Category Archives: Physiology

Physiology

U of M awarded $12.5 million to create new institute to further understanding of the impact of biodiversity change on Earth – UMN News

With the goal of revolutionizing how the world understands the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss, the University of Minnesota has been awarded a $12.5 million grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish the Biology Integration Institute (BII). Based on the Twin Cities campus, it is conducted in partnership with researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

The BII is the only research institute of its kind aimed at using spectral biology to create a greater understanding of plant and vegetation biodiversity from the genome to the global scale. Spectral biology uses the way light interacts with matter in this case, plants to reveal information about their chemistry, structure and function.

We aim to uncover how the biological variation within and among species across the tree of life detected in vegetation with hyperspectral sensors from handheld instruments, aircraft and satellites using a common currency of photons reflected from the sun influences ecosystem and biosphere dynamics, said Jeannine Cavender-Bares, BII director and professor in the U of Ms College of Biological Sciences. Our ability to do this will be key to not only understanding biodiversity now, but providing the ability to track biodiversity loss in real-time around the globe.

The Institute will take advantage of NSFs National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON), with researchers seeking to advance the ability to track the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss globally through spectral imaging. The Institute will inform analysis from NASAs global Surface Biology and Geology satellite mission, which will focus in part in creating a baseline measurement of global biodiversity. UW-Madison Professor and Institute co-director Philip Townsend has been involved in advancing the satellitetoward the goal of measuring and monitoring vegetation chemistry and physiology. The satellite is set to launch around 2027.

Changes to ecosystems can have very real human impacts, affecting where people live, their livelihoods, and even the availability of food and a habitable environment, said Cavender-Bares. Our ability to track these changes across the planet is critical to meeting global biodiversity targets and managing sustainability.

The BII will incorporate spectral data into predictive models that advance theory on how lifes variation influences the Earth system in an era of rapid global change. It takes advantage of ongoing global change experiments led by Peter Reich, a professor at the U of Ms College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences and an Institute co-director.

Additionally, as part of the BIIs mission, the Institute aims to recruit non-traditional and underrepresented peoples in biology for mentoring and training opportunities. This also includes work to foster curiosity in young scientists by working with K-12 students and Indigenous communities through long-term mentoring programs, Market Science modules, Minute Earth videos, and partnerships with the Bell Museum, Cedar Creek Ecosystem Science Reserve and Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Association.

We are committed to promoting diversity and fostering inclusivity through our engagement activities, including with the Wisconsin Tribal Conservation Advisory Council, to share cultural and scientific knowledge, foster cultural awareness and respect, and broaden participation of Native students in graduate programs, said Amy Trowbridge, a co-PI and assistant professor in the Dept. of Entomology at UW-Madison.

The BII is funded by the National Science Foundation Award #2021898.

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About the College of Biological SciencesThe College of Biological Sciences at the University of Minnesota is one of two colleges in the United States dedicated to the biological sciences with undergraduate majors and graduate programs that cover the spectrum of life from molecules to ecosystems. Learn more at cbs.umn.edu.

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U of M awarded $12.5 million to create new institute to further understanding of the impact of biodiversity change on Earth - UMN News

Physiology

Active Ingredients in Sunscreen Detrimental to Freshwater Ecosystems – Technology Networks

The active ingredients found in sunscreen have detrimental effects on freshwater ecosystems, according to new research by University of Alberta biologists.

The results show that long-term exposure to ultraviolet (UV) filtersincluding avobenzone, oxybenzone, and octocryleneis lethal for some organisms living in freshwater environments. One of the largest sources of UV-filter contamination in both marine and freshwater environments is from sunscreen leaching off of the skin while swimming.

We do know that UV-filters are particularly devastating to coral reefs and cause bleaching, but there has been almost no research on what the effects are to freshwater animals, explained Aaron Boyd, graduate student in the Department of Biological Sciences and lead author on the paper. To address this, we examined the effects of UV-filters in the water flea, Daphnia magna.

The results show that exposure to UV-filters over a 48-hour period prevented the fleas from navigating through their environment. Exposure over a 14-day periodsimilar to what might occur near popular beach areasproved lethal for the tiny crustaceans.

This is particularly bad for a freshwater ecosystem as a whole, as Daphnia are an important part of the food chain for many smaller species of fish, added Boyd, who completed this research in collaboration with graduate student Connor Stewart, under the supervision of Assistant Professor Tamzin Blewett and Professor Keith Tierney. Losing a Daphnia population would put all of the species that rely on them at risk of starvation, and in certain conditions could cause the local ecosystem to collapse.

The good news, Boyd explained, is that the fleas were able to recover their ability to navigate through the water once the contamination was removeda good sign for environmental recovery. These chemicals are short-lived in the environment, so if we remove the sources of pollution, then there is a reasonable chance for the organisms in those environments to recover, he said.

Further research is required to better understand the long-term impact of UV-filtersand research continues in the search for non-toxic UV filters.

ReferenceBoyd A, Stewart CB, Philibert DA, et al. A burning issue: The effect of organic ultraviolet filter exposure on the behaviour and physiology of Daphnia magna. Science of The Total Environment. 2021;750:141707. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141707

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Physiology

Diagnostic Errors in the COVID-19 Era – Medscape

Editor's note: Some details have been changed to protect the patient's identity.

