The Russo-Ukrainian War Has Bolstered Ukraine's Nonstate Alliance Network
Since 2014, militant groups from Russia, Belarus, Chechnya, and elsewhere have established themselves as allies of Ukraine in its fight against Russia and its aligned forces. Though alignment with these groups presents clear benefits in the near term, Kyiv should be cautious since these groups could turn on Ukraine at any time should their interests no longer align. (Source: The RAND Blog)
Source: The RAND Blog - August 7, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Erik E. Mueller Source Type: blogs
Health Tech ’s Magic Wand: The Anti-Social Bent of Modern Medicine
BY MIKE MAGEE
In George Packer’s classic 2013 New Yorker article titled “Change the World: Silicon Valley transfers its slogans – and its money – to the realm of politics,” there is a passage worth a careful reread now a decade latter.
Packer shares an encounter with a 20-something techie critiquing his young colleagues who said, “Many see their social responsibility fulfilled by their businesses, not by social or political action. It’s remarkably convenient that they can achieve all their goals just by doing their start-up. They actually think that Facebook is going to be the panacea for many o...
Source: The Health Care Blog - July 17, 2023 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Ryan Bose-Roy Tags: Health Policy Health Tech Mike Magee Silicon Valley Solutionism Source Type: blogs
Where Will All the Wagner Group Mercenaries Go Now That Russia Has Exiled Their Leader?
Russian oligarch turned warlord Yevgeny Prigozhin is in exile in Belarus, but what will become of the tens of thousands of fighters who signed up to risk their lives for a paycheck or a ticket out of jail? It seems likely they will continue fighting, mostly because they have few better options. (Source: The RAND Blog)
Source: The RAND Blog - July 3, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: Molly Dunigan Source Type: blogs
Countering Russia's Nuclear Threat in Europe
President Vladimir Putin ' s announced plan to put nuclear arms in Belarus may pose risks to NATO ' s nuclear posture. Three decades after the Soviet collapse, some allies might be uneasy about re-energizing NATO ' s nuclear mission. But others might argue that not responding to Russia ' s moving forward its nuclear arms could cause the Kremlin to doubt NATO ' s nuclear credibility. (Source: The RAND Blog)
Source: The RAND Blog - April 20, 2023 Category: Health Management Authors: William Courtney Source Type: blogs
A Diplomatic Hail Mary May Be Ukraine ’s Only Hope
Justin LoganAs Russia continues massing troops on its side of the border with Ukraine (as well as Belarus ’s), it’s worth asking a few questions before deciding what to do.The first, and most important one, is what a Russian invasion of Ukraine means for U.S. national security. The answer is “not much,” which may help explain why the question is so rarely being asked. U.S. Secretary of State Tony Blinkenanswered his own rhetorical question, “why should Americans worry about Ukraine?” by saying the issue isbigger than Ukraine, because what ’s happening is this: You’ve got one country, Russia, by it...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - January 24, 2022 Category: American Health Authors: Justin Logan Source Type: blogs
Russia's Neighbors Have More Leverage Than They Think
While Ukraine, Belarus, and Georgia may be top priorities for Russia, Moscow has less room for maneuver than its power might suggest. Some of Moscow ' s difficulties with neighbors could leave openings for the West. (Source: The RAND Blog)
Source: The RAND Blog - October 25, 2021 Category: Health Management Authors: Kenneth Yalowitz; William Courtney Source Type: blogs
Moscow Hesitated in Poland — Will It in Belarus?
Forty years ago, Russia used a major military exercise in part to scare Poland ' s communist leaders into cracking down on protesters. A similar Russian exercise now could be aimed in part at pressuring Belarus. If so, the West could respond in several ways. (Source: The RAND Blog)
Source: The RAND Blog - September 13, 2021 Category: Health Management Authors: William Courtney Source Type: blogs
Disrespecting Europe Could Cost Russia
Western unity is critical to addressing authoritarian challenges. Brexit, immigration, leadership transition in Germany, and COVID-19 provide grist for Russian propaganda claims of European weakness. But unified EU action on Ukraine, Navalny, and Belarus shows that Europe is a force with which to be reckoned. (Source: The RAND Blog)
Source: The RAND Blog - July 26, 2021 Category: Health Management Authors: Denis Corboy; William Courtney; Kenneth Yalowitz Source Type: blogs
Alcohol, Smoking, Drugs: How Technology Can Help
The global statistics on substance use are disquieting. Globally, about 3 million people die every year from alcohol abuse. Tobacco kills up to half of its users – over 8 million people annually. And the UN’s 2021 World Drug Report estimated that around 275 million people used drugs worldwide in 2020, while over 36 million people suffered from drug use disorders.
