Monthly Archives: August 2017

Big wave of artificial intelligence and machine learning coming to healthcare, University Hospitals of Cleveland CEO … – Healthcare IT News

Posted: August 10, 2017 at 6:09 am

CHICAGO -- As hospitals and health systems leverage information technology, healthcare executives must advocate for caregivers to improve provider satisfaction, be prepared for a telehealth explosion, embrace machine learning and artificial intelligence, incorporate the Internet of Things, and prepare for more cyber-attacks, said Thomas Zenty, CEO of University Hospitals of Cleveland.

Zenty delivered todays keynote address at Allscripts Client Experience, the EHR vendors user conference here.

The wellness of providers, the degree to which they are satisfied with their jobs, is key to operating a hospital or health system.

Physician satisfaction is at an all-time low, Zenty said. The things we now have to do with our EHRs. We have to do more work at home than ever before. The promises of efficiencies and effectiveness and time savings are not being realized. So we have to advocate for our caregivers. Do everything we can for those physicians and other caregivers.

Collection, aggregation and interpretation of data is critically important, Zenty added. But provider wellness cannot be overlooked. We cant just assume because we have an EHR its going to be automatically adopted, he said.

Telemedicine is an area of health IT that has been around for quite some time, and is starting to see a growth spurt. More providers are embracing the technology and more insurers are paying for telehealth services.

Tele-, virtual-, digital health, are things critically important to the work we are doing, Zenty said. History will prove me right on that. And policy follows money. Once we begin to get paid for telehealth, tele-psychiatry, tele-stroke, we will see an explosion in this part of information technology.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence are other technologies that are sparking interest in healthcare. They enable computers to handle greater amounts of work than human beings can undertake and will become increasingly important in the era of consumerization.

Were in the early stage of a big wave, he said. How do we answer phones, how do we engage people through digital means with ML and AI will be so critical to the work we do. We know through best performances what people will need to be doing to serve patients, and the more accurate we can be with AI will be important.

Zenty added that its only a matter of time before voice technologies like Siri and Alexa will play a role in hospitals.

The Internet of Things is another area healthcare executives must prepare for. Zenty said in 2015 there were 15 billion installed things on the IoT, and that in the next five years the number of devices on the IoT will grow to 51 billion.

When we think about the number of things, this will be critically important to the work we do, he said. Its far more than just remote monitoring. We can expect this will be a major growth area.

And with the IoT comes more cybersecurity issues. The threat level is high already. Imagine what will happen with 51 billion connected devices.

We all have read about ransomware, we read about it all the time, that is only going to increase, Zenty said. Think about ransomware in the context of the Internet of Things. If we have 51 billion things, people will be able to access our systems. We are going to be a bigger target than ever before.

Twitter:@SiwickiHealthIT Email the writer: bill.siwicki@himssmedia.com

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Wayde van Niekerk, the anti-Usain Bolt, on way to athletics immortality – iNews

Posted: at 6:09 am

Wayde van Niekerk is half-way to becoming an athletics icon. As if he needs any more help, after the fastest man in the world endorsed him.

The man who Usain Bolt believes has the chops and charm to take over track and field blasted apart a stellar field on Tuesday night in a 400 metre race overshadowed by the controversy concerning Botswanas Isaac Makwala being ruled out of the race by the IAAF on suspicion of norovirus despite the athlete and his coach saying he was healthy to form the first part of his ambitious World Championships 400m-200m double.

You can see why Bolt is so impressed. Van Niekerk sauntered into the London Stadium on Tuesday to the strains of Guns and Roses Welcome to the Jungle with a laconic grin on his face, before cantering to victory in 43.98 seconds, almost half a second clear of Stephen Gardiner of the Bahamas, with Qatars Abdelah Haroun in third.

He barely smiled after his victory. After all, he goes again on Wednesday, in the 200m. He later said the dank London summer evening was a little freezing.

But Bolts anointment of the South African goes beyond him being able to run fast.

The Jamaican, whose reach is so broad that he has been hailed in some circles as the man who saved athletics, knows a thing or two about how to transcend a sport.

And since Van Niekerk broke Michael Johnsons ancient 400-metre record at the 2016 Olympics, he has steadily moved from the confines of athletics into the public consciousness, bringing with it sponsorship deals totalling seven figures with brands including Audi and Visa.

He has even become a household name in his native country, where usually you have to chuck a rugby ball or wield a cricket bat to move beyond the back pages.

His rise to prominence is no doubt connected with the fact that Bolt named Van Niekerk as his heir apparent.

There is a story that after his first World Championship victory, in 2015, Van Niekerks mother was the only person to meet him at the airport.

