#and actively spent the first part of today thinking of ways to mitigate the screen disaster

[tooanxiousforrivers]

gotta spend 40 hours a week looking at the No Fun Screen so I can spend my leisure time looking at the Fun Screen. sometimes as a treat I switch over to the Large Screen, but ultimately I am cheating on all of these with the Tiny Screen. why yes my eyes are in shambles how did you know

[mrjohnhthompson]

4 Shocking Facts You Did Not Know About Cancer

Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases in Malaysia and accounted for 6,268 deaths in 2016. It is not just fatal, but cancer is also costly. A cancer diagnosis can be emotionally draining not just for the patient, but also his or her family and friends. You might feel as if you don’t have the energy to deal with the financial implications, but the biggest mistake most people make is waiting until finances become a problem before they discuss the costs with the healthcare team. Here are four sobering facts about cancer and how you can deal with it:

1. Almost 60% of cancers in Malaysia are detected late due to the low rate of early health screening

Early detection of cancer, before the cancerous cells get too big or spread, has higher chances of success. Cancer that has spread leads to difficult treatment, and generally, a person’s chances of surviving are much lower. Breast cancer is the fourth biggest cause of death among females in Malaysia, and according to a local study titled, “Who are the Breast Cancer Survivors in Malaysia?”, the survival rates of breast cancer at stages I and II were 58% and 52.7%, respectively while stages III and IV were 39% and 19.8%, respectively. [caption id="attachment_35664" align="alignnone" width="876"] Source: Who are the Breast Cancer Survivors in Malaysia?[/caption] One of the reasons for late diagnoses could be due to the failure in recognising and acting on suspicious cancer symptoms by the patients. Cancer symptoms usually include any unexplained changes in the body, such as weight loss or lumps. But, how are you supposed to know if you’re at risk of the deadly disease? The best prevention of cancer is early detection. A study conducted in 2013 found that colonoscopies could prevent colon cancer in about 40% of cases. However, up to 70% of people age 50 and older do not have colonoscopies. Besides the higher chance of survival, cancer patients can also reduce treatment costs through pre-emptive intervention. Based on a Ministry of Health gazette in 2013, the maximum cost for radiotherapy is RM5,720, while consultation can be between RM860 and RM1,715. However, the treatment varies on a case-to-case basis, so does the cost. In one report, a Stage 4 breast cancer survivor, who was treated over eight years, spent a whopping RM1.6 million on targeted therapies. A 2011 study in the Flanders region of Belgium showed that the average per-patient cost during a 6-year period was higher for those with more advanced stages of breast cancer, ranging from €19,827 (RM96,103) for patients with stage I disease to €35,201 (RM170,623) for patients with stage IV disease.

2. Medical treatment cost is snowballing at 12.7% every year

The cost of medical care is becoming more expensive. Malaysia's medical inflation rate stood at 11.5% in 2016 and the projected medical inflation rate for 2017 was at 12.6%. In 2018, a breast lump removal procedure is estimated to cost between RM5,040 and RM6,300. Assuming the same inflation rate of 12.6% per annum, the cost will likely snowball to between RM16,513 and RM20,640 in 10 years. Referring to the previous example, the cancer treatment that cost RM1.6 million will likely cost more than RM5.2 million in 1o years. Even if you are young and healthy right now with a sizeable emergency fund, you may not be able to afford medical treatment in 10 years’ time with the high medical inflation.

3. One in four Malaysians will develop cancer by the age of 75 years

According to the Ministry of Health (MOH), in 2014, 19,000 out of 100,000 people were suffering from cancer, with more than half of those suffering from the disease being women. It is a common disease and the biggest mistake we can make is to continue to live in a bubble, thinking that this disease will not affect us, or someone close to us. So, what can you do to avoid being part of the statistics? [block] Here are some steps you need to take: Go for a regular medical check-up Regular health screening is the first step to safeguarding your health because early detection and timely intervention can reduce future complications and treatment cost. It is recommended for women age 40 and above to go for yearly mammograms, while women between 21 and 65 years old should schedule a Pap smear every three years to screen for cervical cancer. Men, on the other hand, should test for colon and prostate cancer starting from age 45. If you are a taxpayer, you can also take advantage of the tax relief for a medical check-up, limited to RM500 a year. Find out if you are at high risk If cancer runs in your family, genetic counselling and, often, earlier screening can make a major difference in detection and prevention. Live a healthy lifestyle We can’t control our genetics, but we can mitigate the risks of cancer by not smoking or reduce exposure to second-hand smoke, and drinking in moderation. A healthy diet and an active lifestyle are all no-brainers in maintaining general health. Ensure you have access to early and the best treatment If you do not have sizeable savings stashed away or adequate insurance coverage, you may not have access to treatment for cancer. Therefore, it is important to have an updated and adequate financial safety net in the form of insurance. [/block]

