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CBD News: Opening Remarks by Mr. Braulio F. de Souza Dias, CBD Executive Secretary, to the Ad Hoc Expert Group Meeting on Validating the Africa Review Reports on Biodiversity, Forests, Mountains, Biotechnology and Tourism, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 22-23 Nov




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CBD News: Statement by Mr. Braulio F. de Souza Dias, CBD Executive Secretary, at the opening of the Expert Workshop to Provide Consolidated Practical Guidance and a Toolkit for Marine Spatial Planning, Montreal, Canada, 9 - 11 September 2014




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CBD News: First 23 validated checklists from the Global Register of Introduced and Invasive Species highlighted in paper, signaling major step in delivering information to support national action against biological invasions.




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Real-time visualization of solid-phase ion migration

(University of Science and Technology of China) Researchers from University of science and technology of China has shed new lights on the topic of solid-phase ion migration. Researchers demonstrated a unique in-situ strategy for visualizing the dynamic solid-phase ion migration between nanostructures with nanogap at the atomic scale. The research article entitled "Real-Time Visualization of Solid-Phase Ion Migration Kinetics on Nanowire Monolayer" was published in Journal of the American Chemical Society on April 29th.




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Germline genomic profiles of children, young adults with solid tumors to inform managementand treatment

(Cleveland Clinic) A new Cleveland Clinic study demonstrates the importance of genetics evaluation and genetic testing for children, adolescents and young adults with solid tumor cancers. The study was published today in Nature Communications.




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Who Runs the Internet: Internet Consolidation and Control

Research Event

10 December 2019 - 6:00pm to 7:15pm

Chatham House, London

Event participants

Andrew Sullivan, President and CEO, Internet Society
Jennifer Cobbe, Research Associate, Department of Computer Science and Technology, University of Cambridge
Jesse Sowell, Assistant Professor, Department of International Affairs, Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University
Chair: Emily Taylor, Associate Fellow, International Security, Chatham House, Editor, Journal of Cyber Policy

In recent years, there has been a growing debate around the influence of a few large internet technology companies on the internet’s infrastructure and over the popular applications and social media platforms that we use every day.

The internet which was once widely viewed as a collective platform for limitless, permissionless innovation, competition and growth, is now increasingly viewed as a consolidated environment dominated by a few. Such market dominance threatens to undermine the internet’s fundamental benefits as a distributed network in which no single entity has control.  

The panel examines the risks of consolidation throughout the internet’s technology stack such as the impact on complex supply chains that support applications, including cloud provisions, ‘as a service’.

It also explores the potential benefits, for example, when building out essential infrastructure to support faster and cheaper internet services in developing economies, consolidation can create economies of scale that bring the resource-intensive building blocks of the internet economy within the reach of new start-ups and innovators.

The panel provides an interdisciplinary perspective exploring the relationship between consolidation and evolutions in the internet infrastructure as well as unpacking its policy implications.

This event supports a special issue of the Journal of Cyber Policy as part of a collaboration between Chatham House and the Internet Society which explores the impact of the consolidation on the internet’s fundamental architecture.

Nilza Amaral

Project Manager, International Security Programme




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PARP-1-targeted Auger emitters display high-LET cytotoxic properties in vitro but show limited therapeutic utility in solid tumor models of human neuroblastoma

The currently available therapeutic radiopharmaceutical for high-risk neuroblastoma, 131I-MIBG, is ineffective at targeting micrometastases due to the low linear energy transfer (LET) properties of high-energy beta particles. In contrast, Auger radiation has high-LET properties with nanometer ranges in tissue, efficiently causing DNA damage when emitted in close proximity to DNA. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cytotoxicity of targeted Auger therapy in pre-clinical models of high-risk neuroblastoma. Methods: Using a radiolabeled poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitor, 125I-KX1, we delivered an Auger emitter iodine-125 to PARP-1: a chromatin-binding enzyme overexpressed in neuroblastoma. In vitro cytotoxicity of 125I-KX1 was assessed in nineteen neuroblastoma cell lines, followed by in-depth pharmacological analysis in a sensitive and resistant pair of cell lines. Immunofluorescence microscopy was used to characterize 125I-KX1-induced DNA damage. Finally, in vitro/in vivo microdosimetry was modeled from experimentally derived pharmacological variables. Results: 125I-KX1 was highly cytotoxic in vitro across a panel of neuroblastoma cell lines, directly causing double strand DNA breaks. Based on subcellular dosimetry, 125I-KX1 was approximately twice as effective compared to 131I-KX1, whereas cytoplasmic 125I-MIBG demonstrated low biological effectiveness. Despite the ability to deliver focused radiation dose to the cell nuclei, 125I-KX1 remained less effective than its alpha-emitting analog 211At-MM4, and required significantly higher activity for equivalent in vivo efficacy based on tumor microdosimetry. Conclusion: Chromatin-targeted Auger therapy is lethal to high-risk neuroblastoma cells with potential use in micrometastatic disease. This study provides the first evidence for cellular lethality from a PARP-1 targeted Auger emitter, calling for further investigation into targeted Auger therapy.




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177Lu-NM600 targeted radionuclide therapy extends survival in syngeneic murine models of triple-negative breast cancer

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains the most aggressive subtype of breast cancer leading to the worst prognosis. Because current therapeutic approaches lack efficacy, there is a clinically unmet need for effective treatment alternatives. Herein, we demonstrate a promising strategy utilizing a tumor-targeting alkylphosphocholine (NM600) radiolabeled with 177Lu for targeted radionuclide therapy (TRT) of TNBC. In two murine syngeneic models of TNBC, we confirmed excellent tumor targeting and rapid normal tissue clearance of the PET imaging analog 86Y-NM600. Based on longitudinal PET/CT data acquired with 86Y-NM600, we estimated the dosimetry of therapeutic 177Lu-NM600, which showed larger absorbed doses in the tumor compared to normal tissues. Administration of 177Lu-NM600 resulted in significant tumor growth inhibition and prolonged overall survival in mice bearing syngeneic 4T07 and 4T1 tumors. Complete response was attained in 60% of 4T07 bearing mice, but animals carrying aggressive 4T1 tumor grafts succumbed to metastatic progression. The injected activities used for treatment (9.25 and 18.5 MBq) were well tolerated, and only mild transient cytopenia was noted. Overall, our results suggest that 177Lu-NM600 TRT has potential for treatment of TNBC and merits further exploration in a clinical setting.




