Saturday, March 31, 2018

Lack Of Physical Activity At An Early Age Increases The Risk Of Obesity Later In Life

Lack Of Physical Activity At An Early Age Increases The Risk Of Obesity Later In Life


Extra pounds taken before the age of five can be stored until adolescence and beyond. In other terms, overweight children are more likely to become overweight adults.
“In terms of reducing sedentary life, the time spent using computers and other gadgets must be reduced in favor of other activities encouraging development, (…) we must also encourage children to stand more often than sit,” advised Dr. Jones.

"...a tiny amount of inflammation driven by obesity actually reduced the number of taste buds on their tongues."

Obesity is killing off people’s taste buds, and now scientists can explain why


"Researchers at Cornell University report the discovery that, in mice, a tiny amount of inflammation driven by obesity actually reduced the number of taste buds on their tongues. Their work was published this week (March 20) in the journal PLOS Biology, and it may wind up aiding the development of new therapies to alleviate what’s called “'taste dysfunction' among people who suffer from obesity."

"To be honest, one knows why Marx is so often portrayed as a tragic hero. It is to humanize him..."

I Am Not a Marxist

"To be honest, one knows why Marx is so often portrayed as a tragic hero. It is to humanize him, thus attenuating any controversial aspect of his thought. By depicting Marx as a '19th-century life,' to borrow the title of Jonathan Sperber’s wholly unconvincing biography, one relativizes the man and his ideas. One quarantines it, much like the dangerous animals one locks inside cages at the zoo, so much the better to prod and gawp at the exotic creatures, in clear ignorance of the social context that facilitates such saccharine objectification.
Marx is not a tragic specimen, and I for one am not prepared to let him off the hook so easily. To say that his was a 19th-century life is to forget that his name and ideas only entered into common currency in the 20th. If the specter of communism makes any sense today then it’s because the thing itself was barely stirring when Marx and Engels prophesized it in 1848. It would be another hundred years before Lenin, Stalin, Mao, and their supporting cast succeeded in turning one third of the global population red."

Thai Airways to ban overweight passengers from business class

Thai Airways to ban overweight passengers from business class

BANGKOK, March 24 (Xinhua) -- Thai Airways International plans to install new seat belts with airbags in the business class cabins of its new Boeing 787 Dreamliner jets but there's a catch.
These belts are not designed for overweight people.
According to The Bangkok Post, the airline has decided to introduce a 142-cm waistline limit.

Friday, March 23, 2018

Roadblocks in the Path of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to the Clinic

 2018;5(1):14-18. doi: 10.1007/s40472-018-0177-x. Epub 2018 Feb 8.

Roadblocks in the Path of iPSC to the Clinic.

Author information

1
1Pluripotent stem cells and activation of endogenous tissue programs for organ regeneration (PR Lab), Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
2
2Universidad Católica San Antonio de Murcia (UCAM), Campus de los Jerónimos, 135 Guadalupe, 30107 Murcia, Spain.
3
Networking Biomedical Research Center in Bioengineering, Biomaterials and Nanomedicine (CIBER-BBN), Madrid, Spain.
4
4Gene Expression Laboratory, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, 10010 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037 USA.

Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW:

The goal of this paper is to highlight the major challenges in the translation of human pluripotent stem cells into a clinical setting.

RECENT FINDINGS:

Innate features from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) positioned these patient-specific cells as an unprecedented cell source for regenerative medicine applications. Immunogenicity of differentiated iPSCs requires more research towards the definition of common criteria for the evaluation of innate and host immune responses as well as in the generation of standardized protocols for iPSC generation and differentiation. The coming years will resolve ongoing clinical trials using both human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and hiPSCs providing exciting information for the optimization of potential clinical applications of stem cell therapies.

SUMMARY:

Rapid advances in the field of iPSCs generated high expectations in the field of regenerative medicine. Understanding therapeutic applications of iPSCs certainly needs further investigation on autologous/allogenic iPSC transplantation.

