Hotels could be 'commandeered'

We'll have to wait for Sunday's statement from Boris

A computer simulation suggests that a massive collision may have caused Jupiter’s core to shatter into a gassy, borderless cloud.

In a letter to the Los Angeles Times, the Governor's Office of Emergency Services insisted the contract with BYD does not have to be made public.

Thousands sign up to hike the California-Oregon-Washington trail every spring. Most have given up amid coronavirus, but some remain, amid controversy.

Instead of shutting down all schools, forcing people to stay home and closing businesses, Sweden's strategy relies heavily on voluntary measures and on individual responsibility.

From Martin Scorsese to Idina Menzel, the audience at Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony was perplexed by Eminem's performance of his 2002 hit "Lose Yourself."

'We absolutely reject the fact that firms should be denying their obligations under these rules,' said Abta chief executive Mark Tanzer

Little Richard, the flamboyant, piano-pounding showman who injected sheer abandon into rock 'n' roll in its early days, died Saturday. He was 87.

Brandon Kaiser, charged with the shootings of Clark County judges Andrew Adams and Brad Jacobs, is scheduled to go to trial June 15.

The following article, Donald Trump Jr. Offers To Walk Bride-to-Be Down The Aisle After Liberal Parents Refuse To Attend Her Wedding Because Fiance Is A Conservative, was first published on 100PercentFedUp.com.

TDS or Trump Derangement Syndrome brings out the worst in a lot of people. One young Texan girl’s story of her intolerant parents who refuse to attend her wedding because she’s marrying a conservative, however, is a new low. Lawyer and conservative civil rights activist, Rogan O’Handley tweeted a Tik Tok video of a Texan […]

Continue reading: Donald Trump Jr. Offers To Walk Bride-to-Be Down The Aisle After Liberal Parents Refuse To Attend Her Wedding Because Fiance Is A Conservative ...

The Government today announced that the Environment Bureau has disbursed about $6.5 million in subsidies to 809 private municipal solid waste collectors by cheque.

Under the Government's latest round of anti-epidemic measures, the bureau launched the Subsidy Scheme for the Refuse Transfer Station Account Holders for Transporting Municipal Solid Waste to provide a one-off relief subsidy of $8,000 to each eligible private municipal solid waste collector.

To provide financial support to the industry as soon as possible, the Environmental Protection Department, following funding approval by the Legislative Council Finance Committee, expedited the subsidy disbursement arrangement by waiving the application procedures.

The cheques have been issued and posted to all eligible private collectors.

Eligible collectors are refuse transfer station account holders who transported municipal solid waste to refuse transfer stations or landfills in the first quarter of the year.

The subsidy will assist them in increasing resources to enhance workers' personal protective equipment and strengthen the disinfection of refuse transport vehicles to curb the risk of virus transmission and maintain environmental hygiene.

The purpose of this study was to assess the predictive and prognostic value of interim FDG PET (iPET) in evaluating early response to immuno-chemotherapy after two cycles (PET-2) in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) by applying two different methods of interpretation: the Deauville visual five-point scale (5-PS) and a change in standardised uptake value by semi-quantitative evaluation. Methods: 145 patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL underwent pre-treatment PET (PET-0) and PET-2 assessment. PET-2 was classified according to both the visual 5-PS and percentage SUV changes (SUV). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed to compare the accuracy of the two methods for predicting progression-free survival (PFS). Survival estimates, based on each method separately and combined, were calculated for iPET-positive (iPET+) and iPET-negative (iPET–) groups and compared. Results: Both with visual and SUV-based evaluations significant differences were found between the PFS of iPET– and iPET+ patient groups (p<0.001). Visually the best negative (NPV) and positive predictive value (PPV) occurred when iPET was defined as positive if Deauville score 4-5 (89% and 59%, respectively). Using the 66% SUV cut-off value, reported previously, NPV and PPV were 80 and 76%, respectively. SUV at 48.9% cut-off point, reported for the first time here, produced 100% specificity along with the highest sensitivity (24%). Visual and semi-quantitative SUV<48.9% assessment of each PET-2 gave the same PET-2 classification (positive or negative) in 70% (102/145) of all patients. This combined classification delivered NPV and PPV of 89% and 100% respectively, and all iPET+ patients failed to achieve or remain in remission. Conclusion: In this large consistently treated and assessed series of DLBCL, iPET had good prognostic value interpreted either visually or semi-quantitatively. We determined that the most effective SUV cut-off was at 48.9%, and that when combined with visual 5-PS assessment, a positive PET-2 was highly predictive of treatment failure.

