Posts Tagged ‘science’
New Austen BioInnovation Institute-Led Community Health Approach Combats Chronic Disease Epidemic, Empowers Patients and Reduces Costs
Akron, Ohio (PRWEB) February 10, 2012
A new community-wide collaboration to reduce the impact of chronic disease and empower patients is generating impressive early results, leaders of the Accountable Care Community (ACC) initiative said today. The Akron-based Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron (ABIA) is leading the initiative with its founding institutional members and more than 60 public and private community partners.
The groundbreaking effort supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unites medical, public health and social science professions, nonprofits and faith-based and community organizations for an all-hands-on-deck approach to public health. Eventually, communities across the country will be able to apply this new model toward public health, reducing the tremendous negative impact chronic disease has on their economies, said Dr. Janine Janosky, head of ABIAs Center for Community Health Improvement, who is leading the effort described in a white paper released today.
The news comes just weeks after an Institute of Medicine report called for a new public health approach based on enhanced collaboration among the public health, health care and community non-healthcare sectors to address the challenges of chronic disease. The World Health Organization refers to the growing impact of chronic disease as “a global epidemic” reaching crisis levels. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation estimates that by 2030, half the U.S. population will have at least one chronic condition.
The ABIA, along with national experts and more than 60 Akron organizations, have been collaborating for more than a year on a new, integrated, and measurable strategy to community health that could be replicated in other U.S. communities. The ACC approach detailed in the report Healthier by Design: Accountable Care Community utilizes a unique impact equation that measures the benefits of a seamless approach to community health, including metrics for a patient empowerment and market value of health, said Dr. Frank L. Douglas, ABIA president and chief executive officer.
“The amount spent on healthcare and health initiatives in the United States should translate into good health for the community and its residents. Unfortunately, Americas public health continues to lag behind other nations. Further, we are now in an era of debate about how to reverse the unsustainable cost trends and improve the health outcomes and quality of life for our fellow man,” Dr. Douglas said. The development of this inventive Accountable Care Community model, which not only speaks of the need for collaboration but actually enables all parties to be on the same page with an integrated, measurable strategy, promises to improve the health of millions of patients.
In Akron, the ACC approach uniquely aligns public, private and philanthropic resources in a coordinated fight to improve community health by identifying and closing gaps in health education, access and delivery. The groups initial pilot project focused on diabetes self-management. Ultimately, participants changed their behaviors and took increased control over their disease. Significant results included decreases in blood sugar and bad cholesterol levels, weight loss, decreased body mass, and a decline in emergency room visits. An additional program demonstrated nearly a total of $ 225,000 of cost savings or cost avoidance for local healthcare institutions through the use of volunteers and community services to monitor and serve low-income, medically underserved patients with diabetes.
The ACC measured the improvements using a unique health and public health-based formula that calculates impact based on changes in patient health, the number of patients affected and the burden of the disease as determined by the cost of care. The Impact Equation outlined in the white paper is a new and crucial way to evaluate community health initiatives, Dr. Janosky said. The equation is crucial to a sustainable effort that other communities can implement, she said.
The vast majority of cases of chronic diseases are caused by a small number of known and preventable risk factors, including unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and tobacco use, Janosky said. We are convinced a collaborative approach to enhance patient empowerment and improve personal lifestyles will address the community challenges of chronic disease, Janosky said.
“The Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akrons Accountable Care Community is taking an important step to improve public health in Summit County by studying the best means of treating and preventing chronic diseases while reducing overall costs. Dr. Frank Douglas, Dr. Janine Janosky, and the sixty partners involved with the ACC are to be commended for their collaborative approach to improve the health and well-being of local residents and communities by uniting public health professionals and the clinical community,” said Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio.
We believe that our model of an all-inclusive approach to empowering patients and coordinating and improving access can be replicated by any community by first starting the conversation about what priorities matters most to your communities,” said Dr. Cynthia Capers, Emeritus Professor and former dean of The University of Akron College of Nursing. “Once you identify your priorities and targets, then performance measurement is an important cornerstone.”