Obesity: the new smoking

40% of cancers could be avoided through lifestyle changes


"The biggest causes of cancer are smoking, followed by excess weight, overexposure to UV radiation from the sun and sunbeds, consuming alcohol, insufficient consumption of fibre, and outdoor air pollution, a study by Cancer Research UK found.
Obesity the 'new smoking'
Experts leading the study warned that obesity could outrun smoking as the new biggest cause of cancer in the UK, as rates continue to rise and the number of smokers keeps falling."

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Social media is vital to the continued success of the profession of Pathology

I am a candidate for College of American Pathologists' President-Elect, 2019-2021 term.  My vision is here.

Social media is vital to the continued success of the profession of Pathology.  Here are some of my thoughts on how we can best benefit from using social media.


Membership Growth. Pathologist Payment.

State pathology societies are key to the future of pathology.

I am a candidate for College of American Pathologists' President-Elect, 2019-2021 term.  My vision is here.  

State pathology societies are key to the future of pathology. Here are some of my thoughts on that.

Ethical principles and placebo-controlled trials - interpretation and implementation of the Declaration of Helsinki's placebo paragraph in medical research

 2018 Mar 15;19(1):24. doi: 10.1186/s12910-018-0262-9.

Ethical principles and placebo-controlled trials - interpretation and implementation of the Declaration of Helsinki's placebo paragraph in medical research.

Author information

1
Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. antoniaskierka@hotmail.com.
2
Institute for Prevention and Cancer Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine and Medical Center, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany. kmichels@hsph.harvard.edu.
3
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Obstetrics and Gynecology Epidemiology Center, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA. kmichels@hsph.harvard.edu.
4
Department of Epidemiology, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA. kmichels@hsph.harvard.edu.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

In October 2013, the Declaration of Helsinki was revised a seventh time in its 50 year history. While it is the most widely accepted set of ethical principles for the protection of patients participating in medical research, the Declaration of Helsinki has also been subject of constant controversy. In particular, its paragraph on the use of placebo controls in clinical trials divides the research community into active-control and placebo orthodox proponents, both continuously demanding revisions of the Declaration of Helsinki in favour of their position. The goal of the present project is to compare the mainly theoretical controversy with regulatory implementation.

METHODS:

We distributed a questionnaire to national drug regulatory authorities from different countries to collect information on the authorities' respective approaches to interpretation and implementation of the Declarations' placebo paragraph in the conduct of medical research.

RESULTS:

Our findings suggest that the majority of drug regulatory authorities have established a practice of a middle ground, allowing placebo controls in some instances. Various interpretations of "serious harm" and "methodological reasons" are proposed as well as safeguards to avoid abuse of the option to use placebo-controls.

CONCLUSION:

Leaving the placebo paragraph open to various interpretation is a result of the Declaration of Helsinki's character as a guidance document. With the current version controversy will continue. The Declaration should be continued to be strengthened to enforce the appreciation of conducting medical research with the highest ethical standard.

From Kelly Butnor and colleagues: Malignant Mesothelioma in Individuals With Nonmesothelial Neoplasms

Kelly J. ButnorMDElizabeth N. PavliskoMDThomas A. SpornMDVictor L. RoggliMD
From the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington (Dr Butnor); and the Department of Pathology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina (Drs Pavlisko, Sporn, and Roggli).
Reprints: Kelly J. Butnor, MD, Department of Pathology, University of Vermont Medical Center, ACC Bldg, EP2-120, 111 Colchester Ave, Burlington, VT 05401 (email: ).
Context.— Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is a component of the BAP1 tumor predisposition syndrome. Other than in BAP1familial studies, nonmesothelial neoplasms in individuals with MM has not been comprehensively assessed.
Objective.— To assess the spectrum and prevalence of nonmesothelial neoplasms in individuals with MM.
Design.— Individuals with MM and second neoplasms were identified from a database of 3900 MM cases. The expected prevalence of each type of neoplasm was calculated and compared with the actual prevalence in the study population using available Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results data and other published data.
Results.— Two hundred seventy nonmesothelial neoplasms were identified in 241 individuals (6% of the study population) with MM. Prostate adenocarcinoma was most common. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma, lung carcinoma, urothelial carcinoma, breast carcinoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia, clear cell renal cell carcinoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, papillary renal cell carcinoma, multiple myeloma/plasmacytoma, meningioma, pleomorphic undifferentiated sarcoma, chronic myelogenous leukemia, ocular melanoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, liposarcoma, and Wilms tumor all were more prevalent than expected.
Conclusions.— Nonmesothelial neoplasms are uncommon in individuals with MM, but certain tumor types are increased in prevalence. In an unselected study population with respect to BAP1 status, the prevalence of several tumor types described in BAP1 mutation carriers, including lung carcinoma, clear cell renal cell carcinoma, breast carcinoma, meningioma, pleomorphic undifferentiated sarcoma, and ocular melanoma, was increased.