Jaya Mallidi, MD, MHS

It was an unusually quiet Saturday afternoon on call. I was sipping coffee and leisurely reading that day's echocardiograms. On one, ordered for an indication of "dyspnea," there was a moderate-sized pericardial effusion without tamponade physiology. I called the ordering hospitalist to tell him the results.

He mentioned that the patient was admitted the previous day as a "COVID rule-out." Mr Gonzales was a 55-year-old man with progressively worsening exertional shortness of breath and cough over the previous 2 weeks. A chest x-ray showed cardiomegaly, concerning for pericardial effusion. His vital signs were stable and he was admitted with a diagnosis of viral pericarditis and high suspicion for COVID-19. Rapid SARS-CoV-2 testing was negative, but another test was ordered given the high clinical suspicion.

I called the lab for the second COVID-19 test result but was told that it would not be available for several hours. With not much clinical activity going on, I decided to go see Mr Gonzales. I donned the necessary personal protective equipment and entered his room.

Mr Gonzales was propped up in the bed. A yellow mask covered his mouth but stopped short of covering his nostrils. His eyes looked tired, like those of a man who had not slept in days. I introduced myself and asked how he was doing. After a long pause, he shook his head and mumbled, "Not good." His voice was unusually hoarse. He could not lie flat comfortably. He could not walk 10 yards without dyspnea. I wondered whether the effusion needed to be tapped. Unusual to have this degree of symptoms without any tamponade physiology.

As I stood at his bedside, unsure of what to do, he raised his hands to the sides of his neck. "It's swollen, my neck," he said. That's when I noticed that his neck was somewhat thick, more than what one would expect for his sturdy build. The supraclavicular fossa (the indentation above the clavicular bone) was obliterated and full. On palpation, I felt the hard, irregular surface of the supraclavicular lymph nodes. Check for malignancy, I thought. I informed him that we would need to do a CT scan of his neck and chest to find out what is going on.

Diagnostic errors, either missed, inaccurate, or delayed, were a common source of potential patient harm even before this pandemic. The Institute of Medicine, in its report "Improving Diagnosis in Health Care," defined diagnostic error as the failure to establish an accurate and timely explanation of the patient's health problem or communicate that problem to the patient.

Cognitive shortcuts to aid in decision-making are important sources of diagnostic error in medicine. Traditionally the diagnostic process is iterative. Accuracy and timeliness are subjective and largely depend on the patient's clinical presentation. In the COVID-19 era, an accurate diagnosis is focused on ruling the disease in or out, and the rest of the diagnostic workup begins only after this. While these new processes are important from a public health standpoint, for an individual patient, especially one presenting with a non-COVID-19 illness, the virus has become a hurdle in the diagnostic process, already strained by cognitive biases and system-based errors (Figure).

Adapted from Improving Diagnosis in Health Care .

A recent perspective by two patient quality and safety experts, Tejal Gandhi and Hardeep Singh, describes several types of anticipated diagnostic errors in the COVID-19 era. With universal availability of testing, missing COVID-19 in a patient presenting to the ED is unlikely. The more relevant error at this phase of the pandemic is a delayed or missed non-COVID diagnosis. The following common clinical fallacies can lead to diagnostic errors, especially now.

Anchoring bias. This cognitive bias occurs when the decision-making is predominantly based on the initial information provided. With Mr Gonzales, the initial framing was toward COVID-19. It was such a strong anchor that even rapid negative testing did not result in a reevaluation of the diagnosis. In the past few months, I have personally witnessed and read case reports of common disorders such as acute myocardial infarction being missed because of anchoring to a COVID-19 diagnosis.

Availability bias. With the raging pandemic, we physicians have COVID-19 on our minds. All patients presenting with respiratory complaints are assumed to have COVID-19 unless proven otherwise, because this is the most readily available explanation.

Base rate neglect. The prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 has significant geographical variation. In an area with low prevalence, a patient who presents with respiratory symptoms has a higher probability of a non-COVID condition, such as pulmonary edema from myocardial infarction, bacterial pneumonia, bronchitis, COPD, or heart failure. However, the underlying population-based prevalence is often ignored in everyday clinical medicine.

The tainted practice of modern medicine, where physicians review the EHR before meeting patients, as well as the note bloat from copy-paste problem lists, is a perfect set-up for diagnostic errors. To avoid errors and overcome our cognitive biases, we need to spend adequate time with patients, carefully integrating history, examination, and test results. In the fast-paced, chaotic world of modern medicine, where compensation rewards volume and not cognitive thinking, this needed time is missing.

Instead, we have burnout associated with the pressure to see more patients and generate more wRVUs. During a pandemic, there are new care processes, specific to each hospital, to rule out/rule in COVID-19, not to mention the rational fear for our own safety and the mental fatigue associated with that.

The risk for diagnostic errors is enhanced in this kind of environment. It can be difficult to measure this kind of error, and to date, we do not have objective data to definitively prove that there are more diagnostic errors in the COVID-19 era. I suspect, however, that the rate of diagnostic errors is higher than in pre-pandemic times. It's important for physicians to be extra vigilant during this period.

The CT scan of Mr Gonzales' chest and neck showed a mass in his lung that extended to the mediastinal structures causing significant laryngeal edema (and his hoarse voice) and superior vena cava syndrome. An urgent biopsy found stage IV adenocarcinoma of the lung. Given the patient's significant respiratory symptoms, the oncologist initiated in-patient radiation treatment in addition to intravenous steroids. Later, Mr Gonzales asked me why no one did the CT scan earlier despite him complaining about his swollen neck. Cognitive bias; a near miss, I thought. "We had to make sure COVID was ruled out," I answered.

