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205,987 | fortune--2019-09-09--The Problems at MIT and its Media Lab Are Deeper Than Jeffrey EpsteinData Sheet | 2019-09-09T00:00:00 | fortune | The Problems at MIT and its Media Lab Are Deeper Than Jeffrey Epstein—Data Sheet | This is the web version of Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter on the top tech news. To get it delivered daily to your in-box, sign up here. In July, before the connections between the MIT Media Lab and Jeffrey Epstein came to light, The New York Times Magazine published a thorough and damning article about the pernicious effects of outside funding on MIT, including the media lab. MIT had taken money from the crown prince of Saudi Arabia, as had the famed media lab, which the article cleverly points out isn’t much of a media organization. Joi Ito, the now-deposed head of the lab and also now a former member of the board of the company that owns The Times, showed his contempt for the media by being vague, evasive, and unhelpful when asked to clarify who had donated how much and what their status was. Together with the Epstein episode, details around Ito’s departure (particularly in Ronan Farrow's piece in The New Yorker on Friday), point to the corporate rot at the heart of pseudo-academic institutions like the media lab and, for that matter, full-on academic institutions like MIT. According to the magazine article, corporate donors—called “members”—who pay at least $250,000 a year make up the majority of the Media Lab’s annual budget. In other words, while these institutions project the appearance of being focused on academic pursuits—finding the truth, asking tough questions, pursuing independent lines of exploration, and so on—in reality they are corporate lap dogs fetching the balls their masters throw. (Slate also had a good take with more insider details on the vibe at the Media Lab.) The point here is that these institutions can afford to pay their own way. MIT’s endowment exceeds $16 billion. And yet they insist on chasing dollars from organizations whose jobs, no matter what the Business Roundtable says, is to make money. Getting mixed up with unsavory donors is the tip of the iceberg of why that’s problematic. Jack Ma steps down this week as Alibaba chairman, and Breakingviews has a good take on the state of play among Chinese Internet giants … Netflix co-founder Marc Randolph is publishing a book, excerpted this weekend in The Wall Street Journal. There’s a helpful nugget on the importance for all companies, especially startups, of focusing … Sure sign of bad things to come: the credit card company Brex is opening a restaurant. Seeking forgiveness. Factories in China run by Foxconn that make Apple products used too many temporary workers, violating Chinese rules, the companies admitted on Monday. Elsewhere regarding China, Microsoft chief legal officer Brad Smith came to the defense of Chinese equipment maker Huawei, saying the Trump administration had treated the company unfairly. A constant supply of hot air. Unhappy with Google’s implicit criticism of iPhone security, Apple struck back in a piece that hit several wrong notes, such as claiming the attack was “not a broad-based exploit” because it only affected the Uyghur Muslim community in China. “It feels like their statement is more of a straw man to deflect away from the human rights abuses,” Jake Williams, founder of the firm Rendition Infosec, told Ars Technica. Crushing. Over the weekend, India’s Chandrayaan 2 moon mission lost its Vikram lander and Pragyan rover units as they attempted to touch down on the lunar surface. The still-orbiting Chandrayaan 2 will be able to fulfill 95% of the mission’s goals, the Indian Space Research Organization said. Deal or no deal. In private company news, the bug bounty trackers at HackerOne raised $36 million from investors led by Valor Equity Partners. French accounting and expense management startup Spendesk raised $39 million led by Index Ventures. We’re approaching the 60th anniversary of the first use of computer programs written in COBOL, or the Common Business-Oriented Language. Amazingly, some 200 billion lines of COBOL code are still running and 90% of Fortune 500 companies still use the ancient language, originally invented by a programmer at Burroughs Corp. named Mary Hawes. The language is now overseen by developer Micro Focus, as global director of product marketing Derek Britton explains to ZDNet: How to Watch New York Fashion Week On Your Phone By Kate Dwyer Your Next Spotify Playlist Might Be Curated with Wine Pairings in Mind By Billy Lyons Jingles All the Way: How Sonic Branding Is Helping Companies Get Heard in the Voice Computing Age By Jennifer Alsever 12 Books on Business and Journalism to Add to Your Fall Reading List By Rachel King Google Bans Ads for Unproven Medical Treatments. Critics Ask: What Took So Long? By Danielle Abril Facebook Faces Another Antitrust Probe—a Time by State Attorneys General By Alyssa Newcomb I fear have let you down, Data Sheet readers, for I have missed a big story about the world’s biggest airplane, the late Paul Allen’s Stratolaunch Roc. It seems that way back in May, the company closed down, ending development of the plane with the 385-foot wingspan. I discovered this news while reading that Allen’s 414-foot-long yacht, Octopus, is up for sale for $325 million. I believe you also get the yellow submarine Pagoo, which resides inside the yacht, as well. This edition of Data Sheet was curated by Aaron Pressman. Find past issues, and sign up for other Fortune newsletters. | Aaron Pressman | https://fortune.com/2019/09/09/mit-jeffrey-epstein-joi-ito/ | 2019-09-09 13:07:28+00:00 | 1,568,048,848 | 1,569,330,688 | science and technology | scientific standards |
245,941 | humansarefree--2019-06-02--Alabama Lab Owner Arrested for Falsifying Results of Drug Tests Used to Medically Kidnap Children | 2019-06-02T00:00:00 | humansarefree | Alabama Lab Owner Arrested for Falsifying Results of Drug Tests Used to Medically Kidnap Children | Falsified Records are Common in Cases Where Children are Removed from Their Parents | Alexander Light ([email protected]) | http://humansarefree.com/2019/06/alabama-lab-owner-arrested-for.html | 2019-06-02 03:00:00+00:00 | 1,559,458,800 | 1,567,539,316 | science and technology | scientific standards |
266,018 | instapundit--2019-08-11--FLASHBACK Prosecutors who covered up Mass drug lab scandal now face bar discipline civil rights | 2019-08-11T00:00:00 | instapundit | FLASHBACK: Prosecutors who covered up Mass. drug lab scandal now face bar discipline, civil rights … | FLASHBACK: Prosecutors who covered up Mass. drug lab scandal now face bar discipline, civil rights lawsuit. In December 2011, after police in Springfield, Mass., had arrested Renaldo Penate for allegedly selling heroin, the drugs from that case were tested at a state drug lab by technician Sonja Farak. The same day that she did the tests, Farak wrote in a diary that she “tried to resist using [drugs] @ work but ended up failing.” About two weeks later, Farak subsequently acknowledged, she spent the morning smoking crack in various bathrooms of her lab building, while also testing Penate’s drugs a second time. That same day, she found that police had submitted tablets of LSD. She took it, and “the sensation of colors in the wind left her unable to function for work,” court records show. Her actions would be discovered a year later, and Farak admitted she had been stealing and using drugs from the lab since 2004. But when Penate’s lawyers asked for any information about Farak’s drug use during the time she was working in the lab, prosecutors with the Massachusetts attorney general’s office repeatedly refused to provide it. And so Penate was convicted and spent more than 5½ years in prison. A judge who investigated in 2016 called the prosecutors’ actions “intentional, repeated, prolonged and deceptive withholding of evidence from the defendants” and wrote that one of the prosecutors had a “lack of a moral compass.” | Glenn Reynolds | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pjmedia/instapundit/~3/LR87x30pVGU/ | 2019-08-11 17:10:16+00:00 | 1,565,557,816 | 1,567,534,396 | science and technology | scientific standards |
287,021 | lewrockwell--2019-08-08--Feds Shut Down Military Lab Studying Ebola and Plague | 2019-08-08T00:00:00 | lewrockwell | Feds Shut Down Military Lab Studying Ebola and Plague | The US government has shut down all research at the nation’s top biological warfare lab amid fears deadly microbes could leak into the water supply. Scientists at Fort Detrick, Maryland, study Ebola, the plague (caused by the bacterium Yersinia pestis) and rabbit fever (caused by the bacterium tularemia). But last month US health officials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent a cease-and-desist order citing concerns that the lab does not have ‘sufficient systems in place to decontaminate wastewater.’ Caree Vander Linden, spokesperson for the center, said research is ‘on hold’ and may be suspended for months. Amazon.com Gift Card i... Buy New $10.00 (as of 01:55 EDT - Details) It comes just weeks after uproar over a new book on Lyme disease, Bitten, which suggested the tick-borne illness, now plaguing the US, was unwittingly unleashed on Americans by biological warfare researchers at Fort Detrick decades ago. The cease-and-desist notice automatically terminated the center’s registration with the Federal Select Agent Program, which grants special permission for the study and possession disease-causing materials. In order to get re-approved, the center will have to improve its decontamination processes. Regulators also took issue with the lack of periodic re-training of staff who are handling the dangerous bacteria. | No Author | https://www.lewrockwell.com/2019/08/no_author/us-government-shuts-down-military-lab-studying-ebola-and-plague-over-fears-deadly-bugs-are-escaping-via-wastewater/ | 2019-08-08 04:01:00+00:00 | 1,565,251,260 | 1,567,534,624 | science and technology | scientific standards |
290,969 | liveaction--2019-02-02--Texas OBGYN Lab rats have more protections than preborn babies | 2019-02-02T00:00:00 | liveaction | Texas OB/GYN: Lab rats have more protections than preborn babies | In a video produced by FRC.org and shared by the Susan B. Anthony List on Facebook, Dr. Ingrid Skop, an obstetrician-gynecologist from Texas, says that lab rats have more legal protections than preborn children. “An elementary skill for an OBGYN is amniocentesis… typically it’s done around 14-16 weeks gestational age, very early, before pro-choice people tell us that they can feel pain,” says Dr. Skop in the video below. “But if… the baby runs into the needle, he withdraws exactly as we would expect someone who feels pain to withdraw. Additional studies have shown they have increased adrenaline, increased heart rate. They show all of the same signs that we expect from someone who feels pain.” “As a society,” she adds, “We want to protect lab rats from feeling pain. We’ve got more legislation to protect the lab rats than we do the children that we’re electively terminating.” A study published March of 2017 found that “the adult-like pattern of skin innervation is established before the end of the first trimester, showing important intra- and inter-individual variations in nerve branches.” As reported by Live Action News’ Nancy Flanders, “the fact that the nervous system develops sooner than once thought backs up other evidence that proves fetuses are capable of feeling pain at as early as eight weeks gestation.” In addition, “As early as 8 weeks gestation, it has been shown that the fetus responds to touch. Abortion proponents have long argued that this is simply a reflex because the nervous system was not thought to be well developed at this age, however, this latest study proves this theory wrong.” At around the same time — between weeks eight and nine of development — as previously reported by Live Action News, “The fetus stage begins. A girl now has eggs in her ovaries, and a baby at this stage can suck his thumb, move his tongue, sigh, stretch, move his head, and open his mouth.” “Like” Live Action News on Facebook for more pro-life news and commentary! | Newsroom | https://www.liveaction.org/news/texas-ob-lab-rats-preborn-protection/ | 2019-02-02 19:56:03+00:00 | 1,549,155,363 | 1,567,549,807 | science and technology | scientific standards |
347,744 | newspunch--2019-01-06--Top Scientists Lab Shut Down Following Bombshell Vaccine Discovery | 2019-01-06T00:00:00 | newspunch | Top Scientists’ Lab Shut Down Following Bombshell Vaccine Discovery | Police have raided the laboratory of two world renowned scientists who recently discovered evidence of nanoparticles polluting nearly every major vaccine. Dr. Antonietta Gatti and her husband Dr. Stefano Montanari founded an Italian laboratory called Nano-diagnostics for the evaluation of the pathological tissues of patients. Collective-evolution.com reports: Recently, the Italian police raided their home, the police took all digital assets that were owned by the the two nanopathologists, including laptops, computers, and flash-drives, basically years of work and research. James Grundvig via the World Mercury Project describes what happened quite well: “Because Gatti and Montanari had taken their research of nanodust and nanoparticles, from in-vivo (performed in a living organism) and in-vitro (performed in a test tube) to what unseen contamination might reside in vaccines in 2016, they came under the microscope of the United States, European, and Italian authorities. They had touched the third rail of medicine. They had crossed the no-go zone with the purported crime being scientific research and discovery. By finding nano-contamination in random vaccines, Gatti and Montanari revealed, for the first time, what no one knew: Vaccines had more than aluminum salts adjuvants, Polysorbate-80, and other inorganic chemicals in them, they also harbored stainless steel, tungsten, copper, and other metals and rare elements that don’t belong in shots given to fetuses, pregnant women, newborns, babies and toddlers developing their lungs, immune and nervous systems.” The scientists published their work in January of 2017, titled, New Quality‐Control Investigations on Vaccines: Micro‐ and Nanocontamination. If science wasn’t plagued by corruption, an investigation should have started, healthcare agencies would have become involved and vaccine safety policies would have come under intense scrutiny, but that never happened. Below is a recent interview with the two, done by Surêté Vaccins, the quick description of the video reads, “Two italian researchers have found nanoparticles are polluting almost all vaccines. The small size of these particles allow them to enter our cells and have a permanent inflammatory effect. Mrs Gatti was about to testify in parliament enquiry on vaccine damages of italian military courses but both researches have been raided by police and all their material has been taken away.” Nano particles are very small bits of matter, and they can enter into the human body, as the pair of scientist discovered in the 90’s. This is why we have so much published research linking various chemical products, like cleaning agents, to the destruction of human health. These nano particles are produced by waste incinerators, car traffic, and many other different ways. Because they float in the air, we can inhale them, which means they enter our lungs and then enter into the blood within minutes. This leads to a number of problems. These particles are carried by the blood to every district of the body, as they explain in the video below. When they enter into the tissues, the body cannot get rid of them, and so those particles stay there forever and are the cause of various diseases we see today. They explain how they’ve been analyzing and studying vaccines for the past 15 years. “Both vaccine and the tissue, which was hit by the particles contained in the vaccines, because we discovered that those vaccines were polluted by particles, those particles were contained equally in the vaccine and in the tissue, so we started to analyze vaccines.” They go on to explain, with regards to their most recent vaccine study linked above, “After a while, an Italian University sent us a student for her thesis, and we analyzed 19 different vaccines with her, finding all of them polluted by micro and nano particles. Then we went on analyzing them and now we analyzed about 30 vaccines with many samples of each vaccine, and, we discovered that they were all polluted…” When all said and done, they analyzed 44 different vaccines. All of them contained these harmful particles, which are foreign bodies entering into the body. Whenever this happens, the body has a reaction, and it’s not good. “Those foreign bodies, those particles, are like a bullet. If I shoot somebody, and that bullet makes a hole in the heart, it’s not very important if the bullet was made of stainless steel, of titatium, of iron whatever, what’s important is that that they punched a whole in the heart.” In it, they talk a little bit about the study and what’s currently going on. This Is Simply The Truth About Modern Day Science That Continues To Be Ignored There are three quotes I love to use to illustrate best what I’m trying to get across here, In the case of medicine, a lot of information has emerged showing just how much corruption really goes on in the industry. The Editors-in-Chiefs of several major medical journals have been quite blunt, with perhaps one of the best examples coming from Dr. Richard Horton, the current Editor-in-Chief of The Lancet, who says: “The case against science is straightforward: much of the scientific literature, perhaps half, may simply be untrue.” Dr. Marcia Angell, a physician and longtime Editor-in-Chief of the New England Medical Journal (NEMJ), also considered one of the most prestigious peer-reviewed medical journals in the world, alongside The Lancet, has said that: “It is simply no longer possible to believe much of the clinical research that is published, or to rely on the judgment of trusted physicians or authoritative medical guidelines. I take no pleasure in this conclusion, which I reached slowly and reluctantly over my two decades as an editor of The New England Journal of Medicine.” John Ioannidis, an epidemiologist at the Stanford University School of Medicine, published an article titled “Why Most Published Research Findings Are False,” which subsequently became the most widely accessed article in the history of the Public Library of Science (PLoS). (source) Here is another great quote by Arnold Seymour Relman (1923-2014), Harvard professor of medicine and former Editor-in-Chief of The New England Medical Journal: “The medical profession is being bought by the pharmaceutical industry, not only in terms of the practice of medicine, but also in terms of teaching and research. The academic institutions of this country are allowing themselves to be the paid agents of the pharmaceutical industry. I think it’s disgraceful.” In 2016, a group of scientists in 2016 at the CDC named, SPIDER (Scientists Preserving Integrity, Diligence and Ethics), put out a list of complaints in the form of a letter to the CDC’s Chief of Staff, where they say, “It appears that our mission is being influenced and shaped by outside parties and rogue interests… and Congressional intent for our agency is being circumvented by some of our leaders. What concerns us most, is that it is becoming the norm and not the rare exception.” This was covered by several activists, from Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to another article from the Huffington Post, but unfortunately it received little to no mainstream media attention. Shortly before this, and perhaps even more shockingly, is the whistleblower testimony from a senior CDC scientist, who has authored multiple commonly cited studies that show no link whatsoever between the MMR vaccine and autism. In fact, one of his studies, published in 2004, is the most commonly cited study used to debunk the link between the MMR vaccine and autism. His name is Dr. William Thompson, and he bravely told the world that it was “the lowest point” in his career that he “went along with that paper.” He said that the authors “didn’t report significant findings” and that he is “completely ashamed” of what he did, that he was “complicit and went along with this, and that he regrets that he has “been part of the problem.” (source)(source)(source) Here is an official statement from Dr. Thompson describing the situation in his own words. This is perhaps the best source of information regrading this matter. These are a few examples out out of many. | Sean Adl-Tabatabai | https://newspunch.com/top-scientists-lab-shut-down-bombshell-vaccine-discovery/ | 2019-01-06 03:31:15+00:00 | 1,546,763,475 | 1,567,553,717 | science and technology | scientific standards |
467,369 | rferl--2019-01-09--International Doping Inspectors To Return To Moscow For Lab Data | 2019-01-09T00:00:00 | rferl | International Doping Inspectors To Return To Moscow For Lab Data | International doping inspectors are set to return to Russia in a second attempt to obtain test samples of Russian athletes from a Moscow laboratory. The January 9 visit by experts from the World Anti-Doping Agency comes nine days after Moscow officials failed to meet an initial deadline to hand over data from the Russian Anti-Doping Agency's lab. That failure led to calls for the country to be suspended from global sporting competition. During the earlier visit, Russian officials declined to turn over data, saying the WADA inspectors' technical equipment was incompatible with Russia systems. The Russian agency, known as RUSADA, was stripped of its accreditation in 2015 after a WADA-commissioned report found evidence of state-sponsored doping in Russian track and field and other sports. The report cast a shadow over the 2014 Sochi Olympics. RUSADA was conditionally reinstated in September following a three-year suspension, a move that was widely criticized by members of the anti-doping movement. | null | https://www.rferl.org/a/int-l-doping-inspectors-to-return-to-moscow-for-lab-data/29698941.html | 2019-01-09 06:48:27+00:00 | 1,547,034,507 | 1,567,553,328 | science and technology | scientific standards |
472,053 | rferl--2019-12-21--Russia Denies Lab Data It Gave To World Anti-Doping Agency Was Tampered With | 2019-12-21T00:00:00 | rferl | Russia Denies Lab Data It Gave To World Anti-Doping Agency Was Tampered With | Russia's Investigative Committee has concluded that all materials submitted to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) this year regarding athletes' drug tests were genuine, contrary to WADA's determination that the copy it received of a database from Russia's national drug-testing laboratory was intentionally altered. WADA's finding was key to its December 9 decision to declare the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) noncompliant, and to ban Russia from major international sporting competitions for four years. Russia is currently considering an appeal of the ban and is weighing its legal options. The database, which includes Russian athletes' blood-test results and other information stored by the national anti-doping laboratory in Moscow, is at the center of the exposure of Russia's state-sponsored doping program. The program was revealed when whistle-blower Grigory Rodchenkov, who formerly headed the Moscow lab and was one of the architects of Russia's elaborate doping and cheating system dating back to 2014, provided a copy of his lab's database. Extracting a second copy of the database as well as samples from the laboratory was a major condition set by WADA when it reinstated RUSADA in September 2018 following earlier sanctions. The lab samples had been stored and sealed off by Russia's Investigative Committee as part of its probe into Rodchenkov. Russia was given a deadline of December 31, 2018, to hand the data over, but missed the deadline. In mid-January, WADA did receive a copy of the database, but a review of the information revealed "inconsistencies" that required clarification. In April, Russia allowed WADA to retrieve all blood samples from the lab and provided answers to WADA investigators' questions. "The investigation carried out a comprehensive computer-technical forensic examination of copies of the transferred electronic files, the results of which made a conclusion about their authenticity, as well as the absence of distortions of the original file structure of the test results of Russian athletes," Investigative Committee spokeswoman Svetlana Petrenko said on December 21. Russian authorities have claimed that the database was intentionally accessed and altered by Rodchenkov as part of a criminal conspiracy and have previously argued that the differences between the two database copies were the result of the lab's database system malfunctioning. Lawyers for Rodchenkov -- who currently lives under witness protection in the United States, where he fled in 2016 after handing over the database -- have said that Russia's efforts to falsify data given to WADA is part of a "predictable and deplorable policy of deception." On December 21, Investigative Committee spokeswoman Petrenko repeated the Russian allegations against Rodchenkov, adding that the "truth of the information" contained in the lab data provided by the whistle-blower "has not been determined." In issuing its ban on December 9, WADA stated that the data it received from Moscow was "neither complete nor fully authentic." Some data was "removed, others altered and, in some cases, system messages were fabricated in an effort to hamper the work of WADA investigators," the world doping watchdog said. "In addition, measures were taken to conceal these manipulations by back-dating of computer systems and data files in an attempt to make it appear that the Moscow data had been in their current state since 2015." The ban imposed by WADA on December 9 was just the latest punitive action taken against Russian sport related to the exposure of the state-sponsored doping program, which Russia has never acknowledged. Team Russia was barred from competing at major sports competitions, including the 2016 Olympic Games and the 2018 Winter Olympics. It now stands to be left out of the Olympics in Tokyo in 2020 along with other major events. | null | https://www.rferl.org/a/russian-investigative-committee-says-lab-data-it-gave-to-world-anti-doping-agency-was-genuine/30337773.html | Sat, 21 Dec 2019 19:33:49 +0000 | 1,576,974,829 | 1,577,017,869 | science and technology | scientific standards |
494,465 | sottnet--2019-01-09--There were only technical issues Kremlin says Russia WADA reach agreement on lab data | 2019-01-09T00:00:00 | sottnet | 'There were only technical issues': Kremlin says Russia & WADA reach agreement on lab data | Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says the Russian sports authorities and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have reached agreement on accessing data from a Moscow laboratory.WADA officials arrived in Moscow on Wednesday in an attempt to finally extract data from the lab, which was named as a condition in reinstating the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) in September after a three-year suspension."Basically, the Moscow laboratory data was ready for extraction during WADA's previous visit," Peskov said, TASS reported "Our sports bodies remain in contact with WADA representatives. They have reached understanding [on general issues] and continue working in close cooperation," he added.The failure to retrieve the data sparkled a wave of criticism, with some international organizations accusing the body of being "played" by Russia after the end-of-year deadline to extract the information was missed.Access to the laboratory was a key factor in restoring RUSADA to compliance status, with WADA having emphasizing it could suspend the body again if deadlines were not met.WADA's Compliance Review Committee is due to meet on January 14 to discuss the situation surrounding RUSADA. | null | https://www.sott.net/article/404480-There-were-only-technical-issues-Kremlin-says-Russia-WADA-reach-agreement-on-lab-data | 2019-01-09 15:22:24+00:00 | 1,547,065,344 | 1,567,553,374 | science and technology | scientific standards |
505,955 | sottnet--2019-09-10--MIT Media Lab director resigns in wake of institutes hidden financial ties to Epstein | 2019-09-10T00:00:00 | sottnet | MIT Media Lab director resigns in wake of institute's hidden financial ties to Epstein | To awaken is difficult to do, as sapiens is submitted to a cosmic hypnotic influence which is the universal energy of creation; and if this were not enough, each individual, when he does not like the reality of life or is not satisfied with himself, dreams of himself and the world in a manner ideal for himself. | null | https://www.sott.net/article/420161-MIT-Media-Lab-director-resigns-in-wake-of-institutes-hidden-financial-ties-to-Epstein | 2019-09-10 19:50:56+00:00 | 1,568,159,456 | 1,569,008,841 | science and technology | scientific standards |
520,733 | sputnik--2019-01-09--US NSA Uses Kaspersky Lab to Catch Hacker Then Bans Firm in Return - Reports | 2019-01-09T00:00:00 | sputnik | US NSA Uses Kaspersky Lab to Catch Hacker Then Bans Firm in Return - Reports | Not only is the exposure of Martin’s theft believed to be the largest breach of classified material in US history, but the exposure took place at a time when the FBI was conducting an investigation of Kaspersky, which eventually led to a ban on Kaspersky Lab products in US government computers, the report said. The report surmised that Kaspersky Lab’s ability to catch Martin, a former NSA contractor, casts doubt on US ability to protect its own computers, especially because Martin was able to steal an estimated 50 terabytes of data from the NSA and other government agencies undetected over a two-decade period. The theft included some of the NSA’s most sophisticated and sensitive hacking tools, which were stolen despite a scramble to upgrade computer security following leaks by another NSA contractor, Edward Snowden, three years earlier, the report explained. Martin, who is set to go to trial in June, was arrested August 27, 2016, following a search of his home shortly after Kaspersky Lab turned its material over to the NSA. He was indicted in February 2017. Ironically, the exposure of Martin occurred at a time when the FBI was engaged in an aggressive, behind-the-scenes campaign to discredit the company and get its software banned from US government computers on national security grounds. A ban on Kaspersky Lab products was announced the following year. Kaspersky Lab insists it operates independently and transparently and has repeatedly denied having ever worked for any government or engaged in espionage. | null | https://sputniknews.com/us/201901091071341182-kaspersky-lab-hacker/ | 2019-01-09 17:17:24+00:00 | 1,547,072,244 | 1,567,553,341 | science and technology | scientific standards |
540,436 | sputnik--2019-08-08--Boris Johnson to Fund 250m Artificial Intelligence NHS X Lab Amid No-Deal Brexit Campaign | 2019-08-08T00:00:00 | sputnik | Boris Johnson to Fund £250m Artificial Intelligence 'NHS X' Lab Amid No-Deal Brexit Campaign | UK prime minister Boris Johnson has announced his cabinet will invest in a new national AI lab, NHS X, aimed at “freeing up staff care for patients”. The British PM said that his announcement was “not just about the future of care” and would also "boost the frontline by automating admin tasks and freeing up staff to care for patients.” His task was also to "ensure the NHS has the funding” it needed to “make a real difference to the lives of staff and patients”, Mr Johnson said. “Transforming care through artificial intelligence is a perfect illustration of that," he added. UK health secretary Matt Hancock added that the UK was “on the cusp of a huge health tech revolution” that could “transform [the] patient experience by making the NHS a truly predictive, preventive and personalised health and care service”. Mr Hancock added: "I am determined to bring the benefits of technology to patients and staff, so the impact of our NHS Long Term Plan and this immediate, multimillion pound cash injection are felt by all. It’s part of our mission to make the NHS the best it can be. NHS England CEO Simon Stevens backed the move, stating that using “carefully-targeted” AI was “another step in the right direction” for Britain’s healthcare services, adding that it should help “personalise NHS screening and treatments for cancer, eye disease” and others, as well as “freeing up staff time”. “Our new NHS AI Lab will ensure the benefits of NHS data and innovation are fully harnessed for patients in this country," Mr Stevens added. But the Health Service Journal has said that the NHS would not use the investments until 2021. The news comes after Mr Johnson pledged £1.8bn to building and refurbishing hospitals, with health experts blasting the pledge as a “drop in the ocean” and Labour MPs slamming the move as money being used from existing healthcare budgets. While the Tory government had promised in the past a £20bn yearly injection into the NHS, which had been made by former UK prime minister Theresa May's government with aims to boost public healthcare by 2023. Mr Johnson had also pledged an additional £350m a year to health services, arguing that it was being sent instead to pay the European Union, as well as a major shake-up of NHS pension rules earlier this week aimed at stopping senior doctors from refusing shifts in order to avoid tax contribution penalties. | null | https://sputniknews.com/europe/201908081076502476-boris-johnson-to-fund-250m-artificial-intelligence-nhs-x-lab-amid-no-deal-brexit-campaign/ | 2019-08-08 11:32:49+00:00 | 1,565,278,369 | 1,567,534,608 | science and technology | scientific standards |
543,314 | sputnik--2019-09-06--Indian Scientists Fabricate Nano-chip Made from Lab Waste for Diagnosis of Diseases | 2019-09-06T00:00:00 | sputnik | Indian Scientists Fabricate Nano-chip Made from Lab Waste for Diagnosis of Diseases | The human body has enzymes like catalase and peroxide which can convert hydrogen peroxide into non-harmful entities. But an imbalance in metabolic processes in diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, inflammation, diabetes and cardiovascular disease can lead to an over-production of hydrogen peroxide in the body. Scientists at the Indian Institute of Technology in Guwahati have fabricated a nano-chip from laboratory waste that can sense hydrogen peroxide and can help in diagnosing progression in several such diseases. Although enzyme-peroxidase based methods exist to detect hydrogen peroxide, they are cumbersome and costly due to the use of sophisticated instruments, the need for trained personnel, multistep protocols, and the short shelf life of enzymes. The nano-chip fabricated by the team of scientists is enzyme-free and can be used for hydrogen peroxide detection. Researchers used peroxidase activity of gold to detect hydrogen peroxide, and plated gold on indium tin oxide plate which is used to perform scanning electron microscopy in laboratories which is then discarded after one use. Following on from this, a process known as sputtering, in which fast ions of metal are bombarded onto a metal surface to make waves - was performed on a gold plated chip which creates more surface area for hydrogen peroxide detection. The chip was tested using electron microscopy and its effectiveness in detecting hydrogen peroxide in human blood samples was assessed. “The sensor development process is time saving requiring just 30 minutes for the sensor chip fabrication from raw materials, which can be reused for several times without losing the efficiency,” Dr. Pranjal Chandra, leader of the research team told India Science Wire. The nano-chip can detect extremely low levels of hydrogen peroxide and takes less than a second for detection. The presence of other substances in blood such as glucose, citric acid, ascorbic acid, uric acid etc. does not hinder the detection of hydrogen peroxide. The chip stays stable for use for up to 12 weeks. “Future work can be directed towards the development of a handheld device integrated with an interface like a mobile phone based on the sensing principle and the prototype demonstrated in our work. The system can also be tested for hydrogen-peroxide detection in various other clinically important samples such as serum, urine, tear, and in related industries,” added Dr. Chandra. | null | https://sputniknews.com/society/201909061076737012-indian-scientists-fabricate-nano-chip-made-from-lab-waste-for-diagnosis-of-diseases/ | 2019-09-06 11:59:00+00:00 | 1,567,785,540 | 1,569,331,113 | science and technology | scientific standards |
552,119 | sputnik--2019-12-07--Olympic Summit Demands 'Toughest Sanctions' Over Moscow Lab Data Manipulation | 2019-12-07T00:00:00 | sputnik | Olympic Summit Demands 'Toughest Sanctions' Over Moscow Lab Data Manipulation | The summit participants also expressed serious concerns over the growing politicization of sport, such as boycotts, resistance by organizers to raise certain flags at ceremonies and the withholding of visas to athletes. The doping data is said to have been manipulated before it was transferred to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in January 2019 as part of a deal that saw Russia reinstated last year. | null | https://sputniknews.com/sport/201912071077511709-olympic-summit-demands-toughest-sanctions-over-moscow-lab-data-manipulation/ | Sat, 07 Dec 2019 18:54:17 +0300 | 1,575,762,857 | 1,575,766,125 | science and technology | scientific standards |
565,712 | tass--2019-05-21--Multipurpose lab module Nauka to be launched to ISS in autumn 2020 source | 2019-05-21T00:00:00 | tass | Multipurpose lab module Nauka to be launched to ISS in autumn 2020 — source | ### The Proton Rocket © Mikhail Dzhiaparidze/TASS MOSCOW, May 21. /TASS/. Multipurpose laboratory module Nauka will be launched to the International Space Station (ISS) in the autumn of 2020 at the earliest, a source in the space rocket industry told TASS. "The Nauka module will be launched at the end of October or November 2020 at the earliest," the source said. He added that the module will be delivered to the orbit by a Proton-M carrier rocket. The source noted that "the relevant decree was signed by Roscosmos head Dmitry Rogozin." The Nauka module is currently at the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. In October 2019, after a round of trials, the module will be transferred to the Korolev Rocket and Space Corporation Energia. In July 2020, the module will be delivered to the Baikonur spaceport. In other media | null | http://tass.com/science/1059191 | 2019-05-21 05:30:00+00:00 | 1,558,431,000 | 1,567,540,268 | science and technology | scientific standards |
568,008 | tass--2019-07-25--Mobile ecology lab begins working in Northern nature reserve | 2019-07-25T00:00:00 | tass | Mobile ecology lab begins working in Northern nature reserve | MURMANSK, July 25. /TASS/. A mobile laboratory, installed onto a KAMAZ truck, began working at the Pasvik Nature Reserve in the Murmansk Region. Press service of the Nornickel Company, which had invested in the lab, said the equipment onboard will be used for scientific research and ecology monitoring. "The only mobile laboratory in Russia’s North-West has begun working in the Pasvik Nature Reserve," the press service told TASS on Wednesday. The vehicle, which is adjusted to work in the Arctic region, can cross rivers or rocky tundra, can move off-road. It is equipped with a GPS navigator; up-to-date camera traps are set for certain intervals. The lab has equipment to study the air, soils and water. The laboratory has onboard fridges to keep collected material. The lab will be used both inside the nature park and in the Kola Peninsula’s other districts for other projects, including for international projects. "The vehicle is comfortable for long-term accommodation - researchers would be able to sleep there, to cook; there is an electricity generator onboard," the nature reserve’s deputy director, Tatiana Snegiryova, told TASS. "Most importantly, it is safe to be inside it in the wild nature conditions, unlike it is in tents." According to the official, the eco-truck is made in Russia, while the equipment originates from many countries. The scientists have begun seasonal studies in the nature reserve. They will take samples of soil, water, will study air conditions, will review the bear population and will make a film about animals. They will study the animals and birds, listed on the Red Data Book, and in early September they will register bird’s seasonal migration. "This summer, we have organized already a few trips to the territory’s remote parts and have collected samples of the nature’s unique diversity," the reserve’s expert Natalya Polikarpova said. "A car with research equipment means we can cover big distances, thus we use more effectively the day light and the region’s summer climate conditions." In August, the lab will work on two international projects under the Kolarctic Cross Border Cooperation 2014-2020 Program, which features Russia, Sweden, Norway and Finland. One of the projects is ReARK (Ecological Restoration of Arctic Rivers) - to monitor various rivers, from Nordland to Kola Peninsula, and to give recommendations regarding ecological restoration and maintaining their biology diversity. The second project - Phenomena of Arctic Nature - will include work to organize a series of nature exhibitions at visitor centers of three countries: Finland, Norway and Russia. The expositions will present the northern region’s heritage and will favor ecology tourism in those countries. "Implementation of such projects would have been impossible without support from big businesses, interested in sustainable development, in keeping the natural diversity and caring for future generations," the nature reserve’s Director Vladimir Chizhov said. "The reserve has been in cooperation with Nornickel for a few years, and jointly we have implemented several unique projects to study the nature." Back in 2017, a new visitor center opened in the Nickel settlement at the border with Norway. The center is an international dialogue platform for Russia, Norway and Finland. Investments in the 800-square-meter center made 70 million rubles ($11 million). Nornickel’s Kola MMC in the Murmansk Region cooperates with another big nature reserve - the Lapland Biosphere Reserve. Joint projects are underway there for a few decades already. According to Director of the Green Patrol non-governmental organization Roman Pukalov, tests at areas neighboring Nornickel’s assets show the stable ecology situation. "The Murmansk Region has been approaching our rating’s green scale, and those, of course, are results of joint efforts by ecologists, local communities and industrial giants," he said. The Pasvik Nature Reserve was organized in July, 1992. It is home for rare species of flora and fauna, which are in the Russian Red Book and on the IUCN (the International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species. The nature reserve participates in the Russian-Norwegian intergovernmental environmental commission, the Russian-Finnish commission on transboundary waters, an intergovernmental working group on environment, and in the EUROPARC Federation. | null | https://tass.com/economy/1070421 | 2019-07-25 15:18:36+00:00 | 1,564,082,316 | 1,567,535,822 | science and technology | scientific standards |
612,351 | thedailyecho--2019-07-02--Southampton infection lab to tackle new strains of bacteria that cant be treated with antibiotics | 2019-07-02T00:00:00 | thedailyecho | Southampton infection lab to tackle new strains of bacteria that can't be treated with antibiotics | SOUTHAMPTON researchers have been given a huge boost in their life-saving battle to tackle antibiotic- resistant bacteria. They have secured £2.8m for a dedicated infection lab. The overuse of antibiotics means they are becoming less effective and has led to the emergence of strains of bacteria that have become immune to treatment, known as antimicrobial resistance. More than 5,000 people in the UK die from these infections every year – with concerns new strains of bacteria may emerge that cannot be treated by any existing antibiotics. University Hospital Southampton and the University of Southampton’s Global Network for Anti-Microbial Resistance and Infection Prevention (UoS NAMRIP) are set to develop state-of-the-art research facilities to tackle that threat on the frontline. “These bacteria have worked the current drugs out and they will do the same again,” said Professor Robert Read, director of the NIHR Southampton Biomedical Research Centre and lead on the funding bid. “We have to keep finding new ways in, fast, but developing completely new treatments like ours will need completely new resources like this lab. “By bridging the gap between experimental antimicrobial studies in our NIHR Clinical Research Facility, the UoS-based National Biofilm Innovation Centre and the clinical frontline it will speed up access to, and development of, new treatments.” Southampton is already at the forefront of world-leading clinical research in infectious diseases through developments such as genetically-modified ‘friendly’ bacteria that can protect against meningitis. The £2.8 million funding is part of a £32 million package awarded to 10 sites nationally by the Department of Health and Social Care as part of its 20-year vision and five-year national plan on antimicrobial resistance. | null | https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/17742432.southampton-infection-lab-to-tackle-new-strains-of-bacteria-that-cant-be-treated-with-antibiotics/?ref=rss | 2019-07-02 04:10:41+00:00 | 1,562,055,041 | 1,567,537,197 | science and technology | scientific standards |
