pac Insulin-Deficient Diabetic Condition Upregulates the Insulin-Secreting Capacity of Human Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Pancreatic Endocrine Progenitor Cells After Implantation in Mice By diabetes.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-03-20T11:50:28-07:00 The host environment is a crucial factor for considering the transplant of stem cell–derived immature pancreatic cells in patients with type 1 diabetes. Here, we investigated the effect of insulin (INS)-deficient diabetes on the fate of immature pancreatic endocrine cell grafts and the underlying mechanisms. Human induced pluripotent stem cell–derived pancreatic endocrine progenitor cells (EPCs), which contained a high proportion of chromogranin A+ NK6 homeobox 1+ cells and very few INS+ cells, were used. When the EPCs were implanted under the kidney capsule in immunodeficient mice, INS-deficient diabetes accelerated increase in plasma human C-peptide, a marker of graft-derived INS secretion. The acceleration was suppressed by INS infusion but not affected by partial attenuation of hyperglycemia by dapagliflozin, an INS-independent glucose-lowering agent. Immunohistochemical analyses indicated that the grafts from diabetic mice contained more endocrine cells including proliferative INS-producing cells compared with that from nondiabetic mice, despite no difference in whole graft mass between the two groups. These data suggest that INS-deficient diabetes upregulates the INS-secreting capacity of EPC grafts by increasing the number of endocrine cells including INS-producing cells without changing the graft mass. These findings provide useful insights into postoperative diabetic care for cell therapy using stem cell–derived pancreatic cells. Full Article
pac Touissant among top 20 impact rookies for 2019 By mlb.mlb.com Published On :: Tue, 12 Feb 2019 14:30:40 EDT Here are the top players in each league who could get the opportunity to show what they can do at the highest level this year, perhaps even contending for Rookie of the Year honors Full Article
pac "We don't really know the impact of these products on our health": Ultraprocessed food & cancer risk By feeds.bmj.com Published On :: Thu, 15 Feb 2018 10:47:09 +0000 A study published by The BMJ today reports a possible association between intake of highly processed (“ultra-processed”) food in the diet and cancer. Ultra-processed foods include packaged baked goods and snacks, fizzy drinks, sugary cereals, ready meals and reconstituted meat products - often containing high levels of sugar, fat, and salt, but... Full Article
pac Unprofessionalism - "blaming other people, I put that at the top of the impact list" By feeds.bmj.com Published On :: Mon, 12 Mar 2018 12:16:34 +0000 That’s Jo Shapiro is a surgeon and manager in Brigham and Women’s hospital, she’s also director of the Center for Professionalism and Peer Support, and has written an editorial for The BMJ on tackling unprofessional behaviour. In this discussion, she and I talked about what she thinks (beyond the illegal) are the most damaging behaviours seen... Full Article
pac Working as a team, and combating stress, in space By feeds.bmj.com Published On :: Tue, 18 Jun 2019 15:04:19 +0000 Nicole Stott is an engineer, aquanaut and one of the 220 astronauts to have lived and worked on the International Space Station. In a confined space, under huge pressure, with no way out, it's important that teams maintain healthy dynamics, and individuals can manage their stress adequately, and in this podcast Nicole explains a little about... Full Article
pac Downswell reaches out to Central Village - Carry Me singer delivers care packages to community By jamaica-gleaner.com Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 00:05:37 -0500 The wet weather last Saturday (May 2) could not dampen the spirits of award-winning gospel artiste and ordained evangelist Kevin Downswell as he ventured into the St Catherine community of Central Village, where he spent some of his formative years... Full Article
pac The Impact of Mining on Forests: Information Needs for Effective Policy Responses By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Wed, 20 May 2015 14:30:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 3 June 2015 - 9:00am to 6:00pm Chatham House, London Meeting Summarypdf | 376.31 KB While there is much anecdotal information about the impact of mining on forests, no comprehensive review of minerals as a forest risk commodity has yet been undertaken. Indications are that mining activities are an important driver of deforestation in many countries, and that the impact of mineral extraction on forest resources is likely to increase with growing global demand for minerals. This event will discuss the state of knowledge on the impact of mining on forests, identify the available policy tools aimed at supporting sustainable supply chains, and determine the data needs to facilitate improved monitoring, control and regulation of the sector. Attendance at this event is by invitation only. Department/project Energy, Environment and Resources Programme, Improving Forest Governance and Tackling Illegal Logging and Deforestation Adelaide Glover Digital Coordinator, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme Email Full Article
