Julius Lucks of Northwestern University. Picture courtesy of Chicago Tribune.
As a long-time practicing pathologist certified by the American Board of Pathology in Clinical and Anatomic Pathology and the current Medical Director of a large physician’s office laboratory, I have been intimately involved in introducing a variety of testing to patients throughout Chicagoland for the last 40 years. Usually, it is a slow, meticulous project. Decisions need to be made on proper instrumentation and proper chemical reagents. Adequate lab space needs to be set-up with appropriate temperature and humidity control. For the newest tests we are introducing, even the air pressure needs to be monitored. Proper training for our technicians and technologists includes verification of competency for each new test we introduce.
And tests must be validated. We must show that test results are reproducible and precise–testing a specimen multiple times must yield the same result. We need to ensure that for the population of patients that we are testing, the test is sensitive–those with the condition we are testing for should have a positive result, and specific–those without the conditions should test negative. Our lab should get the same results as other labs doing the same test on the same specimen with the same instrument. In short, we don’t just flip a switch and hope for the best. And this is all AFTER the FDA has already approved the test.
That’s is what worries me about some of the products that are on the market for COVID-19 testing. We lack a gold standard for the “best” test and we don’t really know what the best specimen type (nasal swab, sputum, saliva) will turn out to be. And because of the (necessary) rush to market, some manufacturers and the FDA are short-cutting approval processes. When there is talk of having the thousands of small commercial labs around the country getting involved in using these unregulated tests, I shudder.
For example, this week I was contacted by the owner of one of those small labs, a businessman who didn’t seem to have any knowledge of good laboratory practice. He needed a Medical Director of his lab so that the lab could run a cheap, non-FDA approved test for COVID-19 antibodies. I made my pitch for good laboratory practice, detailing lots of things he had never heard of or considered. It became clear by the end of our 15-minute conversation that I was not the pathologist for him.
But not all is dire. There are many excellent labs, large and small, around the country. And I have hope that the brilliant minds around the country will be developing the tests we need. I particularly noticed an article about Northwestern (Go Cats!) University professor Julius Lucks at the Center for Synthetic Biology who, with his colleagues and the assistance of a National Science Foundation rapid research grant, is working on a new methodology for identifying the SARS-CoV-2 virus. I wish Lucks and his team success in developing the test, and I hope that it can be properly vetted and utilized.
Our testing needs to be better than flipping a coin. I’ve made a career out of that belief.
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Hi! I am Les, a practicing pathologist living in the North Suburbs and commuting every day to the Western ones. I have lived my entire life in the Chicago area, and have a pretty good feel for the place, its attractions, culture, restaurants and teams. My wife and I are empty-nesters with two adult children and a grandchild. We recently decided to downsize, but just a bit! I will be telling the story of the construction of our new home, but also writing about whatever gets me going on a particular day. Be sure to check out the “About” page to learn more about where we plan to go with this blog!
With its flexible cargo space the 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback makes a good city vehicle. (Photo by Jill Ciminillo)
When you live in the city, a hatchback is one of the more perfect vehicles you can buy because of the flexibility and functionality. Though the hatch segment is starting to dwindle, you do still have a solid option with the 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback.
It’s refreshed for this model year, ditches one big fat annoying feature and adds a winning redesigned cup holder.
The Hits
I complain about cup holders a lot because they rarely seem to hold my 24-ounce glass bottle, which I always carry with me. So, I figure it’s worth pointing out when an automaker gets it right, too.
Honda took a two-tiered approach with its new holder, keeping space for two smaller bottles on a sliding tray. When you move the tray back, you can either store stuff below or (gasp) fit an actual-sized water bottle in the lower holder.
Another huge win: Honda added back the volume knob. If you don’t remember the touch-screen volume slider Honda tried a few years ago (the big fat annoying feature alluded to in the beginning), just know it was awful. You had to touch it just right to get the volume to change, and if your fingers were cold (which mine are most of the time), it didn’t work.
The redesigned cup holders in the 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback offer a two-tiered solution with smaller holders on a top sliding tray, and one large one below. (Photo by Jill Ciminillo)
Outside of these two key changes, there’s a lot to love about the Honda Civic Hatchback. The test vehicle was a top-tier Sport Touring model, which came equipped with nice leather seating surfaces, navigation, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto and a comfortable ride.
