StemCell Therapy

Chelsea Jones view as she went in her car to get checked for COVID-19 at a Sutter Health drive-up testing site in South Berkeley. Photo: Chelsea Jones

When Berkeley resident Chelsea Jones developed shortness of breath and a tightness in her chest, she was immediately worried that she had contracted COVID-19. She called her healthcare provider but was met with roadblocks. After filling out a questionnaire, she was told she didnt need to be tested for the novel coronavirus. When she tried to sign up for a video appointment, there were none available.

Things started to look up when Jones received a message through Sutter Healths online portal instructing her to call the COVID-19 triage line. Despite not having traveled overseas, not having any preexisting conditions, and being 32, Jones (for whom we are using a pseudonym to protect her privacy) was told to visit a Sutter Health drive-up testing site in South Berkeley and was given an appointment time. There, a doctor evaluated her through the drivers window, taking her temperature, examining her throat and listening to her heart and lungs.

The doctor said that all my vitals were normal and that my lungs sounded clear, and that this, plus my lack of fever, means he doesnt think I have COVID-19, Jones* said in an email. Given this, he said that he doesnt think it made sense to test me at this time, especially because even if I did have COVID-19, they wouldnt do anything different.

With or without a diagnosis, the doctor told her, the treatment would be the same: stay home.

Jones breathed a sigh of relief and went back to self-isolating in her home.

Joness experience is typical. Most people who want to get tested for COVID-19 cannot, even if they are experiencing symptoms. Due to a shortage of kits around the country, testing is reserved for high-priority patients.

Tweets and emails about the frustration at not being able to get a test abound.

One UC Berkeley student wrote to Berkeleyside and described crowded conditions at University Health Services at the Tang Center on Bancroft Way, where very few tests are being given. He expressed frustration at a lack of information about test availability and not being able to take his university insurance to other healthcare providers to find a test.

Students must start treatment at the Tang Center, but it does not feel safe and the hours have been slashed after the shelter-in-place order, the student wrote.

As of Monday, Berkeley had 10 confirmed cases of COVID-19, including at least one spread by community contact, but it is likely that the actual number of cases is much higher.

Per CDC guidelines, hospitals are limiting testing to high-priority groups, such as those exhibiting severe symptoms, with preexisting conditions, and those who have been directly exposed to someone diagnosed with COVID-19. Healthcare professionals and the elderly are also likely to be more eligible for testing.

The most powerful tool to fight COVID-19 is non-pharmaceutical interventions like social distancing. Matthai Chakko, city of Berkeley spokesman

City officials emphasize that social distancing not testing is the best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

We have to understand that testing is not a medicine, said Matthai Chakko, a spokesman for the city of Berkeley, which has its own health department. Chakko warned against socializing in seemingly benign ways, such as playing volleyball with friends or having a picnic. The most powerful tool to fight COVID-19 is non-pharmaceutical interventions like social distancing.

Chakko also warned against overburdening the healthcare system, especially as infections skyrocket in the United States and throughout the world.

What we are concerned about is a surge and overwhelming of our healthcare system, said Chakko. People who have mild illnesses should generally handle them on their own.

That being said, if you are experiencing potential COVID-19 symptoms, there are several places where you can go to get tested in Berkeley, often for a fee. The first step is to call your regular healthcare provider, who will evaluate you to determine if you qualify for testing. You might also choose to use this self-triage tool to determine whether it would be prudent to take the next steps. (Scroll down for a list of testing providers.)

There are a few places you cant go to get tested. If you are experiencing symptoms, do not immediately go to Urgent Care, to the emergency room or other public health locations in Berkeley. Do not call the city of Berkeley Department of Public Health expecting a diagnosis.

A week after first reporting her symptoms, Jones is feeling a bit better. Though the tightness in her chest hasnt gone away, she felt well enough to spend Sunday working in her garden, planting broccoli, carrots and chard. She feels much less anxious about her personal situation but is concerned about whats to come, encouraging community members to take preventative measures like social distancing seriously.

Carbon Health is a healthcare provider that offers testing to any California resident for a $167 flat fee you do not have to be a member. To find out if you are eligible for testing, complete the companys Coronavirus Assessment Tool. Eligible patients will then virtually consult with a healthcare professional. If deemed eligible, patients can come to the organizations Berkeley office on Telegraph Avenue. Even this organization is experiencing shortages in test-kits, though, and needs to triage accordingly. A sign on the door of its Berkeley office explains to patients that the clinic has a very limited supply available each day.

LifeLong Medical Care provides health and social services, including to underserved communities such as low-income, elderly or disabled people. LifeLong offers three curbside COVID-19 testing locations in Berkeley and Oakland for LifeLong members who have been pre-screened by staff and deemed eligible. The services are offered at no cost to members, but Lifelong emphasizes that patients should call the center first to limit exposure for its staff.

Kaiser Permanente Kaiser members are advised that if that if they are feeling sick they should contact their regular doctor through Kaisers online platform or complete an e-visit, answering a COVID-19 questionnaire. If you might be eligible for testing, your doctor will refer you to Kaisers drive-up testing services at a site in the East Bay (the locations and hours of operation are not public). You must be a Kaiser member to be tested. If you are tested, you will receive results in four to seven days. You will not be charged for screening or testing if you are a Kaiser member.

Sutter Health installed drive-up testing services this week in Berkeley and Oakland, but the exact locations are not public. If Sutter is your regular healthcare provider, contact your doctor to receive the triage assessment hotline. Your doctor will refer you if you are eligible for testing. Sutter promises to waive testing co-pays in advance of the test but may charge patients afterwards.

John Muir Health provides testing services to members who have been recommended by a John Muir doctor. Once screened, patients will receive an appointment day and time at an urgent care site in Berkeley or one of the providers three other sites.

OneMedical has offices in Berkeley and Oakland that provide COVID-19 testing to members who meet their eligibility requirements. Patients screened through its online service will be assigned a location and time to collect the sample before sending it to a lab.

Tang Medical Center at UC Berkeley reports a very limited testing capacity for students, and even more limited capacity for the public. As a result, the center is prioritizing testing where the result could influence decisions about clinical care or isolation housing. In other words, testing will be considered only if the advice would be anything other than to self-isolate. Stringent testing requirements could leave students who are on the universitys health insurance plan with limited access to testing. However, the Tang Center is currently working on developing its testing capacity. Tang also advises students to get prescreened by calling the Nurse Advice Line at 510-643-7197 before coming in.

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You probably can't get tested for COVID-19 in Berkeley. But here's how it works - Berkeleyside

While stem cell treatment is not a technique to eradicate or fix coronavirus completely, there is proof to help the idea that infected patients, under the treatment, might be more receptive to survive the disease.

That's because, stem cells oppose viral infection due to the presence of specific qualities known as interferon gamma invigorated qualities (ISGs). These are present in stem cells before their separation process happens. Thus, stem cells can be expected to survive even if they are transferred into a patient with confirmed infection of coronavirus, as per Vipul Jain, CEO, Advancells, a research firm focusing on therapeutic applications of regenerative medicine.

Mr Jain said, Even medical science has determined how influenza virus A/H5N1, with a history of causing intense lung injury, was destroyed by human mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) in a mouse. Going back to basics has only expanded the chances of positive outcome.''

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) are those stem cells which can separate into an assortment of cell types. There are several other properties of MSCs which make them suitable for clinical trials, such as they have ability to reduce inflammation thus regulating the immune system back to healthy and an extraordinary capacity to find the damaged tissues in human body. They can even speed up the recovery of those damaged tissues.

For instance, to achieve desired outcome, specialists have used enormous quantities of MSCs with one patient in Baoshan (Yunnan) who got 3 implantations of 50 million umbilical blood cord derived MSCs, while every Beijing patients got 1 mixture of 1 million cells for every kilogram of weight.

According to Advancells observations, MSCs can be acquired from fat, which implies that everybody can use his/her cells, abolishing any contamination or fatalities. In any case, extending them to the amount required for implantation, takes 2 to 3 weeks which is why it is valuable to cryo-conserve (process of preserving cells prone to damage) an individual reservoir of MSCs, that would permit to get to an early and progressively beneficial treatment.

It may be noted that, some 14 trials have been conducted using stem cells to treat coronavirus patients in China. They recommended stem cells may be the option to fix the extreme organ damage brought about by the virus.

MSCs can lessen the overproduction of immunity cells caused as a response to the virus and lower down the levels of inflammatory substances. Thus, bringing the weak framework and the whole body back to its ordinary state,'' Mr. Jain said.

What can be securely said at this stage following this spearheading study, as per Advancells, is that MSCs demonstrate extraordinary potential to turn into an important part of eradicating something so huge coronavirus itself.

Commenting on India scenario, he further said, Sadly, India is slow in terms of awareness, also it is tough to convince ICMR with innovative ideas. China had used it and all patients who have gone for stem cell therapy were recovered. Israel just announced they would start a stem cell pilot for treating coronavirus.