pac The Indo-Pacific: Geostrategic Outlook to 2024 - Workshop 4 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 09 Jan 2020 11:15:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 26 November 2019 - 9:30am to 12:00pm Gateway House, Stevens Street, Colaba This closed-door roundtable explores possible strategic shifts in the Indo-Pacific between now and 2024.Focusing on trade security, climate change disruptions and security cooperation, it aims to enhance the understanding of the regional goals of, and strategic relationships between, the key countries active in the region.The workshop is part of a larger project funded by the Strategic Policy Division of the Australian Department of Defence.The project includes workshops in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, India and the Pacific Islands (Tonga). Department/project Asia-Pacific Programme, Geopolitics and Governance, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, Trade, Investment and Economics, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme Anna Aberg Research Analyst, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme 020 7314 3629 Email Full Article
pac Geostrategic Outlook for the Indo-Pacific 2019-2024 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 09 Sep 2019 12:23:52 +0000 The project aims to broaden and deepen understanding of the geostrategic realities in, and outlook for, the Indo-Pacific region. Focusing on trade security, climate change disruptions and security cooperation, the project will develop scenarios exploring possible shifts in regional economic and security priorities from 2019-2024.Research staff from Chatham House will, in cooperation with local partners, convene expert roundtables in the United Kingdom, France, Japan, India, the United States and Tonga to enhance the discourse and understanding of the strategic relationships in the region, as well as the shared – or disparate – goals of the various countries.A podcast will be recorded and released in conjunction with each event. The project will culminate with a research paper, amalgamating the roundtable discussions with analyses and policy recommendations developed by the Chatham House team. Department contact Anna Aberg Research Analyst, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme 020 7314 3629 Email Past events (3) Research Event The Indo-Pacific: Geostrategic Perspectives to 2024 - Workshop 3 17 October 2019 Research Event The Indo-Pacific: Geostrategic Perspectives 2019-24 – Workshop 2 24 September 2019 Research Event The Indo-Pacific: Geostrategic Perspectives 2019-20 – Workshop 1 11 September 2019 Full Article
pac The Indo-Pacific: Geostrategic Perspectives to 2024 - Workshop 3 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 14 Oct 2019 09:10:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 17 October 2019 - 9:30am to 2:00pm Institut Francais des Relations Internationales, 27 rue de la Procession, 75740 Paris Cedex 15, France This closed-door roundtable explores possible strategic shifts in the Indo-Pacific between now and 2024. Focusing on trade security, climate change disruptions and security cooperation, it aims to enhance the understanding of the regional goals of, and strategic relationships between, the key countries active in the region.The workshop is part of a larger project funded by the Strategic Policy Division of the Australian Department of Defence. The project includes workshops in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, India and the Pacific Islands (Tonga).Attendance at this event is by invitation only. Department/project Asia-Pacific Programme, Geopolitics and Governance, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, Trade, Investment and Economics, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme, Geostrategic Outlook for the Indo-Pacific 2019-2024 Anna Aberg Research Analyst, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme 020 7314 3629 Email Full Article
pac The Indo-Pacific: Geostrategic Outlook to 2024 - Workshop 4 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Thu, 09 Jan 2020 11:15:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 26 November 2019 - 9:30am to 12:00pm Gateway House, Stevens Street, Colaba This closed-door roundtable explores possible strategic shifts in the Indo-Pacific between now and 2024.Focusing on trade security, climate change disruptions and security cooperation, it aims to enhance the understanding of the regional goals of, and strategic relationships between, the key countries active in the region.The workshop is part of a larger project funded by the Strategic Policy Division of the Australian Department of Defence.The project includes workshops in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, India and the Pacific Islands (Tonga). Department/project Asia-Pacific Programme, Geopolitics and Governance, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, Trade, Investment and Economics, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme Anna Aberg Research Analyst, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme 020 7314 3629 Email Full Article
