text:
User talk:Silvonen

ArbCom 2022 Elections voter message
 Hello! Voting in the 2022 Arbitration Committee elections is now open until 23:59 (UTC) on. All eligible users are allowed to vote. Users with alternate accounts may only vote once.

The Arbitration Committee is the panel of editors responsible for conducting the Wikipedia arbitration process. It has the authority to impose binding solutions to disputes between editors, primarily for serious conduct disputes the community has been unable to resolve. This includes the authority to impose site bans, topic bans, editing restrictions, and other measures needed to maintain our editing environment. The arbitration policy describes the Committee's roles and responsibilities in greater detail.

If you wish to participate in the 2022 election, please review the candidates and submit your choices on the voting page. If you no longer wish to receive these messages, you may add to your user talk page. MediaWiki message delivery (talk) 00:24, 29 November 2022 (UTC)

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: User talk:Silvonen


text:
User talk:Paindoc

Hello there, welcome to the 'pedia! I hope you like the place and decide to stay. If you need pointers on how we title pages visit Naming conventions or how to format them visit our manual of style. If you have any other questions about the project then check out Help or add a question to the Village pump. Cheers! --maveric149

title: User talk:Paindoc


text:
Genetic linkage

Genetic linkage is the tendency of DNA sequences that are close together on a chromosome to be inherited together during the meiosis phase of sexual reproduction. Two genetic markers that are physically near to each other are unlikely to be separated onto different chromatids during chromosomal crossover, and are therefore said to be more linked than markers that are far apart. In other words, the nearer two genes are on a chromosome, the lower the chance of recombination between them, and the more likely they are to be inherited together. Markers on different chromosomes are perfectly unlinked, although the penetrance of potentially deleterious alleles may be influenced by the presence of other alleles, and these other alleles may be located on other chromosomes than that on which a particular potentially deleterious allele is located.

Genetic linkage is the most prominent exception to Gregor Mendel's Law of Independent Assortment. The first experiment to demonstrate linkage was carried out in 1905. At the time, the reason why certain traits tend to be inherited together was unknown. Later work revealed that genes are physical structures related by physical distance.

The typical unit of genetic linkage is the centimorgan (cM). A distance of 1 cM between two markers means that the markers are separated to different chromosomes on average once per 100 meiotic product, thus once per 50 meioses.

Discovery
Gregor Mendel's Law of Independent Assortment states that every trait is inherited independently of every other trait. But shortly after Mendel's work was rediscovered, exceptions to this rule were found. In 1905, the British geneticists William Bateson, Edith Rebecca Saunders and Reginald Punnett cross-bred pea plants in experiments similar to Mendel's. They were interested in trait inheritance in the sweet pea and were studying two genes—the gene for flower colour (P, purple, and p, red) and the gene affecting the shape of pollen grains (L, long, and l, round). They crossed the pure lines PPLL and ppll and then self-crossed the resulting PpLl lines.

According to Mendelian genetics, the expected phenotypes would occur in a 9:3:3:1 ratio of PL:Pl:pL:pl. To their surprise, they observed an increased frequency of PL and pl and a decreased frequency of Pl and pL:

Their experiment revealed linkage between the P and L alleles and the p and l alleles. The frequency of P occurring together with L and p occurring together with l is greater than that of the recombinant Pl and pL. The recombination frequency is more difficult to compute in an F2 cross than a backcross, but the lack of fit between observed and expected numbers of progeny in the above table indicate it is less than 50%. This indicated that two factors interacted in some way to create this difference by masking the appearance of the other two phenotypes. This led to the conclusion that some traits are related to each other because of their near proximity to each other on a chromosome.

The understanding of linkage was expanded by the work of Thomas Hunt Morgan. Morgan's observation that the amount of crossing over between linked genes differs led to the idea that crossover frequency might indicate the distance separating genes on the chromosome. The centimorgan, which expresses the frequency of crossing over, is named in his honour.

Linkage map

A linkage map (also known as a genetic map) is a table for a species or experimental population that shows the position of its known genes or genetic markers relative to each other in terms of recombination frequency, rather than a specific physical distance along each chromosome. Linkage maps were first developed by Alfred Sturtevant, a student of Thomas Hunt Morgan.

A linkage map is a map based on the frequencies of recombination between markers during crossover of homologous chromosomes. The greater the frequency of recombination (segregation) between two genetic markers, the further apart they are assumed to be. Conversely, the lower the frequency of recombination between the markers, the smaller the physical distance between them. Historically, the markers originally used were detectable phenotypes (enzyme production, eye colour) derived from coding DNA sequences; eventually, confirmed or assumed noncoding DNA sequences such as microsatellites or those generating restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) have been used.

Linkage maps help researchers to locate other markers, such as other genes by testing for genetic linkage of the already known markers. In the early stages of developing a linkage map, the data are used to assemble linkage groups, a set of genes which are known to be linked. As knowledge advances, more markers can be added to a group, until the group covers an entire chromosome. For well-studied organisms the linkage groups correspond one-to-one with the chromosomes.

A linkage map is not a physical map (such as a radiation reduced hybrid map) or gene map.

Linkage analysis
Linkage analysis is a genetic method that searches for chromosomal segments that cosegregate with the ailment phenotype through families. It can be used to map genes for both binary and quantitative traits. Linkage analysis may be either parametric (if we know the relationship between phenotypic and genetic similarity) or non-parametric. Parametric linkage analysis is the traditional approach, whereby the probability that a gene important for a disease is linked to a genetic marker is studied through the LOD score, which assesses the probability that a given pedigree, where the disease and the marker are cosegregating, is due to the existence of linkage (with a given linkage value) or to chance. Non-parametric linkage analysis, in turn, studies the probability of an allele being identical by descent with itself.

Parametric linkage analysis
The LOD score (logarithm (base 10) of odds), developed by Newton Morton, is a statistical test often used for linkage analysis in human, animal, and plant populations. The LOD score compares the likelihood of obtaining the test data if the two loci are indeed linked, to the likelihood of observing the same data purely by chance. Positive LOD scores favour the presence of linkage, whereas negative LOD scores indicate that linkage is less likely. Computerised LOD score analysis is a simple way to analyse complex family pedigrees in order to determine the linkage between Mendelian traits (or between a trait and a marker, or two markers).

The method is described in greater detail by Strachan and Read. Briefly, it works as follows:
 * 1) Establish a pedigree
 * 2) Make a number of estimates of recombination frequency
 * 3) Calculate a LOD score for each estimate
 * 4) The estimate with the highest LOD score will be considered the best estimate

The LOD score is calculated as follows:

\text{LOD} = Z = \log_{10} \frac{ \text{probability of birth sequence with a given linkage value} }{ \text{probability of birth sequence with no linkage} } = \log_{10} \frac{(1-\theta)^{NR} \times \theta^R}{ 0.5^{NR + R} } $$

NR denotes the number of non-recombinant offspring, and R denotes the number of recombinant offspring. The reason 0.5 is used in the denominator is that any alleles that are completely unlinked (e.g. alleles on separate chromosomes) have a 50% chance of recombination, due to independent assortment. θ is the recombinant fraction, i.e. the fraction of births in which recombination has happened between the studied genetic marker and the putative gene associated with the disease. Thus, it is equal to R / (NR + R).

By convention, a LOD score greater than 3.0 is considered evidence for linkage, as it indicates 1000 to 1 odds that the linkage being observed did not occur by chance. On the other hand, a LOD score less than −2.0 is considered evidence to exclude linkage. Although it is very unlikely that a LOD score of 3 would be obtained from a single pedigree, the mathematical properties of the test allow data from a number of pedigrees to be combined by summing their LOD scores. A LOD score of 3 translates to a p-value of approximately 0.05, and no multiple testing correction (e.g. Bonferroni correction) is required.

Limitations
Linkage analysis has a number of methodological and theoretical limitations that can significantly increase the type-1 error rate and reduce the power to map human quantitative trait loci (QTL). While linkage analysis was successfully used to identify genetic variants that contribute to rare disorders such as Huntington disease, it did not perform that well when applied to more common disorders such as heart disease or different forms of cancer. An explanation for this is that the genetic mechanisms affecting common disorders are different from those causing some rare disorders.

Recombination frequency
Recombination frequency is a measure of genetic linkage and is used in the creation of a genetic linkage map. Recombination frequency (θ) is the frequency with which a single chromosomal crossover will take place between two genes during meiosis. A centimorgan (cM) is a unit that describes a recombination frequency of 1%. In this way we can measure the genetic distance between two loci, based upon their recombination frequency. This is a good estimate of the real distance. Double crossovers would turn into no recombination. In this case we cannot tell if crossovers took place. If the loci we're analysing are very close (less than 7 cM) a double crossover is very unlikely. When distances become higher, the likelihood of a double crossover increases. As the likelihood of a double crossover increases one could systematically underestimate the genetic distance between two loci, unless one used an appropriate mathematical model.

During meiosis, chromosomes assort randomly into gametes, such that the segregation of alleles of one gene is independent of alleles of another gene. This is stated in Mendel's Second Law and is known as the law of independent assortment. The law of independent assortment always holds true for genes that are located on different chromosomes, but for genes that are on the same chromosome, it does not always hold true.

As an example of independent assortment, consider the crossing of the pure-bred homozygote parental strain with genotype AABB with a different pure-bred strain with genotype aabb. A and a and B and b represent the alleles of genes A and B. Crossing these homozygous parental strains will result in F1 generation offspring that are double heterozygotes with genotype AaBb. The F1 offspring AaBb produces gametes that are AB, Ab, aB, and ab with equal frequencies (25%) because the alleles of gene A assort independently of the alleles for gene B during meiosis. Note that 2 of the 4 gametes (50%)—Ab and aB—were not present in the parental generation. These gametes represent recombinant gametes. Recombinant gametes are those gametes that differ from both of the haploid gametes that made up the original diploid cell. In this example, the recombination frequency is 50% since 2 of the 4 gametes were recombinant gametes.

