Autoimmune Interventions: Between (Bio)deconstruction and (Bio)politics

This thesis puts forward a reinterpretation of the political significance of Jacques Derrida’s concept of autoimmunity. Finding that the generalisation of autoimmunity cannot guarantee a normative politics, the thesis investigates that logic’s effects in the biopolitical thought of Judith Butler, Roberto Esposito, and Hannah Arendt. I argue that autoimmunity shows us that nothing is immune from politicisation, and instead multiplies the possibilities for what political thought and action could be and where they might appear

ChatGPT Goes to Law School

How well can AI models write law school exams without human assistance? To find out, we used the widely publicized AI model ChatGPT to generate answers to the final exams for four classes at the University of Minnesota Law School. We then blindly graded these exams as part of our regular grading processes for each class. Over ninety-five multiple-choice questions and twelve essay questions, ChatGPT performed on average at the level of a C+ student, achieving a low but passing grade in all four courses. After detailing these results, we discuss their implications for legal education and lawyering. We also provide example prompts and advice on how ChatGPT can assist with legal writing

Computational Analysis of Plasma Lipidomics from Mice Fed Standard Chow and Ketogenic Diet

Dietary saturated fatty acids (SFAs) are upregulated in the blood circulation following digestion. A variety of circulating lipid species have been implicated in metabolic and inflammatory diseases; however, due to the extreme variability in serum or plasma lipid concentrations found in human studies, established reference ranges are still lacking, in addition to lipid specificity and diagnostic biomarkers. Mass spectrometry is widely used for identification of lipid species in the plasma, and there are many differences in sample extraction methods within the literature. We used ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to a high-resolution hybrid triple quadrupole-time-of-flight (QToF) mass spectrometry (MS) to compare relative peak abundance of specific lipid species within the following lipid classes: free fatty acids (FFAs), triglycerides (TAGs), phosphatidylcholines (PCs), and sphingolipids (SGs), in the plasma of mice fed a standard chow (SC; low in SFAs) or ketogenic diet (KD; high in SFAs) for two weeks. In this protocol, we used Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and R to visualize how individual mice clustered together according to their diet, and we found that KD-fed mice displayed unique blood profiles for many lipid species identified within each lipid class compared to SC-fed mice. We conclude that two weeks of KD feeding is sufficient to significantly alter circulating lipids, with PCs being the most altered lipid class, followed by SGs, TAGs, and FFAs, including palmitic acid (PA) and PA-saturated lipids. This protocol is needed to advance knowledge on the impact that SFA-enriched diets have on concentrations of specific lipids in the blood that are known to be associated with metabolic and inflammatory diseases

Uptake of childhood influenza vaccine from 2012–2013 to 2014–2015 in the UK and the implications for high-risk children:a retrospective observational cohort study

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate changes in influenza vaccination rates in healthy and at-risk children following the implementation of the UK's childhood influenza immunisation programme. DESIGN: Observational cohort study before and after initiation of the UK's childhood influenza immunisation programme over three influenza seasons (2012–2013, 2013–2014 and 2014–2015) using data from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). SETTING: More than 500 primary care practices in the UK. POPULATION: All individuals aged 2–17 years on 1 September, with at least 12 months of medical history documented in CPRD were retained in the analysis. INTERVENTION: Starting in 2013–2014, all children aged 2 and 3 years were offered influenza vaccination through general practice, and primary school-aged children were offered influenza vaccination in selected counties in England (described as pilot regions). The vaccination programme was extended to all children aged 4 years in England in 2014–2015. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Cumulative vaccination rate from 1 September to 28 February of the next calendar year as assessed by a time-to-event statistical model (vaccination uptake). Age group, sex, region and type of high-risk medical condition were assessed as predictors. RESULTS: Vaccination uptake increased considerably from 2012–2013 to 2013–2014 in targeted children aged 2–3 years, both in children with a high-risk medical condition (from 40.7% to 61.1%) and those without (from 1.0% to 43.0%). Vaccination rates increased also, though less markedly, in older children. In 2014–2015, vaccination rates remained higher than 40% in healthy children aged 2–3 years, although they decreased slightly from 2013–2014 (from 43.0% to 41.8%). Vaccination rates in older healthy children continued to increase, driven primarily by an increase in children aged 4 years to 31.3% in 2014–2015. CONCLUSIONS: The introduction of a universal childhood vaccination policy in the UK increased vaccination rates for targeted children, including those with high-risk conditions

Letter on “Sharing trial results directly with trial participants and other stakeholders after the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic hit the UK:experience from the ActWELL trial

Acknowledgements We would like to thank our ActWELL participants who attended the events for their interest and enthusiasm in making the events a success. We would like to thank Susan MacAskill for giving us permission to use a quote from her email to us. We are also grateful to the technical support who got us through all events, Cormac Staunton (of stauntonmedia.ie). We would also like to acknowledge and thank Dr Katie Gillies and Dr Seonaidh Cotton for their contribution to the design of the evaluation survey. HSRU is core funded by the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government Health and Social Care Directorates. This work was supported by The Scottish Government, grant number BC/ Screening/17/01.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Physician Screening for Intimate Partner Violence in Vermont

