FDA Cautions About Accuracy Of Widely Used Abbott Coronavirus Test

The test has been promoted by the Trump administration as a key factor in controlling the epidemic in the U.S. and is used for the daily testing that is going on at the White House.

(Image credit: Carlos Osorio/AP)

* This article was originally published here

Aerobics may be a smart workout for your brain at any age

It's never too late to lace up some sneakers and work up a sweat for brain health, according to a new study. The study suggests older adults, even couch potatoes, may perform better on certain thinking and memory tests after just six months of aerobic exercise.

* This article was originally published here

Sen. Braun On COVID-19 Concerns And Whether Indiana Reopen Too Soon

NPR's Rachel Martin speaks with Republican Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana who was among a panel of senators that questioned the nation's top public health officials at a Senate hearing on Tuesday.

* This article was originally published here

Genes may play a role in weight gain from birth control

A woman's genetic make-up may cause her to gain weight when using a popular form of birth control.

* This article was originally published here

Why is UnitedHealth rebating insurance premiums?

Tell me something good!

It’s no surprise why auto insurers like State Farm and Geico are sending rebates to customers this spring and summer. No one’s driving, so accident claims are way down and insurers are paying out very little. No one expects drivers to make up for lost time by crashing their cars more often once they return to the roads. That means a dollar saved now on claims is a dollar saved forever. Insurance companies and state insurance commissioners realize this, too and that’s why the rebates are coming.

But you might be surprised that health insurers, starting with UnitedHealth are beginning to do the same thing. United is offering a 5 to 20 percent credit on June billing statements, which is the same order of magnitude as the auto insurers.

So the questions are:

1. Aren’t insurers spending a fortune on the surge of COVID-19 patients as they overwhelm the medical system?
2. What about the coming surge of deferred elective surgeries and the ‘train wrecks’ with acute or chronic conditions that have stayed away from the emergency room and doctor’s office? Won’t insurers need the money to pay for those when they return?

And the answers?

Insurers are spending a lot on some COVID-19 patients. Big bills are rolling in for hospitalized patients, especially those that land in the ICU and are on ventilators for weeks. But even though a lot of people are sick, it’s only the hospitalized patients that incur expenses. With no costly outpatient or drug treatments, overall COVID-19 costs are not so high. Also, many of these patients are older (Medicare) or poorer (Medicaid), not in United’s commercial markets, where the rebates are focused.

Other than COVID-19, the medical system is eerily quiet. Essentially the only other bills are for telemedicine, some cancer treatments, and medications for chronic illness.

We do hear about a coming ‘second wave’ of non-COVID-19 patients later this year as hospitals reschedule elective surgeries, people who have been avoiding the emergency room come back in worse shape, and chronic care patients incur more intensive treatments after declining.

These assumptions are driven by a combination of what seems like common sense, clinician desires to help patients, and wishful thinking by hospital financial chiefs.

But UnitedHealth knows something that others don’t: utilization and costs are not going to rise as fast as people assume. So insurers are getting out ahead of it before regulators, the ACA medical loss ratio requirements, and public opinion force their hand.

I wrote a letter to the Boston Globe a week ago critiquing the conventional wisdom. Looks like they aren’t publishing the letter, so I’m posting it here.

After the surge: Hospitals prep to bring back regular patients while virus cases linger (Front page, May 3) describes how hospitals are gearing up to work through the backlog of canceled appointments and procedures. Hospitals assume that there will be tremendous, pent up demand for their services. They are looking forward to getting back to normal with cases that pay the bills.  They will be in for a rude surprise, however, because many people will continue to stay away. Instead patients will use telemedicine, pursue less aggressive treatments, or just wait for time to heal what ails them. For years, healthcare experts and insurers have known that hospital care is over-utilized and sometimes dangerous. Now  COVID-19 has done what co-pays, deductibles and hospital safety reports never could –keep patients away.  It’s no surprise that elective procedures and routine visits have plummeted. After all, hospitals canceled them. Surprisingly, the use of emergency rooms in Boston for strokes, heart attacks and appendicitis has also dropped by half during the emergency.  Many emergency patients will return, but those with common issues like back pain and rashes will think twice or three times before coming in. Patients who are due for colonoscopies or mammograms will put them off even longer than usual.

---

By healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of Health Business Group.

The post Why is UnitedHealth rebating insurance premiums? appeared first on Health Business Group.

* This article was originally published here

Should meat plants reopen? #CareTalk tackles this meaty topic

In the latest episode of #CareTalk, CareCentrix CEO John Driscoll and I talk about whether it’s right to make meat plants reopen. We also ponder  whether public health after #COVID19 will look like security after 9/11. As if that wasn’t enough for one episode, we tacked on a debate on why emergency room use has plummeted and whether telehealth is here to stay.

If you like what you see, remember to subscribe.

The post Should meat plants reopen? #CareTalk tackles this meaty topic appeared first on Health Business Group.

* This article was originally published here

U.K. Airlines, Airports Fear 'Devastating Impact' Of Possible Quarantine Rules

Trade groups expect the British government to roll out new coronavirus travel restrictions on Sunday, including a quarantine for out-of-country arrivals. And they're already pushing back publicly.

(Image credit: Ben Stansall/AFP via Getty Images)

* This article was originally published here

Ginger Turmeric Squash Soup

A hearty and comforting soup with a definite kick, this Ginger Turmeric Squash Soup will is guaranteed to make you feel warm inside, whether you decide to eat it hot, or cold!

Yeah, I know, I’ve been loving on squash a lot lately, and you’re probably thinking: “Geez lady, enough with the squash already!”

