StemCell Therapy

Wed, Dec 2nd 2020 02:20 pm

By the American Heart Association

The menopause transition, the years leading up to menopause, is a time of increasing heart disease risk for women. Monitoring womens health and lifestyle, while integrating early intervention strategies for good cardiovascular health, are important, especially during midlife and during menopause to help prevent heart disease, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association, Menopause Transition and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: Implications for Timing for Early Prevention, recently published in its flagship journal,Circulation.

Over the past 20 years, our knowledge of how the menopause transition might contribute to cardiovascular disease has been dramatically evolving, said Samar R. El Khoudary, Ph.D., M.P.H., FAHA, chair of the statement writing committee and associate professor of epidemiology at the University of Pittsburghs Graduate School of Public Health and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute. We have accumulated data consistently pointing to the menopause transition as a time of change in cardiovascular health. Importantly, the latest American Heart Association guidelines that are specific to women, which were published in 2011, did not include the data that is now available on menopause as a time of increased risk for womens heart health. As such, there is a compelling need to discuss the implications of this accumulating body of literature on this topic.

For many women, the menopause transition the change from the reproductive to the nonreproductive phase of life marked by changes in menstruation begins when they are in their late 40s to mid-50s. Before this transition, women produce estrogen, the female sex hormone, which may also have cardio-protective effects. When women go through the natural menopause transition, their ovaries stop producing as much estrogen. This can also occur through surgical menopause (a partial or full hysterectomy, which includes removal of one or both ovaries). Significant changes in a womans cardiometabolic and vascular health, which lead to higher heart disease risk, occur during the menopause transition.

Since the increase in heart disease risk during menopause is associated with a decrease in the production of the hormone estrogen, health care professionals and scientists have studied if hormone therapy might help reduce cardiovascular risk. There is research indicating potential cardiovascular benefits of certain combinations of hormone therapy when initiated in early but not late menopause. Further research is needed to evaluate the role of other hormone therapies, and how long these interventions impact cardio-metabolic health.

Additionally, some studies show the benefits of hormone therapy, including a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes and protection from bone loss, seem to outweigh the risks for most women in early menopause. Current recommendations from leading professional medical societies endorse the use of hormone therapy for women who have recently begun the menopause transition, with appropriate indications.

This scientific statement aims to raise awareness for both health care professionals and women about the significant adverse cardiovascular health changes accompanying midlife and the menopause transition and point out the importance of adopting prevention strategies early during this stage, El Khoudary said. As such, it emphasizes the importance of monitoring womens health during midlife and targeting this stage as a critical window for applying early intervention strategies that aim to maintain a healthy heart and reduce the risk of heart disease. Thus, health care professionals may consider an aggressive, prevention-based approach for women during this stage in their lives to decrease the probability of a future cardiovascular disease occurrence, such as heart attack or stroke.

In addition to summarizing research focused on the use of hormone therapy, the scientific statement provides an overview of risks related to the stages of menopause, age at menopause and lifestyle factors that affect womens risk during this time.

Key takeaways in the statement include the following:

Some of the common symptoms felt with menopause have a correlation with cardiovascular disease. Hot flashes and night sweats are associated with worse cardiovascular disease risk factor levels. Depression and sleep disturbances, linked in some studies to an increased risk of heart disease, are also common among women during this time.

Physiological changes during menopause, such as increased abdominal fat and visceral fat (body fat around the organs), are associated with a heightened risk of all-cause, cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality, even among those with normal body mass index levels.

Cholesterol levels,metabolic syndromerisk and vascular vulnerability appear to increase with menopause beyond the effects of normal aging. Metabolic syndrome is diagnosed when a person has three or more of the following measurements: abdominal obesity, high triglycerides, low HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol), high blood pressure and/or high blood glucose levels (blood sugar).

Novel data show a reversal in the associations of HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol) with heart disease risk over the menopause transition, suggesting higher good cholesterol levels may not consistently reflect good heart health in all stages of life in women.

Data about the use of cholesterol-lowering medications remains limited for women going through the menopause transition and requires further study so evidence-based recommendations can be developed.

Women who experience menopause at an earlier age have a higher risk of heart disease. A womans age at menopause can be influenced by factors such as length of menstrual cycle, poor cardiovascular risk profile during reproductive years and socioeconomic factors. Race and ethnicity also play a role, with many Hispanic and Black women experiencing menopause at younger ages.

Physical activity and nutrition may play a role in the timing of menopause for all women. Women who drink little to moderate amounts of alcohol may have later onset of menopause, and those who smoke cigarettes are likely to start menopause about a year earlier than non-smokers.

There is, however, limited information on what is ideal in terms of lifestyle changes (such as the AHAsLifes Simple 7) for women during menopause. Data does indicate that only 7.2% of women in menopause meet physical activity guidelines, and fewer than 20% of those women consistently maintain a healthy diet.

Lifestyle and behavioral interventions are critical to maintaining cardiovascular health and reduce heart disease. However, we do not have adequate randomized clinical trials testing these interventions specifically during the menopause transition, said Matthew A. Allison, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA, vice chair of the statement writing committee and professor and chief of the division of preventive medicine in the department of family medicine and public health at the University of California San Diego. Similarly, we need randomized clinical trials of therapeutic interventions, like cholesterol-lowering medications and menopause hormone therapy, in women who are transitioning through menopause. This at-risk population has not been the focus of previous clinical trials, thus leaving us with questions about how the results from these studies might apply to women during this earlier phase of menopause.

The scientific statement was developed by the writing group on behalf of the American Heart Associations prevention science committee of the council on epidemiology and prevention, and the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing.

Co-authors and members of the writing committee additionally include Brooke Aggarwal, Ed.D., M.S., FAHA.; Theresa M. Beckie, Ph.D., FAHA; Howard N. Hodis, M.D., FAHA; Amber E. Johnson, M.D., M.S., M.B.A.; Robert D. Langer, M.D., M.P.H., FAHA; Marian C. Limacher, M.D., FAHA; JoAnn E. Manson, M.D., Dr.P.H., FAHA; and Marcia L. Stefanick, Ph.D., FAHA. Author disclosures are in the manuscript.

The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, healthier lives.We are dedicated to ensuring equitable health in all communities.Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public's health and share lifesaving resources.The Dallas-based organization has been a leading source of health information for nearly a century.Connect with us onheart.org,Facebook orTwitter,or by calling 1-800-AHA-USA1.

See the original post here:
Heart disease risk in women increases leading up to menopause; early intervention is key - Niagara Frontier Publications

(Hans Pennick | Associated Press file photo) Nurse Kathe Olmstead prepares a shot that is part of a possible COVID-19 vaccine, developed by the National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc., in Binghamton, N.Y., in July 2020.

| Dec. 3, 2020, 6:31 p.m.

| Updated: Dec. 4, 2020, 1:35 a.m.

Front-line health care workers at five large hospitals will be the first people in Utah to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, officials for those hospitals confirmed Thursday.

Under the states distribution plan, people at higher risk of getting sicker from COVID-19 will start receiving the vaccine from February through May. The general public is expected to get the vaccine by June or July.

Gov. Gary Herbert, speaking Thursday at his weekly COVID-19 news briefing, said he hopes more vaccines could arrive even sooner.

We hopefully will have enough vaccines that by springtime March, April, May of this year everybody who wants to have a vaccine will be able to have a vaccine, he said. Thats going to help us slow the spread and give us relief, and start to help us recover and have more normal socialization.

The first batch of vaccines will be distributed to the five Utah hospitals, so they can be given out as soon as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approves an emergency use authorization of the vaccine which is expected the week of Dec. 14.

The five hospitals were chosen, Dascomb said, because they are handling a large number of the states COVID-19 patients and because they have the supercold freezers needed to store the Pfizer vaccine at temperatures of 80 below zero Celsius.

The Pfizer product is a very fragile and unstable virus vaccine, and has to be handled very carefully, Mayer said. Weve got the minus-80 freezers. Weve got the backups to the backups.

The health department estimates there are about 126,000 health care workers in Utah, Hudachko said. The state doesnt know how many of those would receive the first batch of vaccines.

Those front-line workers include doctors and nurses who treat COVID-19 patients, specialists at high-risk of exposure (such as anesthesiologists), and for hospital housekeepers who come in contact with infected materials.

Housekeepers, Mayer said, have been the hardest hit during this pandemic.

Mayer said University Hospital expects to dole out between 500 and 750 doses a day, and Dascomb said the four Intermountain hospitals will be working on a similar schedule. They said the hospitals would work to schedule vaccinations so workers at the same hospital units werent all treated the same day and that the shots would be given so workers could take a day or two off if they develop side effects.

The trial studies for the Pfizer vaccine and a second vaccine made by Moderna, expected to get FDA approval in late December, have shown few side effects, said Dr. Andrew Pavia, chief of pediatric infectious disease at University of Utah Health. That doesnt mean side effects wont show up when thousands and millions of people get the vaccines, he said.

Well be keeping very close eyes on the long-term safety, Pavia said. Its a relatively new vaccine, and we dont have years of experience with it.

Pavia noted that the odds of serious side effects are one in thousands, while the odds of dying if one is infected with the coronavirus is 1 in 150. The benefits of preventing the disease, he said, will outweigh the risks of taking the vaccine.

Health care workers at Intermountain and University of Utah Health wont be required to take the vaccine, officials at both hospital systems said.

Workers will be presented with the data, so they can make an informed choice, said Dr. Tamara Sheffield, medical director of Intermountains community health and prevention department.

Herbert said the state government has no plans to mandate COVID-19 vaccines when they become available to the public.

We think that most of the people in Utah will want to have one, Herbert said, to protect themselves and their loved ones.

Businesses, Herbert said, likely could require their employees to get vaccinated. It would be entirely within their abilities, their constitutional rights as an employer, to say, If youre going to come to work for me, I want to make sure you have the vaccine, so we dont get people sick here on the job.

Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses, taken weeks apart. The plan is to distribute all the Pfizer doses immediately, with more shipments expected to arrive in the coming weeks to cover the second dose.

Mayer said the health department has assured the hospitals that they will receive enough vaccines to cover the second doses.

Pavia noted that the vaccine landscape is constantly changing. A third vaccine, developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, is in clinical trials. And both Pfizer and Moderna, he said, are starting trials for 12- to 17-year-olds.

The distribution is complex, and its evolving, Pavia said. By the time spring rolls around, we may have three or four vaccines.