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NEW YORK, March 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --

Global Autologous Cell Therapy Market 2020-2024The analyst has been monitoring the global autologous cell therapy market 2020-2024 and it is poised to grow by USD 1.97 bn during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of 22% during the forecast period. Our reports on global autologous cell therapy market 2020-2024 provides a holistic analysis, market size and forecast, trends, growth drivers, and challenges, as well as vendor analysis covering around 25 vendors.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p04941084/?utm_source=PRN

The report offers an up-to-date analysis regarding the current global market scenario, latest trends and drivers, and the overall market environment. The market is driven by increasing demand for effective drugs for cardiac and degenerative disorders. In addition, limitations in traditional organ transplantations fueling demand for stem cell therapies is anticipated to boost the growth of the global autologous cell therapy market 2020-2024 as well.

Market SegmentationThe global autologous cell therapy market 2020-2024 is segmented as below:Therapy: Autologous Stem Cell Therapy

Autologus Cellular Immunotherapies

Application: Oncology

Musculoskeletal Disorders

Dermatology

Geographic Segmentation: North America

APAC

Europe

South America

MEA

Key Trends for global autologous cell therapy market 2020-2024 growthThis study identifies limitations in traditional organ transplantations fueling demand for stem cell therapies as the prime reasons driving the global autologous cell therapy market 2020-2024 growth during the next few years.

Prominent vendors in global autologous cell therapy market 2020-2024We provide a detailed analysis of around 25 vendors operating in the global autologous cell therapy market 2020-2024, including some of the vendors such as Bayer AG, Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc., Daiichi Sankyo Co. Ltd., FUJIFILM Holdings Corp., Holostem Terapie Avanzate Srl, Osiris Therapeutics Inc., Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Sumitomo Chemical Co. Ltd. and Vericel Corp. .The study was conducted using an objective combination of primary and secondary information including inputs from key participants in the industry. The report contains a comprehensive market and vendor landscape in addition to an analysis of the key vendors.

Read the full report: https://www.reportlinker.com/p04941084/?utm_source=PRN

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.

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

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The Global Autologous Cell Therapy Market is expected to grow by USD 1.97 bn during 2020-2024, progressing at a CAGR of 22% during the forecast period...

Hair loss has long been a chief complaint among women, especially as they age. It affects some 30 million women in the United States alone, according to the Cleveland Clinic, and will significantly impact more than 50 percent of women during their lifetime. The most common cause is female-pattern hair loss (FPHL), also known as androgenetic alopecia. It's a chronic and progressive condition that has a genetic component, but it's also caused by factors related to the actions of hormonesovarian cysts, use of high androgen index birth control pills, pregnancy, and menopause, explains Ken L. Williams Jr., D.O., hair restoration specialist, surgeon, founder of Orange County Hair Restoration in Irvine, California.

Other medical conditions are also to blame for hair loss in women, including thyroid disorders, polycystic ovary syndrome, anemia, and chronic illnessand the use of certain medications, many of which treat these conditions, can also lead to hair loss in women. "Certain types of autoimmune disorders result in a slightly different and often less dramatic hair loss problem known as alopecia areata, an inflammatory condition that causes hair to come out in clumps or patches," says Dr. Williams Jr.

Luckily, we've come a long way in terms of treating hair loss. After all, 100 years ago, remedies involved things like snake oil and bat and chicken dung. "In more recent years, clinically tested topical and oral products, such as Minoxidil and Propecia, have become available, as well as procedures like PRP (platelet rich plasma therapy), and hair transplants," shares Anabel Kingsley, consultant trichologist and brand president for Philip Kingsley. She finds a holistic, personalized, multi-pronged approach to be the most effective way to treat any form of hair loss. "Since there is no 'one size fits all,' you want to optimize all possible factors that can affect the hair growth cycle, such as general health, nutrition, and stress levels, as well as the condition of your hair and scalp," she says.

At Philip Kingsley, she treats clients with their Trichotherapy Regime ($215, saksfifthavenue.com), which is specifically formulated for women with fine hair and reduced volume. "It tackles hair loss from all possible angles via the scalp with intensive daily Scalp Drops($89, neimanmarcus.com),a daily Stimulating Scalp Tonic ($28, net-a-porter.com), a thickening protein spray, and targeted masks to optimize the scalp environment," Kinglsey explains. "It also contains carefully formulated nutritional supplements to help give hair support from within."

Related: The Best Shampoos to Support Thinning Hair and Fight Female Hair Loss

Over-the-counter solutions won't work for every person suffering from hair loss, but there are a number of medical interventions that can stimulate hair growthanti-androgen medication, for example, is recommended for clients experiencing prolonged hair loss. "These medications help prevent further hair loss and encourage some hair regrowth from dormant hair follicles," says Dr. Williams Jr. There is also stem cell therapy, which has expanded greatly over the last few years in treating medical disease. "As opposed to embryonic cells, the initial stigma of using stem cells has decreased since the discovery of using bone marrow, fat cells, umbilical cord cells, and even skin cells to extract stem cells," he explains.

Surgery is also an option, and there are currently two primary surgical techniques or methods used in performing hair transplantation: Follicular Unit Transplantation (FUT) and Follicular Unit Extraction (FUE). "With the FUT technique, a section of scalp is excised with a scalpel, the scalp is brought together with sutures or staples and the hair follicles or hair grafts are inserted into tiny slits placed by the surgeon in the balding recipient area," Dr. Williams Jr. says. "The follicles with a single hair are placed in the front rows to define and create a natural hairline and the more dense, natural occurring follicular units are placed by hand in areas where hair density is needed the most."

FUE, a minimally invasive technique that is being hailed as the most significant improvement in hair surgery, uses a minimal depth scoring punch device to loosen the follicle from the surrounding tissues. "With the FUE procedure, a 0.9 or 1.0 millimeter punch minimal depth scoring excision is used in the skin around the upper part of the follicular unit (hair follicles)," he continues. "The hair follicle is then extracted directly from the scalp and manually placed into tiny slits in the balding area similar to the strip method."

There are still several hair restoration solutions left to be discoveredand experts believe most of us will see the concept of hair cloning come to fruition in their lifetime. "Hair cloning would in effect, disassemble a few hair follicles, multiply these cells in the laboratory and then reintroduce them into the scalp to both rejuvenate miniaturizing hair follicles and induce brand new hairs," Dr. Williams Jr. says. "Other groups have tried this but it has been found that when human follicle cells are cultured, they rapidly lose their functionality."

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The Forefront of Treating Hair Loss in Women - Yahoo Lifestyle

VANCOUVER, Washington, March 23, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CytoDyn Inc. (OTC.QB: CYDY), (CytoDyn or the Company), a late-stage biotechnology company developing leronlimab (PRO 140), a CCR5 antagonist with the potential for multiple therapeutic indications, announced today that the third and fourth coronavirus patients were treated with the Companys investigational new drug, leronlimab. The treatment of the third patient occurred on Friday and the fourth coronavirus patient was treated on Saturday. These patients are under the care of the same leading medical center in the New York City area that treated the first and second patients.

The treatment with leronlimab is being administered under an emergency IND recently granted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The treatment with leronlimab is intended to serve as a therapy for patients who experience respiratory complications as a result of contracting SARS-CoV-2 causing the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Bruce Patterson, M.D., CEO of IncellDx, a diagnostic partner and advisor to CytoDyn, said, IncellDx has developed specific companion diagnostic tests to determine the efficacy and dosing of leronlimab in these severe cases of COVID-19. We believe that leronlimab acts by enhancing the immune response while mitigating the cytokine storm that leads to morbidity and mortality in these patients.

Nader Pourhassan, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of CytoDyn said, We are encouraged that the onsite medical team is reporting no safety issues and our team continues to be responsive and supportive in any way we can.

About Coronavirus Disease 2019SARS-CoV-2 was identified as the cause of an outbreak of respiratory illness first detected in Wuhan, China. The origin of SARS-CoV-2 causing the COVID-19 disease is uncertain and it is unclear how easily the virus spreads. COVID-19 is thought to be transmitted person to person through respiratory droplets, commonly resulting from coughing, sneezing and close personal contact. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses, some causing illness in people and others that circulate among animals. For confirmed COVID-19 infections, symptoms have included fever, cough and shortness of breath. It is believed that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as two days or as long as 14 days after exposure, and that symptoms in patients have ranged from non-existent to severe and fatal. At this time, there are very limited treatment options for COVID-19.

About Leronlimab (PRO 140) The FDA has granted a Fast Track designation to CytoDyn for two potential indications of leronlimab for deadly diseases. The first as a combination therapy with HAART for HIV-infected patients, and the second is for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. Leronlimab is an investigational humanized IgG4 mAb that blocks CCR5, a cellular receptor that is important in HIV infection, tumor metastases, and other diseases including NASH. Leronlimab has successfully completed nine clinical trials in over 800 people, including meeting its primary endpoints in a pivotal Phase 3 trial (leronlimab in combination with standard antiretroviral therapies in HIV-infected treatment-experienced patients).

