NASA could use New Horizons probe to look for distant objects past Pluto

Posted on by

WASHINGTON, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- NASA's New Horizons probe is expected to reach Pluto by the middle of next year, but it may not stop there. The spacecraft was sent to Pluto so NASA could do studies on the dwarf planet and natural satellites that orbit it, but recent images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope show objects that could be close enough for the probe to examine them from near Pluto. The probe passed Neptune in August.

NASA is still deciding how viable the extra mission would be and how they could benefit from spending extra time and money doing it.

"The planned search for a suitable target for New Horizons further demonstrates how Hubble is effectively being used to support humankind's initial reconnaissance of the solar system," Matt Mountain, director of the Space Telescope Science Institute, said in July. They will continue to observe nearby objects to determine the future of the New Horizons mission.

2014 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

See the original post:

NASA could use New Horizons probe to look for distant objects past Pluto

NASA says September was warmest on record since 1880

Posted on by

WASHINGTON, Oct. 13 (UPI) -- NASA announced on Sunday that September was the warmest ever recorded, since record keeping began in 1880. The data reflects global temperatures, and NASA's records also show it to be the hottest six month streak recorded.

El Nio has yet to begin, which would typically explain such elevated temperatures. When El Nio does begin, it could cause more record breaking months. It is expected to arrive by the end of the year and end by spring of 2015. Projections show these trends could make 2014 the hottest year overall on record. Recent studies indicate that over 2,000 could be killed per year from having heat strokes caused by rising temperatures by the year 2057.

2014 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Any reproduction, republication, redistribution and/or modification of any UPI content is expressly prohibited without UPI's prior written consent.

Read the rest here:

NASA says September was warmest on record since 1880

NASA Spacecraft Watched the Lunar Eclipse from Mercury

Posted on by

Last Wednesday, Earth was wowed by a lovely cosmic alignment a lunar eclipse. For cloud-free regions of the globe, skywatchers observed our moon gradually fall into Earths shadow, eventually transforming from a bright disk into an ominous-looking red glow. Known as a lunar eclipse, the event wasnt only a show for Earthlings to enjoy a certain little space robot was observing from 66 million miles away.

PHOTOS: Distant Earth: A History of Pale Blue Dots: Photos

NASAs MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) mission is currently in orbit around our solar systems smallest planet and, on Oct. 6, mission controllers commanded the probe to gaze Earthward. As can be seen in the video below, our planets natural satellite orbited behind the Earth, falling into its shadow:

From Mercury, the Earth and moon normally appear as if they were two very bright stars, said planetary scientist Hari Nair, of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, in Laurel, Md. During a lunar eclipse, the moon seems to disappear during its passage through the Earths shadow, as shown in the movie.

NEWS: Extreme Space Weather Event Detected at Mercury

The video is composed of 31 MESSENGER observations of the Earth-moon system taken from 5:18 a.m. to 6:18 a.m. EDT on Oct. 8. The animation starts just before the moon slips into the darkest part of the Earths shadow (umbra). To improve clarity in the video, mission scientists increased brightness of Earth and moon, which are only 40 pixels apart in the images attained by MESSENGERs narrow-angle camera.

News source: Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory

Video source: Jason Major, Lights In The Dark

See more here:

NASA Spacecraft Watched the Lunar Eclipse from Mercury

NASA Issues 2015 Innovative Advanced Concepts: Phase I Studies

Posted on by

Solicitation Number: NNH14ZOA001L-14NIAC-A2

Release Date: October 10, 2014

Response Date:November 12, 2014 5:00pmEastern(Proposals)

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters released on October 10, 2014 an Appendix to the current Space Technology Research, Development, Demonstration, and Infusion 2015 (REDDI) NASA Research Announcement (NRA) for initial studies of visionary aerospace concepts. NNH15ZOA001N, entitled NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts: Phase I Studies, available athttp://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId={3DF71BC7-1E4C-8A39-5D08-2D4BB479D848}&path=open

This NRA Appendix will solicit multiple studies, each of which will investigate an architecture, mission, or system concept with the potential to enable a great leap in space or aeronautics. Aerospace architecture, mission, or system concepts proposed for NIAC Phase I study must be exciting, unexplored, far-term, and credible. Proposals for narrow technology or subsystem development, or incremental or near-term advancement, are explicitly out of scope for this program. Finally, while NIAC encourages daring vision and accepts the accompanying risk, proposals must be technically credible and plausibly implementable.

