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Health systems across Europe need accurate diagnostics and increased capacity

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:15:50 GMT

Most regions of the world continue to grapple — nearly three years into the COVID-19 pandemic — with how best to manage and reduce the ongoing threat of a lingering SARS-COV-2, as well as other agents responsible for respiratory infections.European health systems are looking for tools to help them improve pandemic preparedness and prevent the next outbreak — something that will require closer cooperation between the public and private sector, greater foresight and a joined-up approach to planning.In addition to the ongoing concerns about COVID-19, two years of intermittent lockdowns and lack of exposure to other communicable viruses means Europe is seeing worse-than- usual epidemics of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus.1 At the same time, the region is facing a concerning avian flu that has jumped to mammals and thus threatens to spread to humans.2, 3The Delphi study, a multidisciplinary panel of experts representing academia, health, non-governmental organizations and gover...

Why Europe needs a bold vision in the fight against cancer

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:15:50 GMT

Fewer than 10 percent of the global population lives in Europe, but it has a quarter of all cancer cases in the world.The overall economic impact of cancer in the region is estimated at €100bn each year, meaning this disease not only takes lives but has significant consequences for economies and societies.Optimal treatment solutions are hard to come by, not least because the process of developing cancer medicines is a marathon, not a sprint, and one that demands time, resources and persistence from large teams of experts.Drug development really needs persistence, from the initial idea of a new drug and the new target until clinical trials, and then eventually — hopefully — the launch of a new medication.”Explains Franziska Siegel, Research Scientist in Oncology at Bayer Pharmaceuticals“There are often 30, 40, even 50 people working on cancer treatments over a really long period,” says Franziska Siegel, research scientist in oncology at Bayer Pharmaceuticals. But “the failure rate is...

Longtime Boston activist, politician, community organizer Mel King dies at 94

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:15:50 GMT

Groundbreaking Boston politician and activist Mel King has passed away at age 94. Following his death, King is being remembered as a trailblazing leader. King was a grassroots organizer who became a politician and lawmaker and, later, a teacher. He was born in the South End in 1929, where he lived throughout his life. King fought for the neighborhood during his time as a state legislature and activist, pushing for affordable housing and opposing re-development that would push people out of their homes. King ran for mayor in 1983 and became the first Black person to make it to the general election in a Boston mayoral race. He later became an adjunct professor at MIT and helped establish the Rainbow Coalition Party. Boston Mayor Michelle Wu released a statement Tuesday night, saying “For decades, Mel King taught us all how to serve, how to build and how to love.” “His impact and legacy stretch across the boundaries of neighborhood, race, class and st...

Winderman’s view: A night of painted misery for Heat in loss in Toronto

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:15:50 GMT

Observations and other notes of interest from Tuesday night’s 106-92 loss to the Toronto Raptors:– At just about every turn, the Miami Heat have avoided the next big thing.– Jae Crowder at power forward worked.– Trevor Ariza didn’t.– P.J. Tucker at the four worked.– Caleb Martin only nominally so.– Kevin Love was brought in, but he certainly doesn’t play big.– Omer Yurtseven returned, then was benched.– Haywood Highsmith got a chance.– Now Cody Zeller is back, but only in token minutes.– And then you glance at the stats monitor as the Raptors opened their third-quarter lead and the numbers were stark.– Points in the paint at the end of the third period: Raptors 54, Heat 24.– Granted plenty of that was dribble penetration.– But the Heat are small, and opponents are attacking.– With no back line of defense.– Bam Adebayo as on-ball defender? Darn good.– As rim protector? No...

As Caleb Houstan plays a bigger role, Magic’s win streak snapped in Memphis

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:15:50 GMT

Rookie forward Caleb Houstan is back where he started the season: in the Orlando Magic’s rotation.Houstan, the No. 32 pick in last year’s draft, has played in the Magic’s last six games, including Tuesday’s 113-108 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies (48-27) at FedExForum.Averaging 18.3 minutes in the first five, Houstan logged just nine minutes and failed to score Tuesday as Orlando trailed by 23 and cut it to 3 twice in the waning seconds before having its three-game winning streak snapped. Franz Wagner (25 points) and Paolo Banchero (24 points, 11 rebounds) led the Magic (32-44).“We’ve said from the beginning [that] his basketball IQ is high,” coach Jamahl Mosley said before tipoff. “He does a great job of recognizing where he needs to be offensively and defensively and his ability to space the floor. Guys recognize he can make shots. His ability to create lanes and openings for our guys has been great.”Before this stretch, Houstan ...