In the next phase of the ACC development, organizers will foster community health leadership development, investigate regional health programs, analyze the impact of new health policy such as tobacco-free living, active lifestyles and healthy eating and identify areas of greatest need in Summit County.
“Building a responsible partnership between the clinical care professionals and public health colleagues is a key to success, said Dr. Hugh Tilson, adjunct professor of Public Health Leadership, Epidemiology and Health Policy, University of North Carolina and adjunct professor of medicine, Duke University, who contributed to the white paper. Particularly exciting for me as a career public health professional is to witness the strong functional collaboration between the local public health agency and the accountable care organization a true model for the accountable caring community. I know this is the winning formula for our reformed health care system, with the emphasis on health.
According to Dr. William Keck, past president of the American Public Health Association and retired City of Akron Director of Health, “Although chronic diseases are among the most common and costly health problems, we know that they are also among the most preventable. It is vital that the increasing importance of chronic disease is anticipated, understood and acted upon urgently. This requires a new approach by both medical and community health professionals, and community leaders, who are in a position to strengthen chronic disease prevention and control efforts.”
To learn more about the ACC initiative and download the whitepaper, visit http://www.abiakron.org/acc.
About the Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron
The Austen BioInnovation Institute in Akron (ABIA) an exceptional collaboration of Akron Childrens Hospital, Akron General Health System, Northeast Ohio Medical University (formerly Northeastern Ohio Universities Colleges of Medicine and Pharmacy), Summa Health System, The University of Akron and The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is focused on patient-centered innovation and commercialization at the intersection of biomaterials and medicine. The strategic alignment of public and private support, accompanied with Akrons rich legacy in materials science, is working to pioneer the next generation of life-enhancing and life-saving innovation that will transform Akron into a model for biomedical discovery and enterprise and move the region toward a secure economic future
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Whats Your Beef? West Dakota Kobe Offers American Kobe Beef with Cuts Brand New to the Industry that Make Great Grilling Steaks
Bismarck, ND (PRWEB) February 01, 2012
American Kobe beef is typically produced by crossing Wagyu cattle with Black Angus. Kobe beef in the Japanese sense is a style of producing beef that comes from a specific region in Japan.
West Dakota Kobe has a slightly different take on American Kobe, they cross their Wagyu with an Angus/Hereford cross. The real secret ingredient is the perfect combination of beef genetics and it gives our American Kobe beef an indescribable flavor, Vicki Leesburg of West Dakota Kobe said.
Crossing Wagyu with Angus/Hereford yields some distinct advantages, namely, a moisture rich, deeper flavor with sublime texture – a richly rewarded experience. American Kobe beef is also great for low cholesterol diets because it has a lower ratio of saturated fats and higher concentrations of essential Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids.
With a mission to provide healthy, natural, grass fed, forage finished, hormone, antibiotic, and preservative free American Kobe Beef, this group has invested a significant amount of time into the science of exceptional and decadent beef.
Their product line includes steaks and roasts that are practically brand new to the entire beef industry. Utilizing research done by the Beef Innovations Group, a part of the National Cattlemans Beef Association, West Dakota Kobe has more premium grilling steaks to offer than any other beef retailer out there.
Research profiling the best uses of individual muscles led to optimizing the cutting practices of the chuck and the round. Some of the new steak cuts coming from these regions combined with their highly specialized Wagyu breeding practices are finding favor and fans among a growing number of people.
New steaks from the chuck that were normally lost to 5 and 7-bone roasts or grind are separated from the connective tissue that was actually the culprit for making them tough. Now they are single muscle steaks that are big on flavor and tenderness and perfect for grilling or frying.
They hired premier Meat Scientist, Dr. Antonio Mata, to train their meat processor in the new cutting techniques and even he was amazed at the tenderness of the beef.