If he does the double in London and becomes the first person to achieve the feat since Johnson in 1995 you can bet there will be a few more to greet him.

Van Niekerk has little of the swagger and showmanship of Bolt. You wont see dance moves at the start line as his name is being called out.

In fact on Tuesday night, as he normally does, he merely held his hands together in prayer. Whoever he spoke to must have listened.

Nor will you hear bon mots that we have become used to from Bolt the Jamicans admission that he ate chicken nuggets all through the 2008 Olympics still stands out from Van Niekerk.

In place of Bolts cheeky chutzpah, there is modest politeness and prolific mentions of the Almighty from Van Niekerk. But one thing they do share is an ability to run darn fast.

And if things go to plan on Wednesday and Thursday, Van Niekerk will get ever closer to Bolts exalted status.

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Immortality & Mind: Dalai Lama Brainstorms the Universe With Russian Scientists – Sputnik International

Posted: at 6:09 am

AP Photo/ Khin Maung Win

Konstantin Anokhin, prominent Russian neurobiologist and member ofboth Russian Academy ofSciences and Russian Academy ofMedical Sciences, told RIA Novosti that Russian scientists have been studying consciousness forover 150 years, and their materialistic conception ofconsciousness differs fromthe classic materialism ofWestern science.

"I believe that what we need now is a new, bold fundamental theory instead ofexperiments This is our message toBuddhist science: we need a theory that isnt based onsubjective experience alone. This new theory may influence our methods and techniques, and draw the attention tomeditation," Anokhin said.

Notable Russian neurolinguistics researcher Tatyana Chernigovskaya who acted asmoderator duringthe conference concurred withAnokhin.

"The amount ofempirical data that we have grows bythe minute. Weve even reached an impasse ofsorts because we dont know what todo withthis data. We could sort it, ofcourse, and there are processing methods available, butwe are not advancing further. If I study each and every cell inyour body, I wont learn anything aboutyour personality. And delving intobrains and pulling outeach and every neuron outwont help me understand how it works. Okay, so weve studied 30 billion more neurons, now what? What question have we answered? None. We need a genius who can tell us you need toask a different question. Its clear that atthis point that a new theory is badly needed," Chernigovskaya said, adding that philosophy plays a key role inthis matter.

For the Good ofMankind

The goal ofthe conference was tofacilitate dialogue betweenRussian scientists and Buddhist scholars related toa variety ofscientific disciplines such asphysics, cosmology, biology and axiology.

"Ive had useful discussions withscientists formore than30 years withtwo purposes inmind. The first is toextend our knowledge. Until the late 20th century scientists mostly investigated external phenomena, including the brain. These were things they could measure and which a third person could agree about. However, inthe late 20th century and early 21st century more and more scientists have begun tofind evidence that experiences such asmeditation and mind training affect our brains inpreviously unforeseen waysthis is called neuroplasticity," the Dalai Lama said.

AP Photo/

The 14th Dalai Lama

The second purpose, he added, was tohelp raise awareness and foster compassion amongpeople, tohelp stop the endless cycle ofviolence and todeal withthe issue ofdisparity betweenrich and poor.

"We have tolearn fromexperience and enter intodialogue, remembering that other people are our brothers and sisters. We have tolive together. The global economy and the effects ofclimate change are not limited bynational borders. Its the idea of us and them we have torestrain, because it so easily becomes the basis forviolence. We have toeducate people tounderstand that we are all part ofhumanity, he added.

Dalai Lama: Consciousness Does Not Equal Brain

According tothe Buddhist leader, consciousness consists ofseveral layers and is not fully connected tothe brain.

"For example, these different levels ofconsciousness manifest duringsleep, when we do not possess our senses butremain aware, or when a person faints. Even when a man dies, we (Buddhists) know that the consciousness continues toexist," he said.

Sputnik/ Olga Lipich

Dalai Lama and Russian scientists take part in a conference in New Delhi

The Dalai Lama explained that, according toBuddhist teachings, consciousness is intrinsically connected tolife, and the most subtle level ofconsciousness is devoid ofgenetic basis and transfers fromone life toanother aspart ofthe rebirth cycle.

He also remarked that it is very hard totell whether an artificial intelligence can possess a consciousness.

"Everything inthe world is determined bycause-effect relationships, and a consciousness even the most subtle level ofit can only be the continuation ofconsciousness. But artificial intelligence is just particles," the Dalai Lama said.

Professor David Dubrovsky fromthe Russian Academy ofSciences Institute ofPhilosophy also pointed outthat a thought is devoid ofphysical dimensions such asmass or length, and that it all comes downto explaining the relation betweenthoughts and brain activity.

