Peterson discusses five principles  that are used in the ethics of technology.He analyzes these principles by means of the mathematical theory of Voronoi regions. The concept of a Voronoi region is a simple but intuitively appealing one. Given a finite set of distinct, isolated points in a continuous space, we associate all locations in that space with the closest member of the point set. The result is a partitioning of the space into a set of Voronoi regions. The mathematical theory of Voronoi regions has successfully been applied in many areas, including philosophy . Its application to the ethics of technology seems new.However, Peterson’s book raises several problems.https://www.virtuescience.com/the-virtues.html, namely, acceptance, accountability, ambition, assertiveness, beauty, benevolence, bravery, caring, charity, chastity, caution, cleanliness, commitment, compassion, confidence, consideration, contentment, cooperation, courage, courtesy, creativity, curiosity, defiance, dependability, detachment, determination, devotion, diligence, discernment, discretion, discipline, eloquence, empathy, enthusiasm, excellence, faith, faithfulness, flexibility, focus, forbearance, forgiveness, fortitude, friendliness, frugality, generosity, gentleness, grace, gratitude, helpfulness, honesty, honor, hope, humbleness, humility, humor, idealism, integrity, impartiality, industry, innocence, joyfulness, justice, kindness, knowledge, liberality, love, loyalty, magnanimity, majesty, meekness, mercy, moderation, modesty, obedience, openness, orderliness, patience, peace, perseverance, persistence, piety, prudence, punctuality, purity, purposefulness, reliability, resoluteness, resourcefulness, respect, responsibility, restraint, reverence, righteousness, selflessness, self-sacrifice, service, sensitivity, silence, simplicity, sincerity, sobriety, spontaneity, steadfastness, strength, tact, temperance, thankfulness, thrift, tolerance, toughness, tranquility, trust, trustworthiness, truthfulness, understanding, unity, vitality, wisdom, wonder and zeal?First, in his book, “closest” means “most similar in a moral sense.” But how is “most similar in a moral sense” to be understood? As most similar with respect to what? As most similar with respect to catastrophic consequences? As most similar with respect to fairness? Or as most similar with respect to one of the traditional virtues mentioned at Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews, 2017.10.30):Without pre-specified moral-similarity dimensions, each agent likely employs her own implicit dimension(s) to answer Peterson’s moral-similarity request. Thus for the same two cases, one agent might estimate “moral similarity” with respect to catastrophic consequences, while another might estimate similarity with respect to fairness. If so, Peterson has a common moral-similarity label, but no common concept.Second, Peterson’s geometric construal of domain-specific principles is unclear. He writes (p. 19):We start with intuitions about a set of nonparadigmatic cases we feel reasonably certain about. The next step is to identify the principles that best account for our intuitions about these cases. Once we have done so, we determine the location of the paradigm cases for these principles ex-post by calculating the mean coordinates of the nonparadigmatic cases we started with.But he then goes on as follows (p. 19):Step 1C in which there is no or negligible doubt about what ought to be done and why.Identify a nonempty set of paradigm cases Step 2c in C, identify the principle p that best accounts for the moral analysis of c. Let P be the set of all such principles.For each case Step 3C, with respect to how similar they are to each other.Compare all cases, including those not included in Step 4p in P. Each cell of the Voronoi tessellation represents the case covered by p, and it is thus the degree of similarity to nearby paradigm cases that determines what it is right or wrong to do in each and every case.Make a Voronoi tessellation in which each seed point is a paradigm case for some principle To reconcile these two quotes, “nonparadigmatic” in the first quote should be replaced by “paradigmatic.”As Kristin Shrader–Frechette writes (five principles? If five principles partition the moral space into a set of Voronoi regions, then four or six obviously do as well. Why these five principles? Why is the maximin principle, for example, not included? Why does Peterson not use some familiar statistical technique, such as factor analysis or principal component analysis, to find out which principles matter?Third, Peterson repeatedly claims that his five principles “are necessary and jointly sufficient for analyzing ethical issues related to new and existing technologies,” but he offers no proof of this claim. Why https://www.virtuescience.com/the-virtues.html shows that they are neither necessary nor sufficient. If somebody left out a principle or added one, then Peterson’s geometric construal would still work, so nothing depends on his claim.To me, Peterson’s five principles seem no more than a list of topics that are currently fashionable in the ethics of engineering and that are well-known to students of that field. The list of virtues mentioned at