"To create one imperishable comic character is no small achievement. Robert McCrum holds that Wodehouse created five..."

FRIVOLOUS, EMPTY, AND PERFECTLY DELIGHTFUL


"To create one imperishable comic character is no small achievement. Robert McCrum holds that Wodehouse created five: Psmith, Lord Emsworth, Aunt Agatha, Bertie Wooster, and Jeeves. I would add as a sixth the irrepressible Galahad Threepwood, the younger brother of Lord Emsworth, an old boy who, during a relentlessly roguish youth, 'apparently never went to bed before he was fifty.'"

Less quality of sleep blamed for obesity

Less quality of sleep blamed for obesity




The director of Sleep Science at Ssisa, Dr Dale Rae, said: “There is a huge train of thought around the world at the moment that people are not getting much sleep and I often get asked: ‘how much sleep should I be getting’.

“The guidelines at the moment are such that as adults we should be sleeping somewhere between seven and nine hours per night. There is a little bit of leeway for some people - some say six hours are sufficient, while some say 10 hours is necessary. But the key is really to make sure your sleep quality is as good as your sleep duration.”

Friday, March 16, 2018

"It’s not surprising that politicians reach for statistics to claim their policies are working, of course. But good economic analysis goes beyond direct effects, considering both the welfare on customers and other consequences in related markets."

Why Sugar Taxes Won’t Dent Obesity

"Remember that too as calls for single-use plastic taxes amplify. Even the Green Alliance has warned that major action could have unintended consequences, such as increasing global carbon emissions if it causes more agricultural waste, or leading to more deforestation if it encourages paper-based packaging instead.
It’s not surprising that politicians reach for statistics to claim their policies are working, of course. But good economic analysis goes beyond direct effects, considering both the welfare on customers and other consequences in related markets.
Before we rush headlong into more nannying interventions, emboldened by recent forays, we would do well to remember that."


Deepali Jain and Sinchita Roy-Chowdhuri: Molecular Pathology of Lung Cancer Cytology Specimens

Deepali JainMD, FIACSinchita Roy-ChowdhuriMD, PhD
From the Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi (Dr Jain); and the Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Department of Pathology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston (Dr Roy-Chowdhuri).
Corresponding author: Sinchita Roy-Chowdhuri, MD, PhD, Department of Pathology, Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Blvd, Unit 85, Houston, TX 77030 (email: ).
Context.— There has been a paradigm shift in the understanding of molecular pathogenesis of lung cancer. A number of oncogenic drivers have been identified in non–small cell lung carcinoma, such as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangement. Because of the clinical presentation at an advanced stage of disease in non-small cell lung carcinoma patients, the use of minimally invasive techniques is preferred to obtain a tumor sample for diagnosis. These techniques include image-guided biopsies and fine-needle aspirations, and frequently the cytology specimen may be the only tissue sample available for the diagnosis and molecular testing for these patients.
Objective.— To review the current literature and evaluate the role of cytology specimens in lung cancer mutation testing. We reviewed the types of specimens received in the laboratory, specimen processing, the effect of preanalytic factors on downstream molecular studies, and the commonly used molecular techniques for biomarker testing in lung cancer.
Data Sources.— PubMed and Google search engines were used to review the published literature on the topic.
Conclusions.— Mutation testing is feasible on a variety of cytologic specimen types and preparations. However, a thorough understanding of the cytology workflow for the processing of samples and appropriate background knowledge of the molecular tests are necessary for triaging, and optimum use of these specimens is necessary to guide patient management.

