| What’s Next for Tech Censorship? Posted: 24 May 2021 05:41 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from Nate Nead  If you've been paying attention to the tech world for the past several years, you know there's been a bubbling issue considered by politicians, journalists, and tech consumers alike: a troubling rise in tech censorship and uncertainty over how to respond to it. To be clear, tech censorship is a complex issue that requires a nuanced discussion. There are no clear answers on whether tech censorship is truly destructive, or what should be done about it – and this article will not be taking a political stance. However, whether you're a startup entrepreneur, an industry professional, or just a tech consumer trying to make the best decisions for you and your family, it pays to know more about what's going on. The Central Tech Censorship Issue There are certain countries that have major, life-altering tech censorship problems. In China, for example, many types of content (including criticisms of the government) are outright banned and filtered out of search results. What we've been seeing in the United States is much tamer by comparison, but it is concerning. Right now, there are a few dozen massive tech platforms that control what we see online, to some extent. Google, for example, is by far the most popular search engine in the world, responsible for handling billions of searches every day and displaying results that list webpages matching those user queries. While Google's algorithm works mostly automatically, it wouldn't take much for an employee to make a manual change or tweak the algorithm slightly to adjust results. In some contexts, this is almost universally viewed as acceptable. Google has had a longstanding and transparent motivation to delist certain websites from its search results based on those sites' violations of Google's terms of service. For example, websites that promote or allow content piracy are essentially blacklisted. But other companies are taking more controversial, debatable actions. For example, Twitter and other social media sites have intentionally removed user posts and comments if they happen to contain certain phrases, or if they feature incorrect information. Controversial political commentators have been completely removed from a wide variety of platforms in one fell swoop, and certain opinions have been forcibly removed from discussion. What's the Problem? What exactly is the problem here? On some level, it's not especially concerning to see a controversial, inflammatory, chronically lying public figure get removed from a platform where their primary goal is recruiting toxic followers. On another level, there's a lot at stake in a maneuver like this. Power and control. There aren't many big tech companies. If you want to post on social media and reach a sizable audience, there are fewer than a dozen options. If you want to build a website, there are only a handful of hosting companies and website builders to choose from. If one or a few of these companies decide that your voice isn't appropriate for others to hear, they can easily shut you out. On a large scale, this gives tech companies the power to influence public opinion; they can control the narrative surrounding things like public health crises and major elections. With a couple of tactical moves, such as removing a candidate from a platform or banning the mention of a certain news topic, a platform could have a dramatic impact on the outcome of an election.
Polarization and extremism. It's arguable that these moves also contribute to political extremism. When one candidate and their followers are banned or silenced on a given platform, they don't disappear – in fact, they often become galvanized, seeing themselves as martyrs whose mission is of the utmost importance. When they find a new platform in which to gather, they will become further isolated and harder to reach. Meanwhile, much of the general public won't even know that people with this controversial opinion exist.
Fragmentation of access. Most would agree that access to social media platforms, search engines, and other high-visibility tech tools leads to greater knowledge, greater awareness of current events, and more connections to others. Limiting access to these tech tools can be detrimental; if a person has less access to news and information, they're going to be at a considerable disadvantage in many areas of life.
Collaboration. These matters are often made worse by the fact that big tech companies have the power (and inclination) to collaborate with each other. Overnight, a coalition of tech companies can decide to ban a person (or a topic) at the same time, leaving no refuge for people who have deemed controversial. Recent Legal Action Some politicians have proposed taking action against tech censorship as a way to preserve democracy and increase the visibility of political candidates. In Florida, Governor Ron DeSantis is currently backing House Bill 7013, which outlines a plan for penalizing social media sites that block or silence political candidates in Florida. The bill also strives to give individual users the power to opt out of certain algorithms and choices from big tech companies. As of the time of this article's writing, the bill is being reviewed by the House Judiciary Committee. Its fate may be a hint of how future federal legislation may fare. The Options What are the options ahead of us? Do nothing. First, we could do nothing. Social media companies are private companies that, arguably, should be free to approve or deny access to any user and/or control the content featured on those platforms. We don't bat an eye if a restaurant owner kicks someone out for being inflammatory or rude; why should we force tech companies to serve any and all users? At the very least, we should acknowledge that social media bans and limitations aren't, as some may suggest, an infringement on free speech as protected under the First Amendment.
Empower users to push for change. We could also encourage social media and search users to demand more from the companies they patronize on a daily basis. Deleting your account in solidarity or signing a petition for change could lead to grassroots momentum substantial enough to get these companies to change their policies.