In the setting of HIV/AIDS, leronlimab is a viral-entry inhibitor; it masks CCR5, thus protecting healthy T cells from viral infection by blocking the predominant HIV (R5) subtype from entering those cells. Leronlimab has been the subject of nine clinical trials, each of which demonstrated that leronlimab can significantly reduce or control HIV viral load in humans. The leronlimab antibody appears to be a powerful antiviral agent leading to potentially fewer side effects and less frequent dosing requirements compared with daily drug therapies currently in use.

In the setting of cancer, research has shown that CCR5 plays an important role in tumor invasion and metastasis. Increased CCR5 expression is an indicator of disease status in several cancers. Published studies have shown that blocking CCR5 can reduce tumor metastases in laboratory and animal models of aggressive breast and prostate cancer. Leronlimab reduced human breast cancer metastasis by more than 98% in a murine xenograft model. CytoDyn is, therefore, conducting a Phase 1b/2 human clinical trial in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer and was granted Fast Track designation in May 2019. Additional research is being conducted with leronlimab in the setting of cancer and NASH with plans to conduct additional clinical studies when appropriate.

The CCR5 receptor appears to play a central role in modulating immune cell trafficking to sites of inflammation and may be important in the development of acute graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and other inflammatory conditions. Clinical studies by others further support the concept that blocking CCR5 using a chemical inhibitor can reduce the clinical impact of acute GvHD without significantly affecting the engraftment of transplanted bone marrow stem cells. CytoDyn is currently conducting a Phase 2 clinical study with leronlimab to further support the concept that the CCR5 receptor on engrafted cells is critical for the development of acute GvHD and that blocking this receptor from recognizing certain immune signaling molecules is a viable approach to mitigating acute GvHD. The FDA has granted orphan drug designation to leronlimab for the prevention of GvHD.

About CytoDyn CytoDyn is a biotechnology company developing innovative treatments for multiple therapeutic indications based on leronlimab, a novel humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the CCR5 receptor. CCR5 appears to play a key role in the ability of HIV to enter and infect healthy T-cells. The CCR5 receptor also appears to be implicated in tumor metastasis and in immune-mediated illnesses, such as GvHD and NASH. CytoDyn has successfully completed a Phase 3 pivotal trial with leronlimab in combination with standard antiretroviral therapies in HIV-infected treatment-experienced patients. CytoDyn plans to seek FDA approval for leronlimab in combination therapy and plans to complete the filing of a Biologics License Application (BLA) in the first quarter of 2020 for that indication. CytoDyn is also conducting a Phase 3 investigative trial with leronlimab as a once-weekly monotherapy for HIV-infected patients and plans to initiate a registration-directed study of leronlimab monotherapy indication, which if successful, could support a label extension. Clinical results to date from multiple trials have shown that leronlimab can significantly reduce viral burden in people infected with HIV with no reported drug-related serious adverse events (SAEs). Moreover, results from a Phase 2b clinical trial demonstrated that leronlimab monotherapy can prevent viral escape in HIV-infected patients, with some patients on leronlimab monotherapy remaining virally suppressed for more than five years. CytoDyn is also conducting a Phase 2 trial to evaluate leronlimab for the prevention of GvHD and a Phase 1b/2 clinical trial with leronlimab in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer. More information is at http://www.cytodyn.com.

Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain forward-looking statements that involve risks, uncertainties and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Words and expressions reflecting optimism, satisfaction or disappointment with current prospects, as well as words such as believes, hopes, intends, estimates, expects, projects, plans, anticipates and variations thereof, or the use of future tense, identify forward-looking statements, but their absence does not mean that a statement is not forward-looking. The Companys forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance, and actual results could vary materially from those contained in or expressed by such statements due to risks and uncertainties including: (i) the sufficiency of the Companys cash position, (ii) the Companys ability to raise additional capital to fund its operations, (iii) the Companys ability to meet its debt obligations, if any, (iv) the Companys ability to enter into partnership or licensing arrangements with third parties, (v) the Companys ability to identify patients to enroll in its clinical trials in a timely fashion, (vi) the Companys ability to achieve approval of a marketable product, (vii) the design, implementation and conduct of the Companys clinical trials, (viii) the results of the Companys clinical trials, including the possibility of unfavorable clinical trial results, (ix) the market for, and marketability of, any product that is approved, (x) the existence or development of vaccines, drugs, or other treatments that are viewed by medical professionals or patients as superior to the Companys products, (xi) regulatory initiatives, compliance with governmental regulations and the regulatory approval process, (xii) general economic and business conditions, (xiii) changes in foreign, political, and social conditions, and (xiv) various other matters, many of which are beyond the Companys control. The Company urges investors to consider specifically the various risk factors identified in its most recent Form 10-K, and any risk factors or cautionary statements included in any subsequent Form 10-Q or Form 8-K, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake any responsibility to update any forward-looking statements to take into account events or circumstances that occur after the date of this press release.

CYTODYN CONTACTSInvestors: Dave Gentry, CEO RedChip Companies Office: 1.800.RED.CHIP (733.2447) Cell: 407.491.4498 dave@redchip.com

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Two Additional Coronavirus Patients Treated at Leading New York Hospital with CytoDyn's Leronlimab, Bringing the Total to Four Patients - Associated...

Posted March 21, 2020

Although we may have the gift of physical sight, we are all born blind blind to our pride, our sinfulness, and above all, to our true dignity as beloved children of God.

Andrew Lane, a seminarian at St. Charles Borromeo Seminary in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania shares how Christs miraculous healing of a man born blind invites us to let ourselves be healed by Gods love, that we in turn might help to heal others and the wounded world in which we live.

If youre accessing this podcast on a mobile device and do not wish to download the SoundCloud app, simplyclick on the Listen in browser option. You can also find us onStitcher,Google Play, andiTunes.

Please join in the church's vital mission of communications by offering a gift in whatever amount that you can -- a single gift of $40, $50, $100, or more, or a monthly donation. Your gift will strengthen the fabric of our entire Catholic community.

Make your donation by check:CatholicPhilly.com222 N. 17th StreetPhiladelphia, PA 19103

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Letting the Lord heal our blindness - CatholicPhilly.com

Louisiana Techs Institute on Blindness has received grant approval for Structured Discovery Cane Travel (SDCT) and Structured Discovery rehabilitation training, a development that brings more depth and opportunity to the Institutes education programs that are specialized for teaching individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

Louisiana Tech University is the only university in Louisiana to offer graduate certifications and master programs in Teaching Blind Students (TBS), Orientation and Mobility (O&M), and Rehabilitation Teaching for the Blind Counseling and Guidance. These graduate certifications and master programs train individuals to become teachers who help give independence to the blind community. The innovative and effective SDCT and Structured Discovery rehabilitation training programs will offer more opportunities to improve mobility and daily living skills for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

Dr. Edward Bell, Director of the Professional Development and Research Institute on Blindness (PDRIB),expressed that he has seen great success from previous years and through the renewed grant he anticipates exponential growth.

Over the past five years, Louisiana Tech has benefited from this grant and has trained 35 individuals who have gone on to be employed across the country in professional careers, Bell said. With this new grant, we are excited to train as many as 40 new and eager students who are ready to change the world by bringing independence to blind kids and adults nationwide.

The PDRIB, housed in Techs College of Education, prepares highly qualified professionals to educate and rehabilitate individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The PDRIB also conducts thorough research that broadens perspectives, deepens the overall understanding of blindness, and seeks the best methods to increase independence for individuals who are blind or visually impaired.

However, there is a nationwide shortage of educators for the blind and visually impaired community.With a 90% illiteracy rate and a 75% unemployment rate nationwide within the blind community, there is a dire need to increase the number of educators trained in teaching students with visual impairments.Job opportunities have grown exponentially for teaching blind or visually impaired students; currently there are four times the number of teaching jobs available than there are the number of qualified educators and instructors to fill those positions.

Through their job assistance placement services and new program offerings, Bell and his team seek to do their part to fill this hiring need and empower educators to change lives within the visually impaired community.

All tuition and fees are covered for the Structured Discovery Cane Travel (SDCT) and Structured Discovery rehabilitation training programs. Scholarships are available on a competitive basis for those who pursue these programs. Students who receive scholarship funding must work in the field of rehabilitation for two years for each year of their scholarship support.

To become an educator for the blind and visually impaired community, contact Bell at ebell@latech.edu. For more details on how to make a difference in the national shortage of teachers for the blind and visually impaired, visit pdrib.com.

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Institute on Blindness gets grant extension for improved mobility and rehabilitation programs - News at Louisiana Tech

In his 1995 novel, Blindness, author Jose Saramago tells a story about a world in which nearly everyone is stricken with blindness.

The epidemic brings out the worst, and sometimes the best, of humanity. Panic overtakes reason. Self preservation replaces care for others. Order is eclipsed by chaos.

The pandemic weve come to know as COVID-19 is bringing out our best and our worst. Some folks have been fighting over toilet paper. Others are hoarding garages full of hand sanitizer. And a few are even vilifying sick people who unknowingly exposed others to the virus.

