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3 episodes with ume university
2 episodes with ume university
Global health systems are built on power structures that often exclude the very voices that should be leading the conversation. Funding, publishing, and policymaking have long been dominated by high-income countries, creating systemic barriers to equity.In this episode, Dr. Shashika Bandara (McGill School of Population and Global Health), Dr. Moses Tetui (Umeå University & University of Waterloo), and Dr. Joseph Mumba Zulu (University of Zambia) discuss two major initiatives that challenge these structures:The Lancet article: Shifting Power in Global Health Will Require Leadership by the Global South and Allyship by the Global North and The launch of the Journal of Community Systems for Health, a new platform breaking barriers in global publishing and knowledge sharing.In this episode:Dr. Shashika Bandara - Post-Doctoral Fellow, Department of Global and Public Health, School of Population and Global Health, McGill University.Shashika Bandara is a Sri Lankan post-doctoral fellow at the Department of Global Public Health in the School of Population and Global Health at McGill University. He co-leads McGill University's research examining policy exemplars successfully addressing structural discrimination with O'Neill-Lancet Commission on Racism, Structural Discrimination and Global Health. Dr. Joseph Mumba Zulu - Associate Professor of Community, School of Public Health, University of Zambia Joseph M Zulu is a co-founder and Editorial Board Member of the Journal of Community Systems for Health, a platform dedicated to promoting inclusive, socially accountable, and community-driven health systems research. He is an Associate Professor of Community Health at the School of Public Health and has been involved in community-based implementation research projects in different countries across Africa.Dr. Moses Tetui - Assistant professor, University of Waterloo, Canada and Umeå University, SwedenDr. Moses Tetui is a Health Systems Researcher who specialises in using participatory methods to collaborate with diverse communities and stakeholders to address health system challenges. He serves as a founding board member of the Journal of Community Systems for Health. Moses collaborates with researchers, communities, and decision-makers to explore climate change adaptation strategies for communities living in informal settlements across Africa. Useful links:How to prevent equity efforts from losing steam in global health academiaImagining a future in global health without visa and passport inequitiesShifting power in global health will require leadership by the Global South and allyship by the Global NorthThe Journal of Community Systems for Health (JCSH)Want to hear more podcasts like this?Follow Connecting Citizens to Science on your usual podcast platform or YouTube to hear more about current research and debates within global health.The podcast cuts across disciplines, including health systems strengthening, gender and intersectionality, tropical diseases (NTDs, TB, Malaria), maternal and child healthcare (antenatal and postnatal care), mental health and wellbeing, vector-borne diseases, climate change and co-production approaches. If you would like your project or programme to feature in an episode or miniseries, get in touch with the producers of Connecting Citizens to Science,
Today's guest is Virginia Dignum, Director of the AI Policy Lab, Professor of Computer Science at Umeå University, and an Associated Professor at Delft University of Technology. In this special episode of the “AI Futures” series on the AI in Business podcast, we offer an exclusive sample from the Trajectory podcast, hosted by Emerj CEO and Head of Research Daniel Faggella. Together, Virginia and Daniel hypothesize what human governance over artificial general intelligence (AGI) might look like, and the many challenges NGOs and international bodies face today in creating the foundations for these governing structures. Virginia challenges the prevalent AGI narrative, advocating instead for a focus on what she terms “Human General Intelligence” (HGI), emphasizing collaboration and human-machine augmentation over existential AI risks. The discussion explores why governing AI requires a socio-technical approach, ensuring accountability rests with humans rather than machines. Virginia also highlights the importance of global governance to address both the risks and equitable benefits of AI, touching on her hands-on experience with international policy groups. If you're interested in getting more perspectives on AI's longer term impact on business and society, be sure to tune into the Trajectory podcast. You can find the YouTube and podcast links here: emerj.com/tj2
Dr Jan Tennent: Making the leap from the lab bench to the boardroom In this Women of Honour podcast Claire Braund talks to Dr Jan Tennent OAM - an internationally recognised researcher with specialist knowledge of antimicrobial resistance mechanisms and the discovery and commercialisation of vaccines. Jan was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her service to research science, and to business, and today Jan says she hopes to use the OAM “a platform for my future work to remove barriers to women and indeed to all great scientists”. But despite being six foot tall with a head of long white blond hair, Jan says when she moved from the lab bench to the board tables of big biotech companies “it was still really hard to get noticed around the boardroom”. As she tells Claire Braund in this podcast, her ‘love affair' with research began last century, on the first day of the second year of her science degree at Monash University. Now a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering and the Australian Society for Microbiology and a Principal Fellow at the University of Melbourne, Jan's specialist skills and knowledge gathering in microbiology, molecular biology, antimicrobial resistance mechanisms and vaccine development came from 18 years working as an applied research scientist at Monash during her PhD, as a post-doctoral researcher in the medical school at Umeå University, Sweden, and then as a senior research scientist and program manager at CSIRO Animal Health, Parkville. Through subsequent executive roles at CSL, Pfizer and ConnectBio, Jan gained more than a decade of experience in the translation and commercialisation of research outcomes to products and practices for the benefit of humans and animals. Her most recent executive role was as CEO of Biomedical Victoria, the premier voice for linking medical research to clinical care in Victoria (2012-2019). These days, she says she is proud to mentor many ‘next-gen' researchers and is inspired to apply and share my knowledge and experience through a number of advisory panel appointments and non-executive director governance roles including with the eviDent Foundation, Apiam Animal Health (ASX:AHX), AusBiotech, and Agriculture Victoria Services. In this podcast, Jan talks to Claire Braund about falling in love with science, living and working in Sweden - “suddenly my world opened up way beyond Footscray and the suburbs of Clayton to the other end of the world” - and what it was like working for more than a decade with CSIRO as a young female research scientist in the 80s and 90s. She also discusses the highs and lows of working in the global bioscience space with top-flight companies including CSL and Pfizer and some of the major career challenges she has had to overcome as a leading woman in STEM. Claire and Jan also chat about what prompted her to take on her first NED role with Tweedle Child and Family Health Service in 2011 and her subsequent move into the boardrooms of big biotech companies - and how having a science background helped around the boardtable. As she says: “In science there is no such thing as a silly question. And in fact it's exactly the same at the board table.” Podcast Host: Claire Braund OAM, Women on Boards Executive Director and co-founder. Subscribe (FREE) or join Women on Boards HERE.
This week's episode guest is Tova Olsson who has been teaching yoga and meditation for nearly 20 years. She holds a MA in religious studies from the University of Gothenburg and is specialised in yogic and tantric traditions. She teaches the philosophy section of several yoga teacher trainings and is appreciated for her skills in storytelling and her ability to explain philosophical ideas in an approachable, embodied and humorous ways. She is currently working on her PhD at Umeå University in Sweden, researching the construction of gender in contemporary, European tantra. In this episode we speak about the Dasa Mahavidyas, the ten tantric wisdom goddesses, which Tova has an online course about. Dasa Maha Vidya means "Ten Great Wisdoms", depicted in classical tantric tradition as a group of, to say the least, macabre goddesses. Some of them, such as Kali and Tara, are quite well known, others, like Bagalamukhi and Matangi, are more obscure. But they all represent both stages of cosmic evolution and human spiritual development. Therefore, they can be called wisdom plateaus, cosmic forces as well as the faces of kundalini. For those interested in understanding nondual tantric philosophy, cosmology and the more esoteric aspects of the Shakta (goddess) tradition, her course offers an opportunity you don't want to miss! For my podcast listeners, you can get 50% off the Dasa Mahavidyas course with the discount code: "Jaima" Check it out here: https://saraswati-studies.teachable.com/p/dasa-mahavidyas-the-ten-tantric-wisdom-goddesses Check out Tova's other courses here: https://saraswati-studies.teachable.com/ Tova's Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/saraswati_studies/ My Law of Positivism Healing Oracle card deck: https://www.lawofpositivism.com/healingoracle.html Visit Law of Positivism: https://www.instagram.com/lawofpositivism/ Website: https://www.lawofpositivism.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawofpositivism/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/lawofpositivism
Magnus is from Umeå, a city in northern Sweden. We studied together at Umeå University in a teacher program. Magnus is a licensed teacher in music and a musician. We have known each other for a few years now, and I consider him a friend. This is a conversation with him. Magnus and Lugnet Magnus's Instagram Daniele Bolelli's YouTube video about fascism You can check: Patreon Support this podcast! Twitter Facebook Khadavra #arthistory #art #music #sweden #interview #dialogue #theimmortalartpodcast #painitng --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theimmortalartpodcast/support
In this week's episode: tougher rules for Sweden citizenship, French President Emanuel Macron's state visit to Sweden, new work permit system takes effect, and why Sweden needs to do more to promote understanding of indigenous Sami.Host Paul O'Mahony is joined by The Local's Emma Löfgren and Becky Waterton, and we also have an interview with Charlotta Svonni, who conducts research on indigenous education at Umeå University.Here are links to some of the stories we discuss:CitizenshipEXPLAINED: How to get Swedish citizenship via notificationSweden moves to tighten up requirements for citizenship via notificationCan I apply for Swedish citizenship through ancestry?PoliticsSweden and France to sign nuclear and defence deals during Macron visit‘Vive les clichés!': Swedish PM mocked for Macron welcomeIN PICS: French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit to SwedenWhat is ‘pyttipanna' and why is Sweden serving it up to the French president?Work permitsSwedish Migration Agency launches new system for handling work permitsSami Sweden's ‘Truth Commission' delves into painful Sami past‘Irreversible risks': UN-appointed experts urge Sweden to block mine in Sami landWhy is reindeer herding so important in Sweden?Swedish museum to return Sami remains to village Become a member at https://www.thelocal.se/podcasts/podcast-offer?tpcc=padlock. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Join Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. of Aquinas 101, Godsplaining, and Pints with Aquinas for an off-campus conversation with Prof. Mats Wahlberg about his latest Thomistic Institute lecture, "How Is Revealed Knowledge Justified? Aquinas on Faith and Reason." Aquinas on Faith and Reason w/ Fr. Gregory Pine, O.P. & Prof. Mats Wahlberg (Off-Campus Conversations) You can listen to the original lecture here: https://soundcloud.com/thomisticinstitute/ About the speaker: Mats Wahlberg is associate professor of systematic theology at Umeå University, Sweden. He has written two books: Reshaping Natural Theology (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012) and Revelation as Testimony (Eerdmans, 2014), as well as many scholarly articles. His research about the problem of evil has received funding from the John Templeton Foundation. In 2021, he was the visiting Aquinas Chair at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum) in Rome.
This lecture was given on June 5, 2023, at Oxford University For more information on upcoming events, please visit our website at www.thomisticinstitute.org. About the speaker: Mats Wahlberg is an associate professor of systematic theology at Umeå University, Sweden. He has written two books: Reshaping Natural Theology (Palgrave Macmillan, 2012) and Revelation as Testimony (Eerdmans, 2014), as well as many scholarly articles. His research about the problem of evil has received funding from the John Templeton Foundation. In 2021, he was the visiting Aquinas Chair at the Pontifical University of Saint Thomas Aquinas (the Angelicum) in Rome.
Warning - poor audio quality in this episode. Putin and his armies have proved to be weak at classical warfare, giving rise to the meme that Russia has the second-best army, not in the world but in Ukraine. But Putin's expertise in hybrid warfare, disinformation, and Active Measures continues to achieve more success, softened responses to Russia, and slowing down the supply of lethal armament that would allow Ukraine to win. How far has the practice of history also been warped by Russian narratives and seen through a Moscow-centric lens? To some extent, Russia has managed to convince itself, and large parts of the non-Western world, that even though it lost the Cold War, it gained a moral victory, and was the victim of Western imperialism and European aggression. We now need to tackle the lies and weaponised mythologies that have supported Russia's diplomatic and soft power around the world, now through it's actions Russia has revealed the ages old imperialist doctrine and methods that underpin it as an entity. Roman Horbyk is a Senior Lecturer at Örebro University. He also worked as postdoctoral researcher at Södertörn University and Umeå University. His published studies are interdisciplinary and focus on various aspects of postcolonial theory, gender studies, sociolinguistics, media power, history of representations and ideas. Roman has also extensively worked as journalist, publishing articles in Ukraine, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, and Brazil. He is active as playwright and screenwriter whose most notable credits include Pryputni (2017). Horbyk's current research project deals with how mobile phones are used by Ukrainian soldiers and civilians in war. A study based on it received the Top Paper award at International Communication Association's annual conference in Paris, 2022.
This week's episode guest is Tova Olsson who has been teaching yoga and meditation for nearly 20 years. She holds a MA in religious studies from the University of Gothenburg and is specialised in yogic and tantric traditions. She teaches the philosophy section of several yoga teacher trainings and is appreciated for her skills in storytelling and her ability to explain philosophical ideas in an approachable, embodied and humorous ways. She is currently working on her PhD at Umeå University in Sweden, researching the construction of gender in contemporary, european tantra. Topics that we cover in this episode: Yoga and Tantra philosophy and history Why studying the text can be helpful for yoga teachers and others that want to expand their knowledge and spiritual paths We spoke about the essence of Kuan Yin Appropriation and westernised Tantra Check out Tova's book: https://www.motilalbanarsidass.com/products/yoga-and-tantra-history-philosophy-mythology https://www.amazon.in/Yoga-Tantra-History-Philosophy-Mythology/dp/8120843150 In Swedish: https://www.bokus.com/bok/9789189335929/yoga-tantra-historia-filosofi-och-mytologi/ Visit Tova: http://www.tovayoga.se/ https://www.instagram.com/saraswati_studies/ Preorder my new Healing Oracle card deck and receive a free three-card reading: https://www.lawofpositivism.com/healingoracle.html Visit Law of Positivism: https://www.instagram.com/lawofpositivism/ Website: https://www.lawofpositivism.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawofpositivism/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/lawofpositivism
Dr. Anton Poikolainen Rosén is a Postdoctoral researcher at Aalto University School of Art, Design and Architecture. His research focuses on sustainable futures in Human-Cumputer Interaction and more-than-human design. He works with ethnographic methods, research through design, co-design, and speculative design. He has a PhD. in Informatics from Umeå University and Södertörn University, Sweden. Antons' Het bericht About Organisms with Anton Poikolainen Rosén verscheen eerst op Future Based.
