All posts by medical

Immunology

Immune system can be re-wired to prevent attack of healthy cells, study finds – News-Medical.net

Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.Jun 9 2020

The body's immune system can be re-wired to prevent it from recognizing its own proteins which, when attacked by the body, can cause autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, a significant new study by UK scientists has found.

Autoimmune diseases are caused when the immune system loses its normal focus on fighting infections or disease within and instead begins to attack otherwise healthy cells within the body. In the case of multiple sclerosis (MS), the body attacks proteins in myelin - the fatty insulation-like tissue wrapped around nerves - which causes the nerves to lose control over muscles.

Led by a multi-disciplinary team from the University of Birmingham, scientists examined the intricate mechanisms of the T-cells (or white blood cells) that control the body's immune system and found that the cells could be 're-trained' to stop them attacking the body's own cells. In the case of multiple sclerosis, this would prevent the body from attacking the Myelin Basic Protein (MBP) by reprogramming the immune system to recognize the protein as part of itself.

Supported by the Medical Research Council, the two-part study, published today in Cell Reports, was a collaboration between two research groups led by Professor David Wraith from the Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy and Professor Peter Cockerill from the Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences.

The first stage, led by Professor Wraith showed that the immune system can be tricked into recognising MBP by presenting it with repeated doses of a highly soluble fragment of the protein that the white blood cells respond to. By repeatedly injecting the same fragment of MBP, the process whereby the immune system learns to distinguish between the body's own proteins and those that are foreign can be mimicked. The process, which is a similar type of immunotherapy to that previously used to desensitise people against allergies, showed that the white blood cells that recognise MBP switched from attacking the proteins to actually protecting the body.

The second stage, saw gene regulation specialists led by Professor Peter Cockerill probe deep within the white blood cells that react to MBP to show how genes are rewired in response to this form of immunotherapy to fundamentally re-programme the immune system. The repeated exposure to the same protein fragment triggered a response that turns on genes that silence the immune system instead of activating it. These cells then had a memory of this exposure to MBP embedded in the genes to stop them setting off an immune response. When T cells are made tolerant, other genes which function to activate the immune system remain silent.

Professor David Wraith said: "These findings have important implications for the many patients suffering from autoimmune conditions that are currently difficult to treat."

This study has led us to finally understand the underlying basis of immunotherapies which desensitise the immune system"

Professor Peter Cockerill, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences

Further longer term clinical trials will be needed to determine whether antigen-specific immunotherapies can indeed deliver lasting benefits. If this is successful, the study published today will be the first study defining the actual mechanisms of how T-cells can be made tolerant to the body's own proteins in a context that may lead to further advances in the battle to overcome autoimmunity.

Source:

Journal reference:

Bevington, S.L., et al. (2020) Chromatin Priming Renders T Cell ToleranceAssociated Genes Sensitive to Activation below the Signaling Threshold for Immune Response Genes. Cell Reports. doi.org/10.1016/j.celrep.2020.107748.

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Immune system can be re-wired to prevent attack of healthy cells, study finds - News-Medical.net

Human Behavior

SIUE School of Education, Health and Human Behavior to host virtual discussion on dismantling institutionalized racism in higher education – Alton…

SIUE School of Education, Health and Human Behavior to host virtual discussion on dismantling institutionalized racism in higher education

EDWARDSVILLE Civil unrest has swept the globe as racial injustices and systemic oppression have again been brought to the forefront following the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Protests, action movements, and calls for listening and learning span the world.

The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Education, Health and Human Behavior (SEHHB) is responding with a significant opportunity for teaching and learning, as is its mission, by hosting the first in a series of virtual panels, podcasts, and community discussions on the important topic of Dismantling Institutional Racism in Higher Education. Supported by the Provosts Office and the East St. Louis Center, the panel discussion will explore how institutions of higher education (leadership, faculty, staff and students) can serve to disrupt systemic racism and white supremacy embedded into organizational life and culture.

These systems are consistently reified through everyday organizational practices that dehumanize black, indigenous and other persons of color (BIPOC). The goal of the series is to clearly identify the systems, structures, and practices that maintain institutional racism and white supremacy in PK20 institutions of education. Through collective bodies, we will explore actionable steps to identify, disrupt and ultimately dismantle systems of white supremacy. Meaningful change which restores the lost opportunities of BIPOC requires that the people of institutions engage in self-reflection, examination of practices and policies, and actions that translate to structural and systemic change. Anything less would follow a dehumanizing trend of educators and educator leaders perpetuating the status quo.