There are also stories of care and compassion: neighbors reaching out to neighbors. Employers caring for workers. Teachers serving their students.

Were all authors and characters in this non-fiction thriller, so we get to decide whether or not it will be a story of blindness.

In Saramagos book, one person keeps her sight in the midst of the epidemic: a woman who feigns blindness in order to accompany her husband into a makeshift, and horrific, quarantine. As the story unfolds, she uses her sight to lead a small band of blind followers through the apocalyptic scenes of a lawless city.

Imagine being a person who could see in an epidemic that steals sight. How would you use your vision? Would you aim to preserve your life or serve others? Is it possible to do both?

How you answer those questions will depend a lot on where you look for answers.

This virus, and other large-scale disasters, are physical problems that require physical solutions like hand sanitizer, social distancing and self quarantine.

But our world is more than just physical. Its both physical and spiritual. We are more than just living hosts for opportunistic viruses. Were living souls. And even though were naturally susceptible to self preservation, we also have a strong desire to help others, especially when life is at stake. Its a tension between physical and spiritual reality, and were not the first to feel it.

Martin Luther lived through a plague more brutal than the one in Blindness and more sinister than COVID-19. When the bubonic plague swept through Europe in the 16th century, Luther penned a letter he titled, Whether One May Flee From a Deadly Plague. His answer brings vivid clarity to how we see our physical and spiritual world. I shall ask God mercifully to protect us. Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine, and take it. I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated and thus perchance infect and pollute others, and so cause their death as a result of my negligence.

He trusted God and took medicine. He practiced social distancing before it was a term. But he also practiced incarnational proximity, by serving the sick when they needed him. He and his wife even welcomed patients into their home. Not everyone is called to that response, but acknowledging the tension will draw our eyes to the one who turns blindness into sight.

Jesus doesnt distance himself from our viruses or our fears. He takes them on. His incarnation brought Him into close proximity with the sick, the lame and the lepers. His teaching opens our eyes to the reality of trusting God and serving others. That seems more useful than fighting over toilet paper.

Were writing history here. Lets make sure it isnt a story of blindness.

Gregg Madsen is the Lead Pastor of Steadfast Gretna. Reach him at gmadsen@steadfastgretna.org.

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Don't let COVID-19 be a story of blindness - Omaha World-Herald

Priest and Martyr (1903-1940)

His life

+ Marian was born in Poznan, Poland. He entered the army at age 17, fighting in the Polish-Bolshevik War.

+ After leaving military service, he entered the seminary and was ordained a priest in 1928. After serving as associate pastor in Leszno, Poland, he became prefect of the seminary in Kozmin and Wolsztyn.

In 1933, Marian was assigned to serve the Polish community in Gdansk. The city, whose population were largely German, were sympathetic to the rise of the Nazis and the Polish minority was often subject to harassment and, at times, physical violence.

+ On September 1, 1939, the day the Nazis invaded Poland, Father Marian and other priests were arrested, beaten, and sent to various concentration camps.

+ Blessed Marian Grecki was shot to death in a field outside the Stutthof concentration camp on Good Friday, March 22, 1940. He was beatified with other martyrs in 1999.

Spiritual bonus

On this day we also honor Saint Lea of Rome. A wealthy widow, she supported a community of consecrated virgins under the direction of Saint Marcella, and she later served as the leader of the community. Following her dead in 384, Saint Jerome praised her for her dedication to prayer and her simple way of life.

Prayer

Almighty and merciful God, who brought your Martyr blessed Marian to overcome the torments of his passion, grant that we, who celebrate the day of his triumph, may remain invincible under your protection against the snares of the enemy. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

(from The Roman Missal: Common of Martyrs)

Saint profiles prepared by Brother Silas Henderson, S.D.S.

Excerpt from:
Saint of the Day: Blessed Marian Grecki - Sunday, March 22 - Aleteia EN

There has been a swift backlash against the "Hoarding Brothers," two brothers from Tennessee who bought nearly 18,000 bottles of hand sanitizer in an effort to profit off fears relating to the coronavirus.

After publicly whining that Amazon and Facebook Marketplace prevented them from selling their stock, the brothers Matt and Noah Colvin have been harshly shamed on social media, and the Tennessee attorney general accused them of "price gouging" during a national emergency before confiscating and redistributing their stash.

And yet, dramatic photos of empty shelves in grocery and retail stores, and signs shaming people for how much toilet paper they've bought, indicate that the Hoarding Brothers may only be an exaggerated version of general American behavior.

Hoarding is so commonplace that President Donald Trump has addressed the issue. "You don't need to buy so much," counseled the president. "Take it easy. Relax."

Such pleas reveal how in times of national emergency, few domestic actors have been the object of more scorn than hoarders and black-market traders, and this has been by government design.

During World War II, when rationing of essential supplies took effect, wartime propaganda inserted morality into the marketplace to ensure the effectiveness of the program. It worked. Hoarders took center stage as the dastardly villains.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt directed the Office of War Information to explain rationing to the public in a "positive, thought-provoking but nonthreatening manner." Indeed, the OWI's educational campaigns often appealed to citizenship and patriotism in its efforts to explain why hoarding or trading on the black market contributed to inflation, caused shortages and undermined the war effort.

But the OWI also used guilt and shaming techniques against the selfish hoarder and greedy black-market trader.

Films such as the Department of Agriculture's "It's Up to You," portrayed a shopper being browbeaten by her conscience after soliciting a "dishonest butcher" for a black-market steak. Some of these scenarios took place with images of Adolf Hitler, the ultimate beneficiary of ration violations, lurking in the background.

Hollywood studios followed suit. "Letter from Bataan," a "victory short" produced by Paramount Pictures, dramatized the results of hoarding through a letter from a soldier named Johnny to his family. The film begins with Johnny's neighbor bragging that the authorities "didn't catch me" when she managed to amass 28 pounds of canned goods and 200 pounds of sugar.

But the elderly woman slinks off in shame after Johnny describes the death of his buddy, who perished when Johnny's night blindness, a result of "a lack of fresh vegetables," prevented him from accurately shooting down Japanese planes.

In the feature "Since You Went Away," Agnes Moorehead played an acerbic socialite who hoarded sugar and wasted goods as she antagonized the film's resilient protagonist, the lovely Claudette Colbert.

Even Popeye the Sailor got in the action in an animated short titled "Ration fer the Duration." In a dream sequence reminiscent of Jack and the Beanstalk, Popeye fought the giant who not only held captive the golden goose but was also stockpiling sugar, rubber tires, silk stockings, cola, gasoline and empty toothpaste tubes.

Such propaganda did not always work. When the government announced new rations, consumers often invaded the stores and caused new shortages. Black market trading persisted.

Between 1941 and 1947, the OPA issued 259,966 citations, and the agency estimated that in 1943 alone consumers bought $1 billion worth of goods illegally.

But the social pressure remained and appeals to morality proved effective at unifying the country, keeping inflation in check and mitigating shortages during a national emergency.

Complying with rationing, resisting hoarding and avoiding the black market complemented many other activities undertaken by Americans during World War II, including planting victory gardens, participating in salvage campaigns and volunteering their services.

This volunteerism gave Americans pride in knowing that individual actions contributed to the public good, and show that even while the temptation to hoard persists during our current crisis, social and political pressure play an important role in keeping such impulses in check.

Emilie Raymond is an associate professor of history at Virginia Commonwealth University.

Original post:
Raymond: US has long history of dealing with the villainous hoarder - Lexington Dispatch

Editors note: Grace Lutheran Pastor Russ Glaser shared his home worship packet with us this week and we are sharing it with our readers who might want to worship at home. There are two attachments at the bottom for download or printing.

Dear Grace Friends,

In place of Sunday worship on the Grace Lutheran campus, I am offering three items to assist you in home worship this March 22, 2020, weekend.

They are:

Home Worship for Sunday, March 22, with message, see below.Gospel reading of John 9 in large print, pdf below.Wordsearch puzzle, pdf below.

The church building will be open 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Sunday if anyone wishes to stop by and spend any time in individual prayer.

As always, feel free to contact me or church leaders for any concerns or needs you have during this time. Again, we are doing our part with the community to address and slow down the effects of COVID-19.

In Christs love,

Pastor Russ GlaserGrace Lutheran E.L.C.A.210 Holliday St.Osage City, KS 66523

From Pastor Russ:

While acting to limit our exposure to the spread of the coronavirus, we may be separated in time and location. But we are united together in Jesus Christ.

Please use the provided devotional and message as your home substitute this coming Sunday. It is based on two of the readings assigned for the Fourth Sunday of Lent. If there are two or more at home, take turn reading or speaking parts. Have fun with it!

Sunday March 22, 2020For Home Worship

Breathing In

Declaration of Grace / Absolution

Once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light.Everything exposed by the light becomes light.You have brought your sin into the light of Christ.Your sins are forgiven.Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.

May our eyes be opened in new ways to Gods glory, Gods light and our place in Gods purposes as we worship this week.