West Dakota Kobe products are available at the Montana Steakhouse in Miles City, MT, Meats by John and Wayne in Fargo, ND, and more places to be named soon.
They offer thirteen American Kobe Beef steak, burger, and rib options perfectly suited for the grill with most of these steaks ranking in the top 10 for tenderness. With roasts, ground beef, short ribs and more, there is definitely something for everyone. Visit them at http://www.WestDakotaKobe.com and check out the Beef Snob Blog (http://westdakotakobe.com/blog/) for cooking tips and recipes.
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Marketplace, PBS NEWSHOUR, Center for Investigative Reporting and Homelands Productions Collaborate on “Food for 9 Billion”
St. Paul, Minn. (PRWEB) January 24, 2012
American Public Medias Marketplace, PBS NEWSHOUR, the Center for Investigative Reporting and Homelands Productions are collaborating on a multi-platform media project, Food for 9 Billion. The project examines the challenge of feeding the world at a time of growing demand, changing diets, rising food and energy prices, shrinking land and water resources and accelerating climate change.
Both in format and in subject matter, Food for 9 Billion will be one of the most thorough explorations of global food security issues to appear in public media.
The main project elements for Food for 9 Billion include a year-long series of radio features on Marketplace, a year-long series of video features on PBS NEWSHOUR and an online experience managed by the Center for Investigative Reporting at foodfor9billion.org. Specialists at Cornell University, Franklin & Marshall College and PBS NEWSHOUR are designing interactive web features and materials for teachers and students.
On Monday, Jan. 23, Marketplace and PBS NEWSHOUR each broadcast special features on the ways in which rapid population growth contributes to a deepening food crisis in the Philippines. Both were reported by Los Angeles-based freelance journalist Sam Eaton. Earlier features examined the role of science in boosting global food production, the roots of famine in eastern Africa, and the debate in Egypt over food policies and prices.
The struggle to put food on the table is such a basic human story, said Homelands Productions Jonathan Miller, executive producer for Food for 9 Billion. We can see it in the families we meet in the Philippines, who are determined to gain some control over their futures. But its also a complex societal story, mixing economics, science, ethics, politics and culture.
Feeding the world will take so much more than producing more food, said Sharon Tiller, who heads digital media at The Center for Investigative Reporting. The stories we produce across multiple platforms–including television, radio, animation, and interactive features– will reveal how factors as diverse as population, climate, politics and global trade all interact, allowing us to create a three-dimensional portrait of the monumental challenge we face.
‘Food for 9 Billion’ is anchored in the qualities that public media audiences value mosthigh quality journalism and powerful storytelling with opportunities for response and engagement in the story, said Jon McTaggart, American Public Medias president and CEO. Using all the media technologies available, allows us to support a global challenge with global coverage.
Food for 9 Billion is made possible in part by grants from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the New Venture Fund and the Grantham Foundation, with additional support from the Richard H. Driehaus Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future at Cornell University. To learn more about Food for 9 Billion, visit foodfor9billion.org.
Contacts:
Tara Schlosser
Phone: (651) 290-1436
tschlosser(at)americanpublicmedia(dot)org
Jonathan Miller
Phone: (607) 266-8128
jon(at)homelands(dot)org
Anne Bell
Phone: (703) 998-2175
abell(at)newshour(dot)org
Christa Scharfenberg
Phone: (510) 809-3171
cscharfenberg(at)cironline(dot)org
About CIR:
The Center for Investigative Reporting is the nation’s oldest nonprofit investigative news organization. It produces compelling multimedia stories to engage and inform the public, distributing them through hundreds of news outlets, such as FRONTLINE, NPR, The Washington Post and The Daily Beast. CIR launched California Watch in 2009, now the largest investigative team in the state. CIRs reports have sparked congressional hearings and legislation, UN resolutions, public interest lawsuits and changes in corporate policies.
About Homelands Productions:
Homelands Productions is a nonprofit journalism collective that specializes in radio features and documentaries, particularly from the developing world. Since its founding in 1990, Homelands has produced eight major series for public radio, reporting from more than 50 countries and winning 22 national and international awards.