"It is called the hard problem ofconsciousness. Western science has been dominated byreductionist concepts that narrowed thought processes downto physical processes or tobehaviorism. The prevalent concepts inRussia, however, have retained the aspects ofsubjective reality and non-physical process," Dubrovsky said.

The Origins ofthe Big Bang

The participants ofthe conference also broached the Big Bang theory, asKonstantin Anokhin argued that consciousness did not exist when Earth was devoid oflife, and that consciousness appeared asa result ofevolution.

"The origins ofconsciousness lie inemotions. Even the simplest organisms have emotions; theyre capable ofexperiencing satisfaction or suffering depending onwhether they succeed or fail toachieve something," Anokhin said.

AP Photo/ Luca Bruno

Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, center, leaves a Tibetan Buddhist institute, in Milan

"But the Big Bang must require a vast amount ofenergy, so where did it come from?" the Buddhist spiritual leader inquired.

"Not fromthe mind or consciousness," Anokhin replied.

"But how do you know that? Energy is immaterial. We need toexplain why vast amounts ofenergy have material basis Theres a contradiction here," Dalai Lama retorted.

He also remarked that onthe most subtle level, consciousness and rocks were created outof the same particles.

"So why does one particle become a rock while another becomes consciousness?" Dalai Lama mused.

Schrodingers Cat and Language

During the conference professor Tatyana Chernigovskaya also presented her report Cheshire Smile ofSchrodingers Cat: Language and Consciousness.

She cited Niels Bohr, one ofthe pioneers ofquantum mechanics, who said that the observer is a part ofthe scientific paradigm and that the results ofan experiment are influenced bythe person who conducts it, and Albert Einstein who called the intuitive mind a sacred gift, adding that many prominent scientists inthe pastclaimed that the outsideworld is "built fromthe inside."

"Would music or mathematics continue toexist withoutthose who listen and think? My answer is no: Without man, Mozarts music would merely become vibrations ofair," Chernigovskaya said.

She added that neuroscientists should focus their attention onmusic and music and language, especially poetry.

"Today a new science called biolinguistics seeks todiscover universal traits ofthe evolution ofbiological systems and language," Chernigovskaya said.

The Dalai Lama also remarked that her findings have a lot incommon withBuddhist teachings aboutthe interdependence ofall things.

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Internal Medicine and Pain Clinic: Dr. J.B. Chung | alternative … – Madison.com

Posted: at 6:08 am

Dr. Chung's career has spanned forty years and thousands of patients. He has successfully treated a vast array of ailments... from ADHD to asthma, from fatigue to fibromyalgia, and all points in between. Dr. Chung employs both Western and Eastern medical techniques to both alleviate and mitigate pain. Your pain is as unique as you are... Dr. Chung knows this, and makes it his primary mission to treat what you feel.

M.D.O.M. Medical Doctor in Oriental Medicine Dong Yang Medical College KOREA

Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy in Oriental Medicine American Liberty University U.S.A.

1993 Acupuncturist of the Year 2004 Acupuncturist of the Year 1999 American Association of Oriental Medicine Granted Lifetime Membership as a FOUNDING PATRON and in recognition and appreciation for distinguished service in the advancement of Acupuncture. 2007 International Health Professional of the Year 2013 Board Certified in Integrative Medicine

Member of American Association of Integrative Medicine American Association of Oriental Medicine Lifetime Member American Association of Oriental Medicine Esteemed Member Wisconsin Oriental & Medical Association Wisconsin Back Society American Academy of Pain Management

National Certification Commission for Acupuncture & Oriental Medicine License Diplomate in Acupuncture & Diplomate in Herbology

Dr. Chung helped establish the State Acupuncture Board in Wisconsin in conjunction with the Department of Regulation & Licensing and was the principla author of the board's administrative rules.

Dr. Chung has helped me greatly with my dizziness and balance problems. Before being treated, I had many problems just standing up and dressing myself. Ed C.

Before seeing Dr. Chung for ADHD, it would take my 12 year old son 1 to 2 hrs. to fall asleep and when he would he would toss and turn all night. Now it only takes 20-30 minutes and he sleeps soundly. He no longer gets so emotional, aggressive or angry; his anxiety and crying are rare. His teachers have seen a great difference in him. He is much happier and doing so much better. We appreciate all Dr. Chung has done for him. Karonna A.

Fifteen months ago, I thought my life was over at 55 and it would be downhill from there. I realized recently that I had not thanked you and I could not let more time pass without telling you. Thank you sincerely for giving me my life back. Carol B.