The Medical Library Association (MLA) held its 119th annual meeting in Chicago, Illinois, May 3–8, 2019, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. The meeting theme was “Elevate.” Total attendance for the meeting was 1,661, with 228 participating in continuing education courses. Additional meeting content—including the meeting program and various electronic presentations from the business meetings, plenary sessions, poster sessions, and program sessions—can be accessed by all meeting registrants via the MLA ‘19 website.Executive Director Kevin Baliozian welcomed attendees and then introduced MLA President Beverly Murphy AHIP, FMLA. President Murphy welcomed attendees to the 2019 annual meeting.President Murphy then introduced Merle Rosenzweig, who welcomed attendees on behalf of the Midwest Chapter.Merle Rosenzweig: I want to thank Beverly again. And she has been practicing my last name for a long time, and she did it! So, to everyone here, all the MLA members, the Midwest Chapter of the Medical Library Association welcomes you to the 2019 annual meeting. The chapter was founded in 1950 and includes the great states of Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.A little history of the chapter: During the World War II years, MLA could not have its meetings, and some of the regional groups continued to have their meetings. When Janet Doe was president, a committee was formed to set up guidelines for regional groups, and the committee was chaired by Margueriete Prime. And anyone who knows Margueriete Prime has been here longer than I have. And they recommended the establishment of regional groups and presented a set of guidelines to be observed.So, with our annual meeting of the Midwest Chapter, we stimulate and foster an interest in health sciences libraries and librarianship, and acquaint persons interested in health sciences libraries and librarianship with MLA. All of the chapters are part of MLA, obviously, and we do promote MLA.The Midwest Chapter hopes that you have a very productive meeting here in Chicago in 2019 and have the opportunity to see some of the sights, sounds, and food that Chicago has to offer.Applause.]So that is my short speech, and now it’s my pleasure to introduce a group of very creative people who made this great meeting here in Chicago possible. They will come on stage now. Dale Prince: On this first day of Ramadan—and Mellanye Lackey: But you can Google them.Dale Prince: Librarians. So we’ve borrowed this for our theme, Elevate. It’s awe-inspiring. It’s about movement, just like libraries, librarianship, and librarians. And like the L, we hope the programming of this year’s meeting will elevate you and take you to places you want to be.Mellanye Lackey: Some of the new things in this year’s meeting include an option to list your chosen pronouns during registration and have them printed on your badge; immersion sessions with surveys to collect immediate feedback; this year’s service project, Sit, Stay, Read, which brings human and dog volunteers into low-income Chicago public schools to advance children’s literacy. MLA members, you all have already contributed $500 to buy books for kids to read to dogs. Thank you for your generosity. Visit their booth today from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and tomorrow from noon to 2:00 p.m. at the escalator above the exhibit hall, right by registration, to see more of the adorable dogs and to learn more about their work.Applause.]Dale and I would also like to recognize members of the NPC who have put in countless hours of service to MLA to make this meeting a success. They have worked so hard to create an excellent program to inspire us and to elevate us. If the members of the NPC could please rise and be recognized. Rosie Hannneke: We’re so glad you made it to Chicago to elevate with us. We hope you will enjoy our beautiful and vibrant city while you’re here. From museums and shopping to dining to simply taking in the sights and sounds of the Loop, there are so many ways for you to spend your free time both here, downtown, and farther afield. And those of you who were lucky enough to get tickets to Deb Werner: Stop by the hospitality desk just outside the ballroom for more information about the Windy City. We’ve got directions, whether you’re going near or far, from maps of the pedway in this hotel to public transportation information if you’d like to explore one of Chicago’s seventy-seven unique neighborhoods. Be sure to pick up a bingo card courtesy of Sola Whitehead and Chris Shaffer, AHIP, and use it to meet new people.This year, in partnership with many MLA chapters, we included dine-arounds on Friday and some on Monday as well, so if you attended one of these chapter dinners or happy hours, please let us know what you think of this addition.Rosie Hanneke: We’d like to thank the LAC subcommittee chairs who worked behind the scenes to make this meeting a success. We’d also like to thank everyone else who volunteered their time to stuff meeting bags, host dine-arounds, staff the hospitality desk or career placement center, or help in any other way—all important and needed contributions. If you’re a subcommittee chair or volunteered in any capacity for the LAC, could you please stand so we can give you a hand. [Applause.]Applause.]Deb Werner: Thank you, everyone, and welcome, all of you, to Chicago, have a great meeting, and we’re so glad you’re here. Thank you.  We adapted, we transformed, and led, and it just got better from there.We have all moved from where we were last year to another space in time. So, what did I do in elevating my platform this past year? My presidential year actually started in May 2018 at the annual meeting in Atlanta—the home of Coke, grits, pie, and fried foods—when I was inaugurated as the first African-American president of our beloved association. Since there are more chapters than I could possibly attend, I give a big thanks to my cohorts and partners. Past President Epstein presented at the Hawaii-Pacific Chapter, New York-New Jersey Chapter, and Pacific Northwest Chapter. President-Elect Julia Esparza, AHIP, presented at the North Atlantic Health Sciences Libraries (NAHSL) in New Hampshire and was a librarian on a mission at the South Central Chapter in San Antonio, Texas. Treasurer-Elect Shannon D. Jones, AHIP, experienced the magic in Orlando, Flortida, with the Southern Chapter. And Marie T. Ascher presented at the Philadelphia Regional Chapter and crossed borders and broke boundaries at Upstate New York and Ontario Chapter (UNYOC) in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. [Applause.]In June, I will be part of a panel at the Northern California and Nevada Medical Library Group and the Medical Library Group of Southern California and Arizona joint meeting on critical health sciences librarianship examining our role in social justice. So, remember, over the next year, remain calm, remain open, remain flexible, and remain positive. Leverage what you know, recognize what you don’t know, and fill in the gaps with chocolate. [Applause.] My posse—you all know who you are—the medical center library and archive staff, which is where I work. Thank you so much. MLA headquarters staff, we couldn’t do it without you. You’re just fantastic people to work with, and I’ve worked with you a very long time, and you just get better every year, so thank you.So, in addition to thanking my mentors, there are many others to thank, but I’d like to recognize a few now. My sugar, honey, darling, baby, sweetheart, Jerome Ballew. He is here today. Jerome, raise your hand. Thank you.  Thanks, everyone.So, last year, we anticipated a revenue of $1,837, but we actually finished with $15,315. That, I’m told, is a 12% increase in actual revenue; $14,000 above budget.  I’ll leave you guys with an image of Cujo ordering things from Amazon, and Cooper just living his best life. I hope that Shannon Jones includes lots of pictures of Cooper in the future in our slides. Thank you, everyone. [Applause.]So, that’s the end of my treasurer’s report. Kevin Baliozian: Thank you very much, Beverly Murphy. Shannon Jones and I already have one major connection. I have a dog called Cooper, so it’s very exciting. Now, every time you see the boxes go up, I’d like you to say, “Elevate,” because this is the next few slides. Member engagement: there will be a few slides on this. This is a really exciting story here. We have 627 of you members participating in MLA committees and juries. That does not count section roles, special interest group (SIG) roles, chapter roles. That’s 24% of the association just in committees, task forces, and juries. That’s phenomenal. [To Beverly Murphy:] You said so many times, if you don’t apply, you can’t get on a committee. And how many times did you say this?And the graph below is the number of people applying to be volunteers, and look at this: from 167 to 272. So, yes, our membership has gone down during that time, and the number of you engaged has gone up. This is phenomenal, and you are a big part of it.  Thank you very much.That’s it.  I am sure almost everyone has at some point seen a roll of pennies. I want you to think of this roll of pennies as MLA. When we open this roll, we know what is inside: fifty pennies. Now, these individual pennies are the valuable members who make up MLA. They are not all identical, but they are all important parts of the whole.Julia Esparza, AHIP: Thank you, Beverly. I appreciate that wonderful introduction. Today, I would like to talk with you about how MLA is in the process of elevating our vision. First of all, who can tell me what this is?  Hey, I know these people. [Laughter.] And section treasuries are depleting. Sections are spending beyond what the dues bring in.Section membership numbers are declining, and yes, this is—because these are data from before Kevin Baliozian presented his today, so don’t hold it against me on Twitter.  While this may seem messy and noisy, this is part of growth.And all of this together will help MLA to become a more nimble organization responsive to the needs of its members. In order to do this, we had to break our barriers. [Applause.]Caucuses will have the flexibility to align with the domains that are relevant to the needs of their members. Caucuses within domains can work together. While this has been an established part of annual meeting planning, now this collaboration can go beyond annual meetings to projects and initiatives that may not have easily happened in the old organization. The organization may change and is meant to change as members express their ideas as to what is important to them. But the important thing to remember is that no matter how caucuses align, we will still add up to the whole.  Thank you, everyone.I thank you, MLA, for giving me this opportunity to serve as your president. I know that the future isn’t always clear; however, I know that together, we will do everything we can to make the future of MLA fantastic. Thank you. [Get on board and join us for the hottest ticket at the Chi-Town networking event tonight, where you will enjoy a great dinner and be entertained by your colleagues at the open mic night.This session is now closed.Journal of the Medical Library Association.Breakout sessions for immersion sessions, lightning talks, and paper sessions were presented in 6 time slots: Sunday, May 5, 2:00 p.m.–3:25 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.–5:55 p.m.; Monday, May 6, 2:00 p.m.–3:25 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.–5:55 p.m.; and Tuesday, May 7, 2:00 p.m.–3:25 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.–5:55 p.m. Abstracts of papers that were scheduled to be presented are available on the MLA ‘19 website. The final version of the abstracts reflecting only those presented at the meeting is included as Journal of the Medical Library Association. The actual posters are available online in the MLA ‘19 meeting website.Poster sessions were presented in 3 time slots: Sunday, May 5, 3:30 p.m.–4:25 p.m.; Monday, May 6, 3:30 p.m.