View original post here:
Here's how Utah's first vaccinations will be distributed and when you will get yours - Salt Lake Tribune

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C., Nov. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq: BCRX) today announced the journal Allergy has published data from the APeX-J trial, a randomized, placebo-controlled trial conducted in Japan evaluating oral, once-daily berotralstat for the prophylactic treatment of hereditary angioedema (HAE).

The APeX-J trial met its primary endpoint of a reduction in the rate of HAE attacks for berotralstat 150 mg compared to placebo during the 24-week period (p=0.003). Berotralstat was safe and generally well-tolerated in the trial.

These results are consistent with the global phase 3 APeX-2 trial, where berotralstat 150 mg also reduced the rate of HAE attacks compared to placebo (p<0.001) and was safe and generally well-tolerated.

APeX-J is the first placebo-controlled trial of an HAE medicine conducted in Japan and the berotralstat data are very exciting for patients, who currently have no approved prophylactic treatment options. Based on the safety and efficacy profile, I believe berotralstat, if approved, would be an important advancement in HAE management for Japanese patients, said Dr. Isao Ohsawa, president of Saiyu Soka hospital and principal investigator of the APeX-J trial.

Dr. Ohsawa and the study authors note that HAE is estimated to affect 2,500 patients in Japan and the recognition of HAE by physicians is low. Although two on-demand treatments are approved, no therapies are currently approved for long-term prophylaxis in Japan.

Berotralstat would be the first approved prophylactic therapy for HAE patients in Japan and we believe there is a significant opportunity for berotralstat to accelerate the diagnosis of HAE patients and dramatically improve the quality of life for patients, said Jon Stonehouse, president and chief executive officer of BioCryst.

A new drug application (JNDA) is under review in Japan for approval of oral, once-daily berotralstat for the prophylactic treatment of HAE. Berotralstat is being reviewed under Sakigake designation and the company expects a decision on approval in December 2020.

Torii Pharmaceutical, Co., Ltd. is BioCrysts commercial partner in Japan for berotralstat.

About BioCryst Pharmaceuticals

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals discovers novel, oral, small-molecule medicines that treat rare diseases in which significant unmet medical needs exist and an enzyme plays a key role in the biological pathway of the disease. BioCryst has several ongoing development programs including ORLADEYO (berotralstat), an oral treatment for hereditary angioedema, BCX9930, an oral Factor D inhibitor for the treatment of complement-mediated diseases, galidesivir, a potential treatment for COVID-19, Marburg virus disease and Yellow Fever, and BCX9250, an ALK-2 inhibitor for the treatment of fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva. RAPIVAB (peramivir injection), a viral neuraminidase inhibitor for the treatment of influenza, is BioCryst's first approved product and has received regulatory approval in the U.S., Canada, Australia, Japan, Taiwan, Korea and the European Union. Post-marketing commitments for RAPIVAB are ongoing. For more information, please visit the Company's website at http://www.BioCryst.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding future results, performance or achievements. These statements are identified by use of terms such as believe, will, would, expect, and similar words, although some forward-looking statements may be expressed differently. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may causeactual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performances or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. These statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are based on assumptions and are subject to risks and uncertainties. Given these uncertainties, you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Some of the factors that could affect the forward-looking statements contained herein include: the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, which could create challenges in all aspects of BioCrysts business, including without limitation delays, stoppages, difficulties and increased expenses with respect to BioCrysts and its partners development, regulatory processes and supply chains, negatively impact BioCrysts ability to access the capital or credit markets to finance its operations, or have the effect of heightening many of the risks described below or in the documents BioCryst files periodically with the Securities and Exchange Commission; developing and commercializing ORLADEYO or any HAE product candidate may take longer or may be more expensive than planned; BioCryst may not be able to enroll the required number of subjects in planned clinical trials of product candidates; BioCryst may not advance human clinical trials with product candidates as expected; the FDA, EMA, PMDA or other applicable regulatory agency may require additional studies beyond the studies planned for product candidates, may not provide regulatory clearances which may result in delay of planned clinical trials, may impose certain restrictions, warnings, or other requirements on product candidates, may impose a clinical hold with respect to such product candidates, or may withhold or delay market approval for product candidates; product candidates, if approved, may not achieve market acceptance; BioCrysts ability to successfully commercialize its product candidates, manage its growth, and compete effectively; and risks related to the international expansion of BioCrysts business. Please refer to the documents BioCryst files periodically with the Securities and Exchange Commission, specificallyBioCrystsmost recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K, all of which identify important factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those contained inBioCrystsforward-looking statements.

BCRXW

Contacts:John Bluth+1 919 859 7910jbluth@biocryst.com

Catherine Collier Kyroulis+1 917 886 5586ckyroulis@biocryst.com

Read the original here:
Allergy Publishes Results from BioCryst's APeX-J Trial of Oral, Once-Daily Berotralstat for the Prevention of HAE Attacks - GlobeNewswire

The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology (AAAAI) has unveiled new guidelines on preventing allergies and asthma in children.1 The guidance, updated in September, reviews a number of strategies to prevent, or even delay, the development of several types of allergies.

Food Allergies

Food allergies are a big deal in children, who arent always able to be choosy when it comes to what they eat. Children can have a difficult time discerning the content of some foods, and parents cant always be with them. This makes prevention key when it comes to food allergies, which can be triggered by a number of foods like peanuts, cows milk, eggs, and more.

Infants who have a sibling or at least 1 parent with an allergic condition are particularly at risk of developing food allergies, especially if they already show symptoms of foods allergies like atopic dermatitis, allergic rhinitis, or asthma.

There are a number of methods that helpand others that dontthat were reviewed in the guidance.

Environmental Allergies

There are a number of environmental factors that can trigger allergies, too. However, unlike foods, early contact with environmental allergens can make allergies worse. Research is the most robust when it comes to dust mites, according to AAAAI, which suggests working to control dust mites early to prevent allergy problems. Some solutions to control environmental allergens recommended in the guidance include:

Pet are different, though, according to AAAAI, with recent research suggesting that early exposure to pets can actually help protect children from developing allergies.

When You Need Help

The AAAAI also offered guidance on when to get help and where. If possible, the organization recommends finding an allergist specifically, as they have received specialized training in allergy and immunology. Allergy testing by a specialist can give detailed information about an allergy, and the best methods for treatment, according to AAAAI. On the other hand, AAAAI recommends against massive allergy screening tests done in retail sites, applied kinesiology, or testing through muscle relaxation, cytotoxicity testing, skit titration, provocative and neutralization testing, or sublingual provocation.

Kari Christine Nadeau, MD, PhD, Naddisy Foundation Endowed Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics and director of the Sean N. Parker Center for Allergy and Asthma Research at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California says its important that advice be given on science and epidemiological studies. In terms of allergy prevention, research studies show that a diversification of diets with a variety of proteins from different food sources introduced all at oncerather than staged as suggested by AAAAIcan decrease the risk of allergy and asthma development.

There are a number of other tips she offers for allergy prevention, including:

Nadeau also makes it clear that vaccination avoidance is not a prevention strategy for allergens, and that allergy prevention can begin at any age.

Reference

1. American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Prevention of allergies and asthma in children. Reviewed September 28, 2020. Accessed December 2, 2020. https://www.aaaai.org/conditions-and-treatments/library/allergy-library/prevention-of-allergies-and-asthma-in-children.

Read this article:
Allergy experts weigh in on prevention strategies - Contemporary Pediatrics

News Release

Tuesday, December 1, 2020

We reflect both on the remarkable progress that has been made against HIV as well as the considerable challenges that remain.

Today on World AIDS Day, we reflect both on the remarkable progress that has been made against HIV as well as the considerable challenges that remain. We now have highly effective HIV treatment and prevention methods, and work is underway to address the remaining challenges in delivering these tools to the people who need them most, as well as to develop new interventions. The National Institutes of Health continues to advance rigorous, innovative research to prevent new HIV transmissions and improve the health of people with HIV worldwide.

This year the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is creating great concern and uncertainty for people everywhere, including those affected by HIV. Notably, lessons we learned from involving affected communities in HIV research planning and implementation are informing our response to this new pandemic. NIH also is leveraging its HIV research infrastructure and expertise to conduct critical clinical trials evaluating investigational vaccines and monoclonal antibodies for COVID-19 prevention, as well as a variety of potential COVID-19 therapeutics.

In the face of the challenges posed by COVID-19, our work to address HIV has not slowed, reflecting the U.S. Government theme for this years World AIDS DayEnding the HIV Epidemic: Resilience and Impact and the theme for NIHs observance Science and Community: Working Together to Prepare for the Unexpected. We applaud the resilience of the HIV clinical trial participants, researchers, health care professionals, advocates and other members of the global community who are continuing their work to advance HIV research.

If current HIV treatment and prevention methods could be optimally implemented, an end to the HIV epidemic is feasible. This year, NIH awarded approximately $10 million to support implementation science research to advance the goals of the Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America initiative, which aims to reduce new HIV diagnoses in the United States by at least 90% by 2030.

Achieving a durable end to the HIV pandemic also will require continued development of new and improved HIV prevention and treatment tools that are safe, effective, scalable and desirable to diverse global populations. In a landmark advance this year, two large-scale clinical trials found that a long-acting form of the antiretroviral drug cabotegravir injected once every eight weeks was safe and more effective than daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis at preventing HIV acquisition among cisgender women and cisgender men and transgender women who have sex with men. These results mark the first time a systemic, long-acting form of HIV prevention has been conclusively demonstrated to be highly effective.

Other forms of long-acting HIV prevention modalities under investigation include intravaginal rings, implants and antibodies. The adoption of a positive scientific opinion on the dapivirine vaginal ring by the European Medicines Agency this year and subsequent prequalification by the World Health Organization marked pivotal steps toward expanding HIV prevention choices for women. If approved by regulatory agencies,the monthly ring would provide women in developing countries with a discreet long-acting HIV prevention option that they control.

Development of a safe and effective HIV vaccine remains a top priority, and notably, certain platforms used todevelop COVID-19 vaccine candidatesemployed the structural biology techniques used in HIV vaccinology. Two ongoing clinical trials for HIV vaccines, Imbokodo and Mosaico, are evaluating an experimental HIV vaccine regimen designed to protect against a wide variety of global HIV strains. Results expected soon from two other clinical trials, evaluating intravenous infusions of a broadly neutralizing antibody for HIV prevention, will provide key insights for further development of antibody-based HIV prevention tools and ultimately a vaccine.