pac Iran Crisis: The Impact on Oil Markets By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Tue, 14 Jan 2020 09:00:23 +0000 14 January 2020 Professor Paul Stevens Distinguished Fellow, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme The assassination of Qassem Soleimani has exacerbated the sensitivity of oil markets to political events and brought geopolitics back into global oil prices. 2020-01-14-Hormuz.jpg Satellite image of the Strait of Hormuz. Photo: Getty Images. The assassination of General Qassem Soleimani has created much speculation about the possible impact on oil markets and – although any impact will very much depend upon what happens next in terms of political and military responses – theoretically the potential exists for Iran to seriously destabilize oil markets, raising oil prices.Arguably, it would be in Iran’s interest to do so. It would certainly hurt Trump’s possibility of a second term if higher prices were to last for some time as the 2020 presidential election gets underway. And it would also help shore up Iran’s failing economy. The assassination did initially cause oil prices to rise by a few dollars before quickly falling back, and the missile attacks by Iran produced a similar response. However, direct action by Iran to raise prices – for example by trying to close the Strait of Hormuz – is unlikely.Around one-fifth of the world's oil supplies passes through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow choke point between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula. Closing it would invite serious military action by the Americans and many of its allies who, so far, have been rather lukewarm over Trump’s actions. It would also possibly limit Iran’s own oil exports.Similarly, overt attacks on American allies in the region such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE would probably invite too heavy a reaction, although this is uncertain given the lack of response after the alleged Iranian attacks on Abqaiq and Khurais in mid-September.Indirect action by Iran to affect oil supplies is much more likely as they have many options by using their proxies to affect others’ oil production. This is especially true for Iraq, which is now an important source of global oil supply as Iraqi exports in 2019 averaged 3.53 million barrels per day (Mb/d), a significant amount.Iraq’s future production has already been damaged as international oil companies are withdrawing staff for safety reasons, anticipating potential attacks by both Iraqi and Iranian sources. It is now very unlikely that the crucial ‘common seawater supply project’ being run by Exxon – essential for expanding production capacity – will go ahead in the near future.However, one important consequence of the assassination that has attracted little attention is that it has almost fully restored the role of geopolitics into the determination of oil prices. Up to 2014, geopolitics played a key role in determining oil prices in the paper markets where perceptions and expectations ruled.Prices determined in these markets – NYMEX in New York, ICE in London and other lesser futures markets throughout the world – then influence wet barrel markets where real barrels of oil are traded. In 2014, the world was so oversupplied with real oil barrels that the oil price collapsed – the price of Brent crude fell from $110.72 on 23 May to $46.44 eight months later. Thereafter, little if any attention was given to geopolitical events, and geopolitics became marginalized in the determination of crude oil prices.This began to change in 2019. The market remained physically over-supplied but events in the Gulf began to attract attention. In June, there were a series of attacks on oil tankers close to the Gulf, followed by attacks on Saudi Arabia’s Abqaiq processing facility and the Khurais oil field in September.The Americans claimed these attacks were launched by Iran, but no convincing evidence for the claim was provided. Both attacks produced an initial price response but it was surprisingly limited and short-lived. However, it did suggest that geopolitics might be creeping back into influencing oil prices.This became ever more noticeable in the third and fourth quarters as rumours regarding the trade talks between China and US clearly began to affect price – talks going well meant higher oil demand, and prices rose; talks going badly meant lower oil demand, and prices fell.Meanwhile, the oil market showed signs of tightening towards the end of 2019. Although there was much cheating on the OPEC+ agreement that was trying to restrain production and protect prices, the OPEC meeting last December saw both Iraq and Nigeria agreeing to restrain production. US stock levels also began to fall in December and the futures markets began to price in a tightening market towards the end of 2020. Significantly, the tighter the market appears, the greater attention is paid to the level of spare producing capacity.Just before the attack on Abqaiq, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated there was 3.5 Mb/d spare capacity in OPEC which, historically, is quite comfortable. However, 2.5 of this was estimated to be in Saudi Arabia, so how much of this spare capacity still existed after the Abqaiq attack?The Saudis claimed the Abqaiq capacity was quickly restored but technical experts greeted this with considerable skepticism, not least because the Abqaiq equipment was highly specialized. If spare capacity is tight, this makes the oil price vulnerable to geopolitical scares and rumours, real or imagined. Although the assassination of General Soleimani has exacerbated the sensitivity of oil markets to geopolitical events, this becomes irrelevant if a serious shooting war starts in the region. Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Iraq’s oil infrastructure remains highly vulnerable to attack either directly by Iran or one of its many proxies, suggesting oil prices will become increasingly volatile but, at the same time, benefit from a rising geopolitical premium. Full Article
