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Anatomy

Anatomy of… the Australian Open Covid crisis | Sport | The Sunday Times – The Times

Trouble flies inCharter flights carrying more than 1,200 people from seven separate cities began to arrive in Melbourne on January 14. With positive tests recorded by non-playing personnel on flights from Los Angeles and Abu Dhabi, 72 players, including Britains Heather Watson and Victoria Azarenka, of Belarus, were deemed as close contacts and ordered to remain inside their hotel rooms for two weeks. Videos soon emerged of players hitting balls against mattresses and windows.

Grumbling over grubFor some players, the food in quarantine was not up to scratch. Fabio Fognini, the world No 17 from Italy, was among those to post uncomplimentary photographs of the meals being delivered to his room, while Frances Benot Paire decided to order a McDonalds delivery for breakfast

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Anatomy of... the Australian Open Covid crisis | Sport | The Sunday Times - The Times

Anatomy

3-D Printing and Computer Aided Design Aids Structural Heart Interventions – Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology

With increasing complexity of interventional structural heart disease and congenital heart disease interventions, 3-D printing of the anatomy is being used for pre-planning and practicing procedures, device sizing and as a visual reference for the soft tissue during procedures. 3-D printing has become more popular within the medical space as it has been shown to help prevent, fix and foresee procedural errors.

Many lather hospitals are integrated 3-D printing services to better personalized patient care. These centers have 3-D printing labs to create accurate anatomical models from a patient's computed tomography (CT) scans.

However, printed models of the heart show one momement frozen in time from a dynamic organ that changes shape and twists throughout the cardiac cycle. For this reason, some centers are now also using computed aided design (CAD) software that can virtually model the anatomy during the entire cardiac cycle. This enables more accurate valve sizing and to model what happens when a device is placed in a moving heart.

In the setting of paravalvular leaks around failed surgical devices, many times patients are not candidates for a second or third redo operation due to progressive underlying frailty. The leaks are often plugged using off-label transcatheter occluder devices. These highly complex procedures once took five to seven hours in duration, but 3-D printed models of patient-specific anatomy now offers a better understanding of the leaks and can help preplan procedures with device sizing and how these occluder devices will interact with adjacent anatomy. Use of 3-D models can decrease procedural time by up to a half.

A 2018 study by the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis examined the effectiveness of 3-D printing and computer modeling to predict paravalvular leak (PVL) in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). A common risk of TAVR is an ill-fitting valve which can lead to PVL. The study used 3-D printing technology to help confirm and detect the location of the leak. CT scans allowed researchers to see a 360-degree view of the location of the calcium build up while the 3D models allowed researchers to further evaluate the ill-fitting valves. The 3D aortic root models were then virtually implanted with the valve to determine if the size was correct and revealing where there were leaks around the areas of heavy calcium. The models were ethen compared to in-vivo implanted TAVR echocardiograms.

Every leak seen on the 3D models were confirmed on the CT digital scans. The 3D models allowed researchers to use prototypes to personalize valve placement, size and location to stop leaks and lower calcium build up.

We are very encouraged to see such positive outcomes for the feasibility of 3D printing in patients with heart valve disease. These patients are at a high risk of developing a leak after TAVR, and anything we can do to identify and prevent these leaks from happening is certainly helpful, said lead author Sergey Gurevich, M.D., assistant professor of medicine, Cardiovascular Division at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis, Minn. Like any other new technology, as 3D printing evolves, we hope to see an increase in accessibility and opportunity for the use of this technology to help improve patient care.

For transcatheter left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion procedures, 3-D printing can be used to understand the best location of a transeptal puncture to enable the delivery catheter to enter the LAA, explained Dee Dee Wang, M.D., director, structural heart imaging at Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit. She said these models also can help determine which catheters are best suited to that particular patient's anatomy. This preplanning can save procedure time and the need to exchange multiple devices.