Gospel Reading John 9:1-41: Jesus heals a man who was born blind, and, because this was done on the Sabbath, the religious leaders start an investigation, calling in the mans parents and ultimately throwing the man out of the synagogue. Then, Jesus teaches that he came to bring sight to the blind and to reveal the blindness of those who think they see.

Read from your Bible or download attachment John 9.

Message

Now I See

How quickly the world changes. In just the past week or so, schools and universities around the country are now closed. Many libraries, restaurants, cafes, and cultural centers are shutting their doors. Its hard to find hand sanitizer, bathroom tissue, or other staples at the local grocery.

I am learning to maintain a six foot distance from every human being I encounter. Welcome to life in the shadow of Covid-19. Like I said, how quickly the world changes.

How do we respond to change? How do we respond when something challenges the way we are used to seeing or doing things? Are we quick to adapt ourselves to the change or do we stubbornly stand our ground?

In Johns Gospel, Jesus heals a ruined man on the Sabbath, a man who has been blind since birth. When Jesus sees him, he kneels down, spits on the ground, makes a muddy paste with his saliva, rubs the paste on the mans eyes, and instructs him to go and wash in the pool of Siloam. When the man obeys, his sight is restored.

Though this is a miracle story, the Gospel writer doesnt spend too long on the healing itself. The focus of the lection is on the religious communitys response, both to the mans blindness, and to his restored sight. In other words, one of the most barren and desolate places we can occupy as Christians is a place of smugness. Of rightness. Of certainty. The more convinced we are that we have full insight, comprehension, and knowledge, the less we will see and experience the truth.

We saw that in many of our nations leaders who dismissed COVID-19 as a partisan hoax. Some stubbornly felt it was just another flu and would be gone in a week. In their righteous smugness (which is often anti-science or any other thing which could challenge their strongly held positions) our nation lost precious time in preparing for and meeting the demands this coronavirus strain will have on us and the world. It is what it is.

And in our story, even the disciples of Jesus held their own strongly held lenses in viewing the blind man. The disciples assume that his blindness is his own fault somehow. So they ask Jesus who has sinned and incurred Gods displeasure the man himself, or his parents. But Jesus rejects the entire premise of their question.

There is no relationship between the mans condition and his sinfulness, Jesus says. God does not make people sick in order to punish them for wrongdoing. To step away from our brother or sisters suffering because we assume its divinely ordained, is not righteous. Its reprehensible.

In the story John tells, Jesus sees the blind man a man whom no one else really sees. In the eyes of his peers, the man is contaminated, burdensome, and expendable. In his communitys calculus of human worth, the blind man barely registers hes not a human being; hes Blindness. The condition itself, with all of its accumulated meanings.

Which is why, when the mans sight is restored by Jesus, his own townspeople the people he has lived and worshipped with for years dont recognize him. They dont know how to see him without his disability. To do so would be to recognize a common humanity, a bond, a kinship. And that would be intolerable.

So, of course, when the man shows up at the Temple healed and whole, the community rallies to discredit him. To restore order, re-establish the social hierarchy, and reinforce the status quo.

But why? Why does the community feel such an urgent need to silence the healed man? I wonder if the core reason is fear. A fear so primal and so deep, it drives away all compassion, all empathy, all tenderness, all sense of kinship.

If the mans blindness isnt a punishment for sin, then what does that mean about how the world works? Anyone might get sick, or suffer from a disability, or face years of undeserved pain and suffering for no discernible reason whatsoever.

That wouldnt be fair would it? That would be a version of reality the good religious folks cant control. A terrifying, destabilizing version. Who among us can bear to surrender the illusion of control?

Not only does the communitys legalistic approach to faith prevent them from seeing the healed man; it also prevents them from seeing Gods love and power at work in their midst.

Notice that no one in the story rejoices when the man is healed. No one not even the mans parents expresses joy, or wonder, or gratitude, or awe. No one says, I am so happy for you! or asks, What is it like to see for the first time? Does the sunlight hurt your eyes? What are you excited to look at first?

Instead, the community responds with contempt, its need to preserve its own sense of righteousness more important than celebrating a fellow human beings restoration to life. Hard and cynical. Hard and suspicious. Hard and stingy.

This suggests to me that vulnerability, softness, curiosity, and openness are essential to real seeing. The Gospels tell us that Jesuss true identity eludes just about everyone until after his Resurrection. Even his disciples struggle to understand who and what their Teacher is.

Most of the people who encounter Jesus are too busy seeing what they want to see a magician, a heretic, a political and military leader, a carpenters son, a wise man, a phony, a clerical threat to notice what the blind man, free of all such filters, discerns by the end of the story. The blind man alone sees Jesus as the Son of Man and calls him, Lord.

We might say, then, that this is one of the rare and beautiful moments in the Gospels when Jesus himself is truly seen. The blind man sees Jesus as wholly and purely as Jesus sees him; the gaze and the recognition in this story are mutual. Because the healed man has no bias or preconceptions(remember he was blind from birth), because the spiritual ground he stands on is soft and supple, he is able to see God as God is. This allows the whispers of Gods Spirit to bring forth new life.

Whether we want to or not over the coming weeks, we will face a choice the choice to see or to turn away. Will we allow the ground we stand on to remain pliable, or will we harden our stance and refuse to grow and change?

During these hard days, who are the people we might render invisible with our cherished theologies, our dogmatic political views, our legalistic approaches to justice, fairness, generosity, and sympathy? Why are tests found for NBA athletes and not for the common person. Who might we deem expendable during this season of mass illness and fear? The homeless, the elderly? Whose joys will we be unwilling to celebrate, because were so busy hoarding our own?

Will we be flexible in the ways we extend love across distances, or will we hunker down in fear and suspicion? Will we dare to be the Church in new ways, even as we practice quarantines and social distancing or will we forget that we are one body, connected and interdependent, incomplete without each other? Will we have eyes to see God in our neighbors, regardless of whether they are sick or healthy, insured or uninsured, citizen or foreigner, protected or vulnerable? Will we be brave enough to look our own vulnerability our own mortality in the eye, and trust that God is with us even in the valley of the shadow of death? Or will we yield to cynicism, panic, and despair?

I am in awe of the trust the healed man has in Jesus by the end of this weeks Gospel story a trust deep enough to enable him to bear honest, radical witness to his experience, even at the risk of censure and excommunication from his religious community. In shedding his identity as the man blind from birth, the healed man becomes a disciple, a traveler, a pilgrim. He commits himself without looking back, straining forward instead of clinging to what others tell him is right and true. He is, in the truest sense, born again.

During this Lenten season, may we drop any sense of righteous smugness we might stand on. During this season, may we, too, confess our blindness and receive sight. May we also praise the one who kneels in the dirt and gets his hands dirty in order to heal us. May we also soften and prepare the ground we stand on, so that when new life appears in whatever surprising guise God chooses, we will embrace, cherish, celebrate, and share the good news, too!

Breathing OutGo ahead and sing the hymn. Youre at home after all!

Amazing GraceAmazing grace! how sweet the sound,That saved a wretch; like me!I once was lost, but now am found,Was blind, but now I see.Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,And grace my fears relieved;How precious did that grace appearThe hour I first believed!The Lord hath promised good to me,His word my hope secures;He will my shield and portion beAs long as life endures.When weve been there ten thousand years,Bright shining as the sun,Weve no less days to sing Gods praiseThan when we first begun.

A Prayer on Coronavirus

Jesus Christ, you traveled through towns and villages curing every disease and illness. At your command, the sick were made well. Come to our aid now, in the midst of the global spread of the coronavirus, that we may experience your healing love.

Heal those who are sick with the virus. May they regain their strength and health through quality medical care.

Heal us from our fear, which prevents nations from working together and neighbors from helping one another.

Heal us from our pride, which can make us claim invulnerability to a disease that knows no borders.

Jesus Christ, healer of all, stay by our side in this time of uncertainty and sorrow.

Be with those who have died from the virus. May they be at rest with you in your eternal peace.

Be with the families of those who are sick or have died. As they worry and grieve, defend them from illness and despair. May they know your peace.

Be with the doctors, nurses, researchers and all medical professionals who seek to heal and help those affected and who put themselves at risk in the process. May they know your protection and peace.

Be with the leaders of all nations. Give them the foresight to act with charity and true concern for the well-being of the people they are meant to serve. Give them the wisdom to invest in long-term solutions that will help prepare for or prevent future outbreaks. May they know your peace, as they work together to achieve it on earth.

Whether we are home or abroad, surrounded by many people suffering from this illness or only a few, Jesus Christ, stay with us as we endure and mourn, persist and prepare. In place of our anxiety, give us your peace.

Jesus Christ, heal us.Amen.

Source: Kerry Weber, Executive Editor of America: The Jesuit Review

Ephesians 5: 8-10

For you were oncedarkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light(for the fruitof the light consists in all goodness,righteousness and truth)and find out what pleases the Lord.

Sending

The kingdom of love is coming because:

somewhere someone is kind when others are unkind,somewhere someone shares with another in need,somewhere someone refuses to hate, while others hate,somewhere someone is patient and waits in love,somewhere someone returns good for evil,somewhere someone serves another, in love,somewhere someone is calm in a storm,somewhere someone is loving everybody.Is that someone you?