pac The Indo-Pacific: Geostrategic Outlook From Now to 2024 - Workshop 5 By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Mon, 17 Feb 2020 14:25:01 +0000 Invitation Only Research Event 18 February 2020 - 12:00pm to 4:30pm Langafonua Centre This roundtable explores possible strategic shifts in the Indo-Pacific between now and 2024. Focusing on trade security, climate change disruptions and security cooperation, it aims to enhance the understanding of the regional goals of, and strategic relationships between, the key countries active in the region.The workshop is part of a larger project funded by the Strategic Policy Division of the Australian Department of Defence. The project includes workshops in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Japan, India and the Pacific Islands (Tonga). Department/project Asia-Pacific Programme, Sustainable and Inclusive Growth, Trade, Investment and Economics, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme Anna Aberg Research Analyst, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme 020 7314 3629 Email Full Article
pac COP26 Diplomatic Briefing: Climate Ambition in Europe and its Potential Global Impact By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: Fri, 03 Apr 2020 14:05:01 +0000 17 February 2020 - 8:30am to 10:00am Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE Jacob Werksman, Principal Adviser to Directorate General for Climate Action, European CommissionImke Lübbeke, Head of EU Climate and Energy Policy, WWF European Policy Office Simon Petrie, Head of International Climate Strategy - Europe, UK Department for Business, Energy and Industrial StrategyJen Austin, Policy Director, We Mean Business CoalitionChair: Jill Duggan, Associate Fellow, Chatham House The President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, has declared that she wants Europe to become ‘the first climate-neutral continent by 2050’, and in December 2019, the Commission presented the European Green Deal in order to achieve this objective. However, even though greenhouse gas emissions from the EU have fallen by more than 20 per cent since 1990, the Union remains the third largest emitter in the world, after the United States and China.What are the opportunities and challenges for raising climate ambition in Europe? Will the EU increase its Nationally Determined Contribution and what impact might this have globally? How might Brexit affect climate action in the EU and the UK? The second event in the Chatham House COP26 Diplomatic Briefing Series will address these critical questions. Read meeting summarypdf | 118.6 KB Anna Aberg Research Analyst, Energy, Environment and Resources Programme 020 7314 3629 Email Department/project Energy, Environment and Resources Programme, COP26 Diplomatic Briefing Series Full Article
pac Covid-19’s impact on US medical research—shifting money, easing rules By feeds.bmj.com Published On :: Friday, May 1, 2020 - 13:37 Full Article
pac Covid-19: Lack of capacity led to halting of community testing in March, admits deputy chief medical officer By feeds.bmj.com Published On :: Wednesday, May 6, 2020 - 12:25 Full Article
pac Impact of 1,N6-ethenoadenosine, a damaged ribonucleotide in DNA, on translesion synthesis and repair [Enzymology] By feedproxy.google.com Published On :: 2020-05-01T00:06:09-07:00 Incorporation of ribonucleotides into DNA can severely diminish genome integrity. However, how ribonucleotides instigate DNA damage is poorly understood. In DNA, they can promote replication stress and genomic instability and have been implicated in several diseases. We report here the impact of the ribonucleotide rATP and of its naturally occurring damaged analog 1,N6-ethenoadenosine (1,N6-ϵrA) on translesion synthesis (TLS), mediated by human DNA polymerase η (hpol η), and on RNase H2–mediated incision. Mass spectral analysis revealed that 1,N6-ϵrA in DNA generates extensive frameshifts during TLS, which can lead to genomic instability. Moreover, steady-state kinetic analysis of the TLS process indicated that deoxypurines (i.e. dATP and dGTP) are inserted predominantly opposite 1,N6-ϵrA. We also show that hpol η acts as a reverse transcriptase in the presence of damaged ribonucleotide 1,N6-ϵrA but has poor RNA primer extension activities. Steady-state kinetic analysis of reverse transcription and RNA primer extension showed that hpol η favors the addition of dATP and dGTP opposite 1,N6-ϵrA. We also found that RNase H2 recognizes 1,N6-ϵrA but has limited incision activity across from this lesion, which can lead to the persistence of this detrimental DNA adduct. We conclude that the damaged and unrepaired ribonucleotide 1,N6-ϵrA in DNA exhibits mutagenic potential and can also alter the reading frame in an mRNA transcript because 1,N6-ϵrA is incompletely incised by RNase H2. Full Article