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In vivo instability of 177Lu-DOTATATE during peptide receptor radionuclide therapy

Peptide receptor radiotherapy using 177Lu-labeled somatostatin ligand analogs is a well-established treatment for neuroendocrine tumors (NET), with 177Lu-DOTATATE having acquired marketing authorization in Europe and the USA. The investigation of the pharmacokinetics of those radiopharmaceuticals in vivo in humans is crucial for personalized treatment management and understanding of treatment effects. It requires input data on the in vivo stability of the radiopharmaceuticals in blood and plasma. The work presented here is devoted to the investigation of in vivo stability of 177Lu-DOTATATE in humans affected by NET. Unexpectedly, fast metabolism of the radiopharmaceutical was observed, with fraction of intact 177Lu-DOTATATE in plasma decreasing rapidly to 23±5% (mean ± SD) at 24 h and 1.7±0.9% at 96 h after injection.




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Efficacy of Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy for Esthesioneuroblastoma

Objectives: Esthesioneuroblastoma (ENB) is rare with limited therapeutic options when unresectable or metastatic; however, expression of somatostatin receptors qualifies it for peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT). We report outcomes of PRRT in ENB from two referral centers. Methods: Using PRRT databases at two European Neuroendocrine Tumour Society Centers of Excellence, case finding was undertaken between 2004-2018 for patients who had PRRT with recurrent/metastatic ENB deemed unsuitable for further conventional therapies. Evaluations of response using a composite reference standard and for survival were performed. Results: Of seven patients, four had partial response, two had disease stabilization and one had early progression. Possible side effects include worsening CSF-leaks. Median progression-free survival was 17 months (range, 0-30), and median overall survival was 32 months (range, 4–53). Conclusion: PRRT shows promising efficacy and moderate survival duration in unresectable locally advanced or metastatic ENB warranting larger cohort studies incorporating measures of quality of life.




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Digital Solid-State SPECT/CT Quantitation of Absolute 177Lu-Radiotracer Concentration: In Vivo/In Vitro Validation

The accuracy of lutetium-177 (177Lu) radiotracer concentration measurements using quantitative clinical software was determined by comparing in vivo results for a digital solid-state cadmium-zinc-telluride SPECT/CT (single photon emission computed tomography / x-ray computed tomography) system to in vitro sampling. First, image acquisition parameters were assessed for an International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) body phantom emulating clinical count rates loaded with a "lung" insert and 6 hot spheres with a 12:1 target-to-background ratio of 177Lu solution. Then, the data of 28 whole-body SPECT/CT scans of 7 patients who underwent 177Lu prostate membrane antigen (177Lu-PSMA) radioligand therapy was retrospectively analyzed. Three users analyzed SPECT/CT images for in vivo urinary bladder radiotracer uptake using quantitative software (Q.Metrix, GE Healthcare). In vitro radiopharmaceutical concentrations were calculated using urine sampling obtained immediately after each scan, scaled to standardized uptake values (SUVs). Any in vivo/in vitro identity relations were determined by linear regression (ideally slope=1, intercept=0), within a 95 % confidence interval (CI). Phantom results demonstrated lower quantitative error for acquisitions using the 113 keV 177Lu energy peak rather than including the 208 keV peak, given that only low-energy collimation was available in this camera configuration. In the clinical study, 24 in vivo/in vitro pairs were eligible for further analysis, having rejected 4 as outliers (via Cook’s distance calculations). All linear regressions (R2 ≥ 0.92, P<0.0001) provided identity in vivo/in vitro relations (95 % CI), with SUV averages from all users giving a slope of 1.03±0.09, an intercept of –0.25±0.64 g/mL, and an average residual difference of 20.4 %. Acquiring with the lower energy 177Lu energy peak, solid-state SPECT/CT imaging provides an accuracy to within ~20 % for in vivo urinary bladder radiotracer concentrations. This non-invasive in vivo quantitation method can potentially improve diagnosis, improve patient management and treatment response assessment, and provide data essential to 177Lu dosimetry.




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Early prostate-specific antigen changes and clinical outcome following 177Lu-PSMA radionuclide treatment in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer

Background: Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is widely used to monitor treatment response in patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). However, PSA measurements are considered only after 12 wk of treatment. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of early PSA changes following 177Lu-labelled prostate specific membrane antigen (LuPSMA) radionuclide treatment in mCRPC patients. Methods: Men who were treated under a compassionate access program with LuPSMA at our institution and had available PSA values at baseline, at 6 wk after treatment initiation were included in this retrospective analysis. Patients were assigned to three groups based on PSA changes: 1) response: ≥30% decline, 2) progression: ≥25% increase and 3) stable: <30% decline and <25% increase. The co-primary endpoints were overall survival and imaging-based progression-free survival. The secondary end points were PSA changes at 12 wk and PSA flare-up. Results: We identified 124 eligible patients with PSA values at 6 wk. A ≥30% decline in PSA at 6 wk was associated with longer overall survival (median 16.7 mo; 95%CI 14.4–19.0) compared with patients with stable PSA (median: 11.8 mo; 95%CI 8.6–15.1; P = 0.007) and progression (median: 6.5 mo; 95%CI 5.2–7.8; p<0.001). Patients with ≥30% decline in PSA at 6 wk also had a reduced risk of imaging-based progression compared with patients with stable PSA (HR: 0.60; 95%CI 0.38–0.94; P = 0.02), while patients with PSA progression had a higher risk of imaging-based progression compared with those showing stable PSA (HR: 3.18; 95%CI 1.95–5.21; p<0.001). The percentage changes of PSA at 6 wk and 12 wk were highly associated (r=0.90; p<0.001). 29 of 31 (94%) patients who experienced early PSA progression at 6 wk achieved biochemical progression at 12 wk. Overall, only 1 of 36 (3%) patients with PSA progression at 6 wk achieved any PSA decline at 12 wk (1% of the entire cohort). Limitations of the study included its retrospective nature and the single center experience. Conclusion: PSA changes at 6 wk after LuPSMA initiation are an early indicator of long-term clinical outcome. Patients progressing by PSA after 6 wk of treatment could benefit from a very early treatment switch decision. PSA flare-up during LuPSMA treatment is very uncommon. Prospective studies are now warranted to validate our findings and potentially inform clinicians earlier on the effectiveness of LuPSMA.




