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Caduceus
Newsletter: Summer 2008.01, May Dr.
Stan Eisen, Director Home
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Caduceus
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Table of Contents: 1. The 2009 VMCAS (Veterinary Medical College Application
Service will launch early June 2008.
3. Stomach-Proof Gel Hints at Jab-Free Diabetes
Treatment, from New Scientist: Appearing in the April 23, 2008 issue of Science
in the News. |
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1. The 2009
VMCAS (Veterinary Medical College Application Service will launch early
June 2008. |
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The 2009 VMCAS application will launch early June 2008. This is an exciting time for the VMCAS application as it is being upgraded to a new system. Thank you!
John E. Roane, Jr. Chief Operating Officer Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges 202-371-9195, Ext. 22 1-877-862-2740 (Student & Advisor Hotline) Fax: 202 842-0773 |
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2. The makers of
Tylenol® will be awarding a total of $250,000 in scholarships to students
pursuing health-related studies. |
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3. Stomach-Proof
Gel Hints at Jab-Free Diabetes Treatment, from New Scientist: Appearing in the April 23, 2008 issue of
Science in the News. |
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A gel that can smuggle insulin past the stomach and slowly release the drug into the blood could do away with diabetics' daily injections. Pills made from the new material could also deliver other protein-based drugs, such as human growth hormone, that must be protected from being digested in the stomach. ... Researchers and drug companies have for years searched for an easier way to deliver insulin to avoid the pain and bruising that regular injections can cause. Cheek patches and insulin inhalers have both been investigated, but both have so far failed to make it onto the market. To read more: http://technology.newscientist.com/article/dn13751- stomachproof-gel-hints-at-jabfree-diabetes-treatment.html |
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4. Panel Says
Link Between Smog and Premature Death Is Clear, from the |
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WASHINGTON (Associated Press) - Short-term exposure to smog, or ozone, is clearly linked to premature deaths that should be taken into account when measuring the health benefits of reducing air pollution, a
of Sciences report concluded Tuesday. The findings contradict arguments made by some White House officials that the connection between smog and premature death has not been shown sufficiently, and that the number of saved lives should not be calculated in determining clean air benefits. The report by a panel of the Academy's National Research Council says government agencies "should give little or no weight" to such arguments. "The committee has concluded from its review of health-based evidence that short-term exposure to ambient ozone is likely to contribute to premature deaths," the 13-member panel said. To read more: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-smog- death,1,4423472.story |
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5. The
University of Medicine and Health Sciences at St. Kitts (in the |
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6. The |
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7. ====
AAMC STAT ====, News from the Association of American Medical Colleges,
April 28, 2008 edition. |
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== Sixth annual Cover the Uninsured Week begins today == House stops small business from cutting deeper into science budgets == AAMC issues follow-up comments on NCRR strategic plan == CGS Report: graduate education has positive affect on world == Dept. of Education formally announces increase in loan limits == Partners sought for environmental medicine cooperative agreement == On the move ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Sixth annual Cover the Uninsured Week begins today With health care reform at the forefront of debate for the 2008 election, organizers and participants of Cover the Uninsured Week (CTUW) are building on that momentum as the sixth annual national campaign begins today. The campaign, sponsored by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is a grassroots effort to build awareness of the crisis of the uninsured and to encourage solutions. Campaign research shows that while employment-based insurance is predominant, there are still nearly 28 million workers who are uninsured. This year, thousands of activities will take place all over the country to help build support for the cause, including health fairs, school outreach events and enrollment fairs that will allow people to take advantage of the free or low-cost health care options available to them. The AAMC continues to be a national supporter of CTUW and, through a grant program administered by the association's Organization of Student Representatives, awarded funding to nine schools for CTUW activities. Those schools include: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, "APAMSA 2008 Blood Pressure Screening Day"; Southern Medicine, "Health Fair"; Center, "Health Care Reform Programs in SF"; Uninsured Lecture Series"; Community Health Medicine, "Al-Shifa Free Clinic & CTUW Awareness Event." Information: Go to http://covertheuninsured.org ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ House stops small business from cutting deeper into science budgets On Tuesday, AAMC President and CEO Darrell G. Kirch, M.D., sent a letter to Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-Mich.) endorsing an amendment he sponsored to legislation to reauthorize the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer Research (STTR) programs; the amendment prevents an increase in the amount of money taken from federal science agency budgets to fund these programs. The legislation was passed by the House of Representatives on Wednesday. In the letter Dr. Kirch stated, "While the AAMC supports the objectives of the SBIR and STTR programs, it is essential that increases for these programs not come at the expense of the funding for the science agencies' other core