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If the impeachment inquiry against President Trump moves to a trial in the Senate, Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) told reporters this week, his role there must take precedence over his presidential campaign. "We are doing something that is with the gravity of removing the sitting president from office," Booker said. "I will be there. I will be focused. And I will do my work."

Insofar as any member of Congress deserves plaudits for promising to prioritize duly representing his constituents over seeking greater personal power, that's dandy. But Booker's framing of his work as remedying a crisis of presidential misconduct evinces a too-common misconstruction and one which helped us into this mess in the first place. It makes the legislature's restraint on executive power entirely ex post facto, letting lawmakers skip the more necessary work of trimming the imperial presidency back to its basic administrative roots.

Impeachment is necessary and sometimes unavoidable, but it is not prophylactic. Partisanship keeps it from functioning as a reliable protection against future wrongdoing, because even the worst presidents can expect near-lockstep support from their own party in Congress, and almost every president in the last half century has had at least a few years of a friendly majority in one house or both.

Divided government likewise offers no guarantee of accountability, as House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi's foot-dragging on this very impeachment inquiry has revealed. Political considerations, chiefly alienating independent and swing voters, will often outweigh ethical concerns. "High crimes and misdemeanors" are significantly in the eye of the beholder, and the beholder is looking at the next election cycle.

That reality makes impeaching the president rather like a trip to the emergency room. Yes, it might save your life. It's also mostly unconnected to the day-to-day of responsible, healthy living except if it's your own fault that you're in the emergency room, in which case the visit should prompt some changes to whatever part of your lifestyle is the culprit.

The congressional Democrats spearheading this impeachment have no apparent intention of making such a change. They'll bandage a broken skull and send the patient right back to biking without a helmet. They'll try to oust this president and leave the very same tools of corruption and abuse for the next one. They'll let him claim, in deed if not in word, that he has the "right to do whatever he wants as president," armed with pen and phone.

This state of affairs can only be acceptable to the selfish or naive. It appeals to politicians and partisans because the power they persistently leave unchecked will sometimes fall to them. Why melt the crown if it may yet rest upon your head? And it appeals to those who retain a civics class credulity about American politics, clutching against all evidence to the belief that we may yet develop markedly better and broader electoral tastes. Unless Mr. Rogers rises from the grave with a hankering for the campaign trail, I wouldn't count on it.

The safer and more certain option is massive structural reform. Congress must put meaningful restrictions on the power of the presidency. The executive branch has for decades crept beyond its proper administrative function to usurp congressional authority, dictating the priorities of state well beyond the vague leeway of executive discretion.

Incidentally, it is this very pseudo-lawmaking which made Trump's alleged quid pro quo possible. Reform could indicate to foreign leaders that the president is an administrator with no power to refrain from disbursing funds Congress told him to disburse. It could place stricter limits on national emergency declarations, ensuring the president cannot unilaterally move money around in direct contravention of Congress. It could significantly curtail presidential immunity, making the president subject to indictment. Perhaps most importantly, it could limit the scope of executive orders, the favored method for presidents of both parties to exercise unconstitutional policy-setting authority.

This is a difficult and unlikely ask in that it requires sacrificing short-term partisan advantage for a long-term shot at more functional and congenial governance. I get the implausibility here.

Still I recommend it, and will continue to recommend it forever, because impeachment is confusing, uncertain, retroactive, narrowly targeted, and politically fraught. It may censure or remove a bad president, but it does so only in connection to a small selection of provable misdeeds and via a process that will always be subject to accusations of injustice. The best impeachment remains a contributor to political rancor and fails to stop further executive overreach. It's an ounce of cure when we need a pound of prevention.

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Impeachment is the ER. We need to practice preventative medicine. - The Week

You may have seen DO at the end of a physicians name but not known the meaning behind this degree. It stands for doctor of osteopathic medicine, and these doctors are trained in modern medicine as well as holistic medicine based on the philosophy that the body is an integrated whole. They receive special instruction in the musculoskeletal system and osteopathic manipulative therapy (OMT), a hands-on approach to diagnosing and treating patients. Bayhealth Primary Care PhysicianVincent Lobo, DO, DACFP, who has been performing OMT in his practice for over 40 years, discusses its uses and benefits.

The premise behind osteopathic or holistic medicine is that the mind, spirit, and structure and function of the body are interdependent. Essentially, if your body is structurally healthy, it heals itself. Pain or other problemsoccur when there are somatic dysfunctions of different levels of the spine, said Dr. Lobo. Somatic dysfunction is defined as a restriction in the bodys framework. This may originate in the skeletal system or fascia, the bodys connective tissue, and may alter the circulatory, lymphatic or nervous system.

If theres a lesion in the back or the spine is out of alignment, for example, the nerves that connect from that area to the internal organs send abnormal nerve impulses that will, in turn, affect those organs, he said. The opposite can also occur when a disorder of an internal organ manifests as a spine problem, such as an inflamed gall bladder causing back pain.

Osteopathic physicians aim to restore the normal mechanics in the body. In an osteopathic structural exam, I typically examine for posture, spinal motion, joint restriction, tissue spasms, spinal curvature, leg lengths, and conditions of the feet, said Dr. Lobo. With OMT, gentle pressure is applied or manual manipulations are done on the muscles, joints or nerves that are the source of the dysfunction. This can improve posture, relieve pressure and reduce pain.

Dr. Lobo said that some of the more common ailments for which he performs OMT are chest wall pain, tension headaches, thoracic pain, sinus problems, neck and low back pain, temporomandibular joint dysfunction (TMJ), and some abdominal pain. There are a variety of OMT techniques, and these are dependent upon the specific problem and a patients age. Two types are muscle energy techniques, involving muscle stretching and contractions, and myofascial release which is like a soft tissue massage.

A critical element of osteopathic medicine is preventative medicine and education, said Dr. Lobo. This includes encouraging patients to maintain healthy diet and physical activity, and teaching them what they can do on their own to help with their medical issues, such as using correct form when lifting, wearing orthotics in shoes, or doing certain exercises.

All DOs have the knowledge, but not all DOs perform OMT, Dr. Lobo said. Its another modality of treatment but like anything else, including physical therapy or acupuncture, nothing is 100%. I think its good for people to know that Bayhealth has this resource through some of its doctors.

To learn more about osteopathic physicians and those who use OMT in their practice, visitBayhealth.org/Find-A-Doctoror call 1-866-BAY-DOCS (229-3627).

Excerpt from:
What is Osteopathic Medicine and OMT? - CapeGazette.com

The local grocery store sells capsules. Sephora carries lotions. And that effortlessly put-together mom at drop-off swears by a $78 oil to help her sleep. Yup, were talking about CBD, which many (including your yoga teacher) tout as the ultimate salve for anxiety, pain and insomnia, among other woes. But put-together momand yoga instructor aside,what about our children (who are bouncing off the walls as we speak)? Is CBD oil for kids safe? Or even a good idea?

Hang tight there, mama. Before you start dropping cannabinoid oil under your childs tongue or packing gummies in her lunchbox, you need to get the scoop on whether or not its safe and effective. Read on for a deep dive into how CBD works and the risks and benefits associated with giving it to children. (Spoiler: CBD oil is not recommended for kids, but theres also still a lot of research to be done in order to prove the efficacy either way.)

CBD, short for cannabidiol, is an organic compound found in both the hemp plant and its under-the-counter cousin, marijuana. In fact, CBD is the second-most active component in marijuana, but unlike THC (aka tetrahydrocannabinol), it has no psychoactive properties. So dont worry; its not a gateway drugits not even going to get you (or your kid) high. That said, pure CBD has been touted as a therapeutic treatment for an astonishing array of ailments: insomnia, anxiety, schizophrenia, epilepsy, menstrual cramps, arthritis, multiple sclerosis, inflammation and chronic pain, to name a few.

Curious about its potential as an organic cure-all? Take note: Not all modes of delivery are created equal. In order of speed and efficiency, CBD can be smoked (or more commonly, vaped), absorbed as a tincture, ingested orally or applied topically.

In fact, Consumer Reports published a helpful guide to these methods of CBD use, as summarized here:

So yeah, CBD can be found pretty much everywhere and in every form, from bath bombs to seltzers to face masks to mascaras (yep). But ubiquity doesnt mean safety. For starters

We went to WebMD(best friend to moms and hypochondriacs the world over) to learn a little bit about CBDs current legal status. And suffice it to say, its complicated. See, as of 2018, hemp and hemp-derived products became legal in all 50 states. But there are some exceptions when it comes to CBD. For example, [CBD] can't be legally included in foods or dietary supplements. Also, cannabidiol can't be included in products marketed with therapeutic claims... And these restrictions apply to all CBD products, including those derived from hemp, even though the hemp plant itself contains only trace amounts of THC. And just to add to the confusion (though it is news to nobody): there are still products labeled as dietary supplements on the market that contain cannabidiol...

TLDR: Businesses arent being busted for selling CBD, and parents who buy it arent being charged with misdemeanors. Still, the restrictions are in place for a reason, so that's something to consider before you administer it to yourself or, of course, your children.

Anecdotal evidence of CBDs healing capacity abounds: Internet blogs say you should have it in your parenting toolbox, your real-life social circle buzzes about its efficacy and even PureWow writers kind of dig it, too.

Same goes for the medical and scientific communities, where practitioners and researchers alike are excited about its potential, and for good reasonthe early evidence is promising and the findings suggest more than just a fad.

For example, a 2019 study in The Permanente Journal, "Cannabidiol in Anxiety and Sleep: A Large Case Series," published just this year concluded that cannabidiol may hold benefit for anxiety-related disorders. While the results of this study showed no evidence of a [limiting] safety issue, researchers echoed the resounding sentiment of the medical community: all results must be interpreted very cautiously. Randomized and controlled trials are needed to provide definitive clinical guidance.

In a 2018 study in the publication Neuropsychopharmacology, which focused on impulse control and addictive behaviors, researchers found in rat subjects (so take this study with a grain of salt) proof of principle supporting potential of CBD for relapse prevention.

Theres also a ton more research out there on CBDs potential as a therapeutic treatment, and it looks pretty goodbut the science still remains too scarce and too young to validate the many glowing claims made about its use. Fortunately, the explosion of consumer interest in the compound has encouraged Congress to support further research and many more studies are currently under way. For now, though, few doctors are willing to give you (or your kiddo) the go-ahead.

TLDR: Theres still a lot more research to be done for a definitive answer.

If youre intrigued by the anecdotal evidence and wondering what the harm is in trying this trendy stuff out on your sleep-deprived or anxious child, we dont blame you. And theres at least one case study that suggests the therapeutic benefit of CBD in children; this one from 2016, which details a 10-year-old girl who suffered from PTSD-related anxiety and insomnia and found her symptoms improved by CBD treatment. Whats more, theres a pretty strong consensus among reputable sources that pure CBD does not pose serious, acute health risks. The World Health Organizations critical review concludes that CBD is generally well tolerated with a good safety profile. But dont go rushing to the health food store yet. The WHO report is helpful in furthering research efforts, but you should probably leave the clinical trials to the scientists, most doctors agree.

We checked in with clinical psychologist Dr. Bethany Cook (author of For What It's Worth: A Perspective on How to Thrive and Survive Parenting Ages 0-2) as to what she thought about the use of CBD for pediatric patients with anxiety. Bottom line: She encourages parents to consult a pediatrician before exploring alternative therapies like CBD, acknowledging that CBD could be a useful part of a pediatric anxiety treatment plan because of its ability to produce decreased physiological responses but agrees that much research still needs to be done to understand all the potential pros and cons.