Pass a law. The other option is to pass some kind of legislation that dictates the way that tech companies can do business. But this opens the door to a number of other complex problems. For example, who gets to decide what constitutes a "big tech" company? Would this legislation limit the entry of new competition? Could this result in a kind of coalition between big tech and the government, resulting in even more centralized control? Platforms or Publishers? One of the central philosophical issues in this debate is whether social media companies (and other big tech companies) should be considered platforms or publishers. If these companies are platforms, they're not necessarily responsible for the content posted by their users. They only exist as a third-party tool where people can post content and exchange comments with each other as they see fit. If these companies are publishers, they exercise a degree of control over what gets posted and how; they can use their authority to ban certain types of content, ban certain users, and otherwise control the flow of information. If companies recognize themselves as platforms, they're freed from responsibility for illegal content – but they don't get to exercise power over what gets published. If they recognize themselves as publishers, they can control messages however they want, the same as any publisher – but they must take responsibility for anything damaging that gets through their filter. In reality, most of us can likely agree that big tech companies occupy a kind of awkward middle ground. We expect them to remove some types of blatantly illegal content, but we don't want them to dictate or control our political discussions. We want to have unlimited access to them so we can have ample information, but we have few reservations against the banning of certain other users. It's a complex set of considerations for an industry that's still in its infancy. We need to remain open minded and diligent in our discussions and debates on this topic – and aware of the true power that big tech companies collectively wield. The post What's Next for Tech Censorship? appeared first on ReadWrite. If you've been paying attention to the tech world for the past several years, you know there's been a bubbling issue considered by politicians, journalists, and tech consumers alike: a troubling rise in tech censorship and uncertainty over how to respond to it. To be clear, tech censorship is a complex issue that requires a
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| High Protein Noodle Bowl Posted: 24 May 2021 05:40 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from Natalie Sabin  Detailed meal plans can be hard because we don't normally eat "ounces" of "nutrients"—we eat meals. Things like hamburgers, tacos, sandwiches, soups (aka: mixed foods). When first learning how to portion mixed meals it helps to simplify so you can visualize how much you are serving up. But don't confuse simple for boring or tasteless. A great way to enjoy the flavor of mixed meals, practice portions, AND ditch overly detailed plans is by using noodle or rice bowls. Here's what you need: 1lb lean ground beef or turkey
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 cup sweet onion, diced
1 bunch kale, stems removed
2 medium carrots
1 bell pepper, seeds removed
1 Tbsp each: sesame oil, liquid aminos, fish sauce (don't smell it just add it in)
Rice noodles
Purple cabbage
Toppings: Basil, green onion, chili sauce Here's how to make it: In skillet combine ground beef, garlic, onion. Cook until meat is done.
In a food processor (can be done by hand too), dice vegetables.
Add vegetable mixture, oil, amino, and fish sauce to skillet with meat. Cook for another 2-3 minutes to combine flavors, but keep veggies crisp.
Serve with 1-2 palm sizes of rice noodles, a big fist full of raw purple cabbage.
Top with basil, green onion, chili sauce
The post High Protein Noodle Bowl appeared first on Born Fitness. Bowls, like this high protein noodle bowl, are a great way to enjoy the flavor of mixed meals and practice portion sizes.
The post High Protein Noodle Bowl appeared first on Born Fitness.
dinner, high protein, Recipes More Health and Wellness at http://dWeb.News
Blog – Born Fitness The post High Protein Noodle Bowl appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy  |
| Study: Fluorescent light clarifies relationship between heat stress and crop yield Posted: 24 May 2021 05:40 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from  Study: Fluorescent light clarifies relationship between heat stress and crop yield
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, News Bureau
Research News
IMAGE:
Illustration showing (a) the experimental setup and photos of field measurement (b) a researcher using a spectroscopy system and (c) the canopy chamber system.
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Credit: Graphic courtesy Hyungsuk Kimm CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Scientists report that it is possible to detect and predict heat damage in crops by measuring the fluorescent light signature of plant leaves experiencing heat stress. If collected via satellite, this fluorescent signal could support widespread monitoring of growth and crop yield under the heat stress of climate change, the researchers say. Their study measures sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence – or SIF – to monitor a plant’s photosynthetic health and establish a connection between heat stress and crop yield. The findings are published in the journal
Global Change Biology
. Sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence occurs when a portion of photosynthetic energy, in the form of near-infrared light, is emitted from plant leaves, the researchers said. “There is a link between sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence and photosynthetic rate in plants; however, it was unclear if SIF detection could measure physiological responses in heat-stressed plants,” said lead author Hyungsuk Kimm, a natural and resources and environmental sciences graduate student at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “When soybeans are exposed to high-temperature stress, for example, they do not show any distinctive changes in canopy structure, and conventional remote sensing signals do not provide clear consequential spectral signatures.” To clarify the link between SIF and crop yield, researchers used a hyperspectral sensing system to measured SIF above soybean crops in the U. of I.’s Temperature Free-Air-Controlled Enhancement experimental plots in central Illinois. The setup monitored changes in chlorophyll fluorescence of soybean leaf canopies in a controlled environment using infrared lamps to raise temperatures 1.5, 3.0, 4.5, and 6.0 degrees Celsius above the ambient crop canopy temperature, the study reports. “This experimental setup – and it’s a large temperature gradient – is the first of its kind,” said co-author Carl Bernacchi, a professor of plant biology and of crop sciences and a research scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service at the U. of I. “We found that sun-induced fluorescence responds to temperature increases and corresponds with fewer and lower quality soybean leaves,” said natural and resources and environmental sciences professor Kaiyu Guan, who directed the study. “We also found that heat stress has a great impact on soybeans during their reproductive stages when the plants are producing grain, which ultimately affects the size and quantity of the resulting soybeans.” This study establishes a correlation between heat stress, SIF and grain quality and clarifies how heat stress affects photosynthetic performance and crop yield. “The technique may provide a tool for breeders to identify more heat-resistant crops and help farmers select the best crops to grow in the U.S. Corn Belt as temperatures rise, as predicted by many climate models,” said co-author Lisa Ainsworth, a plant biology professor and U.S. Department of Agriculture scientist at Illinois. ### Illinois researchers Charles Burroughs, Bin Peng, Caitlin Moore and Genghung Wu also participated in this research. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, NASA and the National Science Foundation supported this study. Guan also is affiliated with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications and the Institute for Sustainability, Energy and Environment. Bernacchi and Ainsworth also are affiliated with the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. Guan, Ainsworth and Bernacchi are founding faculty members of the Agroecosystem Sustainability Center at Illinois. Editor’s notes: To reach Hyungsuk Kimm, call 217-979-8334, email
hk8@illinois.edu
. To reach Kaiyu Guan, call 217-300-2690;
kaiyug@illinois.edu
. The paper “Quantifying high-temperature stress on soybean canopy photosynthesis: the unique role of sun-induced chlorophyll fluorescence” is available online and from the
U. of I. News Bureau
. DOI: doi.org/10.1111/gcb.15603.