Disruptive technologies could act only as additional tools for managing preventive or reactive treatment for both victims and physicians next to therapy. Alcohol content-measuring wristbands, smart lighters, nicotine tracking wearables, stop smoking apps, virt...
Source: The Medical Futurist - July 15, 2021 Category: Information Technology Authors: berci.mesko Tags: E-Patients Future of Medicine Future of Pharma Health Sensors & Trackers Portable Medical Diagnostics Security & Privacy Telemedicine & Smartphones Virtual Reality alcohol digital health Innovation smoking technology VR health Source Type: blogs
Fight Aging! Newsletter, March 1st 2021
This study may have important implications for preventing cell senescence and aging-induced tendinopathy, as well as for the selection of novel therapeutic targets of chronic tendon diseases.
Our results showed that the treatment of bleomycin, a DNA damaging agent, induced rat patellar TSC (PTSC) cellular senescence. The senescence was characterized by an increase in the senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity, as well as senescence-associated changes in cell morphology. On the other hand, rapamycin could extend lifespan in multiple species, including yeast, fruit flies, and mice, by decelerating DNA damage ...
Source: Fight Aging! - February 28, 2021 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Newsletters Source Type: blogs
Profiling IntraClear, Aiming to Break Down Lipofuscin in Aged Cells
The Russian and Eastern European longevity community is quite active, with a number of non-profit organizations such as the Science for Life Extension Foundation and Open Longevity. There is arguably a greater interest in engineering greater longevity in that part of the world than in the English-language regions. That said, I would say they are behind the US-centric longevity community in terms of translating patient advocacy and scientific programs into startup biotech companies. Their successes to date include the clinical development of mitochondrially targeted antioxidants, the small molecule discovery company Gero, a...
Source: Fight Aging! - February 25, 2021 Category: Research Authors: Reason Tags: Longevity Industry Source Type: blogs
Has Bitcoin Succeeded?
Lawrence H. WhiteThe answer depends on what you mean. Succeeded at what?With the US dollar price of Bitcoin reaching an all-time high above $23,000 this month, and its market cap reaching an all-time high above $400 billion, there has been much celebration among Bitcoin holders about their success at investing. The run-up has accompanied the announcements by large institutionalinvestors Grayscale, MicroStrategy, and MassMutual that they are acquiring hundreds of millions of dollars in Bitcoin for their investment portfolios. There isn ' t much doubt that the Bitcoin project has succeeded remarkably at creating a new type o...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - December 28, 2020 Category: American Health Authors: Lawrence H. White Source Type: blogs
Belarusian Mortgage on Russia's Future
Imperial ambition could again cost Russia. In September, Russian President Vladimir Putin signaled that Russia was throwing its weight behind embattled Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. But any move by Putin to enforce his will in Belarus with force could invite tougher Western sanctions and scare investors, exacerbating problems of the already flagging Russian economy. (Source: The RAND Blog)
Source: The RAND Blog - October 4, 2020 Category: Health Management Authors: William Courtney; Howard J. Shatz Source Type: blogs
Why the Surge in U.S. Spy Plane Flights Near Russia?
Ted Galen CarpenterOn August 19, a Russian Su ‐27 fighterintercepted two U.S. surveillance planes flying near Russia ’s Black Sea coast.It was the sixth such incident in that region over the past four weeks, and it followed a similar foray earlier in the day farther north off the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea.The use of spy planes in that fashion is not terribly unusual to test the radar defenses and gain additional intelligence on countries that are considered U.S. adversaries.But such a flurry of flights over a short period of time is not typical, and it raises questions about the possible ra...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - August 20, 2020 Category: American Health Authors: Ted Galen Carpenter Source Type: blogs
The West's Role in Belarus
Belarus may be on the verge of political change. If allowed to help, how could the West support free and fair elections and the formation of a legitimate government? (Source: The RAND Blog)
Source: The RAND Blog - August 17, 2020 Category: Health Management Authors: William Courtney; Michael Haltzel Source Type: blogs