–4:25 p.m.; and Tuesday, May 7, 3:30–4:25 p.m. Abstracts of posters that were scheduled to be presented are available on the MLA ‘19 meeting website. The final version of the abstracts reflecting only those posters presented at the meeting is included as an The MLA Board of Directors met on Thursday, May 2, and Friday, May 3. The Credentialing Committee met on Friday, May 3. On Saturday, May 4, the following MLA units met: 2020 National Program Committee, Chapter Council, Department of Veteran Affairs Librarians SIG Business Meeting, Eugene Garfield Research Fellowship Jury, Joint Section Council/Chapter Council, Leaders’ Recognition Reception, and Section Council.Journal of the Medical Library Association (JMLA) Editorial Board Meeting, LGBTQ Health Sciences Librarians SIG Business Meeting, Medical Humanities SIG Business Meeting, Medical Informatics Section Business Meeting, Medical Library Education Section (MLES) Business Meeting, Medical Library Group of Southern California and Arizona Business Meeting, MLA Book Discussion Group for Blindspot, New York-New Jersey Chapter Board Meeting, Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section (NAHRS) Business Meeting and Executive Board Meeting, Public Health/Health Administration Section Business Meeting, Research and Evidence-Based Practice Curriculum Committee Meeting, Research Section Research Award Judging Meeting, Resource Sharing SIG Business Meeting, Rising Stars Program Meeting, Social Justice Section Business Meeting, and Southern Chapter Executive Meeting.On Sunday, May 5, the following MLA units met: Ad Hoc Committee to Review Core Clinical Journals, African American Medical Library Alliance SIG Business Meeting #1, chapter treasurers orientation, Data Catalog Collaboration Project information session, education committee chairs joint meeting, Fellows of MLA, History of the Health Sciences Section Business Meeting, International Cooperation Section Business Meeting, On Monday, May 6, the following MLA units met: 2021 National Program Committee Meeting, African American Medical Library Alliance SIG Business Meeting #2, Awards Committee Meeting, Books Panel Meeting, Cancer Librarians Section Business Meeting, Collection Development Section Business Meeting, Complementary and Alternative Medicine SIG Business Meeting, Consumer and Patient Health Information Section (CAPHIS) Executive Committee Meeting, Data SIG Business Meeting, Dental Section Business Meeting, Educational Media and Technologies Section (EMTS) Business Meeting, Federal Libraries Section Business Meeting, Governmental Relations Committee Meeting, Health Association and Corporate Libraries Section (HACLS) Business Meeting, Health Information Professionalism Curriculum Committee Meeting, Hospital Libraries Section (HLS) Executive Board Meeting and Business Meeting, Information Literacy in Medical Education (ILME) SIG Business Meeting, Information Services Curriculum Committee Meeting, Instruction and Instructional Design Committee Meeting, Librarians without Borders® Committee Meeting, Libraries in Curriculum SIG Business Meeting, Molecular Biology and Genomics SIG Business Meeting, Northern California and Nevada Medical Library Group Business Meeting, Osteopathic Libraries SIG Business Meeting, Pacific Northwest Chapter Business Meeting, Pediatric Librarians SIG Business Meeting, Pharmacy and Drug Information (PDI) Section Business Meeting, Professional Recruitment and Retention Committee Meeting, Public Services Section Business Meeting, Scholarly Communications Committee Meeting, Solo Librarians SIG Business Meeting/Chat, Systematic Reviews SIG Business Meeting, Technical Services Section Business Meeting, Translational Sciences Collaboration SIG Business Meeting, Veterinary Medical Libraries Section Informal Meeting, and Vision Science SIG Business Meeting.Journal of the Medical Library Association (JMLA) data sharing policy: author discussion and preparation, Latino SIG Business Meeting, Leadership and Management Section Business Meeting, Leadership & Management Curriculum Committee Meeting, Joseph Leiter NLM/MLA Lectureship Committee Meeting, Membership Committee Meeting, MLA community managers and webmasters, MLAConnect Editorial Board Meeting, Research Section Business Meeting, Rising Stars presentations, section treasurers orientation, and Systematic Reviews SIG Informal Meeting.On Tuesday, May 7, the following MLA units met: Bylaws Committee Meeting, Clinical Librarians and Evidence-Based Healthcare SIG Business Meeting, Consumer and Patient Health Information Section (CAPHIS) Business Meeting, Diversity and Inclusion Task Force Meeting, Education Steering Committee Meeting, Information Management Curriculum Committee Meeting, Institutional Animal Care and Use SIG Business Meeting, Interprofessional Education SIG Business Meeting, On Wednesday, May 8, the following MLA units met: Education Annual Programming Committee (EAPC) Meeting, Grants and Scholarships Committee Meeting, and Oral History Committee Meeting.The MLA Open Forum was held on Monday, May 6, 10:30 a.m.–11:55 a.m.The National Library of Medicine (NLM) Update took place on Tuesday, May 7, 11:00 a.m.–11:55 a.m.The Legislative Update was held on Tuesday, May 7, from 2:00 p.m.–3:25 p.m. Moderated by Cristina Pope, this update provided an overview of health funding, information issues, and policy.National Network of Libraries of Medicine (NNLM) Steering Committee Annual Meeting (invitation only), 2:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m.Welcome Reception and Opening of the Hall of Exhibits, 5:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m.MLA New Members/First-Time Attendees Program and Breakfast, 7:00 a.m.–8:55 a.m.Yoga Class, 7:30 a.m.–8:30 a.m.Covidence Library Champions (invitation only), 8:00 a.m.–8:55 a.m.DOCLINE Users Group, noon–12:55 p.m.Librarians without Borders®/Elsevier Foundation Research4Life Grants: Round Table Discussion, noon–12:55 p.m.Elevate Your Practice with Research: Research Training Institute (RTI) Fellows and Faculty Share Their Experience Designing and Conducting Research, 1:00 p.m.–1:55 p.m.Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) Future Leadership Committee Meeting (invitation only), 1:00 p.m.–1:55 p.m.PubMed Update, 1:00 p.m.–1:55 p.m.International Visitors Reception, 7:00 p.m.–8:00 p.m.Schmooze with Science (invitation only), 7:30 p.m.–9:00 p.m.AAHSL/NLM Fellowship Program Information Session, noon–12:55 p.m.Covidence Advisory Group Meeting (invitation only), noon–12:55 p.m.Lunch & Learn: Best Practices: Implementation and Rollout of Ovid Discovery (invitation only), noon–1:00 p.m.Lunch & Learn: One-Click Access to PDFs from PubMed: Using the New LibKey Service from Third Iron, noon–1:00 p.m.Academy of Health Information Professionals Q&A Session, 1:00 p.m.–1:55 p.m.Diversity Dialogues with the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force, 6:00 p.m.–7:30 p.m.Lunch & Learn: Elsevier Luncheon for Medical Librarians (invitation only), noon–1:55 p.m.MLA Book Authors and Prospective Authors Gathering, 3:30 p.m.–4:25 p.m.Get on Board: Hottest Ticket in Chi-Town Networking Event, 6:30 p.m.–10:00 p.m.Invitation to MLA ‘20 in Portland, 10:00 a.m.–10:15 a.m.Book Sales and Signings, noon–12:30 p.m.Exhibitors held Sunrise Seminars to provide information and to introduce new products and services. The following seminars were held.EBSCO Health: Beyond Evidence on Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources (FHIR)Elsevier: Defining a “Preprint”Springer Nature: Copyright Compliance for Commercial Use: Identify, Educate, and LicenseWolters Kluwer: Information Overload: An Opportunity for Library Service Development (invitation only)American Psychological Association (APA) Sunrise SeminarEBSCO Health: A Total Transformation: How One Medical Library Took Charge of Their Physical and Digital SpaceVisualDx: Connecting Symptoms to Construct a DiagnosisSix Technology Showcases were held throughout Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday.EndNote: More than Just a Reference ManagerImplement a Systematic Review Management System with CovidenceMore than Just Reference Management: How DistillerSR and CuratorCR Can Make Your Job EasierOpenAthens: The Authentication LandscapeThe R2 Digital Library: A Health Sciences E-Book DatabaseStanding Out from the Crowd: A New, Multidimensional Approach to Researcher ProfilesThe 2018/19 Continuing Education Committee offered the following courses to 228 attendees on May 3 and May 4, 2019.CE100 Advanced Searching Techniques and Advanced Strategy Design, Instructors: Julie Glanville, MCLIP, associate director, York Health Economics Consortium, University of York, York, United Kingdom, and Carol Lefebvre, HonFCLIP, independent information consultant, Lefebvre Associates, Oxford, United KingdomCE101 Fields, Filters, and Fun: Incorporating Creativity and Craft into Database Literature Searches, Instructors: David Kaunelis, methods specialist, and Kelly Farrah, AHIP, research information specialist, Research Information Services, Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), Ottawa, ON, CanadaCE102 Health Services Research: Sources and Strategies for Effective Information Searching, Instructors: Judith E. Smith, informationist, Taubman Health Sciences Library, University of Michigan–Ann Arbor, and Abraham Wheeler, AHIP, librarian, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Flint Research, and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University–East LansingCE300 Developing Library Data Visualization Services from Scratch, Instructor: Fred Willie Zametkin LaPolla, research and data librarian, Health Sciences Library, New York University (NYU) Langone–New YorkCE301 Applying the ACRL Information Literacy Framework to Your Teaching, Instructors: Xan Goodman, AHIP, health sciences librarian and associate professor, and Samantha Godbey, education and psychology librarian and associate professor, University Libraries, University of Nevada–Las VegasCE103 Effectiveness and Efficiency in Exhaustive Searches, Instructors: Wichor M. Bramer, biomedical information specialist, Medical Library, Erasmus University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands, and Melissa L. Rethlefsen, AHIP, associate dean, George A. Smathers Libraries, and Fackler Director, Health Science Center Libraries, University of Florida–GainesvilleCE104 Which Review Is Right for You? Matching Questions to Review Type and Teaching the Process to Others, Instructor: Margaret J. Foster, systematic reviews and research coordinator, Medical Sciences Library, Texas A&M University–College StationCE105 We’re Way Past Peas: Uses of Genetic Information to Understand Human Health and Guide Health Care Decision Making, Instructors: Diana Nelson Louden, biomedical and translational sciences librarian, Health Sciences Library, University of Washington–Seattle, and Carolyn Martin, AHIP, consumer health coordinator, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Pacific Northwest Region, Seattle, WACE106 Trials without Tribulations: Identifying Clinical Trials for Systematic Reviews and Other Clinical and Research Questions, Instructors: Julie Glanville, MCLIP, associate director, York Health Economics Consortium, University of York, York, United Kingdom, and Carol Lefebvre, HonFCLIP, independent information consultant, Lefebvre Associates, Oxford, United KingdomCE107 Going for the Grey: Finding Grey Literature for Complex Reviews, Instructors: Sarah Bonato, reference/research librarian, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, ON, Canada; and Kelly Farrah, AHIP, research information specialist, and Monika Mierzwinski-Urban, research information specialist, Research Information Services, Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH), Ottawa, ON, CanadaCE302 Teaching Critical Appraisal Skills, Instructor: Laura Menard, assistant director, Medical Education and Access Services, Ruth Lilly Medical Library, Indiana University–IndianapolisCE400 Implicit Bias Training for Information Professionals, Instructors: Shannon D. Jones, AHIP, director, Libraries, and associate professor, Medical University of South Carolina–Charleston; and Kelsa Bartley, manager, Library Services, Reference and Education Department, Louis Calder Memorial Library, and Kimberly L. Reynolds, assistant professor, Clinical Pediatrics, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FLCE501 Beyond Pyramids of Evidence: Evaluating Research in the Health Sciences Literature, Instructors: Abraham Wheeler, AHIP, librarian, College of Osteopathic Medicine, Flint Research, and Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Chana Kraus-Friedberg, AHIP, liaison, Program in Public Health, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology; and Carin Graves, liaison librarian, Sociology, Social Work, Criminal Justice, and Human Development and Family Studies; Michigan State University–East LansingCE502 Advancing Health Equity through Evidence-Based Public Health: How to Find the Evidence, Instructors: Elaina Vitale, academic coordinator, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Middle Atlantic Region, Pittsburgh, PA, and Derek Johnson, health professionals outreach specialist, National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Greater Midwest Region, Hardin Library for the Health Sciences, University of Iowa–Iowa CityCE601 Institutional Review Boards (IRBs): Integrating Information Professionals into the Process, Instructors: Taneya Y. Koonce, associate director, Research; Sheila V. Kusnoor, senior research information scientist; Zachary E. Fox, associate director, Information Services; Annette M. Williams, senior information scientist; and Mallory N. Blasingame, information scientist; Center for Knowledge Management, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TNCE602 Goal: Success at Being a Solo Librarian!, Instructors: Helen-Ann Brown Epstein, AHIP, FMLA, informationist, Health Sciences Library, Virtua Health, Mount Laurel, NJ, and Louise McLaughlin, information specialist, Health Sciences Library, Woman’s Hospital, Baton Rouge, LACE800 Managing from the Middle: Learning to Lead from Where You Are, Panelists: Joan Gallos, professor of leadership emerita, Wheelock College, Boston, MA; Rikke Sarah Ogawa, AHIP, director, Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library and Science and Engineering Library, University of California–Los Angeles; Shalu Gillum, AHIP, head, Public Services, Harriet F. Ginsburg Health Sciences Library, University of Central Florida College of Medicine–Orlando; Shannon D. Jones, AHIP, director, Libraries, and associate professor, Medical University of South Carolina–Charleston; Erinn Aspinall, AHIP, strategic initiatives librarian and communications coordinator, Health Sciences Library, University of Minnesota–Minneapolis; and Christine Willis, AHIP, director, Knowledge Management & Learning Resources, Noble Learning Resource Center, Shepherd Center, Atlanta, GAThe online itinerary planner, sponsored by Wolters Kluwer, allowed attendees to peruse programs and events online. Complimentary WiFi was available throughout the Hyatt Regency Chicago, excluding the exhibit hall, courtesy of the JAMA Network. Live streaming was available on Twitter using the hashtag #MLANET19, and volunteer bloggers, the Local Assistance Committee, and the 2019 National Program Committee contributed to the official meeting blog with meeting tips, announcements, and more. For those seeking new jobs and prospective employers, the Job Placement Center was open from Saturday through Tuesday, and the MLA Resume Clinic was available Saturday through Monday. The Hall of Exhibits was open Saturday through Monday.AppendixClick here for additional data file.AppendixClick here for additional data file.JJ Pionke, MA, MSI,pionke@illinois.edu, Proceedings Coeditor and Applied Health Sciences Librarian, University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1408 West Gregory, Urbana IL 61801Ellen Aaronson, MLS, AHIP,aaronson.ellen@mayo.edu, Proceedings Coeditor and Librarian, Libraries, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905