NIAC is part of the Space Technology Mission Directorate (http://www.nasa.gov/niac). The 2015 NIAC Phase I solicitation will be a two-step process. Step A will be a 3-page white paper plus summary chart. Proposals shall be submitted electronically, and all Step A proposers shall use the NASA Solicitation and Proposal Integrated Review and Evaluation System (NSPIRES), accessible athttp://nspires.nasaprs.com, or for Step A may also use Grants.gov. Step B full proposals will be eligible only if invited after review of a Step A submission. Step B proposals shall be submitted electronically through NSPIRES only.

This solicitation will be an open announcement; anyone is welcome to respond. Affiliation with any educational institution, commercial or not-for-profit organization, research laboratory, government agency, or NASA Center (including the Jet Propulsion Laboratory) is permitted. Individuals may submit, as long as they meet the registration requirements for NSPIRES. Every organization that intends to submit a proposal in response to this NRA must be registered with NSPIRES, and such registration must identify the authorized organizational representative(s) who will submit the electronic proposal. Each electronic proposal system places requirements on the registration of principal investigators and other participants (e.g. co-investigators). Potential proposers and proposing organizations are urged to access the electronic proposal system(s) well in advance of the proposal due date(s) to familiarize themselves with its structure and enter the requested information. Specific proposal submission deadline dates, evaluation criteria, and submission information will be identified in the NRA. Step A White Papers will be due on or beforeWednesday, November 12th, 2014; Step B full Proposals will be due on or before Wednesday, January 21st , 2015.

12-16 NIAC Phase I awards are anticipated, but the final number of awards will depend on the quality of proposals and availability of appropriated funds.

Comments and questions may be addressed by e-mail to NIAC Program representatives athq-niac@mail.nasa.gov. Responses to inquiries will be answered by e-mail and also included in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document located on the NSPIRES page associated with the solicitation; anonymity of persons/institutions who submit questions will be preserved.

Please follow SpaceRef on Twitter and Like us on Facebook.

Go here to see the original:

