SMARTPHONE USAGE AND THE NEED FOR CONSUMER PRIVACY LAWS

Many Americans use smartphones for a variety of personal, recreational, and business affairs. While the increasing popularity of smartphones and mobile technology has advanced communication, new uses have created privacy breaches of personal and consumer information. This article examines the different ways that American smartphone users use their mobile devices as well as the various types of data created.This article also explores the vulnerabilities faced by smartphone users. Vulnerabilities occur through the use of traditional hacking and malware, but can extend to the collection and dissemination of personal and consumer information by smartphone applications. The article concludes by examining different solutions for privacy breaches. Some solutions may be implemented on an individual or institutional level. Other solutions to privacy breaches require the enforcement and extension of legislation upon telecommunication companies and application developers

At the Heart of the Diagnosis: A Case of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Presenting as Cardiac Tamponade

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogenous, systemic disease characterized by the production of pathogenic autoantibodies against nuclear antigens. Although the most common cardiac manifestation of SLE is pericardial effusions, their progression to cardiac tamponade is rare and has an incidence between 1-3%. We describe a case of a 42-year-old Hispanic woman who presented with severe shortness of breath, vague chest pain, and hemodynamic compromise secondary to cardiac tamponade. The patient\u27s underlying etiology of cardiac tamponade was attributed to a new diagnosis of SLE based on the 2019 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology/American College of Rheumatology classification (EULAR/ACR) criteria for SLE. The patient\u27s treatment consisted of a pericardial window and immunosuppressive therapy with corticosteroids, Mycophenolate, and hydroxychloroquine. This case aims to increase awareness of SLE as a possible differential diagnosis of cardiac tamponade in the appropriate clinical setting

A Case of Hemorrhagic Myositis Associated With Prophylactic Heparin Use in Dermatomyositis

Dermatomyositis (DM) is a rare systemic autoimmune disease that is associated with inflammation of the skin and muscles. It typically presents with weakness of the proximal muscles along with characteristic skin lesions such as Gottron\u27s papules and heliotrope rash. One of the most feared complications of this disease is the appearance of spontaneous hemorrhagic myositis, as most reported cases are fatal. The mechanism or risk factors of this condition have not been elucidated; however, prophylactic anticoagulation has been correlated with it in previous case reports, although idiopathic hemorrhagic myositis may also be present. We present a case of spontaneous intramuscular hemorrhage (SIH) in a recently diagnosed DM patient. A 59-year-old Hispanic male with a medical history of recently diagnosed prostate cancer and DM presented to the emergency department (ED) due to worsening anemia. His previous hemoglobin (Hgb) was 9 g/dl, but repeated laboratory tests revealed a level of 6.5 g/dl and later 5.5 g/dl at the ED. On admission, the patient was afebrile, tachycardic, and normotensive, with no overt sign of gastrointestinal bleeding. The physical exam revealed an ecchymosis on the right medial aspect of the thigh, and a digital rectal exam was negative. Computer tomography (CT) of the abdomen and pelvis without contrast was ordered due to suspicion of a retroperitoneal hematoma, revealing an interval development of a right groin complex fluid collection of up to 6 cm, concerning a possible hematoma. The patient did not have any previous vascular procedures in the area but was exposed to deep vein thrombosis (DVT) prophylaxis during the previous admission. Vascular surgery was consulted, and the recommendation was made to proceed with conservative management. On the third day, the patient developed new-onset, left-sided pleuritic chest pain. Upon examination, significant swelling and tenderness were noted in his left pectoral region, which was not present on admission. A CT chest without contrast was ordered due to concerns of underlying hematomas, revealing bilateral thickening of the pectoralis muscles, more on the right side, with a fluid collection of 2.5 cm × 1.3 cm. In addition, there was thickening of the right lateral chest wall muscles in the posterior right trapezius or supraspinatus muscles, most likely from intramuscular hemorrhage. The patient was transferred to the step-down unit for close monitoring. Conservative management was continued with as-needed transfusions for three days until hemoglobin stabilized at 9.8 mg/dL. Once stable, the patient was resumed on steroids and immunosuppressive therapy with posterior resolution of the SIH. SIH has been reported in DM, particularly more prominent in those with anti-MDA-5 antibodies. A case series and literature review showed 60.9% mortality within six months in those presenting with SIH, with a poorer prognosis (80% mortality) in those with deep muscle bleeding versus superficial (25%). There is currently no consensus on the treatment approach, and arterial embolization has not been proven effective. In our patient, conservative management with close surveillance and frequent transfusions helped achieve hemodynamic stability. Clinicians should be more aware of these rare but life-threatening complications in patients presenting with DM

