The Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa has been declared a public health emergency of international concern by the World Health Organization. The Ebola outbreak has led to the disruption of already fragile but essential health services and drug distribution systems; HIV clinical services in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Guinea were particularly affected. Targeted approaches are necessary to protect the continuity of HIV treatment for people living with HIV and should be integrated within the broader Ebola response; this will save lives, prevent drug resistance, and decrease the likelihood of HIV transmission. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2015;9:522–526)

Insight into dynamic electrochemical processes can be obtained with in situ electrochemical-scanning/transmission electron microscopy (ec-S/TEM), a technique that utilizes microfluidic electrochemical cells to characterize electrochemical processes with S/TEM imaging, diffraction, or spectroscopy. The microfluidic electrochemical cell is composed of microfabricated devices with glassy carbon and platinum microband electrodes in a three-electrode cell configuration. To establish the validity of this method for quantitative in situ electrochemistry research, cyclic voltammetry (CV), choronoamperometry (CA), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were performed using a standard one electron transfer redox couple [Fe(CN)6]3−/4−-based electrolyte. Established relationships of the electrode geometry and microfluidic conditions were fitted with CV and chronoamperometic measurements of analyte diffusion coefficients and were found to agree with well-accepted values that are on the order of 10−5 cm2/s. Influence of the electron beam on electrochemical measurements was found to be negligible during CV scans where the current profile varied only within a few nA with the electron beam on and off, which is well within the hysteresis between multiple CV scans. The combination of experimental results provides a validation that quantitative electrochemistry experiments can be performed with these small-scale microfluidic electrochemical cells provided that accurate geometrical electrode configurations, diffusion boundary layers, and microfluidic conditions are accounted for.

Nutrigenomics is the study of how constituents of the diet interact with genes, and their products, to alter phenotype and, conversely, how genes and their products metabolise these constituents into nutrients, antinutrients, and bioactive compounds. Results from molecular and genetic epidemiological studies indicate that dietary unbalance can alter gene–nutrient interactions in ways that increase the risk of developing chronic disease. The interplay of human genetic variation and environmental factors will make identifying causative genes and nutrients a formidable, but not intractable, challenge. We provide specific recommendations for how to best meet this challenge and discuss the need for new methodologies and the use of comprehensive analyses of nutrient–genotype interactions involving large and diverse populations. The objective of the present paper is to stimulate discourse and collaboration among nutrigenomic researchers and stakeholders, a process that will lead to an increase in global health and wellness by reducing health disparities in developed and developing countries.

Last April, 23 year-old Rudy Linares disconnected his 15-month-old comatose son, Sammy, from the mechanical ventilator that was maintaining the infant's life. He then used a gun to keep hospital staff from interfering while he withdrew the machine, allowing his son to die of acute respiratory failure. The death of this infant stirred great controversy among doctors, nurses, lawyers and ethicists. It also generated much discussion in the news media. The clearest common denominator of this discussion has been the willingness of commentators to advance opinions and interpretations without knowledge of the facts of the case. Some of the opinions have been critical of the hospital, the doctors, and/or the nurses. The present report is not intended to answer such criticism. The report will simply provide the facts and legal opinions as to the case. To the extent this information leads the reader to understand or agree with the management of the case the report will serve as a defense of these actions. To the extent it leads to rejection or criticism of the management, the report will support the detractors.