The recombination frequency will be 50% when two genes are located on different chromosomes or when they are widely separated on the same chromosome. This is a consequence of independent assortment.

When two genes are close together on the same chromosome, they do not assort independently and are said to be linked. Whereas genes located on different chromosomes assort independently and have a recombination frequency of 50%, linked genes have a recombination frequency that is less than 50%.

As an example of linkage, consider the classic experiment by William Bateson and Reginald Punnett. They were interested in trait inheritance in the sweet pea and were studying two genes—the gene for flower colour (P, purple, and p, red) and the gene affecting the shape of pollen grains (L, long, and l, round). They crossed the pure lines PPLL and ppll and then self-crossed the resulting PpLl lines. According to Mendelian genetics, the expected phenotypes would occur in a 9:3:3:1 ratio of PL:Pl:pL:pl. To their surprise, they observed an increased frequency of PL and pl and a decreased frequency of Pl and pL (see table below).

Their experiment revealed linkage between the P and L alleles and the p and l alleles. The frequency of P occurring together with L and with p occurring together with l is greater than that of the recombinant Pl and pL. The recombination frequency is more difficult to compute in an F2 cross than a backcross, but the lack of fit between observed and expected numbers of progeny in the above table indicate it is less than 50%.

The progeny in this case received two dominant alleles linked on one chromosome (referred to as coupling or cis arrangement). However, after crossover, some progeny could have received one parental chromosome with a dominant allele for one trait (e.g. Purple) linked to a recessive allele for a second trait (e.g. round) with the opposite being true for the other parental chromosome (e.g. red and Long). This is referred to as repulsion or a trans arrangement. The phenotype here would still be purple and long but a test cross of this individual with the recessive parent would produce progeny with much greater proportion of the two crossover phenotypes. While such a problem may not seem likely from this example, unfavourable repulsion linkages do appear when breeding for disease resistance in some crops.

The two possible arrangements, cis and trans, of alleles in a double heterozygote are referred to as gametic phases, and phasing is the process of determining which of the two is present in a given individual.

When two genes are located on the same chromosome, the chance of a crossover producing recombination between the genes is related to the distance between the two genes. Thus, the use of recombination frequencies has been used to develop linkage maps or genetic maps.

However, it is important to note that recombination frequency tends to underestimate the distance between two linked genes. This is because as the two genes are located farther apart, the chance of double or even number of crossovers between them also increases. Double or even number of crossovers between the two genes results in them being cosegregated to the same gamete, yielding a parental progeny instead of the expected recombinant progeny. As mentioned above, the Kosambi and Haldane transformations attempt to correct for multiple crossovers.

Linkage of genetic sites within a gene
In the early 1950s the prevailing view was that the genes in a chromosome are discrete entities, indivisible by genetic recombination and arranged like beads on a string. During 1955 to 1959, Benzer performed genetic recombination experiments using rII mutants of bacteriophage T4. He found that, on the basis of recombination tests, the sites of mutation could be mapped in a linear order. This result provided evidence for the key idea that the gene has a linear structure equivalent to a length of DNA with many sites that can independently mutate.

Edgar et al. performed mapping experiments with r mutants of bacteriophage T4 showing that recombination frequencies between rII mutants are not strictly additive. The recombination frequency from a cross of two rII mutants (a x d) is usually less than the sum of recombination frequencies for adjacent internal sub-intervals (a x b) + (b x c) + (c x d). Although not strictly additive, a systematic relationship was observed that likely reflects the underlying molecular mechanism of genetic recombination.

Variation of recombination frequency
While recombination of chromosomes is an essential process during meiosis, there is a large range of frequency of cross overs across organisms and within species. Sexually dimorphic rates of recombination are termed heterochiasmy, and are observed more often than a common rate between male and females. In mammals, females often have a higher rate of recombination compared to males. It is theorised that there are unique selections acting or meiotic drivers which influence the difference in rates. The difference in rates may also reflect the vastly different environments and conditions of meiosis in oogenesis and spermatogenesis.

Genes affecting recombination frequency
Mutations in genes that encode proteins involved in the processing of DNA often affect recombination frequency. In bacteriophage T4, mutations that reduce expression of the replicative DNA polymerase [gene product 43 (gp43)] increase recombination (decrease linkage) several fold. The increase in recombination may be due to replication errors by the defective DNA polymerase that are themselves recombination events such as template switches, i.e. copy choice recombination events. Recombination is also increased by mutations that reduce the expression of DNA ligase (gp30) and dCMP hydroxymethylase (gp42), two enzymes employed in DNA synthesis.

Recombination is reduced (linkage increased) by mutations in genes that encode proteins with nuclease functions (gp46 and gp47) and a DNA-binding protein (gp32)  Mutation in the bacteriophage uvsX gene also substantially reduces recombination. The uvsX gene is analogous to the well studied recA gene of Escherichia coli that plays a central role in recombination.

Meiosis indicators
With very large pedigrees or with very dense genetic marker data, such as from whole-genome sequencing, it is possible to precisely locate recombinations. With this type of genetic analysis, a meiosis indicator is assigned to each position of the genome for each meiosis in a pedigree. The indicator indicates which copy of the parental chromosome contributes to the transmitted gamete at that position. For example, if the allele from the 'first' copy of the parental chromosome is transmitted, a '0' might be assigned to that meiosis. If the allele from the 'second' copy of the parental chromosome is transmitted, a '1' would be assigned to that meiosis. The two alleles in the parent came, one each, from two grandparents. These indicators are then used to determine identical-by-descent (IBD) states or inheritance states, which are in turn used to identify genes responsible for diseases.

title: Genetic linkage


text:
Aortic dissection

Aortic dissection (AD) occurs when an injury to the innermost layer of the aorta allows blood to flow between the layers of the aortic wall, forcing the layers apart. In most cases, this is associated with a sudden onset of severe chest or back pain, often described as "tearing" in character. Vomiting, sweating, and lightheadedness may also occur. Damage to other organs may result from the decreased blood supply, such as stroke, lower extremity ischemia, or mesenteric ischemia. Aortic dissection can quickly lead to death from insufficient blood flow to the heart or complete rupture of the aorta.

AD is more common in those with a history of high blood pressure; a number of connective tissue diseases that affect blood vessel wall strength including Marfan syndrome and Ehlers–Danlos syndrome; a bicuspid aortic valve; and previous heart surgery. Major trauma, smoking, cocaine use, pregnancy, a thoracic aortic aneurysm, inflammation of arteries, and abnormal lipid levels are also associated with an increased risk. The diagnosis is suspected based on symptoms with medical imaging, such as CT scan, MRI, or ultrasound used to confirm and further evaluate the dissection. The two main types are Stanford type A, which involves the first part of the aorta, and type B, which does not.

Prevention is by blood pressure control and smoking cessation. Management of AD depends on the part of the aorta involved. Dissections that involve the first part of the aorta (adjacent to the heart) usually require surgery. Surgery may be done either by an opening in the chest or from inside the blood vessel. Dissections that involve the second part of the aorta can typically be treated with medications that lower blood pressure and heart rate, unless there are complications which then require surgical correction.

AD is relatively rare, occurring at an estimated rate of three per 100,000 people per year. It is more common in men than women. The typical age at diagnosis is 63, with about 10% of cases occurring before the age of 40. Without treatment, about half of people with Stanford type A dissections die within three days and about 10% of people with Stanford type B dissections die within one month. The first case of AD was described in the examination of King George II of Great Britain following his death in 1760. Surgery for AD was introduced in the 1950s by Michael E. DeBakey.

Signs and symptoms
About 96% of individuals with AD present with severe pain that had a sudden onset. The pain may be described as a tearing, stabbing, or sharp sensation in the chest, back, or abdomen. About 17% of individuals feel the pain migrate as the dissection extends down the aorta. The location of pain is associated with the location of the dissection. Anterior chest pain is associated with dissections involving the ascending aorta, while interscapular back pain is associated with descending aortic dissections. If the pain is pleuritic in nature, it may suggest acute pericarditis caused by bleeding into the sac surrounding the heart. This is a particularly dangerous eventuality, suggesting that acute pericardial tamponade may be imminent. Pericardial tamponade is the most common cause of death from AD.

While the pain may be confused with that of a heart attack, AD is usually not associated with the other suggestive signs, such as heart failure and ECG changes. Less common symptoms that may be seen in the setting of AD include congestive heart failure (7%), fainting (9%), stroke (6%), ischemic peripheral neuropathy, paraplegia, and cardiac arrest. If the individual fainted, about half the time it is due to bleeding into the pericardium, leading to pericardial tamponade. Neurological complications of aortic dissection, such as stroke and paralysis, are due to the involvement of one or more arteries supplying portions of the central nervous system.

If the AD involves the abdominal aorta, compromise of one or both renal arteries occurs in 5–8% of cases, while ischemia of the intestines occurs about 3% of the time.

Blood pressure
People with AD often have a history of high blood pressure. The blood pressure is quite variable at presentation with acute AD. It tends to be higher in individuals with a distal dissection. In individuals with a proximal AD, 36% present with hypertension, while 25% present with hypotension. Proximal AD tends to be associated with weakening of the vascular wall due to cystic medial degeneration. In those who present with distal (Stanford type B) AD, 60–70% present with high blood pressure, while 2–3% present with low blood pressure.

