A New Ally Against Skin Cancer

A New Ally Against Skin Cancer A New Ally Against Skin Cancer James Tunnell, associate professor of biomedical engineering at the University of Texas, grew up in Corpus Christi, taking in the beach as child. Though he enjoyed all the fun that came with it, he was aware of something else as well. I was aware of skin cancer from that environment and I also had a family history of it, he says. It would be nice to hopefully be able to do something about it.His team is working on a device for detection that he hopes will reduce the number of costly CT scans needed and speed up detection. There was a linking up with some faculty at MD Anderson Cancer Center, so we built up a prototype and worked on a concept and I was then also introduced to collaborator Jason Reichenberg, he says. The device is kind of in two pieces. Theres a box, the utensil that houses the lights and light spruces and detectors, and its on a cart where you wheel it around similar to a cart in a hospital. The other piece is a handheld probe shaped like a pen and is connected via fiber optic to the cart. The technician or physician holds the pen in their hand and places it in contact with the skin, hits a button and it cycles through shining different colors of light. The goal is a yes-no device when it comes to skin cancer.He describes the inside of the pen as a bundle that contains different types of optical fibers. What we did was combine three different kinds of spectroscopy, he says. You have to arrange the fiber in specific geometry and put lens and filters inside of there. Fibers are on the order of 200 microns in diameter and, depending on what version, were talking about maybe 10 of those fibers inside of the pen.A diagram of the probe. Image E.Marple / EmVision LLCOne challenge was in the area of speed. Patients dont spend a lot of time in the room so you need to be quick in getting the data you want, he says. We built prototypes before that were way too big and slow because of practical r easons. Fortunately technology caught up in the last five or ten years and LED is becoming very cheap. It now takes just a few seconds for a measurement, he says, and the third generation of the device is roughly a quarter of the size it once was. It was once about the size of a desk, he explains.Their results for melanomas and non-melanoma have been very strong, he says. In addition, they recently started a clinical study with 250 patients. All three spectroscopies are being performed through one fiber in one handheld probe and they will see if they can maintain a high level of accuracy.A hope is that when we are finished with the trial work that someone with good commercial experience will find a great market for it and we can get these devices helping the public, he says. I think there are possibly a number of scenarios where it could improve care. People are reluctant to get tested if they think they will get cut on. And think about how many biopsies it can take to find one mela noma. This could make things different.Eric Butterman is an independent writer.Learn about the latest trends in bioengineering at ASMEs Global Congress onNanoEngineering for Medicine and Biology. For Further Discussion Think about how many biopsies it can take to find one melanoma. This could make things different.Prof. James Tunnell, University of Texas