656,390 | thedcclothesline--2019-04-01--Disturbing Cases Show the US Govt is Still Conducting Secret Experiments and WE are the Lab Rats | 2019-04-01T00:00:00 | thedcclothesline | Disturbing Cases Show the US Govt is Still Conducting Secret Experiments and WE are the Lab Rats | The U.S. government, in its pursuit of so-called monsters, has itself become a monster. This is not a new development, nor is it a revelation. This is a government that has in recent decades unleashed untold horrors upon the world—including its own citizenry—in the name of global conquest, the acquisition of greater wealth, scientific experimentation, and technological advances, all packaged in the guise of the greater good. Mind you, there is no greater good when the government is involved. There is only greater greed for money and power. Unfortunately, the public has become so easily distracted by the political spectacle coming out of Washington, DC, that they are altogether oblivious to the grisly experiments, barbaric behavior and inhumane conditions that have become synonymous with the U.S. government. These horrors are being meted out against humans and animals alike. It’s heartbreaking enough when you hear about police shooting family dogs that pose no threat—beloved pets that are “guilty” of little more than barking, or wagging a tag, or racing towards them in greeting—at an alarming rate somewhere in the vicinity of 500 dogs a day. What I’m about to share goes beyond heartbreaking to horrifying. For instance, did you know that the U.S. government has been buying hundreds of dogs and cats from “Asian meat markets” as part of a gruesome experiment into food-borne illnesses? The cannibalistic experiments involve killing cats and dogs purchased from Colombia, Brazil, Vietnam, China and Ethiopia, and then feeding the dead remains to laboratory kittens, bred in government laboratories for the express purpose of being infected with a disease and then killed. It gets more gruesome. The Department of Veterans Affairs has been removing parts of dogs’ brains to see how it affects their breathing; applying electrodes to dogs’ spinal cords (before and after severing them) to see how it impacts their cough reflexes; and implanting pacemakers in dogs’ hearts and then inducing them to have heart attacks (before draining their blood). All of the laboratory dogs are killed during the course of these experiments. It’s not just animals that are being treated like lab rats by government agencies. “We the people” have also become the police state’s guinea pigs: to be caged, branded, experimented upon without our knowledge or consent, and then conveniently discarded and left to suffer from the after-effects. Back in 2017, FEMA “inadvertently” exposed nearly 10,000 firefighters, paramedics and other responders to a deadly form of ricin during simulated bioterrorism response sessions. In 2015, it was discovered that an Army lab had been “mistakenly” shipping deadly anthrax to labs and defense contractors for a decade. While these particular incidents have been dismissed as “accidents,” you don’t have to dig very deep or go very back in the nation’s history to uncover numerous cases in which the government deliberately conducted secret experiments on an unsuspecting populace—citizens and noncitizens alike—making healthy people sick by spraying them with chemicals, injecting them with infectious diseases and exposing them to airborne toxins. At the time, the government reasoned that it was legitimate to experiment on people who did not have full rights in society such as prisoners, mental patients, and poor blacks. In Alabama, for example, 600 black men with syphilis were allowed to suffer without proper medical treatment in order to study the natural progression of untreated syphilis. In California, older prisoners had testicles from livestock and from recently executed convicts implanted in them to test their virility. In Connecticut, mental patients were injected with hepatitis. In Maryland, sleeping prisoners had a pandemic flu virus sprayed up their noses. In Georgia, two dozen “volunteering” prison inmates had gonorrhea bacteria pumped directly into their urinary tracts through the penis. In Michigan, male patients at an insane asylum were exposed to the flu after first being injected with an experimental flu vaccine. In Minnesota, 11 public service employee “volunteers” were injected with malaria, then starved for five days. In New York, dying patients had cancer cells introduced into their systems. In Ohio, over 100 inmates were injected with live cancer cells. Also in New York, prisoners at a reformatory prison were also split into two groups to determine how a deadly stomach virus was spread: the first group was made to swallow an unfiltered stool suspension, while the second group merely breathed in germs sprayed into the air. And in Staten Island, children with mental retardation were given hepatitis orally and by injection to see if they could then be cured. As the Associated Press reports, “The late 1940s and 1950s saw huge growth in the U.S. pharmaceutical and health care industries, accompanied by a boom in prisoner experiments funded by both the government and corporations. By the 1960s, at least half the states allowed prisoners to be used as medical guinea pigs … because they were cheaper than chimpanzees.” Moreover, “Some of these studies, mostly from the 1940s to the ’60s, apparently were never covered by news media. Others were reported at the time, but the focus was on the promise of enduring new cures, while glossing over how test subjects were treated.” How many government incursions into our freedoms have been blacked out, buried under “entertainment” news headlines, or spun in such a way as to suggest that anyone voicing a word of caution is paranoid or conspiratorial? Unfortunately, these incidents are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the atrocities the government has inflicted on an unsuspecting populace in the name of secret experimentation. For instance, there was the U.S. military’s secret race-based testing of mustard gas on more than 60,000 enlisted men. As NPR reports, “All of the World War II experiments with mustard gas were done in secret and weren’t recorded on the subjects’ official military records. Most do not have proof of what they went through. They received no follow-up health care or monitoring of any kind. And they were sworn to secrecy about the tests under threat of dishonorable discharge and military prison time, leaving some unable to receive adequate medical treatment for their injuries, because they couldn’t tell doctors what happened to them.” And then there was the CIA’s MKULTRA program in which hundreds of unsuspecting American civilians and military personnel were dosed with LSD, some having the hallucinogenic drug slipped into their drinks at the beach, in city bars, at restaurants. As Time reports, “before the documentation and other facts of the program were made public, those who talked of it were frequently dismissed as being psychotic.” Now one might argue that this is all ancient history and that the government today is different from the government of yesteryear, but has the U.S. government really changed? Has the government become any more humane, any more respectful of the rights of the citizenry? Has it become any more transparent or willing to abide by the rule of law? Has it become any more truthful about its activities? Has it become any more cognizant of its appointed role as a guardian of our rights? Or has the government simply hunkered down and hidden its nefarious acts and dastardly experiments under layers of secrecy, legalism and obfuscations? Has it not become wilier, more slippery, more difficult to pin down? Having mastered the Orwellian art of Doublespeak and followed the Huxleyan blueprint for distraction and diversion, are we not dealing with a government that is simply craftier and more conniving that it used to be? Consider this: after revelations about the government’s experiments spanning the 20th century spawned outrage, the government began looking for human guinea pigs in other countries, where “clinical trials could be done more cheaply and with fewer rules.” In Guatemala, prisoners and patients at a mental hospital were infected with syphilis, “apparently to test whether penicillin could prevent some sexually transmitted disease.” In Uganda, U.S.-funded doctors “failed to give the AIDS drug AZT to all the HIV-infected pregnant women in a study… even though it would have protected their newborns.” Meanwhile, in Nigeria, children with meningitis were used to test an antibiotic named Trovan. Eleven children died and many others were left disabled. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Case in point: back in 2016, it was announced that scientists working for the Department of Homeland Security would begin releasing various gases and particles on crowded subway platforms as part of an experiment aimed at testing bioterror airflow in New York subways. The government insisted that the gases released into the subways by the DHS were nontoxic and did not pose a health risk. It’s in our best interests, they said, to understand how quickly a chemical or biological terrorist attack might spread. And look how cool the technology is—said the government cheerleaders—that scientists can use something called DNATrax to track the movement of microscopic substances in air and food. (Imagine the kinds of surveillance that could be carried out by the government using trackable airborne microscopic substances you breathe in or ingest.) Mind you, this is the same government that in 1949 sprayed bacteria into the Pentagon’s air handling system, then the world’s largest office building. In 1950, special ops forces sprayed bacteria from Navy ships off the coast of Norfolk and San Francisco, in the latter case exposing all of the city’s 800,000 residents. In 1953, government operatives staged “mock” anthrax attacks on St. Louis, Minneapolis, and Winnipegusing generators placed on top of cars. Local governments were reportedly told that “‘invisible smokescreen[s]’ were being deployed to mask the city on enemy radar.” Later experiments covered territory as wide-ranging as Ohio to Texas and Michigan to Kansas. In 1965, the government’s experiments in bioterror took aim at Washington’s National Airport, followed by a 1966 experiment in which army scientists exposed a million subway NYC passengers to airborne bacteria that causes food poisoning. And this is the same government that has taken every bit of technology sold to us as being in our best interests—GPS devices, surveillance, nonlethal weapons, etc.—and used it against us, to track, control and trap us. So, no, I don’t think the government’s ethics have changed much over the years. It’s just taken its nefarious programs undercover. | John W Whitehead | https://www.dcclothesline.com/2019/04/01/disturbing-cases-show-the-us-govt-is-still-conducting-secret-experiments-and-we-are-the-lab-rats/ | 2019-04-01 12:04:17+00:00 | 1,554,134,657 | 1,567,544,535 | science and technology | scientific standards |
708,493 | theguardianuk--2019-08-24--Mutant sheep are being bred in lab to fight lethal child brain disease | 2019-08-24T00:00:00 | theguardianuk | Mutant sheep are being bred in lab to fight lethal child brain disease | Scientists have created a flock of sheep that carry the gene for a lethal inherited brain disorder in humans. The condition, Batten disease, usually starts in childhood and is invariably fatal, often within a few years of diagnosis. The project, which is designed to test treatments for the disease, is based at Edinburgh University’s Roslin Institute, where cloning techniques were used to create Dolly the sheep in 1996. The scientists acknowledge that the approach could be controversial as it involves creating animals programmed to die, but stress that their aim is to alleviate human suffering. “We have deliberately re-created the condition in a large mammal because sheep have a brain of a similar size and complexity to that of a child,” said Tom Wishart, project leader. “That means treatments we test on them are much more likely to be relevant to humans than those tested only on cell cultures or mice and rats.” In the UK, Batten disease affects between 100 and 150 children and young adults. It is inherited from two symptomless parents who each carry a rare recessive gene mutation. That mutation interferes with the operation of lysosomes, which act as the waste disposal systems for cells. Children who carry two copies of the faulty gene begin to suffer loss of vision, impaired cognition and mobility problems. Seizures and early death follow. “It is devastating for families,” Wishart said. There are several types of Batten disease, he added. “One of the more rapid types is CLN1, and that’s what we have recreated in our sheep.” The Roslin scientists used the gene-editing technique Crispr-Cas9 to create the faulty CLN1 gene in the sheep. “We collected sheep embryos from the abattoir,” Wishart said. “Then we fertilised them and added Crispr reagents to alter their genetic structure before implanting the embryos into a surrogate sheep’s uterus.” Three sheep were born that each possessed two copies of the CLN1 gene with the same mutation found in affected humans. They began to show many symptoms of Batten disease, including changes in behaviour and brain size. “The progress of the disease in sheep closely resembled its development in children,” said Wishart. “That was crucial for it showed we had created an accurate model of Batten disease.” Other sheep were engineered to carry only a single copy of the gene. “These are symptomless carriers, like the parents of Batten disease children,” said Wishart. “From these we can breed sheep that have two faulty copies of the CLN1 gene. These will go on to develop a disease like those children, and will be the ones to test our therapies.” Researchers are working on several treatments, including gene therapy in which healthy genes are delivered by viruses to replace mutated versions. Many of these techniques are being developed using cell culture and research on mice and rats. “These studies are crucial in making basic discoveries,” said Wishart. “But if we do not use these few larger animals in refining those discoveries, all that early work could be wasted. “It is a terrible necessity – to reproduce such a condition. However, we are talking about using maybe only 10 or so animals for this research with the ultimate aim of finding treatments that could add years to the lives of young patients. “Unlike humans, we can study sheep before their outward symptoms develop to gain new understanding of how the disease unfolds. This knowledge will be invaluable.” | Robin McKie Science Editor | https://www.theguardian.com/science/2019/aug/24/mutant-sheep-may-help-cure-batten-disease-roslin-institute-genetic-research | 2019-08-24 13:00:42+00:00 | 1,566,666,042 | 1,567,533,518 | science and technology | scientific standards |
1,081,998 | usnews--2019-12-09--Massachusetts Lab to Pay $26M for Scheme With Texas Doctors | 2019-12-09T00:00:00 | usnews | Massachusetts Lab to Pay $26M for Scheme With Texas Doctors | SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Boston Heart Diagnostics Corporation agreed to pay nearly $27 million to settle claims that it allegedly paid doctors in Texas and waived patient co-payments in exchange for lab tests it then billed to federal healthcare programs, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Monday. The $26.7 settlement with the Framingham, Massachusetts, company reached last month resolves allegations that Boston Heart provided doctors at small hospitals in Texas with in-office dietitians, paid processing and handling fees and waived patient co-payments and deductibles in exchange for referrals for laboratory testing, said McGregor Scott, the United States Attorney for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. This settlement also resolves allegations that the clinical diagnostics company conspired from 2015 to 2017 with the hospitals, and others, to submit outpatient claims for individuals who were not, in fact, hospital outpatients. “This office will continue to take all appropriate action to prevent improper inducements that can corrupt the integrity of physician decision-making,” Scott said. The allegations were made in two separate cases by whistle-blowers who went to federal officials in California and the District of Columbia. Whistleblowers Chris Riedel and Claudia Bradshaw will receive approximately $4.36 million of the settlement, he said. Boston Heart Diagnostics President Patrick Noland said in a Nov. 26 statement the company agreed to the settlement without admitting liability and highlighted that "there were no claims that individual patients were harmed as a result of the alleged conduct." Noland, who took over the leadership at Boston Heart in 2017, said that since the claims were made, the company has new leadership committed to compliance with all federal and state laws, regulations and rules . “Boston Heart is a very different organization today compared to what it was then and up to two and a half years ago,'' he said. Copyright 2019 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. | Associated Press | https://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2019-12-09/massachusetts-lab-to-pay-26m-for-scheme-with-texas-doctors | Mon, 09 Dec 2019 23:34:03 GMT | 1,575,952,443 | 1,575,939,333 | science and technology | scientific standards |
202,529 | fortune--2019-03-01--Microsoft Built a Chat Bot to Match Patients to Clinical Trials | 2019-03-01T00:00:00 | fortune | Microsoft Built a Chat Bot to Match Patients to Clinical Trials | A chat bot that began as a hackathon project at Microsoft’s lab in Israel makes it easier for sick patients to find clinical trials that could provide otherwise unavailable medicines and therapies. The Clinical Trials Bot lets patients and doctors search for studies related to a disease and then answer a succession of text questions. The bot then suggests links to trials that best match the patients’ needs. Drugmakers can also use it to find test subjects. Microsoft won’t release the bot as its own product. Instead, the software giant is talking to pharmaceutical companies that it hopes will use the bot to find trial participants, while pitching it to other partners that could turn the technology into a tool for patients, said Hadas Bitran, group manager of Microsoft Healthcare Israel. Bitran declined to name possible partners because no deals have been agreed yet. The project is part of a larger Microsoft (msft) health care bot initiative that’s helped partners build automatic chat programs for things like triaging patients and answering questions about insurance benefits. The clinical trials bot was accepted as part of the U.S. White House Presidential Innovation Fellows program and Bitran showed it on Thursday at a closed door event at the White House. She will demonstrate the tech publicly on Friday during a session at the U.S. Census Bureau. Half of all clinical trials for new drugs and therapies never reach the number of patients needed to start, and many others are delayed for the same reason, Bitran said. Meanwhile patients, sometimes desperately sick, find it hard to comb through the roughly 50,000 trials worldwide and their arcane and lengthy criteria—typically 20 to 30 factors. Even doctors struggle to search quickly on behalf of patients, Bitran said. “It was a big passion project for everyone involved,” Bitran said. “We heard stories of families who would sit for days and days looking at the trials.” The technology uses a form of artificial intelligence called machine reading to ingest the selection criteria for each clinical trial. It uses this data to decide which questions to ask patients and how to match their answers to suitable trials. Here’s how it works for patients: They type in a search, such as “trials for a 52-year old California female with breast cancer.” The bot responds with questions such as whether the patient had chemotherapy for metastatic disease—a cancer that has spread—and how far the patient can travel. It offers five choices that describe the patient’s current health and ability to be active and care for herself. As the patient selects from the multiple-choice answers, the software generates the next question and refines the list of available trials. | Bloomberg, Dina Bass | http://fortune.com/2019/03/01/microsoft-bot-clinical-trials/ | 2019-03-01 13:31:35+00:00 | 1,551,465,095 | 1,567,546,900 | politics | non-governmental organisation |
74,405 | breitbart--2019-10-12--Researchers Say Cancer Vaccine Shows Promise in Early Clinical Trials | 2019-10-12T00:00:00 | breitbart | Researchers Say Cancer Vaccine Shows Promise in Early Clinical Trials | A new cancer vaccine has given researchers hope after it removed cancer cells in a patient with breast cancer. Dr. Saranya Chumsri, an oncologist at the Mayo Clinic, said the vaccine is “supposed to stimulate a patient’s own immune response so that the immune cells like t-cells would go in and attack the cancer.” In March, Florida resident Lee Mercker was diagnosed with the early stages of “DCIS stage zero” breast cancer, which meant the disease had not spread. “I’m an exercise fanatic, I eat right. But it just can knock on anybody’s door,” said Mercker, who was the first person to participate in the clinical trial. She said doctors performed a series of checks before administering the vaccine during the 12-week trial at the clinic in Jacksonville. “They always took your blood, you had a physical, they’d make your shot right there on the spot for you,” she said. “It was three shots, all in a row, alternating arms, four shots, two weeks apart.” Chumsri stated the vaccine is designed to mirror other routine shots. “It’s supposed to be just off the shelf, kind of similar to when you get the flu shot or pneumonia shot,” the oncologist noted. However, as a part of the trial, Mercker was required to have a mastectomy. “That is the only way we know that everything was removed properly,” Chumsri said. In April, researchers began working on another cancer vaccine that is said to harness the power of the immune system to destroy cancer cells by injecting the medicine directly into the tumor. “We’re injecting two immune stimulants right into one single tumor,” said Dr. Joshua Brody, director of the Lymphoma Immunotherapy Program at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. “We inject one tumor and we see all of the other tumors just melt away.” Reports said that eight out of eleven lymphoma patients who participated in a clinical trial of the vaccine experienced partial or complete destruction of the tumor. “We’re trying to teach the immune system to get rid of the thing even after you’ve already got the problem,” Brody said. | Amy Furr | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/breitbart/~3/HEWd9P9WZIY/ | Sat, 12 Oct 2019 15:42:02 +0000 | 1,570,909,322 | 1,570,918,429 | science and technology | scientific standards |
202,529 | fortune--2019-03-01--Microsoft Built a Chat Bot to Match Patients to Clinical Trials | 2019-03-01T00:00:00 | fortune | Microsoft Built a Chat Bot to Match Patients to Clinical Trials | A chat bot that began as a hackathon project at Microsoft’s lab in Israel makes it easier for sick patients to find clinical trials that could provide otherwise unavailable medicines and therapies. The Clinical Trials Bot lets patients and doctors search for studies related to a disease and then answer a succession of text questions. The bot then suggests links to trials that best match the patients’ needs. Drugmakers can also use it to find test subjects. Microsoft won’t release the bot as its own product. Instead, the software giant is talking to pharmaceutical companies that it hopes will use the bot to find trial participants, while pitching it to other partners that could turn the technology into a tool for patients, said Hadas Bitran, group manager of Microsoft Healthcare Israel. Bitran declined to name possible partners because no deals have been agreed yet. The project is part of a larger Microsoft (msft) health care bot initiative that’s helped partners build automatic chat programs for things like triaging patients and answering questions about insurance benefits. The clinical trials bot was accepted as part of the U.S. White House Presidential Innovation Fellows program and Bitran showed it on Thursday at a closed door event at the White House. She will demonstrate the tech publicly on Friday during a session at the U.S. Census Bureau. Half of all clinical trials for new drugs and therapies never reach the number of patients needed to start, and many others are delayed for the same reason, Bitran said. Meanwhile patients, sometimes desperately sick, find it hard to comb through the roughly 50,000 trials worldwide and their arcane and lengthy criteria—typically 20 to 30 factors. Even doctors struggle to search quickly on behalf of patients, Bitran said. “It was a big passion project for everyone involved,” Bitran said. “We heard stories of families who would sit for days and days looking at the trials.” The technology uses a form of artificial intelligence called machine reading to ingest the selection criteria for each clinical trial. It uses this data to decide which questions to ask patients and how to match their answers to suitable trials. Here’s how it works for patients: They type in a search, such as “trials for a 52-year old California female with breast cancer.” The bot responds with questions such as whether the patient had chemotherapy for metastatic disease—a cancer that has spread—and how far the patient can travel. It offers five choices that describe the patient’s current health and ability to be active and care for herself. As the patient selects from the multiple-choice answers, the software generates the next question and refines the list of available trials. | Bloomberg, Dina Bass | http://fortune.com/2019/03/01/microsoft-bot-clinical-trials/ | 2019-03-01 13:31:35+00:00 | 1,551,465,095 | 1,567,546,900 | science and technology | scientific standards |
253,617 | instapundit--2019-01-02--FASTER PLEASE Cancer drug extends life expectancy in clinical trials for patients with lung cance | 2019-01-02T00:00:00 | instapundit | FASTER, PLEASE: Cancer drug extends life expectancy in clinical trials for patients with lung cance… | FASTER, PLEASE: Cancer drug extends life expectancy in clinical trials for patients with lung cancer. | Glenn Reynolds | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pjmedia/instapundit/~3/nrWt8dLY2sA/ | 2019-01-02 19:00:45+00:00 | 1,546,473,645 | 1,567,554,193 | science and technology | scientific standards |
291,723 | liveaction--2019-06-26--Trojan horse New TelAbortion abortion pill clinical trial skirts FDA regulations | 2019-06-26T00:00:00 | liveaction | Trojan horse: New ‘TelAbortion’ abortion pill clinical trial skirts FDA regulations | Is a ‘TelAbortion’ (telemedicine abortion pill) FDA clinical trial actually a Trojan horse intended to skirt important abortion pill safety requirements put in place under the FDA? Live Action News has been analyzing the effort to expand abortion, and has documented the various abortion pill collaborators working behind the scenes on various clinical trials, studies (read more here) and funding streams, which all happen to be closely connected. In addition, Live Action News has documented the push for illegal dispensing of the dangerous pills and the effort to discredit abortion pill reversal. Now, we’ve analyzed changes reported under the Direct-To-Consumer protocol (pills sent via mail after a TelAbortion or telemedicine interview) and are seeing that FDA regulations are being skirted in the name of continually broadening “clinical trials.” The FDA currently requires Mifeprex to be placed under a safety system called REMS (Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategy), which is a “safety strategy to manage a known or potential serious risk associated with a medicine and to enable patients to have continued access to such medicines by managing their safe use.” Under the REMS Program, the FDA states, “Mifeprex and the approved generic version of Mifeprex”… Without REMS, abortion pills could be ordered online, picked up at any pharmacy, and prescribed by any health care provider. In theory, clinical trials are used to test a specific drug and hopefully alleviate safety issues that arise. But with expansion of this abortion pill clinical trial there is a growing concern it is less of a clinical trial and more of a permanent way to skirt the FDA’s REMS system. In fact, a recent interview with the co-leader of this Gynuity sponsored trial, Erica Chong, by the online media group Fast Company, noted, “The hope is to get enough providers on board so TelAbortion can eventually go from research study to full-blown service.” The TelAbortion clinical trial was announced in 2015. When the (then cohort) clinical trial began recruiting in 2016, they anticipated an enrollment of 50 participants with eligibility ages between (believe it or not) 11 to 50 years old and an estimated completion that same year. In 2016, there were only two locations for the trial listed, as seen in the screen below. However, as of the date of this article (June 2019) the now defined “case-only” (instead of “cohort”) clinical trial currently intends to enroll 1,000 participants with age eligibility as young as 10 years old. Why Gynuity Health Projects moved the recruitment age even lower is not stated, but this is concerning, given past abuses by abortion facilities and Planned Parenthood centers’ failure to report child sexual abuse, along with potential violations of parental consent and notification laws in certain states. In addition to those changes, the completion date continues to be pushed out, and is currently set for June of 2020. There is also a growing list of locations (see below), enabling the abortion pill to be dispensed even more widely, without existing REMS safety requirements. In other words, the study just keeps getting bigger and broader, with no FDA safety requirements in place. In some cases, TelAbortion providers are physically located in one state but licensed in another, which allows them to reach clients there as well…. TelAbortion obviously cannot expand into states where telemedicine abortion is illegal, but one workaround Chong is exploring is to introduce the program in neighboring states. “If we can get into a neighboring state, it’s possible for a woman in Texas, for example, to maybe cross the border into New Mexico,” Chong says. “She can have her consult there, and then pick up her package at a Fedex office that’s holding the package for her, or something like that.” These kind of “workarounds” to intentionally bypass existing laws and safety regulations are clearly not the intention of any FDA clinical trial. Abortion generally is not without complication or risks. Recently, the FDA updated its adverse effects reports through 2018, revealing 24 deaths of women associated with the abortion pill since it’s September 2000 approval. To date, the report documents nearly 4,200 reported adverse effects, including hospitalization and other serious complications. But under 2016 changes, the drug’s manufacturer, DANCO, no longer has to report non-fatal adverse effects, so we can only imagine what the number really is. “Like” Live Action News on Facebook for more pro-life news and commentary! | Carole Novielli | https://www.liveaction.org/news/telabortion-abortion-pill-trial-skirts-fda-regulations/ | 2019-06-26 15:19:25+00:00 | 1,561,576,765 | 1,567,537,961 | science and technology | scientific standards |
335,008 | naturalnews--2019-03-12--Why the vaccine industry REFUSES to conduct clinical trials using a genuine placebo control group | 2019-03-12T00:00:00 | naturalnews | Why the vaccine industry REFUSES to conduct clinical trials using a genuine placebo control group | (Natural News) The next time someone tries to tell you that the science is “settled” on vaccine safety and effectiveness, you might want to bring up the fact that the alleged “science” upon which the vaccination house of cards was, and is still being, built is fundamentally flawed at its very core. Truth be told, there isn’t a single vaccine study out there – at least not one that the establishment has ever conducted or referenced in support of government vaccination programs – that’s ever compared a CDC-approved vaccine to an actual inert placebo. Instead, the vaccine industry tests its vaccines against “controls” that contain all of the same chemicals and ingredients as the vaccines themselves, minus the viral and/or bacterial components that function as these vaccines’ active ingredients. As the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) revealed in a recent statement on “Federal Vaccine Mandates,” official vaccine studies basically compare toxic injections to other toxic injections, which is how they’re able to come to false conclusions of “safe and effective.” Furthermore, these same studies fail to compare the outcomes of vaccinated versus unvaccinated, the excuse being that it would be “unethical” and “immoral” to deprive some children of “life-saving” vaccines. For more vaccine-related news, be sure to check out Vaccines.news. So how safe are vaccines, really? According to the AAPS, we really can’t say because there have been no “rigorous safety studies of sufficient power to rule out a much higher risk of complications … for vaccines.” 100% organic essential oil sets now available for your home and personal care, including Rosemary, Oregano, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Clary Sage and more, all 100% organic and laboratory tested for safety. A multitude of uses, from stress reduction to topical first aid. See the complete listing here, and help support this news site. In other words, real-life safety studies on vaccines don’t exist, despite the mainstream sentiment that all vaccines have been fully vetted for safety and effectiveness. “Such studies would require an adequate number of subjects, a long duration (years, not days), an unvaccinated control group (‘placebo’ must be truly inactive such as saline, not the adjuvant or everything-but-the-intended-antigen), and consideration of all adverse health events (including neurodevelopment disorders),” the AAPS admits, in no uncertain terms. What’s basically going on with vaccine “science” is vaccine companies are cheating by comparing a given vaccine to another vaccine, rather than to a true, saline-based placebo. Vaccine studies are also designed to compared vaccinated people to other vaccinated people, rather than to a true control group of unvaccinated people. The end result is that Big Pharma and Big Vaccine get the results they desire: basically the “scientific” illusion propagated to the masses that all vaccines are 100 percent safe and effective all the time. “This is their way of hiding the true effects of the toxic ingredients in vaccines,” says Mike Adams, the Health Ranger. “They refuse to use saline solutions as the placebo because then the toxic effects of the adjuvants would be obvious in the experiment group.” The federal government is fully aware of this vaccine fraud, which is why it set up the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VCIP), a “no-fault” system that shields the vaccine industry from all liability while quietly paying off those who’ve been injured or killed by vaccines. “Manufacturers are virtually immune from product liability, so the incentive to develop safer products is much diminished,” says the AAPS. “Manufacturers may even refuse to make available a product believed to be safer, such as monovalent measles vaccine in preference to MMR (measles-mumps-rubella). Consumer refusal is the only incentive to do better.” Be sure to read the full “Statement on Federal Vaccine Mandates” from the AAPS at this link. To learn more about the ridiculous vaccine “courts” and how they’re used as cover for the vaccine industry fraud, visit VaccineCourtNews.com. | Ethan Huff | http://www.naturalnews.com/2019-03-12-why-the-vaccine-industry-refuses-to-conduct-clinical-trials-using-a-genuine-placebo-control-group.html | 2019-03-12 10:23:44+00:00 | 1,552,400,624 | 1,567,546,580 | science and technology | scientific standards |
387,329 | npr--2019-10-11--Canada's Decision To Make Public More Clinical Trial Data Puts Pressure On FDA | 2019-10-11T00:00:00 | npr | Canada's Decision To Make Public More Clinical Trial Data Puts Pressure On FDA | Canada's Decision To Make Public More Clinical Trial Data Puts Pressure On FDA Last March, Canada's department of health changed the way it handles the huge amount of data that companies submit when seeking approval for a new drug, biological treatment, or medical device — or a new use for an existing one. For the first time, Health Canada is making large chunks of this information publicly available after it approves or rejects applications. Within 120 days of a decision, Health Canada will post clinical study reports on a new government online portal, starting with drugs that contain novel active ingredients and adding devices and other drugs over a four-year phase-in period. These company-generated documents, often running more than 1,000 pages, summarize the methods, goals, and results of clinical trials, which test the safety and efficacy of promising medical interventions. The reports play an important role in helping regulators make their decisions, along with other information, such as raw data about individual patients in clinical trials. So far, Health Canada has posted reports for four newly approved drugs — one to treat plaque psoriasis in adults, two to treat two different types of skin cancer, and the fourth for advanced hormone-related breast cancer — and is preparing to release reports for another 13 drugs and three medical devices approved or rejected since March. Canada's move follows a similar policy enacted four years ago by the European Medicines Agency of the European Union. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, on the other hand, continues to treat this information as confidential to companies and rarely makes it public. The argument for more transparency Transparency advocates say clinical study reports need to be made public in order to understand how regulators make decisions and to independently assess the safety and efficacy of a drug or device. They also say the reports provide medical societies with more thorough data to establish guidelines for a treatment's use, and to determine whether articles about clinical trials published in medical journals — a key source of information for clinicians and medical societies — are accurate. "Sometimes regulators miss things that have been hidden in those clinical study reports," says Matthew Herder, director of the Health Law Institute at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. "Regulators often face resource constraints, they have deadlines, other priorities." Last year, for example, Canadian researchers used a clinical study report and other previously non-public information from a clinical trial to call into question the efficacy of Diclectin (known as Diclegis in the United States), a commonly prescribed drug to treat nausea and vomiting in pregnancy. The team had requested the information from Health Canada under an older policy, which required researchers to sign a confidentiality agreement and keep the underlying data secret when they published their results. (It "had a chilling effect," Herder says of the now-discontinued policy, and not many researchers made requests.) Duchesnay, the Quebec-based manufacturer of Diclectin, defended the drug, and the Canadian and American professional societies of obstetricians and gynecologists continue to recommend it. Yet the new analysis gave pause to the College of Family Physicians of Canada, which had previously published two articles recommending Diclectin's use in its medical journal, Canadian Family Physician. The organization took the unusual step in January of publishing a correction, which criticized the independence and accuracy of the two earlier articles. And, citing the new research, it advised physicians to use caution when interpreting recommendations for the drug's use. Herder and other lawyers and independent researchers who want to see greater transparency in medical research are urging the FDA to follow the example of Canada and the E.U., but without success thus far. To date, the European program, which has been in effect since 2016, has posted clinical study reports for 132 medicinal products whose applications were submitted after January 2015. Canadian and European regulators lead the way It is important to have multiple regulators making the data public, says Peter Doshi, an associate editor at the BMJ, an international medical journal, and an associate professor of pharmaceutical health services research at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy. As it stands now, "If FDA approves first, which often it does, we won't know anything until Health Canada or the EMA makes a decision," says Doshi. "And not every drug, device, biologic out there is going to be approved by these other regulators or even submitted to these other markets." In addition, redundancy lessens the impact if one regulator changes policy. The EMA, for example, earlier this year moved its operations from London to Amsterdam because of Britain's anticipated exit from the European Union. Clinical data publication "was one of the activities suspended until we are more settled in Amsterdam," says Anne-Sophie Henry-Eude, head of documents access and clinical data publication. No date has yet been announced for its resumption. Sandy Walsh, a spokesperson for the FDA, says the agency does not have the same freedom as Canadian and European regulators to release clinical study reports. "U.S. laws on disclosure of trade secret, confidential commercial information, and personal privacy information differ from those governing EMA and Health Canada's disclosure of clinical study reports," she wrote in an email. Some legal experts argue the FDA has more flexibility than it acknowledges. Federal agencies are "entitled to substantial deference" in determining "what constitutes confidential commercial information," Amy Kapczynski, a Yale law professor and a co-director of the university's Collaboration for Research Integrity and Transparency, in The Journal of Law, Medicine & Ethics. In response to an interview request sent to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, Megan Van Etten, the trade group's senior director for public affairs, emailed a statement expressing concern from the industry that Health Canada's new regulations "could discourage investment in biomedical research by revealing confidential commercial information." Joseph Ross, an associate professor of medicine and public health at Yale University and a co-director, along with Kapczynski and others, of CRIT, maintains that clinical study reports contain little information that companies need to keep secret, and that any such information could be redacted before release. A 2015 report by the Institute of Medicine, now known as the National Academy of Medicine, also called for the FDA to release redacted clinical study reports. That is the strategy of Health Canada, which discusses possible redactions with the manufacturer. "Health Canada retains the final decision on what information is redacted and published," Geoffroy Legault-Thivierge, a spokesperson, wrote in an email. So does the EMA, which goes through a similar negotiating process with manufacturers. "We often are in disagreement but at least there is a dialogue," says Henry-Eude. The EMA might agree to redact manufacturing details, for example. Researchers who independently re-evaluate drugs say the reports are critical because the data they need is not readily available in medical journal articles. One analysis showed that only about half of clinical trials examined were written up in journals in a timely fashion and a third went unpublished. And when articles are published, they contain much less data than the reports, says Tom Jefferson, an epidemiologist based in Rome who works with Cochrane, an international collaboration of researchers who conduct and publish reviews of the scientific evidence for medical treatments. In addition, "journal articles emphasize benefits and underplay or, in some cases, even ignore harms" that can be found in the clinical study report data, says Jefferson. An analysis by experts at the Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care in Cologne, Germany, found "considerable" bias in how patient outcomes were reported in journal articles and other publicly available sources. Public access to clinical study reports can shine a light on such discrepancies. The FDA has flirted in the past with releasing clinical study reports to the public. In January 2018, it launched a pilot program to post portions of reports for up to nine recently approved drugs if the drug companies would agree. "We're committed to enhancing transparency about the work we do at the FDA," commissioner Scott Gottlieb, who resigned in March, said at the time. But only Janssen Biotech, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, volunteered, and its prostate cancer drug Erleada is the lone entry. In June, the FDA announced it is considering shifting its focus from the pilot program to another designed to better communicate the analyses of FDA experts who review drug applications, which the agency has been making public for approved medicinal products since 2012. But these analyses by FDA reviewers are no substitute for the actual clinical study reports, says Doshi. The reviews reflect "an FDA scientist's take on the sponsor's application," he said. "Without the clinical study report, somebody like me is largely deprived of looking at the underlying data and developing my own take." Independent researchers like those who took a hard look at Diclectin also want access to clinical study reports connected to regulatory decisions made before the European and Canadian portals were opened. Since 2010, the EMA has been providing researchers and others with access to clinical study reports for such legacy drugs upon request, while Health Canada is even more transparent, posting requested clinical study reports for drugs and devices approved or rejected before March to its new online portal for anyone to see. So far, 12 information packages are available for older drugs and devices and 11 more requests are being processed. The FDA has, on occasion, provided reports in response to a Freedom of Information Act request, but researchers seeking this information typically invest "a tremendous amount of time and effort," says Ross. For example, a Yale Law School clinic sued the FDA on behalf of two public health advocacy groups after the agency said it could take years to respond to their FOIA request for clinical trial data for two hepatitis C drugs. In 2017, it won the case and the groups received the data, which they are currently evaluating. The FDA does not keep track of how many clinical study reports it has released through FOIA, says Walsh. But Doshi and others say such releases are rare, and usually a result of lawsuits or the threat of legal action. In 2011, Doshi requested clinical study reports for Tamiflu, an antiviral medication used to treat the flu. "Eight years later, I think those requests are still alive," he says now. "I don't remember getting a denial. They just sit." Outside researchers can appeal to companies directly for access to clinical study reports. At least 24 of PhRMA's 35-member companies have signed on to its six-year-old principles for "responsible clinical trial data sharing," committing to the release of synopses of clinical study reports for approved medicines and to considering requests for data and the full reports from "qualified" medical and scientific researchers who submit research proposals. But researchers are concerned they won't be granted access if companies are not comfortable or sympathetic to their proposals, says Herder. And the companies control the amount of redaction. The British-based pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has gone further than most in providing public access to its data. In 2013, the company began posting clinical study reports through its own online portal, Clinical Study Register, which is open to the public. "We have published over 2,500 clinical study reports and nearly 6,000 summaries of results — both positive and negative — from our trials on Clinical Study Register," Andrew Freeman, director and head of medical policy, said in an emailed statement. "GSK is leading the industry in transparency." Even so, GSK controls the level of redaction, says Jefferson of Cochrane, who tried to use clinical study reports posted on the company's portal for a systematic review of HPV vaccines. "Important aspects, for instance the narratives of serious adverse events — those are all blocked out. Big black boxes," he says. "So they are of moderate use." Meanwhile, many researchers do not realize that Health Canada and the EMA are making clinical study reports available. An online survey of 160 researchers around the world who conduct systematic reviews found that 133 "had never considered accessing regulatory data" and 117 of those 133 "were not aware (or were unsure) of where to access such material." They continue to rely on the limited data in journal articles and other published literature, says Herder of Dalhousie University. "Transparency is wonderful in theory but unless people actually do the work of getting data and independently analyzing it, transparency is window dressing," he says. Barbara Mantel is a New York-based reporter who writes about health care and other social issues. This story was produced by Undark, a nonprofit, editorially independent digital magazine exploring the intersection of science and society. | Barbara Mantel | https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/10/11/769348119/canadas-decision-to-make-public-more-clinical-trial-data-puts-pressure-on-fda?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=news | Fri, 11 Oct 2019 14:18:00 -0400 | 1,570,817,880 | 1,570,832,979 | science and technology | scientific standards |
