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From Kolzig to Holtby: Consistency and a Quiz – Japers’ Rink

Posted on October 8, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

An era is ending in Washington. After 468 regular-season and 96 playoff starts, Braden Holtby is moving on.

Its undeniably sad, even if its also undeniably the right time and the right move for both player and team.

Holtby leaves the Caps in second place in almost every cumulative goaltending category in franchise history, from wins to losses to minutes played and shots faced (hes also first in Stanley Cups won).

The man he trails is, of course, Olie Kolzig, the face of the franchise for basically the entire Screaming Eagle jersey period, a human organizational bridge who laced em up as a Cap with both Scott Stevens and Nicklas Backstrom and almost everyone in between.

Between Kolzig and then Holtby, the Caps have experienced remarkable stability in net for more than 20 years now. In fact, since the start of the 1997 season, 62% of Caps regular-season games and 77% of post-season matches have been started by one of the two (1,224 games). Theyve combined to win 636 games for Washington over that span, with Kolzig holding a 287-282 edge in the regular season and Holtby up 50-17 in the playoffs (and, yknow...). And as good as each man was on the ice, each was an even more valuable member of the community.

The Caps have been fortunate to find that kind of consistency and longevity in goal. But, of course, theyve had other netminders pass through town during this time - 22 of them, to be precise... which got us wondering if we could name them all.

We could not.

But maybe you can! Thanks to our pal @LikeTheMaps on Twitter, heres your chance to show us (or yourself, really) what youve got. You have ten minutes to name every Caps goalie since 1997 (@LikeTheMaps even spotted you games played and years to help). And no, Henrik Lundqvist doesnt count... yet.

On your mark, get set...

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From Kolzig to Holtby: Consistency and a Quiz - Japers' Rink

Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trial paused after ‘unexplained’ illness in participant. What does it mean? – THE WEEK

Posted on September 9, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

Pharmaceutical major AstraZeneca, who is developing a coronavirus vaccine in association with Oxford university, has paused their trials after a participant fell ill due to a "suspected adverse reaction", the company stated, as reported by medical journalStat News. "As part of the ongoing randomised, controlled global trials of the Oxford coronavirus vaccine, our standard review process was triggered and we voluntarily paused vaccination to allow review of safety data by an independent committee. This is a routine action which has to happen whenever there is a potentially unexplained illness in one of the trials, while it is investigated, ensuring we maintain the integrity of the trials."

"In large trials, illnesses will sometimes happen by chance but must be reviewed independently. We are working to expedite the review of the single event to minimise any potential impact on the trial timeline," according to the statement.

The Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine is the most advanced one in the world, well into the third and final phase of human trials. The Moderna vaccine candidate is a close second.AstraZeneca's US-traded shares fell more than six per cent in after-hours trading following reports of the trial being paused.

Vaccine testing is a four-stage processpre-clinical testing on animals; Phase I clinical testing on a small group of people to determine its safety and to learn more about the immune response it provokes; Phase II trials, or expanded safety trials, where dosage and frequency will be tested across wider cross-sections of the population; Phase III large-scale tests where the vaccine is administered to thousands of people to confirm its efficacy. Phase I and Phase II are the early trials, which will then be followed by a rigorous, intensive Phase III clinical testing, where the longevity of the vaccine response (whether the vaccine will last for long periods of time) will be analysed.

What does an 'adverse event' mean?

According to United States Food and Drug Safety Administration (FDA), 'adverse events' are not necessarily side effects caused by vaccination. An adverse event is a "health problem that happens after vaccination that may or may not be caused by a vaccine". These events may require further investigation.

By definition, a side effect has been shown to be linked to a vaccine by scientific studies. While most vaccine trials induce some form ofpain at the injection site, hyperthermia, headache, asthenia (weakness or lack of energy), and muscle and joint pain in its participants, an adverse event would equate to something slightly more serious, possibly requiring hospitalisation.

On the flip side, temporary holds of large medical studies aren't unusual, and investigating any serious or unexpected reaction is a mandatory part of safety testing. AstraZeneca pointed out that it's possible the problem could be a coincidence; illnesses of all sorts could arise in studies of thousands of people.

During the third and final stage of testing, researchers look for any signs of possible side effects that may have gone undetected in earlier patient research. Because of their large size, the studies are considered the most important study phase for picking up less common side effects and establishing safety.

Dr Ashish Jha of Brown University said via Twitter that the significance of the interruption was unclear but that he was "still optimistic" that an effective vaccine will be found in the coming months. "But optimism isn't evidence," he wrote. "Let's let science drive this process."

Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University in New York, tweeted that the illness may be unrelated to the vaccine, "but the important part is that this is why we do trials before rolling out a vaccine to the general public".

How does the vaccine work?

The vaccine candidateAZD1222, according to AstraZeneca, uses a "replication-deficient chimpanzee viral vector based on a weakened version of a common cold (adenovirus) virus" that causes infections in chimpanzees and contains the genetic material of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. After vaccination, the surface spike protein is produced, priming the immune system to attack COVID-19 if it later infects the body.

AstraZeneca has struck a deal with Europe's Inclusive Vaccines Alliance to supply up to 400 million doses of an experimental COVID-19 vaccine. The agreement struck Saturday aims to make the vaccine available to other European countries that wish to take part.

Late last month, AstraZeneca began recruiting 30,000 people in the US for its largest study of the vaccine. It also is testing the vaccine, developed by Oxford University, in thousands of people in Britain, and in smaller studies in Brazil and South Africa.

Two other vaccines are in huge, final-stage tests in the United States, one made by Moderna Inc. and the other by Pfizer and Germany's BioNTech. Those two vaccines work differently than AstraZeneca's, and the studies already have recruited about two-thirds of the needed volunteers.

The "adverse reaction" came the same day that AstraZeneca and eight other drugmakers issued an unusual pledge, vowing to uphold the highest ethical and scientific standards in developing their vaccines. The announcement follows worries that President Donald Trump will pressure the US Food and Drug Administration to approve a vaccine before it's proven to be safe and effective.

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Oxford COVID-19 vaccine trial paused after 'unexplained' illness in participant. What does it mean? - THE WEEK

15 new groups of molecules to fight against aging and protect our cells; one step closer to staying healthy longer, new study shows – Canada NewsWire

Posted on September 9, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

A Concordia researcher, supported by Idunn Technologies, discovers new natural compounds that could promote longevity in health and reduce the incidence of associated diseases

MONTREAL, Sept. 9, 2020 /CNW/ - The recent pandemic has highlighted the importance of staying healthy so that you can better fight an infection or disease, if necessary. A Concordia University researcher has discovered 15 new plant extracts that help fight, not against infection, but against aging. These natural molecules could help prevent all the diseases associated with aging, not one at a time, but all at the same time. It is therefore a question of reducing the incidence of common ailments such as osteoarthritis, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease. This approach has already been called "the ultimate preventive medicine" in the prestigious journal, Science.

Vladimir Titorenko, professor of biology at the Faculty of Arts and Sciences at Concordia, has been collaborating since 2013 with ric Simard, president of the company, Idunn Technologies, to discover new anti-aging molecules. This work has just been published in the scientific journal, Oncotarget. The TransBIOTech research center and the Cgep de Lvis-Lauzon also participated in these studies.

The recently published results were obtained from specific plant extracts, already recognized for various health benefits. Professor Titorenko's team identified the new anti-aging molecules from a long list of extracts from different parts of the plants studied. The new positive extracts (PE for "plant extract") are numbered as follows: PE26 (Serenoa repens), PE39 (Hypericum perforatum), PE42 (Ilex paraguariensis), PE47 (Ocimum tenuiflorum), PE59 (Solidago virgaurea), PE64 (Citrus sinensis ), PE68 (Humulus lupulus), PE69 (Vitis vinifera), PE72 (Andrographis paniculata), PE75 (Hydrastis canadensis), PE77 (Trigonella foenumgraecum), PE78 (Berberis vulgaris), PE79 (Crataegus monogyna), PE81 (Taraxacum erythrospermum) and PE83 (Ilex paraguariensis).

"We now have a large number of anti-aging plant extracts that may reduce the incidence or progression of age-related diseases in humans," said Dr. Vladimir Titorenko. This researcher devotes his efforts to understanding the molecular mechanisms that allow cells to resist aging.

Dr. Titorenko states that "With the aging of the population, the possibility of keeping people healthy longer constitutes a major advance which could have repercussions, not just in economic terms, but for the quality of life of the population and the capacity of the health care system in general."

The results of this research have clearly demonstrated that the beneficial effects observed on longevity are linked to the slowing of aging in yeast cells. "The identification of these new modulators could allow the development of new specialized products for healthy aging." explains Professor Titorenko.

A Quebec company, Idunn Technologies, is working to develop a large number of applications of these research results for human health. ric Simard is the co-editor of the article, CEO of Idunn Technologies and author of 4 books on healthy longevity (www.esimard.com). He explains that the company decided to market the fruits of this research by focusing on the optimization of natural products targeting the main health problems related to aging. These more effective products are marketed under the Vitoli brand (www.vitoli.ca).

The results presented also include analyses of the metabolic activity of mitochondria, the oxidation of membrane lipids, as well as the oxidation of proteins, DNA from mitochondria, and DNA from the cell nucleus. These anti-aging extracts, also called geroprotective or caloric restriction mimetics, increase the resistance of cells to oxidative stress and temperature. Improved cellular functioning reduces damage to cells while increasing their resistance to difficult situations. "Reduce wear and increase maintenance and cellular resistance; that's the secret to health longevity." concluded Dr. Simard.

This study was supported by a joint ARD-CRD (Applied Research and Development - Cooperative Research and Development) grant from Canada's Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC). The work was also funded by the Concordia University Research Chairs Fund, a Concordia University Graduate Scholarship, and a Concordia University Excellence Scholarship.

Read the full report of the study: Discovery of fifteen new geroprotective plant extracts and identification of cellular processes they affect to prolong the chronological lifespan of budding yeast.

SOURCE Idunn Technologies

For further information: Interviews in English with Vicky Lutchman, M.Sc. researcher (among the authors of the study: 514-887-7520)

L’entreprise

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15 new groups of molecules to fight against aging and protect our cells; one step closer to staying healthy longer, new study shows - Canada NewsWire

Coronavirus may have come from bats; could they also hold clues to treatments? – Health24

Posted on August 21, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

Bats have been blamed as a possible source of the new coronavirus pandemic ravaging the globe. But they might also point to possible ways out of it.

Scientists say the winged mammals' immune systems may offer clues on how to fight the new coronavirus and other dangerous viruses in humans.