NASA Issues 2015 Innovative Advanced Concepts: Phase I Studies

Meet the Harvard Professor Behind a Winning 1,870-Pound Pumpkin

Posted on by

hnQvO{22U( =h,?Te@zx>:U'w!?$sXFlj& WL-F2sSKMv |?,R*-C"pA C:(y2mw:V1e3kvZ2f)b%vPstWp>$eP#R;!jb?@'QA'GahcXILz+)0 WyCt9>!tFN^ y$zETJ&:v`y7?7z=9PUk>Zc#U6Uc7:ckQu[*jqWE5PWaz2?c"q/;v>U'[c[(.W%0..])pB)AL& 37IQd^I:R#;H!TjV `] q4 %: A&)V(FF&$eYRkHAvx?Qfnc:P]@sbH6Fry0xy] _tu"'>>@g`.W2WXc49rg5m{{]r1J*_x.A@q$|Y(S;NhKtYEdMbNQJIW~2""rA(K582YF@s6p CQ~MlX1@3 +Bk@RwS9N2Kc8S@OO'Gu>xElO]AZ/'zj8/-'Ip>n4D5$EZx6X=:*W*ZjNf,Mhm5Q'#4Vua)W B ZRjbb%fW"9P.sdTfUVfa@b^#8FT"k|.pg*P5^g0 1YwTL#qtE?TI'"0VE*Z=._(jluHd$oL(`-)%{O+]PP>Q9|06a&TTyP&3k"@]" ?|SbmLM;WE?F,2D4'7 )( B~Ml (nO!UTBYVmwUM-*wU|rmnm+FmbXn=3rFv;ZrML:$+yIq`1:w/M!equX;|!_qi!`Of2AJqKrT4:ii4c^QP6qvi tilqXP$zqiF-?q'UOw'@1rpbJao }Q9%>F")HyatYQ~#YEP;[=g[^r|ry yYjMbt.>p4uj,w%:9|,,xD/zCDV]TQ_5TtA{yu u*Ew}@cGB|5PADp]~ 7nlL~9YK]uyooL,+cKG&,&H&l*+/[5(q%DUc|>yp%PaU0xJ323J#rokBo,Be+&82K[9#}#(&}w8_ /{Zs'M[g4 %m[cIBfF 4vlI4I`v}_3bS$8wUbc8_QQ;!~QI7*1WLS+&dMqbLN"+&"z:)Wr.4s-A5@,1@O7[i.XfhTd{K9=Z8Xg|GcJ&&Wr+U==(Wc2RB87aV|:?sLT 'rFymqRyF1Or>p=2w^?/6}o[;!%/3X|DWwD9v z_c{f U}!S[R5FApZINV*. hz4oY- !sg;qz'Juwe~4?~1WM&TGW]Vnsh2Zh4@xRnjw'O?d WXi:luz%b6W*{{a60 ` coyF =4[Dr{'MVW~t]nMvpJ*GO7l>"1J&xK,DvJ~lnh;x:)fe=:W7 U!Mok*)k{C/H5V(B`"_Af q9*]6!oB[tvu4`Be:9^r<.>Hblkr*ZX)WtW7bY5$5Pg&|JNSF 7FI 9E,IbbOH+C@ba$k5lC?Z"bRYHrHNNL8Pq+`S,P@1,h.[w+{o:ese=WaseZn;~|s0|y6OMM2TaX3fL(2nam] |H)8uV9/13`uIJ|]8cuLqs|+=|>OS|+H5g'7WQ~vO5=b6Yx"[D8oqkady[*JQpTr4K=Y5fnFUU= [^HvE}@vp6]nM0PGPJ}V p{72N!eKCn& w t"BFFSedMRlJKV{Z'J$SQh$JjI^z@|BY#GoTzS52TFUZD}]F^H UF(uQgjjjmAe5Q%aekt%lE/}zQ0fSzz251,mr#cM0fBSO*,LWVh+a`IQONk5`O[6J(.Y r(:A:fi36r'sqE}jmT*U&sBt-P2PcfosF]NBa1Qg %lP^!/hsU*nu `wcKIG3pg>)i9ADI56 @pGD3D2|YLFFf DnL D^[t%~ ."e'H]?X-P4C?o@8hVcQOSG~b6ld.pV>@HsZrt5ZJvboi92E3dZ-LLI3B1@jR3;-S;2-GRPxLY

_ ?Lqo!{|6@?LF [eIlZr}f:80GgZ5"5'H_;+;.']},isIMa)ASe['EZ- qja}_.*}!I-(hp6f381EL*B%o{S{x=Y#> fX10=x+fJIi5"nI(8([1X kqX$Vvn;dKIkwfd oh7gRq`%+;xSv*B|H -GwKvk~y5.7"59WYmcaJb"^AT=@+-G}uF?+R3rnuE?6v]-M&g{ 8skpY1f#r7>QMOtT$(" H1m0LU@z!#M7_i)^6`;3@Z,.5D&?:EeAAua4F2Ua! /"s"uw0?H1>jHfN)&W,Vj-_nyj6pxwXg}_[5l}Lb2}U|(D'D-A),&kc%jPTzyf f16Ea}gy^!B)T4ge{.Fz,$yiL*F"=3S`{D8caj828G$XsCi^d) V2b^yVd:mtxC!QYuX&7t7TqH sd v;MlG'gB g4TL=l:[L b)k:-UpWpq}c:1PH /IJ0KiqAXUKOP!:l-Bcr5kPVjC(sc9wxD*KPR(:N;$O&V|1azln'_]2;3ewbFON*R)tUhQ8UOhSg}Fr3t qG+k0"C.D;#r r!lj;h/sf`i2= 43^-AFQL]B>hr}"+O!o,TPENl|)?TZYpg]Y &CT`c1B$W-tuKb{ols>]$c"+uUYR'JSTXf^T]Ht-z!6jjW,W*ln"9OImJ)^Z 4Y eCS^^FM3/mU^N P0*N8 ,{2fpY9kfm(7;2$7;jJ1.

