Archive for January, 2020

The bright wing patterns in butterflies in the genus Heliconius make for a highly visible palette to use CRISPR gene-editing techniques to investigate the evolution of wing patterns and the genes that influence them, say researchers at the Smithsonian Institute of Tropical Research. (Photo credit: Sebastian Menas/Instagram @mena_sebas)

To help shed light on some of these largest questions remaining in evolutionary biology, the authors of a paper published recently in Current Biology paper narrowed in on one evolutionary storyMllerian mimicry in Heliconius butterflies.

Laura Kraft

Heliconius butterflies synthesize compounds from the family of the cyanides and also feed on plants that have these compounds. So, they are very distasteful for predators, especially birds, says Carolina Concha, Ph.D., Biodiversity Genomics Fellow at the Smithsonian Institute of Tropical Research. In order to advertise their toxicity, these butterflies have evolved bright red, orange, yellow and blue warning colors with strong black banding. Unfortunately for the butterflies, birds typically have to bite and kill a few butterflies before learning that bright colors mean bad tastes. So over time, distantly related yet equally distasteful species of these butterflies have converged to have the exact same wing color and pattern so that both convergent species can benefit from an increased warning signal. This causes birds to learn faster by feeding on fewer individuals from either species.

These bright color patterns in Heliconius butterflies have evolved and diverged into a number of species found in Central and South America over the last 12 to 14 million years, but it was only within very recent evolutionary historythe last 2.5-4.5 million yearsthat some distantly related distasteful butterflies converged to have the same patterns. Says Concha, The wing patterns have diversified so much in such a short time, so you have these really diverse forms within a single species and at the same time, you have very distantly related species that converge in a single phenotype.

Carolina Concha, Ph.D., shows off the stack of display boxes of CRISPR-mutation butterflies that she and her collaborators have created in the Smithsonian Institute of Tropical Research in Gamboa, Panama. (Photo credit: Laura Kraft)

CRISPR allows us to make the same butterflies, with one gene missing. Its a way to interrogate nature and just ask What is the function of this gene? and Did it change during evolution?' says Arnaud Martin, author on the Current Biology paper and Assistant Professor at George Washington University. One of the earliest genes to be expressed during butterfly wing development is called WntA (pronounced WIN- tah), and it is thought to be a major gene controlling the paint by number system used by butterflies to color and pattern their wings. WntA was once expressed during embryonic development of many different types of organisms, including vertebrates, but has been lost in most. Perhaps after its role in embryonic development had become downplayed in butterflies, WntA developed a new role in wing patterning, defining the boundaries of black and color banding patterns on adult Heliconius butterfly wings.

The researchers proposed to use CRISPR as scissors to precisely cut out the section of DNA that codes for the WntA gene in a few Mllerian co-mimic pairs. They had two complimentary hypotheses: If mimetic wing patterns developed in different butterflies from using a highly similar gene regulatory mechanism involving WntA, then knocking out the gene should result in the same wing pattern changes in mutant butterflies of the different species. If, on the other hand, identical wing patterns were caused by highly different pathways involving WntA, then the wings of two species of mutant butterflies may exhibit different patterns.

Carolina Concha, Ph.D., carefully injects CRISPR into Heliconius butterfly eggs. If she can inject the eggs within two hours after they are laid, she gets less mosaicism in the CRISPR mutation than with three- or four-hour-old eggs. (Photo credit: Luca Livraghi)

After injecting thousands of eggs, Concha finally got full CRISPR knockout of three co-mimetic pairs of Heliconius butterflies. I honestly thought that co-mimetic Heliconius species were generated by similar tweaks of the same developmental pathways. I was wrong, says Owen McMillan, Ph.D., Dean of Academic Programs at STRI. In all three co-mimetic pairs, the resulting mutant butterflies had dramatically different wing color patterning after removing the WntA gene, supporting the second hypothesis that even highly different pathways can lead to the same wing pattern.

CRISPR allowed us to push our basic understanding of the pathways underlying wing pattern formation in entirely new directions. We have made great progress in identifying the key genes underlying pattern formation, but CRISPR allows us, for the first time, to understand how they work. It is a remarkably cool tool for discovery, says McMillan.

While major changes have been made to the regulatory pathway of WntA, resulting in these wing patterning differences, they do all focus on the same gene. But the really surprising part of this paper is that despite these butterflies developing under different conditions and experiencing different evolutionary histories over millions of years, they still converged upon the same phenotype with a completely different network of gene regulation. This really highlights that the genome has a few favorite genetic tools that drive the evolution of specific parts of the anatomy, but the way these tools can be used is flexible, says Martin

If youd like to learn more, here is a video showing the method of using CRISPR to change butterfly wing patterning:

Laura Kraftis a Ph.D. student at North Carolina State University and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. When she isnttraveling the world, she spends her time making science more accessible through science writing and outreach. Email:ljkraft@ncsu.edu.

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CRISPR Cuts Through Layers of Butterfly Wing-Pattern Evolution - Entomology Today

Dublin, Jan. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Global CRISPR Technology Market 2019-2025" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The global CRISPR technology market is expected to witness a significant growth rate during the forecast period.

Industry giants are working in CRISPR technology development and are investing in the R&D of the technology. Such investments are expected to create an opportunity for the growth of the market in the near future.

The global CRISPR technology market is segmented on the basis of application and end-user. Based on the application, the market is segmented into biomedical applications, agricultural applications, and industrial applications. In fruit crops, CRISPR technology has numerous applications as it improves the important agronomic traits such as biotic and abiotic stress tolerance and fruit quality.

Further, on the basis of end-user, the market is segmented into pharmaceutical & biopharmaceutical companies, and academic & research institutes. CRISPR being a really new technology seeks the interest of everyone from doctors to academic & research institutes. CRISPR holds a lot of hidden potentials to cure many rare and incurable diseases that are still to be discovered and is driving the academic & research institutes as an end-user segment to grow with a significant rate in the market.

Geographically, the market is segmented into four major regions; North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific and Rest of the world (RoW). Among these, North America is expected to hold a prominent position in the global CRISPR technology market. The presence of major pharma companies in the region tends to enhance the growth of the global CRISPR market.

Further, the report covers the analysis of several players operating in the market. Some of the players include Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., Merck KGaA, GenScript Biotech Corp., Horizon Discovery Group PLC, CRISPR Therapeutics AG, and others.

The report covers:

Key Topics Covered

1. Report Summary 1.1. Research Methods and Tools1.2. Market Breakdown 1.2.1. By Segments1.2.2. By Geography

2. Market Overview and Insights2.1. Scope of the Report 2.2. Analyst Insight & Current Market Trends2.2.1. Key Findings2.2.2. Recommendations2.2.3. Conclusion2.3. Rules & Regulations

3. Competitive Landscape3.1. Company Share Analysis3.2. Key Strategy Analysis3.3. Key Company Analysis 3.3.1. Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. 3.3.1.1. Overview3.3.1.2. Financial Analysis3.3.1.3. SWOT Analysis3.3.1.4. Recent Developments3.3.2. Merck KGaA3.3.2.1. Overview3.3.2.2. Financial Analysis3.3.2.3. SWOT Analysis3.3.2.4. Recent Developments3.3.3. GenScript Biotech Corp.3.3.3.1. Overview3.3.3.2. Financial Analysis3.3.3.3. SWOT Analysis3.3.3.4. Recent Developments3.3.4. Horizon Discovery Group PLC3.3.4.1. Overview3.3.4.2. Financial Analysis3.3.4.3. SWOT Analysis3.3.4.4. Recent Developments3.3.5. CRISPR Therapeutics AG3.3.5.1. Overview3.3.5.2. Financial Analysis3.3.5.3. SWOT Analysis3.3.5.4. Recent Developments

4. Market Determinants4.1. Motivators4.2. Restraints4.3. Opportunities

5. Market Segmentation5.1. CRISPR Technology Market by Application5.1.1. Biomedical Applications5.1.2. Agricultural Applications5.1.3. Industrial Applications5.2. Global CRISPR Technology Market by End-User5.2.1. Pharmaceutical and Biopharmaceutical Companies5.2.2. Academic & Research Institutes

6. Regional Analysis6.1. North America6.1.1. United States6.1.2. Canada6.2. Europe6.2.1. UK6.2.2. Germany6.2.3. Italy6.2.4. Spain6.2.5. France6.2.6. Rest of Europe6.3. Asia-Pacific6.3.1. China6.3.2. India6.3.3. Japan6.3.4. Rest of Asia-Pacific6.4. Rest of the World

7. Company Profiles7.1. AstraZeneca PLC7.2. BASF SE7.3. Beam Therapeutics Inc.7.4. Bio-Rad Laboratories, Inc.7.5. Caribou Bioscience Inc.7.6. Cellectics SA7.7. Cibus, Ltd.7.8. CRISPR Therapeutics AG7.9. Danaher Corp.7.10. Editas Medicine7.11. GeneCopoeia inc.7.12. GenScript Biotech Corp.7.13. Horizon Discovery Group PLC7.14. Intellia Therapeutics Inc.7.15. Lonza Group Ltd.7.16. Merck KGaA7.17. New England Biolabs, Inc.7.18. Origene Technologies, Inc.7.19. Pairwise Plants7.20. Precision Bioscience, Inc.7.21. Sangamo Therapeutics Inc.7.22. Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc.7.23. Transposagen Biopharmaceuticals, Inc.7.24. Tropic Biosciences UK LTD.7.25. Yield10 Bioscience, Inc.

For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/11g9aw

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Research and Markets also offers Custom Research services providing focused, comprehensive and tailored research.

CONTACT: ResearchAndMarkets.comLaura Wood, Senior Press Managerpress@researchandmarkets.comFor E.S.T Office Hours Call 1-917-300-0470For U.S./CAN Toll Free Call 1-800-526-8630For GMT Office Hours Call +353-1-416-8900

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CRISPR Technology Market Insights and Forecast, 2019-2025 - Analysis of Biomedical, Agricultural and Industrial Applications - Yahoo Finance

Scientists from China National Rice Research Institute reported that FLN2, a gene that encodes fructokinase-like protein2, influences sugar metabolism as well as rice plants response to salinity stress. The results of their study are published in Biomolecules.

Several mutagenized rice lines were grown under high salinity conditions to pinpoint the genes needed for the expression of salinity tolerance. Some rice lines with mutation in FLN2 showed susceptibility to salinity stress. Wild-type rice lines exposed to salinity stress showed up-regulated FLN2, while CRISPR-Cas9-generated lines with dysfunctional FLN2 exhibited hypersensitivity to salinity stress. Furthermore, sugar metabolism was reduced in the knockout line than in wild-type plants. This may imply that the compromised salinity tolerance in FLN2 knockout plants was caused by the shortage in assimilate needed for growth.

The researchers concluded that FLN2 is vital in seedling growth as well as in tolerance to salinity stress.

Read full, original article: Crop Biotech Update January 8, 2020

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CRISPR-edited crops reveal gene responsible for salt tolerance in rice - Genetic Literacy Project

CRISPR Therapeutics AG (NASDAQ:CRSP) shareholders might be concerned after seeing the share price drop 11% in the last month. But that doesnt undermine the rather lovely longer-term return, if you measure over the last three years. In three years the stock price has launched 170% higher: a great result. To some, the recent share price pullback wouldnt be surprising after such a good run. The fundamental business performance will ultimately dictate whether the top is in, or if this is a stellar buying opportunity.

View our latest analysis for CRISPR Therapeutics

Because CRISPR Therapeutics made a loss in the last twelve months, we think the market is probably more focussed on revenue and revenue growth, at least for now. Generally speaking, companies without profits are expected to grow revenue every year, and at a good clip. Thats because its hard to be confident a company will be sustainable if revenue growth is negligible, and it never makes a profit.

In the last 3 years CRISPR Therapeutics saw its revenue grow at 87% per year. Thats much better than most loss-making companies. Along the way, the share price gained 39% per year, a solid pop by our standards. But it does seem like the market is paying attention to strong revenue growth. Thats not to say we think the share price is too high. In fact, it might be worth keeping an eye on this one.

You can see below how earnings and revenue have changed over time (discover the exact values by clicking on the image).

While the share price may move with revenue, other factors can also play a role. For example, weve discovered 4 warning signs for CRISPR Therapeutics (of which 1 is major) which any shareholder or potential investor should be aware of.

Were pleased to report that CRISPR Therapeutics rewarded shareholders with a total shareholder return of 64% over the last year. That gain actually surpasses the 39% TSR it generated (per year) over three years. The improving returns to shareholders suggests the stock is becoming more popular with time. Shareholders might want to examine this detailed historical graph of past earnings, revenue and cash flow.

If you like to buy stocks alongside management, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them).

Please note, the market returns quoted in this article reflect the market weighted average returns of stocks that currently trade on US exchanges.

If you spot an error that warrants correction, please contact the editor at editorial-team@simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. Simply Wall St has no position in the stocks mentioned.

We aim to bring you long-term focused research analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Thank you for reading.

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Shareholders Are Thrilled That The CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ:CRSP) Share Price Increased 170% - Simply Wall St

The roaring 20s are upon us, and the investment opportunities set in front of us are exhilarating. This new decade has a lot in store for us with tech as the driving force behind it.

FAANG was the acronym that drove the stock market to continuously new highs over the past decade: Facebook (FB), Amazon (AMZN), Apple (AAPL), Netflix (NFLX), and Google aka Alphabet (GOOGL). This is an acronym that I am sure you are familiar with. These stocks exponential returns may be exhausted, and a new set of equities are ready to take their place. It is time to look for the new FAANG.

When assessing market-shifting companies, you need to look for firms with an exciting product offering characterized by longevity and a substantial total addressable market (TAM). Firms with savvy management teams that are able to navigate through both the best and worst times nimbly.

I have chosen a new acronym of stocks that I believe could change the world in the roaring 20s. The companies include Crispr (CRSP), Sea Limited (SE), Alibaba (BABA), Nvidia (NVDA), and Splunk (SPLK) or SCANS, as I like to call it.

Here I will give a brief introduction of each stock and explain why I believe these shares will drive the market in this new decade.

Sea Limited (SE)

Sea is the leading internet company in Southeast Asia and Taiwan. These economies are digitalizing at an exponential rate, and Sea is well-positioned to take on the quickly expanding addressable market. The company operates three market leader segments, including an ecommerce platform, a digital entertainment division, and a digital payment company (Shopee, Garena, and AirPay, respectively).

The internet economy in Southeast Asia has tripled in the past 5 years to $100 billion and is expected to triple again by 2025 to $300 billion. Sea is growing at an even faster rate, with year-over-year topline appreciation in the high triple-digit percentages as the company continues to take an increasing amount of market share.

Sea Limited is going to be the tech powerhouse that helps turn the third world economies of Southeast Asia and Taiwan into digitalized world markets.

CRISPR (CRSP)

CRISPR is a biomedical firm that is on the verge of changing the world. This company can edit an individuals DNA, an achievement that is going to change modern medicine. This technology could be used to cure almost any disease if it is successfully implemented. What CRISPRs gene therapy does is splice out the bad or disease driving DNA and add healthy strands. The company is also a leader in regenerative stem-cell medicine, which could save the lives of 100s of thousands.

CRISPR has an established portfolio of life-changing therapies in its pipeline at various stages of development. Hemoglobinopathy is the closest to commercially viable and is currently in clinical trials. If it passes clinical trials, I see this stock jumping substantially.

These shares are still a risky asset considering the possibility that none of its gene-therapies make it past the clinical stage. Based on early trials, it appears that the therapy does indeed work, and this potential has begun to be priced into CRSP. The stock has appreciated 350% since it went public in late 2016, and I believe that this is just the beginning of its growth. The ability to change an individuals DNA is going to change the world of medicine.

Alibaba (BABA)

The Amazonof the East has been driving substantial growth, but I dont believe that investors are correctly valuing Alibabas fundamentals. BABA is trading at roughly 1/3rd of Amazons forward P/E valuation (seen below), despite achieving wider margins, stronger profitable, and a greater growth outlook. Alibaba is operating in one of the worlds largest and fastest-growing consumer markets (China).