Thanks to extraordinary advances in antiretroviral therapy, many people with HIV can control the virus by taking just one pill each day. However, adhering to daily pills can be challenging. Researchers therefore are pursuing long-acting treatments that would allow a person with HIV to keep the virus suppressed without daily medication, as well as strategies to completely eradicate HIV from the body.

A few exceptional clinical scenarios have provided proof that HIV can be cured, including that of Timothy Ray Brown. Brown was widely recognized as the first person cured of HIV and for inspiring and advocating for scientists and communities worldwide to advance HIV cure research.Sadly, he died of leukemia in September 2020; however, his legacy lives on in the robust HIV cure agenda that researchers are pursuing today.

Even when HIV is well-controlled with treatment, people living with the virus are at heightened risk for co-infections and comorbidities.Tuberculosis remains the leading cause of death globally for people with HIV. Researchers recently reported thata new four-month treatment regimen is as safe and effective as the standard six-month regimen for drug-susceptible tuberculosis, a finding that has the potential to offer an additional tuberculosis treatment option that may be more convenient.

People with HIV also are more likely to experience noninfectious comorbidities such as heart disease, kidney disease and certain cancers. In order to successfully address these comorbidities, a robust research agenda is required to better understand how these conditions develop and to evaluate appropriate treatments. In this regard, the global REPRIEVE clinical trial that is focused on HIV and heart disease is teaching us about the many long-term health effects of HIV. The trial recently began gathering data to assess the impact of COVID-19 on people with HIV.

As we reflect today on our progress, we also look forward to new HIV research advances. To guide these efforts, NIH, through the Office of AIDS Research, recently released a 5-year strategic plan for HIV and HIV-related research. Yesterday, NIAID named the four HIV clinical trials networks that will conduct innovative clinical research in the United States and internationally over the next seven years to accelerate progress against the pandemic.

It is essential to work closely with communities and advocates to develop HIV prevention and treatment strategies that suit the diverse needs, preferences and desires of people with or at risk for HIV worldwide. It also is critical that we continue efforts to nurture the next generation of HIV investigators and ensure that diverse voices are represented. Together, we can identify the optimal strategies to improve the health of those with HIV, prevent new cases, and ultimately, end the pandemic.

NIAID conducts and supports research at NIH, throughout the United States, and worldwide to study the causes of infectious and immune-mediated diseases, and to develop better means of preventing, diagnosing and treating these illnesses. News releases, fact sheets and other NIAID-related materials are available on the NIAID website.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):NIH, the nation's medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit http://www.nih.gov.

NIHTurning Discovery Into Health

###

More:
NIH Statement on World AIDS Day 2020 | National Institutes of Health - National Institutes of Health

DURHAM, N.C., Nov. 30, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Drs. Myron S. Cohen and Wafaa M. El-Sadr, principal investigators of the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN), in collaboration with FHI 360, have received a seven-year award from the U.S. National Institutes of Health as part of the next funding cycle (2020-2027) for the Network. The core and protocol-specific funding will enable the HPTN to continue its HIV prevention research efforts focused on developing new biomedical prevention methods and optimizing the integration of proven biomedical, behavioral and structural interventions to achieve high-effectiveness and impact.

During this new funding cycle, the HPTN will focus on the following four priority areas:

The HPTN will also continue as a partner in the COVID-19 Prevention Network (CoVPN). The recently-formed CoVPN evaluates biological agents, including vaccines and monoclonal antibodies, to prevent COVID-19.

In the absence of an HIV vaccine, effective non-vaccine prevention tools and strategies have become critically important, saidDr.Cohen, HPTN principal investigator and director of the Institute for Global Health at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This tenet is at the core of the HPTNs mission, moving forward research to identify biomedical interventions and integrated strategies that help reduce the global incidence of HIV.

Recognizing the challenges of long-term adherence to daily oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), the HPTN has intensely pursued research to evaluate the safety and efficacy of long-acting injectable cabotegravir (CAB LA) for PrEP. Future approaches may include the use of implants, patches, and microneedles to deliver CAB LA and/or other long-acting ARVs. Combining ARV-based prevention tools that protect against HIV acquisition with efficacious contraceptive agents is compelling for persons who desire contraception and HIV prevention. Combinations of monoclonal antibodies will be evaluated for their potential to prevent HIV acquisition.

We recognize that demonstrating the efficacy of a new agent is the first step in a critical research trajectory, saidDr.El-Sadr,HPTN principal investigator,director of ICAP, and professor of epidemiology and medicine at Columbia University in New York. Achieving impact requires reaching and engaging diverse populations and achieving high uptake and adherence with prevention methods, compelling the need for integration of biomedical with behavioral and structural interventions.

FHI 360, a nonprofit human development organization, has been the leadership and operations center for the HPTN for more than 15 years and will continue to serve that role. FHI 360 is based in Durham, NC.

FHI 360 is committed to HIV prevention efforts as we all work towards reducing the rate of new HIV infections in populations deemed at greatest risk around the world, said Dr. Nirupama Sista, director of the HPTN Leadership and Operations Center at FHI 360.

About the HPTN

The HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) is a worldwide collaborative clinical trials network that brings together investigators, ethicists, community members, and other partners to develop and test the safety and efficacy of interventions designed to prevent the acquisition and transmission of HIV. The U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health, Office of The Director,the U.S. National Institute on Drug Abuse, and the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, all part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health,co-fund the HPTN. The HPTN has collaborated with more than 85 clinical research sites in 19 countries to evaluate new HIV prevention interventions and strategies in populations with a disproportionate HIV burden. The HPTN research agenda more than 50 trials ongoing or completed with over 161,000 participants enrolled and evaluated is focused primarily on discovering new HIV prevention tools and evaluating integrated strategies, including biomedical interventions combined with behavioral risk reduction interventions and structural interventions. For more information, visit hptn.org.

Media inquiries: Eric Miller, +1.919.384.6465; emiller@fhi360.org

Excerpt from:
HIV Prevention Trials Network Awarded US National Institutes of Health Funding to Continue Research Agenda - GlobeNewswire

In his two years at Uber Health, Dan Trigub worked to expand access to medical transportation, and, now, he's focused on building aunique approach to home health.

Trigub and co-founder Inna Plumb have launched MedArrive as a new care management platform that enables healthcare providers and payers to extend services into the home.The startup bridges the virtual care gap by integrating physician-led telemedicine with hands-on care from a network of trusted EMS professionals, improving patient outcomes while empowering an underutilized segment of healthcare workers, according to the company.Backed by Redesign Health, MedArrive banked a $4.5 million seed round co-led by Kleiner Perkins and Define Ventures. In connection with the investment, Annie Case, principal at Kleiner Perkins, and Lynne Chou O'Keefe, founder and managing partner at Define Ventures, will both join the MedArrive board of directors.

Based in NewYork City, Redesign Health is aventure studio and holding company incubating tech-enabled healthcare businesses.

Driving Engagement in an Evolving Healthcare Ecosystem

Deep-dive into evolving consumer expectations in healthcare today and how leading providers are shaping their infrastructure to connect with patients through virtual care.

RELATED:Mayo, Intermountain navigate 'Wild West' of starting Hospital at Home during COVID-19 pandemic

Theinjection of capital will enable MedArrive to continue building its platform, grow its team of industry experts and drive the expansion of key healthcare provider partnerships across the country. With an initial focus on the Florida market, the team expects to expand quickly and effectively over the coming months.

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed additional stress on the health system, with patients avoiding clinics, delaying preventive and critical care and facing financial strain.

"By working alongside communities of EMS professionals, providers, and payors to bring high-quality care into the home at a fraction of the cost of alternatives, MedArrives integrated solution is putting patients back at the center of care," said Trigub, CEO of MedArrive.

Now more than ever, as we continue battling a global pandemic, patients deserve healthcare that is accessible, affordable and safe, he said.

Clinical care is moving more into the home, andtelemedicine is growing with thetailwinds of the COVID-19 pandemic, but it cant solve every health problem, Trigub told Fierce Healthcare.

"Our mission statement is to improve peoples lives to bring more humanity to healthcare, the physical touch and the contact, and telemedicine strips out the human side of care. By buildingthis platform andinfrastructure, we're connecting three stakeholders, patients, health plans andhealth systems and we're leveraging the most under-utilized workforce in healthcare, EMTs and paramedics," he said.

RELATED:Head of Uber Health leaving to launch new healthcare startupMedArrive taps into a capable workforce of EMS professionals so they can leverage the full scope of their training, earn supplemental income and diversify their day-to-day responsibilities. At the same time, patients using MedArrive are able to access trusted medical expertise from the safety of their homes and within their existing health systems, ultimately resulting in better patient outcomes, a better-utilized healthcare workforce and significant cost savings for patients and providers alike, according to the company.

Trigub, who left Lyft to become the head of Uber Health, announced in September that he was leaving the ride-share giant.

"Uber, at the end of the day, is not a healthcare-first organization. It's a massive company withamazing scale and reach. But there are lots of competing priorities. I wanted to give my fullattention toa pure healthcare business, and it's atremendous opportunity outside of a large tech environment that can have a lot of red tape and internal politics," he said.

While telehealth has helped to increase access to care, many care needs require in-person visits and diagnostics and often benefit from deeper insight into a patients experience at home,said Pat Songer, chief operating officer of Cascade Medical Hospital, executive director of the National EMS Management Association and adviser to MedArrive.

RELATED:Mayo Clinic teams with Medically Home to expand in-home hospital care

What MedArrive is doing is enabling this [EMS]workforce to utilize the full scope of their training and provide care in the home that cannot be done as effectively in a clinic setting, such as medication reconciliation, discharge instruction adherence, fall risk assessment, and collection of key SDoH and environmental data. This translates to better care experiences for patients and lower costs," Songer said.MedArrive partners can tap into anetwork of more than 20,000trusted emergency medical technicians and paramedics,with equal representation in rural and urban markets. This will be particularly critical for the company'spartners looking to distribute flu vaccines and, when available, a COVID-19 vaccine without overwhelming health systems, according to MedArrive executives.

Additional services include chronic condition management, transitional care, readmission prevention, urgent care and palliative care.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the shift to providing clinical care in patients' homes, according to Plumb, who has experience in private equity, finance and analytics.

"Care is moving into the home, but how can we do it cost-effectively? Byleveraging EMS and existing players in the market to deliver care in a cost-effective way, we can be active in both rural or urban environments," she said.

By leveraging virtual care and in-person care, MedArrive enables providers and payers to see what's going on in a patient's home to address social determinants of health and quality of life issues, Trigub said.