461,602 | renegadetribune--2019-09-20--Chamomile Proven to Fight Anxiety and Clinical Depression | 2019-09-20T00:00:00 | renegadetribune | Chamomile Proven to Fight Anxiety and Clinical Depression | Recent clinical and laboratory research has determined that chamomile is not only relaxing, but it can significantly decrease anxiety and even fight depression. The most recent study, from the UK’s University of Nottingham Medical School, found that chamomile significantly relaxed blood vessels and smooth muscle fibers. This effect was indicated specifically with the application of three of chamomile’s central constituents, apigenin, luteolin and bisabolol – all hydroxylates. This effect of chamomile to soothe and calm the system was also showed in a recent study from the Eulji University Hospital in South Korea. Here 56 patients undergoing coronary treatment and surgery were given aromatherapy with a combination of lavender, chamomile and neroli. A control group was given only nursing care. The researchers found that the aromatherapy group had significantly lower anxiety and improved sleep compared to the control group. The fact that chamomile is an anti-anxiety and anti-depression herb was cemented by a clinical study at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. This study was done in 2009, but its data and findings were re-investigated and confirmed last year. The researchers enlisted 19 people diagnosed with anxiety with comorbid depression, along with 16 people who were diagnosed as having a history of anxiety and depression. These groups were studied along with a control group of 22 people who had no anxiety or depression – past or present. The study was randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled. The researchers gave the subjects either 220 milligrams of chamomile extract (standardized to 1.2% apigenin) or a placebo study, both in capsules. The treatment period spanned eight weeks. During the first week the subjects were given one capsule a day, and for those receiving less benefit on their anxiety scores, this was increased to two capsules the second week, three capsules the third week, four the fourth week and five for the remainder of the eight weeks. The primary means for judging the success of the treatment was the Hamilton Anxiety Rating (HAM-A) scoring system – which utilizes questionnaires to determine ones level of anxiety. The researchers also used the Beck Anxiety Inventory system and the Psychological Well Being system, as well as the Clinical Global Impression Severity system to confirm their findings. The researchers found that 57% of the group using the chamomile extract had significantly reduced (greater than 50%) anxiety scores using the HAM-A system. Three years later, the University of Pennsylvania researchers undertook another review of the data in this study to determine whether or not treatment with chamomile for the clinically anxious and clinically depressed could be considered “clinically meaningful.” This of course enables medical peers to gauge whether or not chamomile could be used as a prescriptive treatment for diagnosed patients. After reviewing the study and research data in depth, the researchers concluded that the results were “clinically meaningful” and they pointed out that, This of course means that the improvement in their HAM-D scores – taken only over an eight-week period – short for an herbal therapy – continued to increase over the period of the trial. The study not only confirms chamomile’s usefulness for anxiety and depression, but that its effects can increase over a longer duration. Traditional herbalists will typically recommend the use of anti-anxiety herbs such as chamomile, lavender, St. John’s wort and others over a period of three months to a year in order for them to reach their full effectiveness. After that, they are often recommended to be continued at least periodically or as needed. The good news about chamomile, as evidenced by this and other studies, is that it has no known adverse side effects and is non-addictive. This is in stark contrast to anti-depressant pharmaceuticals, some of which are known for being significantly addictive in addition to having numerous other adverse effects. Roberts RE, Allen S, Chang AP, Henderson H, Hobson GC, Karania B, Morgan KN, Pek AS, Raghvani K, Shee CY, Shikotra J, Street E, Abbas Z, Ellis K, Heer JK, Alexander SP. Distinct mechanisms of relaxation to bioactive components from chamomile species in porcine isolated blood vessels. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2013 Jul 8. Cho MY, Min ES, Hur MH, Lee MS. Effects of aromatherapy on the anxiety, vital signs, and sleep quality of percutaneous coronary intervention patients in intensive care units. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2013;2013:381381. Amsterdam JD, Shults J, Soeller I, Mao JJ, Rockwell K, Newberg AB. Chamomile (Matricaria recutita) may provide antidepressant activity in anxious, depressed humans: an exploratory study. Altern Ther Health Med. 2012 Sep-Oct;18(5):44-9. | renegade | http://www.renegadetribune.com/chamomile-proven-to-fight-anxiety-and-clinical-depression/ | 2019-09-20 20:24:37+00:00 | 1,569,025,477 | 1,569,590,606 | science and technology | scientific standards |
460,808 | renegadetribune--2019-03-28--Pennies Worth of Magnesium Daily Puts Antidepressant Drugs to Shame in Clinical Trial | 2019-03-28T00:00:00 | renegadetribune | Pennies’ Worth of Magnesium Daily Puts Antidepressant Drugs to Shame in Clinical Trial | A powerful clinical study shows that pennies worth of magnesium a day provides an effective, safe, affordable alternative to dangerous and relatively ineffective pharmaceutical antidepressants. Depression is one of the most widely diagnosed conditions of our time, with over 3 million cases in the U.S. every year, and 350 million believed affected worldwide.1 Conventional medicine considers antidepressant drugs first-line treatments, including the newly approved injected postpartum drug costing $34,000 a treatment, to the tune of a 16 billion dollars in global sales by 2023. Despite their widespread use, these drugs are fraught with a battery of serious side effects, including suicidal ideation and completion — the last two things you would hope to see in a condition that already has suicidality as a co-morbidity. For this reason alone, natural, safe, and effective alternatives are needed more than ever before. While research into natural alternatives for depression is growing daily — GreenMedInfo.com’s Depression database contains 647 studies on over 100 natural substances that have been studied to prevent or treat depression — it is rare to find quality human clinical research on the topic published in well-respected journals. That’s why a powerful study published in PLOS One titled, “Role of magnesium supplementation in the treatment of depression: A randomized clinical trial,” is so promising. Not only is magnesium safe, affordable, and easily accessible, but according to this recent study, effective in treating mild-to moderate symptoms of depression. While previous studies have looked at the association between magnesium and depression,2-7 this is the first placebo-controlled clinical study to evaluate whether the use of over-the-counter magnesium chloride (248 mg elemental magnesium a day for 6 weeks) improves symptoms of depression. The study design was a follows: An open-label, blocked, randomized, cross-over trial was carried out in outpatient primary care clinics on 126 adults (mean age 52; 38% male) diagnosed with and currently experiencing mild-to-moderate symptoms with Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scores of 5–19. The intervention was 6 weeks of active treatment (248 mg of elemental magnesium per day) compared to 6 weeks of control (no treatment). Assessments of depression symptoms were completed at bi-weekly phone calls. The primary outcome was the net difference in the change in depression symptoms from baseline to the end of each treatment period. Secondary outcomes included changes in anxiety symptoms as well as adherence to the supplement regimen, appearance of adverse effects, and intention to use magnesium supplements in the future. Between June 2015 and May 2016, 112 participants provided analyzable data.” The study results were as follows: For perspective, conventional antidepressant drugs are considering to generate an “adequate or complete treatment response” with a PHQ-9 score “decrease of 5 points or more from baseline.” At this level of efficacy, their recommended action is: “Do not change treatment; conduct periodic follow-up.” The magnesium’s score of -6.0 therefore represents the height of success within conventional expectations for a complete response, which is sometimes termed “remission.” In contradistinction, conventional antidepressant drugs result in nearly half of patients discontinuing treatment during the first month, usually due to their powerful and sometimes debilitating side effects.8 Magnesium is a central player in your body’s energy production, as its found within 300 enzymes in the human body, including within the biologically active form of ATP known as MG-ATP. In fact, there have been over 3,751 magnesium binding sites identified within human proteins, indicating that it’s central nutritional importance has been greatly underappreciated. Research relevant to magnesium has been accumulating for the past 40 years at a steady rate of approximately 2,000 new studies a year. Our database project has indexed well over 100 health benefits of magnesium thus far. For the sake of brevity, we will address seven key therapeutic applications for magnesium as follows: It is quite amazing to consider the afformentioned side benefits of magnesium consumption or supplementation within the context of the well-known side effects of pharmaceutical approaches to symptom management of disease. On average, conventional drugs have 75 side effects associated with their use, including lethal ones (albeit sometimes rare). When considering magnesium’s many side benefits and extremely low toxicity, clearly this fundamental mineral intervention (and dietary requirement) puts pharmaceutical approaches to depression to shame. The best source of magnesium is from food, and one way to identify magnesium-containing foods are those which are green, i.e. chlorophyll rich. Chlorophyll, which enable plants to capture solar energy and convert it into metabolic energy, has a magnesium atom at its center. Without magnesium, in fact, plants could not utilize the sun’s light energy. Magnesium, however, in its elemental form is colorless, and many foods that are not green contain it as well. The point is that when found complexed with food cofactors, it is absorbed and utilized more efficiently than in its elemental form, say, extracted from limestone in the form of magnesium oxide. The following foods contain exceptionally high amounts of magnesium. The portions described are 100 grams, or a little over three ounces. Fortunately, for those who need higher doses, or are not inclined to consume magnesium rich foods, there are supplemental forms commonly available on the market. Keep in mind, for those who wish to take advantage of the side benefit of magnesium therapy, namely, its stool softening and laxative properties, magnesium citrate or oxide will provide this additional feature. For those looking to maximize absorption and bioavailability magnesium glycinate is ideal, as glycine is the smallest amino acid commonly found chelated to magnesium, and therefore highly absorbable. 1) World Health Organization. Depression fact sheet no. 369 2012 [cited 2016 December 20]. Available from: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs369/en/. 2) Jacka FN, Overland S, Stewart R, Tell GS, Bjelland I, Mykletun A. Association between magnesium intake and depression and anxiety in community-dwelling adults: the Hordaland Health Study. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2009;43(1):45–52. Pmid:19085527. 3) Huang JH, Lu YF, Cheng FC, Lee JN, Tsai LC. Correlation of magnesium intake with metabolic parameters, depression and physical activity in elderly type 2 diabetes patients: a cross-sectional study. Nutrition J. 2012;11(1):41. pmid:22695027; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3439347. 4) Tarleton EK, Littenberg B. Magnesium intake and depression in adults. J Am Board Fam Med. 2015;28(2):249–56. Pmid:25748766 5) Yary T, Lehto SM, Tolmunen T, Tuomainen T-P, Kauhanen J, Voutilainen S, et al. Dietary magnesium intake and the incidence of depression: a 20-year follow-up study. J Affect Disord. 2016;193:94–8. Pmid:26771950 8) Damiano Piovesan, Giuseppe Profiti, Pier Luigi Martelli, Rita Casadio. 3,751 magnesium binding sites have been detected on human proteins. BMC Bioinformatics. 2012 ;13 Suppl 14:S10. Epub 2012 Sep 7. PMID: 23095498 9) G Moorkens, B Manuel y Keenoy, J Vertommen, S Meludu, M Noe, I De Leeuw. Magnesium deficit in a sample of the Belgian population presenting with chronic fatigue. Magnes Res. 1997 Dec;10(4):329-37. PMID: 9513929 13) Phuong-Chi T Pham, Phuong-Mai T Pham, Son V Pham, Jeffrey M Miller, Phuong-Thu T Pham . Hypomagnesemia in patients with type 2 diabetes. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2007 Mar;2(2):366-73. Epub 2007 Jan 3. PMID: 17699436 14) M de Lordes Lima, T Cruz, J C Pousada, L E Rodrigues, K Barbosa, V Canguçu. The effect of magnesium supplementation in increasing doses on the control of type 2 diabetes. Diabetes Care. 1998 May;21(5):682-6. PMID: 9589224 15) Y Song, K He, E B Levitan, J E Manson, S Liu. Effects of oral magnesium supplementation on glycaemic control in Type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis of randomized double-blind controlled trials. Cardiovasc Toxicol. 2008;8(3):115-25. Epub 2008 Jul 8. PMID: 16978367 19) S Quaranta, M A Buscaglia, M G Meroni, E Colombo, S Cella. Pilot study of the efficacy and safety of a modified-release magnesium 250 mg tablet (Sincromag) for the treatment of premenstrual syndrome. Am J Gastroenterol. 2008 Dec;103(12):2972-6. PMID: 17177579 20) M C De Souza, A F Walker, P A Robinson, K Bolland. A synergistic effect of a daily supplement for 1 month of 200 mg magnesium plus 50 mg vitamin B6 for the relief of anxiety-related premenstrual symptoms: a randomized, double-blind, crossover study. J Womens Health Gend Based Med. 2000 Mar;9(2):131-9. PMID: 10746516 22) Andrea Rosanoff, Mildred S Seelig. Comparison of mechanism and functional effects of magnesium and statin pharmaceuticals. J Am Coll Nutr. 2004 Oct;23(5):501S-505S. PMID: 15466951 25) Joen R Sheu, George Hsiao, Ming Y Shen, Yen M Lee, Mao H Yen . Antithrombotic effects of magnesium sulfate in in vivo experiments. Int J Hematol. 2003 May;77(4):414-9. PMID: 12774935 26) Afshin Samaie, Nabiollah Asghari, Raheb Ghorbani, Jafar Arda. Blood Magnesium levels in migraineurs within and between the headache attacks: a case control study. Pan Afr Med J. 2012 ;11:46. Epub 2012 Mar 15. PMID: 22593782 28) Alexander Mauskop, Jasmine Varughese. Why all migraine patients should be treated with magnesium. J Neural Transm. 2012 May ;119(5):575-9. Epub 2012 Mar 18. PMID: 22426836 30) Ali Tarighat Esfanjani, Reza Mahdavi, Mehrangiz Ebrahimi Mameghani, Mahnaz Talebi, Zeinab Nikniaz, Abdolrasool Safaiyan. The effects of magnesium, L-carnitine, and concurrent magnesium-L-carnitine supplementation in migraine prophylaxis. Biol Trace Elem Res. 2012 Dec ;150(1-3):42-8. Epub 2012 Aug 17. PMID: 22895810 31) David W Killilea, Jeanette A M Maier. A connection between magnesium deficiency and aging: new insights from cellular studies. Magnes Res. 2008 Jun;21(2):77-82. PMID: 18705534 32) GreenMedInfo.com, What We Learned From The Accelerated Aging of Astronauts 33) Katja Held, I A Antonijevic, H Künzel, M Uhr, T C Wetter, I C Golly, A Steiger, H Murck. Oral Mg(2+) supplementation reverses age-related neuroendocrine and sleep EEG changes in humans. Pharmacopsychiatry. 2002 Jul;35(4):135-43. PMID: 12163983 © 2019 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter. Here is the original article. | renegade | http://www.renegadetribune.com/pennies-worth-of-magnesium-daily-puts-antidepressant-drugs-to-shame-in-clinical-trial/ | 2019-03-28 22:26:40+00:00 | 1,553,826,400 | 1,567,544,854 | science and technology | scientific standards |
460,600 | renegadetribune--2019-02-12--Magnesium The Safe First Line of Defense for Clinical Depression | 2019-02-12T00:00:00 | renegadetribune | Magnesium: The Safe First Line of Defense for Clinical Depression | The science supporting the efficacy of magnesium for major depression and other psychiatric disorders, testing for magnesium deficiency, and which forms and dosages are most effective. Depression, a life-threatening psychiatric disorder, lies at the confluence of biochemical, hormonal, immunological, and neurodegenerative variables, which intersect to generate the pro-inflammatory state with which depression is associated. A major public health issue, depression is estimated to become one of the top three contributors to the global burden of diseases within a few years. Not only does depression consume a sizable portion of health care expenditures, but it is considered to be an independent risk factor for metabolic, cardiovascular, and neuropsychiatric disorders (1). Current treatments are predicated upon a misguided serotonin theory of depression, and are accompanied by a laundry list of deleterious side effects ranging from sexual dysfunction to homicidality (2, 3, 4). Antidepressant medications likewise significantly increase the risk of all-cause mortality, or death from any cause, as well as heart disease, leading researchers to deem this class of pharmaceuticals as harmful to the general population (5). This, in combination with data indicating that antidepressants are clinically equivalent to placebo, render them an unfavorable option (6), especially considering that they offer little in the way of resolving the root cause. Rather than resorting to psychotropic drugs, it would be prudent to explore whether magnesium (Mg) supplementation improves depression, since this essential mineral is implicated in the pathophysiology of this disorder. Magnesium may be indeed branded as miraculous given its essentiality as a cofactor to over three hundred enzymatic reactions (7). It is second only to potassium in terms of the predominant intracellular cations, or ions residing in cells that harbor a positive charge (7). Magnesium is fundamentally involved in protein production, synthesis of nucleic acids, cell growth and division, and maintenance of the delicate electrolyte composition of our cells (7). It also imparts stability to the membranes of the energy factories of our cells called mitochondria (7). As articulated by researchers, “The physiological consequences of these biochemical activities include Mg’s central roles in the control of neuronal activity, cardiac excitability, neuromuscular transmission, muscular contraction, vasomotor tone, and blood pressure” (7). The biological effects of magnesium are widespread. When deficient, magnesium is correlated with systemic inflammation. Not only does magnesium sufficiency promote cardiovascular health, relaxing the smooth muscles that comprise blood vessels and preventing high levels of vascular resistance that cause hypertension, but it also plays a role in musculoskeletal health and prevents sarcopenia, osteoporosis, and fractures (8). Magnesium is essential to regulation of sleep (9) and vitamin D metabolism (10) as well as neural plasticity and cognitive function. However, food processing and industrial agriculture, including monoculture crop practices and the use of magnesium-devoid fertilizers, have led to soil erosion and depletion of magnesium content in our food (7). Magnesium is likewise removed from most drinking water supplies, rendering magnesium deficiency an inevitability (11). As such, our daily intake of magnesium has steadily declined from 500 milligrams (mg) per day to 175 mg per day (7). The nutrient-poor, energy-dense dietary patterns which have come to dominate the industrialized landscape are also insufficient in the fiber-rich fruits and vegetables which contain magnesium. Preliminary animal studies pointed to a role of magnesium in depression, as depletion of magnesium in the diet of mice lead to enhanced depression- and anxiety-related behavior such as increased immobility time in the forced swim test (12). In the forced swim test, a common assay for examining depression-like behavior in rodents, the animal is confined to a container filled with water and observed as it attempts to escape. The time in which the animal exhibits immobility is used as a barometer of despair, indicating that the animal has succumbed to a fate of drowning (1). This model is confirmed by studies showing that administering substances with antidepressant properties such as Hypericum perforatum, also known as St. John’s Wort, can significantly decrease the time the animal spends without locomotor activity (12). In addition, the time the animal spends immobilized is influenced by many of the factors that are changed as a consequence of depression in humans, such as drug-withdrawal-induced anhedonia, impaired sleep, and altered food consumption (1). Human Studies Confirm the Role of Magnesium in Depression There is a paucity of research on the influence of specific micronutrients in depression and results are inconsistent, but several studies have revealed low serum magnesium in this mood disorder. It is well-documented, for example, that dietary magnesium deficiency in conjunction with stress can lead to neuropathologies and symptoms of psychiatric disorders. Researchers echo this sentiment, stating that, “Dietary deficiencies of magnesium, coupled with excess calcium and stress may cause many cases of other related symptoms including agitation, anxiety, irritability, confusion, asthenia, sleeplessness, headache, delirium, hallucinations and hyperexcitability” (11, p. 362). The Hordaland Health study in Western Norway illustrated an inverse association between standardized energy-adjusted magnesium intake and depression scores, meaning that people who consumed less magnesium had higher rates of depression (13). When the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of acutely depressed patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder or bipolar patients in a depressive episode were compared to healthy controls, the calcium to magnesium ratio was found to be elevated in the former (14). Calcium and magnesium are minerals which antagonize one another and compete for absorption, since each of these minerals is a divalent cation (a positive ion with a valence of two). Suicidality, one of the primary manifestations of severe depression, is accompanied by low cerebrospinal fluid levels of magnesium despite normal calcium levels, lending credence to the role of magnesium in positive emotionality (15). A formulation of magnesium aspartate hydrochloride known as Magnesiocard has been shown to invoke mood-stabilizing effects in patients with severe rapid cycling bipolar disorder in one open study label (16). In half of the patients treated, this magnesium preparation had results equivalent to lithium, the standard of care for this patient population, such that the researchers suggested: “The possibility that Magnesiocard could replace or improve the efficacy of lithium as a preventive treatment of manic-depressive illness merits further clinical investigation” (16, p. 171). When used as an adjunctive therapy in severe, therapy-resistant mania, magnesium sulphate infusions significantly reduced the use of lithium, benzodiazepines and neuroleptics, so much so that the researchers concluded that it “may be a useful supplementary therapy for the clinical management of severe manic agitation” (17, p. 239). In another randomized trial of elderly patients with type 2 diabetes and magnesium deficiency, elemental magnesium administered at 450 mg per day was found to have equivalent efficacy to 50 mg of the antidepressant drug Imipramine in treating depressive symptoms (18). Magnesium citrate taken at 300 mg per day has likewise been shown to decrease depression and other symptoms in patients with fibromyalgia as indicated by significant decreases in the fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ) and Beck depression scores (19). Data also indicate that supplementation with 360 mg of magnesium administered to women with premenstrual syndrome (PMS) three times a day in the second half of the cycle is effective for so-called negative affect and other premenstrual-related mood symptoms (20). Lastly, intramuscular magnesium sulphate administered every week for six weeks has been proven to be effective in improving emotional state and other parameters in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) (21). Mechanism of Action for Antidepressant Effects of Magnesium According to researchers, “Biological systems discussed to be involved in the pathophysiology of affective disorders and the action of mood stabilizing drugs are affected by Mg, such as the activity of the hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenocortical (HPA) system, corticotropin releasing factor (CRF)-, GABA- and glutamatergic (via NMDA receptors) neurotransmission and several transduction pathways including protein kinase C” (12). Not only that, but magnesium elicits similar effects on nocturnal hormonal secretion and sleep brain waves to lithium salts, which are used as a treatment modality for bipolar disorder, supporting the role of magnesium as a mood stabilizer (22). Magnesium operates as an agonist, or a stimulatory molecule, for γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors (22). GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. By binding to the GABA receptor and replicating the effects of GABA, magnesium may alleviate anxiety. Magnesium may also elicit its antidepressant effects by acting as an inorganic antagonist of N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptor function (Poleszak et al., 2007). Receptor antagonists are ligands, or substances, which bind to a receptor but inhibit its activity rather than activating it. NMDA receptors, which occur on the surface of nerve cells, are activated in part by glutamate, one of the excitatory amino acids in the brain. Researchers state that, “Dysfunction of NMDA receptors seems to play a crucial role in the neurobiology of disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, ischemic stroke, anxiety and depression,” such that, “ligands interacting with different sites of NMDA receptor complex are widely investigated as potential agents for the treatment of a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders” (22). In fact, drug inhibitors at the NMDA receptor complex, such as ketamine, demonstrate antidepressant effects (23, 24), but also induce such severe side effects that their clinical utility is limited (31). Magnesium, on the other hand, may have a similar mechanism of action by interfering with NMDA receptor activation without the adverse consequences of drug-induced NMDA receptor blockade (25). A recent open-label, randomized, cross-over trial was conducted in outpatient primary care clinics on 126 adults diagnosed with depression (26). During the intervention, 248 mg of elemental magnesium chloride per day, obtained from four 500 mg tablets, was administered for six weeks and compared to six weeks of no treatment, and subjects were evaluated for changes in depressive symptoms (26). Magnesium administration results in clinically significant improvements in scores on both the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), a validated measure of the severity of depression and response to treatment, as well as the Generalized Anxiety Disorders-7 (GAD-7), a sensitive self-reported screening tool for severity of anxiety disorders (26). Impressively, results appeared in as little as two weeks, representing the dramatic improvement that nutrient restoration can facilitate (26). Impressively, however, magnesium exerted anti-depressant effects regardless of baseline magnesium level. It also exhibited efficacy independent of the gender, age, or baseline severity of depression of subjects, as well as their use of antidepressant medications (26). The authors of the study conclude, “Magnesium is effective for mild-to-moderate depression in adults. It works quickly and is well tolerated without the need for close monitoring for toxicity” (26). Half of the population of the United States was found to consume less than the recommended amount of magnesium when estimated a decade ago (27). Not only is magnesium lost with certain medical conditions, but this mineral is excreted as a consequence of biological activities such as sweating, urinating, and defecating as well as excess production of stress hormones (7, 11). In addition, because low magnesium has been correlated with various disease states, increasing magnesium status may mitigate risk of these diseases. For instance, researchers note that, “Low magnesium intakes and blood levels have been associated with type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, elevated C-reactive protein, hypertension, atherosclerotic vascular disease, sudden cardiac death, osteoporosis, migraine headache, asthma, and colon cancer” (27, p. 153). In addition, magnesium deficiency at a cellular level “elicits calcium-activated inflammatory cascades independent of injury or pathogens” (27, p. 153). Low magnesium is associated with systemic inflammation, and inflammation is at the root of most chronic and degenerative diseases. Testing for Magnesium and Food Sources of Magnesium While the first inclination of some physicians may be to test magnesium levels for an objective parameter of deficiency, the widely used serum or plasma magnesium does not accurately reflect magnesium levels stored in other tissues (28, 29). In addition, both this hematological index of magnesium status, referred to as total magnesium, and the erythrocyte magnesium level, indicative of the levels of magnesium inside red blood cells, are not negatively affected until severe magnesium deprivation has occurred (7). Therefore, these testing methodologies are not accurate enough to catch preliminary or subclinical magnesium deficiency. Good food sources of magnesium include pumpkin and squash seed kernels, Brazil nuts, almonds, cashews, peanuts, pine nuts, quinoa, spinach, Swiss chard, beet greens, potatoes, artichoke hearts, dates, bananas, coconut milk, prickly pear, black beans, lima beans, soybeans, and seafood sources including halibut, abalone, anchovy, caviar, conch, crab, oyster, scallop, snail, and pollock. However, it is important to note that magnesium can be leeched from vegetables when food is boiled, and that fiber in excess can decrease magnesium absorption by increasing gastrointestinal motility (7). As elucidated by the researchers, “Over-the-counter magnesium can be offered as an alternative therapy to those patients hesitant to begin antidepressant treatment and is easily accessible without a prescription” (26). Because the soil is no longer enriched in magnesium, supplementation may be warranted. Organic salts of magnesium, including the acetate, ascorbate, aspartate, bicitrate, gluconate, and lactate forms are more soluble and biologically active over the magnesium mineral salts such as magnesium oxide, magnesium carbonate, magnesium chloride, and magnesium sulfate (7). However, case studies have shown remarkably rapid recovery from major depression, in less than seven days, when magnesium glycinate and magnesium taurinate are administered at dosages of 125 to 300 mg with each meal and at bedtime (11). Magnesium threonate may also be explored as a therapeutic option, as it may have better penetrance of the blood brain barrier and restore neurological levels of magnesium. This form, which is delivered directly to the brain, may improve cerebral signaling pathways and synaptic connections between nerve cells as well as support learning and memory, although the studies have been conducted in animal models (30). Researchers report that magnesium is usually effective for treating depression in general use, and that comorbid conditions occurring in these case studies, including “traumatic brain injury, headache, suicidal ideation, anxiety, irritability, insomnia, postpartum depression, cocaine, alcohol and tobacco abuse, hypersensitivity to calcium, short-term memory loss and IQ loss were also benefited” by magnesium supplementation (11, p. 362). Barring abnormal kidney function, the Institute of Medicine sets the upper tolerable limit for intake at 350 mg of elemental magnesium per day, but there are few adverse side effects documented unless consumed in inordinate doses (26). Before changing your medication or nutraceutical regimen, always consult a functional or integrative medical doctor for contraindications. However, given the benign nature of magnesium supplementation and the ubiquity of magnesium insufficiency, depressedpatients should be offered this as a first line strategy alongside a holistic root-cause resolution approach to treating depression (26). For additional research on magnesium, visit our database on the subject. 1. Yankelevitch-Yahav, R. et al. (2015). The Forced Swim Test as a Model of Depressive-like Behavior. Journal of Visualized Experiments, 97, 52587. 2. Srilakshmi, P., & Versi, L. (2012). Review of sexual dysfunction due to selective serotonin repute inhibitors. AP Journal of Psychological Medicine, 13(1), 28-31. 3. Dording, C.M. et al. (2002). The pharmacologic management of SSRI-induced side effects: a survey of psychiatrists. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry, 14(3), 143-147. 4. Moore, T.J., Glenmullen, J., & Furberg, C.D. (2010). Prescription drugs associated with reports of violence towards others. PLoS One, 5, e15337. 5. Maslej, M.M. et al. (2017). The Mortality and Myocardial Effects of Antidepressants Are Moderated by Preexisting Cardiovascular Disease: A Meta-Analysis. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, 86, 268-282. 6. Antonuccio, D.O., Burns, D.D., & Danton, W.G. (2002). Antidepressants: A Triumph of Marketing Over Science? Prevention & Treatment, Volume 5(25). 7. Newhouse, I., & Finstad, E.W. (2000). The Effects of Magnesium Supplementation on Exercise Performance. Journal of Sports Medicine, 10(3), 195-200. 8. Welch, A.A., Skinner, J., & Hickson, M. (2017). Dietary Magnesium May Be Protective for Aging of Bone and Skeletal Muscle in Middle and Younger Older Age Men and Women: Cross-Sectional Findings from the UK Biobank Cohort. Nutrients, 9(11), E1189. doi: 10.3390/nu9111189. 9. Abbasi, B. et al. (2012). The effect of magnesium supplementation on primary insomnia in elderly: A double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trial. Journal of Research in Medical Science, 17(12), 1161-1169. 10. Mursu, J. et al. (2015). The association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 concentration and risk of disease death in men: modification by magnesium intake. European Journal of Epidemiology, 30(4), 343-347. doi: 10.1007/s10654-015-0006-9. 12. Singewald, N. et al. (2004). Magnesium-deficient diet alters depression- and anxiety-related behavior in mice–influence of desipramine and Hypericum perforatum extract. Neuropharmacology, 47(8), 1189-1197. 13. Jacka, F.N. et al. (2009). Association between magnesium intake and depression and anxiety in community-dwelling adults: the Hordaland Health Study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry, 43(1), 45-52. doi: 10.1080/00048670802534408. 14. Levine, J. et al. (1999). High serum and cerebrospinal fluid Ca/Mg ratio in recently hospitalized acutely depressed patients. Neuropsychobiology, 39(2), 63-70. 15. Banki, C.M. et al. (1995). Cerebrospinal fluid magnesium and calcium related to amine metabolites, diagnosis, and suicide attempts. Biological Psychiatry, 20, 163-171. 16. Chouinard, D. et al. (1990). A pilot study of magnesium aspartate hydrochloride (Magnesiocard) as a mood stabilizer for rapid cycling bipolar affective disorder patients. Progress in Neuro-Psychopharmacology, Biology, and Psychiatry, 14, 171-180. 17. Heiden, A. et al. (1999). Treatment of severe mania with intravenous magnesium sulphate as a supplementary therapy. Psychiatry Research, 3, 239-246. 18. Barragán-Rodríguez, L., Rodríguez-Morán, M., & Guerrero-Romero, F. (2008). Efficacy and safety of oral magnesium supplementation in the treatment of depression in the elderly with type 2 diabetes: a randomized, equivalent trial. Magnesium Research, 21(4), 218-223. 19. Bagis, S. et al. (2013). Is magnesium citrate treatment effective on pain, clinical parameters and functional status in patients with fibromyalgia? Rheumatology International, 33(1), 167-172. doi: 10.1007/s00296-011-2334-8. 20. Facchinetti, F. et al. (1991). Oral magnesium successfully relieves premenstrual mood changes. Obstetrics and Gynecology, 78(2), 177-181. 21. Cox, I.M. et al. (1991). Red blood cell magnesium and chronic fatigue syndrome. The Lancet, 337(8744), 757-760. 22. Held, K. et al. (2002). Oral Mg(2+) supplementation reverses age-related neuroendocrine and sleep EEG changes in humans. Pharmacopsychiatry, 35(4), 135-143. 23. Zarate, C.A. Jr. et al. (2006). A randomized trial of an N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonist in treatment-resistant major depression. Archives of General Psychiatry, 63, 856-864. 24. Berman, R.M. et al. (2000). Antidepressant effect of ketamine in depressed patients. Biological Psychiatry, 47, 351-354. 25. Poleszak, E. et al. (2007). NMDA/glutamate mechanism of antidepressant-like action of magnesium in forced swim test in mice. Elsevier Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 88(2). 26. Tarleton, E.K. et al. (2017). Role of magnesium supplementation in the treatment of depression: A randomized clinical trial. PLoS One, 12(6), e0180067. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180067. 27. Rosanoff, A., Weaver, C.M., & Rude, R.K. (2012). Suboptimal magnesium status in the United States: are the health consequences underestimated? Nutrition Reviews, 70(3), 153-164. doi: 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2011.00465.x. 28. Altura, B.T. et al. (1994). Characterization of a new ion selective electrode for ionized magnesium in whole blood, plasma, serum, and aqueous samples. Scandinavian Journal of Clinical Lab Investigations, 54(Suppl. 217), 21–36. 29. Weller, E. et al. (1998). Lack of effect of oral Mg-supplementation on Mg in serum, blood cells and calf muscle. Medical Science Sports Exercise, 30, 1584–1591. 30. Slutsky, I. et al. (2010). Enhancement of learning and memory by elevating brain magnesium. Neuron, 65(2), 165-177. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2009.12.026. 31. Willetts, J., Balster, R.L., & Leander, J.D. (1990). The behavioral pharmacology of NMDA receptor antagonists. Trends in Pharmacological Science, 11, 423-428. Ali Le Vere holds dual Bachelor of Science degrees in Human Biology and Psychology, minors in Health Promotion and in Bioethics, Humanities, and Society, and is a Master of Science in Human Nutrition and Functional Medicine candidate. Having contended with chronic illness, her mission is to educate the public about the transformative potential of therapeutic nutrition and to disseminate information on evidence-based, empirically rooted holistic healing modalities. Read more at @empoweredautoimmune on Instagram and at www.EmpoweredAutoimmune.com: Science-based natural remedies for autoimmune disease, dysautonomia, Lyme disease, and other chronic, inflammatory illnesses. © 2017 GreenMedInfo LLC. This work is reproduced and distributed with the permission of GreenMedInfo LLC. Want to learn more from GreenMedInfo? Sign up for the newsletter here http://www.greenmedinfo.com/greenmed/newsletter.” Original article. | renegade | http://www.renegadetribune.com/magnesium-the-safe-first-line-of-defense-for-clinical-depression/ | 2019-02-12 19:41:30+00:00 | 1,550,018,490 | 1,567,548,832 | science and technology | scientific standards |
505,100 | sottnet--2019-08-23--CRISPR enters its first human clinical trials | 2019-08-23T00:00:00 | sottnet | CRISPR enters its first human clinical trials | We don't always fully understand the changes we're making Since its debut in 2012, CRISPR gene editing has held the promise of curing most of the over 6,000 known genetic diseases. Now it's being put to the test.In the first spate of clinical trials, scientists are using CRISPR/Cas9 to combat cancer and blood disorders in people. In these tests, researchers remove some of a person's cells, edit the DNA and then inject the cells back in, now hopefully armed to fight disease.Researchers are also set to see how CRISPR/Cas9 works inside the human body. In an upcoming trial, people with an inherited blindness will have the molecular scissors injected into their eyes.Those tests, if successful, could spur future trials for Duchenne muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis and a wide variety of other genetic diseases, affecting millions of people worldwide."CRISPR is so intriguing," says Laurie Zoloth, a bioethicist at the University of Chicago Divinity School, "and so elegant."But big questions remain about whether CRISPR/Cas9 can live up to the hype.Other previously promising technologies have fallen short. For instance, stem cell injections helped paralyzed rats walk again.Zoloth says.Conventional gene therapies, which insert healthy copies of genes to replace or counteract disease-causing versions, also suffered severe setbacks, says Ronald Conlon, a geneticist at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland.CRISPR's reputation was tarnished last year after a researcher in China edited a gene in embryos that went on to develop into two baby girls in 2018 (SN: 12/22/18 & 1/5/19, p. 20)., says Alan Regenberg, a bioethicist at Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics. Still, he says, there's reason for caution when working with humans.CRISPR/Cas9 is a re-engineered virus-hunter, originally developed by bacteria. In 2012 and 2013, scientists described how the system could be tweaked to cut DNA in precise locations, and then demonstrated how it could be deployed in human and animal cells. A piece of RNA — a single-stranded genetic molecule similar to DNA — is the CRISPR part and guides an enzyme called Cas9 to particular spots in the genetic instruction book, or genome. The enzyme slices through both strands of the DNA double helix. Cuts can be used to disable certain genes, snip out troublesome DNA or even repair a problem.But CRISPR sometimes goes to the wrong spot, resulting in unwanted edits, or "off-target effects " (SN: 9/3/16, p. 22). Even with intended cuts, unwanted errors can arise. "," Regenberg says. "Even if we do make the changes we want to make,."Still, CRISPR is more precise than conventional gene therapy and therefore may have the power to treat some diseases for which gene therapy hasn't worked well, says Conlon, who discussed challenges to gene editing for cystic fibrosis in the June Genes & Diseases. But another big hurdle, he says, is getting CRISPR into the cells where it is needed.Delivery is less of a problem for the gene-editing therapies in trials to treat cancer and blood disorders, Conlon says. That's because, for those trials, researchers don't have to set CRISPR/Cas9 loose in the body. Instead, they take blood-forming stem cells out of participants and edit those cells in lab dishes, where the scientists can check for problems.University of Pennsylvania researchers have given two people with recurring cancers a CRISPR/Cas9 therapy, a university spokesperson said. One person has multiple myeloma; the other, sarcoma. As part of an ongoing trial , both received T cells, a type of immune cell, programmed with CRISPR to go after cancer cells. Similar trials are under way in China Trials are also under way for two blood disorders: sickle-cell disease and beta-thalassemia. Both result from defects in the gene for hemoglobin, the oxygen-carrying protein in red blood cells. The therapy is designed to mimic a fix that nature has already devised, says David Altshuler, chief scientist at Vertex Pharmaceuticals. Usually, a form of hemoglobin that helps fetuses in the womb grab more oxygen from their mother's blood stops being produced after birth. But some people have a harmless genetic variant that causes fetal hemoglobin to be produced throughout life. "People like that who also inherited a sickle-cell mutation or a beta-thalassemia mutation weren't sick," Altshuler says.The fetal hemoglobin compensates for the disease-causing defect, something Vertex, a cystic fibrosis drugmaker headquartered in Boston and London, hopes to use to sickle-cell sufferers' advantage. Vertex and CRISPR Therapeutics, a company in Cambridge, Mass., are testing whether CRISPR/Cas9 cuts can mimic the genetic variant that keeps fetal hemoglobin turned on for life and ease symptoms in people with the blood disorders. "We're very confident that the edits that are being made in the cells are translating into clear and reproducible increases in fetal hemoglobin," Altshuler says.Researchers check for both off-target cuts and mutations at the desired cutting site before giving cells back to the study volunteers via a bone marrow transplant, Altshuler says. The companies announced in February that they had treated one person for beta-thalassemia . Another person has undergone the same type of therapy for sickle-cell disease , researchers said in July. The scientists have not yet announced results from these trials.Still, many genetic diseases affect the whole body or organs that can't be removed and edited in a lab. No one knows whether CRISPR can work well in the human body. But a clinical trial using the gene editor to treat an inherited type of blindness called Leber congenital amaurosis 10 may help answer the question. The disorder is caused by a mutation in the CEP290 gene that leads to a nonfunctional protein. When the protein doesn't work, rod cells in the retina die and light-gathering photoreceptors can't renew themselves, resulting in blindness.There is a gene therapy, approved in 2017 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, for a type of Leber congenital amaurosis caused by a mutation in the RPE65 gene. But CEP290 is too big to pack into a virus to do conventional gene therapy, says Charles Albright, chief scientist of Editas Medicine, a company based in Cambridge, Mass., that develops CRISPR gene editing for various genetic diseases.In July, Editas and global pharmaceutical company Allergan opened recruitment for a blindness gene-editing trial. In the trial, two guide RNAs will lead Cas9 to make two cuts that will snip out the troublesome piece of DNA.The first people to get the experimental therapy will be adults who are nearly blind, Albright says. Small amounts of the CRISPR editor will be injected under the retina to test for safety. It's uncertain whether the low doses will improve vision. If the doses prove safe, later volunteers will get higher doses. The researchers may also test the therapy in children."We're going into arguably the most difficult patients to start with and we're going to improve from there," Albright says.scientists reported in the February Nature Medicine.Even if these first trials don't pan out as hoped, CRISPR won't be shelved, Albright thinks. "This is a technology that's here to stay," he says.There's precedence that perseverance — and choosing the right disease to target — can eventually pay off. After setbacks, conventional gene therapy has recently had a big success.In May, the FDA approved a gene therapy for children with spinal muscular atrophy, a debilitating and deadly genetic disease caused by a mutation that disables the SMN1 gene. That gene is needed for specialized nerve cells called motor neurons to survive and function properly. Children with the genetic disease often die because the muscles that control breathing fail. The FDA said August 6 that it had been alerted to problems with data manipulation from animal testing of the therapy. But the agency says that the therapy is working well in humans and should stay on the market."These kids with SMA who otherwise would have died are up and running and talking and learning and progressing," Conlon says. "It is just mind-blowing."When it comes to gene editing, researchers are banking on similar happy endings. "People are so optimistic and so hopeful again," Zoloth says. "I want it to work. Everyone who thinks seriously about human suffering should really be wanting this to happen and should be optimistic ... about medicine's capacity and its power." | null | https://www.sott.net/article/419056-CRISPR-enters-its-first-human-clinical-trials | 2019-08-23 07:35:43+00:00 | 1,566,560,143 | 1,567,533,657 | science and technology | scientific standards |