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Prognostic Value of 18F-FDG PET/CT in a Large Cohort of 495 Patients with Advanced Metastatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (NEN) Treated with Peptide Receptor Radionuclide Therapy (PRRT)

The objective of this retrospective study was to determine the role of 18F-FDG PET/CT in a large cohort of 495 patients with metastatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) who were treated with peptide receptor radionuclide therapy (PRRT) with a long-term follow-up. Methods: The 495 patients were treated with 177Lu- and/or 90Y- DOTATOC/DOTATATE PRRT between 2/2002 and 7/2018. All subjects received both 68Ga-DOTATOC/TATE/NOC and 18F-FDG PET/CT prior to treatment and were followed 3-189 months. Kaplan-Meier analysis, log-rank test (Mantel-Cox), and Cox regression analysis were performed for overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: 199 patients (40.2%) presented with pancreatic NEN, 49 with CUP (cancer of unknown primary), 139 with midgut NEN, whereas the primary tumor was present in the rectum in 20, in the lung in 38, in the stomach in 8 and other locations in 42 patients. FDG-PET/CT was positive in 382 (77.2%) patients and 113 (22.8%) were FDG-negative before PRRT, while 100% were 68Ga-DOTATOC/TATE/NOC positive. For all patients, the median PFS and OS, defined from start of PRRT, were 19.6 mo and 58.7 mo, respectively. Positive FDG predicted shorter PFS (18.5 mo vs 24.1 mo; P = 0.0015) and OS (53.2 mo vs 83.1 mo; P < 0.001) than negative FDG. Amongst the pancreatic NEN, the median OS was 52.8 mo in FDG positive and 114.3 mo in FDG negative subjects (P = 0.0006). For all patients with positive 18F-FDG uptake, and a ratio of the highest SUVmax on 68Ga-SSTR PET to the most 18F-FDG-avid tumor lesions >2, the median OS was 53.0 mo, compared to 43.4 mo in those patients with a ratio <2 (P = 0.030). For patients with no 18F-FDG uptake (complete "mismatch" imaging pattern), the median OS was 108.3 mo vs 76.9 mo for SUVmax >15.0 and ≤15.0 on 68Ga-SSTR PET/CT, respectively. Conclusion: The presence of positive lesions on 18F-FDG PET is an independent prognostic factor in patients with NEN treated with PRRT. Metabolic imaging with 18F-FDG PET/CT compliments the molecular imaging aspect of 68Ga-SSTR PET/CT for the prognosis of survival after PRRT. High SSTR expression combined with negative 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging is associated with the most favorable long-term prognosis.




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Correction: Graph Algorithms for Condensing and Consolidating Gene Set Analysis Results. [Additions and Corrections]




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Concentration Determination of >200 Proteins in Dried Blood Spots for Biomarker Discovery and Validation [Technological Innovation and Resources]

The use of protein biomarkers as surrogates for clinical endpoints requires extensive multilevel validation including development of robust and sensitive assays for precise measurement of protein concentration. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) is a well-established mass-spectrometric method that can be used for reproducible protein-concentration measurements in biological specimens collected via microsampling. The dried blood spot (DBS) microsampling technique can be performed non-invasively without the expertise of a phlebotomist, and can enhance analyte stability which facilitate the application of this technique in retrospective studies while providing lower storage and shipping costs, because cold-chain logistics can be eliminated. Thus, precise, sensitive, and multiplexed methods for measuring protein concentrations in DBSs can be used for de novo biomarker discovery and for biomarker quantification or verification experiments. To achieve this goal, MRM assays were developed for multiplexed concentration measurement of proteins in DBSs.

The lower limit of quantification (LLOQ) was found to have a median total coefficient of variation (CV) of 18% for 245 proteins, whereas the median LLOQ was 5 fmol of peptide injected on column, and the median inter-day CV over 4 days for measuring endogenous protein concentration was 8%. The majority (88%) of the assays displayed parallelism, whereas the peptide standards remained stable throughout the assay workflow and after exposure to multiple freeze-thaw cycles. For 190 proteins, the measured protein concentrations remained stable in DBS stored at ambient laboratory temperature for up to 2 months. Finally, the developed assays were used to measure the concentration ranges for 200 proteins in twenty same sex, same race and age matched individuals.




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Guidance Document: Validation of a High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Immunopeptidomics Assay for the Identification of HLA Class I Ligands Suitable for Pharmaceutical Therapies [Commentary]

For more than two decades naturally presented, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-restricted peptides (immunopeptidome) have been eluted and sequenced using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Since, identified disease-associated HLA ligands have been characterized and evaluated as potential active substances. Treatments based on HLA-presented peptides have shown promising results in clinical application as personalized T cell-based immunotherapy. Peptide vaccination cocktails are produced as investigational medicinal products under GMP conditions. To support clinical trials based on HLA-presented tumor-associated antigens, in this study the sensitive LC-MS/MS HLA class I antigen identification pipeline was fully validated for our technical equipment according to the current US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) guidelines.

The immunopeptidomes of JY cells with or without spiked-in, isotope labeled peptides, of peripheral blood mononuclear cells of healthy volunteers as well as a chronic lymphocytic leukemia and a bladder cancer sample were reliably identified using a data-dependent acquisition method. As the LC-MS/MS pipeline is used for identification purposes, the validation parameters include accuracy, precision, specificity, limit of detection and robustness.