That taps into Trigub's experience atUber Health, where he led the company to form partnerships with Medicare Advantage plans to open up ride-sharing options. Uber Healthalso has put a focus on Medicaidas a key marketto focus on at-risk populations.

"What we can truly do here at MedArrive is have an outsized impact to helpdemocratize healthcare," he said.

Read more:
Dan Trigub left Uber Health to start a new healthcare venture. Here is what he's working on - FierceHealthcare

New York, Dec. 02, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report "Medical Equipment Maintenance Market Research Report by Device Type, by Service Type, by Service Provider, by End-user - Global Forecast to 2025 - Cumulative Impact of COVID-19" - https://www.reportlinker.com/p05993403/?utm_source=GNW

The Global Medical Equipment Maintenance Market is expected to grow from USD 25,687.34 Million in 2019 to USD 47,861.28 Million by the end of 2025 at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 10.92%.

Market Segmentation & Coverage:This research report categorizes the Medical Equipment Maintenance to forecast the revenues and analyze the trends in each of the following sub-markets:

Based on Device Type, the Medical Equipment Maintenance Market studied across Dental Equipment, Electro-Medical Equipment, Endoscopic Device, Imaging Equipment, Life Support Devices, and Surgical Instrument.

Based on Service Type, the Medical Equipment Maintenance Market studied across Corrective Maintenance, Operational Maintenance, and Preventive Maintenance.

Based on Service Provider, the Medical Equipment Maintenance Market studied across In-house Maintenance, Independent Service Organizations (ISOs), Multi-vendor OEMs, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), and Single-vendor OEMs.

Based on End-user, the Medical Equipment Maintenance Market studied across Private-sector Organizations and Public-sector Organizations.

Based on Geography, the Medical Equipment Maintenance Market studied across Americas, Asia-Pacific, and Europe, Middle East & Africa. The Americas region surveyed across Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and United States. The Asia-Pacific region surveyed across Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, and Thailand. The Europe, Middle East & Africa region surveyed across France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, United Arab Emirates, and United Kingdom.

Company Usability Profiles:The report deeply explores the recent significant developments by the leading vendors and innovation profiles in the Global Medical Equipment Maintenance Market including Abbott Laboratories, Agfa-Gevaert Group by Dedalus Holding S.p.A., Alpha Source Inc., Alpha Source, Inc., B. Braun Melsungen AG, Boston Scientific Corporation, Canon Inc., Drgerwerk AG & Co. KGaA, Edwards Lifesciences Corp, FUJIFILM Holdings Corporation, General Electric Company, Johnson & Johnson, Karl Storz GmbH & CO. KG, Koninklijke Philips N.V., Medtronic PLC, Olympus Corporation, Samsung Medison Co., Ltd., Siemens Healthineers, Stryker Corporation, and Terumo Corporation.

FPNV Positioning Matrix:The FPNV Positioning Matrix evaluates and categorizes the vendors in the Medical Equipment Maintenance Market on the basis of Business Strategy (Business Growth, Industry Coverage, Financial Viability, and Channel Support) and Product Satisfaction (Value for Money, Ease of Use, Product Features, and Customer Support) that aids businesses in better decision making and understanding the competitive landscape.

Competitive Strategic Window:The Competitive Strategic Window analyses the competitive landscape in terms of markets, applications, and geographies. The Competitive Strategic Window helps the vendor define an alignment or fit between their capabilities and opportunities for future growth prospects. During a forecast period, it defines the optimal or favorable fit for the vendors to adopt successive merger and acquisition strategies, geography expansion, research & development, and new product introduction strategies to execute further business expansion and growth.

Cumulative Impact of COVID-19:COVID-19 is an incomparable global public health emergency that has affected almost every industry, so for and, the long-term effects projected to impact the industry growth during the forecast period. Our ongoing research amplifies our research framework to ensure the inclusion of underlaying COVID-19 issues and potential paths forward. The report is delivering insights on COVID-19 considering the changes in consumer behavior and demand, purchasing patterns, re-routing of the supply chain, dynamics of current market forces, and the significant interventions of governments. The updated study provides insights, analysis, estimations, and forecast, considering the COVID-19 impact on the market.

The report provides insights on the following pointers:1. Market Penetration: Provides comprehensive information on the market offered by the key players2. Market Development: Provides in-depth information about lucrative emerging markets and analyzes the markets3. Market Diversification: Provides detailed information about new product launches, untapped geographies, recent developments, and investments4. Competitive Assessment & Intelligence: Provides an exhaustive assessment of market shares, strategies, products, and manufacturing capabilities of the leading players5. Product Development & Innovation: Provides intelligent insights on future technologies, R&D activities, and new product developments

The report answers questions such as:1. What is the market size and forecast of the Global Medical Equipment Maintenance Market?2. What are the inhibiting factors and impact of COVID-19 shaping the Global Medical Equipment Maintenance Market during the forecast period?3. Which are the products/segments/applications/areas to invest in over the forecast period in the Global Medical Equipment Maintenance Market?4. What is the competitive strategic window for opportunities in the Global Medical Equipment Maintenance Market?5. What are the technology trends and regulatory frameworks in the Global Medical Equipment Maintenance Market?6. What are the modes and strategic moves considered suitable for entering the Global Medical Equipment Maintenance Market?Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p05993403/?utm_source=GNW

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

__________________________

See the original post:
Medical Equipment Maintenance Market Research Report by Device Type, by Service Type, by Service Provider, by End-user - Global Forecast to 2025 -...

Development of the COVID-19 vaccine is ongoing. Currently, two major vaccines pending approval by the FDA have been tested in more than 73,000 people in stage 3 clinical trials. While there are minor reported side effects, a vaccine wouldnt be approved by public health experts unless they felt confident its as safe as possible. While there are still some unknowns, the COVID-19 vaccine will in no way give you COVID-19.

Once a distant dream, the coronavirus vaccine is now a soon-to-be reality. In fact, the first doses could be distributed within two weeks, the nations governors were told during a conference call with the White House Coronavirus Task Force on Nov. 30.

Pharmaceutical giants Pfizer and Moderna have both submitted applications for an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for their respective vaccine candidates, both of which are reported to be more than 90% effective at preventing COVID-19 in participants in stage three clinical trials. Pfizer has included 43,538 people in its study, while Moderna has reported more than 30,000 participants.

The Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices also held an emergency meeting on Dec. 1, and officially confirmed that healthcare workers and elderly residents of long-term care facilities will be the first to receive the vaccine once one is authorized.

While things are moving quickly, experts predict that most people wont have access to the vaccine, both of which will require two doses, until the late spring. Still, its only natural to have questions about how the vaccine works, what kind of potential side effects it could cause, and why its so important to get one. Heres everything we know so far.

Pending EUAs from the FDA, there will hopefully be two different vaccines available for COVID-19 by the end of the year. They both contain similar ingredients, just packaged differently, says infectious disease expert Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security.

Both vaccines use messenger RNA (mRNA), a new type of vaccine that encodes a part of the spike protein gene in SARs-CoV-2, a.k.a. novel coronavirus. This is the part of the virus responsible for its unique crown-like structure. The vaccine does not inject inactive virus into your body, but rather uses pieces of genetic material from SARs-CoV-2.

Heres how it works: mRNA gives your cells instructions to develop a protein that is similar to the novel coronavirus spike protein, according to the CDC. When your immune system recognizes that new protein as a foreign invader, it mounts an immune response to fight off what it interprets as an infection, and you develop antibodies specific to SARs-CoV-2. Your body eliminates the protein and the mRNA, but those antibodies stick around to help protect your from future COVID-19 infection. (Its important to note that mRNA does not alter your DNA, per the CDC.)

The two vaccines developed are the first of their kind. There have never been mRNA vaccines before, Dr. Adalja says.

Of course, there are other components as well. A vaccine has got to have materials in it to make sure that it is stable and can really function, says William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. No vaccine is just purely the antigen. (An antigen is any substance that causes your immune system to produce antibodies to it.)

The actual ingredients in both vaccines havent been released yet, but likely will be once they are approved, Dr. Adalja says. However, many vaccines contain ingredients like preservatives (to prevent contamination), adjuvants like aluminum salts (to help boost the bodys response to the vaccine), and stabilizers like sugar or gelatin (to keep the vaccine effective after its manufactured), per the CDC.

The COVID-19 vaccine works completely differently than the yearly flu vaccine. The flu shot gives you an inactivated virus, Dr. Adalja explains. From there, the vaccine causes antibodies to develop in your body about two weeks after you get the shot, per the CDC. Those antibodies then help protect you against infection with the strains of the flu that are used to make the vaccine for that season.

The coronavirus vaccine, on the other hand, gives you a snippet of a gene, not an inactive virus, Dr. Adalja says.

You also need to get two shots of the current coronavirus vaccinestypically three to four weeks apartwhile the flu vaccine is just one shot a year, Dr. Schaffner says. Its unclear at this point if people will need the COVID-19 vaccine each year, he says. There are single-dose vaccines in the works as well, including one from Johnson & Johnson, which recently reached phase 3 of it clinical trial.

Details on the vaccines and their safety data havent been presented to the general public yet, but they will be once they receive EUAs from the FDAand before you would be given your first dose, Dr. Schaffner says. Since healthcare workers will be offered the vaccine first, your primary care physician can offer information to you based on personal experience, as well as data.

So far, what weve seen in the animal data and data from phases 1, 2, and 3 [human] trials shows a favorable safety profile, Dr. Adalja says.

Each vaccine is slightly different but, in general, experts say you may experience the following side effects with either COVID-19 vaccine:

This is similar to what youd expect with the flu vaccine, says Thomas Russo, M.D., professor and chief of infectious disease at the University at Buffalo in New York. [The side effects] usually only last a day or so. Theyre not serious or concerning. For example, the flu shot can also cause arm soreness, swelling at the injection site, a low-grade fever, and other side effects as the body starts to mount an immune response.

However, because the COVID-19 vaccines are so new, long-term side effects are not yet fully understood. Dr. Russo notes that vaccine makers, as well as the FDA, will continue to gather detailed data after a vaccine is released to the general public.

Moderna shared in mid-November that the following side effects were the most common among patients in its trial:

Pfizer shared that the following side effects happened in some patients:

Just like the flu shot cant give you the flu, the COVID-19 vaccine will not give you COVID-19. These side effects basically show that the immune system is being primed, says Richard Watkins, M.D., an infectious disease and professor of internal medicine at the Northeast Ohio Medical University. Remember, your body is learning to mount a response to SARs-CoV-2, which can lead to symptoms like a fever.

