Welcome to the 11/18/16, post-election edition of 5-Shot Friday.
1. Harvard Researchers Advance 3D Printing: Heart-On-A-Chip
I’d first heard about creating a little “test heart” at the annual FutureMed Conference (now known as Exponential Medicine). A visiting lecturer and pioneer in the genetic engineering world had utilized the recently developed stem cell creating technology to create his own heart cells in a vial, and to later implant them on a computer chip to test how certain cardiac medications would work for him. Puh-retty cool shizz, since customizing medications for the individual is one of the Holy Grails of modern medicine (“Don’t bother with that pill, you’ll get dizzy and nauseated and it won’t work; use this one instead, zero side effects and it’s 173% more effective…”).
Fast forward several years, and researchers at Harvard have advanced the science of organs-on-chips to the next level:
“Microphysiological systems, or organs-on-chips, are emerging as a way for scientists to study the effect that drugs, cosmetics and diseases may have on the human body, without needing to test on animals. The problem is, manufacturing and retrieving data from them can be a costly and time-consuming process. Now researchers at Harvard have developed new materials to enable them to 3D print the devices, including the integrated sensors to easily gather data from them over time.”
3D printing is a key component of the democratizing effect of advancing technology. If it can be 3D printed, it can be rapidly tested, improved, and replicated – which translates into decreasing costs per unit, and ultimately, more widespread availability of that particular biotech.
Your guess is as good as mine.
As this NBC News post by Bertha Coombs points out, there are a number of ways the Affordable Care Act could go, and a number of reasons why it may be too costly to vanish any time soon.
3. Snopes Fact Checking: Bless You
I dearly needed this, from the web-based site that runs fact checks:
“A story that a hunter nearly died after a massive moose knocked him down and tried to have sex with him is, unsurprisingly, a hoax.”
From their FAQ page:
“Q: How do I know the information you"ve presented is accurate?
“A: We don"t expect anyone to accept us as the ultimate authority on any topic. Unlike the plethora of anonymous individuals who create and send the unsigned, unsourced e-mail messages that are forwarded all over the Internet, we show our work. The research materials we"ve used in the preparation of any particular page are listed in the bibliography displayed at the bottom of that page so that readers who wish to verify the validity of our information may check those sources for themselves.”
4. Tweet Of The Week by @editoremilye
I worked for Congress for 6 years, and here's what I learned about how they listen to constituents.
— Emily Ellsworth (@editoremilye) November 12, 2016
Follow the entire tweet thread; it’s a fascinating, pithy how-to, if you’re interested in getting the attention of your elected representatives.
Or just curious about what kinds of things register on their radar (and especially the radar of their support staff).
5. Update On My Own Private Veganism
My most recent observations:
Will not be abandoning The Vegan Way any time soon
Much to the chagrin of my wife, I will continue assembling most meals from the Intact Grains, Whole Veggies/Some Fruits, Beans, and Nuts/Seeds columns. 4 weeks is sufficient to transition into veganism or any –ism, and enough to figure out whether to pursue or drop it – advantage: veganism.
Powerlifting kicks your appetite in the pants, quick
Like, the next day quick.
This is why I recommend that my patients focus on a reduced calorie, low-starch diet if their goal is weight reduction, or powerlifting-type strength training if their goal is to get buff and strong. But not both at the same time: practically speaking, the two are mutually exclusive.
If you splurge, the scale will lie
You can lift and stay vegan, but if you splurge on the usual salty and processed carb delicacies, those infidelities will make you retain 3-5 lbs of water overnight.
White rice, like most breads of any color, are processed carbs
And processed carbs are to be minimized, for a whole host of reasons. Am veering into brown rice for my grain base, along with steel cut oats and quinoa, as well as considering those intact grains as a meal enricher, rather than foundational base. Jury is still out on pasta, which Forks Over Knives quotes as being oddly low on the glycemic index, and “almost equivalent to a whole plant” if made from brown rice.
Dr. Bunten is originally from Huntington Beach, CA. He attended high school in Tokyo, Japan, went to college at UC San Diego and then to medical school in the Midwest. He returned home to California for residency training in Family Medicine at Long Beach Memorial Medical Center. His immediate family all reside in Huntington Beach.
Dr Fishbein has been in the practice of family medicine for over 35 years in Irvine. He received his undergraduate degree from Southern Illinois University, medical degree from Chicago Medical School, and completed his family medicine residency at Memorial Hospital of Long Beach.
Dr. Kim is the Medical Director of Family Care Centers, Chair of the Department of Family Medicine at Hoag Hospital, and a recipient of the Physicians of Excellence award from the Orange County Medical Association. He is Board Certified in Family Medicine, and has been practicing in our community for over 20 years.
Dr. Memon is a board certified Family Medicine physician and recently completed her fellowship in Geriatrics at the University of California, Irvine Medical Center. She attended Saint George’s University, School of Medicine and completed her residency at Arrowhead Regional Medical Center. Her interest in medicine started at an early age and has since evolved into a passionate career.
Dr. Gina Nguyen obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at UC Irvine where she graduated Suma Cum Laude. She went to USC Keck School of Medicine, and returned to UC Irvine for a Family Medicine Residency. Since 2005, she worked at Kaiser Permanente, VNCOC, and Family Care Center Urgent Care.
Dr. Williams is Board Certified in Family Medicine and Sports Medicine. He is a native to Orange County and returned home after completing his medical degree at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque. After completing his residency in family practice he successfully completed a fellowship in sports medicine.
Dr. Hye Lee is a board-certified Family Practice Physician, affiliated with the American Osteopathic Association and the American College of Osteopathic Family Practice.She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in Biology at UC Riverside and earned her medical degree from Des Moines University Osteopathic Medical Center. Afterward, she did her internship at Downey Regional Medical Center in California and has been a primary care physician since 2005.
Dr. Coyne is a board certified family practice physician and a California native. He completed his undergraduate degree at UCLA before earning his medical degree at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Dr Coyne spent 6 years in the US Air Force at Andrews and Luke Air Force bases, eventually separating as a Major. He enjoys working with patients of all ages.”
Dr. Jay Friehling is a Family Practice physician who has worked in Orange County since 1981. Born in Florida, he received his undergraduate degree from Cornell University and then earned a Medical Degree at the New York Medical College.” His healthcare interests include Diabetes, Geriatric Care, and Hospice Care.
Dr. Jennifer Shoquist is board certified in Family Medicine. Her special interest is woman’s health and her practice accepts patients from 6 years old to seniors. Dr. Shoquist received her M.D. degree at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston in Houston, Texas, and did her residency with Memorial Family Practice at memorial Southwest Hospital in Houston, Texas.
Dr. Tom is a board certified family medicine physician and native Californian. He received his bachelors of science with great distinction in biochemistry and honors in chemistry. Dr. Tom was awarded a Regents Scholarship to attend medical school at UC Irvine.
Dr. Yan attended Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed her Family Practice residency at Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield, California. She joined Family Care Center in 2001. She chose Family Practice because she enjoys working with a wide variety of people and because it provides a unique opportunity for continuing care.
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