Disclaimer:
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system. EurekAlert! – Agriculture More Agriculture News at http://dWeb.News The post Study: Fluorescent light clarifies relationship between heat stress and crop yield appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy  |
| Colorado School of Public Health receives grant to address kidney disease among women in Guatemala Posted: 24 May 2021 05:40 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from Colorado School of Public Health receives grant to address kidney disease among women in Guatemala
The three-year K01 grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences provides support to examine the environmental determinants of kidney injury in female sugarcane workers and female community members in Guatemala University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Grant Announcement
Dr. Jaime Butler-Dawson, from the Center for Health, Work, & Environment (CHWE) within the Colorado School of Public Health (ColoradoSPH), has received a Career Development Award from the National Institutes of Health. The three-year K01 grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences will provides support to examine the environmental determinants of kidney injury in female sugarcane workers and female community members in Guatemala. Dr. Butler-Dawson is a research instructor in the Department of Environmental and Occupational Health (EOH) at the ColoradoSPH and is a founding member of the Climate, Work and Health Initiative. Her new study is part of CHWE’s efforts to identify and prevent exposures that may contribute to the epidemic of chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu) in Central America. The research will be informed by Dr. Butler-Dawson’s interdisciplinary mentorship team which includes Drs. John Adgate, Lee Newman, and Katherine James, from the EOH Department at the ColoradoSPH; Richard Johnson, in the Division of Renal Diseases and Hypertension at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center; and James Crooks, in the Division of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics and Department of Biomedical Research at National Jewish Health. Training during the grant will provide Dr. Butler-Dawson with a further background in environmental epidemiology, exposure science, leadership training, and modeling multiple concurrent environmental stressors. CKDu has been well-described in males in the current literature. “Females, however, have rarely been studied and their impacts from the disease remain unknown,” explains Butler-Dawson. “The information gained from this study will address this knowledge gap and describe the epidemic in females and their specific exposures and risk factors.” Dr. Butler-Dawson was the lead author of two recent papers examining occupational and non-occupational risk factors for kidney injury among male sugarcane workers in Guatemala. These studies found that exposures to metals may contribute to kidney toxicity in workers even at lower levels of exposure. “Given the potentially high exposures in Guatemalan women from in-home cooking, their communities, and agricultural sources, this is an ideal population to explore airborne pollutant exposures and kidney injury,” says Butler-Dawson. “The goal of this study is to improve the health of this vulnerable population by identifying and reducing exposures that contribute to CKDu.” Dr. Butler-Dawson will be working with Pantaleon, one of Latin America’s largest agribusinesses. Thanks to this collaboration, there is a unique opportunity to disseminate study findings beyond research publications to reach international businesses and community organizations. ### About the Center for Health, Work & Environment The Center for Health, Work & Environment at the Colorado School of Public Health is one of six Centers of Excellence for Total Worker Health® and houses the Mountain & Plains Education and Research Center, one of 18 centers of its kind supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Main offices for the Center are located at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado. The Center team works with faculty, students, and community partners on numerous projects in occupational and environmental health, safety, and well-being.