Congratulations! and welcome! to the University of Mississippi Medical Center Department of Pathology's new 2018-2019 PGY1 residents, Drs. Anu Abraham, Aljunaid Alhussain, Hansini Laharwani, and Charles Middleton!

Congratulations! and welcome! to the University of Mississippi Medical Center Department of Pathology's new 2018-2019 PGY1 residents, Drs. Anu Abraham, Aljunaid Alhussain, Hansini Laharwani, and Charles Middleton!

"Weight bias may very well be the last socially acceptable prejudice in our society."

Obesity: an ounce of compassion (and a bit of understanding) can prevent a ton of hurt



Weight bias may very well be the last socially acceptable prejudice in our society.
And guess what?
It’s a bias that can really sting and hurt.
And the slights can last a lifetime.

Why Crisis Pregnancy Centers Are Legal but Unethical

 2018 Mar 1;20(1):269-277. doi: 10.1001/journalofethics.2018.20.3.pfor1-1803.

Why Crisis Pregnancy Centers Are Legal but Unethical.

Author information

1
An assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the Family Planning Division at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill.
2
A clinical fellow in family planning at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine in Chapel Hill.

Abstract

Crisis pregnancy centers are organizations that seek to intercept women with unintended pregnancies who might be considering abortion. Their mission is to prevent abortions by persuading women that adoption or parenting is a better option. They strive to give the impression that they are clinical centers, offering legitimate medical services and advice, yet they are exempt from regulatory, licensure, and credentialing oversight that apply to health care facilities. Because the religious ideology of these centers' owners and employees takes priority over the health and well-being of the women seeking care at these centers, women do not receive comprehensive, accurate, evidence-based clinical information about all available options. Although crisis pregnancy centers enjoy First Amendment rights protections, their propagation of misinformation should be regarded as an ethical violation that undermines women's health.

"The higher total body fat or fat around the abdomen, the greater the risk of heart disease and stroke in individuals without existing disease..."

Can You Be Obese But Heart-Healthy? Study Says No


"The higher total body fat or fat around the abdomen, the greater the risk of heart disease and stroke in individuals without existing disease," said lead researcher Dr. Stamatina Iliodromiti. She is a clinical lecturer in obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. "There is no protective effect of fat, as some people believe."
And whatever your particular body mass index (BMI), losing a few pounds will only improve your health, Iliodromiti added.
"There are no downsides to losing weight," she said.

Tuesday, March 13, 2018

"Characterised by illusions of virtue, it turns out that the veggie dishes are no less healthy than their meaty counterparts, with experts claiming that they are often higher in calories and sodium."

VEGETARIAN MEALS AT FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS NO HEALTHIER THAN MEAT OPTIONS, EXPERTS CLAIM



"Characterised by illusions of virtue, it turns out that the veggie dishes are no less healthy than their meaty counterparts, with experts claiming that they are often higher in calories and sodium.
From Subway to Shake Shack, dieticians reveal that while fast food outlets are attending to the rising popularity of vegetarianism, the majority of them don’t have the financial resources to ensure that the nutritional value is any better than their meat dishes."

Saturday, March 10, 2018

The Most Obese County in Every State

The Most Obese County in Every State


"According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28.3% of Americans age 18 and older are obese. Obesity is a complex health concern with a wide range of causes that can include community and environment. Partially as a result, obesity rates can range considerably from one state to the next and even between counties of the same state."

"The Hippocratic oath, whereby doctors pledge to first “do no harm,” gets lost with the prescription of exercise with most individuals."

