upi--2020-02-21--Songbird study reveals changes in fall migration

Feb. 21 ( UPI ) -- As a number of previous studies have revealed , the timing of spring bird migrations in North America has shifted in response to climate change over the last several decades .
Now , new research suggests fall migrations are being affected , too .
The new analysis , published this week in the journal The Auk : Ornithological Advances , showed the fall migration of black-throated blue warblers is getting longer .
`` This means that some birds are leaving earlier while others are leaving later , '' lead researcher Kristen Covino , an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told UPI in an email .
`` So while the peak of fall migration is staying the same , the period during which these birds are migrating is getting longer . ''
For the study , Covino and her colleagues utilized data from the North American Bird Banding Program .
The program , administered jointly United States Geological Survey and the Canadian Wildlife Service , boasts one of the most expansive historical data sets on migratory birds .
Scientists decided to study movement patterns of the black-throated blue warbler because the long-distance traveler @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The wealth of data on the species was also a motivating factor .
Covino and her research partners were able to analyze more than 150,000 records of individual black-throated blue warblers .
`` Also for this species , it is relatively straightforward to determine age and sex of individuals during both spring and fall , so we were confident in the reliability of those pieces of information since the data were initially collected by so many different field researchers , '' Covino said .
Scientists confirmed -- as previous studies have shown -- @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their breeding grounds earlier and earlier each spring , an average of a day earlier each decade .
Researchers suspect that the changes in the bird 's spring migratory patterns could be responsible for the lengthening of the species ' fall migration period .
`` One possibility is that the early departures are young from the first brood -- chicks from a nest -- of the earlier arriving adults and the later departures are a product of some adults attempting , and some succeeding , in a second brood or reproductive attempt in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` This species does not always attempt two nests in the same season so it is possible that the breeding season is getting longer and allowing for an increase in this behavior . ''
Because spring migration patterns are a significant driver of reproductive success , scientists have focused exclusively on the links between climate change and spring migration shifts .
Covino hopes their latest research while inspired future studies to consider changes in both fall and spring migrations together .
`` We stress that investigations into migratory phenology should include both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all the changes occurring within a species , '' she said .
`` Our follow-up study is to expand this approach to include several additional species . ''

New research suggests black-throated blue warblers, a passerine species that travels back and forth between the Caribbean and the forests of the Eastern United States, have shifted the timing of both their spring and fall migrations during the last fifty years. Photo by Kyle Horton
Feb. 21 (UPI) -- As a number of previous studies have revealed, the timing of spring bird migrations in North America has shifted in response to climate change over the last several decades. Now, new research suggests fall migrations are being affected, too. The new analysis, published this week in the journal The Auk: Ornithological Advances, showed the fall migration of black-throated blue warblers is getting longer. Advertisement
"This means that some birds are leaving earlier while others are leaving later," lead researcher Kristen Covino, an avian biologist at Loyola Marymount University, told UPI in an email. "So while the peak of fall migration is staying the same, the period during which these birds are migrating is getting longer."
For the study, Covino and her colleagues utilized data from the North American Bird Banding Program. The program, administered jointly United States Geological Survey and the Canadian Wildlife Service, boasts one of the most expansive historical data sets on migratory birds.
Scientists decided to study movement patterns of the black-throated blue warbler because the long-distance traveler may be representative of other species. The wealth of data on the species was also a motivating factor. Covino and her research partners were able to analyze more than 150,000 records of individual black-throated blue warblers.
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"Also for this species, it is relatively straightforward to determine age and sex of individuals during both spring and fall, so we were confident in the reliability of those pieces of information since the data were initially collected by so many different field researchers," Covino said.
Scientists confirmed -- as previous studies have shown -- that birds have been flying north to their breeding grounds earlier and earlier each spring, an average of a day earlier each decade.
Researchers suspect that the changes in the bird's spring migratory patterns could be responsible for the lengthening of the species' fall migration period.
"One possibility is that the early departures are young from the first brood -- chicks from a nest -- of the earlier arriving adults and the later departures are a product of some adults attempting, and some succeeding, in a second brood or reproductive attempt in the same season," Covino said. "This species does not always attempt two nests in the same season so it is possible that the breeding season is getting longer and allowing for an increase in this behavior."
Because spring migration patterns are a significant driver of reproductive success, scientists have focused exclusively on the links between climate change and spring migration shifts. Covino hopes their latest research while inspired future studies to consider changes in both fall and spring migrations together.
Advertisement
"We stress that investigations into migratory phenology should include both migratory seasons in order to holistically encompass all the changes occurring within a species," she said. "Our follow-up study is to expand this approach to include several additional species."


upi--2020-02-21--UPI News Quiz: Test your knowledge of the week's events

U.S. News // 6 hours ago
Hunter Biden lawyer asks to withdraw from case because he could be called as witness
Aug. 15 (UPI) -- Hunter Biden's lawyer asked to withdraw from the criminal case against Hunter Biden, the son of President Joe Biden, over the possibility he might be called as a witness.


upi--2020-02-21--Porsche leads Consumer Reports' ranking of vehicle brands

Feb. 21 ( UPI ) -- Porsche , Genesis , Subaru and Mazda led Consumer Reports ' ranking in a survey , released Friday , of 33 vehicle brands .
The annual ranking by the nonprofit organization dedicated to unbiased research and product testing concentrates on makes of cars and trucks , and not individual models .
Mazda finished fourth in the ranking .
Consumer Reports said it recommended purchase of all the models of Porsche , Genesis and Mazda tested , but noted `` the below-average predicted reliability '' of Subarus 's WRX sedan .
Tesla , in 19th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2020 list , and is the highest ranked U.S. brand .
Jeep , Mitsubishi and Fiat finished in 31st , 32nd and 33rd place , respectively .
Overall scores are based on over 50 factors learned in road tests ; reliability predictions taken from problems reported in 17 areas ; owner satisfaction surveys ; and safety aspects , including identification of advanced safety features and crash test results .
The final report card gave Porsche 86 points , Genesis 84 , Subaru 81 and Mazda 79 .
Of those at the bottom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points , Mitsubishi had 46 and Fiat had 43 .
Fiat came in last for the fourth consecutive year .
Buick finished 19th , the highest of all General Motors ' brands .
`` The brands at the top of our rankings do a great job of producing cars that perform well in our road tests , and are reliable , safe , and highly satisfying , '' said Jake Fisher , Consumer Reports ' senior director of automotive testing .

Porsche led Consumer Reports' annual ranking of the best car brands, followed by Genesis and Subaru. File Photo by David Silpa/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Porsche, Genesis, Subaru and Mazda led Consumer Reports' ranking in a survey, released Friday, of 33 vehicle brands. The annual ranking by the nonprofit organization dedicated to unbiased research and product testing concentrates on makes of cars and trucks, and not individual models. Advertisement
Mazda finished fourth in the ranking. Consumer Reports said it recommended purchase of all the models of Porsche, Genesis and Mazda tested, but noted "the below-average predicted reliability" of Subarus's WRX sedan.
Tesla, in 19th position last year, is 11th on the 2020 list, and is the highest ranked U.S. brand. Jeep, Mitsubishi and Fiat finished in 31st, 32nd and 33rd place, respectively.
Overall scores are based on over 50 factors learned in road tests; reliability predictions taken from problems reported in 17 areas; owner satisfaction surveys; and safety aspects, including identification of advanced safety features and crash test results. The final report card gave Porsche 86 points, Genesis 84, Subaru 81 and Mazda 79. Of those at the bottom of the list, Jeep had 49 points, Mitsubishi had 46 and Fiat had 43.
Fiat came in last for the fourth consecutive year. Buick finished 19th, the highest of all General Motors' brands.
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"The brands at the top of our rankings do a great job of producing cars that perform well in our road tests, and are reliable, safe, and highly satisfying," said Jake Fisher, Consumer Reports' senior director of automotive testing.


upi--2020-02-21--Watch: 70-pound beehive found under California man's garden shed

Feb. 21 ( UPI ) -- A homeowner who called bee removal experts to investigate the insects in his back @ @ @ @ @ to learn there were 100,000 to 150,000 bees living in a 70-pound hive under his @ @ @ @ @ El Cajon said he first started noticing bees in his back yard about two years @ @ @ @ @ returned each year .
`` The bees were coming in and out of a small @ @ @ @ @ my shed , '' Herbert told KGTV .
Herbert called Bee Nice Wildlife Management and @ @ @ @ @ corner of the shed to discover a 70-pound beehive measuring about 30 inches long .
@ @ @ @ @ were probably 100,000 bees at least and 20 to 25 per minute going into the @ @ @ @ @ the Sacramento Bee .
`` That puts it at 1,200 an hour .
Only 10 @ @ @ @ @ the hive .
The other 90 percent stay in and work . ''
The hive @ @ @ @ @ without damaging the colony , Herbert said .