As a Sport model, though it has the same 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine in the non-sport models, it adds a little more power (very little), bumping horsepower up by 6 and torque up by 15 pound-feet.
2020 Honda Civic Hatchback (Photo by Jill Ciminillo)
The best thing about the Civic Hatchback, though, is it combines the wide-open cargo space of an SUV yet maintains the sporty-ish handling of a sedan.
One last interesting hit to note: The Sport and Sport Touring versions of the hatchback come equipped with a standard manual transmission. Unfortunately, the test vehicle added the continuously variable transmission ($800).
The Misses
Living in the city, I find one of the biggest misses to be the location of the front USB ports. They’re awkwardly placed beneath the display screen in an open cubby hole near your knee. To plug-in/unplug, you have to perform a yoga-like twist and contort your body to reach the ports.
Honda will argue that there’s a hole leading from the cubby to the tray that can hold your phone, and owners will only plug in the cord once and leave it. However, If you’ve ever lived in a city, you know the first rule about parking your car on the street is: Don’t leave anything visible when you leave your car.
The second rule: Don’t leave anything visible when you leave your car.
That means you have to unplug any phone-connecting cord and stow it away when you park, then plug it back in again again to drive. Yes, there is a USB port in that slick new cupholder, but it’s charge only. If you want to use CarPlay or Auto, you have to plug in underneath.
Though the 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback offers navigation, it’s not very attractive, and I’d rather use the Waze integration offered on Apple CarPlay. (Photo by Jill Ciminillo)
And you will want to use CarPlay or Auto if only for the Waze integration. Yes, you can get navigation on the Honda Civic Hatchback, but the graphics are outdated and the map is small and ugly.
Oh, and while we’re on the CarPlay/Auto topic: It’s not standard on the base trim. It kicks in one level up at the Sport model.
Last on the miss side of the spectrum, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the road and wind noise that creeps into the cabin. It’s not a dealbreaker in my book, but it is noticeable.
The open space near the driver’s knee is where you have to plug in a USB cord to connect your phone in the 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback. (Photo by Jill Ciminillo)
The Trims
LX ($22,705): Equipped with Honda Sensing, standard CVT, a multi-angle rear camera, Bluetooth phone connectivity, automatic climate control, automatic high-beam headlights and a 5-inch color LCD screen.
Sport ($23,850): Adds Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, remote start engine, base manual transmission (CVT +$800), passive entry, push-button start, 7-inch audio display, fog lights and Honda Link.
EX ($25,205): Adds heated front seats, standard CVT, one-touch power moonroof, dual-zone climate control, Honda LaneWatch, leather-wrapped steering wheel, 17-inch wheels, SiriusXM Radio and power driver’s seat.
EX-L ($26,405): Adds leather-trimmed interior, standard CVT, automatic dimming rearview mirror and HomeLink.
Sport Touring ($29,105): Adds a premium 540-watt audio system, center-mounted dual outlet exhaust, standard manual transmission, available CVT with dual-mode paddle shifters, LED headlights with auto on/off, 18-inch wheels, navigation, front passenger power seat, heated rear seats and rain-sensing wipers.
2020 Honda Civic Hatchback (Photo by Jill Ciminillo)
With its compact size and cargo flexibility, the Honda Civic Hatchback makes a great Chicago vehicle. The fact that you top out under $30k and get everything you could possibly want makes it even more attractive.
With the Coronavirus dominating the news, of course, the ongoing soaring violence is taking a quiet back seat, but it is rolling along unabated and ignored for the most part. For this reason, I decided to revisit the horrendous toll Chicago’s violence has on its citizens, not only the grief of loved ones and victims but the expense that is involved that affects every single taxpayer in the city.
As I revisit this on 22 April, it was just reported that the Mayor has awarded 7.5 million dollars to be used in the communities to fight the soaring violence. What the hell are they going to do about it is baffling since the gangs are not the least bit given to listening to reason? It strikes of rewarding communities who are ignoring the killers among them. Fear is a powerful silencer no matter how much bribe money is offered. One would think leadership has figured that out by now.
