Which state you live in matters for how well environmental laws protect your health

Pesticide use on school playing fields varies from state to state. matimix/iStock/Getty Images Plus

Susan Kaplan, University of Illinois at Chicago

Your child could go to gym class on Monday morning and play soccer on a field that was sprayed over the weekend with 2,4-D, a toxic weedkiller that has been investigated as possibly causing cancer. Alternatively, the school grounds may have been treated with a lower-toxicity weedkiller. Or maybe the grounds were managed with safe, nontoxic products and techniques.

Which of these scenarios applies depends in large part on your state’s laws and regulations today – more so than federal regulations.

For example, Texas requires all school districts to adopt an integrated pest management program for school buildings; IPM prioritizes nonchemical pest control methods and includes some protections regarding spraying of grounds. Massachusetts also restricts pesticide use on school grounds. Illinois requires IPM for school buildings only if economically feasible. States also vary greatly in the education and technical assistance they provide to implement these practices.

Chemical pesticides can be harmful to human health. Huntstock/Brand X Pictures via Getty Images

Although the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is involved in some baseline pesticide functions, shortcomings of the main pesticide law, along with industry influence, can leave vulnerable groups like children inadequately protected from these exposures.

EPA registers products for use based on a finding that they do not cause an “unreasonable” risk but considers economic costs and benefits, an approach that can result in decisions that pose health risks. And required labels may omit ingredients considered trade secrets.

As an environmental health lawyer and professor, I teach, write and think about the pros and cons of one level of government or the other overseeing environmental health – the impact of the natural and human-made environment on human health. Pesticides on school grounds are just one example of the problem of uneven protection from one state to the next.

Congress eased off, states stepped in

State policy choices have become more important for limiting people’s exposure to pollution and toxins as the federal government has increasingly retreated from major environmental health lawmaking.

Many of the country’s major environmental health laws were passed in the 1970s on the momentum of the environmental movement and with bipartisan support that is rarely seen today.

For example, the Clean Air Act amendments of 1970 required U.S. EPA to regulate a wide range of air pollutants, in some cases based explicitly on protecting human health. They were approved 374-1 in the House and 73-0 by the Senate and signed into law by President Richard M. Nixon. Nixon signed the law that created the Occupational Safety and Health Administration in 1971.

Concerns about smog from vehicles that choked cities like Los Angeles helped lead to environmental laws in the 1970s. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images

One analyst has written that groups that pressed legislators for environmental protection later splintered into groups advocating for and against environmental laws, reflecting an emerging debate over the appropriate extent of regulation.

At the same time, after the success of many federal environmental health laws, attention turned to problems that are harder for Washington to solve. With state environmental programs growing, some suggested that the U.S. EPA’s role should shift from compelling to catalyzing – from requiring specific pollution-reducing actions to helping states act by providing increased information and help with compliance. Yet this view acknowledged that under this scenario, residents of some states would enjoy stronger environmental health protections than others.

Reflecting this dynamic and the extent of political division in the U.S., even when the federal government does create tougher environmental regulations, they are often reversed by the succeeding administration or challenged in court.

Sometimes, states should make the decisions

In some cases, it makes sense to leave decisions to states. A health department in a western state may focus on protecting vulnerable groups from wildfire smoke, given the growth of blazes in that part of the country. Some states may welcome fracking operations while others prefer to keep them out.

States can also serve as laboratories of innovation, and the experiences of state programs and policies can inform federal actions.

But this regulatory patchwork creates inequities. If you live in one of the dozen-and-a-half states that follow California’s tailpipe emissions standards rather than the less stringent federal standards, you probably benefit from reduced air pollution.

The same holds for East Coast residents within the confederation of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, which limits greenhouse gas emissions – and other air pollutants in the process. A recent study that compared RGGI states with neighboring non-RGGI states concluded that data “indicate that RGGI has provided substantial child health benefits,” including a reduction in childhood asthma cases.

Drinking water limits or labeling requirements for PFAS – perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances – also vary by state. PFAS are found in products from nonstick cookware to some personal care products, and they have been linked with a range of troubling health effects. Because of their toxicity, broad scope of contamination and longevity in the environment, 18 states’ attorneys general are asking for a federal law.

How you can hold lawmakers to account

Environmental health often suffers from a cycle of panic and neglect. People worry about a concern like the chemical alar used on apples, until the next issue erupts. The public can keep up pressure on state and federal decision-makers to consider how the environment affects health in an array of ways:

• One person can be dismissed as an outlier, so start a group or join other groups that have similar interests.

• Research the problem and best practices and possible solutions, like program or policy development, education or stepped-up enforcement. Then call, email and send letters to elected representatives and request a meeting to clearly and concisely explain your concerns and ideas.

• Identify a “champion” – someone in a position to spearhead a change, like a school nurse or facilities manager – and reach out to them.

• Get the issue into the local news media by writing op-eds and social media posts. Be sure to communicate benefits of the action you’re advocating, like improved school attendance or financial return on investment.

• Attend public meetings and speak on the issue during the public comment period. Successes at the local level can provide examples for state officials.

Susan Kaplan, Research Assistant Professor of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Deadly fungus Candida auris is spreading across US hospitals - a physician answers 5 questions about rising fungal infections

Candida auris is a fungal yeast that can infect humans. Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library via Getty Images

Arif R. Sarwari, West Virginia University

In late March 2023, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlighted the threat posed by a rapidly spreading fungus called Candida auris that is causing infections and deaths among hospital patients across the country. The unexpected rise of this recently discovered pathogen is part of a larger trend of increasing fungal infections in the U.S.

Arif R. Sarwari is a physician and professor of infectious diseases at West Virginia University. Amid rising concerns among doctors and public health officials, Sarwari helped explain what Candida auris is, how it is spreading and how worried people in the U.S. should be.

1. What is Candida auris?

Candida auris is a recently identified, single-cell fungus that can infect humans and is moderately resistant to existing antifungal drugs. You might be familiar with superficial fungal infections – like athlete’s foot or vaginal yeast infections – which are quite common and don’t pose significant risks to most people. In contrast, Candida auris and other related fungi can cause infections within a person’s body and are much more dangerous.