"Humans have two possible strategies if we want to prevent inflammation, live longer and avoid the deadly effects of diseases like Covid-19," explained study lead author Vera Gorbunova, a professor of biology at the University of Rochester in New York. "One would be to not be exposed to any viruses, but that's not practical. The second would be to regulate our immune system more like a bat."

Resistance and longevity

Many deadly viruses that affect people are believed to have originated in bats, including rabies, Ebola and SARS-CoV-2, the strain that causes Covid-19. But bats have evolved a secret weapon: They're better able to tolerate viruses than humans and other mammals.

"We've been interested in longevity and disease resistance in bats for a while, but we didn't have the time to sit and think about it," Gorbunova said in a university news release.

"Being in quarantine gave us time to discuss this, and we realised there may be a very strong connection between bats' resistance to infectious diseases and their longevity. We also realised that bats can provide clues to human therapies used to fight diseases," she explained.

Typically, a species' lifespan is associated with its body size. The smaller a species, the shorter its lifespan. But many bat species have lifespans of 30 to 40 years, which is impressive for their size, the authors noted in a review article published recently in Cell Metabolism.

Bats' longevity and tolerance to viruses may be due to their ability to control inflammation, which is involved in both ageing and disease. Viruses, including Covid-19, can trigger inflammation.

Our bodies overreact

With Covid-19, this inflammatory response goes "haywire", Gorbunova said. In fact, in many cases it is the inflammatory response that kills the patient, more so than the virus itself.

"The human immune system works like that: Once we get infected, our body sounds an alarm and we develop a fever and inflammation. The goal is to kill the virus and fight infection, but it can also be a detrimental response as our bodies overreact to the threat," Gorbunova said.

In contrast, bats' immune systems control viruses without mounting a strong inflammatory response.

There are several possible reasons why bats evolved to fight viruses and live long lives. Flight may be one of them, the researchers noted.

Constant exposure to viruses

Bats are the only mammals that can fly, which required them to adapt to rapid increases in body temperature, sudden surges in metabolism and molecular damage. These adaptations may also assist in disease resistance, the study authors suggested.

Another factor is that many species of bats live in large, dense colonies, and hang close together on cave ceilings or in trees. Those conditions are ideal for transmitting viruses and other pathogens.

According to Andrei Seluanov, a biology professor at the University of Rochester, "Bats are constantly exposed to viruses. They are always flying out and bringing back something new to the cave or nest, and they transfer the virus because they live in such close proximity to each other."

This means that bats' immune systems are continuously adapting to deal with new viruses. Studying bats' immune systems could lead to new ways to fight aging and diseases in humans, the researchers said.

Image credit: Igam Ogam, Unsplash

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Coronavirus may have come from bats; could they also hold clues to treatments? - Health24

Healthcare execs say telehealth is their No. 1 pandemic tech problem – Healthcare IT News

Posted on September 2, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

A new report from research firm KLAS found that nearly half of the 19 healthcare executives surveyed say that either telehealth functionality or capacity has been their primary problem to solve during the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis.

Other major challenges include remote patient monitoring, interoperability, real-time data analytics, work-from-home resources and patient surveillance.

"While healthcare organizations have found stopgaps in many areas, few have successfully implemented permanent solutions that serve a long-term strategy," wrote the report authors.

HIMSS20 Digital

WHY IT MATTERS

As the novel coronavirus pandemic spread across the country this spring, the need became quickly evident for healthcare organizations to spin up telehealth solutions.

Aided by relaxed federal regulations, many health systems modified existing infrastructure or relied on consumer-facing products to fill the gap and address increased demand.

"We have had the ability to perform video visits for six years. Until the middle of March, we had performed just over 1,000 visits total during that time. Since the middle of March, we have performed over 160,000 due to payment waivers and necessity," wrote one customer quoted in the report.

We used a few tactics. First, we used tools like Skype, Google Duo and FaceTime as a stopgap. Then we expanded our Epic/Vidyo integration from urgent care visits to all visit types, including surgical and non-surgical specialties and all primary care. This let us replace the stopgap tools," wrote another respondent.

"We also implemented on-premises telehealth in the ER, ICU and floors; that way, a provider can be in the same building as the patient but not in the same room, decreasing exposure and limiting PPE usage," they continued.

Nearly half of executives said their organization had enhanced telehealth-related electronic health record functionality the most because of the COVID-19 crisis, with another 50% saying they'd enhanced such tools "somewhat."

"While a few leverage EHR dashboards to get the real-time data they need, most load the data from their EHRs into other software solutions (e.g., Microsoft Power BI and Tableau) to either house the data or build data visualizations," wrote the report authors.

And although remote patient monitoring has been another technology concern, only four organizations out of 18 say they have a workable solution.

"Eight organizations say their RPM technology problem remains unsolved," write the report authors.

THE LARGER TREND

As the report notes, the longevity of telehealth is still uncertain. Although many legislators have signaled their support for some permanent policies that would enable access to virtual care, the details particularly around reimbursement remain murky.

This past month, the American Hospital Association wrote an open letter to President Donald Trump and leaders at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services urging them to take specific actions to safeguard telehealth in the longer term.

"We urge the Administration to work with the AHA and Congress to create a future for telehealth that allows not only clinicians, but also hospitals and health systems, to code and bill for virtual services," wrote AHA president and CEO Richard J. Pollack.

ON THE RECORD

Regarding the executives surveyed in the KLAS report, "Several mentioned using consumer-facing products e.g., Apple FaceTime, Google Duo, Zoom or Skype that enable organizations without existing telehealth capabilities to quickly ramp up and handle increased demand," wrote the authors.

"While many solutions are suitable for this emergency purpose, solutions that serve a strategic, long-term telehealth vision are much scarcer," they continued.

Kat Jercich is senior editor of Healthcare IT News.Twitter: @kjercichHealthcare IT News is a HIMSS Media publication.

VIEW: Revolutionizing Indias skills landscape to create a future-ready workforce – CNBCTV18

Posted on August 14, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

Authored by: Jaykhosh Chidambaran

Be vocal about local are the new buzzwords in Indian economic circles, propagated by populist Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alluding to a resurgence of its manufacturing sector, congruent to a previous reform agenda of Make in India. The global backlash against China as the malefactor of the novel coronavirus pandemic has reached a crescendo. Political leaders from both sides of the Atlantic have consensus on de-risking economies from monopoly dependence on China, touted as the factory of the world. An indignant Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has earmarked 245 billion Yen to assist infrastructure spending for those Japanese firms, exhorting to shift production facilities out of China. Can India ride the crest of this global anti-China sentiment, and use this opportunity to revamp local manufacturing and attract greenfield investments from multi-national companies?

The challenges: Pitfalls in the education and skill development ecosystem

Notwithstanding the lack of integrated infrastructure or active labour market legislations, the singular determinant of Indian emergence as the global manufacturing hub will be a skilled workforce. But it is also the current lacunae, which impedes this goal. Of the 450 million labor force, more than 50 percent are illiterate or only possess primary education, 50 million with secondary education, 7.9 million underwent vocational training, and a mere 10.5 million fall under the technically qualified gambit. Industry statistics reveal that an alarmingly high 83 percent of graduates are unemployable owing to the dearth of essential technical and management skills required to survive in the 21st century, new-age industries.

Indias education system has traditionally been based on rote learning. Post-independence India established, across the country, polytechnics, industrial training institutes (ITI), government engineering colleges, and institutes of higher learning to redirect the nation to a path of industrialisation and modernization. Their curriculum is predominantly input focused and there is little or no emphasis on experiential learning except for a few institutes like Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institute of Management (IIMs), Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) and Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT).

The Annual Employability Survey 2019, done by an employability assessment company Aspiring Minds revealed that more than 95 percent of engineers are unfit for Information Technology jobs, stirring a controversy. These findings were corroborated by a veteran industry leader, CP Gurnani, CEO of Tech Mahindra, an Indian IT major that top IT companies in India hire only 6 percent of all engineering graduates. A decade-old McKinsey report had tabled similar findings that only a quarter of the graduating Indian technocrats have employability quotient, an indication of the retrogression in Indian technical education not commensurate with rapid technological advances.

The solution: Productivity-based skill development

Any sustainable educational goal should inevitably involve industry experts with sector-specific knowledge, from formulating curriculum to providing a roadmap for mandatory skills and capabilities warranted in creating a knowledge society and an innovation economy. The German dual skilling model for developing sustainable and state-of-the-art Vocational Education Training (VET) is worthy of emulation in India. Under this hugely successful program, students receive theory and conceptual lessons in the classroom for a week, followed by an apprenticeship in manufacturing facilities of companies, the week after, and alternating until successful completion of the courses.

This can be bolstered by nation-wide collaborative initiatives between the government and Indian industries should be rolled out for upgrading and redeployment of existing skills, enabling closure of skill gaps. Such large to medium and small industries participation in this synergetic program should be incentivised by corporate tax rebates, access to low-cost capital, re-classification of loans as subordinated debt, etc.

The public-private participation between government and industry will mitigate budget, resource, and time constraints, often a deterrent to social programs in emerging economies. An entry-level accountant could acquire basic conceptual and functional skills within a year, doing an accounting software course like Tally rather than enrolling in a three-year undergraduate commerce course. Similarly, a welder who had completed a two-year ITI course exposed to theories on different types of welding techniques might be grossly unemployable in an automobile production line welding job, that requires to perform 9 precision welds in an hour. If the German model is applied here, a student receives on-the-job training with an automobile manufacturer, as an apprentice for 45 days and become readily fit for employment.

Skilled workforce and foreign investments

Internationalisation of production has expanded opportunities for knowledge spillovers from the industrial world to developing markets. Unique, cutting edge skill sets are inevitable to compete and emerge as winners in New-Age economies dominated by semiconductors, fintech, artificial intelligence, robotics, and machine learning. The flow of technology and capital from the developed world to the developing world will rise exponentially, if the emerging market of India can offer highly skilled labor force, reciprocally, for setting up Greenfield investments or Brownfield acquisitions by MNCs.

In India, creating a highly differentiated ecosystem, skilled in producing a wide basket of goods that is technology-intensive, requiring superior learning and therefore not easily replicated, is critical to income leveling, wealth creation, and economic growth in the future. When MNCs strategically unbundle non-core functions in the service sector in developed markets and decide on outsourcing to competitive third world destinations, tapping into the availability of cost-effective, top-quality talent pool is always the primary criteria. Service sector contribution as a percentage of GDP is steadily increasing in almost all emerging markets, emulating the pattern in developed, free markets of the West. Complexity and income have positive correlations.