Dr. Chung, thank you, thank you, thank you! Your knowledge wisdom and magical touch helped us in creating our precious daughter! We are thrilled and delighted each time we look at her. Andrea R.

Thank you so much Dr. Chung for once again giving me back my life. My hip and leg pain last week was terrible and I was, and continue to be, amazed by the results of the acupuncture treatments youve given me. I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Darlene W.

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PITAHC: Reshaping, rebuilding Pinoy’s health-care system – Business Mirror

Posted: at 6:08 am

LONGbefore we learned about modern medicine, our ancestors have already designed tools and means to aid their sick people and have unlocked and deciphered the healing powers of the plants and herbs that surround them.

From simple tapal (patch) using leaves of tuba to hilot (traditional massage), aromatherapy andchiropractic, among others, it cannot be denied that Pinoys are accustomed to traditional and alternative medicine. In places where there are no doctors, most people rely on their alternative-medicine healers for immediate health solutions.

Traditional medicine as defined by the World health Organization is the sum total of the knowledge, skills, and practices based on the theories, beliefs, and experiences indigenous to different cultures, whether explicable or not, used in the maintenance of health as well as in the prevention, diagnosis, improvement or treatment of physical and mental illness.

With these facts, former Health Secretary Juan Flavier in 1992, through the Department of Health, launched the alternative medicine program, which was institutionalized two years after a traditional medicine law was drafted.

However, it was former President Fidel V. Ramos who integrated the alternative and traditional medicine in the governments health care delivery system when he signed into law Republic Act 8423, also known as the Traditional and Alternative Medicine Act of 1997, an Act creating the Philippine Institute of Traditional and Alternative Health Care (PITAHC) to accelerate the development of traditional and alternative health-care in the Philippines, providing for a traditional and alternative health care development fund and for other purposes.

It was also Flavier who sponsored the said Act.

As mandated in RA 8423, Pitahc will encourage scientific research on and develop traditional and alternative health-care systems that have direct impact on public health care; promote and advocate the use of traditional, alternative, preventive and curative health-care modalities that have been proven safe, effective, cost effective and consistent with government standards on medical practice; develop and coordinate skills-training courses for various forms of traditional and alternative health-care modalities; formulate standards, guidelines and codes of ethical practice appropriate for the practice of traditional and alternative health care, as well as in the manufacture, quality control and marketing of different traditional and alternative health-care materials, natural and organic products, for approval and adoption by the appropriate government agencies; formulate policies for the protection of indigenous and natural health resources and technology from unwarranted exploitation, for approval and adoption by the appropriate government agencies;formulate policies to strengthen the role of traditional and alternative health-care delivery system; and promote traditional and alternative health care in international and national conventions, seminars and meetings in coordination with the Department of Tourism, Duty Free Philippines Inc., Philippine Convention and Visitors Corp. and other tourism-related agencies, as well as non-governmental organizations and local government units.

The Philippines has several traditional health-care methods, and with more than 1,000 plants species that are believed to have medicinal properties, the birth of the Pitahc opened many doors of opportunities.

Numerous seminars, trainings and other educational talks about alternative and traditional medicine were conducted. Research and development of products made from herbs and plants were also carried out.

The institution is also successful in publishing books that collated all the medicinal plants that can be found in the Philippines. A number of researches about the common medicinal herbs were also conducted to better identify their uses and the benefits they provide to users.

The herbal medicine is a $100-billion industry and is growing continually, as many people around the world are adapting natural medicines. Nonchemical cosmetics, or those made from plants and other natural ingredients, are also currently in demand globally.

However, instead of contributing to the growth of the industry, Pitahcs purpose was once accused of deviating from its original mandate. According to reports, Pitahc has been manufacturing and distributing products in direct competition with the private-sector producers.

Going back to its original objectives and functions, the institute made a big change in their structure to focus on the works that it is directed to do.

A new face

A revered doctor from the Visayas recently joined the roster of Pitahcs executives, with her 25 years of experience as a medical doctor and six years as a hospital administrator, Dr. Annabelle Pabiona-De Guzman was recently appointed by President Duterte as Pitahcs director general.

In taking over the institution, Pabiona-de Guzman brings with her not only the education, numerous citations and even her years of expertise, but a heart with compassion to serve and be a channel of change and blessings to everyone who will come her way.

Pabiona-de Guzman maybe a petite woman but during an interview with the Health & Fitness, she bravely discussed the direction that the Pitahc will take in order to deliver the assignments the institution is tasked to do.