"It allows us to be able to feel a patient's heart that we otherwise could not, because we are not surgeons, and that tactile sensation and concept of special resolution in being able to turn the heart outside the body, really gives us a better idea of the procedure before we go into it," Wang explained.

Another use case for in-house medical 3-D printing is to create surgical models to help cardiac surgeons plan complex cases. This is especially true with multidisciplinary cases in interventional radiology, cancer surgery and pediatric cardiac surgery. These types of models are used at Florida-based Nemours Childrens Health System as a pre-planning blueprint and roadmap for surgeons and proceduralists. The hospital said these help increase confidence, reduce procedure times and minimizing unexpected findings while in the operating room.

The simulation aspect of 3-D modeling is a game changer. To be able to look at a model of a tumor from all angles, without the restrictions of a 2-D image on a computer screen, is completely changing how we are planning complex surgery, said Craig Johnson, DO, chair of medical imaging and enterprise director of interventional radiology.

Using modified models from volumetric 2-D CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), physicians can run simulations of the surgery and more accurately determine the tools they will need, with the multidisciplinary team involved, cutting down on waste. For example, certain models enable surgeons to drill holes in them to measure and select the appropriate medical equipment to use during the procedure.

Three-dimensional modeling prepares us by helping us know exactly what were going to do. We do not have to plan on the spot if we come across something unexpected. Instead weve had imaging from radiology as well and the model, said Tamarah J. Westmoreland, M.D., Ph.D., a pediatric surgeon at Nemours Childrens Health System. The surgery is almost like a musical concert. It is rehearsed, planned and then executed without complication.

Nemours also found 3-D models are invaluable in explaining procedures to patients and their families. An echo, MRI or CTR can be difficult for a parent to conceptualize, so the Nemours team uses a true-to-size 3-D model of that patient. In many cases, the patients have the high-fidelity models next to them in their room as care teams explain their treatment plan.

When we use a model to explain to a parent or a child a procedure, its clear, this approach is different, Johnson explained. They are able to visualize what we are going to do and it sets them at ease.

Jessica Lewis is the mother of a Nemours patient and experienced this firsthand. Her 13-year-old son, Malachi, had a rare congenital coronary artery anomaly and needed cardiac surgery at Nemours.

I was able to turn the model of my sons artery around and look at it from all sides, said Lewis. The more educated you are about the procedure, the more empowered you feel because you completely understand what is going on with your child.

One of the most import applications for CAD currently is to determine if there will be left ventricle outflow tract obstruction when placing a transcatheter metal valve. This is especially true with devices like the Edward Sapian transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) device used in the mitral valve position. The Sapian is frequently used in very sick patients with dysfunctional mitral valves who cannot undergo surgery, and currently there is no FDA cleared transcatheter mitral valve available.

She said experience with implanting Sapian in mitral valves, recording LVOT gradients and looking at post-procedure CTs allowed Henry Ford to developing computer modeling using CAD software from 3-D printing vendor Materialise to better predict which patients will have poor outcomes, or require more advanced procedures to better fit the valve using alcohol septal ablation or use of the LAMPOON procedure to cut the mitral leaflet to prevent LVOT obstruction.

"When we made a 3-D printed model it made perfect sense to us, but after doing so many prints we realized we can visualize the valve without having to actually physically print it," Wang said from Henry Ford Hospital's experience. "We do both computer modeling and printing so we can have better communication between the surgeon, implanter and the patient prior to the procedure. This enables everyone to speak the same language, because a surgeon may explain something differently than an interventionists who does not actually cut into the patient."

Henry Ford has now used 3-D printing and CAD in well over 1,000 patients.

She said CAD and 4-D CT imaging also has had a major impact on Henry Ford's LAA occlusion outcomes. "We have shown from our structural heart experience that using 3-d CT, 4-D CT and 3-D printing that we could actually have zero complications compared to the clinical trial average, which was 16 percent," Wang said. In addition to improving outcomes, she said they were able to reduce the number of devices used and the procedural time. "From a hospital administrator standpoint means a faster, more efficient lab. They can do more procedures, and for an implanter, they have the confidence they need to do the procedure."