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Alibaba controls not only Chinas ecommerce market but also its cloud computing space with a 47% market share. Its cloud computing space has the most room to run as Chinas cloud infrastructure continues to expand at an exponential rate high double-digit to triple-digit percentages.

Alibaba still has some geopolitical risk due to the US-China trade war, but as far as this next decades biggest equity drivers, I would replace AZMN with BABA in my portfolio.

Nvidia (NVDA)

This is the most exciting chip maker in the world today. Nvidia is known for the invention of the GPU, which is a chip original purposed for image rendering, but Nvidia has taken its capabilities far beyond this. Nvidias chips are hyper-fast and slowly becoming smarter as the technology develops. Its chips are becoming a necessity in data centers and are an essential element of AI development. I believe that one of Nvidias integrated circuits will be apart of the first true AI, which is going to change the world.

Nvidia is also leveraging 5G with its anticipated cloud gaming platform. Like cloud computing is the future of business data and analytics, cloud gaming is the future of gaming. Nvidia is making a big bet in this field with its cloud platform, GeForce NOW. This platform allows gamers to use their Macs or PCs for gaming anywhere with the high-speed, low-latency technology of Nvidias GPUs without needing Nvidias hardware locally.

Nvidia is undoubtedly a company of the future, and despite its 4-digit gains over the past decade, I believe that this stock still has legs to run. I dont think that the company has scratched the surface of what its chips could do.

Splunk (SPLK)

Splunk is a platform that helps companies utilize real-time machine data for collection, indexing, and alerts, allowing companies to uncover actionable insight from this data no matter the source or format. The company is leveraging AI and machining learning for forecasting and anticipative decision making.

Real-time data management is becoming increasingly necessary in business across industries as this digital age makes speed a competitive advantage. Splunk is well-positioned to take on the massive addressable market that is yet to recruit Splunks services. This firm is well-suited to transform the way our economy utilizes real-time data.

Take Away

The market driving stocks will undoubtedly make excellent long-term investments for the roaring 20s. SCANS will be a force to be reckoned with in this next decade. Short term volatility in these stocks shouldnt cause you to shy away from their long-term potential. I believe we may be on the edge of a market correction, so if you are worried about short-term earnings, I may wait for a pullback. If you are a long-term investor that is willing to ride this decades waves, I wouldnt hesitate to pull the trigger on these stocks.

Breakout Biotech Stocks with Triple-Digit Profit Potential

The biotech sector is projected to surge beyond $775 billion by 2024 as scientists develop treatments for thousands of diseases. Theyre also finding ways to edit the human genome to literally erase our vulnerability to these diseases.

Zacks has just released Century of Biology: 7 Biotech Stocks to Buy Right Now to help investors profit from 7 stocks poised for outperformance. Our recent biotech recommendations have produced gains of +98%, +119% and +164% in as little as 1 month. The stocks in this report could perform even better.

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Click to get this free report Splunk Inc. (SPLK) : Free Stock Analysis Report Sea Limited Sponsored ADR (SE) : Free Stock Analysis Report NVIDIA Corporation (NVDA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Netflix, Inc. (NFLX) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) : Free Stock Analysis Report Facebook, Inc. (FB) : Free Stock Analysis Report CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) : Free Stock Analysis Report Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) : Free Stock Analysis Report Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) : Free Stock Analysis Report Apple Inc. (AAPL) : Free Stock Analysis Report To read this article on Zacks.com click here. Zacks Investment Research

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SNACS: The FAANG Of The Roaring 20s - Yahoo Finance

Due in large part to the J.P. Morgan Health Care conference in San Francisco, the biotechnology industrys marquee yearly confab, January is often a strong month for related equities and ETFs.

That conference can serve as a springboard for mergers and acquisitions activity and with the genomic space currently in the spotlight, an uptick in consolidation in that arena could benefit the Global X Genomics & Biotechnology ETF (Nasdaq: GNOM).

GNOM tracks the Solactive Genomics Index and seeks to invest in companies that potentially stand to benefit from further advances in the field of genomic science, such as companies involved in gene editing, genomic sequencing, genetic medicine/therapy, computational genomics, and biotechnology, according to Global X.

Companies are only eligible for inclusion if they generate at least 50% of their revenues from genomics related business operations. The index is market cap-weighted with a single security cap of 4.0% and a floor of 0.3%. The ETF provides exposure to CRISPR, gene editing and therapeutics companies. CRISPR, in particular, is an area to watch.

January is disproportionately represented both by a number of deals and dollar value over the past 5 years, Evercore ISI analyst Josh Schimmer wrote in a note out Wednesday morning, reports Josh Nathan-Kazis for Barrons. January has seen as high as 33% of a years total deals (5/15 in Jan 2018) and as high as 48% of a years total dollar value ($36bn/$76bn in Jan 2017).

GNOM tries to help investors take on a thematic multi-capitalization exposure to innovative elements that cover advancements in gene therapy bio-informatics, bio-inspired computing, molecular medicine, and pharmaceutical innovations. These advancements can also translate over to growth potential, potentially providing investors with long-term alpha with low correlation relative to traditional growth strategies.

Entering 2020, will companies look to keep their heads down with modest guidance? Schimmer wrote, according to Barrons. If so, we might see another choppy month, although the macro setup is quite different this time around with expectations around conservative price hikes already in sentiment.

For more thematic investing ideas, visit our Thematic Investing Channel.

The opinions and forecasts expressed herein are solely those of Tom Lydon, and may not actually come to pass. Information on this site should not be used or construed as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to buy, or a recommendation for any product.

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Why This Thematic Healthcare Could be a January Winner - ETF Trends

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 09, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: NTLA), a leading genome editing company focused on the development of curative therapeutics using CRISPR/Cas9 technology both in vivo and ex vivo, today provided an update on recent progress and the Companys 2020 priorities and expected milestones.

2020 will be a significant year for Intellia, as we execute on our full-spectrum strategy. With milestones anticipated across our pipeline, we are making important progress towards the development of curative treatments for severe diseases. In particular, we expect to dose ATTR patients with the first-ever systemically delivered CRISPR/Cas9-based therapy this year, and we are beginning IND-enabling activities for our newly announced development candidate, NTLA-5001, a WT1-TCR-directed engineered cell therapy, for treatment of AML, said Intellia President and Chief Executive Officer, John Leonard, M.D. We are focused on developing a robust platform with modular genome editing capabilities that enable a fast and reproducible path to development. Todays update reflects this strategy, and it also features the announcement of our third development program, an in vivo knockout approach for HAE. Importantly, this program leverages the infrastructure and insights from NTLA-2001 and underscores our ability to produce a rapid succession of new clinical candidates. We are excited by the strong momentum across our diverse pipeline and look forward to providing updates on our development programs in the upcoming year.

Program Updates and Anticipated 2020 Milestones:

Cash Position and Financial Guidance:

About Intellia Therapeutics

Intellia Therapeutics is a leading genome editing company focused on developing proprietary, curative therapeutics using the CRISPR/Cas9 system. Intellia believes the CRISPR/Cas9 technology has the potential to transform medicine by permanently editing disease-associated genes in the human body with a single treatment course, and through improved cell therapies that can treat cancer and immunological diseases, or can replace patients diseased cells. The combination of deep scientific, technical and clinical development experience, along with its leading intellectual property portfolio, puts Intellia in a unique position to unlock broad therapeutic applications of the CRISPR/Cas9 technology and create a new class of therapeutic products. Learn more about Intellia Therapeutics and CRISPR/Cas9 atintelliatx.comand follow us on Twitter @intelliatweets.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements of Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. (Intellia or the Company) within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, express or implied statements regarding Intellias beliefs and expectations regarding its planned submission of an investigational new drug (IND) application for NTLA-2001 for the treatment of transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) in mid-2020; its plans to submit an IND application for NTLA-5001, its first T cell receptor (TCR)-directed engineered cell therapy development candidate for its acute myeloid leukemia (AML) program in the first half of 2021; its plans to nominate a development candidate for its hereditary angioedema (HAE) program in the first half of 2020; its plans to advance and complete preclinical studies, including non-human primate studies for its ATTR program, AML program, HAE program and other in vivo and ex vivo programs; its presentation of additional data at upcoming scientific conferences, and other preclinical data in 2020; the advancement and expansion of its CRISPR/Cas9 technology to develop human therapeutic products, as well as maintain and expand its related intellectual property portfolio; the ability to demonstrate its platforms modularity and replicate or apply results achieved in preclinical studies, including those in its ATTR, AML and HAE programs, in any future studies, including human clinical trials; its ability to develop other in vivo or ex vivo cell therapeutics of all types, and those targeting WT1 in AML in particular, using CRISPR/Cas9 technology; its business plans and objectives for its preclinical studies and clinical trials, including the therapeutic potential and clinical benefits thereof, as well as the potential patient populations that may be addressed by its ATTR program, AML program, HAE program and other in vivo and ex vivo programs; the impact of its collaborations on its development programs, including but not limited to its collaboration with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Regeneron) and Regenerons ability to enter into a Co/Co agreement for the HAE program; statements regarding the timing of regulatory filings for its development programs; its use of capital, including expenses, future accumulated deficit and other financial results during 2019 or in the future; and the ability to fund operations through the end of 2021.

Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on managements current expectations and beliefs of future events, and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially and adversely from those set forth in or implied by such forward-looking statements. These risks and uncertainties include, but are not limited to: risks related to Intellias ability to protect and maintain our intellectual property position; risks related to Intellias relationship with third parties, including our licensors; risks related to the ability of our licensors to protect and maintain their intellectual property position; uncertainties related to the initiation and conduct of studies and other development requirements for our product candidates; the risk that any one or more of Intellias product candidates will not be successfully developed and commercialized; and the risk that the results of preclinical studies or clinical studies will not be predictive of future results in connection with future studies. For a discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties, and other important factors, any of which could cause Intellias actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see the section entitled Risk Factors in Intellias most recent annual report on Form 10-K as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties, and other important factors in Intellias other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All information in this press release is as of the date of the release, and Intellia undertakes no duty to update this information unless required by law.

Intellia Contacts:

Investors:Lina LiAssociate DirectorInvestor Relations+1 857-706-1612lina.li@intelliatx.com

Media:Jennifer Mound SmoterSenior Vice PresidentExternal Affairs & Communications+1 857-706-1071jenn.smoter@intelliatx.com

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Intellia Therapeutics Highlights Recent Progress and Anticipated 2020 Milestones - GlobeNewswire

Im not sure how the task fell to me, but over the years I have become my familys de facto genealogist. To my amateur sleuthing credit, I have uncovered more secrets and put to bed more family rumors than one could imagine. During my quest to learn more about my family heritage, I purchased a 23andMe genetic test, which can tell you not only the geographical roots of your human existence but also your migration routeand even genetic traits like the fear of public speaking. What I didnt realize at the time was the treasure trove of information that existed on the back end of a 23andMe test, information that may be even more important to my well-being and that of my descendants than knowing the likelihood that I move more than average during sleep.

This rich data is already collected as a part of these tests but is not directly reported to the user. It contains information on vulnerabilities in nutrition, inflammation, and detoxification capacity; susceptibility to heart or neurological disease, cognitive or mood dysfunction, and cancer; and deficiencies in cellular metabolism, including which nutrients are in higher demand. This is the kind of imperative knowledge I wanted to have, so I set out to find a professional to analyze it.

The journey took me to the Strata Integrated Wellness Spa at Garden of the Gods Resort & Club in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where I checked into one of its new casitas for a long weekend. There, Karly Powell, a registered naturopathic doctor with expertise in therapeutic nutrition and functional biochemistry, has developed a program called Decode Your DNA. In it, she conducts a specialized analysis of the raw data of a clients DNA to provide an understanding of an individuals genetic health background and deficiencies and then creates a personalized wellness plan.

According to Dr. Michael Barber, Stratas medical director, the most common issues are found are in the so-called methylation pathways, which control how our bodies handle nutrients, supplements, and medications. Abnormalities in these pathways can influence the risks for neurological, cardiac, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and other systemic illnesses. With my newly analyzed DNA information, Powell crafted a custom-made, gene-based prescription for me that included a long-term dietary program, targeted nutritional supplementation, and lifestyle modifications.

That weekend, I began to make her suggested modifications and utilized the doctors, physicians, clinicians, and therapists at Strata. Strata is one of the few spas in the country that offer this kind of personalized medicine paired with bespoke nutrition and fitness, as well as the opportunity to address cardiology, kinesiology, and energy needs in the same facility.

Many people say that your genesgeneticsare not your future but your potential, Barber says. Knowing in advance where one might be susceptible to issues such as heart disease, cognitive or mood dysfunction, cancer, or nutritional issues may allow a person to alter critical components of diet, exercise, [and] lifestyle to maximize their potential for optimal health.

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Conducting Gene Therapy in Colorado - dujour.com

Vision 2020

Few industries change as rapidly and as dramatically as the broad, multifaceted realm of healthcare. From oncologists use of cancer fingerprinting and gene therapy to facial transplants for accident victims; from cutting-edge protocols to save the lives of stroke and heart-surgery patients to a dizzying array of new treatments to improve vision the list is seemingly endless, making it impossible to paint a full picture of where healthcare has come in the past decade.

But we at BusinessWest wanted to try anyway and, at the same time, look ahead at what the next decade might bring. So, appropriately, here at the dawn of 2020, we invited a wide range of healthcare professionals to tell us what has been the most notable evolution in their field of practice in the past 10 years, and what they expect or hope will be the most significant development to come in the next decade.

The answers were candid, thoughtful, sometimes surprising, but mostly hopeful. Despite the many challenges healthcare faces in these times of advancing technology, growing cost concerns, and demographic shifts, the main thread is still innovation smart people working on solutions that help more people access better care. After all, healthcare is, at its core, about improving peoples lives, even when they seek it out during their direst moments.

Innovation and promise. Thats what we believe a new decade will bring to all corners of the healthcare world that is, if these leaders, and countless others like them, have anything to say about it.

Joanne Marqusee

President and CEO, Cooley Dickinson Health Care

Joanne Marqusee

The most significant recent development in healthcare administration has been a recognition of the role patients play in their own healthcare. Crossing the Quality Chasm: A New Health System for the 21st Century, published in 2001 by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, called for a massive redesign of the American healthcare system. Specifically, it provided Six Aims for Improvement, five of which focused on safety, effectiveness, timeliness, efficiency, and equity. Not talked about as much, the sixth aim was to make healthcare patient-centered.

While we still have a ways to go to truly be patient-centered, we have witnessed a sea change in the past decade in this regard. Patients are increasingly active participants in their care, questioning their doctors and other providers to ensure that they understand their options, using electronic medical records to engage in their care, and speaking out about what they want from treatment or forgoing treatment at the end of life. The best healthcare providers both organizations and individuals embrace these changes, welcoming patients as more than recipients of care, but rather active partners in their own care and decision making.

My hope for the most significant development over the next decade has to do with providing universal healthcare coverage while controlling healthcare costs. While we almost have universal coverage in Massachusetts, too much of the nation does not. A hotly debated topic, universal healthcare has many benefits, including increasing access to preventive and routine medical care, improving health outcomes, and decreasing health inequalities.

Dr. Nicholas Jabbour

Chairman, Department of Surgery, Baystate Medical Center

Dr. Nicholas Jabbour

The most significant development in surgery over the past decade has been the move toward less invasive surgical approaches made possible through advanced technology. These approaches include robotic and minimally invasive surgery, including intraluminal surgery in areas such as gastroenterology, cardiology, and neurosurgery for exemple, the passage of an inflatable catheter along the channel inside of a blood vessel to enable the insertion of a heart valve instead of making a large opening in the chest. As a result, we have seen a big shift from inpatient to outpatient surgery with shorter hospital stays and improved post-op recovery.