The virtual panel is free and will take place via Zoom beginning at 2 p.m. Thursday, June 11, and last for approximately 2 hours. Interested participants should register at SIUEs offical website and a zoom meeting link will be sent to registrants prior to the event.

We invite all who are concerned, questioning or frustrated to join in this critical discussion about how institutions can work towards dismantling institutionalized racism, said SEHHB Dean Robin Hughes, PhD, whose describes her own academic practice and expertise as shaped through an activist and critical race theoretical lens - or way of knowing, thinking and living.

It is crucial that we use and share our personal and professional experiences, significant research findings and collective commitment to the Universitys mission and values to take positive and effective action to dismantle institutional racism that happens everywhere, she emphasized.

Hughes designated a collective of scholar-activists to coordinate this important discussion. The group represents some SIUE scholars whose research agenda and activism focuses on race and other isms. Current members include the SEHHBs Jennifer Hernandez, PhD; Jessica Krim, EdD; J.T. Snipes, PhD; and Nate Williams, PhD.

Along with Dr. Nate Williams, speakers at the virtual panel will include:

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SIUE School of Education, Health and Human Behavior to host virtual discussion on dismantling institutionalized racism in higher education - Alton...

Human Behavior

Point of View: Path forward starts with leadership and culture – Palm Beach Post

It is foolish to believe that everything will change from this point forward, and there will never be another tragedy like Floyds. Police officers are imperfect human beings, and some will still make bad decisions in heated moments decisions that can determine whether they, their fellow officers, and the citizens they were sworn to serve will live or die.

The recent death in Minneapolis of George Floyd at the hands of a Minneapolis Police Department officer has sparked outrage in communities throughout the country, including Sarasota County.

This time, however, the national reaction feels different than when Michael Brown was killed in Ferguson, Missouri, or Freddie Gray was killed while in police custody in Baltimore, or Laquan McDonald was shot 16 times in Chicago, or Corey Jones on a roadside in Palm Beach Gardens

The relationship between citizens and police has reached a tipping point. We have never seen the shared sentiment and shows of unity between police and protestors that we are seeing now. Police leaders, including all 67 Florida sheriffs, are publicly decrying the Minneapolis Police Department and use of tactics like the knee on Floyds airway that obviously resulted in his death. They are not fearful of backlash from their brothers and sisters in uniform. It would seem that the thin blue line is slowly being erased.

This begs the question, What now?

It is foolish to believe that everything will change from this point forward, and there will never be another tragedy like Floyds. Police officers are imperfect human beings, and some will still make bad decisions in heated moments decisions that can determine whether they, their fellow officers, and the citizens they were sworn to serve will live or die. The most we can expect is a continued evolution toward trust between communities and police agencies, reducing the number of volatile situations with bad outcomes like the one we have just seen.

There are nearly 18,000 police agencies in the U.S., employing more than 680,000 people. Reform will not happen overnight. How can we accelerate it?

Recently, U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts stated that she wants to legislate police policy.

"I know when you're talking about systemic injustice, sometimes people will chalk it up to culture, but culture is human behavior. And it can be changed," Pressley said. "And I think that begins by holding all accountable, from this White House to our State House to our City Hall, to root out the scourge of police brutality and the many other intersectional injustices that also play a part."

Pressley is right on culture: it has tremendous power to shape human behavior, bad or good. She believes legislation will change behavior and improve police culture. I believe she has the process backwards.

A positive police culture must come first. It is the foundation of reform and without it, nothing changes. No amount of policy, legislation and diversity in the ranks will change the behavior of cops in a negative culture with an us versus them mentality.

How else do you explain the continued racial bias in law enforcement against African American people, despite two decades of increasingly diverse hiring practices and legislated reform measures nationwide?

When I watched the video of officer Derick Chauvin kneeling on Floyds neck, I saw what America saw unspeakable police brutality. After more nearly 34 years in law enforcement, I also saw things that many others did not. I saw black gloves that were likely not COVID-19 protection, but a statement of power and intimidation. I saw four officers, including an African American and Asian, with an attitude that said it was just another day at the office. In my mind, the situation was clear: the Minneapolis Police Department had allowed a culture to fester in which officers feel empowered and separate from their communities. De-escalation is something to which they pay lip service, but dont practice.

Could a policy against putting your knee on someones airway have saved Floyd? Possibly. But a police culture like the one in Minneapolis is a perpetual breeding ground for problems. If not Floyd, it would eventually be someone elses life lost at the hands of the police in any of a hundred ways.

Most people dont want to hear this. Changing police culture and mindset is big and messy. It takes a lot of time. You cant wrap it up in a bow like a policy or a law: There, the bill is signed now so weve solved this problem. You cant measure it easily, like the number of minority officers in your ranks.