510,036 | sottnet--2019-12-20--New oral polio vaccine to BYPASS key clinical trials as vaccine caused outbreaks overtake wild polio | 2019-12-20T00:00:00 | sottnet | New oral polio vaccine to BYPASS key clinical trials as vaccine caused outbreaks overtake wild polio | Instead, key questions about the vaccine's effectiveness will be answered in the field. those caused by the wild virus-and they continue to spread unchecked The real of test of nOPV2 may be used in millions of kids beginning in mid-2020 To stem a growing polio crisis, health officials are accelerating the development of a new oral vaccine with plans for emergency approval and deployment in regions with active polio transmission as early as June 2020. The new vaccine, called nOPV2,conclusively end the outbreaks, caused by the live virus in the vaccine reverting to a virulent form. But expedited approval means skipping the real-world testing of large clinical trials.and we do not see reversion to neurovirulence," says Vincent Racaniello , a virologist at Columbia University, "but when they are used for mass immunization of millions of individuals, rare events can become evident.", originally developed by Albert Sabin in the 1950s, can in rare instances revert to virulence . Because the Sabin vaccine had successfully eradicated wild type 2 poliovirus in 2015, health officials across the world quit administering it the following year. However,before the cessation of the type 2 vaccine, which gave an opportunity for un-immunized people to later become infected by the virus that had begun reverting to virulence in people who had gotten the vaccine. With successive transmission through the unvaccinated,Nowadays,, according to the World Health Organization., a virologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told Science earlier this year.nOPV2, the new type 2 oral polio vaccine, has been genetically engineered to avoid the pitfalls of Sabin's vaccine.and coordinated by PATH , a nonprofit developer of public health innovations, with scientific work taking place at the National Institute for Biological Standards and Control (NIBSC) in the UK, the University of California, San Francisco, the CDC, and the Food and Drug Administration.says Andrew Macadam , a principal scientist at NIBSC and a designer of nOPV2. As RNA viruses, polio and polio vaccine strains evolve using mutation and recombination. Polio "has a polymerase that is not very accurate," says Macadam, so mutations occur frequently during replication. More importantly for rapid adaptation, recombination allows the virus to incorporate RNA strands from other C type enteroviruses in human hosts that enable gains in virulence. These partners include all the Sabin strains and Coxsackievirus, for example.nOPV2 obstructs some key genetic routes to pathogenicity, believed to be controlled by "gatekeeper" mutations. In particular, a single point mutation at nucleotide 481 increases neurovirulence and actually occurs in most people soon after immunization. The pivotal change at 481 makes a return to virulence possible, according to Macadam. "The gatekeeper idea," he explains, "is that it needs to revert at 481 before it can do anything else and then you can incorporate these other mutations" that cause the vaccine to become pathogenic.So nOPV2 developers modified 18 nucleotides near 481 in the poliovirus genome so that the well-known single substitution no longer opens the gate to virulence. This safeguard in turn is protected from wholesale replacement via recombination by relocating a gene necessary for replication to another part of the genome so that if the modifications near 481 are lost through recombination, the gene needed for replication will also be lost. As a result, reversion "requires two recombination events instead of one," according to Macadam, one being the acquisition of a second copy of the replication gene and the other being the loss of the 481-related modifications.says Macadam.In addition, Macadam's team outfitted nOPV2 with a higher-fidelity polymerase that introduces fewer errors during replication while another gene received alterations to decrease the virus' propensity for recombination.Testing so far validates the new design. A small, Phase 1 clinical trial in Belgium of 30 adults found nOPV2 completely stable against the main gatekeeper mutation about three weeks after vaccination. Ordinarily, 481 mutates within six days. Macadam and colleagues have also carried out as-yet unpublished studies in cell culture that demonstrate genetic stability.Macadam nevertheless says. Specifically, he is concerned about the recombination risks posed by the Sabin 1 and 3 strains.says Macadam.However, delivering vaccines in separate campaigns creates a significant operational constraint. "This conundrum is real, and is already being seen," says WHO spokesperson, Oliver Rosenbauer . In parts of Nigeria and the Lake Chad region, some vaccination campaigns are conducted with Sabin 1 and 3, others with solely with Sabin 2. "So that needs to be logistically managed appropriately."Also,Rather than tightly circumscribed use of nOPV2 in response to isolated outbreaks, says Temitope Faleye Faleye is a researcher at the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research. "You immunize as many children as possible to ensure that you don't have pockets of people" who can start vaccine viruses back on the path to renewed virulence, which happened before and led to the current outbreaks.Even if nOPV2 is kept away from Sabin 1 and 3, they are not the only available recombination partners. "The real concern out here is these species C [enteroviruses] that are circulating," according to Faleye. "By default," he says,in Nigeria and across sub-Saharan Africa, where most of the world's outbreaks of vaccine-derived polio are occurring.Faleye saysthan the Sabin 2 strain.He describes nOPV2 as "beautiful,on solid science."Racaniello, who wasn't involved in the development of the vaccine, agrees that nOPV2 is "probably going to be better," but with a caveat. "There is nothing like the selection force of millions of human guts." Increased fitness and virulence overlap, so. And because of the compressed approval and deployment timeline , nOPV2, which will pit the vaccine against real-world conditions such as co-infections with other enteroviruses, could finish.A completed Phase 2 trial in Panama sheds little light on recombination with enteroviruses. "Species C enterovirus prevalence was not an endpoint" in the Panama trial, says PATH's John Konz , who leads the nOPV2 project. "We might get some sense of levels from next generation sequencing of virus in stool samples, but those results are not yet available." In addition, according to Macadam, "the actual analysis pipeline won't be as extensive as it might be, if we had unlimited resources."Racaniello commends nOPV2, which "was made using all the fundamental results that we and others have developed over the years." But he questions how airtight nOPV2's architecture is against reversion. The gatekeepers are essential for efficient replication, according to Racaniello, "butClinical trials so far have measured the type 2-specific serum neutralizing antibodies elicited by nOPV2. Protection is believed to result when titres reach certain thresholds. "Can we measure antibody responses in animal models and in limited clinical tests and say, 'This should be OK in people?'" asks Racaniello.he says, naming some of the key partners in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, which decides and implements the vaccine strategy for polio eradication. "That should be enough . . . but."At PATH, "we don't see any unique risks for nOPV2 over the current vaccine," says Konz. The relative paucity of clinical data is offset by the knowledge from decades of using the Sabin 2 strain from which nOPV2 is derived. "In the end," he says, "it's a relative benefit-risk decision that the WHO, policymakers, and national authorities will have to make."While the polio eradication effort is betting nOPV2 will be a silver bullet, "nothing is off the table," according to WHO's Rosenbauer, "and everything is being explored," including even a possible return to the old vaccine with the three original Sabin strains. | null | https://www.sott.net/article/426009-New-oral-polio-vaccine-to-BYPASS-key-clinical-trials-as-vaccine-caused-outbreaks-overtake-wild-polio | Fri, 20 Dec 2019 12:18:37 +0000 | 1,576,862,317 | 1,576,845,282 | science and technology | scientific standards |
510,523 | sottnet--2019-12-30--'Ultraprocessed' foods may make you eat more, clinical trial suggests | 2019-12-30T00:00:00 | sottnet | 'Ultraprocessed' foods may make you eat more, clinical trial suggests | Something about the industrial processing of food makes us more likely to overeat, according to a new study. Volunteers ate more and gained more weight on a heavily processed diet than an unprocessed one, even when the two diets had the same available calories and nutrients.The study is "a landmark first," and a "shot over the bow" in a debate over the health of processed food, says Steven Heymsfield, an obesity researcher at Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge who was not involved with the work. But some experts question whether the study controlled for important differences between the diets.Kevin Hall, a physiologist at the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases in Bethesda, Maryland, suspected that processed foods were linked to poor health simply because they were likely to contain lots of fat, sugar, and salt. So in the new experiment, he and his team tried to rule out those factors. They recruited 20 healthy people and gave each about $6000 to surrender some freedoms, dietary and otherwise. Participants spent 28 straight days in a National Institutes of Health facility — with no excursions. They wore loose-fitting scrubs to make it harder for them to guess whether their weight was changing. Each was restricted to an "ultraprocessed" diet or a "minimally processed" diet for 2 weeks, and then switched to the other diet for 2 more weeks.The captive participants did enjoy one big freedom: They chose how much to consume. Once they ate their fill, Hall's team calculated their intake by painstakingly weighing the leftovers, down to every dollop of ketchup that didn't make it onto a hot dog."They showed that the effect [of processing] goes beyond nutrients," says Carlos Monteiro, an epidemiologist at the University of São Paulo in São Paulo, Brazil, who helped develop the NOVA classification system and supports government interventions to limit processed food consumption.If participants continued eating those extra 500 calories, they would "gain a lot of weight — a lot — over time," says Heymsfield, though he notes that their gusto for the ultraprocessed diet might have waned if the study had gone on a few weeks longer.Yet on surveys, the participants rated the processed meals as no more pleasant than the unprocessed ones. If they weren't enjoying the food more, why were they eating more of it?One possibility is that industrial processing produces softer foods that are easier to chew and swallow — and thus easier to scarf down.And despite the researchers' efforts to perfectly match the nutrition of the diets, there were some differences that may have influenced how much people ate.Ultraprocessed foods also tend to be more energy-dense — they have many more calories per gram, notes Barbara Rolls, an obesity researcher who studies eating behavior at Pennsylvania State University in State College. (Although Hall's team concluded the two diets were roughly equal in energy density, the measurements included low-energy-density beverages added to the ultraprocessed diet to boost fiber via dissolved supplements.)Hall and his colleagues are now planning a similar-size study with a few tweaks: They'll bump up the protein in the ultraprocessed diet and swap fiber-enriched beverages for soups, which may encourage people to eat more slowly.For now, some researchers aren't convinced that processing itself is a menace. "A lot of ... the ultraprocessed foods in this study are perhaps ones that we [shouldn't] to be eating too often," Rolls says. And most people don't have the time or resources to prepare farm-to-table meals, she adds.doi:10.1126/science.aay0623 | null | https://www.sott.net/article/426527-Ultraprocessed-foods-may-make-you-eat-more-clinical-trial-suggests | Mon, 30 Dec 2019 11:50:16 +0000 | 1,577,724,616 | 1,577,709,137 | science and technology | scientific standards |
545,737 | sputnik--2019-10-03--Swiss Food Giant Nestle Accused of Violating Indian Clinical Trial Laws on Premature Babies | 2019-10-03T00:00:00 | sputnik | Swiss Food Giant Nestle Accused of Violating Indian Clinical Trial Laws on Premature Babies | India’s federal Health and Family Welfare Ministry has rebuked its Medical Research body for laxity in allowing Swiss food and beverage company Nestle to sponsor clinical trials on premature babies illegally using substitutes for breast milk, the National Herald reported. According to the media outlet, under the research project sponsored by Nestle, clinical trials were carried out on 75 premature babies in five different hospitals in breach of the Infant Milk Substitutes Act. The Act stipulates that “No producer, supplier or distributor shall offer or give any contribution or pecuniary benefit to a health worker on any association of health workers, including funding of seminar, meeting, conference, educational course, contest, fellowship, research work or sponsorship.” The Ministry has reprimanded the head of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) for not adhering to the law, while allowing the research to take place. The trial was reportedly conducted on babies between the age of 28-34 weeks to assess the growth and feeding intolerance in preterm infants. The trial suggested that the infant could be given a milk substitute instead of breast milk. The Health Ministry has asked ICMR, the main body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research to ensure that all such clinical trials are first screened for infringements of the Infant Milk Substitutes Act. Amulya Nidhi, Co-Convenor of Swasth Adhikar Manch (Health Rights Forum), a voluntary body fighting for health rights said the Supreme Court of India had laid down strict rules for the conduct of clinical trials in a 2013 case. “….clinical trial of new chemical entity shall be conducted strictly in accord with the procedure prescribed in Schedule ‘Y’ of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 under the direct supervision of the Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare,” Nidhi said. Nidhi questioned ICMR, a state-funded body itself for violating the rules made by its parent ministry on breast feeding. “It is illegal on the part of ICMR to approve such a research project,” he added. Nestle has yet to comment on the accusations. | null | https://sputniknews.com/asia/201910031076949935-swiss-food-giant-nestle-accused-of-violating-indian-clinical-trial-laws-on-premature-babies/ | 2019-10-03 09:48:17+00:00 | 1,570,110,497 | 1,570,221,734 | science and technology | scientific standards |
704,387 | theguardianuk--2019-07-02--Doctors not prescribing medicinal cannabis due to lack of clinical trials | 2019-07-02T00:00:00 | theguardianuk | Doctors not prescribing medicinal cannabis due to lack of clinical trials | High expectations among the public of the benefits of medicinal cannabis are being disappointed because doctors are unwilling to prescribe it in the knowledge that there is little evidence to stand up some of the claims, according to MPs. A House of Commons health select committee inquiry says the hopes of patients and families were raised when the government agreed to reschedule medicinal cannabis to make it more available in the light of “the distressing cases of Alfie Dingley and Billy Caldwell” – two children with severe epilepsy whose parents said only the drug gave them respite from seizures. But adequate clinical trials to prove the effects of medicinal cannabis in epilepsy and other conditions have not been carried out. Without that evidence, few doctors are willing to write a prescription. The Royal College of Physicians told the committee that “there is a perception that CBMPs [cannabis-based medicinal products] work in areas where there is little or no evidence and some patients feel they are being denied access to an efficacious drug”. Dr Sarah Wollaston MP, chair of the health and social care committee, said: “Although the recent changes to government policy were welcomed, there was a failure to communicate what this would mean in practice for the availability of medicinal cannabis. “Expectations were unfairly raised that these products would become widely and readily available, and there needs to be far clearer communication that this is not the case.” The rescheduling by government, from schedule 1 to schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, makes it far easier to carry out trials into medicinal cannabis. The committee is concerned, however, that some pharmaceutical companies are reluctant to maketheir products available for research. Trials, said Wollaston, “would build a stronger evidence base so that patients can weigh up any risks and benefits of treatment. At present there are too many gaps in the evidence to allow most forms of medicinal cannabis to be licensed for use and approved by Nice [National Institute for Healthcare Excellence].” The government-funded National Institute for Health Research has called for research proposals that it could fund. The committee recommends that intractable childhood epilepsy should be a priority. Dr Amir Englund, researcher in psychopharmacology at King’s College London, said patients who had exhausted other options could be given some medicinal cannabis products as part of a post-licensing trial. But, he warned, “an important issue to address is the one of exaggerated claims of cannabis as a treatment for various conditions which circulate online and in news articles. “For instance, clinical trials have found that a number of patients with epilepsy become seizure-free on medical grade CBD, however this only happens to roughly 5% of patients – which naturally becomes the focus of news stories. The other side of the coin is that some patients in these trials drop out either because they felt no improvement or were experiencing side-effects.” | Sarah Boseley Health editor | https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jul/03/doctors-not-prescribing-medicinal-cannabis-due-to-lack-of-clinical-trials | 2019-07-02 23:01:23+00:00 | 1,562,122,883 | 1,567,537,246 | science and technology | scientific standards |
761,441 | theindependent--2019-05-31--Why women HIV patients are now engaging in clinical trials | 2019-05-31T00:00:00 | theindependent | Why women HIV patients are now engaging in clinical trials | Inspired by reports of a second patient apparently freed of infection with HIV, the virus that causes Aids, scientists are pursuing dozens of ways to cure the disease. But now, researchers must reckon with a long-standing obstacle: the lack of women in clinical trials of potential HIV treatments, cures and vaccines. Women make up just over half the 35 million people living with HIV worldwide, and the virus is the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age. In Africa, parts of South America and even in the southern United States, new infections in young women are helping to sustain the epidemic. Women and men respond differently to HIV infection, but clinical trials continue to rely heavily on the participation of gay men. Trials of potential cures fare particularly poorly in this regard. A 2016 analysis by the charity Amfar found that women represented a median of 11 per cent in cure trials. Trials of antiretroviral drugs fared little better; 19 per cent of the participants were women. Vaccine studies were the closest to equitable participation, at 38 per cent. “If we’re going to find a cure, it’s important that we find a cure that actually works for everybody,” says Rowena Johnston, Amfar’s director of research. There are well-known differences in the immune systems of men and women. The flu jab produces a much stronger immune response in women, for example. The response to HIV infection seems also to differ. The immune system in women initially responds forcefully, maintaining tight control over the virus for five to seven years. But over the long term, this state of high alert takes a toll. Women progress faster to Aids than infected men, and are more likely to have heart attacks and strokes. “There are all sorts of differences between men and women, probably mediated partially by hormonal effects,” says Dr Monica Gandhi, professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. For example, the female hormone oestrogen seems to lull HIV into a dormant state. That may sound like a good thing, but the dormant virus is harder for the immune system, or drugs, to kill. Some differences may be evident even before puberty: in one study, all but one of the 11 children who were “elite controllers” – people who seem to suppress HIV to undetectable levels without drugs – were girls. Women also respond differently to some drug treatments. Dolutegravir may increase the risk of neural tube defects in children born to women taking the drug, researchers have found. Nevirapine is far more likely to cause a severe rash in women than in men – yet men accounted for 85 per cent of the trial subjects in which the drug was tested. These sex differences are likely to be germane to trials of potential cures, most of which are exploring ways to energise the immune system to kill HIV. The number of men – and gay men in particular – in HIV trials has always surpassed the number of women. Early on, the epidemic was largely concentrated in gay men, who enrolled to gain access to new drugs as early as possible. Gay men “were literally dying to get into these trials”, says Jeff Taylor, 56, an HIV advocate in Palm Springs, California, who enrolled in dozens of trials after his diagnosis in 1982. Now, 30 years later: “It’s the same group of people, who understand the value of clinical trials,” he says. Gay men have formed strong support networks that alert potential participants to clinical trials, and they often live in cities where the research is conducted. By contrast, women with HIV tend to be isolated, and may not advocate for themselves. They may need help with child care or transportation, or be more comfortable with female doctors – accommodations few trials offer. For women of colour, there is an additional hurdle: mistrust resulting from a long history of exploitation by medical researchers. “It’s a lot of stigma still in our community around research,” says Ublanca Adams, 60, who is living with HIV in Concord, California. Scientists do not seem to know how to gain that trust, she says: “How information is given out to our community and our people is just not in a way to be inclusive, nor is it inviting.” Adams says she has enrolled in a few observational studies, but does not trust scientists enough to participate in tests of a treatment or cure. In the rare cases where scientists go the extra mile to enrol women, they face additional scrutiny from the Food and Drug Administration. (The agency has strict rules for including women of childbearing age.) Most researchers simply opt for the easy way out and enrol men, collecting data from women only after a drug is on the market. Two recent trials of long-acting antiretroviral drugs – which can be injected monthly instead of taken by mouth daily – have managed to attract significant numbers of women: 33 per cent of participants in one study, and 23 per cent in the other. But because of the promise of less frequent treatment, these trials were hugely popular and so had an easier time recruiting women than most. “Patients lined up outside the clinic,” says Dr Kimberly Smith, head of research and development at ViiV Healthcare, the company that led the research. In general, though, Smith says, trials in the United States struggle to enrol women, because about 75 per cent of the infected still are men. Anticipating the need to test cures in young women, Bruce Walker and his colleagues at the Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard have set up a group called Fresh in South Africa. Nearly 2,000 young women in the Umlazi Township check in twice weekly to be tested for HIV. The researchers provide preventive therapy, but a small proportion of the women still become infected. Walker’s team is tracking their infections from the start and planning to test cures in the group. Generally, however, it is difficult to get scientists to take the need to enrol women seriously, says Dr Eileen Scully, assistant professor of medicine at Johns Hopkins University. “Some of the hard scientists dismiss this type of discussion as being more socially determined, or some sort of women’s liberation thing,” she says. Scully led the only cure trial so far to focus solely on women, testing whether a drug that blocks oestrogen makes it easier to kill HIV. From the start, the investigators had to make some concessions. To skirt the restrictions limiting participation by women of childbearing age, Scully and her colleagues recruited menopausal women. But these participants have lower levels of circulating oestrogen, which may skew the results. Still, the team has already made one key discovery. “We were one of the fastest trials ever to enrol,” Scully says. “Women are ready to be engaged.” | Apoorva Mandavilli | https://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/women/women-hiv-patients-clinical-trials-aids-research-a8933346.html | 2019-05-31 13:19:00+00:00 | 1,559,323,140 | 1,567,539,544 | science and technology | scientific standards |
764,995 | theindependent--2019-07-03--Cannabis companies should be aposnamed and shamedapos if they refuse to subject their products t | 2019-07-03T00:00:00 | theindependent | Cannabis companies should be 'named and shamed' if they refuse to subject their products to clinical tests, MPs say | The government and pharmaceutical industry are leaving patients to suffer without access to medicinal cannabis because of a lack of urgency in addressing prescribing issues and research, MPs have said. A report by the Commons Health and Social Care Committee (HSCC) has said ministers' failure to explain the realities of its medicinal cannabis legislation has left the NHS managing frustrated patients. Despite legislation taking effect in November only a handful of prescriptions have been issued and the committee said the government set expectations too high without establishing the evidence for its use. The HSCC report urges ministers to fund medicinal cannabis in areas like epilepsy where the drug could make the biggest difference. It also called for a “name and shame” policy for cannabis companies which fail to provide research to back up their products’ claims and for government to stop confiscating prescriptions obtained overseas. “There needs to be a sense of urgency to explore the potential of medicinal cannabis in these conditions so that there is a robust research base on which to base future clinical decisions,” the report said. Difficulties in patenting cannabis extracts and the tens of millions required to conduct clinical trials for their approval mean many companies do not try to get their products licensed. Some companies will not even provide their products for researchers and in these cases the HSCC says the government should take action. Prior to the law change The Independent revealed a lack of evidence for the products’ safety and effectiveness would be a major barrier to doctors prescribing it. This has been borne out by the Commons report, which adds that claims by the Home Office have heaped pressure on doctors who have to explain to patients why they cannot access the drug now it’s legal. “Expectations were unfairly raised that these products would become widely and readily available, and there needs to be far clearer communication that this is not the case,” said Dr Sarah Wollaston, MP and chair of the committee. While the law changes make it easier to research cannabis, Dr Wollaston added: “At present there are too many gaps in the evidence to allow most forms of medicinal cannabis to be licensed for use and approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE).” But charities said the government and industry need to act now to prevent patients living with debilitating symptoms having to wait decades for trials to prove what most patients already know. “Multiple sclerosis symptoms which are relentless, painful and disabling,” said Genevieve Edwards, from the MS Society. "Yet people with MS are frustrated and disappointed that it’s still easier to buy cannabis on the street than it is to get an NHS prescription. “A focus on further research can’t become an excuse for inaction for the people with MS who could benefit now.” Dr David Caldicott, of Australian National University said the research on medicinal cannabis is a century behind other treatments and the growing medicinal cannabis industry needs to prove it can put patients before profits. “Big Green runs the risk of tarring itself with exactly the same reputation as Big Pharma, or worse,” he said. Despite the UK having the luxury of following cannabis decriminalisation in the US, Canada Israel and elsewhere, Dr Caldicott said the government “seems determined to avoid learning any of their lessons”. A government spokesperson said: “We will carefully consider this report and its recommendations alongside the outcome of the NHS England review into the use of cannabis-based products for medicinal use in the NHS. “In doing so, the government will consider any further action we might take to strengthen the evidence base and improve access to cannabis-based products for medicinal use where specialist doctors determine it is clinically appropriate.” | Alex Matthews-King | https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/cannabis-medicine-prescription-cbd-oil-research-mp-a8985066.html | 2019-07-03 04:49:54+00:00 | 1,562,143,794 | 1,567,537,036 | science and technology | scientific standards |
789,016 | theirishtimes--2019-09-02--HSE looks to recruit clinical lead for abortion services rollout | 2019-09-02T00:00:00 | theirishtimes | HSE looks to recruit clinical lead for abortion services rollout | The Health Service Executive is seeking to recruit a clinical lead for abortion, nine months after the service was introduced. The person appointed will be tasked with the rollout of termination of pregnancy services to all 19 maternity units, and nationally in GP surgeries and other community settings. At present, abortion services are available in only 10 maternity units and through about 350 GPs in the community. The person to be appointed will be required to provide clinical leadership for the implementation of “safe, evidence-based, quality-assured, woman-centred, accessible services for women who require abortion care”, according to the role description. The post is a part-time one, open to experienced obstetricians and gynaecologists for a two-year period. The HSE says it may be re-advertised thereafter “if the continuation of the role is deemed necessary”. Among the responsibilities of the post-holder will be the provision of clinical leadership to support implementation of abortion services nationally in acute and community services. The person, to be seconded to the post for two days a week, will also be responsible for the rollout of the service in all 19 maternity units. The HSE says it is important that termination of pregnancy services are integrated into general gynaecological and reproductive healthcare services. Last week, the Medical Council issued revised ethical guidance for doctors following the introduction of abortion services in January. While allowing doctors to opt out on grounds of conscience, the guidance also sets out the obligations the doctor has to the patient in such circumstances. “If the patient cannot arrange their own transfer of care, you should make these arrangements on their behalf. In an emergency situation, you must provide – as a matter of priority – the care and treatment your patient needs,” it states. Abortion up to 12 weeks was legalised last January; after 12 weeks, it is allowed only in certain specific circumstances, including where there is a risk to the life or health of the mother. Separately, all women who give birth to a baby in the State’s maternity units next month are to be surveyed about their experience. The first national maternity experience survey, which will also take place in smaller units in November, aims to learn from the experiences of women so the safety and quality of care can be improved. Maternity services have been embroiled in a number of controversies in recent years, including the death of Savita Halappanavar in 2012 and a series of baby deaths at Portlaoise hospital. Earlier this year, dozens of women took to the air, on RTÉ Radio’s Liveline, to complain about their own experience of giving birth in Irish hospitals. Information sessions for maternity staff about the survey are being held next week and the women will be surveyed in early 2020. | null | https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/hse-looks-to-recruit-clinical-lead-for-abortion-services-rollout-1.4004354 | 2019-09-02 00:53:53+00:00 | 1,567,400,033 | 1,569,331,647 | science and technology | scientific standards |
789,620 | theirishtimes--2019-10-08--Vaccine not tested on teens before ‘de facto’ clinical trial, court told | 2019-10-08T00:00:00 | theirishtimes | Vaccine not tested on teens before ‘de facto’ clinical trial, court told | An anti-swine flu vaccine given to teenagers by the HSE in 2009 had never been tested on that age group, a major case that opened on Tuesday in the High Court has been told. Aoife Bennett (26), of Naas, Co Kildare, claims she developed narcolepsy and cataplexy disorder as a result of being given the Pandemrix vaccine in school on December 10th, 2009 as part of a nationwide vaccination programme. She was aged 16 at the time. | null | https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/courts/high-court/vaccine-not-tested-on-teens-before-de-facto-clinical-trial-court-told-1.4043818 | Tue, 8 Oct 2019 12:18:29 +0000 | 1,570,551,509 | 1,570,545,363 | science and technology | scientific standards |
986,964 | thesun--2019-11-19--First male birth control injection that is administered into genitals is nearly ready after successf | 2019-11-19T00:00:00 | thesun | First male birth control injection that is administered into genitals is nearly ready after successful clinical trial | THE world's first ever male birth control injection that is administered into genitals is nearly ready after the injection successfully passed its clinical trial. The birth control method, which lasts approximately 13 years, involves injecting a polymer which effectively blocks sperm from leaving the testicles. The Indian Council of Medical Research, a government-funded biomedical research agency, has successfully completed a clinical trial on an injectable male contraceptive, the Hindustan Times reported. Dr R.S. Sharma, senior scientist with ICMR, said: "The product is ready, with only regulatory approvals pending (from the government). "The trials are over, including extended, Phase 3 clinical trials for which 303 candidates were recruited with a 97.3 per cent success rate and no reported side effects. "The product can safely be called the world’s first male contraceptive.” The vaccine, preceded by a dose of local anaesthesia, is designed to replace a traditional vasectomy. Researchers in the US have developed a similar contraceptive, called Vasalgel, which has not yet been brought to market. A male birth control pill also exists, though researchers anticipate it’ll be about 10 years before it makes it to market. Drugs such as these can only prevent pregnancy, but do not protect against STDs. Dr Sharma added: “The polymer was developed by Professor S.K. Guha from the Indian Institute of Technology in the 1970s. "ICMR has been researching on it to turn it into a product for mass use since 1984, and the final product is ready after exhaustive trials." Researchers call this reversible inhibition of sperm under guidance. V.G. Somani, Medicine Controller General of India, said that because of pending regulatory approval, the injection “will still take about six to seven months … before the product can be manufactured." It comes as Vice asked several Indian men if they were open to the idea of a shot in the groin to prevent pregnancy. Many agreed that more options would be a boon for men and women, though many weren’t keen on needling their nether regions. A version of this story originally appeared on New York Post. We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online news team? Email us at [email protected] or call 0207 782 4368 . We pay for videos too. Click here to upload yours | Nika Shakhnazarova | https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/10381731/first-male-contraceptive-injection-genitals-sex/ | Tue, 19 Nov 2019 23:51:10 +0000 | 1,574,225,470 | 1,574,209,645 | science and technology | scientific standards |
1,031,966 | thevaccinereaction--2019-10-23--New Herpes Vaccine Nearing Human Clinical Trials | 2019-10-23T00:00:00 | thevaccinereaction | New Herpes Vaccine Nearing Human Clinical Trials | Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania recently reported that they are close to developing a herpes simplex virus 2 (HSV-2) vaccine for humans. HSV-2 primarily causes genital herpes and is contracted through forms of sexual contact with a person who has HSV-2. An estimated 14 percent of Americans between the ages of 15 and 49 are infected with HSV-2. According to Forbes, the goal of is to make the vaccine work in a similar manner to the current human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine on the market.1 2 3 Previous attempts to develop a herpes vaccine have failed. However, according to a new study published in Science Immunology, an new experimental HSV-2 vaccine has prevented genital lesions in mice and guinea pigs. According to a report in New Scientist, the vaccine prevented low-level “hidden” infections. Other experimental vaccines initially thought to be promising enough to test in humans have failed to prevent these hidden infections in animals.4 Harvey Friedman, MD, who is a coauthor of the study and an immunologist at the University of Pennsylvania, is quoted as saying that, “This degree of protection is better than any other vaccine candidates have achieved in mice. We also had excellent protection in guinea pigs, which is another animal model used to evaluate genital herpes vaccine candidates.” He adds, “but we won’t know if this vaccine will work until it is tested in humans.”4 Dr. Friedman states that the new HSV-2 vaccine takes a genetics-based approach to preventing herpes transmission. It combines the messenger RNA (mRNA) coding for three proteins found in the virus.4 No mRNA-based vaccine has yet been approved for use in the United States. According to PHG Foundation at University of Cambridge, while RNA vaccines are non-infectious and RNA does not integrate itself into the host genome, the mRNA strand in an RNA vaccine “may elicit an unintended immune reaction.”4 5 Amesh Adalja, MD, a senior scholar at Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, says, “the technology has the potential to totally change the face of vaccine development in terms of speed, ease of manufacture and pursuit of novel targets. The promising results seen with this mRNA vaccine in mouse and guinea pig model will hopefully move into human clinical studies and also further the rise of mRNA vaccine technology.”3 Dr. Friedman and his team are in negotiations with a biotechnology company to begin the first stage of human clinical trials in the next year with 50 to 100 people to first test the vaccine’s safety and its ability to produce an immune response.3 If the vaccine is successful in all stages of the human trials, Dr. Friedman said researchers envision it being recommended for children to the onset of sexual activity similar to recommendations for HPV vaccine routinely administered to pre-adolescents.3 | Marco Caceres | https://thevaccinereaction.org/2019/10/new-herpes-vaccine-nearing-human-clinical-trials/ | Wed, 23 Oct 2019 14:50:27 +0000 | 1,571,856,627 | 1,572,534,104 | science and technology | scientific standards |
1,032,005 | thevaccinereaction--2019-12-15--‘Unethical’ Clinical Trials of Vaccines Pose Threat to Human Lives | 2019-12-15T00:00:00 | thevaccinereaction | ‘Unethical’ Clinical Trials of Vaccines Pose Threat to Human Lives | Opinion | Primum non nocere—“first, do no harm”—is a basic tenet of medical ethics. That is about to change in India. “Controlled Human Infection Method” (CHIM) studies are planned to be introduced here. Humans are to be deliberately infected with diseases to test the efficiency of experimental vaccines. It will provide a shortcut to vaccine licencing and reduce costs to manufacturers. At Hotel Taj Palace, from 19 -21 November, under the rubric of the “World Conference on access to medicinal products”, the ICMR and the DBT plan to introduce CHIM studies. According to the Economic Times, even vaccine manufacturers are advising caution before allowing such a radical departure from standard practice. The Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), under the DBT, is spearheading the efforts under the banner of a mysterious “India Volunteer Infection Research Consortium”. Dr Y.K. Gupta, principal advisor, THSTI, has said that “initially, such studies should only be allowed in high-quality academic institutions… Similarly, at least initially, only healthy, educated adults should be included in a CHIM study”. The promoters are clear that such concessions are needed only initially. So, the “initial” studies are to be done on drug-responsive malaria, typhoid and flu (which is self-limiting). It is claimed that CHIM volunteers are to be infected with a weakened strain of the pathogen. However according to biologics development consultant Dr K.B. Walker “a safe, well characterised strain will lose some semblance to the real “challenge” organism and so weaken the relevance of CHIM in informing further clinical development”. This defeats the main objective of doing such studies. Also, what is the use of doing studies on easily treated disease? The real need is for vaccines against dangerous diseases like Ebola. After the initial human revulsion against CHIM has been overcome, we can expect trials with Ebola infection and similar plagues. After the “initial” stages, we can expect these studies will not be limited to academic institutions and contract research organisations (CROs) will do these studies more efficiently. This is a slippery slope. Once the Rubicon is crossed, there may be no coming back. The country remembers what happened when the government tried to encourage the inflow of foreign exchange for clinical trials from abroad with tax cuts and relaxing local laws. The cost of doing clinical trials in India was half of what it cost in other countries in the West, even counting kickbacks to local doctors. There was a spurt in such trials. However, lax governmental regulation had to be tightened after 1,725 deaths among trial participants were reported. Justice R.M. Lodha commented about these trials saying, “human beings are being treated like animals”. Writing in Hindu Businessline, a group of ethicists and legal experts have raised a number of questions about these CHIM that need to be answered. Who are the industry collaborators? Who are the funders? Who will own patents obtained through CHIM? Will there be disclosure about the incentive paid to volunteers? Will there be an open registry of adverse events and results? In a country, where adverse events during a government-funded rotavirus trial are yet to be disclosed despite repeated appeals going up to the Supreme Court, open disclosures regarding CHIM trials seems very unlikely. The poor in India are known to enter studies not for altruism, but for healthcare, better healthcare services for themselves—or for money. Even in developed countries, participants are known to join multiple trials for the high payments, despite the discomfort and the risks posed by repeated infections, according to the article in Hindu Businessline. The Alliance for Human Research Protection (AHRP) is presided over by Vera Sharav, a survivor from Hitler’s holocaust. The AHRP has called the proposed studies on human volunteers in India, “a vaccine experiment atrocity”. This article was reprinted with the author’s permission. It was originally published in The Sunday Guardian. Note: This commentary provides referenced information and perspective on a topic related to vaccine science, policy, law or ethics being discussed in public forums and by U.S. lawmakers. The websites of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) provide information and perspective of federal agencies responsible for vaccine research, development, regulation and policymaking. | Marco Caceres | https://thevaccinereaction.org/2019/12/unethical-clinical-trials-of-vaccines-pose-threat-to-human-lives/ | Sun, 15 Dec 2019 07:24:02 +0000 | 1,576,412,642 | 1,576,411,383 | science and technology | scientific standards |
