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Introduction: Tattooing has a rich historical presence in various human civilizations, with the earliest physical evidence dating back to around 3258 BC. While acceptance of tattoos is increasing in the Western world, negative associations remain. Short-pulsed lasers, such as Q-Switched (QS) or picosecond lasers, are the gold standard for tattoo removal. Case Presentation: This case report discusses the successful removal of 17 amateur tattoos, which were self-administered by a 19-year-old female patient using black eyeliner ink and sewing needles. The tattoos, distributed across her body, including the face and hands, were partially or completely removed over 10 sessions using the QS Neodymium-doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet 1,064-nm laser. Conclusion: The factors that influence the efficacy of tattoo removal are highlighted, including tattoo type, location, and coexisting fibrosis. The psychological and social importance of effective tattoo removal is emphasized, particularly for young people seeking to disassociate from past experiences or affiliations.

Wakes are medium perturbations created by a moving object, such as wave patterns behind boats, or wingtip vortices following an aircraft. Here, we report about an experimental study of an uncharted form of parabolic wakes occurring in media with the group velocity twice larger than the phase velocity, as opposed to the conventional case of Kelvin wakes. They are formed by moving a laser spot on a thin plate, which excites a unique wake pattern made of confocal parabolas, due to the quadratic dispersion of the zero-order flexural Lamb mode. If the spatial dimensions are rescaled by the perturbation velocity and material constant, we obtain a single universal wake with constant parabolic focal lengths. We demonstrate an evanescent regime above the critical frequency where the wave components oscillate exclusively in the direction parallel to the perturbation path, with an opening angle of 90^{∘}. We define a dimensionless number, analogous to Froude and Mach numbers, which determines whether or not the complete parabolic wake pattern will be excited by the moving source. Finally, we generalize the physics of wake shapes to arbitrary dispersion relations.

Abstract Exposure to nanoparticles (NPs) in pregnancy is increasingly linked to adverse effects on embryo‐fetal development and health later in life. However, the developmental toxicity mechanisms of NPs are largely unknown, in particular potential effects on the placental secretome, which orchestrates many developmental processes pivotal for pregnancy success. This study demonstrates extensive material‐ and pregnancy stage‐specific deregulation of placental signaling from a single exposure of human placental explants to physiologically relevant concentrations of engineered (silica (SiO2) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) NPs) and environmental NPs (diesel exhaust particles, DEPs). This includes a multitude of secreted inflammatory, vascular, and endocrine placental factors as well as extracellular vesicle (EV)‐associated proteins. Moreover, conditioned media (CM) from NP‐exposed explants induce pronounced anti‐angiogenic and anti‐vasculogenic effects, while early neurodevelopmental processes are only marginally affected. These findings underscore the potential of metal oxide NPs and DEPs for widespread interference with the placental secretome and identify vascular morphogenesis as a sensitive outcome for the indirect developmental toxicity of different NPs. Overall, this work has profound implications for the future safety assessment of NPs for industrial, commercial, or medical applications in pregnancy, which should consider placenta‐mediated toxicity by holistic secretomics approaches to ensure the development of safe nanotechnologies.

With the growing penetration of converter-interfaced generation in power systems, the dynamical behavior of these systems is rapidly evolving. One of the challenges with converter-interfaced generation is the increased number of equations, as well as the required numerical timestep, involved in simulating these systems. Within this work, we explore the use of continuous-time echo state networks as a means to cheaply, and accurately, predict the dynamic response of power systems subject to a disturbance for varying system parameters. We show an application for predicting frequency dynamics following a loss of generation for varying penetrations of grid-following and grid-forming converters. We demonstrate that, after training on 20 solutions of the full-order system, we achieve a median nadir prediction error of 0.17 mHz with 95% of all nadir prediction errors within ±4 mHz. We conclude with some discussion on how this approach can be used for parameter sensitivity analysis and within optimization algorithms to rapidly predict the dynamical behavior of the system.

Abstract Hyperbolic lattices are a new type of synthetic materials based on regular tessellations in non-Euclidean spaces with constant negative curvature. While so far, there has been several theoretical investigations of hyperbolic topological media, experimental work has been limited to time-reversal invariant systems made of coupled discrete resonances, leaving the more interesting case of robust, unidirectional edge wave transport completely unobserved. Here, we report a non-reciprocal hyperbolic network that exhibits both Chern and anomalous chiral edge modes, and implement it on a planar microwave platform. We experimentally evidence the unidirectional character of the topological edge modes by direct field mapping. We demonstrate the topological origin of these hyperbolic chiral edge modes by an explicit topological invariant measurement, performed from external probes. Our work extends the reach of topological wave physics by allowing for backscattering-immune transport in materials with synthetic non-Euclidean behavior.