Go in peace. Serve the Lord. Thanks be to God!

Gospel reading of John 9 in large print, pdf download or print.

Wordsearch puzzle 3-22-20, pdf download or print.

Read the original post:
Feeling confined? Home worship with Grace Lutheran | Osage County Online - Osage County Online | Osage County News

By REP. DAVID EASTMAN

The mess in our Legislature in Juneau today is far greater than any one legislator will be able to fix, but that does not mean that every single legislator should not be working earnestly today to do their part to fix it. I am committed to doing my part, day in and day out, which sets me at odds with the status quo in Juneau.

When I first expressed concern about the coronavirus in January, I cautioned those in Juneau and other parts of the state to take this virus seriously. The response was sadly predictable. The responsefrom ADN and the political blogswas to mock the one legislator who was willing to call attention to it at the time.

When I wrotein Januaryabout the censorship of doctors in China, who were trying to warn their countrymen about the disease, there was still significant reluctance to talking about it in the state capitol building.

When I highlightedthe first discussionabout the virus in the U.S. Senate, and then passed on advice thatThe Time to Prepare is NOWon February 3rd, Juneau was still not ready to take this virus seriously.

I responded by simply reminding the critics that All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. (Arthur Schopenhauer)

It is a very familiar progression, as it is a path that I have walked down many times since first becoming a legislator. We walked down that path for three long years in the effort to repeal SB91.We were repeatedly told that it was impossible, that there was no stopping it, that we would simply have to let SB91 run its course, that those in Juneau who supported it were too powerful. Thankfully, there were some in Juneau (including then Sen. Mike Dunleavy) who were willing to persevere anyway, and SB91 is now repealed.

I have been walking a similar path with the Coronavirus for the last two months, and we have now reached the point where the crisis of the coronavirus is now accepted as being self-evident everywhere; everywhere except Juneau that is.

To Juneau, everything is political. The political angle is the focus. Everything else is blurry. This is what is meant when you hear someone say that those in Juneau are blind. Its not actual blindness, its simply an extreme case of tunnel-vision. This becomes painfully clear with something as tangible and as terrible as the coronavirus. It is coming. We know it is coming. It is coming to Juneau, just as it is coming to any community in Alaska that maintains passenger traffic with other parts of the state and nation.

And yet, the legislature has literally done nothing to prepare for the arrival of the virus in Juneau. If the coronavirus were to be identified in the capitol building this morning, unlike legislatures in other states, the Alaska Legislature has no contingency for how to conduct business without assembling all legislators together into a single room.

The White House has advised all Americans to avoid groups of more than ten people due to the extremely contagious nature of the coronavirus. The response in Juneau has largely been it wont happen to me, and so, other than shutting the capitol building to the public, we have largely continued with business as usual.

Each day, the House of Representatives assembles, as usual, putting more than 50 people in the same room, a number of whom are senior legislators in the 70s.

Yesterday,the entire Georgia legislaturewas urged to self-quarantine after a Georgia senator tested positive for the coronavirus. Do we think this wont happen here?

Over the last ten days, we have debated bills onelectric bicycles,notaries, andchanging the name of a road. This is Juneau. You arent dreaming; this is what its really like. While other nations are enduring conditions not seen since World War II, we have prioritized debating a new law for electric bicycles.

Im sure, simply for writing this, my colleagues in the legislature will be looking for new ways topunish and silence me, but if no one has the courage to call a spade a spade, legislators will continue to walk the streets of Juneau wearing little more thanthe invisible clothesthat exist only in their imagination.

The first item of business when the legislature gathers today should be passage of a bill that establishes legal authority for the legislature to conduct business without physically assembling more than 50 people in the same room. Thats it. That should be our first order of business. No exceptions.

Other states have passed similar bills. Why not Alaska?

It hasnt happened in Alaska yet because doing so would deprive some legislators of a helpful excuse to rush their favorite bills through the process unvetted.

Juneau is so hopelessly mired in politics today that, rather than spur the legislature to action, the threat of the virus is simply seen as a political tool to accomplish old political agendas. Last week, it was used as an excuse to push through an absolutely awful mental health budget (what fighting against the U.S. Supreme CourtsJanusdecision has to do with mental health is your guess as well as mine), and was used yesterday as an excuse to pass thelargest supplemental budget in state history, only a small fraction of which had anything to do with responding to the coronavirus.

Juneau needs help today. It needs concerned Alaskans to take note of the mind-boggling decisions that legislators are making. It needs concerned Alaskans willing to ask legislators the hard questions that few in Juneau seem willing to ask. And when legislators offer unsatisfactory answers, it needs individual Alaskans who wont take a non-answer for an answer and, when the time comes, will be willing to vote against maintaining the status quo in Juneau.

Perhaps most of all, Alaska needs a handful of good men and women who are willing to make the personal sacrifice to take a tour of duty and deploy to Juneau for six months or more each year to protect their neighbors from the damaging, long-term decisions the legislature will continue to make if they do not. Otherwise, the status quo will continue.

It didnt have to be this way. But it is. So lets deal with it and each do our part to fix this mess.

Rep. David Eastman represents District 10, Wasilla.

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Legislature's response to coronavirus is predictable, and irresponsible - Must Read Alaska

On Sunday, Feb. 23, 2020, over 250 people attended the 13th Annual Medical Ethics Society (MES) Conference presented by the YU Student Medical Ethics Society and the Center for the Jewish Future (CJF). Who Shall Live and Who Shall Die? examined Jewish perspectives on patient autonomy and decision-making in modern medicine.

The conference opened with remarks by the co-presidents of MES, Bailey Frohlich 20S and Tzvi Cantor 21YC, who welcomed the audience. Rabbi Yaakov Glasser 99YC, 01R, 05A, the David Mitzner Dean of CJF, addressed the audience and was followed by the conference chairman, Rabbi Dr. Edward Reichman 86YC, 90E, 97R, who introduced the honoree of the conference, Rabbi Dr. Moshe D. Tendler 48R, the Rabbi Isaac and Bella Tendler Professor of Jewish Medical Ethics, a professor of biology at YU and a rosh yeshiva at the Rabbi Isaac Elchanan Theological Seminary (RIETS). The conference, sponsored by the Community Synagogue of Monsey, was in honor of Rabbi Tendler, who spoke about risk and patient autonomy in Talmudic law.

The first panel featured Dr. Richard Grazi, director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at Maimonides Medical Center and Founder of GENESIS, and Rabbi Dr. Richard Weiss 83YC, 96R, adjunct instructor in biology at Stern College for Women and rabbi of the Young Israel of Hillcrest. Their panel was titled Patient Autonomy Versus Physician Autonomy In Assisted Reproductive Technology and addressed questions such as how an Orthodox physician can navigate his or her patients request to perform elective Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) for sex determination, or what to do when a single woman asks for donor insemination.

Dr. Grazi spoke about various case studies he has seen in his practice in which the patients wishes conflicted with his own religious beliefs. Both he and Dr. Weiss then evaluated each case and discussed the halachic [Jewish legal] issues that arise in similar situations as well as possible clinical approaches to resolving the ethical issues of autonomy faced by physicians. After the panel concluded, a comment by a member of the audience mirrored the feeling of many when he stated, The miracle of birth is a miracle of birth, no matter how it is achieved.

The second session, titled Physician Assisted Suicide (PAS): Ethics, Legality and Halakha, featured Dr. Susan Cohen, medical director of palliative care at Bellevue Hospital and associate professor of the Department of Medicine at NYU-Langone; Assemblyman Gary Schaer, deputy speaker in the New Jersey State Assembly and vice-chair of the Appropriations Committee; and Rabbi Daniel Z. Feldman 96YC, 98R, rosh yeshiva at RIETS.

Dr. Cohen discussed the medical ethics of PAS and the physician-patient interaction during end-of-life care. Assemblyman Schaer then presented the legal arguments that arose for and against the Aid in Dying for the Terminally Ill Act passed by the New Jersey State Legislature in August 2019. He spoke movingly about his personal experience with regards to his father and the issues and challenges he faced in his voting decision. Rounding out the discussion was Rabbi Feldman, who explored the halachic aspects of PAS, end-of-life situations and balancing compassion with Jewish law.

The third and final session discussed Navigating Cases of Diminished Capacity with Dementia and Alzheimers Patients and featured Dr. Hannah Lipman, director of Bioethics at Hackensack University Medical Center and associate professor at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University; and Rabbi Mordechai Willig 68YC, 71R, the Rabbi Dr. Sol Roth Professor of Talmud and Contemporary Halakhah, rosh yeshiva at the Yeshiva Program/Mazer School of Talmudic Studies, rosh kollel at RIETS, and spiritual leader of the Young Israel of Riverdale.

