aft Theranostics Targeting Fibroblast Activation Protein in the Tumor Stroma: 64Cu- and 225Ac-Labeled FAPI-04 in Pancreatic Cancer Xenograft Mouse Models By jnm.snmjournals.org Published On :: 2020-04-01T06:00:28-07:00 Fibroblast activation protein (FAP), which promotes tumor growth and progression, is overexpressed in cancer-associated fibroblasts of many human epithelial cancers. Because of its low expression in normal organs, FAP is an excellent target for theranostics. In this study, we used radionuclides with relatively long half-lives, 64Cu (half-life, 12.7 h) and 225Ac (half-life, 10 d), to label FAP inhibitors (FAPIs) in mice with human pancreatic cancer xenografts. Methods: Male nude mice (body weight, 22.5 ± 1.2 g) were subcutaneously injected with human pancreatic cancer cells (PANC-1, n = 12; MIA PaCa-2, n = 8). Tumor xenograft mice were investigated after the intravenous injection of 64Cu-FAPI-04 (7.21 ± 0.46 MBq) by dynamic and delayed PET scans (2.5 h after injection). Static scans 1 h after the injection of 68Ga-FAPI-04 (3.6 ± 1.4 MBq) were also acquired for comparisons using the same cohort of mice (n = 8). Immunohistochemical staining was performed to confirm FAP expression in tumor xenografts using an FAP-α-antibody. For radioligand therapy, 225Ac-FAPI-04 (34 kBq) was injected into PANC-1 xenograft mice (n = 6). Tumor size was monitored and compared with that of control mice (n = 6). Results: Dynamic imaging of 64Cu-FAPI-04 showed rapid clearance through the kidneys and slow washout from tumors. Delayed PET imaging of 64Cu-FAPI-04 showed mild uptake in tumors and relatively high uptake in the liver and intestine. Accumulation levels in the tumor or normal organs were significantly higher for 64Cu-FAPI-04 than for 68Ga-FAPI-04, except in the heart, and excretion in the urine was higher for 68Ga-FAPI-04 than for 64Cu-FAPI-04. Immunohistochemical staining revealed abundant FAP expression in the stroma of xenografts. 225Ac-FAPI-04 injection showed significant tumor growth suppression in the PANC-1 xenograft mice, compared with the control mice, without a significant change in body weight. Conclusion: This proof-of-concept study showed that 64Cu-FAPI-04 and 225Ac-FAPI-04 could be used in theranostics for the treatment of FAP-expressing pancreatic cancer. α-therapy targeting FAP in the cancer stroma is effective and will contribute to the development of a new treatment strategy. Full Article
aft Appropriate Use Criteria for Imaging Evaluation of Biochemical Recurrence of Prostate Cancer After Definitive Primary Treatment By jnm.snmjournals.org Published On :: 2020-04-01T06:00:28-07:00 Full Article
aft Patient Travel Concerns After Treatment with 177Lu-DOTATATE By jnm.snmjournals.org Published On :: 2020-04-01T06:00:28-07:00 Full Article
aft Evidence of Tissue Repair in Human Donor Pancreas After Prolonged Duration of Stay in Intensive Care By diabetes.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-02-20T11:55:30-08:00 M2 macrophages play an important role in tissue repair and regeneration. They have also been found to modulate β-cell replication in mouse models of pancreatic injury and disease. We previously reported that β-cell replication is strongly increased in a subgroup of human organ donors characterized by prolonged duration of stay in an intensive care unit (ICU) and increased number of leukocytes in the pancreatic tissue. In the present study we investigated the relationship between duration of stay in the ICU, M2 macrophages, vascularization, and pancreatic cell replication. Pancreatic organs from 50 donors without diabetes with different durations of stay in the ICU were analyzed by immunostaining and digital image analysis. The number of CD68+CD206+ M2 macrophages increased three- to sixfold from ≥6 days’ duration of stay in the ICU onwards. This was accompanied by a threefold increased vascular density and a four- to ninefold increase in pancreatic cells positive for the replication marker Ki67. A strong correlation was observed between the number of M2 macrophages and β-cell replication. These results show that a prolonged duration of stay in the ICU is associated with an increased M2 macrophage number, increased vascular density, and an overall increase in replication of all pancreatic cell types. Our data show evidence of marked levels of tissue repair in the human donor pancreas. Full Article
aft Why We Build Walls: 30 Years After the Fall of the Berlin Wall By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2019 11:11:56 +0000 8 November 2019 Robin Niblett Director and Chief Executive, Chatham House @RobinNiblett Gitika Bhardwaj Editor, Communications & Publishing, Chatham House @GitikaBhardwaj LinkedIn Robin Niblett talks to Gitika Bhardwaj about the physical and psychological significance of border walls and their role in politics today. GettyImages-1184642325.jpg Part of the Berlin Wall still standing today. 9 November marks the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall that soon led to the collapse of the communist East German government. Photo: Getty Images. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. The wall, which stood between 1961 to 1989, came to symbolize the ‘Iron Curtain’ – the ideological split between East and West – that existed across Europe and between the two superpowers, the US and the Soviet Union, and their allies, during the Cold War. How significant was the Berlin Wall during the Cold War – was it more important physically or psychologically? The Berlin Wall was important physically, as well as psychologically, because Berlin was the only city that was divided physically by the Cold War between the Soviet Union and its allies in the Eastern Bloc and the West.Given the disparity that quickly emerged between the two sides in economic wealth, freedom of expression and so on, the fear was that, without that wall, there would've been a unification of Berlin in a way that the Soviet side would have lost.But it was also very important psychologically because it became the symbol of the division between two ideologies that saw each other as inimical to each other.That meant that if you wanted to visualize the Cold War, and the separation between the capitalist, democratic system of the West and the communist, command-and-control system of the East, Berlin offered a place where you could physically walk from one world, through a checkpoint, into the other. The whole Cold War could be reduced to this one nexus point.Because of its psychological as well as its physical significance, the fall of the Berlin Wall quickly became the symbol of the collapse of the communist ideology it had shielded.Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, European countries have reportedly built over 1,000 kilometres of walls – the equivalent of more than six times the total length of the Berlin Wall – along their borders. Why has Europe been building more walls and how effective have they been? Have they been used more as symbols to appeal to political bases, and if so, has it worked with voters?The walls that have been built in Europe recently have been for a very specific reason. This was the huge influx of migrants and refugees to Europe in 2015, through what was called the ‘eastern Mediterranean’ or ‘western Balkan route’, from Turkey to Greece and on through the Balkans, Serbia and Hungary to northern Europe – in what was Europe's biggest migrant and refugee crisis since the Second World War.What’s interesting is that for Viktor Orbán and the Hungarian government, which was on the frontline of the flow of migrants and refugees, building a wall was a way of reasserting its sovereignty. Like many other countries along the ‘migrant route’, they resented that the rules under which people could migrate into Europe were flouted by northern European governments which were willing to accept large numbers of migrants and refugees.By accepting them, they kept attracting more, and so Orbán was worried that, at some point, Germany might say ‘We can’t take anymore’ and they’d be left in Hungary.It’s important to remember that the communist states of central and eastern Europe were kept in aspic by the Soviet Union – they existed in a hermetically sealed environment without immigration. As a result, they didn’t experience the rise of multicultural societies of the sort that emerged in Britain, Belgium, France and Germany, where immigration persisted throughout the Cold War period.The countries of central and eastern Europe were delighted that the Berlin Wall collapsed because it allowed them to unify with western Europe. They had been vassal states of the Soviet Union during the Cold War, and by joining the EU, they re-discovered personal freedom and re-gained national sovereignty. They thought they had become masters of their own future again.But they suddenly found they were on the frontline of a new movement of people that wanted to get into the same world that they’d entered some 15 years earlier. And, as hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees began arriving, they suddenly realised they were in a union that did not respect their sovereignty.So, for them, putting up walls was a sovereign act against a European Union that didn’t seem to take their sovereignty seriously.Has it worked? Definitely. The flow of migrants has been reduced drastically. This is partly because the EU paid Turkey to hold back the over three million migrants based there. But the walls also acted as a physical and psychological deterrent. It also worked politically. It allowed Viktor Orbán and other European parties that took the sovereigntist line to strengthen their appeal to voters – voters like to know that governments can do certain things like protecting them and their borders.What is hypocritical, however, is that many of the governments in western Europe which criticized the Hungarian government for building its wall have actually been rather grateful that they did so as it slowed down the flow of migrants to their countries.Then there’s the additional hypocrisy of the EU criticizing Donald Trump for building his wall with Mexico when Europeans are benefitting from theirs in Hungary.Two years before the fall of the Berlin Wall, former US president Ronald Reagan challenged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to ‘tear down this wall’ declaring ‘across Europe this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand [freedom].’ 32 years later, building a wall along the US–Mexico border has become a cornerstone of the current US administration under Donald Trump who has pledged to build a ‘big beautiful wall’. How does this reflect the political evolution of the US and what effect does that have across the rest of the world?President Reagan talked about tearing down the Berlin Wall as a symbol of the Cold War. He knew that the fall of the wall would undermine the Soviet Union. President Trump is way beyond the Cold War. Building a new wall is his response to the growing sense of economic dislocation that segments of America, like Britain and other parts of Europe and the developed world, have experienced on the back of the rise of globalization, which was partly the result of the end of the Cold War but also the rise of China.The spread of globalization, the declining earning power of many workers in the West, advances in technology which have taken away many high-earning jobs, the eight years of austerity after the global financial crisis – these are all factors driving Trump’s thinking. Have inflows of Mexican immigrants or immigrants through the Mexico border been the principal driver of economic insecurity? No. What you’ve got is Trump promising to build a wall as a symbol of his administration’s determination to protect Americans.So I’d say the US–Mexico wall is another symbolic – or psychological – wall. Trump’s wall is supposedly about stopping illegal immigration but there are still plenty of ways to come through the border posts. It’s principally an exercise in political theatre. Construction site for a secondary border fence, following the length of the current primary border fence, separating the US and Mexico in San Diego. Photo: Getty Images. From the Great Wall of China to Hadrian’s Wall, walls and fences of all sorts have been used throughout history for defence and security, but not all of them have been physical. So-called ‘maritime walls’, as well as ‘virtual walls’, are also increasingly being enforced which, today, includes border forces patrolling seas and oceans, such as in the Mediterranean Sea or off the coasts of Australia, and border control systems controlling the movement of