Excerpt from:

Meet the Harvard Professor Behind a Winning 1,870-Pound Pumpkin

B.S./M.S. Contiguous Program (NENG) | NanoEngineering

Posted on by

A contiguous program leading to a bachelor of science and a master of science degree in nanoengineering is offered to a student with junior standing who has an upper-division GPA of 3.5 or better and a 3.0 overallUCSDGPA.

During the last quarter of their junior year (more specifically, the fourth quarter prior to the receipt of theB.S. degree), students interested in obtaining theM.S. degree within one year following receipt of theB.S. degree may apply to the Department of NanoEngineering for admission to the program. Students must submit 3 letters of reference from their professors with their application.

Students will meet the requirements of both theB.S. andM.S. program, such as courses and credits.There are no overlaps in courses.Upon completion of theB.S./M.S. program, students are not automatically eligible for admission to thePh.D. Program.

What are the advantages of students doing aB.S./M.S.?

- Students are admitted without having to take theGREsand will not need to pay the graduate application fee.

- Students can start taking theM.S. required courses their senior year and therefore, take more graduate courses overall.

- Students may be able to start aM.S. thesis project earlier. Note: Students still have bothM.S. plans as options (coursework or thesisM.S.). This does not reduce the number of courses to be taken in either degree.

- AllM.S. students need to take 5 core classes as stated in the catalog.

- Courses taken cannot be counted for both theB.S. and theM.S. program.

TheM.S. program is intended to extend and broaden an undergraduate background and/or equip practicing engineers with fundamental knowledge in their particular fields. The degree is offered under both the Thesis Plan I and the Comprehensive Examination Plan II.

Continued here:

B.S./M.S. Contiguous Program (NENG) | NanoEngineering

Bio-Inspired 'Nano-Cocoons' Offer Targeted Drug Delivery Against Cancer Cells

Posted on by

Contact Information

Available for logged-in reporters only

Newswise Biomedical engineering researchers have developed a drug delivery system consisting of nanoscale cocoons made of DNA that target cancer cells and trick the cells into absorbing the cocoon before unleashing anticancer drugs. The work was done by researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

This drug delivery system is DNA-based, which means it is biocompatible and less toxic to patients than systems that use synthetic materials, says Dr. Zhen Gu, senior author of a paper on the work and an assistant professor in the joint biomedical engineering program at NC State and UNC Chapel Hill.

This technique also specifically targets cancer cells, can carry a large drug load and releases the drugs very quickly once inside the cancer cell, Gu says.

In addition, because we used self-assembling DNA techniques, it is relatively easy to manufacture, says Wujin Sun, lead author of the paper and a Ph.D. student in Gus lab.

Each nano-cocoon is made of a single strand of DNA that self-assembles into what looks like a cocoon, or ball of yarn, that measures 150 nanometers across.

The core of the nano-cocoon contains the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) and a protein called DNase. The DNase, an enzyme that would normally cut up the DNA cocoon, is coated in a thin polymer that traps the DNase like a sword in a sheath.

The surface of the nano-cocoon is studded with folic acid ligands. When the nano-cocoon encounters a cancer cell, the ligands bind the nano-cocoon to receptors on the surface of the cell causing the cell to suck in the nano-cocoon.

Once inside the cancer cell, the cells acidic environment destroys the polymer sheath containing the DNase. Freed from its sheath, the DNase rapidly slices through the DNA cocoon, spilling DOX into the cancer cell and killing it.

