After Sparring, NASA and SpaceX Declare a Shared Mission – The New York Times

Posted on by

A visit by the NASA administrator to a rocket factory is usually a predictable show-and-tell of the latest gadgets destined for outer space.

But there may have been some tension below the surface on Thursday when the current administrator, Jim Bridenstine, stopped by the headquarters of SpaceX, the private rocket company of the billionaire Elon Musk, in Hawthorne, Calif. SpaceX is a major contractor for NASA.

Mr. Bridenstine and Mr. Musk had been exchanging nettlesome messages for the past two weeks. Thursdays visit might have been as much about smoothing over ruffled feelings as viewing space hardware.

Taking questions from reporters, both men were complimentary toward each other and said they shared the same goals: to launch NASA astronauts to the International Space Station on SpaceXs Crew Dragon capsule as soon as possible, but not before the spacecraft had passed all of the needed tests.

Were honored to partner with NASA to make this happen, Mr. Musk said. This is a dream come true, really.

The relationship between NASA and SpaceX has sometimes been fractious. The two are frenemies odd, codependent bedfellows with shared dreams of pushing outward into the solar system, a cantankerous couple that cannot live with or without each other.

Absent NASAs help and contracts over the past 13 years, SpaceX would not have become a powerhouse dominating the business of launching satellites to orbit. In return, SpaceX offers NASA cheaper costs for taking cargo and in the coming months, perhaps astronauts to the space station.

But Mr. Musk has sometimes complained that NASAs meticulous safety reviews were holding SpaceX back, while Mr. Bridenstine appeared to be wondering whether Mr. Musks dream of future Mars colonies was distracting the company from its obligations to NASA.

Two weeks ago, as Mr. Musk prepared to give an update on Starship, a giant spacecraft that he hopes could travel to Mars sometime in the next decade, Mr. Bridenstine posted a message on Twitter suggesting that SpaceX needed to pay more attention to its contract with NASA to launch astronauts to the space station aboard the Crew Dragon spacecraft.

Instead of building and operating its own spaceships as NASA did for the space shuttles, which were retired in 2011, the agency has now turned to SpaceX and Boeing to provide the transportation of astronauts.

Both Boeing and SpaceX are behind schedule in this commercial crew program, and their first crewed launches will probably not occur until sometime in 2020.

Adding to the tension are the years of delays and cost overruns in the development of NASAs upcoming giant rocket, the Space Launch System. Critics of S.L.S. have suggested that SpaceX could offer better alternatives for NASAs planned large deep space missions: either the future Starship, or the Falcon Heavy, which is smaller but already flying.

Mr. Bridenstine is in a tough spot, said Phil Larson, a former space adviser during the Obama administration and now an assistant dean at the University of Colorados engineering college. That tweet came out of left field and, due to its tone, shines a spotlight on a number of NASA programs that are behind schedule and over budget.

When asked about Mr. Bridenstines tweet during an interview with CNN after the Starship event, Mr. Musk replied jokingly Did he say commercial crew or S.L.S.? then broke into laughter.

He also said that SpaceX could be ready to launch NASAs astronauts in three to four months.

In another interview after the event, Mr. Musk said that the rockets and the Crew Dragon capsules for two upcoming commercial crew missions would be in Florida soon. The first is an uncrewed test of the abort system, to make sure it can whisk the capsule with the astronauts to safety in case of a rocket failure on the way to orbit. The second is a demonstration flight that will take two NASA astronauts, Robert L. Behnken and Douglas G. Hurley, to the International Space Station.

Actually, theres nothing more we can do from a hardware standpoint, Mr. Musk said. The hardware is basically done. Its really just a whole bunch of NASA reviews, essentially. Speed up the NASA reviews, we can launch sooner.

Mr. Musk also said that only about 5 percent of SpaceXs resources were devoted to Starship.

In an interview with The Atlantic, Mr. Bridenstine said of Mr. Musks joking on CNN: Well, I dont think thats helpful.

He was highly doubtful of Mr. Musks timeline that the first launch with astronauts could occur in three to four months, pointing out recent test failures. SpaceX successfully sent a Crew Dragon capsule, without a crew, to the space station in March, but during a subsequent ground test the capsule was destroyed in an explosion. No one was injured, but SpaceX and NASA had to investigate what happened and fix the problems.

Parachutes have also failed in recent tests. Thats going to take probably more time to resolve than the launch-abort system, Mr. Bridenstine told The Atlantic.

Mr. Bridenstine also said he was not singling out SpaceX: Ive been critical of all contractors that overpromise and underdeliver.

On Thursday, Mr. Bridenstine and Mr. Musk provided one consistent story: By the end of the year, there will probably be about 10 drop-tests of an improved parachute design, and the Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon capsule for the crewed flight will arrive in Florida.

The launch itself would await final safety reviews in the first quarter of next year, if all goes well. We are not going to take any undue risk, Mr. Bridenstine said.

With Mr. Behnken and Mr. Hurley also standing next to him on Thursday, Mr. Musk said, Were not going to do anything those two gentlemen are not comfortable with.

Mr. Bridenstine said that his Twitter post about Starship was part of efforts to get contractors to provide realistic budget and schedule estimates.

If delays for SpaceX and Boeing continue past early 2020, NASA will have to consider buying additional seats on Russian Soyuz rockets, which have been the only way that astronauts have been able to get to the International Space Station since 2011.

Some of the turmoil is of NASAs own making. In July, Mr. Bridenstine removed William H. Gerstenmaier as leader of the agencys human exploration and operations directorate. Kenneth Bowersox, a former astronaut who was Mr. Gerstenmaiers deputy, is leading that part of NASA on an acting basis, and Mr. Bridenstine has yet to announce a permanent replacement.

That announcement is not months away, Mr. Bridenstine said on Thursday. It is weeks away.

NASA is also trying to accelerate work on its Artemis program to send astronauts back to the moon by 2024.

Mr. Bridenstine said he was not opposed to SpaceX working on Starship. NASA has an interest in seeing Starship be successful, he said.

He noted that NASA had provided technical help on aerodynamics as well as test facilities for SpaceX to use.

Thank you to SpaceX for being a great partner, Mr. Bridenstine said at the end of the news conference.

Continue reading here:

After Sparring, NASA and SpaceX Declare a Shared Mission - The New York Times

NASA’s ‘Mole’ Is Digging Below The Surface of Mars Again Thanks to an Ingenious Hack – ScienceAlert

Posted on by

NASA and the DLR are making some progress with the Mole. The Mole has been stuck for months now, and NASA/DLR have been working to get it unstuck. After removing the mole's housing to get a better look at it with InSight's cameras, the team came up with a plan.

The team is using the scoop on the end of the lander's instrument arm to exert sideways pressure on the Mole. That pressure is pushing the Mole against the side of its hole, supplying the friction the instrument needs to continue hammering its way below ground.

There aren't a lot of details on the progress right now. All NASA has given us is a tweet. In the gif, you can see the Mole working its way a little deeper.

The Mole is the short name for the Heat and Physical Properties Package (HP3) instrument. It's role is to hammer its way to a maximum depth of five meters (16 feet) and to measure the interior temperature of Mars.

It's a key part of InSight's overall mission to learn about the Martian interior and how it and other rocky planets formed.

But the Mole's mission has suffered setbacks. After being carefully deployed, the Mole began hammering into the surface only to strike a rock (Or so it's thought. There was no way of seeing in the hole.)

For a while, it looked like the Mole might work its way around the rock, but unfortunately it became stuck and made no further progress.

(NASA/DLR)

The Mole was provided by the DLR, the German Aerospace Center. The DLR team operating the Mole ruled out a rock, and thought that the Mole might be stuck because of the nature of the Martian soil itself.