people. Politically how do these types of barriers compare to physical ones? You could argue that the Mediterranean Sea, and the European border forces operating within it, still act as a physical wall because they constitute a physical obstacle to migrants being able to move from the South across the Mediterranean Sea into Europe. So I don’t see this maritime wall being much different to the physical walls that have been built to try to stop migrants – just like any other border patrol, the Italian navy is preventing NGO vessels carrying migrants, who have been stranded at sea from docking at Italian ports. In this sense, you could argue that the Mediterranean Sea is a larger version of the Rio Grande between the US and Mexico which also incorporates physical barriers along its shores.I think the more interesting walls that are being built today are virtual walls such as regulatory walls to trade, or with the internet, new barriers are being built to digital communication which affect your capacity to access information. In the end, all these walls are manifestations of national sovereignty through which a government demonstrates it can ‘protect’ its citizens – whether they are successful in this objective or not.The border between Ireland and Northern Ireland, and the presence of enforcement mechanisms along the border, has become a key issue in the Brexit negotiations. How much of the debate over this is about the symbolism of the border against its economic implications?The Irish border carries great symbolic importance because it reflects the reality of the separation of two sovereign states.On the island of Ireland, the British and Irish governments have wanted to minimize this reality to the greatest extent possible. They even went as far as removing all types of barriers as part of the Good Friday Agreement.This is the same sort of fiction the European Union created when it removed any physical manifestations of the existence of borders between those member states in its Schengen agreement on borderless travel.By removing physical manifestations of the border, the UK was able to reduce some of the popular support for Irish unification as well as support for the IRA’s campaign of violence and terrorism to try to force the same outcome. Brexit has thrown a huge spanner into this arrangement. If Brexit is going to mean the entire UK not being in the EU’s customs union then some sort of border would need to be reinstated.The British government proposed to do all the checks behind the border somewhere. The EU’s view was, ‘Well, that’s nice for you to say, but this border will become the EU’s only land border with the UK, and you cannot guarantee that people won’t be able to smuggle things through.’On the other hand, recreating a border of some sort, whether physical or not, would reignite the differentiation between the two nations – running counter to the spirit of the Good Friday Agreement.The only solution available to Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been to put the border down the Irish Sea. While this means that Northern Ireland will no longer be an obstacle to the UK signing new, post-Brexit, free trade agreements with other countries, it has betrayed the Conservative Party’s unionist allies, for whom it’s essential that the UK’s borders include and not exclude them. By the end of the Cold War there were just 15 walls and fences along borders around the world, but today, there are at least 70. How effective, do you think, building barriers are as a political and military strategy to defence and security issues given their financial – and human – cost?Physical barriers can be an effective form of protection – or imprisonment. The separation wall between Israel and the Palestinian territories has reduced the level of terrorist violence being perpetrated in Israel, but the cost has been the impoverishment of many Palestinians, and is another nail in the coffin of a two-state solution.Yet many Israelis are saying that, maybe, being entirely separate is the best way to achieve peace between the two sides.However, the walls around the Gaza Strip have not prevented, for various reasons, the Hamas government from developing rockets and firing them into Israel. You could argue that the border between China and North Korea, which is severely patrolled, has been a tool of continued political control protecting the Kim Jong-un regime from collapse – as has its virtual border preventing internet penetration.Similarly, the virtual border the Chinese government has created around its own internet, the ‘great firewall’, has been very effective both economically – allowing Chinese internet platforms to develop without the threat of competition – and also as a form of political control that helps the Chinese Communist Party retain its monopoly on power. So walls in all of their shapes and forms can work. They are like sanctions – sanctions are easy to impose but difficult to remove. Walls are easy to build but they’re difficult to break down. But my view would be that they still only work temporarily. In the end, walls serve their particular purpose for a particular period, like the Berlin Wall, they end up outliving their purpose.You have to be alive to the fact that, whether that purpose was a good or bad purpose, there will be a moment when walls end up protecting the interests of an ever-narrower number of people inside the wall, while they cease serving, if they ever did, the interests of the growing number on both sides. It’s ironic that the fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 was not the main marker of the end of the Cold War. It began earlier that year, with the intensification of people protesting in Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia.Once Hungarian troops dismantled the fence separating them from Austria in May 1989, thousands of Hungarian citizens simply walked out of their country, because by then, the wall between the East and West only existed in their minds.Then, once East Germans also realized that Mikhail Gorbachev and the Soviet regime had lost its willingness to defend the Berlin Wall, it collapsed. So it is interesting that we’re marking the end of the Cold War with this anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall, which of course, did divide two halves of one country, making its fall all the more poignant and powerful. But the end of the Cold War really began with the fall of the invisible wall in people’s minds. Full Article