About PBS NEWSHOUR:
PBS NEWSHOUR is seen by over 5 million weekly viewers and is also available online, via public radio in select markets and via podcast. The program is produced in association with WETA Washington, DC, and WNET.org in New York. Major corporate funding for the PBS NEWSHOUR is provided by BNSF Railway, with additional support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and public television viewers. PBS Newshour Extra, a web resource for high school students and teachers, offers current events resources and lesson plans tied to national standards.
About Marketplace:
Marketplace is produced and distributed by American Public Media (APM), in association with the University of Southern California. Public radio consists of more than 900 individually owned and operated public radio stations (or regional systems of stations). American Public Media is one of the largest producers of public radio programming in the world, with a portfolio reaching 16 million listeners via nearly 800 radio stations nationwide each week. In addition to APM, Public Radio International and National Public Radio distribute and produce national programs. For more information on Marketplace visit marketplace.org. For more information on American Public Media visit publicradio.org.
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Exercise Body and Brain to Maintain Lifelong Cognitive Health
Copyright (c) 2008 SharpBrains
The American Medical News, a weekly newspaper for physicians published by the American Medical Association, just published an excellent article on the importance of Exercise – Physical and Mental:
A few quotes from the article titled “Steps to a nimble mind: Physical and mental exercise help keep the brain fit”:
“Until recently, conventional wisdom held that our brains were intractable, hard-wired computers. What we were born with was all we got. Age wore down memory and the ability to understand, and few interventions could reverse this process. But increasingly, evidence suggests that physical and mental exercise can alter specific brain regions, making radical improvements in cognitive function.”
and
“With nearly 72 million Americans turning 65 over the next two decades, physicians need the tools to handle growing patient concerns about how to best maintain brain health. Armed with this new brand of science, frontline physicians will be better equipped to address the needs of aging baby boomers, already in the throes of the brain fitness revolution.
One of the physicians quoted in the article is Gary J. Kennedy, MD, Director of the Division of Geriatric Psychiatry at Montefiore Medical Center in NYC and a professor in the Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
To put the AMA article in better perspective, we asked Dr. Kennedy a few follow-up questions. Below you have his questions.
Alvaro Fernandez (AF): Can you summarize how cognitive functions tend to evolve as we age?
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Gary Kennedy (GK): As we age cognitive functions that rely on processing speed or reaction time decline, slow down. Problem solving speed declines. This is in part the result of frayed neuronal insulation as the myelin sheath surrounding the axons wears thin with advanced age or illness. However it is possible to specialize and optimize some cognitive processes through experience, practice and planning. For example vocabulary can increase to age 90 provided there is ongoing stimulation and motivation to learn. And the growth and development of new brain cells can be augmented with the stimulating effects of physical exercise.
AF: Now, there are very significant cognitive differences among individuals of the same age, so age itself is not the main predictor. Can you explain what may be?
GK: Age also has the effect of amplifying differences between individuals. This is the result of variability in aging itself, freedom from or accumulation of illnesses and injury, and life style. The influence of genetics is largely exhausted by the 6 and 7th decades of life which means that habitual activities and social relationships have a larger and larger impact resulting in greater and greater variability between individuals.
AF: Can you please explain the relationship between cognitive and emotional health (what we typically call “brain fitness”)
GK: Cognitive health requires motivation to sustain it and motivation depends on emotion and social reinforcement. Emotional self-regulation is not simply self control. Rather it is the capacity to respond to an emotional stress without prolonged loss of equilibrium. And it is the capacity to modify emotional reactions to resonate with others in the environment. Thought and feeling when linked together can be a powerful stimulus for learning, both for better and for worse. A positive outlook with an active response style is more protective than a tendency toward negativism and withdrawal.
AF: What advice would you give to people who want to maintain their brain in top shape?