Its also important to note that the second shot may cause more side effects than the first shot. We want to let everyone know that so theyre not disappointed or worried that they have COVID-19, Dr. Schaffner says.

Getting the vaccine has several benefits, Dr. Adalja says. The big one? We can safely establish herd immunity, so the population at large can be protected from the virus if a threshold of vaccination is reached. Its a tall order, as experts estimate that roughly 70% of people in the U.S. (200 million) need to be vaccinated to reach this level of protection for COVID-19 specifically. This is especially important for vulnerable, high-risk groups, like the elderly and immunocompromised.

Experts also say getting vaccinated will help protect you personally from contracting COVID-19 or from having severe complications of the virus if you do happen to contract it.

When the vaccine is available to you, its crucial that you get it. At this point, one in 200 people who get COVID die, Dr. Watkins says. The benefit greatly outweighs the risks.

Go here to join Prevention Premium (our best value, all-access plan), subscribe to the magazine, or get digital-only access.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

Read more:
Will the COVID-19 Vaccine Have Side Effects? Heres What Doctors Know so Far - Prevention.com

EDINBURGH, Scotland & KIBBUTZ SHEFAYIM, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Scottish digital transformation consultancy Storm ID and Israeli AI start-up Zebra Medical Vision have won a UK-Israel research and development competition with a proposal for a revolutionary, machine learning-driven model for early detection and prevention of osteoporosis to improve patient care and reduce healthcare costs. The collaboration will involve close engagement with clinical teams in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Assuta Medical Centers.

Osteoporosis is a major public health concern that continues to grow in worldwide importance. Fragility fractures, defined as insufficiency fractures not related to high-impact trauma, are the major complication of this underdiagnosed and undertreated condition. Major osteoporotic fractures result in substantial morbidity and mortality, particularly for hip fractures, which is a major concern for an aging population.

Working in partnership, Storm ID and Zebra Medical Vision are developing a preventative care solution to identify people at risk of osteoporosis. Using ML/AI methodologies, the solution will analyze medical imaging data and patient records to help clinical teams identify and treat people with risk of fractures before they happen.

An international, multidisciplinary team of clinicians, data scientists and computer scientists will work together over 2 years, running clinical trials, implementing the solution in both NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and Assuta Medical Centers. The project is co-funded in part by the UK and Israel under the EUREKA framework to foster industrial research collaboration between the UK and Israel.

Paul McGinness, Director at Storm ID said: Were aiming to combine the powerful data exchange capabilities of our own Lenus Health Platform with the machine learning models developed by Zebra Medical Vision to transform osteoporosis screening. By predicting ahead of time the potential risk of bone fracture , we can intervene earlier to treat and manage the risk, which is better for the patient and for the health system.

Ohad Arazi, CEO at Zebra Medical Vision said: Were honored to enhance our collaboration with the NHS and Assuta Medical hospital through this incredible initiative, allowing Zebra Meds solutions to even more widely spread in the UK and Israeli healthcare facilities to bring earlier identification and treatment of patients at risk of a break, which in turn will help healthcare payers and providers.

David Lowe, Emergency Consultant, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and Clinical Lead, West of Scotland Innovation Hub, said: We are pleased to partner on the development of this innovative new solution for osteoporosis patients through the expertise of the West of Scotland Innovation Hub. This is another example of a successful collaboration between industry and the NHS to move forward innovative healthcare. Our clinical teams at NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde will support the aim of this project to ultimately identify and treat patients with increased risk of bone breakage before it happens.

Dr. Michal Guindy, Head of Imaging and Innovation at Assuta said: "Being able to re-analyze information from patient records and imaging is an important advantage of modern artificial intelligence. As a center of excellence, performing over 200,000 CTs annually, Assuta is excited to play a significant role in early detection of osteoporosis. By analyzing studies that were done for other clinical indications, we can leverage pre-existing data to help prevent fractures and contribute to solving a public health challenge of growing concern."

Read more on Zebra Medical Visions blog.

About Storm ID and Lenus Health

Storm ID is a digital transformation delivery partner for the healthcare sector.

It developed the Lenus Health Platform to support delivery of new digital health solutions that are continuous, preventative and participatory, and which help transform care pathways.

Lenus enables patient generated health data from digital technologies and consumer health tech such as apps, sensors and wearables to be shared with healthcare professionals and machine learning models to provide decision support, enabling targeted interventions to happen in the community. It supports solutions that reduce unnecessary and expensive hospital admissions including face-to-face appointments, improve patient engagement with their own health and wellbeing and reduce duplication and unnecessary processes through user managed access to patient data.

About Zebra Medical Vision

Zebra Medical Vision provides radiologists with the tools needed to make the next leap in patient care. The demand for medical imaging solutions is continuously increasing, outpacing the supply of qualified radiologists and stretching them to produce more output, without compromising patient care. Only by adopting new technology that significantly enhances the capabilities of radiologists, can this crisis be mitigated. Zebra-Med is empowering radiologists with its revolutionary AI1 offering which helps health providers manage the ever increasing workload without compromising quality.

About NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is one of 14 regional NHS Boards in Scotland, serving a population of 1.14 million and employing around 39,000 staff. It is the largest NHS organisation in Scotland and one of the largest in the UK.

About Assuta Medical Centers

Assuta Medical Centers is Israels largest and leading private medical solution network comprising seven hospitals and clinics across Israel and providing innovative surgeries and diagnostic procedures in all fields of medicine. Assutas Imaging Institute is the most advanced of its type in Israel and has a team of leading radiologists and nuclear medicine specialists. The Institute offers patients the latest innovations in imaging technology, including advanced CT and PET-CT, MRI, PET-MR, and two-head nuclear imaging camera test results are integrated with other clinical data to enhance the accuracy of the findings. The Institute treats more than 600,000 patients annually.

About EUREKA

EUREKA is an intergovernmental network launched in 1985. Its aim is to support market-oriented R&D and innovation projects by industry, research centres and universities across all technological sectors. EUREKA has 41 full members, including the European Union (represented by the European Commission), 1 partner country (South Korea) and 4 associated members (Argentina, Canada, Chile, South Africa). All 27 EU Member States are also members of EUREKA.

The UK-Israel call for proposals was a joint initiative of Innovate UK and the Israel Innovation Authority based upon the 2017 memorandum of understanding on industrial collaboration between the 2 countries.

Continue reading here:
Storm ID and Zebra Medical Vision to Co-Develop Revolutionary New AI Based Osteoporosis Prevention Solution as Part Of UK-Israel Collaboration -...

Medical experts say preparation and additional materials are making it much easier for front line workers to manage the surge in daily hospitalizations.

NIAGARA COUNTY, N.Y. As the Western New York community continues to follow this trend of rapidly increasing COVID-19 cases and daily hospitalizations, concerns and worry over hospital capacity and lack of resources also continue to rise.

Despite the increasing rise in hospitalizations, local medical experts say the method of care during this surge is significantly different than last spring thanks to the abundance of knowledge, new drug treatments, necessary materials and, perhaps most importantly, a solidified and legitimate plan.

At the start of the pandemic everyone, from lawmakers and healthcare workers, to everyday citizens, was taken by surprise. There was no blueprint on how to a navigate and treat something like this virus, despite other historic pandemics, the novel coronavirus is unique in nature.

Joe Ruffolo is the CEO of Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center and has been with his team on the front lines since early spring. Ruffolo says, things inside the medical center may look busier as of late, but things feel different.

We have more tools in the tool kit this time around, Ruffolo says.

Another differentiating factor this time around new trends.

We're seeing a lot of younger people being tested positive, where in March and April, there was a significant portion of elderly people that were impacted with the COVID virus, Ruffalo points out.

Ruffolo tells 2 On Your Side, while more patients are coming in, less of them need ventilators. Which frees up a significant amount of space for those high-risk patients in need of intensive care.

Right now, he says, the medical center is seeing (on average) four to eight COVID patients a day. More of them appear relatively healthy, between the ages of 25 and 50, and are responding well to drug therapies that enable them to transfer out of the hospital quicker than before.

Weve developed an outpatient setting where we can bring them in, in a safe environment, provide drug therapy, that would enable them to recover sooner, Ruffolo says.

Another benefit, Ruffolo says, is the abundance of materials. Unlike the first wave, Ruffolos team has more PPE, face masks, gowns, protective face wear and back up beds so theres no worry that hospital doors will be forced to close.

We have over fifty additional beds that we could put in place in various areas for designated COVID clusters or pods, he says.

Though Niagara Countys numbers are significantly lower in comparison to other parts of Western New York, Ruffolo says his entire team, top to bottom, is doing everything possible to stay ahead of the surge.

The best medicine, is always preventative medicine, he says.

Like many of his peers, Ruffolo encourages the public to continue following CDC guidelines and public safety measures. Because, while at the moment hospital systems are managing, its possible for the past to become the present, especially when dealing with fluid medical emergencies like this one.

View post:
Hospitals work hard to stay ahead of spike in COVID-19 cases across Western New York - WGRZ.com

HONG KONG, Nov. 26, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Regent Pacific Group Limited ("Regent Pacific" or the "Company" and together with its subsidiaries, the "Group"; SEHK:0575.HK)'s Deep Longevity, Inc, a company subject to a conditional acquisition by the Group which is a pioneer in deep biomarkers of aging and longevity today announced a collaboration with My Care Express Merrillville to deploy an extensive range of AI-powered aging clocks. Deep Longevity is to develop and provide the customized predictors of human biological age to the network of My Care Express clinicians and to provide a training program in longevity medicine.

Deep Longevityaging clocks are supported by a number of academic publications summarized in a recent review titled "BioHorology and biomarkers of aging: Current state-of-the-art, challenges and opportunities"

My Care Express Merrillville has been a provider of preventative and total health care to its patients since it opened. My Care Express has a unique approach to wellness and longevity by helping patients establish wellness goals to live happier, healthier and longer lives. Deep Longevity and My Care Express will partner to see the impact that the utilization of aging clocks has on their patients. "We have always believed that the more information our patients have regarding their health, the better choices they will make. We believe that implementing aging clocks will give our patients a better understanding of their current health and help them achieve their wellness goals", said Dr. Faiz Shareef.

In the scope of the partnership My Care Express physicians will be trained in deep aging clocks and will be able to provide their customers with AgeMetric reports and engage in advanced research to assess the performance of aging clocks in the context of their wellness journey.