Read the original here:

Bio-Inspired 'Nano-Cocoons' Offer Targeted Drug Delivery Against Cancer Cells

Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems Progress on CubeSat Proximity Operations Demonstration

Posted on by

Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc., the industry leader in nano-satellites and turnkey SmallSat solutions, today announced that it successfully completed the development of the Cubesat Proximity Operations Demonstration (CPOD) vehicles and has officially received the approval to continue into the Vehicle Assembly Integration and Testing (AI&T) Phase.

The Cubesat Proximity Operations Demonstration (CPOD) mission will demonstrate rendezvous, proximity operations and docking using two three-unit (3U) cubesats. This mission will validate and characterize several miniature, low-power avionics technologies applicable to future NASA projects. The CPOD project is led by Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, Inc. of Irvine, California with funding from NASA's Small Spacecraft Technology Program.

After undergoing multiple rigorous program reviews, the management team of the Small Spacecraft Technology Program (SSTP) at Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., determined that the Tyvak's team is actively retiring all the foreseeable risks and is demonstrating the required technical and programmatic capabilities to successfully complete this phase of the project. SSTP managers also recognized that with Tyvak's continued success, the team will be in an excellent position to proceed with the final phase of the project leading to the on-orbit operations.

"We are grateful for the support and trust that NASA has given us throughout the project's development." said Dr. Marco Villa, Tyvak's President and Chief Operating Officer. "Tyvak has established itself as a leader in the NanoSatellite segment by recognition of its advanced technical capabilities," Dr. Villa added, "but it is great to also be acknowledged for our attentiveness and diligence towards program management and mission assurance. Surely this wouldn't be possible if it weren't for our outstanding engineering team and our invaluable partners 406 Aerospace, Applied Defense Solutions, and VACCO Industries. "

With responsibility over the entire mission, from subsystems' design to operations, Tyvak announced to be still on-track with the original schedule, and to expect a full vehicle integrated by the end of the year with Flight Readiness Review as early as May 2015.

For more information about CPOD, go tohttp://www.nasa.gov/directorates/spacetech/small_spacecraft/cpod_project.html.

About Tyvak: Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems Inc. provides turnkey solutions for SmallSat customers, from innovations to operations, making space research and utilization more accessible today than it has ever been. Tyvak can handle all your satellite needs from design and build, to test, launch and operations. With decades of experience in all sectors of the industry, the Tyvak team is unmatched in the small satellite industry. Engineers work with clients to shrink payload specifications, enabling more cost-effective development and transport to orbit. Tyvak systems are adaptable, have low power consumption and are easily customizable to support multiple applications. For more information, go to http://www.tyvak.com.

The Cubesat Proximity Operations Demonstration (CPOD) mission will demonstrate rendezvous, proximity operations and docking using two three-unit (3U) cubesats. This mission will validate and characterize several miniature, low-power avionics technologies applicable to future NASA projects. The CPOD project is led by Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems, LLC of Irvine, California with funding from NASA's Small Spacecraft Technology Program. The three-year project was initiated in November 2012.

Each of the satellites has dimensions of 10 by 10 by 33 centimeters and has a mass of about 5 kilograms. The satellites also have deployable solar panels.

CPOD will demonstrate the ability of two small spacecraft to remain at determined points relative to each other (called station-keeping) as well as precision circumnavigation and docking using imaging sensors and a multi-thruster cold gas propulsion system. Docking will employ a novel universal docking mechanism.

Follow this link:

Tyvak Nano-Satellite Systems Progress on CubeSat Proximity Operations Demonstration

The Future of Genomic Medicine – Anne Wojcicki, Richard Lifton and Eric Green – Video

Posted on by


The Future of Genomic Medicine - Anne Wojcicki, Richard Lifton and Eric Green
September 30, 2014 - Genomics and Our Health: What does the future hold? A closing symposium for the exhibition - Genome: Unlocking Life #39;s Code - that explores the potential of genomics to...

By: GenomeTV

See the original post here:

The Future of Genomic Medicine - Anne Wojcicki, Richard Lifton and Eric Green - Video

"How To Get A Mouse To Take His/Her Medicine" – Martin Javors, PhD – Video

Posted on by


"How To Get A Mouse To Take His/Her Medicine" - Martin Javors, PhD
"How to Get a Mouse to Take His/Her Medicine" By: Martin Javors, Ph.D., Professor UT Health Science Center at San Antonio Barshop Institute Seminar Series for Wednesday October 8, 2014.