The Mole relies on friction between itself and the sides of the hole its creating to hammer itself further into the ground.

But the soil where it's operating is too crusty and isn't falling into the hole. NASA describes it as a kind of duricrust, a cemented soil that's different than other soil on Mars, and a type they didn't expect to encounter. The duricrust as about 5 to 10 centimeters (2 to 4 inches) thick, hidden by the loose surface material above it.

When they deployed the Mole, they had no way of knowing the duricrust would be there. Rather than flowing into the Mole's cavity and filling up space and providing the necessary friction, the duricrust is stubbornly refusing to help the Mole penetrate.

The first attempt to counter the duricrust was to push down on the soil around the hole with the scoop on the end of the instrument arm, to try to compact it against the Mole.

That, the InSight team thought, would restore the required friction. But that didn't work. The Mole was positioned near the furthest reach of the arm and the scoop, and the mechanics meant the scoop couldn't push down very hard.

Then they decided to try something else. With the HP3's support structure removed, they used the scoop to push directly on the Mole sideways, to force it into contact with the hole.

According to NASA's tweet, this might be working. But we can't be certain yet.

The Mole has a maximum operating depth of 5 meters (16 feet) but it can work at a shallower depth. At 2 meters (7 feet) it can do useful science, but at its current depth it can't measure anything.

Stay tuned for updates on the InSight lander's Mole.

This article was originally published by Universe Today. Read the original article.

See more here:

NASA's 'Mole' Is Digging Below The Surface of Mars Again Thanks to an Ingenious Hack - ScienceAlert

NASA’s Plan to Rescue InSights Stuck Heat Probe Appears to Be Working – Gizmodo

Posted on by

After being stuck for months, the InSight landers heat probe has managed to dig down a few centimeters into the Martian dirt. Its a positive sign that the probe didnt hit a rock as engineers originally feared and that a newly devised strategy to remedy the situation is actually working.

In this latest test, the heat probe managed to progress about 3 centimeters, which is slightly more than an inch. Thats not a huge distance by any measure, but its a massive leap for the InSight team, which has been grappling with this thorny problem since late February.

Built by the German Aerospace Center (DLR), the Heat Flow and Physical Properties Package (HP3) is designed to measure the heat emanating from beneath the Martian surface. The probe component of HP3, dubbed the mole, was expected to descend down to a depth of around 5 meters (16 feet), but it didnt get any further than 35 centimeters (14 inches) before it simply stopped.

Fears quickly emerged that the mole had struck a rock. If true, that wouldve signified the end of the HP3 mission, as the probe cannot be pulled out and relocated.

This past summer, however, new evidence emerged suggesting the mole hadnt struck a rock but rather some dense material. Invigorated with hope, the InSight team devised a new strategy in an attempt to restore friction between the mole and the ground materiala requirement for the probes forward motion (otherwise the mole just bounces around in place like a pogo stick). To get the needed friction, the team used the InSight landers robotic claw to pin the mole against the wall of the shallow hole.

Excitingly, this strategy appears to be working, according to a tweet put out by the German Aerospace Agency.

Good news from #Mars! Confirmed!, exclaimed the agency in the tweet. After 3 cm progress, it appears the @DLR_de Mole on @NASAInSight was not stopped in its tracks by a rock under the Martian surface but had in fact lost friction.

Looking at the animated video (above), the mole appears to be holding steady in place thanks to the robotic claw, and its clearly progressing downward. It actually looks really great, even if its small process.

A tweet from the NASA InSight account echoed the pronouncement: With an assist from my robotic arm, the mole is digging again! We are just starting this new campaign, and are hopeful we can continue to dig.

Not much more is known beyond these tweets, but an astute commenter asked if the attached cable, which is spinning along with the mole, might pose a problem as the probe gets deeper.

Weve noted the spin, replied DLR. Its roughly 10 per 2cm. In the testbed weve seen a rotation by 270 for 5m. Were watching the present situation w/ care being confident that the rotation will be reduced once tether is in ground. Its expected to act as a fin slowing the rotation down.

So, thats a big phew. The heat probe is a key component of InSights mission to study the interior of Mars, and it would have been extremely disappointing if it had failed altogether. Hopefully these precious few centimeters of progress represent a sign of success to come.

More here:

NASA's Plan to Rescue InSights Stuck Heat Probe Appears to Be Working - Gizmodo

An all-female Delta team flew 120 girls to NASA to get them excited about aviation careers – CNN

Posted on by

(CNN) Delta flies from Salt Lake City to Houston every day, but one recent trip was a little different, packed with girls getting a behind-the-scenes lesson about aviation.

Delta celebrated International Girls in Aviation Day by carrying 120 girls from Salt Lake City to Houston for a tour of NASA.

Courtesy Delta

The girls, who came from area STEM schools (Science Technology Engineering Math), got to see women run all aspects of their flight, Delta said. The plane had an all-female pilot and flight crew, ramp agents and gate agents on the ground, and women in the control tower giving pilots instructions.

The students toured NASA's Mission Control and ate lunch with astronaut and aerospace engineer Jeanette Epps.

"We know representation matters. At Delta, we believe you have to see it to be it," said Beth Poole, general manager of pilot development, who started the program in 2015. "We're taking ownership to improve gender diversity by exposing girls at a young age and providing a pipeline so that 10 years from now, they will be the pilots in the Delta cockpit inspiring generations of women who follow."

Delta says that 5% of its pilots are women and that 7.4% hired over the last four years are women.

Excerpt from:

An all-female Delta team flew 120 girls to NASA to get them excited about aviation careers - CNN

Supernova morphs and its shock waves reverse in stunning new NASA video – Fox News

Posted on by

NASA released a new video that shows how a supernova morphs and moves over a period of 13 years.

Cassiopeia A, or Cas A, as the debris field is known, was probably generated after a star's explosion in 1680, according to the space agency.

The shock waves in blue can be seen as they pulse through space in data collected between 2000 and 2013 by NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory.

"As the blast wave travels outwards at speeds of about 11 million miles [18 million km] per hour, it encounters surrounding material and slows down, generating a second shock wave," Chandra mission personnel said in a statement.

ANCIENT EGYPTIAN 'INDUSTRIAL ZONE' UNCOVERED IN LUXOR'S 'VALLEY OF THE MONKEYS'

A view of Cassiopeia A that includes Chandra X-ray Observatory data. (X-ray: NASA/CXC/RIKEN/T. Sato et al.; Optical: NASA/STScI) (X-ray: NASA/CXC/RIKEN/T. Sato et al.; Optical: NASA/STScI)

IN POMPEII, SCIENTISTS UNEARTH GLADIATOR FRESCO

This "reverse shock," the agency said, "travels backwards, similar to how a traffic jam travels backwards from the scene of an accident on a highway."

According to Space.com, Cas A was the first object that Chandra observed not long after it launched out to space on July 23, 1999.

NASA noted that other observations from Chandra over the years have shown some of the elements necessary for life in the explosion and have produced 3D models of the supernova remnant.

The full video can be seen here.

GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Read the original here:

Supernova morphs and its shock waves reverse in stunning new NASA video - Fox News

NASA and USGS reveal stunning infrared aerial photos in Earth As Art project – Express.co.uk

Posted on by

NASA and USGS began the Earth As Art project at the dawn of the millennium after scientists saw the beauty in the visual data they were collecting. Garnered for scientific purposes, the images reveal areas of the electromagnetic spectrum undetected by human eye.

NASA and USGS collated the photographs to educate the public on the importance of satellite surveillance.