As more hospitals use 3-D printing and CAD technologies, many medical imaging vendors have partnered with established 3-D vendors to offer their software integrated into their advanced visualization, PACS or enterprise imaging platforms.

An example of this include Philips integrating software from both 3D Systems and Stratasys, two global leaders in the 3-D printing industry, into its IntelliSpace Portal. The embedded 3-D modeling application can create and export 3-D models intuitively into the clinical workflow. The suite of clinician-focused rendering and editing tools helps assure the model reflects the true patient anatomy.

3D Systems precision healthcare capabilities include virtual reality simulators, 3-D-printed anatomical models, virtual surgical planning, patient-specific surgical guides, instrumentation and implants. Their solutions help to speed care and treatment and reduce costs.

Stratasys is a supplier of applied additive technology solutions, from 3-D-printed surgical planning models and medical device prototyping to advanced education and training. Stratasys' PolyJet-based full-color, multi-material 3-D printing solutions drive high-quality realism. Interfacing with Philips, customers can now rapidly design, order, and produce 3-D-printed anatomical structures on-demand from Stratasys Direct Manufacturing.

Some larger advanced visualization vendors offer partnerships with 3-D printing companies where STL (standard triangle language) files for printing can be created from medical imaging and then sent to an outside company for custom printing orders. This can save costs by outsourcing 3-D printing rather than deleting an in-hospital printing lab.

Other vendors have developed their own software or partnered with hospitals with advanced 3-D printing programs to integrate the technology into their own platforms. GE Healthcare is one of the vendors that has such software, allowing files for printing to be created from CT datasets using the AW Advanced Visualization software.

See and example of the GE technology for a hip fracture repair

In August 2017, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that software intended to create output files used for printing 3-D patient-specific anatomical models used for diagnostic purposes is a Class II medical device and requires regulatory clearance.

The FDA has approved 3-D applications for medical use. The first FDA clearance came in March 2018 for Materialise NV became the first company in the world for 3-D printing anatomical models for diagnostic use. Materialise Mimics inPrint software is used for pre-operative planning and the fabrication of physical models for diagnostic purposes, including patient management, treatment and surgeon-to-surgeon communication.

Bioengineers at several academic centers have been refining 3-D printing technologies to print replacement biological tissues to implant in the human body. The eventual goal is in the future is to print replacement organs.

In the realm of cardiovascular medicine, a couple of these 3-D printing technologies to expect on the horizon soon will be bioprinted heart valves, of blood vessels for use in bypass procedures and tissue patches that might be used to repair areas of infarct.

This science fiction-like technology is rapidly developing. The biggest obstacle has been being able to print very detailed, complex structures, such as tissue vasculature. In 2019, bioengineers collaborating from Rice University, University of Washington, Duke University and Rowan University cleared a major hurdle on the path to 3-D printing replacement organs with a breakthrough technique that enabled exquisitely entangled vascular networks. The technique can mimic the body's natural passageways for blood, air, lymph and other vital fluids.

Layers are printed from a liquid pre-hydrogel solution that becomes a solid when exposed to blue light. A digital light processing projector shines light from below, displaying sequential 2-D slices of the structure at high resolution, with pixel sizes ranging from 10-50 microns. With each layer solidified in turn, an overhead arm raises the growing 3-D gel just enough to expose liquid to the next image from the projector.

"One of the biggest road blocks to generating functional tissue replacements has been our inability to print the complex vasculature that can supply nutrients to densely populated tissues," said bioengineer Jordan Miller, assistant professor of bioengineering at Rice University's Brown School of Engineering. "Further, our organs actually contain independent vascular networks like the airways and blood vessels of the lung or the bile ducts and blood vessels in the liver. These interpenetrating networks are physically and biochemically entangled, and the architecture itself is intimately related to tissue function. Ours is the first bioprinting technology that addresses the challenge of multivascularization in a direct and comprehensive way."