This week's episode guest is Tova Olsson who has been teaching yoga and meditation for nearly 20 years. She holds a MA in religious studies from the University of Gothenburg and is specialised in yogic and tantric traditions. She teaches the philosophy section of several yoga teacher trainings and is appreciated for her skills in storytelling and her ability to explain philosophical ideas in an approachable, embodied and humorous ways. She is currently working on her PhD at Umeå University in Sweden, researching the construction of gender in contemporary, european tantra. Topics that we cover in this episode: Yogic paths Mantra chanting Tantra traditions The Divine Mother Shiva and Shakti Visit Tova: http://www.tovayoga.se/ https://www.instagram.com/saraswati_studies/ Join my recorded 4-week healing Yin Yoga course: https://www.lawofpositivism.com/healing-yin-yoga-4-week-course.html Sign up for my personal 4-week healing program: https://www.lawofpositivism.com/healingpath.html Book a reading with me: https://www.lawofpositivism.com/offerings.html Order The Law of Positivism book - Life a Life of Higher Vibrations, love and gratitude: http://smarturl.it/LawOfPositivismPB (paperback) http://smarturl.it/LawPositivismKindle (kindle) Visit Law of Positivism: https://www.instagram.com/lawofpositivism/ Website: https://www.lawofpositivism.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lawofpositivism/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/lawofpositivism
Niklas Arnberg (Professor of virology Umeå University, and co-founder of the Swedish virus and pandemic fund) We are talking about: -What are the key learnings from the pandemic? -When can we expect the next pandemic, and what can be expected? -What can we do to mitigate or prevent future outbreaks and pandemics? -Health care suffer not only from the coronavirus, there are also other viruses that cause public health issues and are a burden to healthcare, and society at large. How big are these problems? -What can be done/what is going on to counteract and mitigate? -What can we as working with city development do? -What skills should we learn to deal with the coming pandemics? Keep Up the Good Work. Keep Loving Cities ❤️️ All opinions expressed in each episode are personal to the guest and do not represent the Host of Urbanistica Podcast unless otherwise stated. Let's connect and talk further about this episode Mustafa Sherif Linkedin. Visit Mustafasherif.com for collaborations and nominations or email me at info@mustafasherif.com Follow Urbanistica on Instagram, Facebook & Youtube channel. Thanks to Urbanistica Podcast partner AFRY (Urban Planning and Design) AFRY is an international engineering and design company providing sustainable solutions in the fields of energy, industry, and infrastructure. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/urbanistica-podcast/message
Daniela Bohlinger ist seit 20 Jahren Teil der BMW Group und Head of Sustainability Design. Darüber hinaus ist sie Adjunct Professor an der Umeå University in Schweden. Im Mobility Pioneers Podcast erklärt sie die Rolle von Design in Nachhaltigkeitsentscheidungen und spricht über> BMW i Vision Circular> Nachhaltigkeit als Kaufkriterium> Warum Unis mehr Nachhaltigkeitswissen vermitteln solltenDaniela Bohlinger: linkedin.com/in/danielabohlingerMatthias Ballweg: linkedin.com/in/matthias-ballwegBjörn Bender: linkedin.com/in/benderbjoernIMO-HSG: imo.unisg.ch00:00 Willkommen & Vorstellung01:32 Was ist Sustainability im Design?03:13 BMW i Vision Circular04:43 Design als Chance für mehr Nachhaltigkeit07:33 Nachhaltigkeit als Kaufkriterium09:44 Die Schritte nach der Vorstellung eines Visions-Fahrzeuges11:28 Reduktion als Strategie #114:10 Autodesign & Umsteigen zum ÖPNV16:19 Interieur oder Exterieur - was gibt den Takt an?19:10 Kann ein BMW 7 nachhaltig sein?23:33 Unis müssen mehr Nachhaltigkeitswissen vermitteln26:39 Quick Fire Round27:32 Abschluss
What is the history and global impact of boarding schools? Often on the podcast we have talked about the British boarding schools. Today we are starting to venture further afield.In speaking with Petter Sandgren, who is Professor at the University of Stockholm, we start to explore the history of boarding schools and what the impact is of boarding school on the world.What is the difference between the UK and the rest of the world regarding boarding schools. Are they the same?We also have a fascinating discussion about character building at boarding schools. What has character building been historically at boarding school? And what can we do to change this? He also talks about Tom Brown's Schooldays and how this was the bible for many of the budding boarding schools around the world. How do we act, treat children, teach? Look at Tom Brown's Schooldays. ---Petter Sandgren has an MA in Education and an MA in History from Umeå University, and an MA and a PhD in History from the European University Institute in Florence, Italy. In 2015 Sandgren published the first book – Internatskolorna – in a planned trilogy on elites in modern-day Sweden. In 2017 he defended his doctoral thesis Globalising Eton: A Transnational History of Elite Boarding Schools since 1799. Sandgren has previously taught history of education and European studies at Uppsala University and Lund University before joining the Department of Education at Stockholm University in the fall of 2016. Sandgren's research interests include transnational and comparative approaches to the history of modern and contemporary Europe, as well as history and sociology of education; the history of European integration; history and sociology of elites and the upper classes. Questions and topics that we talk about:I would love for you to share some of your journey and how you got passionate in the subject of the elites and upper classes and how they are educated?Could you speak a little about the history of global elite boarding schools?Your thesis is called Globalising Eton. How much of an impact has Eton and the other English boarding schools had on the rest of the world? Has that impact been positive or negative?Could you please talk about leadership training. In your experience what is it that these elite boarding schools teach about leadership?Would you say that these schools have changed?What are the ideas that these elite boarding schools are trying to emulate?In your opinion what might the impact be on the rest of the world if the leaders have been educated in this way?Anything else that you would like to share?#historyofboardingschools #globalisingeton #eton #globalboardingschool #eliteeducationTo read Petter's thesis, Globalising Eton please download it here: https://cadmus.eui.eu/bitstream/handle/1814/46566/Sandgren_2017.pdf?sequence=1---Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who--- Piers is an author and a men's transformational coach and therapist who works mainly with trauma, boarding school issues, addictions and relationship problems. He also runs online men's groups for ex-boarders, retreats and a podcast called An Evolving Man. He is also the author of How to Survive and Thrive in Challenging Times. To purchase Piers first book: https://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Survive-Thrive-Challenging-Times/dp/B088T5L251/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=piers+cross&qid=1609869608&sr=8-1 For more videos please visit: http://youtube.com/pierscross For FB: https://www.facebook.com/pierscrosspublic For Piers' website and a free training How To Find Peace In Everyday Life: https://www.piers-cross.com/community Many blessings, Piers Cross http://piers-cross.com/
3:00 News5:04 Omnio14:01 Adocia24:28 Tridek-One29:49 Phenomix Sciences47:27 JLLThis week, we have four guests: Olivier Soula, deputy-CEO and director of R&D at Adocia; Ulrika Norin, CEO of Omnio; Mark Bagnall, CEO of Phenomix Sciences; and Laurence de Schoulepnikoff, CEO of Tridek-One.We also have our weekly chat with global commercial real estate services company JLL, with Travis McCready. This week's podcast is sponsored by Labforward.Adocia takes steps with implants to treat type 1 diabetesFrench biopharma company Adocia has established a first proof of concept for its AdoShell Islets implant by achieving glycemic control without insulin injections in immunocompetent diabetic rats during the 132-day study.AdoShell Islets is an immuno-protective synthetic biomaterial containing islets of Langerhans. After implantation in diabetic animals, the islets encapsulated in AdoShell secrete insulin in response to blood glucose levels. The physical barrier formed by the AdoShell biomaterial allows the implanted cells to be invisible to the host's immune system while allowing the necessary physiological exchanges to occur for the survival and function of the islets.Phenomix Sciences' precision obesity biobanking registry and outcomes studyPhenomix Sciences, a precision obesity biotechnology company,has launched a biobanking registry and outcomes study. The registry will evaluate variability in obesity treatment response by collecting patients' DNA, metabolomics, hormones, and behavioral assessments, in relation to treatment outcomes. The data collected will supplement the 20 billion data points in the Phenomix Sciences Obesity Platform. Mayo Clinic is the first to enroll in the registry and is expected to contribute outcomes from 2,000 patients undergoing obesity treatment. Outcomes data from biobanks across the registry will supplement Phenomix's database of biological and clinical data matched to the four obesity phenotypes. Insights from the database are being used to develop the company's first therapy selection test, the first of its kind in the obesity space.Tridek-One closes €16M funding round Tridek-One SAS, a French biotech startup specialized in the research and development of CD31 agonists to restore immune balance, recently closed a €16 million ($16.1 million) new financing round.The funds will primarily be used to identify development candidates against auto-immunediseases, to conduct IND-enabling studies and to further build the organization. The company previously raised €3 million in a first round in 2019.Omnio receives funding for plasminogen to treat chronic woundsSwedish company Omnio AB has shown plasminogen is a pro-inflammatory regulator of inflammation that can be used to treat chronic wounds with dysfunctional inflammation.The Umeå-based company, a spin off from Umeå University, said the drug could mean a global treatment revolution for wounds that never heal. The most problematic are diabetic ulcers, venous ulcers, and pressure ulcers. Omnio recently received a capital injection of €1.5 million from its shareholders.
Broccoli may beneficially affect microbiota diversity: Study University of Illinois Consuming broccoli may change the diversity and composition of the microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract, says a new study. Two hundred grams per day of broccoli for 17 days resulted in 37% increase in the proportion of Bacteroidetes relative to Firmicutes, according to data presented at the Experimental Biology meeting in Chicago this week by scientists from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, ARS-USDA, and the National Cancer Institute. “These novel results reveal that broccoli consumption affects the diversity and composition of the GI microbiota of healthy adults,” they wrote in the FASEB Journal . “These data help fill the gap in knowledge related to the role of bacterial hydrolysis of phytonutrients. “The increase in Bacteroides spp. is particularly relevant because Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron has been shown in vitro to utilize glucosinolates.” Acupuncture possible treatment for dental anxiety University of York Researchers have found evidence that acupuncture could help people who experience dental anxiety. Dental anxiety affects up to an estimated 30% of the adult population in countries world-wide. Patients can experience nausea, difficulty breathing and dizziness at the thought of going to the dentist, during an examination, and following treatment. In a review of six trials with 800 patients, researchers used a points scale to measure anxiety and studies show that anxiety reduced by eight points when dental patients were given acupuncture as a treatment. This level of reduction is considered to be clinically relevant, which means that acupuncture could be a possibility for tackling dental anxiety. Studies that compared anxiety levels between patients that received acupuncture and those that did not, showed a significant difference in anxiety scores during dental treatment. A clinically relevant reduction in anxiety was found when acupuncture was compared with not receiving acupuncture. Omega-3 may help protect against adverse cardiovascular effects of pollution Case Western University An article published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reported a protective effect for supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids against some of the harmful cardiovascular effects of exposure to air pollution in China. The randomized, double-blinded trial included 65 healthy college students in Shanghai, China who received 2.5 grams fish oil as a source of omega-3 fatty acids or a placebo daily. During the last two months of the trial, the subjects participated in four health examinations that included blood pressure assessment and measurement of blood markers of inflammation, coagulation, endothelial function, oxidative stress, antioxidant activity, cardiometabolism and neuroendocrine stress response. Campus levels of fine particulate matter air pollution (PM 2.5) measured during the course of the trial averaged 38 micrograms per cubic meter. The researchers observed greater stability of most biomarker levels in responses to changes in fine particulate matter exposure in the fish oil-treated group in comparison with the placebo group. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation was associated with beneficial effects for five blood biomarkers of inflammation, coagulation, endothelial function, oxidative stress, and neuroendocrine stress response. Snoring causes injuries and prevention of healing in the upper airways Umea University (Sweden) The recurrent vibrations caused by snoring can lead to injuries in the upper airways of people who snore heavily. This in turn, can cause swallowing dysfunction and render individuals more vulnerable for developing the severe condition obstructive sleep apnea. These findings are reported by researchers at Umeå University, Sweden. Their on-going research focuses on the processes behind vibratory damage and healing of the upper airway tract. The data generated will help identify people at high risk of developing sleep apnea and to find novel treatment strategies. Researchers in Umeå have shown that snorers and sleep apnea patients have neuromuscular injuries in the upper respiratory tract. The injuries can be seen at both the structural and molecular level. Researchers could also observe a correlation between snoring and swallowing dysfunction as well as a relation between nerve damage and obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is characterized by repeated collapse of the upper respiratory tract leading to respiratory arrest during sleep, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. The studies show that people who constantly snore heavily and have sleep apnea displayed a loss of nerves and muscle mass in the soft palate. Furthermore, the attempts by the body to heal damaged tissue were disturbed resulting in an abnormal muscle structure. Another interesting finding was that muscle fibres in the soft palate lacked or had a disturbed organization of certain structural proteins. These proteins stabilize the organelles of the muscle cell and support cellular structures related to energy production and muscle fibre contraction. The researchers also found that a neurotransmitter that is normally associated with healing and regeneration of neurons was present in the muscle cells. This finding suggests that the body is trying to heal the injuries, but the recurrent snoring vibrations prevent proper healing. It becomes a vicious circle where snoring causes damage and at the same time disturb healing of injuries, which can lead to swallowing dysfunction and sleep apnea. Study: Tai chi can reduce hypertension symptoms in young and middle-aged in-service staff Zhei-jian Hospital (China) Researchers from Zhejiang Hospital in China reported that practicing t'ai chi can help with hypertension. The treatment group practiced simplified t'ai chi for three months. On the other hand, the control group underwent general daily lifestyle intervention. After one month of exercise, the participants who practiced t'ai chi experienced significant reductions in their systolic blood pressure, heart rate, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. At the end of the intervention period, the t'ai chi group experienced substantial decreases in their BMI, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. Practicing t'ai chi also improved their quality of life. Lemongrass essential oil protects the liver from acetaminophen-induced injury State University of Maringa (Brazil) A study published in The American Journal of Chinese Medicine found that the essential oil extracted from lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) can protect the liver from damage caused by acetaminophen intake. They pretreated mice with 125, 250, or 500 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of lemongrass essential oil or 200 mg/kg of a standard drug per day for seven days. Then, they induced liver toxicity by administering 250 mg/kg dose of acetaminophen. The researchers found that pretreatment with lemongrass essential oil significantly reduced the levels of liver disease markers alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Inflammation in the liver was also reduced by lemongrass essential oil. Liver lesions in mice were also improved after pretreatment with lemongrass essential oil. Pretreatment with lemongrass essential oil increased antioxidant activity in the liver.