Re-imagining Indian education and the role of R&D

Annually, more than 12 million new job seekers enter the Indian labour market but create employment for only 5 million-odd jobs, and the major lacunae are unemployability due to skill gaps. Structural and institutional reforms are long overdue in the Indian educational sector. India is still home to over 600,000 villages and providing free access to qualitative primary and secondary education in rural heartlands is critical in empowering rural population (especially women folk), generating capacity employment, resuscitating rural demand, poverty alleviation, and edifying rural infrastructure in MSME sectors.

Ever since the First Industrialisation Revolution, if there is one input that is fundamental to improving the quality and longevity of human life on earth, indubitably, it is Research. Innovations and discoveries which, engendered quantum advancements in transport, telecommunications, medicine, and technology, that had transformed the world into a Global Village and Global Audience were consummated on establishing sophisticated R&D facilities in developed economies. It has created a stellar global fraternity of scientists.

A far-sighted and symbiotic public-private participation in the R&D sector, harnessing the powers of Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Robotics, and Deep Learning should receive legislative support as part of the Skilling India initiative. Such synergetic partnerships have the potential to catapult India into a global leader in genome engineering, pharmaceuticals, connected devices in pro-active healthcare management, low-cost online education, and integration of virtual universities, fintech, clean renewable energy solutions, manufacturing, and agriculture.

The vision of the Indian Government, encompassing slogans such as Make in India, Skill India, Start Up India, Digital India to transform its socio-economic landscape by capitalising on its demographic dividend and assume global leadership in 21st century is contingent on a highly skilled and competent workforce. Creating that leadership capital is the order of the present that defines the future of India.

Trellus Health Secures $5M Seed Funding to Transform Care for Chronic Conditions – BioSpace

Posted on August 21, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

NEW YORK, Aug. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Trellus Health, a resilience-driven digital health solution for chronic conditions, today announced that it has raised $5 million of seed funding to transform the way chronic conditions are treated, with an initial focus in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. The round was led by Mount Sinai Health System(MSHS) and EKF Diagnostics, a global medical manufacturer of point-of-care and central lab devices and tests. Trellus has also entered into an exclusive multi-year contract with MSHS to commercialize its patent pending GRITT-IBDTM resilience assessment and personalized treatment methodology.

Ninety-percent of the United States' $3.3 trillion annual health care expenditure is for chronic diseases, with patients suffering from both chronic medical and mental health conditions costing twice as much, according to the CDC. Despite these cost implications, traditional care models fail to address the emotional well-being of people with chronic conditions, and access to expert interdisciplinary care resources to deliver specialist-level care is highly limited.

"We are transforming the way chronic conditions are treated by developing a resilience-driven connected care platform that integrates precision medicine with psychosocial care," said Monique Fayad, CEO of Trellus Health. "The traditional journey of medical care for people living with chronic conditions typically results in repeated costly, unplanned emergency room visits and hospitalizations, high rates of work absenteeism and lost productivity, as well as chronic disability and behavioral health issues. We're working to change this by focusing on building patients' resilience while integrating all partners in care, including employers, insurance plans, health systems, Trellus-certified GI providers, nurses, psychologists, and dieticians who can utilize Trellus Health's proprietary platform to effectively monitor and communicate with patients and their caregivers in real time."

The first chronic condition that Trellus Health will address is IBD, one of the costliest chronic conditions with a high mental health burden, affecting 3 million patients in the U.S.(7 million globally) and costing the U.S. healthcare system over $30 billion a year, according to the Cost of Inflammatory Bowel Disease: An Initiative From the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation 2019.Since 2016, the company's co-founders, Marla Dubinsky, MD, and Laurie Keefer, PhD, who together bring close to 50 years of experience managing IBD and serve as co-directors of the Mount Sinai IBD Medical Home, have integrated resilience-driven multi-disciplinary care into the management of IBD patients.

"Our research on over 200 IBD patients indicates that more than 70% believe their condition would be better managed if they had support for anxiety or depression," said Dubinsky, who along with being a co-founder and board member, is also a Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, Chief of Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology and co-director of Susan and Leonard Feinstein IBD Clinical Center at Mount Sinai. "By personalizing care to address the psychosocial needs of all IBD patients and applying the latest evidence-based clinical approaches, we can help patients achieve disease control and enjoy a significantly improved quality of life."

Resilience-driven care incorporates positive psychology principles into all aspects of chronic disease management, with a focus on building acceptance, optimism, self-regulation, self-efficacy, and social support. Proven health benefits of resilience include increased longevity, cardiovascular, immune, and cognitive function, as well as physical well-being and reduced risk for depression and anxiety.

"Crohn's disease was discovered at Mount Sinai by Dr. Burrill Crohn nearly 100 years ago, and the System has made great strides in enhancing the the standard of care and outcomes for our patients," said Erik Lium, President, Mount Sinai Innovation Partners and Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Innovation Officer at Mount Sinai. "We're pleased to partner with Trellus Health to advance commercial development of a resilience-driven approach and connected care model for treating IBD and other complex chronic conditions, making Mount Sinai's technology available to more patients."

"Dr. Keefer's important research utilizing the GRITTTM Method at the Mount Sinai IBD Center shows first-hand how resilience-driven multidisciplinary care significantly reduces unplanned care," said Julian Baines, CEO of EKF Diagnostics. "We are excited to support Trellus in helping millions of people reduce their disease burden and improve their overall well being."

About Trellus HealthTrellus Health is a leading pioneer in resilience-driven care for people with complex chronic conditions. Through its multidisciplinary connected care platform, Trellus coordinates expert whole-person care, including both clinical and behavioral health, to improve outcomes and to reduce healthcare costs for patients, employers, and the healthcare system. The Company leverages its patent-pending GRITT-IBDTM resilience assessment and personalized treatment methodology, developed at the Mount Sinai Health System, to support patient resilience and wellness for better outcomes. For more information on Trellus Health, visit http://www.trellushealth.com.

The resilience-driven connected care solution described is based on technology developed by Mount Sinai faculty and licensed to Trellus Health. Mount Sinai and Mount Sinai faculty members Marla Dubinsky, MD, and Laurie Keefer, PhD,have a financial interest in Trellus Health.

About the Mount Sinai Health SystemThe Mount Sinai Health System is New York City's largest academic medical system, encompassing eight hospitals, a leading medical school, and a vast network of ambulatory practices throughout the greater New York region. Mount Sinai is a national and international source of unrivaled education, translational research and discovery, and collaborative clinical leadership ensuring that we deliver the highest quality carefrom prevention to treatment of the most serious and complex human diseases. The Health System includes more than 7,200 physicians and features a robust and continually expanding network of multispecialty services, including more than 400 ambulatory practice locations throughout the five boroughs of New York City, Westchester, and Long Island. The Mount Sinai Hospital is ranked No. 14 onU.S. News & World Report's"Honor Roll" of the Top 20 Best Hospitals in the country and the Icahn School of Medicine as one of the Top 20 Best Medical Schools in country. Mount Sinai Health System hospitals are consistently ranked regionally by specialty and our physicians in the top 1% of all physicians nationally byU.S. News & World Report.

For more information, visithttps://www.mountsinai.orgor find Mount Sinai onFacebook,TwitterandYouTube.

About Mount Sinai Innovation Partners (MSIP)MSIP is responsible for driving the real-world application and commercialization of Mount Sinai discoveries and inventions, and the development of research partnerships with industry. Our aim is to translate discoveries and inventions into health care products and services that benefit patients and society. MSIP is accountable for the full spectrum of commercialization activities required to bring Mount Sinai inventions to life. These activities include evaluating, patenting, marketing and licensing new technologies building research, collaborations and partnerships with commercial and nonprofit entities, material transfer and confidentiality, coaching innovators to advance commercially relevant translational discoveries, and actively fostering an ecosystem of entrepreneurship within the Mount Sinai research and health system communities. For more information, visitwww.ip.mountsinai.org.

About EKF DiagnosticsEKF Diagnostics is a global medical manufacturer of point-of-care (POCT) devices and tests for hemoglobin, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), glucose and lactate. EKF has offices in the UK, Germany, USA, Russia and China and a network of more than 200 distributors covering every country.

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Trellus Health Secures $5M Seed Funding to Transform Care for Chronic Conditions - BioSpace

Your health and happiness go hand-in-hand: Dr. Nina Radcliff – Press of Atlantic City

Posted on August 11, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

Your health and happiness are linked. Your level of happiness really can impact the level of your health.

Increased psychological research on mental health has enriched our understanding of the human experience of flourishing in health and happiness. Studies on topics of happiness and health are very telling. What we now know for certain about these life-affirming topics can help everyone live healthier, happier lives while reducing negative, stressful emotions at the same time.

Your happiness and your health

Key factors contributing to human flourishing the link between happiness and health are vital. Positive daily experiences can buffer the effect of negative daily experiences, all while positively impacting your physical, mental and emotional health and well-being.

Three foundational conditions that enable you to flourish and break through in a healthy manner are:

Positive individual traits (compassion, optimism, resilience)

Positive relationships (families, social relationships, communities)

By recognizing the powerful impact of these, you will have greater understanding and insight on how to better manage your overall happiness and well-being.

Understanding positive emotions and happiness

While positive can be a feeling where theres a lack of negativity, the most popular positive emotions are joy, gratitude, peace, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe and love. They can be triggered by your thoughts, people, things and places, along with events you experience. These micro-moments of positivity accumulate over time, putting people on a trajectory of growth by broadening awareness and building a sense of flourishing in happiness.

Happiness is a broad term describing the experience of positive emotions, such as joy, contentment, and satisfaction. Emerging research shows that being happier doesnt just make you feel better, it brings a host of potential health benefits.

Research underscores that positive emotions are more than just feeling good, theyre accompanied by great benefits that make you not only happier but healthier:

Improved physical health from your heart and immune system, and decreased pain

Buffers against depressive symptoms while helping dissipate stress (cortisol) levels

Shown to help prevent and speed up recovery from illness, including the common cold

Helps undo undesirable effects of negative emotions while developing resilience and resourcefulness

Fosters healthy social connectedness

Drives healthier lifestyle habits with more physical activity (increasing energy, strong bones, lower blood pressure); healthier choices of diet choices (helps decrease heart disease, stroke, diabetes risks); and better sleep habits (improves mood, focus, concentration, productivity, good decision-making)

Overall combating negative states, further increasing the likelihood of health

Improves the quality of life and also longevity (living longer)

Fostering positive emotions

There are great opportunities from taking a walk, meditating, mindfulness to listening to your favorite music, as well as outlining good, supportive steps in managing people/projects/time or taking time to relax.

Engaging with those you love to getting quality sleep, eating healthy and being active all contributes. Your dear relationships can be a wellspring in helping you to experience positive emotions.