To Access the Online 3-D Printing and Printing Services Comparison Chart

VIDEO: Applications in Cardiology for 3-D Printing and Computer Aided Design

3-D Printed Heart Models Displayed at SCCT

Researchers 3-D Print Lifelike Heart Valve Models

Interventional Imagers: The Conductors of the Heart Team Orchestra

3D Systems Announces On Demand Anatomical Modeling Service

3-D Printed Models to Guide TAVR Improve Outcomes

Nemours Children's Health System Uses 3-D Printing to Deliver Personalized Care

Developments in Transcatheter Mitral Valve Replacement

1,000th 3-D Print Patient Treated at Henry Ford Health System

New Technique Allows More Complicated 3-D Bioprinting

Find more 3-D printing news and video

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3-D Printing and Computer Aided Design Aids Structural Heart Interventions - Diagnostic and Interventional Cardiology

Anatomy

How "Grey’s Anatomy" Tackled Human Trafficking and Systemic Racism – TVOvermind

After being on the air for more than 15 years, Greys Anatomy has covered lots of interesting and important topics. Regardless of what has gone on in the world, theyve always found a way to creatively incorporate current events. All of the things that went on in 2020 were no exception. The shows 17th season got off to a very eventful start, and it was clear that the writers wanted to include some real world issues that have been going on lately. In two episodes early in season 17, Greys has already tackled two very difficult subjects: human trafficking and systemic racism. Although both of these topics can be very sensitive, the show did a great job of navigating each issue. Continue reading to see how Greys Anatomy has shed light on human trafficking and racism in one season.

Human trafficking certainly isnt new. But in recent years more and more light has gotten shed on the horrendous realities of the situation. Although weve all heard the phrase and have a basic understanding of what it is, most people would agree they dont really have a strong understanding of the different ways human trafficking can work.

The series initially introduced the subject at the end of season 16 when a teenage girl came to Grey-Sloan Memorial Hospital complaining of stomach pain. Dr. Andrew DeLuca was immediately suspicious of the situation. He became even more concerned when the girls aunt continued to interject and wouldnt let the patient talk. Unfortunately, however, DeLucas suspicions were quickly brushed aside because everyone at the hospital believed that he was suffering through a mental health break down.

At the end of season 16, viewers were left wondering whether or not DeLuca was right or if his accusations really were the result of his faltering mental health. At the start of season 16, it became clear that DeLuca was, in fact, right. The doctors were eventually able to determine that the teenage patient was actually the victim of human trafficking. The episode helped to shine light on how these traffickers operate and how common these things happen.

Ellen Pompeo, the star of the show, expressed that the human trafficking storyline was one of her favorites. She told The Sun, The human trafficking that was in last weeks episode to this mental illness storyline with Giacomo Gianniotti, its really important stuff.

The United States has a very long and sad history when it comes to race. Although some people think that racism is a thing of the past, recent history has shown that isnt the case at all. Greys decided to put this issue front and center during season 17 in more than one way.

In one episode, the show highlighted how black patients tend to be overlooked by the medical system. During the pandemic, this means that many COVID positive black and brown patients are often put on the back burner in favor of treating white patients. During the episode, Maggie said, I want outrage for the fact that we are seen as disposable and rarely seen as victims that Black girls are less likely to be seen as innocent as white girlsAnd now, there is a plague that is killing Black people at a rate that should make everyone outraged. If COVID were killing white people at the rate that it is killing Black people, you better believe that everyone would be wearing masks because it would be the damn law.

The show also highlighted similar effects of racism in another scenario. In an episode, Dr. Hunt, who generally always gets things right, made an error when diagnosing an Asian patient. Dr. Hunt failed to realize that certain conditions are more common in Asian people.

For Dr. Hunt, this became a teaching moment. It was a chance for him to realize that although he has good intentions, he still needs to be mindful of the inherent biases he carries with him. Something as simple as not being aware of or acknowledging differences can easily become a life or death situation in the medical world.