aft Dyspnoea after home improvement work By feeds.bmj.com Published On :: Wednesday, November 30, 2016 - 11:05 Full Article
aft Low molecular weight heparin does not prevent VTE after knee arthroscopy, studies show By feeds.bmj.com Published On :: Tuesday, December 6, 2016 - 06:31 Full Article
aft Covid-19: UK advisory panel members are revealed after experts set up new group By feeds.bmj.com Published On :: Tuesday, May 5, 2020 - 12:31 Full Article
aft Covid-19: the challenge of patient rehabilitation after intensive care By feeds.bmj.com Published On :: Wednesday, May 6, 2020 - 12:36 Full Article
aft Safe or Sorry? Prospects for Britons in the European Union after Brexit By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Fri, 03 Nov 2017 11:54:37 -0400 Amid ongoing Brexit negotiations, much remains uncertain for the roughly 1 million UK citizens living elsewhere in the European Union. This report offers a demographic profile of these Brexpats, considering what form an EU-UK deal on citizens’ rights might take and identifying key challenges many Britons are likely to face—including difficulty securing legal status and accessing labor markets, social security, and health-care systems. Full Article
aft After Revolution, Tunisian Migration Governance Has Changed. Has EU Policy? By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 17 Oct 2018 17:36:07 -0400 In the face of an uptick in unauthorized arrivals in Italy from Tunisia in 2017, the European Union dusted off earlier policy proposals such as funding to increase Tunisia’s border-control capabilities and the creation of disembarkation platforms. This article explores why contemporary developments, including a fragile Tunisian political system, suggest the need for a different approach. Full Article
aft Years After Crimea’s Annexation, Integration of Ukraine’s Internally Displaced Population Remains Uneven By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 18 Sep 2019 12:52:24 -0400 With nearly 1.4 million internally displaced persons (IDPs), Ukraine is home to one of the largest IDP populations in the world. Five years after Russia's annexation of Crimea, displaced Ukrainians continue to face challenges related to national identity, social cohesion, and political participation. While the Ukrainian government has had some success integrating IDPs, the conflict’s end remains uncertain, and many are unlikely to return to their communities of origin no matter the outcome. Full Article
aft A New Era in Refugee Protection and Migration Management? Looking Forward After UN Summit on Refugees and Migrants By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 28 Sep 2016 12:42:48 -0400 MPI experts discuss the outcomes from the UN Summit on Large Movements of Refugees and Migrants and President Obama's Leaders Summit on the Global Refugee Crisis and what it means for international cooperation on refugee protection and management of migration flows. Full Article
aft After 6 More Months, 31 Million New Domestic Violence Cases, Warns U.N. By feeds.socialpsychology.org Published On :: 2020-05-08T13:31:53-04:00 Source: Yahoo News - Top HeadlinesWomen and children are experiencing unprecedented levels of abuse and violence at home as stress and anxiety continue to mount due to the pandemic. Data from the United Nations reveal a 600% increase in the number women who have experienced partner violence, and projections suggest that if coronavirus lockdowns continue for six more months, there will be an estimated 31 million additional domestic violence cases around the world. Full Article
aft Late Relapse of Diabetes After Bariatric Surgery: Not Rare, but Not a Failure By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-02-20T11:55:29-08:00 OBJECTIVE To characterize the status of cardiometabolic risk factors after late relapse of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to identify factors predicting relapse after initial diabetes remission following bariatric surgery to construct prediction models for clinical practice. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Outcomes of 736 patients with T2DM who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) or sleeve gastrectomy (SG) at an academic center (2004–2012) and had ≥5 years’ glycemic follow-up were assessed. Of 736 patients, 425 (58%) experienced diabetes remission (HbA1c <6.5% [48 mmol/mol] with patients off medications) in the 1st year after surgery. These 425 patients were followed for a median of 8 years (range 5–14) to characterize late relapse of diabetes. RESULTS In 136 (32%) patients who experienced late relapse, a statistically significant improvement in glycemic control, number of diabetes medications including insulin use, blood pressure, and lipid profile was still observed at long-term. Independent baseline predictors of late relapse were preoperative number of diabetes medications, duration of T2DM before surgery, and SG versus RYGB. Furthermore, patients who relapsed lost less weight during the 1st year after surgery and regained more weight afterward. Prediction models were constructed and externally validated. CONCLUSIONS While late relapse of T2DM is a real phenomenon (one-third of our cohort), it should not be considered a failure, as the trajectory of the disease and its related cardiometabolic risk factors is changed favorably after bariatric surgery. Earlier surgical intervention, RYGB (compared with SG) and more weight loss (less late weight regain) are associated with less diabetes relapse in the long-term. Full Article