Candida auris is a type of yeast that was first identified in 2009 and is one of a number of species in the candida family that can infect people. In the past, most invasive candida infections were caused by Candida albicans. Recently, though, infections with species of candida that are much more resistant to drugs than Candida albicans – like Candida auris – have shot up, with a nearly fivefold increase since 2019.

Candida fungi can get into a person’s bloodstream through a contaminated IV line and cause a blood infection. Richard Bailey/Corbis Documentary via Getty Images

2. How dangerous are candida infections?

For the most part, healthy people do not have to worry about invasive candida infections. There are two groups of people who are most at risk for dangerous candida infections: first are patients in intensive care units who also have central intravenous catheters and are receiving broad spectrum antibiotics. Patients with weak immune systems, such as cancer patients on chemotherapy or patients with human immunodeficiency virus, are also at high risk of candida infection.

Nearly all people have candida fungi growing in their guts and on their skin as part of their microbiome. When a person is healthy, candida numbers are low, but the fungi can proliferate rapidly and overcome a person’s immune system when a patient is sick and on antibiotics.

If candida cells on a person’s skin contaminate an intravenous line, the fungus can get into a patient’s bloodstream and cause often deadly bloodstream infections. Candida species are the fourth most-common cause of hospital associated bloodstream infections.

There are three classes of antifungal drugs that can be used to fight invasive candida infections. Candida albicans is susceptible to all three and easier to treat than Candida auris, which is moderately resistant to all three classes of antifungals.

3. How common are invasive fungal infections?

The CDC estimates that in the U.S., around 25,000 patients get candida bloodstream infections every year.

Candida bloodstream infections are best understood as a tale of two eras. In the past, they were almost always caused by drug-susceptible Candida albicans that arose endogenously from a patient’s own microbiome. There was no concern about infections spreading to other patients.

The recent emergence of drug-resistant and more transmissible Candida auris is raising alarms among health professionals. Because this species can contaminate surfaces and easily spread from patient to patient, the fungus is causing outbreaks both within and between hospitals.

4. Why are fungal infections increasing?

Fungal infections have been rising in the U.S. in recent years, especially infections caused by Candida auris. The pathogen only caused a few infections each year between 2013 and 2016, but starting in 2017, infections began to rise rapidly with 2,377 confirmed cases recorded in 2022 according to the CDC. Deaths caused by all candida infections are rising, too, from 1,010 in 2018 to nearly 1,800 in 2021.

The reasons for this increase are complicated, but I think there are two main drivers: more, sicker patients in hospitals and a stressed health system, both of which got worse during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hospitals are seeing more very sick patients with weak immune systems, especially as the population ages. This means there are more susceptible patients at hospitals to begin with.

Additionally, any time the health system is stressed – like during a pandemic – drug-resistant bacterial and fungal infections increase. This is because very sick patients are usually in crowded wards and exposed to many antibiotics. In addition, loss of hospital staff and increased workload results in lower quality sanitation - causing more spread of resistant pathogens.

I view the rise of drug-resistant fungi like Candida auris through the same lens as worsening antibiotic resistance. The more antibiotics people use, the greater the chances a resistant strain will become dominant.

5. What can the medical community do about it?

There are a few options for fighting the rise of drug-resistant Candida auris.

The most effective measures are good infection control practices. These behaviors and protocols include practicing good hand hygiene before and after each patient contact, wearing isolation gowns and gloves that are carefully discarded in a patient’s room, and taking measures to detect Candida auris infections early and isolate patients to prevent the spread. Though relatively simple, these actions are key to preventing the spread of all antibiotic-resistant pathogens, not just fungi.

The second option is to develop better drugs to treat new, antifungal-resistant strains of candida. Many new antifungal drugs are already under development. However, prevention through sound infection control will always remain foundational, as further drug development is akin to an arms race.

Arif R. Sarwari, Professor of Infectious Diseases, West Virginia University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Enjoy Better-for-You Foods Focused on Flavor

From salads and snacks to breakfast, lunch and dinner, rounding out a full menu of healthy meals shouldn’t be a chore. In fact, you can still enjoy your favorite flavors and tickle your taste buds with nutritious recipes that capitalize on powerful ingredients you actually want to eat.

A fruit-forward breakfast is a nutritious way to start your morning, and a fresh twist on pasta salad can make lunches or your evening side an enjoyable way to stay on track. Bowls filled with grains, veggies and a favorite protein are all the rage, and this seafood-fueled version is no exception when you’re craving a combination of your personal favorites.

Take your better-for-you eating plan from bland and boring to delightfully delicious by visiting Culinary.net for more recipe inspiration.

Eat Smart with Seafood

No matter if you’re searching for a healthy family dinner, a quick lunch at home or an easy idea to meal prep for the week ahead, these Orange Shrimp Quinoa Bowls are perfect for seafood lovers who also enjoy a hint of spice. Fresh, healthy and full of deliciously prepared shrimp, these bowls are also loaded with mushrooms, peppers and cucumbers.

The homemade sauce is light with a sweet yet spicy vibe. Resting over a cup of steamy quinoa for a filling base of healthy grains, it’s a quick and easy recipe you can customize with favorite toppings like sesame seeds and cilantro.

Find more wholesome, health-forward recipes at Culinary.net.

Orange Shrimp Quinoa Bowls

Servings: 2

• 1 cup quinoa
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon white miso
• 1 1/2 pounds shrimp, peeled, deveined and tails removed
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 cucumber, sliced into half moons
• 5 green onions, sliced
• 1 avocado, sliced
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1. Cook quinoa according to package instructions. Set aside.
2. In medium bowl, whisk orange juice, hot sauce, honey, soy sauce, vegetable oil, lime juice and miso until combined. Pour 1/4 of liquid into separate bowl. Set aside.
3. Add shrimp to remaining mixture and marinate 15 minutes.
4. Heat large skillet over medium heat with butter. Add shrimp, salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes on each side until pink. Add mushrooms and cook until tender.
5. In two serving bowls, divide quinoa, bell pepper, cucumber, onions, avocado and shrimp. Sprinkle sesame seeds and cilantro over both bowls.
6. Drizzle with reserved dressing.

Start the New Year with a Savory Salad

Starting the new year with fresh intentions, whether you’re trying to reset for 2023 or simply add more greens to your meals, begins with delicious, nutritious and easy recipes.

With more than 100 varieties of fresh, healthy and convenient ready-to-eat salads, Fresh Express provides plenty of inspiration, information and incentives to help you achieve your goals. For example, this Pesto Pasta Salad features red lentil rotini and Twisted Pesto Caesar Chopped Salad Kits loaded with a fresh blend of crisp iceberg and green leaf lettuces, crunchy garlic brioche croutons, Parmesan cheese and creamy pesto dressing. Add fresh grape tomatoes and toasted walnuts for a simple side or easy lunch that can be made ahead of time.

Discover more fresh recipe ideas at FreshExpress.com.

Pesto Pasta Salad

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 6

• 1 quart cooked red lentil rotini
• 2 packages (9 1/2 ounces each) Fresh Express Twisted Pesto Caesar Chopped Salad Kits
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted

1. Prepare red lentil rotini according to package directions; cool 15 minutes.
2. In bowl, mix rotini and one dressing packet from salad kits. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; mix well. Refrigerate, covered, 30 minutes, or until rotini is cold.
3. In large bowl, mix lettuce from both salad kits with remaining salad dressing package. Add rotini and tomatoes; toss to combine. Sprinkle with garlic brioche croutons and shredded Parmesan cheese from salad kits and walnuts.

Substitution: Traditional rotini can be used for red lentil rotini.

A Fruity Twist on Breakfast

Whether it’s a weekend celebration or a simple morning bite on the go, it’s often said breakfast is the most important meal. Starting off your day with some fruity nutrition is a sweet way to add vitamin C to your diet without skimping on flavor.

With a tasty granola crust and yogurt filling, this Brunch Fruit Tart is an easy way to impress guests or fuel your morning at the office. Balanced and easy to make, the crunchy crust and smooth center make it an enjoyable addition to at-home menus. This version calls for strawberries, blueberries and kiwi, but you can get creative with your own favorite fruits for a different flavor each time you make it.

Visit Culinary.net to find more nutritious breakfast ideas.

Brunch Fruit Tart

Recipe adapted from homemadeinterest.com

Crust:

• 4 cups granola mixture
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 4 1/2 tablespoons honey
• nonstick cooking spray

Filling:

• 2 1/4 cups vanilla Greek yogurt
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 package gelatin

Toppings:

• strawberries, sliced
• blueberries
• kiwis, sliced

1. To make crust: Preheat oven to 350 F.
2. In large bowl, combine granola, butter and honey. Grease 11-inch tart pan with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom of tart pan with parchment paper.
3. Press granola mixture into tart pan. Place tart pan on baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Cool completely.
4. To make filling: Using mixer, combine yogurt, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and gelatin until whipped completely.
5. Pour yogurt mixture into tart crust. Refrigerate at least 1 hour.
6. Top with strawberries, blueberries and kiwis.

 

SOURCE:
Fresh Express

The UN is asking the International Court of Justice for its opinion on states’ climate obligations. What does this mean?

Shutterstock

Jacqueline Peel, The University of Melbourne and Zoe Nay, The University of Melbourne

The United Nations has just backed a landmark resolution on climate justice.

Last week, the UN General Assembly supported a Pacific-led resolution asking the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to provide an advisory opinion on a country’s climate obligations.

This has been hailed as a “turning point in climate justice” and a victory for the Pacific youth who spearheaded the campaign.

But what does this UN decision actually mean? Does an advisory opinion from the ICJ have any teeth? And what might be the legal consequences for rich countries, like Australia, that have contributed the most to the climate problem?

The theme song asking the ICJ to deliver an advisory opinion on the legal obligations of states to prevent significant harm to human rights and the environment. www.VanuatuICJ.com.

What is an ICJ Advisory Opinion?

The ICJ is the world court and the leading global authority on international law. It generally hears disputes between countries known as “contentious cases” such as the 2010 case brought by Australia against Japan over whaling in the Southern Ocean. In that case, the court ruled in Australia’s favour.

However, the ICJ can also issue advisory opinions. This is a kind of general advice on the status of international law on a particular topic. Opinions must be requested by one of the organs or specialised agencies of the UN, such as the General Assembly.

On March 29 2023, the UN General Assembly resolved to seek an ICJ advisory opinion on the obligations of states with respect to climate change. That was based on draft text put forward by the tiny Pacific nation of Vanuatu.

Significantly, this resolution was co-sponsored by 105 states, including Australia. It’s the first time the General Assembly has requested an advisory opinion from the ICJ with unanimous state support.

The question put to the ICJ asks whether countries have an obligation to protect the global climate system. It also seeks advice on the “legal consequences” when countries’ actions or omissions cause significant climate harm to small island states and future generations in particular.

The UN will communicate the resolution to the ICJ in coming weeks and the court will then organise hearings over the next few months. It’s expected an advisory opinion will be issued six to 12 months later.

A win for the Pacific

The adoption of the advisory opinion resolution represents an important milestone in a long-running fight by Pacific small island nations and youth activists to secure climate justice.

For these communities, climate change is already causing or exacerbating harm to natural and human systems. Indeed, only a few weeks before the UN General Assembly decision, a rare double cyclone event ripped through Vanuatu.

Faced with these threats, Pacific nations like Tuvalu and Palau have previously publicly discussed options for seeking a ruling from the ICJ. These efforts met with stiff resistance from major emitting countries, which eventually saw the proposals shelved.

Renewed efforts began in 2019 with 27 law students from The University of the South Pacific forming Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change.

The students worked with the Vanuatu government to launch a new campaign for a General Assembly resolution on climate change and human rights. Introducing the resolution, Vanuatu’s prime minister Ishmael Kalsakau stated:

This is not a silver bullet, but it can make an important contribution to climate action, including by catalysing much higher ambition under the Paris Agreement.

For student campaigners like Cynthia Houniuhi, it means

an opportunity to do something bigger than ourselves, bigger than our fears.

