. The first lady spoke Wednesday to the inaugural class of young African fellows who are getting six weeks of leadership training in the United States as part of the Mandela Washington Fellowship. "Leadership is about creating new traditions that honor the dignity and humanity of every individual. Leadership is about empowering all of our people— men, women, boys and girls," she said. "When we commit to that kind of leadership across the globe, that is when we truly start making progress on girls' education." Mrs. Obama said Africa has made great strides such as more girls attending school, women starting businesses and more women serving in parliaments. But she said serious work remains when female genital mutilation, forced child marriage and domestic violence against women continue in some countries. She said these "are not legitimate cultural practices," but "serious human rights violations." The first lady said women in the U. S. have also overcome obstacles, such as voting rights, but they still face challenges with employment discrimination and domestic violence, and are still fighting for equal pay and higher ranks in government and corporate workplaces. Mrs. Obama said her own life was influenced by the support and encouragement of her family— including men like her father, brother, uncle and grandfather. "The men who raised me set a high bar for the type of men I'd allow into my life, which is why I went on to marry a man who had the good sense to fall in love with a woman who was his equal, and to treat me as such," she said, about President Barack Obama. The first lady called on men to do the same and to tell peers who disagree that "any man who uses his strength to oppress women is a coward, and he is holding back the progress of his family and his country." After Mrs. Obama's remarks and meeting with participants in the crowd, she held a round table discussion with more than 30 African leaders to discuss girls' education. ||||| U.S. first lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks at the Summit of the Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders in Washington July 30, 2014. WASHINGTON First lady Michelle Obama embraced her family’s African roots in a speech on Wednesday, telling a group of young Africans that the “blood of Africa” runs through her veins as she urged changing traditional beliefs on the worth of educating women. Her husband had shied away from discussing his African heritage in his own remarks to the 500 Africans finishing a six-week Washington leadership fellowship on Monday, referencing his Kenyan father only once and in the question-and-answer session. But Michelle Obama said as an African American woman, her discussion with the African youth was “deeply personal.” “The roots of my family tree are in Africa,” the first lady told the cheering crowd. “My husband’s father was born and raised in Kenya. Members of our extended family still live there. I have had the pleasure of traveling to Africa many times over the years, including four trips as first lady, and I have brought my mother and my daughters along whenever I can.” “The blood of Africa runs through my veins, and I care deeply,” Obama said, addressing her listeners as her “brothers” and “sisters.” Three months before congressional elections that could determine the fate of much of President Obama’s platform, Michelle Obama’s popularity remains high while her husband’s has sunk. The White House is making women’s empowerment a theme in a Washington African leaders summit next week. Michelle Obama said problems with girls’ education often stemmed from traditional “attitudes and beliefs” that exist even in the United States and lead to issues such as the gender pay gap and an underrepresentation of women in leadership. She said men worldwide needed to “look into their hearts and souls and ask if they truly view women as their equals.” “I am who I am today because of the people in my family, particularly the men in my family, who valued me and invested in me from the day I was born,” Obama said. “And as I grew up, the men who raised me set a high bar for the type of men I’d allow into my life - which is why I went on to marry a man who had the good sense to fall in love with a woman who was his equal, to treat me as such - a man who supports and reveres me, and who supports and reveres our daughters as well,” Obama said. (Reporting by Annika McGinnis; editing by Andrew Hay) |
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– The US will get its chance to grill Osama bin Laden's three widows. Pakistani government officials have promised access in the near future, a US official tells ABC News. Meanwhile, the Daily Beast rounds up what we know so far about his three widows as well as his estranged and former wives: Najwa Ghanem: Bin Laden's estranged first wife, a Syrian cousin he married as a teenager, bore him 11 children. She fought with her husband frequently, but stayed with him until 2001 when she returned to Syria. Khadija Sharif, aka Umm Ali: Bin Laden married his second wife, nine years his elder and a teacher of Islam, in 1983. She found his lifestyle too trying, and bin Laden allowed a divorce though some say it hurt him deeply. Khairiah Sabar, aka Umm Hamza: She was apparently a child psychology professor from a wealthy family who wanted to marry a "true holy warrior." She was a favorite of bin Laden's because of her commitment to jihad. Siham Sabar, aka Umm Khaled: Another well-educated professor, older than her husband, whose brother was a holy warrior. She married bin Laden in 1987. One friend of bin Laden's says that he married his second, third, and fourth wives because they were spinsters and he expected to be rewarded for the good deed in the afterlife. Unknown: There is little information on the woman bin Laden married in 1994. The relationship was never consummated and was annulled within two days. Amal Ahmed Abdulfattah, aka Amal al-Sabah: His youngest wife and the one injured in the raid on his compound after reportedly rushing the Navy SEALs. She married him in 2000 as a teenager, in a move meant to garner him support with the Yemeni tribes she was a part of. | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | A US official tells ABC News that Pakistani government officials have told their American counterparts that they soon will get access to Osama bin Laden's three widows. The Obama administration has been asking the Pakistanis for access to the women, who may possess important information about how bin Laden was able to live in his Abbottabad compound for an estimated five years. The three women and the bin Laden children have been in Pakistani custody since last Sunday. The White House has also requested that Pakistani authorities give US investigators access to some of the al Qaeda data that Navy SEALs left behind. -Jake Tapper ||||| After a bit of back of and forth, Pakistan has finally agreed to grant American officials access to Osama bin Laden’s three widows, Interior Minister Rehman Malik told CNN on Tuesday. U.S. authorities will reportedly be given “direct access,” sources say, meaning that they’ll be available for interviews rather than just submitted questions. Malik didn't give a timeline for the talks. But what will the women reveal? The Daily Beast’s David A. Graham breaks down what we know about the various women who vowed to spend their lives with the world’s most wanted man. When Osama bin Laden was shot and killed, his matrimonial life came into quick focus as rumors circulated that he had used a wife as a human shield. That story was soon debunked, but the same young wife aroused even more interest when it emerged that she had been shot during the raid. And in a third twist, bin Laden’s companions have now become more than objects of popular fascination: they’ve come to be seen as potentially valuable intelligence assets. Osama bin Laden's fifth wife. Credit: Rehan Khan / Landov; AP Photo U.S. officials say they want to question the women about their late husband, his life in Pakistan, and who in the country might have known he was there. Amal Ahmed Abdulfattah, the wife who was injured in the raid, has reportedly already told Pakistani interrogators that the bin Laden clan lived in Abbottabad for five years and spent two and a half years before that in a tiny village not far away. But Pakistan isn’t allowing American officials access to them. In fact, it’s not even clear who the women are—but evidence suggests that they are Abdulfattah; Khairiah Sabar, also known as Umm Hamza; and Siham Sabar, also known as Umm Khaled. Information on the three women, as well as on bin Laden’s estranged wife, Najwa, and divorced former wife, Khadija, is minimal. Polygamy is not uncommon for well-off Saudi men, even ones of fewer means that bin Laden, says Madawi Al-Rasheed, an anthropologist at King’s College, London, who has written about Saudi society in Contesting the Saudi State. What’s more, the al Qaeda chief kept his views on marriage—both personal and theoretical—close to the vest, with little mention of them in his public statements, according to Bruce Lawrence, a professor at Duke University who edited Messages to the World, a collection of all of bin Laden’s utterances. In The Osama Bin Laden I Know, Peter Bergen quoted a college friend of bin Laden’s with whom he formed a view of marriage. Their fathers had practiced polygamy, and they intended to do so as well: the Prophet Muhammad had said that as many as four wives at a time were permissible, as long as none was neglected. Jamal Khalifa said bin Laden felt his father had erred in failing to give all his wives equal attention. “We look at polygamy as solving a social problem, especially when it’s confirmed that there are more women than men in the society,” Khalifa recalled. “It’s not fun, it’s not a matter of just having women with you to sleep with—it’s a solution for a problem. So that’s how [Osama and I] looked at it, and we decided to practice [polygamy] and to be a model.” In The Looming Tower, Lawrence Wright quoted bin Laden using a vivid analogy to describe how he dealt with his complicated domestic life: “One is okay, like walking. Two is like riding a bicycle: it’s fast but a little unstable. Three is a tricycle, stable but slow. And when we come to four, ah! This is the ideal. Now you can pass everyone!” “It’s like the sultan sitting there in his harem, although unfortunately for bin Laden, he did not have the luxury.” Each wife had her own apartment or house where the family lived as the family made repeated moves—leaving Saudi Arabia for Sudan in 1991, then transplanting itself to Afghanistan in 1996, and later moving around Afghanistan and Pakistan. Along the way, all but two of bin Laden’s wives apparently stayed with their husband all or some of the time, a rough-and-tumble path of deprivation and difficulty. What do we know about each of his wives? Here are short biographies. 1. Najwa Ghanem: Bin Laden first married when he was a teenager, wedding Najwa Ghanem, a Syrian cousin who was born in 1958, according to her memoir, Growing Up Bin Laden. They married in 1974. Speaking to Peter Bergen, her former sister-in-law Carmen bin Ladin described her as "meek, submissive, highly religious and constantly pregnant”—and indeed, she bore bin Laden 11 children. Although she was the “senior” wife, having married Osama first, she was younger than all his other wives until Amal. Lawrence Wright, in The Looming Tower, reported that she was an avid jogger and not well educated, but friendly and especially fond of decoration and aesthetics, keeping her house in Sudan beautifully appointed and seeking out Western cosmetics and lingerie. |
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– As if California doesn't have enough water problems. Now scientists say the Sierra Nevada snowpack—which gives the state nearly a third of its surface water—is at a shocking 500-year low, the Guardian reports. That means California, now in its fourth year of drought, can't rely as much on winter snow accumulation in the mountains to fill streams and reservoirs during the hot summers. "It was unprecedented," says Valerie Trouet, who led the study published in Nature Climate Change. "When you are a climate scientist, first you get excited by the result. Then you realise the extreme level of the snowpack is not something to get excited about." Trouet's team reached their conclusion by analyzing rings in the trunks of 1,500 blue oak trees in the region, CNBC reports. Winter precipitation plays a big role in the trees' growth, she says, which can be measured by the width of each year's ring—and last year's was pretty darn thin. So how did it get this bad? Seems that last winter's record-high temperatures and lack of rain led to the dismally low snow accumulation. Trouet also warns that California's "uncontrollable wildfires" can be linked to the lack of Sierra Nevada snowmelt, which scientists had already figured was at a 100-year low. If the climate keeps warning, she adds, "chances of this happening again in the future are much higher than they were in the past." (See how LA is fighting drought with 96 million black plastic balls.) | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Last winter’s snow accumulation in the mountains that provide state’s most important natural water system was just 5% of what is normal, study finds The Sierra Nevada snowpack that is a critical water source for California fell to a 500-year low last winter – far worse than scientists had estimated and underlining the severity of the current drought, according to new research. The snow accumulation in the mountains was just 5% of what is normal, inflating the risk of wildfires, drying up wells and orchards, and pushing communities into water rationing. Scientists had earlier thought that the snow pack was the lowest in 100 years, after a winter that was the warmest on record. Now it turns out it was actually the lowest in five centuries, according to research published in Nature Climate Change on Monday. “It was definitely a 500-year low. In the 500-year reconstruction, it was unprecedented,” said Valerie Trouet of the University of Arizona, who led the study. “When you are a climate scientist, first you get excited by the result. Then you realise the extreme level of the snowpack is not something to get excited about.” El Niño expected to hit US hard, but not enough to ease California drought Read more Snow surveyors have been trekking into the Sierra Nevada since the 1930s using gauges to measure the accumulation of snow pack, which provides almost a third of California’s surface water, at 108 observation stations. Trouet’s team studied two independent sets of records of tree rings, whose patterns reflect annual rainfall and temperatures. They found in the study of the 3,500 samples that 2015 was indeed the worst snowpack in 500 years – a situation that is unlikely to return for 1,000 years at lower elevations. California gets almost all of its precipitation in the winter months, and the Sierra Nevadas are the state’s most important natural water storage system. Come April, when the snow melts, the water flows into streams and reservoirs to be captured for the hot, dry months ahead. When the snowpack does not materialise, California faces shortfalls in water supply. Two factors aligned for the extreme low in the snow pack last year: winter temperatures too warm to allow formation of snow in the Sierras, especially at lower elevations, and a phenomenon known as the “Ridiculously Resilient Ridge”, the high pressure atmospheric formation over the north Pacific that blew storm tracks off course, preventing rains from reaching California. Last year was the hottest year on record. The warm temperatures, which prevented winter rains from turning to snow, were the bigger factor in the failure of the snow pack, Trouet said. The blasting temperatures also intensified the impact of the drought. But both high temperatures and a lack of rain would need to come into play for a recurrence of 2015’s dismal snow pack, and this year’s. “You need to have the coincidence of high temperature and low precipitation,” she said. At the moment, there is only a tiny chance of a recurrence of such extreme conditions in the coming centuries. But with winters continuing to warm under climate change, the likelihood of future low snow packs – and future punishing droughts – increase, she said. ||||| CNBC's Jane Wells takes a look at the Top Best Most expensive cities in America to buy beer. "Trees form a new ring every year," said Valerie Trouet, a researcher at the University of Arizona's Laboratory for Tree-Ring Research. "In a year with a wet winter, these trees will grow a lot, and form a wide ring. In years with dry winters, they will not grow a lot and and they will show a very narrow ring." The team examined the concentric rings that formed in the trunks of 1,500 blue oak trees from that region, paying particular attention to the width of each ring. They compiled measurements of these tree rings over the last several centuries and paired the data with an already published reconstruction of seasonal temperatures over the same amount of time. The results showed that the 2014-15 winter in California brought record low snow levels and record high temperatures—two factors that limited the amount of snowpack. The team published its results Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change. Read MoreSuper Bowl of software descends on San Francisco California is in its fourth year of drought, and the state has implemented water-rationing measures in cities and is struggling to keep crops irrigated. The low snowpack in the Sierras in the winter was an early indicator of how severe shortages would be this summer. "Snowpack is a natural water storage system," Trouet said. "When you have no precipitation in summer, you can access water from snowmelt." Trouet also said that the wildfires currently raging across the state can be directly linked to the extremely low snowpack levels, as well. "I am looking at the uncontrollable wildfires in California, and that is not a coincidence. It has been showed for more than a decade that there is a direct link between the amount of snowpack in the winter and the wildfire risk in the following summer." And if the climate continues to warm as it has, "chances of this happening again in the future are much higher than they were in the past," she said. |
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purpose : we describe the use of a hemostatic wax sealant during laparoscopic renal ablative procedures to allow airtight transabdominal access of the treatment probe through a standard 5-mm port.methods:following tru - cut biopsy of the renal mass , bone wax was used to occlude the external opening of an established 5-mm laparoscopic port .