Doctors Who Prescribe Exercise Should Walk and Talk

It’s difficult to assess a patient's fitness while sitting in a doctor’s office

"Type 2 diabetes is due to insulin resistance, so the exercise that is more effective to increase insulin sensitivity is more specific to the duration of the exercise than the intensity.
But overweight and obese people may not be able to do either of these without injuring themselves. The Hippocratic oath, whereby doctors pledge to first “do no harm,” gets lost with the prescription of exercise with most individuals. The risk of injury and noncompliance should be the first two things when discussing an exercise routine.
The risk of injury for all individuals, especially of the lower extremities, such as plantar fasciitis and knee pain, is up to four times greater doing high-intensity exercise, such as jogging, compared to moderate intensity such as walking. Obese individuals are at even greater risk."

"But there’s a darker, more menacing side to the preoccupation with fitness, and this is the widespread suspicion that if you can’t control your own body, you’re not fit, in any sense, to control anyone else, and in their work lives that is a large part of what typical gym-goers do."

Body Work

The curiously self-punishing rites of fitness culture


And why should the mind want to subdue the body systematically, repeatedly, day after day? Many gym-goers will tell you cheerfully that it makes them feel better, at least when the workout is over. But there’s a darker, more menacing side to the preoccupation with fitness, and this is the widespread suspicion that if you can’t control your own body, you’re not fit, in any sense, to control anyone else, and in their work lives that is a large part of what typical gym-goers do. We are talking here about a relative elite of people who are more likely to give orders than to take them—managers and professionals. In this class, there are steep penalties for being overweight or in any other way apparently unhealthy. Flabby people are less likely to be hired or promoted; they may even be reprimanded and obliged to undergo the company’s “wellness” program, probably consisting of exercise (on- or off-site), nutritional counseling to promote weight loss, and, if indicated, lessons in smoking cessation.


HIV-related politics in long-term perspective

 1998 Apr;10(2):93-103. doi: 10.1080/09540129850124208.

HIV-related politics in long-term perspective.

Abstract

Some long-term, large-scale socio-economic changes may affect the politics of HIV and other emerging viruses such as hepatitis C. It is useful to ask why the potential 'peace dividend' of the early 1990s failed to provide adequate resources for HIV-related social and medical service delivery in developed or developing nations. This failure can be understood by looking at long-term global economic trends and the pressures they put on governments and corporations. They have produced a period in which fundamental issues of political and economic structure are at stake and, often, the response is a divide-and-rule politics to promote stability. National politics differ in terms of the extent to which such a 'politics of scapegoating' is institutionalized and in terms of which groups are scapegoated. Groups such as drug injectors, gay and bisexual men and sex traders are particularly likely to be targeted both by the scapegoaters and by HIV. Given this framework, how should public health professionals and activists engaged in HIV-related issues respond? Under what circumstances should we orient efforts 'upwards' towards corporate, political or bureaucratic leaders? Under what circumstances, and how, should we orient towards 'popular' forces? Relatedly, we need to consider an issue we often ignore: What do we have to offer potential allies? That is, in terms of their goals, philosophies and needs, why should they ally with us?

British minster calls for legal limit on time spent on internet by teens


"Teens aged under 18 face being cut off from social media sites after a few hours' browsing under proposals being drawn up to tame the 'wild west' of the internet, the Times newspaper in London reported Saturday."


Sarcopenia: the new smoking

How to build muscle as age tears it down



"Reduced levels of physical activity, increases in sedentary behavior and doing less intense exercise all play a significant role in age-related muscle loss, known as sarcopenia, which is a leading contributor to frailty and loss of independence associated with aging. Loss of muscle begins in your 30s but gains momentum when you hit 50 and accelerates even more rapidly in your mid-70s.
The good news is that muscle loss and loss of strength can be slowed considerably in most cases and even reversed in some, regardless of age or fitness level. A 1994 study even showed that people could gain muscle in their late 90s."