Exercising positive emotions can take practice, but the good news is that you can help yourself (and others) become more positive by consciously challenging negative, self-limiting thinking and replacing the thoughts with more optimistic thought patterns.

Love is a significant positive emotion ingredient and a driving force behind the health benefits of positive emotions. Your love can be expressed for people, places, hobbies, animals, great outdoors, baking, gardening, decorating, holidays, the arts and so much more. Take time to enjoy your favorite life passions.

Gratitude is vital. Experts remind folks to ask, Which aspects of my current situation might I consider a gift to be cherished? Allow yourself to appreciate that understanding.

Optimism is distinct, and involves hopefulness and confidence about the future or the successful outcome of something. In other words, that positive events are to come.

Research shows that the difference between people who are flourishing and those who are not lies in the magnitude of positive emotions they are able to self-generate from everyday pleasant activities.

What is foundational for a healthy, happy life is not occasional grandiose gifts of fate. Rather, the ability to use your strengths, gifts and virtues for a purpose and a steady diet of those micro-moments of positivity. Good news is that occasions for such moments are much more prevalent than it may sometimes seem. Stay mindful of your emotions, track how you are feeling and what you are thinking. Take stock, re-focusing or reframing when needed.

Your day-to-day positive emotions function as nutrients for your overall well-being. And todays positive emotions do not simply exemplify todays well-being, they also help to create and serve as the foundation for your well-being tomorrow and the day, week, month, and years after. Nourish your mind, body and soul with positivity.

Dr. Nina Radcliff, of Galloway Township, is a physician anesthesiologist, television medical contributor and textbook author.

This article is for general information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions and cannot substitute for the advice from your medical professional.

Dr. Nina Radcliff, of Galloway Township, is a physician anesthesiologist, television medical contributor and textbook author.

Email questions for Dr. Nina to editor@pressofac.com with Dr. Nina in the subject line.

This article is for general information only and should not be used for the diagnosis or treatment of medical conditions and cannot substitute for the advice from your medical professional.

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Your health and happiness go hand-in-hand: Dr. Nina Radcliff - Press of Atlantic City

How tuatara live so long and can withstand cool weather – Science News

Posted on August 11, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

A tuatara may look like your average lizard, but its not. The reptiles are the last survivors of an ancient group of reptiles that flourished when dinosaurs roamed the world. Native to New Zealand, tuatara possess a range of remarkable abilities, including a century-long life span, relative imperviousness to many infectious diseases and peak physical activity at shockingly low temperatures for a reptile. Now, scientists are figuring out how, thanks to the first-ever deciphering, or sequencing, of the tuataras genetic instruction book.

The research reveals insights into not only the creatures evolutionary relationship with other living reptiles but also into tuatara longevity and their ability to withstand cool weather, researchers report August 5 in Nature.

Technically, the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) are rhynchocephalians, an order of reptiles that were once widespread during the Mesozoic Era, 66 million to 252 million years ago. But their diversity waned over millions of years, leaving the tuatara as the last of their line (SN: 10/13/03). The reptiles have long been of scientific interest because of their unclear evolutionary relationship with other reptiles, as they share traits with lizards and turtles as well as birds.

Tuatara were once found throughout New Zealand, but now survive in the wild mainly on offshore islands and are considered a vulnerable species. The reptiles have suffered from habitat loss and invasive species such as rats, and are especially imperiled by a warming climate (SN: 7/3/08).

Headlines and summaries of the latest Science News articles, delivered to your inbox

This peril combined with the tuataras cherished status as a taonga, or special treasure, to the Indigenous Maori people led researchers to prioritize compiling the reptiles genome, or genetic instruction book.

In 2012, Neil Gemmell, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, and an international team of researchers began to assemble the tuatara genome, in close partnership with the Indigenous Ngtiwai people. The Ngtiwai are considered kaitiaki, or guardians, of the tuatara and were intimately involved in decisions regarding the use of genetic data from the project.

The tuataras genome is huge, about 5 gigabases, or some 5 billion DNA base pairs in length, the researchers found. Thats about two-thirds bigger than humans and is unusually large for a reptile, says Giulia Pasquesi, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Colorado Boulder who was not involved with the research. Lizard and snake genomes are usually around 2 gigabases, she says. Bird genomes may be half that size.

Based on the genetic analyses, the researchers confirmed that the tuatara is more closely related to snakes and lizards than to crocodilians, birds or turtles. The researchers estimate that the tuatara and their ancestors diverged from snakes and lizards about 250 million years ago, meaning the group predates even the oldest dinosaurs.

The team identified genes possibly involved in the tuataras biological quirks including their long lives, which are the longest of any other reptiles besides tortoises. Tuatara have many genes involved in producing selenoproteins, which help protect against aging and cellular deterioration, and have more of these genes than humans do. Such insights may eventually have useful applications for human biology, says coauthor Matthieu Muffato, a comparative genomicist at the European Bioinformatics Institute in Hinxton, England.

Tuatara also appear to have an unusually high number of TRP genes, which are involved in making proteins tied to temperature sensitivity and regulation of body temperature. Those genes may be behind the reptiles tolerance of cool temperatures, the researchers say. Tuatara have the lowest known optimal body temperature of any reptile, from 16 to 21 Celsius.

Although the new research goes a long way to dispelling some of the mystery surrounding the tuatara, there is much to learn about these scaly enigmas.Publishing the tuatara genome is like uncovering an ancient book, Muffato says. We have started analyzing it, and started decoding some of the genetic information, but we are still a long way off from understanding the complete genome.

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How tuatara live so long and can withstand cool weather - Science News

How to live longer: Diet shown to burn fat, improve heart health and to boost longevity – Express

Posted on August 5, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

In ones quest to find solutions to help live a long and disease-free life, numerous theories and suggestions have been declared. Intermittent fasting has gained much notoriety over the pastyear,and according to leading healthexperts, this type of eatingcould be the answer to helping you boost your life longevity. How?

A review of past animal and human studies in The New England Journal of Medicine recommend adopting a way of eating known as intermittent fasting which can help reduce blood pressure, aid in weight loss and improve longevity.

Alternating between fasting and eating can help to improve cellular health.

Professor Mark Mattson from John Hopkins University said the way of eating can help to trigger a metabolic switch.

In metabolic switching, cells use up their fuel stores and convert fat to energy this in turns helps fat to switch from fat-storing to fat-saving and has many health benefits.

The way of eating involves daily-time restricted feeding.

This narrows the time of eating to six to eight hours per day which is also known as 5:2 intermittent fasting, in which people limit themselves to one moderate-sized meal two days each week.

Findings on intermittent fasting range in the diets effectiveness, but some studies in animals and humans have linked the practice to longer lives, healthier hearts and improved cognition.

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When finding benefits of the diet, looking at different countries who adopt this way of eating as a norm often helps.

Residents of Okinawa are known for their extreme longevity and low-calorie, nutrient-rich diet.

Their way of eating has been suggested to help contribute to their long-life spans, low number of obesity and reduced risk of diseases.

Professor Mattson says studies have shown that this switch improves blood sugar regulation, increases resistance to stress and suppresses inflammation.

The professor notes that four studies in both animals and people found intermittent fasting also helped to decrease blood pressure, blood lipid levels and resting heart rates.

Preliminary studies suggest that intermittent fasting could benefit brain health too.

A clinical trial at the University of Toronto found that 220 healthy adults who maintained a calorie restricted diet for two years showed signs of improved memory in a battery of cognitive tests.

Professor Mattson added: Patients should be advised that feeling hungry and irritable is common initially and usually passes after two weeks to a month as the body and brain become accustomed to the new habit.

Mattson suggests a gradual acclimation to fasting rather than going cold turkey will help with this.

Mattsonalsohopes this study will give better insight to physicians, who can pass that guidance on to their patients.

For an added benefit, eating a Mediterranean diet during the eating phasecouldnot only boost longevity but improve heart health too.

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How to live longer: Diet shown to burn fat, improve heart health and to boost longevity - Express

Insights on the X-Ray Devices Global Market to 2025 – Drivers, Restraints and Opportunities – GlobeNewswire

Posted on August 11, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

Dublin, Aug. 10, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "X-Ray Devices Market - Forecasts from 2020 to 2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global X-ray devices market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.14% from a market size of USDX10.793 billion in 2019 to a market size of USD14.580 billion by 2025. An X-ray device is used for creating 2D X-ray images of the 3D internal body organs or bones. The growing number of chronic diseases is providing an impetus in fueling market growth in the forecast period. The growing trend of early diagnosis and detection of a disease is further providing an opportunity for the market to proliferate in the forecast period.

The X-ray system emits small amounts of X-rays in the human body and captures an image of the area of interest onto a device. The growing number of non-fatal road accidents are propagating the market demand, as X-ray provides an immediate snapshot of the injury. Also, with innovations, the X-ray devices market has been bifurcated into portable and stationary systems, further propelling the market demand. The growing digitization has segregated the market on the basis of analog and digital technologies, fueling the market share of the digital X-ray systems with a rapid rise in adoptions due to the ongoing improvements in providing better healthcare facilities on the global level. The growing global elderly population is driving the market growth in the forecast period with the emergence and prevalence of age-associated diseases like osteoporosis and the detection of bone degeneration due to the aging process.

The global geriatric population (above 65 years or older) rose from 551,217,090 in 2012 to 673,618,927 in 2018 (source: The World Bank). The growing elderly population requires better healthcare facilities which include preventative measures as many people under this category are either suffering from age-associated chronic diseases or are suffering from diseases due to the adoption of an unhealthy lifestyle when younger. Thus, this population is in the requirement of better healthcare facilities where better diagnostic and treatment measures need to be taken in order to prevent further spreading of the age-associated or degenerative diseases. Furthermore, with the declining fertility rates and increasing life expectancy at birth, global aging is poised to accelerate due to an overall improvement in the survival leading to longevity, further burgeoning the market growth during the forecast period.

On the basis of geography, North America followed by the European region is estimated to hold a significant market share in the forecast period. The Asia Pacific region is predicted to be the fastest-growing with a significant CAGR over the next five years.

There has been a loss of lives of more than one million people due to road crash or accidents. Around 20 to 50 million people suffer due to non-fatal road injuries which lead to disability due to the accident every year. Causes of non-fatal road injuries include speeding, drink-driving, and drug-driving, not using safety restraints like helmets, car seat belts, and child restraints, distraction while driving because of mobile phones, poor and unsafe road infrastructure, and not following traffic laws. This has given rise to huge economic losses to the individual, his/her family, and the nation as a whole.