In their Target Article “The Prostitution Problem”: Claims, Evidence, and Policy Outcomes, Benoit, Smith, Jansson, Healey, and Magnuson  give an After thorough review of the available evidence, Benoit et al.  concludeBenoit et al.  go on toAlthough Benoit et al.  do attenWhereas Benoit et al.  appear tMany changes can be observed in the business of commercial sex of late. Due to economic, ideological, and technological developments, a diversification and professionalization of the sex industry has been noted  Christians, fundamentalist Islamists, abolitionist feminists, social activists of diverse stripes, a cadre of Hollywood celebrities and corporate officials  of T-visas  granted  (p. 71).However, the production of these high numbers has been critiqued for a lack of methodological transparency and source documentation, for incorrect extrapolations, and for unacceptable broadening of the definition of what constitutes a victim  exploitation in their many forms. Maybe Benoit et al.  started


Journal of Educational Evaluation for Health Professions (JEEHP) was included in Embase, the invaluable biomedical literature database maintained by Elsevier, which provides over 32 million records published in over 8,300 indexed peer-reviewed journals. This represents another opportunity for the journal to be disseminated and searched by biomedical researchers from all over the world. Although JEEHP has been indexed in MEDLINE since March 2016, it was included in Embase in May 2018. The rigorous review process for being indexed in Embase provides further evidence of the journal’s high quality and brand.We are proud to announce that in May 2018, Fundación Educacion Médica, Medical Education, Medical Teacher, and South-East Asian Journal of Medical Education. The World Federation for Medical Education Conference 2019 will be held at the Grand Walkerhill Seoul in Seoul, Korea from April 7 to 10, 2019 (http://www.wfme2019.org/). I hope to invite the authors who present at this conference to publish their results in JEEHP.Although JEEHP has been an affiliated journal of the World Federation for Medical Education since September 2016 [In April 2016, we adopted an open data policy ; howeverIn January 2018, the third version of the ‘Principles of transparency and best practice in scholarly publishing’ was announced by the Committee on Publication Ethics, the Directory of Open Access Journals, the Open Access Scholarly Publishers Association, and the World Association of Medical Editors. It consists of 16 items that should be announced and adhered to by scholarly journal editors and publishers . A complThis year, I invited a number of reviewers to review submissions to JEEHP. Some of them accepted the review request and provided invaluable comments that contributed to the better presentation of study results. Without their help, it would not be possible to publish this small, but unique, journal. I understand very well that they were all very busy, but they nonetheless shared their time to contribute to advances in educational evaluation for health professions. I appreciate them from the bottom of my heart. The reviewers for the 2018 issue are listed below:Abdolghani Abdollahimohammad, Katharina Brandl, Su-Jin Chae, Lap Ki Chan, Cheol-Woon Chung, Derek Clewley, Fabrizi Consorti, Lionel Di Marco, Kyung (Chris) T. Han, Geum-Hee Jeong, Karen Huhn, Yera Hur, Oscar Jerez, Sun Hee Kang, Nayoung Kim, Yong Sung Kim, Na Jin Kim, Young-Min Kim, Sue Kim, A Ra Cho, Seock-Ho Kim, Kwang Hwan Kim, Sun Kim, Oh Young Kwon, Young Hwan Lee, Eun Young Lim, Nesreen El Mekawy, Younjae Oh, Cesar A. Orsini, Robin Parish, Janghee Park, Mee Young Park, Quan Pham, Amelia Richardson, Dong Gi Seo, Ji-Hyun Seo, Ravi Shankar, Luiz Troncon, Julie Youm, Hon Yuen, Pete Yunyongying, Gagani Athauda, Fabrizio Consorti, and Gregory RoseWe published 3 articles on computerized adaptive testing in this year’s issue introduction piece of SimulCAT, a software program developed for conducting CAT simulation studies ; post-hoIn the New Year, I hope to receive and publish more manuscripts with complete adherence to the journal’s style and format with interesting topics for instructors in the medical and health fields.


Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.15468/fdzzal).This paper describes the herbarium (COFC) dataset of vascular plants of the University of Cordoba (SW Spain). This dataset is made up of two collections, the General collection  and the Historical collection . This study has focused mainly on the General collection, which contains the largest number of vascular plant specimens, predominantly angiosperms, mainly provincial and regional , but also with a good representation of other areas of the Iberian Peninsula and neighboring countries. The place of collection is specified in 99.7% of the labels, about 35% being georeferenced, and it is estimated that, currently, about 86% of the material housed in the herbarium has been databased using Elysia v1.0. software. With more than 178 families, 1,178 genera, and 3,750 species, this collection not only has educational importance, but is a valuable research tool that has been useful for the development of important works such as "Flora Vascular de Andalucía Occidental" and the "Flora iberica". The dataset described in this paper is registered with GBIF (accessible at  It includes three botanical collections: one of fungi  and two of vascular plants, the Historical collection  and the General collection , the latter being the most significant. To these will be added in the future the recently created collections of bryophytes and algae, in the initial phase and barely significant. So far, 98.7% of the specimens have been databased and they can be accessed through the GBIF network (http://data.gbif.org). Some interesting data from the Historical collection are provided, but the dataset described in this paper covers exclusively the General collection.The herbarium (COFC) of the University of Cordoba (Spain) is located in the Rabanales Campus, on the outskirts of the city of Cordoba. It was created in 1977 and is associated with the Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology . The herbarium, of which Prof. J.A. Devesa is currently the curator, is registered in the Index Herbariorum with the acronym COFC , contains a total of 1,614 specimens of vascular plants arranged in 22 classes according to the Linnaean system . Most ofCentaurea L. (Asteraceae) and Festuca L. (Poaceae), within the "Flora iberica" project. This is one of the Spanish herbaria with greater representation of these genera. The herbarium, therefore, includes an important sample of the vascular plant biodiversity of the Iberian Peninsula, especially that of Western Andalusia (SW Spain), so it is not only essential for the knowledge and study of local flora, but also has been very useful for "Flora de Andalucía Occidental" (http://www.floraiberica.org/).The General collection has a total of 61,377 specimens that have been recorded with different herbarium number, and there are more than 12,000 duplicate specimens of the gatherings. This collection is the fourth largest among the Andalusian collections in terms of the number of specimens , except for the data related to the genus Festuca, which have not been uploaded yet since they are still under study.This collection regularly increases, by about 1,250 specimens per year, and the dataset is periodically uploaded to the GBIF portals. The data referring to this collection can be found at The collection of vascular plants has 61,377 specimens belonging to 178 families, 1,178 genera, and 3,750 species. Of the specimens in the collection, 97.8% are identified at the species level and the remaining 2.2%  only at the level of the genus, awaiting their review by a specialist.Angiospermae) belonging to the classes Magnoliopsida  and Liliopsida . These are followed, in terms of representation, by ferns and related groups, with 991 specimens (1.61%) and the following distribution: class Polypodiopsida (740 specimens), Equisetopsida (139 specimens), Lycopodiopsida (107 specimens), and Psilotopsida (5 specimens). Finally, for gymnosperms (Gymnospermae) there are 353 specimens (0.58%), with the following distribution: Cycadopsida (2 specimens), Ginkgoopsida (1 specimen), Gnetopsida (51 specimens), and Pinopsida (299 specimens). In terms of diversity, Magnoliopsida , Pinopsida , and Polypodiopsida  are the most diverse classes within each large group of vascular plants , Fabaceae , Poaceae , Lamiaceae , Caryophyllaceae , Plantaginaceae , Brassicaceae , Apiaceae , Ranunculaceae , and Boraginaceae  , Trifolium , Festuca (811 specimens), Euphorbia (768 specimens), Plantago (750 specimens), Ranunculus (739 specimens), Medicago (724 specimens), Silene (722 specimens), Quercus (675 specimens), and Bromus (610 specimens)  and Festuca (59 spp.), followed by Trifolium (41 spp.), Silene (40 spp.), Euphorbia (37 spp.), Ononis (37 spp.), Genista (35 spp.), Ranunculus (34 spp.), Astragalus (28 spp.), and Teucrium (27 spp.).The ten families that contribute most, in percentage terms, to the plant specimens conserved in the herbarium are: Kingdom: PlantaePhylum: TracheophytaClass: Cycadopsida, Equisetopsida, Ginkgoopsida, Gnetopsida, Liliopsida, Lycopodiopsida, Magnoliopsida, Pinopsida, Polypodiopsida, Psilotopsida.Family: Acanthaceae, Adoxaceae, Aizoaceae, Alismataceae, Amaranthaceae, Amaryllidaceae, Anacardiaceae, Annonaceae, Apiaceae, Apocynaceae, Aquifoliaceae, Araceae, Araliaceae, Araucariaceae, Arecaceae, Aristolochiaceae, Asparagaceae, Asphodelaceae, Aspleniaceae, Asteraceae, Athyriaceae, Balsaminaceae, Begoniaceae, Berberidaceae, Betulaceae, Bignoniaceae, Blechnaceae, Boraginaceae, Brassicaceae, Bromeliaceae, Butomaceae, Buxaceae, Cactaceae, Campanulaceae, Cannabaceae, Capparaceae, Caprifoliaceae, Caryophyllaceae, Casuarinaceae, Celastraceae, Ceratophyllaceae, Cistaceae, Cleomaceae, Clusiaceae, Colchicaceae, Commelinaceae, Convolvulaceae, Coriariaceae, Cornaceae, Crassulaceae, Cucurbitaceae, Culcitaceae, Cupressaceae, Cycadaceae, Cymodoceaceae, Cynomoriaceae, Cyperaceae, Cystopteridaceae, Cytinaceae, Davalliaceae, Dennstaedtiaceae, Didiereaceae, Dioscoreaceae, Drosophyllaceae, Dryopteridaceae, Ebenaceae, Elaeagnaceae, Elatinaceae, Ephedraceae, Equisetaceae, Ericaceae, Escalloniaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Fabaceae, Fagaceae, Frankeniaceae, Garryaceae, Gentianaceae, Geraniaceae, Ginkgoaceae, Grossulariaceae, Haloragaceae, Heliotropiaceae, Hydrangeaceae, Hydrocharitaceae, Hypericaceae, Iridaceae, Isoetaceae, Juglandaceae, Juncaceae, Juncaginaceae, Lamiaceae, Lauraceae, Lentibulariaceae, Liliaceae, Linaceae, Linderniaceae, Lycopodiaceae, Lythraceae, Magnoliaceae, Malvaceae, Marantaceae, Marsileaceae, Martyniaceae, Melanthiaceae, Meliaceae, Menispermaceae, Menyanthaceae, Molluginaceae, Montiaceae, Moraceae, Musaceae, Myricaceae, Myrtaceae, Nephrolepidaceae, Nyctaginaceae, Nymphaeaceae, Oleaceae, Onagraceae, Ophioglossaceae, Orchidaceae, Orobanchaceae, Osmundaceae, Oxalidaceae, Paeoniaceae, Papaveraceae, Passifloraceae, Paulowniaceae, Phrymaceae, Phyllanthaceae, Phytolaccaceae, Pinaceae, Piperaceae, Pittosporaceae, Plantaginaceae, Platanaceae, Plumbaginaceae, Poaceae, Polemoniaceae, Polygalaceae, Polygonaceae, Polypodiaceae, Portulacaceae, Potamogetonaceae, Primulaceae, Proteaceae, Pteridaceae, Rafflesiaceae, Ranunculaceae, Resedaceae, Rhamnaceae, Rosaceae, Rubiaceae, Ruppiaceae, Rutaceae, Salicaceae, Salviniaceae, Santalaceae, Sapindaceae, Saxifragaceae, Scrophulariaceae, Selaginellaceae, Simaroubaceae, Smilacaceae, Solanaceae, Tamaricaceae, Taxaceae, Tetradiclidaceae, Thelypteridaceae, Thymelaeaceae, Tropaeolaceae, Typhaceae, Ulmaceae, Urticaceae, Verbenaceae, Violaceae, Vitaceae, Zygophyllaceae.Most of the specimens in the collection are from Spanish territory , with the peninsular area being the best represented  is the region with the highest number of specimens; specifically, within Andalusia, the province of Cordoba has the greatest representation , followed by Seville , Jaen , Huelva , and Cadiz  ; while the minor ones are December, January and November .The usual procedures for the processing and storage in the herbarium of the plant material have been employed. The fresh material is dried by pressing, sometimes with simultaneous drying using an oven or heater. When it is dry, and prior to storage, the rotary freezing technique (at -18 °C) is used for four days in order to conserve the material and prevent its destruction by fungi and insects, thus avoiding subsequent infestations. This procedure is repeated approximately every six months. The specimens are stored in boxes inside compactor cabinets located in an isolation unit with controlled temperature and humidity. The families are arranged alphabetically, as are the genera within each family and the species within each genus.Once processed, the specimens go along the assembly line, where they are assembled and labeled. Subsequently, they are assigned a COFC accession number and databased using Elysia v1.0. software . It is eThe care and control of the collection includes its monitoring through the management and registration of all incoming and outgoing botanical gatherings that are the responsibility of the Herbarium Service, with the curator’s supervision. The process includes space planning, sample relocation, sample assembly and repair, freezing to minimize the potential for insect infestation, and general repairs. Periodic checks are made in the storage area of the collections to detect possible effects of insects and harmful fungi.The quality control is mainly performed at three levels:In the identification phase/taxonomic criteria: For their inclusion in the herbarium, the specimens must be identified at the level of the species and, if appropriate, the infraspecific category, although for many genera there is material without identification of the species that is waiting to be reviewed by specialists. The main works used to identify the material are: "Flora Vascular de Andalucía Occidental" (http://www.theplantlist.org/), Tropicos (http://www.tropicos.org), IPNI , and Euro+Med PlantBase , as well as the valid name recognized in "Flora iberica" (http://www.floraiberica.es/).1. idental" , "Flora idental" , "Flora idental" , and "Flidental" . In caseidental"  and IV  of the place of origin, with greater or lesser precision. At present, the georeferencing of the collection is being done using MGRS coordinates (1 km2 of precision) based on the information contained in the original label, using the tools of Google Earth (http://www.google.com/earth/index.html) and Iberpix (http://www.ign.es/iberpix2/visor/). These coordinates are automatically transformed into geographic coordinates  when the herbarium information is transferred to the GBIF portal.2. In the phase of databasing and data export to the GBIF/Data records network: The first stage of the databasing of the collection was carried out with Herbar v3.7.1 software (Festuca). The Darwin Core biodiversity standards were used , encoded in UTF-8, is generated regularly and is available for download on the GBIF data portal via the Integrated Publishing Toolkit (IPT) of the University of Cordoba , through the GBIF Spanish network. The list of elements in the Darwin Core standard published through the GBIF network as well as their definitions and other information of interest can be found at https://dwc.tdwg.org.3. software , but aftsoftware , which iCOFC herbarium does not yet have its own funding. Since its creation, it has been dependent on the personnel and resources of the Department of Botany, Ecology and Plant Physiology of the University of Cordoba. Only more recently has it received additional funding, fruit of the efforts made by the two Curators who have been in charge, Profs. E. Ruiz de Clavijo (1977−2010) and J. A. Devesa (2011−present). It had two grants at the beginning of the databasing of the collection (Complementary Funding of the Ministry of Education and Science), and since 2011 it has benefitted from the work of technical personnel hired for the maintenance, databasing, and georeferencing of the collection, in some cases financed by the Government of Spain, and in others by the Junta de Andalucía. These grants and contracts are summarized below.Funding body: Ministry of Education and ScienceReference: CGL2007-28813-ELead researcher: E. Ruiz de ClavijoDuration: January 2008 to December 2008Amount: 32,900 eurosFunding body: Ministry of Education and ScienceReference: CGL2008-02241-E/BOSLead researcher: E. Ruiz de ClavijoDuration: January 2009 to December 2009Amount: 23,000 eurosProgram: Adaptation of the Herbaria of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Cordoba to the GBIF framework (Subprogram: Complementary Actions)Funding body: Ministry of Science, Innovation, and UniversitiesLead researcher: E. Ruiz de ClavijoDuration: July 2006 to April 2007Program: Adaptation of the Herbaria of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Cordoba to the GBIF framework (Subprogram: Complementary Actions)Funding body: Ministry of Science, Innovation, and UniversitiesLead researcher: E. Ruiz de ClavijoDuration: January 2008 to December 2008Program: Adaptation of the Herbaria of the Faculty of Sciences of the University of Cordoba to the GBIF framework (Subprogram: Complementary Actions)Funding body: Ministry of Science, Innovation, and UniversitiesLead researcher: E. Ruiz de ClavijoDuration: March 2009 to December 2009 (extended until 30−10−2010)Contracts for technical staff member:Program: Technical Personnel to Assist ResearchFunding body: Ministry of Science and InnovationReference: PTA2010-3438-ILead researcher: J. A. DevesaDuration: February 2011 to January 2014Program: Technical Personnel to Assist ResearchFunding body: Ministry of Education and Vocational TrainingReference: PTA2017-13723-ILead researcher: J. A. DevesaDuration: 2019−2021Contracts from the Youth Employment Plan:Program: National Youth Guarantee SystemFunding body: Ministry of Employment and Social SecurityLead researcher: PEJ-2014-A-82677Researcher: J. A. DevesaDuration: 2016−2017Program: National youth guarantee system and the youth employment operational programFunding body: Junta de AndalucíaReference: EJ-17-HerbLead researcher: J. A. DevesaDuration: June 2017 to May 2018Program: National youth guarantee system and the youth employment operational programFunding body: Junta de AndalucíaReference: EJI-17-RNM-260Lead researcher: J. A. DevesaDuration: January 2018 to July 2019Program: National youth guarantee system and the youth employment operational programFunding body: Ministry of Economy, Industry, and Competitivity, and Junta de AndalucíaReference: EJI-17-RNM-260Lead researcher: J. A. DevesaDuration: March 2019 to February 2020The following activities are being prioritized by the technical staff.Mounting, databasing, and inclusion of specimens from old collections: About 10,000 sheets of unmounted and unfiled specimens that accumulated in the period 1977−1987 are pending allocation of a sheet number or accession number, as well as databasing and inclusion in the General collection. Also, some 4,000 sheets have been allocated an accession number, but their data have not been registered in the database, probably due to a lack of technical personnel during that period and/or the absence of standardized databases. All this material has been identified, and most of it has been mounted. It has been arranged by family in distinctive blue boxes; currently, it is being databased using Elysia v1.0.a) These data were not available and so these specimens were not included in the taxonomic analysis or geographical coverage of this paper.Update the software and publication of data in GBIF: First, the migration of the database to the new version 2.0 of the Elysia software (Festuca need to be uploaded. This will be done once the study of its taxonomy and nomenclature has been completed (estimated date: December 2019). However, this paper has taken into account these records (811 so far) for the description of the collection.b) software  will be Centaurea (Festuca (taxonomic revision in progress), two of the most complex genera of the peninsular flora with an excellent representation in the collection. It is estimated that 16% of all the material preserved in the collection corresponds to duplicates, and these are especially common for the genera Centaurea  of various described taxa of the Iberian Peninsula are preserved in COFC . Facultad de Ciencias. Universidad de CórdobaCharacter encoding: UTF-8Format name: Darwin Core Archive formatFormat version: 1.0Distribution: https://doi.org/10.15468/fdzzalPublication date of data: 2019-07-19Language: SpanishLicences of use: Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC-BY-NC) 4.0 LicenseMetadata language: SpanishDate of metadata creation: 2019-06-18Hierarchy level: Dataset