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Feb. 21 (UPI) -- A homeowner who called bee removal experts to investigate the insects in his back yard said he was shocked to learn there were 100,000 to 150,000 bees living in a 70-pound hive under his shed.
Herb Herbert of El Cajon said he first started noticing bees in his back yard about two years ago, and the insects returned each year.
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"The bees were coming in and out of a small hole at the bottom of my shed," Herbert told KGTV.
Herbert called Bee Nice Wildlife Management and a technician pulled back a corner of the shed to discover a 70-pound beehive measuring about 30 inches long.
"His estimate was there were probably 100,000 bees at least and 20 to 25 per minute going into the hive," Herbert told the Sacramento Bee. "That puts it at 1,200 an hour. Only 10 percent of the bees leave the hive. The other 90 percent stay in and work."
The hive and bees were safely relocated without damaging the colony, Herbert said.


upi--2020-02-21--Lockheed nabs $233M for work on Mk 41 launching system

Feb. 21 ( UPI ) -- Lockheed Martin has received a $ 233 million contract for work on the Mk @ @ @ @ @ according to the Department of Defense .
The contract , which funds procurement of vertical @ @ @ @ @ kits and spare components for the launching system , a modular missile launch system capable @ @ @ @ @ variants .
The contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy and three other governments through @ @ @ @ @ .
The Navy funded 74 percent of the deal , with the government of Korea @ @ @ @ @ and Germany each funding 4 percent of the contract .
The Mk 41 has been @ @ @ @ @ 1986 .
In December 2018 , the Navy awarded BAE Systems $ 41.5 million for @ @ @ @ @ missile canisters for the Mk 41 Vertical Launching System .
In November of the same @ @ @ @ @ 45.9 million for Mk 41 launch system engineering .

Sonar Technician 1st Class Ralph-Keith Tone provides a freshwater wash down of the Mk 41 vertical launch system aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ramage in 2013. Lockheed Martin has received a $233 million contract for work on the Mk 41 system. Photo by Jackie Hart/U.S. Navy
Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Lockheed Martin has received a $233 million contract for work on the Mk 41 vertical launching system, according to the Department of Defense. The contract, which funds procurement of vertical launcher module assemblies, modernization kits and spare components for the launching system, a modular missile launch system capable of launching multiple standard missile variants. Advertisement
The contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy and three other governments through the foreign military sales program.
The Navy funded 74 percent of the deal, with the government of Korea funding 18 percent and Finland and Germany each funding 4 percent of the contract.
The Mk 41 has been in U.S. Navy service since 1986.
In December 2018, the Navy awarded BAE Systems $41.5 million for for SM-3 and SM-6 surface-to-air missile canisters for the Mk 41 Vertical Launching System. In November of the same year, BAE received $45.9 million for Mk 41 launch system engineering.


upi--2020-02-21--Watch: Gymnast Simone Biles teases groundbreaking flips

Feb. 21 ( UPI ) -- Superstar gymnast Simone Biles has a new move .
She posted a video of the multiple-flip Yurchenko double pike on social media after previously teasing that she could break out the move at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo .
Biles , 22 , is widely regarded as the best gymnast in the world and is the most-decorated gymnast of all time .
She made history with an American record four gold medals at the 2016 Summer Games .
The three-time Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year posted her first video @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` 2020 ? ''
She posted another version of the move Thursday night on Twitter .
The first video Biles posted of the move featured the gymnast landing in a foam pit .
In her newest version , Biles sprinted toward the vault table before doing a flip and springing herself forward off the vaulting board .
Biles continued the move by launching herself even higher in the air when she reached the vault table before doing two backflips while bent at the waist and holding her legs straight .
The 4-foot-8 gymnast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ top of the foam pit .
She landed on her feet before falling down .
`` Just dropping this here real quick , '' Biles wrote for the caption .
Former Soviet world champion gymnast Natalia Yurchenko made the Yurchenko move famous in the 1980s .
Biles ' version with a double pike -- two flips with her knees straight and waist bent -- has never been attempted by a woman during an international competition .
Biles also has several signature moves .
Her `` Biles '' on the vault includes a half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` Biles '' move includes a back handspring into a double-twisting flip and a blind landing .
Her `` Biles II '' on the floor is a double backflip with three twists .
Her `` Biles '' beam exercise is a double-twisting double backflip .
The 2020 Summer Games are from July 24 to Aug 9 in Japan .
Gymnastics competition begins July 25 .

Team USA gymnast Simone Biles won four gold medals during the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 21 (UPI) -- Superstar gymnast Simone Biles has a new move. She posted a video of the multiple-flip Yurchenko double pike on social media after previously teasing that she could break out the move at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. Biles, 22, is widely regarded as the best gymnast in the world and is the most-decorated gymnast of all time. She made history with an American record four gold medals at the 2016 Summer Games. The three-time Laureus World Sports Award for Sportswoman of the Year posted her first video of the move Feb. 3, writing "2020?" Advertisement
She posted another version of the move Thursday night on Twitter. The first video Biles posted of the move featured the gymnast landing in a foam pit. In her newest version, Biles sprinted toward the vault table before doing a flip and springing herself forward off the vaulting board.
Biles continued the move by launching herself even higher in the air when she reached the vault table before doing two backflips while bent at the waist and holding her legs straight. The 4-foot-8 gymnast then landed on a foam pad on top of the foam pit. She landed on her feet before falling down.
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"Just dropping this here real quick," Biles wrote for the caption.
Former Soviet world champion gymnast Natalia Yurchenko made the Yurchenko move famous in the 1980s. Biles' version with a double pike -- two flips with her knees straight and waist bent -- has never been attempted by a woman during an international competition.
Biles also has several signature moves. Her "Biles" on the vault includes a half Yurchenko with two twists. Her floor "Biles" move includes a back handspring into a double-twisting flip and a blind landing. Her "Biles II" on the floor is a double backflip with three twists. Her "Biles" beam exercise is a double-twisting double backflip.
The 2020 Summer Games are from July 24 to Aug 9 in Japan. Gymnastics competition begins July 25.


upi--2020-02-21--Diuretic used for blood pressure treatment linked to serious side effects

Patients taking a common diuretic to help lower blood pressure may be better off with a similarly effective but safer one , a new study suggests .
Current guidelines recommend the drug chlorthalidone , sold as Thalitone , as the first-line diuretic .
But it can have serious side effects that can be avoided with another diuretic , hydrochlorothiazide , sold as Hydrodiuril , researchers say .
`` Diuretics are recognized as among the best drugs to treat hypertension , but there are no randomized studies to help decide which diuretic is best , '' said lead author Dr. George @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Columbia University in New York City .
Hydrochlorothiazide is the world 's most-used diuretic , but chlorthalidone is gaining favor because it is longer acting and , therefore , might be more effective , Hripcsak said .
Guidelines from both the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association recommend chlorthalidone for that reason .
But the new study found that patients taking chlorthalidone were three times more likely than those taking hydrochlorothiazide to have dangerously low levels of potassium and other electrolyte imbalances , as well as kidney problems .
Six percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , compared with 2 percent of those taking hydrochlorothiazide .
The rate remained the same even with lower doses of chlorthalidone , the researchers found .
`` If you are taking chlorthalidone , then your physician should be monitoring your electrolytes and kidney function carefully , '' Hripcsak said .
For the study , his team reviewed 17 years of data on more than 730,000 patients treated for high blood pressure .
While both drugs were equally effective in preventing heart attack and hospitalization for heart failure and stroke , chlorthalidone had a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ study found .
Those side effects include low potassium , which can trigger abnormal heart rhythms ; low salt , which can cause confusion ; kidney failure ; and type 2 diabetes .
This is not the first study to point out these side effects of chlorthalidone , the study authors said .
`` Until stronger evidence comes out to the contrary , I believe this study tips the scales toward hydrochlorothiazide for people taking a diuretic for high blood pressure , '' said study co-author Dr. Harlan Krumholz , a professor of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Conn. Krumholz predicted treatment guidelines might shift from a generic endorsement of chlorthalidone to a more specific statement about the drug that seems safer .
He added that both drugs seem equally effective and are both inexpensive .
`` The good news is that the better choice is the most commonly prescribed diuretic for hypertension , '' Krumholz said .
The findings should prompt patients to discuss treatment options with their doctors , he noted .
`` The evidence is strong , but it is not a clinical trial , so there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
`` But until stronger evidence is out , this study represents some of the best information we have -- and it favors hydrochlorothiazide . ''
Dr. Gregg Fonarow , a professor of cardiology at the University of California , Los Angeles , said that because this study looked back at data , it ca n't prove that one drug is better or safer than the other .
Fortunately , Fonarow said , a large randomized trial comparing these drugs is underway with a plan to enroll 13,500 people with high blood pressure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In any case , the most important thing that people with high blood pressure can do is to keep their readings in check , Fonarow said .
`` It is critical for individuals with high blood pressure to achieve and maintain recommended blood pressure goals with a well-tolerated medication regimen together with lifestyle modification , '' he advised .
The report was published online Feb. 17 in JAMA Internal Medicine .
Learn more about high blood pressure from the American Heart Association .