Truth is, I bought a trio of nice big ones last time I went to the grocery store: one huge spaghetti squash and 2 good-sized butternut. With the current situation, I try not to get out of the house too often, so it’s been almost two weeks since I last went shopping for food. Since squash keeps for so long, they were among the last items to be used up, and when their turn finally came, I decided to go all out and baked all 3 at the same time. So yeah, I’ve got leftover cooked squash galore in the fridge!

What better way to use up squash leftovers than by turning them into soup? It’s super easy and in just minutes, you get to enjoy a delicious, piping hot bowl of soup. But even if you didn’t have cooked squash in the fridge, you could very well make this soup with uncooked, cubed squash. I’ll show you…

Before you get started though, let me just give you a little warning: this soup, it packs some serious heat! Ginger does have a bit of an intense bite to it, and combined with the black pepper and turmeric, trust me, you can totally feel the heat! If you’re not a fan, you might want to use less ginger and maybe consider leaving the ground black pepper out.

You can always add more later, if you wish… it’s easier to add than to remove!

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The post Ginger Turmeric Squash Soup appeared first on The Healthy Foodie.

* This article was originally published here

Light and Fluffy Vegan Pancakes

Quick and easy to make, these Light and Fluffy Vegan Pancakes are the ultimate comforting Sunday breakfast! Guaranteed to please everyone – no one will never know they’re made with whole wheat flour!

I’ll give it to you, pancakes are probably not the best breakfast option one could go for, nutrition-wise… But sometimes, you know, one finds themselves in need of a good old plain, comforting, lazy Sunday morning breakfast. And I don’t think anything fits that description quite better than a stack of warm, fluffy pancakes covered with a generous pour of pure liquid gold, aka, maple syrup!

And sometimes, well, you gotta indulge a little… so when that craving for a comforting breakfast hits me, those delicious light and fluffy vegan pancakes are just the thing! And plus, I have removed some of the guilt and made a bit healthier by adding whole wheat flour to them; but really, they are so totally yummy and fluffy and light and airy and moist, that no one will even notice that at all…

On top of being utterly delicious, this pancake recipe is also super quick and easy to make. I get the feeling you will love it just as much as I do; in fact, it’s probably about to become your new go-to… And you’ll probably want to know it by heart, too!

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The post Light and Fluffy Vegan Pancakes appeared first on The Healthy Foodie.

* This article was originally published here

Unraveling one of prion disease's deadly secrets

A professor of biochemistry and molecular biology report an unanticipated role for prion nucleation seeds that enhances their ability to appear and resist curing.

* This article was originally published here

Novel device to improve performance of underactive bladders

Researchers have developed a new device that can monitor bladder volume in real-time and effectively empty the bladder.

* This article was originally published here

Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo

A creamy, cheesy Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo Sauce that not only is crazy tasty, easy and quick to make, but also happens to be super good for you? Oh yes, it exists! And this? is it!

Fettuccine Alfredo is one of those classic recipes that need no introduction… I mean, who isn’t familiar with this super comforting, creamy, cheesy, garlicky pasta dish, and who hasn’t granted it top spots on their list of favorite foods?

Unfortunately, as delicious as it may be, this cream, butter and cheese laden classic isn’t the best choice one could make, nutrition-wise…

Luckily, this vegan version does much better for your body, without even asking you to compromise on anything at all! It’s crazy rich and creamy, mega cheezy and garlicky, super smooth and silky and every ounce as decadent and comforting as its dairy loaded counterpart.

The real kicker though, is that this healthier version is quicker, and easier to make than the real deal… I’m telling you, there’s nothing not to love about this recipe.

Even non-vegans will be all over it!

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The post Vegan Fettuccine Alfredo appeared first on The Healthy Foodie.

* This article was originally published here

Tracking The Pandemic: How Quickly Is The Coronavirus Spreading State By State?

View our map and graphics to see where COVID-19 is hitting hardest in the U.S., which state outbreaks are growing the fastest and which are leveling off.

(Image credit: Connie Hanzhang Jin/NPR)

* This article was originally published here

Stand up! How I’m incorporating a balance board into my home office routine

A few years back I heard that sitting is the new smoking. That concerned me, since I’m the type that tends to stay glued to my seat throughout the workday, especially when working from home. Some colleagues and clients have standing desks –or even treadmill desks!– but they never appealed to me.

The Apple Watch has been helpful in encouraging me to stand up. While I ignore most of its other prompts (like the suggestion to Breathe) I am quite responsive to the notification I get 10 minutes before the top of the hour, imploring me to stand up at least once before the clock strikes.

Recently, FluidStance offered to let me test out its Plane balance board, billed as a product that brings “movement and happiness to your workplace.” Bottom line: I like it and  you might, too.

The board itself. (Blue part is the bottom but it’s attractive enough that I thought it might be the top!)

With #COVID19 in the air, I don’t get a lot of excitement. So it’s always a highlight to receive a package on the doorstep. The balance board came in a long, thin box; when I opened it up I was impressed with the cloth backpack. I felt pretty cool carrying it up to my home office past my teenagers!

Dad is so cool!

It took me a couple minutes to figure out which end was up. (I got it wrong at first.) And my initial joy was tempered when I read the label on the board.

WARNING, USE AT YOUR OWN RISK! This product creates an unstable surface. Use of this product may result in injury or death. Use at your own risk.

Till death do us part!

Injury I can live with. But death? Even if sitting is the new smoking (and that’s actually controversial) death is still the old death!

Although my balance is good, I’ve never had much luck with skateboards, wakeboards, surfboards of anything kind of board. I was particularly good with the pogo stick as a kid, however.