While thinking about the issue of racism can be very uncomfortable for some, bringing this conversations to the forefront is the first step in the journey of making change.

At Greys Anatomy has been on the air for longer than some of its fans have been alive. Still, the show is showing no signs of slowing down. One thing we do know, however, is that season 17 will likely shine light on lots of over important issues. Unfortunately for all of the Greys fans out there, the show is on hiatus until March 2021. Once it returns, however, I have a feeling well all think it was worth the wait.

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How "Grey's Anatomy" Tackled Human Trafficking and Systemic Racism - TVOvermind

Physiology

Physiology: What it takes to run a two-hour marathon – AW – Athletics Weekly

Study highlights the physiological demands linked to breaking the fabled barrier

Elite marathon runners need a specific blend of physiological traits to stand a chance of breaking two hours in the marathon, according to a study from the University of Exeter published in the Journal of Applied Physiology.

Eliud Kipchoge was one of the athletes tested by Andy Jones, professor of applied physiology at Exeter and the study author, along with 16 others who took part in the selection stage of the ambitious Nike Breaking2 project of 2017. Kipchoge was to record 1:59:40.2 in the INEOS 1:59 challenge after the trial had finished.

READ MORE: Eliud Kipchoge runs sub-two-hour marathon

Jones reported that a perfect balance of a high VO2 max (maximal oxygen uptake) and high lactate turn point (the percentage of someones VO2 max that can be sustained before anaerobic respiration, and fatigue, set in) were also necessary attributes of potential sub-two-hour runners.

His findings showed that a 59kg runner would need to take in about four litres of oxygen per minute (or 67ml per kg of weight per minute) to maintain two-hour marathon pace (21.1km/hr) meaning they take in oxygen during a marathon at double the speed a normal person of the same age would while sprinting flat out.

Some of the results particularly the VO2 max were not actually as high as we expected, Jones says. But these runners possess a perfect balance of characteristics for marathon performance.

Supreme efficiency of movement or an effective running action were also a requirement, to enable the body to use oxygen efficiently.

Of the athletes studied, 15 were from East Africa and, says Jones, seemed to know intuitively how to run just below their critical speed, close to the lactate turn point but never exceeding it.

Across the board, they displayed remarkable fatigue resistance.

Jones says: The requirements of a two-hour marathon have been extensively debated, but the actual physiological demands have never been reported before now.

This article was first published in the November 2020 edition of AW magazine, which is available to order online in print hereandread digitally here

See AW magazine each month for the latest performance news

For more on the latest athletics news, athletics events coverage and athletics updates, check out theAW homepageand our social media channels onTwitter,FacebookandInstagram

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Physiology: What it takes to run a two-hour marathon - AW - Athletics Weekly

Physiology

Senior Lecturer in Physiology job with ULSTER UNIVERSITY | 242508 – Times Higher Education (THE)

Faculty of Life and Health SciencesSchool of MedicineSenior Lecturer in Physiology Salary 52,590 - 60,939 pa Closing date: 31 January 202Campus: Magee Ref 003402

As Northern Irelands civic University, Ulster is grounded in the heart of the community and strives to make a lasting contribution to society. Renowned for its world-class teaching, Ulster aims to transform lives, stretch minds and develop the skills required by a growing economy.

This is an exciting time for the University as we develop our new School of Medicine: our aim is to deliver Graduate Entry Medical Education as a means of widening access to medicine in Northern Ireland, seeking to produce doctors who are locally focussed, globally ambitious change agents who will work in and lead teams to improve the health of their patients and the wider community.

The creation of the new School offers a unique opportunity for the successful candidate to join a team of like-minded medical educators. The post is a key early appointment to the School allowing the successful applicant to play a pivotal part in shaping our educational delivery. We are seeking capable team players who are willing to explore new ways of delivery and who are enthused by the prospect of being involved in establishing a new School.