Graduate of the Institute of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest in 1964, medical doctor, title obtained in 1974 with the doctoral thesis “Current therapeutic aspects in pituitary adenomas”, neurosurgeon since 1979, he was the Head of Neurosurgery I Department, “Bagdasar-Arseni” Clinical Emergency Hospital, coordinator of the Neuroscience Research Department of “Bagdasar-Arseni” Clinical Emergency Hospital and has been professor of Neurosurgery since 1997. He has held prestigious positions such as vice-president of the World Federation of Neurosurgical Societies (WFNS), corresponding member of the Brazilian Academy of Neurosurgery, corresponding member of the Romanian Academy of Sciences, vice-president of Academia Multidisciplinaria Neurotraumatologica (AMN), and corresponding member of Romanian Academy of Medical Sciences.st Grade Researcher since May 2009.He has been 1Pediatric neurosurgery pathology, Academia Publishing House, for which he received “Gh. Marinescu” prize of the Romanian Academy. He is co-author of 21 neurosurgical and neurological treaties and monographs. He is member of many editorial boards of international journals such as Child’s Nervous System, Springer-Verlag, Germany; Surgical Neurology, USA; Acta Neurochirurgica, Springer-Verlag, Vienna; Asian Journal of Neurosurgery, Nagoya, Japan; Journal of Medicine and Life, Romania; etc.His scientific activity includes many articles published in ISI (Clarivate) indexed journals such as Neurosurgical Review, Surgical Neurology, Neurosurgery, Acta Neurochirurgia, etc., as well as articles published in journals indexed in international databases (PubMed): Neurology Psychiatry Neurosurgery; Pediatrics; Neurology studies and research; Journal of Pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology; etc. Moreover, he has also published over 100 articles in Romanian journals and is the main author of 35 treaties and monographs published in Romania and abroad, such as He founded the neuroscience research department of “Bagdasar-Arseni” Clinical Hospital in Bucharest and has led and been involved in many research projects.He has collaborated with prestigious universities abroad such as the University of Virginia, USA, Karolinska University, Sweden, Marburg University, Germany, Messina University, Italy.He holds a patent for “Unitub Drainage”, which he obtained in 2005. He applied the technique of ventriculo-peritoneal shunt-unitub drainage for the first time in Romania in 1985, currently being a procedure used as surgical treatment in children with primary and secondary hydrocephalus.For his activity and remarkable results, he has been awarded many prizes such as the National Order “Faithful Service” as Commander. He was also awarded the Doctor Honoris Causa title by universities in Galaţi, Oradea, Chişinău, Iaşi, Piteşti, Constanţa and was Visiting Professor at 11 universities, such as Harvard University in Boston, INI in Hannover, Mercer University in Atlanta, etc.In one of his latest articles, Prof. Alexandru Vlad Ciurea, MD, PhD, affirmed: “Even for the most gifted neurosurgeons and despite modern medical devices, or for psychologists and famous neurologists, the brain remains a command center that has its enigmas”. In an impressive ceremony that took place in Bucharest, on January 31, 2019, with a select audience, the Eminent Professor was awarded the honorable title “Commander of Order of Romania”. This order is rarely awarded only to prominent personalities with a major activity in promoting our country.“As graduate of “Andrei Şaguna” National College in Braşov, I had the privilege of studying by following “the footsteps” of real patriots, people who participated in the great event of the Union! I was a student of the famous high school and I walked through the same corridors, passed through the same classrooms, through which many of the Union’s personalities stepped in”, justified the distinguished professor on March, 10 2019, at the entrance in “Atelier” Hall of the National Theatre in Bucharest, his wearing the high school uniform to what was going to be another new and fascinating lesson on health, titled “Alzheimer understood by everyone“.The famous neurosurgeon stated, “Alzheimer is considered incurable, with a long pre-clinical period and a progressive course of the affection, from minor to severe forms of the disease. Many political, artistic and sports personalities have died from this disorder, and the main therapeutic method is prevention ”.Undoubtedly, the overwhelming personality, the extraordinary power of work and especially his tenacity and will, doubled by a permanent opening to novelty and a continuous availability, have made Prof. Alexandru Vlad Ciurea, MD, PhD, a complete neurosurgeon.Thank you for being, Prof. Alexandru Vlad Ciurea, MD, PhD!


Nature Communications; 10.1038/s41467-018-06375-y; published online 28 Sept 2018Correction to: In the original version of this Article, the affiliation of the first author, Maria F. Torres, ‘Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, 45221, OH, USA’ was incorrectly assigned as a present address and should have been listed as a full affiliation. This error has been corrected in both the PDF and HTML versions of the Article.


Oenanthe javanica, popularly known as water dropwort, has long been used in various ethnomedical systems in Asia, especially in China, Korean, and Japan, for treating various chronic and acute hepatitis, jaundice, alcohol hangovers, abdominal pain, and inflammatory conditions. The present review aims to provide a general report of the available literature on traditional uses, phytochemical, pharmacological, nutritional, and toxicological data related to the O. javanica as a potential source of new compounds with biological activities. Considering phytochemical studies, coumarins, flavonoids and flavonoid glycosides, organic acids, and polyphenols were the main classes of compounds identified in the whole plant which were correlated with their biological activities such as hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, immune enhancement, ethanol elimination, antioxidant, antiviral, neuroprotective, anti-cancer, anticoagulant, anti-fatigue, hypoglycemic, cardiovascular protection, analgesic, and insecticidal activities. Before modern drugs began to take shape in the medical care industry, people were highly dependent on conventional or traditional medicine, which have been recognized by the World Health Organization as reliable medicinal sources for therapeutic activities , 2. MediOenanthe javanica (Blume) DC. (Apiaceae), which is a small perennial herb, has been cultivated in tropical and temperate regions of Asia for thousands of years and has long been used as a folk remedy for alleviating a wide spectrum of diseases. A variety of biological activities of O. javanica have been reported, including hepatoprotective . However, at the dose of 3000 mg/kg, it showed a decreasing effect on weight gain and lymphocyte number, and an increasing effect on neutrophil, but no effect on other tested items. Furthermore, within a 4-week recovery period, the induced toxicity was basically recovered [for mice , 15, 83.ecovered . O. javanica was reported by Xia and Li [ O. javanica was applied. There was also burning-like epidermal exfoliation on the lesions. The patient felt strong burning pain but no itching and was cured by 7-day anti-inflammatory treatment.In addition, a rare case of irritant contact dermatitis owing toa and Li , in whic O. javanica and the available scientific reports on its phytochemistry, pharmacological activities, and toxicology. It is worth mentioning that although scientific studies of bioactivities of O. javanica might justify some of its ethnomedicinal claims, the data are insufficient and, to some extent, preliminary. In the future, further systemic studies in humans are necessary. Furthermore, a subchronic toxicology of O. javanica at high dose  was observed in rats, but the potential toxic component and its possible mechanism have not been revealed. It would also be beneficial for in vivo and clinical studies to evaluate the toxicity effects on the target organ.The present review collectively discussed the ethnomedicinal uses of


Constant efforts of elite professionals in this important field are more and more, more known and, of course, more beneficial.Integrative dimension of capitalizing the sanogenic resources from Techirghiol lake area” National Conference with international participation, that took place at Techirghiol Balneary and Rehabilitation Sanatorium, at the beginning of this month, what should be mentioned is the marking of the 119 years of clinical research and maritime balneary management and especially the 45 years since the inauguration of Techirghiol Balneary and Rehabilitation Sanatorium.Thus, to highlight only two of the these remarkable actions, “The high scientific event, organized admirably and directed by the energetic and inspired “wand” of lawyer Elena Roxana Almăşan, PhD student and manager of the Sanatorium, was held in collaboration with the local and county decision makers and, among others, with the National Institute of Rehabilitation, Physical Medicine and Balneoclimatology, “Grigore Antipa” National Institute for Marine Research and Development, Romanian Society of Physical Medicine, Rehabilitation and Balneoclimatology, Romanian Society for NeuroRehabilitation, under the aegis of Romanian Medical Association and under the auspices of Medical Sciences Academy, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest, and “Ovidius” University in Constanta.The rehabilitation function of the human brain”.The inaugural conference was held by the famous neurologist and psychiatrist, Prof. Dumitru Constantin Dulcan, MD, PhD, with the theme “A special moment of the Conference was the round table dedicated to the implementation of the main educational components belonging to the neurorehabilitation European curriculum in Romania, to which many important personalities in the field have participated: Prof. Dafin Mureşanu, MD, PhD, Prof. Ovidiu Băjenaru, MD, PhD, Prof. Bogdan Popescu, MD, PhD, Prof. Gelu Onose, MD, PhD, Prof. Cristina Daia, MD, PhD, Prof. Volker Hömberg, MD, PhD, Prof. Giorgio Sandrini, MD, PhD.Another moment, with a powerful emotional impact, was the one of offering diplomas and medals to the employees, still working or retired, who were hired at the foundation of the Sanatorium, on August 1, 1973, and the evoking and homage paid to Cornelia Dărângă, MD, the first director of the institution (1973-1986).Techirghiol magazine, Arc peste timp brochure and the anastatic edition of Biodinamica lacului Techirghiol by Ion Țuculescu.Among the materials offered to the participants, the following should be mentioned: the Abstracts published in a Special Issue of the valuable magazine “Journal of Medicine and Life”, th National Conference of Balneology, and Medical Rehabilitation, organized by the National Institute of Rehabilitation, Physical Medicine and Balneoclimatology.Another remarkable event in this field took place this year in Aula Magna, Romanian Patriarchal Palace, under the patronage of the Academy of Medical Sciences and “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest, this being the 15The dynamic and hearty manager of the Institute, Horia Lăzărescu, MD, PhD, managed to invite both the managers of the best spa resorts in Romania and the mayors of these resorts to this valuable scientific event.The Conference had 12 scientific sessions and round tables, in which 87 scientific communications were presented and elaborated by 115 specialists on the following themes: “Novelties in balneology”, “Medical rehabilitation in neurological and cardiovascular diseases“, “Medical rehabilitation in rare diseases of children”, “Musculoskeletal ultrasound in monitoring the medical rehabilitation treatment”.On this occasion, the National Institute of Rehabilitation, Physical Medicine, and Balneoclimatology organized a special festivity, during which 15 spa resorts were awarded prizes for the quality of natural therapeutic factors, treatment centers, and the involvement of local public administration, as well as the therapeutical mineral waters. The excellence diplomas and the medals of honor were offered to the mayors of the spa resorts and the managers of the sanatoriums or treatment centers.Recuperarea Medicală de fază acută”, edited by Prof. Adriana Sarah Nica, MD, PhD.“Carol Davila” University Press of “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest was very much appreciated at this remarkable event, being present with specialty bookstands, among which the Romanian version of “Executive Editor Professor Eng. Victor Lorin Purcarea, PhD