"The traditional approach to preventative medicine is focused on preventing disease by diagnosing the symptoms early or reducing the risks of disease. The AI-guided longevity medicine goes much further than that and is focusing on tracking the person's rates of aging at many levels, identification of longevity bottlenecks, and utilizing the latest advances in science and technology to slow down or reverse biological and psychological aging. We are very happy to have My Care Express join the rapidly growing network of our research and clinical partners focused on providing customers with extra years of productive and happy life", said Alex Zhavoronkov, Chief Longevity Officer of Deep Longevity Inc.

About Deep Longevity

Deep Longevity is subject to a conditional acquisition by Regent Pacific Group Limited (SEHK:0575.HK), a public company whose securities are listed on The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited. Deep Longevity is developing explainable artificial intelligence systems to track the rate of aging at the molecular, cellular, tissue, organ, system, physiological, and psychological levels. It is also developing systems for the emerging field of longevity medicine enabling physicians to make better decisions on the interventions that may slow down, or reverse the aging processes. Deep Longevity developed Longevity as a Service (LaaS) solution to integrate multiple deep biomarkers of aging dubbed "deep aging clocks" to provide a universal multifactorial measure of human biological age. Originally incubated by Insilico Medicine, Deep Longevity started its independent journey in 2020 after securing a round of funding from the most credible venture capitalists specializing in biotechnology, longevity, and artificial intelligence. ETP Ventures, Human Longevity and Performance Impact Venture Fund, BOLD Capital Partners, Longevity Vision Fund, LongeVC, co-founder of Oculus, Michael Antonov, and other experts AI and biotechnology investors supported the company. Deep Longevity established a research partnership with one of the most prominent longevity organizations, Human Longevity, Inc. to provide a range of aging clocks to the network of advanced physicians and researchers.

http://longevity.ai/

About Regent Pacific (SEHK: 0575.HK)

Regent Pacific is a diversified investment group based in Hong Kong currently holding various corporate and strategic investments focusing on the healthcare, wellness, and life sciences sectors. The Group has a strong track record of investments and has returned approximately US$298 million to shareholders in the 21 years of financial reporting since its initial public offering.

http://www.regentpac.com/

About My Care Express Merrillville

My Care Express Merrillville is a clinic in Northwest Indiana that provides primary and urgent care with a focus on preventative medicine. My Care Express believes in a proactive approach to healthcare by providing its patients with tools that will help them live longer healthier lives. Located on the border of Indiana and Illinois, My Care Express has a dynamic and diverse practice. For more information visit mycareexpressclinic.com

Here is the original post:
Deep Longevity Adds Partnership with My Care Express in Merrillville To Add Biomarkers of Aging and Longevity - WFMZ Allentown

Dr. David Katz, Preventive Medicine Specialist & True Health Initiative President, joined Yahoo Finance Live to discuss the surging number of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and how the Thanksgiving holiday may impact case numbers.

- We're also breaking records, but not in a good way, when it comes to COVID-19 and the pandemic. Let's invite into the stream, Dr. David Katz, preventative medicine specialist and True Health Initiative president. Good to have you here. We keep hearing the warnings from the Centers for Disease Control-- stay at home, don't travel for Thanksgiving. We see one million people going through TSA checkpoints at airports every day. It seems as if we're building up two weeks from now for something that could really, I'm going to use the word horrific-- something that could be horrific, especially for people who work in the medical profession.

DAVID KATZ: Well, good to be with you, Adam. Happy holiday in spite of it all. And I hope not. You know, in some sense, it's pretty horrific already. We have cases rising all around the country. And in those parts of the country that were not very hard hit already-- and I happen to be in one-- you are, as well, New York City, Connecticut, the Northeast-- we were pretty hard hit over the summer and in the spring. And we're not seeing quite a steeper rise in hospitalization here as many other parts of the country. But much of the country is. So it's pretty bad, already.

I think the question about the holiday is, how careful are people being? Are they getting tested? There's much more testing available than there was before. I think many people are testing before they get together with family. That's not as good as staying home, but it's certainly better than not taking any precautions. I've spoken to my extended social network to find out what are the different plants. I imagine you've done the same, right? Not everybody's doing the same thing.

Some people are staying home. Some are gathering, but in much smaller groups. Many modifications, right? Variations on the theme. So I think if people are suitably careful, then it may be there is no post-holiday surge in the surge that we already have. We're kind of already there. We're not going to know, though, until those couple of weeks roll by. And, you know, there's been so much unpredictability in the pandemic. It's a new pathogen. We're learning by going where we have to go.

Story continues

The best advice, of course, is to be very careful. The most carefully you can be is to stay put. The next most careful would be don't expose yourself to anybody who might transmit the virus to you. Don't expose yourself to anybody who might get the virus from you.

- Dr. Katz, how would you compare what we're seeing now to what we saw last spring? Are the numbers that we're seeing now and the extent of it more alarming?

DAVID KATZ: It's a very similar phenomenon, Seana. It's just more widespread around the country. It was highly concentrated in the Northeast, initially-- in Detroit, in and around Seattle. There are few parts of the country where the virus got a foothold, and it spread. And importantly, it spread across risk tiers. So what we're seeing now is a fairly massive level of transmission, much of it among people who are asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic.

This slight departure, perhaps, from some of my colleagues in public health-- that doesn't bother me all that much. What bothers me is when that group so young healthy people get together with people in higher risk tiers. People with diabetes, people with obesity, heart disease, people over 70, people over 80. Because when they get this virus. They're prone to get very sick. And when we see cases go up without hospitalization going up, that may be circulation among young healthy people-- that's not so dire.

When we see hospitalization go up, ICU populations go up, and death counts go up-- and we're seeing that in much of the country now-- that means we're transmitting the virus to a more vulnerable group. And that's very concerning. So it's not more concentrated than it was in New York, but it's now more widespread around the country. And frankly, similar phenomena in other parts of the world, too. Yeah, Adam, sorry.

- Dr. Katz, we have to wrap up, but really, this is a serious question, because you talked about prevention. Do you have advice here, Doctor? You wear masks all the time, we're all now wearing masks. Those of us who wear glasses, the dreaded fogging up of the glasses-- is there a trick for the mask? Because I know nobody who's been able to solve this.

DAVID KATZ: I wish I had one. It is so annoying, isn't it? Yeah, so listen, I think the best I can say is that you know given the consequences of transmitting this virus to people who are frail or elderly, the minor inconvenience of foggy glasses is something we just need to put up with. But no, actually, we'll have to talk later If either of us finds a solution, we'll share it with the other one. But I'd love to know one, too.

- I actually Scotch taped the top of the-- that worked until you start sweating if you're running or walking. And then--

DAVID KATZ: You know, I'm a skier. You know, we have goggles and anti fog wise. So maybe we should just wear-- we just go all in and wear goggles with our masks. Maybe that would work. I don't know, I haven't tried it.

- Well, you've helped clear the fog here for all of us today. Thank you very much. Dr. David Katz, preventative medicine specialist and True Health Initiative president. Thank you for joining us on Yahoo Finance Live.

Link:
Getting a COVID-19 test ahead of Thanksgiving travel is 'not as good as staying home: Doctor - Yahoo News

Teens who participate in in-person after-school activities such as sports, arts, and community programs show higher levels of life satisfaction and optimism, according to a study published in Preventative Medicine. The teens surveyed also reported lower screen time a habit associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression.

Teens tend to engage in both extracurricular activities and screen time. Therefore, the authors wanted to examine time use of both in relation to mental health indicators.

The study included self-reported data from more than 28,000 7th grade students in British Columbia, Canada, who completed a survey in 2014/2015 and 2017/2018.

Of the teens surveyed, 14.47% did not participate in extracurricular activities. For screen time, 48% reported less than 2 hours a day and 47.52% reported 2 hours or more per day.

Extracurricular participation was negatively related to screen time (2 = 573.37, df = 1, P < .001); nonparticipants were more likely to report higher levels of screen time than participants. Among nonparticipants, 66.63% reported longer screen time. Among the teens who participated in extracurricular activities, the number who participated in longer screen time dropped to 46.28%.

Extracurricular participation (est. = 0.23, 99% CI [0.17, 0.28]) and shorter screen time (est. = 0.29, 99% CI [0.20, 0.37]) were associated with higher levels of satisfaction with life. Extracurricular participation (est. = 0.25, 99% CI [0.20, 0.30]) and shorter screen time (est. = 0.31, 99% CI [0.23, 0.40]) were positively associated with optimism.

The teens who did not participate in extracurricular activities and who reported longer screen time also reported higher negative mental health scores.

This study had some limitations. Data were cross-sectional and causality cannot be implied. Mental health measures were not diagnostic or clinical screening measures. And, screen time did not distinguish between forms of screen use, such as smartphone and computer, or type, such as social media.

The researchers also found differences between boys and girls. Longer hours of screen time were consistently more detrimental for the mental health of girls than for boys in this study. In other words, the protective nature of shorter screen time was more important for girls than for boys mental health, the authors concluded.

This finding is consistent with previous research suggesting that long hours of internet use was more common among girls (but not boys) with major depressive symptomatology compared to girls with no or minor depressive symptomatology.

Reference

Oberle E, Ji XR, Kerai S, Guhn M, Schonert-Reichl KA, Gadermann AM. Screen time and extracurricular activities as risk and protective factors for mental health in adolescence: A population-level study. Prev Med. 2020 Oct 16;141:106291. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2020.106291

View post:
Real-Life Activities Lead to Happier Teens - Psychiatry Advisor

Shawna De La Rosa | Nov 23, 2020

Several health care bills are slated for consideration when Virginia legislative sessions resume Jan. 13. Some of the highlights are listed below.

Get the latest state-specific policy intelligence for the health care sector delivered to your inbox.

HB188: Health care service estimates

Health care services and payment estimates will be considered in HB188. The bill would require hospitals and practitioners licensed by the Board of Medicine to allow a patient to receive an estimate for a nonemergency procedure or test no later than week after scheduling the procedure. Currently, only hospitals are required to provide those estimates.

HB526 Reproductive health coverage

The HB526 would require health benefit plans to cover the costs of specified health care services, drugs, devices, products and procedures related to reproductive health, including well women preventative visits, counseling for sexually transmitted infections, screenings for certain conditions, folic acid supplements, breastfeeding support, breast cancer chemoprevention counseling, contraception, voluntary sterilization and all other treatments that must be covered under federal law as of Jan. 1, 2019.

HB530 Health plans

The Department of Medical Assistance Services, in collaboration with the State Corporation Commission, will be required to contract with health carriers to offer qualified health plans on the health benefit exchange beginning Jan. 1, 2022, if HB 530 passes.