aft Targeting CXCR1/2 Does Not Improve Insulin Secretion After Pancreatic Islet Transplantation: A Phase 3, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial in Type 1 Diabetes By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-03-20T11:50:34-07:00 OBJECTIVE Reparixin is an inhibitor of CXCR1/2 chemokine receptor shown to be an effective anti-inflammatory adjuvant in a pilot clinical trial in allotransplant recipients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A phase 3, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-assignment study (NCT01817959) was conducted in recipients of islet allotransplants randomized (2:1) to reparixin or placebo in addition to immunosuppression. Primary outcome was the area under the curve (AUC) for C-peptide during the mixed-meal tolerance test at day 75 ± 5 after the first and day 365 ± 14 after the last transplant. Secondary end points included insulin independence and standard measures of glycemic control. RESULTS The intention-to-treat analysis did not show a significant difference in C-peptide AUC at both day 75 (27 on reparixin vs. 18 on placebo, P = 0.99) and day 365 (24 on reparixin vs. 15 on placebo, P = 0.71). There was no statistically significant difference between treatment groups at any time point for any secondary variable. Analysis of patient subsets showed a trend for a higher percentage of subjects retaining insulin independence for 1 year after a single islet infusion in patients receiving reparixin as compared with patients receiving placebo (26.7% vs. 0%, P = 0.09) when antithymocyte globulin was used as induction immunosuppression. CONCLUSIONS In this first double-blind randomized trial, islet transplantation data obtained with reparixin do not support a role of CXCR1/2 inhibition in preventing islet inflammation-mediated damage. Full Article
aft Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh proposes major changes to NFL Draft eligibility rules By www.upi.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 19:41:19 -0400 Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh is urging the NFL and NCAA to amend their rules and provide flexibility to college football players who consider making the jump to the next level. Full Article
aft Plasma and Dietary Linoleic Acid and 3-Year Risk of Type 2 Diabetes After Myocardial Infarction: A Prospective Analysis in the Alpha Omega Cohort By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-01-20T12:00:30-08:00 OBJECTIVE To study plasma and dietary linoleic acid (LA) in relation to type 2 diabetes risk in post–myocardial infarction (MI) patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We included 3,257 patients aged 60–80 years (80% male) with a median time since MI of 3.5 years from the Alpha Omega Cohort and who were initially free of type 2 diabetes. At baseline (2002–2006), plasma LA was measured in cholesteryl esters, and dietary LA was estimated with a 203-item food-frequency questionnaire. Incident type 2 diabetes was ascertained through self-reported physician diagnosis and medication use. Hazard ratios (with 95% CIs) were calculated by Cox regressions, in which dietary LA isocalorically replaced the sum of saturated (SFA) and trans fatty acids (TFA). RESULTS Mean ± SD circulating and dietary LA was 50.1 ± 4.9% and 5.9 ± 2.1% energy, respectively. Plasma and dietary LA were weakly correlated (Spearman r = 0.13, P < 0.001). During a median follow-up of 41 months, 171 patients developed type 2 diabetes. Plasma LA was inversely associated with type 2 diabetes risk (quintile [Q]5 vs. Q1: 0.44 [0.26, 0.75]; per 5%: 0.73 [0.62, 0.86]). Substitution of dietary LA for SFA+TFA showed no association with type 2 diabetes risk (Q5 vs. Q1: 0.78 [0.36, 1.72]; per 5% energy: 1.18 [0.59, 2.35]). Adjustment for markers of de novo lipogenesis attenuated plasma LA associations. CONCLUSIONS In our cohort of post-MI patients, plasma LA was inversely related to type 2 diabetes risk, whereas dietary LA was not related. Further research is needed to assess whether plasma LA indicates metabolic state rather than dietary LA in these patients. Full Article
aft Health Care Expenditures Among Adults With Diabetes After Oregons Medicaid Expansion By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-02-20T11:55:30-08:00 OBJECTIVE To compare trends in Medicaid expenditures among adults with diabetes who were newly eligible due to the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion to trends among those previously eligible. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Using Oregon Medicaid administrative data from 1 January 2014 to 30 September 2016, a retrospective cohort study was conducted with propensity score–matched Medicaid eligibility groups (newly and previously eligible). Outcome measures included total per-member per-month (PMPM) Medicaid expenditures and PMPM expenditures in the following 12 categories: inpatient visits, emergency department visits, primary care physician visits, specialist visits, prescription drugs, transportation services, tests, imaging and echography, procedures, durable medical equipment, evaluation and management, and other or unknown services. RESULTS Total PMPM Medicaid expenditures for newly eligible enrollees with diabetes were initially considerably lower compared with PMPM expenditures for matched previously eligible enrollees during the first postexpansion quarter (mean values $561 vs. $793 PMPM, P = 0.018). Within the first three postexpansion quarters, PMPM expenditures of the newly eligible increased to a similar but slightly lower level. Afterward, PMPM expenditures of both groups continued to increase steadily. Most of the overall PMPM expenditure increase among the newly eligible was due to rapidly increasing prescription drug expenditures. CONCLUSIONS Newly eligible Medicaid enrollees with diabetes had slightly lower PMPM expenditures than previously eligible Medicaid enrollees. The increase in PMPM prescription drug expenditures suggests greater access to treatment over time. Full Article
aft Wallaby found wandering British countryside after zoo escape By www.upi.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 10:56:23 -0400 Police in Britain said a surprised jogger tipped officers off to the location of a wallaby that escaped from a zoo and went hopping through the countryside. Full Article
aft Watch: Utah man reunited with class ring 38 years after it was lost in Germany By www.upi.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 15:42:56 -0400 A Utah man who lost his high school class ring in Germany in 1982 was reunited with the ring thanks to a man who found it on a beach in the United States. Full Article
aft Fortune cookie numbers earn $2 million lottery jackpot after 5 years By www.upi.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 15:48:47 -0400 A North Carolina man said the lottery numbers he took from a fortune cookie earned him a $2 million jackpot after five years of using them to play Mega Millions. Full Article