However, sophisticated equipment like an X-ray provides assistance in the treatment processes following the diagnosis and further helps in the monitoring of the treatment as well. The rising number of road accident cases is creating a market demand owing to the improvement of the lives of the patients and helping them to cope up with their disabilities, mentally and physically.

There is a presence of other medical imaging modalities apart from X-ray systems which include magnetic resonance imaging systems (MRI), CT, and ultrasound among others. These are also widely available, are quite efficient with state-of-the-art technologies, and are used for various diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Additionally, ultrasound is considered the safest form of imaging as this does not make use of any ionizing radiation and makes use of sound waves instead. It is the first choice among people for pregnancy, emergency diagnosis, cardiac, spine, and imaging of other internal organs. Also, a CT scan is widely used during an emergency in emergency rooms, this is because it takes less than five minutes in scanning. While the MRI scans take a longer time, a minimum of 30 minutes but provide an in-depth analysis of a particular diagnosis, which is considered better than an X-ray system. Hence, the presence of these imaging systems will impose a threat in hampering the market growth in the forecast period.

Key Topics Covered:

1. Introduction1.1. Market Definition1.2. Market Segmentation

2. Research Methodology2.1. Research Data2.2. Assumptions

3. Executive Summary3.1. Research Highlights

4. Market Dynamics4.1. Market Drivers4.2. Market Restraints4.3. Market Opportunities4.4. Porters Five Forces Analysis4.4.1. Bargaining Power of Suppliers4.4.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers4.4.3. Threat of New Entrants4.4.4. Threat of Substitutes4.4.5. Competitive Rivalry in the Industry4.5. Industry Value Chain Analysis

5. X-Ray Devices Market Analysis, by Type5.1. Introduction5.2. Portable5.3. Stationary

6. X-Ray Devices Market Analysis, by Application6.1. Introduction6.2. Diagnostic6.3. Treatment

7. X-Ray Devices Market Analysis, by Medical Condition7.1. Introduction7.2. Cancer7.3. Digestive Problems7.4. Fractures7.5. Others

8. X-Ray Devices Market Analysis, by Medical Application8.1. Introduction8.2. Human8.3. Veterinary

9. X-Ray Devices Market Analysis, by Technology9.1. Introduction9.2. Analog9.3. Digital

10. X-Ray Devices Market Analysis, by Geography10.1. Introduction10.2. North America10.2.1. North America X-Ray Devices Market, By Type, 2019 to 202510.2.2. North America X-Ray Devices Market, By Application, 2019 to 202510.2.3. North America X-Ray Devices Market, By Medical Condition, 2019 to 202510.2.4. North America X-Ray Devices Market, By Medical Application, 2019 to 202510.2.5. North America X-Ray Devices Market, By Technology, 2019 to 202510.2.6. By Country10.2.6.1. United States10.2.6.2. Canada10.2.6.3. Mexico10.3. South America10.3.1. South America X-Ray Devices Market, By Type, 2019 to 202510.3.2. South America X-Ray Devices Market, By Application, 2019 to 202510.3.3. South America X-Ray Devices Market, By Medical Condition, 2019 to 202510.3.4. South America X-Ray Devices Market, By Medical Application, 2019 to 202510.3.5. South America X-Ray Devices Market, By Technology, 2019 to 202510.3.6. By Country10.3.6.1. Brazil10.3.6.2. Argentina10.3.6.3. Others10.4. Europe10.4.1. Europe X-Ray Devices Market, By Type, 2019 to 202510.4.2. Europe X-Ray Devices Market, By Application, 2019 to 202510.4.3. Europe X-Ray Devices Market, By Medical Condition, 2019 to 202510.4.4. Europe X-Ray Devices Market, By Medical Application, 2019 to 202510.4.5. Europe X-Ray Devices Market, By Technology, 2019 to 202510.4.6. By Country10.4.6.1. UK10.4.6.2. Germany10.4.6.3. France10.4.6.4. Others10.5. Middle East and Africa10.5.1. Middle East and Africa X-Ray Devices Market, By Type, 2019 to 202510.5.2. Middle East and Africa X-Ray Devices Market, By Application, 2019 to 202510.5.3. Middle East and Africa X-Ray Devices Market, By Medical Condition, 2019 to 202510.5.4. Middle East and Africa X-Ray Devices Market, By Medical Application, 2019 to 202510.5.5. Middle East and Africa X-Ray Devices Market, By Technology, 2019 to 202510.5.6. By Country10.5.6.1. United Arab Emirates10.5.6.2. Israel10.5.6.3. Saudi Arabia10.5.6.4. Others10.6. Asia Pacific10.6.1. Asia Pacific X-Ray Devices Market, By Type, 2019 to 202510.6.2. Asia Pacific X-Ray Devices Market, By Application, 2019 to 202510.6.3. Asia Pacific X-Ray Devices Market, By Medical Condition, 2019 to 202510.6.4. Asia Pacific X-Ray Devices Market, By Medical Application, 2019 to 202510.6.5. Asia Pacific X-Ray Devices Market, By Technology, 2019 to 202510.6.6. By Country10.6.6.1. Japan10.6.6.2. China10.6.6.3. India10.6.6.4. Australia10.6.6.5. Others

11. Competitive Environment and Analysis11.1. Major Players and Strategy Analysis11.2. Emerging Players and Market Lucrativeness11.3. Mergers, Acquisitions, Agreements, and Collaborations11.4. Vendor Competitiveness Matrix

12. Company Profiles 12.1. Fujifilm Holdings Corporation12.2. General Electric Company12.3. Siemens Healthcare Private Limited12.4. Koninklijke Philips N.V.12.5. Shimadzu Corporation12.6. Canon Medical Systems Corporation12.7. Carestream Health12.8. Hitachi, Ltd.12.9. Vision Medicaid Equipments Pvt. Ltd.12.10. IBIS S.R.L.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/r0gegu

Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

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Insights on the X-Ray Devices Global Market to 2025 - Drivers, Restraints and Opportunities - GlobeNewswire

Six Thoughts to Deal with Your COVID-19 Anxiety – Longevity LIVE

Posted on August 5, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

It is a frightening time for everyone. Countries, cities, schools, and businesses are shutting down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of us live in areas that have been greatly affected by this dangerous disease. Others are preparing for the worst. All of us are watching the news so that we can figure out what to do next.

For most people, the uncertainty surrounding this disease is the most difficult thing to handle. We dont know how worse it will get in the future and what that means to our loved ones and careers. This makes us vulnerable to anxiety and depression. As we face this unique crisis, there are certain things you can do to manage your fears and anxiety.

It is important to stay informed of whats happening around. This allows you to follow safety precautions as reported by health experts. However, other people are taking advantage of the opportunity to spread the wrong information. Its important to choose what you watch and listen to carefully.

Remember, your mind will always project what you feed it regularly. Here are a few tips:

At the moment, there are so many things that are not in your control. They include the length of the pandemic, how people behave, and what will happen to our loved ones. Although its difficult to accept, most of us react by searching for answers on the web and thinking of the different scenarios that might play out.

Focusing on things that are not in your control will not get you anywhere. Theyll leave you feeling anxious, drained, and overwhelmed. Whenever you catch yourself getting caught up in fear and anxiety, shift your focus immediately to the things you can control. There are a lot of things you can do to minimize the risk of catching the virus or spreading it to your loved ones. They include:

Apart from these guidelines, you can also:

Research studies have shown that the majority of people with coronavirus, especially young healthy people dont show any symptoms but can spread the virus. Thats why it is important to follow the guidelines by practicing social distancing.

But human beings are social creatures. We all crave to connectwith others. Isolation can make us feel anxious. And this affects our physical health negatively. This is why its important to stay connected with our loved ones as much as possible. You can:

You need to eat healthy foods, meditate, read books, and get plenty of sleep. If you have a backyard, consider getting some sun and exercising regularly.

You need to be kind to yourself. Dont be too hard on yourself. Take some time off from work to relax and communicate or play with your loved ones.

Find new ways of exercising. Staying indoors all day can make you anxious and stressed. Come up with new ways to stay active in and out of the house. You should consider cycling, walking, or hiking. You can also look for exercise classes online if you dont want to go outside.

Avoid self-medicating when you are dealing with anxiety and depression. Now is not the time to abuse drugs.

Right now, its easy to get caught up in our struggles and fears. However, you should keep in mind that other people are facing harder times than you. You can focus on helping and supporting communities in need. Doing kind acts for others will not only help you regain control over your life but also add a sense of meaning and purpose to life.

More than 80 percent of people in the US consider themselves religious or spiritual. Spiritualityhas been linked to happiness and wellbeing because it gives us a sense of meaning and purpose. One of the best ways to protect yourself against anxiety is to have this sense of meaning and purpose.

Whenever you are feeling anxious, say a short prayer or meditate for a few minutes. You can also come up with a list of fun activities that you can do whenever you start feeling anxious.

Fear about the coronavirus disease can take a toll on you, especially if you have underlying mental issues. We shall persevere. You are not alone. By using these tips, youll have the power to smile and help others calm down.

https://www.who.int/https://www.marieclaire.com/health-fitness/a28280412/spiritual-ideas/https://health.clevelandclinic.org/jow-to-stay-connected-to-loved-ones-despite-social-distancing/

Leon Collier is a blogger at essay writing service UKfrom Edinburgh, who loves to write about everything: pop-culture, history, travel, self-development, education, marketing. When not writing, you can find him behind a book or playing tabletop games with his friends. Follow him on Twitter @LeonCollier12.

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Six Thoughts to Deal with Your COVID-19 Anxiety - Longevity LIVE

Covid-19 Impact On Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market 2020: Global Industry Overview By Top Key Players Analysis And Growth Factors Up To 2026 |…

Posted on August 5, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

Global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market report offers in-depth insights, revenue details, and other vital information regarding the global Cellular Reprogramming Tools market, and the various trends, drivers, restraints, opportunities, and threats in the target market till 2026. The report offers insightful and detailed information regarding the various key players operating in the market, their financials, supply chain trends, technological innovations, key developments, apart from future strategies, acquisitions & mergers, and market footprint. Global Cellular Reprogramming Tools market report has been segmented on the basis of type, application, and region.

SDMR has recently published a report, on Global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market Insights, Forecast to 2025. The market research report is a brilliant, complete, and much-needed resource for Cellular Reprogramming Tools . The research report speak about the potential development openings that exist in the worldwide market. The report is broken down on the basis of research procedures procured from historical and forecast information. The global Cellular Reprogramming Tools market is relied upon to develop generously and flourish as far as volume and incentive during the gauge time frame. The report will give a knowledge about the development openings and controls that will build the market. Pursuers can increase important perception about the eventual fate of the market.