Pityriasis rubra pilaris (PRP) is a rare inflammatory skin disorder characterized by hyperkeratotic follicular papules, orange-red scaling plaques with islands of sparing and palmoplantar keratoderma. While spontaneous resolution occurs in some cases, treatment can be challenging for others. The use of biologics in PRP management has gained attention in recent studies, although their high costs and potential side effects present limitations. We present a case of a 71-year-old patient with treatment-resistant PRP who showed significant improvement through optimized adalimumab treatment. Considering the emerging role of phospholipase A2 in PRP pathogenesis, montelukast was added, further enhancing the therapeutic response. By maintaining montelukast and prolonging the adalimumab interval to 3 and 4 weeks, effective dose optimization was achieved without PRP relapse. This case report highlights the potential for adalimumab dose optimization by shortening the initial treatment interval for increased effectiveness and lengthening the interval during the maintenance phase to conserve medication doses. Montelukast appears to assist in sustaining clinical outcomes during interval prolongation, necessitating further investigation through additional studies.

Universities across the United States (U.S.) are perplexed as to why fewer women than men study engineering and why even fewer complete the curriculum and earn an undergraduate degree in engineering. The percentage of undergraduate engineering degrees awarded annually to women in the U.S. since 2000 has remained relatively constant at around 20%. However, some engineering disciplines have had much greater success in graduating women, with some programs awarding 50% or more of their bachelor's degrees to women. The purpose of this research was to gain a better understanding of why women preferred certain engineering disciplines over others. Up to 17 years of undergraduate engineering department data from the University of Florida (UF) and national averages from the National Science Foundation (NSF) were reviewed to evaluate graduation rates for women in engineering. The total number of graduates at the undergraduate level were compared to the number of undergraduates who identified themselves as women. Linear regression of the data was used to identify trends. In the last 17 years, there has been little change in the overall percentage of women engineering undergraduates, but there is a great disparity between the engineering disciplines. Women earn larger proportions of undergraduate degrees in engineering disciplines where they perceive a societal benefit. How can engineering departments improve their enrollment and retention of women? One way is by providing early-on specific real life examples of how engineers solve society's most challenging problems.

Temporal trends in plasma concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in free-ranging bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) inhabiting two geographic areas: Indian River Lagoon, Florida over the years 2003-2015 and the waters surrounding Charleston, South Carolina over 2003-2013, were examined. Nine PFAS met the inclusion criteria for analysis based on percent of values below level of detection and sampling years. Proportionate percentiles parametric quantile regression assuming lognormal distributions was used to estimate the average ratio of PFAS concentrations per year for each chemical. Plasma concentrations decreased over time for perfluorodecanoate (PFDA), perfluorohexane sulfonate (PFHxS), perfluorooctanoate (PFOA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and perfluoroundecanoate (PFUnDA) in both locations. Perfluorononanoate (PFNA) decreased with time in Indian River Lagoon dolphins. Perfluorododecanoate (PFDoDA) concentrations significantly increased over time among female Indian River Lagoon dolphins. Regulation and phaseout of specific PFAS groups may have led to the decreasing levels of those PFAS and increasing levels of other replacement PFAS.

The correction of leg telangiectasias is one of the most frequently performed interventions in the Western world. While sclerotherapy remains the gold standard of treatment, several studies have shown comparable efficacy and, in some situations, an even more favorable use of lasers as an alternative treatment option. The most frequent side effect of both treatment options is hyperpigmentation, which usually clears spontaneously in most cases but can be challenging to treat if it persists. The origin of this hyperpigmentation is not fully understood; small studies point to hemosiderin as the causative pigment, at least in post-sclerotherapy hyperpigmentation. More rare side effects of the treatment include ulcerations and scarring. Quality-switched (QS) Nd:YAG lasers have demonstrated good efficacy in treating hemosiderin depositions in the skin, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and atrophic scars. We present a case of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and scarring after laser treatment of leg telangiectasia with a long-pulsed Nd:YAG laser that was successfully treated using a QS Nd:YAG 1064 nm laser. This case suggests the QS Nd:YAG laser as a possible treatment option in cases of hyperpigmentation with various origins, including hemosiderin and melanin, and scarring after laser treatment of leg telangiectasias.