We confirmed this with Dr. Dyan Hes (medical director and founder of Gramercy Pediatrics), who agrees that its best not to start experimenting with relatively unknown remedies. Dr. Hes reminds parents that, aside from the one FDA approved THC based drug, Epidiolex, for use in specific types of seizures in children over age2 yearsno other CBD oils on the market have been tested in a rigorous scientific manner in children. Plus, because the promising early evidence is too new to provide insight on long-term effects, we do not know how CBD would interact with other medications or affect the growing brain.

She also notes that because CBD is technically classified as a supplement, the regulations are pretty loosey-goosey and products may be unreliable. In fact, there is not one quality control agency verifying the labeling and concentration of CBD in the oil, [and] CBD itself has varying strengths depending on the source and manufacturing process. In other words, pure CBD used at a known dose could very well be the best thing since sliced bread, but the point is moot because thats not what youre buying at the bodega. For this reason, Dr. Hes says, pediatricians have concluded that at this point it is not safe to give a child any CBD product. This goes across the board whether to be used topically on the skin or ingested.

TLDR: Would Dr. Hes recommend CBD for children? For now, the answer is no, she tells us.

Dr. Cook says that teaching cognitive coping skillsis a powerful way to restructure neural pathways to treat and prevent anxiety. In short, there are tons of ways to help your child stay calm without going the CBD route. Here are a few tried-and-true methods, recommended by moms and health professionals alike.

1. Limit screen time

TV is fast-paced these days (take a stroll down memory lane and watch Mr. Rogers for comparison) and has been linked to aggression, attention and sleep issues in children. Its not just televisioneven just one hour of general screen time per day has been linked to lowered curiosity, self-control, emotional stability and a greater inability to complete tasks, according to a San Diego State University study published in 2018 in the journalPreventative Medicine Reports. Add to that a National Institutes of Health estimate that todays youth spend an average of five to seven hours staring at a screen each dayand Houston, weve got a problem.

Butlets be real, technology isnt going anywhere, and kids are drawn to it like moths to a flame, so you might want to take advantage of that. Which brings us to...

2. Download a meditation app

There are dozenssome better than othersthat can cater to your childs specific needs whether its helping your little one fall asleep with a soothing sleep story or providing centering visual cues or calming breathing exercises. Smiling Mind offers a super zen full body scan to help kids become more aware of how their bodies react when theyre under duress. Headspace and StopBreatheThink also have guided meditations specifically designed for kids.

3. Invest in noise-cancelling headphones

Maybe you live in a small space and have a light sleeper, or perhaps your child struggles with sensory overload. Good noise-cancelling headphones or earmuffs can help her find quiet and calm no matter the situationand theyre doctor-recommended. A study published in theHong Kong Journal of Occupational Therapyfound that children with autism spectrum disorder who often experience anxiety benefitted greatly from having those unpleasant sounds and stimuli blocked. Find a pair with a cool print or pattern on them in your kids favorite color and youre golden.

4. Tuck under a weighted blanket

Real clinical studies into weighted blankets and how effective they actually are dont exist (yet). But experts seem to be sold on at least giving them a chance when it comes to anxiety and sleeplessness. The idea here is that the blankets act in the same way that tightly swaddling a newborn creates a feeling of snug security that encourages calmness and sleep, aHarvard Medical School paperpraising the pricey blankets explained. The university recommends trying one thats about 10 percent of your childs overall body weight, meaning a 60-pound kid should use a blanket no heavier than six pounds.

5. Be a team

While many of these products can work wonders, dealing with your issues piecemeal might not be as effective as thinking holistically. You are in this battle with your child. So join the team. Meditate with them and get comfy under the weighted blanket. Learn alongside your child whats working and whats not and developa lifestyle that works for you both. A great resourceon actively dealing with your kids anxiety in real time is thislist from The Child Mind Institute. It recommends techniques like modeling healthy anxiety management in yourself, expressing positive but realistic expectations and tackling scary things together.

Yeah, we cant condone giving your kiddo a whole bunch of CBD gummies. But there are plenty of resources for helping your little guy stay calm under pressure. (And if youre still concerned that his anxiety isnt improving, definitely consult your pediatrician.)

RELATED: Is CBD Oil Just One Big Marketing Gimmick? (Dont @ Me)

Originally posted here:
CBD Oil for Kids: Is It Safe and Does It Work? - Yahoo Lifestyle

The go.TOP was named the Best New Radiological Devise in 2017 by Aunt Minnie for a good reason; this scanner has more artificial intelligence on board than any other CT on the market today.

PRINCETON, N.J. (PRWEB) November 07, 2019

Princeton Longevity Center, the premier preventive medicine center in the Northeast and leading international health advisory company, is pleased to announce their installation of the new SOMATOM go.TOP computed tomography (CT) system. Princeton Longevity is the first healthcare facility in the Northeast to acquire this advanced imaging technology, continuing their long tradition of providing the highest levels of expertise and care to their patients.

Exceptional TechnologyThe go.TOP was named the Best New Radiological Devise in 2017 by Aunt Minnie for a good reason; this scanner has more artificial intelligence on board than any other CT on the market today. The go.TOP includes many second reader capabilities such as lung CAD, anatomy coverage, and contrast enhancement features and has the ability to lay out anatomy in multiple planes for an easier, more accurate diagnosis. Additional features include a 0.33-second rotation time, Stellar detector technology, and the ability to deliver personalized, precise radiation doses. These features, along with the systems advanced mobile, tablet-based workflow, give Princeton Longevity technologists the ability to optimally adapt to each patient and offer a full spectrum of clinical care.

Exceptional Patient CareThe SOMATOM go.TOP CT is a 128-slice scanner with a patient-centered mobile workflow; with the go.TOP, technologists spend 50% more time in direct contact with patients. Patients can be scanned in seconds with minimized doses of radiation. Safer, faster scans serve more patients and the innovative design of the go.TOP offers the ability to scan a wider array of patients; factors such as patient size, claustrophobia, or the presence of implants or pacemakers are no longer limitations to care. Flexibility and mobility options give technologists at Princeton Longevity the freedom to provide greater comfort to patients.

Princeton Longevity Center is a premiere preventative medicine center and executive health center with locations throughout the Northeast.

If you would like more information about this topic, please call Andrea Lanza or to locate a center at our website.

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Princeton Longevity Center Announces First Northeast US Installation of Siemens' State-of-the-Art SOMATOM go.Top CT Scanner - PR Web

Will we one day combine tardigrade DNA with our cells to go to Mars?

Chris Mason, a geneticist and associate professor of physiology and biophysics at Weill Cornell University in New York, has investigated the genetic effects of spaceflight and how humans might overcome these challenges to expand our species farther into the solar system. One of the (strangest) ways that we might protect future astronauts on missions to places like Mars, Mason said, might involve the DNA of tardigrades, tiny micro-animals that can survive the most extreme conditions, even the vacuum of space!

Mason led one of the 10 teams of researchers NASA chose to study twin astronauts Mark and Scott Kelly. After launching in 2015, Scott Kelly spent almost a year aboard the International Space Station while his twin brother, Mark Kelly, stayed back on Earth.

Related:By the Numbers: Astronaut Scott Kelly's Year-in-Space Mission

Geneticist Chris Mason discusses the genetic effects of spaceflight at the 8th Human Genetics in NYC Conference on Oct. 29, 2019.

(Image credit: Chelsea Gohd/Space.com)

By comparing how they biologically reacted to their vastly different environments during that time, scientists aimed to learn more about how long-duration missions affects the human body. Mason and the dozens of other researchers who worked to assess the genetic effects of spaceflight uncovered a wealth of data that has so far revealed many new findings about how space affects the human body.

Researchers hope that this work, which continues today, might inform strategies to support astronaut health on future missions. Mason discussed some of the results of this research at a talk at the 8th Human Genetics in NYC Conference on Oct. 29.

In addition to the research Mason discussed at the conference, these researchers are working on seven more papers incorporating the data from the twins study. However, they also hope to use new data from a larger sample.

"We want to do some of the same studies, longitudinal studies, with people on Earth, people in space," Mason told Space.com at the conference.

By studying, specifically, how certain genes are expressed during the different stages of spaceflight (including the intense return to Earth), these research efforts could support future efforts to mitigate the dangers of spaceflight, Mason said.

For instance, if further studies were to confirm that landing back on Earth were harmful to the human body, scientists could develop ways to prevent those detrimental effects. But with such a small body of data (the twins study was just two people), scientists aren't ready to prescribe any specific treatment or preventative medicine to alter how humans genetically react to spaceflight.

"I think we do what is normally done in science We see something interesting; let's try it in mice first," Mason said.

He noted that they might not even find it necessary to prescribe anything to alter the effects they've seen in astronauts like Scott Kelly. "Some of those changes, even though they're dramatic, maybe that's how the body needed to respond," Mason said.

Related: Space Radiation Threat to Astronauts Explained (Infographic)

While, Mason noted, future astronauts might be prescribed medicine or other tools to help to mitigate the effects which they've uncovered with this research. However, new studies are investigating how tools such as gene editing could make humans more capable of traveling farther into space and even to planets such as Mars.

One of the main health concerns with space travel is radiation exposure. If, for example, scientists could figure out a way to make human cells more resilient to the effects of radiation, astronauts could remain healthier for longer durations in space. Theoretically, this type of technology could also be used to combat the effects of radiation on healthy cells during cancer treatments on Earth, Mason noted.

However, the idea of tinkering with human genes is controversial. But Mason emphasized that there will likely be decades of research completed before this kind of science is applied to humans.

"I don't have any plans of having engineered astronauts in the next one to two decades," Mason said. "If we have another 20 years of pure discovery and mapping and functional validation of what we think we know, maybe by 20 years from now, I'm hoping we could be at the stage where we would be able to say we can make a human that could be better surviving on Mars."

But what does it mean to genetically engineer a person to better survive in space or on another planet? There are multiple possible approaches.

One way that scientists could alter future astronauts is through epigenetic engineering, which essentially means that they would "turn on or off" the expression of specific genes, Mason explained

Alternatively, and even more strangely, these researchers are exploring how to combine the DNA of other species, namely tardigrades, with human cells to make them more resistant to the harmful effects of spaceflight, like radiation.

This wild concept was explored in a 2016 paper, and Mason and his team aim to build upon that research to see if, by using the DNA of ultra-resilient tardigrades, they could protect astronauts from the harmful effects of spaceflight.

Genetically editing humans for space travel would likely be a part of natural changes to the human physiology that could occur after living on Mars for a number of years, Mason said. "It's not if we evolve; it's when we evolve," he added.

While changes to the human body are to be expected as our species expands off-Earth, there is a way to do this science responsibly, Mason said. "In terms of a question of liberty, you're engineering it [a future human] to have lots more opportunities, again assuming we haven't taken away opportunities," he said. "If we learned that, in some way, when we decided to try and prove the ability of humans to live beyond Earth, and we take away their ability to live on Earth, I think that would be unjust."

Genetically engineering humans could be ethical if it makes people more capable of inhabiting Mars safely without interfering with their ability to live on Earth, Mason said.

Follow Chelsea Gohd on Twitter @chelsea_gohd. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom and on Facebook.

Need more space? Subscribe to our sister title "All About Space" Magazine for the latest amazing news from the final frontier!

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Can We Genetically Engineer Humans to Survive Missions to Mars? - Space.com

The number of women attending regular smear tests steadily declines after the age of 45, according to a new study, despite half of cervical cancer diagnoses occurring in women over 49.