The successful candidate will work closely with the Foundation Dean and Director of Education to design, develop and deliver an imaginative and integrated approach to the learning of Physiology for medical students.

The focus of the School is educational excellence and, as such, will require partnership working with colleagues throughout the University and with a wide range of clinical stakeholders. The University has a global research profile to complement its strong educational achievements and maintenance of research activity is also supported and encouraged.

We prefer to issue and receive applications via our on-line recruitment website by clicking Apply.

Hard copy applications can be obtained by telephoning 028 7012 4072

The University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community, particularly from those with disabilities.Appointment will be made on merit.

Ulster University holds a Bronze Athena SWAN award in recognition of our commitment to advancing gender equality in higher education. Read more on our website https://www.ulster.ac.uk/peopleandculture/employee-benefits/equality-diversity/athena-swan. The University has a range of initiatives to support a family friendly working environment, including flexible working.

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Senior Lecturer in Physiology job with ULSTER UNIVERSITY | 242508 - Times Higher Education (THE)

Physiology

Application of Nanotechnology in the COVID-19 Pandemic | IJN – Dove Medical Press

Dongki Yang

Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon, 21999, South Korea

Correspondence: Dongki YangDepartment of Physiology, College of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 21999, South KoreaTel +82-32-899-6072Fax +82-32-899-6588Email dkyang@gachon.ac.kr

Abstract: COVID-19, caused by SARS-CoV-2 infection, has been prevalent worldwide for almost a year. In early 2000, there was an outbreak of SARS-CoV, and in early 2010, a similar dissemination of infection by MERS-CoV occurred. However, no clear explanation for the spread of SARS-CoV-2 and a massive increase in the number of infections has yet been proposed. The best solution to overcome this pandemic is the development of suitable and effective vaccines and therapeutics. Fortunately, for SARS-CoV-2, the genome sequence and protein structure have been published in a short period, making research and development for prevention and treatment relatively easy. In addition, intranasal drug delivery has proven to be an effective method of administration for treating viral lung diseases. In recent years, nanotechnology-based drug delivery systems have been applied to intranasal drug delivery to overcome various limitations that occur during mucosal administration, and advances have been made to the stage where effective drug delivery is possible. This review describes the accumulated knowledge of the previous SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV infections and aims to help understand the newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 infection. Furthermore, it elucidates the achievements in developing COVID-19 vaccines and therapeutics to date through existing approaches. Finally, the applicable nanotechnology approach is described in detail, and vaccines and therapeutic drugs developed based on nanomedicine, which are currently undergoing clinical trials, have presented the potential to become innovative alternatives for overcoming COVID-19.

Keywords: COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, antiviral drug, vaccines, nanoparticles, nanotechnology

This work is published and licensed by Dove Medical Press Limited. The full terms of this license are available at https://www.dovepress.com/terms.php and incorporate the Creative Commons Attribution - Non Commercial (unported, v3.0) License.By accessing the work you hereby accept the Terms. Non-commercial uses of the work are permitted without any further permission from Dove Medical Press Limited, provided the work is properly attributed. For permission for commercial use of this work, please see paragraphs 4.2 and 5 of our Terms.

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Application of Nanotechnology in the COVID-19 Pandemic | IJN - Dove Medical Press