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The grease trap: uncovering the mechanism of the hydrophobic lid in Cutibacterium acnes lipase

Hyo Jung Kim
May 1, 2020; 61:722-733
Research Articles




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Episode 21 - The Internet of Cleanin' Windows (IoCW) Windows 10 anniversary, NOW TV and holidays

This week host Matt Egan is joined by first time podder and editor of PC Advisor Jim Martin to chat Microsoft Windows 10 anniversary updates and the impact on Microsoft Surface devices. Producer Chris then comes on to chat about Sky's two big NOW TV announcements, and the future of television and broadband (16:00). Finally, UKTW podcast regular David Price chats about the impact technology is having on our holidays (26:30).  


See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.




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Episode 37 – The Internet of One Slide Jobbies (IoOSJ)

Matt Egan, Editorial Director, returns to lull us all into a tech talk dreamland of Peppa Pixels and magic Apple dragons. Chris Martin, Consumer Tech Editor at PC Advisor gives you the skinny on Google’s Pixel post-launch, and why it’s a shame it doesn’t resound as loudly as the affordable Nexus (got to love the Nexus 4, obvs). Then Acting Editor of Macworld UK David Price weeps into his cornflakes at the supposed demise of the humble USB port as Apple takes courage to new heights for the upcoming MacBook Pro (18 mins). Staff Writer at PC Advisor Christopher Minasians then lays down the law, rejoicing at the cutthroat prices of Nvidia’s new GTX 1050. Cheap as chips! In a good way. Tuck in (27 mins).  


See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.




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Latin America’s COVID-19 Moment: Differences and Solidarity

30 April 2020

Dr Christopher Sabatini

Senior Research Fellow for Latin America, US and the Americas Programme
There has been no better example of the political diversity in Latin America than the varying responses of governments to the coronavirus crisis.

2020-04-30-Chile-Covid.jpg

A municipal cleaning worker disinfects the central market in Santiago, Chile on 7 April 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: Getty Images.

Differing approaches across the hemisphere have had different impacts on presidential popularity and, at least in one case, on democratic institutions and human rights. Yet, even within that diversity, South America’s Southern Cone countries (Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay) have shown a sign of solidarity: protecting and facilitating trade flows, sponsoring cross-border research and ensuring citizens’ return to their home countries.    

The response from populist leaders

On the extreme have been the responses of presidents of Brazil, Nicaragua and Mexico, all of whom have ignored the science of the virus and of experts and refused to implement isolation policies.  President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil fired his health minister, Luis Henrique Mandetta on 16 April for contradicting him and earlier had claimed that the pandemic was a hoax or little more than a ‘measly cold.' 

Meanwhile, Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega has resisted closing businesses and schools.  After a mysterious 34-day absence, Ortega appeared on television on 15 April reinforcing his refusal to close businesses saying that Nicaraguans must work or they will die and claiming that the virus was ‘imported.’ 

Mexico’s Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) has also resisted the call for strict stay-at-home policies, though with his Deputy Health Minister, Hugo López-Gatell, has closed schools – recently extending the closure to the 1st of June and urging non-essential businesses to close – but focusing primarily on social distancing. 

In contrast to his deputy health minister and Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard – who had declared the situation a health emergency on 30th March, later than many neighbouring countries – AMLO has largely attempted to avoid discussion of the pandemic, claiming that in his case he has lucky charms that prevent him from contracting the virus. 

And both Bolsonaro and AMLO have participated in large public rallies, doing all the things that politicians love, shaking hands and hugging babies, and in the case of the former even wiping his nose before embracing an elderly woman.

The Nicaraguan, Brazilian and Mexican presidents make an odd grouping since one (Bosonaro) is considered of the extreme populist right and the others (Ortega and AMLO) of the populist left. What unites them is good old-fashioned populism, a belief in a leader who represents the amorphous popular will and should be unfettered by checks and balances on his power, including something like… science.  

An eclectic group

At the other extreme have been the quick responses by governments in Peru, Argentina, Chile, El Salvador and Colombia which put quarantine measures in place in mid-March. In these cases, governments have even banned outdoor activities and in the case of Peru and Colombia (in the large cities) have imposed alternating days for when women and men can leave the house so as to better control outside movement.  

This too, though, is an eclectic group. It includes a Peronist president Alberto Fernández in Argentina, conservative presidents Sebastian Piñera in Chile and Ivan Duque in Colombia, interim president and relative political neophyte Martin Vizcarra in Peru and outsider president Nayib Bukele in El Salvador. 

El Salvador’s strict quarantine measures have led to rising concerns that Bukele is using the crisis to consolidate personal power, using the national police and the armed forces to enforce the quarantine and ignoring three rulings by the Supreme Court urging the president to end the abuses. In Argentina, Peronist Fernández has shown a surprising commitment to containment even as it hurts his party’s working-class base, not something typically expected of the populist Peronist Party.   

In all of these cases, the quick, strong responses by the presidents shored up their popularity. Peru’s Vizcarra saw his popularity shoot up 35 points in a week to 82 per cent according to surveys taken in March. In late March 2020, Fernández in Argentina saw his approval ratings swell to 79.2 per cent with 94.7 percent of citizens approving of the government’s strict shelter-at-home policies.   Even presidents Piñera and Duque who had struggled with low approval ratings throughout 2019 and saw those numbers sink even lower after the social protests that ended the year have seen their numbers rise.  

According to an 20th April poll, Piñera’s popular approval rating swelled from 13 percent in March 18th at the start of the crisis to 25 per cent by 20th April; while hardly a sweeping popular mandate, even that level was unthinkable only a few months ago when administration was battered by social protests. 

In Colombia, after a series of political missteps and the popular protests, Duque’s popular approval rating had slumped to 26 per cent; by April 2nd, 62 percent of Colombians supported the once-beleaguered president.   (No recent surveys were available for Bukele in El Salvador.)

In contrast, Bolsonaro’s in Brazil has only nudged up.  Before the crisis hit, the president’s popularity had been in steady decline from a high of 49 per cent in January 2019 to 30 per cent by early December 2019. But by the first week in April, in the midst of a crisis in which other presidents saw their approval ratings increase by double digits, after his public disagreements with the health minister, Bolsonaro’s had sunk to 33 per cent while the soon-to-be-fired Mandetta’s stood at 76 per cent.  