Interleukin-1 (IL-1)-blocking therapies are effective in reducing disease severity and inflammation in Schnitzler syndrome. Here, we present a patient with Schnitzler syndrome treated successfully using canakinumab for over 10 years. Complete clinical response was associated with a decrease in dermal neutrophil number and expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-8, and IL-17 as assessed by immunohistochemical studies.

IntroductionGender-related differences in career development are well known issues in various professions. An international survey on gender-related differences was performed among young gynecologic oncology surgeons in Europe to identify potential gender inequalities in career development.Material and methodsA survey on demographics, clinical and academic working environment, family/parenting, career development, salary and leadership was sent to all members of the European Network of Young Gynecologic Oncologists (ENYGO), which is a network within the European Society of Gynecologic Oncology (ESGO). Gynecologic oncology surgeons and obstetricians/gynecologists who actively work in this field in Europe were included in the study.ResultsResponses were analyzed from 192 gynecologic oncology surgeons of whom 65.1% (125/192) were female (median age 37, IQR: 34 - 42) and 34.9% (67/192) were male (median age 38, IQR: 36 - 41). Male reported to perform a median of 15 and female a median of 10 operations per month (p = .007). Among female, 24.8% had a leadership position vs. 44.8% among male, crude OR = 2.46, 95% CI 1.31-4.62, p

cSCC (cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma) and its precursors are a major cause of morbidity, especially in immunosuppressed patients, and are frequently associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infections. The purpose of this study is to investigate the therapeutic potential of alpha-HPV vaccination for immunosuppressed patients with established cSCC and its precursors. In this retrospective study, all patients who received Gardasil-9®, a nonavalent HPV vaccine, as secondary prophylaxis were examined. Dermatologic interventions in both the pre- and post-vaccination periods were analyzed with zero-inflated Poisson regression and a proportional intensity model for repeated events with consideration of the clinically relevant cofactors. The hazard ratio for major dermatologic interventions was 0.27 (CI 0.14–0.51, p < 0.001) between pre- and post-Gardasil-9® intervention. Gardasil-9® vaccination showed good efficacy in reducing major dermatologic interventions even after correction of relevant cofactors and national COVID-19 caseloads during the observational period. Alpha-HPV vaccination may potentially cause a significant decrease in dermatologic interventions and overall mortality as well as healthcare costs in immunosuppressed patients with high skin tumor burden.

Abstract Background Trial on five plasma biomarkers (CA125, HE4, OPN, leptin, prolactin) and their possible role in differentiating benign from malignant ovarian tumors. Methods In this unicentric prospective trial preoperative blood samples of 43 women with ovarian masses determined for ovarian surgery were analyzed. 25 patients had pathologically confirmed benign, 18 malignant ovarian tumors. Blood plasma was analyzed for CA125, HE4, OPN, leptin, prolactin and MIF by multiplex immunoassay analysis. Each single protein and a logistical regression model including all the listed proteins were tested as preoperative predictive marker for suspect ovarian masses. Results Plasma CA125 was confirmed as a highly accurate tumor marker in ovarian cancer. HE4, OPN, leptin and prolactin plasma levels differed significantly between benign and malignant ovarian masses. With a logistical regression model a formula including CA125, HE4, OPN, leptin and prolactin was developed to predict malignant ovarian tumors. With a discriminatory AUC of 0.96 it showed to be a highly sensitive and specific diagnostic test for a malignant ovarian tumor. Conclusions The calculated formula with the combination of CA125, HE4, OPN, leptin and prolactin plasma levels surpasses each single marker in its diagnostic value to discriminate between benign and malignant ovarian tumors. The formula, applied to our patient population was highly accurate but should be validated in a larger cohort. Trial registration Clinical Trials.gov under NCT01763125 , registered Jan. 8, 2013.