In the next decade, we foresee these innovations in less invasive surgery will be enhanced by better computing and software integration. This interaction will include the merging of radiological and potentially pathological information which is currently available in a digital format with real-time visualization of anatomical structure during surgery. This will offer surgeons the opportunity to improve the accuracy and speed of a surgical procedure while minimizing the risks.

The next decade will also see major innovation in the area of transplantation with the development of tissues or whole organs through bio-engineering manipulation of animal or a patients own cells. The integration of this bio-engineering manipulation with currently available technology, such as 3D printing and 3D imaging, will provide patients with the needed tissue or organ including valves, bone grafts, hernia mesh, skin, livers, and kidneys in a timely manner. This development will revolutionize the field of transplantation and surgery in general.

Karin Jeffers

President & CEO, Clinical & Support Options Inc.

Karin Jeffers

Over the past 10 years, weve seen a growing adoption within the behavioral-health and medical fields of holistic treatment models. While the two disciplines were once treated as different animals, the entire health field is now moving to treat both the body and the mind together. The next 10 years are likely to bring these two fields even closer.

Today, youre seeing behavioral-health clinicians being hired into physical health practices. Likewise, physical health providers are cross-training to better understand behavioral issues. Whereas, a decade ago, a behavioral-health client might be assigned a therapist or a psychiatrist, they are now gaining access to more robust set of supports, including nursing, case management, recovery coaching, and peer support from those with lived experience. Government mandates and payment model changes are forcing outcomes-based integration, too. Pediatricians, for example, must now do behavioral-health screenings of all youth under 21. In the mental-health space, youre seeing clinicians ask about weight, exercise, and other physical factors.

Were seeing significant movement on both the state and federal levels to value outcomes over volume. Its reflected in the criteria set by the Excellence in Mental Health Act for certified community behavioral-health clinics, a designation CSO has earned, and in the work we have done with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Our ability to tailor programs, like our grant-funded work at the Friends of the Homeless shelter in Springfield, has literally saved lives among those experiencing homelessness and co-occurring conditions, like substance-use disorders.

In the coming years, we hope to see integrated care models become even more mainstream. Things appear headed in the right direction, but government action establishing payment reform within the behavioral-health field needs to be taken and the integrated models need to be appropriately funded. Such changes would affirm overall health and wellness to include both physical and behavioral health.

Dr. Yannis Raftopoulos

Director, Holyoke Medical Center Weight Management Program

Dr. Yannis Raftopoulos

Weight management is a rapidly evolving field, and I am fortunate to be part of it. One of the most significant innovations this field has experienced in the last 10 years was the development of a new gastric balloon. Packaged in a small capsule and swallowed with water, the Elipse balloon provides satiety while requiring no procedure or anesthesia for its placement and removal. Together with its excellent safety profile, the Elipse balloon is the least invasive and yet effective weight-loss modality available today. Elipse is manufactured in Massachusetts by Allurion Technologies.

I had the opportunity to be an investigator in the European trial which led to the Elipse market approval in the European Union in 2016. Recently, Holyoke Medical Center was among 10 U.S. sites in which an FDA-regulated trial was conducted. The trial was completed successfully, and Allurion has submitted data requesting FDA approval to market Elipse in the U.S. The balloons use in Europe shows that patients can lose more than one-fifth of their initial weight.

A New England Journal of Medicine study reported that 107.7 million children and 603.7 million adults, among 195 countries, were obese in 2015. High body-mass index accounted for 4 million deaths and contributed to 120 million disability-adjusted life-years. Obesity is a chronic disease, and its management requires long-term guidance and close patient-physician communication. Successful collaborations between existing best practices with technology innovations that will allow delivery of effective weight-management care on a massive and global scale could be the most significant evolution in the field in the next 10 years.

Dr. Hong-Yiou Lin

Radiation Oncologist, Mercy Medical Center

Dr. Hong-Yiou Lin

The advent of new medical oncology drugs has improved control of microscopic and, to a lesser extent, macroscopic disease, allowing local treatments, such as surgery or radiotherapy, to increase survival. To cure cancer, we need to eliminate cancer cells where they started, as well as any microscopic cells traveling through the body. The idea of using immunotherapy to fight cancer has been around for decades, but bringing this idea to the clinic has been hampered by the cleverness of cancer cells knowing how to evade detection by our immune system. Recently FDA-approved immunotherapy either takes away that invisibility cloak or wakes up our dormant immune cells to start fighting cancer.

The biggest development in oncology in the next 10 years will be personalized precision medicine, which allows the oncology team to tailor treatment to each patients unique cancer biology and life circumstances. Meanwhile, improvements in cancer diagnosis will come from novel PET radiotracers and new MRI sequences that allow for more accurate staging and identification of the best site to biopsy. Pathologists will use novel tools such as genome sequencing to supplement traditional microscopy to subclassify the specific type of cancer within a certain diagnosis instead of grouping into broad categories.

Surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists can then use the above information to decide on the best sequencing between surgery, systemic therapy, and radiotherapy to minimize side effects and maximize cure. Medical oncologists will be able to offer more drugs that target new mutations, overcome drug resistance, increase specificity to a mutation, or better fine-tune immunotherapy, targeting only cancer cells by enlisting gene modification as well as natural killer cells. Radiation oncologists will have new radiomic and genomic tools to personalize the radiation dose and volume, and when to offer radiotherapy.

In short, over the next 10 years, cancer care will continue to move away from the traditional one-size-fits-all model toward a more personalized approach.

Dr. Jonathan Bayuk

Medical Director, Allergy & Immunology Associates of New England

Dr. Jonathan Bayuk

There have been incredible and exciting advances in allergy and immunology in the last two years. However, the unmet needs of allergic and autoimmune-disease-afflicted patients has grown dramatically in the last 20 years. In response to the increasing prevalence and acuity of allergic diseases and autoimmune diseases, the world has launched products to help address these very severe patients. These medications are indicated for many conditions and work very well. They are generally safe, but are very expensive. These medicines are different than traditional pharmaceutical drugs as they are not chemicals, but biologically derived medicines designed to augment or modify the immune response. As such, they are call biologic medications.

In the field of allergy and immunology, we can now dramatically treat and potentially cure many diseases that in the past were very challenging to manage. The biologic medicines that we have now treat asthma, eczema, allergic disease, and hives. The patient selection is based on severity of their condition, and these medicines are only for moderately to severely affected people. If, as a medical profession, we were to place as many people as possible on these therapies, the cost would be astronomical and not sustainable.

However, is it fair to deny any of these patients access to these treatments who truly need them? I would argue that choice is a very difficult one to make, and as physicians, our primary goal is healing at whatever cost. As a nation, we have a dilemma. Can we afford the medicines we have or not? It is unclear that any serious legislative body is willing to tackle that question. For now, the use of these medicines is changing lives dramatically, and it is an exciting time to be able to use these newer tools to help our patients live better lives.

Dr. David Momnie

Owner, Chicopee Eye Care

Dr. David Momnie

What are the most significant advancements in eye care in the last decade? It depends on whom you ask. Retinal ophthalmologists would probably say its the treatment of wet macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness, with anti-VEGF injections. Cataract surgeons would most likely cite small-incision surgery and new lens implants that often leave patients with 20/20 vision. Glaucoma specialists might tell you its the development of MIGS, or minimally invasive glaucoma surgery. These operations to lower the pressure in the eye use miniature devices and significantly reduce the complication rate.

Primary-care optometrists and ophthalmologists would no doubt talk about the advances in optical coherence tomography, a remarkable instrument using light waves that gives cross-sectional pictures of the retina. The technique is painless and non-invasive and is becoming the gold standard in eye care because it has revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of glaucoma and macular degeneration. For optometrists specializing in contact lenses, using newly designed scleral lenses to restore vision in people with a corneal disease called keratoconus has been a major development. There are many other specialists in eye care, including LASIK surgeons, that have seen remarkable changes in technology.

What will the next decade bring? Artificial intelligence (AI) is becoming more accurate for screening, diagnosing, and treating eye conditions. AI systems can increasingly distinguish normal from abnormal pictures of the retina. Where there is a shortage of ophthalmologists and optometrists, AI screenings combined with telemedicine, providing remote care using communications technology, may be able to find and treat more people who are falling between the cracks of our healthcare system. The term 20/20 is the most common designation in eye care, and the year 2020 will probably usher in another decade of remarkable developments in our field.

Teresa Grogan

Chief Information Officer, VertitechIT

Teresa Grogan

From the perspective of technology that enables healthcare, the biggest game changer of the last decade has been the iPhone and now, essentially any smartphone.

Steve Jobs introduced the first iPhone in 2007 (a little over a decade ago), and physicians embraced it quickly. It started as a simple tool for doctors (applications like the PDR, or Physicians Desk Reference) for looking up drug interactions. Today, its a portable EMR, a virtual visit facilitator, and a remote-monitoring device for many healthcare providers, as many patients have embraced and insisted on this technology to improve access to care. As the cost decreases and cellular bandwidth improves, the rapid growth of the IoMT (Internet of Medical Things) will place smartphones at the center of the next wave of healthcare technology breakthroughs.

Looking forward, Id like to see complete elimination of passwords to access electronic information. While there has been some movement toward this with tap and go badges and fingerprint readers, a single standard is needed that would work regardless of the software program used. I hope there are greater strides in the creation, deployment, and adoption of other biometric technologies, like iris, face, or voice recognition, so that a healthcare professional could walk into a patient room or into a hospital and the computer systems would know his or her identity in immediate and secure fashion. If access to the data needed by a healthcare provider were as easy as turning on a light switch, the improvements in quality of life and efficiency in work for that provider would translate to improved patient outcomes.

Dr. Aaron Kugelmass

Vice President and Medical Director, Heart and Vascular Program, Baystate Health

Dr. Aaron Kugelmass

We have seen many improvements in cardiovascular care over the last 10 years, but the development, approval for clinical use, and dissemination of transcutaneous aortic valve replacement (TAVR) stands out as the most dramatic. This new technique allows cardiologists and cardiac surgeons, working together, to replace the aortic valve without opening a patients chest or utilizing heart-lung bypass, which has been the standard for decades. This less invasive approach is typically performed under X-ray guidance and involves accessing a blood vessel in the leg and guiding a catheter to the heart.

The TAVR procedure was first approved for clinical use in November 2011. It was initially limited to very sick patients, who were not candidates for traditional surgery because of the risk it posed to them. TAVR allowed patients who otherwise could not receive life-saving valve surgery to have their valves replaced with improvement in longevity. With time and experience, the procedure was approved for lower-risk patients as well, and more recently has been approved for the majority of patients, including those with low operative risk. TAVR has been shown to be equivalent or safer than traditional aortic valve-replacement surgery, and is quickly becoming the procedure of choice for most patients who require an aortic valve replacement. Since the procedure typically does not require open-heart surgery, recovery time is much shorter, with some patients going home within a day or two.

In the next 10 years, we expect that similar less-invasive procedures with shorter recovery time will be developed for other heart-valve conditions in patients who otherwise could not receive therapy.

Beth Cardillo

Certified Dementia Practitioner and Executive Director, Armbrook Village

Beth Cardillo

During the last 10 years, neuroscientists have been researching the causes of Alzheimers disease. There has been much discussion about which comes first the amyloid plaque or the fibrillary tangles that develop in the brain, which are roadblocks to cognition, thus causing the difficulties with Alzheimers and other related dementia. That question has not been answered yet. Researchers were able to isolate the APOE gene, which is a mutant gene that is found in familial Alzheimers disease, helping us to better diagnose it. We have also better understood how diet, exercising both body and brain, and lifestyle contribute to the disease. Currently there are 101 types of dementia, with Alzheimers accounting for 75% of cases.

The next 10 years will result in more preventive actions. One major action will be to help people avoid developing type 2 diabetes, which may be labeled the next cause of Alzheimers (this type of Alzheimers is already being called type 3 diabetes). There has been a major link between sugar in the hippocampus and Alzheimers disease. Though there is no cure yet for Alzheimers, we are finding more information based on genetics, diet, and PET scans, which can show shrinkage in the brain.

Every year, researchers are more hopeful that a new drug will be developed to eradicate the disease. The last new drug from Biogen was looking hopeful in clinical trials, but that turned out to be not the case. Prevention continues to be at the forefront, as well as participating in clinical trials. More people who do not have dementia or mild cognitive impairment are desperately needed for clinical trials so comparisons of the brain can be made.

Ellen Furman

Director of Nursing, American International College

Ellen Furman

As in all healthcare, the one thing that can be ascertained is constant change. The same can be said in nursing education today. No longer is the instructor-led lecture method of teaching considered best practice in education, but rather the shift to using class time to apply learned concepts. One way this is done is through the flipped classroom. Using this educational modality, students study the concepts being taught preceding the class, followed by class time where students apply these concepts in an interactive activity, thereby developing students abilities to think critically, reason, and make healthcare judgements based upon the application of knowledge.

Another change in nursing education is an expanded focus away from pure inpatient (hospital-based) clinical education to outpatient (community-based) clinical education. While hospital-based education remains essential, the realization that most healthcare provided is in outpatient settings has broadened the clinical experiences required to prepare the graduate registered nurse for care provision.

Additionally, with healthcare as complex as it is, nursing students are being taught to be prepared for entry into practice. Education regarding the use of evidence-based practice, how to apply for the licensure examination, preparation to be successful on the National Certification Licensure Exam, nurse residency opportunities, interviewing techniques, transitioning from student nurse to registered nurse, etc. are all taught using a variety of educational modalities based upon the current best available evidence in nursing education.

As we forge ahead in healthcare, nurse educators will continue to evolve to meet healthcare needs through the education of nursing students so as to prepare them to provide care to meet the needs of those we serve well into the future.

James Haas

Co-owner, Orthotics & Prosthetics Labs Inc.

James Haas

Advances in prosthetic technology have clearly been the most significant development in my field over the past decade. From knees and feet that adapt to different walking speeds and terrains to hands that send sensations of touch to the brain, every aspect of patient care has changed and continues to change at a rapid pace.

Prosthetic feet, knees, and sockets have been greatly impacted. Once made from multi-durometer foams and wood, the prosthetic feet of today are made from carbon, fiberglass, and kevlar laminated with modified epoxy resins. They store energy and adjust to uneven terrain and hills. Microprocessor knees have on-board sensors that detect movement and timing and then adjust a fluid/air control cylinder accordingly. These knees not only make it safer for a person to walk, they also lower the amount of effort amputees must use, resulting in a more natural gait. Sockets once made from stiff materials are now incorporated with soothing gels and flexible adjustable systems that allow a patient to make their own adjustments to improve their comfort.

As for the next decade, I hope to see national insurance fairness. Devices typically last about three to five years. Some people make them last longer, but others, especially growing children, need replacements more often. Many private insurance plans have annual caps and lifetime limits on coverage for orthotics and prosthetics. The Amputee Coalition of America authored insurance-fairness legislation and has lobbied for its implementation for over a decade. This legislation has been ratified in 20 states, including Massachusetts. The Fairness Act requires all insurance policies within the state to provide coverage for prosthetics and orthotics equal to or better than the federal Medicare program and have no coverage caps and lifetime restrictions.

Dr. Lisa Emirzian

Co-owner, EMA Dental

Dr. Lisa Emirzian

The most significant development in the field of dentistry over the past decade has been the integration of digital technology into our daily practices. There are three components of digital dentistry: data acquisition, digital planning, and, finally, the manufacturing of the restoration to be created. Data acquisition today is accomplished with digital radiographs, paperless charting, intra-oral scanners, cone-beam 3D scanners, and video imaging. For the planning process, we now have the ability to merge the data with software that enables computer-aided design and digital smile design, allowing dentists to perform complex procedures, including guided surgical treatments and smile designs, with optimum results. Fabrication and execution of the final restorations can be done in the office or, more often, in laboratories with highly sophisticated digital milling machines, stereolithography, and 3D printing.