1,771 | abcnews--2019-10-31--Hearing concludes in Missouri abortion clinic licensing case | 2019-10-31T00:00:00 | abcnews | Hearing concludes in Missouri abortion clinic licensing case | An administrative hearing to decide whether the state of Missouri can revoke the abortion license for the state's only abortion clinic has concluded. The hearing in St. Louis before a commissioner with the Missouri Administrative Hearing Commission was expected to last five days but wrapped up Thursday, a day early. A ruling isn't expected until February at the earliest. The state health department wants to revoke the license for Planned Parenthood's St. Louis clinic, citing concerns about four instances of what the state called "failed abortions." Planned Parenthood officials say the state is trying to use the licensing process to end abortions in Missouri. Revocation would make Missouri the first state since 1974, the year after the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, without a functioning abortion clinic. | null | https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/hearing-concludes-missouri-abortion-clinic-licensing-case-66667237 | Thu, 31 Oct 2019 12:26:56 -0400 | 1,572,539,216 | 1,572,539,424 | science and technology | scientific standards |
2,257 | abcnews--2019-11-14--Ohio abortion clinic lands license needed to stay open | 2019-11-14T00:00:00 | abcnews | Ohio abortion clinic lands license needed to stay open | The Dayton area's last abortion clinic has prevailed in a years-long battle over Ohio’s stringent new licensing requirements and will remain open. The Ohio Department of Health has granted Women’s Med Center a surgical facility license. The center in Kettering had postponed surgical abortions as it pursued multiple avenues to stay open, including state and federal court challenges and negotiations with local health systems and doctors. After being unable to land the legally required emergency patient-transfer agreement, the center secured enough doctor signatures for a variance. Ohio Right to Life, the state’s largest anti-abortion group, said it’s disappointed the state has licensed a facility that’s skirted laws for years that are intended to protect women. NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, an abortion-rights group, said Ohio’s restrictive abortion laws are not medically necessary. | null | https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/ohio-abortion-clinic-lands-license-needed-stay-open-67002763 | Thu, 14 Nov 2019 06:34:19 -0500 | 1,573,731,259 | 1,573,733,200 | science and technology | scientific standards |
7,241 | ageofautism--2019-08-13--The Science is Unsettled Spin in psychiatric clinical trial reports is widespread | 2019-08-13T00:00:00 | ageofautism | The Science is Unsettled "Spin in psychiatric clinical trial reports is widespread" | Note: One of the phrases we 0ften hear regarding vaccine safety is that "The science is settled, vaccines do not cause autism." Is science in its pure form ever really settled. And what of science today, in a profit driven system? Here, an article talks about the problem of sweet talking, data changing tweaks in psychiatric clinical trial report summaries that are read instead of the full study in part because few have the time to read actual papers and properly draw their own conclusions. How can anyone claim the science is settled when we know that studies are spun to present profit-assisting data? We can't. Why is this understandable and presentable in the media EXCEPT when it comes to vaccinations? The deluge of information is not necessarily a good thing, especially when doctors are also required to do more administrative paperwork than ever before. Even those who want to keep up may be unable to do so. ### Spin in psychiatric clinical trial reports is widespread More than half of a sample had flattering tweaks in report summaries It's not just longform journalism and apoplectic Internet commenters that prompt a "tl;dr" from readers. Research papers trigger it, too, as scientists are so inundated with the volume of new results that just barely keeping up is a struggle. According to University of Oxford psychiatrist Michael Sharpe, "Everyone is deluged with information." Research papers give a brief summary of their contents in an information-rich "abstract" of the article—it's often the only text that's publicly available from a paywalled journal. Time-pressed researchers may rely on the abstract rather than investing in reading the lengthy paper, but those abstracts are not always reliable. A paper published this week in the journal BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine found that half of the 116 psychiatry and psychology articles they analyzed included some sort of spin that made the results look better than they were. "These findings raise a major concern," Sharpe told the Science Media Centre, "especially as readers may draw conclusions on the basis of the abstract alone, without critically appraising the full paper." Read the full article at ArsTechnica. It's troubling and we aren't sure there's any answer to make future reports more accurate. | Age of Autism | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ageofautism/~3/N77Z03QyH3A/the-science-is-unsettled-spin-in-psychiatric-clinical-trial-reports-is-widespread.html | 2019-08-13 10:00:00+00:00 | 1,565,704,800 | 1,567,534,285 | science and technology | scientific standards |
22,881 | bbc--2019-02-14--Free clinics The little-known safety net of US healthcare | 2019-02-14T00:00:00 | bbc | Free clinics: The little-known safety net of US healthcare | West Virginia's largest free clinic sits on a quiet street in Charleston, the small capital city of a state often called America's unhealthiest. Since 1982, West Virginia Health Right has offered under- and un-insured patients access to healthcare at little to no cost. "I think free and charitable clinics are the most overlooked jewel of the US," says the clinic's CEO, nurse practitioner Angie Settle. Most legislation focuses on federally qualified health centres, Mrs Settle says, which receive federal funding to cater to lower-income and private patients alike. "Well, we're sitting right in the middle of two federally qualified health centres and we have 26,000 patients. So obviously they're not meeting the whole need." Last year, West Virginia Health Right (WVHR) provided $15m (£11.6m) worth of healthcare and prescription medications to those patients - for an average per person cost of $115 (£90) for a full year of care. "A lot of people have this misconception about free clinics that it's just a handout for people who don't want to work," Mrs Settle says. "That can't be further from the truth. Eighty-three percent of our patients are employed in some capacity." But for many, having a job does not guarantee access to health insurance or care - and government assistance programmes have strict income limits. "Without us, a lot of the people that we see would have no other alternative but to turn to public assistance, to quit their job so they can get poor enough to be on Medicaid." Bobbi Morrison, a nurse practitioner at WVHR, used to work in a private clinic, and says the difference is striking. She could get insured patients there access to specialists in weeks. But for the uninsured or those on federal programmes? "I've seen people wait for certain specialists six months to a year." At WVHR, physicians and dentists volunteer their time so that patients can get holistic treatment often in just one visit. As a part of an initiative to build trust and keep patients on track with their care plans, new WVHR patients join one of three teams and will work with providers on those teams for as long as they come to the clinic. Mrs Morrison says one of the clinic's main goals is education. "I have people come in all the time who haven't had a women's health visit in 20 years because they didn't think they could get one anywhere." "What we take as basic common sense or understanding, a lot of people don't have. That's the hard part of what we try to do." The newly renovated second floor of the clinic boasts a large kitchen and teaching space for that very purpose. And WVHR's wellness classes are always packed. Patients of all ages sign up for free lessons on healthy cooking, diabetes management, exercise - and then volunteer to lead classes themselves. "It's a support group. It's a community," clinical coordinator Rhonda Francis says. "Our patients learn and then want to teach others." WVHR also teaches patients about couponing - using grocery deals to get healthier food - and offers challenges where patients can get cash rewards for losing weight. "We've tried to add wrap-around services like behavioural health, addiction - making the health education more robust," CEO Mrs Settle says. She describes patients coming in like Nascar - car racing - drivers to pit stops: Providers try to squeeze every treatment in, "because we don't know when we'll see them again". Twenty-one-year-old Ricci Shannon says she heard about the free clinic from a co-worker after she mentioned suffering from a serious toothache. Ms Shannon, who is uninsured, says she had been trying to avoid a trip to a dentist for fear of how much it would cost. "It just seems expensive," she says of health insurance. "An extra bill to incorporate when you're just getting started." "I would literally be dead without this clinic," the 57-year-old West Virginian says. "If you got nothing, you still got something. You got a way to save your life, to get your insulin, your BP medicine, whatever you need. "You hear people complain - 'I've been sitting here for 20 minutes' - well where in the hell else you gonna go? Where are you gonna get that prescription for nothing?" | null | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-46526775 | 2019-02-14 13:16:50+00:00 | 1,550,168,210 | 1,567,548,534 | science and technology | scientific standards |
24,393 | bbc--2019-03-19--Egg freezing Behind the scenes of a fertility clinic | 2019-03-19T00:00:00 | bbc | Egg freezing: Behind the scenes of a fertility clinic | With more and more women around the world considering freezing their eggs, how does the process work? BBC Health reporter, Smitha Mundasad, has been behind the scenes of a fertility clinic to find out exactly how eggs are frozen, and has been speaking mum of two Ali about her own egg freezing journey. You can find out more on the Beyond Today podcast on the BBC Sounds app and online here from 1700 GMT Tuesday March 19. | null | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-47589873 | 2019-03-19 02:19:52+00:00 | 1,552,976,392 | 1,567,545,642 | science and technology | scientific standards |
39,415 | bbcuk--2019-04-22--Older women exploited by IVF clinics says fertility watchdog | 2019-04-22T00:00:00 | bbcuk | Older women exploited by IVF clinics, says fertility watchdog | Older women are being exploited by IVF clinics "trading on hope", the fertility watchdog has warned. Sally Cheshire, chairwoman of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), told the Daily Telegraph some private clinics were using "selective success rates" to target older women. IVF is less likely to be successful as a woman gets older. Since 2004 the number of women in their 40s undergoing fertility treatment has doubled to 10,835 in 2017. The latest HFEA figures show that, among those using their own eggs, out of 2,265 embryo transfers in 2017, just 75 women aged 43 to 44 ended up with a baby. For those over 44, the success rate was even lower - amounting to 1% between 2004 and 2017. Mrs Cheshire told the BBC that some women were not being told their "realistic chance of success" when sold the treatment. She said all UK clinics needed to be "transparent" about the costs involved, as well as the likely outcome. Mrs Cheshire added that the clinics giving "selective statistics" tended to be "foreign". "If you have treatment in the UK, all those clinics are regulated by us - by and large it's a good sector," she said. "What we're concerned about are more of the foreign clinics who are coming to the UK who are investing here... who absolutely are not being honest." NHS guidelines recommend that women under 40 should be offered three full cycles of IVF, while those between 40 and 42 should be offered one full cycle. However eligibility criteria varies in different areas of the country. IVF is not usually recommended for women over the age of 42 because of low success rates. Mrs Cheshire said some parts of the sector were using "blatant" sales tactics to persuade "vulnerable" women to undergo treatment. The 50-year-old said she had even been offered IVF treatments herself, by staff who were unaware of her role with the regulator, at a visit to a fertility show in Manchester. "We now see things like 'guaranteed baby or your money back','' she told the Telegraph. Mrs Cheshire also called for the watchdog to be given powers to regulate prices, saying that some private centres were charging up to £20,000 for cycles - four times as much as she said treatments should cost. She said prices were often inflated by the growing use of "add-on treatments", such as embryo glue and endometrial scratches, offered by clinics to boost chances of success. Caroline, 40, wishes someone had sat her down and given her a realistic cost for her IVF treatment but says that often medical staff do not know for sure. She was originally led to believe the cost would be £5,000 but it is now at least £16,000. "The list of treatment costs is just jargon and there are so many options. I think I needed someone to sit me down and say to me 'this is you and this is what it will cost'," she said. The cost is not the only downside of IVF treatment for Caroline - the hormones have added negatively to the experience. "I am taking some time off from treatment as I find injecting all the hormones really messes with me emotionally. The injections have bowled me over and made me completely lose it." Adding: "When you're crying your eyes out at work it's not a good look." However, Caroline, whose full name we are not using at her request, thinks she will continue with the treatment as she has two vials of sperm left and will likely spend another £10,000. However, earlier this year the watchdog, which regulates all fertility services in the UK, warned that these were being offered without conclusive evidence that they increase the chance of pregnancy. Its website now has a "traffic light" rating for such treatments. None have been given the green light, which indicates there is more than one quality trial showing the procedure is effective and safe. Have you undergone fertility treatment? Do you feel you were persuaded to do so? Please share your experiences by emailing [email protected]. You can also contact us in the following ways: | null | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-48008635 | 2019-04-22 14:12:28+00:00 | 1,555,956,748 | 1,567,542,180 | science and technology | scientific standards |
40,956 | bbcuk--2019-06-24--Gambling addiction clinic to help addicts aged 13 to 25 | 2019-06-24T00:00:00 | bbcuk | Gambling addiction clinic to help addicts aged 13 to 25 | The NHS is to open its first gambling clinic for children and young people. The National Problem Gambling Clinic will aim to offer support to addicts aged 13 to 25. It is part of an expansion of support for those with an addiction announced in an NHS long-term plan which will see 14 clinics open around England. The Gambling Commission, which regulates the industry, said it was essential people had easy access to support and treatment. The parents of one young man who took his own life after battling with a gambling addiction also welcomed the announcement. Jack Ritchie, from Sheffield, started gambling with his dinner money at the local bookies when he was 17. Seven years later, he took his own life. His parents Liz and Charlie, who founded the charity Gambling with Lives, say the seriousness of Jack's situation was not recognised. They said their son saw his gambling habit as "a bit of fun" at the beginning. But it soon got out of control. "But in the end he thought it controlled him." Liz Ritchie welcomed the news of the clinic for young people. "Of course it's wonderful. And if Jack had had a referral there, then it probably would have saved him. "But the links to primary care are vital. Jack referred himself to his GP, but he didn't know to refer him. So we need proper training for all our GPs." Henrietta Bowden-Jones, founder and director of the National Problem Gambling Clinic, said: "Gambling disorder is a destructive condition which doesn't discriminate. It wrecks lives, pulls families into debt and can leave people feeling suicidal." The new clinic for young people will open this year in London as part of an expansion of NHS services across England. Fourteen other clinics for adult gambling addicts are set to open - the first in Leeds this summer, followed by others in Manchester and Sunderland. Until now, specialist face-to-face help has only been available in London at a clinic focused on addicts aged 16 and over. Health Secretary Matt Hancock said: "I have seen first-hand the devastating impact gambling addiction can have on people's lives and I am determined to do everything I can to help anyone affected get the help and support they need. "We know that too many young people face their lives being blighted by problem gambling - so these new clinics will also look at what more can be done to help them." Mike Kenwood, director of development at GamCare - a charity providing support and advice to people affected by problem gambling, told BBC Radio 5 Live more education on the issue "is badly needed" in schools. "In school you would have been more likely to receive education and awareness sessions around things like drugs and alcohol, safe sex, healthy eating in PSHE [Personal, Social, Health and Economic education] lessons," he said. "There is a broader agenda which address all those things, but gambling is missing from it." | null | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-48723482 | 2019-06-24 07:03:26+00:00 | 1,561,374,206 | 1,567,538,332 | science and technology | scientific standards |
67,685 | birminghammail--2019-11-08--Children as young as five treated at gender identity clinics - including dozens of Birmingham kids | 2019-11-08T00:00:00 | birminghammail | Children as young as five treated at gender identity clinics - including dozens of Birmingham kids | More than 30 children from Birmingham were being treated at a gender identity clinic last year, exclusive figures have shown. Those are the findings of a Reach Data Unit investigation - which can reveal that, across England, kids as young as five are under the care of the Gender Identity Development Service. There were at least 30 children being treated in 2018/19 who had been referred from the Birmingham area. Some 21 children had been referred by Birmingham Cross City CCG and nine by Birmingham South and Central CCG. Fewer than five children from the Sandwell and West Birmingham CCG area were also receiving treatment, though the actual figure was suppressed to protect patient anonymity. The Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust runs the Gender Identity Development service, which is based in London and Leeds and is the only one for children and young people in Great Britain. The Trust said some of the children they see will have been born as male but may not feel like a boy when older - or may prefer wearing clothes or playing with toys that are stereotypically for girls. They may also feel or say that they are a girl. In the same way, some children born as female might feel or say they are a boy. Others might say that neither 'boy' nor 'girl' is the right word for how they feel about themselves. The Trust said the figures exclude cases that were open but where the child had not yet been seen. The 30 kids treated at the clinic who’d been referred by Birmingham CCGs was down slightly from 34 the year before, but up from 29 in 2016/17. It is possible that some of the children from previous years were still receiving treatment in 2018/19 so were included in more than one year of analysis. A spokesperson for the charity Mermaids said: "It's vital that transgender and gender diverse children get the support they need immediately so they can avoid the distress caused by feeling lost, trapped and alone. “Research shows a high instance of self-harm and suicidal tendencies amongst kids and teens struggling with their gender identity and the figures are backed up by our own 25 years of experience. “The good news is that worried parents see a huge difference in their children when they're allowed to explore their gender and express who they are. “Moods improve, school grades get better, friends are made and a kid who'd seemed sad, angry and isolated comes back to life. “That's why the guidance from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health advises affirmative care, which means allowing people to live as the gender they truly are, not the gender assigned to them at birth. “Unfortunately, the Tavistock Centre chooses to take a more questioning approach. “This, combined with a wait for consultations of up to two years and a further wait to access puberty blockers, is causing a tortuous delay for many young people and we would urge the government to give more funding to the service and for our NHS specialists to assume the WPATH approach.” Across England, there were at least 2,942 children aged 17 and under receiving treatment from the Gender Identity Service in 2018/19. Children born as girls were far more likely to be treated by the service - accounting for 2,019 of the total. Nationally, six children aged five who were born as girls were receiving treatment in 2018/19. Fewer than five children aged six who were born as boys were also receiving treatment that year. A total of 27 children aged six were being treated, 49 aged seven and 62 aged eight. There were 80 children aged nine, 79 aged 10 and 116 aged 11. The remaining 2,523 children being treated were aged between 12 and 17. The NHS advises that parents who think their child might be trans or non-binary should visit their GP. A spokesperson from the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust said: “We work closely with young people and their families – plus local healthcare teams when appropriate – to provide support and information as they explore their gender identity development. “We treat every young person who visits our service individually on a case-by case basis. “Our clinicians have no preference or expectation for what pathway each young person may choose to follow in relation to their gender identification. “We appreciate that it can be difficult for young people and their family while waiting for a first appointment at GIDS and are working hard to reduce the waiting times. “Those on the waiting list can contact a GIDS clinician for any concerns or queries while waiting for a first appointment. “GIDS is a highly specialist service and operates in a network model with local services. “There is an important role for local mental health services to support young people with co-occuring mental health or developmental difficulties. “Similarly, increased awareness of the range of options open to young people and local support to explore their gender preferences prior to attending highly specialist services is helpful as a substantial proportion of young people referred to the service do not ultimately follow a physical treatment pathway.” THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN RECEIVING TREATMENT UNDER THE GENDER IDENTITY SERVICE, BY YEAR | [email protected] (Alice Cachia, David Bentley) | https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/children-young-five-treated-gender-17228091 | Fri, 8 Nov 2019 19:12:20 +0000 | 1,573,258,340 | 1,573,259,925 | science and technology | scientific standards |
73,212 | breitbart--2019-09-16--Pete Buttigieg Renewed Support for Abortion Clinic Headed by Klopfer Staff | 2019-09-16T00:00:00 | breitbart | Pete Buttigieg Renewed Support for Abortion Clinic Headed by Klopfer Staff | The South Bend Tribune reported in October 2017 that Liam Morley, an employee for several years at the Klopfer abortion clinic known as The Women’s Pavilion, was listed as the proposed administrator of the new Whole Woman’s Health Alliance clinic that had applied for a license to perform drug-induced abortions in South Bend. Rep. Jim Banks, a Republican from Indiana, tweeted the history of Buttigieg’s opposition to a pro-life pregnancy center slated to open next door to the “direct descendant to Ulrich Klopfer’s house of horrors”: The Tribune noted that, in August 2016, Morley identified herself to its reporter as director of the Pro Choice South Bend group: Morley said at the time that Pro Choice South Bend, which provides community outreach for women seeking abortions, was not directly involved in efforts to launch another clinic. The Tribune on Friday placed numerous phone calls and e-mails and left messages seeking comment from Pro Choice South Bend, but no one from the group responded. Morley could not be reached for comment. According to the report, the South Bend area had not had an abortion clinic since November 2015 when notorious abortionist Klopfer ended his appeal of the state’s decision to revoke his medical license amid numerous violations of health and safety standards. Klopfer’s abortion clinics in Fort Wayne and Gary had also been shut down. In December 2017, Granger family physician Dr. Laura McGuire expressed concerns about the former South Bend abortion clinic. “We know that there is an organization here that has the same kind of profile as Dr. Klopfer wanting to come back in our town,” she said, reported WSBT News. However, in August, Chris Meagher, Buttigieg’s national press secretary, said, “The mayor is deeply concerned by what he views as a new and extreme assault on Roe v. Wade in legislatures across the country,” reported the Chicago Tribune. Meagher added the current 2020 Democrat presidential contender “believes that the truly radical idea in this debate and around abortion care is one of banning abortion outright.” “The South Bend clinic would be the only one for a radius of several counties,” Meagher continued. “It is a restriction on a woman’s right if she is low-income, or doesn’t have a vehicle, and she has to visit multiple times, but the clinic is dozens of miles away.” In April 2018, Buttigieg created a firestorm when he vetoed a decision made by the South Bend Common Council to allow a pro-life pregnancy center, the Women’s Care Center, to open next door to Whole Woman’s Health. According to the news report, Buttigieg said his decision to veto the decision was made based on his beliefs of what was best for the neighborhood. “Issues on the legality or morality of abortion are dramatically beyond my paygrade as a mayor,” Buttigieg said. “I don’t think it would be responsible to situate two groups, literally right next to each other, in a neighborhood, that have diametrically opposed views on the most divisive social issue of our time.” “Today, we applaud Mayor Pete Buttigieg for standing up for what is right and putting women and families of South Bend first,” the group said in a statement. “This veto shows that he is listening to the community and ensuring access to quality health care is available.” However, University of Notre Dame president the Rev. John I. Jenkins, who serves on the pro-life Women’s Care Center board, said he was “saddened” by the veto. “Far from enhancing the harmony of the neighborhood, it divides our community and diminishes opportunities for vulnerable women to have a real choice,” Jenkins said. As the Washington Free Beacon reported, the pro-life Women’s Care Center ultimately opened across the street from its originally proposed location. Whole Woman’s Health of South Bend has been providing abortions without a license since June due to a federal judge’s preliminary injunction, reported the Chicago Tribune, but its trial over the final license is scheduled to begin in August 2020. The abortion provider has called the state’s insistence that it meet the requirement of “reputable and responsible character” as “politically motivated” and “medically unnecessary.” In 2015, Klopfer’s medical license was suspended after he allegedly failed to report an abortion performed on a 13-year-old girl. The remains of 2,246 unborn babies were found inside Klopfer’s Will County, Illinois home. Klopfer passed away on September 3. | Dr. Susan Berry | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/breitbart/~3/9SL7XlBmAV4/ | 2019-09-16 16:21:28+00:00 | 1,568,665,288 | 1,569,330,163 | science and technology | scientific standards |
81,958 | cbsnews--2019-02-08--Supreme Court blocks Louisiana abortion clinic law | 2019-02-08T00:00:00 | cbsnews | Supreme Court blocks Louisiana abortion clinic law | Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts joined the four liberal members in temporarily blocking a Louisiana law that would have closed some of the few remaining abortion clinics in the state. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote the dissenting opinion. Abortion rights groups were closely following the case, saying they feared this court, with a new conservative justice, would allow it to take effect — a sign it would permit greater restrictions on abortion rights. That of course is still possible, as this is only a temporary measure until the court decides over the next few months whether it will hear this case next term. The Supreme Court did not give a reason for granting the stay. The four conservatives dissented. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote separately, saying he would allow the law to take effect but was prepared to reverse course if it did in fact burden a woman's access to abortion, as opponents claimed. The other conservatives didn't join Kavanaugh's dissent, presumably because they believe (as they did in the 2016 case) that the law does not burden a woman's access to abortion. The law, originally enacted in 2014, has never taken effect. The Supreme Court temporarily stayed the law last week. Justice Samuel Alito said in a brief order Friday that the justices need more time to review arguments for and against the law. The law requires doctors at abortion clinics to have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital. Should the law go into effect, abortion providers say at least one and maybe two of Louisiana's three abortion clinics would have to close. The Supreme Court struck down a similar law in Texas in 2016, with Justice Anthony Kennedy serving as a deciding vote in the 5-3 decision. Kavanaugh, a conservative jurist who many Republicans hope will help shift the court to the right, has since replaced Kennedy. A judge in the federal district court in Louisiana struck down the law in 2017, but it was upheld by a federal appeals court in September. The appeals court said it's not clear that any clinic would close. | null | http://www.cbsnews.com/news/john-roberts-joins-liberal-justices-to-block-louisiana-abortion-clinic-law/ | 2019-02-08 03:51:45+00:00 | 1,549,615,905 | 1,567,549,188 | science and technology | scientific standards |
83,856 | cbsnews--2019-05-21--Supreme Court abortion clinics face protesters amid restrictive new state laws | 2019-05-21T00:00:00 | cbsnews | Supreme Court, abortion clinics face protesters amid restrictive new state laws | Abortion clinics are facing protesters emboldened by a flurry of restrictive new state laws as they reassure confused patients that the laws have yet to take effect, abortion providers said. "We have actually had many people calling and say, 'Are you open? Are you still seeing patients? Is abortion now illegal? Will something happen to me if I come for care?'" said Dr. Willie Parker, one of two doctors providing abortions at the Alabama Women's Center in Huntsville recently. Last week, Alabama enacted the nation's strictest abortion law, making performing abortions a felony at any stage of pregnancy with almost no exceptions. Women who came through the doors held hands with loved ones or curled into chairs as they waited. A television set to a cable news channel aired a segment about Alabama's abortion law. It is one of only three abortion clinics in the state, and the only one that provides abortions when a woman is up to 20 weeks pregnant. Some patients drove from Mississippi and other neighboring states because of a shortage of clinics. "Our doors are open, and we continue to be here for women in our communities, and we intend to keep it that way," said Dr. Yashica Robinson, an obstetrician and gynecologist who provides abortions at the clinic. Georgia , Kentucky , Mississippi and Ohio have also passed laws that prohibit abortion when a fetal heartbeat is detected — about six weeks, before many women know they are pregnant. Missouri and Louisiana are close to enacting similar bans. None of the laws has taken effect, and all are expected to be blocked while legal challenges work their way through the courts. But the restrictive bans have since sparked a "Day of Action", triggering demonstrations across the U.S. in defense of abortion rights. Some lawmakers hope two new conservative justices nominated by President Donald Trump will provide the votes for the Supreme Court to overturn its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion nationwide. It's a prospect leading many to take to the steps of the High Court to protest. Hundreds turned out in support of reproductive rights at demonstrations organized by Planned Parenthood on Tuesday, even bringing out some faces of the 2020 Democratic presidential primary field, including Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Bernie Sanders and Sen. Amy Klobuchar. "The right for a woman to control her own body is a fundamental constitutional right and we have got to do everything we can to defend it," Sanders told reporters outside the Supreme Court. Other Democratic contenders including Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Kamala Harris and Beto O'Rourke issued statements on social media saying they stood alongside those demonstrating in support of women's reproductive health care. Energized protesters also showed up at Mississippi's only abortion clinic, with 100 people gathering on some days singing and waving signs— double the usual number, clinic owner Diane Derzis said. "They know they're winning, and they don't care what they need to do," she said. Messages in pink and blue chalk remained on a sidewalk recently near the hot pink building in Jackson that houses the clinic: "Babies are murdered here" and "Repent. Turn to Christ." Clinic administrator Shannon Brewer took a call from a pregnant woman wanting to schedule an abortion for next week. Brewer told her about the requirement for two trips to the clinic — the first for state-mandated counseling and the second, at least 24 hours later, for the procedure. She told the woman that no bags, purses or children are allowed. The ban on bags and purses is because of security concerns and the ban on children is because of protesters, Brewer explained after she was off the phone. "People are screaming at the women as they come in," she said. "That's not good for a child." POWER House, a group that offers escorts to women seeking abortions in Montgomery, Alabama, for the first time hired an off-duty police officer to watch over escorts and patients because of the attention generated by Alabama's new abortion law, said Mia Raven, the group's executive director. Six anti-abortion protesters gathered outside the Montgomery clinic on a recent day, carrying signs reading "Babies Are Murdered Here" and depicting aborted fetuses. Abortion opponents disputed the claim that protesters were more aggressive because of the new state laws and push to overturn Roe v. Wade. "We have not really had any reports of any heightened activity in the area of protesting of the clinics or anything like that," said Zemmie Fleck, executive director of Georgia Right To life. In Atlanta, doctors who provide abortions are talking about how to practice in accordance with the Georgia law if it's not blocked in court and goes into effect as scheduled in January, said Dr. Lisa Haddad, an associate professor in gynecology and obstetrics at Emory University School of Medicine. Georgia includes an exception to save the life of the mother, but Haddad said doctors will need protocols to determine when to invoke that provision. She said a doctor who was prepared to provide abortions in Georgia decided against immediately taking the job after the new law passed. "Many of us are drained by this whole process," she said. | null | http://www.cbsnews.com/news/supreme-court-abortion-clinics-face-protesters-amid-restrictive-new-state-laws/ | 2019-05-21 17:45:25+00:00 | 1,558,475,125 | 1,567,540,277 | science and technology | scientific standards |
153,437 | drudgereport--2019-11-06--Judge strikes down rule allowing clinicians to deny abortions for moral, religious reasons... | 2019-11-06T00:00:00 | drudgereport | Judge strikes down rule allowing clinicians to deny abortions for moral, religious reasons... | Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. A federal judge in New York on Wednesday struck down a new Trump administration rule that would have allowed health care clinicians to refuse to provide abortions for moral or religious reasons. U.S. District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer of the Southern District of New York rejected the federal rule after women's groups, health organizations and multiple states sued the Department of Health and Human Services, arguing the exemptions were unconstitutional. Engelmayer ruled that the so-called conscience rule was too coercive, allowing HHS to withhold billions in federal funding unless health care providers complied. "Wherever the outermost line where persuasion gives way to coercion lies, the threat to pull all HHS funding here crosses it," Engelmayer wrote in a 147-page decision, according to Reuters. He added that the rule was "arbitrary and capricious." The ruling came in three consolidated lawsuits, according to The Associated Press. One consisted of 19 states, the District of Columbia and three local governments. "The refusal of care rule was an unlawful attempt to allow health care providers to openly discriminate and refuse to provide necessary health care to patients based on providers’ ‘religious beliefs or moral objections,’" New York Attorney General Letitia James, who led the lawsuit for the states, said. "We will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect access to health care and protect the rights of all individuals.” The Trump administration rule, which would have taken effect Nov. 22, would have allowed providers and health care organizations to opt out of performing abortions and other services if the clinicians objected to them on moral or religious grounds. Opponents argued the rule posed a threat not just to women seeking abortions but also to LGBTQ patients because providers could argue that treating them was against their personal beliefs. “Today’s decision is an important victory against the Trump administration’s cruel and unlawful attempts to roll back critical patient protections,” said Alexa Kolbi-Molinas, senior staff attorney with the Reproductive Freedom Project at the American Civil Liberties Union, one of the plaintiffs. “Everyone is entitled to their religious beliefs, but religious beliefs do not include a license to discriminate, to deny essential care, or to cause harm to others.” Supporters of the rule said the judge's ruling forced providers to perform procedures against their wills. “This decision leaves health care professionals across America vulnerable to being forced to perform, facilitate or refer for procedures that violate their conscience," said Stephanie Taub, senior counsel for the First Liberty Institute, the largest legal organization in the U.S. dedicated to protecting religious liberty. "The Trump administration’s HHS protections would ensure that health care professionals are free to work consistent with their religious beliefs while providing the best care to their patients.” | null | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DrudgeReportFeed/~3/O6wEtcYjuOE/federal-judge-strikes-down-rule-allowing-clinicians-object-abortions-moral-n1077476 | Wed, 06 Nov 2019 23:16:41 GMT | 1,573,100,201 | 1,573,082,251 | science and technology | scientific standards |
156,153 | drudgereport--2019-12-14--LA high schools to open sexual and mental health clinics... | 2019-12-14T00:00:00 | drudgereport | LA high schools to open sexual and mental health clinics... | Dozens of Los Angeles high schools will soon host clinics providing sexual and mental health services for teenagers as part of a wellness program that officials say is a groundbreaking model of comprehensive on-campus care. The school-based clinics announced this week are a collaboration between Planned Parenthood and county public and mental health officials, and will ultimately be available to roughly 75,000 teens at 50 schools. They will offer birth control, emergency contraception like Plan B, testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, pregnancy testing and counseling, and a range of mental health and substance abuse resources. The reproductive health services extend beyond what public school nurses have traditionally offered, and because California law permits teens older than 12 to receive birth control and related treatment without parental consent, the care is confidential. The centers do not offer abortions. The “wellbeing centers” will also be staffed by two health educators with master’s degrees in public health, who will facilitate classes and groups on substance use prevention, behavioral health and sexual health. The county’s mental health department will run support groups on stress, anxiety and depression. Dr Ron Tanimura, director of student medical services at the Los Angeles unified school district (LAUSD), said he expected the centers would help reduce STD and STI rates, which have been increasing in recent years in the region. “When we are looking at the rise of chlamydia, gonorrhea and syphilis rates, we want to make sure we are approaching this as a public health issue,” said Tanimura. “Now we have an avenue for kids to seek services right there. They don’t have to miss school.” The program is launching at a time when the White House and conservative groups have aggressively targeted Planned Parenthood. Earlier this year, the organization withdrew from a federal family program that provides health services and birth control after the Trump administration passed a new rule banning referrals to doctors who perform abortions. Under Trump, the health and human services department has also promoted sexual education that emphasizes abstinence despite overwhelming evidence that this kind of curriculum does not change teen sexual behavior or prevent pregnancy. California prohibits abstinence-only education and requires more comprehensive programs. Last year, legislators also passed a new law mandating that public colleges provide abortion medication. The involvement of Planned Parenthood in LA schools has already sparked some backlash from conservative groups and rightwing media, though officials have emphasized that the organization and the reproductive health services are just one component of the larger wellness initiative. Planned Parenthood is currently operating in five of the sites, but it plans to expand to other schools. “Young people trust Planned Parenthood with those services,” said Ellen Sanchez, a consultant with the public health department. “They know they will get honest and accurate information and their confidentiality will be protected.” Kanchi Tate, a program manager with the LA department of mental health, said it was critical that students have access to a private setting to ask questions about sexual or mental healthcare: “You may have a student suffering for a long time or they may know something is not right, but they don’t know where to go … If it’s on campus, it’s part of the conversation and it becomes normal.” Roughly one in four students report feeling depressed, said Dr Barbara Ferrer, LA county director of public health: “We have a lot of evidence about the high levels of trauma that students have experienced … This combines the best we know about the kind of services that young people are asking for and are in need of.” Ferrer said the county could not shy away from reproductive health services even if it inspired controversy: “We’re not going to ignore a whole set of needs that young people have. We have a lot of students that are sexually active. We can’t put our heads in the sand.” Dr Brian Nguyen, a University of Southern California assistant professor of OB/GYN, who is not affiliated with the program, said he expected the services could help reduce rising STI rates in the region. “When you bring the services to people, they’ll use it,” he said, noting that women tend to take care of their sexual health more than men. He hoped this would fix that disparity in schools: “It ensures that a wider audience that would ordinarily not engage in sexual reproductive health would have access.” | null | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DrudgeReportFeed/~3/YqIAGVeE0jk/los-angeles-high-school-planned-parenthood-sexual-mental-health | Sat, 14 Dec 2019 12:16:38 GMT | 1,576,343,798 | 1,576,325,860 | science and technology | scientific standards |