Cervical cancer is one of the most preventable types of cancer butthe findings from the University of Michigan cancer centre highlight the need for women to continue attending appointments post-menopause for early detection to be possible.

The new study, which appeared in the journal Preventative Medicine and analysed data from around 80,000 participants in the USA, found screening rates drop in certain subpopulations of women, particularly those between the ages of 49 and 65.

Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

Women in rural communities and those with lower levels of education were also less likely to regularly attend their screening.

In the UK,the NHS says all people with a cervix between the ages of 25 and 64 should go for regular cervical screening they will get a letter in the post inviting them to do so.

Unless your doctor requires you to be tested more regularly, you will have a smear test every three years between the ages of 25-49 then every five years between 50-64. After the age of 65 you will only be invited if one of your last tests presentsabnormal results.

Cervical screening checks for abnormal cell changes in the cervix or the presence of HPV (the human papillomavirus).

A routine programme of vaccination against HPV has been offered to girls in UK secondary schools since 2008 and boys since September 2019. But older age groups have not had this, which scientists say places even greater emphasis on screening.

Professor Diane Harper, senior study author, said: Early detection is key to preventing invasive, devastating and potentially fatal cases of cervical cancer.

From a public health standpoint, screening of women under 30 is considered to be the least effective investment of resources, because cancer tends to develop in middle age.

Meanwhile, if a woman is screened after age 42, there is an 8 in 10 likelihood no cancer will be detected at her next screening a few years later -- meaning theyre a vital way of catching problems early.

This study supports previous research from Cancer Research UK which foundwomen who failed to attend screenings after their 50th birthday were six times more likely to end up with cervical cancer.

The number of eligible women aged 50-64 who attended cervical screening appointments dropped from 81% in 2003 to 77.5% in 2013.

Link:
Women over 45 less likely to attend smear test despite 50% of cervical cancers being diagnosed later in life - The Independent

Health care spending represents nearly a fifth of the United States gross domestic product.

The U.S. spends more per capita on health care than any other country about 25% more than the second-biggest spender, Switzerland, according to recent data from the Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. Yet the countrys health outcomes compare unfavorably to most other industrialized nations. Americans pay more for their health care, driven by a sprawling, opaque web of providers, insurers and little-understood middlemen.

Health care is also an industry seemingly in a state of flux, with new technologies, shifting regulatory frameworks and consumer demand pushing the industry into new, often controversial, territory.

Dr. Paul Matherne, a pediatric cardiologist and acting chief medical officer of the University of Virginia Health System, has led UVA Darden School of Business MBA students through the industry for years, teaching Challenges in Health Care and Solutions and Innovations in Health Care. He is also a 2010 graduate of Dardens Executive MBA program.

Matherne recently offered his thoughts on the challenges and opportunities in the field.

Q. Why do Americans spend so much more than other countries while our outcomes tend to be somewhere in the middle of the pack?

A. Because we are paying for what we can think of as sick care, and we are expecting health care. We have a great sick care system. If you are sick in this country, we can generally, without a lot of waiting, get you in to be seen and diagnosed and treated, but it will be expensive.

One problem is that how hospitals get paid and how doctors get paid is not aligned. There are times when a hospital gets paid more if a doctor moves somebody through the hospital faster, but the doctor gets paid less because theyre paid on a per-day basis. Thats just one of the many examples.

In health care, we also have a very complicated relationship between all the stakeholders. You have the person getting the service, the patient, whos paying part of it, but not all of it. Then you have someone else, the insurance company, telling patients where they can get the service. Actually, the insurance company telling you where you can get the service usually isnt paying for it either, because most companies are self-insured; theyve just hired an insurance company to administer the plan a very confusing system.

Also, as a society, were not really into preventative medicine and healthy lifestyles. We dont design neighborhoods for easy walkability. We cant access healthy foods everywhere. There are whole parts of the country, particularly in some cities and in rural areas, where you really cant find any healthy food, and fast food or processed foods are cheaper, so thats what people eat.

Equally as detrimental to our health is that we dont spend much time teaching people how to be healthy. If you look at other countries that have economies like ours, they spend far more on non-sick care health-related initiatives in prevention and education. As a result, they have better outcomes when measured by obesity and diabetes rates, infant mortality and lifespan, among others.

Q. You have a course on innovation in the health care system at Darden. What does innovation look like and where does it come from?

A. Innovation in health care can be anything from an amazing new idea or technology to adopting a tried-and-true method from the non-health care sector.

In the course, we try and look at what health systems are doing to try and improve care and bring down costs. How are they using big data, for instance? How is technology helping?

How are home health and telemedicine technologies going to help us bridge some of the gaps? What is the impact of a company like 23 and Me on health care?

We also try to get students to think about solutions in non-health care businesses that might be applied to health care. How can we improve health care by focusing on the patient experience? Whats the line between what is a hotel and what is a hospital? They seem to bump up against each other at times.

Q. The Affordable Care Act brought significant change to U.S. health care. What has been one of its major impacts?

A. One of the single most important things the Affordable Care Act did was to get rid of preexisting conditions as a reason to deny insurance. Im a pediatric cardiologist, so I take care of children with very serious heart disease. In the past, it could be difficult to find coverage, especially if you changed insurance carriers.

I once had a family who made the mistake of changing insurance carriers and not reading the fine print. So their 10-year-old daughter couldnt get insurance, and they were above the poverty line and she wasnt disabled, so she couldnt get Medicaid. This was a child who had significant medical needs, and the dad was told, Here are the choices: Let your business run into the ground and go bankrupt, or divorce your wife and leave your family destitute then your child can get Medicaid. In addition, when this child and those like her were to become adults, they could not get insurance because of the preexisting heart disease.

That doesnt happen anymore. Thats a big, big deal.

Q. How is technology going to affect health care in the near future?

A. Technology, including telemedicine, is amazing. The same thing is true for artificial intelligence. These things have changed the face of medicine and will continue to make advances in care, but fundamentally thats not why we have poor outcomes.

If I could get people to quit smoking and lose 50 pounds, that would do far more for their health than some fancy new algorithm or machine predicting that theyre going to have diabetes or heart attacks. I already know theyre going to have diabetes and heart attacks when theyre smoking, overweight and have a poor family history.

If we truly want to change the health of the nation, its got to go beyond technology.

Q. What does a path forward for sustainable health care and health spending in the United States look like?

A. The solution is going to be to begin to tie all the incentives together. Incentives for a company, incentives for hospital, for the government, for the patient and for providers.

Currently, they are not aligned. The better we can align all the stakeholders and focus on health rather than sick care, the better the health of our nation will be.

Link:
Health Care in the U.S.: 5 Big Questions on Its Pricey Present and Uncertain Future - UVA Today

While kids are getting excited about hitting the slopes, local families are bracing for a brutal cold and flu season. Although parents can't control everything, when it comes to their kids' health, there are preventative measures that may help limit the impact.

Havilah Brodhead is a family nurse practitioner and the owner of Hearthside Medicine Family Care in Bend. She works with local families and warns that influenza, strep, norovirus, RSV, pertussis, pneumonia and rhinovirus are coming. Brodhead explains that more illnesses are born in colder months because people spend more time inside where microscopic droplets from cough or sneeze are invisibly suspended mid-air, just waiting to be inhaled.

The good news, according to Brodhead, is that our immune systems are primed for what she calls a systemic, underground warfare, ready to protect us with layers of defense. "One of our most under-appreciated defense systems works as a physical barrier: our skin," she explains. "Beneath our skin circulates our under-armor powerhouse: antibodies."

The human body is undeniably incredible, but there are ways to help it out during the cold and flu season. Brodhead suggests taking some of the following steps to help fortify your family members' immune systems for the months to come.

Encourage sleep: Lack of sleep sends bodies into a stress response, which lowers immunity. As a rule, preschoolers (ages 3-5), should get between 10-13 hours of sleep each night. Children ages 6 to 13 need 9-11 hours, and adolescents ages 14-17 require between 8-10 hours.

Decrease stress and pressure: You've likely heard about the toll stress takes on our immune systems. Teach your child healthy coping mechanisms and mindfulness. Anxiety, stress and depression often result in higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, which lowers the immune system.

Increase the joy and cuddles: Multiple studies show that people who are positive tend to have more robust immune systems. Laughter has been documented to increase immunity! Hugging, cuddling and having skin-to-skin contact does wonders for mental and physical health.

Use warm water and soap over hand sanitizers whenever possible. Recent research revealed that even just rinsing hands in water prevents the flu more successfully than using hand sanitizers. Also, most hand sanitizers contain some ingredients that may be more harmful than good.

Protect your skin: Don't neglect that important first line of defense. Keep your skin free from cracks by using a thick moisturizer and, staying hydrated.

Food as medicine: Whenever you are able, choose organic, colorful fruits and vegetables and add them to every meal. Use organic whole grains for carbohydrates.

Proper sneezing technique: Teach your children to cough and sneeze into their elbows rather than into the air.

Choose your supplements wisely and be conservative: Exercise caution with supplements, especially pregnant or breastfeeding mothers, infants and young children. Some are safe while some are not so safe. Some can interact seriously with prescription medications or exacerbate health conditions. Supplements are not regulated by the FDA, so what is in the actual product may not be what is on the label or may be contaminated.

Our bodies are prepared to go to war during this cold and flu season. So, stock your fridge with healthy, organic foods and get ready to do a whole lot of cuddling. There are worse ways to spend your winter days.

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Are You Ready? | Health | Bend - The Source Weekly

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS With winter fast approaching, parents of young children are likely gearing up for the dreaded ear infection.

Were entering the season, said Dr. Jason Sigmon, an otolaryngologist at UCHealth Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic in Steamboat Springs. Theres a higher incidence of ear infections during fall and winter months due to the increase in upper respiratory and nasal infections.

Below, Sigmon outlines what you need to know about ear infections in children.

Children, especially those younger than 3, tend to accumulate fluid underneath their eardrums. That moist environment creates prime conditions for a virus or bacteria to take hold.

The virus or bacteria gets to the ear from the nose, which is why most children who have ear infections will have some associated nasal symptoms, Sigmon said. Adults arent as susceptible, in part, because our sinus and nasal infections usually stay in our sinuses and nose.

The biggest risk factor is age, Sigmon said. As kids get older, risk of ear infections decreases.

There are not any known, clear genetic links to increased risk of ear infections, and there arent recognized preventative measures that can stop an ear infection from taking hold.

Dont be surprised if children develop more upper respiratory and nasal illnesses when entering a day care or school setting for the first time.

Thats very normal, and is necessary for their immune systems, Sigmon said. It doesnt mean a child is going to develop chronic ear infections.

The most common symptoms of an ear infection include irritability, poor sleep, nasal congestion, nasal drainage, ear tugging and a low-grade fever.

If a child has persistent symptoms that last more than 72 hours, or symptoms that worsen, they should be seen by their pediatrician or family medicine doctor, Sigmon said. Its really important to have that regular relationship with a primary care provider. Theyre well versed in how to treat and monitor your childs ear infections.

Ear infections are typically treated with oral antibiotics, as well as ibuprofen or acetaminophen to help relieve pain.

Its important to get ear infections addressed quickly, not just to help relieve your childs discomfort.

In rare cases, chronic ear infections that arent diagnosed can result in some speech and language delays, and even some hearing loss, Sigmon said. But most hearing loss associated with chronic ear infections is reversible once infections have been treated medically or with placement of ear tubes.

If ear infections become chronic, a child may be referred to a specialist like Sigmon, who may consider putting in ear tubes.

We typically put in ear tubes only after the pediatricians and family medicine doctors have exhausted all methods of managing those infections, Sigmon said.