Jaya Mallidi is an interventional cardiologist in Santa Rosa, California. An ardent patient advocate, she writes opinion pieces using patient stories as context to highlight problems in the practice of modern-day medicine. In addition, she enjoys digital sketching and playing tennis.

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Physiology

Peloton Introduces Its First-Ever Health And Wellness Advisory Council – PRNewswire

NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Peloton (NASDAQ: PTON), the world's largest interactive fitness platform, today announced the formation of the Peloton Health and Wellness Advisory Council, which will work closely with the company as it continues to look at how it can positively impact the physical, mental and emotional wellbeing of its community of Members from around the world. Peloton will collaborate with the council, which includes five renowned doctors, researchers and other medical professionals from the fields of cardiovascular medicine, cardiopulmonary exercise, neurology and neuroscience, and draw on their knowledge and expertise to help inform product and content development, community-focused and social impact initiatives, research projects and more.

"We constantly hear from our Members that Peloton has not only profoundly impacted their physical, mental and emotional health, but has also helped them cope with issues ranging from neurodegenerative disease or cancer, to PTSD or post-partum depression," said William Lynch, president, Peloton. "With the addition of this esteemed Health and Wellness Advisory Council, which includes some of the best minds in medicine, we can leverage scientific research and medical expertise to help us better serve our community through our content, products and platform."

The Peloton Health and Wellness Advisory Council includes the following experts:

Cardiovascular MedicineSuzanne Steinbaum, MD:Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum is an attending cardiologist, specializing in prevention. She has recently opened a private practice in New York City, at the Juhi-Ash integrative health center encompassing heart health, wellness and prevention, as well as the effects of stress and inflammation on heart health. She is the founder and President of SRSHeart, a personalized lifestyle management program using anatomy, physiology, functional data, genetics and metabolism, along with technology to reach ultimate cardiovascular health. She has been the Director of Women's Cardiovascular Prevention, Health and Wellness at Mt. Sinai Heart in New York City, after being the Director of Women's Heart Health at Northwell Lenox Hill. Dr. Steinbaum is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association. She is a National Spokesperson for the Go Red for Women campaign and chairperson of the Go Red for Women in New York City. She is on the New York City Board of the American Heart Association and on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Women's Heart Alliance.

NeurologyRichard S. Isaacson, MD:Richard S. Isaacson, M.D. is a Neurologist, clinician and researcher who specializes in Alzheimer's prevention and treatment. He previously served as Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology, Vice Chair of Education, and Education Director of the McKnight Brain Institute in the Department of Neurology at the University of Miami (UM) Miller School of Medicine. Prior to joining UM, he served as Associate Medical Director of the Wien Center for Alzheimer's disease and Memory Disorders at Mount Sinai. Dr. Isaacson specializes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) risk reduction and treatment, mild cognitive impairment due to AD and preclinical AD. His clinical research has shown that individualized clinical management of patients at risk for AD dementia is an important strategy for optimizing cognitive function and reducing risk of dementia. He has also published novel methods on using a precision medicine approach in real-world clinical practice. He has also led the development of Alzheimer's Universe (AlzU.org) a vast online education research portal on AD with results published in the Journal of the Prevention of Alzheimer's disease, Journal of Communication in Healthcare, Alzheimer's & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, and Neurology. With a robust clinical practice and broad background in computer science, m-Health, biotechnology and web-development, Dr. Isaacson is committed to using technology and lifestyle interventions (such as physical exercise and nutrition) to optimize patient care, AD risk assessment and early intervention.

Vernon Williams, MD:Vernon Williams, MD is the Founding Director of the Center for Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles, CA. Dr. Williams is a former Commissioner for the California State Athletic Commission and current Chair of Neurological Health for the Commission's Medical Advisory Committee, as well as a former two-term Chair of the American Academy of Neurology Sports Neurology Section. He serves as a neurological medical consultant to local professional sports organizations such as the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings and Los Angeles Sparks. He also assists local colleges and numerous high school and youth sports/club athletic teams in this capacity. Dr. Williams is a board-certified clinical neurologist with very specialized areas of subspecialty: Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine. He is actively engaged in researching and developing innovative and effective treatments and technologies that help people recognize symptoms of a neurological injury sooner so that the work of treating them can happen faster, and with less potential for permanent damage. He passionately advocates for optimization of Neurological Health across the lifespan for his patients and peak performance clients.

Cardiopulmonary ExerciseAimee M. Layton, PhD:Aimee Layton, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Applied Physiology in Pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Cardiology and the Director of the Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Exercise Laboratory at Columbia University Medical Center / New York Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Layton recently joined the pediatric cardiology team after being director of the adult pulmonary exercise laboratory for a decade. This cross discipline experience provides Dr. Layton with knowledge of both how the lungs and the heart respond to exercise and the role of disease and sports in both adults and kids. Dr. Layton's prior research investigated respiratory biomechanics, with publications in both diseased and healthy populations. Her new research focuses on bridging the gap between the lab and the home, in hopes of impacting kids' behavior and relationship with exercise. Dr. Layton is a respected expert in clinical exercise physiology and has lectured internationally on the topic. Beyond her research, Dr. Layton has been performing exercise testing and counseling for both patients with lung disease and patients with heart disease. She plays an important role as one of the lead exercise physiologists for Columbia University Medical Center in testing, exercise counseling and research.