Immune and endocrine responses play a critical role in allowing animals to adjust to environmental perturbations. We measured immune and endocrine related markers in multiple samples from individuals from two managed-care care dolphin groups (n = 82 samples from 17 dolphins and single samples collected from two wild dolphin populations: Indian River Lagoon, (IRL) FL (n = 26); and Charleston, (CHS) SC (n = 19). The immune systems of wild dolphins were more upregulated than those of managed-care-dolphins as shown by higher concentrations of IgG and increases in lysozyme, NK cell function, pathogen antibody titers and leukocyte cytokine transcript levels. Collectively, managed-care care dolphins had significantly lower levels of transcripts encoding pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF, anti-viral MX1 and INFα and regulatory IL-10. IL-2Rα and CD69, markers of lymphocyte activation, were both lower in managed-care care dolphins. IL-4, a cytokine associated with TH2 activity, was lower in managed-care care dolphins compared to the free-ranging dolphins. Differences in immune parameters appear to reflect the environmental conditions under which these four dolphin populations live which vary widely in temperature, nutrition, veterinary care, pathogen/contaminant exposures, etc. Many of the differences found were consistent with reduced pathogenic antigenic stimulation in managed-care care dolphins compared to wild dolphins. Managed-care care dolphins had relatively low TH2 lymphocyte activity and fewer circulating eosinophils compared to wild dolphins. Both of these immunologic parameters are associated with exposure to helminth parasites which is uncommon in managed-care care dolphins. Less consistent trends were observed in a suite of hormones but significant differences were found for cortisol, ACTH, total T4, free T3, and epinephrine. While the underlying mechanisms are likely multiple and complex, the marked differences observed in the immune and endocrine systems of wild and managed-care care dolphins appear to be shaped by their environment.

Purpose: To assess the performance of a proton-specific knowledge based planning (KBPP) model in creation of robustly optimized intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) plans for treatment of patients with prostate cancer. Materials and Methods: Forty-five patients with localized prostate cancer, who had previously been treated with volumetric modulated arc therapy, were selected and replanned with robustly optimized IMPT. A KBPP model was generated from the results of 30 of the patients, and the remaining 15 patient results were used for validation. The KBPP model quality and accuracy were evaluated with the model-provided organ-at-risk regression plots and metrics. The KBPP quality was also assessed through comparison of expert and KBPP-generated IMPT plans for target coverage and organ-at-risk sparing. Results: The resulting R2 (mean ± SD, 0.87 ± 0.07) between dosimetric and geometric features, as well as the χ2 test (1.17 ± 0.07) between the original and estimated data, showed the model had good quality. All the KBPP plans were clinically acceptable. Compared with the expert plans, the KBPP plans had marginally higher dose-volume indices for the rectum V65Gy (0.8% ± 2.94%), but delivered a lower dose to the bladder (−1.06% ± 2.9% for bladder V65Gy). In addition, KBPP plans achieved lower hotspot (−0.67Gy ± 2.17Gy) and lower integral dose (−0.09Gy ± 0.3Gy) than the expert plans did. Moreover, the KBPP generated better plans that demonstrated slightly greater clinical target volume V95 (0.1% ± 0.68%) and lower homogeneity index (−1.13 ± 2.34). Conclusions: The results demonstrated that robustly optimized IMPT plans created by the KBPP model are of high quality and are comparable to expert plans. Furthermore, the KBPP model can generate more-robust and more-homogenous plans compared with those of expert plans. More studies need to be done for the validation of the proton KBPP model at more-complicated treatment sites.

Motivated by a desire to encourage girls to pursue science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) studies, librarians at the Marston Science Library (Marston) at the University of Florida (UF) developed Girls Tech Camp (GTC), a summer camp designed to introduce middle-school girls to creative technologies used in these fields. This week-long summer day camp launched in 2016 and continued in the summers of 2017 and 2018. Each year, the camp brought twenty-two 6th-8th grade girls into an academic science library to build experience with emerging technologies and increase interest in pursuing further studies or a career in STEM. The camp introduced the girls to a range of technologies, including 3D modelling, 3D printing, augmented reality, Arduino microcontrollers, light sensors, digital video production, computer coding, and conductive crafts. Through hands-on activities, guest lectures, and campus field trips, youth interest and confidence in using technology expanded, and participants experienced student and research life at a university. This paper describes the development, operation, and assessment of hosting a camp in an academic library to inspire girls to pursue STEM studies.