How to Survive Work When You Cant Take a Vacation -The Muse

How to Survive Work When You Cant Take a Vacation -The MuseHow to Survive Work When You Cant Take a Vacation Youre burnt out. Every day you sit down at your desk with an overwhelming sense of dread and exhaustion. Youre barely treading water, and you just cant shake the feeling that the moelendony and stress is about to swallow you whole. You need a vacation people tell you, as if you didnt already know that a week spent napping in a hammock or hiking in the woods would lift your spirits.But, heres the problem Its not that simple. You cant just pack up and go. Maybe your vacation days are already dwindling. Or, perhaps you have way too much on your plate to suddenly shut down your computer and unplug for a while.So, now what? Do you just need to keep trudging through that wet cement of your daily life and do the best you can despite your increasing stress?Not exactly. Fortunately, there are a few other things you can do to press your replatzdeckchen button that dont involve hopping o n a plane or sipping Mai Tais (we wish, right?). 1. Change Your SceneryGIF courtesy of Giphy.No, maybe you dont have the luxury of gazing out at the ocean or some other exotic landscape anytime soon, but changing your surroundings in more minor ways can still have some positive effects on your attitude and work ethic. Why? Well, various psychological experiments and studies have pointed out that- as humans- were incredibly context-dependent. Put simply, our environments cue us in on the various habits and behaviors we associate with those surroundings.So, if youve grown accustomed to feeling miserable and disheartened when staring at your same cluttered desktop or drab cubicle walls, its going to be that much harder to shake that emotion- unless you switch things up a little bit.This can be as simple as swapping out your computer background and adding a plant, a photo, or a new desk toy. Or, you can go all-in and totally rearrange the setup of your workspace. If you have a ton of fl exibility in your office, you can try working from a different area- such as a shared lounge or even a picnic table outside.Rest assured, you dont need to jet set to get a renewed perspective. Even these smaller changes can make a big difference in your overall outlook. 2. Switch Up Your RoutineGIF courtesy of Giphy.Its human nature to stick with what we know- its called the status quo bias. We find a sense of comfort in the safe and predictable.But, every now and then, that can backfire We white-knuckle our precious routines, even when they arent working for us anymore. With that in mind, being willing to make some tweaks to your daily habits and schedules can also have some positive effects.For one, youll find a renewed sense of focus. Neuroscientists have proven that our brains are always seeking novelty- were always keeping one eye open for that next bright and shiny thing. By making some changes (even small ones) to your routine, you give your brain that sense of newness that i ts looking for- meaning youll enjoy increased focus on whatever it is youre working on. Secondly, youll also improve your creative thinking. Straying away from your predictable systems and workflows increases your brains neuroplasticity- that is, its ability to form new connections between different thoughts. Put simply, having some flexibility in your routine also makes your brain more flexible. So, go ahead and move your afternoon workout to the morning before you head into the office. Or, make it a goal to eat lunch away from your desk, rather than working right through. You might be surprised by the results 3. Unplug When You CanGIF courtesy of Giphy.I know that youre sick of people telling you to just unplug and disconnect when youre feeling overworked. Tuning out your inbox and shutting off your phone isnt always realistic- you have work to do, after all.However, dont think of this as an instruction to totally disengage from your work. Instead, its an encouragement to identify those pockets of time when you could possibly put down your phone or step away from email to give yourself a much-needed break.Does your phone need to be the first thing you look at before you go to sleep and when you wake up? Do you need to be obsessively scrolling through your texts when youre unwinding in front of the TV or enjoying dinner with a friend? No.You cant disconnect completely, and I get that (trust me, I do). However, give yourself permission to take a step back and unplug a little bit- at least when youre not actively working. You might not be able to take a full-blown vacation. But, even a little bit of time off from the constant pressure of your work life is sure to have a positive impact on your attitude and stress levels.Feeling like youre on a hamster wheel of never-ending tasks and to-dos isnt fun. And, it becomes especially difficult when you dont have the light at the end of the tunnel- in the form of an upcoming vacation- to inspire you to keep pushing.If t hings are really bad and youre feeling particularly overwhelmed and overworked, that situation very well might warrant a conversation with your anfhrer about how you can unload some of your duties and achieve a more manageable workload. (And here a few tips for having that conversation.) However, if you feel like you just need some smaller changes to hit the reset button and renew your focus and outlook, these three adjustments can really make a big difference- no PTO or plane tickets required.

Survey 36% of Americans look at their bank account daily

Survey 36% of Americans look at their bank account dailySurvey 36% of Americans look at their bank account dailyHow often do you check on your bank account? Are you someone who forgets to do so for weeks at a time, or someone who checks it multiple times a day?Depending on which category you fall in, new data from Lexington Lawmight resonate with you it shows that 36% of Americans look at their bank account every single day. More than 5,000 people were surveyed in total, although different groups weighed in on each question.Heres how often people look at their bank accountWhile previous research from Fidelity has found that 64% of Americans know their partners bank account passwords, Lexington Law found that looking at it is a regular habit.Heres how often people say they check their accountEvery day 36%Once a Week 30%Once a Month 8%Twice a Month 8%Less Than a Month 18%Heres where Americans stash their cashAn alarming amount of people- almost half- say they dont save any money at a ll.I Do Not Save Money 43%Savings Account 25%Mutual Funds 12%Stocks 11%Real Estate 6%Bonds Certificates of Deposit 3%Americans relationships with their leistungspunkt card(s)Heres how often respondents say they look at their credit scoresDaily to Weekly 6%Monthly 17%Semiannually 8%Yearly 15%I Do Not Check My Credit Score 54%So, how many credit cards do respondents have in their wallets? The research found thatwhile 40% of respondents said they dont have any credit cards, 17% said they have one, 16% said they have two and 11% said they have three. Just 10% said they have five or more credit cards, and 6% have four.This survey should come as an alarm for some who are falling behind on tracking personal finances and staying up on their budgets. These numbers are surprising and we hope to see Americans better their finances,John Heath, Directing Attorney at Lexington Law, told Ladders. This may be achieved through the use of newer technologies and apps that have made good personal fina nce management easier to achieve.