AMLO in Mexico has fared no better. The populist leftist scored a high 86 per cent approval rating in February 1, 2019. By March 28, 2020 with concerns over his weak and flippant COVID-19 response and a severe contraction in economic growth, AMLO’s approval rating had sunk 26 points to 60 per cent and his disapproval stood at 37 per cent.    

In the midst of disharmony, coordination

Despite these differences, many countries in the region have shown the solidarity they often speak of but rarely follow in policy or practice. Peru, Chile and other countries have collaborated in repatriating citizens back to their home countries in the midst of the crisis.  

Even the countries of the Southern Cone common market, MERCOSUR, have pulled together on a number of fronts.  The trade bloc had effectively been ruled a dead-man-walking after its failed efforts to integrate Venezuela into the bloc, lowering its standards to let in the petroleum dependent semi-authoritarian government of then President Hugo Chávez. 

Even on the basics of internal cooperation, the block was struggling, unable to coordinate monetary policies and non-tariff trade barriers between the original founding member states, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

The 35-year-old customs union seemed to get a breath a new life with the announcement that it had concluded 20-year-long negotiations with the EU for a free trade deal. Ratification of that deal, however, ran aground on the political differences between the recently elected governments of Bolsonaro in Brazil and the Peronist Fernández in Argentina. 

Bolsonaro refused to attend the Fernández December 2019 inauguration, in protest of the newly elected president’s leftist leanings.  And this was well before their sharply divergent reactions to the COVID-19 virus. 

How surprising then that Mercosur has served as an effective coordination mechanism for these different and once opposed governments. The trade body is collaborating among member states to ensure the repatriation of citizens and has agreed to coordinate to ensure that trade flows, especially of medical supplies, are not interrupted by shutdown measures

Mercosur has even gone one step further than several other bodies have failed to take.  In early April the bloc’s governing body, based in Montevideo, Uruguay created a $16 million (12 million pound) fund to augment country research and assist in the purchase of supplies needed to combat the virus.  

Now if Brazil, Argentina and the others could only coordinate their domestic coronavirus responses and economic policy. In late March Fernández announced he was pulling Argentina out of a possible Mercosur-EU trade deal.




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The grease trap: uncovering the mechanism of the hydrophobic lid in Cutibacterium acnes lipase [Research Articles]

Acne is one of the most common dermatological conditions, but the details of its pathology are unclear, and current management regimens often have adverse effects. Cutibacterium acnes is known as a major acne-associated bacterium that derives energy from lipase-mediated sebum lipid degradation. C. acnes is commensal, but lipase activity has been observed to differ among C. acnes types. For example, higher populations of the type IA strains are present in acne lesions with higher lipase activity. In the present study, we examined a conserved lipase in types IB and II that was truncated in type IA C. acnes strains. Closed, blocked, and open structures of C. acnes ATCC11828 lipases were elucidated by X-ray crystallography at 1.6–2.4 Å. The closed crystal structure, which is the most common form in aqueous solution, revealed that a hydrophobic lid domain shields the active site. By comparing closed, blocked, and open structures, we found that the lid domain-opening mechanisms of C. acnes lipases (CAlipases) involve the lid-opening residues, Phe-179 and Phe-211. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first structure-function study of CAlipases, which may help to shed light on the mechanisms involved in acne development and may aid in future drug design.




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Problem Notes for SAS®9 - 65868: Saving a report distribution in SAS Visual Analytics Designer fails with "The name is invalid"

When you attempt to save a report distribution in SAS Visual Analytics Designer, you might see the error shown in the following display:  imgalt="" src="{fusion_65868_1_distributionerror.png}" />



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Latin America’s COVID-19 Moment: Differences and Solidarity

30 April 2020

Dr Christopher Sabatini

Senior Research Fellow for Latin America, US and the Americas Programme
There has been no better example of the political diversity in Latin America than the varying responses of governments to the coronavirus crisis.

2020-04-30-Chile-Covid.jpg

A municipal cleaning worker disinfects the central market in Santiago, Chile on 7 April 2020 amid the coronavirus pandemic. Photo: Getty Images.

Differing approaches across the hemisphere have had different impacts on presidential popularity and, at least in one case, on democratic institutions and human rights. Yet, even within that diversity, South America’s Southern Cone countries (Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay) have shown a sign of solidarity: protecting and facilitating trade flows, sponsoring cross-border research and ensuring citizens’ return to their home countries.    

The response from populist leaders

On the extreme have been the responses of presidents of Brazil, Nicaragua and Mexico, all of whom have ignored the science of the virus and of experts and refused to implement isolation policies.  President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil fired his health minister, Luis Henrique Mandetta on 16 April for contradicting him and earlier had claimed that the pandemic was a hoax or little more than a ‘measly cold.' 

Meanwhile, Nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega has resisted closing businesses and schools.  After a mysterious 34-day absence, Ortega appeared on television on 15 April reinforcing his refusal to close businesses saying that Nicaraguans must work or they will die and claiming that the virus was ‘imported.’ 

Mexico’s Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador (AMLO) has also resisted the call for strict stay-at-home policies, though with his Deputy Health Minister, Hugo López-Gatell, has closed schools – recently extending the closure to the 1st of June and urging non-essential businesses to close – but focusing primarily on social distancing. 

In contrast to his deputy health minister and Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard – who had declared the situation a health emergency on 30th March, later than many neighbouring countries – AMLO has largely attempted to avoid discussion of the pandemic, claiming that in his case he has lucky charms that prevent him from contracting the virus. 

And both Bolsonaro and AMLO have participated in large public rallies, doing all the things that politicians love, shaking hands and hugging babies, and in the case of the former even wiping his nose before embracing an elderly woman.

The Nicaraguan, Brazilian and Mexican presidents make an odd grouping since one (Bosonaro) is considered of the extreme populist right and the others (Ortega and AMLO) of the populist left. What unites them is good old-fashioned populism, a belief in a leader who represents the amorphous popular will and should be unfettered by checks and balances on his power, including something like… science.  

An eclectic group

At the other extreme have been the quick responses by governments in Peru, Argentina, Chile, El Salvador and Colombia which put quarantine measures in place in mid-March. In these cases, governments have even banned outdoor activities and in the case of Peru and Colombia (in the large cities) have imposed alternating days for when women and men can leave the house so as to better control outside movement.  