Severe hypotension at presentation is a grave prognostic indicator. It is usually associated with pericardial tamponade, severe aortic insufficiency, or rupture of the aorta. Accurate measurement of blood pressure is important. Pseudohypotension (falsely low blood-pressure measurement) may occur due to involvement of the brachiocephalic artery (supplying the right arm) or the left subclavian artery (supplying the left arm).

Aortic insufficiency
Aortic insufficiency (AI) occurs in half to two-thirds of ascending AD, and the diastolic heart murmur of aortic insufficiency is audible in about 32% of proximal dissections. The intensity (loudness) of the murmur depends on the blood pressure and may be inaudible in the event of low blood pressure.

Multiple causes exist for AI in the setting of ascending AD. The dissection may dilate the annulus of the aortic valve, preventing the leaflets of the valve from coapting. The dissection may extend into the aortic root and detach the aortic valve leaflets. Alternatively, following an extensive intimal tear, the intimal flap may prolapse into the left ventricular outflow tract, causing intimal intussusception into the aortic valve, thereby preventing proper valve closure.

Myocardial infarction
Heart attack occurs in 1–2% of aortic dissections. Infarction is caused by the involvement of the coronary arteries, which supply the heart with oxygenated blood, in the dissection. The right coronary artery is involved more commonly than the left coronary artery. If the myocardial infarction is treated with thrombolytic therapy, the mortality increases to over 70%, mostly due to bleeding into the pericardial sac, causing cardiac tamponade.

Pleural effusion
A pleural effusion (fluid collection in the space between the lungs and the chest wall or diaphragm) can be due to either blood from a transient rupture of the aorta or fluid due to an inflammatory reaction around the aorta. If a pleural effusion were to develop due to AD, it is more common in the left hemithorax rather than the right hemithorax.

Predisposing factors
Aortic dissection is associated with hypertension (high blood pressure) and many connective tissue disorders. Vasculitis (inflammation of an artery) is rarely associated with aortic dissection. It can also be the result of chest trauma. About 72 to 80% of individuals who present with an aortic dissection have a previous history of hypertension. Illicit drug use with stimulants such as cocaine and methamphetamine is also a modifiable risk factor for AD. It can also be caused by smoking.

A bicuspid aortic valve (a type of congenital heart disease involving the aortic valve) is found in 7–14% of individuals who have an aortic dissection. These individuals are prone to dissection in the ascending aorta. The risk of dissection in individuals with bicuspid aortic valves is not associated with the degree of stenosis of the valve.

Connective tissue disorders such as Marfan syndrome, Ehlers–Danlos syndrome, and Loeys–Dietz syndrome increase the risk of aortic dissection. Similarly, vasculitides such as Takayasu's arteritis, giant cell arteritis, polyarteritis nodosa, and Behçet's disease have been associated with a subsequent aortic dissection. Marfan Syndrome is found in 5–9% of individuals who had an aortic dissection. In this subset, the incidence in young individuals is increased. Individuals with Marfan syndrome tend to have aneurysms of the aorta and are more prone to proximal dissections of the aorta.

Turner syndrome also increases the risk of aortic dissection, by aortic root dilatation.

Chest trauma leading to aortic dissection can be divided into two groups based on cause: blunt chest trauma (commonly seen in car accidents) and iatrogenic. Iatrogenic causes include trauma during cardiac catheterization or due to an intra-aortic balloon pump.

Aortic dissection may be a late sequela of heart surgery. About 18% of individuals who present with an acute aortic dissection have a history of open-heart surgery. Individuals who have undergone aortic valve replacement for aortic insufficiency are at particularly high risk because aortic regurgitation causes increased blood flow in the ascending aorta. This can cause dilatation and weakening of the walls of the ascending aorta.

Syphilis only potentially causes aortic dissection in its tertiary stage.

Pathophysiology
As with all other arteries, the aorta is made up of three layers, the intima, the media, and the adventitia. The intima is in direct contact with the blood inside the vessel, and mainly consists of a layer of endothelial cells on a basement membrane; the media contains connective and muscle tissue, and the vessel is protected on the outside by the adventitia, comprising connective tissue.

In an aortic dissection, blood penetrates the intima and enters the media layer. The high pressure rips the tissue of the media apart along the laminated plane splitting the inner two-thirds and the outer one-third of the media apart. This can propagate along the length of the aorta for a variable distance forward or backward. Dissections that propagate towards the iliac bifurcation (with the flow of blood) are called anterograde dissections and those that propagate towards the aortic root (opposite of the flow of blood) are called retrograde dissections. The initial tear is usually within 100 mm of the aortic valve, so a retrograde dissection can easily compromise the pericardium leading to a hemopericardium. Anterograde dissections may propagate all the way to the iliac bifurcation of the aorta, rupture the aortic wall, or recanalize into the intravascular lumen leading to a double-barrel aorta. The double-barrel aorta relieves the pressure of blood flow and reduces the risk of rupture. Rupture leads to hemorrhaging into a body cavity, and prognosis depends on the area of rupture. Retroperitoneal and pericardial ruptures are both possible.

The initiating event in aortic dissection is a tear in the intimal lining of the aorta. Due to the high pressures in the aorta, blood enters the media at the point of the tear. The force of the blood entering the media causes the tear to extend. It may extend proximally (closer to the heart) or distally (away from the heart) or both. The blood travels through the media, creating a false lumen (the true lumen is the normal conduit of blood in the aorta). Separating the false lumen from the true lumen is a layer of intimal tissue known as the intimal flap.

The vast majority of aortic dissections originate with an intimal tear in either the ascending aorta (65%), the aortic arch (10%), or just distal to the ligamentum arteriosum in the descending thoracic aorta (20%).

As blood flows down the false lumen, it may cause secondary tears in the intima. Through these secondary tears, the blood can re-enter the true lumen.

While it is not always clear why an intimal tear may occur, quite often it involves degeneration of the collagen and elastin that make up the media. This is known as cystic medial necrosis and is most commonly associated with Marfan syndrome and is also associated with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

In about 13% of aortic dissections, no evidence of an intimal tear is found. In these cases, the inciting event is thought to be an intramural hematoma (caused by bleeding within the media). Since no direct connection exists between the true lumen and the false lumen in these cases, diagnosing an aortic dissection by aortography is difficult if the cause is an intramural hematoma. An aortic dissection secondary to an intramural hematoma should be treated the same as one caused by an intimal tear.

Diagnosis
Because of the varying symptoms of aortic dissection, the diagnosis is sometimes difficult to make. Concern should be increased in those with low blood pressure, neurological problems, and an unequal pulses.

While taking a good history from the individual may be strongly suggestive of an aortic dissection, the diagnosis cannot always be made by history and physical signs alone. Often, the diagnosis is made by visualization of the intimal flap on a diagnostic imaging test. Common tests used to diagnose an aortic dissection include a CT scan of the chest with iodinated contrast material and a transesophageal echocardiogram. The proximity of the aorta to the esophagus allows the use of higher-frequency ultrasound for better anatomical images. Other tests that may be used include an aortogram or magnetic resonance angiogram of the aorta. Each of these tests has pros and cons, and they do not have equal sensitivities and specificities in the diagnosis of aortic dissection.

In general, the imaging technique chosen is based on the pretest likelihood of the diagnosis, availability of the testing modality, patient stability, and the sensitivity and specificity of the test.

D-dimer
A measurement of blood D-dimer level may be useful in diagnostic evaluation. A level less than 500 ng/ml may be considered evidence against a diagnosis of aortic dissection, although this guideline is only applicable in cases deemed "low risk" and within 24 hours of symptom onset. The American Heart Association does not advise using this test in making the diagnosis, as evidence is still tentative.

Chest X-ray
Chest radiography may although demonstrate a change in the morphology of the thoracic aorta which can be seen in aortic dissection. Classically, new widening of the mediastinum on radiograph is of moderate sensitivity for detecting an ascending aortic dissection; however, this finding is of low specificity, as many other conditions can cause apparent widening of the mediastinum.

There are several other associated radiographic findings: Importantly, about 12 to 20% of aortic dissections are not detectable by chest radiograph; therefore, a "normal" chest radiograph does not rule out aortic dissection. If there is high clinical suspicion, a more sensitive imaging test (CT angiogram, MR angiography, or transesophageal echo) may be warranted.
 * The "calcium sign" describes an apparent separation of the intimal calcification from the outer aortic margin by greater than 10 mm.
 * Pleural effusions, more commonly in descending aortic dissections, and typically left-sided.
 * Other: the obliteration of the aortic knob, depression of the left mainstem bronchus, loss of the paratracheal stripe, and tracheal deviation.

Computed tomography
Computed tomography angiography is a fast, non-invasive test that gives an accurate three-dimensional view of the aorta. These images are produced by taking rapid, thin-cut slices of the chest and abdomen, and combining them in the computer to create cross-sectional slices. To delineate the aorta to the accuracy necessary to make the proper diagnosis, an iodinated contrast material is injected into a peripheral vein. Contrast is injected and the scan performed using a bolus tracking method. This type of scan is timed to injection to capture the contrast as it enters the aorta. The scan then follows the contrast as it flows through the vessel. It has a sensitivity of 96 to 100% and a specificity of 96 to 100%. Disadvantages include the need for iodinated contrast material and the inability to diagnose the site of the intimal tear.

MRI
AoDiss MRT.jpg of an aortic dissection 1. Aorta descendens with dissection

2. Aorta isthmus]] Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is also used for the detection and assessment of aortic dissection, with a sensitivity of 98% and a specificity of 98%. An MRI examination of the aorta produces a three-dimensional reconstruction of the aorta, allowing the physician to determine the location of the intimal tear and the involvement of branch vessels, and to locate any secondary tears. It is a noninvasive test, does not require the use of iodinated contrast material, and can detect and quantitate the degree of aortic insufficiency.