I need not have worried, because the FluidStance board is really easy to balance on. If you do fall off, it’s about 3 inches so no biggie! It does provide a nice stimulus –better than just standing on the floor, and it’s easy to swivel around, too, should the temptation strike you.

I didn’t want to risk messing up my hardwood floor, so I put a mat under my chair. It protects the floor but does make it a little harder to swivel. When I’m not standing (which is still most of the time) I put my feet on it and use it as a footrest.

I’ve always done audio conference calls, but the pandemic seems to be pushing what would have been in-person meetings and even many phone calls into the video realm. Since I’m not even walking from one conference room to another, I’m sitting even more and am making an effort to stand.

The balance board is good to stand on during conference calls, but it presents a couple of challenges. For audio, I’m a bit far from the speaker phone –but I’ve checked with others and my sound seems good. But for video calls my head ends up out of camera range, even if I tilt the monitor up. I could probably do something about that with a webcam or mounting my laptop on a shelf, but I haven’t. These are minor annoyances but it means I don’t use the board as much as I might like to.

I’m not sure whether there are measurable benefits from using the balance board, but in any event I do like it and plan to keep using it. The literature that came with the deck said, “We aim to blur the lines between work and play, making work a more fluid and natural part of our whole lives.” I can feel that.

The FluidStance product is very well built. It’s solid, attractive and durable. Built in California, it’s well positioned to ride the de-globalization that seems likely post-COVID.

I recommend it.

—–

By healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of Health Business Group.

The post Stand up! How I’m incorporating a balance board into my home office routine appeared first on Health Business Group.

* This article was originally published here

Where did all the emergencies go?

Do you need me?

When COVID-19 hit, hospitals knew they would see a decline in elective surgeries and routine visits. After all, they canceled them! But the volume of patients visiting the emergency room has also dropped dramatically, and no one can seem to fully explain it. Sure, maybe we could expect fewer car crashes and skiing injuries. But heart attacks and strokes? If anything it seems like those numbers should be going up due to higher stress levels. Yet, the analyses in cardiac care during the pandemic show a sharp decline not only in elective cardiac procedures, but also in cardiac catheterizations for acute heart attacks, specifically, those with ST segment elevations – the most life threatening type.  

Conventional wisdom tells us that the drop in ER visits is a bad thing. Patients must be dying at home, outcomes must be worsening, and the patients that do survive will show up as train wrecks once the pandemic subsides. Those assumptions are probably true to a certain extent, but the open question is how true?   Acute conditions and complications warrant acute care.  But in the routine care of behavioral health and other chronic conditions such as diabetes and hypertension, extensive overuse of the emergency room rather than other ambulatory settings has been a prime area of concern and debate for several years.  

We know that ERs are overused in normal times. And we think they’re underused now during the pandemic, but to what extent should be analyzed and debated as we inform the necessary adaptation of our systems of care.  We expect to see an incredible amount of variation in ER utilization as the situation unfolds, by specific patient populations, urban vs rural settings, and geography-specific COVID-19 case burden. 

We are encouraged that Datavant has convened a wide variety of industry players to construct a COVID-19 Research Database, a set of de-identified data sets made freely available to enable rapid studies at scale.  The new initiative fills an important gap between quick observations that are available from small sets of real world data and clinical trials, which are robust but slow.

The ER phenomenon we’re discussing is not completely unprecedented. Researchers (and ER staff) have long observed the ‘big game effect’ – where ER visits decline as people defer them to watch their favorite team. (The Health Business Blog first reported on it in 2005: Red Sox’ success eases health care crisis.) Some, but not all, of those visits are avoided entirely without negative consequences. The COVID-19 pandemic provides an opportunity for a much longer time series. Let’s use it as a chance to study what’s going on so we can apply the lessons learned as we emerge.

What could explain sustained, lower utilization of the ER? There are a few possibilities:

1. Many seemingly serious problems resolve on their own when people just wait. If people avoid the ER out of fear, the ‘tincture of time’ will often do the job.
2. Less aggressive ambulatory settings are proving effective: the physician’s office, a telehealth visit, or home remedies.
3. The momentum and logic of the ER setting makes matters seem more serious than they really are. Once someone appears there’s always something to find. (As a doctor colleague once told me, “Show me someone who’s perfectly healthy and I’ll give him a full workup to demonstrate otherwise.”)
4. The ER is the entry point for admission to the hospital. Under fee for service, hospitals need to admit patients to make money. Depending on the proportion of available beds during these uncertain times, hospitals may be even more economically motivated than usual to fill open beds. So, once a patient arrives, they may be staying.
5. A significant portion of ER traffic is composed of so-called ‘frequent fliers.’ Usually, they are tolerated, but in the current environment, ER staff are motivated to triage non-COVID-19 patients away from the hospital as efficiently as possible. Once this becomes evident, the ‘frequent fliers’ ground themselves.
6. How many times have you called your doctor’s office or pharmacy and heard the recording say, “If this is a medical emergency, hang up and dial 9-1-1”? That definitely got people used to the idea that the ER is a good place for care. Clearly people are ignoring that messaging now!

So what should we do with this unexpected information?

1. More finely tune financial incentives to discourage unneeded utilization while not discouraging needed care. We know from experience that bluntly requiring large patient financial contributions drive down both good and bad utilization.
2. Educate people about the downside of ER visits (infection risk, treatment that’s too aggressive, likelihood of admission to hospital, provider that doesn’t know you) to balance out the current bias for ER care. People will be more receptive now and won’t immediately think that health plans are only trying to ration their care. 
3. Consider other changes in benefit design to help the decreased utilization persist, including increased access and reimbursement for home services, telehealth, and remote management tools.
4. Encourage physician offices and others to make better efforts to intervene quickly and prevent people from going to the ER just for convenience. This could include on-demand availability of telehealth consultations and other digital/remote management for which they would be reimbursed.