From Izidor Kern and colleagues: Reproducibility of Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Histopathologic Subtyping

Luka BrcicMD, PhD;
Gregor VlacicMD;
Franz QuehenbergerPhD;
Izidor KernMD
Corresponding author: Luka Brcic, MD, PhD, Institute of Pathology, Medical University of Graz, Neue Stiftingtalstraße 6, 8010 Graz, Austria (email: ).
Context.— Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare tumor with poor prognosis. Several studies have analyzed potential prognostic markers, but histologic type remains the single most important prognostic factor. Histologic subtypes of epithelioid MPM seem to have prognostic and therapeutic implications. Interobserver agreement in histologic pattern classification should be high.
Objective.— To assess interobserver and intraobserver reproducibility in histologic differentiation between the main types of MPMs, and in further subtyping of epithelioid-type mesothelioma.
Design.— One representative hematoxylin-eosin–stained slide was selected from the archive for each of 200 patients with MPM. They were reviewed independently by 3 pathologists and classified according to the current World Health Organization classification of pleural tumors. After the first round of evaluations, a consensus meeting was organized where problems were addressed and representative images for each histologic category were selected. Two months later, cases were reevaluated by all 3 pathologists.
Results.— After the first round, overall interobserver agreement for histologic subtyping of mesothelioma was fair (κ, 0.36). The agreement was increased to substantial (κ, 0.63) in the second round. Improvement was found in interobserver agreement for all types of MPM, and for most epithelioid subtypes.
Conclusions.— Moderate to substantial agreement in histologic typing and subtyping of MPM can be achieved. However, training with additional clarification of diagnostic criteria, their strict application, and help from consensus-based illustrative images is needed.

"Indirect reciprocity is the most elaborate and cognitively demanding of all known cooperation mechanisms, and is the most specifically human because it involves reputation and status."

 2018 Mar 7;555(7695):242-245. doi: 10.1038/nature25763.

Social norm complexity and past reputations in the evolution of cooperation.

Santos FP1,2Santos FC1,2Pacheco JM2,3,4.

Author information

1
INESC-ID and Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, IST-Taguspark, 2744-016 Porto Salvo, Portugal.
2
ATP-group, 2744-016 Porto Salvo, Portugal.
3
Centro de Biologia Molecular e Ambiental, Universidade do Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.
4
Departamento de Matemática e Aplicações, Universidade do Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal.

Abstract

Indirect reciprocity is the most elaborate and cognitively demanding of all known cooperation mechanisms, and is the most specifically human because it involves reputation and status. By helping someone, individuals may increase their reputation, which may change the predisposition of others to help them in future. The revision of an individual's reputation depends on the social norms that establish what characterizes a good or bad action and thus provide a basis for morality. Norms based on indirect reciprocity are often sufficiently complex that an individual's ability to follow subjective rules becomes important, even in models that disregard the past reputations of individuals, and reduce reputations to either 'good' or 'bad' and actions to binary decisions. Here we include past reputations in such a model and identify the key pattern in the associated norms that promotes cooperation. Of the norms that comply with this pattern, the one that leads to maximal cooperation (greater than 90 per cent) with minimum complexity does not discriminate on the basis of past reputation; the relative performance of this norm is particularly evident when we consider a 'complexity cost' in the decision process. This combination of high cooperation and low complexity suggests that simple moral principles can elicit cooperation even in complex environments.

“So, that awareness, that sense of conscientiousness, becomes more powerful than the immediate gratification of food. But you have to learn it. It has to become a habit...”

Global Obesity Battle: What You Eat and How You Think 


"Instead of focusing on what is eaten, Solomon helps people maintain weight loss by working with the mind to change a person’s eating behavior. She said she weighed 224 pounds (102 kg) and has kept off 70 pounds (32 kg) for more than 30 years. Solomon authored a book on weight management and has been helping clients like Mulcahy be more self-aware. A key part of her method is a journal, where overeaters write down everything they eat before they eat.
“So, that awareness, that sense of conscientiousness, becomes more powerful than the immediate gratification of food. But you have to learn it. It has to become a habit,” Solomon said."

Friday, March 9, 2018

Students run the halls of local schools to get fit. I recall running in the hall. Different outcome.