According to her, to clear up all the issues concerning the role of the Pitahc, the agency hired some experts who will help them to really transform the Pitahc as a research institution. To utilize the funds provided for them, Pabiona-de Guzman shared that this year they will commission their own research.

There are a number of research proposals on her table, but Pabiona-de Guzman is excited to announce their first commissioned research, which is very controversial due to the fact that it is included in the prohibited drugs.

Our first commissioned research will be about medical cannabis [marijuana] used for cancer. The Pitahc allotted P10 million for this endeavor, she shared, adding If we are successful with the research about medical cannabis, the Pitahc will have the intellectual property rights.

The soft-spoken doctor also shared with us the vision that she and PITAHC executives have for the traditional and alternative medicine industry in the country is to grow bigger, better and recognized as an effective and safe health-care solution.

She envisioned the countrys alternative-medicine healers to be on a par with their counterparts from Thailand and Malaysia, where they are recognized as doctors of alternative medicine. She said that in Thailand there are educational institutions for alternative-medicine healers.

After several years of schooling, there will be an examination they need to pass and those who will qualify will have a license to practice alternative medicine. Some of our neighboring Asian nations that have been advocating traditional medicine are very advanced, thus, giving their people more health-care options.

Aside from the researches the Pitahc will commission, Pabiona-de Guzman wants the Pinoy traditional healers to have know-how and skills upgrading, where they will be aware of the development and trends in the industry.

She said the agency is looking into more ways and channels where they can help the traditional healers to learn the other techniques that are effective and popular in other countries, such as Malaysia and Vietnam.

Many Filipinos dont have access to western medicines and technologies, with alternative-medicine methods, drugs made from herbal plantswhich are known for their medicinal use are more affordable and also effective, we are giving the poor, the indigenous people a health-care option that they are accustomed to but, this time, improved and backed by science.

Pabiona-de Guzman, together with her people in her agency, vowed to make traditional and alternative medicine a part of our national health-care delivery system, for real.

Image Credits: Photos courtesy of PITAHC

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Watching Your Weight Chromatography Analyses Brazilian Supplements – Chromatography Today

Posted: at 6:08 am

Dietary supplements are big business with close on 400 million per year spent in the UK. Vitamins, minerals, botanicals and amino acids are just some of the pills and potions that can be found in supermarkets and health food shops. Over one third of adults regularly take a supplement despite most people not really needing anything other than a healthy balanced diet.

One of the main supplement types are those marketed to aid weight loss. A recent study on supplements seized by the police in Brazil has suggested that some of the supplements contained significantly more caffeine than the amount stated on the labels and even some drugs were detected including laxatives. The researchers aim was to validate a chromatography method, but the work highlights some of the risks that people face when they take unregulated supplements.

The research, published in the journal Food and Chemical Toxicology Determination of caffeine and identification of undeclared substances in dietary supplements and caffeine dietary exposure assessment analysed supplements seized by the Brazilian police between 2010 and 2016 as being products not allowed to be sold in Brazil and focused on weight loss supplements.

One of the aims of the work was to validate a GC-MS method for the quantitation of caffeine and identification of other substances in supplements, mainly weight loss products, and to estimate the caffeine intake by consumers. The team used a simple sample preparation method that included extraction with chloroform and water, centrifugation and then analysis of the organic layer.

Of course, chromatography can be used for many different aspects of food analysis including contamination as discussed in the article, How Safe is Safe? Analytical Tools for Tracing Contaminants in Food, or making better chocolate as discussed in the article, Rapid Screening of Volatile and Semi-Volatile Organic Components in Cocoa Beans and Chocolate Products Using a Portable GC/MS System.

The researchers aim was to validate a chromatography method, but the work highlights some of the risks that people face when they take unregulated supplements. Out of 213 samples tested from 52 different products almost 27% of the samples contained more than 120% of the caffeine levels stated on the labels.

The researchers argue that by considering the maximum recommended dose on the product labels, several of the samples could lead to people taking a dose of caffeine above the recommended daily allowance of 400mg.

Equally worrying, in 28 of the samples the researchers identified undeclared drugs including drugs banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency particularly troubling for any athletes taking one of these supplements.

The work highlights that you must be careful what you take. Can you trust the manufacturer of the supplement? Regulations on labelling vary around the world and the internet means you can shop anywhere. Be careful.

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Exporting supplements: Harder than shucking oysters – NutraIngredients-usa.com

Posted: at 6:08 am

By Steve Mister and Jim Griffiths, PhD, the Council for Responsible NutritionSteve Mister and Jim Griffiths, PhD, the Council for Responsible Nutrition , 09-Aug-20172017-08-09T00:00:00Z Last updated on 09-Aug-2017 at 18:11 GMT2017-08-09T18:11:21Z

If the world is our oyster, why does the government make it so hard to sell vitamins?