NeuroscienceJay Alberts, PhD:As a Cleveland Clinic Scientist, Ph.D., Jay Alberts' research is aimed at understanding the structure-function relationships within the central nervous system and evaluating the impact of behavioral and surgical interventions to improve motor and non-motor function in Parkinson's disease, stroke, Alzheimer's and other neurological populations. Human studies are currently ongoing to address these basic and translational research questions. Dr. Alberts is developing and validating new methods of using exercise and augmented and virtual reality to engage patient populations remotely. He is currently leading two multi-site clinical trials investigating the role of exercise in slowing the progression of Parkinson's disease. Dr. Alberts has led multiple successful technology initiatives aimed at better understanding patient symptoms and communicating these symptoms to providers. He is currently building AR and VR applications as prescriptive digital therapeutic systems for neurological patients. To date, Dr. Alberts has written 100 peer reviewed articles, has had uninterrupted extramural funding since 1999 and holds 10 patents.

For more information about Peloton or the Peloton Health and Wellness Advisory Council, please visit http://www.blog.onepeloton.com.

About PelotonPeloton is the largest interactive fitness platform in the world with a loyal community of more than 2.6 million Members. The company pioneered connected, technology-enabled fitness, and the streaming of immersive, instructor-led boutique classes for its Members anytime, anywhere. Peloton makes fitness entertaining, approachable, effective, and convenient, while fostering social connections that encourage its Members to be the best versions of themselves. An innovator at the nexus of fitness, technology, and media, Peloton has reinvented the fitness industry by developing a first-of-its-kind subscription platform that seamlessly combines the best equipment, proprietary networked software, and world-class streaming digital fitness and wellness content, creating a product that its Members love. The brand's immersive content is accessible through the Peloton Bike, Peloton Tread, and Peloton App, which allows access to a full slate of fitness classes across disciplines, on any iOS or Android device, Apple TV, Fire TV, Roku TVs, and Chromecast and Android TV. Founded in 2012 and headquartered in New York City, Peloton has a growing number of retail showrooms across the US, UK, Canada and Germany. For more information, visit http://www.onepeloton.com.

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Peloton Introduces Its First-Ever Health And Wellness Advisory Council - PRNewswire

Physiology

"We represent innovation and efficiency in the application of plant physiology" – hortidaily.com

Stoller Europe is the subsidiary of the American multinational Stoller Group, which serves the agricultural markets of Europe, North Africa, and Russia. "Our team is made up of highly qualified professionals who combine deep knowledge in plant physiology with an understanding of local crops and their specific problems," the company stated.

"Our approach to local farmers is based on transferring what happens to the crops to the field of scientific plant physiology, offering them comprehensive solutions to guarantee optimal production yields as well as the simple formation of complex physiological processes, thus ensuring a relationship of trust with the farmers that goes beyond purely commercial aspects."

"All of our product portfolio is based on this and there is a reason behind each measure in the field, a physiological explanation, a justification for each dose, and when it should be applied. Our products and close advisory work guarantee an environmentally and economically sustainable crop management that guarantees their quality. We at Stoller Europe believe that there are appropriate measures for appropriate times; as such, our main task is to understand the processes so that the handling of the products always yields maximum returns."

Stoller Europe's customer profile is very diverse: small, medium, and large producer. "Our clients aren't defined by their size or crop, but by their interest in improving their yields; their passion for continuous improvement and innovation. The company has grown and adapted to be able to closely serve customers with very different needs but under the same motivation. This premise was a fundamental pillar for Jerry Stoller, our founder."

"Year after year, we at Stoller strive to solve new challenges posed by growers, offering them new solutions and programs that are based on solid and innovative foundations of plant physiology. We constantly invest in research and development of new products and registrations. Our multinational nature allows us to have a complete global agricultural vision, a 360 vision of crops, which makes it easier to adapt global solutions to specific local problems. Stoller Group is interconnected and has multidisciplinary and global advisory teams, we share real experiences that keep us updated on trends and new agronomic challenges."

Stoller Europe's future challenges are to anticipate the needs of the increasingly dynamic and competitive agricultural sector, guaranteeing proximity to the farmer, through continuous training and profitable sustainable solution programs. "Our ultimate purpose is well defined in our motto 'Empowering Plants, Empowering People'."

For more information: Stoller Europe S.L.U.Elche Parque EmpresarialC/ Max Planck, 103203 Elche, Alicante (Espaa)Tel.: (+34) 965 110 522info@stollereurope.comhttps://stollereurope.com

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"We represent innovation and efficiency in the application of plant physiology" - hortidaily.com

Physiology

Intuitive, integrated and efficient world premiere of Philips next-generation Azurion image-guided therapy platform – Yahoo Finance UK

Azurion image-guided therapy

Azurion image-guided therapy

Azurion IntraSight tableside monitor

Azurion SmartCT tableside monitor

September 1, 2020

Amsterdam, the Netherlands Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA), a global leader in health technology, today announced its next-generation Philips Azurion image-guided therapy platform, marking an important step forward in optimizing clinical and operational lab performance and expanding the role of image-guided interventions in the treatment of patients. Intuitive, integrated and efficient, the next-generation Azurion advances the capabilities of the platform to further improve the quality and efficiency of interventional procedures. The Azurion platform has already achieved rapid global adoption and has been used in well over two million procedures [1] worldwide since its introduction three years ago.