—–

By healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of Health Business Group and Surya Singh MD, president of Singh Healthcare Advisors.

The post Where did all the emergencies go? appeared first on Health Business Group.

* This article was originally published here

Calif. Governor Expected To Order Closure Of All Beaches And State Parks

After large crowds cooled off along the shoreline last weekend, Gov. Gavin Newsom warned that type of behavior would put the state's progress battling the coronavirus in jeopardy.

(Image credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP)

* This article was originally published here

Higher thrombus risk in men with obesity in adolescence

Men with a history of obesity in their late teens are, in adult life are more at risk of a blood clot (thrombus) in a leg or lung, according to a new study. The risk rises successively and is highest in those who were severely obese in adolescence.

* This article was originally published here

Antibiotic exposure can 'prime' single-resistant bacteria to become multidrug-resistant

Researchers report that, for a bacterial pathogen already resistant to an antibiotic, prolonged exposure to that antibiotic not only boosted its ability to retain its resistance gene, but also made the pathogen more readily pick up and maintain resistance to a second antibiotic and become a dangerous, multidrug-resistant strain.

* This article was originally published here

Observer quotes David Williams on Tesla’s prospects during pandemic

Car sales are plummeting around the globe, yet Tesla sales –and its stock– are holding up for now.  It’s not exactly a healthcare story, but the Observer cited David Williams as a source anyway, in Tesla Seems Immune to Coronavirus’ Blow to Automobile Sales –But Is It?

“Although Tesla is not completely insulated from the downturn, I do believe that their situation is unique and they will be able to sell everything they make,” David Williams, president of Health Business Group, a management consulting firm, told Observer. Last week, Williams placed an order for a Tesla Model Y, “even though I don’t know when it will arrive or what the economy will be like at that time,” he said. “It’s a combination of wanting something fun and innovative and wanting to reduce my carbon footprint. I think my situation is typical of Tesla customers.”

The post Observer quotes David Williams on Tesla’s prospects during pandemic appeared first on Health Business Group.

* This article was originally published here

Tracking The Pandemic: How Quickly Is The Coronavirus Spreading State By State?

View our map and graphics to see where COVID-19 is hitting hardest in the U.S., which state outbreaks are growing the fastest and which are leveling off.

(Image credit: Daniel Wood/NPR)

* This article was originally published here

Comforting Spaghetti Squash Soup

Move over noodles, Spaghetti Squash Soup is here! Deliciously hearty and comforting, it’s the perfect meal to make you feel better inside and out when winter refuses to go…

It’s been so cold and snowy these past few days, I often catch myself wishing that I was still in Costa Rica!!! Trust me, I’d much rather be on the beach right now. Well, if the beaches weren’t all closed, that is…

But, there’s a positive side to this unusually cold weather: it gave me the perfect excuse to whip up a huge batch of soup! Seriously, can your think of anything more comforting and soul warming than a piping hot bowl of soup when winter is acting up?

Since I’d just baked a nice big spaghetti squash the day before and had tons of leftover, I decided to throw that into the soup, in place of noodles. Whoa! What a brilliant idea that was! Now, not only is this soup crazy delicious, but it’s also a veritable nutrition powerhouse!

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The post Comforting Spaghetti Squash Soup appeared first on The Healthy Foodie.

* This article was originally published here

Oven Baked Spaghetti Squash

So very easy to make and so deliciously tasty, Oven Baked Spaghetti Squash might very well become your favorite side dish or pasta replacement!

I remember when I was a kid, I used to totally despise spaghetti squash…

I wasn’t really big on squash period back then, but spaghetti squash, I particularly didn’t care for; I found it to be bland, tasteless, boring and I also wasn’t a fan of its somewhat strange texture. Mostly, though, I think that I disliked it mainly because it was used as a replacement for one of my favorite food items in the whole wide world: pasta!

But now that I’m all grown up, I’ve completely changed my mind about this fascinating vegetable. Not only do I ADORE its very unique, stringy nature, but I’m totally in love with its delicate, slightly nutty and buttery flavor.

Still, I rarely use it as pasta replacement, though. I much prefer to enjoy it as is, in all its glory!

I like to cook my Spaghetti Squash pretty much the same way I do my famous Oven Roasted Butternut Squash: roasted slowly in a hot oven until its flesh caramelizes a little bit and turns a beautiful shade of golden brown. Not only is the method super easy, but it also gives the squash a wonderfully delicious flavor, not to mention strikingly jaw dropping and mouthwatering good looks!

The only real tricky part, if there is one, is in slicing that squash open… but even that, you’ll see, isn’t all that hard at all!

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The post Oven Baked Spaghetti Squash appeared first on The Healthy Foodie.

* This article was originally published here

Helping the heart heal itself

Scientists have discovered a protein that works with others during development to put the brakes on cell division in the heart.

* This article was originally published here

Link between obesity and sleep loss

Can staying up late make you fat? Researchers found the opposite to be true when they studied sleep in worms: It's not the sleep loss that leads to obesity, but rather that excess weight can cause poor sleep.

* This article was originally published here

Antibodies could provide new treatment for OCD

Mental health conditions such as obsessive compulsive disorder could be treated in a new way using drugs that target the immune system, research suggests.

* This article was originally published here

Easy Vegan Tofu Scrambled “Eggs”

A quick, easy and delicious vegan alternative to Scrambled Eggs, this Eggy Tofu Scramble truly is the ultimate replacement. In fact, it’s so good you might even prefer it to the real deal!