Background: During the past few decades there has been a growing interest on the part of many governments in the creation of biobanks. Nevertheless, this would be impossible without participation of many donors who offer samples of their biological material for scientific research. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the existing research on social attitudes towards biobanking. Material and Methods: A literature search was conducted in the database of MEDLINE (PubMed). 61 papers were included in the analysis. The retrieved articles were assessed using a thematic analysis. Results: Eight main themes were identified: (1) public knowledge about biobanks, (2) public views on biobanking, (3) willingness to donate, (4) donors’ motivations, (5) perceived benefits and risks of biobanking, (6) preferred type of consent, (7) trust toward biobanks, and (8) demographic characteristics of potential donors. Conclusions: Although the public lacks knowledge about biobanking, many individuals declare willingness to donate. Their will is influenced by: their knowledge about biobanking, the type of donated tissue, research purpose, concerns over the safety of the data, preferred type of consent, and trust towards biobanks. During the past few decades there has been a dynamic development of biobanks . It was As each biobank exists in a unique geographical, social, and historical context , donatioThus, the aim of this review is to identify, categorize, and analyse the main themes appearing in the existing research on social attitudes toward biobanking of human samples and data. It also discusses ways to improve social perception of and trust toward biobanks.A literature search was conducted in the database of MEDLINE (PubMed) using a combination of key words: ‘biobank’, ‘biobanking’, ‘tissue bank’, ‘donors’, ‘public opinion’, ‘social attitudes’, and ‘participation in the research’. To ensure the systematic aspect of the search, it was carried out twice: in November 2018 by J.D. and in January 2019 by J.P., and was limited to the material published after the year 2000.The initial search identified 1161 publications, which were then selected on the basis of their titles and abstracts. Articles were included if they reported empirical studies on social attitudes toward biobanking, were written in English, and published in peer-reviewed journals. Papers were excluded if they focused on the theoretical aspects of biobanking or did not report on social attitudes toward biobanking. Comments, experts’ opinions, and letters to the editors were also excluded. These inclusion/exclusion criteria and additional reviews of the references of the selected articles yielded 61 articles which were read and analysed.n = 37) [Most research involved quantitative studies n = 3 [7,9,10,n = 37) ,47,48,49n = 37) ,52,53,54n = 37) ,57,58,59n = 37) ,60,61,62n = 37) ,64,65,66Twenty-four studies were conducted in North America: 22 in the U.S. ,54,57,62The retrieved articles were analysed using a thematic analysis . The stuAlthough biobanks exist in many countries, a 2010 Eurobarometer study on biotechnology has demonstrated that two-thirds of Europeans have never heard about biobanks and less than 2% search for information about biobanking. A higher awareness was observed in Scandinavian countries, including Iceland 80%), Sweden (75%), and Norway (65%) 0%, Swede. InfinitSimilarly, up to 67% of Americans have not heard about biobanks  and manyDespite the deficits in knowledge, most research showed that public opinion on biobanking is generally positive and supports the idea of creating local biobanks. In Finland, 77% of respondents felt positive about such a project, while only 11% were against it . In a ScBetter knowledge and positive opinions on biobanks correlate positively with respondents’ willingness to donate. In a Pan-European study, only 10% of respondents who had never heard about biobanks would not donate . For insRespondents’ willingness to donate was determined by the type of donated tissues, as the public were especially likely to donate blood, cancer, skin, and kidney tissues , but werRespondents’ willingness to donate also depended on access to the information about the research, as many donors wanted to know who was conducting the research and where the research was being conducted, what was its purpose, who would have access to research results, and where and how the samples would be stored ,12,51. DIn contrast, the donors may be discouraged by inadequate knowledge on biobanking ,40,60, dMost donors are driven by altruistic motives ,45,58,59Although respondents propounded for the social benefits of biobanking over personal ones, they also believed that donation should benefit both parties . NeverthThe most expected benefit resulting from biobanking was an increase in knowledge about many diseases and the development of novel therapies ,58,59,62Nevertheless, for the majority of respondents, participation in a biobank was a risky enterprise as they were afraid of the possibility of linking biological samples with donors’ personal data ,30,34,52Informed consent in the context of biobanking is a hotly discussed ethical and societal issue. Classic consent  is not possible due to objective reasons—biospecimens are used in much research, by many scientists, working at different places. Therefore, new models of consent are proposed, such as blanket consent , broad consent , dynamic consent , or tiered consent (research can be subdivided into tiers or categories and participants can specify the types of research for which their specimens will be used). Although, from a biobank’s perspective, broad consent is preferable , it is nTrust toward biobanks correlates positively with the willingness to donate, preference for broad consent, and decreases perception of the risks related to the privacy and confidentiality of samples ,48,58,61Interestingly, lack of trust was significantly high among ethnic minorities: African-Americans, Mexican-Americans, Native Americans, Hawaii and Alaskan Natives, which resulted from their negative experiences with colonization, eugenics, and medical experiments ,25,54,57Some studies suggest that middle-aged  persons and older are more favorable toward donation, trust biobanks, and accept broad consent more often ,29,30,43Positive attitudes toward donation were more common among respondents with higher economic status ,40, who Ethnic minorities were generally less eager to share their samples than people of European ancestry. They also expect re-consent more often ,23,48.While religious beliefs did not seem to influence donors’ decisions ,28, in tThis review of the research confirms that, although a large part of respondents do not possess knowledge about biobanking ,61, manyIt should also be emphasized that different attitudes toward biobanking result from social, cultural, and religious variances, which determine what types of tissue people are ready to donate, the type of research they are eager to participate in, and the consent model they prefer. Thus, while planning a biobank, it is crucial to address these socio-cultural circumstances, as it warrants respect for the donors and ensures the success of the recruitment process .Thus, active engagement of the donors in a biobank’s activity should not be viewed as an obstacle, but as a factor that enables their recruitment. Consequently, many authors argue that the organization of any biobank requires building a unique culture of trust, which should include: transparency of the biobank’s activity, appreciation of the donors, active involvement of local communities in planning and control of biobank activity, strengthening of bioethical committees in the organization and supervision of biobanks, and mutual communication with individual donors. Thus, recommendations include that donors have to have a chance to express their expectations and fears, receive clear and communicable leaflets, and feel in control . Further strategies include using the media of mass communication, including the Internet and social media; communication with representatives of patients’ organizations, local community and other stakeholders; promotion of active participation and engagement of the donors in promoting the idea of biobanking; access to up-to-date information on a biobank’s research and its results; contact with researchers; access to research results; and references to common good and altruism, taking care of the cultural and religious diversity of the donors ,27,56. TAlthough this study brings new insight into the public attitudes toward biobanking of human biological material for research purposes, it also has some limitations. Searching was limited to one database and some studies could not be identified, but this limitation should not change the general view and conclusions. Moreover, as analysed studies were conducted with different populations, it is hard to make quantitative comparisons. However, qualitative analysis is still possible and justified. In the future one should strive for strict quantitative analysis of public attitudes towards biobanking.While some limitations may exist in this paper, some advantages should also be acknowledged. Our review indicates that, although the majority of respondents lack basic knowledge about biobanking, many are open to donation and support the idea of establishing biobanks. Willingness for donation is influenced by multiple socio-cultural factors, including: the knowledge about biobanking, the type of donated tissue, research purpose and ethical standards, concerns over the safety of the data, positive recommendation by the bioethical committee, and commercial or non-scientific use of their samples. What is equally important is that most of the donors are driven by altruistic motives. Another notable finding is that respondents fear linking biological samples with their personal data, and access to their sensitive data by the government, insurance companies, and employers, and, consequently, discrimination or stigmatization. In particular, they are afraid of using their samples in research contrary to their values. Thus, although many donors accept broad consent, if available, other options are preferable, i.e., dynamic consent. This review also shows that the public trust public and national biobanking institutions rather than commercial and foreign institutions; trust toward biobanks links positively with willingness to donate, preference for broad consent, and links negatively with concerns about privacy protection and being a member of ethnic minorities. Biobankers who establish and manage their biobanks should take into account socio-cultural circumstances and care about a culture of trust towards biobanks, research, and scientists.


Global 0.5- by 0.5-degree resolution estimates are presented on the fate of nitrogen (N) stemming from point and nonpoint sources, including plant uptake, denitrification, leaching from the rooting zone, rapid flow through shallow groundwater, and slow flow through deep groundwater to riverine systems. Historical N inputs are used to describe the N flows in groundwater. For nonpoint N sources , calculations are based on local hydrology, climate, geology, soils, climate and land use combined with data for 1995 on crop production, N inputs from N fertilizers and animal manure, and estimates for ammonia emissions, biological N fixation, and N deposition. For point sources, our estimates are based on population densities and human N emissions, sanitation, and treatment. The results provide a first insight into the magnitude of the N losses from soil-plant systems and point sources in various parts of the world, and the fate of N during transport in atmosphere, groundwater, and surface water. The contribution to the river N load by anthropogenic N pollution is dominant in many river basins in Europe, Asia, and North Africa. Our model results explain much of the variation in measured N export from different world river basins.


Norman JE, Marlow N, Messow C-M, et al, for the OPPTIMUM study group. Vaginal progesterone prophylaxis for preterm birth (the OPPTIMUM study): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind trial. Lancet 387: 2106–162016; —In this Article, ten neonatal deaths (eight in the progesterone and two in the control group) were incorrectly categorised as postneonatal deaths, with no effect on the primary outcome and study conclusions. These corrections have been made online as of Jan 17, 2019, and the supplementary appendix of this Article has also been corrected as of Jan 17, 2019.


We read with great interest the article  in the JFirst, a significant alarming issue is the reference to “chili peppers”. The authors defined them as “fresh and dried chili peppers, but not including sweet capsicum or black pepper”. However, the authors failed to notice the difference in dried and processed chilis versus the fresh chili. Fresh chili is more nutrient-rich due to bioactive ingredients, including capsaicin, vitamin C, and other nutrients such as vitamins A, K, and B6, and potassium . SecondlAdditionally, there have been a lot of other confounding variables which would lead to the variation in cognitive decline, despite the adjustment in this research for intake of fat, smoking, alcohol drinking, income, urbanicity, education, physical activity, dietary patterns, BMI and hypertension. For example, the uptake of some medications , some cIn summary, the self-reported nature of the data and the missing confounding variables can hardly make this analysis comprehensive and reliable to underline an association between chili consumption and cognitive decline.