The good news is that it is possible. It begins at the top. Law enforcement leaders are the CEOs of their organizations, and as they go, so go their people. We know this from the private sector, where CEOs and their management styles define everything about their companies. We also know from the military that good leaders can achieve remarkable things.

If America wants to accelerate change in police reform, it needs to focus seriously on its police leaders which is not the same as handcuffing them into submission. In hiring or appointing police chiefs, municipalities should look beyond credentials on paper and talk to people who have worked under the job candidates. Likewise, voters should elect sheriffs not based on their personal ideologies, but on their proven leadership qualities.

Most importantly, the people who put police leaders into position should ask themselves, Is this the person who can build a culture that creates trust? Then, hold them accountable.

TOM KNIGHT, SARASOTA

Editors note: Knight is the sheriff of Sarasota County and the secretary of the Florida Sheriffs Association.

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Point of View: Path forward starts with leadership and culture - Palm Beach Post

Human Behavior

Researchers investigate the effects of isolation in zebrafish – News-Medical.net

Reviewed by Emily Henderson, B.Sc.Jun 10 2020

Over the past few months at least half of the world's population has been affected by some form of lockdown due to COVID-19, and many of us are experiencing the impact of social isolation. Loneliness affects both mental and physical health, but counterintuitively it can also result in a decreased desire for social interaction. To understand the mechanics of this paradox, UCL researchers based at the Wolfson Institute and the Sainsbury Wellcome Centre investigated social behavior in zebrafish. Their results are published in eLife.

Most zebrafish demonstrate pro-social behavior, but approximately 10% are 'loner' fish who are averse to social cues and demonstrate different brain activity than their pro-social siblings. However, even typically social zebrafish avoid social interaction after a period of isolation. PhD students Hande Tunbak and Mireya Vazquez-Prada, Postdoctoral Research Fellow Thomas Ryan, Dr Adam Kampff and Sir Henry Dale Wellcome Fellow Elena Dreosti set out to test whether the brain activity of isolated zebrafish mimics that of loner fish or whether other forces were at play.

To investigate the effects of isolation, the researchers isolated typically social zebrafish from other fish for a period of two days and then compared their brain activity to zebrafish who demonstrated aversion to social interaction without having been isolated. The isolated fish demonstrated sensitivity to stimuli and had increased activity in brain regions related to stress and anxiety. These effects of isolation were quickly overcome when the fish received a drug that reduces anxiety.

The differences between loner fish and their siblings were found mostly in the hypothalamus, the region of the brain responsible for social rewards. The loner fish hypothalamus did not demonstrate the same pattern of activation during social exposure as its typical counterparts, indicating that loner fish do not experience rewards in the same way as typical fish during social interactions.

By contrast, 'lonely' fish--those that demonstrated typical social behavior and were isolated--demonstrated hypersensitivity to stimuli and activation of brain regions associated with stress and anxiety. Lonely fish experienced actively negative outcomes from social interaction whereas loner fish simply did not experience reward.

A detailed view of the zebrafish brain can provide important clues for all of us currently experiencing the effects of social isolation."

Dr. Elena Dreosti

Our understanding of the neural mechanisms of social behavior are limited, but we do know that zebrafish and humans share a fundamental drive for social interaction that is controlled by similar brain structures. Although human behavior is much more complex, understanding how this basic social drive arises--and how it is affected by isolation--is a necessary step towards understanding the impact of the social environment on human brains and behavior. The zebrafish, which is completely transparent throughout early development, offers neuroscientists a detailed view of its brain circuitry.

We won't all be loners after lockdown, but we will be anxious upon returning to our normal social lives. As we emerge from lockdown, we should be aware of this new sensitivity and anxiety, but recognize that overcoming it is necessary for returning to a normal, healthy, social existence.

Source:

Journal reference:

Tunbak, H., et al. (2020) Whole-brain mapping of socially isolated zebrafish reveals that lonely fish are not loners. eLife. doi.org/10.7554/eLife.55863.

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Researchers investigate the effects of isolation in zebrafish - News-Medical.net

Human Behavior

NSF Grant Supporting Professor’s Research on Social Interaction and Distancing during COVID-19 Pandemic – Southern Miss Now

Wed, 06/10/2020 - 08:27am | By: David Tisdale

One of the biggest challenges to compliance with recommended social distancing guidelines in the COVID-19 pandemic is the inherent need of people to interact with others.