aft After Deportation, Some Congolese Returnees Face Detention and Extortion By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 22 May 2019 17:22:03 -0400 This article explores post-deportation dynamics and challenges returnees face in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Even as European countries focus on increasing returns of migrants deemed not to have a right to stay, little attention has been given to conditions at return—even to a country such as the DRC where allegations of serious human-rights violations against returned migrants have been reported for years. Full Article
aft In-Hospital Prognosis of Ppatients With Fasting Hyperglycemia After First Myocardial Infarction By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 1991-08-01 John J O'SullivanAug 1, 1991; 14:758-760Short Report Full Article
aft More than 70 dead in Rwanda after floods, landslides By www.upi.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 11:29:22 -0400 Heavy rains, flash flooding and landslides have led to the deaths of more than 70 people in Rwanda, officials said Friday. Full Article
aft Boeing presents first Loyal Wingman drone aircraft to Australia By www.upi.com Published On :: Tue, 05 May 2020 15:11:29 -0400 Boeing announced Tuesday has presented its first unmanned aircraft to the Royal Australian Air Force. Full Article
aft Time Course of Normalization of Functional {beta}-Cell Capacity in the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial After Weight Loss in Type 2 Diabetes By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-03-20T11:50:34-07:00 OBJECTIVE To assess functional β-cell capacity in type 2 diabetes during 2 years of remission induced by dietary weight loss. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A Stepped Insulin Secretion Test with Arginine was used to quantify functional β-cell capacity by hyperglycemia and arginine stimulation. Thirty-nine of 57 participants initially achieved remission (HbA1c <6.5% [<48 mmol/mol] and fasting plasma glucose <7 mmol/L on no antidiabetic drug therapy) with a 16.4 ± 7.7 kg weight loss and were followed up with supportive advice on avoidance of weight regain. At 2 years, 20 participants remained in remission in the study. A nondiabetic control (NDC) group, matched for age, sex, and weight after weight loss with the intervention group, was studied once. RESULTS During remission, median (interquartile range) maximal rate of insulin secretion increased from 581 (480–811) pmol/min/m2 at baseline to 736 (542–998) pmol/min/m2 at 5 months, 942 (565–1,240) pmol/min/m2 at 12 months (P = 0.028 from baseline), and 936 (635–1,435) pmol/min/m2 at 24 months (P = 0.023 from baseline; n = 20 of 39 of those initially in remission). This was comparable to the NDC group (1,016 [857–1,507] pmol/min/m2) by 12 (P = 0.064) and 24 (P = 0.244) months. Median first-phase insulin response increased from baseline to 5 months (42 [4–67] to 107 [59–163] pmol/min/m2; P < 0.0001) and then remained stable at 12 and 24 months (110 [59–201] and 125 [65–166] pmol/min/m2, respectively; P < 0.0001 vs. baseline) but lower than that of the NDC group (250 [226–429] pmol/min/m2; P < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS A gradual increase in assessed functional β-cell capacity occurred after weight loss, becoming similar to that of NDC group participants by 12 months. This result was unchanged at 2 years with continuing remission of type 2 diabetes. Full Article
aft A Proxy War on Minorities? India Crafts Citizenship and Refugee Policies through the Lens of Religion By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 15 Apr 2020 21:34:32 -0400 The Modi government's push for a Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens sparked deadly riots and chilled India's 200 million Muslims, who fear being relegated to second-class citizenship—and for some, even statelessness. This article explores actions by Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, the significance of Bangladeshi illegal immigration as a driver, and what a register of citizens in Assam might mean for India. Full Article
aft After 3 years, Find-a-Dentist initiative a ‘success’ By www.ada.org Published On :: Mon, 10 Feb 2020 15:06:00 -0600 Of the more than 3 million profile views, the program found that 17% resulted in action, which include potential patients visiting a dentist’s website, calling or emailing the practice and sharing their profile. Industry average for similar sites is only 1-4%, so patients are nearly six times more likely to contact an ADA dentist through Find-a-Dentist. Full Article
aft Free ADA webinar aims to help dentists plan recovery during, after pandemic By www.ada.org Published On :: Fri, 10 Apr 2020 15:00:00 -0500 The ADA is streaming a free webinar April 14 intended to help dentists jump-start their recovery process during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. Full Article
aft ADA president appoints task force for dental practice recovery after COVID-19 pandemic By www.ada.org Published On :: Wed, 15 Apr 2020 09:04:00 -0500 American Dental Association President Chad P. Gehani has assembled an advisory task force to oversee the ADA’s development of tools for dentists as they bounce back from the effects of practice restrictions and closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Full Article
aft Crude prices rise after positive news from China By www.upi.com Published On :: Tue, 15 Jan 2019 09:51:50 -0500 Oil prices rose early Tuesday, after Monday declines, possibly helped by some positive news from China -- but doubts remain as to whether that direction will hold. Full Article
aft Crude oil prices drop after API reported lower-than-expected draw By www.upi.com Published On :: Wed, 16 Jan 2019 09:13:03 -0500 Oil prices fell early Wednesday, likely a result of lower-than-expected draws in an API with traders awaiting official EIA inventory data later in the day. Full Article
aft Oil rises after report on possible China talks concessions By www.upi.com Published On :: Fri, 18 Jan 2019 09:11:06 -0500 Oil prices rose early Friday trailing equity gains late Thursday that followed a report about possible concessions ahead in U.S. trade talks with China. Full Article