The tiny plastic tubes help prevent the buildup of fluid, which staves off ear infections.

Ear tubes equalize pressure across the eardrum and prevent fluid from accumulating underneath the eardrum, as that fluid is a reservoir for recurrent infections, Sigmon said. Placing a tube helps break the cycle of recurring ear infections.

A child is typically sedated for the quick procedure. Then, a small incision is made in his or her eardrum, and the tube is inserted.

Its a very quick procedure, Sigmon said. And its very successful, without a lot of side effects.

Tubes typically come out on their own over time, and most children just need one set. Most of the time, as children get older, they outgrow their need for tubes, Sigmon said.

Susan Cunningham writes for UCHealth Yampa Valley Medical Center. She can be reached at cunninghamsbc@gmail.com.

Continued here:
Monday Medical: Ear infections in kids - Steamboat Pilot & Today

from the knowing-too-much dept

The cost of sequencing every DNA "letter" in a human genome has fallen faster than Moore's Law, from around $100 million in 2001, to under $1,000 today (although some say the overall cost in a clinical context is higher). This brings with it the prospect of routinely carrying out full-genome sequencing for everyone. That's precisely what Matt Hancock, the UK's Health Secretary, has said he wants to see as a part of the country's National Health Service (NHS), reported here by The Telegraph:

"My ambition is that eventually every child will be able to receive whole genome sequencing along with the heel prick test [a basic test for genetic conditions]," he told the conference.

"We will give every child the best possible start in life by ensuring they get the best possible medical care as soon as they enter the world. Predictive, preventative, personalised healthcare -- that is the future of the NHS -- and whole genome sequencing and genomics is going to play a huge part in that," he said.

Creating a massive database of near-complete genomes will probably ring alarm bells for Techdirt readers. Just recently, US police have started obtaining warrants to search entire DNA databases, even of people who opted out of allowing law enforcement to access their genomic data. That's despite the fact that "touch DNA" is mostly guesswork, and that crime lab testing is beset with problems. Moreover, a mistaken belief that DNA is infallible can lead to innocent people being charged with serious crimes like murder.

It's true that DNA can be a very powerful tool for solving crimes by finding distant matches in publicly-available genetic data, and then constructing family trees to narrow down the possible suspects. But that fact also exposes why routinely obtaining someone's DNA, as Hancock proposes for newborns in the UK, has an important impact on anyone related to the person whose whole genome is sequenced.

Even when DNA databases of a complete population are not set up for the purposes of mass surveillance, as Kuwait proposed (but then scaled back), and as China is implementing in Xinjiang as a way of controlling the local Uyghur population, there are other serious issues that need to be considered.

For example, the Telegraph article notes that full-genome sequencing of newborns means "parents could choose to be alerted to the fact their child faced heightened risks of specific diseases, and allow the NHS to offer more tailored treatment." But would parents necessarily welcome knowing that their child is more likely than the average individual to develop some serious genetic condition at some point in their lives? And what about if that condition had no treatment at present? What is gained by knowing of the risk? Might parents, and later the affected children themselves, find that knowledge almost too much to bear -- a genetic sword of Damocles hanging over them all their lives? Equally, parents might feel guilty if they don't ask for this information, which could allow for earlier treatment of diseases.

There's no doubt that full-genome sequencing will have a major impact on medicine in the decades to come, and offers the hope of more targeted and more effective medicines for many conditions. But for the benefits to be realized, doctors and genetic counselors will need to find effective ways to talk to people about what the detailed but probabilistic information revealed by their complete genomes will mean for their future health and treatments. Only then can we make informed decisions that enhance our well-being and happiness.

Follow me @glynmoody on Twitter, Diaspora, or Mastodon.

Filed Under: babies, dna, health minister, matt hancock, nhs, privacy, surveillance, uk, uk health secretary

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Health Minister Wants Full-Genome Sequencing Of Every Newborn Child In UK To Become Routine - Techdirt

Ping! It's time to get a mammogram. Now, if only your boss would give you time off.

Earlier this week, Facebook launched a new healthcare feature called Preventive Health for users in the U.S. When you search for Preventive Health in the Facebook mobile app, it will surface recommended screenings based on your age and sex, as well as other preventative health measures like flu shots.

The tool gives recommendations for nearby Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), allows you to set appointment reminders, and mark when tests and appointments are completed.

Facebook also took great pains to articulate that your activity in the Preventive Health tool won't be shared with advertisers. But is that enough for people to trust Facebook with their sensitive personal health data? And while its nearly 2 billion users are enticing to healthcare professionals, there are questions about whether Facebook can actually make a difference.

For tech companies, work in healthcare has the potential to breed public goodwill, as well as new business opportunities. But so far, the tech industry's approach to healthcare has been to suggest splashy ideas that won't necessarily do much good.

Both Google and Amazon are pouring money into health initiatives with nebulous goals. Apple branded the Apple Watch as the "ultimate guardian for your health," but the device hasn't won over doctors, and its self-lauded heart-monitoring features have yet to prove that they're making a difference.

Time for my cholesterol test! But how do I get there?

Facebook's Preventive Health tool does have a couple things going for it.

First, the actual recommendations for tests and screenings come from reputable organizations including the American Heart Association and American Cancer Society. The preventive measures they recommend are backed up by studies that prove their effectiveness. The recommendations now focus on heart health, cancer screening, and seasonal illness (like the flu), but Facebook says it plans to add more in time.

Next, experts are excited about the ability to reach people through Facebook. Estimates put Facebook's current U.S. user base at around 200 million people. Dr. Vish Viswanath, a professor of health communication at the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, says that casting a wide net is a crucial component of public health campaigns. However, he still has some reservations.

"Given that we have to reach people through a variety of mechanisms, and certainly on social media, given [Facebook's] very wide usage, I think it's a good idea," Viswanath said. "Having said that, the devil is in the details."

Research has shown that there are a few principles necessary for a successful public health campaign, according to Viswanath. First, the messaging and mechanisms of campaigns have to specifically be adjusted to best suit the populations they are trying to reach

"The one size fits all approach is unlikely to be successful," Viswanath said.

Facebook tailors recommendations based on demographics, but not the way it delivers those messages. For example, wouldn't it be more effective to reach younger people on Instagram? This is consistent with another principle: that campaigns should be multi-dimensional, utilizing multiple mediums to get the message out. One notification on one platform may not cut through the noise.

Another challenge is the complementary action needed on behalf of government agencies and health providers. Viswanath said research has found that if the public is going to make an effort to address a health concern, other stakeholders (like the government, health facilities, or employers) need to make a similar effort to provide it. A huge problem with Facebook's campaign is that it is one sided, and puts all of the burden on the user.

"We cannot just pat ourselves on the back, saying we have provided you the information, now go and do it."

"We cannot just pat ourselves on the back, saying we have provided you the information, now go and do it," Viswanath said.

Facebook does provide some resources: a list of federally accredited and affordable health clinics nearby. However, Viswanath said finding places to get care is not as big of a hurdle for people as issues like how to negotiate time off work, and how to actually get to clinics.

"If I'm a single parent, working one job or two jobs or with limited transportation, I'm faced with multiple demands in my time, you can provide me all the information you want, but at the end of the day, that still doesn't solve my problem," Viswanath said.

Given these limitations, some think that the effort may sound nice, but are skeptical that it will have much of an effect.

"Theres nothing wrong with what theyre doing," said Vince Kuraitis, an independent health and technology consultant with 30 years of industry experience. "But the functions of the app as described are pretty minimal, and I dont see them moving the needle on the public health side."

Another reason health experts are keeping their expectations at a minimum is privacy concerns. In tandem with the announcement of the tool, Facebook published a blog post detailing the measures it was taking to secure user privacy. It says that user activity won't be sent to advertisers or third parties, and won't be available widely across the company to employees.

"Information you provide is securely stored and access is restricted to a group of people at Facebook who work on the product or maintain our systems," the post reads.

However, these promises can be less than reassuring for people who know Facebook's track record on data collection and privacy breaches.

"Theyve got a deep hole to dig out of in terms of winning trust," Kuraitis said. "That becomes particularly difficult with healthcare, because its such a sensitive area."

Data backs up that sentiment, too. Recently, the tech-healthcare analysis firm, Rock Health, along with Stanford Medicine, conducted a survey asking respondents with which companies they would feel comfortable sharing their health data. Only 10 percent of respondents said they felt comfortable turning to tech companies for healthcare, and of that 10 percent, only 36 percent said they would feel comfortable sharing health information with Facebook specifically.

The proof of Facebook's ability to protect user privacy, especially around health data, will be something experts plan to watch closely.

"I don't think Facebook has acquitted itself very well, in terms of protecting privacy, given their history, and their reluctance to admit their problems," Viswanath said. "Over time, to me, it is an empirical question, to see how this will work out and see if it really makes the big difference."

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Experts skeptical that Facebook Preventive Health will have an impact - Mashable

Caroline Roberts/CNET

What if I told you that kicking off your shoes and spending just a few minutes in nature could lower your stress and blood pressure? You don't need any fancy equipment, medication or confusing techniques. Forest bathing is a simple way to de-stress, find calm and improve your overall health. The best part? It actually works.

It's no secret that in today's world, stress is a growing problem. In 2017, a Gallup poll reported that the world's population is more stressed, angry, sad and in pain than ever. A lack of clean drinking water, food insecurity and widespread illness wreaks havoc on the health of populations worldwide. Furthermore, people in every pocket of the globe can find something to worry about -- personal relationships, looming deadlines at work and the health of loved ones are just a few of the many things that make us fret everyday.

Personally, I can thank my lucky stars that I don't have anything major to be stressed about, but I still often find myself anxious. In between classes, work, and trying to write the next great American novel, I've got a lot on my plate, and I know you all do, too. In today's world, we're constantly staring at screens, and it isn't helping our mental health. A lot of the de-stressing solutions that have been popping up -- meditation apps, improved sleep trackingand online workout subscriptions -- can work extremely well, but on some level they're just adding more technology to our lives.

I've been reading about a growing phenomenon called forest bathing for a while now, and I decided to try it out. I meditate for 10 minutes every day and usually fit in a good amount of exercise, but I still feel the grip of stress almost every day. I was hoping that forest bathing would give me a greater sense of calm. I'm also continually working on my ability to let stressful thoughts go without hanging on to them, and I thought that spending a few hours unplugged in nature would help with this relaxed state of mind.

Contrary to what the name might suggest, forest bathing doesn't involve taking off all of your clothes and swimming around in some pine needles. It's a Japanese practice of nature therapy, used to help people de-stress and take a break from technology. I ended up loving my time experimenting with forest bathing, and I hope you can take the lessons of the research, my personal experience, and the rich history of forest bathing to implement more nature therapy in your own life.

In the early 1980s, the Japanese government noticed some growing issues with their population. High suicide rates, social isolation and over-reliance on technology were hurting the people's well-being. Seventy percent of Japan is forested, and the government took to the trees to find a solution. A public health program called shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing, was started in 1982.

Forest bathing involves simply going into nature and being present with all five senses. The use and presence of technology is discouraged (turn off your phone!) and many participants forest bathe with bare feet for the full grounding effect. It's not a strenuous hike -- though those are great for you, too -- it's a meandering stroll with frequent breaks to observe what's around you. There's no peak or end goal in sight. Many experts recommend practicing shinrin-yoku for a full two hours, but of course many people fit as much time in the forest as they can, even if that means just 15 minutes.

Any place with a bit of green is suitable for forest bathing.