Patients taking a common diuretic to help lower blood pressure may be better off with a similarly effective but safer one, a new study suggests.
Current guidelines recommend the drug chlorthalidone, sold as Thalitone, as the first-line diuretic. But it can have serious side effects that can be avoided with another diuretic, hydrochlorothiazide, sold as Hydrodiuril, researchers say.
Advertisement
"Diuretics are recognized as among the best drugs to treat hypertension, but there are no randomized studies to help decide which diuretic is best," said lead author Dr. George Hripcsak, head of biomedical informatics at Columbia University in New York City.
Hydrochlorothiazide is the world's most-used diuretic, but chlorthalidone is gaining favor because it is longer acting and, therefore, might be more effective, Hripcsak said.
Guidelines from both the American College of Cardiology and American Heart Association recommend chlorthalidone for that reason.
But the new study found that patients taking chlorthalidone were three times more likely than those taking hydrochlorothiazide to have dangerously low levels of potassium and other electrolyte imbalances, as well as kidney problems.
Advertisement
Six percent of patients taking chlorthalidone had low potassium, compared with 2 percent of those taking hydrochlorothiazide. The rate remained the same even with lower doses of chlorthalidone, the researchers found.
"If you are taking chlorthalidone, then your physician should be monitoring your electrolytes and kidney function carefully," Hripcsak said.
For the study, his team reviewed 17 years of data on more than 730,000 patients treated for high blood pressure.
While both drugs were equally effective in preventing heart attack and hospitalization for heart failure and stroke, chlorthalidone had a higher risk of side effects, the study found. Those side effects include low potassium, which can trigger abnormal heart rhythms; low salt, which can cause confusion; kidney failure; and type 2 diabetes.
This is not the first study to point out these side effects of chlorthalidone, the study authors said.
"Until stronger evidence comes out to the contrary, I believe this study tips the scales toward hydrochlorothiazide for people taking a diuretic for high blood pressure," said study co-author Dr. Harlan Krumholz, a professor of medicine at Yale University in New Haven, Conn.
Krumholz predicted treatment guidelines might shift from a generic endorsement of chlorthalidone to a more specific statement about the drug that seems safer.
Advertisement
He added that both drugs seem equally effective and are both inexpensive. "The good news is that the better choice is the most commonly prescribed diuretic for hypertension," Krumholz said.
The findings should prompt patients to discuss treatment options with their doctors, he noted.
"The evidence is strong, but it is not a clinical trial, so there remains some uncertainty," Krumholz said. "But until stronger evidence is out, this study represents some of the best information we have -- and it favors hydrochlorothiazide."
Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said that because this study looked back at data, it can't prove that one drug is better or safer than the other.
Fortunately, Fonarow said, a large randomized trial comparing these drugs is underway with a plan to enroll 13,500 people with high blood pressure. Results are expected in 2022.
In any case, the most important thing that people with high blood pressure can do is to keep their readings in check, Fonarow said.
"It is critical for individuals with high blood pressure to achieve and maintain recommended blood pressure goals with a well-tolerated medication regimen together with lifestyle modification," he advised.
The report was published online Feb. 17 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
Advertisement
More information
Learn more about high blood pressure from the American Heart Association.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-02-21--U.S. women's players seek $66.7M award without trial in equal pay lawsuit

Feb. 21 ( UPI ) -- United States Women 's National Team players have asked a judge to rule in their favor , award them $ 66.7 million and not have a trial in their equal pay lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation .
The federation , in turn , filed an opposing motion to have the lawsuit dismissed in its entirety .
Lawyers for the players and the federation filed their motions with Judge Gary Klausner on Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles .
The lawsuit -- filed in March @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the federation used `` institutionalized gender discrimination '' toward the women 's team .
It was filed under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act .
The plaintiffs were granted class status in November , meaning players from 2015 to the present day can be represented .
Seventy-two women have opted into the class .
The players and federation are on track for a May 5 trial , just before the 2020 Summer Olympics .
If Klausner does approve with either motion , the lawsuit will proceed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a summary judgment , the players said the federation `` relied on gender stereotyping '' when it tried to justify its decisions to pay the women 's players less than the men 's players .
They also cited former federation president Sunil Gulati as saying that male soccer players have more `` speed '' and `` strength '' than women 's players .
The players claimed that the federation 's justifications do not align with the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act , which were designed to eliminate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the players have been compensated according to the pay structure they sought in collective bargaining agreement negotiations .
The federation said women 's team players requested a contract different than the men , which offered them benefits the men did n't receive .
The women 's current labor agreement with the federation was signed in 2017 and expires in 2021 .
`` U.S. Soccer is aware of the public narrative surrounding this lawsuit , but the undisputed facts tell a much different story , and the court sits to render judgment based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the governing law , '' the federation said in its filing .
`` On those grounds , the court should grant summary judgment for [ the federation ] and dismiss this lawsuit in its entirety . ''
The federation said that the `` law does not guarantee identical pay to men and women who perform different work in different jobs . ''
The players ' labor agreement includes guaranteed annual salaries , medical and dental insurance , paid child-care assistance , paid pregnancy and parental leave , severance benefits , salary continuation during @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan and multiple bonuses .
The federation said the men do not receive those benefits .
Multiple depositions also were included in Thursday 's filings , including one from FIFA Player of the Year Megan Rapinoe .
The Team USA star testified that a lawyer for the federation said at a 2016 bargaining session that `` market realities are such that the women [ on the U.S. national team ] do not deserve to be paid equally to the men [ on the U.S. national team ] . ''
Gulatti and current federation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cordeiro was asked about a statement he made during his campaign , when he said `` female players have not been treated equally . ''
`` I felt then , and I still feel to a degree , that the lack of opportunity for our female players was really what was at the root of some of their issues , '' Cordeiro said .
`` The fact that the Women 's World Cup generates a fraction of revenue and a fraction of what the men get paid is a reflection , frankly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 's soccer outside of the United States does n't have the same degree of respect . ''
Finnie Bevin Cook , an economist from Deiter Consulting Group , assessed damages for the players to reach the figure of $ 66,722,148 in back pay .
That does not include punitive damages .
The players filed a second motion asking the court to disallow federation expert testimony if the case proceeds to trial .
The motion called the opinions of federation experts Philip A. Miscimarra , Carlyn Irwin and Justin McCrary `` wholly or in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hand . ''
The players said their testimony misstates the law , would confuse the jury and would `` needlessly complicate and prolong the trial . ''
The players said Miscimarra -- a partner at the law firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP -- offers `` irrelevant legal argument and factual speculation in the guise of expert testimony . ''
They also said Miscimarra advocated for an `` inconsistency '' between federal labor law and the requirements of the Equal Pay Act and Title VII , which prohibits employment discrimination based on race @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national origin .
The players said Miscimarra implied that the collective bargaining agreement legally trumps the requirements of equal pay laws , and `` justifies unlawful discrimination . ''
The players also said Miscimarra implied there is nothing improper about the `` discriminatory compensation '' they receive because he says it is a product of their labor agreement .
Miscimarra cited the trade-offs , priorities , compromises and concessions in the agreement and said the players and federation have the right to make their own decisions about what they view as important and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ players said the `` law is clear '' that their rights protected by equal pay laws can not be waived during collective bargaining .
Irwin , a senior adviser at Cornerstone Research , provided a comparison of the total amount of money members of the women 's team made compared to the men 's team , while the players said she should have calculated rate of pay because the women only earned more money when they played in more games and achieved much better results than men 's team players .
McCrary advocated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the equal pay laws .
The economist defined that risk as the uncertainty in compensation tied to performance clauses in players ' contracts .
The women receive more guaranteed pay than the men , per their collective bargaining agreements .
The men 's agreement includes more performance-based pay than the women 's agreement , meaning men 's pay is more tied to positive or negative playing results than women 's pay .
McCrary said since the men and women have different combinations of base pay and bonuses , there is no way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discriminatory because there are different `` risks '' presented in those payment packages .
The players said if McCrary 's theories were permissible , any employer could avoid equal pay law requirements by using different combinations of bonuses and base salary than those used for female employees .
`` In the most recent [ collective bargaining agreement ] negotiation , [ the federation ] repeatedly said that equal pay was not an option regardless of pay structure , '' players ' spokeswoman Molly Levinson said in a statement .
`` [ The federation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' with less pay across the board .
In every instance for a friendly or competitive match , the women players were offered less pay that their male counterparts .
This is the very definition of gender discrimination , and of course , the players rejected it . ''