Students run the halls of local schools to get fit

Students get fit in after-school program


Offered every spring and fall, the program is free to participating schools and open to all grade levels, though the program’s materials are currently geared primarily toward the elementary school level. For their part, participating schools must provide the facility and a club leader to help oversee the program, while Goshen Health provides the rest of the club supplies, Bowers explained.
“Clubs are required to meet two times a week for a minimum of six weeks,” Bowers said of the particulars of the program. “We provide guidelines and tips to the school for running the club. The schools are able to customize the club to best meet their needs — day, time, how often, etc. — but they must track the number of kids in the club, the total number of miles run and results from student pre/post assessments.”

The problem with debt



The problem with debt


"Why is this terrible thing happening to our great country? Also, what can be done about it? It is happening primarily because we are sending big-spending liberals to lead our government.
This includes liberal Donald Trump and liberal members of Congress. Yes, the Democrats and Congress are very liberal when it comes to wasting money. But so are the Republicans."

Why Public Comments Matter: The Case of the National Institutes of Health Policy on Single Institutional Review Board Review of Multicenter Studies

 2018 Mar 6. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0000000000002206. [Epub ahead of print]

Why Public Comments Matter: The Case of the National Institutes of Health Policy on Single Institutional Review Board Review of Multicenter Studies.

Author information

1
A.M. Ervin is assistant scientist, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland. H.A. Taylor is associate professor, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health and Johns Hopkins Berman Institute of Bioethics, Baltimore, Maryland. S. Ehrhardt is associate professor, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland. C.L. Meinert is professor, Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland.

Abstract

PURPOSE:

In 2014, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) requested public comments on a draft policy requiring NIH-funded, U.S.-based investigators to use a single institutional review board (sIRB) for ethical review of multicenter studies. The authors conducted a directed content analysis and qualitative summary of the comments and discuss how they shaped the final policy.

METHOD:

Two reviewers independently assessed support for the policy from a review of comments responding to the draft policy in 2016. A reviewer conducted an open text review to identify prespecified and additional comment themes. A second researcher reviewed 20% of the comments; discrepancies were resolved through discussion.

RESULTS:

The NIH received 167 comments: 65% (108/167) supportive of the policy, 23% (38/167) not supportive, and 12% (21/167) not indicating support. Clarifications or changes to the policy were suggested in 102/167 comments (61%). Criteria for selecting sIRBs were addressed in 32/102 comments (31%). Also addressed were IRB responsibilities (39/102; 38%), cost (27/102; 26%), the role of local IRBs (14/102; 14%), and allowable policy exceptions (19/102; 19%). The NIH further clarified or provided additional guidance for selection criteria, IRB responsibilities, and cost in the final policy (June 2016). Local IRB reviews and exemptions guidance were unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS:

In this case study, public comments were effective in shaping policy as the NIH modified provisions or planned supplemental guidance in response to comments. Yet critical knowledge gaps remain and empirical data are necessary. The NIH is considering mechanisms to support the establishment of best practices for sIRB implementation.

Is vegetarian fast food actually good for you?

Is vegetarian fast food actually good for you?


"The takeaway: Menu items can vary widely, depending on the type and amount of ingredients used, and sauces and deep frying will contribute extra calories, fat and sodium."

Improving Pathology resident education

I am a candidate for College of American Pathologists' President-Elect, 2019-2021 term. Here is my vision.

Resident education is vital to the future of the College and the profession.  Here are  some of my thoughts on how the pathology resident education can improve.

Membership Growth. Pathologist Payment.

A Dictionary of Academic Terms That Is Also a Meditation on Work

A Dictionary of Academic Terms That Is Also a Meditation on Work


But they’re not wrong: from the ethos of self-improvement to the supposedly self-evident good of American greatness, “excellence” is in the air. And the pursuit of being better than all comers, the authors argue, fosters callousness, impatience, an obsession with competition, and “a widespread and barely concealed disdain for weakness, failure, doomed gestures, tragedy, paralysis, fragility, mediocrity, and the ordinary in all its forms (this despite there being excellent evidence that this litany epitomizes much that is essential to human being).”