4. Close to half of the Malaysian cancer patients financially broke a year after diagnosed

The brutal truth is, a cancer diagnosis does not just affect the patient, but it also affects his or her family. A family member may need to quit his or her job to assume the role of a caregiver. Other than the high-cost medical treatments which can go up to hundreds of thousand Ringgit, hidden costs such as alternative treatment, caregiver, medicine and loss of income, can also have a substantial impact on the family’s finances. The cost can be even higher if the patient chooses to receive treatment overseas. In Singapore, a lumpectomy, or the removal of cancer and a small amount of surrounding tissue, costs between S$1,422 – S$2,191 (RM4,304 – RM6,633) in a public hospital for foreigners, and between S$4,866 – S$7,112 (RM14,732 – RM21,532) in a private hospital. In comparison, it costs 241% more compared to a private facility in Malaysia, which costs up to RM6,300, as stated above in Point 2.

How to choose cancer insurance coverage

Premium Unaffordability was cited as the main reason for not purchasing or lapsing life insurance or family takaful policies. To put things into perspective, a cup of latte costs RM10, and if you buy one cup per day, it will come up RM3,650 a year. The peace of mind in knowing that you are financially protected in the unfortunate event that you are diagnosed with cancer only starts from RM400** a year with PRUcancer X. Coverage The 2013 Protection Gap in Malaysia study by Life Insurance Association of Malaysia (Liam) found four to five of every 10 Malaysians don’t have life insurance. And those who do have some don’t have sufficient coverage for their loved ones. However, having some coverage is better than none. At an affordable premium, you can get coverage on cancer from RM250,000 all the way to RM2 million, depending on your needs. Early stage coverage To encourage early detection, PRUcancer X provides 10% of the basic sum assured in one lump sum* upon diagnosis of covered early stage cancer including carcinoma in-situ (a group of abnormal cells that are found only in the place where they first formed in the body). If your sum assured is RM1,000,000, you will receive RM10,000 if you are diagnosed with early-stage cancer from policy year 2 onwards. [table id=1088 /]   Compassionate benefit Depending on your culture and religion, funeral expenses can be expensive. According to a report published by The Malaysian Reserve, costs of funeral services can range from RM2,000 up to a staggering RM35,000. PRUcancer X will provide your family with a fixed benefit to assist them on funeral expenses. This is set at RM10,000 upon death, regardless of the sum assured. Easy enrolment The need for cancer insurance protection increases as one age, but many people fear that they may not get approved for insurance if they have prior health problems or are considered high risk. However, PRUcancer X allows for a simple enrolment with just 5 underwriting questions related to cancer risks. Cancer is not only a threat to one’s earning capacity, but it can also push you into a debt trap. Sure, early detection and leading a healthy lifestyle may help you to some extent but it is not a complete fool-proof preventive measure. Therefore, you should always plan for the best but prepare for the worse when it comes to your finances. Your peace of mind is priceless, but if you were to put a price to it, it would likely be worth more than RM400 a year**. Even for RM1,000,000 coverage on PRUcancer X, it only costs RM1,750^^ a year, that’s RM4.80 per day. That’s probably cheaper than your lunch. The question lies in your priority in life: Is your health more important than other material things in life? If the answer is yes, find out more about PRUcancer X today and take action to protect yourself and your family from the big C.

* For diagnosis from year 2 onwards

** Based on age next birthday 1 to 20, male, non-smoker

^^ Based on age next birthday 21 to 30, male, non-smoker

 The post 4 Shocking Facts You Did Not Know About Cancer appeared first on iMoney Malaysia.

[dorcasrempel]

Scientists sharpen the edges of cancer chemotherapy

Tackling unsolved problems is a cornerstone of scientific research, propelled by the power and promise of new technologies. Indeed, one of the shiniest tools in the biomedical toolkit these days is the genome editing system known as CRISPR/Cas9. Whitehead Institute Member David Sabatini and his colleagues pioneered the use of this tool as a foundation for large-scale genetic screens in human cells, turning up a treasure trove of new insights into cellular metabolism, in both normal cells and cancer cells.