This too, though, is an eclectic group. It includes a Peronist president Alberto Fernández in Argentina, conservative presidents Sebastian Piñera in Chile and Ivan Duque in Colombia, interim president and relative political neophyte Martin Vizcarra in Peru and outsider president Nayib Bukele in El Salvador. 

El Salvador’s strict quarantine measures have led to rising concerns that Bukele is using the crisis to consolidate personal power, using the national police and the armed forces to enforce the quarantine and ignoring three rulings by the Supreme Court urging the president to end the abuses. In Argentina, Peronist Fernández has shown a surprising commitment to containment even as it hurts his party’s working-class base, not something typically expected of the populist Peronist Party.   

In all of these cases, the quick, strong responses by the presidents shored up their popularity. Peru’s Vizcarra saw his popularity shoot up 35 points in a week to 82 per cent according to surveys taken in March. In late March 2020, Fernández in Argentina saw his approval ratings swell to 79.2 per cent with 94.7 percent of citizens approving of the government’s strict shelter-at-home policies.   Even presidents Piñera and Duque who had struggled with low approval ratings throughout 2019 and saw those numbers sink even lower after the social protests that ended the year have seen their numbers rise.  

According to an 20th April poll, Piñera’s popular approval rating swelled from 13 percent in March 18th at the start of the crisis to 25 per cent by 20th April; while hardly a sweeping popular mandate, even that level was unthinkable only a few months ago when administration was battered by social protests. 

In Colombia, after a series of political missteps and the popular protests, Duque’s popular approval rating had slumped to 26 per cent; by April 2nd, 62 percent of Colombians supported the once-beleaguered president.   (No recent surveys were available for Bukele in El Salvador.)

In contrast, Bolsonaro’s in Brazil has only nudged up.  Before the crisis hit, the president’s popularity had been in steady decline from a high of 49 per cent in January 2019 to 30 per cent by early December 2019. But by the first week in April, in the midst of a crisis in which other presidents saw their approval ratings increase by double digits, after his public disagreements with the health minister, Bolsonaro’s had sunk to 33 per cent while the soon-to-be-fired Mandetta’s stood at 76 per cent.  

AMLO in Mexico has fared no better. The populist leftist scored a high 86 per cent approval rating in February 1, 2019. By March 28, 2020 with concerns over his weak and flippant COVID-19 response and a severe contraction in economic growth, AMLO’s approval rating had sunk 26 points to 60 per cent and his disapproval stood at 37 per cent.    

In the midst of disharmony, coordination

Despite these differences, many countries in the region have shown the solidarity they often speak of but rarely follow in policy or practice. Peru, Chile and other countries have collaborated in repatriating citizens back to their home countries in the midst of the crisis.  

Even the countries of the Southern Cone common market, MERCOSUR, have pulled together on a number of fronts.  The trade bloc had effectively been ruled a dead-man-walking after its failed efforts to integrate Venezuela into the bloc, lowering its standards to let in the petroleum dependent semi-authoritarian government of then President Hugo Chávez. 

Even on the basics of internal cooperation, the block was struggling, unable to coordinate monetary policies and non-tariff trade barriers between the original founding member states, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

The 35-year-old customs union seemed to get a breath a new life with the announcement that it had concluded 20-year-long negotiations with the EU for a free trade deal. Ratification of that deal, however, ran aground on the political differences between the recently elected governments of Bolsonaro in Brazil and the Peronist Fernández in Argentina. 

Bolsonaro refused to attend the Fernández December 2019 inauguration, in protest of the newly elected president’s leftist leanings.  And this was well before their sharply divergent reactions to the COVID-19 virus. 

How surprising then that Mercosur has served as an effective coordination mechanism for these different and once opposed governments. The trade body is collaborating among member states to ensure the repatriation of citizens and has agreed to coordinate to ensure that trade flows, especially of medical supplies, are not interrupted by shutdown measures

Mercosur has even gone one step further than several other bodies have failed to take.  In early April the bloc’s governing body, based in Montevideo, Uruguay created a $16 million (12 million pound) fund to augment country research and assist in the purchase of supplies needed to combat the virus.  

Now if Brazil, Argentina and the others could only coordinate their domestic coronavirus responses and economic policy. In late March Fernández announced he was pulling Argentina out of a possible Mercosur-EU trade deal.




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PERMEN AILIDA CANDY OBAT PERANGSANG WANITA - Rahasia Pria

Permen Ailida Candy Obat Perangsang merupakan perangsang wanita herbal yang berbentu permen candy denga rasa manis seperti buah untuk meningkatkan gairah



  • Sports and Health

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Pelangsing Badan Herbal Lida Obat Diet Alami - Rahasia Pria

Pelangsing Badan Herbal Lida Daidaihua Adalah Pelangsing Badan Yang Mengandung Bahan Herbal Yang Sangat Cepat Menurunkan Berat Badan, Aman Dan Cepat .



  • Sports and Health

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The Effect of Thiazolidinediones on Plasma Adiponectin Levels in Normal, Obese, and Type 2 Diabetic Subjects

Joseph G. Yu
Oct 1, 2002; 51:2968-2974
Obesity Studies




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Thiazolidinediones in the Treatment of Insulin Resistance and Type II Diabetes

Alan R Saltiel
Dec 1, 1996; 45:1661-1669
Perspectives in Diabetes




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PPAR-gamma: adipogenic regulator and thiazolidinedione receptor

BM Spiegelman
Apr 1, 1998; 47:507-514
Articles




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Nigeria’s Solid Minerals Sector: Alternative Investment Opportunities

Research Event

19 May 2016 - 2:00pm to 4:00pm

UK Houses of Parliament, Westminster, London

Event participants

HE Dr Kayode Fayemi, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Nigeria
HE Aminu Bello Masari, Governor of Katsina State, Nigeria
Chair: Chi Onwurah MP, Vice Chair, All Party Parliamentary Group on Nigeria

As Nigeria seeks to diversify its economy, the federal government is prioritizing the development of the solid minerals sector, in order to enhance foreign investment, create local job opportunities and build technological capacity and expertise in mining.