The Landsat time series is so convenient and easy to use and has triggered science that was not possible a few decades ago

Professor Zhe Zhu

NASA wrote in a statement: The Landsat program offers the longest continuous global record of the Earths surface; it continues to deliver visually stunning and scientifically valuable images of our planet.

In 1975, NASA Administrator Dr James Fletcher predicted if one space age development would save the world, it would be Landsat and its successor satellites.

Since the early 1970s, Landsat has continuously and consistently archived images of Earth; this unparalleled data archive offers scientists the ability to assess changes in the planets landscape.

JUST IN:Black hole with power of 100 Suns is flickering in Milky Way

For over four decades, the Landsat program has collected spectral information from Earths surface, creating a historical archive unmatched in quality, detail, coverage, and length.

Dr Darrel Williams, a Landsat 7 Project Scientist added: It was the granddaddy of them all, as far as starting the trend of repetitive, calibrated observations of the Earth at a spatial resolution where one can detect mans interaction with the environment.

Landsat sensors have a moderate spatial-resolution, meaning individual houses cannot be seen on a Landsat image, but larger man-made objects such as roads can.

This is an important spatial resolution because it is coarse enough for global coverage, yet detailed enough to characterise human-scale processes such as urban growth.

DON'T MISS:

Antarctica shock: How NASA was stunned by 'unexpected creature'(news)WATCH: Meteorites captured flaming across the sky(news)NASA warns of asteroids large enough to take Earth out'(news)

A stunning image shows the skies above the Amazon churning with clouds and storms, making the basin one of the most difficult places for scientists to map and monitor.

One of the most recent images reveals in stunning detail the blue geese breeding ground on the southern coast of Baffin Island, in modern Nunavut territory.

Another shows a portion of the Amur River, the worlds tenth longest, flowing east along the Chinese-Russian border.

A false-colour image reveals a shrinking glacier, threatening a popular hiking area in Europes Mount Blanc.

Another shows the completion of one the worlds longest bridges, the 30 mile (48km) Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah Causeway in Kuwait.

Zhe Zhu, Assistant Professor of Natural Resources and the Environment at UConn, said about the project: The Landsat time series is so convenient and easy to use and has triggered science that was not possible a few decades ago.

Bruce Cook, NASA Landsat 9 deputy project scientist, said: Landsats thermal data is critical for tracking water use in the western United States, where rainfall can be short in supply and managing water resources is critical to ensuring a sustainable supply for farmers, cities, and natural ecosystems.

And Dr Stephen Sagar, Aquatic Remote Sensing Project Leader added: The Landsat archive enables us to develop products that tackle problems and address issues at a continental scale.

For a country the size of Australia, this would simply not be possible without free and open access to the full time-series that the Landsat archive provides.

The rest is here:

NASA and USGS reveal stunning infrared aerial photos in Earth As Art project - Express.co.uk

OnionShare Lets Anyone Host Anonymous Sites on the Dark Web – BleepingComputer

Posted on by

A new version of the OnionShare programnow allows you to easily create basic anonymous dark web sites on Tor so that they cannot be censored. This is particularlyuseful for those who wish to publish information anonymously, but do not want to deal with the mechanics of setting up their own dark web server.

OnionShare is a program for Windows, Mac, and Linux that was originally designed to let you easily and anonymously share and receivefiles on the dark web. It does this by bundling the Tor client and turning your computer into a web server that is accessible only via Tor.

When sharing or receiving files, OnionShare will create arandom .onion address that can be shared with other users in order to share files or turn your computer into an anonymous dropbox that users can send files.

For example, in the screen below you can what it looks like when OnionShare is configured as an anonymous dropbox and someone else connects to it to send a file.

With the release of OnionShare 2.2, users are now able to create basic web sites using HTML, JavaScript, and images and publish them anonymously on the dark web.

This enables you to publish an anonymous site that cannot be censored and for your visitors to remain anonymous asthey access the site.

"This website is only accessible from the Tor network, so people will need Tor Browser to visit it," states the OnionShare announcement for this new version."People who visit your website will have no idea who you are they wont have access to your IP address, and they wont know your identity or your location. And, so long as your website visitors are able to access the Tor network, the website cant be censored."

To publish a website through OnionShare, simply click on the "Publish Website" tab and drag the HTML, JavaScript, andimages files for your site onto the program's screen. When ready to make your site accessible, click on the Start sharing button to publish the site to the Tor network.

Once published, OnionShare will display a random onion URL you can share with users. You can also configure the programs settings to use a "persistent address" and place it in "public mode" to make the site use a normal onion address as shown below.

Now when a user visits the site in the Tor Browser, they will be shown the website from your computer through OnionShare.

It should be noted, though, that once you use OnionShare to publish a web site, OnionShare and your computer must continue to run for the site to be accessible to others users on the Tor network. Once you shutdown your computer or close OnionShare, the site will be shutdown as well.

Read the original post:

OnionShare Lets Anyone Host Anonymous Sites on the Dark Web - BleepingComputer

#SecTorCa: Millions of Phones Leaking Information Via Tor – Infosecurity Magazine

Posted on by

There is a privacy threat lurking on perhaps hundreds of millions of devices, that could enable potential attackers to track and profile users, by using information leaked via the Tor network, even if the users never intentionally installed Tor in the first place.

In a session at the SecTor security conference in Toronto, Canada on October 10, researchers Adam Podgorski and Milind Bhargava from Deloitte Canada outlined and demonstrated previously undisclosed research into how they were able to determine that personally identifiable information (PII) is being leaked by millions of mobile users every day over Tor.

The irony of the issue is that Tor is a technology and a network that is intended to help provide and enable anonymity for users. With Tor, traffic travels through a number of different network hops to an eventual exit point in the hope of masking where the traffic originated from. Podgorski said that there are some users that choose to install a Tor browser on their mobile devices, but thats not the problem. The problem is that Tor is being installed by mobile applications without user knowledge and potentially putting users at risk.

The researchers explained that they set up several Tor exit nodes, just to see what they could find, and the results were surprising. The researchers found that approximately 30% of all Android devices are transmitting data over Tor.

Youre probably scratching your head now, like we were a couple of months ago, because that doesnt make any sense, Podgorski said. There's no way a third of Android users know what Tor is and are actually using it.

What the researchers determined is that Tor is being bundled, embedded and installed in other applications and users are not aware of its existence. It was not entirely clear to the researchers why Tor was being bundled with so many applications. Podgorski said that it could be due to a misunderstanding of the technology and how it can be used. Tor was also found on Apple IOS devices, but the numbers were smaller with only approximately 5% of devices sending data.

Tracking Users

In a series of demonstrations, including live dashboards shown by Bhargava, the researchers showed what data they had collected from mobile users that were inadvertently using Tor. The data included GPS coordinates, web addresses, phone numbers, keystrokes and other PII.

This data can be used to build a robust profile of an individual, Podgorski said.

Bhargava explained that the exit nodes the researchers set up intentionally attempted to force browsers to not use encrypted versions of websites, forcing the devices to regular HTTP when possible. With data coming to the exit node without encryption, it was possible for the researchers to see the user data. Bhargava noted that for sites that force HTTPS encryption and do not offer any fallback option to regular un-encrypted HTTP, they wouldnt be able to see the users data.

Also of note, Bhargava admitted that he found his own phone number in the data, which was a surprise to him, as he had not installed Tor on his device. The only applications on his phone were applications installed by the carrier.

There are several things that need to happen to fix the issue. Podgorski said that the first is awareness that there is a problem, which is what the research is intended to highlight for legislators, government and organizations. For users, Podgorski emphasized that good operational security practices need to be employed, by using encryption everywhere.