Broccoli may beneficially affect microbiota diversity: Study University of Illinois Consuming broccoli may change the diversity and composition of the microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract, says a new study. Two hundred grams per day of broccoli for 17 days resulted in 37% increase in the proportion of Bacteroidetes relative to Firmicutes, according to data presented at the Experimental Biology meeting in Chicago this week by scientists from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, ARS-USDA, and the National Cancer Institute. “These novel results reveal that broccoli consumption affects the diversity and composition of the GI microbiota of healthy adults,” they wrote in the FASEB Journal . “These data help fill the gap in knowledge related to the role of bacterial hydrolysis of phytonutrients. “The increase in Bacteroides spp. is particularly relevant because Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron has been shown in vitro to utilize glucosinolates.” Acupuncture possible treatment for dental anxiety University of York Researchers have found evidence that acupuncture could help people who experience dental anxiety. Dental anxiety affects up to an estimated 30% of the adult population in countries world-wide. Patients can experience nausea, difficulty breathing and dizziness at the thought of going to the dentist, during an examination, and following treatment. In a review of six trials with 800 patients, researchers used a points scale to measure anxiety and studies show that anxiety reduced by eight points when dental patients were given acupuncture as a treatment. This level of reduction is considered to be clinically relevant, which means that acupuncture could be a possibility for tackling dental anxiety. Studies that compared anxiety levels between patients that received acupuncture and those that did not, showed a significant difference in anxiety scores during dental treatment. A clinically relevant reduction in anxiety was found when acupuncture was compared with not receiving acupuncture. Omega-3 may help protect against adverse cardiovascular effects of pollution Case Western University An article published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology reported a protective effect for supplementation with omega-3 fatty acids against some of the harmful cardiovascular effects of exposure to air pollution in China. The randomized, double-blinded trial included 65 healthy college students in Shanghai, China who received 2.5 grams fish oil as a source of omega-3 fatty acids or a placebo daily. During the last two months of the trial, the subjects participated in four health examinations that included blood pressure assessment and measurement of blood markers of inflammation, coagulation, endothelial function, oxidative stress, antioxidant activity, cardiometabolism and neuroendocrine stress response. Campus levels of fine particulate matter air pollution (PM 2.5) measured during the course of the trial averaged 38 micrograms per cubic meter. The researchers observed greater stability of most biomarker levels in responses to changes in fine particulate matter exposure in the fish oil-treated group in comparison with the placebo group. Omega-3 fatty acid supplementation was associated with beneficial effects for five blood biomarkers of inflammation, coagulation, endothelial function, oxidative stress, and neuroendocrine stress response. Snoring causes injuries and prevention of healing in the upper airways Umea University (Sweden) The recurrent vibrations caused by snoring can lead to injuries in the upper airways of people who snore heavily. This in turn, can cause swallowing dysfunction and render individuals more vulnerable for developing the severe condition obstructive sleep apnea. These findings are reported by researchers at Umeå University, Sweden. Their on-going research focuses on the processes behind vibratory damage and healing of the upper airway tract. The data generated will help identify people at high risk of developing sleep apnea and to find novel treatment strategies. Researchers in Umeå have shown that snorers and sleep apnea patients have neuromuscular injuries in the upper respiratory tract. The injuries can be seen at both the structural and molecular level. Researchers could also observe a correlation between snoring and swallowing dysfunction as well as a relation between nerve damage and obstructive sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is characterized by repeated collapse of the upper respiratory tract leading to respiratory arrest during sleep, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. The studies show that people who constantly snore heavily and have sleep apnea displayed a loss of nerves and muscle mass in the soft palate. Furthermore, the attempts by the body to heal damaged tissue were disturbed resulting in an abnormal muscle structure. Another interesting finding was that muscle fibres in the soft palate lacked or had a disturbed organization of certain structural proteins. These proteins stabilize the organelles of the muscle cell and support cellular structures related to energy production and muscle fibre contraction. The researchers also found that a neurotransmitter that is normally associated with healing and regeneration of neurons was present in the muscle cells. This finding suggests that the body is trying to heal the injuries, but the recurrent snoring vibrations prevent proper healing. It becomes a vicious circle where snoring causes damage and at the same time disturb healing of injuries, which can lead to swallowing dysfunction and sleep apnea. Study: Tai chi can reduce hypertension symptoms in young and middle-aged in-service staff Zhei-jian Hospital (China) Researchers from Zhejiang Hospital in China reported that practicing t'ai chi can help with hypertension. The treatment group practiced simplified t'ai chi for three months. On the other hand, the control group underwent general daily lifestyle intervention. After one month of exercise, the participants who practiced t'ai chi experienced significant reductions in their systolic blood pressure, heart rate, triglycerides, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. At the end of the intervention period, the t'ai chi group experienced substantial decreases in their BMI, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, pulse pressure, triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. Practicing t'ai chi also improved their quality of life. Lemongrass essential oil protects the liver from acetaminophen-induced injury State University of Maringa (Brazil) A study published in The American Journal of Chinese Medicine found that the essential oil extracted from lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) can protect the liver from damage caused by acetaminophen intake. They pretreated mice with 125, 250, or 500 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of lemongrass essential oil or 200 mg/kg of a standard drug per day for seven days. Then, they induced liver toxicity by administering 250 mg/kg dose of acetaminophen. The researchers found that pretreatment with lemongrass essential oil significantly reduced the levels of liver disease markers alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP). Inflammation in the liver was also reduced by lemongrass essential oil. Liver lesions in mice were also improved after pretreatment with lemongrass essential oil. Pretreatment with lemongrass essential oil increased antioxidant activity in the liver. Videos: 2022.05.05 Zelensky Is Trapped (8:07)
In our latest episode of “On Human Rights” we spoke with Virginia Dignum, a professor in social and ethical AI at Umeå University in Sweden. We discussed the burgeoning field of artificial intelligence and its connection with human rights. In this interview, we cover a range of topics relevant to AI and human rights, from AI itself, misconceptions, and current developments. We discussed areas of interest where AI is affecting human rights, as well as potential problems and friction that may emerge as AI becomes ever-more relevant to the ways our society functions. Professor Dignum is the Wallenberg Chair on Responsible Artificial Intelligence a Scientific Director of WASP-HS (Humanities and Society). Her research is focused on the overlap between people, organizations, and technology. She is also associated with the faculty of Technology Policy and Management at Delft University of Technology.
Dr. Reshma Sundar and Dr. Marene Landström from the Department of Medical Biosciences at Umeå University in Sweden discuss their experience publishing the research paper, “Pro-invasive properties of Snail1 are regulated by sumoylation in response to TGFβ stimulation in cancer”, with Oncotarget in 2017. DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/oncotarget.20097 Correspondence to - Marene Landström - Marene.Landstrom@medbio.umu.se Keywords - signal transduction, tumor biology, Snail1, sumoylation, prostate cancer About Oncotarget Oncotarget is a peer-reviewed, open access biomedical journal covering research on all aspects of oncology. To learn more about Oncotarget, please visit https://www.oncotarget.com or connect with us: SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/oncotarget Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/Oncotarget/ Twitter - https://twitter.com/oncotarget Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/oncotargetjrnl/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/c/OncotargetYouTube/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/oncotarget Pinterest - https://www.pinterest.com/oncotarget/ Reddit - https://www.reddit.com/user/Oncotarget/ Oncotarget is published by Impact Journals, LLC: https://www.ImpactJournals.com Media Contact MEDIA@IMPACTJOURNALS.COM 18009220957
Markus Hällgren talks about the 1996 Everest disaster from the perspective of business and management. Hällgren is a professor of management and organization at Umeå School of Business and Economics, Umeå University. He is the founder and leader of the interdisciplinary research profile "Extreme Environments - Everyday Decisions" (www.tripleED.com) as well as co-founder and organizer of the International network "Organising Extreme Contexts." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Welcome to The byrizz Rehab & Performance Podcast episode number 15. In this episode, I had the pleasure to gather a strong panel consisting of both active athletes with coaches and researchers at the highest level when talking about a very actual and also for some, a sensitive issue, nutrition. This talk aims to reach both active athletes of different ages, from younger to older athletes, coaches regarding their relationship to nutrition. To optimize performance you need to eat, move and sleep. When these three objects are not in balance you'll encounter fatigue and your performance will be poorer. It's okay to not be in balance all the time but you then need to plan your nutrition, your training, and your sleep habits throughout a planed imbalanced period, which is a more intensive period of training. The panel will share their experiences within nutrition and the expert in this talk, assistant professor Michael Svensson will share his insights and knowledge with theoretical and practical advice having in mind the athletes and his own experiences with nutrition. IN THIS TALK WITH THE PANEL, YOU'LL LEARN: What is durable performance? Actual nutritional trends What kind of experiences do the athletes have when it comes to nutrition habits? Supplements in sports - can they optimize nutrition and performance? What are the factors behind poor iron levels as a women athlete? Tips and advice to athletes to get the best from nutrition. Thanks to all guests for playing an important role to build this episode. You can follow them through social media at Linn Persson @ljmpersson, Moa Lundgren @moalundgreen, Martina Höök @martinahook and Michael Svennson @michael.svensson. We wish both the @skiteamswexc and @svenskt_skidskytte all of the luck this upcoming season! The episode is in Swedish and will be available on your favorite audible podcast resource from the 19th of November. This episode is sponsored by The byrizz™ Rehab & Performance application. The application gives you the continuity to reach your goals at any level, whenever, and wherever. The workouts, programs, and boot camps are made and customized to your needs and consist of trained therapists and strength & conditioning coaches with long experience in health and fitness. byrizz clients range from novice athletes to World Cup medalists and Olympians. This episode is also brought to you in cooperation with Sparta Science. Sparta Science is the industry's gold standard for Force Plate Machine Learning that predicts, improves, and validates individual and team availability. With a simple two-minute scan per person, organizations increase fitness levels, prevent injuries, and accurately predict team readiness using the world's largest machine learning force plate database. For more information about Sparta Science, visit Spartascience.com.
In this episode, professor Rodrigo Ramirez talks with Johan Redström, Professor in Design at Umeå Institute of Design, from Umeå University in Sweden, and researcher in areas such as emerging technologies and traditional materials, design and sustainability and more recently reconceptualisations of ‘things' in light of new digital forms of making and using. His most recent books are “Making Design Theory” and “Changing Things: The future of objects in a digital world”, together with Heather Wiltse. During this conversation, Redström talks about the shifts in the design field, philosophy of technology, research and what he believes to be the contemporary foundations to design education. Guest: Johan Redström Research: Rodrigo Ramirez Final script: Rodrigo Ramirez Host: Rodrigo Ramirez Coordinator: Emília Duarte Editor: Hugo Rocha Branding and Graphic Design: Hugo Rocha and Davide Gambera Producers: Emília Duarte, Hugo Rocha, and Davide Gambera Music: Rui Gaio Intro and Final Voice: Catia Peres
SHR # 2770:: Antibiotics and Colon Cancer; A Clear Link - Dr. Sophia Harlid Ph.D. - There is a clear link between taking antibiotics and an increased risk of developing colon cancer within the next five to ten years. This has been confirmed by researchers at Umeå University, Sweden, after a study of 40,000 cancer cases. The impact of antibiotics on the intestinal microbiome is thought to lie behind the increased risk of cancer.
SHR # 2770:: Antibiotics and Colon Cancer; A Clear Link - Dr. Sophia Harlid Ph.D. - There is a clear link between taking antibiotics and an increased risk of developing colon cancer within the next five to ten years. This has been confirmed by researchers at Umeå University, Sweden, after a study of 40,000 cancer cases. The impact of antibiotics on the intestinal microbiome is thought to lie behind the increased risk of cancer.