At this event, Minister for Solid Minerals Development HE Dr Kayode Fayemi, will discuss plans and priorities for the solid minerals sector including the strengthening of regulatory frameworks and opportunities for investment. Following this, HE Aminu Bello Masari, governor of Katsina State, will discuss state initiatives for solid minerals sector development in northern Nigeria.

This event is now full and registration is closed.

Department/project




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Cholecystokinin 2 Receptor Agonist 177Lu-PP-F11N for Radionuclide Therapy of Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma: Results of the Lumed Phase 0a Study

Treatment of patients with advanced medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is still a challenge. For more than 2 decades, it has been known that the cholecystokinin 2 receptor is a promising target for the treatment of MTC with radiolabeled minigastrin analogs. Unfortunately, kidney toxicity has precluded their therapeutic application so far. In 6 consecutive patients, we evaluated with advanced 3-dimensional dosimetry whether improved minigastrin analog 177Lu-DOTA-(d-Glu)6-Ala-Tyr-Gly-Trp-Nle-Asp-PheNH2 (177Lu-PP-F11N) is a suitable agent for the treatment of MTC. Methods: Patients received 2 injections of about 1 GBq (~80 μg) of 177Lu-PP-F11N with and without a solution of succinylated gelatin (SG, a plasma expander used for nephroprotection) in a random crossover sequence to evaluate biodistribution, pharmacokinetics, and tumor and organ dosimetry. An electrocardiogram was obtained and blood count and blood chemistry were measured up to 12 wk after the administration of 177Lu-PP-F11N to assess safety. Results: In all patients, 177Lu-PP-F11N accumulation was visible in tumor tissue, stomach, and kidneys. Altogether, 13 tumors were eligible for dosimetry. The median absorbed doses for tumors, stomach, kidneys, and bone marrow were 0.88 (interquartile range [IQR]: 0.85–1.04), 0.42 (IQR: 0.25–1.01), 0.11 (IQR: 0.07–0.13), and 0.028 (IQR: 0.026–0.034) Gy/GBq, respectively. These doses resulted in median tumor-to-kidney dose ratios of 11.6 (IQR: 8.11–14.4) without SG and 13.0 (IQR: 10.2–18.6) with SG; these values were not significantly different (P = 1.0). The median tumor-to-stomach dose ratio was 3.34 (IQR: 1.14–4.70). Adverse reactions (mainly hypotension, flushing, and hypokalemia) were self-limiting and not higher than grade 1. Conclusion: 177Lu-PP-F11N accumulates specifically in MTC at a dose that is sufficient for a therapeutic approach. With a low kidney and bone marrow radiation dose, 177Lu-PP-F11N shows a promising biodistribution. The dose-limiting organ is most likely the stomach. Further clinical studies are necessary to evaluate the maximum tolerated dose and the efficacy of 177Lu-PP-F11N.




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First-in-Humans Imaging with 89Zr-Df-IAB22M2C Anti-CD8 Minibody in Patients with Solid Malignancies: Preliminary Pharmacokinetics, Biodistribution, and Lesion Targeting

Immunotherapy is becoming the mainstay for treatment of a variety of malignancies, but only a subset of patients responds to treatment. Tumor-infiltrating CD8-positive (CD8+) T lymphocytes play a central role in antitumor immune responses. Noninvasive imaging of CD8+ T cells may provide new insights into the mechanisms of immunotherapy and potentially predict treatment response. We are studying the safety and utility of 89Zr-IAB22M2C, a radiolabeled minibody against CD8+ T cells, for targeted imaging of CD8+ T cells in patients with cancer. Methods: The initial dose escalation phase of this first-in-humans prospective study included 6 patients (melanoma, 1; lung, 4; hepatocellular carcinoma, 1). Patients received approximately 111 MBq (3 mCi) of 89Zr-IAB22M2C (at minibody mass doses of 0.2, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 5, or 10 mg) as a single dose, followed by PET/CT scans at approximately 1–2, 6–8, 24, 48, and 96–144 h after injection. Biodistribution in normal organs, lymph nodes, and lesions was evaluated. In addition, serum samples were obtained at approximately 5, 30, and 60 min and later at the times of imaging. Patients were monitored for safety during infusion and up to the last imaging time point. Results: 89Zr-IAB22M2C infusion was well tolerated, with no immediate or delayed side effects observed after injection. Serum clearance was typically biexponential and dependent on the mass of minibody administered. Areas under the serum time–activity curve, normalized to administered activity, ranged from 1.3 h/L for 0.2 mg to 8.9 h/L for 10 mg. Biodistribution was dependent on the minibody mass administered. The highest uptake was always in spleen, followed by bone marrow. Liver uptake was more pronounced with higher minibody masses. Kidney uptake was typically low. Prominent uptake was seen in multiple normal lymph nodes as early as 2 h after injection, peaking by 24–48 h after injection. Uptake in tumor lesions was seen on imaging as early as 2 h after injection, with most 89Zr-IAB22M2C–positive lesions detectable by 24 h. Lesions were visualized early in patients receiving treatment, with SUV ranging from 5.85 to 22.8 in 6 target lesions. Conclusion: 89Zr-IAB22M2C imaging is safe and has favorable kinetics for early imaging. Biodistribution suggests successful targeting of CD8+ T-cell–rich tissues. The observed targeting of tumor lesions suggests this may be informative for CD8+ T-cell accumulation within tumors. Further evaluation is under way.




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Use of electronic medical records in development and validation of risk prediction models of hospital readmission: systematic review




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Many Psychology Experiments Lack Evidence of Validity, Says Report

Source:

An examination of nearly 350 published psychological experiments found that nearly half failed to show that they were based on a valid foundation of empirical evidence, suggesting that a wide swath of psychological science may be based on an "untested foundation."