Its time the U.S. began promoting our scientificly-vetted nutrition standards to the rest of the world. International trade and exports of dietary supplements can help bolster a range of U.S. nutrition industries. We know consumers in other nations love supplements made in the USA. When we can export more products to other countriesparticularly those with even greater nutritional deficiencies than here in the U.S.we provide health benefits around the world and produce a healthy profit for U.S.-based companies.

So when the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex) met last month in Geneva, the U.S. government had an opportunity to uphold the U.S. National Academy of Medicines Food and Nutrition Boards (NAM-FNB) potency recommendations and to promote exports of supplements. Under consideration for adoption were proposals to set new Nutrient Reference Value (NRV) requirements (analogous to U.S. Dietary Reference Intakes) for vitamins D and E. While much of the work of the Commission (a governing body formed by WHO and FAO) leads mere mortals eyes to glaze over, whats critical here is that once Codex adopts a NRV, participating countriesand there are over 180 of themare required to accept imports of dietary supplements containing nutrient levels up to those NRV levels, and cannot refuse them or reclassify them as drugs by invoking more protective, less scientific approaches.

But in this case, the U.S. delegation let the opportunity slip through its fingers.

Just last summer, the U.S. FDA issued new requirements for the Daily Values (DVs) that will be used onNutrition FactsandSupplement Factslabels in the U.S. FDA put the DVs for vitamin D at 20 micrograms/day and for vitamin E at 15 milligrams/day. The DVs represent those nutrient intake levels the U.S. government believes are necessary to assure the vast majority of Americans do not suffer from deficiency-related diseases like rickets, scurvy, pellagra and muscle weakness and are supposedly the result of the most recently available research on nutrient requirements. (The implementation of these rules have now been delayed for unrelated reasons, but no one is suggesting that the new DVs for vitamins D and E are too high; in fact, some U.S. scientists insist they are still way too low.)

During the Geneva meeting, Codex adopted new NRVs for vitamins D and E, at 515 micrograms/day and 9 milligrams/day, respectively. The U.S. delegation had an opportunity to make a case for higher potencies in line with NAM-FNB recommendations. At the very least, the U.S. delegation could have pushed for the Codex Commission to send the lower recommendation levels back to the Codex nutrition committee for reevaluation, urging that committee to use current scientific data that strongly supports higher levels. Instead, the U.S. delegation sat silent.

It appeared that the U.S delegation did not want to offend its international counterparts, so in the spirit of compromise, it allowed these ridiculously low NRVs to sail through unchallenged. What this means is that other countries looking for an easy excuse to favor their own products over U.S.-made supplements can invoke supposed safety concerns to exclude higher potency U.S.-made supplements or treat them like pharmaceuticals.

The U.S. delegation also offered that the NAM-FNB ought to have the final word in setting the DRVs, and until NAM-FNB has an opportunity to examine the most recent data on these nutrients, the U.S. could not endorse higher levels internationally. That argument collapses, however, because the state of current research was apparently strong enough for FDA to set new levels for vitamins D and E for the U.S.but not for the rest of the world? Maybe, instead, its time for the U.S. delegation to take a stronger role in defending our science-based nutrition decisions to the rest of the world, and perhaps aid the export markets as well.

The U.S. may have another chance very soon. Later this year the WHOs Nutrition Guideline Expert Advisory Group (NUGAG) is expected to release a new report on the health effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), which will include an evaluation of the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids. Many observers expect the report will be excessively conservative and restrained in evaluating the role PUFAs play in disease prevention and reduction, and will especially downplay the benefits of omega-3 fatty acids; that it will cautiously conclude that there is insufficient evidence to encourage more consumption of omega-3s (whether in fish or in supplements).

The U.S. delegation to Codex will have a chance to do the right thing if this plays out as some expect. The delegation can call the conclusions out as too fainthearted and watered-down. It can take a critical view of the manner in which NUGAG interprets the evidence to belittle health results. The delegation can demand NUGAG incorporate all the science around omega-3s in its analysis rather than cherry-picking only that data that supports a wishy-washy result. This is an opportunity for the U.S. government to take a stand. Theres still a pearl to be found in international trade of supplements.

Were watching.

About the authors:Steve Mister is president & CEO and Jim Griffiths, Ph.D., is vice president, scientific & international affairs, both at the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the leading trade association for the dietary supplement and functional food industry.

