29 July 2023

Yamanaka factors.  Scientists make progress in reversing aging - not just halting it.  Great news.

––– 凄い –––

An old antihistamine can reverse multiple sclerosis?  The answer has been around all along?

––– 凄い –––

Very sad.  The Cochrane UK lost its NIH funding, and so only has enough to operate until March 2024.  The Cochrane Database has been a great way to evaluate science progress.  This ronin has used it now and then.  They will try to find alternate funding in the meantime, but if they aren't successful, they'll have to shut down.  Everyone's having to tighten their belts.  (Except Zelensky, maybe.)

––– 良くない –––

 Cigna sued over algorithm used to deny coverage for treatments, even without reading clinical notes.
alleges the company systematically rejects claims in a matter of seconds, thanks to an algorithmic system put in place to help automate the process....While medical doctors signed off on the denials, the system didn’t require them to open patient medical records for the review.
––– 良くない –––

This is major and getting very little attention.  A paper shows that in healthcare workers getting their booster COVID-19 jab, the incidence of myocarditis is far more common that appreciated – seen in 3.7% of women and 0.8% of men.  More in women than men, opposite of what the adolescent data had suggested.  They investigators were comforted that no cardiac events happened in the ensuing 30 days, but who knows?  Why risk this for something as mild as the common cold now?

––– 良くない –––

Portland Public Schools still focusing on fixing the numbers so that a higher graduation rate is seen as an accomplishment.  But
“historically underserved” students continue to lag about 40% behind white students in English Language Arts (ELA) and math
So what will they do?  What can they do?  Can anything be done?
––– 良くない –––

Sounds like bad science.  Scientists figure out how to make hangover end more quickly by adding FGF21 (fibroblast growth factor-21) to synthetic alcohol.  Adding hormones?  Just to shorten a hangover?  Why not just not abuse alcohol?  No thanks.

––– 良くない –––

This is nuts.  Voter initiatives are NOT tested for legality before being put on the ballot.  And so we waste time and money with court challenges.  So dumb.

––– 良くない –––