Both sucrose and high fructose corn syrup linked to increased health risks University of California at Davis, August 31, 2021 Consuming sucrose, the more "natural form of sugar," may be as bad for your health as consuming high fructose corn syrup, according to a University of California, Davis, study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. "This is the first dietary intervention study to show that consumption of both sucrose- and high fructose corn-sweetened beverages increase liver fat and decrease insulin sensitivity," said Kimber Stanhope, a research nutrition biologist with the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. "People often have a skewed perspective of aspartame and give sucrose a pass, but this study suggests that consumers should be equally concerned about both major added sugars in our food supply." Participants (18 to 40 years old) were assigned to beverage groups matched for sex, body mass index, fasting triglyceride, lipoprotein and insulin concentrations. They drank three servings a day of either a sucrose-sweetened beverage, a high fructose corn-sweetened beverage, or an aspartame-sweetened beverage for 16 days. The double-blind study was unique in that the 187 subjects lived in a clinical unit for 3.5 days before beverage consumption and during the final days of beverage consumption. Thus, their diet and activity levels were controlled prior to the assessments of risk factors that occurred before and after beverage consumption. This control helped the researchers document how quickly the study subjects, even those who were very lean or normal weight, showed changes in liver fat, insulin sensitivity, and circulating lipids, lipoproteins and uric acid when they drank the added sugars. There were no significant differences between the effects of sucrose and those of high fructose corn syrup, and both the sugar-sweetened beverages increased risk factors compared with aspartame-sweetened beverages. "Within the span of two weeks, we observed a significant change in liver fat and insulin sensitivity in the two groups consuming sucrose- or high fructose corn syrup-sweetened beverages," Stanhope said. "That's concerning because the prevalence of fatty liver [nonalcoholic fatty liver disease] and Type 2 diabetes continues to increase globally." Decreased insulin sensitivity is an important risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, and seeing a clinically significant change within two weeks highlights the need for consumers to read labels carefully and be aware of the source of added sugars, she said. Sucrose may be labeled as sugar, cane sugar or evaporated cane juice among other names, but they're all sugar. Consumer misconception Stanhope said the study is important because many consumers consider high fructose corn syrup to be more detrimental to health than sucrose. Many consumers also believe consuming sucrose is safer than consuming aspartame. Previous human and animal studies have shown that sugar-sweetened beverages are associated with increased fat in the liver. This study further substantiates that those beverages can promote fat accumulation in the liver and lead to metabolic syndrome. "It's all physiologically connected, although we're not sure [in what] direction it goes," Stanhope said. "It's very likely that the mechanism by which we develop metabolic syndrome goes through liver fat and insulin resistance. An increase in liver fat can be benign for a certain amount of time and for certain people. But it can also progress to associated inflammation in liver cells that causes fibrosis and negatively impacts liver function, which can make an individual more prone to liver cancer." Consuming a Mediterranean diet associated with lower risk of sudden cardiac death during 9.8-year period University of Alabama, August 31, 2021 The July issue of the Journal of the American Heart Association reported the finding of a trend toward a lower risk of sudden cardiac death in association with greater adherence to a Mediterranean diet during an average of 9.8 years of follow-up.* The study also uncovered a trend toward a higher risk of sudden cardiac death associated with greater intake of a Southern dietary pattern. Sudden cardiac death, as defined by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute-sponsored expert panel is “an unexpected death without obvious extracardiac cause, occurring with a rapid witnessed collapse, or if unwitnessed, occurring within one hour after the onset of symptoms.” The current investigation included 21,069 participants in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study, which included men and women aged 45 years and older, among whom 42% were black. A high proportion of study participants resided in a region of the U.S. often referred to as the “stroke belt”. In previous research, five dietary patterns were derived from responses to dietary questionnaires administered upon enrollment in REGARDS. These included a pattern observed in the Southeastern United States that is characterized by added fats, fried food, eggs, organ meat, processed meat and sugar‐sweetened beverages. All subjects' diets were subsequently scored for adherence to a Mediterranean diet, which included a high intake of vegetables, fruit, legumes, cereals and fish; a lower intake of meat and dairy products; a high ratio of monounsaturated fat to saturated fat consumption, and moderate alcohol intake. In-home examinations obtained physical measurements, information concerning medication use, a physical health summary, electrocardiographic evaluation, and blood and urine sample collection. Cardiovascular events and deaths were tracked via twice-yearly calls to participants or next of kin, and other methods. During follow-up, 401 sudden cardiac deaths occurred. After adjustment for a number of factors, subjects whose Mediterranean diet scores placed them among the top one-third of participants had a risk of sudden cardiac death that was 26% lower than subjects whose scores were among the lowest third. The protective effect of the diet was limited to participants with no history of coronary heart disease at the beginning of the study. Among men and women whose adherence to the Southern dietary pattern was among the top quarter of participants, the risk of sudden cardiac death was 46% higher than those among the lowest quarter. “We know of no published studies investigating the possible associations of dietary patterns with risk of sudden cardiac death,” wrote authors James M. Shikany, DrPH, of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, and colleagues. However, they remarked that protective effects against the condition have been revealed in association with nuts and fish, which are Mediterranean diet components. They added that the omega 3 fatty acids in fatty fish have been proposed as responsible for the benefit observed in association with greater fish intake and may help protect against sudden cardiac death via their effects on resting heart rate, blood pressure, vascular endothelial function, triglyceride concentrations, inflammatory pathways and other factors. Furthermore, laboratory studies have revealed antiarrhythmic effects for omega 3s. “Although observational in nature, these data suggest that diet may be a modifiable risk factor for sudden cardiac death and should be discussed with patients,” they wrote. Aging-US: Dietary supplementation with green tea catechins and cocoa flavanols Cocoa, but not GTE, reduced aging-associated microgliosis and increased the proportion of neuroprotective microglial phenotypes Universitat de Lleida and Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida (Spain), September 1, 2021 Aging-US published "Beneficial effects of dietary supplementation with green tea catechins and cocoa flavanols on aging-related regressive changes in the mouse neuromuscular system" which reported that green tea extract (GTE) and cocoa-supplemented diets significantly improved survival rate of mice. GTE increased density of VAChT and VGluT2 afferent synapses on neuromuscular junctions. Cocoa, but not GTE, reduced aging-associated microgliosis and increased the proportion of neuroprotective microglial phenotypes. Dr. Jordi Calderó from IRBLleida said, "Sarcopenia, the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and function with age, is considered the main causative factor of the physical performance decline in the elderly." Sarcopenia, the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and function with age, is considered the main causative factor of the physical performance decline in the elderly. The compromised muscular function associated to sarcopenia has a negative impact on the life quality of older adults and increases the risk for disability, fall-associated injuries, morbidity, and mortality. The authors have recently reported a marked increase in the microglial and astroglial pro-inflammatory phenotypes (M1 and A1, respectively) in the spinal cord of aged mice. This may be due to the presence of anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective (M2 and A2) glial subpopulations. Caloric restriction, based on a diet low in calories, has been shown to attenuate aging sarcopenia in various species by acting at different levels of the skeletal muscle. Caloric restriction has also been reported to ameliorate age-related changes in rodent NMJs and to prevent MN and motor axon degeneration found to occur with aging [11, 21]. In a similar way, some dietary supplements have been shown to counteract age related changes that contribute to neuromuscular dysfunction (reviewed by [12) Plant flavonoids have gained particular attention as dietary compounds for keeping good health and preventing a number of diseases, particularly cardiac disorders and cancer. The Calderó Research Team concluded in their Aging-US Research Output that, green tea and cocoa flavonoids from GTE and cocoa significantly increased survival rate of aged mice. Both diets preserved NMJ innervation and maturity, delayed the senescence process of the skeletal muscle, and enhanced its regenerative capacity. Future research is needed to investigate whether higher doses of flavonoid are needed and/or longer-term interventions can help restore proper motor function. How the mind sharpens the senses Ruhr University Bochum (Germany), August 27, 2021 A study conducted with experienced scholars of Zen-Meditation shows that mental focussing can induce learning mechanisms, similar to physical training. Researchers at the Ruhr-University Bochum and the Ludwig-Maximilians-University München discovered this phenomenon during a scientifically monitored meditation retreat. The journal Scientific Reports, from the makers of Nature, has now published their new findings on the plasticity of the brain. Participants of the study use a special meditation technique The participants were all Zen-scholars with many years of meditation practice. They were scientifically escorted during a four-day Zen-retreat in the spiritual center "Benediktushof", Germany. The retreat was held in complete silence, with at least eight hours of meditation per day. All participants practiced their familiar meditation, which is characterized by a non-specific monitoring of thoughts and surroundings. Additionally, some participants applied a special finger-meditation for two hours per day, during which they were asked to specifically focus on their right index finger and become aware of spontaneously arising sensory percepts in this finger. Subsequent assessment of the group that practiced finger-meditation showed a significant improvement in the tactile acuity of the right index and middle finger. A control group that had maintained their familiar meditation practice for the whole time, showed no changes in tactile acuity. Data show significant improvement of the sense of touch In order to assess the sense of touch quantitatively, researchers measured the so-called "two-point discrimination threshold". This marker indicates how far apart two stimuli need to be, in order to be discriminated as two separate sensations. After the finger meditation, the performance improved on average by 17 percent. By comparison, tactile acuity of the visually impaired is 15 to 25 percent above that of typical sighted individuals, because their sense of touch is used so intensively to make up for the reduced visual information. Hence, the changes induced by meditation are comparable to those achieved by intense long-term training. Meditation induces plasticity and learning processes as active training or physical stimulation It is known for long that extensive training induces neuroplasticity, which denotes the ability of the brain to adapt and restructure itself, thereby improving perception and behavior. Recently, the group of neuroscientists of the Neural Plasticity Lab headed by Hubert Dinse has shown that these processes can be initiated even without training by mere exposure to passive stimulation, which was translated only recently into a stimulating glove, which is used as therapeutical intervention in stroke patients. The fact that merely mental states without any physical stimulation can improve perception has now been shown for the first time. "The results of our study challenge what we know about learning mechanisms in the brain. Our concept of neuroplasticity must be extended, because mental activity seems to induce learning effects similar to active stimulation and physical training," Dinse suggests. Antibiotics increase the risk of colon cancer Umea University (Sweden), September 1, 2021 There is a clear link between taking antibiotics and an increased risk of developing colon cancer within the next five to ten years. This has been confirmed by researchers at Umeå University, Sweden, after a study of 40,000 cancer cases. The impact of antibiotics on the intestinal microbiome is thought to lie behind the increased risk of cancer. “The results underline the fact that there are many reasons to be restrictive with antibiotics. While in many cases antibiotic therapy is necessary and saves lives, in the event of less serious ailments that can be expected to heal anyway, caution should be exercised. Above all to prevent bacteria from developing resistance but, as this study shows, also because antibiotics may increase the risk of future colon cancer,” explains Sophia Harlid, cancer researcher at Umeå University. Researchers found that both women and men who took antibiotics for over six months ran a 17 per cent greater risk of developing cancer in the ascending colon, the first part of the colon to be reached by food after the small intestine, than those who were not prescribed any antibiotics. However, no increased risk was found for cancer in the descending colon. Nor was there an increased risk of rectal cancer in men taking antibiotics, while women taking antibiotics had a slightly reduced incidence of rectal cancer. The increased risk of colon cancer was visible already five to ten years after taking antibiotics. Although the increase in risk was greatest for those taking most antibiotics, it was also possible to observe an admittedly small, but statistically significant, increase in the risk of cancer after a single course of antibiotics. The present study uses data on 40,000 patients from the Swedish Colorectal Cancer Registry from the period 2010–2016. These have been compared to a matched control group of 200,000 cancer-free individuals drawn from the Swedish population at large. Data on the individuals' antibiotic use was collected from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Register for the period 2005–2016. The Swedish study broadly confirms the results of an earlier, somewhat smaller British study. In order to understand how antibiotics increase the risk, the researchers also studied a non-antibiotic bactericidal drug used against urinary infections that does not affect the microbiome. There was no difference in the frequency of colon cancer in those who used this drug, suggesting that it is the impact of antibiotics on the microbiome that increases the risk of cancer. While the study only covers orally administered antibiotics, even intravenous antibiotics may affect the gut microbiota in the intestinal system. “There is absolutely no cause for alarm simply because you have taken antibiotics. The increase in risk is moderate and the affect on the absolute risk to the individual is fairly small. Sweden is also in the process of introducing routine screening for colorectal cancer. Like any other screening programme, it is important to take part so that any cancer can be detected early or even prevented, as cancer precursors can sometimes be removed,” says Sophia Harlid. High dose vitamin C may stop the progression of leukemia, study reveals Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University August 28, 2021 Exciting new research shows that a six-month regimen of high-dose intravenous vitamin C slowed the progression of leukemia by stopping leukemic cells from multiplying. The study builds upon other research that demonstrates vitamin C's potential to inhibit and even kill cancer cells – without harming healthy tissue. Let's take a closer look at how vitamin C is demonstrating its amazing potential to fight cancer. Vitamin C stimulates a vital cancer-fighting enzyme In leukemia, white blood cells fail to mature, so they regenerate themselves and multiply uncontrollably – a process that stops the body from producing the mature white blood cells needed by the immune system to fight infections. Researchers have discovered that a gene mutation plays a major role in the development of many cases of leukemia. 50 percent of patients with chronic myelomonocytic leukemia, 30 percent of patients with pre-leukemia and 10 percent of acute myeloid leukemia patients have a genetic disorder that decreases amounts of TET2 – a vital enzyme that helps undifferentiated cells mature into normal blood cells. This TET2 gene mutation accounts for 42,500 cancers yearly in the United States. The new study, conducted at Perlmutter Cancer Center at New York University Langone Health and published in the peer-reviewed scientific journal Cell, examined vitamin C's potential to stimulate TET2 – and the results were encouraging. Genetically restoring TET2 blocks replication of cancer cells and safely kills them The researchers found that intravenous high-dose vitamin C helps restore TET2 function, causing “faulty” stem cells in bone marrow to die off. Vitamin C produced results when it was used on human leukemia cells carrying the TET2 mutation – and it also stopped the growth of transplanted leukemia cancer stem cells in mice that had been genetically engineered to lack TET2. The vitamin achieved this effect by promoting DNA demethylation in the cancerous cells. Researchers also found that combining vitamin C with PARP inhibitors – drugs which cause cancer cell death – improved its effectiveness even more. In fact, vitamin C seemed to have a potentiating effect, making the leukemic cells more vulnerable to the PARP inhibitors. Study author Benjamin Neel, Ph.D., noted that the team was excited by the prospect that high-dose vitamin C might become a “safe treatment for blood diseases caused by TET2-deficient leukemia stem cells, most likely in combination with other targeted therapies.” Neel called for preclinical and clinical trials to test high-dose intravenous vitamin C in human patients – and for further research to identify other substances that might help to potentiate the vitamin C treatment. Researchers are particularly hopeful that using vitamin C with cancer drugs could provide an alternative to toxic chemotherapy – which can be dangerous and even fatal to patients with acute myeloid leukemia. Note: The researchers used extremely high dosages of intravenous vitamin C in the study – amounts that would be impossible to obtain by oral ingestion alone. Amazing NEWS: Vitamin C has outperformed approved clinical and experimental drugs Other recent, peer-reviewed research is blazing exciting new inroads into the area of potential uses of this powerful vitamin to stop cancer. In a study newly published in Oncotarget, researcher found that high-dose vitamin C stopped tumors cold by impairing cancer stem cell metabolism and interfering with their ability to grow and spread. Researchers noted that the nutrient worked as a pro-oxidant in cancer cells – stripping them of the antioxidant glutathione and producing oxidative stress and apoptosis, or cell death. In addition, vitamin C interfered with glycolysis, the process that creates energy in cell mitochondria. And, while lethal to cancer cells, it left healthy cells unaffected. The researchers concluded that vitamin C was a “promising new agent,” and called for more study to explore its use in preventing and slowing tumors. The team also reported that vitamin C outperformed seven different substances, including stiripinol – an FDA-approved clinical drug – and various experimental medications. Researchers noted that vitamin C was 1,000 times – that's right, 1,000 times – more effective in combating cancer stem cells than 2-DG, an experimental pharmaceutical drug. (It is hard to understand why these eye-opening results have received so little attention from mainstream medicine. Especially in light of the fact that – unlike toxic chemotherapy drugs – this essential vitamin has caused few side effects in clinical studies.) But, I think we can quickly see how this news might be threatening to the profits of the pharmaceutical industry. The fact is: conventional medicine has long downplayed or ignored promising vitamin C research. But, as forward-thinking, innovative researchers continue to examine vitamin C's many benefits, its potential to combat cancer may yet be recognized.
We continue the talks with Gabriel Wikström, national coordinator for the Sustainable Development Goals in Sweden, and Raman Preet, International Research Coordinator and Equal Opportunity Officer at the Department of Epidemiology and Global Health of Umeå University. Among many things, we discuss how fulfilling the agenda is like cooking dinner in a family, and how racism is one of the biggest obstacles on the way to a more sustainable world. The podcast coordinators of this episodes were Sara Wide Gustavsson (president of the Swedish Society of Medicines student and junior doctor section and junior doctor in Linköping), Hanna Jerndal (secretary of ethics president of the Swedish Society of Medicines student and junior doctor section and junior doctor at Umeå University Hospital) and Hana Awil (resident physician in family medicine in Mora and committee member of the Swedish Society of Medicine´s Committee on Global Health. This is the second and final part of the conversation on the 2030 Agenda. Do you have ideas or suggestions for guests and topics that we should cover in the podcast? Send us a message on ordforande@slskuf.se!