United States Women's National team stars Megan Rapinoe (L) and Alex Morgan (R) are two of four class representatives for women's players in an equal pay lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation. File Photo by David Silpa/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 21 (UPI) -- United States Women's National Team players have asked a judge to rule in their favor, award them $66.7 million and not have a trial in their equal pay lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation. The federation, in turn, filed an opposing motion to have the lawsuit dismissed in its entirety. Advertisement
Lawyers for the players and the federation filed their motions with Judge Gary Klausner on Thursday in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California in Los Angeles.
The lawsuit -- filed in March -- initially included 28 players alleging that the federation used "institutionalized gender discrimination" toward the women's team. It was filed under the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.
The plaintiffs were granted class status in November, meaning players from 2015 to the present day can be represented. Seventy-two women have opted into the class.
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The players and federation are on track for a May 5 trial, just before the 2020 Summer Olympics. If Klausner does approve with either motion, the lawsuit will proceed to trial.
In Thursday's motion for a summary judgment, the players said the federation "relied on gender stereotyping" when it tried to justify its decisions to pay the women's players less than the men's players.
They also cited former federation president Sunil Gulati as saying that male soccer players have more "speed" and "strength" than women's players.
The players claimed that the federation's justifications do not align with the Equal Pay Act and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, which were designed to eliminate wage discrimination.
Federation counters
The federation argued that the players have been compensated according to the pay structure they sought in collective bargaining agreement negotiations.
The federation said women's team players requested a contract different than the men, which offered them benefits the men didn't receive. The women's current labor agreement with the federation was signed in 2017 and expires in 2021.
"U.S. Soccer is aware of the public narrative surrounding this lawsuit, but the undisputed facts tell a much different story, and the court sits to render judgment based on the actual facts in the record and the governing law," the federation said in its filing. "On those grounds, the court should grant summary judgment for [the federation] and dismiss this lawsuit in its entirety."
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The federation said that the "law does not guarantee identical pay to men and women who perform different work in different jobs."
The players' labor agreement includes guaranteed annual salaries, medical and dental insurance, paid child-care assistance, paid pregnancy and parental leave, severance benefits, salary continuation during injury periods, access to a retirement plan and multiple bonuses. The federation said the men do not receive those benefits.
Depositions filed
Multiple depositions also were included in Thursday's filings, including one from FIFA Player of the Year Megan Rapinoe. The Team USA star testified that a lawyer for the federation said at a 2016 bargaining session that "market realities are such that the women [on the U.S. national team] do not deserve to be paid equally to the men [on the U.S. national team]."
Gulatti and current federation president Carlos Cordeiro were also deposed. Cordeiro was asked about a statement he made during his campaign, when he said "female players have not been treated equally."
"I felt then, and I still feel to a degree, that the lack of opportunity for our female players was really what was at the root of some of their issues," Cordeiro said. "The fact that the Women's World Cup generates a fraction of revenue and a fraction of what the men get paid is a reflection, frankly, of lack of opportunity. ... Women's soccer outside of the United States doesn't have the same degree of respect."
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Finnie Bevin Cook, an economist from Deiter Consulting Group, assessed damages for the players to reach the figure of $66,722,148 in back pay. That does not include punitive damages.
The players filed a second motion asking the court to disallow federation expert testimony if the case proceeds to trial.
The motion called the opinions of federation experts Philip A. Miscimarra, Carlyn Irwin and Justin McCrary "wholly or in significant part irrelevant to the issues at hand." The players said their testimony misstates the law, would confuse the jury and would "needlessly complicate and prolong the trial."
Arguments criticized
The players said Miscimarra -- a partner at the law firm Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP -- offers "irrelevant legal argument and factual speculation in the guise of expert testimony." They also said Miscimarra advocated for an "inconsistency" between federal labor law and the requirements of the Equal Pay Act and Title VII, which prohibits employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin.
The players said Miscimarra implied that the collective bargaining agreement legally trumps the requirements of equal pay laws, and "justifies unlawful discrimination."
The players also said Miscimarra implied there is nothing improper about the "discriminatory compensation" they receive because he says it is a product of their labor agreement. Miscimarra cited the trade-offs, priorities, compromises and concessions in the agreement and said the players and federation have the right to make their own decisions about what they view as important and acceptable when negotiating labor agreements. The players said the "law is clear" that their rights protected by equal pay laws cannot be waived during collective bargaining.
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Irwin, a senior adviser at Cornerstone Research, provided a comparison of the total amount of money members of the women's team made compared to the men's team, while the players said she should have calculated rate of pay because the women only earned more money when they played in more games and achieved much better results than men's team players.
McCrary advocated for a "risk analysis" exception to the equal pay laws. The economist defined that risk as the uncertainty in compensation tied to performance clauses in players' contracts. The women receive more guaranteed pay than the men, per their collective bargaining agreements. The men's agreement includes more performance-based pay than the women's agreement, meaning men's pay is more tied to positive or negative playing results than women's pay.
Different combinations
McCrary said since the men and women have different combinations of base pay and bonuses, there is no way to determine if the payment systems are discriminatory because there are different "risks" presented in those payment packages.
The players said if McCrary's theories were permissible, any employer could avoid equal pay law requirements by using different combinations of bonuses and base salary than those used for female employees.
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"In the most recent [collective bargaining agreement] negotiation, [the federation] repeatedly said that equal pay was not an option regardless of pay structure," players' spokeswoman Molly Levinson said in a statement.
"[The federation] proposed a 'pay to play structure' with less pay across the board. In every instance for a friendly or competitive match, the women players were offered less pay that their male counterparts. This is the very definition of gender discrimination, and of course, the players rejected it."


upi--2020-02-21--Radio signals picked up inside Illinois girl's bedroom wall

Feb. 21 ( UPI ) -- An Illinois family said a wall in their 9-year-old daughter 's bedroom has been picking up radio signals for years - and no one knows why .
Richard Smith said voices and music were repeatedly heard inside the wall in daughter Brianna 's room at their Lockport home , and the family eventually determined something inside the wall was picking up a local AM radio station .
The station , Christian radio station AM 1160 , owned by Salem Media Group , sent out an engineer to investigate , but was unable to identify @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' I got to be honest with you .
I do n't know what is acting as a speaker .
There is nothing I can explain of why you 're actually hearing it , ' '' Smith told WLS-TV .
He said the wall was opened up and the electrical grounding was examined , but the family was still unable to figure out where the radio station was being picked up .
`` Sometimes when we think we 've arrived at a solution , the next season comes around , and it 's @ @ @ @ @ @ @ objects have been known to pick up radio signals in the past .
A man reported in 2018 that radio signals were being picked up by the metal components in a household fan while the power was off .

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Feb. 21 (UPI) -- An Illinois family said a wall in their 9-year-old daughter's bedroom has been picking up radio signals for years - and no one knows why.
Richard Smith said voices and music were repeatedly heard inside the wall in daughter Brianna's room at their Lockport home, and the family eventually determined something inside the wall was picking up a local AM radio station.
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The station, Christian radio station AM 1160, owned by Salem Media Group, sent out an engineer to investigate, but was unable to identify the issue.
"He said, 'I got to be honest with you. I don't know what is acting as a speaker. There is nothing I can explain of why you're actually hearing it,'" Smith told WLS-TV.
He said the wall was opened up and the electrical grounding was examined, but the family was still unable to figure out where the radio station was being picked up.
"Sometimes when we think we've arrived at a solution, the next season comes around, and it's back," Smith said.
Household objects have been known to pick up radio signals in the past. A man reported in 2018 that radio signals were being picked up by the metal components in a household fan while the power was off.


upi--2020-02-21--State Department plans no future coronavirus evacuations

Feb. 21 ( UPI ) -- State Department officials Friday cautioned that American citizens trapped in areas impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak in the future should not rely on government-sponsored evacuation flights to get them home .
The comments were made by Ian Brownlee , acting assistant secretary at Bureau of Consular Affairs , during a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention briefing with reporters .
They came less than 24 hours after his department advised U.S. citizens to `` reconsider '' traveling on cruise ships to or within Asia for the time being , until the virus has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department currently have travel advisories in effect for all of China , and has cautioned people planning travel to Japan and Hong Kong .
The flights `` do not reflect standard practice '' at the State Department `` and should not be relied upon '' in the future , Brownlee said .
The CDC said Friday there are a total of 34 cases of COVID-19 in the United States , 21 of which are repatriated individuals and 13 among people who have recently been in China .
Earlier on Friday , the Washington @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Diamond Princess who tested positive for COVID-19 were on a State Department chartered flight out of Tokyo over objections from CDC officials .
The 14 were seated in a separate section of the plane , and were not a danger to themselves or others , officials emphasized Friday .
`` This is a dynamic situation and U.S. citizens traveling by ship may be impacted by travel restrictions affecting their itineraries or ability to disembark , or may be subject to quarantine procedures implemented by the local authorities , '' the department added in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reports during Friday 's press briefing , CDC and State Department did n't deny them , but said the decision to transport the passengers was made `` on the tarmac '' and that the positive test results were received as they were boarding the planes .
The State Department flew 329 passengers who had been on the Diamond Princess on two separate charter flights on Monday .
`` There will be disagreements among officials , '' Nancy Messonnier , director of the CDC 's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases , acknowledged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , we will continue to act as one , united government '' in the response to COVID-19 , she added .
The Diamond Princess has reported 634 cases of COVID-19 .
Among them are 18 U.S. citizens included on the State Department flights who are currently receiving care at hospitals near the military bases where non-infected Americans are in quarantine .
In addition , as many as 10 U.S. citizens who have tested positive for the virus are being treated at hospitals in Japan after testing positive for COVID-19 while still aboard the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passengers are over 60 old , and older people have generally had a poorer prognosis , Messionnier noted .
Messonnier also said Friday the CDC has changed its accounting procedures for confirmed cases of the virus , now separating out those among Americans repatriated by the State Department .
In addition to the cruise ship passengers , the State Department evacuated roughly 600 U.S. citizens trapped in Wuhan after China locked the city down in January .
Most of those 600 people are now out of quarantine and returning home , Messonnier said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus and are still receiving treatment .
With the new procedures in place , there have been 13 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among Americans with a history of travel to mainland China -- including a new case involving a resident of Humboldt County , Calif. , announced late Thursday -- and 21 confirmed cases among evacuees , from both Wuhan and the Diamond Princess .
Messonnier said the new counting method `` more accurately reflects '' what 's going on in the United States in terms of `` community spread '' of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seeing community spread yet , '' she added .
`` But we may see , it may even be likely .
We do n't know at this point . ''