the cryotherapy or radiofrequency treatment probe was then passed through the waxy material and inserted appropriately into the renal lesion while pneumoperitoneal pressure was maintained.results:in all cases , the bone wax provided a sufficient airtight seal to allow use of the 5-mm port during ablative therapy of renal masses.conclusions:use of bone wax during laparoscopic renal ablative surgery allows the use of an established 5-mm port , thus obviating a separate skin incision and reducing the tract - site exposure to the needle probe . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | over the past decade , several probe ablative therapies have emerged for the treatment of patients with small , localized renal tumors . cryoablation and radiofrequency ablation ( rfa ) have been studied in the greatest detail with promising intermediate oncological outcomes . various treatment approaches for the 2 modalities , namely laparoscopic and percutaneous , are currently practiced . the decision to choose one approach over another is related to surgeon preference , tumor location and accessibility ( anterior vs posterior ) , proximity to other abdominal organs , and patient habitus and comorbidities . during laparoscopic ablative surgery , the thermal probe is routinely placed through a separate skin incision to access the renal tumor . although no case reports of tract - site recurrences have been noted after probe - ablative nephron - sparing surgery , a theoretical risk of tract contamination exists . case reports of tract recurrence for renal cell carcinoma after laparoscopic nephrectomy have been reported , with greater risk noted in morcellated specimens and cases where extraction was done without a plastic bag . to reduce the number of skin incisions and eliminate tract exposure to the needle probe , we describe the use of bone wax ( tyco / syneture , mansfield , ma , usa ) to provide an airtight seal of a 5-mm laparoscopic port . the technique used for laparoscopic renal ablation ( cryo - therapy and rfa ) has previously been described . the main steps can be summarized as establishment of transperitoneal or retroperitoneal access , laparoscopic dissection for tumor exposure , laparoscopic ultrasonography followed by tru - cut needle biopsy of the renal mass . thereafter , bone wax was used to completely occlude the external opening of one of the established 5-mm laparoscopic ports ( ethicon endo - surgery , somerville , nj ) , which would provide optimal tumor access ( figure 1 ) . placement of either the cryoprobe or the rita starburst ( rita medical systems , fremont , ca ) ablation probe through the 5-mm port was successful in all patients while pneumoperitoneal pressure was maintained . additional bone wax was applied along the shaft of the probe to ensure an airtight seal once the thermal - needle was appropriately positioned into the center of the tumor ( figure 2 ) . following the treatment cycles , the 5-mm port and the probe were removed together from the abdominal wall , thus eliminating any contact with the skin tract . a new 5-mm port was repositioned into the surgical space by using the same skin tract . floseal ( baxter international , deerfield , il ) and argon beam coagulation were then used to ensure hemostasis before case completion . ( a ) application of bone wax ( 40 mm 15 mm ) to the outer surface of a standard 5-mm laparoscopic port . ( b ) the waxy , malleable material provides an ideal sealant and port - site reducer to allow an airtight entry of the renal ablative probe . note the additional bone wax application around the port - entry site to ensure airtight closure thus maintaining pneumoperitoneal pressure . we have used the bone wax sealant to aid with thermal probe positioning during laparoscopic ablative procedures . all treatments were successfully performed through previously established 5-mm laparoscopic ports while maintaining pneumoperitoneal pressure . a separate skin puncture was not required , and the ablation probe was never in contact with subcutaneous tissues of the abdominal wall . minimally invasive tissue ablative procedures are evolving into an appropriate treatment option for managing small and exophytic renal tumors in select patients . the laparoscopic approach to these modalities often requires the placement of the thermal probe through a separate skin incision to maintain pneumoperitoneal pressure . although rare , removal of the probe through the skin tract after lesion treatment may increase the potential for tumor cell transfer and port - site contamination . our described technique using bone wax has proved useful in utilizing an established 5-mm laparoscopic port and avoiding direct contact of the ablation probe with subcutaneous tissues . bone wax is a sterile mixture of beeswax , paraffin , and isopropyl palmitate , a wax - softening agent . this inexpensive material is often used to achieve local hemostasis of bone by acting as a mechanical barrier , particularly in orthopedic and sternotomy procedures . , it can easily be molded into the external canal of a laparoscopic port and can provide sufficient coaptation around the ablation need to ensure an airtight seal despite pneumoperitoneal pressures of 14 mm hg to 20 mm hg . despite its merits , this technique has several limitations . in obese patients , where the abdominal wall may be very thick , the additional 5 cm to 7 cm that may be gained by having the probe placed directly through the skin rather than through the laparoscopic port may be important in certain individuals . furthermore , tumors with larger diameters , irregular shapes , and patients with multiple tumors may require placement of several probes to deliver appropriate therapy . as such , the placement of additional 5-mm ports simply for probe insertion would be inappropriate . in these laparoscopic cases , where direct , percutaneous insertion is used , we recommend probe activation in the peritoneal cavity before extraction to eradicate potential tumor cells . use of bone wax is a simple , inexpensive technique to avoid separate skin incisions while minimizing tract - site contact with ablation probes . |
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aneurysm of the mitral valve , although uncommon , occurs most commonly in association with infective endocarditis of the aortic valve and true mitral valve aneurysm is a rare cause of mitral regurgitation .