In the next decade, we will see data fusion to ultimately create the virtual patient. The next-generation digital workflow will merge intra-oral 3D data with 3D dynamic facial scans, allowing dentists to create 3D smile designs and engineer the dentofacial rehabilitation. The integration of scanners and software will expedite the delivery of teeth in a day. In addition, multi-functional intra-oral scanners will allow for early detection of carious lesions and determine risk levels for different patients.

Above and beyond this foreseeable future, artificial intelligence (AI) will be the next paradigm shift. Companies are already looking for big-data collection and deep machine learning to help the practitioner in their everyday chores of diagnosis and treatment. AI cloud-based design platforms will input data, and AI engines in the background will aid in all parts of dental treatment, including diagnosis, design, and fabrication of final restoration.

Let us not forget one thing: the future is all about us people utilizing technology to enhance the human connection between doctor and patient.

John Hunt

CEO, Encompass Health Rehabilitation Hospital of Western Massachusetts

John Hunt

A significant rehabilitation development from the past includes one that may surprise you. Time. A luxury we once knew, time meant patients could recover in a hospital longer after a surgery, an accident, or an illness. Nurses had more time to assess patients to know exactly what they needed. Insurance companies approved longer patient stays through lengthy consideration. Ten years ago, a stroke survivor could recover for two weeks in a hospital and then join us for a rehabilitation stay that would last several weeks.

Today, a three- to five-day stay in the referring hospital, followed by a two-week stay in rehabilitation, is the norm. We are seeing significant decreases in the age of stroke survivors as well as an increase in the number patients who survive with cognitive and physical disabilities. Yet, we also see medical breakthroughs, including the discovery of tissue plasminogen activator (TPA) nothing short of a miracle. TPA actually reverses the effects of an evolving stroke in patients when used early on, making recoveries easier.

With new advanced technologies being introduced every year, rehabilitation continues to progress at a rapid speed. Looking into the future, evidence-based research will continue to grow to help us make knowledgeable decisions that ultimately impact patient outcomes. Increased clinical expertise will lead to higher functional gains in shorter amounts of time. As a result, acute inpatient rehabilitation will impact the lives of patients like weve never seen before.

Dr. Susan Bankoski Chunyk

Doctor of Audiology, Hampden Hearing Center

Dr. Susan Bankoski Chunyk

The most common treatment for hearing loss is hearing aids. Although digital processing has been available in hearing aids since 1996, the past 10 years have offered great leaps in technology for people with hearing loss. Each generation of computer chip provides faster and smarter processing of sound. Artificial intelligence allows the hearing-aid chip to adjust automatically as the listening environment changes, control acoustic feedback, and provide the best speech signal possible. People enjoy the convenience of current hearing aids Bluetooth streaming, smartphone apps, and rechargeable batteries.

These features are the icing on the cake, but the real cake is preservation of the speech signal, even in challenging listening situations. Since the primary complaint of people with hearing loss is understanding in noise, new hearing-aid technology works toward improving speech understanding while reducing listening effort in all environments. This significantly improves the individuals quality of life.

The negative effects of untreated hearing loss on quality of life are well-documented. Recent research has also confirmed a connection between many chronic health conditions including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, balance disorders, depression, and early-onset dementia and hearing loss. This research shows that hearing loss is not just an inevitable consequence of aging, but a health concern that should be treated as early as possible. My hope for the future is that all healthcare providers will recognize the value of optimal hearing in their patients overall health and well-being and, just as they monitor and treat other chronic health conditions, they will recommend early diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss.

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The Region's Health Leaders on What's New and What the Next Decade Will Bring - Business West

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 7, 2020 /PRNewswire/ --Seeing the world through the eyes of a child is often filled with wonder and imagination. It should not include things like hospital beds, needles and chemotherapy. Sadly, these things are a reality for kids with cancer. To raise awareness about childhood cancers and the need to fund research to find cures and better treatments, the St. Baldrick's Foundation, a non-profit on a mission to defy childhood cancers, introduces its 2020 Ambassadors. The five Ambassador families, each touched by childhood cancer, will share their journeys of struggle and triumph, hope and despair, and give people a glimpse into their lives and what comes after hearing those life-changing words, "Your child has cancer."

Coming from all areas of the country, ages, disease types and stages of their cancer journey, the Ambassadors represent the more than 300,000 kids diagnosed with cancer each year worldwide and serve as a reminder that cancer doesn't discriminate.

This year's Ambassadors are:

Seth and Joel Deckerare identical twins with a very special bond not even cancer could separate. The twins did everything together. Along with their older brother, Nathaniel, they filled the Decker home with the sound of laughter and play. Seeing the boys push vehicles around and make loud noises or roar and stomp around pretending to be dinosaurs were familiar sights. But in an ironic twist of fate, the twins were both diagnosed with cancer: Seth was diagnosed with a rare form of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in December 2016 and three months later, a biopsy revealed Joel also had AML. With the overlapping diagnoses and treatments, the family endured months of separation and treasured the few weeks they could be together at home. Despite both boys receiving bone marrow transplants and enduring complications from the procedures, they relapsed. Surrounded by their loving family, Joel died November 2017 at the age of 3, followed by Seth in May 2019 when he was 4 years old. The Decker family firmly believes much more research is needed for AML, especially when the disease has relapsed. They have created a St. Baldrick's Hero Fund in memory of Joel and Seth to support research that will help find new treatments and cures so other families won't have to say goodbye too soon.

Hudson Walker, 1, from Englewood, Colo., was diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma in February 2019, a rare disease that makes up only 2 percent of all childhood cancers and is very uncommon in babies. Chemotherapy began right away and surgery to remove her scapula resulted in the good news of clean margins. Hudson had a positive attitude through it all, even looking forward to going to the hospital to see the doctors, nurses and therapists who had become her friends. While happy she is cancer free after treatment, her parents know that her cancer journey is not over. As she grows, they will need to remain vigilant with monitoring potential late effects from chemotherapy. But for now, Hudson is enjoying each day, loving her family and her favorite things: queso, french fries, the color pink, unicorns, the movie Aladdin, and all kinds of music especially Lizzo and Kacey Musgraves. Armed with her sparkling personality and the bravery many of us only dream of, Hudson's family is confident she can take on any challenge life puts in her path.

Micah Bernstein, 9, from Carlsbad, Calif., has spent the bulk of his life fighting cancer. Micah was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in March 2012 at just 15 months old. He's had three surgeries, 21 cycles of chemotherapy and 36 sessions of radiation. Two separate phases of his treatment were centered around Unituxin, an immunotherapy drug developed with support from St. Baldrick's that received FDA approval while Micah was in treatment. Since then, Micah's blood work and scans have been clear for more than five years and he's been completely off treatment for nearly a year, which means an important milestone for Micah his first survivorship clinic visit in 2020. Micah is very interested in science and wants to become a doctor. He even has a message for researchers involved with St. Baldrick's: "Thank you for creating new medicines for kids with cancer. Those medicines save kids' lives, and one of them saved mine." Micah's parents, Jeff and Kate, are very passionate about helping to fund the most promising childhood cancer research and have established a St. Baldrick's Hero Fund, the Mighty Micah's Mission Fund, aiming to raise at least $100,000 to fund neuroblastoma research.

Austin Schuetz, 11, from Fall River, Wis., was diagnosed with a high-risk form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia just before his third birthday. Austin faced 3 years of treatment including intense chemotherapy, bone marrow biopsies, and six days of daily cranial radiation. Before Austin could finish treatment, he relapsed. At that point, a bone marrow transplant was his only option for a cure. When that didn't work to eradicate the leukemia, Austin needed a miracle. That miracle came in the form of a gene therapy that uses a child's own immune system to fight the cancer. Austin was accepted in a clinical trial, supported by the St. Baldrick's Foundation, that would collect his T-cells in a lab and train them to seek out and kill the cancer cells. The treatment worked, and Austin is now six years out from the clinical trial that saved his life. Because of research, Austin can enjoy the things he loves, like video games, basketball and Nerf guns.

Shamari Brazile, 14, from Cleveland Heights, Ohio, was diagnosed with osteosarcoma when she was 13 years old. In November 2017, during the middle of basketball season, she complained of pain in her right hip. When the pain didn't improve, tests revealed a mass on her pelvis. Shamari was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in March 2018 and started treatment right away. She endured 10 weeks of inpatient chemotherapy and surgery to remove the tumor, followed by 18 more weeks of chemotherapy before finishing treatment in December 2018. Less than three months after her last treatment, Shamari was already back on the lacrosse field, playing her favorite sport. In her free time, she also enjoys hanging out with friends, listening to music, drawing, teaching herself how to play the ukulele and writing short stories.

St. Baldrick's Ambassadors and their families will act as spokespeople for the St. Baldrick's Foundation, attend events and fundraisers and share their stories to educate the public about the realities of childhood cancers.

Continue following these six courageous storieson the St. Baldrick's blogand social media channels: Facebook,Twitter,YouTubeandVimeo. To learn how you canget involvedvisitwww.StBaldricks.org.

About St. Baldrick's FoundationAs the largest private funder of childhood cancer research grants, the St. Baldrick's Foundation is leading the charge to take childhood back from cancer. St. Baldrick's funds some of the most brilliant childhood cancer research experts who are working to find cures and better treatments for all childhood cancers. Kids need treatments as unique as they are and that starts with funding research just for them. Join us at StBaldricks.org to help support the best childhood cancer research, no matter where it takes place.

SOURCE St. Baldrick's Foundation

http://www.stbaldricks.org

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Meet the St. Baldrick's Foundation 2020 Ambassadors - PRNewswire

LEUKOTAC (inolimomab) is available again in France, following the granting of cohort ATU for the treatment of graft-versus-host disease, corticosteroid-resistant or corticosteroid-dependent, with grade II-IV

Lyon, FRANCE, January 9, 2020, ElsaLys Biotech announced today that the cATU has been granted by the ANSM and its clinical experts, after evaluation of a dossier containing data on the quality, safety and efficacy of the drug based on its administration in several hundred patients included in clinical trials or treatedvia named patient Temporary Authorization for Use (ATU nominative) until November 2015. This authorization includes the implementation of a reinforced monitoring (defined in the Protocol for Therapeutic Use) of the efficacy and safety data obtained in patients treated within the framework of this cATU. Inolimomab treatment can only be considered if the patient cannot be included in an ongoing clinical trial.

"We have data that support the benefit of inolimomab treatment in patients with acute corticosteroid-resistant or corticosteroid-dependent graft-versus-host disease (Grades II-IV in Glucksberg classification)," said Dr. David LIENS, Chief Medical Officer, ElsaLys Biotech. "We are delighted with this decision by the ANSM, which allows us to, once again, make inolimomab (1 mg/mL, solution for infusion) available to hematologists in the therapeutic emergency which is this pathology".

"While we continue to work on the filing of marketing authorization applications (MAA) in Europe and in the US, this ATU demonstrates the therapeutic value of inolimomab in the management of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD). The ATU program in France allows patients, whose survival is at stake, to have access to a therapeutic solution before marketing in Europe, in close collaboration with the competent authority, the ANSM. The implementation of this cATU is effective immediately" said Dr. Christine GUILLEN, CEO and co-founder of ElsaLys Biotech.

Considering the potential emergency situation of the indication, it is recommended that hematology specialists anticipate the administrative procedures by contacting the ATU Cell (by Tel: 0800 08 90 81 - Fax: 01 56 59 05 60 or by e-mail: atu-leukotac@pharma-blue.com) which is at their disposal for any further information or request for a Protocol for Therapeutic Use and collection of information.

About inolimomab (LEUKOTAC)

Inolimomab (LEUKOTAC) is an immunotherapy monoclonal antibody that targets the interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2), a chemical molecule named cytokine that contributes to the development and proliferation of some white blood cells including T-cells responsible for aGvHD. By linking specifically to the a chain of the receptor (CD25), inolimomab prevents IL-2 from binding on the surface of the donors over-active T-cells which blocks their multiplication.

The efficacy of inolimomab in aGvHD lies mainly in its specificity and its preferential affinity to the CD25 receptor found on the surface of T-lymphocytes.

About steroid-resistant aGvHD

Formerly called bone marrow transplant, Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation (HSCT) is the last therapeutic option for patients with certain blood cancers or severe immunodeficiency. In practice, the treatment is designed to replace the diseased blood cells of the patient with the hematopoietic stem cells of a matching donor (allograft).

Once grafted, these stem cells will produce new healthy and functional blood cells, including white blood cells that will allow patients to bridge their immune deficiency or to eliminate surviving cancer cells.

If this technique has made considerable progress in 60 years, half of transplant recipients are still victims of complications: side effects of conditioning pretreatment (that aims to prevent transplant rejection), long-term susceptibility to infections and GvHD. In the latter case, the donors over-active T-cells turn against the patients tissues: mucous membranes, skin, gastro-intestinal tract, liver and lungs. The acute form appears just after the transplant, the chronic form occurring several months later (preceded or not by an aGvHD).

Affecting between 30 to 55% of patients, GvHD is the main complication of transplantation. To halt this autoimmune disease, physicians combine corticosteroids with other immunosuppressive agents. The fact remains that some 30 to 50% of aGvHD gradually become resistant or dependant to these first-line treatments. To date clinicians do not have any standard of treatment approved in Europe for these patients for whom there is a strong unmet medical need. Thus, in Europe, 4,000 children and adults die each year from their aGvHD.

About ELSALYS BIOTECH

ELSALYS BIOTECH is a clinical stage immuno-oncology company which designs and develops a new generation of therapeutic antibodies targeting tumors and their immune and/or vascular microenvironment.

To convert these novel targets into drug candidates, the Company is currently conducting 5 proprietary development programs including inolimomab (LEUKOTAC), an immunotherapy antibody that has recently demonstrated its clinical superiority in Phase 3 and that is closed to market approval in an orphan post-cancer disease with very poor prognosis: steroid-resistant acute Graft-versus-Host Disease.

Founded in 2013, ELSALYS BIOTECH is located in the heart of the European cluster LYON BIOPOLE. Its shareholders are TRANSGENE, SOFIMAC INNOVATION, joined in 2015 by IM EUROPE, a subsidiary of INSTITUT MERIEUX, and CREDIT AGRICOLE CREATION, and in 2018 by LABORATOIRES THEA.

Stay in touch with ElsaLys Biotech and receive directly our press releases by filling our contact form on http://www.elsalysbiotech.com

And follow us on Twitter: @ElsalysBiotech

Contacts

ELSALYS BIOTECHDr. Christine GUILLENCEO and Co-founder+33 (0)4 37 28 73 00guillen@elsalysbiotech.com

PRESSEATCG PARTNERS Marie PUVIEUX (France) +33 (0)6 10 54 36 72Cline VOISIN (UK/US) +33 (0)6 62 12 53 39presse@atcg-partners.com

Originally posted here:
LEUKOTAC (inolimomab) is available again in France, following the granting of cohort ATU for the treatment of graft-versus-host disease,...

Last year left us with this piece of bombshell news: He Jiankui, the mastermind behind the CRISPR babies scandal, has been sentenced to three years in prison for violating Chinese laws on scientific research and medical management. Two of his colleagues also face prison for genetically engineering human embryos that eventually became the worlds first CRISPRd babies.

The story isnt over: at least one other scientist is eagerly following Hes footsteps in creating gene-edited humans, although he stresses that he wont implant any engineered embryos until receiving regulatory approval.

Biotech stories are rarely this dramatic. But as gene editing tools and assisted reproductive technologies increase in safety and precision, were bound to see ever more mind-bending headlines. Add in a dose of deep learning for drug discovery and synthetic biology, and its fair to say were getting closer to reshaping biology from the ground upboth ourselves and other living creatures around us.

Here are two stories in biotech were keeping our eyes on. Although successes likely wont come to fruition this year (sorry), these futuristic projects may be closer to reality than you think.

The idea of human-animal chimeras immediately triggers ethical aversion, but the dream of engineering replacement human organs in other animals is gaining momentum.