U.S. citizens wave from a bus as they leave the 'Diamond Princess' cruise ship docked at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal for repatriation in Yokohama, south of Tokyo, Japan, on February 17. Photo by Franck Robichon/EPA-EFE
Feb. 21 (UPI) -- State Department officials Friday cautioned that American citizens trapped in areas impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak in the future should not rely on government-sponsored evacuation flights to get them home. The comments were made by Ian Brownlee, acting assistant secretary at Bureau of Consular Affairs, during a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention briefing with reporters. They came less than 24 hours after his department advised U.S. citizens to "reconsider" traveling on cruise ships to or within Asia for the time being, until the virus has been contained. Advertisement
The CDC and State Department currently have travel advisories in effect for all of China, and has cautioned people planning travel to Japan and Hong Kong.
The flights "do not reflect standard practice" at the State Department "and should not be relied upon" in the future, Brownlee said.
The CDC said Friday there are a total of 34 cases of COVID-19 in the United States, 21 of which are repatriated individuals and 13 among people who have recently been in China.
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Earlier on Friday, the Washington Post reported that 14 Americans from the Diamond Princess who tested positive for COVID-19 were on a State Department chartered flight out of Tokyo over objections from CDC officials. The 14 were seated in a separate section of the plane, and were not a danger to themselves or others, officials emphasized Friday.
"This is a dynamic situation and U.S. citizens traveling by ship may be impacted by travel restrictions affecting their itineraries or ability to disembark, or may be subject to quarantine procedures implemented by the local authorities," the department added in a statement.
When asked about the reports during Friday's press briefing, CDC and State Department didn't deny them, but said the decision to transport the passengers was made "on the tarmac" and that the positive test results were received as they were boarding the planes.
The State Department flew 329 passengers who had been on the Diamond Princess on two separate charter flights on Monday.
"There will be disagreements among officials," Nancy Messonnier, director of the CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, acknowledged during the press conference. "However, we will continue to act as one, united government" in the response to COVID-19, she added.
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The Diamond Princess has reported 634 cases of COVID-19. Among them are 18 U.S. citizens included on the State Department flights who are currently receiving care at hospitals near the military bases where non-infected Americans are in quarantine.
In addition, as many as 10 U.S. citizens who have tested positive for the virus are being treated at hospitals in Japan after testing positive for COVID-19 while still aboard the Diamond Princess.
Many of the infected passengers are over 60 old, and older people have generally had a poorer prognosis, Messionnier noted.
Messonnier also said Friday the CDC has changed its accounting procedures for confirmed cases of the virus, now separating out those among Americans repatriated by the State Department. In addition to the cruise ship passengers, the State Department evacuated roughly 600 U.S. citizens trapped in Wuhan after China locked the city down in January.
Most of those 600 people are now out of quarantine and returning home, Messonnier said. However, three tested positive for the virus and are still receiving treatment.
With the new procedures in place, there have been 13 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among Americans with a history of travel to mainland China -- including a new case involving a resident of Humboldt County, Calif., announced late Thursday -- and 21 confirmed cases among evacuees, from both Wuhan and the Diamond Princess.
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Messonnier said the new counting method "more accurately reflects" what's going on in the United States in terms of "community spread" of the virus.
"We are not seeing community spread yet," she added. "But we may see, it may even be likely. We don't know at this point."


upi--2020-02-21--Healthy diet may boost sperm count, study says

Listen up , guys : A healthy diet is good for your brain and heart , and also your sperm , new research suggests .
In a study of more than 2,900 Danish men , median age 19 , those whose diet was rich in fish , chicken , vegetables , fruit and water had higher sperm counts than those who ate a `` Western '' diet rich in pizza , French fries , processed and red meats , snacks , refined grains , sugary beverages and sweets , researchers found .
`` Because following a generally healthy diet pattern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggest the possibility of using dietary intervention as a possible approach to improve sperm quality of men in reproductive age , '' said lead study author Feiby Nassan .
She 's a postdoctoral research associate at Harvard T.H .
Chan School of Public Health , in Boston .
Sperm count can affect fertility because the lower the count , the lower the chance of getting a partner pregnant .
`` It may be useful for men 's fertility to follow a generally healthy diet , '' Nassan said .
For the study , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who ate a healthy diet ; a Western diet ; a Danish diet rich in cold processed meats , whole grains , mayonnaise , cold fish , condiments and dairy ; and a vegetarian-style diet rich in vegetables , soy milk and eggs , but no red meats or chicken .
Median sperm counts were highest among men who ate a healthy diet ( 167 million ) , followed by the vegetarian-style diet ( 151 million ) and the Danish diet ( 146 million ) .
( Median means half had higher counts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ followed a Western diet had the lowest median sperm count ( 122 million ) .
They also had lower levels of some sex hormones that boost fertility , the investigators found .
Because men self-reported their eating habits , there is room for error and the findings could be skewed , the researchers said .
Dr. Christine Mullin , chief of fertility at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset , N.Y. , reviewed the findings .
Mullin said that while many diets improve inflammation , heart and mental health , studies of dietary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ `` It is well known that environmental effects of smoking , radiation , pesticides and heavy metals negatively affect spermatogenesis , but little is known on dietary effects on sperm quality , '' she said .
While these findings from Danish men may not apply to other populations , Mullin suggested it would be an important study to repeat in the United States , as the Western diet had the most negative effects on sperm quality .
`` If we could emphasize diet not only for women , but also for men in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could improve the disease in a similar fashion that diet has improved cardiac health , '' she said .
The report was published online Feb. 21 in JAMA Network Open .
Learn more about male infertility from the American Urological Association .

Pixabay Median sperm counts were highest among men who ate a healthy diet (167 million) and lowest among men who followed a Western diet (122 million), a new study found. Photo by cattalin
Listen up, guys: A healthy diet is good for your brain and heart, and also your sperm, new research suggests. In a study of more than 2,900 Danish men, median age 19, those whose diet was rich in fish, chicken, vegetables, fruit and water had higher sperm counts than those who ate a "Western" diet rich in pizza, French fries, processed and red meats, snacks, refined grains, sugary beverages and sweets, researchers found. Advertisement
"Because following a generally healthy diet pattern is a modifiable behavior, our results suggest the possibility of using dietary intervention as a possible approach to improve sperm quality of men in reproductive age," said lead study author Feiby Nassan. She's a postdoctoral research associate at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, in Boston.
Sperm count can affect fertility because the lower the count, the lower the chance of getting a partner pregnant. "It may be useful for men's fertility to follow a generally healthy diet," Nassan said.
For the study, her team compared sperm counts among men who ate a healthy diet; a Western diet; a Danish diet rich in cold processed meats, whole grains, mayonnaise, cold fish, condiments and dairy; and a vegetarian-style diet rich in vegetables, soy milk and eggs, but no red meats or chicken.
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Median sperm counts were highest among men who ate a healthy diet (167 million), followed by the vegetarian-style diet (151 million) and the Danish diet (146 million). (Median means half had higher counts, half lower.)
Men who followed a Western diet had the lowest median sperm count (122 million). They also had lower levels of some sex hormones that boost fertility, the investigators found.
Because men self-reported their eating habits, there is room for error and the findings could be skewed, the researchers said.
Dr. Christine Mullin, chief of fertility at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y., reviewed the findings.
Mullin said that while many diets improve inflammation, heart and mental health, studies of dietary effects on fertility have been limited.
"It is well known that environmental effects of smoking, radiation, pesticides and heavy metals negatively affect spermatogenesis, but little is known on dietary effects on sperm quality," she said.
While these findings from Danish men may not apply to other populations, Mullin suggested it would be an important study to repeat in the United States, as the Western diet had the most negative effects on sperm quality.
"If we could emphasize diet not only for women, but also for men in regard to fertility success, then we could improve the disease in a similar fashion that diet has improved cardiac health," she said.
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The report was published online Feb. 21 in JAMA Network Open.
More information
Learn more about male infertility from the American Urological Association.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-02-21--Mobile stroke units could improve outcomes for patients

Ambulances outfitted as `` mobile stroke treatment units '' provide faster treatment and reduce patients ' risk of severe disability and death , German researchers report .
The new study examined the use of three mobile stroke units in Berlin .
Each unit is staffed with emergency medicine neurologists and has a CT scanner and lab on board that enables treatment at the scene .
Treatment may include clot-busting drugs to restore blood flow to the brain .
Timing of this treatment is crucial because the clot-busting medication alteplase should be given within 4.5 hours of stroke symptoms .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hospital is not enough anymore , '' said lead author Dr. Heinrich Audebert , a professor in the Center for Stroke Research at Charité Universitätsmedizin , in Berlin .
The study included 749 patients ( average age 73 ) who were treated by the mobile units , and 794 patients ( average age 74 ) who received regular care in the hospital .
Sixty percent of patients treated in a mobile stroke unit received the clot-busting drug , compared with 48 percent of patients who received conventional treatment in the hospital , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unit was dispatched , time to treatment was reduced by an average 20 minutes , and the likelihood and severity of disability and death within three months fell 26 percent , the investigators found .
`` While we had anticipated better outcomes in the patients treated in the mobile stroke units , we are amazed by the magnitude of the effects , '' Audebert said in a news release from the American Stroke Association .
`` It is obvious that clot-busting treatment is most effective if it is applied in the ultra-early phase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or 'golden hour ' of symptom onset , '' he explained .
But treatment with clot-busting drugs within the first hour is rare among patients who receive conventional hospital care , so health care providers should find ways to begin treatment on the way there , Audebert said .
Dr. Mitchell Elkind is president-elect of the American Heart Association .
Commenting on the new study , he said that `` mobile stroke units have been a very exciting development in our field .
We have had therapies for acute stroke for several years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course , has been getting the treatments to the patients as early as possible . ''
However , there could be some roadblocks to the more widespread use of the units .
`` Mobile stroke units are not cheap , '' said Elkind , who is also professor of neurology and epidemiology at Columbia University in New York City .
`` The machine has to be purchased and it has to be manned by staff who are available to use it .
In some settings , it may not be used 24/7 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of day , for example .
Not every municipality can afford to have these . ''
Still , the increasing use of mobile stroke units `` is a very exciting development , '' he said , `` and I think confirms what many of us have thought for a long time : That getting treatment to patients sooner is going to lead to better outcomes . ''
The findings were presented Thursday at the International Stroke Conference , in Los Angeles .
Research presented at meetings is typically considered preliminary until published in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Family Physicians has more on stroke .