GK: Simply finding a partner for regular physical activity is one of the best prescriptions for improving brain function. Staying emotionally, intellectually and socially engaged is also good advice. And the more the better. The brain is a muscle – use it or lose it.
AF: And what advice would you give to doctors and health professionals on how to help their patients?
GK: Doctors and all health professionals need to know how to motivate their patients to make the changes in life style that will promote healthy aging. Small, meaningful changes are relatively easy to achieve if the professional simply asks. Two straightforward examples: “how often do you enjoy an alcoholic beverage?” and “how often do you get a half hour of physical activity, walking or exercising?” can help the older person to minimize alcohol and maximize exercise. Brief interventions work surprisingly well.
AF: Thank you very mmuch for your time and advice.
GK: You are welcome.
Alvaro Fernandez is the Co-Founder of SharpBrains.com, which reviews resources for brain fitness, such as cognitive assessments and cognitive therapy . SharpBrains has been recognized by Scientific American Mind, The New York Times, and more. Alvaro holds MA in Education and MBA from Stanford University, and teaches The Science of Brain Health at UC-Berkeley Lifelong Learning Institute.
Award-winning business leader Lynesa Williams joins ARIIX Global Success Leaders
Bountiful, UT (PRWEB) January 19, 2012
January 19, 2012 ARIIX, a premier health and wellness company, is pleased to welcome Lynesa Williams, award-winning business and sales expert, to the ARIIX Global Success Leaders team. A proven leader with awards acknowledging her leadership and accomplishment throughout her career, Lynesas experience in the corporate and network marketing industries brings insight and knowledge that will benefit the entire organization.
Lynesas experience as a successful corporate executive focused on key skills such as introduction of company product, recruitment of new business, and maintaining and retaining customers. When she found herself searching for a new life path that would satisfy her needs for both professional and personal growth, all of these skills transitioned seamlessly into the multi-level marketing industry, where Lynesa quickly earned top honors as Rookie of the Year, Company MVP and for her continued multi-million-dollar earning records with the company she represented.
Ive always been a promoter of loving yourself from the inside out and I knew the minute that I was introduced to ARIIX, that the companys vision matched everything I was about. Each day I live and teach the companys motto of Unleashing the Human Potential for Good. And I love every step of the journey.
The WHY or the true purpose of our existence should be filled with the LOVE of who we are, what we yearn to do, long to do, and would do for free, said Lynesa. It is the LOVE in our WHY that makes us ultimately fly.
Lynesas passion as a mother, combined with her business acumen, has also led her to become the inspirational founder of eMothers-at-Home (eMAHs) an organization that teaches women how to become wise and spiritually-rich women AND entrepreneurs. Lynesa is based in Los Angeles and is mother of twin daughters, Jasmine and Jessica, and son, Stephen.
Wow, we just cant say enough good things about Lynesa, said Riley Timmer, ARIIX COO. She is the whole package passion, persistence and vision completely in alignment with ARIIXs mission to help people around the world unleash their potential for good. We look forward to watching her leap and grow as a valued member of our Global Success Leaders team.
About ARIIX
ARIIX is a premier health and wellness company that is using the latest research in nutritional science to create their leading-edge nutritional products. The company was born from the shared vision of leaders in business and nutritional science, who wanted to create a unique company based on the golden rule of helping others to unleash their potential for good. ARIIX stands out with their blend of global vision, outstanding industry experience and leadership, unparalleled quality nutritional supplements and the philosophy that when one person thrives, the whole community benefits. The company currently operates in the United States, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, Taiwan and Mexico.
For more information please visit http://www.ariix.com or phone 1-855-GO-ARIIX.
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Real People Share Their Weight-Loss Success Stories with SENSA?
Manhattan Beach, CA (PRWEB) January 02, 2012
SENSA? Products, LLC recently invited some of their most successful customers from around the nation to their corporate office to share their stories on how SENSA?, a revolutionary weight-loss system, has helped them shed unwanted pounds. Like most people who struggle with their weight, they had tried a number of different weight-loss programs in the past, but found it difficult to keep the weight off until they tried SENSA?.