The Power of the People is an explainer from the Pacific Islands Students Fighting Climate Change.

What might the ICJ advisory opinion deliver?

Advisory opinions issued by the ICJ are – as the name suggests – advisory. They are not legally binding on any country or on the General Assembly. So this climate advisory opinion will not establish the accountability of particular countries for climate harms, nor deliver compensation to vulnerable nations like Vanuatu.

Nonetheless, the authority of the world court means its advisory opinions do matter in shaping how countries understand their international obligations.

There is an opportunity with this opinion to cement emerging links between climate harms and human rights, which could open up new avenues for litigation either domestically or internationally. Already there are several new climate rights cases underway, with the European Court of Human Rights hearing its first two climate cases (against Switzerland and France) on the same day the advisory opinion resolution was adopted.

The ICJ opinion could also provide an extra incentive for countries to reexamine and strengthen their national emissions reduction targets, to make sure they are compliant with the Paris Agreement. As the new fund for climate-related loss and damage takes shape at this year’s international climate meeting (COP28 in Dubai), negotiators may be thinking about how the rules they are crafting could complement the ICJ opinion.

Australia’s support signals our government understands the need to strengthen cooperation and solidarity in the region. Such efforts – including increasing the ambition of Australia’s emissions reduction target and contributing funds to the emerging loss and damage fund – would be tangible indications Australia is striving to meet its international obligations. It’s about being a good neighbour while also avoiding future lawsuits.

A turning point for climate justice?

For many advocates the success of the ICJ advisory opinion campaign heralds the beginning of a new era in the quest for climate justice. By asking the world court to bring its authoritative voice to this issue, campaigners like the Pacific students’ group seek to make a difference. They hope to ease the path to holding polluting countries accountable for climate harms and help ensure vulnerable communities receive the resources they need to realise a better climate future.

Other voices urge a more cautious approach. The ICJ, for example, does not have much expertise in human rights – with the notable exception of recently appointed Australian judge Hilary Charlesworth. With judges drawn from several major emitting states, the court may be reluctant to intervene decisively on such a highly charged political question. Courts are generally followers, not leaders, of social movements.

Nonetheless, the confluence of dire warnings from climate scientists in the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, proliferating climate protests and litigation around the world, and the accelerating occurrence of climate harms like last year’s massive floods in Pakistan may just yield a moment in history - one where the world court steps forward to put its thumb on the scales in favour of the cause of climate justice.

Jacqueline Peel, Director, Melbourne Climate Futures, The University of Melbourne and Zoe Nay, PhD candidate, The University of Melbourne

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Fun Easter 'Egg-turnatives'

4 creative alternatives to decorating eggs this Easter

(Family Features) While decorating eggs for Easter is a tradition that dates back centuries, the high cost of eggs may make it more difficult for some families this year. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t find creative ways to keep the season special and create memories with loved ones.

With more than 140 years of experience, the Easter egg decorating experts at PAAS® are sharing some ideas and inspiration on fun things to do with your Easter decorating kit. These “egg-citing” alternatives to using traditional eggs can help keep those simple moments of connection and creativity alive:

Pretty in Plastic
Dyeing plastic eggs is an activity perfect for all ages with less stress and less mess since they don’t crack or break when dropped. Dyeable plastic eggs also typically come in packages of more than a traditional dozen, offering more opportunities for creativity. Another added bonus: You can decorate your home every year with the finished product since they don’t go bad. They are also perfect for DIY projects, such as making them into garland, hanging ornaments, place settings or gifts that can be used for years to come.

Baked Easter Decor
Instead of buying eggs, you can make your own baking soda dough eggs using 1/2 cup corn starch, 1 cup baking soda and 3/4 cup water. Combine the ingredients, roll into egg shapes and bake in the oven for 1 hour at 175 F then simply dye them as you would real eggs using your favorite PAAS egg decorating kit. Fun for all ages, these eggs can be turned into a variety of decor and mementos with kids taking the lead on mixing the dough batter and shaping the eggs before an adult helps with the baking.

Creative Kitchen Canvases
Coffee filters are good for more than just making coffee; they make perfect canvases for Easter decorating and naturally take dye. With 100-250 coffee filters per package, they’re a cost-effective way to maximize crafting opportunities and let creativity run wild. Once dyed and dried, you can turn the filters into flower centerpieces, papier mache eggs, artwork to frame and more.

Repurposed Treasure from Nature
Kids often love to hunt for fun-shaped and colorful rocks when exploring outdoors or collect seashells while on vacation or taking a walk on the beach. Now, rather than storing them in a “treasure box” or throwing them back outside, they can be creatively decorated for Easter using paint, stickers, glitter, accessories and other add-ons. Some seashells can even be dyed. Using rocks and shells of all shapes and sizes is a cost-effective, low-waste alternative that allows children to use their imaginations for creative play once they’re done decorating.

For more tips and ideas to make Easter “eggstra” special this year, visit paaseastereggs.com.

Sustainable Tips to Avoid Egg Waste

If you plan to keep the tradition of dyeing eggs alive this year, you can take steps to avoid food waste once you’re done decorating. Consider these sustainable tips from the experts at PAAS:

• Make Deviled Eggs: As long as you refrigerate the eggs shortly after dyeing them, you can use them to make deviled eggs – an Easter brunch staple – for your family meal.
• Create Centerpieces: Dyed eggs can be used to make a beautiful centerpiece for your family dinner. Simply spread them over your table runner around other decor, fill a glass bowl or jar with the eggs or place them within a floral arrangement to add pops of color to the table.
• Serve a Salad: Eating the eggs saves you from food waste, and eggs can be used in a variety of salads, including egg salad, potato salad or chef’s salad, to add a boost of protein and flavor.
• Start a Compost Pile: If you don’t plan to eat the eggs once you’re done decorating, you can create a compost pile near your garden. Hard-boiled eggshells are a rich source of calcium and other essential nutrients plants need.