In the past few decades, clinical practices around the world have evolved to successfully treat more patients and perform more complex procedures in interventional labs. However, with more staff and technologies involved during these procedures, interventional lab environments can become crowded and cluttered. In order to enhance clinician focus and control during procedures, Philips has integrated all the essential lab systems and tools into this new version of the Azurion platform, making it an important step forward in lab integration.

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An industry-first, the Philips Azurion image-guided therapy platform now integrates control of imaging, physiology, hemodynamic and informatics applications, as well as intuitive control of the gantry, at the tableside, allowing clinicians to control all compatible applications from a single touch screen while performing procedures. This can eliminate the need for clinicians to leave the sterile field and step into an adjacent control room, as well as supporting faster and better informed decision making.

Simplifying 3D imaging during interventional proceduresWith this next-generation Azurion platform, Philips is also introducing a new 3D imaging solution called SmartCT [2]. With SmartCT, users are guided through the image acquisition and can review and interact with the acquired CT-like 3D images on the tableside touch screen module using 3D visualization and measurement tools. These tools have been designed to support procedures in a range of clinical domains, including neurology, oncology, and cardiovascular procedures. The use of 3D imaging such as 3D RA or Cone Beam CT during interventional procedures has been shown to improve outcomes [3] and reduce radiation dose for both staff and patients [4].

Our aim as an innovation company and global market leader in image-guided therapy is to push the boundaries and set new industry standards for delivering an outstanding experience for clinicians, helping them to deliver superior care to every patient, said Ronald Tabaksblat, General Manager Image Guided Therapy Systems at Philips. This next-generation Azurion makes routine cardiovascular procedures more efficient and supports the development of new minimally-invasive techniques to treat complex diseases such as stroke, lung cancer and spine disorders.

"The integrated platform enables us to efficiently carry out complex interventions at any time using a wide range of functions such as IVUS and iFR co-registration, said Dr. med. Alexander Becker, head of the cardiac catheter laboratory at the Robert Bosch Hospital in Stuttgart, Germany, and one of the first hospitals to experience the new platform. The use of the control panel by the examiner is intuitive, combining different sources of information to make patient evaluation much easier and faster.

Seamless control and workflow during proceduresWith the new Azurion platform, clinicians can easily switch between imaging, physiology, hemodynamic and informatics applications, including SmartCT and IntraSight a comprehensive suite of clinically proven iFR, FFR, IVUS and co-registration modalities. Fully automatic position control enables clinicians to intuitively control the position of the gantry and table, as well as choosing from a wide range of stored parameters. The new Azurion also includes advanced cybersecurity features, new high-definition image display capabilities, and advanced remote and proactive services. The platform is available in three versions: complementing the Azurion 3 and 7 variants, Philips now also offers the Azurion 5 to facilitate even more tailored solutions to address specific customer needs. For more information visit http://www.philips.com/azurion.

[1] Based on Philips internal case and procedure data.[2] SmartCT is 510(k) pending and not available for sale in the USA.[3] Miyayama et al., Comparison of local control in transcatheter arterial chemoembolization of hepatocellular carcinoma 6 cm with or without intraprocedural monitoring of the embolized area using cone beam computed tomography, CVIR 2014.[4] Schott et al., Radiation dose in prostatic artery embolization using Cone Beam CT and 3D roadmap software, JVIR 2019.

For further information, please contact:

Mark GrovesPhilips Global Press OfficeTel: +31 631 639 916Email: mark.groves@philips.com

Twitter: mark_groves

Fabienne van der FeerPhilips Image Guided TherapyTel: +31 622 698 001Email: fabienne.van.der.feer@philips.com

Twitter: FC_Feer

About Royal Philips

Royal Philips (NYSE: PHG, AEX: PHIA) is a leading health technology company focused on improving people's health and enabling better outcomes across the health continuum from healthy living and prevention, to diagnosis, treatment and home care. Philips leverages advanced technology and deep clinical and consumer insights to deliver integrated solutions. Headquartered in the Netherlands, the company is a leader in diagnostic imaging, image-guided therapy, patient monitoring and health informatics, as well as in consumer health and home care. Philips generated 2019 sales of EUR 19.5 billion and employs approximately 81,000 employees with sales and services in more than 100 countries. News about Philips can be found atwww.philips.com/newscenter.

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Physiology

This 1988 Nobel Prize Winner is Responsible for Today’s Antiviral Treatments – Science Times

As coronavirus quickly spread throughout the world, infected millions, and continue to claim thousands of lives each day, medical experts across the globe began repurposing medication. By April, remdesivir, a drug that was used to treat Ebola, was used as antiviral treatment against the virus.

(Photo : Wikimedia Commons)

Antiviral drugs go back a few decades ago to a woman named Gertrude Elion, also known as Trudy, who was responsible for the reason scientists have developed so many antivirals today. Without her work, we may not have treatment for Ebola, HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, and many others.

In 1944, Elion was hired by George Hitchings, who owned the pharmaceutical company Burroughs Wellcome, which eventually became a part of GlaxoSmithKline. Twenty-three years later, after Hitchings retired from research, Elion went on an 'antiviral odyssey' on her own, which eventually led her to win the 1988 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.

