WebMD and Scripps Translational Science Institute (STSI) today announced a new investigative study designed to improve researchers’ and health care professionals’ understanding of what contributes to healthy pregnancies and positive pregnancy outcomes. The Healthy Pregnancy Study will use WebMD’s newly redesigned and enhanced Pregnancy app for iPhone. Incorporation of the Apple ResearchKit software framework will enable survey participants to eConsent, easily and anonymously answer questions, and share connected device data about their pregnancies with researchers for analysis.
“Pregnant women are one of the least studied populations in medical research,” said Dr. Eric Topol, director of STSI and editor-in-chief of Medscape. “The results of our Healthy Pregnancy Study -- on the foundation of an exceptionally popular smartphone app -- will ultimately provide expectant mothers, researchers, and health care professionals with new medical insights to avoid complications during pregnancy.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7579757-webmd-stsi-healthy-pregnancy-study-app/
A new online resource is now available to help people recognize and find high quality care for alcohol use disorder, which affects more than 15 million adults in the United States. The Alcohol Treatment Navigator, designed by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health, is a comprehensive, yet easy-to-use tool to help individuals and their loved ones navigate the often-complicated process of choosing treatment for alcohol problems. With many treatment options available, the navigator makes the search easier by telling them what they need to know - and what they need to do – to find appropriate, quality care.
“We developed this tool to help address the alcohol ‘treatment gap,’” said NIAAA Director George F. Koob, Ph.D. “In any given year, less than 10 percent of individuals diagnosed with alcohol use disorder receive treatment, and many of them do not receive the type of care that best fits their needs. A big reason for that, we believe, is that people with alcohol use disorder often don’t know where to turn for help. The Alcohol Treatment Navigator offers a comprehensive strategy to help people search for professionally-led, evidence-based alcohol treatment, which should improve their chances for success.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
https://www.multivu.com/players/English/8179051-niaaa-alcohol-treatment-navigator/
Barcelona is hosting the third edition of the Wine & Culinary International Forum today, a biennial international conference dedicated to food and wine pairing promoted by Bodegas Torres. Over 250 professionals, including sommeliers, restaurant owners, distributors and journalists from almost 20 different countries, participated in the event. Celebrated in the Palau de Congressos de Catalunya, it provided a forum in which to reflect and discuss the complementary relationship between wine and food under the heading “Wine and World Cuisines.”
The president of Bodegas Torres, Miguel A. Torres, opened the event, which featured talks, tastings and culinary demonstrations by a total of 20 national and international experts who are highly regarded in their fields. Among them, Josep Roca, sommelier at El Celler de Can Roca; the award winning wine-writer and journalist Sarah Jane Evans MW, an expert in Spanish wines as well as the former Chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine; the prestigious French enologist Pascal Chatonnet, one of the leading researchers into the microbiological factors involved in the interaction between wine and oak; Canadian researcher François Chartier, a pioneer in the aromatic science of molecular food matching since 2004 and author of Taste Buds and Molecules, world’s best innovative food 2010; the renowned French wine critic Michel Bettane; and the endocrinologist Dr. Francisco Tinahones, a researcher at the University of Malaga.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7948051-torres-wine-culinary-international-forum/
Three out of seven large pickup trucks evaluated by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in a new round of crash tests earn an acceptable or higher rating for occupant protection in a small overlap front crash.
IIHS evaluated two body styles of each 2016 model-year pickup — crew cab and extended cab. Crew cabs have four full doors and two full rows of seating. Extended cabs have two full front doors, two smaller rear doors and compact second-row seats.
IIHS last year decided it would test the two most popular variants of large pickups instead of just one after discovering that the Ford F-150 extended cab lacked structural countermeasures that helped the crew cab earn the top rating of good in the small overlap test. The test replicates what happens when a vehicle runs off the road and hits a tree or pole or clips another vehicle that has crossed the center line.
Ford improved the 2016 model F-150 SuperCab to clinch a good rating in the small overlap crash test, up from the 2015 model’s marginal rating. The F-150 is the only large pickup in the latest test group to earn the Institute’s top rating in the test. It joins the F-150 SuperCrew in earning a 2016 TOP SAFETY PICK award when equipped with Ford’s optional basic-rated forward collision warning system.
Vehicles that earn a basic rating for front crash prevention plus good ratings in the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint evaluations qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK. To qualify for 2016 TOP SAFETY PICK+, a vehicle must earn good ratings in the five crashworthiness tests and an advanced or superior rating for front crash prevention.
When IIHS began its booster seat ratings in 2008, most models failed to consistently provide good belt fit — the main purpose of a booster. This year, all new models evaluated by the Institute provide good or acceptable fit for typical 4 to 8 year-olds in most cars, minivans or SUVs.
Out of 23 new models evaluated, 20 earn the highest rating of BEST BET, meaning they are likely to provide good fit for a 4- to 8-year-old child in almost any car, minivan or SUV. Another three models are rated GOOD BETs, meaning they provide acceptable fit in most vehicles. There are no new models in the Not Recommended category, nor are there any with the Check Fit designation, which identifies seats that may work for some children in some vehicles.