Final Cellular Reprogramming Tools Report will add the analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on this Market.

Get Free PDF Sample Copy of this Report to understand the structure of the complete report: (Including Full TOC, List of Tables & Figures, Chart) @ https://www.supplydemandmarketresearch.com/home/contact/1377884?ref=Sample-and-Brochure&toccode=SDMRME1377884

Top Key Keyplayers Covered In This Report: Celgene, Cynata, Advanced Cell Technology, BIOTIME, Osiris Therapeutics, Human Longevity, FUJIFILM Holdings, STEMCELL Technologies, Mesoblast, Astellas Pharma, EVOTEC, Japan Tissue Engineering

The prime objective of this report is to help the user understand the market in terms of its definition, segmentation, market potential, influential trends, and the challenges that the market is facing with 10 major regions and 30 major countries. Deep researches and analysis were done during the preparation of the report. The readers will find this report very helpful in understanding the market in depth. The data and the information regarding the market are taken from reliable sources such as websites, annual reports of the companies, journals, and others and were checked and validated by the industry experts. The facts and data are represented in the report using diagrams, graphs, pie charts, and other pictorial representations. This enhances the visual representation and also helps in understanding the facts much better.

The Global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market is estimated to reach xxx million USD in 2020 and projected to grow at the CAGR of xx% during the 2021-2026. The report analyses the global Cellular Reprogramming Tools market, the market size and growth, as well as the major market participants.

Segmentation by Product:

Adult Stem CellsHuman Embryonic Stem CellsInduced Pluripotent Stem CellsOther

Segmentation by Application:

Drug DevelopmentRegenerative MedicineToxicity TestAcademic ResearchOther

Global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market: Competitive RivalryThe segmentation is used to decide the target market into smaller sections or segments like product type, application, and geographical regions to optimize marketing strategies, advertising techniques, and global as well as regional sales efforts of Global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market. Common characteristics are being considered for segmentation such as global market share, common interests, global demand and access control unit supply. Moreover, the report compares the production value and growth rate of the Global Cellular Reprogramming Tools market across different geographies.While segmentation has been provided to list down various facets of the Cellular Reprogramming Tools market, analysis methods such as S.T.E.E.P.L.E., S.W.O.T., Regression analysis, etc. have been utilized to study the underlying factors of the market. Summarization of various aspects consisted of the report has also been encompassed.

Scope of the Report: The all-encompassing research weighs up on various aspects including but not limited to important industry definition, product applications, and product types. The pro-active approach towards analysis of investment feasibility, significant return on investment, supply chain management, import and export status, consumption volume and end-use offers more value to the overall statistics on the Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market. All factors that help business owners identify the next leg for growth are presented through self-explanatory resources such as charts, tables, and graphic images.

Key Questions Answered: What is the size and CAGR of the global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market? Which are the leading segments of the global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market? What are the key driving factors of the most profitable regional market? What is the nature of competition in the global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market? How will the global Home Appliance market advance in the coming years? What are the main strategies adopted in the global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market?

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Table of ContentsReport Overview: It includes major players of the global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market covered in the research study, research scope, and Market segments by type, market segments by application, years considered for the research study, and objectives of the report.

Global Growth Trends: This section focuses on industry trends where market drivers and top market trends are shed light upon. It also provides growth rates of key producers operating in the global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market. Furthermore, it offers production and capacity analysis where marketing pricing trends, capacity, production, and production value of the global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market are discussed.

Market Share by Manufacturers: Here, the report provides details about revenue by manufacturers, production and capacity by manufacturers, price by manufacturers, expansion plans, mergers and acquisitions, and products, market entry dates, distribution, and market areas of key manufacturers.

Market Size by Type: This section concentrates on product type segments where production value market share, price, and production market share by product type are discussed.

Market Size by Application: Besides an overview of the global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market by application, it gives a study on the consumption in the global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market by application.

Production by Region: Here, the production value growth rate, production growth rate, import and export, and key players of each regional market are provided.

Consumption by Region: This section provides information on the consumption in each regional market studied in the report. The consumption is discussed on the basis of country, application, and product type.

Company Profiles: Almost all leading players of the global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market are profiled in this section. The analysts have provided information about their recent developments in the global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market, products, revenue, production, business, and company.

Market Forecast by Production: The production and production value forecasts included in this section are for the global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market as well as for key regional markets.

Market Forecast by Consumption: The consumption and consumption value forecasts included in this section are for the global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market as well as for key regional markets.

Value Chain and Sales Analysis: It deeply analyzes customers, distributors, sales channels, and value chain of the global Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market.

Key Findings: This section gives a quick look at important findings of the research study.

About SDMR: We have a strong network of high powered and experienced global consultants who have about 10+ years of experience in the specific industry to deliver quality research and analysis. Having such an experienced network, our services not only cater to the client who wants the basic reference of market numbers and related high growth areas in the demand side, but also we provide detailed and granular information using which the client can definitely plan the strategies with respect to both supply and demand side.

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Covid-19 Impact On Cellular Reprogramming Tools Market 2020: Global Industry Overview By Top Key Players Analysis And Growth Factors Up To 2026 |...

What are ACE scores and why do they matter? – Record Searchlight

Posted on August 4, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

Shasta County health officials revealed a 5-year public health plan that focuses on prevention and fighting Adverse Childhood Experiences.

When Kaiser Permanente and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched the study to measure Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) levels in Shasta County in 2012, the results they found were striking.

The ACE study examined categories of childhood physical and emotional abuse and neglect. It measured household dysfunction includingdomestic violence, mental illnessand substance abusethat create toxic stress leading to neuro-system changes during child development.

The higher the ACE score a child has, the higher the risk of developing chronic illnesses like heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), depression and cancer.

More: Hotline launches to support Shasta County parents and caregivers through COVID-19

Shasta Countys ACE score was found to be double the state average. Forty percent of the adults surveyed in Shasta County reported a score of 4 or higher.

Since the study published, schools, youth centersand even law enforcement officials have adopted trauma-sensitive methods to support youth trying to develop healthy coping mechanisms to overcome trauma.

Almost all Shasta County school districts have attended a trauma-informed training or received ACEs training with the Shasta County Office of Education.

The Happy Valley Primary School was able to overwhelmingly decrease bad behavior offenses in the last three years, Principal Shelly Craig said. The Shasta County Probation Department began tracking juvenile behavior patterns in order to reverse them as well, Chief Probation Officer Tracie Nealsaid viaemail.

Peer Court jury training by the Anderson Police in 2019.(Photo: Youth Options Shasta)

Susan Wilson, executive director of Youth Options Shasta and steering committee member of the Strengthening Families Collaborative, said the study was the confirmation of a problem that youth groups and health agency administrators knew had beenprevalent for a long time.

We have struggled in the northern part of California. We have struggled for a long time. We have struggled because we have low education levels. We have struggled because we have high poverty. We have high poor results in physical health. Statistics show that our kids are not learning at the same level as the kids typical in California, Wilson said.

Before the study published, Wilson and other community organizers were already putting together the Strengthening Families Collaborative curriculum, and introducing Protective Factors for Mental, Emotional, and Behavioral Disorders variables that promote developmental competencies in youth.

All these things happened together, not as a result of the ACEs study. The ACEs study was almost a confirmation of the problem that we knew we had. In other words, we knew kids were not doing well, Wilson said. But we didnt have the background of ACEs, the study, the data, to inform us. When we did the study and got the results we sat back like wow.

After the ACEs study, organizations like Youth Options Shasta, which connects youth to peer court and restorative justice practices, began to incorporate some additional screening when evaluating teenagers, an at-risk population with high ACE scores that the group works with.

Peer court youth jury deliberations in the jury room.(Photo: Youth Options Shasta)

ACEs are predictable and as a result, preventable, said Kelly Rizzi, director of School and District Support at Shasta County Office of Education. Rizzi joined the Shasta County Office of Education seven years ago to address the literacy issue in Shasta County, but learned the bleak literacy levels were related to trauma.

Many of the students who were struggling with literacy were living in toxic stress conditions and persistent fear, Rizzi said, damaging their amygdala the part of the brain that plays an importantrolesin the expression of emotion and behavior. That unrelenting stress can also shutoff the learning and growth that takes place in the prefrontal cortex of the brain, which is linked to decision making andreasoning.

What we really have is a regulation gap, not an education gap, Rizzi said. What we learned is we can teach kids to self-regulate. Your ACE score doesnt define you; it informs you and empowers you to make different decisions for yourself, your family and community.

More: Coronavirus live updates: Twelve more Shasta County residents test positive

In the last ten years a whole generation has come into adulthood but the population is changing slowly. To measure the effectiveness of the community's response to address high ACE scores in real time, it starts with the children, said Donnell Ewert, Director of the Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency.

Some experts question whether its wise to ask children about traumatic life events to generate a trend, out of concern that itll have an adverse effect on young people. Organizations and schools have begun efforts to respond to ACEs, but the challenge is measuring the effectiveness of the initiatives, Ewert said.

He said that the agency has frameworks in place to measure behavior shifts in people involved with the probation department, as well as the homeless populationand other high-risk populations.

But, Ewert said, the high ACE scores will not change dramatically in a short period of time.It will take years to see a difference.

Almost all Shasta County school districts have adopted a "social-emotional learning" program in the last fiveyears and noticed a reduction in bad behavior, Rizzi said. That is one way of tracking the effectiveness of ACEs reduction efforts.

Peer Court trial held in Shasta Lake City Council Chambers in 2016.(Photo: Youth Options Shasta)

The reality is, if youre not talking about it on a regular basis, it goes by the wayside, Rizzi said. Before COVID-19, schools began holding ACEs training for parents but now we cant hold gatherings. Our best bet is to teach the teachers and kids in classes.

At Happy Valley Primary School, Craig, the principal, began assessing the response to students basic needs by measuring daily and weekly data ranking bad behavior at a low level, medium level or high level.

Happy Valley has a total of about 490 students, with 240 primary students inpre-K through third grade. The trauma-informed practices, behavior dataand systems Craig adopted when she began working at the district three years ago have benefited the student body and decreased incidents of bad behavior significantly, she said.Students are taught to self-regulate by relating to issues and identifying coping methods so they can return to learning.

More: What will the new school year look like in Shasta County school districts?

The longevity data is going to be crucial moving forward, but in the first year as principal, I was spending 80% of my time focused on student discipline, and as Im transitioning out of this year (third year), I would say 7% of my time is spent on student discipline, Craig said. Its a significant culture change. It just looks different.

Reversing the risky effects of high ACE scores in the community is difficult but not impossible, Wilson said.