Photos courtesy of Getty Images
SOURCE:
PAAS

Why Britain’s new CPTPP trade deal will not make up for Brexit

UNIKYLUCKK/Shutterstock

Terence Huw Edwards, Loughborough University and Mustapha Douch, The University of Edinburgh

The UK recently announced that it will join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), giving British businesses access to the 11 other members of the Indo-Pacific trade bloc and bringing its combined GDP to £11 trillion.

Some commentators have suggested the deal could make up for Brexit. It’s been called “a momentous economic and strategic moment” that “kills off any likelihood that it [the UK] will ever rejoin the EU customs union or single market”. Shanker Singham of think tank the Institute of Economic Affairs has even said: “it’s no exaggeration to say that CPTPP+UK is an equivalent economic power to the EU-28-UK”, comparing it to a trade deal between the UK and EU members.

UK business and trade secretary Kemi Badenoch echoed such sentiments, telling Times Radio:

We’ve left the EU so we need to look at what to do in order to grow the UK economy and not keep talking about a vote from seven years ago.

The problem with this fanfare is that the government’s own economic analysis of the benefits of joining this bloc is underwhelming. There is an estimated gain to the UK of 0.08% of GDP – this is just a 50th of the OBR’s estimate of what Brexit has cost the UK economy to date. Even for those that are sceptical about models and forecasts, that is an enormous difference in magnitude.

Of course, the CPTPP is expected to offer the UK some real gains. It certainly provides significant potential opportunities for some individual exporters. But the estimated gains for Britain overall are very small.

The main reason for this is that, apart from Japan, the major players of the global economy are not in the CPTPP. The US withdrew from the Trans Pacific Partnership (the CPTPP is what the remaining members formed without it). And China started negotiations to join in 2022, but current geopolitics now make its entry highly improbable. India was never involved.

In addition, the UK already has free trade agreements with nine out of the 11 members. The remaining two, Malaysia and Brunei, are controversial due to environmental threats from palm oil production to rainforests and orangutans.

Britain’s existing trade agreements with CPTPP members

Author provided using GDP data from the World Bank and trade data from UN Comtrade.

And despite the widespread public perception of the Asia-Pacific area as a hub of future growth, the performance and prospects of the CPTPP members are a mixed bag. The largest member, Japan, is arguably in long-term decline, as is Brunei, while just three members (Vietnam, Singapore and New Zealand had average growth in the last decade above 3% annually.

Finally, distance really does matter in trade. All the CPTPP members are thousands of miles from the UK, which explains their relatively small shares in UK trade at present.

Some benefits of CPTPP

While all of these points pour cold water on the suggested gains, there are some potential benefits from the CPTPP agreement, which allows for mutual recognition of certain standards. This includes patents and some relaxation of sanitary and phytosanitary rules on food items.

However, agreements over standards will involve the UK submitting to international CPTPP courts on these issues. This sits uncomfortably with many of the “sovereignty” objections to the European Court of Justice in relation to Brexit (largely from many of those who have extolled the CPTPP). It’s also notable that out of the nine agreements with CPTPP members that existed before the UK signed this deal, all but two are rollovers of previous EU deals.

But a trade deal with the CPTPP is worth more to the UK than separate deals with each member due to requirements around “rules of origin”, which determine the national source of a product. When a product contains inputs from more than one country, a series of separate free trade agreements may not eliminate tariffs. But if all the relevant countries are members of a single free trade agreement, then rules of origin on inputs from other members cease to be a problem (although there might be some issues if some members do not police the requirements properly).

Not the ideal agreement

While these benefits should be recognised, we should also acknowledge that the CPTPP is not the ideal agreement for Britain. As stated above, distance really does matter in trade – this is overwhelmingly accepted by modern trade economists.

Research shows that the rate at which trade declines with distance has barely changed over more than a century. This might seem strange because transport costs have fallen over time. But, as transport and communications have improved, firms have outsourced much of their production to complex supply chains that often cross national borders many times, with “just-in-time” supply schedules to keep down the costs of holding large stocks.

This means that, while trade everywhere has grown, there is still a big premium for trading (many times) across borders between contiguous countries. It is exactly this type of trade which benefits most from big comprehensive trade agreements that simplify rules of origin and regulatory paperwork.

This suggests that, while some elements of the the CPTPP offer benefits to the UK, it is unlikely to boost its trade in the way it does between countries around the Pacific Rim. For this sort of boost, the UK really needs to look towards its own neighbours. Of course, this is just the sort of agreement that Badenoch seems reluctant to discuss.

Terence Huw Edwards, Senior Lecturer in Economics, Loughborough University and Mustapha Douch, Assistant Professor in Economics, The University of Edinburgh

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

A Spring Spread Any Bunny Can Create

(Culinary.net) With spring in the air, it’s the perfect time to invite guests over for a hopping party. It’s also a great opportunity to tackle that dreadful spring cleaning and spruce up your living spaces with vibrant decor for visitors to enjoy alongside a delicious recipe.

With this sweet, colorful table arrangement, your whole family can get into the spring spirit. From festive utensils, a bright centerpiece and cute snacks, your spring setup can be fresh and fabulous.

It’s simple to put together and easy on the budget. Pair it with appetizers or even a main dish for a full spring party spread that’s sure to impress.

Find more springtime recipes at Culinary.net.

Watch video to see how to create this Spring Table Spread!

Chick Cheese Balls

Recipe adapted from Hallmark.com
Yield: 10 chicks

• 1          package cream cheese
• 1/4       tablespoon garlic powder
• 1          tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2       lemon, juice only
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 1          cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
• crackers
• carrots
• whole black peppercorns

1. Using mixer, combine cream cheese, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper, to taste. Refrigerate mixture 1 hour.
2. Using fingers, form about 1 tablespoon of cream cheese mixture at a time into balls. Refrigerate 30 minutes on small baking sheet.
3. Before serving, roll each ball into shredded cheddar cheese to cover. Place each ball on round cracker.
4. Cut small triangles from carrots for beaks and feet. Press carrots onto cheese balls. Add peppercorns for eyes.

Carrot Utensils

• Orange napkins
• green plastic silverware
• green ribbon

1. Lay napkins flat on table. Place one of each utensil in napkin facing top corner. Wrap napkin around utensils. Tie ribbon around middle of napkin. Place in bowl or basket on table.