The value of interim ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (iPET) guided treatment decisions in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) has been the subject of much debate. This investigation focuses on a comparison of the Deauville score and the deltaSUV_max (SUV_max) approach – two methods to assess early metabolic response to standard chemotherapy in DLBCL. Methods: Of 609 DLBCL patients participating in the Positron Emission Tomography-guided Therapy of Aggressive non-Hodgkin Lymphomas (PETAL) trial, iPET scans of 596 patients originally evaluated using the SUV_max method were available for post-hoc assessment of the Deauville score. A commonly used definition of an unfavorable iPET result according to the Deauville score is an uptake greater than that of the liver, whereas an unfavorable iPET scan with regard to the SUV_max approach is characterized as a relative reduction of the maximum standardized uptake value between baseline and iPET staging of less than or equal to 66%. We investigated the two methods’ correlation and concordance by Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient and the agreement in classification, respectively. We further used Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression to assess differences in survival between patient subgroups defined by the pre-specified cut-offs. Time-dependent receiver operating curve analysis provided information on the methods’ respective discrimination performance. Results: Deauville score and SUV_max approach differed in their iPET-based prognosis. The SUV_max approach outperformed the Deauville score in terms of discrimination performance – most likely due to a high number of false-positive decisions by the Deauville score. Cut-off-independent discrimination performance remained low for both methods, but cut-off-related analyses showed promising results. Both favored the SUV_max approach, e.g. for the segregation by iPET response, where the event-free survival hazard ratio was 3.14 (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.22 – 4.46) for SUV_max and 1.70 (95% CI: 1.29 – 2.24) for the Deauville score. Conclusion: When considering treatment intensification, the currently used Deauville score cut-off of an uptake above that of the liver seems to be inappropriate and associated with potential harm for DLBCL patients. The SUV_max criterion of a relative reduction of the maximum standardized uptake value of less than or equal to 66% should be considered as an alternative.

For the next few months Talk Evidence is going to focus on the new corona virus pandemic. There is an enormous amount of uncertainty about the disease, what the symptoms are, fatality rate, treatment options, things we shouldn't be doing. We're going to try to get away from the headlines and talk about what we need to know - to hopefully give...

The judge told teachers that the strike could be causing substantial harm to students.

Berlin : G. Reimer, 1879.

London : Printed and sold by Thos. and John Bowles, printsellers, [1728]

Yichong Wu, Tiejun Li, Xiaoping Liu, Luonan Chen.

Source: Electronic Journal of Statistics, Volume 14, Number 1, 1269--1301.

Abstract:
Detecting the change of biological interaction networks is of great importance in biological and medical research. We proposed a simple loss function, named as CrossFDTL, to identify the network change or differential network by estimating the difference between two precision matrices under Gaussian assumption. The CrossFDTL is a natural fusion of the D-trace loss for the considered two networks by imposing the $ell _{1}$ penalty to the differential matrix to ensure sparsity. The key point of our method is to utilize the cross variables, which correspond to the sum and difference of two precision matrices instead of using their original forms. Moreover, we developed an efficient minimization algorithm for the proposed loss function and further rigorously proved its convergence. Numerical results showed that our method outperforms the existing methods in both accuracy and convergence speed for the simulated and real data.

We consider the problem of jointly estimating multiple inverse covariance matrices from high-dimensional data consisting of distinct classes. An $ell_2$-penalized maximum likelihood approach is employed. The suggested approach is flexible and generic, incorporating several other $ell_2$-penalized estimators as special cases. In addition, the approach allows specification of target matrices through which prior knowledge may be incorporated and which can stabilize the estimation procedure in high-dimensional settings. The result is a targeted fused ridge estimator that is of use when the precision matrices of the constituent classes are believed to chiefly share the same structure while potentially differing in a number of locations of interest. It has many applications in (multi)factorial study designs. We focus on the graphical interpretation of precision matrices with the proposed estimator then serving as a basis for integrative or meta-analytic Gaussian graphical modeling. Situations are considered in which the classes are defined by data sets and subtypes of diseases. The performance of the proposed estimator in the graphical modeling setting is assessed through extensive simulation experiments. Its practical usability is illustrated by the differential network modeling of 12 large-scale gene expression data sets of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma subtypes. The estimator and its related procedures are incorporated into the R-package rags2ridges.

The American Academy of Neurology believes that doctors have the right to do tests to evaluate whether a patient is brain dead even if the family does not consent. They argue that physicians have "both the moral authority and professional responsibility" to do such evaluations, just as they have the authority and responsibility to declare someone dead by circulatory criteria. Not everyone agrees. Truog and Tasker argue that apnea testing to confirm brain death has risks and that, for some families, those risks may outweigh the benefits. So, what should doctors do when caring for a patient whom they believe to be brain dead but whose parents refuse to allow testing to confirm that the patient meets neurologic criteria for death? In this article, we analyze the issues that arise when parents refuse such testing.