The disadvantage of the MRI scan in the face of aortic dissection is that it may be available only in larger hospitals, and the scan is relatively time-consuming, which could be dangerous in people who are already very unwell. Due to the high-intensity magnetic fields used during MRI, it cannot be used on individuals with metallic implants. In addition, some individuals experience claustrophobia while surrounded by the MRI magnet.

Ultrasound
The transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is a good test in the diagnosis of aortic dissection, with a sensitivity up to 98% and a specificity up to 97%. It has become the preferred imaging modality for suspected aortic dissection. It is a relatively noninvasive test, requiring the individual to swallow the echocardiography probe. It is especially good in the evaluation of AI in the setting of ascending aortic dissection and to determine whether the ostia (origins) of the coronary arteries are involved. While many institutions give sedation during transesophageal echocardiography for added patient comfort, it can be performed in cooperative individuals without the use of sedation. Disadvantages of TEE include the inability to visualize the distal ascending aorta (the beginning of the aortic arch), and the descending abdominal aorta that lies below the stomach. A TEE may be technically difficult to perform in individuals with esophageal strictures or varices.

Aortogram
An aortogram involves the placement of a catheter in the aorta and injection of contrast material while taking X-rays of the aorta. The procedure is known as aortography. Previously thought to be the diagnostic gold standard, it has been supplanted by other, less-invasive imaging modalities.

Classification
Several different classification systems have been used to describe aortic dissections. One such classification is based on chronicity and labels aortic dissections as hyperacute (<24 hours duration), acute (2–7 days), subacute (8–30 days), and chronic (>30 days). The systems commonly in use are based on either the anatomy of the dissection or the duration of onset of symptoms before the presentation. The Stanford system is used more commonly now, as it is more attuned to the management of the patient.

DeBakey
The DeBakey system, named after cardiothoracic surgeon Michael E. DeBakey, is an anatomical description of the aortic dissection. It categorizes the dissection based on where the original intimal tear is located and the extent of the dissection (localized to either the ascending aorta or descending aorta or involving both the ascending and descending aorta).
 * Type I – originates in ascending aorta, and propagates at least to the aortic arch and often beyond it distally. It is most often seen in patients less than 65 years of age and is the most lethal form of the disease.
 * Type II – originates in the ascending aorta and is confined to it.
 * Type III – originates in the descending aorta and rarely extends proximally, but will extend distally. It most often occurs in elderly patients with atherosclerosis and hypertension.

Stanford
The Stanford classification is divided into two groups, A and B, depending on whether the ascending aorta is involved.
 * A – involves the ascending aorta and/or aortic arch, and possibly the descending aorta. The tear can originate in the ascending aorta, the aortic arch, or more rarely, in the descending aorta. It includes DeBakey types I and II.
 * B – involves the descending aorta or the arch (distal to the left subclavian artery), without the involvement of the ascending aorta. It includes DeBakey type III.

The Stanford classification is useful as it follows clinical practice, as type A ascending aortic dissections generally require primary surgical treatment, whereas type B dissections generally are treated medically as initial treatment with surgery reserved for any complications.

The main indication for surgical repair of type A dissections is the prevention of acute hemorrhagic pericardial tamponade due to leakage of blood through the dissected layers of the intrapericardial proximal aorta. A secondary indication is acute aortic valve insufficiency (regurgitation): ascending aortic dissections often involve the aortic valve, which, having lost its suspensory support, telescopes down into the aortic root, resulting in aortic incompetence. The valve must be resuspended to be reseated, as well as to repair or prevent coronary artery injury. Also, the area of dissection is removed and replaced with a Dacron graft to prevent further dissection from occurring. However, type B dissections are not improved, from a mortality point of view, by the operation, unless leaking, rupture, or compromise to other organs, e.g. kidneys, occurs.

Prevention
Among the recognized risk factors for aortic dissection, hypertension, abnormally high levels of lipids (such as cholesterol) in the blood, and smoking tobacco are considered preventable risk factors.

Repair of an enlargement of the ascending aorta from an aneurysm or previously unrecognized and untreated aortic dissections is recommended when greater than 5.5 cm in size to decrease the risk of dissection. Repair may be recommended when greater than 4.5 cm in size if the person has one of the several connective-tissue disorders or a family history of a ruptured aorta.

Management
In an acute dissection, treatment choice depends on its location. For Stanford type A (ascending aortic) dissection, surgical management is superior to medical management. For uncomplicated Stanford type B (distal aortic) dissections (including abdominal aortic dissections), medical management is preferred over surgery. Complicated Stanford type B aortic dissections require surgical intervention after initiation of medical therapy, with endovascular stent-grafting (TEVAR) available as a less invasive alternative to surgery.

The risk of death due to aortic dissection is highest in the first few hours after the dissection begins, and decreases afterward. Because of this, the therapeutic strategies differ for the treatment of an acute dissection compared to a chronic dissection. An acute dissection is one in which the individual presents within the first two weeks. If the individual has managed to survive this window period, their prognosis is improved. About 66% of all dissections present in the acute phase. Individuals who present two weeks after the onset of the dissection are said to have chronic aortic dissections. These individuals have been self-selected as survivors of the acute episode and can be treated with medical therapy as long as they are stable.

Medication
Aortic dissection generally presents as a hypertensive emergency, and the prime consideration of medical management is to decrease the shear stress in the aortic wall (dP/dt (force of ejection of blood from the left ventricle)) by decreasing blood pressure and the heart rate. The target blood pressure should be a mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 60 to 75 mmHg, or the lowest blood pressure tolerated. Initial decreases should be by about 20%. The target heart rate is less than 65 beats per minute. Long-term blood pressure control is required for every person who has experienced aortic dissection.

Beta blockers are the first-line treatment for patients with acute and chronic aortic dissection. In acute dissection, fast-acting agents can be given intravenously and have doses that are easier to adjust (such as esmolol, propranolol, or labetalol) is preferred. Vasodilators such as sodium nitroprusside can be considered for people with ongoing high blood pressure, but they should never be used alone, as they often stimulate a reflexive increase in the heart rate.

Calcium channel blockers can be used in the treatment of aortic dissection, particularly if a contraindication to the use of beta-blockers exists. The calcium channel blockers typically used are verapamil and diltiazem, because of their combined vasodilator and negative inotropic effects.

If the individual has refractory hypertension (persistent hypertension on the maximum doses of three different classes of antihypertensive agents), involvement of the renal arteries in the aortic dissection plane should be considered.

Surgical
Indications for the surgical treatment of aortic dissection include an acute proximal aortic dissection and an acute distal aortic dissection with one or more complications. Complications include compromise of a vital organ, rupture or impending rupture of the aorta, retrograde dissection into the ascending aorta. These are more common with a history of Marfan syndrome or Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.

The objective in the surgical management of aortic dissection is to resect (remove) the most severely damaged segments of the aorta and to obliterate the entry of blood into the false lumen (both at the initial intimal tear and any secondary tears along the vessel). While excision of the intimal tear may be performed, it does not significantly change mortality.

The particular treatment used depends on the segment or segments of the aorta involved. Some treatments are:
 * Open aortic surgery with replacement of the damaged section of the aorta with a tube graft (often made of Dacron) when no damage to the aortic valve is seen
 * Bentall procedure – replacement of the damaged section of the aorta and replacement of the aortic valve
 * David procedure – replacement of the damaged section of the aorta and reimplantation of the aortic valve
 * Thoracic endovascular aortic repair, a minimally invasive surgical procedure usually combined with ongoing medical management
 * Replacement of the damaged section of the aorta with a sutureless vascular ring connector-reinforced Dacron graft: The vascular ring connector is a titanic ring used as a stent in the vascular graft to achieve a quick, blood-sealed, and sutureless anastomosis. Two furrows on the surface of the ring are for fixation of the vascular graft and the aorta. The tapes used to tie against the ring provide a larger contact surface area than the traditional stitches, thus it provides stronger anastomosis and better surgical results.

A number of comorbid conditions increase the surgical risk of repair of an aortic dissection. These conditions include the following:
 * Prolonged preoperative evaluation (increased length of time prior to surgery)
 * Advanced age
 * Comorbid disease states (e.g.: coronary artery disease)
 * Aneurysm leakage
 * Cardiac tamponade
 * Shock - obstructive shock
 * Past history of myocardial infarction
 * History of kidney failure (either acute or chronic kidney failure)

Follow-up
The long-term follow-up in individuals who survive aortic dissection involves strict blood pressure control. The relative risk of late rupture of an aortic aneurysm is 10 times higher in individuals who have uncontrolled hypertension, compared to individuals with a systolic pressure below 130 mmHg.

The risk of death is highest in the first two years after the acute event, and individuals should be followed closely during this time period. About 29% of late deaths following surgery are due to rupture of either a dissecting aneurysm or another aneurysm. In addition, a 17% to 25% incidence exists of new aneurysm formation, typically due to dilatation of the residual false lumen. These new aneurysms are more likely to rupture, due to their thinner walls.

Serial imaging of the aorta is suggested, with MRI being the preferred imaging technique.

Prognosis
Of all people with aortic dissection, 40% die immediately and do not reach a hospital in time. Of the remainder, 1% die every hour, making prompt diagnosis and treatment a priority. Even after diagnosis, 5–20% die during surgery or in the immediate postoperative period. In ascending aortic dissection, if surgery is decided to be not appropriate, 75% die within 2 weeks. With aggressive treatment, 30-day survival for thoracic dissections may be as high as 90%.