Physiology

Conservation physiology and the COVID-19 pandemic – DocWire News

This article was originally published here

Conserv Physiol. 2021 Jan 12;9(1):coaa139. doi: 10.1093/conphys/coaa139. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic and associated public health measures have had unanticipated effects on ecosystems and biodiversity. Conservation physiology and its mechanistic underpinnings are well positioned to generate robust data to inform the extent to which the Anthropause has benefited biodiversity through alterations in disturbance-, pollution- and climate change-related emissions. The conservation physiology toolbox includes sensitive biomarkers and tools that can be used both retroactively (e.g. to reconstruct stress in wildlife before, during and after lockdown measures) and proactively (e.g. future viral waves) to understand the physiological consequences of the pandemic. The pandemic has also created new risks to ecosystems and biodiversity through extensive use of various antimicrobial products (e.g. hand cleansers, sprays) and plastic medical waste. Conservation physiology can be used to identify regulatory thresholds for those products. Moreover, given that COVID-19 is zoonotic, there is also opportunity for conservation physiologists to work closely with experts in conservation medicine and human health on strategies that will reduce the likelihood of future pandemics (e.g. what conditions enable disease development and pathogen transfer) while embracing the One Health concept. The conservation physiology community has also been impacted directly by COVID-19 with interruptions in research, training and networking (e.g. conferences). Because this is a nascent discipline, it will be particularly important to support early career researchers and ensure that there are recruitment pathways for the next generation of conservation physiologists while creating a diverse and inclusive community. We remain hopeful for the future and in particular the ability of the conservation physiology community to deliver relevant, solutions-oriented science to guide decision makers particularly during the important post-COVID transition and economic recovery.

PMID:33469469 | PMC:PMC7805516 | DOI:10.1093/conphys/coaa139

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Conservation physiology and the COVID-19 pandemic - DocWire News

Physiology

This Easy 7-Minute Workout Will Help You Burn Fat, Says Science | Eat This Not That – Eat This, Not That

In 2013, Chris Jordan, MS, CSCS, NSCA-CPT, ACSM EP-C/APT, an elite exercise physiologist with experience training armed forces who is currently the director of exercise physiology at the Johnson & Johnson Human Performance Institute, created a simple bodyweight exercise routine that instantly took the fitness world by storm. It was called the "7-Minute Workout," and the instructional app containing variations of the routinecomplete with videos of Jordan himself offering stern instruction and demonstrationswiftly became one of the most-downloaded fitness apps on the market.

The 7-Minute workout preached the benefits of a type of training that was quickly gaining in popularity at the time: high-intensity interval training, or doing short bursts of really intense exercise split up by short periods of rest. Though the mechanics of HIIT were actually nothing newelite athletes have been doing several versions of it since the 1930sthe routine promised something truly incredible to busy, working Americans everywhere: Yes, you can get fitter fasterin less than 10 minutes!and you can do so in any basement or hotel room, using only the weight of your body, a wall, and perhaps a chair. Jordan published the compelling findings of his research on the benefits of the 7-Minute Workout in the American College of Sports Medicine's Health & Fitness Journal, and a phenomenon was born.

For anyone who has tried the 7-Minute Workout and may have found it too difficult to complete, Jordan just released a newer and "gentler" variation of it: The Standing 7-Minute Workout. The idea behind this new version, as Jordan explained to The New York Times, is to make the 7-Minute Workout more accessible to as many people as possible, including "my triathlete elder brother and my 82-year-old mother."

RELATED: 15 Underrated Weight Loss Tips That Actually Work

In this version, as the name suggests, he eliminates all of the exercises that may cause strain on the person's body by having them drop to the floor, including more difficult moves such as planks, pushups, and crunches. "Like the original workout, the standing workout includes exercises for cardio fitness, the lower body, the upper body, and core musclesin that order," explains the Times. "Each exercise lasts just 30 seconds with just five seconds of rest in between. To get the most out of the workout, do each exercise at relatively high intensityabout a 7 or 8 on a scale of 1 to 10."

You can view a video of Jordan explaining and demonstrating the workout here.

If you have doubts that you can burn fat by exercising in such a short amount of time, Jordan has plenty of science to back him up. "When it comes to the immediate health benefits of this sort of high-intensity exercise, it's all about blood sugar," Timothy Church, Ph.D., a professor of preventive medicine at Louisiana State University, explained to Men's Journal. If you're jumping rope or running sprints, for example, your body instantly gets to processing your blood sugar, which aids in weight loss, and the stress on your muscles leads to greater conditioning. The benefits simply compound from there.