Alexis de Tocqueville, the French scientist, and historian said back 170 years ago in a quote that seems almost prophetic today, “THE AMERICAN REPUBLIC WILL ENDURE UNTL THE DAY CONGRESS DISCOVERS THAT IT CAN BRIBE THE PUBLIC WITH THE PUBLIC’S MONEY.” Now the city taxpayers are on the hook as Mayor Lightfoot, who seemingly has no clue how to stop the horrendous surge of violence, doles out money to communities who are being devoured by gang violence. So far her only solution, except for throwing money out there was to keep the libraries open longer. Well, let’s face it, that’s just what the gangs needed — some downtime in between killings and shootings.
You may think it doesn’t involve you or your community but think again. A Bloomberg News analysis in December of 2017 put the cost of Chicago’s violence at a staggering 2.5 billion dollars a year. The multi-billion-dollar figure breaks down to an average of $15,500 per household according to Jens Ludwig and Craig Futterman of the University of Chicago crime lab.
The analysis includes $900-$1,200 for the cost of a typical ambulance ride to the ER, $800-$1,200 for “incremental costs” for an autopsy by the medical examiner, $52,000 which is the average cost for trauma care of gunshot victims, (70% of whom are uninsured) and $35,000 which is the average cost of care at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago where 1/20th of the patients are gunshot victims. Added to this is the cost of the city’s resources through police overhead. Every murder and shooting incurs overtime with extreme cases consuming 1,000 to 1,500 hours of premium pay.
No amount of money can assuage the loss and devastation suffered by victims and loved ones who are personally impacted by the violence. However, it is the elephant in the room and its impact is affecting every single taxpayer in Chicago and Cook County. Everett Dirksen, a U.S. Senator from Illinois back in the 1960s, was to have famously said, “A billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon. you’re talking real money.” If the current trend of violence continues these figures will certainly escalate. From 2012 through April 2020, Chicago has endured over 24,000 people shot and 4,710 homicides.
A study from the Center of American Progress estimated that overall violence, not just that of guns, puts a $5.3 billion “ANNUAL” dent (hello!) in the collective wallet of Chicago. The study postulates reducing homicides by 25% would boost home values in Chicago by $5.5 billion. I realize there is no magic wand that will extricate Chicago from its epidemic of violence, but as we can clearly see by the cost it has a secondary devastating effect. PBS News Hour produced a show called “Gun Violence is a Public Health Crisis in Chicago.” Indeed.
Chicago has over 59 main gangs and over 2,500 affiliates. The Chicago Crime Commission has identified over 1,000 gang leaders. Members of the communities are literally afraid to go about their normal lives for fear of being shot or killed. Over 70 children under 16 have been shot this year. The Chicago Police Department has less than a 15% clearance rate on homicides and shootings. The court system and prosecutors are not utilizing the tougher gun laws that they were so desperately calling for. Since the much-publicized march on July 7th on the Dan Ryan Expressway led by Priest activist Father Michael Pfleger, supposedly to call attention to the city’s violence, there have been 50 people shot over 5 days and 11 murders mostly fueled by “gang thugs” in the neighborhoods. There has been no contact from the c city’s politicians. Father Pfleger said he is waiting.
At some point, those community members are going to have to demand help and realize the people who you entrusted with your vote are not your leaders, they are your representatives. They are representatives of the people. I have a humble suggestion for Father Pfleger and those beleaguered folks who are trying to live in peace and make a decent life for their families without fear or harm. Forget shutting down traffic. SHUT DOWN the power.
The government represents you. John Locke said it best, “REVOLT is the right of the people.” Go to City Hall and the County Building and demand and shout until you are heard. Tell them enough is enough. You want solutions and help or you will find others who will. Chicago, you have tyrants among you. It’s not anything new in the world. Thomas Paine uttered these words to describe a call to action, “O Ye that loves mankind, Ye that dare opposes not only the tyranny but the tyrant, “STAND FORTH.” Old words but they never get old. Join together or more innocence will continue to die.
Chicago is fighting a war on two fronts — one deadly virus and the other an old and lethal killer, gang violence. It’s often been said that the first casualty of any war is truth. Violence and crime unchallenged spreads like a virus. Both are killing our people. No amount of bribe money is ever going to resolve that virus.
Bob Angone is a Marine VETERAN and a retired Chicago Police Lieutenant. He worked his entire Career covering the streets of Chicago as a Tactical Officer, Tactical Sergeant, and Tactical Lieutenant. His last assignments were in special Functions, he was the C/O of the CPD Swat teams his last five years and was an HBT (Hostage Barricade Terrorist) Sergeant for 10 years.
