Impact of Selective Mapping Strategies on Automated Laboratory Result Notification to Public Health Authorities

Automated electronic laboratory reporting (ELR) for public health has many potential advantages, but requires mapping local laboratory test codes to a standard vocabulary such as LOINC. Mapping only the most frequently reported tests provides one way to prioritize the effort and mitigate the resource burden. We evaluated the implications of selective mapping on ELR for public health by comparing reportable conditions from an operational ELR system with the codes in the LOINC Top 2000. Laboratory result codes in the LOINC Top 2000 accounted for 65.3% of the reportable condition volume. However, by also including the 129 most frequent LOINC codes that identified reportable conditions in our system but were not present in the LOINC Top 2000, this set would cover 98% of the reportable condition volume. Our study highlights the ways that our approach to implementing vocabulary standards impacts secondary data uses such as public health reporting

Control of viral infection by natural killer cell inhibitory receptors

Major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I)-restricted immune responses are largely attributed to cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). However, natural killer (NK) cells, as predicted by the missing-self hypothesis, have opposing requirements for MHC-I, suggesting that they may also demonstrate MHC-I-restricted effects. In mice, the Ly49 inhibitory receptors prevent NK cell killing of missing-self targets in effector responses, and they have a proposed second function in licensing or educating NK cells via self-MHC-I in vivo. Here we show MHC-I-restricted control of murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) infection in vivo that is NK cell dependent. Using mice lacking specific Ly49 receptors, we show that control of MCMV requires inhibitory Ly49 receptors and an inhibitory signaling motif and the capacity for MCMV to downregulate MHC-I. Taken together, these data provide definitive evidence that the inhibitory receptors are required for missing-self rejection and are relevant to MHC-I-restricted NK cell control of a viral infection in vivo

COPPER(I) COMPLEXES OF 1,10-PHENANTHROLINE DERIVATIVES: PROPERTIES OF THE CHARGE-TRANSFER PHOTOEXCITED STATES

The photophysical properties of a series of complexes of the type Cu(NN)(,2)(\u27+) have been studied where NN is one of the ligands (2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline, 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline or 4,4\u27,6,6\u27-tetramethyl-2,2\u27-bipyridine). The quantum yields for these complexes in CH(,2)Cl(,2) at 25(DEGREES)C are 2.1 x 10(\u27-4), 2.5 x 10(\u27-4) and 0.5 x 10(\u27-4) respectively. It has been found that the emission intensity of these complexes decreases as the temperature is lowered. These results have been interpreted in terms of two emitting states where the population of the upper level, which has a more favorable radiative rate constant, requires thermal energy. In the case of the 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline complex, the radiative rate constant for the lowest energy emitting state was determined to be on the order of 10(\u273) s(\u27-1), typical of a triplet state, while the higher energy state exhibited a radiative rate constant of 10(\u277) s(\u27-1), typical of a singlet state. The energy separation of these two states is approximately 1800 cm(\u27-1). The kinetics of quenching the (\u273)d-(pi)* excited state of Cu(dpp)(,2)(\u27+) (where dpp is 2,9-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline) by a series of Cr(acac)(,3) derivatives (acac is 2,4-pentanedionate) and a series of nitroaromatic compounds in CH(,2)Cl(,2) at 20(DEGREES)C has also been studied. For the nitroaromatic compounds, the quenching rate falls off as the electrode potential of the quencher ranges below that of *Cu(dpp)(,2)(\u27+). These results are consistent with an electron transfer mechanism, and the results were analyzed by a variation of Marcus theory. The self-exchange rate has been estimated at 8 x 10(\u279) M(\u27-1) s(\u27-1). The Cr(III) quenchers span a wider potential range and are also capable of undergoing energy-transfer quenching to low-lying doublet states. The rates show a sigmoidal dependence on quencher potential indicating a shift from an electron-transfer to an energy-transfer quenching mechanism. The self-exchange rate for the Cr(III)/Cr(II) couple is estimated to be 2 x 10(\u279) M(\u27-1) s(\u27-1), suggesting that the Cr(II) forms are low-spin