176,907 | eveningstandard--2019-06-18--First private clinic promises aposfast-accessapos medical cannabis to Londoners | 2019-06-18T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | First private clinic promises 'fast-access' medical cannabis to Londoners | London’s first private clinic promising faster access to medical cannabis is to open in Harley Street. Its backers say it will offer a “lifeline” to patients suffering chronic pain or neurological conditions who are unable to access cannabis-derived medicines on the NHS. The Medical Cannabis Clinics — London will be the second in the country to be opened by ECH (European Cannabis Holdings) Medical. In March it opened the UK’s first clinic in Cheadle, Greater Manchester. Medical cannabis was legalised in the UK last year but is currently unlicensed, meaning it can only be prescribed by specialists or a GP acting under the instructions of one. Families say it is almost impossible to access it on the NHS, despite its legalisation. Cases such as those of Billy Caldwell, 13, and Alfie Dingley, seven, have highlighted the benefits of cannabis oil to children with epilepsy who suffer multiple seizures. The London clinic will not have a paediatric department at the outset. Appointments cost £200 and prescriptions will cost £600 to £700 a month. Former government drugs czar Professor David Nutt, of Imperial College London, told BMJ that “ignorance” of the value of cannabis medicines among doctors was holding back their use. The Government says the evidence for the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of medicinal cannabis is “embryonic”. A review of Nice guidelines, which determine whether the NHS should pay for it, is due to be published in the autumn. The London clinic will have a GP who can assess patients and refer them to an on-site specialist with the power to approve a prescription. Cannabis treatments will be offered where conventional treatments have failed. The clinic will offer “potentially life-changing” treatment for arthritis, epilepsy, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It may also benefit people with psychiatric conditions and stroke patients. More than 150 people are said to be on a waiting list. Clinical director Professor Mike Barnes, the consultant neurologist who helped secure the first medicinal cannabis licence for Alfie Dingley, said: “This clinic will represent a lifeline to the thousands of patients who have found other treatments ineffective.” | Ross Lydall | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/health/first-private-clinic-promises-fastaccess-medical-cannabis-to-londoners-a4169616.html | 2019-06-18 08:38:37+00:00 | 1,560,861,517 | 1,567,538,853 | science and technology | scientific standards |
191,302 | eveningstandard--2019-12-04--Candice Brown details 'battle' against clinical depression and PTSD | 2019-12-04T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | Candice Brown details 'battle' against clinical depression and PTSD | Great British Bake Off winner Candice Brown has described suffering with clinical depression, chronic phobia and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a "real battle" in a new interview about mental health. The TV personality, who won the competition in 2016, said baking and group therapy has helped her, adding that she also takes medication. Speaking on the Open Mind podcast, she told ex The Saturdays singer Frankie Bridge that while she was initially "reluctant" to accept the prescription, she has been taking "various" drugs for five years. The 34-year-old explained: "I suffer with clinical depression, chronic phobia and PTSD. "It's hard and people don't realise, it's a real battle. People might be like, 'Oh she's jumping on the bandwagon,' but they've got no idea what has been going on in my brain for the past five or six years. "It's been s**t, sometimes I get angry and it's probably going to be with me forever. When it got really bad, baking was what I would do. "I'm on medication, I have been for five years, various different ones." The famous baker admitted she was initially angry that she would have to "rely" on medication, but now accepts she has a "chemical imbalance." “Group therapy taught me that bouts of depression will probably be a reoccurring thing," she said. "It p****d me off that I would have to rely on things. Now I know it’s not my fault." The former PE teacher added that she has struggled to go to work on particularly difficult days and said she has experienced "not very nice thoughts of how I could get out of it." She said: "At its worse I was being dragged out of bed by my feet and the duvet being shut in the bathroom, so there was nothing on the bed, so I had to get up. Those were the really bad days." After winning Bake Off, Brown appeared on the 2018 series of Dancing On Ice and was partnered up with professional skater Matt Evers. In January, Brown returned to the Bake Off tent for a New Year's special but missed out on being crowned star baker, as series 8 runner up Steven Carter-Bailey triumphed. | Tobi Akingbade | https://www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/celebrity-news/great-british-bake-off-candice-brown-clinical-depression-ptsd-a4304001.html | Wed, 04 Dec 2019 09:39:00 GMT | 1,575,470,340 | 1,575,462,578 | science and technology | scientific standards |
206,608 | fortune--2019-10-08--The Clinic of the Future Could Treat Video Game Addiction: Brainstorm Health | 2019-10-08T00:00:00 | fortune | The Clinic of the Future Could Treat Video Game Addiction: Brainstorm Health | China Open to a Partial Trade Deal With the U.S. Even as Tensions Spike | Sy Mukherjee | https://fortune.com/2019/10/08/video-game-addiction-nhs-clinic/ | Tue, 08 Oct 2019 22:49:18 +0000 | 1,570,589,358 | 1,570,623,018 | science and technology | scientific standards |
207,308 | fortune--2019-11-14--Cleveland Clinic, Duke, MIT, and USC to Split a No-Strings-Attached $1 Billion Gift | 2019-11-14T00:00:00 | fortune | Cleveland Clinic, Duke, MIT, and USC to Split a No-Strings-Attached $1 Billion Gift | Daimler Will Cut 10% of Mercedes Management as the Costly Switch to Electric Cars Hits Home | Jenna Schnuer | https://fortune.com/2019/11/13/cleveland-clinic-duke-mit-and-usc-1-billion-gift/ | Thu, 14 Nov 2019 00:04:37 +0000 | 1,573,707,877 | 1,573,733,227 | science and technology | scientific standards |
291,269 | liveaction--2019-03-29--Pro-life medical clinics get Title X funds as Planned Parenthood sees cuts | 2019-03-29T00:00:00 | liveaction | Pro-life medical clinics get Title X funds as Planned Parenthood sees cuts | The Department of Health and Human Services has announced that The Obria Group, a pro-life medical organization, has been awarded a $1.7 million grant per year for the next three years — a total of $5.1 million — in Title X federal family planning funding in California. This is a direct result of the Trump administration’s rule change, which requires that Title X funding recipient organizations must separate, both physically and financially, their abortion businesses from their non-abortion family planning services. In addition, groups receiving funding are no longer allowed to refer for abortions. Before the rule change, agencies were required to refer for abortions, which meant that pro-life facilities wouldn’t qualify for the funding. That has now changed, as previously reported by Live Action News: The new HHS rule reportedly “[p]rohibit[s] referral for abortion as a method of family planning” and “eliminates the requirement that Title X providers offer abortion counseling and referral,” according to the press release. “It protects Title X healthcare providers so that they are not required to choose between participating in the program and violating their own consciences by providing abortion counseling and referral.” (emphasis added) Prior to the rule change, Title X recipients were required to refer for abortion. Section 59.14 of the rule states: “A Title X project may not perform, promote, refer for, or support abortion as a method of family planning, nor take any other affirmative action to assist a patient to secure such an abortion.” Planned Parenthood tweeted today that as a result of the Title X rule change, many of its affiliates just learned that they have lost funding: The Washington Examiner points out that the new rules “are being contested by states and pro-abortion rights groups who say that they amount to a ‘gag rule’ for doctors. The organizations have said they would have to either re-build their facilities or turn down the funds entirely because of the rule.” The family planning grants, they note, “are intended to pay for birth control, testing of sexually transmitted diseases, and cancer screenings for 4 million low-income people” and are not supposed to go toward abortion. However, when funding goes to a facility that provides not just family planning, but abortions using the same buildings, doctors, and staff, that money is fungible. That means no matter what, that funding is helping to prop up the facility’s abortion business. The video below helps to explain: READ: Medical pregnancy centers fight lie that Planned Parenthood is about women’s health “Many women want the opportunity to visit a professional, comprehensive health care facility—not an abortion clinic—for their health care needs; today, HHS gave women that choice,” Obria CEO Kathleen Eaton Bravo said in a statement, quoted by The Daily Signal. “Our goal is to basically say we’re going to build a model of comprehensive, holistic medical clinics so that a woman [facing an unplanned pregnancy] never has to darken the door of a Planned Parenthood again,” Bravo told The Daily Signal. “We are her health care provider,” she said. “It is a brand that has been desperately needed for 45 years, to unite the [pro-life] movement under this medical model.” In a fact sheet released by The Obria Group, the organization notes that the Title X funding will be used toward: The groups adds, “These services will be provided by seven grant subrecipients at 21 family clinic locations serving more than 90 cities across four California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, and Santa Clara.” The group also noted in a press release that “Obria is a nonprofit affiliate network that operates 21 health clinics and 11 mobile clinics in five states with 78 licensed medical professionals providing comprehensive health care services including: pregnancy testing and counseling, prenatal care through delivery, HIV/AIDS testing, pregnancy ultrasound, breast and cervical cancer testing, well-woman care and pap smears, STD testing and treatment, sexual risk avoidance education, adoption referral, and post-abortion support. Obria clinics do not provide contraceptives and do not do abortions, offering women and their families healthy, life-affirming care.” “Like” Live Action News on Facebook for more pro-life news and commentary! | Kelli | https://www.liveaction.org/news/pro-life-clinics-title-x-planned-parenthood-cuts/ | 2019-03-29 22:12:11+00:00 | 1,553,911,931 | 1,567,544,725 | science and technology | scientific standards |
330,629 | nationalreview--2019-04-08--Employees Quit NHS Transgender Clinic over Kids Experimental Treatments | 2019-04-08T00:00:00 | nationalreview | Employees Quit NHS Transgender Clinic over Kids’ Experimental Treatments | Five employees of Britain’s National Health Service (NHS) have quit a controversial NHS transgender-therapy clinic, citing fears that children are being misdiagnosed as transgender and given harmful and irreversible hormone treatments. The five former clinicians at the Gender Identity Development Service, which is based in London and Leeds, expressed their concerns to the British daily The Times. Each of them was part of a team charged with deciding whether patients as young as three should be prescribed hormone blockers to prevent the onset of puberty. The number of child referrals to GIDS skyrocketed from 94 in 2010 to 2,519 in 2018. Later when patients reached age 16, they would be prescribed a regimen of sex hormones in order to develop the physical characteristics of the gender with which they identify. The clinicians said they were concerned that the root causes of some of the children’s gender dysphoria were not being ascertained carefully enough before diagnosis and that they sometimes felt pressured to prescribe the treatment against their better judgment. They added that they suspected some of the youngsters were actually gay but had been victims of homophobic bullying. One of the clinicians said the reason some clinic workers stayed in their positions was to protect children from inappropriate therapy. “I felt for the last two years what kept me in the job was the sense there was a huge number of children in danger,” the staffer told the Times. “I was there to protect children from being damaged.” Another staffer lamented that, “This experimental treatment is being done on not only children, but very vulnerable children.” Over the past three years, at least 18 staff are have reportedly quit the clinic over similar fears of haphazard diagnoses of child gender dysphoria. GIDS, part of the Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust, pushed back on accusations of irresponsible diagnoses, claiming that its staff carefully considers whether to prescribe hormone therapy for individual children. | Mairead McArdle | https://www.nationalreview.com/news/employees-quit-nhs-transgender-clinic-over-kids-experimental-treatments/ | 2019-04-08 20:36:46+00:00 | 1,554,770,206 | 1,567,543,547 | science and technology | scientific standards |
334,259 | naturalnews--2019-01-23--Just 3 sessions of aerobic exercise per week can relieve clinical depression | 2019-01-23T00:00:00 | naturalnews | Just 3 sessions of aerobic exercise per week can relieve clinical depression | (Natural News) A systematic review published in the journal Depression and Anxiety suggests that aerobic exercise has significant antidepressant effects for people with clinical depression. More specifically, the review reported that three 45-minute sessions of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise every week may relieve clinical depression. A team of researchers from Greece, the U.K., and Canada evaluated the antidepressant effects of aerobic exercise on people suffering from clinical depression. The research team looked at 11 studies with a total of 455 adult participants. Instead of taking antidepressant drugs – which is the conventional treatment for depression – the participants underwent supervised moderate-intensity aerobic exercise for an average of 45 minutes, thrice a week for a period of 9.2 weeks. (Related: Stopping exercise can plunge people back into depression after only THREE DAYS, study concludes.) The results showed that the exercise routine significantly improved the symptoms of depression, regardless of their severity. In addition, in trials for individuals with a lower risk of clinical depression, aerobic exercise produced moderate-to-large antidepressant effects. For trials with short?term exercise interventions or up to four weeks, exhibited large antidepressant effects. Based on these findings, the research team concluded that aerobic exercise can relieve symptoms of depression and may be used as an effective treatment for this mental illness. Depression is a life-threatening and burdensome mental illness. In recent years, the number of people suffering from this mental illness has increased. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), around 300 million people around the world suffer from depression. Furthermore, it is estimated that 15 percent of the adult population will experience depression at some point in their lives. 100% organic essential oil sets now available for your home and personal care, including Rosemary, Oregano, Eucalyptus, Tea Tree, Clary Sage and more, all 100% organic and laboratory tested for safety. A multitude of uses, from stress reduction to topical first aid. See the complete listing here, and help support this news site. A person with depression may experience the following symptoms: In addition to aerobic exercise, there are other non-drug treatments available that help beat depression. These include the following: Read more news stories and studies on natural ways to battle with depression by going to BeatDepression.news. | Michelle Simmons | http://www.naturalnews.com/2019-01-23-aerobic-exercise-can-relieve-clinical-depression.html | 2019-01-23 19:07:03+00:00 | 1,548,288,423 | 1,567,551,201 | science and technology | scientific standards |
336,770 | naturalnews--2019-08-21--Clinical review finds electroacupuncture treats postoperative urinary retention in women | 2019-08-21T00:00:00 | naturalnews | Clinical review finds electroacupuncture treats postoperative urinary retention in women |  * * * ([Natural News](https://www.naturalnews.com)) Electroacupuncture can [greatly improve symptoms of postoperative urinary retention](https://www.science.news/2019-07-17-electroacupuncture-treats- postoperative-urinary-retention-in-women.html) in women, according to a review published in the journal _Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine_. In the article, researchers from [ _Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine_](http://www.at0086.com/GUCM/) in China looked at data from randomized control trials that used electroacupuncture for treating postoperative urinary retention, a complication usually associated with anesthesia and surgery. This was done to determine the safety and efficacy of the procedure. The team looked for relevant studies in databases such as PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and Web of Science. They also conducted a search using local databases in China, Japan, Korea, and Russia. They found 23 studies that investigated how electroacupuncture affects postoperative urinary retention. These studies included 1,861 patients in total. The team found that electroacupuncture has therapeutic effects on those with postoperative urinary retention. These effects included increased bladder capacity, reduced discomfort during urination, and decreased residual urine volume, which eliminated the need for catheterization. The researchers also found that electroacupuncture produced better results than other therapies, such as exercise and meditation. Electropuncture even caused fewer side effects and was comparatively safe as a treatment. âFurther research is needed to understand [the] long-term efficacy and the mechanism of action of the intervention,â the researchers wrote [in their report](https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2018/7612618/). âLarge-scale, long-term RCTs with rigorous methodological quality are needed to clarify the role of [electroacupuncture] in [postoperative urinary retention].â [](https://prevent-and-reverse-heart-disease.naturalnews.com)| _ **Discover how to prevent and reverse heart disease (and other cardio related events) with this free ebook** : Written by popular Natural News writer Vicki Batt, this book includes [everything you need to know](https://prevent-and- reverse-heart-disease.naturalnews.com) about preventing heart disease, reversing hypertension, and nurturing your cardiac health without medication. [Learn More.](https://prevent-and-reverse-heart-disease.naturalnews.com)_ ---|--- ## Understanding urinary retention People with urinary retention are [unable to empty their bladders completely](https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases /urinary-retention). The condition can either manifest as acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term). A person with acute urinary retention cannot urinate at all even if her bladder is full, causing great discomfort and pain. In some cases, the condition can be life-threatening and requires emergency treatment. A person with chronic urinary retention, on the other hand, is able to urinate but is unable to fully empty their bladder. People who have this condition may not know that they have it until it causes complications, such as [urinary tract infection](https://naturalpedia.com/chronic-urinary-tract-infection- causes-side-effects-and-treatments-at-naturalpedia-com.html) (UTI) or [urinary incontinence](https://naturalpedia.com/urinary-incontinence-causes-side- effects-and-treatments-at-naturalpedia-com.html). Urinary retention can be caused by many things, such as: * An obstruction in the urethra (i.e., urinary tract stones, tumors and cancers, constipation) * Weakened bladder * Nerve problems (due to vaginal childbirth, [diabetes](https://naturalpedia.com/diabetes-causes-side-effects-and-treatments-at-naturalpedia-com.html), heavy metal poisoning) * Medication (i.e., antihistamines, decongestants, anesthesia) Many patients experience urinary retention after surgery. Being given anesthesia to block pain signals and intravenous (IV) fluid to address any potential blood loss often results to this. The combination of anesthesia and IV fluids can lead to a full bladder afterward with no way of discharging. For most people, normal bladder function is restored once the effects of anesthesia wear off. A recent study published in the _World Journal of Anesthesiology_  took [a closer look at postoperative urinary retention](https://www.wjgnet.com/2218-6182/full/v8/i1/1.htm). In this systematic review of literature, researchers from different institutions in India found that postoperative urinary retention is surprisingly common: Over 70 percent of the cases they investigated involved some degree of the condition. ## Other natural remedies for urinary retention Aside from electroacupuncture, there are [other ways to manage urinary retention](https://www.healthline.com/health/urine-retention-home-remedies) that don’t require popping another pill. * **Peppermint oil** **:** [Peppermint](https://naturalpedia.com/peppermint-sources-health-benefits-nutrients-uses-and-constituents-at-naturalpedia-com.html) oil is known for its healing properties and its ability to relieve pain. But a recent clinical trial looked at the efficacy of peppermint oil in helping with postpartum urinary retention in women and found that adding a few drops of peppermint oil to the toilet water can promote urine flow. (Related: [Acupuncture found to be an effective pain reliever for women in labor compared to spinal-epidural anesthesia](https://www.naturalnews.com/2018-06-25-acupuncture-found-to-be-an-effective-pain-reliever-for-women-in-labor-compared-to.html).) * **Dandelion:** This wild herb, known for its anti-inflammatory properties, can be steeped in hot water to treat bladder inflammation and retention. * **Stinging nettle** **:** [Stinging nettle](https://naturalpedia.com/stinging-nettle-sources-health-benefits-nutrients-uses-and-constituents-at-naturalpedia-com.html) is a plant well-regarded in traditional medicine for its ability to relieve symptoms of urinary dysfunction, including retention. Learn more natural ways of improving bladder health in women at [WomensHealth.news](http://WomensHealth.news). **Sources include:** [Science.news](https://www.science.news/2019-07-17-electroacupuncture-treats- postoperative-urinary-retention-in-women.html) [Hindawi.com](https://www.hindawi.com/journals/ecam/2018/7612618/) [NIDDK.NIH.gov](https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/urologic-diseases /urinary-retention) [WJGNet.com](https://www.wjgnet.com/2218-6182/full/v8/i1/1.htm) [Healthline.com](https://www.healthline.com/health/urine-retention-home- remedies) | Ralph Flores | http://www.naturalnews.com/2019-08-21-electroacupuncture-helps-women-with-postoperative-urinary-retention.html | 2019-08-21 18:12:02+00:00 | 1,566,425,522 | 1,567,533,852 | science and technology | scientific standards |
349,625 | newspunch--2019-10-12--Tavistock Children’s Gender Clinic Being Sued Over ‘Misleading’ & ‘Experimental’ Treatments | 2019-10-12T00:00:00 | newspunch | Tavistock Children’s Gender Clinic Being Sued Over ‘Misleading’ & ‘Experimental’ Treatments | The UK’s first state-sponsored child gender reassignment clinic is being sued by the mother of a 15 year old patient and a nurse who used to work at the center. They say “experimental” treatments are being forced on kids as young as 11. RT reports: The suit, first reported by the Times, alleges the Tavistock clinic in Leeds, and its Gender Identity Development Service (GIDS), painted an “inaccurate and potentially misleading” picture about the risks of hormone blockers, which are used to delay sexual development in children who wish to switch genders. The case was brought by the mother of a 15-year-old patient at the clinic – who has only identified as “Mrs. A” – and Sue Evans, who worked there as a mental health nurse between 2003 and 2007. Evans told the Times she was concerned with how rapidly children were recommended for hormone treatment at the clinic, which some experts say can have serious medical risks, including loss of fertility and the ability to have an orgasm. Families are not made aware of some of those dangers, Evans said. Mrs. A – who said she wanted to remain anonymous to protect her child’s identity – expressed concern that “no one, let alone my daughter, understands the risk” of the hormone procedure, which she called an “experimental treatment.” Proper informed consent cannot be obtained under those conditions, she added. On its website, Tavistock describes its GIDS program as a “highly specialised clinic for young people presenting with difficulties with their gender identity.” However, the facility has increasingly come under fire in recent months over concerns doctors there were misleading patients and rushing them into potentially dangerous treatments. In an open letter published over the summer directed at Tavistock head Polly Carmichael, another former employee at the clinic, psychologist Kirsty Entwistle, said the center was moving too fast with too little evidence. “It is a problem that GIDS clinicians are making decisions that will have a major impact on children and young people’s bodies and on their lives, potentially the rest of their lives, without a robust evidence base,” Entwistle wrote. The Tavistock clinic said it would not comment on any pending legal matters in a statement to the Times. “It is not appropriate for us to comment in detail in advance of any proposed legal proceedings,” the clinic said. “The GIDS is one of the longest-established services of its type in the world with an international reputation for being cautious and considered.” | Niamh Harris | https://newspunch.com/tavistock-childrens-gender-clinic-being-sued-over-misleading-experimental-treatments/ | Sat, 12 Oct 2019 18:53:42 +0000 | 1,570,920,822 | 1,570,917,854 | science and technology | scientific standards |
372,561 | newyorkpost--2019-03-20--Clinic accused of liberally prescribing unneeded opioids | 2019-03-20T00:00:00 | newyorkpost | Clinic accused of ‘liberally’ prescribing unneeded opioids | COLUMBIA, S.C. — A pain management clinic with facilities in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina is accused of “liberally” prescribing unnecessary opioid painkillers. News outlets report the U.S. Department of Justice joined three lawsuits this month that accuse the company, Pain Management Associates, of benefiting from over-prescribing the addictive drugs. The lawsuits, filed by former employees, were then partially unsealed. Plaintiffs accuse the clinic of over-prescribing opioids to justify more urine screens, as the lab that handled the screens was owned by clinic owner Daniel McCollum. One lawsuit says McCollum also owned a pharmacy that provided patient drugs. One lawsuit says most patients had Medicare, and so McCollum received federal reimbursements he wasn’t entitled to. Several clinic offices were raided by the FBI in October. McCollum’s attorney, Rebekah Plowman, declined to comment. | Associated Press | https://nypost.com/2019/03/20/clinic-accused-of-liberally-prescribing-unneeded-opioids/ | 2019-03-20 08:21:31+00:00 | 1,553,084,491 | 1,567,545,547 | science and technology | scientific standards |
383,206 | npr--2019-01-15--Clinics Struggle To Resolve Fears Over Medicaid Sign-Ups And Green Cards | 2019-01-15T00:00:00 | npr | Clinics Struggle To Resolve Fears Over Medicaid Sign-Ups And Green Cards | Clinics Struggle To Resolve Fears Over Medicaid Sign-Ups And Green Cards Last September, the Trump administration unveiled a controversial proposal — a policy that, if implemented, could jeopardize the legal status of many immigrants who sign up for some government-funded programs, including Medicaid. The Trump proposal is still working its way through the public comment and evaluation process, and could go into effect as early as this year, though some state attorneys general say they would challenge any such policy in the courts. In the meantime, some doctors and clinics are torn: They want to keep patients informed about the risks that may be coming, but don't want to scare them into dropping health benefits or avoiding medical care right now. "We are walking a fine line," says Tara McCollum Plese, chief external affairs officer at the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers, which represents 176 clinics in the state. "Until there is confirmation this indeed is going to be the policy, we don't want to add to the angst and the concern," she says. However, if immigrants do come to a clinic asking whether using Medicaid now might affect their legal status down the road, trained staff members are ready to answer their questions, McCollum Plese says. (According to legal specialists, the rule would not be retroactive — meaning it wouldn't take into account a family's past reliance on Medicaid.) Other providers prefer to take steps that are more proactive to prepare their patients, in case the proposal is adopted. At Asian Health Services, a clinic group that serves Alameda County, Calif., staff members pass out fact sheets about the proposed changes, provide updates via a newsletter aimed at patients, and host workshops where anyone with questions can speak to legal experts in several Asian languages. "We can't just sit back and watch," says CEO Sherry Hirota. "We allocate resources to this, because that's part of our job as a community health center — to be there not only when they're covered," she says, "but to be there always" — even when that coverage is in jeopardy. Currently, people are considered "public charges" if they rely on cash assistance (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families or Supplemental Security Income) or need federal help paying for long-term care. Trump's proposed change to that rule, which is awaiting final action by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, would allow the federal government to consider immigrants' use of an expanded list of public benefit programs, including Medicaid, food stamps and Section 8 housing as a reason to deny lawful permanent residency — also known as green card status. Medicaid is the state-federal health insurance program for low-income people. If the proposed rule change goes into effect, it could force patients to choose between health care and their chance at a green card, McCollum Plese says. "And most people will probably not take the services." Already, some immigrant patients are skipping medical appointments out of fear stoked by the proposed rule, according to providers and advocates. "For now, our focus has been on correcting misinformation, not necessarily raising awareness among those who haven't heard about the potential changes," says Erin Pak, CEO of KHEIR Center, a clinic group with three locations in Los Angeles. "This is a proposal that thrives on fear and misunderstanding," she says, "so we wanted to be thoughtful about how and when to engage patients on the issue, given that nothing has passed into law." The Department of Homeland Security is reviewing more than 200,000 comments from the public before it issues a final rule. And it's still possible the department won't adopt the rule at all, legal experts say. At KHEIR Center, most patients are immigrants from Korea. Many are highly aware of the proposed rule because of the coverage it has received in Korean-language media, according to Kirby Van Amburgh, the center's director of external affairs. Other groups served by the clinic, such as Latino and Bengali immigrants, have tended to ask few questions, Van Amburgh says. Trained staff address patients' questions one-on-one, she says, and hand out a fact sheet when needed. Last month, L.A. Care health plan, which covers more than 2 million Medicaid enrollees in Los Angeles County, hosted a webinar on the topic for about 180 providers. David Kane, an attorney at Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles, led the webinar and urged doctors to tell concerned patients that nothing has changed yet — and that most immigrants would not be affected. If the federal government adopts the rule, it would not be effective immediately, he notes; there would likely be a 60-day grace period before the changes take effect. After that, implementation could be further delayed or stopped in court. John Baackes, CEO of L.A. Care, has been critical of the Trump administration's proposal, and says his organization offered the webinar because of the estimated 170,000 clients — legal immigrants — who could potentially be affected. "I think we've got to let people know what could come, and try to give them more accurate information so that they don't act imprudently," Baackes says. To do that, "we have to stay current." This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, which publishes California Healthline, an editorially independent service of the California Health Care Foundation. KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente. | Ana B. Ibarra | https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/01/15/685191126/clinics-struggle-to-resolve-fears-over-medicaid-sign-ups-and-green-cards?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=news | 2019-01-15 10:00:22+00:00 | 1,547,564,422 | 1,567,552,432 | science and technology | scientific standards |
585,639 | theblaze--2019-10-02--Planned Parenthood secretly built a mega-clinic in Illinois so more Missouri residents can get abo | 2019-10-02T00:00:00 | theblaze | Planned Parenthood secretly built a 'mega-clinic' in Illinois so more Missouri residents can get abortions | Planned Parenthood secretly built a 'mega-clinic' in Illinois so more Missouri residents can get abortions They used a shell company to keep the plan hidden | Aaron Colen | https://www.theblaze.com/news/planned-parenthood-secretly-built-a-mega-clinic-in-illinois-so-more-missouri-residents-can-get-abortions | 2019-10-02 13:40:52+00:00 | 1,570,038,052 | 1,570,221,788 | politics | non-governmental organisation |
385,190 | npr--2019-04-23--Hospitals Chafe Under A Medicare Rule That Reduces Payments To Far-Flung Clinics | 2019-04-23T00:00:00 | npr | Hospitals Chafe Under A Medicare Rule That Reduces Payments To Far-Flung Clinics | Hospitals Chafe Under A Medicare Rule That Reduces Payments To Far-Flung Clinics Eric Lewis' plans of expanding his community hospital's reach have been derailed. As CEO of Olympic Medical Center, he oversees efforts to provide care to roughly 75,000 people in Clallam County, in the isolated, rural northwestern corner of Washington state. Last year, Lewis planned to build a primary care clinic in Sequim, a town about 17 miles from the medical center's main campus of a hospital and clinics in Port Angeles. But those plans were put aside, Lewis says, because of a change in federal reimbursements this year. Medicare has opted to pay hospitals that have outpatient facilities "off campus" a lower rate — equivalent to what it pays independent doctors for clinic visits. Over the past decade, hospitals have been rapidly building outpatient clinics or purchasing existing independent ones. It was a lucrative business strategy because such clinics could charge higher rates, on the premise that they were part of a hospital. With its new policy, Medicare is essentially saying that an off-campus office is an off-campus office, regardless of whether it's owned by a hospital, a group of doctors or a solo practitioner. Taking that position will save Medicare — and possibly patients — money. The federal insurer bore the brunt of its members' extra charges, but beneficiaries sometimes picked up part of that expense through deductibles and copayments. Patients with commercial insurance often were blindsided by high bills — going to what seemed to be a normal primary care clinic, only to discover they were charged a hospital facility fee, for example. Health policy analysts say the new policy represents an important step in rationalizing payments. Part of a strategy called "site neutral" payment, the new policy has its roots in the Obama administration and was part of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. "You don't care about where [your treatment is] happening. You care that it's a safe and inexpensive procedure," says Gerard Anderson, director of the Johns Hopkins Center for Hospital Finance and Management. "And the facility fee just adds to the cost with very little added value." The new payment structure may financially hurt some hospitals, he and other experts acknowledge. But making reimbursements more uniform across providers facilitates competition and may lead commercial insurance to follow suit — which could translate to more savings for patients. This year, the policy's two-part phase-in cut Medicare payments for clinic visits to outpatient departments by 30%, according to the rule finalized in November. By 2020, the payment rates will be cut by 60% compared with what they were last summer. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services estimates that the change will save the federal government $380 million this year and patients an average of $7 every time they visit a hospital-owned clinic. Clinic visits are the most commonly charged service for hospital outpatient care under Medicare. It could also cut down on consolidation in the industry, health care economists say, by closing the loophole that created incentives for hospitals to purchase independent physician practices and charge higher rates for services at taxpayers' expense. The American Hospital Association filed a lawsuit late last year alleging that CMS overstepped its authority when setting the new reimbursement schedule. Olympic Medical Center is among the plaintiffs. The hospital association claims that the new rule infringes on a precedent Congress set with the 2015 budget law. That legislation standardized Medicare payments for clinic visits to physicians' offices and new hospital outpatient facilities, but allowed most hospital-affiliated departments that existed at that time to continue receiving a higher rate, according to a comment letter from the Medicare Payment Advisory Commission. The group is a nonpartisan agency that advises Congress. The differential for site-based payments was designed originally to help hospitals offset the higher costs they incur for maintaining the staff and equipment to handle a wide variety of treatments, says Christopher Whaley, an associate policy researcher at the research organization Rand Corp. But that financial relief became an incentive for hospitals to buy independent practices, says Dr. Ateev Mehrotra, associate professor of health care policy and medicine at Harvard Medical School. Hospitals were able to charge higher prices for services performed at newly acquired clinics. Mehrotra says the new CMS rule could be a way to slow down the trend. "This isn't going to fully put the brakes on it," he says, "but it could be one push on the brakes here — to kind of push that consolidation down." Some health care analysts have urged the government to expand the number of services covered by the site-neutral policy, including paying hospitals' on-site clinics a rate equivalent to what independent doctors receive. Hospitals acknowledge that the change implemented by CMS could lead to savings in the health care system, but they say it comes at the cost of patients' convenient access to medical care. In Washington state, Lewis anticipates a loss of $1.6 million for his hospital. The lack of a clinic in Sequim means ailing patients there will not be able to get care close to their homes, Lewis says. "If you're well-to-do financially, these aren't big problems," Lewis adds. "But I think the poorest, elderly, sickest of our society will pay the price of this policy." Melinda Hatton, general counsel for the hospital association, agrees. "I think access trumps a couple extra dollars in copays every single time," she says. On the other hand, many independent physicians support the change. Marni Jameson Carey, executive director of the Association of Independent Doctors, says she hopes the rule will curb consolidation. According to a recent report by the consulting firm Avalere, the number of hospital-owned physician practices more than doubled from 35,700 to 80,000 between July 2012 and January 2018. Hospitals own more than 31% of all physician practices, the report found. Jameson Carey says such mergers can also cause problems for the local economy. When a nonprofit hospital acquires an independent clinic, it effectively removes a tax-paying business from the area. That's because nonprofit hospitals are exempt from paying certain federal, state and local taxes — in exchange for providing community benefits. "So, not only do they [hospitals] get the facility fee," Jameson Carey says, "they don't have to pay taxes." Kaiser Health News is a nonprofit news service and editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation. KHN is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente. | Carmen Heredia Rodriguez | https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/04/23/716110288/hospitals-chafe-under-a-medicare-rule-that-reduces-payments-to-far-flung-clinics?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=news | 2019-04-23 09:00:23+00:00 | 1,556,024,423 | 1,567,542,066 | science and technology | scientific standards |