Shinrin-yoku began as preventative medicine for the immune system, cardiovascular system, depression and anxiety, inflammation and other prevalent health problems. Since 1982, many researchers have published a wealth of evidence for the benefits of shinrin-yoku, and it has become imperative in the Japanese healthcare system. Today, the healing power of forest bathing is being spread all around the world.

Forest bathing has been shown to lower your heart rate and blood pressure. It has a whole host of positive mood effects, including a reduction in hostility and depression. Forest bathing also decreases fatigue, anxiety and confusion, and generally has a strong relaxing effect. In Japan, increased forest coverage has even been suggested to lower overall mortality rates. I could go on and on -- the point is, overwhelming scientific research backs up the power of forest bathing to help with numerous mental and physical health ailments.

Despite spending a lot of time outside, and going on some cool backpacking trips, I hadn't really done something quite like this. All of my hiking trips were more goal-focused, and I loved the feeling of accomplishment that came from "completing" a hike or getting to camp. But with forest bathing, the goal isn't to accomplish anything specific or do something strenuous. It's simply to exist in a green area with minimal distractions.

The first time I tried it out, I went all in. I texted a few important people that I would be offline, walked up to my campus's arboretum, turned off my phone and stayed outside in the same patch of lawn and surrounding path for two hours. The first thing I did after dumping my stuff and taking off my shoes and socks was promptly lie down in the grass and close my eyes for a while.

Life feels a lot easier when you're napping on a grass field.

After resting in the sun, I got around to strolling across the lawn a few times. I walked slower than I had ever walked before, and on my first loop I made friends with a couple of small salamanders. Later in the afternoon, I had a staring contest with a group of deer from several yards away. I think we were both surprised at how still the other was being. If I had been walking along in my usual hurried fashion, I would have definitely missed these cute creatures.

A few laps of walking the lawn and laying down in the sun later, I was ready to do some more serious thinking. I'm a very goal-oriented person, and I had recently hit some benchmarks that I now needed to reset. My mind was quiet enough for me to decide on what I wanted to focus on next for my fitness and writing pursuits, something I had been too stressed and busy to think about for a few weeks.

Mostly though, the whole time I was there I thought about nothing. And it felt amazing.

Being barefoot forced me to walk way slower than I naturally would.

The arboretum was surprisingly quiet for a Friday afternoon, but a few people passed by while I was doing my thing. I was nervous when I heard voices approaching, but with everyone I saw we simply smiled at each other and went on with our day. Luckily, no one asked why I was wandering around with my shoes off.

At the end of the first day, I was pretty excited to put my socks back on -- my feet had been getting cold -- but more reluctant to switch on my phone. I felt rested and calm, and I didn't quite want to go back into the busy electronic world.

The second time I tried it out was pretty similar to the first, though I only had time to stay for an hour. I didn't have any more breakthroughs in personal goal-setting (probably due to lack of time), but I loved just being able to take some time to let my mind go blank.

The last time I went was the only session I did on a weekday, and it definitely changed by mindset. I had a two-hour break between classes that I usually spent trying to knock out some work, but this Monday I was spending it forest bathing.

I'll be honest. I was a little stressed heading back to the arboretum on a typical weekday, and the stress didn't magically disappear as soon as I took my shoes off. As hard as I tried not to, my mind kept rehearsing everything I had to get done throughout the day, even though I wasn't that busy. I kept noticing my jaw clenching -- a classic sign of overthinking for me.

The arboretum was practically empty, and I meandered to some places I'd never been before, like a quaint bridge. I also saw a baby salamander, and it was as cute as can be. I took some time resting my eyes and opening my ears. I had just spent two hours in a classroom right next to a construction site, and the silence of the arboretum was extremely welcome.

I returned after I was done forest bathing to snap pictures.

After an hour, I turned my phone back on and continued with my day. I kept checking in with myself did I feel more calm, more productive, or less hurried?

I soon realized that the answer was a shaky "yes." Sure, my eyes felt better with a break from staring at a screen, and my chest felt a little less tight than usual. But, I only really started to feel calmer once I got back on track with the work I wanted to get done. I headed to class right after, and I did notice something pretty cool I was noticeably less inclined to secretly check my phone during the lecture. I had proved to myself that, shockingly, I could survive on my college's campus without constantly touching my phone.

Overall, my experience trying out forest bathing was great. The rest was mentally rejuvenating, and I enjoyed wandering a lot more than I thought I would. The one part I kept mulling over was what exactly was helping me feel relaxed -- was it something to do with being barefoot in nature, or was it simply that I wasn't staring at a screen like I spend so much time doing? I decided that ultimately, it doesn't really matter, and it was probably a mixture of both. The grounding aspect of standing in the dirt has been shown to physically reduce stress, but it also just feels nice to escape the constant buzz of notifications for a few hours.

I'll definitely be back to this beautiful lawn, though I might not be alone.

Would I do it again? I'm not sure I absolutely loved being alone with nothing to do, but I definitely want to incorporate spending more time outside with my phone turned off. Whether that's having a picnic with friends or bringing a book back to the arboretum, taking some time away from screens is desperately needed in my life.

While I think forest bathing is a wonderful thing, I know that it's unrealistic for most people to take several hours out of your workday to unplug. But, if you can find time to try forest bathing on a weekend, you can still reap the benefits.

I know I'm in a pretty lucky situation to be able to find a green space nearby, turn off my phone for two hours and lounge around. If you live in the middle of a city, or have children, forest bathing is a lot harder to pull off. But, you don't have to go whole hog -- even just slipping off your shoes and standing in your front lawn for a few minutes before work can be de-stressing -- or head your backyard if you worried what your neighbors will think If you raise children with a partner or a family member, ask them to watch the kids for an hour while you escape to your local park.

If you'd rather not walk around barefoot, simply spending time outside with your electronics turned off can do wonders for your mental health. Forest bathing was originally designed to benefit public health, and as such you should modify it to best fit your needs.

If you live in an urban area, you may be surprised to find that there's likely open space near you that you can use for forest bathing. Besides just Googling "green space near me," there are several crowd-sourced websites, like Map of Play, to find an open area in your city. If you're still out of luck, try finding a window and sitting with the sun on your face. It might not technically be forest bathing, but if you switch off your mind for a while, I promise you'll feel much better.

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Forest bathing: The free cure for stress and anxiety? - CNET

A SYRIAN refugee who arrived in Ireland just three years ago after fleeing her war-torn country has been awarded a prestigious scholarship after acing her Leaving Cert exams.

Suaad Alshleh, 17, who was granted asylum in Ireland with her parents in 2016, secured a place studying medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (RCSI) this September.

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And Suaad says she wants to be an inspiration for other teens who are living in direct provision that they can escape the system and achieve their dreams.

She said: Being in direct provision was probably one of the hardest times of my life, it was definitely very tough.

"A lot of people dont understand how tough it is. But I powered through it.

There was an incredible support from the community itself.

"Even the people running the direct provision, they provided a lot of support for me. Despite it being a horrible tough process, youll find nice people everywhere.

There is light at the end of the tunnel. These first few weeks in college, when Im sitting down and just having a chance to reflect, its an incredible feeling to have made it here.

I want to be a success story for a refugee to show people what you can do, even if you are a refugee. I want to represent Syria and refugees, in general, in a good way.

"I hope to be a success story to show that you can escape direct provision and that if communities are helpful and supportive, youll get through."

Suaads parents Wisam and Isham, who are both engineers, fled Syria back in 2011 after the civil war broke out which has since displaced more than 5.6million people.

The family first moved to United Arab Emirates where they stayed for four years before moving to Ireland.

They were then placed in a direct provision centre in Monaghan where Suuad and her mother were separated from dad, Isham.

Suuad says staying in the centre was terrible and admits studying for her exams was very difficult under the circumstances.

But she says shes grateful that they were given the opportunity to stay there.

She said: It was terrible, I was only 14 and I was away from my dad too.

My mother and I were in a room that wasnt very big. There was the issue of food and I was used to my mothers home cooking, it was very difficult.

It was one of the hardest moments of my life. Those nine months, I kind of just block them out but look where I am now. Without that experience I probably wouldnt be here.

But I dont see any alternative to direct provision. The fact that Ireland is taking in refugees is incredible and it would be great if communities continue to be accepting in future.

The family moved from Monaghan to Portlaoise where Suaad attended school in nearby Mountmellick.

Suaad fit straight in, she says, and credits the community for being so welcoming.

She said: When I moved there, I sort of looked like an alien.

"Many people didnt know why I wore my scarf and I was the first person many people had interacted with who wasnt Irish even. I was just different but people were very accepting.

When I moved to Mountmellick, I was also an alien there but I made loads of friends and they were so accepting of me as well. Im very lucky in the sense that I havent faced anything major.

Obviously being a new student in school in general is difficult but I havent faced any added difficulty because of how I look or where Im from and I think thats been wonderful.

Despite now calling Ireland home, Suaad says she would love to return to Syria someday.

She says she will be eternally grateful to her parents, however, for making the brave decision to flee their home country before it was too late.

She said: My parents were very good in the sense that they got us out before I could experience anything major in Syria. It saddens me when I think of it, because its a very big part of my identity.

They have made massive sacrifices for me, to uproot their lives at their age and to go somewhere completely different where they dont know the language. Theyve had to rely on me for a lot for that. I reallyappreciate everything they did for me, I hope Im making them proud.

Today, Suaad was awarded the Professor William C Campbell Bursary by Minister for Education and Skills, Joe McHugh TD.

Minister McHugh said he was delighted to award Suaad with the scholarship after everything shes been through.

Minister McHugh said: Our aim with the Bill Campbell bursary was first of all to recognise a Donegal man who worked to become a giant in the world of science and preventative medicine.

But I also want to see us use Bills life, legacy and works to motivate the next generation of students to follow in his footsteps, to replicate his ambitions and dedication and to work to transform the lives of others.

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I am delighted to be able to offer the scholarship to Suaad Alshleh.

"She is an inspiration and I hope she enjoys her studies at such a prestigious institution as the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland.

"Professor Campbells legacy is something that we should build on and by supporting students like Suaad and others in the coming years we can do that.

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Syrian refugee who arrived in Ireland three years ago awarded scholarship to study medicine after acing - The Irish Sun

Wellness describes itself as complete physical mental and social well-being. It comprises all the components used to lead a healthy life. Wellness is multidirectional and constitutes social, emotional, physical, spiritual, intellectual and emotional wellbeing. According to National Wellness Institute, two more component of wellness includes cultural and environmental wellness. Mental health and well-being are an integral and essential component of health. Wellness goes further than disease or disability and highlights the maintenance and improvement of health and well-being of the person. Wellness includes activities that improve health, enhance the quality of life and increase the levels of well-being of the person. Different types of wellness include workplace wellness, wellness tourism, lifestyle wellness and others. In order to help prevent disease, reduce stress, and enhance the overall quality of life Global Wellness Institute (GWI) organizes e Global Spa & Wellness Summit (GSWS) annually, that brings together leaders and visionaries to discuss various aspects of health and wellbeing.

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Nowadays, people are focusing on preventive, proactive aspects of wellness, wellness economy incorporates industrial sector that enables consumers to incorporate wellness into their lives. Consumers are inclining towards preventive measures to prevent diseases and maintain good health. The key sector of wellness includes wellness tourism, fitness, complementary & alternative medicine, lifestyle wellness, rejuvenation and spa industry, workplace wellness and others.