Epidemiology
Establishing the incidence of aortic dissection has been difficult because many cases are only diagnosed after death (which may have been attributed to another cause), and is often initially misdiagnosed. Aortic dissection affects an estimated 2.0–3.5 people per every 100,000 every year. Studies from Sweden suggest that the incidence of aortic dissection may be rising. Men are more commonly affected than women: 65% of all people with aortic dissection are male. The mean age at diagnosis is 63 years. In females before the age of 40, half of all aortic dissections occur during pregnancy (typically in the third trimester or early postpartum period). Dissection occurs in about 0.6% of pregnancies.

History
The earliest fully documented case of aortic dissection is attributed to Frank Nicholls in his autopsy report of King George II of Great Britain, who had been found dead on 25 October 1760; the report describes a dissection of the aortic arch and into the pericardium. The term "aortic dissection" was introduced by the French physician J. P. Maunoir in 1802, and René Laennec labeled the condition "dissecting aneurysm". London cardiologist Thomas Bevill Peacock contributed to the understanding of the condition by publishing two series of the cases described in the literature so far: 19 cases in an 1843 review, and 80 in 1863. The characteristic symptom of tearing pain in the chest was recognized in 1855 when a case was diagnosed in life.

Surgery for aortic dissection was first introduced and developed by Michael E. DeBakey, Denton Cooley, and Oscar Creech, cardiac surgeons associated with the Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, in 1954. DeBakey developed aortic dissection himself at age 97 in 2005, and underwent surgery in 2006. Endovascular treatment of aortic dissection was developed in the 1990s.

Well-known patients
Ritter Rules are a compilation of reminders, symptoms, and risk factors designed to prevent the misdiagnosis of thoracic aortic dissection. The rules were named after Three's Company star John Ritter, who died from a thoracic aortic dissection in 2003 after he was misdiagnosed and erroneously treated for a heart attack by his two doctors. The rules were developed by Dianna Milewicz of the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston seven years after Ritter's premature death, and were jointly published by the non-profit organization in Ritter's honor and the Thoracic Aortic Disease Coalition.

Lucille Ball was diagnosed with dissecting aortic aneurysm and underwent surgery to repair her aorta and a successful seven-hour aortic valve replacement, but died days later. A greater incidence of aortic aneurysm is seen in cigarette smokers; Ball had been a heavy smoker most of her life.

Playwright Jonathan Larson, best known for the musical Rent, died in 1996 of an aortic dissection believed to be due to undiagnosed Marfan Syndrome.

Days of Our Lives and Babylon 5 actor Richard Biggs died on May 22, 2004, at the age of 44 due to complications from aortic dissection.

Lux Interior of The Cramps died at the Glendale Memorial Hospital on February 4, 2009, at the age of 62, following an aortic dissection which, contrary to initial reports about a pre-existing condition, was "sudden, shocking and unexpected".

Alan Thicke died in 2016 of type-A aortic dissection at the Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, at the age of 69.

Japanese actress Hiromi Tsuru died in her car from aortic dissection in 2017 at the age of 57.

Taiwanese entertainer Alien Huang died in 2020 at the age of 36.

Kentaro Miura, writer and artist of the manga Berserk, died from aortic dissection in 2021 at the age of 54.

In August 2021, New Zealand cricketer Chris Cairns was put on full life support following an aortic dissection in his home in Canberra, Australia. He was transferred to Sydney, and became paralysed from the waist down due to sustaining a stroke during surgery.

41-year-old guitarist Richie Faulkner of the heavy metal band Judas Priest had an aortic aneurysm on September 27, 2021, in the middle of the final song of their 50-minute set at a music festival. He underwent $10 1/2$ hours of open heart surgery to repair the aortic dissection.

In May 2022, keyboardist Andy Fletcher, a founding member of the UK band Depeche Mode, died unexpectedly at home from an aortic dissection, at the age of 60.

title: Aortic dissection


text:
Key of Solomon

The Key of Solomon (Clavicula Salomonis; מַפְתֵּחַ-שְׁלֹמֹה), also known as The Greater Key of Solomon, is a pseudepigraphical grimoire attributed to King Solomon. It probably dates back to the 14th or 15th century Italian Renaissance. It presents a typical example of Renaissance magic.

It is possible that the Key of Solomon inspired later works, particularly the 17th-century grimoire also known as The Lesser Key of Solomon or Lemegeton, although there are many differences between the books.

Manuscripts and textual history
Many such grimoires attributed to King Solomon were written during the Renaissance, ultimately being influenced by earlier works of Jewish theosophical kabbala and Muslim magicians. These, in turn, incorporated aspects of the Greco-Roman magic of late antiquity.

Several versions of the Key of Solomon exist, in various translations, with minor to significant differences. The original type of text was probably a Latin or Italian text dating to the 14th or 15th century. Most surviving manuscripts date from the late 16th, 17th or 18th century. There is also an early Greek manuscript dating to the 15th century (British Library, Harley MS 5596) that is closely associated with the text. The Greek manuscript is referred to as The Magical Treatise of Solomon, and was published by Armand Delatte in Anecdota Atheniensia (Liège, 1927, pp. 397–445.) Its contents are very similar to the Clavicula.

An important Italian manuscript is (Bodleian Library, Michael MS 276) an early Latin text survives in printed form, dated to ca. 1600 (University of Wisconsin-Madison, Memorial Library, Special Collections). There are a number of later (17th century) Latin manuscripts. One of the oldest existing manuscripts (besides Harley MS 5596) is a text in English translation, entitled The Clavicle of Solomon, revealed by Ptolomy the Grecian and dated to 1572 (British Library, Sloane MS 3847). There are a number of French manuscripts, all dated to the 18th century, with the exception of one dated to 1641 (P1641, ed. Dumas, 1980).

A Hebrew text survives in two versions, one kept at the British Library, on a parchment manuscript, separated in BL Oriental MSS 6360 and 14759. The BL manuscript was dated to the 16th century by its first editor Greenup (1912), but is now thought to be somewhat younger, dating to the 17th or 18th century. The discovery of a second Hebrew text in the library of Samuel H. Gollancz was published by his son Hermann Gollancz in 1903, who also published a facsimile edition in 1914. Gollancz's manuscript had been copied in Amsterdam, in the Sephardic cursive Solitreo script, and is less legible than the BL text. The Hebrew text is not considered the original. It is rather a late Jewish adaptation of a Latin or Italian Clavicula text. The BL manuscript is probably the archetype of the Hebrew translation, and Gollancz's manuscript a copy of the BL one.

A French edition titled La véritable Magie Noire ou Le secret des secrets (The True Black Magic or The secret of secrets) is kept at the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. It is a translation from Hebrew by Iroé-Grego, dated 1750.

An English edition based on the manuscripts of the British Library was published by S. L. MacGregor Mathers in 1889. L. W. de Laurence in 1914 published The Greater Key of Solomon, directly based on Mathers' edition, to which he made alterations in an attempt to advertise his mail-order business (for example by inserting instructions like "after burning one-half teaspoonful of Temple Incense" along with ordering information for the incense).

Summary
The Key of Solomon is divided into two books. It describes the necessary drawings to prepare each "experiment" or, in more modern language, magical operations.

Unlike later grimoires such as the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum (16th century) or the Lemegeton (17th century), the Key of Solomon does not mention the signature of the 72 spirits constrained by King Solomon in a bronze vessel. As in most medieval grimoires, all magical operations are ostensibly performed through the power of God, to whom all the invocations are addressed. Before any of these operations (termed "experiments"), the operator must confess his sins and purge himself of evil, invoking the protection of God.

Elaborate preparations are necessary, and each of the numerous items used in the operator's "experiments" must be constructed of the appropriate materials obtained in the prescribed manner, at the appropriate astrological time, marked with a specific set of magical symbols, and blessed with its own specific words. All substances needed for the magic drawings and amulets are detailed, as well as the means to purify and prepare them. Many of the symbols incorporate the Transitus Fluvii occult alphabet.

Introduction
According to the mythical history of the document, as recorded in its introduction, Solomon wrote the book for his son Rehoboam, and commanded him to hide the book in his sepulchre upon his death. After many years the book was discovered by a group of Babylonian philosophers repairing Solomon's tomb. None could interpret the text, until one of them, Iohé Grevis, suggested that they should ask the Lord for understanding. The Angel of the Lord appeared to him and extracted a promise that he would keep the text hidden from the unworthy and the wicked, after which he was able to read it plainly. Iohé Grevis then placed a spell on the book that the unworthy, the unwise or those who did not fear God would not attain the desired effect from any of the workings contained in the book.

Book I
Book I contains conjurations, invocations, and curses to summon and constrain spirits of the dead and demons in order to compel them to do the operator's will. It also describes how to find stolen items, become invisible, gain favour and love, and so on.

Book II
Book II describes various purifications which the operator (termed "exorcist") should undergo, how they should clothe themselves, how the magical implements used in their operations should be constructed, and what animal sacrifices should be made to the spirits.

Cultural references
The book is mentioned in Goethe’s Faust I, in the scene where the poodle transforms himself into the devil Mephistopheles. "For such as your half-hellish crew – The Key of Solomon will do." The Key of Solomon is mentioned in H.P. Lovecraft's "Supernatural Horror in Literature", where Lovecraft says it "illustrates the power of the weird over the Eastern mind".

Along with Johannes Kepler’s Astronomia Nova, the Key of Solomon is one of two real-world texts the fictional character Dr. Stephen Strange returns to the Kamar-Taj library in the Marvel Studios film Doctor Strange. In the scene, Kamar-Taj Librarian and current Marvel Cinematic Universe Sorcerer Supreme Wong reads the titles Strange is returning. "“The Book of the Invisible Sun, Astronomia Nova, Codex Imperium, Key of Solomon. You finished all of these?”"

