Recent Articles
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Peppers, potatoes, pineapples: How the ‘real discoveries’ of…
Dave G. Houser Food & BeverageAlthough Christopher Columbus is credited with "discovering" the New World amid a search for riches, that wasn’t really the case. What his journeys did yield was a treasure trove of an entirely different kind — a find that probably didn’t seem of great value at the time — New World foods. Arriving in the Bahamas in 1492, Columbus and his crew encountered the Arawak, a thriving and peaceful indigenous people who drew sustenance from an array of colorful native crops that were completely new to the Spaniards.
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How to best support an employee on sick leave
Lisa Mulcahy Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementIf you have a staff member who's dealing with an unexpected major illness or must take time away from work to deal with treatment for a chronic condition, you can only imagine how difficult their absence must be to deal with. From worrying about falling behind on their work, to dealing with unsympathetic peers who have to pick up their responsibilities, a worker on sick leave will often imagine the worst — but you, as his/her supervisor, can do a lot to relieve this stress.
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What does your email signature say about you?
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementRegardless of the size, recipient or intent of the message, email signature blocks are little snippets of information we send out hundreds of times per week to repeat and new receivers. They are advertisements that reflect our professionalism, personality and focus. More than just a way to get in touch, these few lines of text can be valuable messaging tools when used properly. What does your email signature say about you?
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It’s time for the energy industry to think like Apple
Shawn Smajstrla Science & TechnologyWhen the iPhone debuted in 2007, its impact was immediate. Since then, the iPhone and other smart devices like it, have changed the way we work, play, shop, communicate — the way we live. What made the iPhone so revolutionary, though, wasn’t its touchscreen, camera or user interface. What truly made the iPhone a breakthrough was how it utilized a convergence of digital technologies. Meanwhile, the energy grid that powers our connected lives continues to function largely as it has for more than a century.
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The top new technologies in sports medicine
Heidi Dawson Sports & FitnessOrthopedics This Week, the most widely read publication in the orthopedics industry, recently announced its list of best sports medicine technologies for 2018. This is a fascinating and exciting list of new and upcoming technologies that will be sure to assist sports medicine and orthopedic doctors around the world. Highlights include 3-D imaging, new cold therapy technology and a system to monitor brain health after a concussion. Here’s our summary.
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When should children have their first dental visit?
Tammy Hinojos Oral & Dental HealthcareIt might look a little odd to see a baby laid back in a dental chair for a routine examination. But new research and guidelines put forth by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) would like to see more of this in dental practices across the country. The AAPD released research this month that asserts there may be risk factors in found in a child's medical record that are helpful for predicting risk for cavities. Well, OK. But what does that really mean? And why does it matter?
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The politics of bringing bullet trains to the US
Lucy Wallwork Transportation Technology & AutomotiveThe Shinkansen "bullet trains" in Japan and France’s extensive TGV network are testament to the commitment of some countries to high-speed rail. The U.K. has recently realized it is falling behind and is trying to catch up, but is causing a furor in the process. Even Uzbekistan is in on the game. The U.S., meanwhile, is still making baby steps. Now, investors who have built on experience on other international projects are now rushing into the U.S. to try their changes. But who is willing to pay for these pricey projects?
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Americans aren’t worried about health data security, despite breaches
Scott E. Rupp Healthcare AdministrationAmericans are far less concerned about the security of their health data than breaches of financial information, a recent SCOUT Rare Insights survey shows. Accordingly, only about half (49 percent) of adults said they are "extremely" or "very concerned" about security of lab results, diagnoses and other health information, compared with 69 percent who had that level of concern about the safety of their financial data. All of these precious jewels come to light as hackers and cyber thieves continue to make a push for health data and push upon organizations' data security concerns.
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Puerto Rico’s recovery faces ongoing privatization challenges
Michelle R. Matisons Civil & GovernmentOn July 9, Puerto Rican officials submitted a 411-page draft recovery plan to the U.S. Congress that outlines Gov. Ricardo Rosselló’s vision for the island’s future as it acknowledges that the death toll from Hurricane Maria may be much larger than originally admitted. This plan states that prior to September’s storm, the island already struggled "with an economic crisis spanning more than a decade." That crisis led a federal oversight board to take over Puerto Rico’s finances in 2016.
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Recent study uncovers gene responsible for addictive behavior
Dorothy L. Tengler Medical & Allied HealthcareCocaine is one of the oldest and most widely abused stimulants in the United States, and addiction affects all income groups, ages, and ethnicities. There is no single cause of addiction. In some cases, addiction is related to the ingredients in the addictive substance causing chemical reactions in the body. In other cases, addiction is partly genetic. Scientists have long known that cocaine directly stimulates the brain’s reward center and induces long-term changes to the reward circuitry that are responsible for addictive behavior.