Colleges canceled classes, bars were shut down, movies weren’t released and public gatherings were banned. It sounds a lot like the 2020 coronavirus outbreak, but this was 1918 and the Spanish Influenza was spreading across the country. A look back through the Chicago Tribune’s archives show some striking similarities between the responses to stop the spread. Read more on newspapers.com
Each day our online work intersects with thousands of people tweeting, blogging and otherwise sharing their coping mechanisms for sheltering in place.
The stories are as unique as snowflakes – and pose questions about what we’ll really learn from the coronavirus pandemic.
• Will we embrace patience, or rush headlong into our previous habits?
• Will we learn to be better environmental stewards, or jump back into guzzling every resource at our fingertips?
• Will we claim our responsibility for our own health because it has such radical implications for others’ health?
• Will people pressure legislators and policymakers to improve poor communities’ access to fresh fruits, vegetables, healthy foods and affordable healthcare?
Those huge questions remain to be answered.
They’re all anxiety provoking, and as everyone tries to simply maintain their perspectives, a central theme has emerged: The great effort spent in trying to relax, only for a moment, whether it’s ensuring a well-lit workspace or taking yoga-stretching breaks.
A popular option is to use essential oils – though there’s no U.S. government certification of them and they’re a no-no for children and allergy sufferers.
Those who wisely use diluted versions of these plant extracts tout the benefits of adding a drop or two of wintergreen to oil to relax tight muscles or adding lavender to bath salts for a soothing soak.
What if this philosophy led to a greater good, just as much as the challenges of our responsibilities to self-discipline, nature, society, healthcare and the environment?
One researcher hopes it will — by delving into the properties of Ashwagandha, a common Indian herb used in Ayurvedic medicine.
Chemically, powder from Ashwagandha’s roots contains compounds comprising 12 alkaloids, 40 withanolides and several sitoindosides and flavonoids isolated from different parts of the plant.
Studies indicate that Ashwagandha’s root power improves the body’s defense against chronic diseases, not only by boosting immunity, but also by producing antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that protect against cellular damage caused by free radicals and inflammatory mediators.
Akhlaq A. Farooqui, a retired research scientist at The Ohio State University who now writes books on medical research, is working to isolate two of Ashwagandha’s compounds in pure form.
The goal is to conduct multi-center, double-blind clinical trials to see whether the compounds would work to ease symptoms of neurological disorders such as dementia, Alzheimer’s, head injuries, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder and the after-effects of stroke.
“Scientific validation and the documentation of Ayurvedic medicines are essential for their quality evaluation and global acceptance,” according to an article Farooqui co-wrote in a journal article.
Farooqui said the long-term goal would be to create a pharmaceutical tablet, but researchers would have to first understand the correct dosage and side effects even after clinical trials.
April 22, Earth Day–it’s been 50 years, and the earth, the environment is still a cause worth fighting for. In the midst of a pandemic, some things are very clear—
vulnerable people are most affected
fossil fuels are not the future
the way we have been living has contributed to income inequality, deforestation, mountains of plastic, wildfires, endangered species, and viral pandemics.
This can’t go on.
May futures for a barrel of crude oil have fallen below zero, due to reduced demand from the pandemic lockdown. There is not so much air travel, or car traffic on the highways. The sky is blue over Los Angeles. The Milky Way is visible from some big cities, now.
This is an opportunity to think about what matters, going forward. Yes, it’s good to have a sense of community. Yes, it’s good to be resourceful and generous. No, greed is not good. Massive unemployment is not a good thing.
Maybe it’s time to think about a Green New Deal–a new sustainable way of living and working–inclusive and resilient, innovative and future-oriented.
We can do this! We are doing this already. People are using what they have. People are making masks for front-line workers and fighting to save the Postal Service. They are looking to the future, and even if it means virtual museums for awhile, there will still be museums and concerts, sports and music and poetry. There will be conversations and closeness. Lying will be wrong again.
I think people are beginning to realize how much these things matter–now and in the future.
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I am originally a country girl from downstate Illinois. I was a Chicago girl in Rogers Park by the Lake. Now I live in Oak Park, by the Blue Line and the Congress Expressway. I write about the weather and other things.
I hope you enjoy and join in these observations. Welcome to Chicago Weather Watch!
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Couldn’t he just issue a new proclamation?
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