When Naama Kanarek, a postdoc in Sabatini’s laboratory, pondered how to apply these state-of-the-art CRISPR/Cas9 screens to her own research, her thoughts turned to a classic cancer chemotherapy drug, methotrexate, which has been in clinical use for nearly seven decades. Often used to treat a form of pediatric leukemia, known as acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the drug, when deployed as part of a multifaceted treatment plan, can be highly effective. But its power comes at a cost. Because methotrexate can damage not only cancer cells but also healthy tissues, it must be administered with great care. For children who receive high doses of the drug, a mainstay of ALL treatment, that can mean several days spent in the hospital with rigorous clinical monitoring.

In other forms of cancer, methotrexate’s efficacy is more uncertain. For example, in pediatric osteosarcoma, only 65 percent of patients respond. Unfortunately, there is currently no way for doctors to pinpoint who will and who will not. 

“From a scientific standpoint, methotrexate is quite special because it was the first metabolic drug to be developed, but much of its biology remains to be discovered — particularly what drives these different responses in patients,” Kanarek says. “So, this is really one of these old, classic questions that has been lingering in the field for some time. We thought we could learn something new.”

And they did. In the July 11 online issue of the journal Nature, Kanarek, Sabatini, and their colleagues report the findings of a CRISPR/Cas9 screen for factors involved in methotrexate sensitivity. The team’s work yielded a surprising set of discoveries that point to the breakdown of histidine — one of several amino acids used by the body to construct proteins — as a critical gatekeeper of cancer cells’ vulnerability to methotrexate. The researchers’ findings not only help illuminate the biology of a well-known cancer chemotherapy, but also suggest a simple dietary supplement that could help broaden its therapeutic window and reduce its toxicity.

“This study is an example of the power of modern genomic tools to shine a bright light on longstanding questions in human biology,” says senior author David Sabatini, who is also a professor of biology at MIT and investigator with the Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI). “While cancer chemotherapies can be quite effective, their biological effects are often poorly understood. By laying bare their biology, we may be able to devise ways to utilize them more wisely.”

Attack the cancer, not the patient

The history of methotrexate stretches back to the 1940s, a time when strikingly little was known about the origins of cancer, much less how best to treat it. The birth of methotrexate as a chemotherapeutic agent was sparked by the astute observations of Sidney Farber, a pediatric pathologist at Boston Children’s Hospital who cared for children with a variety of maladies, including ALL. In the course of caring for patients with ALL, Farber recognized that cancer cells depended on the nutrient folic acid for their own proliferation. That gave him the idea of using folate antagonists to treat ALL. Methotrexate was developed in 1949 precisely for this purpose and was subsequently shown to induce remission in children with ALL. Fast forward to today, and the drug has evolved into a significant tool in oncologists’ toolkit.

“Methotrexate is a major part of the backbone of chemotherapy treatment across many human cancers,” says Loren Walensky, a pediatric hematologist/oncologist at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute who is not a study co-author but served as an early adviser on the project and will also play a deeper role in planning future follow-up studies. “It is also used outside of the cancer field for the treatment of several autoimmune diseases.”

He added, “But as with all chemotherapy, the critical issue is how to best use it to inflict maximal damage on the cancer without irreparably harming the patient.”

The basic mechanics of methotrexate are fairly well known. The drug inhibits dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), an enzyme that generates the functional form of folate, known as tetrahydrofolate (THF). THF is essential for preparing the raw materials needed to make nucleic acids, such as DNA, which carries cells’ genetic information, and RNA, a close chemical relative involved in making proteins. “Proliferating cells must duplicate their DNA, so they need a lot of THF,” Kanarek explains. “But even cells that are not dividing need to make RNA, and that requires THF, too.”

The results of Kanarek’s CRISPR/Cas9 screen now bring greater clarity to this molecular picture. She and her colleagues uncovered another enzyme, called FTCD, which is involved in the breakdown of histidine. Interestingly, FTCD also requires THF for its function — though not nearly as much as the main target of methotrexate, DHFR. Despite the differential demands of the two enzymes, they both draw from the same, shared pool of THF.

“Under normal conditions, this pool is sufficiently full, so there is no competition for resources, even in rapidly dividing cells,” Kanarek says.

But when the amount of THF becomes limiting — as it does in cells that are treated with methotrexate — the story is quite different, the Whitehead Institute team discovered. In that case, the activity of FTCD poses serious problems, because there isn’t enough THF in the pool to support both cell proliferation and histidine breakdown. When that happens, the cells die.

That got Kanarek thinking more about histidine: Could the nutrient provide a way to tinker with FTCD activity and, by virtue of the cancer cells’ own metabolism, make them more vulnerable to methotrexate?

To explore this question, the researchers used mouse models of leukemia, engineered by transplanting human leukemia cells under the skin of immunocompromised mice. A subset of the mice received injections of methotrexate together with histidine. This one-two punch, Kanarek hypothesized, should ramp up the function of FTCD and more rapidly drain the THF pool, thereby making the cells more sensitive to the cancer-killing effects of methotrexate.