About the Colorado School of Public Health The Colorado School of Public Health is the first and only accredited school of public health in the Rocky Mountain Region, attracting top tier faculty and students from across the country, and providing a vital contribution towards ensuring our region’s health and well-being. Collaboratively formed in 2008 by the University of Colorado, Colorado State University, and the University of Northern Colorado, the Colorado School of Public Health provides training, innovative research and community service to actively address public health issues including chronic disease, access to health care, environmental threats, emerging infectious diseases, and costly injuries. Learn more and follow Colorado SPH’s updates on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Disclaimer:
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system. EurekAlert! – Agriculture More Agriculture News at http://dWeb.News The post Colorado School of Public Health receives grant to address kidney disease among women in Guatemala appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy  |
| Rubisco proton production can enhance CO2 acquisition Posted: 24 May 2021 05:40 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from  Rubisco proton production can enhance CO2 acquisition
Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Research News
IMAGE:
Figure 1. Carboxysome evolution pathways
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Credit: Ben Long || The Australian National University Rubisco is arguably the most abundant–and most important–protein on Earth. This enzyme drives photosynthesis, the process that plants use to convert sunlight into energy to fuel crop growth and yield. Rubisco’s role is to capture and fix carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) into sugar that fuels the plant’s activities. However, as much as Rubisco benefits plant growth, it also can operate at a notoriously slow pace that creates a hindrance to photosynthetic efficiency. About 20 percent of the time Rubisco fixes oxygen (O 2 ) molecules instead of CO 2 , costing the plant energy that could have been utilized to create yield. This time- and energy-consuming process is called photorespiration, where the plant sends its enzymes through three different compartments within the plant cell. “However, many photosynthetic organisms have evolved mechanisms to overcome some of Rubisco’s limitations,” said Ben Long who led this
recent study published in
PNAS
for a research project called
Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency
(RIPE). RIPE, which is led by Illinois in partnership with the
Australian National University
(ANU), is engineering crops to be more productive by improving photosynthesis. RIPE is supported by the
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
,
Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research
, and U.K.
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
. “Among these organisms are microalgae and cyanobacteria from aquatic environments, which have efficiently functioning Rubisco enzymes sitting inside liquid protein droplets and protein compartments called pyrenoids and carboxysomes,” said lead researcher Long from the
ANU Research School of Biology
. How these protein compartments assist in the Rubisco function is not entirely known. The team from ANU aimed to find the answer by using a mathematical model that focused on the chemical reaction Rubisco carries out. As it collects CO 2 from the atmosphere, Rubisco also releases positively charged protons. “Inside Rubisco compartments, these protons can speed up Rubisco by increasing the amount of CO 2 available. The protons do this by helping the conversion of bicarbonate into CO 2 ,” said Long. “Bicarbonate is the major source of CO 2 in aquatic environments and photosynthetic organisms that use bicarbonate can tell us a lot about how to improve crop plants.” The mathematical model gives the ANU team a better idea as to why these special Rubisco compartments might improve the enzyme’s function and it also gives them more insight into how they may have evolved. One hypothesis from the study suggests that periods of low CO 2 in the earth’s ancient atmosphere may have been the trigger for the cyanobacteria and microalgae to evolve these specialized compartments, while they might also be beneficial for organisms that grow in dim light environments. ANU members of the Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) project are trying to build these specialized Rubisco compartments in crop plants to assist in increasing yield. “The outcomes of this study,” explained Long, “provide an insight into the correct function of specialized Rubisco compartments and give us a better understanding of how we expect them to perform in plants.” ### The RIPE project and its sponsors are committed to ensuring
Global Access
and making the project’s technologies available to the farmers who need them the most. Details of the paper: B. M. Long, B. Förster, S. B. Pulsford, G. D. Price, M. R. Badger, Rubisco proton production drives the elevation of CO 2 within condensates and carboxysomes.
PNAS
in press doi: 10.1101/2020.07.08.125609 (2021). Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) aims to improve photosynthesis and equip farmers worldwide with higher-yielding crops to ensure everyone has enough food to lead a healthy, productive life. RIPE is sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the U.S. Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research, and the U.K. Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office. RIPE is led by the University of Illinois in partnership with The Australian National University,
Chinese Academy of Sciences
,
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
,
Lancaster University
,
Louisiana State University
,
University of California, Berkeley
,
University of Cambridge
,
University of Essex,
and
U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service.
Disclaimer:
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system. EurekAlert! – Agriculture More Agriculture News at http://dWeb.News The post Rubisco proton production can enhance CO2 acquisition appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy  |
| Mason4C partnering medical societies and environmental justice groups Posted: 24 May 2021 05:40 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from Mason4C partnering medical societies and environmental justice groups
George Mason University
Grant Announcement
Mason4C Partnering Medical Societies & Environmental Justice Groups To Address Climate & Health Injustices In Southeastern United States The Center for Climate Change Communication (Mason4C) received two funding awards from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to support partnering medical societies and environmental justice groups to address climate and health injustices in the southeastern United States. The Medical Society Consortium on Climate & Health, a program of Mason 4C, is a partnership of medical societies, including the National Medical Association (NMA), affiliated state-level clinician groups, and public health organizations. With RWJF support, Mason4C has been able to continue to organize, empower, and amplify the voices of doctors and other health professionals. This funding will expand this partnership to build the visibility and effectiveness of community-based environmental justice (EJ) groups in collaboration with NMA fellows. Mason4C received funding awards in the amounts of $87,485 and $162,515. These awards began in May 2021 and will end in May 2022. ### About George Mason University George Mason University is Virginia’s largest and most diverse public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls 39,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility. For more information, visit
Disclaimer:
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system. EurekAlert! – Business and Economics Business News at https://dWeb.News The post Mason4C partnering medical societies and environmental justice groups appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy  |
| Researchers identify facilitators for rehabilitation care for people with spatial neglect Posted: 24 May 2021 05:40 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from  Researchers identify facilitators for rehabilitation care for people with spatial neglect
Inpatient rehabilitation is shown to be effective, and ample opportunities exist to facilitate optimal outcomes; experts identify innovative approaches to improve care Kessler Foundation
Research News
IMAGE:
A therapist administers prism adaptation treatment to a stroke survivor with spatial neglect.