Helen Sharman, Britain's first astronaut, hosts an expert-led discussion on autonomous systems and the ethics surrounding their use and development. How can autonomous systems help not just with dull or dangerous tasks but also improving decision-making? What about the serious ethical questions related to some of the decision making in autonomous systems? Helen's guests this week are Virginia Dignum, Professor at the Department of Computing Science at Umeå University, Sweden and Denise Garcia, Associate Professor of Political Science and International Affairs at Northeastern University. Zero Pressure is a podcast from Imperial College London and Saab. A relaxed conversation with those on the cutting edge of science and technology - hosted by Britain's first astronaut Helen Sharman - Presented by Imperial College London and Saab. The Zero Pressure podcast series will be looking at how science and technology can positively contribute to solving complex, interrelated global challenges of today and tomorrow. We will be looking at pioneering technologies and speaking those on the thinking edge.
In time for Swedish Midsummer we release our next episode – this time focusing on the 2030 Agenda! We invited Gabriel Wikström, national coordinator for the Sustainable Development Goals in Sweden, and Raman Preet, International Research Coordinator and Equal Opportunity Officer at the Deptartment of Epidemiology and Global Health of Umeå University. It became a personal discussion on their commitment for sustainable development, what sustainable development really is and how we can work towards the fulfillment of the 2030 Agenda. The podcast coordinators of this episodes were Sara Wide Gustavsson (president of the Swedish Society of Medicines student and junior doctor section and junior doctor in Linköping), Hanna Jerndal (secretary of ethics president of the Swedish Society of Medicines student and junior doctor section and junior doctor at Umeå University Hospital)and Hana Awil (resident physician in family medicine in Mora and committee member of the Swedish Society of Medicine´s Committee on Global Health. This is part one the conversation. In two weeks, we are releasing the second and final part. Do you have ideas or suggestions for guests and topics that we should cover in the podcast? Send us a message on ordforande@slskuf.se!
Researchers study preventing cancer and diabetes with the maqui berry NOVA Southeastern University of Florida, May 27, 2021 Aristotelia chilensis, also known as maqui berry, is a fruit-bearing shrub native to South America. According to a study published in the journal Phytochemical Analysis, maqui berries are rich in anthocyanins, which give the fruits their dark purple color. Anthocyanins are plant pigments that possess many remarkable biological properties, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-cancer activities. In a recent study, researchers at NOVA Southeastern University in Florida discussed the potential of Chilean maqui berry for use as a nutritional supplement that can help treat hyperinsulinemia and related diseases. Hyperinsulinemia, or higher-than-normal insulin levels, is often caused by insulin resistance, which is said to be the precursor to diabetes. Chronic hyperinsulinemia also promotes cancer growth by allowing insulin to exert its oncogenic effects, which include enhancing growth factor-dependent cell proliferation, among others. The researchers discussed how Chilean maqui berry can help with insulin resistance and reduce cancer risk in an article published in the journal Food Science and Human Wellness. The medicinal benefits of Chilean maqui berry Researchers have long considered nutritional supplementation to be a possible alternative or adjunct treatment to conventional therapies for common ailments and diseases. According to recent studies, maqui berries can reduce postprandial insulin levels by as much as 50 percent and are just as effective as metformin at increasing insulin sensitivity and stabilizing blood glucose levels. Maqui berries’ mechanism of action involves inhibiting sodium-dependent glucosetransporters in the small intestine and slowing the rate of entry of glucose in the bloodstream. Thanks to these actions, maqui berries can effectively reduce the likelihood of blood sugar spikes and prevent the corresponding rise in insulin levels that follows. At the same time, maqui berries contribute to cancer prevention since chronically high blood glucose levels — besides chronic hyperinsulinemia — are also linked to the development of cancer. In fact, numerous studies have shown that diabetics and prediabetics have an elevated risk of developing cancerous growths. Based on the findings of previous studies, the researchers believe that consistent supplementation with Chilean maqui berries could indirectly reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases that are promoted by hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) and hyperinsulinemia. Studies reveal that social isolation and quarantine throughout the COVID-19 pandemic may have a detrimental impact on physical and mental health of people living with pre-existing conditions University of Naples (Italy) and Teva Pharmaceuticals, May 30, 2021 Abstract 803: Impact of social isolation and quarantine on the course of diabetes mellitus and its complications during Covid 19 pandemic in Adjara Region Country of Georgia Abstract 1337: Psychological distress in patients with hypocortisolism during mass quarantine for Covid-19 epidemic in Italy Studies reveal that social isolation and quarantine throughout the COVID-19 pandemic may have a detrimental impact on people living with pre-existing conditions. Social isolation and quarantine can have a detrimental impact on physical and mental health of people living with pre-existing conditions, according to two studies being presented at the 23rd European Congress of Endocrinology (e-ECE 2021) The studies bring together research on the impact of social isolation and quarantine for people living with diabetes in the Adjara Region of Georgia, and on patients with hypocortisolism in Italy. Both studies reported that social isolation during the pandemic caused significant psychological and/or physical distress on the observed individuals. Data from the first study revealed that the impact of quarantine on people living with diabetes in the Adjara Region caused blood pressure (BP) levels to increase in 88.2% of patients with 50% of these cases resulting in high BP hospitalisation. In addition to these physical factors, increased feelings of anxiety and fear were observed on 82% of patients. In the second study, patients with hypocortisolism experienced increased anxiety and depression, associated with a dissatisfaction feeling of self and a reduced resiliency, when compared with Italian healthy controls. As these are all contributing factors to overall health deterioration, these findings suggest further research is required to allow patients with pre-existing conditions to remain fit and healthy during the current pandemic. In the Adjara Region study, Dr Liana Jashi and the research team disseminated an online questionnaire and collected answers from 16 endocrinologists and 22 family and general practice doctors. The study confirmed the negative, indirect effects social isolation and quarantine had on people living with diabetes. It reported a list of negative effects such as the reduced access to medical care, weight gain and increased cigarette and alcohol consumption. Physical activity decreased by 29.8%, a vital preventative to further physical and psychological problems. "This study highlights that people living with diabetes require greater support during pandemics to maintain exercise and protect their physical and mental health. National health services should use these data and future studies to implement better social care around supporting people with pre-existing conditions," commented Dr Jashi. In the second study, Dr Chiara Simeoli at the University of Naples reported data collected during the last three weeks of the mass quarantine lasted 2 months in Italy, in a web-survey-based, multicenter, case- control research involving 12 different Italian centres. The study confirmed that a large cohort of 478 patients with hypocortisolism, and particularly, 363 with adrenal insufficiency and 115 with congenital adrenal hyperplasia, adequately treated with glucocorticoids, showed higher anxiety and depression, associated with a dissatisfaction feeling of self and a reduced resiliency, when compared with Italian healthy controls, suggesting the detrimental impact of social isolation on mental health of these patients, particularly frail and vulnerable to infections and stress. Moreover, patients with adrenal insufficiency reported a worse quality of life than patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia. "These findings confirmed that beyond the huge impact on physical health, COVID-19 epidemic, social isolation and mass quarantine represent significant psychological stressors, causing severe effects on mental health, even more on people with pre-existing conditions. An empowerment of psychological counselling for these vulnerable patients during COVID-19 should be considered by national health-care services," adds Dr Simeoli. Both studies indicate that additional larger studies over a longer period of time are needed for further investigation. Researchers discover link between local oxygen depletion in the brain and Alzheimer's disease University of Seville (Spain), May 24, 2021 The study, published in the journal Nature Aging and led by the laboratories of Dr. Alberto Pascual (CSIC), from the Neuronal Maintenance Mechanisms Group, and Prof. Javier Vitorica (University of Seville/CIBERNED) of the Physiopathology of Alzheimer's Disease Group at IBiS, demonstrates for the first time that low oxygen levels in the so-called senile plaques in the brain reduces the immune system's defensive capacity against the disease. The study also suggests that this lack of oxygen in the brain enhances the action of disorders associated with Alzheimer's disease that are characterized by low systemic oxygen levels, such as atherosclerosis and other cardiovascular diseases. What happens in the brain? A characteristic feature of Alzheimer's patients is the accumulation of highly toxic substances in their brains, known as senile plaques. The brain has an immune system whose main component are the microglial cells, which were first described and named 100 years ago by Pío del Río Hortega, a disciple of Ramón y Cajal. In the absence of damage, these cells facilitate the neurons' function. In response to Alzheimer's disease, microglia defend neurons by surrounding senile plaques, preventing their spread in the brain and decreasing damage. Alzheimer's disease is aggravated by other pathologies, such as cardiovascular diseases, which cause a decrease in oxygen levels in the body. This study has revealed reduced oxygen levels around senile plaques, compromising microglial activity (Image, center). When this is compounded by reduced oxygen supply to the brain due to other systemic pathologies, the microglia are unable to provide protection and there is an increase in the pathology associated with the disease. Relevance Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia in Spain and around the world. In Spain, its incidence is increasing dramatically as the population ages. Unfortunately, the origin of the disease remains unknown. The mechanism proposed in this study is mediated by the expression of the HIF1 molecule, whose discoverers received the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2019. Increased HIF1 levels compromise the mitochondrial activity of microglial cells and limit their protective capacity against disease. This study opens new lines of research to improve the metabolic capacity of microglia, which would enable a sustained response over time against the disease. Indirectly, the study supports previous work highlighting the importance of maintaining good cardiovascular health for healthy aging. Effect of different doses of melatonin on learning and memory deficit in Alzheimer model Guilan University of Medical Sciences (Iran), May 21, 2021 According to news reporting out of Rasht, Iran, research stated, “Alzheimer Disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder with a progressive impairment of cognitive function. The pineal gland hormone melatonin (MEL) has been known as a protection agent against AD.” Our news reporters obtained a quote from the research from Guilan University of Medical Sciences: “However, the effect of melatonin in various doses is inconsistent. In this study, we aimed to investigate two doses of MEL on learning and memory in the amyloid-beta (Ab)-induced AD in the rats. Forty-eight male Wistar rats were used in the experiment and randomly divided control, sham, vehicle, AD, AD+MEL10 mg/kg, and AD+MEL 20 mg/kg groups. Intracerebroventricular injection of Ab1-42 was used to develop the animal model of AD. Also, MEL-treated groups received an intraperitoneal injection of MEL for 4 next weeks. The Morris Water Maze (MWM) and Passive Avoidance Learning (PAL) tests were used to examine animals’ learning and memory. The brain of animals was removed for immunohistochemistry for anti- Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP). Intra-peritoneal injection of MEL significantly improve learning and memory in MWM (P=0.000) and PAL test (P=0.000), but there were no significant changes in the two groups that received the melatonin (P>0.05). Histopathological analysis revealed that the clearance of APP deposition in the AD+MEL20 group was considerable compared with the AD+MEL10 group (P=0.000).” According to the news editors, the research concluded: “Our findings indicate that 10 and 20 mg/kg doses of melatonin have similar results on learning and memory in the AD model. But 20 mg/kg of melatonin has significantly more effect on the clearance of APP deposition.” Effects of flaxseed on blood pressure, body mass index, and total cholesterol in hypertensive patients: A randomized clinical trial Lorestan University of Medical Sciences (Iran), May 25, 2021 Objectives Given the antioxidant properties of flaxseed and its biologically active ingredients, this study was conducted to determine the effects of flaxseed supplementation on body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, and total cholesterol levels in patients with hypertension. Methods In this triple-blind clinical trial, 112 patients, with an age range of 35 to 70 years, were randomized to 2 groups receiving 10 g (n=45) and 30 g (n=45) of flaxseed supplementation and 1 group receiving placebo (n=45) for 12 weeks by stratified block randomization. They were evaluated in terms of systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), BMI, and total serum cholesterol. Physical activity was measured using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire–Short Form (IPAQ–SF) and food intake was assessed using the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). The data were analyzed with SPSS, version 22, using the chi-square, Kruskal–Wallis, repeated measures analysis, ANOVA, and ANCOVA tests. Results The interaction effects among the study groups and time on the mean SBP (p = 0.001), DBP (p = 0.001), total cholesterol level (p = 0.032), and BMI (p < 0.001) were significant. During the study, the 30-g group achieved the best results, so that a 13.38-unit decrease in SBP was observed compared to a 1.72 unit increase in the placebo group and a 5.6-unit decrease in DBP was measured compared to a 2.39 unit increase in the placebo group. BMI decreased by 0.86 units compared to 0.06 units in the placebo group. Total cholesterol also decreased by 20.4 units compared to 11.86 units in the placebo group. Conclusion The results of this study showed that flaxseed can be effective in reducing blood pressure, total cholesterol, and body mass index in hypertensive patients in a twelve-week period. Study: Don't count on caffeine to fight sleep deprivation Michigan State University, May 27, 2021 Rough night of sleep? Relying on caffeine to get you through the day isn't always the answer, says a new study from Michigan State University. Researchers from MSU's Sleep and Learning Lab, led by psychology associate professor Kimberly Fenn, assessed how effective caffeine was in counteracting the negative effects of sleep deprivation on cognition. As it turns out, caffeine can only get you so far. The study -- published in the most recent edition of Journal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, & Cognition -- assessed the impact of caffeine after a night of sleep deprivation. More than 275 participants were asked to complete a simple attention task as well as a more challenging "placekeeping" task that required completion of tasks in a specific order without skipping or repeating steps. Fenn's study is the first to investigate the effect of caffeine on placekeeping after a period of sleep deprivation. "We found that sleep deprivation impaired performance on both types of tasks and that having caffeine helped people successfully achieve the easier task. However, it had little effect on performance on the placekeeping task for most participants," Fenn said. She added: "Caffeine may improve the ability to stay awake and attend to a task, but it doesn't do much to prevent the sort of procedural errors that can cause things like medical mistakes and car accidents." Insufficient sleep is pervasive in the United States, a problem that has intensified during the pandemic, Fenn said. Consistently lacking adequate sleep not only affects cognition and alters mood, but can eventually take a toll on immunity. "Caffeine increases energy, reduces sleepiness and can even improve mood, but it absolutely does not replace a full night of sleep, Fenn said. "Although people may feel as if they can combat sleep deprivation with caffeine, their performance on higher-level tasks will likely still be impaired. This is one of the reasons why sleep deprivation can be so dangerous." Fenn said that the study has the potential to inform both theory and practice. "If we had found that caffeine significantly reduced procedural errors under conditions of sleep deprivation, this would have broad implications for individuals who must perform high stakes procedures with insufficient sleep, like surgeons, pilots and police officers," Fenn said. "Instead, our findings underscore the importance of prioritizing sleep." Parkinson's disease more likely in people with depression, study suggests Umea University (Sweden), May 21 2021 People with depression may be more likely to develop the movement disorder Parkinson's disease, according to new research published in Neurology. According to the authors of the study, depression is more common in people with Parkinson's disease than those without the movement disorder. "We saw this link between depression and Parkinson's disease over a timespan of more than 2 decades, so depression may be a very early symptom of Parkinson's disease or a risk factor for the disease," says study co-author Prof. Peter Nordström, at Umeå University in Sweden. Parkinson's disease is a progressive disorder of the nervous system that affects how a person moves, including how they speak and write. As well as problems with movement, Parkinson's disease can also cause cognitive problems, neurobehavioral problems and sensory difficulties. The authors of the study state that depression is more common in patients with Parkinson's disease than in members of the general population. The mood disorder has a major influence on health-related quality of life and could also be involved in more rapid deterioration of cognitive and motor functions. However, few studies have investigated this association for periods of longer than 10 years, with any long-term findings so far inconclusive. For the study, the researchers used a cohort consisting of all Swedish citizens aged 50 years and above as of December 31st, 2005. From this group, they then took the 140,688 people diagnosed with depression . These individuals were each matched with three control participants (a total of 421,718 controls) of the same age and sex who had not been diagnosed with depression. The participants were then followed for up to 26 years. A total of 1,485 people with depression (1.1%) developed Parkinson's disease during this time, compared with 1,775 of those who did not have depression (0.4%). On average, Parkinson's disease was diagnosed 4.5 years after the beginning of the study, with the likelihood of the disorder developing decreasing over time. No sibling link found for depression and Parkinson's disease The researchers calculated that participants with depression were 3.2 times more likely than those without depression to develop Parkinson's disease within a year of the study beginning. After 15-25 years, the researchers found participants with depression were almost 50% more likely to develop the condition. If a participant's depression was severe, their likelihood of developing Parkinson's disease was also higher. For example, those who had been hospitalized for depression five or more times were 40% more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than participants who had been hospitalized for depression just once. In addition to these observations, the researchers examined siblings. No link was found between one sibling having Parkinson's disease and the other having depression. "This finding gives us more evidence that these two diseases are linked," says Prof. Nordström. "If the diseases were independent of each other but caused by the same genetic or early environmental factors, then we would expect to see the two diseases group together in siblings, but that didn't happen." The authors suggest there are a number of mechanisms that could explain their findings. Depression or antidepressive treatment could increase the risk of Parkinson's disease, depression could be an early symptom of Parkinson's disease, or that the two conditions could share environmental causative factors. In the paper, the authors acknowledge that they are unable to evaluate the potential role of substances used in antidepressive treatment as risk factors for Parkinson's disease. The study is an observational one and cannot determine causation. "Our findings suggest a direct association between depression and subsequent [Parkinson's disease], supported by a time-dependent hazard ratio, a dose-response pattern for recurrent depression, and a lack of evidence for coaggregation among siblings," the authors conclude. "Given that the association was significant over more than two decades of follow-up, depression may be a very early prodromal symptom of or a causal risk factor for [Parkinson's disease]." Elsewhere, a study published in December previously suggested that users of methamphetamine are at three times more risk of getting Parkinson's disease than people who do not use illegal drugs.