we report a case with perforated mitral valve aneurysm in the posterior leaflet without concurrent infective endocarditis initially mistaken diagnosis of cystic mass , which was confirmed at operation with successful mitral valve annuloplasty . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | true aneurysms , or diverticulae , of the mitral valve are a rare cause of mitral regurgitation . it occurs most commonly in association with aortic valve infective endocarditis,1 - 5 ) but they may also present with mitral valve infective endocarditis,5 - 7 ) chronic mitral regurgitation8 ) or as a complication of mitral valve prolapse.9 ) the echocardiographic features of mitral valve aneurysms ( mva ) are non - specific,3 - 9 ) and can be misinterpreted as a large vegetation , cystic left atrial myxoma , or degeneration in association with a prolapsing leaflet . delay in making the correct diagnosis increases the risk of infection , embolization , or rupture of the aneurysm ; these complications can be prevented by surgery to repair or replace the valve.3 ) we report a patient in whom a mva of posterior leaflet as initially misdiagnosed as cystic mass , which was confirmed at operation . there was no family history of aortic , collagen , vascular or congenital heart disease . vital signs were blood pressure of 125/59 mmhg , pulse rate of 98 beat / min , respiration rate of 24 breaths / min , and body temperature of 36.5. on the physical examination , there were no peripheral skin lesions and cardiac auscultation revealed a grade 2/6 systolic heart murmur and electrocardiography demonstrated non - specific depression of st segment and t wave changes . the blood chemistries , including coagulation studies , erythrocyte sedimentation rate , c - reactive protein , the complete blood count , and lipid profiles were within normal limits . transthoracic echocardiography showed left ventricular hypertrophy and enlarged left atrium size ( 44.3 mm ) with normal left ventricular ejection fraction ( 68% ) . moderate aortic regurgitation with senile sclerotic aortic valve change , and moderate tricuspid regurgitation with elevated right ventricle systolic pressure ( 49 mmhg ) was shown . interestingly , a large fluttering cystic mass ( 1.3 1.6 cm ) in the left atrium attached to the posterior mitral valve leaflet which bulged into the left atrium and ventricle throughout the cardiac cycle resulted in poor coaptation and opening of mitral valve ( fig . the color doppler flow showed that the cystic mass was filled with flow during systole and also the color flow in the cystic mass was communicated with the left atrium ( fig . continuous wave doppler revealed that the mass caused hemodynamic disturbance and there was moderate increase of mean pressure gradient ( fig . 2c ) . because there was no clinical evidence of infective endocarditis with negative blood culture and no history of previous infective endocarditis or rheumatic fever , the cystic mass was considered as cystic left atrial myxoma , less likely mva . she was taken to the operating room for left atrial cystic mass resection . at operation , histopathologic examination of the resected segments showed myxomatous degenerative change and calcification of mitral valve without evidence of an acute inflammatory process . she made an uneventful postoperative recovery and 2 months later was well with no evidence of mitral regurgitation . mva , which is defined as a localized bulge of the mitral leaflet toward the left atrium with systolic expansion and diastolic collapse,9 ) is uncommon and reported cases are rare and often the consequence of infective endocarditis.1 - 7 ) early and preoperative recognition of its presence is important because it may rupture and produce catastrophic mitral regurgitation in an already seriously ill patient or it may be overlooked at the time of aortic valve replacement . primary or secondary endocarditis from aortic infection , rheumatic disease , and other disorders causing connective tissue degeneration5 ) are the possible cause from which the strength of the mitral leaflet is weakened and the leaflet protrudes into the left atrium under the left ventricular pressure . there are also occasional reports of the mva forming in patients without endocarditis , such as those with connective tissue diseases , including mitral valve prolapse , osteogenesis imperfecta , marfan syndrome , and pseudoxanthoma elasticum.5)10)11 ) in the absence of endocarditis , a regurgitation aortic jet has been speculated to be the most possible cause of mva,12 ) but on the posterior mitral leaflet , any mechanical stress due to aortic regurgitation could be profoundly less compared to that acting on the anterior one . our case seems to be a very rare incident since the aneurysm was detected on the posterior mitral valve leaflet although the aortic regurgitation was not severe whereas endocarditis was never documented . diagnosis of mva by echocardiography has been reported before.3)4 ) echocardiography shows mva as a localized saccular bulge of the leaflet toward the left atrium and communication between the aneurysm and the left ventricle during the cardiac cycle.3)4 ) mitral valve repair or replacement is indicated when aneurysm is ruptured or when the unruptured aneurysm is large or accompanied by significant regurgitation . mva may be confused with cystic degeneration of the valve , a cystic atrial myxoma , or a large vegetation.13 ) our patient shows that transthoracic echocardiography may not be diagnostic in this condition and can be misleading especially when the posterior leaflet is affected.6)8)9 ) until now , we can not find any report of mva of posterior leaflet without evidence of infective endocarditis . our case suggests that mva could happen on posterior leaflet of the mitral valve without apparent involvement of the aortic valve endocarditis . in conclusion , mva should be considered in the differential diagnosis of mass lesions seen on the atrial side of the mitral valve at echocardiography . |
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merkel cell carcinoma ( mcc ) is a relatively rare , polyomavirus associated , primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin which is usually arising from dermal skin layers .
however , the origin of mcc in the subcutaneous tissue is debatable .
we report a 58-yearold female patient with an oedematous mass on her left groin that was firm in consistency and had no discoloration or other visible abnormality of the overlying skin . on histology and immunohistology
the tumour was consistent with the diagnosis of mcc showing a predominant subcutanous growth pattern .
pelvic magnetic resonance tomography revealed a tumour conglomerate reaching from the subcutis of the left groin to the left paraaortal and parailiacal region indicating widespread lymphogenic metastisation . despite complete medical work - up
no other mcc primary could be detected . in conclusion ,
predominant subcutaneous growth pattern as well as tumour localization in the groin are uncommon features of mcc .
mcc showing the aforementioned features may be associated with significant delay of diagnosis and therefore represents an unfavourable prognostic factor . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | merkel cell carcinoma ( mcc ) is a relatively rare , polyomavirus associated , primary neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin usually occurring on sun - exposed areas in elderly patients . the typical clinical manifestation of mcc is that of a firm , nontender , cutaneous nodule with red- , purple- , or violet - coloured skin . it may display aggressive biological behaviour and can grow rapidly , metastasising to the regional lymph nodes and other organs such as liver , bones , lungs and brain . in this report , we describe an unusual case of mcc clinically presenting as oedematous mass of the left groin . a 59-year - old woman presented with a painless mass of about 3 months duration in the left inguinal and vulval area . she had a 4-week history for a common iliac vein thrombosis of the left leg . the oedematous mass of the left groin was firm in consistency and had no discoloration or other visible abnormality of the overlying skin , except for a slight ' peau d'orange ' appearance ( figure 1a ) . pelvic magnetic resonance tomography revealed a tumour conglomerate reaching from the subcutis of the left groin to the left paraaortal and parailiacal region indicating widespread lymphogenic metastisation ( figure 1b ) . neoplasms of the uro - genital regions were excluded by urologists and gynaecologists , respectively . a deep incisional skin biopsy was performed . histological examination revealed a diffuse growth pattern with polygonal - epitheloid tumour cells of " naked " nuclei , coarse chromatin , and frequent mitotic features ( figure 2a ) . tumour cells were aggregated in nests and complexes showing trabecular formation in the subcutis , and in part in the deep dermis . immunohistochemically , the tumour cells were positive for cytokeratin 20 ( figure 2b ) in a dot - like and crescentic perinuclear pattern and in a membranous pattern for cd56 along the cell borders . the tumour cells were negative for cytokeratin 7 , thyroid transcription factor 1 , s100 , and cd45 . merkel cell polyomavirus dna was detected in lesional skin using single round lt3-pcr ( 309 bp ) , single round vp1pcr ( 352 bp ) and by nested lt1/m1m2-pcr ( 179 bp ) . neuron - specific enolase and lactate dehydrogenase were significantly increased in the serum of the patient with 534 g / l ( < 16.3 g / l ) and 753 u / l ( 135 - 214 u / l ) , respectively . these findings were consistent with the diagnosis of metastazised mcc . the patient was treated with combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy ( 6 cycles eposide and carboplatin ) . under this regimen , however , she developed disseminated cutaneous metastases on her left leg . a firm mass in the left groin showing no discoloration or other visible abnormality of the overlying skin ( a , arrow heads indicate were biopsy was taken ) . pelvic magnetic resonance tomography revealed a widespread tumour conglomerate predominantly reaching from the subcutis of the left groin to the left paraaortal and parailiacal region ( b ) . haematoxylin and eosin staining ( magnification , 200 ) showing subcutaneous infiltrates consisting of small round tumour cells ( a ) . a characteristic expression of cytokeratin 20 in a dot - like pattern is evident ( b , magnification , 200 ) . mcc is mainly a dermal tumour consisting of cells that likely originate from immature totipotent stem cells and acquire neuroendocrine characteristics upon malignant transformation . for example , balaton et al . previously reported the clinical and pathological features of three unusual soft tissue tumours which primarily affected the subcutaneous tissue in the groin of elderly patients . in case 1 , the inguino - crural tumour coexisted with a second mass in the pelvis . the tumours had a tendency to relapse locally and to invade the regional lymph nodes . metastatic dissemination of the disease resulted in death of one patient ( case 3 ) . primarily subcutaneous growth of mcc has also recently reported by huang et al . who reported a 63-year old woman with primary lesion of mcc that arose from the subcutaneous fat layer of the left arm . moreover , there are reports on mcc of the inguinal lymph nodes with no identifiable primary site . likely these cases may however represent lymph node metastases from a regressed skin primary - a phenomenon which has sporadically been observed in patients with mcc . in the present case of a primary mcc , lymphatic invasion of mcc is known to occur very early from nearly 40% of cases at the initial presentation to up to 90% in the post - excision phase . invasion of paraortal and parailiacal region in the present case could have contributed to common iliac vein thrombosis and hence oedema of the affected area , groin and subcutaneous tissue . indeed , the clinical picture and anatomic location of the here presented mcc did not favour a diagnosis of mcc . however , the presence of the merkel cell polyomavirus in lesional skin as well as the histological and immunohistological findings were consistent with mcc . in conclusion , predominant deep dermal and subcutaneous growth pattern as well as tumour localization in the groin are uncommon features of mcc . mcc showing the aforementioned features may be associated with significant delay of diagnosis and therefore represents an unfavourable prognostic factor . |
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– Two days ago, the New York Times was out with a piece titled "Defying the Odds, Kellyanne Conway Steps Back and Hangs On." Now, a perhaps uncomfortable step back into the spotlight. Tuesday brought word from the US Office of Special Counsel that Conway twice violated the Hatch Act, which the AP explains bars government officials from using their position to try to impact political campaigns. In November and December TV interviews with CNN and Fox, respectively, which were given in her "official capacity" as a White House aide, the federal watchdog determined Conway "impermissibly mixed official government business with political views about candidates in the Alabama special election." Next steps: CNN reports OSC Special Counsel Henry Kerner is placing the onus of what to do next on the president, whom Kerner has alerted to the violations for "consideration of appropriate disciplinary action." | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | Washington (CNN) The US Office of Special Counsel announced Tuesday that White House aide Kellyanne Conway violated the Hatch Act on two occasions by "advocating for and against candidates" in last year's Alabama Senate special election. In a new report , the OSC special counsel, Henry Kerner, pointed to Conway's TV interviews conducted in her "official capacity" in November and December of last year. The agency said Conway "impermissibly mixed official government business with political views about candidates in the Alabama special election." One of the two interviews was on CNN's "New Day," and the second was on Fox News' "Fox & Friends." In a letter to President Donald Trump, Kerner said he is referring her violations for the President's "consideration of appropriate disciplinary action." In a statement, White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said Conway was expressing the President's position for lawmakers who support the administration's agenda. "Kellyanne Conway did not advocate for or against the election of any particular candidate," Gidley said. "She simply expressed the President's obvious position that he have people in the House and Senate who support his agenda. In fact, Kellyanne's statements actually show her intention and desire to comply with the Hatch Act -- as she twice declined to respond to the host's specific invitation to encourage Alabamans to vote for the Republican." The announcement makes Conway the latest high-profile member of Trump's team to face official criticism over violating the Hatch Act, a 1939 law prohibiting federal employees from using their official government capacity for partisan ends. Both White House social media director Dan Scavino and US ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley have received reprimands or warnings from OSC for political statements on their official social media accounts. During the "Fox & Friends" interview November 20, Conway was introduced by the show's hosts as a "counselor to President Trump" and spoke from White House grounds. She said about Democratic Senate candidate Doug Jones: "Folks, don't be fooled. He'll be a vote against tax cuts. He's weak on crime, weak on borders. He's strong on raising your taxes. He's terrible for property owners." During the "New Day" interview December 6, Conway -- again speaking from White House grounds and introduced by CNN anchor Chris Cuomo as "counselor to President Trump" -- said among other things that Jones will be a reliable vote "for tax hikes," "against border security," "against national security," "against the Second Amendment" and "against life," according to the OSC report. Conway went on to tell Cuomo that Jones is "out of step for Alabama voters, according to the President," and that Trump "doesn't want a liberal Democrat representing Alabama in the United States Senate." The Office of Special Counsel is unrelated to the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller, and is an independent agency with purview of the Hatch Act. Conway faced a similar situation last year, when she used a Fox News appearance in February to plug Ivanka Trump's clothing line. The White House defended Conway at the time and said, "Upon completion of our inquiry, we concluded that Ms. Conway acted inadvertently and is highly unlikely to do so again." ||||| WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal watchdog says White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway violated the federal law prohibiting government officials from using their positions to influence political campaigns. The Office of Special Counsel, which is unrelated to Robert Mueller's office, says Conway violated the Hatch Act twice last year when she advocated for Republican Roy Moore and against his Democratic rival, Sen. Doug Jones, in the Alabama's Senate race. Special Counsel Henry Kerner is sending his office's findings to President Donald Trump Tuesday "for appropriate disciplinary action." Trump will decide what — if any — punishment she will receive. The White House has not immediately commented on the report. Conway came under fire for violating a different ethics provision last year, when she urged Trump supporters to purchase Ivanka Trump brand products. ||||| WASHINGTON — A year ago, few “on the outside” — a phrase perhaps tellingly favored in the Trump White House — would have guessed that Kellyanne Conway would be the one hanging on as other high-profile aides pull their rip cords. A year ago, Ms. Conway, the president’s counselor, told Americans of the fictional “Bowling Green massacre,” drawing ridicule from cable TV hosts and liberal critics. She declared that the White House was merely presenting “alternative facts” when it described an inauguration crowd in superlatives that did not comport with reality. She was painted into an unhinged “Saturday Night Live” caricature. For a pollster with a long history of working well with the news media, the attacks were jarring, according to her allies. But in this White House, a lot can change in a year. More than a dozen high-profile departures later — and amid tumult, scandal and an ever-unfolding investigation into the Trump campaign’s ties to Russia — Ms. Conway, 51, is one of the few remaining prominent aides from the campaign. In a White House with the highest turnover rates in decades, she has survived by knowing when to step back from the spotlight, keeping the president’s ear, focusing on a policy issue significant to the poor and working class, and maintaining an unflinching loyalty to President Trump even as she outmaneuvers rivals on the staff. The public criticism hasn’t abated, but Ms. Conway’s skin is thicker than it used to be. “I don’t respond to or read 99 percent of it,” Ms. Conway said in a brief interview on Saturday, “because it is so reflexive and unthoughtful.” |
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fine - needle aspirations ( fna ) have played a crucial role in the diagnosis and follow - up of malignancies including sarcomas . however , relatively low specificity in the classification of sarcoma is the main limitation of fna .