As part of an ongoing commitment to support life sciences innovators and the development of integrated, cross-sector solutions to prevent, intercept and cure diseases, Johnson & Johnson today named cell biologist Yoshinori Ohsumi, Ph.D., of the Tokyo Institute of Technology the winner of the 2016 Dr. Paul Janssen Award for Biomedical Research for his pioneering discoveries concerning the molecular basis of autophagy.
Dr. Ohsumi was honored today during an event at the 2016 BIO International Convention in San Francisco. A video of his acceptance comments can be viewed here.
“Dr. Ohsumi’s curiosity led him to become the first person in the world to determine the molecular mechanism and regulation of autophagy, shedding light on one of the most basic functions of all living cells,” said Paul Stoffels, M.D., Chief Scientific Officer, Johnson & Johnson. “Dr. Ohsumi’s discoveries hold promise for better understanding, preventing and treating many diseases. It is with great pleasure that we celebrate his contributions, which remind us of the innovative spirit Dr. Paul brought to the lab every day.”
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7856351-2016-dr-paul-janssen-award-ohsumi/
The latest small overlap front crash test results from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) reveal a range of performance among many of the best-selling small cars in the U.S. market. Of the 12 models evaluated, half earn a good or acceptable rating and qualify for the IIHS TOP SAFETY PICK+ award.
The 2-door and 4-door models of the Honda Civic are the only small cars to earn the top rating of good in the test. IIHS evaluated the Civics earlier this year and released the results in March. The Dodge Dart, Ford Focus, Hyundai Elantra and 2014 model Scion tC earn acceptable ratings.
Nearly 50 vehicles meet tougher criteria for 2016 to take home the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s TOP SAFETY PICK+ award, earning good ratings in all five IIHS crashworthiness evaluations and an advanced or higher rating for front crash prevention. An additional 13 models qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK.
The baseline requirements for both awards are good ratings in the small overlap front, moderate overlap front, side, roof strength and head restraint tests, as well as a standard or optional front crash prevention system. The 48 winners of the “plus” award have a superior- or advanced-rated front crash prevention system with automatic braking capabilities. These vehicles must stop or slow down without driver intervention before hitting a target in tests at 12 mph, 25 mph or both. Models with a basic-rated front crash prevention system, which typically only issues a warning and doesn’t brake, qualify for TOP SAFETY PICK.
IIHS inaugurated TOP SAFETY PICK in the 2006 model year to help consumers home in on vehicles with the best safety performance. The TOP SAFETY PICK+ accolade was introduced in 2012 to recognize vehicles that offer an advanced level of safety.
The Astana Economic Forum 2016 is to take place in Astana, Kazakhstan on May 25-26. The theme of the AEF - "New economic reality: diversification, innovation and knowledge economy" - is related to global changes in the world determined by the development of a new economic reality and a number of challenges in geopolitics, the economy and financial systems.
This year AEF is organized by the Ministry of National Economy of Kazakhstan, the “Economic Research Institute” JSC, and the "Economic Initiatives Fund of Kazakhstan" CF.
The Forum will host 20 events which are focused on four main subthemes: global economy, economic diversification, innovation and technology, and knowledge economy.
AEF 2016 expects 3,000 delegates, including renowned politicians, international economists, Nobel Prize winners, heads of international organizations and representatives of influential media to attend.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/uk/7847451-astana-economic-forum-new-economic-reality/
Now that spring is here, flooding will be a major concern for many parts of the country.
The Northeast and Midwest received an abundance of snow this winter. Boston alone received more than 108 inches, making 2014-2015 the snowiest season in the city’s history. Until the frozen ground thaws, melting snow and heavy rains cannot be absorbed and the excess water can overflow streams, rivers, and lakes. The average National Flood Insurance Program flood claim between 2010 and 2014 was more than $42,000. Without flood insurance, you could be left to carry the financial burden of flood damage.
To view the Multimedia News Release, go to: http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7338651-iii-weather-flood-insurance/
As more than 2 million freshman head off to college, they enter one of the most dangerous times for harmful and underage student drinking—the first six weeks of their first year. And while there are numerous options available to address student drinking -- they are not all equally effective.
WHAT: The NIH’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism will hold a press briefing to announce the CollegeAIM (Alcohol Intervention Matrix) guide and website – the centerpiece of which is a new comprehensive and easy-to-use tool that will help inform decisions about alcohol interventions and guide college staff to science-based strategies.
Developed with input from leading alcohol researchers and college staff, CollegeAIM is distinctive because of the number and expertise of its contributors, the breadth of research covered by its analysis, and its user-friendly format.
To view the multimedia release go to:
http://www.multivu.com/players/English/7587851-niaaa-collegeaim-alcohol-intervention/
Just 15 vehicles qualify for the TOP SAFETY PICK+ award from IIHS after the requirements were strengthened to include good-rated headlights and good or acceptable passenger-side protection in small overlap front crashes.
Another 47 vehicles earn the TOP SAFETY PICK award, which now requires acceptable or good headlights. In contrast, headlights weren’t factored in for 2017 TOP SAFETY PICK, and an acceptable headlight rating was enough to bump a 2017 award winner into "plus" territory.
The inclusion of a passenger-side crash test is a first for any IIHS award. The Institute developed the passenger-side small overlap front crash test after it became clear that some manufacturers weren't paying sufficient attention to the passenger side as they made improvements to achieve better performance in the driver-side small overlap front test.