In Podgorski's view, there is already a legal compliance risk that the mobile application PII data leaks expose.

Were pretty sure what we found breaches GDPR on multiple levels, he said, but the issue is that governments cant enforce the law if theyre not aware.

Original post:

#SecTorCa: Millions of Phones Leaking Information Via Tor - Infosecurity Magazine

Penn Medicine breaks ground in Lancaster on Pa.’s second proton therapy site – PhillyVoice.com

Posted on by

A new cancer treatment facility in Lancaster will be one of just two sites in Pennsylvania to offer proton therapy to cancer patients.

Penn Medicine broke ground Tuesday on the facility, an expansion of its Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute.

The 8,000-square-foot, four-story building will be the first proton therapy center in Central Pennsylvania. Construction is expected to be completed by the fall 2021.

The project represents a $48 million investment, according to Penn.

Proton therapy, a relatively new type of radiation therapy, often is used to treat cancers as well as benign tumors, according to the Mayo Clinic. Instead of using X-rays, which also touch non-cancer cells, proton beams enter the body at low doses of radiation that spare healthy tissue, according to Penn Medicine.

Clinical trials and studies suggest proton therapy causes fewer side effects than traditional radiation because it enables doctors to target more precise areas.

Proton therapy is an option for a number of cancer types, including brain cancer, spinal tumors, breast cancer, head and neck cancer, gastrointestinal cancers, gynecological cancers, kidney cancer, lung cancer, lymphoma, mesothelioma, oropharyngeal cancer, pediatric cancer, and prostate cancer, according to Penn.

Because it's relatively new, proton therapy availability is limited across the United States. There are currently just 28 active proton therapy centers, according to the National Association for Proton Therapy, with five more, including the Lancaster site, under construction or development.

The Roberts Proton Therapy Center at the University of Pennsylvania Health is the only proton therapy site in Pennsylvania.Since the center opened in Philadelphia in 2010, Penn radiation oncologists have treated more than 6,000 patients using proton therapy.

There are two other proton therapy facilities in New Jersey the ProCure Proton Treatment Center in Somerset and the Laurie Proton Therapy Center at RWJBarnabas Health in New Brunswick.

"Current patients who may benefit from proton therapy especially for hard-to-treat cancers can only receive this therapy at a handful of specialized centers across the country," Dr. James Metz, chair of radiation oncology at Penn Medicine, said in a release. "This project represents the next phase of proton therapy, further enhancing patients access."

Follow Adam & PhillyVoice on Twitter: @adamwhermann | @thePhillyVoiceLike us on Facebook: PhillyVoiceAdd Adam's RSS feed to your feed readerHave a news tip? Let us know.

Originally posted here:

Penn Medicine breaks ground in Lancaster on Pa.'s second proton therapy site - PhillyVoice.com

Northwestern Medicine’s Dr. Jim Adams warns that other countries are having bad flu seasons and as it moves towards Chicago, it looks like it’s going…

Posted on by

Dr. Jim Adams, Chief Medical Officer and SVP of Northwestern Medicine joins The Roe Conn Show with Anna Davlantes to discuss why this flu season might be worse than last year. Also, Dr. Adams explains why owning a dog may lower your risk of death after a heart attack.http://serve.castfire.com/audio/3688822/3688822_2019-10-16-005222.64kmono.mp3

Better knowledge means better health for you and your family. Turn to Northwestern Medicine at nm.org/healthbeatnews for health tips, research and more.Follow your favorite Roe Conn Show characters on TwitterAnd be sure to follow Roe on Facebook!

Read the original post:

Northwestern Medicine's Dr. Jim Adams warns that other countries are having bad flu seasons and as it moves towards Chicago, it looks like it's going...

Editas Medicine and AskBio Enter Strategic Research Collaboration to Explore In Vivo Delivery of Genome Editing Medicines to Treat Neurological…

Posted on by

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Oct. 15, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Editas Medicine, Inc. (Nasdaq: EDIT), a leading genome editing company, and Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc.(AskBio), a fully integrated adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy company, today announced the companies have entered a strategic research collaboration to explore in vivo delivery of genome editing medicines to treat neurological diseases. This collaboration brings together AskBios leading capsid development, clinical stage AAV vector delivery system, and manufacturing expertise with Editas Medicines leading genome editing technologies to potentially develop novel medicines for patients with high unmet need.

We are excited to collaborate with AskBio, a team with unparalleled experience in AAV technology and clinical-stage manufacturing. We believe that together we can deliver innovative genome editing medicines to the nervous system and rapidly advance medicines to treat neurological diseases and help patients in great need, said Charles Albright, Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Chief Scientific Officer, Editas Medicine.

The team at Editas Medicine has one of the most innovative technology platforms dedicated to finding solutions to severe diseases where there are few or no treatment options a mission consistent with AskBios, said Jude Samulski, Ph.D., Co-Founder, AskBio. With this shared goal in mind, we will combine our technologies to create an innovative approach to treating neurological diseases.

About Editas MedicineAs a leading genome editing company, Editas Medicine is focused on translating the power and potential of the CRISPR/Cas9 and CRISPR/Cpf1 (also known as Cas12a) genome editing systems into a robust pipeline of treatments for people living with serious diseases around the world. Editas Medicine aims to discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialize transformative, durable, precision genomic medicines for a broad class of diseases. For the latest information and scientific presentations, please visit http://www.editasmedicine.com.

About AskBioAsklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio) is a privately held, clinical stage gene therapy platform company dedicated to improving the lives of children and adults with rare genetic disorders. AskBios gene therapy platform includes an industry-leading proprietary cell line manufacturing process known as Pro10 and an extensive AAV capsid library. The company has generated hundreds of proprietary third generation gene vectors, several of which have entered clinical testing. AskBio maintains a portfolio of clinical programs across a range of indications, including Pompe, Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy, Cystic Fibrosis, Myotonic Muscular Dystrophy, Huntingtons, Hemophilia (Chatham Therapeutic/Takeda) and Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (Bamboo Therapeutics/Pfizer). For more information, visit http://www.askbio.com.

Editas Medicine Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements and information within the meaning of The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words anticipate, believe, continue, could, estimate, expect, intend, may, plan, potential, predict, project, target, should, would, and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. Editas Medicine may not actually achieve the plans, intentions, or expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including: uncertainties inherent in the initiation and completion of preclinical studies and clinical trials and clinical development of Editas Medicines product candidates; availability and timing of results from preclinical studies and clinical trials; whether interim results from a clinical trial will be predictive of the final results of the trial or the results of future trials; expectations for regulatory approvals to conduct trials or to market products and availability of funding sufficient for Editas Medicines foreseeable and unforeseeable operating expenses and capital expenditure requirements. These and other risks are described in greater detail under the caption Risk Factors included in Editas Medicines most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q, which is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission, and in other filings that Editas Medicine may make with the Securities and Exchange Commission in the future. Any forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date hereof, and Editas Medicine expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events or otherwise.

View post:

Editas Medicine and AskBio Enter Strategic Research Collaboration to Explore In Vivo Delivery of Genome Editing Medicines to Treat Neurological...

Nanotechnology And The Future Of Medicine – Equities.com

Posted on by

Nanotechnology is a growing sector of medical technology, and it encompasses everything from pill cameras to smart pills that detect and report on medication levels to even smart bandages that detect infection and release antibiotics. Many hail this technology as the future, but there are still concerns about privacy, cost effectiveness, and more as these technologies become more widely used and developed. But some day soon you may experience surgery with a nanobot or have your cancer fought with a tiny device that cuts off the cancer's blood flow. Learn more about the future of nanotechnology in medicine below!