epithelioid sarcoma is a rare tumor of soft tissues .
very few individual case reports describing cytological features of epithelioid sarcoma have been documented in the literature . here
, we describe cytological features of epithelioid sarcoma with immunocytohistological correlation . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | epithelioid sarcoma is a rare tumor of soft tissues recognized as a distinct clinicopathologic entity by enzinger in 1970 . fibroma like , angiomatoid and rhabdoid variants of this tumor have been defined with characteristic cytomorphological features . it can be confused histologically and cytologically with a variety of benign and malignant lesions including malignant melanoma , synovial sarcoma , squamous cell carcinoma , adenocarcinoma , and granulomatous inflammation . fine - needle aspiration ( fna ) has been increasingly used in the preoperative diagnosis of soft tissue tumors due to high sensitivity and low cost . fna of sarcomas achieved a diagnostic sensitivity of 86.5% and specificity of 21% in one study . the low specificity is a result of the high number of lesions sharing similar cytological findings . here , we present a case of epithelioid sarcoma in a 65-year - old male , diagnosed cytomorphologically and confirmed with immunocytological studies done on the cell button . a 65-year - old male came to the surgery outpatient department with recurrent swelling on the dorsum of the foot operated 2 years back . the swelling was nodular , 4 cm 3 cm in size and firm in consistency . the cell button was also made , and the slides were kept for immunocytochemistry ( icc ) . cytology smears were richly cellular and showed singly scattered and loosely cohesive small clusters of cells with mild anisonucleosis . provisionally the differential diagnosis of recurrent high - grade sarcoma and malignant melanoma of soft parts ( clear cell sarcoma ) was given . the tumor cells showed strong epithelial membrane antigen ( ema ) ( e29 dako ) membrane immunoreactivity [ figure 1b ] . so considering the clinical history , cytological features and icc study , final diagnosis of epithelioid sarcoma was offered . a well - defined t2 hyperintense , t1 isointense enhancing lesion measuring 3.3 cm 2.2 cm was noted along the dorsal aspect of the right foot in the subcutaneous plane . we received a skin covered tissue mass measuring 4 cm 2 cm 2 cm . on cutting open , the tumor was whitish , nodular measuring 2 cm in diameter . immunohistochemical ( ihc ) study done with ema , panck , vimentin , hmb45 and s-100 confirmed the diagnosis . margins and base of the lesion were free of the tumor . ( a ) photomicrograph of fine - needle aspiration showing singly scattered rhabdoid cells showing binucleation and multinucleation with prominent nucleoli ( leishman , 400 ) . ( b ) immunocytochemistry done on cell button block showing strong membrane immunoreactivity for epithelial membrane antigen ( icc , 400 ) epithelioid sarcoma is an uncommon tumor that is more prevalent in adolescent and young adults . epithelioid sarcoma was characterized histologically by a nodular arrangement of the tumor cells with an epithelioid appearance and a tendency to undergo central necrosis . the tumor cells were described as varying from large ovoid to polygonal with eosinophilic cytoplasm , to plump spindle - shaped cells . chronic inflammation was usually seen around the lesion and was thought to simulate an inflammatory process . most recently , three less common variants lacking the characteristics of the granulomatous appearance have been described as fibroma like , angiomatoid and rhabdoid . subsequently , several other authors have cited cytological features of additional 16 cases . in general the cells with intercellular spaces , as described in the previous study were seen in our case . fine - needle aspiration has played a crucial role in the diagnosis and follow - up of malignancies including sarcomas . however , relatively low specificity in the classification of sarcoma is the main limitation of fna . it creates a challenge for the cytopathologist because of the wide range of nonneoplastic and neoplastic lesions with a similar appearance . the granulomatous appearance of classic epithelioid sarcoma can resemble a benign granulomatous process , especially in fna of lymph node . nuclear pleomorphism , singly scattered cells and immunocytochemical studies allow distinction of epithelioid sarcoma from a benign granulomatous process . squamous cell carcinoma shares many cytologic features such as epithelioid appearance , presence of spindle cells , tadpole cells . one reliable distinguishing feature is the presence of well - defined cell borders associated with intercellular spaces in the epithelioid sarcoma , in contrast to squamous cell carcinoma which presents as syncytial clusters with no intercellular spaces . other entities from which epithelioid sarcoma should be distinguished include adenocarcinoma , melanoma , and synovial sarcoma . adenocarcinoma shares the same epithelioid features of epithelioid sarcoma , however , the presence of vacuolated cytoplasm and mucin , formation of acinar structures in adenocarcinoma is useful in the differential diagnosis from epithelioid sarcoma . the cytological features of clear cell sarcoma ( malignant melanoma of soft tissues ) resemble that of epithelioid sarcoma , however , the difference in clinical presentation and icc profile are crucial in the differential diagnosis . in clear cell sarcoma , the cells are mostly dispersed , but small groups of loosely cohesive cells are also present . thus , diagnosis of epithelioid sarcoma on cytomorphological features alone can pose a diagnostic dilemma . cytomorphological features along with icc analysis in an appropriate clinical setting help cytologist in arriving at precise diagnosis in lesions showing pleomorphic cells with epithelioid morphology . our case highlights the role of icc in the fna in avoiding pitfalls in the diagnosis of epithelioid sarcoma . |
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bony tumours of the chest wall are rare and radical surgical resection forms the cornerstone of treatment .
closure of the defect following radical resection can be challenging .
we report the case of a 59-year - old woman with a large tumour of the thoracic wall , which was surgically resected with direct reconstruction using a sandwich technique with a palacos patch placed in a double - layer marlex mesh .
pathological examination showed a fibrous dysplasia of the rib .