programs." The amendment also was supported by the Association of American Universities, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology, and the National Association of Information: Go to http://www.aamc.org/advocacy/library/research/corres/2008/042208.pdf ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ AAMC issues follow-up comments on NCRR strategic plan The AAMC has issued follow-up comments to the National Institutes of Health's (NIH) 2009-2013. In comments, the association commended NCRR for its leadership in the NIH's effort to re-engineer the clinical research enterprise and for its support of innovative approaches and emerging partnerships and collaborations. While fully endorsing the NCRR strategic plan, the AAMC restates two points of concern that were originally expressed in the association's Sept. 10, 2007, comment letter, but which are not addressed in the current NCRR draft. First, the AAMC is concerned that the plan lacks specific strategies to address the translation of discoveries from clinical research into medical practice. Second, the plan does not address the transition of all existing general clinical research centers to the newer Clinical and Translational Science Award structure. Information: Go to http://www.aamc.org/advocacy/library/research/corres/2008/042308 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ CGS Report: graduate education has positive affect on world The Council of Graduate Schools (CGS) released a report, "Graduate Education and the Public Good," at a legislative forum held at the Library of Congress last week. The original report and the companion document, "Making a Difference," showcases more than 300 graduates who exemplify the positive ways in which graduate education impacts both the country and the world. Some exemplars include scientists, researchers, teachers, business and government leaders, as well as Members of Congress and Nobel Prize winners. The report lists a number of ways in which graduate education has a positive economic affect on society, including developing entrepreneurs and innovators, establishing new start-ups that create jobs, and conducting groundbreaking research. But, beyond that, the report states that those with advanced degrees also have a social and cultural impact as well, enhancing society through arts and humanities and fostering positive relationships with international partners. Information: Go to http://www.cgsnet.org/Default.aspx?tabid=334 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Dept. of Education formally announces increase in loan limits The Department of Education has issued a "Dear Colleague" letter announcing an increase in the combined aggregate professions students (including medical students) from $189,125 to $224,000, effective immediately. This increase
is entirely in unsubsidized loans and will allow medical students to borrow at a 6.8 percent interest rate, avoiding higher rates available through GradPLUS and other private loan programs. The loan limit increase comes in response to an AAMC coordinated sign-on letter sent to Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings in Sept. 2007. Information: Go to http://ifap.ed.gov/dpcletters/041808GEN0804.html ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Partners sought for cooperative agreement for education in environmental medicine The U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), part of the Department of Health and Human Services, is seeking proposals for a cooperative agreement to improve environmental medicine education for health professionals through collaborations with primary care professional associations and medical schools. Funding for the cooperative agreement is estimated at $1 million over five years. Applications are due May 27. Information: Go to http://www.cdc.gov/od/pgo/funding/TS08-801.htm ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ On the move Jeff Balser, M.D., Ph.D., associate vice chancellor for research for Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, effective mid-May. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Academic Medicine Online The AAMC, the recommend that all medical students receive training in population health, but how is the academic medicine community responding to this challenge? Academic Medicine's April theme issue on population health education examines efforts to train physicians who are well equipped to address issues of public health and prevention. In this issue you'll find a comprehensive look at population health education-from the undergraduate university level through medical school, graduate medical education, and beyond. Two of the articles are free to non-subscribers: "Evidence-Based Public Health Education as Preparation for Perspective." ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ |
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8. The
Bone Detective, from the Guardian (UK):
Appearing in the May 1, 2008 issue of Science in the News. |
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The world-renowned bone expert, Sue Black, comes flying
out of her office at the the cafe. ... Black's face is
warm but inscrutable, and her dark green eyes remain steady whether she is talking about rotting corpses
or her childhood in For someone whose work includes exhuming mass graves,
examining the bones of dead children and studying limbs found on rubbish tips,
she is extremely upbeat. ... Forensic anthropology is the study of the human
skeleton in a legal setting, usually in cases where a
crime is suspected. Over the past few years it has become increasingly visible through the work
of Kathy Reichs, the forensic anthropologist and author, whose heroine,
Temperance Brennan, works in the field, and is the central character of the
popular television series, Bones. To read more: http://lifeandhealth.guardian.co.uk/women/story/0,,2276881,00.html |
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9. Marginalia
1: YOU Choose in November… |
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10. Marginalia
2: Holding the Sun |
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Holding the
Sun
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Dr. Stan Eisen,
650
E-mail: seisen@cbu.edu
http://www.cbu.edu/~seisen/
Caduceus Newsletter Archives: http://www.cbu.edu/~seisen/Caduceus.html