386,649 | npr--2019-08-22--Addiction Clinics Market Unproven Infusion Treatments To Desperate Patients | 2019-08-22T00:00:00 | npr | Addiction Clinics Market Unproven Infusion Treatments To Desperate Patients | Jason was hallucinating. He was withdrawing from drugs at an addiction treatment center near Indianapolis, and he had hardly slept for several days. "He was reaching for things, and he was talking to Bill Gates and he was talking to somebody else I'm just certain he hasn't met," his mother, Cheryl, says. She remembers finding Jason lying on the floor of the treatment center in late 2016. "I would just bring him blankets because they didn't have beds or anything." Cheryl had taken Jason to the clinic out of desperation. Jason, now in his late 30s, has struggled with addiction since he was a teenager. Cheryl saw his drug use escalate after he was prescribed a benzodiazepine for his anxiety, and he eventually began using heroin and meth. Over the years, Jason would try to get into recovery, but treatment programs didn't help him for very long. "I thought he was going to die," Cheryl says. (Side Effects and NPR are using only first names because Jason worried he would lose his job if his employer found out about his addiction history.) In late 2016, she saw a local TV news segment about a clinic called Emerald Neuro-Recover. The staff there treats addiction with something called NAD therapy, an IV infusion that can contain amino acids and other nutritional supplements, including nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a compound found in living cells. The infusion, which is delivered over 10 to 15 days, cost $15,000, and it wasn't covered by insurance. But the TV report said Emerald's treatment was "proven to wipe drug cravings away." Cheryl was intrigued. Emerald and dozens of other companies across the U.S. say NAD therapy can address conditions from anxiety to depression to chronic fatigue and even Alzheimer's. And clinicians offering the treatment say that it reduces or stops cravings for alcohol or illicit drugs in up to 90 percent of patients. The treatment has gained attention on addiction recovery blogs and in the mainstream media. But such claims about NAD therapy and addiction are not supported by scientific evidence, and they may conflict with federal and state regulations against deceptive marketing of medical treatments. Emerald and other addiction treatment clinics use these claims on websites, social media and in the news to attract clients looking for help. Emerald even used patients' stories to promote the therapy — in some cases, more than a year after the patients returned to using illicit drugs. In an interview with Side Effects Public Media, Emerald leadership defended its use of the therapy. "It's not really controversial; it's just novel or new," says John Humiston, a family medicine physician and the company's medical director. "The cravings we expect to be gone within days." Earlier this year, Emerald leadership discussed NAD therapy with Side Effects but cut the interview short amid questions about the treatment's efficacy. Company officials declined another interview and did not respond to follow-up questions via email. For that reason, Side Effects was unable to ask them about Jason's case. Treatment centers touting high success rates can sound appealing to vulnerable people suffering from addiction or to their families, even if there's no solid evidence to support their methods. "[Clinics] know this is a really desperate population," says Basia Andraka-Christou, a health policy researcher focused on substance use disorders at the University of Central Florida. Unsubstantiated claims have long been a part of addiction treatment. For instance, in the late 19th century, a doctor dubbed his formula the "Double Chloride of Gold Cure" and sold it via mail order for addiction, claiming a 95% cure rate. "In a week the desire to drink will be gone," read one advertisement. More recently, NAD therapy is among a wide range of unproven treatments currently marketed to people with addiction, including the herbal extract kratom, and other types of supplements. The FDA and the FTC cracked down on a few of these last year but have limited resources to police the market for unproven treatments. And that leaves consumers on their own to sort out fact from fiction. While patients spend time and money on ineffective treatments, they miss out on proven therapies that can reduce their risk of relapsing, including behavioral counseling and medications approved by the FDA for treating addiction, says Andraka-Christou. "We do actually now have evidence-based treatments available," she says. "But you still do have these quack treatments popping up." Numerous companies make bold claims about NAD therapy. A Las Vegas clinic says, "IV NAD+ therapy has a 90% success rate at reducing cravings and a 7% relapse rate." A clinic in Pooler, Ga., says NAD therapy can provide "rapid reduction or even elimination of cravings, restoring clarity of mind and enthusiasm to be alive." Another center in Greenville, S.C., says, "Withdrawal signs of addiction go down approximately 70-80% on the first day and continue to decline as the therapy progresses." Similar glowing testimonials from Emerald led Cheryl and Jason to meet with Emerald leadership in late 2016, including founder Joe Pappas and patient liaison Amora Scott. Cheryl recalls, "They said, 'This is going to fix it. ... It has never not worked for us. It works for everyone.' " Jason insisted his mother shouldn't pay thousands of dollars for his treatment. She had already spent too much money on him. They decided not to come back. "Well, then Amora started calling me and calling me and calling me," Cheryl says. Unknown to Jason at the time, Cheryl says Scott persuaded her to pay for the treatment upfront. Cheryl took out an advance on her credit card and met Scott at a gas station to hand over the money. "When I gave her that check, I looked at her and said, 'This is to save my son's life,' " Cheryl recalls. Fifteen thousand dollars could seem like a bargain for such a quick fix — one that "restore[s] the brain to its pre-addiction neurologic state," according to a press release from Emerald. But there has been little research on the effects of the formulas used by Emerald and similar clinics. "I don't know where those claims could come from, but it doesn't seem realistic to me," says Emily Zarse, an addiction psychiatrist in Indianapolis. She says there's insufficient evidence to support using NAD therapy over other standard treatments: "There's no actual data on any of these things." For an additional $400 fee, Emerald patients can have their brain scanned at a nearby clinic to document their progress with NAD therapy. An Emerald brochure shows a series of scans from a woman whose "brain is suffering from alcoholism." Areas that glow red, orange and yellow — "HYPERACTIVE and OVERACTIVE" — totally disappear from the scans after 12 days of NAD therapy, according to the company. "This is totally bogus," says Leslie Hulvershorn, an addiction psychiatrist at the Indiana University School of Medicine with expertise in brain imaging, who reviewed the images via email. "We do not have research in our field that allows us to use EEG or any other brain imaging technique to document treatment response." NAD, which is an important coenzyme in several cellular processes, including energy metabolism, is being researched at Harvard for its role in aging. Supplements claiming to boost NAD levels have recently gained popularity for purported anti-aging benefits. But NAD's benefits in addiction treatment are unproven, and providers cite unpublished research to make sweeping claims. One pilot study cited among some NAD therapy providers shows close to 90% of patients have reduced cravings after 10 days of treatment. The study falls short of the standard used by the scientific community to weigh evidence: It did not compare NAD therapy to a placebo or other treatment. It also did not undergo rigorous peer review, and the results have not been published in a scientific journal. A doctor involved with that study, Richard Mestayer, says he is used to skepticism. Mestayer runs a clinic in Springfield, La., that offers NAD therapy. He says it is unclear how NAD therapy helps with addiction but that his personal experience convinced him it works. "I think there's a lot of stuff we don't know yet," he says. "I was a skeptic, but when a two-by-four hits you in the head every time, you say, 'Oh, I better pay attention.' " The hallucinations started several days into Jason's treatment at Emerald. Cheryl wanted to take him to the emergency room. Rapidly withdrawing patients from benzodiazepines can cause dangerous side effects, such as seizures — it can even be fatal, says Zarse. "There are two types of withdrawal symptoms that can kill you: alcohol and benzodiazepines," she says. "It can cause enough misfiring in the brain that it can lead to brain death." The standard treatment is to slowly wean someone off benzodiazepines. "They even give benzos for benzodiazepine withdrawal in jail — that shows you how serious this is," Zarse says. Still, Cheryl says, Emerald staff told her to take Jason home rather than to the hospital. She decided to go to the ER anyway after Jason tried to throw himself through a wall. Jason was still hallucinating when he arrived at the ER, and then the seizures started. "He was just totally out of it for about three days," Cheryl says. "Not even alert." One of the doctors who treated Jason noted in his medical records: "Unclear exactly what this NAD substance/medication is." When Jason left the hospital, he returned to Emerald to finish the treatment. "I didn't know what else to do," he says. Jason says the therapy didn't work. He white-knuckled his way through abstinence for three months before he relapsed. "One day out of the blue, I called somebody up and just was going to do it one time," he says. "You know how that goes." The federal Food and Drug Administration has not approved NAD therapy, according to a spokesperson for the agency. Substances marketed as treatments for specific conditions are considered medications and must be approved by the FDA for that purpose, says Andraka-Christou. For medications, FDA approval requires three phases of human clinical trials. Without that approval, it would violate FDA regulations to market a treatment for that condition. More broadly, making unsupported claims about a medical treatment or supplement violates federal rules. Both the FDA and the Federal Trade Commission regulate how companies advertise treatments and supplements. But no publicly available information could be found to show that either agency has taken enforcement action against any clinic offering NAD treatments. Spokespeople for the FDA and the FTC said via emails that their agencies could not comment on specific cases. "All advertising under our jurisdiction must be true, not deceptive, and supported by competent and reliable scientific evidence," wrote the FTC spokesperson. "The FDA takes action against companies that engage in 'health fraud,' " said the email from the FDA. Lack of FDA action doesn't mean it is acceptable for clinics to market the therapy, says Chris D'Adamo, an assistant professor at the University of Maryland who researches dietary supplements. "The FDA can be slow, and it's understandable because there are so many [potential enforcement issues] out there," he says. "There could still be cause for concern." Since its inception, Emerald has featured patient stories on social media and in news coverage, much of which uncritically repeats the company's claims about ending addiction. But several of these same patients went to jail for drug and alcohol offenses soon after being treated at Emerald. In a 2017 TV news story about Emerald, a man says that Emerald helped him get his alcohol and pill addiction under control. Reached by phone, he told Side Effects and NPR that he reluctantly said those things to get the TV interview over with. "[NAD therapy] was a complete waste of my time and my family's money," he said. "It did absolutely nothing for me." (He asked to remain anonymous because many of his family and friends don't know about his addiction, and he worries about his future job prospects.) He added that he also experienced a seizure when the doctor quickly cut him off from alcohol without antiseizure medication. He says he started drinking again about a week after he finished NAD therapy, and he was arrested for drunken driving a few months later. In another video Emerald posted on YouTube in 2017, an Indianapolis man is seen leaving Emerald on a sunny day. "I feel wonderful," he says. "Using heroin, I had a lot of racing thoughts, anxieties, cravings. All that's gone." He tells other people who use heroin to go to Emerald. Six months later, he was in jail for possession of a syringe. Reached by phone, he said that the treatment didn't work for him, and that he received it free of charge. Emerald still promoted patient stories like these on social media until December 2018. The company began removing content from its website, YouTube and Facebook shortly after Side Effects began reporting this story. Emerald executives declined to provide Side Effects with a patient to interview. Asked about cases of relapse among Emerald patients, Humiston replied: "What I've seen is that [the treatment is] very effective." Humiston started work at Emerald in January 2019, but he was a medical adviser for the company before then, and emails between Cheryl and Emerald staff indicate that he was consulted about Jason's treatment there. Humiston says he believes in the treatment he offers: "It's got quite a reputation of success. Nothing's 100 percent, although for most people, it is 100 percent. That's been my experience." But Humiston acknowledges that he does not regularly track patients' long-term outcomes: "That's the reason to get a study organized," he says. Last year, Humiston told a local TV station that a clinical trial was forthcoming, but it has not materialized. Humiston first learned about NAD therapy from a man named William Hitt. Hitt is often credited with originating the treatment, but he was not a doctor or a researcher. According to a lawsuit brought by the state of Texas in the mid-'80s, he falsely claimed to be a doctor when he treated AIDS patients with "injections of the patient's own filtered urine." Forced to shut down in Texas, he moved to Tijuana, Mexico, where Humiston worked with him from 2003 until his death in 2010. Humiston himself has had trouble with his medical license. The Medical Board of California reprimanded him, according to investigation documents, for committing "gross negligence in his care and treatment" of his teenage son, who almost died in 2016 when Humiston failed to seek proper treatment for the boy's heart infection. Documents say Humiston began performing IV treatments on the boy before he was 3 years old, which may have caused the boy's heart issues. Asked about the investigation, Humiston said there was "inaccurate information put in there" but that he accepted a public reprimand from the medical board "just to end it." He did not respond to emailed follow-up questions about the disciplinary case. Humiston applied for an Indiana medical license in November 2018, and the state granted it. He became Emerald's medical director in January. He is at least the sixth doctor to work with the company in its three years of operation. When asked in January about Emerald's claims and the origins of NAD therapy, Star Voigt, the CEO at the time, declined to answer further questions. "We're trying to help people," she said. "So if you're going to go into that, then I'm going to ask you kindly to leave." Side Effects sent further questions via email, but the company did not answer them. Instead, Voigt sent a statement from Humiston expressing concern that Side Effects' reporting wouldn't be balanced or objective. Voigt left the company soon after. Cheryl wrote to Emerald's founder Pappas a few months after Jason left Emerald. She told him that Jason was facing an $11,000 medical bill from his hospital stay and that he still struggled to stay away from illicit drugs. She reminded Pappas that stopping benzodiazepines cold-turkey — what Jason went through at Emerald — is dangerous and goes against standard medical practice. Cheryl wanted a refund so she could pay off Jason's medical bill. "Can we compromise?" she wrote. Scott, the patient liaison, wrote back that Humiston believed Jason should be tested "for mold ... infections, and/or inflammation in the blood and body." Instead of a refund, Emerald offered further NAD treatments and another therapy — for $3,000. Cheryl and Jason declined the offer. "First, do no harm," Cheryl wrote back. She filed complaints with the FTC and the state attorney general, but nothing came of it. (Indiana law allows the state attorney general to prosecute companies for deceptive advertising. The office would not confirm or deny whether it is investigating Emerald's practices.) The hospital eventually did waive the $11,000 bill. But Cheryl still has not received a refund from Emerald. "I feel like I owe her the money," Jason says. "At some point, I'll pay it back." He says he finally got help with his addiction through a local 12-step program that he has been part of for two years. Looking back at his treatment at Emerald, he says he felt duped into trying NAD therapy. "I think it's taking advantage of people." "I can't believe that no one stops them," Cheryl says. "You've got these people selling snake oil, and they're getting away with it." This story was produced by Side Effects Public Media, a reporting collaborative focused on public health, in partnership with NPR and Kaiser Health News. Jake Harper is on Twitter at @jkhrpr. | Jake Harper | https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2019/08/22/741115178/addiction-clinics-market-unproven-infusion-treatments-to-desperate-patients?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=news | 2019-08-22 09:00:05+00:00 | 1,566,478,805 | 1,567,533,752 | science and technology | scientific standards |
399,558 | osce--2019-12-13--OSCE and Aarhus Centre Sarajevo conclude Environmental Legal Clinics Programme in Sarajevo | 2019-12-13T00:00:00 | osce | OSCE and Aarhus Centre Sarajevo conclude Environmental Legal Clinics Programme in Sarajevo | SARAJEVO, 13 December 2019 –The Environmental Legal Clinics Programme, organized by the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and Aarhus Centre Sarajevo, concluded today in Sarajevo. Twenty students from the universities of Sarajevo and Istočno Sarajevo were awarded certificates for their participation. From September to December 2019, law students from the two universities had the opportunity to enhance their knowledge on environmental law, through a combination of expert-led lectures and workshops focusing on the Aarhus Convention and its application in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). “Strengthening legal expertise on the environment is vital to addressing serious issues, including toxic air pollution, poor waste management and illegal construction, as well as for strengthening access to justice and ultimately for building a safe and sustainable future for all BiH citizens,” said Kathleen Kavalec, Head of the OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina. “I am proud to award certificates to BiH’s future lawyers, certain that they will continue to further enhance their knowledge and skills on this essential topic and contribute to improving the quality of life, health, and security of the people of this country.” After the completion of the project, successful students will have a chance to apply for volunteer opportunities with the Aarhus Centre Sarajevo to gain further practical experience on environmental cases and to give back to the local community. “Environmental lawyers are a true ray of hope at a time when pollution and devastation of the environment and natural resources are threatening the very survival of human civilization," said Emina Veljović, Executive Director of Aarhus Centre Sarajevo. “That is why the Aarhus Centre advocates for the introduction and strengthening of environmental law studies at universities in BiH. The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the City of Sarajevo have recognized the value of this initiative, and, with their support, we have educated a new generation of young lawyers, in the hope that this knowledge will inspire them to launch their initiatives for the benefit of all citizens in BiH.” Sunčica Kovačević, a Law student at the University of Istočno Sarajevo, said: “The Environmental Legal Clinic, as one of the best extracurricular activities I have undertaken, offered us an opportunity to gain knowledge on Environmental Law, through interactive workshops and the ideal ratio of theory and practice. This precious experience will shape my future engagement as a lawyer, but also as an environmentally conscious citizen.” The OSCE Mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina will continue to support the Aarhus Centres in BiH in implementing activities aimed at promoting and strengthening both access to justice and environmental protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina. | ATilman | https://www.osce.org/mission-to-bosnia-and-herzegovina/442138 | Fri, 13 Dec 2019 13:24:30 +0000 | 1,576,261,470 | 1,576,327,137 | science and technology | scientific standards |
410,391 | pinknewsuk--2019-07-30--Northern Irelands gender identity clinic takes no new patients in over a year | 2019-07-30T00:00:00 | pinknewsuk | Northern Ireland’s gender identity clinic takes no new patients in over a year | Health services across the UK continue to treat transgender people as if they have a mental illness, while Northern Ireland’s adult gender identity clinic (GIC) has failed to treat any new patients in over a year, according to a leading LGBT+ rights campaigner. Ellen Murray, executive director of Transgender NI, has warned that many trans people are turning to “unregulated self-medication out of desperation” as waiting times for GICs continue to grow. In a speech to be delivered at the Amnesty Pride Lecture in Belfast on Tuesday evening (July 30), Murray will say: “Waiting lists have spiralled over the past number of years, and the adult service in Northern Ireland hasn’t taken new patients in over a year. “What we’ve seen this turn into on the ground is trans people being forced into expensive private healthcare and unregulated self-medication out of desperation, and has an enormous toll on the mental health of trans community members here. “Lives are put on hold, dreams are set aside and suffering is let to fester because of an expensive and inefficient healthcare system based on the model that puts more emphasis on preventing transition for the wrong reason than actually promoting the rights of the community that needs it most.” According to Murray, trans people are failed by a system which carries echoes of Britain and Ireland’s homophobic past. “Healthcare services for trans people developed during the criminalisation of homosexuality, where trans identity was seen as a serious mental illness, and was treated with forced electroshock therapy and institutionalisation,” she will say. “The healthcare services we see today are an echo of that dark past, and their invasive assessments, insistence on conformity to gender stereotypes and the continued treatment of trans identity as a mental health condition harms our communities, young and old.” The 2018 National LGBT Survey found that 80 percent of trans people who accessed or tried to access a GIC found the process difficult, with long waiting times the most common barrier. Northern Ireland’s trans health services—based at the Brackenburn Clinic in Belfast–have a waiting time target of 13 weeks. NHS England GICs have a target of 18 weeks, though in reality patients can be left waiting for anything up to three years. PinkNews has contacted the Belfast Trust, which is responsible for Brackenburn, for comment. | Reiss Smith | https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2019/07/30/northern-irelands-gender-identity-clinic-takes-no-new-patients-in-over-a-year/ | 2019-07-30 12:52:23+00:00 | 1,564,505,543 | 1,567,535,317 | science and technology | scientific standards |
418,217 | politico--2019-07-26--Clinics exiting family planning program may have to destroy contraceptives | 2019-07-26T00:00:00 | politico | Clinics exiting family planning program may have to destroy contraceptives | Health clinics that quit the federal family planning program over new Trump administration anti-abortion rules may have to destroy or return tens of thousands of dollars of contraceptives and other medications. Federal health officials confirmed to POLITICO that clinics might need to get rid of drugs, intrauterine devices and other treatments they bought at a discount while part of the Title X program, a long-standing requirement that's catching some providers by surprise as they weigh whether to comply with new rules that, among other things, forbid abortion referrals. Many clinics are considering leaving Title X although they have a few more weeks to decide and are watching to see whether the courts halt or delay the rules. Maine Family Planning, a network serving over 23,000 low-income patients and the only Title X grantee in the state, was one of the first in the country to announce it would withdraw from the program because of the new Trump rules. As a result, they may have to dispose of $80,000 to $100,000 worth of drugs, according to George Hill, the nonprofit’s president and CEO. “We can’t recycle it, we can’t donate it, there are very strict rules surrounding the transfer of drugs," he said. Hill originally said the nonprofit had to dispose of contraceptive supplies by the end of this month, but after this article was published the organization clarified that the actual date is still to be determined. Title X clinics are eligible for a separate federal program known as 340B that allows health facilities serving low-income patients to purchase discounted drugs and devices. About 3,002 family planning clinic locations get discounts from manufacturers. Clinic operators say they may have to return or destroy IUDs, hormonal patches, NuvaRings and birth control pills if they leave the federal family planning program. And since Title X also serves people who want to become pregnant, stocks of hormone treatments might have to be tossed as well. The amount of discarded products could vary widely, since some facilities serve hundreds of thousands of patients every year and are constantly restocking. The fate of those clinics' drugs hinges on consultations with the Health Resources and Services Administration, the federal agency that administers the 340B program. Some providers that are part of Title X may be able to keep some of the discounted medications if they're also designated under 340B in other ways, such as by being federally qualified health centers or sexually transmitted disease clinics, according to an agency spokesperson. But clinics lacking those certifications that leave the family planning program can't keep the cheaper drugs or transfer them to other facilities, according to the discount drug program's guidelines. The products must be “returned” to the wholesaler or drug manufacturer or destroyed following specific state laws for drug disposal. In some cases, clinics might be able to get a partial refund, according to the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association. There isn’t a firm timeline for getting rid of the medications, but an HRSA spokesperson said it should be done “as soon as possible” and that facilities can’t dispense the cheaper drugs to patients once they no longer qualify for 340B. Providers with “extenuating circumstances” can ask HRSA for “possible alternatives to this approach." Hill of Maine Family Planning says his nonprofit is now checking if other arrangements can be made. The Illinois Department of Public Health is the only other grantee so far to confirm it’s quitting Title X, and a department spokesperson told POLITICO that state officials are evaluating options and that “ensuring that patients have access to comprehensive reproductive health care in Illinois, including birth control and other drugs” is a priority. The Oregon Health Authority, the only Title X grantee in the state, told clinics that it stopped using the federal program's funds but is still a grantee. In an advisory sent to providers on Wednesday, it cautioned against purchasing additional supplies under the Title X-340B designation, encouraging clinics to begin buying drugs under other 340B designations, such as an STD clinic or a health center “whenever possible.” The state says it's “considering next steps” in light of HHS' recent guidance on overhauling Title X and is leading a multi-state lawsuit to halt the policy changes. Some clinics contacted by POLITICO were unaware they may have to discard drugs and devices if they exit the program. Others, like the Boulder Valley Women’s Health Center, which is leaving Colorado’s Title X network, think they will be able to hold onto their current stocks since they remain part of the different federal program aimed at eradicating sexually transmitted infections. “There’s a lot of confusion around this, and it’s hurting the very people meant to be served by the Title X program, who have the least access to care to start with,” said Lisa Radelet, the communications director of Boulder Valley Women’s Health Center. “There's not clear guidance coming out from HHS, only very vague rumors and hearsay.” The procedures for leaving Title X are contained in grant agreements and outlined when clinics ask about the protocol for withdrawing, according to Mia Heck, an HHS director of external affairs. Once an organization formally withdraws, its grant officers will give guidance on how to do so, including steps related to discounted drugs, she wrote in an email. It’s possible more providers will soon face this dilemma. The Trump administration recently announced that they’re giving federally funded clinics two extra months to comply with its new rules, which are the object of multiple court challenges. Though the new Title X rules took effect July 15, HHS announced last week that clinics have until Aug. 19 to submit an “action plan” detailing how they plan to come into compliance, then have until Sept. 18 to follow most major provisions. Many providers that oppose the rules haven't decided whether to leave, wagering the administration's policy change will be frozen in court before the new enforcement deadline. Planned Parenthood, which currently serves about 40 percent of the approximately 4 million patients in Title X, is using its own emergency funds in lieu of federal dollars, but hasn’t formally quit. “Most entities are trying to hold on as long as possible to see how things shake out from a legal perspective,” said Audrey Sandusky, the spokesperson for the National Family Planning and Reproductive Health Association. Still, the clinics leaving the program insist that even the potential hardships of quitting Title X are preferable to living under the new rules. “We were the first abortion clinic in the state,” said Radelet, of the Boulder Valley Women’s Health Center, which is giving up half a million dollars of funding. “There is no way we would stop referring for or providing abortions." | [email protected] (Alice Miranda Ollstein) | https://www.politico.com/story/2019/07/26/family-planning-clinics-trump-rules-1617956 | 2019-07-26 17:11:30+00:00 | 1,564,175,490 | 1,567,535,691 | science and technology | scientific standards |
582,351 | theblaze--2019-04-08--California Democrats are one step closer to forcing college health clinics to provide abortion pill | 2019-04-08T00:00:00 | theblaze | California Democrats are one step closer to forcing college health clinics to provide 'abortion pills' | California Democrats are one step closer to forcing college health clinics to provide 'abortion pills' At least 22 women have died from the abortion medication | Jana J. Pruet | https://www.theblaze.com/news/california-college-health-clinics-abortion-pills | 2019-04-08 22:10:09+00:00 | 1,554,775,809 | 1,567,543,632 | science and technology | scientific standards |
642,597 | thedailyrecord--2019-01-13--Unions vow to sue NHS if more porters injured while handling hazardous clinical waste | 2019-01-13T00:00:00 | thedailyrecord | Unions vow to sue NHS if more porters injured while handling hazardous clinical waste | Unions have vowed to sue the NHS if more porters are injured handling hazardous clinical waste. The Sunday Mail has obtained pictures of the material porters are handling – including a six-inch needle said to have burst from a bag injuring one of the men last week. Staff at Raigmore hospital in Inverness claim they have been forced “under duress” to deal with bags of used swabs and syringes following the collapse of waste firm Healthcare Environmental Services. The work is still being carried out by porters despite their union’s plea for it to stop. We told last month how a worker had suffered a needle injury moving piles of the waste. The GMB union confirmed four men out of a team of 14 porters had now sustained injuries. Liz Gordon, GMB regional organiser, said: “If members continue to do this work, and any are injured, we will take legal action against NHS Highland. “The NHS have made no attempt to put any further safeguarding measures in place.” An NHS Highland spokeswoman said: “As part of our normal procedures, the health board are investigating these incidents to find out how these events have occurred and we will take any necessary action to prevent any further incidents from happening. “We, like the union, regard the safety of our employees as paramount. “That is why the whole process has been risk assessed and safe systems of work identified. “Where appropriate, protective equipment has been issued and made available to our porters. “NHS Highland believe that those processes when followed should ensure nobody is at risk. “We are due to meet with the union next week to address their concerns.” | Craig McDonald | https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/unions-vow-sue-nhs-more-13848397 | 2019-01-13 04:30:00+00:00 | 1,547,371,800 | 1,567,552,691 | science and technology | scientific standards |
692,561 | theguardianuk--2019-03-12--New Zealand doctors move clinics outside in bid to stop measles spread | 2019-03-12T00:00:00 | theguardianuk | New Zealand doctors move clinics outside in bid to stop measles' spread | Doctors are treating unimmunised New Zealanders in carparks and outdoor areas in an attempt to reduce the spread of measles, as the number of confirmed cases of the contagious disease rose to 25. A severe measles outbreak, described as the worst “in years” continues to spread in the Canterbury region of the South Island, with health authorities saying 100,000 people need to be urgently vaccinated, and more cases of the highly infectious illness are expected in the coming days and weeks. As a result, doctors have moved their clinics outside, to reduce the chance of the disease spreading in confined surgeries and waiting rooms. Vaccine supplies have run out in the affected region and tens of thousands of extra supplies are being flown in from around the country, as doctors use their last stocks to vaccinate those most in need of protection, including young babies and those with other health issues. “It can now be assumed that measles is circulating widely in our community,” said Dr Ramon Pink, Canterbury medical officer of health. The minister of health, Dr David Clarke, said government health officials were “closely monitoring” the situation in Canterbury to try and prevent the disease spreading to other parts of the country. Government health representatives were on the ground in Christchurch, and would have an update on Wednesday regarding the latest steps that are being taken to isolate the outbreak, and ensure it doesn’t spread beyond Canterbury’s borders. People who were born before 1969 or have had two shots of the MMR vaccinations are considered “fully protected” Pink said, but those aged between 29 and 50 who have only had one measles vaccination are not considered immune, and will require an additional shot. New Zealand, like many other countries, is seeing a resurgence of measles, following scepticism from growing sectors of the population that the MMR vaccination can cause autism – a belief that has been thoroughly and repeatedly debunked by global health experts, including the World Health Organisation. “The resurgence of measles is of serious concern, with extended outbreaks occurring across regions, and particularly in countries that had achieved, or were close to achieving measles elimination,” said Dr Soumya Swaminathan, the deputy director general for programs at the WHO. “Without urgent efforts to increase vaccination coverage and identify populations with unacceptable levels of under- or unimmunised children, we risk losing decades of progress in protecting children and communities against this devastating, but entirely preventable disease.” | Eleanor Ainge Roy in Dunedin | https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/mar/12/new-zealand-doctors-move-clinics-outside-in-bid-to-stop-measles-spread | 2019-03-12 03:49:51+00:00 | 1,552,376,991 | 1,567,546,622 | science and technology | scientific standards |
703,165 | theguardianuk--2019-06-25--Child gambling is a form of self-harm its too complex for a quick-fix clinic Anouchka Grose | 2019-06-25T00:00:00 | theguardianuk | Child gambling is a form of self-harm – it’s too complex for a quick-fix clinic | Anouchka Grose | Almost half a million children in England and Wales are [gambling regularly](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/nov/30/half-million- children-gamble-every-week-uk-gambling-commission-report), with about 55,000 estimated to have a serious problem. Suicide rates for gambling addicts are high, and gambling-related problems cause stress for individuals and families. In response, the [NHS has opened its first children’s gambling clinic](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2019/jun/24/nhs-to-open-first- ever-gambling-clinic-for-children), offering face-to-face treatment – mostly cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). Out-of-control gambling is linked to complex individual and social problems – including stress, anxiety and other mental health issues such as bipolar disorder. CBT attempts to tackle the behaviour by dismantling some of the common beliefs and attitudes around it. Gamblers may be encouraged to set themselves realistic limits, fulfil their financial obligations before spending on betting, and to think of gambling as a form of entertainment as opposed to a means of making money. It’s all very sensible, and is surely a helpful starting point. But it fails to address the unscrupulousness of an industry that targets children by normalising risky practices, couching bets in kid-friendly video games or the deeper mental processes that might lead a person to take serious risks with their own or their family’s money and possessions. Of course not everyone who gambles has a problem – gambling covers everything from buying a lottery ticket to risking your house in a game of roulette. Betting on anything from tennis to future Tory leaders may be seen as socially acceptable (although many religions take a dim view of any kind of betting). Problems start when gambling comes to fulfil an emotional need, or to buffer certain forms of psychic suffering. In a sense, it often follows the same logic as physical self-harm. A sense of unbearable, free-floating anxiety may be funnelled through a self-destructive activity that converts a feeling that’s difficult to process into a palpable act. An unnameable worry becomes a nameable one – a loss or a cut. [Children](https://www.theguardian.com/society/children) and adolescents tend to be very much engaged in the tricky business of working out what to do with difficult feelings. Crying and screaming are, one expects, gradually being weeded out in favour of behaviours more conducive to peaceful coexistence. This tends not to be a smooth process. At the same time as trying to contain emotions, young people are also in the process of separating from carers, gradually teetering towards independence. Less socially acceptable feelings, such as anger, aggression and envy – not to mention all the sexual stuff – need to be dealt with, and the means might not always be obvious. And all this may be happening in a context of difficulties at school, at home, with friends, in the wider world. It’s hardly surprising that dangerous activities that can be enacted furtively might promise to ameliorate the problem. Like cutting, gambling can be an attack, albeit one that may never be felt by the person it’s ultimately aimed at. It can be a manifestation of anger, panic or frustration turned inwards as it seems to have nowhere else acceptable to go. Given all this, it’s tragic and horrifying to think that there is an industry built around exploiting the situation. In an effort to make sure people keep gambling, IT consultants and psychologists are hard at work trying to understand what makes them stop playing games and turn away from their screens. The gaming industries become ever more sophisticated at reeling people in and keeping them there, inventing ever more unputdownable technologies to ensure an endless stream of funds. Like junk food, cigarettes, and every other offering that promises pleasure and delivers harm, the gambling industry sends its roots into the cracks in human beings and sucks out whatever it can. It’s great that the NHS recognises the scale of the problem but there’s still the question of how best to respond to it. While it may simply be helpful to offer people a space in which their difficulties will be heard, named and responded to, you might also wonder whether quick, commonsense-based practices such as CBT are up to the job. As the [Royal College of Psychiatrists’ web page on gambling treatments](https://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/mental-health/problems- disorders/problem-gambling#faq-accoridon-collapse5830b253-9ace-4853-a51f- dd89218c9a05) says in response to the question of how CBT compares with other treatments: “We don’t know yet – there have not been enough large studies to be clear about this.” It seems to be yet another iteration of the classic contemporary conundrum. Society offers you “cures” – empty satisfactions that soon become symptoms – then offers you simplistic treatments to cure you of those failed cures. Children with gambling problems are no doubt attempting to buffer some of the devastating difficulties of growing up, and while it’s great that they have a space to speak about it, it will surely take more than a few words of general wisdom to remove them from the grip of an addiction whose business it is to make sure that they keep coughing up. • Anouchka Grose is a psychoanalyst and author • In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email [email protected] or [email protected]. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international suicide helplines can be found at [www.befrienders.org](https://www.befrienders.org/) | Anouchka Grose | https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/jun/25/child-gambling-clinics-cbt | 2019-06-25 07:00:37+00:00 | 1,561,460,437 | 1,567,538,209 | science and technology | scientific standards |
1,110,611 | wnd--2019-12-17--136 abortion clinics shut down in last 5 years | 2019-12-17T00:00:00 | wnd | 136 abortion clinics shut down in last 5 years | At least 136 independent abortion clinics across the nation have been closed since 2014, according to a pro-abortion group. The Abortion Care Network lamented that since 2010, more than 400 state laws have made operating abortion clinics too expensive or logistically impossible, PJ Media reported. The group's executive director, Nikki Madsen, told CBS News that "anti-abortion politicians have long used onerous restrictions to try and shut down independent abortion providers." TRENDING: MSNBC cameraman spins in circles as woman accusing network of lies keeps crashing live shot PJ Media noted that the 136 independent abortion clinics that closed are unaffiliated with Planned Parenthood. A report released in November 2018 by the Abortion Care Network said independent abortion facilities conduct 60% of all abortions in the U.S., while Planned Parenthood facilities account for about 35%. The findings are broadly consistent with a January 2019 report from the pro-life group Operation Rescue that found 40 clinics had shut down in 2018. Operation Rescue said a total of 697 abortion clinics in the U.S. were in operation by the end of 2018, about 150 fewer than the 844 clinics reported in 2009. "This represents a massive 79 percent decrease in the number of surgical abortion facilities over the past 27 years," Operation Rescue said. Six states have only one abortion clinic remaining. Nearly 90 percent of counties in the United States had no abortion clinic as of 2017, according to a Guttmacher report. CBN News reported in September a report by Jessica Arons on the American Civil Liberties Union website said abortion clinics could disappear without the Supreme Court touching Roe v. Wade, largely due to the state regulations and restrictions. She said that state regulations requiring higher safety standards have had the biggest impact. Such laws require abortion providers to have admitting privileges at local hospitals or require clinics to meet the standards of ambulatory surgical centers. | WND Staff | https://www.wnd.com/2019/12/136-abortion-clinics-shut-last-5-years/ | Tue, 17 Dec 2019 02:12:49 +0000 | 1,576,566,769 | 1,576,588,552 | science and technology | scientific standards |
20,635 | bbc--2019-01-09--South African maths whizz answers complex arithmetic questions in seconds | 2019-01-09T00:00:00 | bbc | South African maths whizz answers complex arithmetic questions in seconds | South African ten-year-old Sibahle Zwane is a maths whizz who has gained fame on social media by doing incredible arithmetic challenges. He first gained fame when he was filmed answering complex maths questions from a local policeman. The BBC's Pumza Fihlani went to see if his skills lived up to the hype. | null | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-46798871 | 2019-01-09 00:09:26+00:00 | 1,547,010,566 | 1,567,553,271 | science and technology | mathematics |
40,695 | bbcuk--2019-06-18--Further maths A-level paper replaced following leak | 2019-06-18T00:00:00 | bbcuk | Further maths A-level paper replaced following leak | A further maths A-level paper due to be sat by about 7,000 candidates on Thursday has been replaced following the leak of an earlier exam last week. Two questions from the Edexcel maths A-level paper were shared on social ahead of it being sat on Friday. Pearson, the exam board's parent company, says it is replacing the latest paper and an unnamed centre is being investigated for the leak. It described the move as "precautionary steps" to protect students. Pearson said their investigation had revealed a package containing the further maths paper had been opened by an individual at the centre concerned. According to the company, there is no evidence to suggest the withdrawn test or any of its questions have been leaked but it is taking "precautionary steps" to safeguard the exam for the students. Sharon Hague, senior vice-president, schools for Pearson, said: "We have reached out to all of our centres directly to inform them of this decision. "We will continue to support and communicate with them through this unusual yet necessary step that is vital for the safeguarding of confidence in the examination system and to ensure fairness for all learners. "Our message to students is not to worry about this and focus on your revision as you normally would." Arrangements are being made to deliver the new further maths paper to all centres shortly before Thursday's exam - with the exception of the one being investigated. For this centre, separate arrangements are being made to ensure its students can complete their exams. In a video message to students, teachers and parents, Ms Hague said it was necessary for everyone involved in the exam system to work together. "We are reliant on the collaboration and trust of everyone involved in the exam system - and when someone commits malpractice, they let everyone down," she said. She said the "serious security breach" last Thursday had been referred to the police, who had been asked to investigate it as a criminal matter. Ms Hague added there were various ways to ensure fair outcomes from last week's A-level maths exam, including the option to exclude the two leaked questions from the final calculation. Earlier this year, Pearson said it would be trialling a scheme where microchips were placed in exam packs to track the date, time and location of the bundles. | null | https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-48678004 | 2019-06-18 14:01:38+00:00 | 1,560,880,898 | 1,567,538,930 | science and technology | mathematics |
156,133 | drudgereport--2019-12-14--Fuzzy Math Makes American Companies Look More Creditworthy... | 2019-12-14T00:00:00 | drudgereport | Fuzzy Math Makes American Companies Look More Creditworthy... | (Bloomberg Businessweek) -- Imagine walking into a bank to borrow money. The loan officer might ask for your pay stubs and tax returns to prove your income, as well as for information about your de... | null | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/DrudgeReportFeed/~3/HJsHILARRMo/fuzzy-math-makes-american-companies-look-more-creditworthy | Sat, 14 Dec 2019 00:16:37 GMT | 1,576,300,597 | 1,576,282,704 | science and technology | mathematics |
176,689 | eveningstandard--2019-06-14--A-Level maths exam paper leaked online sparking investigation | 2019-06-14T00:00:00 | eveningstandard | A-Level maths exam paper leaked online sparking investigation | An investigation has been launched after questions from an A-Level exam paper were leaked online. Two questions, apparently from Edexcel’s A-Level Maths Paper 3, were shared on social media on Thursday evening ahead of Friday’s exam, sparking fury among students and parents. Some claimed students had access to the whole exam before taking it. Edexcel A-Level maths papers have previously been leaked in 2017 and 2018. Pearson, the firm which operates the board, said it was “investigating the source” of the leak. One parent said on Twitter: “Unacceptable situation with today’s maths paper... as a parent I am appalled.” Another person said: “It's disgusting and makes a mockery of all the hard work thousands of students have put in." "This situation is unfair and demoralising and damaging for Year 13 students who will now spend the summer worrying if they have got their grades for University," added another. Pearson said in a statement: “We are aware that an individual circulated blacked out images of two exam questions on social media ahead of today’s A-Level maths exam. We are investigating the source of this. “All students should be reassured we have well-established processes in place to ensure no-one will be advantaged or disadvantaged, and this paper will not have to be resat.” | Patrick Grafton-Green | https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/alevel-maths-exam-paper-leaked-online-sparking-investigation-a4168001.html | 2019-06-14 16:29:00+00:00 | 1,560,544,140 | 1,567,539,089 | science and technology | mathematics |
208,126 | fortune--2019-12-23--This Fashion Institute of Technology Photographer Finds Art in Mathematicians’ Chalkboards | 2019-12-23T00:00:00 | fortune | This Fashion Institute of Technology Photographer Finds Art in Mathematicians’ Chalkboards | Electric Truck Maker Rivian Just Raised $1.3 Billion. Here’s What You Should Know | Rachel King | https://fortune.com/2019/12/23/fashion-institute-technology-photography-jessica-wynne-mathematicians/ | Mon, 23 Dec 2019 17:30:00 +0000 | 1,577,140,200 | 1,577,146,061 | science and technology | mathematics |