What Did You Learn from Your First Job

What Did You Learn from Your First JobWhat Did You Learn from Your First Job?What Did You Learn from Your First JobMany of us are inclined to remember a lot of firsts in life first kiss, first beer, first date, first car. And, of course, first job, especially the first job after graduating from college.In most cases, that first job will not make you rich in the wallet, but could make you richer in wisdom. Thats what happened to me I became better schooled about the ways of business, how to play office politics, and how to work nicely with others. In contrast, I had a crappy salary, little spending cash, and had to get my parents to cosign a loan for a new car.Those memories as painful as they remain came back when I read a post this week on the Career Rocketeer blog. The writer, Mario Schulzke, reinforced the point that learning is more important than earning at that first post-college job. His adviceLet the job help determine your future,Develop skills related to what youre passiona te about, and,Build professional relationships that can help you advance your career.

What the In-Crowd Wont Tell You About Writing Rules

What the In-Crowd Wont Tell You About Writing Rules If you dont exercise regularly, you wont write regularlyor not for long. Then you should know your characters. Choosing whether to compose numbers as numerals or as number words is an issue of style. If you would like to succeed in your writing at university or college, you must have a very clear understanding what academic writing is. Fear of earning mistakes contributes to paralysis. In an official letter youre typically writing to obtain or give info about company, school, employment, etc.. Your work is to write the very best letter you. Formal writing is essential for academic and company conditions. In geschftsleben, written communication is important in many ways. Developing a formal signature is easily the most professional strategy. The Web is a huge resource and entirely unavoidable, but nevertheless, it will allow you to focus when you get the Freedom app. In the example of brand names, companies are of litt le support, since they capitalize any word that is relevant to their merchandise. The very first step is to enter the correct mindset. Instead, you may make a customized event log supply. Inside my opinion if youre running a business for yourself or work for a company which requires you to communicate via email, you have to be alert to proper etiquette. The very first letter of the genus name also needs to be capitalized. The very first example of a word ought to be spelled in full, and often it might be abbreviated afterwards. If you are not sure about the way to use a specific word, dont be reluctant to look this up in the dictionary. So, at times it is quite hard to differentiate whether its an official word or something from a slang language. To begin with, lets look at the term macro. The aforementioned rule should be repeated. A lot of people can hear every time a selection of words is a logical sentence as it sounds complete. If youre able to explain a thought in a couple of words, prevent the lengthy cut. The Importance of Writing Rules Learning the rules of grammar will provide you with a clear comprehension of proper English syntax. Utilizing good vocabulary is among the hardest aspects for the students. Wordy sentences are not simple to follow. Rather, you need to use concrete and specific language. Paragraphs are so long as they should be. Writing a recommendation letter does not need to be hard. It is a very polarizing topic for many people. Titles arent the very same as occupations. The Importance of Writing Rules As a consequence the dictation could possibly be subject to translation and alteration as a way to fit the style requirements. Notice how professional emails and application letters are created, all of them hold a degree of professionalism. When writing a formal or company letter, presentation style and format is essential to making an excellent first impression. Its also worth considering an acceptable amount o f impact factor or journal quality. Another typical mistake is to neglect to criticise the research explained in the manuscript by highlighting the limitations of the analysis. Its important for a person to develop the suitable writing skills as a way to communicate clearly and properly. The quickest way to elevate material is to consider theme for a question in the place of a statement. You have to have a smooth flow by means of your report writing. A covering letter is the one which accompanies your CV when youre applying for employment. You should almost always stick to the very first list. The thing about formal writing is it is not exactly the ideal way, but its whats thought of as appropriate under a given circumstance. Theres nothing sadder than someone sitting there and attempting to apply plenty of rules that arent turning that person on and arent stimulating and arent making a novel. Regardless of what side of the debate you fall on, it is an excellent concept to b e conscious of it. A number of the things you will need to know to pass the quiz include which perspective needs to be utilised in formal writing and why cliches ought to be avoided.