Click to enlarge

DISCLOSURE:I work for the infographic design agency that developed this graphic.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors, and do not represent the views of equities.com. Readers should not consider statements made by the author as formal recommendations and should consult their financial advisor before making any investment decisions. To read our full disclosure, please go to: http://www.equities.com/disclaimer.

Excerpt from:

Nanotechnology And The Future Of Medicine - Equities.com

Let Plants be Thy Medicine You Are What You Eat – Inter Press Service

Posted on by

Featured, Food & Agriculture, Global, Headlines, Health, TerraViva United Nations

Opinion

Credit: Busani Bafana/IPS

ILLINOIS, United States / ABUJA, Oct 16 2019 (IPS) - United Nations World Food Day is celebrated around the world on October 16 under the theme: Our Actions ARE Our Future. Healthy Diets for a Zero Hunger World.This theme is timely, especially, because across Africa and around the world, there has been a gradual rise in malnutrition and diet-related non communicable diseases, as highlighted inThe Lancetstudy and aUnited Nations Reportpublished earlier this year.

While45 percentof deaths in children are from nutrition-related causes, mainly malnutrition,diet-related non communicable diseaseslike obesity is a fast-growing problem across the world causing low- and middle-income countries to face adouble burden of malnutrition.

Globally, non-communicable diseases kill the most people every year. Based on2016 data, out of 56.9 million deaths, 40.5 million were due to non-communicable diseases (30.5 million were in developing countries). Diabetes, one of the complications of obesity led to 1.6 million deaths.

Researchin Ghana shows that children from poorer backgrounds are more vulnerable to food insecurity and narrow dietary diversity. In contrast, consumption of processed foods rich in sugar but poor in nutrients is common among all socioeconomic classes. Showing that obesity does not respect boundaries. InScotland, about 30% of adults and 13% of children are obese this is attributable to foods and drinks high in fat, sugar and salt.

It is said that; the youths are the future. However, if the present trends ofdiet-related non communicable diseaseslike obesity among youths fueled by unhealthy foods continue, the future would be unhealthy. This is how to make the future healthy.

First, focus on consumption of plant-based nutritious meals among women of child-bearing age. One way to achieve this is by civil society organisations working with government to identify locally available nutritious meals and training families on how best to prepare these meals.

Datashows that most important time for using nutrition to improve cognition and physical development of a child is the first 1000 days of life (from when the woman becomes pregnant, through-out pregnancy, birth and until the baby is 2 years old).

In addition to the woman eating nutritious meals, there are several nutritional interventions to achieving these, including exclusive breastfeeding within one hour after birth until the baby is 6 months old; introduction of nutritious complementary meals at 6 months and continuing of breastfeeding until the baby is 2 years old.

The good news is that, the African continent is endowed with indigenous vegetable plant varieties such as amaranth greens, African nightshade, Ethiopian mustard and fluted pumpkins that are affordable, and highly nutritious and dense in essential micronutrients that are lacking in many of the foods African.

In addition, many of these vegetable plants are highly adapted to the African climate and can endure drought and pests. Further, women that grow these crops for consumption can also earn income by selling the excess vegetables.

In Nigeria, for example,women farmersgrowing these indigenous highly nutritious indigenous African vegetable plant varieties arereaping several benefitsincluding earning income and boosting food security. Similar success stories are documented in severalAfrican countriessuch asKenyaandEthiopia.

Second, all nations should ban artificial trans-fat production and use. Globally, consumption of trans fat accounts for more than500,0000 deathsdue to heart disease every year, according to the World Health Organization.

Theharmful effectsof trans fat is by raising bad cholesterol and lower good cholesterol levels. Therefore, increasing risk of heart disease, stroke and insulin-dependent diabetes. Already there are lessons from countries that have policies on artificial trans fats.

For instance, South Africa limits industrially produced trans-fat in foods, fats and oils; and U.S. and Canada bans the source of industrially-produced trans-fat and require trans-fat to be labeled on packaged food.

Third, reduce daily consumption of salt to less than one teaspoonful a day because the sodium contained in salt increases blood pressure.

Hypertensionin turn, is implicated in 7.5 million deaths every year.According to the U.S. Centres for Disease control,more than 70%of the sodium Americans consume comes from processed and restaurant foods. There are severalwaysto reduce salt consumption such as public education, front-of-package labelling, promotion of salt substitutes, industry reformulation of packaged foods, and intervention for restaurants.

The United Kingdomsalt reduction programled to lower slat content in processed foods, resulting in a15% reductionin population salt intake.

Lastly, countries must come up with comprehensive policy approaches or revise already existing national nutrition policies to address this growing diet-related non communicable diseases. Once theyre set, governments must place high priority on them to ensure that nutrition policies are implemented and followed and that citizens are aware of them.

The complex, widespread and global rise of diet-related health diseases demand that we re-assess the foods we eat every day. Doing so will pave the way to a world where people are healthy.

Dr. Esther Ngumbi is an Assistant Professorat the Entomology Department, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign.She isa Senior Food security fellow with the Aspen Institute andhaswritten opinion pieces forvarious outlets including NPR, CNN, Los Angeles Times, Aljazeera andNew York Times. You canfollowEsther on Twitter@EstherNgumbi.

Dr. Ifeanyi M. Nsofor, a medical doctor, the CEO ofEpiAFRICandDirector of Policy and Advocacy atNigeria Health Watch. I am a2019 Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity at George Washington University,aSenior New Voices Fellow at the Aspen Instituteand a 2006 International Ford Fellow.You can follow me on Twitter@ekemma.

View post:

Let Plants be Thy Medicine You Are What You Eat - Inter Press Service

Healthcare executives look to bring the joy back to medicine – ModernHealthcare.com

Posted on by

Ascension, for one, is reworking its linear reporting structure, said Trevor Walker, vice president of human resources organizational development and learning. Its testing out a model where interdisciplinary teams report to one leader, rather than their respective department heads.

To boost recruitment, Froedtert Health is reworking its tuition reimbursement program, said Holly Reilly, vice president of human resources operations. For growing needs like IT, four-year degrees arent necessary. But certifications dont fit into Froedterts tuition reimbursement program, she said.

Providence St. Joseph Health is investing in revenue streams related to organizations that build low-income housing, provide food and help meet other basic needs.

Ideally, those ventures can bolster its clinical care as well as rekindle its mission, said Darci Hall, chief learning officer at the Renton, Wash.-based system. Healthy communities start with a safe place to live and food to eat, she said.

But a more proactive, outcomes-oriented healthcare delivery system brings new data and responsibilities. Employers have to toe the delicate line between developing existing employees and hiring additional help.

Healthcare organizations are always looking for the next piece of technology that can facilitate this transition. But sometimes it can hurt more than help, said Heather Brace, senior vice president and chief people officer at Intermountain Healthcare.

Sometimes technology can be really distracting more than it can be helpful, she said. So we are finding ways to be better about discerning and learning which technologies are best to bring into our organization so they are not duplicative or creating more work.

Brigham Health has hired administrative support, community resource specialists, data-mining experts and additional help on the clinical side to facilitate more proactive care. It has also identified current workers who live in the community, know the cultural landscape and can help link individuals with local resources, said Dr. Jessica Dudley, chief medical officer at Brigham and Womens Physician Organization and vice president of care redesign at Brigham Health.

This new care paradigm requires, at times, ceding control. Providers also must get more comfortable in building teams outside of their respective organizations, said Dr. Adam Myers, chief of population health at Cleveland Clinic and director of Cleveland Clinic Community Care.