When I said that I missed tofu, while in Costa Rica, it was mainly for this reason: Tofu Scrambled Eggs! This is definitely the one tofu dish that I missed the most.

Not that I minded eating a big plate of Gallo Pinto or avocado toasts most every morning, but sometimes, I would get a crazy craving for this, and there was just no way of satisfying it… So yeah, call me weird but it’s one of the first things I whipped up upon my return.

Funny thing is I never used to be a fan of scrambled eggs; I much preferred my eggs sunny side up, thank you very much. But now that I am vegan, this is the closest thing to eggs that I can in the morning, and believe it or not, I happen to find this tofu scramble even better than the real deal… I find the texture to be much more pleasant, for one, and well, so is the flavor!

If you are skeptical — even if you are not vegan — I urge you to give this recipe a try… I’m just about ready to bet that you too, will become a complete convert, and might get crazy cravings for it when you least expect it!

What have you got to lose? It takes mere minutes to make and costs practically nothing. Well, that’s if you’ve already got some Kala Namak — which you absolutely need if you’re gonna do this right — but if you don’t, you should totally get some. It’s fairly easy to find online and a little goes a long way, so it will last you a very long time.

That’s if you don’t start sprinkling it on everything…

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The post Easy Vegan Tofu Scrambled “Eggs” appeared first on The Healthy Foodie.

* This article was originally published here

Mysterious tuft cells found to play role in pancreatitis

Scientists have uncovered the formation of tuft cells during pancreatitis and the surprising role of these cells in immunity, using mouse models of pancreatitis. The findings could lead to the development of new biomarkers to test for pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.

* This article was originally published here

Genomics used to estimate Samoan population dynamics over 3,000 years

A new study estimating the size of the Samoan population using contemporary genomic data found that the founding population remained low for the first 1,500 years of human settlement, contributing to understanding the evolutionary context of the recent rise in obesity and related diseases.

* This article was originally published here

Let the porn industry reopen the economy

Give the people what they want!

We’ve heard it over and over again. We can’t reopen the economy until we have a robust testing process in place for #coronavirus. Employees need to be tested frequently so they can return to work and stay on the job without infecting others and causing the whole worksite to have to close down and stay shut.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump, the CDC and much of the rest of the federal government have demonstrated sustained incompetence on getting testing going. Countries like Germany and China are organizing testing programs and restarting their economies.

Obviously we aren’t Asia or Europe. We need an American solution! And we need an adult in the room.

The obvious answer is to enlist the adult film industry in returning the economy to normalcy. The industry has operated a testing system successfully for years to stave off threats of infections from HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases.

From Rewire.News

The [Free Speech Coalition] took over managing sexual health protocols for the mainstream, straight porn world in 2011. It has since developed a set of testing guidelines known as the Performer Availability Screening Services (PASS) system. The guidelines have shifted over the years, but as of today, performers in the system test every two weeks for HIV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, Hepatitis B and C, and trichomoniasis at a handful of clinics that partner with the FSC. If performers test positive for any non-HIV infection, a central database visible to agents, studios, and other performers automatically flags them as unavailable for work until they test negative. It also flags them if they have gone more than two weeks without being tested…

Unlike old systems of bringing copies of a recent test to a set, this database system protects performers’ real identities and medical information—and prevents test doctoring to hide results, an issue that has led to outbreaks of STIs like syphilis in the past.

Here is some background from the PASS website. Forgot about the titillating nature of the work for a moment. Replace “performer” with employee and there you have it. Why wouldn’t we want the same thing for other workplaces?

Performer Availability Scheduling Services provides guidelines and services for the adult production industry designed to ensure a safe and healthy work environment of performers and adult film professionals. The program includes:

1. A series of nationwide testing sites providing low cost, high-quality testing in a timely manner

2. Performers have electronic access to testing results directly from labs

3. Variety of medical providers for treatment of performers in need of medical follow-up

4. Consistent standards and guidelines for testing and treatment of adult performers

5. A secure database that ensures performer privacy and protects producer liability

6. Protocol for performer support in the event of a positive HIV test result, including funding for testing of 1st and 2nd generation partners

It’s time for Dr. Fauci to team up with stars of the adult film industry to replace the President’s daily briefing with a more informative, entertaining and productive replacement.

Strange times make for strange bedfellows. So be it!

—-

By healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of Health Business Group.

The post Let the porn industry reopen the economy appeared first on Health Business Group.

* This article was originally published here

Antiviral drug baloxavir reduces transmission of flu virus among ferrets

Baloxavir treatment reduced transmission of the flu virus from infected ferrets to healthy ferrets, suggesting that the antiviral drug could contribute to the early control of influenza outbreaks by limiting community-based viral spread.

* This article was originally published here

Creamy No-Bake Mocha Chocolate Vegan Cheesecake

A truly heavenly dessert that contains nothing but wholesome ingredients, this sinfully creamy Mocha Chocolate Vegan Cheesecake will totally blow your mind!

While in Costa Rica, there are a couple of things that I truly missed. One of them was tofu — call me weird, but I happen to love the stuff and not only is it very hard to find over there, but their firm tofu is the equivalent of our silky; so yeah… not very good for cooking! — and the other one was baking and creating yummy desserts! I just never found myself in a proper set-up for that…

I ended up getting back home not long before my birthday, and then Easter was just a handful of days later. With cheesecake being my favorite dessert in the whole wide world — the only one thing I truly miss since going vegan — and well, chocolate and Easter being so totally inseparable, I didn’t have to think very long before deciding that I was going to whip some kind of a Vegan Chocolate Cheesecake for the occasions.