The progenitors of the intra-cluster light and intra-cluster globular clusters in galaxy groups and clusters

We use the IllustrisTNG50 cosmological hydrodynamical simulation, complemented by a catalog of tagged globular clusters, to investigate the properties and build up of two extended luminous components: the intra-cluster light (ICL) and the intra-cluster globular clusters (ICGC). We select the 39 most massive groups and clusters in the box, spanning the range of virial masses $5 \times 10^{12} < \rm M_{200}/\rm M_{\odot} < 2 \times 10^{14}$. We find good agreement between predictions from the simulations and current observational estimates of the fraction of mass in the ICL and its radial extension. The stellar mass of the ICL is only $\sim10\%-20\%$ of the stellar mass in the central galaxy but encodes useful information on the assembly history of the group or cluster. About half the ICL in all our systems is brought in by galaxies in a narrow stellar mass range, $M_*=10^{10}-10^{11}$ $\rm M_{\odot}$. However, the contribution of low-mass galaxies ($M_*<10^{10}$ $\rm M_{\odot}$) to the build-up of the ICL varies broadly from system to system, $\sim 5\%-45\%$, a feature that might be recovered from the observable properties of the ICL at $z=0$. At fixed virial mass, systems where the accretion of dwarf galaxies plays an important role have shallower metallicity profiles, less metal content and a lower stellar mass in the ICL than systems where the main contributors are more massive galaxies. We show that intra-cluster GCs are also good tracers of this history, representing a valuable alternative when diffuse light is not detectable

Crosslinked electrospun zein-based food packaging coatings containing bioactive chilto fruit extracts

peer-reviewedIn this work, zein fibers loaded with phenolic-enriched extracts from pulp, seed and skin of orange chilto were collected on polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) films through the electrospinning technique, for their potential use as bioactive internal coatings for food packaging applications. The zein fibers were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The water stability of the zein fibers was improved by crosslinking with glutaraldehyde vapors. The encapsulation efficiency of all bioactive phenolic-enriched extracts was greater than 90%. Encapsulation in the zein fibers improved the thermostability of the extracts. Two food simulants (50% ethanol and 3% acetic acid) were used to evaluate the release of the extracts from the crosslinked zein fibers. It was observed that crosslinking delayed the release of phenolic compounds (rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid and its derivates) in both solvents (80% released after 7 days of contact in 50% ethanol and 23 days in 3% acetic acid) and their antioxidant properties were kept. Therefore, this work demonstrates the potential of the developed zein-based encapsulation structures containing chilto extracts to be applied as antioxidant coatings in food packaging structures to contribute to the preservation of both hydrophilic and lipophilic food products

Nephromyces Represents a Diverse and Novel Lineage of the Apicomplexa That Has Retained Apicoplasts