There are two main ways to do this. The slightly less ethically-fraught idea is to grow a fleet of pigs with heavily CRISPRd organs to make them more human-like. It sounds crazy, but scientists have already successfully transplanted pig hearts into baboonsa stand-in for people with heart failurewith some recipients living up to 180 days before they were euthanized. Despite having foreign hearts, the baboons were healthy and acted like their normal buoyant selves post-op.

But for cross-species transplantation, or xenotransplants to work in humans, we need to deal with PERVsa group of nasty pig genes scattered across the porcine genome, remnants of ancient viral infections that can tag along and potentially infect unsuspecting human recipients.

Theres plenty of progress here too: back in 2017 scientists at eGenesis, a startup spun off from Dr. George Churchs lab, used CRISPR to make PERV-free pig cells that eventually became PERV-free piglets after cloning. Then last month, eGenesis reported the birth of Pig3.0, the worlds most CRISPRd animal to further increase organ compatibility. These PERV-free genetic wonders had three pig genes that stimulate immunorejection removed, and nine brand new human genes to make themin theorymore compatible with human physiology. When raised to adulthood, pig3.0 could reproduce and pass on their genetic edits.

Although only a first clinical propotype that needs further validation and refinement, eGenesis is hopeful. According to one (perhaps overzealous) estimate, the first pig-to-human xenotranplant clinical trial could come in just two years.

The more ethically-challenged idea is to grow human organs directly inside other animalsin other words, engineer human-animal hybrid embryos and bring them to term. This approach marries two ethically uncomfortable technologies, germline editing and hybrids, into one solution that has many wondering if these engineered animals may somehow receive a dose of humanness by accident during development. What if, for example, human donor cells end up migrating to the hybrid animals brain?

Nevertheless, this year scientists at the University of Tokyo are planning to grow human tissue in rodent and pig embryos and transplant those hybrids into surrogates for further development. For now, bringing the embryos to term is completely out of the question. But the line between humans and other animals will only be further blurred in 2020, and scientists have begun debating a new label, substantially human, for living organisms that are mainly human in characteristicsbut not completely so.

With over 800 gene therapy trials in the running and several in mature stages, well likely see a leap in new gene medicine approvals and growth in CAR-T spheres. For now, although transformative, the three approved gene therapies have had lackluster market results, spurring some to ponder whether companies may cut down on investment.

The research community, however, is going strong, with a curious bifurcating trend emerging. Let me explain.

Genetic medicine, a grab-bag term for treatments that directly change genes or their expression, is usually an off-the-shelf solution. Cell therapies, such as the blood cancer breakthrough CAR-T, are extremely personalized in that a patients own immune cells are genetically enhanced. But the true power of genetic medicine lies in its potential for hyper-personalization, especially when it comes to rare genetic disorders. In contrast, CAR-Ts broader success may eventually rely on its ability to become one-size-fits-all.

One example of hyper-tailored gene medicine success is the harrowing story of Mila, a six-year-old with Batten disease, a neurodegenerative genetic disorder that is always fatal and was previously untreatable. Thanks to remarkable efforts from multiple teams, however, in just over a year scientists developed a new experimental therapy tailored to her unique genetic mutation. Since receiving the drug, Milas condition improved significantly.

Milas case is a proof-of-concept of the power of N=1 genetic medicine. Its unclear whether other children also carry her particular mutationBatten has more than a dozen different variants, each stemming from different genetic miscodingor if anyone else would ever benefit from the treatment.

For now, monumental costs and other necessary resources make it impossible to pull off similar feats for a broader population. This is a shame, because inherited diseases rarely have a single genetic cause. But costs for genome mapping and DNA synthesis are rapidly declining. Were starting to better understand how mutations lead to varied disorders. And with multiple gene medicines, such as antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) finally making a comeback after 40 years, its not hard to envision a new era of hyper-personalized genetic treatments, especially for rare diseases.

In contrast, the path forward for CAR-T is to strip its personalization. Both FDA-approved CAR-T therapies require doctors to collect a patients own immune T cells, preserved and shipped to a manufacturer, genetically engineered to boost their cancer-hunting abilities, and infused back into patients. Each cycle is a race against the cancer clock, requiring about three to four weeks to manufacture. Shipping and labor costs further drive up the treatments price tag to hundreds of thousands of dollars per treatment.

These considerable problems have pushed scientists to actively research off-the-shelf CAR-T therapies, which can be made from healthy donor cells in giant batches and cryopreserved. The main stumbling block is immunorejection: engineered cells from donors can cause life-threatening immune problems, or be completely eliminated by the cancer patients immune system and lose efficacy.

The good news? Promising results are coming soon. One idea is to use T cells from umbilical cord blood, which are less likely to generate an immune response. Another is to engineer T cells from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)mature cells returned back to a young, stem-like state. A patients skin cells, for example, could be made into iPSCs that constantly renew themselves, and only pushed to develop into cancer-fighting T cells when needed.

Yet another idea is to use gene editing to delete proteins on T cells that can trigger an immune responsethe first clinical trials with this approach are already underway. With at least nine different off-the-shelf CAR-T in early human trials, well likely see movement in industrialized CAR-T this year.

Theres lots of other stories in biotech we here at Singularity Hub are watching. For example, the use of AI in drug discovery, after years of hype, may finally meet its reckoning. That is, can the technology actually speed up the arduous process of finding new drug targets or the design of new drugs?

Another potentially game-changing story is that of Biogens Alzheimers drug candidate, which reported contradicting results last year but was still submitted to the FDA. If approved, itll be the first drug to slow cognitive decline in a decade. And of course, theres always the potential for another mind-breaking technological leap (or stumble?) thats hard to predict.

In other words: we cant wait to bring you new stories from biotechs cutting edge in 2020.

Image Credit: Image by Konstantin Kolosov from Pixabay

See original here:
The Top Biotech Trends We'll Be Watching in 2020 - Singularity Hub

PLC () dipped 3% to 286.52p in mid-afternoon after announcing the acquisition of multi-let office space in Staines, Surrey, as well as the sale of a London building to a private developer.

TWENTY was bought for 19mln, is currently let to four tenants and has a vacancy of 23%, while Quayside Lodge in Fulham, London, was sold for the same amount.

TWENTY Kingston Road offers strong reversionary potential with a yield of 7% once fully let and the acquisition is in line with our opportunistic approach, chief executive Fredrik Widlund said in a release.

s () lost 2% to 227.01p after posting like-for-like sales including fuel fell 1.1% in the 15 weeks to 4 January, while total retail sales slipped 0.9%.

The LFL sales slip was slightly worse than analyst expectations which had predicted that sales in the period would be mostly flat.

The FTSE 100 grocer is another major name in the sector suffering sales declines over the so-called golden Christmas quarter.

PLC () gained 6% to 86.63p in early afternoon trades on the back of an acquisition from Cemex SAB de CV ADR ().

The AIM-listed construction materials company will snap up the UK arm and some operation of the Mexican company for 178mln in cash, debt-free.

It will add 170mln tonnes of mineral reserves and resources while adding to the development of Breedons national asphalt strategy and increasing footprint in areas where it is underrepresented.

() rose 7% to 0.41p after updating investors on the Bonya tungsten and copper deposit in Australia resource potential.

Thor is drilling to establish Bonya as a source of ore to extend the life of its nearby Molyhil project.

Latest holes to be drilled showed best results of a 23m intersection at a grade of 0.58% WO3 (tungsten) from the surface at White Violet and a 9m copper band at Samarkand.

Pharos Energy PLC (LON:PHAR) slipped 5% to 55p at lunchtime after informing investors that the 2020 dividend will be halved compared to the 2019 payment.

The oiler will issue 2.75p per share, a yield of 5% on yesterday's close of 58p, to focus on capital investment in the expanded portfolio.

Production in Egypt came as a disappointment as well, with 6mln barrels of oil per day (boe/d) as opposed to the 6.5mln boe/d guidance.

() lost 4% to 156.5p as the footwear retailer posted lower profits but managed to keep the final divi at 8p per share.

The AIM-listed firm attributed the decline to government imposed increases in its operating costs.

For the year ended 5 October, the company reported an underlying pre-tax profit of 9.8mln, down from 11.4mln in the prior year, while revenues edged up 0.9% to 1.62bn.

MPAC Group PLC () shares were trading 16% higher at 240p in late morning after upgrading full-year profit expectations for the second time in four months.

The company, which provides high speed packaging and automation services, attributed the continuing momentum to a strong Q4 order intake and accelerated project execution.

I am confident that we will be able to report an excellent financial performance for 2019 and improved outlook for 2020 which gives us confidence for the future progress of the business, chief executive Tony Steels said in a release.

()(NASDAQ:MTP) hiked 24% to 3.4 on the back of positive results from additional studies on its MTD201 cancer drug.

The analysis revealed the candidate can be delivered via an injection under the skin rather than into the muscle.

It is a key advantage paving the way for approval, while a pivotal study is planned for later in the first half with preparations already underway.

PLC () topped the losers list with a 21% stumble to 65.35p as the mineral resource estimate for its Asacha Gold Mine was reduced after further analysis.

As of 20 December, the asset is estimated to hold 312,558 ounces of gold, as opposed to 553,052 ounces a year before.

The AIM-listed miner is now undertaking a new drilling campaign to upgrade the resources, while formal guidance for the current year will be published shortly.

Travelex owner () was not doing much better with a 16% fall to 130p after updating on the Sodinokibi Windows ransomware attack.

The FTSE 250-listed firm was asked to pay US$6m (4.6m) to restore the customer data they claimed to have swiped from Travelexs systems, or else they would sell it on the dark web.

Finablr said there was no evidence that personal customer data has been encrypted and no evidence that any data has been exfiltrated, adding that Travelex has successfully contained the spread of the ransomware.

() lost 14% to 2.5p after announcing the process for listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange is taking longer than expected.

The AIM-listed engineering and technology solutions provider to the bioenergy sector said admission to trades will occur in the first half of 2020.

Management added trading in the second half of 2019 remained strong and is optimistic for the current period.

Asimilar Group PLC (LON:ASLR) jumped 25% higher to 40.66p in early morning trade on Wednesdayafter launching a placing at a premium to Tuesday's closing share price, hot on the heels of last months change of name from YOLO Leisure.

The AIM-listed big data and Internet of Things firm raised 6.8mln by placing 17mln new shares at a price of 40p each withexisting and new investors, a 15% premium to Tuesdays closing price of 33.8p.

Chairman John Taylor said in a release the proceeds will be used to pursue potentially bold and transformative investment options.

() was also onthe gainers list with a 5% push upwards to 247.9p after announcing full-year profit before tax will be comfortably ahead of market expectations.

The financial services provider and retailer mentioned strong trading during the Christmas period, when the jewellery segment recorded double-digit revenue growth.

The company noted that a high gold price boosted profits in the precious metals segment while its pawnbroking and foreign currency divisions continued to produce good results.

() also nudged higher, up 4% to 18.25p as it set up a joint venture with Korean firm Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co.

The firms will develop new cell and gene therapies using Avactas Affimer proteins which will specifically target the development of a new class of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

The AIM-listed company said its research and development costs for these targets will be fully covered by the joint venture which is funded by Daewoong.

() has confirmed that it has received a premium-priced takeover offer from (), and, it is now in advanced talks with the FTSE 100-listed miner. The offer is pitched at 5.5p per share, which is a 34.1% premium to yesterdays closing price of 4.1p. In a statement released after the market close on Tuesday, Siriuss management team said it would be prepared to recommend an offer at that price.

() (NASDAQ:MTP) has hailed the positive results from a study assessing the potential to deliver one of its drugs via an injection under the skin rather than into the muscle. MTD201, which is being developed to treat carcinoid cancer and the growth hormone condition acromegaly, was able to maintain the correct levels of plasma octreotide over six to eight weeks using this subcutaneous method, researchers found.

() has signed an exclusive agreement worth up to US$63mln for its iron deficiency treatment Feraccru to be sold in China. The deal with ASK Pharm (Beijing Aosaikang Pharmaceutical), covers China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan and will involve an upfront payment of US$11.4mln and up to US$51.4mln in milestone and royalties. ASK Pharm will also pay for the marketing authorisation process and commercialising of Feraccru, which is branded as Accrufer in the US.

() has set up a joint venture to develop new cell and gene therapies using its Affimer proteins. The new JV with Daewoong Pharmaceutical Co will specifically target the development of a new class of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), multipotent cells where functions can include being agents for the treatment of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

() has signed a one-year exclusive evaluation agreement with Corteva Agriscience. The American giant, valued at US$21bn, wants to assess the potential of the UK biopesticides specialists encapsulation technology, focusing on formulations for seed treatments.

() said it has now completed the fundraising it announced on 30 September 2019, which in total raised approximately 412,000, with the final stage raising 150,360 via an issue of 2,148,000 new ordinary shares at a price of 7p each to Zark Capital Limited. Following the issue, Zark will hold 6,000,000 ordinary shares, representing 9.7% of ADMs issued share capital.

() is to trial its graphene-enhanced asphalt Gipave at Romes Fiumicino airport. Gipave will be tested for six months on the airports Alpha taxiway, which handles intercontinental aircraft such as Boeing 777s and Airbus A380s.

() said it has won two large contracts for delivery of Knowledge Capture, part of its information management suite of products, with a minimum combined contract value of 0.9mln over their minimum term. In a statement, the leading global big data technology company noted that the latest contract wins add to a growing list of multi-national clients for both the group's RAPid supply chain analytics and information management solutions, adding 200,000 to the company's annual recurring revenue.

() announced that it has delivered network services to more than 100 hospital and specialist care sites as part of a government contract with the NHS. AdEPT was contracted in 2018 to improve network and bandwidth capacity, to allow for financial savings and better access to clinical systems, after the previous connection managed by () was deemed obsolete.

Group PLC () has seen strong inflows of new money in the first three months of its current year. The sustainable investment specialist said funds under management rose 7% to 16.1bn in the quarter to December with 771mln of new funds and a 289mln gain from market movements.

() has sold its UK B2C business for 200,000 as part of its restructuring plans. In an announcement after the close on Tuesday, the online gaming platform operator said the B2C business was sold by administrators to Grace Media Limited, and the firm had now entered a B2B partnership with Grace Media to facilitate continued delivery of its B2C services to its white label partners, through which it will receive monthly royalties

() on Wednesday confirmed the receipt of US$6.7mln in oil payments from the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG). In a statement, the Iraq-based crude producer reported that the partners in the Taq oil field were paid US$6.7mln gross for oil sales in August 2019, and, its 44% net share amounted to US$3.6mln.

() has released a statement informing investors that it has received notice of a potential claim against the company from a former energy advisor, Askell Limited. In a brief statement, the small cap oiler said: AAOG believes the Askell claim is without merit and the company intends to defend the claim vigorously.

() has announced the appointment of Oscar Marin Garcia as a non-executive director of the company with immediate effect. The group noted that Garcia has over 20 years' experience, specialising in retail business in the Extremadura region of Spain and managing family office investments, and is co-founder and CEO of Lider Aliment, SA, a 200mln sales family owned company. W resources pointed out that Garcia has a beneficial interest in 114,655,600 ordinary shares, representing approximately 1.8% of the companys share capital.

() said that, further to its announcement on 23 December 2019, the sale of its Malaysian business to AAA Management Science Academy PLT for a total cash consideration of MYR 400,000 (approximately 75,000), payable over a 13 month period, has duly completed. Sam Malafeh, CEO of Malvern, commented: "We are delighted to have completed this transaction, as we can now bring greater focus to growing our UK and Singapore operations."

() said it, has collaborated with BMW Group to integrate its FOVIO driver monitoring technology into the BMW i Interaction EASE. It noted that this integration will be featured at the CES 2020 technology show in Las Vegas at the BMW booth Tech East Outside Area. The firm noted that BMW i Interaction EASE leverages Seeing Machines' technology as a component of their innovative HMI (Human-Machine Interface) concept, visualized through a windshield projected Head-up Display (HUD). It added that Seeing Machines' SVP of Fleet and Human Factors, Dr Mike Lenn, will also be conducting daily presentations on BMW's CES booth from Wednesday through Friday.