SO, is it a smoking gun after all? Or is it just a damp water pistol?

Source: www.thegatewaypundit.com - Friday, May 08, 2020
One in Four Americans would refuse a COVID-19 vaccine according to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll. The news comes as Americans trust in the medical community continues to plunge thanks to overblown predictions on the extent of the coronavirus pandemic, fake news reporting and the continued attacks on hydroxychloroquine treatments that are showing great success. HUGE UPDATE: Dr. Fauci and Dr. Birx Used Imperial College Model — NOW CONFIRMED AS A COMPLETE FRAUD — To Persuade President Trump to Lock Down Entire US Economy! After losing your business and livelihood due to faulty models and predictions why would you trust the government with a COVID-19 vaccine? Via ABC Action News : Americans, by a large 30-point margin, are resistant to re-opening the country now, believing the risk to human life of opening the country outweighs the economic toll of remaining under restrictive lockdowns — a concern that starkly divides along partisan lines, according to a new ABC News/Ipsos released Friday. In the new poll, conducted by Ipsos in partnership with ABC News using Ipsos’ Knowledge Panel, nearly two-thirds of Americans said they more closely align with the view that opening the county now is not advantageous since it will result in a higher death toll, while slightly more than one-third agree with the belief that an immediate reopening is beneficial to minimize the negative impact on the economy. But those attitudes show deep partisan divisio

Three policemen in Karnataka, in an unusual gesture, performed the last rites of a mentally challenged man earlier this week after his family members refused to carry out the last rites fearing...

It is irrational to treat all private establishments alike irrespective of profit, loss, debt, or turnover, the petition said, adding that a blanket direction by MHA is akin to a tax without any statutory backing.

The IPL was scheduled to start on March 29 but the onset of Covid-19 and the subsequent suspension of visas by the Government of India till April 14 had left the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI with no other option but to postpone the event till April 15.

In a letter to the Mayor, BJP leader Sanjay Waghule alleged that there was no transparency in the civic body's COVID-19 relief activities.

Government to Infuse Rs 2,375 Crore in 23 District Cooperative Banks

TCS, which is India’s biggest IT services firm has announced that none of their 4.5 lakh employees will be fired amidst the coronavirus outbreak. This is a huge relief for IT employees, all across India, since the policies and strategies embraced by TCS sets the stage for other companies as well. However, they have announced […]

The post TCS Gives 0% Salary Hike In 2020, Refuses To Fire Any Employee; 40,000 Freshers Will Be Hired first appeared on Trak.in . Trak.in Mobile Apps: Android | iOS.

Summary The High Court has recently handed down its judgment in R (Critchley) v Financial Ombudsman Service and two others [2019] EWHC 3036 (Admin).  The applicant, Mrs Critchley sought to challenge FOS’s rejection of her PPI complaint on...

It has been reported that on 27 June 2019, the Supreme Court denied the Government’s request for permission to appeal against the Court of Appeal’s decision in the cases of McCloud and Sargeant regardi...

A landlord had acted reasonably in refusing consent to an assignment to a newly incorporated company, despite the landlord having the benefit of the previous tenant's covenant. Royal Bank of Scotland plc v Victoria Street (No 3) Ltd concerned a cov...

Afraid of contracting the COVID-19, a family in the Indian state of Karnataka, abandoned their mentally-challenged, dead relative's body last week. This is when, three policemen took the job upon themselves to give the deceased a dignified burial. Tweeps are saluting them for their "thoughtful" gesture. The 44-year-old deceased man, was killed earlier this week when...

Little Richard, the flamboyant, piano-pounding showman who injected sheer abandon into rock ’n’ roll in its early days, only to abandon the music again and again because it conflicted with his religious yearnings, died Saturday. He was 87. Pastor Bill Minson, a close friend of the singer, confirmed his death to the Associated Press. Minson said he also spoke to Little Richard’s son and brother. Minson added that the family is not releasing the cause of death. In hits such as “Tutti-Frutti,” “Long Tall Sally” and “Good Golly, Miss Molly,” the singer pushed the limits of tempo and vocal intensity, creating frantic explosions of sonic confetti. His records entered a pure, primal realm that...

German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a newspaper interview on Saturday there was a growing risk of a hard Brexit in the midst of the coronavirus crisis as negotiations between Britain and the European Union so far on the future trade relationship had yielded hardly any progress. Britain left...

The post Germany sees increased risk of hard Brexit if Britain refuses to extend deadline appeared first on Cyprus Mail.