A most interesting exception within the parasitic Apicomplexa is Nephromyces, an extracellular, probably mutualistic, endosymbiont found living inside molgulid ascidian tunicates (i.e., sea squirts). Even though Nephromyces is now known to be an apicomplexan, many other questions about its nature remain unanswered. To gain further insights into the biology and evolutionary history of this unusual apicomplexan, we aimed to 1) find the precise phylogenetic position of Nephromyces within the Apicomplexa, 2) search for the apicoplast genome of Nephromyces, and 3) infer the major metabolic pathways in the apicoplast of Nephromyces. To do this, we sequenced a metagenome and a metatranscriptome from the molgulid renal sac, the specialized habitat where Nephromyces thrives. Our phylogenetic analyses of conserved nucleus-encoded genes robustly suggest that Nephromyces is a novel lineage sister to the Hematozoa, which comprises both the Haemosporidia (e.g., Plasmodium) and the Piroplasmida (e.g., Babesia and Theileria). Furthermore, a survey of the renal sac metagenome revealed 13 small contigs that closely resemble the genomes of the nonphotosynthetic reduced plastids, or apicoplasts, of other apicomplexans. We show that these apicoplast genomes correspond to a diverse set of most closely related but genetically divergent Nephromyces lineages that co-inhabit a single tunicate host. In addition, the apicoplast of Nephromyces appears to have retained all biosynthetic pathways inferred to have been ancestral to parasitic apicomplexans. Our results shed light on the evolutionary history of the only probably mutualistic apicomplexan known, Nephromyces, and provide context for a better understanding of its life style and intricate symbiosis

Non-invasive monitoring of hypoxia-inducible factor activation by optical imaging during antiangiogenic treatment in a xenograft model of ovarian carcinoma

Open Access Article.Targeting the hypoxia response pathway and angiogenesis are two promising therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment. Their use as single strategies has important limitations. Thus, development of combined regimens has become an important step toward improving therapeutic efficacy. Also, non-invasive monitoring of the response to targeted biological therapies, as well as determination of the optimal schedule for combination regimens has become an active field of research over the last five years, with relevance for both preclinical and clinical settings. Here, we used an optical imaging method to non-invasively monitor the functional changes in HIF activity in response to antiangiogenic treatment in a xenograft model of human ovarian carcinoma. A bioluminescent reporter construct containing nine copies of the hypoxia response element upstream of the luciferase gene (9xHRE-luciferase) was characterized in vitro in a panel of tumor cell lines and in vivo in a subcutaneous xenograft model of ovarian carcinoma by means of optical imaging. We showed that in OVCAR-3 subcutaneous xenografts, the most abrupt change in the HIF functional reporter occurs before the onset of massive tumor growth. However, this system failed to detect hypoxia induced upon antiangiogenic treatment due to the compensating effects of increased hypoxia and decreased tumor cell viability caused by imbalanced neovascularization vs. tumor expansion. Therefore, the readout based on HIF functional reporter could be conditioned by the dynamics of tumor growth and angiogenesis, which is highly variable depending on the tumor type, tumor model and stage of progression.This study was supported by grants from the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología/Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (SAF2008-03147 to LdP and SAF2010-19256 to BJ), Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (S-SAL-0311_2006) and the 7th Research Framework Programme of the European Union (METOXIA, project ref. HEALTH-F2-2009-222741). B.M.P. and V.G. have been supported by a grant from the Comunidad Autónoma de Madrid (S-SAL-0311_2006).Peer Reviewe

Phytophthora austrocedri in Argentina and co-Inhabiting phytophthoras: roles of anthropogenic and abiotic factors in species distribution and diversity