We are not afraid to work hard in medicine, but we want our work to be meaningful, we want the tools and resources to accomplish the tasks that are asked of us, and we want to have appropriate accountability. Those are the three things that lead to professional improvement, he said. We have meaningful work in healthcare, but the problem is we dilute that down with many nonmeaningful tasks. To the extent we can offload some of those to teams, the better.

At St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital, about 20% of patients will not overcome their cancer diagnoses. This creates a daunting challenge to keep clinicians and employees spirits up, said Dr. James Downing, St. Judes CEO.

Memphis, Tenn.-based St. Jude improved its employee recognition as well as its mentorship program. The organization asked its employees what brings them joy in their work. Staff wrote their answers on blocks of wood that were used to a build a sculpture featured on campus.

It is a place where 1 in 5 patients will die from their disease, but it is a place of hope, a place of joy, Downing said.

Read more:

Healthcare executives look to bring the joy back to medicine - ModernHealthcare.com

China is giving the U.S. a taste of its own medicine – The Week

Posted on by

Sign Up for

Our free email newsletters

We Americans tend to treat trade as a matter of purely economic exchanges. But we've recently learned that to become entangled with a country via trade almost inevitably invites broader entanglements as well of culture, ideology, and policy. After enmeshing ourselves in trade with China, for example, we've suddenly found China using that entanglement to silence criticism of China's crackdown on Hong Kong protesters. (Or its treatment of Tibet, or its massive surveillance state.) More perniciously, China's had American institutions and companies do the silencing and surveilling for it.

In other words, if the country we're entangled with has a lot of leverage, they can force us to behave in ways we otherwise might not, and would really prefer not to.

The thing is, if you're pretty much any country other than the United States especially a poorer or developing country you already knew this. Because for decades, the U.S. has been doing to the world what China is currently trying to do to us.

If you're a big country with lots of consumption spending and financial capital to throw around, other countries are going to want access to your domestic market. And that will give you leverage to condition that access on certain terms. While China's rise into the ranks of global economic behemoths happened in just the last two or three decades, the U.S. has been there since the end of World War II. Through institutions like the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the U.S. has used that leverage to build the global economic and trade order to its preferences.

In the initial post-war years, this setup worked out relatively well resuscitating the ravaged economies of Europe, and promising a prosperous new possible future for the global East and South. But then in the 1970s and 1980s, free market neoliberal ideology took over American policymaking and by extension took over the policies America was exporting to the globe. The U.S. started forcing countries to abandon capital controls and tariffs, thus allowing the free flow of both goods and financial capital across their borders. Industrial policy and state-ownership of enterprise was discouraged, privatization and free market solutions encouraged.

This model often turned out quite badly for developing countries in particular. The end of barriers to trade and financial flows left those countries vulnerable to rich western speculators who could boost their economy by rushing in, then collapse it by rushing out just as fast. When such crises left a country saddled with unsustainable levels of foreign-denominated debt, the solution imposed by America's neoliberal hegemony was austerity, which provided the surplus cash to pay off foreign creditors, but also crushed the country's domestic economy and the livelihoods of its own citizens in the process.

Indeed, the occasional country that did resist these demands wound up raising its wealth and living standards faster and there's no better example than China itself, which has used its own clout to pick and choose which parts of the neoliberal global trade order it does and doesn't want to cooperate with.

The modern era of big multilateral trade deals like NAFTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) came with a similar dynamic: America has used these deals to impose pro-corporate and anti-labor regulatory structures, outsized protections for wealthy investors, and draconian intellectual property laws on the rest of the world. (Ironically, now that President Trump has pulled the U.S. out of TPP negotiations, the deal's terms have become considerably less offensive.) Trump's current trade war with China is a similar effort to impose American policy preferences on China's domestic operations: It wants China to abide by those same intellectual property standards, and to soften the rules and terms for investors.

The point of these trade deals was to entangle countries in a set of rules and arrangements that would constrain their own domestic agendas "the creation of a set of property rights that, precisely because they span multiple sovereignties, cannot be touched by one government without inviting conflict with another," as economist J.W. Mason put it. Since the U.S. was the 800-pound gorilla in the room, no one wanted conflict with it. And thus the U.S. was able to impose its preference for neoliberalism on the world.

Now China has gotten big enough to throw its weight around as well. Of course, shutting up basketball stars and protesters and contest participants and corporate advertising campaigns that push positions China doesn't like is the imposition of political norms about acceptable discourse, as opposed to economic norms about acceptable policies. In terms of its economic relationships with the U.S., China has thus far been content to simply draw some bright lines with regard to freeing up trade and capital flows, and how much it's willing to adjust its own domestic policies to match U.S. preferences.

That particular mix of cooperation and opposition has mostly imposed its costs on the American working class, while turning out quite well for American elites. Which is why those elites only recently decided to pick a bigger fight with China and even now, Trump's trade war is far from universally endorsed among America's economic and political power brokers.

The more interesting question is how things might evolve in the future. The neoliberal global order is not in great shape these days, beset by multiple crises. And China has taken that opportunity to begin building something akin to its own global economic order. In multiple countries, China's been quietly investing in big infrastructure projects part of its Belt and Road initiative to firm up and support a global system of trade routes and exchange with China at its center.

It's presented as an economic project. But observers worry China is implicitly using jobs and development to buy good will in the international community. Should China and the U.S. come to geopolitical loggerheads over any number of issues future trade deals, the fate of political freedoms in Hong Kong, China's human rights abuses against Uighur muslims, or China's territorial claims to Tibet or the South China Sea the U.S. may discover that China has secured itself more friends and allies than we realized.

If there's a lesson here, it may be that you should be careful how far you go in imposing your own will on other countries when you're in power. Eventually, someone else will be in power, and what you once did will set the norms for what they can do now.

Want more essential commentary and analysis like this delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for The Week's "Today's best articles" newsletter here.

Read more:

China is giving the U.S. a taste of its own medicine - The Week

The global electroceuticals/bioelectric medicine market size is expected to reach USD 28.5 billion by 2026 – Yahoo Finance

Posted on by

It is projected to expand at a CAGR of 7. 4% during the forecast period. Rising geriatric population, in need of bioelectric medicine is the major factor expected to propel growth during the forecast period.

New York, Oct. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Electroceuticals/Bioelectric Medicine Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Product, By Type, By Application, By End-Use And Segment Forecasts, 2019 - 2026" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05822966/?utm_source=GNW Aging population is prone to medical disorders such as cardiac arrhythmias, Parkinsons disease, Alzheimers disease, epilepsy, and depression. Advanced electroceuticals including implantable cardioverter defibrillators, cochlear implants, cardiac pacemakers, and spinal cord stimulators, are used for the treatment of these conditions.

Increasing investment in the development of advanced bioelectric medicine is another major factor supporting the growth of the electroceuticals market. For instance, in FY 2016, Medtronic, invested around USD 2,224.0 million in R&D for the development of advanced products. According to, ElectroCore, almost 325,000 people in the U.S. experience cluster headache every year. The company, in an attempt to capitalize the untapped opportunity came up with a product which received FDA clearance in 2018 namely gammaCore, a noninvasive VNS therapy, helpful in managing painful headaches in adults.