Elastomer-metal laminate armor

The article of record as published may be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.matdes.2016.08.072A study was carried out of pressure wave transmission and the ballistic penetration of steel substrates incorporating a front-face laminate, the latter consisting of alternating layers of thin metal and a soft polymer; the latter undergoes a viscoelastic phase transition on impact. The ballistic properties of laminate/steel structures are substantially better than conventional military armor. This enhanced performance has three origins: large energy absorption by the viscoelastic polymer, a significant strain-hardening of the material, and lateral spreading of the impact force. These mechanisms, active only at high strain rates, depend on the chemical structure of the polymer but not on the particular metal used in the laminate.Office of Naval Research Code 33

State and Local Health Agency Engagement in HIE: A Cross-Sectional Survey

A survey of state and local agencies characterizes relationships with health information exchange organizations. Few agencies are engaged in HIE, except where CDC has made strategic investments

Towards Estimation of Electronic Laboratory Reporting Volumes in a Meaningful Use World

Given the prospect of a dramatic increase in anticipated electronic laboratory reporting volume due to Stage 2 meaningful use criteria, we calculated a rough estimate based on prior volumes in a large population

Evaluating the Variation on Public Health's Perceived Field Need of Communicable Disease Reports

One of the factors affecting the quality of health data is the variation in public health practitioners' perceived value of the information. To better understand this variation, we asked four local public health practitioners' to evaluate the fields they use for four communicable diseases. We assessed their perceived value of these fields to initiate or complete communicable disease case reports and the variability in their responses

State and Local Health Agency Engagement in HIE: A Cross-Sectional Survey

Testing is a crucial part of soft\u89ware development, which is oft\u89en seen as the gatekeeper of quality assurance. Testing can be divided into several di\u82fferent stages of so\u89ftware development. What knowledge testing requires and what tools are used in various phases is diff\u82erent from each business and type of application that is under test. Th\u91e functionality, tested close to the source of implementation, is almost always cheaper, easier to maintain, and less fragile both in hours and monetary costs. Code in a database is no di\u82fferent from code elsewhere in the system, writing database unit tests are equally important to writing unit tests for other code. Database testing is a complicated process but many tools support developers in their work. In this report four diff\u82erent tools will be compared on their usability to \u80find out if there is any tool that is signi\u80ficantly be\u8btter than the others. Th\u91e tools chosen are Ready API, JMeter, DBUnit, and Oracle SQL Developer, representing both open-source and commercial tools. Ready API and Oracle SQL Developer are selected by the client, Skatt\u8beverket. Let us look at database testing as unit tests for the code (stored procedure, views, or other complex operation) in the database. Th\u91is thesis is investigating the usability of database testing tools. Considering what kind of knowledge is required from the user (e.g. tester or developer) and if the tests can be integrated with a build, test, and deploy pipeline. To understand di\u82fferences in usability of tools interviews were performed among soft\u89ware testers at the client, which gives a more detailed understanding of the tools. To get a broader perspective a survey within the global testing community was also performed. Based on the feedback from both the survey and the interviews there is no signi\u80ficant diff\u82erence regarding usability for the chosen tools

Front-facing fluoropolymer-coated armor composite

PatentA front-facing armor system utilizing a composite laminate backed by a high hardness substrate. The composite laminate comprises a series of first and second layers. The first layer of the bi-layer laminate system is a polymer with a density of at least 1.8 g/ᵌ and having both an amorphous and crystalline phase, and having phase transformation pressure of at least 0.5 GPa at a temperature of 20° C. The second layer of each bi-layer provides acoustic impedance mismatch to generate reflections of the incident compression wave following ballistic impact. Under ballistic impact, the polymer comprising the armor system undergoes a shockinduced transition resulting in a marked change in microstructure and mechanical behavior, providing a significant kinetic energy absorption mechanism