English translations

 * The Key of Solomon the King (Clavicula Salomonis). Trans. and ed. S. Liddell MacGregor Mathers [1889]. Foreword by R. A. Gilbert. Boston/York Beach, ME: Weiser Books, 2000.
 * The Veritable Key of Solomon. Translated by Stephen Skinner and David Rankine, Llewellyn Publications, 2008.

title: Key of Solomon


text:
Richard Florida

Richard L. Florida (born 1957) is an American urban studies theorist focusing on social and economic theory. He is a professor at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto and a Distinguished Fellow at NYU's School of Professional Studies.

Florida taught at Carnegie Mellon University's Heinz College in Pittsburgh from 1987 to 2005, before moving to George Mason University's School of Public Policy, where he taught for two years. He was named a Senior Editor at The Atlantic in March 2011 after serving as a correspondent for TheAtlantic.com for a year.

Early life and education
Florida was born in Newark, New Jersey. He graduated from Rutgers College in 1979 with a B.A. in political science. He then attended Columbia University, where he studied urban planning (M.Phil. in 1984 and Ph.D. in 1986).

Research and theories
Florida's early work focused on innovation by manufacturers, including the continuous-improvement systems implemented by such automakers as Toyota.

Creative class
Florida is best known for his concept of the creative class and its implications for urban regeneration. This idea was expressed in Florida's best-selling books The Rise of the Creative Class (2002), Cities and the Creative Class, and The Flight of the Creative Class, and later published a book focusing on the issues surrounding urban renewal and talent migration, titled Who's Your City?

Florida's theory asserts that metropolitan regions with high concentration of technology workers, artists, musicians, lesbians and gay men, and a group he describes as "high bohemians", exhibit a higher level of economic development. Florida refers to these groups collectively as the "creative class." He posits that the creative class fosters an open, dynamic, personal, and professional urban environment. This environment, in turn, attracts more creative people, as well as businesses and capital. He suggests that attracting and retaining high-quality talent versus a singular focus on projects such as sports stadiums, iconic buildings, and shopping centers, would be a better primary use of a city's regeneration of resources for long-term prosperity. He has devised his own ranking systems that rate cities by a "Bohemian index," a "Gay index," a "diversity index", and similar criteria.

In 2004, following the rise of Google, the gurus of Web 2.0, and the call from business leaders (often seen in publications such as Business 2.0) for a more creative, as well as skilled, workforce, Florida asserted that the contemporary relevance of his research is easy to see. One author characterizes him as an influence on radical centrist political thought.

Reception and criticism
Florida's ideas have been criticized from a variety of political perspectives and by both academics and journalists. His theories have been criticized as being elitist, and his conclusions have been questioned. Researchers have also criticized Florida's work for its methodology. Terry Nichols Clark of the University of Chicago used Florida's own data to question the correlation between the presence of significant numbers of gay men in a city and the presence of high-technology knowledge industries. Harvard economist Edward Glaeser analyzed Florida's data and concluded that educational levels, rather than the presence of bohemians or gay people, is correlated with metropolitan economic development. Other critics have said that the conditions it describes may no longer exist, and that his theories may be better suited to politics, rather than economics. Florida has gone on to directly reply to a number of these objections.

Some scholars have voiced concern over Florida's influence on urban planners throughout the United States. A 2010 book, Weird City, examines Florida's influence on planning policy in Austin, Texas. The main body of the book treats Florida's creative class theory in an introductory and neutral tone, but in a theoretical "postscript" chapter, the author criticizes what he describes as Florida's tendency to "whitewash" the negative externalities associated with creative city development.

Thomas Frank criticizes Florida's "creative class" formulation as one of "several flattering ways of describing the professional cohort," this particular one being "the most obsequious designation of them all." Frank places the creative class within a broader critique of the Democratic Party: "Let us be clear about the political views Florida was expounding here. The problem with, say, George W. Bush's administration was not that it favored the rich; it was that it favored the wrong rich—the 'old-economy' rich.... Florida wept for unfairly ignored industries, but he expressed little sympathy for the working people whose issues were now ignored by both parties."

Personal life
Florida lives in Toronto and Miami and is married to Rana Florida.

Publications

 * The New Urban Crisis: How Our Cities Are Increasing Inequality, Deepening Segregation, and Failing the Middle Class—and What We Can Do About It, 2017. Basic. ISBN 0465079741.
 * The Great Reset: How New Ways of Living and Working Drive Post-Crash Prosperity, 2010. New York: HarperCollins.
 * Who's Your City?, 2008. ISBN 0-465-00352-4.
 * The Flight of the Creative Class. The New Global Competition for Talent, 2005. HarperBusiness, HarperCollins. ISBN 0-06-075691-8.
 * Cities and the Creative Class, 2005. Routledge. ISBN 0-415-94887-8.
 * The Rise of the Creative Class. And How It's Transforming Work, Leisure and Everyday Life, 2002. Basic. ISBN 0-465-02477-7.
 * Branscomb, Lewis & Kodama, Fumio & Florida, Richard (1999). Industrializing Knowledge: University-Industry Linkages in Japan and the United States. MIT Press. ISBN 0-262-02465-9.
 * Kenney, Martin & Florida, Richard (1993). Beyond Mass Production: The Japanese System and Its Transfer to the US. Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-507110-7.
 * Florida, Richard (1990). The Breakthrough Illusion. Corporate America's Failure to Move from Innovation to Mass Production. Basic. ISBN 0-465-00760-0.

title: Richard Florida


text:
Talk:The Dark Tower II: The Drawing of the Three

Untitled
This clause: "Once the three are assembled it completes their ka-tet" doesn't make any sense. -- ESP 05:16 21 Jul 2003 (UTC)

Question
I do not know if this is appropriate to have a reference to Odetta Holmes the singer B. Dec 31, 1930.

I recall reading only a little of King's work, perhaps its a coincidence.

This article states that Randall Flagg appears in the Dead Zone. I don't think this is correct. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 192.198.151.129 (talk) 15:16, 17 July 2008 (UTC)

The book states that Eddie Dean is 21 years old in 1987 which means he was born in 1966. It also states that his brother Henry is 8 years older (born in 1958). If Henry Dean turned 18 in 1976 how could he have been drafted into the Viet-Nam war? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 204.237.53.188 (talk) 09:54, 29 July 2010 (UTC)

Eddie and Henry both come from an ALTERNATE version of our New York, so it's quite possible that the Vietnam war lasted much longer, or existed on a different time-frame, in their reality. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.7.152.45 (talk) 22:25, 23 October 2010 (UTC)

Who did it?
It says the Jack Mort pushed Jake into traffic, but I'm pretty sure Roland came forward and stopped him. What's going on? BTW, if the answer spoils the other books for me, don't tell me.

- This is explained in The Wastelands.

Request for comment on articles for individual television episodes and characters
A request for comments has been started that could affect the inclusion or exclusion of episode and character, as well as other fiction articles. Please visit the discussion at Wikipedia_talk:Notability_(fiction). Ikip (talk) 11:05, 3 February 2009 (UTC)

Reference to the Bachman novel Blaze
Having just read Blaze before starting a re-read of the entire Tower series, I noticed the main character is named Clayon Blaisdell, in the Drawing of the Three, there is reference to one of the characters reading a western novel written by a Clay Blaisdell. My editing skills are really rather rusty, but I thought it was worth mentioning in the related section of this article. Ferrett (talk) 18:06, 11 June 2012 (UTC)


text:
GEMA

Gema or GEMA may refer to:

Organizations

 * GEMA (German organization), a performance rights organisation in Germany
 * Gema Records (Gema), a Cuban record label founded by Álvarez Guedes and others in 1957
 * Gas and Electricity Markets Authority (GEMA) in the United Kingdom
 * Gikuyu, Embu, and Meru Association (GEMA), a Kenyan organisation
 * Gemmological Association of Great Britain (Gem-A), a gemmology education and qualifications body based in the UK
 * Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA)

Companies

 * Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance (GEMA), an engine-manufacturing joint venture between Chrysler, Hyundai Motors and Mitsubishi Motors
 * Gesellschaft für elektroakustische und mechanische Apparate (GEMA), which produced radar equipment for the Kriegsmarine during World War II

Others

 * Gema (given name)
 * Gema, Zamora, a town in Spain
 * Gema, a Di Gi Charat character
 * Gema, a general purpose macro processor

title: GEMA


text:
Hitzig v Canada

Hitzig v Canada is a 2003 civil case that challenged the constitutionality of the Marihuana Medical Access Regulations (MMAR), now the Medical Marihuana Access Division. MMAR provided for exemptions from the law for approved medicinal users while allowing for no legal source of therapeutic cannabis products. The case was brought by Warren Hitzig, along with seven medical marijuana users (Alison Myrden, Stephen J Vandekemp, Marco Renda, Marylynne Chamney, Catherine Devries, Jari Dvorak and Debbie Stultz-Giffen).

Warren Saul Hitzig co-founded the Toronto Compassion Centre (originally the 'Medical Marijuana Resource Centre') in 1997 to provide high quality cannabis products to those with a documented medicinal need and to act as a medical marijuana information resource for the Canadian general public. The Centre's formation was announced in early 1998 with a press conference and letter to the Canadian government requesting authorization for their activities.

The Hitzig applicants argued that the MMAR provided an illusory access to cannabis medicine, and effectively encouraged sick Canadians to look to the black market for their legal medication, and/or the seeds/plants needed to 'grow their own.' Ontario Superior Court judge Sidney Lederman agreed that this situation violated the rights of the applicants as set out by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (1982). He gave the Canadian government six months from January 9, 2003 to remedy the situation, which prompted the controversial announcement on July 8 that Health Canada would begin distribution of marijuana grown under contract to Prairie Plant Systems in Flin Flon, Manitoba.