Le vocabulaire joue un rôle central dans l'enseignement et l'apprentissage des langues. Étant donné que le développement lexical en L2 a subi des changements importants au cours des dernières décennies (isolés, contextualisés, proactifs, accidentels, singulièrement centrés sur la forme, systématiques sur la forme, etc.), il va sans dire que les applications améliorées par la technologie et orientées numériquement fournissent opportunités sans précédent d'acquérir des unités lexicales de manière très individualisée (Webb et Nation 2017). Alors que les apprenants doivent augmenter leur vocabulaire à environ 8000 mots pour comprendre la plupart des textes généraux (Manzo, Manzo, & Thomas, 2006 ; Robb, 2009), et rencontrer de nouveaux mots à de nombreuses occasions (Harmon, et al. 2009) et dans un grand variété de contextes (Daniels et Zemelman, 2004), les enseignants sont limités dans leurs possibilités d'enseigner tous ces mots en classe. La recherche indique clairement que la compétence lexicale des élèves se développe par la lecture plutôt que par l'enseignement. Au lieu de se concentrer sur l'exposition des apprenants à de nouveaux mots en classe (Nation 2013), cet article propose des moyens de traiter le nouveau vocabulaire basé sur la technologie et des outils Web dans le but d'intégrer efficacement la technologie dans le développement de la littératie. En examinant un récit, The Boy in the Dress, à la fois pour l'école primaire et secondaire, les auteurs cherchent à démontrer que l'apprentissage multimédia sert à augmenter l'apprentissage de mots accidentels des élèves grâce à la lecture intensive. L'analyse de ce récit fournit aux enseignants des outils et des stratégies utiles sur la façon dont l'apprentissage du vocabulaire peut être effectué dans et en dehors de la salle de classe.

Abstract Invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC) is a histological subtype of breast cancer with distinct molecular and clinical features from the more common subtype invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC). ILC cells exhibit anchorage-independent growth in ultra-low attachment (ULA) suspension cultures, which is largely attributed to the loss of E-cadherin. In addition to anoikis resistance, herein we show that human ILC cell lines exhibit enhanced cell proliferation in ULA cultures as compared to IDC cells. Proteomic comparison of ILC and IDC cell lines identified induction of PI3K/Akt and p90-RSK pathways specifically in ULA culture in ILC cells. Further transcriptional profiling uncovered unique upregulation of the inhibitors of differentiation family transcription factors ID1 and ID3 in ILC ULA culture, the knockdown of which diminished the anchorage-independent growth of ILC cell lines through cell cycle arrest. We find that ID1 and ID3 expression is higher in human ILC tumors as compared to IDC, correlated with worse prognosis uniquely in patients with ILC and associated with upregulation of angiogenesis and matrisome-related genes. Altogether, our comprehensive study of anchorage independence in human ILC cell lines provides mechanistic insights and clinical implications for metastatic dissemination of ILC and implicates ID1 and ID3 as novel drivers and therapeutic targets for lobular breast cancer.

Abstract Objectives In this study, we compared IFA and real-time PCR in bronchoalveolar lavage specimens of HIV infected patients. A total of 66 BALs from 62 HIV patients were included in the study. 30 IFA positive and 36 IFA negative specimens were tested with real-time PCR, targeting the major surface glycoprotein. We performed a retrospective analysis of the patient’s medical records, compared the results of the IFA and PCR tests and analyzed costs, expenditure of time and personal expenses. Results All of the 30 IFA positive samples were PCR positive. 35 of 36 IFA negative probes were also negative in the PCR assay. Considering the PCR results as a binary outcome (positive/negative) sensitivity was 100%, specificity 97.2%. The patient with negative IFA and positive PCR had a clear clinical picture of PCP and responded to PCP treatment. PCR was more than twice as expensive and time-consuming as IFA. Diagnostic accuracy for PCP of PCR and IFA was comparable in HIV-infected patients, but IFA was significantly less expensive and less time-consuming. Therefore, IFA testing can continue to be used as gold standard in the diagnosis of PCP in HIV patients. However, in special cases, IFA may lack sensitivity and PCR should be added to the diagnostic armamentarium.