Host Casandra Grundstrom is joined by special guest Professor Jonny Holmström. Jonny is a professor of Information Systems at Umeå University, co-director, and co-founder of the Swedish Center for Digital Innovation (SCDI). He writes, consults, and speaks on topics such as digital innovation, digital transformation, and digital entrepreneurship. His work has appeared in journals such as Communications of the AIS, Design Issues, European Journal of Information Systems, Information and Organization, Information Systems Journal, Information Technology and People, Journal of the AIS, Journal of Information Technology, Journal of Strategic Information Systems, MIS Quarterly, Research Policy, and The Information Society. In this episode, we discuss the culture of IS, ranging from culture shocks in different IS environments, to publishing culture as evident in publishing practices, what we choose to study, and why we choose to study it. Ultimately reflecting on three pillars: research, teaching, and service. Shoutout to these other great podcasts, check them out!This IS Research podcast with Jan Recker and Nick Berente10 Minutes IS paper podcast with Blair WangTalking about organizations podcastSIGPhil with Mijalche SantaEthnography Atelier with a network of organizers (a great recent find!)References:Holmstrom, J. (2021). From AI to digital transformation: The AI readiness framework. Business Horizons. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2021.03.006Holmström, J., Magnusson, J., & Mähring, M. (2021). Orchestrating Digital Innovation: The Case of the Swedish Center for Digital Innovation. Communications of the Association for Information Systems, 48(1), 31. https://doi.org/10.17705/1CAIS.04831Lanamäki, A., Porra, J., & Hirschheim, R. (2017). A Call to Write the Nordic Information Systems Research Field History. Viewing the Scandinavian way through a career retrospectives lens. Scand. J. Inf. Syst., 29(1), 1.Lyytinen, K., Baskerville, R., Iivari, J., & Te'eni, D. (2007). Why the old world cannot publish? Overcoming challenges in publishing high-impact IS research. European Journal of Information Systems, 16(4), 317-326.Virtual Nordic ISS Seminar Consortium
Erik Stolterman is Professor of Informatics at Indiana University Bloomington, as well as a professor at the Institute of Design at Umeå University, Sweden, where he originates.A prolific scholar of design theory and philosophy, he has co-authored 5 books and more than 150 academic publications with a focus on the design of digital and interactive systems.His work has been immensely useful to mine. In his writings, I find the words I need to articulate my ideas. He writes, among other things, on the relationships between people and products, on the value and ideals of various design research approaches, and on the synergy of design research and design practice. I spoke with him about the basics: How does he know what he knows? And what can designers learn from philosophy?https://designdisciplin.com/erik-stolterman# Books, Links, and Resources- Back to the Rough Ground by Joseph Dunne: https://geni.us/back-to-the-rough- Things That Keep Us Busy: The Elements of Interaction by Lars-Erik Janlert and Erik Stolterman: https://geni.us/things-that-keep-us- The Design Way by Harold G. Nelson and Erik Stolterman: https://geni.us/design-way- The Examined Life by Robert Nozick: https://geni.us/the-examined-life- The Idea of History by R.G. Collingwood: https://geni.us/the-idea-of-history- The Nature and Aesthetics of Design by David Pye: https://geni.us/the-nature-and-aesth- The Systems Approach by C. West Churchman: https://geni.us/the-systems-approach- Thoughtful Interaction Design by Jonas Löwgren and Erik Stolterman: https://geni.us/thoughtful-interaction# Connect with Design Disciplin- Website: http://designdisciplin.com- Podcast: http://podcast.designdisciplin.com- Instagram: http://instagram.com/designdisciplin/- Twitter: http://twitter.com/designdisciplin/- YouTube: http://youtube.com/channel/UCtXM3JdnE...- Bookstore: http://designdisciplin.com/bookstore# Connect with Erik Stolterman- Personal Website: http://transground.blogspot.com/# Episode Bookmarks00:00 Who is Erik Stolterman?01:43 Design Philosophy as a Carreer06:46 Research Methods09:54 Design Competences14:49 Theory's Value Proposition for Professionals21:50 Transfering Knowledge from Scholarship to Practice24:51 Standing Out in Academia30:04 Books36:04 A Warning on Design Thinking39:33 Next Steps41:17 What else does Erik Stolterman do?43:00 Closing
In this episode we are joined by four students with different educational backgrounds but a shared commitment for global health. We talk about their view on global health, its connection to social and economic inequities and how students contribute to the constant evolvement of the global health field. Participating guests: Giorgia Dalla Libera Marchiori is a master student at Uppsala University and the director of the Swedish Organisation for Global Health. The organizations mission is to channel youth passion and talent to create a positive change in people’s health, from spreading knowledge about global and public health topics to concretely improving the quality and accessibility of health care in low-income settings. Lisa Arvidsson is a medical student and secretary general at IFMSA-Sweden: a nonprofit organization that promotes peace and health, both locally and globally, belonging and working closely with the International Federation of Medical Students’ Association which is represented in 100 countries with around 1,3 million members. IFMSA-Sweden is present in all universities with medical education. Sergio Flores is a Health Economics student from Umeå University and the chairperson for the Swedish Network for International Health, an independent network for students and alumni of master’s degrees in public, international and global health at universities in Sweden, currently composed of seven universities. Solomiya Kasyanchuk is a second year student in the Masters of Health Economics, Policy and Management at Karolinska Institutet. Alongside her studies, she works as a Student Coordinator for the Swedish Institute for Global Health Transformation (SIGHT). The main purposes of SIGHT are to promote an interdisciplinary approach to global health, to strengthen and bridge Swedish research and education, and to provide a scientific basis for national and transnational policy work in global health. With the importance of intersectorial collaboration and youth engagement in mind, SIGHT has established a network of student organizations based in Sweden, which Solomiya coordinates. Interviewers are Lotta Velin, medical student in Lund and PhD student at Linköping University, and Anna-Theresia Ekman, AT-läkare in Stockholm and PhD student at Karolinska Institutet.
This talk was given as part of the online Thomistic Institute Conference "Is Belief in God Reasonable? Aquinas' Summa Contra Gentiles in a Contemporary Context" in Rome on 4-5 December 2020. Mats Wahlberg (Ph.D., Umeå University, 2010, Ph.D., Stellenbosch University, 2014) is docent and associate professor of systematic theology, and a member of the Academy of Catholic Theology. His interests include philosophical theology, the doctrine of revelation and the development of dogma, Catholic moral doctrine, theology and science (especially the theological implications of evolution), analytic theology, and the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas. He is currently working on a research project about evolutionary theodicy funded by the John Templeton Foundation.
Start your day the right way, with a stimulating discussion of the latest news headlines and hot button topics from The Advertiser and Sunday Mail. Today, hear from Penny Wong, Rick Sarre and Lisa Woolford Rick Sarre Emeritus Professor Rick Sarre has degrees in law and criminology from universities in Adelaide, Toronto, and Canberra, and in 2015 was awarded an honorary doctorate from Umeå University, Sweden. He is a Fellow of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Criminology. He is a Professorial Fellow of the Australian Institute of Police Management. He retired as the Dean of Law at the School of Law, University of South Australia, in 2020. Penny Wong Senator Penny Wong is the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs and Labor Leader in the Senate. Born in Malaysia, Penny moved to Adelaide with her family as a child. She has been a proud representative of South Australia in the federal Parliament since 2001. Penny served as Minister for Climate Change and Water and then Minister for Finance and Deregulation during the Rudd and Gillard Governments – when she also became the first woman to lead the Government in the Senate. Penny lives in Adelaide with her partner and their two daughters. Lisa Woolford Lisa Woolford is News Corp's Deputy National TV editor and Head of Entertainment SA. She's been an entertainment journalist for more than five years, sharing exclusive A-list interviews and guiding viewers through the best each week in free-to-air, streaming and subscription television. She has more than 25 years' experience in journalism - including editing the Whyalla News. When she's not chatting with the leading lights of screen, stage and song, she's navigating life as a mum of two teen daughters. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Martin Kulldorff, PhD, is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a biostatistician and epidemiologist in the Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacoeconomics, Brigham and Women's Hospital. His research centers on developing and applying new disease surveillance methods for post-market drug and vaccine safety surveillance and for the early detection and monitoring of infectious disease outbreaks. Dr. Kulldorff has developed new sequential statistical methods for near real-time post-market drug and vaccine safety surveillance, where the purpose is to use weekly or other frequent data feeds to find potential safety problems as soon as possible. He has also developed tree-based scan statistic data mining methods for post-market drug and vaccine safety surveillance. Keeping the outcome definitions flexible, the methods simultaneously evaluates thousands of potential adverse events and groups of related events, adjusting for the multiple testing inherent in such an approach.Another major research area is spatial and spatio-temporal disease surveillance, for which he has developed various scan statistics for disease cluster detection and evaluation; and for the early detection and monitoring of infectious disease outbreaks. These methods are used by most federal and state public health agencies around the world, and by many local public health departments and hospital epidemiologists. Dr. Kulldorff is the developer of the free SaTScan software for geographical and hospital disease surveillance as well as the TreeScan data mining software. He is a co-developer of the R-Sequential package for exact sequential analysis. Dr. Kulldorff received his bachelor's degree in mathematical statistics from Umeå University in Sweden, and his doctorate in operations research from Cornell University.
