More elderly Americans are choking to death. Are these devices the answer?
The 88-year-old man had been dining at a Providence, Rhode Island, Italian restaurant in September 2019. Now he was unconscious, with a piece of bread lodged in his windpipe. Precious minutes went by as first responders were unable to help him with CPR or the Heimlich maneuver.
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Medscape
12 minutes ago
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HHS Launches Stem Cell Program to Restore Brain Function
The federal government is looking for researchers who can, in 5 years, develop stem cell treatments to repair brain damage caused by stroke, neurodegeneration, and trauma. The Functional Repair of Neocortical Tissue (FRONT) program will make awards to scientists who can produce commercially viable graft tissue and develop engraftment procedures for functional brain recovery, according to a request for proposals issued by the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health, which is part of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The program will specifically target the largest region in the brain, the neocortex, which is responsible for higher cognitive functioning, including attention, thought, perception, and episodic memory. Officials said the aim is to develop technology to repair damage to this part of the brain caused by stroke, head trauma, or other neurodegenerative conditions. 'No technology exists to repair damaged tissue and fully restore lost function,' FRONT Program Manager Jean Hebert, PhD, said in a statement. 'This will enable millions of individuals with what is currently considered permanent brain damage to regain lost functions, such as motor control, vision, and speech.' However, the goal of developing this technology in 5 years is 'very, very ambitious,' Brent E. Masel, MD, national medical director for the Brain Injury Association of America and clinical professor of neurology at the University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, told Medscape Medical News . 'It's the proverbial moon shot,' he said. 'It's going to take more than 4 or 5 years to get this accomplished.' Notably, there is no mention in the HHS announcement or the request for proposals of how much money could be awarded to researchers. Projects funded through the FRONT program will use only adult-derived dedifferentiated stem cells. Proposals that call for the use of human embryonic or fetal tissue or human-animal chimeric tissue will not be accepted, according to the solicitation. The restrictions on the types of stem cells to be considered should not be a hurdle, said Masel. 'Fifteen years ago, that would have been a limitation,' he said, adding that many researchers now work with adult-derived dedifferentiated cells. Some researchers are making strides using stem cells in brain diseases. As reported by Medscape Medical News in April, a group in Tokyo, Japan, and another group at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, both reported positive results in early studies of using stem cells to produce dopamine in the brains of patients with Parkinson's disease. In May 2024, Stanford University, Stanford, California, researchers reported at the American Academy of Neurological Surgery that a small number of stroke patients who received neural stem cell transplants had recovered some motor function. Researchers interested in the FRONT program have until August 18 to submit a proposal summary. Final proposals are due by September 25. Masel reported that he is employed by a chain of for-profit brain injury rehabilitation facilities.
Fast Company
12 minutes ago
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What every manager should know about ADHD
If you ask a doctor about ADHD, they will tell you that it's a developmental disorder characterized by traits of forgetfulness, impulsivity, and disorganization. However, there are so many great qualities associated with ADHD that don't get discussed, just some of which include creativity, resilience, problem-solving, and hyper focus. Neurodivergent people are the world's best problem-solvers. We have had to practice it for our entire lives. From a very young age we have had to find unique solutions to really difficult problems because we are intrinsically a little bit different. We are also great at reading other people. We can hyper focus on people's micro communications, pick up on tiny fluctuations in tone of voice, and little changes in facial expressions that neurotypical people miss. We can recognize patterns in people's mannerisms, which enables us to judge someone's character extremely effectively. Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria People with ADHD people are criticised around 20,000 more times than your average child. We have heard things like, 'why are you being lazy,' 'stop fidgeting,' and 'be normal.' This means that as adults we are often more sensitive to rejection, and might experience something called Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria, which causes intense pain triggered by real or perceived rejection. For example, if you don't explicitly invite an ADHD person to a social event, we will assume you don't actually want us there. If you say, 'come if you want,' we will think that our presence at that social event is a nuisance, and might even think you hate us as well. Similarly, if you don't tell someone with ADHD that you explicitly like them, we will assume that you tolerate us. And as a manager, if you ask an ADHD person for a quick chat, we