Synthetic turf is a manufactured product that utilizes synthetic fibers that mimic the aesthetic look of natural grass. While designed to imitate the look of natural turf, synthetic turf does not provide the ecosystem benefits of a natural turf system. This publication examines the properties of synthetic turf in relation to each of FFL’s nine principles. A new publication of the UF/IFAS Environmental Horticulture Department; 4 pages. https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep612

PurposeTo assess the performance of a proton-specific knowledge-based planning (KBP) model in the creation of robustly optimized intensity-modulated proton therapy (IMPT) plans for treatment of advanced head and neck (HN) cancer patients.MethodsSeventy-three patients diagnosed with advanced HN cancer previously treated with volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) were selected and replanned with robustly optimized IMPT. A proton-specific KBP model, RapidPlanPT (RPP), was generated using 53 patients (20 unilateral cases and 33 bilateral cases). The remaining 20 patients (10 unilateral and 10 bilateral cases) were used for model validation. The model was validated by comparing the target coverage and organ at risk (OAR) sparing in the RPP-generated IMPT plans with those in the expert plans. To account for the robustness of the plan, all uncertainty scenarios were included in the analysis.ResultsAll the RPP plans generated were clinically acceptable. For unilateral cases, RPP plans had higher CTV_primary V100 (1.59% ± 1.24%) but higher homogeneity index (HI) (0.7 ± 0.73) than had the expert plans. In addition, the RPP plans had better ipsilateral cochlea Dmean (−5.76 ± 6.11 Gy), with marginal to no significant difference between RPP plans and expert plans for all other OAR dosimetric indices. For the bilateral cases, the V100 for all clinical target volumes (CTVs) was higher for the RPP plans than for the expert plans, especially the CTV_primary V100 (5.08% ± 3.02%), with no significant difference in the HI. With respect to OAR sparing, RPP plans had a lower spinal cord Dmax (−5.74 ± 5.72 Gy), lower cochlea Dmean (left, −6.05 ± 4.33 Gy; right, −4.84 ± 4.66 Gy), lower left and right parotid V20Gy (left, −6.45% ± 5.32%; right, −6.92% ± 3.45%), and a lower integral dose (−0.19 ± 0.19 Gy). However, RPP plans increased the Dmax in the body outside of CTV (body-CTV) (1.2 ± 1.43 Gy), indicating a slightly higher hotspot produced by the RPP plans.ConclusionIMPT plans generated by a broad-scope RPP model have a quality that is, at minimum, comparable with, and at times superior to, that of the expert plans. The RPP plans demonstrated a greater robustness for CTV coverage and better sparing for several OARs.

Imaging and radiotherapy targeting the glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide receptor (GIPR) could potentially benefit the management of neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs), complementing clinically established radiopharmaceuticals. The aim of this study was to evaluate a GIPR-targeting positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand with receptor-specific binding, fast blood clearance, and low liver background uptake. The peptide DOTA-bioconjugate, C803-GIP, was developed based on the sequence of the endogenous GIP(1-30) and synthetic exendin-4 peptides with selective amino acid mutations to combine their specificity for the GIPR and in vivo stability, respectively. The 68Ga-labeled bioconjugate was evaluated in vitro in terms of binding affinity, specificity, and internalization in HEK293 cells transfected with the human GIPR, GLP1, or GCG receptors and in sections of human insulinoma and NENs. In vivo binding specificity, biodistribution, and tissue background were investigated in mice bearing huGIPR-HEK293 xenografts and in a pig. Ex vivo organ distribution, pharmacokinetics, and dosimetry were studied in normal rats. [68Ga]Ga-C803-GIP was stable and demonstrated a high affinity to the huGIPR-HEK293 cells. Binding specificity was demonstrated in vitro in frozen sections of NENs and huGIPR-HEK293 cells. No specific uptake was observed in the negative controls of huGLP1R and huGCGR cells. A novel rationally designed PET radioligand, [68Ga]Ga-C803-GIP, demonstrated promising binding characteristics and specificity towards the GIPR.

Florida-Friendly Landscaping™ (FFL) provides science-based landscape design and plant selection practices for installing and maintaining resilient, aesthetically pleasing landscapes. Once established, FFL landscapes require little, if any, irrigation, fertilizer, or pesticides. This new 7-page publication of the UF/IFAS Environmental Horticulture Department provides a brief overview of the FFL program, outreach, and requirements.

The transcription factor Yin Yang 1 (YY1) plays an important role in human disease, yet little is known about its role in brain development. This study shows that YY1 controls cerebral cortex development by maintaining proliferation and survival of neural progenitor cells via transcriptional regulation of genes involved in metabolism and protein translation.