Further Key Findings from the Report Suggest: Implantable cardioverter defibrillators segment was the largest revenue-generating segment of the electroceuticals market in 2018 owing to wider application of these products in the treatment of arrhythmia The implantable electroceuticals segment accounted for the largest revenue share in the bioelectric medicine market in 2018 owing to technological advancements In the application segment, the arrhythmia segment accounted for the largest share in 2018 and is expected to maintain its dominance throughout forecast period The hospitals dominated the electroceuticals end use market in terms of revenue in 2018 due to the escalating number of electroceutical devices implant procedures in hospitals The North America bioelectric medicine market is the leading regional sector and accounted for the largest revenue share in 2018 mainly due to the of large number of medical devices companies in this region The Asia Pacific region is expected to grow at a highest growth rate during the study period. The developing healthcare infrastructure and rising healthcare awareness in the Asian countries such as China and India is a major factor contributing to the growth of this region Some of the major players in the electroceuticals/bioelectric medicine market include Medtronic; St. Jude Medical; Boston Scientific Corporation; Cochlear Ltd.; Sonova; LivaNova PLC; Biotronik; Nevro Corp.; SECOND SIGHT; and electroCore LLC.Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05822966/?utm_source=GNW

About ReportlinkerReportLinker is an award-winning market research solution. Reportlinker finds and organizes the latest industry data so you get all the market research you need - instantly, in one place.

__________________________

Clare: clare@reportlinker.comUS: (339)-368-6001Intl: +1 339-368-6001

See more here:

The global electroceuticals/bioelectric medicine market size is expected to reach USD 28.5 billion by 2026 - Yahoo Finance

What Are the Benefits of Turmeric? – The New York Times

Posted on by

Dr. Amit X. Garg, a professor of medicine at Western University in London, Ontario, knew about turmerics medicinal use because of his Indian heritage. He knew firsthand of its rich cultural significance too: On his wedding day, his relatives rubbed the spice all over him because it is believed to be cleansing.

After seeing the effectiveness of curcumin, in smaller studies, Dr. Garg and his colleagues decided to test it on a larger scale in hopes it would make elective aortic surgery safer by reducing the risk of complications, which include heart attacks, kidney injury and death. In the randomized clinical trial that followed, about half of the 606 patients were administered 2,000 milligrams of curcumin eight times over for four days, while the others were given a placebo. It was a bit disappointing, but we couldnt demonstrate any benefit used in this setting, Dr. Garg said of the study, published last year in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

In fact, there is not enough reliable evidence in humans to recommend turmeric or curcumin for any condition, according to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Turmeric became a nutritional golden child partly because of its promise in laboratory studies cellular and animal. Some research indicates that both turmeric and curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric supplements, have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antiviral and antiparasitic activity. But this has mostly been demonstrated in laboratory studies, and, in many cases, the benefits of preclinical research isnt observed in clinical trials.

According to Natural Medicines, a database that provides monographs for dietary supplements, herbal medicines, and complementary and integrative therapies, while some clinical evidence shows that curcumin might be beneficial for depression, hay fever, hyperlipidemia, ulcerative colitis, osteoarthritis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, its still too early to recommend the compound for any of these conditions.

And Natural Medicines has found there isnt enough good scientific evidence to rate turmeric or curcumins use for memory, diabetes, fatigue, rheumatoid arthritis, gingivitis, joint pain, PMS, eczema or hangovers.

Physicians say more research is needed. Dr. Gary W. Small, a professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, who studies curcumins effect on memory, sees a lot of therapeutic potential. He also states that existing research demonstrates curcumins biological effects.

Read more:

What Are the Benefits of Turmeric? - The New York Times

Exercise Is Medicine Now in Year Two – University of Arkansas Newswire

Posted on by

All students, faculty, and staff are needed for a study on campus health.

The Exercise is Medicine-On Campus study is now kicking off year two! The program isrecruiting University of Arkansasstudents, facultyand staff (age 18 or older) of all sizes, abilities and fitness levels. The study will include completing a new online survey with the option to also participate in an in-person health and fitness assessment.

Participants completing the survey will have the chance to win one of five $50 cash prizes. Additionally, participants whom choose to perform the in-person health and fitness assessment will visit the Exercise Science Research Center at the University of Arkansas. Participants completing the in-person health and fitness assessment will be eligible to win one of three $100 cash prizes.

Participants must be English speaking and should not have any limitations preventing them from attempting the in-person assessments including pregnancy.

If you would like to participate, or have any question or concerns, please contact: Bryce Daniels, bxd013@uark.edu, or Erin K. Howie, (479) 575-2910, ekhowie@uark.edu. If you are interested in completing the survey please click on the following link: https://uark.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_74evJcczrLCLMIB. If you completed the Exercise is Medicine survey during the 2018-2019 academic year, you are welcome to complete it again and will be eligible for prizes.

Read the rest here:

Exercise Is Medicine Now in Year Two - University of Arkansas Newswire

From House To Diagnosis: The Evolution of 21st-Century Medicine (As Seen On TV) – Forbes

Posted on by

Photo by Vince Bucci

Ill admit it. Im a medical-TV junkie, addicted to 21st-century doctor and hospital dramas (most of which are now streaming on Netflix and other services).

Although some physicians are bothered by sensationalized depictions of their profession, I appreciate these shows for what they deliver: equal parts entertainment and insight. On the one hand, medical dramas are made for our amusement. Theyre theatrical escapes from reality, meant to be enjoyed from comforts of a cushiony sofa. On the other hand, we can learn a lot from these shows, especially when we compare depictions of doctors today vs. 20 years ago.

From House To Diagnosis

My love-affair with medical dramas began with House, M.D. (2004 to 2012), which centered on the eponymous antihero Dr. Gregory House, a grumpy diagnostic genius with a penchant for recreational Vicodin. Although he lies, manipulates others and breaks all the rules, his superior mind vindicates him in each episode, never failing to deliver a remarkable medical epiphany.

As CEO of The Permanente Medical Group, I sometimes thought about how I would have dealt with a brilliant but troubled physician like Dr. House. Of course, Id try to get him help, but its unlikely Id have any more success than the hospital leaders on the show. Ultimately, having been responsible for the medical care of more than 5 million Kaiser Permanente members, as well as for the livelihoods of 10,000 physicians and 36,000 staff, I would have had no choice but to fire him.

In addition to House, I enjoyed all 16 seasons of Greys Anatomy (2005 to present), a show in which the protagonists, Dr. Meredith Grey and colleagues, share much in common with Dr. House. They possess exceptional diagnostic prowess, remarkable technical skill and a whole host of psychological issues.

The physicians at the fictional Seattle Grace Hospital spend as much time carousing at the bar across the street as they do performing surgery in the operating room. Remarkably, these diversions never seem to inhibit their ability to resect an inoperable brain tumor or perform a death-defying cardiac procedure the next morning.

Together, these shows introduced 21st-century viewers to the on-screen motif of the doctor as an imperfect God, with exceptional characters capable of effecting miracles and imposing self-misery.

Then came the 2019 Netflix docuseries Diagnosis (fear not: no spoilers ahead).

The shows real-life protagonist, Dr. Lisa Sanders, is a Yale MD with a temperament more akin to Mr. Rogers than a misanthropic medic. The Diagnosis creator is best known for her popular New York Times Magazine column of same name.

Like its recent TV predecessors, Diagnosis obsesses over rare diseases and near-impossible cases. Unlike House and Greys, however, Diagnosis doesnt lean on the brilliance of a lone doctor for answers. Instead, Dr. Sanders uses her New York Times platform and corresponding online channels to open source possible diagnoses, inviting doctors and patients from all over the world to weigh in on complex medical cases.

The Doctor Is In(consequential)

The debut of Diagnosis signals how much our perceptions of doctors have transformed, right before our eyes. American society no longer sees physicians as God-like figures. Quite the opposite, in fact.With a nod to TVs latest medical offering, here are four insights into how our perceptions of the medical profession are changing:

A Quick Dose Of Reality

If youve ever watched one of those HGTV home-renovation shows, you understand that no one can flip a house in 60 minutes. But thats as much time as these shows have to entertain you, minus commercial breaks.