Dr. Lipman discussed the challenges involved in dealing with patients who have dementia, such as who makes medical decisions for the patient when the patient is no longer capable of making such decisions for himself or herself, whether the patients wishes in their current state of limited capacity conflict with their own past wishes, and how a physician can facilitate shared decision-making between elderly patients and various family members who have conflicting opinions. Following Dr. Lipmans presentation, Rabbi Willig discussed the halakhic questions that arise when dealing with patients and family members who have dementia and cannot entirely express their own opinions.

The yearly conference is considered highly relevant for members of the Jewish community, since many of the issues explored are compounded by halachic considerations that require the guidance of rabbinic authority.

As Rabbi Tendler introduced the theme of Jewish law and autonomy, I looked out at our captivated audience of over 250 students, physicians and community members and realized that our countless hours of hard work paid off, said Frohlich. Based on our attendance, robust Q&A sessions with the speakers and the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received, I felt that we successfully generated a positive and productive conversation about these increasingly sensitive and nuanced medical ethics issues, thus achieving the mission of the YU Medical Ethics Society. She added, By bringing in leading physicians, rabbis, ethicists, lawmakers and scientists who are experts in their respective fields, MES looks forward to presenting future informative and thought-provoking conferences in order to provide YU students and surrounding community members with a deeper insight into how to navigate complex medical ethics topics.

Read more:
Medical Ethics Society Conference Explores the Intersection of Patient Autonomy and Jewish Law - Yu News

1000s of individuals in the USA have examined optimistic for COVID-19, and the dying toll around the globe has surpassed 6,000. Italy is below lockdown and in New York Metropolis the federal government is demanding companies together with bars, eating places and film theaters be closed in an effort to stem the unfold of the virus. After draconian measures have been applied in China to halt the fast an infection charge of the virus, together with motion restrictions, massive scale surveillance and compelled isolation, it appears such measures are working, with new instances in China decliningBeneath laws from the Occupational Security and Well being Administration plus legal guidelines together with the People with Disabilities Act (ADA), HIPAA, and the Genetic Info Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), amongst others, employers should respect employees privateness and different rights. With coronavirus, that will preclude administering any form of well being testing or straight inquiring about an workers well being situation or medical prognosis, says Elizabeth M. Renieris, a lawyer and a fellow at Harvard Colleges Berkman Klein Center for Web and Society This isnt a time for employers to opportunistically accumulate further details about their staff or to introduce worker surveillance measures, says Renieris. Staff dont give up all of their privateness rights in a disaster.

Read more:
Uncharted territory: Legal experts weigh in on the COVID-19 outbreak - Harvard Law School News

Artificial intelligence (AI) has revolutionized business practices across many industries. With 39% of health care providers investing in AI-related technologies, its safe to say its about to transform the medical industry as well. AIs disruptive potential may increase profits in other sectors, but in health care, it can save lives.

While robots arent quite ready to replace doctors, they can help them accomplish their tasks with higher speed and precision. AI in the hospital is not just a thing of the future, either. All around the world, smart machines are already assisting medical staff in a variety of ways.

As this technology refines, machine learning will become an increasingly regular part of medicine. Here are seven ways AI will transform health care in the coming years.

1. Robot-Assisted Surgery

It may sound like something out of a sci-fi movie, but surgery robots are already in use. In 2017, more than 690,000 surgeries were assisted by robots in the U.S. alone. As these machines continue to demonstrate their worth, theyll appear in more operating rooms.

Robotic surgeons like the da Vinci Surgical System offer more precise and less invasive movements than human hands and traditional tools. With AI, they can improve upon surgical methods. AI-enabled surgery bots can notice reactions in a patient invisible to the human eye and make necessary adjustments.

2. Early Diagnoses

Intelligent programs can quickly analyze vast amounts of information. This unique talent makes AI ideal for making preliminary diagnoses in patients. Smart machines can take note of patients symptoms and interpret them to make an early diagnosis while doctors make their rounds.

The accuracy of these diagnoses will improve as AI develops, but even at its current state, they can be useful. Doctors can use them as a starting-off point. A list of likely diagnoses can be a helpful resource to doctors when trying to diagnose patients as quickly as possible. They might also make health care professionals consider options they otherwise wouldnt have thought of, increasing accuracy.

3. Administrative Assistance

Treating patients is not the only duty of health care professionals. Doctors and nurses have to take records of patient data, from symptoms to insurance information, so they can refer to them later or send them to other hospitals. This process can take time, and any issues along the way can create problems for patients and doctors alike.

IT usability is a critical part of health care, and AI can optimize it. Intelligent systems can find ways to streamline the information-sharing process, ensuring health workers get the data they need as soon as possible. AI can also handle administrative tasks like scheduling and logistics, allowing hospital staff to focus on more pressing concerns.

4. Health Screenings

Just as AI applications can diagnose patients, they can also make predictions about a persons fitness for a given situation. Predictive analytics is an AI function that analyzes historical data to make predictions about future outcomes. AI systems can use predictive analytics to perform more nuanced health screenings.

AI can tell doctors is a patient would be fit for surgery or not. Similarly, it can advise people if they arent a suitable candidate for physically exerting activities or tests. These analytics consider a wide range of data, including things a human might overlook, leading to more accurate predictions.

5. Remote Monitoring

AI can also optimize health care outside of the hospital. Wearable technology is already prevalent with products like Fitbit, and the medical industry can use this to its advantage. With wearable health-monitoring devices, doctors can monitor their patients remotely.

Remote monitoring devices can alert patients if they need to see a doctor. Should an emergency occur, they can also alert hospital staff so they can send an ambulance. These noninvasive technologies will allow patients with conditions such as heart disease to live without fear by providing them with almost instant assistance.

6. Robot Nurses

Intelligent robots can help fix the nursing labor shortage by filling in those vital roles. Nursing robots are already working in Japanese hospitals and may soon see use in the U.S. These machines can help patients move, reduce their stress and remind them to take their medicine.

With AI, these robot nurses can adapt to each patients needs and desires. By analyzing how different people respond to various stimuli and situations, they can customize care. Intelligent nurse robots treat patients in a manner ideal for their health and comfort needs.

7. AI-Enabled Genomics

Compared to humans, AI is better suited for data-heavy tasks. Since DNA sequencing is a form of data analysis, its an ideal area to employ AI.

Using artificial intelligence in genomics has already shown impressive results. In 2019, an AI system identified new genetic mutations that contributed to autism. The system could detect patterns in DNA humans would not be able to, as well as predict how changing each gene would affect a person.

AI Is Revolutionizing Medicine

Artificial intelligence is changing the way the health care industry operates. With continued research and improvement, AI systems could save countless lives.

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3D-printed medical valves are helping the COVID-19 outbreak in Italy - The American Genius

Oklahoma State Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine strives for innovation in both animal and human health, serving education, research and extension efforts.

Each year, the CVM welcomes bright, energetic students. There are 106 students in the veterinary class of 2023; 58 are Oklahoma residents. Forty-seven Oklahoma counties are represented by current classes.

The colleges faculty and staff work diligently to ensure all students are well prepared. Our graduates have achieved a National Board Examination pass rate of 100 percent for the last three years.

For the past five years, the CVM has consistently ranked higher than the national average in students seeking employment in food animal-mixed animal practice (OSU 22.8 percent, national 16.02 percent). The CVM recognizes the shortage of rural veterinarians and is working to address those needs.

As part of a land-grant institution, CVMs research is a strong focus. Research productivity is dramatically increasing. According to the 2019 Comparative Data Report from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges, the CVM ranks 13th of 30 among U.S. schools of veterinary medicine when research funding is normalized to faculty numbers.

Our signature research programs include respiratory and infectious disease, interdisciplinary toxicology, parasitology, zoonotic and tick transmitted diseases, lung biology, exercise physiology and microbiome science.

Extension is also a focus area for the CVM, specifically through outreach and education. Additionally, collaborations with other segments of extension enhance programming. This includes the Integrated Beef Cattle Program for Veterinarians, a project funded by a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant. This project aims to retain veterinarians and attract new graduates to rural practice. It expands business opportunities by improving veterinary training in areas impacting herd management, health and production. It is a cooperative multidisciplinary project, uniting the CVM and the animal science and agricultural economics departments of the Division of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.

The Veterinary Medical Hospital is a teaching facility that serves patients from across the region. The food animal service offers around-the-clock emergency care, treating thousands of animals annually. Surgery, medicine, reproduction and on-farm services are offered. The CVM caseload is in the top 10 of U.S. veterinary schools and growing.

The Oklahoma Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory operates within the CVM, promoting animal health through diagnostic testing, professional student instruction and research in diseases of economic importance. OADDL is a National Animal Health Laboratory Network Level 1 laboratory. This is the highest level of designation from the USDA. In 2018, OADDL served 75 Oklahoma counties and 40 states on more than 17,000 cases involving 89,000 tests.

Dr. Rosslyn Biggs is an assistant clinical professor at Oklahoma State Universitys College of Veterinary Medicine.

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VETERINARY VIEWPOINTS: Oklahoma State strives for innovation in health - Stillwater News Press

Animal Science Pre-Vet Club

Members of the Pre-Vet club alongside faculty advisor, Jeremy Powell.