Abstract The glucagon receptor (GCGR) is emerging as an important target in anti-diabetic therapy, especially as part of the pharmacology of dual glucagon-like peptide-1/glucagon (GLP-1/GCG) receptor agonists. However, currently, there are no suitable biomarkers that reliably demonstrate GCG receptor target engagement. Methods Two potent GCG receptor peptide agonists, S01-GCG and S02-GCG, were labeled with positron emission tomography (PET) radionuclide gallium-68. The GCG receptor binding affinity and specificity of the resulting radiopharmaceuticals [68Ga]Ga-DO3A-S01-GCG and [68Ga]Ga-DO3A-S02-GCG were evaluated in HEK-293 cells overexpressing the human GCG receptor and on frozen hepatic sections from human, non-human primate, and rat. In in vivo biodistribution, binding specificity and dosimetry were assessed in rat. Results [68Ga]Ga-DO3A-S01-GCG in particular demonstrated GCG receptor-mediated binding in cells and liver tissue with affinity in the nanomolar range required for imaging. [68Ga]Ga-DO3A-S01-GCG binding was not blocked by co-incubation of a GLP-1 agonist. In vivo binding in rat liver was GCG receptor specific with low non-specific binding throughout the body. Moreover, the extrapolated human effective doses, predicted from rat biodistribution data, allow for repeated PET imaging potentially also in combination with GLP-1R radiopharmaceuticals. Conclusion [68Ga]Ga-DO3A-S01-GCG thus constitutes a first-in-class PET tracer targeting the GCG receptor, with suitable properties for clinical development. This tool has potential to provide direct quantitative evidence of GCG receptor occupancy in humans.

The tables included in this article will allow the user to implement shot within shot optimization for Gamma Knife radiosurgery planning and delivery. The method is intended to reduce treatment time when treating small to medium sized brain metastasis. The tables were previously developed by extracting profiles from Gamma Plan for three collimator settings and modeling their behavior when combined or prescribed at different isodose lines. For a given target size, the tables represent the optimal selection of shot weighting and prescription isodose line to reduce beam on time while maintaining an acceptable dose gradient. The method was recently validated in a large patient cohort and the data is this study is related to the research article titled “Clinical evaluation of shot within shot optimization for Gamma Knife radiosurgery planning and delivery” (Johnson et al., in press).

Dose spacing (DS) can be useful for optimizing treatment with biologics in psoriasis patients. However, interval prolongation might increase the production of anti-drug antibodies (ADA) and, therefore, reduce the drug’s effectiveness. The long-term effects of DS with adalimumab in psoriatic patients have not been reported. The goal of our study was to evaluate the long-term follow-up of psoriatic patients after adalimumab DS regarding the clinical course and determination of circulating adalimumab, TNFα levels, and anti-adalimumab antibodies. We retrospectively included seven patients treated with adalimumab for moderate-to-severe psoriasis and benefiting from DS from 2010 to 2021. The dose interval of adalimumab was extended to three weeks for all patients and then to four weeks for three of the seven patients. Adalimumab trough levels, TNFα levels, and ADA against adalimumab were measured. For six of the seven patients, absolute PASI values remained below 3 throughout the follow-up period (median = 8.0 years; range: 1.7–11.5) after DS. All the patients were satisfied with the effectiveness of their treatment regime. Within the follow-up period, an average of 63 doses of adalimumab per patient were spared. The median adalimumab trough levels were 4.7 µg/mL (range: 1.9–12.5). TNFα levels remained under 10 pg/mL (undetectable) in all except one patient. ADA against adalimumab remained negative (

Clinical differential diagnosis of arteriolosclerotic ulcers of Martorell is challenging due to the lack of clearly affirmative instrument-based diagnostic criteria. The aim of this study was to develop vascular histomorphological diagnostic criteria differentiating Martorell ulcers from other types of leg ulcers. The histomorphology of patients diagnosed with arteriolosclerotic ulcers of Martorell (n = 67) was compared with that of patients with venous leg ulcers, necrotizing leukocytoclastic vasculitis, pyoderma gangrenosum, and non-ulcerative controls (n = 15 each). In a multivariable logistic regression model, the rates of arteriolar calcification (odds ratio (OR) 42.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 7.43–443.96, p

Bullous pemphigoid (BP) is a blistering autoimmune skin disease. Omalizumab, a monoclonal antibody directed to IgE, showed a beneficial effect in treatment of recalcitrant BP in case series. More recently, dupilumab, an interleukin (IL)-4-receptor alpha antagonist, also showed promising preliminary results. We describe a patient with refractory BP who showed a complete response to a combination therapy with omalizumab and dupilumab.