When a mobile unit was dispatched, time to treatment was reduced by an average 20 minutes, and the likelihood and severity of disability and death within three months fell 26 percent, a new found. Photo by Rüdiger Koop /Wikimedia Commons
Ambulances outfitted as "mobile stroke treatment units" provide faster treatment and reduce patients' risk of severe disability and death, German researchers report. The new study examined the use of three mobile stroke units in Berlin. Each unit is staffed with emergency medicine neurologists and has a CT scanner and lab on board that enables treatment at the scene. Advertisement
Treatment may include clot-busting drugs to restore blood flow to the brain. Timing of this treatment is crucial because the clot-busting medication alteplase should be given within 4.5 hours of stroke symptoms.
"Just waiting until the patient arrives at the hospital is not enough anymore," said lead author Dr. Heinrich Audebert, a professor in the Center for Stroke Research at Charité Universitätsmedizin, in Berlin.
The study included 749 patients (average age 73) who were treated by the mobile units, and 794 patients (average age 74) who received regular care in the hospital.
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Sixty percent of patients treated in a mobile stroke unit received the clot-busting drug, compared with 48 percent of patients who received conventional treatment in the hospital, the study found.
When a mobile unit was dispatched, time to treatment was reduced by an average 20 minutes, and the likelihood and severity of disability and death within three months fell 26 percent, the investigators found.
"While we had anticipated better outcomes in the patients treated in the mobile stroke units, we are amazed by the magnitude of the effects," Audebert said in a news release from the American Stroke Association.
"It is obvious that clot-busting treatment is most effective if it is applied in the ultra-early phase of stroke -- ideally within the first or 'golden hour' of symptom onset," he explained.
But treatment with clot-busting drugs within the first hour is rare among patients who receive conventional hospital care, so health care providers should find ways to begin treatment on the way there, Audebert said.
Dr. Mitchell Elkind is president-elect of the American Heart Association. Commenting on the new study, he said that "mobile stroke units have been a very exciting development in our field. We have had therapies for acute stroke for several years now but the big issue, of course, has been getting the treatments to the patients as early as possible."
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However, there could be some roadblocks to the more widespread use of the units.
"Mobile stroke units are not cheap," said Elkind, who is also professor of neurology and epidemiology at Columbia University in New York City. "The machine has to be purchased and it has to be manned by staff who are available to use it. In some settings, it may not be used 24/7, it may be used at certain times of day, for example. Not every municipality can afford to have these."
Still, the increasing use of mobile stroke units "is a very exciting development," he said, "and I think confirms what many of us have thought for a long time: That getting treatment to patients sooner is going to lead to better outcomes."
The findings were presented Thursday at the International Stroke Conference, in Los Angeles. Research presented at meetings is typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
More information
The American Academy of Family Physicians has more on stroke.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-02-22--Study: Alcohol-linked deaths soar in U.S., hit women hardest

Americans are drinking themselves to death at ever-increasing rates , with women in particular hitting the bottle hard , a new study shows .
The rate of alcohol-induced deaths among women increased between 3.1 percent and 3.6 percent a year from 2000 to 2016 , while deaths among men increased 1.4 percent to 1.8 percent each year , according to the findings .
What 's worse , the rates have accelerated in recent years -- the average annual increase for women was 7.1 percent between 2013 and 2016 , and for men it was 4.2 percent between 2012 and 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most attention in the media , and certainly in Washington as well , but this study demonstrates that America has had a serious alcohol problem for decades , '' said Dr. Timothy Brennan , director of the Addiction Institute of Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai St. Luke 's in New York City .
`` This study really underlines the ongoing public health menace of alcohol use disorder and risky and dangerous drinking , '' added Brennan , who was not involved with the study .
This is just the tip of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatalities .
The deaths documented here were solely due to illness caused by drinking , mainly alcoholic liver disease , said lead researcher Susan Spillane , a former fellow with the U.S. National Cancer Institute 's Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics .
`` We excluded causes known to be alcohol-related but not 100 percent alcohol-attributable , such as road traffic accidents , alcohol-associated cancers , and infections and organ system diseases known to be associated with alcohol use , '' Spillane explained .
`` Rates of alcohol-induced deaths , as documented in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far larger public health problem , as these rates capture only a portion of all alcohol-related deaths and say nothing of alcohol-related morbidities , '' she added .
For the study , Spillane and her colleagues examined death certificate data maintained by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , as well as population statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau .
Breaking it down into subgroups , the largest average increases in alcohol-induced deaths were observed among American Indian and Alaska Native men ( 3.3 percent ) and women ( 4.2 percent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 4.2 percent ) .
In 2016 , alcoholic liver disease accounted for 60 percent of alcohol-induced deaths in males and 69 percent in females .
Deaths due to alcohol poisoning or alcohol-related mental and behavioral disorders accounted for 36 percent of deaths in males and 28 percent in females .
`` Notably , these increased rates occurred throughout the U.S. , including among urban , rural , wealthier and poorer counties , '' Spillane said .
`` Our findings document an urgent public health crisis calling for concerted public health action .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the journal JAMA Network Open .
No one can say for sure why more Americans are dying from drink , but experts have a few theories .
`` We know that stress , anxiety and wealth inequality are correlated with higher drinking levels , especially among women as the gender gap closes , '' said Pat Aussem , director of clinical content and development for the Center on Addiction .
Women are also at higher risk for alcohol poisoning due to their physiology , according to the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women weigh less than men .
In addition , alcohol tends to reside in the body 's water , and women pound for pound carry less water in their bodies than men .
That means women will reach higher blood alcohol levels than men of comparable weight , even though they 've drunk the same amount of alcohol .
`` Women and older adults are also more likely to be prescribed medications that are known to be contraindicated with the consumption of alcohol , such as benzodiazepines like Xanax and painkillers like Vicodin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Larger societal shifts also have taken place that makes alcohol more available to people , Brennan said .
`` Where one can purchase alcohol has really dramatically increased in the last few decades , '' Brennan said .
`` Many of us grew up in towns where there might be a liquor store , but you did n't have alcohol for sale in the grocery store .
Now we see a ubiquity of alcohol-purchasing opportunities .
`` We 've also seen a whole ton of innovations in the alcohol industry , '' Brennan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to purchase things far beyond beer , liquor and wine .
There are all sorts of alcohol-based teas and lemonades and seltzers .
As consumers , we 're more and more inundated with different types of alcohol and different opportunities to purchase alcohol . ''
Aussem said there are a number of actions that could be taken to stem this trend : • Doctors can regularly screen patients for alcohol use , addiction , mental health disorders or family violence .
• The public should be educated on CDC guidelines that limit daily @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and two drinks for men .
• The availability of affordable treatment for alcoholism should be supported .
• State and local laws can tax alcohol , limit the number of liquor stores in a community , or hold businesses more accountable for selling booze to minors or people who are already intoxicated .
• The stigma related to alcoholism should be addressed , so people can seek care without being labeled or shamed .
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about alcohol and your health .

No one can say for sure why more Americans are dying from drink, but experts have a few theories. Photo by bridgesword /Pixabay
Americans are drinking themselves to death at ever-increasing rates, with women in particular hitting the bottle hard, a new study shows. The rate of alcohol-induced deaths among women increased between 3.1 percent and 3.6 percent a year from 2000 to 2016, while deaths among men increased 1.4 percent to 1.8 percent each year, according to the findings. Advertisement
What's worse, the rates have accelerated in recent years -- the average annual increase for women was 7.1 percent between 2013 and 2016, and for men it was 4.2 percent between 2012 and 2016.
"The opioid crisis has generated the most attention in the media, and certainly in Washington as well, but this study demonstrates that America has had a serious alcohol problem for decades," said Dr. Timothy Brennan, director of the Addiction Institute of Mount Sinai West and Mount Sinai St. Luke's in New York City.
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"This study really underlines the ongoing public health menace of alcohol use disorder and risky and dangerous drinking," added Brennan, who was not involved with the study.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to drink-related fatalities. The deaths documented here were solely due to illness caused by drinking, mainly alcoholic liver disease, said lead researcher Susan Spillane, a former fellow with the U.S. National Cancer Institute's Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics.
"We excluded causes known to be alcohol-related but not 100 percent alcohol-attributable, such as road traffic accidents, alcohol-associated cancers, and infections and organ system diseases known to be associated with alcohol use," Spillane explained.
"Rates of alcohol-induced deaths, as documented in our study, are bellwethers of a far larger public health problem, as these rates capture only a portion of all alcohol-related deaths and say nothing of alcohol-related morbidities," she added.
For the study, Spillane and her colleagues examined death certificate data maintained by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as population statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Breaking it down into subgroups, the largest average increases in alcohol-induced deaths were observed among American Indian and Alaska Native men (3.3 percent) and women (4.2 percent), as well as white women (4.2 percent).
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In 2016, alcoholic liver disease accounted for 60 percent of alcohol-induced deaths in males and 69 percent in females. Deaths due to alcohol poisoning or alcohol-related mental and behavioral disorders accounted for 36 percent of deaths in males and 28 percent in females.
"Notably, these increased rates occurred throughout the U.S., including among urban, rural, wealthier and poorer counties," Spillane said. "Our findings document an urgent public health crisis calling for concerted public health action."
The findings were published Feb. 21 in the journal JAMA Network Open.
No one can say for sure why more Americans are dying from drink, but experts have a few theories.
"We know that stress, anxiety and wealth inequality are correlated with higher drinking levels, especially among women as the gender gap closes," said Pat Aussem, director of clinical content and development for the Center on Addiction.
Women are also at higher risk for alcohol poisoning due to their physiology, according to the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.
On average, women weigh less than men. In addition, alcohol tends to reside in the body's water, and women pound for pound carry less water in their bodies than men. That means women will reach higher blood alcohol levels than men of comparable weight, even though they've drunk the same amount of alcohol.
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"Women and older adults are also more likely to be prescribed medications that are known to be contraindicated with the consumption of alcohol, such as benzodiazepines like Xanax and painkillers like Vicodin and Percocet," Aussem added.
Larger societal shifts also have taken place that makes alcohol more available to people, Brennan said.
"Where one can purchase alcohol has really dramatically increased in the last few decades," Brennan said. "Many of us grew up in towns where there might be a liquor store, but you didn't have alcohol for sale in the grocery store. Now we see a ubiquity of alcohol-purchasing opportunities.
"We've also seen a whole ton of innovations in the alcohol industry," Brennan continued. "You're now able to purchase things far beyond beer, liquor and wine. There are all sorts of alcohol-based teas and lemonades and seltzers. As consumers, we're more and more inundated with different types of alcohol and different opportunities to purchase alcohol."
Aussem said there are a number of actions that could be taken to stem this trend:
Doctors can regularly screen patients for alcohol use, addiction, mental health disorders or family violence.
The public should be educated on CDC guidelines that limit daily alcohol consumption to one drink for women and two drinks for men.
The availability of affordable treatment for alcoholism should be supported.
State and local laws can tax alcohol, limit the number of liquor stores in a community, or hold businesses more accountable for selling booze to minors or people who are already intoxicated.
The stigma related to alcoholism should be addressed, so people can seek care without being labeled or shamed.
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More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more about alcohol and your health.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-02-22--On This Day, Feb. 22: U.S. men's hockey wins in 'Miracle on Ice'