Spring Table Centerpiece

Recipe adapted from Craftmorning.com

• Jelly beans
• chocolate coated candy eggs
• marshmallow chicks
• fresh or fake flowers
• plastic or dyed eggs (optional)

1. Place medium bowl inside large dish. Pour jelly beans and chocolate coated candy eggs around bowl.
2. Add marshmallow chicks around dish on top of candies. Arrange fresh or fake flowers in center. Set on table as centerpiece. Place eggs around dish, if desired.

SOURCE:
Culinary.net

Ukraine invasion threatens international collaboration in space and shows how power structures are changing – podcast

Russia threatened to withdraw from the International Space Station over sanctions imposed on the country following its invasion of Ukraine. 3Dsculptor via Shutterstock

Daniel Merino, The Conversation and Gemma Ware, The Conversation

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is challenging the structures of international collaboration in space. In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we talk to two experts about how space is entering a new era of international competition – and whether the existing laws are ready for what comes next.

Space has historically been a surprisingly collaborative place. Even during the height of the cold war, the Soviet Union and the US made decisions that were mutually beneficial to both nations. As more nations developed their own space agencies in the last decades of the 20th century, the era of international collaboration in space put forth its crown jewel, the International Space Station (ISS).

A remarkable system of agreements and laws allow more than a dozen different countries to run such a complicated feat of science in orbit. But as David Kuan-Wei Chen, the executive director of the Center for Research in Air and Space Law at McGill University in Canada, explains, the fallout from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is putting this cooperation to the test, with Russia threatening to withdraw from the ISS. “Like all international agreements, these provisions are in place to prevent the unnecessary escalation of political disputes which threaten to completely derail 20 to 30 years of unprecedented cooperation in space,” he says.

The ISS may be the most high-profile recent dispute in space, but in the last decade or two, there’s been a subtle yet important shift in how nations approach missions in space. Svetla Ben-Itzhak is a professor of space and international relations at Air University in the US and has a name for the emerging system. “In the past, we had individual countries leading in space. However, now most countries are not acting alone. The trend has been that countries that partner on the ground also come together to accomplish specific missions in space. I call these formations space blocs,” she says.

Instead of individual countries collaborating on big scientific missions, now groups of allied nations are competing against each other.

In the full episode of the podcast, we talk to Ben-Itzhak about how space blocs emerged, why they are likely to be the main avenue of power in the future and what this means for the prospects of war in space. Then, with Chen we explore whether existing space law is adequate to meet the challenges in space today and how two future missions to the Moon highlight all the gray areas of what is legal and what isn’t once you leave Earth.

This episode of The Conversation Weekly was produced by Gemma Ware, with sound design by Eloise Stevens. Our theme music is by Neeta Sarl. You can find us on Twitter @TC_Audio, on Instagram at theconversationdotcom or via email. You can also sign up to The Conversation’s free daily email here.

Newsclips in this episode are from WION, BBC News, CBS News, ABC News, France24 English, CBS Evening News and the Associated Press.

You can listen to The Conversation Weekly via any of the apps listed above, download it directly via our RSS feed, or find out how else to listen here.

Daniel Merino, Assistant Science Editor & Co-Host of The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation and Gemma Ware, Editor and Co-Host, The Conversation Weekly Podcast, The Conversation

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Racist and sexist depictions of human evolution still permeate science, education and popular culture today

Human evolution is typically depicted with a progressive whitening of the skin, despite a lack of evidence to support it. Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov/Wikimedia Commons

Rui Diogo, Howard University

Systemic racism and sexism have permeated civilization since the rise of agriculture, when people started living in one place for a long time. Early Western scientists, such as Aristotle in ancient Greece, were indoctrinated with the ethnocentric and misogynistic narratives that permeated their society. More than 2,000 years after Aristotle’s writings, English naturalist Charles Darwin also extrapolated the sexist and racist narratives he heard and read in his youth to the natural world.

Darwin presented his biased views as scientific facts, such as in his 1871 book “The Descent of Man,” where he described his belief that men are evolutionarily superior to women, Europeans superior to non-Europeans and hierarchical civilizations superior to small egalitarian societies. In that book, which continues to be studied in schools and natural history museums, he considered “the hideous ornaments and the equally hideous music admired by most savages” to be “not so highly developed as in certain animals, for instance, in birds,” and compared the appearance of Africans to the New World monkey Pithecia satanas.

Science isn’t immune to sexism and racism.

“The Descent of Man” was published during a moment of societal turmoil in continental Europe. In France, the working class Paris Commune took to the streets asking for radical social change, including the overturning of societal hierarchies. Darwin’s claims that the subjugation of the poor, non-Europeans and women was the natural result of evolutionary progress were music to the ears of the elites and those in power within academia. Science historian Janet Browne wrote that Darwin’s meteoric rise within Victorian society did not occur despite his racist and sexist writings but in great part because of them.

It is not coincidence that Darwin had a state funeral in Westminster Abbey, an honor emblematic of English power, and was publicly commemorated as a symbol of “English success in conquering nature and civilizing the globe during Victoria’s long reign.”

Despite the significant societal changes that have occurred in the last 150 years, sexist and racist narratives are still common in science, medicine and education. As a teacher and researcher at Howard University, I am interested in combining my main fields of study, biology and anthropology, to discuss broader societal issues. In research I recently published with my colleague Fatimah Jackson and three medical students at Howard University, we show how racist and sexist narratives are not a thing of the past: They are still present in scientific papers, textbooks, museums and educational materials.

From museums to scientific papers

One example of how biased narratives are still present in science today is the numerous depictions of human evolution as a linear trend from darker and more “primitive” human beings to more “evolved” ones with a lighter skin tone. Natural history museums, websites and UNESCO heritage sites have all shown this trend.

The fact that such depictions are not scientifically accurate does not discourage their continued circulation. Roughly 11% of people living today are “white,” or European descendants. Images showing a linear progression to whiteness do not accurately represent either human evolution or what living humans look like today, as a whole. Furthermore, there is no scientific evidence supporting a progressive skin whitening. Lighter skin pigmentation chiefly evolved within just a few groups that migrated to non-African regions with high or low latitudes, such as the northern regions of America, Europe and Asia.