In early March, 13 members of the Pre-Veterinary Club, along with two faculty advisors, Jeremy Powell and Lauren Thomas, traveled to Virginia Tech University to participate in the 2020 American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association Symposium.

Hosted by a different school each year, the annual symposium typically draws approximately 500 pre-veterinary students from all over the nation. During this year's two-day event, our students had the opportunity to attended lectures presented by veterinary professionals, participate in hands-on wet labs and meet and greet with veterinary admissions counselors from all over the nation, including international schools!As an added bonus, our students capitalized on the long drive to Virginia Tech by stopping in Knoxville, Tennessee. to tour the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine.

All students agree, that while the drive to and from Virginia was rather arduous, the value of the experience was well worth all the effort!

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Students Attend American Pre-Veterinary Medical Association Symposium - University of Arkansas Newswire

When it comes to veterinary medicine duringthe coronavirus pandemic, many Cape Ann and North Shore veterinarians are keeping the human half of their client pairs out of the office.

They are only speaking with their human clients out in their parking lots or by phone.

We are not letting any clients in the building except (for) life or death things, such as euthanasia, said Dr. Donna Heaney of North Shore Veterinary Hospital in Gloucester. Were doing things like taking histories of the pets outside.

New England Veterinary Clinic of Salem is also following the outdoor intake method.

People pull up, call the office, a nurse goes out to pick (the pet) up in the parking lot, said Dr. Julie Bergeron ofNew England Veterinary. The idea behind that is to keep people who may be carrying the virus from infecting my team and other clients as well. Vet clinics are considered essential services, so we're going to try to continue working as long as humanly possible.

Heaney says her clients have been understanding of this change, as they are trying to keep away from the virus as well. Bergeron hasnt had the same luck.

Nobody likes change, she said. There seems to be confusion as well, and with confusion some get angry. But if we continue with foot traffic in and out of the building, we could get sick and wed be unable to take care of their pets.

Despite these changes, North Shore Veterinary Hospital staff has been working a full caseload, although it might not last for long.

Its a work in progress, said Heaney. Were still trying to figure out what we can and cant do. Were still having routine check-ups but we might be cutting back on that soon to make room for the pets that need immediate attention. Were down a few employees as well. Next week will be slower.

New England Veterinary Clinic has already begun cutting down its services.

As with a lot of other clinics, we are not providing elective surgeries at this time, said Bergeron. Were trying to preserve the (personal protective equipment) for human hospitals.

Pets and the virus

The CDC states there have been no cases of animalscatching coronavirus so far. Still, this doesnt mean they aren't capable of transmitting the virus. Because of this, Bergeron said, if a pet owner is self-quarantining,he or she should consider any pets quarantined as well.

These times arent just stressful for humans pets have been feeling the effects of the pandemic panic as well.

Some are the dogs are getting stressed, said Heaney. Theyre feeding off their peoples stress. Weve been seeing dogs with stress diarrhea. I think (the best way to mitigate the stress is) trying to keep them in a routine. They are creatures of habit and they dont like when their routines are interrupted.

Not all veterinarian offices are staying open during the pandemic.

Were not seeing any routine cases, said Dr. Larry Lamb of Manchester Animal Hospital. Were trying to figure out how its possible how to work with staff and keep a 10-foot distance. I feel its so important to maintain the safety of our coworkers and their families.

Lamb says hes willing to talk to clients over the phone if they have any questions. If it's urgent care theyre seeking, he says hell be able to connect them with vets still working nearby.

Ill be able to help them out on the phone as best I can, he said. I know Angell Animal Hospitalin Boston will still be seeing urgent care.

Indeed, MSPCA-Angell is stillproviding immediate medical attention to pets atits Boston and Waltham locations. LikeNorth Shore Veterinary Hospital andNew England Veterinary Clinic, however, humans are not allowed inside.

"Signage outside our front entrance provides specific phone numbers for clients to call from their mobile phones upon arrival," reads instructions on the MSPCA website. "As clients remain outside the building, our team then guides clients on next steps for an emergency, a necessary re-check, or medication/food pickup."

Back in Gloucester, Cape Ann Animal Aid of Gloucester has closed its doors for the time being as well.

Due to concerns about coronavirus and recommendations on social distancing, we are not currently open to the public, states the clinics answering machine message. We are busy caring for the animals and working on a process for adoption via appointment Please keep updated on happenings here by checking our website, capeannanimalaid.org, or viewing our Facebook page.

Representatives with SeaPort Veterinary Hospital in Rockport and All Creatures Veterinary Hospital in Salem declined to comment for this story. Dr. Jeff French of Cape Ann Veterinary Hospital in Gloucesterwas unable to be reached at presstime.

Michael Cronin may be contacted at 978-675-2708, or mcronin@gloucestertimes.com.

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Parking lot procedures: Veterinarians on Cape Ann, North Shore adjust to coronavirus - Gloucester Daily Times

Trupanion, the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association and The Bridge Club have scheduled separate webinars designed to help veterinary professionals navigate the COVID-19 crisis.

Guidance for Nonprofit, Government and In Practice Veterinary Personnel, hosted by Trupanion, will take place at 2 p.m. EDT Wednesday, March 25. Registration is available at https://bit.ly/2UnNSLu.

The first 3,000 veterinary professionals who preregister will be eligible for RACE credits if they view the presentation on the Zoom conferencing platform. The event also will be streamed on Facebook Live at https://bit.ly/2wtqR1L.

Moderated by Trupanion chief veterinary officer Steve Weinrauch, BVMS, MRCVS, the webinar will feature three speakers:

By joining forces with these worldwide authorities in pet health and welfare, our goal is to provide the most current and useful information to the veterinary and sheltering community, Dr. Weinrauch said.

At 1 p.m. EDT Tuesday, March 24, the Veterinary Hospital Managers Association will present Coronavirus: Employment Law Updates Managers Need to Know. Topics presented by attorney Timothy A. Davis will include new federal legislation regarding paid leave and unemployment benefits, compliance with applicable laws and how to reduce the risk of workplace exposures.

Registration is available at https://bit.ly/3dlTEG9.

At 8 p.m. EDT Wednesday, March 25, The Bridge Club, a networking group, will host COVID-19 Updates from the AVMA : What the Profession Needs to Know Now. The guest speaker will be Gail Golab, DVM, Ph.D., MANZCVS, DACAW, chief veterinary officer at the American Veterinary Medical Association.

Registration is available at https://bit.ly/3dnMuRC.

Did you know a subscription to Todays Veterinary Business is free to qualified veterinary professionals? All you have to do is sign up here (and renew each year). You also can sign up to receive the Todays Veterinary Business weekly e-newsletter.

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Webinar week: COVID-19 and veterinary practice - Today's Veterinary Business Magazine

One of the joys of owning a pet is being able to observe their curious nature. However, when they stick their noses where they dont belong, a dangerous situation can arise, especially in a state like Texas, which is home to more than 75 different species of snakes.

Dr. Dalton Hindmarsh, a veterinary resident at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, advises pet owners on what to do if their furry friend falls victim to a snake bite.

First, you should keep your pet calm and seek veterinary care, he said. Contrary to what you may read on the internet, I would not recommend giving any medications at home, including things like Benadryl, without first consulting your veterinarian. I would also not recommend a tourniquet or trying to suck the venom out.

Hindmarsh also said that prophylactic antibiotics are typically not prescribed, since the risk of infection from a snake bite is less than 1 percent. Steroid medications or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID) pain medications are also not usually involved in treatment of a snake bite, as they have a high risk of side effects and no documented treatment benefit.

Hindmarsh adds that snake bites are very common in dogs and less frequently seen in cats. Its also important to remember that if a snake is able to harm your pet, they are likely a danger to you as well, so Hindmarsh recommends that owners exercise caution after the bite.

If the snake is already dead, you can take a picture of it to show veterinary staff, he said. Please do not bring the snake with you! If the snake is alive, do not put yourself in danger and leave the area with your pet.

Once a bitten pet has reached a veterinary care facility, there are a variety of treatment options available.

The recommended treatment ultimately depends on the severity of the bite, but most cases are treated with IV fluids to address shock, pain medications, and monitoring, Hindmarsh said. Antivenom is readily available but is not always indicated for every snake bite.

Owners should be mindful about preventing their pets from interacting with snakes, especially when in regions where these slithering creatures are more common. In the areas near Texas A&M, copperheads are the most common venomous snake.

Owners may consider avoidance training (teaching dogs to leave snakes alone) for outdoor and working dogs, Hindmarsh said. Keeping pets on a leash may also reduce the chance they encounter a snake.

If pet owners have concerns about their animal encountering snakes, they should contact their veterinarian to discuss how they can best protect their pet. Owners who suspect that their pet has been bitten should contact their veterinarian immediately.

If you end up seeing a snake the next time you and your pet are enjoying the outdoors, Hindmarsh advises that you leave the snake alone, back away, and leave the area.

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Pet talk: The biting truth of Snake Envenomation - Marshall News Messenger