That phenomenon is the focus of a University of Southern Mississippi (USM) professors collaborative research project that has earned funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Dr. Donald Sacco, an associate professor of social psychology and director of the School of Psychologys Evolutionary Social Psychology Lab, was recently awarded the $40,000-plus Rapid Response Research (RAPID) Grant from the NSF for the project that will support research costs, including summer assistantships for two of his graduate students.

Dr. Sacco will serve as co-investigator of the project along with Dr. Steven Young of the City of University of New York-Baruch. Drs. Sacco and Young have been researching how people navigate their need for social connections and desire to avoid contagious illness for nearly a decade, and published this research in numerous journals.

The primary strategy to slow the transmission of the virus being has been social distancing. Such measures involve restricting human movement to decrease direct human-to-human contact. Although social distancing measures have demonstrable effectiveness, both historically and during the current pandemic, there is considerable resistance to these efforts.

Currently, nearly two million individuals in the U.S. have tested positive for COVID-19 and approximately 110,000 have died, with estimated death tolls predicted to reach nearly 147,000 by the end of summer 2020.

In the current research, we posit that resistance to social distancing guidelines may be rooted in humans strong desire to affiliate with others that persists even when doing so could be costly, Dr. Sacco said. To do so, this funding will support two large scale studies to include nationally representative samples to examine how best to support and maintain social distancing efforts while still satisfying the need for social connections.

The first study will use experiencing sampling methods to track participants engagement with different forms of technology-mediated social interaction (e.g., Skype, text messaging, phone calls) over time, and how these mediums differentially satisfy social affiliation needs and tolerance for social distancing. This study will examine how factors including age and regional infrastructure (e.g., high speed internet availability) affect the willingness and ability to prioritize engagement in technology-mediated interactions over in-person interactions, when minimizing the spread of disease is of immediate social importance.

An experimental study is designed to provide causal evidence that indirect socialization experiences can ease the burden of isolation and increase adherence to social distancing protocols. This research will facilitate identifying best-practices during the present public health emergency, and during any future pandemics that require social distancing.

Our hope is that the information gained from this research will assist with the development of strategies that facilitate peoples adherence to social distancing policies when needed to reduce the spread of contagious illness by better ensuring people can effectively avoid physical contact

with others, while also finding suitable ways to maintain their social connections with others, Dr. Sacco said.

Alicia Macchione and Kelsey Drea, doctoral students in the School of Psychologys Brain and Behavior program, will assist Dr. Sacco as research assistants on the grant. Hopefully our work will offer support to those who are struggling to find ways to stay social while individuals are still following social distancing guidelines, Drea said, while Macchione notes the project has the potential to answer many important questions related to the present global pandemic, as well as inform behavior for future emergencies.

Dr. Alen Hajnal, associate professor of psychology and director of the USM Brain and Behavior doctoral program, said the grant reinforces the fact that empirical science has a strong role to play in the present crisis, and the results will have a clear benefit for public health and hold the potential to have a great impact for communities across the country.

During the COVID -19 pandemic, we have learned that human behavior is a crucial factor in determining the scale and spread of the disease, Dr. Hajnal said. As a result, Dr. Sacco's grant will raise the profile and value of experimental psychology as a research discipline at large, and will also put the Brain and Behavior Ph.D. program here at USM on the map as a graduate program with a rigorous scientific profile.

The School of Psychology is housed in the USM College of Education and Human Sciences, where Dr. Sacco also serves as a faculty member for the Schools Brain and Behavior doctoral program. For more information about Dr. Saccos work in the Evolutionary Social Psychology Laboratory at USM, visit https://donaldsacco.wixsite.com/esplsacco.

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NSF Grant Supporting Professor's Research on Social Interaction and Distancing during COVID-19 Pandemic - Southern Miss Now

Human Behavior

Perceptive Automata Announced as a Finalist in AUVSI’s 2020 XCELLENCE Awards – Robotics Tomorrow

Company recognized for outstanding AI software innovation

Perceptive Automata, the leader in human behavior prediction AI for machines, has been named a Finalist in the software category for this year's AUVSI XCELLENCE Awards alongside other leading companies such as Airbus.

"We are honored to sit alongside such great company and to have our team recognized by AUVSI," said Sam Anthony, co-founder and CTO at Perceptive Automata. "We provide automated vehicles the ability to interact smoothly and naturally with humans on the road by understanding what other road users are thinking and planning. This recognition from AUVSI provides further motivation for our team to continue our efforts to solve one of the most complex challenges automated vehicles face on the road to mass commercialization."

This recognition from AUVSI underscores a year of substantial growth and product innovation for Perceptive Automata, including a doubling of the team, moving to a new main office in downtown Boston, and a 2020 World Changing Ideas Finalist award from Fast Company alongside Nuro and DiDi.