Crust Fund Pizza competes on Chopped, raises money for Chicago food pantry

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:15:50 GMT

CHICAGO — John Carruthers usually bakes his Chicago tavern-style pizza from his home.He founded Crust Fund Pizza at the height of the pandemic, selling pizzas out of his undisclosed alley in Logan Square, all the while donating every penny earned to charity."The coolest thing about Crust Fund [is] if I have a bad day, and I spend too much time on Twitter and feel awful about humanity, the way people not just want pizza, but want to support the organizations we’re highlighting every month," Carruthers said. "Makes me feel better about humanity."Up until recently, you could only get Crust Fund Pizza out of said undisclosed alley, but that all changed when Carruthers got the invitation of a lifetime not too long ago."I just got an email out of the blue saying, 'hey, we saw you’re selling pizzas in an alley, we’d love to talk to you about coming to New York and being on Chopped!'" Carruthers said. NASCAR makes major announcement on Chicago Street Race Tuesday So to New York he went, w...

Hit parade, strong pitching leads No. 21 Longhorns to 5-2 win over Texas A&M

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:15:50 GMT

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KXAN) — It probably doesn't take the sting out of last year's 10-2 loss in the College World Series, but Tuesday the No. 21 Texas Longhorns topped rivals Texas A&M 5-2 at Blue Bell Park.The Aggies made it interesting in the ninth, drawing a walk and a hit batter to start the inning, but then reliever Zane Morehouse put early control troubles behind him. He got Ryan Targac to ground out, and then struck out both Kaeden Kent and Kasen Wells to strand two runners in scoring position.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersIt was the Longhorns' first win in College Station since 2011 and it increased the nation's longest active winning streak to 15 games.Texas had 15 hits with just one for extra bases. Porter Brown, the reigning Big 12 Conference player of the week, doubled to left-center in the first inning to plate Dylan Campbell and Peyton Powell. Br...

Herro’s 33 not enough as Heat fall 106-92 in Toronto in injury absence of Butler

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:15:50 GMT

No, not optimal.Coming off a game when they arguably were at their worst, the Miami Heat faced the challenge of responding to that adversity in the void of their best player.It went as expected.In a loss that makes the play-in tournament a more likely postseason result, where one or two losses mean the end of a season, the Heat fell flat in the absence of Jimmy Butler in a 106-92 loss to the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena.With Butler a midday scratch due to neck pain, the Heat essentially were left with their heads on a swivel, outscored 62-36 in the paint.After losing by 29 Saturday night to the Brooklyn Nets at Miami-Dade Arena, the Heat played out almost the same script – dynamic at the start in building an early double-double lead and then fizzling to the finish from there.Tyler Herro helped compensate for Butler’s absence with 33 points, with Bam Adebayo adding 21 points and 12 rebounds, the Heat otherwise struggling to create offense against the length of the ...

Man hit by stray bullet at Interstate 35E exit ramp in downtown St. Paul

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:15:50 GMT

A man standing alongside an Interstate 35E exit ramp in downtown St. Paul on Tuesday afternoon was shot in the leg by a driver whose target was another driver, police said.Officers were called to the interstate’s northbound exit ramp at Kellogg Boulevard about 2 p.m. and found the 58-year-old man with a gunshot wound. He was taken to Regions Hospital by St. Paul Fire Department medics with an injury not considered life-threatening, said Sgt. Mike Ernster, a police spokesman.The man was not involved in the shooting, Ernster said.Officers found spent shell casings and a gray Buick at Marion Street and St. Anthony Avenue that matched the description provided by witnesses, according to Ernster. The car had a flat tire and was shot up.The driver told officers he did not know why the other driver shot at him, Ernster said.The suspect vehicle, possibly a black Dodge Charger, was not located and no arrests have been made. The shooting remains under investigation.Anyone who may have witnesse...

Falcon Heights, Ramsey County sheriff to sever agreement for policing in city

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:15:50 GMT

The city of Falcon Heights does not plan to renew its contract with the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office for law enforcement services within its borders.Falcon Heights City Administrator Jack Linehan notified Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher in a letter last week that the city council intended to allow the contract to expire at the end of the year, noting that the sheriff himself had suggested in September 2020 that the council “find alternative long-term law enforcement partners.”Linehan said Tuesday that he hopes city officials will have settled on a new law enforcement model for Falcon Heights by the end of May. This may include contracting with a different agency, forming its own police department or some combination of the two.Linehan said the city’s decision to end its arrangement with Ramsey County was not a commentary on the work done by its deputies in Falcon Heights in the five years since the St. Paul suburb began paying the sheriff’s office ...