() announced that it has terminated its broker services agreement with GMP . Shore Capital Stockbrokers Limited is now the company's sole broker and Strand Hanson Limited continues to act as the company's Nominated & Financial Adviser, the group said.

Bluebird Merchant Ventures () announced that its Annual General Meeting, held on 28 December 2019 in Jersey, all resolutions were duly passed.

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CLS Holdings dips over acquisition, sale - Proactive Investors UK

Clinicians who treat patients with acromegaly commonly show a lack of awareness of the severity and pattern of patient symptoms that can occur even when treatment suggests the condition is under control, according to new research.

"Compared with patients, medical providers tended to report fewer acromegaly symptoms and injection site reactions, and rated general health higher [than patient reports]," write the authors of the study, recently published in the journal Pituitary.

Acromegaly, an endocrine disorder characterized by changes in facial appearance and enlargement of the hands and feet, is typically treated with somatostatin receptor ligands (SRLs).

However, even when the over-production of growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor (IGF-1) that cause the disorder are brought to normal levels with the medication, patients may continue to experience symptoms.

In the first study of its kind to evaluate concordance regarding symptoms, treatment satisfaction, and general health between clinicians and patients with acromegaly, Eliza B. Geer, MD, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York City, and colleagues, conducted an online survey with 47 pairs of patients with acromegaly who were on a stable dose of SRLs and their medical providers. Patient self-reports were compared with those of their physician.

The patients and clinicians in the cross-sectional study were recruited by the US-based Acromegaly Community, a patient support group, through social media and at clinical practices in the United States. The study was funded by Chiasma, which is developing an oral formulation of maintenance therapy for adults with acromegaly.

Nicholas Tritos, MD, DSc, who was not involved in the study, told Medscape Medical News the new research points to the need for a heightened focus on communication in the treatment of acromegaly.

"The findings of the present study are intriguing and suggest that there may be lack of sufficient communication between patients with acromegaly and their healthcare professionals at least in some cases," said Tritos, an associate professor in the Neuroendocrine and Pituitary Clinical Center and Neuroendocrine Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, in Boston.

"Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings, however," he said. "The use of validated symptom scores may help improve communication between patients with acromegaly and their healthcare professionals."

In acromegaly, a rare but severe disease that is often diagnosed late, morbidity and mortality rates are high, particularly as a result of associated cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and respiratory disorders and malignancies.

Of the adult patients surveyed, 83% were women and the mean age was 49 years. Patients had a mean duration of acromegaly of 10 years, and 47% were being treated with octreotide and 53% with lanreotide, with most receiving low to middle doses.

Their mean medical provider-reported IGF-1 level was 0.85 upper limit of normal (ULN), with 79% of patients having an IGF-1 level of 1 ULN or lower.

For the online survey, patients were asked about disease characteristics and management, and they also completed the Acromegaly Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire (Acro-TSQ). The latter is an acromegaly-specific patient-reported outcomes assessment of symptoms and gastrointestinal interference, treatment satisfaction, injection site interference, emotional reaction, and treatment convenience.

The medical providers were interviewed about their practices and perceptions of the patients' symptoms, level of control, and general health, and they also completed relevant sections of the Acro-TSQ.

The most common symptoms reported by patients were "acro-fog,"described as a general forgetfulness or short-term memory loss, and joint pain (81% for both), soft tissue swelling (79%), fatigue/weakness/tiredness (77%), and headache (72%).

However, the most common patient symptoms reported by medical providers differed, led by fatigue/weakness/tired (92%) followed by joint pain (75%)and headache (62%).

Symptoms most often viewed by patients as severe were joint pain (described as severe by 34%), headache (29%), fatigue/weakness/tired (28%), and acro-fog (26%).

With the exception of carpal tunnel syndrome, clinicians were less likely than patients to rate any of the other symptoms as severe.

In addition, although patients specified a worsening of multiple symptoms toward the end of the treatment cycle, clinicians commonly reporting being "not sure" of when patients experienced symptoms.

Patients and clinicians both reported various injection site reactions; however, the medical providers reported fewer injection site reactions than patients and were often unaware of the severity of the reactions.

The largest discrepancies involved nodules (43% reported by medical providers vs 68% by patients) and pain during injection (66% vs 90%).

When asked about their general perception of symptom control, 38% of patients indicated their symptoms were "well controlled,"43% reported they were "partially controlled,"and 17% reported they were "not controlled."

Comparatively, 28% of medical providers indicated their patient's symptoms were well-controlled, 64% said they were "partially controlled,"and 6% said they were "not controlled."

Although the patient and clinician differences were not evaluated for statistical significance, the authors note that "the low kappa statistics reflect the generally poor agreement between medical providers' and patients' responses of symptom frequency, severity, and pattern."

Current treatment guidelines recommend that when patients receiving SRLs achieve IGF-1 levels of 1 ULN or less, adjustments to treatment are not necessary, and data are lacking on whether SRL dose titration can reduce symptom burden when IGF-1 levels are 1 ULN or less.

However, thenew results suggest "these patients are still symptomatic and that the frequency and severity of symptoms is often unrecognized by their treating physician," the authors write.

"This suggests an unmet need," they state.

Tritos told Medscape Medical Newsthe current study has some limitations. In addition to the relatively small sample size, he cited the use of social media in patient selection.

"These observations may limit the external validity (generalizability) of the findings reported in the present study," he noted. "Larger studies in unselected populations of patients with acromegaly would be helpful to confirm and extend these findings."

In the meantime, efforts to prevent symptoms early on could be beneficial, he said.

"Earlier detection and treatment of acromegaly before complications ensue may be helpful in mitigating the development of such symptomatology," he said.

"Clinicians should spend sufficient time eliciting the extent and severity of patient symptomatology," Tritos added.

"Use of validated symptom scores in patient care and clinical research (including clinical trials) may improve both routine care and the evaluation of investigational therapies," he concluded.

Pituitary. Published December 5, 2019. Full text

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Originally posted here:
Patients and Doctors on Different Pages for Acromegaly Symptoms - Medscape

Known as the "pregnancy hormone," human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a type of hormone that is produced in large amounts during pregnancy, with levels peaking during the first 8 to 11 weeks of pregnancy, and can be detected in the urine of pregnant women with at-home pregnancy tests.

However, pregnant women aren't the only ones who produce it. Certain cancers and other medical conditions can lead non-pregnant women and men to produce moderate to high levels of hCG.

Here's what you need to know about hCG, whether you're pregnant or not.

"HCG in its regular form is produced almost exclusively by a pregnant woman by special cells which become a part of the placenta, called the syncytiotrophoblast which is why we see it in such high levels in pregnancy," says Dr. Kristina Mixer, MD with Spectrum Health.

She explains that during pregnancy, hCG's primary role is to support the production of the hormone progesterone by the ovaries until the placenta is sufficiently formed and can produce adequate amounts of progesterone on its own, typically by 10 weeks gestation.

That's important because progesterone is absolutely vital for healthy reproduction. It's responsible for facilitating the successful attachment of the embryo within the uterine cavity, modulating the immune system to prevent miscarriages, and for suppressing uterine contractions. In certain situations of recurrent pregnancy loss, healthcare providers will sometimes prescribe progesterone or hCG as a way to support the pregnancy early on.

Once you've conceived, the body begins to produce hCG as soon as a fertilized egg implants into the uterine wall, and it typically takes another 8 to 14 days before the hCG levels rise enough to be detected by an at-home pregnancy test. Most urine pregnancy tests will detect a pregnancy at the time of your first missed period.

A woman can exhibit elevated hCG levels after a molar pregnancy, as well. Molar pregnancy happens after an egg is fertilized, but the tissue that usually grows into the placenta forms an abnormal growth, instead. So the egg never develops into an embryo.

Women often have the molar tissue removed, but sometimes it can return and develop into a uterine tumor. This can lead to certain types of cancer like choriocarcinoma and malignant gestational trophoblastic disease. Since these tumors involve the same cells that produce hCG, women with these conditions often have elevated hCG levels, as well, even though they're not pregnant.

"In non-pregnant women or men, levels are usually very low and do not play an important role in daily hormone function," Mixer says. However, there are some situations that could lead to moderate to high hCG levels in a non-pregnant woman or man, such as:

"All of these conditions should be discussed with and managed by a physician or healthcare provider," says Mixer.

In addition to medical conditions that could lead to elevated hCG levels, some cases of high hCG are the result of hCG injections. "We often see this in male athletes in an effort to boost testosterone production," Mixer says. This occurs because hCG is very similar to the pituitary hormone LH, which stimulates the production of testosterone in the testes.

HCG can also be used as an identifying marker during pregnancy to detect Down's Syndrome. "A certain subtype of hCG can be measured to predict the likelihood of Down Syndrome affecting the fetus," Mixer says.

Certain types of cancerscan produce higher-than-normal levels of hCG in both men and women. The types of cancers that can lead to elevated hCG levels include:

Measuring hCG levels in the above types of cancers can help identify tumors in the body, diagnose cancer, or evaluate how well a cancer treatment is working.

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What you need to know about hCG, the 'pregnancy hormone' - INSIDER

You will feel better in the morning if you had a good night sleep. But it wont be a good morning if you dont get inadequate amount of sleep. Dear busy people! Take your sleep quality seriously. Because sleep disorders may lead to health problems, including obesity, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and depression.

Many people suffer from insomnia, which may be due to psychiatric and medical conditions, unhealthy sleep habits, specific substances, and/or certain biological factors. Lifestyle changes may help lessen the severity of insomnia. But several naturopathic solutions have also been found effective in lessening the severity of insomnia. If youre also having sleepless nights, these below naturopathic approaches may help you get the sleep you need.

It is an age-old healing practice of traditional Chinese medicine and inserting very thin needles through the skin at specific points in the body. Its primarily used to relieve pain but also used for a wide range of other complaints. In a study, acupuncture treatment helped participants recover their normal sleep patterns.

Many studies have suggested that taking valerian extract help fall asleep easier and get better quality sleep. A study also found a combination of valerian and lemon balm as effective as the prescription sleeping pill Halcion.

In a study, older adults who drank eight ounces of tart cherry juice twice a day were able to sleep 90 more minutes per night. Researchers explained that compounds that give the cherries their colour increased the availability and inhibited the degradation of L-tryptophan. Tryptophan is an amino acid that interacts with brain chemicals that are important to sleep and the timing of our biological clocks sleep-wake cycle.

Inhaling the aroma of lavender oil before bedtime may help you sleep better. Onset of menopause may cause sleep disturbances. If you are near your menopause, lavender aromatherapy may help improve your sleep. The positive effects of lavender oil have been shown in studies.

Taking melatonin supplement under the supervision of an experienced naturopathic physician may also help sleep well at night. Melatonin is a hormone that plays a role in your natural sleep-wake cycle. Researchers suggest that melatonin supplements might help provide some relief from insomnia.

Published : January 8, 2020 3:14 pm | Updated:January 8, 2020 3:16 pm

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Sleepless nights: Some naturopathic solutions that may help relieve insomnia - TheHealthSite

Professor Ed Tadem and Dr. Victor Philip Delos Reyes after the laparoscopic surgery at the Capitol Medical Center in Quezon City, Philippines. CONTRIBUTED

I stared at the computer monitor looking at my organs my gall bladder, kidney, spleen, pancreas and uterus. I never thought of myself as a walking set of organs. I had always detached myself from the things I loved to eat papaitan (cow innards), bopis (cows lungs) and those sweet meats my Ilocano grandfather cooked for us. The surgeon interrupted my reverie.

This is your gall bladder and that is a gallstone, he pointed at the sac-like image.

How big is the stone? I asked him.

It is 2.37 centimeters, he said as a matter of fact.

My 2020 seemed bleak.

Routine check-ups

Ive been in and out of the hospital since October due to various ailments. On December 10, I had bronchitis. I was in medication for 10 days. After two days, I had difficulty urinating. I was back to the hospital for a series of tests. I got kidney stones, but very minute, just 0.31 millimeter. I was given antibiotics to flush this out. My attending physician recommended an Intravenous pyelogram (IVP) for further evaluation. IVP is an x-ray exam that uses an injection of contrast material to evaluate kidneys, ureters and bladder and helps diagnose blood in the urine or pain in the side or lower back. I fasted for 48 hours, and given an enema before the procedure. After waiting for more than 6 hours, the result showed a mass located in my bladder.

An ultrasound was scheduled on the 27th of December. The mass is actually a large gallstone.

Gallstone and its symptoms

My doctor, a Thai specialist and a surgeon at PorPhat 2 Hospital in Nakhon Ratchasima, explained that the presence of a gallstone does not always manifest in patients. Usually it is discovered during routine check-ups.

Out of 100 people with gallstones, only 16 people showed symptoms, and those are the ones needing operations, he explained.

At the same time that I was in the hospital, Ed Tadem, a retired University of the Philippines professor of Asian Studies was also at the Capitol Medical Center in Quezon City. Unlike me, Professor Tadem showed symptoms.

I had intense abdominal pain and a bloated tummy. There were about twenty-five tiny stones found in my gall bladder, Prof. Tadem says.

According to the Bangkok Hospital website, Gallstones are one of the most common digestive diseases which small stones are formed in the gallbladder. If a gallstone lodges in a bile duct and causes a blockage, it eventually results in severe life-threatening complications such as bile duct inflammation and infection, pancreatitis or cholecystitis (an inflammation of gallbladder).

I am quite lucky because I only have one. Some people can have several tiny pieces. Gallstones can also be as large as a golf ball!

Bangkok Hospital categorizes three types of gallstones. The cholesterol type is very common. It is chalk-white or greenish-yellow due to undissolved cholesterol as the main component. Pigment gallstones are dark brown or black containing bilirubin, which is caused by liver diseases. Mixed gallstones are a mixture of both cholesterol and pigment gallstones with a sticky mud-like appearance. This is due to secondary infection of the biliary tract, liver and pancreas.

Gender, diet and gallstone

As part of the routine questions, the doctor asked about my diet. Like most Filipinos, my diet is high in fat. Fortunately, I do not feel discomfort when I eat even fatty foods and dairy products.

Professor Tadem admits having had a high-fat and oily diet when he was younger. Though in the past ten years he has been diet-conscious; but the damage has been done.

Gender plays a role in the formation of gallstones. More females age 40 and above are prone to develop gallstones. It is attributed to medications that contain estrogen, or to hormone replacement therapy. Drastic weight loss and obesity are also factors. Family history is also considered. My grandmother had her gallbladder removed in her 40s.

Since the diagnosis came during the holidays, I promised my doctor to have a healthy diet after New Year. I was not given any medication. After four months, I will have an ultrasound again.

Alternative cure?

Upon posting my ultrasound result, well-meaning friends sent messages to me not to go under the knife. A friend shared how she flushed out three large gallstones by drinking radish juice before going to bed. Eating apples and drinking a particular apple juice brand are also recommended. Sambong (Blumea balsamifera) is also a known herbal medicine endorsed by some doctors. But its efficacy is only tested for kidney stones.

My Thai doctor did not recommend any drugs or alternative medicine since it is dangerous if the gallstone moves out of the bladder due to its size.

The authors lower abdominal ultrasound. CONTRIBUTED

Professor Tadem did not try herbal medicine either.

I was advised by my doctor that these are not effective, he says.

Gallstone removal procedure and costs

At this stage, my doctor does not advise me to undergo laparoscopic gallbladder surgery because the stone does not bother me yet. He further mentioned that usually, surgery is performed when the stone is 2.5 cm or larger.

According to Healthline, laparoscopic gallbladder surgery or(cholecystectomy) removes the gallbladder and gallstones through several small incisions in the abdomen. The surgeon inflates the abdomen with air or carbon dioxide in order to see clearly. This type of surgery takes lesser time to recover. After 12 hours, the patient can be discharged. Usually, the patient can go back to normal activities after a week or two. No special diet is required. But I guess, when a part of you is taken out, you have to think twice before eating particular foods again.