Youth advisory members attend the annual California Youth Court Summit trip in 2014.(Photo: Youth Options Shasta)

Another method of measuring the effectiveness of the community response can be tracking the number of toxicology screenings at birth whichcould indicate that mothers are paying attention to risks caused by ACEs, such as substance abuse.

People who successfully complete probation demonstrate an ability to overcome the high level of ACE scores and transform negative behavior patterns, she added.

At the Shasta County Probation Department, Neal collects data to include short, moderateand long term goals and analyzes the data every sixmonths. Staff is trained to develop cognitive skills and work with traumatized youth, she said.

Some key observation points include school graduation rates, employment, truancy, parental involvement and the level of conflict within the home. Success with mental health and substance abuse treatments are also considered.

"There is an emphasis on gender-specific trauma groups and exploring what trauma impacts people, developing awareness to triggers and healthy coping skills," Neal said in an email. "Being involved in the juvenile criminal justice system creates an enormous amount of stress and trauma in itself."

Nada Atieh is a Report For America corps member and education reporter focusing on childhood trauma and the achievement gap for the Redding Record Searchlight. Follow her on Twitter at @nada_atieh. Help local journalism thrive by subscribing today!

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What are ACE scores and why do they matter? - Record Searchlight

Scientists Found a Way to Tweak Proteins That Prolongs Life of Roundworms, Will It Work on Humans Too? – Science Times

Posted on August 5, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

Scientists from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have found a way to tweak proteins that control cellular activity levels. That means they were able to turn up and down levels in roundworm that prolongs its lifespan.

In that sense, drugs could be designed to combat age-related problems and increase the lifespan of humans.

The enzyme in roundworms that the scientists tweaked is responsible for converting the sugar into energy when the cellular level is low, in which they found that it can be controlled. Like roundworms, humans also have these proteins, which means that there is a possibility of developing longevity-promoting drugs.

(Photo: Pixabay)Scientists Found A Way To Tweak Proteins That Prolongs Life of Roundworms, Will It Work on Humans Too?

Read: Long Life: Here's How to Extend Your Lifespan According to Science

One of the most commonly used in lab testing, the Korean scientists used the roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans(C. elegans) for their study, published in Science Advances.

C. elegans experienced a boost in its lifespan when the scientists altered a couple of proteins responsible for monitoring the cellular energy levels.

These proteins are the VRK-1 and AMPK, and both work in tandem in roundworm cells. VRK-1's job is to tell AMPK to stick a phosphate molecule on it. AMPK's role then is to monitor the energy levels in cells when it is running low.

In short, VRK-1controls AMPK, and AMPK controls the cellular energy levels. The researchers were able to turn up and down the cellular activity that tells it to produce VRK-1 protein through various biological research tools, such as introducing foreign genes into the roundworm.

Pretty much, this gene remained unchanged over the course of evolution, which is why most complex organisms, including humans, have it.

According to lead author Sang-soon Park, he and his colleagues successfully increased the production of VRK-1 protein that boosts the lifespan of roundworms. They found that its activity increased when the worm has low cellular energy levels.

Simply saying, there is reduced mitochondrial respiration, and a decline in its function are associated with age-related illness. Mitochondriais the powerhouse of a cell.

However, the mild inhibition of mitochondrial respiration has shown to promote a longer lifespan for other species like flies and mammals.

Read Also:Scientists to Improve "Longevity Gene" Efficiency in Battling the Aging Process

When Park and his colleagues tried tweaking the same protein in humans, they found that they could also replicate the same process that occurs in roundworms.

Moreover, Professor Seung-Jae V. Lee, one of the researchers, explained that their research raises a very intriguing possibility that VRK-1 can also increase human lifespan. Perhaps drugs that promote longevity can be developed to alter the activity of VRK-1.

In that way, humans will be able to combat age-related illnesses that involve the disruption of chemical reactions in the body and diseases of the mitochondria.

But the researchers advise conducting more research to better understanding the workings of VRK-1 before developing longevity drugs. They added that they still need to figure out the exact mechanics of how AMPK controls energy levels in cells.

Read More: Are Scientists Close to Discovering a Way to Delay Aging?

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Scientists Found a Way to Tweak Proteins That Prolongs Life of Roundworms, Will It Work on Humans Too? - Science Times

The latest book in the ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ universe gives us one of its most compelling relationships – Business Insider Australia

Posted on August 5, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

Its the summer of Avatar: The Last Airbender. With the beloved series available on Netflix and its sequel series,The Legend of Korra, on its way there in August, the franchise is more readily available to fans than its been in years. Now, the franchises revitalized fandom has a new book, too.

F.C. Yees The Shadow of Kyoshi is the second instalment of a prequel series about one of the most fabled Avatars of all time. Building off of 2019s The Rise of Kyoshi, the series follows Kyoshi, an Avatar known in the main series for her strength, longevity, and uncompromising judgment, during the nascent stages of her Avatarhood. In turn, it serves to humanize one of the Avatar franchises most legendary characters.

Kyoshis beginnings werent particularly auspicious. The Avatar is an individual tasked with mastering all four elements and their bending disciplines, learning how to mainpulate and fight using water, earth, fire, and air. In turn, theyre tasked with bringing balance to the world, mitigating both human and spiritual conflict in the four nations: The Earth Kingdom, the Fire Nation, the Water Tribes, and the Air Nomads. Each Avatar faces a unique set of challenges in carrying out this mission.

In The Rise of Kyoshi, everyone (including Kyoshi) believes that another Earth Kingdom boy, Yun, is the next Avatar. Living, working, and training at the estate of Jianzhu, a powerful Earth Kingdom politician, Kyoshi and Yun are friends. A violent encounter reveals their mistaken identities, cementing Kyoshi as the next Avatar and setting her on a path towards revenge.

The Shadow of Kyoshi is haunted by the specter of that encounter, while still maintaining the first novels wry sense of humour and adventure. After accepting a summons from the Fire Lord himself (with, of course, the promise of reuniting with her lover and Firebending master Rangi), Kyoshi finds herself trapped in a foreign political snare while simultaneously grappling with a new threat from the spirit world. Given that shes spent the better part of her Avatarhood hunting down corrupt bandits and detaching herself from the politics of her own nation, the situation leaves Kyoshi out of her depth.

The weighty, political conflict is just as thrilling as the action sequences peppered throughout the novel. Garden parties are just as fraught with tension as intense battles; strained clan relations have the potential to cause more trouble than physical threats. It also leaves ample room for granular worldbuilding, including new details about previous Avatars, like the oft-maligned Kuruk and the venerated Yangchen, as well as tidbits of information about geography, political history, and language that wasnt touched upon in the animated series.

Yees prose is also just as visceral as Avatars renowned animation sequences. Regarding The Rise of Kyoshi, the author told Polygon in 2019 that he looks for moments that were more easy to capture in a novel format, in particular where the action suddenly turns on a dime rather than attempting to capture every beat of a single action scene. Those intense, pivotal moments are what make The Shadow of Kyoshi a harrowing read, bringing an emotional resonance and vibrancy that cuts through the page.

A new cast of auxiliary companions and antagonists keep things lively, each imbued with their own complexities and mystery that prevent them from becoming just side characters to the larger conflict. Kyoshis Airbender companion, Jinpa, and his sky bison Yingyong, are particularly fun additions to the story, in addition to a cast of Fire Nation nobles that drive the political arc of the novel.

Rangi and Kyoshis relationship is the most compelling. With the realisation of feelings and getting together out of the way in the first novel, The Shadow of Kyoshi gives the two women plenty of space to be tender, bicker, fight, and reconcile over the course of the book. Thats part of what makes their relationship feel so different from other romantic entanglements in the Avatar universe: the franchise has never shied away from love stories, but both The Last Airbender and The Legend of Korra end with romantic resolution rather than grapple with the relationships after the fact (although their central romances are continued in spin-off comics).

The fact that Kyoshi and Rangi have the most fully fleshed-out queer love story in the Avatar canon shouldnt go unmarked either. A Legend of Korra spin-off comic revealed in 2017 that Kyoshi was bisexual, and its a promise that Yee made good on in The Rise of Kyoshi, telling Polygon at the time that it felt important to not strip away Kyoshis queerness and do her relationships justice. In The Shadow of Kyoshi, Yee explores the complexities of Kyoshi and Rangis relationship and the ways that it affects their judgment, particularly in times of crisis with nuance and empathy. Their relationship is foundational to Kyoshis ascendance, and legacy, as the Avatar. In many ways, Rangi serves as her emotional and moral centre.

The Shadow of Kyoshi is a rewarding read for both dedicated Avatar fans and newcomers alike. Ultimately, it exceeds the task of fleshing out Kyoshis origin story, delivering a compelling character-driven narrative that bears just as much emotional heft as any other entry into the franchise.

The Shadow of Kyoshi is now available for purchase and debuted at number two on the New York Times Young Adult Hardcover Bestseller List.

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The latest book in the 'Avatar: The Last Airbender' universe gives us one of its most compelling relationships - Business Insider Australia

What is the Importance of Robots in the Maritime Industry? – CIOReview

Posted on October 16, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

From the green and eco-friendly benefits provided by regular hull cleanings to the safer waters gained via anti-piracy measures, advanced robotics are already influencing maritime operations.

FREMONT, CA: It is not just manufacturing experiencing the increase of advanced machinery; modern robotics are sweeping throughout nearly every sector, inclusive of the maritime world. Robots are used for several maritime industry things, from cleanup and maintenance to full-on driverless craft.

The most beneficial use of robots is during hazardous or potentially dangerous situations. Replacing the human laborers with robotics, the operations immediately becomes safer and usually more streamlined. For instance, the U.S. Maritime Administration has partnered with SEA-KIT to develop a robotic oil-clean-up vessel. The job is highly dangerous for human workers who witness regular exposure to hazardous chemicals, toxic fumes, and a high risk for fire or explosions. Robotics would be a much safer option.

Here are a few of the other maritime robot applications.

Hull Cleaning and Maintenance

The hull or underside of sea vessels become remarkably dirty. Almost every ship requires regular cleaning to preserve its longevity from barnacles and similar organisms to scratches and corrosion. Its also a task that can be dangerous, challenging, and tirying. Typically, divers will do the work when a vessel is docked or in port. However, new robotics may be able to do the job instead.

Ship Inspections

Huge ships like cargo or shipping vessels are difficult to inspect due to the boats surface area and its materials and colors. It can be daunting to detect cracks, corrosion, and other serious complications, particularly under the water, where its dark and murky. It means that human inspectors have to invest considerable time pouring over every inch of a vessel. Therefore Robots can carry out the inspection allowing humans to focus on other important work.