226,537 | fusion--2019-05-28--Guillermo del Toro helps Mexican math students go to South Africa | 2019-05-28T00:00:00 | fusion | Guillermo del Toro helps Mexican math students go to South Africa | Oscar-winning film director, Guillermo del Toro, opened his wallet to help fund a trip to South Africa for a group of talented Mexican school kids who will represent their country at the ‘South Africa Math Olympiad,’ one the most important math competitions in the world. | Fusion | https://fusion.tv/video/594356/guillermo-del-toro-helps-mexican-math-students-go-to-south-africa/ | 2019-05-28 19:02:26+00:00 | 1,559,084,546 | 1,567,539,991 | science and technology | mathematics |
226,688 | fusion--2019-07-22--Mexican students bring home medals from UK math competition | 2019-07-22T00:00:00 | fusion | Mexican students bring home medals from UK math competition | Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro helped Mexico’s national mathematics team travel to the United Kingdom, where they won four medals at the 60th annual International Mathematics Olympiad. Azul Alvarez has the story of this once-in-a-lifetime trip for one group of students. | Fusion | https://fusion.tv/video/595475/mexican-students-bring-home-medals-from-uk-math-competition/ | 2019-07-22 22:24:37+00:00 | 1,563,848,677 | 1,567,536,158 | science and technology | mathematics |
258,132 | instapundit--2019-03-01--HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE UC campuses are requiring math professor applicants to provide | 2019-03-01T00:00:00 | instapundit | HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE: UC campuses are requiring math professor applicants to provide … | HIGHER EDUCATION BUBBLE UPDATE: UC campuses are requiring math professor applicants to provide diversity statements. Both former and current academics have said that such requirements ‘trivialize’ diversity. Also, math. | Glenn Reynolds | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pjmedia/instapundit/~3/CzvmRR95SoA/ | 2019-03-01 15:00:55+00:00 | 1,551,470,455 | 1,567,546,873 | science and technology | mathematics |
263,533 | instapundit--2019-06-20--IN THE MAIL Lost in Math How Beauty Leads Physics Astray Plus browse todays Lightning Deals | 2019-06-20T00:00:00 | instapundit | IN THE MAIL: Lost in Math: How Beauty Leads Physics Astray. Plus, browse today’s Lightning Deals… | Plus, browse today’s Lightning Deals and Deals of the Day. IN THE MAIL: Lost in Math: How Beauty Leads Physics Astray. InstaPundit is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com | Helen Smith | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pjmedia/instapundit/~3/9o717Q2BMoc/ | 2019-06-20 15:00:37+00:00 | 1,561,057,237 | 1,567,538,510 | science and technology | mathematics |
268,281 | instapundit--2019-10-03--JUST THINK OF WOKE AS A SYNONYM FOR IDIOTIC AND YOU WONT GO FAR WRONG Woke Math in Seattle | 2019-10-03T00:00:00 | instapundit | JUST THINK OF “WOKE” AS A SYNONYM FOR “IDIOTIC” AND YOU WON’T GO FAR WRONG: Woke Math in Seattle. … | JUST THINK OF “WOKE” AS A SYNONYM FOR “IDIOTIC” AND YOU WON’T GO FAR WRONG: Woke Math in Seattle. “The young people who are going to learn real math are those whose parents can afford to put them in private schools. The public school kids of all races are going to get dumber and dumber … and this is going to compel the wokesters in charge of Human Resources at institutions along life’s way to demand changing standards to fit political goals. Eventually, bridges are going to start falling down. That too will be the fault of Whiteness.” Or we could quit letting them get away with this crap. | Glenn Reynolds | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pjmedia/instapundit/~3/BizVFJLEiVs/ | 2019-10-03 02:29:59+00:00 | 1,570,084,199 | 1,570,221,696 | science and technology | mathematics |
268,842 | instapundit--2019-10-13--SCIENCE: Bees get better at math when they’re punished for mistakes…. | 2019-10-13T00:00:00 | instapundit | SCIENCE: Bees get better at math when they’re punished for mistakes…. | SCIENCE: Bees get better at math when they’re punished for mistakes. | Glenn Reynolds | http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/pjmedia/instapundit/~3/dLbnrosEzbk/ | Sun, 13 Oct 2019 00:00:22 +0000 | 1,570,939,222 | 1,570,970,083 | science and technology | mathematics |
275,932 | ipolitics--2019-08-28--Ontario to spend 55 million on math education this year before slashing math curriculum | 2019-08-28T00:00:00 | ipolitics | Ontario to spend $55 million on math education this year, before slashing math curriculum | Ontario will spend more than $55 million this year hiring math learning leads for school boards, providing “extensive” training in elementary and secondary schools, and expanding other programs like tutoring — despite the fact the provincial math curriculum is set to face the chopping block the spring. Education Minister Stephen Lecce addressed the press at Queen’s Park on Wednesday to announce a four-year math strategy. His remarks came shortly after the release of results from this year’s EQAO standardized testing, which indicated in particular a decline in English-speaking Grade 3 students meeting provincial math standards. Fewer than half of Grade 6 students — 48 per cent — met the standard. The provincial government has blamed a curriculum known as ‘discovery math’ for declines in EQAO scores, announcing their intentions to return to “basics” in math education. Premier Doug Ford campaigned on scrapping the discovery math teaching plan, but his government’s revamped curriculum — which Lecce described on Wednesday as a “dramatic” overhaul — is not expected to be announced until the spring, and won’t be implemented in classrooms until September 2020. “In year two … we’ll look at making sure there’s an alignment with the new curriculum,” Lecce said, when asked by a reporter why $55 million was being spent this coming year on a system that he said didn’t work. “You can provide more tools, you can provide more summer learning, you can provide greater access to tutoring, you can provide leaders in math,” Lecce continued. “We’re doing all that while concurrently revamping the curriculum. We think those are prudent things. I don’t think we can wait.” Research shared by the EQAO office on Wednesday showed that Ontario’s students in Grades 3 and 6 have stronger basic knowledge of fundamental math than ability to apply it. Lecce was asked by reporters why the government would push ahead with a ‘back to basics’ curriculum if the issue lay outside the fundamentals. In response, Lecce again pointed to the decline in EQAO results since discovery math was implemented. “It’s not working for students,” he said. Lecce was unable to answer questions about how the standardized test results correlated to students’ grades within the province, and whether students were failing to reach standards on their report cards in the same quantity as the number failing in their EQAO tests. “That is a fair question. I’m not in the best position to answer it,” he said, adding that there was a “continual decline” in broader grades. READ MORE: Federal Ontario ministers set to slam Ford’s first budget The EQAO results Wednesday also showed a marked difference between French and English-speaking students, with 82 per cent of French-speaking students in Grade 6 meeting the provincial math standard versus just 48 per cent of English students in the same age group. “Look, the French system is doing great work in how they are keeping those numbers up and how they’re encouraging young students in the province, Grade 3 and 6 and beyond, to learn numeracy,” Lecce said. There has been a shortage of French-speaking teachers in Ontario, he affirmed, saying it was a “fair point” when a reporter asked whether the government’s mandatory math proficiency tests for new teachers could exacerbate the problem. The details of the proficiency testing, which will begin in March, were revealed in a memo sent out last week. At least 70 per cent of the assessment will be based on math content, with the rest focused on how to teach it. The plan has been criticized by teachers’ unions, with Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario president Sam Hammond claiming the test won’t, in fact, increase math outcomes for students. “The new test will focus on both elementary and secondary concepts. This is a problem as instructional practices vary widely between the panels and the content is widely different — expecting a kindergarten teacher to have a firm grasp of calculus makes no sense,” he wrote in a statement shared with iPolitics. “This government has yet to address the education funding formula which is short-changing students, schools and educators in terms of support and resources.” His comments come the same week that Ontario’s largest school board released an update on the implementation of certain cut-back decisions it made in June, responding to the provincial budget that included a substantial slash to its funding. In a document prepared for Toronto District School Board members, board staff describe having to cut to the equivalent of nearly 300 positions through layoffs or attrition. The board has linked the change in part to a structural deficit of $25.7 million, but largely blamed it on $42.1 million cut from its provincial funding. Lecce said many of the jobs cited in the TDSB report were part of a two-year agreement negotiated by the former government, the continuation of which was being negotiated between the government and teachers’ unions. “It is a matter that’s being discussed at the table, and that’s the best place for it,” Lecce said. Opposition parties have taken aim at the Ford government’s actions around math learning this week, with NDP education critic Marit Stiles calling for an end to what she called “outdated, old-fashioned and ineffective standardized testing,” and Ontario Green Party leader Mike Schreiner deeming the government’s remarks about the math scores a “distraction” from issues like the sex-ed curriculum reform. “If the Conservatives were truly concerned about giving students the fundamentals, they would not have replaced in-class instruction with online learning or threatened to raise class sizes,” he said. | Victoria Gibson | https://ipolitics.ca/2019/08/28/ontario-to-spend-55-million-on-math-education-this-year-before-slashing-math-curriculum/ | 2019-08-28 19:18:52+00:00 | 1,567,034,332 | 1,567,543,611 | science and technology | mathematics |
312,766 | mercurynews--2019-04-18--Letter Students need more math to compete in 21st century | 2019-04-18T00:00:00 | mercurynews | Letter: Students need more math to compete in 21st century | Most people agree that our children are falling behind the rest of the world, especially in the STEM subject areas. How can anyone disagree with adding a fourth year of math? We need more math education, not less. The article notes: “The extra year-long course could be the traditional calculus or more practical alternatives such as statistics, computer science or personal finance, administrators say.” We need calculus, not personal finance. The article also states: “But critics say they fear the possible harmful impact on underprepared students in low-income and high schools already struggling to find enough math teachers.” These are the students who need more help, so they will not be low-income forever. Letter: Asylum-seekers welcome in Bay Area and needed in US Letter: Newsom needs to be taught a lesson on handling immigrants Letter: What parents before vaccine would’ve done to halt polio… Letter: California’s rich are not fleeing state due to taxes Letter: Medi-Cal covers new moms with this condition, then abruptly cancels them I believe society is cheating our students by not providing the education needed for them to compete in the 21st century. And it is not the students’ fault, it is many adults’ fault. Let’s have a fourth year of math ASAP. Submit your letter to the editor via this form Read more Letters to the Editor | Letters To The Editor | https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/04/18/letter-students-need-more-math-to-compete-in-21st-century/ | 2019-04-18 10:10:55+00:00 | 1,555,596,655 | 1,567,542,548 | science and technology | mathematics |
349,940 | newspunch--2019-12-04--Common Core: US Students Perform 4 Grade Levels Behind Chinese Students In Math | 2019-12-04T00:00:00 | newspunch | Common Core: US Students Perform 4 Grade Levels Behind Chinese Students In Math | 10 years after Barack Obama forced schools around the country to begin phasing in Common Core, American students are lagging far behind their counterparts from other nations. According to the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which analyzed 79 countries and economies, representing about 32 million 15-year-olds, American students are performing four grade levels behind Chinese students in the critical study of mathematics. Here is what US parents, teachers, corporate leaders, legislators, and anyone else who cares about education and the future of our children and country must know — our US scores show that our education system, dominated by Obama’s Common Core, is failing our youth. We are not keeping up with our global counterparts, and risk falling far behind in a world that is becoming increasingly interconnected and competitive. The situation in the US education system has become so dire that even “disadvantaged students” in China and other countries are performing better than the average American student. “The 10% most disadvantaged students in Beijing-Shanghai-Jiangsu-Zhejiang (B-S-J-Z) or in Macao or Estonia… those students actually do as well or better than the average student in the US.“ Parents and teachers across the nation are now urging schools to dump the toxic Common Core curriculum, arguing that it deliberately dumbs down children and creates unnecessary and complicated methods for working out relatively simple problems. Students are recording results lower than previously thought possible, and frustrated teachers are warning that “if we do nothing” about Common Core the results “will keep on declining.” Since Common Core was fully phased in nationwide, student test scores in the United States have dropped for the third time in a row on the nation’s broadest and most respected test. The drop is a sudden reversal of the upward trend that was experienced between 1990 and 2015. The class of 2019 is the first to experience all four high school years under Common Core, and unsurprisingly it has come out as the “worst-prepared for college” in 15 years, according to a new report. The latest results were released last month and show that American students slid yet again on nearly every measure. Declaring Obama’s Common Core to be “worst large-scale educational failure in 40 years,” a recent study examined the effects of Common Core on school choice and found the program has “blunted the innovation, dynamism, and competition” while also producing the worst math scores in generations. It’s going to take a lot more than acknowledging Common Core’s failure to make up for the years of classroom chaos that the Bill Gates/Barack Obama curriculum inflicted on many teachers and students without their consent. A direct apology and a promise to stay away from our kids and their education in the future would be a start. | Baxter Dmitry | https://newspunch.com/common-core-us-students-perform-4-grade-levels-behind-chinese-math/ | Wed, 04 Dec 2019 18:44:32 +0000 | 1,575,503,072 | 1,575,504,211 | science and technology | mathematics |
368,671 | newyorkpost--2019-01-16--Joey Fatone gets schooled on basic math | 2019-01-16T00:00:00 | newyorkpost | Joey Fatone gets schooled on basic math | 1:45 ### 'Made in Staten Island' mom gets schooled in slang Former “Mob Wives” star Karen Gravano and daughter Karina Seabrook sat down with Page Six to dish on their new MTV show “Made in Staten Island.” Nineteen- year-old Karina isn’t sure how cool Mom is, so she tested her text slang knowledge. The show airs on MTV Mondays at 10/9c. 1:08 ### Lance Bass’ dream reunion tour is NSYNC and the Spice Girls Lance Bass sat down with Page Six to talk about his reunion tour dream team: NSYNC and the Spice Girls! Bass also shared some revealing 'NSYNC group texts. 1:10 ### Diane Lane gets nostalgic about her taxicab-driving dad “House of Cards” actress Diane Lane was born in NYC, where her father drove a taxi. She shares her fond memories and special New York moments she spent riding along in her dad’s cab as a child. She still looks for his cab number today and even FaceTimed with the driver when her daughter serendipitously got in it recently. 2:06 ### ‘Counterpart’ star Betty Gabriel’s most stylish red carpet looks Betty Gabriel is an actress to watch on the red carpet. She sat down with Page Six to dish about her unique fashion sense, the designers she loves and that scandalous Oscars dress. She stars in "Counterpart" Season 2 on Starz. 1:39 ### Aidan Gillen conjured a deceased actor during his darkest hour Aidan Gillen made a career playing villainous characters. But the "Game of Thrones" actor is now transitioning away from the bad guy in his new drama, "Project Blue Book." Gillen sat down with Page Six to talk about the History series, as well as the time he called upon a deceased actor to get through tough times. "Project Blue Book" airs Jan. 8, 2019, on History. 3:33 ### All this ‘Real Housewife’ wants for Christmas is a Barbie Dreamhouse A bouncy ball for Christmas? That’s what one actor got as a kid and he’s mad as hell. Page Six asked celebrities to share their childhood gift disappointments. “The Real Housewives of New Jersey” star Melissa Gorga wanted a Barbie Dream House and never got it. Valentina from “RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars” wanted a mermaid Barbie. There’s still time to fulfill these wishes, Santa! 2:21 ### Every celeb wants to kiss Bradley Cooper this Christmas What do Thom Filicia, an ex-bachelorette and a New Jersey housewife have in common? They all really want to kiss Bradley Cooper under the mistletoe. Find out whom the stars are crushing on this holiday season and who loves a certain “Game of Thrones” hunk. 1:17 ### 'RHONJ' star Danielle Staub shares her biggest splurges Stars came to Barneys New York to celebrate the launch of Page Six Style and shared some of their style secrets. "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" cast members Danielle Staub, Melissa Gorga, Margaret Josephs and Jackie Goldschneider revealed their biggest splurges. Dr. Oz and Jordin Sparks were among the fabulous guests at the event. 2:26 ### 'RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars 4' caption their naughty Instagram photos "RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars 4" cast members Valentina, Naomi Smalls and Farrah Moan sat down with Page Six to re-caption some of their favorite and naughtiest Instagram photos. Watch the girls throw some shade and get down and dirty with their sexy posts. The new season premieres Fridays at 8/7c on VH1. 1:51 ### Nev Schulman explains how to avoid being 'Catfished' “Catfish” is back for Season 7 on MTV. Creator Nev Schulman has been helping people reveal the truth about whom they are really meeting online. He stopped by Page Six to share his tips on what to look for when talking to potential dates. | Page Six Video | https://pagesix.com/video/joey-fatone-gets-schooled-on-basic-math/ | 2019-01-16 17:00:58+00:00 | 1,547,676,058 | 1,567,552,259 | science and technology | mathematics |
378,195 | newyorkpost--2019-07-03--Half of public school kids in Bronx District 9 fail state math test | 2019-07-03T00:00:00 | newyorkpost | Half of public school kids in Bronx District 9 fail state math test | An entire Bronx charter-school class in the nation’s poorest congressional... | Selim Algar | https://nypost.com/2019/07/02/half-of-public-school-kids-in-bronx-district-9-fail-state-math-test/ | 2019-07-03 01:21:34+00:00 | 1,562,131,294 | 1,567,537,099 | science and technology | mathematics |
493,978 | sottnet--2019-01-03--North Carolina to scrap standard math exam for licencing teachers after thousands fail it | 2019-01-03T00:00:00 | sottnet | North Carolina to scrap standard math exam for licencing teachers after thousands fail it | Thousands of aspiring teachers coming out of North Carolina's education colleges can't pass a high school level math licensing exam, so state officials may scrap it to lower the bar.The state Board of Education learned in August that 2,400 elementary and special education teachers have flunked the math portion of the state license exam, which was created by the education company Pearson. Then last week, research presented to the state's Professional Educator Preparation and Standards Commission showed new teachers who passed the math exam on the first try did not perform significantly better in evaluations than those who had to retake it.The Charlotte Observer reports:The standards commission includes teachers, administrators and representatives from colleges of education - those most impacted by the situation. Teachers are complaining because the $139 tests get expensive when they have to repeatedly retake them, while others allege it could ultimately cost them a career they're otherwise well-suited for."It's not an indicator of an effective teacher," said Cabarrus County Schools Assistant Superintendent Glenda Jones, a member of the commission. "It is a barrier to licensure and that trickles down to being vacancies in the classroom and a teacher shortage.""We've got teachers who are taking that same Pearson (math exam) over and over and over and are not passing, and the cost's coming out of their pockets at $35,000 a year for a beginning teacher," she said.Robin Hiatt, a commission member and teacher in Johnson County Schools, said some educators spend hundreds of dollars to secure their credentials."Right now I've got a kindergarten teacher who has spent $600 of her money on taking the test and test-prep programs," Haitt said.The panel voted to replace the math exam with a "Praxis" math test develop by the nonprofit ETS.The recommendations were forwarded to the state Board of Education for potential action next month.In August, the Observer reported that before the state switched to the Pearson math test in 2014, pass rates for the test "hovered around 85 percent or higher."States including Florida and Indiana are dealing with a similar trend.Instead of considering ways colleges can better educate future teachers to pass the tests, the focus thus far has remained mostly on whether the Pearson test is to rigorous.The Observer reports "Concern about the validity of the Pearson licensing exams is so pervasive that it was discussed at this year's National Education Association (teachers union) conference, said North Carolina Association of Educators President Mark Jewell."Pearson, meanwhile, has defended the math exam, pointing out that states set their own standards.," spokesman Scott Overland wrote in a statement. "Pearson does not place any artificial barriers in the way of candidate success and only considers test scores as criteria for passage." | null | https://www.sott.net/article/404086-North-Carolina-to-scrap-standard-math-exam-for-licencing-teachers-after-thousands-fail-it | 2019-01-03 21:23:07+00:00 | 1,546,568,587 | 1,567,554,186 | science and technology | mathematics |
495,335 | sottnet--2019-01-20--Eugene Wigners scientific treason The connection between physics and math is a miracle | 2019-01-20T00:00:00 | sottnet | Eugene Wigner's scientific treason: The connection between physics and math is a miracle | We can lift ourselves out of ignorance, we can find ourselves as creatures of excellence and intelligence and skill. | null | https://www.sott.net/article/405387-Eugene-Wigners-scientific-treason-The-connection-between-physics-and-math-is-a-miracle | 2019-01-20 16:47:55+00:00 | 1,548,020,875 | 1,567,551,690 | science and technology | mathematics |
498,767 | sottnet--2019-03-18--The statistical mathematics that tells a cell what it is | 2019-03-18T00:00:00 | sottnet | The statistical mathematics that tells a cell what it is | From Wires Under Oceans to Neurons in the Brain During development, cells seem to decode their fate through optimal information processing, which could hint at a more general principle of life.In 1891, when the German biologist Hans Driesch split two-cell sea urchin embryos in half, he found that each of the separated cells then gave rise to its own complete, albeit smaller, larva. Somehow, the halves "knew" to change their entire developmental program: At that stage, the blueprint for what they would become had apparently not yet been drawn out, at least not in ink.Since then, scientists have been trying to understand what goes into making this blueprint, and how instructive it is. (Driesch himself, frustrated at his inability to come up with a solution, threw up his hands and left the field entirely.) It's now known that some form of positional information makes genes variously switch on and off throughout the embryo, giving cells distinct identities based on their location. But the signals carrying that information seem to fluctuate wildly and chaotically - the opposite of what you might expect for an important guiding influence."The [embryo] is a noisy environment," said Robert Brewster, a systems biologist at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. "But somehow it comes together to give you a reproducible, crisp body plan."The same precision and reproducibility emerge from a sea of noise again and again in a range of cellular processes. That mounting evidence is leading some biologists to a bold hypothesis:Questions about optimal decoding, according to Aleksandra Walczak, a biophysicist at the École Normale Supérieure in Paris, "are everywhere in biology."Biologists haven't traditionally cast analyses of living systems as optimization problems because the complexity of those systems makes them hard to quantify, and because it can be difficult to discern what would be getting optimized. Moreover, while evolutionary theory suggests that evolving systems can improve over time, nothing guarantees that they should be driven to an optimal level.Yet when researchers have been able to appropriately determine what cells are doing, many have been surprised to see clear indications of optimization. Hints have turned up in how the brain responds to external stimuli and how microbes respond to chemicals in their environments. Now some of the best evidence has emerged from a new study of fly larva development, reported recently in Cell.For decades, scientists have been studying fruit fly larvae for clues about how development unfolds. Some details became apparent early on: A cascade of genetic signals establishes a pattern along the larva's head-to-tail axis. Signaling molecules called morphogens then diffuse through the embryonic tissues, eventually defining the formation of body parts.Particularly important in the fly are four "gap" genes, which are expressed separately in broad, overlapping domains along the axis. The proteins they make in turn help regulate the expression of "pair-rule" genes, which create an extremely precise, periodic striped pattern along the embryo. The stripes establish the groundwork for the later division of the body into segments.(Full study here: Development 2002 129:4399-4409) How cells make sense of these diffusion gradients has always been a mystery. The widespread assumption was that after being pointed in roughly the right direction (so to speak) by the protein levels, cells would continuously monitor their changing surroundings and make small corrective adjustments as development proceeded, locking in on their planned identity relatively late. That model harks back to the "developmental landscape" proposed by Conrad Waddington in 1956. He likened the process of a cell homing in on its fate to a ball rolling down a series of ever-steepening valleys and forked paths. Cells had to acquire more and more information to refine their positional knowledge over time - as if zeroing in on where and what they were through "the 20 questions game," according to Jané Kondev, a physicist at Brandeis University.Such a system could be accident prone, however: Some cells would inevitably take the wrong paths and be unable to get back on track. In contrast, comparisons of fly embryos revealed that the placement of pair-rule stripes was incredibly precise, to within 1 percent of the embryo's length - that is, to single-cell accuracy.That prompted a group at Princeton University, led by the biophysicists Thomas Gregor and William Bialek, to suspect something else:And that's just what they found.Over the course of 12 years, they measured morphogen and gap-gene protein concentrations, cell by cell, from one embryo to the next, to determine how all four gap genes were most likely to be expressed at every position along the head-to-tail axis. From those probability distributions, they built a "dictionary," or decoder - an explicit map that could spit out a probabilistic estimate of a cell's position based on its gap-gene protein concentration levels.Around five years ago, the researchers - including Mariela Petkova, who started the measurement work as an undergraduate at Princeton (and is currently pursuing a doctorate in biophysics at Harvard University), and Gašper Tkačik, now at the Institute of Science and Technology Austria - determined this mapping by assuming it worked like what's known as an optimal Bayesian decoder (that is, the decoder used Bayes' rule for inferring the likelihood of an event from prior conditional probabilities). The Bayesian framework allowed them to flip the "unknowns," the conditions of probability: Their measurements of gap gene expression, given position, could be used to generate a "best guess" of position, given only gap gene expression.The team found that the fluctuations of the four gap genes could indeed be used to predict the locations of cells with single-cell precision. No less than maximal information about all four would do, however: When the activity of only two or three gap genes was provided, the decoder's location predictions were not nearly so accurate. Versions of the decoder that used less of the information from all four gap genes - that, for instance, responded only to whether each gene was on or off - made worse predictions, too.According to Walczak, "No one has ever measured or shown how well reading out the concentration of these molecular gradients ... actually pinpoints a specific position along the axis."Now they had: Even given the limited number of molecules and underlying noise of the system, the varying concentrations of the gap genes was sufficient to differentiate two neighboring cells in the head-to-tail axis - and the rest of the gene network seemed to be transmitting that information optimally."But the question always remained open: Does the biology actually care?" Gregor said. "Or is this just something that we measure?" Could the regulatory regions of DNA that responded to the gap genes really be wired up in such a way that they could decode the positional information those genes contained?The biophysicists teamed up with the Nobel Prize-winning biologist Eric Wieschaus to test whether the cells were actually making use of the information potentially at their disposal. They created mutant embryos by modifying the gradients of morphogens in the very young fly embryos, which in turn altered the expression patterns of the gap genes and ultimately caused pair-rule stripes to shift, disappear, get duplicated or have fuzzy edges. Even so, the researchers found that their decoder could predict the changes in mutated pair-rule expression with surprising accuracy. "They show that the map is broken in mutants, but in a way that the decoder predicts," Walczak said."You could imagine that if it was getting information from other sources, you couldn't trick [the cells] like that," Brewster added. "Your decoder would fail."These findings represent "a signpost," according to Kondev, who was not involved with the study."Through evolution, these cells have figured out how to implement Bayes' trick using regulatory DNA."How the cells do it remains a mystery. Right now, "the whole thing is kind of wonderful and magical," said John Reinitz, a systems biologist at the University of Chicago.Even so, the work provides a new way of thinking about early development, gene regulation and, perhaps, evolution in general.The findings provide a fresh perspective on Waddington's idea of a developmental landscape. According to Gregor, their work indicates that there's no need for 20 questions or a gradual refinement of knowledge after all. The landscape "is steep from the beginning," he said. All the information is already there."Natural selection [seems to be] pushing the system hard enough so that it ... reaches a point where the cells are performing at the limit of what physics allows," said Manuel Razo-Mejia, a graduate student at the California Institute of Technology.It's possible that the high performance in this case is a fluke: Since fruit fly embryos develop very quickly, perhaps in their case "evolution has found this optimal solution because of that pressure to do everything very rapidly," said James Briscoe, a biologist at the Francis Crick Institute in London who did not participate in this study. To really cement whether this is something more general, then, researchers will have to test the decoder in other species, including those that develop more slowly.Even so, these results set up intriguing new questions to ask about the often-enigmatic regulatory elements. Scientists don't have a solid grasp of how regulatory DNA codes for the control of other genes' activities. The team's findings suggest that this involves an optimal Bayesian decoder, which allows the regulatory elements to respond to very subtle changes in combined gap gene expression.Kondev said." he added. "That's a question we could not have asked before this study.""That's really what this work sets up as the next challenge in the field," Briscoe said. Besides, there may be many ways of implementing such a decoder at the molecular level, meaning that this idea could apply to other systems as well. In fact, hints of it have been uncovered in the development of the neural tube in vertebrates, the precursor of their central nervous system - which would call for a very different underlying mechanism.Moreover, if these regulatory regions need to perform an optimal decoding function, that potentially limits how they can evolve - and in turn, how an entire organism can evolve. "We have this one example ... which is the life that evolved on this planet," Kondev said, and because of that, the important constraints on what life can be are unknown. Finding that cells show Bayesian behavior could be a hint that processing information effectively may be "a general principle that makes a bunch of atoms stuck together loosely behave like the thing that we think is life."But right now, it is still only a hint. Although it would be "kind of a physicist's dream," Gregor said, "we are far from really having proof for this."That goal later turned into a broader consideration of how to transmit information optimally through a channel. It wasn't much of a leap to apply this framework to the brain's sensory systems and how they measured, encoded and decoded inputs to produce a response.Now some experts are trying to think about all kinds of "sensory systems" in this way: Razo-Mejia, for instance, has studied how optimally bacteria sense and process chemicals in their environment, and how that might affect their fitness. Meanwhile, Walczak and her colleagues have been asking what a "good decoding strategy" might look like in the adaptive immune system, which has to recognize and respond to a massive repertoire of intruders."I don't think optimization is an aesthetic or philosophical idea. It's a very concrete idea," Bialek said. "Optimization principles have time and again pointed to interesting things to measure." Whether or not they are correct, he considers them productive to think about."Of course, the difficulty is that in many other systems, the property being decoded is more difficult than one-dimensional position [along the embryo's axis]," Walczak said. "The problem is harder to define."That's what made the system Bialek and his colleagues studied so tantalizing. "There aren't many examples in biology where a high-level idea, like information in this case, leads to a mathematical formula" that is then testable in experiments on living cells, Kondev said.It's this marriage of theory and experiment that excites Bialek. He hopes to see the approach continue to guide work in other contexts. "What's not clear," he said, "is whether the observation [of optimization] is a curiosity that arises in a few corners, or whether there's something general about it."If the latter does prove to be the case, "then that's very striking," Briscoe said. "The ability for evolution to find these really efficient ways of doing things would be an incredible finding."Kondev agreed. "As a physicist, you hope that the phenomenon of life is not just about the specific chemistry and DNA and molecules that make living things on planet Earth - that it's broader," he said. "What is that broader thing? I don't know. But maybe this is lifting a little bit of the veil off that mystery."Correction added on March 15: The text was updated to acknowledge the contributions of Mariela Petkova and Gašper Tkačik. | null | https://www.sott.net/article/409354-The-statistical-mathematics-that-tells-a-cell-what-it-is | 2019-03-18 15:48:08+00:00 | 1,552,938,488 | 1,567,545,864 | science and technology | mathematics |
506,927 | sottnet--2019-10-08--Seattle schools proposal wants to teach students math is oppressive against people of color - 'who g | 2019-10-08T00:00:00 | sottnet | Seattle schools proposal wants to teach students math is oppressive against people of color - 'who gets to say an answer's right?' | Two plus two may equal four, but if the student says five, you better not correct them, oppressor! Math, in Seattle schools, will become a social justice course. But that's not all. The U.S. government will be posited as a racist institution that must be destroyed. If this is taught to students, it's indoctrination at its most destructive.An Ethnic Studies Advisory Committee (ESAC), under the Seattle Public Schools Superintendent, published a preliminary Math Ethnic Studies framework document populated by district representatives thatThe framework, created by various statewide districts, tackles four themes, including Power and Oppression and History of Resistance and Liberation.At its core, the belief seems to be thatand, consequently, it "erases the historical contributions of people and communities of color."None of this has anything to do with the math you should learn in K-12; these are topics left for a progressive college course you'd likely see at Evergreen State College.The framework asks,It wonders, "Who gets to say if an answer is right?"Apparently, math is now subjective. Who are you to insist two plus two equals four? It goes on to ask "Who is Smart? Who is not Smart?" Answer: the person who says two plus two equals five is not yet smart and should be corrected, even if you think it oppresses them.The framework believes math is manipulated to allow inequality and oppression to persist. They ask, "Who is doing the oppressing?" I think the answer is supposed to be the white, cis-gendered, heterosexual Christian man.They ask,Ironically, if you subscribe to this social justice world view of math, and teach anyone that there's no such thing as correct answers, you will be doing immeasurable and, yes, oppressive, harm to students.These radical educators aren't just looking to redefine the study of math. They seem ready to use history courses to present an aggressively progressive worldview, using socialist activist Howard Zinn teachings to indoctrinate kids.The U.S. History Ethnic Studies Framework insists "the United States government was founded on racist intellectual premises and economic practices that institutionalized oppression of people of color that continues to the present day."They present mass incarceration as "the New Jim Crow" and want students to understand that Europeans brought the dominant worldview values of "guns, the bible, private property and social hierarchy, and racial supremacy."Reasonable people can certainly argue that history has been whitewashed and we'd all benefit from a more holistic approach to how contemporary society has been shaped. But this document of possible recommendations goes way beyond that. This would be teaching an ideological perspective; this isn't teaching history.The ESAC is made up of a number of educators and was created due to a legislature mandate to "advise, assist, and make recommendations to the office of the superintendent of public instruction regarding the identification of ethnic studies materials."The committee will meet throughout the next year in order to meet a September 1, 2020 deadline to offer up their final recommendations."The Committee thought it was important to review work that has already been done," Kate Payne, Director of Communications from the Superintendent's Office. "The materials posted to our ESAC webpage were created by school districts around our state, and the Committee intends to review them as they the work move forward.""In creating a state-level framework and recommended resources, we hope to provide guidance to districts implementing Ethnic Studies as part of their class offerings. Again, the Committee has not yet created any documents, nor have they made any recommendations. They are in the process of gathering information about current practices and deciding on the best course of action to ensure our students and educators receive appropriate support. This is an elective class offering, and there are no requirements that school districts offer Elective Studies courses at this time." | null | https://www.sott.net/article/421638-Seattle-schools-proposal-wants-to-teach-students-math-is-oppressive-against-people-of-color-who-gets-to-say-an-answers-right | Tue, 08 Oct 2019 17:02:42 +0000 | 1,570,568,562 | 1,570,576,951 | science and technology | mathematics |
549,014 | sputnik--2019-11-11--Myth Dispelled: Girls and Boys Possess Equal Math Aptitude, Research Shows | 2019-11-11T00:00:00 | sputnik | Myth Dispelled: Girls and Boys Possess Equal Math Aptitude, Research Shows | According to a study published in the journal, Science of Learning, there are no gender differences in math aptitude and brain functioning. In a comprehensive study of the cerebral development of young boys and girls, the research team from Carnegie Mellon University concluded that children’s brains are similar regardless of their gender. It was the first neuroimaging study conducted to evaluate biological gender differences in math aptitude for young children, where researchers compared scans to evaluate brain similarities. The study also included the examination of brain maturity by comparing a child’s scan to that of an adult (63 adults; 25 women), who watched the same math video. The results showed boys' and girls' brain maturity was statistically equivalent in comparison to either men or women in the adult group. Comparing the results of the “Early Mathematics Test”, a standardised test for three to eight-year-old children (97 children including 50 girls), the researchers said that math ability did not reflect a difference based on gender or with age. A few days ago, a study also revealed that Indians have smaller brains, in size and width, and that their brains are much more similar to Chinese and Korean brain atlases. | null | https://sputniknews.com/asia/201911111077279890-myth-dispelled-girls-and-boys-possess-equal-math-aptitude/ | Mon, 11 Nov 2019 16:10:35 +0300 | 1,573,506,635 | 1,573,520,015 | science and technology | mathematics |
553,150 | sputnik--2019-12-15--Do Your Math, NASA! Scientists’ New Research on the Milky Way’s Weight Challenges the Space Agency | 2019-12-15T00:00:00 | sputnik | Do Your Math, NASA! Scientists’ New Research on the Milky Way’s Weight Challenges the Space Agency | New research on the weight of the Milky Way has challenged NASA’s findings on this issue. According to a study published on arxicv.org on 9 December, the mass of our galaxy is drastically lower than previously estimated. NASA working together with the European Space Agency found out that the mass of the Milky Way stands at whopping 1.5 trillion solar masses, meaning it weighs 1.5 trillion times more than the Sun. Yet according to a paper titled “a robust estimate of the Milky Way mass from rotation curve data” the weight of our galaxy is considerably modest, just 890 billion solar masses. The study noted: “We have used rotation curve data to estimate the dark and total mass of the Milky Way and performed a careful assessment of the robustness of these estimates". Much of the weight is attributed not to stars in our galaxy, but to dark matter and supermassive black hole Sagittarius A, which weighs more than 4 million times more than the Sun. The new study also revealed the width of the Milky way, claiming it is about 250,000 light years across. There have been numerous attempts to measure the weight of the Milky Way. Some have put it at 500 billion solar masses, while others labelled it at 3 trillion solar masses. It is hard for scientists to make exact calculations due to the Earth’s position inside the galaxy. It is easier for scientists to measure the weight of nearby bodies, like the Andromeda galaxy, because they can observe them in full. | null | https://sputniknews.com/science/201912151077580434-do-your-math-nasa-scientists-new-research-on-the-milky-ways-weight-challenges-the-space-agency/ | Sun, 15 Dec 2019 10:32:46 +0300 | 1,576,423,966 | 1,576,413,826 | science and technology | mathematics |
587,452 | theborowitzreport--2019-03-14--Betsy DeVos Suggests That Bribing Colleges Helps Students Learn Math | 2019-03-14T00:00:00 | theborowitzreport | Betsy DeVos Suggests That Bribing Colleges Helps Students Learn Math | WASHINGTON (The Borowitz Report)—Offering an upbeat assessment of the headline-grabbing college-admissions scandal, Betsy DeVos said on Thursday that bribing colleges gave students “a really neat opportunity” to learn math. The Secretary of Education suggested that, rather than keeping children in the dark about the bribes that enable their college acceptances, “Parents should sit around the kitchen table with their kids and work on some fun math problems together.” “Let’s say it’ll cost Amber seventy-five thousand dollars to get into Stanford, and it’ll cost her twin brother Dylan seventy-five thousand to get into Georgetown,” she said. “How much money total will their parents have to wire?” “Or let’s say Jenna has a 470 verbal score, but she needs a 730 to get into Yale,” DeVos said. “How much will she have to pay to get her score changed?” DeVos said that, as regrettable as the criminal charges against the parents in the bribery scandal were, the arrests themselves provided a teachable moment. “Lori Loughlin posted a million dollars in bail, and Felicity Huffman posted two hundred fifty thousand,” she said. “How much bail did Lori and Felicity post?” | Andy Borowitz | https://www.newyorker.com/humor/borowitz-report/betsy-devos-suggests-that-bribing-colleges-helps-students-learn-math | 2019-03-14 14:29:49+00:00 | 1,552,588,189 | 1,567,546,316 | science and technology | mathematics |
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