Doctor dramas are similar: What normally takes place over days, weeks or months, gets radically compressed (and dramatized) through the magic of television. The truth is, kidney failure with urine-flow cessation doesnt happen in a matter of minutes. The whites of a patients eyes dont suddenly turn yellow when the doctor walks in the room. Medical shows must walk a fine line between being outrageous enough to hold our attention (cue the Greys episode in which two train passengers get impaled by the same metal pole) and believable enough so that well care about the characters and outcomes.

Hollywood writers and producers go to great lengths to strike this balance. As a matter of fact, Dr. Lisa Sanders served as a technical adviser on House, M.D. long before she starred on Netflixs Diagnosis.

Ultimately, I believe theres truth and wisdom to be found in medical dramas and documentaries, alike. Brilliant physicians do, in fact, exist and they have the power to solve some of the planets most complex medical enigmas. At the same time, crowd-sourcing can also help us get to the bottom of perplexing symptoms and rare diseases. Patients, like doctors, can unravel clinical mysteries.

Though I truly enjoy the medical TV genre, theres one element I find both troubling and all-too frequent across these programs.

Hollywood promises us that every medical problem has a solution, if only patients can find the best doctor or consult with thousands of people via the web. This notion that everything is possible may attract viewers, but its misleading and potentially dangerous. False hope is what causes patients to chase miracle cures, deny reality and, occasionally, make the wrong decisions.Ive seen it happen too many times to too many innocent families.

The truth is, patient symptoms dont always have a clear basis and, even more frequently, there arent pills or procedures to make our problems go away.Unfortunately, admitting these truths wouldnt win you an Emmy.

View post:

From House To Diagnosis: The Evolution of 21st-Century Medicine (As Seen On TV) - Forbes

Rivaroxaban in Antiphospholipid Syndrome – Annals of Internal Medicine

Posted on by

Vall d'Hebrn Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain (J.O., X.V., C.S., J.C.)

Miguel Servet Hospital, Zaragoza, Spain (L.S., M.P.)

Bellvitge University Hospital-IDIBELL, Barcelona, Spain (A.R.)

Sant Joan de Reus University Hospital, Reus, Spain (A.C.)

Granollers University Hospital, Granollers, Spain (J.C., V.O.)

Matar Hospital, Matar, Spain (M.M.)

Note: The corresponding author had full access to all data and final responsibility for the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.

Acknowledgment: The authors thank the Catalan Lupus Foundation and all the patients who participated in the trial; the investigators who recruited patients to the study; and the research staff who assisted with patient recruitment, data collection, biomarker measurements, and data management.

Financial Support: From Bayer Hispania.

Disclosures: Drs. Ordi-Ros and Corts-Hernndez report institutional support from Bayer Hispania to conduct the study. Dr. Ortiz-Santamaria reports personal fees and nonfinancial support from Pfizer, Janssen, Lilly, GSK, Novartis, Roche, and Abbott outside the submitted work. Authors not named here have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Disclosures can also be viewed at http://www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=M19-0291.

Editors' Disclosures: Christine Laine, MD, MPH, Editor in Chief, reports that her spouse has stock options/holdings with Targeted Diagnostics and Therapeutics. Darren B. Taichman, MD, PhD, Executive Editor, reports that he has no financial relationships or interests to disclose. Cynthia D. Mulrow, MD, MSc, Senior Deputy Editor, reports that she has no relationships or interests to disclose. Jaya K. Rao, MD, MHS, Deputy Editor, reports that she has stock holdings/options in Eli Lilly and Pfizer. Catharine B. Stack, PhD, MS, Deputy Editor, Statistics, reports that she has stock holdings in Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Colgate-Palmolive. Christina C. Wee, MD, MPH, Deputy Editor, reports employment with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Sankey V. Williams, MD, Deputy Editor, reports that he has no financial relationships or interests to disclose. Yu-Xiao Yang, MD, MSCE, Deputy Editor, reports that he has no financial relationships or interest to disclose.

Data Sharing Statement: The following data will be made available with publication: deidentified participant data (available from Dr. Josefina Corts-Hernndez; e-mail, fina.cortes@vhir.org). The following supporting documents will be made available with publication: informed consent form (available from Dr. Josefina Corts-Hernndez; e-mail, fina.cortes@vhir.org). These data will be made available to researchers whose proposed use of the data has been approved for a specified purpose, with investigator support, and with a signed data access agreement (no restrictions).

Corresponding Author: Josefina Corts-Hernndez, MD, PhD, Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatology Research Group, Vall d'Hebrn University Hospital Research Institute, Passeig Vall d'Hebrn 119-129, 08035, Barcelona, Spain; e-mail, fina.cortes@vhir.org.

Current Author Addresses: Drs. Ordi-Ros, Vidal, and Sol: Vall d'Hebrn University Hospital Research Institute, Passeig Vall d'Hebrn 119-129, 08035, Barcelona, Spain.

Drs. Sez-Comet and Prez-Conesa: Servicio de Medicina Interna, Hospital Universitario Miguel Servet, Paseo Isabel La Catlica 9, 50009, Zaragoza, Spain.

Dr. Riera-Mestre: Internal Medicine Department, L'Hospitalet de Llobrega, Feixa llarga s/n, 08907, Barcelona, Spain.

Dr. Castro-Salom: Internal Medicine Department, Sant Joan de Reus University Hospital, Sant Joaquim 42 1-3, 43204, Reus, Spain.

Drs. Cuquet-Pedragosa and Ortiz-Sanatmaria: Granollers University Hospital, Avinguda Francesc Ribas s/n, 08402, Granollers, Spain.

Dr. Mauri-Plana: Department of Internal Medicine, Mataro Hospital, Carrer de Cirera, 230, 08304, Matar, Spain.

Dr. Corts-Hernndez: Department of Internal Medicine, Rheumatology Research Group, Vall d'Hebrn University Hospital Research Institute, Passeig Vall d'Hebrn 119-129, 08035, Barcelona, Spain.

Author Contributions: Conception and design: J. Ordi-Ros, M. Prez-Conesa, X. Vidal, J. Corts-Hernndez.

Analysis and interpretation of the data: J. Ordi-Ros, X. Vidal, A. Castro-Salom, C. Sol, J. Corts-Hernndez.

Drafting of the article: J. Ordi-Ros, L. Sez-Comet, X. Vidal, A. Riera-Mestre, C. Sol, J. Corts-Hernndez.

Critical revision for important intellectual content: J. Ordi-Ros, L. Sez-Comet, X. Vidal, A. Castro-Salom, J. Cuquet-Pedragosa, C. Sol, J. Corts-Hernndez.

Final approval of the article: J. Ordi-Ros, L. Sez-Comet, M. Prez-Conesa, X. Vidal, A. Riera-Mestre, A. Castro-Salom, J. Cuquet-Pedragosa, V. Ortiz-Santamaria, M. Mauri-Plana, C. Sol, J. Corts-Hernndez.

Provision of study materials or patients: J. Ordi-Ros, L. Sez-Comet, M. Prez-Conesa, A. Castro-Salom, V. Ortiz-Santamaria, J. Corts-Hernndez.

Statistical expertise: X. Vidal.

Obtaining of funding: J. Ordi-Ros, J. Corts-Hernndez.

Administrative, technical, or logistic support: J. Ordi-Ros, L. Sez-Comet, J. Corts-Hernndez.

Collection and assembly of data: J. Ordi-Ros, L. Sez-Comet, M. Prez-Conesa, X. Vidal, A. Riera-Mestre, A. Castro-Salom, J. Cuquet-Pedragosa, M. Mauri-Plana, J. Corts-Hernndez.

Read more here:

Rivaroxaban in Antiphospholipid Syndrome - Annals of Internal Medicine