An Agile IT-Enabled Social Startup

In an IT-enabled hybrid social startup, how and why does the social entrepreneur respond to conflicting commercial versus social norms and practices, as well as IT innovation challenges? We conducted an exploratory single-case study of an IT-enabled hybrid social startup consisting of a charitable pharmacy, two non-profit consortia, and two for-profit IT businesses, all co-founded by a pharmacist/social entrepreneur (with partners) who aimed to distribute donated “wasted” medications to needy patients. The two for-profit organizations were designing a blockchain and complementary web and mobile applications for secure, cost-effective donated-drug distribution, for use by this entrepreneur’s charitable pharmacy and other organizations committed to matching donors with needy patients. Study findings suggests that multiple forms of IT agility, multiple forms of business agility, and a unique form of social-commercial agility help an IT-enabled hybrid social startup persist, despite financial and other challenges

OncoLog Volume 38, Number 01 January-March 1994

Liposomal muramyl tripeptide kills bone cancer cells by stimulating the immune system Gene therapy at M. D. Anderson Researcher studies the hemopreventive power of garlichttps://openworks.mdanderson.org/oncolog/1045/thumbnail.jp

A Phase Space Approach to Gravitational Enropy

We examine the definition S = ln Omega as a candidate "gravitational entropy" function. We calculate its behavior for gravitationl and density perturbations in closed, open and flat cosmologies and find that in all cases it increases monotonically. Using the formalism to calculate the gravitational entropy produced during inflation gives the canonical answer. We compare the behavior of S with the behavior of the square of the Weyl tensor. Applying the formalism to black holes has proven more problematical.Comment: Talk delivered at South African Relativistic Cosmology Symposium, Feb 1999. Some new results over Rothman and Anninos 97. To appear in GRG, 17 page

OncoLog Volume 39, Number 04 October-December 1994

Looking for solutions to ethical problems in the clinic Interferon: the evolution of a biological therapy Colon cancer registry coordinates treatment, education, and researchhttps://openworks.mdanderson.org/oncolog/1048/thumbnail.jp

OncoLog Volume 45, Number 06, June 2000

Newly Organized Ophthalmology Section Expands Treatment of Ocular Malignancies Turning Knowledge Into Effective Gene Therapies, by Jack A. Roth, MD, Professor, Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, and Gary S. Clayman, MD, DDS, Associate Professor, Head and Neck Surgery Microarrays Reduce Time, Labor, and Cost of DNA Analysis New DNA Microarray Technology Could Speed Up Discovery of the Genetic Causes of Lung Cancer House Call: Virtual Health: Finding Reliable Medical Resources on the Internet Clinical Practice Guidelines: Case Report: Ovarian Cancer Protocols: Studies Aim to Detect and Treat Ocular Malignancieshttps://openworks.mdanderson.org/oncolog/1086/thumbnail.jp

Textiles as Material Gestalt: Cloth as a Catalyst in the Co-designing Process

Textiles is the common language within Emotional Fit, a collaborative research project investigating a person-centred, sustainable approach to fashion for an ageing female demographic (55+). Through the co-designing of a collection of research tools, textiles have acted as a material gestalt for exploring our research participants' identities by tracing their embodied knowledge of fashionable dress. The methodology merges Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, co-design and a simultaneous approach to textile and garment design. Based on an enhanced understanding of our participants textile preferences, particular fabric qualities have catalysed silhouettes, through live draping and geometric pattern cutting to accommodate multiple body shapes and customisation. Printedtextiles have also been digitally crafted in response to the contours of the garment and body and personal narratives of wear. Sensorial and tactile interactions have informed the engineering and scaling of patterns within zero-waste volumes. The article considers the functional and aesthetic role of textiles

Perceptions and experiences of appetite awareness training among African-American women who binge eat

Introduction: Binge eating may contribute to the prevalence of obesity in African-American women. Yet, there has been scant intervention research on the treatment of binge eating in this population. We tested the feasibility of an appetite awareness training (AAT) intervention in a sample of African-American women with binge and overeating behaviors. Participants who completed AAT were recruited to participate in focus groups to elicit information about their perceptions and experiences with this intervention to inform the design of future interventions to treat binge eating and obesity in African-American women. Methods: African-American women, aged 18–70 years, who had completed an 8-week randomized AAT intervention, were invited to attend a focus group discussion. Session content was recorded and transcribed. Data were analyzed by use of open coding. Themes were identified that described their perceptions and experiences of participating in the intervention. Results: Seventeen women participated in three focus group discussions. Pertinent themes identified included: paying attention to internal cues of hunger and satiety, influence of culture on eating patterns, breaking patterns of disordered eating, and perceptions about weight. Overall, participants were satisfied with their experience of AAT, and reported they found it valuable to learn about listening to biological signals of hunger and satiety and to learn specific strategies to reduce maladaptive eating patterns. Conclusion: AAT was acceptable and provided helpful eating behavior instruction to African-American women with reported binge and overeating behaviors. Future research should examine the potential of AAT to improve weight management in this underserved population. Level of evidence: Level V, qualitative descriptive study