Details on plaintiff Alison Myrden
Alison Myrden first approached Law Professor Alan Young in the Spring of 1999 to form and submit a lawsuit to sue the Government of Canada for a safe, clean, and affordable source of marijuana. This became the 'Hitzig et al.' Lawsuit. Warren was the only person involved who was not a medical user and could front the suit as a Cannabis Compassion Club.

In 1995, Alison retired from law enforcement and was given her first prescription for Medical Marijuana by a Canadian Physician. She was sent to the street to buy her medicine by the government of Canada before there was such a thing as 'The Medical Marijuana Access Regulations' (MMAR). Alison was one of the first twenty people in Canada to receive a Federal Licence to smoke, possess and grow medical marijuana for health reasons. Battling multiple sclerosis from the age of 13 years, Alison's worst physical problem today is a stabbing pain in her face 24 hours a day associated with MS, called 'Tic Douloureux'.

Having been allotted one of the largest prescriptions in the country for cannabis and having not to depend on 32 pills a day and 2000 mg of morphine everyday any more from the past 15 years, Alison's life has dramatically improved. So much so, that in 2004 Alison ran for the New Democratic Party in Oakville, Ontario, more than doubling the votes for the New Democratic Party from the previous federal election.

Citation
Hitzig v. Canada, 2003 CanLII 30796 (ON C.A.)

title: Hitzig v Canada


text:
USS Philadelphia

USS Philadelphia may refer to:

 * USS Philadelphia (1776) was a gunboat built in 1776 on Lake Champlain and sunk during the Battle of Valcour Island
 * USS Philadelphia (1799) was a 36-gun sailing frigate active in the Quasi-War, captured in the First Barbary War and later burned
 * USS Philadelphia (1861) was a side-wheel steamer used during the American Civil War, commanded by Samuel Phillips Lee
 * USS Philadelphia (C-4) was a protected cruiser commissioned in 1890 and in service until 1926
 * USS Philadelphia (CL-41) was a Brooklyn-class light cruiser light cruiser commissioned 1937, active in World War II, and sold to Brazil in 1951
 * USS Philadelphia (SSN-690) was a Los Angeles-class submarine attack submarine commissioned in 1977 and decommissioned in 2010
 * USS Philadelphia (LPD-32) is a planned San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock amphibious transport dock ordered 31 March 2023.

title: USS Philadelphia


text:
Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency

The Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency or GEMHSA is the emergency management agency for the U.S. state of Georgia. Its function is similar to that of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in preparing for and responding to disasters, and mitigating potential hazards.


text:
USS Philadelphia (1799)

USS Philadelphia, a 1240-ton, 36-gun frigate, was the second vessel of the United States Navy to be named for the city of Philadelphia. Originally named City of Philadelphia, she was built in 1798–1799 for the United States government by residents of that city. Funding for her construction was raised by a drive that collected $100,000 in one week, in June 1798. She was designed by Josiah Fox and built by Samuel Humphreys, Nathaniel Hutton and John Delavue. Her carved work was done by William Rush of Philadelphia. She was laid down about November 14, 1798, launched on November 28, 1799, and commissioned on April 5, 1800, with Captain Stephen Decatur, Sr. in command. She was captured by Barbary pirates in Tripoli with William Bainbridge in command. Stephen Decatur led a raid that burned her down, preventing her use by the pirates.

Service history
Quasi War: USS Philadelphia put to sea for duty in the West Indies and was off Newcastle on 23 April waiting for favorable wind. She arrived on the Guadeloupe Station in May 1800 and relieved the frigate USS Constellation (1797). During this cruise she captured five French armed vessels and recaptured six merchant ships that had been taken by French ships. On 22 May she recaptured schooner "Betsy".

Returning home in March 1801, she was ordered to prepare for a year's cruise in the Mediterranean in a squadron commanded by Commodore Richard Dale. At his own request, Decatur was relieved of the command of Philadelphia by Captain Samuel Barron. The squadron arrived at Gibraltar on July 1, with Commodore Dale in the frigate USS President (1800). Philadelphia was directed to cruise the Straits and blockade the coast of Tripoli, since in May 1801 the Pasha Yusuf Karamanli had threatened to wage war on the United States and had seized U.S. merchant vessels for ransom.

Philadelphia departed Gibraltar for the United States in April 1802, arriving in mid-July. In ordinary until May 21, 1803, she recommissioned (having her sixteen 9-pounder long guns replaced with sixteen 32-pounder carronades at this time), and sailed for the Mediterranean on July 28, 1803. She arrived in Gibraltar on August 24 with Captain William Bainbridge in command. Two days later he recaptured the American brig Celia from the Moroccan ship-of-war Mirboka (24 guns and 100 men), and brought them both into Gibraltar.

Capture

During the First Barbary War, Philadelphia, accompanied by USS Vixen (1803), cruised off Tripoli until October 31, 1803. While giving chase and firing upon a Libyan navy ship, it ran aground on an uncharted reef 2 mi off Tripoli Harbor. The captain, William Bainbridge, tried to refloat the ship, first laying the sails aback, and casting off three bow anchors and shifting the guns aftward, but a strong wind and rising waves drove her further aground.

He ordered the crew to jettison many of the cannons, barrels of water, and other heavy articles overboard in order to lighten the ship, but this too failed. They sawed off the foremast in one last desperate attempt to lighten it. In order not to resupply the Tripoli pirates (navy soldiers of Libyan government), Captain Bainbridge ordered holes drilled in the ship's bottom, gunpowder dampened, sails set afire, and all other weapons thrown overboard before he surrendered. The Pasha's officials enslaved the American officers and men as war captives.

Burning
The Tripoli pirates had finally managed to refloat Philadelphia. Americans believed that the warship was too great a prize to be allowed to remain in foreign hands, so the Navy decided to recapture or destroy it. After the United States had captured the Tripolitan ketch Mastico, they renamed her as USS Intrepid (1798), but re-rigged the ship with short masts and triangular sails to look like a local ship.

Lieutenant Stephen Decatur, son of USS Philadelphia's first captain, led a party of 83 volunteers to carry out this task. On February 16, 1804, under the cover of night and in the guise of a ship in distress that had lost all anchors in a storm and needed a place to tie up, Decatur sailed Intrepid next to Philadelphia. The Americans boarded the prize and, after making sure that she was not seaworthy, burned the ship where she lay in Tripoli Harbor. Decatur's force suffered only one wounded member and killed at least 20 Tripolitans.

Britain's Viscount Nelson is said to have called this feat "the most bold and daring act of the Age". The authenticity of this quote remains in doubt.

The crewmen captured in 1803 were released pursuant to the 1805 Treaty of Tripoli, which ended the war. Philadelphia's anchor was returned to the United States on April 7, 1871, when Mehmed Halet Pasha, the Ottoman governor, presented it to the captain of the visiting USS Guerriere (1865).

Local account of the destruction
In 1904, Charles Wellington Furlong, an American adventurer, went to Tripoli to investigate the sinking of Philadelphia. He later wrote about the history in his book, The Gateway to the Sahara: Observations and Experiences in Tripoli (1909).

Based on records from a local synagogue, Furlong wrote: "Yusef Pashaw had equipped a number of corsairs.... His captains, Zurrig, Dghees, Trez, Romani and El-Mograbi, set sail from Tripoli and shortly sighted an American vessel [Philadelphia]. Zurrig left the others and daringly approached the ship, annoying her purposely to decoy her across the shoals. She stranded, but fired on the other vessels until her ammunition gave out, whereupon the Moslems pillaged her. The American Consul [actually the Danish consul, Nissen] was very much disheartened and tried to conclude arrangements similar to those recently made between the Bashaw and the Swedish Consul; but such an enormous tribute was demanded that no terms could be reached, so by order of the Bashaw the vessel was burned.... [Footnote 2: This of course was an erroneous idea. It may have been purposefully circulated through the town, particularly among the inhabitants other than Mohammedans.]"

Furlong later reported in the same book that other Arabs in Tripoli had said that the ship was not burned, but moved to the Lazaretto. There it was decorated as a trophy and its guns were fired to mark the end of Ramadan, the major Muslim holiday. According to the detailed account of Hadji-Mohammed Gabroom, an American ketch sneaked into the harbor, its crew killed some of the 10 guards, and allowed the others to flee. It set Philadelphia on fire.

Popular culture
The burning of the USS Philadelphia appears in the US DLC of the RTS game Age of Empires III: Definitive Edition.

title: USS Philadelphia (1799)


text:
Chris Matthews

Christopher John Matthews (born December 17, 1945) is an American political commentator, retired talk show host, and author. Matthews hosted his weeknight hour-long talk show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, on America's Talking and later on MSNBC, from 1997 until March 2, 2020. He announced on his final episode that he was retiring, following an accusation that he had made inappropriate comments to a Hardball guest four years earlier.

Early life and education
Matthews was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the son of Mary Teresa (née Shields) and Herb Matthews, a court reporter. Matthews's father was, he has written, "raised Episcopalian—Church of England," of English and Scots-Irish ancestry, and his mother was from an Irish Catholic family; Matthews and his siblings were raised in the Catholic faith.

Matthews attended La Salle College High School. Matthews is a 1967 graduate of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, and did graduate work in economics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Matthews was also a visiting fellow at Harvard University's Institute of Politics.

Matthews served in the United States Peace Corps in Swaziland from 1968 to 1970 as a trade development adviser.

Matthews holds 34 honorary degrees from numerous universities and colleges.