The AUVSI XCELLENCE Awards honor innovators in the unmanned systems industry, including individuals and organizations, with a demonstrated commitment to advancing autonomy, leading and promoting safe adoption of unmanned systems, and developing programs that use these technologies to save lives and improve the human condition.

"The AUVSI XCELLENCE Awards celebrate the achievements of individuals and organizations who have applied unmanned systems technology to create solutions to address a range of challenges affecting business and society," said Brian Wynne, president and CEO of AUVSI. "AUVSI is pleased to recognize these finalists for their perseverance and dedication to turn dreams into reality."

About Perceptive AutomataPerceptive Automata is helping automakers solve a complex problem for self-driving cars: understanding the human state of mind. The company combines behavioral science techniques with machine learning to give autonomous systems the capability to anticipate and react to human behavior, enabling autonomous vehicles to navigate safely and smoothly around pedestrians, cyclists, and other drivers. This is essential for autonomous systems to seamlessly roll out in human-dominated road environments and to deliver a smooth ride experience for passengers of autonomous mobility services. For more information about Perceptive Automata, visit https://www.perceptiveautomata.com.

About AUVSIThe Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI)the world's largest non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of unmanned systems and roboticsrepresents corporations and professionals from more than 60 countries involved in industry, government, and academia. AUVSI members work in the defense, civil and commercial markets. For more information, visit AUVSI.org.

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Perceptive Automata Announced as a Finalist in AUVSI's 2020 XCELLENCE Awards - Robotics Tomorrow

Human Behavior

EGHS Wall of Honor Saved From Going Dark! – East Greenwich News

Above: Sue and Don Carcieri at the 2015 EGHS Wall of Honor ceremony. The Carcieri family is taking over as sponsor of the EGHS Wall of Honor.

While the world seems to be tipped upside down lately, and, perhaps, there are more important issues to be considered, it is still important to bring some normalcy to local lives and routines.

The high school graduates are doing all they can to bring some sense of return to their lives with news articles, online videos and parades. Businesses are reopening and professional sports are attempting to start play. All this is important, especially for people who have isolated and insulated themselves for over 75 days.

The East Greenwich Wall of Honor was not only forced to cancel their traditional April ceremony, but they were also faced with the uncertainty of any future when it was announced that longtime sponsor, Allen Gammons, was moving and no longer going to be a backer for the Wall of Honor program. The Committee sincerely thanks him for all his years of support, and wishes him well in his new endeavor. However, with that loss it was not certain whether the program could continue.

That uncertainty has ended with the announcement that former Rhode Island Governor, Donald Carcieri, and his family, will step in and sponsor the East Greenwich High School Wall of Honor for the near future. Governor Carcieri is on the wall, as is his recently deceased wife, Sue, the former First Lady of Rhode Island, and his father, legendary EGHS coach Nicola Carcieri.

This year five people were to be inducted: Susan Stevens Crummel, nationally recognized childrens books author; her sister, Janet Stevens, nationally known childrens books Illustrator; Phil Garvey, longtime educator, coach and Marine officer; Dennis Lynch, former CEO of NYCE Payments and chairman of Cardtronics; Dr. Francis Pescosolido, clinical associate professor in psychiatry and human behavior.

Also to be honored with the Walls Appreciation Award was Mark Gee, an activist in East Greenwich, former Town Councilor and Rhode Island state senator. He and the five honorees above will be honored next April along with whomever is chosen for the Class of 2021.

To be considered for inclusion on the Wall, the nominee must be either a graduate of East Greenwich High School or East Greenwich Academy (precursor to EGHS), or someone who attended East Greenwich schools but for some reason had to leave (service, parents job, etc.). For those of you who know the history of East Greenwich, you know that there was no high school until 1942 and people who attended East Greenwich schools in lower grades, were free to go to the Academy, paid for by the town, or they could attend any surrounding schools (NK, Warwick, etc.) or Catholic schools or other private schools, also paid for by the town. Thus someone who lived in town, went 8 years to EG schools and graduated from, say, LaSalle Academy, would be eligible.

Suggestions for possible candidates can be made to Bruce Mastracchio, (401) 885-3160; Robert Houghtaling, (401) 230-2246, or Chris Cobain, (401) 398-1562, from the EGHS Wall of Honor Committee.

There is already a list of candidates for the 2021 Wall. They will be considered this fall for induction in April 2021 in the shared ceremony with this years class. If you have someone to nominate there is still time to do so.