She had come a long way as she struggled to get into a graduate program after studying chemistry at Hunter College due to financial hardships as a result of the Great Depression. At the time, most research laboratories would not hire women due to sexism and being told that she would only be 'a distracting influence' to male colleagues.

Elion persevered through temporary jobs to get through financially. She became a food analyst for a grocery company, worked at a doctor's office, and became a chemistry teacher in New York City high.

At the same time, she completed her master's degree at New York University. Before finally working at Burroughs Wellcome, she worked for Johnson & Johnson at the beginning of World War II since they were short on workers.

Before Elion's notable contributions to antiviral drugs, the first antibacterial treatment was penicillin. Alexander Fleminghad accidentally discovered the drug, which later on became a treatment for infections such as gonorrhea and pneumonia.

In 1952, surgeon and physiologist Henri Laboritbegan using chlorpromazine on patients. The anesthetic, he observed, had a calming effect from patients going through surgical shock during operations and helped those with schizophrenia.

During her time with Hitchings, Elion, and the rest of the company worked on proving the hypothesis that scientists could stop harmful cells from replicating after a viral infection. She was assigned to work on purines or chemical compounds, which she only understood after several months of research.

She soon made new compounds that no scientist could recognize. Marty. St. Clair, a virologist who worked for Elion years later, shared that "Trudy was making nucleosides before we even knew what the structure of DNA was."

READ: Remdesivir, a Direct-Acting Antiviral is Highly Potent in Inhibiting Coronavirus Replication, Study Says

Alongside Hitchings, they invented new drugs to treat conditions from bacterial infection, malaria, rheumatoid arthritis, leukemia, malfunctioning organs, and many other serious medical conditions. The first drug they developed was 6-mercaptopurine, which remains one of the treatments for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The last drug she developed was acyclovir, which inhibited herpes. Keith Jerome, from the University of Washington medical school, said, "Acyclovir was the drug that changed everything in the effort to develop effective antivirals."

Today, all antiviral treatment and developments have come from Trudy's work. With the current pandemic, medical experts believe that remdesivir could open the way to develop new drugs to treat coronavirus effectively.

READ NEXT: HIV and Antiviral Drugs Have Side-Effects on Coronavirus Patients and Do Not Cure Them, Scientists Say

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This 1988 Nobel Prize Winner is Responsible for Today's Antiviral Treatments - Science Times

Physiology

Peloton Introduces Health And Wellness Advisory Council – SGB Media

Peloton announced the formation of a Health and Wellness Advisory Council working closely with the brand to support the physical and mental well being of its members.

Peloton will collaborate with the council, which includes five doctors, researchers and medical professionals from the fields of cardiovascular medicine, cardiopulmonary exercise, neurology, and neuroscience, and draw on their expertise to inform product and content development, community-focused and social impact initiatives, research projects and more.

We constantly hear from our members that Peloton has not only profoundly impacted their physical, mental and emotional health, but has also helped them cope with issues ranging from neurodegenerative disease or cancer, to PTSD or post-partum depression, said William Lynch, president, Peloton. With the addition of this esteemed Health and Wellness Advisory Council, which includes some of the best minds in medicine, we can leverage scientific research and medical expertise to help us better serve our community through our content, products and platform.

The Peloton Health and Wellness Advisory Council includes the following experts:

Suzanne Steinbaum, Cardiologist, specializing in prevention with a practice in New York City encompassing heart health, wellness and prevention as well as the effects of stress and inflammation on heart health. She is the founder and President of SRSHeart, a lifestyle management program using anatomy, physiology, functional data, genetics, and metabolism, along with technology to reach cardiovascular health. She has been the Director of Womens Cardiovascular Prevention, Health and Wellness at Mt. Sinai Heart in New York City, after being the Director of Womens Heart Health at Northwell Lenox Hill. Dr. Steinbaum is a Fellow of the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association. She is a National Spokesperson for the Go Red for Women campaign and chairperson of the Go Red for Women in New York City. She is on the New York City Board of the American Heart Association and on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Womens Heart Alliance.

Richard S. Isaacson, Neurologist, Clinician and Researcher specializin in Alzheimers prevention and treatment. He previously served as Associate Professor of Clinical Neurology, Vice Chair of Education, and Education Director of the McKnight Brain Institute in the Department of Neurology at the University of Miami (UM) Miller School of Medicine. Prior to joining UM, he served as Associate Medical Director of the Wien Center for Alzheimers disease and Memory Disorders at Mount Sinai. Dr. Isaacson specializes in Alzheimers disease (AD) risk reduction and treatment, mild cognitive impairment due to AD and preclinical AD. His clinical research has shown that individualized clinical management of patients at risk for AD dementia is an important strategy for optimizing cognitive function and reducing risk of dementia. He has also published novel methods on using a precision medicine approach in real-world clinical practice. He has also led the development of Alzheimers Universe (AlzU.org) a vast online education research portal on AD with results published in the Journal of the Prevention of Alzheimers disease, Journal of Communication in Healthcare, Alzheimers & Dementia: Translational Research & Clinical Interventions, and Neurology. With a robust clinical practice and broad background in computer science, m-Health, biotechnology and web-development, Dr. Isaacson is committed to using technology and lifestyle interventions (such as physical exercise and nutrition) to optimize patient care, AD risk assessment and early intervention.