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Credit: Kessler Foundation/Jody Banks East Hanover, NJ. May 24, 2021. A recent qualitative study of rehabilitation professionals caring for people with spatial neglect enabled researchers to identify interventions to improve rehabilitation outcomes. Experts reported that implementation of spatial neglect care depends on interventions involving family support and training, promotion of interdisciplinary collaboration, development of interprofessional vocabulary, and continuous treatment and follow-up assessment through care transitions. The article, “Barriers and Facilitators to Rehabilitation Care of Individuals with Spatial Neglect: A Qualitative Study of Professional Views” (doi: 10.1016/j.arrct.2021.100122) was published online in
Archives of Rehabilitation Research and Clinical Translation
on March 31, 2021. It is available open access at The authors are Peii Chen, PhD, and Jeanne Zanca, PhD, of Kessler Foundation; Emily Esposito, MS, of University of California, Riverside; and A.M. Barrett, MD, of Atlanta VA Health Care System and Emory University School of Medicine. Drs. Chen and Zanca also have academic appointments at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. After a stroke or other type of brain injury, many people experience spatial neglect, a disabling complication that disrupts a person’s ‘internal GPS’, causing them to have difficulties in navigating the environment. As a result, people may have trouble with balance, attention span, reading, memory, and navigation, and are at higher risk for injuries caused by falls, collisions, and other accidents. Spatial neglect contributes to prolonged recovery and poor rehabilitation outcomes. To understand this problem, researchers conducted a qualitative study to ask rehabilitation professionals what challenges and helpful factors they encounter as they provide treatment to people with spatial neglect. In six focus group sessions with 15 occupational therapists and 14 physical therapists, all of whom treated patients with spatial neglect in a rehabilitation hospital system, researchers learned that while a range of barriers need to be addressed, ample opportunities exist to improve spatial neglect rehabilitation. The therapists reported having support of peers and senior faculty, other clinical and service staff, and the management leadership. Spatial neglect care was facilitated by access to many if not all facility and equipment resources (e.g., specific treatment devices, availability of private space, feasibility of rearranging the physical setup of the room), a flexible schedule to meet individual patients’ needs, the freedom to try new treatment approaches, and various channels to gain knowledge (e.g., grand rounds, journal clubs, and collaborations with researchers). Successful treatment for spatial neglect also depends on patient and family-related factors as well as insurance reimbursement. “Increasing patients’ self-awareness of their own deficits and improving their engagement and participation in therapy is an important first step in improving treatment outcomes,” said lead author Dr. Chen, senior research scientist at the Center for Stroke Rehabilitation Research at Kessler Foundation. “Supportive family members are also key facilitators to successful rehabilitation. Having an engaged, informed, and prepared caregiver can have enormous benefit.” “By taking steps to detect spatial neglect and intervene early, rehabilitation facilities can help individuals recovering from stroke get maximal benefit from their stay,” concluded Dr. Chen. “Ensuring continuity of care through transitions and supporting patient education and continuing education for therapists will contribute to improvement in long-term outcomes after stroke.” Funding sources: Supported in part by a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant no. 90SFGE0001); Wallerstein Foundation for Geriatric Improvement. Learn about tools for detecting and treating spatial neglect: Kessler Foundation Learning Center (kflearn.org) About Kessler Foundation: Kessler Foundation, a major nonprofit organization in the field of disability, is a global leader in rehabilitation research that seeks to improve cognition, mobility, and long-term outcomes, including employment, for people with neurological disabilities caused by diseases and injuries of the brain and spinal cord. Kessler Foundation leads the nation in funding innovative programs that expand opportunities for employment for people with disabilities. For more information, visit KesslerFoundation.org. For more information, or to interview an expert, contact Carolann Murphy, 973.324.8382,
CMurphy@KesslerFoundation.org
. ###
Disclaimer:
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system. EurekAlert! – Business and Economics Business News at https://dWeb.News The post Researchers identify facilitators for rehabilitation care for people with spatial neglect appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy  |
| COVID-19 infection rates of dentists remain lower than other health professionals Posted: 24 May 2021 05:40 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from COVID-19 infection rates of dentists remain lower than other health professionals
American Dental Association
Research News
CHICAGO, May 24, 2021–More than a year after COVID-19 appeared in the U.S., dentists continue to have a lower infection rate than other front-line health professionals, such as nurses and physicians, according to a study published online ahead of the June print issue in the
Journal of the American Dental Association
.
