The SHOP SAFE Act: Bringing Authenticity Back to the Internet

The online world can be divided into two categories: what is real and what is fake. Be it the news, a dating profile, or a second-hand Rolex, digital consumers are constantly assessing authenticity. In a media-obsessed climate where everything is click-able and anything arrives in an Amazon box, it seems ironically apropos that the law, like everyone else, is again attempting to distinguish between the real and the fake. This post was originally published on the Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal website on April 26, 2021. The original post can be accessed via the Archived Link button above

Denileukin diftitox for the treatment of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma

Cutaneous T-cell lymphoma/mycosis fungoides (CTCL/MF) is a rare lymphoproliferative disorder which can present as an indolent or as an aggressive process involving skin, lymph nodes, and blood. In stages IA, IB and IIA, it is usually managed with topical medications and phototherapy. If there is progression despite application of these treatments, or if the patient presents with a higher stage of disease, systemic chemotherapy or retinoids, rexinoids, biologic response modifiers are often necessary. Consequently, patients are often treated with a sequence of modalities and drugs. Denileukin diftitox (DD, Ontak®) is a targeted immunotoxin which has biological activity against malignancies expressing the IL-2 receptor. In addition to its unique mechanism of action, DD has a toxicity profile which does not overlap with most commonly used chemotherapeutic agents. CTCL/MF has been found be particularly susceptible to treatment with this agent. This review will describe the development DD, its proposed mechanism of action, the clinical trials which identified its utility in the treatment of CTCL/MF, the common toxicities encountered with this agent, and the management of these toxicities. In addition the incorporation of DD in the sequential treatment of CTCL/MF and data suggesting potential combination therapies employing this novel agent will be discussed

Temperature effects on load transmission between slabs and shores

This paper analyses the influence of temperature changes on load transmission between floor slabs and shores during the in situ casting of concrete slabs by the shoring-clearing-striking method. Therefore several experimental studies were carried out which measured both the internal temperature evolution of the slabs and the loads on the shores. With the results of these studies, a Finite Element Model (FEM) of an experimental structure was then developed. In both the FEM and the experimental studies the same behaviour was observed regarding changes in temperature. When temperatures rose, the loads on shores decreased, accompanied by a reduction in slab deflection. When temperatures dropped, the loads on the shores increased, accompanied by an increased slab deflection. In the experimental study, for a temperature increment of ±1°C the load per surface unit on shores varied between 0.13kN/m 2 and 0.34kN/m 2, which represents between 2% and 6% of the self-weight of the slabs. The main cause of these load variations appears to be the temperature gradient inside the floor slabs.The authors would like express their gratitude to the Spanish Ministry for Science and Technology for funding the project (BIA2004-02085) and also to the Encofrados J. Alsina formwork company for their invaluable assistance.Gasch, I.; Alvarado Vargas, YA.; Calderón García, PA. (2012). Temperature effects on load transmission between slabs and shores. Engineering Structures. 39:89-102. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.engstruct.2012.02.004S891023

Transmisión de cargas entre forjados y puntales en un edificio de forjado reticular de casetón perdido utilizando clareado

En el presente artículo se presentan los resultados de la instrumentación llevada a cabo durante la construcción de un edificio de viviendas resuelto con forjados reticulares de casetón perdido situado en Sabadell (España), en el que se ha empleado un proceso de cimbrado, clareado, descimbrado (CCD). Se han registrado las cargas debidas a las operaciones constructivas de CCD en puntales de los seis primeros forjados. Dichos registros han permitido analizar la transmisión de cargas entre forjados y puntales durante la construcción de este edificio, teniendo un proceso de CCD. El análisis de las medidas experimentales ha permitido concluir que la transmisión de cargas entre forjados y puntales difiere según las condiciones de contorno del vano estudiado. Asimismo, se han comparado las medidas experimentales con diversos métodos simplificados que permiten simular la operación del clareado, obteniendo que el método que mejor se ajusta es el Nuevo Procedimiento Simplificado.Gasch, I.; Alvarado Vargas, YA.; Calderón García, PA.; Torres Górriz, B. (2013). Transmisión de cargas entre forjados y puntales en un edificio de forjado reticular de casetón perdido utilizando clareado. Informes de la Construcción. 65(530):195-202. doi:10.3989/ic.12.046S1952026553

Synergy in tumor suppression by direct interaction of Neutral Endopeptidase with PTEN

AbstractWe show in this study that endogenous NEP and PTEN associate in cells directly through electrostatic interactions between a highly basic residue stretch in the intracellular domain of NEP and the major phosphorylation site in PTEN's tail. NEP binds and engages in higher order complexes both phosphorylated and unphosphorylated PTEN. NEP recruits PTEN to the plasma membrane and enhances its stability and phosphatase activity. As a result, an enzymatically inactive NEP mutant preserves the ability to bind PTEN, inactivates the Akt/PKB kinase, and partially suppresses the growth of PC cells. This study demonstrates a molecular cooperation between NEP and PTEN tumor suppressors in which NEP constitutively recruits and activates PTEN to inhibit the PI3K/Akt oncogenic pathway

Maximum loads on shores during the construction of buildings

This paper describes a simplified method of estimating maximum loads on shores during the construction of multistorey buildings with in situ casting. Calculating this maximum value is fundamental to establish the design load of the shores and thus avoid possible safety problems caused by selecting the wrong type of shore. The procedure was verified and showed a good fit with both the experimental measurements and finite-element method calculations. This simplified procedure will be useful to both researchers and practitioners, who have to deal with this problem in the course of their daily work. The proposal also represents an important technology transfer to the industry as it is in the form of a simplified tool that comes fairly close to the results obtained by complex calculation methods. Actually, the maximum load obtained from the simplified method is 20·72 kN, which is very close to the value 21·37 kN obtained from an advanced finite-element modelBuitrago, M.; Adam Martínez, JM.; Alvarado Vargas, YA.; Calderón García, PA.; Gasch, I. (2016). Maximum loads on shores during the construction of buildings. Proceedings of the ICE - Structures and Buildings. 169(7):538-545. doi:10.1680/jstbu.15.00089S538545169

Inflammation and infection in plasma cell disorders: how pathogens shape the fate of patients

The role of infection and chronic inflammation in plasma cell disorders (PCD) has been well-described. Despite not being a diagnostic criterion, infection is a common complication of most PCD and represents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. As immune-based therapeutic agents are being increasingly used in multiple myeloma, it is important to recognize their impact on the epidemiology of infections and to identify preventive measures to improve outcomes. This review outlines the multiple factors attributed to the high infectious risk in PCD (e.g. the underlying disease status, patient age and comorbidities, and myeloma-directed treatment), with the aim of highlighting future prophylactic and preventive strategies that could be implemented in the clinic. Beyond this, infection and pathogens as an entity are believed to also influence disease biology from initiation to response to treatment and progression through a complex interplay involving pathogen exposure, chronic inflammation, and immune response. This review will outline both the direct and indirect role played by oncogenic pathogens in PCD, highlight the requirement for large-scale studies to decipher the precise implication of the microbiome and direct pathogens in the natural history of myeloma and its precursor disease states, and understand how, in turn, pathogens shape plasma cell biology