Time\u27s Up: A Call to Ban the Use of Sex as an Investigatory Tactic In Alaska

Sex workers in Alaska are facing sexual violence at the hands of the people whose job it is to protect them: the police. Astonishingly, it is legal in Alaska for undercover police officers to use sexual intercourse and other sexual contact as investigative tools. In 2017, House Bill 112 and Senate Bill 73 were introduced in the Alaska State Legislature to make it illegal for law enforcement officers to have any sexual contact with people under investigation. Upon resistance from the Anchorage Police Department, these bills stalled and were not re-introduced. This Note argues that the use of sex in investigations is a violation of due process and urges Alaska lawmakers to reintroduce and pass these bills

Targeting oxidative injury and citokines activity in the treatment with anti-TNF alpha antibodies against CRPS 1

Cytokines and oxygen free radicals have been implicated in the potential pathogenic development of complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). We aimed to analyze the relationship between clinical status, circulating levels of cytokines, and markers of oxidative damage during the treatment with anti-TNFα antibodies. The patient chosen for treatment had not had improvement through a number of conventional therapies and fulfilled the current diagnostic criteria for CRPS-1. We investigated the clinical variables before and after systemic administration of 1.4 mg/kg anti-TNFα antibody (infliximab), repeated after 1 month in a dose of 3 mg/kg. Blood samples were collected before and after anti-TNFα antibodies administration, and plasma was analyzed for 8-isoprostane-prostaglandin F2α (8-iso-PGF2α, a marker of oxidative injury) and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-4, IL-6, IL-7, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17A). Plasma concentrations of 8-iso-PGF2α were measured with radioimmunoassay (RIA), and the kinetics of cytokines were detected in plasma by antibody-based proximity ligation (PLA). Pathologically high levels of 8-iso-PGF2α were found in the patient. Immediately after each administration of infliximab, the levels of 8-iso-PGF2α decreased. Although the patient showed an improvement of the cutaneous dystrophic symptoms and diminished pain associated with these lesions, the levels of circulating TNFα increased after the administration of anti-TNFα antibodies. In a patient with CRPS-1 treated with anti-TNFα antibodies, we report increased levels of circulating TNFα and a temporary mitigation of oxidative stress as measured by plasma F2-isoprostane. This case report provides evidence 2 supporting the indication of monitoring the oxidative stress biomarkers during treatment with anti-TNFα antibodies in CRPS 1