Wellness is self-responsibility and is opening new opportunities for wellness market as due to increase in geriatric population, rise in disease population due to sedentary lifestyle, new research on wellness procedures using alternative medicines, expansion of consumer base and wellness industries, tourism is growing, that will incorporate wellness into travel, shift of consumers towards personal care products are some of the factors that will drive the medical wellness market. The awareness about medical wellness will help consumers, spread wellness to homes and their workplace and help the right way to exercise, include healthy eating in their diet, focus on preventive and personalized health and others. Lack of awareness about medical wellness, rise in products and services of wellness industry, lack of workforce and others are some of the factors restraining the market growth.

The global medical wellness market is segmented on basis of wellness sector, distribution channel and geography:

Segment by Wellness Sector

Segment by Distribution Channel

The global medical wellness market is segmented into wellness sector and distribution channel. Based on the wellness sector, the medical wellness market is segmented into complementary and alternative medicine, beauty care and anti-aging (surgical and non-surgical), preventative and personalized medicine, healthy eating, nutrition and weight loss, rejuvenation and others. The beauty care and anti- aging segment will dominate the wellness market due to rise in number of aesthetics procedures and increase in number of beauty care wellness sectors. Based on the end user, the medical wellness market is segmented as franchise and company owned outlets. The global medical wellness market is going to increase significantly is near future due to shift of consumers towards proactive approaches and include wellness in day to day life

By regional presence, the global medical wellness market is segmented into five broad regions viz. North America, Latin America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East & Africa. North America market is expected to dominate in terms of revenue share, owing to the high availability of advanced products and services, wellness tourism, expenditures growth, , increasing penetration of leading companies in the region along with increase in patient population. Significant economic development has led to an increase in healthcare availability in Asia Pacific region, growing number of multi-specialty care centers, rejuvenation and fitness centers and penetration of global players in Asia is expected to fuel the medical wellness market

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Some of the major players in medical wellness market are Enrich Hair & Skin Solutions, VLCC Wellness Center, Guardian Lifecare, Healthkart, WTS International, The Body Holiday, Bon Vital, Biologique Recherch, MINDBODY Inc., Massage Envy, ClearCost Health, Golds Gym International, Inc., World Gym, Spafinder Wellness 365, Kaya Skin Clinic, Body master and others

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Medical Wellness Market to Witness a Healthy Growth during 2017 2025 - Zebvo

The world has long looked at the Nordics as an example fordriving much of the innovation that is happening nowadays, and the situation is no different in digital health, according to a new study from HIMSS, in cooperation with McKinsey,published today.

Supported by international management consulting firm McKinsey & Company, it reveals that the Netherlands and the Nordicscontinue to be seen as role models for the adoption and use of eHealth in Europe, based on the responses of over 500 professionals in the field.

But Estonia has swapped places with Denmark and is now perceived to be the leading eHealth country in Europe, following the launch of an initiative that allows EU citizens to retrieve medication prescribed electronically by doctors in Finland in Estonian pharmacies through the new eHealth Digital Service Infrastructure.

TOPLINE DATA

Despite progress being made, findings indicate that eHealth professionals in Europe continue to grapple with many of the challenges seen in other regions around the globe, from the lack of funding or political direction to poor interoperability.

The shortage of skilled workers is another concern for all the stakeholder groups surveyed. Jrg Studzinski, director of research and advisory services at HIMSS Analytics, said workforce development should be a priority for every organisation in a separate interview with Healthcare IT News published today.

Improving the competencies of the workforce can lead to significant efficiency gains, higher work satisfaction and improved safety for patients. Ideally this is a combination of process changes and staff trainings.

If we give healthcare staff members better digital tools and if we want them to be accountable for their work performance, we need to make sure that they are properly trained, but also that these tools are aligned with internal workflows, Studzinski said.

IT security, EMR implementation and improving patients access to information are seen as top priorities for the next 12 months, although the results vary according to each countrys level of digital maturity.

While the deployment of electronic records is the main concern for those in Germany and the UK, the Netherlands and the Nordics are focusing more on ensuring patients have access to their data, improving interoperability and leveraging the use of artificial intelligence.

IT security and EMR solutions are top of mind topics for German eHealth professionals. This is important to build a solid foundation for working in a digital health system, said Tobias Silberzahn, partner at McKinsey & Company.

However, we should already now think about tomorrow and ask ourselves: What is the goal of digitising the healthcare system? Or more specifically: How do we intend to link the more than 25 digital product categories that are currently being created with our existing healthcare system for the benefit of the patient? These are exciting questions that range from digitally integrated care delivery to personalised medicine,"Silberzahn added.

Looking a bit further ahead, over the next two to three years, eHealth professionals from most European countries expect a shift of priorities towards empowered and more active patients, the provision of telemedicine, and the enablement of continuity of care.

According to the study, anincrease inAI-based solutions and the provision of more personalised medical or preventative services is also expected.

But it is rather unlikely that we willseewidespread implementation and use of products and services featuring augmented reality capabilities or blockchain technology within the next three years. This will either take longer or work for special use cases, the researchers cautioned.

WHY IT MATTERS

Furthermore, across all the countries polled, a majority of healthcare staff believethat their organisations IT budget is too low.

Clinical staff members do more often perceive the IT budgets of their own organisations to be insufficient than their colleagues from IT departments. This can be a sign of frustration, i.e. digital solutions not delivering the expected benefits from an end user perspective. We recommend to investigate this further, the researchers noted.

But the findings show that the countries that are ahead are also the ones that are prioritising investment in digital.

While the reported spending numbers will have to be interpreted with some caution because they are based on estimations from professionals that do not always have insights into the exact accounting figures, it is still intriguing to see that the countries that are perceived to be more digitally mature in eHealth are also those who spend the most on technology, Studzinski said.

THE LARGER TREND

The study published today echoes many of the challenges and priorities identified in reports from previous years.

Only this month, management and technology consultancy Sopria Steria Consulting found in a survey that a majority of Germans were disappointed with the progress that their country was making in digitising healthcare, based on the responses of around 200 citizens.

On the provider side, in the UK, a recent study found that around 80% of GPs saw poor IT and tech support as key barriers to the widespread adoption of video consultations.

But with increasing pressures on health systems, including ageing populations and workforce shortages, it is clear that more stakeholders are turningto evidence-based innovations to provide services that are fit for the future.

ON THE RECORD

Commenting on the eHealth trends identified in the HIMSS report, Jochen Messemer, partner at McKinsey & Company, said: In Germany and many other countries, providers must speed up empowering patients through pan-organisational electronic patient records and the supplementary provision of telemedicine.

Healthcare IT News is a publication of HIMSS Media.

Originally posted here:
Estonia, the Netherlands & Nordics continue to drive eHealth adoption and use in Europe, study finds - Healthcare IT News

Dr. Jacques Sebisaho, Congolese physician and Amani Global Works founder. Photo by: Amani Global Works

NEW YORK If a patient arrives at a public health clinic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo with symptoms of a serious noncommunicable disease, they are rarely presented with options for further care, according to Jacques Sebisaho, a Congolese physician and the founder of the health care nonprofit Amani Global Works.

If you go to a clinic, usually they say, in that case, We cannot treat you. For pregnant women they will refer you to a hospital, but for other issues they just tell you, There is nothing we can do, Sebisaho said.

It costs us $18 per person for primary health care. The government is spending $40. It is cheaper because of the massive community involvement.

The ongoing Ebola response hasdiverted doctors from primary health care to focus on the outbreak, weakening the countrys already fragile health care system, Mdecins Sans Frontireswarnedlast month.

Sebisaho is hoping that a model of referral systems and community health care he pioneered on the remote island of Idjwi which sits on Lake Kivu, near Congos border with Rwanda could help strengthen primary health care in the rest of Congo. His system is cheaper, and more efficient than the existing public health care across the country, according to Sebisaho.

It costs us $18 per person for primary health care. The government is spending $40. It is cheaper because of the massive community involvement. We structure the community with health workers and they see people all the time. They wind up not having to refer many people to health clinics, Sebisaho said. For lots of them, disease is getting caught early, at the community level.

Amani Global Works has an agreement with Congos health ministry and plans to begin replicating its model by 2021, Sebisaho said.

The population of Idjwi has ballooned since the late 1970s, when Sebisaho, 47, and his family left the island for the nearby city of Bukavu. Since then, the island has grown from 37,000 people to more than 300,000, according to Sebisaho a result of a birth rate of more than 8 live births per woman, coupled with a historic lack of available family planning services.

Idjwi has one of the highest infant and maternalmortality rates in the world and a life expectancy of just 25 years. One main component of Amanis work is family planning services, including offering birth control.

They have gone gangbusters with family planning provisions, which was nonexistent before. They are hiring local staff to ensure that the patients are influencing the direction of the organization, said Andy Bryant, executive director of the Segal Family Foundation, which funds Amani.

The patient numbers are skyrocketing. They saw or touched 140,000 in 2018 with their work. Between the family planning work and the vaccine programming, they are hitting sort of big preventative measure pieces that can lead to a really healthy population, Bryant said.

Malaria, intestinal parasites, and severe anemia are all common. But Idjwi has also been immune to the conflict that has played out in surrounding regions, making it an interesting case study for new models of health care, according to Sebisaho.

Our model is set on integration of community health workers and health centers. Government ones are undersupplied and understaffed, Sebisaho said in a recent sit-down interview with Devex in Harlem, a Manhattan neighborhood he calls home for half the year. He spends the other half working on Idjwi.

The health centers and clinics are there [in the rest of the country], so we want to use the same approach for health workers and make sure that we integrate and put in place a supply chain system, which is missing, Sebisaho continued.

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Idjwi village chiefs lead their communities in selecting some of the most respected people mainly women to train as community health workers. Those women go through multiple rounds of testing and a 27-day intensive training course, where they learn how to use and read portable ultrasound machines and other health skills. The workers are each tasked with visiting about 150 households each month and ensuring that women have three prenatal care visits at the hospital. There is prestige to the position, and a high level of accountability among the health workers, Sebisaho said.

WHO launches new guideline for community health workers

A new guideline from WHO looks to improve best practices and working conditions for community health workers.

In the past few years, Amani has trained nearly 200 community health care workers, who receive a monthly stipend of $30. And since its inception in 2010, it has also set up 12 satellite health clinics and one referral hospital, equipped with 50 beds.

We believe we cannot build a health care system on volunteers. It doesnt work. But our referral numbers have increased and the number of facility deliveries have been heightened, Sebisaho said. At the hospital, we now have about 70 deliveries a month. These are people who have never delivered in any facility before.

The referral hospital, health care clinics, and community health care workers all coordinate to make referrals and conduct follow-up appointments. If a patient is discharged from the hospital, a community health worker will be alerted, for example, to follow up with them at home. And if a health worker finds someone has a high fever, they will give them medicine and then return the next day to see if a referral to a health clinic is necessary.

Amani will gain a better sense of its impact on health care early next year, after a team of Princeton University researchers conduct a follow-up study to the baseline demographics study it did with Harvard University that was published in 2015. The hopeful outcome would be major improvements in child mortality rates, according to Christopher Hale, a Ph.D. population studies student and researcher at Princeton. But demonstrated change in health awareness and behaviors might come faster, Hale said.

It is a program that had a lot of resilience in that sense and is doing a lot of good without having a lot of resources. Health workers can be easily replicated and could have a lot of success in being able to do the low-cost program in low-resource areas, Hale told Devex. What will be harder is some of the thingsthey have in Idjwi. One of the big advantages is that they have a lot of cooperation from the local leaders.