In the Philippines, after Philhealth insurance and Senior Citizens discount, Professor Tadem spent 190,000 pesos ($3,700) for laparoscopic cholecystectomy at the Capitol Medical Center.

Dr. Victor Philip de los Reyes, my surgeon was trained at the World Laparoscopy Hospital in New Delhi. He performed a complicated surgery, which took one hour instead of the normal 30 minutes, Professor Tadem says.

Professor Tadem shares that complications arose because of other factors such as the blood thinning medication he was taking, adhesion of previous operation, and the gall bladder was thicker than normal that it stuck to his intestine.

In Thailand, surgery costs around $3,000, with insurance, tests, medications included. Under the Social Security (SS) or PhraGansangkhom, members can avail of medical benefits such as hospitalization (in accredited hospitals), maternity benefits, cremation, and repatriation. I have been paying SS for the past seven years.

Ive always considered myself healthy. My cholesterol level is within the normal range. I exercise every day. But my diet may not be really healthy. I look at the mirror, seeing my abs, shoulders, and arms developing into muscles. I look better than 10 years ago. At this stage, I am not really healthy. But I will not allow myself to get sick.

Meanwhile, Im contemplating whether to eat the sisig (pork cheeks) I ordered last week. It is still sitting in the freezer.

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What we need to know about gallstones - INQUIRER.net

Cara Gormallys pregnancy was shadowed by grief. As a queer woman wanting to have a baby, the biology professor had figured finding a sperm donor would be the only obstacle she and her partner faced. But thanks to Gormallys organizational skills and love of making lists, the couple landed on a donor with relative ease.

Then, Gormally struggled to conceive. Each month brought fresh disappointment and loss.

So much of the process depended on random, heart-breaking chance, she says. The emotional and financial roller coaster was exhausting.

But it wasnt the hardest part. The couple had accepted that, as much as they wanted a baby, their child wouldnt be biologically related to Gormallys spouse.

I grieved that our child wouldnt be genetically related to both of us, Gormally says. I longed for the biologically impossible.

But now, a new set of technologies have the potential to change whats possible allowing same-sex partners to have kids who share their genetic material, just like straight couples.

In mammals, pretty much every cell in the body carries two sets of genetic material. One set comes from mom and the other from dad. Eggs and sperm are the only exceptions; they have just one set. Then, when a sperm fertilizes an egg, those two sets combine, restoring the usual number to two sets per cell.

Gormally and other same-sex partners are currently barred from their dreams by a phenomenon called genomic imprinting. It uses a distinct tag from each parent to mark the DNA that mammals pass on to their offspring. The process ensures that, for a small percentage of genes, we only express the copy of genetic material provided by our mother or our father. When this imprinting process goes awry, kids can end up with inactive gene regions that cause miscarriages, developmental defects and cancer.

(Credit: Jay Smith/Discover)

During this genomic imprinting, moms distinct collection of tags typically turns off certain genes, so that just dads copy is expressed. And dad imparts his own marks that leave only the maternal copy on. (Most imprints silence gene expression, but some activate it.) Thats a problem for same-sex couples who want to have a baby. If both sets of an offsprings genes come from maternal DNA, for example, then both copies of imprinted genes will be off. So, the embryo cant make any of the genes products.

We dont get the full set of [gene] products that we need to undergo proper development unless we have both a maternal and paternal contribution to a fertilized egg, says Marisa Bartolomei, a geneticist at the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, who discovered one of the first imprinted genes in mice.

Scientists discovered genomic imprinting in mammals about 30 years ago. During experiments in the mid-1980s, researchers removed either the maternal or paternal genetic contributions from newly fertilized mouse eggs. Then, they transferred in a second set of genes from another mouse to create embryos with either two sets of female genetic material or two sets of male genetic material. A surrogate mouse was able to gestate the embryos, but none survived. The finding showed normal development requires genetic material from both a father and the mother. More than that, the outcomes revealed that maternal and paternal genetic material differ from each other in meaningful ways.

Later experiments revealed mice developed differently depending on whether they happened to receive both copies of certain regions of DNA from one parent (rather than one copy from each parent).

Mice with hairpin-shaped tails were telling examples. When researchers deleted the gene region responsible for a hairpin tail from a mothers genome, mice embryos grew large and died partway through gestation. In contrast, deleting the same region from the paternal genome had no effect on the rodents growth or development.

In the three decades since, researchers have found more imprinted genes (they suspect there are between 100 and 200 such genes) and the molecular tags that silence them. Scientists have also taken strides connecting imprinting defects to developmental disorders in humans. But all along, researchers have known that imprinting prevents same-sex parents from having children.

In October 2018, researchers overcame this impossibility in mice. By deleting imprinted regions, Wei Li and a team at the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing produced healthy mice from two moms. The researchers also created mouse pups from two dads for the first time. However, the offspring died just a few days after birth.

Despite the loss, Li is optimistic. This research shows us what is possible, he says.

To overcome the imprinting barrier, Li and his fellow researchers turned to CRISPR, a gene-editing technique thats made altering genomes easier than ever. They used the tool to delete gene regions from embryonic stem cells from mice mothers. The researchers then injected these modified stem cells into the egg of a female mouse and then used a third surrogate female mouse to carry the fetus to term.

The team had already seen some success two years earlier when they created mouse pups with two genetic mothers by deleting two imprinted regions. Although these bimaternal mice also grew to adulthood and produced pups of their own, they developed growth defects. On average, the bimaternal mice were 20 percent lighter than their hetero-parental counterparts. In their latest study, Li and his team also deleted a third region from the mothers genes, which restored the animals growth to normal.

But the scientists had to clear a few more hurdles to generate mice with two genetic fathers. They found, through a process of trial and error, that they needed to remove twice as many imprinted regions in the bipaternal mice as the bimaternal mice. In total, the team deleted seven imprinted regions to successfully create mice from two dads.

Still, the numbers were not in their favor. Only two and a half percent of embryos made it to term and less than half of one percent lived for two days. None made it to adulthood.

The produced bipaternal mice are not viable, which implies more obstacles are needed to cross to support their postnatal survival, if possible, Li says. The lower birth rate, on the other hand, implies the existence of an unknown barrier hindering the development of bipaternal embryos.

In contrast, the bimaternal mice fared much better. These mice grew to adulthood and were healthy enough to have pups of their own by mating with typical male mice. They also behaved the same as the control mice. As far as the researchers could tell, the bimaternal mice appear as healthy and normal as any other laboratory mice.

It does not mean that they are normal in every aspect, Li cautions. One cannot investigate all the aspects under restricted experimental conditions with a limited number of animals.

Despite the researchers success, Li says the technique is not ready for use in humans. It is never too much to emphasize the risks and the importance of safety before any human experiment, he says, particularly in regard to the bipaternal offspring, which currently are severely abnormal and cannot survive to adulthood.

The bimaternal offspring hold more promise. The team is now working to translate their findings to monkeys. And that work could bring the impossible one step closer to feasible for humans.

Lis research is encouraging but its a long way from helping Gormally and her spouse. However, its also not the only shot for same-sex couples. Another new technology called in vitro gametogenesis, or IVG, may be an alternative potential path for same-sex couples to have their own kids.

Scientists use the technique to make eggs and sperm from other cells in the body. To do so, biologists first reprogram adult skin cells to become stem cells. Then, they stimulate the skin-derived stem cells to develop into eggs or sperm.

Researchers from Japan have now perfected the technique in mice. And in groundbreaking work, Katsuhiko Hayashi and Mitinori Saitou and their team generated functional eggs from mice tail cells.

The researchers then fertilized the eggs with sperm from male mice and implanted the embryos into surrogate mothers. The offspring grew up healthy and fertile. In principle, this approach could allow a womans skin cells to be engineered into sperm and used to fertilize her partners egg.

IVG could transform same-sex couples ability to have their own children. If it had been possible at the time, we definitely wouldve have tried to do it, says Gormally, who is now a proud parent to a toddler thanks to her and her spouses sperm donor. [Its] a total game-changer.

This story is part of "The Future of Fertility" a new series on Discover exploring the frontiers of reproduction.

Read more:

Can Humans Have Babies in Space?

George Church Wants to Make Genetic Matchmaking a Reality

Human Gene Editing is Controversial. Shoukhrat Mitalipov Isn't Deterred

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The Slow March Toward the First Same-Sex Couple to Have a Baby - Discover Magazine

Researchers say theyve discovered six genetic variants associated with the development of anxiety disorders in what they call the largest study of anxiety traits to date.

In a study published Tuesday in the American Journal of Psychiatry, researchers examined genetic and health data from 200,000 U.S. veterans. The data was compiled by a research program, the Million Veteran Program, funded by the government to determine how genes, lifestyle and military exposures affect health and illness.

While there have been many studies on the genetic basis of depression, far fewer have looked for variants linked to anxiety, disorders of which afflict as many as 1 in 10 Americans, Murray Stein, a staff psychiatrist in the VA San Diego Healthcare System, said in a statement.

In the analysis, researchers discovered six genetic variants associated with higher risks of developing anxiety disorders. The variants related to anxiety disorders were found on chromosomes 1,3,6,7 and 20. The studys authors called it an important step forward in understanding how genes contribute to mental conditions.

The variant on chromosome 7 is identified to be correlated with higher occurrences of bipolar disorder and schizophrenia.

Its also associated with the reception of estrogen, but researchers were reluctant to draw the conclusion on if this could explain perhaps why women are twice as likely than men to be affected by anxiety disorders. Thats because while women veterans were included in the study, more than 90 percent of the participants were male. The studys authors say more research is needed on the issue.

The study also found five of the genetic variants were found in white Americans, while an additional variant was found in African Americans.

Minorities are underrepresented in genetic studies, and the diversity of the Million Veteran Program was essential for this part of the project, Dan Levey, of the VA Connecticut Healthcare Center and Yale University said in a statement.

The genetic variant we identified occurs only in individuals of African ancestry, and would have been completely missed in less diverse cohorts.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, nearly 40 million people in the U.S. experience an anxiety disorder in any given year.

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Scientists discover six genetic links to anxiety - The Hill

A new collaborative research study of over 200,000 military veterans has discovered six genetic variants that are linked to anxiety.According to statistics from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illnesses in the U.S., affecting a staggering 18.1% of the population each year.

Suffering from an anxiety disorder can have major adverse effects on an individual's quality of life; it may prevent them from being able to socialize, to work, or to engage in relationships, for example. Individuals with an anxiety disorder are three to five times more likely to go to the doctor, and six times more likely to be hospitalized when compared to those who do not suffer from an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorders like all psychiatric conditions are complex in their pathophysiology. We don't know exactly what causes them, and therefore, our knowledge on how to treat them is somewhat incomplete. A variety of pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment options are available; however, they are often limited in success and may only benefit certain individuals.

An increasing amount of research is focusing on the contribution of genetics to the development of mental health conditions. Murray Stein, San Diego VA staff psychiatrist and Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and of family medicine and public health at UCSD points out "While there have been many studies on the genetic basis of depression, far fewer have looked for variants linked to anxiety, disorders of which afflict as many as one in ten Americans."

Stein is the senior author of a new study, published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, that explores the contribution of certain genetic variants to the development of anxiety disorders.

The research, a genome wide association study (GWAS), analyzed the genomes of approximately 200,000 military veterans from the Million Veteran Program (MVP). From the data, they discovered six genetic variants linked to anxiety. Five were identified in European Americans and one was identified in African Americans.

A selection of these variants has also been previously linked to other conditions such as bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and posttraumatic stress disorder.

"This is the richest set of results for the genetic basis of anxiety to date," said co-lead author Joel Gelernter, the Foundations Fund Professor of Psychiatry, professor of genetics and of neuroscience at Yale. "There has been no explanation for the comorbidity of anxiety and depression and other mental health disorders, but here we have found specific, shared genetic risks."

The MVP offers the opportunity to study a large data set that would otherwise be difficult to gather and collate. Thus far, several studies have utilized the MVP data to make interesting discoveries relating to genetics and psychiatric disorders. Gelernter says, "This is a rich vein we have just begun to tap."

Also of note is the fact that some of the genetic variants identified were linked to genes that regulate hormonal activity, specifically in relation to the sex hormone estrogen. As more females are affected by an anxiety disorder than males, this is an intriguing finding. However, the scientists emphasize that the research sample from the MVP largely consists of men, which could be considered a study limitation.

Nonetheless, the research serves as a contributor to the pool of research expanding our knowledge of the molecular underpinnings of psychiatric disorders.

"One of the goals of this research is to find important risk genes that are associated with risk for many psychiatric and behavioral traits for which we don't have a good explanation," Yale's Daniel Levey, a postdoctoral associate and co-lead author of the study, concludes.

Reference: Leveyet al. (2020). Reproducible Genetic Risk Loci for Anxiety: Results from ~200,000 Million Veteran Program Participants. The American Journal of Psychiatry. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1101/540245.

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Richest Set of Results to Date Pinpoint Six Genes That Are Linked to Anxiety Disorders - Technology Networks

Are humans basically good kind, generous and peaceful? Or are we essentially evil cruel, selfish and aggressive? Evolutionary science is uncovering the answer, and it provides important guidance about how we can best live together.

But it should not be oversimplified.

In a recent column on evolution (Could our real advantage be survival of the friendliest? Nov. 28), Cass Sunstein discussed the human self-domestication theory. Summarizing a recent article by Duke anthropologist Brian Hare and a book by Hares former teacher, Harvards Richard Wrangham, Sunstein presents their findings that we homo sapiens are a domesticated version of earlier, more aggressive, human species, just as dogs are a docile version of wolves.

Like dogs, we evolved to have lower levels of reactive aggression toward those around us, which enabled the cooperation and communication that have propelled our species to world domination.

Sunsteins column was a feel-good piece about how we are hard-wired to get along with each other. Thats great and ought to be celebrated.

The story of human domestication is much more interesting than Sunstein let on, however, and it has troublesome implications.

Hares and Wranghams answer to the age-old puzzle about human nature is that we have separate neurological pathways for good and evil, and they come to the fore in different contexts and for different reasons. Hitler was kind to his secretary and inconsolable at the death of his dog.

Hare shows that whether people are helpful or hurtful to others depends on how similar the others in question seem to themselves. Instinctive antagonism toward outsiders co-evolved through the same biological mechanisms that molded group solidarity. Think of parents, who are the soul of gentleness with their own children, but would readily kill to protect them.

Thus, armed conflict with neighbors usually sneaky night raids and ambushes is a feature of nearly every human society ever studied. And recent brain imaging studies confirm that we literally think differently about infractions committed by members of our group than about those committed by an out-group.

Wranghams book isnt called Human Goodness but The Goodness Paradox. The paradox is that domestication has a dark side it evolved through lethal violence against bullies, nonconformists and outsiders. Once language developed, coalitions of subordinate males could plot to oust the aggressive alpha males of the kind that dominate groups of apes. And once male coalitions discovered their overwhelming power, they could employ it against all kinds of troublemakers.

Some 12,000 generations of capital punishment that is, homicide systematically culled from the gene pool the tendencies to domineer or deviate.

Indeed, in nomadic hunter-gatherer societies people have been killed by male coalitions for a wide range of social transgressions things as seemingly trivial as a woman treading on the mens secret path. The moral sense itself could be considered the instinct to look over our shoulders we survivors of this culling process have a healthy vigilance about who might be watching. Simply putting up a picture of human eyes has been shown to deter bicycle theft and littering.

Sunstein briefly acknowledges that while domestication reduced reactive aggression, it did not affect our unique capacity for proactive aggression. But he implies that sort of behavior consists only of aggression that involves a lot of advance planning. In fact, it is the threat of aggression by groups of males that underlies all the coercive, hierarchical institutions of human history.

Thus, the truth is far from Sunsteins rosy picture: We evolved to be nervous conformists who get together to murder troublemakers and outsiders.