the patient had a good functional and cosmetic result . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | bony tumours of the chest wall are rare ; the differential diagnostic considerations comprise benign tumours such as osteochondroma , chondroma , fibrous dysplasia ( fd ) and malignant tumours such as soft tissue sarcomas , osteosarcoma and askin tumours . surgical resection is the primary treatment for most benign and malignant chest wall tumours , which can be performed with acceptable morbidity . various methods for closure of chest wall defects have been described , including prosthetic mesh , musculocutaneous flaps , titanium plates and bone cement [ 24 ] . rigid fixation techniques provide good chest wall stability , but too rigid fixation might induce pain and increase the risk for infection . in this study , we present a case of a 59-year - old woman with a large tumour caused by fd , which was surgically resected with direct reconstruction using a sandwich technique of a mesh reinforced with methyl methacrylate in a double - layer marlex mesh . a 59-year - old woman presented at the outpatient clinic of the department of pulmonology with complaints of chronic cough . apart from gastroesophageal reflux disease , she had no history of disease . she presented with chronic cough without other pulmonary complaints ; specifically , she had no haemoptoe , shortness of breath or weight loss . pulmonary function tests revealed normal lung function with vital capacity of 4.5 l ( 130% of predicted ) , forced expiratory volume in 1s of 3.8 l ( 130% of predicted ) and a diffusing capacity of 105% . on plain x - ray , a mass in the left thoracic wall additional imaging was obtained by a chest ct scan , which showed a calcified tumour on the left thoracic wall growing from the second rib with slight impression of the lung with a maximal diameter of 4.7 cm ( fig . figure 1:(a ) a calcified tumour on the left chest wall growing from the second rib with slight impression of the lung with a maximal diameter of 4.7 cm . ( b ) bony tumour originating from the left second and third rib , with some pleural adhesions . ( a ) a calcified tumour on the left chest wall growing from the second rib with slight impression of the lung with a maximal diameter of 4.7 cm . ( b ) bony tumour originating from the left second and third rib , with some pleural adhesions . with no other lesions explaining the chronic cough , resection through video - assisted thoracoscopy ( vats ) a bony tumour was found originating from the left second and third rib , with some pleural adhesions ( fig . the procedure was converted to thoracotomy to perform wide resection of the thoracic wall ( fig . 2 ) . the size of the thoracic wall defect following resection measured 8 by 5.5 cm a patch was prepared using two polypropylene meshes and interpolate of methyl methacrylate ( fig . the patch was placed and tightened to the periosteum using prolene sutures ( fig . finally , subcutaneous tissue and skin were closed in layers using a vicryl and intracutaneous monocryl suture . figure 3:preparation of the patch with two polypropylene meshes and interpolate of methyl methacrylate . figure 4:positioning of the mesh and fixation to the periosteum of adjacent ribs . definitive pathology of the specimen revealed fd that was radically removed . at follow - up differential diagnostic considerations for chest wall tumours comprise benign tumours such as osteochondroma , chondroma , fd and malignant tumours such as soft tissue sarcomas , osteosarcoma , askin tumours or metastasis of the ribs . surgery of chest wall tumours indicated for confirmatory biopsy , correction of deformities , failure of non - surgical therapy , prevention of pathological changes and eradication of symptomatic lesions . in general , chest wall reconstruction is indicated for any chest wall defect greater than 5 cm , although on the posterior side , function might not be impaired with defects up to 10 cm . the methods for chest wall reconstruction can grossly be divided in two groups : rigid fixation ( using a sandwhich technique as described here or titanium ) and non - rigid fixation ( non - rigid mesh or myocutaneous flaps ) . the technique of using a polypropylene mesh with methyl methacrylate as described in our case was developed 25 years ago . pulmonary complications are the most important cause of morbidity after chest wall resection and reconstruction . such complications are better prevented by rigid fixation techniques , as they better prevent paradoxical chest movements [ 2 , 7 ] . furthermore , the technique is easy to apply by surgeons who only sporadically encounter large chest wall defects . in contrast to myocutaneous flaps and titanium plates , this technique does not require specific skill or equipment [ 4 , 8 , 9 ] . a further problem with titanium plating is that such osteosynthesis material might eventually break , as no bone healing is expected after large resections of the chest wall . , we achieved excellent functional and cosmetic results with this polypropylene meshes and a methyl methacrylate sandwich technique . in conclusion , fd of the chest wall is a rare condition that can present with chronic cough , pain or respiratory failure . the use of a sandwich technique a mesh reinforced with methyl methacrylate cement can ensure chest wall integrity while preventing a frail chest . |
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intracranial calcifications are relatively common computed tomographic findings in the field of neurosurgery , and cysticercosis , tuberculosis , hiv , and cryptococcus are acquired intracranial infections typically associated with calcifications . however , intracranial calcification caused by a bacterial brain abscess is rare . here ,
we present a rare case of intracranial calcification caused by a bacterial brain abscess , from which staphylococcus hominis was isolated . to the best of our knowledge ,
no previous report has been published on intracranial calcification caused by bacterial brain abscess after decompressive craniectomy for traumatic brain injury . in this article , the pathophysiological mechanism of this uncommon entity is discussed and relevant literature reviewed . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | intracranial calcifications observed by computed tomography ( ct ) are the most common incidental finding in the everyday practice of neurosurgery , because non - contrast enhanced ct of the brain is the preferred imaging modality worldwide for the initial evaluation of patients with head injury . cysticercosis , tuberculosis , and cryptococcus are acquired intracranial infections typically associated with intracranial calcification3,6 ) , whereas calcification resulting from a brain abscess is extremely rare . we represent a rare case of an unusually calcified brain abscess , from which staphylococcus hominis was isolated , and include a review of the literature . a previously healthy 40-year - old man presented with mental deterioration after a head injury . on neurological examination , he was stuporous with a glasgow coma scale of 8 . routine hematological and serum chemistry testing , including erythrocyte sedimentation rate and c - reactive protein , revealed no abnormality . however , ct scan of the brain revealed severe brain swelling and hemorrhagic contusion in the right frontotemporoparietal ( ftp ) region . postoperatively , he became conscious and was able to obey commands without any neurologic deficit . however , three weeks later , he complained of a febrile sensation and had a temperature of 38.4. a ct scan of the brain with intravenous contrast showed a ring - enhanced brain abscess ( fig . 2 ) . third generation cephalosporin and sufficient hydration were continuously administered . however , despite this management , the fever continued and he complained of mild left hemiparesis ( grade iv+/grade iv+ ) . a ct scan and magnetic resonance imaging ( mri ) with intravenous contrast on hospital day 35 revealed an increase in both the size and extent of the brain abscess ( fig . 