Anti-Piracy Measures

The Coast Guard and the Navy both have a lot to contend with when it comes to piracy. This is something that happens globally, not just near the United States' borders. Not every country can protect against significant piracy, either. Robots could change that and help to secure ships and cargo.

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What is the Importance of Robots in the Maritime Industry? - CIOReview

July: bat1k-study | News and features – University of Bristol

Posted on July 31, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

For the first time, the raw genetic material that codes for bats unique adaptations and superpowers such as the ability to fly, to use sound to move effortlessly in complete darkness, to survive and tolerate deadly diseases, to resist ageing and cancer - has been fully revealed by an international research team including scientists at Bristol. The findings are published in Nature.

In order to uncover bats unique traits,theBat1Kconsortium led by researchers at University College Dublin, the Max Planck Institutes of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics (Dresden), and the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics (Nijmegen),generated and analysed six highly accurate bat genomes that are ten times more complete than any bat genome published to date.

To generate these exquisite bat genomes, the team used the newest technologies to sequence the bats DNA, and generated new methods to assemble these pieces into the correct order and to identify the genes present.

Emma Teeling, University College Dublin, Co-Founding Director of Bat1K and Senior Author, said: Given these exquisite bat genomes, we can now better understand how bats tolerate viruses, slow down ageing, and have evolved flight and echolocation. These genomes are the tools needed to identify the genetic solutions evolved in bats that ultimately could be harnessed to alleviate human ageing and disease."

Eugene Myers, Director of Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, and the Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Germany, and the studys Senior Author, added: Using the latest DNA sequencing technologies and new computing methods for such data, we have 96-99 per cent of each bat genome in chromosome level reconstructions - an unprecedented quality akin to for example the current human genome reference which is the result of over a decade of intensive "finishing" efforts. As such, these bat genomes provide a superb foundation for experimentation and evolutionary studies of bats fascinating abilities and physiological properties.

The team compared these bat genomes against 42 other mammals to address the unresolved question of where bats are located within the mammalian tree of life. Using novel phylogenetic methods and comprehensive molecular data sets, the team found the strongest support for bats being most closely related to a group called Ferreuungulata that consists of carnivores (which includes dogs, cats and seals, among other species), pangolins, whales and ungulates (hooved mammals).

To uncover genomic changes that contribute to the unique adaptations found in bats, the team systematically searched for gene differences between bats and other mammals, identifying regions of the genome that have evolved differently in bats and the loss and gain of genes that may drive bats unique traits.

Michael Hiller, Max Planck Research Group Leader, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics in Dresden, Max Planck Institute for the Physics of Complex Systems, and the Center for Systems Biology, Dresden, Senior Author, added: Our genome scans revealed changes in hearing genes that may contribute to echolocation, which bats use to hunt and navigate in complete darkness. Furthermore, we found expansions of anti-viral genes, unique selection on immune genes, and loss of genes involved in inflammation in bats. These changes may contribute to bats exceptional immunity and points to their tolerance of coronaviruses.

The team also found evidence that bats ability to tolerate viruses is reflected in their genomes. The exquisite genomes revealed fossilised viruses, evidence of surviving past viral infections, and showed that bat genomes contained a higher diversity than other species providing a genomic record of historical tolerance to viral infection.

Professor Gareth Jones from Bristols School of Biological Sciences, who contributed to the study,said: It has been 20 years since the first human genome was sequenced, and today we can obtain almost complete gene annotations for the genomes of wild mammals to better understand their adaptations and evolution. Analysis of the genomes helped resolve the phylogenetic position of bats in the mammal tree (basal in a lineage that includes carnivores, pangolins, hoofed mammals, pangolins and cetaceans), and supported the hypothesis that laryngeal echolocation is an ancestral trait in all bats. Moreover, the bat genomes revealed the incorporation of diverse fossilised viral genomes and selection on immunity-related genes that may contribute to bats exceptional immunity.

"One of the genomes we have been studying, to help us understand ageing in bats is from the greater horseshoe bat, which have exceptional longevity for their body size. For example, a six gram Brandtsbat can live for around 41 years. We plan to now use the genome to investigate epigenetic changes during ageing, and how these changes cause some animals to age biologically faster than expected for their chronological ages."

Given the quality of the bat genomes the team uniquely identified and experimentally validated several non-coding regulatory regions that may govern bats key evolutionary innovations.

Sonja Vernes, Co-Founding Director Bat 1K, Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics, Nijmegen, Senior Author, said: Having such complete genomes allowed us to identify regulatory regions that control gene expression that are unique to bats. Importantly we were able to validate unique bat microRNAs in the lab to show their consequences for gene regulation. In the future we can use these genomes to understand how regulatory regions and epigenomics contributed to the extraordinary adaptations we see in bats.

This is just a beginning. The remaining ~1,400 living bat species exhibit an incredible diversity in ecology, longevity, sensory perception and immunology, and numerous questions still remain regarding the genomic basis of these spectacular features. Bat1K will answer these questions as more and more exquisite bat genomes are sequenced, further uncovering the genetic basis of bats rare and wonderful superpowers.

The study was funded in part by the Max Planck Society, the European Research Council, the Irish Research Council, the Human Frontier Science Program, and the United States National Science Foundation.

Paper

'Six reference-quality genomes reveal evolution of bat adaptations' by Jebb et al. is published in Nature.

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July: bat1k-study | News and features - University of Bristol

Apoplectic Eagles Announcer Merrill Reese Reacts to Back-Breaking Overtime Penalty – Sports Illustrated

Posted on September 28, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

You cant make this up. The way this team has shot itself in both feet.

The NFC East is shaping up to be quite the pillow fight. After three weeks, Dallas and Washington are tied at the top of the standings at 12, while the Giants and Eagles are winless.

The Eagles havent lost all their games, though. Sundays game against the Bengals ended in a tie, but only after Philadelphia threw away a chance to win the game.

Philly needed a game-tying drive from Carson Wentz in the final minutes to force overtime,and then neither team could get anything going in the extra period, as they just kept trading punts. Playing the field position game was eventually enough to give the Eagles a shot at a long, long field goal to win the game. With 19 seconds left, Jake Elliott lined up for a 59-yard attempt.

And then Eagles guard Matt Pryor committed a false start.

The penalty pushed the Eagles back five yards and head coach Doug Pederson decided he didnt want to take his chances on a 64-yard attempt (which would have tied the NFL record). Pederson punted and settled for the tie.

It was a maddening sequence of events and nobody was more enraged than longtime Eagles radio play-by-play man Merrill Reese. Reese was in sheer disbelief as he relayed the disaster to his listeners.

Thats inexplicable, how they cant line up for a field goalwith the game on the line, Reese said. Inexplicable. They cant line up for a field goal, ladies and gentlemen, with the game on the line. All they have to do is snap the ball to the holder.

You cant make this up, the way this team has shot itself in both feet, he added later.

Reese has called every single Eagles game since 1977. Hes a born-and-raised Philadelphian, and that absolutely comes through when hes calling a game. Theres never any doubt about who he wants to win the game.

There are those who will say Im a homer because I love this football team, Reese told Sports Illustrated in 2001.However, that doesnt affect my evaluation. That just puts me in tune with my audience.

His reaction to Sundays debacle, after the Eagles had already blown a big lead against Washington and gotten blown out at home against the Rams, was surely the reaction of every Eagles fanjust with less profanity.

By reaching his 10th NBA Finals, LeBron is setting a new standard for longevity of greatness. ... How much longer is Dan Quinn going to be the coach of the Falcons after another unfathomable collapse? ... Bam Adebayo came up huge for the Heat as they closed out the Celtics to advance to the NBA Finals.

Joe Montana reportedly fought off an intruder who tried to kidnap his nine-month-old granddaughter. ... A stranded motorist in Cleveland was shocked to discover that the guy who pulled over to help him out was Browns safety Ronnie Harrison. ... The Yankees D.J. LeMahieu won the batting title, becoming the first player in modern history to be crowned batting champ of both leagues. ... A Staten Island legislator told James Dolan to sell the Knicks, so Dolan responded by donating to his opponents campaign. ... Raiders defensive back Johnathan Abrams injuries from his collision with a TV cart on Monday Night Footballwere more severe than it initially appeared.

(He couldnt catch it because its six runs if he hits the ground with the ball outside the boundary.)

M. Night Shyamalans new movie is just called Old.... Human footprints discovered in Saudi Arabia could be 120,000 years old, the earliest evidence of human inhabitants in that part of the world. ... Workers in a gold mine in Colombia discovered 10,000-year-old fossils from a mastodon.

Email dan.gartland@si.com with any feedback or follow me on Twitter for approximately one half-decent baseball joke per week. Bookmark this page to see previous editions of Hot Clicks and find the newest edition every day. By popular request Ive made a Spotify playlist of the music featured here. Visit our Extra Mustard page throughout each day for more offbeat sports stories.

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Apoplectic Eagles Announcer Merrill Reese Reacts to Back-Breaking Overtime Penalty - Sports Illustrated

Why Making Amends Is an Important Part of Addiction Recovery – Longevity LIVE

Posted on October 16, 2020 by Prof Baldwin

Before moving forward, youll need to accept responsibility for any collateral damage you caused in the past. It might have been in the form of people you harmed or laws that you broke, all actions driven by your addictive behaviors. No matter what collateral damage you left in your path, youll need to confront these damages head-on.

Why?

Guilt is a powerful beast. If left undisturbed, it can completely consume a recovering substance use sufferer whos already dealing with an influx of complex emotions. Though a seemingly normal and productive human emotion, for substance use sufferers, guilt can trigger devastating relapses.

With these life-altering consequences in mind, youll have to eliminate the guilt. To do so, youll need to forgive yourself for past transgressions so that you can move forward with a clear conscience. While challenging, this step is non-negotiable.

In most cases, the path to clearing guilt is making amends. As mentioned previously, apologizing and making amends arent synonymous. Apologizing in the act of recognizing and admitting you did something wrong. Making amends is about righting the wrongs whenever possible. Consider these distinctions when initiating your sobriety journey.

Making amends isnt always a comfortable or easy thing to do. However, its a great alternative to dealing with thesigns of alcoholismor drug addiction that you exhibited while using.

Making amends can take many forms. You might be able to make some amends by paying back the money you borrowed in the past. Making amends might involve simple gestures like making yourself available to help someone you hurt in the past. If you dedicate enough time and energy, you can almost always brainstorm new ways to make amends with your loved ones.

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Why Making Amends Is an Important Part of Addiction Recovery - Longevity LIVE

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