Vernon Williams, MD is the Founding Director of the Center for Sports Neurology and Pain Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute inLos Angeles, CA.Dr. Williams is a former Commissioner for the California State Athletic Commission and current Chair of Neurological Health for the Commissions Medical Advisory Committee, as well as a former two-term Chair of the American Academy of Neurology Sports Neurology Section. He serves as a neurological medical consultant to local professional sports organizations such as the Los Angeles Rams, Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Kings and Los Angeles Sparks. He also assists local colleges and numerous high school and youth sports/club athletic teams in this capacity. Dr. Williams is a board-certified clinical neurologist with very specialized areas of subspecialty:Sports NeurologyandPain Medicine. He is actively engaged in researching and developing innovative and effective treatments and technologies that help people recognize symptoms of a neurological injury sooner so that the work of treating them can happen faster, and with less potential for permanent damage. He passionately advocates for the optimization of Neurological Health across the lifespan for his patients and peak performance clients.

Aimee M. Layton, PhD is an Assistant Professor of Applied Physiology in Pediatrics in the Division of Pediatric Cardiology and the Director of the Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Exercise Laboratory at Columbia University Medical Center/New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Dr. Layton recently joined the pediatric cardiology team after being the director of the adult pulmonary exercise laboratory for a decade. This cross-discipline experience provides Dr. Layton with knowledge of both how the lungs and the heart respond to exercise and the role of disease and sports in both adults and kids. Dr. Laytons prior research investigated respiratory biomechanics, with publications in both diseased and healthy populations. Her new research focuses on bridging the gap between the lab and the home, in hopes of impacting kids behavior and relationship with exercise. Dr. Layton is a respected expert in clinical exercise physiology and has lectured internationally on the topic. Beyond her research, Dr. Layton has been performing exercise testing and counseling for both patients with lung disease and patients with heart disease. She plays an important role as one of the lead exercise physiologists for Columbia University Medical Center in testing, exercise counseling and research.

Jay Alberts, Ph.D. is a research scientist aimed at understanding the structure-function relationships within the central nervous system and evaluating the impact of behavioral and surgical interventions to improve motor and non-motor function in Parkinsons disease, stroke, Alzheimers, and other neurological populations. Human studies are currently ongoing to address these basic and translational research questions. Dr. Alberts is developing and validating new methods of using exercise and augmented and virtual reality to engage patient populations remotely. He is currently leading two multi-site clinical trials investigating the role of exercise in slowing the progression of Parkinsons disease. Dr. Alberts has led multiple successful technology initiatives aimed at better understanding patient symptoms and communicating these symptoms to providers. He is currently building AR and VR applications as prescriptive digital therapeutic systems for neurological patients. To date, Dr. Alberts has written 100 peer-reviewed articles, has had uninterrupted extramural funding since 1999, and holds 10 patents.

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Physiology

Better way found to judge if certain drugs work to cure cancer : The Asahi Shimbun – Asahi Shimbun

Researchers in Tokyo came upwith a promising new way to gauge the effectiveness of certain drugs used to treat cancer.

Ateam led by Hiroyoshi Nishikawa, who heads the Division of Cancer Immunology at the National Cancer Center in the capital's Chuo Ward, developed an indicator that more precisely allows doctors to judge whether anti-cancer drugs like Opdivo that utilizes the immune system to fight cancer cells are working.

These medicines are not only very expensive, but can also cause debilitating side effects. Determining the effectiveness of treatment early on offers patients the opportunity to try other drugs if Opdivo turns out to be the wrong choice.

The immune system has T cells that attack cancer cells as well regulatory T cells that restrict such attacks. Drugs such as Opdivo weaken the ability of cancer cells to suppress the action of T cells. Thiseffectively allows the cells to more aggressively fight the cancer cells.

Tasuku Honjo, an immunologist at Kyoto University, shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 2018 for his work in developing Opdivo.

A problem with drugs such as Opdivo is that they only work on about 20 to 30 percent of all cancer patients.

The team led by Nishikawa developed a way to preserve minute tissue samples in a fresh state and used the technique to look into the activity of molecules in cancer tissue taken from patients with lung and stomach cancer.

Using artificial intelligence, the team pinpointed the ideal combination of molecules on the surfaces of the cancer cell and various effector and regulatory T cells.

The researchers came up with an indicator to determine which patients would most likely benefit from cancer drugs, such as Opdivo, by searching for the proper balance in the molecules in the two types of T cells that restrain their attacks on cancer cells.

Samples from patients with the right ratio of molecules did not suffer a recurrence of the cancer cells even after 500 days. However, patients who did not have the right ratio experienced a relapse in about 100 days.

Nishikawa said his team would continue with the research to find an even more accurate method of determining which patients will benefit the most from certain drugs.

Indicators currently used on cancer cells only find that the drug is effective on about 40 percent of cancer patients, he said.

The results of the research were posted in the online version of the scientific journal Nature Immunology on Sept. 1.

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Better way found to judge if certain drugs work to cure cancer : The Asahi Shimbun - Asahi Shimbun

Physiology

Kentucky by Heart: Many Kentuckians have made their mark in fields of science and technology – User-generated content

By Steve FlairtyNKyTribune Columnist

Science and technology. . .in the Bluegrass State??