The plan was to make the cake for my birthday — which I had to spend confined at home — and that should’ve given ample time to share the recipe with you in time for Easter, but then life got in the way, I had to get my water pump fixed instead, yay-fun-NOT, I’ll spare you the details… and so plans had to change!

But I still made the cake — boy ô boy, be happy that I did! — and I’m still sharing the recipe with you today! In time for next year’s Easter!

Joking aside, you can totally make this cake for just about any occasion, no need to wait for your birthday, or for Easter. And while it might look like it’s super complicated and seems like it would take forever to make, know that it really isn’t that hard at all, and that it comes together fairly quickly, too.

But honestly, the only thing you really need to know is that this heavenly cake is sinfully delicious. And yes, one can totally use the words heavenly AND sinfully together in the same breath. This cake is living proof of that! What’s more, you’ll never believe that it’s made with nothing but healthy stuff and wholesome ingredients.

Oh, and whoever you share it with will love you for the rest of their life!

(more…)

The post Creamy No-Bake Mocha Chocolate Vegan Cheesecake appeared first on The Healthy Foodie.

* This article was originally published here

Tumors hijack the cell death pathway to live

Cancer cells avoid an immune system attack after radiation by commandeering a cell signaling pathway that helps dying cells avoid triggering an immune response, a new study suggests.

* This article was originally published here

Researchers describe possible mechanism for link between obesity and breast cancer

It is widely accepted that higher levels of body fat increase the risk of developing breast cancer, as well as other cancers. A new article proposes a unique theory that a protein secreted by fat cells drives the development of breast cancer.

* This article was originally published here

Now metal surfaces can be instant bacteria killers

Engineers have created a laser treatment method that could potentially turn any metal surface into a rapid bacteria killer -- just by giving the metal's surface a different texture.

* This article was originally published here

Light driven proton pump in distant relative

Researchers investigated the group of microorganisms classified as Asgard archaea, and found a protein in their membrane which acts as a miniature light-activated pump. The schizorhodopsin protein draws protons into the organisms' body. This research could lead to new biomolecular tools to control the pH in cells or microorganisms, and possibly more.

* This article was originally published here

False-negative COVID-19 test results may lead to false sense of security

A new article calls attention to the risk posed by overreliance on COVID-19 testing to make clinical and public health decisions. The sensitivity of reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing and overall test performance characteristics have not been reported clearly or consistently in medical literature, the article says.

* This article was originally published here

Easy Comforting Vegan Stew

This Comforting Vegan Stew is super easy to make and only uses super simple ingredients that you probably keep in your fridge and pantry all the time…

I’m back from Costa Rica, people… or well, at least my body is! I definitely left my heart somewhere over there, buried at the foot of some majestic palm tree, right next to a fallen coconut. But as much as I’d have wanted to stay there forever, I had to come back, and even earlier than initially planned.

Truth is, I have been back for almost 2 weeks now, confined at home as is required by law, but it’s been such a strange return that I’ve been in a mixed state of shock and confusion ever since I got home. I don’t quite know what to do with myself. Or what to feed myself, for that matter.

All I can say is that comfort food ranks really high on my list of coveted sustenance. But when circumstances make it kinda hard to even stock the fridge and pantry, one has to keep things simple!

Well, good thing is it doesn’t come much simpler than this uncomplicated Comforting Vegan Stew. It calls for very basic ingredients that we all have at home, at practically any given time.

And it comes together pretty quickly, too! Not that lack of time really is an issue, these days… but hey. Quick is never a bad thing!

Leaves more time for meditating…

(more…)

The post Easy Comforting Vegan Stew appeared first on The Healthy Foodie.

* This article was originally published here

Cancer mutation in dual role

Analyses of cell signals provide insight into the origin of severe inflammatory symptoms that appear in various types of blood cancer and point to possible therapeutic approaches: In around one-fourth of patients suffering from juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML), there is evidence of mutations in the so-called KRAS gene in the leukemia cells. Patients affected by JMML carrying these mutations suffer particularly often from signs of inflammation, such as fever, weight loss, and an abnormal enlargement of the spleen. It was previously unknown how the sometimes severe inflammatory symptoms are connected with the cancer.

* This article was originally published here

Why don’t we have more hospital beds, doctors and ventilators?

Fact: The US spends much more on healthcare than other rich countries but has fewer hospital beds and doctors. That’s hurting us now as we battle COVID-19. In this podcast, Carecentrix CEO John Driscoll and I explain what’s going on and what we can do about it.

The post Why don’t we have more hospital beds, doctors and ventilators? appeared first on Health Business Group.

* This article was originally published here

New algorithm aims to protect surgical team members against infection with COVID-19 virus

Researchers have created an algorithm that aims to protect operating room team members who perform urgent and emergency operations from COVID-19.

* This article was originally published here

Using sponges to wipe out cancer

Manzamine A, a natural product derived from certain groups of sponges, can block the growth of cervical cancer cells, report researchers. Manzamine A targets a protein that is highly expressed in many cancers, including cervical cancer, and is the first reported inhibitor of this protein.

* This article was originally published here

Shoppers In Mexico Are Panic-Buying Beer During The Coronavirus Crisis

To the shock of many, alcoholic beverage production was listed as a nonessential business during the shutdown to aid social distancing. Then came the beer hoarding.

(Image credit: Julio Cesar Aguilar/AFP via Getty Images)

* This article was originally published here

Trump Reelection Team Aims To Use COVID-19 To Rewrite Narrative

As the Trump administration ramps up its response to the coronavirus, many in the president's reelection campaign see the outbreak as a chance to double down on his "America First" agenda.