3 ) . navigation - guided culture and biopsy following drainage of the brain abscess using a 5 l catheter were performed . however , from cultures of the purulent drainage on blood agar , coagulase negative staphylococcus hominis was isolated . his antibiotics were changed to nafcillin and ciprofloxacin based on the results of culture test , and after 6 weeks on antibiotics , he achieved complete clinical recovery except for mild hemiparesis . however , follow - up ct performed 5 months after admission revealed that the brain abscess had developed into a large calcified mass ( fig . because of its deep - seated location and a lack of clinical symptoms , surgical removal was not performed . instead , a series of ct scans were taken 3 monthly . no change in either the size or extent of the calcified region was observed over 2 year of follow - up . brain abscess is a focal , intracerebral infection that begins as a localized area of cerebritis and develops into a collection of pus surrounded by a well - vascularized capsule5 ) . brain abscesses develop in response to parenchymal infections by pyogenic bacteria and begin as a localized area of suppuration . most commonly , infectious agents gain access to the central nervous system from a contiguous site of infection4 ) . it is well known that a number of intracranial infections , such as , tuberculosis and cysticercosis , can cause intracranial calcifications1,12 ) . however , bacterial brain abscesses rarely calcify and ct findings of calcified brain abscesses have seldom been reported . the features of cerebral abscesses unveiled by mri reflect the underlying pathophysiology of abscess formation . during the initial cerebritis stage , an ill - defined subcortical hyperintense zone on t2-weighted images is associated with poorly delineated enhancing areas within an iso - to mildly hypointense edematous region on enhanced t1-weighted images . during the early and late stages , a collagenous abscess capsule is visible on unenhanced scans as a comparatively thin - walled , well - delineated iso- to slightly hyperintense ring that becomes hypointense on t2-weighted images . nonetheless , a ring - enhancing mass is a nonspecific imaging finding that may be seen in various noninflammatory benign and neoplastic processes10 ) . the differential diagnosis includes primary brain tumors ( e.g. , necrotic glioblastoma ) , metastases , resolving hematoma , infarction , and even demyelinating disease , and the differential diagnoses of calcified ring lesions are tuberculoma , calcified hematoma , hydatid cyst , and brain abscess2,9,11 ) . furthermore , calcified brain abscesses should be differentiated from noninfectious diseases , such as , calcified hemangioma calcificans , glioma with calcification , and calcified chronic subdural hematoma8 ) . they presumed that long course of development allowed for the formation of the calcified rim of abscess and this resulted in seizures . in our patient , a brain abscess caused by coagulase negative staphylococcus hominis resulted in no neurological sequelae and calcification at the healed abscess site . , staphylococcus hominis is a component of normal human flora , and is common in the axillary and pubic areas , where apocrine glands are numerous7 ) . first , as far as we are aware , this is the first report of a brain abscess caused by staphylococcus hominis after decompressive surgery . third , full recovery was achieved after antibiotic therapy without removal of the calcified brain abscess . although the exact cause of the calcification is not clear , this case shows a relationship between intracranial calcification and a brain abscess caused by staphylococcus hominis after decompressive craniectomy for traumatic subdural hematoma . although rare , bacterial brain abscess should be borne in mind as a possible cause of intracranial calcification . |
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erythropoietin protects many organs against the tissue injury and dysfunction caused by ischaemia / reperfusion and excessive inflammation .
this editorial comment discusses the effects of erythropoietin in preclinical models of septic shock , endotoxemia , hemorrhagic shock , spinal cord trauma and zymosan - induced multiple organ failure . | Make an abstract according to the given text content, only output the abstract content and nothing else. | [] | erythropoietin ( epo ) is a 34 kda glycoprotein hormone that controls the proliferation , differentiation , and survival of erythroid progenitor cells through an antiapoptotic mechanism . it has become apparent that epo protects many organs , including brain , heart , kidney and liver , against the injury caused by ischaemia / reperfusion , hemorrhagic shock and systemic inflammation . in this issue of critical care , kao and colleagues they found that recombinant human epo ( 400 iu / kg ) exerts significant beneficial effects when it is given as late as 18 hours after caecal ligation and puncture ( clp ) . although epo had no effect on the ( small ) decline in blood pressure , the decline in platelet and white blood cell counts , or the rise in lactate , it significantly increased tissue perfusion and reduced tissue hypoxia . within 18 hours after clp there was a decline in the number of perfused capillary beds ( reduced oxygen delivery ) ; this , in turn , resulted in an impairment in mitochondrial electron transport and hence respiration ( measured as increase in mitochondrial nadh fluorescence ) in skeletal musle ( extensor digitorum longus ) . most notably , epo rapidly ( within 10 min ) reversed both of these effects of clp , and hence it increased the number of patent capillaries and increased mitochondrial function . unfortunately , the authors did not measure any parameters of organ injury and dysfunction , and the model of clp used did not ( within 24 hours ) result in any deaths . thus , it remains to be seen whether the improvement in oxygen delivery or mitochondrial function afforded by epo also results in a significant improvement in outcome . the study by kao and coworkers is of particular importance because epo protects the brain , heart , kidney and liver against the tissue injury and dysfunction caused by ischaemia / reperfusion ( for review ) . the pathophysiology of the shock associated with trauma / haemorrhage also comprises elements of ischaemia / reperfusion injury ( because of hypovolaemia and resuscitation ) as well as excessive inflammation . in 2004 , we reported that administration of epo ( 300 iu / kg intravenously ) upon resuscitation reduced the renal dysfunction and liver injury caused by severe haemorrhage and resuscitation in rat . these beneficial effects of epo were associated with a reduction in tissue ( renal ) apoptosis secondary to prevention of activation of caspase-3 , -8 and -9 . interestingly , epo also prevents motor neurone apoptosis and associated neurological disability in an experimental model of spinal cord injury . low doses of epo ( 300 iu / kg intravenously ) did not affect the organ injury / dysfunction caused by high doses ( 6 mg / kg ) of the toll - like receptor-4 agonist lipopolysaccharide ( lps ) within 6 hours in the rat . however , higher doses of epo ( 4,000 iu / kg given 30 min before lps ) attenuated the renal dysfunction ( decline in glomerular filtration rate ) , which occurred at 16 hours after injection of low - dose lps ( 2.5 mg / kg intraperitoneally ) in mouse . this beneficial effect of epo in murine endotoxaemia was not due to effects of epo on either renal blood flow or apoptosis , but it was associated with prevention by epo of a fall in renal tissue superoxide dismutase activity associated with endotoxaemia . thus , mitra and coworkers concluded that the observed beneficial effects of epo in murine endotoxaemia are secondary to both antioxidant and anti - inflammatory effects of epo , which have been reported in other models of disease . thus , the beneficial effects of epo in rodent models of endotoxaemia may vary with doses of epo and lps , as well as species ( rat or mouse ) used . interestingly , higher doses of epo reduce both the systemic inflammation and the organ injury caused by the toll - like receptor-2 agonist zymosan in mouse . specifically , treatment of mice with epo ( 1,000 iu / kg subcutaneously , 1 and 6 hours after zymosan ) attenuated the signs of local ( peritoneal exudation ) and systemic ( lung inflammation ) , as well as organ ( lung , liver and pancreas ) injury and dysfunction ( kidney ) caused by zymosan . most notably , epo reduced the high mortality ( 70% ) caused by zymosan over the observation period of 7 days . the reported beneficial effects of epo in preclinical models of shock , trauma and haemorrhage are exciting , but further studies are warranted to determine the effects of epo on outcome ( organ injury / dysfunction and survival ) in models of clp . interestingly , in 86 patients admitted to a long - term acute care facility , administration of weekly recombinant human epo ( n = 42 ) resulted in a significant reduction in exposure to allogeneic red blood cell transfusion and higher haemoglobin levels than placebo ( n = 44 ) during the initial 42 days of epo therapy . although not significant , the mortality rates in patients treated with epo ( 12% ) were lower than in the patients treated with placebo ( 23% ) . the author is funded by the william harvey research foundation ( unrestricted research grant ) to study the tissue - protective effects of epo and has presented a number of invited lectures in this area of research . |
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