Over the years, Kentucky hasnt always been given credit for its part in the furtherance of science and technology in the U.S., but after I did a little research this week, I discovered that the state has some real credibility in the area. There are a goodly number of people born in Kentucky who have been, or are, important participants in the fields as scientists or inventors.

Dr. Lee Todd (Photo from University of Kentucky)

For sure, my research is quite limited, especially regarding women excelling in this area. I would love to hear from my readers offering an expanded list.

Ive had the joyful experience to cross paths a few times with Dr. Lee Todd, Jr., former University of Kentucky president, born in the small town of Earlington, in Hopkins County. Hes a real gentleman, humble and a good listener, and hes a tireless promoter of sci/tech as a way to move the state forward economically and lift its peoples quality of life. Ill mention only a few of his accomplishments here.While a masters and doctoral student at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), he received six patents for high resolution display technology. Under his leadership as UK president, the university was awarded a 25-million-dollar grant from the National Science Foundation to improve math and science education in eastern Kentucky. Check out his initiatives; there are plenty more.

Dr. Phillip Sharp was born in Falmouth, the county seat of Pendleton County. Interestingly, he worked the family tobacco fields while growing up there. In 1993, he became the co-winner, with Richard Roberts, of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in the field of RNA splicing. I previously profiled him in this KyForward column.

Isaac Chuang (Photo from MIT)

Awarded a degree in astronomy and astrophysics from Harvard, Louisville-born James Gilbert Baker (1914-2005) became a nationally known optical systems expert. He developed the Baker-Schmidt telescope and helped develop the Baker-Nunn camera, a series of twelve satellite tracking cameras. He also designed most of the lenses and cameras for Americas iconic U-2 spy plane.

Isaac Chuang is a native of Corbin and is recognized today as a pioneer in NMR quantum computing and has authored a primary reference book, along with Michael Neilsen, in the field of quantum information.

The president and chief executive officer of TWX Technologies, Rex Geveden, was born in western Kentucky, in Mayfield. Among many other high-profile positions, he formerly served as chief engineer at NASA.

Garrett A. Morgan (1877-1963), an African American, was born in Claysville, near Paris. His parents had been slaves. He became a well-known inventor, with his two most noted inventions being a three-position traffic signal and a smoke hood, which came before the gas mask. He pioneered some hair care products, too, and started a company with that line of products.

Garrett Morgon (Photo courtesy of Kentucky Monthly)

Besides Phillip Sharp, Kentucky had another winner of the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Thomas Hunt Morgan (1866-1945), Lexington, won it in 1933 for his work in finding how the role that the chromosome plays in heredity. Interestingly, his first degree came in 1886 from the State College of Kentucky (later became UK), and he was valedictorian of the class. See https://www.bluegrasstrust.org/dr-thomas-hunt-morgan-house for a modern day tribute to Morgan.

A couple Kentuckians won the highest of rewards in the field of chemistry. William Lipscomb was born in Cleveland, Ohio, but his family moved to Lexington when he was a child. Lipscomb was the 1976 Nobel Prize in Chemistry recipient, specializing in nuclear magnetic resonance, theoretical chemistry, boron chemistry, and biochemistry. The other Kentuckian, Robert H. Grubbs, hails proudly from Marshall County (midway between Possum Trot and Calvert City.) His mother was a schoolteacher and his father a diesel mechanic. Grubbs was the co-recipient of the 2005 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work in olefin metathesis. Along with many other recognitions, in 2017 he was elected a Foreign Member of the Royal Society.

J. Richard Gott is a professor of astrophysical sciences and gravitational physics at Princeton University. Born in Louisville, he is known for his work in time travel and the Doomsday argument.

NASAs first Mars program director, G. Scott Hubbard, is a Lexington native. He received NASAs highest honor, the Distinguished Service Medal, and is the founder of the agencys Astrobiology Institute. Terrence W. Wilcutt, from Russellville and a Western Kentucky University graduate, is a U.S. Marine Corp officer and astronaut, a veteran of four Space Shuttle missions. He also has received a number of awards from NASA, including the Exceptional Service, Outstanding Leadership, and Distinguished Service medals.

The first industrial robot, named Unimate, was invented by George Devol (1912-2011), who was born in Louisville. He also created a company called United Cinephone and became known for his accomplishments as Grandfather of Robotics.

Though his accomplishments regarding the mobile radio transmitter-receiver were limited, Murray-born Nathan Stubblefield (1868-1928) proved a real player in inventing useful products. He patented a lamp lighter and electric battery, along with improvements in the invention of the telephone.

George M. Whitesides, another scientist from Louisville, is another nationally noted chemist. He is best known for his work in the areas of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, organometallic chemistry, molecular self-assembly, soft lithography, microfabrication, microfluidics, and nanotechnology. He attained the highest Hirsh index rating of all living chemists in 2011.

And whether one considers it for good or bad consequences, U.S. army officer John T. Thompson, from Newport, invented the Thompson submachine gun (often referred to as the Tommy Gun). I previously profiled him in this column Kentucky by Heart: Inventor of submachine gun was NKy native; finding strength in challenging times KyForward.com.

Science and technology in the Bluegrass?? Yep, we have game, and have for quite a few years.

Sources: Wikipedia; The Kentucky Encyclopedia

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Kentucky by Heart: Many Kentuckians have made their mark in fields of science and technology - User-generated content