* This article was originally published here

The Coronavirus Doesn't Discriminate, But U.S. Health Care Showing Familiar Biases

Most available coronavirus data doesn't include ethnic or racial demographics, but public health experts say they fear the response to the pandemic will lead to predictable health care disparities.

(Image credit: Ken Morris/Meharry Medical College)

* This article was originally published here

The discovery of new compounds for acting on the circadian clock

Scientists have succeeded in the discovery of novel compounds to lengthen the period of the circadian clock, and has shed light on their mechanisms of action.

* This article was originally published here

How to get Noom for free

Noom combines an app with human coaching to help people lose weight and keep it off. The company’s typical user loses 7.5% of body weight over the course of a four month program.  Customers are joining like crazy, and revenue quadrupled last year.

After hearing about Noom on NPR late last year I signed up, paying $44.99 per month. To put it in perspective, that’s almost twice what I pay for my gym. Plus, my health insurer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts actually reimburses me for three months of gym membership.

And that got me thinking, if Blue Cross pays for me to stay fit at the gym, maybe they would pay for my weight loss program as well. After all, trimmer people cost insurers less money. So I called Blue Cross and they told me they actually do cover weight loss plans, the same way they cover gym memberships.

Once I found out about the benefit, it was incredibly simple to get reimbursed. I typed in some basic information online, uploaded my Noom receipt –and today I received a check for the full amount of my Noom membership. No co-pays, no deductibles, no negotiated discount!

Online form

It wasn’t easy to find, though, so I’m writing this post to give others a heads up. Here’s where I had to go on the Blue Cross site to find the benefit:

• Login> My plans> Plan Details> Plan Benefits> Benefit Details> Routine Adult Physical Exams Covered By Your Plan

Where’s Weight Loss?

Buried at the bottom of a run-on paragraph with no line breaks, I found the following run-on section with weird punctuation and a typo:

Weight Loss Benefit – you and your covered family members can be reimbursed for up to 3 months of participation fees paid to a weight loss program that is hospital-based; or one that is non-hospital-based program focused on eating and physical activity habits, and behavioral/lifestyle counseling with certified health professionals (in-person, by phone, or online). You can request this reimbursement once each calendar year; requests must be submitted by March 31 of the following year.

Bingo! (Although can someone explain why on earth this would be in the physical exams benefit?)

Noom isn’t specifically mentioned, but when I called Blue Cross they assured me the company was on the list. They also told me my call was being recorded in case I was denied and wanted to complain later! That was comforting.

Anyway, the moral of this story is to check with your health plan to see if they’ll pay for Noom. You might be pleasantly surprised. And who couldn’t use a little break during these tough financial times?

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By healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of Health Business Group.

The post How to get Noom for free appeared first on Health Business Group.

* This article was originally published here

A new way to study HIV's impact on the brain

Using a newly developed laboratory model of three types of brain cells, scientists reveal how HIV infection -- as well as the drugs that treat it -- can take a toll on the central nervous system.

* This article was originally published here

Coronavirus and the role of home health care

Home health has an important role to play in coronavirus. In the near term, clearing out hospitals to make room for acutely ill coronavirus patients means homecare needs to step up, and it’s important to keep moderately ill patients at home if at all possible. Eventually there will be reliable home testing for coronavirus, but sadly that day has not yet arrived –despite what you may have heard.

In this latest edition of #CareTalk, CareCentrix CEO John Driscoll and I discuss the latest on COVID-19.

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By healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of Health Business Group.

The post Coronavirus and the role of home health care appeared first on Health Business Group.

* This article was originally published here

UK local authorities not ready for the number of deaths from Covid-19

Even if fatality rates are at the lower end of expectations -- one percent of virus victims -- it is highly likely that death and bereavement services will be overwhelmed.

* This article was originally published here

Typical Costa Rican Gallo Pinto

Gallo Pinto is a traditional Costa Rican dish, typically served at breakfast with fried plantain, toasts, fresh fruits and, traditionally, a couple of fried eggs.

I first heard of Gallo Pinto a few years ago, when one of my very good friends visited Costa Rica. While there, he totally fell in love with this traditional dish of theirs, and it was only a matter of time before he had me discover it and fall in love with it, too! 

Back then, I’d studied many a recipe and came up with my own version of it, but having never visited Costa Rica myself, I could only imagine what the true, typical dish actually tasted, or even looked like.

Now that I got the chance to spend a few months here, I can assure you that I’ve had my share of the real deal. In fact, I think that I’ve had gallo pinto practically every day. I’ve had a chance to analyze the recipe first hand, ask questions, and replicate it for myself, time and time again. I think that I’ve now truly mastered it and can make it with my eyes closed. Heck, I could probably apply for a job at a local soda! I honestly feel that the recipe I am sharing with you today is as close to the real deal as will ever be.

(more…)

The post Typical Costa Rican Gallo Pinto appeared first on The Healthy Foodie.

* This article was originally published here

Patients at risk of drug-induced sudden cardiac death in COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, continues to spread, leading to more than 20,000 deaths worldwide in less than four months. Efforts are progressing to develop a COVID-19 vaccine, but it's still likely 12 to 18 months away.

* This article was originally published here

How bacteria form communities on the human tongue

Using a recently developed fluorescent imaging technique, researchers in the United States have developed high-resolution maps of microbial communities on the human tongue. The images reveal that microbial biofilms on the surface of the tongue have a complex, highly structured spatial organization.

* This article was originally published here

Map: Tracking The Spread Of The Coronavirus In The U.S.