HB579 Mammogram coverage

House Bill 579 would require health insurers to provide coverage for low-dose screening mammograms after Jan. 1, 2021, if the individual has a family history of breast cancer. If an individual has a family history of breast cancer, insurers would have to cover annual mammograms from age 30 to 49 and biannual mammograms starting at age 50.

HB1036 Preventative mental health screenings

Preventative mental health screenings will be covered for outpatient mental health patients if HB 1036 passes. It would require a health carrier to provide coverage as a preventative service for at least six annual therapy or counseling outpatient screenings or visits with a licensed mental health professional for the early detection or prevention of mental illness. Health carriers would be prohibited from imposing cost-sharing requirements for mandated preventative services.

HB1331 Provider contract provisions

House Bill 1331 would prohibit a health carrier that offers a managed care plan from entering into, extending or renewing a provider contract with a facility unless the provider contract contains certain provisions. Each health provider that provides emergency services at the facility of an in-network provider has agreed to have the reimbursement from the health carrier included as part of the health carriers payment to the facility. It also requires that the health carrier cant be billed separately for emergency or ancillary services provided at the facility. This applies to any laboratory or diagnostic service provided at the facility which is in-network or for the referral to an in-network provider.

See the article here:
Health care bills already slated for 2021 session - State of Reform - State of Reform

Even if you're downsizing your dinner, here are some easy swaps to make the traditional holiday recipes healthier

OHIO, USA All year long I have been counting down to Thanksgiving. The turkey, the dressing and we cant forget about the desserts! Oh, and we cant forget about the real reason for the holiday - getting together with friends and family.

And though some of us are downsizing our dinner tables, or moving to a virtual celebration, most of us are still preparing those traditional recipes.

But this year, I have a new perspective thanks to this "The New You" journey, and Im learning that behind all of that love of family and food can be something thats a danger to your health. So, I went back to my new friend Jim Perko, Executive Chef of Cleveland Clinic's Wellness & Preventative Medicine.

"Studies show everybody will consume between 3-5,000 calories between the food and drinks at holiday thanksgiving meal. Yeah, thats a lot," Jim told me.

But, Jim says it is possible to survive this holiday without gaining weight.

"Some of the pitfalls are, you dont want to starve before the meal because youre just going to overeat. You want to make sure you eat slowly, chew your food well. Give your brain time to catch up with your stomach."

Studies have shown that our overeating can stretch our stomachs leading to weight gain.

And when it comes to the meal, it starts with the turkey. Jim says, stick with the white meat, because there is much more saturated fat in the skin, leg and thigh.

But how you cook the turkey can make a big difference too.

"If you put the dressing between the skin and the breast of the meat, the flesh what happens is the dressing isnt going to overcook. It Is going to protect the jewel that solid muscle of white meat. By the time the white meat is done, it helps it keep it moist," Jim said.

He also suggests that instead of using a gravy or sugar - try adding fruit instead.

"Pears and apples. Try moistening that dressing with the fruit and its adding flavors I dont have to pour a lot of gravy and roux on top of it," Jim explained.

Last week, I tried Jims Mac and Cheese-less recipe, another great option to add to the meal - trust me, it's actually good!

"It is totally plant based. The thickening agent is sweet potatoes and cashews and 100% whole grain pasta. There was no cheese added. No saturated fat," Jim reminded me.

Another staple in my family is ham, but Jim says, it's not the best choice.

"When you have ham its cured with nitrates and salts so its better to just avoid anything cured salty," he explained.

And, if you still have room for dessert at the end of the meal, Jim said, try to just have a taste.

"Maple syrup makes you want more maple syrup. Sweet wants more. So trying to go to make less it will be just enough to let you satisfy your sweet tooth."

Jim was kind enough to share some of his favorite holiday recipes from "The What to Eat When Cookbook."

INGREDIENTS: Four cups water, one cup (5 ounces) raw cashews, 12 ounces 100% whole wheat short elbow pasta, 6 cups (about 28 ounces)sweet potato, peeled, cut into 1/2 to 3/4 inch cubes, 2 teaspoons (or more) mild hot sauce such as Cholula, 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard , 3/4 tablespoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1 pinch cayenne pepper.

VEGAN HOLIDAY DRESSING/STUFFING

MAKES: Fourteen cup serving

INGREDIENTS: 8 cups - 100% Whole Grain Dried Bread, dice, 3 tablespoon Parsley chopped, 2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil, teaspoon Salt, 1/8 teaspoon Pepper, 1 teaspoon Poultry Seasoning, 1 teaspoon Sage, 2 cups Vegetable Stock, 1 cup Leeks small dice, 1 cup Onion small dice, cup Celery small dice, cup Carrot small dice, cup Toasted Pecans, cup Toasted Walnuts, 1 cup Unsweetened Pineapple Juice, 1 cup Apples small dice, 1 cup Pears small dice

Wash and small dice the apple placing them in a bowl of pineapple juice to prevent browning. Drain the apples, reserving the liquid. Wash pears and small dice placing and toss them in the reserved pineapple juice to prevent browning, add apples to bowl and set aside. Heat a non-stick skillet and add oil, then add onions season with salt, pepper and cook on medium heat until onions just turn transparent. Add celery, carrots and cook until tender. Add the leeks, cook for 5 minutes, then turn off heat and set pan aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine bread with sauted vegetables, add parsley, poultry seasoning, and sage - mix well.

Add vegetable stock and mix well. Add cut fruit in pineapple juice, nuts and mix well. Use a 2 quart casserole dish that has been wiped with a light film of extra virgin olive oil to prevent sticking; add dressing. Cover with plastic wrap then aluminum foil. Bake for 30 minutes in a pre-heated 400 degree oven.

RUTABAGA, CARROT AND SWEET POTATO MASH

MAKES: 6 Servings Serving Size:cup

INGREDIENTS:1 cups rutabaga - peeled and diced, 1 cups carrot - peeled and diced, 1 cups sweet potatoes - peeled and diced, 32 ounces water, teaspoon salt, teaspoon black pepper

In large saucepan combine rutabaga with vegetable broth and simmer until tender, about 30 minutes. Add carrots and continue simmering until carrots are almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add sweet potatoes and simmer until all vegetables are tender, about another 10 minutes.

Drain the vegetables into a bowl while reserving the liquid. Place liquid back in saucepan, reduce to cup. Turn off heat and add vegetables from bowl back to sauce pan along with salt and pepper. With a potato masher, mash vegetables with reduced liquid until a coarse consistency. If mash needs to be heated more, just heat in saucepan until desired temperature. Remove and serve.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION PER SERVING:

For increased flavor, cook vegetables in vegetable broth instead of water.

CULINARY MEDICINE HEALTH TIP:

This recipe shows how to create intensely flavorful cooking liquid by using a vegetable skimmer to remove vegetables after cooking. One can retain and reduce cooking liquid for a 100% natural and extremely flavorful broth that can be added back to the vegetables or used in another application.

PAPAS PUMPKIN PIE-LESS

PREP: 25 minutes, plus overnight soaking

INGREDIENTS:1 cup raw cashews, 4 cups water, 1 sweet potato (14 to 16 ounces), 1 large ripe banana broken into chunks, cup pure unsweetened almond butter, 6 tablespoons raisin reduction, cup unsweetened almond milk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 can (15-ounce) pure pumpkin, 5 teaspoons pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon, teaspoon ground ginger, teaspoon ground nutmeg

Go here to see the original:
The New You: How to have a healthier Thanksgiving meal - WKYC.com

An online webinar, the eighth Coronavirus (COVID-19) Symposium is sponsored byNew York Medical College of the Touro College and University System. Continuing Education credits are available upon request.

A presentation by the Center for Disaster Medicine of New York Medical College of the Touro College and University System.

Alan Kadish, M.D.Cardiologist | President, Touro College and University System | President, New York Medical College

Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A.Chancellor and CEO, Professor of Radiation Oncology, Pediatrics and History, New York Medical College | Provost for Biomedical Affairs, Touro College and University System

by Robert Amler, M.D., MBADean, School of Health Sciences and Practice, Vice President for Government Affairs, New York Medical College | Former Regional Health Administrator, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services | Former Medical Epidemiologist, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

by Sherlita Amler, M.D., M.S., FAAPCommissioner of Health, Westchester County, NY

by Mill Etienne, M.D., M.P.H., FAAN, FAESAssociate Dean for Student Affairs, Associate Professor of Neurology, School of Medicine House Advisory Dean, New York Medical College

by Kathleen DiCaprio, Ph.D.Assistant Professor of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine

by Tami Hendriksz, DOProfessor and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, Touro University California College of Osteopathic Medicine

by Marisa A. Montecalvo, M.D. Medical Director, Health Services, Professor of Medicine, New York Medical College | Infectious Disease Specialist

by Neil Schluger, M.D. Barbara and William Rosenthal Chair of the Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, New York Medical College | Director of Medicine, Westchester Medical Center

by Edward C. Halperin, M.D., M.A.Chancellor and CEO, New York Medical College | Provost for Biomedical Affairs, Touro College and University System

Hosted by Alan Kadish, M.D.Cardiologist | President, Touro College and University System | President, New York Medical College

Responses will be provided to the questions submitted in advance of the webinar. Questions may be submitted to covid19updates@touro.edu

Register in advance for this webinar

This meeting has been approved for 1.5 CME credits by the Office of Continuing Medical Education, New York Medical College free of charge as a community service to our Healthcare Providers.

Accreditation Statement: New York Medical College is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

New York Medical College designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Commercial Support: There is no outside funding for this activity.

Disclosures: All activity faculty and planners participating in continuing medical education activities provided by New York Medical College are expected to disclose to the audience any significant support or substantial relationship(s) with commercial entities whose products are discussed in their presentation and/or with any commercial supporters of the activity.

Read the original:
Eighth Symposium on COVID-19: What Have We Learned? How Can We Use What We Have Learned? - Touro College News

EDITORS NOTE: During this season of Thanksgiving, we are reaching out to our writers and readers for inspiration. I dont need to repeat the theme of this years trials and tribulations we plan to provide you with thoughtful, uplifting reading over the next few weeks and throughout the holidays. Lets celebrate thanks and giving. What are you thankful for? Give thanks, and lets all be thankful that we live in this very special corner of the world in a community that cares for EVERYONE. Pioneer contributor Julie Chick shares her love for the outdoors and the science behind the connection to our well-being, and introduces us to another gifted healer in our backyard and the benefits of connecting outside. Share your Thanks & Giving to editor@tillamookcountypioneer.net. Watch for more about La Vida Pacifica and more thanks & giving.