By: UTHSCSA Barshop

Read the original here:

"How To Get A Mouse To Take His/Her Medicine" - Martin Javors, PhD - Video

Personalized Medicine Versus Obamacare

Posted on by

Personalized medicine recognizes that each of us may be different from every other individual. Where those differences are discovered, it seeks unique therapies. What I call cookbook medicine urges doctors to treat all patients with similar symptoms the same way. It implicitly assumes we are all alike.

Right now science is headed in the direction of personalized medicine. ObamaCare is pushing us in the opposite direction. Your life could hang in the balance.

Take the case of Dr. Lukas Wartman, a St Louis physician who developed a rare form of leukemia that is usually rapidly fatal and for which there is no effective treatment. He and his colleagues at Washington University refused to accept defeat. They worked round-the-clock for many days using the universitys 26 sequencing machines and a supercomputer. As descried by Gina Kolata in The New York Times:

[T]hey discovered a single gene mutation in his cancer cells that was producing a protein that appeared to be stimulating the cancers growth. It turned out that a new drug existed that was targeted specifically at shutting down the offending protein, a drug that to that point had been used only for kidney cancer. When they administered the drug to Dr. Wartman, his cancer went into complete remission.

In contrast to this case, consider what happens in a typical clinical drug trial, under the FDAs traditional guidelines. An experimental group receives the drug and a control group receives a placebo. Then the drug is approved if the experimental group significantly improves relative to the control group, on the average. If there is no significant difference, the drug is rejected as not effective.

But wait a minute. Usually when a drug is found to be ineffective, there are a few experimental patients who react positively to it. Why are we ignoring them? The answer: randomized controlled trials implicitly assume that all the patients are alike. So if one or two patients get better, thats assumed to be an anomaly. If the drug were responsible, it would have worked for all the other patients as well. Interestingly, almost all the best research on cancer care these days is rejecting the FDA approach. If some patients respond favorably to a drug even when most do not researchers want to know if genetic differences explain the results.

Gina Kolata reports:

One study at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center tested a drug called Everolimus that is approved for kidney and breast cancer. Researchers asked if it could treat bladder cancer. Forty-five patients received the drug. Two responded.

Under ordinary protocols, researchers would have decided the drug doesnt work. But in this case, they tried to find out why two patients got better. In the case of one patient:

The investigators found out why. Her cancer had a mutation in a gene that made it dependent on a protein, mTOR, for growth. Everolimus squelches the activity of mTOR. The woman is still taking Everolimus, and her cancer has not recurred.

Read the original:

Personalized Medicine Versus Obamacare

Tip sheet from Annals of Internal Medicine Oct. 14, 2014

Posted on by

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

13-Oct-2014

Contact: Megan Hanks mhanks@acponline.org 215-351-2656 American College of Physicians @ACPinternists

1. Experts urge cautious use of experimental Ebola drugs

While a World Health Organization (WHO) advisory panel says it is ethical to use experimental medications and vaccines on Ebola patients, experts caution that these drugs are not without risks, and physicians must carefully triage patients or risk serious adverse events, according to a commentary being published in Annals of Internal Medicine. The WHO's epidemic-specific conclusion mandates that health care professionals employ particular ethical standards (fairness of dissemination, patient consent, physician nonmaleficence) when using unapproved Ebola drugs. Therein lies the problem, according to the authors. Because the drugs are experimental, physicians will not be able to discern which patients are likely to benefit from treatment. Drug misuse may lead to poorer outcomes for the 'treated' severely ill, missed opportunities for realistically treatable patients, and a possible induction of drug resistance. The authors also suggest that meaningful informed consent may not be possible during this current epidemic. They urge physicians to employ careful triage strategies to maintain principled experimentation. Data and safety monitoring and experimentation protocols with plans for adequate drug supply to allow sufficient research will be required to ensure a better future standard.