Political career
When Matthews first arrived in Washington, D.C., he worked as an officer with the United States Capitol Police. Subsequently, Matthews served on the staffs of four Democratic Members of Congress, including Senators Frank Moss and Edmund Muskie. In 1974, Matthews mounted an unsuccessful campaign for Pennsylvania's 4th congressional district seat in the U.S. House of Representatives in which he received about 24% of the vote in the primary. Matthews was a presidential speechwriter during the Carter Administration, and later worked for six years as Chief of Staff to longtime Speaker of the House of Representatives Tip O'Neill, playing a direct role in many key political battles with the Reagan Administration.

Matthews has said, "I'm more conservative than people think I am ... I voted for George W. in 2000." Salon.com called him the "most conservative voice" on MSNBC's primetime lineup. Matthews has been accused by Media Matters for America of having panels of guests that skew to the right and of supporting Republicans in his own questions and comments.

On the April 14, 2008, edition of The Colbert Report, Matthews alluded to a possible run for the United States Senate from Pennsylvania. On November 28, 2008, Matthews contacted senior staffers of Barack Obama's campaign about a possible Senate run. On January 7, 2009, The New York Times reported that Matthews told his staffers that he would not run for the Senate.

Newspaper journalist
Matthews worked in print media for 15 years, spending 13 years as Washington, D.C., bureau chief for the San Francisco Examiner (1987–2000) and two years as a nationally syndicated columnist for the San Francisco Chronicle. Matthews covered the fall of the Berlin Wall, the first all-races election in South Africa, and the Good Friday Peace Talks in Northern Ireland. In 1997 and 1998, his research in the National Archives produced a series of exclusives on the Nixon presidential tapes. Matthews covered American presidential election campaigns from 1988 until his retirement in 2020.

Author
He is the author of eight best-selling books:
 * Hardball: How Politics is Played, Told by One Who Knows the Game (1988)
 * Kennedy & Nixon: The Rivalry that Shaped Postwar America (1996)
 * Now, Let Me Tell You What I Really Think (2001)
 * American: Beyond our Grandest Notions (2002)
 * Life's a Campaign: What Politics Has Taught Me About Friendship, Rivalry, Reputation, and Success (2007)
 * Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero (2011)
 * Tip and the Gipper: When Politics Worked (2013)
 * Bobby Kennedy: A Raging Spirit (2017)

Jack Kennedy: Elusive Hero spent 12 weeks on The New York Times bestseller list. The book was lauded by critics. "Matthews excels in capturing the tribalism of the Irish Catholic culture and experience Kennedy both absorbed and overcame as he made his way ... [and] is at his best in describing political dynamics," The Washington Post said. "Matthews proves a compelling storyteller," said The Boston Globe. "Matthews has produced a valuable addition to the literature about the life and career of our 35th president," said The Christian Science Monitor. "Matthews's stirring biography reveals Kennedy as a 'fighting prince never free from pain, never far from trouble, and never accepting the world he found,'" said Publishers Weekly.

Television talk show host
In 1997, Matthews began his own weeknight talk show, Hardball with Chris Matthews, which originally aired on America's Talking and then moved to MSNBC. Hardball with Chris Matthews featured pundits and elected officials as guests.

The Chris Matthews Show aired in syndication on weekends from 2002 until 2013. The show was formatted as a political roundtable consisting of four journalists and Matthews, who served as the moderator. He was estimated to earn more than $5 million a year.

In 2004, at the Democratic National Convention, Matthews predicted that he had "just seen the first Black president." The Huffington Post reported on Matthews's emotional expressions of support for Barack Obama during the 2008 Presidential election, quoting him as saying: "I have to tell you, you know, it's part of reporting this case, this election, the feeling most people get when they hear Barack Obama's speech. My, I felt this thrill going up my leg. I mean, I don't have that too often."

While discussing proposed healthcare reform on the December 17, 2009, edition of Hardball, Matthews stated, "The Republicans will know they have lost ... Let them keep score and it's easy. It's complicated when liberals get to keep score. We're always arguing. Well, I'm a liberal, too."

In March 2012, Matthews described himself as a centrist during an episode of his MSNBC talk show Hardball. That statement was questioned by Mediaite's Josh Feldman directly afterward, based on Matthews's frequent condemnation of right-wing political figures and his emotional expression of support for Barack Obama's presidential campaign. Feldman observed that Matthews has criticized liberals such as Hillary Clinton and occasionally even Barack Obama, and that this could explain Matthews's description of himself as a "centrist".

In 2013, Matthews announced that he had signed a long-term contract extension with MSNBC but that he would no longer host The Chris Matthews Show in order to focus his efforts on Hardball, writing books, and producing documentaries. The final episode of The Chris Matthews Show aired on July 21.

In December 2018, Matthews interviewed U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard, who stated she was "seriously considering" running for President.

On February 7, 2020, during a panel discussion following a Democratic Party presidential candidate debate in New Hampshire, Matthews referenced Bernie Sanders's praise for aspects of Fidel Castro's Cuba, saying "if Castro and the Reds had won the Cold War, there would [have been] executions in Central Park and I might have been one of the ones getting executed and certain other people would be there cheering, OK? So I have a problem with people who took the other side." His remarks were mocked by left-wing commentators.

During the opening monologue of his Monday, March 2, 2020, show, Matthews announced his immediately effective retirement from Hardball. Matthews alluded to claims of inappropriate conduct that trailed him for years, resurfacing when GQ columnist Laura Bassett accused Matthews of making sexist remarks when she was a guest on “Hardball” in 2016. MSNBC had executed a long-term contract with Matthews, in 2013, to retain him with the network at least through the 2016 election, and he was expected to retire after the 2020 election cycle, with an exit after Election Day in November 2020 likely. Following his resignation, Matthews garnered well-wishes from professional colleagues in the news media and others, including from Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who noted Matthews's willingness to "criticize the neocon pro-war agenda."

In September 2022, Matthews returned to MSNBC as a political analyst making appearances on the network's "Morning Joe" program.

Inappropriate comments
Throughout Matthews's career he has been criticized for making derogatory and sexist comments about women in politics including Melania Trump, Sarah Palin, and Erin Burnett.

In October 2016, Laura Bassett appeared on Matthews’s program to comment on sexual assault allegations against then candidate Donald Trump. In February 2020, Bassett alleged that prior to that program, Matthews made inappropriate remarks about her makeup, clothing, and dating life. As she was having her television studio makeup applied, Matthews purportedly asked her: "Why haven't I fallen in love with you yet?" Bassett claims that when she laughed nervously and said nothing, Matthews followed up to the makeup artist with: "Keep putting makeup on her, I'll fall in love with her." In 2017, Bassett had previously published a text about the incident, which did not identify Matthews by name.

In December 2017, details surfaced of a 1999 settlement Matthews's employer, MSNBC, reached with a female producer of Matthews's program who alleged Matthews made inappropriate comments about her in front of colleagues in the workplace.

In 2018 during a setup for a television interview with Hillary Clinton, Matthews stated out loud "where was the Cosby pill" that he brought with him.

Nazi metaphors
After President Trump's inaugural address, Matthews characterized the speech as "Hitlerian", due to Trump's "America First" message.

On February 22, 2020, commenting on the 2020 Nevada Democratic caucuses, Matthews invoked Winston Churchill's feeling of disbelief following the fall of France to the Nazis in 1940 as a metaphor for the feeling of disbelief experienced by establishment figures in the Democratic Party to Bernie Sanders's victory in the state.

As members of Sanders's family were killed by the Nazis during the Holocaust, his comparison was viewed as insensitive and prompted widespread negative reactions on Twitter calling for him to be removed from MSNBC. Amid mounting criticism, Matthews issued an on-air apology to Sanders and his supporters on February 24. Sanders did not directly respond to the remarks.

Personal life
Matthews has been married since 1980 to Kathleen Matthews, who was a news anchor at WJLA-TV, the ABC affiliate in Washington, D.C., before accepting a position as an executive vice president with Marriott International. In 2015, Kathleen Matthews launched an unsuccessful campaign for the Democratic nomination to run for a House seat in Maryland's 8th congressional district, which has been represented by progressive Democrat Rep. Jamie Raskin since 2016. The couple have three children: Michael, Thomas, and Caroline. One of his four brothers Jim Matthews, a Republican, is a former county commissioner in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

In 2002, Matthews was hospitalized with malaria, which he contracted on one of his visits that year to Africa.

Matthews was the commencement speaker at Ohio State University on May 4, 2014 and Merrimack College on May 15, 2015.

Awards
Matthews is the recipient of several awards, including The Pennsylvania Society's Gold Medal for Distinguished Achievement in 2005, the Abraham Lincoln Award from the Union League of Philadelphia, the David Brinkley Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism, the John F. Kennedy Memorial Award, and the 2016 Tip O'Neill Irish Diaspora Award.

Honorary degrees
Chris Matthews has received over 30 honorary degrees, among which are:

title: Chris Matthews


text:
User talk:LoneHunter

WHY????

Lonehunter 05:55 21 Jul 2003 (UTC)

LoneHunter, this isn't the place to have chatrooms. Dysprosia 05:55 21 Jul 2003 (UTC)

Wikipedia aims to be an encyclopedia, not a chatroom :) Why don't you see if you can contribute your knowledge? Here are some links that may be helpful Welcome, newcomers, How to edit a page Dysprosia 06:00 21 Jul 2003 (UTC)

Search For LoneHunters3 and tell me what you think!!!!!!!!!!!! Lonehunter

If you want to write about a mod for Morrowind add it to the article on Morrowind - but be sure to be encyclopedic in style... Martin 19:32 26 Jul 2003 (UTC)

MorroWindHelp listed at Redirects for discussion
An editor has asked for a discussion to address the redirect MorroWindHelp. Since you had some involvement with the MorroWindHelp redirect, you might want to participate in the redirect discussion if you have not already done so. AddWittyNameHere (talk) 04:38, 12 April 2016 (UTC)

title: User talk:LoneHunter