Page 38 - Healthcare News May/June 2022

UMass Virologist Leads Team Developing New Technology
AMHERST — An international team led by a UMass Amherst food and environmental virologist has received
a $750,000 USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) partner- ship grant to develop and test portable, rapid biosensors capable of detecting noroviruses and mycotoxins in foods and agricultural products.
It is among the first partnership grants awarded with an international partner by the USDA.
Noroviruses are the leading cause of foodborne illness globally, and are highly contagious, causing pandemics every
few years, said lead investigator Matthew Moore, assistant professor of food science. Moore will work with UMass Amherst food science colleague John Gibbons, a fungi expert, and food science Ph.D. can-
didate Sloane Stoufer in the Moore Lab. The UMass team will collaborate with senior lecturer and principal investiga- tor Marloes Peeters and postdoctoral research associate Jake McClements at Newcastle University’s School of Engi- neering in England.
“People can get really sick from foods that contain viruses and toxins,” said Moore. “We need a way to quickly and easily find out if a food contains these con- taminants in a cheap but effective way — without the need to go back to a separate lab to do the testing.”
Mycotoxins are toxic substances produced by fungi that can grow in warm and humid conditions on crops and food, in particular in many grains, produce, nuts, seeds and spices. They represent a growing threat to public health in the face
of climate change trends and increased consumption of plant-based foods, Moore said.
“One of the interesting things about mycotoxins as a foodborne contaminant is that they’re often not very acute, so you’re less likely to notice it,” Moore said. “Oftentimes, the damage they do is more chronic, and they will mess with the kid- neys and liver especially and can promote cancer.”
That makes early detection all the more important. “With this technology we’re trying to create a cheap, highly durable, and potentially reusable sensor that can detect these contaminants,” Moore says.
The UMass Amherst food scientists got together with engineers at Newcastle Uni- versity to seek a rare international part- nership grant from the USDA’s NIFA.
The British engineers are world leaders in electrochemical sensing techniques based on generating molecularly imprinted poly- mer nanoparticles (nanoMIPs).
“The grant enables an unprecedented international exchange,” Moore says. The UMass team will learn more about the application of nanoMIPs when they visit the Peeters Lab at Newcastle, and the UK team will be hosted by Moore’s Applied and Environmental Virology Lab to gain knowledge about virological, microbio- logical and food science techniques.
“This nanoMIP-based sensing technol- ogy has numerous advantages,” he said. “It is very stable in intense conditions, and very portable. It is also quite inexpensive, a very important consideration in testing for foods.”
Mercy Medical Center Partners with Nest Collaborative
SPRINGFIELD — Mercy Medical Center’s Family Life Center for Mater- nity (FLC) announced that it now offers virtual lactation consultation to families through its partnership with Nest Col- laborative, the nation’s first and largest virtual lactation consultation platform.
The partnership will provide parents who give birth at the FLC access to International Board-Certified lactation Consultants who provide online video ap- pointments to help guide parents through the breastfeeding process.
Breastfeeding is recognized by pediatri- cians as an optimal feeding choice that
Outlook
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This includes maintaining accurate records of their hours worked, as well as their com- pensation and benefits. Employment tax records should be kept for the duration of each employee’s tenure with your company.
In the event that an employee is termi- nated, their records should be kept for at least three years. This will ensure that you have all the necessary documentation in the event of a dispute. Furthermore, keeping accurate records will help to protect your business in the event of an audit. The IRS has strict guidelines regarding the retention of employee records, and failure to comply can result in significant penalties.
Here is a guideline of the specific types of employment tax records that should be kept:
Keep permanently:
provides infants a healthy start and helps create a bond between mother and baby. Mercy’s Family Life Center for Mater- nity offers breastfeeding support before delivery, during the hospital stay, and after discharge to encourage, teach and support families who choose to breastfeed. The new partnership with Nest Collaborative expands access to lactation support and gives families the opportunity to meet their breastfeeding goals. It also adds another tool to the hospital’s support services provided to mothers who deliver at the FLC.
Prior to delivery, expectant mothers
• W-2 forms
• Payroll tax returns and;
• Retirement plan agreements
Keep for 10 Years:
• Workers’ compensation benefits; • Employee-withholding-exemption
certificates; and
• Payroll tax records
Keep for seven years:
• Payroll checks;
• Payroll records;
• Time reports;
• Attendance records;
• Medical benefits; and
• Commission reports
Keep for three years:
• Contractor information upon comple-
tion of contract; and
• Tip Substantiation
Insurance Policies
Copies of all current insurance policies should be maintained in separate files and kept for 10 years after the policies expire.
who plan to deliver at the FLC have access to breastfeeding education with the Nest Collaborative, providing them with the important information and tools needed for a successful start. All nurses at the FLC are trained in lactation support and are available during the hospital stay to assist mothers and babies as they begin their breastfeeding journey, supporting with positioning, latching, and care practices that support breastfeeding and promote lactation.
“Breastfeeding has important benefits for baby and mother,” says Cody Cuni, program manager and lactation consul-
Insurance claim paperwork should be maintained permanently.
Legal Documents
While some documents should be kept permanently, others can be disposed of after a certain amount of time has passed. For example, documents such as bills of sale, permits, licenses, contracts, deeds and titles, mortgages, and stock and bond records should be kept permanently. How- ever, canceled leases and notes receivable can be kept for 10 years after cancellation. In general, it is important to keep track of any documents that might have legal or financial implications. Consulting with an attorney or accountant can help you to de- termine which documents need to be kept and for how long.
Storage of Documents
To save time and space, consider an electronic storage system to file your data.
tant for the Breastfeeding Heritage and Pride Program at Mercy’s Family Life Center for Maternity. “When families do not reach their goals, it is often due to lack of support and services. We seek to provide support to families helping them achieve their individual feeding goals. Each breastfeeding journey is unique, and we strive to be there at each step. We also aim to equip families with the knowledge that will help them to make decisions regarding infant feeding that will fit the needs of their family without fear of fail- ure or judgment.”
The IRS has accepted electronic support- ing documentation for several years. All requirements that apply to hard-copy books and records also apply to electronic storage systems that maintain tax books and records. The electronic storage system must index, store, preserve, retrieve, and re- produce the electronically stored books and records in a legible format. All electronic storage systems must provide a complete and accurate record of your data that is ac- cessible to the IRS.
With the threat of identity theft, it is also good practice to shred all of the records you no longer need, especially those with per- sonal information. Shredders are an inex- pensive means of destroying small amounts of information. However, a personal shred- ding service should be considered with a large volume of shredding.
The suggested retention periods shown above are not offered as a final authority,
Please see Outlook, page 43
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