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A remote Congolese island offers a test case for improving the country's health care - Devex

Introduction

Artificial intelligence (AI) refers to the capacity of machines to perform tasks that are typically associated with human decision-making. AI computer systems use a variety of datasets and sensory inputs to make decisions in real time and to modify future decisions with additional data and experience with minimal human intervention or additional programming. In conjunction with machine learning, AI touches on nearly all aspects of modern life. As digital technologies take the place of certain human activities, legal disputes surrounding AI are inevitable.

Already, such issues have reached both federal and state courts. Judges are tackling emerging AI issues and creating case law that will impact the future course of technological innovation. For example:

In these and other cases, judges must understand the role that AI and machine learning play in the legal system itself. Lawyers, as well as judges and their staff, use machine learning to improve case law searches for relevant legal authority to cite in briefs and decisions. Document production and technology-assisted reviews use AI to search for relevant documents to produce and to mine those documents for the information most important to a partys claims without attorneys having to review every document. Some scholars and practitioners are already using AI to predict the outcome of cases based on algorithms based on tens of thousands of prior cases. Recent research suggests that such outcome predictions may have around a 70% accuracy rate. AI is ushering in a new era of quantitative legal decision forecasting.2

AI is ushering in a new era of quantitative legal decision forecasting.

In short, courts face no small task in: identifying the legal and ethical issues at stake, including concerns about transparency, due process, and data privacy; understanding the AI technology at issue in order to make sound legal rulings; and appreciating the potential implications of legal rulings on future technological advances and individual rights.

With that in mind, it is vital to improve judges ability to understand the technical issues in AI-related litigation. There are several things court systems and professional organizations should do to enhance the technical capabilities of judges:

A variety of strategies are available to educate judges on the AI-related technology at issue in a litigation. These include the use of science or technology tutorials, court-appointed technical advisers or special masters, and court-appointed experts.

I have written previously on the use of technology tutorials to allow judges to ask the parties, experts, or technical advisers to identify and educate a judge about scientific and technological issues central to a litigation. The goal of a technology tutorial is to transform the courtroom into a classroom. Tutorials may include a demonstration of how a certain method, software, or product works, an overview of key technical terminology, or a presentation of how a certain innovation developed over time. Judges may request, or the parties may recommend, live presentations by one or more experts or by the parties, question and answer sessions, or videotaped tutorials or demonstrations. Tutorials provide a forum for judges to ask questions about AI technology outside the context of the parties advocating on behalf of a particular motion or at trial.

[S]afeguards should be added to ensure that there is limited opportunity for technical advisers to introduce bias into the judicial decision-making process.

In addition, federal judges have the authority to appoint technical advisers, use specially trained clerks, or request special masters to provide them with the technical expertise they need. These advisers usually do not testify at trial; their role is to educate the judge on technical issues involved in a case. To avoid any undue influence and to ensure that the parties views on science and technology are given proper weight, safeguards should be added to ensure that there is limited opportunity for technical advisers to introduce bias into the judicial decision-making process. These safeguards include limiting the scope of case-specific materials that a technical adviser reviews or analyzes and defining the content and nature of any scientific or technical help to be provided to the judge. Technical adviser appointments are mentioned in federal case law as early as 1950, and their use is becoming increasingly common.

Finally, judges may appoint experts for exceptional circumstances and particularly complex AI issues in a litigation. Judges may appoint such experts on a partys motion or on the judges own initiative. A court-appointed expert must advise all parties of any findings, may be deposed by any party, may be called to testify at trial, and can be subjected to cross examination by any party.3 While still fairly novel, court-appointed experts have been used in a number of litigations, and their use is becoming more common.

Regardless of the strategy used, it is crucial that the process provides technical information and expertise to judges in as neutral a fashion as possible. Sound, subsequent judicial decision-making is best served by an educational, neutral delivery of information on AI through a tutorial, technical adviser, or court-appointed expert. While it may seem counter to the underpinnings of our adversarial system, the judge should require that the parties work together to provide the court with mutually agreed-upon recommendations on the format, topics, and ideal presenters for tutorials, or a joint list of potential technical advisers, or court-appointed experts (should one be needed).

These methods, however, should not be read to preclude the parties from putting forth their own, separate expert witnesses at trial. Moreover, it is important that, regardless of the strategy used, these methods conform to the basic expectation underlying the adversary system that, with limited exceptions, judges should not receive advice and guidance without the parties to the dispute having an opportunity to contest that advice and guidance.

In addition to the practices outlined above, court systems and professional organizations should undertake research and pilot programs for the judiciary to explore other strategies that may be useful in assisting judges in developing the technical understanding needed for AI-related lawsuits. One example would be a pilot program to conduct technology tutorials at the appellate level. To date, trial court judges have been the primary users of tutorials. Scholars and judges alike have questioned the reliability of technical information obtained by judges informally outside the existing factual record, including information that has appeared in appellate and Supreme Court decisions. Providing tutorials on key AI-related issues to appellate judges may reduce reliance on non-validated resources, such as amicus briefs, that have not undergone third-party fact checking or materials that have not been subjected to cross examination by the parties at trial. Tutorials may help limit the perceived need for judges and clerks own independent research to supply additional facts in appellate decisions.

[G]iven the need for technical expertise in AI-related litigations, specialized technical courts may provide a viable solution in some instances.

Another proposal that has re-emerged recently is the creation of expert panels or science courts with special jurisdiction to hear complex scientific or technological disputes.4 Some judges, legislators, and legal scholars have argued that technically trained judges or panels should decide scientific issues instead of generalist judges or layperson juries to ensure that the scientific or technological components of litigation are decided correctly by those with the relevant expertise. Though this concept remains controversial, the idea of science or technology courts has gained renewed interest in our increasingly complex world. Further research is warranted to explore whether these panels meet our societal expectations of judicial fairness and process. It is also unclear whether complex scientific issues can be separated from policy and legal issues that arise, as well as which court should decide these issues where they overlap. As AI makes its way into all aspects of our daily lives, it may be seen as unreasonable to take away general courts (and juries) role in legal decisions surrounding AI. Nonetheless, given the need for technical expertise in AI-related litigations, specialized technical courts may provide a viable solution in some instances.

Initiatives to provide judges with the technical understanding needed for AI-related litigation are unlikely to succeed without support from the parties involved in a dispute and their counsel. It is important for state bars and other legal professional organizations to familiarize attorneys with the broader implications of AI-related legal cases and the methods that they can suggest to judges to provide them with neutral information on AI.

Attorneys may be understandably hesitant to recommend to either their client or a judge the use of tutorials, technical advisers, or other strategies with which they are unfamiliar. However, education of not just the judiciary but other legal professionals can help ensure their necessary buy-in to implement existing strategies, to participate in pilot programs of new approaches, and to assist judges in receiving technological understanding needed for sound judicial decision-making.

AI professional organizations and their members should work together to provide additional educational opportunities and resources to both federal and state courts. There are a number of models that professional organizations can follow to provide valuable assistance and technical expertise to judges generally. The Federal Judicial Center, the research and education agency of the federal judiciary, provides information to and educates judges on areas of emerging science and technology through written pocket guides, online tutorials and modules, and in-person workshops. The legal community often relies on the centers Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence to better understand and evaluate the relevance and reliability of scientific and technical evidence being proffered by experts in litigation.5 The centers new Technology and the Bench initiative will help provide federal judges with critical information on areas where technology and legal issues overlap. In addition, the National Academies of Sciences provides valuable opportunities for members of the judiciary (and the technology community) to discuss areas of emerging technology that are likely to appear in lawsuits.

AIs pervasive nature will require coordination among a variety of technology professionals to educate the public about AI and machine learning.

It is essential that AI professional organizations and relevant stakeholders join in these efforts and work together to develop additional neutral, educational content to the courts. Providing judges with silos of subject matter-specific training is unlikely to be effective, as AI reaches into all aspects of lifedata privacy, financial transactions, transportation, human health and safety, and the delivery of goods and services. AIs pervasive nature will require coordination among a variety of technology professionals to educate the public about AI and machine learning.

AI professionals should also consider developing a universal glossary of key technical terms or a basic set of general reference materials designed specifically to provide the judiciary with general background on AI that would be broadly applicable, regardless of any particular case assignment. Reference manuals on other science and technology-related topics have proven highly effective in delivering useful content to judges.6

In addition, AI professional organizations should consider forming a technical adviser referral system or panel that is available to assist judges or arbitrators in cases with unique AI issues. Such a panel or referral system, when requested, could provide judges with the names of potential independent AI experts, including computer scientists, engineers, data analysts, and software programmers. The American Association for the Advancement of Science assists the legal profession by providing an independent expert referral system for issues related to science. This type of system could be adapted to address AI-related technical expertise needs of judges. However, additional research is needed to assess whether judges are aware of this resource, how frequently judges have used this resource, and any changes that could improve its usefulness to them.

Finally, skilled individuals with technical expertise must be able to convey effectively, to judges and juries, relevant key concepts in their respective fields. This means that data scientists, programmers, and software developers will need training in communicating with lay audiences about the key aspects of the technology likely to be at issue in AI-related lawsuits. This is especially true given recent findings of low public literacy on topics related to technology generally and AI concepts in particular.

Others have written extensively on the costs and benefits of judicial policymaking, and that is not the focus of this policy brief. Nonetheless, it bears repeating that when legislators, policymakers, and regulators fail to anticipate and act on issues of emerging technology, judges are left in the unfortunate position of being the first branch of government to evaluate new issues related to AI.

[W]hen legislators, policymakers, and regulators fail to anticipate and act on issues of emerging technology, judges are left in the unfortunate position of being the first branch of government to evaluate new issues related to AI.

Legislation guided by sound policy considerations would establish means to provide courts with the guidance they need to avoid setting legal precedent that unintentionally stifles technological advancement on the one hand, or improperly interferes with individuals freedoms, safety, privacy, or right to fair compensation for harm on the other. Because both state and federal law impact AI-related litigation, actors at the state and federal level must work together to try to ensure federal and state policies and legislation are aligned. That would help address AI issues while also elevating the level of expertise available to decision-makers.

The Brookings Institution is a nonprofit organization devoted to independent research and policy solutions. Its mission is to conduct high-quality, independent research and, based on that research, to provide innovative, practical recommendations for policymakers and the public. The conclusions and recommendations of any Brookings publication are solely those of its author(s), and do not reflect the views of the Institution, its management, or its other scholars.

Microsoft provides support to The Brookings InstitutionsArtificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology (AIET) Initiative, and Google provides general, unrestricted support to the Institution. The findings, interpretations, and conclusions in this report are not influenced by any donation. Brookings recognizes that the value it provides is in its absolute commitment to quality, independence, and impact. Activities supported by its donors reflect this commitment.

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How to improve technical expertise for judges in AI-related litigation - Brookings Institution

The Cottage Sexual Assault Center & Children's Advocacy Center is hosting today its sixth annual Unplugged for the Cottage fundraiser.

The Cottage educates to prevent sexual violence and child sexual abuse and provides in-house therapy to those who have survived it. They help survivors pay for referrals to other therapeutic resources when it is necessary.

The Cottage Sexual Assault Center & Children's Advocacy Center hopes that Unplugged for the Cottage will raise awareness about their cause and $10,000 to provide therapy to children and adults who have survived sexual abuse and assault.

It began as a music event for local musicians to show their support for our mission, said Sally Kimel-Sheppard, the executive director of The Cottage Sexual Assault Center & Children's Advocacy Center. We had a board member who knows a good bit of the local musicians here and she thought it would be a great idea for us to have a gathering where musicians who support the cause could come together and play acoustically.

This year, Caroline Aiken, Athens Tiny Jazz Arkestra, Betsy Franck and Diet Dangfly will perform. Kimel-Shepard says that the music is her favorite part because it is uplifting.