The study
, “COVID19 among Dentists in the U.S. and Associated Infection Control: a six-month longitudinal study,” is based on data collected June 9 – Nov. 13, 2020. According to the study, based on the number of dentists with confirmed or probable COVID-19 infections over more than six months, the cumulative infection rate for U.S. dentists is 2.6%. The monthly incidence rate varied, ranging from 0.2% to 1.1% per month. By comparison, in June 2020, the cumulative COVID-19 prevalence rate for other U.S. health professionals ranged from 3.3% (
Chicago-based hospital physicians
) to 35.3% (
U.S. based emergency medicine services)
. “We’re pleased to see that dentists have demonstrated continued low monthly incidence of disease despite several regional and national COVID-19 rate spikes during the study period,” said American Dental Association (ADA) Science and Research Institute Chief Executive Officer Marcelo Araujo, D.D.S., M.S., Ph.D., the senior author of the report. Dr. Araujo added, “This study shows high rates of pre-appointment screening of patients and appropriate infection control measures throughout the study period, demonstrating that adhering to very strict protocols for enhanced infection control helps protect their patients, their dental team and themselves.” In addition to Dr. Araujo, other authors of the report include researchers from the ADA Science and Research Institute and Health Policy Institute based in Chicago, as well as Maria L Geisinger, D.D.S., M.S. with University of Alabama at Birmingham in Birmingham, Ala., and Effie Ioannidou, D.D.S., M.D.S., with the University of Connecticut in Farmington, Conn., and a member of the ADA Council on Scientific Affairs. This study is a continuation of the first large-scale
report
of incidence rates of COVID-19 among dentists in the U.S published in October 2020. The present six-month longitudinal study aimed to: Determine the cumulative prevalence rate of COVID-19 among dentists; Calculate the monthly incidence rate for the same population over the course of the study; and Assess the level of engagement in specific infection control practices among dentists over a six-month period of time. The results of this present study, as well as the earlier study, show that prevalence and incidence rates among dentists continue to be very low when compared to the population as a whole and to other health care professionals. “This study reinforces that the dental care sector is up and running safely,” said Chief Economist and Vice President of the ADA Health Policy Institute Marko Vujicic, Ph.D. “Nowhere is this proof point more evident than by the fact that more than 90% of patients surveyed indicate they have already visited the dentist or soon will.” The authors plan future research projects on the barriers and facilitators to wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) according to CDC recommendations, and levels of protection against COVID-19 provided by different levels of PPE use and infection control procedures. ### For more information on COVID-19 and dental visits, visit
MouthHealthy.org
. Editor’s Note: Reporters are invited to follow the ADA on Twitter @AmerDentalAssn About the American Dental Association The not-for-profit ADA is the nation’s largest dental association, representing more than 163,000 dentist members. The premier source of oral health information, the ADA has advocated for the public’s health and promoted the art and science of dentistry since 1859. The ADA’s state-of-the-art research facilities develop and test dental products and materials that have advanced the practice of dentistry and made the patient experience more positive. The ADA Seal of Acceptance long has been a valuable and respected guide to consumer dental care products. The monthly The
Journal of the American Dental Association
(JADA) is the ADA’s flagship publication and the best-read scientific journal in dentistry. For more information about the ADA, visit ADA.org. For more information on oral health, including prevention, care and treatment of dental disease, visit the ADA’s consumer website MouthHealthy.org.
Disclaimer:
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system. EurekAlert! – Business and Economics Business News at https://dWeb.News The post COVID-19 infection rates of dentists remain lower than other health professionals appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy  |
| Implantable piezoelectric polymer improves controlled release of drugs Posted: 24 May 2021 05:40 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from  Implantable piezoelectric polymer improves controlled release of drugs
Repeated tests showed a similar amount of drug release per activation, confirming robust control of release rate University of California – Riverside
Research News
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An implantable piezoelectric nanofiber polymer membrane delivers precise amounts of drugs under mechanical force.