"As with other forms of exercise, when your muscles grow, they pull on your skeletal system, increasing your bone density," explains Men's Journal. "A lot of new research also shows that interval training triggers the release of macrophages and killer T cells, boosting the body's immune function for hours after your last pushup or pullup."

As your fitness grows, know that you can perform these exercises for longer periods of time than 7 minutesbut we're not talking about hours. Ten, 15, or 20 minutes is plenty of exercise, as LSU's Church told Men's Journal. After all, think of all of the weight lifters who do their sets, and then simply walk around the gym staring at the clock, their heads bobbing to music. "Most people are really doing hard work for only 15 to 20 minutes anyway," he said.

For more great weight loss advice, make sure you're aware of The One Workout That Drives 29 Percent More Fat Loss, According to Science.

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This Easy 7-Minute Workout Will Help You Burn Fat, Says Science | Eat This Not That - Eat This, Not That

Physiology

Methods of quantitative modeling revolutionize drug development – McGill Tribune

Mathematics and computer science are revolutionizing the way new drugs and treatments are tested and implemented. A new paper published in Chaosand written by U4 McGill Physiology and Math major Sofia Alfonso, postdoctoral researcher Adrianne L. Jenner, and Dr. Morgan Craig from the University of Montreals department of Math and Statistics, explores new alternatives to the challenges of using quantitative tools.

In the pharmaceutical industry, pre-clinical and clinical trials are challenging, time-consuming, and costly. Virtual drug trials allow researchers to better understand and treat complex diseases such as cancer, diabetes and depression. Conducted faster than conventional clinical trials, virtual drug trials also allow more efficient and affordable distribution of treatments to the public due to high recruitment rates, better compliance, and lower drop-out rates. The paper presents multiple case studies that test experimental medications using mathematical modelling.

Such studies are considered in silico, as they are conducted by a computer program and do not involve live patients, as an in vivotrial would. These simulations can predict the effect of a medication on virtual patients, leading to important insights about a drugs efficacy before investing time and money into human subject testing.

Alfonso and Craig say that the pharmaceutical industry is already using in silicomodels for research and emphasize the need for collaboration between experimentalists and clinicians in order to develop more accurate and effective models.

In drug development, for example, study of a novel drug delivery device for anti-HIV therapy contributed to its continued development and ongoing clinical trials of similar devices, Craig wrote in an email to The McGill Tribune.

One case study explored the potential of mathematical modeling in the development of treatments for infectious diseases, such as the Herpes Simplex virus (HSV) or the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Based on data of viral shedding collected from real patients, an experimental drug was administered to a virtual patient infected with HSV. Researchers then optimized the drugs dose for clinical trials, paving the way for future studies of similar drugs for the antiviral treatment of HIV and HSV.

A big challenge is finding adequate parameters in the literature such that the model can be accurately calibrated, Alfonso wrote in an email to the Tribune, referring to the need for data from clinicians to construct accurate models. Thus, collaborative efforts that bridge quantitative approaches with experimental work can be integral to developing useful models.

The researchers are optimistic about the potential of virtual trials in the development of treatments more quickly and less invasively during public health crises such as COVID-19. Transitioning to remote trials could limit the risks of in-person contact, especially in medical settings.

Currently, we have been working with an interdisciplinary team on modelling COVID-19 in virtual patients, allowing us to simulate the mechanisms resulting in severe SARS-CoV-2 infection, Alfonso wrote. I am hopeful that as we gain more data, our model will provide further clinically relevant findings.

Given the importance of quantitative methods in physiology, Alfonso emphasizes the opportunities for future physiology students willing to delve into mathematics, physics, and computer science.

Craig also calls upon physiology students to maintain an open mind on these disciplines, noting that quantitative methods are already being implemented by the industry.

Many researchers have summer positions for undergraduates that provide hands-on training, Craig wrote. In fact, Sofia [Alfonso] started in my lab as a PHGY 461 student and has continued as a research assistant since.

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Methods of quantitative modeling revolutionize drug development - McGill Tribune