Mama's Boy, Ike & Jane, Sweetie Pie by Savie and several others will provide food for the event. Lori Karr will be recognized for working with The Cottage for 10 years.

There will be a silent auction, a donate-to-win and a cork pull. Most of the prizes for all of the activities are from local businesses because The Cottage wanted to make this event about the community.

Its a local event celebrating our communitys support of child abuse and sexual assault intervention that is done by the cottage, said Kimel-Sheppard.

Guests can donate for a chance to win a handmade wine rack, a Sarah Cook Painting or a pet portrait by Rebecca Pearson. The cost is $10 for one chance to win or three chances for $25.

In the silent auction, guests can bid on Art by David Hale, rounds of golf at the University of Georgia Golf Course and Athens Country Club, a basket from Thrive Integrative Medicine, a basket from Jittery Joes and more. Those who are not interested in those prizes can participate in the cork pull and try to win wine and spirits.

Winners of the silent auction and donate-to-win will be chosen the night of the event.

Unplugged for the Cottage will take place at Little Kings Shuffle Club from 6-9 p.m. Tickets are $25 and can be bought at the door or at northgeorgiacottage.org.

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Unplugged fundraiser benefits The Cottage - News - The Augusta Chronicle

While most people in developed nations may not think much about dietary iron, almost a quarter of the global population lacks this essential nutrient.

Iron plays a critical role in providing oxygen to the bodys cells. Too little iron can lead to iron deficiency anemia and symptoms such as fatigue, heart palpitations and shortness of breath. Too much can lead to iron overload and a disease called hemochromatosis, which can cause heart failure.

Michigan Medicine researchers have unlocked a mechanism behind how the body decides whether or not to absorb iron from the food--one that involves the trillions of bacteria in our guts known as the gut microbiome.

If you have a low-iron diet, the body absorbs more of it in an adaptive mechanism to get enough, says Nupur Das, Ph.D., a research investigator in the Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology. Our gut microbiomes are also dependent on iron. Different microbes have different iron needs to survive.

He along with Yatrik Shah, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Internal Medicine and Molecular and Integrative Physiology, and their research team have shown that the bacteria in the gut actively compete with the human body for iron from the diet. They describe their work in a new paper in Cell Metabolism.

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Using mice, they found that certain bacteria in the gut produce metabolites that inhibit the transcription factor HIF-2 in the intestine. By doing so, the gut bacteria block iron absorption by the body.

During a pilot experiment, we found that germ-free mice [mice specially bred to have no bacteria anywhere in their systems] were resistant to anemia, says Shah, senior author on the paper. The easiest explanation is that youve gotten rid of a trillion bacteria and they no longer need iron. But interestingly, we saw that the iron absorptive mechanisms were all highly upregulated in the absence of microbiota.

In other words, without the gut bacteria there to dial back iron absorption, the bodys systems for taking iron in were turned all the way up. To confirm this observation, the group administered antibiotics to normal mice. They found that mice treated with antibiotics also saw an increase in iron absorption. Further, germ-free mice that had gut bacteria transplanted into their systems had reduced iron levels.

What these intriguing findings suggest is an unconventional treatment for iron-related disorders. In an anemic patient, you could help by getting rid of the gut microbiota. Conversely, reintroducing the microbial metabolites that inhibited the absorptive system would reduce iron absorption in patients that have iron overload disorders, says Shah.

Das and Shah note that the antibiotics are inexpensive, readily available and could hold promise for the more than 1.5 billion people globally with iron-deficiency anemia. In the anemic scenario, some places of the world cant afford food with enough iron. These findings suggest we can still improve anemia even when faced with a low iron diet, says Das.

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Furthermore, they note that there are gut specific antibiotics, reducing the risk of antibiotic resistance and can be administered to lower but not completely eliminate beneficial gut microbiota.

Says Shah, We feel that decreasing the microbialburden for a short time would outweigh some of the consequences as anemia, especially in developingnations, can be quite crippling for individuals.

Paper Cited: Yatrik M. Shah et al. "Microbial metabolite signaling is required for systemic iron homeostasis", Cell Metabolism. DOI:10.1016/j.cmet.2019.10.005

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Gut Microbiome Puts the Brakes on Iron Absorption - Michigan Medicine

TORONTO, Nov. 08, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CB2 Insights (CSE:CBII; OTCQB: CBIIF) (CB2 or the Company), a leading data-driven company focused on bringing real-world evidence driven from the point-of-care to the medical cannabis community, announced its results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019. All figures are reported in Canadian dollars ($), unless otherwise indicated. CB2 Insights financials are prepared in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS).

This was a milestone quarter for us at CB2, it was the first full reporting period that included the contributions of all three clinical businesses. We now operate one of the largest networks in the US, serving more than 100,000 unique patients annually, said Prad Sekar, CEO of CB2 Insights. Beyond our clinical business, we started to see our technology and research and development services begin to materialize into revenue-generating divisions. The Company has now booked approximately a quarter of a million in trials that will commence over the next 6 months, with $4 million of opportunities in the pipeline. We continue to blend the three divisions to gather Real-World Data and provide Real-World Evidence with our global partners. Going forward, the Company will remain focused on transformative growth in all areas of our business. Therefore, giving us a clear path to profitability in the near future.

Financial highlights for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019

The following are the major financial highlights of CB2s operating results for the three months ended September 30, 2019 compared to the three months ended June 30, 2019:

Corporate Highlights for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019

For a more detailed overview of the Corporate Highlights, please refer to the Managements Discussion and Analysis for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2019.

Subsequent highlights to the quarter ended September 30, 2019

Results from Operations

The following table set forth consolidated statements and financial information for the third quarter of 2019 ended September 30, 2019, and second quarter ended June 30, 2019. For further information, please refer to the Companys Managements Discussion & analysis on SEDAR at sedar.com.

* Adjusted EBITDA is defined as earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization, adjusted by significant one off, non-operational expenses and partially offset by the cash impact of certain accounting treatments during the period.

Financial Measures

This news release makes references to certain non-IFRS measures, including certain industry metrics. These metrics and measures are not recognized measures under IFRS do not have meanings prescribed under IFRS and are as a result unlikely to be comparable to similar measures presented by other companies. These measures are provided as information complimentary to those IFRS measures by providing a further understanding of our operating results from the perspective of management. As such, these measures should not be considered in isolation or in lieu of review of our financial information reported under IFRS. This news release uses non-IFRS measures including "EBITDA", "adjusted EBITDA". EBITDA, and adjusted EBITDA are commonly used operating measures in the industry but may be calculated differently compared to other companies in the industry. These non-IFRS measures, including the industry measures, are used to provide investors with supplementary measures of our operating performance that may not otherwise be apparent when relying solely on IFRS metrics.

Conference Call Details (phone audio only)

CB2 Insights management team will hold a conference call to discuss our 2019 Q3 Earnings on November 8, 2019 at 9:00am EDT.

Milestone Update for Rae of Sunshine Health Services LLC

CB2 is pleased to announce that during the quarter, the acquired assets of Colorado-based medical clinic group Rae of Sunshine Health Services LLC (ROSH), operating as Relaxed Clarity has achieved their milestone and out-performed initial estimates. On September 28, 2019, ROSH was granted 900,380 shares as part of its milestone incentive payments. The team continues to demonstrate that having a strong management team, solid operational platform and economy of scale are key to achieving great success in a mature cannabis market like Colorado.

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CB2 Insights Completes Payment Obligation to MedEval Clinics LLC

CB2 is pleased to announce that it has successfully completed its payment obligation to its previously announced acquisition of MedEval Clinics LLC (See April 10, 2019 press release). The initial terms of the agreement included a combination of cash and stock paid on closing of US$150,000 and 450,000 shares of CB2 Insights with a deemed value of US$225,000 and milestone payments up to US$300,000 in additional shares over a full 12-month period, however both parties have agreed to an early payout of 100,000 shares in exchange for a discount on the total value of the acquisition. All shares issued are subject to a minimum hold period of four (4) months plus one (1) day from the date of issuance. By completing these payment obligations early, we can immediately satisfy any additional earn-out payments and are able to concentrate on continuing to grow the Colorado market driving even more impact to our bottom line

Interest Payment to Merida Capital

During the quarter, the Company issued 971,179 shares to Merida Capital as part of its interest payment on a debt note.

About CB2 Insights

CB2 Insights (CSE:CBII) is a global leader in clinical operations, technology & analytics solutions and research and development services with a mission to mainstream medical cannabis into traditional healthcare. Providing immediate market access through its wholly-owned clinical network across 12 jurisdictions, proprietary data-driven technology solutions and comprehensive contract research services designed for those in both the medical cannabis and traditional life sciences industries, CB2 Insights is able to support its partners across the entire data and research spectrum.

CB2s Clinical Operations business unit leverages extensive experience to develop clinical models with standard operating procedures, advanced workflows, training and ongoing management support. CB2 also owns and operates its own speciality clinics including the brands Canna Care Docs and Relaxed Clarity which assess nearly 100,000 patients seeking medical cannabis treatment to provide immediate market access to US-based product manufacturers for clinical trial and research programs.

The Company has built both electronic data capture (EDC) and clinical data management software (CDMS) which work to support its partners of any size to execute their data and clinical strategies.

CB2 also offers comprehensive contract research organization (CRO) services including full scale clinical trial management, trial design, monitoring and other key research functions used by licensed producers, multi-state operators and traditional pharmaceutical companies entering the medical cannabis space.

For more information please visit http://www.cb2insights.com.

For additional information, please contact:

Kim Nguyen Director, Investor Relations1.855.847.4999 ext. 212kim.nguyen@cb2inights.com

Disclaimer Regarding Financial Information

The financial information presented in this press release is based on preliminary, unaudited financial statements prepared by management, for the third quarter ended September 30, 2019. Accordingly, such financial information may be subject to change. All information contained in this press release will be qualified with reference to the interim/ unaudited financial results for the three- and nine-month period ending September 30, 2019, which will be released on November xx.2019, and will be posted on sedar.com. While the Company does not expect there to be any material changes to the financial information provided in the press release. Any variation between the Companys actual results and the preliminary financial information set forth herein may be material.

Forward Looking Statements

Statements in this news release that are forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties concerning the specific factors disclosed here and elsewhere in CB2s filings with Canadian securities regulators. When used in this news release, words such as "will, could, plan, estimate, expect, intend, may, potential, believe, should," and similar expressions, are forward-looking statements.

Forward-looking statements may include, without limitation, statements regarding the opportunity to provide services and software to the U.S. cannabis industry.

Although CB2 has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements, there can be other factors that cause results, performance or achievements not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, including, but not limited to: dependence on obtaining regulatory approvals; investing in target companies or projects which have limited or no operating history and are subject to inconsistent legislation and regulation; change in laws; reliance on management; requirements for additional financing; competition; hindering market growth and state adoption due to inconsistent public opinion and perception of the medical-use and recreational-use marijuana industry and; regulatory or political change.

There can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate or that management's expectations or estimates of future developments, circumstances or results will materialize. As a result of these risks and uncertainties, the results or events predicted in these forward-looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events.

Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this news release are made as of the date of this release. CB2 disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise such information, except as required by applicable law, and CB2 does not assume any liability for disclosure relating to any other company mentioned herein.

No securities regulator or exchange has reviewed, approved, disapproved, or accepts responsibility for the content of this news release.

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CB2 Insights Announces Record Revenue of $4.2 million for the Third Quarter 2019; Sequential Growth of 29% - Yahoo Finance