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Credit: Jin Nam/UCR A membrane made from threads of a polymer commonly used in vascular sutures can be loaded with therapeutic drugs and implanted in the body, where mechanical forces activate the polymer’s electric potential and slowly release the drugs. The novel system, developed by a group led by bioengineers at UC Riverside and published in
ACS Applied Bio Materials
, overcomes the biggest limitations of conventional drug administration and some controlled release methods, and could improve treatment of cancer and other chronic diseases. The drawbacks of conventional drug administration include repeated administration, nonspecific biodistribution in the body’s systems, the long-term unsustainability of drug molecules, and high cytotoxicity, posing a challenge for the efficient treatment of chronic diseases that require varying drug dosages over time for optimal therapeutic efficacy. Most controlled release methods encapsulate drug particles in biodegradable, bubble-like containers that dissolve over time to release the drug, making it difficult to deliver drugs on a schedule. Others involve a battery-powered device that is not biocompatible. Jin Nam, an associate professor of bioengineering in UC Riverside’s Marlan and Rosemary Bourns College of Engineering, runs a lab that works with biocompatible polymers to build frameworks known as scaffolds that help stem cells repair tissues and organs. One of these polymers, poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluro-ethylene), or P(VDF-TrFE), can produce an electrical charge under mechanical stress. Nam realized this property, known as piezoelectricity, made the polymer a potentially viable candidate for a drug release system. His team used a technique called electrospinning to produce P(VDF-TrFE) nanofibers layered in a thin mat. Structuring the material in nanoscale by electrospinning optimized the sensitivity of the resulting nanofibers so the drug delivery system would respond to physiologically safe magnitudes of force while remaining insensitive to daily activities. The large surface area of the nanofibers allowed them to adsorb a relatively large quantity of drug molecules. After embedding the film in a hydrogel that mimics living tissue, a series of tests using therapeutic shockwaves generated enough electric charge to release an electrostatically attached model drug molecule into the surrounding gel. The researchers could tune the drug release quantity by varying the applied pressure and duration. “This piezoelectric nanofiber-based drug delivery system enables localized delivery of drug molecules on demand, which would be useful for diseases or conditions that require long-term, repeated drug administration, such as cancer treatments,” Nam said. “The large surface area-to-volume ratio of nanofibrous structure enables a greater drug loading, leading to a single injection or implantation that lasts longer than conventional drug delivery.” Compared to traditional drug delivery systems based on degradation or diffusion release that typically show an initial burst release followed by different rates of release, the linear profile of drug release from the piezoelectric-based system allows for the precise administration of drug molecules regardless of implantation duration. Repeated on-demand drug release tests showed a similar amount of drug release per activation, confirming the robust control of release rate. The sensitivity of the drug release kinetics can be tuned by controlling the nanofiber size to a range that is activated by therapeutic shockwaves, often used for musculoskeletal pain treatment with a handheld device. Smaller, more sensitive nanofiber sizes can be utilized for implantation in deep tissues, such as near a bone under muscles, while less sensitive larger nanofibers could find use in subcutaneous applications to avoid false activation by accidental impact. ### Nam was joined in the research by Tanvi Jariwala, Gerardo Ico, Youyi Tai, Honghyun Park, and Nosang V. Myung. The paper, “Mechano-responsive piezoelectric nanofiber as an on-demand drug delivery vehicle,” is available
here
.
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system. EurekAlert! – Cancer Research News Health News at https://dWeb.News Health The post Implantable piezoelectric polymer improves controlled release of drugs appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy  |
| Chemical changes to peptide siRNA-carrier enhance gene silencing for future cancer drugs Posted: 24 May 2021 05:40 PM PDT dWeb.News Article from  Chemical changes to peptide siRNA-carrier enhance gene silencing for future cancer drugs
MUSC Hollings Cancer Center researchers improve peptide siRNA drug carriers for use as a novel cancer treatment Medical University of South Carolina
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Dr. Andrew Jakymiw and his team found a peptide carrier with heightened potential to deliver a cancer therapeutic for oral cancer.
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Credit: MUSC/Marquel Coaxum MUSC Hollings Cancer Center researchers are exploring the use of peptide carriers for the delivery of small RNA drugs as a novel treatment for cancer. The team’s recent work, published online March 19 in the
Molecular Therapy
– Nucleic Acids journal, lays the foundation for developing a clinically relevant peptide carrier RNAi-based drug treatment strategy for human oral cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, the estimated risk of developing oral cancer in the U.S. is 1 in 60 for men and 1 in 140 for women. Cancer therapies face multiple challenges, including off-target side effects and low efficacy. RNAi-based therapeutics have great potential to overcome these specific treatment challenges. Andrew Jakymiw, Ph.D., who is also an associate professor in the Oral Health Sciences Department at MUSC, focuses on the study of RNA interference (RNAi)-based therapies for oral cancer. RNAi is a method of gene silencing that specifically targets, or tags, messenger RNA (mRNA) for degradation. mRNA contains the genetic code needed to make proteins. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) are the pieces of RNA that can bind to specific regions on mRNA that stop proteins from being made. Scientists are figuring out how to use this to target and silence disease-causing genes. Decades of research have shown that certain proteins are overexpressed in cancer and drive cancer cell growth. The goal of the RNAi drug treatment strategy is to “turn off” the proteins that promote cancer development. Jakymiw said that although the principle is biologically sound, there are many technical challenges with siRNA delivery. “For example, rapid renal excretion, degradation by RNases, low intracellular uptake, endosomal entrapment and low release of the siRNA cargo from the delivery platform are all challenges that we must consider when modifying a peptide siRNA carrier,” he said. To harness the gene silencing capabilities of siRNA, scientists must get the siRNA into the appropriate cells. The siRNA must be attached to a larger molecule to protect it during delivery to the desired location. Peptide carriers are an attractive tool for delivering siRNA, because they are affordable and easy to modify. In earlier studies, the Jakymiw laboratory found that the original peptide carrier they designed, called 599, could deliver the siRNA cargo into cancer cells and turn off a targeted cancer gene, which inhibited tumor growth in a mouse cancer model. “We originally designed the 599 peptide so that it could help the siRNA cargo penetrate the cell and escape endosomes more easily. However, by looking at the three-dimensional arrangement of the amino acids in the 599 peptide, in particular their stereochemistry, we were able to make additional changes that beneficially affected the peptide carrier’s capabilities,” said Jakymiw. Charles Holjencin, a dual D.M.D./Ph.D. student in the Jakymiw lab, used confocal fluorescence microscopy and observed that one of the modified 599 siRNA-loaded peptide carriers, called RD3AD, was arranged around the cancer cells in a clear pattern that he had not seen with the original 599 peptide carrier. “Charles’ keen observations through confocal work allowed us to identify an important intracellular delivery mechanism,” said Jakymiw. The modified RD3AD peptide carrier was delivering the siRNA drug by adhering to and potentially moving along cell surface protrusions, called filopodia. Entry into the cell via filopodia is a very efficient way for small biological complexes to enter cells; some viruses and bacteria also use this entry method. Since the siRNA-loaded RD3AD peptide carrier was able to enter cancer cells more efficiently, the research team saw improved gene silencing. This meant that the peptide carrier had heightened potential to deliver a cancer therapeutic, Jakymiw explained. One of the next steps will be to test the RD3AD peptide in animal cancer models. Additionally, the researchers want to understand the mechanisms associated with this form of drug delivery more fully. For example, an unanswered question is what protein is the peptide carrier interacting with on filopodia? If this molecule is overexpressed in cancer, then this could be a valuable therapeutic target, especially for aggressive cancers, which typically have increased numbers of filopodia. While cancer cells were the biological target for improving this drug delivery system, peptide carriers, such as RD3AD, have more applications than just in cancer therapies. In fact, peptides such as RD3AD could be used to deliver siRNA in any instance where gene silencing is desired for the treatment of a disease. Now that the Jakymiw lab understands how to harness the specific amino acid stereochemical modifications in their peptide designs, the carrier’s abilities are not limited to just siRNA. Other nucleic acid cargoes can be delivered by these peptide carriers, which opens future options for more targeted delivery of other forms of therapeutic molecules to treat challenging diseases. “I look forward to collaborating with members of the Hollings Cancer Center in future studies related to how filopodia can be exploited for the enhancement of drug delivery, especially in the treatment of aggressive cancers,” said Jakymiw. ### Funding: NIH/NIDCR grants R21DE027231 and T32DE017551; Cell & Molecular Imaging Shared Resource, Hollings Cancer Center, MUSC (NCI P30CA138313); Bioengineering Center for Regeneration & Formation of Tissues, Clemson University (NIGMS P30GM131959); MUSC Summer Health Professions Research Program – College of Dental Medicine; MUSC Summer Undergraduate Research Program -College of Graduate Studies; U.S. Government Federal Work-Study Program. About MUSC Founded in 1824 in Charleston, MUSC is the oldest medical school in the South as well as the state’s only integrated academic health sciences center with a unique charge to serve the state through education, research and patient care. Each year, MUSC educates and trains more than 3,000 students and nearly 800 residents in six colleges: Dental Medicine, Graduate Studies, Health Professions, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy. The state’s leader in obtaining biomedical research funds, in fiscal year 2019, MUSC set a new high, bringing in more than $284 million. For information on academic programs, visit musc.edu. As the clinical health system of the Medical University of South Carolina, MUSC Health is dedicated to delivering the highest quality patient care available while training generations of competent, compassionate health care providers to serve the people of South Carolina and beyond. Comprising some 1,600 beds, more than 100 outreach sites, the MUSC College of Medicine, the physicians’ practice plan and nearly 275 telehealth locations, MUSC Health owns and operates eight hospitals situated in Charleston, Chester, Florence, Lancaster and Marion counties. In 2020, for the sixth consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report named MUSC Health the No. 1 hospital in South Carolina. To learn more about clinical patient services, visit muschealth.org. MUSC and its affiliates have collective annual budgets of $3.2 billion. The more than 17,000 MUSC team members include world-class faculty, physicians, specialty providers and scientists who deliver groundbreaking education, research, technology and patient care About MUSC Hollings Cancer Center MUSC Hollings Cancer Center is a National Cancer Institute-designated cancer center and the largest academic-based cancer research program in South Carolina. The cancer center comprises more than 100 faculty cancer scientists and 20 academic departments. It has an annual research funding portfolio of more than $44 million and a dedication to reducing the cancer burden in South Carolina. Hollings offers state-of-the-art diagnostic capabilities, therapies and surgical techniques within multidisciplinary clinics that include surgeons, medical oncologists, radiation therapists, radiologists, pathologists, psychologists and other specialists equipped for the full range of cancer care, including more than 200 clinical trials. For more information, visit hollingscancercenter.musc.edu.
Disclaimer:
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system. EurekAlert! – Cancer Research News Health News at https://dWeb.News Health The post Chemical changes to peptide siRNA-carrier enhance gene silencing for future cancer drugs appeared first on dWeb.News Daniel Webster dWeb Internet Cowboy  |
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