That is precisely what the team observed. Notably, these experiments involved lower than normal doses of methotrexate, suggesting the cells had indeed been made more sensitive to the cancer drug. Moreover, the studies included a human leukemia cell line, called SEM, which harbors a specific genetic mutation that is associated with a particularly poor prognosis in patients — further underscoring the power of the histidine degradation pathway to weaken cells’ defenses.

Now, Kanarek and her colleagues are working to extend these initial findings with additional preclinical studies and, together with Walensky, determine how to best evaluate the potential benefits of histidine supplementation in cancer patients. Their ultimate goal: to pursue clinical trials that will assess histidine’s ability to improve the effectiveness of methotrexate in humans.

In addition to making cancer cells more vulnerable to methotrexate, the Whitehead Institute team’s research also holds promise for another therapeutic challenge: identifying which patients will or will not respond to the drug.

Two other enzymes cooperate with FTCD in breaking down histidine. The levels of one of the enzymes, known as HAL, appears to correlate with cells’ sensitivity to methotrexate: That is, cancer cells with high levels of HAL tend to be more sensitive to the drug. More work is needed to determine whether this correlation extends to a broader swath of patient samples and if it has predictive value in the clinic. Nevertheless, Kanarek and her colleagues are already beginning work on this front. Together with Abner Louissaint Jr., a hematopathologist at Massachusetts General Hospital who also served as an early adviser on the Nature study, the Whitehead Institute team will launch a second clinical study to examine whether HAL levels can predict methotrexate response in patients with lymphoma.

“Being able to understand who is going to respond to methotrexate and who is not, and how to achieve a therapeutic benefit while mitigating the drug’s potential side effects, could have a profound impact on patient care,” Walensky says. “The insights from this study bring an entirely new dimension to our understanding of a decades-old and critically important cancer medicine. And as a physician and a scientist, that’s truly exciting.”

Scientists sharpen the edges of cancer chemotherapy syndicated from https://osmowaterfilters.blogspot.com/

[martechadvisor-blog]

Interview with Steven Hartman, VP Global Marketing at Kenshoo

In this interview, Steven discusses the need for marketers to keep up with the constantly evolving digital habits of customers, the blurring lines between apps and TV and the resulting advertising across the two, and the biggest blind spot facing marketers today

1. Could you tell me a little about your background and how you came to be the VP Global Marketing at Kenshoo?

My introduction to the marketing technology industry was through product management at Yahoo where I had the privilege of being part of initiatives that helped shape digital advertising. During that time I observed how the industry was being underserved with the positioning of innovations being released and sold to marketers. Concepts such as advertising exchanges, private marketplaces, and attribution were more about how the tech was built opposed to the value it provided. It was then I started to take on product marketing roles and never looked back. Over the years, my interests expanded to all areas of marketing and that eventually led me here to Kenshoo. I saw a great technology backed a strong brand promise for the marketer. I was already aware of the success Kenshoo was having with its clients and after I met the talented people on the team, I knew this was the next step for me.

2. What is the core marketing technology capability of Kenshoo that you bring to a marketer? Where does your product fit in vis-a-vis the customer life cycle?

At Kenshoo, our technology is architected to help marketers build their brands and generate demand by powering digital advertising across the world’s leading publishers. In fact, Kenshoo is the only marketing technology company that provides advertising access across Google, Facebook, Bing, Pinterest, Snapchat, Instagram, Yahoo, Yandex and Baidu.

Today, marketers must be able to test and then quickly scale their programs in order to make good on opportunities before the moment passes

Our algorithms, automation controls, analytics and management dashboards are all engineered to allow a marketer to quickly and effectively keep-up with consumers whose daily digital habits are continuously evolving. We call this agile marketing.

3. Are there any key considerations to keep in mind while narrowing in on the choice of mobile web or mobile app for brands in terms of ad tech?

For many of the brands we work with who are spending upwards of tens and hundreds of million dollars a month on mobile advertising, they have moved past single mobile experiences and employ both mobile app and web. That means app installs, time in-app, and mobile web engagement are all critical measures of success for their holistic marketing programs. For these brands, decisions made for advertising technology would need to span both. However, for brands that are investing for a single mobile experience, the following are still important to keep in mind:

Invest significantly in native advertising formats. Most of the latest successful mobile advertising innovations are in the realm of native. Facebook’s Carousel Ads, Pinterest’s Search Ads, Snapchat’s Snap Ads, and Google or Bing shopping ads are examples of how some of the most popular mobile publishers are using native as their ad canvas of choice.