might assume you want a quick chat so you can fire us. Carefully consider your wording and make sure to balance any feedback with positive comments. Be explicit and intentional when sending invitations to work events and briefly explain what any quick chats will cover. Integrating regular breaks When RSD hits us, it hits hard. We might need a minute to remove ourselves from any situation, whether that's going to get some fresh air, or pacing up and down the street for a while. Allowing for breaks and not questioning it will help put space between the stimulus and reaction, allowing our brain time to regulate itself again and not be influenced by intense feelings. The pause also allows us to practise self-compassion and not react impulsively in the moment. If someone asks for a minute, it might be the break they need to return back fully focussed. Burnout and vulnerability It's common for ADHD employees to overwork, stay up late into the night, and push ourselves to the limit. They have spent their whole lives feeling as if they're not good enough, so it's no surprise they might feel like they have something to prove. The early warning signs are unique to all of us and we all need to be aware of our own, but it's sometimes possible to spot it in other people as well. Some of these early signs might include: becoming easily agitated, forgetting things that would usually be remembered, becoming less patient, and neglecting self-care. One way leaders can help is by creating culture of psychological safety, where your employees feel able to speak out if they are struggling. If your culture is about purely celebrating wins then you are not really creating an environment where other people feel safe to ask for help if they need it. It's important to set the tone from above that it's okay to be vulnerable and speak out about anything that might be causing stress—whether it's social interactions, difficulties with tasks, or deadline difficulties. Remember that everyone is unique Many leaders think that a blanket accommodations policy will be beneficial to everyone. You often see companies say that they will integrate movement breaks, adopt flexible working, and normalize fidget toys and noise-cancelling headphones. These are great, but leaders need to recognize that everyone has a brain as unique as their fingerprint, and everyone's needs will be different. It's more important to create a culture of psychological safety, where people feel empowered to speak up and ask for the specific support they need to perform their job well.
Yahoo
40 minutes ago
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Who is the richest person in Tennessee? Here's who made Forbes' 2025 list
For the third year in a row, Forbes has found the richest person in nearly every U.S. state, uncovering billionaires in all but three. The 2025 list features 54 individuals, entrepreneurs, investors, and heirs, whose combined net worth has reached a record $2 trillion, up $400 billion from 2024. While billionaires are spread across most of the country, nearly two-thirds reside in just four states: California (194), New York (137), Florida (116), and Texas (81), where competition for the top spot is especially fierce. In California, for example, even billionaires like Larry Ellison ($175 B), Larry Page ($135 B), and Sergey Brin ($129 B) didn't make the cut, overshadowed by Mark Zuckerberg's $189 billion fortune. In contrast, ten states have only one billionaire each, including Alabama, Idaho, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, and Vermont. Here's who was named the richest person in the Volunteer State. Who is the richest person in Tennessee? Thomas Frist Jr. and family were named Tennessee's richest by Forbes with an estimated net worth of $26.8 billion. Frist Jr., along with his father Thomas Frist Sr. and businessman Jack Massey, launched Hospital Corporation of America (HCA Healthcare) in 1968. According to Forbes, Frist Jr. took the company public for the third time in 2011 after two management buyouts. As previously reported by The Tennessean, Frist Jr. conceived the idea for a company that would unite hospitals under a shared system while serving in the military. The inspiration struck after receiving a letter from Massey, urging him to choose between a future in medicine or the restaurant industry. Frist had always planned to return to Nashville and follow in the footsteps of his father, a respected local doctor. But by blending his passions for medicine and business, he drew inspiration from the success of corporate chains like KFC and Holiday Inn, companies that succeeded where independent operators had struggled. Frist envisioned applying a similar model to healthcare by consolidating hospital administration under one corporate structure — that vision became HCA. 'It took an idea from me, and it took Massey's expertise and credibility with Wall Street and Dad's vision and reputation,' said Frist Jr. 'We all came together at the right time in the right place — and that was Nashville, Tennessee." Today HCA Healthcare owns and operates 186 hospitals and around 2,400 sites of care in 20 U.S. states and the U.K. making it the largest hospital chain in the United States. Frist Jr. owns over 25% of the company with his family. Diana Leyva covers trending news and service journalism for the Tennessean. Contact her at Dleyva@ or follow her on X at @_leyvadiana This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Who is the richest person in Tennessee? See who made Forbes' list Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