By Sarah Reese and Julie Chick

She says she experienced severe depression at age 13 until she developed a strong love for the mountains through snowboarding a few of years later. Ultimately, without exaggeration, she credits this love of the outdoors for saving her life and setting her on a lifelong course of healing and transformation.As I recently walked a fall dappled trail with Nehalem resident and licensed Acupuncturist and Herbalist, Sarah Reese, LAc, we continued the discussion about the role the outdoors can play on our overall and mental health. Throughout college Sarah cultivated her passion for being in nature through outdoor recreation, and now as an adult says, Being active in the wilderness brings me home within myself and affords me enhanced joy, confidence, peacefulness, and personal empowerment. It has aligned me with my souls purpose and generally made me more comfortable in my own skin. Being in nature allows me to be me to let the soft animal of [my] body love what it loves as Mary Oliver puts it in her poem Wild Geese .

Sarahs educational background is in Classical Chinese Medicine and her interest in the Healing Arts began initially through Transpersonal Counseling Psychology, but ultimately, she received her formal training in East Asian medicine because of her affinity for Holistic medicine and the way it addresses the body, mind and Spirit. The way that she practices medicine is rooted in Daoist philosophy which expresses our intrinsic connection to nature and its cycles, and elucidates the concept that we are as much in the universe as the universe is within us. We are not only affected by nature and its cycles, but we are nature and its cycles. We cannot be separated from our ecology.

Sarah sees the current times we are in as an opportunity to utilize preventative medicine to fortify the immune system, and also to employ natural medicine to combat illness when our bodies are out of balance. For example, simple strategies like getting enough rest, reducing stress, practicing conscious breathing and mindfulness, and moving our bodies in nature all restore balance to our lives and create a state of wellbeing in our bodies that makes it exponentially less likely to become ill. A commitment to self-care now significantly reduces our recovery time if we do become ill. Numerous studies in the US and all over the world have proven the health benefits of being outdoors in green spaces, theres no questions that we can affect and improve our general health profile just by simply being outdoors. Additionally, there is mounting research making the connection between our internal biome (gut bacteria) and mental health.The best way to enjoy the healing powers of nature is to find your own sources of joy and prioritize those. Something as simple as a walk on the beach or around the block, or simply just getting outdoors, can boost your mood, reduce stress and set you on a path of wellness. For the sake of the world and our collective wellness add time outdoors to the list, or if you already know you enjoy time in nature, move that to the top of the list.According to Why green spaces are good for grey matter,* walking between busy urban environments and green spaces triggers changes in levels of excitement, engagement and frustration in the brain, a study of older people has found. Sarah suggests, Now more than ever, its vitally important to reconnect with nature and get ourselves outdoors when we can.Sarahs healing practice is called La Vida Pacifica, which means The Peaceful Life in Spanish, and is also an homage to the beautiful North Pacific Coast that we all love. Through La Vida Pacifica she offers mentorship for people searching for guidance, support, and accountability as they navigate their path of wellbeing. Since there is no one size fits all in Holistic wellness, it has always been her mission to connect with people wherever they are on their healing journey and help them realign with their personal Truth. She serves those answering the call for soul-level work who want to develop their intuition in order to live their lives with more creativity, authenticity and vitality. She does private sessions and consultations (over the phone) with an emphasis on Spirit, Mind, Body integration, and incorporates the outdoors when she can. Sarahs email: lavidapacifica@gmail.com

*University of York. Why green spaces are good for grey matter. ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 10 April 2017. Related Post

See original here:
Thanks & Giving: Mental Health and the Outdoors Tillamook County Pioneer - Tillamook County Pioneer

The phrase herd immunity comes up often in coronavirus discussions. Those who toss around the term, including some politicians, say its a way to potentially end the pandemic. But herd immunity is actually a complex concept that health experts say is often misunderstoodand, focusing on hand washing, social distancing and mask wearing remains the best way to stop the spread of COVID-19.

But what is herd immunity? In simple terms, population (aka herd immunity) is one that works through achieving a threshold immunity at the population level that is able to cut the transmission chain and cycle of a given infectious disease, explains Kamran Kadkhoda, PhD, with the Laboratory Medicine Department at Cleveland Clinic.

In herd immunity, an individual might not be fully protected from the coronavirus or other illness, but the overall population immunity is high enough to protect most of the population, he says, It would very much depend on the duration of immunity either obtained through natural infection or vaccination.

Theres so much talk about herd immunity these days because people are tired of COVID and looking for a way out, Kadkhoda added, but, most people dont quite get the concept because of a lack of public education and lots of misinformation.

So, we asked Kadkhoda and other experts to get into the details about herd immunity, its relationship to a potential COVID-19 vaccine and more.

Herd immunity is the idea that the infection can no longer spread within the population once a certain percentage of the population is immune to infection, says James Wantuck, chief medical officer of telehealth company PlushCare. The thinking is that even though not 100% of the population is immune, there arent enough people left to spread it for the infection to sustain itself, meaning it simply disappears from the population over time, he adds. This is how we have eradicated some infections, like smallpox, through a mass vaccination program.

The idea is popular because it offers a light at the end of the tunnel, Wantuck says, The important point here is that herd immunity requires the vast majority of the population to be immuneand, this means that people either had the infection and survived or that they received a vaccine.

Herd immunity conversations too often center on letting enough people get infected and not waiting for a safe, effective vaccine. This view can be harmful, though, says Kim Kilby, a family and preventative medicine physician and regional medical director of MVP Health Care, It misses the problem that with millions of people infected, we strain our medical resources and create potential rationing, while guaranteeing that many more people will die from the disease.

Scientists are learning new things about the coronavirus every day. And, still too little is known about immunity and COVID-19, Kilby says, We do not know if natural infection results in long-term or even short-term protection from future illness; we do not know if a person who recovers from COVID-19 can get infected again later and spread the virus without showing illness.

Most studies on coronavirus and immunity have been small and not produced consistent results. Though, there are reports of people getting re-infected after having coronavirus.

Related: Does a Negative COVID-19 Test Mean You Can Hang Out with Family and Friends?

Generally, scientists believe the virus that causes COVID-19 acts like many other viruses that have been studied extensively, Wantuck explains. So, once infected, your body produces antibodies that fight off the virus and prevent re-infection. The antibodies wane as the virus leaves your body, but the immune system remembers and could produce a defense if youre exposed to the virus again. But, no one is sure how long immunity could last.

Recently, Pfizer and BioNTech applied for emergency authorization from the FDA for their coronavirus vaccine. And, other drug companies have reported that their vaccines have efficacy rates above 90%.

Safe, effective vaccines are a must to achieve herd immunity. Theyll help the immune system generate a protective response to coronavirus, without serious disease consequences, like long-term disability or death, Kilby says.

Related: Everything You Need to Know About a Possible COVID-19 Vaccine

But a vaccine alone isnt enough. People need to actually get vaccinated when one is available. When people choose not to get vaccinated for a serious infectious disease, they put themselves, their familiesespecially those most vulnerable like children and grandparentsand their communities at risk, which puts an additional strain on medical resources, Kilby adds.

Depending on how effective the vaccine is and how long it protects you, there are different thresholds of the population that need to be immunized, Wantuck says, Mass immunization and diligent public health work in contact tracing and outbreak containment would be needed to make herd immunity a possibility.

It depends on how you look at it, Kadkhoda says. Herd immunity is based on the idea that once a certain percentage of the population is immune to infection, it can no longer spread. So, does that mean purposefully infecting people could achieve herd immunity? Most experts agree: thats a bad idea.

Creating herd immunity through natural infection is very dangerous, as it risks the health and well-being of individuals, communities, and puts a dangerous strain on our medical resources, Kilby explains. Frontline health care workers are already facing burnout and fatigue from the effects of the virus.

Millions of people could die and others would unnecessarily suffer from the virus were trying to protect against, Wantuck adds, and most of herd immunitys biggest supporters are misinformed or misguided about the concept.

Related: How Long is Coronavirus Contagious?

A recent article published in the Journal of the American Medical Association and co-authored by Dr. Anthony Fauci said low-tech interventions, like wearing masks, social distancing, hand hygiene, limiting crowds and gatherings, testing and contract tracing are still the most effective ways of fighting COVID-19.

It could take a while for a vaccine to be rolled out. When it does, it should be viewed as an additional measure for stopping the spread of the coronavirus, not a replacement for these low-tech tools, Kilby explains.

When safe and effective vaccines become available, people should embrace their use and get vaccinated as soon as possible, she says.

Get good vibes and health tips delivered right to your inbox!

For now, the best approach is to worry less about herd immunity and focus more on the advice that health officials keep emphasizing, Kadkhoda says. Social distancing, mask-wearing, and frequent hand washing are common sense and tried and true scientific ways of protecting us from germs, COVID, among others at least until we have a vaccine that works effectively and durably, he explains.

Next, read about the risks of hanging out indoors without wearing a mask.

Read the original here:
What is Herd Immunity? Can It End the Coronavirus Pandemic? - Parade

Dr. Flynn joined KDA as the Deputy State Veterinarian earlier this year.

Dr. Alex Hagan, a veterinarian in Shelbyville, has been approved by the SBOA to serve as Deputy State Veterinarian, taking Flynns vacated post.

Todays announcement is the result of the most transparent and thorough hiring process the State Board of Agriculture has ever undertaken, said Agriculture Commissioner Dr. Ryan Quarles, who serves as SBOA chairman. With Dr. Flynns regulatory animal health background and Dr. Hagans on-the-farm experience, we have a top-notch team to lead our Office of State Veterinarian.

The State Veterinarian and Deputy State Veterinarian are the chief executive officers of the State Board of Agriculture and lead the KDAs Office of State Veterinarian in its statutory and regulatory activities to prevent, control, and eradicate communicable diseases in the agricultural animal health sector.

A search committee approved by the board recommended Drs. Flynn and Hagan to the State Board of Agriculture. Dr. Flynn replaces Dr. Robert Stout, who announced his intention to retire from the department in December of 2020. Prior to joining the KDA as the Homeland Security Coordinator in 2003, Dr. Stout had served as an equine and large animal veterinarian since 1973. He was appointed Kentucky State Veterinarian by the SBOA in February 2004.

Originally posted here:
Dr. Katie Flynn promoted to Kentucky State Vet position - ABC 36 News - WTVQ