Lady da Vinci

Musings of a Renaissance woman

[signoradavinci]

We have entered a sad sad environment in which some science will be questioned more heavily by decision makers and the media, even if it is well-established. Science on the frontier may be over regulated if not properly understood. Scientist friends, especially those working in controversial or political fields, please please please consider engaging more with your representatives, social media, or the general public to make sure that science is best represented by those who understand it the most.

[discoverynews]

Why Don't Some People Believe In Science?

Some people don't believe in vaccines or climate change or other scientifically proven things. Why not? Why don't people trust evidence?

[signoradavinci]

Some hopeful thinking, which is much needed to balance all the fear and doomsday predictions to which I find myself exposed (not discounting any of them; only noting the emotional toll they have on me). However, there are also some words of caution and issues we should carefully watch. Lancet's Richard Horton is typically fiercely outspoken and candid with his opinions, so his perspective here is worth reading. Bottom line from this article: a lot already has been put in place in global health that cannot be quickly undone by a Trump administration. However, policies or political, social, and economics stances from this administration (universal health, reproductive rights, xenophobia, isolationism, big business regulation like pharmaceuticals) may influence other countries similarly and significantly reverse the US as being a leader in global health.

[signoradavinci]

"We invite the women in science and our colleagues to declare our support to each other and to all minorities, immigrants, people with disabilities, and LBGTQIA. Our scientific work may be global, yet we will take action in our own communities and we will work towards an inclusive society, where science and knowledge can be embraced and everyone has the opportunity to reach their potential."

[life]

Glamorous actress Hedy Lamarr was not just another pretty face - she was also a trailblazing inventor. Fascinated by science and eager to find a way to help the Allies during World War II, she devised a way to make radio signals “jump” between frequencies – a technique known as “frequency-hopping” – in order to prevent the signals from being jammed. With her partner, George Antheil, they received a patent for this technology on this day in 1942. Today, variants of Hedy Lamarr’s breakthrough invention are used in communication technologies like Bluetooth, GPS and WiFi. She is pictured here in 1938. (Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images) #LIFElegends #OTD #TBT

[nprbooks]

There was really no way to replicate Amy Schumer’s funny, frank and highly bleeped conversation with our own David Greene for the web, so I highly recommend you click through and listen … seriously, that ellipsis in the quote up above is hiding something delightful. Listen here.

– Petra

[signoradavinci]

“When men are considered babysitters or children instead of parents, it simultaneously disinvites us from the parenting conversation and keeps sexist views in place about their female partners,” he said. “It narrows our place and our contribution.”

[signoradavinci]

Syria’s War on Doctors

As the regime tries to destroy the opposition’s medical system, health workers pursue a novel and desperate effort to provide aid.

God. Reading this is heartbreaking.  It vividly describes and puts into context the targeting of civilians, healthcare workers, and hospitals in Syria. My heart goes out to all of them, especially the brave and selfless healthcare workers putting their own lives in danger to help those unjustly being caught in this conflict.

Dr. Nott and the other doctors risking their lives to ensure that there is some emergency medical and surgical capacity in Syria, including through underground hospitals, Skype medical teaching sessions, and pioneering innovative surgical and trauma care techniques, are heroes.

[signoradavinci]

As I was traveling when this came out, I've been slow on the sharing of it. In honor of International Obstetric Fistula Day, TWiGH covers the issue. Also, riding on the heels of the recent upsetting news of the Stanford student rape case, rape can also lead to fistulas and is common during conflict. Whether it's psychological or physical damage, the sense of sexual entitlement to women and use of sexual violence as a means of gender and societal oppression by men in some contexts severely affects the health of women.

[signoradavinci]

Welcome to my life. I have what they are now calling a "portfolio career," which sounds a lot better than what I usually describe as "all over the place." 😜

[signoradavinci]

"A woman should dress first and foremost for her own pleasure... there is nothing quite so divine as the feel of silk underwear, the touch of soft fox, the slither of a satin skirt. If these things happen to appeal to men, well… really that’s a side issue.”

[explore-blog]

The great thing about scientists is that they understand the limitations of knowledge. And they also know that not to know everything does not mean that we know nothing. I like that — that’s how people should think.

On Big Think’s excellent Think Again podcast, Salman Rushdie echoes Carl Sagan on the value of not-knowing, Henry Beston on the limits of knowledge, and Thoreau’s notion of “useful ignorance.”

Complement with astrophysicist Marcelo Gleiser on how to live with uncertainty in the age of knowledge. 

(via explore-blog)

[signoradavinci]

What happens when two PhD scientists that love infectious diseases, global health, and red lipstick find each other? Basically they become global health besties and decide that THEY MUST collaborate on a project together.

In this regard, Dr. Sulzhan Bali and I are starting our own This Week in Global Health segment called Global Health Out Loud, where it's the two of us talking the biggest, most interesting, and current global health news stories. We'll tell you what you need to know and share some of our own perspectives on these topics.

Our first episode focuses on Zika virus, which is a hot topic in the news now.  We give you the basics on it and some thoughts on this increasingly growing and emerging epidemic in the Western Hemisphere.

[signoradavinci]

As New Crises Emerge, Let's Not Let Up on the Old Ones

An estimated 438,000 people will die of malaria this year, versus about 13,000 who will die of Ebola. As health leaders -- including many of us here at WHO -- rightfully debate how to prepare for the next health crisis that may emerge, we should take pains to ensure that we continue to make progress against the diseases we already know much about.

Not to forgot my not too distant previous work in malaria... The World Malaria Day Report came out this week, with much to celebrate and much to be sober about.

This quote from the Director of the WHO Global Malaria Programme, Dr. Pedro Alfonso, captures EXACTLY my feelings on our global malaria response (also should point out its what has been pushed in the HIV field for many years now):

"How can we apply the lessons we are learning in individual countries to a unified plan to end malaria? We cannot -- and should not. When it comes to malaria, one size does not fit all. What may work in Jiangsu Province may not work in Kyrgyzstan or Congo.

When fighting malaria, we first need to understand the context, the biology, the ecological factors, the health systems and the responses of the parasites in each region of each country. Then, we need to tailor our response to the locale."

[signoradavinci]

When fighting malaria, we first need to understand the context, the biology, the ecological factors, the health systems and the responses of the parasites in each region of each country. Then, we need to tailor our response to the locale."

Dr. Pedro Alfonso, Director of WHO Global Malaria Programme http://www.huffingtonpost.com/pedro-l-alonso-md-phd/as-new-crises-emerge-lets_b_8751678.html

[signoradavinci]

The Science of HIV and AIDS from @asapscience (via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDVNdn0CvKI)

[signoradavinci]

(via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LTXTeAt2mpg)