Feb. 22 ( UPI ) -- On this date in history : In 1819 , a treaty with Spain ceded Florida to the United States .
In 1855 , Pennsylvania State University was founded in State College , Pa .
It was originally called the Farmers ' High School of Pennsylvania .
In 1862 , Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as president of the Confederate States of America .
In 1879 , Woolworth , the first chain store , opened in Utica , N.Y .
In 1959 , the Daytona 500 was run for the first time .
Lee Petty won @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fighter planes shot down a Libyan commercial airliner , killing 108 of the 113 people aboard .
The military apparently believed the airliner was a security threat in Israeli-controlled airspace .
Israel 's defense minister later said there was an `` error in judgment '' by the military .
Israel paid reparations to the families of the victims .
In 1980 , in one of the most dramatic upsets in Olympics history , the underdog U.S. hockey team , made up of collegians and second-tier professional players , defeated the defending champion Soviet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finest , 4-3 , at the Winter Games in Lake Placid , N.Y .
In 1987 , artist Andy Warhol died of heart failure at age 58 .
In 1998 , a series of tornadoes raked central Florida , killing 42 people and injuring more than 200 others .
In 2005 , a powerful earthquake struck Iran , killing more than 500 people .
In 2006 , robbers took more than $ 43 million in cash from the Securitas bank depot in Kent , England , Britain 's largest ever theft .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Christchurch , New Zealand 's second largest city , killing 185 people and injuring up to 2,000 .
In 2012 , a commuter train plowed into a barrier at a Buenos Aires station , killing 49 people and injuring hundreds more .
In 2014 , Ukraine 's Parliament ousted President Viktor Yanukovych following a period of violence that killed scores of people .
In 2018 , the U.S. women 's ice hockey team won the Olympic gold medal for the first time in 20 years with a 4-3 victory over Canada in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In 2019 , billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was charged with two counts of soliciting a prostitute in Florida as part of a larger human-trafficking bust .

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Captain Mike Eruzione of the 1980 U.S. Olympic hockey team celebrates with his teammates after lighting the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremonies of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City on February 8, 2002. On February 22, 1980, in one of the most dramatic upsets in Olympics history, the underdog U.S. hockey team, made up of collegians and second-tier professional players, defeated the defending champion Soviet team, regarded as the world's finest, 4-3, at the Winter Games in Lake Placid, N.Y. File Photo by H. Ruckemann/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 22 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1819, a treaty with Spain ceded Florida to the United States. Advertisement
In 1855, Pennsylvania State University was founded in State College, Pa. It was originally called the Farmers' High School of Pennsylvania.
In 1862, Jefferson Davis was inaugurated as president of the Confederate States of America.
In 1879, Woolworth, the first chain store, opened in Utica, N.Y.
In 1959, the Daytona 500 was run for the first time. Lee Petty won the race.
In 1973, Israeli fighter planes shot down a Libyan commercial airliner, killing 108 of the 113 people aboard. The military apparently believed the airliner was a security threat in Israeli-controlled airspace. Israel's defense minister later said there was an "error in judgment" by the military. Israel paid reparations to the families of the victims.
In 1980, in one of the most dramatic upsets in Olympics history, the underdog U.S. hockey team, made up of collegians and second-tier professional players, defeated the defending champion Soviet team, regarded as the world's finest, 4-3, at the Winter Games in Lake Placid, N.Y.
In 1987, artist Andy Warhol died of heart failure at age 58.
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File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
In 1998, a series of tornadoes raked central Florida, killing 42 people and injuring more than 200 others.
In 2005, a powerful earthquake struck Iran, killing more than 500 people.
In 2006, robbers took more than $43 million in cash from the Securitas bank depot in Kent, England, Britain's largest ever theft.
In 2011, a 6.3-magnitude earthquake severely damaged Christchurch, New Zealand's second largest city, killing 185 people and injuring up to 2,000.
In 2012, a commuter train plowed into a barrier at a Buenos Aires station, killing 49 people and injuring hundreds more.
In 2014, Ukraine's Parliament ousted President Viktor Yanukovych following a period of violence that killed scores of people.
File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI
In 2018, the U.S. women's ice hockey team won the Olympic gold medal for the first time in 20 years with a 4-3 victory over Canada in the Pyeongchang, South Korea, Games.
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In 2019, billionaire New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was charged with two counts of soliciting a prostitute in Florida as part of a larger human-trafficking bust.


upi--2020-02-22--Famous birthdays for Feb. 22: Julius 'Dr. J' Erving, Julie Walters

Feb. 22 ( UPI ) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Pisces .
-- George @ @ @ @ @ the United States , in 1732 -- Englishman Robert Baden-Powell , founder of the Boy @ @ @ @ @

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Julius Erving, aka Dr. J, and his wife, Dorys Madden, attend the 27th annual ESPY Awards at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on July 10. Dr. J turns 70 on February 22. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 22 (UPI) -- Those born on this date are under the sign of Pisces. They include: Advertisement
-- George Washington, first president of the United States, in 1732
-- German philosopher Arthur Schopenhauer in 1788
-- Englishman Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scout movement, in 1857
-- German physicist Heinrich Hertz, discoverer of radio waves, in 1857
-- Poet Edna St. Vincent Millay in 1892
-- Actor/TV producer Sheldon Leonard in 1907
-- Actor Robert Young in 1907
-- Television announcer Don Pardo in 1918
-- Actor Paul Dooley in 1928 (age 92)
File Photo by Bob Carey/UPI
-- U.S. Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., in 1932
-- Filmmaker Jonathan Demme in 1944
-- Author Richard North Patterson in 1947 (age 73)
-- Three-time Formula 1 driving champion Niki Lauda in 1949
-- Basketball Hall of Fame member Julius "Dr. J" Erving in 1950 (age 70)
-- Actor Julie Walters in 1950 (age 70)
File Photo by Paul Treadway/UPI
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-- Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin in 1962
-- Golfer Vijay Singh in 1963 (age 57)
-- Actor Kyle MacLachlan in 1959 (age 61)
-- Actor Rachel Dratch in 1966 (age 54)
-- Actor Jeri Ryan in 1968 (age 52)
-- Singer/songwriter James Blunt in 1974 (age 46)
-- Actor Drew Barrymore in 1975 (age 45)
-- Actor Zach Roerig in 1985 (age 35)