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EGHS Wall of Honor Saved From Going Dark! - East Greenwich News

Human Behavior

Eytan Shander: Change doesn’t just happen on the front lines, and that’s where sports comes in – PhillyVoice.com

This past week saw some faces speak out thankfully against police brutality and in support of the Black Lives Matter message. It was no coincidence two of the strongest trends on Twitter this past Sunday were Mitt Romney, and NASCAR's Bubba Wallace. I strongly urge you to NOT use any social media platform as any barometer for human behavior, so lets examine the real-world ramifications.

Statements are like preseason games; they look great but dont count until theres action. Romney might have had his 13-for-13 Sammy Sleeves moment, but its nothing without meaningful action that has a larger impact. The same goes for NASCAR. But lets be real here, their fight isnt to convince any protestor, member of the black community, or anyone else on the front lines fighting for root change.

No, their energy is best served elsewhere. Add league owners. Throw the NHL players in there. If they are all serious about putting action behind their statements for change, simply turn around and address your majority base. This fight will be won on multiple fronts. Its having people who can force change within their base the majority of whom disagree which can be a key factor in anything from adding numbers to a protest to swinging votes in November.

Its not on the victims of police brutality or of systemic racism for centuries to convince people who dont believe it exists. Instead, have Romney and Kevin Harvick take on that fight. Have them turn around and change minds within their own base.

The other front will be handled just fine by the current leaders of the protest movements, as well as the millions of black people across the country who are currently who are opening up and sharing their own experiences and ideas on how we can begin to fix this deep-seeded problem in our country.

And we must not only listen, but also amplify those voices who need to be heard. Last week I had three important people in my life, who Ive worked with and respect. Exavier Pope is a friend and mentor. Robert Littal has been a vocal supporter of me since day one. Anthony Gilbert is one of the smartest people Ive had the pleasure of working with, from the NBA to life.

We turned over the radio show to them, and now will do the same in this column space because its important for you to hear their message.

Exavier Pope

Robert Littal

Anthony Gilbert

I want to keep this as open of a forum as possible. Please send any questions you have to my DM on Twitter.

Dr. Aryeh Shander MD, FCCM, FCCP, FASA

Director of TeamHealth Research Institute; Emeritus Chief Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Hyperbaric Medicine, Englewood Health; Courtesy Clinical Professor, UF College of Medicine; Adjunct Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology, Medicine and Surgery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York; Adjunct Clinical Professor of Anesthesiology and Critical Care, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ

I saw this pop up online about a month or so ago and as we move towards the second half of the year, theres still some value here. Social Distancing is my play at +200, knowing that we havent used this term before the pandemic hit. But as we always do, lets weed out the other contenders.

Take off the odds-on favorite right now COVID-19 isnt a general enough term to win the award. Sure, it will be added and referenced, but the popularity of the word comes in the form of a searchable hashtag. As we hit the fall, we may see a second wave, we may see things become milder. While the term itself wont go away, it wont be as prevalent as it was initially.

Unfortunately, the term and actual viruses coronavirus has been around for a little bit. This one is called COVID-19. While we are using the term and variations like rona, its not enough to put it in the forefront to win the coveted Word of the Year.

I havent heard anyone call anyone in real life a covidiot. In fact, I dont think Ive seen that term on Twitter.

We are past any self-quarantine and should be hitting the middle or final phases of reopening in the next month. Thats enough to remove that term from our memory, long enough to knock it out of contention.

Pandemic would be tricky if things get worse than they currently are thankfully they are not. Spikes, second waves, it would have to get really bad for the term to come back to the stage in conversation.

Work from home has a shot, mainly because this practice isnt going to change for a lot of people even when they can technically return to an office. The odds are pretty good here with a chunky return. When we see a drop in numbers and people continuing to stay home, this term might have enough staying power to hold on and win in longshot fashion.

Zoom and Epidemiologist are the long-shots worth taking a look at, if not hedge both. Zoom meetings will still roll on and might be bet on pretty significantly over the next month or two. Jump in now before that drops to +500 in September. I dont trust Epidemiologist at +1000 despite the term gaining a lot of steam over the past two months. People are already fed up being told to stay at home.

Courtesy ofBetOnline (Twitter:@betonline_ag).

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You can listen to Eytan onSB Nation Radio(Mon.-Fri. from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; weekends from 6-9 p.m.) and@foxphlgambler(Mon.-Weds., 6-8 p.m.).You can also catch him on FOX 29 Good Day.

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Eytan Shander: Change doesn't just happen on the front lines, and that's where sports comes in - PhillyVoice.com

Human Behavior

Jerry Moore: The painful reality of life | A Second Opinion | nny360.com – NNY360

WATERTOWN Offers of spiritual guidance to military personnel during the novel coronavirus pandemic recently landed two Fort Drum chaplains in a tad bit of hot water.