Note: Note: The URL for this story will be live at 5:00 p.m. on October 13 and can be used in news stories. For a PDF, please contact Megan Hanks. To interview the lead author, please contact John Easton at john.easton@uchospitals.edu or 773-795-5225.

2. Health economists find major flaw in FDA's tobacco label regulation cost-benefit analysis

The FDA's cost-benefit analysis of its proposed cigarette labeling regulation has a major flaw, according to an Ideas & Opinions piece being published in Annals of Internal Medicine. Federal agencies proposing any significant regulatory action are required to evaluate the regulation's costs and benefits. In this case, the FDA evaluated its proposed rule requiring cigarette packs to bear large graphic warning labels to deter consumers from smoking. Among other components (costs of implementation, FDA administrative and enforcement costs), the FDA included the cost to consumers, or "consumer surplus." The consumer surplus is the pleasure smokers derive from smoking over and above the price they pay for cigarettes. A group of prominent health economists say that including "lost pleasure" from tobacco use as an element of economic impact is flawed thinking because most tobacco users derive little consumer surplus from smoking. Rather they struggle with trying to break an addiction, regret having ever started smoking, and face psychological costs from being addicted and unable to quit. The authors urge the FDA to consider this reality in future economic evaluations of proposed tobacco regulations.

Note: The URL for this story will be live at 5:00 p.m. on October 13 and can be used in news stories. For a PDF or an interview with the lead author, please contact Abby Abazorius at abbya@mit.edu or 617-253-2709.

3. National study is first to report on medical resident knowledge of High Value Care via exam vignettes

Originally posted here:

Tip sheet from Annals of Internal Medicine Oct. 14, 2014

Concierge Medicine: How At-Home Doctor Visits Yield Savings

Posted on by

Oct 13, 2014 5:03pm

Its been a while since any member of the Basile family missed school or work for a visit to the doctor.

We had perfect attendance two years in a row, said mother Meredith Basile. No lates. No sick days.

Instead of waiting in a doctors office, she and husband Joe found family physician Dr. Brian Thornburg, who treats them and their two children at their home in Naples, Florida.

ABC News

Related: Save money and time by bringing doctor to you with telemedicine.

Thornburg is one of an estimated 10,000 concierge doctors in the US.

For a fee, these doctors offer personalized care and around-the-clock access, often treating their patients at home for everything from a routine checkup to the occasional stitch or two.

On top of their regular health insurance, patients pay Thornburg a $100 monthly fee for whatever home care they might need.

Although critics say the service is only for the rich and famous, ABC News consumer health advocate Michelle Katz disagrees. She said there could be hidden savings in concierge medicine.

Read more:

Concierge Medicine: How At-Home Doctor Visits Yield Savings

Dance Medicine Conference to Focus on Dancer Performance, Safety, Health and Longevity

Posted on by

Contact Information

Available for logged-in reporters only

Newswise LOS ANGELES (Oct. 13, 2014 ) Dancer Kerry Wee was rehearsing an aerial routine for a concert tour a few years ago in Nashville, Tennessee, when she fell to the ground and broke several bones in her ankle. During emergency surgery, doctors inserted 17 pins and screws in Wees lower leg, leaving her career in doubt.

But Wee, 37, was determined to dance again. Back home in Los Angeles, she underwent two more surgeries and extensive physical therapy at the Cedars-Sinai Orthopaedic Center, eventually having all of the hardware removed from her leg. Wee has returned to the dance floor professionally, and she now has a message for other dancers who might benefit from her experience.

Learn your limits and know when youre in danger of hurting yourself, she said. If you want a long career, you must listen to your body.

Those messages will be highlighted during the Cedars-Sinai/USC Glorya Kaufman Dance Medicine Centers fifth annual Dance Medicine Conference on Saturday, Oct. 25.

Titled Optimizing Dance Performance, the daylong event will focus on enhancing dance performance in the studio and on the stage while keeping dancers safe and healthy. The conference, which will run from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., is open to dancers, choreographers, students, teachers and others involved in dance.