upi--2020-02-22--Doctors use robotics to treat brain aneurysm

Canadian doctors who conducted the first robotic surgery to treat a brain aneurysm say the approach could boost the availability and precision of lifesaving stroke care .
Use of the technology could also be a first step toward remote robotic surgery for stroke and other conditions affecting brain blood vessels .
`` In the future , perhaps , a patient could end up in a small center somewhere , and the staff there could put the patient into the appropriate suite where the procedure can be done , '' explained American Heart Association president-elect Dr. Mitchell Elkind .
`` And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , perhaps hundreds or even thousands of miles away , could perform the procedure remotely .
It 's really like science fiction stuff .
It sounds really exciting and it has great potential . ''
Elkind was n't involved in the new report , which was led by Dr. Vitor Mendes Pereira , a neurosurgeon and neuroradiologist at the Toronto Western Hospital .
His team presented their findings Friday at the International Stroke Conference , in Los Angeles .
As the Canadian doctors explained , robotic technology is already used in many surgeries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has not yet been tried in delicate neurovascular surgeries -- procedures on brain blood vessels .
The Toronto team reported on the case of a 64-year-old woman with an unruptured aneurysm at the base of her skull .
An aneurysm is a bulge in the wall of an artery that , if it ruptures , can lead to dangerous bleeding or death .
Mendes Pereira 's group used a robotic arm to place a stent in the affected artery and then used the same `` microcatheter '' to enter the aneurysm and make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ various coils .
Since that first case , the team said they have successfully performed five more aneurysm treatments using the robotic arm , including the placement of various devices such as stents that more safely divert blood flow .
`` This experience is the first step towards achieving our vision of remote neurovascular procedures , '' Mendes Pereira said in an American Stroke Association news release .
`` The ability to robotically perform intracranial aneurysm treatment is a major step forward in neuro-endovascular intervention , '' he explained .
`` The expectation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ able to be controlled remotely .
For example , I could be at my hospital and deliver therapy to a patient hundreds or even thousands of kilometers away , '' Mendes Pereira said .
Two cardiologists not involved in the new report said robotic stroke care should speed lifesaving interventions to more patients .
`` This technology may help eliminate the need for the transfer [ of patients to a specialty hospital ] , thus enabling faster treatment and potentially saving millions of neurons , '' explained Dr. Keith DeSousa , director of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Southside Hospital in Bay Shore , N.Y .
He called the advent of robotic stroke care `` an essential next step forward for this field . ''
Dr. Rafael Ortiz is chief of neuro-endovascular surgery at Northwell Health 's Manhattan and Westchester regions , in New York City .
He agreed that `` robotic neuro-endovascular surgery expands the capability for surgeons to perform procedures remotely , specifically in underserved regions of the world . ''
According to Mendes Pereira , `` The ability to deliver rapid care through remote robotics for time-critical procedures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact on improving patient outcomes and allow us to deliver cutting-edge care to patients everywhere , regardless of geography . ''
He concluded that his team 's `` experience , and that of future operators of this technology , will help develop the workflows and processes necessary to implement successful robotic programs , which will ultimately help establish remote care networks in the future . ''
Because the new report was presented at a medical meeting , its findings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal .
The Brain Aneurysm @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Canadian doctors who conducted the first robotic surgery to treat a brain aneurysm say the approach could boost the availability and precision of lifesaving stroke care.
Use of the technology could also be a first step toward remote robotic surgery for stroke and other conditions affecting brain blood vessels.
Advertisement
"In the future, perhaps, a patient could end up in a small center somewhere, and the staff there could put the patient into the appropriate suite where the procedure can be done," explained American Heart Association president-elect Dr. Mitchell Elkind. "And then, an expert at another site, perhaps hundreds or even thousands of miles away, could perform the procedure remotely. It's really like science fiction stuff. It sounds really exciting and it has great potential."
Elkind wasn't involved in the new report, which was led by Dr. Vitor Mendes Pereira, a neurosurgeon and neuroradiologist at the Toronto Western Hospital. His team presented their findings Friday at the International Stroke Conference, in Los Angeles.
Advertisement
As the Canadian doctors explained, robotic technology is already used in many surgeries, including cardiac procedures. But it has not yet been tried in delicate neurovascular surgeries -- procedures on brain blood vessels.
The Toronto team reported on the case of a 64-year-old woman with an unruptured aneurysm at the base of her skull.
An aneurysm is a bulge in the wall of an artery that, if it ruptures, can lead to dangerous bleeding or death.
Mendes Pereira's group used a robotic arm to place a stent in the affected artery and then used the same "microcatheter" to enter the aneurysm and make it more secure through the placement of various coils.
Since that first case, the team said they have successfully performed five more aneurysm treatments using the robotic arm, including the placement of various devices such as stents that more safely divert blood flow.
"This experience is the first step towards achieving our vision of remote neurovascular procedures," Mendes Pereira said in an American Stroke Association news release. "The ability to robotically perform intracranial aneurysm treatment is a major step forward in neuro-endovascular intervention," he explained.
"The expectation is that future robotic systems will be able to be controlled remotely. For example, I could be at my hospital and deliver therapy to a patient hundreds or even thousands of kilometers away," Mendes Pereira said.
Advertisement
Two cardiologists not involved in the new report said robotic stroke care should speed lifesaving interventions to more patients.
"This technology may help eliminate the need for the transfer [of patients to a specialty hospital], thus enabling faster treatment and potentially saving millions of neurons," explained Dr. Keith DeSousa, director of neuro-endovascular services and the neurovascular program at Southside Hospital in Bay Shore, N.Y.
He called the advent of robotic stroke care "an essential next step forward for this field."
Dr. Rafael Ortiz is chief of neuro-endovascular surgery at Northwell Health's Manhattan and Westchester regions, in New York City. He agreed that "robotic neuro-endovascular surgery expands the capability for surgeons to perform procedures remotely, specifically in underserved regions of the world."
According to Mendes Pereira, "The ability to deliver rapid care through remote robotics for time-critical procedures such as stroke could have a huge impact on improving patient outcomes and allow us to deliver cutting-edge care to patients everywhere, regardless of geography."
He concluded that his team's "experience, and that of future operators of this technology, will help develop the workflows and processes necessary to implement successful robotic programs, which will ultimately help establish remote care networks in the future."
Advertisement
Because the new report was presented at a medical meeting, its findings should be considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.
More information
The Brain Aneurysm Foundation has more on brain aneurysms.
Copyright 2020 HealthDay. All rights reserved.


upi--2020-02-21--Los Angeles Lakers to waive DeMarcus Cousins, sign Markieff Morris

Feb. 21 ( UPI ) -- The Los Angeles Lakers intend to release former All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins to free up a roster spot .
League sources told ESPN and the Los Angeles Times on Friday that the Lakers will waive Cousins to create a spot for Markieff Morris , if he clears waivers Sunday .
Morris negotiated a buyout with the Detroit Pistons on Friday , the team announced .
Cousins , a popular player in the Lakers ' locker room , has n't played this season as he continues to recover from a torn ACL in his left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lakers successfully applied for a disabled player exception for Cousins earlier this season because the knee injury was expected to sideline him for the entire 2019-20 campaign .
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said over the All-Star break that Cousins could potentially return for the postseason , but noted that he was a `` long way away '' from a return .
Cousins , a four-time All-Star selection , played for the Sacramento Kings ( 2010-17 ) and New Orleans Pelicans ( 2017-18 ) before joining the Golden State Warriors ( 2018-19 ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man has averaged 21.2 points , 10.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game in his NBA career .
Morris , 30 , has appeared in 44 games ( 16 starts ) for the Pistons this season , averaging 11 points and 3.9 assists per game .
Over nine seasons , he has averaged 11.6 points and 5.4 rebounds in 623 career games .

Former Golden State Warriors center DeMarcus Cousins (R) hasn't played this season because of a torn ACL in his left knee. File Photo by Terry Schmitt/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 21 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Lakers intend to release former All-Star center DeMarcus Cousins to free up a roster spot. League sources told ESPN and the Los Angeles Times on Friday that the Lakers will waive Cousins to create a spot for Markieff Morris, if he clears waivers Sunday. Morris negotiated a buyout with the Detroit Pistons on Friday, the team announced. Advertisement
Cousins, a popular player in the Lakers' locker room, hasn't played this season as he continues to recover from a torn ACL in his left knee. According to ESPN, the Lakers successfully applied for a disabled player exception for Cousins earlier this season because the knee injury was expected to sideline him for the entire 2019-20 campaign.
Lakers head coach Frank Vogel said over the All-Star break that Cousins could potentially return for the postseason, but noted that he was a "long way away" from a return.
Cousins, a four-time All-Star selection, played for the Sacramento Kings (2010-17) and New Orleans Pelicans (2017-18) before joining the Golden State Warriors (2018-19) for one season. The 29-year-old big man has averaged 21.2 points, 10.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game in his NBA career.
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Morris, 30, has appeared in 44 games (16 starts) for the Pistons this season, averaging 11 points and 3.9 assists per game. Over nine seasons, he has averaged 11.6 points and 5.4 rebounds in 623 career games.


upi--2020-02-21--NBA reschedules postponed Los Angeles Lakers, Clippers game for April 9

Feb. 21 ( UPI ) -- The Los Angeles Lakers ' matchup against the L.A. Clippers that was postponed after the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others was rescheduled , the league announced Friday .
The game , which was originally scheduled for Jan. 28 , was rescheduled for April 9 at Staples Center .
It will tip off at 10:30 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on TNT , according to the league 's statement .
The NBA had to adjust three other games on its full regular-season schedule to accommodate the Lakers-Clippers game .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ game against the Lakers from April 9 to April 7 .
It also changed the Chicago Bulls ' contest against the Lakers from April 7 to April 8 .
The Clippers and Bulls , previously scheduled to play on April 8 , will instead square off in a rare game on the same night as the NCAA men 's basketball championship game on April 6 .
The NBA typically does n't hold games on the same day as the NCAA men 's title game .
As a result , the Lakers will play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The last time a team played three consecutive days was in March 2018 , when the New Orleans Pelicans were forced to after their game against the Indiana Pacers in February 2018 had to be rescheduled because of a leak in the roof of the Smoothie King Center .

The Jan. 28 game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the L.A. Clippers was previously postponed after the death of Lakers legend Kobe Bryant and eight others in a helicopter crash. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Feb. 21 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Lakers' matchup against the L.A. Clippers that was postponed after the helicopter crash that killed Kobe Bryant and eight others was rescheduled, the league announced Friday. The game, which was originally scheduled for Jan. 28, was rescheduled for April 9 at Staples Center. It will tip off at 10:30 p.m. EST and will be broadcast on TNT, according to the league's statement. Advertisement
The NBA had to adjust three other games on its full regular-season schedule to accommodate the Lakers-Clippers game. The league moved the Golden State Warriors' game against the Lakers from April 9 to April 7. It also changed the Chicago Bulls' contest against the Lakers from April 7 to April 8.
The Clippers and Bulls, previously scheduled to play on April 8, will instead square off in a rare game on the same night as the NCAA men's basketball championship game on April 6. The NBA typically doesn't hold games on the same day as the NCAA men's title game.
As a result, the Lakers will play three straight home games from April 7-9. The last time a team played three consecutive days was in March 2018, when the New Orleans Pelicans were forced to after their game against the Indiana Pacers in February 2018 had to be rescheduled because of a leak in the roof of the Smoothie King Center.