This work reports the first survey of Phytophthora diversity in the forests soils of Andean Patagonia. It also discusses the role of anthropogenic impact on Phytophthora distribution inferred from the findings on Phytophthora diversity and on the distribution of Phytophthora austrocedri-diseased forests. Invasive pathogen species threatening ecosystems and human activities contribute to their entry and spread. Information on pathogens already established, and early detection of potential invasive ones, are crucial to disease management and prevention. Phytophthora austrocedri causes the most damaging forest disease in Patagonia, affecting the endemic species Austrocedrus chilensis (D. Don) Pic. Sern. and Bizzarri. However, the relationship between anthropogenic impacts and the disease distribution has not been analyzed enough. The aims of this work were: to evaluate Phytophthora diversity in soils of Andean Patagonia using a metabarcoding method, and analyze this information in relation to soil type and land use; to assess the distribution of Austrocedrus disease over time in relation to anthropogenic and abiotic gradients in an area of interest; and to discuss the role of human activities in Phytophthora spread. High throughput Illumina sequencing was used to detect Phytophthora DNA in soil samples. The distribution of Austrocedrus disease over time was assessed by satellite imagery interpretation. Twenty-three Phytophthora species, 12 of which were new records for Argentina, were detected. The most abundant species was P. austrocedri, followed by P. × cambivora, P. ramorum and P. kernoviae. The most frequent was P. × cambivora, followed by P. austrocedri and P. ramorum. Phytophthora richness and abundance, and Austrocedrus disease distribution, were influenced by land use, anthropogenic impact and soil drainage. Results showed several Phytophthoras, including well-known pathogenic species. The threat they could present to Patagonian ecosystems and their relations to human activities are discussed. This study evidenced the need of management measures to control the spread of P. austrocedri and other invasive Phytophthora species in Patagonia.EEA EsquelFil: Vélez, María Laura. Centro de Investigación y Extensión Forestal Andino Patagónico (CIEFAP); ArgentinaFil: Vélez, María Laura. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Vélez, María Laura. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco; ArgentinaFil: La Manna, Ludmila. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco. Facultad de Ingeniería. Centro de Estudios Ambientales Integrados; ArgentinaFil: La Manna, Ludmila. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Tarabini, Manuela. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco. Facultad de Ingeniería. Centro de Estudios Ambientales Integrados; ArgentinaFil: Tarabini, Manuela. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gómez, Federico Antonio. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco. Facultad de Ingeniería. Centro de Estudios Ambientales Integrados; ArgentinaFil: Gómez, Federico Antonio. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Gómez, Federico Antonio. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agroforestal Esquel; ArgentinaFil: Elliott, Matt. Forest Research; EscociaFil: Hedley, Pete. Instituto James Hutton, Cell and Molecular Sciences; Reino UnidoFil: Cock, Peter. Instituto James Hutton, Information and Computational Sciences; Reino UnidoFil: Greslebin, Alina. Centro de Investigación Esquel de Montaña y Estepa Patagónica; ArgentinaFil: Greslebin, Alina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Greslebin, Alina. Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia San Juan Bosco. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Ciencias de la Salud; Argentin

Evaluation of Two Computational Techniques of Calculating Multipath Using Global Positioning System Carrier Phase Measurements

Two computational techniques are used to calculate differential phase errors on Global Positioning System (GPS) carrier war phase measurements due to certain multipath-producing objects. The two computational techniques are a rigorous computati electromagnetics technique called Geometric Theory of Diffraction (GTD) and the other is a simple ray tracing method. The GTD technique has been used successfully to predict microwave propagation characteristics by taking into account the dominant multipath components due to reflections and diffractions from scattering structures. The ray tracing technique only solves for reflected signals. The results from the two techniques are compared to GPS differential carrier phase ns taken on the ground using a GPS receiver in the presence of typical International Space Station (ISS) interference structures. The calculations produced using the GTD code compared to the measured results better than the ray tracing technique. The agreement was good, demonstrating that the phase errors due to multipath can be modeled and characterized using the GTD technique and characterized to a lesser fidelity using the DECAT technique. However, some discrepancies were observed. Most of the discrepancies occurred at lower devations and were either due to phase center deviations of the antenna, the background multipath environment, or the receiver itself. Selected measured and predicted differential carrier phase error results are presented and compared. Results indicate that reflections and diffractions caused by the multipath producers, located near the GPS antennas, can produce phase shifts of greater than 10 mm, and as high as 95 mm. It should be noted tl the field test configuration was meant to simulate typical ISS structures, but the two environments are not identical. The GZ and DECAT techniques have been used to calculate phase errors due to multipath o the ISS configuration to quantify the expected attitude determination errors