U.S. Army Maj. Scott Ingram and Capt. Amy Smith, ministers serving on the post, put videos on the Facebook page of the 10th Mountain Division Sustainment Brigade. Eight soldiers stationed at Fort Drum objected to the videos being put on a social media site representing the posts leadership.

Mikey Weinstein, founder and president of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, called these Facebook posts illicit proselytizing videos; the Fort Drum chaplains have a Facebook page of their own and should have put the videos there, wrote MRFF senior research director Chris Rodda. The civil liberties organization brought the soldiers concerns to the attention of Fort Drum authorities, and commanders there had the videos removed.

This incident amounted to a minor flare-up in our nations long-running debate over church and state issues. But it raises an interesting question thats been posed for millennia: How should we relate to a divine being while enduring a lifetime of pain?

The videos made by the Fort Drum chaplains offered faith-building strategies in response to the coronavirus. One video invited soldiers to ask where God is in the midst of this catastrophe.

Two well-known books from religious authors approach this topic from different perspectives.

Harold Kushner wrote his landmark work When Bad Things Happen to Good People in 1981. He tackled one of religions essential problems: Why doesnt a deity who is all loving and all powerful prevent us from suffering?

Aaron Kushner, the son of this Conservative Jewish rabbi, died when he was 14 of a condition called progeria, in which people appear to age very rapidly. Harold Kushner concluded that God is all loving but not all powerful and cant stop our suffering.

Philip Yancey wrote a true classic in Christian literature in 1977: Where is God When it Hurts? He examined the physiological function of pain as well as what happens to those who cannot experience it in parts of their bodies. He also highlighted people who overcame suffering to transform their lives.

One point Yancey made in his book is that pain serves a vital role for humans. While its very unpleasant, it usually signals that something is wrong and requires our attention. Yancey focused on the suffering that God endured through Jesuss crucifixion and challenged the Christian church to be on the frontline of alleviating pain whenever possible.

Theres a larger question here than why a supreme being doesnt prevent our suffering:

Does God actually cause it?

Theres a sharp difference between whats been responsible for reducing suffering (human endeavor) and the traditional religious understanding of what causes it (divine judgment).

Many people have found the latter to be a major stumbling block to maintaining belief, and this couldnt be overcome.

In his 2008 book, Gods Problem: How the Bible Fails to Answer Our Most Important Question Why We Suffer, biblical scholar Bart Ehrman chronicled his loss of faith due to this issue.

He examined the classical view of suffering, suffering as the consequences of sin, redemptive suffering, whether suffering makes any sense and the apocalyptic views of suffering.

Pointing to God as the cause of our suffering is no longer in vogue these days among many theists.

Weve witnessed some horrific atrocities in recent history, and a deity whos to blame for bringing them about doesnt hold all that much appeal as the object of worship.

People of faith will direct our attention to human behavior that inflicts injury upon others and promote God as the one who wants this eliminated.

But any consideration of a supreme being as the creator and sovereign ruler of everything cannot overlook the fact that physical pain and mental anguish were built into the foundation of the universe. Why?

One train of thought is that pain, tragedy and death are the result of our disobeying God. This, however, suggests that all such suffering is justified.

Is this a defendable position? Did the Jewish victims of the Holocaust during World War II deserve to be systematically exterminated by the Nazis?

And must animals and plants be subject to the consequences of human sin? If some suffering is unjustified, why is it allowed by a just supreme being?

Another response is that God desired our love and gave us free will when creating us, but we must be allowed to use it as we see fit. Its part of human nature to choose sin, and our choices often hurt others.

But dont angels have free will? Christianity teaches that some angels rejected God while others did not.

And what happens to people after they die? Do they retain their free will once they enter heaven? Does the Almighty want us to choose obedience while were alive here on Earth but prefer robotic souls in the afterlife?

This presents the prospect of an environment where living beings choose to remain in Gods service for all eternity.

Therefore, a commitment to perfect love and obedience given freely by non-deities to their creator is not only possible but has been common in the supernatural realm since before our universe came into being, according to the Judeo/Christian narrative.

So what need does a supreme being have of children who will all rebel against the divine will? God already has worshipers who freely choose the path of righteousness.

Why create a new category of individuals who will, by their inherited nature, reject Gods authority leading to their suffering, death and eternal punishment? Its like we were intentionally set up to fail. Couldnt an all-powerful deity have given us a world free of suffering?

The oft-given reply of God couldnt have done this any other way places severe limits on an omnipotent deity, which would prove Kushners assertion. Theists have not successfully overcome this contradiction.