Low-histamine diets are currently used to reduce symptoms of histamine intolerance, a disorder in histamine homeostasis that increases plasma levels, mainly due to reduced diamine-oxidase (DAO) activity. These diets exclude foods, many of them of plant origin, which patients associate with the onset of the symptomatology. This study aimed to review the existing data on histamine and other biogenic amine contents in nonfermented plant-origin foods, as well as on their origin and evolution during the storage or culinary process. The only plant-origin products with significant levels of histamine were eggplant, spinach, tomato, and avocado, each showing a great variability in content. Putrescine has been found in practically all plant-origin foods, probably due to its physiological origin. The high contents of putrescine in certain products could also be related to the triggering of the symptomatology by enzymatic competition with histamine. Additionally, high spermidine contents found in some foods should also be taken into account in these diets, because it can also be metabolized by DAO, albeit with a lower affinity. It is recommended to consume plant-origin foods that are boiled or are of maximum freshness to reduce biogenic amine intake. In recent years, various diets have been proposed for the treatment of histamine intolerance ,5,6,7,8.As described in the literature and scientific reports issued by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and a joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO) committee, histamine intolerance  is a disorder associated with increased plasma histamine levels and is recognized as clinically different from the more established histamine intoxication ,10. AlthAOC1 on chromosome 7) have been associated with lower DAO activity [Diamine oxidase (DAO) is the main enzyme responsible for the metabolism of histamine and other amines at the intestinal level, and impaired DAO activity is one of the main causes of histamine intolerance ,12,13. Tactivity ,15,16. Tactivity . Anotheractivity .The symptoms of histamine intolerance are numerous and highly variable, due to the effects and functions of histamine in multiple organs and systems of the body. They include gastrointestinal , dermatological , respiratory , cardiovascular (hypotonia and arrhythmias), and neurological (headaches) symptoms, and it is common for more than one disorder to occur simultaneously ,11,12. SIn order to carry out a correct dietary treatment of histamine intolerance, it is necessary to know what foods may contain this amine and what factors influence its accumulation. Likewise, it is also important to consider the occurrence of other amines that are also metabolized by the DAO enzyme. In contrast to plant-origin foods, there is more available information on the contents of histamine and other amines in fish and fish derivatives and all types of fermented products , in which their presence is attributed to the aminogenic activity of spoilage microorganisms and also to fermentative microorganisms ,10,29. TDue to the information available on the contents of biogenic amines in nonfermented plant-origin foods being scarce, the aim of this study was to review the existing data on the contents of histamine and other biogenic amines in these types of products, as well as their origin and evolution during storage or cooking.A selective search of scientific literature dealing with biogenic amine contents in nonfermented plant-origin foods, including vegetables, fruits, and cereals, was performed. The bibliographic search was carried out in the PubMed and Web of Science databases using the following keywords: “histamine”, “biogenic amines”, “tyramine”, “putrescine”, “cadaverine”, “plant-origin food”, “food samples”, “storage”, “cooking”, “fruit”, “vegetable”, “legume”, “cereal”, “spinach”, “eggplant”, “tomato”, “citrus”, “modified atmosphere packaging”, and “microbial decarboxylase activity”. Original analytical studies, reviews, and table compilations of content in food were included. Articles published before 1990 were excluded from this review. Apart from data obtained from the literature, data on the biogenic amine content of plant-origin foods from our own database of Spanish market products were also used. Specifically, histamine, tyramine, putrescine, and cadaverine contents of 25 types of vegetables, 19 fruits, and 8 cereals were included.In this section, the contents of biogenic amines  in different plant-origin foods are reviewed, using our own database and data from studies published by other authors. A total of 20 studies reporting data on biogenic amine contents in such foods were found. Most provided data on putrescine contents , and only a few included other amines, such as histamine, tyramine, and cadaverine.The only products found to contain significant levels of histamine were eggplant, spinach, and tomato, each showing a great variability in content, both in samples from the same study and among different studies. Histamine values ranged from 4.2 to 100.6 mg/kg in eggplant, from 9.5 to 69.7 mg/kg in spinach, and from not detected to 17.1 mg/kg in tomato. In the case of asparagus, pumpkin, and chard, histamine was found in only a few samples and at very low levels (<2 mg/kg).Histamine occurs naturally in certain foods ,32, whicEnterococcus isolated from plants and fruits, mainly E. faecium, E. mundtii, and E. casseliflavus [Tyramine has been found in more foods than histamine, although in lower concentrations, in no case exceeding 10 mg/kg. It should be noted that histamine-containing foods also contained tyramine . Although there is very little information about the origin of tyramine in nonfermented vegetables, its presence seems to be associated with microbial aminogenic activity. The ability to form tyramine has been reported for bacteria of the genus liflavus .Clostridium spp. [Putrescine has been detected in all the studied vegetables and legumes, although its content varied greatly among foods and sometimes also within the same product. In most vegetables and legumes, the average values ranged from 1 to 25 mg/kg. However, some samples of green pepper, eggplant, sweet corn, green and purple beans, spinach, tomato ketchup, soybeans, and peas had strikingly high putrescine contents, in some cases exceeding 200 mg/kg . The putium spp. . Accordiium spp. , the higium spp.  have sugCadaverine, like tyramine, has been described in few vegetables and legumes and in relatively low concentrations, with average values that in no case exceeded 8 mg/kg. The values reported by Nishimura et al.  in onionAvocado and kiwi, and grapefruit, orange, and pineapple juices, are the only products in this category for which the presence of histamine has been reported, but not in all studies. The 23 mg/kg of histamine in avocado reported by Jarisch et al.  stands oSimilarly, very few fruits contained tyramine, and levels have always been low . AvocadoPutrescine has been found in practically all the fruits and nuts, with the highest levels in orange, orange juice, mandarin, grapefruit, grapefruit juice, banana, passion fruit, and pistachio. The range of contents of this amine in citrus fruits and their juices has been very broad, varying from not detected to as high as 200 mg/kg. Suggested explanations for this variability have included different origins, cultivation, and transport and storage conditions ,42,43,44The only fruits with a notable content of cadaverine were bananas and sunflower seeds, for which Nishimura et al.  reportedPutrescine contents in wholemeal bread were slightly higher than in bread made with refined flour. In white bread, low contents of cadaverine have also been reported, although only in one study, and from the analysis of two samples.The variability of amine contents observed among samples of the same product can be attributed mainly to conditions of production, transport, and storage .The storage temperature is one of the most important factors in the formation of biogenic amines ,29. RefrA study conducted by Simon-Sarkadi et al.  showed aLavizzari et al.  also repModified atmosphere packaging, together with low storage temperatures, is commonly used to extend the life of fresh vegetables and fruits. This type of packaging can influence the capacity of microorganisms to form amines ,58,60. EAnother factor that can affect the content of biogenic amines in foods of plant origin, especially vegetables, is the culinary process. Again, the results reported in the literature were variable, depending on the type of cooking and the amine in question. Latorre-Moratalla et al.  evaluateConversely, three recent studies have shown an increase in amine levels after a cooking process. According to Lo Scalzo et al. , boilingAmines are thermostable compounds, so in principle changes in contents can only be due to their transfer to the cooking water or by dilution or concentration effects of the culinary process, in which the food gains or loses water.At present, the main strategy to prevent the onset of histamine intolerance symptoms is to follow a low-histamine diet. Its efficacy has been demonstrated in different clinical studies, which have always described an improvement or remission of gastrointestinal, dermatological, and neurological symptoms ,65,66,67Current low-histamine diets exclude foods that patients associate with the onset of symptoms ,5,6,7,8,Putrescine, cadaverine, and tyramine are all substrates of the DAO enzyme, so if present in high amounts they may increase the adverse effects of histamine by competing as rival substrates or for binding sites in the intestinal mucosa ,9,68,69.The polyamines spermidine and spermine can also be metabolized by DAO, albeit with a lower affinity ,69, and Finally, the levels of biogenic amines and polyamines found in kiwi, papaya, strawberry, pineapple, and plum are too low to justify their exclusion. Some authors consider these foods, along with others such as milk, shellfish, and eggs, as endogenous histamine releasers, although by mechanisms still not well understood ,11,70.Biogenic amine data in nonfermented plant-origin foods from the different reviewed studies showed a great variability both within the same food item and among them. Putrescine was the most frequent biogenic amine found in fresh vegetables, legumes, fruits, and cereals, and only a limited number of products contained relevant levels of histamine . Tyramine and cadaverine were usually more scarcely found in plant-origin foods. Generally, low levels of histamine and putrescine may have a physiological origin. However, undesirable microbial enzymatic activity during production or storage may lead to the accumulation of high levels of these amines.No single trend has emerged in the evolution of amine contents during refrigerated storage, which might be at least partly due to the different experimental designs of the studies. In some cases, refrigeration seems to have prevented the formation of certain amines, but this remains a hypothesis, as no study performed a comparative analysis of samples stored under refrigeration and at room temperature. The increase in the biogenic amine content during refrigerated storage reported by other authors may be attributed to bacterial activity. Additionally, some studies have observed an influence of culinary process on the biogenic amine content, mainly derived from the transfer of these compounds to the boiling water or by dilution or concentration effects of the applied treatment.The exclusion of a high number of plant-origin foods from low-histamine diets cannot be accounted for by their histamine contents, but is more likely due to high levels of putrescine or spermidine. The plant-origin foods consumed by people with histamine intolerance should be of maximum freshness, since histamine and other amines may continue to form during refrigerated storage. The cooking of vegetables in water (boiling) is another relevant strategy for this population, since it can reduce the contents of histamine and other amines in the food.


R2 values from random-forest analyses and interpreted these values as the proportion of BMI variation explained by the early-life gut microbiota, concluding that over 50% of variation in BMI at 12 years was explained by gut microbiota at 2 years  cohort, we observed that only 10.3% of variation in BMI at 1 year was collectively explained by maternal BMI, race, socioeconomic status, smoking, delivery mode, parity, breastfeeding, infant sex, birth weight, and gestational age . However, other key risk factors of childhood obesity, including maternal BMI, smoking, child diet, and physical activity, were not accounted for . AlthougFinally, we applaud the authors for defining conceptual frameworks and causal pathways, where they conceive breastfeeding, mode of delivery, antibiotics, and gestational age as confounders and/or mediators of the association between gut microbiota and BMI, in accordance with previous observations from the CHILD cohort . We also


Scientific Reports 10.1038/s41598-018-33875-0, published online 22 October 2018Correction to: In the original HTML version of this Article, Yun-Fang Jia was incorrectly affiliated with ‘Division of Biology and Biological Engineering, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA’.This error has now been corrected in the HTML version of the Article, the PDF version was correct at the time of publication.