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Severe Hypoglycemia and Cognitive Function in Older Adults With Type 1 Diabetes: The Study of Longevity in Diabetes (SOLID)

OBJECTIVE

In children with type 1 diabetes (T1D), severe hypoglycemia (SH) is associated with poorer cognition, but the association of SH with cognitive function in late life is unknown. Given the increasing life expectancy in people with T1D, understanding the role of SH in brain health is crucial.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We examined the association between SH and cognitive function in 718 older adults with T1D from the Study of Longevity in Diabetes (SOLID). Subjects self-reported recent SH (previous 12 months) and lifetime history of SH resulting in inpatient/emergency department utilization. Global and domain-specific cognition (language, executive function, episodic memory, and simple attention) were assessed. The associations of SH with cognitive function and impaired cognition were evaluated via linear and logistic regression models, respectively.

RESULTS

Thirty-two percent of participants (mean age 67.2 years) reported recent SH and 50% reported lifetime SH. Compared with those with no SH, subjects with a recent SH history had significantly lower global cognition scores. Domain-specific analyses revealed significantly lower scores on language, executive function, and episodic memory with recent SH exposure and significantly lower executive function with lifetime SH exposure. Recent SH was associated with impaired global cognition (odds ratio [OR] 3.22, 95% CI 1.30, 7.94) and cognitive impairment on the language domain (OR 3.15, 95% CI 1.19, 8.29).

CONCLUSIONS

Among older adults with T1D, recent SH and lifetime SH were associated with worse cognition. Recent SH was associated with impaired global cognition. These findings suggest a deleterious role of SH on the brain health of older patients with T1D and highlight the importance of SH prevention.




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Migration, Development, and Global Governance: From Crisis toward Consolidation

Migration and development policy discussions have edged closer to each other on the international stage. The adoption of the Global Compact for Migration in December 2018 marks an important milestone. As all eyes turn toward the compact’s implementation, this brief examines some of the key topics states have pledged to work more closely on—from labor migration and migrants’ rights, to returns and reintegration.




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More than 70 dead in Rwanda after floods, landslides

Heavy rains, flash flooding and landslides have led to the deaths of more than 70 people in Rwanda, officials said Friday.




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Redefining Hypoglycemia in Clinical Trials: Validation of Definitions Recently Adopted by the American Diabetes Association/European Association for the Study of Diabetes

OBJECTIVE

To determine if the International Hypoglycaemia Study Group (IHSG) level 2 low glucose definition can identify clinically relevant hypoglycemia in clinical trials and offer value as an end point for future trials.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

A post hoc analysis was performed of the SWITCH (SWITCH 1: n = 501, type 1 diabetes; SWITCH 2: n = 721, type 2 diabetes) and DEVOTE (n = 7,637, type 2 diabetes) trials utilizing the IHSG low glucose definitions. Patients in all trials were randomized to either insulin degludec or insulin glargine 100 units/mL. In the main analysis, the following definitions were compared: 1) American Diabetes Association (ADA) 2005 (plasma glucose [PG] confirmed ≤3.9 mmol/L with symptoms); and 2) IHSG level 2 (PG confirmed <3.0 mmol/L, independent of symptoms).

RESULTS

In SWITCH 2, the estimated rate ratios of hypoglycemic events indicated increasing differences between treatments with decreasing PG levels until 3.0 mmol/L, following which no additional treatment differences were observed. Similar results were observed for the SWITCH 1 trial. In SWITCH 2, the IHSG level 2 definition produced a rate ratio that was lower than the ADA 2005 definition.

CONCLUSIONS

The IHSG level 2 definition was validated in a series of clinical trials, demonstrating its ability to discriminate between basal insulins. This definition is therefore recommended to be uniformly adopted by regulatory bodies and used in future clinical trials.




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[ Other - Holidays ] Open Question : What should I give my mom for Mother’s Day ?

No pets no electronics so maybe something that is nice and simple but homemade




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When Disadvantages Collide

One hundred forty-three years ago, women's suffrage advocate Elizabeth Cady Stanton faced a conundrum: With the Civil War over, Stanton had to decide whether to support the 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution, which enabled black men to vote -- at a time when white women such as herself...




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How Schools Will Overcome the 'Coronavirus Slide:' Ideas From 5 Superintendents

With many school buildings closed for the rest of the academic year—and more to follow—district leaders turn their attention to making up for what may be deep learning losses.




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How Schools Will Overcome the 'Coronavirus Slide:' Ideas From 5 Superintendents

With many school buildings closed for the rest of the academic year—and more to follow—district leaders turn their attention to making up for what may be deep learning losses.




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How Schools Will Overcome the 'Coronavirus Slide:' Ideas From 5 Superintendents

With many school buildings closed for the rest of the academic year—and more to follow—district leaders turn their attention to making up for what may be deep learning losses.




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How Schools Will Overcome the 'Coronavirus Slide:' Ideas From 5 Superintendents

With many school buildings closed for the rest of the academic year—and more to follow—district leaders turn their attention to making up for what may be deep learning losses.




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Tom's holiday / Michelle McLaughlin ; illustrated by Morgan Todonai.

"Tom's Holiday is all about road safety for young children. Tom and his family park the car and head for the beach at a little beachside village. The beachside village is different from home in the city - there are no footpaths. Mum and Dad teach Tom that we must be careful because holiday towns don't have kerbs and gutters. The roads can be thin and there aren't white lines. It's very important that children hold their parent's hand" -- From the Internet.




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SACAT's new jurisdiction and emerging jurisprudence : slides / presented by Her Honour Justice Judy Hughes, Supreme Court of South Australioa.




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Forum 2019 : 2A: Competition and consumer law update 2019 : slides / presented by Matt Murphy, Anthony Mason Chambers.




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Forum 2019 : 2D: Marketing hacks for legal services in 2019 : slides / presented by Loren Renton, Business Partnership and Digital Strategy Manager, NewsCorp.




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Forum 2019 : 3A Parliamentary committees : in theory and practice : slides / presented by Iain Evans, Former Member of Parliament.




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Forum 2019 : 3C: What documents a practitioner should or shouldn't release to a client : slides / presented by Jon Clarke, Cowell Clarke, Peter Jackson, Duncan Basheer Hannon, Rebecca Sandford, HWL Ebsorth Lawyers.




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Forum 2019 : 3C Lessons for practitioners from 5 years as Commissioner : slides / presented by Greg May, Legal Profession Conduct Commissioner.