Heres the important thing. Genes dont determine behavior, they create tendencies that can be countermanded by culture and choice. Recognizing our dark tendencies, there are things we can do to curb and control them.

To start with, the self-domestication theory provides a lens through which to see more clearly our nations important challenges.

Take immigration. We must recognize that our views on immigrants are not entirely rational but are subtly influenced by a genetically based hostility toward outsiders.

Or consider the intolerance toward unpopular speakers that is infecting college campuses. We need to be alert that our instinctive, nervous herd mentality may be operating there.

And anyone who listened to any of the congressional deliberations on impeachment has to have seen that the adversaries were literally thinking with different parts of their brains.

Be aware that nationalism is a mixed bag. It brings out our best instincts for loyalty and service, but it will always stimulate a genetic threat to international peace.

The thought experiment for how group solidarity is forged in response to an adversary is to imagine what would happen if hostile alien spaceships appeared over major cities. Those sneaky Russians and monolithic Chinese would quickly start to feel like our kin. Climate change is another kind of worldwide threat which, depending on how we address it, could forge bonds across boundaries or could lead to the mind-set of every man for himself.

As for our nations history of persecuting nonconformists and reformers, we need to take to heart the language of a case that new law students study, Papachristou v. City of Jacksonville.

Back in 1972, Jacksonville had a vagrancy ordinance so broad that it allowed the police to sweep up just about anyone they considered undesirable. Supreme Court Justice William Douglas, a bit of a nonconformist himself, would have none of it. He wrote that the choices to be a nightwalker or a loafer are unwritten amenities of American life that have dignified the right of dissent and have honored the right to be nonconformists and the right to defy submissiveness. They have encouraged lives of high spirits, rather than hushed, suffocating silence.

Dare I offer the best vision for the future for a domesticated species? It would be a time when we are all citizens of the world with robust protections for individuality and nonconformity.

Evolution built us. All in the service of promoting the most base reproductive success, it engineered beings capable of great love and loyalty, works of beautiful creativity and worldwide collaboration, and awe and wonder at the mysteries of the universe. But it also endowed us with the pain of guilt and shame, anxiety about our reputations, insatiable acquisitiveness and the potential for intolerance and cruelty.

Still, the story can be more empowering than discouraging. Knowledge is power. We are finally at the point in history where we can start to see our own evolution. And seeing it, we can refuse to be its slaves and start being its master.

Bruce Peterson is a senior district court judge who teaches a course on Lawyers as Peacemakers at the University of Minnesota Law School.

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OPINION EXCHANGE | We mustn't be naive about evolution - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Childhood exposure to the air pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is associated with an increased risk of developing schizophrenia, according to the findings of a recent study which appeared in JAMA Network Open.

This population-based cohort study comprised of 23,355 individuals (51.3% male) with schizophrenia and a randomly selected sub-cohort.Using national registry data, all individuals born in Denmark between May 1, 1981, and December 31, 2002, were followed up from their 10th birthday until the first occurrence of schizophrenia (the primary endpoint), emigration, death, or December 31, 2012, whichever came first. Statistical analyses were conducted between October 24, 2018, and June 17, 2019 using adjusted hazard ratios (AHRs) for schizophrenia with 95% Cis according to NO2 exposure. Polygenic risk scores were calculated as the weighted sum of risk alleles at selected single-nucleotide polymorphisms based on genetic material obtained from dried blood spot samples from the Danish Newborn Screening Biobank and on the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium genome-wide association study summary statistics file.

According to the results of the study, during the period of the study, 3,531 subjects were diagnosed with schizophrenia. The researchers observed that higher polygenic risk scores were linked with higher childhood NO2 exposure (=0.0782; 95% CI, 0.065 to 0.091; P <.001). Moreover, they found that a 10-g/m3increase in childhood daily NO2 exposure (AHR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.15 to 1.32) along with a 1-SD increase in polygenic risk score (AHR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.23 to 1.35) were both independently correlated with an augmented risk of developing schizophrenia.

Potential biological mechanisms for the association between air pollution and schizophrenia remain uncertain, but air pollutants have been purported to cause inflammation of the tissue of the nervous system, oxidative stress, microglial activation, protein aggregation, subclinical cerebrovascular disease, and disruption of the blood-brain barrier, the study authors wrote.

With the complex clinical features of schizophrenia, it is likely that genetic variation may play a role in determining an individuals susceptibility to the damaging effects of air pollution. However, our findings suggest that a polygenic risk score based on common variants related to schizophrenia cannot account for the association between childhood NO2 exposure and schizophrenia.

They added that these results demonstrate the utility of including polygenic risk scores in epidemiologic studies.

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Childhood Exposure to Air Pollution Linked to Increased Risk of Schizophrenia - DocWire News

Its not King Herod decreeing that male children should be killed, but it certainly is eyebrow-raising: Chinas ever-growing, totalitarian surveillance state is now requiring blood samples from boys in provinces across the nation.

This is according to Bitter Winter (BW), a magazine on religious liberty and human rights in China. BW reports that one explanation given to concerned parents of schoolboys was that the program was designed to prevent children from being lost or abducted. Of course, though, since girls can be abducted, too, this excuse only further raises suspicions.

Providing background, BW wrote yesterday that since the beginning of 2016, the government ofXinjiangUyghurAutonomous Regionhas been collecting DNA samples fromUyghursand other Muslims to build databases fortracking and monitoring them. As this measure in the name of maintaining social stabilityspreads across mainland China, theCCP [Chinese Communist Party]is collecting biometric data on an ever-increasing scale. All males, including young children, are now mandated to give blood samples.

BW continues:

Residents of Guigang, Guilin, Hechi, and Cenxi cities in southern Chinas Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region reported toBitter Winterthat local police uniformly collected blood samples from primary and middle school boys in November. This has been done without informing their guardians.

Isnt it the doctors duty to take blood? Why did the police do it? a parent of a primary school student asked. Blood samples have been taken from students in many schools, as part of the governments massive operation. No notice or written communication has been issued to parents. We felt very unsafe.

When parents demanded to know the reasons for the collection of blood samples from their children, the schools explained that it was needed to prevent children from being lost or abducted and sold.

If it is to prevent children from being lost or abducted, why have samples been taken only from boys and not girls? Because girls wont be lost? Its really strange!

Reporting on the program in October, shortly after a government announcement relating to it was made, the Epoch Times wrote that China is building a massiveDNAdatabase on its citizens.

The announcement stated that the effort is part of the public securitys basic information work to improve the precision and controllability of population management, and the samples would be collected either by group or door-to-door, the Times related.

The program is just one of the most recent compulsory DNA collection initiatives, which critics of Chinese authorities say are a gross violation of privacy and serve to further the regimes plan to control the genetic makeup of its population, the Times continued.

The Times also informs that the goal of the male-oriented program is to develop a comprehensive Y-STR database. Y-STR stands for Y-chromosome short tandem repeat analysis, which relates to DNA information passed down along the male descendants of families, the Times tells us.

Bitter Winter reports on the most plausible explanation for the current program, quoting a teacher from Guilin. The collection of blood samples is demanded in a government-issued document, which proclaims that they will be used by law enforcement to find criminals, related BW. No matter where they escape, the police can locate them.

Since boys and men are not only more likely to commit violent crimes but, note, are also more likely to be the revolutionaries opposing state tyranny the current focus on a Y-STR database may make sense.

On an even darker note, BW writes that because schools were secretive and couldnt provide adequate explanation for the blood-collection program, some parents worried thatDNA samples will be used for organ harvesting.

(Note: It could occur to a person that since Chinas recently scrapped one-child policy led to a sex imbalance in which males notably outnumber females, the Beijing government may view boys as more expendable. Just a wild thought.)

This said, the latest initiative is apparently just part of a wider effort to collect DNA on Chinas entire population. The purposes, though, would still largely be nefarious.

Bitter Winter writes that one motivation is to facilitate religious persecution. For example, In July, the police harassed the parents of a member ofThe Church of Almighty Godwho has been on the run to escape persecution and forcibly collected their blood samples, claiming that this will help them to track down the believer, the site relates.

As to another motivation, Steven Mosher, an expert in population control [and] president of U.S.-based think tank Population Research Institute said the term population control has always had an eugenics element, the Epoch Times reports.

The regime wants to ensure quality births, Mosher told The Epoch Times, adding that one way to achieve that is by tracing who is related to whom, so authorities can eliminate those carrying recessive genes that produce birth defects.

With the advent of genetic testing, [this practice] is about to get a high-tech boost and become much more comprehensive, he said, the site further related.

Eugenics, the science of improving the human gene pool via selective breeding (and now genetic engineering), gained much credence in the early 1900s, especially in Britain and the United Sates. It was later discredited when the Nazis in Germany pursued it, killing innocents and violating human rights in the process.

The Chinese authorities are similarly disposed, using deception, threats, and even physical force to collect reluctant subjects blood. Yet this is just part of Beijings wider development of an all-encompassing surveillance state that seems to mistake George Orwells 1984 for an instruction manual. As Sarah Cook, a senior China analyst at U.S. human rights advocacy group Freedom House, put it while addressing the massive DNA collection program, the fascistic Beijing regime treats the Chinese population as nothing more than slaves, with whom you can do exactly as you please.

Yet is this surprising? China is not only the worlds most irreligious country, but atheism is its governments official position. This matters because atheism has a certain corollary: that we have no souls and then are, essentially, mere organic robots, some pounds of chemicals and water.

And, of course, what could be wrong with altering an organic robots software (social engineering) or, more to the point here, its hardware (genetic engineering)? For that matter, what could be immoral about terminating an organic robots function? Material things are there to be used, after all and discarded when no longer needed.

It really is no surprise that men who believed our rights come from God forged the United States and that a godless state proceeds as if people are objects that have no rights.

Selwyn Duke (@SelwynDuke) has written for The New American for more than a decade. He has also written for The Hill,Observer,The American Conservative, WorldNetDaily, American Thinker, and many other print and online publications. In addition, he has contributed to college textbooks published by Gale-Cengage Learning, has appeared on television, and is a frequent guest on radio.

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Bleed the Males? China Currently Demanding DNA from Boys and ONLY Boys - The New American

If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck, then its probably...Brad Pitt.

The Once Upon A Time...In Hollywood star and genetic experiment in perfection has done the remarkable. Hes taken a hairstyle associated with 60-year-old male radio show hosts and college freshman who dont yet know how to make their own barber appointments and made it red carpet-worthy.

Frazer Harrison

The ducktail hairstyle, also known as the ducks ass, peaked in popularity in the late 1950s with the rise of the bad-boy Greaser look (Think: Elvis Presley and Sodapop from The Outsiders.) It's styled by slicking back shaggy hair on both sides of your head to create a ridge at the back, allowing the bottom edges to subtly flip out at the ends. Its almost moving into mullet territory, with a bit of Donald Trump at the edges. Joe Dirt would find the style aspirational.

Carl Iwasaki

Beautiful Brad wasnt alone in his efforts at the Golden Globes Sunday night. Famous men like Ansel Elgort, Adam Driver, and Joaquin Phoenix added to the hairsanity. We're a mere week into 2020, and several Hollywood dudes have started sporting the style, with a slight update: the new version includes less duck and more tail, creating a neck curtain of sorts. These are men of flair, drama, and panache: the curtain rises and falls even on their distinguished necks.

Daniele Venturelli

Daniele Venturelli

Steve Granitz

Michael Kovac

This is the kind of hair that makes you believe if you went home with these grown men, you might wake up on a futon. It's a style for men who think basketball shorts are formal wear, who eat from the communal nuts at a bar, rub their noses, then grabs another handful. It is, in short, the hair of men who used to fart and claim Safety immediately after. It is not at all the 'do of a movie star, which is perhaps exactly its point: We dare you to still find us attractive, Pitt and his A-list cohorts seem to be saying. Unfortunately, in spite of their best efforts, we do.

Read this article:
Are Male Celebrities Trying to Ruin Their Hotness With Bad Hair? 'Cuz It's Not Working - ELLE.com

This is not a good time to be a wolverine.

The infamously scrappy, snow-adapted mustelid a relation of badgers, martens and otters is barely hanging on in the contiguous United States, where its population has dipped to mere hundreds. Decades of habitat loss and trapping reduced the wolverines numbers, and now diminishing snowpack from climate change is adding insult to injury.

And we can add one more surprising threat to the list: roads.

Yes, even though wolverines (Gulo gulo) thrive in remote, snowy wildernesses, roads can still pose a problem but perhaps not in the way you might think.

Researchers studying wolverine populations in Canada found that roads serve to diminish the animals genetic diversity, because females refuse to cross them, although young males still readily disperse and find new territories.

This has important consequences for U.S. wolverines, which may depend on Canadian travelers for their genetic health and future population growth.

Anthony (Tony) Clevenger, a scientist at Montana State Universitys Western Transportation Institute and an expert in the field of road ecology, was one of three researchers involved in the study.

We talked to him about the challenges facing wolverines and whats being done to boost their recovery.

What attracted you to the field of road ecology?

Pure chance. I was out of work, living in Europe where I did my Ph.D. on a small population of brown bears in northern Spain, and I heard Banff National Park was hiring a conservation biologist to study underpasses and overpasses for wildlife. I got the job [in 1996] and became fascinated with studying how roads affect nature around us. It opened up a new world for me.

Your recent study focused on wolverines and the Trans-Canada Highway. What prompted this? What were you hoping to learn?

The final twinning [from two to four lanes] of the Trans-Canada Highway ends at the Continental Divide. This stretch of the highway enters subalpine areas home to wolverine and lynx species that we knew very little about.

We knew in the lower 48 some 2-lane highways limited wolverine movement. Little was known about wolverines in the Canadian Rockies and much less about how a major 4-lane highway may affect movements and gene flow.So this was a unique opportunity given the number of interstate highways and expanding roads in the southern part of wolverine range.

What did you find out about how roads affect wolverines, and is it different from how roads affect other animals?

After three years of noninvasive genetic sampling within our 3,088 square-mile study area [around Banff, Kootenay and Yoho national parks], we found that the Trans-Canada Highway is not a barrier to male wolverine movement but is a strong barrier to female wolverine movement.Females are more sensitive todisturbance, particularly human activity.

This is important since females need to cross the highway, survive and breed for there to be functional connectivity.

This is the same response that others have found for grizzly bear movements and genetic structure across highways, and also jaguars in Central America. Getting breeding females to cross and connect subpopulations is key, and we hope that crossing structures can help that function.

What are the implications for wolverine populations in North America, and specifically in the United States, where numbers are low?

The prospects are not good in the lower 48 where the population is [currently] estimated at 300 but we all believe that is far too high. Habitats are highly fragmented, unlike wolverine range in southern Canada (Alberta and British Columbia). The population in Canada is in the thousands.

Trapping still occurs in southern Canada and we published a paper recently that demonstrates that the trapping of wolverines in southeast British Columbia and southwest Alberta is not sustainable. Governments there are starting to change trapping regulations.

These populations are the lifeline for wolverine populations in the United States. We lose that and we lose everything.

What is being done or can be done to help? Are there particular kinds of crossing structures that would be most beneficial for wolverines?

Crossing structures have been built in the Canadian Rockies along the Trans-Canada Highway, which will help the mountain park wolverines. The critical piece of the puzzle is located in multi-use lands between the mountain national parks and the United States border (near Glacier and Waterton Lakes national parks).

This area is still trapped for wolverines, and forest cutting and motorized recreation are extensive and in some places there is oil and gas exploration activities that limit wolverine movement, reproductive success and survival. The provincial government of British Columbia is changing trapping regulations and we hope Alberta will follow suit its a good thing and necessary.

Overpasses and underpasses are also being planned for the British Columbia section of Highway 3, a critical linkage zone in the Yellowstone-to-Yukon ecoregion. The public is more informed of the plight of wolverines in this critical area, as are trappers.

Working together we can help provide a more viable future for one of our icons of wilderness and intact ecosystems.

Originally posted here:
Road to Nowhere: Highways Pose Existential Threat to Wolverines - The Revelator