Illustrations of human evolution tend to depict progressive skin whitening.

Sexist narratives also still permeate academia. For example, in a 2021 paper on a famous early human fossil found in the Sierra de Atapuerca archaeological site in Spain, researchers examined the canine teeth of the remains and found that it was actually that of a girl between 9 and 11 years old. It was previously believed that the fossil was a boy due to a popular 2002 book by one of the authors of that paper, paleoanthropologist José María Bermúdez de Castro. What is particularly telling is that the study authors recognized that there was no scientific reason for the fossil remains to have been designated as a male in the first place. The decision, they wrote, “arose randomly.”

But these choices are not truly “random.” Depictions of human evolution frequently only show men. In the few cases where women are depicted, they tend to be shown as passive mothers, not as active inventors, cave painters or food gatherers, despite available anthropological data showing that pre-historical women were all those things.

Another example of sexist narratives in science is how researchers continue to discuss the “puzzling” evolution of the female orgasm. Darwin constructed narratives about how women were evolutionarily “coy” and sexually passive, even though he acknowledged that females actively select their sexual partners in most mammalian species. As a Victorian, it was difficult for him to accept that women could play an active part in choosing a partner, so he argued that such roles only applied to women in early human evolution. According to Darwin, men later began to sexually select women.

Sexist narratives about women being more “coy” and “less sexual,” including the idea of the female orgasm as an evolutionary puzzle, are contradicted by a wide range of evidence. For instance, women are the ones who actually more frequently experience multiple orgasms as well as more complex, elaborate and intense orgasms on average, compared to men. Women are not biologically less sexual, but sexist stereotypes were accepted as scientific fact.

The vicious cycle of systemic racism and sexism

Educational materials, including textbooks and anatomical atlases used by science and medical students, play a crucial role in perpetuating biased narratives. For example, the 2017 edition of “Netter Atlas of Human Anatomy,” commonly used by medical students and clinical professionals, includes about 180 figures that show skin color. Of those, the vast majority show male individuals with white skin, and only two show individuals with “darker” skin. This perpetuates the depiction of white men as the anatomical prototype of the human species and fails to display the full anatomical diversity of people.

Textbooks and educational materials can perpetuate the biases of their creators in science and society.

Authors of teaching materials for children also replicate the biases in scientific publications, museums and textbooks. For example, the cover of a 2016 coloring book entitled “The Evolution of Living Things”“ shows human evolution as a linear trend from darker "primitive” creatures to a “civilized” Western man. Indoctrination comes full circle when the children using such books become scientists, journalists, museum curators, politicians, authors or illustrators.

One of the key characteristics of systemic racism and sexism is that it is unconsciously perpetuated by people who often don’t realize that the narratives and choices they make are biased. Academics can address long-standing racist, sexist and Western-centric biases by being both more alert and proactive in detecting and correcting these influences in their work. Allowing inaccurate narratives to continue to circulate in science, medicine, education and the media perpetuates not only these narratives in future generations, but also the discrimination, oppression and atrocities that have been justified by them in the past.

Rui Diogo, Associate Professor of Anatomy, Howard University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Donald Trump: polling suggests criminal charges won’t dampen his support

Dafydd Townley, University of Portsmouth

Donald Trump’s impending court case marks a historic moment in US politics. He will be the first former president of the United States to face criminal charges and trial by a jury. He and his supporters are already calling the case a political manoeuvre designed to reduce his chances in the 2024 presidential election.

The court case will affect his campaign but it will not exclude him for running for office next year. Early indications suggest that his political base will continue to rally around him. Within hours of the news, his followers were gathering outside his Mar-a-Lago home in Florida to express their support.

The indictment comes after a grand jury in New York agreed that there was enough evidence to charge the former president. The investigation, led by Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, looked into the legality of hush money payments to former adult film star Stormy Daniels.

The exact nature of the charges will not be known until Trump is arraigned next week. According to US reports, he is likely to be accused of more than one count of falsifying business records (classed as a misdemeanour, a lesser crime in the US legal system), after Trump allegedly recorded the payment as a business expense. If found guilty, he could face a fine.

He might also be charged with breaking election campaign laws, which is a more serious felony offence and carries a potential prison sentence. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.

Any criminal charges, or even a jail sentence, would not restrict Trump from running for office under the US constitution. He has previously stated that he would do so even if he was charged. Historically, there are instances of individuals running for president while facing charges or even from a prison cell.

Problems for campaign

What may affect his chances is the amount of time that he will need to commit to dealing with the charges laid against him. To date, his campaign has been relatively quiet, but it will need to gain momentum in the lead up to the Republican convention in July 2024.

On March 25 and 26, Trump held his first campaign rally for the 2024 election at Waco, Texas. Despite predicting that he would be arrested, thousands turned up to show their support.

Claiming that the 2024 election would be “the final battle”, Trump criticised the prospects of potential challengers, such as Florida’s governor, Ron DeSantis, and stated that the investigation was like something out of Stalinist Russia. He told his supporters “from the beginning it has been one witch-hunt and phony investigation after another”.

Popularity in the polls

Trump’s immense popularity with Republicans is unlikely to be damaged by any indictment resulting from the New York investigation. One poll showed that most Republicans believe that the investigation is politically motivated, while another indicated that most Americans think that Trump will be acquitted of the charges.

The Harvard/Harris poll shows that popular support for the charges is split along party lines – 80% of Democrats believe he should be indicted, while 80% of Republicans believe he should not. And 57% of Republicans think a trial could help Trump in the election run.

Republicans lawmakers have already come out in support of Trump. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said that the indictment was an “unprecedented abuse of power”. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise tweeted that the charges were “one of the clearest examples of extremist Democrats weaponizing government to attack their political opponents”.

Even Trump’s potential rivals for the 2024 nomination have come out in support of the former president. DeSantis said the charges were “un-American” and a “weaponization of the legal system”, while Pence called the indictment “an outrage”.

For many observers, the question remains: why does Trump still figure so highly in the Republican polls after everything that has happened?