aft Oil nearly flat in pause after previous session's gains By www.upi.com Published On :: Thu, 31 Jan 2019 09:12:31 -0500 Oil prices were near flat early Thursday in what was seen as a pause after gains in the two previous sessions, as traders considered geopolitical developments. Full Article
aft Suicide risk high in first year after brain cancer diagnosis By www.upi.com Published On :: Fri, 01 May 2020 13:28:09 -0400 People with brain cancer are at increased risk for suicide compared to the general population, particularly within the first year following diagnosis, a new analysis has found. Full Article
aft Diabetes Is Associated With Worse Long-term Outcomes in Young Adults After Myocardial Infarction: The Partners YOUNG-MI Registry By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2019-09-23T15:12:23-07:00 OBJECTIVEWe sought to determine the prevalence of diabetes and associated cardiovascular outcomes in a contemporary cohort of young individuals presenting with their first myocardial infarction (MI) at age ≤50 years.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed records of patients presenting with a first type 1 MI at age ≤50 years from 2000 to 2016. Diabetes was defined as a hemoglobin A1c ≥6.5% (48 mmol/mol) or a documented diagnosis of or treatment for diabetes. Vital status was ascertained for all patients, and cause of death was adjudicated.RESULTSAmong 2,097 young patients who had a type 1 MI (mean age 44.0 ± 5.1 years, 19.3% female, 73% white), diabetes was present in 416 (20%), of whom 172 (41%) were receiving insulin. Over a median follow-up of 11.2 years (interquartile range 7.3–14.2 years), diabetes was associated with a higher all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 2.30; P < 0.001) and cardiovascular mortality (2.68; P < 0.001). These associations persisted after adjusting for baseline covariates (all-cause mortality: 1.65; P = 0.008; cardiovascular mortality: 2.10; P = 0.004).CONCLUSIONSDiabetes was present in 20% of patients who presented with their first MI at age ≤50 years and was associated with worse long-term all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. These findings highlight the need for implementing more-aggressive therapies aimed at preventing future adverse cardiovascular events in this population. Full Article
aft Trends in Uninsured Rates Before and After Medicaid Expansion in Counties Within and Outside of the Diabetes Belt By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-01-27T16:03:28-08:00 OBJECTIVETo examine trends in uninsured rates between 2012 and 2016 among low-income adults aged <65 years and to determine whether the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), which expanded Medicaid, impacted insurance coverage in the Diabetes Belt, a region across 15 southern and eastern states in which residents have high rates of diabetes.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSData for 3,129 U.S. counties, obtained from the Small Area Health Insurance Estimates and Area Health Resources Files, were used to analyze trends in uninsured rates among populations with a household income ≤138% of the federal poverty level. Multivariable analysis adjusted for the percentage of county populations aged 50–64 years, the percentage of women, Distressed Communities Index value, and rurality.RESULTSIn 2012, 39% of the population in the Diabetes Belt and 34% in non-Belt counties were uninsured (P < 0.001). In 2016 in states where Medicaid was expanded, uninsured rates declined rapidly to 13% in Diabetes Belt counties and to 15% in non-Belt counties. Adjusting for county demographic and economic factors, Medicaid expansion helped reduce uninsured rates by 12.3% in Diabetes Belt counties and by 4.9% in non-Belt counties. In 2016, uninsured rates were 15% higher for both Diabetes Belt and non-Belt counties in the nonexpansion states than in the expansion states.CONCLUSIONSACA-driven Medicaid expansion was more significantly associated with reduced uninsured rates in Diabetes Belt than in non-Belt counties. Initial disparities in uninsured rates between Diabetes Belt and non-Belt counties have not existed since 2014 among expansion states. Future studies should examine whether and how Medicaid expansion may have contributed to an increase in the use of health services in order to prevent and treat diabetes in the Diabetes Belt. Full Article
aft Renal and Cardiovascular Outcomes After Weight Loss From Gastric Bypass Surgery in Type 2 Diabetes: Cardiorenal Risk Reductions Exceed Atherosclerotic Benefits By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-03-09T12:42:04-07:00 OBJECTIVEWe examined detailed renal and cardiovascular (CV) outcomes after gastric bypass (GBP) surgery in people with obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), across several renal function categories, in a nationwide cohort study.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSWe linked data from the National Diabetes Register and the Scandinavian Obesity Surgery Register with four national databases holding information on socioeconomic variables, medications, hospitalizations, and causes of death and matched 5,321 individuals with T2DM who had undergone GBP with 5,321 who had not (age 18–65 years, mean BMI >40 kg/m2, mean follow-up >4.5 years). The risks of postoperative outcomes were assessed with Cox regression models.RESULTSDuring the first years postsurgery, there were small reductions in creatinine and albuminuria and stable estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) in the GBP group. The incidence rates of most outcomes relating to renal function, CV disease, and mortality were lower after GBP, being particularly marked for heart failure (hazard ratio [HR] 0.33 [95% CI 0.24, 0.46]) and CV mortality (HR 0.36 [(95% CI 0.22, 0.58]). The risk of a composite of severe renal disease or halved eGFR was 0.56 (95% CI 0.44, 0.71), whereas nonfatal CV risk was lowered less (HR 0.82 [95% CI 0.70, 0.97]) after GBP. Risks for key outcomes were generally lower after GBP in all eGFR strata, including in individuals with eGFR <30 mL/min/1.73 m2.CONCLUSIONSOur data suggest robust benefits for renal outcomes, heart failure, and CV mortality after GBP in individuals with obesity and T2DM. These results suggest that marked weight loss yields important benefits, particularly on the cardiorenal axis (including slowing progression to end-stage renal disease), whatever the baseline renal function status. Full Article