pac U.S. Immigration Policy under Trump: Deep Changes and Lasting Impacts By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 18 Jul 2018 14:20:20 -0400 President Trump has made reshaping the U.S. immigration system a top priority. Yet the fragmented nature of policy-making in the United States—with power split between branches and levels of government—has made it difficult to pursue some of his most ambitious proposals. This report explores the evolution of migration policy under Trump, and what these changes may mean in the long run. Full Article
pac An Overheated Narrative Unanswered: How the Global Compact for Migration Became Controversial By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Fri, 14 Dec 2018 10:33:54 -0500 While the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration was formally adopted by 164 of the UN's 193 Member States, it's worth asking how it became a point of contention and ultimately was rejected by more than a dozen countries. The answer? A long lag time between negotiation and adoption, during which overheated claims against it went largely unanswered, as this commentary explores. Full Article
pac The Global Compact for Migration: How Does Development Fit In? By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Mon, 27 Nov 2017 12:38:09 -0500 Migration and development are intimately linked, but they have not always shared the international policy stage. As UN Member States kick off negotiations for the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration—and with adoption planned for 2018—this brief examines the evolving relationship between these policy areas and considers what a global compact has to offer, if well designed. Full Article
pac Making the Global Compact on Migration a Reality: Ideas for Enhancing Regular Migration Pathways at All Skill Levels By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Thu, 30 Aug 2018 19:11:37 -0400 As the final phase of preparations for the historic adoption of a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration approaches, this webinar explores two central objectives of the compact: enhancing the availability and flexibility of pathways for regular migration, and investing in skills development. Full Article
pac Making the Global Compact on Migration a Reality: Ideas for Enhancing Regular Migration Pathways at All Skill Levels By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Wed, 12 Sep 2018 17:30:25 -0400 As the final phase of preparations for the historic adoption of a Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration approaches, this webinar explores two central objectives of the compact: enhancing the availability and flexibility of pathways for regular migration, and investing in skills development. Full Article
pac A Once-Smooth Path for the Global Compact on Migration Becomes Rocky By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 11 Dec 2018 15:48:39 -0500 The world’s first international agreement on migration was approved by 164 countries in December 2018, but not without turbulence. U.S. withdrawal from the nonbinding Global Compact on Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration, on grounds it could impinge on sovereignty, triggered similar actions by others, particularly in Eastern Europe. Amid ongoing political ripple effects, attention now turns to implementation of the deal's goals. Full Article
pac No Retreat: Climate Change and Voluntary Immobility in the Pacific Islands By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Mon, 11 Jun 2018 17:23:56 -0400 While media and academic discussions of "climate refugees" paint a picture of mass displacement of millions, in reality many communities vulnerable to climate change may choose to stay as a result of strong cultural, historical, and spiritual attachments to place. This article explores this "voluntary immobility" and its implications in the Pacific Islands. Full Article
pac Climate Change and COVID-19: Five Charts That Explain the Impacts By feeds.socialpsychology.org Published On :: 2020-05-05T11:33:35-04:00 Source: BBC News - Top HeadlinesWe're living through the biggest carbon crash ever recorded. No war, no recession, no previous pandemic has had such a dramatic impact on emissions of carbon dioxide over the past century as COVID-19 has in a few short months. What does this unrivaled drop in carbon dioxide mean for climate change? Full Article