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Sell-off of East Edisto tract causing ‘forest fragmentation’ – Charleston Post Courier

Posted: at 6:06 am

The Post and Couriers John McDermott reported on more than 12,000 acres of forestland being acquired by a solid conservationist (Land deal by South Carolina video chain pioneer provides happy ending, Aug. 6). That surely was a happy ending, but the article coincidentally reported on a trend that does not have such a happy ending.

That forestland was part of former MeadWestvacos large East Edisto tract where more than 30,000 acres in Charleston County have changed hands in about 15 sales over the past three years. That trend is large tracts of forestland being subdivided into smaller and smaller tracts, some remaining forestland, some being developed, and, in fortunate cases, some being acquired for conservation purposes. There are consequences to smaller tracts.

Those consequences have technical names: forest parcelization and forest fragmentation. Parcelization occurs first, when a change in ownership results in a large forest property being subdivided into smaller properties. If the new owners take no further action, then the forest remains intact. However, say one or more of the smaller properties are developed. Forest fragmentation then occurs, with the forest being physically separated by areas of nonforest. This produces all kinds of negative ecological changes, especially impacting wildlife populations and water quality.

This is an important trend, impacting all of the nations private forests. In the early 1990s Westvaco owned over a half million acres in South Carolina, much of it near Charleston. Most of it is now sold off to timberland investors and recreational buyers. That land was prime timberland, producing tremendous amounts of wood that helped fuel the local economy. Nearly all of it was bought up by timberland investors and is still being managed to produce a timber crop. Gradually more and more of it will be developed or become recreation property, and cease to be timberland.

Those timberlands support one of the states top manufacturing sectors. Forest products contribute $21 billion to the states economy and provide employment to 84,000 South Carolinians. Just over two-thirds of South Carolina is forested (about 13 million acres) and 88 percent of that is privately owned. The public portion provides little timber for the economy. Timber production is on the huge private portion of the forest that is being slowly eroded by parcelization.

Of the 11.5 million acres of private forestland, 7.3 million acres are owned by families and individuals. These are mostly small ownerships that average about 66 acres. There are 212,000 family forest ownerships in South Carolina, but only 90,000 of them contain 10 or more acres. Less than 10 acres is essentially a backyard and not a forest in a real sense. Time is carving out more and more backyard forests.

As the old forest industry lands and family forests become smaller and smaller, management for timber production, wildlife or water quality becomes more and more difficult; its a matter of economies of scale. Smaller forests are more costly to manage on a per acre basis. They tend to be less likely to be managed under sustainable forest management and far less likely to be producing timber. Parcelization and fragmentation on the East Edisto tract is highly visible; changes to family forests are more insidious, with long-term consequences to the states environment and economy.

Forest policy can help reduce the impact. How timber is taxed as income affects the attractiveness of managing a forest. Current use valuation of forestland, where it is valued as a productive forest and not for its development potential, is a powerful incentive to keep land growing trees. Conservation easements protect some forests. Educating forest owners in proper estate planning can see that forests are held for generations. There is no shortage of policy tools.

Even if you dont care about the states economy, wildlife, natural resource based recreation or soil conservation, you probably do care about water. Much alarm has been raised lately concerning South Carolinas surface and ground water. Forests are watersheds and these changes will impact water quality. Connect the dots and the East Edisto story directly relates to the Aug. 6 editorial on the surface water free-for-all. Connect the dots and changes to the states forests affects a lot more than the trees.

Thomas J. Straka is a professor of forestry and environmental conservation at Clemson University.

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Sell-off of East Edisto tract causing 'forest fragmentation' - Charleston Post Courier

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Automation will create more finance jobs than it replaces: Robert Half – ZDNet

Posted: at 6:04 am

Despite the undercurrent of fear about the impact of automation on jobs, a new study of 160 Australian CFOs suggests that more finance jobs will be created than replaced by automation.

The study, sponsored by recruiter Robert Half, has found that 46 percent of Australian CFOs are planning to expand their permanent staff headcount to help implement their company's automation efforts over the coming 12 months, while 36 percent plan to increase temporary or contract staff.

The vast majority of the CFOs surveyed, 86 percent, agree that workplace automation will cause a shift in required skillsets, rather than eliminate jobs altogether.

"Increased automation within Australian workplaces is not about destroying jobs, but rather, adapting to change -- which in turn leads to new opportunities," David Jones, senior managing director at Robert Half Asia Pacific, said in a statement.

"While automation may diminish some routine manual roles, it will lead to faster decision-making, reduce the risk of errors, and eliminate stresses associated with laborious task-management responsibilities. These benefits are available to those companies who embrace workplace automation rather than resist it."