Cases of COVID-19 have appeared throughout the country, but certain areas have been hit harder than others. Find out how many cases and deaths have been reported in each state.

(Image credit: Daniel Wood/NPR)

* This article was originally published here

Tests At Nursing Home In Washington State Confirm 30 Coronavirus Cases

A month after an outbreak at a nursing home in Seattle, testing at a facility in Bellingham reveals that 24 residents and six of the facility's staff have become infected with the virus.

* This article was originally published here

Study reveals how long COVID-19 remains infectious on cardboard, metal and plastic

The virus that causes COVID-19 remains for several hours to days on surfaces and in aerosols, a new scientific study has found. The study suggests that people may acquire the coronavirus through the air and after touching contaminated objects.

* This article was originally published here

Coronavirus: We are all in this together

In this edition of #CareTalk, Carecentrix CEO John Driscoll and I discuss the impact of COVID-19 in the US and around the world.  John retracts his earlier claim that the feds are doing a good job, and we go on to discuss the fact that we’re all in this together, universal coverage is a sensible policy, science matters, and government can help.

We agree with Tony Fauci, who said, “If it looks like you’re overreacting, you’re probably doing the right thing,” and we also look for signs of hope on the horizon (or just over it).

—
By healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of Health Business Group.

The post Coronavirus: We are all in this together appeared first on Health Business Group.

* This article was originally published here

High-speed microscope captures fleeting brain signals

Neuroscientists can now capture millisecond electrical changes in neurons in the cortex of an alert mouse, allowing tracing of neural signals, including subthreshold events, in the brain. The new technique combines all-optical scanning with two-photon fluorescence imaging to produce a 2D rasterized picture every 1,000-3,000 milliseconds. That and another technique that allows 3D imaging of large areas of the mouse cortex to a depth of 650 microns will aid study of neural circuits.

* This article was originally published here

Coronavirus Hits Older People Hardest. But Millennials, Gen-Xers Can Be Vulnerable

An analysis of preliminary data from the CDC shows that the risk of serious disease and death from COVID-19 is higher in older age groups in the U.S. But they aren't the only groups at risk.

* This article was originally published here

COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic has a natural origin

An analysis of public genome sequence data from SARS-CoV-2 and related viruses found no evidence that the virus was made in a laboratory or otherwise engineered.

* This article was originally published here

Coronavirus spreads quickly and sometimes before people have symptoms, study finds

Infectious disease researchers studying the novel coronavirus were able to identify how quickly the virus can spread, a factor that may help public health officials in their efforts at containment. They found that time between cases in a chain of transmission is less than a week and that more than 10 percent of patients are infected by somebody who has the virus but does not yet have symptoms.

* This article was originally published here

Parkinson's disease linked to gene targeted by blue-green algae toxin

Scientists have discovered a possible link between Parkinson's disease and a gene impacted by a neurotoxin found in blue-green algae.

* This article was originally published here

Rural Hospitals Brace For Coronavirus

Small-town hospitals are under-equipped to deal with the coronavirus, and administrators warn it's a misperception that people in isolated rural areas are safer from exposure.

(Image credit: Kirk Siegler/NPR)

* This article was originally published here

How skin cells embark on a swift yet elaborate death

Scientists have identified the mechanism that allows skin cells to sense changes in their environment, and very quickly respond to reinforce the skin's outermost layer. The findings provide insight into how errors in this process might lead to skin conditions like psoriasis.

* This article was originally published here

Lessons of Coronavirus: The Emperor has no clues

No virus here, fellas

The COVID-19 coronavirus provides a valuable lens for viewing our healthcare system, society, and politics. Teachable moments like these are a rare occurrence, and I’m cautiously optimistic that people will take a fresh look at how they view the world.

Here are some lessons I see from the emerging crisis:

1. We are all in this together. The virus affects the whole society. You can’t wall yourself off from it or blame it on “losers.” If we’re going to prevail we’ll all need to pull together, not pit ourselves against one another or allow our politicians to fan the flames.
2. Universal coverage is a sensible policy. It seems crazy to people from other countries that Americans would hesitate to get tested for coronavirus because they were worried about how they would pay for the test or treatment.  It is crazy, but true. And never mind the fact that many can’t take sick leave.
3. Science matters. The Administration has been systematically undermining scientists in and outside of the government. Climate change is a great example –where it’s convenient to believe what suits one’s politics, and the consequences won’t show up for a while. When it comes to corona, the problem is here now –or will be within weeks. Dissing the scientists and experts won’t work well. The public -for the most part– gets it.
4. Government can help. In 2018, Trump dumped the head of global health security from the National Security Council and disbanded his team, “at a time… the country [was] already underprepared for the increasing risks of pandemic or bioterrorism attack.” CDC funding is being cut dramatically and local and state public health services have been starved for resources for years.
5. The Emperor has no clues. Trump’s visit to the CDC was an embarrassment, in which he played his usual game of attacking politicians and the press, while showcasing his own narcissism. Maybe those who laughed it off or cheered it on in other circumstances will be more concerned when it has real implications for their health.  In any case, Presidential quotes like the following should be wearing a bit thing: “I like this stuff. I really get it. People are surprised that I understand it. Every one of these doctors said, ‘How do you know so much about this?’ Maybe I have a natural ability. Maybe I should have done that instead of running for President.”

Next time I’ll write about some of the lessons that we may soon learn, about the virus, about democracy, and about the health of our society.

—
By healthcare business consultant David E. Williams, president of Health Business Group.

The post Lessons of Coronavirus: The Emperor has no clues appeared first on Health Business Group.

* This article was originally published here