pac Randomized Study to Evaluate the Impact of Telemedicine Care in Patients With Type 1 Diabetes With Multiple Doses of Insulin and Suboptimal HbA1c in Andalusia (Spain): PLATEDIAN Study By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-01-20T12:00:30-08:00 OBJECTIVE To assess the impact of a telemedicine visit using the platform Diabetic compared with a face-to-face visit on clinical outcomes, patients’ health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and physicians’ satisfaction in patients with type 1 diabetes. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS PLATEDIAN (Telemedicine on Metabolic Control in Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Andalusian Patients) (NCT03332472) was a multicenter, randomized, 6-month follow-up, open-label, parallel-group controlled study performed in patients with type 1 diabetes with suboptimal metabolic control (HbA1c <8% [<64 mmol/mol]), treated with multiple daily injections. A total of 388 patients were assessed for eligibility; 379 of them were randomized 1:1 to three face-to-face visits (control cohort [CC]) (n = 167) or the replacement of an intermediate face-to-face visit by a telemedicine visit using Diabetic (intervention cohort [IC]) (n = 163). The primary efficacy end point was the mean change of HbA1c levels from baseline to month 6. Other efficacy and safety end points were mean blood glucose, glucose variability, episodes of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia, patient-reported outcomes, and physicians’ satisfaction. RESULTS At month 6, the mean change in HbA1c levels was –0.04 ± 0.5% (–0.5 ± 5.8 mmol/mol) in the CC and 0.01 ± 0.6% (0.1 ± 6.0 mmol/mol) in the IC (P = 0.4941). The number of patients who achieved HbA1c <7% (<53 mmol/mol) was 73 and 78 in the CC and IC, respectively. Significant differences were not found regarding safety end points at 6 months. Changes in HRQoL between the first visit and final visit did not differ between cohorts, and, regarding fear of hypoglycemia (FH-15 score ≥28), statistically significant differences observed at baseline remained unchanged at 6 months (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The use of telemedicine in patients with type 1 diabetes with HbA1c <8% (<64 mmol/mol) provides similar efficacy and safety outcomes as face-to-face visits. Full Article
pac How Foods Affect Blood Glucose: Glycemic Impact By clinical.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2011-10-01 Oct 1, 2011; 29:161-161Patient Information Full Article
pac The Disparate Impact of Diabetes on Racial/Ethnic Minority Populations By clinical.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2012-07-01 Edward A. ChowJul 1, 2012; 30:130-133Diabetes Advocacy Full Article
pac Impact of Treating Oral Disease on Preventing Vascular Diseases: A Model-Based Cost-effectiveness Analysis of Periodontal Treatment Among Patients With Type 2 Diabetes By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-02-20T11:55:30-08:00 OBJECTIVE Previous randomized trials found that treating periodontitis improved glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), thus lowering the risks of developing T2D-related microvascular diseases and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Some payers in the U.S. have started covering nonsurgical periodontal treatment for those with chronic conditions, such as diabetes. We sought to identify the cost-effectiveness of expanding periodontal treatment coverage among patients with T2D. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted to estimate lifetime costs and health gains using a stochastic microsimulation model of oral health conditions, T2D, T2D-related microvascular diseases, and CVD of the U.S. population. Model parameters were obtained from the nationally representative National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2009–2014) and randomized trials of periodontal treatment among patients with T2D. RESULTS Expanding periodontal treatment coverage among patients with T2D and periodontitis would be expected to avert tooth loss by 34.1% (95% CI –39.9, –26.5) and microvascular diseases by 20.5% (95% CI –31.2, –9.1), 17.7% (95% CI –32.7, –4.7), and 18.4% (95% CI –34.5, –3.5) for nephropathy, neuropathy, and retinopathy, respectively. Providing periodontal treatment to the target population would be cost saving from a health care perspective at a total net savings of $5,904 (95% CI –6,039, –5,769) with an estimated gain of 0.6 quality-adjusted life years per capita (95% CI 0.5, 0.6). CONCLUSIONS Providing nonsurgical periodontal treatment to patients with T2D and periodontitis would be expected to significantly reduce tooth loss and T2D-related microvascular diseases via improved glycemic control. Encouraging patients with T2D and poor oral health conditions to receive periodontal treatment would improve health outcomes and still be cost saving or cost-effective. Full Article
pac Impact of a Telephonic Intervention to Improve Diabetes Control on Health Care Utilization and Cost for Adults in South Bronx, New York By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-03-20T11:50:34-07:00 OBJECTIVE Self-management education and support are essential for improved diabetes control. A 1-year randomized telephonic diabetes self-management intervention (Bronx A1C) among a predominantly Latino and African American population in New York City was found effective in improving blood glucose control. To further those findings, this current study assessed the intervention’s impact in reducing health care utilization and costs over 4 years. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We measured inpatient (n = 816) health care utilization for Bronx A1C participants using an administrative data set containing all hospital discharges for New York State from 2006 to 2014. Multilevel mixed modeling was used to assess changes in health care utilization and costs between the telephonic diabetes intervention (Tele/Pr) arm and print-only (PrO) control arm. RESULTS During follow-up, excess relative reductions in all-cause hospitalizations for the Tele/Pr arm compared with PrO arm were statistically significant for odds of hospital use (odds ratio [OR] 0.89; 95% CI 0.82, 0.97; P < 0.01), number of hospital stays (rate ratio [RR] 0.90; 95% CI 0.81, 0.99; P = 0.04), and hospital costs (RR 0.90; 95% CI 0.84, 0.98; P = 0.01). Reductions in hospital use and costs were even stronger for diabetes-related hospitalizations. These outcomes were not significantly related to changes observed in hemoglobin A1c during individuals’ participation in the 1-year intervention. CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that the impact of the Bronx A1C intervention was not just on short-term improvements in glycemic control but also on long-term health care utilization. This finding is important because it suggests the benefits of the intervention were long-lasting with the potential to not only reduce hospitalizations but also to lower hospital-associated costs. Full Article
pac Diabetes Prevention in the Real World: Effectiveness of Pragmatic Lifestyle Interventions for the Prevention of Type 2 Diabetes and of the Impact of Adherence to Guideline Recommendations: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2014-04-01 Alison J. DunkleyApr 1, 2014; 37:922-933Current Concepts of Type 2 Diabetes Prevention Full Article
pac Impact of Recent Increase in Incidence on Future Diabetes Burden: U.S., 2005-2050 By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2006-09-01 K.M. Venkat NarayanSep 1, 2006; 29:2114-2116BR Epidemiology/Health Services/Psychosocial Research Full Article
pac Gestational Diabetes Mellitus and Diet: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials Examining the Impact of Modified Dietary Interventions on Maternal Glucose Control and Neonatal Birth Weight By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2018-07-01 Jennifer M. YamamotoJul 1, 2018; 41:1346-1361Reconsidering Pregnancy With Diabetes Full Article
pac Impact of Fat, Protein, and Glycemic Index on Postprandial Glucose Control in Type 1 Diabetes: Implications for Intensive Diabetes Management in the Continuous Glucose Monitoring Era By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2015-06-01 Kirstine J. BellJun 1, 2015; 38:1008-1015Type 1 Diabetes at a Crossroads Full Article
pac DPP-4 Inhibitors: Impact on glycemic control and cardiovascular risk factors By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2011-05-01 Dror DickerMay 1, 2011; 34:S276-S278Diabetes Treatments Full Article
pac 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
pac As COVID-19 Slows Human Mobility, Can the Global Compact for Migration Meet the Test for a Changed Era? By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Mon, 27 Apr 2020 16:05:08 -0400 The coronavirus pandemic dramatically reshaped how human mobility is managed just as the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly, and Regular Migration was beginning to move from paper to implementation. As governments face pressing public-health, economic, and other concerns in responding to COVID-19, this MPI Europe commentary explores whether the first comprehensive global agreement on migration can adjust to a changed reality. Full Article
pac ADA lobbies Congress’ coronavirus legislative package By www.ada.org Published On :: Tue, 17 Mar 2020 15:17:00 -0500 As Congress works on legislation in response to the coronavirus disease outbreak, the ADA is working to ensure that those bills include provisions that are beneficial to dentists — particularly dental practice owners — and their patients. Full Article
pac Senate passes coronavirus legislative package By www.ada.org Published On :: Thu, 19 Mar 2020 11:01:00 -0500 The Senate and House have passed a coronavirus legislation package that includes three issues important to dentistry that will next head to the White House where President Donald Trump is expected to sign it into law. Full Article
pac HPI poll examines impact of COVID-19 on dental practices By www.ada.org Published On :: Wed, 01 Apr 2020 12:27:00 -0500 The ADA Health Policy Institute launched an ongoing biweekly poll the week of March 23 that shows 76% of dentists surveyed had closed their offices to all but emergency patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Another 19% indicated their offices are closed completely. Full Article
pac HPI releases webinar on economic impact of COVID-19 By www.ada.org Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 11:59:00 -0500 The ADA Health Policy Institute held a webinar April 29 with leading experts from across the dental industry to discuss how COVID-19 has affected the dental economy and what they think the future will bring. Full Article