aft Mexican Migration to Canada: Temporary Worker Programs, Visa Imposition, and NAFTA Shape Flows By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 19 Mar 2019 11:06:16 -0400 Mexicans migrate to Canada in much smaller numbers than to the United States, yet over the last 30 years the country has become an increasingly attractive destination. Canada prioritizes highly skilled, educated Mexicans for permanent residency, but also attracts temporary workers from Mexico. This article examines Mexican migration to Canada and how it has been shaped by visa requirements, trade policy, and more. Full Article
aft Hundreds honor Ahmaud Arbery after two murder suspects are arrested By www.upi.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 16:34:03 -0400 Hundreds attended a rally Friday in support of Ahmaud Arbery, and officials said they will investigate the man who recorded a video of his shooting. Full Article
aft Look: Brian May visits hospital after injuring buttocks while gardening By www.upi.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 11:16:39 -0400 Queen guitarist Brian May is recovering after tearing his gluteus maximus during a moment of "over-enthusiastic" gardening. Full Article
aft When the Dust Settles: Migration Policy after Brexit By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Sun, 26 Jun 2016 15:16:18 -0400 While the political and economic ramifications of the UK vote to quit the European Union hit with full force within hours, it will take far more time to sort out what Brexit means for migration policy. In the short term, the rights of EU nationals living in Britain are the most pressing, with border-control negotiations and future immigration levels also high on the agenda. Against a backdrop of deep public skepticism, this commentary suggests the next government should underpromise and overdeliver. Full Article
aft Spain’s Labor Migration Policies in the Aftermath of Economic Crisis By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 10 Apr 2019 10:59:39 -0400 A relatively new destination for immigrants, Spain has developed a labor migration system that builds on longstanding relationships with countries outside the European Union and that actively involves employers, trade unions, and regional governments. This report examines how this legal framework has evolved in recent decades, and how it could serve as a model for EU policymakers in admitting non-EU workers. Full Article
aft After the Storm: Learning from the EU Response to the Migration Crisis By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 26 Jun 2018 10:04:54 -0400 As maritime arrivals climbed in 2015, EU policymakers struggled to mount a coordinated response. A range of ad hoc crisis-response tools emerged, but many officials worry that if another migration emergency were to hit Europe, the European Union may still be unprepared. This report traces the evolution of the EU response to the 2015–16 crisis and lays out recommendations to lock in progress and shore up weaknesses. Full Article
aft The COVID-19 Pandemic Suggests the Lessons Learned by European Asylum Policymakers After the 2015 Migration Crisis Are Fading By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 22 Apr 2020 17:28:04 -0400 As European asylum systems are tested again by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has injected the need for social distancing during processing and in reception centers, it appears lessons learned during the 2015-16 migration and refugee crisis may be fading. Chief among them: A number of Member States have phased out their buffer capacity. This MPI Europe commentary explores the diametrically different approaches taken to asylum during the pandemic. Full Article
aft On the Brink: Prospects for UK Nationals in the EU-27 after a No-Deal Brexit By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Thu, 19 Sep 2019 16:24:06 -0400 Six months on from the original March 2019 Brexit date and staring a new deadline in the face, many EU countries still had only skeletal plans for how to adjust the status of their resident UK nationals should a no-deal Brexit come to pass. This policy brief highlights critical gaps in these plans, the groups most likely to be affected by them, and strategies Member States and the United Kingdom could adopt to soften the impact. Full Article
aft Is a U.S. Immigration System Rebuilt after 9/11 Prepared to Tackle Ever-Evolving Security Threats, Including Pandemics? Report Assesses Successes, Gaps By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Thu, 09 Apr 2020 09:11:12 -0400 WASHINGTON — The U.S. immigration system was dramatically reshaped by the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, which shone a harsh spotlight on weaknesses in visa and immigration screening processes. From the creation of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to expanded national security protections in immigration and tourism policies, countless changes in the immigration arena have unfolded over the past 19 years. Full Article
aft Rebuilding Community after Crisis: Striking a New Social Contract for Diverse Societies (Transatlantic Council Statement) By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 14 Jan 2020 09:52:21 -0500 Addressing the deep-rooted integration challenges unearthed by large-scale migration and rapid social change will require a combination of strategies. Governments in Europe and North America must create a new social contract for increasingly diverse societies that are confronting cycles of disruption. This report sketches a blueprint for an adaptive process oriented by skill needs rather than national origins. Full Article
aft Naughty Day After "Faux Paella" By www.abc.net.au Published On :: Tue, 03 Nov 2015 13:32:00 +1100 Nicky Riemer from Union Dining is one of 20 of Victoria's top chefs who will unite to raise funds for vulnerable children at Gastronomique on November 25. The gala food and wine charity evening will support Anglicare Victoria. Now in its 12th year, Gastronomique includes signature dishes, fine wine and entertainment. www.gastronomique.org.au Full Article ABC Local melbourne Lifestyle and Leisure:Recipes:All Australia:VIC:Melbourne 3000