A Harvard/Harris poll from mid March, shows that Trump has increased his favourability among Republican voters to 50%, giving him a 26-point lead over DeSantis, if the presidential nomination was decided now. Former vice president Mike Pence is a distant third with just 7%. A more recent Fox News poll estimates the gap between Trump and DeSantis to be even greater at 30%.

Worryingly for Democrats, those polled of all political persuasions give Trump a four-point lead over Biden. There is a glimmer of hope for the Democrats, though, in that 14% of those polled were undecided on either Trump or Biden. It’s a significant number, and those individuals will be key to deciding who wins the election in November next year.

Trump’s immense popularity with Republicans is unlikely to be damaged by any indictment resulting from the New York investigation. This is because the Republican Party is still the party of Donald Trump. His base support has never fluctuated since 2016. Many of them feel he stands up for them when no-one else does.

His Republican opponents, such as DeSantis, are trying to outdo Trump at being Trump. But they are pale imitations, and Trump knows this.

Earlier this year, Trump told the crowd at the Conservative Political Action Conference: “I am your warrior, I am your justice.” And they believe that. His supporters believe that he is the only person capable of protecting their values and way of life.

In a supporting speech at Waco, Trump-ally, Representative Marjorie Taylor-Greene said: “Trump is the man for the hour. He’s the only man who can take on Washington in the times that we live in.”

While the indictment might make some moderate Republicans rethink their loyalty to the former president, his base will back him to the bitter end.

Dafydd Townley, Teaching Fellow in International Security, University of Portsmouth

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

One way to speed up clinical trials: Skip right to the data with electronic medical records

It takes around 17 years for medical research to translate into clinical practice. shapecharge/E+ via Getty Images

Kevin Kip, University of Pittsburgh; Erin McCreary, University of Pittsburgh, and Oscar Marroquin, University of Pittsburgh

Scientific knowledge, as measured by numbers of papers published, has been estimated to double every 17.3 years. However, it takes an average of about 17 years for health and medical research – going from basic lab studies on cell cultures and animals to clinical trials in people – to result in actual changes patients see in the clinic.

The typical process of medical research is generally not well equipped to respond effectively to quickly evolving pandemics. This has been especially evident for the COVID-19 pandemic, in part because the virus the causes COVID-19 mutates frequently. Scientists and public health officials are often left continually scrambling to develop and test new treatments to match emerging variants.

Fortunately, scientists may be able to bypass the typical research timeline and study treatments and interventions as they are used in the clinic nearly in real time by leveraging a common source of existing data – electronic medical records, or EMRs.

We are a team composed of an epidemiologist, pharmacist and cardiologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we realized the need to quickly study and disseminate accurate information on the most effective treatment approaches, especially for patients at high risk of hospitalization and death. In our recently published research, we used EMR data to show that early treatment with one or more of five different monoclonal antibodies substantially reduced the risk of hospitalization or death compared with delayed or no treatment.

EMRs contain a wealth of clinical data that could be used for research. Reza Estakhrian/The Image Bank via Getty Images

Using EMR data for research

In the U.S., health care systems typically use EMR systems for documenting patient care and for administrative purposes like billing. While data collection is not uniform, these systems typically contain detailed records that can include sociodemographic information, medical history, test results, surgical and other procedures, prescriptions and billing charges.

Unlike single-payer health care systems that integrate data into a single EMR system, such as in the U.K. and in Scandinavian countries, many large health care systems in the U.S. collect patient data using multiple EMR systems.

Having multiple EMR systems adds a layer of complexity to using such data to conduct scientific research. To address this, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center developed and maintains a clinical data warehouse that compiles and harmonizes data across the seven different EMR systems its 40 hospitals and outpatient clinics use.

Emulating clinical trials

Using EMR data for research is not new. More recently, researchers have been looking into ways to use these large health data systems to emulate randomized controlled trials, which are considered the gold standard study design yet are often costly and take years to complete.

Using this emulation framework, our team used the EMR data infrastructure at our institution to evaluate five different monoclonal antibodies for which the Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization to treat COVID-19. Monoclonal antibodies are human-made proteins designed to prevent a pathogen – in this case the virus that causes COVID-19 – from entering human cells, replicating and causing serious illness. Initially the authorizations were based on clinical trial data. But as the virus mutated, subsequent evaluations based on cell culture studies suggested a loss of effectiveness.

EMR data could be used to confirm that the results of cell culture studies would apply in the clinic. Solskin/DigitalVision via Getty Images

We wanted to confirm that the findings of cell-based studies applied to actual patients. So we evaluated anonymous clinical data from 2,571 patients treated with these monoclonal antibodies within two days of COVID-19 infection, matching them with data from 5,135 patients with COVID-19 who were eligible for but either did not receive these treatments or received them three or more days after infection.

We found that overall, people who received monoclonal antibodies within two days of a positive COVID-19 test reduced their risk of hospitalization or death by 39% compared with those who did not receive the treatment or received delayed treatment. In addition, patients with compromised immune systems reduced their risk of hospitalization or death by 55%, regardless of their age.

Our near-real-time analysis of COVID-19 patients treated with monoclonal antibodies during the pandemic confirmed the findings of the cell culture studies. Our findings suggest that by using data in this way, researchers may be able to evaluate treatments in times of urgency without having to perform clinical trials.

Appropriate EMR data use

Many health care institutions have EMR systems that researchers can harness to rapidly answer important research questions as they arise. However, because this clinical data is not specifically collected for research purposes, researchers need to carefully design their studies and use rigorous data validation and analysis. They also need to take great care to harmonize data from different EMR systems, select appropriate patient samples and minimize all sources of potential bias.

New pandemics and significant public health challenges are likely to emerge abruptly and in unpredictable ways. Given the treasure trove of data routinely collected across U.S. health care systems, we believe that careful use of these data can help answer urgent health questions in ways that are representative of who’s actually receiving care.

Kevin Kip, Vice President of Clinical Analytics, University of Pittsburgh; Erin McCreary, Clinical Assistant Professor of Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, and Oscar Marroquin, Associate Professor of Medicine, Epidemiology and Clinical and Translational Science, University of Pittsburgh

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.