pac 2017 American Academy of Pediatrics Clinical Practice Guideline: Impact on Prevalence of Arterial Hypertension in Children and Adolescents With Type 1 Diabetes By care.diabetesjournals.org Published On :: 2020-03-30T13:26:58-07:00 OBJECTIVEIn 2017, the American Academy of Pediatrics introduced a new guideline (2017 Clinical Practice Guideline of the American Academy of Pediatrics [AAP 2017]) to diagnose arterial hypertension (HTN) in children that included revised, lower normative blood pressure (BP) values and cut points for diagnosing high BP in adolescents. We studied the impact of the new AAP 2017 guideline on prevalence of HTN in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSUp to September 2018, 1.4 million office BP measurements in 79,849 children and adolescents (aged 5–20 years) with T1DM have been documented in the DPV (Diabetes Prospective Follow-up) registry. BP values of the most recent year were aggregated, and BP values of 74,677 patients without antihypertensive medication were analyzed (median age 16 years and diabetes duration 5.3 years and 52.8% boys). BP values were classified according to AAP 2017 and the references of the German Health Interview and Examination Survey for Children and Adolescents (KiGGS) (2011) and the Fourth Report on the Diagnosis, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Pressure in Children and Adolescents (fourth report) (2004).RESULTSOf the patients, 44.1%, 29.5%, and 26.5% were hypertensive according to AAP 2017, KiGGS, and fourth report, respectively. Differences in prevalence of HTN were strongly age dependent: <10 years, AAP 2017 31.4%, KiGGS 30.7%, fourth report 19.6%; 10 to <15 years, AAP 2017 30.9%, KiGGS 31.2%, fourth report 22.4%; and ≥15 years, AAP 2017 53.2%, KiGGS 28.4%, fourth report 30.0%. Among teenagers ≥15 years, 59.1% of boys but only 46.3% of girls were classified as hypertensive by AAP 2017 but only 21.1%/26% of boys and 36.7%/34.4% of girls by KiGGS/fourth report, respectively.CONCLUSIONSClassification of BP as hypertension depends strongly on the normative data used. Use of AAP 2017 results in a significant increase in HTN in teenagers ≥15 years with T1DM, particularly in boys. AAP 2017 enhances the awareness of elevated BP in children, particularly in patients with increased risk for cardiovascular disease. Full Article
pac Protecting the DREAM: The Potential Impact of Different Legislative Scenarios for Unauthorized Youth By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Tue, 10 Oct 2017 11:06:34 -0400 With the Trump administration having announced the end of the DACA program, Congress is facing growing calls to protect unauthorized immigrants who came to the U.S. as children. This fact sheet examines DREAM Act bills introduced in Congress as of mid-2017, offering estimates of who might earn conditional legal status—and ultimately legal permanent residence—based on educational, professional, and other requirements in the legislation. Full Article
pac NASA lengthens SpaceX's first crewed mission to International Space Station By www.upi.com Published On :: Fri, 01 May 2020 12:13:47 -0400 The duration of SpaceX's first mission with astronauts on board -- planned for launch at 4:32 p.m. EDT on May 27 from Florida -- has been extended from a few days to potentially weeks aboard the space station. Full Article
pac Unlike 'Jurassic Park,' real raptors may not have hunted in packs By www.upi.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 17:35:13 -0400 While the coordinated attacks of Velociraptor dinosaurs depicted in the 1993 blockbuster made for compelling movie viewing, a study published this week claims raptors most likely hunted solo, not in packs. Full Article
pac Google brings back 'Pac-Man' game in latest Doodle By www.upi.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 07:21:05 -0400 Google's homepage features arcade classic "Pac-Man" in the latest Doodle. Full Article
pac Swing State: Immigration's Impact on the 2020 U.S. Election By www.migrationpolicy.org Published On :: Thu, 20 Feb 2020 13:30:11 -0500 This event will feature a screening of the short documentary The Fields of Immokalee, and include a discussion on immigration and politics in Florida and other swing states in the run-up to the 2020 election. Full Article
pac Why Torture Keeps Pace With Enlightenment By www.washingtonpost.com Published On :: Mon, 11 Jun 2007 00:00:00 EDT In the year 65, the Roman emperor Nero discovered that a group of nobles had hatched a conspiracy to kill him. The tyrant captured the suspects one by one and threatened them with torture; most confessed and implicated others. One of the conspirators, Epicharis, was publicly tortured -- her bones... Full Article Opinions Why Torture Keeps Pace With Enlightenment
pac 'Attraction Effect' Helps Voters Pick From the Pack By www.washingtonpost.com Published On :: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 00:00:00 EST Some years ago, a political scientist conducted an interesting experiment that speaks to the fractured race for the Republican presidential nomination, which now has six candidates, five issues, and four potential front-runners. Full Article Opinions 'Attraction Effect' Helps Voters Pick From the Pack
pac Packing Protection or Packing Suicide Risk? By www.washingtonpost.com Published On :: Mon, 07 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT Seventeen years ago, a couple of criminologists at the University of Maryland published an interesting paper about the 1976 District ban on handguns -- a ban that was recently overturned by the Supreme Court on the grounds it was inimical to the constitutional right of Americans to bear arms to p... Full Article Opinions Packing Protection or Packing Suicide Risk?