4 Reasons Candidates Struggle with the Staffing Process the First Time

4 Reasons Candidates Struggle with the Staffing Process the First TimeIt may come as a surprise since staffing is ingrained in your day-to-day, but most job landseekers have never been through the staffing process. In fact, some dont even know it exists. When approached by staffing professionals, candidates assume they are entering a typical hiring process. But as you know, this simply isnt true. As a result, many first-time staffing candidates end up confused and disoriented. They are more likely to perform poorly during the staffing process or drop out altogether. Some may even never be willing to enter the staffing process again. This leaves you constantly combatting shallower talent pools and longer tischordnung times.If you want to secure your future success finding new, quality talent, you need to help first-timers through the staffing process now. The first step is identifying disconnects between new candidates understanding of the staffing process and reality. Here are four h ang-ups first-time staffing candidates often experience 1. Not understanding the staffing process stepsIn the typical hiring process, candidates only have to prove theyre the right choice to their potential employer. The additional screenings during the staffing process overwhelm applicants that arent familiar with external talent sourcing professionals. Many candidates dont understand why youre the gatekeeper or what your part is in the final decision.Additionally, when the first step of the staffing process is unfamiliar, candidates worry about what other surprises might arise. If they are fully prepared from the beginning they know all the steps and who will be involved its much less intimidating.As soon as you reach out, give first-time staffing candidates a detailed timeline. Outline what the candidate will need to do and possible ways youll be able to support them. Also, let them know how much time will elapse between steps and how often youll be in contact. This will give c andidates a sense of direction and set them up to succeed throughout the entire staffing process.The staffing process can be intimidating to a first-time candidate. Make sure they understand all the steps.Click To Tweet2. Not putting their complete trust in youDuring the staffing process, most of the information about the company and the job comes from you. Candidates who are uneasy with the staffing process tend to be nervous the information you provide about the company isnt as accurate as if their questions were answered by the employer.Its essential you work to earn the trust of your candidates. Giving them a clear timeline is a great first step, but theres more you can do. Some tips that help gain candidates confidence includeShowing them testimonials from previous, successfully-placed candidates (with their permission of course).Being honest about potential downsides of the position or organization while showing how their unique skills or traits help to overcome those challeng es.Openly admitting when you dont have an answer and assuring them you are going direct to the source to ensure they get the most accurate information.3. Not knowing how to respond to feedbackIts rare for job seekers to get feedback from hiring managers or employers during the traditional hiring process. Theyre sometimes lucky to get an email letting them know they didnt get the job. But during the staffing process, its your job to coach candidates to effectively show off their best professional attributes.When a first-time staffing candidate comes into your office to record their one-way video interview, they are not likely to be prepared to receive immediate feedback let alone an opportunity to re-record. Before recording one-way video interviews, explain how youll be giving them feedback. Let them know what youll be looking for during the staffing process and how its relevant to the position.Take it a step further by providing feedback at the end of a candidates staffing experie nce as well. Even if they arent presented to a client or dont get the job offer, have a discussion about what went well and what can be improved upon. While this step helps candidates position themselves better during future staffing processes, it also helps them see you care about their overall development.Give candidates feedback during the staffing process so they can walk away better professionally.Click To Tweet4. Not feeling like they can say noJust because you think a candidate is right for a role, that doesnt mean they agree. During the staffing process, or even after receiving an offer, first-time candidates could feel like they have to move forward. By the candidates logic, you found the right candidate. You spent time answering their questions. You invested in their success. Therefore, they have to take the job.Of course, you know this isnt true, but its essential you make sure your candidates never feel pressured. Check in with them throughout the staffing process, but e specially after theyre offered a job. Ask your candidates the following questions to get an idea about their true feelings about the offerCan you see yourself doing this job every day?What do you like about the job?What dont you like about company?Are you worried about your ability to succeed in the role?Is the salary and benefits package what you expected?Reassure candidates they can say no. After all, if they take the position and quit right away, youll have an unhappy client and a talented candidate who never wants to go through the staffing process again.___