According to the study, the top skill finance professionals need to focus on are problem-solving, followed by strategic vision, commercial acumen, and communication.

Data collection was identified by 88 percent of respondents as one of the finance functions that are either already automated or likely to be automated within three years, followed by invoicing at 85 percent, financial report generation at 84 percent, data entry at 77 percent, and credit management at 77 percent.

"Finance professionals will need to develop skills that complement and leverage the capabilities of automation -- rather than simply hand over control. More advanced technology requires additional, well-developed skills, such as advanced data analysis, interpretation skills, and decision-making skills," Jones said.

Another recent IDC study sponsored by Salesforce showed that AI-driven automation will have a positive impact on productivity, revenues, and job creation.

From 2017 to 2021, the study predicts that AI-powered CRM will create more than 16,000 new direct jobs and AU$19 billion in increased revenue in Australia over the next five years. Improved productivity in Australia will account for AU$4 billion of the revenue boost.

Enterprise investment in robotic process automation (RPA) is set to soar in Australia and New Zealand, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 45 percent from AU$216 million in 2016 to AU$870 million in 2020, according to a recent study by Telsyte.

The analyst firm said RPA -- which enables software robots to replicate the actions of human workers for routine tasks -- is now being used or investigated by six out of 10 ANZ organisations with more than 20 employees.

Additionally, 38 percent of organisations with more than 500 employees have active RPA programs in place.

The finance and insurance industries are expected to be the fastest adopters of RPA in the short term, according to Telsyte, although RPA can also be applied to industries with large customer support and request processing requirements, such as telecommunications and government.

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Automation will create more finance jobs than it replaces: Robert Half - ZDNet

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DOT: Higher levels of automation in I-80’s future | Government and … – Quad City Times

Posted: at 6:04 am

By 2040, at least a fifth of the traffic on Interstate 80 in Iowa will be highly automated, a new Iowa Department of Transportation study says, and planners need to take into account the coming changes when preparing for the future.

The study, which is part of a larger DOT analysis aimed at positioning rural parts of I-80 for the future, says the higher levels of automation would mean increased capacity and fewer accidents.

"These technologies have the potential to really improve safety," said Brad Hofer, assistant director of the DOT's Office of Location and Environment, which was in charge of the study.

Automated vehicle technologies are under rapid development. And although driverless cars are far into the future, some experts say, the idea that a significant share of traffic along Iowa's main east-west highway would be highly automated in less than 25 years is striking.

"In the beginning, I think we were all taken aback by it," Hofer said. However, after discussions with industry sources and others, he thinks the prediction is "in the ballpark."

The DOT study, which was released last month, acknowledges that predicting the adoption of automated vehicle technologies is highly uncertain.

In fact, the DOT's prediction was that, by 2040, somewhere between 20 percent and 85 percent of traffic will be highly or fully automated.

That's a wide range. Even at the low end of use, however, safety gains would be significant, the study said.

"Even at 25% AV adoption, a nearly 20% crash reduction is anticipated," the study said.

At 85 percent, the study predicted, there would be a 50 percent reduction in fatalities and major injuries.

By 2060, the study said, 65 percent to 100 percent of traffic is expected to be highly automated.

There are varying levels of automation. The Society of Automotive Engineers defines six levels, with zero being not automated at all and 5 being fully automated. The DOT's predictions refer to the two highest levels, Hofer said.

There are significant differences between levels 4 and 5, said Dan McGehee, director of the National Advanced Driving Simulator at the University of Iowa.

"It doesn't mean you're going to have robots driving I-80," he said.

He said, however, that at level 4, specific functions have a high level of automation.

McGehee thinks driverless cars are far into the future.

"I don't see that happening for decades," he said.

Iowa has been aggressive in planning for the future. The state is currently in a partnership to create high definition maps of hundreds of miles of roads in the Iowa City/Cedar Rapids area to ready itself for higher levels of automation.

The I-80 study, which was launched a year ago, is aimed at informing policymakers on how to proceed with an increasingly busy rural I-80, particularly in eastern Iowa.

Much of the study is pointing to a six-lane I-80 in the future. Already, in eastern Iowa, traffic is approaching capacity, Hofer said.

The addition of automated technology helps with that problem, he said, but it likely would not stop the need for six lanes in the eastern part of the state.

Greater use of automated technologies could affect the timing and shape of expansion in some parts of the state.

"Adoption of AV buys us some significant capacity," Hofer said.

Several other considerations are going into the I-80 study. Already, the DOT has issued technical reports on the status of bridges spanning the interstate, the option of lane restrictions and investing in state highways that parallel Interstate 80. A final report is due by next year.

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