Have you ever been caught in an avalanche or spoken to someone who survived? In this episode, you’ll hear what living through an avalanche is really like. Audun Hetland (a psychologist) and Andrea Mannberg (an economist) are researchers at the White Heat Project in Tromsø, Norway. The project is a collaboration between The Arctic University of Norway, Montana State University, and Umeå University, in Sweden. Their international team also includes researchers in geography, snow science, and political science. They are focused on the effects of positional preferences and bounded rationality on risk-taking behavior, and more specifically, skiing in avalanche terrain. As project leader, Andrea spoke about how this interdisciplinary team is helping backcountry skiers do a better job of managing their risk in avalanche terrain. To do so, they are studying decision-making under uncertainty and the curious way cold and hot states affect our choices. Their work has clear implications for corporate leaders who make decisions about budgets and human resources, and in many situations, the consequences can be quite high. In case you’re not familiar with Tromsø, Norway, it is a 2-hour flight north of the Arctic Circle. © 2020 Behavioral Grooves Links Andrea Mannberg, PhD and Audun Hetland, PhD: https://uit.no/research/care White Heat Project: https://whiteheatproject.com/ Bridger Bowl: https://bridgerbowl.com/ George Loewenstein & Dan Ariely’s paper on hot states vs. cold states: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/bdm.501 Seinfeld Morning Guy vs. Night Guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UEe2pN8oksc Max Bazerman “Better, Not Perfect” Episode 196: https://behavioralgrooves.com/episode/living-happier-by-making-the-world-better-with-max-bazerman/ Common Biases & Heuristics: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XHpBr0VFcaT8wIUpr-9zMIb79dFMgOVFRxIZRybiftI/edit?usp=sharing Musical Links John Coltrane “Green Dolphin Street”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ePScRElDHOY Tom Waits “Tom Traubert’s Blues”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvFyt2kmrZk White Stripes “Seven Nation Army”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKdmdCtPtnQ Monster: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monster_(band) Monster: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0c9qOU7URKA43mMlgJApmV?si=we-OrwjYS4GVksnTwNOt4g The Clash “London Calling”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlLbrID7oDg Folk og Røvere: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5jVLZ3NoJJ5kRcSnYOgSHO Philter: http://open.spotify.com/album/1sbcw2kjPf5ZcLU5n7oGSt Andrea’s “dance song”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C9GqMuW9_Z8 Isolation Years (A band from Andrea’s home town): https://open.spotify.com/album/4nNOnikF2OVzBF9BqNxkHb?si=7Tkv4JujTPy99WytOG1H8A The Knife: https://open.spotify.com/album/7lbXNgtug37CDpS7N7NkrL?si=AAwopJtDRQKpUe-EOJAYCw First Aid Kit: https://open.spotify.com/artist/21egYD1eInY6bGFcniCRT1?si=ASWNJUigSPKAjgUkG66DcQ
The world of Swedish epidemiology is small. Fredrik Elgh is a Professor of Virology at Umeå University in Northern Sweden and a clinical physician, but earlier in his career, heading up a department at the Swedish Institute for Infectious Disease Control in Stockholm, a certain Anders Tegnell was in his staff, and Johan Giesecke was another department head. From our 45-minute conversation, I think we can surmise that they are no longer on speed dial.Professor Elgh has been one of the most outspoken critics of the Swedish response to Covid-19, calling for more dramatic action as early as March 2nd in an op-ed in the main Swedish broadsheet. Since then, he has been shocked by what he sees as inaction by the Swedish government. “In the early days, the information was ‘this was nothing to worry about,' week after week after week,” he says.From the start of the epidemic, there was no serious attempt to quarantine arrivals from infected areas in Europe — much of the Stockholm infection is thought to have arrived from returning skiers from the Alps in February — and even contacts of known cases were not required to isolate. As Professor Elgh puts it, “there was no will to stop this, no will to put people in quarantine that came from these places, no will even to put people in quarantine that had been in contact with people who came down with the disease, no will to stop pupils going to school who had come back from infected areas.”He targets Johan Giesecke and Anders Tegnell for particular criticism. “They have not really told us what the exact strategy was, but it must have been that it should sweep through the community rapidly,” he says. “I will say to the day that I die that this was a huge mistake.”Once the summer arrived and cases and deaths fell to a very low level, due to seasonal effects, he believes that the country should have been preparing for a second wave. “We could have prepared ourselves in a number of ways during the summer. I was really upset when it was like everything was over and we had done a fantastic job. That was not okay with me.”Professor Elgh says that right now, dramatic action is required. “What we have to do — we have to save lives. We have to save health. In Sweden, we need to save our health system because that is almost full… In a fortnight we will have a tremendous amount of cases in our hospitals.”“I would install a very tough lockdown for four weeks. First two weeks of lockdown so you get rid of the contagion from the streets and the shops and everywhere, then another two weeks to make sure that spread within families comes down to as near zero as possible.”I put it to him that what that practically means is on-off lockdowns all the way until the vaccine has been very widely distributed. “Yes, it might be like that. That's probably what we are going to see in the other European countries… and we just have to do that… Look at our curve – where is it going? We cannot accept that… The current measures are not enough. If we go on like this, week after week, waiting for the curve to come down, we will be in a disastrous situation.”Our thanks to Professor Elgh for sharing his views. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Happy Pessimist with Mattias Lundberg --------- Has your life been turned upside down in 2020? How are you feeling? Positive thinking and optimism are often considered one and the same, but you can be simultaneously positive and pessimistic - and it might be the smartest way to plan for 2021. You can gameplay the worst case scenario with a smile, prepare for the worst, and set yourself up to be pleasantly surprised. On this week's podcast, you'll meet a psychologist and author whose work focuses on the possessive, productive value of pessimism in certain situations. Listen & Learn: How negative thinking can help you with preparedness When optimism is becomes avoidance Adaptive vs. non-adaptive responses How to be positive but pessimistic at the same time Links & Resources: Mattias' website ABOUT OUR GUEST Mattias Lundberg is a Licensed Psychologist and an Associate Professor of Psychology at the Department of Psychology at Umeå University. He is also an author and has published eight books. Mattias is known for his ability to explain complex psychological questions in an easy and often entertaining way. Nutritional Tip of the Week: No Added Sugar Chocolate Got Questions? Submit your question: yogabody.com/asklucas/ Like the Show? Leave us a Review on iTunes
Welcome back to EyePod and the second episode of the imaging series, where we will continue to interview Neil Lagali from the last episode. Today we would also like to express a special welcome to a new guest, Berit Byström, assistant professor and consultant at the Eye Department at Umeå University. This episode will focus on how we can apply confocal imaging technique in the clinic - When to use it and how to interpret the outcome of the examination. Enjoy! eyepod@bayer.com MA-M_AFL-DK-0019-1
Welcome back to EyePod Bayer! This exciting episode will be the first in a series of interesting interviews and discussions about imaging of the eye. We will start in the anterior part, with confocal microscopy of the cornea, and continue with imaging of the back of the eye and retina with OCT and OCT-A.With us today we have Neil Lagail, from the Institution for Biomedical and Clinical Sciences at Linköping University. Neil is professor and internationally recognized expert in confocal microscopy. This is his second visit to the EyePod and last time he shared his knowledge in angiogenesis in the eye. Today we are looking forward to discussing the background and technical aspects of confocal microscopy of the cornea. In a second episode, we will invite Dr Berit Byström, assistant professor and consultant at the Eye Department at Umeå University, to discuss the clinical application with this interesting imaging technique. eyepod@bayer.com MA-M_AFL-DK-0018
When we’re dealing with a crisis we naturally turn to certain people to lead. This goes for all sorts of extreme situations from warfare, financial crashes, to the spread of deadly diseases. We tend to gravitate towards quick, decisive thinking but what if we were in the midst of another kind of crisis? Say a zombie apocalypse... Just what kind of leadership might be needed then? Markus Hallgren, Professor in Organization and Leadership, from the Umeå School of Business, Economics, and Statistics, at Umeå University joins Jonathan to discuss. Listen and subscribe to Futureproof with Jonathan McCrea on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Download, listen and subscribe on the Newstalk App. You can also listen to Newstalk live on newstalk.com or on Alexa, by adding the Newstalk skill and asking: 'Alexa, play Newstalk'.
In episode 122 UNP founder and curator Grant Scott is in his shed considering the generational nature of photography and photographers, the need to listen to experts and identifying negative aspects whilst recognising the positive. He also reflects on the need to reply to emails and that quantity does not always mean quality. Plus this week photographer Elin Berge takes on the challenge of supplying Grant with an audio file no longer than 5 minutes in length in which she answer's the question ‘What Does Photography Mean to You?' Elin Berge lives and works in Umeå, Sweden. She began her professional photography career at Västerbotten's Folkblad in Umeå and studied at Umeå University before studying photojournalism at the Nordic School of Photography, Biskops-Arnö. She has worked for several major newspapers in Sweden and since 2006 has been one of eight members of the photo Moment Agency. Her work is held in the in the Hasselblad Foundation collection amongst others and she has recieved numerous awards and grants, including from the Swedish Arts Grants Committee and the Swedish Authors Fund. In addition to her own projects with photography and documentary film, she works on assignment for numerous clients. Elin has published four photo books, Veils, 2006, The Land of Queens, 2009, Kingdom, 2015, Awakening, 2020. www.elinberge.com You can also access and subscribe to these podcasts at SoundCloud https://soundcloud.com/unofphoto on iTunes https://itunes.apple.com/gb/podcast/a-photographic-life/id1380344701 on Player FM https://player.fm/series/a-photographic-life and Podbean www.podbean.com/podcast-detail/i6uqx-6d9ad/A-Photographic-Life-Podcast Grant Scott is the founder/curator of United Nations of Photography, a Senior Lecturer and Subject Co-ordinator: Photography at Oxford Brookes University, Oxford, a working photographer, and the author of Professional Photography: The New Global Landscape Explained (Routledge 2014), The Essential Student Guide to Professional Photography (Taylor Francis 2015), New Ways of Seeing: The Democratic Language of Photography (Taylor Francis 2019). His next book What Does Photography Mean to You? will be published in 2021. His documentary film, Do Not Bend: The Photographic Life of Bill Jay can now be seen at www.youtube.com/watch?v=wd47549knOU&t=3915s. © Grant Scott 2020
Om een app tot een succes te maken, moet een groot deel van de Nederlanders hem gebruiken én zijn uitgebreide tests nodig. En bovendien, zegt Frank Dignum, hoogleraar Socially Aware AI in Utrecht en Umeå University in Zweden, is de kans groot dat juist mensen die tóch al zoveel mogelijk risico's mijden geneigd zijn om een app te gebruiken. Zelf is hij bezig met de ontwikkeling van een AI-model om het gedrag van mensen tijdens zo'n coronacrisis in kaart te brengen. Beluister ook | Helder! Hoe maken we een goede en veilige corona-volgapp? Scannen Hij doet dat juist in Zweden omdat daar veel geld wordt vrijgemaakt op het gebied van AI. En dat werpt al de nodige vruchten af, zegt redacteur Kees Dorresteijn. 'Kunstmatige Intelligentie wordt al op verschillende gebieden ingezet tegen het virus. Vooral in de medische wereld, om de zoektocht naar medicijnen te verkorten. Computers kunnen zo heel snel gegevens scannen en berekenen welke middelen kunnen helpen tegen het virus.' Lees ook | Liveblog Coronacrisis Nieuwe pandemie Dignum heeft wel een kanttekening: een volgende pandemie kan er niet mee in de kiem gesmoord worden. 'Het coronavirus heeft een aantal eigenschappen die geen ander virus nog had, waardoor het door heel veel mazen van de wet heen glipt. Een ander virus kan weer net iets anders werken, waardoor allerlei monitoring toch niet werkt.' Neemt niet weg dat AI zeer van nut kan zijn om menselijk gedrag in kaart te brengen en verdere verspreiding van het virus te beperken. Luister ook | D66: ontwikkeling corona-app te gehaast Luister ook | Corona-app nog geen voorwaarde voor corona-testSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Virginia Dignum is Professor in Responsible AI at Umeå University in Sweden. She advises to the European Commission and World Economic Forum on AI. "There is no business model for unethical AI." The post 73. Virginia Dignum – Responsible AI appeared first on MTF Labs.
Dr. Mary E. Power is a Professor in the Department of Integrative Biology at the University of California, Berkeley as well as Faculty Manager at the Angelo Coast Range Reserve and Director of the California Biodiversity Center. Mary is also a contributing scientist in a new documentary film called The Serengeti Rules. Over the course of her career, Mary has studied the ecosystems of four different rivers. Her work to understand the food webs in those rivers has involved observation and taking field notes, mapping and quantitative observations to identify patterns, developing questions and hypotheses, and then testing her hypotheses with experiments. Mary loves to listen to and play folk and rock and roll music. She has been learning to play Celtic music on the mandolin as well as rock and roll music from the ‘60s and ‘70s on the guitar. She received her B.A. in biology from Brown University, her M.S. in biology from the Boston University Marine Program at Woods Hole, and her PhD in zoology from the University of Washington. Mary is a Member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and a Fellow of the California Academy of Sciences. She has been awarded the G. Evelyn Hutchinson Medal from the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography, the Kempe Award for Distinguished Ecologists, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and an honorary doctorate degree from Umeå University in Sweden. In addition, Mary is past president of the Ecological Society of America and the American Society of Naturalists. In our interview Mary shares more about her life and science.
Episode 1: Sociologist Malcolm Fairbrother (Professor, Umeå University) discusses his ongoing research with CeCAR political scientist Niklas Harring (Associate Professor, Gothenburg University) in our first CeCAR research podcast. This episode focuses on the complex nature of trust and the role it plays in our ongoing battle against climate change. The discussion also highlights some of the major challenges researchers, politicians and the public face when dealing with these crucial environmental issues - as well as offering some reasons to be optimistic about the future. Malcolm Fairbrother is a comparative political sociologist at Umeå University, who studies environmental policy and politics, economic globalization, trust, and social science research methods — and the relationships among them.
1. Early predictors of mortality in parkinsonism and Parkinson’s disease: a population-based study 2. [What’s Trending]: Data from the Largest Natural History Study of Stiff Person Syndrome. In the first segment, Dr. Jeffery Ratliff talks with Dr. David Bäckström about his paper on Early predictors of mortality in parkinsonism and Parkinson’s disease. In the second part of the podcast, Dr. Jeffery Ratliff focuses his interview with Marinos Dalakas on Stiff Person Syndrome. DISCLOSURES:Dr. Jeff Ratliff has received speaker honoraria from Teva and US WorldMeds LLC; is the deputy editor for the Neurology Podcast; has been a consultant for UCB Pharmaceuticals, US WorldMeds LLC, Medscape, and Retrophin Inc; and has served on speakers' bureaus for Teva and US WorldMeds LLC. Dr. David C Bäckström holds patents for chemical compounds that may be developed as treatments for premenstrual dysphoric disorder, but has not received any personal compensation for the patents. Dr. David C Bäckström has received Research Support from Swedish Medical Research Council, grant number (K2013- 62X-15224-10-4) and unrestricted grant for Parkinson's disease research and has received foundation and societies research support from Erling Persson Foundation, Umeå University, Västerbotten County Council, King Gustaf V and Queen Victoria Freemason Foundation, Swedish Parkinson Foundation, Kempe Foundation, and Swedish Parkinson’s Disease Association. Dr. Marinos Dalakas serves the CIDP steering committee for Novartis and on DSMB for Baxalta and Octapharma, has received funding or served as a travel speaker honoraria for Merck/Serono, OCTAPHARMA, PFIZER AG. Dr. Marinos Dalakas has served on editorial board including Neurology, editorial board (5 years, not compensated), BMC Neurology (Section Editor, 5 years not compensated), Acta Myologica, editorial board (5 years, not compensated), Acta Neurologica Scandinavica editorial board (5 years, not compensated), and Therapeutic Advances in Neurology (Associate Editor; 4 years, compensated). Dr. Marinos Dalakas consultancies include work with Therapath, Baxter, Octapharma, CSL, Dysimmune Diseases Foundation and he has received research and institutional support from Thomas Jefferson University Neurology department or to Neuroimmunology Unit, University of Athens Medical School for research and education from: Merck-Serono, Genzyme, Novartis, Guillain-Barre/CIDP Foundation, Dysimmune diseases Foundation, CSL, Biogen and Newfactor.