Introduction: The term intimate partner violence (or IPV) refers to a threat of abuse or actual psychological, physical, and/or sexual abuse perpetrated by a former or current intimate partner. IPV is an important public health issue that crosses socioeconomic lines. Approximately 4.8 million women experience physical or sexual assault perpetrated by their intimate partner each year in the US. There are no reliable statistics for how many women suffer psychological abuse, but the numbers are likely much higher. Physical, psychological, or sexual injuries can have wide ranging effects, including increased mortality. Although it has been firmly established that the prevalence of IPV is high, physician involvement in screening and diagnosing IPV has historically been very low. Previous studies have addressed IPV screening in other parts of the country. In one study, less than 15% of female patients reported being asked by a health professional about IPV, even though studies have shown that the majority of female patients would reveal their abuse if asked. Also, most physicians screened for IPV when the patient presented with physical trauma, but few screened all patients regularly. The more aware physicians were about IPV, the more likely they were to screen in all clinical settings. While both men and women are victims of IPV, and IPV can have a large effect on the children of the abused, only the screening and treatment of women was explored here. The purpose of this study was to examine the state of IPV screening in Vermont. The objectives were as follows: - ?Estimate the IPV screening, intervention, and policy practices of Vermont physicians ?- Examine the role of physicians in screening and intervention ?- Explore physicians’ knowledge of IPV resourceshttps://scholarworks.uvm.edu/comphp_gallery/1042/thumbnail.jp

Depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, suicidality and self-harm among people who inject drugs:A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background: A range of negative experiences and circumstances that are common among people who inject drugs (PWID) are risk factors for developing mental disorders. Despite this, there has been no systematic review of the prevalence of mental health indicators among PWID. Thus, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), suicidality and self-harm among PWID. Methods: We searched the peer-reviewed and grey literature for data on depression, PTSD, suicidality and non-suicidal self-harm among PWID from sources published from 2008-2018. We pooled estimates of depression and suicidality using random-effects meta-analysis and provided a narrative summary of estimates of PTSD and self-harm. Findings: We found 23 studies that reported on these mental health indicators among PWID. The pooled estimate for current severe depressive symptomology was 42.0 % (95 % confidence interval [CI] = 21.3, 62.8 %), and for a depression diagnosis was 28.7 % (95 % CI = 20.8, 36.6 %). With much variation, the pooled lifetime prevalence of a suicide attempt was 22.1 % (95 % CI = 19.3, 24.9 %). There were only two studies each that reported on PTSD and non-suicidal self-harm among PWID. Interpretation: Recent data investigating these mental health indicators among PWID was limited, particularly from low- and middle-income countries. Even so, estimates were high and call for further research into the epidemiology of such mental health disorders and self-harming behaviours, as well as the promotion of integrated mental health and substance dependence treatment. Finally, incorporating suicide prevention strategies into services accessed by PWID must be considered as a harm reduction priority

Socio-demographic and ecological factors associated with anti-HCV prevalence in people who inject drugs:a systematic review

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) aim to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) as a public health threat by 2030. People who inject drugs (PWID) are a key risk group for HCV transmission globally. We explored socio-demographic and ecological variables associated with HCV antibody (anti-HCV) prevalence among samples of PWID. Methods: We systematically searched for and screened journal articles and online reports published between January 2011 and June 2017. Serologically confirmed anti-HCV prevalence among PWID and other study-level socio-demographic variables were extracted. Country-level ecological indicators were sourced from online databases. We used generalized linear models to investigate associations between anti-HCV prevalence estimates and other study-level and country-level variables. Results: There were 223 studies from 84 countries contributing 569 estimates of anti-HCV prevalence among PWID. Among study-level indicators, higher levels of anti-HCV prevalence were associated with higher HIV prevalence (B = 0.20; 95 % Confidence Interval [95 %CI] = 0.12, 0.29, p < 0.001) and year of data collection (B=−0.08; 95 %CI=−0.15, −0.02; p = 0.011). At a national level, higher Human Development Index scores (B=4.37; 95 %CI=0.12, 8.63, p = 0.044) were associated with higher levels of anti-HCV in samples. Implications: Serological surveillance data are increasingly available globally; however, there are still geographical gaps in quantification of HCV prevalence among PWID that must be addressed to inform efforts to achieve HCV elimination. Anti-HCV prevalence was lower in samples of PWID from countries with lower Human Development Index scores, which points to an opportunity to provide targeted intervention and potentially control transmission rates of infection in countries characterized by poor population health, education, and income

A systematic review of injecting-related injury and disease among people who inject drugs

Background Non-viral injecting-related injuries and diseases (IRID), such as abscesses and vascular damage, can result in significant morbidity and mortality if untreated. There has been no systematic assessment of the prevalence of non-viral IRID among people who inject drugs; this review aimed to address this gap, as well as identify risk factors for experience of specific IRID. Methods We searched MEDLINE, Embase and CINAHL databases to identify studies on the prevalence of, or risk factors for, IRID directly linked to injecting in samples of people who inject illicit drugs. Results We included 33 studies: 29 reported IRID prevalence in people who inject drugs, and 17 provided data on IRID risk factors. Skin and soft tissue infections at injecting sites were the most commonly reported IRID, with wide variation in lifetime prevalence (6–69%). Female sex, more frequent injecting, and intramuscular and subcutaneous injecting appear to be associated with skin and soft tissue infections at injecting sites. Cleaning injecting sites was protective against skin infections. Other IRID included infective endocarditis (lifetime prevalence ranging from 0.5–12%); sepsis (2–10%); bone and joint infections (0.5–2%); and thrombosis and emboli (3–27%). Conclusions There were significant gaps in the data, including a dearth of research on prevalence of IRID in low- and middle-income countries, and potential risk and protective factors for IRID. A consistent approach to measurement, including standardised definitions of IRID, is required for future research