Utilize 3rd party data into understanding ROI. One of the biggest blind spots for marketers is the ability to see the full value of their mobile advertising. Especially if a mobile view or click is not the last step of a marketer’s objective. A platform that can illuminate the consumer’s full cross-device journey is becoming increasingly important to make the best marketing decisions.

Leverage paid advertising to improve organic app installs. It’s advantageous to keep in mind that app store recommendations (which can be sponsored) play a large part of influencing a consumer's decision to download. This, in turn, creates a positive 2nd-order effect as the more downloads an app receives, the higher they rank in organic app search results.

4. From a technology perspective, what are some of the biggest challenges that your marketing team faces today?

Interoperability. Across program management, budgeting, managed/owned media, advertising, and field enablement tools, a big part of our success has been the ability to tie our collective internal systems together to achieve overall departmental and corporate objectives. They inform each other, and if orchestrated well, can increase both the scale and performance of the team. However, we work hard to keep a balance in place between system integration and program execution. It’s the law of diminishing returns. If not careful, too much time could be spent on infrastructure and not enough promoting the corporate brand and building sales pipeline.

5. Do you see ad blocking as a major threat for the ad tech industry? Any suggestions for approaching this as an opportunity and getting creative with strategies that mitigate the effects of ad blocking?

“Threat” isn’t the word I’d use but ad blocking is definitely is causing digital advertising to evolve quickly. And that’s a good thing.

The rise in ad blocking is the consumer voice declaring to publishers that they don’t want interruptive ads or technologies that drain data plans and power from their personal devices

The standing challenge for both marketers and publishers is to continually innovate across media and advertising experiences without harming the consumer experience. Several are successful at it too. Facebook, Pinterest, Snapchat, Google, Bing and others are finding ways to use features such as full-screen mobile video or dynamic advertising to create more desirable messages to the consumer. It’s also worth mentioning that all of these I just mentioned sit above ad blocking.

6. With display and native advertising moving into personalizing for TV viewers, will the search and social ad industry too be moving towards expanding their reach to these audiences? How big a role will predictive analytics play in serving unique ads for enhanced customer experience?

My answer starts with reframing the terminology of the question slightly. Publishers who are categorized as “search and social” also happen to be the leading innovators and suppliers of native advertising. Therefore, the quick answer to this question would be “yes, absolutely”.

To expand upon this, TV is going through a fast-moving shift. With the changing viewing habits of the millennial and younger audiences, the form of TV content and resulting marketing has had to shift in alignment. Shorter-form content, content increasingly viewed from mobile devices, content being generated by even some of these search and social publishers. These trends are making the lines between “TV” and “Apps” blur. Therefore, the advertising across them are blurring as well. Brand reach, direct-response, and data-driven targeting … all of these are becoming increasingly personalized. To do that type of execution at digital scale, predictive analytics and automated optimization is a necessity.

7. Are there any new features or upcoming upgrades that you’re excited about and would like to give us a sneak peek into?

Absolutely, just recently we held our annual client summit “K8”. At that time several announcements were made:

Pinterest announcing Search Ads and Kenshoo as the first partner to support

Kenshoo’s support of Snapchat Snap Ads

An extension of our award-winning “Halogen” predictive marketing technology for paid social

And many more … see here for the full list

8. What is your take on the massive explosion of MarTech cos across so many categories? Do you see competition, opportunities to partner and / or integrate?

Very exciting. For the companies innovating in technology to make marketing better, I fully subscribe to the theory of a rising tide raises all ships.

Competition is healthy and ends well for the strongest players

The increasing number of MarTech technologies is a testament to just how fast all forms of media are converging with digital and the tools needed to engage the customer throughout their brand awareness and purchase journey.

9. How do you weigh in on the whole ‘buying into vs building a marketing cloud’ choices that marketers have to face today?

I don’t see a single cloud technology that covers everything an enterprise marketing organization needs to run their programs. There is too much change taking place in the world of digital media and marketing for one vendor to keep up with it all. I think the more interesting question is where does a team start when making their buying decisions? What part of the marketing operation should be their focal point by which other buying decisions are made? I believe these answers are not always the same and are dependent upon the primary goals of a marketing department. With many of the brands we work with, building revenue through their marketing programs is paramount. Therefore, we find that media activation platforms (like Kenshoo) are at the heart of their stacks.

10. Can you share a screenshot of the homepage of your smartphone (iOS/Android/other)? It would be interesting to see some of the apps you personally use on a daily basis to get things done and stay on top of your day.

  Connect with Steven

This article was first appeared on MarTech Advisor