Count what counts: improving charitable investor access to the community development sector with better data and better analytical models

Developing investor-quality analysis could trigger a tremendous increase in donations to community development nonprofits from philanthropic sources. Bamberger and Gross survey existing analysis tools and make suggestions for a better one.

Perspective on Oncogenic Processes at the End of the Beginning of Cancer Genomics

The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) has catalyzed systematic characterization of diverse genomic alterations underlying human cancers. At this historic junction marking the completion of genomic characterization of over 11,000 tumors from 33 cancer types, we present our current understanding of the molecular processes governing oncogenesis. We illustrate our insights into cancer through synthesis of the findings of the TCGA PanCancer Atlas project on three facets of oncogenesis: (1) somatic driver mutations, germline pathogenic variants, and their interactions in the tumor; (2) the influence of the tumor genome and epigenome on transcriptome and proteome; and (3) the relationship between tumor and the microenvironment, including implications for drugs targeting driver events and immunotherapies. These results will anchor future characterization of rare and common tumor types, primary and relapsed tumors, and cancers across ancestry groups and will guide the deployment of clinical genomic sequencing

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

Potato Peel Waste: Stability and Antioxidant Activity of a Freeze-Dried Extract

Aqueous extracts of potato peel waste were freeze-dried. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) of the freeze-dried extracts revealed that chlorogenic (50.31%), gallic (41.67%), protocatechuic (7.81%), and caffeic (0.21%) acids were the major phenolics. During 15 days storage of the freeze-dried extract, no degradation of phenolics occurred. After 4 days storage at 63°C, 5.00g of sunflower oil containing either the freeze-dried extract (200 ppm) or butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) (200 ppm) reached peroxide values (PV) of 37.38 and 37.47 meq kg-1 respectively. L-ascorbic acid-6-palmitate was the best antioxidant (PV= 10.65 meq kg-1) but the freeze-dried extract was as good as BHA

3.18 - Multitopic receptors

Comprehensive Supramolecular Chemistry II, Second Edition is a 'one-stop shop' that covers supramolecular chemistry, a field that originated from the work of researchers in organic, inorganic and physical chemistry, with some biological influence. The original edition was structured to reflect, in part, the origin of the field. However, in the past two decades, the field has changed a great deal as reflected in this new work that covers the general principles of supramolecular chemistry and molecular recognition, experimental and computational methods in supramolecular chemistry, supramolecular receptors, dynamic supramolecular chemistry, supramolecular engineering, crystallographic (engineered) assemblies, sensors, imaging agents, devices and the latest in nanotechnology. Each section begins with an introduction by an expert in the field, who offers an initial perspective on the development of the field. Each article begins with outlining basic concepts before moving on to more advanced material. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved