Archive for January, 2020

As the annual JP Morgan Healthcare Conference draws to a close, lets celebrate the remarkable innovation that drives the biopharma industry. Heres a look at the top 10 companies noted in the BioSpace Ideal Employer 2019 survey for being the most innovative and what theyve been up to recently.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. Ranked as the top innovator in the survey, Regeneron has long had a reputation for innovation, and is often cited as Sanofis innovation engine because of its numerous collaborations with the French-based company. Regeneron has seven marketed products, including Arcalyst for rare autoinflammatory disease, Eylea for a common cause of blindness, Praluent for high cholesterol, and Dupixent for atopic dermatitis. It also has REGN-EB3, a three-antibody therapy used to treat Ebola.

On January 9, Regeneron announced results from LUMINA-1, a Phase II trial of garetosmab in patients with fibrodysplasia ossificans progressive (FOP), an ultra-rare genetic disorder that leads to abnormal bone formation. After 28 weeks, the drug decreased total lesion activity compared to placebo by 25%.

Verily Life Sciences. Formerly known as Google Life Sciences, Verily is Alphabets life science research company. It was originally a division of Google X. At this point, the company doesnt have any marketed products and its not completely clear on the companys overall focus. It has numerous partnerships, such as one with Sanofi to develop products for managing diabetes, a disease-detecting nanoparticle platform called project Tricorder, and a partnership with Johnson & Johnson on surgical robotics. It also has partnerships with Alon, 3M, Allergan, Biogen, Dexcon, GlaxoSmithKline, Mayo Clinic, Brigham and Womens Hospital and many others.

On December 23, 2019, Verily partnered with Emory Healthcare to deploy new solutions to help improve cost-effectiveness, operational efficiency and quality. This deal with utilize Emorys academic medical center and partner with Verilys expertise in data science, analytics, user experience and product development. The initial focus is a deep analysis of existing drugs and lab-ordering patterns at Emory.

Illumina. Illumina develops, manufactures, and markets laboratory devices, with particular emphasis on DNA sequencing, genotyping, gene expression and proteomics. On January 4, 2020, Illumina announced a 15-year, non-exclusive deal with Roche. Not only will that increase the availability of next-generation sequencing-based in vitro diagnostic (IVD) tests on Illuminas systems, but the two companies will collaborate to complement Illuminas pan-cancer assay TruSight Oncology 500 (TSO 500) with new companion diagnostic (CDx) claims.

That deal came only a short time after Illumina canceled a $1.2 billion merger with another next-generation sequencing company, Pacific Biosciences (PacBio). Illumina decided the deal was not likely to be approved by antitrust regulators in the U.S. and UK. Illumina holds about 80% of the global DNA sequencing market.

bluebird bio. Bluebird bio focuses on the nascent field of gene therapy. Currently its sole approved product is Zynteglo. It was approved by the European Commission (EC) on June 14, 2019 for patients 12 years or older with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia who did not have a 0/0 genotype and for patients where hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) transplantation wasnt appropriate, but a human leukocyte antigen (HLA-matched related HSC donor isnt available. Its a little difficult to mention bluebird without mentioning the price of Zynteglo, which is $1.8 million in Europe. In addition to its scientific innovation, bluebird bio is innovative in terms of pricing structure. Zynteglos price is spread out over five years, with an initial upfront price of 315,000 euros with the four additional yearly payments due only if the treatment continues to work.

The product launched in Germany on Jan. 13, 2020. Bluebird initiated the rolling Biologics Licensing Application for Zynteglo in the U.S. and is currently in discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on the timing and various components of the submission. They hope to complete the BLA submission in the first half of this year.

Biogen. Biogen specializes in therapies for central nervous system disorders. Some of its most well-known products are Alprolix for hemophilia B, Avonex, Fampyra, Tecfidera and Tysabri for multiple sclerosis, and Spinraza for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). However, most recently, the company has been in the headlines for its aducanumab for Alzheimers disease. The drug was declared a failure in March 2019, but was resurrected this year after some of the later trial data showed effectiveness at the highest dose. Still, its not a slam dunk to be approved by the FDA and there are plenty of skeptics.

Analysts expect Biogen to submit aducanumab to the FDA in a matter of weeks, although the company is being tight-lipped about the timetable.

Bayer. Based in Germany, Bayer is one of the largest pharma companies in the world. In 2018, Bayer acquired U.S.-based Monsanto, which no longer exists under the Monsanto name. The companys business units include Bayer Crop Science, Consumer Health, Pharmaceuticals, Animal Health and Business Services.

On Jan. 16, 2020, Bayer sold one of its last Germany-based manufacturing facilities to Shanghai, China-based WuXi Biologics. The plant will be run by WuXi Biologics and act as a backup site for the manufacture of Bayers Kovaltry (antihemophilic factor). The primary site for Kovaltry product is Bayers facility in Berkeley, California.

Novartis. Based in Switzerland, Novartis has a well-known portfolio of drugs, including Clozaril, Voltaren, Tegretol, Diovan, Gleevec, and Ritalin. Its Sandoz Division is a global leader in generic drugs and biosimilars.

Last year, the FDA approved Zolgensma, a gene therapy for SMA, which was developed by its subsidiary, AveXis. Although there was some controversy over data manipulation in preclinical studies, it was determined not to affect the safety or efficacy of the therapy.

In late November 2019, Novartis acquired The Medicines Company for $9.7 billion, only a week after The Medicines Company announced positive data from its ORION-10 Phase III trial for inclisiran for lowering cholesterol.

GlaxoSmithKline. Headquartered in London, GSK markets drugs for numerous major diseases, such as asthma, cancer, infections, diabetes and mental health. Its best-known drugs include Advair, Augmentin, Flovent, Lamictal and others.

At the recent JP Morgan Healthcare Conference, Emma Walmsley, GSKs chief executive officer, predicted it will have six regulatory approvals in the U.S. this year.

I am pleased with the progress and the momentum that weve been able to make over the past couple years, she told CNBCs Jim Cramer.

Walmsley noted positive data for a number of programs, including ones gained from its $5.1 billion acquisition of Tesaro Oncology in 2018. She also noted a two-drug regimen for HIV that the companys subsidiary ViiV Healthcare has been developing.

Genentech. Generally viewed as the first modern biotechnology company, Genentech is a subsidiary of Swiss-based Roche, although Genentech is based in South San Francisco. It has a laundry list of successful drugs, often in the oncology market, such as Avastin, Tarceva, Zelboraf, Kadcyla, Alecansa, Venclexta and Tecentriq. It also has antivirals, such as Xofluza, Hemlibra for hemophilia A, and Esbriet for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

On Dec. 12, 2019, Genentech announced that its Phase III IMspire150 trial in patients with previously untreated BRAF V600 mutation-positive advanced melanoma, hit its primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS). It showed adding Tecentriq to Cotellic and Zeleboraf decreased the risk of the disease getting worse or death, compared to placebo plus Cotellic and Zelboraf.

Amgen. Based in Thousand Oaks, California, Amgens best-selling products are Neulasta, an immunostimulatory for patients undergoing chemotherapy, and Enbrel, used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. Other products include Epogen, Aranesp, Prolia and XGeva.

On Nov. 1, 2019, the company expanded its presence in China by taking a 20.5% stake in China-based BeiGene Co. Amgen paid $2.7 billion in cash for the stake. As a result of the deal, BeiGene will commercialize Xgeva, Kyprolis and Blincyto in China.

On Jan. 13, 2020, the company inked strategic collaborations with Guardant Health and QIAGEN to develop blood- and tissue-based companion diagnostics for investigational cancer treatment AMG 510. AMG 510 is the first KRASG12C inhibitor to advance to the clinic for multiple cancer types.

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Who are the 10 Most Innovative Biopharma Companies? - BioSpace

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The report presents an in-depth assessment of the Global Red Biotechnology including enabling technologies, key trends, market drivers, challenges, standardization, regulatory landscape, deployment models, operator case studies, opportunities, future roadmap, value chain, ecosystem player profiles and strategies. The report also presents forecasts for Global Red Biotechnology investments from 2020 till 2025.

Industry Overview-

The Red Biotechnology Market is expected to register a CAGR of 5.7% during the forecast period. Red biotechnology is a process that utilizes organisms to improve health and helps the body to fight against diseases. Red biotechnology has become a very important part of the field of diagnostics, gene therapy, and clinical research and trials. Genetic engineering and the development and production of various new medicinal products to treat life-threatening diseases are also part of the benefits of red biotechnology. Severe Combined Immune Deficiency (SCID) and Adenosine deaminase (ADA) deficiency are genetic disorders that were successfully treated with gene therapy. Several promising gene therapies are under development for the treatment of cancer and genetic disorders. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), approximately 6,000 to 8,000 rare diseases found and out of them, nearly 80% are genetic disorders. Rising incidence and prevalence of chronic and rare diseases and increased funding in the healthcare industry are the key driving factors in the red biotechnology market.

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Top Leading Manufactures-

Pfizer Inc, AstraZeneca PLC, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Celgene Corporation, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Biogen Inc, Amgen Inc, Gilead Sciences Inc, Merck KGaA, CSL Limited

Biopharmaceutical Industry Segment is Expected to Hold a Major Market Share in the Red biotechnology Market

- Biopharmaceuticals are medical drugs that are produced by using biotechnology. Biopharmaceuticals are proteins, antibodies, DNA, RNA or antisense oligonucleotides used for therapeutic or diagnostic purposes, and these products are produced by means other than direct extraction from a native (non-engineered) biological source.- The first biopharmaceutical product approved for therapeutic use was recombinant human insulin (Humulin), which was developed by Genentech and marketed by Eli Lily in the year 1982 and in the year 2019, Novartis received FDA approval for gene therapy product in the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) condition. Using an AAV9 viral vector, called Zolgensma, which delivers SMN protein into the motor neurons of afflicted patients.- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), globally Cancer is the second leading cause of death and an estimated 9.6 million deaths in the year 2018.- Increasing incidence and prevalence of chronic and rare diseases and rapid expansion of the biopharmaceutical industries are the key driving factors in the biopharmaceutical industry segment.

North America is Expected to Hold a Significant Share in the Market and Expected to do Same in the Forecast Period

North America expected to hold a major market share in the global red biotechnology market due to the rising prevalence of chronic and rare diseases, increased expenditure in the healthcare industry in this region. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in the year 2019, approximately 1.8 million people will be diagnosed with cancer in the United States and estimated 268,600 women and 2,670 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Moreover, the rise in the adoption of advanced technologies in gene therapy and increasing investments in research and development is fueling the growth of the overall regional market to a large extent.

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Key Strategic Developments : The study also includes the key strategic developments of the market, comprising R & D, new product launch, M & A, agreements, collaborations, partnerships, joint ventures, and regional growth of the leading competitors operating in the market on a Global and regional scale.

Key Market Features: The report evaluated key market features, including revenue, price, capacity, capacity utilization rate, gross, production, production rate, consumption, import/export, supply/demand, cost, market share, CAGR, and gross margin. In addition, the study offers a comprehensive study of the key market dynamics and their latest trends, along with pertinent market segments and sub-segments.

Analytical Tools: Global Red Biotechnology Market report includes the accurately studied and assessed data of the key industry players and their scope in the market by means of a number of analytical tools. The analytical tools such as Porter's five forces analysis, feasibility study, and investment return analysis have been used to analyzed the growth of the key players operating in the market.

The research includes historic data from 2014 to 2020 and forecasts until 2025 which makes the reports an invaluable resource for industry executives, marketing, sales and product managers, consultants, analysts, and other people looking for key industry data in readily accessible documents with clearly presented tables and graphs.

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Red Biotechnology Market Size, Status and Recent Advancements, Forecast 2020 to 2025 - MENAFN.COM

Zacks Investment Research downgraded shares of Axovant Gene Therapies (NASDAQ:AXGT) from a hold rating to a sell rating in a report released on Wednesday morning, Zacks.com reports.

According to Zacks, Axovant Sciences Ltd. is a biopharmaceutical company which focuses on the acquisition, development and commercialization of therapeutics for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Its product candidate includes RVT-101 which is in different clinical trial for the treatment of Alzheimers disease and other forms of dementia. Axovant Sciences Ltd. is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Other equities research analysts also recently issued reports about the stock. ValuEngine raised shares of Axovant Gene Therapies from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report on Friday, January 3rd. Chardan Capital upped their price objective on shares of Axovant Gene Therapies from $10.00 to $15.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a report on Monday, October 28th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and nine have issued a buy rating to the company. The stock currently has a consensus rating of Buy and an average price target of $24.66.

NASDAQ AXGT traded down $0.22 during trading on Wednesday, hitting $4.43. 227,466 shares of the companys stock traded hands, compared to its average volume of 146,417. Axovant Gene Therapies has a 12-month low of $3.81 and a 12-month high of $19.60. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69, a current ratio of 1.41 and a quick ratio of 1.41. The business has a 50 day moving average of $5.14 and a 200-day moving average of $6.11.

Axovant Gene Therapies (NASDAQ:AXGT) last released its quarterly earnings data on Friday, November 8th. The company reported ($0.61) EPS for the quarter, beating the Thomson Reuters consensus estimate of ($1.15) by $0.54. Research analysts predict that Axovant Gene Therapies will post -3.58 earnings per share for the current year.

A number of hedge funds and other institutional investors have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. BlackRock Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Axovant Gene Therapies in the second quarter worth about $1,482,000. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC lifted its holdings in shares of Axovant Gene Therapies by 955.3% in the second quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 4,221 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after buying an additional 3,821 shares in the last quarter. Jane Street Group LLC lifted its holdings in shares of Axovant Gene Therapies by 28.8% in the second quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 46,455 shares of the companys stock worth $289,000 after buying an additional 10,375 shares in the last quarter. Barclays PLC purchased a new stake in shares of Axovant Gene Therapies in the third quarter worth about $65,000. Finally, Woodstock Corp purchased a new stake in shares of Axovant Gene Therapies in the fourth quarter worth about $83,000. 14.80% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Axovant Gene Therapies Company Profile

Axovant Gene Therapies Ltd., a clinical-stage gene therapy company, focuses on developing a pipeline of product candidates for debilitating neurological and neuromuscular diseases. The company's current pipeline of gene therapy candidates targets GM1 gangliosidosis, GM2 gangliosidosis, Parkinson's disease, oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and frontotemporal dementia.

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Axovant Gene Therapies (NASDAQ:AXGT) Downgraded to Sell at Zacks Investment Research - Riverton Roll

Axovant Gene Therapies (NASDAQ:AXGT) was upgraded by stock analysts at ValuEngine from a hold rating to a buy rating in a report released on Friday, January 3rd, ValuEngine reports.

A number of other equities research analysts have also commented on the company. Chardan Capital increased their price target on Axovant Gene Therapies from $10.00 to $15.00 and gave the company a buy rating in a research report on Monday, October 28th. Zacks Investment Research raised Axovant Gene Therapies from a hold rating to a strong-buy rating and set a $6.00 price target for the company in a research report on Wednesday, November 13th. One equities research analyst has rated the stock with a sell rating, one has issued a hold rating and nine have assigned a buy rating to the companys stock. The company currently has a consensus rating of Buy and a consensus target price of $24.66.

Shares of NASDAQ:AXGT opened at $4.43 on Friday. The company has a quick ratio of 1.41, a current ratio of 1.41 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.69. Axovant Gene Therapies has a twelve month low of $3.81 and a twelve month high of $19.60. The stocks 50 day moving average is $5.14 and its 200-day moving average is $6.11. The firm has a market capitalization of $105.98 million, a price-to-earnings ratio of -1.00 and a beta of 1.18.

Large investors have recently made changes to their positions in the business. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC grew its stake in shares of Axovant Gene Therapies by 955.3% during the 2nd quarter. Tower Research Capital LLC TRC now owns 4,221 shares of the companys stock worth $27,000 after acquiring an additional 3,821 shares during the period. Barclays PLC bought a new position in shares of Axovant Gene Therapies during the 3rd quarter worth $65,000. Jane Street Group LLC grew its stake in shares of Axovant Gene Therapies by 28.8% during the 2nd quarter. Jane Street Group LLC now owns 46,455 shares of the companys stock worth $289,000 after acquiring an additional 10,375 shares during the period. Woodstock Corp bought a new position in shares of Axovant Gene Therapies during the 4th quarter worth $83,000. Finally, BlackRock Inc. bought a new position in shares of Axovant Gene Therapies during the 2nd quarter worth $1,482,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 14.80% of the companys stock.

Axovant Gene Therapies Company Profile

Axovant Gene Therapies Ltd., a clinical-stage gene therapy company, focuses on developing a pipeline of product candidates for debilitating neurological and neuromuscular diseases. The company's current pipeline of gene therapy candidates targets GM1 gangliosidosis, GM2 gangliosidosis, Parkinson's disease, oculopharyngeal muscular dystrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and frontotemporal dementia.

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Axovant Gene Therapies (NASDAQ:AXGT) Upgraded to Buy by ValuEngine - Slater Sentinel

The Electrical Shielding Tape market is an intrinsic study of the current status of this business vertical and encompasses a brief synopsis about its segmentation. The report is inclusive of a nearly accurate prediction of the market scenario over the forecast period market size with respect to valuation as sales volume. The study lends focus to the top magnates comprising the competitive landscape of Electrical Shielding Tape market, as well as the geographical areas where the industry extends its horizons, in magnanimous detail.

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Daimler AGSchmitz CargobullGreat DaneUtility TrailerPaccarVolvoWabash National CorporationFontaineHyundai TransleadNavistarKogel Trailer GmbhSchwarzmuller GroupFAW SipingHuida HeavyCIMCSinotrukLiangshan Huayu

Segment by RegionsNorth AmericaEuropeChinaJapanSoutheast AsiaIndia

Segment by TypeUp To 50 T50-100 TAbove 100 T

Segment by ApplicationCement IndustryFood IndustryChemical IndustryLogistics IndustryOil and Gas IndustryOther

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Gene Therapy Market 2020 Industry Size, Regions,Trends and Top Manufacturers Bluebird Bio, Sangamo, Spark Therapeutics, Dimension Therapeutics,...

Global Gunshot Detection System Marketwas valued US$ 920.2 Mn in 2017 and is expected to reach US$ 7120.7 Mn by 2026, at CAGR of 29.2% during forecast period.

The major growth drivers of the gunshot detection system market include the rise in demand for advanced security systems, increasing demand for security in various industry verticals, and rising criminal activities in urban areas. In addition, Increased incidences of gun-firing, especially at school premises, have led to various security measures, such as warning people in close proximity and alerting authorities to the location of the shooting all these factors will drive the growth of Gunshot Detection system market during the forecast period. Increasing government initiative side has led to the growth of the Gunshot Detection system across the globe. The latest trend for smart cities across the globe is resulting in the quantitative increase in demand of Gunshot across the nation.

Growing investment in border security is also likely to drive the market growth in the coming years, as gunshots systems can help border security forces to detect and stop any attempts of smuggling, infiltration, and illegal immigration. Also, with a little amendment of the system, it might be possible for the manufacturers to help forces identify criminals and detect illegal entry even in the absence of gunshots. Various law enforcement agencies across global are now deploying various strategies in order to control the increased incidents related to the mass shooting, which will further increase the demand and interest in advanced gunshot detection technology.

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At the same time, the factors that are limiting the market are the scarcity of gunshot detection professionals, the high installation cost of gunshot detection systems. Also, worldwide financial uncertainty and macroeconomic situations such as currency exchange rates and economic difficulties are some of the major challenges which are hampering the growth of Gunshot Detection System Market.

Based on the installation, the vehicle installations segment is expected to account for the largest share of the gunshot detection system market over the period. The growth in the vehicle installations segment is due to the upgradation of existing armored vehicle fleets. The increasing delivery of new armored vehicles is also leading to increasing demand for armored vehicles. Increasing soldier modernization programs are also contributing to the demand for overall GDS.

The global gunshot detection systems market is mainly dominating by Raytheon products, both in military and civilian applications. Shotspotter, which sells civilian versions of Raytheons gunshot detection system through the license, generated a revenue of around XX million in 2017. The product obtaining cost for gunshot detection systems is very low. The civilian usage of gunshot detection systems is gradually increasing across various countries, with the threat from random shooters and terrorists augmenting the demand from civilians.

North America is expected to drive the growth of the gunshot detection system market during the forecast period, 2017 to 2026. The gunshot detection system market in North America is expected to witness growth, because of the largest civilian gunfire deaths in the region, especially in the US where the firearm-related death rate is 25 times higher than other countries. Major US cities are planning to install indoor gunshot detection systems at universities, corporate office locations, and financial facilities, among others, over the next few years.

The objective of the report is to present a comprehensive assessment of the market and contains thoughtful insights, facts, historical data, industry-validated market data and projections with a suitable set of assumptions and methodology. The report also helps in understanding the Global Gunshot Detection System Market dynamics, structure by identifying and analysing the market segments and project the global market size. Further, the report also focuses on the competitive analysis of key players by product, price, financial position, product portfolio, growth strategies, and regional presence. The report also provides PEST analysis, PORTERs analysis, and SWOT analysis to address questions of shareholders to prioritizing the efforts and investment in the near future to the emerging segment in the Global Gunshot Detection System Market.

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Scope of Global Gunshot Detection System Market:

Global Gunshot Detection System Market, By Type:

Indoor OutdoorGlobal Gunshot Detection System Market,By Installation:

Fixed Installation Wearable Installation Vehicle Mounted InstallationGlobal Gunshot Detection System Market, By Application:

Military Law EnforcementGlobal Gunshot Detection System Market, By Region:

North America Europe Asia-Pacific South America Middle East & AfricaKey Players Operated in Market Include:

Raytheon Company Thales Group Battelle Memorial Institute Rafael Safran Electronics & Defense Rheinmetall AG ELTA Systems Ltd

MAJOR TOC OF THE REPORT

Chapter One: Gunshot Detection System Market Overview

Chapter Two: Manufacturers Profiles

Chapter Three: Global Gunshot Detection System Market Competition, by Players

Chapter Four: Global Gunshot Detection System Market Size by Regions

Chapter Five: North America Gunshot Detection System Revenue by Countries

Chapter Six: Europe Gunshot Detection System Revenue by Countries

Chapter Seven: Asia-Pacific Gunshot Detection System Revenue by Countries

Chapter Eight: South America Gunshot Detection System Revenue by Countries

Chapter Nine: Middle East and Africa Revenue Gunshot Detection System by Countries

Chapter Ten: Global Gunshot Detection System Market Segment by Type

Chapter Eleven: Global Gunshot Detection System Market Segment by Application

Chapter Twelve: Global Gunshot Detection System Market Size Forecast (2019-2026)

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Global Gene Therapy Market 2019 exhibiting a CAGR of 22.07% till 2025 - Fusion Science Academy

DURHAM, N.C. -- Few singers reach their sunset years with the same voice they had in younger days. Singing sparrows are no different. Duke University-led research reveals that elderly swamp sparrows dont sound quite like they used to -- nor do they strike the same fear in other males who may be listening in.

Humans are remarkably good at guessing a persons age just by hearing their voice. But this is the first time the phenomenon has been demonstrated in wild animals, said Duke biology professor and study co-author Steve Nowicki.

The findings were published on January 7 in the journal Behavioral Ecology.

During the early spring, a male swamp sparrow stakes out a breeding territory and threatens any male who dares to trespass on his turf. If a potential rival enters another males territory and starts to sing, the resident male says "Get out! by singing back with a rapid weet-weet-weet and flying toward the intruder. Eventually, if all else fails, he attacks.

Previous research by this team showed that male swamp sparrows reach their peak as vocalists at age two, and start to decline after that, singing less frequently and less consistently as they get older.

To find out if other males take note of such changes, the team set up a speaker in the territories of 35 male swamp sparrows in a Pennsylvania marsh and played them 5-minute audio clips of stranger males recorded at age two and again at age 10.

The team measured the birds responses, noting how closely each male approached the speaker. They found that males approached seven feet closer when they heard a potential rival singing at age two. This suggests that males are more aggressive towards younger-sounding rivals.

Males in their prime pose an obvious threat: if a resident male isnt assertive, theres a good chance that the other guy could steal his mates, said first author Matthew Zipple, a doctoral student at Duke. But apparently the song of a 10-year-old -- a centenarian in bird years -- doesnt warrant getting as worked up over.

If decreases in song quality in later life reflect the inevitable consequences of physical decline, the researchers believe that such changes could indicate to other males that a once-formidable male is no longer a match.

Whether song changes after mid-life make males more or less attractive to females is still unknown. One interesting question would be, is the equation a little different from the females point of view? Nowicki said.

Males accumulate genetic mutations in their sperm as they age that could make them less desirable mates. On the flip side, Nowicki said, The mere fact that hes lived this long means he must be doing something right.

This research was supported by the National Science Foundation (IBN-0315377) and Duke University.

CITATION: "Sounds of Senescence: Male Swamp Sparrows Respond Less Aggressively to the Songs of Older Individuals," Matthew N. Zipple, Susan Peters, William A. Searcy, Stephen Nowicki. Behavioral Ecology, Jan. 7, 2020. DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arz218.

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Male Sparrows Are Less Intimidated by the Songs of Aging Rivals - Duke Today

Because the queen was just as likely to be executed in both colonies, it showed that by mating with two males the queen actually doubled her chance of being executed.

Francis Ratnieks, Professor of Apiculture (beekeeping) at the University of Sussex, said: By studying test colonies, we found that queen stingless bees will have an increased chance of being executed by the workers in their colony if they mate with two males instead of the one male they normally mate with.

The reasons for this are fairly complex, but in short, it is due to the genetics of sex determination in bees and the risk of what is known as 'matched mating'.

The project tests a long standing idea of mine that if stingless bee queens mate with two males instead of one that it will increase their chances of being executed. It was quite satisfying that an idea that was thirty years old could finally be tested, especially when the hypothesis was found to be correct, Prof Ratneiks added.

The study, published in theAmerican Naturalist, helps biologists to understandwhy some species mate with multiple males, while others only remain with one.

The Honey Bee, which can be found in parts of the UK, is a species known for its queens mating with between ten and twenty males.

Queen stingless bees are closely related to honeybees and bumblebees, but are found in tropical climates such as Brazil.

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Queen bees more likely to be executed by their workers if they mate with multiple males, research shows - The Telegraph

"Having sex weekly may delay your menopause: Scientists say not getting enough action 'makes the body choose to stop ovulating'," reports the Mail Online.

Women enter the menopause when they stop releasing eggs, usually in their 40s or 50s. Some of the timing seems to be down to genetics, while lifestyle factors such as smoking are also important.

This study was designed to test the theory that women's bodies may stop releasing eggs when the body senses that a woman is no longer likely to get pregnant for example because she is no longer having sex.

The researchers also wanted to look into a theory that exposure to male pheromones (for example, from living with men) delays menopause.

Researchers analysed information about 2,936 women in their 40s and 50s who lived in the US. The women answered questions about their health, lifestyle, who else lived in their household, and their sexual activity. They were followed up for 10 years.

The researchers found that women were less likely to have gone through the menopause if they had weekly sex. However, the study only shows a link between how often women had sex and their age at menopause. It cannot prove that having more sex directly causes a later menopause.

The researchers did not find any evidence that exposure to male pheromones was linked to timing of the menopause.

Find out more about the menopause.

The researchers who carried out the study were from University College London.

The study was published in the peer-reviewed journal Royal Society Open Medicine on an open access basis, meaning it is free to read online.

Most of the media headlines suggested that regular sex could delay the menopause, or reduce risk of an early menopause. But the study only shows a link between sexual activity and timing of menopause, not that sexual activity can actually delay menopause.

The news stories themselves gave a more accurate picture of the research, although none pointed out that early menopausal symptoms can affect how likely a woman is to want to have sex.

This was a cohort study. Cohort studies are good ways to look for links between behavioural factors (such as sexual activity) and outcomes (such as menopause). However, they cannot tell us that one directly causes the other. The relationship may be more complex.

Researchers recruited women aged 42 to 52 in 1996 to 1997.

The 2,936 women were all pre-menopausal, although half were experiencing early signs of approaching menopause, such as hot flushes or irregular periods.

The women were asked a range of questions at the start of the study and at 10 follow-up visits over the following 10 years.

Questions included:

Researchers also checked whether the women had been through the menopause at any point during the study.They used the information to calculate:

The first question was to investigate whether menopause might be delayed by the presence of male pheromones in a woman's living space, while the second looked more directly at whether sexual activity was linked to menopause.

The researchers adjusted the results to take account of a range of factors, including:

Most of the women in the study (78%) were married or in a relationship at the start of the study, and 68% lived with their partner. 64% of the women reported weekly sexual activity.

During the study, just under half (45%) of women went through the menopause, with the average age at menopause being 52.

The researchers found no link between women living with men and the likelihood of having gone through the menopause at any point.

However, women who said they had regular sexual activity were less likely to have gone through the menopause than women who said they had sexual activity less than once a month:

The researchers explained their results in an evolutionary framework.

"During ovulation, the woman's immune function is impaired, making the body more susceptible to disease. Hence, if a pregnancy is unlikely owing to a lack of sexual activity, then it would not be beneficial to allocate energy to a costly process, especially if there is the option to invest resources into existing kin," they said.

On the other hand, if a woman is engaging in regular sex which could lead to pregnancy, "then it may be better to maintain the function of her menstrual cycle for slightly longer".

They point out that menopause is "an inevitability" that cannot be prevented by any behaviour.

Menopause, when women stop releasing eggs and are no longer able to get pregnant, happens to all women eventually. For most women, it happens during their 40s or 50s, but there is a lot of variation.

This study was an attempt to explain part of the reason for the variation in timing of menopause, looking at the question from an evolutionary perspective.

The study has limitations that mean we cannot read too much into it. As with all observational studies, it cannot tell us whether sexual activity is directly linked to age of menopause.

That's because many factors affect whether someone is having sex, and when the menopause happens. For example, if someone is experiencing anxiety or vaginal dryness both common symptoms of the menopause they may be less likely to want to have sex.

The findings of the study are interesting for scientists investigating the biology of the menopause and how it might be affected by lifestyle. But they are not particularly relevant to women. We do not know whether changing behaviour to have sex more frequently, for example, could change a woman's time of menopause.

There's no suggestion from this study that women should change their behaviour to delay menopause, even if they wanted such a delay.

Find out more about the menopause.

Analysis by BazianEdited by NHS Website

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Weekly sexual activity linked to later menopause - NHS Website

Comedy star Amy Schumer, who has rarely hesitated at sharing intimate medical issues, from her current desire for in vitro fertilization to the pregnancy-long hyperemesis vomiting she experienced while pregnant with her first child, talked IVF-related constipation Saturday at a wellness event hosted by Oprah Winfrey.

"I had my egg retrieval on Monday," the Rockville Centre-raised Schumer, 38, told media mogul Winfrey, 65, at "Oprah's 2020 Vision: Your Life in Focus" at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. "Which is also the last time I pooped," Schumer added. "I said I wasn't gonna say it, but I did. Yeah, can't poop after."

In a backstage video Winfrey posted on Instagram, the comedian assures her, "I feel so much better. I can't even complain, except that I haven't pooped since Monday." Oprah gives the camera a look, and Schumer rushes to hug her. "We'll save that for the audience. We'll save that for the 15,000 people. Charlotte needs to know!" Schumer said jocularly.

In the same video, when Winfrey asks if Schumer has tried teas said to help. "I was going to do Smooth Move," the comic said, referring to one such brand. "But then I was scared it would hit while we were onstage, so I'm waiting until after." Winfrey mentions that a type of airplane Schumer will be on soon has a good bathroom. "I'll use any bathroom if it happens, the comicanswers lightheartedly. "I will not be precious about whatever bathroom!"

"Listen, I heard @amyschumer hadn't [poop emoji] and I thought it was TMI but then she told a sold-out arena about it and apparently people love to talk about [poop emoji](or not)," Winfrey wrote in an accompanying post. "Amy, thank you so much for spending your Saturday making US laugh and sharing your journey through motherhood, marriage, and yes [poop emoji]. And Charlotte, you guys were EPIC!"

The full 40-minute interview is scheduled to run Wednesday at 8 p.m. on Winfrey's Facebook channel and the WW Now Facebook channel.

According to the Mayo Clinic, in vitro fertilization consists of a series of treatments to deal with infertility or prevent genetic problems and assist with the conception of a child. IVF procedures include harvesting mature eggs from a woman and then fertilizing thosein a lab setting. The resulting embryos are then implanted inside the future mother's uterus or a gestational carrier at a later date. One cycle of IVF can take two to three weeks and more than one cycle may be required for a viable pregnancy.

Schumer, who gave birth to son Gene Attell in May, is married to celebrity chef and cookbook author Chris Fischer. She said to Winfrey during the event that she'd like to have a daughter.I picture us all on the beach together," Schumer said. "And teaching maybe a little girl how to play volleyball.

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"What an amazing day with @oprah who is still to this day making people's lives better including mine and my family's," Schumer wrote on her own Instagram account. "Check stories for some clips and the whole thing will be available Wednesday! I'm wearing @russwest44 on my feet and Charlotte was a great time! The comics I mentioned people checking out are @miacomedy @janellejamescomedy @rachelfeinstein_ @bridgeteverett @marinayfranklin @ejthecomic and @chelsanity."

By Frank Lovece Special to Newsday

Read more:
LI's Amy Schumer talks effects of IVF treatments - Newsday

The Fulton County Health Department has scheduled the following health clinics and services. Please call the number listed with each service for an appointment or more information.

CANTON The Fulton County Health Department has scheduled the following health clinics and services. Please call the number listed with each service for an appointment or more information.

All offices of the Fulton County Health Department will be closed Monday, Jan. 20, 2020 in observance of the Martin Luther King holiday.

Maternal child health: Health screenings, WIC nutrition education and supplemental food coupons for women, infants and children. To make an appointment or for more information call 647-1134 (ext. 254). For Astoria clinic appointments call 329-2922.

Canton - WIC Nutrition Education - Tuesday, Jan 21 - 8-4 - Appt needed

Astoria - Clinic, WIC Nutrition Educ. - Wednesday, Jan 22 - 9-3 - Appt needed

Canton - Clinic - Thursday, Jan 23 - 8-4 - Appt needed

Adult Health Immunizations: Various vaccines are available. There is a fee for immunization administration. Medicaid cards are accepted. To make an appointment or for more information call 647-1134 (ext. 254).

Other times available by special arrangement at Canton, Cuba and Astoria.

Blood Lead Screening: Blood lead screenings are available for children ages one to six years. A fee is based on income. To make an appointment or for more information call 647-1134 (ext. 254). For Astoria appointments call 329-2922.

Family Planning: Confidential family planning services are available by appointment at the Canton office for families and males of child-bearing age. Services provided include physical exams, pap smears, sexually transmitted disease testing, contraceptive methods, pregnancy testing, education and counseling. Services are available to individuals of all income levels. Fees are based on a sliding fee scale with services provided at no charge to many clients. Medicaid and many insurances are accepted. After hours appointments are available. To make an appointment or for more information call the 647-1134 (ext. 244). *Program funding includes a grant from the US DHHS Title X.

Pregnancy testing: Confidential urine pregnancy testing is available at the Canton and Astoria offices. This service is available to females of all income levels. A nominal fee is charged. No appointment is needed. A first morning urine specimen should be collected for optimal testing and brought to the health department. Services are provided on a walk-in basis on the following days each week:

Canton: Every Wednesday & Thursday, 8-3:30 (for more information call 647-1134 ext. 244)

Astoria: Every Wednesday, 9-2:30 (for more information call 329-2922)

Womens Health: A womens clinic for pap tests, clinical breast examinations and vaginal examinations is available by appointment. There is a nominal fee for this service. Medicaid cards are accepted. Financial assistance is available for a mammogram. Cardiovascular screenings may be available to age and income eligible women. To make an appointment or for more information call 647-1134 (ext. 244).

Mammograms: Age and income eligible women may receive mammograms at no charge. Speakers are available to provide information to clubs and organizations. For more information or to apply for financial assistance, call 647-1134 (ext. 254).

Mens Health: Prostate specific antigen (PSA) blood tests are available for men for a fee. To make an appointment or for more information call 647-1134 (ext. 224).

Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Clinic: Confidential STD and HIV testing services are available by appointment to males and females at the Canton office. Services include physical exams to identify STDs, a variety of STD testing, HIV testing, education, counseling, medications and condoms. There is a nominal fee for services. Services are available to individuals of all income levels. Medicaid cards are accepted. To make an appointment or for more information call 746-1134 (ext. 224).

HIV Testing and Counseling: Confidential HIV testing and counseling services are available by appointment through the sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic at the Canton office. To make an appointment or for more information call 647-1134 (ext. 224).

Tuberculosis (TB) Testing: TB skin tests are available at no charge by appointment. To make an appointment or for more information call 647-1134 (ext. 254).

Blood Pressure Screenings: The Fulton County Health Department provides blood pressure screenings at no charge on a walk-in basis during the following times:

Astoria - Screening - Wednesday, Jan 22 - 9-12 - Walk in

Health Watch Wellness Program: The Health Watch Program provides low cost lab services. Through this program adults can obtain venous blood draws for a variety of blood tests. Blood tests offered without a doctors order Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP), Complete Blood Count (CBC), Lipid Panel, Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test, Hepatitis C test, and Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH). A wide variety of blood tests are also available with a doctors order. There is a charge at the time of service. To make an appointment or for more information call 647-1134 (ext. 254).

Dental Services: The Dental Center offers a variety of basic dental services to children and adults. An appointment is needed. Medicaid and Kid Care cards are accepted. To make an appointment or for more information call 647-1134 (ext. 292).

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Health Department announces services for the week of Jan 20 - Galva News

The Celtics were No. 2 in team merchandise sold from October through December at NBA-Store.com, with Jayson Tatum fourth in jersey sales. The Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James topped their respective lists, according to the latest numbers put out by the league. The top-10 jerseys belonged to James, reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Golden States Stephen Curry, Tatum, Houstons James Harden, Luka Doncic of Dallas, new Los Angeles Clipper Kawhi Leonard, LeBrons new Lakers teammate Anthony Davis, Philadelphias Joel Embiid, and Brooklyns Kyrie Irving was 10th. Kemba Walker ranked 14th, just ahead of No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson ... Changes to the NBA schedule in time for the 75th anniversary season in 2021-22 remain a real possibility, but the leagues board of governors likely wont vote on them in April, according to an Associated Press source. Suggestions include a 78-game regular season, an in-season tournament in November and December, and a reseeding of the playoffs prior to the final four ... Two-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns was in the starting lineup for Minnesota at Indiana after missing 15 games with a sprained left knee.

Major League Baseball has never issued a therapeutic use exemption for human growth hormone, the league and Major League Baseball Players Association announced in response to an allegation that four-time AL MVP Mike Trout has been secretly using HGH as treatment for a fabricated thyroid condition. An Instagram account purportedly run by David Brosius, son of 11-year major leaguer Scott Brosius, posted the claim, citing information gleaned while his father was Seattles third-base coach in 2017. (The elder Brosius was an assistant coach with the Mariners in 2017, and their third-base coach in 2018.) The account was deleted after social media site Reddit found the post, but then reactivated so David Brosius could apologize, claiming the story was a hypothetical with no evidence behind it. MLB issued 91 therapeutic use exemptions for ADHD drugs last season, according to the MLB/MLBPA annual report, plus one each for hypersomnia, hypogonadism, and kidney disease ... Houston Astros owner Jim Crane said he has interviewed a number of candidates, and expects to hire a replacement for fired manager A.J. Hinch by Feb. 3. He added that he expects most of Hinchs staff to stay in place ... Former Walmart Inc. chief executive David Glass, 84, who owned the Kansas City Royals for nearly two decades before selling the franchise for $1 billion last fall, died on Jan. 9 of complications from pneumonia. Glasss Royals reached the World Series twice and won it in 2015, but had just four winning seasons in his 20 years as owner ... The Colorado Rockies will retire the No. 33 of outfielder Larry Walker, a Hall of Fame contender in his final year on the writers ballot, on April 19 ... Reliever Craig Stammen finalized a $9 million, two-year contract to remain with the San Diego Padres.

The No. 5 Boston College mens hockey team weathered two UMass Lowell goals in the first 71 seconds at Tsongas Center, coming back to beat the No. 13 River Hawks, 3-2. Marc McLaughlin, Alex Newhook, and Logan Hutsko had the answer for the Eagles (14-5-0, 8-3-0 Hockey East), whove won 12 of 13 ... Mitchell Chaffee made it a hat trick with an empty-netter in the final seconds for No. 7 UMass (15-7-1, 8-4-1), which dominated host Vermont, 4-0 ... Third-period goals from sophomores Jake Wise and Jack DeBoer gave BU (8-7-5, 5-3-4) a 3-2, come-from-behind win at Merrimack ... No. 16 Harvard (9-5-2, 7-3-1 ECAC) scored three times on the power play, Jack Drury adding an assist in a 3-1 home win over St. Lawrence ... Sophomore Alexis Hills double-double, with 17 points and 16 rebounds, helped lead Northeastern (7-8, 3-1 Colonial Athletic) womens basketball to a 68-65, overtime victory over Elon at Cabot Center.

Two-time Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year Travis Etienne is returning to Clemson for his senior season, the junior running back announced on social media. Etienne was projected as a second-round selection after he gained 1,614 yards and 19 touchdowns this season ... Declaring of quarterback Joe Burrow, we call him young Tom Brady, president Donald Trump feted national champion LSU at the White House, saying the undefeated Tigers would long be remembered as one of the greatest in college football history ... Boston College announced Matt Thurin, an Ohio State defensive quality control coach the last five seasons, as its special teams coordinator under new coach Jeff Hafley. Hafley worked with Thurin on the OSU staff for one year.

Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Dougie Hamilton, a first-time All-Star, had surgery and is out indefinitely after he broke his left leg Thursday, getting tangled with Columbus Kevin Stenlund during a chase for the puck. The 26-year-old has 14 goals and 40 points in 47 games, second and fourth respectively among NHL defensemen ... Former Whitman-Hanson star midfielder Sam Mewis was named among the 20 players that will compete from the United States in the upcoming CONCACAF Olympic qualifying womens soccer tournament. Five of her teammates from the Womens World Cup champions last summer were not, including Alex Morgan, whos expecting her first child, and promising young forward Mallory Pugh. Eighteen of the 20 spots went to players from the World Cup squad, including one to Carli Lloyd, who will turn 38 before the Tokyo Games and was largely a reserve in France. The charges of Vlatko Andonovski, who took over last October after Jill Ellis stepped down, open qualifying on Jan. 28 in Houston against Haiti. The United States has made the field for every Olympic tournament since womens soccer was added to the Games in 1996, and has won four gold medals ... American star Christian Pulisics adductor injury appears likely to keep him out of Chelseas lineup until mid-February. The 21-year-old attacker has not played since New Years Day, and has six goals and six assists in all competitions this season.

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Jayson Tatum, Celtics really bringing in the green at merchandise stand - The Boston Globe

The opioidepidemic imposes scrutiny on clinicians and patients alike; with particularemphasis on cancer survivors who require the drugs to manage their pain. Howdoes the clinician determine who is at risk for persistent opioid use andabuse? A group of radiation oncologists and pain specialists from theUniversity of California San Diego (UCSD) conducted a study to answer thisvital question, and presented their findings at the 2019 American Society forRadiation Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting, held in Chicago.1

More than 50% of oncology patients who receive curative treatmentsuffer from moderate to severe pain that can be relieved by opioids, according toWHO pain guidelines.2 Although these medications are accepted forrelief of such acute pain, their use in situations where patients have chronicpain (lasting for more than 3 to 6 months) is not so well defined. There arerisks of such long-term administration, such as medication tolerance and lossof efficacy over time. The potential of toxicity can lead to conditions such asdepression, difficulty concentrating, and sedation, and the patient may alsodevelop hyperalgesia or hypogonadism. There are also the well-known risks ofdependence, misuse and abuse, and accidental overdose. The authors of thisstudy support adopting the clinical practice guideline of the American Societyof Clinical Oncology (ASCO) when using opioids to achieve optimal pain management,using risk mitigation strategies such as judicious opioid use, drug screening,adherence monitoring, and strategies for alternative pain management.1,3

Creating a Risk Score

The radiation oncologists sought to identify clinical risk factors and create a risk score, utilizing an evidence-based risk stratification approach to identify patients who might benefit from a proactive approach by the oncology nurse or other clinician. Their efforts resulted in the Cancer Opioid Risk Tool, a validated prediction tool for assessing the risk of persistent opioid use 1 to 2 years after treatment, estimating risk aslow (less than 5%), intermediate (5% to 25%) and high (greater than 25%).

The researchers usedthe Veterans Affairs (VA) Informatics and Computing Infrastructure (VINCI)database, which contains detailed electronic health record information on allveterans within the VA health care system. This database provided data on106,732 veteran cancer survivors whose cancer had been diagnosed between 2000and 2015.1

Common diagnosesamong the VA patients were 1 of 12 noncutaneous, nonhematologic malignancies,including cancer of the bladder, breast, colon, esophagus, head and neck,kidney, liver, lung, pancreas, prostate, rectum, or stomach. The study groupincluded patients who were treated with surgery, radiation therapy (RT), orboth and who were alive without disease recurrence 2 years after treatment hadbegun.1

Two models of the Cancer Opioid Risk Tool are available on the website: Full and Lite. Using an automated algorithm, the risk for persistent opioid use is calculated based on data entered by the clinician. The lite model uses 5 variables: age, presence of depression, alcohol abuse, prior opioid use, and whether treatment included chemotherapy. The more complex, full, model uses these 5 variables plus employment status, psychiatric diagnoses, race, tobacco use, body mass index (BMI) category, type of cancer, disease stage, and local treatment. (Note, although improvements to the tool are ongoing, it is totally functional.) The full version is recommended if providers have time and access to all of the relevant information.

This article originally appeared on Oncology Nurse Advisor

The rest is here:
Emerging Clinical Tool Predicts Risk of Persistent Use of Opioids After Treatment in Patients With Cancer - Cancer Therapy Advisor

Genetics, gene mutations, and cancer risk

Genetics is the field of science that looks at how traits (such as eye color) are passed down from parents to their children through genes.

Genes are pieces of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) inside our cells that tell the cell how to make the proteins the body needs to function. DNA is the genetic blueprint in each cell. Genes affect inherited traits passed on from a parent to a child, such as hair color, eye color, and height. They can also affect whether a person is likely to develop certain diseases, such as cancer.

Changes in genes, called mutations, play an important role in the development of cancer. Mutations can cause a cell to make (or not make) proteins that affect how the cell grows and divides into new cells. Certain mutations can cause cells to grow out of control, which can lead to cancer. Still, only about 5% to 10% of all cancers are thought to be strongly related to an inherited gene mutation.

Usually several gene changes or mutations are needed before a cell becomes cancer.

Most cancers start because of acquired gene mutations that happen during a persons lifetime. Sometimes these gene changes have an outside cause, such as exposure to sunlight or tobacco. But gene mutations can also be random events that sometimes happen inside a cell, without a clear cause.

Acquired mutations only affect the cells that grow from the mutated cell. They do not affect all the cells in the persons body. This means all the cancer cells will have the mutations, but normal cells in the body will not. Because of this, the mutations are not passed on to a persons children.This is very different from inherited mutations, which are in every cell in the body even the cells without cancer.

Genetic testing is the use of medical tests to look for certain mutations in a persons genes. Many types of genetic tests are used today, and more are being developed.

Genetic testing can be used in many ways, but here well focus on its use in looking for gene changes linked to cancer.

Predictive genetic testing is the type of testing used to look for inherited gene mutations that might put a person at higher risk of getting certain kinds of cancer. This type of testing might be advised:

Most people (even people with cancer) do not need this type of genetic testing. Its usually done when family history suggests theres a cancer that may be inherited (see below).

Sometimes after a person has been diagnosed with cancer, the doctor will do tests on a sample of cancer cells to look for certain gene changes. These tests can sometimes give information on a persons outlook (prognosis) and help tell whether certain types of treatment might be useful.

These types of tests look for acquired gene changes only in the cancer cells that are taken from the patient. These tests are not the same as the tests used to find out about inherited cancer risk.

For more about this kind of testing and its use in cancer treatment, see our information on specific types of cancer.

Genetic counseling and testing may be recommended for people who have had certain cancers or certain patterns of cancer

in their family. If you have any of the following, you might consider genetic testing:

If you are concerned about a pattern of cancer in your family, cancer youve had in the past, or other cancer risk factors, you may want to talk to a health care provider about whether genetic counseling and testing might be a good option for you.

You need to know your family history and what kinds of tests are available. For some types of cancer, no known mutations have been linked to an increased risk. Other cancer types may have known mutations, but theres no way to test for them yet.

Family Cancer Syndromes gives you more information on the types of cancers that may be linked to inherited genes.

Its important to find out how useful testing may be for you before you do it. Talk to your health care provider and plan to meet with a genetic counselor before the actual test. This will help you know what to expect. The counselor can tell you about the pros and cons of the test, what the results might mean, and what your options are.

More:
Understanding Genetic Testing for Cancer

Published: February, 2020

It's tempting to try a direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic test kit that predicts your risk for developing certain diseases, like Alzheimer's or Parkinson's. The kit is shipped to your home, where you collect cells (typically with a cheek swab or a saliva collection tube) and then send them to a lab for DNA analysis. But a report from British researchers, published in The BMJ on Oct. 16, 2019, warns that the tests commonly produce misleading predictions of high or low genetic risk for disease. In other words, a positive result for a particular gene doesn't necessarily mean you'll develop a related health problem, and a negative result doesn't automatically mean you'll dodge a particular condition. Study authors say that interpreting genetic data is complex and depends on the context of your individual and family medical history. If you want to try a DTC test, bring the results to your physician for more insight. If your doctor determines that further investigation is warranted, he or she can refer you for genetic testing that's more comprehensive than DTC tests, performed by an accredited laboratory. Those test results may be combined with genetic counseling to help you understand what to expect and what the information might mean for your health or the health of your family members.

Disclaimer:As a service to our readers, Harvard Health Publishing provides access to our library of archived content. Please note the date of last review on all articles. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician.

Link:
Genetic test kits don't have all the answers - Harvard Health

St. Elizabeth Healthcare

If you could take a simple test that would identify your risks of developing a potentially deadly disease so you could prevent it or treat it sooner, wouldnt you?

A proactive genetic test can do just that. Caroline Ewart, Genetic Counselor in the Center for Precision Medicine and Genomic Health at St. Elizabeth Healthcare, says, Understanding your family tree is important for your future health. Genetics play a big role in what diseases we will develop in the future. The more we understand the family, the more you can proactively do to protect your health.

Many people dont consider genetic testing because they think it is too expensive, not accurate enough, or doesnt screen for the diseases that run in their family. Ewart is helping us bust some of the common myths of genetic testing.

Myth #1: Genetic Testing is Too Expensive

When proactive genetic testing started, it was very expensive, and only a few select laboratories across the country performed the testing. Today, genetic testing is very affordable. Many health insurance companies will provide some coverage for testing, and the laboratories now have a limit on what they can charge.

A proactive screening in the Center for Precision Medicine and Genomic at St. Elizabeth Healthcare is just $395. That includes an initial genetic counseling visit, coordination of blood tests, carrier status screening, and a comprehensive consultation discussing your results. Individuals with a Flexible Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) may be able to use these funds to pay for the cost of the screening.

Myth #2: Genetic Testing Only Finds Breast Cancers

Its true, when genetic testing was in its infancy, we only tested for BRCA1 and 2 genes which detect breast and ovarian cancers, says Ewart. But the tests today are far more sophisticated. We now test for over 100 different gene mutations looking for a range of diseases and cancers.

Inherited conditions the tests screen for, include:

Breast cancer

Cardiovascular diseases

Colorectal cancer

Cutaneous melanoma

Gastric cancer

Ovarian cancer

Pancreatic cancer

Renal cell cancer

Thyroid cancer

Myth #3: Genetic Testing Doesnt Help the Treatment of Diseases like Cancer

Genetic testing is used not only to proactively screen for certain diseases, but it is used to treat cancer as well.

If you have been diagnosed with cancer, the gene mutation may guide treatment. It can also help your team manage increased risks of developing other types of cancers, says Ewart.

More importantly, the results of proactive genetic testing can guide your healthcare teams recommendations for screenings of cancer and cardiovascular diseases. This may include starting screenings at an earlier age, increasing the frequency of screenings or suggesting more advance screenings.

By screening early, we can find the disease early, when it is most treatable, says Caroline.

Myth #4: Genetic Testing isnt Accurate

Ewart says, Certainly there are limitations to testing, but our process is more than just a blood test. By gathering a thorough family history we can determine your risk factors for developing certain diseases, even if a blood test comes back negative.

At St. Elizabeth Healthcare, if you are found to be at high risk or test positive for genetic cancers, you are referred to the Heredity Cancer Clinic to develop a plan for future cancer screenings. They may also recommend your family members be tested, so you can get a full picture of your familys health. St. Elizabeth has many types of genetic screenings. To find the one that best fits your needs, pleasestelizabeth.com/dna or call 859-301-GENE (4363).

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Healthy Headlines: Four common myths about genetic testing and why they are not accurate - User-generated content

For people like Cassandra Madison, direct-to-consumer genetic testing services from companies like 23andMe and Ancestry.com have proven revolutionary in filling gaps about their family history.

But connecting with biological relatives in cases of adoption or conception through sperm and egg donation doesnt come with a rule book forcing both parties to make difficult, emotional decisions, often on the fly.

Madison, who now lives in Virginia Beach, Va., was adopted as an infant in 1988 from the Dominican Republic by a white American couple. Throughout her life, Madison had little information about her biological family. My mom told me as much as she knew, which was just that they were very poor and couldnt afford to keep me anymore, Madison, 31, said.

Attempts to find more information on her own always proved fruitless. The lawyer in the Dominican Republic who handled Madisons adoption falsified paperwork and lied to adoptive parents about their childrens biological relatives, Madison said. It always became a dead end, Madison said.

Then one Christmas, Madisons mother gifted her with a 23andMe genetic test, so she could learn about her heritage. When she got her test results last January, she was surprised. I didnt know you could find people, she said.

Here is Cassandra Madison meeting her biological family:

When Madison clicked on her results to see her relatives, she found over 1,000 family members had taken the DNA test, which involves spitting in a test tube, including a cousin who lived in Connecticut.

She quickly went about researching him on Facebook FB, +0.17% and soon made contact. Low and behold, 20 minutes later everyone and their brother was messaging me on Facebook, Madison said. Months later, she made the trip down to the Caribbean country, meeting her relatives for the first-time in person.

Also read: 23andMe revealed that my daughter is not mine can I claim back child support from the biological father?

Genetic testing is fast becoming ubiquitous. As of 2018, around 60% of Americans with European heritage were likely identifiable from their DNA via searches of consumer websites from companies like 23andMe and Ancestry.com, regardless of whether they had ever taken a genetic test. One study estimated that around 100 million people will have their DNA mapped by one of these companies by 2021.

In situations where people were adopted or conceived with the assistance of a sperm or egg donor, the services from companies like 23andMe and Ancestry.com have removed the veil of secrecy that long existed over these relationships.

Dont miss: 23andMe can open a Pandoras Box of a familys medical secrets: As hard as it is knowing, not knowing is much worse

Consumer DNA tests have changed whos in power of the information, said Brianne Kirkpatrick, a certified genetic counselor and founder of the counseling firm Watershed DNA.

Historically, mothers typically were the only ones who knew the biological origins of their children. For decades, most adoptions were closed, meaning communication between the biological parents and their child was restricted. In many circumstances, their identities were also hidden.

Until recently, most sperm and egg donors made their donations under the expectation of anonymity.

For those who went through these procedures in the last few decades with the understanding that the donors would be anonymous the rules of the game have changed dramatically and donors are being identified and, in some cases, contacted whether or not they want to be, said Kim Kluger-Bell, a psychotherapist who specializes in infertility counseling. None of the fertility clinics or sperm banks I know of really anticipated this happening.

With so many people having taken tests already, it can be easy for some to find biological relatives. But that, too, can lead to awkward circumstances, particularly when someone connects with a relative other than their biological mother or father or vice-versa.

Ive heard stories of the parents of a sperm donor going on Ancestry.com and identifying a biological grandchild they never knew about it turned out their son had anonymously and privately donated sperm to a friend and agreed not to discuss the matter with anyone else, Kluger-Bell said. The parents of the donor wanted to contact the bio-grandchild and the parents of that child felt that this was completely inappropriate.

Ancestry.com and 23andMe have created resources for people who find themselves in these positions. There are certainly cases where a discovery might be quite unexpected. We take our responsibility towards our customers and the potential impact of complex discoveries very seriously, said Dana Chinnici, communications manager at Ancestry.

Both companies said they have experts on staff who can help customers work through some of the unexpected results they may encounter. 23andMe has a support page for customers and their family to navigate unexpected relationships, a company spokeswoman told MarketWatch.

Additionally, with both companies, customers can opt in or out of being listed as a match with other people.

When Madison was faced with the choice of reaching out to the relatives she connected with via DNA testing, she didnt hesitate. As kids we dont ask to be here, Madison reasoned.

Of course, that approach may not work for everyone. Experts who deal with situations involving adoption, and sperm or egg donation advised patience and caution when reaching out to relatives, but noted that theres not one correct approach.

There is no one size fits all scenario, said Amy Johnson Crow, a certified genealogist. Its important for the person making the contact to realize that the contact might not be welcomed. Although we all have a right to know our genetic history, we cannot force that biological parent to talk or to have a relationship.

Read more: I discovered through Ancestry.com that my biological father is someone else can I claim an inheritance as his heir?

Heres expert advice on the etiquette surrounding establishing contact:

Give the other person space: These revelations can have major ripple effects for other people, and so it may take time for the person to respond. Remember contact starts with knowing very little of each other and, like any other relationship, needs to grow and build over time. Genetics confers relatedness but not relationships, Braverman said.

Understand potential legal ramifications: Reaching out to a biological relatives through 23andMe or Ancestry.com could violate the terms of an adoption or sperm/egg donation agreement. One woman was threatened with a $20,000 fine after reaching out to the biological grandmother of her daughter who was born via sperm donation.

Establishing contact could leave you vulnerable to lawsuits, so before doing so its important to review the terms of these agreements in advance.

Consider hiring a professional: DNA tests are far from the only route toward discovering ones biological relatives. Genetic counselors and genealogists can assist in uncovering a persons family without these services. Moreover, these professionals can serve as an intermediary in establishing first contact with ones biological family. Kirkpatrick has served as an intermediary for clients in the past and said it can help slow down the process. Creating that buffer of space and time can ultimately lead to things going well in the end, she said.

An intermediary can also help in retrieving information from a biological relative, such as a family medical history, in instances where they do not desire further contact. Of course, this can come with trade-offs. Using an intermediary removes the pressure of an immediate response but also removes the real voice that is reaching out, Braverman said.

Keep your expectations in check: Having too high of expectations from the outset can easily lead to disappointment. To that end, experts suggested doing some self-reflection to understand what an adoptee or individual conceived via sperm or egg donation wants out of a possible connection, whether it be a relationship or something more simple like a family medical history.

Avoid making assumptions about what this biological relationship may mean to the other person, said Andrea Mechanick Braverman, a clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Thomas Jefferson University.

When Madison eventually made contact with her biological family in the Dominican Republic, joy was quickly met with sadness. She found out that her birth mother had already passed away. Additionally, she also found that some of her relatives were more interested in how much money she had than in forming more meaningful relationships with her. For those and other reasons, Madison said she would not have been able to handle this whole experience without the support of a therapist.

Despite this, Madison said she doesnt regret taking the DNA test or establishing contact with her biological family. Im learning a whole other side of me and can embrace it, she said. It was the best thing to go down there and to have people say, Oh my God, you look just like your mother.

Here is the original post:
Everyone and their brother was messaging me on Facebook. DNA tests reveal long-lost relatives, but the rest is a minefield - MarketWatch

CHICAGO (CBS) Despite exhaustive work by detectives, the murder of Pamela Maurer was left unsolved for more than four decades. Last year, a relatively new form of genetic sleuthing began to put together the pieces of the mystery in a matter of days.

DuPage County investigators provided genetic material preserved from the Maurer crime scene to Maryland-based Parabon NanoLabs. Pamelas body was found in Lisle in January of 1976. She had been sexually assaulted and strangled. She was last seen alive the night before her body was found, when she told friends she was going to a restaurant to buy a soft drink.

First, Parabon, led by chief genetic genealogist CeCe Moore, used the DNA to create a snapshot genotypewhich predicts a persons physical traits, such as eye, skin and hair color, and even the shape of a face.

The composite created from that test looks remarkably similar to Bruce Lindahl, a suspected serial killer who police now say killed Maurer. Lindahl died in 1981.

But the testing didnt stop with just a picture. The hard work had only just begun.

Moores team used the DNA to reverse engineer Lindahls family tree.

Parabon loaded the DNA sample from the Maurer crime to a website called GEDmatch and began a form of genetic treasure hunting. GEDMatch is a site where users can upload their genetic testing results, done by companies like 23AndMe and Ancestry.

Typically, Moore said, they find similar DNA from distant cousins of a suspect and build back from there.

We are looking just for people who are second, third, fourth, fifth cousins and beyond, Moore said. Typically we are not getting close matches to close family members.

Basically, Parabon is reverse engineering the family tree of the suspect based on who they are sharing DNA with, Moore said.

Moore said she found multiple distant cousins that led to Lindahl, up to 20 matches and put those puzzle pieces together.

It is almost never a single match that leads to an identity. Its a group of matches to see how they all connect to each other.

My work, and my teams work is really about providing answers to these families for years and decades, Moore said.

She said part of the hunt is luck. In this case, the data allowed them to find a suspected match to Lindahl in a few days.

But Parabons work didnt solve the case. Detectives still needed more proof. So, they got a court order to exhume Lindahls body and extract DNA from his remains.

The result was a match.

The odds of the DNA belonging to somebody else are 1 in 1.8 quadrillion, DuPage County States Attorney Robert Berlin said this week.

This was the second case Parabon has done in Illinois, but the first in the Chicago area.

Last year, Moores work led to murder charges against Michael Henslick, who police say killed Holly Cassano. She was found fatally stabbed in her home in Mahomet, Ill., on Nov. 2, 2009.

That case is expected to go to trial next month, Moore said. Parabon has so far worked on 93 cases with police across the country in the past two years. The most famous charges against the suspected Golden State Killer, Joseph James DeAngelo.

Critics find the practice controversial and a potential invasion of private DNA data. Moore says the benefit to the public, ensuring that killers are put behind bars, and the fact that families get some resolution, far outweigh those concerns.

I feel that the good that has been done is really immeasurable to public safety, Moore said.

Lindahl died at age 28 in 1981 after he bled to death while stabbing another victim, Charles Huber. The coroner said his knife wounds were accidentally self inflicted.

RELATED: Those Who Remember Lindahl Say He Gave Them The Creeps

Police now say he may have killed at least two other women.

Lindahl was charged with raping Deborah Colliander, who manged to escape from the attack. However, two weeks before Lindahls trial, Colliander disappeared after leaving her job at a hospital.

The case against Lindahl was dropped.Collianders body was found on April 28, 1982in a field on Oswego Township.

Investigators also think Lindahl may have something to do with the disappearance of Deborah McCall, a student at Downers Grove North. She was last seen alive in November 1979. Photos of her were found in one of Lindahls residences.

And there may be other victims in the 1970s and before his death, police said. The new evidence will be used to open additional investigations.

Investigators set up two tip lines: (630) 407-8107 (DuPage States Attorney) and (630) 271-4252 (Lisle police).

More:
The Case Of Pamela Maurers Murder Went Cold For Decades, Then Genetic Sleuthing By Parabon Helped Crack It - CBS Chicago

The personal, the political, and the science of ancestry tests.

Palestinian-American cartoonist and illustrator MargueriteDabaiespat into a test-tube and sent her DNA off to the genetic testing company, 23andMe.

To her surprise the results told her somethingsignificantlydifferent to what she understood about herself and her family.

Then, two years later, 23andMe sent her an update, andthe resultsradicallychanged.

Whats going on? And, with what consequences?Is genomic science way too white?

This is one of your and our favourite Science Friction features from the year for ABC RN's Summer Season.

One of your and our favourite Science Friction programs from 2019 for the RN Summer Season.

GUESTSMargueriteDabaieCartoonist and illustrator, New YorkDr Joanna MountainSenior Director of Research23andMe, USAProfessor SarahTishkoffDavid and LynSilfenUniversity Professor in Genetics and BiologyUniversity of Pennsylvania, USA

FURTHER INFORMATION23andMe doesnt know what makes a PalestinianCartoon by MargueriteDabaie(The Nib, 2019)

23andMes Global Genetics Project

The missing diversity in human genetics studiesGiorgioSirugo, Scott M. Williams, Sarah A.TishkoffCell,177, March212019

Presenter:Natasha Mitchell

Producers:Natasha Mitchell and Jane Lee

Sound engineer:Ariel Gross

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Do genetic ancestry tests know if you're Palestinian? A cautionary tale of race and science - ABC News

The autopsies didn't offer any clues. The children's hearts appeared normal. The family had what they referred to as "the curse of sudden death." And medical examiners couldn't figure out why.

After the deaths of the first two children, a medical examiner who conducted the autopsies got in touch with researchers at the Mayo Clinic Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory in 2004. Researchers at the lab had pioneered the concept of molecular autopsy, using genetic testing to understand the cause of death in sudden unexplained cases, and the examiner wanted to see if they could shed light on the mystery affecting the Amish community.

The team suspected that a gene called RYR2 could be the culprit -- mutations of the gene can cause a cardiac arrhythmic disorder that can lead to exercise-fainting spells, seizures or even sudden cardiac death. But when they analyzed the gene to check for mutations, nothing turned up.

The case remained cold for more than a decade. As the years went by, pediatric cardiologists and genetic counselors from other parts of the country reached out to the lab about other Amish families whose children had also died sudden deaths -- all looking for answers about this heartbreaking phenomenon.

"As we started building out the family structure, it became apparent to us that this was most likely a recessive disorder," David Tester, the lead scientist on the case, told CNN. "With more information and more technological advancement in terms of being able to look at genes, we were able to put this puzzle together."

The children likely had a common ancestor

Turns out, it was RYR2 -- the gene the researchers had suspected all along. But there wasn't just one mistake in the gene. More than 300,000 base pairs in the gene had been duplicated.

"We finally figured it out that it was an autosomal recessive condition where both bad duplications came from both parents, and those children were unfortunate to get the double dose," Michael Ackerman, director of the Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory, told CNN.

To develop the duplication that causes sudden death, a child has to inherit a mutated gene from each parent -- the chances of which are 25 percent. That four children in one family inherited the mutation and died sudden deaths is incredibly unfortunate, Ackerman said.

The Amish may be more vulnerable to recessive inherited conditions because they are descended from a small number of ancestors and tend to intermarry, Tester said. The two families studied in the report are seemingly unrelated, but because the children all had the exact same duplication in a gene inherited from both parents, Ackerman said that it's likely that they have a common ancestor.

The discovery can help prevent sudden death

Now that researchers know about this genetic marker, there are steps that medical professionals can take to prevent sudden deaths from occurring in other Amish children, Tester said.

"Having this genetic biomarker, we can now very easily test any individual for the presence of the mutation," he said. "Having that ability can potentially save lives."

Knowing who has the mutation and who doesn't is the first step to preventing tragedies like the ones experienced by the families in the study, Ackerman said. If adults who are carriers for the mutation know that they have it, they can make informed decisions about whether or not they should marry another person who is also a carrier.

There are still challenges ahead. For children who have inherited the mutation and are at risk of sudden death, the only solution to prevent it is an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), which can be extremely expensive. Ackerman said his team is working on understanding more about what causes the duplication in the gene so that a medication to prevent it can be developed, a treatment that would be much more accessible.

"We're going fast and furious to try to get this figured out for this Amish community," he said.

But for now, Ackerman hopes the discovery will provide some closure to the families who have lost their loved ones.

"We finally have figured out the curse of sudden death for the Amish community and they now have peace of mind as to the reason," he said.

Read the original post:
No one knew why the kids in 2 Amish families were dying suddenly. Now researchers have some answers - CNN

The National Western Stock Show Yards are brimming with history and cattlemen with the wisdom won through hard years and experience. The business of selling seedstock doesnt begin or end with the stock on display in the Yards, many of the ranches are selling their reputation built on generations of genetics.

The Colorado State University Seedstock Team hit the show ring Friday in the American Hereford Association shows, earning Champion Pen of Three Spring Yearling Heifers.

The team has traditionally displayed bulls and heifers, the cornerstone of a two-semester course designed to teach students the art of seedstock marketing. Though a year of experience gives only an overview of the process, it can help guide students as they find their niche in the industry.

Sam Cunningham, an associate professor of agriculture is originally from the Sandhills of Nebraska and began coaching the team last fall and is at the National Western Stock Show displaying four a pen of three and an alternate Hereford heifers and guiding six young women through the process. The young women come from varied backgrounds in Wyoming, Wisconsin, Colorado, Washington and Ohio.

This week I hope theyre learning things like the art and importance of presentation, both of themselves and the pen basically our stage and the livestock, Cunningham said.

The importance of a strong handshake, eye contact, and an introduction are being taught by each visitor to the pen, some of whom are Ram alumni and have made a point to report to Cunningham on the strengths of her students.

At semesters start, Cunningham and the students pored over the data and then walked through the cattle, all the while learning about selection with a production sale as the end result. The group sorted through Angus and Hereford bulls, Angus and Hereford heifers, and cow calf pairs, all part of the CSU ARDEC herd, finally choosing three bred Hereford heifers due to calve in April.

With the transition of the program on campus this year, we opted for a strong push in quality of presentation and emphasizing the importance of a breeder selecting the very best of the best to display, she said. Youre going to bring the best of the best, whether thats six or 16. Youre going to bring something representative of your best genetics.

While in Denver, the students have been promoting the bull sale, slated for Tuesday, Feb. 22 at the CSU ARDEC facility. Those who have hosted a bull sale know the amount of work and preparation outside of producing the sale cattle, and the students are partnering with others in the animal science program and ARDEC to work through the bull and bred female sale production calendar. Advertising, marketing, data, catalog, sale animal preparation, sale facility set up, and other details are playing a part in rounding out the students experience.

Bulls in this sale are summered on high altitude pasture near Hesparus where theyre grown and PAP tested before returning to ARDEC in the fall and placed on a bull development ration and managed with the intent and hope that they will be lauded for sale.

Also different this year from previous years, this group of students is going to be involved in the CSU Beef Improvement Facility Sale we host in Saratoga in April, she said.

That sale is ranch-developed commercial Angus bulls that have been altitude tested by CSUs Dr. Tim Holt. Working through sale selection and preparation for the two sales, each very different than the other, is a unique experience for the students.

As the spring semester wears on, the focus will shift to seedstock selection and mating decisions. This portion, she said, relies on area producers who speak to the students virtually or in person, sharing their breeding and marketing philosophies, the history of the program, and lessons from a lifetime in the business.

At the end of the day, the experience comes full circle through the students interaction with those in the industry, especially those whose roles may look like something to strive toward. One Ram alumna from Canada took time to speak to the young women, telling them about her experience as a woman in the cattle industry.

I wish I would have recorded her when she said it because you and I have talked about it, we have thought it, and it was that yes, we can cook dinner and make things pretty, but theres lots of other things we can do to generate value, she said.

Finding a place as a woman and within those traditional roles is attainable, she said, but creating a space as a woman in agriculture is also attainable.

I hope theyre seeing the value in the relationships and the networking, and the hustle it takes, she said. Theyre not all going to do this I dont know that one of them will do this later but I hope they get the importance of follow through and they see the risk and the reward and they develop a sense of pride in something. The relationships theyre building between themselves are important, too.

The cattle marketing is but one of the many lessons learned beneath the catwalk in the Yards, an old landmark, steeped in history, teaching a new batch of young people lessons once again.

Gabel is an assistant editor and reporter for The Fence Post. She can be reached at rgabel@thefencepost.com or (970) 392-4410.

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CSU Seedstock Team learning the ropes at the NWSS - Fence Post

Enlarge / This is the exact moment in the goop lab's third episode in which Gwyneth Paltrow admits she doesn't know the difference between a vagina and a vulva. She's making a hand gesture to say what she thought the "vagina" was.

Netflix

Disclaimer: This review contains detailed information about the Netflix series the goop lab with Gwyneth Paltrow. If you plan to watch the show (please, don't) and do not wish to know details in advance, this is not the review for you. Normally, we would refer to such information as "spoilers," but in our editorial opinion, nothing in this series is spoil-able.

In the third episode of Goop's Netflix series, a female guest remarks that we women are seen as "very dangerous when we're knowledgeable." [Ep. 3, 33:35]

"Tell me about it," Gwyneth Paltrow knowingly replies amid "mm-hmms"as if she has a first-hand understanding of this.

In fact, earlier in that same episode, we learn that the 47-year-old actor didn't even know what a vagina is.

"It's our favorite subjectvaginas!" Paltrow proclaims gleefully [Ep.3, 3:05]. Then the same guest, feminist sex educator Betty Dodson, corrects her: "The vagina is the birth canalonly. You want to talk about the vulva, which is the clitoris, and the inner lips, and all that good shit around it."

Paltrow giggles before responding, "The vagina is only the birth canal? Oh! See, I'm getting an anatomy lesson that I didn'tI thought that the vagina was the whole..."

"No, no, no, no," Dodson cuts her off.

To be fair, a lot of women might not be clear on this particular anatomical point. But for Paltrow, who claims to help empower women while touting dubious and dangerous products and treatments for said body partahem, vaginal steaming, cough, jade eggsyou'd hope she had a tight understanding of what a vagina isor isn't in this case.

But sadly, she didn't. And throughout the rest of the series, her ignorance and lack of critical thinking skills are on full display as a parade of questionable "experts" and ridiculous claims about health and science march across the small screen unchallenged.

(To be clear, Dodson was not among the dubious guests I'm referring to here; she is knowledgeable and respectable and was probably the most interesting and informative guest on the show.)

I'll go through each episode in more detail below, but for those who want to spare themselves from the bulk of the absurdity, I'll summarize here:

In so many ways, the goop lab with Gwyneth Paltrow is exactly what you'd expect based on what we already know about the Goop brand. The series provides a platform for junk science, gibberish, and unproven health claims from snake-oil-salesmen guests. It's a platform on which respected, trained medical experts are not considered the authorities on health and medical topics; where logic and critical thinking are enemies of open-mindedness; where anecdotes about undefined health improvements are considered evidence for specific medical treatment claims; where the subjective experiences of a few select individuals are equivalent to the results of randomized, controlled clinical trials; and where promoting unproven, potentially dangerous health claims is a means to empower women.

Paltrow and Loehnen sit in Goop's headquarters for an interview.

Netflix

Members of the "Goop gang" convene in Jamaica to convince themselves that magic mushrooms are a crucial part of a therapeutic journey.

Netflix

This woman isn't crying because she's on the goop lab. Instead, the tears are apparently coming on because she took a dose of psilocybin as part of a "therapy retreat" in Jamaica.

Netflix

A Gooper lies on the floor while tripping.

Netflix

These are often paired with anecdotes about participants in limited clinical trials. We hear their success stories without context about how the associated study at-large turned out or whether any positive results came with side effects or issues with bias.

Netflix

A Gooper gets a hug while tripping.

Netflix

Just another day in Jamaica, where Goopers gather to take shrooms, cry, and hug.

Netflix

The problem with this boilerplate statement is that most of the goop lab is full of one-sided, anecdotal claims that standard Western medical practice is all wrong. Right or wrong, that is most certainly a type of "medical advice," Gwyneth and co.

Netflix

But, beyond all of that, the show is just, well, boring.

Each episode uses the exact same structure. Each presents one of six health topics, which are (in order): psychedelics;"iceman" Wim Hof's breathing and cold-treatment method; female pleasure; anti-aging; energy healing; and psychics.

In each episode, you see Gwyneth Paltrow and Goop's chief content officer, Elise Loehnen, interview a couple of people involved in the episode's topic. The interviews take place in an airy, stylishly decorated office at Goop's Santa Monica headquarters. Interspersed between snippets of those interviews, you see groups of Goop-employee volunteers subject themselves to some therapy or experience related to the episode's topic. The interview dialogue from Goop headquarters is used to essentially narrate the Goopers' experiences. The Goopers' results are, in turn, intended to back up whatever claims the interviewees make.

It's a tiring structure for six straight episodes, and it's often not done well. The pacing is slow at times; some of the Goopers' experiences are just not engaging and seem like filler; some of their personal stories are introduced at the start of episodes and then inexplicably abandoned at the end; the interviews at Goop headquarters can seem drawn out and dry; and there are random tangents about Gwyneth Paltrow's life and the office environment at Goop headquarters.

Even if you're interested in the topics, getting through the episodes can feel like a slogand they're each only 30-35 minutes long.

It feels like the momentum of each episode is supposed to be driven by anticipation of how the Goopers' experiences match what the interviewees are saying. But we hardly ever get satisfying conclusions on that frontand we wouldn't be convinced even if we did. Instead, the show seems to move each episode along more by leaning on shock content that might best appeal to middle schoolersshowing glimpses of a woman having an orgasm, a Goop staffer getting a face lift using string that pulls her smile toward her ears, and a group of Goopers tripping on mushrooms.

Meanwhile, the goop lab makes no effort to question or critically evaluate any of its claims. There are no fact checks or counterpoints offered. There's no mention of any criticism and little to no warnings of potential harms.

In all, it's a show that you can safely skip. But, if you still want to know more about why the goop lab is so bad, let's run through the six episodes.

The first episode covers psychedelics and their potential to improve mental health. Paltrow and Loehnen sit down with Will Siu (a psychiatrist who supports "psychedelic Integration" in therapies) and Mark Haden (executive director of MAPS Canada, which is an affiliate of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, a nonprofit created in 1985 to advocate for the medical benefits and use of psychedelic drugs, such as MDMA and LSD). Siu received training at MAPS.

Being the person that people perceive me to be is inherentlytraumatic.

For instance, in 2016 the Food and Drug Administration greenlighted the first Phase III trial to assess whether or 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)known as "molly" or "ecstasy"can improve the symptoms of PTSD. And treatments with psilocybin, the psychedelic component of "magic" mushrooms, has yielded positive results in small trials on people struggling with depression.

While that research is legitimate and interesting, the Goop episode approached the topic in the dumbest possible way: a group of four Goop employees hop on a plane to Jamaica to trip on mushrooms. Two of the Goopers weren't trying to address mental health. One Gooper said she wanted to feel more creative and like her "authentic self," and Loehnen, who went, said she wanted a "psychospiritual experience." The other two were trying to "process some personal trauma."

While the clinical trials are evaluating specific drug doses to treat well-defined symptoms in tightly controlled, weeks-long programs, the Goopers drank mushroom tea once, in a "more ceremonial setting," surrounded by what they described as "psychedelic elders."

Meanwhile, the interview back at Goop headquarters starts rambling, with discussion around vague mental health issues, the value of "connecting people," harmful societal norms, and how basically everyone is suffering. Paltrow notes at one point that she, too, suffers mental-health problems despite her wealth and status, and she adds that "being the person that people perceive me to be is inherently traumatic." [Ep.1, 29:00] Poor Gwyneth.

At the end of the episode, some of the Goopers talk about how the experience was intensewell, yeah. We don't hear back from the woman who wanted to be more creative, so we can only hope things worked out for her. But one of the Goopers processing trauma (in his case, trauma of having an emotionally distant father) said in a final one-on-one discussion with Paltrow that he felt more of an "openness" after the experience. He thanked Paltrow for letting him go.

Yeah, OK.

NEXT.

Read more:
Goops Netflix series: Its so much worse than I expected and I cant unsee it - Ars Technica

Use it or lose it. Weve all heard that expression, often used in reference to the strength of our muscles or even parts of our brain. But is the saying also accurate for women when it comes to sex and fertility?

A study publishedon January 15, 2020, in the journal Royal Society Open Science found that women who had sex at least once a week were 28 percent less likely to go through menopausecompared with women who engaged in sexual activity less than once a month. Women who had monthly sex were 19 percent less likely to experience menopause than women who had sex less than that.

Related: 9 Natural Ways to Boost Your Sex Life

The authors of the paper suggest sexual activity, or the lack of it, could be sending messages to the body about whether or not continuing to ovulate is a good use of the bodys resources. If a woman isnt sexually active, the body may choose not to invest in ovulation because there would be no point, according to Megan Arnot, a PhD candidate at University College London, and coauthor of the study.

Conversely, if the woman is still engaging in sex regularly, then it may be adaptive for her to continue ovulating for slightly longer, the authors wrote.

Related: How to Have More Satisfying Sex

Investigators looked at 2,936 women in the United States who were part of the Study of Womens Health Across the Nation (SWAN), a multisite longitudinal, epidemiologic study thats designed to examine womens health during their middle years. At the start of the study, women were all between 42 and 52 years old and hadnt reached menopause yet.

Related: 5 Things Weve Learned From the Most Important Menopause Study

Women were asked how often they engaged in sexual activity of any kind, not just intercourse. Any sexual touching or caressing, oral sex,and masturbation counted as sex.

Sexual activity other than intercourse was included because of the authors hypothesis that the cues from these behaviors could all potentially trigger the same signal in the body that could indicate a possible pregnancy to the body, according to the authors.

The maximum amount of sexual activity from any of those behaviors was used as the sexual frequency number, or sex index. If a woman reported having intercourse once a month but oral sex every week, then weekly was recorded as her sex index. Due to the small number of responses in some categories, all responses were placed into one of three categories:

Climax, or female orgasm was not included as part of the questions or considered in the signaling hypothesis, Arnot responded via email. We arent 100 percent sure on the exact mechanism, but sexual activity can cause fluctuations in estrogen, which would send signals; it might just be that vaginal stimulation signals possible pregnancy, she wrote.

Although the study cant prove that the extra sex postponed menopause onset or that lack of it does the opposite, the authors suggest that the relationship is the result of an adaptive trade-off relative to the likelihood of pregnancy when approaching menopause.

To conclude that a lack of sex would somehow trigger the body to divert resources elsewhere is a bit of stretch, according to Lauren Streicher, MD, clinical professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago. You have to keep in mind that theres a big difference between causation and association. They found that women who are sexually active tend to go through menopause later than women who are not sexually active, says Dr. Streicher.

This doesnt mean that if you have more sex you wont go through menopause, according to Streicher. Theres a correlation between women who go through menopause earlier and who are not as sexually active, which is no surprise, she says. That doesnt mean that this earlier menopause is caused by the lack of sex, she adds.

Streicher uses a popular headline from last year as an example. It was in the news that people who exercise have better sex, she says. Yes, but the exercise doesnt make them have better sex; people that are physically fit tend to have better sex. Again, its about causation versus correlation, says Streicher.

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Keep in mind that biologically the reason we have sex is to reproduce, she adds. If biologically youre no longer able to reproduce, than biologically youre going to have more difficulty with sexual function.

Technically, menopause occurs after a woman goes 12 consecutive months without a monthly period. The months or years leading up to that milestone is called the menopause transition, or perimenopause, and symptoms can include hot flashes, mood changes, disruptions in sleep, and changes in the monthly cycle.

Genetics is probably the number one factor that determines when you will go through menopause, according to Streicher. It doesnt have anything do with when you start your period; thats a common myth. You dont go through menopause because you run out of eggs, she says. Its because your eggs age; you still have plenty of eggs, she says.

If your mother went through menopause early, in the absence of some medical reason, then you may too, says Streicher. There are still many things we dont understand about why some women go through menopause earlier than others, but it can be health-related. People with autoimmune diseases or thyroid disfunction tend to go through menopause earlier, as well as those with chronic disease in general, she says. Smoking has been linked to earlier menopause, too, she adds.

Research indicates that naturally going through menopause later in life is associated with a longer life expectancy as well as a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, and osteoporosis.

Having more sex can improve relationships, quality of life, and intimacy, says Streicher. Will it prevent heart disease, diabetes, breast cancer, or other chronic diseases? The answer is no. Sex doesnt make you healthier, but if youre healthier, you tend to have more sex, she says.

Streicher points to research published in the The New England Journal of Medicine by Stacy Lindau, MD, and colleagues that looked at sexuality and health in older adults in the United States. They found that age was less important than the persons medical condition. A healthy 70-year-old is far more likely to be sexually active than a sick 40-year-old, says Streicher.

People love saying, If you have more sex youre going to live longer. No, if you live longer, youre more likely to have more sex, she says with a laugh. And having more sex might make you happier, it might give you a better relationship, but it wont make you live longer.

Read more:
Will Not Having Sex Trigger Early Menopause? - Everyday Health

Nowhere is the struggle between maintaining the traditional status quo of the gender binary, and moving forward toward greater inclusivity, more pronounced than in competitive sports, due to the differences in male and female physiology. But, there is enough science and data out there to suggest these differences arent nearly as stark as weve been led to believe which means any argument against allowing trans and intersex people and people with differences in sex development (DSD) to compete against ciswomen is queerphobic at best. Here are all the arguments you need to fight for greater gender inclusivity in sport.

The science on what womens bodies can do is flimsy at best. But consider what the female body can do better than a male body: Womens bodies have a lower center of gravity and therefore better balance; they tend to be more flexible, and their bodies more efficiently convert calories into energy giving them greater endurance, Liesl Goeker writes for The Swaddle, while arguing for equal pay in sports. This gives women the upper hand in ultra-endurance running and gymnastics just as male bodies have the upper hand when it comes to sports such as the shotput and 100m sprint that require speed and brute strength. But zero trans women who are gymnasts are complaining about the advantage cis women have, or saying they want to compete in the mens category for endurance running or gymnastics because they just want to participate in the sports category congruent to their chosen gender identity.

Besides, sports isnt fair. It never was. Genetics isnt either. Many elite athletes are genetically blessed in a way the average person isnt. Basketball players have the advantage of height, and Michel Phelpss very peculiar anatomy gives him the upper hand in swimming. Privilege isnt fair either athletes of color are at a disadvantage when it comes to exposure, opportunities, and resources to even begin pursuing sports competitively, compared to Caucasian athletes. So, what is this level playing field argument but a myth spun by those allowed to play and win in the field, to maintain the status quo?

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The science on physiological advantages male athletes have over female athletes is in a nascent stage. Its important to preface this argument by pointing out that very little research and conversation is around, say, the advantages of estrogen (the hormone responsible for many physical characteristics of a typical female) or prolactin (the breastfeeding hormone) on athletic ability. The obsession is entirely with testosterone (T) the hormone responsible for many glorified physical characteristics of a typical male and the absurd question of at what level of testosterone does a female athlete become too good to be a woman.

For every credible study and statement out there that proves greater testosterone is linked to greater athletic ability in men and women, there are equally credible studies that prove testosterone is just one of the many factors that affect sporting ability sometimes even negatively. Take the International Association for Athletics Federations data on elite women athletes. Its initial analysis of two world championships showed that women with higher T levels performed better in only five out of 21 events.

After an independent group of researchers took an issue with the research methodology to reach even this finding, the sports body was forced to issue a correction. In the corrected results, in three of 11 running events, the group with the lowest levels of T did better. Across all events, the association between T and performance was the strongest (and the most surprising) in the 100m sprint: athletes with lower T ran 5.4% faster than those with the highest levels of T. The independent group of researchers who objected to the results earlier concluded its impossible to discern the real relationship, if any, between T and performance. Clearly, though, neitherthis study nor the broader sports science literature supports the IAAFs claim that targeted trans, intersex athleteshave the same advantages over [other] women as men do over women.

Then theres the stuff outside of the binary that science is nowhere close to explaining clearly, like Chands and Semenyas hyperandrogenism (a medical condition where a typical female body produces higher testosterone than usual). Or, as Faryal Mirza, a clinical endocrinologist at the University of Connecticut Medical Center, tells Scientific American, sometimes high T simply means that a person isnt very efficient at using T: the body is producing more precisely to arrive at typical function of someone producing T in the typical range.

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IAAFs Caster Semenya Decision Arbitrarily Dictates What Is Female

A review of 31 national and international transgender sporting policies, including those of the International Olympic Committee, the Football Association, Rugby Football Union and the Lawn Tennis Association by researchers at the Scool of Sports Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University concluded: After considering the very limited and indirect physiological research that has explored athletic advantage in transgender people, we concluded that the majority of these policies were unfairly discriminating against transgender people, especially transgender females by overinterpreting the unsubstantiated belief that testosterone improves athletic performance.

Thousands of trans athletes have been competing at national and international competitions who you just dont hear about simply because they dont all win or qualify for the Olympics even with all their apparent unfair advantages. This also proves the non-cisgender athletes who do go ahead and win medals owe their success more to their training, skill, perseverance, resilience, and a host of other reasons apart from their gender or sex, and especially from the myth of testosterone.

Yikes. Are we really suggesting there are numerous male athletes who will declare they identify as women, go through exhausting transition processes such as hormone replacement, gather the required medical and psychological proof of their fake gender dysmorphia (prolonged distress caused a mismatch between their biological sex andgenderidentity), go through their entire lives living under the pretense of being female, all while facing prejudice that trans people face on a daily basis only for a few gold medals and some cash?

Notwithstanding the paranoia (looking at you Martina Navratilova), this argument is the literal definition of transphobia. This idea that we should ban all innocent and real trans and intersex women based solely on the fantastic hypothetical of the fraudulent cis man has roots in an irrational fear of the other (in this case, non-cisgender people) based on prejudice or ignorance.

Laws and rules can always be misused, irrespective of gender. But, we cant deny peoples rights simply because a few could, in theory, game the system. Look at it this way: are some people falsely framed for murder? Yes. Does that mean we dont have any rules to punish the crime? Of course not.

This debate doesnt even have to be esoteric; there is actual data to prove male athletes arent queuing up to declare a new gender identity. In 2003, the International Olympic Committee adopted the Stockholm Consensus (SC) allowing the inclusion of trans athletes who had undergone sex reassignment, making it possible for trans athletes to compete in the Olympics from 2004. The IOC modified these guidelines in 2015 to put a cap on testosterone levels for trans women athletes. And yet, despite the fact that more than 50,000 athletes have participated in the Olympics since 2004, no trans athlete has ever been a part of the Olympics until now, real or fake. So, clearly including trans athletes in sports wont make the sky fall.

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Creating a third, mixed category for trans, non-binary, cis men and women to compete against each other can be an earnest, motivating place to start making sports more inclusive. Mixed-gender sports teams are a widely debated topic and have been for many years, just not in relation to opportunities for transgender people. But, introducing more mixed-gender sports teams would also facilitate accessibility for transgender people.

The IOC did well, when in June 2017, it added mixed-sex events in athletics, swimming, table tennis, and triathlon to the upcoming Summer Olympics schedule in Tokyo 2020, in addition to the traditional categories. This not only allows trans and intersex athletes to compete as their chosen gender identity based on their athletic ability alone, Tokyo 2020s milestone mixed-sex events are a concrete step towards ungendering sports. (It is important here to note this will all be moot unless the IOC allows trans and intersex athletes to compete in these mixed events at least without having to meet any criteria other than being a human adult whos good enough to qualify.)

Another way to organize sports, as suggested by Alison Heather, a physiologist at the University of Otago in New Zealand, and her colleagues in an essaypublished in the Journal of Medical Ethics, would be to create a system that uses an algorithm to account for physiological factors such as testosterone, height, and endurance, and social factors like gender identity and socioeconomic status. Sure its a Herculean task, but international sports bodies have enough money to at least begin research into the idea if it means a more inclusive world.

Apart from this, sports can also be organized on the basis of other factors such as weight class, professional/amateur status, and size. The idea is that through a mixture of formats, we redesign sports to make them more inclusive.

Its going to take fresh thinking and self-awareness that what we believe to be facts about sex and gender are not unquestionable. But every individual must have the possibility of practicing sport, without discrimination of any kind, and in the spirit which requires mutual understanding, with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play. Those are not my words, thats the Olympic charter.

See more here:
All The Arguments You Need: To Prove It's Fair for Trans, Intersex Athletes to Compete in Their Chosen Gender Category - The Swaddle

Penguins, it so happens, dont like to travel solo at least not the five king penguins of Montreals Biodme.

So when renovations began at the nature museum and the king penguins were moved from their sub-Antarctic island ecosystem to the Calgary Zoo in 2018, they all travelled together in the same crate.

We noticed that a penguin is more stressed alone, so it was decided to build a large crate, using a transportation palette as the base, and to transport them together, explained Jean-Philippe Gagnon, one of the Biodmes three living-collection supervisors. They are responsible for about 40 employees who work with aquatic and terrestrial animals and with plants.

It is also stressful for the penguins not to see the source of sounds around them, he said, and so the crate incorporated grilles so they were able to see out. The crate was placed in the cargo section and a Biodme veterinarian was on the same flight.

As the habitats of the 2,500 individuals from 175 species in the nature museum were emptied in April 2018, many of the animals were moved to temporary abodes in Montreal, elsewhere in Canada or the United States. As renovations near completion, plans are in place for the animals to be returned to the Biodme in 2020.

Biodme director Yves Paris checks out the new entranceway of the Biodme on Dec. 9, 2019. The Biodme is scheduled to reopen in the spring.Pierre Obendrauf / Montreal Gazette

A planned reopening in September 2019 was delayed to mid-December, then delayed again. Surprises encountered with demolition of parts of the unusual building, constructed as a velodrome for the 1976 Olympic Games, were in part responsible, said Biodme director Yves Paris. So were shortages of skilled workers and delays in deliveries of materials.

The reopening is now anticipated for the spring of 2020. There could be more surprises, but things are going well and I hope it will be spring, he said.

With one million visitors a year, the Biodme is the most-visited facility in Quebec among museums with admission fees. The goal of the $37.2-million renovation is to make its public spaces more welcoming by creating for visitors a more immersive experience, Paris said.

The museum is unique in the world because it features five ecosystems found in the Americas: a tropical rainforest; a Laurentian maple forest; ecosystems of the Gulf of St. Lawrence; the Labrador coast and the sub-Antarctic islands. Among new elements in the revamped Biodme are a bridge that will permit visitors to climb to the top of the tropical forest habitat for a birds eye view and a tunnel of ice leading into the polar ecosystem inhabited by the penguins.

Although the king penguins at a height of three feet they are among the largest penguins were moved to Calgary, other species of Biodme penguins, including the gentoo and Southern rockhopper, remained in Montreal in accommodations built especially for them.

They are smaller and we were able to create a temporary environment for their size and temperament without moving them, Paris said.

To deter overly enthusiastic visitors whose presence would be potentially disruptive to the population, the Biodme has remained circumspect about the location of the local temporary abodes.

To ensure that the move was as free of stress as possible, preparation for the transfer began long before the actual moves.

Two lynx were moved to the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park & Zoo in separate crates but at the same time during renovations at the Biodme. Claude Lafond/Espace pour la vie

Biodme director Yves Paris, left, talks to a worker as he walks through the new entranceway of the Biodme. The Biodme is scheduled to reopen in the spring of 2020 following renovations.Pierre Obendrauf/Montreal Gazette

A capybara, a member of the world's largesT rodent species, was transferred to the Magnetic Hill Zoo in New Brunswick as renovations at the Biodme in Montreal got underway, and he will stay there.Sylvie Pilon/Espace pour la Vie

A sloth like this one was moved to Granby Zoo during renovations at the Biodme.Claude Lafond/Espace pour la vie

This is how the entrance to the Biodme will look once renovations are complete./Kanva

A King penguin from Montreal's Biodme at the Calgary Zoo. Some animals were transferred to other facilities in preparation for renovations at the Biodme. The Biodme is slated to reopen next spring. /Calgary Zoo

Biodme director Yves Paris checks out the new entranceway of the Biodme Dec. 9, 2019. The Biodme is scheduled to reopen in the spring.Pierre Obendrauf/Montreal Gazette

An ice tunnel is being added to the polar ecosystem at the Biodme./Kanva

King penguins from Montreal's Biodme at the Calgary Zoo. Some animals were transferred to other facilities in preparation for renovations at the Biodme. The Biodme is slated to reopen next spring./Calgary Zoo

Its important to realize that these are beings we are transporting, said Gagnon, a biologist. There was a long preparation, six months to a year, for many to make sure that the transfer was not stressful for them and to provide for a period of acclimation in the new place.

The Biodme is part of an association of accredited North American zoos that manage their populations with broader vision that goes beyond the needs of a single institution, explained Gagnon. Regular acquisition activities, which favour co-operation and exchanges between North American zoos to maintain genetic diversity, slowed about two years before the Biodme closed.

Those individuals transferred from the Biodme were moved only to accredited facilities, Paris said. These include the Calgary Zoo, one of few facilities with the polar environment necessary to accommodate the king penguin colony, the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, Saskatoons Forestry Farm Park and Zoo, Magnetic Hill Zoo in Moncton, N.B.; Granby Zoo and the Ecomuseum Zoo in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue.

Moving the penguins was relatively simple since, apart from the special crate, they required no advance training or preparation, Gagnon said.

But in other cases, intensive preparation by Biodme workers was needed before animals were moved. They worked with the animals behaviour to effect the transfers, Gagnon explained. Before the six sloths were moved, for instance, a resting space was created in their habitat and a transport crate placed in it that they could choose to enter or not. It was a year before they started to enter the crate on their own.

One sloth was moved to the Kansas City Zoo, where he will remain; another, who was transferred to the Granby Zoo but still belongs to the Biodme, might return, Gagnon said. Four remained in Montreal.

The golden lion tamarin monkey also needed a year to get used to the crate in which the small South American primate was ultimately transported from the Biodme. It was left in his rainforest habitat, empty and initially he didnt want to enter it. Only once he was entirely at ease with it did animal technicians begin to train him to enter the crate, using a system of positive reinforcement and rewards.

Two lynx were transported to Saskatoon at the same time but in separate crates.

King penguins are part of a population management and conservation program known as the species survival plan; its intended to maintain captive populations that are both genetically diverse and demographically stable.

The Biodme had four males for one female; for reproduction purposes, couples are preferred, he said. By putting our two populations together, we were able to re-establish an equilibrium, so that both institutions will be stronger, he said.

The beauty of the operation is that by having a larger number of individuals, the penguins had a larger choice of partners, Gagnon said. Once penguins choose a partner, the two tend to stay together for a long time, he said.

A sloth like this one was moved to Granby Zoo during renovations at the Biodme.Claude Lafond / Espace pour la vie

In August of last year a new king penguin chick, the issue of two of the Biodmes king penguins, was successfully hatched in Calgary. The zoo said the egg was laid by Antoinette, who is 27. Because she and her mate, Louis, had never hatched a successful chick, they had no relatives in the zoo population. Having a chick with new genetics is important to the king penguins species survival plan, the Calgary Zoo said.

For reasons related to the welfare of the animal or the genetics of the population, a small number of animals who were moved will not return to the Biodme but will be replaced. Some of the king penguins are more than 20 years old, and more travel would be stressful.

And we want a few new animals, Paris said.

A capybara the worlds largest rodent species, native to South America went to Magnetic Hill from the Biodme and hell stay there. He is happy there, Paris said.

Besides, his Biodme habitat has been modified to accommodate a group of capybaras, and it would have been difficult to get him used to a group, he said. The other capybaras remained in Montreal, in spaces adapted for them.

Every transfer is a challenge and every one is different, but we can count on the experts, who know how to proceed so that everything goes well, said Marie-Jolle Filion, a communications co-ordinator with Espace pour la vie, the natural science museum complex made up of the Biodme, the Botanical Garden, the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium and the Insectarium. (The Insectarium is also closed for renovation and slated to reopen in 2021.)

Those animals moving back to the Biodme will be returned slowly and given time to get accustomed to their surroundings, she said. Returning the animals to places they know should facilitate their acclimatization, she said.

sschwartz@postmedia.com

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How to move a penguin and other lessons from the Biodme reno - Montreal Gazette