We want to focus discussions on preparing dancers for their best possible performances in ways that protect their health, said Margo Apostolos, PhD, the centers co-director and an associate professor of dance at the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance.

The conference will feature conversations with well-known figures in modern dance, including choreographer Joe Tremaine; Jodie Gates, a former Joffrey Ballet dancer and now vice dean and director of the USC Glorya Kaufman School of Dance; dancers Derrick Schrader and Saleemah E. Knight; and Apostolos, who will discuss health and conditioning for dancers.

It also will feature breakout sessions with Cedars-Sinai orthopedic surgeons and physical therapists.

Link:

Dance Medicine Conference to Focus on Dancer Performance, Safety, Health and Longevity

VA secretary looking for a few good medical students

Posted on by

By Wilson Ring The Associated Press October 13, 2014

BURLINGTON, Vt.

The new secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs made an impassioned recruitment pitch to medical school and nursing students at the University of Vermont on Monday, urging them to consider careers in the VA.

It was the latest in a series of recruiting stops VA Secretary Robert McDonald has made since he took over at the end of July with a mission to overhaul an agency beleaguered by long waits for health care for the nation's veterans and by workers falsifying records to cover up delays.

Besides filling immediate needs of reducing wait times for people seeking treatment at VA facilities across the country, he said he sees the long-term way to improve the system and keep it vibrant as bringing in more staff.

"There is no higher calling," McDonald said to a conference room full of students at the College of Medicine, referencing the opportunity to care for the nation's veterans and, in some cases, their dependents.

But he also touted the practical benefits. A new law allows the VA to pay up to $120,000 in debt forgiveness for medical professionals. Last year, the average UVM medical graduate had $175,000 in debt.

After leaving Burlington, McDonald drove south to the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, in Lebanon, New Hampshire, where he made a similar pitch to students.

In the last few weeks he's made stops in California and North Carolina. In the coming days he's going to the Boston area and then Maryland.

McDonald was accompanied during his visit to Burlington by U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent who chairs the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs and has been a long-time advocate for veterans.

Continue reading here:

VA secretary looking for a few good medical students

Alabama doctor has hopes of building library in Nigeria

Posted on by

Dr. Smithson Ahiabuike holds one of his books, Whispers of Love, on Oct. 6 at his home in Gadsden. Proceeds from book sales will be used to ship books to the Nigerian village Eluama-Isuikwuato, where he grew up.

GADSDEN | Dr. Smithson Buchi Ahiabuike, known as Dr. A.B. at Riverview Regional Medical Center, craved the written word when he was growing up in Nigeria.

But it was hard to come by.

"My father didn't go to school," Ahiabuike said. "We had very little."

There certainly was no money for books.

Books were a rarity at school, as well.

And there was no library within a 100-mile radius of his village of Eluama-Isuikwuato.

There still isn't.

That's something Ahiabuike wants to change.

The hospitalist is more than a doctor. He is a published poet. He plans to use proceeds from his second volume of verse, "Whispers of Love," to ship books to Eluama-Isuikwuato. If he collects enough books and raises enough money, he hopes to build a library.

Read more:

Alabama doctor has hopes of building library in Nigeria

Doctor has hopes of building library in Nigeria

Posted on by

GADSDEN, Ala. (AP) Dr. Smithson Buchi Ahiabuike, known as Dr. A.B. at Riverview Regional Medical Center, craved the written word when he was growing up in Nigeria.

But it was hard to come by.

"My father didn't go to school," Ahiabuike said. "We had very little."

There certainly was no money for books.

Books were a rarity at school, as well.

And there was no library within a 100-mile radius of his village of Eluama-Isuikwuato.

There still isn't.

That's something Ahiabuike wants to change.

The hospitalist is more than a doctor. He is a published poet. He plans to use proceeds from his second volume of verse, "Whispers of Love," to ship books to Eluama-Isuikwuato. If he collects enough books and raises enough money, he hopes to build a library.

Book donations can be dropped off at the Riverview gift shop, where "Whispers of Love" also is for sale.

See the original post here:

Doctor has hopes of building library in Nigeria