Dr Carolyn Lam: Welcome to Circulation on the Run, your weekly podcast summary and backstage pass to the journal and its editors. I'm Dr Carolyn Lam, associate editor from the National Heart Center and Duke National University of Singapore. Can proteomic biomarkers distinguish between subtypes of aortic stenosis even years before surgery? Well, to find out more, stay tuned. That's coming right up after these summaries. The first original paper this week adds to the evidence that smoke-free policies are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease. First and corresponding author, Dr Mayne from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, and her colleagues linked smoke-free policies to participants of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults, or CARDIA study, which has a follow-up of up to 20 years. They found that smoke-free policies in workplaces were associated with significantly lower risk of incident cardiovascular disease after controlling for a wide range of covariants. Results were weaker for bar and restaurant bans, but in the same direction. Preventive fractions range from an impressive 24 to 46%. Thus, smoke-free policies may improve cardiovascular health through reducing population exposure to tobacco smoke. However, we should remember that much of the US population remains unprotected by smoke-free policies. Thus, taken together with prior ecological work, these results support the continued expansion of smoke-free policies in indoor public places. Most phase-3 randomized control trials feature time-to-first event end points for their primary analysis. In chronic diseases, however, a clinical event can occur more than once and recurrent event methods have been proposed to more fully capture the disease burden, as well as to improve statistical precision and power. However, is this really the case? This question was examined by first author, Dr Brian Claggett, corresponding author, Dr Scott Solomon, from Brigham Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, and their colleagues, who sought to better characterize factors that influence the statistical properties of recurrent events and time-to-first event methods in the evaluation of randomized therapy. They performed repeated simulated trials with 1:1 randomization of 4000 patients to active versus control therapy. Through simulation, they varied the degree of between-patient heterogeneity of risk as well as the extent of treatment discontinuation. They then compared their findings with those from the actual randomized control trials. The authors found that the statistical power of both recurrent events and time-t- first event methods were reduced by increasing heterogeneity of patient risk, a parameter that's not usually included in conventional power and sample size formulae. Furthermore, data from real clinical trials were consistent with the simulation studies, confirming that the greatest statistical gains from the use of recurrent events methods occurred in the presence of high patient heterogeneity and low rates of study drug discontinuation. The next paper uncovers a novel biomarker and therapeutic target of pulmonary arterial hypertension, and that is selenoprotein P. First author Dr Kikuchi, corresponding author, Dr Shimokawa, from Takaoka University Graduate School of Medicine in Japan and their colleagues performed micro-array analyses using pulmonary arterial hypertension, pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells, and found a 32-fold up regulation of selenoprotein P compared with controls. Selenoprotein P promotes cell proliferation and apoptosis through increased oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction. Using five strains of genetically modified mice, the authors demonstrated a pathogenic role of selenoprotein P in the development of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension. Furthermore, sanguinarine, which is an orally active small molecule identified by throughput screening reduced selenoprotein P expression and pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation and ameliorated pulmonary hypertension. In summary, this study shows that selenoprotein P plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension and may be a useful and novel biomarker and therapeutic target in this disorder. Familial hypercholesterolemia is known to be associated with a high risk of ischemic heart disease, including myocardial infraction, but what about the risk of ischemic stroke? Well, first author, Dr Beheshti, corresponding author, Dr Nordestgaard, from Copenhagen University Hospital and their colleagues examined the associations of familial hypercholesterolemia and high LDL cholesterol with ischemic stroke in both causal, genetic, and observational analyses using more than 106000 individuals from the Copenhagen General Population Study, and more than 10000 individuals from the Copenhagen City Heart Study. They used a Mendelian randomization design to test whether high LDL per se had a causal effect on ischemic stroke risk using a combination of the familial hypercholesterolemia causative mutations and common genetic variants associated with high LDL. The authors found that there was no association between familial hypercholesterolemia mutations and ischemic stroke risk. In the Mendelian randomization analysis, also including common genetic variants, there was also no causal effect of high LDL on the risk of ischemic stroke. These findings imply that the predominant goal of targeting LDL lowering in those with and without familiar hypercholesterolemia is likely to reduce myocardial infractions, rather than ischemic stroke. Well, that wraps it up for our summaries. Now for our feature discussion. Circulation publishes numerous papers regarding circulating biomarkers. We talk about biomarkers in the diagnostic, prognostic sense, but what about in a pathophysiologic sense, and especially in a disease as important as aortic stenosis? Well, that's what our featured paper this week is all about and I'm so excited to have with us corresponding author, Dr Stefan Söderberg, from Umeå University in Sweden, as well as our associate editor, Dr Peipei Ping from UCLA. We will be discussing the paper entitled “Proteomic Biomarkers for Incident Aortic Stenosis Requiring Valvular Replacement.” Stefan, could you tell us a bit about what made you look at this very interesting question, and perhaps the unique resources you had in Sweden to look at this? Dr Stefan Söderberg: I'm a practicing cardiologist, and I have been working a lot with aortic stenosis over the years. It's frustrating that we can't do anything to stop the process. In many cases, the patients are old and frail, and if you could find the means to stop the process long before they need surgery, it will be of great benefit for the human and for the society. Also, knowing that the interventions on the statins, for example, have been unsuccessful, we thought that there must be better ways or other biomarkers. Furthermore, that many of these studies, the phenotype of aortic stenosis has been very poorly described and there is probably much more behind just aortic stenosis than just, for example, calcium deposits in an X-ray, et cetera, et cetera. Dr Carolyn Lam: You used some very unique resources in Sweden to therefore look at the proteomic signatures of aortic stenosis. Could you describe that and simplify perhaps the results so we can understand it? Dr Stefan Söderberg: First of all, I got this idea from other studies done up in northern Sweden. If you have an absolutely unique setting, the combination of huge population-based studies in 30 years back, we have a huge biobank with examples of extraordinary good quality from each of these participants. For example, for each participant, the blood has been spun and put into freezer, deep freezer, within one hour for 30 years, and they are now, as I said, about 100000. Furthermore, I'm working as a cardiologist at a university, and up here, you do all of the aortic surgery for the whole northern Sweden. That is, we can combine the names of the person undergoing surgery together with these population-based surveys and we can get details from all those who have participated in the surveys long before they did the surgery, and they can go and retrieve samples from cases and match controls from the freezers. It's a unique setup. Then, when we were designing the study, we got the chance to get these analyses done by our friends at the university to get the proteomic analysis via a unique data technique. Dr Carolyn Lam: Wow. Could you describe your results? Dr Stefan Söderberg: The results that we found in the first set of 334 patients who underwent surgery is 10 years after their first sampling, we found six proteins. Then, we got the question back from Circulation to establish a validation cohort, and we were able to do so to include all those new cases in the last 2 years, and there we could replicate five of these proteins. The interesting thing that the pattern is completely different between those having coronary artery disease from those without. That kind of phenotyping has not been done throughout other aortic stenosis studies. Therefore, this study is unique. We have had two papers in the last year in the Journal of American Heart Association from the cohort, as well, showing the thing that happened. For example, lipoprotein little A is only associated with future aortic stenosis valve replacement only in those with concomitant coronary artery disease. There are many unique things, the prospective design, and the phenotype differentiating those with and without coronary artery disease. Dr Carolyn Lam: Yeah, and if I may just reiterate that the population base that you work with is just enviable and just so that the audience realizes, these are biomarkers that were collected 11 years before the aortic stenosis surgery, isn't it? You really had a long follow-up. Also, just to let everyone know, it was a proximity extension assay that you used for the discovery, and the six proteins were growth differentiating factor 15, or GDF15, galectin-4, von Willebrand factor, interleukin 17 receptor A, transferrin receptor protein 1, and PCSK9, so very interesting. Peipei, you have a way of putting things into context so beautifully. Could you tell us your thoughts when you saw this paper? Dr Peipei Ping: I thought this is a very high-quality study that actually benefited from the long-term established, well-controlled cohort in northern Sweden, as Dr Söderberg just shared with us. On the other end, it married a technology platform that's very well-established and -validated, and this situation targeted proteomics platforms using multi-proximity extension assays with carefully controlled markers and screened 92 cardiovascular candidate markers. This is the kind of approach that provides semi-quantitative as well as quantitative outputs and is capable to offer validated screens on large population clinical subsets. A study of such with a high value cohort combined with a validated and well-controlled technology platform offered results that clearly have clinical significance, as well as setting up examples for other studies to follow. The enthusiasm from the editorial boards, as well as the reviewers, have been substantially high and supportive. Dr Stefan Söderberg: Fantastic. I'm very glad to hear this. Dr Carolyn Lam: Stefan, you also mentioned that a very unique element was the separation of aortic stenosis with and within coronary artery disease, or at least established or visible coronary artery disease. Could you explain how that provided pathophysiologic insights? Dr Stefan Söderberg: First, I should say we were very, very strict. Our routine is that everyone was 100% undergoing, aortic valve replacement, they undergo a coronary angiogram before. If we saw any sign of atheromatosis, it was not enough that they had the significant stenosis, but any signs, they were put into the group of coronary artery disease. Those without, we couldn't see anything there. Radiograph here reported absolutely clean coronary arteries. Of course, we cannot exclude if there were aortic changes within them all, of course. We believe that this is a very important message that in order to further study aortic stenosis, we should be very careful in phenotyping the disease. We hope the growing cohort will be able to do this further. For example, cuspid versus tricuspid valves, women versus men, et cetera. My answer in short is phenotype. Let me take one example which I found very, very exciting. That is the finding of PCSK9, which is closely related not only to cholesterol symptoms, but also to lipoprotein little A emphasis. As you know, the first strong finding in aortic stenosis was the LP little A. This is related to that genetic finding, and that was in the huge study from Canada. They did not have the same phenotyping, so we had information to his important findings. That's one example. Another example is the transferring receptor, where data has shown that bleeding acutely in the valvular tissue causes damage, and this relates iron metabolism to the formation of the aortic valve. Obviously, it seems that the process in the aortic valve is very much similar to the vessel arteriosclerosis. It seems to be different. This is the indication that when we formulate new studies or new drugs on aortic stenosis, we must be very careful to use the right drug for the right type of valvular disease. Dr Carolyn Lam: Those are great points. Peipei, do you think that's the main clinical take-home message, beyond that great comment you made earlier that this paper's just a great example of the use of tools, modern tools, that we have in proteomic characterization like the proximity extension assay to provide pathophysiologic insights when you have a really well-phenotyped cohort? What's the critical take-home message, though? Is there one now? Dr Peipei Ping: The take-home message is marriage of amazing high value cohort's data sets with that of the well-controlled clinical study using target proteomics approaches. In this particular study, one main critical innovation is the study is capable of providing insights regarding molecular signatures that have predicted values. As stated in the manuscript, the circulating proteins that found critically important, their alterations took place years before the surgery were associated with aortic stenosis. That is of value, clinical value, to many other clinical studies to follow. Dr Carolyn Lam: Wow. That's wonderful. Thank you so much for putting these findings in context for us. Thank you, listeners, for joining us today. Don't forget to tune in again next week.
Jenny Larsson, Professor in Baltic languages at Stockholm University, and Virginia Langum, Associate professor in English Literature at Umeå University, discuss their research and look at the fantasy fiction genre, in particular Harry Potter, through the lens of their respective fields. Moderator: Annika Moberg
Andreas Stenling, PhD Current Position: Researcher, Department of Psychology, Umeå University Research interests: Leadership and motivational processes in various contexts (e.g., sport, work) Transfer of training Sport injury rehabilitation, prediction, and prevention Physical activity, cognitive function, and mental health across the life span Applications of statistical methods in sport and exercise psychology research Contact and information: Email: Andreas.stenling@umu.se Personal website: http://www.psy.umu.se/om-institutionen/personal/andreas-stenling Researchgate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Andreas_Stenling Twitter: @AStenling Article: http://journals.humankinetics.com/doi/abs/10.1123/jsep.2016-0084
Dr Stefan Sjöström (Umeå University) is a sociologist and mental healthcare expert who has been looking at the use of compulsory treatment orders in Sweden since their formal introduction in 2008. How does the Swedish example compare to Victoria? In conversation with Bernadette McSherry.
Om utvecklingen av det journalistiska berättandet i och med poddboomen. Med Roman Mars, USA, från podden 99% Invisible, medieforskaren Jesper Enbom och programledaren Mohamed El Abed. Seminarium från Almedalen onsdag 1 juli. På engelska. Seminar in English from Swedish Radio in Almedalen, Visby on podcasting, storytelling and journalism in change with Roman Mars (podcast 99% Invisible), Mohamed El Abed (Swedish Radio podcast "Ögonblicket") and Jesper Enbom, senior lecturer, Media and Communication studies, Umeå University) Är det egentligen någon skillnad på poddar och vanlig FM-radio? Kan berättandet i poddformat utveckla och förändra radioberättandet som vi känner det idag? På vilket sätt och varför. Sveriges Radios Elin Claeson pratar med Roman Mars, programledare för designpodden 99% Invisible och initiativtagare till podcastnätverket Radiotopia; medieforskaren Jesper Enbom, lektor i Medie- och kommunikationsvetenskap vid Umeå universitet, som tillsammans med sin kollega Erik Lindeinus gjort podden ”Mediespanarna” sedan 2011. Hur ser han på utvecklingen som skett. Och Mohamed El Abed, som för tillfället gör podden ”Ögonblicket med Mohamed El Abed” för Sveriges Radios räkning. Vad tilltalar honom med poddformatet? Hur har han utvecklat sitt eget berättande under de år han hållit på? Och är det så att alla de poddar som finns idag ändå bara berättar samma historier som förr? Får verkligen ”vem som helst” komma till tals i Podd-Sverige? Om seminariet i Almedalenkalendariet
In the world of Swedish cooking, Chef Gert Klötzke has few peers. A professor of gastronomy at Sweden's Umeå University, a member of the Swedish Bocuse d´Or Academy, the gastronomic advisor for the Nobel Awards dinner, and a noted cookbook author, Chef Klötzke explains the traditions of a classic smorgasbord and the culture of Sweden's schnapps and aquavit. Find recipes at www.CIAprochef.com/WCA.
Despite the intentions of caregivers not to harm, medical encounters may involve intimidation and induce emotions of shame. Reflection is a critical part of professional learning and training. However, the role of shame in medical education has scarcely been studied. The aim of this study was to explore medical students’ reflections on shame-related experiences in clinical situations and to examine how they tackled these experiences. Kevin Eva, Editor in Chief of Medical Education, speaks to Ulf Lindström (Division of Family Medicine, Department of Public Health and Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden) who is the co-author of the following paper appearing in the October 2011 issue of Medical Education: 'Medical students’ experiences of shame in professional enculturation' by Ulf H Lindström, Katarina Hamberg, Eva E Johansson. Read the paper: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2923.2011.04022.x/abstract
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