A novel research definition of bladder health in women and girls: Implications for research and public health promotion

BACKGROUND:Bladder health in women and girls is poorly understood, in part, due to absence of a definition for clinical or research purposes. This article describes the process used by a National Institutes of Health funded transdisciplinary research team (The Prevention of Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms [PLUS] Consortium) to develop a definition of bladder health. METHODS:The PLUS Consortium identified currently accepted lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and outlined elements of storage and emptying functions of the bladder. Consistent with the World Health Organization's definition of health, PLUS concluded that absence of LUTS was insufficient and emphasizes the bladder's ability to adapt to short-term physical, psychosocial, and environmental challenges for the final definition. Definitions for subjective experiences and objective measures of bladder dysfunction and health were drafted. An additional bioregulatory function to protect against infection, neoplasia, chemical, or biologic threats was proposed. RESULTS:PLUS proposes that bladder health be defined as: "A complete state of physical, mental, and social well-being related to bladder function and not merely the absence of LUTS. Healthy bladder function permits daily activities, adapts to short-term physical or environmental stressors, and allows optimal well-being (e.g., travel, exercise, social, occupational, or other activities)." Definitions for each element of bladder function are reported with suggested subjective and objective measures. CONCLUSIONS:PLUS used a comprehensive transdisciplinary process to develop a bladder health definition. This will inform instrument development for evaluation of bladder health promotion and prevention of LUTS in research and public health initiatives

The combination of vemurafenib and cobimetinib in advanced melanoma

Introduction: Advanced melanoma with a BRAF V600 mutation responds to treatment with BRAF inhibitors such as vemurafenib, with great improvement in tumour response and patient survival. Despite early and often dramatic responses, resistance to vemurafenib develops. Concurrent inhibition of a downstream protein, MEK, also involved in the MAPK oncogenic signalling pathway, defers development of resistance. The MEK inhibitor cobimetinib has been successfully and safely combined with vemurafenib, further improving response rate and survival when compared to vemurafenib monotherapy.Areas covered: This article covers the mechanism of action of both vemurafenib and cobimetinib, in addition to describing results from the key Phase I and Phase III studies which led to registration of the combination in the US and Europe as a therapeutic option for advanced BRAF mutant melanoma. The safety profile of these agents is also discussed in detail, including similarities with and differences from the competitor compounds dabrafenib and trametinib.Expert opinion: Vemurafenib in combination with cobimetinib provides an alternative BRAF/MEK blockade. The combination is tolerable, safe and effective and results in fewer skin toxicities than vemurafenib monotherapy

The SELF Trial: A self-efficacy based behavioral intervention trial for weight loss maintenance.

The SELF Trial examined the effect of adding individual self‐efficacy (SE) enhancement sessions to standard behavioral weight loss treatment (SBT). Participants were randomly assigned to SBT or SBT plus SE sessions (SBT+SE). Outcome measures were weight loss maintenance, quality of life, intervention adherence, and self‐efficacy at 12 and 18 months. The sample (N = 130) was female (83.08%) with a mean (SD) body mass index of 33.15 (4.11) kg m2. There was a significant time effect for percent weight change (P = 0.002) yet no significant group or group‐by‐time effects. The weight loss for the SBT+SE group was 8.38% (7.48) at 12 months and 8.00% (7.87) at 18 months, with no significant difference between the two time points (P = 0.06). However, weight loss for the SBT group was 6.95% (6.67) at 12 months and 5.96% (7.35) at 18 months, which was significantly different between the two time points (P = 0.005), indicating that the SBT group had significant weight regain. Both groups achieved clinically significant weight loss. The group receiving an intervention targeting enhanced self‐efficacy had greater weight loss maintenance whereas the SBT group demonstrated significant weight regain possibly related to the greater attention provided to the SBT+SE group