Created by Dr. Alan Hirsch, SENSA? is a revolutionary 6-month weight-loss system that uses science and your sense of smell to help you lose unwanted pounds. By simply sprinkling SENSA? on everything you eat, it safely and effectively curbs your appetite so that you feel full faster and consume less calories without feeling deprived. In one of the largest clinical studies ever conducted on a non-prescription weight loss product, 1436 participants lost an average of 30.5 pounds in only 6 months.
Below are the stories of real people who have lost weight with SENSA?:
Brenda, Age: 44
Culver City, Calif.
Brenda quit smoking a few years ago and the numbers on the scale started to grow. She had previously been able to eat whatever she wanted, so she didnt know how to control her appetite. She had tried shakes, pills, calorie counting, cleanses, etc., but the moment she went off those diets, the weight plus some would always come right back.
Her husband had planned a Caribbean cruise, so she figured she might as well try to lose weight with SENSA?. Around the second week of sprinkling SENSA? on her food, she noticed that she was eating less and her cravings for sweets were starting to go away. After 3 months, Brenda lost 15 pounds and has gone from a size 10 to a size 6.*
Unlike so many other diets out there, SENSA? doesnt starve you or make you give up your favorite foods.
*In addition to using SENSA, Brenda followed a custom meal and exercise program.
Dauri, Age: 54
Lawrenceville, NJ
Dauri is a very active person and lifelong lover of activities, such as swimming, skiing and bicycling. Even after giving birth to three children, she was able to lose the pregnancy weight because she was always on the go. However, after a work-related move back east with her husband and children, she caught a virus, which left her with debilitating joint pain. She was bedridden for a few months and was in too much pain to exercise. Dauri started putting on weight and eventually got to a size 16.
After finding SENSA? online, she started using it and losing weight. She began to eat smaller portions and enjoyed the fact that she didnt have to adhere to any particular food plan. Her passion for life resurfaced, along with a positive attitude toward the future. Dauri lost 45 pounds in 7 months and continues to use SENSA? to help maintain her current weight.*
I think the reason SENSA? is so much more sustainable than any other weight loss plan is that it empowered me to take control over my appetite. I learned how to eat with purpose.
*Studies show average weight loss of 30.5 lbs in 6 months.
Iris, Age: 30
Los Angeles, Calif.
Iris has always fluctuated with her weight by about 10 pounds because she has a tendency to overeat. Although she is physically active, she loves food so much that it is hard for her to control her appetite. She was tired of feeling unhappy with what she saw in the mirror, so she decided to give SENSA? a try.
After a few weeks, Iris noticed that she was feeling full faster and her favorite pair of jeans could barely stay on her. Thanks to SENSA?, she has learned proper portion control. It has also helped her become more aware of how fast she was eating; since she now gets full faster, she tries to slow down so that she can actually enjoy her food before she gets full. Iris lost 18 pounds in 3 months.*
A total stranger stopped me on the street and told me she thought my body looked amazing, which was a major compliment. SENSA? really helps you control overeating!
*In addition to using SENSA, Iris followed a custom meal and exercise program.
SENSA? is available exclusively at GNC and Costco stores nationwide and online at gnc.com, costco.com, http://www.trysensa.com, as well as dermstore.com.????
About the SENSA? Weight-Loss System
SENSA? is a leading weight-loss tool and lifestyle brand that has helped hundreds of thousands of people lose millions of pounds without restrictive dieting, stimulants or pills. Based on 25 years of research and testing from Dr. Alan Hirsch, this revolutionary weight-loss system uses science and your sense of smell to help you lose weight. Doctor formulated and clinically proven, SENSA? has an average weight loss of 30.5 pounds in six months. No other weight-loss product has such extraordinary results. For more information or to order the SENSA? Weight-Loss System, visit http://www.trysensa.com or http://www.facebook.com/Sensa.
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