Religious belief grew out of fear and ignorance: Prehistoric humans trembled before that which they didnt understand. They created supernatural agents to explain natural phenomena.

But they became so wedded to these stories that they refused to abandon them even after comprehending many aspects of their surroundings.

This created an interesting conundrum: Few people wanted to consider a world without God, but many couldnt fathom a deity who permitted such pain.

Suffering was inevitable precisely because there was no all-powerful, all-loving supreme being to create a perfect world for us.

If anyone ever wondered what a godless universe would look like, were in it! Regardless of what the Fort Drum chaplains preach, the only hope of relief from suffering that we have is through our own efforts. Make the most of this life because thats all there is.

In my final column in this series, Ill look at whether we fully understand the gods our ancestors invented and how this affects us today.

Jerry Moore is the editorial page editor for the Watertown Daily Times. Readers may call him at 315-661-2369 or send emails to jmoore@wdt.net.

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Human Behavior

Gygi: Shining light on actions of legislative, executive branches – Daily Herald

During the 1920s and 30s, many Americans were engaged in what became known as the Roaring 20s, followed by a serious depression and then by a horrific second World War in a decade. This war would dictate much of our societys behavior for the next century.

However, a researcher named Henry Landsberger was conducting less well-known psychological behavior studies at Western Electrics Hawthorne Electric company site just outside of Hawthorne, Illinois. These studies came to be called the Hawthorne Effect. I read about these studies recently in the newsletter Datatrek, and found them fascinating and a parallel to what I am trying to accomplish with my regular column. The Hawthorne Effect occurs when people behave differently when they know they are being watched or their work/life environment changes in a way they recognize.

One of the Hawthorne Effect experiments involved the amount of exposure to light in certain parts of the factory. Some of Landsbergers researchers cranked up the lights and employee productivity increased. The employees produced more products per hour and Western Electric was pleased. When the experiment was coming to a close, the lights were turned back to normal and productivity increased again.

Since this Western Electric light experiment, other work-life experiments were tried, for instance shorter workdays, snack break times and cleaning regimes. The result was the same, employees productivity increased, and when the change reverted to a prior norm, productivity increased once again.

Academics love to study the Hawthorne Effect, and it has become now known as the observer effect. It is hard to determine even for academics the human behavior associated with the Hawthorne Effect or stimulus-response experiment. Maybe it is as simple as plant or factory workers knowing theyre being watched and the work ethic changes; it could also be that workers are trying to guess the nature of the experiment, and their behavior reflects this.

I am not smart enough to add to the discussion of my academic friends, but I do see my columns attempt to be similar as I shed light on areas of public policy that concern me. I think we can agree that as a country we endlessly complain about our politicians on the local level and up to the White House occupier. My thesis is that we are not vetting nor holding accountable our elected officials in a way that changes their behavior. I am trying to change the trajectory of how we as a society vet our elected officials and hold them accountable once elected for how they act. A simple goal, right?

I am writing today about some frequent behavior from primarily the legislative branch in response to actions taken by the executive branch. Recently, the Utah State Legislature has taken action to limit the policies able to be made by the governor during the COVID-19 pandemic and any emergency writ large. I understand why legislators are doing it: They feel some of the early actions during the pandemic taken by the governor may have been unconstitutional. If the actions taken by the governor were unconstitutional, make the case, hold a press conference and with full throat oppose it.

A similar action was taken by then-Speaker of the House Greg Hughes when former Congressman Jason Chaffetz resigned and a power struggle ensued regarding who and how a congressional seat can be filled when vacated. The result was that the governor called a special election to fill the seat, the state legislators felt it was their right to call for a special election. When it was over, the House enacted a statute to allow members to call themselves into session whenever they want.

To be clear, the Legislature is a law-making body with some oversight responsibilities and the executive branch is to execute the laws enacted by the legislative branch, but also has administrative duties. The Utah Legislature effectively created a statute to allow it to fulfill administrative duties that the executive is supposed to do.

This doesnt make sense. If the legislative body doesnt like what the executive is doing, speak out about it, make a public case against it and the citizenry will be with you or not. If the voters are not with you, then you didnt make a case they want to follow.

Washington D.C. has had similar examples with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi trying to create a law that would have limited the presidents ability to act during an emergency, like COVID-19. If a legislature feels that it has to act to curtail the actions of the executive, it is forgetting us the voters. If legislators dont like what the executive does or says, speak out against it, make a case against it or run against the current executive next time and do the opposite of what outrages you, but dont forget we the voters put that executive in office and have a say also.

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Gygi: Shining light on actions of legislative, executive branches - Daily Herald